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St. Augustine to Celebrate Rathayatra by Nartaka Gopala dasi Posted March 14, 2010
Please join us for the fifth annual Rathayatra in St. Augustine, Florida, on Saturday, March 20. St. Augustine was founded shortly after Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon sighted the mainland of North America, naming it "La Florida," Land of Flowers. At about the same time, Lord Caitanya was in another part of the world inaugurating the sankirtan movement. Lord Caitanya predicted that the chanting of the holy names of Lord Krishna would spread to "every town and village," and now we are seeing that prediction fulfilled. St. Augustine hosts more than five million tourists each year, and now these tourists will be blessed by Lord Caitanya's prediction as they witness the fifth annual Festival of the Chariots and Rathayatra in that historic city. The procession route is about a mile long and can be easily walked by all age groups. It begins at 11 a.m. at the main Plaza (St. George Street and Cathedral) (Click here for the full article) Yoga Teacher Training - Alachua, FL by AtmaYoga.net Posted March 13, 2010
Flyer 1 (273kB) Become a spiritual practitioner, teach yoga! YOGA TEACHER TRAINING – Alachua – FL 200 & 500 RYT Available Weekend YOGA BOOT CAMP! Only $35 200 & 500 Hr - March 25-April 6 For current RYT 200 instructors seeking RYT 500. 10 day Atma Yoga intensive w/self study. Visit www.AtmaYoga.net click on Teacher Training for curriculum and description. Registered students bring a friend for weekend Yoga Boot Camp, your friend pays only $35 plus donation. Fee $1385. (Click here for the full article) Ekadasi Alert by Dravida dasa Posted March 10, 2010 Each year the BBT in North America publishes a Vaisnava calendar containing the dates of Ekadasis, appearance anniversaries of Lord Krsna and His expansions and incarnations, appearances and disappearances of our acaryas, and more. Because of the way the calendar is calculated, based on Vedic astronomy, the dates occasionally differ by one day according to your geographical location. The dates are calculated for Los Angeles, with alternate dates (if applicable) for Chicago, Toronto, and New York City. Generally, if you live in or near one of those cities, or roughly north or south of one of them, you can be confident of the date given on the BBT calendar. But the imminent Ekadasi coming up on the 10th or 11th in North America is an exception. In this case, devotees in Los Angeles and all devotees living in places due north or south of LA, (Click here for the full article) Care for Cows, March 2010 by Kurma Rupa dasa Posted March 7, 2010 The March 2010 issue of our Care for Cows Newsletter has been posted. Please review it at your earliest convenience. (careforcows.org/downloads/newsletters_0). In this edition of 24 pages (1.8 MB) we present reports on: 1. The unexpected departure of Gauri, one of our first residents. 2. A surprising union between two three-legged residents. 3. More beautiful new calves born this month. 4. Two new admissions. (Click here for the full article) Padmanabha Prabhu Update by Madhusudani Radha devi dasi Posted March 6, 2010 Chakra has just learned that Padmanabha prabhu is nearing his departure. His wife Madanalasa and son Hanuman are currently sitting by his side, accompanying him in his last hours. A tape of Srila Prabhupada is playing in the background and devotees are reading from the Bhagavad Gita. Please pray for his spiriual welfare as well as for his family, so they can find the strength they need during this very difficult time. What's the Fuss? by Jagadananda das Posted March 5, 2010 I recently received the following letter from a devotee who doesn't get what the problem is with the bridge going by Keshi Ghat. Actually, he is not the only one, but many seem to be confused about the fuss. On the one hand, there are those with materialist vision, who see the bridge as "progress" that will bring Vrindavan into the 21st century. On the other are the devotees who think we should passively attempt to change our vision and see the divine Vrindavan while pretending that whatever happens on the surface is irrelevant to the way that our vision is transformed. Here is his letter and my answer: I just don't get it. Why is everyone so concerned with the environment? It is our master, we must accept what the environment is doing and carry on in our devotional practices. I was just in Vrindavan, it was wonderful (Click here for the full article) |
Song Lyrics Sought by Nandini Radha devi dasi (Los Angeles) Posted March 14, 2010 Does anybody know the complete words of the bhajan: “Mame Man Mandire… Krishna Murari, Sri-Krishna Murari”? I cannot find it in any of the song books and would really like to sing this for the Lord. Teaching Principal Position Available by BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI GURUKULA SCHOOL, AUSTRALIA Posted March 13, 2010
SummaryThe Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukula School is currently seeking to employ a full time School Principal. This is a full time salaried position. It is a wonderful opportunity to serve Srila Prabhupada, the younger devotee generation and the future of ISKCON. If you are interested, please read the job description or pass it on to someone you know who may be interested. The devotee who fills this position will be able to live and work in the beautiful New Govardhana community in the Tweed valley, northern New South Wales. This pristine environment is perfect for raising a family and practicing Krsna Consciousness in the mode of goodness. We will be holding interviews between March 1st and April 30th School Principal Job DescriptionThis is a full-time, salaried, management position. Hours are Mon. Fri. 8:45 AM – 3:15 PM during the school year. The school year consists of four 10 week terms, and together runs from February to mid December. There are 3 two week breaks between terms, and a six week summer break from mid December to February. Applicant must be willing to relocate to New Govardhana or to live in the immediate community. Responsibilities include overseeing quality of devotional and educational environment, a small number of teaching hours, and management of the entire operation of the school. The present staff consists of an administrator, 2 full time teachers around 30 students in primary school grades (K to year 6). Sri Padmanabhaji´s Departure by Antaryami Krishna dasa Posted March 10, 2010
Today I was blessed to witness a ceremony held in a very loving and familiar atmosphere saying farewell to Srila Padmanbha Prabhuji. His wife Madanalasa and his good friend Amara Prabhu Dasan have told me that he has passed away in an extremely peaceful and spiritual way, hearing the Lords Names and being encouraged to move on by his beloved wife, although the situation was extremely difficult for her she has found the strength and love to tell him that it is the best for him. She said that one could see that he moved to the spiritual sphere. When we have seen his material body afterwards in the cemetery we could feel bodily that he has left for the spiritual world his body looked extremely peaceful and effulgent. A small ceremony was then held and his wife and good friends spoke of their experiences with this great soul. Soft Bhajans and prayers where sung afterwards and when everything was "over" no one wanted to leave. It was a very spiritual happy (Click here for the full article) Kuli Mela 2010 - New Mayapura France by Kuli Mela Organizers Posted March 8, 2010
The Organizing Team for Kuli Mela 2010 - New Mayapur France is happy to officially announce the dates and place for this second European reunion, after the first successful gathering which took place in Radhadesh, Belgium in 2008. This Kulimela will start on Wednesday, the 4th of August, arrival day, through Monday, the 9th of August 2010, departure day. The event shall take place in the special surroundings of New Mayapur, France, a community set around a historic castle on a site spreading over 80 hectares. In this place that Srila Prabhupada destined to self sufficiency and simple living, it seemed obvious to choose these values as symbols. Which is why the theme of the event will be: Ecology! This gathering invites a great number of Gurukulis and Vaishnavas of all generations to a 6 day festival where seminars, workshops and conferences will be held to encourage encounters and reunions as well as discover the links that bring us together and share our experiences in an atmosphere of inspiration... (Click here for the full article) Should You Sign a Petition? Archives Respond to Misleading Campaign by Ekanatha das, Nitya-trpta dasi and Parama-rupa das, The Bhaktivedanta Archives Staff Posted March 7, 2010
"The Bhaktivedanta Archives have more than 500 unreleased recordings of His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. These recordings are not transcribed in the Vedabase or published in any other way." To read the above statement is grossly misleading. The fact is that the majority of these so-called "unreleased recordings" are already in the current 2003 VedaBase in full and can easily be read. As for the 500 recordings, let us be clear here: the ‘500’ refers to programs, not hours. These programs — or fragments of programs in most cases — range from less than a minute to under an hour. While we may seem a little slow to some, we are thorough and meticulous — a quality highly encouraged in an archival environment. We need to complete the archival process in a professional manner so that Srila Prabhupada's teachings are accurate and will not leave questions as to the provenance of the collection as we have seen throughout history with other mainstream groups that are struggling with authenticity. From 1977 until now (Click here for the full article) MVT Vrindavan One Bedroom for Rent by Sukhadadevi dasi Posted March 5, 2010 Beautiful One Bedroom Flat in Vrindavan with Air Conditioning, Washing Machine, Fully Stocked Kitchen and Bedroom. Daily - 850 rupies (less than 7 days) Weekly - 2500 rupies + 500 rupies for electricity Monthly - 8000 rupies + 2000 rupies for electricity Rent and utilities both paid in advance. Please contact Sukhada dd at (Click here for the full article) In the News: Akshaya Patra: Improving Education, One Meal at a Time Published: February 25, 2010 in India Knowledge@Wharton Posted March 3, 2010
Each school day, more than a million children in 6,500 schools across seven Indian states eagerly await the vehicle that brings their midday meal. For many of them, the food provided by the Bangalore-based Akshaya Patra Foundation is their first, and perhaps only, meal of the day. The promise of an ample hot lunch brings them to school regularly. The foundation's hope is that the nutrition helps them think clearly once they are there. "Our program is not just about providing food," says Madhu Pandit Das, chairman of the Akshaya Patra Foundation. "It is about providing opportunities for children from economically challenged backgrounds to get a good education and thereby realize their true potential." Akshaya Patra is the world's largest non-governmental organization (NGO) school meal program, according to the Limca Book of Records. (Click here for the full article) |
"On the Way to the Truth" Available for Download by Vrsabha das (ISKCON Zagreb, Croatia) Posted March 14, 2010
I have written a book, originally in Croatia, that has been recently translated and edited for English-speaking readers. The book’s title is On the way to the truth. It provides answers to 52 (mainly) provocative questions. The Croatian version of the book (in its paper form) has already made a few devotees and is currently being translated into Russian and Polish. I have approached five publishers affiliated with ISKCON, but none of them was interested in publishing the book. Instead of keeping it hidden in my computer, I’d like to share it with you, hoping that it may provide a reasonable asset to spreading the glories of the sankirtana movement. It can be downloaded in Acrobat PDF format from the following link www.plavidecak.org/ostale-knjige.html Gaura Purnima at the Manor by Parasuram das Posted March 13, 2010 Gaura Purnima Festival at Bhaktivedanta Manor included a stage program. This year the Gurukulis organised the festival themselves, Jahnavi and Markandaya were the main inspiration. They performed two wonderful devotional dramas. "Lord Caitanya meets Chand kasi" and "Nimai's adventures". Seeing all these young kids growing up and getting it together makes me feel old. So we decided to put a drama together which involved rapping and break dancing, just to show that we were not all 'old fogies'. Check out the video: Click Here This story unfolds as 'clever Trevor' finds a leprechaun and demands his crock of gold. Needless to say, Trevor's plans don't work out. The actors involved in the video are Japa yagna das, Bhakta Michi, and Parasuram das. KC Books On Ebay by Sri Krishnapanam das Posted March 10, 2010 I am in the process of sorting out my large collection of Krsna conscious books, and have listed many of them for sale on eBay, at discounted prices. Most of the books are brand new, and have never been read. Titles like Sri Garga Samhita, and Srila Rupa Goswami’s Padyavali are nectarean, but also hard to find for purchase. Please take advantage of this opportunity, and have a look at the listings from my collection. All payment is via PayPal only. Please contact me through eBay if you have any questions. Padmanabha's Departure by Vedanta-krit Das & Arjuniya-gopi Devi Dasi Posted March 7, 2010 It is with sadness that we bring you the news that Padmanabha Prabhu left his body at 11:03pm last night (March 5). His wife Madanalasa, his son Hanuman and Amara prabhu were at his side at this difficult time. According to Amara, it was a very peaceful departure, with devotees reading to him from the Bhagavad Gita. There will be a yajna for him at the German farm tonight. The departure of our longtime and fatherly friend has hit us all hard and we will miss him greatly. He was a true Rama Bhakta and will certainly be in a better place. Setting the Record Straight On Prabhupada's Audio, Part 2 by Ekanatha das Posted March 5, 2010 Editor's Note: After Ekanatha das detailed the ongoing progress of the BhaktivedantaArchives in an earlier posting ("Setting the Record Straight On Prabhupada's Audio", Chakra, February 8), including his "conservative estimate of 500 new audio files forthcoming", Bhakta Philip has subsequently begun a misguided and unnecessary petition drive seeking the immediate release of the recordings before the Archives have completed the needed work on them. Contrary to his assertion, the audio files at the Archives are being digitized and are carefully protected from deterioration. Chakra also posted a comment by Pratyatosa das on improving substandard audio files. Separately, Ekanath prabhu has also received other correspondence on Archives-related matters. He responds to these comments below.
Jitarati das wrote:
"There are many devotees that have offered to help, and I have even offered financial help but was just ignored.... Being forced to do research to help justify the changing of Prabhupada's books was a new low for the Archives.... You have to be the one to decide to release yourself from this prison you find yourself in." |
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