ISSUE 17 DECEMBER’08

Contents In this issue….

Srila Prabhpada Uvaca…………………….
…………………...1 Sreshtha for the month-Aditya
month Mittal…………3
Book distribution at IBM, Pune…………...1
Pune 1 Gaura Bhakta Vrinda camp report…………….4
Nishta camp for VOICEs all over India….2 Grand Sankalpa camp at Shantipur VOICE…4
VOICE…

Srila Prabhupad Uvacha-“Chant

“Chant Hare Krsna and fight”
fight NEWS FLASH…
Regarding the point about • HH Lokanath Swami
whether our movement is bona fide, you maharaj and HH Gopal
can use the following arguments. Krishna Goswami maharaj
Bhagavad
Bhagavad-Gita has got so many visit ISKCON Pune.
• Inauguration of Gaur
editions. Our books are older than the
Bhakta-Vrinda Camps.
Bible. In India there are millions of Krsna • 40000 Maha-big books
temples. Let the judges and juries read distributed in December
our books and take the opinion of marathon by ISKCON
learned scholars and professors. Pune devotees.
Regarding the second point about the parents' jurisdiction over their • Nishta-camp for Pune
children, here are some suggestions. Do the parents like that their VOICE devotees for the 1st
children become hippies? Why don't they stop it? Do the parents like time in history of VOICE
their children to become involved in prostitution and intoxication? • More than 50 students take
Why don't they stop this? part in Sankalp Camp at
Shantipurdham VOICE
They are now feeling the weight of this movement. Formerly they •
thought, "These people come and go," but now they see we are
staying. Now we have set fire. It will go on. It cannot be stopped. You can bring big, big fire brigades
but the fire will act.... Our first-class
class campaign is book distribution. Go house to house.
hou The real
fighting is now. Krsnaa will give you all protection. So, chant Hare Krsna
a and fight.

Corporate VOICE carries message of Bhagavad-Gita

Bhagavad Gita into IBM Pune
For the first time VOICE arranged its book distribution program at IBM in the 1st
& 2nd week of Decec at the Yerawada & Hinjewadi offices. There was a very
positive response from the employees indicating the need of the message of
Bhagavad Gita even in the
modern corporate life.

250 Maha-big books One of the

170 employees say ‘YES’ employees who
for spiritual e-mails bought

DYS to start soon
 “Energy”, came the next day again and bought 5 more books to send it his friends in foreign countries. Another
employee bought all the 4 sets of SS series and all four DYS and small books, total price of 1000 Rs. Haribol….!

HG Shyamaras played a key role in getting this event arranged and is trying to arrange DYS course soon in
IBM campus. HG.Mukundalila p, HG.Antardweep p & Vikas p skillfully distributed books at the table. Anurag, a
devotees working in IBM jokingly said, “The people here are very receptive. Lord’s mercy can make this place
into ISKCON Bhakta Mandal [IBM] so that it is place of both material & spiritual opulences” -Bh.Shiv, Mayapur VOICE

December Marathon 2008- 40,000 Maha Big Books - Biggest score in the history of ISKCON PUNE

1. HG Sundar Shyam pr and HG Lalit Madhav pr have started a new ‘Book distribution dept’ 3 months ago to distribute
Srila Prabhupada books throughout the year.
2. Extraordinary Scores: Brahmacaris – 25,000 Maha Big Books; Congregation – 15,000 Maha Big Books
3. For the very first time- FULL concentration on distributing maha big books.
4. HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj &HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj personally visits & inspires devotees.
5. Special facilities innovated –trolleys to carry heavy load of books; Special lunch boxes for book distributors
6. On the occasion of Gita Jayanti – More than 5000 Gitas distributed; More than 250 in the temple premises
7. All the top politicians in Pune received Bhagavad Gitas

“NISHTA” Camp for VOICE devotees across India

Devotees from VOICEs all over India

HG Kamal Lochan pr at Mira Road Temple
experienced a memorable experience
in their lives – NISHTA camp. For the
1st time in the history of VOICE, the
devotees from PUNE VOICEs also had
a exclusive camp. They visited various
places in Pune & Mumbai. While
speaking to the boys, HG Gaur Gopal p
A unique experience of learning from the
said the 4 levels of determination – life-style of kids – Gopal’s Garden School

1) No to Krishna Yes to Maya,

2) Yes to Krishna and wait to Maya,

3) Yes to Krishna and no to Maya,

4) Yes to Krishna yes to Maya making

Maya devotee of Lord like what was done
Counselors share their experiences in KC
Say 'YES' to Krsna & 'WAIT' to Maya–HG GaurGopal p by Srila Haridas Takur.

At our level HG GGP asked us to follow at

least the second level i.e. “Yes to Krishna
and wait to Maya”. Bh. Ravi said, “This
camp has brought a tremendous increase
in our faith and resolution to follow the
path of devotional service”.
Association of senior vaisnavas @
Interacting with doctors of Bhakti Vedanta Hospital – Bh.Ratnadeep, SRKD VOICE
Radha Gopinath Mandir
 Shreshtha –Bh. Aditya Mittal

Name : Bh. Aditya Mittall l

About Aditya Pr : He is one of the dynamic devotees at VOICE Pune introduced to
the path of Krishna Consciousness in 2004 at NITK Surathkal.
Special achievements:
achievements Gold Medalist in National Mathematics Olympiad, State-level
State
Badminton player, Zonal President for SJIT International, 1999-2000, Appreciated
as 'Organized Speaker and Writer' at Oracle Bangalore, 2008
Special talents: Singing, Leadership, Preaching, Making good notes for Krsna Conscious lectures

Major Services Rendered: Over all coordinator for Shantipur[NITK] VOICE, Instrumental in establishing the
official VOICE Club at NITK, Preaching at NITK, IIM B’lore and RVCE B’lore

Spiritual Interests: Youth preaching, studying Srimad

Srimad Bhagavatam, Hearing about acharyas,
a Singing Kirtans &
Vaisnava Songs, Relationships, visiting dhams

Q: Hare Krsna Aditya pr! How were you introduced to Krsna Consciousness?
Aditya: Srila Prabhupada's message touched my heart initially through the magnetic, dynamic yet devotional
personality of HG Gaur Sundar pr. Later it was HG Shyama Rupa pr (assisted by HG Keshava K Ananda Pr, HG
Sundar Caitanya pr, HG Kanai Takur akur pr and HG Prem Harinam pr)) who actually raised, trained & nurtured us
like a father taking care of his sons.
Q: How did VOICE training help you in your personal life?
Aditya:: Everyone is looking for happiness and satisfaction. Although the rat-racerat race competition of the modern
culture promises it, yet all it gives is anxiety, depression and a mad rush for material possessions. Krishna's
message in Bhagavad Gita, taught by VOICE, gave answers to all my questions in life while giving it a
meaningful purpose. Bringing me close to saintly qualities like patience, tolerance, love, maturity, clarity of mind,
knowledge, steadiness, courage, cooperation and humility, it also enabled me to engage all my talents, skills, abilities,
relationships, desires, activities and even acads & profession in service of God & society.
Q: Can you please share your experience of preaching Krsna Consciousness? What message do you have for
VOICE devotees engaged in preaching Krsna K Consciousness, especially leaders?
Aditya:: As I've heard from senior devotees and myself experienced: by preaching, a devotee not only benefits others
but also flourishes in his own Krishna consciousness and develops maturity and realizations and indeed becomes
blissful. For VOICE devotees engaged d in preaching, as HG RSP says, it is really very important to have a
regular and quality Sadhana to nourish oneself. Only when our well has water, can we distribute it to others.
And for leaders, my experience has been that in preaching, project and peoplee both are important.
Q: What is your driving force in Krsna Consciousness
onsciousness?
Aditya: Pure and missionary life of our previous and current acharyas (like Srila Prabhupada,
P Bhakti Siddhanta
Saraswati Takur, Vishwanath Cakravarthy
akravarthy Takur, HH Tamal Krsna Goswami Maharaj aharaj, HH Radhanath Swami
Maharaj ) is one thing which constantly motivates me and inspires me to dedicate my life and an follow in the footsteps.
Devotees like HG RSP, HG Govind Pr, HG Krishna Smaran Pr, HG Dwarakadhish pr are setting an example for us.
Thank you Aditya Pr
“Gaur Bhakta Vrinda Camps” on 1st and 3rd weekends hence forth for all VOICE & YOGA devotees

PURPOSE OF GAUR-BHAKTA VRINDA CAMPS: The camp began from the need felt by HG Radheshyam Pr and
other senior devotees to provide all the VOICE and YOGA devotees connected to IYF-Pune, a rigorous training
program facilitating their deeper understanding of the philosophy of Krsna Consciousness and an experience of the
joy of regular intense association. The 1st and 3rd weekends of every month are devoted to GBVC and maximum
senior devotees in the temple make their presence available during these camps.

“Faith and Doubt” camp:

The camp consisted of few main themes-

What gives me faith in the Vedas? What are the doubts I have in Vedas?

What gives me faith in Srila Prabhupada? And what are the doubts?

What do you like in ISKCON as an organization? What are your fears?

What gives you faith on the process of K.C?

What gives you faith on devotees?
Various themes that were discussed are
1. “If we are under Krsna’s control, it is out of love, while maya’s control is out of
force”.
2. HG RSP spoke about how Srila Prabhupada is the ‘senapati-bhakta’ about
whom Lord Caitanya predicted 500 yrs ago and Srila Bhakti Vinod Takur in
1896 to propagate the holy name all over the world.
3. We can accept an absolute authority only when it is right. So, monarchy of the
vedic ages was successful where as the present
day democracy OF THE GULLIBLE MASSES is not.
4. 4. If material life is so miserable, then why are all people foolishly running
after it? HG RSP said, “It is because maya cheats people by promising of a
lot of enjoyment, but actually it doesn’t exist. Only those who are in ignorance
get trapped in this false promise and suffer”
5. HG Murari pr narrated a heart melting pastime teaching the value of
association and repentance in the life of devotee. -Bh. Siddharth, Mumbai
Unique SANKALPA camp Shantipur Dham VOICE

The devotees at Shantipur dham VOICE celebrated a grand ‘Sankalpa-Camp’ for the first
year devotees. For the first time in the history of NITK VOICE, there was a group of 55
boys who enthusiastically participated in the camp at the holy place of Sripad
Madhvacarya’s birth place, Pajakakshetra. The unique features of the camp are -
1. College bus for the transportation of the boys from the college hostels to Pajaka-
kshetra which is very unique.
2. The lecture by HG CCP on ENERGY, the sutra for positive
thinking greatly inspired the boys. HG CCP, HG KAP & HG QUIZ – DEC 2008
SYP collectively conducted various sessions for the boys. 1. What is the name of Conch shell of Arjuna?
3. After spending 1.5 days at Pajakakshetra, the boys were 2. Who is the spiritual master of Sanjaya, the
brought to VOICE and were narrator of Bhagavad-Gita to Drtarastra?
introduced to the culture. 3. Who is the brother of Rupa-Goswami who is
They came to know how also the father of Jiva-Goswami?
4. Who is the author of “Hari-bhakti vilas”?
VOICE life benefits many
5. Samprarthanatmika, dainyavodhika and
students both academically ________ are the 3 kinds of prayers.
& spiritually. One boy Anirudh 6. Srila Prabhupada named which city as “New–
HG Kesavananda pr leading
answered a question “How Jagannath puri”?
kirtans while climbing a hill would you like to assist 7. Who is the son of Kayadu, a great devotee
VOICE?” , “whatever I have with implicit faith in protection of the Lord?
learnt in last 16 yrs from nature 8. In Caitanya Caritamrita, the quality of
and from parents, I ll use it in assisting VOICE” -Bh. Gokul, NITK simplicity was exemplified by ______?
9. What are the 4 pillars of religion?
Editorial Board 10. Who is that “father” which Jesus referred to
HG Radheshyam Das, M.Tech, IIT Bombay & Director, VOICE as God of all the living beings?
HG Chaitanya Charan Das, B.E, COEP, Pune Please mail your answers to voice.nlquiz@gmail.com
Sudhir, Anurag, Sandeep, Sri Ram, Tushar, Aditya, Venkatesh. before 20th Jan09. The winners will be given special
Vedic Oasis for Inspiration Culture and Education prize along with the release of next News letter
4-Tarapore Road, next to Dastur’s Boys School, Camp Pune-01