Archive for November, 2007
Tuesday, November 13th, 2007
Giriraja’s Big Party at New Vrindaban
Here are the dazzling photographic highlights of the 2007 Govardhan Puja festival, live at New Vrindaban Dham, starring the Brijabasis!
The day began with ecstatic kirtan and a prema-inducing class led by HH Varsana Swami.
HG Balarama Chandra braces himself for the great task ahead…assembling a giant Govardhan Hill made out of sumptuous prasad sweets.
Time to make […]
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Tuesday, November 13th, 2007
How to Celebrate a Festival
I am leaving for Vrindavan today to celebrate Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day, the day will begin with mangala arati at Srila Prabhupada’s samadhi, throught the morning all the Prabhupada disciples will be sharing their memories of Srila Prabhupada and in the evening there will be a program in his room, the place where he departed from this world.
I feel very fortunate to have the association of devotees in Vrindavan on this special day, but of course where ever we may be we can celebrate a wonderful festival.
It is very simple, Guarakisora Das Babaji Maharaj explained how to celebrate a festival. He told the few people who were gathered around him, “tomorrow is Srila Sanatan Prabhu’s disappearance, and tomorrow we will have a wonderful celebration.” They asked him where the would get the money for such a festival and he told them, “This will be the best festival, we will fast and chant Hare Krishna all day and all night. This is how paupers like us celebrate a festival.”
Wherever one may be in the world they can have a wonderful festival by being absorbed in hearing and chanting.
And on another occasion, on Ratha Yatra, he very enthusiastically encouraged everyone around him to go attend the various celebrations that were being held around Navadvipa. Then when all the insincere people had gone away he told the remaining devotees, they have gone simply to look at the beautifully dressed women and eat rasagollas.
A big gathering can even be a distraction, and certainly Vrindavan is no exception to this rule but if one remains absorbed in hearing and chanting, where ever one is, they will be celebrating the most wonderful festival.
Srila Prabhupada Ki Jaya!
Srila Prabhupada Tirobhava Tithi Maha Mahotsava ki jay!
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Gauranga Kishore Das
Monday, November 12th, 2007
Deity Stories
Dearest Brijabasis,
I am greatly enlivened by Mother Rupa’s excellent reminisces about the deities of New Vrindaban, and I wish to make a humble contribution of some small bits of information from my research to supplement her inspiring account.
Sincerely Your Servant,
Hrishikesh (Henry Doktorski)
Oakdale, PA
————–
Kirtanananda sees his spiritual master again
After the shoot out of July […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by mg
Monday, November 12th, 2007
Open….The Film
Open is a short film about seeing beyond the surface, opening and extending one’s heart in times of need, and of communication, especially on a spiritual level. As co-writer and director Satish More (aka Sri-Kishore Das) of Athens, Ohio puts it: “
“I can’t close my eyes to the truth; neither can I turn my back.
Another thing that I have always held close to my heart: “The Art-form is just the carrier of the consciousness of the artist to the audience. It doesn’t mean anything in and of itself.” Have a machine draw a picture and let’s see how many people “feel” it.
I want to form a crew that can feel and understand my urge and can be conscious of it during the making of this film. Only then will it deliver that consciousness to the audience.
I want to learn the skill of pulling off an efficient project which is carefully planned and artistically decorated by people of the right mindset.
I repeat mindset, consciousness, because it is important. At least it is to me.”
Check out the website for Open by clicking the link here, and also check out this link for some of the works Sri-Kishore has already accomplished for the pleasure of Guru and Gauranga.
Knowing Sri-Kishore personally, I aspire to simply follow in the footsteps of his sincere ambition, holding a boom-mic here, setting up some lights for him there, and maybe one day doing a film together. He’s a rare soul in this world. Driven by his heart of gold.
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Club 108
Monday, November 12th, 2007
Real Conflict Resolution
by HH Bhakti-Tirtha Swami
The first, grossest level of conflict resolution in a competitive society involves winning only through the destruction of another. In other words, one individual can only achieve success through the demise or failure of another. This means that, as one progresses and achieves certain goals, one must simultaneously think about methods to wipe out and destroy any competition. This position is especially demonic.
The demons want to be the lords and controllers of all they survey and want to thoroughly eliminate all competition. Along with their endeavors to destroy the theists, the demons even fight among themselves. Instead of co-existing in a humble manner, people are thinking in aggressive and nefarious ways and reflecting on the means to eliminate the opposition. The demons always think in this manner, even to the point of trying to eliminate Krsna.
The second level of conflict resolution, which takes a small step beyond the demonic position, says that I win and you lose. The demonic view feels that I win and I have to finish you and destroy you in order to protect my own position. The second level focuses on personal success at the expense of another, but the competition does not necessarily need to be destroyed. Basically, somebody is going to win and somebody is going to lose.
A person will not put forth any effort to stop the opposition but, at the same time, he or she will not make any effort to help because, after all, both parties cannot win.
Spiritual Conflict Resolution
When we give a spiritual connection to another soul, we will not have less; rather, we will have more. We do not need to maintain gross mentalities that involve actively trying to destroy someone or trying to win at the demise of another. Such competitiveness increases when we become too captured by modernity.
Competition exists in the spiritual world also, but this competition focuses on enhancing the services and creating more chances to serve Krsna with variegation.
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Club 108
Monday, November 12th, 2007
From “Cow and Boy”
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Madhava Gosh
Monday, November 12th, 2007
New Vrndavana recap-a-thon!
Wow! What an incredibly weekend! I’ll tell you about some of it.
I pulled into Rati and Dwija’s lovely little house around 8:30. From then till 2am, we sat and talked. There was a break for the Damodarastikam, of course (it being the month of Damodar and all). Their deities are beautiful! Jaya Nitai-Gauracandra!
It’s […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by eric
Monday, November 12th, 2007
Kartik Nectar-Don’t Become Hopeless, Become Hopeful
Our Kartik Nectar Series continues with a lecture from HG Dina Bandhu Prabhu titled “Don’t Become Hopeless, Become Hopeful”, spoken during the Vrindavana Yatra of 2004 at Kaliya Ghat.
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Sunday, November 11th, 2007
Veterans Day
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Madhava Gosh
Sunday, November 11th, 2007
“Sam Stone” by John Prine
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Sunday, November 11th, 2007
Kartik Nectar-The Seven Main Temples of Vrindavan
Our Kartik Nectar Series continues with a lecture from HH Radhanath Swami titled “The Seven Main Temples of Vrindavan”, spoken during the Vrindavana Yatra of 2004 at Fogla Ashram.
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Sunday, November 11th, 2007
Govardhana Puja at the Lotus feet Govardhan Hill
Here are a few pictures and a small report from yesterdays festivities at Bhaktivedanta Ashram (Govardhan Palace) situated at the lotus feet of Govardhan.
Gopiparanadhana Prabhu giving the morning Bhagavatam Class, while devotees listen attentively.
After Bhagavatam Class Bhurijana Prabhu did a dramatic reading of the Govardhan pastime from Ananda Vrindavan Campu by Srila Kavi Karnapura. You can see Govardhan in the Background, as well as the temple of Dhani Raya.
Here at Govardhan you get to bath the Giriraj directly.
Asit Krishna Prabhu, the manager of the Bhaktivedanta Ashram, directs the abhisekha. He is a very special devotee. When he was only 7 years old he announced to his family that he would leave home to worship Krishna. When he was a child he used to have dreams with Krishna, one time Krishna took him to a special place and told him to sit down there and chant japa, and Krishna left and told the Asit Krishna that He would return in a minute, but Krishna did not return, and then Asit Krishna started to experience intense anxiety due to separation from not seeing Krishna return, so much so that he could not breath, and then he woke up. Eventually he joined ISKCON, and moved here to Govardhan to serve Srila Tamala Krishna Maharaj, when he first arrived he went accros the street to pay his obeisances to Govardhan and when he looked up to his amazement he saw the exact spot that he had seen in his dream with Krishna so many years earlier. 
After the abhisekha Govardhan is offered candan and Garlands and fed sumptously.
The Srimad Bhagavata Vidyampitham crew, headed by Nityananda and Damodara Gopal, holding down the kirtan.
Vaisesika Prabhu dancing in the kirtan. He is always enthusiastic and ecstatic to be around.
Some of the locals enjoying the festivities, and enjoying having their picture taken on a digital camera.
The day was really wonderful, it began with a Govardhan parikram, well half punchari side, then over to the Bhaktivedanta Ashram for lots of kirtan and katha, afterwards we went over to the hill and bathed Giriraj and did lots more kirtan, then we served all the vaishnava’s prasada. By the time lunch was over I just stayed at the ashram, did a bit japa and joined Vaisesika Prabhu for his evening reading program from 5-7 (He does it everyday but this was the first day that I was able to attend, it was wonderful to have his association). After offering a lamp at the Ashram I went back to the school, and for one last dose of nectar read Bhagavatam with the Sarartha Dashini Commentary of Srila Visvanatha Charakravarti Thakkur, and then crashed out.
Giriraj Maharaj Ki Jaya!
Nija nikata nivasa dehi Govardhan tvam!
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Gauranga Kishore Das
Saturday, November 10th, 2007
Blogtas Eric and Chris Get Life Altering News
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Madhava Gosh
Saturday, November 10th, 2007
No Sunday School This Week
Since Govardhan Puja is Sat. evening and I will have ongoing art projects to do in the Sunday School Room for any interested children.
We will also be finishing our projects from last Sunday which are carts for the Hill to fill with sweets.
Thank you, Rama Lila