Tuesday 31 July 2012

"They said I am Bengali, I did not say it. I am a Spirit soul" - HH Bhakti Charu Swami


There was a Grand Initiation ceremony at the Bhaktivedanta Manor on Saturday, 28th July 2012,
where both HH Radhanath Maharaja and HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja gave initiations. My wife and I were greatly fortunate to be amongst the devotees who received initiations from HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja. We are very grateful to Guru Maharaja for accepting us as his disciples and pray to Shri Shri Radha Gokulananda to make us worthy of this honour.

After the Initiation ceremony and Yagna, arrangements were made in the library for both Maharajas to have Prasadam with about 12 other senior devotees who were present at the Manor. Fortunately I was nominated to be one of the servers. I would like to share with you the following brief conversation that took place during the honouring of Prasadam:
HHBCS: "Who made the Shrikhand? It is very delicious"
A devotee: "The volunteers at the kitchen"
Kulangana Mataji: "What type of food did Srila Prabhupada like?"
HHBCS: "Prabhupada like food that was well prepared. He also liked Gujarati food"
Kulangana Mataji: "Are you Gujarati?"
(Laughter in the room)
Someone said: "Bengali"
Kulangana Mataji: "As you are Bengali please tell us what are the characteristics of a Bengali person"
HHBCS: "They said I am Bengali, I did not say it. I am a Spirit soul"
Loud laughter and 'Hari bol' filled the room.
All Glories to our dear Guru Maharaja!
Sent by  : HG Mukunda Hari das [London]

Sunday 29 July 2012

Loving father HH Bhakti Charu Swami


HG Kṛṣṇārjuna Dāsa:
Sri Srimad Bhakti Charu Swami just called me to see how I was because He hadn't seen me in a few days. He just wanted to call to see if I was alright. To see if I was inspired in spiritual life. It is midnight at His time - and He spoke for 29 minutes and 37 seconds. "Guru Maharaj, who could not be happy when their lives are so carefully protected by a Spiritual Master like you" that is all my weeping heart could reply.

Saturday 28 July 2012

Bhakti Charu Swami visits Pune [June 2012]


The visit of an exalted devotee of the Lord can surcharge any place with ositive devotional vibrations. This was felt by the Pune congregation, on the recent visit of His Holiness Bhakticharu Swami maharaj to the city. For all those who had the great fortune to serve him during his three day stay, the experience was out of this world.
As a few of them share, we all take great joy in expressing the wonderful effects of association.
Champaklata Devi Dasi (counselor):
“By serving HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj, I felt my desire fulfilled to serve my guru maharaja. I could see my Maharaj in HH Bhakti Charu Maharaj. It was a dream come true to cook for Maharaj. I could realize that there is no ifference in all Prabhupada disciples. They are so loving, that by meeting any one of them, you can immediately connect to your own guru. They also do not differentiate between the disciples and give love to one and all. I could taste a drop of mercy of Krsna, by Maharaj’s accepting everything, all our services so gracefully, even though it had so many faults. It is the greatness of these pure devotees. Maharaja also expressed his appreciation and gratitude to Radhanath Maharaj’s counselor system, which he thought was one-of-its-kind in the world.
Shyamangi Radhika:
Maharaj said to me that he came to check how our family had settled in Pune. He was most happy to see the congregation in Pune and how they had given us so much love and made us feel so at home. I personally felt that due to this event, everyone serving Maharaj together has made me come so close to so many devotees of Pune. It felt like one big family. Maharaj is so satisfied that he has promised to keep visiting ISKCONPune more frequently. He is very happy that Krishna has sent us to such a nice place and that we have settled here, surrounded by such loving devotees.
Nityatarangini Devi Dasi:
I learnt  a lot from all the devotees who served Maharaj, getting inspiration. I learnt that the ‘S’ in service is sharing and that I need mainly to learn the art of pleasing Vaishnavas.
Ritu Agarwal Mataji:
We are very grateful  to get a chance to serve Maharaj at our home. Even though he was unwell, he came to our house. For other devotees’ happiness these exalted devotees bear so much. He spoke to my daughters and even saw their art work. He has such a keen eye for art that he could tell the difference between the different kinds of colours she had used in her paintings. Shows us his expertise in so many fields.
Naina Lineswala Mataji:
It was pure mercy of devotees that I got to serve such a pure devotee. I would pray every day to the Lord to give me chance to serve pure devotees, and I did not know it would happen so fast. I was so happy to get a glance and a word and blessing for my daughter that Maharaj gave.
Nisha Makhija Mataji :
Maharaj was so approachable. I have never met a sanyasi from this close. He also has such a wonderful memory. He remembered about the temple and the devotees of Sydney. I was most touched by his reciprocation”
Ruchi Khanna Mataji:
I was most touched by Maharaja’s most simple nature. He is so uncomplicated and without any fuss. We were so moved to see how he removes his own arland and garlands the devotees, each time he is garlanded. It is such a sweet gesture. And his lectures were most non-complicated, clearing all our fundamental understandings about the various topics he spoke about.
Bhakti Karia:
Maharaj’s visit to ISKCON Pune was a blessing for us to be able to serve a pure devotee so closely, which we can’t do otherwise. His interactions with everyone were so wonderful. I really liked that everyone of us could serve him together.

Bhakti Charu Swami in Paris [July 2012]


I feel quite enlivened to share those ecstatic 2 days with you all as Guru Maharaja treaded again on the parisian soil after so many years of his absence (Guru Maharaja was a GBC here in France 20 years ago and he was quite instrumental in saving New Mayapur and reestablishing the faith in many devotees after Bhagavan prabhu's falldown).

Nitai Gaur Sundar prabhu, the temple president of Paris, had been repeatedly soliciting Guru Maharaj for his coming to our temple. About 3 weeks ago, Guru Maharaja called Nitai Gaur Sundar prabhu out of the blue to express his desire to come by since he was so near (in CH).

The news spread widely and quickly and soon enough,  all the disciples of Guru Maharaj, were told about his coming and made time provision to be here for the precious time frame (from July 18th til the 20th).

He arrived from Zurich by train at 1.39 pm on July 18th with 2 of his secretaries: Krsna Arjun prabhu and Subal prabhu!
Guru Maharaja had never visited the newly acquired and ISKCON-owned premises of Sarcelles village with its temple/guesthouse compound! He was taken to the guesthouse for a long-awaited foot-bathing ceremony! Some disciples had not literaly seen him for years in a row! So you can well imagine the emotions in the air!

Little to say that lots of devotees specially matajis had thoroughly prepared his quarters (3 rooms upstairs the guesthouse and his own bathroom) and the place was sparkingly clean and dazzling!

It was a short afternoon for Guru Maharaj as he left the guesthouse by 6 pm by car to a Paris semi-public program. Mystically, even though we were caught up in the usual deep traffic jam of Paris, we arrived slightly before time to the program. Guru Maharaj was a bit panting due to climbing the
3-story staircase leading to the hall (no lift, my mistake) and also slightly upset by the poor turn out of the audience. Yet, the whole program happened to be a vivid success as soon after, people started pouring in late and the crowd swelled over 100. Guru Maharaja addressed the people with his classical title "Reincarnation and beyond" the same that he used to speak on 20 years ago in the same city of Paris! This topic concerns everyone regardless of one's walk of life, this was proven by the endless flow of questions at the end that lasted for an hour. The French audience tends to
be interested in philosophy in general though they speculate like anyone not connected to pure Krsna Consciousness!

On July 19th, Guru Maharaja gave harinam diksa to bhakta Eric who became Ekanath prabhu and Annie, 78, who became Anant Prema. 2 sisyas also took their Gayitra mantra diksa from Guru Maharaj namely Gopala dasi and her mother.
Lots of new devotees were totally enwrapped in bliss  as they had never seen an ISKCON initiation obviously concerned with their sitting one day by the fire yajna in due course of time!

The temple president emphasized the necessity for ISKCON leaders specially gurus to get much more involved in France as other non-ISKCON maths tend to initiate left, right and corner irrespective of pre-requirements. Guru Maharaj was very much sensitive to this appeal and it was clear to many of
us that it may be a good incentive for him to get more involved in France, much like a continuation of his 1st involvement 20 years ago.
That afternoon on July 19th was a succession of private darshans for devotees male and female as they felt the need to seek his all-around guidance!

In the evening, he spent another 2.5 hours giving pravacan to a local audience of Bengali followers who were quite happy to at last listen to Bengali  Krsna katha. That darshan was followed by a regular english-speaking discourse translated in French ending in a series of loving Krsna conscious tunes well-acquainted to Guru Maharaja that he only masters.

Guru Maharaj then left on July 20th at 9.30 am from Orly airport toward Malaga Spain.

We do hope the Panca Tattva will send Guru Maharaj again towards our shores.
Many of us have the implicit conviction that he will.

Sent by : HG Madhavendra Puri Prabhu

Personalism with Bhakti Charu Swami



Yesterday [26th July 2012] Guru Maharaja took a Eurostar train from Brussels-South station to London after touring through the Benelux since last Monday.  His Divine Grace felt very satisfied with his Europe Tour till now.  "It is amazing how much can be achieved by just visiting one day!" he mentioned.  He has received very positive feedbacks from Paris and the different European places he has been visiting during the last few weeks.

There is no words to describe Guru Maharja's activities, simply inconceivable, although everything with Guru Maharaja is natural and simple, purely spiritual, completely from the heart, always most personal etc.

I just give a small, tiny example out of the myriads of wonderful happenings in the association of His Divine Grace.  Yesterday Guru Maharaja went for a morning walk in the immediate surroundings of Radhadesh.  Since Guru Maharaja arrived here the weather has miraculously turned into an Indian
summer... Before that it was raining all the time... So we were walking through a most beautiful morning scene and we went quite a substantial distance.  Beautiful nature, amazing, touching moments under a red rising sun over the foggy Ardennes hills.  When we got back to the Radhadesh castle Guru Maharaja looks up with a smile.  We immediately understood that His Divine Grace wanted to walk more.  "Waw, it is a marathon!" some matajis exclaimed.  We walked on down the road for some two-three hundred meters just down to two neighbouring houses where some of Guru Maharaja's disciplesand contacts had been living previously.  "Ernst was his name," Guru
Maharaja told me while approaching those two buildings.  (We had been trying to remember the name of that bhakta while I was giving the massage to Guru Maharaja late during the previous night).  Then it daunted to my tama-guna mind that Guru Maharaja had been thinking and praying for those devotees and that was one reason why he had walked on. And I felt the deeper dimension
that when Guru Maharaja thinks and remembers people the effect is tremendous, they become most glorious.  And Guru Maharaja always asks me to list the names of all such devotees. Who will be able to grasp the oceanic depth of a champion amongst pure devotees? His Divine Grace has always told us: "Just stay around"
Sent by : HG Ramananda Raya Prabhu

Bhakti Charu Swami in Radhadesh


His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami
with Sacinandana Swami and Kadamba Kanana Swami


Past Thursday morning Guru Maharaja invited His Holiness Sacinandana Swami and His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami to take the meal together that Guru Maharaja cooked himself.  They had been lecturing together and the Maharajas expressed in such wonderful humility how they appreciated the combined performances tremendously.  They told Guru Maharaja how his presence has boosted up the Pandava Sena full week gathering here in Radhadesh.  "As much as I appreciate that one person deepens out a subject and presents it to his public as much I find it such an enormous relief when we present together and interact with each other," His Holiness Sacinandana Swami expressed. "We will have more of that!" the Maharaja joyfully announced referring to the coming up cruise seminar in August.
        Also the devotees deeply appreciated the combined efforts of the sadhus, in fact everybody became eccstatic.  When European political leaders have declared that multiculturalism is not working, our ISKCON leaders are doing it!  It is so tremendously important for us : "Yad yad acarati
shrestas tad tad evetaro janah sa yad pramanam Kurute lokas tad anuvartate". If our worshipable leaders do it, we automatically believe in it.  To see those elevated souls, our leading examples, associate in happy ways opens so much life to us, this is shelter.  And those two expert preachers were most touched by Guru Maharaja inviting them to one of his self cooked, very delicious feasts!  I could see how much they themselves were so happy to be there, to associate and fully express the full spectrum of Vaishnava relationships.  Everything opens up and one clearly feels this is exactly
why we are sacrificing.  Devotee association.
        Guru Maharaja had been expressing during his stay here how Iskcon tends to become so impersonal now.  I told GuruMaharaja that when I have been insisting for so many years that he should be involved here it was because that very important chapter of devotee relationships/becoming
personal we don't have it naturally here.  And without that to me our devotee life becomes like a funeral celebration.  During these few days here in the Benelux Guru Maharaja's inconceivable spiritual love has very much prevailed and penetrated our lives.  It really is supreme nectar, who will
be able to describe all this?

Sunday 15 July 2012

Journey of 10 years with Bhakti Charu Swami and namahatta


Everybody is invited to attend 10 Years Iskcon Namahatta Boxtel celebration
in the most auspicious presence of His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami.

"During my first darshan with His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami, my Guru
Maharaja told me that we have to take care of the well being of other people
in our direct surroundings.  'Their well-being will also make your future
more prosperous.'  I belief this.  And the best well-being of one's
acquaintances they achieve when we deliver to them the Vedic wisdom through
Srila Prabhupada's books.  There everything is explained.  With this goal I
started Iskcon Namhatta Boxtel in August 2002.  Very quickly it has become
10 years!"

"Because of my Guru Maharaja I received a very nice second life and I want
to share it with you all.  Please come and visit Namahatta Boxtel. On
Tuesday 24 July we will celebrate 10 Years Iskcon Namahatta Boxtel with His
Holiness Bhakti Charu Swammi" (By HG Vrajendra Suta Prabhu)
For the full schedule of the program visit :
www.bhakticharuswamipreaching.blogspot.com

Saturday 14 July 2012

Ecstasies with Bhakti Charu Swami by Krishnarjuna Prabhu


His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja is in Europe now [July 2012]

The definition of a grain is that when the grain is ripe, the plant dies: HH Bhakti Charu Swami


Krishnarjuna Prabhu says, "So I have travelled the whole world. Literally. Circumabulated it. And I have stayed with Billionaires. With Millionaires. With the well off. The less well off. And the 'financially unwell'. I have travelled in mountains, over deserts, in major cities and through perochial peripheries. I have been in South Asia, South East Asia, Australasia, Oceania, North America, Europe and the Middle East. That too in the last 7 months. EVERYONE is trying to eat sleep defend and especially mate. EVERYONE is missing the point of their human point and EVERYONE is miserable. EVERYONE I met is this way. EVERYONE except Guru Maharaj, who is flying the perfect course to the perfect target - just like Arjuna's arrow" 

Please read about experiences of HG Krishnarjuna Prabhu with Guru Maharaja on 11th and 12th July 2012 in Rome here.  

See photos here.

Friday 13 July 2012

Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja solves a man's difficulty in praying [Vatican City]



On his preaching tour HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja visited Rome on 9th July 2012. Since Guru Maharaja is involved in the construction of Vedic Planetarium temple in Mayapur, he wanted to see the Vatican City. He along with 6 other devotees went to the Vatican city. Guru Maharaja was seeing that many people were watching him because of his saffron robes. Guru Maharaja also saw a painting there in which Plato was wearing saffron robes.
Then a man, dressed in black suit with blue tie, came to a devotee and started to ask various things. Guru Maharaja was at some distance but he was seeing this person asking something to the devotees. Then Guru Maharaja heard his mention in the talks, so he decided to talk to the man directly. As Guru Maharaja went there, the man asked him a question. The man asked that he finds it difficult to pray. The man admitted that he had taken a vow of praying daily for two hours but he finds it to be very difficult.
Guru Maharaja told the man that since he had taken a vow, he must do that. Also Guru Maharaja told him that initially it seems to be difficult but when you practice then it becomes easy. But man again admitted his failure in doing so. Guru Maharaja then told him, “you are finding difficulty in praying because you are doing it mechanically. You are not actually communicating with God. But if you communicate with God then you find it easy.” Still he was not understanding. He was telling “It is very difficult.”
Guru Maharaja then asked him whether he had a son. He replied yes. Then Guru Maharaja asked the man, “do you love your son?”. The man replied, “I love my son very much!”. Guru Maharaja then asked him, “do you find any difficulty in talking with your son?”. The man replied “no”. Unfortunately his son doesn’t have much time for him now.  Guru Maharaja then pointed out, “You don’t find difficulty in talking with your son because there is reciprocation and love. So, similarly when you pray to the Lord, you must do it with the understanding that you love God and God loves you. Prayer is actually communication with God. An you must understand that God is in your heart and when you pray to Him, He hears you. You must also hear Him responding to your prayer. In this way when there is loving dialogue, loving exchange, then you will find that praying to Him is so easy. When you develop your love for God and start communicating that love with God, then not only for two hours, you will speak to Him for 24 hours a day. ”
The man admitted that he was in Vatican since 1955 and he had seen six Popes and  he never had an dialogue like this!
Then the man came and embraced Maharaja and lovingly kissed him on cheeks.
Guru Maharaja told the local devotees to be in contact with that old man.
All glories to Srila Bhakti Charu Swami Guru Maharaja who is helping the suffering souls all over the world by distributing the pure teachings of Srila Prabhupada, all over the planet !!



Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja on phone by Ramananda Raya Prabhu

Similarly with Guru Maharaja I once had an amazing experience.  I had to phone Guru Maharaja in India from Radhadesh, Belgium here.  Somehow, because of a technical problem, while speaking with Guru Maharaja, suddenly I could hear Guru Maharaja, but at the other side of the line His Divine Grace could not hear me anymore.  And then Guru Maharaja started to literary shout in the phone :"RAMANANDA, RAMANANDA..."  Nobody has ever expressed anything to me with such intensity. I realized that Guru Maharaja's love will pierce any seperation through despite of any distance in time or space.

Mayapur 2010 with Bhakti Charu Swami by Nayaka Mataji



Nayaka mataji 2010
Hare Krishna,dear Devotees.
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Guru and Gauranga.


A few days ago we came back to Ujjain from Sri Mayapur dham where we spent almost one month. It was an unforgettable and most blissful experience. The only negative thing about the festival was that it ended so soon. We immediately noticed that the beautiful fountains and flower garden in front of the temple were gone and we were greeted by an empty field and heavy machinery. All around this fenced area were pictures of the spectacular future Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. Everything was ready for the important bhumi puja of the new temple.

The bhumi puja was held on 14 February. Guru puja was followed by a flag hoisting ceremony and powerful speeches from disciples of Srila Prabhupada. HH Bhakti Vidyapurna Maharaja and the gurukula boys performed the yagya and the rest of the program was held on the building site with all the members of the GBC and a large crowd of cheerful devotee faces.

By the kind arrangement of Guru Maharaja we stayed at Vamsi Bhavan. Our Godbrothers helped us to our room and offered us assistance whenever we needed. We felt so grateful to see how Guru Maharaja was taking care of us. That same night we were enchanted by Guru Maharaja’s sweet kirtan after Gaura arati. It was so special to see Guru Maharaja in front of Panca Tattva in Mayapur with so many of our Godbrothers and sisters around us, singing and dancing joyfully. Afterwards Guru Maharaja spoke with everyone and
enquired about their wellbeing.

We were also very pleased to see all the devotees who came from Ujjain. Their big, friendly smiles always reminded us of Ujjain.

So many interesting programs and seminars were organized for the enlightenment and education of the devotees. It was difficult to choose where to go as so many things were happening at the same time. On the
disappearance day of HH Tamal Krsna Goswami, Guru Maharaja gave a heartfelt speech about his beloved Godbrother. He said that Maharaja always had perfect and beautiful tilak and that he never used a mirror to apply his tilak. He also mentioned that, for him, Tamal Krsna Maharaja was such an exalted devotee and he at first thought that it was impossible to approach him. When Guru Maharaja started to serve Srila  Prabhupada personally he used to stay with Tamal Krishna Maharaja in one room and their relationship
became very close. Later there was a special program where senior disciples of HH Tamal Krsna Maharaja spoke about their pastimes with him. A transcendental atmosphere of love and devotion of his disciples to their beloved Gurudev prevailed. Guru puja and pushpanjali at Maharaja’s Samadhi was followed by a maha feast at Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi.


Guru Maharaja also spoke movingly in honor of HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami on his vyasa puja and afterwards Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja’s disciples served a lovely feast to all the devotees who could not attend the parikrama. 

Guru Maharaja often gave the devotees news about the health of HH Jayapataka Maharaja and read Maharaja’s letters to the devotees. Everyone really missed HH Jayapataka Maharaja’s presence in Mayapur.

Guru Maharaja attended a prize giving ceremony for sankirtan devotees. He and many sanyassis spoke about the importance of book distribution and gave awards to devotees who have dedicated their lives to the glorious mission of Srila Prabhupada and Gauranga Mahaprabhu.

A huge pandal was the venue for cultural programs every evening. Devotees enjoyed wonderful performances of song, dance and drama. HH Bhakti Marga Maharaja enchanted everyone with his brilliant dramas. One drama was about Saksi Gopal and the other, a contemporary piece, dealt with the lives of
lonely people. Our Godbrother Chandrashekar prabhu delighted the audience with his talented and accomplished performances in these dramas.  We also saw a memorable performance by Manipuri devotees where diminutive Radha and Krsna danced in traditional dress. The next day a wonderful surprise awaited
one and all when Sri Sri Radha Madhava and the gopis were all decked out in Manipuri dress looking exactly the same as the children the night before.

Thousands of devotees participated in the parikrama. There were 3 groups, an international group with about 1500 devotees, a Bengali group with 2000 devotees and a Russian group with 1200 devotees. Guru Maharaja visited all 3 groups. Some friends from the Russian group said their hearts were touched
by Guru Maharaja’s sweetness.  Guru Maharaja attended the International group about 4 times. The most special time during the parikrama with Guru Maharaja was the last day when he walked in front and carried Srila Prabhupada. Guru Maharaja also gave a very nice speech about the pastimes of Murari Gupta with Lord Caitanya when we visited his house. The main leader at the international group was HH Lokanatha Maharaja. Many other sanyassis and senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada also enlivened us with their
presence. At the Jagannatha temple, we saw a drama about Kalavecha Sridhara and Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It was performed by the sanyassis and Pankajanghri and Jananivasa prabhus. The 2 brothers played the leading roles. 

On this divine day of Gaura Purnima it is greatly fortunate to be in Mayapur where Gauranga Mahaprabhu appeared and performed his lilas. So many guests came from near and far to get darshan of the Deities. Even at Mangal arati time the temple was packed and it was difficult to go inside. Guru Maharaja gave the Srimad Bhagavatam class inside the pandal and he was followed by HH Bhakti Purushotama Maharaja. There was a broadcast of HH Jayapataka Maharaja’s class from America. At noon Guru Maharaja gave initiations
alongside HH Bhakti Vaibhava Maharaja and HH Bhakti Vikasa Maharaja. Some devotees got initiation from HH Jayapataka Maharaja in absentia. Guru Maharaja appreciated HH Bhakti Vikasa Maharaja who spoke in Bengali for devotees who got initiation.

After initiation Guru Maharaja went with a group of disciples to Ganga to take bath. The abhishek of the Deities started at 4 pm. Three small pandals were erected in the garden next to Padma bhavan for the  abhishek, one for sanyassis and disciples of Srila prabhupada, one for prabhu’s and one for mataji’s. During pushpanjali it looked as if the Deities were drowning in the fragrant petals. All the devotees happily enjoyed the feast that followed.

Guru Maharaja said that everyone was happy to do parikrama and they loved parikrama but they would be even happier when they go back to their homes and remember the sweet times. His words were so true and now we are all really missing those sweet times.

Once during parikrama when Guru Maharaja saw us, he asked how we were. I replied that we were fine but I really wanted to say that were missing his association.  Still the few times we saw him was wonderfully special and sweet. Actually we saw him only a few times in Mayapur because he was always extremely busy, but still, we are so happy that we were there by the mercy of Guru Maharaja and had so many unforgettable moments.

Sridham Mayapur Gaura Purnima Festival of Loving Exchanges, ki – jaya!

Guru Maharaja, ki – jaya!

Little Nayana Manjari and Bhakti Charu Swami Guru Maharaja

On 12th January, 2006 Gurumaharaj took a meeting as we had just finished the marathon. HG Nayika mataji had distributed 108 small books. It is not a hyperbole to say that she was the only mataji who used go for book distribution.  Gurumaharaj gave her a gift, his maha-cap and a maha-garland from Srimati Tulasi Devi. This was the first time when she got a garland from Gurumaharaj. She was really happy that day. In the evening HG Shyamali Radhika mataji took her to the hospital, and after midnight, at 12:35, she gave birth to a very beautiful baby. After Mangla arati, when I went to see her, she asked me to sing guruvastakam, and while I was singing, tears were flowing from her eyes. I remember, it was the most special movement I had with her. After 3 days, Kamanagari, a very cute Russian young devotee lady, brought the baby in Mangla arati. Then HG Balabhdra prabhu took her to Gurumaharaj, Gurumaharaj looked at her, she was sleeping. It was so amazing and  interesting to see that Gurumaharaj wanted to see her eyes, before giving name, and for that he softly pinched the feet of the baby to which she responded by opening her eyes. Gurumaharaj gave her a wonderful and lovely name, ‘Nayana Manjari’. Everybody joyfully chanted ‘hari bol’ When Nayana was 2 months old, she started to come magala arati with mataji. In Aug, 2006, on Srila Prabhupada’s appearance day, Gurumaharaj did her ‘annaprasan’, i.e., grain giving ceremony. On her second birthday, Gurumaharaj was in Ujjain. She was beautifully dressed in pink or violet frilled frock. Seeing her Gurumaharaj commented, ‘Nayana is looking like a princess’. While cutting cake she was crying a lot, seeing this Gurumaharaj added, ‘she is behaving like a princess too’. Her third birthday was also celebrated in Gurumaharaj’s presence.

"Bhakti Charu Swami in Hawaii" by Bhakta Michael


His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja in Hawaii :
By Bhakta Michael




Maharaja on the first day he came, that night, he came for Harinam! That was really great! I was leading and finished quickly so Maharaja could lead. When he lead for about 30 minutes it was so blissful! All the devotees were dancing alot and inspired by his presence. The next day he gave the Sunday Feast lecture and talked about Prabhupada and what he did for us. Then he lead Gaura Aratik and brought us all into a different dimesion of bliss!

On the next day, Monday he gave a lecture at the College campus Art Building in the evening. A handful of people showed. He was discussing on the divine natuer of the soul, etc. We had bhajan before Maharaja came and prasdam after the speach.

The next Sunday there was a home program in the morning and Maharaja came and spoke about ISKCON and why we should stay with ISKCON. But one extremely rude Mataji, a god-sister of Maharaja who is a follower of Narayan Maharaja, interrupted him when he was speaking such nice Krsna Katha. Maharaja was very gentle and kind at first but when she started talking crazy, etc. Maharaja became like a lion and stood up for Prabhupada and ISKCON. It was an inspiring moment for alot of us and Maharaja clearly explained that don't associate with other groups. Just stick with Prabhupada and ISKCON! Maharaja stopped speaking then and started a bhajan and then after he was done with that he left very quickly and he was very upset. Jai Maharaja!!!

That evening at the Sunday Love Feast, Maharaja spoke again and was preaching with so much energy and was talking so nicely. He then lead the Gaura Aratik kirtan. In the evening after the program was over about twenty devotees came upstairs to be with Maharaja and it was so special. One mataji who stays at the temple asked Maharaja if she could aspire to be his disciple and he agreed.

Maharaja would go for swimming in the early evening almost everyday. I had the opportunity to drive him to Waimanelo Bay beach and swim with him and other devotees. That was really special

He would often give lectures in the evening, after Gaura Aratik and inspire us all. While he was in Hawaii he attended two harinams and I have posted videos of Maharaja leading on my facebook page, Bhakta Michael.

Maharaja was supposed to stay three weeks but left one week early because of an urgent matter. We were all very sad to hear the news. He is supposed to come back to Hawaii for a few days in middle of June. Can't wait! All gloriest to His Holiness Bhakti Caru Swami Maharaja and his service!!! Jai Prabhupada!!!

Note : His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja in Hawaii Please see 

Thursday 12 July 2012

Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja June update


HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja’s monthly update  :
June 2012
USA
Please visit www.bhakticharuswamipreaching.blogspot.com 


1st to 3rd June : Seminar on Krishna’s Vrindavan Pastimes at New Jersey, USA
2nd June : Snana Yatra Class at Brooklyn, New York
4th June : Snana Yatra class by internet from USA for Ujjain devotees. [Guru Maharaja is now giving classes on every Tuesday on internet for Ujjain devotees from all places he visit]
India:
8th June : Guru Maharaja came back from USA to Bombay. Then Guru Maharaja also visited Pune. He gave Bhagavatam class there.
16th June : Guru Maharaja came to Sridham Mayapur.
17th June : Guru Maharaja did worshipping of Sri Panchatattva. Also gave Bhagavatam class in the morning and bhagavat gita class in the evening. Guru Maharaja also gave ecstatic class in Gauranga Sabha Camp in Mayapur for the aspiring brahmacaries.
18th June : Guru Maharaja gave Bhagavatam class in Sridham Mayapur. 
Guru Maharaja also visited Domjur and Calcutta. Guru Maharaja was scheduled to attend the Rathayatra festival in Calcutta. He was supposed to stay there for seven days but just one day before Rathayatra Guru Maharaja decided to go to Ujjain for the Rathayatra festival.
21st June : Guru Maharaja came to Ujjain at 11 AM. He gave arrival address. Guru Maharaja explained the existence of God, the meaning of name "Jagannath" and the pastime of the Rathayatra in which Vrajavasis took Krishna back to Vrindavan for the pleasure of Srimati Radharani. Then Guru Maharaja lead a very ecstatic Kirtan.  Guru Maharaja attended the Rathayatra. Lead kirtan and finally received Lord to the temple when Ratha reached the temple.
 22nd June to 23rd June: Guru Maharaja gave morning classes on Jagannatha pastimes, answered various questions and ended every class with a very wonderful Kirtan. Then in the evening Guru Maharaja used to lead a wonderful kirtan after Sandhya arti and attended cultural programs in the temple.
24th June : Guru Maharaja left Ujjain for Mumbai.
UK:
28th June : Guru Maharaja arrived at London, United Kingdom.
29th June : Youth Program in London 
30th June : Soho St. Srimad Bhagavatam Class, 

ISKCON Ujjain: A New Temple in an Ancient Holy Place by Sitarama Dasa


ISKCON Ujjain: A New Temple in an Ancient Holy Place


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Recently, after a long absence, I was invited to return to spiritual life by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami, with whom I had developed a firm relationship. He helped my family move from South Africa to ISKCON’s one-year-old Radha-Madana-Mohana Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. Having given up my hedonistic artistic life, I was filled with trepidation, uncertainty, and fear.
It had been twenty-two years since I became an initiated disciple. In the early eighties I was the first black South African to step back from the apartheid struggle and cross the divide to Krishna consciousness, away from the violent maelstrom of political upheaval endemic to my life. Filled with violent hatred of the apartheid regime, I was fortunate to cross paths with the Hare Krishnas through the gift of a Bhagavad-gita. Mesmerized by the lyrical and spiritual quality of its revelations, I became disgusted with the continual ritual of violence—domestic, social, political, and even academic—that accompanied my existence. I decided to jump ship from my Rastafarian, ganja-smoking lifestyle and join the search for true meaning.
The adventure took me to ISKCON UK’s new-devotee program in the English Midlands, followed by initiation at Bhaktivedanta Manor and devotional service at the Soho Street temple in London. I left the Society in the mid-eighties and again took up arts activism in South Africa. During this ambit I got married and became the infamous iconoclastic cultural terrorist Zebulon Dread, renowned for fearless satirizing and vilification of society. I published six books and ten wickedly puerile, profane, and publicly denounced fanzine magazines, and I performed onstage in self-penned one-man shows with the distinct aim of vomiting caustic humor upon society. After two decades of being “the great upsetter,” I had enough and jumped ship again. This time, by Krishna’s plan, I brought an entire family along.

Dropped into India

Mumbai was hot, sticky, noisy, and alive at 2:00 A.M. when we got off the plane. Our first time in India, we were to take a train to Ujjain, with no idea of what to expect. The person delegated to assist us forgot to hand over the train tickets in Mumbai. Amazingly none of the train officials threw any tantrums. Everyone was helpful, and before long a telephone call arrived confirming our ticket reservation numbers, and the situation was amicably resolved. The helpful conductor was most pleased to receive someprasadam from Radha-Rasavihari, the presiding deities of ISKCON Mumbai. I was impressed by the placid, cool, and mature handling of the whole matter.
In the morning, after a journey that gave us only small glimpses of Indian life through the darkness, the train stopped at the umpteenth station and, looking outside to what seemed a rural backwater, we leaned back thinking that this could not possibly be it. But then a helpful and intrepid fellow traveler made it known, in a frantic pitch, that this was indeed Ujjain—and we’d better move quickly. Many hands joined in the frenetic race to help the family quickly disembark.
The ride through the streets of Ujjain was an eye-opener. Cows stood chewing the cud in the middle of the road. Traffic crisscrossed like Japanese kamikaze pilots. A camel, an elephant, a bullock cart, and numerous handcarts vied for space on the road. My daughters screamed with surprised delight, absorbed in the maddening chaos. Upon asking our guide, Lakshminatha, if this was normal, he simply laughed. There were people everywhere!
Eventually a huge billboard announced ISKCON Ujjain. I had earlier asked Lakshminatha about the many temples dotting the landscape outside town. He said Ujjain has many temples of Lord Shiva, but it is where Krishna and Balarama studied sixty-four subjects in as many days under the tutelage of Sandipani Muni, whose ashram is still a much-visited holy place. Ujjain is home to the Mahakaleshwar Temple complex, where a beautiful Shiva-linga is worshiped. Ujjain is revered as one of the seven places where Shiva eternally resides as the protector of the holy site.

Ujjain Kumbha Mela

Ujjain is traditionally considered one of India’s seven holy cities and one of the four places where the eternal nectar of the demigods fell upon the earth after a major struggle with the demons. This ancient occurrence has given Ujjain the spiritual gravitas that marks the Kumbha Mela, a festival that takes places every twelve years. During that time the city is packed to the rafters with a few million pilgrims from all over India.
Also in Ujjain, on the bank of the holy Shipra River, is Rama Ghat, revered and worshiped as the site where Lord Ramacandra bathed eons ago.

A Stunning New Temple

Amid this ancient environment that resounds with loud bells is the new kid on the block: the contemporary temple complex of Sri Sri Radha-Madana-Mohana, a marble masterpiece. Bedecked in the white marble of Makrana, Rajasthan, which also decorates the Taj Mahal, it stands proudly as a testament to the resolve of the ISKCON devotees to continually expand the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Impressed by the temple’s pedigree, we eagerly takedarshana of Their Lordships Radha-Madana-Mohana, Krishna-Balarama, and Gaura-Nitai (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu), who adorn intricately carved gold-leafed wooden thrones that shine forth like shafts of molten gold under the delicately balanced light. An effulgence emanates from the altar that gives us a soothing feeling and a welcome that defies poetic description. The gold leafing, we are informed, is a meticulous procedure that requires oodles of patience, dedication, and devotion. For the first time in my life I see the Supreme Lord in His blue-black rain-cloud color and immediately desire to one day take Him home to South Africa. Everyone should perceive His well-dressed three-bending form prancing about for the delight of His eternal consort, Srimati Radharani. I quietly make a vow that, if He allows me to stay and reform my incorrigible character, I will one day build Him a gorgeous temple and worship Him as Sri Sri Radha-Syamasundara Africa-Ishvara. Srimati Radharani emits a radiantly coy smile and alluring, loving looks. The gopis Lalita and Vishakha accompany Radha-Madana-Mohana. Seeing them blush in delight, my overly dramatic daughters gasp with joy.
The altar is a bustling spiritual universe of dramatic color, and the air is redolent with that fragrance known only to devotees who have lived in a temple. It stays with you for a lifetime. Getting my first whiff, I breathe deeply and quietly weep for having been away so very, very long.
Looking up, we are all astonished at the fresco adorning the ceiling—a splendid depiction of the Lord in His rasa-lila. Superlative skill has brought to life this innocent dance that melts the hearts of the staunchest transcendentalists.

The Inspiration Behind the Construction

The temple is still a work in progress but stands as a testimony to the resolve of the devotees, inspired by their leader, to finish the main construction within one year. With only a host of young devotees with very little or no building experience, Bhakti Charu Swami cajoled, chided, energized, and inspired his team to pull out all the stops to make this amazing vision a reality.
“Sometimes I wonder how we managed to build this temple in ten months,” Bhakti Charu Swami told Avantika, the temple magazine. “The only thought that comes to my mind is that it happened by Krishna’s mercy. This actually proves that if we sincerely try to serve Krishna, Krishna helps, and as a result of that all kinds of wonderful things happen.”
A short while after our arrival, a group of devotees arrived from Taiwan. They charmed Ujjain with their tinkling Mandarin and infectious enthusiasm underscored by Chinese humility. On seeing the deities, they gasped and gorged their eyes on the feast of resplendent outfits that shimmered on the effulgent Lords. Seeing these devotees was a stark reminder that Srila Prabhupada created a home for the whole world to live in.
The members of the Taiwan group were some of the first visitors to enjoy the fully functional twenty-eight-room guesthouse. Govinda’s Restaurant, on the ground floor, is slowly cutting its niche with gourmet vegetarian fare in a sanctified environment free from the ubiquitous Bollywood music that pollutes the atmosphere wherever you go. On the top floor an auditorium awaits fresh ideas for Krishna conscious theater, as well as classical music, traditional dance, and devotional conferences. In an adjoining building resides the brahmachari ashram, with its ground-floor prasadam hall and central office complex. Like the guesthouse, it is covered in white marble.
In Ujjain, generous appreciation for this magnificent achievement abounds. The temple has become a new Ujjain holy site, visited by thousands who have turned this once dusty plain into a festive arena. They marvel at the well-tended gardens and the lively kirtanas and avail themselves of the bookstand and prasadam kiosk. I was pleased to watch passing motorists and cyclists stop, disembark, and offer obeisance from the road on the way to their daily activities. It is a heart-melting miracle for Ujjain to have Krishna and Balarama back after fifty centuries.
This city renowned for its educational institutions and its culture has proudly welcomed this new entrant to its stellar spiritual history. People who have never before seen such lavish worship stand in awe. I sometimes wish I could understand what the garrulous and always animated villagers are saying. The temple is a moving mass of humans at every evening aratias Sri Krishna, by slow devotional degrees, turns them toward the Supreme Truth that is Himself. I muse that Lord Shiva, the greatest devotee, must be very happy.

Feeling at Home

As our spiritual life takes shape, my family and I absorb many special elements of the Vaishnava culture. In a corner, tucked away on the northwest side of the temple, a Tulasi garden sprouts beautiful bushes used in the everyday devotional rituals. It is a nook for meditation on Vrindavana. Alongside, a small cow-pen hints at what will become a thriving cow-protection program. My daughters screech with delight upon witnessing the birth of two calves. Enchanted by this mystical life, they constantly sing the many new songs pouring into their hearts. I have never allowed them to enter the public schooling system. They are untouched by modern popular culture.
Many majestic plans pepper the ISKCON Ujjain future, some already taking shape. A midday-meal project is kicking into action with the goal of feeding 21,000 school children one nutritious meal per day. A murti-making project supplies Prabhupada deities all over the world. An IT center and a film studio are in the pipeline, and land is being acquired for a primary school. Family residences will augment the guesthouse.
“This is just the beginning,” says Bhakti Charu Swami. “We came here to achieve something so wonderful that the world will watch in wonder and recognize the greatness of India. We therefore invite all to come and join us to achieve this glorious mission.”

Finding India's Spiritual Culture in America by Ishvara Puri Dasa


Finding India's Spiritual Culture in America

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By Ishvara Puri Dasa
An Indian immigrant to America discovers the true substance of the religion of his youth.
I am an Indian by origin, but I came to the U.S.A. as a graduate student in January of 1964. I was part of the first wave of immigrants from my country, and we all found this place very different. So many colors of people and so many types of landscape. Above all, there were so many opportunities. In America, even a janitor could own a car!
Of course, more opportunities meant more ways to engage in sinful activity as well. Although I was raised as a vegetarian and even attended a strictly vegetarian college in India, I never really knew the reason. So when I got my graduate student visa to attend the University of Arizona, some of my relatives in India decided to give me practice in eating mutton and chicken before I left. They kept telling me to get used to it, because meat was all that was available in the U.S.
After graduation, I stayed in New York for five years, from 1967 to 1972. There I was told about a place that looked like a Hindu temple you might find in Bombay but full of white Americans. Since there was no other place to worship nearby, I decided to check it out.
One weekend, I went to Henry Street in Brooklyn and discovered the Hare Krishna Sunday Love Feast. I didn't recognize most of the mantras being chanted, but when I heard the last phrase of the prayer to Lord Nrisimha-jaya jagadisha hare-I thought I must be in the right place.
I was used to visiting temples and seeing holy people, but I was amazed at how dedicated and happy these Western devotees were. That first visit would not be my last.
As one of the "senior" Indians in New York (and as one of the few owners of a car), I used to take newly arrived friends and relatives around to interesting places in the city. The Henry Street Hare Krishna temple quickly became one of the standard attractions on my tours, especially since my guests could get free Indian food.
One day, however, was especially memorable. As I entered the temple, I was surprised to see an Indian sadhu sitting at the front of the room, being fanned by two devotees. Although I had seen many such persons before, he looked especially serious and focused. Still, the first thought that came to my mind was "Here is another Indian who has come in America to make dollars, just like me." Nevertheless, as I heard from Srila Prabhupada on this and a few other occasions, his speaking was so powerful, and the chanting he led so joyful, that I started to realize there was a difference between the two of us after all.

Marriage to a Pious Hindu

After working for a few years in New York and other cities, I returned to India to get married. I was keen on finding a pious girl interested in religion. Not only had my visits to the ISKCON temple impressed me, but I had also been reciting the Hanuman Chalisa every Tuesday and Saturday for many years, ever since my mother had recommended it as a cure for depression. Among the several girls I met, one came from a family of faithful Durga worshipers. She had also been raised vegetarian, and she would fast every Tuesday, since that is Durga's day. (At that point, I wasn't so particular about whom she worshiped, as long as she worshiped.) I expressed my interest, and things moved quickly after that: I met Pushpa my first Tuesday in India, the following Tuesday we were engaged, and the next Tuesday we were married. When she joined me in America, we bought a house in Cleveland, Ohio. I chose a place near the local ISKCON temple, and even though we did not follow the regulative principles so rigidly, I made sure we attended the Sunday feast every weekend.
Over the years, one of the most appealing things to me about the Hare Krishna movement has been how everything that the devotees do is rooted in the same Hindu tradition I grew up with, but somehow they make everything clearer and more meaningful. Whereas I used to attend pujasonly on special occasions, devotees go to the temple to chant and worship everyday, or even several times a day. What is more, they have a clear purpose in mind-to please the Supreme Lord Krishna and grow closer to Him-whereas I used to do religious things mostly out of tradition and habit. Now, I truly relish my daily chanting and reading, through which I feel God's presence with me always.
Another difference is the lectures. In every other Hindu temple I've ever been to, the featured speaker gives a discourse-usually with jokes and popular songs interjected-and then everyone leaves. But in ISKCON, hearing is serious business. After every class, the speaker will ask for questions. This caught me off guard the first few times: Was I supposed to really be listening? I thought just being there was enough. Now, I really enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to learn, and I am a regular inquirer.

Learning About Personalism

The biggest difference between the Hinduism I was familiar with and Srila Prabhupada's Krishna consciousness has to do with the issue of personalism. Only in ISKCON did I learn the truth behind the differentdevas and the actual nature of God; everywhere else these topics just got waved away with a quick "Everything is one." I have even developed a "Mayavadi Diagnosis Test" [see sidebar], which I use to help my relatives and other Indians understand the difference between personalism and impersonalism.
For these reasons and more (like prasadam!), I continued to regularly attend feasts and festivals at my local Hare Krishna temple through both the birth of my two children and our family's eventual move to Irvine, California. Here, the closest temple is in Laguna Beach and is presided over by Sri Panca Tattva (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His four main associates). The president at the time, Bada Haridasa, and his wife, Kosharupa, eventually convinced my family to become vegetarian and to enroll as ISKCON Life Members. We then made further spiritual progress when we started attending the Nama Hatta programs of Nirantara Dasa every weekend, held in homes throughout southern California.

Meeting My Guru

The final step in my capture by Krishna was when I met my spiritual master. I've always been interested in shooting home videos, so when we hosted His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami for a home program in 2000, I asked how I could participate in his film biography of Srila Prabhupada,Abhay Charan. I thought he would let me be part of the camera crew, or even perform, but instead he said he was looking for a mature person to drive around the main actor, Somayajulu. I decided to take the assignment, and somehow being in the association of devotees day and night for three weeks inspired me to maintain the regulative principles and chant sixteen rounds on my beads like everybody else.
Over this same time period, I felt inspired by Bhakti Charu Swami, and in June of 2003 my wife and I took initiation from him at the New Dwarka temple in Los Angeles. Since that time, my devotional life has become much more active. I've found a novel and interesting way to learnBhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam in the form of Nirantara Dasa's home-study program. He has created open-book tests based on the English translations for each chapter in these scriptures, and he sends and grades them via e-mail.
I also try to share Krishna consciousness with those I meet. When I go for my daily japa walk, people often initiate a conversation with me when they see my bead bag. Usually they think I've broken my hand, but then I explain the chanting to them and give them an invitation to the Laguna Beach temple. Once, the manager of a local supermarket asked about my neck beads. I told him they were made from a special plant called Tulasi, which grows in India and is spiritually powerful. He wanted to know where he could buy some for himself, because he was going through a divorce and was feeling very stressed. I brought him a spare set the next day, and when we met several weeks later, he thanked me. He has even started chanting.
As for the future, I am currently working toward getting second (brahminical) initiation, and I'm also trying to plan the vanaprastha (retired) stage of my life. My wife and I got so much out of participating in the thirty-day Vraja Mandala Parikrama that His Holiness Lokanath Swami organizes every year that we're thinking of moving back to India. Although it is tempting to live in either Vrindavana or in my spiritual master's home base of Ujjain, thanks to Srila Prabhupada I know I will be able to make spiritual progress wherever I go. And I'll never forget that it wasn't until I left India to come to America that I learned what my native culture was really all about.