His Grace Vibhu Caitanya Das's Invitation

Dear Friends

 

Hare Krishna

 

It is described that Jagannath Ratha-yatra has been a huge festival since the Dwapara-yuga (the previous age) but at the beginning of this age, the Kali-yuga, Lord Caitanya transformed the festival by displaying unprecedented mercy and love. 

 

Lord Caitanya made the Ratha-yatra a time for Vaisnavas from all over to come together and chant and dance in front of Lord Jagannath. He organised specific kirtan groups and He personally lead the dancing. By His influence, the Ratha-yatra became a celebration of Vaisnava sanga too. This year we are blessed to observe the appearance of Lord Caitanya just two days before the Durban Festival of Chariots. With this coincidence, we can remember Lord Caitanya's mood of how he brought all the devotees together during the time of the Ratha-yatra. 

 

Following in His footsteps, I look forward to chanting and dancing with you, and all the other devotees coming from far and wide, in front of Lord Jagannath's chariot. 

 

Sri Gaura Purnima Festival Guide

#Mercyshallfall and flood and inundate all who celebrate this festival. 

Wednesday, 23 March

Fast until moonrise

4:30am Mangal-arati (kirtan by His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami)

7:00am Class by His Holiness Bhaktimarg Swami

8:00am Greeting Sri Sri Radha Radhanath in Their new outfit

8:10am Srila Prabhupada's guru-puja & kirtan

 

6:00pm Break fast prasada 

             (Ekadasi menu. Prasad will be served until 7pm)

7:00pm Sandhya-arati (kirtan by Bhaktimarg Swami)

7:40pm Abhisek (Bathing ceremony of Sri Gaurahari)

8:10pm Class by His Holiness Jayadvaita Swami

9:00pm Sayana-arati & kirtan

9:15pm Prasada serve out continues

 

Your servant,

Vibhu Caitanya Das

 

Your Week Ahead

 

Saturday, 19 March

Ekadasi - Fast from all grains, beans and legumes.

7:45am Srimad Bhagavatam Class by His Holiness 

             Bhakti Caitanya Swami 

 

Sunday, 20 March

Break fast: 05:59 - 08:03

3:00pm Love Feast with Kadamba Kanana Swami

5:00pm Radio Lotus interviews Bhakti Caitanya Swami 

             about the Durban Festival of Chariots

 

Monday, 21 March

7:45am Srimad Bhagavatam Class by Bhakti Caitanya Swami

 

Tuesday, 22 March

7:45am Class by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta 

             Swami Prabhupada

 

Wednesday, 23 March

Sri Gaura Purnima - Appearance Anniversary of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

Fast until moonrise

See program above.

 

Thursday, 24 March

Jagannath Misra Utsav - The Festival of Jagannath Misra

7:00am Greeting Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Radhanath

7:05am Srila Prabhupada's guru-puja

7:30am Dramatic rendition of Lord Caitanya's birth and the celebration of 

Sri Jagannath Misra by Bhaktimarg Swami

9:00am Breakfast prasada feast

 

Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple Phone Lines

 

We apologise for any inconvenience or frustration in trying to get hold of us. We are experiencing technical difficulties. Technicians should have the problem resolved shortly. 

An alternate number: 031-4033359

Durban Festival of Chariots Highlights

#mercyshallfall - Week Ahead 11 - 17 March

Dear Friends,

 

Hare Krishna

 

The Durban Festival of Chariots is just two weeks away. We trust you are enthusiastic to render some service at our largest ISKCON festival in South Africa. If you do not have any service as yet, please contact Balaram (082 881 4521) or Upendra (082 899 2923).

 

On Wednesday, 23 March, we celebrate the Gaudiya Vaishnavas' most important festival - Sri Gaura Purnima. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu broke open the store house of love of Godhead and flooded the world. Therefore #mercyshallfall.

 

Saturday, 12 March

Newcastle Festival of Chariots

Newcastle Town Hall @ 10am

Queries: 034 312 3369

 

Sunday, 13 March @ 3pm

Love Feast with His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami.

Devotees are encouraged to please bring your own plates and cups.

Your friends at Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week Ahead 2 - 7 March

Dear Friends

Snana Yatra is the first official ceremony of the Ratha-yatra festival. It is the bathing ceremony of Their Lordships Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra Devi. Shortly after, Lord Jagannath falls ill and does not give His darshan. During His recuperation, the Lord is offered only kitchari with enriching vegetables, warm soups with puri, along with hot ginger & honey flavoured tea or milk.

It is understood among devotees of Lord Jagannath that if one makes the pilgrimage to see the Deity on this day, one will be cleansed of all of their sins. This will be the final darshan of Lord Jagannath until Sunday, 20 March.

We hope to see you for the Snana Yatra at New Jagannath Puri Temple on Sunday, 6 March at 11am. A bus offering free transport from Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple will leave at 10am and depart from New Jagannath Puri Temple in Phoenix at 2:30pm.

Saturday, 5 March

Ekadasi – Fast from all grains, beans and legumes.

3:30pm    Vaishnavi Sanga

Sunday, 6 March

Break Fast 05:50 – 10:01

ISKCON Ladysmith Ratha-yatra

Chariot procession begins at 9:30am from Meena Place

Monday, 7 March

Maha Shivaratri

Festival begins at 7pm

Your friends at Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple

Weekend 25 February - 2 March

Dear Friends Hare Krishna.  We celebrate the appearance anniversary of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur on Saturday, 27 February. His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami will join the festival if his health allows. You are invited to bring fruit, flower and bhoga offerings for Srila Bhaktisiddhanta not later than 11am.  10:30am    Kirtan11:00am    Class by His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami12:00pm    Puspanjali and Arati & Kirtan12:30pm    Raj Bhoga Arati & Kirtan1:00pm      Feast Sunday,  Don't miss the Love Feast with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada on Sunday, 28 February at 3pm. We look forward to seeing you.  Your friends at Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple

Lord Nityananda Fest

Dear Friends

 

Hare Krishna.

 

I thought of Srila Prabhupada's short and encouraging explanation of the soothing and nourishing mercy of Lord Nityananda:

“If we take shelter of Nityananda Prabhu, then we get peace...Just like in daytime, especially in the summer season, we become very much exasperated. But at night, in the evening, as soon as there is moonshine, we become very much satisfied...So nitai-pada-kamala, the shade of Nityananda Prabhu's lotus feet, is koti-candra-susitala, as pleasing as one crore of moonshine. One moonshine gives us so much pleasure. So if we want actually peace of mind, if we actually want to be free from this material fatiguement, then we must take the shelter of Nityananda Prabhu. Nityananda Prabhu is the strength, spiritual strength. And without spiritual strength you cannot approach Krishna.”

(Nityananda Trayodasi 1977, Bhubhaneshwar)

 

Our lives are afflicted with many challenges that yield pain and suffering. Therefore we naturally seek out experiences or places of soothing shelter. All material experiences and shelter are designed to ultimately become sources of further pain, but the merciful shelter of Lord Nityananda guarantees us, even while in the material world, not just eternal peace, but eternal happiness — as His name suggests.

 

I look forward to sharing a wonderful and exciting day with you all in glorification of Lord Nityananda with our hearts, minds, words and deeds. Please share your time with us from early morning until afternoon so we can help each other receive the soothing mercy of Lord Nityananda.

 

Your servant,

Swarup Damodar Das

 

Lord Nityananda's Appearance Day Festival Schedule

4:00am     Mangal Arati

7:00am     Srila Prabhupada Guru-puja

7:15am     Class

8:00am     Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Darshan

11:00am   Kirtan

11:30am   Class by His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami

12:30pm   Arati & Kirtan

1:00pm     Feast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Friends

 

Hare Krishna

 

The Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple management and I sincerely thank all those who were actively involved in the temple in 2015. We set 15 goals for 2015. In the graphic below, you will find that we were able to make some achievement in each goal. Srila Prabhupada said that our movement will go forward by intelligence and organisation. We share the 2016 Plan, which aims to commemorate 50 years of ISKCON, and I invite you to assit in achieving and even surpassing these goals. Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple is your temple, our temple & Srila Prabhupada's family.

 

Your servant

Vibhu Caitanya Das

 

Your Week Ahead

 

Saturday, 13 February @ 4pm

1st Bhakti Theatre for 2016

Support local talent. BYS Cafe will provide snacks and drinks at a nominal cost. Funds raised go towards the theatre and university programmes.

 

Sunday, 14 February

Sri Advaita Acharya's Appearance Anniversary

Fast until Midday

7:45am   Class by His GraceRamvijay Das

3:00pm  Class by His Grace Vibhu Caitanya Das

 

Wednesday, 17 February @ 7pm

Tulasi Devi Festival

Tulsa Devi is a sacred plant dear to Lord Sri Krishna. Programme includes Tulasi arati and discussion.

 

Dates to Note

Sri Nityananda Prabhu's Appearance Anniversary

Saturday, 20 February

7:45am   Class by His Grace Prabhanu Das

11:00am Class by His Grace Swarup Damodar Das

 

Bhaktivedanta College Graduation
Sunday, 21 February @ 3pmSunday, 28 February
Bhagavad-gita Focus
Aiming to complete the 18 chapters of Bhagavad-gita in 2016. This course is especially designed as an introductory course.
Love Feast with His Divine Grace 

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada @ 3pmDurban Festival of Chariots
25 - 28 March
Old Durban Drive In
Details to follow.

Week Ahead 4 - 10 February

Dear Friends

Your Week Ahead

Friday, 5 February

Break Fast 05:27 - 09:55

Sunday, 7 February

Love Feast @ 3pm

Your chance to be part of Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple this year. His Grace Vibhu Caitanya will roll out our plans and goals.

Monday, 8 February

Living in Krishna Consciousness Course 

Course Facilitator: His Grace Jaisacinandana Das Sri Sri Radha Radhanath College Room Every Monday, commencing 8 February 6:30pm - 8:00pm Course Fee: R150 for three modules

Saturday, 13 February

Bhakti Theatre @ 4pm

Line up: Nandakishore and his big band, Drama “A Fish out of Water”, music and lyrics by Sukie & Co., Drama “The Mirror Heart” and MC Pralamz

Admission R10

BYS Cafe will provide light snacks. 

Sunday, 14 February

Sri Advaita Acharya’s Appearance Anniversary

Fast until midday

Festival begins at 3pm

Class by His Grace Vibhu Caitanya Das

You may download/view the January February issue of Hare Krishna News: http://iskcondurban.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/HKN-Jan-Feb-2016-small.pdf

Use the #joyofdevotion on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to stand a chance win a trip to Sri Vrindavan Dhama.

As always, we look forward to seeing you and hope this finds you in the best spirits,

Your friends at Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple