April 2002 Stories

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April 29, 2002– His Grace Radhapada Prabhu passed away peacefully in bed yesterday in Kolkata (Calcutta), India. He was 82 years old. He was fully conscious, listening to a tape of Srila Prabhupada performing kirtan.

Radhapada Prabhu donated the deities of ISKCON Mayapur and gave substantial donations for the purchase of the Kolkata temple and the property on Gurusaday Road.

On the day of his passing, Radhapada Prabhu was lying in bed and asked his son, Radhe Syam Tulsion, to put on his usual tape of Srila Prabhupada singing. A half hour later he peacefully left his body.

Upon hearing the news, devotees from ISKCON Kolkata went to his house and performed kirtan.

Most of you know His Grace Radha Pada das, who donated the Deities of Mayapur, all the laxmi to buy the Kolkata temple, the Gurusadaya Road property, and much more. He left his body on 28th April at 8.30 pm at the age of 82.

He was fully conscious and talking to his son. He told his son to play Srila Prabhupada’s tape, as he usually listens to Prabhupada kirtan. Then within half an hour, he left his body. After getting this news, devotees from the Kolkata temple along with Their Grace Jananivas Prabhu and Dayaram das went to his house and performed kirtan. His body will be taken for cremation today on 29th at 2pm.
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I need to get some good Krsna-related videos for children. Is there any one out there who could recomend some of the best ones and where to purchase them?

On the day of Lord Balaram's Rasayatra and Lord Krishna's Vasant Rasa, at a very wonderful ceremony here at Srimad Bhagavatam class in Vrindavan in front of Srila Prabhupada and Their Lordships Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Krishna Balaram, and Radha Shyamsundar, the new administration was officially installed in Vrindavan.

First His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami, who has served for many, many years as GBC in Vrindavan, read and explained the GBC resolution regarding Vrindavan management to the assembled devotees. The resolution states that the ultimate management authority of ISKCON Vrindavan will be the Vrindavan executive board, initially including HH Radhanatha Swami, HH Gopal Krishna Goswami, Ravindra Svarupa dasa, Sesa dasa, Bhima dasa, HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, Radha Krishna dasa, and Braja Bihari dasa. Bhima Prabhu is the first chairman of the board.
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I have been reading your article on Chakra. I am sorry and afraid to offend you, but don´t you think we have more important things to do in ISKCON than to break our heads over the music other devotees are listening to?

Please don´t take me wrong, but my reviewing the last few years in ISKCON, I think this is a real minor problem.

ISKCON is in the state it is because no one dared to point fingers at sannyasis and leaders. Quite a few (ex) sannyasis have done many wrong things and dealt with others in dysfunctional ways. What's wrong with pointing that out?

It's scary to see that some people still think one cannot point an accusative finger at a sannyasi. After all the blunders in this movement...

Saying that, regarding this salagrama issue, I don't see where Bhaktavatsala Prabhu was accusing Vipramukhya Swami. He was just making an important point. So I don't really understand what invoked the harshness in your letter.

I know that everything is under Krishna's control. I don't doubt that. But we also have free will. We are supposed to engage in devotional service to please Krishna.

But a lot goes on in the name of devotional service that doesn't have anything to do with Krishna consciousness. And consider for yourself. Doesn't Krishna have a choice in whether he considers something to be of high quality or low quality devotional service? Or even that it’s not devotional service at all?

I have been following the debate over fossils with amusement and concern. I do agree when someone takes offense to Srila Krsna being called a fossil, but then it is all in his or her mind. Anyway, who are we to decide what is going on in the heart? If someone really loves Krsna, so be it. You can call Lord Sri Krsna whatever you want. Does it really make any difference to him?

I read the exchange about Salagrama-Sila with interest. It appears that some devotees were offended by the fact that Salagrama was represented to airport authorities as a fossil. Personally I don’t find anything wrong with this representation, as the devotee was just trying to avoid unnecessary scrutiny by customs officials in order to carry on with his service.

Another devotee going through customs with Salagrama might take the opportunity to preach to airport authorities about Salagrama as God, but this is certainly not entry-level preaching and could possibly result in delay. This is especially true in these times where there is so much paranoia centered on religious fanaticism in the airports.

This article, "Misunderstanding Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja" by Puru Das Adhikari [on VNN] is the purest example of sophistic philosophy— playing with words.

The author writes (with Srila Prabhupada’s words) about ISKCON devotees (actually about senior devotees, gurus, etc.) who try to preach Krishna Consciousness according what their spiritual master says and who try to protect their spiritual master teachings:

Each day I log on to Chakra and view the "fossil debate" with incredulity. I am astounded that people are arguing over an innocuous little statement.

The fact of the matter is that Vipramukhya Swami told a little "white lie." Maybe, Salagrama Silas are by their nature, not fossils. However, if Maharaja had begun to elucidate on their nature to the security guard, what incident could have ensued? How easy would it have been for him to explain that the Sila is non-different from Krsna Himself? So, instead, the security guard thinks that we go around collecting fossils, which probably would have made sense to him.

We are writing this letter posthumously, but I know you will hear our words. It was not so long ago when I spoke to you on the phone and you gave us such good advice. Before going to the Holy Dham of Vrindavan and Sridham Mayapur in November - December 2001, you blessed our Tirath Yatra and gave us specific instructions.

You also gave us hope during my recent illness, and with your blessings, I am better. You gave us so much good advice on so many occasions it is hard to put it all down on paper. But the most important one is your most recent promise to us that you would come and visit us and stay with us at our home.
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The annual meeting of the BBT Trustees will be held on June 24 through 26 at the ISKCON temple in Abentheuer, Germany.

If you have any proposal you wish to make to the trustees, please send it to me, either by e-mail (Ranjit.ACBSP@pamho.net) or by regular mail:

We would like to announce to all devotees the opening of a new web site entitled "Hare Krishna Rural Life."

Its goals are 1) to begin a discussion on how to practically implement the vision and instructions, in regards to rural development, of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder and acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON); 2) to develop a network with others who are focused on this aspect of Srila Prabhupada's instructions and 3) to make information and advice available to those developing their own rural projects.
[Cow inside.]

Ramanavami festivals have been celebrated for almost nine hundred thousand years, to commemorate the advent of Sri Rama. One of the grandest Ramanavami festivals to be seen in India is held in Nagpur, a city of 2.5 million people, located in Maharastra State, central India. The grand procession organized to celebrate Ramanavami is unique.

The Hare Krishna devotees have been participating for 15 years, and almost every time, ISKCON Nagpur has won the prize for the best performance of Harinama Sankirtan during the procession.
Photos inside.

The following article contains links that will take the reader to websites other than this one.

Bhaktivedanta Manor, England (April 25, 2002): I'm getting ready to "hit the road" again after spending a few productive weeks here at Bhaktivedanta Manor.

The things I have been working on have included a lot of time editing my book, and working on a drama soundtrack for the Bhaktivedanta Players about the death of Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna and father of Maharaja Pariksit, to whom Sukadeva Goswami spoke the Srimad-Bhagavatam. I also established a webcam connected to my computer, which will unfortunately be mostly functional only when I have a permanent Internet connection, and which is mainly when I am here at Bhaktivedanta Manor. I don't know if I will be able to get a high-speed Internet connection when I'm at ISKCON Vancouver, where I plan to spend the summer this year.

This is from Mother Ila.mvs, the founder and principle of the school, Lord Krsna's Academy.

School has just closed for the second term and will be re-opening on the 14th of May. The schoolchildren are very special. I have seen this on many occasions. I keep a few storybooks in my class so the children can read in any spare time, and the only book that all of them always wants to read is The Butter Thief. None of the karmi books interest them much, even though I did not say or do anything to influence them in their choice.

The primary duty of parents is to deliver their offspring from the cycle of birth and death (mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum.)

Consider the Rupanuga Vedic College: ISKCON's degree-awarding college in Kansas City, USA.
President: Danavir Goswami

Please accept my obeisances. The temple near which I live often plays Western devotee music and Hindi music in the temple complex (back room, kitchen, temple room) while the devotees do their seva. This ranges from Village of Peace reggae to rock and roll and new-age-style renditions of traditional bhajans and the mahamantra.

I remember that growing up in gurukula, we were told that this was not appropriate music for temple but more for private listening. From what I've heard and read of Srila Prabhupada, he didn't like this in temple activities either.

On video, you can see, one of the last times Srila Prabhupada was speaking, before he left this world, he says, "Everything is going on by the will of God. This consciousness is Krsna consciousness." The Bhagavad-Gita confirms this, "Everyone follows my path in all respects."

There is the illusory energy of the Lord, known as Maha-Maya. It causes the conditioned soul to perceive the actions going on in this world to be separate from the control of God. This is not the fact. Arjuna complained to Sri Krsna, "Why should I fight? The conclusion has already been arranged. Why can I not go away and immerse myself in self-realization?"

I don't have time to write a full report, but the festival here was a huge success. Huge crowds, lots of media coverage, VIP visits from the King of Puri and Governor of Sikkim, smooth conducting of all the rituals of the installation and opening, and more. Pancatattva and Sri Sri Radha Madhavasundara are now smilingly bestowing their mercy on all the devotees and pilgrims who continue to swarm the temple from early morning to late night.
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In most of the centers of our worldwide society, chanting parties are going out regularly, and it is our best preaching and advertisement. All over the world, people are recognizing the devotees and appreciating the power of the chanting. If your temple, preaching, or nam-hatta center does not have a regular Harinama-sankirtan party going out, please help to organize it. ,If you don't have any expert musicians around, this is all right. You can just take a pair of karatals and go by yourself in the nearby park. In most cities around the world, you will meet so many different musicians daily, but we don't just play a good-beat music. We preach and distribute the mercy of the Lord Caitanya.
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I have been around ISKCON for some time and would like to take the next step and search for a spiritual master. However, in many cases the ladies have been a much greater inspiration to me than the men.

It seems to me that only the ladies exhibit devotional qualities, even in terms of simple friendliness and greeting me and my friends when we visit the temple. No men have ever greeted us, asked if we had any questions. When I wanted to ask for advice on something, I got the answer "I'm a brahmacari." I always wondered if that meant that being a devotee meant that one cannot be a gentleman.

We are happy to report that today (Tuesday), the first day of the new temple opening in Siliguri, was a real success. Please see the attached photos to get a feel of the fun.

The first photo is of the 108 kunda yajna. It was amazing to see the holy fires and smoke in all directions. Like something from a previous yuga.

Over 180 kilos of ghee were today offered to the Lord through the fire.
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Devotees of the International Society For Krishna Consciousness (Hare Krishna Movement), in New York City were invited to take part in the Annual Rainforest Foundation Benefit Concert held at New York’s Famous Carnegie Hall on April 13, 2002.

Today, April 19, 2002, the trial of seven men accused by the police of Orissa of raping the six-year-old daughter of Austrian Maria Schmidova is complete.

The public prosecutor handed a two-page letter to Judge Guru Prasad stating he had no more witnesses to call, and he conceded there is no evidence to sustain the charges made by the police. He told the court he received no cooperation from the police for the duration of the trial.

I have just read Bhaktavatsala's long-winded article on Vipramukhya Swami's reference to salagrams as "fossils."

All I can say is that it's no wonder ISKCON is in the state it's in if there are many devotees like this on the loose.

Of all the puffed up, opinionated articles I have read, this one takes the cake. As he has admitted that he has a plank in his own eye, I suggest Bhaktavatsala attempt to remove it before he ever again points an accusative finger at any sannyasi.

Some time ago, when George Harrison left his body, a letter was printed on Chakra from the Free Forum that was written by two senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada. Vipramukhya Swami criticized the authors for not placing "Srila" in front of "Prabhupada" in their message. He did not consider the circumstances and the intended audience of the original message. Well, now Maharaj has referred to Krsna as a fossil, and he is receiving similar scrutiny.

In response to my contention that the Salagrams should not be referred to as "fossils," Vipramukhya Swami wrote: "...the description of the sastras in the creation of the Salagrams is not wholly inconsistent with what archeologists think of as a fossil."

How so? And according to whom? All due respects to the archeologists, who no doubt have much faith in their field of activities, but we do not care for that field of activities. They are speculating, based on imperfect sense perception, a cheating propensity, being subject to illusion, and having a liability to making mistakes and errors in their judgements (as also can anyone who follows such "authorities"). Even Charles Darwin himself admitted his own fallibility, and that his theories could be wrong, and could not be based on fossil evidence (alone). Hence the archeologists are not our authorities.
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We humbly beg for your blessings. We were engladdened to read the quote below sent to us by your Godbrother Virabahu Prabhu. It has reassured us of what is already clear. We hope it will give others the same encouragement. You have given us much while present among us, and now we pray that your blessings will continue.

There is no consideration of fitness for hearing the glories of Navadvipa. Dying in other tirthas gives either material enjoyment or liberation, but dying in Navadvipa gives pure devotion to the Lord.

In Navadvipa there is no consideration of a faulty death—at an inauspicious time, in pain, in the house, or by accident.

Death at other tirthas while practicing yoga or death in Kasi while absorbed in impersonal meditation become insignificant when compared to death in Navadvipa.
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I am trying to communicate with disciples of Radhanath Swami (especially from the Chowpatti nama hatta) with a view to receiving information and lecture material of Maharaj. I am South African, and I am not aware of any of his disciples here.

I did meet a disciple (Krsna Caitanya das) a few years ago personally, who is also in the medical field, but was not able to communicate with him via e-mail.

I am the webmaster of a site for Missing Irish People at www.missing.ws I have just added the case of James William Thompson missing from Dublin since 8 March 1994 and who is from Cheltenham. Prior to his disappearance, he indicated that he may be joining the Hare Krishnas, and there were sightings of him in Dublin (unconfirmed) handing out Hare Krishna leaflets. I would be grateful if you could take the time to look at his page (www.missing.ws/
james_w_thompson.htm) in the chance you might come across him. All his family want to know is that he is OK, and they respect totally his right to follow his path.

Every year we hold our annual ratha yatra and a four-day Hare Krishna festival on and around Rama Navami. This year it was doubtful because of the communal riots in Gujarat. We almost postponed it. But then things started getting better, and we decided to hold the festival as usual. The police also gave us the permission. Our temple is in very safe area and the ratha route is also all Hindu area, so it is very safe. Plus of course our sankirtan yatra is always very attractive and innocent so people of all communities like it.

The photograph was taken, I believe, in 1997 during Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day, when we had a maha-harinam in downtown London at Leicester Square.

As I recall, there were about 200 devotees, and we had to split into two groups. We started at the Soho Street temple in central London. I headed one group, which turned right on Oxford Street heading East, and then South along Charing Cross Road while Tamal Krishna Goswami headed the other group which turned left on Oxford Street and headed West toward Regent Street.

The two parties met a Leicester Square, just north of Trafalgar Square, and had a big kirtan, where the photograph was taken.

Tamal Krishna Goswami and I danced joyfully together, enjoying the ecstatic kirtan, as enthusiastic devotees on either side of us looked on.
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I offer my deepest prayers and respect to Mother Vrindavaneswari, who along with His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami, passed away a month ago in Mayapur, India.

I live in New York City, where six months or so ago, thousands of people perished in a sudden attack from terrorists, but this one came straight from the heart. For sure this one is much different— leaving one’s body in the dham as opposed to leaving one’s body in downtown New York.

But a great general in ISKCON and a mother loved dearly in New Zealand is just too much to bear. It seems we are really one family, because how come I am affected by it? I am not related in any sense of the word. What era are we entering now?

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga.

By the causeless mercy and blessings of Srila Prabhupada, Sri Gauranga, and all Vaishnavas, our ISKCON center in Siliguri is ready for opening. The opening ceremonies are to be held from the 16th of April 2002 for five days, and it is our humble request to invite all of you for this extraordinary event. The name of our center is Sri Gupta Navadwip Dham.
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Many performing artists on the outdoor stage, food, gifts, exhibits. Admission $3.00/$1.00 children.

Some of the artists performing: Chitresh Das kathak dancers company from San Francisco; Jyotir Rout’s School of Odissi dance from San Francisco; Chrandramouli, Deepa and Divya Ramachandran, violin concert; Ashwin Krishnakumar, flute concert; others to be announced.
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ISKCON Malaga needs more devotees at our temple in sunny southern Spain. We can offer two options: you can come as a full time devotee or as a visitor. What we can offer is good Krsna conscious association, good weather, an established ISKCON temple with Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai Deities, and a large garden. We have accommodations for single people, men and/or women.

One could have a field day describing the finer subtleties of Santa Cruz. Not that it’s that subtle. When I ask tourists what their first impressions of this Northern Californian town is, they normally take a few seconds to think about it and then look at me with a puzzled look. To keep things short, I normally help them along with the suggestion that it’s Hippieville. They nod profusely.

You say in your letter, "What may appear to be negative attacks or injurious behavior by some devotees is in fact part of the plan of the Personality of Godhead." I'm sorry to say it so bluntly, but that sounds like shoving the blame on Krishna's back.

I've myself seen much abuse of animals: piglets being castrated without anesthetic, being killed because it was uneconomic to cure them of their diseases, etc. Still, I'm surprised, hearing of the atrocities that are committed in these state-sanctioned murder-houses.

Since arriving in America almost three weeks ago, I, Sri Prahlad,and his wife, Rukmini Priya dasi, have been on a whirlwind tour of temples, including New York, Washington DC, Boston, Philadelphia, San Jose, and Laguna Beach. With virtually two to three preaching engagements a day, I am unable to keep track of all the places we visit. One day merges into another, and I am left with a single impression of continuous lecturing, kirtans, and unending feasts. The intense schedule, lack of regulation, and irregular diet are not conducive to good health, but a traveling preacher must be willing to make sacrifices in the line of duty.

It is indeed sad that there are conditioned souls so mired in the material energy that they are unable to even recognize the greatness of a Vaisnava. In your article, your articulate reply to the venomous attack on your good self is the example of the greatness of the Vaisnavas. Even when responding, you tried to be very kind and considerate. I feel very engladdened and appreciative to see your magnanimous nature even in the face of such unwarranted abuse by those who are under the deep influence of the mode of ignorance.

We had an ecstatic celebration today in Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir about the Appearance Day of Srivas Pandit. This morning's Srimad Bhagavatam lecture in English was delivered by H.H. Subhag Maharaja. Maharaja gave very sweet descriptions of the pastimes of Srivas Thakur. We had abhiseka at 11:00 at Sri Panca Tattva temple, followed by puspanjali, prasadam, and constant kirtan.

Srivasa Pandit appeared in Srihatta, West Bengal, about 30 years before Lord Gauranga. Srivasa Pandit, fifth member of the Panca-tattva— Sri Krishna Caitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara, Srivasadi, Gaura Bhakta Vrnda— lived in Navadvipa before the advent of Lord Caitanya.
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There is an old saying: "You don’t miss the water until the well runs dry." We will miss you more than we previously realized. Just as when Srila Prabhupada left, we who remain behind, trying to withstand the difficult material energy, find a great void in our lives.
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It’s taken me several weeks to get over the initial shock of your disappearance. It's unusual that I should be writing you as I am not your disciple or had very much of your association (we only met once. ) But anyone who is a member of ISKCON feels they know you. Seventeen years ago Servant of the Servant played an important part of my bhakta program.

And now as a struggling householder, I always have a copy of TKG's Diary within arm's reach at home. I just open it up at random when I need a dose of Prabhupada to get me through the day. I must have read it one hundred times. And after reading I always end up thanking Krishna for sending you to take care of Srila Prabhupada in his last days.
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I was just wondering why there are no articles of condolences from the women of our movement for Tamal Krsna Goswami printed. I know that some have been written and sent. Please be considerate of the women and their relationship also with him. I know Urmila dasi wrote one.

PS. Thank you for your wonderful work and time in doing the service of presenting Chakra to the world of devotees.
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The 7th annual meeting and reunion of the Sri Sarasvata Gaudiya Vaishnava Association (an association of disciplic descendants of His Divine Grace Prabhupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur) was held in the auditorium of the Samadhi Mandir of His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in Sri Mayapur on 21st March 2002.

The SGVA was created to fulfill the desires of His Divine Grace Prabhupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur so that all his disciples and followers would cooperatively work together to spread the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to the entire world. His Divine Grace Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada established the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity trust (BSCT) with one of its objectives being to promote unity in the Saraswat (disciplic family).
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I am overjoyed because my dear Godbrother has returned to the spiritual world to continue his service to Srila Prabhupada and to embrace the Lotus Feet of Krishna. I am sad because I am bereft of his association.

I met Ojasvi Prabhu in 1972 or '73. He ran a small shop one or two blocks from the entrance to the famous Pike Place Market in Seattle. He sold devotional paraphernalia and, of course, Srila Prabhupada's books. I had been to India in 1968, so when I first saw him dressed in a dhoti with tilak and sikha, I thought, "Wow! He looks like those people I met in India."

I would frequently go to the shop to purchase incense and other items. Ojasvi would always greet me with a big smile. I had no idea what the devotees were about. I just knew that I enjoyed Ojasvi's warm and friendly association.

Where can you travel for four months with 150 other devotees; put on 50 major festivals; play to crowds of 320,000 people; whilst on Harinama be welcomed into towns by smiling, waving crowds, and distribute 73,000 plates of prasadam in just three days?

Now in its twelfth year, the Polish Festival of India is bigger than ever. We can now offer you the opportunity to relish the color and excitement of this historic cultural festival tour with the launch of our new web site http://www.festivalofindia.org.pl On the site, you can read quotes about the impact of the festival tour, learn more about what equipment and supplies it takes to stage these most successful festivals, and find out how you can become involved.
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If you look at my schedule, you'll see that on March 30, 2002, there was a scheduled "visit to the Slovenia countryside," or as the local devotees preferred to call it, "a trip to nature."

I thought, "Okay, we're going to go for a drive, and they're going to show me some scenery. Maybe I'll see some Slovenia farms, some vineyards, some rivers, etc."

Yesterday we had a big festival for the appearance of Lord Chaitanya here in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. About 200 people attended, and the highlight of the evening was placing very large, beautiful, neem-wood Deities of the Pancha Tattva on the altar. Earlier in the day we performed Harinam congregational chanting in the streets of downtown Ljubljana.

Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is an incarnation of Lord Krishna who appeared 516 years ago in West Bengal, India. I lectured about the appearance of Lord Chaitanya in the morning and again to the devotees and guests at the Gaura-Purnima festival. The morning lecture was recorded. Click here to listen or right click here to download first.
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It is such a great sadness for me that you have departed. For these last twenty-four years that I have personally known you, you have been a great inspiration for me in my service to Srila Prabhupada. Your dedication to being fully absorbed in spreading Krishna consciousness and the obvious sweet taste you were deriving from that absorption stands eternally as a shining example to all Vaisnavas.

I can never forget how kind you were to me when I went out to open a preaching center. In spite of your busy schedule you did the austerity of riding 300 miles with me in my little Toyota to help me line up a donor to support the center.
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Our sister, daughter, aunty, niece, cousin, wife, and mother, but most of all our friend.

We have been remembering you over the last week or so with candles, cards, and flowers. The special moments we have all experienced with family and friends, the grief we now share.

Through our lives we take each other for granted. Losing someone so close, none more so than you, Dianne, is a real wake-up call for all of us

I am looking to re-connect with a devotee whose American name is Suzi O'Neil, and I do not know her spiritual name. Last I heard, she lives in California and is married to another devotee. Please email me her spiritual name, address, email address, phone number to rs7fap@idsi.net

We are truly unaware of the support we lend to cruel practices by our purchases and the selections we make for our food and clothing. If only we knew…

The fact of the matter is that we can choose to make compassionate selections when we shop, and often we will end up with products that are healthier, more economical, and more ecological when we shop cruelty free.

I was once a gurukuli kid, and with the passing of Srila Gurudeva (Tamal Krsna), it reminded me of what that meant to me. My first remembrance of Gurudeva was around 1979. I was7 years old. I vaguely remember a big bus that had Radha Damodar Deities in it with Srila Gurudeva.

I patiently waited at the door for him to call me in because I was finally getting a devotee name. I carried that name for 10 years, and despite the awful things that happened in Gurukula, I can say that Srila Gurudeva is one of the reasons that I harbor no hard feelings. I am not trying to join the lawsuit bandwagon.

In reading such articles as His Holiness Vipramukhya Swami’s "Looks Bad to Reasonable Persons" I could only think of one thing about such entities that could rejoice in a Vaisnava’s or any living being’s passing.

"Pride, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness and ignorance — these qualities belong to those of demoniac nature, O son of Prtha.’" (Bhagavad-gita 16.4.)

In the Bhagavad-Gita, Krsna says, "Everyone follows my path in all respects," and that the enlightened sage sees everything equally— everywhere he looks, he sees the work of the Personality of Godhead. This is Krsna consciousness: seeing Krsna everywhere. Isvara parama Krsna— God is in control.

This includes everything. There is nothing that is not going on under the control and direction of the Personality of Godhead. The media, as much as it may pain you, also falls into this category.

I went, for the first time in my life, over something that has an exceptional fund of knowledge — Chakra. It has built an insight into me to view my actions in depth and to turn towards the Supreme Power. I thank all the devotees for the utmost effort in maintaining this site. I render all my respects to Shrila Prabhupada for bringing into existence this great movement, which indeed delivers to the world a peace of mind.

Yesterday I had a case of time zone disorientation, otherwise popularly known as jetlag.

After my flight across the Atlantic and changing to five time zones earlier than New York, my flight arrived at about 7 AM at London's Heathrow Airport. It was a sunny and fairly pleasant early spring morning.

Ljubljana, Slovenia– I just read Bhaktavatsala's article "Krsna Is Not a Fossil" which was written in response to my Pilgrim's Diary story where I told a security guard at the Port Authority Bus terminal in New York that my Salagrams were "fossils."

Bhaktavatsala, writing from New Zealand, says, "All due respects, but after reading Vipramukhya Swami's account of the Port Authority bus terminal, and the intensive security, I was sorry to note that he felt it necessary to refer to his worshipful deities as 'fossils.'"

What has been called the best website on Krishna's Holy Land of Vrindavan is now online. The site, http://www.vrindavanmvt.com, is sponsored by the Mayapur Vrindavan Trust.

Now you can take a virtual tour of the holy places in and around Vrindavan. Perform online Arati for the Pleasure of Sri Sri Radhe Shama. Plan your trip to Vrindavan or to nearby Jaipur, Delhi, or the Taj Mahal. Important tips for the savvy traveler, a selection of spiritual guidebooks to the area and India, festival dates, useful links to other sites, and much more are at your fingertips.

The site features the modern and pristine MVT Guesthouse and Restaurant— rated as one of the choice places to stay and dine in Vrindavan. Reservations and local transportation are just a click away.

This site is the next best thing to actually being in Vrindavan. Try the link now! Thanks and Hare Krishna!
[Photo inside.]

These pictures were taken at the inauguration of the newly constructed ISKCON temple at Surat on the auspicious day of Sri Vasant Panchami, 17 February 2002.

Hare Krishna. Please accept my humble obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.

We had a wonderful Gaura-Purnima festival today in New Delhi. We had bhajans in the morning, following Shobha-yatra, the proccession where small Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai Deities were taken downtown for harinama sankirtana. The procession took place at 1pm and ended at 5pm. At 6pm there was abhisheka with ecstatic kirtana and then prasadam for everyone. The temple and especially Their Lordships were decorated in the most wonderful way today, and I thought I would share the temple's beauty with all of you today.

If there are any devotees who are in the military and want to correspond, I am offering my service. I have been the military for about two years. I chant 16 rounds a day, follow the four regulative principles, and participate in my local devotee community. I can also offer advice to devotees who preach to a lot of soldiers. Being a devotee is not easy, and it is impossible without support coming from somewhere. The military offers very specific challenges. I have found ways to express myself spiritually and maintain some sanity. So anyone who wishes to have my electronic association can reach me at theseed@harekrishnatemple.com.

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