New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

By HH Sivarama Swami

Krsi goraksya vanijya. Krsi means ploughing or agriculture and goraksya, cow
protection. These are the staples of society, this is what people live on. All
living entities subsist on grains. So the ksatriyas may direct and instruct
people, the brahmanas may perform their yajnas, but if they don’t eat then
giving shelter or instruction is not going to work.

That eating is therefore the most essential aspect of life and this is why the
vaisyas and their assistants, the sudras, are so integral that the other castes
think that they are the most important people, because it is actually they who
are feeding. Of course the vaisyas think that the brahmanas are the most
important because they are taking the result of their work and offering it back
to the Lord.

Srila Prabhupada said that this very common type of exchange was there but the
responsibility of this goraksya, is it the duty of just some people? Some very
very exclusive people? Is it the responsibility of all vaisyas, or is it for
all grhastas or all devotees?

My proposition is that it is everyone’s responsibility. Just like everyone’s
responsibility is chanting Hare Krishna, watering Tulasi devi, reading
Bhagavatam. Similarly part of our common dharma is to protect cows. This is
something that you see ingrained in communities like Bhaktivedanta Manor, where
they have to limit the amount of cows they receive as gifts, and be very
careful about the type of food that is offered to the cows, because to a
greater or lesser degree all the devotees see the protection of cows as their
dharma.

It is everyone’s dharma: the cow is our mother, she gives us milk while all
over the rest of the world cows are being butchered, slaughtered, abused, and
taken advantage of. Vaisnavas must take it as their responsibility to protect
cows. Now, how do you protect cows? Does that mean that you have a cow on your
balcony in downtown Singapore? No, that type of cow protection is actually cow
abuse. You cannot just keep your own cow.

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Club 108, a preaching branch of ISKCON New Vrindaban is currently working on two projects involving tours, one virtual and the other in-person.

The virtual tour is being produced for portable video players which our guests will carry around as they watch their guide on the screen tell them about the history and beauty of the dhama. We humbly beg all devotees associated with New Vrindaban to offer their insights and remembrances so that we can produce a well rounded virtual tour. We want to have our guests see you on the portable player describing the different places. I got the idea from an audio guided tour I experienced while on a visit to Alcatraz Island/Prison as a kid

But we also want people who are interested in giving personal tours. We are working on scripts and coming together every monday at lunch in either Tapahpunja’s or Arya Siddhanta’s office. We invite anyone and everyone to participate or volunteer to help share the loving exchanges of New Vrindaban dhama with the guests visiting the temple grounds.

Other projects in the works include a historical slide show for guests to watch, improving temple signage, Hand-outs for weekend activities, Power point presentations, various video projects, and Morning program handouts so that guests can see all the songs and translations as well as the schedule.

YS,

Arya Siddhanta dasa

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Be on the lookout America! Lord Caitanya’s remodeling team will soon be rolling through your town or village to repair your consciousness.

The warp tour is nearing its end with ongoing unbelievable success! Every year the devotees are given press passes and even allowed back stage to mingle with the “rockstars.”

Fortunate for New Vrindaban they had a short break and came by to give us their association.

But these warriors for prabhupada’s book distribution wasted no time getting back to the highest welfare work for the benefit of all living entities.

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With Radha-Vrindabanatha and Radha-Madhava (respectively)

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Saturday August 18 to Sunday August 19

IN THE TEMPLE ROOM

9:00 AM–12:00 PM: The New York Kirtan Party lead by Ananta Govinda Das

12:00–3:00 PM: The Alachua Kirtan Party lead by Visvambhar Das

3:00–4:00 PM The Washington DC Kirtan Party lead by Gaura Vani Das

4:00-7:00 PM The Vrindavan 24 Hour Kirtan Party lead by Madhava Das

7:00-7:30 PM Sandhya-arati kirtan lead by Parampara Das (New Vrindaban)

7:30-9:00 PM The Vrindavan 24 Hour Kirtan Party lead by Madhava Das

OUTSIDE

9:00-10:00 PM Swan Boat Festival

AT SRILA PRABHUPADA’S PALACE

10:00 PM-1:00 AM: The Washington DC Kirtan Party lead by Gaura Vani Das

1:00-4:30 AM: The New York Kirtan Party lead by Ananta Govinda Das

4:30-5:00 AM: Srila Prabhupada’s Mangala Arati in the Palace

AT THE YAJNASALA

5:00-6:00 AM: The Pandava Sena Kirtan Party

6:00-8:00 AM: The Alachua Kirtan Party lead by Visvambhar Das

8:00-9:00 AM: The Vrindavan 24 Hour Kirtan Party lead by Madhava Das

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Decorations and all kinds of preparations are being made for the 24 hour kirtan this weekend. So many guests and visiting devotees are coming to take advantage of Lord Caitanya’s mercy. Devotees have been phoning everyone, trying to find just anyplace to stay, as all the rooms have been booked. The kirtans will be from 9 am Saturday to 9 am Sunday and the night kirtans will be at the Palace.

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This Composite Picture was Taken Tuesday

Meet Bhakta Cozmo aka Vishvarupa aka Cozmo-nata aka ‘Coz’

One of the finest members of New Vrindavan’s elite bhakta program, Cozmo prabhu has been bringing joy to the hearts of the devotees since his arrival in May. Just see the blissful expression on his lotus like face…

proof positive that devotional service works. He has been serving with great humility for the past 3 months, trying his hardest to maintain the rigorous schedule and standards of bramhacari life. Impressive. (especially after hearing him tell you in his light Brooklyn accent “prabhu, didn’t I tell you what I used to do in my life? Wake up, watch TV, eat some food, and that is about it”) What an improvement it is, from American to Vaishnava in 2.3 months.

Self proclaimed “subji das”, his favorite service is assisting Shanka prabhu aka Shanka-pada in the kitchen. He has threatened on many an occasion to cut up the whole cooler. A lean mean subji chopping machine. He also has a strong propensity to spontaneously ‘shank’ his fellow bhaktas. An esoteric lila only understood by the inner circle of NV bramhacaris. It must his Brooklyn roots emerging. But then again Tejo Maya prabhu aka TO-ny has never manifested such pastimes. It doesn’t get much more Brooklyn than him. Maybe its part of his eternal pastimes in the spiritual world. And you should see him dance in kirtan. Ecstasy. Oh and watch out for his deadly kirtan belly bumps. He can put you on the floor in no time. I know from experience.

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About a week ago I asked Jaya Prabhupada, New Vrindaban’s own cowheard man, what service I could do for the cows. I was thinking it would be milking them or cleaning up after them, something that would require a lot of surrender for me. He said, “Just come and show the cows your love in the morning while I milk them. The cows are happy when they know they are being looked after.” I was relieved. That seemed pretty easy. So for 4 days now I’ve been going to the goshalla to give them loving affection for the last 45 minutes of the japa period.

Actually it is not so easy as I had thought. It gets cold in the morning sometimes and I don’t feel like going… or I remember how dirty my japa bag became the day before and how I’m going to have to wash it again… furthermore I used to utilize this time for a quick nap when I needed it before the deity greeting.  But these are small sacrifices compared to the many realizations I’m having and the ecstatic relationships I’m feeling with my rediscovered mothers.

Hugging the cows, I’m feeling lusty desires to enjoy Krsna’s energy in the form of a woman melt away. They are so gentle and giving, what a tremendous regret I feel when I contemplate having eaten cow meat or utilizing cow products in my youth. Even in my earlier days as a servant to the devotees there were times that I bought a belt or pair of shoes that had some sort of leather because it seemed there were no better options. Never again.

Now I’m seeing the broader picture of the concept of Mother. Mothers are always giving unconditionally and they tolerate so much from us. They look after our health and well being and try to protect us from going down the wrong path. And so much more…

I recently had a discussion with Tapahpunja Prabhu about how the Bhagavatam says the oil in the earth is Mother Earth’s very blood. He explained the problem with styrofoam plates and utensils and how were actually killing our mother by such things. He also described how we’ve poisoned mother earth to the point that the mothers in the human form have impure milk which is killing their children and making their young bodies conducive to disease. The next time I was at the store I had to buy metal plates to hand out to the temple devotees at least. After I handed them out two mothers asked me why I handed out metal plates. I explained what Tapahpunja Prabhu had told me and realized we’ve got a lot of work to do. It’s time to start getting serious about doing the right thing.

Your Servant,
Arya Siddhanta dasa

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Gopal Das is here to prepare for the upcoming 24 hour kirtan. He’s already recruited Dwijamani Prabhu to be the sound technician and is teaching mrdanga every evening in front of the temple to whoever is interested. Note that the kirtan will be from 9 am Saturday to 9 am Sunday and the night kirtan will be at the Palace. Haribol!