Srimad Bhagavatam Class Schedule
Daily at 8:00am
Fr 5th: Swarup Damodar Das, 2.4.17
Sat 6th: Vyapi Das, 2.4.18
Sun 7th: Gaura Shakti Das, 2.4.18
Mo 8th: Pranata Karuna Das, 2.4.19
Tu 9th: His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada
Wed 10th: Banabhatta Das, 2.4.20
Join our inspirational weekly Friday Zoom classes with speakers from all over the worldwide. This Friday, February 5, we feature Swarup Damodar dasa.
Swarup Damodar dasa moved into the ISKCON Durban ashram in 1994. He served there until 1996 by assisting the development of the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC) and the ISKCON Phoenix Temple in Durban (the now New Jagannath Puri Temple) until 1996. He then moved to ISKCON Juhu, Mumbai where he served as an assistant to His Holiness Giriraj Swami.
Returning to Durban in 1997, he took up the service as the brahmacari leader and head pujari at ISKCON South Africa’s flagship temple - the beautiful Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple of Understanding. Later, in 2001 he was asked to serve as Temple President at Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple, a position he served in until late 2015. He was also the chief organizer of the largely successful Durban Ratha-yatra Festival of Chariots for many years from 1999 until 2013.
Swarup Damodar dasa currently serves Srila Prabhupada’s movement as a co-National Secretary for ISKCON in South Africa, an assistant to His Holiness Giriraj Swami, and as a traveling preacher in South Africa teaching sastra courses for the benefit of the ISKCON South Africa congregation, and. As an executive committee member of the ISKCON South Africa National Council and drawing from his experience as a temple president, he assists and guides temple presidents in South Africa in their service.
Married to Sukumari dasi and currently residing at the Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple in Durban, he also serves under the direction of His Holiness Indradyumna Swami in social cohesion development programs aimed at making Krishna consciousness more accessible to all racial and cultural groupings in South Africa.
Sri Gaura Lila Meditations
Saturday 2/6 and Sunday 2/7
7pm-8:30pm
Last weekend, we were treated to Lessons from the Ramayana with Amarendra dasa. This weekend, we get to hear (in person) from his little brother, Arjun Sakha Dasa. This class will be broadcast on our Facebook channel: newvrindabtan108
Arjun Sakhā Dāsa is a diksha disciple of His Holiness Radha Govinda Dasa Goswami Maharaj, who is a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada, very well known for his classes on the Srimad Bhagavatam. Academically, Arjun Sakhā Dāsa holds a Masters in Information Systems from New Jersey and spiritually holds a Bhakti Shastri degree from ISKCON Chowpatty, Mumbai. He has been actively preaching in many ISKCON centers around the world and has especially been cultivating the youth at ISKCON Seattle.
Check out these new articles on the website
The Green Juice Wellness Program
Fresh, organic green juice—an alkaline blend containing lime, ginger, parsley, cucumber and celery is now available to you for $3 per glass. Juices are ready by 7:15am. Want to try out the program? You can book juices daily or just a few days. Payment is due to Bhaktin Mira in the Accounting office each Friday to be eligible for the following week.
Welcomes are past due for these devotees. Please greet them with the warm and affectionate New Vrindaban welcome!
Bhakta Jakob and Bhaktin Ryna—an effusive couple with interests in kirtan, gardening, cooking, yoga and so much more!
Bhaktin Sharaniya—a dedicated volunteer teacher at the Gurukula and sankirtan enthusiast
Bhaktin Sarah—a friendly, warm devotee who is embarking on a great bhakti adventure
Bhakta Harley—who leads us in dancing kirtans Bhakta Brandon—a construction worker by day but a true sankirtan devotee most other times.
Bhaktin Mira—warm, amenable and kind to all (who celebrated 70 years today! Be sure to give her many brijbasi blessings.)
Divyangi devi dasi—from Brooklyn, NY who will stay with us for a few months. She has been helping in the pujari department and with cooking!
Manjari Priya devi dasi and Sri NItai das—soon to be parents and fabulous kirtan singers
Babies Lalita, Ridhima, and Nrsmha—lots of sleeping and crying for now. (Parents: Pritha and Radhanath, Ranadhir and Mahesvari, Abhistada and Syamacandra) And a new bull calf!
Fun Thursday Seva
Are you free on Thursdays? Why not join our fun crew in the kitchen as they try out new recipes and dishes. Breakfast prasada seva begins at 7am and lunch prasada seva begins at 10am.
Current affairs in New Vrindaban
The planning department is currently working on different projects in addition to the Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple.
A tiny house village which will allow any devotee to set their own tiny house and connect to water, wastewater, and electricity provided by the temple.
The Land and Housing Committee is currently looking for interested devotees. The project will be proposed to the ISKCON board if there is sufficient interest.
Please contact Jaya Krsna das for further details.
The construction of 10 new one-bedroom apartments, five of them for handicapped devotees, around the current apartment buildings.
The construction of two houses for sale to devotees to support devotees to get settled on their own land. Please approach Jaya Krsna das if you are interested or have any questions.
A warehouse for the gift shop next to Visnu's workshops.
125th Birthday of Srila Prabhupada - August 31, 2021
Devotees at the temple are currently meditating what to offer Srila Prabhupada on his 125th birthday.
Any proposals, please contact us.
Current services available
ISKCON North America Health Policy
Dear Temple Presidents and other NA Leaders,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
The COVID crisis is far from over. The number of deaths and new cases remain alarmingly high, hospitals in some areas are at full capacity, and the roll out of the vaccine will take several more months in the United States [and Canada].
Just this week in the US, the President has mandated additional preventive measures, including that masks be worn in all federal buildings.
All ISKCON temples have had mandates to social distance and wear masks in our temples for months. Please be vigilant to uphold those requirements. Any temples that have become lax should reestablish these mandates immediately.
In addition, some ISKCON communities are now sending Harinama parties into the streets to share the purifying effect of the Lord's Holy Name. We appreciate and commend these efforts.
At the same time, out of concern for our devotee's and the public's health, we are directing all Temple Presidents to assure that any and all devotees interacting with the public, whether on Harinamasankirtana, delivering public talks, or any other public devotional service such as prasad or book distribution, must wear masks at all times. In addition, they should maintain 6 ft social distancing from other devotees and the public, as much as possible, at all times.
Certainly these guidelines apply to practices within our temples and projects as well as public activities. In addition, please follow any local public health guidelines and restrictions.
These simple procedures will not diminish our ability to chant, or speak about the philosophy, or spread Krishna consciousness. While wearing masks and social distancing may be a little awkward or uncomfortable, it is required for ISKCON devotees over the next several months in the United States [and Canada].
Following these mandates is a small price to pay to protect our health and that of the public, and to demonstrate that we are reasonable people willing to take reasonable steps to respect and protect ourselves and others.
Your servants,
North American Leadership Council
Growing Bhagavatam Speakers in New Vrindaban
