New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Hare Krsna!

Yesterday morning Tapahpunja Prabhu organized a blissful harvesting at the Garden of 7 Gates. It was a great opportunity for me to get to know more about our surrendered temple devotees: Bhaktas (ins) Cosmo, Justin, Bridget and Jerome and myself. We all packed up in the garden van and floated through one of the 7 gates with our green thumbs.

I’ve been a “city boy” most of my life having been raised in San Diego, California and later spending time in places such as  Kansas City and LA. Gardening for me always seemed like something I would like, but I probably would never do. However, by taking to Srila Prabhupada’s process of gradually returning to my natural position as a servant of the servant of Krsna, I’ve always known it was only a matter of time before I would be developing a green thumb.

Under Tapahpunja Prabhu’s guidance we harvested 8 boxes of chard, 3 boxes of amazing lettuce, greenbeans, zucchinis and parsley.  It was amazing to see the other side of that produce, which I had always taken for granted, while cooking in the kitchen or enjoying prasadam. Tapahpunja waved his hand across the field and said, “think of them all as new bhaktas.”

As I began snapping the leaves of lettuce between my fingers a flood of realizations began to come in. It felt so natural to be there amongst friends, working hard for Krsna in the pleasant morning air. As I heard Cosmo Prabhu laughing throughout the harvest, and trust me it was a lot of laughing, I could see how being in this rural setting really brings out the mode of goodness. Small and large spiders, crickets of various shapes and colors, the tiniest little bee I ever saw, all were rushing about deeper into the greens as I loomed over their temporary homes and “snap”… removed the illusion of security.  I noticed that I could not help but watch a variety of bugs fall into the box I was working on and wondered, “is there a sastric injunction for the various insects that must be dying along side the vegetables and grains we eat everyday in the form of prasadam?” I began to see the bigger picture of the balance of life and the food chain here in this material world. I also began to think about how important it was to wash thoroughly the vegetables that we prepare for Krsna. Then I thought about what a difference this organic field must be compared to one sprayed with abominable pesticides and other poisons. What a blessing to be free of that.

As we collected our share of the harvest Tapahpunja Prabhu took pictures of us all. My dad will certainly get a kick out of seeing me when I send a copy to him (sorry I couldn’t include one yet). When my boxes of lettuce were full, Tapah lead me over to three tight rows of interspersed, newly sprouting greenbeans. He showed me how to plant seeds a second time between the ones that were already beginning. I wondered why all the seeds hadn’t grown and Tapahpunja Prabhu explained that one of his helper students had planted these and showed me another set of rows nearby which he had planted. What a difference! Nearly all of his seeds had grown almost like magic in comparison.

I thought to myself, “now here’s someone I could learn from.”

Your Servant,
Arya Siddhanta dasa

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I spent some quality time with a new friend in New Vrindaban today. It is amazing how Krsna sends just what I need when I need it. One unique aspect of devotees is the way that they immediately have so much in common and can share even the most intimate aspects of their lives. Having loving exchanges is so important to our spiritual lives and I want to thank you all for sharing with me and helping me to settle into the community.

So… I was driving with my new friend up to see His Holiness Varsana Swami’s spiritual retreat and they turned to me and said, “don’t worry, I’m very good at confidentiality.” I replied, “I questioned that when we first started talking, but then I realized… If you do me wrong, you did me right.” We laughed and they said, “Now that’s a song!.”

Nothing compares to Krishna’s devotees. May I always remain in your association, friends of New Vrindaban.

I attended the full morning program today and chanting a majority of my rounds before Bhagavatam class. And what a Class it was! I’m in the process of putting newvrindaban.com back together so that site may be a bit off currently. If you see any area that needs work or some links down it’s because I could only recover an old version of our home page. Hopefully it will be back to normal tomorrow. I also spent time compiling the notes I gathered after speaking to you all, in an effort to get an overview of the community. I’m getting quite a history lesson. Office hours will soon be posted on my door and on this site as well as a service description.

Last night I had a wonderful encounter with some of our guests and sent them off with a couple of cds containing a transcendental media pack, which my friend, Bhakta Guido (Kansas City) put together. I also was graced with the opportunity to give a Bhagavad-gita class last night and spoke on the three valid processes of attaining knowledge as explained by Srila Jiva Goswami: pratyaksa – sense perception, anumana – following the mind (mental speculation), and Sabda – hearing. At the beginning of the 7th Chapter Lord Krsna says, “now hear from me.” I pray that I can hear this apauruseya (nonhuman) message and be awarded the opportunity to be…

Your Servant,
Arya Siddhanta dasa

P.S. This time I used photoshop to replace the saffron with white. Interesting effect 🙂

The other day one of my friends left his body. He was probably one of the most unusual friends I have ever had (and I have had some weird friends I can tell you!) and certainly the oldest.

He was a turkey and actually had a few names, from Gobbledaksayi Vishnu, to George and then finally Tapapunja called him Hari-gobble, but I simply called him “turkey” as none of the other names seemed to suit so much, but we can surely remember him as someone who came to New Vrindaban at the tail end (or feather end) of his life.

Tapapunja brought him back one day a few weeks ago and I was startled by his appearance and demeanour. There he was in the garden across the road from the lodge and he had his plumage and other apparel on full display (a sign of defensiveness) and he was stomping while ruffling his feathers. I had never seen such an unusual looking bird before and I was a little scared of him at first.

But it didn’t take long for me to realise that he was quite harmless and he let me stroke him and befriend him. Soon, I took it upon myself to make sure he had food and water everyday and as he was staying with the goats I had to take him out into the garden for the day where he would sit quietly under the canopy where we would meet with guests and hold the farm circle meetings on Wednesdays. Because if I left him with the goats they would steal his food. Besides, all the guests and devotees loved having him around and he quickly became a bigger attraction than the goats.

Some people question why we have goats and indeed a real live turkey but the answer is quite simple–we are to be merciful and protect animals from slaughter. The goats that are with us now were destined for the chop and so would have the turkey but their owners gave them to Tapapunja so that we could care for them. What is the harm? And the guests especially love feeding them left over prasad.

So, our turkey friend was very old and tired and weak, it was a struggle to get him in and out of the pen but once he realised it was for his own good (i.e. to feed him and then at night to make sure he was with the goats so cats and raccoons won’t eat him) then he surrendered and followed me. He loved corn especially and drunk loads of water as he was feeling the heat terribly especially over the past few days.

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Hare Krishna New Vrndavana!!
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Radha Vrndavanacandra appear to have brought me here to improve communications and act as the New Vrndavana community secretary. Actually I have no official post or designation in my mind, but out of duty I am accepting some title. I am simply your servant. My service description is gradually becoming more clear and soon I plan on informing you of the various roles or projects which I pray to facilitate. I will be an assistant to the current temple management team: Janaka Mahajana, Syamasundara, Radha Sundari, Caitanya and to the rest of the community.

You may have seen me wandering the temple grounds the first few days here. I was dutily performing my sadhana, observing the situation and patiently waiting for an office space (mostly). Having spoken to many of the blissful residents of the dhama and nearby I can understand that some, if not many, of you wonderful souls will feel hestitation upon hearing there is another “management type” person in the building, and second generation to boot. I can attempt to speak of my “Qualifications,” however, it appears to make more sense that I show you who I am by how I act.

Today I rose at 2:50 (earlier than usual), I chanted a majority of my rounds before Mangala arati and then I was asked to offer arati to Lord Jagannath, which I accepted. Fortunately I was already almost done with my rounds because I was asked to help in the kitchen during japa; Krsna’s mercy! I attended the full morning program and honored prasadam with Madhava Gosh Prabhu, who enlightened me about New Vrindavana’s web presence. I spent some time developing ideas with him and then headed to Janaka Mahajana Prabhu’s office to see how we want to approach our website, which has been hacked by Turkish militants as you probably know. Now I’m about to get the website back to normal and whatever else falls into my plate. I am in the process of redeveloping the website if anyone has any ideas feel free to call me at the temple x101.  I can also be found in the first office on the left throughout much of the day. Or you can email me at arya.siddhanta.dg@pamho.net

I pray that I can serve you and bring our community into the harmonious wave of nectar found by keeping Srila Prabhupada and Lord Sri Krsna at the center of all activities. I will use this blog as an outlet of accountability, which I feel is required if I am to be able to develop loving exchanges and your trust.

 Please pray to Lord Krsna that I can stay for a long time and continue to serve you. Haribol.

Your Servant,
Arya Siddhanta dasa

P.S. I am no longer in Saffron.

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

The recent departure from New Vrindaban of Sudama Krishna Prabhu and the upcoming departure of Kunjabiharini Mataji bring about a unique opportunity or personal service to our beloved Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra, Gaura-Nitai, Gopalanathji, Nrsimha Prahlad, and Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra Devi.

Be it performing an arati, cooking an offering, or doing morning or evening dressing, community devotees in good standing are invited to come forward to help maintain our high standards of worship. Enthusiasm and steadiness are required.

Interested parties may please contact Ananda Tirtha Das by phone at 845-9591 or by emailing ananda.tirtha.pvs@pamho.net

Thank you!

Inspired by the sublime teachings of Srila Prabhupada

October 5^th, 6^th and 7^{th ,} 2007 (Columbus Day Weekend)

All Vaishnavi’s, as well as female friends and followers of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna are invited to attend the Annual Vaishnavi Retreat in New Vrindaban hosted by Malati Devi Dasi. This event includes interactive presentations, panel discussions, courses in Shastra, Yoga, Health, Massage, Healing and other Vedic Arts  given by distinguished Vaisnavi’s. Held in the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia, The Retreat will also offer healthy Prasad lovingly prepared by senior Vaishnavi’s, Campfire Bhajan’s and an intimate Sunday morning with Srila Prabupada in his palace.  It is an opportunity to renew old friendships and build new ones, all in the gorgeous setting of New Vrindaban Dham, resplendid with lakes, swans, peacocks, cows, deer, forests, Srila Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold, Radha Vrindaban Chandra’s Temple of Understanding, along with spectacular sunrise and sunsets.

Registration fee is $151 per person (discounts available for full time temple dependents). The fee includes prasadam (breakfast, lunch, light evening meal) all workshops, seminars, and related events. Accommodation is separate. For accommodation, please call Palace Lodge @ 304-843-1600 ext. 111.  Nearest Airport is Pittsburgh, nearest Greyhound is Wheeling, WV. Airport/ Greyhound pick ups are available for a small charge to cover costs.  For further information please contact Olivia at servingkrishna@aol.com  leave a message at 304-845-9591.         

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(the first in a series of six continuing articles (Sections) by Taru as taken from the Brijabasi Spirit from the 1970s)

Section. 1 Prasadam is All-Attractive

Someday the masses of people are going to find out about prasadam. It’s inevitable.

Prasadam is all-attractive, who could resist it? No matter who you are there’s some variety of prasadam which has the potency to captivate you, absorb you, make you forget about everything else that you hold dear. For no one can taste prasadam only once. After the first experience one is in­variably forced to try it again and again until final­ly he gives up eating everything else. It is said that, in the intensified euphoria of total prasadam ad­diction, one forgets the miseries of birth and death and actually transcends all attachments to the modern so-called real world.

There have been many cases throughout history of everyday, “real” people who somehow or other became involved in taking prasadam and sub-sequently lost all standing in society. For instance, two brothers, Dabhir Khas and Sakara Mallik, were high-posted government ministers in Bengal five hundred years ago. After they slaried taking prasadam, they stopped eating ordinary foods and soon quit their jobs. In the final stages of their ad­diction to what the users call The Mercy of the Lord, they gave away all their money and traveled to Vrndavana, the mecca of ail hard core prasadam takers. There, they were frequently seen running around like madmen in loinclolhes, shouting over and over the names of Radha and Krsna, Who supposedly appear before those who have no other desire except to serve Them and taste Their prasadam.

What’s the Use?

What is the use in trying to maintain an objective view point? I must admit frankly to the readers of this journal that 1 myself have been taking prasadam for over six years. During this whole time, I have not eaten anything cooked by my mother, I haven’t been to a restaurant, nor have I sampled even one of the hundreds of varieties of food products which you have seen on television. Neither have I been able to maintain my position in the normal world. Soon after I began honoring prasadam I left home and ran away with a band of prasadam takers to a remote mountainous region where we could carry on our activities freely, without fear of detection.

It all started in 1972, the first time I visited a Hare Krsna temple. I rather enjoyed talking to all the nice young people there and even attended the night service called aratrika. Immediately after­wards, my head still spinning from the aroma of the incense, my ears still echoing the clashing sound of the hand cymbals, my mind still vibrating the intriguing Hare Krsna mantra over and over again, I was offered some of it. “Here,” they said, “take some prasadam”.

Immediately, I understood what was going on. I’d been around enough to know that a bunch of kids sitting on the floor, grinning from ear to ear, and passing something around in a circle to each other meant no good. Still, I’d never seen anything quite like this prasadam. Each devotee had a square of brown, waxed paper in front of him with two blobs on it. One was bright orange, the other mostly brown with specks of bright color, oozing a yellow liquid. Everyone was eating it up with their fingers. Only the bizarre appearance of this scene prevented me from immediately diving in. “Ah, no thanks…”, I murmured, taxing my imagination to come up with an excuse they could relate to. “Uh, I’m fasting!”

“That’s alright, this is special food. It won’t break your fast”. I could see words were useless, they were all in some other world. Nervously, I beat a hasty retreat. “Really, it’s too late. I gotta go.” As 1 slipped away one of them called out, “Just come back tomorrow and DON’T FAST.” As 1 left the door, somebody told me to be sure to come to mangala aratrika the next morning.

“When’s that?”, I asked, more interested in get­ting out the door than in hearing the reply. “Four-thirty A.M.” Whew, I just couldn’t believe these things they kept coming up with!

“Yeah, sure. If I happen to be up then I’ll come on by.”

A shouted Hare Krsna faded away behind me as I hurried down the street to my house. Mom and Dad were still up watching Dean Marlin and al­though they asked where I’d been, they hardly heard the reply. I shot into the kitchen and fixed myself a couple of cheese sandwiches and then went to bed.

Four A.M. Omen

That night I dreamt that I was in a temple, surrounded by hundreds of Hare Krsnas. Startled, I woke up and looked at the clock. Il was four a.m. “Wow, this is an omen for sure.” (l had great faith in such “signs” at the time.) I ran down to the temple in time to make the aratika.

Right after the ceremony, somebody gave me some beads and told me I was supposed to chant 16 rounds of Hare Krsna on them every day and that it would take about two hours. I went along with it although it took me most of the day because I could only do one or two rounds at a time. Anyway, there was some more singing and danc­ing and a far-out lecture about the universe com­ing out of somebody’s navel in the form of a lotus flower with a big four-headed guy on top. I was loving it.

Finally, breakfast time arrived. By now I was ready for anything. Actually, I’d been smelling it cooking and the wonderful aroma was driving me crazy.

Everybody said a strange prayer over the food. “This material body is a lump of ignorance. The senses are a network of paths leading to death”. It was pretty morbid but it didn’t deter my appetite. I dove right into the mass of golden-brown whatever it was and became instantly amazed. First I felt it, being as you had to eat with your fingers. It was soft and aerial like foam rubber, ex­cept that it was a little slippery due to the presence of the yellow liquid I had observed the night before. (Later I found this substance was ghee, or clarified butter.) It was also nice and warm.

When I tasted it, I went wild. It was super rich, yet seemed to be as light as jello. I could have eaten a ton of it but I only got one serving. There-was some fruit on the side but I wasn’t so inter­ested in that. I asked what they called the brown stuff and found out it was halavah, although it took a few more times before I could remember the word.

After breakfast they asked me if I’d like to help do some work. I agreed and they immediately stuck me in the basement with this skinny kid with glasses. Somehow or another, they had busted up a few yards of concrete. They must have torn out a few walls or something. We were filling up five-gallon buckets with chunks of cement and hauling it upstairs and outside. I kind of had the idea that helping out meant to give someone a hand for a couple of minutes. After an hour, I was expecting to be thanked and let go. Then I was expecting the skinny guy to get tired. But he just kept telling me more stories and kept right on working. He didn’t stop all morning!

Finally, it was time for lunch. I had contracted an amazing appetite by that time and ate what seemed to be an immeasurable quantity of a lus­cious vegetable preparation which was cooked in, you guessed it, ghee. Then there was the same orange stuff I had seen the night before which turned out to be carrot halavah.

I couldn’t see any similarity between that and the halavah we had at breakfast, but that didn’t stop me from eating about two pounds of it.

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From Mahanandi
Cooking with Consciousness ~ Recipes from India and the World

(click here to see pictures of New Vrindaban)

“One of the places we visit whenever life overwhelms us here in US is the New Vrindaban Holy Dham. Located in beautiful and peaceful Appalachian mountain range in the rural West Virginia panhandle, in almost 500 acres, the place is serene and ideal for meditation and contemplation.

“The main attraction for us is Radha Krishna temple, and then there is Palace of Gold – Sri Prabupada’s place. There are also small lakes, ponds, swans, peacocks and cows on the ground. To volunteer there is a cow-protection program, community organic vegetable garden and a fragrant rose garden. The temple also has decent cottages and rooms to rent, and they book up fast during summer times. Families with children and with old parents from India often come to this place to escape the everyday hustle and bustle. Though the drive to the place is like a thrill ride with sharp curves and 25 mph speed limit, the place is spectacular and spiritual. Even with all the difficulties of money shortage etc. for the temple, I am glad to see such a beautiful place existing in America for us to visit and to rejuvenate.

“Here are some photos that I have taken during our recent trip to this temple as part of my bhakti~bhukti (divine and dine) series. Photos include temple and temple grounds along with Krishna prasadam (temple tradition – After the afternoon puja everyday, a full satvik meal is served in generous portions to the visitors, free of charge.)”

By Srila Jiva Goswami dasa

In the late nineties, I started coming back to The Temple. I was living in Wheeling. I came to the Temple every morning, took the Association of The Devotees, participated at Mongol Aortik, chanted 16 Rounds and Guyatri, and polished it off by taking morning Prasadama with the Devotees.

I posted vignettes like this one on the wall in the Prasadama Hall. Devotees seemed to enjoy that.

I had a great time. I came every day. I tried to be first in the Temple. Nityo was sometimes there when I knocked and came in. If one morning, Nityo Prabhu was there before me, I’d come in earlier the next. I would not be consistently beat at being first in the Temple, for I had nothing else to do.

Then for the first half hour or so, Nityo and I would be the only guys chanting in the Temple.

This is a recollection of mystic potencies I saw demonstrated by Nityo on those mornings and the fumbling bumbling efforts of Your correspondent. Readers should be warned or advised that what I see is patently warped, as I am a blind person. That is, my vision is less that 20/200 and not correctable with lenses.

I’d been friends with Nityo since the late ‘70’s, only we’d never spoken to each other but in Krsna Conscious ways about Krsna Conscious things. Seeing Nityo there every morning, I wanted more in the way of contact with him. I came in one morning, and Nityo was sitting already, and chanting diligently.

Instead of making obeisances from across the Temple, I went right up to him, and made obeisances, dundavats, in very close proximity. In fact, I used the top of my head to push Nityo across the floor … the way a trained seal pushes a rubber ball. I suppose I was undulating like a snake. “Control yourself, Jiva,” Nityo said mildly enough, down to me. He continued chanting.

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by Bhakta-Chris

LET IT BEGIN-“SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER!”

Some of us remember the feeling….the last tick of the second hand, the sweet tone of the ringing bell, running away from that classroom as fast as we could.

Jumping into a rapidly moving away vehicle, “toilet-papering” the rascal old man neighbor’s estate, strapping on the roller hockey pads, hitting the nearest pond for a dip…

As this summer’s edition of Bhakti-Sastri at New Vrindaban comes to a close, I can speak on behalf of the twenty-odd devotees, some coming from such far-away and exotic places as Guyana and Towaco, New Jersey, by saying that we certainly feel relief to be out in the warm summer air again, but above all, we feel deep appreciation for the knowledge, guidance, and wisdom we received.

I, a uppity bhakta and actual sense enjoyer, certainly was in no position to have been rather matter-of-factly (and without charge) thrust into this international emporium of elite scriptural education.

Krsna thinks differently. I am in no position to argue with Him.

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