New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Our final installment, as we gaze lovingly upon the devotees who gave their all in the transcendental loving service of the Lord….

ACTS OF DEVOTION

The Lodge Snack Bar is the place to see and be seen. Our beloved Atmarama Prabhu is here demonstrating the fine and careful art form of preparing unique and family-friendly Krsna prasad for the hundreds of pilgrims and devotees alike who needed sweet sustenance throughout the Festival weekend. For all of his hard work and devotion, he is everyone’s hero. Atmarama ki jay!

There are few things more pleasing in this crazy kooky material world than a smiling face and an offer of prasad sweets. Here Gopesh, Ragupati, and my dear fellow filmmaker Sri Kishore from Athens, Ohio offer up a little bit of delectable perfection. I consider it my duty to now take freely (with my brahmacari discount) from our sweets table in the lobby in order to honor the devotion of these fine gentleman.

Haryashva Prabhu from Philly is the real deal. All weekend he fascinated the taste-buds of nearly every devotee at the Festival with his fantastically transcendental vegetarian sandwiches via his portable Gourmet to Go restaurant. Haryashva is a model of what dedicated, intelligent devotional service is all about. If ever you find yourself in downtown Philly, check out his Gourmet to Go in hometown action, as well as his sophisticated Govinda’s eatery right next door. Don’t forget as well to head upstairs to pay humble obeisances to his life-size Panca-Tattva.

Sometimes a man has just got to sell some ice-cream in order to pay the bills. Here, Balarama-Chandra rocks the mic to propagandize his delicious mango-ice cream (for $1) that kids and hipsters alike bought in droves. For next year’s Festival, he promises to personally set-up a pancake house.

The latest craze among the street-graffiti artists worldwide in the magnet LED light-fully capable of being stuck to any and every wall for a lit-up message of one’s choosing that will last for weeks on end. Here, Gopinath Prabhu, always on the cutting-edge of future technology, is dazzled at the possibilities.

Special dandavats to all the devotees who made the 2007 Festival of Inspiration a grand success. The summer season at New Vrindaban is off to a rip-roaring start, so head on down or up to the hills of West Virginia for a big sample of the spiritual world. Stay tuned here to Brijabasi Spirit for more news and photos of all this summer’s events.

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by Kaviraja Goswami dasa (from the June 1981 Issue of the Brijabasi Spirit)
        As I walked along, I tried to understand how the woods surrounding me were actually non-different from the forests in which Lord Krishna exhibited His childhood pastimes. I remembered reading in one of Srila Prabhupada’s purports that New Vrindaban, Gokula Vrindaban, and Go-loka Vrindaban were non-different. An older devotee who gave me a ride to the bus depot had the good fortune to be in New Vrindaban when Srila Prabhupada was there. While peacefully sitting in a rocking chair surrounded by his loving disciples, Srila Prabhupada pointed to the ground and said, “This Vrindaban…” at which point he gazed into the sky and pointed up, ” and that Vrindaban are the same.”
           According to Sri Brahma-samhita, Krishna’s abode, Vrindaban, is surrounded by millions of wish-fulfilling trees, and Srila Prabhupada stated that the grass, plants, stones —everything animate or inanimate in Vrindaban is fully conscious. Even though I was able to understand these facts from the intellectual platform, because of my materially contaminated vision, I could not see how this was actually not an ordinary forest I was passing through. To my mundane senses the trees appeared to be like the trees of any other forest that I’ve seen; yet there was a certain unearthly calm permeating the entire atmosphere. Even though I managed to struggle through my avowed sixteen rounds of prayer beads, I felt like chanting more, which is truly unusual for one who has as little appreciation for the nectar of Krishna’s holy names as I. In fact, I felt a sudden urge to sing and dance. The transcendental atmosphere of this holy place was affecting me even though I was unable to fully appreciate its spiritual nature with my mundane senses.
Reflecting upon my walk through the sacred forest of New Vrindaban, I have some slight realization that to be truly able to see New Vrindaban is like being able to see Krishna. I can remember reading an interview with one reporter wherein Srila Prabhupada was asked if he was capable of showing the reporter God. Srila Prabhupada replied that this was indeed possible, “… but first you must have the eyes to see God.” In order to obtain the eyes with which to see Krishna or New Vrindaban, one must first purify his perception from all mundane contamination by the process of devotional service.
        Devotional service is very easily executed by chanting Hare Krishna. Chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra (great chanting for deliverance) is especially recommended by Sri Cai-tanya Mahaprabhu as the means for purification of one’s existence. In His “Sri Siksastakam,” He wrote ceto-darpana-marjanam, by chanting the holy names of God, one very rapidly becomes purified of all material contamination accumulated in many lifetimes. When one achieves the stages of complete purification by following this process, he will be able to see the true nature of New Vrindaban, along with the Lord of New Vrindaban engaged in His transcendental pastimes amongst His eternal associates in the midst of the transcendental forest.
         Lord Jesus stated in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.” On the strength of the words of the Supreme Lord, Sri Caitanya and His pure devotees, Jesus Christ and Srila Prabhupada, I am hopeful that if I continue this process of purification, chanting Hare Krishna and taking Krishna prasadam, one day I will be able to see and fully appreciate the real nature of the transcendental forest of New Vrindaban. Actually, if I were truly able to see and appreciate the wonderful, sublime quality of New Vrindaban dhama, having once gone there I would never wish to leave.
PRASADAM HAS THE SAME PURIFICATORY POTENCY AS THE LORD.
          By the causeless mercy of my spiritual master and Krishna, I made a transcendental pilgrimage to the sacred land of New Vrindaban. Although I’ve been involved with ISKCON and devotees for several years, I’ve never had the opportunity to visit the “Spiritual Frontier.”
        Upon arrival, all my preconceived notions about the reputedly austere prasadam (spiritual food) at New Vrindaban were completely shattered as I sat with the devotees taking the noon meal. While devotees sat in rows on the floor, the prasadam was served out by other devotees who brought one huge stainless steel container after another, each holding a different variety of nectarean foodstuff.
        My tongue was overwhelmed with delicious rice, dahl (bean soup), and curd vegetable (with more curd than I had ever seen in one place at a time, what to speak of in one vegetable). There was the best corn bread I ever tasted along with orange-flavored yogurt that slid down my throat like heavenly nectar, cottage cheese (freshly made in New Vrindaban), and bean sprout salad, and best of all, delicious strawberry ice cream, so much that the devotees present (at least one-hundred hardy Brijabasis) were unable to finish it all.
         Although I have a great deficiency of spiritual understanding and possess impure senses, my tongue was capable of appreciating this aspect of New Vrindaban. Unfortunately, due to my lack of spiritual vision, I was unable to appreciate all of the supra-mundane qualities of that transcendental land. In order to fully appreciate New Vrindaban one must have purified senses. Yet I’m confident that if I continue to honor prasadam, I will gradually become purified to the point of appreciating all the many sublime characteristics of New Vrindaban.
       As far as the purificatory quality of prasadam is concerned, it is mentioned in the Vishnu Purana that “Just as Lord Vishnu is spiritual and not subject to mundane transformation, His prasadam is spiritual and un-transformable.” Being of the transcendental nature, prasadam has the same purificatory potency as the Supreme Lord.
        Srila Prabhupada states in his commentary on Sri Isopanisad, that the Lord is described as suddham (antiseptic) and apapa-viddam (prophylactic), or pure and uncontaminated. He is antiseptic in the sense that even an impure thing (such as impure sense perception) can become purified just by touching Him. Prasadam is antiseptic like the Lord. Simply by taking prasadam regularly, one can become purified of all material contamination. Unfortunately, prior to my visit to New Vrindaban, I had been unable to honor enough prasadam to become sufficiently purified to the point of being able to really see New Vrindaban
        In spite of my lack of spiritual purity and subsequent limited appreciation of the transcendental nature of New Vrindaban, I was nonetheless anxious to make some effort to “see” the spiritual qualities of that transcendental land. I received encouragement from more than one devotee to take a walk up the long and winding road to see the old farm where the first devotees of New Vrindaban spent the first hard winter. Despite the threat of rain, I set off down the road through the transcendental forest and up the hill.
 

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Kunti Guy, daughter of Ramlila dasi of New Vrindaban, and Hanuman das of Wheeling, was one of two
Limestone Elementary students who won awards in the recent Marshall County Elementary Art Show.

The art teacher who supervised the Limestone students chose only three works from each classroom to be entered in the county-wide competition. The students’ art was displayed at the Delf Norona Museum in Moundsville, at the site of the famous mound.

Kunti’s detailed colored pencil drawing of a jungle scene, complete with a tiger biting a monkey’s tail, received the third prize ribbon. Kunti, a second grader, was the youngest prizewinner. The other
Limestone winner is in fourth grade, and the top prize went to an older student at Sherrard Elementary.

By Srila Jiva Goswami dasa

I think when there is a choice, the True Path may be known by its simplicity. You might know if you have strayed by how complicated things seem to be getting.

It was the start of one of those most beautiful days at Old New Vrindabana. The Morning Program had ended. The fog and dew in the fields was just burning off. If you cared to record the sounds all around in the hills and trees, you could easily have sold that recording. Birds sang like canaries, and peacocks called to each other in their discordant way. From down at Maru Deva Prabhu’s shop floated the iron ringing tok tok tok of hammer on anvil.

Doors banged, feet pattered, engines started, it was time to go, go go. Time to “Get to work!”

“Whoa, what do they feed you boys in the morning?” A bunch of Devotees in the old New York Temple asked me and Pipalada one day at breakfast Prasada. We’d come to their city on an extended Town Run. An extended run could mean anything from Alabama to Buffalo. This one had been to New York.

Pipalada, Bimbhadura, gentle Sudhanau and foot-in-the-mouth specialist, yours truly, Jivajiva, were about the tallest members of the New Vrindabana Community. What did they feed us? Pipalada rumbled out the grave response: “Oat Water.” He could rattle windows with that voice. This answer was met with respectful silence.

It was True. Oat Water, prepared by Sankirtan Prabhu, the greatest writer I’ve had the privilege of meeting, bar none. Scholarly looking yet tougher than a barrel of nails, it was Sankirtan who stood rowing with the wooden oar at the outdoor fires, winter and summer, making with the Oat Water.

Uh huh in the morning, that’s what we was in all and all as much as any good thing: Oat Water. Be respected for it.

Back on this wonderful New Vrindabana morning, up in the Bhakta Ashram, I was changing out of my Pujari regalia and pulling on a pair of dungarees. A Bhakta whose name I don’t remember was asking me questions about Krsna Consciousness. I welcomed his inquiries, because I had been so generously embraced when I had, in turn been in the Bhakta Ashram. I remembered how good I felt that the Devotees were so kind and patient with me. I loved the fact that there seemed to be no secrets in the Hare Krsna movement. I had never come across the admonition to “just have faith.” The Bhagavada Gita As It Is had stunned me with its clear nuts and bolts explanation of everything that is going on around us.

Yes, Krsna Consciousness is for me, I realized, and in large measure, that was due to the hearty and open embrace I experienced at the hands of the Advanced Devotees. It was for this reason then, that I sought to emulate that generous treatment. I certainly did not think of myself as “advanced,” but I was twice initiated, a Pujari, and capable of very effectively and respectfully responding to questions from this young Bhakta who faced me. I’ll call him, “Bhakta X.”

When I had completed changing, and my materials were stowed in the little AWOL bag I carried around back then, Bhakta X said, “What is your name?”

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To make room at the temple barn for the new jerseys, 4 of the 5 Holstein heifers have moved to the pasture below the state road at Bahulaban. To get maximum growth it is best to supplement pasturage with grain.

What to speak of, they like eating grain, as their eagerness with Jayaprabhupada in this photo demonstrates.

The 5th one is still at the barn as she is showing signs of coming fresh (16.) soon.

( from the Deity Cookbook compiled in the 1970’s)
Make a Chaunce With:
2 Tbsp. Ghee
11/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Pepper
1  Tsp. Asafoetida
1/2 Tsp. Thyme
2 Tbsp. Chopped Coriander Leaves
In a Pan of Ghee, Deep Fry 6 Potatoes Until Golden.  Add Potatoes to Chaunce.  Add 1 Cup Steamed Peas. Mix Well, and cook 5 Minutes.
 

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by Will Lewis

We have been very busy in the garden the last couple of weeks, trying to catch up from the bad weather and all. Mostly what we have been doing is getting the beds ready for planting, planting, weeding, mulching, manuring, tilling, and a little bit of harvesting.

In the educational garden we have planted lettuce, bitter melon, bodhi beans, tomatoes, peppers, spinach, basil, coriander, parsley, radishes, sunflowers, and lots of kale.

We have harvested radishes and lettuce. In the garden of seven gates we have planted chard, beets, lettuce, bush beans, oats, 100 asparagus plants, and around 160 tomato plants.

We recieved 40 flats of vegetables two days ago from West Virginia State University. These consisted of tomatoes, peppers, basil, coriander, chives, okra, squash, tomatilla, and melons.

So far it is looking good. We feel that we will have a great harvest this year. We still have a lot more to plant though to get everything in the earth. Please come and visit and see what all is going on.

Continuing with our photographic journey through the 2007 Festival of Inspiration, today we gaze upon some of the sweetly expressive faces and deeds of the transcendental personalities whose dust we were all lucky to walk upon throughout the entire Festival weekend.

DEVOTEES PAR EXCELLENCE

Did I say sweetly expressive faces?…As I have said, in the week leading up to the Festival, our New Vrindaban Brahmacari Action Team works very hard, and Caitanya Prabhu certainly leads by the best example. He is very very verrrry enthusiastic to serve the lotus feet of the Brijabasis, so much so that he often loses control of limbs and logic and has any variety of unfortunate accident. Here, Jagadish Caitanya points out just such a mishap during our clearing of the overgrowth from the main driveway leading to the Temple.

Throughout the weekend, there was one constant…our dear kuli-bhakta Dave dancing in many ways and forms, often with a cup of mango ice cream in his hand, around the continuous kirtan going on under the gazebo. Here, Dave takes on his alter-ego Bhajan Dave, and becomes the show. It’s a gas to hear and play alongside him, seeing the progress he and all his comrades (like Rupi and Prahlada) are making on the kirtan front. The future looks very bright.

At large gatherings of devotees, there is always one personality that absolutely blows me away. At this year’s Festival, it was His Grace Sgt. Partha Sartha Prabhu, seen here worshiping his awesome, battle-tested collection of silas. His ferocious Nrshima sila, seen below, has joined Partha Sartha for three previous tours of duty in Iraq, and will be protecting him for his upcoming fourth tour of duty. While in Iraq, Partha Sartha engages his charges in chanting the maha-mantra, reading Prabhupada’s books, and even engaging in Ratha-Yatra for the benefit of all those who are certainly suffering from the most intense material pangs of Kali-Yuga. His endeavor, austerity, and humility are an immense inspiration, and we should all pray for his safe return to a lifetime of further devotional bliss.

This is the one-and-only Calvin Prabhu from Orlando, whose fancy, rapid-fire footwork during the weekend’s ecstatic kirtans dazzled the senses of all those in attendance into submission. I look forward to spending the twilight years of my devotional life in parikrama in Vrndavana with dear Calvin, speaking sweet katha and remembering these salad days of youthful adventures driving into backwoods West Virginia towns just to find an ATM.

Who is this masked super-devotee? Rumor has it this may be the legendary Yugal Kishore Prabhu, the very life-and-soul of the New Vrindaban Brahmacari Ashram and of so many devotees across the greater 48 of the U.S.A. If this is true, and this is actually Yugal, then no doubt he ushered hundreds of hungry devotees all at once to partake of the sumptuous feasts being offered all weekend. If there was a hungry devotee on the grounds, Yugal instantly expanded himself to find this hungry devotee and offer them a plateful of the finest Prasad. Yugal is truly a man of mystery, and there is no one like him in all the three worlds.

And to top it all off, our dear Radha-Vrindaban Chandra were decorated to the nines, surrounded by a beautiful floral display put together by our expert Deity worship team. I do pray this vision of nectar transports you to Goloka as easily as it did and does for all of us Brijabasis.

The final installment of this photo essay is coming in the next few days. Stay tuned!

“The control of the Lord is everywhere, and if the Lord is pleased, every part of nature will be pleased. The river will flow profusely to fertilize the land; the oceans will supply sufficient quantities of minerals, pearls and jewels; the forest will supply sufficient wood, drugs and vegetables, and the seasonal changes will effectively help produce fruits and flowers in profuse quantity.

“The artificial way of living depending on factories and tools can render so-called happiness only to a limited number at the cost of millions. Since the energy of the mass of people is engaged in factory production, the natural products are being hampered, and for this the mass is unhappy. Without being educated properly, the mass of people are following in the footsteps of the vested interests by exploiting natural reserves, and therefore there is acute competition between individual and individual and nation and nation.”
SB 1.10.5

The barn was definitely the place to be this morning. After the arrival of five new Jersey cows yesterday, the devotees were anxious to see their new neighbors. Bhakta Will, Jaya Sri Prabhuji, and Bhakta Emmanuel were in attendance along with us regulars, Jaya Prabhupada Prabhuji and myself. The new girls were hesitant to take grain but quickly warmed up. They are small and sweeter than ever. At eighteen months, these girls are about the same size of our two bull calves, Keshava and Madhava, who are celebrating five months today. The generous family donors will arrive this weekend to attend the name giving ceremony and fire yajna. All are invited to attend.

Our mothers, Tulasi and Ganga are doing well and still giving in total between eight to twelve gallons of milk every day. The milking times have changed to 6am and 6pm. No excuses now that the weather is beautiful, so visit your mothers and engage your cowherd friends in some cow katha! Soon to come: urine taste testing and cow patty making.

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