06/23/98 - 1885

Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Bhakta Samaj

India (VNN) - Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Bhakta Samaj, Iskcon - Founder Acarya: His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada 7, K. M. Munshi Marg, Chowpatty, Bombay - 400 007 TEL.: 3690532 ; 3674500
FLASH Issue 261; Sunday, 14 /06/98

Another Jail Programme in Yerawada Prison House

On Wednesday, the 10th June, another big programme was organised at the Yerawada prison house, Pune. This is the largest prison house in India having nearly three thousand prisoners. H. G. Gauranga Prabhu spoke to a large crowd of four hundred prisoners, all of them murder convicts. The hall was packed with these prisoners attentively listening to the sublime message of Bhagavad Gita. The prisoners in this jail, as a part of rehabilitation programme are trained in different skills. The interesting fact is that within this prison house, there are already two prisoners, both murder convicts, who are translating Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita As It Is into the Braille language!!

Braille language is the only language which the blind people can follow. Some prisoners are chanting the Hare Krishna Maha mantra and some are reading Srila Prabhupada's books. All the prisoners were eager to have such satsang programmes on a regular basis on Sundays. A formal permission is sought for the same. A long question-answer session followed after the lecture. The Superintendent of Police SP R. P. Chowdhary in his speech expressed his desire to chant and also make the prisoners to do the same. He told the prisoners, "Let us get out of the Jail." A lot of Srila Prabhupada's books were distributed. H. G. Govardhana Dhari Prabhu organised the programme.

Special Programme For Jail Police Officers Held

Following the good response of the Jail programme held on Wednesday, the 10th June, a second programme was organised at the Yerawada Jail. This time, it was for the ninety Police officers. of the Jail. H. G. Sudama Prabhu conducted the programme. All the officers chanted one round of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra after the lecture. A request has been made to the Superintendent Shri Jagtap for a regular weekly programme for them. In the next month, there will be a programme for the Special Reserve Police (SRP).

Welcoming The Deities At J. J. Hostel

On Friday, the 12th June, a welcoming ceremony for the Deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladev and Lady Subhadra was performed in the J. J. Hostel room of bhakta Deepak Gupta, a medical student. H. G. Gauranga Prabhu welcomed the Deities, performed arati and delivered a lecture to a crowd of around thirty five students. This was followed by prasadam.

Telephone Operator Required

The temple urgently needs a person for the post of a telephone operator. Interested person should contact H. G. Radha Gopinath Prabhu or H. G. Srivas Prabhu at the temple office. Tel. 3674500 / 3690532.

Yoga Retreat

The next Yoga Retreat is to be held on 18th, 19th and 20th June. Interested students should immediately give their names to H. G. Gaur Gopal Prabhu or H. G. Jai Hari Prabhu. Entry restricted to only twelve students.

Wish You Many Happy Krishna Conscious Years
Birthdays :
14th June : Paramananda das
Sukadev Goswami das
Anjali Mafatlal
15th June : Hari Vallabh das
Brihaspati das
16th June : Radha Gopal das
Rukmini Priya devi dasi
Ashok Agarwal
Madhav Shetty
17th June : Gokulrani devi dasi
19th June : Jai Radhe devi dasi
Manish Khushalkar
Prabha Iyer
Wedding Anniversaries
14th June : Sundar Gopal das & Raseshwari devi dasi
15th June : Nand Gopal das & Kamalakshi devi dasi
Radha Vallabh das
17th June : Jai Hari das
21st June : Surendranath Gangal

Vaishnava Calendar
15th June : Srila Vakreshwar Pandit Appearance
19th June : Srila Srivas Pandit Disappearance
20th June : fasting for Yogini Ekadashi
21st June : Parana timings:06:02-10:27

No spiritual advancement or development takes place by our effort., by our endeavor, by our tapasya or by our cultivation of knowledge. It is all happening by the grace of Krishna. The path of Bhakti teaches that there is only one way to gain the grace of Krishna and that is by pleasing Krishna. There is only one way to please Krishna - to please those whom Krishna loves - His devotees. Therefore, factually the following of regulative principles, our chanting of mantras is simply meant to please Krishna and to please His devotees. The more strictly we follow these principles for the pleasure of Krishna, the more we advance. Why do we follow these regulative principles? Are they done as a ritual? Are they done simply as an austerity for power or for purification? They are done simply to attract Krishna's mercy. By our endeavor, by our strict adherence to the regulative principles, we are showing Krishna that we are serious about spiritual life, we are serious about pleasing Him and coming to Him. When He sees that we're serious, He bestows His mercy upon us. It is only that all powerful 'kripa'- mercy of the Lord that can free us from all the attachments and aversions of this illusory energy. There is no other way. There never was and there will never be another way. Therefore our life is simply dedicated to please Krishna and please his devotees. - His Holiness Radhanath Maharaj. - Hari Bol!

SRI SRI RADHA GOPINATH BHAKTA SAMAJ
ISKCON
FOUNDER ACARYA : HIS DIVINE GRACE A. C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI
PRABHUPADA 7, K. M. MUNSHI MARG, CHOWPATTY, BOMBAY - 400 007 TEL.:
3690532 ; 3674500 FLASH Issue 262 ; Sunday, 21 / 06 / 98

Yoga Retreat Held

The third Yoga Retreat was held in the temple from 18th June to 20th June 1998. Twelve students attended the retreat. The format followed was the same as in the last Yoga retreat. On Thursday, 18th June, H. G.Shyamananda Prabhu spoke on "Spiritual strategies" whereas H. G. Radha Gopinath Prabhu spoke on "Need for Real Education". On Friday, the 19th June, H. G. Gauranga Prabhu spoke on "Does Celibacy make senses? - Part I" while H. G. Rohini Priya Prabhu spoke on " Life after Death" On Saturday, H. G. Gauranga Prabhu continued with "Does Celibacy make sense? - Part II" and H. G. Shankarananda Prabhu spoke on "Significance and benefits of Krishna prasadam." In addition, quiz, question-answer and self study sessions were conducted.

Three Day Marathon Book
Distribution Score - June
The three day marathon book distribution score for the month of June.
MB (Maha Big Books) : 188 B (Big Books) : 57 M (Medium Books)
: 19 S (Small Books) : 1142 Top Scorers :
MB B M S
Devananda Pandit P 28 - 13 76
Laxmi Narayan P 27 - 9 78
Jagannath P 19 - - 168

BTG News

On 15th August, the most auspicious day of Krishna Janamashtami, BTG India will be launching its fourth magazine, Bhagavad Darshan in Gujarathi. But, for a successful launch, we need a good number of subscriptions. WE NEED YOUR HELP. Brochures and subscriptions forms are available at the BTG stall every Sunday, after the Sunday feast programme. For details contact H. G. Trivikrama Prabhu. Tel. 6181718. Bal Utsav Held The children's festival (Bal Utsav) was held on Saturday, the 20th June in the temple. Apart from the bhajans, kirtans and story telling by the children, there was a song sung by the children on "Book Sankirtan" which won the hearts of the audience. Manjunath, another wonder kid from the Gurukul delivered a nice Bhagavad Gita class. The utsav culminated with a puppet show "Krishna and Sudama in the early childhood time"

Obituary

One of our dear godbrothers H. G. Radhapati Prabhu's mother left her body on Thursday, the 18th June. All the devotees are sincerely requested to pray for the departed soul.

Six Day Bhagavad Gita Course

The next Six day Bhagavad Gita course in the temple will be held from Monday, the 29th June till Saturday, the 4th July. The course will be in English and will be held from 7.00 pm till 9.30 pm. Interested members may give their names to H. G. Sankirtan Prabhu in the temple. Tel. : 3674500 / 3690532

Wish You Many Happy Krishna Conscious Years
Birthdays :
22nd June : Vraj Lila devi dasi
Jai hari das
Rohit Kumar Thanki
Sridevi Iyer
23rd June : Nilima Godkar
Sarala Aleshwar
26th June : Dwarkadish das
Anil Shibad
Wedding Anniversaries
22nd June : Bal Krishna das & Arundati devi dasi
23rd June : Chandrakant Kokate & Lilamrita devi dasi

Vaishnava Calendar
24th June :
Srila Gadadhara Pandit Disappearance
Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur Disappearance
Fasting till noon
25th June : Cleansing of Gundica temple
26th June :
Ratha Yatra of Lord Jagannatha
Srila Svarupa Damodara Goswami Disapp
Srila Sivananda Sen Disappearance

If one pleases guru then one pleases Krishna. If one does not please his guru, he can make all wonderful grand arrangements but Krishna will never be pleased. What pleases guru is when we serve the vaishnavas in proper state of humility and devotion. To take the dust of the feet of the Vaishnavas means to become simply a very very sincere servant of such souls. What does it mean to put oneself at the lotus feet of the Vaishnavas? It means to serve them. We can explain in this way that the dust of the feet of the devotees is in the form of the instructions they give and to take their instructions and put them on top of our head which means to make them our life and soul, know them carefully. That is what is meant by putting the dust of the feet of the souls on our heads. To sit and hear what they have to say attentively those great souls who are accurately and humbly spreading the message of the Parampara. We listen to that carefully submissively and then know what they say, do what they say for their pleasure, this is the process of putting the dust of the feet of the Vaishnavas upon our head. When we are willing to do this Krishna is pleased with our efforts. The first and most important instruction that the great souls give us is to hear the glories of the Lord and very very attentively chant His holy names. If we do not chant His holy name in a mood of being the servant of the servant of the Lord, if we do not hear the holy names from one who is actually a genuine Vaishnava then our chanting of the name will simply be a sound without potency. - His Holiness Radhanath Maharaj - Hari Bol!


RADHA KRISHNA DAS
ISKCON
SRI SRI RADHA GOPINATH MANDIR
7 K. M. MUNSHI MARG
CHOWPATTY
BOMBAY 400 007
INDIA

TEL +91 22 3634078
FAX +91 22 3677941

E MAIL rkrishna@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in