Published by FOLK (Friends of Lord Krishna) Committee of the … · 2016-06-14 · Welcome to Diwali season! In this issue you can discover Kåñëa’s reasons for worshipping Govardhana

October 2015 - January 2016 FOLK NEWS | 1

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Published by FOLK (Friends of Lord Krishna) Committee of the Melbourne Hare Krishna Temple October 2015 - January 2016

FOLK newsFriends of Lord Krishna Newsletter

Krishna, Lifter of Govardhana HillDrutakarmä Däsa

was playing the part of Nanda’s child, He questioned His father just like a curious boy. Nanda remained grave and silent and went on with his business. “Kåñëa is too young to understand such complicated rituals,” he mused. Under the spell of Kåñëa’s divine energy, Nanda thought that the all-knowing Personality of Godhead was just his little boy.

But Kåñëa persisted with His questions. “My dear father, you may keep secrets from people who wish you ill, but you shouldn’t keep secrets from Me. Please tell Me. Who is this sacrifice for?”

Nanda turned to his child and said, “My dear boy, if You must know, this sacrifice is for Indra, the Lord of heaven. Indra controls the clouds that bring rain. Without rain we can’t grow nice grains, fruits, and vegetables, or grasses for our cows to graze on. So we’re holding this sacrifice to show our gratitude to King Indra.”

In reality, demigods like Indra are simply servants of Kåñëa, the Supreme Lord. The Bhagavad-gétä clearly says that whatever benefits the demigods can bestow actually come from Kåñëa, and that instead of worshiping these lesser personalities, we should just worship Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To teach Nanda and the other inhabitants of Våndävana this lesson, Kåñëa said, “My dear father, I don’t think you have to offer this sacrifice to Indra. Even if you don’t please Indra, what can he do? He must pour water everywhere, whether anyone worships him or not. That’s his duty. Let’s have nothing to do with Indra, father. Instead, let’s hold a big sacrifice to honor Govardhana Hill.”

One day, in the village of Våndävana, child Kåñëa saw His father Nanda

Mahäräja and the other cowherd men preparing a big sacrifice. “My dear father,” Kåñëa said, “who is this sacrifice for? What is it all about? Please tell Me - I want to know.”

Kåñëa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so He actually knew that the sacrifice was for Indra, the Lord of heaven. But because He

GO PÜJÄ Worshiping the Cows Sunday October 4th.

GOVARDHANA PÜJÄ Worshiping Govardhana Hill Saturday November 14th.

PÄNIHÄÖI UTSAVA Jagannätha’s Special Mahäprasäda FestivalSaturday December 26th.

DÄMODARA MÄSÄOffering of Lamps to Çré DämodaraTuesday Oct. 27th. - Thursday Nov. 26th.

PRABHUPÄDA DISAPPEARANCE The Disappearance of Çréla Prabhupäda Monday November 16th.

NEW YEAR’S DAY Celebrate With Us Friday January 1st.

DIWALI Lord Rämachandra Returns to Ayodhyä Wednesday November 11th.

SNÄNA YATRA The Bathing of Lord JagannäthaSaturday December 26th.

2 | FOLK NEWS October 2015 - January 2016

FOUNDER-ÄCÄRYAHis Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Aniruddha Däsa Prabhu DäsaRasänandiné Däsé

CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE Drutakarmä Däsa Närada Åñi Däsa Bhakta-vatsala Däsa Bhakti-latä Däsé Iswariya Vinoth Rasänandiné Däsé

WEBSITEwww.harekrishnamelbourne.com.au

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIESW: harekrishnamelbourne.com.au/publications/folk-news/advertise-in-folk-news-print-editionE: [email protected]

WRITE FOR FOLK NEWS We welcome your contributions.W: harekrishnamelbourne.com.au/publications/folk-news/write-for-folk-news

EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONS Kejal Shah T: 9699 5122

Contents:Come Celebrate With Us 6 Prabhupada’s Legacy of Compassion 7 Vaiñëava Calendar 9How I Came to Kåñëa Consciousness 10A Big Assumption 10Care for Cows Now 12Home Program Information 16Chanting Hare Krishna 17Krishna's Kids 18 Varsha Puja Information 20Hare Krishna Centres Around Australia, Temple Timetable 21Hare Krishna Valley Report / Saàskäras 22

FOLK news is published by the Member Services Committee of ISKCON Melbourne © 2015 International Society for Krishna Consciousness Inc.

Editorial: Welcome to Diwali season! In this issue you can discover Kåñëa’s reasons for worshipping Govardhana Hill. Närada Åñi Däsa shares why Kåñëa appears as Lord Jagannätha and the significance of Jagannätha’s appearance. Melbourne’s Food for Life Kitchen Giving Campaign is launched, and our farm manager Maëigréva updates us on Hare Krishna Valley’s Care for Cows program.

Thank you all for your heartfelt, generous support for our Janmäñöamé festival season. This year’s special three-day festival (Janmäñöamé weekend and Vyäsa-püjä) hosted a huge number of guests. I’d especially like to thank everyone who helped to sponsor, organise or serve. If you have any ideas on how to improve the festival please email [email protected].

Soon the month of Kärttika (October-November) will arrive. Join Kadamba-känana Gosvämé at Hare Krishna Valley for Go-püjä on Sunday October the 4th. You can relish

offering Lord Dämodara lamps morning or evening from Tuesday October the 27th. till Thursday November the 26th. Çrématé Rädhäräëé is the presiding deity of Kärttika, so the whole month is particularly dear to Lord Kåñëa and full of blessings. Any vratä, even the smallest, yields a thousand-fold result.

We’ll celebrate Diwali on Wednesday the November 11th. and Govardhana Püjä on Saturday November the 14th. Çréla Prabhupäda’s Disappearance festival is on Monday November the 16th.

Hare Krishna Melbourne celebrates Snäna-yäträ on Boxing Day – December the 26th. - which is a Saturday this year. We’ll start the bathing at 10am. From 2pm. You’ll be able to bid in the transcendental auction of Lord Jagannätha’s Pänihäöi-style Mahaprasädam. Then, of course, there is New Year’s Day. Please mark all these events in your diary and bring your family and friends to share the fun.

If you are inspired to assist at any of our events or festivals please contact the Member Services office. I look forward to seeing you at the temple in the months to come. Thanks for all your encouragement and support.

Your servant,


In a unique form, Lord Krishna is worshiped in a famous temple in Puri, India, and at Rathayatras (chariot festivals) there and around the world.

Narada Rishi Dasa was born in a conservative Orissan Vaishnava family in Puri, on the east coast of India. The Supreme Lord Jagannatha and His devotees were at the center of his life. As a child, he played with dolls of Jagannatha, Baladeva (Balarama), and Subhadra, the deities in the famous Puri temple. He remembers how his mother gave him enormous plates of Jagannatha prasadam and told him to always remember the Lord. He saw how the simple and devoted Orissan people - even doctors, engineers, and scientists - never neglect to honor Lord Jagannatha. He watched how the king of Puri became a humble servant and swept the street before Jagannatha’s cart during the yearly Rathayatra, or festival of the chariots.

Lord Jagannatha may look peculiar and strange to the Western world, but He is the life and soul of the Orissans. Even though Narada Rishi attended the Rathayatra festival for many years in his youth, it was not until he met the devotees of ISKCON that his devotion for Jagannatha deepened. Now Jagannatha is worshiped in many ISKCON temples around the world, and Narada Rishi has grown to see Him as the most merciful and charming person who excuses His devotees’ offenses and attracts them further along the path of devotional service.

Jagannatha means “Lord of the universe.” Many Vedic books mention that Jagannatha is Krishna. Baladeva is His brother, and Subhadra is His sister.

Although Krishna is absolute and transcendental to material nature, to accept the loving service of His devotees He appears before us as the deity in the temple, in the form of stone, metal, wood, or paint. Jagannatha is a wooden form of Krishna.

Because Jagannatha does not look like Krishna, people may wonder how He can be Krishna. Scriptures tell the story behind Jagannatha’s peculiar form.

Jagannatha’s Transcendental Advent

The Skanda Purana relates King Indradyumna’s quest to find a deity form of Krishna after dreaming of a beautiful blue deity named Nila Madhava. The name describes the sapphire color of the deity: Nila means blue, and Madhava is one of Krishna’s names. King Indradyumna sent messengers in all directions to find Nila Madhava, and a brahmana named Vidyapati returned successful. He discovered that Vishvavasu, a pig farmer (savara) in a remote tribal village, was secretly worshiping Nila Madhava. When Vidyapati later returned to that place with Indradyumna, however, Nila Madhava was gone. King Indradyumna surrounded the village with his soldiers and arrested Vishvavasu.

Then a voice from the sky proclaimed, “Release the savara and build a big temple for Me on top of Nila Hill. There you will see Me, not as Nila Madhava, but in a form made of neem wood.”

Nila Madhava promised to appear as wood (daru), and thus He is called daru-brahma (“wood-spirit”). Indradyumna waited by the ocean, where the Lord arrived as a giant log floating toward the beach.

Disguised an old man, Vishvakarma, the architect of the demigods, arrived to carve the deities under the condition that he would remain undisturbed for twenty-one days. King Indradyumna consented, and the artist worked behind locked doors. Before the time period was up, however, the noise stopped, and King Indradyumna’s intense curiosity prompted him to open the doors. Vishvakarma had disappeared. In the room, the three deities of Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra looked as if unfinished—without hands or feet—and Indradyumna became greatly perturbed, thinking he had offended the Lord.

That night, Jagannatha spoke to the king in a dream and reassured him, explaining that He was revealing Himself in that form out of His own inconceivable desire, to show the world that He can accept offerings without hands, and move around without feet.

Why Krishna Appears as JagannathaNärada Åñi Däsa


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Lord Jagannatha told the king, “Know for sure that My hands and feet are the ornament of all ornaments, but for your satisfaction, you may give Me gold and silver hands and feet from time to time.”

Devotees now worship the same “unfinished” forms of Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra in Puri and in temples around the world. These forms are part of their eternal pastimes.

Jagannatha as Krishna of Vrindavana

Although Jagannatha is often identified with Krishna of Dwaraka, in the mood of opulence, His actual but confidential identity is as Krishna of Vrindavana, the lover of Radharani. The Jagannatha Chaitanyam says, “Radha stays in the heart of Jagannatha, and so does Sri Krishna.”

Krishna is known by His relationships, especially with the residents of Vrindavana, and devotees sometimes refer to Jagannatha in this way. Jagannatha is considered the consort of Radharani, who associates with Krishna only in His mood of Vrindavana. The ecstasy that resulted from Krishna’s love for Radharani caused Krishna’s transformation into the form of Jagannatha.

The Oriyan poet Banamali sings, “O Jagannatha, Yashoda’s dear foster son, Your Radha is like the chataka bird, drinking only the pure raindrops You shower as Your grace.”

In Vrindavana, Krishna assumes the graceful three-fold bending form (tribanga-lalita), and He wears a peacock feather and plays His flute. The Jagannathashtakam (verse 2) identifies Jagannatha with this mood: “In His left hand Lord Jagannatha holds a flute, on His head He wears peacock feathers, and on His hips He wears fine yellow silken cloth. From the corners of His eyes He bestows sidelong glances upon His loving devotees, and He always reveals Himself through His pastimes in His divine abode of Vrindavana. May that Jagannatha Svami be the object of my vision.”

The poetess Madhavi-devi, the sister of Ramananda Raya, writes in one of her songs: “The tender, sweet verses of Sri Gita-govinda bearing the name of Radha are woven into the khandua [pieces of cloth worn by Jagannatha each evening], which Lord Jagannatha holds close to His limbs.”

The Chaitanya-Chaitanya explains that Krishna came as Chaitanya to understand Radharani’s mood. During Rathayatra He danced in ecstasy in front of Lord Jagannatha (Krishna) to get His attention. In reply, Jagannatha consoled Him: “I never forgot any gopis or gopas, and especially You, Srimati Radhika. How can I forget You?”

Narada Muni revealed to Gopa-kumara in Brihad-bhagavatamrita (2.5.212–214): “Eternally as dear to Sri Krishnadeva as His beautiful Mathura-dhama is that Purushottama-kshetra. There the Lord displays His supreme opulence and yet charms His devotees by acting like an ordinary person of the world. And if you are still not fully satisfied after going there and seeing Him, then

at least stay there for some time as the means to achieve your desired goal. Of course, your ultimate goal is pure love for the lotus feet of Krishna, the divine gopis’ life and soul - love that follows the mood of the Lord’s own Vraja-bhumi. You seek no other goal than that.” Love for Jagannatha is krishna-prema, love of Krishna, which is our ultimate goal. Krishna has become available to everyone in the form of Jagannatha.

Since Lord Jagannatha is none other than Krishna, His abode is equal to Vrindavana, where Krishna performs His childhood pastimes. Jagannatha Puri - also called Purushottama-kshetra, Sri Kshetra, and Nilacala (“the place of the blue mountain”) - contains all of Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes (lilas), although they may be hidden from material eyes. The Vaishnava-tantra states, “Whatever lilas of Sri Krishna are manifest in Gokula, Mathura, and Dwaraka are all found in Nilacala, Sri Kshetra.”

By having the proper spiritual vision - eyes anointed by pure love of Godhead, krishna-prema - one can see all the pastimes of Krishna there.

Jagannatha is no one else but the ecstatic manifestation of Krishna, who appears in His most merciful form to help us go home, back to Godhead. Therefore, Srila Prabhupada introduced Rathayatra (and the Snana Yatra that preceeds it) in many cities around the world to uplift the conditioned souls from the spell of maya (illusion). Let us take advantage of these occasions. (First published in Back to Godhead magazine, September/October 2007.)

•

vasan präsädäntaù sahaja-balabhadreëa balinä subhadrä-madhya-sthaù sakala-sura-sevävasara-do jagannäthaù svämé nayana-patha-gämé bhavatu me

Lord Jagannätha resides with His powerful brother Balabhadra and His sister Subhadrä, who sits between Them. May that Jagannatha Svami be the object of my vision. (From Çré Jagannäthäñöaka 3)

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PRABHUPÄDA DISAPPEARANCE Monday November 16th10.30am Bhajans & Offerings12.30pm Guru Puja & Kirtan1.30pm Feast 6.00pm Lilamrita Readings 7:00pm Offering of Lamps7.30pm Arati to Prabhupada

Friday January 1st4.30pm Fire Sacrifice & Arati5.00pm Class6.00pm Feast7.00pm Arati & Kirtan

NEW YEARS DAY SRI VYASA PUJASaturday December 26th2.00 - 4.00pm Auction of Lord Jagannatha’s Special Mahaprasada

SNÄNA-YÄTRÄ Saturday December 26th10.00am Abhisheka12.30pm Arati & Kirtan2.00pm Panihati Auction4.00pm Feast

PÄNIHÄÖI AUCTION

Come celebrate with us! GO PÜJÄ, HARE KÅÑËA VALLEY

Sunday October 4th12 noon Arati & Kirtan12:30 pm Class 1:15pm Procession to the Cows 1.30pm Go Puja 2;00pm Procession to the Temple2:15pm Feast

DIWALIWednesay November 11th4.30pm Arati & Kirtan5.00pm Class 6.00pm Feast 7.00pm Candlelit Arati & Offering of Lamps

GOVARDHANA PÜJÄ Saturday November 14th4.30pm Arati & Kirtan5.00pm Circumambulation of Giriraja 6.00pm Feast 7.00pm Arati & Offering of Lamps

DÄMODARA MÄSA Tuesday October 27th - Thursday November 26thOffer Lamps 7am & 7pm Daily


It was 1974. Srila Prabhupada was sitting in ISKCON’s recently completed four-storey Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir (the Lotus

Building) in Mayapur. While eating quietly in his room on an upper floor, he heard a disturbance outside. Leaving his meal, he walked to the window to look out. Then, with a sombre expression, he turned back. He instructed his assistant to call all the movement’s leaders (who were gathered for a Governing Body Commission meeting) to come to his room at once.

Responding to their spiritual master’s urgency, the leaders quickly gathered. Srila Prabhupada brought them to the window. What they beheld caused them all dismay. Below, in a refuse ditch some metres from the temple compound, about fifteen local children were fighting with scavenging dogs to get the leftovers from the leaf plates that had been piled there.

Srila Prabhupada’s voice was trembling with emotion, “Just look at how they are eating this, they must be so hungry. They must be so hungry. We must feed them!”

Tears welled up in his eyes and began to glide down his golden cheeks, “’This is Krishna’s house, Krishna is the father of everyone, if

you want to make a real Temple then you must make arrangement anyone within a ten kilometre circumference, that they never go hungry. Then this is Krishna’s house – in the presence of the father the child will never go hungry. Immediately make arrangements to distribute prasadam (sanctified food).”

This small incident marked the beginning of ISKCON Food Relief, which developed into Hare Krishna Food For Life. In the intervening years, Food for Life has grown into the largest food relief agency in the world, serving 1.2 million meals daily in India alone.

Currently Food for Life is active in sixty countries around the world. ISKCON’s global network of kitchens, cafes, vans, and mobile services provides free and discounted vegan and vegetarian food for a wide variety of people in need.

From a secular perspective, the Hare Krishna

Prabhupada’s Legacy of CompassionBhakta-vatsala Däsa


• Food distribution• Deity garlands• Flower decorations and vases

• Deity dresses• Marquees• Temple worship


movement’s Food for Life activities are an amazing humanitarian effort. They are greater, in fact, than organisations who are synonymous with food relief, such as Oxfam, UNESCO, and The Red Cross. Food for Life distributes more meals around the world than any of these charities.

But why would you feed people with spiritually empty calories when you could give them sustenance for the body and the soul simultaneously? Srila Prabhupada explains:

“Just like feeding the poor. It is also yajna. But the same thing, if it is dovetailed in consciousness, that becomes perfect. People are very much inclined to feed the poor with sumptuous food. But it can be done in a little different way. That foodstuff offered to Visnu - prasada - that distribution foodstuff is better than ordinary distribution of foodstuff. Ordinarily, that is punya - pious activities - but when it is in connection with Krishna, this is called yajna.” (Lecture, 17.4.1974 Bombay.)

Melbourne Temple’s Food for Life programme also dates back to this seminal time in the early 1970s. When Srila Prabhupada visited the city, he famously said “Let every hungry man in Melbourne come and eat.”

Since that time, ISKCON Melbourne has expanded Prabhupada’s mission in many ways. The Temple has been quietly distributing vegan and vegetarian meals uninterruptedly for over forty years. Our current service includes the daily distribution of around 5,500 meals per week from outlets in St. Kilda, Melbourne Central (Crossways), and mobile services in collaboration with local councils.

Now the Melbourne Temple kitchen is producing at its maximum capacity. To remedy this situation, we are launching a major Campaign to build a new kitchen, along with a major reconfiguration of current dining and educational facilities.

The Campaign will be called the Food for Life Kitchen (FFLK) Giving. Many years of planning and behind-the-scenes work brought us to this stage. With work about to start on the building, the fundraising component is about to begin in earnest.

In conjunction with the new kitchen, we have an exciting vision for a greater expansion plan. In fact this new facility will be the power-house to drive a host of other projects forward. In coming years FFLK proposes to open more Crossways-style outlets, numerous free food relief programmes, and even an educational facility. There is a strong focus on Melbourne’s Western Suburbs for these plans, since our support there is so strong.

Srila Prabhupada established our goal, “…to distribute prasada to millions of hungry people hankering for spiritual emancipation. This is the mission of the Krishna consciousness movement.” (Srimad-

Bhagavatam 1.13.9 purport).

He explained our position, “Everyone is poor. Not that the rich man is not poor. Everyone should come to the temple and ask for prasada. That is required. The sannyasi should worship the Deity in the temple and feed the poor. Poor does not mean one who has no legs, no ears. Everyone who is spiritually poor, he should be given prasadam. It is not poor-feeding. It is distributing the resultant action of yajna. This worship is yajna. If you feed some men (not the so-called poor, everyone) then they’ll be freed from their sinful activities. (Srila Prabhupada, Sannyäsa Initiation Lecture, 1.26.1973, Calcutta.)

Increasing Krishna prasadam distribution brings blessings for everyone. Along with the obvious benefits to the Temple’s kitchen facility and the devotees whom this effects, increasing our kitchen output will provide greater devotional employment and volunteer opportunities.

Expanding the scope of Food for Life activities within the broader community is a great outreach activity. Increased prasadam distribution will further relationships with government agencies (local, State and Federal) as well as with non-government bodies (churches, not-for-profit and businesses). In this way Food for Life Kitchen will increase Hare Krishna Melbourne’s visibility in the public eye, and draw attention to the work of Food for Life’s past and current unsung heroes.

Ultimately - for devotees - Krishna’s compassion is a central principal, as is fulfilling the instructions of our spiritual master and Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada. When these personalities reciprocate with our service, everyone who facilitates prasadam distribution becomes transcendentalised and experiences the personal mercy of Guru and Gauranga.

For more information about Food for Life Kitchen, visit the Campaign website at www.foodforlifekitchen.com.au. We look forward to your participation.



Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Caturthi

Padmanabha MasaGaurabda 529

2 Pancami 3 Sasti

4 SaptamiPrabhupada arrived USA 1965, Daylight Saving Time starts

5 Astami 6 Navami 7 Dasami 8 Ekadasi Fast for Indira Ekadasi

9 DvadasiBreak fast 07:21-11:00 EDT

10 Trayodasi

11 Caturdasi

12 Caturdasi 13 Amavasya

14 Pratipat 15 Dvitiya 16 Tritiya 17 Caturthi

18 PancamiTula Sankranti

19 Sasti 20 SaptamiDurga Puja

21 Astami 22 Navami 23 DasamiRamacandra Vijayotsava

24 Ekadasi Fast for Pasankusa Ekadasi


26 Caturdasi Last day of the 3rd Caturmasya month (Purnima system)

27 Purnima 4th month of Caturmasya begins, urad dahl fast

28 PratipatDamodara MasaGaurabda 529

29 Dvitiya 30 Tritiya 31 Caturthi

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1PancamiNarottama Dasa Thakura Disappearance

2 Sasti 3 Saptami Melbourne Cup Public Holiday

4 AstamiAppearance of Radha Kunda, snana dana Bahulastami

5 NavamiSri Virabhadra Appearance

6 Dasami 7 Ekadasi Fast for Rama Ekadasi


9 Trayodasi 10 Caturdasi 11 G Amavasya Dipa dana, Dipavali, (Kali Puja)

12 G Pratipat Go Puja. Go KrdaGovardhana Puja

13 Pratipat 14 DvitiyaVasudeva Ghosh Disappearance

15 Tritiya 16 G Caturthi, Srila Prabhupada Disappearance (Fast till noon)

17 PancamiVrscika Sankranti

18 Sasti 19 Saptami 20 Navami Gopastami, Gadadhara Dasa Gosvami Disappearance

21 Dasami

22 GEkadasi, Gaura Kisora Dasa Babaji Disappearance (Fast till noon, feast tomorrow)


24 Trayodasi 25 CaturdasiLast day of 4th Caturmasya month (Purnima system)

26 Purnima, Sri Krishna Rasayatra

27 PratipatKeshava MasaGaurabda 529

28 Tritiya

29 Caturthi 30 Pancami

VAISNAVA CALENDAR - OCTOBER 2015

VAISNAVA CALENDAR - NOVEMBER 2015


In a new feature we’ll share the realisations and devotional paths of local devotees. Guru (spiritual teacher), sadhu (practitioner) and sastra (instruction) are three

sources of transcendental knowledge that light our paths. One way or another, every one of us connects with them. So it’s enlivening to share how others do it.

We approached a senior devotee, Bhakti Vriksha facilitator and our siksa guru, Vraja Bhava Prabhu. As always, his humility and willingness to share touched our heart and soul.

Iswariya: How did you come to Krishna consciousness?Vraja Bhava Dasa: I was introduced to Krishna consciousness by a devotee in Wellington, New Zealand. As I walked to university, she gave me a Bhagavad-gétä and invited me to the local Urban Yoga Centre. I started visiting the Centre because it was close to my accommodation, and from there I started my spiritual journey.I: Can you share an ultimate realisation?V: This world around us is not - and will never ever be - a place to remain happy and satisfied. One can encounter difficulties at any point of time. I: If you weren’t Krishna conscious, what is one thing that you might do?V: I would be chasing the imaginary comforts in this world.I: What would you like to do in the spiritual world if you were there right now?V: Cook and sing for the LordI: Do you have any suggestions for our readers?V: Bhakti isn’t cheap. Let’s take this process seriously so we don’t miss this opportunity.

A Big Assumption Bhakti-latä DäséStanding outside a Melbourne Train Station - a busy place where professionals and uni students exit - I spotted a girl with a crumbled McDonald’s package, the remnants of breakfast. I thought, “Let her be the proof of Lord Caitanya’s and Srila Prabhupada’s mercy,” began chatting with her and placed a Coming Back in her hand. She was a student and told me straight out, “You know, I don’t mind whether or not I come back, or whether I’m dead when I am dead. What does it matter? I don’t care.”

I appreciated her honesty, because it meant that I had an opportunity to try to dispell her doubts. Pointing to the Station, I suggested we might learn about the law of gravity if we jump from the first floor. We know we will hit the ground.” She added, with some enthusiasm: “We will crash down.”

“That’s right, it’s a law of nature that applies to everything,” I said. “Similarly, other laws, like the law of karma, are rarely taught, but they are really helpful in understanding ourselves better.” She started to get it and asserted with confidence, “They should teach that at school.”

“Right!” I responded. “For yourself, at least you can read this book.” Now she seemed pretty happy with the idea. But a last doubt arose, and she asked, “But who knows about this stuff, and how can anyone know? I think no one knows.”

I suggested, “Maybe ‘we’ don’t know, but we cannot assume that no one does. That’s a big assumption, a big jump, isn’t it?” She agreed, decided to buy the book and give it a read. I invited her to one of our Centres. Smiling, she left to go to class.

How I Came to Kåñëa ConsciousnessIswariya Vinoth


What Is the Hare Kåñëa Movement?

Founded in 1966 by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) carries on a great ancient tradition rooted in the Bhagavad-gétä, the teachings Lord Kåñëa spoke five millennia ago. The Gétä and the other Vedic scriptures declare Kåñëa to be the original person, God Himself, who appears periodically in this world to liberate all living beings.

Only five hundred years ago, Kåñëa descended as Çré Caitanya Mahaprabhu to teach the most sublime and effective means of meditation for the present day: the chanting of the names of God, especially as found in the Hare Kåñëa mantra.

Today members of ISKCON continue Lord Caitanya's movement by distributing the teachings of Lord Kåñëa and the Hare Kåñëa mantra all over the world.

PronunciationWe spell Sanskrit words and names by a phonetic system that lets you know how to say each word. Pronounce short a like the u in but, long ä like the a in far (and held twice as long as the short a). Pronounce e like the a in evade, long é like the i in pique. Pronounce the vowel å like the ri in rim, and c like the ch in chair. Pronounce consonants like ch, jh, and dh as in staunch-heart, hedge-hog, and red-hot. Pronounce ç and ñ like sh. So for Kåñëa say KRISHNA, for Caitanya say CHAITANYA.

Spiritual NamesISKCON members receive names of Lord Kåñëa or His great devotees, combined with Däsa (for men) or Däsé (for women), both of which mean “servant.” For instance, the name Kåñëa Däsa means “servant of Kåñëa.”


VAISNAVA CALENDAR - DECEMBER 2015

VAISNAVA CALENDAR - JANUARY 2016Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

31 SaptamiLocana Dasa Thakura Disappearance

1 SaptamiNarayana Masa, Gaurabda 529

2 Astami

3 Navami 4 Navami 5 Dasami 6 Ekadasi Fast for Saphala Ekadasi

7 DvadasiBreak fast 06:06-10:59 DST

8 TrayodasiSri Mahesa Pandit Disappearance

9 Caturdasi

10 Amavasya

11 PratipatSri Locana Dasa Thakura Appearance

12 Dvitiya 13 TritiyaSrila Jiva Gosvami Disappearance

14 Pancami 15 SastiGanga Sagara Mela, Makara Sankranti

16 Saptami

17 Astami 18 Navami 19 Dasami 20 Ekadasi Fast for Putrada Ekadasi

21 DvadasiBreak fast 06:20-11:07 DST

22 Trayodasi 23 Caturdasi

24 Purnima

25 PratipatMadhava Masa

26 Dvitiya 27 Tritiya 28 Caturthi 29 Pancami 30 Sasti

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Sasti

Keshava MasaGaurabda 529

2 Saptami 3 Astami 4 Astami 5 Navami

6 Dasami 7 Ekadasi Fast for Utpanna Ekadasi


9 TrayodasiSri Saranga Thakura Disappearance

10 Caturdasi 11 Amavasya

12 Pratipat

13 Dvitiya 14 Tritiya 15 Caturthi 16 Pancami 17 SastiOdana sasthiDhanus Sankranti

18 Saptami 19 Astami

20 Navami 21 Dasami 22 Ekadasi, Trisprsa Mahadvadasi, Fast for Moksada Ekadasi, Advent of Bhagavad-gita

23 TrayodasiBreak fast 05:55-10:50 EDT

24 Caturdasi 25 Purnima Katyayani vrata ends, Christmas Day Public Holiday

26 GPratipat, Snana Yatra & Panihati (Melbourne), Narayana MasaGaurabda 529, Boxing Day Holiday

27 Dvitiya 28 Tritiya Boxing Day Public Holiday (additional)

29 G Caturthi Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Disappearance (Fast till noon)

30 Pancami 31 Sasti


Go Puja Festival is fast approaching on Sunday October the 4th. Our

special guest will be the expert kirtaneer and scholar, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Gosvami. In preparation, Manigriva Dasa gave me an interview on the progress of Cow Protection at Hare Krishna Valley. Manigriva is the Valley’s farm manager. He cares for our cows, gardens and farm facilities.

Rasanandini Dasi: “What has happened at the Valley since the Care For Cows Campaign started in 2014?

Manigriva Dasa: Cow protection is definitely advancing. The Gir calves are coming. The new cows are happy. The goshala (cow barn) is coming, Giridhari (the new young bull) is doing very well with his training.

R: The Care for Cows Campaign was based around the fact that Cintamani (our elderly Brahman-Jersey cow) was lonely.

M: Cintamani has a nice big coat to protect her. She has company: she’s happy. To be honest, she’s bonded very well with all the new Brahman-Gir cows. She’s with Giridhari now. She spends most of her time with him. They look after each other. The main reason she’s with him is that I don’t have another bull for him to be with at this time. That’s why she’s there with him, to

keep him company. She’s fine – although she’s very old, she does come to be with the other cows quite often.

R: When Hamsi, Aruni, Lalli and Giridhari arrived here early in 2014 they were not used to people.

M: No, not at all. Now, as you can see, they’re very friendly. They’ve received handling, hand-feeding, lots of care and lots of attention. Just like humans: you know if someone takes care of you and looks after your needs, then you grow to be affectionate towards that person. So cows are no different.

R: Are the Gir calves born here friendlier?

M: Yes, they don’t have any inhibitions about humans. They don’t have any preconceived idea about humans. So life’s different for them. You can see Hamsi, for example. She obviously had kids throwing stones at her before she came to this farm. You can understand this is the case because she doesn’t like little kids. She doesn’t like being patted too much, but she especially does not like little kids. Although Aruni hasn’t had that experience, she’s still wary of humans. As for Ekadasi (who was born here), you can see she doesn’t really have any inhibitions.

R: How is breeding to a pure Gir herd progressing?

M: Aruni’s calf Ekadasi (born in July) is our first Gir cow. She would be classified as a quarter-breed, but I consider her a half-breed just by how strongly she’s thrown to the Gir side. In August Hamsi - our eldest heifer Sita Priya’s mother - delivered healthy new twins. Douji is a bull calf and Revati is a heifer. They are both red with white markings, like Ekadasi. The sire of all these Gir calves is New Hope, a notable American bull of the 1980s.

As you know, we have already purchased a full-blood Gir bull calf. I went to New South Wales in July to take him from his birth place to ISKCON’s New Govardhana farm at Eungella.

R: Does the bull calf have a name?

M: I’d like to call him Lochana. I’m hoping he’ll be here before Go Puja.

R: Is Lochana’s arrival the main goal leading up to Go Puja?

M: I would like to have the goshala finished, or at least to have as much done as possible. It would be nice to have the herd in the goshala by Go Puja.

R: In July you built a shed beside the new cattle crush and a roof over the crush. (The crush is a strongly built stall for holding cows and bulls safely while they are examined or given veterinary treatment.)

M: The shelter is for the vets. If it’s raining, windy or really hot, the shed’s helpful. If a cow has to stay in the crush for an extended period of time - let’s say for an hour or 45 minutes – she’s comfortable. Everybody else that needs to work on her is also comfortable. It’s pretty standard practice.

Care for Cows NowRasänandiné Däsé



R: How is Giridhari’s training progressing?

M: Giridhari started training when he was about three months old by accepting a rope and bucket feed. When you first start training, it’s a process of walking the calf on a rope and carrying a bucket of feed to encourage him to respond to very simple commands. Now Giridhari knows several commands really well. He knows left and right, backwards, stand, walk up and basic body movements. You not only want to be able to communicate with your animal, but you want him to be able to read what you are going to do. That’s one of the benefits of the Bos Indicus cattle (for example the Brahman and Gir breeds): they’re very intelligent. They’re very smart. Giridhari’s very good: he’s a good boy.

R: Was Giridhari’s biggest job so far carting logs last winter?

M: Dragging logs, yes. We want to get him to the stage where he doesn’t need a rope. What Giridhari did was to help us to clear up the saplings, to clean out small trees by dragging them a distance of about 40 metres. It was too wet to get machinery into the paddock and it would have been very hard work for our WWOOFers (Willing Workers On Organic Farms) and our devotees to drag those trees because they are quite heavy.

R: How did Giridhari behave?

M: He was really good. He pulled about six trees, and then I tied him up for five minutes so he could have time to reflect. Then when I approached him again, his ears were up, he was in a really good posture, his body language was very positive, and he walked straight over to where the next tree was to be pulled. So he was very happy about it and really wanted to work.

Next I’m looking into getting Giridhari a Clydesdale (draft horse) collar to work in. When I worked bullocks in New Zealand, I used Clydesdale collars a lot. The bulls really like pulling in Clydesdale collars: they wear them upside down. The collars give them a lot of support. I need to spend a bit of money on some equipment for Giridhari: some chains, a collar and a few bits and pieces that he will need just so that he can start work. He’s at the age now where he needs to start pulling things very similar to his own body weight.

Giridhari needs to work up incrementally. It’s more a matter of confidence than strength. You never give him something too heavy to pull to start with. You always instil in him that he has the confidence to pull whatever you attach him to. So, to start with, you always want to have very light loads. Then, as Giridhari gets more confidence, you can start to add more weight.

There is plenty of tree clearing to be done on the farm. We’ll also need him at firewood cutting time. When we start cutting down trees with a chainsaw into long lengths, he can drag them out into an open area where we can cut the timber up and split it.

There’s lots of work for Giridhari to do. He’ll also begin to be used in the garden to help prepare the planting beds. We do have an old hand plough,

but I’ll probably have to construct a new one to use.

R: How is Giridhari’s ploughing the garden an advantage?

M: To save on the cost of buying machine fuel. The price is high, and our tractor is itself ‘on death’s door.’ The old Fiat is 55 years old, so ‘she’s’ really struggling.

R: The cost of buying fuel and machinery is a big burden for farmers.

M: Yes, definitely. Go raksha – cow protection – basically means that you have to work the bull. That’s the main principal of cow protection. The cow, she eats the grass and gives milk. The bull, if he’s not engaged, he becomes troublesome. He starts to wreck your fences and dig big holes in the ground. He has to be engaged. Just as it is for us, life is difficult if you are not engaged.

To protect the cows and bulls, the goshala is going ahead. Everything is going well. In August we completed laying bricks and strengthening the back wall. Then we back-filled the space where the hill was excavated (behind the goshala) with drainage gravel. Rammed earth walls will sit on top of the brick walls. Our old power poles have been cut to use as weight-bearing posts for the roof. Progress is not really limited so much by our manpower as by finance. ”

We are looking forward to joining our Care For Cows sponsors and everybody who appreciates the cows at the Festival. You will get an opportunity to worship the cows, hand feed them and enjoy chanting, dancing, discourses, drama and feasting. So please mark the date in your diary, and spend the day enjoying the festivities and mild Spring weather with us at Hare Krishna Valley.

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Our mission is to show the spiritual and material benefits that result from protecting


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and caring for the cows. Srila Prabhupada writes that, “Like children, the unintelligent animals are also sons of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore a Kåñëa conscious person, even though a householder, should not discriminate between children and poor animals.

Unfortunately, modern society has devised many means for killing animals in different forms of life. For example, in the agricultural fields there may be many mice, flies and other creatures that disturb production, and sometimes they are killed by pesticides. In this verse, however, such killing is forbidden.

Every living entity should be nourished by the food given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Human society should not consider itself the only enjoyer of all the

properties of God; rather, men should understand that all the other animals also have a claim to God’s property.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.14.9 Purport, cited in Cow Protection Book 1, ISKCON Ministry of Cow Protection and Agriculture, http://iscowp.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/cow_protection_book.pdf)

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“Actually...for the economic problem one requires a little land and a few cows. Then the whole economic problem is solved. We should use our time for elevating ourselves in Krishna consciousness rather than for so-called economic development. If we are satisfied with plain living, with minimum time, and the balance of time is engaged for elevating our Krishna conscious program, then every man can be transferred to Goloka Vrndavana, just in this very life. The modern civilization has encumbered the mode of living and people are engaged all the time in the matter of eating, sleeping, defending and mating...If you can develop such an institution for future children of our Society, or outside the Society, it will be a great service for humanity. I am sure Krishna will give you more and more intelligence in this matter, if you seriously think on the subject by gradual evolution...I pray to Krishna for your all round prosperity.” (Srila Prabhupada, letter to Hamsaduta, 11.1.1968)


Govardhana Hill already occupied a special place in the hearts of Våndävana’s residents, who cared very little about what went on in the wide world outside their forest village. The gopés (cowherd girls) would praise Govardhana Hill in this way: “Govardhana Hill is most fortunate - Kåñëa and Balaräma always take Their cows and walk on its slopes, so Govardhana always enjoys the touch of Kåñëa’s lotus feet. In joyful gratitude Govardhana Hill supplies nice fruits and cool water to Kåñëa and the cowherd boys, and newly-grown grass to the cows. So we can understand that Kåñëa finds this hill very pleasing.”

Kåñëa insisted, very politely and gently, and finally Nanda Mahäräja relented. “All right. You just tell us what You want us to do.” Then Nanda and the other simple-hearted cowherd men did exactly what Kåñëa said. First they cooked all kinds of delicious foods in great quantity. They cooked first-class rice and dahl. They made pakoras and puris, sweet rice, and many kinds of traditional Indian milk sweets, such as sandeça, rasagulla, and amåtakeli.

After preparing this feast, the cowherd men decorated their cows with silk hangings, gilded their horns, and fed them fresh, green grass. Then they dressed themselves very beautifully and helped the cowherd women climb into the gaily decorated bullock carts. Keeping the cows in front, everyone then circled Govardhana Hill and sang songs in praise of Kåñëa. Finally the village brähmaëas chanted Vedic hymns and offered the feast - a huge mountain of food - to Govardhana Hill.

Suddenly, to the amazement of all, Kåñëa expanded Himself into a colossal transcendental form. Child Kåñëa (who remained as He was) and all the residents of Våndävana fell to the ground and began to offer prayers. The giant figure of Kåñëa spoke for all to hear: “I am Govardhana Hill.” Then the mammoth form began to eat the mountain of food with great satisfaction. Everyone could clearly see that Lord Kåñëa and Govardhana Hill were one and the same. To this very day, pilgrims take stones and pebbles from Govardhana Hill and worship them in the same way that brähmaëa priests worship the Deity form of Kåñëa in the temples. Out of reverence for Govardhana Hill, devotees of Kåñëa will not even set foot on its sacred slopes. Instead they walk around the twelve-mile path circling its base - such is their devotion.

Afterwards, Kåñëa ordered the cowherd men to worship Govardhana Hill every year. And to this day, each October or November the inhabitants of Våndävana gather around Govardhana Hill to observe this festival. They drive their cows around the hill and offer a huge feast. ISKCON temples worldwide also celebrate the festival of Govardhana Hill.

When King Indra saw Kåñëa stop the sacrifice meant for him, he became very angry. Indra called his most powerful clouds, including the deadly

saàvartaka, which usually comes to destroy the world at the time of devastation. Indra told the clouds, “Go to Våndävana and flood that village! Destroy Våndävana! Drown all the cowherd men and all their cows with them.”

Soon the dark, threatening clouds appeared over Våndävana and began hurling down streams of rain and chunks of ice. Lightning crashed. Thunder roared. The wind howled and shrieked, driving the rain like piercing arrows. Floods covered all of Våndävana’s fields and pastures. The men and animals shivered and trembled, and the cows bowed their heads and sheltered their calves beneath them.

In complete helplessness all the residents of Våndävana came to take refuge at Kåñëa’s lotus feet. They prayed, “O Kåñëa, You are all-powerful and You are very kind to Your devotees. Please protect us from Indra’s wrath.”

“Don’t be afraid,” Kåñëa said. “You are all My pure devotees and have no shelter but Me. I shall protect you. Indra is trying to prove his supremacy, but I shall take care of him. Actually, Indra is My devotee, but somehow he has become puffed up and mad with power. I’ll take away his false prestige and bring him back to his senses.”

Then, with one hand. Lord Kåñëa picked up Govardhana Hill, just as an ordinary child picks up a mushroom. “My dear brothers. My dear father, My dear friends, now you can safely enter under the umbrella of Govardhana Hill. Don’t be afraid. I will not let the hill fall from My hand.”

Being assured by Lord Kåñëa, all the inhabitants of Våndävana—men, women, children, and animals—entered beneath the great hill. They remained there for a whole week and yet did not feel hungry, thirsty, or at all uncomfortable. They were simply astonished to see Kåñëa holding up Govardhana Hill with the little finger of His left hand. (Adapted from the Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.24-5 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda. Originally published in Back to Godhead Magazine #12-11, 1977.)

continued from page 1


Hare Krishna Home Programs are held in a friendly, family environment to develop your devotion towards Lord Krishna

FARM FEAST

Get away for the day! • 12 noon on the 2nd. Sunday of each month • RSVP to Keshava dasa (0405-577-453)

FARM ACCOMMODATION

Just 25 minutes from Lorne & the Great Ocean Road! • Enjoy fresh country air, see native wildlife, feed the cows • Take darshan of Shrila Prabhupada & Shri Pancha Tattva! • Tariff $45 per night per adult, $10 per night per child • Retreat & group bookings welcome • Contact Keshava dasa (0405-577-453 or [email protected])

Hare Krishna Valley1265 Winchelsea-Deans Marsh Rd., Bambra 03-5288-7383

General Enquiries:● Melbourne Temple

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Chanting Hare KåñëaA Practical Guide to Mantra Meditation

Hare Krishna Home Programs are held in a friendly, family environment to develop your devotion towards Lord Krishna

Hare Krishna Valley1265 Winchelsea-Deans Marsh Rd., Bambra 03-5288-7383

Why is meditation important?

Meditation is a necessary function for one who wants to be happy and free from the miseries and anxieties of life.

What is meditation?

Meditation actually means to fix the mind. But we must ask the question, 'Fix the mind on what?' To be above the everyday anxieties which affect the mind, one must raise himself above the material platform. In fact, one must try to situate oneself on the transcendental - or spiritual - level. 'How can I rise to the spiritual platform?' God is on the spiritual level, and if we are in constant contact with God, we can also be situated on the spiritual platform. The easiest way to be fixed in constant contact with God is through chanting His names.

Chanting the names of God

God - according to different scriptures - has many different names like Krishna, Jehovah, Rama, Allah, Buddha, etc. To chant the names of God is very purifying, and will lift one from the material platform to the spiritual. Since the beginning of time people around the world have chanted and meditated on the names of God as mantras.

What is the best mantra?

The most important of all mantras is the maha-mantra. Maha means 'great.' The word manah means 'the mind,' and tra means 'deliverance.' Therefore, maha-mantra means 'the great deliverance of the mind.'

How to meditate on the Maha-mantra

The best way to chant this mantra is on japa (or meditation) beads. A string of japa beads has 108 beads strung in a circle, with one large bead added to mark the start and end point. You shouldn't chant on the large bead. Start on the bead next to it (see diagram). Hold the bead between the thumb and middle finger of the right hand and say aloud:

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

Chant this mantra on every bead until you have chanted on all 108 beads. Then turn the beads and start going in the other direction. You should never chant on the big bead or cross over it. When you have chanted on all 108 beads and have come to the big bead, this is called one 'round.' Each round should take about 7-10 minutes - or maybe longer - to start with: but don't chant too fast! You should chant a fixed minimum number of rounds each day, and we recommend that you try two rounds of japa meditation in the

morning and in the evening. Then you will really discover the benefit! If you seriously practise this meditation, following the golden rules below, you will achieve all success and happiness in life.

Golden Rules for Japa Meditation:

1. Chant the full maha-mantra on each bead: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare; Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

2. Chant each syllable aloud and clearly.

3. Listen very carefully and concentrate on the sound of the maha-mantra as you chant.

4. To obtain the full blessings of Lord Krishna for good meditation, chant the Pancha-tattva mantra before each round: (Jaya) Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara, Srivasadi Gaura-bhakta-vrinda



Enhancing your chi ld 's knowledge and spir it :Bhagavad-gita slokas - Krishna stories - Vaisnava ettiquette - Projects - Ramayan & Mahabharat - Japa meditiation - Quizzes - Krishna kirtan - Drama - Picnics - Krishna art

Weekends Hare Krishna Temple, 197 Danks St. Albert Park

Contact: Yamuna Lila dasi 0400-502-806T r a i n i n g• Junior Group (3 - 5 yrs) Sundays 5 - 6pm (Theatre)

• Intermediate Group (5 - 8 yrs) Sundays 4 - 5pm (Theatre)• Senior Group (8 - 12 yrs) Saturdays 5 - 6pm (Prasadam Hall) • Teenage Group (12 - 18 yrs) Saturdays 6 - 7pm (Theatre)

Kr ishna's Kids

• Govardhana Puja is celebrated on the day after_______

• Indra, along with the cow_______performed a bathing ceremony for Krishna

• Lord Krishna lifted Govardhana Hill for_______successive days

• Originally – on the day of govardhana Puja – the Vrajavasis worshipped Lord_______

•____________clouds facilitate the destruction of the world

S Y R T D F F O T Q Z

J A E V V L I S V R F

L D M X X L E O T H S

X Y L V A I Q R N C U

A W J W A D H E F J R

T M I O A R V G S I A

Y D G I I E T S E K B

P Y P T S Y I A U V H

S F U J O Q M A K E I

V L M I N D R A Q A B

J E K M J J E E P W F

GOVARDHANA WORDSEARCH

Can you write about Krishna, draw Him or

make games about Him? FOLK invites contributions from every young devotee to make KRISHNA’s KIDS. Go to http://www.

harekrishnamelbourne.com.au/publications/folk-news/write-for-folk-news for more


GOVARDHANA WORD SCRAMBLE • Gaudiya Vaisnava Society honoured Srila Prabhupada in 1947 with the title_________ (NVBTEAKDAHAIT)

• During his childhood, Srila Prabhupada was named___________ (CRHYAAAABNA)

• Srila Prabhupada appeared in this world on the day of_________ (DTNNAVSOA)

• Srila Prabhupada accepted formal initiation at_______ (HALABDAAL)

• (TIKADATABHNIHDS) ____________Sarasvati was the spiritual master of Srila Prabhupada

• Srila Prabhupada circled the world______times (OEFRENTU)

• Srila Prabhupada established______, an International Society (KSCNIO)

• The mother of Srila Prabhupada (RAJINA)

JAGANNATHA CROSSWORDACROSS4. At the end of each chapter of Chaitanya Charitamrita, Krishnadasa prays at the lotus feet of this devotee (10)6. This Bhattacharya had a son-in-law named Amogha (11)8. I_ the source of all spiritual and material worlds (2)10. O best of the Kuru warriors, _ one before you has ever seen this universal form of Mine (2)12. He came to the house of Ramachandra Khan and sat dowm on the altar of the Durga-mandapa (10)14. It is mightier than the sword (3)15. Nor do we know which is better - conquering them _ being conquered by them (2)16. It is sure for every living entity (5)18. It is estimated that a 10% reduction in this production would result in enough grain to feed 10 million people (4)20. It is immortal, imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness (7)21. No _ is equal to You (3)

DOWN1. One who eats more than required will do this very much while sleeping (5)2. This is the real United Nations - everybody dancing together and glorifying this Lord of the Universe (10)3. This associate of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wentwith Mukunda Datta to meet Pundarika Vidyanidhi (9)5. To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I ___ the understanding by which

1 2 3

4 5

6 7

8

9 10 11

12 13

14 15

16 17

18 19

20 21

they can come to Me (4)6. When Krishna spoke in such a discouraging way to the gopis, they became very ___(3)7. He killed the wrestler named Kuta (8)9. As Lord Jesus Christ said, we should hate this, not the sinner (3)11. One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells _ sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender12. ____was there a time when I did not exist (5)13. Deliberate on this fully, and then __what you wish to do (2)17. Lord Krishna married 16,108 wives, and each of them had this many sons (3)19. I am never manifest _ the foolish and unintelligent (2)


Varsha PüjäA daily gift for Lord Kåñëa

Take a big step forward in your spiritual life. Give a gift to Kåñëa, and support Varsha Püjä from as little as $1, $2 or $5 a day.

If you support Varsha Püjä, you can take comfort in the knowledge that every püjä offered in the Temple is through your direct effort. Therefore you receive the spiritual benefit of every worship performed. It means that you build more spiritual credits by making sädhu saìghä possible. You also strengthen preaching in the community.

If you support Varsha Püjä, in addition to these eternal benefits, you will buy into a most generous gift scheme and receive for free the cream of our spiritual literature. This is how it works.

Sign up at: One dollar a day and receive• Bhagavad-gétä, Science of Self Realisation, Your Ever Well-wisher, Kåñëa Book & Hare Kåñëa CD• a copy of the annual Melbourne Temple Calendar

Two dollars a day for a period of 2 years and receive: • all of the above • a subscription to Back to Godhead • a complete Çrémad-Bhägavatam set

Five dollars a day for a minimum period of 2 years and receive:• all of the gifts above• plus a full Caitanya-caritämåta set

Be wise. Don't miss out. Just fill in and mail the coupon at left, or call: (03) 9699 5122 to give your donation.

“...for anything offered to Kåñëa with love and affection, Kåñëa can reciprocate many millions of times over, both materially and spiritually. The basic principle involved is an exchange of love...”

Çréla Prabhupäda SB 10.11.11 Purport

Yes! Varsha Püjä sounds like a

great way for me to serve Lord Kåñëa!

I would like to know more about Varsha Püjä Sevä!

Please register me for Varsha Püjä Sevä

My Details

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I wish to give a monthly donation of:

$31 $62 $152 Other $1 per day $2 per day $5 per day

from the credit card below until further notice

OR Here is my single donation of:

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20 | FOLK NEWS Oct 2015 - Jan 2016


Hare Krishna Centres Around Australia

Melbourne Temple Melbourne Temple is open every day. You are invited to visit, associate with the devotees, take darshan of the beautiful Deities at ärati times, participate in the daily program, attend classes, and honour prasädam.

Time Temple Service 4.30am Maìgala-ärati 5.00am Tulasé-ärati 5.10am Japa Meditation 7.00am Greeting the Deities 7.10am Prabhupäda Guru-püjä 7.30am Çrémad-Bhägavatam Class 9.00am Breakfast Prasädam

12.30pm Bhoga-ärati 1.00pm Lunch Prasädam 4.00pm Dhüpa-ärati 5.30pm Evening Prasädam 6.45pm Tulasé-ärati 7.00pm Sandhyä-ärati 9.00pm Çayana-ärati

Darshan Times: Daytime 4.30am - 5.00am 7.00am - 7.30am 9.00am - 11.00am 12.30pm - 1.00pm Evening 4.00pm - 6.30pm 7.00pm - 7.30pm 9.00pm - 9.20pm

Temples:

Adelaide - 25 Le Hunte Street, Kilburn, SA 5084 T: (08) 8359-5120 F: (08) 8359-5149 E: [email protected] W: iskconadelaide.com.au

Brisbane - 32 Jennifer St Seventeen Mile Rocks 4073 T: (07) 3376 2388 E: [email protected] W: www.iskcon.org.au

Canberra - 44 Limestone Ave, Ainslie, ACT 2602 PO Box 1411, Canberra, ACT 2601 T: (02) 6262 6208 M: 0404 486 746 E: [email protected]: www.harekrishnacanberra.com

Hobart - www.iskcontasmania.websyte.com.au

Melbourne - 197 Danks St, Albert Park VIC 3206 PO Box 125, Albert Park VIC 3206Tram 1 (via Swanston St, City) to stop 31 Tram 12 (via Collins St, City) to stop 136T: (03) 9699 5122 F: (03) 9690 4093 E: [email protected] FB: Hare Krishna Melbourne W: www.harekrishnamelbourne.com.au

Perth - 155-9 Canning Rd Kalamunda WA 6076 T: (08) 6293 1519 E: [email protected]: www.iskconperth.com

Sydney - 180 Falcon St, Nth Sydney NSW PO Box 459, Cammeray NSW 2062 T: (02) 9959 4558 F: (02) 9957 1893 E: [email protected] W: www.iskcon.com.au

Farm Communities:

Bambra (Hare Krishna Valley) - Oak Hill, 1265 Dean’s Marsh Rd, Bambra VIC 3241 PO Box 127, Winchelsea VIC T: (03) 5288 7383 F: (03) 5288 7309 E: [email protected]: www.harekrishnavalley.com.au

Millfield (New Gokul) - 83 Lewis Road, Millfield NSW PO Boz 399, Cessnock NSW 2325 T: (02) 4998 1800 E: [email protected] W: www.newgokula.com

Murwillumbah (New Govardhana) - 525 Tyalgum Rd, Eungella NSW PO Box 687, Murwillumbah NSW 2484 T: (02) 6672 3047 F: (02) 6672 6579E: [email protected] W: www.newgovardhana.net

Restaurants:

Adelaide - Govinda’s Restaurant25 Le Hunte Street, Kilburn T: (08) 8359 5120

Brisbane - Govinda’s City, 1st floor 99 Elizabeth St, Brisbane T: (07) 3210 0255 E: [email protected]: www.brisbanegovindas.com.au

Brisbane - Govinda’s West End, 82 Vulture St (above Perfect Potion), West End T: (04) 0417 3027

Brisbane - Hare Krishna Food for Life, 226 Brunswick St Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 T: (04) 2320 1124

Burleigh Heads - Govinda’s Pure Vegetarian 20 James St, Burleigh Heads T: (07) 5607 0782 E: [email protected] W: www.govindas.net.au

Melbourne - Crossways 1st Floor, 123 Swanston St, Melbourne T: (03) 9650 2939 E: crosswaysfoodfor [email protected]: www.CrosswaysFoodForLife.com.au

Melbourne - Gopal’s 139 Swanston St, Melbourne FB: Gopals Vegetarian Restaurant T: (03) 9650 1578

Newcastle - Krishna’s Vegetarian Cafe 110 King St. Newcastle T: (02) 4929 6900 E:[email protected] W: www.iskcon.com.au/Newcastle.html

Perth - Govinda’s Restaurant 194 William St, Northbridge 6003 T: (08) 9227 1684 E: [email protected]

Surfers Paradise - Govindas Veg-O-Rama, 134 Centro Shopping Centre T: (07) 5538 3788 E: [email protected] W: govindas.vego.googlepages.com

Sydney - Govinda’s & Movie Room 112 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst 2010 T: (02) 9380 5155 E: [email protected] W: govindas.com.au



Dayul

Hare Krishna Valley ReportRasänandiné Däsé

Saàskäras: Purificatory CeremoniesSaàskäras: Purificatory Ceremonies

W e are pleased to announce that we are performing saàskäras, or purificatory

ceremonies, for the congregational members of Melbourne Temple.

The Vedic literatures describe that there are many opportunities during one's life - from before birth to after death - when one may perform a ceremony for purification

to evoke auspiciousness and ensure advancement in spiritual life.

Saàskära is not a substitute for the regulative principles of spiritual life as enunciated by Çréla Prabhupäda. However, in conjunction with these principles, performance of saàskära guarantees eventual perfection in life.

Many of the saàskäras offered are more beneficial if performed at an astrologically auspicious time. The head pujari at the temple will be able to recommend a qualified astrologer.

Saàskäras include:

Jäta-karma: Birth ceremony.

Niñkrämaëa: When a child leaves the house for the first time.

Pausti-karma: Ceremony to protect your child's health.

Anna-präçana: Feeding a child grains for the first time.

Cuòa-karëam: Hair-cutting ceremony.

Vidyärambha: Entering school.

Samävartana: Graduation.

Viväha: Marriage ceremony.

Griha-rambhä: Laying a foundation stone.

Griha-praveça: House-warming.

Shraddha-pattra (Piëòa): Oblations to departed forefathers.

Fire ceremony for auspiciousness.

For more information or details of the ceremonies offered, please call Member Services on (03) 9699 5122.

are very rare souls. They have won the hearts of everyone at the Valley.

Atulya developed a wicking bed vegetable garden behind Sri Govardhana Seva Ashram. The devotees purchased large wooden apple crates to use as planting boxes. Wicking beds require less water than other styles of garden beds, so they will be useful in drought periods. Wicking beds water plants from below rather than above. They’re basically containers with water reservoirs at the base - like a giant self-watering pot. Moisture is drawn up through the soil via capillary action (or wicking).

Also in August, a group of local Venturers toured the Valley. Venture Scouting is for 14-17 year-olds. Their program usually has a strong outdoor flavour. The devotees presented our Krishna Conscious lifestyle and the Venturers spent an hour asking some intelligent questions about what it means to be a Hare Krishna. They learnt how to chant and honoured a delicious feast.

Winter and Spring at Hare Krishna Valley saw a series of well received retreats on Bhakti Yoga, Women and the Voice, Ayurveda, Astrology, and Vegan and Vegetarian Cooking. Don’t forget Go Puja on Sunday October the 4th. with Kadamba Kanana Maharaja.

To get advance notice of upcoming events or to book accommodation, keep an eye on the Valley’s homepage at http://www.harekrishnavalley.com.au. You can receive Keshava’s farm blog by liking Hare Krishna Valley on Facebook. Or check the Hare Krishna Melbourne website at harekrishnamelbourne.com.au. If you are interested in staying for a few days or helping to develop Hare Krishna Valley, you can contact Keçava Däsa on 0405-577-453 or [email protected].

A s the sun climbs in the sky and Summer approaches, Hare Krishna Valley is warming.

Late in winter, the men were busy in the hot house making sure the seedlings for Spring planting thrived. Dayal Nitai grew a number of herbs such as Echinacea. In early Spring Doug rotary-hoed the large vegetable garden in preparation for a large Summer crop: the first planting of seed potatoes was completed.

In August Hamsi delivered healthy 1/4 Gir twins. The bull calf was named Douji, a name for Krishna’s brother Balarama meaning “older brother.” The girl was named Revati, a name for Balarama’s wife. Of all twins conceived by cows, there is only a 5% chance that both survive, and usually only one survives. So Douji and Revati

Douji and Revati


Documents

Published by FOLK (Friends of Lord Krishna) Committee of the … · 2016-06-14 · Welcome to Diwali season! In this issue you can discover Kåñëa’s reasons for worshipping Govardhana