New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Hare Krishna! Please accept my humble obeisances.

I spoke with Sankirtan das today regarding Mother Mundana.

If you don’t remember her, she was the wife of Chandrahas das and one of her services was answering the telephone, receiving & distributing the mail, and greeting the guests as they entered the temple building, located in the office just inside the temple on the right side of the Lobby, where the glass panel double doors are now.

She is very ill in a Nursing Home in Pittsburgh and needs our prayers.

She has advanced bone cancer and is suffering with excruciating pain.

Please let the devotees know how much she is suffering so they can pray for her.

I hope this finds you in good spirits.

Your servant,
Gaur hari dasi

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Last week the Istagosthi Team and a lot of other devotees had a lot of fun at Vidya and Shyam’s house to celebrate their father’s birthday. THANK YOU VERY MUCH for providing the fun.

There was some short discussions about next week’s topics. One suggestion was “Simple ways to be self-sufficient”. Devananda Pandit had a few ideas.

We would also like to give the “Istagosthi” a new name each week. This week’s name is: “I Still Give A Hoot About My Community” Discussion Group.

There will be pizza at 6 pm and that option will be over by 6:15, so please come early and get the nice prasad. See you on Wednesday, July 15th at 6 in the Guest Prasadam Room.

Thank you very much.
ys, Sukhavaha dd

We ceremoniously invite you one and all to join us for a fabulous Country Rathyatra in the Appalachian foot hills.

NEW VRINDABAN COMMUNITY
(Near Moundsville, WV)
Saturday July 11th at 12 noon

(starting from near Rupanuga & Nityodita’s, up the road from the Palace)

(304-845-9591)

Dancing forms of Gaura Nitai on Their cart followed by Jagannath, Subhadra and Baladev on Their Rath will lead the procession down our country road to New Vrindaban’s main court yard.

There will be coconut breaking ceremony, VIP guests, scented rose water in the air, dancing Kumari’s, chilled lemonade at your beck and call along the route and full time tumultuous kirtans.

Expect a top notch All American Fancy Feast cooked in ghee by Prabhupada’s “flower boy”, Shanka das, and experience Madan Mohan’s incredible gulab’s…the delight of the three worlds.

HARE KRISHNA!
HARI HARI BOL!

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Dear Devotees,

As a reminder there will be Compassionate Communication practice sessions in the
library every other week beginning Sunday July 5th, at 3 p.m.

There are also sessions every other Thursday, which began on July 2nd at 6 p.m..

Everyone is welcome!

( as taken fron the original Hare Krishna Cookbook )

1 Cup raw white rice

1/2 Cup urad or mung dhal (split)

1/2 Cup yogurt

Water

2 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Teaspoon cayenne

Soak the dhal and rice overnight. Drain and blend in an electric blender, adding salt and cayenne, with just enough water to help the blwnding process. Pour into a bowl and add the yogurt. Mix well. The batter shoild be like any pancke batter. Lightly grease a skillet. Pour batter into nice circles. The bottom is done while the top is still bubbling. Turn over and brown the other side. This may be served plain, or best, with tender fried potatoes in spices with a little water. It can be served with potatoes and cabbages.

FOOD, FAITH AND FARMING

The Emerging Alliance of Religion and Ecology

Sunday, July 12th 11:00 a.m. to 2: 00 pm

Organic teaching garden directly across the street from Palace Lodge
New Vrindaban Community, Moundsville

What role does religion and spirituality play in shaping a socially just and sustainable food system? Join us for a fast moving workshop which examines the link between ethics and natural living.

Our panel includes experts in the fields of academia, organic agriculture, animal husbandry, children’s education and community development.

Key Speakers:

Whitney Sanford: Assistant Professor, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Department of Religion at the University of Florida.

Navina Shyam Dasa: Assistant Director of Hare Krishna Montessori School in Alachua, Florida. (MA in urban development).

William Dove: Founder of International Society for Cow Protection, Moundsville , WV.

Mark Meberg: Organic farmer/gardener, Middle Mountain Acres, Moundsville, WV.

Danny Swan: Director of the East Wheeling Community Gardens project, Wheeling, WV.

FREE and OPEN to the PUBLIC

Entertainment provided, refreshments served!

For more information, please contact Terry Sheldon

The Small Farm Training Center info@farmeducation.org

(304) 243-5990

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by Bhaktin Rita

Recently, the devotees organized a large kirtan in a public park in Pittsburgh. Almost right at the beginning of the festival, I saw a young lady, Elizabeth, standing in one corner of the tent. She was listening and watching, and seemed to be enjoying the festival. She was very pretty, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, and was carrying a business portfolio and backpack. From her appearance, she looked like a passer-by, and not like a devotee. So, I approached her and began speaking to her. As soon as I began speaking with her, however, I thought I had made a mistake. She seemed to belong there. I thought that she must be a second-generation devotee, so I apologized immediately. I said, “Sorry, I didn’t realize you are with this group.”

Elizabeth told me, “No, I’m not with this group. I was walking through the park and saw this happening.”

I asked Elizabeth whether she would like to join the ladies who were dancing in a circle on the other side of the tent. I expected her to say no, and for the interaction to end but she surprised me by saying OK. She put down her portfolio and backpack, and we joined the circle and started dancing.

A few minutes later, I saw two young ladies standing just inside the tent, and I invited them to join us. They immediately put their bags down and joined the circle. And a few minutes after that, I saw another young lady standing close by, and she joined us as well. For the next twenty or thirty minutes, I was simultaneously dancing in the circle, scanning the crowd for more ladies who might be interested in joining the circle, and scanning the ladies who had already joined us. I kept looking at Elizabeth. She never stopped dancing, and she never looked tired.

During the dancing, one of the ladies I had invited left the festival. She gave me a hug and thanked me for drawing her in. I asked whether she wanted to be put in touch with the group who organized the festival. She said yes, and wrote down her contact information. As she handed me the slip of paper, she said, “I used to chant ‘Hare Krishna.’” I told her, “Welcome back.” She hugged me again. I was very happy for her.

After the dancing ended, Radhanath Maharaja prepared to speak. All of my guests left except Elizabeth. She did not talk to anyone or look around to see what anyone was doing – she simply stood there. To me, it looked like she was unaware of what was happening around her.
I approached her cautiously and asked whether she would like to sit in a chair and listen to the lecture. She said yes, and again followed me.

After the class, Radhanath Maharaja invited everyone to dance and chant with him. He taught everyone the proper way to dance in kirtan. First, he demonstrated the “swami step.” Next, he explained that when the leader is chanting, everyone should stand with their hands folded, in a prayerful mood. Finally, when the group chants together, everyone should raise their hands in the air.

When the kirtan started, I could see that Elizabeth was following what I was doing. When I raised my arms up, she raised her arms. And when I lowered my arms, she lowered hers. But very soon after, she closed her eyes and moved her arms by following the kirtan. And she chanted the entire time.

Prabhupada explains in Nectar of Devotion that “it is found that a person actually attached to material enjoyment or salvation has the good fortune to associate with pure devotees while they are engaged in chanting the holy name of the Lord. By the good grace of the Lord one may also cooperate and join in the chanting. At that time, simply by the association of such pure devotees, the moonlike rays from their hearts reflect on him, and by the influence of the pure devotees he may show some likeness of attachment caused by inquisitiveness, but this is very flickering. And if by the manifestation of such shadow attachment one feels the disappearance of all material pangs, then it is called parä attachment.”

After kirtan ended, I asked Elizabeth whether she wanted to meet Radhanath Maharaja. She said yes, so I immediately took her behind the stage. I knew if I waited, Maharaja would be swamped by devotees, and Elizabeth would miss her opportunity.

I introduced Elizabeth to Maharaja and said, “Elizabeth had a wonderful time here.” Maharaja said a few words to her.

Then Elizabeth said, “I had a wonderful time. I’ve never heard of this before. I wish everyone could have been here. Thank you.”

Maharaja said a few more words, and Elizabeth thanked him again, “This was really wonderful. Thank you for organizing this.”

Maharaja looked at me to see whether I wanted to say anything. I turned to leave, but Elizabeth stood in her place. After a few seconds, she said again, “Thank you for doing this. I wish everyone could experience it.”

The annual Vaishnavi Retreat will begin Friday, Oct. 2 nd through Sunday, Oct. 4th in New Vrindaban. It is for women and by women and both women and children are welcome.

Plan on elevating your Krishna consciousness and reviving your spirits in the enchanting atmosphere of New Vrindaban, located in the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia’s Northern panhandle. You can also expect spectacular fall foliage.

This yearly retreat features sublime devotional satsang, presentations, seminars, and work shops honoring and reflecting the mood and teachings of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada by many dedicated students and followers.

The $151 fee covers all aspects of the retreat, included three healthy prasad meals a day, using organic ingredients when available. Accommodation not included. For on site lodging, please contact palace lodge @ 304-843-1600 ext. 111 & mention the retreat to receive a discount (for shared rooms only).

Mark it on your calendar now! As the list of presenters and their topics become available, more up-dates will be posted. For further information please contact: 304-845-9591 or servingkrishna@aol.com. The retreat is facilitated by Malati dasi (acbsp) on behalf of the Vaishnavi ministry. Hare Krishna!

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CAMP: ISKCON; Akash-Ganga Bldg., flat 7; 89 Bhulabhai Desai Rd.

Bombay-26, INDIA

February 22nd, 1971

My Dear Kirtanananda Maharaj,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 12th January, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. Just recently I have written you one letter and I hope you have received it by now. I am so much pleased that things are going on nicely there in the centers visited by you My fervent desire is that you travel in schools and colleges and impress them with our philosophy and try to introduce our books as far as possible. Writing children stories based on Srimad Bhagawatam is good idea but your first business is to move in the schools and colleges and lecture there and introduce the books already published. Not that you should confine yourself to Pittsburgh and New Vrindaban. And to depend on the centers for bus fare is not very good. Sanyasi means that you should depend on Krishna. When Devananda Swami was lecturing the schools in Boston, he was getting $25 to $75. So why not meet your expenses in that way?

So far as eating only two chopaties and a little vegetable daily, I never said that. I do not know why such news has spread without my written authority. One should eat as much as he requires. He should not over-eat, that is the point. Without eating properly how can we work? If one can digest them, then he can eat 20 Chopaties, but if he cannot digest, then he should not even take two chopaties. The ayurvedic system is to take 1/2 of what you can eat only, then fill 1/4 with water and 1/4 for air. That will make for proper digestion. Little rice, dhal, some vegetables, some chopaties, like that , but eat right to the point to keep health steady.

So far as $50.00 fee for initiations, that same question was raised when you were in L.A. I said no then and it hasn’t changed since. Please keep me informed of your activities there. Presently I am planning to return to U.S.A. by the month of April.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

A.C. Bhaktivendata Swami

ACBS/adb

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