New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Video of Lilasuka Dasi leading New Vrindaban’s Kartik 24 Hour Kirtan – October 19th, 2013.

He who renounces all the opulences of his household life, who leaves his wife, children and other relatives and friends decorated with good qualities, who ignores the great respect everyone offers to him, who renounces the duties of ordinary piety, who does not become even slightly softened at heart by the repeated protests of mother, father, and other superiors, and who goes to Vrndavana, is proclaimed by all to be the most fortunate of all fortunate persons.

Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, Sataka-2, Text-52, Translation.]

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The Ramayana –A Staged Reading of the Musical by Krpamaya das (John Sherwood)

written by Lilasuka dasi

The Ramayana –

A Staged Reading of the Musical by Krpamaya (John Sherwood)

By Lilasuka dasi

What is a “staged reading”, you may ask? On Sat. Apr. 26, many of us witnessed a staged reading and learned that it is a play or musical which is read, spoken and sung by the cast, with the purpose of getting valuable feedback from the audience to help in the ultimate production of the play.

Jaya Rama Sri Rama Bhajan

The staged reading was orchestrated by Krpamaya das (John Sherwood), a long-time resident Vaisnava at New Vrindaban, who has had this grand musical performance of the “Ramayana – Past in Present” inside his mind for many years, and it is finally well on its way to becoming a dream come true. Krpamaya das is an excellent guitarist and pianist, as well as a singer and all-round musician.   He is a father and grandfather, who recently went back to school at West Liberty University, majoring in music and theater. Some of his fellow students agreed to participate in the staged reading, skillfully reading the parts of the characters Rama, Sita, Lakshman, Hanuman, Ravana, his queen, Jatayu, Kaikeyi, King Dasarath and Vibhishan, and doing a lot of expert singing.

Ramayana Staged Reading Cast

Krpamaya has said, “I hope to integrate my skills in presenting Krsna Consciousness through the performing arts.”

Michael Aulick, a theater director at West Liberty University, and one of Krpamaya’s professors, collaborated very strongly with him through the whole process and was present at the staged reading, directing and encouraging the cast. “I couldn’t have done this without Mike,” declared Krpamaya.

The Audience is Impressed

The feedback seemed to be genuinely appreciated by the devotees and guests in the audience, as well as the cast members from West Liberty University. They were all very pleased with the results. “The Ramayana-Past in Present” had taken on a life of its own.

The Happy Producer and Composer, Krpamaya

A view of the Garden of Seven Gates from on top of the hill.

Greetings from the Garden…
Over the last two weeks the gardens here at New Vrindaban have begun there early summer transformation. The Meditation Garden located at the back of the temple beside the kitchen has flourishing oregano, new azalea bushes, calendula, and more. Its a great place to spend some time and soon we will have the new lattice fence completed. The Apothecary Teaching garden has now been completely planted soon there will be more than 50 beds of flowers and greens. Dr. Nick and his crew have done an amazing job on the new fence.
This past week we had 10 guest volunteers from an Intentional community East Winds in Missouri. They were and amazing help in all three gardens. Their extra hands and gardening experience could not have come at a better time. In the Garden of Seven Gates we now have a field of buckwheat growing for a cover crop. We have planted some new perennials such as strawberries, elderberries, blueberries, and additional asparagus. We have three community members that are contract growing for us this year within the Garden of Seven Gates. Their gardens include paste tomatoes, cucumbers, and broccoli. Other annual crops in the garden include: peas, green beans, soy beans, watermelon, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, squash, sweet potatoes, quinoa, sunflowers, lettuce, spinach, kale, radishes, and countless beautiful flowers.

Each week I try to include a helpful gardening tip….. This week my advice is to watch out for flea beetles. Growing organically can be difficult and it is very important to regularly check your plants for bugs or the signs of damage. Flea beetles are particularly attracted to members of the brassica family (kale, cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts) and eggplant. They are tiny fast moving black beetles, almost to small to see. What you will see is the damage to the leaves of the plant. They leave tiny holes all through the leaves and with enough damage it will kill the plant. The best defense is keeping the plants under floating row cover to protect them from the bugs. We are also using ECOTEC which is an organic spray that is made of concentrated mint oils. Its safe enough to spray and harvest the same day. Have a great week in the garden.

By displaying a great abundance of transcendental wealth, love for Vrndavana Forest laughs at millions of Kuveras. By displaying great power of intelligence, love for Vrndavana forest eclipses a great host of intelligent Brhaspatis. That love removes the lamentation of separation from wife, children and others. Because it is filled with the nectar of love for Lord Krsna, love for Vrndavana is the supreme object of worship for Sukadeva Gosvami, Prahlada Maharaja and the great devotees.

Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, Sataka-2, Text-51, Translation.]

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Srila Prabhupada at the original New Vrindaban farmhouse, 1969.

Srila Prabhupada Envisions New Vrindaban Janmastami Celebrations To Be Held “With Great Pomp” And For His Followers To Make Pilgrimage Annually – May 1970.

From a series of letters written by Srila Prabhupada outlining his vision for New Vrindaban.

Thanks to Vanipedia for the source material.

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May 22, 1970

My Dear Hayagriva,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16th May, 1970. I am very glad you are coming here by the 6th of June next, and it will be a great opportunity to discuss at that time about New Vrindaban, and other affairs.

Your remark on the student demonstration is quite appropriate. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura said that materialistic knowledge is another expansion of the influence of Maya. The result of material education is that the living entity forgets his own identification and takes to the business of a particular type of body which is given to him by the grace of Maya. The Vedic education means one has to understand his real identity as brahman or the spirit soul. Unfortunately the modern educational system is so defective that everyone is educated to accept this body as self. At the present moment they have no clear idea of identification, so much so that even a person who is partially advanced about the importance of the soul does also improperly identify himself with the Supreme Brahma.

So Krsna Consciousness Movement is meant for defying both classes of men; namely the karmis and the jnanis or yogis. That is our mission. Now among our students those who are advanced should take up this matter more seriously, and the Movement which you have started may not be stopped for want of adequate preachers—that is my request to you all. I am very glad to know that Kirtanananda Maharaja has now taken up this matter seriously and is preaching. Similarly I expect our advanced students like you, Rupanuga, Bhagavan das, Brahmananda, etc., may be seriously engaged now for preaching this cult.

Yes, I have received the tape as well as your “Chant” booklet. I am sorry they were not acknowledged earlier. I have asked Boston to send you the KRSNA tapes for part II. They are already edited, and it is nice, still you can have a final glance over it. After your final editing is the work retyped by Syama dasi.

If I go to New Vrindaban, I will go during Janmastami festival there to see how Kirtanananda Maharaja has arranged. We have to make program that the Janmastami ceremony is held in New Vrndavana with great pomp—as much as the Rathayatra festival is to be performed in San Francisco. Similarly I propose to have great festival in Honolulu which is now New Navadvipa. This festival is to be observed during the Advent of Lord Caitanya’s birthday. In this way the students should meet in these different important places at least 3 to 4 times in a year so that the work in different centers may go on uniformly.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS:db

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New Vrindaban’s Transcendental Throwback Thursday – 05/29/14.

Each week we highlight an earlier era of ISKCON New Vrindaban.

This week’s challenge: There are 14 recognizable faces in this photo. How many can you identify?

What to do: Post your guesses on the “who, what, when, where & why” in the comment section at the New Vrindaban Facebook Page.

Technical stuff: We share a photo Thursday and confirm known details Sunday. Let’s keep it light and have a bit of fun!

Special request: If you have a photo showing New Vrindaban devotees in action, share it with us and we’ll use it in a future posting.

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Video of Jayadevi Dasi leading New Vrindaban’s Kartik 24 Hour Kirtan – October 19th, 2013.

Srila Prabhupada, 1969, at New Vrindaban’s “Old Vrindaban” farm.

Srila Prabhupada  Writes Of Deciding To Spend 4 Months Of Each Year In New Vrindaban  – June 1969.

From a series of letters written by Srila Prabhupada outlining his vision for New Vrindaban.

Thanks to Vanipedia for the source material.

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June 01, 1969

Dear Dayananda,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated May 25, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. If a new temple site in Los Angeles is absolutely required to be moved in a bigger place, that should be your first business. For my place you may find a place near the temple, and it should be independent of any other tenants. It may be a small cottage, but it should be independent with a little compound surrounding. That will be very nice. I think there are many small cottages near the place, Hayworth Avenue. When I was walking on Oakwood Avenue there were many places there. I remember one at the junction of Oakwood and Harper. So this place, or a similar independent place, never mind how small, will be very convenient for me. I have already written to Tamala Krishna that if I am not invited to London during the month of June, then sometimes in July early I shall go to San Francisco to see the Rathayatra Festival there, and then I will come down to Los Angeles. But I have decided that I shall spend four months in New Vrindaban and eight months in Los Angeles. That will be my regular program.

Please convey my blessings to your good wife, Nandarani, and your nice little daughter, Candramukhi. I hope this will meet you all in very good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Video of Abhay Dasa leading New Vrindaban’s Kartik 24 Hour Kirtan – October 19th, 2013.