Swami Nikhilanand and devotees of our Los Angeles affiliate center represented Radha Govind Dham LA at a recent Mela. Radha Govind Dham LA is the Tarzana, Los Angeles ashram of Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj.
Radha Govind Dham Los Angeles Intensive will take place Sept 19 - 21 2014
The intensive will be led by Sushree Diwakari Devi and Swami Nikhilanand, pracharaks of Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Maharaj
Join us at this beautiful retreat center in the hills above Santa Barbara for a weekend of kirtan, meditation and yoga.
Dates and Times: September 19 - 21, 2014
Location: Circle V. Ranch
2550 Highway 154
Santa Barbara, California
California 93105
Contribution (due in full by August 17 2014)
Includes program, accommodations and vegetarian meals
- $150 per adult (18yrs and older)
- $50 per student (not working)
- $50 per child (6 - 17yrs)
5 & younger FREE!
Please make checks payable to 'Radha Govind Dham L.A.'
Mail completed checks to: Regional Intensive
C/o Radha Govind Dham LA
5520 Donna Avenue
Tarzana, California 91356
Swami Nikhilanand ji, pracharak of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, returns to New York to begin The Basics of Hinduism Courses at Hanuman Mandir, Glen Oaks. It will be an absolutely informative and enjoyable session with Swamiji for all ages. There are separate instructions for Adults and Youth.
Location: Hanuman Mandir 256-09 Hillside Ave, Glen Oaks New York 11004
Vyasar, a devotee of JKP Radha Madhav Dham, was born in Derry, New Hampshire, and raised in Austin. His mother is from near Dehli, and his father comes from southern India. He currently is a senior at Allegheny College, working on a senior project in creative nonfiction.
When you're at an ashram, every step you take is a little bit more like paradise. JKP's mandirs, ashrams and centers are all special in blissfully unique ways. I like to think of them as facets of Maharajji's personality, places where our beloved Jagadguru has come, enacted leelas, sung kirtans and made us all happy to the core of our souls.
With the recent inauguration of Prem Mandir in Vrindaban, a testament to the power of Divine Love, our Guru's grace has extended even more. Prem Mandir is a white marble temple, with no steel or cement in its walls or foundation. It is one of the largest Hindu temples in India, featuring 84 beautiful scenes of Radha and Krishn leelas, and a 10,000-seat prayer hall in the works, all on a 50-acre lot. In a country known for its grand temples, Prem Mandir represents a massively powerful addition to religious and devotional life.
The inaugural ceremony itself went from February 15th to 17th; an event full of chanting, parikrimas and intense devotion. Maharajji performed many functions during those three days, to the delight of devotees in attendance and around the world. And from where I sit, at my computer watching the videos, I feel a longing for India more intense than the longing for home. I want to be there, in the crowd of loving worship, offering myself as much as I can to the service of God and Guru. I want to feel the cold marble of Prem Mandir on my feet, the warm breeze and the sun on my face. I carry the desire for all of this within my body, as it meanders around the gray skies and icy pavement of Western Pennsylvania.
It is one of the ephemeral curses of being a college student that I have had no money to buy a ticket to India after four years of being here, and it is one of those curses that has a habit of sticking around after graduation. The inauguration of this new temple is a moment I should not have missed, but did, like so many other events and ceremonies in the last four years. The last time I saw Maharajji was more than two years ago, and at the very least I should have done something to change that. Instead, I have placed more roots in the community here, tried to establish a center for Hindu worship, and made myself look like a fool in the process. The lesson Maharajji gives about attachments, and how we should strive to only form newer ones with the Divine, I have taken in reverse, and built a kingdom of worldliness on top of my devotional upbringing. In brief, I have not become the person I expected to see at the end of my undergraduate life.
But Maharajji also teaches us not to hate ourselves. It is a road that leads nowhere. What has been done is undeniable, but it is also beyond our power to change the past. Our hopes for the future are laid out as best we can, with as much assurance and insurance as is humanly possible, but all can still fail. Our best interests, Guru says, lie in what we do in the present. Who we are now serves to define us more than what we have done or will do. Being unhappy changes nothing, but attempting to make a shift in who we are and what we do, regardless of success or failure, can change everything we know to be true.
This is an article by Vyasar Ganesan. Vyasar was born in Derry, New Hampshire, and raised in Austin. His mother is from near Dehli, and his father comes from southern India. He currently is a senior at Allegheny College, working on a senior project in creative nonfiction.
Vanity is a bizarre and powerful force. Like gravity, it's always present in some way, exerting its influence in ways unseen and mysterious. Humans can be vain without even realizing it, conceited without trying, and narcissistic by just looking at a mirror. We are all caught up in our own little worlds to some extent, believing that even if we fail at a few things, we're still the best at so much else.As much as this is a problem for basic social interaction, I struggle with it in the most innocuous of places: the gym. Being healthy and a Hindu shouldn't be a problem for me, but there is a line that I feel dangerously close to crossing when I'm working out. When I am on the treadmill, I am pushing my body to its limit, forcing myself to finish the mile in under ten minutes. If I succeed, immediately there is a rush of pride, a feeling of self-worth; that maybe I'm not out of shape, maybe I'm a pretty physically OK guy. Running an eight-minute mile is as good as some people with better bodies than me, and they spend an enormous amount of time at the gym. I fall prey to my own accomplishment and feel dangerously limitless. Another trouble when working out is weight lifting. I don't do much of it, since I'm not after bulking up or bench-pressing, but there is a certain male fascination in ripping off your limbs in the process of building muscle. Even when I'm on a machine for my hip adductors or abductors, just trying to increase flexibility, I can feel the passion of the sweat on my forehead, the strength pumping through my legs. I'm a big guy, and I'm expected to put out a lot of force in almost everything I do. I fill my backpack with all the books I think I'll need for a hard day at school. I take the stairs two at a time. And when I'm at the gym, I hit the weights with energy, even if I'm only lifting fifteen pounds.The issue I have is drawing the line between just working out and feeling proud of myself for being an active young male. On the path of Sanatan Dharm, devotees try to develop modesty, and experience humility before Guru and God. The gym isn't exactly the best place to foster that, but it plays an important role in what a modern healthy lifestyle consists of. I want to be healthy so I can better serve the JKP, to be there to help Radha Madhav Dham however I can. It's just maddening that my own self-infatuation threatens to get in the way of that. I understand that pride is not easily removed, and cannot always be in check, but I don't understand why it has to come up with my maintenance of my body. I like to think of myself as a positive person, and a healthy one at that, but when I see myself in the mirror, I am afraid of being proud of the person who is staring back at me.
All are invited to offer abhishek at the Gopeshwar Mahadev Shrine at Radha Madhav Dham, while devotees sing bhajans in praise of Lord Shiv. The program also includes parikrama of the Temple and Shankar Bhagwan's arti. Lunch prasad will be served by Radha Madhav Dham devotees afterwards.
Indoor Program 11:00 am - Bhajan & discourse by a Radha Madhav Dham preacher 11:00 am - 12:00 pm - Jhanki of Shiv Parvatibarat Outdoor Program 12:15 pm - Parikrama of Temple 12:30 pm - Shankar Bhagwan's arti & bhajan & abhishek
People know very little about Shivratri and the greatness of Shivratri. So I'll try to explain what is the significance of today's celebration.
Dear souls. This particular event is called Shivratri or Maha Shivratri. This is described in the Balkand of Ramayan in great detail. What happened... God Shiv and Parvati or Sati, They are both same, not separate. But in leela, They appear in different style. So, Goddess Sati means Shiv and Sati. They were in Kailash abode, and Daksh, father of Sati, was doing a big yagya (fire ceremony). Sati went to where the yagya was being held and She did not like something that was happening there. Daksh was very proud, and out of his great pride, he was disrespecting God Shiv. Sati could not tolerate it. "My father disrespected My beloved of My soul God Shiv?" So She jumped in the fire of yagya and finished Herself. This is the beginning...
God Shiv was now alone. Then Parvati again took birth in the family of god Himalaya. So, from very childhood She was desiring to meet God Shiv. She was doing austerity in the jungle--not drinking anything, not eating anything, just breathing fresh air, absorbed in love of God Shiv. She spent many many years like that. In the meantime, Saptarshi came and Naradji also came. They told Her, "You will find Your God Shiv." That's all described in Ramayan. And they also told the family of Parvati. So the day was fixed: marriage, on this particular day, the same day we are celebrating today. The marriage of God Shiv and Parvati.
So God Shiv was the bridegroom. Bhagwan Vishnu was there, Brahma was there, and all the important celestial gods and goddesses, all of them joined the procession. God Shiv called His people from Kailash abode and they also joined. It was a mile long procession. Bhagwan Vishnu, Brahma, God Shiv as bridegroom--they slowly moved towards the wedding place in the Himalayas. They were all rejoicing. It was a most happy mood. Once they had all assembled, God Shiv was married to Parvati. Then He again came back to His abode, Kailash. That is the story in gist. This is greatly described in Ramayan: the marriage of God Shiv; the meeting of God Shiv and Parvati. So we celebrate every year, Shivratri.
Are Shiv and Parvati separate? No. Then what was that meeting or marriage? Just a leela, Divine leela, Divine happening. Because when Sati was doing austerity, and God Shiv was in samadhi, He had forgotten everything. He was sitting in deep samadhi, deep trance, transcendence. It means He even forgot His own consort, He was so deep in samadhi. Then the gods and goddesses had to come to wake Him up, "Please, please, Sati is born as Parvati, go and get married." "Oh, oh, OK, OK, it's alright, I am coming." He was absorbed in samadhi? Forgot His consort? That was Krishn love, nothing else.
God Shiv has two forms. With one form He is supreme God of Vaikunth, like Maha Vishnu. In Vaikunth, Maha Vishnu, God Shiv and Durga, all those three are equally supreme God and Goddess in Vaikunth. Vaikunthaadi pati. From Them this whole universe evolves--such great personality!
The other form of God Shiv is in Golok where He is in the form of a Gopi--not like God Shiv wearing matted hair, and scorpions moving around. He is a Gopi. A very pretty, young, Gopi. He's called Gopeshwar. That's what we have here in our ashram, a temple of Gopeshwar. You can see, a Shiv ling is there, and on that Shiv ling there is an inscription in golden lines--the Gopi is there, Gopeshwar form is there. The form of Gopeshwar. So Shiv as a Gopi. In Braj, in Vrindaban, in Barsana, He cannot be in the form of Shiv. He has to be as a Gopi. His personal intimate form is Gopi. So He was absorbed in that love, Krishn love. He had forgotten everything. He remembered only Krishn... Radha... Krishn... Radha... So when gods and goddesses came and tried to wake Him up, "Please God, God Shiv, Parvati is now ready for marriage. Go and marry Her. She is Your own consort." "OK." Then He agreed and They both got married. That's the story.
But what is Parvati, what is Shiv? They are both Gopis! Both. You see when Bhagwan Krishn appeared, again God Shiv was in samadhi, thinking of Krishn and Radha, absorbed in Their love. But when Krishn appeared, the appearance of Krishn is a special happening--not just in this brahmand, but in the universe. Something happens. It is like a wave of Divine love excitement outbursts the whole of the atmosphere. But that could be felt only by the Divine personality. So when Krishn appeared, that wave of Divine love permeated the whole of the brahmand. It reached Kailash and Shiv opened His eyes, "Oh! In whose love I am drowned, the same Personality has appeared! in Braj!" He just got up and rushed immediately, without thinking. He comes to Gokul, there He saw all the Gopis dressed up nicely and they were dancing and singing...and He found Himself out of place. But He was so much in love with Krishn He couldn't think of decorating Himself. Anyway, Krishn Graced Him, and He had darshan of baby Krishn.
When He saw baby Krishn sitting in the cradle, Their eyes met--Krishn and God Shiv. Whatever He felt, He knows. But that feeling again excited His love for Krishn. In that excitement He began to dance...in total unconsciousness. Yet some ecstatic consciousness, to keep His body from falling. His eyes were closed, He was dancing in ecstasy. That was called taandava nritya. Taandava nritya means dancing in total ecstasy in love of Krishn is called taandava nritya. So, there's no classical rhythm in that taandava nritya. It's just nritya, just dance, in total ecstasy. He danced for hours. His Bhao slightly subsided, again He opens His eyes, and when He opens His eyes He sees Krishn everywhere, same baby Krishn smiling everywhere, wherever He sees, in Gopi, in Gwalbal, in atmosphere. In such a ecstatic state, He again was amazed. Just saying, "Krishn jai ho! Krishn jai ho! Krishn jai ho! Krishn jai ho!" He goes back to Kailash abode. That is Bhagwan Shiv.
After some time, just a few years afterwards, eight years afterwards, Krishn decided to do maharas. Maharas--the absolute culmination of Divine love. Beyond that, there is nothing. Nothing means it's the absolute limit of Divine love that Radha and Krishn reveal. So, They both were sitting, Shiv and Parvati. And when Krishn played on the flute, the sound went everywhere. It went to Kailash abode, Vishnu's abode, everywhere. And Parvati said, "Shiv, Radha is doing maharas." Shiv said, "Yes, We are going to join maharas." They both came. Parvati was like a Gopi--She directly entered, with no obstruction. But, a Gopi stopped God Shiv, "Please, wait for a few seconds. I have to take permission from Radha Rani, because this is maharas. Only Gopis can join." Anyway, Radha Rani permitted, and God Shiv immediately became a Gopi--instantly. From God Shiv's appearance, He became Gopi--a young, beautiful Gopi--and entered maharas.
So that Gopeshwar form is His real form in Braj, in Golok, and in Vrindaban. That's what we have here in Barsana Dham--Gopeshwar Mahadev. They both enjoyed the Bliss of maharas, Shiv and Parvati. They enjoyed so much, again, They could not describe what They enjoyed. But His other form is God Shiv as supreme God in Vaikunth.
With this example we must understand that God Shiv is giving us a message. This Shivratri is a message. "O souls! Whatever I have experienced, you can also experience! You can experience the same Bliss of maharas. Radha Rani is so Gracious." That is the message of Shivratri. Because both Shiv and Parvati entered into maharas and experienced and enjoyed the Bliss of maharas. That Bliss of maharas is the supreme Divine Bliss, supreme Divine love, which any soul could experience. Any soul, any of you.
What is the requirement? One single thing. Your sincere desire, nothing else. That's it. Desire. Wholehearted desire...and have it. No requisite. But desire sincerely, desire wholeheartedly, desire single-mindedly: "O Radhey! I want Your love. O Krishn! I want raas ras. O Radhey and Krishn I want to love you, that's all I want." That's all you have to do. A single-minded wholehearted desire to find Radha Krishn's love. That's the only requirement.
And desiring, that part every soul has. You keep on desiring every day--lots of things. You desire. You can't live without desire--impossible! Even an insane person also desires, even if he is insane. Desiring is there. It simply has to be diverted from wrong side to right side. Desiring the world; now desiring Krishn love. Desiring part is there.
In your family you have your friend, your father, your mother, your spouse, your children, your grandfather, your other people. Add one more person. Krishn is in your family. Radhey is one of your family members. Means you have to desire to find love of Radha and Krishn; that's all. Slowly. You can't do it abruptly, you can't do it overnight. Add. Addition is very possible, not impossible.
You see, you are alone, then you marry, then you have one child, two children, three children. It means you keep on multiplying your desires. You love everybody, equally. So you can also add Radha Krishn in your family. They are also part of your family. At least They have some space. In your heart and mind. And when They get some space, They Themselves...expand. Just like fire, a little fire, a match stick, it can burn the whole house, if you properly protect it. So the flame of desire when it's simple and honest, it becomes an earnest desire that itself takes the shape of pure love for Radha and Krishn. That's all you have to do.
So that message God Shiv and Parvati gave on Shivratri. "O souls! Whatever I am experiencing, and I have experienced, the same raas ras Bliss you all can experience. Just desire for Radha and Krishn."
The long awaited time has come...the glorious Prem Mandir will be inaugurated in Vrindaban, India on February 15-17, 2012.
The long awaited time has come...the glorious Prem Mandir will be inaugurated in Vrindaban, India on February 15-17, 2012. The festivities will include kalash yatra with Yamuna jal (water), which will cleanse and sanctify the temple. Thousands of devotees from around the world are expected to participate in the yatra. Vedic havan (fire ceremonies) and rituals will be held, and the pran prathistha (instilling life into the Deities) will be personally performed by Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, founder of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat and Prem Mandir. Radha Krishn deities will reside on the ground floor, and Sita Ram will Grace the shrine on the first floor. Every evening, the famous Ras Mandalis of Vrindaban will enact Braj leelas.
Many years in the making, this temple is unique in Vrindaban. Elegantly carved of white Italian marble, the temple depicts 84 scenes of Radha Krishn leelas carved into the temple's outer walls. Stepping inside the magnificent temple, one can view the philosophy of bhakti yog, as revealed by Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, inlaid in the ornate walls with semi-precious stones. Kripalu Trayodashi, the famous concise overview of all of the philosophy of Hindu dharm in only 13 verses, composed by Kripaluji Maharaj, is displayed just next to the shrine. Historical Saints and the Jagadgurus of India are prominently displayed on both levels.
Prem Mandir is situated on a 50-acre site on the outskirts of the holy city of Vrindaban (Braj District, U.P. India). The surrounding area is being developed as a place of pilgrimage for visitors from around the world. Here, one can participate in the satsang and take the spiritual benefit of the Divine teachings emanating from this important spiritual center, which will be a Divine nucleus in Vrindaban.
When completed, the center will include a fully charitable hospital, a 10,000-seat satsang bhavan (hall) - one of the largest in India - dining and living facilities. The multi-media shops will offer beautiful kirtans, philosophical books, stunning photos of Radha Krishn and other devotional material for sale. A museum depicting India's antiquity and the history of the creation of the brahmand is also planned.
Beyond the Gita: An Introduction to the Bhagwatam
Discourse & Kirtan for adults by Swami Nikhilanand of JKP Radha Madhav Dham, the US ashram of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. Separate Bhagwatam classes provided concurrently for youth age 6-18
Dates:
February 19-26, 2012 (mid-winter recess) Feb 19 11:30 am - 1:30 pm Feb 20 - 25 7:00 - 8:30 pm Feb 26 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Location: Asamai Temple
80 E. Barclay St.,
Hicksville, NY 11801
(516) 433-4388
Youth Class:
Separate Bhagwatam classes provided for youth age 6-18
To register your kids: call Rohit Sharma
(516) 582-1113
Adult Topics: (Adults will hear a discourse and do kirtan of Krishn leelas each evening).
Feb 19: Why the Bhagwatam is beyond the Gita
Feb 20: Bhagwatam takes a soul beyond the attainment of mokch
Feb 21: The difference between worshipping God and loving God
Feb 22: The importance of listening to Krishn leelas
Feb 23: Krishn is supreme God
Feb 24: The secret of Krishn's appearance
Feb 25: Navdha bhakti and the essence of devotion
Feb 26: The characteristics of a mahapurush
Youth Topics: (Youth will learn stories & philosophy of the Bhagwatam. read Krishn leelas and play Jeopardy each evening. There will be an exam on the last day for the youth, with prizes for top scores.)
Feb 19: Story of Narad meeting Bhakti Devi, Gyan and Vairagya in person
Feb 20: Story of Gokarn & Dhundhukari; what is the Bhagwatam
Feb 21: Story of King Parichit; story of Shukdeo Paramhans
Feb 22: Story of why Ved Vyas wrote the Bhagwatam
Feb 23: Story of what happened in Braj after Krishn left the earth planet
Feb 24: Krishn and His different avatar as told in the Bhagwatam
Feb 25: Krishn is supreme God; the secret of His appearance
Feb 26: The story of Prahlad. What is a Saint.
Having taught many family Gita classes in the New York area, this February Swami Nikhilanand is returning to deliver a series of discourses explaining what is beyond the Bhagwad Gita. This program, to be held at the Asamai Hindu Temple in Hicksville, New York from Feb 19 - 26, will introduce listeners to the philosophy of the Bhagwatam. The program will combine a discourse and kirtan in the main hall for adults with a youth Bhagwatam class in a separate room. It will also differ from most other Bhagwat saptah programs in that listeners will not only hear the stories of the Bhagwatam, but will learn the actual philosophy of the Bhagwatam, how it relates to other Hindu scriptures, and how to apply it in their own practice of devotion.
Swami Nikhilanand is a disciple of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. He was born in Canada in a non-religious family and learned about God while attending a Catholic school in his small hometown. Although he knew nothing about Hinduism at the time, his spiritual questions led him to search beyond the conventional religious education he received in school, and he read many religious books of other traditions. As a young man, his quest brought him to a Hindu religious center in Austin, Texas by the name of Radha Madhav Dham. Radha Madhav Dham is the main U.S. ashram of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. While visiting the ashram, Swami Nikhilanand learned the Hindu concepts of God, soul, reincarnation, karm, and liberation and found many of the answers he had been seeking since his childhood. Soon after, Swami Nikhilanand moved to the ashram in Texas and also started making regular visits to India to learn more about Hinduism. He learned Hindi, and also studied the main Sanskrit scriptures with the guidance of Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj. After several years of study and meditation, he was given the order of sanyas, which is a renounced order of living similar to being a monk. He now travels around America giving discourses on the philosophy of Sanatan Dharm to adults and youth, and teaching the path of bhakti as he learned from his Guruji, Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj.
In his Bhagwatam discourse this July, Swami Nikhilanand will be going beyond what he has taught in his past Gita classes. Swamiji tells, "It is commonly said that where the teachings of the Bhagwad Gita end, the philosophy of the Bhagwatam begins. The Gita gives general knowledge about who God is, who Krishna is, and how a person should lead their life. The Bhagwatam reveals things about God that are only hinted at in the Gita, and tells secrets about the ultimate goal of life which you could not know by reading the Gita. That is why the Bhagwatam is considered to the crown jewel of all the Hindu scriptures." The satsang will conclude each evening with singing bhajans of Krishn leelas which are based on the stories of the Bhagwatam. This helps participants to engage their mind in remembering God for a longer time, whereas normally the mind is too fickle to allow a person to meditate for more than a few minutes.
While the adults attend the satsang and discourse in the main hall, the youth will be learning the philosophy and stories of the Bhagwatam in a separate class. Youth will also play a fun game of Jeopardy every day to test their knowledge of the Hindu scriptures. Dinner prasad will be served after the arti every day.
Step 2. Attending a free talk and a 7-day Radha Madhav Dham Bhagavad Gita Family Camp at convenient venues in New York, Austin, Dallas, Houston or Washington D.C. where Swami Nikhilanand is regularly invited as a guest speaker.
Step 3. Visiting www.JKP.org and www.RadhaMadhavDham.org to learn more about the teachings and national and international activities of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj and JKP Radha Madhav Dham or to purchase books and DVDs by Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj and JKP Radha Madhav Dham.
