An Exhilarating Festival At New Vrindavan

[Guest guest]

Nityodita Swami - New Vrndavana Community

 

Dear Exalted Vaisnava Devotees of the Lord,

 

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

 

I pray that you are all engaged nicely in the service of Sri Sri Radha Vrndavana Candra.

 

This past weekend many sincere leaders from all over North America assembled at New Vrndavana for 3 days of chanting, dancing, meeting and feasting! It was exhilarating to be part of the experience! This extraordinary event provided me an opportunity for serious reflection.

 

The last time so many devotees were here for such a meeting was in 1985, during a special Prabhupada disciple meeting where over 300 devotees assembled to try to solve the pressing problems of ISKCON. Since that time many inconceivable things have occurred here in New Vrndavana.

 

In 1987, Kirtanananda was excommunicated from ISKCON, and the very next year the whole New Vrndavana Community was expelled! The community was then gradually led down a deviant path of religious speculation that transformed the once blissful Radha Vrndavana Candra Temple services into a hodgepodge mixture of dry Christianity and questionable Vaisnavism.

 

Finding myself very frustrated with all the changes but at the same time very much attached to New Vrndavana, I reopened the Old Vrndavana farm as a Bhakta Ashram in 1992. I was very happy training the boys in the traditional Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy and practices. In the fall of 1993 it became crystal clear that Srila Prabhupada wanted New Vrndavana to make very serious changes in order to bring the whole community back to the practices and standards that he personally gave us.

 

After praying to Srila Prabhupada and asking senior devotees for advice, I heard, "If possible, try to bring the community back into= ISKCON." At that time I closed the Old Vrndavana farm and moved into Radha Vrndavana Candra's Temple. For the next six years, I became increasingly involved with the temple, its policies, practices problems and vision. In the course of the often-intense ideological struggle that ensued, I offended many sincere devotees. If you were one of them, I sincerely fall at your feet and beg for your forgiveness.

 

This past weekend was a milestone in my service to Srila Prabhupada and New Vrndavana. In the presence of so many sincere leaders of ISKCON assembled here, it became apparent that we were very much accepted into the hearts of the Vaisnavas. When we heard how the devotees were so pleased not only by the facilities offered to them but especially by the loving service attitude of the New Vrndavana devotees, I was sure we had received Krsna's blessings! The fact that there was a unanimous decision to hold the year 2000 North American GBC Temple Managers Meeting here in the Holy Dhama is a very auspicious sign for the new millennium! Now that the goal of full acceptance into ISKCON has been reached, I would like to focus my energy in other areas of concern. I believe that in order to be a more loving community we need to communicate more amongst ourselves and to the public. Therefore I am praying for the mercy of the Vaisnavas to lessen my involvement in the day to day operation of the temple. I desire to serve the devotees throughout the whole community by making myself more available for befriending and counseling devotees.

 

I also would like to help organize and inspire book and prasadam distribution to the general public and do more "home programs".

 

As Vaisnavas, we know that we can not be successful in any endeavor without the blessings of the devotees. Therefore, I am begging for your mercy in order to get the strength to serve Srila Prabhupada in this way.

 

Hare Krsna!

Your lowly servant,

 

Nityodita Swami