To Read the IDVM Monthly Newsletter “Make Vrindavana Villages” click the link below
http://www.makevrindavanavillages.blogspot.in/
Welcome Message from IDVM Minister,HH RP Bhakti Raghava Swami
Om Sri Surabhyai namah! Om Sri Gurave namah! Gomaye vasate laksmi!
Make Vrindavana Villages was first conceived as a book title in the year 2007, the author’s first publication. It was then produced as an IDVM Varnasrama Media Production (VMP) documentary in the year 2013 by Sriman Bharat Chandra das, then National Coordinator for IDVM-India. Now, in this year of 2014, the same title is appearing in yet another multi-media format, the IDVM-India Newsletter by the good efforts of Sriman Sri Rama das, Sriman Vamsuli das, Sriman Mahamantra das and their team of dedicated volunteers.
“Make Vrindavana” is an expression coined by Srila Prabhupada himself. He genuinely wanted us to not only convert our own environment as like Vrindavana, indeed he wanted to turn the entire world into the spiritual atmosphere of Cintamani Dham by focusing on the basic practices of cow protection, brahminical culture and self-realization, following in the footsteps of the residents of bhauma Vrindavana. The verse and purport to “go vipra sura sadhunam” (SB 8.24.5) wonderfully explains this point.
Our Goswamis of Vrindavana have listed 64 items of devotional service, out of which five are described as the most important angas or limbs of bhakti. Srila Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami explains in his Sri Caitanya Caritamrta: 1) sadhu sanga, 2) nama kirtan, 3) bhagavat sravana, 4) Mathura vasa, and 5) sri murtira (CC Madhya 22.128), “One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside at Mathura (Vrindavana) and worship the Deity with faith and veneration.” Srila Rupa Goswami considers these five items to be superior to all other items.
The theme Make Vrindavana Villages is the continued vision of Srila Prabhupada’s essay on Gita Nagari wherein he urges us to live in a place following the teachings of Bhagavad-gita. This is the essence of the Vedic culture, the essence of the varnasrama culture: live as Krishna and the residents of Vraja lived 5000 years ago in the simple yet sublime atmosphere of Vrindavan Dham, depending on the land, the cows and Lord Krishna. We have yet to realize the 50% of Srila Prabhupada’s mission, that of establishing varnasrama dharma. Modern day society is feverishly running after materialism through increased sophisticated technologies, complicated mechanization and global urbanization thus forgetting the real purpose of life. Vedic culture propounds the glories of simple technologies and spirituality through a predominantly localized agrarian lifestyle based on the principles of simple living and high thinking.
The ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry (IDVM) of India has been established for that purpose; to bring awareness to individuals and society at large on the urgent need to lead our lives based on the tenets of the eternal scientific teachings of the Vedic knowledge whose foundational instructions we find in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.
By bringing such awareness we hope to inspire more people to take up this simplified lifestyle. There is an urgent need to protect existing village communities in India and around the world; beginning with the protection of mother cow.There is a need to create new communities as well. We therefore hope to attract individuals who can join us in the many on-going and unfolding outreach programs of the Ministry. We very much want you to be part of this exciting 4th wave of Srila Prabhupada’s mission. I pray that the IDVM Make Vrindavan Villages Newsletter can help us all make tangible steps towards fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s complete mission to spread the sacred mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in every town and village.
“I extend my deepest appreciation to all those devotees who are making this newsletter a reality. May Srila Prabhupada and all our previous Acaryas give you their full blessings.”
Krsne matir astu.
RP Bhakti Raghava Swami
Minister, IDVM-India