|
Friday, May 27, 2011
He truly embodied the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
THAT oNe devotee in our movement
I think there is one devotee in our movement who is really doing a significant service at the moment and his name is Vaisheshika.
He is a disciple of Srila Prabhupada who also is a Spiritual Master in America, who is having a program for weekend warriors – He is the founder of the weekend warriors, and weekend warriors: Yes, men and woman, old and young are all going out on the weekends and distributing some books.
It is very well organised and taken care of. For example when they take a new person out on book distribution they say: ‘For the first few times you can not distribute books you can only watch’ – He said that if someone is a natural they will disobey their order and will start doing it! but if somebody is afraid then they’ll watch for three times and they will then feel good.
It makes it supportive, it is going on, this program is slowly catching on in California where he works – it is catching on in England and it is catching on in South Africa – It is definitely going to catch on!
I will do whatever I can to help that, because otherwise if we don’t do something about Kali Yuga then we will just sit here waiting for Kali Yuga to come through the door and gradually it grows over the doors, it goes through the windows, the mode of ignorance – and that is how it is – the business of this movement is to put out the transcendental sound vibration everywhere – and of course we do not want to pressurise ..I am proposing the gentle way, like Vaishaishika was saying: “We used to think that in Sankirtana and Book Distribution you had to climb over the wall, sneek in illegally, duck the security, distribute books and that was real Sankirtana”
He says “Nowadays, we just ask for permission and most of the times we get it!”…. so that was a good point….
----------------H.H Kadambakanana Swami Maharaj
--
I promise you this: If you distribute my books until your dying day, Lord Chaitanya will personally come and take you back home, back to Godhead.
- Srila Prabhupada...
"Just distribute my books throughout your life, and even if you don't think of Krishna at the time of death, then Lord Caitanya will force His way into your mind and carry you back to Godhead."- Srila Prabhupada...
Sunday, May 22, 2011
This is Lord Nityananda's work
My heartfelt thanks to Raxit, Sonal, Neil, and Neesha for their selfless service to the Sankirtana movement. I had the opportunity to visit the sacred ground of Sankirtana Central at the Jariwalla's home yesterday on our way out for book distribution. It is one of my favorite places on earth.
Books are the life and soul of the Jariwalla's and they have used the entire space of their garage for many years to carefully keep vaisnava literature and BBT books with the intent to facilitate mass distribution. May Lord Caitanya continue to bless their lives in miraculous ways. My head is at their feet in utter appreciation.
Yesterday, Sri Govinda Datta Prabhu came with me to Sankirtana Central specifically to pick up Vietnamese books.
Dayanidhi Prabhu had picked out some places we could go to find Vietnamese recipients for these rare books, painstakingly translated, printing and shipped to America.
Enthusiastically, Malini, Gandharvika and Puja when to a Vietnamese area and scoped it out before we arrived. They found a small strip mall along Tulley Road that had lots of Vietnamese signs.
We went shop to shop and there and a new world opened to us. The Vietnamese were sweet and very much interested in seeing spiritual books in their own language.
(We sold almost all the books that Raxit gave us!)
One of the first people we met was a lady, the proprietor of a pure drinking water store. She glowed as she looked at the Vietnamese Gita and as we told her what we were doing she was visibly moved. She told us that she'd always desired to go to India.
She bought a Gita and a Vietnamese Perfect Questions Perfect Answer and also offered us a place in her store where we could set up a Smart Box.
Several more devotees joined us as we spent the next couple of hours going shop to shop and each new shop was marked with an exciting adventure.
In one bar/restaurant a young man sitting in a very dark corner bought a Gita. After this, Malini commented, "This is Lord Nityananda's work."
These are just a few quick thought that I woke up with this morning after performing the yajna in association with selfless devotees yesterday. I feel that my life was properly used and I am experiencing happiness in my heart because if it.
****
We are on a very fast pace of service right now and I see that many of you are sacrificing much to make the BVT a big success. Such sincere service will certainly attract the attention of Krsna. May He bless you more and more . . .
*****
Go Go Go!
With deep gratitude,
Ys,
Vaisesika Dasa
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Special and wonderful -- that's what ISV members are!!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Lord Nrisimhadeva Festival today
4:00 pm Reading of Srimad Bhagvatam by HG Vaisesika Prabhu. This will
be broad casted over Temple Tele Conference and Mayapur Links
6:00pm Bhajans
6:30pm Lecture on Nrisimhadeva's Appearance
8:00pm Aarti 9:00pm Prasadam
Please invite your friends and relative and be there to have mercy of
the Half Man Half Lion Most Meriful avatar of Lord Krishna
Lord Nrisimhadeva's ki Jai!
Ys,
ISV Communication Team
Sunday, May 15, 2011
These books cost 1000+ $
Last Saturday (May 7 2011) was an amazing day of book distribution and I would like to share a few of my realizations with you.
Instead of having to go to the Himalaya mountains to perform fiercely, terribly hard austerities, we can gain more benefit simply by doing this fun and easy service of book distribution which pleases Prabhupad , Krishna, and us!! The ultimate goal of life is to please Krishna and he is better pleased through this service of book distribution than 100 Ashwamedha sacrifices.
On Saturday we distributed books in Bernardo apartments in Sunnyvale , California where our dear Balaram Candra Prabhu had graced the residents for more than 20 years!. We were assigned by Nilesh Prabhu the apartment units we were to distribute to. On one occasion I met a Chinese person. He looked at the book and said,"I don't understand what I should do." I said,"These books are very special. All you have to do is read them and take care of them." He looked at me inquisitively and said,"OK,how much." I said, "thousand dollars++."."You must be kidding", he replied. I added, "I am serious, these books are worth so much more. But for now you may pay whatever you feel from your heart." He gave me 10 dollars."Thank you" I said. Little did he know what great treasure he had received. But, he innocently took the book with gratitude. When he was talking to me he was searching for suitable words to express his thoughts so I concluded, it might help him to be able to read a book in his own language. I ran back to get a Chinese book, Shailesh Prabhu was aware that I was talking to a Chinese person and almost instantaneously a Chinese and Korean book popped out of the transcendental load of books he was carrying. I went back to the Chinese person’s apartment and handed over the book. Just as I guessed, he said "this will be very helpful to me, I can read better in Chinese than in English. I appreciate it."
In the meeting with this one person, I realized how many facilities Srila Prabhupad has made for us to distribute books and reach out to the community in a most helpful way. He has directed the books to be printed in many different languages, and as this person said, be helpful. Srila Prabhupada’s dear disciple Vaishesika Prabhu has made many facilities available and taught us many innovative ways to perform book distribution so it is helpful to people.
On another occasion, I met an Indian woman named Ashwini. Like a traditional Indian she invited me to come into her house as soon as she saw my tilak. At least in California, whoever sees the tilak is bound to ask what it means. So always have a description of tilak at hand! Few of them have some good karma so they even come to the point of wanting to have one on their forehead. So you might also consider having a ‘tilak kit’ in your pocket! I told her that I am from ISV (as she could see on my shirt) and we had a team of 20 or so volunteers going around and distributing books on Krishna. As soon as she saw Bhagavad Gita she remembered visiting ISKCON temple a few times back in India several years before. Then my mom walked in and elaborated on the matter. She got a Bhagavad Gita , gave her contact details, and expressed her gratitude by showing her excitement to visit our temple. I got the chance of putting it on her altar. I didn’t fail to notice that her altar was occupied by Shiva, his two sons and mother Parvati. I am sure they are all now satisfied by the appearance of their own Lord in the form of BG. But I still prayed that her altar be occupied by Krishna (& his dear servants) and she realizes that by satisfying Krishna all 33 thousand+ demigods are automatically pleased.
I realized how people can be transformed, sooner or later, by visiting the temple just a few times. She had visited ISKCON temple a very long time ago and the impression was still in her heart. Prabhupad has created for us such an amazing environment to cultivate our love for Krishna in the best and easy way.
After all this fun, we got to relish lunch prasadam. This prasadam was cooked by Anu Mathaji. We had chapatis, rice, subji, sambar, and a sweet.
Book distribution is not hard AT ALL!! It is easy and can be ‘joyfully’ performed!
I encourage everybody to go on book distribution. Trust me; it is much better than sitting in front of a laptop doing the work assigned by your boss. ISV's spirit is to go and reach out to the community with a helpful hand.
Please Join ‘Team ISV’ in the effort to preach the message of Srila Prabhupad and Sri Gauranga all over the bay area and the whole world!
Thank you very much for reading my insignificant realizations on Saturday’s ecstatic book distribution.
With Gratitude,Ys,
Poojha Priyadarshini
Friday, May 13, 2011
Book distribution is fun & easy ...... & full of pleasant surprises.!!
Hare Krsna Dear Devotees,
Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Briarwood Apartments in Sunnyvale was our first stop on this beautiful Saturday of May 7th, with blue sky, bright sun sunshine, and gently blowing breeze. It was the second weekend of book distribution on the occasion of the MSF of Anartha Nivritti. Talking of anarthas, briarwood is used for making smoking pipes!
Our team was augmented with three devotees this week: Rajaram Prabhu, Balarama-Candra Prabhu and Kamini Mtj. Jaya!
Kamini Mataji and I were assigned one block, and it was an experience I had never had before. All doors that opened (and many did) took a pack and all chanted the Mahamantra, whether they were from Ukraine or Mexico, China or Africa! Some did not even wait for me to teach. The urgency was palpable. It was as if they already knew nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. Specially touching was a lady who had lost her brother, and was looking for peace – she got the mantra. We met this young man who wished he was part of a music band – he got the mantra. The lady from Ukraine had lost her job and was stressed – we gave her the mantra and she gave us candy and a cent each. Some took books to give to their parents or siblings. Some already had all the books and just gave us donations.
Our next stop was Olive West on Vicente Drive. While olive oil is good for the heart, olives soaked in wine are a recipe for instant anartha! More doors opened here as even more devotees joined us. Time flew fast, and soon it was time for lunch which was a boisterous picnic! Thanks to Anu Mataij who prepared delicious cuisine from western India, which was expertly packed by Damodhar Vamsidhari and Rajaram Prabhus. After honoring the prasadam, we fanned out into the other half of the apartment complex, hoping that the lucky streak would continue. However that was not to be. A young lad of 10-12 years named Yogesh went and told the Apartment Manager about us. He took a special delight in finding where the devotees were and running back to report to the Manager. We couldn’t help laughing when the boy reported to the Manager that Sunny Prabhu and Balarama-Candra Prabhu were also there, but they could not do much immediately, since they had already been invited into someone’s home. Sri Krsna-Purushottam Prabhu explained to the Manager what we were doing. While most of us were disturbed by what Srila Prabhupada would characteristically call, “rascaldom” on part of Yogesh, Krsna’s plan was revealed as we witnessed Malini Mtj boldly present a book to the Manager. Jaya! He seemed to appreciate what we were trying to do, but was duty-bound. We had no choice but to leave graciously.
As I was trying to park on our next stop, I could not parallel park on what seemed like a 20 feet opening by the curb. Well, my driving talents are well known to all, but it has never been this bad. Frustrated, I left the spot to go park a little way ahead in a smaller opening, and guess what, as I was coming out, I saw this gentleman just behind me getting into his car to drive away. I gave him a Krsna book, and he gave $20! I wish I have more trouble parallel parking if the end result is sweet like this! Reminds me of BG 18.37!
Sunny Prabhu and Balarama-Candra Prabhu later told me that they met Josh, a vegetarian, who grew up in the farms in North Dakota and understands farm life very well. It was heartening to note that he was very concerned about cruelty to animals and especially to the cows. He gave a generous donation for our cause. We have planted him in our database,and he has the invitation to come visit our temple. Perhaps he can share his wisdom for our Farm Project! I am always very impressed with how Krsna sends talent our way.
I had paired up with Kamini Mtj most part of the day, and did not get the chance to pair up with others this time. It was much later in the day that Malini Mji and I covered some floors in the Cathay Lotus Apartments, where we had gone after the Olive West chase. Lotus reminded me of lotus feet of Lord Krsna, the only place where the wandering minds will find ultimate pleasure and solace. To reach there we need to get rid of anarthas first.
It is always a pleasure going out on book distribution with Malini Mtj, since I get to relish watching Vaisesika Prabhu’s teachings on book distribution being followed to the T. At one door she met this gentleman who went to a church called Ananda Sangha. He informed us that it was a blend of Eastern and Western cultures. He was recently divorced, and was suffering from arthritis in the hips. He remarked that the visit was a God-sent, since he was looking for a spiritual path and gratefully took the book-pack. He happily chanted the mantra, and asked the meaning of it. He liked what he heard since he walked inside to grab a pen to write it down. Malini mtj, found him worthy of the Bhagavad-gita, and he was visibly moved. He is living on disability benefits and did not have much money. That, and the arthritis did not deter him from going back into the house one more time to bring back all the change he had to give way as donation! Krsna does not see how much you give Him, he sees how much you keep back for yourself. This man was a clear winner. We have him in our hearts, and in the camera holding a Bhagavad-gita!
Sri Krsn-Purushottam Prabhu met an American lady who had received a copy of the Bhagavad-gita at the San Francisco airport 30 years ago. Perhaps it was Vaisesika Prabhu who gave it to her, he mused. She took two books and gave $30! He met people from Mexico, and people from Nepal. Young or old, it did not matter. They all chanted the mahamantra and gave away generous donations.
Kameshwari Mtj has this to report:
Poojah was amazing! Srila Prabhupada says 'purity is the force'. Poojah’s genuine desire that the people have books, and her innocent way of explaining the yoga that brings happiness to them, was an effective combination. Nobody could say no to her. Whenever she saw small kids in any home, she made sure to tell them about our Sunday School, and enticed them with the lure of getting to make lots of friends at the temple. It was wonderful to watch her in action, and I look forward to doing more Sankirtan with Poojah.
I met a person who wanted to have the Bhagavad-gita for a long time. This month end he was planning to visit his wife in Pittsburgh, and buy a Bhagavad-gita from ISKCON over there. He was very happy to have the Gita brought to this home, and delighted to know that there is an ISKCON temple in the bay area. He immediately started flipping through the pages. The fact that there is word-to-word meaning for all the slokas, followed by the purports, was an instant hit with him, since he was afraid he might not be able to understand it. He donated $20 and plans to come to the temple.
When the team decided to call it a day, Ramananda Sakha Prabhu could not be stopped. He and Sunny Prabhu continued on. After we counted the Books and Laxmi, I asked Sri Krsna Purushottama Prabhu if he would drop me to my car. He said he would. As he turned to get into the car he saw some people walk by. “Let me distribute the last book of the day” he cried over his shoulders to me, as he ran after them. He came back with Laxmi and I thought, “Oh Ok all right, I will only have to update the nicely calculated scores just one more time. “ But that was not to be. As I was getting off from his car, we saw a lady walk by. She smiled at us, and taking that as a good sign, Sri Krsna Purushottama Prabhu asked me to go after her. I did. Vipula, who hails from Vrindavana, was smiling because she had recognized, Sri Krsna Purushottama from last year when he had given her some books. She took a book pack and the Bhagavad-gita and and gave us $20! What a welcome interruption!
As I drove back home that day I kept thinking about Kamini Mtj’s comment, “Book distribution is fun”. Now why do these words sound familiar?
Ys
Shraddha-devi Dasi
Friday, May 6, 2011
Lessons learnt on the path of Sankirtan
Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada!
This score counts for Sunday School kids, who have a goal of distributing at
least 250 books for this MSF of Anartha Nivritti.
Devotees participated: Advaita and Kamesvari devi dasi
Book Packs-6(*4) =24
BG Hard-1
Krishna Book-1
Science of Self Realization-1
Spanish-1
Total Books=28
Total Lakshmi=$30.82
At first home, an Indian family was having lunch. When we showed books, they
washed their hands, invited us in the home. They did not want to touch the
books saying that they were eating meat. I showed books turning different
pages and pictures, they liked Krishna book but hesitant to buy saying on
Sundays they generally eat meat and not sure of buying a holy book. We had
short discussion on how these books won't get contaminated instead they will
purify the home, they agreed, meanwhile Advaita made friends with their son
Chaitanya. I kept the book on their bookshelf as they requested and they
donated $15.
At another door, when I showed Bhagavad Gita, one person got really mad
saying that it was disturbing to him and other people as well if we go
knocking peoples doors. He went on saying many things how he did not like it
at all. In all these years this was the strongest reaction I ever saw, very
purifying actually. I apologized and we left. Advaita was sad and he asked
why he was mad. I talked to him may be the person was not feeling well or
may be upset with something or may be he did not know how important books
are. I was concerned about Advaita. We sat in the car, I said a prayer out
loud to the Lord and Gurumaharaj for strength and protection during
Sankirtan so that we can continue and not get discouraged at that point, at
any point. When I finished the prayer, Advaita said a big Hari Bol! I was
glad that he cheered up and we continued for more.
While praying within the heart, I knocked another door, the person was
actually waiting to have a Bhagavad Gita and he immediately took one for $8
and happily posed for the picture. A person in wheelchair took a book pack
and agreed for the picture. There was an 88 year old lady living by herself,
her eyes weak and could not read anymore. When mentioned about how she can
still hear she thought it was good idea to keep herself engaged, but I did
not have any audio CD with me and told her that I will bring one to her
soon. She appreciated our efforts and donated $1 did not take any books. One
Mexican person riding the bicycle took a Spanish copy. While driving back we
saw him under a tree immersed in reading the book.
By Lord's mercy we met these nice people and Advaita enjoyed giving books
and taking pictures. After meeting an angry person, meeting nice people I
felt was definitely Lord�s arrangement simply to encourage us. And the
lesson was never to forget that on Sankirtan it�s not always easy but the
Lord always protects us and our faith in Him.
Param Vijayate Sri Krishna Sankirtanam!
ys
Kamesvari devi dasi
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Lord Caitanya's Cherry Blossoms distributed in Cupertino
Hare Krsna Dear Devotees,
Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
In Japan, which was recently hit by Tsunami waves, cherry blossoms are a symbol for the ephemeral nature of life, demonstrated by their beauty and swift death. So, what could then be a better choice of spot than the Cherry Blossom Festival in Cupertino, to spread the teachings of Lord Krsna on the transient nature of material life and the endurance of the spirit soul! That is exactly what the ISV team of book distributers consisting of:
did on Saturday Aptil 30, 2011 on the occasion of Sri Narsimhadeva’s Monthly Sankirtana Festival of Anartha Nivritti.
We had an auspicious start when Sri Krsna Purushottam Prabhu charmed the volunteers into giving him a parking slot very close to the grounds in a place reserved for those who had stalls at the festival. And true to his reputation he distributed a Krsna book right there in the parking lot!
Srinivas Dindu Prabhu, Sri Krsna Purushottam Prabhuand I took strategic spots where people were entering, or just leaving a show or crossing a gap between the two stalls. I was a bit skeptic as to whether people coming to such an event would be interested in transcendental literature. But I was wrong. We met Japanese Chinese, Indians and Mexicans and they did take books. Raxit Prabhu was quick to notice that people were more approachable near the stalls in the food-court area where they stopped to chat compared to other areas of the park!
I met an elderly gentleman sitting in the crowd watching the display of martial arts in a disinterested manner. Perhaps, I thought, a Bhagavad-gita would interest him. He loving touched the book in his hands and said this was something he would really like to read while he was in USA visiting his daughter, but he had no money of his own. I suggested that he ask his daughter to donate a small amount. He turned to his daughter and requested her to give me one dollar, while hiswife chimed in to say, “Give her $5”. The daughter settled for $2. While I was happy for the man, I was also thinking that in this case I certainly did not break even! Krsna compensated soon enough when someone gave me $20 for a small book pack!
Kameshwari Mtj went out with Raxit Prabhu and his family. The permit-seeking volunteers in their pink shirts did not deter them as they went from stall to stall sometimes having to hide behind the trees to escape from them, were very successful in giving away a lot of Mandarin books! While they worked through the crowds with Damodhar Vamsi Dhari Prabhu and his kids, some of us left for Santa Clara where we went door to door in two apartments on Warburton Road where we were joined by the others and more. At the first apartment we met a lot of very old people who did not speak English. Srinivas Dindu Prabhu gave books to a lady who was 95 years old! While she happily took them, Sunny Prabhu and I had tough luck with a petite but very strong 87 year old lady who will turn 88 on June 9. She held the book pack in her hands and told us that she had no need to hear anything from us, that she knew how to be happy, and had her own books to refer to. Soon we discovered that the anger was towards her son who had tried to take away her money, and she had to change the locks on her door. She was sad that Mother’s Day was coming and that the son would not wish her and that she would be lonely on her birthday. It was sad to see her entangled in the web of Maya. We wished her in advance for the two events in her life, and politely walked away while she stood at her door, hugging our book pack!
At the very next door we met a lively young women Isabella, from Mexico, who works in the hospital. She rattled off the maha-mantra so fast, that it seemed she had been doing it for many years, if not lifetimes.
While Isabella seemed to have been chanting for years, Sri Krsna Purushottama Prabhu met a lady who had been smoking for a very long time. She promised to chant the maha-mantra for one and a half hours every day. “If she keeps her promise,” he said, “then this would be the best showcase of anartha nivritti!”
When Sunny Prabhu and Sri Krsna Purushottama Prabhu met with a Muslim resident, they had lots to discuss about the acharyas, Prophet Mohammad, Haridasa Thakur, Rupa and Sanatana Goswami. He took a book pack.
When Sunny Prabhu and I later met George and Mathew from Kerala, I witnessed their happy conversation as they discovered that their houses were close by in their native place. Sunny Prabhu asked and George Prabhu gave. Simple transaction and simple mathematics. Our hundi was richer by $20 and George Prabhu’s sukriti priceless!
Malini Mataji and Makeshwari Mtj came across a couple; husband a Mathematics teacher and wife a Civil Engineer. They were both not interested in books and clearly told them, signaling the end of conversation. That is when Malini Mtj asked them if they had heard about the Beatles, while she fervently prayed that she had a “Chant and be Happy” with her. Her prayers were answered. She had the book, and that was the turning point of the conversation! The couple was delighted and they took the book pack. They met a fine Muslim lady who spent her money helping her sister pay for her debts. She had nothing to donate but took some books.
The fact that Ramananda Sakha Prabhu was able to join us on book distribution, after he had taken care of all the cleaning and other miscellaneous activities at the temple, that tie him down every Saturday, is in itself a GNAB!
Where the time went we did not know. It was only when the stomach roared that we realized that it was past 6 pm and we had not had lunch. When Kumar Allmaraju Prabhu and his wife Sushma had helped pack and load the MSF lunches in my car in the morning, I had no idea the treasure I was carrying. Everything was super delicious from the puris to the lemon rice to the vegetables,……. all the way to the two flavors of super soft cakes that seemed to melt in our mouth and made us want more. Everyone was in a state of ecstasy as they honored the prasadam. Thank You!!
We met students, lawyers, engineers, teachers, performers, tourists, artists, senior citizens, nurses, software engineers and Amway distributors and many more. It was a beautiful day spent amongst children of Krsna - Some were friendly some not so friendly.
As I drove back home that night, I kept thinking about this lady I had met, and her words kept ringing in my ears. When I had knocked at her door and showed her the book pack, she had looked at it and said, “Oh this Kreeeesna, I am not interested in Krsna!” I couldn’t help smiling at the Lord’s ingenuity in making us chant the Holy Names!
MSF of Anartha Nivritti ki Jaya!
Hari Bol!
Ys
Shraddha-devi Dasi