"Planet ISKCON" - 48 new articles
Devadeva Mirel, Alachua, USA: Food On A Stick–Great For KidsI get a fair amount of emails from moms asking me how to get their kids to eat all sorts of good things. Unlike Jessica Seinfeld, I don’t go the route of camouflaging lentil beans as brownies and carrots as popsicles. Instead, I just put whatever I’ve cooked on a stick. Children really like to eat with sticks. As opposed to forks. Or plates. Think about it. Carrying your meal on a stick makes it highly portable and the incentive to finish is built in. Once your stick is denuded of food, your child has a deft weapon to poke siblings out out with. Only child? Don’t worry! Your little darling will find proper motivation to eat up knowing that, upon completion, the parent will most likely freak out and try to disarm the child in fear that said child will poke his or her own eye out. But relax. Let the kids walk on the wild side with their primitive tools. It’s a helluva lot safer than setting your kid loose with a Miley Cyrus video. Since I’ve re-entered the kitchen, I have a little squeaky voiced shadow butting up against me. She keeps un-doing what I’ve done, rearranging what’s been put away and “cooking” all kinds of messes. Saturday I discovered a way to have her use her powers for good–sticking fruit on a stick. This would be what people in pre-school circles call “non-cooking cooking.”  Madhumati super busy making fruit kebabs.  She made a bunch, ate them all and then came back to make some more.  Proud chef. Her creations were so tasty and attractive that even the brother decided to join the kitchen staff. This activity kept them busy for quite some time. As long as there were skewers and cut fruit, they were occupied. It was kind of like edible jewelry making.  The plums were a bit tart. Putting away boxes filled with food, I discovered my last bag of gluten flour. Since we had plans to go to the beach the next day, I thought seitan kebabs would make a good dinner and even better beach left overs. The kids love them–because they are on a stick–so I got to work boiling, frying and broiling. Here is a recipe. It is not *the* recipe–I only use that when making the sauce in quantity. This recipe is kind of off the top of my head, which is how I do it when I am just making family portions. So, you might need to tweak it a bit, but it will definitely get you over the finish line. Barbecue Gluten Kebabs Here’s how I make it: 3 cups gluten flour 3 cups water 2 tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon curry powder First mix all the dry ingredients together. Then add the wet. Make a brain looking blob. Cut into 3 pieces and add to a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and keep it rolling for an hour. Drain, cut into irregular cubies (1-2″) and *deep fry.* You can pan fry, but deep fry is, honestly, easiest. When out of the oil, transfer to a pot of sauce. This is what you do for the sauce: When you are done draining your boiled seitan brain, get started on the sauce. Take a 28 oz can of crushed tomato and add this to it: 1/2 cup water ½ cup Bragg Liquid Amino (or good quality soy sauce–note that Braggs is saltier tasting than soy sauce) ½ cup molasses ½ cup sucanat (any sugar will do but the darker the lovelier) one teaspoon hing (available in Indian groceries or Wegman's, Whole Foods, etc.). Cook until thick and dark. Boil the fried gluten in the sauce until you are done frying and the sauce is dark. Transfer to a baking tray and shove in a pre-heated oven on broil for 10 minutes, give it a stir and wait another 10. Should get nice and charred in spots. Remove from oven, wait about 15 minutes to cool down and then skewer.  More food on a stick: barbecue gluten kebabs. Sunday we made it to Anastasia State Park, a favorite Florida destination for our family. It was great to get out after convalescing in my sick room for a couple of months. We’ve never experienced crowds at Anastasia and the weather was perfect. Our summer has been a bit spoiled by the remodel and my morning sickness, so it was a great relief to have family time to cherish, watching my children compete with the sun’s glow. Even though I am pregnant and about to become a mom to yet another tiny person, I feel old. Like death is imminent. I am not trying to be a downer, but I think this is just what happens when you move along in your 30′s. The body begins to decline, despite the fact that a new life is rooted deep within me. Every day the contradiction slaps me in the face. While I know I am not quite yet eligible for AARP membership, I am way past my carefree 20′s. These moments with my kids are important to me and I am grateful that the bouts of poor health were temporary–knowing that these days of strength and vitality are also temporary. Here’s my loves…notice I am included amongst the pics! Sadly, the Babu ended up on the cutting room floor. The camera battery died early in the day so much of the beach fun went undocumented.  My daughter, vested and read for the Atlantic.  Me. At the beach. In my *mom hat,* Walmart circa 2001.  Vm was absolutely alive in the water and therefore nearly impossible to photograph.  There were large fish swimming right next to him.  Every princess needs her castle.       • Email to a friend •  •Hari Sauri das, Mayapura, IN: In Memorium: Sriman Aindra PrabhuAt this stage of life, the physical instability of our existence becomes more apparent and the exit from our field of activity of our near and dear ones becomes accelerated. Already this year we have seen Sriman Grahila Prabhu
Sriman Padmalocan Prabhu
and Srimati Amekhala dasi
complete their transits, and three days ago we just saw Sriman Vicitravirya Prabhu do likewise. We have to expect it, disease is part and parcel of material existence. Yet sometimes even devotees become bewildered when a great or prominent devotee is suddenly taken from our sight. Such is the case with our beloved Sriman Aindra Prabhu, who unexpectedly departed on Friday July 16 night, around 10.30 PM.
Like everyone else, I was quite shocked to hear the news yesterday morning, after his body was discovered in his room at Krsna Balaram Mandir in Vrndavana. Apparently his gas cylinder blew up and he died as a result of that a very short time after. Devotees missed him in the early morning when he always dressed the Deities, and on knocking on his door got no reply. They had to break in and saw the room blackened and burnt by the blast. Aindra prabhu’s body was found behind his altar, kneeling in the obeisances pose. The supposition is that he lit his gas cylinder and it blew. He then went behind the altar to where there was a window but left just after, offering his obeisances to his Deities from behind. A lot of devotees are in shock. How could a great kirtaniya like Aindra prabhu, still healthy and enthusiastic, with apparently many more years ahead of him for chanting the glories of the Holy Name, make such a violent and dramatic exit? I received a letter from one of my FaceBook friends Sukavaka prabhu, asking for some way to understand this: “pamho pr ji.sorry but i hv another question,if u would like to answer it. seeing the sudden death of our very dear aindra prabhu ji,a question arises why does such pure devotees (even srila prabhupada) also have to undergo such tragic and painful end, if krishna wants they can die a peaceful death? Here’s my reply: Just because someone becomes a devotee it does not mean that physically everything will be perfect. In fact, the glory of a devotee is that despite the physical unreliability of having a material body, he remains fully absorbed in his devotion to the Lord. Srila Prabhupada explains this in SB 3.16.37: PURPORT “When something is arranged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should not be disturbed by it, even if it appears to be a reverse according to one’s calculations. For example, sometimes we see that a powerful preacher is killed, or sometimes he is put into difficulty, just as Haridasa Thakura was. He was a great devotee who came into this material world to execute the will of the Lord by preaching the Lord’s glories. But Haridasa was punished at the hands of the Kazi by being beaten in twenty-two marketplaces. “Similarly, Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, and Prahlada Maharaja was put through so many tribulations. The Pandavas, who were direct friends of Krsna, lost their kingdom, their wife was insulted, and they had to undergo many severe tribulations. Seeing all these reverses affect devotees, one should not be disturbed; one should simply understand that in these matters there must be some plan of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Bhagavatam’s conclusion is that a devotee is never disturbed by such reverses. He accepts even reverse conditions as the grace of the Lord. One who continues to serve the Lord even in reverse conditions is assured that he will go back to Godhead, back to the Vaikuntha planets.” [end] From this we can understand that a devotee is always protected by the Lord and whatever happens to them is directly under the control of the Lord. Why did Srila Prabhupada have two heart attacks on the boat just when he set out for America? When I traveled with him, he constantly suffered from a variety of diseases — kidney malfunction, heart palpitations, severe toothache, high blood pressure etc. Why didn’t Krsna arrange for him to go there when he was healthy and fit? We can ask these questions, but then, the glory of what Srila Prabhupada did was magnified because he did it despite the physical ailments he had. Aindra prabhu’s body was found in the kneeling position, offering obeisances to his Deities which shows that despite the explosion his heart and consciousness was clear and fixed on the Lord. We cannot second guess why a devotee leaves. It may be to our eyes sudden and without rationale. But that is because we are not seeing the interaction of that devotee with Krsna. In Vrndavana everything is under the control of Yoga Maya, and fully surrendered devotees are directly under Srimati Radharani’s control. Aindra prabhu dedicated himself to the service of Sri Sri Radha Shyamasundara for many years. He would dress Them with great love and devotion and then during the greeting of the Deities he would join the eager throng of devotees crowding forward to have Their Lordships darshana, a glint in his eye and huge smile on his face as he gazed lovingly at the cynosure of his life.
In the afternoons he would sit before Them with his harmonium and his band of fellow chanters, leading everyone into increasing levels of ecstatic revelry.
His name became synonymous with the chanting of the Holy Name, so that is not a small achievement. To have oneself always associated with the Lord in the minds of others means he achieved the status of a great devotee, by the mercy of the Lord. There is therefore nothing inauspicious. While we lament his passing, Aindra prabhu and his 24-hour kirtana companions have left us with many hours of transcendental sound vibration in the form of recorded kirtanas. We are still fortunate that in this day and age such recordings remain. At least modern technology has some good to offer us. So let us hear them with pleasure and gratitude, remembering the wonderful service performed by this great devotee and disciple of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. • Email to a friend • •ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Kesava PrabhuSrimad Bhagavatam 11.22.29 - Devotional service to Krsna is full of surprises! • Email to a friend • •Gaura Yoga, NZ: Vinyasa flow yoga + live music + kirtan
• Email to a friend • •Gaura Yoga, NZ: Samadhi
• Email to a friend • •Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Lecture - Remembering Aindra Prabhu - Braja Bihari das and Devotees
Dallas, TX Download: 2010-07-17 - Remembering Aindra - Braja Bihari das and Others.mp3 • Email to a friend • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1970 July 19: "After all the disciplic succession is beginning from God, so how do you find there is no disciplic succession? If the original tree has branches, twigs and leaves and they are in touch with the original tree, it is alright. The test is whether the line is in touch with the Supreme - that is all."  • Email to a friend • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1970 July 19: "George Harrison has rendered service to Krsna, undoubtedly, so gradually, surely he will improve in Krsna consciousness - there is no doubt about it. One copy of KRSNA Book was sent from Japan directly to George Harrison's address. You can give him 50-100 additional free copies of KRSNA Book as he desires."  • Email to a friend • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1970 July 19: "I was expecting your letter since a long time, but I understand you were very busy with Rathayatra and I am very glad to see from the picture that this time you have made Lord Jagannatha's car very sturdy and as tall and strong as a warship."  • Email to a friend • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1972 July 19: "We have celebrated a very, very nice Rathayatra festival here in London, and in Trafalgar Square I initiated nearly 30 new devotees with fire yajna before 25,000 persons, mostly Englishmen. We are leaving for Paris tomorrow, so you may reply me there."  • Email to a friend • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1973 July 19: "I would have continued to stay but the hammering sounds drove me away. There must be no more workers with their tack-tack sound. When you are completely finished I will go there, otherwise not."  • Email to a friend • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1973 July 19: "It is not important to hold a Janmastami GBC meeting. The important thing now is for GBC members to go on working. The best time and place for GBC meeting is Mayapur on Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day. Mayapur is meant for that. All devotees from all our centers should go at that time."  • Email to a friend • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1974 July 19: "I am sending one of my elder sannyasi disciples for preaching and opening a Krishna consciousness temple there. Three other men will also go there to assist him. Please see that he is taken care of there. He will be arriving within one months time."  • Email to a friend • •Srila Prabhupada's Letters1974 July 19: "I may request you to send three men to go for preaching and opening a temple. There is one man there who wants to give $50,000 for construction of a temple. Please do this as soon as possible."  • Email to a friend • •Gaura Vani, USA: 24 Hour Kirtan Photos and MP3sEnjoy these high quality recordings from the 24 Hour Kirtan (Summer 2010) as well as select black and white photos from photographer Rasa Acharya. Listen to and download the kirtans here.
• Email to a friend • •Japa Group: It Is Good To Chant With A Friend
Yesterday afternoon when I went for my walk in the woods, I went with Jayadvaita Maharaja and we were both chanting extra rounds out loud. It was very nice. It is good to chant with a friend sometimes. From Bhajan Kutir #14  • Email to a friend • •Sita-pati dasa, AU: On the road again (with Amala Kirtan)Mercifully I was sitting in the 24 hour kirtan in Canberra when news of Aindra Acarya's death reached me. Two of my godsisters in South America sent me the news via internets, which I was monitoring for feedback on the live stream of the kirtan. The first question I asked when I heard, was: "What is the pramana (evidence)?" Carana Renu, my godsister in Brazil, forwarded me an email from a PAMHO mailing list. I told Krishnapada after the first report that this news was out there, but that I was awaiting confirmation, and when Sati devi from Peru sent me an email announcement from ISKCON Desire Tree I informed Amala Kirtan. Then devotees passed my iPhone with the news around while the kirtan continued. After 15 minutes Amala Kirtan's turn came on the roster, and we took a brief break to announce the news of the end of Aindra's manifest pastimes. Amala then lead a tribute to Aindra kirtan, which became our meditation for the remaining 20 or so hours of the kirtan. I had planned to go home and sleep during the night, as we have a week or traveling and late nights doing kirtan ahead of us, and I just got back from an intense world trip, but after this news I couldn't go. I slept for a few hours in the temple lobby, where I could still hear the kirtan. Our time is limited, and we should never leave the kirtan of the devotees.  We are now traveling on the tour with the above picture of this modern-day incarnation of the sakti of Haridas Thakur.  Amala Kirtan sings after the news of Aindra's death reaches us
• Email to a friend • •H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 143:50 A.M.I slept all right last night and woke at 2:15 A.M. But when I got up to chant, my japa was drowsy. I've only chanted five rounds. I'm starting to pull out of it and improve, but the beginning was slow. It was a physical condition, and so I cannot bash myself for it. But now I must chant more wide awake and attentive in order to make up for the slow start. Yesterday afternoon when I went for my walk in the woods, I went with Jayadvaita Maharaja, and we were both chanting extra rounds out loud. It was very nice. It is good to chant with a friend sometimes, but my early mornings I'm habituated to do alone, and that sometimes runs the risk of being drowsy like this morning. Anyway, I will make up for it after writing. A slow start, but you • Email to a friend • •H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Prabhupada SmilingPrabhupada Smaranam
Prabhupada seems amused at something his disciples are doing. He enjoyed many merry moments with them. Although he was a grave personality, he always found something lighthearted in the conducting of his affairs with his disciples. It might be the antics of the children. Or something amusing in his own remarks, or the behavior of one of his disciples. He showed that a pure devotee was jolly and lighthearted, that he was ready at a moment's notice to relish a bit of humor. His devotees loved it when Prabhupada showed these moods, and they readily smiled or laughed with him. It is not contradictory that a pure devotee is very serious and grave and yet ready to share a bit of humor. He was the judge of when the mood occurred. Sometimes he would be telling a story and the devotees would laugh, and he would say, "Don't laugh. It is not funny." But sometimes he visibly laughed or chuckled at his own stories. Some of the joking stories of the court jester Gopala Ban were so obscure the devotees weren't sharp enough to get the humorous point. He told a few funny stories from Charlie Chaplin films that he might have seen in his youth. He told the story of some naughty boys who put glue on a bench and ripped the formal coattails of Charlie Chaplin. When Chaplin began dancing everyone was amazed and took it to be the latest style, so they also ripped their coattails. Prabhupada told his funny stories for a point. The ripped coattails stories was to show how people were so imitative of each other and just wanted to wear the latest styles. He weaves it into his Bhagavatam lecture. He's told the story of a man who was mocked for leading a donkey on a leash rather than riding it. But when the man got on the donkey and rode it, he was mocked as being so cruel as to cause a burden for the donkey. A piece of wet stool laughed at a piece of dry stool being burnt in the fire. The wet stool didn't know that as soon as he was dry, he too would be thrown into the fire. When the king's wife gave birth to a child, he was overjoyed. He asked his court jester, "How do you feel at this moment?" Gopala Ban replied, "I feel as if I had just passed stool." The king became angry at this remark and punished Gopala Ban. At another time, the king was being rowed in a boat by Gopala Ban. The king had to evacuate, and he called Gopala Ban to pull over to the shore. Gopala Ban said, "I can't get there just yet, there are ferocious animals here." A little later the king insisted that he had to go, and Gopala Ban should stop the boat. Gopala Ban replied, "I cannot pull over yet. It is very muddy on the shore here." After several more delays the king insisted Gopala Ban pull over, no matter what. When the king finally evacuated, Gopala Ban asked him, "How do you feel now?" "Oh, I feel very happy," said the king. Gopala Ban replied, "Now you know what I meant when you asked me how I felt when your baby was born." Sometimes Prabhupada told a funny story without tagging it onto a purport in the philosophy. Whatever he did was wonderful with us. • Email to a friend • •H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Just Serve KrishnaKrishna is so high above us
He's a rare soul, and out of millions
Most people are blind
I'll comprehend His pastimes
It all depends on progressive hearing.
Do you want to be His beloved? • Email to a friend • •H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Aindra
I wish to add my feelings of loss at the shocking news of the sudden disappearance of Aindra Prabhu in the Krishna Balarama Mandira in Vrndavana. He was truly the "emperor of kirtana," and had hundreds of devotees around the world who looked up to him as their siksa-guru. By establishing the 24-hour kirtana in Krishna-Balarama Mandira, Aindra Prabhu fulfilled an expressed desire of Srila Prabhupada. It was not easy to assemble a team of devotees who filled a 24-hour schedule of continuous kirtana, but by Aindra's leadership, inspiration and personal participation, he managed to get the 24-hour kirtana going, and it has continued without interruption for many years. This is a testimony to Aindra Prabhu's loyalty to Prabhupada's instruction, for which Prabhupada is very pleased with him. We pray that his team members will continue the legacy Aindra Prabhu has set and continue the 24-hour kirtana as before. Aindra Prabhu's personal singing is a beautiful, strong, operatic voice filled with bhava. We are fortunate to have many recordings to continue to listen to this great kirtaneer and sing along with him. It is a great testimony to his popularity and belovedness that thousands of devotees and Brijbasis accompanied the procession to the Yamuna and stayed for hours chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. Aindra Prabhu was a purist and a very advanced devotee in love of Radha and Krishna. In his kirtanas he did not sing many bhajanas but only the Hare Krishna mantra again and again in many wonderful, melodic tunes. No one can replace him, but we can try to follow his example and constantly chant the Hare Krishna mantra in feelings of separation from our dear Prabhu. • Email to a friend • •New Vrndavan, USA: Farms, Food, and Faith: First Annual ConferenceISKCON NEW VRINDABAN Friday Dec. 3 rd (1/2 Day begin @ 2 pm) Contact: _servingkrishna@aol.com_ (mailto:servingkrishna@aol.com) • Email to a friend • •Hari Sauri das, Mayapura, IN: A gift from AindraI have good cause to always remember Sriman Aindra prabhu. Of course, we all do, with the many hours of blissful kirtana recordings he left us and the indelible impression of his personal association.
But I have a special reason for remembering him everyday. In 1989 I was attending the Mayapur Gaura Purnima festival. I had had a rather turbulent time in the mid-80s after giving up my sannyasa and service as GBC in the South Seas zone. I was just starting to get stablized again and I developed a strong sense or need that I should begin worshipping Srila Prabhupada in his murti form again. I say ‘again’ because in early 1978 I bought one of the very first small brass murtis of His Divine Grace and I did daily puja, massaging him, bathing and dressing him, and then offering arati and a plate of fruit. However, due to a heavy travel schedule, and also having to visit Indonesia on a regular basis which is mainly a Muslim country, after a while I ended up leaving that murti on the altar in the Adelaide temple (where I hope he is still being worshipped). So 1989 came around and I had a strong desire to begin my personal service to Srila Prabhupada again.
I looked around Navadvipa but couldn’t find any suitable murti. Then I went over to Vrndavana with the hope I would have better luck in locating a nice deity. I had intended to take a look around Loi Bazaar but I wasn’t very hopeful. After a day or two I had the occasion to go up onto the top floor of the Gurukula building to meet with Bhurijan prabhu. My route took me right past Aindra prabhu’s room. Just as I passed it, Aindra stepped out, greeting me with a huge grin and some kind words. I had been the GBC in New York in 1982-3 when with my encouragement he took his leave from his many years of service there to move to Vrndavana; so we knew each other quite well. We had a good chat, I hadn’t seen him for some time and then he invited me into his room to see his Deities. I was rather amazed at how he had transformed his room into this incredible sanctuary. A huge altar dominated, filling half the room. The walls and floor were caked in cow dung and his Deities were resplendently situated, happily receiving the worship of Their dedicated devotee. It was impressive to say the least. As we talked, I suddenly got inspired to ask him if he knew where I could get a nice Deity of Srila Prabhupada. Without hesitation and without looking, he stuck his hand behind the curtain that hung down over some concrete shelving just behind him. In a second he produced a beautiful six inch murti, exactly what I had been looking for. “But what about your worship?” I asked him. “Its OK, I already have Srila Prabhupada on my altar. This murti was given to me six months ago so you can have him.” I was very happy. To me it was a confirmation that Srila Prabhupada wanted me to start personally serving him again. He had come to me via Aindra prabhu, without any extra endeavor on my part. I keep the murti for a few months in Australia without beginning the worship. I was still a bit unsettled and unsure whether I would be able to keep it up once started. Then in October 1989 (Friday 13th to be exact!) I got married to Sitala dasi in London, Soho Street, in front of Sri Sri Radha Londonisvara.
The next day was the first day of Kartika, and we flew to India to spend the first month of our marriage in the holy precincts of Vrndavan-dhama. I had brought my murti of Srila Prabhupada with me and on Srila Prabhupada’s tirobhava mahotsava we began the daily puja of His Divine Grace.
Its still going strong, and every day as I bathe and dress Srila Prabhupada I have cause to give thanks to Aindra prabhu for bringing him to me.
I am sure Aindra is doing his puja and service to Srila Prabhupada now in a more elevated place than this material world (not that he was living in it anyway for the last 27 years) and I hope to join him when its my turn to leave. • Email to a friend • •Prema-Rupa dd, USA: To give 100%I never knew Aindra. I dont have personal stories and the only time I saw him in person was when I was in Vrindavan last year for Janamastmi and I was so far away, I could barely see him. So why does hearing about his disappearance hurt so badly? I remember the first time I heard his kirtans. I only listened to the first minute, decided it was too slow, and didnt bother to listen to the rest. The second time I heard his kirtan I was on a road trip with my husband, at first I thought he was messing up my favorite tune and I was annoyed. But since in those days we only had CD’s we listened to it over and over and the more I listened to it, well, the more it stuck to me and I decided that I liked him. My husband likes slow, bhajan type kirtan while I pretend that Im a kirtan rock-star. I knew he liked Aindra because of his slow moving kirtan so I found a recording on the net and we listened to it when my husband got home from work. He started to cry, saying that the kirtan reminded him of Mayapur and he felt so much separation at that time. It didnt affect me as much. Until the kirtan started to pick up, mridangas and kartals playing faster, his voice crying our for Krishna- hey! He’s a kirtan rock-star too! And then I got the taste for his music. I downloaded more, a friend of mine gave me Vraja-Vilas and I was hooked. I relished the slowness. His voice was crying for Krishna, yearning from the soul, it awakens these wild feelings in your heart for something deep and meaningful in your life. To abandon everything and just do kirtan. Who could do this to me except Aindra? His kirtan tunes made me cry, they made me laugh, they made me dance. A devotee that used to travel with Aindra Prabhu back in the day told me that when he was in the US- his kirtans were ok. Nothing special. But something changed in him when he went to Vrindavan. Suddenly, like day and night, they became so beautiful and melodious. His Grace Aindra Prabhu passed away on Friday night but it has taken me until Monday morning to write about him without crying. His kirtans changed my life forever. It changed my kirtan style, it changed my heart! I couldnt understand why Krishna took him away in such a violent manner. He wasnt sick. He deserved to pass away peacefully in the company of devotees when he became super old. Not alone in his flat. I didnt want to accept it. A few people have died in my life, some of them close to me, some not so close. But it didnt affect me like his passing did. My friend, Vani-Seva talked with me about his passing and it was so helpful and it made me realize so many things. I wondered, why did so many of our devotees pass away so suddenly? We went down the list- Tamal Krishna Maharaj- car accident, Svarup Damodar Maharaj- heart attack, Gour Govinda Swami- heart attack, even Bhakti Tirtha Swami and Suhotra Swami- even though they were sick, it was very unexpected and they passed away shortly, the list went on and on. I realized it is because death can come at any moment- and us devotees need to realize how precious our time is and we should take up Krishna Consciousness so seriously. Dont you see? We say, “yeah yeah Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I got it.” But do you really get it?! We only have so much time, we have to dedicate ourselves 100%, dont waste time! I was sad, I know he is with Krishna- I would never even doubt it. But we’ll never get his association again. I wanted to see him for Gaura Purnima during the festival in 2011. I wanted to fulfill my dream of dancing like a psycho during his kirtan. What will happen now? Where do those dreams go? But I know wanting to keep him here is an expansion of my own selfishness. How can I ask him to stay in this miserable material existence when he could be having mad crazy kirtan in Goloka Navadwip or running and playing with Krishna in Goloka Vrindavan? I was being selfish, he did his service, did the time, and now he had to go. My friend also helped me realize that when Krishna feels like you cannot progress any further in your spiritual life, he just takes you away so that you dont have to deal with pointless accumulation of karma. Aindra Prabhu was already there. He was already 100%. So Krishna just took him, he didnt need to go further because he was already there so what is the use of remaining in the material world if you are already 100%? I realized there are no small services, only small devotees. His service was simple. Kirtan before Gaura-arati and Deity dressing. He wasnt a great cook or a pakka pujari, he never became temple president and never served on the GBC. When I read about people who encounter him, they always say, “he and I were standing in the back when…” it amazes me how someone so simple can have such a profound effect on the whole world! It just proved that if we have firm conviction in Srila Prabhupada’s movement and dedication to our service, we can go so far and inspire so many people. There is a tune that I try to sing sometimes. It sounds like crying. Somehow it doesnt sound the same like when Aindra Prabhu sings it. You have taught me Aindra Prabhu. To dedicate my heart in kirtan. And to dedicate my life to Krishna. I want to give my everything. I want to be 100% too. Please pray for me Prabhu. I am fallen and foolish with no good qualities but by your mercy I can do something for the pleasure of Krishna and devotees. Thank you Aindra Prabhu. Thank you. All glories to the life and passing of His Grace Sriman Namacharya Aindra Das Prabhu!  Janamastmi in Vrindavan 2009       • Email to a friend • •Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: Solar Power Flight Aloft! Pool photo by Denis Bailibouse Solar Impulse, piloted by André Borschberg, flew for 26 hours and reached a height of 28,543 feet, setting a record for the longest and highest flight ever made by a solar plane. By ALAN COWELLPublished: July 8, 2010 PARIS — Slender as a stick insect, a solar-powered experimental airplane with a huge wingspan completed its first test flight of more than 24 hours on Thursday, powered overnight by energy collected from the sun during a day aloft over Switzerland. The organizers said the flight was the longest and highest by a piloted solar-powered craft, reaching an altitude of just over 28,000 feet above sea level at an average speed of 23 knots, or about 26 miles per hour. The plane, Solar Impulse, landed where it had taken off 26 hours and 9 minutes earlier, at Payerne, 30 miles southwest of the capital, Bern, after gliding and looping over the Jura Mountains, its 12,000 solar panels absorbing energy to keep its batteries charged when the sun went down. The pilot, André Borschberg, 57, a former Swiss Air Force fighter pilot, flew the plane from a cramped, single-seat cockpit, buffeted by low-level turbulence after takeoff and chilled by low temperatures overnight. "I've been a pilot for 40 years now, but this flight has been the most incredible one of my flying career," Mr. Borschberg said as he landed, according to a statement from the organizers of the project. "Just sitting there and watching the battery charge level rise and rise, thanks to the sun." He added that he had flown the entire trip without using any fuel or causing pollution. The project's co-founder, Dr. Bertrand Piccard, who achieved fame by completing the first nonstop, round-the-world flight by hot air balloon in 1999, embraced the pilot after he landed the plane to the cheers of hundreds of supporters. "When you took off, it was another era," The Associated Press quoted Dr. Piccard as saying. "You land in a new era where people understand that with renewable energy you can do impossible things." The project's designers had set out to prove that — theoretically at least — the plane, with its airliner-size, 208-foot wingspan, could stay aloft indefinitely, recharging batteries during the day and using the stored power overnight. "We are on the verge of the perpetual flight," Dr. Piccard said. The project's founders say their ambition is for one of their craft to fly around the world using solar power. The propeller-driven Solar Impulse, made of carbon fiber, is powered by four small electric motors and weighs around 3,500 pounds. During its 26-hour flight, the plane reached a maximum speed of 68 knots, or 78 miles per hour, the organizers said. The seven-year-old project is not intended to replace jet transportation — or its comforts. Just 17 hours after takeoff, a blog on the project's Web site reported, "André says he's feeling great up there." It continued: "His only complaints involve little things like a slightly sore back as well as a 10-hour period during which it was minus 20 degrees Celsius in the cockpit." That made his drinking water system freeze, the post said and, worst of all, caused his iPod batteries to die.  • Email to a friend • •ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Tribute to Aindra das
 • Email to a friend • •H.H. Sivarama Swami: Lokanath Swami’s offering to Aindra PrabhuMy dear devotees, My assistant called me from India, when I was on the way to the airport in Burma, and asked whether I heard about Aindra Prabhu. With the kind of tone in which he enquired, I thought of the worst, and it was true. Aindra had left us behind. I was shaken, shattered and shocked. I thought of flying to Vrndavan, but the arrangements could not be made in time. Unfortunately I couldn't be there today also with you all who One talk I heard was in Vrndavan, on the appearance day of Srimati Lalitha Sakhi. It was a long talk, and he ended the talk by 10.15 that morning. He was really relishing talking, and I would like to share short excerpts from that talk about 2 traits of his personality – one is the Kirtan and the other one is his internal private bhajan. He shared how both of these came to him as instructions from Srila Prabhupada through the medium of dreams. He was sharing that in the beginning he had been a Srila Prabhupada book distributor for 8 yrs in New York and then he had a desire to organise Harinaam Festival there. He had come to India to get instruments and other paraphernalia. While he was residing at one life members' home in New Delhi, he dreamt of Srila Prabhupada and shared it with the devotees present during the appearance day Aindra said: In the presence of Prabhupada, when he was saying like that and then I started enthusiastically explaining about my project – it just kind of like overwhelmingly dawned on me that I had given up, you know, my most important number one priority service to Srila Prabhupada – kind off assisting him in the doubling and redoubling of his book distribution as we had done in previous years. So I immediately broke down and started You, know, so still I'm trying to do something in that regard When we say goshtianandi Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur says the best gosthianandi is the bhajananandi who preaches" So, Aindra Prabhu was bhajananandi and goshtianandi. I would say also Naamanandi. The kirtans which he performed and relished in front of Krsna Balaram are resounding all over the planet. His sound travels all over. His kirtans are everywhere, and in many places they play his kirtans during Aartis also, as I have personally witnessed during my travels all over the world. When there is no one to lead kirtan, they put on his tapes. So many try to learn by imitating his unique style of kirtan. His fans and followers are everywhere, so in sound, a Vaishnava never dies, and he remains in his sound resounding – Bhakti Vinode Thakur states that he reasons ill who thinks that a Vaishnava dies, as he is always present in his sound vibrations. That certainly applies to Aindra prabhu, whose sound vibrations would perpetuate for all time to come. Aindra and his kirtans have become household words. He has disappeared from our vision but he has not left Vrndavan, and he will continue to stay in Vrndavan singing the glories of Radha Shyam. Another special dimension to his personality that we all remember him for is his love for dressing Radha Shyamsundar, in which he would put all his heart and in which he would express all his love and strength and artistic talents. I am going to dearly miss him. We shared platform together as we were team members, during kirtans during Kartick in Vrndavan and in front of Pancatattva in Mayapur during Gaura Purnima festival. He used to always be next to me inspiring me and backing me up. He was also one of my spiritual heroes. My dear Aindra, the best tribute we could pay to you is to pray for spiritual strength to carry on your high octane kirtan spirit with all the missionary spirit you exhibited. I offer my obeisances at your spiritual lotus feet and beg for forgiveness for any offences committed. I hope to imbibe your spirit for at least a little while till I'm here in this body, and hopefully we will meet again somewhere, and hopefully I will join you wherever you are and we will do kirtan together. Your servant, • Email to a friend • •Gauranga Kishore das,USA: No Quarter Given in the Material World The recent and very sudden and unexpected departing of Srila Aindra Prabhu and has left many shocked and heartbroken. His continuous chanting and 24 kirtan organizing has had an amazing effect around the world and he has truly started a kirtan revolution that is spreading around the world with 24 hour kirtan festivals now taking place all over the world. So many have been directly or indirectly inspired by him, his association, his amazing kirtans and his legendary albums that are truly portals to the spiritual world are forever etched in the hearts and minds of devotees around the world. On personally level I was shocked to hear of the apparently senseless and tragic way in which he passed away. Despite the fact that we are surround by death constantly we are still shocked when confronted by it and maybe even more so upon the death of a spiritual leader or great saint. On some level we expect that devotees should be spared the harsh gruesomeness that characterizes the struggle for existence in the material world but alas that is not the case. Despite our deepest wishes to the contrary the material world is not a place of mercy. Our thirst for peace, justice, happiness, and eternal life cannot be slated anywhere in this world. I recently rewatched a movie I had seen a number of years ago, Robroy, in the final scene there is a duel to the death between the hero Robert Roy MacGregor and the evil villain. At the beginning of the duel rules are stated as the protagonist and antagonist face each other. The judge says "if quarter is asked. . and Robroy interrupts saying "No quarter will be asked," and his opponent replies "and none will be given." No phrase "no quarter given" means no mercy will be shown. The phrase refers to a war time phrase where no quarter, or housing, would be given to captured enemy soldiers, meaning they will be killed on the spot even if they surrender. This material world is a place where no quarter is given and it is futile to ask or hope for it. Those are simply the rules of engagement here in the material world and to expect quarter is simply naivete. Although the Bhagavad-gita makes it clear that this material world is a place of suffering and misery we somehow expect quarter here, we somehow continue to expect shelter here, that maybe if we surrender we can somehow find shelter, find relief from the miseries of material existence. But that quarter does not come until we return home to the eternal kingdom of God. The mercy of the Lord upon the devotee is not to suspend the laws of material nature, for as long as we have a material body it will be subject to the laws of material nature. His mercy is that by cultivating our mood of pure devotion at the time of death he will deliver us from this miserable world of birth and death where will never again have to suffer the miseries of existence inflicted upon us mercilessly by the cruel laws of material nature. It is His promise in the twelveth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita that no only will he deliver us from this ocean of suffering, but that he will very quickly deliver us from this vale of tears, that is real quarter, that is real shelter, and that is real mercy.  • Email to a friend • •Mayapur Online: In Memoriam : Sriman Aindra Prabhu
Mayapur devotees expressed their grief, sadness and shared their deep realizations and the wonderful qualities of Sriman Aindra prabhu at the Smrti Sabha – memorial function held in the honor of Sriman Aindra Prabhu. HG Jananinvas prabhu, HG Yasoda Dulal prabhu, HG Gita Nagari prabhu, HG Narugopal prabhu, HG Hrimati mataji and many others glorified Aindra prabhu's austerity, his excellence in deity service and his deep attachement to the holy names and kirtan. • Email to a friend • •H.H. Sivarama Swami: Great souls in kirtana
• Email to a friend • •On the Web: The "Emperor of Kirtan"
• Email to a friend • •Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Choose Biofuels and Efficiencies, Not More Oil Biofuel, and biodiesel in particular, can help mitigate the need for additional oil supply. According to Emerging Markets Online, total worldwide biodiesel production alone took off from 2.2 million tons in 2002 to an estimated 11.1 million tons in 2008. However, first generation biofuels will likely be limited to 10-20 percent of global liquid fuel consumption, largely due to constraints in feedstock and infrastructure. Therefore, we must make the most of every gallon of biofuel. Successfully doing so requires addressing a number of problems. Biodiesel, for instance, presents several significant deficiencies when compared to diesel fuel. Most significantly, biodiesel contains less energy value than petrodiesel, leading to increased fuel consumption and reduced engine power output. Other problems include limited oxidation and storage stability, a tendency to form deposits, corrosion issues, cold flow problems and questionable stability from diverse feedstocks. These limitations are greatly exacerbated with the increasing content of biodiesel in fuel blends, from B5 to B30 and higher. These negative characteristics reduce biodiesel's overall green profile for efficiency and emissions. Yet as a green product, biodiesel can be made significantly "greener," by improving the fuel so that it performs more like regular diesel. One way to help achieve this is through the use of already available fuel enhancing technologies. International Fuel Technology, Inc., (IFT) for example, has developed a fuel efficiency enhancing additive that helps biodiesel blends to function similarly to diesel. It allows less biodiesel to be consumed compared to non-additized biodiesel for the same energy output. This technology not only improves the biofuel's environmental footprint, but reduces the amount of biodiesel needed for a given power output, expanding biofuel capacity and further offsetting oil use. Another line of IFT additives provides oxidation stability to biodiesel and its blends. This is crucial to smooth operation of biodiesel blends and for long term storage stability. As biofuels continue to expand and become more efficient, we must also take advantage of technologies that permit us to use less oil in the first place. The rail industry, for instance, is increasingly seeking to reduce costs and improve its environmental footprint with better fuel efficiency. Rail offers an excellent opportunity for employing such demand-side technology, as the industry is highly centralized among regional operators and is among the more predictable forms of transportation, allowing for reliable demonstration and fuel efficiency analysis. Rail can help us reduce the need for expanded oil supply by increasing the fuel economy of petrodiesel, which is heavily used by trains around the globe. International Fuel Technology has developed an additive that "atomizes" the fuel injected into a train's diesel engine combustion chamber, burning the fuel more completely and emitting less waste. The technology achieves 3-6 percent greater fuel economy and reduces atmospheric emissions. If a 4.5 percent diesel fuel efficiency gain were extended beyond rail to all U.S. diesel fuel consumption, we would eliminate the need for over 2.2 billion gallons of diesel every year. When combined with other demand-side savings opportunities, the potential to reduce oil consumption is significant. By making the most of biofuels and the petroleum we already have access to, we can reduce our need for continued oil expansion. Technologies for demand management, improved efficiency and conservation are available and expanding. The optimal choice for our fuel future is not to require any extra oil. We simply have to choose. Dr. Sergio Trindade, International Fuel Technology's Director of Science & Technology, is a globally recognized consultant and expert in sustainable energy and alcohol fuels. His experience within the international energy field is abundant, especially concerning alternative energies. Dr. Trindade is a Co-laureate of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize as a member of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He also served as the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) for Science and Technology for five years and continues to provide consulting to the UN system, including the World Bank, and many other organizations regarding energy and environmental issues. He holds a PhD. in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Filed under: Cows and Environment       • Email to a friend • •Maddy Jean-claude Durr, New Govardhana, AU: A Journey Across to Poland: [P7] Monday LoveMonday 12th, July 2010. It was our "day off" Mondays were days to catch up on sleep and rounds (preferably not at the same time). Devotees shaved their heads clean, for another week of dancing and chanting on the Polish beaches. In the morning Maharaja called the youth into his room for a lay down on the tour etiquette. It was normal for young kids not to understand the strict standards of the tour, which were the same as any other temple or centre within ISKCON. This tour especially was off to a rowdy start so it was time for us to turn our baseball caps back to the front (and not back to front) and patch into the pakka prescriptions of communal behaviour. I noticed a couple familiar faces in the tour reception. I scanned through my memory, from one country to the next and from one time to the other. Eventually I realized it was Daniela and her mother from our previous Australian tour. We had celebrated Daniela's birthday party in Brisbane, at the last leg of the tour and now she was in Poland for another round. Niti and the other Aussies helped them settle in, for an adventure one can never fully prepare for. There was a wedding on today but, being a clueless brahmacari, I had no idea. I saw a lady, clad in red, accompanied by a party of matajis, enter the school. They continued on into the Gymnasium for the program. I found out, moments before the end of the program, that it was Jananivasa and Mandakini Mataji's wedding, a couple of tour veterans and old friends. We had a massive feast, in honour of the wedding and our usual Monday program. We battled the heat, hoping it was the last of it and generally dabbled our time. I caught a preaching lecture with HG Adikarta Prabhu in the evening. It was a blissful gathering of enthusiastic preachers and I felt some relief, like iron back in fire. Sometimes it is hard to remain focused in our mission to cultivate conditioned souls and relieve them of the intense misery of material suppression. Even in the midst of this massive sankirtana operation I needed situations like this to keep my faith intact. It was a nice way to end another amazing Monday, on tour in Poland. [http://maddmonk.wordpress.com] • Email to a friend • •H.H. Sivarama Swami: Are kavaca mantras actually potent, should devotees pay taxes and other topics on skype conference with Russian disciples
• Email to a friend • •Kaunteya das, Mayapura: A pleasant visit I was sitting in the ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry in Mayapur based in the Middle East, working for a local government, basically as a strategic planning consultant. He serves in ISKCON as a Maha-chakra-pati, overseeing a total of 21 Bhakti-vriksha groups (including some 300 devotees). The place has seen a remarkable congregational growth; in fact there are eight Maha-chakra-patis (who supervise the Chakra-patis, who supervise the Upachakra-patis, who supervise the groups). He came to the office to pick copies of "Holy Jail" and "Godruma Kalpatavi," books published by the Ministry. I am not publishing his photo because in that place ISKCON is underground, so better to avoid unnecessary risks. It's always a pleasure to encounter such gentle Vaisnavas, distinguished both professionally, culturally and in terms of the responsible service they offer in the devotee community. • Email to a friend • •Dandavats.com: The Multilevel Marketplace of the Holy NameBy Akruranatha Dasa The devotees of ISKCON of Silicon Valley (ISV) in San Jose are still glowing after recently completing the annual Bhaktivinoda Thakur Monthly Sankirtan Festival. They set for themselves the daunting goal of mobilizing 300 book distributors, but when the dust settled a record 556 people had gone out, with a net result of over 10,000 books distributed and over $18,000 collected in donations! • Email to a friend • •Dandavats.com: Baroda Rathayatra report
On the auspicious day of "aashadh shukla dvitiya", Tuesday, July 13, 2010, ISKCON Baroda organized and observed for the twenty ninth consecutive year the Jagannath Rathayatra Mahotsav (festival) at Baroda, Gujarat, India. The local response to the Rathayatra festival has become almost "overwhelming" • Email to a friend • •Dandavats.com: Offering from H.H. Lokanath Swami to H.G. Aindra PrabhuBy Lokanath Swami Aindra had left us behind. I was shaken, shattered and shocked. I thought of flying to Vrndavan, but the arrangements could not be made in time • Email to a friend • •Dandavats.com: Ujjain Rathya Yatra 2010
The day started with Mangal arati in the presence of over a hundred college students who had come from various cities of the state plus all the congregational devotees in Ujjain • Email to a friend • •H.H. Bhakti Caitanya Swami: Phoenix Ratha YatraDear devotees and friends, Please accept my best wishes. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I returned to South Africa on Friday the 2nd of July, to take part in the 11th annual Phoenix Rathayatra. The programme started with an introductory evening that night at the Phoenix temple, and Kadamba Kanana Maharaja and I spoke [...] • Email to a friend • •Dandavats.com: HG Aindra Prabhu I knowBy Thulasi das We were a small patch of devotees before, but as soon as Aindra Prabhu arrived, the hall in front of the temple Deities zoomed to its full capacity. A temple pujari adorned him with a thick flower garland... • Email to a friend • •H.H. Sivarama SwamiJust remember-when you think all is lost, the future remains. - Robert H. Goddard • Email to a friend • •Dandavats.com: A Note On Aindra PrabhuBy BB Govinda Swami You gave your life in "dedication with conviction" for sharing the ocean of transcendental happiness of Sri Krishna nama sankirtan with countless souls suffering the miseries of material existence. You dedicated your life to present the "Only and Final" solution for ending the sins and tribulations of Kali Yuga through the performance of Sri Krishna Nama Sankirtan • Email to a friend • •Dandavats.com: Namacharya Aindra Prabhu
"When devotees announced we should pray for him, I thought "rather we should pray TO him, that we might also get dedication to chanting Krishna's holy name and go back to Godhead." • Email to a friend • •Dandavats.com: New Video: Budapest's Ratha Yatra 2010 Presentation of the real truth about Hungarybh. Tibor: 2010 Presentation of the real truth about Hungary - Ratha Yatra in Budapest • Email to a friend • •Dandavats.com: Now online: "Gita changes" for chapter fourBBT press release: The changes for chapter four of Bhagavad-Gita As Its Is are now on line at http://www.BBTedit.com/changes • Email to a friend • •Japa Group: Please Join The Japa Group
 • Email to a friend • •Gouranga TV: Lokanath Swami – Gurupuja kirtan – ISKCON Mayapur 2007 – Part 3/4Lokanath Swami – Gurupuja kirtan – ISKCON Mayapur 2007 – Part 3/4 • Email to a friend • •More Recent Articles
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Braja Bihari das and his wife Ananda Vrndavanesvari share some memories of Aindra Prabhu followed by other devotees remembering the great kirtan leader. (sorry for the marginal sound quality)
Aindra dasa: Love is a two-way street. It is important to always remember that love is never a forced affair. Love is a matter of mutual attraction. So, it is not just a matter of our approach to the holy name, but rather it is a matter of Radha and Krsna being inspired to come to be with us to keep us company."
By Basu Ghosh Das
By Mukunda das
By Amogha das
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