hare krishna news

7/29/2019 hare krishna news

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International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Founder Acharya His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


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This year we are blessed to oer appreciation or the

twenty ve years o causeless mercy that was showered

upon us since the deities o Sri Sri Radha Radhanath and

Sri Gaurahari were installed in October 1985. The Sri SriRadha Radhanath Temple o Understanding has had a

tremendous impact on the lives o the people o South

Arica; being the singularly most important beacon o

hope in an otherwise degenerating situation. When

one looks on rom a perspective o ultimate and eternal

impact, the 2010 World Cup pales in comparison to the

25th anniversary o the temple opening!

Inherent in the glory o this

temple and being responsible

or the desiring o the existence

o this temple is His Divine

Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta

Swami Prabhupada. By Srila

Prabhupadas desire to have a

temple in Durban, Lord Krishna

was impelled to make it a reality.

And inspired by that desire were

many devotees who toiled so

hard to preach, collect, and build

this amazing acility. Once, while

appreciating the sincere eorts o

Mr P. L. Sethi in building residences

or the devotees at ISKCON Juhu,

Srila Prabhupada remarked, Just

as you are building residences or

my devotees here, Lord Krishna

is building your residence in the

spiritual world. I really do eel

that the devotees who served

to establish this temple will be

similarly blessed.

I wish I could list and gloriy them

all and in detail but space restricts

my intent. The best possible way

to honour them is to use every

inch o this acility in pure Krishna

consciousnessor the purposes

that Srila Prabhupada wanted: (1)

to attract conditioned souls back

to the lotus eet o Lord Krishna

by the beauty o the temple

and the programmes that are

maintained in it and rom it, and (2) to train them in the

culture o Krishna consciousness, in serving Lord Krishna.

By Krishnas grace I have been allowed to serve here as the

Temple President or about ten years. During that time

my numerous shortcomings were covered over by the

deities mercy in the orm o support rom many steadast

devotees who continued with me the

wonderul oering made by the devotees

who built this temple. I am eternally grateul

or their association and guidance.

Krishna consciousness is anandam-bhudi vardanam

Krishnas bliss is ever expanding and the opportunities

to increase Krishnas happiness are also expansively

unlimited. That is the essence o serviceto increase

Krishnas pleasure. Over twenty ve years, thousands o

devotees have served to increase the deities pleasure by

preaching Their glories, maintaining Their temple, and

worshipping Them. It is my

clear realization that there

is so much more that is to

be achieved in the deities

service or Their pleasure.

The opening o the Radha

Radhanath Temple was but

one important milestone in

the history o the salvation o

this country. There are many

more milestones waiting to

unold. All that is necessary

rom our side is commitment,

endeavour and sacrice.

I would like to express to all

the devotees who have been

blessed by the Deities mercy

to count those blessings, and

secure it deep in your heart by

making a rm commitment to

help uncover some o those

milestones that lay waiting.

And just as Krishnas happiness

is unlimitedly increasing, by

this commitment, ours will

also increase unlimitedly.

Wonderul estivities are

planned to commemorate

the 25th anniversary and we

can use that as an inspiration

to dedicate ourselves to

ullling the purposes or

which this temple was built.

All glories to our most merciul Lordships Sri Sri Radha

Radhanath, Sri Gaurahari, Sri Giriraj, and Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to the devotees o Sri Caitanya Maharaprabhu!

Your servant,

Swarup Damodar Das

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

The Mercy o Sri Sri Radha Radhanath and Sri Gaurahari

Hare Krishna Newsletter Sept/Oct 20102


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The Vedic Lifestyle Expo 2010

My Special Janmastami ExperienceBy Yukta Chetty

The inaugural Vedic Liestyle Expo, presented at theprestigious Durban International Convention Centre on21-22 August 2010 was an innovative platorm to acilitatealternate avenues to attract people to experience therichness o Vedic culture.

Searching or broader ways to attractnewcomers who ordinarily wouldnot appreciate the essence o Krishnaconsciousness, Sunil Mohan prabhuand Hemangi Devi Dasi conceived othe Vedic Liestyle Expo as a way opresenting other aspects o Vedic culturewhich in turn would then ease theinterested persons into the experienceo Krishna consciousness. Helping SunilMohan prabhu develop and organise this event was SriHari Das and Anuradha Devi Dasi.

While many expos, conventions on yoga, astrology, and

other Vedic sciences have been organised in South Arica,the Vedic Liestyle Expo was glaringly dierent in one

essential componentpurity. The authenticity o thepresenters, the purity o purpose and motivation behindthe expo, and the experience all distinguished this eventrom others in its apparent class.Key in the presentations was HH Bhakti Charu Swami,expounding the six developments o Vedic philosophy tothe point that only Krishna consciousness in its essencecan really bring success and purpose to ones liestyle. HG

Drutakarma Das (Michael Cremo)discussed validity o Vedic cosmologyor archaeological, environmental,and scientic perspectives. HG Ajamila Das

discussed the position and useo astrology and Vastu in ones lie. HGGovardhan Das discussed vegetarianismrom a religious, health, and economicperspective. Also, eagerly received were theyoga presentations by HG Charu ChandraDas. And nally, the insightul discussionswith Dr. Ramkumar tremendously helpedin better understanding the ecacy oAyurveda.

ISKCON was also invited to showcase variousaspects o pure Krishna consciousness: Srila Prabhupadasbooks, potent and sumptuous prasadam, etc. In all it wasa wonderul event aimed at attracting newer people intothe sublime experience o Krishna consciousness.

Oten we hear that everything belongs to Krishna. We

have to acknowledge all that we are and have is simply

due to the Supreme Lords mercy. What can we oer to

someone who owns everything? We can give back some

o what He has given to us, as an oering to Him. In light o

this I urged my parents to participate in the Kalash Maha

Abhishek programme.

My amily and I received royal treatment on both

Janmastami and Srila Prabhupadas Vyasa-puja

celebrations. We received a bag ull o interesting items:

a box o maha-sweets, an arati set, a portable altar, maha-

jewellery, caranamrta (bathing water) and a most exquisite

and ornately designed kalashand excuse meit had

my name on it!

In the temple room, the temple president welcomed and

brieed us on the Kalash activities. A food o excitement

came when we were asked to prepare our arati sets to oer

arati to the Deitiesone hundred ghee lamps oered

simultaneously is a wondrous sight! We then participated

in a yajna, oering grains into the sacricial re while

chanting the holy names o the Lord. During Sri Sri RadhaRadhanaths abhishek we had the good ortune o being

close to the Deities. We poured water into the conch that

was used to bathe their Lordships.

The next morning we brought our kalashes to bathe Srila

Prabhupada. As I bathed Srila Prabhupada I prayed or his

blessings and that whatever I do, he will be proud o me

and that I will never let him down. Finally, we were invited

to an elaborate prasadam east which the devotees

prepared and presented with love. The Kalash Maha

Abhishek programme was perect in that we rendered

personal loving service to their Lordships.

Hare Krishna Newsletter Sept/Oct 2010 3


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When I lived in Vrindavan some years ago, everyday I would get up to the sound o peacocks and parrots,

temple bells and recitation o mantras. Vrindavan, Lord Krishnas holy land, is saturated with the presence

o Krishna, is lled with the chanting o His name, glories and pastimes, and is centred in loving service to

Him. Thus, it is non-dierent rom Goloka Vrindavan, the spiritual sky. In Vrindavan, every word is a song, every

step is a dance and every day is a estival. There are elaborate estivals to celebrate the appearance days o Lord Krishna,His expansions, and His pure devotees. Some estivals mark the arrival o every season while numerous other estivals

commemorate the Lords dierent pastimes. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, a great Vaisnava saint, described such estivals

as Mothers o Devotion as they nurture our devotion to Krishna.

Now living in Durban (Door-banthe urthermost orest o Vrindavan), I have a similar experience whenever I enter

the Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple o Understanding in

Chatsworth.

It was Jhulan-yatra, Radha and Krishnas wonderul swing

estival. When I saw the little wooden swing at the temple,

gorgeously decorated with fowers and greenery, it reminded me

o the various gigantic swings on the hilltops o Varsana (SrimatiRadharanis home) where Radha and

Krishna enjoyed swinging together.

For ve days every evening, hundreds

o devotees and visitors pushed the

beautiul little Radha Krishna deities on the

swing. At every estival devotees dance to

the harmonious kirtan (chanting o Krishnas

names) and relish a sumptuous east.

When Lord Krishna appeared

in Vrindavan on Earth, His

abode, associates and devoteesappeared beore Him to

welcome him into this world.

Lord Balarama, Krishnas older

brother and a direct expansion

o Him, appeared prior to

Krishna in order to serve and

please Him in every respect. The ull

moon ushered hundreds o devotees to

the temple to celebrate Lord Balaramas

divine appearance in this world and in their lives. The occasion was

even more special with the presence o His Holiness Bhakti Charu

Swami, a stalwart leader in ISKCON and senior disciple o SrilaPrabhupada. Renowned or his golden voice, he sang the Gopi-

gita, pulling everyones mind and heart to the

Lord. He spoke about the splendid preaching

eorts o many South Arican devotees

abroad. The oremost desire o the spiritual

master is to serve and please Krishna, and

Lord Balarama, being the rst servant o

Krishna and the original spiritual master,

is pleased when we assist in spreading

Krishnas glories. Thus, Maharajas inspiring

talk was appropriate, emphasizing the

importance o preaching the message oGodhead.

Festivals of the Spiritual WorldMothers of DevotionBy Nikunja Vilasini Dasi



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At last, Sri Krishna Janmastami, Lord Krishnas appearance day arrived ater weeks o preparation

and anticipation. The celebrations started beore sunrise, leading to a host o estivities or the

day. Sri Sri Radha Radhanath were adorned with three new exquisite outts during the day, amidst

elaborate fower arrangements and decorations on Their altar. The Lords mercy attracted thousands o

people to behold His breathtaking orm and hear His transcendental glories and pastimes. There were melodious

kirtan, enlightening lectures by His Holiness Bhakti

Caitanya Swami describing the Lords advent, and an

abhishek ceremony during the day where everyonehad the privilege o bathing a deity o Krishna.

The Kalash Maha Abhiseka was one o the highlights

where over 108 patron members bathed the Lord

with water rom a gold-plated kalash (water pot). I

watched in delight as the ortunate kalash donors rst

perormed an arati ceremony to the temple deities in

unison. Attracted by the chanting o sacred mantras,

I proceeded to another tent where the kalash group

was perorming a yajna (re sacrice). Then at the

main tent, we welcomed the little Radha Radhanath

deities, who were riding on a palanquin. Our heartsraced in excitement

as we showered

Them with rose petals and watched the children dressed as little gopis and gopas,

lead the procession. The bathing ceremony by the kalash donors then resumed with

great pomp and merriment.

The crowd grew bigger as midnight approached and everyone eagerly anticipated

the divine darshan o the Lord. Who can describe the ecstasy in the devotees hearts

as they gazed upon their Lordships stunning orms at midnight? This reminded me o

the reason or the Lords advent. When the Lord assumes a humanlike body to show

mercy to His devotees, He engages in such pastimes as will attract those who hear

about them to become dedicated to Him. (SB 10.33.36) He only comes to reclaim anddeliver us, His lost children.

But it didnt end here. The next day was Nandotsava, the day Krishnas ather,

Nanda Maharaja, perormed

a grand estival celebrating

Krishnas birth. Thereore, it

was the most appropriate

day or our beloved spiritual

master, Srila Prabhupada, the

ounder-acharya o ISKCON to appear in this world. Devotees

were overcome with emotion and gratitude as they oered their

homage and glorication to their guru who had saved theirlives. As the kalash donors bathed Srila Prabhupadas deity with

their golden water pots and the crowds o

people sang Jaya Prabhupada, we could

only refect on what our lives would have

been like i Srila Prabhupada hadnt risked

his lie to spread Krishna consciousness. He gave us Sri Vrindavan dham by establishing hundreds

o temples, by writing hundreds o books about Krishna, by engaging us in Krishnas service and

by giving us Krishnas holy name. No one had ever done this beore. By his extraordinary mercy,

he gave us the means to return to Krishnas abodeto Goloka Vrindavan, where every word is a

song, every step is a dance and every day a estival.

See you at the next estival!



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Serving from the HeartBy Shakti Krishnan

Pulling out that ThornBy Bhakta Yogesh

I spent just over a month at the Sri Sri Radha Radhanath

and it elt like living in the spiritual world. Waking every

morning or mangal arati, the opportunity to sing, dance,

pray and just start the day with intense love, ecstasy and

bliss is the best eeling or me.

Temple lie is ood or the soul. Without doubt residing at

the temple strengthens our aith, establishes and intensi-

es our relationship with Srila Prabhupada, Lord Krishna

and His associates. As young aspiring devotees, we oten

ace similar obstacles in the journey back to Krishna. Most

signicantly I eel that whatever phase we may be in, we

should make the time or japa. We oten take the impor-

tance o association with the holy name or granted. We

should structure our day around japa and not the other

way around. Japa will automatically clear our path to do

loving devotional service.

I did various types o service: preparing bhoga, cook-

ing, cleaning, receptionist duties, and realised that there

is no hierarchy in devotional service. I did whatever was

requested and it gave me personal satisaction and bliss.

I enjoyed the association o all devotees and am grateul

or the transcendental experience at the temple. Now the

challenge is to keep up the practices on the outside but by

the Lords mercy I will try.

My refection on my experience o temple lie

is that we all have a propensity to serve and love

thereore, we should seek to understand our place andpurpose in this lietime. We should endeavour to surren-

der consciously and progressively to the lotus eet o Sri-

mati Radharani and Sri Krishna. My advice to ellow youth

is to take an opportunity to stay at the temple as oten as

possible.

My one regret during my campus days is not attending any

Bhakti Yoga Society (BYS Campus Programmes) retreats,

so when my sister told me they needed one more person

on the BYS Retreat in Ramsgate, I jumped at the chance.

Many may question what the goal o such an event is. Is it a

bonding session or people with a common perspective or

is it a means to give curious persons a chance to experience

Krishna consciousness in a not so rigid or ormal setting as

in a temple, to take them to the next level, like pulling out

a thorn with a needle? Ultimately the goal o anything wedo is to please the Supreme Lord, Krishna, and by doing

that all other things are achieved.

The retreat was wonderul and inspiring. Events included

interactive sessions rom our acilitators (Anuradha Dasi,

Vibhu Caitanya Das and Bhakta Igratius), un team building

events like obstacle courses (which the girls took a really

long time to complete!), and art presentations, not to

mention sumptuous prasadam. The highlight or many

was the group projectperorming a skit based on an

abstract quote. The skits were excellenteven the master

comedian, Krishna Chandra Prabhu, was rolling on thefoor in laughter!

For me, however, the ocus was the holy name in the

roaring morning and evening kirtans as well as the japa

sessions on the beach. From my perspective the quote

hell is others comes to mind. I like to be in control and

being controlled by others can be torturous, however

keeping our goal o pleasing Krishna, the so called hell o

others teaches me co-operation as well as honesty. At the

end o the day it seems that the thorn has been pulled out

and the devotees are ready to be taken to the next level,any takers?

Little Vaisnava ColumnKartik Word Search by Kribashne

Krishna

Churn

Kartik

Bind

Butter

Mortar

Auspicious

Pastime

Vrndavana

Yashoda

Grinding

Balaram

Lamp



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Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, He reasons ill who says that

Vaisnavas die, when thou art living still in sound! The Vaisnavas

die to live, and living, try to spread the holy name around.

I cannot gloriy His Grace Aindra

Prabhu to the extent he trulydeservesso instead I am sharing

Aindra Prabhus realisations on

kirtan:

Kirtan means glorication o

Krishnawhether it be Vedic

discourse or preaching. All is

kirtanthe most important orm

o kirtan is harinama-sankirtan

(the congregational chanting o

the Lords holy name). All other

activities are subordinate to this

in the Kali-yuga. I we cannotdirectly engage in chanting then

we should perorm activities which

will aid the chanting. Our actions o preaching and worshiping

the Lords deity orm are to acilitate chanting. Chanting is the

greatest devotee service, not only a service to Krishna. It is

crucial we sing tunes which are appealing to crowd. I they want

to hear simple tunes, sing simple tunes. He emphasized on how

chanting aloud does innitely more benet than

merely dancing and listening. I nobody is chanting

aloud then change the melody to something easier.

Aindra Prabhu didnt chant

kirtan because he liked itbutbecause he elt nothing else is

more important. He said it is our

responsibility to continue the

Harinama-sankirtan Revolution

that Lord Caitanya inaugurated.

He wanted nothing more other

than or Krishnas holy names to

be chanted across the world.

Aindra Prabhus passing came

as a shock to many but i you

want to appreciate, honour and

please this humble devotee youcan achieve it by doing what he

desired to do the mostso let us

all use this event as an opportunity to increase the rate o our

activities and saturate the worlds atmosphere with the sublime

chanting o the maha-mantra!

No Nama, No DharmaBy Vaisnavah Sookraj

Ajita Krishna Dasi, a disciple o HH Giriraj Swami, recently

departed rom this world. She had been suering rom cervical

cancer. Understanding that her time was short, she took shelter

o the temple and prepared to leave her body in a spiritual way.

Devotees assisted by reading sastra, chanting and singing the

holy names to her daily. Even though her bodily suering was

great, she kept her mind ocused on her deep love or Lord

Krishna. Her own worshipable deities Sri Sri Radhe Shyama bore

witness to her passing whilst she was hearing japa. For those

o us who knew and loved Ajita, the pain o separation is heart

rendering. We eel simultaneous grie and happiness: griethat

we will miss her loving and unique association, and happiness

or now she is ree o her diseased and ailing body. Ajita will beremembered or her intelligence, sincerity, humility, simplicity,

childlike purity and loving nature.

Rupa Ragunatha Dasa: Ajita was a pioneer in mass Arican

preaching; by her Food For Lie activities in the mid-eighties she

paved the way or the Soweto preaching project. On a return

fight rom Europe, she convinced a high ranking businessman

to donate monthly to the ood relie project, which he did or

nearly twenty years thereater.

Kunti Dasi: I met Ajita in 1985. She was the kind o person who

stood out in a crowd, not only because she was beautiul, but

because she radiated a natural happiness. She was so likeable.

Ajita inspired people with her natural and spontaneousexpression o devotion. She made Krishna consciousness look

eortless.

Guruseva Dasi: Ajita had an incredible ability to enthuse people

to oer some big service to Krishna. She was a beautiul and

aithul devotee. She oered service rom a deep place within

her heart and inspired people to drop their critical natures. Therewas no room or being envious or judgmental.

Ajita Krishna Dasis Passing AwayBy Dwijamani Dasi


Noticeboard

The amily and riends o Ajita Krishna Dasi thank theThekwini Funeral Centre or their generoussponsorship or her uneral service. We are deeplyindebted to Rajesh & Reena Maharaj.

Thank you to the Chatsworth Hospice, Sister Beryland Sister Mano who took care o Ajita Krishna Dasi,ensuring that she was medically and emotionallycomortable.

Congratulations to the recently initiated disciples oHis Holiness Partha Sarathi Das Goswami Maharaj.

Due to ill health, His Holiness Lokanath SwamisBhagavat-katha is delayed until urther notice.

Thank You to our photographers Sri Nathji Das, SunilMohan Das and Jeery Govender or their outstanding

photos and Lashika Ravjee or the excellent designand layout o this issue o Hare Krishna News

Ombudsman Balaram Das PSDG can be contacted on082 877 0753 or [email protected]

I you would like to receive SMS or email noticationsabout various happenings and updates, email us at:[email protected]


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