December 2014

December 1st, 2014

Down by the river.

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December 1st, 2014
The Chandrabhaga river. I took this shot at sunrise.

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December 1st, 2014
A central street.

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December 1st, 2014
Diorama of Laksmi Tirtha initiating Lord Nityananda.

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December 1st
A local deity.

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December 9th

Tomorrow I fly to Sydney, Australia for a 3-day seminar. I follow in the footsteps of many godbrothers and godsisters who pioneered the movement there year’s ago. I will eagerly seek out the association of those Vaisnavas who now carry on Srila Prabhupada’s mission ‘downunder.” All glories to Madhudvisa prabhu, emperor of kirtan. All glories to all the Australian devotees!

“I understand that you are now preparing for going to Australia and I am so much glad that you are so enthusiastic in preaching the transcendental cult of Krishna Consciousness. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu will be very much pleased upon you. Lord Caitanya desired that this cult of love for Krishna, which is the highest benefit for the living entity, shall be preached all over the world. As an intelligent boy you can understand how much this Krishna Consciousness Movement is necessary for the benefit of the human society … So I am appealing to everyone, especially intelligent boys like you, to take up the propaganda work of Krishna Consciousness Movement very seriously, and it will be a great service to the human beings …. We are authorized, and we shall go ahead more and more. [ Srila Prabhupada letter to Bali Mardan dasa, January, 21, 1970 ]

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December 10th, 2014

My dear Lord. O Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of my association with material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind well full of snakes, following the general populace. But your servant Narada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore, my first duty its to serve him. How could I ever leave his service?” [ SB 7.9.28 ]

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December 15th,2014

The ongoing hostage crisis in Sydney is unfolding just a few hundred meters from where we are staying. Parts of the downtown area are on lockdown, numerous streets are closed and helicopters are flying overhead. People close to the drama are being advised to stay inside. Many here never expected that an apparent terrorist operation could take place so close to home. We pray for a peaceful outcome. But the Srimad Bhagavatam informs us that in this material world there is danger at every step and therefore it behooves us to return to the spiritual world, Vaikuntha; that place where there is no anxiety.

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December 17th, 2014

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December 20th, 2014
The temple deities in at our ISKCON temple in Hong Kong.

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December 25th, 2014

“O Gurudeva! What mantra have you given me? What powers does it possess? As I chant this mantra, I feel that it is turning me into a madman.” [ Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi-llia.7.81

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December 25th, 2014

In a few hours I leave Hong Kong. In reality, I am leaving the blissful association of the Chinese devotees here, who are the sweetest of the sweet. The only consolation is that I am headed to beloved Vrindavan for a brief respite of 3 days. In two weeks time we begin preaching in earnest again with our 2-month festival tour in Maharashtra. Forty devotees from around the world will come together to present a joyous festival that we hope will inspire the people of that region to take up the teachings of Sriman Mahaprabhu.

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December 27th, 2014

Over 1400 devotees have already registered for the Sadhu Sanga Retreat scheduled to take place in a picturesque retreat center in Boone, North Carolina, USA over the Memorial Day Weekend (May 22 to May 25, 2015) featuring Radhanatha Swami, Sacinandana Swami, Giriraj Swami, Bada Haridas prabhu, Madhava prabhu, Aditi Dukhaha prabhu and Gaura Vani prabhu. We have run out of all onsite accommodations. Very few hotels nearby have enough rooms to accommodate the group of our size. However, the Appalachian State University has been gracious this year to offer their subsidized residence halls that are located at just a 15-min drive from the retreat center. Please register at www.sadhusangaretreat.com to relish this opportunity to chant kirtans all day in the association of such exalted devotees of our movement!

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December 27th, 2014

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December 29th, 2014

Vraja Mohan, the deity of Srila Narottam das Thakur, with Srimate Radharani.

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