Proposed New Badrinath Dham and High Desert Ashram in Nevada
BY: VIRA CHANDRA DAS ADHIKARY
Feb 07, USA (SUN) — This article is meant for any devotee who has the means and inclination to begin a high desert ashram in a remote area of the Western US. Here there are many untapped preaching opportunities, as described below. It would also be a fine opportunity for any devotee looking for a great deal on real estate and who would like to live away from the maya of urban life. Any interested devotee may contact Anavyadangi dasi @ anniehowyou@yahoo.com. Visit, chant Hare Krishna, go into blissful trance.
From: Vira Chandra das Adhikary
To: Any devotee of ISKCON interested in starting a genuine spiritual retreat
Re: Ranch for sale, 1 square mile, new house, independent power supply, list $290,000. Additional property of five acres with large house and garage, and five acres $119,000
Date: 27 Jan. 2009
"The glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are inconceivable. He has appeared in the form of Shri Nara-Narayana in the land of Bharata-varsha, at the place known as Badarikashrama, to favour His devortees by teaching them religion, knowledge, renunciation, spiritual power, sense control, and freedom from false ego. He is advanced in the opulence of spiritual assets, and He engages in executing austerity until the end of the millennium. This is the process of self-realization." (Shrila Shukadeva Goswami, SB 5.19.9)
THE EMERGING TIRTHA: The concept of the emerging tirtha outside of the holy lands of India is not foreign to us fortunate devotees of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Our beloved leader Shrila Prabhupada, the Jagat Guru of the world, introduced to us the concept of sacred spots of India when he brought West his first volumes of Shrimad Bhagavatam, canto one, which contain the episodes of Vidura the pilgrim, Narada Muni's holy travels, etc. With a few years of Guru Maharaja's arrival in the West, by 1968, the illustrious pure devotee had established first "New Vrindavana," and then a host of other emerging tirthas all over Europe and North and South America in preparation for the 10,000 years of Lord Chaitanya's Golden Age here in Kali Yuga. Therefore, what is proposed here, the creation of a "New Badrinath Dham" in America, is nothing original. We are doing nothing more than merely following in the footsteps of the pure devotee the dust of whose feet have created Vaikuntha-dhamas in the form of ISKCON centres all over the planet. However, what is unique about this opportunity proposed herewith is the concept of "New Badrinath Dham," a high desert retreat in the heart of America's high desert "wild west" that resembles in many ways the Himalayan foothills above Rishikesh. Even the aromas of the desert plants bathed in the early morning dew of a magnificant sky-filling sunrise resonate with fragrances reminiscent of Himalayan slopes as I have personally witnessed. The purpose of this letter is to contact any and all interested devotees who are looking for an opportunity to expand Krishna consciousness in a fresh area.
With this in mind, we are writing to the Sampradaya Sun today about a spectacular opportunity to create a literal "chakra" of Krishna-bhakti and potential center of Vaishnava-dharma in the blissful high desert of Nevada. What we have here is a fine newly-constructed ranch, now offered on the market (details below), that is beyond the grid of electric power and wired phone service. Though remote, it is less than an hour's drive from Nevada's state capital of Carson City, and it is only three hours from Sacramento, CA. Seen from many points of view--whether from the Oriental vision of feng shui or (more properly) India's vastu-shastra-- the location is absolutely superb for the creation of a semi-austere devotee community. This proposed "New Badrinath Dham" is not in the middle of nowhere, but you can see "the middle of nowhere" from here, a feature most welcome to those who are tired of artificial city life with its constant cyclic repetition of "chewing the chewed."
Here at the proposed "New Badrinath Dham" there is vast facility to create a separate sannyasa- ashram for any of our dear ISKCON renunciates who need to retreat--to just get away (!) for a few weeks or months (for chatur-masa-vrata or otherwise)--and concentrate on chanting, chanting, chanting without the disturbances of urban life, temple management, constant travel, householders, etc. In short, "New Badrinath Dham" provides an ideal place to "recharge the devotional batteries."
Before I continue, let me say that we have no personal or monetary interest whatsoever in the place other than seeing the wonderful work of our dearmost Guru Maharaja Shrila Prabhupada expand unlimitedly across the Earth. This is an area that provides a wonderful rest-stop for devotees and friends of ISKCON as well as for a "semi-retired" devotional community. At present, there is no ISKCON center within hundreds of miles of here. This lovely ranch, proposed as "New Badrinath Dham," sits above a valley teeming with abundant wildlife, including rabbits, herds of wild horses (there are 40,000 feral horses in Nevada roaming free) and grand flocks of quail as big as small chickens. The one-square-mile plot for sale sits in the auspicious northern--and highest--portion above a circular valley floor ringed by lovely hills of varying high desert hues. The ranch itself is nestled against a gorgeous seven-peaked hill resembling the Vasuki Hills of India. Hence there is no possibility of any building coming up nearby, and "New Badrinath Dham" will remain isolated. As mentioned, the ranch is a full square mile of land, or forty acres (1/4 mile by 1/4 mile), and it includes a recently-constructed ranch-style house of 1800+ square feet, a separate two-car garage with large work shop, and a separate self-sufficient power supply (including solar, wind and propane). The owner of the ranch sunk a 550-foot well, but he is being forced to vacate due to a divorce. (Perhaps this is Shri Krishna's arrangement.)
For the buyer, this is an opportune moment due to the depressed real estate market for prices are now half of what they were a couple of years ago. As the real estate brokers say, "When others are greedy, be scared. When others are scared, be greedy." Details of this bargain opportunity are given in the website below. Again, we would not be writing this if the vastu of the property were not absolutely perfect.
AN ESCAPE FROM KALI YUGA: The ranch sits at the auspicious extreme north-central area of a circular or "chakra" valley at about 4,700 feet above sea level, and is ringed with taller hills on all sides. Despite the elevation of the property, winters are quite mild and daytime temperatures approach the mid-fifties+ in much of the winter, and the skies are usually clear. The valley measures about six miles east to west, and ten miles north to south. The picturesque Carson River (which I call the Alakananda Ganga) is suitable for swimming or sacred bath, and it runs along the southern end of the valley. This stream at the southern end of the valley is connected by rough dirt roads to "New Badrinath Dham." The fact that the roads are dirt has preserved their isolated-ness and is a therefore a blessing which keeps the area private. Most of the "roads" in the valley are rough (though they are open to public use), and these provide an opportunity to get to the middle of nowhere fast for japa-meditation retreats in the picturesque hills. A dirt-biker could get well beyond the middle of nowhere with a quick twist of the throttle. Beyond the gorgeous hills ringing the "Chakra Valley" are much higher snow-capped peaks, yet the snow rarely reaches the valley floor. Sometimes it is possible to "sunbathe" here even in the winter, in an area wherein snow-capped peaks are "a stone's throw" away. The grand peaks of the "American Himalayas" or Sierra Nevadas that divide California and Nevada (resembling as they do the Shesh-nag Mountains above Rishikesh) are visible about sixty miles to the West. New Badrinath Dham could offer a novel and much welcome reason to visit Nevada, to escape from Kali Yuga: "Welcome to 'New Badrinath Dham:" No illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating and no intoxication!"
TEMPLE OF THE SUPREME LORD: Obviously if the ashram is ever started, it follows that by the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a wondrous temple will arise over the valley and will act as a spiritual beacon for ten thousand years, as the grand Shri Shri Radha-Krishna Temples and communities now growing in neighboring states of Utah and Arizona. This is, of course, the next step and rests entirely upon the desire of Lord Shri Krishna as donors, pleased with the project, contribute heavily for the sake of the well-being of the Earth. However, as a suggestion, it would be wonderful to see a temple wherein elaborate worship of Shri Sada-bhujaji, Shri Shri Radha-Krishna and Lord Badarinath (in His forms as Nara and Narayana) is regularly performed for the delight of the Supreme Lord.
BURNING MAN: Each summer this area sees a lot of devotee activity during the yearly Burning Man festivities an hour or two away. ISKCON devotees, including many disciples of His Holiness Radhanath Swami, come up here each year to prepare for preaching at what has become the last hippie outpost of America. These devotees are guests of Mother Anavadyang devi, who has five acres situated about half a mile south of proposed "New Badrinath Dham." Therefore, should "New Badrinath Dham" ever evolve into a reality, it would be an ideal center for both before and after Burning Man festivities. There are many so-called "pre-burn" and "after-burn" parties, and New Badrinath Dham could host those particular festival-goers who are also happen to be seekers of truth in Krishna consciousness. Imagine a huge statue of a burning Ravana delighting the festival goers. Witnessing a Shri Ramachandra-Viyaya-Utsava festival would give those who have come to participate in the last-gasp of hippiedom much more than they bargained for. Since each attendee at Nevada's Burning Man Festival pays a steep fee of hundreds of dollars to take part, it would be expected that each guest pay some money to keep "New Badrinath Dham" operational. The area is out of any city jurisdiction--it is in unincorporated Lyon County--hence securing permits for festivities would not be a problem.
JAPA HARINAMA RETREAT: yajnaanam japa-yajno'smi: (Shri Krishna tells Arjuna) "Of sacrifices I am japa, chanting of the holy names." (Bhagavad-gita As It Is 10.25)
At "New Badrinath Dham," with one square mile of land, there is ample room to build small cottages on the property. Such cottages of rustic design can be bought "pre-fabricated" fairly inexpensively. Those who pilgrimage for japa retreat, for lessons in sankhya- and bhakti-yoga, etc, would naturally be expected make donations for their spiritual vacation. Shri Krishna tells Arjuna, esha te'bhita sankhya. (Thus far I have declared to you the analytical knowledge of sankhya philosophy" Bg 2.39). So here, merged in the wonders of the universe all around, the basic and advanced levels of Krishna consciousness could be taught to students. The revelation of sankhya-yoga, or gradual inner transcendental realization beyond body consciousness, will elevate the student as he sees the material workings of the Universe consisting of the eight-fold material ingredients as separate from the spiritual jiva particle.
By day and night the grand spectre of the desert sky is a yogi's delight. The relationship of the body to the elements of the universe, the immortal jiva soul living within the heart, the relationship of that transcendental soul to the indwelling Paramatma or Supersoul, then elevation in Krishna consciousness up to the level of bhakti-yoga--these are all very real effects as uptown yogis who take shelter of down-home devotees at the future New Badrinath Dham will realize.
The retreat could include, for a separate fee, "japa-wheeling" wherein a four-wheel drive SUV takes devotees into the rugged hills to the blissful sound of Srila Prabhupada chanting on the CD player. The drive will include a trip to the Alakanananda Ganga (Carson River) in the Southern end of the canyao, for Gayatri bath, prasad, etc. The ashram property is virgin territory, but the rugged land in the surrounding hills is even more remote and is perfect for chanting and meditating upon the Lord in the Heart Shri Narayana without any distractions whatsoever. Let me say, having spent many blissful hours among the huge boulders of the middle of nowhere on my own solitary japa retreat at "New Badrinath Dham," that this magic land is conducive for levels of consciousness that are difficult to realize when bombarded by urban maya.
Like me, there are also many other devotees who have become entangled in the "ways of modern city life" (read Kali Yuga), and "New Badrinath Dham" would provide a relief for those devotees, once-upon-a-time sannyasis, brahmacharis and grihasthas, who, having fallen from grace, wish to find themselves reinstated once again in the shelter of Krishna consciousness (before our swiftly-approaching date with Yamaraja).
As Lord Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, confides to Arjuna (Bg 18.71), ya idam paramam guhyam mad-bhakteshv abhidhaasyati: "For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me." Shri Krishna adds in the next verse, "There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear!" As elder devotees we should always bear in mind that preaching also means preaching to our dear Prabhus in an effort to keep our society strong from within as well as from without. Helping to "shore up" those who may appear to have fallen from grace is just as important as making new devotees. This reinstatement of Prabhus who left due to political tyranny, their own worldliness or whatever reason, is one of the compassionate benefits that "New Badrinath Dham" will offer.
VEDIC PLANETARIUM: "Established by the supreme will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the polestar, which is the planet of Maharaja Dhruva, constantly shines as the central point for all the stars and planets. The unsleeping, invisible, most powerful time factor causes these luminaries to revolve around the polestar without cessation." (SB 5.23.2)... This great machine, consisting of the stars and planets, resembles the form of a shishumara (dolphin) in the water. This shishumara is sometimes considered an incarnation of Shri Krishna, Vaasudeva. Great yogis meditate upon Vaasudeva in this form because it is actually visible." (SB 5.23.6)
The "Valley of the Eye of Sankarshan" below "New Badrinath Dham" has its own micro weather patterns, and rain clouds regularly wash the center of the valley floor (in season), These wet clouds can be seen sweeping across the level mudflats three miles below the "New Badrinath Dham" ranch, while the ranchlands of "New Badrinath Dham" in the upper valley remain dry. To my imagination, the central valley resembles a great eye of Sankarshan, hence I call this "chakra-shaped valley" as "Valley of the Eye of Sankarshan" because when the clouds depart the area of the central valley, the moist mudflats three miles below reflect the sunlight and, turning golden, appear a great eye looking up at the heavens.
Today these mystical mudflats down below are a (seldom-used) center of "sail-car racing," which are wind-powered vehicles that "sail" due to the unusual windy patterns in the center of the valley. All these micro-climatic handiworks of Indra and Vayu are quite unusual to behold from the vantage point of "New Badrinath Dham" above. The mudflats, which I call the "pupil" of the eye of Sankarshan, produce a wonderful tilak, the color of this tilak being similar to that found at Golul, Vrindavana. It is neither golden (as Gopi Talub tilak), nor greyish (as Radha Kund tilaka) but more brownish.
This "Valley of the Eye of Sankarshan" below "New Badrinath Dham" has a full view of the heavens, indeed the North Star or Shri Dhruva-loka, the planet Srila Prabhupada called "the localized Vaikuntha planet within this universe", sits fixed above and blessing the proposed ashram each night, adding to the auspiciousness of the location. The sapta rishis go round just above. There is very little light pollution from the tiny town below, hence at night there are sweeping views, horizon to horizon, of the innumerable galaxies. The full arc of the Sun and the Moon, rising east over the Cobra Hills (there are actually huge black "tridents" on the brownish hills), are easily witnessed during all hours of day and night. From this vantage point at the North end of the valley, it becomes easy to see just as told by the scientific and correct version of the Shrimad Bhagavatam, that the Moon sits many yojanas above the Sun in its daily migrating arc. This can be easily demonstrated to the open-minded student of Bhagavat's sacred lore.
Here, classes on Fifth Canto Astronomy could be taught without the huge expense of building a Vedic planetarium, for this "Chakra Valley" is a natural planetarium, a natural "eye" looking up at the heavens. The Milky Way, the heavenly form of the sacred Ganga or Mandakini, is brilliant from one horizon to the other on most nights, and the twist of the "celestial dolphin," or shishumara, is easily viewed, from its tail at Dhruva-tara across its Milky Way belly and along the full planetary ecliptic consisting of the twenty-eight nakshatras. A simple model of the Valley made of clay, measuring , say fifteen feet in diameter, is all that would be needed to demonstrate the Shrimad Bhagavatam's version of the heavens with its three planetary systems of bhur, bhuva and sva. Such a model could easily demonstrate the movements of the grahas such as Surya, Chandra, Angaraka, Budha, Brihaspati, Shukra and Shani through the twelve rashis beginning from Mesh through Meena.
The concept of the "tala" regions (Talatal, Mahatal, Sutal, etc.) of the Southern Sky, where the light of the Sun does not reach (and are therefore lighted by the jewels on the hoods of great cobras) is easily witnessed and understood from New Badrinath Dham. Furthermore, the Vedic astronomical concept of uttarayana and dakshinayana, the six-month northern and six-month southern movements of the Sun, is easily observed as points of Suryaodaya (sunrise) moving north and south over the fixed peaks (depending on the time) of year are clearly visible.
YOGA ASHRAM: "One should leave home and practice self-control. In a sacred area, he should bathe regularly and sit down in a lonely place duly sanctified" (Instructions of Srila Shukadeva Goswami to Maharaja Parikshit, Shrimad Bhagavatam 2.1.16)
"New Badrinath Dham" (a name which I merely propose--not hard and fast, certainly), will serve as a magnet for the more sincere "yogis" from storefront yoga centers all over the West Coast and the world. Here seekers would have the opportunity to learn a true conception of yoga as explained in the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, in the second, third and fifth cantos of Shrimad Bhagavatam and in text books such as Teachings of Lord Kapila. There is ample room for the eventual construction of a fabulous ISKCON-style temple containing Deities of the Supreme Lord in His form as Shri Shri Radha and Krishna, Shri Badri-Narayana, Shri Sada-Bhuja Mahaprabhu, etc.
Such temples are no strangers to the desert states, as the beautiful ISKCON center called New Kusum Sarowar that has risen in Utah some hundreds of miles away. Such centers though seemingly out of the way are here to serve as spiritual retreats for the next 10,000 years of Kali Yuga's mini-Satya Yuga, the beginning of which occurred with the arrival of shaktyavesh-avatara Srila Prabhupada in New York, 1966. It is simply a question of a devotional vision to see the ideas of the pure devotee unfold on an increasing grander scale, with the growing tidal wave across the world of:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Since the house and energy sources (wind, solar and natural gas) are already in place, then all that would be required to run "New Badrinath Dham" in the beginning would be a devotee couple, or maybe three or four brahmacharis. The existing house has three bedrooms and could serve as ashram / paying guest quarters until such time as a new temple appears by the will of the Supreme Lord for His glorification.
Now since the concept of "wild west" ranches in areas where wild horses roam free is so tempting, I know that many European and Indian (Bharat) devotees would like to visit or stay and serve here for extended periods of time. Brahmacharis could preach to wealthy Indians in nearby Bay Area, Sacramento, Reno, Las Vegas for memberships at the rising dham. It would become a modern-day pilgrimmage site Hindus and devotees all over the world would be eager to visit. By the mystical grace of the the pure devotee Shrila Prabhupada there is already a New Dwaraka and a New Jagannath Puri, so two of the four holy dhams of India are already transplanted in America. So "New Badrinath Dham" will be a welcome addition to the growing holy tirthas created by the divine footprints of our beloved Guru Maharaja.
As Krishna confides to Arjuna, "And of all yogis, he who always abides in Me with great faith (shraddhavaan bhajate yo maam) , worshipping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all." (Bg. 6.47)
HINDU "DUDE RANCH": When Hindus hear the name of Badrinath Dham, they understand that this is a pilgrimage site that takes a some effort to get to. From Silicon Valley (5hrs.), or Reno ( under 1 hr.) or Sacramento (3 hrs.), Paying Hindu guests will flock here for a dude ranch vacation. Horses can be rented from nearby ranches, and on horseback the wild west is just minutes away. It is surprising how accessible are places that most people associate with an era thought to have been lost a century past.
Whether for a vegetarian dude ranch family vacation, or for actually learning the principles of sankhya, bhakti-yoga, etc., I propose that well-to-do Hindu Indians will gladly sponsor the ranch as donors on varying levels. A separate guest house for "vacationers" rather than those who have come for a yoga intensive (japa, mangal aratik, etc.) could be maintained at a separate guest house that is apart but nearby the main property (see web site at bottom). Donors on, say, the "Mahant" level of over $25,000 would be entitled to something like two weeks a year free stay with his family in a separate cottage. A "Maharaja" donor of $50,000+ might get a full month free each year for life. Details will be worked out by management to make the donation programme both attractive to members and profitable to the temple management. Names of donors would grace marble plaques on the wall of the temple entrance.
This is the first time such a concept of Hindu Dude Ranch has ever been proposed. Indians are fascinated with the idea of the wild west, and I remember in the early seventies seeing a crowd of Bombay-wallas watching a Bollywood film with actors dressed like John Wayne. However, the reality of cattle ranches (the horrible sin of go-hatya) and the exclusive (read "ignorant") mentality of the American rancher has made such a concept unfathomable till now. But with New Badrinath Dham, it would be possible for the first time to bring droves of Hindus here as paying guests to sample the austere loveliness of God's country. Indians in America represent the upper 3% of USA's financial strata, and many have American-born children who would like to see an acceptable representation of America's Wild West. Any Hindu driving across America to see his family's new country will want to spend the night, and 24-hour rates comparable to any hotel, about $100, would be accepted for the maintenance of the ashram. There is also an extremely picturesque separate horse ranch of five acres and a beautiful barn-like house for sale, which could be used as a separate guest property (see website below)...
America's wealthy Hindus are ready with the dollars for these projects, but philosophically such activities need parampara guidance as provided the transcendental literatures of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his devotees who actually follow the principles. Otherwise all the effort and money is practically wasted and, in the name of religion, the cloud of confusion is spread rather than Krishna consciousness. Srila Prabhupada entrusted us his disciples to be the brahman guides for all the world, and this is a job we must take seriously as leaving it to others outside of parampara will result only in philosophical disasters. So the money is there, and we Gaudiya brahmans working together in service to the lotus feet of Guru Maharaja, need to provide the philosophical leadership.
SELF-SUFFICIENCY: Since there is so much sunshine at "New Badrinath Dham", there is scope for both desert farming and/or green house farming. During rain, water could be collected in a tank from the arroyo or gully that runs alongside the property. For these arrangements, experts would have to be consulted. I've made some enquiries and the ideas are feasible. As I mentioned, the property has a 550 ft well in place, so water is not a problem. The dry weather is perfect for storage of grains, dried fruits, etc. against a national emergency. There is also sufficient housing for sale in the area in the event of a burgeoning devotee community founded on the Vedic principles of simple living and high thinking.
RADHA-DAMODAR: Harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam kalau nastyeva nastyeva nastyeva gathir anya tha. At present, the state of the sankirtan movement--defined properly as "the joyous congregational chanting of Hare Krishna on street corners of towns and cities to the accompanying beat of mridangas and kartals"--is at a low ebb in America. Forty years ago and throughout the seventies saffron- and sari-clad devotees on street corners were a common site as Hare Krishna became a household mantra in all homes of the West. Today, ISKCON's temples are in place, but where are the sankirtan parties? Opulence and wealth easily came our way as long as the great yagna for the deliverance of mankind was active with regular chanting of Hare Krishna all over the Western world. Today America (and the world) requires a new burst of energy for this absolutely essential movement of sankirtan-yagna as personally demonstrated by Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Shrila Prabhupada. The Sankirtan movement may now find a resurgence via ISKCON devotees coming to America from India and Europe, arriving to kickstart once again this great movement for the salvation of the world. For whatever reason, most notably the destruction of the ISKCON body through the concocted "zonal acharya" system of eleven zone gurus and the GBC, many thousands of American devotees found themselves tossed out in the cold, bitter at having lost the love of their life, never to return.
SANKIRTAN BUS PARKING: Today, thanks to the preaching efforts of many unshakable sincere devotees like HH Indradumnya Swami, HH Radhanath Swami, HH Prabhuvishnu Swami and many others who have continued to fan the flames of Sankirtan against all odds, the movement is set for a rejuvenation once again. The world owes these stalwarts of the holy name a huge debt. ISKCON centers with ample space for bus parking like our proposed "New Badrinath Dham" will provide halting spots for such a spiritual resurgence of this vital spiritual, non-sectarian movement, as the rebirth of Sankirtan in the West will be helped along by younger devotee preachers arriving from places abroad like Eastern Europe and India.
Since the slacking off of Sankirtan-yagna following the departure of Srila Prabhupada for Krishna-loka, America as a country has developed a reputation world-wide as an uselessly-aggressive land of megalo-maniacs wherein war-mongering, profit-motivated demons are elected by an uncaring and uneducated public. It is now a civilization-gone-bad. In the mid-1970's Shrila Prabhupada credited this yuga-dharma of the Sankirtan movement in every town and village in America with directly bringing about the end of the Viet Nam War. A resurgence of this Sankirtan yagna, being most pleasing to the Supreme Personality of Godhead Shri Krishna, the Lord will once again shower His unlimited blessings upon a thirsty public cowed under by greedy sudras posing as DC's political leaders bent upon entangling America in more unwinable wars. A new generation of Radha-Damodar brahmacharis arriving from Eastern Europe and India will once again bring the nectar rain of auspiciousness that only the holy names of God--the mahamantra-- can bless the world with. Centers like "New Badrinath Dham" will provide an essential ingredient in the Krishna Conscious formula for re-spiritualization of a morally bankrupt society.
As Lord Chaitanya ordered: bharata-bhumite haile manusya-janma yaara janma saarthaka kari' kara para-upakara. "It is the duty of those who have taken birth in India to spread Krishna consciousness all over the world" (as per the example of our Paramhamsa Srila Prabhupada).
AMERICAN INDIANS: Nearby New Badrinath Dham there are many Native American reservations where various bands of Paiute Indians dwell. To check out my "vision" of the holiness of this "emerging tirtha", "New Badrinath Dham" and the "Valley of the Eye of Sankarshan," I have met with a few Paiute elders of the Pyramid Lake Reservation (a beautiful and mystical deep lake in the middle of the desert), who confirmed that there is a cave near here called Ko-Mo in which ancient Paiutes gathered for prayers before the genocidal onslaught of the American calvary in the early 1800's. This sacred cave is in the Como Mt., which overlooks the SW corner of the valley.
When I became the fortunate recipient of sacred diksa by His Divine Grace, I carried with me at that time a book called Warriors of the Rainbow. This interesting book is a discussion of certain Native American prophecies, and copies can still be found here and there. Written in the early sixties, it explains how the modern version of Christianity has utterly failed the Native American people. This is not a great revelation, since modern Christianity has essentially failed every one of its followers. The book's authors assert that Christianity not only provided the rationale for the wholesale slaughter of the red man, but afterward continued its work of undermining the culture of native survivors through motivated religious conversion. "First use the Bible to rationalize the massacres, then convert the survivors to the Bible."
The two authors of Warriors of the Rainbow--a native American and a white man--suggest that a new religion, one that is based upon Bhagavad Gita will in the future serve the Native Americans well. This is an excellent prophecy, since Bhagavad Gita, that is Bhagavad Gita As It Is, is actually the universal scriptural shelter for each of us regardless of race, religion, social strata, etc. By the grace of the modern prophet of the holy name, Srila Prabhupada, this prophecy can be today fulfilled by ISKCON's members with just a little effort, and New Badrinath Dham is ideally located to carry on this important work of delivering America's original inhabitants to the transcendental platform of Krishna consciousness. All it will take is a little compassion and a revival of our missionary zeal.
Srila Prabhupada has mentioned that this country, USA, was founded on the bloodshed of its original "Indian" inhabitants by the European settlers and that anyone who lives in America with the intent to simply enjoy himself here must share in the guilt of the heinous crimes that created this so-called "land of the free." Karma may be swept under the rug, but it doesn't go away; it sits dormant as seeds. Only by chanting Hare Krishna can these seeds of sin that Americans share be removed before more horrible consequences of our forefathers' sins utterly overtake the land.
In my recent meeting with a few Paiute elders, I also provided a books on Krishna consciousness. This work of offering free of charge the universal message of Bhagavad Gita As It Is and Krishna Consciousness among Native Americans should be continued, just as, say, Jehovah's Witnesses do. As mentioned, "New Badrinath Dham" being centrally-located near several Paiute Indian reservations, could send out teaching parties to native Indians to extend a respectful invitation to the descendants of America's original inhabitants to kindly grace the dham with a visit. Additionally, we devotees may offer in-home Gita classes, kirtan, etc.
It is noteworthy that the immediate area of the sacred "Valley of the Eye of Sankarshan" (at the next town of Dayton, NV.) was the site for the discovery and mining of huge deposits of gold and silver about the same time as the Sierra gold rush in California. In fact, Nevada's silver provided ten times the wealth as California's gold. As we can read in the fifth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, that place where the devatas enjoy their sports, they leave behind precious metals.
WEB SITES: For a virtual tour of "New Badrinath Dham, goto www.Century21JimWilsonRealty.com, click on "Our Listings" then "Go". Click on "Virtual Tour". The address is 3875 Raindance Drive, Stagecoach, NV.
For the other listing, the nearby 5-acre proposed "Hindu Dude Ranch" (the profits from which would keep "New Badarinath Dham" in business) go to www.buyandsellNevada.com and enter 9555 Iroquois Trail. This property is a lovely 2-bedroom, 2-bath house converted from a rustic barn about twenty years ago, five acres and a barn-shaped two-car garage just reduced $40,000 to the ridiculously cheap sum of $119,000. With the snow-capped peak in its background, a picture of this property will appear very attractive in Internet photos and would bring many visitors who will easily pay $100 per night. This property is wired for electricity and is linked to "New Badrinath Dham" via picturesque dirt roads.
REAL ESTATE: Until three years ago, this area of Lyon County, Nevada was the "fastest-growing county in the US." Barren ten-acre plots alongside "New Badrinath Dham" were offered for around $120,000, without buildings. So desert properties one quarter the size without buildings or wells were on the market for about half the price of a square mile of land with full facilities, self-sufficient power, etc. Now that the real estate boom of 2004-2005 has crashed and prices have more than halved, this is an excellent time to obtain bargains from the real estate market. The properties listed in the above web sites have been on the market for over half a year and the sellers are desperate.
Once the market again finds an upsurge, they won't last. In fact, this entire valley was once owned by Bing Crosby who enjoyed the desolation as a retreat from Hollywood. The town of Stagecoach, NV was so-named because a John Wayne movie of that name was filmed here. In the late 1800's the valley became famous as the site for Mark Twain's book Roughing It. As far as accessibility is concerned, Stagecoach, NV is located along a major route, Hwy 50, the first road across America starting from Times Square, NYC. The famous historical landmark and major tourist attraction of Virginia City lies over the mountains (north) of New Badrinath Dham, about ten miles away through breathtakingly scenic mountain roads.
INVITATION: Any devotee who is seriously interested in the area may contact Anavadyangi devi dasi at her cell phone number of (775) 750-2430 and if I am still here I shall personally provide for a tour. I will offer free of charge the grand tour of this interesting and historical valley, meetings with Paiute elders, etc. and it will be my privilege to serve you. I have simply done my duty in making my spiritual revelations as seen from the point of inner vision available to you. Whatever remains must come together by the will of Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, "as pearls are strung upon a thread." I pray for the opportunity to serve you.
Most wretched, fallen servant of the Vaishnavas,
Vira Chandra das Adhikary
