Christmas Day in Mayapur, 2007

by Vrindavan Lila Dasi



Vrajavadhu Mataji celebrated 94-th birthday on Christmas day. She read out Srila Prabhupada's lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam verse and distributed maha-prasadam cake to assembled devotees.

BHAGAVATA-PRAVESA, an extension course in Mayapura

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BHAGAVATA PHILOSOPHY

The Srimad-Bhagavata Vidyapitham

by Guru-sevananda dasa

The Srimad-Bhagavata Vidyapitham began operations in fall, 2005. The school is directed by BBT's senior Sanskrit editor, translator and commentator, His Grace Gopiparanadhana Prabhu. The main purposes of the school are to train Sanskrit translators and editors for the BBT, promote deep study of Srimad-Bhagavatam, help devotees learn to function as brahmanas in ISKCON, and for the accomplishment of these main purposes teach proficiency in reading and speaking Sanskrit. In its initial phase of operations, the school offers a three-year Bhagavata- sastri study program, the students of which study Srila Prabhupada's purports to the Srimad-Bhagavatam, learn the Sanskrit grammar of Srila Jiva Gosvami and undergo training to read the Sanskrit commentaries on Srimad-Bhagavatam by our previous acaryas. From July, 2007 Srila Jiva Gosvami's Sat-sandarbha has been taught by the director of the Vidyapitham as a part of this study program.

The Vidyapitham also offers an extension course titled Bhagavata-pravesa in Sri Mayapura-dhama. Graduates of this program will be well prepared for the three-year Bhagavata-sastri program in Govardhana, and will be better equipped for knowledgeable preaching of the Bhagavad-gita. This program in Mayapura is also open to those who do not plan to study at the Vidyapitham in Govardhana. This program began on 1 November, 2005.

The Bhagavata-pravesa program includes an intensive study of the Bhagavad-gita, the first three chapters of the First Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam and an introduction to Sanskrit.

Classes on the Bhagavad-gita will include a study of the commentaries on the Bhagavad-gita by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana, and Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. The students will also be taught the nine essential teachings of Lord Caitanya (nava-prameya) as presented by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Students will then enter the Srimad-Bhagavatam by studying its first three chapters of the First Canto, which summarize the teachings of the Bhagavatam.

Students will be taught elementary Sanskrit grammar and vocabulary in order to understand the text of the Bhagavad-gita. They will also be introduced to the Hari-namamrita system of Sanskrit grammar formulated by Srila Jiva Gosvami.
The program is conducted in English.
The course runs for 8-1/2 months, beginning on 1 June 2008 and ending by 15 February 2009, with a two week break in between.


Group photo at the entrance of the Youth Forum Building, where the classes are being conducted. Sitting in the first line are the teachers for the next academic session (2008-09).
from right to left: Vidvan Gauranga dasa, Gurusevananda dasa and Racitambara devi dasi



The classes are open to both men and women. Those who want to be admitted as students should be chanting Hare Krishna, following the four regulative principles and seriously interested in this study program. They can apply and we will consider their admission individually.

As per ISKCON Mayapura's bylaws, single men or women who are coming to reside in Mayapura for more than six months are required to arrange for some ISKCON Mayapura resident in good standing to become his or her guardian.

There is no tuition fee for the course. However, students have to arrange for all other expenses, including their travel to and from Mayapura, visas, accommodation and prasada in Mayapura.

In order to facilitate devotees who would like to come to Mayapura to take advantage of our classes, but who are unable to provide for their own prasada and accommodation, ISKCON Mayapura offers two serve-and-study schemes:

1. One year serve-and-study scheme for devotees who want to study the Bhagavad-gita:
Devotees can enrol in the Shastra class as students from 1 June 2008 to 15 February 2009. They will have to attend the morning temple program and render five hours of practical devotional service everyday for one year, from 1 June 2008 to 31 May 2009, in and under ISKCON Mayapura. ISKCON Mayapura will provide such students with prasada and accommodation.

2. Two year serve-and-study scheme for devotees who want to study the Bhagavad-gita and Sanskrit:
Devotees can enrol in the Shastra class as students from 1 June 2008 to 15 February 2009, and enrol in the Sanskrit classes from 1 June 2009 to 15 February 2010. They will have to attend the morning temple program and render five hours of practical devotional service everyday for two years, from 1 June 2008 till 31 May 2010, in and under ISKCON Mayapura. ISKCON Mayapura will provide such students with prasada and accommodation.

Guru-sevananda dasa, a disciple of HH Jayapataka Swami, will teach Shastra for the men; Racitambara devi dasi, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, will teach Shastra for the women. Vidvan Gauranga dasa, a disciple of HH Jayapataka Swami, will teach Sanskrit - the course will be coordinated by them, under the guidance of His Grace Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari.

For an application form, interested male devotees can e-mail Gurusevananda dasa at gurusevananda.jps@pamho.net, while interested female devotees can e-mail Racitambara devi dasi at racitambara.acbsp@pamho.net

Jagannath-katha by Jananivasa Prabhu

These are video clip of Jagannath-katha given by Jananivasa Prabhu, in Mayapur on the auspisious day of Odana-shasti, the first day of winter, at Jagannath Mandir. Prabhu is telling story of how Jaganntha-Baladeva-Subhadra deities came to Navadvipa Dhama (part 1) and how They came to ISKCON (part 2).
Deities of Jagannath-Baladeva-Subhadra Devi were offered starched cloth - this is a few hundreed year tradition to offer starched clothes to the deities on this day.

part 1:



part 2:



Hare Krishna.

Harinam Express openning

by Vrindavan Lila Dasi

Harinam Express is specially made riksaw with double set of pedals and bus-typeof sits.It was made to accomodate children and elder people who wish to join roaming kirtan moving throughout Mayapur grounds.

Vayasaki Prabhu was leading kirtan at the openning, on Govardhan-puja day:



Then Shastra Prabhu, the leader and driving force of this Harinam program was leading kirtan:

Damodara aroti in Mayapur during Kartik month, 2007

This video shows devotees worshipping in the temple during sacret Kartik month.



Hare Krishna.

Gopastami celebration in Mayapur

by Vrindavan Lila Dasi



Padmalochan Das is giving talk about importance of cow-protection in human society as well as telling stories of Krishna's pastimes with the cows:



Radhanatha Swami's speach on the ocasion of Gopastami celebration in ISKCON Mayapur Goshala.Maharaj talks about importance of cows, protecting the cows and tells a pastime of Srila Prabhupada with a cow:



Jananivasa Prabhu narates story of how Krishna took His cows out to the pastures for the first time:

Kartik lamps offering

please see Kartik month photos - this galery is still still being updated

Umapati Swami:
Malati Mataji:Dayaram Prabhu:

Interview with Nirguna Krishna Prabhu few days before he left for Krishna-loka

by Vrindavan Lila Dasi

Nirguna Krishna Prabhu left his body in Mayapur, November 3, 2007.
He was a sankirtan devotee all his life and at the end of his life he was surrounded by many many devotees, who assisted him in every way and keeping company, chanting kirtan.
Janmastami Prabhu and Sankalpa Mataji are proved to be great friends, as it is them who facilitated Nirguna Prabhu at the last stage of his life, giving all nessesary support and arrangements.

In this video clip you can see Nirguna Prabhu in his last days and hear interview he gave some days before he left his body. Now he is to joined Srila Prabhupada and Lord Chaitanya's eternal sankirtan pastimes.



It's a great fortune to leave body with such excelent assistance as devotees of Mayapur community provided, leaded by Janmastami Prabhu and his wife Sankalpa Mataji.
Ramadevi Mataji spend a LOT of time and energy caring for Nirguna Prabhu, and so many other devotees.
H.H. Bhakti Vishrambha Madhava Swami was dutifully at Nirguna Prabhu's side reading Chaitanya Bhagavata and Hari Sauri Prabhu was reading Srila Prabhupada pastimes - every day.

Kartik month began in Mayapur

Kartik begins after Sharad Purnima (full moon) - this is the Maha-Rasa dance night and the moon is largest and most beautiful full moon of a year.

Kirtan for Nirguna Prabhu

Community devotees in Mayapur are gathered to assist Nirguna Prabhu to go through expirience of leaving this body. Devotees chant Hare Krishna kirtan for few hours every day, starting at 4 pm.

the sound of:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
is keeping Nirguna's mind in touch with Holy names at this very difficult and important moment in his life.




at other times devotees read to Nirguna Prabhu, H.H. Bhakti Vishrambha Madhava Swami is reading about Lord Chaitanya's pastimes from Chaitanya Bhagavata.

Nirguna Prabhu is preparing to leave his body in Mayapur

by Vrindavan Lila Dasi

12-10-07 update:

This video features Nirguna Prabhu leaving his body in the Holy abode of Mayapur Dhama, surrounded by helpful devotees of Krishna, who are trying to accommodate his needs – both medical and especially spiritual.
Nirguna has Posterior Medistinal Spindle Cell Sarcoma (a form of cancer).
In this short video, Bhakti Vishrambha Madhava Swami is reading pastimes of Lord Sri Chaitanya to Nirguna Prabhu.



Devotees help each other at the moment of death to remember Krishna and leave body in a focused state of mind – focused on the real goal of human life – attaining Krishna.

Flood End

by Vrindavan Lila Dasi

You can see full photo coverage by clicking HERE.



Flood is finished.
Now the huge job of cleaning up begins - gardens are devastated, fanses are smashed down... all ground floor rooms are full of mud.

Darshan and worship during flood 2007, Mayapur

by Vrindavan Lila Dasi

This video is showing devotees taking darsan of Rahha-Krishna(Madhava) and Pancha-tattva in ISKCON Mayapur temple - despite water level being very high.
Also devotees worshiping in their rooms in Youth Forum building, being cut off from the temple by flood waters.



this video is of a boat ride through flooded Mayapur compound:



Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Flood in Mayapur goes on and on and on....

by Vrindavan Lila Dasi

Flood waters slowly started to go down today.
We are stuck in Youth Forum building, near ISKCON Goshala and our health is not so good.
We have been offered to relocate to the Lotus Building for 100 Rupees per day and prasad for another 60 Rupees, but we can't afford this extra-expence in our life, as we live and mentain our service from donations and right now our equipment (main camera + 2 computers) badly need repair/replacement.

So, we are not getting to the main temple area, thus all the latest flood pics/videos and updates are from Goshala side.
Although, Prabhu got to the central area in very beginning of the flood and took some video clips and photos, and today I have managed to get to the temple via boat ride offered by kind devotees.

Devotees from Goshala housing area are staying at Youth Forum building - with ALL their family possessions, small kids, old people, etc...

Even when it is very small amount of water - these devotees have to leave their houses, because this area is probably lowest lying place in ISKCON compound and water covers their floors even when everywhere else is not flooded... what to speak of times like now...

They have to move into higher buildings, where they have to meet extra expense of paying for the rooms. For prasad, they either have to pay and get it at central area if they can get there or else arrange whatever they can themselves.
After water is gone they would be asked to leave as soon as possible, even though their mud floors will take some time to dry yet and they will have to renovate their houses again this year - another flood, another extra expense in life.

These devotees have same type of houses as most poor people outside in this area. My maid-servant lives in a similar house.
People I am describing here are not hired workers, but full time initiated ISKCON devotees.
These devotees have been serving in ISKCON Mayapur for 15/20+ years, one of them is cake-&-pizza-cook, Kamaka Das with his large family. Others serve in Srila Prabhupada Samadhi, Mayapur laundry, Gada kitchen, Big kitchen, Agricultural department, etc...

I know that in the other (most known) Grihastha area devotees are facing lots of difficulties too. We can't get there right now to photograph, but will later, when water go down some more.

The photos below - Goshala housing area is flooded:




by Hrimati Devi Dasi

The people are suffering in the flood!...
I mean suffering...
They have no food no more house and the government is not helping also. If ISKCON does not help those people and cattle, they are really bad off.
I had to go through gushing water with my cows to get to Jagannath Mandir. The second time my bullock Balaram took the cart he had to walk through neck deep water with heavy current to pull the cart that was filled with rice straw that will last them for 3-4 days. Now they are so exhausted that 3 of them are very sick. They are under some trees with no shelter from the
rain, yesterday one Village cow died near Jagannath Mandir from exhaustion due to having to walk through deep gushing water.

www.flickr.com

Roaming kirtan in midst of flood in Mayapur

Shastra Prabhu's enthusiastic kirtan is reaching all over the Mayapur area. The kirtan group of few devotees moves about on a boat and because Mayapur is one continues water surface now, sound of the kirtan bounces off the water and spreads far and wide around the whole area - the sound of kirtan seems all-pervading! The kirtan boat came to Goshala side yesterday, please see the video clip:



Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Flood in Mayapur, September 2007

 by Padmalochan Das



29-09-07 @ 5:45 am:

The devotees woke up for the second day in the middle of the Ganga.
The water has not risen in the last three hours and mongala aratic went on in the temple as usual, although there were less devotees present than usual.
The main problem is fresh vegies and fruits, although milk is still being delivered from our Goshala. Medical center, supply stores and Govindas have been relocated in the Chakra Bld.
There is no rain an the power is on although in some parts of the grihasta area the pumps had to be removed. There is no lack of drinking water.
A cow was born in our Goshala as the Ganga rushed all around, the calf is doing fine.
It is possible to travel from Kolkatta to Mayapur although the vehicles have to stop about two km away from were one has to take a boat - if you have a lot of luggage it will not be easy.
Devotees led by Shastra prabhu were moving around by boat having kirtan yesterday.



28-09-07 @ 5:45am:





The devotees woke up this morning in the middle of the Ganga. The rising of the Ganga has continued, but slowed down over night about 1 inch every two hours. The water in the temple room is about 4 feet and ranging from 3 to 7 feet at different places in the ISKCON compound. The power has stayed on all night and there has been no rain over night. The gates of the dam have been closed and if there is no more heavy rain then the Ganga should stop rising and start to reseed in the next 24 hours.
I was in the Goshala this morning and the cows seem to be happy and they are well above the water.




27-09-07



At 4am the Ganga started to rush into our ISKCON compound in the last hour the water has risen 3 inches and it is speeding up. At the present rate Ganga is going to enter the temple in time for darsan aratic.



Yesterday almost everything was lifted from ground level and devotees are struggling to move from those houses which are on the ground level.

Vamana Deva Appearance Day

by Vrindavan Lila dasi


This video shows how devotees celebrate Vamana Deva's Appearance Day in ISKCON Mayapur temple in a very original way.

This type of worship of Vamana Deva was introduced by Srila Prabhupada Himself, He had instructed Jananivasa Prabhu to select a small boy, around 4-5-6 years old to take the part of Vamana.
Then the whole worship is performed - as usual when we worship Vishnu tattva.
The boy is concidered to be Vamana Deva and worshipped as such.



This is how Srila Prabhupada wanted this ocasion to be celebrated here in Mayapur. I really don't know if this is apply to other places or not.

If you have more questions regarding this, write to our head-pujari, Pankajanghri Prabhu

Garlands for Radha-Madhava

by Vrindavan Lila Dasi


Madhumati Mataji is in-charge of garland making for the deities. Her department has 20 permanent ladies making garlands and every day between 6 am and 7 am they producing 100 beautiful garlands made from freshly picked flowers.

Flowers are all coming from Mayapur fields and flower gardens, they picked very early in the morning morning,then brought to the temple, behind Srila Prabhupada's vyasaana by 6 am, where matajis making them into garlands.


Madhumati Mataji is supervising this work.
For Radhastami she personaly sewed garlands for Radhika, meditating that the garland would match the outfit (in photo below is a fragment of that garland).

Radhastami Abhishek in Mayapur 20-09-2007

Retirement facility in Mayapur

by Praghosa Prabhu, the chair-man of GBCom (GBC commity for Mayapur)

Sesa prabhu made a very impressive contribution during the GBC meeting at New Vrindavan last June. In essence he expressed how swings and roundabouts are the arrangement of the supreme Lord.

He made the point that:

- Most of the child abuse took place in India, yet the US yatra was sued and had to take the brunt of raising the majority of the settlement figure. Still they accepted that graciously and also greatly appreciated the co-operation they received from International ISKCON.

In the same way, why can we not unite around the request (for the facility of retirement for Srila Prabhupada disciples and elder Grihastha couples, who served in ISKCON for many years), that a suitable arrangement be made for the maintenance of senior vaisnavas, those who have served Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON for decades?

In short ISKCON should both support and underwrite the maintenance of it's senior and long serving devotees. That responsibility should not be the exclusive concern of ISKCON Mayapur but at the same time ISKCON Mayapur should be enthusiastic to help as much as they can. We cannot change the fact that Mayapur is the holy dhama, that Mayapur probably has more land than any other ISKCON centre in the world, that Mayapur has more buildings and facilities than any other ISKCON centre. This being the case it is somewhat natural that Mayapur will take the greater proportion of responsibility for making the transcendental 'old vaisnava home' a reality, again these swings and roundabouts are the arrangement of the Lord.

Thus this should be a transcendental labour of love and ISKCON Mayapur will receive both financial support for it as well as receiving the blessings and praise of the worldwide vaisnava community.

Just as some devotees are eager to help financially to establish a library in Mayapur, I am sure if we announce that we want to establish a facility for elderly members, much support will be forthcoming. Of course we need to be enthusiastic and united in our efforts, that will inspire the worldwide devotee community.

Your servant, Praghosa dasa.

Please visit www.dandavats.com

Vyasa Puja of Srila Prabhupada, 5-09-2007, Mayapur

Posted by Vrindavan Lila Dasi

For the full photo-coverage please click HERE





Hari Sauri Prabhu said:



I just want to personally thank you and all the other devotees
involved in staging Srila Prabhupada's Vyasapuja for making such a
wonderful two days of offerings. I had so many devotees come to me to say
thanks. Some of them said it was the best Vyasapuja they have ever been
too. This is all due to your sincerity and determination to properly
glorify His Divine Grace.
Of course, things can always be improved (don't get puffed up!) but
we made a good start which I hope can be expanded upon each year. I am
sure Srila Prabhupada was very happy with all the presentations, the
Vyasapuja book (which I thought was exceptionally well done), the first
class prasadam, and the program today with invited guests from the local
area.
Once again, my humble thanks for making it a memorable couple of days.

Your humble servant, Hari-sauri dasa



Mayapur community Vyasa Puja book (hand-made by devotees) was offered to Srila Prabhupada on His Appearance Day, 5-09-07 in ISKCON Mayapur.

The book is 18" long, 13" wide and 8.5" fat, it's weight is more than 10 kg.
This is 9-th year we offer Srila Prabhupada such large book of offerings.



The book contains 201 touchy and intimate offerings of glorification and expressions of gratitude to Srila Prabhupada from devotees of ISKCON Mayapur Chandrodaya community. This is trully collective effort to glorify our Founder-acharya A.C.Bhaktivedants Swami Prabhupada.

Also, yet another temple design (improved upon previous one, offered in February) had been offered to Srila Prabhupada on His Vyasa Puja Day:



devotees viewing Vyasa Puja book: