MAR/APR 2019 MAR/APR WWW.ISKCONBELFAST.CO.UK/NEWSLETTER Home programme at Nanda’s apartment on 22nd December 2018 Following in the chanting the names of Lord While travelling from village to Krishna, hearing Vaishnava village, during his work as Deputy footsteps scriptures from a guru each day Magistrate for the British Raj, Srila and distributing food offered to Bhaktivinoda Thakura developed In his house in Navadvipa, Srila Lord Krishna. These spiritual a network of nama-hatta, which Bhaktivinoda Thakura used to activities were part of Srila means “the holy name right in your regularly give lectures on Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s daily home”. He inspired local Vaishnava scriptures, in particular, practice. Vaishnava practitioners to hold the Srimad Bhagavatam. They were often attended by Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji, a highly esteemed Vaishnava ascetic renunciant and future guru of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Such lectures would be preceded by chanting Krishna’s names and followed with prasadam distribution, sacred food offered to the deity. It combined three essential Vaishnava practices - © ISKCON Belfast Ltd. NI058305 NIC 102942 Editorial Board: Bhakti Prabhava Swami, Bhaktin Kathleen. Layout: Bhakta Alex Some members of our core team attending a home programme. From left to right: Syamasundar Bhagavan Das, Nitai Das and Bhaktin Anusha. Bhaktivinoda Thakura by inspiring regular gatherings in their houses, Thakura’s son, Srila congregational members to hold inviting people to chant Krishna’s Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Nama-hatta gatherings in their holy names, hear the Vaishnava Prabhupada and his disciple Srila home. Every home programme has scriptures and receive prasadam. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami been a blissful experience for the This was one of Srila Bhaktivinoda Prabhupada adopted this threefold organisers and the attendants. Thakura’s main strategies in programme as a main element in Where Lord Krishna`s words and spreading Chaitanya Vaishnavism their preaching strategies. glories are repeated, the audience from village to village; his dream In Belfast we are attempting to becomes very satisfied and their was to establish a global Vaishnava follow in the footsteps of Srila hearts become purified. community. Srila Bhaktivinoda Home programme at Narayan’s flat on Saturday 5th January 2019. The Appearance of Krishna maha-mantra is most Lord Chaitanya Himself. He is accompanied by powerful and it is the process for His associates, servants, weapons self-realisation suitable for this age, This year Sri Gaura Purnima and confidential companions. as confirmed in the Srimad Festival will be celebrated on the Bhagavatam, verse 12.3.51: Lord Caitanya and His associates th full moon day of Wednesday 20 appeared over five hundred years March 2019. The programme will ago to give us the process of self- start at 6pm with the bathing realisation suitable for this age. He (abhiseka) of the deities of Sri Sri introduced the chanting of the Hare Gaura Nitai, led by His Grace Krishna maha-mantra as a means of Susakha Das. After the ecstatic purifying the heart so that we come My dear King, although Kali- bathing ceremony, Bhakti Prabhava to realise our spiritual constitutional yuga is an ocean of faults, there is Swami will explain the external and position as servants of Lord still one good quality about this internal reasons for the appearance Krishna. Then we become eligible age: simply by chanting the Hare of Lord Krishna in the form of His for regaining eternal life in the own devotee, Sri Krishna Caitanya spiritual world of eternity and bliss, become free from material Mahaprabhu. This will be followed in the association of the Lord and bondage and be promoted to the with Sri Gaura Arotika at 7:30pm His associates. Chanting the Hare transcendental kingdom. and at 8pm Ekadasi prasadam will be served. The appearance of Sri Krishna Caitanya has been predicted in various Vedic writings such as Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.32 In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Theology students visit the Belfast temple On Monday, 4th of February we were visited by twenty BA Theology students from Queen`s University. Bhakti Prabhava Swami introduced them to the beliefs and practices of Caitanya Vaishnavism. VAISHNAVA CALENDAR & UPCOMING EVENTS MARCH/APRIL 2019 2 March 2019 Saturday Dvadasi, Krishna Paksa, Fasting for Vijaya Ekadasi (Vyanjuli Mahadvadasi) – Sri Isvara Puri – Disappearance 3 March 2019 Sunday - Break fast 07:09 am to 08:16 am. 7 March 2019 Thursday - Srila Jagannatha Das Babaji – Disappearance, and Sri Rasikananda – Disappearance. 10 March 2019 Sunday – Sri Purusottama Das Thakura – Appearancce 16 March 2019 Saturday – outreach programmme at 6 Mout Charles “The Art of Turning Suffering into Bliss” 17 March 2019 Sunday – Fasting for Amalaki Vrata Ekadasi 18 March 2019 Monday – Break Fast 06:32 am to 10:32 am – Sri Madhavendra Puri – Disappearance 20 March 2019 Wednesday – Gaura Purnima: Appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (Fast today) 21 March 2019 Thursday – Festival of Jagannatha Misra 28 March 2019 Thursday – Sri Srivasa Pandita – Appearance 31 March 2019 Sunday – Fasting for Papamocani Ekadasi 1 April 2019 Monday – Break fast 08:14 am – 11:17 am—Sri Govinda Ghosh—Disappearance 10 April 2019 Wednesday – Sri Ramanujacarya – Appearance 13 April 2019 Saturday – Rama Navami: Appearance of Lord Sri Ramacandra (Fast today) 15 April 2019 Monday – Fasting for Kamada Ekadasi 16 April 2019 Tuesday—Break fast 06:20 am – 11:02 am—Tulasi Jala Dan begins 19 April 2019 Friday –Sri Balarama Rasayatra—Sri Krishna Vasanta Rasa—Sri Vamsivadana Thakura—Appearance—Sri Syamananda Prabhu—Appearance 26 April 2019 Friday—Sri Abhirama Thakura—Disappearance 29 April 2019 Monday—Srila Vrindavana Das Thakura—Disappearance 30 April 2019 Tuesday-Ekadasi-Fasting for Varuthini Ekadasi 1 May 2019 Wednesday—Break fast 05:45 am –10:49 am upporting ISKCON Belfast, an opportunity to serve Lord Krishna. Please consider donating to the S temple by setting up a Monthly Standing Order with your bank. Please contact Bhakti Prabhava Swami ([email protected]) to request our bank details. © ISKCON Belfast Ltd. NI058305 NIC 102942 Founder Acarya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.