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Srila Prabhupada's Hare Krishna Society Uniting devotees under the inspiration, guidance and authority of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada |
 "From now on unless I order you do something change or in addition, go on with the usual standard way. ." |
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Articles
Srila Prabhupada Writing at Radha Damodara The Skagit Magic Music Festival Proposal for Starting a Please Prabhu Key Events Society Friendship and Love Video of the annual Ratha Yatra If You Stay With Krsna The Tradition of Debate Hare Krishna Society Panama Potency of Krsna Book Authority of the Acarya "Atheists-Blind Bluffers" Death Is God Letter to Karandhar Tittenhurst, October 1969 Why not become a wise man? It is a very great mistake Glories and Pitfalls part 4 Glories and Pitfalls part 3 Glories and Pitfalls Part 2 Glories and Pitfalls of Chanting the Holy Names Simple Method of Krishna Consciousness HKS Montreal, Canada Festival of Nityananda The Position of Imitation Spiritual Masters What is a Devotee? If Only 5% Becomes Krishna Conscious HKS Montreal Gaura Purnima Festival Gaura Purnima Sedro Woolley, WA For Your Viewing Pleasure Honoring
Prasadam
Glories of Bhagavad-gita Merry Krsna Govardhana Puja Janmastami Festival Gaura Purnima Festival HKS Ashland Oregon Govardhana Puja S F Ratha Yatra Prabhupada Siddhanta at Vancouver Ratha Yatra Glories of Vrindavana Dhama Prabhupada Siddhanta at S F Ratha Yatra Simple
Living High Thinking H KS meets with
India's Analysis
of Srila Prabhupada's What Good Are Many Devotees? What Is God Realization? The Future Church of The World Mythology Revival? Our Living Guru.zip Srila Prabhupada on Vapuh vs Vani a Brahmana Vishnujana on Chanting An Open Invitation Daily Meditations Gaudiya Vaisnava Biographies Unique Acarya Jagat Guru Archives FAQs Documents Constitution
of Photo Galleries VrindavanaSedro Woolley,WA Los Angeles, CA Hare Krishna Society Network Links Prabhupadanugas' Press Prabhupada's Letters Adi-vani.org Kusakratha Prabhu Memorial Hare Krishna Society Toronto Krishna Meditations Jayananda Prabhu Radha Damodara Temple Association of Devotees Becoming-Perfect Srimaya das Online  Contact the Hare Krishna Society Most
Recent Update
27 February 2007 BBT images and written materials are (c) 1972 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. All rights reserved. All such materials are published pursuant to Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, Fair Use Exception. |
Packed
Temple Celebrates
Lord Krishna's Appearance With Great Pomp  Hare
Krsna Prabhus, friends, and others...
Obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Bhagavan Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead... On
August 16th in Sedro Woolley, Wa. a packed temple room of
devotees celebrated the appearance of the Lord with great pomp,
opulence , grandeur, and gaiety.
We
first offered approximately 120 preparations to the Lord for
His satisfaction-included in this prasadam offering was 60
kinds of burfy, gulab jamuns, sweet rice, subjis, pushpana rice,
nectars, chutneys, nuts and various other delectables.
   All the subjis/chutneys, etc, came from our organic garden. Then a rousing kirtan and arotik was offered to the Lord's. This kirtan had even sedate Indians dancing in ecstasy with the melodious sounds of Sukadev das pumping along on the harmonium. The doors had to be opened and two fans operated to cool down the air it got so hot inside the temple room.  Next Kanhaiya dasanudas( the newly initiated devotee), Noble, his good wife, and their two daughters, Elisha and Riya, performed the play of Sudama brahmana meeting in Dwarka with his longtime friend Krsna. To watch a simple presentation of a play very much brings to life the teachings we find in the scriptures, and everyone enjoyed it immensely. Next
we opened a half dozen wrapped presents for the Deities which included
semi precious stones in jewelry made by Damaghosa das and his wife
Daria, along with some fine oils to be used in Their seva. Krsna can
never have enough oranmentation for His transcendental body.He is the
master of decorating oneself so we give Him some small things to help
satisfy those desires.
  Then we brought some of the Deities off the altar for an abhisek in ghee, yoghurt, rosewater, honey, and milk. Kaliya Krsna, one of the temple deities, and two salagrama silas-Hari Chakra, and Padmanabha Prabhu were also offered abhisek. Everyone
got to take this opportunity to free themselves of all past sinful
activities by this service to the Lord.
 Then
a very enthusiastic kirtan went on throughout this bathing ceremony and
practically every one present was dancing around the temple
room-especially all the children.
Finally
after we simmered down and the kirtan ended, we all sat around
each other, all spiritually bonding together due to
the kirtans, and enjoyed thoroughly sumptuous Krsna
Prasadam!!! (And as usual I have no pictures of this pastime
of devotees--what do you think I would rather do-- take
pictures or take prasadam???)
I
should also mention the very beautiful floral display that Daria made
on the Altar, and outside in the fire yajna pit.
These
flowers on the altar inside were on this day very very
beautiful to see and smell -some of them being intoxicating lillies
which transports one out of this material world, simply due to their
fragrance!!!
The
next day (Vyasa puja) we offered Srila
Prabhupada arotik and puspa puja followed by some
heartfelt words by the devotees who attended. And then Sukadev got into
telling some humorous stories he had in his associations with
Srila Prabhupad over the years--which got all of us rocking
in belly shaking laughter.
   And the last
event of this two day festival was the initiation ceremony on
behalf of Srila Prabhupada. The newly initiated bhakta is now
known as... Kanhaiya dasanudas-which means servant of the
servant of Krsna. He is now the disciple of His Divine Grace A C
Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. The system that Srila Prabhupada
set up was that
his Temple
Presidents would recommend a candidate and then the GBC would approve
it to Prabhupada, and then Prabhupada would initiate that
person thru the local Temple President (ritvik priest) with
the local GBC, sannyasi etc, chanting on his beads.
However we have
a different situation at present. Since the iskcon leadership no longer
officially will follow this order,we at the Hare Krsna
Society recognizes the ever increasing need and demand by
devotees worldwide to be officially initiated on behalf of Srila
Prabhuapda.
Therefore Srila Prabhupada also stated that more Ritvik priests could be added in the event more were necessary--that time is now. If someone fails to follow his duty, then someone else may step forward who is following his duty as prescribed by Srila Prabhupada, and that devotee may give initiation on behalf of Srila Prabhupada as per his request to follow the ritvik system of initiations into the future. This is not done whimsically. The devotees at the Hare Krsna Society do follow these orders of Srila Prabhupada, and we also do not hand out initiations to just anybody. The standards set by Srila Prabhupada were that a candidate follow the 4 regulative principles for at least 6 months, chanting 16 rounds of Hare Krsna mantra on japa mala daily, and who has understood the philosophy enough to want to dedicate his life to Srila Prabhupadas service for the rest of his life. That person is a candidate for diksa. There must also be some good references from local Prabhupadanuga devotees who do associate directly or indirectly with Hare Krsna Society and who can give good references about the prospective candidate because he or she knows that candidate personally. Hare Krsna Damaghosa Das |
