Happy Jagadguru Diwas 2014, New Lectures Series & Launch of Instagram

Happy Jagadguru Diwas 2014 and Makar Sankranti to Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj

“As a flush to sizzle out the sinful earth

As droplets of water to a thirsty sailor

As a shower to the very desert

As guideline & pathway to hopeless travelers

As a drop of love to harsh hearts 

GURU landed as the angel of lord!

Happy Jagadguru Diwas ” - Poem by Aaprisha Sharma from Nepal

In cities in India and around the world, the celebrations for Jagadguru Diwas 2014 and Makar Sankranti 2014 are huge. On this day, thousands of devotees take a holy dip in the Ganges and other holy streams. People offer thousands of their colorful oblations to the Sun in the form of beautiful kites. The act stands as a metaphor for reaching to their beloved God. In the ashrams of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, we mark this occasion in a joyous and colorful way; even more-so because it is the day when Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, our Guru, was ordained as "Jagadguru" in 1957.

On Sunday, beautiful kites filled the skyline of Radha Madhav Dham USA and Radha Govind Dham New York and devotees of Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj offered their respects to the lotus feet of Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj.

As the Jagadguru Diwas kites rise up towards the sun, the soul eternally seeks God

A kite flies over Radha Govind Dham New York

In other news, Swami Nikhilanand Ji, senior preacher of Radha Krishna and sanyasi disciple of Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj delivered a profound series of lectures on the significance of the life of Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj. The 6-part series was delivered to devotees at Radha Madhav Dham. All speeches are available for viewing at Radha Madhav Dham's youtube channel www.youtube.com/RadhaMadhavDham or Swami Ji's blog.

Devotees commemorate Shree Maharajji with procession and flower offerings at Radha Madhav Dham

On December 29th, America commemorated Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj, with flower offerings and shobha yatra at Radha Madhav Dham, Austin. Thousands of spiritual seekers who have been inspired by Shree Maharajji joined the special functions.

Bhakti in the age of Instagram

Bhakti in the age of Social Media: Several new social media channels have been launched to connect devotees and promote the path of Radha Krishna devotion in America. Most significantly, Radha Madhav Dham, which is the official center of Radha Krishna devotion in the west, has gone virtual with the introduction of Radha Madhav Dham Official facebook page and Radha Madhav Dham Official twitter page.

Radha Govind Dham New York has just launched on instagram, one of the most popular apps today, in addition to facebook and other social media. The instagram page contains regular inspirations by art extraordinaire, Bina. Instagram id is RGDNY. We would like all our readers to get active in Radha Madhav Dham and Radha Govind Dham New York social media. Download the app for instagram and get more inspired and connected with devotion for great life.

New Year Kirtan at Radha Madhav Dham

Devotees of Shree Maharajji in America gathered at Radha Madhav Dham for 24 hour kirtan. Here is a clip of the climax of the long kirtan session for New Year 2014, where devotees expressed their love for Shree Maharajji and Radha Krishna through chanting and dancing.

Cutting-edge devotional E-Newsletter launched at Radha Madhav Dham USA

Radha Madhav Dham USA has launched the very first issue of a cutting-edge multi-media, interactive e-Newsletter. According to Radha Madhav Dham, the e-Newsletter has been created to provide an experiential platform for ongoing communication and interaction between the temple-ashram community and the supporters and devotees of Radha Madhav Dham so they always feel updated, engaged, inspired and close to the Dham, no matter where they are.

Click on the link below to view the first edition of e-Newsletter:

http://radhamadhavdhamnews.org/august2013

Chirag Patel, Ph.d., Managing member of Radha Madhav Dham, in his introduction of the Newsletter says:

Welcome to the first edition of Radha Madhav Dham E-Newsletter. Every day our Dham stands with its arms open, welcoming hundreds of individuals, regardless of their background, and hoping to inspire in them a spark selfless devotion to Radha Krishna.

This E-Newsletter is an attempt to inform you of our activities and the initiatives we are taking to share with the world the greatest spiritual wealth we have – the Divine knowledge of ageless Hindu scriptures elucidated by Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj. You will read highlights of past events and synopses on upcoming celebrations. You will learn about exciting new developments at Radha Madhav Dham, and activities of like organizations around the world. And most importantly, you will stay connected to your Radha Madhav Dham and its ever-growing family. Thanks to the multimedia nature of our E-Newsletter, you will be able to play videos, hear sounds and visualize the beauty of our Dham as your flip through its pages.

I invite your to join us in our effort to inspire thousands more on this beautiful path to Radha Krishna and to share with others what we value the most ourselves. Whatever little you can do, from wherever you are, can go along way in making big difference in someone’s life. Please contact me about how you can help.

For a better first-time experience, Radha Madhav Dham recommends to review the quick tips below for navigating through the e-Newsletter:

• Chanting begins when the e-Newsletter opens. To pause the chanting, click on the arrow in the lower left-hand side.
• To zoom in closer, you can click anywhere on a page; to zoom out, you have to click again. Use the “zoom slider” at the center top of the page for more zoom control.
• To print a single page, simply check the box next to the page number.
• To print the whole e-Newsletter, click on “Select All”
• To download and view the e-Newsletter, offline, – click on the operating system you use; the e-Newsletter will download to wherever your downloaded files are stored. (After the download, a screen will appear asking you to “run” the software. Click on “Run” button at the bottom.)
• To customize your setting, feel free to experiment with the different zoom and page transition settings.
• For Help, use the “Help” button to show you how to navigate better.

Radha Madhav Dham hopes this experience will continue to inspire devotion to Radha Krishna.

Last month, Radha Madhav Dham also launched Shikhsa USA, a state-of-the-art Vedic educational community, which offers 14 traditional and modern subjects to students age 4 – 18. More than 70 students enrolled in the first semester and registration for second semester is to be announced soon. Shiksha is currently recruiting teachers of Classical dance and Indian semiclassical dance with prior teaching experience to give classes at Shiksha, which is based in Austin. Applications can be made at info@shikshausa.org. Shiksha is available on facebook at www.facebook.com/ShikshaUSA and Shiksha’s website is www.ShikshaUSA.org.

Diwali Celebration

Saturday, November 2, 2013

5:00 pm to 12:00 midnight

Celebrate the magnificent festival of Diwali 

at Radha Madhav Dham 

and enlighten your heart with the flame of devotion to God.

Come with your family and friends and celebrate Diwali at Radha Madhav Dham on Saturday, November 2, 2013.   The very special Diwali program will include Dinner Maha Prasad, Sita Ram abhishek, satsang and Diwali speech by Sushree Diwakari Devi, cultural dances of India, a leela of Ram's return to Ayodha & meeting with Bharat, fireworks, outdoor dandia garba danced to a live band, indoor continuous chanting until Midnight.  Bhagwan Ram's midnight Arti will conclude the 2013 Diwali celebration. 

Program Schedule:

5:00 pm  :    Dinner Maha Prasad
6:30 pm  :   Sita Ram Abhishek
7:00 pm  :   Speech by Sushree Diwakari Devi
7:45 pm  :   Cultural Program and Ram leela
9:20 pm  :   Magnificent fireworks display
9:30 pm  :   Dandia Garba (dancing) outdoors on Maha Raas Mandal
                        along with chanting inside the Prayer Hall
12:00 am :  Offer Arti to Bhagwan Ram

Diwali, also called Deepavali, is one of the most popular Hindu festivals. It is known as the festival of lights, which stems from its origin. Bhagwan Ram (Who is a more formal form of Shree Krishna) had been away in the forest for 14 years, and was now returning home to the city of Ayodhya. The happiness of the residents of Ayodhya knew no bounds as they cleaned every corner of their homes and decorated every building in the entire city with diyas (lights) in anticipation of Ram's return. They wanted to welcome Him back with all their hearts. When Ram was entering the city, all the citizens wished to meet Him first. Seeing their desire, Ram multiplied Himself into as many forms as there were people and met them all simultaneously. Each person thought that Ram had come to them first. This was the scene as Ram returned to Ayodhya, and it is to commemorate this event that we decorate with lights on Diwali.

The use of lights on Diwali also carries a deeper philosophical meaning. Within each person's heart, there lies the potential for both good and evil. These qualities are called sattva and tam in Sanskrit and they represent light and darkness, respectively. Developing the sattvic quality of one's mind through good thoughts and actions, and through devotion to God, is like lighting up your heart, which drives away the darkness of tam. You can learn more about the true meaning of Diwali by reading English translation of a Diwali message delivered by Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj (Light on the Occasion of Deepavali part 1 and part 2)

When Radha and Krishna were on the earth planet, They also celebrated Diwali in a special way. They went to Mansi Ganga (a large holy pond near Govardhan hill) and placed floating diyas on the water from opposite sides of the pond. Then They, along with all the Gopis and Gwalbals, created waves with their hands, causing the diyas to cover the entire pond.

Texas' first of a kind Ayurveda Workshop to be held at Radha Madhav Dham (Sept 20 - 22)

World renowned ayurvedic teacher, speaker and author Dr. Marc Halpern is to deliver an Ayurveda Workshop at the Ancient Yoga Center of Radha Madhav Dham ashram from Sept. 20 – 22, a first of it’s kind event for Texas. Dr. Halpern is the author of the critically acclaimed Healing your life, lessons on the path of Ayurveda and is respected as a powerful speaker who has devoted his life to applying Vedic knowledge for physical health.

The weekend ayurveda workshop will help participants learn how to integrate ayurveda in daily life and is particularly recommended for yoga teachers, yoga therapists, nutritionists and dietitians, holistic practitioners and healers, care givers and ayurvedic enthusiasts.                                                                            

Some of the benefits participants will receive from attending the weekend workshop include the chance to enjoy ayurvedic meals for all body types, attend ayurvedic “dosha pacifying” yoga classes, hear inspiring reflections from Dr. Halpern’s own healing journey, relax and learn in the picturesque, retreat-like ashram setting of Radha Madhav Dham, learn through stimulating discussions how to integrate ayurvedic principles into daily living, explore ayurveda and how to apply the science of ayurveda to the holistic practice of yoga and yoga therapy for humanity.

Dr. Marc Halpern, D.C.,C.A.S.,P.K.S., (Ayurvedacharya) is one of the pioneers of Ayurveda in the West and is considered to be a pre-eminent practitioner and teacher of Ayurveda in the United States. He is one of the few Westerners ever recognized in both the United States and in India as an authority on the subject of Ayurvedic Medicine and was awarded the All India Award for Best Ayurvedic Physician.

Fellow author and ayurvedic scholar David Frawley writes:

“Prepare yourself for an amazing journey, as Dr. Marc Halpern walks by your side as you walk the Ayurvedic path of healing.”

Online registration is now available, and anyone who signs up before Sept. 10th will avail of an early-bird reduction.

The Essence of the Gita: Discourse & Kirtan by Swami Nikhilanand

Albany Hindu Temple, New York, proudly presents:

The Essence of the Gita: Chapters 13 - 18.
Discourse & Kirtan by Swami Nikhilanand of JKP Radha Madhav Dham.

Location & Time:
February 2 - 8, 2014

Sun, Feb 2nd: 1.30 - 2.30pm in the Temple,
Mon & Tues, Feb 3rd & 4th: 6.30 - 7.30pm in the Cultural Center
Wed & Thurs, Feb 5th & 6th: 6.30 - 7.30pm in the Temple
Fri, Feb 7th: 6.30 - 7.40pm in the Cultural Center
Sat, Feb 8th: 6.30 - 7.30pm in the Temple

Address: Albany Hindu Temple,
450 Albany Shaker Road
Loudonville, New York 12110

Phone: 518-459-7272
www.AlbanyHinduTemple.org

Questions/Assistance: Prashant Kaushik MD (701) 202-7217

Radha Ashtmi Celebration

Sunday, September 15, 2013

11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Program Highlights

11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

• Sing the glories of Shree Radha Rani
• Listen to an enlightening discourse on Radha Tattva
• by Sushree Braj Banchary Devi Ji, a foremost disciple of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj
• Jhulan (swinging Bal Radharani)
• Arti
• Special Maha Prasad

Radha Ashtmi is one of the most joyous occasions of the year at Radha Madhav Dham. It is the day that Radha Rani took avatar on our earth planet, more than 5,000 years ago.  Early morning in Barsana village, in the Braj district of India, in the palace of King Vrishbhanu, Mother Kirti lay absorbed in blissful thoughts of Radha when the supreme Goddess of Vrindaban, Shree Raseshwari Radha Rani, appeared before her in Her full Divine glory.  After being worshiped by the great powers, like Brahma, Vishnu, Shiv, Parvati, Lakchmi and Saraswati, Radha proceeded to become a small baby in the arms of Mother Kirti and began Her childhood leelas in the world.
For the next 126 years, Shree Radha Graced the Braj district with Her presence and Her Divine leelas, and then, along with Shree Krishna, she returned to Her Divine abode.   Join us at Radha Madhav Dham to celebrate the Divine appearance day of Shree Radha Rani.

Jhulan Leela / Hariyali Teej

Sunday, August 18, 2013

11:00 am to 12:30 pm and 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Each year in Braj, in the midst of the rainy season, when fields and jungle have turned shades of lush green and flowers are blossoming all around, the festival of Hariyali Teej (हरियाली तीज) is celebrated. During this time in the Temples of Vrindaban, swings are placed in the shrines of the Temples for the Deities to swing upon. This is called Jhulan Leela (झूलन लीला).


Songs describing the swinging leelas of Radha Krishna are sung and devotees imagine they are actually there swinging their Divine Beloved on the jhulan (swing). Here at Radha Madhav Dham, we carry on the same tradition by decorating a swing with flowers and greenery for the Deities to swing upon. Everyone is invited to take a turn swinging the swing as we chant the incredibly divine sweet and loving jhulan leela pads of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj.

Beautiful Bhajans & Inspiring Discourses

Shri Ram Mandir

221 West Parker Rd # 470

Plano TX 75023

972-422-1600.

Beautiful Bhajans & Inspiring Discourses

by Swami Nikhilanand ji of Radha Madhav Dham

November 18th -24th

Monday - Friday 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Saturday & Sunday 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

7 day Lecture Series

“Lessons from Ramayana

for our Everyday Lives”

Swami Nikhilanand was first exposed to Hinduism at the age of 25. Since then, he has spent the last 15 yeas studing the philosophy of the Sanskrit scriptures & practicing bhakti under, the guidance of Jagadguru Shree Kripalu Ji Maharaj. He resides, at the largest Hindu ashram in the US, Radha Madhav Dhan, In Austin, TX.

Radha Madhav Dham, USA

Radha Madhav Dham is the largest Hindu temple and ashram complex in the United States. With the Gracious blessing of Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj, Radha Madhav Dham was established as the main ashram of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat in the West.

Radha Madhav Dham is situated on a picturesque 220-acre property in the Hill Country south of Austin, Texas. The rolling land, blanketed by wildflowers in the spring, and beautified by the meandering stream Kalindi, rises to the highest point in Hays County at the top of Barsana Hill. The temple and ashram buildings are surrounded by charming gardens, walking paths, fountains and ponds. The many peacocks add a flourish of iridescent color to the surroundings, and their calls echo across the fields as they announce themselves to all passers-by. The delightful landscape lends itself to leisurely walks and meditation in its serene holy places.

Designed as a representation of the holy land of Braj in India where Shri Radha Rani and Shri Krishna appeared about 5,000 years ago, all the important holy places of Braj like Govardhan, Radha Kund, Prem Sarovar, Shyam Kuti and Mor Kuti are represented in Radha Madhav Dham, where the natural stream, named Kalindi, represents the Yamuna rivers of Vrindaban. Anyone who visits Radha Madhav Dham experiences the same Divine serenity that was found in the ancient ashrams of the Saints of Vrindaban. It has become a place of pilgrimage for millions of devotees living in the western world.

Shri Raseshwari Radha Rani Temple

The centerpiece of Radha Madhav Dham is Shri Raseshwari Radha Rani Temple. This temple, with its magnificent architecture and exquisitely designed shrine with elegantly decorated Deities of Radha and Krishna, is the only temples in the world that represents the true nikunj darshan of Radha Krishna as described in the Radhikopnishad and the writings of the Great Masters of Vrindavan. Sitting in such a temple, while chanting the names of Radha Krishna during satsang, gives a thrill of bhakti that must be experienced.

Every year, over 50,000 people visit Radha Madhav Dham. We welcome them into our unique accommodations where overnight guests stay and take part in the delicious vegetarian meals. Many make use of our rental for family events and private functions. Many come back again and again to enjoy the devotional living experience that Radha Madhav Dham provides.