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Tribute to Kadamba Kanana Maharaj

Hare Krishna dear friends,

Here is a beautiful tribute to Kadamba Kanana Maharaj by my dear friend Radhacaran Prabhu, who is now an initiating guru and preaching in China:

A Great Vaisnava has left this world today*, with so much inspiration and enough to keep us focused on service to Srila Prabhupada.

Maharaj was known all over the world for many things: his lectures, his kirtans, his preaching and his powered energy. 

But let us also remember that he was the mastermind behind Srila Prabhupada samadhi. He was also behind the construction of Srila Prabhupada samadhi in Mayapur. He also risked his life to secure the land adjacent to the KB Mandir. But wait, there is more. He was the general manager for the KB Mandir in the 80s. BB Govinda Swami was the temple president and I was made the head cook. That was 1983.

When I took up my service, Kadamba Kanana Maharaj said, “Follow me.” We went to the top floor of the gurukula building. He gave me a set of keys to a room that was full with dozens of tins of 10kg pure ghee. “Use it wisely,” he said. 

Kadamba Kanana Maharaj never missed a mangal arati and loved to sing Vibhavari Sesa. Did you know he spoke fluent Hindi?

You may recall how he always had his sleeves rolled up. He was always ready to get to work to make things happen. Basically, he never stopped. Thank you Maharaj.

I did not personally know Kadamba Kanana Maharaj, but last year at Rathayatra in New York, he walked by me, and I saw him, and I must have had such a sad face, knowing his condition, and he looked at me with a big smile, and said “Rukmini! Why the funeral face?!“

This great devotee, who walked in our midst, has shown us how to live, and how to leave this world in pure Krishna, consciousness, with a big smile! 

May we all be blessed to realize and follow your example, dear respected Maharaj! You will be embraced by Lord Sri Krishna, when you arrive!

All the best,
Rukmini Walker

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Appearance Day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur

Dear Friends,

February 10th is the holy Appearance Day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, the beloved guru of our beloved Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur was a lifelong celibate, first as a brahmacari, and then a sannyasi, a brilliant scholar and author, and known for his uncompromising devotion to speaking the truth, even among those who opposed him and even threatened his life. He was also amazingly progressive in his views on utilizing everything of the modern world in the service of the Lord.

In the following excerpt from his Harmonist newspaper, he expresses such progressive views on relationships between a husband and wife, in a spiritual relationship, which is called the grihastha ashram. The following article is entitled, “Relations Between the Sexes”.

“The cardinal principle of grihastha ashram is that no one may be the owner of any property or service of another. Everyone is only a servant whose activities are ever in service of the Lord. Similarly, the sole object of everyone’s service as the only master, only friend, only son, and only consort is Kṛṣṇa.

Marrying and giving in marriage do not give rise to any rights of a master either to the husband or to the wife. Men and women are joined in wedlock for the purpose of serving each other in the performance of the joint service of Kṛṣṇa. The wife is not an object of enjoyment of the husband, nor vice versa. They do not marry for gratifying their sexual appetites. They marry for pleasing the Lord, not for pleasing themselves.

They choose for their partners only such persons who serve God better than themselves. They offer themselves to be accepted by their partners for the favor of being allowed to share in their superior service of Hari. Neither the husband nor the wife should claim the services of his or her partner on their own account. Both of them are only to offer their services if and when their partner is pleased to permit them to share their service of Hari. None of them can force their partners to serve them…

The reason why the guru does not ordinarily ask any person to enter the state of wedlock is that it is very rare to find anyone in this world who is willing to regard his or her wife or husband as worthy of his or her unconditional services. This is, however, exactly the only relationship between husband and wife that alone can be sanctioned by the guru.”

Can we also strive to extend such unconditional loving service to each other, and all others we meet as we try to share the teachings of Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa through this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement?

All the best,
Rukmini Walker

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Interview Interview

Devotional Mysticism and Plant Teachers: Light Holders Through Winter

~presented by Rukmini Walker & Ashley Elenbaas

Winter is the darkest season of the year. While darkness is often seen as burdensome, it is rich with gifts necessary for those on a spiritual path. In this video, herbalist Ashley Elenbaas and director of UrbanDevi, Rukmini Walker, take a deep dive into the dark and fertile caves of winter and darkness and how we can get the most out of this season. Plants such as Angelica, Mugwort, and Pine are explored as plant allies to help guide the work of deep winter dreaming and bringing our consciousness of light into these dark spaces. Please click here or on the video image below.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk_dWtxZszA[/embed]   

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Karma, Grace, and Free Will - Perspectives for Integral Transformation Vaisnava Christian Dialogue

Dear Friends,
 With Christmas coming up in just a few days, I thought you might find it interesting to hear a report about our recent Vaisnava Christian Dialogue that was held online last week with Catholic, Protestant, Sri Vaisnava and Gaudiya Vaisnava participants in India, the US and the UK.My husband, Anuttama and I have been hosting two such dialogues each year. Our dialogue in the DC area where we live, which has continued for over twenty-five years, in person until Covid. Last April we met again in person for the first time in two years at our ISKCON of DC temple.Our dialogue in India has been going on for about ten years. In person before Covid, and now online for the last few years.The participants are all practitioners, and many of them scholars and professors. Some are Jesuit priests, one is a Catholic nun, and one is an archbishop as well. We have no audience. It has been a meeting of authentic hearts across religious and cultural boundaries.Our format is that each previous year, we conjointly choose a topic. Four members agree to write papers-from the perspective of their own tradition- one from the outlook of a Protestant Christian, one from a Catholic perspective, one sharing as a Sri Vaisnava, and one from a Gaudiya Vaisnava perspective.Culturally, this dialogue is interesting and different in that many of the participants are practitioners of a minority religion (Christians in India, Vaisnavas in the US) in a country where the majority of the population follows another religious tradition.In this dialogue we also have some Indian born Vaisnavas (men, women, and sannyasis) who grew up attending Catholic schools, and feel grateful for the foundational moral education they received there.One of our participants, Parijata Devi from Mumbai was happily surprised to be reunited with her dear high school teacher, Sister Teresa, at our dialogue after many years.Dr. Gifta Angilene is a Protestant Christian originally from Odissa, and who now lives and teaches in Kolkata. She was awarded her doctorate degree this past April. And you will never guess what the topic of her thesis was!Amazingly, as a Protestant, she argued that the writings and teachings of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada can uplift the condition of women in India. Her PhD advisers at her university requested documentation of her idea.Many women who are disciples and followers of Srila Prabhupada wrote papers, each from their own experience, confirming Srila Prabhupada’s egalitarian vision for engaging women equally along with the men in the activities of devotion.Congratulations, Dr. Gifta!This year our topic was entitled Karma, Grace, and Free Will: Perspectives for Integral Transformation.In India, sometimes the philosophy of karma has been misinterpreted and weaponized by sectarian people in order to discriminate and deny social mobility to so-called lower class people.Our Sri Vaisnava participant, Dr. Jagannivas said that in the eyes of God, no one is untouchable. And that this misunderstanding of the varnasram system has created havoc in India.Dr. Israel (an Indian Protestant minister living in Leicester, in the UK) said that millions of the poor are reeling under this system and that we must challenge this travesty.Dr. Ravi Gupta (Radhika Raman Prabhu) described his vision of an Engaged Vaisnavism. He told the story of how the sage, Narada, out of compassion, stepped off his own path to ask the hunter, Mrgrari why he was so cruelly half-killing the animals.Narada expressed the idea of karma in a forward-facing way: You have the capacity to change and to better your future. Seeing karma as a tool to effect positive change in someone’s heart.A suffering condition may be someone’s karma, but it is the dharma of a Vaisnava devotee to assist and uplift whomever he or she meets. The philosophy of karma is not a kind of fatalism.With the blessings of holy company, as we experience in this Vaisnava Christian Dialogue each year, each of us has the capacity to transform our hearts and discover the diamonds of our true identity.This reminds me of a famous quote: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of one of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.”" -- Matthew 20:40Wishing you all a very happy Christmas, Hanukah, and many blessings to you all in the coming year!All the best,Rukmini Walker
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Disappearance Day of Srila Prabhupada

On the 45th anniversary of the Disappearance Day of Srila Prabhupada, October 28, 2022, I pray that his followers and his mission will always honor his magnanimous mood, and the magnanimous mood of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, cooperating together and honoring unity in diversity.Rukmini Walker[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt21pBgL2aw&t=73s[/embed] 

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Lecture Lecture

Urban Devi- Devotional Literature: Practical Strategies

This month's Urban Devi session was with Guru Carana Padma Dasi. She joined the bhakti movement in 1976 in Chicago where she was engaged in full-time outreach programs. She came to the UK in 1979 and was at the full-time ladies’ book distribution party in London and around the UK. After marrying Kripamoya Dasa in 1982 they developed a community through the Nama Hatta outreach and FOLK (Friends of Lord Krishna) programs as well as supervising, educating, and nurturing new students who joined the ashram. After having her 3 children, she became involved in children’s education at Bhaktivedanta manor and eventually became the head of the Primary elementary school where she served for over 20 years. At this time, she gained her degrees in Educational Management and Early years education. She is currently serving on the temple council at Bhaktivedanta Manor UK and is on the Ladies' board at Bhaktivedanta Manor helping to support the ladies’ programs there. She is also an Ombudsman/Mediator through ISKCON Resolve.

With Gratitude,

Rukmini Walker  

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Letter, Uncategorized Letter, Uncategorized

Vyasa Puja Offering ~ A letter to Srila Prabhupada

~by Rukmini Walker

This is my vyasa puja offering to Srila Prabhupada for this year 2022.

**To listen to Rukmini's audio recitation of this letter, please click here  or on the video image below***

 My Eternal Father and Master, Srila Prabhupada,

nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhutale

srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine

nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

This year 2022, is the celebration of the anniversary of Sri Sri Radha Govinda-ji's arrival and installation in New York's Brooklyn temple on Henry Street, where I was serving as pujari. I made grieves offenses to your Lordship at that time, and we heard that you were furious about all that we'd done at my instigation. I was ignorant, but as I have heard you say many times, ignorance is no excuse; fire will burn even an innocent child if she comes too close. I was that ignorant child, and I was so remorseful after hearing about your anger. I felt that my spiritual life was over and that I would surely die. I wrote you a letter expressing my grief and shame, but your compassion and forgiveness surpassed my comprehension and imagination. Your return letter never mentioned my offenses but rather stunned me with undeserved praise.

Here is a quote from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta  Antya-līlā verse 4.47 --

“If by chance a servant falls down and goes somewhere else, glorious is that master who captures him and brings him back by the hair.

Later that year, you personally came to our Brooklyn temple. Sri Sri Radha Govinda-ji were dressed in a simple outfit. Govinda-ji in His classic yellow dhoti and Srimati Radharani in a Vrindavan style skirt and chuni. The temple room was crammed with guests eager to hear your Sunday lecture. You entered the long narrow temple room and walked to the front, where you stood with folded hands, gazing at your worshipful Lords for a very long time. I had just finished performing the aarti ceremony, and I hid behind the left had curtain trying to be invisible. As you started to bow down to offer your obeisances, I saw tears shoot out of your eyes like a syringe, just as we'd seen in pictures of Lord Caitanya at Ratha Yatra. The devotees on the right side of the temple room were splashed with tears. I saw them looking around to see where the water had come from. Had the pujari thrown water from the aarti ceremony over their heads? As you so humbly bowed down, I jumped off the side of the altar, telling my friend Palika, those are Srila Prabhupada's tears. We both gathered your precious sacred teardrops up from the floor and smeared them on our heads again and again.When shall my eyes be decorated with tears of love such as yours? When shall my heart be decorated with compassion and forgiveness such as yours? When will that day be mine?Thank you for your glorious, divine, amazing grace and forgiveness, which is fathomless and beyond my comprehension, without which my life would be meaningless.I beg to remain your servant eternally.Rukmini devi dasi[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD8bHMm_RZI[/embed]

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Why Does There Have To Be Violence?

~by Rukmini Walker

The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either, but right through every human heart. ~Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Why does there have to be violence? Why do there have to be bullies on my child’s playground? Why do people cheat on their wives or husbands? Why do leaders invade the borders of other countries? Why does there have to be war? Why does evil exist in the world?In this earthly sphere, this nether world between heaven and hell, we choose our direction, by our own free will.We have freedom, but freedom bears responsibilities as well. Each moment we choose to lean in, toward doing the righteous thing, toward goodness, toward dharma; or we choose to lean out in the ways against dharma, or right action- manipulating or massaging our own greed or ego or self aggrandizement.An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.This is the in-between world where we have a chance to transform, and reform our consciousness and our hearts. But that can never be forced. Some choose to love God, and to love others as themselves; others choose the degradation of hate.If we want to live in a world without violence, then we have to seek, and help others seek that transformation of the heart. Being ever cautious not to encroach, taking more than my share.As Isopanisad advises us, “… knowing well to Whom all things belong.”Living in the simplicity of righteous dharma, or right action, offering each of my actions to Krsna, or the Divine by any name, helps us learn step by step how to one day transfer beyond this world to the eternal world of selfless loving exchanges.

My soul is from elsewhere, I’m sure of that, and I intend to end up there… ~Rumi

On this Nrsimha Caturdasi, we can each try to emulate and follow the path of the simple, faithful child saint, Prahlada Maharaj. Or we can ignore that higher dictation and succumb to the path of anger and greed following his wayward father, Hiranyakasipu.Why does there have to be violence? It depends which way we lean, which way we choose, each day, each moment.----All the best,Rukmini Walker

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Struck with Wonder and Gratitude!

I gave a class at New York's Bhakti Center on gratitude and the aspects of wonder from the Srimad Bhagavatam - wisdom for  higher state of  mindfulness and for a grateful attitude. In the image below, the transition from lower to higher state is by staying engaged, curious and maintaining a sense of wonder.
To listen in, please click on this link or on the video image below.
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All the best,
Rukmini Walker
*Connect with Rukmini through her Patreon Community: Patreon.com/RukminiWalker Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rukmini.walker Urban
[embed]https://youtu.be/f33a8LU7Y3U[/embed]
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Ultimate Life Hacks from the Bhagavad Gita

In our April Urban Devi* Ladies Syama Sangita Devi Dasi takes us on a journey into Sri Krishna's main teachings of this sacred book.
Born and raised in NYC, Syama Sangita has performed stand-up comedy on hundreds of stages in Canada, U.D., U.K., and Hong Kong. Wanting to take her craft to new heights, she decided to combine her love for humor and love for Eastern Spirituality, and founded The Hopeful Hindu (http://www.thehopefulhindu.com/), a speaking company that combines stand-up comedy and ancient spiritual wisdom from the East. Aastha currently lives in LA and works for Jay Shetty, creating conscious media content for the world.
To listen to these incredible and inspiring stories, please click on this link or on the video image at the bottom of this post.
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All the best,
Rukmini Walker
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*Urban Devi is a monthly interactive women’s discussion circle that seeks to make spirituality accessible to women in the 21st century. For more information, please follow Rukmini on Facebook, or go to the Bhakti Center NYC online programs.
[embed]https://youtu.be/b96-LkvD2k0[/embed]
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Bittersweet Spring

We live each day in a world of duality. Here in the Washington DC area, the month of March, roars in like a lion with blustery cold winds, rain and hail. Yet, at the same time, the whole city is beautiful— blooming with yellow forsythia, the first pale pink cherry trees, and wild white flowering pear trees like towers of white lace filling every empty space.On the other side of the world, mothers and children have become refugees, or gone missing as they’ve hovered together, sheltering underground to somehow live despite the bombing of Ukraine. Will they ever see their conscripted fathers, husbands or sons again?Is there hope beyond this world? We are meant for a much higher life! Beyond this bittersweet world of new beginnings and excruciating untimely endings. Hear from the holy ones of the world beyond this world where “moth and dust corrupt”!

*****************************************************************************

Ah, love, let us be true

To one another! for the world, which seems

To lie before us like a land of dreams,

So various, so beautiful, so new,

Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,

Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;

And we are here as on a darkling plain

Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,

Where ignorant armies clash by night.

                           (from Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold)

 All the best,Rukmini Walker 

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Conversation Conversation

The Heart of the Sacred Feminine: Beauty and Truth in Bhakti

Once again, Ashley Liteckly Elenbaas of Sky House Herbs invited me to share in a talk exploring the The Heart of the Sacred Feminine: Beauty and Truth in Bhakti.  I hope you find our conversation as engaging as I do!  To listen in, please click on this link or on the video image below.
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All the best,
Rukmini Walker
*Connect with Rukmini through her Patreon Community: Patreon.com/RukminiWalker Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rukmini.walker Urban Devi: urbandevi.com Bhakti Center: https://bhakticenter.org/
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[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fME80dzdYi0[/embed]
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The Heart of the Sacred Feminine - The Dance of Intimacy (Session 3)

Ashley Liteckly Elenbaas of Sky House Herbs has invited me to share a series of talks with her exploring the Divine Feminine, Srimati Radharani. So far, we've had three discussions, and we're planning to continue them every couple of weeks.
I hope you find these conversations as engaging as I do!  To listen in, please click on this link or on the video image below.
All the best,
Rukmini Walker
*Connect with Rukmini through her Patreon Community: Patreon.com/RukminiWalker Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rukmini.walker Urban Devi: urbandevi.com Bhakti Center: https://bhakticenter.org/
**Maha Mantra to recite on Tulsi Japa Beads: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hara Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_6tsOjpuik[/embed]About Ashley ElenbaasAshley is the proprietor of sky house herb school and apothecary. She  teaches people about plants, lead wellness workshops and retreats, and spend copious amounts of time in the garden.To join Ashley you can find her on the following media platforms.Subscribe to this channel to stay up to date with new videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqHW…Sign up to my mailing list to stay updated on free webinars, virtual garden and herb walks, and other free content: http://www.skyhouseherbs.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashley.litecky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skyhouseherbs/  #SkyHouseHerbs #AshleyElenbaas
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Conversation Conversation

Adventures in Russia w/Mondakini Devi Dasi

In our January Urban Devi* Ladies Sanga, Mondakini Devi Dasi talks about her amazing experiences as well as the experiences of heroic devotees who laid the foundation of the explosive growth of Krishna Consciousness in Russia.  Mondakini regularly travels to Russia, providing venues for devotees who suffered in Soviet prisons to share their profound stories with others. To listen to these incredible and inspiring stories, please click on this link or on the video image at the bottom of this post.
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All the best,
Rukmini Walker
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*Urban Devi is a monthly interactive women’s discussion circle that seeks to make spirituality accessible to women in the 21st century. For more information, please follow Rukmini on Facebook, or go to the Bhakti Center NYC online programs.
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[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDi7D-5w4zc[/embed]
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Interview Interview

The Role of the Feminine in Bhakti Yoga (Session 2)

In this interview, Rukmini Walker & Ashley Litecky Elenbaas explore the role of the feminine in Bhakti Yoga. 
To watch, please click on the video image below.
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[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILRBEc3kIGc&t=657s[/embed]

About Ashley ElenbaasAshley is the proprietor of sky house herb school and apothecary. She  teaches people about plants, lead wellness workshops and retreats, and spend copious amounts of time in the garden.

To join Ashley you can find her on the following media platforms.

Subscribe to this channel to stay up to date with new videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqHW...Sign up to my mailing list to stay updated on free webinars, virtual garden and herb walks, and other free content: http://www.skyhouseherbs.com/ Say hi on social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashley.liteckyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skyhouseherbs/  #SkyHouseHerbs #AshleyElenbaas

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Interview Interview

The Heart of the Sacred Feminine: An Introduction to Bhakti Yoga & the Goddess

In this video Ashely Elenbaas and Rukmini talk about Bhaiti Yoga and the Goddess!  To watch, please click on this link or on the video image below.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko5rYTH12GU[/embed] 
About Ashley ElenbaasAshley is the proprietor of sky house herb school and apothecary. She  teaches people about plants, lead wellness workshops and retreats, and spend copious amounts of time in the garden.

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To join Ashley you can find her on the following media platforms.Subscribe to this channel to stay up to date with new videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqHW...Sign up to my mailing list to stay updated on free webinars, virtual garden and herb walks, and other free content: http://www.skyhouseherbs.com/ Say hi on social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashley.liteckyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skyhouseherbs/  #SkyHouseHerbs #AshleyElenbaas

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