New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Once again comes the First Saturday of the Month, so in just a few days, 3rd March will give us an opportunity to chant the holy names for 5 more hours. So let’s get together and chant the holy names of the Lord. We present the Super Saturday Kirtan for the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha-Vrindavanchandra.

Chant Chant Chant , Bring everyone together and relish the names of Krishna

Come Participate and Get Purified !

4pm – 9 pm

Contact : Bhakta Garrison or Gaur Natraj Das to be scheduled as a
singer or musician.

Hare Krishna

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Here in the western world we have so many comforts, so when these amenities (such as electricity) are occasionally withdrawn we often get some realizations.  Specifically, late Mon. afternoon Feb. 27, the temple and guest lodge were plunged into darkness.  It turned out that the main transformer for the whole temple complex was bad.  Some of the faithful electrical (and other) experts,  namely Varsana Swami, Gaurashakti, Gopisa, Tejo, and Tejo’s son Gopal worked quickly and efficiently to complete the installation of a new transformer- no small task- the very next day.  In the meantime, the devotees had to be a bit creative to make up for the temporary loss.

One adjustment was the devotees took prasadam in the guest prasadam room instead of the main prasadam room because the skylights there provide plenty of natural light. Some guests from Pittsburgh even dropped by for lunch and they really didn’t suffer at all from the situation.  As a matter of fact, they seemed to enjoy the intimate lunch by midday sunlight.  Although some of the devotees did indeed begin to feel the chilly effects of the blackout, the unseasonably warm and sunny winter weather and the quick repair work contributed to making the whole experience tolerable.

Joni Mitchell says: “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” I think even though the “off the grid” concept may hold great worth, that for now, many of the devotees were acknowledging the value of the comfort that electricity currently (pun intended!) brings to our lives.

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The second calf of 2012 was born yesterday, Monday Feb. 27 at 10 AM at the cow barn across from the temple in New Vrindaban.

Our cowherd girl, Lalita Gopi, came in early in the morning  to milk the cows and she saw that mother cow Gomata Asha was lying down on the floor of the barn and was half way through giving birth……the little calf was halfway out of her mother’s body!

Not wanting to disturb the mother cow,  Lalita Gopi just quietly waited until the baby was all the way out of her mother’s body.  Then, Mother Asha very soon just stood up and went about her business. It seemed like an easy labor for both the mother cow and her calf.

Mother and daughter are doing fine.  The new little girl is named Rupal Soma, and she joins her older godsister calf, Gandharvika, in soaking up the February sun.

Playmates

Nitai’s Funeral in India by Jaya Krsna Dasa

On February 15, 2012, Nitai dasa’s ashes entered the sacred Ganges at Srila Prabhupada’s Ghat in Mayapur.  Nitai’s spiritual master Radhanath Swami and his uncle Nityodita Prabhu offered the ashes into the Ganges after Jananivas Prabhu performed the final rites.                                         

About one hundred devotees were present, including Nitai’s wife Mandali Prabhu, Mandali’s spiritual master Krsna Ksetra Prabhu, Bir Krishna Swami, and Chandramauli Swami.  Nitai’s parents Jack and Carmine, as well as his brother Dustin, also attended the ceremony.

Afterward, devotees gathered at the Mayapur community center to share their personal remembrances of Nitai Prabhu.  Nitai came to New Vrindaban in 1997 at 17 years old, and he remained here as a community member, often travelling to other places.

His family members spoke first and then his wife.  Many second generation devotees then glorified Nitai by describing how he had personally looked after them in their spiritual and practical life.

Everybody heard about Nitai’s global vision for the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and his plan to make the world Krishna conscious through prasadam distribution, as well as his ability to communicate and to engage so many souls in Krishna’s service. His dedication, positive attitude, way of thinking and intimate relationships with so many were praised abundantly.  Finally, at the end of the three hour remembrance, the Maharajas present glorified Nitai and Jananivas Prabhu told how he had felt so much love during the final rites.

After prasadam, everyone left the community center with a light heart knowing that Nitai had a full life and complete dedication in his mission to Srila Prabhupada and that Nitai for sure was going home to assist the Krishna consciousness mission on a higher level.  His Grace Nitai Prabhu ki Jaya!

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Not Yet

Mid-morning, amid mourning, the sweet sound of the soft chanting of Hare Krsna accompanied by a single drum and gently played cymbals comes closer. The kirtan party plants itself at the entrance to the Conch building where Nitai’s family is staying. Mandali, Nitai’s wife, his father Jack, his brother Dustin and mother, Carmen and I solemnly shuffle down the stairs in step with the soulful chanting of the Lords holy names.

Nitai’s spiritual master, Radhanath Swami and Mandalis guru, Krsna Ksetra prabhu head the procession of a hundred friends and well-wishers towards the holy Ganges River along with the head priest of Mayapura, Jananivas.

Carmen squeezes my hand and sobs while we march alongside Nitai’s widow dressed in black, carrying the brass urn filled with the dusty remains of her life and soul, Nitai.

At the rivers bank, an ancient but sturdy river boat awaits to carry the mourning party up and across stream to a secluded and quiet sandy spot. Radhanath Swami takes the lead in the melodious but meditative chanting while the chugging of the boats diesel engine coughs its own methodical song.

Scampering onto the shore, Jananivas creates a sacred container out of a leaf plate and Ganges mud infused with Sanskrit mantras. Placing Nitai’s ashes on the mud plate and sprinkling purified grains and flowers onto the mound, I contemplate my own mortality. Radhanath Swami begins covering the ashes with more Ganges mud until the “lid” is formed.

Jananivas then engages us all the assembled devotees in chanting the required mantras and explains that now is the time to let go of all attachments to the temporary bodily form of Nitai. Sobering up to realize his eternal form as a spirit soul, never to see him, hug him, brainstorm and laugh with him again on this earth is a painful acceptance of Krsna’s will. Surrender.

Radhanath Swami and I carefully lift the sacred pack of Nitai’s remains and enter into the ever flowing, ever loving Mother Ganges and together walk step by step deeper and deeper wondering who else I will have to do this for and who will do it for me?

Waist deep now, Jananivas then instructs, “Now is the time to immerse the ashes!”

Incredulously…….No. “Nitai wants to go deeper,” Radhanath Swami insists……

Up to our chests, we stop. Prayers to Prabhupada, Lord Chaitanya, Nityananda and the Vaisnavas come from our lips. Radhanath Swami, Nitai’s spiritual father, addresses Nitai personally and with deep love in his voice, prays that Radha and Krsna bless Nitai’s existence with eternal love.

Tears pouring from my eyes, we gently swing our arms back and….release…….splash……… gone.

Submerging my shaking body into the moving waters hoping to stop the flow of tears, crying…….failing…….my tears swim after the ashes longing to be on the same journey back home to Godhead as Nitai. Not yet.

Your humble servant,
Nityodita dasa

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In Remembrance of Nitai  by Nityodita dasa

Nityo and Nitai

As devotees, we accept that everything is under the control of The Supreme Lord, Krsna. Still, it is difficult, actually impossible to know why and how this sudden passing of Nitai and Bhakta Tim and Yadupati is His desire. 

We are helpless but to accept it as His will and prepare ourselves for our own death, whenever it may come.

What can I say about Nitai? Anyone who met him knew he was an extraordinary person. He was such a fireball of energy, a dynamo of overflowing ideas, enthusiasm/optimism, and complete confidence that anything is possible in Krsna’s service! His convictions were contagious.

To me, he was like my own son and disciple. He was my nephew, my partner and most of all he was my dear dear friend. He is an irreplaceable part of my heart and this week my vacant heart has been trying to fill itself up with all of our tears! I never knew I could cry sooooo much.

Krsna says the wise do not lament for the living or the dead. So I guess I remain a fool!! But our great acaryas also sing that they beat their heads against the rocks in separation from the departed devotees. So my tears are tears of the anguish of separation from a great devotee. And today our joy is in remembering him and rejoicing in his new situation!

I first met Nitai in 1983. He was born in 1980…so he was only a 3 year old, a very bright and energetic boy. I was on traveling book distribution from NV and was visiting my sister Carmen in Saratoga, upstate NY.

So after cooking and sharing prasadam with my relatives, I tried to get little Eli to chant Hare Krsna. I figured he would be the easiest one to preach to! You know: “Be a nice boy and repeat after me.” Well he was stubborn and completely refused. So I told him that I was a monster (you know….boys and monsters) and that I was going to chase him thru the house and the only way he could stop me and kill me was to yell out Krsna’s name! Soon he was running around chanting Hare Krsna like anything and I was “killed” a hundred times! Haha!

Years went by and Carmen contacted me exclaiming and sharing her frustration with her now teenage son who was on the familiar path of teenage rebellion. I say familiar because Carmen had witnessed first-hand her younger brother, yours truly, during my teenage years turn the whole family upside down with my wild search for pleasure and meaning. My fights with her, my parents and other siblings left my parents thinking of sending me to military school so I wouldn’t end up in jail. Instead I left home and joined the Hare Krsna movement!

Although Carmen wasn’t a devotee and probably not sure what it was all about, she had seen how my becoming a devotee had given meaning, focus and happiness in my life. And after coming to the end of her ropes with Eli, she wondered if I could help! Sure!

I sent Nitai a book, In Search of Reality, by Raghunath Prabhu. After reading it, he ran away from home. So much for helping. Haha!

Then one day Nitai/Eli shows up at New Vrindavan unexpectedly with a friend. He was wild….his hair, his dress, his thought patterns…… I thought he must be on large doses of acid and speed simultaneously. He talked non- stop about so many things, kind of a stream of consciousness about the coming spiritual social technological Revolution and how it was all possible!

It was a nice visit and I fed him prasadam and wished him well, never thinking he’d be back. A few months later he shows up again and wants to stay for a while. He’s 17, and I’m living in the temple with strict rules about underage kids staying in the temple. 

So I called a nice devotee family living just up the road from the temple and they agreed to host him until he turned 18.

His career in Krsna consciousness skyrocketed from there. His love for and faith in prasadam inspired him to learn to cook huge batches of walnut burfy that he distributed freely to whomever he met. He moved to Columbus Temple and helped with the Krsna Food Pantry helping the poor.  His understanding of the new technologies of the day inspired him and gave him facility to share Krsna consciousness with a broader audience using MP3 recordings of lectures and kirtans and the internet. 

Nitai’s inspiration, organization, development and marketing of the 24 hour kirtan festival is one of his great accomplishments and I hope that this year’s festival will be dedicated to him! He worked tirelessly to develop the logo and art design for promotional products such as T shirts and CDs and DVDs in order to make 24 hour kirtan a household word!

But Nitai’s greatest asset was his networking. He humbled himself in front of senior devotees and called on them for advice or to re-engage them in their devotional talents. He facilitated gurukulis by paying them to assist with his nationwide summer prasadam distribution tours. And he befriended

hundreds of others that he met along the way………artists, singers, yogis, musicians, carpenters, welders, organizers, and vendors. 

No one knows how many people he touched! He certainly became dear to many advanced devotees in his short life and received tremendous blessings from Mother Yamuna, whom he loved dearly, Shyamasundar Prabhu, who was his mentor and Radhanath Swami for whom he would do anything. 

Despite his vast accomplishments, for years he never put himself forward for initiation. Because his authorities had difficulty comprehending his occasional

Motus Operandi, namely “it’s easier to apologize than get permission” approach, he could not get an official recommendation from them.

So I went to Radhanath Swami and explained the situation and he simply asked me directly, “Do YOU recommend him?”  “YES”, I said.  The very next day he was sitting in the RVC Temple room in front of Guru, Krsna, Devotees and the Sacrificial Fire and was asked the four regulative principles and if he promised to chant 16 rounds of the Hare Krsna mantra. Radhanath Swami then spoke into the microphone, “Your new name is Nitai dasa!” Hundreds of devotees cheered, HARI BOL!!!!

Then Radhanath Swami added humorously, “Nitai……OF…. Nityo!” Everyone laughed! But I also took it seriously.

In that way, I was given responsibility for Nitai and so I became his number one defender and supporter, always cheering him on and basking in the glories of his spiritual adventures! As an eternal spirit, I am sure Nitai is happily serving Krsna somewhere, somehow! 

Your humble servant, 

Nityodita dasa

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From Madhava  Gosh

I have bamboo plants available for anyone wanting any.   It is evergreen most years and gets about 20′ high in good soil. Useful for crafts and in the garden.

Anyone wanting to cut and trim some bamboo for their own use are welcome to stop by. Can be used for bean trellises, stiffening the top of deer cages, etc.

We will be ordering berries for the Garden of Seven Gates. Order not finalized yet but will include blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and bush cherries. Anyone wanting to go in on the order and get a better price by bulk ordering, let me know. Grants available for devotees in New Vrindaban  willing to plant but short on cash and  if you had a grant last year AND complied with the terms of last year’s conditions.

We will also be ordering nut trees and be making them available at no cost for NV residents.  Either Carpathian walnuts of Chinese Chestnuts, haven’t decided yet.  We will be ordering a bundle of 50 and can’t mix.

Everyone is  invited and welcome to come to our Friday evening bhajans.  We are having these regularly, every Friday evening at a different person’s home.  This Fri. Feb. 17 the bhajans will be at Gopa and Damodara’s home at 6:30 PM.  Please bring your instruments and song books if you have them.  If you don’t, then please come anyhow.  There will be light refreshments served.  Hare Krsna!

The 24 Hour Kirtan is not that far away — Sat, Jun 16, 2012 – Sun, Jun 17, 2012. Make your reservations early as accommodations do fill up.

The following is from the blog of Bhakti Lata

“I am drowning in this ocean of misery, my dear Lord. Please rescue me.”

“This is a line from one of my favorite songs, Dukher Sagore. I have sought solace in this song for many, many years, even when I was just listening to an old tape recording and didn’t even know what the words meant. You could say that this sounds like such a dire prayer, but as time goes on I experience more and more peace and surrender in this bhajan whenever I sing it. Curious, huh?

“Last night when I stepped inside of the temple, the muscles in my face went soft. In the winter quiet and stillness, I let my fingers flow over the keys of the harmonium. The curtains swung open and I offered obeisance to my Lords, Sri Radha Shyamasundar. I sang Dukher Sagore as an offering, a lullaby, and quiet and stillness surrounded me like a deep lake that mirrors the sky.

“Maybe I find such solace in this bhajan because when I come before the Lord with soft eyes and a soft voice in prayer, I allow the Lord to rescue me. 

“I was given the opportunity to sing for the 24 Hour Kirtan in New Vrindavan this past summer. I decided to sing Hare Krishna in the melody of this song, and below is a portion of that video.

“I poured every moment and memory of lullaby into the kirtan.”

The temple asramas are undergoing major renovations. Now, the rooms are taking shape.  Almost all of the room dividers are up.  Gopish explains:  “The dividers do not touch the ceiling. This will allow each of the two residents in a room, one on each side of the divider, to have his or her own separate light switch, furniture and space, as well as allowing light and air flow throughout the room.  I really hope the residents will like it and appreciate the work.”

The rooms will have their new electric wiring done very soon.  In addition to this, all of the new eco-friendly windows will arrive by next week.  The windows will be insulated, which is an important feature that had not been done in the past. These windows are actually being built locally from “Harmony Windows” in Barnesville, OH who builds to specifications with the best materials and to a very high standard.

 The custom-made furniture for all the rooms is being built by an Amish carpenter also in Barnesville, OH.  There will be twenty-four beds, desks and armoires, all to be made out of beautiful red oak.

There is an opportunity to help in this renovation project.  We still need to collect donations in order to finish the rooms.  If you would like to sponsor the custom-made furniture for one section on one side of the divider of a resident’s room, it would be $1400.00 per section.  We are looking forward to seeing the improved asramas continue to take shape so that the Lord’s servants can soon move back in and be facilitated in performing their devotional service.

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