Krishna Kathamrita Bindu Hits 9 Years and 200 Issues

Here is the latest news with Bindu. Our humble and sincere thanks to all of the kind vaishnavas who have supported this service over the years.

Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu, the free e-magazine from ISKCON Gopaljiu Publications, has just entered its ninth year of circulation, and has reached 200 issues distributed to its ever-growing list of subscribers.

Started in 2001 as a humble attempt to serve Srila Prabhupada and the preachers of the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu is especially meant for devotees who were interested in going deep into the tradition and literature of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Our policy from the beginning has been to simply focus on krishna-katha – no politics, exposes, revolutions, or institutional bashing or promotion. Tad-vag-visargo janatagha-viplavo – our conviction is that krishna-katha and krishna-nama automatically changes everything for the better. They are the ultimate solutions to all problems in this world. In the words of Srila Saraswati Thakur, “The person who determines that there is scope for reform of the world himself stands in need of reform. ... As soon as Krishna enters the listening ear, he clears up the vision of the listener so that he no longer has any ambition of ever acting the part of a reformer of any other person, because he finds that nobody is left without the very highest guidance. It is therefore his own reform that he is increasingly able to realize, by the eternally continuing mercy of the Supreme Lord.” [Read the complete article in Bindu 177]

Bindu has featured many first-time translations, including stories and songs from little-known works, such as Sri Tilak Ramdas’ “Abhiram Lilamrta”, Yadunandan Das’ “Karnananda”, Jagadbandhu Bhadra’s “Gaura-pada-tarangini”, Gopijanavallabha Das’ “Rasika Mangala”, Krishnadas’ “Syamananda Prakash”, Jiva Goswami’s “Gopal Campu” and Padma, Nrsimha, Brahma-vaivarta and other Puranas.

Bindu comes out twice a month, on every ekadasi. Each four-page issue begins with an inspiring article from His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and nearly every issue includes something from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Thakur Bhaktivinode. Articles by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami are a common feature as well as contemporary articles by the Bindu editors.

Bindu is a free service. To subscribe, write to: minimag@gopaljiu.org

Below are some of the kind words of encouragement about Bindu received over the last 8 years:

I would like to subscribe to your publication. I looked at some back issues and enjoyed the contents very much. I have stopped looking at the ISKCON web sites except for our local site, because they are all obsessed with politics and nonsense. Your publication is very nice. We just need to chant together in a humble and loving frame of mind in order to solve all the problems. Thank you, prabhus.
-- Praharana Dasi, Toronto

Your publication is an invaluable source of inspiration and important sastric reference.
-- Vaisesika Das, San Francisco

Please include me in your subscribers' list for KK Bindu. I enjoyed the fourth issue very much. May all of your efforts be crowned with success, and may this meet you in the best of health and blissful spirits.
-- Tamal Krishna Goswami

Your magazine is the best on the earth.
-- Jayatam Jaya Sila Das

It is my great happiness to see that instead of joining the revolting political debates and fights continuously taking place amongst the vaishnavas of different groups, the sisyas of Gour Govinda Maharaja are peacefully engaged in distributing pure, universal hari-katha without propagating any institution in a sectarian way. You are doing a wonderful job for the pleasure of Sri Guru and Gauranga. I wish you all success in your service.
-- Peter Erdody, Budapest

My sincere congratulations and gratitude for putting together a fine Gaudiya Vaisnava online publication that we can all feel proud of.
-- Vicaru Das, Editor, "Sanga"

Thanks for all this nectar.
-- Indradyumna Swami

Your Bindus are WONDERFUL!
-- Mahavegavati Dasi

With great happiness I received your wonderful e-mail and devoured it immediately. The Krishna Kathamrita Bindu is simply ecstatic. Short, concise, thick with nectar, and fully authorized and in line with our glorious sampradaya as revealed by Srila Prabhupada. It is just what a preacher needs who wishes to inspire people. Please keep the good stream of nectar flowing!
-- Sacinandana Swami

Thanks for the latest KK Bindu. As usual, it was nectarean and a pleasant ekadasi surprise for my wicked mind. I especially appreciate the non-partisan spirit of the publication. I can hardly read anything on the internet these days that isn't trying to promote, argue pro or con, or solicit. There is a place for that I admit. I have my opinions, too. But it's easy to forget our real business in life. At least I am reminded, by your kindness, on a bi-monthly basis. Thank you.
-- Sarva-drk Das, Denver

Aapko bahut dhanyavaada!!!
-- Dasarath Suta Das, Georgia

I always look forward to receiving Krishna Kathamrita Bindu. It's just the right size and just the right substance -- so short that I can easily devote the time to it yet so juicy that a few drops go a long way. A newsletter with nothing but pure Krishna-katha -- so refreshing! This is the real need of the day. Thank you so much!
-- Jayadvaita Swami

Many thanks for a copy of the book, "Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu, Issues 1-17" which I have just finished reading. In fact, I was not able to take up any of my other works until I finished this book. I am happy to tell you that one can really have a taste of sindhu reading the said issues of the Bindu.

One small suggestion: Can you start incorporating in each issue translation of a portion of a Vaishnava Sanskrit text not yet translated? Wishing you success in your venture.
-- Yours affectionately, Professor Samaresh Bandyopadhyaya, Head of the Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture, University of Calcutta

Your wonderful writings have been so inspiring to devotees all around the world. I can truly say I have always looked forward to every new presentation. My own copies have been marked many times. I have shared them with so many other devotees. Somehow each time they have appeared it has been so timely.
-- Bhakti Tirtha Swami

Someone recently directed me to your site and it is encouraging to see this kind of preaching continuing some years now after Sri Gour Govinda Maharaja has departed.
-- Swami B.V. Tripurari

I heartily approve the spirit of this message.
-- Jagadananda Das (Jan Brzezinski), Toronto

I’m a journalist from the “Economic Times”, Bangalore edition, trying to be a vaishnavi. I have always loved “Krishna Kathamrita Bindu” and the excellent books you publish. “Krishna Kathamrita Bindu” and “Mathura Meets Vrindavan” are so good. I repeatedly tell stories to people from them while preaching.
-- Chandni Raj, Bangalore

Schedule for 2008 Disappearance Festival

Gopal Jiu Publications is pleased to invite all Vaishnavas to attend the 9th annual disappearance festival of Srila Gour Govinda Swami.

The festival will take place from the 23rd to the 27th of February 2008 at ISKCON Sridham Mayapur. Everyone is welcome.

SCHEDULE

23 - 25 FEB Seminar on:
Srila Gour Govinda Swami’s teachings in the book
Mathura Meets Vrindavan chapter four (Bound by Love)
* Focusing on the pastimes of Krishna’s butter stealing
* Conducted by Madhavananda Das
* 4 to 6 PM at the MIHET classrooms

24 - 25 FEB Orissan style bhajans with:
Sri Damodar Giri and the Gadeigiri kirtaniyas
* Sri Damodar Giri is a kirtana-guru and cousin brother of Gour Govinda Swami
* Time and place to be announced.

26 FEB Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Maharaja
Disappearance Day
* 11:00 AM kirtana, arotika and puspanjali at Gour Govinda Maharaja’s Puspa Samadhi
* 2:00 PM Feast prasadam for all devotees at the Gada Bhavan
* 4:00 PM Gadei Giri kirtana at Srila Prabhupada’s samadhi auditorium
* 5:00 PM DVD lecture Part one, Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja on:
“The Glories of Lord Shiva”
* 6:00 PM Remembrances and talks
* 8:00 PM Maha prasadam distribution

27 FEB Events at Srila Prabhupada’s Puspa Samadhi Auditorium:
* 4:00 PM Gadei Giri kirtana
* 5:00 PM DVD lecture part two, Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja on:
“The Glories of Lord Shiva”
* 6:00 PM Remembrances and talks
* 8:00 PM Maha prasadam distribution

2008 Mayapur Disappearance Festival for Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja

Gopal Jiu Publications is pleased to invite all Vaishnavas to attend the 12th annual disappearance festival of Srila Gour Govinda Swami.

26th and 27th February
ISKCON Sridham Mayapur
Everyone welcome!

This year again, Gopal Jiu Publications hopes to bring Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja’s cousin, Damodar Giri Prabhu, and his Orissan-style kirtan party. The Gadeigiri village kirtan party has become a popular cultural addition to the festival.
We are in urgent need of funds for this year’s program. At this point we don’t have enough money to bring the Gadeigiri kirtan group. After the schedule below there is a breakdown of estimated costs.
Questions or comments can be written here, or contact us at: katha@gopaljiu.org
Your servants at Gopaljiu Publications
=========
SCHEDULE
=========
23 February to the 25th
Seminar on Srila Gour Govinda Swami’s teachings in Mathura Meets Vrindavan
4:00 to 6:00 PM daily by Madhavananda Das
In the MIHET Classrooms

25 February (Mon)
Video lecture of Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja
Time and place to be announced.
If we are able to bring them, the Gadeigi kirtan party will also chant on this day.

26 February (Tue)
Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Maharaja's Disappearance Day

Events at Maharaja's Puspa Samadhi:
* Guru puja, arotika and kirtana (timings to be announced)
* 5:30 PM Bhajans
* 6:15 PM Gour Govinda Maharaja Video lecture
* 6:45 PM Remembrances and talks
* 8:45 PM Program ends, prasadam distribution

===============
FUNDS REQUIRED
===============
If you could offer some donation to help with this festival it would be greatly appreciated. We need to collect US $2,125. We have a balance of funds left over from last year of $445.00. Our balance required is $1,680.00

Here is a breakdown of expenses

$100 (approx 3,900.00 Indian Rupees, INR) for flowers

$25 (approx 980.00 INR) for pheni prasadam distribution (a traditional Oriya sweet liked by Lord Jagannath and Gour Govinda Maharaja)

$ 1,500 (approx 59,140.00 INR) for feast

Cost to bring and accommodate Damodar Giri Prabhu and kirtan party = $500 (approx 19,780.00 IRS)

Total $ 2,125 (approx 83,800 INR)

Balance left from last year’s festival: 17,626 INR (approx US $445.00)

Balance required: $1,680.00

As soon as we collect our goal we will post a notice here informing everyone that we don't need any more money for the festival. If we collect over the amount we will inform the particular donors and they can either get their money back or use it for extras at the festival (more flowers and prasadam) or if they like it can be used for our book publishing efforts.

Donations can be received by us through the following means:

* By credit card via PayPal through the link on the bottom of our homepage:
www.gopaljiu.org

*By Western Union.

Puri Retreat 2008

We just finished a memorable parikrama in Puri with H.H. Dhanudhara Maharaja, H.H. Satsvarupa Maharaja, and H.H. Jayadvaita Swami. A blissful week of intense hearing and chanting – a large, but small enough to be intimate, assembly of altogether about 50 devotees. For the second year in a row the cost of prasadam for everyone as well as the accommodations for senior devotees was sponsored by H.G. Sastra Prabhu. Our salutations and thanks to Sastra Prabhu! Also present was Sri Fakir Mohan Prabhu, Mother Srimati, devotees from Gopiparanadhana Prabhu’s Sanskrit school at Govardhan, as well as members of the 24 hour kirtana group from Vrindavan. Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic bhajans and kirtans. A great group - wonderful association!

A few highlights:

* Dhanudhara Maharaja's morning and evening talks about Gaura-lila. Suffering from the “germs of material activity and the boils of envy” [CC antya 5.1] we have to imbibe dainya-bhäva, the essence of Vaishnavism, to be able to experience mercy, love and the happiness inherent in bhakti.

* Rama Ray and Bhagavat Purana Prabhu’s evening bhajans. WOW! We received news that the seismographs at the National Seismological Database Centre in Delhi were registering major earthquake readings each night. Strangely, the readings were limited to the area of the hotel where our kirtans where going on.

* Nityananda Prabhu’s heartfelt rendering of Narottam Das Thakur’s bhajan Gauranga Karuna Koro every morning, which became the signature song, setting the mood of this year’s Puri Retreat: ”Holding grass between my teeth, O Lord Gaura, I am calling out to you now! Please be compassionate upon me and come to reside within the temple of my heart!”

* Daily readings from H.H. Satsvarupa Maharaja’s writings. Some unforgettable images include: The Puri Waves pounding like the hearts of the gopis feeling separation from Krishna, a wake-up call about japa walks in Puri – “is any one of us actually praying?!”, and a warning: “Do not be twigs that break off the Chaitanya tree ; be flexible and bend.”

* Helpful meditations and insightful comments from Mother Srimati, like the one about “the independence of one fully dependent on Krishna”, referring to Srila Prabhupada’s boldness during his famous ‘book inauguration’ in the Jagannatha Mandir where he said: “He is Jagannatha, not Purinath or Oriyanath”, so why don’t you let my Western disciples in his temple?!

* Kirtan by Yadunandan Prabhu at the Garuda Nrsimha and Tota Gopinath Temples

* Madhavananda Prabhu's talks, particularly his evening series about the esoteric significance of Jagannath Puri, his stories about Ganga Mata Goswamini at Sweta Ganga, and his talk about Ramachandra Puri and the dynamics of faultfinding on Sat Asan road.

* Nityananda Prabhu's poetry, and his flute accompanied singing of Raghunath Das Goswami's prayers, "Gauranga Stava Kalpa Våkña" at the Gambhira.

* Expert mrdanga playing by Jaya Gopal from Switzerland

* Sri Fakir Mohan Prabhu’s deep kathä. What affected me most deeply was his statement, “When Krishna says mäm eva ye prapadyante [Bg. 7.14], he means take shelter of nama-vigraha. nama will arrange everything.”

* Harinams, especially on the beach road and circumambulating the Jagannath Mandir, when people were dancing in the streets, on the roofs nearby, the beach and all around us.

*Aside from all the wonderful Vaishnavas mentioned, H.H. Partha Sarathi Maharaja was quietly staying nearby occasionally sharing some confidential and very deep topics privately with a few individuals and otherwise making his presence felt by his disciples, who were taking part in and helping the parikrama.

* Last but not least, Gita Nagari Prabhu’s poetry: “I cannot imagine how much nectar is in Jagannatha Mahaprasadam! After tasting one bite, I want millions of tongues, and after it reaches the courtyard of my stomach, I want millions of bellies!”

Places visited included: Sweta Ganga, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya's house, Tota Gopinath, Garuda Nrsimha, Jambeswar Mahadeva, the birthplace of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, Siddha Bakula, Sat Asan road places including: Haridas Thakur's samadhi, Jagadananda Pandit's deities of Radha Giridhari, Bhaktivinode Thakur's bhajan kutir, Brahmananda Bharati's deities of Radha Syamasundar, Raghunath Das Goswami's deities of Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan, Sri Sri Krishna Balaram worshipped by Chota Haridas and Kunja Bhagavan, and the Sat Asan Gaudiya Math temple established by Siddhanti Maharaja, a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur.


To see some pictures of the retreat, go to:

* Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gopaljiu_publications/

Written by Krishna Kund Devi Dasi