New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

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I meditate on Vrndavana, where the cuckoos sing the fifth note, the flute plays splendid melodies, peacocks sing and dance, vines and trees bloom, splendid and charming forests are wonderful with many birds and deer, and there are many splendid lakes, streams and hills.

Residents and guests of New Vrindaban greet Srila Prabhupada outside the original Vrindaban farmhouse during an early morning walk, June 1976.

A conversation between Srila Prabhupada and some of his disciples as they tour Madhuban & a Vegetable Garden in New Vrindaban – June 22nd, 1976.

Thanks to Vanipedia for the transcript.

Kirtanananda: This is our farm up in here. Lord Jagannatha is staying there now while He is ill. Our big Lord Jagannatha is going to Cleveland tomorrow for Ratha-yatra festival.

Prabhupada: Oh. It is the first time?

Kirtanananda: Yes. They have a big cart, and they will go down the main street.

Prabhupada: How far it is?

Kirtanananda: How far to Cleveland? About 130 miles. [break] Our land is on the left side.

Prabhupada: Oh. So this land, how you are utilizing it?

Kirtanananda: We are growing a kind of grass, sudan grass. Then we cut that and put it in the tall silos for the cows to eat in the winter.

Prabhupada: In the winter this is all covered with snow?

Kirtanananda: Most of the winter not. We get maybe six inches during the whole winter. [break] …a lot of land now that’s not our land. We are farming a lot of land now that is not our land. We lease it, or do it on shares.

Prabhupada: Oh. What is the share, half?

Kirtanananda: Sometimes half, more likely a third, sometimes a quarter. We like that.

Prabhupada: Quarter for the proprietor?

Kirtanananda: Yes. There are many people that have a lot of land, and they don’t want to do it themselves. But the hay has to be cut every year, otherwise the trees come, and then the land degenerates. So they like to have it cut. [break]

Prabhupada: …land can be cultivated also?

Kirtanananda: Yes, it could be. It would be very good land. [break] …our own lumber now also. Cutting our own trees.

Prabhupada: That is the nature’s way. You cut the lumber and make cottage, and the land is clear, then cultivate, get you food, and cows, give them grass.

Kirtanananda: [break] …woods around here.

Prabhupada: Why it is there is no fog here? Due to the trees? It is clear.

Kirtanananda: There’s a river up that way, and I think there’s more fog up that—it’s always like that, I don’t know exactly why. [break]

Prabhupada: …in the jungle?

Kirtanananda: Deer.

Prabhupada: Deer only.

Kirtanananda: Few fox.

Prabhupada: Fox also. And fox, they come to our temple?

Kirtanananda: No.

Prabhupada: No. Fox, they eat men? No.

Kirtanananda: Not usually. Only if they get sick, rabies, then they’ll attack. They eat rabbits and rodents.

Prabhupada: Deer also?

Kirtanananda: Deer are vegetarian, they eat grain.

Prabhupada: No.

Devotee (1): Fox will eat the deer?

Kirtanananda: Oh, I don’t think.

Devotee (1): Saw a lynx, a big cat.

Prabhupada: Eh?

Devotee (1): A lynx, a small cat.

Kirtanananda: Something like a little wildcat.

Prabhupada: They eat, they’re eaten by the fox?

Kirtanananda: They’ll eat the fox. They’re very rare though.

Prabhupada: Jivo jivasya jivanam.

ahastani sahastanam
apadani catus-padam
phalguni tatra mahatam
jivo jivasya jivanam

The handless animal is the food for the animal with hands. This is the beginning of life. Uncivilized man eats the animals. Apadani catus-padam: these grass, plants, they are for the catus-padam, four-legged. Cows, deer, goats, they eat. And those who are weak, they are for the strong. In this way, this is the nature’s way. Jivo jivasya jivanam. One life, a living entity is food for another. (dogs barking) Immigration department. (laughter) We have got passport. (laughter) That’s all right.

Kirtanananda: This is a dog’s business.

Prabhupada: Dog’s business. Without any fault, they’ll chastise. We have no fault, still they are chastising. Durlabham manusam janma. You have got this independence. Little independence, more than the animals.

Kirtanananda: It’s the end of the road, so I think we can turn here.

Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. [break]…. in the kitchen, this wood or gas?

Kirtanananda: Both. Mostly wood.

Prabhupada: There are so many jungles, we can use wood.

Kirtanananda: Actually we like it better.

Prabhupada: Oh, yes, it is better, nice.

Kirtanananda: But it is a little dirty. Unless you change it to charcoal, there was always some smoke. This is not ours. Our property comes down this way, but not on this corner. [break] …land, Prabhupada, and they say overpopulation.

Prabhupada: In the beginning, I protest against this assertion, there is overpopulation. I never admitted. Perhaps you know.

Kirtanananda: Yes.

Prabhupada: There is no overpopulation. If the Americans allow the Chinese and the Indians to come, they can develop all these un…. “No, this is our land, you cannot come,” immigration, gow gow. [break] …creek is pure water?

Kirtanananda: Yes, the water around here is very nice. We can dam it and have big lake.

Prabhupada: If there is no foam that means it is nice water. Foam means sinful water.

Devotee (2): In Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna explains that the soul is situated in the body but he’s not the performer of activities. In other words, he does nothing within the body, and yet…

Prabhupada: Where it is said he does nothing?

Devotee (2): There’s a verse that says the self-realized soul, when he sees the activities of evacuation or moving or so many things, he understands that it is the body alone which is working. So how is it that we see in a dead body, when the soul has gone, there are none of these activities? So it appears, though, the soul is the principle in the body that is performing all these activities. Otherwise, how is it that the dead body, when the soul is gone, is also not carrying on so many functions?

Prabhupada: So long the soul is there, the activities of the body are there. Otherwise not. That is explained—habit. Knowingly, unknowingly. Just like a child is passing urine. He does not know that he’s passing, but the body’s action is going on like that. But if the child is dead, there will be no more passing. Like that. So long the body is alive, things are happening automatically. Just like this tree, so long it is alive the leaves are coming out, the flowers are coming out, although the trees have no developed consciousness. (pause) In Bhagavatam we see that when Nanda Maharaja felt some disturbances from the demons, they decided to change the place. And they immediately, from Gokula, they immediately went to Vrndavana. But we don’t find anything that they had to take permission. Hmm?

Kirtanananda: That’s right.

Prabhupada: So that means formerly this was the system. If there is any vacant land, one can go and live there. There’s no question of permission. When you live there and you make your professional activities, then the king will come, take little tax.

Kirtanananda: That used to be the system here. They called it “homesteaders.” If you would go and make you home there, you could have the land.

Prabhupada: That is not for the foreigners. If some Chinese men or Indian want to come…

Kirtanananda: It used to be. But not anymore for anybody.

Prabhupada: Just see. Why?

Kirtanananda: Because it has become very profitable for people to keep it. Because people are making money on it now.

Prabhupada: Money they must make; otherwise, why they should come? But what is the objection? Just like in the marketplace, still, in India, the system is, the marketplace, anyone can go and sell his goods, and when he’s selling, the proprietor takes some contribution. Not that he has to take permission. He’s selling there, that’s all right, “Give me some…, a little contribution.” The king has the right to tax for maintenance.

Devotee (3): Srila Prabhupada, when we take that which is not our quota, by using, wasting a lot of clean water, how is that perfect and complete, om purnam ? How are things still perfectly complete even when we’re wasting and destroying it?

Prabhupada: Why you should waste? Wasting is not allowed. [break] …our car?

Kirtanananda: No, it belonged to the man who formerly owned the property.

Prabhupada: So how it is broken?

Kirtanananda: Some vandals. There’s no one living here, he just left it. (in car:) This farm is for sale now.

Prabhupada: There is no limit of purchasing?

Kirtanananda: Only limit is money.

Prabhupada: No, I mean to say as in India there is limit, that you…

Kirtanananda: No, government puts no limit.

Prabhupada: There is no land, therefore there is limit. [break]

Kirtanananda: Cauliflower, peas, beets, carrots, lettuce, spinach…

Prabhupada: Potato?

Kirtanananda: Potato, broccoli,

Prabhupada: Broccoli? What is that?

Kirtanananda: It is something like cauliflower.

Pus?a Krsna: It’s that green vegetable, Srila Prabhupada, that’s like cauliflower.

Prabhupada: Cabbage?

Kirtanananda: Cabbage, peppers.

Prabhupada: That is nice, so many. Tomato.

Kirtanananda: But most things are not yet fructified. This is early in our season. Peas will be ready just shortly. Lettuce is ready.

Prabhupada: Vegetables, ghee, milk, wheat, then what do you want more?

Kirtanananda: The wheat is just about ready for harvest.

Prabhupada: No, I mean to say we can grow all these things and eat very nicely. Where is economic problem? Yajnad bhavati parjanyo parjanyad anna-sambhava?. [break]

Kirtanananda: It’s full of cow stool and urine.

Prabhupada: Accha, for fertilizer?

Kirtanananda: Yes, fertilizer. Nothing is wasted.

Prabhupada: You can make gas also.

Kirtanananda: Yes. That was originally an oil tank. (end)

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ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 12-08-2013

Mission Statement: ECO-Vrindaban (Earth, Cows, Opportunities & Vrindaban Villages) is dedicated to cow protection, sustainable agriculture, self-sufficiency and simple living — all centered around loving service to Sri Krishna, as envisioned by the ISKCON New Vrindaban Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Participating Board Members: Anuttama (first half of meeting), Chaitanya Mangala, Madhava Gosh, Navin Shyam, and Ranaka.

Advisors present: Jaya Krsna

1. Garden of Seven Gates (G7G) manager & ECOV responsibility

WHEREAS: In line with its mission, the ECOV Board wishes to actively promote the production and use of food grown locally in New Vrindaban.

RESOLVED: The Board hereby authorizes the creation of a new management position, the Food Production Manager (FPM), whose duties and salary will be determined by ECOV management.

The need for an ECOV President or other general manager to oversee projects and overall operations was also considered. Further discussion will resume after the FPM is found, but it was recognized that the first step is creating a job description.

2. Madhuban grove

WHEREAS: The ECOV Board wishes to continue developing the Madhuban orchard.

RESOLVED: The Board authorizes up to $2,200 for continuing the maintenance of food-producing trees on the Madhuban site in 2014. The Food Production Manager will manage the project once that position is filled. In the interim, Rafael, the proponent of the project, will report to Ranaka and be advised by Madhava Gosh.

3. 2014 operating budget

This will be discussed at the Annual Meeting in January, along with review of the 2013 budget.

4. Bahulaban barn deconstruction

Gosh will follow up with an Amish group to get a quote.

5. Bahulaban utility building temporary repairs

Navin Shyam will contact Gopisa to ensure that this is moving forward.

6. Bahulaban pink building demolition

Completed.

7. Deity flower garden

The $341.40 2013 budget overage will be taken out of the manager’s discretionary fund.

Gosh is currently acting as the Project Manager, with involvement from Vidya dasi.

8. Garden of Seven Gates related grants: Irrigation, greenhouses & pole barn

The Board deferred consideration of the high-tunnel greenhouse and pole barn projects pending the hiring of the FPM. The irrigation project is nearly complete, but more funding has been requested.

WHEREAS: The ECOV Board wishes to maintain good relations in the greater Wheeling community, and to fairly compensate those who work on ECOV projects.

RESOLVED: The Board requests Ranaka to meet with Andy Reed of Apogee Design and authorizes him to offer Andy up to $1,100 for additional unanticipated labor performed on the Garden of Seven Gates irrigation project.

Payment will be contingent, however, on Andy providing the relevant ECOV and/or INV individuals with the following:

• Operator Manual with diagrams;
• Final field instructions;
• A list of spare parts;
• Names and locations of suppliers where we can obtain spare parts and materials required for any future expansion of the project;
• Any other training and/or documentation requested by INV or ECOV during the course of the project.

9. G7G prototype cabin

Varsana Swami will be engaged to do some backfilling. A gutter system also needs to be installed. The budget overage ($227.38 to date) will either be addressed using the management discretionary fund or an augmentation of the project budget itself.

10. Grain storage

Storage bin purchase and set up completed.

11. Valley barn roof repair

Completed.

12. Bulk grain purchasing

INV has begun exploring suppliers for purchases of rice and various beans.

13. Legal research

Completed. There will be a need to further engage our attorney when we hear back from the IRS in regards to the integrated auxiliary application. We anticipate this to be in about a year and will allocate the necessary funds at that time.

14. New Vrindaban Master plan completion

WHEREAS: The ECOV Board wishes to reallocate funds for any project that is not making regular progress.

RESOLVED: The Board hereby returns to the general fund the remaining $5K budget allocated for the completion of a New Vrindaban Master Plan.

Heroic Servant Pulls Krishna’s Swan Boat Through The Water After Motor Goes “Kaput”!

by Gauranatraj das

Hare Krishna,

I am writing on behalf of the Congregational development team. Saturday June 22nd, we had the first swan boat festival of the of the season. All of us had given up hopes because of the weeds in the lake and the issues with the motor. But “Krishna” had other plans.

For almost 4 days the lake cleaning was going on but the amount of weeds had made it look as though this week it would be impossible to have the swan boat. We had a full house on the 22nd and a bus party eager to watch the swan boat. We also had someone sponsor it.

Finally we brought the dieties onto the boat and the boat started, somehow after a little hitches and stops it reached the other end where the guests and devotees lead by Parampara prabhu were ecstatically chanting. As the boat turned I noticed that there was one person behind the boat in the water and was moving along with the boat and he was none other than our hero “Josef” prabhu who was actually pulling the boat from the swan boat house to the ghat!!!!

Everyone was ecstatic, the sponsors were performing puja . I went up to Parampara prabhu and said , “Did you know, looks like our motor failed and Josef prabhu pulled the boat all the way by swimming in the water” as I said both me and Parampara pr had tears in our eyes. He then pulled the boat back all the way back to the swan boat house.

On the way back Jaya Krsna prabhu asked Josef prabhu “What happened” and Josef prabhu replied “Motor KAPUT!!!!” the motor was dead… and we had a human motor pushing the boat and the dieties. There are no words to describe this wonderful service by Josef prabhu.. He truly is the inspirational head of the congregation development team in New Vrindaban.

It’s time for New Vrindaban’s Transcendental Throwback Thursday!

Each week we highlight an earlier era in the history of ISKCON New Vrindaban and ask our readers to identify devotees in the photo.

This week there are ten people who can be named.

Extra credit if you spot the special “accessories” one of them is wearing.

Post your best guesses on the “who, what, when & where” in the comment section at the New Vrindaban Facebook Page.

Technical stuff: We post the photo Thursday and confirm known details Sunday.

Let’s have a bit of fun and see who knows their New Vrindaban history!

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This is in New Vrindaban  for the 2014 growing season. This is a compensated position.

Contact Madhava Gosh for details

gourdman8(at)gmail.com

Service Description

Department: Gardens & Produce

Mission: Make the gardens attractive, a place where pilgrims, visitors, and community members can find their connection with a natural way of living, create a proper service mood among the staff and support the temple with outstanding produce.

Goal: Produce vegetables and flowers for the New Vrindaban community as per Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. Make sure the garden looks attractive throughout the year. Engage staff and volunteers.

Job Title: Department Head Gardens and Produce

Authority: ECOV

Requirements/Skills:

Knowledge and experience in organic food production and garden management.
Interact and communicate in a friendly manner with visitors.
Supervise staff and volunteers, assign duties and evaluate service.
Value other people’s contributions and to express appreciation.
Deal with problems and time sensitive matters.
Organizational and administrative skills.
Steady, reliable, responsible, exemplary character.
Ability to follow budget and financial plan.

Responsibilities:

Plan the new season based on the needs of the temple.
Prepare the garden for each season (e.g. preparing the soil, planting the seeds, maintaining the crops, harvesting, etc.).
Managing daily operation of the gardens  including staff and volunteers.
Maintaining an attractive, healthy garden.
Managing budget and  controlling expenditures.
Inform  the kitchen one week in advance about planned harvest.
Food processing and storage.
Ensure safety for all staff members, volunteers and guests.
Comply with licensing laws, health, safety and and statutory regulations.
Care and maintenance of machinery and power tools as appropriate.
Attend meetings and training courses as required.

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Video of Ramdas leading New Vrindaban’s 24 Hour Kirtan – June 15th, 2013.

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THANKSGIVING DAY CLASS Given by Varsana Maharaja

THURS NOV 28 2013

The class is paraphrased below, entitled: “A Series of Losses”

SB 11.3.7

“Thus the conditioned living entity is forced to experience repeated birth and death. Impelled by the reactions of his own activities, he helplessly wanders from one inauspicious situation to another, suffering from the moment of creation until the time of cosmic annihilation. “

His Holiness Varsana Maharaj happily gives out sweets on his Vyasa Puja.

“A Series of Losses”

This verse helps us contemplate Thanksgiving Day. It actually sums up the nature of material existence!

Life in this material existence is a series of losses.

Birth means we lose the shelter of the womb, which, although a different type of suffering, has been our first shelter in the material world.

A child grows up and goes to school, where he loses the option of playing all day.

Eventually, a person grows up and gets a job, thus losing more of his/her freedom.

The person often marries or gets ordained, losing their choice of certain options.

When old age comes up, one often eventually loses their independence.

If one becomes ill, they’ve lost their health.

And when you die, you lose it all!

These are just the common losses suffered by everyone.  Many suffer other, more serious losses, such as loss of innocence through abuse, or loss of a loving relationship through betrayal. There is loss of security through abandonment.  There are many other types of losses.

But if a person doesn’t heal from such losses, this can lead to a deeper loss: the loss of hope!  Such inevitable pain may lead to bitterness, where the heart can become cold, hard and closed.

But we have a choice. Whatever choice we make as a result of severe loss can change our lives for the better and turn us toward Krsna and all that He has to offer, or we can turn towards a life of blaming, hatred and resentment, and shame.

We can choose to take responsibility for the reaction to our losses, or we can rationalize them, and blame others for them.

We can listen to the gentle voice within that encourages us to take the responsibility and to learn the lesson, whatever that is.

Not that we musn’t  mourn or grieve the losses.  Even great, saintly souls like Bhisma grieved after the Battle of Kuruksetra. But there is a difference in a great soul’s grieving and mourning a loss, and a materialist’s grieving.  The great soul does NOT IDENTIFY with the grief and loss.  Their tears serve to wash away the illusion of false security, and expose the bitter truth of our brokenness..

Ultimately, we choose to either be resentful, or have gratitude.

Even the mundane hero , Abraham Lincoln, created this holy day of Thanksgiving to give gratitude in the midst of the most troubling time in America’s history – the civil war, when everything was torn apart.  He declared, “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens”.

Our challenge when we suffer a loss is to see the essence beneath the surface.  What is the lesson?  What is Krsna trying to impart to me?

Life on Earth has a beginning and an end, but in between, each and every one of us has a choice what to do with it. Every loss, every closing chapter, opens another chapter in our lives.

There is a big difference between being grateful FOR the injustices, which is very difficult if not impossible at times, but rather let’s be grateful IN the injustices, and choose to learn from them.  Injustices will come, so be grateful in them  and learn the lesson.

Lord Indra learned his hard lesson after Krsna stopped the worship of Indra for the Govardhana Puja worship.  Indra finally admitted, “Krsna, you are my maintainer, my well-wisher, my best friend. Thank you.”

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The Ghosh Brothers, accompanied by the Mayapuris, perform their song, “Radhe Radhe” at the 2013 Festival of Colors outside Srila Prabhupada’s Palace in New Vrindaban.

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