Please accept my humble obeisances from Sri Dham Mayapur. I'm so happy to see that you're receiving a newsletter! Let's hope we keep getting one every month with all the latest news from Srila Prabhupada's world headquarters. This month was extra special at the temple because we celebrated the birthdays of all eight of the Sakhis for the first time.
I would like to thank those of you who have helped support the development of MayapurTV in Mayapur and throughout the world. Your contribution has led to many positive efforts, so please keep up this important service.
I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to the Grand Opening of Lord Nrsimha’s wing of the TOVP this Gaura Purnima. Please contact your local Yatra as they should have a special facility for booking rooms in advance.
Please continue to connect with us in Sri Dham Mayapur, and anywhere in the ISKCON world, via MayapurTV,
Hare Krishna,
Subheksana das
(ISKCON Mayapur co-director)
September Video Diary
September 7th
Sri Janmastami abhisek
On September 7th temples worldwide commemorated the birth of the unborn Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna. This short video shows the abhisek Ceremony (which actually took a few hours) in an enjoyable 3 minutes.
September 8th
Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja
In 1969, a devotee discovered an old issue of a magazine published by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati; the magazine contained a Vyasa-puja homage Prabhupada had written commemorating the appearance day of his own spiritual master. So the devotees in New York gathered offerings from seventeen different temples and printed them all in the first Vyasa-puja booklet for Srila Prabhupada. More than 50 years later, this above video, recorded at Srila Prabhupada's Vyasapuja celebrations on September 8th, shows the offerings from Srila Prabhupada's disciples and grand-disciples. This is one of the major festivals for ISKCON devotees around the world.
September 18th
HH Jayapataka Swami arrives
September 18th: HH Jayapataka Swami arrives back in Sri Dham Mayapur after a period spent in Chennai where he received medical treatment. He is currently preaching in Mangalore. In this video he receives a fantastic welcome from the devotees - don't skip this video, take a look..
September 22nd
Srimati Tungavidya Sahki
Tungavidya is one of the leaders of the gopis. She is learned in the eighteen branches of knowledge. She is learned in rasa-sastra (transcendental mellows), niti-sastra (morality), dancing, drama, literature and all other arts and sciences. She is a celebrated music teacher, expert at playing the vina and singing in the style known as marga.
On September 22nd a special celebration was held in honour of the appearance day of Tungavidya Sakhi. Wonderful bhajans, Odissi dance, classical dance, mrdanga dance, and drama (called "who is there?") keep everyone entertained. The festival ends with Vishvambara prabhu bringing down the house with rousing kirtan.
September 23rd
Sri Radhastami Festival
Srimati Radharani is the most compassionate devotee. She is unable to bear the suffering of the souls trapped in the material world. When a soul starts to inquire about Krishna, Srimati Radharani is pleased and when She is pleased, Krishna is automatically delighted.
Radhastami fell on September 23rd this year. The above video shows the grand abhisek ceremony and bhajan-kirtan for the pleasure of Srimati Radharani.
September 24th
Srimati Champaklata Sakhi
On September 24th, Mayapur celebrated the auspicious appearance of Sri Champakalata Sakhi. The video shows most of the celebrations with dramas, readings, bhajans with many youth participating in the event.
The curtains opened to reveal a beautiful hill of fruits, vegetables, sweets and pastries placed around the altar, showcasing the appearance of Sri Champakalata Sakhi as an expert cook, getting the finest of fruits and vegetables for the pleasure of Srimati Radharani and Krishna.
September 25th
HH Jayapataka Swami
HH Jayapataka Swami left for Bangalore on September 25th. In the evening before he left, he visited the body of a recently departed disciple called Sriman Prahlad Krishna who had transformed Narsingdi temple in Bangladesh into a haven for pure devotional service, and who had passed away most unexpectedly with a medical emergency.
En route to Kolkata he offered darshan and aarti at Sri Sri Jagannath, Baladev, Subhadra and Sudarshan Chakra at Rajapur. Please give your prayers that Guru Maharaj's journey is safe and he will return to Sridham Mayapur very soon and in good health.
September 26th
Sri Vamana Dwadasi
This year, shravan-dwadasi occured on September 26th, and on this day the appearance of Lord Vamanadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is observed.
The video shows the gurukula boy playing Lord Vamanadev being sumptiously served all sorts of delicacies by his school teachers, with his classmates chanting vedic mantras. He then accepts arati and with Lord Vamanadeva's traditional umberella, distributes sweets to everyone.
September 26th
Srimati Indulekha Sakhi
Sri Indulekha devi and other sakhis were installed in Sri Dham Mayapur in 1986, joining Sri Sri Radha Madhava on the altar. Indulekha Devi stands next to Visakha Devi, the second gopi on Srimati Radharani’s right. She can be seen offering a silver box full of tambula to Sri Sri Radha Madhava.
This year her birthday fell on the 26th September, and the video shows the special celebration for her appearance day. Beautiful bhajans - and a most amazing drama somewhere in the first half.
September 27th
HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj Arrival
September 27: In this video after 52 minutes of rousing Kirtan, see HH Radhanath Swami arrive in Mayapur following a long absence. He is accompanied by Dayaram prabhu and Gouranga prabhu to a rousing welcome by leading Mayapur devotees, the bramachary ashram, youth and general friends and well-wishers of which there were many.
He especially came to put his father's ashes in the Ganges (see later video), but also took part in Bhadra Purnima as well as Nrsimha abhisek and giving class.
September 27th
Bhadra Purnima
The significance of Bhadra Purnima is that whoever donates a set of Bhagavatams on this day will enter the kingdom of God after leaving his body. To mark this special occasion, there is a several day festival in a specially erected marquee in Sri Dham Mayapur where Srimad Bhagavatam is discussed for many hours daily.
This video shows the final day, Bhadra Purnima, on 27th September. Wonderful discourses by devotees such as Gauranga prabhu from Chowpatty, followed by the main yajna (fire-sacrifice) to celebrate this occasion.
September 28th
Lord Nrsimhadeva
As Pankajanghri prabhu wanted, Lord Nrsimhadeva now has an abhisek every month, and on September 28th we were fortunate to have HH Radhanath Swami present in Sri Dham Mayapur to lead the bathing ceremony.
This short, beautifully filmed video commemorates the occasion.
September 30th
Studio 3: with Gouranga prabhu
Hindi only - very popular studio discussion with HG Gauranga, HG Keshavananda and HG Krishnananda prabhus, hosted by Jagannathdev prabhu. Broadcast live from MTV Studio 3, Sri Dham Mayapur.
September 30th
Rangadevi & Sudevi Sakhis
On September 30th, the appearance of Rangadevi and Sudevi Sakhis were celebrated. Congregation came to the temple in the afternoon with homemade natural cosmetics (mask, kajal, balm etc.) to offer to Sri SriRadha Madhava.
The video shows much of this, including many lamps being offered to the Deities, an excellent drama by the youth, HH Radhanath Swami attending, and many georgous bhajans being sung.
October 2nd
HH Radhanath Swami
When Radhanath Swami's mother passed away in 2004, his father requested that he carry her ashes to India. "She took such pride in what you're doing there," he said. In a ceremony on the banks of the River Ganges, with over three thousand devotees chanting prayers, Radhanath Swami immersed her ashes in the sacred river. He said it was one of the most meaningful gifts his father had ever given to him. Radhanath Swami said, "My parents' selfless affection and dedication nourished and prepared me to receive the love of my guru or spiritual father, Swami Prabhupada". This video records His Holiness Radhanath Swami doing the same ceremonies for his departed father, Jerry Slavin on October 2nd this year.
October 4th
Studio 4: Rathayatra - reaction video
From the first Kolkata Rathayatra in 1972 - MayapurTV's first ever reaction video. HG Sankarshan prabhu and Jadhavacharya prabhus were at that Rathayatra over 50 years ago - and share their experiences in this reaction video. For anyone interested in ISKCON history and development, this is a must-watch video.
