namahatta.org - Congregational Development Ministry

Sudarshan Yajna for H.H Jayapataka Swami at ISKCON Brisbane. Sunday 9am, at the conclusion of the 24 hr kirtan.

If you're in Brisbane this weekend here are a few options for things to do and see:

Global 24 hour kirtan.

Saturday November 8th 9am - Sunday November 9th 9am at ISKCON Brisbane

"The Joy of Dharma - A Definitive Guide to Happiness" presentation. Two nights only!

Celebration of the appearance anniversary of H.H. Devamrita Swami

Sunday 5th October
11 am
ISKCON Brisbane Temple
95 Bank Rd, Graceville

A couple of weeks ago Madana Gopal das and Asi-kunda devi dasi were married here in Brisbane.

Janakaraj prabhu just sent me through some photos, and I retrieved a couple that I took. I forgot to put the SD card in my camera that day, so there were only a couple of photos, which I found on the internal memory of the camera.

Just after the wedding ceremony. I arrived toward the end, as I was setting up the sound system and instruments in the reception hall.

H.H. Devamrita Swami is giving class right now, here: http://live.iskcon.org.au/. (Check the timestamp on the post and adjust for your local timezone - right now it's 7:48 am in Brisbane, Australia, GMT +10)

Recently the GBC has been considering multiple ISKCON centers in one city. It's an inevitable historical development that is currently being groked. One center cannot be all things to all people. The reality is that a cutting-edge urban preaching center reaching out to a western population has radically different priorities to an established ISKCON temple serving Deities and an established congregation including many ex-pat Indians. You can't effectively do both in the same place at the same time.

In order to have these two centers functioning at their optimum we've discovered that you need to have separation and cooperation between the two—they need to be interdependent. Each can remain focused on its core values and identity. There needs to be a constant process of communication and negotiation between the two. One cannot be subservient to the agenda of the other. In this way they can coexist in a symbiotic relationship.

I was given the honor of performing the arati ceremony to Lord Nrsimha at last night's festival at the Sunday Feast.

Now you can enjoy an ecstatic mangalarati from the comfort of your very own bed! Spiritual purification without austerity thanks to modern technology! :-)

Thanks to Deva Gaura Hari prabhu, live streaming audio and pictures from ISKCON's Brisbane temple are available at: live.iskcon.org.au.

Rock out to ISKCON's Brisbane temple kirtans and classes at live.iskcon.org.au.

This temple has some awesome kirtans, especially during festivals.

Deva Gaura Hari prabhu expertly wired it all up with three web cams and two mics live to the Internet, a 300W PA system installed in the temple room, and live streaming video and audio to the prasadam room and kitchen.

How cool is that? :-)

GOUURRAAAAANGAAA!!

Kali yuga pavana Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki jay!
Kali yuga dharma Harinam sankirtan ki jay!

The lotus feet of Krishna dancing on the heads of the Kaliya serpent. It is said that while dancing in this way Krishna produced the different mrdanga beats. In this way Krishna humbled the pride of the envious serpent Kaliya and the serpent received the highest benediction.

Indrayumna Swami writes:

Our festival programs continued successfully in the Sydney area. After performing there for two weeks, we flew to Melbourne for a three-day program in the prestigious, centrally located town hall auditorium. When we arrived to begin setting up early one morning the devotees were awestruck by the ornate architecture, spacious rooms, high ceilings and crystal chandeliers.

“We've never performed in a place like this,” one devotee exclaimed.

On New Year's Eve we did harinam kirtan in the streets in ecstasy for 4 1/2 hours. Now you can experience the ecstasy in just 20 minutes with this highlights video.

See a drunk guy ready to beat down on Sita-pati getting pulled off by the cops: "Got a problem mate?"

It took us just over two hours to recite the 700 verses of the Gita tonight. I've heard devotees claim in classes that the conversation took between 30 and 45 minutes. I wonder if I practice it for some time what I can get it down to. I'm inspired to try...