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WORLD  New Management Team In Iskcon Vrindavan BY DEENA BANDHU DAS VRINDAVAN, INDIA, Apr 30 (VNN) — On the day of Lord Balaram's Rasayatra and Lord Krishna's Vasant Rasa, at a very wonderful ceremony here at Srimad Bhagavatam class in Vrindavan in front of Their Lordships Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Krishna Balaram, Radha Shyamsundar, and Srila Prabhupada, the new administration was officially installed in Vrindavan. First His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami who has served for many many years as GBC in Vrindavan read and explained the GBC resolution regarding Vrindavan Management to the assembled devotees. The resolution states that the ultimate management authority of ISKCON Vrindavan will be the Vrindavan Executive Board, initially including HH Radhanatha Swami, HH Gopal Krishna Goswami, Ravindra Svarupa dasa, Sesa dasa, Bhima dasa, HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, Radha Krishna dasa, and Braja Bihari dasa. Bhima Prabhu is the first chairman of the board. Then there will be three co-presidents, Mahaman dasa, Devakinandan dasa, and Brihat Mridunga dasa. These three presidents along with the principal of the Gurukula, Ananda Vrindavan devi dasi, and the director of the MVT, Dhananjaya dasa, and Regional Secretary, Deena Bandhu dasa will form the Administrative Council of the temple. There will be two vice presidents, Ganapati dasa and Sarvabhauma dasa. He also added that the EC in an amendament to that resolution had also added Bhima Prabhu as another co-president. Then His Holiness gave a very inspiring talk to the assembled devotees inviting them to work together cooperatively to see the fulfillment of the GBC resolution and to increase the glories of ISKCON Vrindavan. Maharaja emphasized that the devotees should be very careful to maintain a very high spiritual standard in the Holy Dham. Then one of the new co-presidents who is serving also as the vice president of ISKCON Juhu and on the ISKCON Bureau, His Grace Devakinandan Prabhu spoke saying that it was the unlimited mercy of Srimati Radharani and Srila Prabhupada that he got the opportunity to do some service in Sri Vrindavan Dham which Srila Prabhupada fondly called his home. He commended HG Mahaman Prabhu for his many years of service in a very difficult situation and looked forward for the opportunity to work side by side with him. He then begged the blessings of the assembled Vaisnavas to be able to serve all of them to the best of his capacity to come up to the expectations of the GBC. His Grace Mahaman Prabhu, who has been president for the last 7 years, addressed the assembly saying that although it has been so many years, it feels like he only came yesterday. He said that this was because so many devotees had helped him in his service that it was a great pleasure. Mahaman Prabhu thanked all the devotees by name who had helped him and begged for the mercy of the Vaisnavas to continue in his service in Vrindavan. Lastly His Grace Brihat Mridunga das Brahmacari, former president of ISKCON Durban and who started the Bhaktivedanta College, explained that he had gotten this wonderful opportunity to serve in Vrindavan by the grace of Srimati Radharani so that he could purify himself. He said that two things are very important, one is the chanting of Hare Krishna and the other is the association of the devotees. Of the two association of the devotees is the most important as it automatically includes the chanting of the Holy Name. Brihat Mridunga Prabhu then also begged the assembled Vaisnavas to bless him in his new service. His Grace Deena Bandhu Prabhu wrapped up the ceremony by inspiring all the devotees to work together to make Krishna Balaram Mandir the best Mandir in the whole universe. He cited the class that Her Grace Daivishakti Mataji had given on the inauguration anniversary of the temple a few days earlier. She mentioned how the devotees had received a telegram at 5 am that Srila Prabhupada would be arriving at 7 pm that evening and that they should see that Srila Prabhupada's quarters were ready for him. Of course nothing was ready, but somehow the devotees cooperated in such a strong spirit to please Srila Prabhupada that in less that 12 hours, they managed to get his quarters ready. When Srila Prabhupada arrived, the last piece of cloth was just being tucked under the mats on the floor. In this way the devotees should always work together for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada. Then His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami offered garlands to the co-presidents and offered them the impression of Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet to place on their heads. Maharaja also offered these to the new vice presidents, HG Ganapati Prabhu and HG Sarvabhauma Prabhu. The whole ceremony was concluded by a dramatic reading from Srila Prabhupada's Krishna Book about Lord Balaram's Rasayatra by HG Deena Bandhu Prabhu. Then at 2 PM there was a sumptous feast for the pleasure of the Vaishnavas. Contact VNN about this story  Send this story to a friend
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