New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

by Bhaktin Rita

Last week, three college students and a recent graduate visited New Vrindaban.  These young people are energetic, enthusiastic, spiritually-oriented, and socially aware.  Their common interest revolves around the environment.  Therefore, they spent the night in New Vrindaban in order to work in the Organic Teaching Garden and the Garden of Seven Gates.

On their first day, they received a special one-hour tour of Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold.  They loved the Palace!  They could hardly believe that all of the artwork and decorations had been made by young devotees their own age.  They were amazed to learn that the devotees had no professional training.  Instead, the devotees had built the Palace by studying do-it-yourself books.

Their second day, they received a personal tour of the temple room.  Again, they were awed by the stained glass ceiling, as well as the other hand-made decorations.  The devotees’ devotion was so evident, they had to accept that Prabhupada’s process of Krishna consciousness works.

Brad is one of the young people who visited.  He just recently earned his Bachelor’s degree in philosophy.  While the students expressed their enthusiasm and excitement, Brad was quiet.  Because of his reserved nature, I had a hard time reading his mood.  He was always attentive and appeared to be listening, but I thought, “Maybe he is just being polite.”

Near the end of their visit, however, I decided to pay the group a final visit.  I tried to get Brad’s attention, but he had walked out of the room just before I began speaking to him.  While I waited for Brad to return, another visiting devotee started as conversation with me.  It was a long conversation!

For nearly an hour, Brad listened intently and without interruption.  But he had heard me trying to speak to him earlier.  During a break in the conversation, he finally asked, “Did you want to say something to me earlier?”

I said, “Yes.  These three are going back to college and will be able to visit the devotees on campus.  But you are going back to Cleveland.  Do you want me to give you contact information for the devotees in Cleveland?”

Brad had been so reserved earlier, but he finally expressed his emotions.  He told me, “Yes!  I would love to get in touch with the devotees in Cleveland.  I really want to find out more about this.  I have a Bhagavad-Gita and I want to study it!”

I took his contact information and promised to e-mail him.  Finally, after standing quietly for nearly an hour, he walked away.  After two days of uncertainty, I knew without doubt that Prabhupada and the devotees had touched his heart.

Date: March 22, 1972
Camp: ISKCON Bombay, Box 387, Fort, Bombay.

My dear Devakinandana,

Please accept my blessings. Thank you for your letter of March 1, 1972, and I am especially happy to see the pictures of such nice cows, so I shall pay the full $2,200 for the five cows you have suggested. Now you must exchange by giving me always pure ghee produced by them, and I shall be repaid in the shape of ghee. Actually, I want that New Vrindaban should be completely self-sufficient for this ghee production, not that the Society should have to subsidize New Vrindaban for nothing. No, you make only pure ghee, as much as possible, and ship to all our centers and they shall pay you for it a standard price, and that shall provide sufficient income for our New Vrindaban. Meanwhile, you may go on increasing the number of cows there by making a special programme of canvassing important persons to donate for buying more cows. In this way, make a programme to support New Vrindaban.

Hoping this will meet you in good health and happy mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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by Navina- Shyam das

Age of Garden: 20 years

Size of Garden: 100 feet by 100 feet

Food-bearing Crops: Apples, Beets, Bell peppers, Blueberries, Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Carrots, Cherries, Chili peppers, Corn, Cucumbers, Dudi squash, Grapes, Green beans, Karela, Lettuce, Methi, Neem, Okra, Papadi beans, Patra, Pawpaws, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Radish, Raspberries, Snow squash, Spinach, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Turiya squash.

Cultivator of the largest and oldest garden around, Rupanuga is happy to see that many of his neighbors have also taken up working the soil.  But, it’s tough squeezing the care of such a large plot into a schedule packed with temple service and the running of a gift store.  Still, his garden has grown a little bit every year, rather than shrinking.  And even though he has been doing it for so long, the wonder of Krishna’s creation still amazes him.  So much bounty just popping into existence around him.  “It’s a miracle.  It’s like you just did something and suddenly something comes out.”

Of course, sometimes the bounty is more than he can handle.  Many of the crops tend to come in at the same time, and he and Vani have many other duties to attend to.  So, even harvesting everything is sometimes not possible, what to speak of doing something with it.  And insects, well, they can have their fill of cucumbers, tomatoes, and eggplants, if it comes to that.  Unfortunately, help is not always to be found.  The children don’t have a strong taste for gardening, and even the dog became lazy about chasing the deer away until he finally wandered off entirely last Thanksgiving.  Now an electric fence does the job of protection.  (Too bad it doesn’t have any hands to help with the harvest!)

Ultimately, however, there’s nothing like home-grown, and that makes it all worthwhile.  “Eating from the garden is a good feeling.  There’s no one in between: no market, no buying, no fear of contamination.  It’s like it’s free.”  So he doesn’t let the work involved get him down, and, undaunted, he looks forward to another year of miracles.

by Jamuna dd

Raghunath and Jamuna’s garden is a fairly large enclosure (approx. 50 by 80ft), located next to their kitchen. This is their 3rd garden in NV and it has expanded and contracted over the years in relation to their enthusiasm and/or spare time. The current garden is 10 years old. It has taken many years to try and build up the health of the soil. They had to deal with heavy clay and an abundance of rocks. This year they grew potatoes for the first time in years, which was quite a treat. They also added a bed of asparagus. Everyone in the family agrees that there is nothing quite a delicious as new baby potatoes picked fresh from the garden.

Half of the garden space is taken by fruit trees. They have plum, apricot, pear and cherry trees, along with 2 blueberry bushes, 2 blackcurrant bushes and 1 hazelnut tree. There are also grapes and kiwis that grow on the fence. The kiwis produced for the first time this year, but they are still small. Jamuna is hoping to plant more blackcurrant, hazelnut and grapes next year. Black current are her favorite as they are very hardy and produce an abundance of fruit. They also possess the highest vitamin C content of any fruit.

The vegetable section has kale, tomatoes, beets, asparagus, potatoes, red beans, soybeans, urad beans, carrots, bitter melon, squash, zucchini, broccoli, sorrel, lettuce, amaranth, basil and coriander. This year they have finally had success with broccoli. In past years the young broccoli plants have almost always been devoured by groundhogs before they could produce. Even though the fence keeps the deer out, the groundhogs dig under the fence. Last year one even made its home in the garden. This year the groundhog ate all the beets, but fortunately the second planting is doing OK.

They both find that gardening is a very satisfying experience, and are happy to have more time for it now that they no longer have to take care of the store in the summer months. They would like to make the following request. If there is anyone on the farm who knows how to prune fruit trees, please stop by and give them some tips.

Tridandi Goswami A. C Bhaktivedanta Swami

Date March 22, 1972
Camp ISKCON Bombay, Box 387,
Fort, Bombay.

My dear Hayagriva,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 1, 1972, along with pictures of cows. I am so much engladdened by the news that you are producing many books, faster than they can print, so this is especially pleasing to me and I have wanted all along that you should especially do this work of writing and editing. This means that you will advance nicely because you will have to become very thoughtful and go deep into the subject matter. The titles are nice, so may you live long and always do this service.

If you have the idea to write a book based on Chaitanya Charitamrita, that is nice, I approve. The translation you have got is not perfect, but it is tolerable, so I think something can be done. Now Pradyumna is with me, and Nanda Kumar also, so altogether we are now four, so now the translation work will gradually be increased, and I am glad to report that I am now translating nightly and each day Shyamsundar types the tape and Pradyumna is editing sanskrit, so we shall be sending more and more material because you say that you can edit any amount we can supply, so I take that as a challenge and I shall try to see if you can keep up with me. Yes, you are correct to say that “It is all nectar,” everything having relation with Krishna or Lord Chaitanya is nectarine and our literatures in our line of Vaisnava acharyas is so nice that there is no comparison anywhere in the world for it, so I want that my disciples like you and others should take this task very seriously to give the world the access to this great treasure of Vaisnava literature by producing innumerable books and small booklets, and that force of literary influence will change everything and save the people from their miserable condition and corrupt status of life.

I have no objection if you all big leaders hold joint meetings if they are necessary, but in general I think everything can be done by correspondence. When I shall come to Los Angeles I shall call all of you there and we can sit down together. We have left our place at Akash Ganga to live on our large land at Juhu, near Bombay, and we are holding a very nice Hare Krishna Festival to advertise the new place and also to give the public in general our idea to build here a “Hare Krishna City.” We shall be leaving India on 31st March for Australia, and because I have promised my disciple in those places, I will spend a few weeks in the Far East and Japan before returning to Los Angeles.

Thank you for settling up the account with me for $100 balance, you may send me a copy of the deposit receipt when it is done.

Hoping this will meet you and your family in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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The New Vrindaban Community created The Palace of Gold, which was supposed to house a prayer room, or temple.  Sadly, Prabhupada passed away during the construction of the palace and the prayer room became his shrine, dedicated in his memory.

However, the members of the New Vrindaban Community built a small, but exquisite temple only a quarter of a mile down the road.  Like the palace, the temple is decorated in gold and hand carved teakwood.  Inside you will find several statues of deities, but your amazement will lie with the enormous, colorful figures scattered through the park.

The temple is surrounded by wooden cabins resting on the banks of a small lake that is filled with fish and visiting swans.  The cabins act as a hotel for visitors to the temple and the palace for those who want to make this a weekend trip.  The small man-made lake has a long path that runs around it and through some brush where you will find several peacocks roaming free through a clover ladened field.  Their are albino peacocks as well, although they are in a caged sanctuary.

Exotic animals, Appalachian scenery, and spiritual monuments to devotion – the New Vrindaban Temple and the nearby Palace of Gold are beautiful places that are sure to amaze and entertain.

See photo slide show here.

by Bhaktin Rita

Last Thursday, the last group of children from inner city Wheeling visited New Vrindaban. There were thirteen six- and seven-year olds. This group was very sweet, and they became very attached to Krishna consciousness while they were here.

As soon as the children got off the bus, one little girl held her arms out at both sides, and told the other children, “Nobody can get in front of me. I’m first.” I immediately told her that she could not boss the other children around. She was quite an aggressive little girl!

Later on, however, in the afternoon, she showed a very sweet side. She told me how much she liked my sari, and that she wanted to wear one. Then she asked me whether she could carry my pallu (the part of the sari that drapes across the left shoulder). I think she liked it so much that she just wanted to touch it. I told her yes, and she carried it for a little while.

I told her to open the pallu and look at the design. She did so, and was quite impressed by the peacock design. After looking at it, she put the pallu over her head and started walking behind me. She told the other, “Look, I’m in the shade!”

A few other children decided they wanted to be in the shade as well. Soon, they were arguing about who would be under the pallu, and in what position. While they argued, I just kept walking. I figured they had no choice but to follow. Luckily, they all agreed that I should walk in front!

Prabhupada told us that all the residents of Goloka Vrindaban wear tilaka. And the women wear beautiful saris. In Goloka Vrindaban, the saris are the most exquisite colors! Those saris are not like the dull, faded saris in this horrible material world. The saris in the material world can never reflect the true beauty of this garment. But simply by visiting New Vrindaban and becoming attracted to the gopis’ paraphernalia, these children have begun their spiritual life. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Dear Devotees,

We will be web casting the live Sri Krishna Janmashtami Celebration at Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra Temple, New Vrindaban, WV on 13th August from evening 6pm onwards, you can watch it on newvrindaban.com.

We are also on Facebook.com now, visit our fan page at

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Moundsville-WV/New-Vrindaban/113451373698

Thanks

Shyam Pandey

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Friday, August 14th

8:00 am…..Video class………. To be announced

10:30 am…..Offering of 2009 Vyasapuja book Reading from book Offerings from Disciples….

Srila Prabhupada disciples may take 10 minutes each. If none available, then grand disciples

12:00 Noon… Puspanjali & Arati to Srila Prabhupada

4:30 pm……..Dhoop Arati

4:45 pm……..Abhisek of Srila Prabhupada….Everyone will bath

5:30 pm……..Special bhoga offering to SP…….Everyone should bring a prep

6:15 pm…….. Puspunjali

6:30 pm…….. Gurupuja

7:00 pm…….. Gaura arati

7:30 pm………Prasadam

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It’s taken a while, but finally here are some photos and a brief report of HG Pankajanghri Prabhu’s visit to NV. Prabhu arrived along with HH Bhakti Sundar Caksur Goswami (formerly Jagat-caksur Prabhu) from Atlanta after the Panihati festival there. Both were on their first visits to NV.

The first evening we arranged for Pankajanghri Prabhu to recount the special lilas of Lord Jagannath in Mayapur, the next day he had an official meeting with the pujaris and in the evening spoke on Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Mayapur pastimes, and he also gave the morning class once. Maharaja gave the other two SB classes.

The local devotees commented to me how struck they were by his presence, notably his purity and natural absorption in Krsna consciousness. He also visited the altar during the morning worship which was inspiring for the pujaris. Unfortunately his visit was too short for all to take full advantage. . . .

The days were spent visiting the holy sites of New Vrindaban with the senior residents as guides. Prabhu told me he was happy to meet so many Godbrothers for the first time. He also commented that Americans talk a lot! Overall he was happy with his visit even though there was hardly any free time. Devotees of his calibre are rare and thus in high demand so his entire US schedule was pretty hectic with flights all over the country and just two-three days in each place.

Please see the photos below. Next time let’s hope that Jananivas Prabhu comes!

–Ananda Tirtha Das

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