The GBC Strategic Planning Team has extended their invitation to every ISKCON devotees to celebrate the month of Kartika together: Let’s not let the important restrictions due to Covid-19 get in the way of us having a wonderful Kartika! In the Nectar of Devotion, Srila Prabhupada writes: “One of the most important of these ceremonial functions is called Urja-vrata. Urja-vrata is observed in the month of Kartika; especially in Vṛindavana, there is a specific program for temple worship of the Lord in His Damodara form.” While most of us will miss out on being in Vrindavan and some of us won’t even be able to visit our local temple, we can still take advantage of the opportunity for rapid spiritual advancement offered during the month of Kartika! The GBC’s Strategic Planning Team (SPT) will bring to you an Online Kartika Celebration that will take you on a trip to Sri Vrindavan Dham with some of ISKCON’s most engaging speakers. This is an incredible opportunity for virtual association. The event will be broadcasted in our Facebook page and Youtube Channel from the 31st of October to the 29th of November.

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Request from H.H. Jayapataka Swami Maharaja

My dear Māyāpur Community Devotees!

Please accept my best wishes and blessings! All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! Recently, in our community, a disciple of His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Swami left his body due to Covid-19 because he didn’t report early to the hospital. Also, another non-initiated devotee lost her life recently due to Covid-19. So, the situation is still serious, as soon as devotees feel any symptom, they should report to a doctor. Don’t wait until it gets serious. Then, it may be too late.

Also, we request the devotees to observe social distancing, and wear mask. And I see that during the Dāmodara-pūjā, nobody follows social distancing. We have also asked people leading kīrtana, they should wear the mask. Because a recent research showed that people who sing they send out droplets of mucus caring the virus up to fifty feet. But if they wear mask that gets restricted. So please take this seriously, we want to learn to live with the virus, but that means we want to survive, we want to be merciful to other people. Those who have underline health issue, or elderly age, please be extra cautious. Thank you very much, I am sorry for repeating this thing again and again. But I want all of you to be healthy and strong in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Your Well-wisher Always,
Jayapatākā Swami