International Society for Consciousness Founder-: His Dive Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada

ISKCON Kolkata Newsletter

March 2016 Vol 2, Issue 3

“Lord Caitanya is accepted as Krsna Himself. Krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam... [SB 11.5.32]. There are many evidences in the sastra. So it is due to Lord Caitanya's mercy, if we go through the methods... Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared as a devotee to teach us how to execute devotional service.” (Srila Prabhupada Vaani. Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 7.1-3, Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972)

ISKCON Kolkata World wide rank 11

March 2016 1 ISKCON Kolkata Newsletter Hare KrishnaKrishna HareHare Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Hare | Hare | Hare Rama Hare Hare Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare |||| Vaisnava Sanga

" The month of February was made all the more auspicious for e

y devotees at ISKCON Kolkata as they got the opportunity to

a associate and hear from many senior Srila Prabhupada h

i disciples.

h On 7th February, HH Maharaj addressed

d the devotees during the Srimad Bhagavattam and Sunday d

i Feast Classes. While giving the Srimad Bhagavattam Class, s

- Maharaj beautifully narrated the pastimes of Prahlad a

v Maharaj and enchanted everybody's hearts with his ever r

a melodious kirtans.

s e

g On 11 & 12 February, HG Malati mataji n

a (ISKCON GBC member), along with HG s

- Vishkha mataji, HG Shruti Rupa mataji

u and HG Krishna Rupa mataji,all Srila h

d Prabhupada's early disciples, gave

a nectarine class on Srila Prabhupada s

a pastimes and shared their personal r

t memories with him. An important

a theme highlighted by them was how

m Srila Prabhupada gave them the -

a opportunity to serve and thus

v recognized the special position of

a l

" women within ISKCON. Nityananda Trayodasi

On 20th February, the auspicious appearance day of Lord Nityananda Prabhu was celebrated with great pomp and joy. All the devotees fasted till 12 noon and broke their fast after offering abhishek and puspanjali to the Lord. HH Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Maharaj gave an interactive morning class in which he explained the position of Lord Nityananda. HG Shubha Villas prabhu and HG Radheshyam prabhu also gave -katha on the auspicious occasion. In evening, HH Maharaj gave an elaborate class explaining about Nityananda Tattva and how one can progress in spiritual life through His mercy. All the devotees and guests were blessed by the association of so many senior vaisnavas, representing the mercy of Lord Nityananda.

March 2016 2 ISKCON Kolkata Newsletter Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare | Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare ||

Sri Krishna Pusya Abhiseka On 6th February, 2016, Sri Krishna Pusya Abhishek was celebrated at ISKCON Kolkata. After the Sandhya-arti, when the temple hall was packed with devotees, Their Lordships, Sri Sri Govindji and Sriman Mahaprabhu and Sri Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra Devi were bathed with about 1,500 kgs of fresh flower petals. Petals from various types of multi-coloured flowers like marigold, rose, dahlia, etc. were used to bath Their Lordships, covering Their entire body. The accompanying kirtans and the enchanting beauty left everybody spell-bound and transported them to the spiritual world. a Dva Bengali "The Journey Home" Launch ah d r a Griha Partyabartan, Bengali translation of the autobiography of HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj, s a The Journey Home, was released by Mr Mrinal Choudhury, Ex. Mayor of Borough of Harrow, i th V on 19 Feb 2016 at the G. D. Birla Auditorium. Addressing a gathering of 700 guests, Radhanath Swami said, “Never have I felt in any book release so humbled, so grateful, and so happy, as I am feeling tonight. Of all the religions, spiritual and yogic paths that I studied, and of all the teachers that I met – and there were many – in Srila Prabhupada I found the essence of everything I was looking for. And what was that essence? The spiritual culture of Bengal as taught by Sri Chaitanya. The lineage that Prabhupada connected me to, the Gaudiya Vaishnava Appearance of Lord Sampradaya, is based on the Bengali language, the scriptures that guided the Varahadev, the boar passion of my soul – Chaitanya Charitamrita, Chaitanya Mangal and i n c a r n a t i o n , w a s C h a i t a n y a c e l e b r a t e d o n 1 9 t h Bhagavat – are Fe b r u a r y, 2 0 1 6 . H G all in the Bengali Radheshyam Prabhu, language.And president ISKCON Pune, today this tiny g a v e t h e S r i m a d offering of mine, B h a g a v a t t a m a n d T h e J o u r n e y described the pastime of H o m e , i t s Lord Varahadev killing the B e n g a l i demon Hiranyaksha. translation is Special darshan of Lord launched. This is Varahadev attracted the a s p e c i a l hearts of devotees and moment in my they offered puspanjali at life.” 12 noon.

March 2016 3 ISKCON Kolkata Newsletter Hare KrishnaKrishna HareHare Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Hare | Hare | Hare Rama Rama Hare Hare Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare ||||

More than 65 devotees led by HG Navayogendra Prabhu and HG Vishvambhar Kanai Natshala Trip Gauranga Prabhu visited the beautiful Kanai Natshala, a holy place connected to pastimes of Lord Sri . There the devotees visited Moti Jharana for boat ride and performed melodious kirtans and heard mesmerising classes, while on boat. PRERNA - Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Power of Association Appearance Day The appearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur was celebrated on 28th February. HH Maha Swami Maharaj, Srila Prabhupada disciple, along with devotees offered puspanjali and recited the Guruastaka prayers at 12 noon to receive the mercy of this nitya-siddha devotee.Maharaj performed energetic kirtans and drowned everyone present in the nectar of Hari- Nama. Thereafter, he gave the Sunday Feast class. Gaura Purnima Wednesday- 23rd March, 2016

Special Sringar Darshan at 8:30am, in Temple More than 150 students attended the nd 22 Prerna Festival at ISKCON Kolkata Evening celebrations at Gurusaday Road temple on the theme “Power of Association.” HG Prema Swaroopa prabhu addressed the youths and Vaisnava Calender- March 2016 & Sri Rasikananda - Disappearance through the example of Srila 12 March: Sri Purusottam Das Prabhupada, he explained how by 5 March: Vijaya Ekadasi Thakur- Appearance 6 March: Sri - 19 March: Amalaki vrata Ekadasi association of a pure devotee, Disappearance 20 March: Sri - became happies. There was also a light 8 March: Siva Ratri Disappearance hearted yet thoughtful drama put up by 10 March: Srila Jaganatha Das Babaji 23 March: Gaur Purnima the IYF devotees, entitled “Jaisa Sang- Published by: International Society for Krishna Consciousness, 3C Albert Waisa Rang”. Road, Kolkata 17; [email protected]

March 2016 4 ISKCON Kolkata Newsletter