New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Come be a part of supporting Mother Sukavaha to build her house.

If you missed the first “Loving Exchange” event at Pitambara’s house, here is another chance to be involved in supporting your community.

Start Time:
Saturday, May 22, 2010 at 9:00am
End Time:
Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 12:00pm
Location:
Pleasant Lane. Sukavaha’s building site. New Vrndavan

*BUILDING
*MUSIC
*FEASTING

Music by Devananda and Abhay.

Potluck Dinner around 6 pm followed by a camp fire.

Bring your tent if you would like to camp Saturday night.

We need support with:

Assisting with Building the House
Cooking for the Potluck
Bringing Refreshments for Builders
Bringing Building Tools

Hope to see everyone there!!!

Contact Das at 412-287-6368. Or Yasoda at 304-639-8914 for potluck preparations.

On May 26th 2010 we will be celebrating Nrisimha Chaturdasi. This day is the appearance day of Lord Nrsimhadeva who is Lord Krishna’s incarnation as half man, half lion. When the evil king Hiranyakashipu found that his son Prahlad was continuously praying to Krishna and coaxing his schoolmates to become devotees of the Lord, he was furious. He began to terrorize and torture his young son, until finally Krishna, in the form of Nrsimhadeva, burst from a pillar in Hiranyakashipu’s palace and slew the evil king to protect His devotee. Vaishnavas the world over pray to Lord Nrsimhadeva for protection, particularly in dangerous circumstances.

During Nrisimha Chaturdasi devotees and temples all over the world celebrate the apprearance and the pastimes of Lord Nrisimhadeva.

On the auspicious occasion of Nrsimha-caturdasi, we pray to Lord Nrsimhadeva that just as He saved Prahlada from the demon Hiranyakasipu, He will appear in our hearts and save us from the demon like desires for fruitive activity in this world–and from the desire to escape the world by merging into the existence of God, by becoming one with God. He should free us from every desire or tendency other than to serve and please Krsna, which we can best accomplish, especially in this age, by chanting His holy names: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

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“The Festival of Inspiration inspires devotees to do amazing things!,”said Nityodita dasa, President of New Vrindaban Community Board of Directors. “The Palace restoration project actually began when Ramesvara Prabhu attended the Festival of Inspiration in 2009.”

Ramesvara Prabhu went for darshan of Srila Prabhupada and took notice of the serious deterioration on the Palace exterior. He could see that although devotees have been working on the Palace one section at a time, there was no comprehensive restoration being done.

Ramesvara, who currently specializes as a building restoration project manager in Manhattan immediately approached Malati, one of the GBCs for New Vrindaban. Malati and Nityodita then spoke with Ramesvara together, and asked him to make recommendations for a comprehensive restoration of the entire Palace.

Ramesvara gave his firm opinion that New Vrindaban take a professional approach to the task. Thus, during the fall and winter of 2009, Ramesvara researched three well established restoration firms and after reviewing their portfolios, the New Vrindaban Community Board of Directors unanimously selected Kayafas Architects of Wheeling, WV. They were contracted to create a master plan for all the areas that need renovation and to supply quotes from various contractors for the work.

“Kayafas is a local firm with an excellent reputation for historic preservation,” said Nityodita. “They worked on the historic Strand Theater, the Wesbanco Arena, as well as other prominent local projects.”

In April 2010, Kayafas’ team of nine specialists met with approximately twenty devotees for five hours. During that meeting, each specialist reported his initial assessment of Palace conditions and his recommended immediate measures. Those recommendations included roofing work; restoring the steel slabs over the restaurant / gift shop; restoring the cupolas; heating system upgrade; plumbing upgrade; and water run-off. Kayafas is now evaluating each of these areas of immediate concern in more depth. Their next report to the Palace Board will include their findings and contractor quotes for the work.

Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold is the puspa samadhi of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The Palace is the heart of the New Vrindavan Community and has attracted hundreds of thousands to hear Srila Prabhupada’s teachings! It was truly a community effort. Hundreds of young devotees…. men, women and children took part in its construction and did not get paid but did it all as…..selfless devotional service! We must preserve this monument of pure devotion so that whoever visits the Palace will be able to witness with their own eyes the power of Srila Prabhupada’s loving influence on his followers, thus opening their hearts to the message of Krsna!

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Notice to Everyone:

Sky Bear passed away May 2nd at 12:15 AM in the hospice in Orlando, FL.

I don’t have any information on a funeral in FL, but we will be having a memorial for him in 2 weeks, on Sat. May 15 somewhere near Friendsville, MD (about 2 hours from NV).

More details to come or call Lilasuka at 724-926-3032 or email lilasooka@msn.com

Thank you to all who responded to my notices about your fond memories and association with Sky Bear and to those who were able to take the time to visit him and to those who have prayed for him. We told Sky Bear how much everyone in NV was sending love his way and I know he appreciated that.

I have attached a photo of Sky Bear from June 2009.

Hare Krsna.
Lilasuka dasi

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On Thursday, May 6, New Vrindaban Community will dedicate its 7:00pm worship service to observing the National Day of Prayer. “Prayer is an integral part of the Hare Krishna faith,” said Malati Dasi, GBC in New Vrindaban. “We believe in a personal God who hears our prayers, just like a loving parent who hears the cries of his child. In Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Lord Krishna says, ‘I am the seed-giving Father.’[1]

“President Obama said something quite profound at the National Prayer Breakfast last February. He said that prayer ‘can remind us that each of us are children of a awesome and loving God,’” said Malati. “President Obama hit the nail on the head. So many people speak of universal brotherhood. But how can there be universal brotherhood without a universal Father?”[2]

National Day of Prayer began in 1952, when President Harry S. Truman signed a bill into law requiring every subsequent U.S. President to issue a proclamation designating an appropriate day each year as National Day of Prayer. Since then, every president has issued the proclamation.[3] Later, in 1988, Congress amended the law, declaring that “The President shall issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a National Day of Prayer on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals.”[4]

President Obama is expected to issue the required proclamation on May 7. In his 2009 proclamation, Obama discussed the historical precedent for National Day of Prayer, explaining that in 1775, the delegates to the Continental Congress had asked the colonists to observe “to observe a day of quiet humiliation and prayer.” Later, during the Civil War, President Lincoln and the U.S. Congress asked the American people to pray for the fate of their Nation. [5]

National Day of Prayer is a controversial issue, drawing criticism from atheists and civil libertarians. Already this month, one federal court in Wisconsin has held that the federal law requiring the president to proclaim National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional. On April 15, Judge Barbara Crabb declared that the law violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, and ordered Obama to not issue a proclamation.[6]

President Obama will make the 2010 proclamation as planned despite the court’s ruling. “We have reviewed the court’s decision, and it does not prevent the president from issuing a proclamation,”[7] said White House spokesman Matthew Lehrich in an e-mail to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal.

“New Vrindaban firmly supports National Day of Prayer,” said Malati. “The law does not violate the First Amendment. The law says that Americans ‘may turn to God in prayer and meditation,’ but in no way requires anyone to do so.”

Following National Day of Prayer on May 6, New Vrindaban Community will host the tenth annual Festival of Inspiration on May 7 – 9. Festival of Inspiration will include workshops on subjects such as yoga, photography, and spiritual economics. Even if people do not register for workshops, they can still enjoy the atmosphere. There will be food stalls; vendors with clothes, music and jewelry from India; and books on yoga and mysticism. In the evening, there will be free entertainment which is open to the public. For children, there will be guided activities and a fun bouncy castle.

New Vrindaban Community is located south of Moundsville – Wheeling, off Route 250. For more information, contact (304) 843-1600 x105 or mail@newvrindaban.com.

By Madhava Smullen

Devotees from all over the USA and the world will congregate at New Vrindaban, West Virginia to attend the tenth anniversary of the Festival of Inspiration on Mother’s Day Weekend this May 7th, 8th and 9th.

The event was first held unofficially in 2000, when Sudharma Dasi of ISKCON Women’s Ministry suggested extending New Vrindaban’s annual GBC/temple president’s meetings to include educational seminars and workshops. The next year, ISKCON Communications’ then secretary Citralekha Dasi coined the name Festival of Inspiration, and became involved in running the event along with IC director Anuttama Dasa, Kuladri Dasa and Malati Dasi, who is now the main organizer.

Although in its first year the Festival drew less than 200 attendees, it has since grown into an ISKCON institution and one of the most popular events of the year, with nearly 800 devotees participating last year and a similar-sized crowd expected this May.

As usual, this year’s seminar schedule is packed to capacity, with several exclusive presentations and many speakers making their Festival debut.

One highlight will be the North American premiere of ISKCON monk Bhakti Vaibhava Swami’s documentary film “Lost Village,” presented by the Swami himself. Featuring an original score by a well-known Czech composer and professional voiceovers, it tells the story of how, as a result of industrialization, India’s villages are being deserted, and a whole way of life is being lost.

Also making their debut will be veteran Bhaktivedanta Book Trust artists Dhrti Dasi and Ram Dasa Abhirama Dasa, with a three-hour intensive art workshop. “For the past three years in a row, they have conducted art seminars on behalf of the BBT in Vrindavan, India,” explains Festival of Inspiration Head Organizer Malati Dasi. “So this will be a preview of that seminar and will hopefully inspire people to continue exploring Krishna art. It’s very exciting.”

Meanwhile, a BBT artist of a different type, master photographer Nitya Tripta Dasi, will teach attendees how to use their own cameras to take great pictures. A rare chance to get advice from the lead photographer for Darsana, the popular BBT publication featuring photographs of Deities around the world, this should prove extremely popular.

Film-maker Siddhanta Dasa will also appear at this year’s Festival, with an interactive presentation of his Prabhupada Memories series featuring video clips as well as live devotees speaking about their own memories of ISKCON’s founder.

Returning by popular demand, Bhima Karma Dasa will again speak about the role of the sacred mridanga drum in kirtan, as well as its history and meaning, before giving some practical lessons. “Bhima Karma is beyond being simply a mridanga player—he lives and breathes mridanga,” Malati comments.

Also returning to the Festival of Inspiration will be the Grihasta Vision Team, a group of certified marriage and family therapists dedicated to the health of ISKCON devotee relationships. “Last year, I would drop in on all the different sessions,” says Malati, “And whenever I looked in on theirs, there was always so much enthusiastic audience participation—they always involve the crowd and generate a lot of positive energy.”

Many other fascinating presentations will be on offer: Danavir Goswami will speak on his book Brain Gain, about the benefits of chastity and celibacy; Ekanatha Dasa of the Bhaktivedanta Archives will do a workshop on using the Bhaktivedanta Vedabase, a computerized encyclopedia of Srila Prabhupada’s writings; Ekavira Dasa will talk about holistic health and Krishna consciousness; and Dhaneswara Dasa will speak on implementing Varnashrama, a traditional vedic social structure of natural vocations and life stages.

Other speakers include ISKCON Book Distribution Minister Vaisesika Dasa, author Srinandanandana Dasa (Stephen Knapp), Romapada Swami, Danavir Goswami, and Urmila Dasi.

Another much anticipated event will be ISKCON guru Radhanatha Swami’s extended 90-minute Srimad-Bhagavatam class, given on Mother’s Day morning as part of Sunday’s seminar schedule.

Alongside all the seminars and classes, guided children’s activities will be conducted at “Festival of Kidspiration,” were pre-schoolers will have plenty of Krishna conscious fun and learn new skills such as how to make a tilak box and how to apply the sacred clay while repeating the appropriate mantras.

Festival-goers will be sustained throughout their busy schedules by three tasty, healthy meals a day, all included in the event’s $161 admission fee. Cuisine Master Govinda Gosh, a second generation devotee who grew up in New Vrindaban, will prepare lunch and evening meals, assisted by his peers. Breakfast will be provided by the Prabhupada disciple and cookbook author Sanka Dasa.

Another second generation devotee, meanwhile, will be organizing a packed roster of entertainment for the evenings: Bhakti Lata Bija Dasi has scheduled performances from professional comedian Yadhunatha Dasa and veteran Krishna rocker Titiksava Karunika to enthrall audiences, while the Bhakti Marg Swami drama “Lonely People,”—the plot of which has been kept tightly under wraps—is expected to be the perfect curtain call.

The Festival of Inspiration 2010 will end with a closing circle on Sunday, followed by a delicious feast at 2pm.

“Out of all the services I do, my favorite is definitely organizing Festival of Inspiration,” Malati says. “It’s invigorating to distribute Prabhupada’s mercy in such a way, and to see so many people come away inspired.”

Bookings for the Festival of Inspiration opened on January 1st, and were sold out by January 5th. However, a full list of local hotels and motels can be found at festivalofinspiration.org, and you are always welcome to bring a tent and camp out! There are also limited off-site cabins available for large groups of 10 – 16 people only. Contact Malati at servingkrishna@aol.com or call 304-845-9591 or 614-580-9279 for more details.

By Bhaktin Rita Gupta

This past weekend, New Vrindaban Community hosted 36 students from the Global Leadership Center (GLC) at Ohio University it Athens, OH. Dr. Greg Emery, the GLC’s Director, is an affiliate of Harvard University’s Pluralism Project, which studies religious diversity in the United States, focusing on communities and religious traditions from Asia and the Middle East. The Pluralism Project is funded by the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations.

Dr. Emery first encountered the Hare Krishna tradition as an undergraduate student in 1980 when he met Radhanath Swami, who was then a member of New Vrindaban Community. Dr. Emery continues to visit New Vrindaban regularly as part of his on-going research on the community.

The GLC offers a two-year undergraduate certificate that prepares students to be internationally-minded professions. “Studying the Hare Krishna tradition is the most exciting project we’ve had over the past two years,” said Diana Gryniuk, a junior in Communications Studies. “A lot of us are Catholic, and this is the first religion-based project we have had.”

“Visiting New Vrindaban was refreshing,” agreed Tara Frazier, a junior in Communications Studies. “All our other projects have involved business, politics, and history. It’s nice to think about something besides yourself and the world’s problems.”

“I am going to go back to school happy. Visiting New Vrindaban got me out of my bubble and made me see that spirituality is important,” said Michael Lupsa, a junior in Arabic and Italian.

On Saturday, the GLC students took guided tours of the Palace of Gold, and attended workshops on spiritual food and the intersection between spirituality and sustainability. In the evening, there was a variety of entertainment options, including a lake-side bonfire, music in the temple, and a showing of the new film “The Lost Village.” On Sunday, the GLC students heard some basics of Hare Krishna philosophy, visited New Vrindaban’s Small Farm Training Center, and attended a panel discussion on women in the Hare Krishna tradition.

Many students agreed that they will visit New Vrindaban again, when they need a break from school and studying. “I definitely want to come back for the 24-hour Kirtan Festival on June 19,” said Lupsa hopefully. “This is what I want to do with my life – experience things, taste the food, and visit the farm. I want to be a world citizen and not live in a bubble. ”

New Vrindaban Community is located south of Moundsville – Wheeling, off Route 250. For more information, contact (304) 843-1600 x105 or mail@newvrindaban.com.

There will be a free concert featuring Devanada Pandit Das Prabhu (Denis Moreau as advertised) on Saturday April 17 beginning at 7:30 PM.

The show will open with local, acoustic guitarist/ singer/song writer Mary Blake. Mary is from Wheeling, WV. This will be her first visit to New Vrindaban. Let’s give her a nice devotee welcome.

Devananada Pandit Prabhu will be performing at the Palace Lodge

In addition there will be a “Pot Luck” beginning 6:30 PM. We ask that all attendees bring prasadam to contribute, if possible.

This will be an enjoyable and wonderful event for all to associate! Haribol!!
Your Servants,
Bhaktas Keith and Tom

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Hardcore musician Don Foose will be playing live in concert at Yesterdays in Wheeling on Saturday, April 10. The show begins at 9:00pm, and will feature hardcore bands from West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and others. Bands include FOOSE, Steel Nation, Burdens, Banther, and Hard To Kill.

“I played to packed houses in Wheeling with my former band, Run Devil Run, during the 90’s. It feels good to coming back.” Foose has just returned from a two-week tour in Europe. He has two more European tours scheduled this year in July and October.

Foose, a practicing Hare Krishna, credits his success to the positive spiritual messages in his lyrics. “God, Krishna, is the center of my life. I believe there is a spiritual world full of bliss, and I try to convey this message through my music.”

During his performances, Foose wears tilak, the clay markings which identify him as a Hare Krishna devotee. Throughout his concerts, he incorporates the Hare Krishna maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Foose also sets up a table with books by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (the Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness) at every event. “I feel like I am one of Krishna’s representatives in the music industry. This is the reason I am a musician. I almost quit the music business to become a full time Hare Krishna monk, but a senior devotee told me about the Beatles’ George Harrison, who was also a devotee. George made Krishna and the maha-mantra famous through his music.”

Foose first met the Hare Krishnas in 1994, when members of another hardcore band took Foose to the temple. “Every question I ever had about life was answered – why do bad things happen to good people; why am I unhappy? They gave me practical knowledge, not just pat answers like ‘These things are simply unknowable.’”

Foose, along with his wife, runs the Hare Krishna center in Cleveland, Ohio. He has visited New Vrindaban Community in West Virginia over two hundred times. “New Vrindaban is a spiritual oasis. I feel like I am in God’s country every time I visit there.”

New Vrindaban Community is located south of Moundsville – Wheeling, off Route 250. For more information, contact (304) 843-1600 x105 or mail@newvrindaban.com.

Hare Krishna: I need a kind hearted volunteer coming from NYC to New Vrindaban who might be driving a small van or pick up truck and would be willing to bring a Candy Stove from Bowery area of Manhattan to NV by May 1st, latest.

Who ever does this will not only get the mercy of Radha Vrindaban Chandra and assembled Vaishnaves, you will a DEEP DISCOUNT for the Festival of Inspiration.

Please contact Malati’s office @ 304-845-9591 (leave message) or reply to e-mail address.

Thanking you by advance!