The Eco Truly Ashrama

8/6/2019 The Eco Truly Ashrama

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THE ECO TRULY ASHRAM

by:Srila Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti Swami

Introduction

Welcome to a Beautiful Experience.

Dear Friends,Situated one hour North of Lima towards Pasamayo, lies a green beach that

brings a nice contrast to the scene of almost infinite white sand mountains. This fertilebeach is called Chacra y Mar and has been cultivated since Inca times, or even earlieras many archeological findings have demonstrated. Today, a collection of uniquestructures can be seen here from the freeway above. They are dome structures calledtrulies and together they make up the Hare Krishna Truly Ashram. With closer

observation, a series of symbols can be seen that send messages to the heart. Thetrulies remind us of a world we often wish for, but at the same time is somehow faraway due to the sterile and egotistic life in which our generally society lives.

In the Hare Krishna Truly Ashram of Peru our ideal is to create an oasis ofspirituality and inspiration for others. We invite you to accompany us on a unique

journey, a journey into the regions of the soul and harmony with the environment.Here, we are practicing and maintaining ancient knowledge within our modern society.By continually questioning values, we are dedicated to becoming perfect beyond allrelative considerations and egotistic provincialism. Art, life, architecture, culture andecology all find their synthesis in the spirituality of the participants. Projectingthemselves into the future, they have created a semi-self-sufficient community.

The resident or non-resident members of the Truly Ashram practice theprinciples of Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of devotion, as they were taught to us by SrilaBhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, the ambassador of mystic India since 1965. Allmembers contribute voluntarily and creatively to the perfection of this ideal.

The Property of the Hare Krishna Truly Ashram.

The Truly Ashram is not private property. To establish God as the enjoyer andcontroller of the community, the inhabitants come together weekly to evaluate theservice that has been done and to study how to better everything to please theSupreme Lord; as His pleasure is the only criteria of success for the community. TheSupreme Lord only enjoys when His devotees are happy in this world. Thus, it is thecollective service of all devotees to create harmony between nature and the inhabitantsof the community.

Since its beginning, the Truly Ashram has been a joint effort of many devotees.With the help of Swami B. V. Vaisnava the land was obtained and from then ondevotees from all around have helped in its creation. We will always remember PrabhuChaitanya Nitai, the pioneer who often resided alone while taking care of the first stepstowards the development of the community. Recently, the devotees have electedPrabhu Prapanna to direct the heartfelt service of the temple construction. GokulaRanjana Prabhu, who graduated from the School of Fine Arts in Lima, leads the artisticcoordination with the help of many others.


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The Purpose of the Truly Ashram

The artistic center of the Truly Ashram has great ambitions. It aspires to giveincentive to the spiritual and cultural elevation of the general society. The theatricalplays of the inhabitants of the ashram aim at making us conscious of the search for theAbsolute. On the other hand, the transcendental multimedia opera group, called

Consciousness - Even if it Hurts was, in part, born from the desire to bring themessage of transcendental ecology to all.

The Truly Ashram has projects that permit many artists and devotees to createsomething very unique within contemporary Peru. Gradually, the project will reveal itstrue dimensions. A harmonious vibration penetrates its daily participants and visitors,creating a model for a different relationship between nature and her inhabitants;opening new doors in everyones hearts.

The Truly Ashram is unique. Its parks, museum, theater; its new musicaldimension, food, etc., make everything marvelously distinct. One would forget abouttime and the world if it were not for our body reminding us that we are still here.

The happiness known in the Vedic Culture is the state in which we no longerhave wishes separate from the will of God. All other attempts to be happy make us

slaves to the cycle of repeated births, with their respective reactions. In this way, wecan see yoga as a science that teaches us a discipline that is carried out in a naturalway, and that makes us happy.

The wholesome and transcendental vegetarian food becomes a great source ofhealth at the ashram, and the worries and sadness, that come for whatever reason, aredriven to far away galaxies. By distancing ourselves from every day life we can identifyourselves more easily with the will of God. At such times, a signal of the closeness ofthe glory of our love and longing is manifest. Accompany us, you were born forthis. Later will come the time of doubting the doubt itself. Faith is tangible wheneveryones needs are satisfied.

We are the children of nectar, destined to taste the nectar. Do not be satisfied

with anything else other than nectar. This is the mission of the search for the Absolute.

Connections With Inca History.

Structures similar to the trulies already existed among the Incas in the form ofChulpas. Generally used to store grains, they sometimes had two stories and werebuilt in stone. Due to the climate of the Peruvian coast, which has very little rain, trulieshere can be built from pure mud (adobe). They are very pleasing to the eyes and makea wonderful living area. They are created directly from the Earth and in the future theywill again be part of her without ever endangering the environment.

The trulies have all of the beautiful things one would hope for in a livingsituation. At the same time, they combine ancient Indian architecture with that of theInca culture in Peru. In face, there is much evidence of parrallels existing betweenAmerica and Asia dating back thousands of years. The division of time into four erasand relating each era to a different metal is one example, among many others, of theconnections between the ancient villages.

Vedic Background

The trulies have a structural form that is fundamental to natural aesthetics.They come from the concept of a chain that hangs naturally with an equal distribution of


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weight. This arch of the chain, when inverted upwards, has the absolute support of itsnatural strength, and consequently does not need the support of metal vigas. For thesame reason, it is also anti-seismic, an important element in the Andes mountainranges. The large temples of India are also sustained under the same principle. Thesimple line of the truly can also be combined with decorations that give it additionalbody. As long as the natural strength of the truly is respected and conserved, they can

easily support other decorations as well as domes.

Antonio Gaudi and His Contribution.

In the beginning, the lack of faith and experience made the strength of the trulydoubtful. Nevertheless, the modern truly continually offers new ideas and reasons forits construction. In many ways, it is more pleasing and economical than other methodsof construction.

The environmental architect and artist Antonio Gaudi from Barcelona greatlyinfluenced the architectural world with his plans based on the trulies and theirdynamics. His principal work, The Church and the Sacred Family, represents hisextraordinary genius, as well as how beautiful it is to build with nature and not against

her.The Truly Ashram combines many elements used by Gaudi such as the relief

symbols and mosaics of the harmonious waves. We also find stone trulies in the Southof Italy in a village called Apulia. The trulies have very simple insignias that can beperceived from great distances. The final points are varied have allowed the artists inPeru to mold the mud into fantastic Hindu style domes with auspicious flags.

We were also inspired by the lines of Nazca that remain as impressivemessages and silent witnesses of a little known world. With simple expressions of avery serious calling, the people of Nazca no doubt took a lot of effort to communicatetheir beliefs. Many of the symbols are formed by single lines. In finishing the trulies ofthe ashram we maintain this simple form in some of the symbolic messages.

Art, here, takes on a new dimension. Every second of our lives it becomes an

important part of something very large and very complete. The smallest things becomepart of the greater picture, and align with the overall purpose. Earth and mud, bodyand life, combine to serve He who is always behind the screen, who gave us the freewill to be a happy part of His will. The cry of modern society with its poisonous fumesand deprived minds still sound in our ears, but the harmony of the Truly Ashram makesus feel that there is another existence, a beautiful reality, where we can all live withoutchallenging others out of our own interests.

Our great mothers have blessed our future. The Mother Earth embraces us, asalways, giving us her sustenance. The Mother Veda guides us, giving us the capabilityto discriminate and advance personally. The mother cow, beloved of Lord Krishna,sustains our life with her miraculous milk. All mothers give us life and are thefoundation of our gratefulness. We should learn to see all women in this way and stopexploiting them for passing pleasures that leave hopes in the dust.

We Wish to Discover the Meanings of Life

Many symbols inform us of the closeness of love, which is the only importantthing in this entire creation. Amont them are the following: The Chakra of the flame offire that divides matter and the spirit, the lotus flower of hope and life, and the conchwhich is the sound of creation and an invitation to worship and serve the infinite.


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The Truly Ashram of Chacra y Mar is a community that lives in the present,without dreaming about the future or lamenting the past. For it to be the best, it has tobe a place we can live in and share right now. Genuine spirituality permits this. Fromour hearts, we feel the desire to communicate our discoveries of harmony with natureto the world in the same way that the people of Nazca wished to communicate theirmessage to others.

We are forming our home together with those who also consider that thepleasure of God should be fundamental for the pleasure of men; a concept that isdifficult to harmonize within this world of exploitation. It is a true challenge, and is vitalfor the survival for the human species.

Vaikuntha Ashram

Each construction in the community fills very special and mystic purposes. TheVaikuntha Ashram, consisting of four domes, carries the symbols of Vishnu who isalways protecting his devotees. Vaikuntha Ashram means living together withoutanxiety. It is the house of Vishnu. In the spiritual world there are an infinite quantity ofVaikuntha planets, in the center of which is Goloka.

For the brahmachary life it is an extraordinary site because one learns to livewithout anxiety for the pleasure of God. Built especially for new participants, theVaikuntha Ashram was the second truly structure to be built in Chakra y Mar.

The Symbols of Vishnu

Vishnu, another name of God, protects His devotees with His symbols. Two ofthese symbols are the lotus flower and the conch which announce the glory and powerof His creation. To scare the demons (those who maintain a mentality distinct from thewill of the Lord) Vishnu also has the club and the chakra (or disk). These serve toprotect. Durvasa Muni, for example, who attacked Ambarish Maharaj, was followed bythe chakra almost to his death. This demonstrates that an offense against a devotee

destroys all spiritual progress, including that of great yogis like himself.Surrounding the Vaikuntha Ashram, we find the eight qualities of a brahmana (aperson who has sanctified his or her life to the truth as explained in the BhagavadGita). All those who aspire for perfection should try to develop these qualities:

Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty,knowledge, wisdom and religiousness. These are the natural qualitiesby which the brahmanas work.(Bhagavad Gita 18.42)

While death is also a part of the circle that surrounds us, the Truly Ashramopens the doors to a dimension where death looses its objective. The eternal soul hasonly one objective, to be used by the Absolute good; without the opposition of the falseego, pride, vanity, intoxication, and lust. Everything that comes from the Lord isperfect. We all depend on mercy. Some accept this happily and some anxiously denyit. To live in harmony with those whom we can not change reflects the wisdom of thesimple hearted devotee.

The Yantras of the Truly Ashram.

A yantra is a diagram with inscribed mantras that help the meditator concentrateand purify himself. The yantra constitutes and protects the altar of the ruling Deity. All


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the symbols, yantras, and other arts of the Truly Ashram invoke blessings for eachindividuals life, meditation and realization. We can meditate on them, pray beforethem, and study their profound meanings which demonstrate the greatness of theVedic culture and her marvelous gift to modern man.

Unfortunately, our present culture doesnt give us any hope. Science andpolitics pass on an afflicted Mother Earth, beaten by the mechanics of the free market

system and the industrial revolution. Humanity, in general, is repressed by theabsolutist systems that have not permitted the natural propensity of man towardstranscendence to blossom.

Sooner or later the hour will come to wake up, correct our path and beginlearning from our own mistakes. We are grateful that the Vedas have already predictedthe consequences of materialism and that their wisdom desires to serve us in thesevery difficult and, at the same time, auspicious moments.

The yantras open the doors for us to a new perception, but the Vedas give stillmore importance to mantras, or hymns of sound invocations for meditation.

Vishnu is adored by the mantra:Om Namo Bhagavate VasudevayaI offer my most humble obeisances to the supreme personality of Godhead,

who is known by the name of Vasudeva, or Krishna.Another mantra of primordial importance in the yoga of devotion is the

Mahamantra:Hare Krishna Hare KrishnaKrishna Krishna Hare HareHare Rama Hare RamaRama Rama Hare HareOh my Lord! I left Your service due to my egotistical interests, but today I have

come to ask that You accept me as Your eternal servant.

Four Vaisnava Schools

The four Vaisnava schools of India, each headed by their principal teachers, arealso represented in the main room of the ashram. These schools include:1. The Brahma Sampradaya, represented by Srila Madhvacharya.2. The Rudra Sampradaya, represented by Srila Visnuswami.3. The Laksmi Sampradaya, represented by Srila Ramanuja Acharya.4. The Kumara Sampradaya, represented by Srila Nimbarka Acharya.

Here, too, is the altar of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the yuga avatarfor thepresent age ofKali, who manifested the Gaudiya Sampradaya in the line of LordBrahma to deliver the recommended process of self-realization for this age.

Vishnu Yantra

The side of the Vaikuntha Ashram that looks over the sea holds the Vishnuyantra which invokes the presence of the Lord Himself and His different names. He isadored by great personalities all over the universe. A Vishnu yantra is also situated inthe center of the Vaikuntha Truly along with the deity of the Lord Nirshingadeva, anincarnation of Lord Vishnu who protects His devotees.

Below the Vishnu yantra is the samadhiof the Vedic scriptures that purifyhumanity. The fourVedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas and the Samhitas, form the


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body of these writings. The Vedas are being distributed by Srila Prabhupad and thesamadhi of the scriptures reminds us of this.

This project of preserving the Vedas can also be found on the Internet. Visit ourhomepage and see how the wisdom of the masters of the past still illuminate thesincere searchers.

Laksmi Yantra

The Laksmi yantra is located above the main door as you walk inside theVaikuntha Ashram. Laksmi Devi is the goddess of fortune, and is always at the feet ofLord Vishnu. Here in the Vaikuntha Truly, the devotees look for her exclusive mercy inthe service of Lord Vishnu.

Guru Ahram - The Truly of the Spiritual Masters.

The fourth truly is the center of the revealed light; the center of the guruparampara, the disciplic succession. Here, the older devotees meet surrounded by themasters of Bhakti Yoga. The masters are the ones who bring Vaisnava culture and

hope of creating a better world to all peoples. Here, in Peru, the temple of Sri Sri GuruGauranga Radha Damodar is in the center of the ashram and the devotees lives.

We should all become masters and no one should feel like a master, this is themystic secret. The Truly of the Spiritual Masters is a place of reflection, correction oferrors, and planing for future projects. Asking for help from above, and receivingconfirmations from the masters of the past, the divine scriptures, the advanceddevotees, and the heart of each participant, all maintain the line of purity. We shouldalso understand that liberation does not mean licentiousness, and that the ashram isthe site where one follows a discipline that will lead to initiation and becoming adisciple.

Dandas, A Rose and Lightning

The renunciation of the sannyasis are symbolized by a danda, or staff, thatrepresents the surrender of the body, mind and speech to God. The sannyasis serve,protect, and and give hope for others, because only through surrender does the will ofGod descend and miserliness and egoism go away. The real goal of life consists inrenouncing everything for immaculate devotion.

The master is also tender like a rose. His affection maintains us, he forgives us,and he lifts us up over and over again. Yet, he can also be like a lightning bolt in orderto protect the purity and the purpose of his transcendental school that always was andwill always be attacked by the ignorant.

In the interior of the Truly of the Spiritual Masters are the feet of Sri NityanandaPrabhu which represent the protection of the original spiritual teacher. Without himthere would not exist any other teacher. We always try to maintain His lotus feet overour heads, and pray for His mercy so that we can become true servants of theSupreme cause. In this way, the spiritual master protects us against all our needs,without ever misguiding us from the path. He is like a lighthouse in the darkness thatguides us out of the worst danger.

The Vaishnava Symbol


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In front of the Truly of the Spiritual Masters, between the dandas, we see thetypical sign of the Vaisnavas; a long V shape with a symbol of a leaf below it. InIndia, these marks identify the followers of this school and are called tilak. The tilak inthe center represents the impression of the lotus foot of Krishna, and the leafrepresents the sacred leaf of Tulasi, offered to the feet of the Lord. This symboltraditionally accompanied the kirtans of the devotees of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

The devotees daily mark their bodies with this tilak in twelve different parts, indicatingthat this body belongs the Lord. In this way, one also invokes His protection.

The Yantras of the Guru Ashram

Gayatri Yantra

The Gayatri mantra is very important. It was received in the heart of Brahma,the first living being. From there it descended through the disciplic succession ofspiritual masters. This mantra comes from Krishnas flute and invites us to go to theworld of true love. The Gayatri yantra is found in the exterior of the Truly of theSpiritual Masters and also protects the devotees.

Gayatri Devi is the female expansion of the Lord who comes worrying about herlost children. To receive the Gayatri Mantra one should be a brahmana devoted to thetruth and a genuine servant of humanity. Receiving this mantra is considered a secondbirth, except this time into spiritual consciousness. The birth given by the parents isonly the birth of the body. Through the second birth one can procure a connection withGod.

Gita Yantra

The Gita yantra is found inside the Truly of the Spiritual Masters. This yantrarepresents the Bhagavad Gita, which is studied by the devotees every day. Sri Krishnaspoke to his disciple Arjuna and, in this way, blessed the entire world. Krishna Himself

confirms that whoever preaches His message to the suffering souls will be His mostbeloved devotee and will reach Him personally. Without correctly understanding theBhagavad Gita, one can not understand the devotees of Krishna.

Mahasudarshana Yantra of the Truly of Mercy.

This protective Vishnu yantra is in the Truly where the transcendental food isdistributed. Transcendental food is an important part of the community. It is devoid ofkarma as well as spilt blood. The food is prepared with pure ingredients, a cleankitchen, a devotional mind, and is offered to Krishna. All food should be offered to theLord. In this way it becomes mercy, orprasadam. The devotees later share theprasadam with pleasure.

The Truly Ashram always has good and wholesome vegetarian food, and agreat part comes from their own organic harvest. There is also a small restaurant forthe tourists of Chakra y Mar.

The Plaza of Humility

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the savior of the present age and the avatar of thecongressional chanting of the Holy Names of Krishna, knew very well that without


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humility this movement would not have a chance to survive. Too much oppositionalways exists and it always wants to tear everything to pieces. The humility of theVaisnavas is remembered here in a small plaza, a simple monument with the sacredinscription of the third sloka of Lord Chaitanyas Siksastakam:

trinad api sunicenataror api sahisnuna

amanina manadenakirtaniya sada hari

One should chant the holy names of the Lord in a humble state of mind, consideringoneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree,devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others.In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.

If we live for this end, and we maintain it always in the center, the illusion will not have achance to separate us from this united cause.

Imli Tala - A Corner of Vrindavan in Chakra y Mar

To initiate our festivals in the Hare Krishna Truly Ashram we built a humblebuilding with a kitchen next and called them Imli Tala. Imli Tala is the site in Vrindavanwhere a famous wishing tree is found by the shores of the Yamuna. Sri ChaitanyaMahaprabhu originally manifested below this tree during one of Radha and Krishnaspastimes. When He went to Vrindavan over 4,000 years later, He visited Imli Talaevery day.

The Yamuna River is also present in the pacific ocean. In this way we meditateon the pastimes of the Lord and the prediction of Sri Chaitanya: The Holy Name will bechanted in all the towns and villages around the world.

Ecological Function

Spirituality also has its practical part on Earth. Sri Krishna is the first ecologistthat ever existed. His call to harmonize with nature, the Mother Earth, and to take careof the cows and other animals with affection, effort and responsibility, are without equalin the history of the revealed scriptures. Things like chemicals, plastics, pesticides etc.never had a place in the world of Vrindavan, the land of Krishna. There, life is simple,and the agriculture and natural beauty are results of such devotional activities assinging to the Lord and decorating His altars.

The ashram community searches for a means to educate all on how to strivetowards a perfect life. The beauty of the simple atmosphere that surrounds the ashramgives it a radiant effulgence that stands as a strong contrast to the multitudes ofsummer beach visitors and the world of modern comtamination they bring with them.

Organic Gardens and Compost

Within the ashram we are able to maintain the community with a variety ofvegetables year round. Forming ideal beds for auto defense between the differentspecies of vegetables is hard work and healthy exercise by which we develop a deeperrelationship with the Earth and the vegetables, who are our friends.

The compost is also important. It insures that all the vegetable matter will bereturned to the Earth to become food again in the integral life cycle. There are various


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books that explain this process of organic gardening in an easily understandabe format.The devotees may also be cunsulted for suggestions on how to begin.

Because of the lack of good information, people mix inorganic or non recyclablewaste with organic materials. This becomes a source of great contamination that isalways far from the healthy being. (What to speak of the alkaline batteries and thenuclear waste that is dumped irresponsibly in many parts of the world!)

The Truly of Perfect Recycling and Mother Earth

How can we make a difference so that people stop polluting the world and stopthrowing poisonous substances like plastic, styrofoam, batteries, etc., all over theplace? The answer is in recycling all that we can and not using what can not berecycled. This is an important goal, and in India the means of achieving this hasalways been well understood. Only out of bad habits, and to make a few shamelesspeople rich, is plastic now used for everything and later thrown out onto the steets,mountains and rivers all over the world.

Even human waste is threatening the Earth, especially the potable water. Thisis why we would like to introduce here a simple secret: The Dry Toilet

Maybe its not very nice to speak about human waste. It should be known,however, that urine, after remaining in a tank for 24 hours, looses its noxious capacityto burn and can be used as a fertilizer for plants. The fecal matter, in a dry state,without urine and water from personal cleaning, can be mixed with sand, ash and somechalk, and in six months this mixture becomes first class fertilizer. In addition, it doesnot contaminate the water under the Earth. On the other hand, when the human wasteis mixed each time with ten liters of water, it begins to rot and develop all sorts ofbacterias such as cholera and tifus that our taken to our poor rivers committing a crimeagainst the Earth that sustains us.

To take advantage of this there is what is called a dry toilet in the ashram.One has to learn to use it well, and, with a little effort, there will be one more problemsolved. This type of bathroom does not even leave any noxious smells... Its amazing!

The Windmill - Vayu Giving Strength

The Truly Ashram proposes a perfect harmony with natural forces. Water thatdescends with pressure has a lot of advantages. The subterranean river brings thiswater to the shores of the ocean and the wind helps us extract that sweet water fromthe Earth. Since the Truly Ashram does not depend on electricity, Vayu, the wind god,makes this arangement possible. In spite of the fact that one can use everything inKrishnas service (as long as humility and purity in purpose are maintained), we prefernot to use electricity at the ashram. The mill is an advancement that permits us toserve and attend our visitors well.

The ecological harmony of the Truly Ashram is a new concept for many of ourfellow countrymen. The dry toilet, the organic gardens, the compost, and so on can allbe adopted by owners of small strips of land to enrich the Earth.

Harmony School of Conscious Art

In the ashram there are many different devotional activities and the spiritualfamily makes our creativity and spontaneity grow. The art of living in devotion isconcentrated in the expression of forming the Harmony School of Conscious Art. Here,as in all other sections of the school, there is an attempt to bring the message of the


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Situated on the side facing the sand mountain on the Truly of Sankirtan (wherethe congressional chanting of the holy mantras are held) is the symbol of the chakraand the sea (Chakra y Mar).

The chakra of the temple of the Lord of the Universe, Sri Jagannath, is found onthe other side of the Pacific Ocean in Jagannath Puri. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu lived

in Jagannath Puri for his last lilas, or transcendental pastimes, on the Earth. From thistemple, the Lord Jagannath sends his blessings to the devotee ashram in Peru. InPeru chakra also means Earth or harvest, a site that sustains life. The chakra of theSupreme Lord protects our devotion and spiritual life from the ocean of illusion thatseparates us from Him.

To cross the ocean of ignorance one needs mercy. This mercy is obtainedthrough the transcendental vibration of the Holy Names of the Lord chanted by thesurrendered devotees. The East and the West can unite through this sound, and inthis way, also counteract the hardships that make us suffer so much.

The Emblem of the Visva Vaisnava Raj Sabha

Situated in the Truly of Prasadam is the emblem of The Temple of Jagannathfrom the city of Jagannath Puri in India. This temple unifies the Vaishnavas of allsampradayas. The ideal of union in diversity is substantially noteable in the TrulyAshram.

On a broader scale, the connection to the world Vaisnava community comesthrough the World Vaisnava Association or the Visva Vaishnava Raj Sabha, as well asthrough VRINDA which corresponds to our world family of Vaishnavas.

More information about our services can be found in the internet at the followingaddresses:

http://www.bhakti-yoga.ch/vrindaor on the WVA : http://owplaza.com/wva/

Projects for the Future.

The Lord as the Divine Center

The Lord becomes accessible to His devotees by His causeless mercy, andrepresents Himself in the form of the Deities of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Damodar.He allows the devotees to serve Him with their own hands in a variety of ways; bymaking Him clothes and food, by singing, cleaning and decorating His altar, etc. In thisway, the Lord attracts and conquers hearts. He is limitless, and no one can see him bytechnical means. He sees us and He maintains us. The infinite comes by His infinitemercy and reveals Himself thanks to the pure faith of His devotees.

Worshipped by Srila Prabhupad, Damodar is the naughty boy, the love ofVrindavan. He steals butter and distributes it to the monkeys. Mother Yasoda tries toteach Him a lesson by making a great effort to tie him to a barrel, but in the end it isonly her love that succeeds in binding Him.

Damodar is in the center of the Truly Ashram with His eternal companion, thedivine female energy, Srimate Radharani. Together, They manifest as Sri ChaitanyaMahaprabhu to distribute His love to the whole world.

The Temple of Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Damodar in Chakra y Mar is our mostambitious project. Combining five trulies, we attempt to create a very unique temple.


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Show cases with past times of the Lord will illuminate the inside with themes such asHe who lifts the Govardhan Hill, the dancer surrounded by peacocks, and theconqueror of hearts who plays His flute. The Rasa Lila of Sri Krishna will beremembered on the inside walls by relief art which will be a work of love, made inadobe, without using cement or metal.

With the participation of our friends, we will try to finish this project soon.

The Planetarium

An important aspect of the Truly Ashram is the Planetarium. The Truliesrepresent the distinct planetary systems of the creation. The meditator who comes tothe this world, is presented first to the Truly of the Spiritual Master to receive permissionto enter the superior dimensions. Later, he is informed about the different material andspiritual achievements, and about the process of yoga.

Hatha yoga, karma yoga and jana yoga are processes that one takes on as ameans to become liberated. When mukti, or liberation, is achieved, the practice ofthese yogas end. Bhakti yoga, or loving service to Krishna and His devotees is, on thecontrary, the means and the end simultaneously. Those who want to be saved through

their work (karma) or through their intellectual capacity (jana), do not recognize theirtotal dependence on the mercy of the divine. They depend on themselves, and do notwant to surrender themselves to Divine Love. Doubt, fear, and the calculating mentalitystill tie one to the material world. Mystical powers, knowledge and a desire of totalindependence, even at the cost of abandoning ones own individuality, tie many to thesuperior planets or the light of the impersonal brahman. With the help of theVaishnavas, however, they can still arrive at Vaikuntha Ashram.

A classic Indian scripture by Sanatan Goswami is called the BrihatBhagavatamrita. Here, the history of a great devotee of the Lord, Gopa Kumara, isdescribed. He had the power to travel to all the material galaxies, and penetrate thespiritual world. Due to this, he came to know a variety of past-times of the SupremeLord in the transcendental world. He had received a mantra from Krishna and felt an

impulse that took him to know the whole creation until finally arriving at Vrindavan andfinding his Lord Sri Krishna. Vrindavan is represented in the ashram by the principaltruly temple.

The Ayodhya Truly

The Ayodhya Truly represents the home of Sri Sita Rama in Ayodhya. SriRama is the incarnation of God as the perfect king. To the present day, the people ofIndia cry out for a king as marvelous as Lord Ramachandra. His kingdom (Ramraj) isthe famous theme of the epic Ramayana. In the ceiling of the Ayodhya Truly we findthe Rama yantra.

The Dvaraka Truly and the Mathura Truly

From Ayodhya, the devotee Gopa Kumara traveled to Dvaraka. The DvarakaTruly represents the home of the Lord Krishna near the ocean. Krishna ruled there inthe association of the Yadus. The Srimad BhagavatamPurana describes this timeperiod.

The Mathura Truly is the site of the birth place of Sri Krishna. Here, Krishnasaved the world from the demon Kamsa. This place is not far from Vrindavan. Yet, onlyin Vrindavan do the relations with the Supreme Lord develop to the highest intimacy.


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Sri Krishna chose Vrindavan to have His devotees near Him without formalitiesor veneration. In Vrindavan His devotees are His intimate servants, friends, parentsand lovers. Only they truly know Him, though they do not consider Him to be theSupreme Lord.

These intimate pastimes of the Lord were revealed in this world by SriChaitanya Mahaprabhu, who is Sri Krishna Himself appearing in the present age to

give us the Mahamantra Hare Krishna and save us all.

The Truly of Gopeshvar Mahadeva

The Lord Shiva is the controller of the material world and is in charge of itsdestruction at the end of the life of Lord Brahma. He wanted to participate in the RasaLila of Lord Krishna, but because of his masculine vanity, he was rejected. Finally,however, by the mercy of the deity of Vrindavan, Vrinda Devi, he was able to transformhis body into that of a gopi. In this way, he received the service of a guardian at theentrance to the Rasa dance. The students who come to meditate, study and pray inthis Truly, receive the mercy of the ksetra pal, or protector of the Dhama.

Yajna Stala - The Truly of Spiritual Amnesty

The spiritual vows are made in the yajna stala before the sacred sacrificial fire.Initiations, weddings, reunions and other vows and sacred samskaras are all madehere.

The spiritual vow of the initiation is only possible with the intervention of agenuine spiritual master. The spiritual master can stop our karma so that we canreceive the mantra. This is the reason why this truly is called the Truly of SpiritualAmnesty. The transcendental vows that surround the disciple become a circle ofprotection. As long as he or she does not go outside of this circle by breaking thevows, he or she has all the protection of the path towards perfection.

There also exists a plan to make a Truly Jyotish of Vedic Astrology as well as a

Truly of Ayur Veda to help the sick with Vedic knowledge. We are also going to offerfacilities to students and visitors who live far away so that they can stay in one of therooms of the ashram.

Thank you Srila Prabhupad for bringing Radha and Damodar to our lives!

We want to express our profound gratefulness to the pure devotee of Krishna,Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, who left beautiful Vrindavan to take us tothe eternal world. He also took us to Vrindavan in India and gave us an oasis therecalled Vrinda Kunja. Yet, most importantly, Srila Prabhupad taught us how to formsmall oasis all over the world. The Hare Krishna Truly Ashram community attempts tobecome one of these. Without the mercy of Srila Prabhupad, this, nor any other projectin our lives would not have any success.

The temple of the Lord is our most beautiful service. When everyoneparticipates, there is great union in the devotional work. We are all His and are simplyattempting to become pure devotees by building a temple of the heart; an experienceto be given to all.

Be a Part of the Solution, Not Part of the Problem


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Everyone has the opportunity to be a member of the Hare Krishna TrulyAshram. We have different educational programs and we try to inspire a moretranscendental, ecological, and serviceable mentality in our friends. The VegetarianSociety of Peru offers many ways to participate. For those who want to help, even if itis only for one week end, can connect with the director of the program: SrimanPrapanna das.

We have to change many things in this chaotic world. Within their own capacity,all can help. The change begins with each one of us, and it is our pleasure to inviteyou to visit the project.

The Sunday festivals and the ecological festivals are also well known. Toreserve a space in one of these festivals please call us at: 4275944, 4210016 or4404747 and ask about the program at Chacra y Mar. To organize a guided tourthrough the ashram, or for conferences in schools, universities or other organizationsplease call the above numbers to set a special time and date.

For presentations of the Transcendental opera group Consciousness - Even if itHurts contact B. V. Tapasvi Maharaj or the secretary in Lima: Pancha Tattva das at:4275944.

Your friend and well wisher,Swami B. A. [email protected]

More information and notices, look for Vaisnava Literature on the internet:http://owplaza.com/wva/

Addresses in Peru:Govindas Cultural Center:Jr. Callao 480, Lima 1, Peru....................

Documents

The Eco Truly Ashrama