Welcome to Krishna Lunch. How may we serve you?
This is it- an exclusive insider's look- the famous Krishna Lunch, now serving over 1,000 plates of vegetarian goodness to starving and impoverished college students at the University of Florida at Gainesville. In its thirty year history on campus, once the university administration threatened to stop the program because it was getting too big, but the students protested and Krishna Lunch remains a fixed element on campus.
Features include: vegan options, free seconds, thirds, even fourths, until you waddle like a duck.
The steady kirtan crew sets the mood for a transcendental lunch experience.
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Srila Acharyadeva's class, Regions of India, is the most fascinating class I've ever been in. It's not too often you get to talk about the nature of existence and the science of being in a university setting. I have been steadily recording the classes and posting them online. You can listen to them here. This is a must educational experience for the aspiring transcendentalist.+003.JPG)
Living in the ISKCON Gainesville seminary has been a blessing for my devotional life. The classes are stimulating, the students are enthusiastic, and the atmosphere is all about family.
Pictured above are Bhaktin Emily and Bhaktin Kelly. As the women's ashram leader, I am responsible to make sure all the ladies in the ashram are happy, stimulated, motivated, reading and on time to the daily morning and evening program.
Sometimes I have to get heavy with them when they roll their eyes at me. But I don't budge an inch. I don't care what you ate last night, 3:30am is a perfectly reasonable hour to wake up in the morning.
Bhakta Andres is another seminary student living at the center. His father came and visited over Janmastami and left crying, thanking us all over and over again for giving his son such an amazing opportunity. He never imagined spiritual life could be so blissful. Srila Prabhupada says, "Devotional life is NOT static, it's ECSTATIC!"
Every day we read, translate and study various, ancient Vedic texts discussing the bhakti yoga tradition, including the Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad Gita, and Krsna Book. With over 800 devotees living in the Gainesville-Alachua metropolitan area, there is no shortage of senior association and thus guest teachers are frequent. We are so fortunate. 
Occasionally, I am asked to give class. This is the best service because the best way to learn is by teaching. In the purport of Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.7, Srila Prabhupada explains, "One can assimilate the knowledge of the revealed scriptures only by hearing and explaining."The Srimad Bhagavtam is a historical epic. It starts off approximately 5,000 years ago, in the forest of Naimisaranya, where a group of sages have gathered to hear from Suta Goswami, the most learned and respected sage amongst them. The sages elegantly proceed to ask a series of six questions. The first question is a request for Suta Goswami to explain, in an easily understandable way, what is the the highest occupation for a person who seeks the ultimate good for all of society.
On this particular morning, I was explaining the verse 1.2.6 in which Suta Goswami begins his response. 
In addition to teaching, I continue to assist Srila Acharyadeva and cook for him when he lets me. This was part of a series of salads named after a series of hurricanes that passed through the area a couple of weeks ago.
In addition to teaching, I continue to assist Srila Acharyadeva and cook for him when he lets me. This was part of a series of salads named after a series of hurricanes that passed through the area a couple of weeks ago.
And in the meantime, Sri Sri Radha Shyamasundar tolerate my inconsistencies and allow me to serve in the capacity I can. 
1 comment:
This looks like a lot of fun. Lots of tasty-looking food! What is the blue drum that fellow is playing? does it have a name?
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