Together with several devotees, we are practicing various forms of Vaisnava ritualism on Ekadasi, Janmastami and Rama Navami. In several cases, however, there has been some difficulty in acquiring exactly the right materials and ingredients. A few major items that we have been unable to acquire so far are listed below. If you have any tips or clues that might help, please contact me at gauranagar@hotmail.com. Here is the list:

1) 7 metal fire brands for marking the body (conch, club, disk, lotus, sword, bow and arrow of Sri Visnu) during special fire yajna ceremonies performed on Sayana and Prabhodani Dvadasis. For reference, Hari Bhakti Vilasa indicates, "...the Vaisnava should, after breaking the fast, brand seven marks on his body." and further, "Having out of iron fashioned marks of the five weapons according to the rules, the knower of mantras should place them, one by one with their respective mantra. On the forehead one should wear the club, on the top of the head the bow and arrow, the sword Nandaka in the middle of the chest and the disk and conch on the arms." and "Having fashioned a disk of gold, silver, copper, brass or iron, the wise man should brand himself in the proper way." and "One should wear a branded mark of Hari's Sudarsana disk, hexagonal, having twelve spokes and encircled by three lines." and "One who is truly attentive to the rules of the foremost of the praised ones, makes a disk with fire. Fire is thousand-spoked, thousand-spoked is the felly. One whose body is branded with the felly attains sayujya, he attains salokya."

2) Damana plant (Artemisia Indica) or seeds for use in performing Damanakaropana Dvadasi. I live in Mayapur, India, but I have heard that the Damana plant commonly grows only in the Himalayan mountains. If not the entire plant, then at least the seeds can be ordered and I will try to grow them.

3) Silkworm cocoons for use in reeling filament silk thread that will be twisted 3x3 by a pure person and tied into garlands with evenly spaced knots for Pavitraropana Dvadasi. I have instructions for all this, including instructions for reeling and twisting, which I can give to the right person. So, at the least we just need to order silkworm cocoons. So, either you can sell me the cocoons alone, or if you feel qualified to reel and twist them also, that is even better. Everything needs to be mailed to Mayapur, India. Special mantras and purification is required for purifying the thread and tying garlands. If you have the assistance of a Brahman, I could hire you to do this as well.

4) Fine (very thin) single filament cotton thread woven by a Brahamani, and twisted into 3x3 organzine by a pure person. This can be used for garlands like #3 above, and also to be used for the perfume cord for Lord Krishna.

If you have any questions about these hard to find items, I would be glad to answer them. Please email me at gauranagar@hotmail.com.

Hare Krishna,
Vrindavan dasa

We are looking for a small cart suitable for a village Ratha yatra. Wheel base may be up to 60 inches wide. If you have cart like this, please contact Gadai dasa at gadaidasa@yahoo.com. We will pick up or arrange for shipping.

We’re in the process of updating our website, and are looking for someone who knows Drupal and can help, with pay. Please contact: DhruvaMaharaja.ACBSP@pamho.net.

I am looking for someone who would be interested in traveling with me and another devotee to India on November 14th. We will go from Los Angeles to Thailand, stay there for two days, then go on to Calcutta and catch a flight from Calcutta to Manipur for the grand opening ceremony of the Bhagavat University.

Then on the full moon day end of Kartika, we will fly to Orissa and attend the Tirtha Yatra in Puri advertised by Jayapataka and Lokanath Swamis. After that we will go to Mayapur for about a week and then Vrindavan. The entire trip will be five weeks, returning to the US by December 20th.

Anyone interested can contact me, Dasarath das, at dasarath@sedonavedicculture.com. Thank you.

I am in search of birth particulars such as Date of Birth, Time of Birth and Place of Birth, together with a brief life history with some important events that took place in the life of Shri Naraya Maharaja so that I may errect a horoscope in order for me to shed some light through Jyotish Vidya (Vedic Astrology).

If someone or another Vedic Astrologer may have it, kindly post it on this web site or email me directly at:

Looking to buy original full set Prabhupada-lilamrita. Thank-you!

Please contact Rati Manjari dasi at ratimanjari@cs.com.

Ys,
Rati Manjari dasi

I am looking for a copy of Arcana-paddhati published in the late seventies. If anyone has an extra copy to sell, please email me. Dandavat pranams to all the Vaisnavas. jagatkarta@yahoo.com

Thank you,
Jagatkarta das
Jai Srila Prabhupada!

Looking for gentle and loving person for live-in nanny care for 2 children, in Augusta, Georgia. Please write to Ramaraghava@yahoo.com with background information. Must provide 2 references.

Sincerely,
Rama Raghava Das (Rakesh Sharma)
ramaraghava@yahoo.com>

I am looking for a devotee store or contact who sells living unpasteurized miso. ISKCON Japan? Or perhaps a devotee who makes their own?

Please send me pricing, and a description of the misos that you sell. Let me know the ingredients used, and some details about the manufacturing process. How long was each fermented? Have they been offered to Krishna?

Please contact: Vrindavan dasa (Victor Epand) at victorepand@hotmail.com

Thank you, Hare Krishna

Your servant,

Vrindavan dasa (Victor Epand)
Email: victorepand@hotmail.com