Krishna Janmastami in Ojai, CA

BY: MAYESVARA DASA (ACBSP)

Aug 01, 2012 — OJAI, CALIFORNIA, USA (SUN) — Janmastami edition Newsletter from the American Vedic Association.

Hari Bolo Friends of the Vedas!
Please accept my respects. All glory to the transcendental light of the Bhagavad-Gita as It Is!

On Tuesday, August - 7th, 2012, 7:30 pm ...
TIME: 7:30pm
AT: American Vedic Association
STREET: 687 West Villanova Road
CITY: Ojai, California, 93023
PHONE: (805) 640-0405
C/O: mayesvara dasa ACBSP AKA: William Roberts MBA/MIS, CCP

...Come join this ALWAYS FREE evening that includes:
Congregational Mantra Meditation
A short study in Sanskrit
A Vegetarian Love Feast and
A Bona-fide Sat-sanga where we will discuss:

Tuesday Aug-7-2012 (Janmastami!)
“Lord Krishna Appearance Day” - will be discussed at the American Vedic Association Bhagavad Gita As It Is Fellowship: Lord Krishna appeared 5000 years ago and spoke the 700 perfectly composed Sanskrit verses of Bhagavad Gita, arguably the most profound religious scripture ever conceived. Celebrate His extraordinary character at this festive event which includes great music, association, philosophy, food and fellowship. 6:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

NOTE: Official Lunar Date for Sri Krishna Appearance Day! – Tuesday Aug. 9th,
THIS PROGRAM STARTS at 6:30PM NOT OUR NORMAL MEETING TIME! (7;30PM)

Current Events!

Guest Speaker for Janmastami Celebration!
Paratrikananda Dasa
Out guest speaker for this year’s Janmastami program is a wonderful friend who has been studying Krishna Consciousness since the Fall of 1970. In 1971 he became a disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami in April of that year and was awarded his Brahmins thread in September of that same year. His service has included book distribution, temple cook, temple commander and public speaker throughout the USA.
In 1992 he was the inspiration behind the now greatly attended annual Los Angeles Prabhupada Festival which is famous worldwide as a grand celebration honoring Srila Prabhupada.
Paratrikananda Das also founded and directed World Enlightenment Day in 1996 book distribution marathon. That also became a annual event which has since led to putting more than 1 million of Srila Prabhupada’s books in the hands of conditioned souls all over the world.
He is currently working on a series of projects intended to depict Krishna’s pastimes and Vedic Culture through video games, dramatically readings, musical compositions and the movie industry.
We are thankful to have Paratriikananda accept our invitation to come speak at this years Janmastami Festival. He is witty, well studied, and has a deep respect for Vedic Philosophy. I encourage all those who can join us on the Evening of August 7th to not miss this special chance hear from such a qualified and sincere Vaishnava Devotee of Lord Krishna.

This Month’s Feature Article
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Janmastami!
“Janmastami” means: “The Appearance day of Lord Krishna” and it is the biggest ALWAYS FREE event held by the American Vedic Association in Ojai. In fact it has historically been the biggest free bash, high-spirited annual party in the whole Ojai Valley! The evening is very much like a typical Tuesday night AVA Bhagavad-Gita Gita Fellowship gathering but it runs at a much higher voltage! We invite a highly trained Gaudia Vaishnava Devotee to speak about Lord Krishna’s pastimes and equally qualified musicians come to lead a melodious Kirtan. This is an excellent time to bring questions about spiritual life for which you are seeking straightforward authorized answers.
The program also includes everyone’s favorite part – a Tremendous Vegetarian Love Feast! The evening ends with a beautiful video that sends everyone home with transcended affections for Krishna.

Janmastami is also traditionally an excellent time to offer something back to Krishna for all the gifts He has provided us during the rest of the year. These need not be elaborate. Some step forward and volunteer to help make arrangements for the event, while others are inspired to bring a small vegetarian dish or a flower, which is then offer to the deity for His pleasure. The end result is a joyfully, cooperative, community event that culminates in a tremendous Vegetarian Love Feast that satisfies the rascal mind, enchants the heart, and sends the body waddling home with taste-bud bliss!

We certainly hope that each of you who have been appreciating this newsletter will seriously consider joining us for this special event. If you have been too shy to come out and meet us, this is a great time to do so because you can fade into the crowd and participate without feeling like you are on a stage. Reservations are not required so no need to use that as an excuse either! However, for those of you who already know that you aren’t going to miss this bash, our cooks appreciate it if you can let us know how many will be in your party. We also recommend a light jacket, an open mind, and a hearty appetite. The event is held in the flower gardens at the AVA property. Everyone is graciously welcome!
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HOT LINK for This Issue
Birth of Krishna
This month we have an animated link that gives a wonderful summary of the story which unfolded around Krishna’s birth. It begins with how King Kamsa was mystically informed about the prophecy of his own death by Lord Krishna and it end with how that indeed occurred despite the wicked kings attempt to prevent it. For those who are not familiar with this important story the clip provides a good glimpse of all the essential points. Of course to know how King Kamsa perished at the hands of Krishna is not included here because that came many years later after Krishna successfully avoided all of King Kamsa’s attempts to kill him right after he was born.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhRPrbr6Y9M&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5cfEU-DtTA&feature=showob

This Issue Noteworthy Quotes
Thoughtfull Vedic Quote
1a. " Thereafter, accompanied by plenary expansions, the fully opulent Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is all-auspicious for the entire universe, was transferred from the mind of Vasudeva to the mind of Devaki. Devaki, having thus been initiated by Vasudeva, became beautiful by carrying Lord Krsna, the original consciousness for everyone, the cause of all causes, within the core of her heart, just as the east becomes beautiful by carrying the rising moon.” -Srimad Bhagavat Purana Canto 10, "The Summum Bonum” , Chapter2, "Prayers by the Demigodsfor Lord Krishna in the Womb”, Text 18. LINK: http://vedabase.net/sb/10/2/18/en

1b. " One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” - Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Chapter 4 “Transcendental Knowledge’, Text 9. LINK: http://bhagavadgitaasitis.com/4/9/en

This Issue Famous Quote from Prominent Scholars
1a. “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of being.”- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

1b. “The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance.” –Socrates

md:
“Integrity is not determined by the endorsement of fools.” – md 4/09


This Issue Vocabulary Words
Sanskrit
1. NANDA-MAHOTSAVA -- the festival of Nanda Maharaja; Krsna's birthday.
2. PUNYA -- karma-pious activities, which help to liberate one from the cycle of birth and death in the material world.

English
CRECHE = 1. A public nursery, where the young children of poor women are cared for during the day, while their mothers are at work. 2. a day-care center for young children. 3. a three-dimensional model of the scene described in the Bible at the birth of Jesus Christ in a stable at Bethlehem, with Mary and Joseph near a manger in which a model of the infant Christ child is lain, and usually including figures of animals, shepherds, and the three wise men; - also called a Nativity scene. The figures in the scene are typically made as individual statues or figurines. Smaller models are displayed in homes and other indoor locations during the Christmans season, and larger models, often life-size, may be displayed out of doors. 4. (Biol.) a nest where the young of several animals are cared for in a communal fashion.

DOULA = a woman who assists in childbirth.


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PART TWO AVA Newsletter:
(For Reference Purposes. This part does not change from issue to issue.)

NOTE FOR NEW READERS:
Don’t let the size of this newsletter scare you off. Everything from this point down only gets updated annually. Once you have looked it over for the first time, you don’t need to read it again. It remains here simply so you can reference it whenever you want to refresh yourself in regards to the unique core of Vedic Siddhanta (Conclusions), taught at American Vedic Association.

If you have a natural affinity towards spiritual life then what follows is important background information you should avail yourself to. What you will discover is that on the surface some things appear to be very similar to what you have already learned. In time however, as you dig deeper you will discover that Vedic conclusions we are sharing here are significantly more comprehensive, relevant, focused and to the point then what you will here from the more commercial meditation, yoga, and metaphysical teachers.

The information below is intended to clarify foundational principles that originated in the Vedas but for a variety of reasons have been lost or grossly misrepresented to the citizens of the Western world. We encourage readers to familiarize themselves with the essential foundational differences presented herein and share them with whomever you feel is ready to make the next big step in their own awaking process. We also welcome comments and the submission of new email addresses for direct inclusion on our distribution list from supporting friends and well wishers.

Thank you.
mayesvara dasa