“The Land Down Under” – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
“The Land Down Under” – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
His Holiness Indradyumna Swami is now in Australia, visiting the beautiful New Govardhana temple community there.
To describe the visit so far, Indradyumna Swami wrote in a Facebook post:
I am visiting one of ISKCON’s most successful projects, New Govardhan, a rural community of devotees in New South Wales, Australia. Established in 1979 and set on 850 acres of land, the project is home to 1,000 devotees. Next weekend they will host the famous Sacred Sounds Kirtan Retreat.
He gave a Srimad-Bhagavatam class and he will also be leading kirtan during the upcoming kirtan retreat there. He is traveling with his beloved Giriraja, Nrsimha, and Siva lingam, which has been worshipped since the year 1635:
For more on Indradyumna Swami’s transcendental travels and lectures, please visit the Swami’s facebook page and his lecture site at Narottam. On Indradyumna Swami’s official Youtube Channel, you can find many kirtans and classes from the Sadhu Sanga Retreat, his recent Russian tour, etc.
“We have to die before we die” – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
“We have to die before we die” – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
His Holiness Indradyumna Swami went to the original Chir Ghat last week, on the shore of the Yamuna River, and offered obeisances at the tree where Krishna hung up the clothes of the Gopis. While there, Indradyumna Swami spoke on how there is nothing material in the relationship between Krishna and the Gopis. The Gopis have completely transcendental bodies, as does the Lord. Indradyumna Swami reminded us about how Srila Prabhupada says lust is like iron and love is like gold. The pastimes of Krishna with His devotees are completely pure and indicate very deep loving exchanges.
Interestingly, there is a Chir Ghat in Vrindavan town also, but Indradyumna Swami noted that Srila Jiva Goswami says that this place is the original Chir Ghat/tree. He also noted that Srila Jiva Goswami writes that we must give up all material identity and all material attachments, any attraction to this world. We have to come before the Lord with a pure spiritual desire to serve Krishna. He quoted His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja saying, “We have to die before we die,” which means we have to give up our material identity completely to awaken our spiritual identity.
To encapsulate this visit, Indradyumna Swami wrote in a Facebook post:
Today we were blessed to visit the original Chir Ghat, where Lord Krsna stole the clothes of the gopis. There we embraced the same tree that Krsna sat in 5,000 years ago. Nearby we took darshan of the goddess Katyayani, whom the gopis prayed to get Krsna as their husband. The whole experience was very deep and mystical and was enhanced by the extraordinary beauty of the Vrindavan countryside.
For more on Indradyumna Swami’s transcendental travels and lectures, please visit the Swami’s facebook page and his lecture site at Narottam. On Indradyumna Swami’s official Youtube Channel, you can find many kirtans and classes from the Sadhu Sanga Retreat, his recent Russian tour, etc.
Surprises at Kumbha Mela – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
Surprises at Kumbha Mela – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
His Holiness Indradyumna Swami has been meeting and discussing Srila Prabhupada’s movement with various sadhus and spiritual leaders at the Kumbha Mela.
On Sunday, he wrote in a Facebook post:
Today the High Court Judge of Prayagraj came to Kumbha Mela. I met him along with Pundrik Goswami. Goswami spent much of the time telling him how our movement is spreading in Russia and China. The High Court judge was very impressed. Goswami concluded by telling him about Krsna’s Village of Peace at the Polish Woodstock. He went so far as to invite him for this summer’s Woodstock Festival on August 2 and 3. Who knows? Perhaps he’ll come. Lord Caitanya’s samkirtan movement is full of so many wonderful surprises.
Indradyumna Swami also met with Swami Avdheshanand and had a nice discussion about ISKCON and Srila Prabhupada with him. He wrote that he was touched to hear Srila Prabhupada praised by so many leaders at the Kumbha Mela. He wrote:
Swami Avdheshanand is the leader of one million renunciates called Naga Babas. The Naga Babas are given the privilege of being the first to bath in the Ganges at Kumbha Mela. But before they bath, their guru Swami Avdheshanand bathes. When we met yesterday he said, “Oh yes, I know you. We have met several times before. Your movement is spreading all over the world, creating a genuine spiritual revolution. It is most wonderful what your Prabhupada has done!” It is deeply satisfying to hear so many spiritual leaders speak highly of our spiritual master’s achievements.
For more on Indradyumna Swami’s transcendental travels and lectures, please visit the Swami’s facebook page and his lecture site at Narottam. On Indradyumna Swami’s official Youtube Channel, you can find many kirtans and classes from the Sadhu Sanga Retreat, his recent Russian tour, etc.
Auspicious Meetings at Kumbha Mela – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
Auspicious Meetings at Kumbha Mela – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
This past weekend, His Holiness Indradyumna Swami has been meeting various sadhus and spiritual leaders at the Kumbha Mela. He and Pundrik Goswami spent several hours with Swami Chidananda of Parmarth Niketan from Rsikesh the other day. Upon hearing the glories of Srila Prabhupada and of Vrindavan, Indradyumna Swami wrote that Swami Chidananda spontaneously offered his help in renovating several holy places in the dhama.
Indradyumna Swami and the devotees also went to take bath at the sangam. He explained in a Facebook post about how the confluence of three rivers in Prayag Raj is known as the Triveni Sangam. Tri means “three” and veni refers to a braid. Sangam means “union.” The dark blue and black Yamuna flows swiftly into the white and gray Ganges, and meanwhile, the sacred river Sarasvati flows underground.
He mentioned in his post, “Bathing in any of these sacred rivers is purifying but the purification is said to increase a hundred times where the rivers meet. The Varaha Purana states: ‘In Prayag there is the Triveni. By bathing there one goes to heaven and by dying there one gets liberation. It is the king of all tirthas [holy places of pilgrimage] and is dear to Lord Vishnu.'”
Yesterday evening, Indradyumna Swami met with Sri Ravi Shankar, and dedicated a Facebook post to the cordial meeting:
Yesterday evening we met with Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of The Art Of Living Foundation with centers in 156 countries. We spoke to him of ISKCON’s success in spreading Krsna consciousness in the United States and mentioned, in particular, our annual Sadhu Sanga Retreat which takes place in his large retreat center in Boone, North Carolina each spring. He was very impressed that over 2,000 devotees come together for 3 days of kirtan and katha during the event. In appreciation, he kindly gave me a gift of a beautiful silk chaddar. So nice to be sharing our movement’s accomplishments around the world with the spiritual leaders of India. It is all the mercy of Srila Prabhupada.
For more on Indradyumna Swami’s transcendental travels and lectures, please visit the Swami’s facebook page and his lecture site at Narottam. On Indradyumna Swami’s official Youtube Channel, you can find many kirtans and classes from the Sadhu Sanga Retreat, his recent Russian tour, etc.
The installation of Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
The installation of Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
Last week, His Holiness Indradyumna Swami the glorious installation of Radha Madan Mohan deities at the Govardhan Eco Village outside of Mumbai. He created an album with many pictures from the installation ceremony and also revealed what the temple looks like from outside. Indradyumna Swami wrote in a Facebook post:
The large temple is an exact replica of the Madan Mohan Temple in Vrindavan. And the deity Himself is an exact replica of the original deity installed by Vrajanab, the great grandson of Krsna and later worshipped by Srila Sanatana Goswami. Radha Madan Mohan now reside in Karoli, Rajasthan.
For more on Indradyumna Swami’s transcendental travels and lectures, please visit the Swami’s facebook page and his lecture site at Narottam. On Indradyumna Swami’s official Youtube Channel, you can find many kirtans and classes from the Sadhu Sanga Retreat, his recent Russian tour, etc.
The Amazing Eco-Village – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
The Amazing Eco-Village – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
In mid-January, His Holiness Indradyumna Swami traveled to ISKCON’s impressive Eco-Village near Mumbai, where he has been happy to have the association of his dear Godbrother, His Holiness Radhanath Swami. There, he will rest some for the next three months until his summer preaching tours kick off again in earnest. Even while at the Eco-village, however, there has been plenty of scope for preaching so far, with devotee programs and with many visitors. As an update on his travels, Indradyumna Swami wrote in a Facebook post:
Yesterday, on my way to ISKCON’s Eco-Village, just north of Mumbai, I made a short stop at our temple near Juhu beach. I sought the blessings Sri Sri Radha Rasabehari to spend 3 months at the Eco Village, starting today, to rest and recuperate from a long period of active preaching. I also plan to spend significant time reading and chanting. My first break in many years! While taking darsan of the deities I had the good fortune of meeting Gopal Krsna Maharaja. An auspicious start to a new adventure for me!
For more on Indradyumna Swami’s transcendental travels and lectures, please visit the Swami’s facebook page and his lecture site at Narottam. On Indradyumna Swami’s official Youtube Channel, you can find many kirtans and classes from the Sadhu Sanga Retreat, his recent Russian tour, etc.
Kirtan in the Country Music Capitol – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
Kirtan in the Country Music Capitol – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
His Holiness Indradyumna Swami has been in Tennessee this past week. Viva Kultura had an enormously successful show at Vanderbilt University, with many people walking away with Srila Prabhupada’s books, as well.
In a Facebook post, Indradyumna Swami recounted the event:
The other day we performed our show at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Over 1,400 students, professors, yoga students, spiritual seekers and the curious attended. Nashville is the capitol of country music in the USA. Not far from where we performed was the Grand Ole Opry, a famous weekly country music stage concert founded in 1925 and dedicated to honoring country music and its history. As we drove by the Opry later that evening I prayed that future generations of devotees would be conducting our festival program 93 years down the road as well!
Regarding the show at Vanderbilt, Indradyumna Swami wrote a post that also featured the video created by Ananta Vrindavan das covering the event:
Here is our performance at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Over 1,400 people attended our show. Nashville is famous as the capitol of country music in the USA. Though we presented a very different culture the people loved it. In fact, a number of them sang and danced with us during the final kirtan.
For more on Indradyumna Swami’s transcendental travels and lectures, please visit the Swami’s facebook page and his lecture site at Narottam. On Indradyumna Swami’s official Youtube Channel, you can find many kirtans and classes from the Sadhu Sanga Retreat, his recent Russian tour, etc.
All by the grace of Srila Prabhupada – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
All by the grace of Srila Prabhupada – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
Indradyumna Swami has been leading the summer Polish festival programs for almost thirty years now. While the programs are wrapping up, the Polish people who participated in the programs this Summer will carry with them the memories of the Krishna Conscious plays, the classes on Bhagavad Gita, the kirtans which stirred their hearts, the prasadam which nourished body and soul, the kind interactions with the Devotees who answered all of their questions about spiritual life and made them feel like they belonged in a larger, spiritual family. Yes, the Summer festivals are coming to a close, but the memories of them will last a lifetime.
Indradyumna Swami wrote in a Facebook post thanking Srila Prabhupada for his continued guidance and shelter in this regard. He quoted from a letter that Srila Prabhupada sent to His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami.
Thank you Srila Prabhupada …
“I shall remain your personal guide whether I am physically present or not, just as I am getting guidance from my Guru Maharaja.”
[ Letter to Tamal Krishna Goswami, July 14, 1977, Vrindavan ]
For Indradyumna Swami, the festival programs, his preaching around the world, his organizing the Sadhu Sanga retreat program and the Kartika Parikrama program—these are all some of the ways in which he serves Srila Prabhupada’s movement. He offers the results of these programs to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada.
For more on Indradyumna Swami’s transcendental travels and lectures, please visit the Swami’s facebook page and his lecture site at Narottam. On Indradyumna Swami’s official Youtube Channel, you can find many kirtans and classes from the Sadhu Sanga Retreat, his recent Russian tour, etc.
Pol’and’Rock Success – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
Pol’and’Rock Success – Indradyumna Swami Nectar
His Holiness Indradyumna Swami and the Polish festival team participated in the Polish Woodstock Festival (now Pol’and’Rock) and had wonderful results from their preaching at the enormous event. Indradyumna Swami wrote in a Facebook post:
Krsna’s Village of Peace at this year’s Woodstock festival – renamed Pol’and’Rock – exceeded all our expectations. Tens of thousands of youth came through, 150,000 plates of prasadam were distributed, Ratha Yatra went on four days in a row and kirtan was roaring 11 hours a day in the Mantra Yoga tent. We couldn’t ask for more. Our only request is that we may continue to serve Srila Prabhupada in the same way for many years to come.
A few days before, Indradyumna Swami had posted:
The great Woodstock Festival is over. Ananta Vrindavan das is working on a full video of the event. It’s going to be a good one! The rest of us are taking it easy for 2 days before we continue our programs along the Baltic Sea coast. Myself, I am laying on my bed feeling a deep sense of separation from the great yajna we all performed at Woodstock / Pol’and’Rock. The mercy was flowing everywhere!
“The fortunate town of Navadwip remains on the earth. The seashore remains. The city of Jagannatha Puri remains. The holy names of Krsna remain. But, Alas, Alas! I do not see anywhere the same kind of festival of pure love for Lord Hari as before. O Lord Caitanya, O ocean of mercy, will I ever see your transcendental glory again?” ( Caitanya Candramrita, chapter 12, verse 140 )
For more on Indradyumna Swami’s transcendental travels and lectures, please visit the Swami’s facebook page and his lecture site at Narottam. On Indradyumna Swami’s official Youtube Channel, you can find many kirtans and classes from the Sadhu Sanga Retreat, his recent Russian tour, etc.