June 2014 Dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Celebrating Diversity with an enchanting evening of music Srila Prabhupada: The essence of everything is the Supreme Lord: He is called the saram. And those who sing and talk about Him are called the sarangas, or the pure devotees. The pure devotees are always hankering after the lotus feet of the Lord. The lotus has a kind of honey which is transcendentally relished by the devotees. They are like the bees who are always after the honey. Srimad Bhagavatam: 1.11.26 purport Nrsimhadev The Protector The Appearance of the Lord s most protective and fearsome form was celebrated as never before at Bhaktivedanta Manor. On Tuesday 13th May the Manor School children charmed its audience with a drama and later that morning was the traditional fire ceremony. After a chanting street procession in Watford, in the afternoon there was an abhisekha (bathing ceremony) and the Bhaktivedanta Players concluded with another drama. On Saturday 31 May, the George Harrison Garden at Bhaktivedanta Manor, was brought to life with the enchanting melodies of his music, as a local community choir performed a special concert in celebration of their tenth anniversary. The Hertfordshire based choir, called 'Com.unity', was set up in 2004 for local people to participate in, particularly those that may be vulnerable, to come together and sing for pleasure. Priding itself on the diversity of its membership, the choir's sixty members include wheelchair users, members of all faiths, culture and backgrounds. Their repertoire includes popular upbeat songs, with uplifting, themes such as friendship, unity, hope, courage and peace. Over the past ten years, the choir have performed at a number of high profile events, including the Royal Albert Hall, and for personalities such as Simon Cowell and Sir Roger Moore. ISKCON's own Bhakti Choir formed in August 2013 by...continued on page 2
Devotees Ambassadors at Mind Body and Spirit Festival National Communications Training Day Devotees distributed over 600 books and gave 300 japa beads lessons over 4 days during London s Mind Body and Spirit Festival. In addition, Chakrini and Jahnavi led kirtans to packed audiences on the main stage. The owners of the company have made Adi-Guru das one of 7 Ambassadors of the event in a list that includes Members of Parliament and a Countess! Mantra Meditation, Northampton 70 members of the public enjoyed a musical extravaganza in Northampton s Quaker Meeting House last May, organised by the Manor s Congregational Development team. With a philosophical presentation by Kripa Moya das, a drama by Nandan and team, a bhajan by Gurudas, a great evening was rounded off by a stomping kirtan by the Hare Krishna UK Festival Team. Over 30 devotees involved in Communications came from across England and Wales to Bhaktivedanta Manor, to attend a National Training Day. The workshop was presented by Simon Cohen of Global Tolerance, a leading international communications agency that works with people Celebrating Diversity with an enchanting evening of music continued from page 1... Jahnavi Harrison also performed several devotional songs. They use the medium of choral singing to communicate joy, harmony and the deep spiritual messages of bhakti yoga to new audiences. Their repertoire consists of pieces that marry ancient Sanskrit with English, traditional Indian melody and Western harmony. Attended by over a hundred people from the local community, including the Deputy Mayor of Hertsmere Cllr Carey Keates and Dr Harriet Crabtree, Director of the Interfaith Network, the event was a truly inspiring and magical committed to positive social change. Taking part in a series of innovative and interactive workshops, the group learned about why engaging with the media matters, what makes a good news story and how compatible the worlds of spirituality and media really are. evening for all. The event also served as a moving tribute to the great George Harrison, with his music brought to life by the lush surroundings of the woodland dell, in which the garden honouring his memory was built. Chel Revens, the Com.unity choir's Musical Director said: What a unique and special privilege for the members of the Com.unity Choir to celebrate the Choir s 10th Anniversary in the George Harrison Memorial Garden, performing 8 George Harrison songs that represent his spiritual journey to Krishna. HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA, KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE, HARE RAMA HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA HARE HARE Page 2
In Krishna's abode, Radha expands as Vrinda devi to to serve Krishna in various ways. She then further expands to take a form in this world as the Tulsi plant. His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada states: 10 th Anniversaryof Vrinda Devi April 2004 Installation 10th anniversery outfit Tulasi Devi is a pure devotee of Krishna, and she should be treated with the same respect given to all Krishna s pure devotees. Simply by worshipping her faithfully, a devotee can get himself free from all material miseries. Worship to Vrinda Devi consists of prayers, bathing, dressing, offering fruits and arati. This service is performed by dedicated devotees, all volunteers headed by the Tulasi pujari Lilavati dasi. The Tulasi department has grown to encompass congregational members from grihastas, teachers and students, to dedicated ladies and Gurukulis, who in between their busy lives and studies serve Tulasi Devi, giving their time and devotion. 2004 The new Tulasi houses were built and Vrinda Devi arrived to take up residence. 2008 The Tulasi houses were renovated to the beautiful shade we see today. Special thanks to the members of the community that came to add their support. Prahlad, Sangita devi dasi, Sara, Kishore das, and the Radha Krishna Deaf Association. Very special thanks go to Madhan Mohan and his dear departed late wife Bharati, for their dedication to Tulasi Devi, making this inspired service possible. 2014 We observed the 10th anniversary installation of Vrinda devi with a new outfit made by Lilavati. Vrinda devi today has 76 outfits to date! Lilavati making tulsi garland Prahlad reparing roof Sangita & Sara Painting Other members of the team Tulsi greenhouse Renovation team Apurva Anju Alka Bharti & Madhan Mohan Nisha Prema Pradip & team Prahlad Radha Govinda Radhapremi & Murari Radhika Subhadra Page 3 Urjeshvari
Every wedding guest gets a book A new initiative to distribute books at the Manor weddings is under way. The wedding guests at Bhaktivedanta Manor often includes many people that might not normally visit a temple. They enjoy their visit and often request tours and have many inquiries. Thus the temple wanted to make sure everyone gets a small book to take away with them. Over last two months they have already distributed 2000 books. Travel with the Monks, a summer tour of the UK A team of eight devotees are touring the country for the summer months. They are visiting ISKCON temples and sanga groups, sharing Krishna Consciousness in towns that may not have seen devotees for many years. Devotees are welcome to take part, so if you are interested please contact Sutapa das: sutapa@krishnatemple.com. Sharing Bhagavad gita with others Members of the congregation as part of their study of Bhagvad gita are sharing the wisdom of the Gita. They are visiting poeple in their locality to share the message. In April over 40 new devotee participants in Maidenhead, Wembley and Hounslow went out for the first time! Some of them have even begun one-to-one Bhagavad-gita study groups with the interested people they meet on their travels. Festival of Chariots in London London's most famous landmarks were brought to life in a dazzling display of sound, music and colour through the streets, as thousands of devotees from across the country came to the city to celebrate the 46th Rathayatra festival. Three beautifully decorated Rathayatra chariots carrying Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladeva and Lady Subhadra, deities from ISKCON London's Soho Street temple, began their journey in Hyde Park and were pulled by hand to greet a huge gathering of devotees, visitors and tourists in the city's iconic Trafalgar Square. After the street festival, the celebrations continued in Trafalgar Square, where visitors sampled plates of delicious free vegetarian food, visited a range of stalls as well as enjoyed the vibrant stage show put on by devotees from across the country. Pankajanghri das (famous pujari of ISKCON Mayapur temple), Atmanivedanam Swami, Titiksu das, Mike Freer MP and Mr S.S. Sidhu (Minister of Coordination at the Indian High Commission). Page 4
Volunteers Retreats The volunteers at Bhaktivedanta Manor are an integral part of the community. After all, huge and spectacular festivals such as Janmashtami and Diwali would simply be impossible to have without them! Last Easter Weekend 130 volunteers stayed over at Buckland Hall in Brecon, South Wales where they shared a morning program and participated in a variety of outdoor and indoor fun activities, including a quiz. There were also presentations by, Akhandadhi das, Gaura Gopal das, Navadvip Chandra das, Sahil Agarwal (Chair of the Pandava Sena), Saurabh, and Vraja- Valasini das spoke on Deity worship. Just weeks later 200 adult and 35 junior volunteers gathered at nearby Queen s School, when Gaura Gopal spoke on the teachings found within the Mahabharat, Sutapa das spoke on devotional service as presented in the Caitanya Caritamrta, and Ghanasyam Priya das shared realisations on how to apply the teachings of the Bhagavad gita in everyday life. Page 5
Bhagavad Gita A Short Summary in Acronyms by Sutapa das Based on Bhagavad Gita As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada It is a sign of sanity and wisdom if one takes time to contemplate their death. During special festivals, Latin Americans hang skulls in their houses to remind themselves. Yogis in India meditate on the banks of the Ganges where openpyre funerals are being conducted. Although many would consider it morbid to contemplate death, it is nevertheless a real situation that nobody wants to experience but that everyone has to face. The Bhagavadgita outlines four such unavoidable predicaments: birth, disease, old age, and ultimately death. We often forget the inevitability of death, and thus, in Chapter Eight entitled Attaining the Supreme, Krishna deals with this very subject. D Doubts (Verses 1-4) Doubting is a function of intelligence and at no point in the Bhagavad-gita does Krishna reprimand Arjuna for asking so many questions. On the contrary, He encourages Arjuna to intelligently contemplate all His answers and subsequently make his own decisions. This chapter opens with Arjuna s doubts and questions on several spiritual concepts. Krishna concisely answers seven of Arjuna s eight questions immediately, and then prepares to answer the final question - How can one attain a spiritual destination at the time of death? The rest of the chapter is solely dedicated to answering this essential inquiry. E End of life (Verses 5-8) - Imagine you are going to watch a movie and you meet someone who just saw it. You ll never guess what happens, 8 - Attaining the Supreme they say... before they even finish that statement you ll interject and stop them; after all, knowing the end spoils the whole film. Similarly, for those engaged in worldly pursuits, hearing about, contemplating and accepting the end (death) is not the most inspiring reflection. It simply spoils their movie of life in the here and now. For a spiritualist, however, the end is not a depressing thought since his concept of life and its purpose is much broader. For one who is born, death is certain, and for one who dies, birth is around the corner. Krishna explains how a person s thoughts at death sum up their consciousness and aspirations cultivated throughout life. Thus, one s state of mind at the time of death determines their next situation. For those who remember God at death, they reach the kingdom of God. A Attaining the Supreme (Verses 9-22) - The entire world is a temporary university specifically created to dispense life lessons. When one becomes frustrated by the pursuits of this world, they realise that happiness lies in another realm. As spiritual beings, life in a complex world of matter is an incompatible situation. While the material world is rubber-stamped as a constantly changing place of misery, the spiritual world is distinguished as being eternal and all-blissful. There are many painstaking ways in which different spiritualists conduct their lives in order to attain that supreme destination, and having attained it one never returns to this temporary realm again. D Devotion (Verses 23-28) Since various spiritual practices are discussed in this chapter, Krishna concludes by outlining the most effective process to attain the Supreme. Bhakti-yoga, the path of active service to God in a mood of devotion, is described as the topmost spiritual path. In an age of rampant materialism and temptation coupled with individual weakness and lack of spiritual aspiration, a highly practical and powerful spiritual process is required. Through bhakti-yoga anyone can experience an incredibly fulfilling spiritual connection in a very short time. If one is thus able to saturate their consciousness in God, they will be sure to attain the supreme destination regardless of all the technicalities and intricacies that other spiritual processes may stress. Page 6
SUMMER 2014 So, summer 2014 is fast approaching and every IPS member has the opportunity to spiritually rejuvenate themselves during the summer holidays! Mother Urmila, who will be giving inspirational talks. Premisha Patel Age: 16 Studying: Preston Manor High School To mark the 20th Anniversary of IPS, Sutapa Prabhu has created a special 5 day programme for the boys of Pandava Sena where he will be taking them for Sankirtan and to distribute Prabhupada s books in the North of England Being based in Machester Temple, starting with Morning Program and class by Sutapa prabhu and others, they will go to a different town each day to do Sankirtan and then in the evening, they would participate in the local Namahatta! The towns include Sheffield, Preston, Liverpool, Bolton and Birmingham before heading back home to the manor. The whole reasoning behind the trip was to make an offering to Srila Prabhupada, who stressed the distribution of his literatures more than anything else in this movement. Spaces are running out, so contact Kishan: 07804944121 ASAP! For everyone who has signed up for the Senagetaway to Spain, the awaited pre trip BBQ will be on the 6th of July! Contact the trip team/rahul on 07530097032 for more information! How did you find out about Psena? I found out about pandava sena through the manor, I was told about the events that take place, one of the events that takes place is HARROW JAMMIN which was my first PS event! What did you like about the events? I really enjoy the ps events they are really engaging and interactive. Also the senagetaway trips are amazing, you come back with so many friends, everyone is so welcoming and friendly. What do you do in Psena? Currently I am part of the HARROW JAMMIN team, I help to organise prasadam for the events. I also take part in plays throughout the year. For the girls, a summer retreat has been organised by Geena and the ladies ashram, where they will be able to attend the daily temple program s, carry out services and deepen their Krsna Consciousness with the association of other like minded girls and last but not least, Page 7
Manor s milk hits the headlines Rathayatra in London The festival of the chariots was celebrated with grand procession through central london ending at Trafalgar square with big festival. This was London's 46th Rathayatra festival. After a film company gave young Dom Dwight the task of travelling the world in pursuit of the best ingredients for a cup of coffee, he finally ended up in the Manor s New Gokul farm to sample the cow s creamy milk! After declaring that the Manor s cows were the happiest in Britain, he concluded their milk was of the highest quality. The mini documentary received coverage in the Daily Express newspaper. July Tues 8th Sat 12th Page 8 Sayana Ekadasi Guru (Vyasa) Purnima 1st month of Chaturmasya begins Sun 20th Anniversary of incorporation of ISKCON in New York Tues 22nd Kamika Ekadasi August Thurs 7th Pavitropana Ekadasi Jhulan Yatra begins Sun 10th Appearance of Lord Balaram 2nd month of Chaturmasya Mon 11th Anniversary of Srila Prabhupada s Sat 16th departure for the USA Janmashtami Festival at Manor Sun 17th Janmashtami Festival at Manor Fasting till midnight Mon 18th App Day of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Manor Dharam Marg Hilfield Lane Aldenham Herts (for sat-nav only, please use postcode WD25 8DT) 01923 851000 www. krishnatemple.com Please send your news, photos and comments to: Radha Mohan das newsletter@krishnatemple.com Food for Thought 18 newcomers enjoyed a day retreat at the Manor on food and spirituality, organised by the Congregational Development team. Their day included seminars, a hatha yoga taster, a cooking demo and a great vegetarian (prasad) lunch. Retreats have being held once a month since the beginning of this year and there are similar plans for 2015. India s news Prime Minister ISKCON representative Vrajendranandan das was invited to the swearing-in ceremony of India s new Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, in New Delhi. It was a high-profile event with several head of states, leading businessmen, scholars, spiritual leaders, movie stars and sports players participating in the ceremony. Narendra Modi with Radhanath Swami, during an event in Nov 2011. 2014, All articles & photographs copyright of Bhaktivedanta Manor