New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

by Bhakta-Chris

This past weekend a group of intrepid Brajbasis (Nitai, Maha-Laksmi, Mandali, Caitanya, Kesava Acarya,Yaitza, Rasikananda, his pa Akhilananda, and myself) braved the sub-freezing temps and snow-covered ground of the average American winter to participate in Frostburn 2008, at Cooper’s Campground just outside of Slippery Rock, PA and the holy tirtha of Butler, PA.

The Frostburn event is a regional offshoot of the premier counter-cultural event of our time, the Burning Man festival, of which devotees, via the Krishna Camp, have been a big part of the past few years. (Check out the video here!).

The Frostburn event is something new for the Burner community. It’s a chance to fully express some wonderful and unique artistic and creative sensibilities, but in the austerities of a winter climate rather than the blazing heat and swirling dust of the Nevada desert.

One of the mottoes of the Burner community is that “No one is a spectator” Everyone who is involved must offer something tangible, positive, and uplifting. We did our part with some creamy subji, ecstatic gulabjamuns, winter-time yoga sessions in the sun, a little kirtan, and our usual joy. Check out the photo album by clicking here!

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An unattended incense stick ignited a padded chair in a room on the second floor of the temple. This set off a sprinkler head which extinguished the fire. The chair is ruined and there is a burnt place on the floor, but the key thing is that the temple itself was saved.

Sri Krsna das was passing the room where the fire started saw smoke and kicked in the door. He went for help but the sprinkler went off and doused it.

When the temple was built, Jaya Murari had successfully lobbied to have the sprinkler system installed. 2 years ago, Tejomaya had renovated the system so it was fully operational. Without the foresight of these two devotees, RVC might have been homeless tonight, as the structure is of wooden construction.

The Limestone Volunteer fire department showed up and might have been able to save most of the building if the sprinkler hadn’t extinguished the fire, but the damage would have been much more extensive, both from the fire and the greater amount of water they would have poured onto a larger fire,

By the time the sprinkler was shut off, hundreds of gallons of water had poured out. This drained through the ceiling to the temple room below, and all the devotees gathered to mop up the water with towels.

A guest visiting from India was right in the middle of it all and got a memorable experience to share when he returns home, but RVC is safe for another night.

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Written by Hrishikesh (Henry Doktorski)

Many thanks to MG for posting the photograph of Radhanath Swami with United States Congressman from West Virginia Alan Mollohan and other guests and dignitaries. If I am not mistaken, that is West Virginia House of Delegates member Thais Blatnik behind him.

Exact date of photo was May 31, 1985. This was taken on the day of the Shila-Ropana festival, the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed Temple of Understanding.

I also enjoyed reading MG’s thought-provoking text. I remember those days very well. I was out on travelling sankirtan picking lakshmi to help pay for this proposed temple. I was unable to attend the festival because (if memory serves me correctly) I was out in California with my sankirtan buddy Jagannath Mishra, and we must have had a big event or something so we decided to stay out for 8 weeks instead of returning for the festival.

In the responses, Kailasa is correct in that great mistakes (to put it mildly) were made, and covered up, and eventually brought to light, and then brought to justice (except perhaps for a few that got away). However, MG is also correct in his optimism. Certainly New Vrindaban is a very special place, and was certainly very dear to Srila Prabhupada, judging from his many letters and also from his conversations during his four visits there. Although I do not visit nearly often enough, I always enjoy my visits and encourage others to visit and render service.

For the pleasure of the Brijabasis, I wish to make the following humble offering in memory of those days of serving Radha and Vrindaban Chandra at New Vrindaban 23 years ago.

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Shila Ropana.

The peak of New Vrindaban’s popularity may have been May 31, 1985: the historic Shila-Ropana (groundbreaking) ceremony for the proposed Great Temple of Understanding, which was attended by many dignitaries, including a United States congressman. Land of Krishna called it “the most significant and memorable day in the history of New Vrindaban.” (111)

The presiding 93-year-old senior Shankaracharya Abbot at Kanchi Peetam monastery in South India set the auspicious hour and sent a message of good will. The rites began with a fire sacrifice at the temple, wherein the guests offered flowers to the deity of Ananta-Sesh as he was carried in procession on a small silver throne. The indoor ceremony was followed by speeches, and concluded with a talk by Kirtanananda Swami on the motto of the temple: “For the glory of God and the upliftment of mankind.”

U.S. congressman speaks at New Vrindaban.

Among the honored guests at the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed Great Temple of Understanding was a United States congressman from West Virginia, Alan B. Mollohan, who praised the New Vrindaban community for its positive economic impact in the state: (112)

“Today we’re privileged to witness the beginning of what will come to mean many things to many people. In a real sense the facilities that will grace this hill symbolize what it means to be in America, where freedom of religion and freedom of speech are the stalwarts of a democracy.

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(from the second chapter of Krishna book, words and music by Devananda Pandit das)

When Krishna carried out His desire,
Devaki glowed like raging fire.
He entered in her sacred womb,
Though she was shackled in a prison room.

Now Kamsa knew his end was near,
But spared his sister cos of fear.
” a cruel man ‘s as good as dead”
This he thought and this he said:
” don’t want no course don’t want no blame,
I’ll spare her life to save my name,
But when this child of hers is born,
I’ll take His life on early morn’.

Filled with envy filled with hate,
He thought of Krishna as he ate,
His mind was on Him as he slept,
Carried Him around with every step.
Alas his heart was burden down,
No trace of love could thus be found,
Unlike the lovers’ hearts that pray
To serve Lord Krishna every day.

copyright 2001 Denis Moreau

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by Vrindapati das from the Feb. 1979 Issue of the Brijabasi Spirit

There they were, the ”weird baldies” Joe had warned us about. They appeared very odd but harmless as they jumped around in the field. Joe was an elderly fellow who drew a. lot of attention and respect as one of the established hippies in Coconut Grove, He was rather knowledgeable in the occult sciences and his advice car­ried some weight. “Don’t talk with them, they can put a spell on ya. Rite powerful one,” Joe warned as we sat on the wall across the street from the park.

Later, as Pat and I walked toward town through the park one of the “baldies” left the group. He was running an intercept course with us as he juggled paper plates and cups. His big smile seemed genuine enough and I wondered why Joe seemed worried about these freaks. On the paper plates was a yellow wet potato salad and a strange yellow drink in the cups. He muttered something about “spir­itual food and seeing God” and I asked him why his head was bald. The sour taste of the potato salad kept me from hearing his answer though. I drank the stuff- in the cup to wash the taste out of my mouth. It was the first time I tasted buttermilk and the long day in the Florida sun had made it seem very sour too.

As Pat and I walked away laughing, the devotee was simply interested in cleaning the gouranga potatoes and buttermilk off the ground and himself. His concern for the potatoes on the ground was a rather surprising reaction.

Eight months later I remembered that day quite well. I was in Port Authority in New York City, I was handcuffed to an escort from the Juvenile Detention Center in Hackensack, New Jersey. He was taking me back to my home town in Pennsylvania.

A devotee mother came up to us and ‘made some remark about my bad luck, in a nice way of course. I told her I’d get over it and she suggested I take a Back To Godhead. When I saw some pictures in it, I remembered the de­votees in Florida. I laughingly told her of my encounter with one of her people in Florida.

She about knocked me out of my seat when she replied, “‘That’s OK, you’ll be forgiven if you’ll only chant God’s names, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.” As she mentioned I’d be forgiven she tapped me on the wrist with the Back To Godhead where the handcuffs were.

That did it! Did she put a spell on me? What did she mumble? Was she a witch? What DID she mumble? What DID she mumble? The escort ended up taking the magazine and gave her some change. He even tried to convince me to read it on the way to Pennsylvania. I wasn’t touching that magazine!

Not for another 8 months would I encounter the devotees again. This time it was different. Less than a week after the last encounter I joined the Service. After 8 months in the Marines I was trying pretty hard to get out. I had no idea what was in store for me this Sunday in September in Memphis, Tennessee.

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Some time either early this morning or last night Nancy Brown left her body.  She is the mother of Narayana (my grandson’s dad), Buggy, (He use to work heavy equipment) and JayaSri.

 She had just been in the hospital for  along time and had just come home. She definitely struggled in her life but she always remembered Krsna. Her son Narayana found her and came to our house (she just lived a couple of houses from us).  

I could tell that she left peacefully. There was a picture of Krsna about her head and a picture of Lord Nrsmhadev and Srila Prabhupada to her side.  She had just recently spent a week-end at New Vrindaban which for her was spiritual renewal.  

Please remember her and her family in your prayers.

Thanks, Mother Vrsni

 

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Independent media reporter Mike Janssens of the Future of Music Coalition Blog has keenly and graciously taken an interest in the proposed FM radio station that would be hosted and located right here by the devotees of New Vrindaban Dham, pending FCC approval amidst competing proposals from a number of non-local Christian groups.

You can check out the article here at the Future of Music Coalition Blog.

If you would like to take a practical interest in helping along our proposal, you can help us by gathering signatures of supportive people in the Moundsville and Wheeling area, with their full names and addresses. Please see Bhakta-Chris or Tapahpunja if you would like to support the proposal in this way.

Everyone Is Invited To The Auspicious Wedding of Atmarama dasa and Bhaktin Bridgett.

This Friday February 15, 2008 In The RVC Temple at 9:30 a.m.

The Fire Sacrifice Will Be Conducted By Paramapara dasa.

The Wedding Reception (1p.m.) and Wedding Feast Will Be In The RVC Temple.

 Prasadam HallThe 1:30 p.m. Wedding Feast Is Being Cooked By Radha devi

Dear Devotees,

      

We tried to take a break in the winter, but Burning Man ended up in our back yard. A regional festival called Frost Burn http://www.frostburnpgh.com/index.html is happening next weekend right near
Pittsburgh. We have a good troop from New Vrindavan planning a festive time. We will have a ratha yatra cart, kirtan, prasadam, and yoga.

Hope to see you there!!!

February 15-18

Cooper’s

Lake
Campground
Slippery Rock, PA
www.cooperslake.com

Your Servant, Nitai dasa
www.krishnacamp.com