DEDICATED TO HIS DIVINE GRACE A.C.BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA

FOUNDER - ĀCĀRYA OF INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS

VOL 3, ISSUE 9

TEMPLE MONTHLYTEMPLE MONTHLY

SEPTEMBER, 2013

Sri Sri Radha Rasabihariji

By the grace of the spiritual

master the cloud of the mercy of

the Personality of Godhead is

brought in, and then only, when

the rains of Krishna

consciousness fall, can the fire

of material existence be extinguished.

Srimad Bhagavatam 3.21.17

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK Sri Sri Radha Rasabihariji Temple Monthly’s team is happy to bring you the special four-page Janmashtami issue this

month. As many of you are aware, ISKCON Juhu celebrates one of the biggest Janmashtami festival and thus it is only

appropriate that we bring you a copy that is not only informative but also full of colorful images which best reflect the

spirit of the festival. Srimad Bhagavatam mentions that Lord Krishna is the source of all incarnations and one can

achieve the perfection of one’s life by rendering service unto Him. It was our pleasure to host scores of visitors who

participated in the festivities and thereby experienced immense joy which is inevitably attained by associating with the

Supreme Person. For our readers who were unable to join us in the festivities, we hope this issue facilitates you and your

family to connect with your dearest Lordships – Sri Sri Radha Rasabihariji.

- Parijata Devi Dasi

The delightful Jhulan Yatra (Swing Festival) was hosted at the temple this year from 17 – 21

August. A team of designers worked alongside flower decorators to create three splendid swing

festival themes this year. The first two days saw a mirror work

design with floral swans and peacocks, followed by peacock

designs made from flower petals alongside mirrored earthen pots

the next two days and concluded with the grand fruits and flower

decoration on Sri Balaram Jayanti. Part of the theme was also

darshan of Their Lordships in a new outfit daily which included

peacock feather dress, flower dress, etc. The opportunity to

personally swing Sri Sri Radha Rasabihariji in the temple

courtyard decorated with marvelous lighting and floral

decorations left many spellbound.

The swing festival is the only time in the year when one gets a

chance to personally swing Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Rasabihariji in Their utsava-

murti forms. The festival is inspired from the swing pastimes of Sri Sri Radha Krishna along

with their cowherd friends in the monsoon season in Vrindavan.

ENCHANTING JHULAN (SWING) FESTIVAL ALLURES ALL

ISKCON Juhu rang in Sri Krishna

Janmashtami – the appearance day of

Lord Krishna with wide-ranging

celebrations on 28 August 2013. Several

months of exhaustive preparations bore

fruit when thousands of visitors joyfully

took darshan of Sri Sri Radha

Rasabihariji dressed in Their new outfit,

amidst chants of Hare Krishna

Maha-mantra where devotional spirits

ran high. The splendid flower decora-

tion, light and special effects and overall

grandeur inspired awe from the visitors

and truly transformed the temple into a

heavenly abode. Extensive crowd

control arrangements facilitated visitors,

Life Patrons, Darshan pass holders and

Kalash patrons to not only have smooth

darshan but also comfortably relish

delicious Ekadasi prasada. Various in-

formative booths, Japa chanting areas

and facilities to interact with devotees

a s s i s t e d v i s i t o r s t o b e t t e r

understand the divine spirit and

purpose behind the Janmashtami

celebrations.

Janmashtami 2013 Celebrations

TE

MP

LE

MO

NT

HL

Y S

EP

TE

MB

ER

20

13

P

ag

e 2

Srila Prabhupada 117th Appearance Day

Devotees at ISKCON Juhu celebrated the 117th appearance

day of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivendata Swami

Prabhupada, on 29 Aug 2013. The morning celebrations

began on the most auspicious note with the mangala-

arati being led by Srila Prabhupada. Other events as part of

t h e mo rn in g program included

Guru-puja, a Srimad Bhaga-

vatam discourse b y S r i l a

Prabhupada with video presenta-

tion, offerings by disciples of Srila

Prabhupada and senior devotees,

o f f e r in g th e Vyasa Puja 2013

book to Srila Prabhupada and

concluding with pushpanjali. The

b r e a t h t a k i n g presentation of

1 0 0 8 b h o g a offerings to Srila

Prabhupada was an expression

of love from the devotees to their

loving acharya. More than 250 well-wishers gathered in the

evening to perform Kalash abhishek followed by an offering

of 108 maha-arati to Srila Prabhupada. Hot prasada meal

was served to all visitors throughout the day.

TE

MP

LE

MO

NT

HL

Y S

EP

TE

MB

ER

20

13

P

ag

e 3

Other Happenings ...

From the office of ISKCON Communications (Sri Sri Radha Rasabihariji Temple) For feedback write to : Parijata Devi Dasi, SSRRmonthly@gmail.com

17 Tuesday Srila Bhaktivinoda

Thakura Appearance Day

8:15am: Discourse on Bhaktivinoda Thakur, 12:15pm: Pushpanjali & Arati

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS

Hare Krishna Land, Juhu, Mumbai - 400049. www.iskconmumbai.com , www.facebook/iskconjuhu.com, https://twitter.com/ISKCONJuhu

TE

MP

LE

MO

NT

HL

Y S

EP

TE

MB

ER

20

13

P

ag

e 4

SEPTEMBER

2013

HG VamsiVadan Das conducted a course for

all disciples and aspiring disciples within

ISKCON from 9 – 11 Aug. The course was

attended by more than 75 devotees who were

enlightened about the guidelines and standards

disciples should aspire to maintain.

T h e R a s a b i h a r i P l a y e r s ,

coordinated by ISKCON Youth

Forum, presented of the drama

‘Daku becomes Devotees – O

Kripanidhan Gopal’ on 18 Aug at

ISKCON Auditorium.

LORD KRISHNA & YOU

LORD VAMANDEV Lord Vamandeva is one of the incarnations of Lord Krishna who appeared as the son of

Kashyapa Muni and Aditi in the sacrificial arena of Maharaj Bali. He assumed the form of a

dwarf soon after His appearance and is seen wearing a belt made of munja straw, an upper

garment of deerskin, a sacred thread and carrying a danda, umbrella and water pot in his

hands. After His appearance, He was worshipped by various demigods and offered sacred

gifts. Maharaj Bali who was also present, accepted the water from the Lord’s feet on his

head, glorified Him and requested the Lord to ask him for money, jewels or anything He

might desire. Lord Vamandev requested for three steps of land which was courteously

accepted by Maharaj Bali. Lord Vamandev conquered Maharaj Bali’s entire kingdom and

the three worlds through His three steps. He inspired surrender in Maharaj Bali’s heart by

taking all his material possessions in a tricky way.

Lord Vamandev’s mercy filled Maharaj Bali’s eyes with tears and with folded hands and his

voice faltering in devotional ecstacy he addressed Lord Vamandev as ‘What a wonderful

effect there is in even attempting to offer respectful obeisances to You! I merely endeavored to offer You obeisances,

but nonetheless the attempt was as successful as those of pure devotees. The causeless mercy You have shown to me, a

fallen demon, was never achieved even by the demigods or the leaders of the various planets’. Being pleased with

Maharaj Bali’s surrender, the Lord offered him His disc for his protection and promised to remain with him.

Smt. Hema Malini presented her new dance ballet ‘Radha

Rasabihari’ on 26 and 27 August at ISKCON Auditorium

as part of ‘Sri RadhaKrishna Festival’ coordinated by

Bhakti Kala Kshetra, the cultural wing of ISKCON Juhu.

Inspired by the love she has received over the years from

the Deities and devotees at ISKCON Juhu, Hema Malini

named her new ballet after the presiding Deity – Sri Sri

Radha Rasabihariji and dedicated her performance unto

Him. In her address to the media she mentioned ‘People

may or may not come to witness my dance but I shall

always continue to dance for the pleasure of Lord Krishna

as long as I can’.

The existing Govinda’s Bakery received a complete

makeover during the first week of August and was

reopened to public on 26 August. HG Bhima Das, Zonal

Secretary, opened the bakery to public by cutting a ribbon

and performing arati at the Bakery altar where all baked

products are offered before making their way to the

respective shelves. The elegantly done bakery upped its

standard in terms of look and also the availability of

baked products. Several new baked items were added to

the Cookies, Breads, Fasting and Special Items section.

Delicious Manchurian puff and Strawberry pastry were

served out to all visitors during the opening.

On 29 Aug, HG Bhima Das

distributed ‘Bhakti Sastri

Course’ certificates to twenty

devotee students who success-

fully completed the year-long

English course.

01 Sunday Annada Ekadashi Breakfast 02/09/13

06:23—10:33

11 Wednesday Sri Lalita Devi Appearance Day

13 Friday RADHASTAMI Fasting till noon

15 Sunday Parsva Ekadashi Fasting till noon for

Vamana Dwadasi Breakfast 16/09/13

07:30—10:31

18 Wednesday Ananta Caturdasi Vrata

Srila Haridasa Thakura Disappearance Day

16 Monday Sri Vamanadev Appearance Day

19 Thursday Third month of Caturmasya begins - Fasting from milk for one month

Vaishnava

Calendar

17 Tuesday Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Appearance Day

13 Friday RADHASTAMI 6am: Shobha yatra at Juhu beach 7:30am: Guru Puja & Sringar Darshan 11:30am: Maha-abhishek & Arati 5pm: Special flower outfit darshan 7:30pm: Boat Festival

Upcoming

Events