International Society for Krishna Consciousness

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

Madhumati; pictured right in the photograph has received recognition for her service to the Deities. Madhumati is a personal cook for the Deities, and is preparing their food; while occasionally also doing the Puja.

Madhumati has been living in New Govardhana community, Murwillumbah for 13 months, but has been a Pujari for 23 years, in Hong Kong, China, Bombay, Calcutta, Mayapur, Vrndavana, and New Delhi.

On the 19^th of September, Madhumati travelled to England to spend one month at the Bhaktivedanta Manor Temple. She will also be seeing her daughter, who lives in England, and will be able to spend some time with her.

Madhumati has a big smile and she said, “I offer my whole life to serving Lord Krishna, but I did have a desire to see my daughter who lives in England and now that is happening. Is that not a miracle? Lord Krishna has made it so. When one is in the service of Lord Krishna, it means that throughout one’s life one does not want or need anything else”.

The temple Deities are being served by the Pujaris (priests) many times every day, between 3.30am and 8.30pm. This service to the Deities commenced at the installation of the Deities on August 5^th 1979

Lord Balarama’s festival is just one of the ceremonies commemorating Lord Krishna’s pastimes and is always a delightful experience, the pastime of trying to break the swinging honey pots while blindfolded was difficult as the children found out. But when it was broken, everyone would scramble after the contents of sweets as they fell to the ground, Lord Balarama and Lord Krishna play these pastimes with their friends eternally as they manifest them on the material planets, together with other unlimited pastimes, in order to bring the devotees back to Godhead and to attract the non-devotees to returning Home, back to Godhead.

Mahamantra is once again on another building project, ably assisted by his apprentice Bali, who lives in Ocean Shores and travels in every day to the Farm Community to work with Mahamantra.

The project is the start of a new Yoga Retreat, with the first buildings being constructed on the left hand side half way up the hill leading to the Temple, and overlooking the pond.

The first building will be a one bedroom cabin that will be able to accommodate up to four people. It will have its own eco-friendly bathroom with the latest composting toilet. A veranda will afford the guest a beautiful view over the lake. Another 10 such cabins are planned to be built on the site. All the hard wood timber used for the cabins has been milled on the farm.

A pathway is planned to lead guests to the main function room on the lake, then across the water over a pedestrian bridge. On the other side more cabins are planned along with another small yoga hall.

Mahamantra has been constructing buildings for ISKCON since 1978 and in the past has travelled far and wide, including overseas, doing this. Bali, the apprentice, is one of eight children brought up at the Farm Community, with all the family being devotees, but not now living on the Farm.

The very beautiful pond in the foreground of the Temple is now having a massive overhaul. It was last cleaned in 1994. Dean can be seen hosing it down after the removal of 30,000 tonnes of sludge. Water features will be installed, along with a new filter, costing in the vicinity of $6,000. We welcome donors for this project.

Lord Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad-Gita, As It Is, “Offer me vegetables, grain and fruit and I will accept”. Left is a photograph of a small area of the vegetable garden with Sabhapati in action.

Altogether there are six kilometres of irrigation laid to supply water for over 30 rows of vegetables. Potatoes, Carrots, Capsicum, Eggplant, Beetroot, three types of Lettuce, Beans, Okra, Pumpkin, Watermelon, Zucchini and Tomatoes are some of the seedlings planted in the last 3 weeks.

Once harvested, some of the vegetables will be cooked and offered to the Deities, some will be used by the catering teams for Festivals throughout Queensland and NSW, and some will supply Govindas on the coast, the Cardamon Pod and other restaurants interested in utilising organic goods.

On every Sunday everyone is welcome to attend the Feast at the Temple. The programme starts at 4.00 pm, with Kirtans, readings from the Bhagavad-Gita, questions and answers and a wonderful Feast. There is no charge and donations are welcomed

SRI VYASA PUJA
The appearance of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
September 5th 2007

Our Dear Spiritual Father Srila Prabhupada, our respectful obeisances unto You.

Forty one years ago, in 1966 you registered ISKCON in New York and formally started the revolution that is the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Now we remember you and want to insure that all the tireless efforts and sacrifices you made to start and spread the Krishna Consciousness movement will continue on to the end of the golden age of Krishna Consciousness, ten thousand years from now, if not longer.

The whole world is deeply indebted to Your Divine Grace, and one day the world will realize it. By Your Divine Grace’s mercy, the congregational development is expanding around the world, and more and more devotees are practicing Krishna Consciousness from their homes. They are also helping the temples in many ways and preaching Krishna consciousness from their homes as well.

We look forward that by Your Divine Grace’s mercy the whole world will soon be filled with devotees practicing Bhakti Yoga from their homes by following your instructions and vision.

“Only by Your Divine Grace’s causeless mercy and Lord Krishna’s grace can one survive the strong attacks of the illusory energy of The Lord”. . . . . . Spoken by Jayapataka Swami

Srila Prabhupada you have given us, “through translation of the “Bhagavad Gita As It Is,” which was spoken by Lord Krishna Himself,” the means to follow it’s instructions and return home, Back to Godhead.

It is a debt that we will never be able to repay. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Vaisnava Calendar – October 2007

Masam	Date	Tithi	Paksa	Yoga	Naksatra
Fast	Sun 7^th Oct.	Suddha Ekadasi	K	Sadhya	Aslesa
	Mon 8^th Oct.	Break – Fast 05:19 – 09:11
Fast	Tues 23rd Oct.	Suddha Ekadasi Pasankusa Ekadasi Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami – Disappearance Srila Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami -- Disappearance Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami -- Disappearance	G	Vriddhi	Satabhisa
	Wed 24^th Oct.	Break - Fast 5:02 am to 9:21 am
	Fri 26^th Oct.	Fourth month of Caturmasya begins. (Fast from urad dahl for one month)

For all your Indian (Vedic) style
Fire Ceremonies and Pujas
Weddings, Houses, Birthdays,
Last Rites and other Samskaras

please contact

Govinda Caran Das
Purohit (Indian Hindu Priest)

P.O. Box 930, Murwillumbah, NSW 2484.
Phone/Fax: (02)66726385
Mobile: 0403874097
E-mail: pujasamskaras@aapt.net.au

govindacarandas@aapt.net.au

Quotes

To those who are constantly devoted to serving me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to me.Adi Lila – Part One, Page 56

Maya (Illusion): A false sense of independence from the Lord.Srimad Bhagavatam, 10^th Canto, Part Four, Page 676

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Garuda and Allan in the kitchen preparing the Maha Feast	Govinda Caran Das performing a Vedic Ceremony
Children’s Drama of Lord Krishna’s pastimes	Gopinath milking Krishna’s cow

RADHASTAMI FESTIVAL

Thursday September 20^th 2007

The essential part of Love of Godhead is called Mahabhava, transcendental ecstacy which is represented by Srimati Radharani.

Prasadam area during the Maha Feast prepared and cooked by Garuda

RADHASTAMI FESTIVAL

Thursday September 20th 2007

The essential part of Love of Godhead is called Mahabhava, transcendental ecstacy which is represented by Srimati Radharani.

Prasadam area during the Maha Feast prepared and cooked by Garuda

Thursday September 20^th 2007