Hare Krishna! Kartika is upon us, the sacred month dedicated to Lord Damodara, starting Saturday, October 31. Opportunities for devotional service abound: sign up to attend Damodarastakam, sponsor ghee lamps, or go on a virtual pilgrimage of Vrindavan. Listen to a new podcast episode about Krishnadasa Kaviraja, Raghunatha Bhatta and Raghunatha Dasa Goswamis. Volunteer to write an article for this newsletter on a variety of interesting topics, and answer a short Thanksgiving meal survey. Tune in and bliss out to our month-long Festival of the Holy Name – that’s right, 30 days of kirtan from devotee homes, culminating with an in-person finale at the temple. For details, read this week’s edition of your favorite newsletter…
From the President’s Desk
Kartika is the favorite time of year for all devotees. The whole month should be all about gathering together as a devotee family, celebrating the pastimes of Lord Krishna, the holy names, and giving thanks for all Srila Prabhupada has given us. But the challenges of being in the midst of a highly contagious viral pandemic mean we must focus on keeping our devotees safe while offering programs for our community.
Please read the procedures for coming to the temple morning and evening to offer ghee lights to the deities. The only way we will stay open and facilitate this is if everyone can maintain these procedures. The best way to protect ourselves and our families from spreading and catching the coronavirus is by wearing a mask and maintaining 6′ distance between each other. Do not come over to the program if you are not feeling well. If anyone in your home has just come in from out of state, stay home until they are tested for coronavirus, or ten days have passed.
Sign up in advance for up to 2x a week to reserve a spot in the temple room for guru puja and chanting of the Damodarastakam prayers. If you do not have a spot you can line up on the men’s side of the veranda, and you will be invited in by the door attendant to offer your ghee light, and then move out of the temple room so the next person can come in.
The Festival of the Holy Name team has been meeting regularly to put together a program that fits the necessary restrictions we have to follow now, and still gives you an immersive experience in focused kirtan. Go to https://www.facebook.com/festivaloftheholyname to learn more about it.
While we cannot host a community Thanksgiving meal this year, we want to know if devotees would like to be able to purchase the meal to pick up and take home. Please click here and let us know so we can decide if we will offer this.
Alachua temple is one of a handful of temples in North America that remain open with scheduled programs, and devotees from other areas want to come here now. We have restrictions in place for out of town visitors so we request that you refer your friends to call in to understand the protocol for visiting our temple if coming from out of the area. Please remind people you see at the temple that we require mask wearing here at all times, especially in the temple room while chanting. People who will not wear a mask are asked to watch our programs through our Youtube live channel.
It takes everyone who loves our temple to cooperate with our protocols, and to help enforce them, for us to keep our doors open. Thank you to everyone for complying, for serving, and for contributing to keep ISKCON Alachua Hare Krishna temple thriving even in the midst of a pandemic.
To safely accommodate all of our community members who wish to attend the Damodarastakam part of the morning program during Kartika, October 31 – November 29, we will adopt the following procedures.
1) Everyone is invited to come daily for a brief walk-through darshan from 7:30-8:00 a.m., where you can offer your ghee lamp to the deities, three people at a time, wearing masks, standing on marked spots in a safe, physically distanced manner. You’ll line up on the veranda, enter from the men’s side door near the altar, offer your lamps, exit from the ladies’ side door on the opposite side, and then return home to watch the rest of the morning program online (no lingering.)
2) Sign up in advance to attend the Damodarastakam prayers, sitting on the X marks on the floor, limited to twice a week per person. We hope this system will give everyone a fair chance to attend. Up to three family members can share one spot. (If you have more than three family members, sign up for an additional spot.) Please be at the temple by 7:25 a.m. to claim your spot, wearing your mask. An attendant will usher you into the roped-off area, where you can participate in Guru-puja and then sit on one of the X marks during the Damodarastakam prayers. You’ll offer your ghee lamp to the deities inside the roped off area, on designated spots, three devotees at a time.
3) You’ll also have the option to attend the Damodarastakam program in the evenings, 6:30 – 7:00 p.m, with no signup required, wearing your face mask and sitting on the designated X marks. However, if we see that the temple room gets too crowded, this could change.
We are looking for anyone who likes to write, to submit articles for our newsletter about topics of interest such as What’s Happening on the Eco Farm, The Temple Gardens, Who’s Who at New Raman Reti (devotee profiles), Who’s New at New Raman Reti, etc. Contact mukhyadd@alachuatemple.com if you are interested.
Podcast: Remembering the Goswamis
A new podcast episode is available to download at our Hare Krishna Community Radio page, featuring stories about Krishnadasa Kaviraja, Raghunatha Bhatta and Raghunatha Dasa Goswamis. Narrated by Madhumati Dasi, Radhanatha Swami, Bhakti Charu Swami and Sudharma Dasi. Bhajans from the film Nilacala Mahaprabhu (1956), and by Agnideva, Kripamoya, Chakrini, Bada Haridasa and Prapannam Prabhus. Click here for more information and to listen.
Endangered Species: ISKCON Ashramites in the West
Download a free book written by Kalakantha and Jitamitra Prabhus entitled Endangered Species: ISKCON Ashramites in the West. The book explains how to make devotees from all backgrounds in the West, especially in North America.
“‘Endangered Species’ nicely outlines the shortfalls of ISKCON’s past while providing valuable advice and direction for ISKCON’s future. The strong statements in this book will remind ISKCON leaders about the benefits of ashram training. In addition to being very a much part of the Vedic tradition, ashrams were integral to ISKCON’s initial worldwide growth. Krishna House proves that such ashram training is still applicable even today. Having seen the success of Krishna House firsthand, I wonder why other leaders have not followed its example. Nothing speaks louder than success.” –Indradyumna Swami
The free download in e-book and PDF formats is available at
Vrindavan, the holy land of Krishna’s pastimes, normally attracts pilgrims from around the world during the month of Kartika. Due to pandemic restrictions, this year devotees will be embarking on virtual pilgrimages. Here are two offerings:
Seven Temples of Vrindavan – Three-Day Virtual Tour with Bhakti Caitanya Swami at 9:00 a.m. EST on Saturday, Oct. 31, Sunday, Nov. 1, and Monday, Nov. 2. The GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) will offer a 30-day Kartika Special series, starting with HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami taking viewers on a holy pilgrimage for three consecutive days to the seven goswami temples of Vrindavan. Watch on the GBC SPT Facebook page or YouTube channel.
The Playground of God, 30-day virtual pilgrimage of Vrindavan via WhatsApp, with Sutapa and Radhika Ranjana Prabhus of School of Bhakti at Bhaktivedanta Manor, UK. October 31 – November 30. Sign up now to receive your link (via email) to join the WhatsApp group where you’ll receive daily videos of the sacred sites, with meditations and stories to inspire your hearts. Special Damodarastakam videos every evening. Unique gatherings on Saturdays with special guests. Post will be made mornings and evenings UK time, four hours ahead of EST.
Damodara Outreach Program
ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry (CDM) have launched a “Damodara Outreach” program, encouraging congregation members to engage friends, co-workers and neighbors in the blissful service of offering a lamp to Lord Damodara during the auspicious month of Kartika. They’ve put together a kit you can download, with step-by-step instructions. See their website for more information.
“The idea of the program is to encourage devotees to create visiting teams and perform the Damodara worship (offering of candles, singing the Damodara song and hearing the narration of the pastime) in as many places as possible. This is a great opportunity to establish and cultivate new contacts and strengthen existing ones.”
Books are the Basis – Inspirational Videos
Watch this series of inspirational videos published by ISKCON Ministry of Education about the importance of studying Srila Prabhupada’s books. Interviews with Chandramauli Swami, Krishna Ksetra Swami, Prahladananda Swami, Kavichandra Swami, Pancharatna Prabhu, and various community leaders. Visit their YouTube channel.
“Now we are requiring our students to be very well familiar with all our literature so that we may present our philosophy before even the most educated persons.” –Srila Prabhupada Letter to Rudra, Los Angeles, 9 March 1970
Free Health Assessments and Memory Screenings for Adults 60 or Older
Free health assessments and memory screenings (for Alzheimer’s) are available online and via phone through HealthStreet, a community engagement program at the University of Florida. They also offer health workshops, Tai Chi classes, weekly and monthly support groups, health and social services referrals, and more. All services are available to adults 60 or older in Alachua, Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Jackson, Marion, Putnam, Wakulla, and Washington counties. Interested individuals can call 352-294-4889 or visit the website.
Devotee Doctor Gives Guidance on Health and Safety
[Excerpted from an article in ISKCON News by Madhava Smullen.]
With a second wave of COVID-19 infections expected this fall and winter, Nila Madhava Dasa (Dr. Neeraj Verma), [ISKCON Baltimore Temple President and] a practicing anesthesiologist who was part of the COVID-19 team at Sinai Hospital and Northwest Hospital in Maryland, USA, weighs in on how the coronavirus works, what to do if you get it, and how to mitigate your risk and stay safe.
Initially, Nila Madhava says, the coronavirus acts like a flu virus. However, it can then activate the body’s immune system against its own cells, in severe cases destroying the lungs, causing massive clotting, overwhelming the power of the heart to function, and causing cardiac arrest leading to death. Coronavirus is especially lethal in older people or those with lower immunity and a known susceptibility to infection such as cancer survivors and people with diabetes.
According to Dr. Nila Madhava, anyone who begins to experience common coronavirus symptoms such as fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches etc should get tested; and if positive for COVID-19 should seek treatment right away, especially those at high risk.
“We now understand that if you take steroids early, they can suppress serious sequelae (conditions that are a consequence of coronavirus), and really diminish your symptoms,” he says. “So one should seek treatment right away.”
Healthy younger people in their thirties or forties with mild symptoms who test positive can simply quarantine themselves, and do breathing exercises. “Breathing exercises are the most important part, because the more expansion of the lungs you do, the better your lungs can handle coronavirus,” Nila Madhava explains.
He also advises devotees in this situation to purchase a fingertip pulse oximeter, available on Amazon.com for only $15 to $30. “If you feel short of breath, keep checking your oxygen saturation – it should be above 95%,” he says. “If it starts decreasing to 91% or 92%, that means your lungs are getting infected, and you should go to the hospital and get treated immediately.”
Nila Madhava also wants to clear up the misconception that once the coronavirus leaves the body, one’s health always returns back to normal immediately. Some survivors of acute bouts of COVID-19 experience a range of medical issues that can last three to four months, including extreme exhaustion, shortness of breath, trouble thinking or remembering, muscle pain and headaches. Even some healthier people with mild symptoms can experience fatigue for some time afterwards, because the coronavirus depletes one’s body and energy resources.
“People will think ‘I don’t know what’s wrong,’ but those are all sequelae to the coronavirus,” Nila Madhava explains. He advises not to ignore such symptoms but to continue improving one’s immune response with good sleep, nutritious, balanced food, and vitamins.
As far as safety precautions to avoid getting COVID-19, Dr. Nila Madhava, who is also the temple president at ISKCON Baltimore in the U.S., recommends the guidelines he has put in place at his temple, which are also laid out in the SPT SPSU Safe Re-Opening Guidelines.
The top three are social distancing (temples should have marks every six feet for people to stand on, thus also limiting capacity), sanitizing hands, and especially wearing masks.
It’s time to replace the fans and light fixtures in our temple room. They are over 20 years old and, at this point, many of them aren’t working anymore. You could say they have done their duty. It will cost about $3000 to replace and install ten new ceiling fans, and you can take part in helping us get this done. Click below to give a donation towards this much needed improvement.
Team ISKCON Alachua (TIA) has set a goal is to distribute 108 Lilamrita sets by Wednesday, November 18, 2020, Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day. For this campaign, the seven volume set of Srila Prabhupada’s biography is being offered for a donation of only $51.Click hereto order the set for yourself, gift it**, or sponsor it for TIA to distribute on your behalf. For more information, please contact Nandini Kishori D.D., nandini.kishori@gmail.com.
**We can drop-ship the set to any address within the contiguous United States at no extra cost. Please inform us of the details in the memo field during the payment checkout process.
Weekly Resilience Drop-In Group
Are you feeling overwhelmed from challenges, problems, or adversities in your life? The Resilience group is a place that enables you to work through these challenges and get back to life a little bit stronger and wiser. It helps you cope with adversity in ways that boost your sense of well-being.
Join the weekly Resilience drop-in group on Sundays 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. via Zoom, facilitated by Rambhoru Dasi ACBSP, a certified Professional Chaplain, Crisis Counselor, and Spiritual Director. It is a safe and non judgmental space where devotees create meaningful relationships through heart connecting conversations. Participation is strictly confidential. Both men and women are welcome. To receive the Zoom login info, message Rambhoru via WhatsApp: 703-727-5659.
Online Sanga Events & Courses
Broadcast on ISKCON Alachua’sFacebook pageandYouTube channel. Questions and comments will be relayed to the speaker. Zoom login information will be shared on ourISKCON Alachua DevoteesFacebook group. All times are in EDT (Eastern Daylight Savings Time).
Daily Srimad-Bhagavatam Classby various speakers from the temple room, 8:00 – 8:45 AM. SeeClass Scheduleposted below.
Thursday, October 29, 5:00-6:00 pm, Bhagavad-Gitareading and discussion with H.H. Bhaktimarga Swami.
Seven Temples of Vrindavan – Three-Day Virtual Tour with Bhakti Caitanya Swami at 9:00 a.m. EST on Saturday, Oct. 31, Sunday, Nov. 1, and Monday, Nov. 2. The GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) invites you to join us for our 30 day Kartik Special series, starting with HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami who will be taking us on a holy pilgrimage for three consecutive days to the seven goswami temples of Vrindavan. Watch on the GBC SPT Facebook page or YouTube channel.
The Playground of God, 30-day virtual pilgrimage of Vrindavan via WhatsApp, with Sutapa and Radhika Ranjana Prabhus of School of Bhakti at Bhaktivedanta Manor, UK. October 31 – November 30. Sign up now to receive your link (via email) to join the WhatsApp group where you’ll receive daily videos of the sacred sites, with meditations and stories to inspire your hearts. Special Damodarastakam videos every evening. Unique gatherings on Saturdays with special guests. Post will be made mornings and evenings UK time, four hours ahead of EST.
November 11 – March 15, Bhakti Sastri in English and Hindi, as well as Bhakti Vaibhava and Bhakti Vedanta in English, by the Mayapur Institute, with repeating online classes staggered at different times of day to accommodate participants in different time zones, $170 (Rs. 12,501). For more information, visit mayapurinstitute.org.
Procedures to Visit the Temple
Click here to read the details about the various darshan times, restrictions and protocols we are currently observing at the temple, including a video demonstrating the modified Sunday darshan. Here’s a brief summary:
Throughout the week, the temple is open only during scheduled arati times, with a maximum capacity of 35 persons standing or sitting on physically distanced X marks. First come, first served. Everyone must wear a face mask in the temple room at all times and maintain physical distancing of 6 feet between non-family members. Wash your hands with soap or use hand sanitizer before entering the temple room. Don’t touch surfaces. Pay your respects (obeisances) while standing, and avoid bowing down on the floor at this time. Click here to read the Basic Rules for visiting the temple.
On Sundays we have a walk-through darshan from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM, where you can come and pay your respects to Their Lordships, receive darshan, and pick up a prasad to-go box on your way out at the exit gate. Please don’t socialize and linger on the property. Govinda’s Gifts is open from 4:15 PM – 6:30 PM on Sundays, and at other times by appointment. Click here to read the detailed Sunday Darshan Protocol.
On festival days, additional restrictions apply to avoid overcrowding. Usually, the temple remains locked during the day, while aratis and other worship ceremonies are performed only by the pujaris (priests) and a handful of designated kirtan singers, broadcast live on our YouTube and Facebook Live channels. On such days, to safely manage the crowds, we generally only open the temple for walk-through darshan in the late afternoon, 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM, similar to Sunday darshan times. Check the temple newsletter for details about upcoming festivals.
The temple closes at 7:00 PM each evening.
If you’re feeling sick, stay home and get tested for COVID-19. (Click here for resources on getting tested in Englishandin Spanish.) If you’re feeling sick, or if you’ve recently returned from international travel, airports, large metropolitan areas or any place with a high concentration of virus spread, please stay away from the temple for 14 days as a precaution. Our guards will ask you questions to this effect at the entrance gate. Thank you for your cooperation.
Temple Lunch: If you would like to get temple lunch prasad, come to the front entrance at 12:30 pm and our guard will place the prasad to-go meal box into your car. Donations accepted.
THE 4 SAFETY PROTOCOLS:
Wear a mask whenever you will be among other people.
Keep at least a 6′ distance between yourself and others.
Wash your hands frequently throughout the day.
Assess your own health, stay home if you don’t feel well, and keep your immune system strong.
Class Schedule & Vaishnava Calendar
Week of October 27, 2020
TUE 27 – Nanda Devi Dasi, SB 1.9.26 cont.
WED 28 – Samapriya Devi Dasi, SB 1.9.27
THU 29 – Narayani Devi Dasi, SB 1.9.27 cont.
FRI 30 – Navina Nirada Dasa, SB 1.9.28
SAT 31 – Dhruva Maharaja Dasa, CC Mad. 18.68-99
First day of Kartika – Damodara Month begins
SUN 1 – Karnapura Dasa morning class | Tamohara Dasa SF lecture
MON 2 – Sesa Dasa, SB 1.9.29
TUE 3 – Shyam Kishor Dasa, SB 1.9.30
Morning class times are 8:00 a.m. EST unless otherwise noted. The Sunday Feast lecture begins at 5:15 p.m. Tune in live to our ISKCON Alachua Facebook page or YouTube channel, where you will also find video recordings of previous classes. You’ll also find past Alachua temple classes (audio) in our lecture archive.
For information or needs inquiries, emailhkssalachua@gmail.com or call Radha Selvester 9 am – 9 pm 352 727 8211. Night time calls for serious emergencies only.
Newsletter Staff
Editor-in-Chief: Mukhya Devi Dasi
Production Assistance: Manorama Dasa
Article submission deadline: 1:00 p.m. Fridays
Send articles and photos to contact@alachuatemple.com. The editors reserve the right to exclude or edit submissions.
Dedicated to our ISKCON Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
