Guest guest Posted July 4, 2006 Report Share Posted July 4, 2006 Shri Ranganatha Gaudiya Matha Near Nritya Grama Kutira, Heserghatta, Bangalore 560 088 (INDIA) Phone: 080-28466760 Mobile: 9980 49 14 12 Email: bvdandi@gmail.com vishnudaivata@gmail.com Websites: ranganathagaudiya.com Dear Devotees, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga. Please forward the following letter and the attached document to any devotees who are interested in helping our Gurukula. We are attempting to serve our Gurudeva by helping young children become devotees from an early age. The great vision of Srila Gurudeva and Srila Prabhupada inspires us. They are the eternal associates of Srimati Radhika. The government may give us a 10-acre land for the girls’ asrama. We have built about seven bathrooms and toilets for the boys. We are also working on the school. The roof is half finished. Right now, the Indian society is in disarray. They have lost their ancient culture to a great degree. However, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has a plan for India too. Please see the attached document, which explains the details of plans. Please let Sripada BV Dandi Maharaja or me know about your comments and questions. We want to give high-class education, prasadam and affection to the young gurukula students. Moreover, the elderly devotees also can spend the time in the peaceful devotional atmosphere of Sri Ranganatha Gaudiya Matha in Bangalore. Let us not forget that Srila Gurudeva has predicted that about 1000 devotees will stay in this matha. He is satya-sankalpa. Therefore, his words must come true. In addition, there is an astrological prediction that this location shall become very popular. The Karnataka government wants to build a science city on the 100 acres of land. They shall build it in front of our matha. However, we want to build a spiritual science city. We want to display the Vedic planetarium based on Sri Brhad Bhagavatamrtam of Srila Sanatana Gosvami. Currently we need about Rs. 50,000 immediately. However, you may send even a portion of it. You can write a check in the name of BV Swami. You can mail it to the following address. Swami BV Dandi Maharaja Sri Ranganatha Gaudiya Matha Near Nritya Grama Heserghatta Bangalore – 560 080 India Please forward this letter and the attached document to as many devotees as possible. Your insignificant servant, Svami BV Vishnu Daivata vishnudaivata@gmail.com You can contact Sripada BV Dandi Maharaja at the following email address. bvdandi@gmail.com Some figures at a glance Construction Spent Expected 7 Latrines and Common Bathrooms, 2 adjacent rooms and 9 class rooms Rupees Rupees Sand 9600 12000 Stone Boulders 5400 5400 Sized Stones 4500 4500 Bricks 18000 18000 Cement 11250 11250 Plumbing Supplies 2800 6000 Electrical Supplies 0 5000 Labor 30000 30000 Transportation of Coconut leaves for roofing 1500 3000 Flexible Walls made from Bamboo Mats 25000 Classroom furniture Staff room furniture 83050 120150 Monthly Expenses of the Matha Rupees Cooking Oil 1500 4 bags of Rice (50 Kilos each) 2400 Ghee (4 Liters) 400 Dal 50 Kilos 1800 Puffed Rice 2000 Miscellaneous 3000 Cooking Gas 1500 12600 Miscellaneous Expenses Rupees Electricity 1200 Phone 2000 Travel 1000 Clothes for children Medicines for children Srila Prabhupada said in Mayapur on April 8, 1975. kaumaram acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha durlabham manusam janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam He advises from childhood. Just like we are trying to teach even the small child to chant and dance with us, and they are learning. There is not difficulty. The small children, they are also taking part. Now somebody may say that "These children do not understand English. What they are hearing? Simply they are wasting their time." No, they are not wasting their time. The vibration is surcharged with Krsna consciousness. So even they simply hear, even though (they) do not understand English language, by simply hearing the vibration uttered by a Vaisnava to a Vaisnava, that will be effective. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [sB 1.2.17]. Simply hearing will do. Simply by hearing they will become pious. And the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra, somehow or other, if one takes part in these discourses, he will be pious. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah. Param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], simply by hearing it is effective. So from the very beginning of our life, we should try to become Krsna conscious. Not try, but we must. It is not, what is called, optional. It is compulsory. If you want to make your life successful, then this is compulsory, from the very beginning to become Krsna conscious. Shri Ranganatha Gaudiya Matha and International Gurukula for Children International Gaudiya Vedanta Trust (Non-profit Organization for the benefit of Poor Children) (Founder Acharya: Om Vishnupada Ashtottara-shata Shri Shrimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja) Gurukula Students with Sripada BV Dandi Maharaja Shri Ranganatha Gaudiya Matha Near Nritya Grama Kutira, Heserghatta, Bangalore 560 088 (INDIA) Phone: 080-28466760 Mobile: 9980 49 14 12 Email: bvdandi@gmail.com The New Matha Shri Ranganatha Gaudiya Matha is located on an attractive, natural setting covering 5 acres of land. Surrounding the matha are the holy tirthas visited by Shri Vyasadeva, Shri Vyasa Tirtha, Shri Brahmanya Tirtha, Shri Shripada-raja, Shri Durvasa Muni, Shri Ramanujacarya, Shri Shrimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, our beloved Shrila Gurudeva, Shri Shrimad Bhakti Vallabha Tirtha Gosvami Maharaja and other prominent Vaishnava acharyas. Mission Statement Nurture a new empowered breed of young generation to solve, the social, moral, economical, ethical, political and spiritual problems at the local, national and international levels for complete, consistent and perfect solutions. Shrila Gurudeva’s visit Shrila Gurudeva arrived in Bangalore to visit Shri Ranganatha Gaudiya Matha on July 25, 2005. Shrila Gurudeva delivered sweet hari-katha from July 29 to July 31 in the evening public programs. New gurukula for the poor children IGVT has started a residential gurukula school for children from the economically backward areas of India. Currently we have arranged for the lodging and boarding of 15 children. After the partition of India and Bangladesh, many Bengali families immigrated to India. The Government of India gave them 5 acres of land per family. However, more and more immigrants kept on coming to India. They have settled in different parts of India. One such community exists in Sindhanura subdivision of Raichura district in Karnataka, India. This community is distributed in four villages. The villagers have taken our message very seriously. More than 500 boys from the age of 5 to 15 are eager to join the Gaudiya Matha gurukula. Some elderly people are also willing to join us. Shrila Gurudeva’s instructions on Welfare Work [A darsana in Shrila Narayana Maharaja’s Quarters in Badger, California] May 17, 2003 Shrila Gurudeva (Om Vishnu-pada Astottara-sata Shri Shrimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja) “I want that we should make some committees for book distribution and publishing and for social work also, because without social work we cannot have government approval in India or anywhere. In this life, we will also have to do social work – like feeding the poor, giving clothing, giving medicine, helping children and making schools. We should make some proposals.” Objectives 1. Train, develop and research material to remove dissatisfaction and unhappiness in all walks of life. 2. Demonstrate Agriculture based on native cows. 3. Reverse the trend of migration from rural to urban areas 4. Boost the immunity of the people, plants, trees and the earth. 5. Explain the real goal of human life. 6. Train the decision makers in all the prominent sectors from the abovementioned objectives to work in a stress-free frame of mind. 7. Create an Ayurvedic sanctuary to disseminate consistent and complete health solutions. 8. Demonstrate above objectives by building the self-sufficient communities. 9. Demonstrate harmonious living between plants, earths and humans; thus, reversing the suicidal tendency in the society. 10. Nurture the empowered, young generation based on the above objectives to understand, explain, demonstrate and practice a new, complete and content way of life. Project Benefits to the individuals, society, country and world Simplifies problem identification Social problems are very complex. However, our community shall unknot these problems and offer the simple solutions. The society now faces the problems such as abortion, alcohol consumption, child abuse, abuse of women, criminal mentality, gambling addiction, sexual addiction and so on. However, our community shall offer a simple solution for all these problems. Creates a sustainable community, which is free from all these inebriety Increase in the resistive power of the individual for the disease. Increase in the resistive power of the plant and the soil. Purification of the individual, local and global consciousness Grants immunity from disasters Assisting individuals, societies and families during natural disasters Planning and preparing for the future unexpected circumstances Immunity from the ill effects of the high-tech society Details of the Project Spiritual Sanctuary We want to create a spiritual sanctuary for the local, national and international devotees. We want to build a grand temple for their Lordships Shri Shri Radha Vinoda-bihari and Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Vedic Gurukula We have already started a Vedic gurukula (residential Vedic school) for young boys. We admit boys from all families irrespective of their economic status. Ashrama for Girls and Women We also want develop a separate ashrama and school for girls and women, who would like to lead a spiritual life and advance in Krishna consciousness. Ashrama for Elderly devotees We want to develop an ashrama (residential facility) for elderly devotees. Ashrama facility for the national and international devotees We want to facilitate the devotees from all over the world. They can practice and contribute to this International spiritual and holistic community and lead a Krishna conscious life. Medical Clinic We want to open Shri Chaitanya cikitsalaya (a medical clinic) for ailing devotees and villagers. Good health is very essential for the practice of Krishna conscious devotional life. We want to provide free Ayurvedic, Homeopathic and Naturopathy treatment for everyone irrespective his or her economic status. Preservation of the Indian breed of cows We want to create a small go-shala (cowshed) for Indian breed of cows. The Indian cows are characterized by the high level of immunity from the diseases. Moreover, their intestines are the reservoirs of good bacteria. These bacteria are very useful for the agriculture. The cow urine and cow dung contain these bacteria. Thus, we want to demonstrate that an Indian breed of cow can supply fertilizer for up to 30 acres of land. This fertilizer can double or triple the agricultural output. The cow urine of the Indian cows is the panacea for almost all diseases except death. We want to preserve these cows, who are like our dear mothers. The milk of a healthy Indian breed of cow is perfect nourishment. This milk boosts one’s immunity to diseases. Organic Nature-based farming The agriculture based on chemical fertilizers and insecticides adversely affects the human body. Therefore, we aim to create a garden for the cultivation of flowers, fruit, vegetables, grains and other crops that will satisfy the needs of our Krishna conscious community. We shall sell the excess produce in an open market. We shall use the profit to make our community economically self-sufficient. The use of cow-urine and cow-dung based fertilizers and insecticides shall reverse the deterioration of the soil. Moreover, this shall also demonstrate the importance of cow protection to the world. Free Spiritual Food for All Sri Krishna’s prasadam is a perfect remedy for the satisfaction of body, mind and soul. We want to distribute sumptuous prasadam to all the devotees who visit our temple. Srila Prabhupada said that we must make sure no one in the 10-mile radius of our temple ever goes hungry. Book distribution and Hari-nama festivals The books of Srila Gurudeva and Srila Prabhupada are the lighthouses for the people who are deluded by the illusory potency of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna. We want to translate all of Srila Gurudeva’s books in the local languages and distribute them everywhere at a confessional rate. We want to give Srila Gurudeva’s books to the schoolchildren. We also want to increase the distribution of the holy name of Lord Sri Krishna. The scripture says that the sound of the holy name of Sri Krishna is very powerful. It frees one from all the misfortune. Cooperation with other Vaishnava sampradayas All the Vaishnava sampradayas worship Lord Sri Krishna or His other manifestations. We want to develop a friendly relationship with other Vaishnava sampradaya members. Thus, we want to engage our combined energy towards achieving our common goals. Preservation and Maintenance of the Holy Sites (Tirthas) The holy sites such as Sri Vyasa-deva’s cave, Sri Bhimasena’s footprints, and Sri Venu-gopala temple are very important for the Vaisnavas. These holy sites are full of devotion. They represent the spiritual heritage of India. We want to preserve and maintain these holy sites in the best possible way. We also want to broadcast the glories of these holy tirthas to the world. Preaching in Villages Villages near Bangalore are very important for us. Ninety percent of India’s population lives in the villages. Therefore, we want to educate the rural population about the importance of Krishna consciousness movement and its benefits. Salient Features of the Matha • Beautiful round temple of Their Lordships Shri Shri Radha Krishna and Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu • Brahmacari Ashrama • Guest-house facility for the visiting devotees • 125 coconut trees, 50 mango trees, and other fruit trees • Plenty of seasonal vegetables and fruits grow on the farm • Unlimited supply of good quality water • Clean air and pleasing climate throughout the year • Shri Ranganatha Gaudiya Matha requires devotees who can guide, participate and fund. If you can give your mite as a Volunteer, a Donor or a Guide, it would immensely help Shrila Gurudeva’s mission in South India. Holy Places Near The Matha Cave of Shri Vyasadeva Shrila Vyasadeva’s cave is located about 1 km from our matha. Two giant boulders make this cave. Nearby there is an ancient Shri Siva temple built in stone. Bhima’s footprints These footprints are about 2 km from the matha. Shri Bhima, the strongest among all the Pandavas, fought with a demon. Many of his footprints are present even today. His footprints were marked on the rocks as he fought with the demon. Shri Shri Lakshmi Nrisimha Temple Shri Durvasa rishi established the Deity of Shri Shri Lakshmi Nrisimhadeva in the town of Heserghatta. The deity is carved out of a Salagrama sila. Shri Vyasa-tirtha, the guru of Shri Lakshmipati Tirtha, and the parama-guru of Shri Madhavendra Puripada visited this temple of Shri Shri Lakshmi Nrisimhadeva. In addition, Shri Ramanujacarya, the prominent Shri Vaishnava sampradaya acarya visited this temple. Shrila Gurudeva also visited this temple to take the darsana of the Lord. Shri Vyasadeva compiled his literary works in front of the temple. Shri Venu-gopala Temple and Pancha-pandava Temple in Aaivara-khanda-pura The Pandavas installed this beautiful deity of Shri Venu-gopala, Shri Krishna playing the flute. Shri Radhika and Shri Lalita (Shri Rukmini and Shri Satyabhama as per the pujari) also surround the Lord. This temple is about 4 kms from the matha. This temple is located in the village named Aaivara-khanda-pura (in Kannada, the village where the five Pandavas were seen). Even today, there is a temple of 5 Siva lingas named as Dharmesvara, Bhimesvara, Arjunesvara, Nakulesvara, and so on in this village. There are many stone tablets with ancient inscriptions around the temple. There is also an old Deity of Shri Hanuman, which was installed by Shri Vyasa-tirtha. Chaturbhuja Krishna Temple at Kakola This four-armed Deity of Krishna was originally installed about 2 kms from the matha by Shri Shripada-raja, who is the siksa-guru of Shri Vyasa-tirtha. However due to the flood conditions of the Arkavati river after a dam was built near Heserghatta (which used to supply water to entire Bangalore even 8 years ago), this Deity was relocated in early part of the last century to the present location in Kakola, about 14 kms from our matha. The importance of a gurukula There is a story that once Krishna went with a classmate to the forest to collect dry wood for His spiritual master. Suddenly there was a heavy rainstorm, and they could not get out of the forest. The whole night they remained in the forest with great difficulty. The next morning, the guru, their teacher, along with other students, came to the forest and found them. So even Krishna, whom we accept as the Supreme Lord, went to gurukula and rendered menial service to His guru. Following the Vedic tradition, all of the students at the gurukula trained to be very submissive and to live only for the benefit of the guru. They are trained from the very beginning in Vedic principles and sanatana- dharma. Then the guru, out of affection and compassion, teaches the boys both practical and spiritual knowledge. It is on love and education, bhakti. Importance of Charity Shrila Gurudeva writes in The Origin of Ratha-yatra: It is written in Indian history and in the Vedas and Upanisads that many kings used to donate their entire wealth to the brahmanas and needy persons. All golden pots and utensils were given in charity. Those charitable persons were giving so much charity that there was no longer anyone to take it. Those who had accepted charity began to give charity to others. They gave their charity in charity, and therefore there was no one left to think, “I want charity.” All were giving and all were satisfied – because Krishna was there. Even recently in India, wealthy people used to donate generously. Now, however, although giving in charity benefits the donor, this culture is gradually reducing. Shrila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada writes in Bhagavad Gita As It Is As far as charity is concerned, one should give fifty percent of his earnings to some good cause. And what is a good cause? It is that which is conducted in terms of Krishna consciousness. That is not only a good cause, but it is the best cause. Because Krishna is good, His cause is also good. Thus charity should be given to a person who is engaged in Krishna consciousness. According to Vedic literature, it is enjoined that charity should be given to the brahmanas. This practice is still followed, although not very nicely in terms of the Vedic injunction. But still the injunction is that charity should be given to the brahmanas. Why? Because they are engaged in higher cultivation of spiritual knowledge. A brahmana is supposed to devote his whole life to understanding Brahman. Lord Krishna instructs Shri Uddhava on the process of Deity worship in Shrimad-Bhagavatam (11.27.51-53) By placing tracts of land in the Deity’s name, there will be regular income for opulent Deity worship, both from rent and from agricultural production. A worshiper who makes the arrangements mentioned above will certainly achieve opulence like that of the Personality of Godhead. By installing the Deity of the Lord one becomes king of the entire earth, by building a temple for the Lord one becomes ruler of the three worlds, by worshiping and serving the Deity one goes to the planet of Lord Brahma, and by performing all three of these activities one achieves a transcendental form like My own. But one who simply engages in devotional service with no consideration of fruitive results attains Me. Thus whoever worships Me according to the process I have described will ultimately attain pure devotional service unto Me. Current Needs • Completion of the floor and roof of the 100 x 35 square feet sat-sanga hall, this hall will also be used as a gurukula school • New bathroom and toilet facility for the gurukula children • Establishment of a micro-irrigation system to conserve water • Translating Shrila Gurudeva's books into South Indian languages • Preserving and renovating local holy places • Textbooks for children • Rice, dal and other basic food provisions • Funds to cover traveling fares for pilgrimages to Navadvipa and Vrndavana • Maintenance of a cow and a calf • Clothes and medicines for children • Salary for two teachers • A reliable minibus for transportation • A desktop computer for educational needs • One projector for showing educational multimedia presentations How you can help us. • You can help us with the monetary contributions. You can write the checks or demand drafts in the name of “International Gaudiya Vedanta Trust.” All your contributions are tax-exempt. • You can send monthly / quarterly/ biannual/ annual donations to our above-mentioned address. • You can join our project as a brahmachari, a teacher, a volunteer and so on. • You can contribute your skills towards the gurukula project. Contacts Dr. Shripada Bhaktivedanta Dandi Maharaja email: bvdandi@gmail.com B.Sc. (Hons), B.E. (IISc, Bangalore), M.S. (IIT Madras), D.Sc. (Washington University), P.E. (U.S.A.), CISSP (Former research scientist for NASA and US Army, Former professor at the City University of New York) Shripada Bhaktivedanta Vishnu Daivata Maharaja email: vishnudaivata@gmail.com B.E. (VJTI, Mumbai), M.Tech. (IIT Kharagpur) (Former consultant to Pepsi Cola, Walt Disney, Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, Deutsch Bank and so on) Some figures at a glance Construction Spent Expected 7 Latrines and Common Bathrooms, 2 adjacent rooms and 9 class rooms Rupees Rupees Sand 9600 12000 Stone Boulders 5400 5400 Sized Stones 4500 4500 Bricks 18000 18000 Cement 11250 11250 Plumbing Supplies 2800 6000 Electrical Supplies 0 5000 Labor 30000 30000 Transportation of Coconut leaves for roofing 1500 3000 Flexible Walls made from Bamboo Mats 25000 Classroom furniture Staff room furniture 83050 120150 Monthly Expenses of the Matha Rupees Cooking Oil 1500 4 bags of Rice (50 Kilos each) 2400 Ghee (4 Liters) 400 Dal 50 Kilos 1800 Puffed Rice 2000 Miscellaneous 3000 Cooking Gas 1500 12600 Miscellaneous Expenses Rupees Electricity 1200 Phone 2000 Travel 1000 Clothes for children Medicines for children Construction of New Toilets for the Gurukula Gurukula Student Venu Gopala Dasa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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