With only a few days left in our fundraising campaign, we have so far received over $65,000 in donations! All of us at the Seva Ashram feel humbled and so grateful to all of you who have helped make this a reality. Read Newsletter…
Archive for Friends of the Ashram – Page 2
What is Sukriti? How do we get it? Eternal fortune or nitya-sukriti, is gained by devotional service to the Supreme Lord under the guidance of saintly persons. To learn more, please Watch the video…
Here is a short report with only 50 days left in our campaign to raise $100,000 by the appearance day anniversary of Srila Govinda Maharaj on December 8th, 2014 for the Seva Ashram development project.
Another successful kids camp has come and gone. Under the affectionate guidance of Srila Bhakti Pavan Janardan Maharaj and with Braja Mohini didi facilitating the event everything went smoothly. Here is the last installment of pictures from the four day festival at the Ashram commencing on the Grand Appearance Day Festival of Lord Balaram. We are looking forward to another kids camp festival next summer.
Here are more pictures from the annual kids camp held each summer at the Seva Ashram. This past summer Braja Mohini didi, along with the help of many devotees, facilitated the camp.
Our goal to raise $100,000 by Srila Govinda Maharaj’s appearance day on December 8, 2014 is progressing steadily. Every donation that we have received is very much appreciated. Thank you! Here a short update on the project. Read Newsletter…
This past summer we had another auspicious gathering of vaisnava families coming to the Ashram for the annual kids camp. Braja Mohini Devi Dasi graciously facilitated the four day camp festivities. Of course many devotees stepped up to offer their knowledge and expertise for the benefit of all the children (and adults!) involved. All of this was possible under the affectionate guidance of our beloved Srila Bhakti Pavan Janardan Maharaj. A huge thank you to all who participated!
We are very grateful to everyone who has helped so far with our fund raising program. Our goal is to raise $100,000 between now and the appearance day anniversary of Srila Govinda Maharaj on December 8th, 2014. Read Newsletter…
Read an inspirational story of how one devotee at the Seva Ashram was able to overcome incredible difficulties with the help of the devotees and their affectionate association. Read Article…
Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to nourish all the fruit trees at the orchard nourishment work party on July 4th and 5th. And a special appreciation for those devotees who came back the second day, including Dinartihara Prabhu who is not shown in the photos below but has been working hard.
Special thanks as well to the cooks who prepared a feast for a couple dozen people including two different kinds of coleslaw, corn of the cob, vegetarian Bhima burgers, ice cream sandwiches, fries, and more!
Hasyapriya Prabhu leads the work party
Neelamani Prabhu waves "hello"
Vaidehi Didi gets footage to use in her videos of the Ashram
Bilwamangal Prabhu hard at work
He keeps an eye on the orchard all year long and picks the ripe fruits for Their Lordships' offerings
Vidura Krishna Prabhu does the heavy work shoveling compost for the trees
Divya Shakti Didi prunes some branches
Rasangi Didi and Madhumati Didi also tend to some trees
Saki Charan Prabhu and Bilwamangal Prabhu team up
Sonya's son Landon lends a hand
Saki Charan Prabhu applies compost to a small tree
Neelamani and Saki Prabhus working together
The ladies also team up with great enthusiasm
Rasangi, Krishna Kanti, and Madhumati Didis shouted "Nitai Gaura Hari Bol"
Brajanath Prabhu came both days to help out
Swarnangii Didi made the beautiful flier for the event
Swarnangii and Sureshwari team up with others to make a big feast!
Sureshwari offering lettuce, tomatoes, secret sauce, and other toppings for the Bhima burgers
Sureshwari Didi serving tirelessly
Ramananda Prabhu, Jivana Didi, and Kalindi Didi serving out french fries, corn on the cob and Swarnangii’s delicious Bhima burgers!
Krishna Kanti Didi - happy to honor prasadam and serve with all the devotees.
A peek at the hungry crowd of tired but enthusiastic servitors.
There was a big turn out on Friday for the July 4th work party
Great prasadam & hard work serving the trees in the orchard attracted many devotees to come.
Vidura Krishna, Parameshwar, and Saki Charan Prabhus certainly came to work
And so did Ilya, who generously donates spinach every week for Their Lordships' service
Vaidehi and Sita Didis
Yudhamanyu Prabhu who just returned from China, came to help.
Srila Janardan Maharaj and Sripad Parvat Maharaj honor prasadam
Along with Sarvabhavana Prabhu and Dikshavati Didi
Finally Sureshwari Didi takes a break to honor prasadam as well
With Hasyapriya and Brajanath Prabhus, and with Divya Shakti Didi
It was a very sunny day and it was a relief to sit in the shade
Gaur Nataraj Prabhu and Malika Didi brought some friends to help out
Young Jahnava
And little Deva Krishna with Sonya
Ramai Prabhu Archana Niketan with Bilwamangal Prabhu, one of his assistant pujaris
It was a beautiful day to catch up with friends at the Ashram
Narayani Didi was here to offer arotik to Srila Gurudev at his pushpa samadhi and helps clean the Deities' plates after the offering
It was a wonderful day. Thanks to everyone who helped out!
We have about 100 fruit trees in the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Seva Ashram orchard.
Including Asian pears, peaches, apples, avocados, figs and 6 different varieties of plums.
Vijay, always ready to help with the heavy lifting!
A century cactus that is getting ready to bloom. This one took about 15 years to start to blossom!
An excerpt from Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita about the pastimes of cleansing the Gundicha Temple, Madhya Lila 12.
“Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu washed and cleansed the Gundica temple with His devotees and associates. In this way He made the temple as cool and bright as His own heart, and thus He made the place befitting for Lord Sri Krishna to sit.”
Here at the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Seva Ashram in Soquel California, the devotees enthusiastically joined in to clean the Lord’s temple…
Premanidhi Prabhu
Sushila Devi
Kalindi Devi & Krishna Madhuri Devi
Narayani Devi
Gaur Nataraj Prabhu
The sparkling clean temple room
Sushila Devi, Janhava & Malika Devi
Alex
During Gaura Purnima season many pilgrims come from all over the world to our Central Math in Nabadwip to
Srila Gurudev over looking the Nabadwip Math from the roof of his Verandah
participate in the festivals, making it the busiest season of the year. It is always buzzing with so much Joy as everybody prepares to go on parikrama and celebrate the Advent of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu.
Around 2007 by Srila Gurudev’s mercy I was staying in Nabadwip and trying to help accommodate our Western devotees, that is to say helping with their transportation arrangements from Kolkata and their lodging. So it was my misfortune that during that time I forgot to make the arrangements for Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu who was arriving to Kolkata on a late flight from China. The next day before darshan when Srila Gurudev, Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, learned I had forgotten He told me very seriously I could forget the world but never to forget Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu. And as it was his beautiful mood he reminded us of all the service Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu had done. It is no news to anybody how much affection Srila Gurudev had for Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu. But it is always good for us to have some remembrance of the beautiful service activities of the devotees. In another time as Srila Gurudev received the new Sri Bhagavad Gita, he started happily reading some slokas and their translations, and when he read “valiant Yudhamanyu” he smiled and re-read it with much affection.
Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu preaching in China
At present Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu is residing in China, where he was sent to serve by Srila Gurudev, and where he has been for ten years. Many Chinese devotees have come from his service and dedication. I heard Srila Gurudev say once in Venezuela how Srila Swami Maharaj had opened a tunnel in the western world and we have all come through that. I can’t help, even in my infinite ignorance, but feel that just like that all our Chinese godbrothers and sisters have come through Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu’s efforts. And this brought Srila Gurudev much happiness. But we can see that is a day to day labor of love to be there and to try to communicate “heart to heart” as Srila Gurudev would say, since Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu doesn’t really speak Chinese and many of our Chinese sincere seekers don’t speak much English. But still the mission goes on there, and by his tireless, valiant effort many souls have gotten shelter and affection, and others have gotten a connection and a chance to serve in this beautiful endeavor to satisfy our spiritual master.
So we asked Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu to tell us a little bit of his story. And in his humility he was very hesitant to do so. Still he told us a little bit and this we are presenting to you.
“In 1981 I started going over from ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Conciousness, in Mayapur to the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math in Nabadwip. I used to go there with Srila Goswami Maharaj. And this is how I started to make a connection with Srila Guru Maharaj, Srila Sridhar Maharaj.
At the time I was living in South Africa, so when I went back we started the temple there, a Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math temple. We started distributing Sri Guru and His Grace and other books. And Srila Guru Maharaj was very happy with that! When I went back to India he asked me if it would be alright if he gave me a title and I almost fell backwards! He said he wanted to give me the title “Seva Vikram” which means “one who is strong and courageous in service.” And then he asked me to form a collecting party for the Nabadwip Math, and he used to call that party my personal party.
After Srila Guru Maharaj left this world Srila Govinda Maharaj asked me to come help Srila Janardan Maharaj restart the San Jose temple. This was around 1991.
At the beginning we started on a rental house on 17th street. But then when Srila Gurudev came on his first trip he asked me to visit him in his room after his afternoon rest “so I can beat you,” he said! When I went up there he asked me to get a permanent place, a place that we could use for the San Jose and Santa Cruz devotees, not to rent but to own! And from that request the Soquel Ashram was manifested. And that was the year of 1993.
Then in the years that followed our Srila Gurudev installed the Deities in our Soquel Seva Ashram and arranged for Sri Mahaprabhu, Gauranga-Sundar, to be sent to the San Jose temple.
And in 2003 he sent me to China. I’ve been in China for the last 10 years coming back and forth. And in his will he asked Srimati Jivana didi and myself to take care of the Ashram in California until the day we die.”
Current Schedule of Classes in Santa Cruz
Mornings at approximately 8 am:
Srila Janardan Maharaj reads through Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita from cover to cover, which takes about three months. He is particularly interested in making sure that listeners catch the sequence of the story and lila. He has been reading Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita for decades and clearly has very great appreciation for the scripture. If you cannot attend, consider listening to the recordings in the car or while you cook, etc.. Download them here.
Evenings:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 8 pm:
Sripad B.C. Parvat Maharaj reads a chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita: the Hidden Treasure of the Sweet Absolute. Bhagavad-gita is an essential scripture and it is very wonderful and nourishing to hear a chapter every day. When Sripad Parvat Maharaj travels Jatindra Mohan Prabhu gives the class.
Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm:
Sarvabhavana Prabhu reads books by Srila Govinda Maharaj and Srila Sridhar Maharaj such as Revealed Truth, Affectionate Guidance, Sermons of the Guardian of Devotion, etc..
If you have questions about the schedule, please call (831) 462-4712.
The Bhakti Yoga Club meets every Wednesday at Cabrillo College. Braja Mohini Devi organizes this weekly sankirtan program with many of the other devotees helping. They distribute prasadam, chant, read, and speak informally to the students, many of whom have visited our Ashram for the Sunday Feast program.
Vishakha didi attended the Cabrillo Bhakti Yoga club during her stay here in Soquel.
Prabhus Bilva Mangal, Shambunath, and Dina Bandhu were in attendance along with Bimala didi and Bimalanandini didi.
Devotees chant on the main quad of Cabrillo College in Aptos, CA.
Students from Cabrillo also joined in the chanting.
All who attended were fortunate to receive the sweet association of Vishakha didi.
Students and devotees alike enjoyed chanting, discourse, questions and answers, and of course Prasadam.
We are all happy to have Bimalanandini didi living with us here at the Ashram.
Bilva Mangal Prabhu answers questions from an interested student.
Hemant Prabhu has been helping our Seva Ashram for many years. With Sureshwari Devi’s encouragement, he and his family invited Srila Janardan Maharaj and all the devotee to his home for an evening of Kirtan, Krishna Katha and Prasadam.
Srila Bhakti Pavan Janardan Maharaj, along with devotees, guests and relatives of Hemant Prabhu.
Srila Janardan Maharaj leads a kirtan to start the program.
Bimala Devi and Vishakha Devi join in the chanting.
Pitambar Prabhu playing the kartals and Jayanta Krishna Prabhu playing the mridangham.
Srila Janardan Maharaj speaking to the assembled devotees and guests.
Many devotees and guests came to get the association of Srila Bhakti Pavan Janardan Maharaj.
Everyone is enjoying the spiritual discourse of the evening.
Jairam Prabhu along with his family, Abba Devi, Nabh Das and Kumari Lavanika.
It was a very beautiful evening for all who attended.
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In anticipation of Srila Janardan Maharaj’s upcoming trip to China with Pitambar Prabhu and Shatrugna Prabhu, Yudhamanyu Prabhu found this report written by Radhika devi dasi from her second trip to visit him in 2007.
At the time Yudhamanyu prabhu lived in Chengdu, China where the Chinese mission took birth, but he traveled with his guests to Shenzen for the first initiation held there.
This report has been condensed, but the original version was read to Srila Gurudev and to his delight, his secretary also put the audio version along with photos on his computer so he could listen to it whenever he wanted to.
As the mission in China continues to grow, we cannot but be grateful to those sincere souls who helped Yudhamanyu Prahbu in the beginning days.
Our trip to China:
Madhumita, Radhika and Jayavati didis
Day One: When we emerged from customs Yudhamanyu Prabhu Seva Vikram and Sunanda eagerly greeted us and Sunanda placed garlands around our necks. Many students were waiting in the apartment, Victoria, Ananda, and Ona all greeted us like long lost friends and Yudhamanyu surprised us with the news that we would be celebrating the divine appearance of Srila Govinda Maharaj that very same night.
At this time we celebrated by giving Yudhamanyu all the wonderful gifts Jivana didi and many other devotees had sent for him.
The students were taken aback by the affection for Yudhamanyu from the devotees in California and hopefully could see a little clearer now how lucky they are to always be in his association. By this point we were (in Yudhamanyu’s words) “Fired up” and ready to go.
There must have been at least thirty guests honoring Srila Govinda Maharajs appearance, including Devirani didi, Kit, Nectar and Uma, and we were all witness to Yudhamanyu Prabhu’s devotional mood of offering prasadam and serving Gurudev.
Day two:
We awoke early, refreshed and rejuvenated from the celebration last night. Already students were coming to visit including Sita, Sunanda and Victoria.
Yudhamanyu had the incredible service to ask Srila Govinda Maharaj for three devotional names for the new devotees we would be meeting in Shenzhen.
Yudhamanyu was informed earlier that morning by Srutasrava Prabhu that Skype would be a good way to call so I set about trying logging in and calling a number Yudhamanyu had at his apartment. As the computer screen started to ring my heart was beating wildly and I can’t even imagine what Yudhamanyu must have been feeling.
An Indian man answered and Yudhamanyu introduced himself and that he is in China and please can he speak with Govinda Maharaj. Then we were informed we had the wrong number and the line went dead.
Still in shock, I tried to Skype Mahananda prabhu, Jamuna didi, Janardan Maharaj anyone who could be near Srila Govinda Maharaj or help our situation, but to no avail.
Next I tried to Skype my dad who was not online, so next we skyped his cell phone which was not answered and then we skyped the house phone and what a relief when my mom answered!
We got Srila Govinda Maharajs cell phone number and the adrenaline kicked back in full force!
Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu
As the screen started ringing once more I was overcome with emotions. Srila Govinda Maharaj answered and Yudhamanyu gave his dandavats and a few sweet words were exchanged before the line went dead.
We tried again. Again Srila Govinda Maharaj answered and was trying to tell Yudhamanyu about another phone number when the line went dead.
After hearing Srila Govinda Maharaj’s sweet voice for even a few moments there was no way we could be discouraged. We called again, asking for Srila Gurudev and we were given ANOTHER number.
At this point we were both completely on edge and I was completely overwhelmed when Srila Govinda Maharaj answered the phone!!
Many sweet words were exchanged and if I wasn’t so overwhelmed I would probably remember more.
What I do remember was Srila Govinda Maharaj telling Yudhamanyu Prabhu “I am very happy to hear your voice Prabhu” and when Yudhamanyu said to Gurudev how wonderful He is, Srila Gurudev replied “You are wonderful Yudhamanyu Prabhu” and he gave three new names and gave Yudhamanyu his blessing to be Ritvik Guru and initiate them and said “give my blessing to Jayavati didi”. WOW!!
Yudhamanyu was “on cloud nine” pacing his very small apartment expressing how amazing this is and how he can’t even describe it and how impossible this is and even now I can’t express in words what it felt like to sit next to him while Gurudev spoke and how fortunate I am to be in China with him while he is making history. I am in awe.
Day three:
We sang morning bhajans with Yudhamanyu and then I offered some cake and fruit to the Deities, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Srila Govinda Maharaj.
Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu
Yudhamanyu left for his class and we got ready for the panda park.. On the taxi ride to the temple Ona and Madhumita were in a heavy conversation about Krishna consciousness, and I could see Ona felt something right but was struggling to accept it. She described Chinese people struggling so much in their lives and explained that it is hard for them to have “higher thought”. When we asked her if she wanted higher thinking she replied that she did.
During this time Nectar, Ona, Ananda, Madhumita and I were in the living room when Ona asked very pointedly to Madhumita “why Krishna?” Madhumita then described her spiritual journey through Christianity, Catholicism, and finally feeling so much relief when she met the devotees. Before she knew anything about the conception she liked coming to the temple where everyone was happy to see her and treated her like family. And as she would come and have the opportunity to do service with Vaidehi she slowly realized she wanted to take initiation and make it official.
Ona then asked “Can we serve Krishna directly?” and at this point we took the opportunity to explain what Yudhamanyu is doing here in China. I told Ona that to make Krishna happy we had to make our Gurudev (Teacher) happy and to make him happy we had to make His devotees happy.
That is why we came to China. If we can come here and help Yudhamanyu in the slightest and serve him French toast then maybe we can please our Guru. We told them how much service they are doing helping Yudhamanyu every day and then we jokingly told them that is one reason Yudhamanyu wont learn Chinese because then they wouldn’t have any service to do.
Madhumita asked Ananda if she liked hearing about Krishna, she replied “Yes I do. I see how happy you and Radhi are, and how happy you make Yudha. Because of this I can accept Krishna. I think Krishna is good for all human kind and globally. But there are so many different religions in China, I think it will just take progress.”
By this time barriers had been broken and we were feeling real connections with the Chinese students.
As the guests watched I offered the pizza to the Deities and to Srila Govinda Maharaj on the disappearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. Then Ona served out the pizza and we all were happy to be in each other’s association. I took that opportunity to explain that it was a festival tonight, showed them a picture of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur (earlier Ona helped me make a garland for the picture) and explained how important he was to our temples and to our “Teacher”.
Day four:
Sunanda, Victoria, Ona and Ananda all came to the apartment to see us that morning. They brought us gifts and brought gifts for us to give to Srila Govinda Maharaj. Then it was time to go to the airport. We said goodbye to Victoria, Ona, Ananda, and Uma promising we would return. While we waited to board Yudhamanyu told us how happy he was with our trip and told us many other sweet things about our time in Chengdu.
We were all excited about our journey to Shenzhen, and we talked a little about how incredible it is that this is happening.
In Shenzen we were met by Jayavati didi, Ketty, and Jimmy (future god brother and god sister). We all exchanged hugs, told Jayavati how excited we were, and praised her for the amazing preaching she is doing in Shenzhen.
Aimee arrived and Jimmy showed us what they described as a “silly” video that they made to welcome Yudhamnayu. It was actually a beautiful video capturing each person’s mood of devotion and the reasons they wanted to be initiated and join our “international family”.
Day 5
Today is the day!! Yudhamanyu is already pacing when we get up. We buy cloth for the offerings, spaghetti, 
vegetables, bread and drinks for dinner. We go back to the hotel to gather all the things we brought from Chengdu for the initiations, saris, a kurta, a picture of Srila Govinda Maharaj, a picture of the Deities in Nabadawip, saffron cloth, japa mala, bead bags, tulasi beads, tilak, a Kirtan guide, a Bhagavad Gita and more.
There was nothing lost in translation about the eagerness and sincerity that could be felt in Jayavati’s apartment that night.
When Yudhamanyu showed up we all took our formal places around the altar and Yudhamanyu sang Sri Guru Charana Padma and a little chanting following with everyone joining in. Jimmy, Ketty, and Aimee were singing Hare Krishna and I was completely amazed.
Next Yudha spoke about the mission there and it really struck me that he said China has 1.3 billion people and you are here because you are special. Like cream rises to the top of milk, you few are the cream of China!
He told them that he personally talked to Gurudev and he has already accepted them. Yudhamanyu explained that Gurudev already knows who they are even though he hasn’t seen them, and that Gurudev cannot be in China himself so that is why Yudhamanyu is giving the initiation for Him.
Jimmy was the first initiate and Yudhamanyu gave him so much attention and explained everything in such detail. He then told Jimmy that he called Srila Govinda Maharaj who has given him a new name Jayaindra Dev. Jayaindra Prabhu Ki Jaya!!
Aimee was next to be initiated and Gurudeva gave her the name Indumukhi Dasi. Indumukhi Dasi Ki Jaya!!
Then Ketty came up and with each initiate Yudhamanyu stressed the importance of association with each other and especially to help Jayavati and follow her instructions. He then told Ketty her new name would be Krishna Lata Dasi. Krishna Lata Dasi Ki Jaya!!!
Madhumita didi and Radhika didi
Afterwards Jayavati offered prasadam and the rest as they say is history!
What an incredible program to be a part of. As Yudhamanyu said now I’m done. If I die it’s been done.
We will always be grateful to have been a part of this amazing history.
Our sincere Dandavats,
Radhika and Madhumita
<em><strong>Sripad Jai Balai Prabhu’s</strong></em> beautiful offering for Srila Janardan Maharaj on the occasion of his auspicious Vyasapuja. <em>(In both English and Spanish.)</em><em><a href=”http://www.sevaashram.net/3723/honoring-janardan-maharaj/” target=”_blank”> Read article…</a></em>