Issue No.6 December 2016

Hare Krishna!

Dear Reader,

Since the launch of this newsletter, there have been challenges at many fronts; the major one being bringing the issue on time. As we bid farewell to year 2016 and enter a new year, we look forward to improve the quality of our service to you. Keeping this as the focus of the coming year, we will strive for the best. So we humbly request you to give us your feedback and comments which would help us achieve this goal.

We look forward to continue our wonderful journey with you. Your servants, at the editorial team

In this issue

Gita Jayanti Celebrat-ions

Book distribution in Dasna Jail

Bhagavad-gita -Talent search competition

Ullaas-Youth festival in Greater Noida center

Govind Dham and Bhaktivedanta Academy, A-5, Opposite NTPC office, Agrasen Marg, Sector-33, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201301

Gita Jayanti Celebration at ISKCON, Noida

His Holiness Ram Govind Maharaj

Devotees reciting slokas from Bhagavad-gita

About 5000 plus years ago, on the day of Mokshada ekadashi, Lord Sri Krishna imparted the most confidential knowl-edge to His dearest friend Arjuna on the battle field of Kurukshetra. This most auspicious day of the advent of Bhaga-vad gita is celebrated as Gita-jayanti.

ISKCON, Noida celebrated Gita jayanti on 10 Dec, 2016 with great devotion. The fortune presence of His Holiness Ram Govind maharaj added fervor to the event. Devotees observed fast until noon and recited all 700 slokas to commemorate the celebration.

The vibrations of brihad mridanga reach Dasna jail

Devotees performing harinam in Dasna jail Speaker: His Grace Vamsidhar Das

“duhkhalayam asasvatam” [Bg 8.15]The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna calls this material world -a temporary place which is full of miseries. In fact this material world is compared to a „jail‟- a prison house which is guarded by Srimati Durga devi. „durg‟ means fortress and Durga is the jailor of this fortress. However, one may ask that a prison is meant for the criminals, so what brings me to this „prison‟ house? We, the entities of the spiritual sky, part and parcel of Sri Krishna in Goloka have come to this world because of the misuse of our independence to stay with or go away from Krishna. And just like a state government creates a special „correction‟ place for criminals those who misuse their independence, we have been given this material world for our rehabilitation to come to the natural state of realizing self

as the eternal servitor of the Lord, the Supreme personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. And this is the mission of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu‟s Sankirtan movement, to rehabililate the wandering soul to realize its constitutional position and go back home, back to Godhead.

Srila Prabhupada, taking the orders of his spiritual master Srila Bhaktisiddanta Saraswati Thakura as his very life and soul, wrote, printed and distributed thousands of books all over the world.

Following the legacy of the great acarya, Srila Prabhupada, the devotees all around the world observe the month of December as the month of book distribution marathon. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura compared book distribution to a brihad mridanga- a „big‟ drum. When a small drum is beat-

And the marathon continues…

its sound vibrations may reach to a few yards, however, the transcendental knowledge in the books, when distributed can reach to faraway places in the world. With this vision in heart, to relive the pain of the suffering souls of this material world, devotees from ISKCON Noida visited Dasna Jail, Bulandshahar Jail and Bhadayinu jail and gave the message of Sri Krishna by distributing about 2000 copies of Bhagavad-gita, 1000 chanting beads and prasadam. In this way devotees from Noida and Greater Noida centers have been tirelessly working to distribute these transcendental books in hope to please Srila Prabhupada.

Distributing Bhagavad-gita to a prison inmate Teaching how to chant maha mantra on beads

Devotees from Gr.Noida distributing books at Delhi International airport

Bhagavad-gita talent search competition, Gr.Noida

School children keenly listening to the devotee introducing them to talent search competition

The Bhagavad-gita talent search competit-ion aims to re-introduce the apparently disappearing values of our vedic culture in schools. ISKCON Youth Forum, Greater Noida organized the first Bhagavad-gita competition in year 2015 in more than 25 schools in Greater Noida, Jewar, Dhankaur and other small villages. IYF team travels to even remote villages and encourages new schools to participate in

this competition. The competition is held at junior (3rd-6th class) and senior (7th -12th class) levels. Prizes to winn-ers range from laptops to tablets. And the inter school competition toppers will be sent on a paid trip to Vrindavan Dham with family. Registrations are open and the exam will be held on 28 January, 2017. Please contact: Vedanta Chaitanya Das 9582441745

„Ullaas‟- ISKCON youth festival, Gr. Noida

Speaker: His Grace Rasraj Gaura Das

ISKCON Youth Forum, Greater Noida organ-ized youth festival –Ullaas on 15 December, 2016. About 50 youth from different engine-ering colleges attended the program. The event started with sandhya arti followed by spiritually surcharging Harinam sankirtan. Not only did the enthusiastic devotees chanted the holy names of the Lord, but even the hesitating newcomers could not stop themselves from dancing in ecstasy , which continued for more than an hour. Such is the „magic‟ of the transcendental vibrations of Harinam. A lecture and presentation was delivered on “Why we do? What we do?” by His Grace Rasraj Gaur prabhu, which explained and answered the questions about the process of Krishna Consciousness and Vedic culture in general. Students were also enlightened on the importance of Sanatana Dharma. The lecture was followed by the most sumptuous and delicious feast prasadam.

Devotees appreciating sumptuous feast

“...try to recruit some of the intelligent class of student class to take up this Krisnna Consciousness philosophy and study it carefu-lly. Try to recruit some of such men to become our devotees. There is need for intelligent young men to train them up as future leaders and preachers to go all over the world for spreading the message of Lord Caitanya-Mahaprabhu.” – Srila Prabhupada‟s letter to Satsvarupa, Hrdayananda 9 January 1973

HOW CAN I SERVE SRI SRI RADHA GOVINDA DEV?

Have some spare time? Come attend

our wonderful morning, noon and evening programs.

Born with a talent? Use your skills in serving Sri Sri Radha Govinda Dev.

Like music and delicious food? Attend our Sunday Love Feast program at noon.

Want to contribute some donation or become a life member? Contact: Bhisma Department, ISKCON Noida

"Maya means forgetfulness of Krishna, and forgetfulness of Krishna and Krishna consciousness stand side by side like light and shadow. If one remains in shadow, he cannot enjoy the facilities offered by light, and if one remains in light, he cannot be disturbed by the darkness of shadow. By taking to Krishna consciousness, one gradually becomes liberated and remains in light. Indeed, he does not even touch the darkness."- Srila Prabhupada

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

CHANT AND BE HAPPY!

IMPORTANT DAYS

For feedback, suggestions and enquiries, please contact: Vedanta Chaitanya Das vcd.lns@gmail.com [VCD(dot)LNS(at)GMAIL(dot)COM]

EDITORIAL TEAM:

Vedanta Chaitanya Das, Krishnabhakta Das, Shyamapriya Devi Dasi.

REPORTER‟S DESK

Vrajajanaranjan Das (Noida), Sri Chaitanya Das (Greater Noida)

COMMUNICATION DESK

Rohininandana Das

1 Jan: Srila Jiva Goswami & Srila Jagadisa Pandita disappearance

9 Jan: Putrada Ekadasi, Srila Jagadisa pandita appearance

17 Dec: Srila Ramacandra kaviraja disappearance, Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami appearance

18 Jan: Srila Jayadeva Gosvami disappearance

19 Jan: Srila Locana Dasa Thakura disappearance

23 Jan: Sat-tila Ekadasi