R MAYAPURM o n t h l y n e w s l e t t e r f r o m t h e Ç r é M ä y ä p u rTIMES C a n d r o d ay a M a n d i r I nternational S o c i e t y f o r K å ñ ë a C o n s c i o u s n e s s MAYAPUR F o u n d e r - Ä c ä r y a H i s D i v i n e G r a c e A . C . B h a k t i v e d a n ta S w a m i P r a b h u p ä d a Volume #2018, Issue #003/September

I LOVE SRILA VAMANA MAYAPUR! PRABHUPADA’S DVADASI VAYASA

CELEBRATING THE APPEARANCE DAY OF ÇRÉMATÉ RÄDHÄRÄËÉ

At the Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, Radhastami is celebrated with great opulence. The day before Radhastami, the Radhastami celebrations have already begun. The Premdan Utsav commences, and ecstatic kirtan is performed all day as devotees make preparations for the next day’s festival. The climax of the day’s Radha Premdan Kirtan Utsav is during the adhivas ceremony that evening. At that time, Sri Sri Radha Madhava are honoured with 27 auspicious items and the devotees are encouraged to prepare their consciousness for Sri Radhastami the next day.

On Radhastami day itself, senior devotees speak about the glories of Srimati Radharani and Sri Radhastami during Srimad Bhagavatam class. This takes place before Darshan Arati, which is one hour later than usual in order to allow Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s to exquisitely adorn the Deities in a new dress and to transform Their with elaborate decorations. Devotees crowd into Radha Madhava’s hall and call out to Sri Sri

1 Radha Madhava as they wait to hearing about the appearance of (21 square feet) and the other see Srimati Radhika and Her Lord Srimati Radharani. measuring 3 feet by 9 feet Madhava. As the curtains of the (27 square feet). altar are drawn back and Sri Sri A maha-abhiseka is performed Radha Madhava are revealed, the for Radha Madhava and They A maha-arati is performed for beauty of Srimati Radharani stuns are bathed with a variety of Radha Madhava and then a feast all who are assembled. auspicious substances – panca is served to all of the devotees, gavya, pancamrita, various fruit in various venues. Devotees then Srimati Radharani is glorified juices, scented sugar syrups, and return to the temple to again take and served in many ways in flower waters. Radha Madhava darshan of Sri Sri Radha Madhava Sridhama Mayapur on Her divine are also given two kinds of and to engage in the kirtan which appearance day. The Radha showers: sarva-aushadi and has been going on continuously, Premdan Kirtan Utsav continues maha-aushadi, in which natural and which continues until late throughout the day as devotees medicinal and herbal substances in the evening. At this time, all glorify Srimati Radharani with are used to bathe the Lord. After of the devotees offer lamps Her holy name. A booth is set up being bathed in these various to the Deities, illuminating the in the temple where devotees can substances, paste temple with the flickering light sponsor gifts to offer to Srimati is applied and then washed off of their offerings, and Srimati Radharani, and hundreds of of Radha Madhava’s forms with Radharani is glorified through these gifts are offered. Srimati a steady shower of Ganga water the singing of Sri Radhikastakam. Radharani is given new cloth and known as sahastradhara. The This ecstatic kirtan concludes the jewelry, such as shawls, bracelets, abhiseka finishes with a puspa- festivities. necklaces, earrings, nose rings, abhiseka in which Radha Madhava and anklets. She is given many are showered with flower petals varieties of foodstuffs – numerous until They are almost completely types of fruits, vegetables, and covered by what resembles a hill sweets, and honey, ghee, and other of petals, and only Their lotus auspicious items. Throughout the faces can be seen. day, the devotees bring these gifts onto the altar and offer them to Hundreds of bhoga preparations Srimati Radharani. are cooked by the devotees of the community and offered to A special dance drama is Radha Madhava and Their Asta- performed for the pleasure of sakhis. Among these offerings are Sri Sri Radha Madhava and the two birthday cakes for Srimati assembled devotees, in which Radharani, but these cakes are devotees play the parts of not like most cakes. The double Vrajavasis and demonstrate the layer cakes are massive, with happiness the Vrajavasis felt upon one measuring 3 feet by 7 feet

2 Celebrating the Appearance Day of Sri Madhava JANMASTAMI The annual celebration of glorious descriptions of the Lord’s is beautifully decorated with Sri Madhava’s appearance is names, forms, pastimes, qualities, flowers. Devotees then perform celebrated by tens of thousands etc. Thus, both the speaker and the various samskara ceremonies of pilgrims who come from far listeners are relieved from their for the Lord according to Srila and wide just to take darshan of burning suffering in this material Rupa Goswami’s Sri Sri Madhava every year. From world by the soothing medicine Janma Tithi Vidhi, a book which months before the festival, the of krishna-katha. describes the proper observance lodging facilities of ISKCON of Sri Krishna Janmastami. Mayapur are fully booked for On the morning of Janmastami those wanting to participate in the pilgrims are up early, bathed The festivities go on for two the sweetest of festivals, but this and ready to see the Lord. Ladies days, and throughout the entire does not discourage the visiting and men stand in separate lines celebration, ecstatic kirtan is pilgrims to attend this festival. which extend from the main performed. This kirtan-mela Rather, they find their shelter entrance of the temple all the way continues until late into the around the Mayapur campus to the Sulab Kitchen. These lines night, leading up to Sri Madhava’s grounds, and blissfully camp are sometimes over 450 meters maha abhisek that takes place inside their mosquito nets, long; that’s more than 1,475 at 10p.m. and continues almost under the stars, anticipating the feet! The determination of these until midnight. For the maha upcoming appearance day of Sri devotees is certainly rewarded by abhisek, Srimati Radhika joins Madhava. the intimate darshan of the Lords Her Madhava and comes down in Their night outfits. from Their altar onto the snana- For a week leading up to the vedi, the place where the abhisek festivities, the daily Srimad During the day, Sri Madhava is performed. Bhagavatam class becomes a and His consort are brought sweet, nectar-filled narration and down from Their altar and Sri Sri Radha Madhava are bathed saturates the devotees’ hearts with are seated on a throne that with panca-gavya – the five sacred 3 3 items from a cow – and are then of colourful flowers and joyous names and glories of the Supreme bathed with , yogurt, ghee, chants of “Jai!” and “Haribol!” Personality of Godhead in the honey and sugar water, which are mood of sweetness, Sri Madhava. known as the five nectars. They are Once the abhisek is completed, also bathed with seasonal juices Their Lordships are taken back from fruits such as mangoes, to the altar and are dressed in a grapes, pomegranates, oranges, brand new outfit, and are then watermelons, and papayas. Sugar offered bhoga lovingly cooked syrup scented with saffron, rose, by the community. Over 400 aguru, musk and kusha grass, preparations are offered to Their and fragrant flower waters made Lordships. Once the offering with rose, bakul, lotus, jasmine, is done the conch shell blows, and gandharaj is also used to announcing that Sri Sri Radha bathe Their Lordships. The Madhava are finally ready to give

Divine Couple are also bathed Their midnight darshan. The in green water and are intensity of the kirtan grows with given two kinds of showers: the devotees’ anticipation, and the sarva aushadi and maha aushadi, final darshan of Radha Madhava which use natural medicinal and and Their sakhis is ecstatic. herbal substances to bathe the Lord. After being bathed in these To conclude the festivities, the various substances, sandalwood devotees are served a delicious paste is applied and then washed anukalpa feast in the various off of Radha Madhava’s forms kitchens of Mayapur. The with a steady shower of Ganges devotees then retire for the water. This grand abhisek is then night, their minds and hearts concluded with a massive shower completely saturated with the 44 The Appearance Days of the Sakhis

Tungavidya Lalita Devi Visakha Devi

Tungavidya Devi is 15 days She is twenty-seven days old- Being born on the same day, she older than Srimati Radhika, her er than Srimati Radharani, her is exactly the same age as Srimati age being eternally 14 years, 2 age being eternally 14 years, 8 Radharani, being eternally 14 months and 22 days old. She months and 27 days old. She years, 2 months and 15 days stands fourth on Sri Madhava’s stands directly next to Sri Mad- old. She stands directly next right, on the far end. Her special hava on His right. She special- to Srimati Radharani on Her service to the Divine Couple ises in serving tambula, betel left. She renders the special is singing and dancing. In Sri nut to the Divine Couple. She service of vastralankara or Dham Mayapur, she can be seen can be seen offering a chamara arranging for the clothing and offering or necklaces, (yak tail) whisk to Sri Sri Radha ornamentation of the Divine and a basket or bouquet of Madhava on the altar in Couple. In Mayapur, she can be freshly picked flowers. Mayapur seen offering a chamara whisk to the Divine couple. 5 Rangadevi and Sudevi

Rangadevi and Sudevi are identical twins. The twins are seven days younger than Srimati Radharani, their eternal age being 14 years, 2 months and 4 days old.

Indulekha Devi

Indulekha Devi is three Campakalata Devi days younger than Srimati Radharani, and is eternally She is one day younger than 14 years, 2 months, and 10 ½ Srimati Radharani. Her eternal days old. Indulekha Devi stands age is 14 years, 2 months and next to Visakha Devi, second 13½ days old. She stands on Srimati Radharani’s next to Lalita Devi, second right. Her main service is to on Sri Madhava’s right. She prepare nectarean foods for especially serves the Divine the Divine Couple, and some Couple by waving the chamara authorities say that another of (yak tail) whisk and offering her primary services is dancing. Rangadevi jeweled necklaces. On the altar In Sri Dham Mayapur, she can be in Mayapur, she can be seen Rangadevi is half a day older seen offering a silver box full than Sudevi, thus she is offering jeweled necklaces to of tambula to Sri Sri Radha Radha Madhava. eternally 14 years, 2 months Madhava. and 4 ½ days old. She stands third on Srimati Radharani’s udevi left. Her service to the Divine S Couple is supplying chandana, Sudevi stands fourth on Srimati or sandalwood paste. On the Radharani’s left, on the far end. altar in Mayapur, she can Her service to the Divine couple be seen offering beautiful is jala-, or offering water to garlands or necklaces to Sri Sri the Divine Couple. Her service, Radha Madhava. as seen on the altar in Mayapur, is offering beautiful baskets and bouquets of flowers to Sri Sri Radha Madhava.

6 Celebrating Srila Prabhupada’s PUJA Each day, starting one week offerings for the book, expressing before the Vyasa Puja of His their gratitude and offering Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta respect to Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada, devotees gather to honour Srila Prabhupada with arati, kirtan, personal offerings, and often artistic presentations such as dances and dramas. Different facets of the community of Mayapur, its schools, and some of its departments take turns hosting the Vyasa Puja celebrations and honouring ISKCON’s Founder-acharya.

The culmination of these festivities is on Vyasa Puja day itself, when the entire community gathers in the temple to celebrate and offer their gratitude to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s senapati-bhakta, Srila Prabhupada. Senior devotees glorify Srila Prabhupada, who sits upon a specially constructed dais decorated elaborately with flowers. Abhisek for Srila Prabhupada is then performed, along with ecstatic kirtan, a maha-arati, and the offering of hundreds of sweet and savory preparations. Devotees spend the entire day immersed in glorifying and serving Srila Prabhupada, in whose debt we all gloriously find ourselves.

The entire community contributes to a Vyasa Puja book which is offered to Srila Prabhupada. The book is an artistic masterpiece, its pages intricately decorated with original artwork. It takes a team of devotees months to prepare. Devotees young and old write 7 OBSERVING SRILA VAMANA BHAKTIVINODA THAKURA’S 181ST DVADASI APPEARANCE DAY CELEBRATIONS

, who perform svasti vacanam and then bathe the feet of the young boy playing the part of Lord Vamanadeva. One of the priests then handfeeds Lord Vamanadeva many varieties of delicious prasadam, and He eats until He is fully satisfied. He is further worshipped with a Maha arati, and then, He distributes Srila Prabhupada said that to After the puspanjali and maha arati His maha prasad to all of the honour festivals such as for Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in assembled devotees, who receive Navami and Vamana Dvadasi, the Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir the great good fortune of receiving a small boy could play the part around midday, hundreds of maha prasad from the hand of the of Krishna’s incarnation and devotees from ISKCON Mayapur Lord. the devotees could worship and the local Gaudiya maths him accordingly. So every year joined together in a wonderful This wonderful festival helps in ISKCON Mayapur, a young procession later that afternoon devotees to meditate on the gurukula boy takes on the role of to honour and celebrate the form and pastimes of Lord Lord Vamanadeva. 181st appearance day of Srila Vamanadeva, whose pastimes Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Hundreds demonstrate many important At midday on Sri Vamana of devotees participated in lessons for devotees on the path Dvadasi, the curtains of the altar the festivities and went on of . are drawn back to reveal that procession from Bhaktisiddhanta Lord Vamanadeva has appeared. Road, across the Jalangi river, to A young brahmachari boy stands Surabhi Kunja. Various esteemed on the altar, dressed in a saffron Vaisnavas spoke and preached the dhoti and deerskin, and wearing glorification of Srila Bhaktivinoda a flower . He carries a Thakura, appreciating his efforts chatram, or umbrella, in one hand and major contributions to Sri and a , or waterpot, in Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission. the other. This wonderful festival was concluded with the distribution Lord Vamanadeva descends from maha prasadam. the altar and is received and honoured by the priests and

8 Life inI LOVE Mayapur MAYAPUR! By Gourangi Gandharvika Devi Dasi

Lor me, Mayapur is not just a place to live, Mayapur is my home. How do I even start to describe MayapurF Dham?

I came to Mayapur when I was 7 years old just for a visit, and I fell in love at once! And since that visit, I have been living here. Now it has been 14 years and my feelings haven’t changed at all, in fact I love and appreciate it more.

The beauty of Mayapur is that as a devotee, you do not need to lead two separate lives, one in the temple and the other one at school or work. The whole community is striving for the same goal, we are all devo- tees, and have the same lifestyle; it is an ideal place to advance in your Krsna Consciousness.

The devotees that I have grown up with in Mayapur have become my family, the school I studied in has devotee teachers and students, the temple the home of my most beautiful and beloved Radha Madhava, and the festivals that are celebrated here the grandest! There are always senior devotees and Maharaja’s coming to give their association, courses and workshops offered, festivals, parikramas, , service and the list goes on!

There is always something to do, some kirtan or event going on or a festival to prepare for. I am never bored here. There is no place I would rather live in than in Mayapur Dham. When I think about what my life would be without Mayapur Dham, I see no life and emptiness. There is just no life better than in Mayapur for me. My greatest fear is if one day I will not be able to live and die in Mayapur. Mayapur is my shelter, my home, my life and my everything.

There is so much to Mayapur Dham, I have only touched the surface of its glories. I am not a writer so I have not sufficiently described the beauty of it and even if I was a writer there are no words to describe what Mayapur is and what I feel about the dham. All I can say is that it changed my life and there is no- where I would rather be than where I am now.

9 has recounted his experience on ACTIVITIES Mayapur Chandra’s Kartik Navad- vipa Mandala Parikrama as fol- 27 SEP - ISODYAN lows: PRASADAM OPENING “It’s a very, very purifying program Isodhyan Bhavan has just opened – getting covered with dust all day, a prasadam outlet on the ground hearing the pastimes of the Lord, floor for visiting devotees and chanting the holy names, in the pilgrims. This is another prasad- association of the devotees, going am outlet open to the public that temple to temple. It’s like the five has been approved by the May- most favourable things for pure apur Management. The prasadam devotional service all packed to- hall is fully air conditioned, and gether in one… I would say it’s a the diner set-up allows for com- must. Fifty percent of your life will fortable seating for the 12 course be wasted if you don’t come on meal, at only Rs.100. Mayapur Chandra’s parikrama.”

KARTIK NAVADVIPA MANDALA PARIKRAMA 2018

“Wandering in Navadvipa is the best of all opulences, the best of all religious principles, the best of all kinds of worship, the best of all perfections, the best of all glo- ries, and the best of all oceans of sweetness.” – Sri Navadvipa Sataka by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura

The Mayapur Chandra’s Kartik Na- NAMA-HATTA BHAVAN EVENTS FOR vadvipa Mandala Parikrama offers devotees the opportunity to visit SEPTEMBER the nine islands of Navadvipa in the association of sincere devotees and to hear the glories of the Lord in HOWRAH SANMMILAN His pastime places from many se- nior Vaishnavas. Navadvipa Man- 1,900 PARTICIPANTS dala Parikrama is a great benedic- tion for devotees, and is especially KOCHBIHAR SANMMILAN favourable during the most auspi- cious month of Kartik. Performing 700 PARTICIPANTS Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama is WEST MEDNIPUR SANMMILAN one of the most powerful ways to advance in spiritual life. This year, 3,700 PARTICIPANTS the parikrama will be joined by His Holiness Indradyumna Swami, EAST MEDNIPUR SANMMILAN and will be held for 10 days, as op- posed to the usual 6. 3,600 PARTICIPANTS His Grace Pankajanghri Prabhu 10 BÅHAD-MÅDAÌGA The Epicenter and Its Waves

“My Maharaja used to to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON Mayapur’s Sankirtan say that these literature are the books, as well as in the Nitai Pada Department operates ten travelling ‘Brhat Mrdanga,’ that is to say, Kamala boat. They would travel sankirtan bus parties, as well as the big mrdanga, because like the from village to village, distributing eight of the approximately twenty mrdanga which can be heard from Srila Prabhupada’s books and book tables within the ISKCON a long distance, simply a few words spreading the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mayapur campus. They also can have a tremendous effect Mahaprabhu. In these early days, manage a storehouse where their on millions of people if they are only one of Srila Prabhupada’s many books are kept, and have propagated widely.” books was published in Bengali: a building, Sankirtan Bhavan, – Srila Prabhupada, Letter to the Gitar-gan, Srila Prabhupada’s where most of the one hundred Niranjana, Los Angeles 21 May, poetic translation of the Bhagavad- brahmacharis who serve within 1972 Gita into Bengali. the department reside when they are in Mayapur. Sri Dham Mayapur is the Srila Prabhupada encouraged birthplace of the sankirtan Mayapur’s devotees thus: The book tables managed by the movement, the place where Sri Sankirtan Department are an Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His “Take this opportunity for important feature of Mayapur’s associates first began to broadcast preaching in Bengal. Especially preaching. Today, hundreds the message of Krishna bhakti, please go from village to village of thousands of visitors come and the place where their pastimes with a party of 5, 6 men and to Mayapur every year – all continue to go on eternally. It is preach the message of Lord candidates to receive Srila here that the brhat mridanga, or Caitanya Mahaprabhu with great Prabhupada’s mercy in the form propagation of transcendental enthusiasm.” Letter to Bhavananda of his books! The book tables literatures, has its heart, and the – Vrindavana, 10 November, 1976 successfully introduce many of waves caused by the beating of this these visitors to Srila Prabhupada’s brhat mridanga have now spread all Over the years, the success of books, and have been so successful over the world. ISKCON devotees Mayapur’s book distribution that recently an additional book worldwide spread the teachings of and travelling sankirtan parties table was inaugurated. A portion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu through has continually increased, and the devotees who serve within the the distribution of transcendental ISKCON Mayapur now has an Sankirtan Department are engaged literature, and in the epicenter of official Sankirtan Departmentto make sure Mayapur’s visitors the sankirtan movement in Sri which oversees all of these receive books, but the majority Dham Mayapur, the residents of preaching efforts. The Sankirtan of the sankirtan devotees travel this holy place continue to do the Department has only one purpose: and preach on the ten bus parties, same. to please Srila Prabhupada by bringing the mercy of Sri Caitanya distributing more and more of Mahaprabhu to those people who Since the early days in Mayapur, his books. And they have been do not visit Sri Dham Mayapur. residents of ISKCON Mayapur incredibly successful in this regard, have made book distribution a as ISKCON Mayapur has achieved The ten sankirtan bus parties priority, knowing how pleasing one of the top three yearly book travel year-round, throughout book distribution is to Srila distribution scores every year for many different areas of , Prabhupada. In the 1970s, His over ten years. For the year 2016 including Assam, Odisha, Madhya Holiness Jayapataka Swami and alone, Sri Dham Mayapur scored Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, other Mayapur devotees used to 684,775 book points. Meghalaya, Tripura, Bihar, and set out from Mayapur in a van all over West Bengal. Six or seven 11 devotees travel in each bus party, devotees in their service and as well as Their Lordships Sri ensuring that their service is Sri Gaura Nitai. Every day, the effective and progressive. devotees rise early and perform mangal arati together, chant their Another instrumental supporter of , have darshan arati, attend Mayapur’s Sankirtan Department Srimad Bhagavatam class, and is His Holiness Bhakti Purusottama then honour prasadam and go out Swami, who helped found the to distribute books for the rest of department and who stays with the the day. sankirtan devotees when he is in Mayapur and offers them continual Their preaching is not without encouragement in their service. challenges. Sometimes, the devotees preach in dangerous Many thanks to the devotees who areas. Once, while a devotee was serve within ISKCON Mayapur’s distributing books inside of a Sankirtan Department, who bank, a group of dacoits entered are surely greatly pleasing Srila and robbed the bank. When the Prabhupada with their successful police arrived, they thought that distribution of his books. the devotee was one of the bank robbers, and arrested him! By “I am most pleased especially to the Lord’s mercy, everything was hear that you are distributing many resolved and the devotee was set books. Go on increasing books, free. This is just one example of the and go on increasing my pleasure.” challenges faced by the sankirtan Letter to Giriraja -- Bombay 28 devotees, who despite such December, 1971 challenges, remain unperturbed and enthusiastic in their service to Srila Prabhupada.

Currently, the Sankirtan Department is preparing for their book distribution marathon, which takes place every year in December. This marathon was first started in 1992 by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami and other senior devotees, and it has been incredibly successful ever since, with Mayapur scoring 251,888 book points in December of 2016.

His Holiness Jayapataka Swami is a continual source of inspiration and guidance for the Sankirtan Department, and throughout the year gives much thought and time to the ongoing success of the department. Despite the immense services he does for ISKCON worldwide, he is still regularly involved with Mayapur’s Sankirtan Department, encouraging the

12 STOP CHASING Soon he was becoming more and AFTER THE more interested in philosophy and REFLECTION OF THIS spiritual life. He started visiting the local temple and gradually began HAPPINESS chanting . After some time he brought his gang members Once there was a king who had presented his daughter, the princess, in the saint. He told the saint about the to the temple and introduced them with a beautiful diamond necklace. The necklace and how he tried and tried to to Krishna consciousness. Before necklace was stolen and his people in catch it, but kept failing. The saint then long they were all regularly visiting the kingdom searched everywhere but told him that perhaps he should try the temple to render services could not find it. Some said a bird might looking upward, toward the branches like cleaning and driving. When of the tree, instead of in the filthy river. have stolen it. The king then asked them devotees asked them what they did The clerks looked up and true enough, all to search for it and put a reward for for a living, they simply answered, $50,000 for anyone who found it. the necklace was dangling on the branch of a tree. He had been trying to capture “God allows everyone to survive.” But there was a problem. The One day a clerk was walking home along a mere reflection of the real necklace all burglar’s wife became disturbed to a river next to an industrial area. This this time. river was completely polluted, filthy and see the great change in his character. smelly. As he was walking, the clerk saw He was losing interest in his a shimmering in the river and when he MORAL occupation. She worried about their looked, he saw the diamond necklace. income. To make matters worse, He decided to try and catch it so that he Material happiness is just like the her father was one of the biggest could get the $50,000 reward. He put filthy, polluted river; because it gangsters in town. Infuriated to find his hand in the filthy, dirty river and is a mere reflection of the TRUE his son-in-law breaking with their grabbed at the necklace, but somehow happiness in the spiritual world. We tradition of thievery, the father-in- missed it and didn’t catch it. He took can never achieve the happiness we law even threatened to kill him if he his hand out and looked again and are looking for no matter how hard didn’t stop his spiritual practices, the necklace was still there. He tried we endeavor in material life. Instead again, this time he walked in the river which his father-in-law considered and dirtied his pants in the filthy river we should look upwards, toward an insult to their great heritage. and put his whole arm in to catch the Krishna, who is the source of real necklace. But strangely, he still missed happiness, and stop chasing after the So the burglar was caught in a real the necklace! He came out and started reflection of this happiness in the bind. But one day his wife went to walking away, feeling depressed. material world. visit some relatives in Moscow, and while shopping in a big market- Then again he saw the necklace, right SANKIRTAN STORIES place she saw a young man carrying there. This time he was determined to CRIME FIGHTERS EXTRAORDINARY a stack of books. He was walking get it, no matter what. around without approaching any- He decided to plunge into the river, By: Navina Nirada Dasa one. After he had walked past many although it was a disgusting thing to people, he went straight up to her, do as the river was polluted, and his During my last visit to Siberia, gave her a book, and said, “This whole body would become filthy. He I heard the following story from is the best book in the world. You plunged in, and searched everywhere the devotees there. A burglar who should read it, because you’ll real- for the necklace and yet he failed. This belonged to a gang of thieves was ly like it.” The devotee didn’t know time he was really bewildered and came in an apartment searching for her and had no idea her husband out feeling very depressed that he could valuables when he heard a noise was already chanting Hare Krishna. not get the necklace that would get him at the door. He became scared and $50,000. started to climb out the window. The burglar’s wife was intrigued Just then a saint who was walking by, Frustrated that all his trouble had that out of hundreds of people in saw him, and asked him what the matter come to naught, he quickly grabbed the marketplace the devotee had was. The clerk didn’t want to share the whatever was at hand—a book lying come up to her. She bought the secret with the saint, thinking the saint on the kitchen table—and then ran book, Teachings of Lord Caitan- might take the necklace for himself, so off. When the burglar arrived home ya. Then she went home and read he refused to tell the saint anything. But and looked at the book, he saw that it cover to cover. Now convinced the saint could see this man was troubled the title read Bhagavad-gétä As It Is. about the philosophy of Krishna and being compassionate, again asked He didn’t have the slightest interest consciousness, she joined forces the clerk to tell him the problem and in such a book, but since he had with her husband and threw her fa- promised that he would not tell anyone ther out of the house. about it. The clerk mustered some stolen it he figured he might as well courage and decided to put some faith read it, so he opened it and began. 13 13

NUMBER OF VISITING PILGRIMS SEPTEMBER 545,987

BOWLS OF KITCHARI DISTRIBUTED SEPTEMBER 33,000

NUMBER OF VISITORS STAYING IN MAYAPUR GUESTHOUSES SEPTEMBER 46,002

SANKIRTAN BOOK POINTS SEPTEMBER

FACTS & FIGURES & FACTS 55900.50

NUMBER OF NEW BHAKTAS JOINED SEPTEMBER 1

14

Management Notification As Reported by Mayapur Communication Office

Demigod pujas on E d u c a t i o n a l Shennai and the campus i n s t i t u t i o n s TOVP bell

Approved: His Grace booth Approved: His Grace Nitai Harilila Prabhu to draft the Pada Kamala Prabhu will proposal regarding demigod MAC members for find out why shennai is not pujas on the campus. After educational institution being played in the morning checking with His Grace will discuss making the from Srila Prabhupada’s Jananivas prabhu and His festival booth for all the Samadhi anymore. Holiness Bhakti Vidya Purna educational institutions of Swami and approval by MAC, ISKCON Mayapur. Approved: His Grace the proposal will be sent One common booth for all Subheksana Prabhu will to Festival committee and educational institutions for speak to His Grace Brajavilas MDC. promotion during festivals. Prabhu regarding adjusting the timing of the TOVP bell, not to cause disturbance in late evening hours. J a n m a s t a m i Kiosks Shennai is being played again. festival update MAC is requesting Master Plan to give Janmastami festival report solution for kiosks on the was given by His Grace campus (sankirtan, books, Madhava Gauranga Prabhu. information, etc.,) within The security division did two weeks. not face any problems and festival organization was very successful and smooth.

NUMBER OF NEW BHAKTAS JOINED SEPTEMBER 1

15 15 “He Built a House in Which the Whole World Can Live"

“I have just now come to Mayapur and am very hopeful to regain my strength and health on account of being in this transcendental atmosphere. Every moment we are passing here in great delight” - Letter to Mrs. Nirmala Singhal written from Calcutta June 01, 1973

Copyright © 2018 by MAC MAYAPUR TIMES - Authorized by MAYAPUR ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL (MAC) The contents contained in this ‘MAYAPUR TIMES’ newsletter are copyright protected. Except with the prior written permission of the MAC, no person may duplicate, reproduce, edit, publish, make available or disseminate through whatever means this newsletter or any content contained in whole or in part. Reported from MAYAPUR COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT Layout & design - Srihari, Edited & Compiled - Vrindavani DD, Ananga Gopi DD, Binoy Gauranga Das Photos taken from - Mayapur.com, Aradhya Gauranga Das, Narahari Das, Kriyate Realeased in October 2018

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