"Planet ISKCON" - 48 new articles
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 ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Adi Purusa PrabhuSrimad Bhagavatam 11.21.18 - Stay safe. Use renunciation and enjoyment for Krishna. ISKCON News.com: Temple Profiles: Govindadwipa
ISKCON News.com: Luxury Estate Becomes Home to Spiritual Retreat
ISKCON News.com: Alachua, Florida Welcomes Krishna Balarama
Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: control the tongue and become advancedThe most formidable serpent is this tongue. If you simply talk of Krsna and if you simply eat Krsna prasadam, oh, the poisonous effect of tongue will be broken. You'll have no opportunity to talk nonsense or to eat nonsense. Then your life becomes advanced immediately fifty percent. If you can control the tongue, then you control all the senses. If you cannot control the tongue, then you cannot control other senses. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, February 12, 1969 Dandavats.com: Lord Nrisimhadeva's mercy even on non-devotees
O' Lord Nrisimhadeva, I beg you to bless upon us Your benediction to please remember You always. Please bless me be free from all obstacles and dwell in pure love of Radha Madhava at Mayapur, and let me be their servant forever Dandavats.com: The Vedas Say They MUST be Shared With EveryoneBy Sri Nandanandana dasa This is the message of the Vedas, and of Lord Krishna. Any follower of Sanatana-dharma, the Vedic tradition, should take this seriously. The Vedic knowledge is supplied by God to fulfill the spiritual needs of the people. Thus, it is the responsibility of every Dharmist, devotee, or Hindu to be pro-active and spread this opportunity to others as a service to God and to themselves Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Kulimela 2008 - Radhadesh - Bhaktivedanta College
ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Lokanatha Swami - Live from New Jersey!Lokanatha Swami, a Hare Krishna Monk based in India is currently giving a series of seminars on Srimad Bhagavatam at Towaco, New Jersey. We thought it will interest our blog readers to check out this live broadcast!  Bharatavarsa.net: Book distribution seminar: Barak Obama gets Bhagavata Gita!Dear devotees Recently I visited my hometown of Murwillumbah, situated in the Tweed valley area of northern New South Wales Australia, near to New Govardhana farm where I had the great fortune of spending my childhood. One of my old best friends hung him self so I took lots of books and prasadam for his family. I regret that I didn't do more for him earlier. While in the area I visited a Prabhupada disciple by the name of Krsna Lolya Mataji. Her and her husband travelled a lot helping start temples in U.S.A, Hawaii & Australia. It was the first time I had seen her in 10 yrs. I entered her house and found her making glass beaded necklaces for the deities in Alachua and she relayed this story to me. She told me that her family grew up on the same street as Barak Obama. Her brother has been a friend of his ever since. When they where all teenagers they would go to the local Hare Krsna Temple and Barak came a few times and really enjoyed the kirtan and Prasadam. She explained that when Obama was running for President she thought that she should try to give him a Bhagavata gita. So she ordered the best copy she could and hand made a real nice cover for it and sent it to her brother in the U.S.A to give to him personally. She said that on the day of Obama's coronation he received a mountain of gifts. I was thinking, "Oh no, it would have been lost in the pile." But she told me her brother waited till the next day when things had quieted down some what and personally handed him Bhagavag gita As It is, in its beautiful hand made cover case. She prays that it is close to him. Maybe its even in the white house now. your servant Dhruvananda Dasa (formerly uddhava dasa gurukuli) Kurma dasa, AU: Vegetarian Children
"The indifference of children towards meat is one proof that the taste for meat is unnatural; their preference is for vegetable foods, such as milk, pastry, fruit, etc. Beware of changing this natural taste and making children flesh-eaters, if not for their health's sake, for the sake of their character; for how can one explain away the fact that great meat-eaters are usually fiercer and more cruel than other men; this has been recognised at all times and in all places." Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) Book Distribution News: Barak Obama gets Bhagavata Gita!Dear devotees Recently I visited my hometown of Murwillumbah, situated in the Tweed valley area of northern New South Wales Australia, near to New Govardhana farm where I had the great fortune of spending my childhood. One of my old best friends hung him self so I took lots of books and prasadam for his family. I regret that I didn't do more for him earlier. While in the area I visited a Prabhupada disciple by the name of Krsna Lolya Mataji. Her and her husband travelled a lot helping start temples in U.S.A, Hawaii & Australia. It was the first time I had seen her in 10 yrs. I entered her house and found her making glass beaded necklaces for the deities in Alachua and she relayed this story to me. She told me that her family grew up on the same street as Barak Obama. Her brother has been a friend of his ever since. When they where all teenagers they would go to the local Hare Krsna Temple and Barak came a few times and really enjoyed the kirtan and Prasadam. She explained that when Obama was running for President she thought that she should try to give him a Bhagavata gita. So she ordered the best copy she could and hand made a real nice cover for it and sent it to her brother in the U.S.A to give to him personally. She said that on the day of Obama's coronation he received a mountain of gifts. I was thinking, "Oh no, it would have been lost in the pile." But she told me her brother waited till the next day when things had quieted down some what and personally handed him Bhagavag gita As It is, in its beautiful hand made cover case. She prays that it is close to him. Maybe its even in the white house now. your servant Dhruvananda Dasa (formerly uddhava dasa gurukuli) Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Kulimela 2008 - Radhadesh - Ananda
Kripamoya dasa, UK: David Beckham offers prayers with the Gurkhas
English soccer star David Beckham spent some time today with the Gurkha Rifles in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. As well as delighting his hosts by playing football with them, he bowed down in their Nepalese shrine, placed his palms together in the gesture of ‘Namaste’, accepted tilak on his forehead, and offered incense in an arati ceremony. Although the short video clip did not clearly show the deities in the shrine, it is well known that the Nepalese are devoted to Shri Krishna, Hanuman and Narasimha. Whoever David Beckham offered his respects and seva to, we wish him a quick recovery, and also pray that God blesses his team with success. (Well, without Lord Shri Krishna’s help, how else will England become champions?) Go here to see ‘Beckham at Prayer’       H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: '464' from The Yellow Submarine3:52 A.M.I slept peacefully last night without a headache and woke with the alarm at 2:30 A.M. I began my chanting, but my first few rounds were tired. In Japa Transformations I state that sleepiness is one of the cardinal offenses. I pulled out of my drowsiness and began chanting better. But I've only chanted about nine rounds. They have not been very prayerful, but mechanically they have been well-paced, speedy and with attention to accumulation. I have to completely shake the drowsiness if I'm going to make a good session. Getting up early is the best time for chanting, but it's often accompanied with a tired feeling, and it's hard to find the balance. It's the best time of day for chanting, but you're just coming out of a night's sleep, and you have to shake off the night's drowse. Early morning japa is H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 'More Nectar: In Yamuna' from The Yellow SubmarinePrabhupada Smaranam
The devotees timidly keep their distance from Prabhupada as he plunges fully into the Yamuna River. Here the water appears clean. In Prabhupada's old age, since he has come back from America, it is rare that he takes a full bath in the Yamuna, so this is a precious moment. He does not bathe like a tourist of karma-kandiya who deposits his karma and sinful reactions in the purifying Yamuna. He is already purified. It is said that when pure devotees visit holy places they purify the dhama. Prabhupada submerging in the Yamuna is more like the ancient times when Krishna and His cowherd friends played in the sacred river. Sri Vallabhacharya has written a nice glorification of Sri Yamuna called Yamunastakam, as translated by Shyama Das: 1. "I joyfully bow down to Sri Yamunaji, the giver of all divine powers. Her expansive sands shine brightly like the lotus feet of Lord Krishna. Flowers from fresh forests of her banks mingle with Yamunaji and make her waters fragrant. Both humble and assertive gopis worship Sri Yamunaji well. She contains the beauty of Krishna. 2. "Appearing from the heart of Narayana, Sri Yamunaji cascades from the summit of the Kalindi Mountain with brilliance. She descends the rocky sides of the Kalindi with dalliance, her waters roaring as she appears to be swaying in a lovely swing. Glories to Sri Yamunaji, the daughter of the sun, who increases the bhakta's love for Mukunda. 3. "Sri Yamunaji has come to earth for its purification. Like the gopis serve their beloved Krishna, Sri Yamunaji is served by many songs of the peacocks, parrots, swans and others. Her waves are like her arms and her pearly bangles are her sands. Her banks are her hips. Bow to this beautiful Yamuna, the fourth and foremost beloved of Krishna. 4. "Embellished with countless virtues, Sri Yamunaji is praised by Shiva, Brahma and others. Her hue is always the color of dark clouds, and she fulfills the wishes of Dhruva and Parasha. At her banks by the pure city of Mathura, she is surrounded by the gopis. Oh Yamunaji, you have taken the shelter of Sri Krishna, the ocean of grace. Bring joy to my heart. 5. "Only when Ganga merged with you, O Yamunaji, did she become beloved to Krishna and only then was Ganga able go give all devotional powers to those who worship her. If there is anyone who can come close to you, it would be your co-wife Sri Lakshmi. May you remain forever in my heart Kalindi, beloved of Hari, destroyer of the strifes of this age of Kali. 6. "Obeisances to you forever, Sri Yamunaji. Your story is most amazing. Those who sip your waters are never tormented by Yama, the god of retribution, for how could he ever harm the children of his younger sister, even if they are bad? Those who worship you become beloved to Hari just like the gopis. …" H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 'Glories to Sri Caitanya' from The Yellow Submarine
Svarupa Damodara asserted that
Krishnadasa Kaviraja tells us
Some folks don't believe
Just by hearing of Lord Caitanya
Lord Caitanya is more merciful
It's not that Gaura is better
His secret meaning is that He's Krishna
He is the giver of krishna-prema,
Prabhupada, and the acaryas H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 'Photo Preaching' from The Yellow SubmarineFree write
He wants to make some money. It's a way of begging. He advertises that he will give you some advice like a counselor or guru, but he admits it's "shitty." Maybe someone will take him up on it, as a kind of joke or a willingness to give a donation to a street person. Most self-styled gurus are giving s___ advice. But they pretend they are teaching something profound. In Bhagavad-gita, Krishna says that those who consider Him and ordinary man are foolish and doomed. Their advice is s___. They tell you that within you is the undying spirit, and you are as good as God in every way. Or they tell you there is no God, and you should use your life to eat, drink and be merry. They who have no concept of the individual self beyond death, who do not advise you to avoid transmigration back into the 8,400,000 species of material life, are not teachers but cheaters. They should not give advice if they are not self-realized, if their instructions are not coming in the parampara of disciplic succession based on guru, sastra and sadhu. This boy at least admits his advice is no good, but if you're foolish enough to pay a small fee for it, he'll give it to you. Most advisers are misled; they are the blind leading the blind, but they don't admit they are giving bad advice. Whether they charge for it or give it free, their advice is pretentious and useless. They are no better than this boy with his up-front disclaimer, offering s___ advice. Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Are The Lines Crooked Or Straight?
Try figure it out using your eye alone, but then use a ruler to confirm your conclusion. Filed under: Illusions       Jahnavi, UK: I Shall Dance!Tomorrow at midday a huge, colourful procession will move down 5th Ave in the centre of Manhattan. Drums will sound, thousands of voices will sing in unison, praising and celebrating the divine. Three giant carts will be pulled by long ropes, their wheels slowly turning. Atop these carts will sit sacred forms of God, along with his brother and sister. This is Rathayatra - Festival of Chariots. Its history is widely written about, so I won’t repeat it all here. Suffice to say it’s an ancient festival from India, that was first brought to the Western world by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in the late 60s. The best thing about it, is that everyone gets a chance to join in, by singing, dancing, feasting, sweeping, serving and so much more. All of this is in the mood of sincere service to Lord Jagannath, whose name, meaning Lord of the Universe, is one of many thousands of different names for the divine.
I was thinking about the upcoming festival as I sat in a plane a few weeks ago, and was suddenly overwhelmed at the thought of dancing again before the chariot procession. There’s nothing like it. O my Lord Jagannath! This moment is golden and complete, because you are present.
      Sita-pati dasa, AU: Paypal.com.au FailHere I am, using a blog for what God intended - to complain publicly about a service provider. A friend suggested that I use Paypal as a reliable means to transfer money to him overseas from Australia. I got my Paypal.com.au account linked to my bank account and verified. This took a few days. I had to wait for Paypal to make two small deposits in my account, and then enter them in Paypal. Once I did that, I logged in to Paypal.com.au to transfer the money. There were two options - one that used Direct Debit, and one that used "Top up" through bank transfer. Being used to doing bank transfers online, I chose that option. Paypal then gave me the details for the BSB and account that I was transferring into. I thought at the time that perhaps they had a unique generated account number per transaction, or per customer. I did the transfer, and waited for the 3-5 business days for the money to show up in Paypal. Seven days later, still no sign of the money. I rang Paypal this morning, and after navigating their painful phone menu, spoke to someone in what sounded like a Philippine call center. He took some details from me, and told me that it was a known issue and that many other people were having it. He told me that he would add my details to a queue, and that they would find my money. I rang back this afternoon to ask how often I would be updated on the situation. I spoke to a different person, who asked me for more details, and told me that it was a developing situation, and that the call center workers were getting changing instructions on what information to get from customers to enable their funds to be found. She told me that insufficient details had in fact been captured in the earlier call for a search to be made (lucky I called back!), and sent me an email with a list of details to give her. I replied to her email with the details she requested, and immediately received an automated reply saying: "Sorry, we can't reply to emails sent through this address. Try calling us." Later in the day I called back again, to see if they had in fact received the email. The third person I spoke to in the call center tried to reset the conversation, asking me: "When did you transfer the money?" I told him that I had spoken to two people already about this. He checked into my account and told me that he could see the details I had sent, but the crucial piece was missing - the "Customer Reference ID". In filling out the details requested in the email, referring to the record in my bank's online transaction receipt, I couldn't find anything that matched this. Thinking back to last week when I did the transfer, I remember thinking this was my receipt number from Paypal for the transaction. No, in fact Paypal's "Customer Reference ID" is the number that I was supposed to enter into the "To account description" field in my bank transfer. I figured this out after some time on the phone with the third guy, and he insisted that it was my fault because I had not entered the code in the bank transfer. Sorry, major interface failure - and the fact that it's not just me (a pretty savvy person with computer systems) bears that out. The "Top Up" transfer feature has been disabled because they have been having some "technical difficulties" with it. Those are not technical difficulties, that's a design fault. Blaming users for being too stupid to understand a poorly labelled interface and poorly documented procedure is a design failure (in fact, in this case the labelling of the fields is the procedure documentation). The inability to explain the problem to customers who ring up for resolution is another problem. What the call center workers need to say is: "You didn't get your Top Up? OK, please tell me the date, the account you sent it from, and the 'To account description'" If I hadn't rung back three times and continued to press the call center workers, they would not have collected the necessary details from me. I'm still not confident that they have everything they need correctly logged. We'll see. I understand that the guys in the call center are just doing a job, and that they are part of a low-cost off-shore outsourcing operation that is paid to read scripts to people, not adaptively solve problems. I worked for Red Hat for two years in technical support, alongside colleagues who came from just such a center in the Philippines when Red Hat brought phone support back in house and started to build an agile knowledge organisation. The smartest guys got hired by Red Hat, and the script monkeys got left behind. It's exactly this inability to solve complex problems that is the weakness of the model that Paypal.com.au are using. Those people are not being paid enough to care about customers, and the system is set up to work well when the situation is well defined and all the customer needs is for someone to read the FAQ to them. It was probably thrown into stark contrast because I spent another significant portion of my day today talking to an American Express travel agent, who put together a last minute complex travel and accommodation plan for me, taking me across the US and to Europe over the next three weeks. I called her three times today, gave her complex and changing requirements, and got extremely coherent advice and, after several iterations, a complex solution. She even stayed back 45 minutes after her shift ended to book my tickets, as today is the last day they can be booked. Well, I don't mind the service when Paypal is just charging me cents - you get what you pay for. The problem is that right now, I'm not getting what I paid for, and it's more than a few cents! Something to do with kirtan? The Paypal money is to bring Vaiyasaki to Australia in November. The trip to the US takes me to the 24 hour kirtan at New Vrndavan in the weekend before a series of business meetings on the East Coast. I couldn't think of a better way to prepare. :-) H.H. Sivarama Swami: India moves to make it easier for couples to divorceSRS: If you look at the statistics at the bottom you will note that ISKCON’s rate of divorce more resembles the USA than India. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/south_asia/10284416.stm Srila Prabhupada's Letters1966 June 11: "Due to my absence from India the publication is stopped and therefore it disturbs my mind. This publication work is my main function. I can stop my foreign activities but I cannot stop my publication work. "  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1968 June 11: "I wish to form a nice Kirtana party consisting of 2 mrdanga players, 1 harmonium player, 1 tambura player, and at least 6 cymbal players. Backed by our books, we can make nice propaganda in all the European cities."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1971 June 11: "So if we make all over India the example that the leading persons are becoming our life members, then all influential and important people will become. Millions of life members can be made."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1971 June 11: "So far as Indira Gandhi attending the function, we shall accept a day according to her convenience and we shall hold the function on her arrival."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1972 June 11: "Simply by this full-time preaching activity all financial problems will be solved. What is that financial security? Real security is only there at the Lotus Feet of Krishna."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1972 June 11: "It is the duty of the brahminical class to advise the leaders, not that they shall themselves serve as leaders. In your country many fools elect the biggest fool to be their leader, it is like one blind man leading so many other blind men."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1974 June 11: "If you have money of your own that you want to spend for running for office you can do that. By competing with the politicians we may drop from our spiritual ideal. Our actual business is to become brahmanas."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1975 June 11: "Even there may be some problems, always try to remain in Krishna Consciousness. Do not give up chanting simply due to some external difficulties. Under all circumstance you should always chant Hare Krishna."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1967 June 10: "If I get the permanent visa,, even in my broken health I shall stay in U.S.A. and try to propagate my mission through my disciples like you. I don't mind whether I die here or in Vrndavana - wherever there is Krishna, that is Vrndavana."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1967 June 10: "Although I am practically on the path of death, still I cannot forget about my publications. I wish that if I live or die you should take very serious care for my publications."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1969 June 10: "Unless one is a resident of Krishna Loka, one cannot be a Spiritual Master. That is the first proposition. A layman cannot be a Spiritual Master, and if he becomes so then he will simply create disturbance."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1969 June 10: "The symptoms of nitya siddha is that from the beginning of his life he is attached to Krishna, and he is never tired of rendering service to Krishna. So we have to know what is what by these symptoms."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1969 June 10: "When the Spiritual Master speaks it should be taken that Krishna is speaking. That is a fact. A Spiritual Master must be liberated. It does not matter if he has come from Krishna Loka or he is liberated from here. But he must be liberated."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1969 June 10: "I am not very interested to establish a Hindu temple. I never described my movement as Hindu religion. This kind of devotion is not purified. It is contaminated by material desires."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1969 June 10: "Sex urge is something like itching. So an intelligent person rather suffers the pain of itching sensation than accepting the after effects of satisfying the itch."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1974 June 10: "From my very childhood I was also worshipping Lord Jagannatha. When I was six years old my father gave me a Ratha and I was performing Ratha yatra in my neighborhood. And now in the Western world you are worshiping Jagannatha so gorgeously and it pleases me very, very much."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1975 June 10: "Your endeavor to prove scientifically the existence of re-incarnation is not very practical. It is like bringing a cannon to kill a mosquito. It is not required. Explanation is already given in the Bhagavad-gita."  H.H. Sivarama Swami: Skype conference with Russian disciplesHow will we translate Srila Prabhupada’s books in the centuries to come when the meanings of words completely change? (Russian/English) Kirtans in Oxford, UK: 24 Hour Kirtan in Birmingham
 H.H. Sivarama Swami: Atmarama dasa asks“If false ego in contact with material modes tamas produces gross elements, in contact with rajas produces intelligence and in contact with sattva produces mind, why intelligence then is said to be more subtle or closer to the soul (or further in coverings of universe) compared to the mind, if the mind is coming from goodness and is closer to pure and transcendental goodness?” ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Panihati Festival - This Sunday!!!
 Sunday Morning, senior monk, Devamrita Swami will be giving the morning Srimad Bhagavatam class at 7:30am at the Hare Krishna Temple. Initiated by Srila Prabhupada in January 1974, since the past 35 years he has traveled extensively on every continent of the world sharing his realizations of Krishna Consciousness. He is very well reputed in the academic circles for his insightful presentations on contemporary topics like Spiritual Economics, Sustainability, Yoga of Money etc. However, those of us who have heard him lead kirtan, know that his kirtans can have devotees dancing in pure joy! He is currently based in New Zealand but is a frequent visitor to Toronto and we are very happy to have him give a very special class on the occasion of the Panihati Festival. Our Sunday Feast from 5:45pm till 8:30pm will be made special by the presence of two very special VIPs! The program will feature a lively discourse, amazing kirtans and a vegetarian feast including the famous Cida-Dadhi (chipped rice in yogurt)!  Jayapataka Swami, one of ISKCON senior monks will be amidst us for this festival. Famous around the world for his Pani Hati Festivals, it is definitely going to be a special treat for all of us to have him in Toronto. Jayapataka Swami, one of Srila Prabhupada's early disciples, joined the movement in 1968 and was initiated in Montreal. Later, on the instructions of his spiritual master, he came to Toronto in 1969 and was among the first few devotees to start the Hare Krishna movement in Toronto. Known for his lively classes, and rocking Kirtans with huge "whompers", Jayapataka Swami has tried to make Toronto a regular stop in his world tours. In October 2008, he suffered from a major stroke due to hemorrhage of his stem cell and was in coma for several months. Due to the prayers of well-wishers around the world, he recovered and is traveling to share this message of Bhakti Yoga. We are extremely honoured to have Jayapataka Swami in Toronto as this will be his first visit to Canada since his stroke. Please don't miss the opportunity to hear about the importance of Panihati festival from him!  If you attended the last Sunday feast and stayed for the 8pm arati, we are sure you'll understand when we say that Bada Hari das's kirtans are amazing! After leading us in an unbelievably rocking kirtan that went on till 9:30 last weekend, he will also be leading the kirtans on Sunday! Based in Gainesville, Florida, he is a celebrated Kirtan singer who travels internationally presenting seminars on Vaishnava songs and devotional practices. Those of you who missed it last Sunday, this week is your chance to come and experience kirtan bliss, and those of you who were here last week, come again and experience the bliss all over again!!! A lot is happening this Sunday at the Hare Krishna Temple and we hope to see you with your family and friends there this weekend!  Japa Group: The Importance of Chanting
There is a nice quote from Srila Prabhupada explaining these three stages: "There are three stages in chanting the holy name of the Lord. The first stage is the offensive chanting of the holy name, and the second is the reflective stage of chanting the holy name. The third stage is the offenseless chanting of the holy name of the Lord. In the second stage only, the stage of reflection, between the offensive and offenseless stages, one automatically attains the stage of emancipation. And in the offenseless stage, one actually enters into the kingdom of God, although physically he may apparently be within the material world. To attain the offenseless stage, one must be on guard in the following manner.[guard against the ten offenses of chanting]" Purport Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.30  Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: Hare Krishna Cook Plans Fast Food Chain With A Difference Image: yogaofecology.blogspot.com A rainbow of flavors fresh from the field. Adiraja Dasa, a Hare Krishna cook who authored 1989's The Hare Krishna Book of Vegetarian Cooking and managed soup kitchens in Geneva, Paris and Detroit is planning to launch the first in a nationwide chain of healthy vegan fast food restaurants called "Peacemakers" in summer 2011. If the Detroit, Michigan prototype—subtitled "Healthy, Affordable Food for Everyone"—is a success, then two others will follow in the same area in 2012. Adiraja's plan is to have at least one farm in each U.S. State directly supplying local restaurants with fresh, organic produce. He has already acquired a seven-acre farm in rural Pickney, just twenty minutes drive from the Detroit Metropolitan area where the first Peacemakers will stand, on which he is growing over forty types of heirloom vegetables and feeding seventy-five families—mostly locals including customers from the upperclass Grosse Pointe area. This, however, is only a temporary basis on which to build: In Adiraja's final business plan, Vedic Village Educational Farms of at least 100 acres each will supply the Peacemakers chain. "This business model of restaurants and farms working together to minimize production costs, while educating and empowering people to make smart food choices, will enable Peacemakers to provide healthy meals at current fast food prices," Adiraja says. "And it will be great food, too: We'll offer vegan burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads, fresh juices, smoothies, desserts, freshly baked goods, and ethnic meals, including raw/living-food options." Eventually, Adiraja says, dairy options will also be introduced at Peacemakers, but they will be made only from raw milk from lovingly protected cows fed with organic green grass. It's certainly a gulf of difference away from the mainstream fast food industry, and playing the opposite game is essentially Adiraja's business plan—he wants to tap into the appeal of a 110 billion-dollar a year industry, but with none of its negative points. "We, America, have been called a fast food nation eating ourselves to death," he says. "But Peacemakers will be a fast food chain helping people to restore their health. Fast food restaurants typically make their profits largely at other peoples' expense—damaging health and the environment, and creating jobs the average person stays no more than four months in. But we'll get away from tractorization by using oxen to plow the fields, preserve farmland, provide the healthiest, organic, locally grown, ultra-fresh food at affordable prices, and create careers with longevity and purpose." Both the Peacemaker restaurants and farms will also be designed using green technology and will further drop their overhead by attracting plenty of volunteer help, according to Adiraja. "They will also be educational centers that teach about restoring our physical health and the health of the planet," he explains. "At the restaurants, people will be able to learn how to prepare healthy meals in their own homes; and at the farms, there will be facilities for people to stay over so that they can learn how to grow and sell organic produce for a living, eliminating the middle-man." And the project is for everyone: although some have dismissed Adiraja's decision to launch his first restaurant in Detroit, a city not exactly famous for its vegetarian population, he says that this is missing the point. "This is not just for vegetarians," he says. "The vast majority of meat-eaters will also be attracted to healthy, fresh food, even if it's vegan—and our special diet menus for people with obesity, diabetes, and high-blood pressure will provide added value." Attracted by the idea and its gentle spiritual overtones of peace, helping the planet and self-realization, many have already stepped forward to help: experts in building with green technology, restaurant designers, cooks, and farm workers are waiting on the sidelines for the business plan and financing to come together. Meanwhile, researchers and business students from Wayne State University are helping to finish the business blueprint, and various companies are showing interest in financing the project. Adiraja feels that Peacemakers is coming at perfect time, when people are aware that something has to change in the world. "From a spiritual perspective, to heal this planet we have to stop killing animals, treat the earth like our mother, and and get back to eating a spiritually supportive diet," he says. "And what does it support? The realization that we're eternal, that we have a loving relationship with our source, that we're all related and connected, and that we all have the same purpose. "And that's a vision that people are really ready to hear right now." For more information or to get involved, email Adiraja Dasa at tommilano108@yahoo.com or call him at 313 434-5121.      Related Stories: H.H. Sivarama SwamiIn this material world, to render service to the lotus feet of Govinda, the - Prahlada Maharaja Gouranga TV: Aindra Hare Krishna Kirtan – Vrindavan – 1-11-2009 Part 3/6Aindra Hare Krishna Kirtan – Vrindavan – 1-11-2009 Part 3/6 More Recent Articles
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By Lakshman das
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