Archive for San Jose
Dear Friend of the Ashram,
Thursday will be the 14th anniversary of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Sundar’s arrival and installation in the current San Jose Seva Ashram on East Saint James Street. On behalf of Kumkum Devi I invite you to please join the devotees at 5:30 pm for an evening festival and feast celebrating this happy occasion. Srila Janardan Maharaj will be leading the special celebration. We hope to see you there.
Yours in the Lord’s service,
Sushila Devi Dasi
Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Sundarjiu
14th Anniversary
of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Sundar
~
Thursday, November 6, 2014
5:30 pm in San Jose
For great videos and articles about this occasion, click here.
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!
Dear devotees and friends,
Please join us in San Jose for morning darshan with Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Sundar on Saturdays from 6:30-9 am.
6:30 am Mangal Aroti
7:00 am Morning Kirtans
8:00 am Class on the holy scriptures: Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita and Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat
“The Supreme Lord is not part of this world. Rather, all universes exist within a part of Him. Still, by His inconceivable power, He lives like us, or comes near us, to accept our service. The attempt of a tiny soul to measure His power is simply a laughing matter. It is for this reason that Sri Chaitanaydev advised souls to practice jnana-shunya-bhakti [‘knowledge’-free devotion].”
~Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami’s homage to Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur
Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Seva Ashram
269 East Saint James St.
San Jose, CA 95112
Sri Gauranga Sundarjiu on His beautiful altar
*Practical and tangible approach to reality
*Enhanced lessons for the modern practitioner
*Mahatma Gandhi: “My spiritual dictionary”
Srimad Bhagavad-gita class and discussion
Fridays at 6:30 pm
Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Seva Ashram
269 East Saint James St.
between N. 6th St. and N. 7th St.
San Jose, CA 95112
(408) 288-6360
(408) 655-3004
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mamma namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo si me
mad-yaji mamma namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo si me
“Think of me always, devote yourself to Me, worship Me and bow to Me, and surely you will come to Me. I promise you this, because you are dear to Me.”
–Srimad Bhagavad-gita 18.65
November 28, 2012
Sriman Gaurangasundarjiu on the altar in San Jose
On Rasapurnima day in the year 2000, the divine deity form of Sriman Gaurangasundar (Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) who had already been in California many years, and was being worshiped at the Soquel Seva Ashram, was installed in what Srila Govinda Maharaj called “His own home” on St. James St. in San Jose. Srimati Kumkum Didi made all the arrangements for purchasing and remodeling the beautiful Victorian house to fulfill Srila Govinda Maharaj’s desire that there would be a temple in San Jose. These twelve years she has maintained the Ashram and the Lord’s daily worship with the dedicated help of many gentle and honorable Vaishnavas.
Here are some photographs from the lovely evening program held to commemorate and celebrate the fortunate day when Sriman Gaurangasundar arrived at the temple for the first time. That day He arrived on a palenquin in a grand parade from 17th St. with jubilant devotees chanting the Holy Name in sankirtan. Srila Govinda Maharaj personally oversaw every detail of the arrangements for the altar, the offerings, and altogether every aspect of the Lord’s worship.
Related links:
Letter by Kumkum Didi in 2000
This day in 2002
Photo report by Vrindavaneshwari Devi Dasi
Photo report from Srila Gurudev’s word tour in 2005
24 November 2007 
San Jose, USA. Talks by Srila Govinda Maharaj and Sripad Goswami Maharaj during the Anniversary Celebration of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Sundar’s Auspicious arrival at the San Jose Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Seva Ashram.
Video captured and prepared by Vaidehi Devi Dasi:
32+ minutes, 63 MB ‘mov’ video
All glories to His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj!
All glories to Sri Sri Guru Gaurangasundarjiu!
All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Janardan Maharaj, Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu Seva Vikram and Sripad Hasyapriya Prabhu (right to left)
Srila Janardan Maharaj just had just returned from Brazil
And Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu just returned from China
They were happy to see one another again
As well as Sripad Hasyapriya Prabhu, who just returned from India
Srila Janardan Maharaj shared news of his trip to Brazil and of Srila Trivikram Maharaj
And then news about the devotees in China
Then Janardan Maharaj told the story of Srila Govinda Maharaj's first trips to San Jose
As well as Sri Gaurangasundar's glories and the history of this Ashram in San Jose
Today was the 12th anniversary of Sri Gaurangasundar's installation in this Ashram
Here are Sita, Vidura Krishna Prabhu, Srimati Kumkum Didi, and Vimala Didi
Divyashakti Didi and Swarnangii Didi
Shatrughna Prabhu, who recently travelled with Janardan Maharaj to China, and Vrinda Didi
Braja Mohini Didi making flower garlands
With Laksmipriya Didi
Ramananda Prabhu and Shyama Gopa Prabhu
On the right: Ashok Kumar. On the left: Venkatesh Chembrolu, son of Srila Acarya Maharaj's disciples, Hanuman and Sita. We're always happy when they can come.
Lavanika and Nabh
A happy reunion for all the honorable vaishnavas returning from their travels
Swarnangii Didi and Kumkum Didi, who has made all the arrangements for this temple and Sri Gaurangasundar's service
Jairam Prabhu on the left and Premanidhi Prabhu on the right
Anukrishna Didi fortunately received Srila Janardan Maharaj's prasadam
Jairam Prabhu with Sangita Didi discuss the upcoming Kathak dance concert that they are organizing as a fundraiser for the temple
The girls
Lalita Didi and Shatrugna Prabhu
Shyama Gopa Prabhu with Jananivas
The honorable kitchen crew hard at work
Abha Didi made puff pastries
Nandarani Didi makes wonderful dahl and vegetable dishes
Sridhar Prabhu hard at work washing the Lord's pots
Lilashakti Didi, another of Sri Gaurangasundar's dedicated servitors
The devotees prepare to honor the sumptuous prasadam
Mahaprasadam ki jay!
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!
Dandabat pranam to the feet of all the vaisnavas,
Young Allie got the fortune of meeting Srimati Govinda Nandini several months ago. She was very attracted to Govinda Nandini’s enthusiastic preaching and common-sense friendship, and frequently came to the temple to talk with her and attend our programs. When Govinda Nandini moved to Salt Lake City, Allie found that she seriously missed the association and decided to attend whenever she could and also to increase her service connection. Her natural, sincere inquiries became vital to her happiness and she found herself seeking how to extend Krishna consciousness to friends and acquaintances.
Around the first of June, she wrote to Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj, asking for initiation, and he accepted her as his disciple. Because of his travel, it took a while to decide on a date for the ceremony. He chanted on beads which were shipped to our temple in San Jose, and all worked out for a connection by Skype on the evening of July 4th. By the great assistance of Nimai Chandra Prabhu, Srila Acharyadev spoke to her about the significance of this change in her fortune and instructed her how to chant on her beads. He said that, on the order of Srila Govinda Maharaj, he is giving this connection to her.
Srila Acharya Maharaj said that to make quick progress, know the nama-aparadha and avoid them; when devotees wonder why they are not experiencing taste, this is what they must consider. He also was very re-assuring that we can get devotion if we want it. He gave the example of a child who is crying when his mother and father leave him and becomes happy when they give him a chocolate bar, although he could get anything from his loving parents. We mustn’t be satisfied to get material happiness from our Lord. If we pray for pure devotion, we will get it. Sri Ramananda prayed for pure devotion and Krishna gave it to him, while his brother prayed for material things and he was awarded salary, comforts, etc.
He finally told her to contact him any time, with any question; saying she is now his daughter. He said to be satisfied only with talks of Krishna, service to Krishna, and eating only Krishna prasad.
Srimati Anu Krishna Devi Dasi ki jaya!
In service,
Kumkum
All glories to Sri Sri Guru Gaurangasundar!
The beautiful altar of Sriman Gaurangasundar
Srimati Kumkum Didi
And Allie and Elise
Allie connects with Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj on skype
Srila Acharyadev looks happy
He gives her beautiful instructions
About chanting the Hare Krishna mahamantra
Anu Krishna Didi ki jaya!
Anu Krishna Didi on the right, with her friend Elise
The basket of beautiful offerings that a disciple presents to the spiritual master at the time of harinam initiation
All glories to Sri Sri Guru Gaurangasundar!
All glories to Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj ki jaya!
All glories to Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj ki jaya!
All glories to Srimati Kumkum Didi and Anu Krishna Didi!
March 3, 2012
In anticipation of the Sri Gaura Purnima festival, Braja Mohini didi inspired a group of devotees to go out and chant the holy name in downtown San Jose.
Photos by Braja Mohini didi:
The devotees gather together in front of the San Jose Ashram
It is a lovely day to walk and chant with family and friends...
so everyone gets going
Kids lead the way
The group heads to the heart of downtown San Jose
Here they pass San Jose city hall
And continue into the light
"hare krishna, hare krishna, krishna krishna, hare hare, hare rama, hare rama, rama rama, hare hare"
Kumaris Anuradha and Shyamamohini
Shyamamohini gives out an invitation to the upcoming festival
Kumari Anjali was also part of the group
All the girls spontaneously pose for the camera