By Krishna-mayi devi dasi
Las Vegas, as everyone knows, stands for mega-kali-yuga entertainment: especially gambling, prostitution, intoxication and meat eating in multiple extend. It has even earned the nick-name of “Sin City”. Even in the present economic time of recession in the U.S.A., the city still boasts a visitation of 37 million tourists annually, just down 3 million before hard financial times hit. Millionaires and billionaires from around the world, are attracted to maya’s great playground here, and because of the development of theme park resorts over the last few decades, the city has become a destination vacation for families also.
Despite the huge flow of visitors mesmerized by the flow of visual and sensual delights, there is a more placid side of life in Las Vegas. There are about two million people living in the metropolis, and most of them have nothing to do with “the Strip”, the casinos, and all the other emphasis placed on “Sin City”. They just go on with ordinary lives like you would expect to see anywhere else in the world. And the best kept secret in this secluded desert city of kali’s stronghold is – *ISKCON of Las Vegas*. Yes, Krishna consciousness now has a good establishment in maya’s doorway.
Photo: Surapal Prabhu and Krishna-mayi Mataji in the front of ISKCON Las Vegas temple altar.
Since 2001, my husband Surapal, and myself, Krishna-mayi, both originally Polish Nationals, have resided in this city for the purpose of spreading the sankirtan movement, and we incorporated ISKCON of Las Vegas, Inc. in the year 2002. One devotee who inspired us to come here always says to us, that just the name ISKCON of Las Vegas is astonishing, because Las Vegas stands for sin personified, and ISKCON stands for Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavan. So it is the greatest paradox, but transcendental in purpose to establish a Krishna conscious paradise.
Moving progressively to three different locations over the last 10 years, the temple’s newest location is very centrally located and just ten minutes from “the Strip”, and ten minutes from the airport. From our front door one can see the entire skyline of the famed gambling kingdom just a few miles away. It reminds about the mission of turning “Sin City” into “Saints City” as well as inspires to expend the endeavor of spreading Lord Krishna’s glories in this place.
Photo: Sunday love feast at Las Vegas temple.
A Bhagavad Gita study is offered every Saturday and the regular Sunday love feast. We are supporting the temple and preaching projects ourselves from the salaries of own regular jobs, and a website design business called www.Gopalwebdesign.com. Although our efforts seem humble now in the beginning, we have a grand vision for establishing a large spiritual Vedic Cultural Center that tourists can add to their list of things to do and places to see, a beautiful Krishna temple even more attractive that any of the “Maya’s mandirs” – casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.
Anyone wishing to visit us or learn more about our preaching efforts is invited to visit our website: www.GovindasCenter.com. Also, for a donation, we have a few rooms available for devotees or families visiting the Las Vegas area. And, we are looking for a few good devotees, already situated in the United States, who may like to become a part of this progressive project, as book distributors, cooks, etc. Millionaires are also welcome to contribute to Prabhupada’s vision of changing the world by changing the consciousness of the people in Las Vegas to Krishna consciousness. Because Las Vegas is one of maya’s chief capitals, it would be a good investment with high Krishna conscious returns.
As anyone who visits Las Vegas knows, maya is attractive, but Krishna attracts even maya. A Vedic Cultural project here could help influence the many people from around the world who visit.
Dandavat pranams…
I am very impressed and inspired to read about your activities. Very, very nice! :)
I am an old friend of Surapala Prabhu from way back when he first joined in Poland.
It is really good to hear about your wonderful service.
Your servant,
Kula-pavana dasa
Hari Haribol
Pranams. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Sri Guru & Sri Gauranga.
I am very pleased to come to know about an ISKCON project, a temple and devotees’ presence in Las Vegas, since I have been coming to Vegas for some Trade Show at least once a year for the last ten years, without knowing there were any. Indeed, it’s been a well kept secret !
As a matter of fact, Vegas is not only an entertainment and mostly a gambling city but, thanks to its large hosting capacity, it is also the city in the US where the largest number of conventions and trade shows are organized… In this way, many regular people come to Vegas from all over the US as well as other parts of the world for professional reasons, which explains such a huge annual number of visitors.
Next time I come, I’ll make sure I have the good fortune of meeting you and getting the darshan of your Deities. I also look forward to assisting you somehow or other in your seva…
Yours in service
Puskaraksa das
Dear Kula-pavana Prabhu, Hare Krishna!
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Thank you so much for very sweet words of appreciation and encouragement in your comment regarding our Las Vegas article.
Indeed I am your old friend from Poland… I am also lucky soul who was inspired and convinced to Krishna consciousness by your wonderful lectures you gave at the University Club more than 30 years ago! It was you as my first Temple President who gave me inspiration and encouragement to develop attraction to devotional service…
I am indebted to you so much… and happy that my humble attempt of performing devotional service as I learnt it from you is pleasing to you.
Thank you once again for everything you did for me so that I can continue my life in Krishna consciousness and be in service to Srila Prabhupada’s mission of spreading Krishna’s glories.
Your humble and grateful servant,
Surapala dasa
PS. I am looking to contact you via email. Please find me on Facebook.
Dear Puskaraksa Prabhu, Hare Krishna!
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Please forgive me a small delay in reply for your extremely wonderful comment. As a federal employee I work graveyard-shift at Main Post Office and therefore my schedule during the week is very tight. I have more time during my days off; Sunday, Monday and therefore today I have a little bit more time to write you back.
First of all let me thank you very much for your full of inspiration very nice comment. At the same time I deeply regret our inability to spread word about our temple enough that such nice devotees like you can hear about us and accept our hospitality.
Although our Las Vegas temple is listed in Centers Around the World in the BTG magazine almost from the very beginning of our existence in Las Vegas still we realized that not only many people in general but also many devotees don’t know about existing ISKCON Las Vegas.
So, by Lord Krishna’s mercy and Vasihnavas blessings we were able this time to spread a little bit the word about existing ISKCON oasis on Nevada’s desert by article you read. I wish that in near future we will be able to post more similar articles about our activities in Vegas that more devotees can hear about ISKCON Las Vegas and whenever they are in Las Vegas they will stay with us in Krishna conscious environment.
We are looking for oportunity to meeting you next time you visit Las Vegas and be in service to accommodate your needs for your full satisfaction.
Your humble servant,
Surapala dasa
Dear Surapala Prabhu and Krishna-Mayi dd,
Please accept my obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Since perhaps 20 years now myself and my family have been going to Las Vegas for various different business related conventions. Always upon visiting we were thinking, “Oh, when will Krishna put some Temple here?” So, now we can see that our prayers have been answered and Krishna has sent such nice devotees as yourself to counteract the effect of so many sinful activities. Just see, you are just a handful of devotees and Krishna feels that you are sufficiently powerful to counterattack the most powerful weapons that maya has to offer. Such is the power of the devotee.
Some time ago I was also conversing with HG Gopiranadhana Prabhu, who was born and raised in Las Vegas, about how it could be purified. If a great devotee such as him could come from such a place as Las Vegas, certainly there is hope that from the ashes of maya’s sacrifical arena, a fertile area for growing great souls, might also arise.
Wishing you both all success in your endeavours to make a change in this place,
Your servant,
Jagajivana dasa
Dear Jagajivana Prabhu, Hare Krishna!
Please accept our humble obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Thank you so much for your extremely wonderful, very poetic and full of inspiration letter. Your sincere appreciation of our humble attempt to serve Srila Prabhupada’s mission of spreading Lord Sri Krishna’ s glories is very encouraging. It helps us to understand that despite the luck of competence and qualifications when the conditioned souls like our insignificant selves are just even trying to do something for Krishna’s pleasure there is a lot of merciful nectar of reciprocation from Krishna and Krishna’s devotees.
We are sure that with the blessings of such wonderful devotees like you we can more dynamically and effectively spread Lord Sri Krishna’s glories and finally get a place for Sri Sri Radha Govinda’s permanent residence in Las Vegas.
Thank you once again very much for your sweet words of inspiration and please remember whenever you plan to visit Las Vegas, door to our temple are wide open for you!
Hare Krishna.
Your humble servants,
Surapala dasa & Krishnamayi devi dasi