Grains cooked by non devotees

The Hare Krishna Movement is sometimes called “the kitchen religion” because devotees place great importance on cooking for Krishna, honoring (eating) prasadam, His sanctified remnants, and distributing them to others. However sometimes as aspirant devotees and due to lack of preparation temptation is there to serve grains cooked by non devotees in devotee gatherings. Below are some interesting quotes I find inspiration from in my endeavors to eat and distribute only prasadam.

Grains cooked by nondevotees are particularly contaminated. The Kurma Purana says that all the sins of a man remain in the grain; therefore when one eats the foodstuff offered by another, he eats his sins as well. Once Srila Prabhupada was given bread cooked by nondevotees. Next day he requested, "Please do not give me bread cooked by nondevotees. It gave me nightmares. All the vibrations and thoughts of those who cook grains enter into it." When Srila Prabhupada was asked if sankirtana devotees in Germany could eat karmi bread, he replied that this is not permitted except in an emergency (TD 1 p.330.) This also applies to karmi biscuits, cakes and similar foods.


Other rules are that one should not offer foodstuff which is cooked by a non-Vaisnava, one should not worship the Deity before a nondevotee, and one should not engage himself in the worship of the Lord while seeing a nondevotee.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => NoD 8: Offenses to Be Avoided


Regarding the Christmas Day meal with your family, I do not think you should partake of the food prepared by non-devotees. Better you should prepare your own foodstuffs and offer to Krishna and then, if you like, you may offer these remnants to Lord Jesus. I think that Lord Jesus will also appreciate this. Of course you may sit down with your family and take fruits and milk which they offer but rather than taking the foods which they have prepared, you may prepare and offer your own prasadam for Lord Krishna, and then offer the same to Lord Jesus.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Hrsikesa -- Los Angeles 26 November, 1968

In Bhagavad-gita Krsna describes eating unoffered food as tantamount to eating mouthfuls of sin. And in Caitanya-caritamrta Srila Prabhupada explains that especially contaminating to the consciousness are grains cooked by nondevotees. In fact, he says, you take on the sinful karma of the person who cooked the food. That's an extra burden we'd do well to avoid.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Purity On The Job

Manimanjari Dasi: "The next morning, while we were taking breakfast, Hamsaduta came to the prasadam room and told us that Srila Prabhupada had asked about the devotees' menu on sankirtana. When told that we bought rolls and bread from the bakeries, Prabhupada became concerned. He instructed Hamsaduta to tell us that under no circumstances should we eat grains prepared by nondevotees. Rather, the temple should bake bread or make capatis that the devotees can take with them.
"We didn't think about using yeast to raise the dough. Our first attempts at baking bread were unsuccessful. Because Germans can't live without their daily ration of fresh baked, crunchy bread, Srila Prabhupada was consulted about our using yeast. When he heard that yeast is the dried form of a single-celled fungus, he said it was all right, but that we shouldn't offer the bread to the Deities."
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SPDG 14: Prabhupada at Schloss Rettershof

Lord Caitanya warned that eating the food of materialistic people will pollute the mind; thus we will not be able to remember Krsna and our life will be spoiled. Grains cooked by nondevotees are especially contaminating. If we can take nice prasada, what is the need for anything else? Even when out traveling, we should take care not to sacrifice our standards for the sake of convenience. Srila Prabhupada: "Food prepared by an unclean, sinful man or woman is extremely infectious."
>>> Ref. VedaBase => BIKC 40: Giving Up Nondevotional Attachments

Food prepared by an unclean, sinful man or woman, especially a prostitute, is extremely infectious. Ajamila ate such food, and therefore he was subject to be punished by Yamaraja.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 6.1.67

Jihva-vegam- "The only way to a man's heart is through his stomach" is the old American quotation. The lusty desires of the cook are transferred through the food to the mind of the waiting recipient; the wicked desires of the hotel's cook are also readily available in the fancy prepared dishes. The heart is an open receptacle for the wicked and lusty desires of the cooks who prepare foodstuff's, which encourage sinful activities, save and except the foodstuffs prepared by the hands of the ardent devotee of the Lord for the exclusive pleasure of the Lord, the remnants of which are distributed and shared with great relish after being offered to the Lord by the devotee. One who can, with all the determination at his command, remove all desires for tasting anything but Sri Krsna's divine remnants can alone be called an acarya.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhuvanesvara

May you find inspiration in the above as I have. Hare Krishna.

Health Update - HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami

The following is a message from Maharaja's disciple:

"Thank u all for your prayers. Maharaj is recovering well. He is sitting up without the brace and will be discharged tomorrow. Despite his condition he is determined to continue preaching and travel as scheduled. He will leave to Cape Town soon. He is still in a lot of pain. Doctors believe the blackouts were due to a too high dossage of medication. Please continue to keep him in your prayers." [from Deva Deva Prabhu]

Please Pray for HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami

Dear devotees,

Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Earlier this morning, HH Bhakti Caitanya Maharaj fell due to blacking out and was severely hurt. Maharaj suffered a fracture in his back and cuts at the back of his head. He is currently in a hospital in Port Elizabeth.

Bhakti Caitanya Maharaj is in caring hands and in a very good hospital. When I called there a short while ago, Maharaj was chanting his rounds.

As I get updates on Maharaj's condition, we will let you know. In the meantime, please keep Maharaj in your thoughts and pray for his speedy recovery.

Hare Krishna.

May this find you well.

Your servant,
Swarup Damodar Das

Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari Darsan 14th Nov 2010, Iskcon, Johannesburg, South Africa

Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari Darsan 17th Oct 2010, Iskcon, Johannesburg, South Africa

Questions from me to the Vaisnavas

Dear Vaisnavas,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I was wondering if anyone can tell me if Srila Prabhupada advocated the worship of Yasoda Damodara in his physical presence. I heard that he said it is not necessary to put Yasoda Damodara and that we can offer lamps to Sri Sri Radha Damodara.

Seems like he never introduced worship of baby Krishna like Vallabha Sampradaya does. Also did Srila Prabhupada install any Laddu Gopal Deities? [different subject.]

I would also like to know where to find footage of Srila Prabhupada during Iskcon's first Kartik. Is it in the 'Following Prabhupada' series?

Looking forward to your enlightening responses.

Thank you.

Hare Krishna.

Namamrta Program in Nairobi, Kenya

Last week Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture [BCEC] offered the Namamrta program in Nairobi, Kenya. Both Co-international directors of BCEC, HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami and HG Nrsimhananda Prabhu served as co-facilitators. The program was held over four days and included harinams as well as an indept study of His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's instructions on the chanting of the holy name. The apt venue for the program was Iskcon Nairobi.

Participants in this program commented that this opportunity made them relish and understand the great gift that Srila Prabhupada has given. Indeed his centers in the material world are synonymous with an oasis in the desert.

Comments from attendees are as follows:

HG Umapati Prabhu, the temple president of Iskcon Nairobi commented that, "This program is directly presenting what Srila Prabhupada gave to us. I have truly benefited in understanding the need for attentive chanting."

HG Mahaman Prabhu, the temple president of Iskcon Mombasa also attended the program in full and commented, "I have been guided through this program how to chant the holy names offenselessly. I find this program to be so beneficial that my suggestion is that it be held atleast two to four times every year."

Yogesh C Rawal said, "I truly appreciate the guidance on how to overcome the obstacles in approaching Sri Krishna through His holy names."

Many others said that their lamentation was that they did not get to attend a course like this earlier in their devotional lives and felt that this program afforded them guidance on how to build a firm foundation for spiritual progress.


His Holiness Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami facilitates a session.


Many participants took days off from work to attend.


Class of Iskcon Nairobi Namamrta level one program.


Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Bankibehari


Their Lordships Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari


Their Lordships Sri Sri Sita Ram, Laxman, Hanuman


Students share during a session.

The Deities in the pics above are all from Iskcon Nairobi. The Temple there has three altars, a beautiful life size deity of Srila Prabhupada, a very nice sweet shop, classrooms for BCEC courses, three storey guesthouse and appartment rooms on the premises where grhasta rent at a good rate. About 30 devotees attend mangalarati daily and about 60 attend Deity greetings and Guru-puja to Srila Prabhupada. During the day many guests attend aratis. On Saturdays a special program is facilitated for the local Kenyans with class in the local dialect, kirtan and sumptuous prasad. Regular Sunday programs also attract huge crowds. All glories to Iskcon's founder acarya His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

HH Jayapataka Swami speaks on Jhulan Yatra

Live from Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir!

Date: August 21st, 2010 - Dvadasi
Verse: Special class on Jhulan Yatra
Speaker: HH Jayapataka Swami
________________________________________
mukam karoti vacalam
pangum langhayate girim
yat-krpa tam aham vande
sri-gurum dina-taranam

paramananda madhava
sri caitanya isvaram
hari om tat sat

Special class on Jhulan Yatra

I don't know if I can speak for one hour on this but I will try.

Some appropriate verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam should be selected.
[Devotee: You want it know?]

So in India this Jhulan Yatra is a very important festival. It is done in
the rainy season. In India it is the rainy season. So here in the rainy
season it is a bit humid and sticky. At that time we like to have a little
breeze. So the idea is that swinging Radha Krishna will create a breeze. In
different parts of Vrindavan they observe the Jhulan Yatra. Some do for
thirteen days, some do for four days - all different. According to
Prabhupada's instruction we start yesyerday on Ekadasi and we go until the
Purnima. How many of you went the Jhulan Yatra at the Gurukul? So many
didn't go there. …You should go . It is a good opportunity to do some
personal seva for the Deities. There is lights all the way. You may think
it for some wedding or something. No. It is for the Jhulan Yatra. Radha
Madhava Ki Jai!

Raharani went to meet her parents. Her father is the King of the Varsana
Hill and Her mother as the Queen. So His name was Vrsabhanu and her name
was Kirtida. Vrsabhanu and Kirtida. Her brother was Sridama. She went to
her home to see her mother and father at the time of Jhulan Yatra. In the
lila when She is in parikiya rasa She externally has a mother-in-law and
sister-in-law. Jotila was the mother-in-law an she said, "No. No. You
shouldn't go." Then Radharani was crying, "I want to go and see My mother
and father." Some gifts were sent to here by Vrsabhanu Maharaja. So she
gave these gifts to Jotila. Jotila was happy to get all these gifts. So she
said, "Okay. You can go just for a short time. And watch out for that
black-faced boy of Nandagram, Krishna! He always creates some problems.
Watch out for him."

Then no one was coming to pick her up and She can't go alone. "Oh they
forgot Me, they forgot Me!" Then the news was given to Vrsabhanu Maharaj
and Kirtida. So they sent Sridama right away. "Bring your sister here." So
She was so happy to see Her father and mother. They embraced Her and were
very happy. So Krishna gave in some disguise. So Radharani was sitting on
the swing alone and He was pushing Her. So He began to push Her very
strongly. She was always taking shelter of Krishna in danger. So She
shouted, "Krishna! Krishna save Me!" Then Krishna came and sat by her side.
She embraced Krishna. So Krishna likes this festival because Radharani hugs
Him out of Her own desire. Otherwise He has to do so many tricks to get
Radharani to embrace Him. In this festival She does it naturally.

So this is the Jhulan festival. We get a chance to pull the Deity everyday.
Actually swing festival is observed in various temples around the world.
Iskcon observes, apart from Iskcon other temples also have a swing festival
but the tradition within Iskcon is that everybody gets a chance to swing
Radha and Krishna. So this great opportunity to do some personal seva to
the Deities. Although we see the Deity we may not be able to do some
service. Only the pujaris do. In Jhulan yatra we can pull the Deities, we
can swing Them. Aren't you happy to do this service? [Haribol] Whether you
are initiated or not initiated, whether you are man or woman, young or old,
everybody gets a chance to swing the Deities. [Haribol!] So this is a very
nice festival. You found the sloka? Tenth canto.

So one year I took the safari group and we went to Vrindavan. So I thought
it takes about one month to go by foot but in jeep it was covered in a
week. So when we got to Varsana then we couldn't proceed further. We felt
so blissful there that we spent two days there. There at the village of
Citra devi we lived there for one day. There the monkeys come in a queue
and they drink buttermilk. So the main person of the village he invited all
of the safari devotees and he personally gave them this buttermilk to
drink. There we hade darsan of Krishna kund. We saw the Madhumangal's
meeting place baithak (?) it is called, sitting place. We also went to the
temple of Radha and Krishna doing the peacock dance. They say the picture
was painted four hundred years ago by a blind artist. You may wonder how
can a blind man make such a beautiful painting. They don't allow anyone to
take a photo. So we heard the pastime how Radharani and the gopis They
watched a peacock dance. So Krishna said, "You are not watching Me? Will
you watch Me? You are watching a peacock!" "The peacock is dancing. You are
not dancing." So He went and started dancing with the peacock. So how is
that Radharani said, "All right you are dancing but the peacock is better."
So then Krishna danced again. He said, "How is that?" So Radharani said,
"Well You did better but still the peacock is better than You." Then He
really danced so nice that Radharani also danced with Him. So She took the
role of peahen and He danced like a peacock.
Radheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Syam!

So we heard to many pastimes. We went to the forest. So they say that those
who build a house they will live eternally on this. So we all built a
little house there. [Question: Where they live eternally?]

There was a house and they say that Radharani used to stay in that house
sometimes. So there one poor brahamana came. He said, "I want to marry my
daughter but I have no money to give as dowry." So Krishna said, "I am a
poor cowherd boy. I don't have anything. I only have Radharani. So you can
have Her." So all the gopis said, "Oh no!!!" How can you give Radharani?"
So He said, "Well you can buy Her back in Her weight in gold." So they put
Radharani on one side of the scale and all the gopis they started taking
out all their golden bangles and so much gold appeared. They put all the
gold until Radharani became lighter. Then Krishna told the poor brahamana,
"You can take all this gold." Like that so many pastimes are there.

Then we went to the temple in Varsana, the temple of Radha and Krishna.
There is Varsana Hill and across, some distance is Nandagram…so much to
see, so much to hear. I can tell you al the pastimes. Just a few!

So this Jhulan Yatra is a festival that Krishna personally observes. And He
enjoys it very much. So we get a chance to swing the Lord and Radharani
every year. Actually we get three chances here in Mayapur. We get five days
now and when the Deity goes in the Prabhupada lake for chandan yatra. At
that time They sit and again we can swing Them there also. And again during
the last five days of the Gaura Purnima festival we also for one or two
days we do the swing festival. So like this we get extra chances.

Maharaj Prataparudra was a great king but he swept the road in front of
Lord Jagannath. So when Lord Jagannath saw he was doing some seva then He
was very pleased with the Maharaj. So although He said He would not meet
any Maharaj as they were in the mode of passion. But He gives special mercy
to Prataparuda Maharaj because he did service. So we all have a chance. We
can do some service and by doing a little service we get such mercy. So we
should be eager to take up any opportunity to do service.

In the Brahma-samhita it says the goddesses of fortune they are busy
cleaning the stones, the roads, the streets in Vaikuntha. There is not much
dirt in Vaikuntha but the Laxmis want to show the Lord that they are
serving Him.

In our Krishna consciousness movement we get a chance to do some personal
service for the Lord. This is called bhakti-yoga. We do japa, making flower
garlands, we cook for the Lord, we dress the Lord. We do all kinds of
service. So one of our services is to do the Jhulan. You see in bhakti yoga
there are different chances to do service - snan yatra, we bathe the Lord
Jagannath. Many people come to bathe the Lord. On the appearance day of
Radha and Krishna we do some bathing. On Janmastami we bathe the Lord. On
Radhastami we bathe the divine couple, on Ratha yatra we pull the Lord.
[Guru Maharaj we found some descriptions of the rainy season. We couldn't
find in particular jhulan yatra.] So in the system of bhakti yoga we use
our senses to serve the Lord.

hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Madhya 19.170]

We use our sense to serve the master of the senses.

sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Madhya 19.170]

So we like to use our senses to serve the Lord. We should take prasad with
that in mind. We should not take it thinking that it is ordinary food. We
should take it that this was tasted by Krishna. If you want to advise the
cook you should not do it in front of the prasad. Maybe he put too much
salt or no salt or something - whatever. We tell that separate away. In
front of prasad we should offer respect. We should think that this is holy
food. So like that there are a lot of rules we should observe. Seva
aparadhas or service offences. I just told Gauridas and Rupa Goswami's
disappearance day, tirubhava mahotsava.

Gauridas was a friend of Krishna from Krsnalila. He had come down to this
earth to participate with Lord Krishna as Gauranga. So he had an asrama in
Ambika Kalna. There he asked Gaura Nitai to please stay. But They said,
"How can we stay here. We have to go. We have to see various devotees." He
said, "You are my friends. You should stay." "But We cannot stay. We have
to go." "So give me a deity of Yourselves." So They said, "Well We never
gave any Deities before." He said, "Don't cheat me. I want a deity or You
stay here." "I will give to him." So the brought a carpenter and he carved
two Deities. So when the deities were finished he said, "So these deities
are non different from You?" "Yes." "Let Them go and You stay." But Lord
Nitai Gaura, They raised their hands. [Haribol] They became the deity and
They began moving and started to leave. Gauridasa said, "No you please
stay. Let Them go." "Okay and They became the Deities. And the deities
began moving. He said to the deities, you stay, "Okay." So they raised
Their hands and became Them and the other started to leave. And Gauridasa
could not keep up. So he said, "Okay okay!" So still you can see the Gaura
Nitai deities in Kalna about forty or so kilometers south of Navadvip.

There is another pastime with Rupa Goswami. Rupa is ninth gopi, navam gopi.
We worship asta sakhi. So he is the ninth. So he is a very advanced devotee
and he was in charge of the whole sampradaya after Lord Caitanya He
gave...So it was a big loss when he left the world. So there in the Radha
Govinda temple they have a ...puja. So it says Srinivasa acarya he was
there about this time. He got in time just to see the festival of Rupa
Goswami's departure. That is another story. Rupa Goswami, he wrote many
books for us. He gave us Bhakti-rasmrta-sindhu that has been translated by
Srila Prabhupada as the Nectar of Devotion. Lord Caitanya instructed Rupa
Goswami for about eleven days at Prayag ghat - Dasasvamedha ghat. So we
pray at the lotus feet of Rupa Goswami for his mercy -

vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau;
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau

[Haribol] So everybody who hasn't already taken some grain should take some
grain by 9.30am. [Dvadasi] So I will take some questions.

Question: Guru Maharaj. As Gaudiyas we know that jhulan means Srimati
Radharani but especially in Bengal there are maximum grhastas they do with
Gopal and somethings there. In many, many houses they do. Even some of our
namahatta devotees they do. So can you instruct us a little bit?
HH Jayapataka Swami: As I said in different temples around India they
observe swing festival. Even in Tirupati they swing Balaji but especially
these days are for Radha and Krishna. Krishna is more pleased that you
swing Him with Radharani. So we should take the chance, take the
opportunity to observe Jhulan yatra at this time with Radha and Krishna.
But if some namahatta only has Gopal deity they swing Gopal. But where we
have Radha and Krishna we always like to observe with Radha and Krishna.
Sri Radheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Syam.

Question: Dear Guru Maharaj I heard once that Srila Rupa Goswami was a
nitya siddha and Sanatan was sadhana siddha. Is that true? Is there any
difference after becoming fully realized between a nitya siddha and a
sadhana siddha? Please explain.
HH Jayapataka Swami: I heard that Sanatan Goswami came from the spiritual
world and also Rupa Goswami. Sanatan Goswami joined the lila here. So we
have to join the lila somewhere in some universe. Then from this universe
we can go back to Godhead, can go to Goloka Vrindavan. Or we can go
directly to Vaikuntha. But if we want to go to Goloka we need to join the
lila somewhere. Anyway, where I heard this about Sanatan Goswami I don't
remember. That is in the research department to see if it is bona fide or
not.

Those who have come from the spiritual world like Swarup Damodar - Lalita,
they never fall. They are internal potency. Others get fallen but then they
get liberation. That is the difference. So the internal potency is much
greater but in the lila … see the difference. So thank you very much.
Haribol. See you tonight at the Jhulan yatra.

[I heard this beautiful class and was enlivened. So I transcribed it for
the pleasure of you all. Your servant, Madri dasi[GRS] - Johannesburg,
South Africa]

Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari Darsan 18th July 2010

Sri Sri Nitai Saci-suta

Chota Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari

Sri Giriraj

Jai Nitai

Jai Gaura-Hari

Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari [Iskcon in Johanessburg, South Africa]

Darsan @ Iskcon, Johannesburg; South Africa Sri Sri Nitai Gaura-Hari

"When the rising sun appeared in the East, the jewel of the twice-born, Lord Gaurasundara, awakened, and, taking His devotees with Him, He went all over the countryside towns and villagesand played the mrdanga, and the cymbals chimed in time. Lord Gauranga's shimmering golden features danced, and His footbells jingled." [SVA 2: Arunodaya-kirtana I (udilo aruna)]

"All the devotees chanted the names Mukunda, Madhava, Yadava and Hari, their mouths being filled with the vibrations. They would announce to the still sleeping people, "You spend your nights uselessly sleeping and your days decorating your bodies!" [2: Arunodaya-kirtana I (udilo aruna)]

"
"You have achieved such a rare human body, but you do not care for this gift. You remain not serving the darling of Yasoda and slowly fall through your last moments to death." [SVA 2: Arunodaya-kirtana I (udilo aruna)]

"With every rising and setting of the sun, a day passes and is lost. Then, why do you remain idle and not serve the Lord of the heart?" [SVA 2: Arunodaya-kirtana I (udilo aruna)]

"This temporary life is full of various miseries. Take shelter of the holy name as your only business." [SVA 2: Arunodaya-kirtana I (udilo aruna)]

"To penetrate the darkness of ignorance and bless everyone's heart, the holy name has risen like the shining sun.Drink the pure nectar of the holy name. There is nothing but the name to be had in the fourteen worlds. It has filled the soul of Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura." [SVA 2: Arunodaya-kirtana I (udilo aruna)]

The above darsan was on the Disappearance day of Sri Gadadhara Pandita and Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur.

Namamrta Program in Midrand, Johanessburg, South Africa

Recently Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture [BCEC] facilitated another enlivening Namamrta program in Midrand, Johanessburg, South Africa. A group of devotees wishing to associate with each other for mutual spiritual upliftment gathered despite very low temperatures and focused on improving their Japa. In Bhagavad-gita Sri Krishna explains, "The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me." [Bg 10.9] Indeed I can say as co-facilitator that we were all feeling great bliss from engaging in this sublime process. Immersing oneself in such devotional activity in the association of sincere devotees gives one complete satisfaction. The attendees were completely oblivious of the world cup events or any other need.

Biraj Naidoo attended the course and said,"This course is extremely beneficial and is the changing point in my life."

Their Lordships Sri Sri Gauracandra are the presiding Deities [cast in brass and painted] at the house where this program was held. These Lordships have survived a house fire last year on Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa-puja night, where the entire house and its possessions were turned to ashes - including granite shelves. They have been expertly restored after the fire and continue to bestow Their mercy on us all.

Above: a happy group of devotees who attended together with co-facilitator HG Nrsimhananda Prabhu seen here far right of top row. Shereen who attended said, "I really enjoyed everything. I am an aspiring neophyte but the language used was easy to understand. I was kept captivated and did not even notice the hours and days go by. The prasadam was also sumptuous." Priya said, "I feel completely spiritually motivated by the dynamic facilitation and indept knowledge." Pariksa said, "This program left me with a greater appreciation for Srila Prabhupada and the Holy names." Saridiya rasa devi dasi said, "No words can do justice to the brilliance, knowledge, spiritual intensity, sincerity and professionalism in which the program was offered....."

As simple post-people of the divine message of the parampara we can take no credit. Rather we offer our deepfelt gratitude to all the Vaisnavas who have touched our lives in various ways either by accepting us as your students, by making available your audio lectures, by inspirational blogs and articles or by personal friendship and example.

Should you feel inspired to hold a similar program in your country or area please read more about us in the last journal http://bhaktivedantacollegeofeducationandcu.blogspot.com/
and contact a director near you or write to us at head office and we shall try to help facilitate you.

Harinam in Johannesburg City Centre

On Saturday mornings Johannesburg City Center is swarmed with a buzz of shoppers. On one Saturday every month a small group of us do harinam in the streets. It enlivens us to chant and dance amidst the African people. Below HG Mayapur Chandrodaya Prabhu distributes some books to passersby. I also do books on the harinam and find that Srila Prabhupada's books are well received. People give small donations. We sponsor the books and accept whatever contribution they give. Most Africans that I encounter speak English. So we distribute books in English. To survive in the working environment English literacy is important. Indeed even in our neighborhood young children converse in fluent English. It seems like soon native languages will be a thing of the past.

Below a group of youngster from Soweto joined in the harinam under the guidance of HG Mahaprabhu Dasa. Mahaprabhu and his good wife Malini devi dasi are originally from Soweto but have lived as full time devotees in asrams for many years. They moved out to start their own preaching center at Mother Malini's dad's house which she inherited after his demise. There they operate a Sunday program and do Food for Life. Many school children are attracted and attend these programs.

Mother Svaha who also works in the co-operate environment joined us for harinam and is seen with the hailer in hand. She led and ecstatic kirtan and many danced as her voice resounded the holy name.

Hg Nrsimhananda Prabhu is seen with a yellow mrdanga. He is also in the co-operate world and is my husband. He serves as the co-international director of the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture. Most evenings after work he teaches Srila Prabhupada's books at varying venues. He served as temple president for many years as was responsible for growing the congregation long before Namahattas were established. Actually the namhatta council was established only earlier this year or perhaps late last year. BCEC has been operational since the last 18yrs and continues to do so. Most initiated devotees in this area have been introduced to Krishna consciousness through the College classes. As a person preferring to act he remains an active preacher and follower making himself available to the devotee community at large at all times. The Iskcon News in its coverage of Iskcon in Johannesburg seems to create project a different perspective of how the congregation development took place here.

An enthusiastic bystander adds a few beats to the kirtan with an empty bucket.

hare krsna hare krsna
krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama
rama rama hare hare

BCEC Namamrta Program at Iskcon Toronto with HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami

The Namamrta program focuses on strengthening the practice of Japa, relishing kirtan and harinam in the association of devotees within our Iskcon society. Indeed Srila Prabhupada's temple is a fitting venue for such a program. The attendees are often left with inspiration and conviction that this facility can be a source of constant spiritual strength. HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami travels to various countries facilitating such a program. This program at Iskcon in Toronto was held earlier this month.

What participants had to say about the Namamrta program held in Toronto:

"Best organized program I have ever attended, even in outside "secular" and
material world" - Milind Joshi

"Wonderful association and devotee camaraderie" - Jack Persaud

"The most important thing I learned was how to "hear" the Holy Name." -
Sita Thakurani dd

"The 64 rounds day made me realize how truly valuable the Holy Name is and
how fortunate I am to have it." - Recha Grover

"The thing I liked most about the program was being able to chant together
as a group." - Jagannath Misra dasa

Smiling faces everywhere as devotees dance and sing their hearts out!

Skit on mechanical chanting

A sea of devotees take over the streets bringing the Holy Names and Srila
Prabhupada's books to whoever they meet!

Light-hearted moments!

Hare Krsna!

The happy and grateful devotees who participated in the Namamrta Level 1
program in Toronto

The overwhelming sound vibration of the Holy Name engulfs all the participants as they chant together and in the presence of Srimati Tulasi Maharani.