New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Srila Prabhupada in New Vrindaban.

Srila Prabhupada Visits New Vrindaban – July 1st, 1976.

Excerpt from Hari Sauri’s Trancendental Diary.

Prabhupada didn’t take a walk today and his Srimad-Bhagavatam discourse lasted only fifteen minutes. He is still weak and congested with mucus. But whether he speaks for a long time or a short one, he is potent and effective. He can make his point in a few words or extensively. His meaning is always clear.

The verses stated that no person bereft of knowledge of God has ever been able to free himself of material bondage. Prahlada therefore advised his young school friends to avoid the association of such persons and live only with the devotees of Narayana because their only goal of life is liberation from material existence.

Prabhupada told us that although the goal is to go back home, back to Godhead, if we have even a slight material desire then we may have to take birth on some higher planet. He said these were described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and he disparaged the scientists once again for their mechanical attempts to reach such places. “Very, very opulent, we cannot imagine even how they are opulent. The roads are made of pearls, diamonds, coral. And at the same time, no sinful man is admitted there. Everyone highly elevated, pious, there is no crookedness. There is no enviousness. You’ll find this description in the Eighth Canto, of Svargaloka.We cannot imagine even. But that is also within this material world. We can go there if we want to go. Just like they are trying, the modern so-called scientist, to go to the moon planet, Mars. According to sastra, these planets are bedecked with such descriptive facilities. They are also within the heavenly planets. But these rascals are going, and they find nobody there, and they take some dust and come back. This is their success. They do not know that they cannot enter even there. They are not meant for ordinary persons.”

Despite this opulence Prabhupada told us, the devotees are not at all interested to go there. They have a much higher destination. “They are interested to go to Vrndavana and become a grass there. This is devotee. Just like Uddhava, as soon as he entered Vrndavana, he immediately fell down on the road thinking that ‘On this street Krsna has walked, His friends have walked, there are footprints.’ So this is the ambition of a devotee. They are not interested for diamond roads or pearl roads, no.”

Therefore he said, a devotee avoids the association of those attracted to sense enjoyment, especially those who are attached to sex. He gave a one word summary of material existence and said that by correct association one becomes free of it. “We have several times explained. Pavarga, means material suffering. Pa means parisrama, always working hard, day and night. And pha, phena, foam coming out of my mouth. Pa, pha, ba, still baffled. Bha is fearfulness. Pa, pha, ba, bha and ma, mrtyu, at last, death. This is called pavarga. And apavarga means just to counteract this pavarga. So in one life if we try to associate with the devotees and engage in Narayana’s service sincerely. … Maybe a little difficult. There is no difficulty. Where is the difficulty? We can see practically. To chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra and take prasadam, is there any difficulty? There is no difficulty. It is so pleasing.”

His conclusion was that we should finish our business inmediately in this life. “Krsna consciousness means fully become detached with this material enjoyment, simply become engaged in Krsna’s service. Your life will be successful. Thank you very much.”

* * *

I brought some mango ice cream, made by the devotees, and Srila Prabhupada decided to have some. He doesn’t eat much of anything, and didn’t take a lot, but he liked it and he, Pusta Krsna, Pradyumna and myself chatted as he ate.

The conversation started out with more critique on the Mars probe. We supplied some details, culled from the newspapers and as always, Srila Prabhupada was entirely skeptical about what he termed as a childish attempt and a complete waste of money. He had said as much ten years ago, he told us, when they so-called went to the moon. Now, he said, there is no more talk of the moon yet so much money was spent. As far as he was concerned, they never went. He was only surprised that people so readily accept the scientists’ speculations. He laughed and said we were fools and rascals for believing them.

We had to agree that what they are doing is entirely pointless. I said there was no proper reason for any of it because they aren’t improving their actual living standards by their effort. I compared it to the jnani, who thinks advancement is just to simply acquire any amount of knowledge but without any practical use.

Srila Prabhupada agreed and immediately supplied a Sanskrit verse. “They are described: Klisyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye. Simply works hard simply to know things. No benefit. These rascals are like that.” He wasn’t just talking about the scientists either. “Yes, it is mentioned in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Any process you accept, rejecting devotional service, the result will be that there is no profit.” He said it was like beating the empty husks of rice. “You simply labor for nothing, as much as to beat the husk, you’ll never get the rice, it will simply be tiresome, that’s all. Just like so-called religion. There is no faith in God. There is no need of God, and ‘religion.’ This is nonsense. Religion means without God? This is going on. God, you can accept anyone — Ramakrishna Mission. He was a fool, illiterate rascal, Ramakrishna — he became ‘God.’ They have no standard, and they are propagating Ramakrishna Mission. As we are preaching Krsna is God, they are preaching Ramakrishna. And who’s accepting them? For the last hundred years, they are preaching. So who has become a devotee of Ramakrishna?”

Prabhupada said that when there is no idea of real religion, anything, even atheism, can be passed off as religion. He tipped his head toward the dictionary and told me to look up the meaning of religion.

I read out the definitions. “It says, ‘Religion. One. Monastic condition, being a monk or a nun, enter into a monastic order. Two. Practice of sacred rites. Three. One of the prevalent systems of faith and worship, i.e. Christian, Mohammedan, etc. Four. Human recognition of superhuman controlling power and especially of a personal God entitled to obedience; effect of such recognition on conduct and mental attitude.'”

Prabhupada nodded at this. “This is religion — personal conception of God.”

Then I read the final entry. “Action that one is bound to do.”

Prabhupada liked that also. “Yes. Everything is there. Anyone of them you take. ‘One is bound to do.’ Dharmena hina pasubhih samanah. If he does not do, then he’s animal. It must be done. There is no question of optional. If you are human being, you must be religious, you must recognize the supreme controller. Otherwise, you are animal. … Without reference to God, what is the meaning of sacred rites? Accepting the supreme controller. That is the real meaning. At least, Christian religion accepts God. Mohammedan religion accepts God, or Hindu religion accepts God. So without God how it can be religion? If there is no understanding of God, the conclusion comes that there is no religion. fictitious. We ‘trust in God,’ but do not know what is God. This is going on.

“So we have to fight against all this nonsense. Nonsense scientists, nonsense religionists. What do you think? It is not easygoing, sleeping business. We have to fight with so many demons.”

In this, his criticism stretched to his own Godbrothers. According to his spiritual master, Prabhupada said, if one does not go out and preach, he will simply beg, eat and sleep. “As all our Godbrothers are doing. They have got a little temple, and a few devotees go and beg rice and cook it and eat and sleep, that’s all.”

Pusta Krsna said it was like being dead.

“No fighting spirit,” Prabhupada said. He was neither facetious nor cynical, just quietly matter-of-fact. “Thakura dekhiya. Just make a Deity, and show. Our Tirtha Maharaja is doing that. His whole idea was, that ‘I have now captured the birthplace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu by high court favor. Now I have got everything. People will come and they will pay something and that will be my income for my family.’ A means of livelihood. He has no devotion. He wanted as a means of income, like the Vrndavana Gosvamis, Navadvipa Gosvamis do. Little devotion, automatically, there is. They are, after all, worshiping the Deity. But their purpose is different.”

He used New Vrindaban as a fitting comparison. “Just like we have established Radha-Vrndavanacandra, not that people will come and pay something. Who will come here? In this foreign country or in this secluded place? So our aim is to make the devotees, real devotees. Not for earning money. When we establish a center in a place like this, where is the idea of getting money?” He laughed. “Who will come here? One, it is a foreign country, nobody knows what is Krsna. And one has to come with so great difficulty, on the mountain. And who is coming to pay for it? After spending so much money, they will come here to pay?

“Our process is that wherever we stay we worship Krsna. As far as possible. That we are doing. Not for earning money but for spending money. Now Tirtha Maharaja is seeing that without getting Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s birthsite, Swami Maharaja [Prabhupada], he is attracting lakhs of people. Without the favor of high court, he is attracting. That is his envy. This year, you were not present [in Mayapur]?”

I thought he was referring to the outrageous tract Tirtha Maharaja had put out to proclaim his own success in attracting people from all over the world to Lord Caitanya’s birthsite.

Prabhupada though, wasn’t thinking of trivialities. He was thinking of the substance. “No, no,” Prabhupada said. “Apart from that leaflet — let him do whatever nonsense — but actually, on the birthday of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, there was the greatest crowd in our temple.”

He also recalled our visit in April to Madhava Maharaja’s temple in Vrndavana. It was deserted. There were no visitors nor even any residents and when one man did come he had to unlock the Deity doors to allow us to have darsana. “And that is on the prominent roadside,” Prabhupada pointed out. “And our temple is off. Still, so many people are coming. Neither there were inhabitants nor their outsider, visitors. Gate was closed, we had to open and enter. And he constructed temple at least for the last twenty years.”

Pusta Krsna suggested it was because they have no vision for expanding their preaching.

Srila Prabhupada put it down to something more mundane. “They make this moneymaking machine. They do not know the money will automatically come if you are sincere. You haven’t got to make it a machine. Money Krsna will send. But they have no faith in Krsna. They have faith in their own ability. ‘Yes, we shall earn money in this way, by showing the Deity.’ They don’t recognize Krsna’s everything. They think, ‘By high court judgment, if we capture this place, then money will come.'”

He also had the same observation to make about the Ramakrishna Mission. He disapproves not only their concocted Mayavadi philosophy “all paths lead to the same goal [yata mat, tata path]” but also the false propaganda they put out in India that Vivekananda conquered the West with his preaching. “They are working here for the last hundred years. What they have done? So many American boys and gentlemen are coming to our temple, we cannot give them place. We have to find out some other … and who is going to the Ramakrishna temple? If actually Vivekananda preached something, out of inquisitiveness they would have gone there — ‘We have heard so much about Ramakrishna and Vivekananda. Let us see what is there.’ Nobody goes. They do not know even the name. And we are already advertised all over the world, Hare Krsna movement. At least, everyone knows. Who knows Ramakrishna, Vivekananda?

“Just stick to this principle, then you will be successful. Bhaktim sreyah-srtim. That is the real welfare. Sreyah-srtim means ‘expands auspicity.'” He turned to the beautiful painting of baby Krsna and Nanda Maharaja. “And they want to become one with God. And here is not one, but God is so lower that He carries the shoe of His devotee.” He smiled. “Have they got any conception like this?”

* * *

As per his regular routine, when Srila Prabhupada awakens from his afternoon nap, we are offering him a fresh flower garland, some fruit juice and sandalwood paste for his forehead. The garlands are made from local wildflowers, which His Divine Grace likes a lot. Pusta Krsna Swami and I had a short chat with him today after he went into his study room. He mused a little on the questions he answered yesterday about the jnanis and the bhaktas. He was frank about all the gurus and swamis who have become so prominent in the West recently. “They do not know what is bhakti, what is Vedanta. They do not know. Simply aspiring, all after women and money, that’s all. I know all of them, all first-class rogues, after money and women.”

Because they are popular, he said, it was difficult to speak the truth about them because the public are also foolish rascals.

Pusta Krsna said he thought all of the others are trying to make some compromise.

Srila Prabhupada chuckled. “I don’t make any compromise. All my speaking is also no compromise. Here is guru, here is Krsna, here is God, here is Vedanta. Real version they neglect, and they stick to the rascal’s version, Sankara’s version, Sariraka-bhasya. All over India, they are reading Sariraka-bhasya.”

I asked him that since Ramanujacarya is well known in India, why don’t people read his commentary on Vedanta.

“They hate Ramanujacarya because he’s Vaisnava,” Prabhupada said.

“Because he doesn’t allow them to speculate,” I said.

Prabhupada nodded. “He is very strict. He is a stubborn enemy of Sankaracarya. All the Vaisnava acaryas. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, declare it: ‘If you hear the interpretation of Mayavadis, then you are doomed.’ You have no hope for spiritual advancement. This is the statement. finished, your spiritual life is finished.” He told Pusta Krsna, “You can write this also, that Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s instruction is strictly to avoid the so-called Vedantists.”

Prabhupada remained in his room and finished the questions and answers from Bhavan’s Journal. The first one of the session, question ten, caught my attention. It asked, “Will mantras lose their sanctity or holiness if they are not in the Sanskrit language?”

Srila Prabhupada explained that they are transcendental sounds and cannot be changed. “The sound must be vibrated. You cannot translate it. The sound as it is … Just like Hare Krsna maha-mantra, the sound must be produced. You cannot translate. Then it will be artha-vada [speculative interpretation]. That is prohibited. You cannot interpret or do other way … The sound vibration must be there. Then it will continue in sanctity.”

Pusta Krsna asked for clarification. “Is that to say the mantras can be written in Devanagari script or in Roman letters, but the sound must be the same?”

“Yes,” Prabhupada said. “The sound is important.”

It was another lengthy session. Altogether there are five hours of recordings. Now Pusta Krsna has to transcribe and edit them before sending them back to India.

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

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FLU PROTECTION

with Homeopathy…

Find out how to Protect and Support your Immune system prior, during and after a Flu outbreak.

Answers to such questions as:

• What is the best way to get immunity?

• “The best offense is a good defense.” How can I strengthen my immune system?

• Is the Flu virus really the enemy? Maybe it plays a role in improving health…

WHEN: December 1^st, 3PM

WHERE: Lodge building. Room to be announced

This is a free information session

 WORKSHOP GIVEN BY: Visvadhika dd (Joanne Alves DCHM)

Srila Prabhupada at the Bahulaban Temple, 1976.

Srila Prabhupada Visits New Vrindaban – June 30th, 1976.

Excerpt from Hari Sauri’s Trancendental Diary.

Srila Prabhupada was not well again today and had an ashen pallor when he came out of his room. He took only a very short walk, and for class simply had Pradyumna read the verse and purport and then speak on it.

The verse was a good descriptive of the typical materialist. “O my friends, sons of demons! In this material world, even those who are apparently advanced in education have the propensity to consider, ‘This is mine, and that is for others.’ Thus they are always engaged in providing the necessities of life to their families in a limited conception of family life, just like uneducated cats and dogs. They are unable to take to spiritual knowledge; instead, they are bewildered and overcome by ignorance.”

After hearing Pradyumna give his explanation Srila Prabhupada added just a few comments. He said he had personal experience of how foolish people become when they claim ownership of their surroundings. “We have seen practically in India. During the partition days, when the Britishers left India, they gave a parting kick by dividing Pakistan and India. So I have seen in my own eyes there was fighting between the Hindus and Muslims for at least one week in Calcutta and heaps of dead bodies there were. So the fighting was between Hindu and Muslim, but when they died the body is piled up and it was taken for burning or to throw away. So the land remained there and these people fighting between themselves, that ‘this is mine, this is mine,’ they finished their life. The land remained where it was. So this is called illusion. Aham mameti, ‘it is mine, it is yours.'”

He spoke for only five minutes and returned to the house. When Srila Prabhupada is unable to discourse on Krsna conscious philosophy, it is a serious matter indeed.

* * *

There have been confusing reports about the ownership of the temple in Fiji. Upendra has written expressing his concern and he enclosed a draft copy of a trust document and constitution. Money is being collected in ISKCON’s name, but it is unclear whether the deed of the land is actually in ISKCON’s name or privately held by Mr. Deoji Punja, Vasudeva dasa. Dealings between the GBC and Vasudeva prabhu are said to be strained, and there is talk of a separate board of trustees being set up.

Prabhupada does not like what he calls “phish, phish, phish,” wispered rumors and idle talk, with nothing clearly stated. He therefore wrote directly to Vasudeva stating how things are managed in his ISKCON society and requesting him to clarify what his intentions are.

“My dear Vasudeva das,

“Please accept my blessings. In connection with our ISKCON project in Fiji, I beg to inform you that we are managing our Krsna consciousness movement by the Governing Body Commission, GBC. We have got about 20 GBCs looking after the whole world affair, and above the GBC I am there. Below the GBC there are the temple president, secretary, treasurer in every centre. So the temple president is responsible to the GBC and the GBC is responsible to me. In this way we are managing. But why you are proposing a separate trustee for Fiji? We have up to now no separate trustee. If this is for security purposes, that we can discuss.

“If you have got some new idea please explain to me how you want to manage. But I think Fiji temple cannot be managed in a separate way. But still I will entertain some idea. If you have difference you can write me explaining.”

He told Vasudeva that the deed to the property should be in favor of himself, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and could not be dedicated to any office bearer. Suggesting that Vasudeva could be president and Upendra secretary, he firmly stated there was no need for trustees.

“In any circumstance,” he said, “there cannot be a private property in the name of ISKCON. If you want to keep it a private property then the ISKCON name should not be utilised.

“I am very much anxious to get your clear reply to this thing. So many things are unclear, so let it be cleared up.” He requested that a copy of the deed be sent to him in New York.

To Upendra Prabhupada wrote, “Unless the temple is fully under our control, we are not interested. Then we shall call it back. I will decide on receipt of the reply to this letter to Vasudeva dasa (Mr. Punja). So far the Fiji constitution is concerned, where it says: ‘supplying needs to the sick, poor, and orphans, etc.’ That is not our program. We distribute prasadam to everyone, not particularly to the needy. We make no discrimination, rich or poor.”

* * *

After resting most of the morning Srila Prabhupada took his massage, and seemed to recover somewhat. Thus in the afternoon he gave an interview to Mike Darby, a young reporter and good friend of ISKCON, from the Wheeling Intelligencer. Mike had written to Srila Prabhupada in mid-February when he was still at high school for this interview. A thick set young man wearing a sleeveless vest and long sideburns, he was very respectful, genuine and had obviously been reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. Their short discussion touched on Christianity and material scientists, both of whom Prabhupada said were cheating — the so-called Christians by changing the instructions of Christ and the Bible, and the scientists for making false claims about chemicals producing life. Soft-spoken Mike fully agreed with him.

Mike asked Srila Prabhupada if he would tell him something about his spiritual master. Prabhupada didn’t reveal much, except to say in a very straightforward way, “This is spiritual master, one who is representative of God. And one who speaks what God has said, then he’s spiritual master.”
Mike was hoping for something more specific. “But I have never heard anything of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, and I wondered if you would tell me a little bit about him, if you would.”

Prabhupada was reserved. “What shall I say? He was my spiritual master, and whatever he taught, we are speaking, that’s all. We don’t talk any nonsense.”

When Mike said that he had waited a long time to have this opportunity to meet, Srila Prabhupada was very touched and humbly thanked him. At the end of the interview Mike respectfully asked to have his photogragh taken with His Divine Grace and Prabhupada happily obliged. He had Mike come and sit next to his asana while Visakha clicked away with her camera. Prabhupada liked him and encouraged him to continue visiting New Vrindaban.

Prabhupada decided not to go out and allowed Mike to stay on while Pusta Krsna continued with the Bhavan’s Journal interview. They covered two more of the questions. One asked why many “savants” focus on jnana when the scriptures declare bhakti as the simplest and most direct way to attain spiritual realization. The other was on whether a guru was necessary for spiritual life and how can one recognize his guru. Prabhupada spoke extensively on both points before bringing the meeting to a close at eight o’clock.

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ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 10–27-2013

Mission Statement: ECOV is dedicated to cow protection and self-sufficiency — all centered around loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON New Vrindaban.

Participating Members of the Board of Directors:  Anuttama, Chaitanya Mangala, Krpamaya, Madhava Gosh, Navin Shyam, and Ranaka.

Advisors present: Jaya Krsna

1. Manure for Garden of Seven Gates

WHEREAS: The ECOV Board wishes to promote the agricultural production of the New Vrindaban community.

RESOLVED: The Board authorizes up to a grant of up to $2400 for transporting approximately 30 loads of manure from the Valley Barn area to the Garden of Seven Gates, subject to the following conditions:

1)      The manure be spread in a timely manner;

2)      The project is approved by relevant INV management.

2. Grapple hook for temple firewood

WHEREAS:  The ECOV Board wishes to improve the efficiency with which we are able to perform heavy labor, including processing of the temple’s firewood.

RESOLVED: The Board authorizes up to $4K for the purchase of a tractor grapple hook, with the understanding that INV will contribute half of the cost, either in one lump sum or in installments over the next year.  Ownership, maintenance & operation will be with ECOV.

3.  Integrated auxiliary of ISKCON New Vrindaban

ECOV submitted an application to the IRS.  In about one year, we will either receive approval, or will be asked more questions.  Until that time, we can function as an integrated auxiliary.

4.  Flowers / Trees and berries

Flowering shrubs still need to be planted this season, as well as bulbs, which Mukunda Dasi will likely help with.  Work is also progressing on the meditation garden near the temple.

5.  Temple / Lodge foundation beds

The trench alongside the temple is finished.  Edgers need to be purchased.  Brikasanga, who was to help with this, is tied up for now dealing with securing the temple’s winter wood supply.

6. Solar Equipment

A reserve will be maintained for installing a small system at the G7G cabin.

WHEREAS:  The ECOV Board wishes to allocate funding for projects as needed, rather than tying up funds indefinitely.

RESOLVED: The Board reduces the budget allocated for solar equipment to $2K.

7. Valley barn roof repair

Expected to be completed in November.

8. Gopal’s Garden newsletter

A newsletter is still in progress.  Ranaka will remind Ruci that this does not have to be long or complex.  It is more important that it come out regularly to help make people more aware of the school in New Vrindaban.

9. Bottle Filling Stations

More than 19,000 bottles have been filled using the lobby station over the last 1 ½ years, and since May 2013, about 11,000 bottles have been filled at the lodge stations (8,000 at the one closer to the temple, and more than 3,000 at the other).

The water filling stations already approved for outside Govinda’s restaurant and at Srila Prabhupada’s Palace will be installed before next year’s peak pilgrim/tourist season begins.

10. Signs for water bottle distribution

A major remodeling occurred at the restaurant this past year so no bottle display was made, but one is potentially planned for next season.  Also next season, the lassi barn may begin operation again as a snack bar, in which case they would also make bottles available.  We will check back on both in April 2014.

11. Bahulaban pink building

Varsana Swami’s 100 hours of work were not originally detailed, but, upon request he itemized his time, and it was spent on preparing the field where the rubble would be dumped, creating a road for trucks to reach the site, and repairing the dam on the road to the old Vrindaban Farm, among other tasks.

12.  G7G cabin opening / Bahulaban barn closure ceremonies

About 20 devotees, many of them younger members of the community, attended a closure ceremony for the Bahulaban barn.  They shared stories, and were invited to take home parts of the barn as memorabilia.

A group of half a dozen people attended the grand opening of the G7G cabin.

13.  ECOV brochure

Gosh has seen a need for this for some time.  Jaya Krsna suggested that it could be part of a unified presentation of NV in that ECOV could highlight that it focuses on two of the five instructions Srila Prabhupada gave for NV, namely cow protection and self-sufficiency.

WHEREAS: The ECOV Board wishes to publicize our projects and attract more support, financial and otherwise.

RESOLVED: The Board authorizes up to $2K for the design, layout, and writing of a brochure.

14. Bi-annual joint board meeting

The bi-annual joint board meetings will be held from November 8-10 in New Vrindaban.

Everyone is invited to attend the  DEVOTIONAL EVENING SANGAS held at New Vrindaban.

In the temple room at 7:30 PM.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings.

 There are various facilitators and various topics, ranging  from thematic topics from the  Bhagavad Gita to dramatic readings from the Mahabharata, and beyond!

Gopal’s Garden Home School Co-op began its seventh year this September.  Two new students joined us from the Philippines and we are very happy to have them as part of our class.  Every morning we begin our day at 9:30 with chanting Hare Krsna and Bhagavad-gita verses.  The students hear stories about Krsna and the philosophy of Krsna Consciousness.  The rest of the morning is devoted to writing and reading.  After lunch and recess, we spend the afternoon studying history, science and math.

* * *

Compassionate Communication Class With Sukhavaha

Gerald the Giraffe – by Brinda Turner

Mother Sukhavaha has been doing a weekly class with the students of Gopal’s Garden. She has been talking about compassionate speaking feelings, and emotional boundaries.  The class now has its very own Gerald the giraffe puppet because a giraffe has the biggest heart on the planet.  Gerald is there to help the children learn to speak nicely and use compassionate communication.  When they feel troubled they simply come to Gerald for help.  Mother Sukhavaha has been teaching the children how to talk about what they are feeling and why they are feeling that way.  The class has worked together to create a list of agreements to help them act and speak compassionately.  The students have not had many sessions but it is already helping to transform the classroom.

* * *

Trip To Varsana Swami’s Temple

The Lucky Day  by Brinda Turner and Shemaella Rivera

On the morning of Radhastami,  we painted wooden frames and decorated them using stencils.  At the time we wondered what picture to put inside the frames.  Later in the morning we piled in the car and hurried to Varsana Swami’s temple.  Although it had been raining really hard, as soon as we arrived the rain turned into a light sprinkling. Taking off our shoes, we entered the temple where Varsana Maharaja gave us a picture of his deities – a perfect picture to place inside the newly decorated frames.  When we returned to the class, we decided to put the beautiful framed pictures on the altar.  The frames looked beautiful!  We were so lucky and blessed to have found the perfect picture.

* * *

Art Class With Krsna Bhava

Learning to Draw What They See

By Ruci DD
Every Tuesday morning the students enter the classroom enthusiastic and ready to draw and paint with Krsna Bhava. This school year they have studied color theory, three dimensional art, and how to recognize the simple shapes and lines in objects in order to draw what they see. In creating their art the students have used acrylic paints, oil pastels, pencils, and markers. Krsna Bhava has been teaching art at Gopal’s  Garden for seven years.  Her ability to teach and inspire basic art concepts can be seen in her students completed projects (attached) as well as the year-end class project where the students publish their art and writing.

* * *

Student Writing Project With Sankirtana das

By Ruci DD

Sankirtana comes in once a week and has started the school year reading and writing poetry. He is introducing the students to the poetic elements of imagery (‘painting a picture with words’),  use of strong words and the way words sound together, expression of  feelings, and trying to show that poems are often about common, every day things and moments in life.  He starts with role modeling by writing a poem on the spot and helping them write a collective poem which he puts on the blackboard. Then they settle in to write their individual poems. The kids take turns in reading their poems as Sankirtana offers encouragement and constructive criticism.

Poems by Students

Awesome – by Josh Fintel

I’m a fun guy

right after a day of school.

I bring my friends

to the school playground.

We bring our water guns and balloons.

We soak each other to be cool.

I see a red, orange, and green leaf pile move.

I throw a water balloon.

It ends with a splash.

The leaves slide down and my friend starts to laugh.

Living In This Moment – Brinda Turner

Although the leaves are falling

And it is almost Monday

I try to concentrate on this moment

I don’t let myself think

About by feet pounding

Down the hallway to our classroom

I try not to think that it is

Almost winter

I laugh as I fly into the air

Then giggle as I fall back

To the floor of the bouncy house

I am having fun right now

And that is all that matters

As I live in this moment

Not worrying about tomorrow

Poem About Writing

Writing – Josh Fintel

Writing is fun

Writing is story making

Making stories is easy & hard

But stories are entertainment

And learning

I’m an entertainment story guy

Poem About Art

Art – Shemaella Rivera
Since I was a young kid

I wanted to draw something

I kept on thinking how to draw

Painting, drawing, coloring –

The rainbow that makes

My heart happy!

Poems About Math

Math – Josh Fintel

Math is good

Math is food for my brain

Math can be easy like 1 – 1

And math can be hard like 35 x 52

But for me it’s just right

Math – Shemaella Rivera
I don’t care if it’s hard

I don’t care if it’s easy

I’ll just do my best

I’m not gonna give up

Till I get it

Reading – Shemaella Rivera

Peace and quiet

Inside the classroom

You can read

Whatever you love or like

But you can’t read nothing

Come on ! Show me what you’re reading!

Lost in a World of My Own – by Brinda Turner
As soon as I pick up a book

I get sucked in

I despair at difficult situations

Laugh at the funny parts

And sometimes even cry

I forget where I am

About the people around me

All I think about is my book

It is beautiful to see

The words on the page

As they make an image in my

mind

I see every detail

I love the feel of a new book

The crisp white pages just begging to be read

And when the book ends

I reach for another

It amazes the people around me

But to me it is natural

Completely normal

I can read books so thick

My hands can’t even fit around them

In one day without rushing at all

It offers me another world

And that is why reading

Is so important to me

If I have a bad day

I can pick up a book

And forget why I was even upset

I can get lost in a world

Where anything can happen

Anything at all

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

Srila Prabhupada in New Vrindaban.

Srila Prabhupada Visits New Vrindaban – June 29th, 1976.

Excerpt from Hari Sauri’s Trancendental Diary.

Despite his complaint of heart strain yesterday Srila Prabhupada did go out on a walk today. He didn’t speak much and he kept it short. At the end of his walk he visited Radha-kunda. Then after greeting the Deities and receiving guru-puja he went to the large hall in the new building. Although there are no doors or windows fitted — just gaping holes — the marble floor is laid and the devotees had hung flags and festoons from the thick wooden roof beams, ready for a grand initiation ceremony.

Prabhupada’s asana was set up at one side with a fire pit in front. From there he gave a very brief class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.16. Prahlada Maharaja criticizes those whose only goal in life is to accumulate money. In support of this Srila Prabhupada reiterated one of the sections of Bhagavad-gita we read during evening darsana. Then he told us that our philosophy is communism — but a different type than the politically-based one.

“If we become too much attached for getting money, that is the material world. There is no satiation. Idam praptah, that Bhagavad-gita word: ‘I have got so much money, now my bank balance is so much, and I shall get further money and my bank balance will be like this.’ This is the demonic mentality. We shall require money, whatever is absolutely necessary, that much money I must get. That is an order.

“We cannot take more than what is necessary. This is actually spiritual communism. If everyone thinks that ‘Everything belongs to God and I am son of God, so I have got right to enjoy the property of my Father — but as much as I require, not more than that,’ this is spiritual communism, bhagavata communism.

“So a grhastha, of course, required to accumulate some money because he’s living with family, but so far brahmacari, vanaprastha and sannyasi is concerned, they should not keep any money. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was so strict that His personal servant, one day he was taking after eating a little, haritaki. So one day he was giving and Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired, ‘Where you got this?’ So he said, ‘I kept it from yesterday.’ ‘Oh, you are stocking?’ He immediately criticized him. ‘This is not good.'”

Srila Prabhupada is not a theoretician, espousing impractical ideals. He lives according to what he speaks. “Of course, even if we do not stock, don’t think that we’ll starve. Krsna has provided. But we should be depending on Krsna. There is no anxiety. We have experienced this. I was alone for many years but not a single day I was starving. No, there was food.”

Right after his discourse, he awarded initiation to the waiting candidates grouped around the fire arena. Devotees from many temples were in attendance — St. Louis, Buffalo, Cleveland, Baltimore — and there are seven Radha-Damodara buses and vans. As the initiates began to come forward one by one to receive their japa beads, Prabhupada stopped the proceedings and wanted to know why they did not have new neck beads on. He said that they should have been put on at the beginning. Then he paused a second time and chided a boy for wearing only one strand, saying that there should ideally be three and at least two. He reproached the temple presidents for not knowing this.

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Look! Krishna’s lifting Govardhan Hill! Jaya Sri Krishna!

At this year’s Govardhan Puja, and Gopuja Celebration, on Nov. 4, 2013, everyone had a chance to sing the Govardhan Puja song to Giri Govardhan while His Lordship was having His abhishek.
The Brijbasis also got to help milk the cows, and circumambulate Govardhan Hill!
It was a grand Govardhan Puja celebration!

Brijbasis serenade His Lordship Giri Govardhan.

Varsana Maharaj takes Brijbasis on Parikrama to Radha Kunda.

Parikrama to Lalita Kunda.

Everyone gets to milk one of Krishna’s cows.

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