namahatta.org - Congregational Development Ministry

Dear Readers,

Please accept my respectful obeisances.  All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

It is with great pleasure that we announce the launching of our Johannesburg preaching centre project, Vedic City, on this the auspicious occasion of Sri Krishna Janmasthami, Sunday 24 August 2008.

Dear Readers and Friends,

Spent most of January in Lenasia Temple engaged in book distribution with Bhakta John Robbie.  Remained in Johannesburg in February with a weekend at the Pretoria Temple.  Visited Ladysmith from the 22-25 February.  Attended first Ratha Yatra in Estcourt Saturday 23 February.  Very impressed with Kavita and the Estcourt Nama Hatta devotees’ efforts.  It was a great programme. 

This khichari recipe took me several years to develop.  I recently prepared this dish for a SATV cooking programme but was very nervous in front of the camera (so it might not be screened!).  Influences: Yamuna Mataji, Kurma prabhu and Gaura Sakti das.  To quote Prabhupada: ‘A pauper’s meal fit for a king.’  Nice if served with puris, bread-sticks, papadams, lemon, yoghurt and/or tomato chatni.  Please forgive sketchy presentation.  Your servant, MCD.

Serves 5 to 6 people.  Total preparation time 45 minutes.

Our Predicament.

We have come to this world because we became envious of God/Krishna.  We wanted to usurp Krishna’s position and become the purusa or enjoyer.  We gave up our position as servant of God to lord it over matter.  Crazy, isn’t it?

‘If we take eternity to mean not infinite temporal duration but timelessness, then eternal life belongs to those who live in the present’ (Ludwig Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logicus Philosophicus)

‘Forget the past that sleeps/ Ne’er the future dream at all/ Live in times that are with thee/ And progress thee shall call’ (Bhaktivinode Thakur)

‘I am not well read, but when I do read, I read well’   (Kurdt Cobain, Notebooks)                                                         

I was finishing-up my Master’s dissertation on the abolition of the slave trade in January 1997 at a friend’s place in Sun Valley, Cape Town.  My schedule was intense.  They would drop me at the University of Cape Town every morning at about 6:30am and I would finish at 8:45pm.  I’d then take the 9:15pm train to Fish Hoek.  The house where I was staying was about half-an-hour walk from Fishoek Station.  I’d get in at 10:45pm.  I usually had a piece of toast and some juice or water before taking rest at 11.

Dear Readers,

Just a filler really to keep you updated.  Arrived back in the country from India on the 27th November 2007.  Pretty much launched into the December book marathon from there, basing myself in ISKCON Lenasia.  The Temple President, Caitanya prabhu and the GM, Bhakta Adrian, were really helpful and it was a reasonably eventful marathon.  I have a lot of plans for preaching in SA, so my head is swimming with thoughts.  Still, the marathon was focussed and I did okay (by my standards).

At The Lotus Feet Of The Giver Of Liberation, South Africa 2008

Yes, I am back in Zuid Afrika, Suid Africa, South Africa, Seth Afreeka.  Well, however, you want to say it, whatever is the PC thing to say…Mooks is back.  Luv ya, baby.

Krishna-Balarama Temple, Raman Reti, Vrindavan

The mood here at Krishna-Balarama Temple is ecstatic. It felt like Kartik even before Kartik actually began. Krishna-Balarama draws a very nice crowd - from various parts of India and abroad. It has a really open feel about it - sarva-dharman-parityajya. I like it.

A Chronology From 1000BC

1000 BC - Construction of the Temple of Soloman at Jerusalem

599 - Birth of Mahavir, founder of the Jain religion

563 - Birth of the sage Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama)

479-551 - Confucius

348-428 - Plato

322-384 - Aristotle

3rd c.BC - Buddhism in Sri Lanka

1st c. BC - First recording of Buddha’s teachings in Sri Lanka

4 BC - Birth of Jesus Christ

70 AD - Destruction of he Temple at Jerusalem

Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath Mandir, Mumbai

It was on a warm October morning ten years ago that I first visited Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath Temple in Chowpatty. ISKCON Chowpatty is now famous throughout the world for its warm Vaisnava hospitality and rich spiritual culture.

ISKCON Soho Street, London

Srimad Bhagavatam Class 9.9.47, H.H Jayadvaita Maharaja

His Holiness Jayadvaita Maharaja gave a terse, yet eloquent, discourse on Srimad Bhagavatam 9.9.47 this morning. The purport to the verse examined the phantasmagoric nature of this material world. The Sanskrit words from the verse are gandharva-pura or ‘houses in the sky.’

Martin Scorcsese has signed up to direct Harrison film

Srila Prabhupada with George Harrison and Patti Boyd at Friar Park, 1969)

Book Distribution in Dublin

riverrun past eve’s and adam’s bringing us, from bend of bay to swerve of shore, through a commodius vicus of recirculation, past Howth Castle and environs… (James Joyce, Finnegans Wake)

Inis Ratha, Ireland, Radhastami Celebration

Sri Rupa prabhu requested I give Bhagavatam class this morning.  I really wanted to hear from him.  After all, that is why I came to Inis Ratha - for Vaishnava association.  Sri Rupa prabhu, however, got his way.  Dear friends and readers, please accept this imperfect summary of my presentation from this morning.