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Darshan arati (Deities new dresses), midnight abhishek (bathing the Deities at midnight, the time of Lord Krishna's birth), huge crowds in the temple, scenes from the temple area, road scene at night.
"Planet ISKCON" - 44 new articles
Hari Sauri das, Mayapura, IN: All those years ago…February 14 – a day to remember, at least for me. Not because it is celebrated as St. Valentine’s day, although it would be wonderful if I could truly say
February 14 1972 was a special day for me because it was the day I changed from this:  Denis "Harry" Harrison, January 1972 Perth Australia to this:  Bhakta Harry, February 14 1972 - Sydney Australia This was the day I first had my head shaved and made the final commitment to join the Sydney Hare Krishna temple, which in those days was located at 84 Hereford St. Glebe. Long story, and even longer since then. But looking back, it was the day my life changed and I never looked back. I was 21 yrs. and 2 months old. I had been attending the temple everyday for a week. I would leave my rented house in Chippendale at 6.00AM, walk the several miles to the temple bare feet, do a day’s service and then walk back again at 8.00PM. Before leaving I would smoke one cigarette, and when I got back, I would smoke one more. I had been a 15-a-day man for some years but by this time I managed to reduce it to two a day. Pretty hard habit to give up. I was waiting for my friends to arrive from north Western Australia where we had all spent the second half of 1971 working on a mining camp in a place called Paraburdoo. After Christmas 1971 I was finished–finished with a mindless existence and finished with material life. I left at the beginning of 1972 to travel several thousand miles to Sydney to find the devotees. My friends stayed behind to earn a bit more money while I went off to meet my destiny. On the way I stopped off in Perth at a friend’s house for 10 days, which is where the above ‘before’ photo was taken. Once in Sydney I tracked down the devotees and in early February I started regularly attending the temple. There was an unusual character called Hanuman das, a French Canadian, who would grab me by the hair every day and with great gusto ask, “When are we going to take this off!?”. I would reply “When my friends come from WA to take over the house I am renting, then you can shave it off.” This went on for a week. I hadn’t heard from my friends so I decided not to pay the house rent any more and move into the temple. The same day, they suddenly turned up without warning and I sat down with them and preached to them the glories of Krsna to whatever limited extent I knew. We stayed up the entire night. Two of the guys, Bob and Chris, were childhood friends who I grew up with from 5 years old and went all the way through infants, junior and high school with. We had emigrated from England to Australia together in April 1971 and now I was leaving their company for an entirely new life.  Chris Hall Feb. 1972  Bob Hornsby and Trevor Feb. 1972 Another guy, Trevor, whom we had met on the boat over, was astonished. He told me “You hear about people looking for the meaning of life, but you never hear of anyone who actually found it. But you have found what you were looking for!” The next day, February 14, I went to the temple as usual and as usual Hanuman grabbed me by my shoulder-length locks and guffawed, “When are we going to have this off!?” “You can do it now if you like,” I told him to great surprise. “My friends have come and I have turned the house over to them. I am ready to move in.” Hanuman wasted no time. He had me shaved up within minutes, along with another young man who had been attending the temple on a regular basis, Bhakta Phil. (The two of us were initiated by Srila Prabhupada on April 9th 1972 as Hari-sauri dasa and Partha dasa.) Hanuman was surprised when I told him I was going back to my house to collect my belongings and that I would move into the temple the next morning. But not as surprised as my friends when I walked in the door that night bald and blissful with a long sikha flowing down the back of my neck, the only remnant of a once-proud curling mane. Trevor’s jaw nearly hit the floor in shock. “I know you said you were going to join them, but somehow I didn’t quite believe it. But you’ve done it!” And that was when the above photo of me with my newly shorn head was taken. That was it, I distributed my extensive record collection to my friends, along with most of my clothes and other possessions. A few things I kept for myself and my new stereo I gave to the temple along with all my life-savings. I remember as I walked through the front door of the temple the following morning with my suitcase, I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders. I had a very distinct impression that I was now catching up to somewhere that I had left a long time before, and that my real life was just recommencing again. And as I walked through the door my desire to smoke another cigarette simply evaporated and I never had the urge again. Of course there’s a lot more to this little biography, but the events on the day prompted me to put this down. Happy Valentine’s day, may your love for Radha and Krsna always increase. • Email to a friend • Related •  •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1972 February 14: "GBC men should not dictate very much. Temple presidents should be more managerial, more individual. If we lose individuality what is the point?"  • Email to a friend • Related • •
Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1967 February 14 : "I have postponed your journey. Your absence is not advisable while I am not there. I think the ship Jaladuta must be reaching New York by this time. Please take care of the bill of Lading for clearing the Mrdangas."  • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1969 February 14 : "Medicine is not the remedial measure. Ultimately we have to depend on the mercy of Krishna. So we should chant regularly, pray and if required, consult some approved physician."  • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1970 February 14 : "The Spiritual Sky is far away, but you just try to do it. Wherever Rathayatra is performed, it is not different from the Spiritual Sky."  • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1972 February 14: "So as GBC you must see that the highest standards are maintained throughout all the centers. That is our first business."  • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1972 February 14: "In this and other matters you have to manage. You have to instruct others so they will not resent - if they resent, how things can be managed?"  • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1973 February 14 : "Reach a conclusion amongst yourselves and then present it for my sanction. In this way I will be free to concentrate on my translation of Srimad Bhagavatam."  • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1973 February 14 : "There is no need for us to directly attack these charlatans but simply by this distribution of books the sunlight of Krishna consciousness will prevail."  • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1973 February 14 : "Your proposal for organizing the college programs is first class. All programs must go on but it is a fact this book distribution program is very, very important."  • Email to a friend • Related • •Japa Group: Attainment Of Prema Bhakti
Chanting the holy names makes us more aware of our consitutional position of eternal servants. Here is a nice quote from the Sri Caitanya Candramritam: svadam svadam madhurimabharam sviya namavalinam Always absorbed in chanting and relishing his own holy names, Gaurasundar becomes intoxicated with ever-increasing passion. Sometimes he swoons, falling to the ground in a display of ineffable exultation. The Lord invites everyone, repeatedly encouraging them to sing the wonderful qualities of Sri Krishna, the prince of Vraja. But those who have never seen or perceived him in meditation, even only briefly, for them the attainment of prema bhakti is almost impossible. Sri Caitanya Candramritam by Prabodhananda Sarasvatipada - Excerpt of his prayers. The symptoms of one who is fully engaged in the process of chanting with love is difficult to describe but we have an idea of the love our acharyas showed while chanting, first feeling lots of mercy and love for every living entity trying to engage every one of them in Harinam Sankirtan. Goura Purnima is coming soon and this verse is to remind us of the great love Lord Chaitanya showed so we can have an idea of this pure love of Krsna, prema. I pray so I can constantly chant the holy names of the Lord and receive association of the great vaisnavas so I can always be reminded of my position as eternal servant of the Lord. Wishing you all a very good week of chanting and lots of inspirations and blessings coming from the Lord. your servant, Aruna devi  • Email to a friend • Related • •Kurma dasa, AU: Kurma Returns to PerthNot permanantly, but just for 2 weeks, 3-15 July. If you live in that glorious part of Australia and would like to organise a group of friends, I can share a hands-on cookery extravaganza and banquet in your home.
Or perhaps you would just like to attend a class. Here's what's on so far. Hope to see you soon! Cooking with Kurma, Fremantle, WA, Full-day Hands-on Vegan Cookery Workshop, Sunday 4 July 2010, Email Cruelty Free WA (info@crueltyfreewa.com.au), Bookings: call James/Jess on (08) 9335 7039 between 11:30am - 6:00pm Tuesday to Sunday), More information available online at www.crueltyfreewa.com.au
Cooking with Kurma, West Perth, WA, Two evening Vegetarian Cookery Classes, Tuesday 6, Wednesday 7 July 2010, Upper Crust Cooking School, Shop 1, 77 Colin Street, WEST PERTH WA 6005, For Bookings, contact: Gabriel Zahra, Ph/Fx 08 94814149, gabriel@uppercrust.com.au, www.uppercrust.com.au
Cooking with Kurma, Bunbury, Western Australia, Aspenz Cooking School, Two Evening Cookery Classes, Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14 July 2010, Bookings 08 97217400, Contact aspenzk@westnet.com.au
• Email to a friend • Related • •ISKCON Melbourne, AU: A thoughtful St Valentine's DayBelow is an excerpt on a very revealing note on the true meaning of St Valentine's Day. Unfortunately the original 'www.RajVidya.com' link is broken, so it is an adapted version of the original text entitled "A Thoughtful Valentine's Day". • Email to a friend • Related • •Gauranga Kishore das,USA: Schopenhauer and The Facts of Life
"In early youth as we contemplate our coming life, we are like children in a theater before the curtain is raised, sitting there in high spirits and eagerly waiting for the play to begin. It is a blessing that we do not know what is really going to happen. Could we foresee it, there are times when children might seem like condemned prisoners, condemned, not to death, but to life, and as yet all unconscious of what their sentence means." Schopenhauer When I'm cooking in the morning here at the temple we get to hear the mangala arati and the Srimad Bhagavatam classes. Right now we are doing an overview of the first canto, which has been really wonderful as this is my favorite canto of the Bhagavatam. For the past few days we've been reading from the thirteenth Chapter "Dhrtarashtra Quits Home," which reminded me of the above quote by Schopenhauer. It is a brutally honest discussion of the "facts of life," as Srila Prabhupada calls them. What are the "facts of life." The facts of life are that we are all going to grow old and die, if we are lucky or maybe unlucky depending on your perspective. As I was hearing the discussion of this section of the Bhagavatam I found myself wondering if it wasn't too heavy. I mean it is really intense. But it didn't take more than a second to remind myself that this was the truth the straight truth, the facts of life. What is amazing about the Bhagavatam is that it not only presents the facts of life in an honest way but presents a philosophy of life that is inspiring and hopeful despite the facts of life, and the misery that surrounds us. More and more I see that as the crucial part of what it means to be religious. And atheism is really the failure of religious hope. When one can no longer see any transcendent purpose in the suffering of this world one sinks into a kind of despair, which is atheism. That is at least a psychological perspective on religion and atheism. More on that sometime later. While we're being totally random Schopenhauer, although one of the most miserable people to have ever lived was quite an interesting Character. Although he was totally miserable he had a great love for the Upanishads and Vedic literatures. He said that the Upanishads had been the solace of his life and would be the solace of his death. Interestingly he also believed that soon the wisdom from the scriptures of India would flood back into Europe and revolutionize the entire Western civilization. "From every sentence (of the Upanishads) deep, original and sublime thoughts arise, and the whole is pervaded by a high and holy and earnest spirit...."In the whole world there is no study so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Upanishads. They are destined sooner or later to become the faith of the people." "In India religions will never at any time take root; the ancient wisdom of the human race will not be supplanted by the events in Galilee. On the contrary, Indian wisdom flows back to Europe, and will produce a fundamental change in our knowledge and thought." "According to me, the influence of Sanskrit literature on our time will not be lesser than what was in the 16th century Greece's influence on Renaissance. One day, India's wisdom will flow again on Europe and will totally transform our knowledge and thought." He wasn't alone in his belief, there were many other prominent intellectuals had also thought this. Although more recently this idea lost favor as Philsophy gave up on finding transcendent truth as it surrender to materialism. Although it has taken awhile it is definitely beginning to happen and the influence of Indian thought and culture will only continue to become stronger in the next century as the US empire begins to crumble and India becomes one of the new world super powers. Param vijayate sri krishna sankirtanam.  • Email to a friend • Related • •HH. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 346I am feeling more hopeful that I can continue "Prabhupada smaranam". Why should I run out of things to say about the most important person in my life? Just keep trying everyday in the directed free write format. Just keep saying things that come to your mind about Srila Prabhupada. And I should be able to keep up the free write allowing that it wanders in many short paragraphs. You should not be afraid to write things that seem to be not important. They will springboard you to write things that are grave and important. Nine, ten, victory. What is victory? It is freedom from the fourfold miseries and attainment of pure devotional service. They will say this is a wonderful free write or maybe it will fall on its face. You don't know the outcome. How will that be judged? It will be judged by the appreciation of the readers. They may say they like milk or fizzy water or banana drink—I will not allow alcoholic drinks. The drink or food will have to be offered to Krishna. He says, "Whoever offers Me a leaf or water or fruit (or vegetable?)—if offered with devotion, I will accept it." Who is such a fool that he will not accept this easy method of pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead? We go for walk each day. There is snow and ice on the ground. We talk a little but not too much. Before the walk you take lunch. I say the prayer for accepting prasadam in English because I don't know the Bengali, sarira avidya-jal…I say what the Swami taught us in 1966, "O Lord, this material body is a lump of ignorance…" Both versions are good. When you actually offer food to the Lord you say different prayers like namo brahmanya-devaya go-bhrahmanya-hitaya ca, and others. Today we will offer the poor man's feast, kitchari and okra and dahi and bread. You have to be careful not to let the offering of food degrade into a mechanical act but say it with feeling. There are so many dangers in the world. Muggers, terrorists, cheating politicians, falls on the ice, rabid animals, madmen…drowning. Doing devotional acts mechanically is another danger. Sometimes they forget to make a food offering to the Deity. It can be made on a small plate. You should wear your devotional clothes at all times and tilaka. Sometimes you dress more relaxed. Krishna dresses in varied beautiful clothes, lightning yellow dhoti, helmet and peacock feathers, Radha dresses brilliantly. She likes to wear blue. She wears a long braid. She keeps Her feet covered in modesty. The arca-vigraha is a form of Krishna in material ingredients. But it is accepted as spiritual. • Email to a friend • Related • •Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: better than serving Krsna...to serve the servant of Krsna is better than to serve directly Krsna, because if the servant of Krsna promises something, if the servant of Krsna says, "I'll take you to Krsnaloka," you must go there. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.29 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1976 • Email to a friend • Related • •Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: upcoming sravan kirtan campsMay 7, 8 & 9 Bharuch, Gujarat (in Hindi) 17-24 May Yercaud, Tamil Nadu (in English) 17 May - Devotees reach Yercaud (Evening we all could go for Harinam) 18-24 May - 7 days Program late June one weekend somewhere in A.P. (in English). • Email to a friend • Related • •Dandavats.com: Live from Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir! HG Ravindra Svarupa PrabhuBy Ravindra Svarupa dasa This perfect knowledge can be achieved by a person who is already engaged in devotional service with faith, steadiness and full detachment, and who is always absorbed in thought of the Supreme. He is aloof from material association • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1966 February 13 : "Today the whole day was raining. Talked with Mr Mukherji by telephone also with Mrs J. K. Banerjee correspondent of Hindusthan Standard. No Expenditure"  • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1968 February 13 : "I am your servant also, so I cannot accept service from you, or from any of my disciples. I accept service from my disciples only on behalf of Krishna."  • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1968 February 13 : "Any one who accepts this philosophy of God's Mercy in suffering conditions, and still makes progress in Krishna Consciousness, he is sure to go back to Home, Back to Godhead"  • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1969 February 13: "In London a report was published with the heading, KRISHNA CHANT STARTLES LONDON. So you shall also try to startle Germany with the Krishna chant. That should be our main program."  • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1969 February 13 : "It is very nice that you wish to remain brahmacari. Actually it doesn't matter if one is householder or brahmacari. Sincerity of purpose is the only qualification for Krishna Consciousness."  • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1972 February 13: "As GBC you should see the standard is perfectly maintained. Neglecting the principles means neglecting Krishna's order. These regulative principles are our life, if they are not respected then the whole thing is finished."  • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1972 February 13: "Unless one is perfectly behaved, he cannot teach others. All the GBC should be strictly to the standard, and see that others are also following them. Then our centers will be well-managed."  • Email to a friend • Related • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1972 February 13 : "Impressive but not repressive - that is the system. Please institute these most important principles but do it so that people will not go away."  • Email to a friend • Related • •Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: “A Poem for Srila Prabhupad” by Bhakti Lata dd When I first drew breath he is the shadow he is the silver voice he is the rhythm of my footsteps he is the echo of my heartbeat he is the smile Srila Prabhupad I would draw away from the Deities Srila Prabhupad       • Email to a friend • Related • •Japa Group: Do The Simple Things That I Ask
"What is the use of these other rules and regulations. First, just do these things. Do the simple things that I ask you to do. Don't concern yourself with all these rituals. First, chant your 16 rounds and follow the principles." From Nectar of Srila Prabhupada by Srutakirti dasa  • Email to a friend • Related • •ISKCON News.com: ISKCON Leader Tackles Pastoral Abuse Issue
• Email to a friend • Related • •ISKCON News.com: Zonal Reconfiguration Hot Topic at ISKCON Leadership Meeting
• Email to a friend • Related • •ISKCON News.com: New Guide to Healthy Vaishnava Marriages Awaits Autumn Release
• Email to a friend • Related • •ISKCON News.com: Kalachandji's Restaurant Trounces Economic Crisis for Best Year Ever
• Email to a friend • Related • •ISKCON News.com: Valentine Inauguration for New Mayapur Temple
• Email to a friend • Related • •Namahatta.org: Bhakti-vriksha Winter Festival in Russia--January 2010Vijay Venugopal das and Prema Padmini dd  And so the festival closed. In the morning, senior devotees including Krishna dasa Kaviraja Prabhu, Acala Prabhu, Vishvamitra Prabhu, and ourselves spoke. It had been a wonderful festival and the team who made the arrangements were all young Bhakti-vriksha leaders and members—more than half of them being women, including the main coordinator. Everyone praised their efforts and service, and also spoke of the wonderful loving atmosphere among the devotees throughout the festival. Bhakti-vriksha has clearly brought immense changes to the Russian devotee community, which was in decline only a few years ago. Most significantly, the Bhakti-vriksha leaders and members are all disciples and prospective disciples of a whole array of gurus, proving that the Bhakti-vriksha system is not linked to any particular spiritual master in ISKCON. It flourishes in an atmosphere of freedom and enthusiasm, combined with serious training and advancement. The activities of the devotees, their seriousness in following vows, their happy acceptance of heavy responsibilities, in spite of being fully involved in family life, shows that these indeed are quality devotees. And it is this high quality of purity, sincerity, and commitment, which creates the large quantity. In short quality creates quantity—it is not that we have to choose between one or the other. • Email to a friend • Related • •H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Wednesday, February 10th, 2010Thanks Gopal! One of my heroes is not of the renounced order but is a family/business man who is able to resonate a unique presence of higher consciousness. Gopal Bhatta is an American Vaishnava and possesses a real fine analytical brain, what to speak of his heart. He's great as a motivational speaker and his love for his guru is profound. He is a very mission driven person and its inspiring to see him in action and to hear him talk. For the last few days Gopal along with a competent team was able to steer us (so to speak) in a smart direction. He shared with us a quote from one of his motivational icons. "The brave may not live forever but the cautious never live at all." To a large degree this statement does reflect the life and efforts of AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. At age 70 Prabhupada took a great risk when he set sail from India, plying over Atantic waters to reach American soil. At the expense of health he put himself in dangerous situations. Gopal relayed to the body of devotees, both monastic and family leaders that he was returning home but detouring to Vrindavan before that. He introduced us to his wife and daughter and that he was taking them to a YES program, one of yearning, eagerness and searching. Farewell, Gopal, until the next encounter. To speak well of someone, especially one who teaches the spiritual path is in many ways the epitone of all of our spiritual practices.
 • Email to a friend • Related • •Mayapur Online: Devotees arrive today – Gaura Purnima festival 2010 begins in Mayapur!
• Email to a friend • Related • •Mayapur Online: Compassion of Lord Siva- Siva-ratri special class by HH Radhanath Swami
Date: February 12th,2010 pranaih svaih praninah panti Listen here Radhanath Swami's class. • Email to a friend • Related • •Dandavats.com: GBC Meeting Report #2By Praghosa Dasa Strategic Planning for ISKCON's future was the central focus for the second through fourth days of the 2010 Annual General Meeting for ISKCON's Governing Body Commission. In 2006, the GBC Body collectively decided to increase their attention on Strategic Planning, more specifically to spend additional energy on defining and planning ISKCON's direction and management for Srila Prabhupada's mission to be passed down to future generations. • Email to a friend • Related • •Manorama dasa: Gyógyító gyömbértea
De, hogy ne legyen minden olyan jó, tegnap elkezdett a torkom fájni, és a tüdőm is hörög. Emiatt megint szinte alig aludtam. És ma se volt olyan jó. Dharmistha matajitól kaptam egy nagyon jó tea receptet erre. Nagyon hatásos és gondoltam megosztom veletek: Brahmastra – gyógyító gyömbértea:
• Email to a friend • Related • •Gouranga TV: Parama Karuna Pahu Dui JanaParama Karuna Pahu Dui Jana • Email to a friend • Related • •Gaura Yoga, NZ: Golden Avatar FestivalJoin us for our biggest festival on the 28th of February at 5pm.
• Email to a friend • Related • •Atma Yoga, Brisbane, AU: Kirtan with Dave Stringer
 Legendary kirtan singer Dave Stringer is back for his third Australian tour and second Brisbane concert.
As last year, Dave’s kirtan will be held at The Yoga Den, in West End. Dave Stringer’s Brisbane concert: For more information call (07) 3137 1914 You can buy tickets online using a credit card or paypal via the button below. Please print the receipt and bring it with you - that’s your ticket! • Email to a friend • Related • •Bharatavarsa.net: Book distribution seminar: My best Book Distribution experienceOn one Sunday morning in Seattle waterfront, Veda Narayanan Prabhu and myself were distributing books. We had a good number of books distributed in spite of few stopping to take a book. By 3.00 PM we were tired and headed back to the car. We continued to distribute books on the walk back to car. I reached the curb side where our car was parked and was waiting for Veda Narayanan Prabhu who was talking to two tall African American gentlemen explaining about Bagavad Gita. I suddenly saw him rushing to the car telling me "Prabhu, let us go to the parking lot where these gentlemen have parked their car, since they have their check book in their car". This was a huge shock for me, since in the USA you would hardly entertain talking to strangers leave alone giving a ride to two African Americans who were twice as tall and heavy compared to both of us. I asked VD Prabhu, "are you sure?" Seeing a big affirmative, I told that him one person should sit in the front and that prabhu ji should sit with the other in the back seat at a place where I can see his face on the rear view mirror. While we were driving to the place where their car was parked, we came to know that the two African American gentlemen were strangers to themselves. The gentlemen in the back seat was all the time glorifying Srila Prabhupada's books and Veda Narayanan Prabhu, saying, "It's amazing that this person whom I've never met will trust my words and my personal check." Which only drove my adrenaline to its peak. After reaching his car, these two gentlemen sat on the curb side reading the book for 45 minutes. I was gesturing to Veda Narayanan Prabhu that we should probably leave and finally we asked the gentlemen to give us some donation for the book. One of them wrote a check and said "I should have donated more, but this is all I can do for now". I could not believe my eyes when I saw that he has donated $100.00 for the book. We immediately gave a copy of all types of books that we had (SSR, JSD, Krsna, Ramayana, Glimpses of Traditional Indian Life), We took his email address and Veda Narayanan Prabhu has been in touch with him. This has been and will be my most cherished and memorable Sankirtan experience, since it opened my eyes and mind to strengthen my faith in my Krsna Consciousness practice. your humble servant, Sridhara Srinivasa das • Email to a friend • Related • •Book Distribution News: My best Book Distribution experienceOn one Sunday morning in Seattle waterfront, Veda Narayanan Prabhu and myself were distributing books. We had a good number of books distributed in spite of few stopping to take a book. By 3.00 PM we were tired and headed back to the car. We continued to distribute books on the walk back to car. I reached the curb side where our car was parked and was waiting for Veda Narayanan Prabhu who was talking to two tall African American gentlemen explaining about Bagavad Gita. I suddenly saw him rushing to the car telling me "Prabhu, let us go to the parking lot where these gentlemen have parked their car, since they have their check book in their car". This was a huge shock for me, since in the USA you would hardly entertain talking to strangers leave alone giving a ride to two African Americans who were twice as tall and heavy compared to both of us. I asked VD Prabhu, "are you sure?" Seeing a big affirmative, I told that him one person should sit in the front and that prabhu ji should sit with the other in the back seat at a place where I can see his face on the rear view mirror. While we were driving to the place where their car was parked, we came to know that the two African American gentlemen were strangers to themselves. The gentlemen in the back seat was all the time glorifying Srila Prabhupada's books and Veda Narayanan Prabhu, saying, "It's amazing that this person whom I've never met will trust my words and my personal check." Which only drove my adrenaline to its peak. After reaching his car, these two gentlemen sat on the curb side reading the book for 45 minutes. I was gesturing to Veda Narayanan Prabhu that we should probably leave and finally we asked the gentlemen to give us some donation for the book. One of them wrote a check and said "I should have donated more, but this is all I can do for now". I could not believe my eyes when I saw that he has donated $100.00 for the book. We immediately gave a copy of all types of books that we had (SSR, JSD, Krsna, Ramayana, Glimpses of Traditional Indian Life), We took his email address and Veda Narayanan Prabhu has been in touch with him. This has been and will be my most cherished and memorable Sankirtan experience, since it opened my eyes and mind to strengthen my faith in my Krsna Consciousness practice. your humble servant, Sridhara Srinivasa das • Email to a friend • Related • •More Recent Articles |
Devotees are arriving in large number in different buses from all parts of the world for Gaura Purnima festival 2010. For many, it was just like dream coming true to be in Sri Mayapur dhama. Festival registration booth is very busy and it was so sweet of Nagar Sankirtan devotees to be present there to welcome everyone with big harinama to Mayapur. Though devotees are tiresome after traveling 4 hours from Kolkata to Mayapur, but their spiritual batteries are fully charged up on hearing the harinama and many were dancing with the harinam party. Festival free Prasadam distribution begins today. 
Iszonyatosan fájt, aznap este nem is tudtam aludni. Többek unszolására elmentem röntgenre, nehogy valami komplikáció legyen, ha eltörött. A János kórházba mentem. Ez is egy külön élmény volt számomra, hiszen – szerencsére – nagyon ritkán voltam még ilyen helyen. A doktor megerősítette, hogy erős a csontozatom és a zúzódás egy ideig fáj, szerencsésen megúsztam. Még most is érzem, de szerencsére már nem olyan veszélyes.
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