Bold and Beautiful, TOVP

Bold and Beautiful, TOVP
An emblem of Srila Prabhupada’s boldness.

Srila Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) when he was 70 years old and spread it throughout the world in the next 12 years. He obviously had numerous attractive qualities, both as a person and as a leader. One that continues to amaze, inspire, and guide his followers was his sensational boldness. Srila Prabhupada's boldness changed the course of world history.

When Prabhupada started his work in the USA in the 1960s, traditional religious institutions no longer held firm sway on the newer generations of the western world. Materialism and even outright hedonism was beginning to capture the hearts of the masses there.  The western world was fast moving towards a completely godless state of existence; the rest of the world would have followed suit shortly. Prabhupada reintroduced the western world to God - a stunningly beautiful blue teenage jolly cowherd boy who plays a flute and constantly engages in delightful pastimes of selfless love and affection with all the inhabitants, including birds and animals, of His simple rural village named Vrindavan. In an increasingly materialistic, self-centered, urbanized, and anti-god western society, this picture of God was a shocking revelation. But Prabhupada's bold conviction in his message made people start believing in it - to engage in pure devotional service to God, Krishna. 

The TOVP is an emblem of Srila Prahbupada’s boldness.

The Bold Lonely Struggle

One can trace back Prabhupada's boldness to his first meeting in 1922 with His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta startled the then 26 year old Gandhian Indian nationalist Abhay Charan De by his bold proclamation: temporary material situations like the British rule over India should not impede the preaching of Lord Chaitanya’s spiritual message; only this message can benefit the world and not any political situation. In an India engulfed by arousing nationalistic fervor, this was a stunning proposition; but Prabhupada was convinced.

Prabhupada later became an initiated disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta and imbibed from him this trait of boldness. Prabhupada was bold in multiple ways - personally, as a visionary, and as a strategist. In the 1950s, he made the bold decision of leaving his family to dedicate himself fully to the order of his spiritual master – to preach Lord Chaitanya’s message in English all over the world. This period, the 1950s, was Prabhupada’s toughest in terms of food, clothing, and shelter. Brought up with utmost love and care by his parents and always treated affectionately by his spiritual master, now Prabhupada found that he was all alone. Yet he struggled on, shuttling between Vrindavan and Delhi, to raise funds for, write, and print his “Back To Godhead” fortnightly journal and his commentary on the first canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam. It is impossible to fathom how this unknown aged man continued on without any fixed source of money, contacts, institutional backing, or certainty about the future. We can but bow our heads in the dust of his lotus feet and profusely thank him for his struggles for bringing us to the path of Krishna Consciousness.

This period of struggle ended in an unprecedented event in world history – a voyage that could eventually become as famous as Columbus’s voyage that led to the discovery of the New World. Columbus brought the western world into light; Prabhupada’s voyage brought spiritual light to the western world. Prabhupada’s voyage to USA on the cargo ship Jaladuta and his subsequent success are unparalleled in the history of Vaishnavism. The voyage was a bold move on multiple counts. One, traditional Vedic wisdom prohibits one to leave the shores of the holy land of India. And two, Prabhupada was 69 years old then, with no financial or social support whatsoever.

Taking on the World

Prabhupada’s conviction in his mission gradually earned him his first few followers in the USA. He finally had hands to execute his mission. When all he had was a single storefront, he painted the vision of an international society. He called it a society for Krishna Consciousness when no one in the west knew that Krishna is God. He startled the western world by Hari Nama Sankirtans - street processions having devotees chanting and dancing to the beats of hand cymbals and drums with banners of the Holy Name in hand. The biggest and most eye catching street processions were of course the Lord Jagannath Ratha Yatras which he conducted in major cities of the world. Perhaps his boldest and most socially noticeable move was to have devotees publicly and visibly distribute his books in major public places like airports. His vision was clear – to wake up the people of the world to Krishna by aggressive propaganda via books and sankirtan.

In his books he presented Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead along with his Holy Name, form, qualities, and pastimes. But in many of his conversations with eminent philosophers and scientists he used a distinct strategy - he challenged them. Quoting from authoritative Vedic scriptures and applying simple logic, he questioned and reprimanded those who proclaimed God to be impersonal and denied His eternal form and abode. He gave the Vedic perspective on the various western philosophies he came across. And most notably, he exposed the illogicality and futility of the mechanistic explanation of the cosmos and all that’s in it. This was a direct challenge to the growing atheistic scientific worldview. Despite not having a scientific academic background, he boldly ridiculed atheistic reductionist science based on his simple and firm faith in the word of scripture. To ensure that this challenge didn’t fizzle away, he started the Bhaktivedanta Institute as the scientific wing of ISKCON. While the whole world was glorifying the dazzling advancements in the scientific world, Prabhupada belittled them as being incapable of solving the real problems of life – birth, old age, disease, and death.

Prabhupada's expert application of the principle of yukta vairagya was instrumental in his spectacular success.  Because Srila Prabhupada was a pure devotee, Krishna was the most tangible reality for him; in fact he was in full realization of the fact that Krishna is the only independent reality and that all else depends on Him. Consequently he had the flair of engaging everything in Krishna’s service. He was the quintessential yukta vairagi. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé characterizes Kåñëa consciousness in this way:

anäsaktasya viñayän
yathärham upayuïjataù
nirbandhaù kåñëa-sambandhe
yuktaà vairägyam ucyate

"When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Kåñëa, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. [This is the principle of yukta vairagya]" (Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu 1.2.255)

Money, technology, world travel, mass media, public programs - he used them all with assured confidence. What’s more, he engaged the most unkempt drug addicts on one hand and attracted sophisticated scientists and professors on the other. It takes extraordinary ability to engage the most spiritually unqualified and ignorant in the Lord’s service. And it takes courage. The result was a Hare Krishna explosion. Hare Krishna became household names, hundreds of youth became his followers, millions of spiritual books were sold, and a hundred temples were built.  Lord Chaitanya’s movement left the shores of India; Prabhupada fulfilled the order of his spiritual master.

Succession of Boldness

Srila Prabhupada expected his followers to have faith in the Holy Name and continue preaching the message of Lord Chaitanya boldly. Being bold is hard; it takes courage to take significant and potentially life threatening risks. However, the tales of Srila Prabhupada’s personal struggles, his life threatening voyage to the west, and untiring hard work despite advanced old age serve as continuous inspiration for his sincere followers. Riding on this inspiration, his followers continue to operate even in remote corners of the globe, in hostile countries like the Islamic and communist nations, in the hearts of modern cities, and in many other parts of the world. Many of his disciples and grand-disciples lead a hectic life full of inconveniences to carry forward his legacy. This succession of boldness and dedication is one of Srila Prabhupada’s hallmarks of success; a true leader is one who creates more leaders.

Prabhupada has also given a life of dignity and confidence to all his followers. Without a thriving and united community of devotees, it would have been difficult for devotees to practice devotional life in today’s increasingly godless modern world. But thanks to ISKCON, devotees in devotional attire are now an increasingly common site in various parts of the world. This is also due to the strong scriptural and logical foundation that Prabhupada has provided for all aspects of a devotee’s life. Now a devotee does not need to be apologetic about his devotional practices. In fact many times a devotee’s acquaintances look up to him or her for guidance regarding various aspects of their life.

As a token of gratitude, to fulfil one of his ardent desires, and as a stunningly courageous undertaking, Srila Prabhupada’s followers are constructing the magnificent TOVP.

Bold and Beautiful

The three giant domes of the TOVP will be structurally complete by the end of 2015. This will include the concreting layer on top of the steel superstructure of the domes. By then, the entire superstructure of the temple building including the external brickwork will also be done. The domes will be layered with vitrified tiles of a unique shade of blue. Tiles of this color are available nowhere in the world. The NITCO company will specially manufacture these tiles for the TOVP. These tiles will start arriving at the site shortly. The MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) work for both infrastructure and interior needs will start in 2015. For example, lightening arresters (devices used to protect against the damage caused by lightening) have arrived on the site. There will be one special lightening arrester on each of the three domes and 40 others at various places on the site. The waterproofing is complete. Work on other services like fire-fighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning will also start now. The ground floor of the building is now leveled; in one way this milestone signifies that the super structure is now more or less done. On the aesthetic side, the sandstone carving work will now start.

While Prabhupada’s personal boldness is seen in his followers, his visionary and strategic boldness is evident in the TOVP. One of Prabhupada’s preaching strategies was to just encourage people to come to Mayapur so that their spiritual life will start. Additionally, one of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s prominent visions was to see people from different parts of the world throng to Mayapur and participate in the congregational chanting of the Holy Name. There are multiple bold elements in the construction of the TOVP which are meant to attract the people of the world to Mayapur.

The most obvious is its scale. The huge central dome will be the biggest dome in the world in terms of diameter and only second in terms of height after the Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Building it was an architectural challenge which the team of architects has now addressed satisfactorily.  While there are other huge temple complexes in the world like the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, India (180,000 sq. mt.) and the Angkor Wat in Cambodia, no other temple boasts as large a temple hall as the TOVP. Under the shelter of the structurally sound central dome, the TOVP temple hall will be 45000 sq. ft. in area and will hold 10000 pilgrims. Extending Srila Prabhupada’s application of the yukta viaragya principle, a lot of modern technology will be employed in this project. For example, the central dome will be acoustically designed for facilitating discourses within it for the 10000 pilgrims inside it. The decorative coffered ceiling of the central dome is also another major execution challenge that the team is currently working on. On top of the central dome, even above the kalash, will be housed a beautiful Sudarshan Chakra whose diameter will be 4m. A gong will be installed inside the temple that will be heard as far as the town of Krishnanagar, a straight line distance of 12km from Mayapur.

Impersonalism and atheistic science are two streams of thought that Prabhupada repeatedly attacked in his books and conversations. The TOVP continues that trend. Building of a grand temple of Lord Krishna focused on elaborate deity worship and devotional lifestyle directly challenges the impersonal conceptions of the Absolute Truth; it establishes the Absolute Truth as Sri Krishna – the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of everything. Consequently, the TOVP also rejects the mechanistic atheistic explanations of the cosmos and all that’s in it. What’s more, it also presents the Vedic view of the structure of the universe, most notably in the form of the ambitious chandelier that will hang down from the central dome. This chandelier will be a moving model of the Vedic explanation of the structure of the universe. To amalgamate the function of a chandelier (a decorative device of lighting) with the function of a scientific model of the universe (to explain its different aspects) into one single electro-mechanical structure is quite a design challenge.

Being aware of the large amount of money required for building something so grand, just to attempt it is a statement of utmost faith in Srila Prabhupada’s vision. Centuries ago wealthy kings used to fund the construction of large temples, but not today. Today funds are raised by requesting for them from potential donors. It’s a joint effort by the well-wishers of the project. Even when he did not have the required funds, Prabhupada had promised Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari of the Juhu (Bombay) ISKCON Temple that he would build a palace for them; he did. Similarly, the followers of Srila Prabhupada have promised him the building of the TOVP; with the cooperation of his worldwide followers, this promise will soon become a reality.

The superstructure of the TOVP already looks beautiful from Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s house across the Ganga. The striking blue color of its domes is an aesthetically bold choice too. The interior and exterior beauty of the TOVP will capture the hearts of its visitors. But the real beauty of the TOVP lies in its special place in the history of Gaudiya Vaishnavism; it will make Gaudiya Vaishnavism prominent on the world’s spiritual map.

An Emblem of Boldness

Srila Prabhupada was the perfect sadhu.

titikñavaù käruëikäù
suhådaù sarva-dehinäm
ajäta-çatravaù çäntäù
sädhavaù sädhu-bhüñaëäù

The symptoms of a sädhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime.

—Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.25.21

All ornaments of a sadhu decorated Srila Prabhupada. He left Vrindavan to give Krishna to the world because he was not satisfied with just his own liberation – that was his compassion. He faced so many impediments and so much opposition along the way but he tolerated it all for the sake of Lord Chaitanya’s mission. This combination of intense compassion and utmost tolerance was the recipe of his stunning boldness.

The TOVP will serve as an emblem of Srila Prabhupada’s boldness for generations to come.

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ToVP – Future in the Making

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The construction of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (ToVP) – the biggest Vedic temple in the world - is well underway in the holy town of Mayapur in the east-Indian state of West Bengal. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who is Sri Krishna Himself in the role of His own devotee, appeared in Mayapur in A.D. 1486. He inaugurated the sankirtan movement. This movement has since spread all over the world due to the unyielding dedication of His devotees. The most recent and notable of His stalwart devotees was His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Prabhupada, between 1966 and 1977, singlehandedly established ISKCON – an international organization meant to carry Lord Chaitanya’s mission all over planet earth. While ISKCON continues to expand the sankirtan movement’s enlightening influence in various ways, construction of the ToVP is certainly its biggest project today. Once the ToVP starts functioning, the roaring and benevolent waters of Krishna’s Holy Names will quickly inundate the world.

Future Rests on the Past

The ToVP construction is far from complete and so can be said about the astronomical mission of the sankirtan movement. But from their current state we can say with certainty that the future of both is magnificent. Future rests on the past. Just like tall buildings owe their height to deep underground foundations, deep appreciation of the past inspires a stupendous future.

The Vedic culture is the oldest spiritual tradition known to man. In fact, the Vedic literature itself asserts that its tradition is timeless. In His introduction to transcendental knowledge, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna (BG 4.1):

çré-bhagavän uväca

imaà vivasvate yogaà

proktavän aham avyayam

vivasvän manave präha

manur ikñväkave 'bravét

The Personality of Godhead, Lord Çré Kåñëa, said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvän, and Vivasvän instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikñväku.

Srila Prabhupada infers in his purport that this knowledge has been extant in the human society for at least two million years. The sacred parampara (disciplic succession) system keeps the knowledge flowing from one generation to the next. But this current of spirituality cannot be taken for granted. The carriers of this system at any time in history are always up against the ever present opposing undercurrent of materialism that characterizes this material world. Time and again this untiring and sinister current sidelines the spiritual current and becomes prominent in the world. These are the toughest times for the bearers of the parampara system.

To set things right sometimes Krishna personally reveals true spiritual knowledge. About 5000 years ago he spoke the Gita to Arjuna in the dramatic setting of an all-encompassing world war.

sa eväyaà mayä te 'dya

yogaù proktaù purätanaù

bhakto 'si me sakhä ceti

rahasyaà hy etad uttamam

[Because it has been lost in the course of time …] I will tell you this very ancient science of one’s relationship with the Supreme. You will be able to understand the transcendental mystery of this science because you are My devotee as well as My friend. (BG 4.3)

And then 500 years ago Lord Chaitanya revealed the Gita once again by spectacularly living and emphatically teaching its practical message of devotion. But at other times it’s up to the acaryas - the extraordinary links in the parampara chain - to keep the message alive and distribute it profusely in society. The TOVP is a tribute to the glorious acaryas of Lord Chaitanya's super-excellent Gaudiya Vaishnav parampara.

It’s not easy to keep a flame burning amidst turbulent winds. It's tougher still to light more lamps in the process. While all links in the parampara are great, those who operate in turbulent anti-spiritual times and in the process create a blazing spiritual movement are definitely extra-special. We hail them as our acaryas, to glorify whom no words are enough.

After Lord Chaitanya and the six goswamis of Vrindavan left this world, by an inconceivable arrangement of the Lord the movement gradually disintegrated. By the 1700s, the ruling Moghul invaders had wantonly destroyed many temples in Vrindavan. Devotees were living under the constant threat of Moghul cruelty. During these oppressive times, Srila Vishwanath Charavarty Thakur single-handedly held fort for Gaudiya Vaishnavism in Vrindavan. His literary work, full of esoteric realizations about Vrindavan, was produced despite the times. His ardent follower, Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana, when the very authenticity of Gaudiya Vishnavism was at stake, produced his landmark commentary on the Vedanata Sutra – the Govinda Bhashya. Despite strangling opposition these acaryas not only kept the tradition alive but also produced literature which is today the signature of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

By the 1800s, the British were ruling India. Their goal was to obliterate Vedic literature and culture. The British run education taught that the Vedic literature is full of fantastic mythological narrations with no connection to reality. This education influenced many young Indian intellectuals and made them reject Vedic schools of thought; the youth could hardly appreciate Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Most significantly, the state of Gaudiya Vaishnavism itself was pathetic. Many groups proclaiming to be Gaudiya Vishnavas had cropped up. But their behavior and philosophical understanding was far removed from the pure teachings of Lord Chaitanya. In fact they were known for indulging in obnoxious activities including illicit sexual relationships. Amidst such harsh and filthy anti-spiritual circumstances appeared the lotus - Srila Sacchidananda Bhaktivinod Thakur. Against these strong opposing currents, he struggled hard to establish the pure and original teachings of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. He wrote extensively, preached door-to-door in villages, and published authentic philosophical works of the six goswamis. His son, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur carried forward his father’s mission with fiery zeal. Against all odds, he established the Gaudiya Math and its 64 branches all over India. His foremost disciple Srila A. C. Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada established ISKCON. Volumes of literature are available describing his monumental life and spectacular success. But we must not forget the unimaginable hardships that he underwent all his life just to serve his spiritual master and Lord Chaitanya. We must also never forget the driving force behind his struggles – his compassion for us.

If we deeply appreciate what these exalted acaryas have done for Krishna, the world, and us, we will always worship them within our hearts with intense gratitude and warm affection. The TOVP will express these highly elevated spiritual feelings by placing fifteen acaryas on the main altar. This will be the first time in Gaudiya Vaishnav history that so many past acaryas – from the six goswamis to Srila Prabhupada - will permanently reside on the main altar of a temple. Work on the deities of the acaryas has commenced. Dedicated artists are working hard using latest technology and a lot of research to create life-like deities. The fine details of each deity will portray the mood, personality, and if possible the prominent teachings of the acarya. Unlike the Lord, who can accomplish everything effortlessly, these acaryas toiled unimaginably hard. They used their spiritual acumen while depending on the Lord’s mercy alone. They accomplished what is ordinarily impossible. The TOVP is a salute to their sacrifice and contribution. Indeed, the sankirtan mission is growing all over the world on the philosophical, institutional, literary, and cultural foundation that they have laid. The ToVP is also rising on this foundation.

Taking Shape

Phase One of the TOVP construction is near completion. It consists of the RCC framework of columns, the brickwork, and the massive domes that will be the most striking feature of the temple. The RCC framework is complete. The spaces are now well-defined. The hugeness is now apparent. The brickwork has started defining the building’s edges. It has started looking more like a temple now than a mere construction site. The domes are growing. The central and the largest dome is being built in terms of rings of steel and concrete. As I write, the third ring is under construction. The domes will be ready by the first quarter of 2015. Apart from this, the best waterproofing company in the world is using the best technology to protect the superstructure against cracks and water seepage. The goal is to construct a building that will last for at least 1000 years without needing renovation. The massive structure of the TOVP is already visible from miles away. The residents there could already see Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi, now they can also see his gift to Lord Chaitanya.

Phase Two will be all about the finishing – both interior and exterior. There will be at least 22 packages of finishing work including carpentry, woodwork, flooring, doors, and windows. Also included are the astonishing gold work, marble cladding, and the kalash on top of each of the three domes. Apart from the gold inlays inside the temple, the domes will themselves be decorated by a mesh of gold work on the outside. Spotless white marble has started arriving from Vietnam. It will be used both for the interiors and the exteriors of the temple. Exquisite and rare dark blue marble has arrived from Bhutan for embellishing the gorgeous altar in the central dome. Work on the kalash design has started. Kalash is the Sanskrit word for a pitcher. It symbolizes abundance, new life, and growth. The kalash on top of TOVP’s central dome will be four storeys (68 feet) tall. It will be coated with the extremely hard ceramic material known as titanium nitride (TiN). TiN looks like gold and lasts very long. Using TiN will make the kalash maintenance free.

The team of artists working on the ToVP is considering every minute detail of the various aspects of its design. Each component, no matter how minute or how large, gets painstaking attention before getting finalized. The temple site is clean. The construction work is of the highest quality. This high quality is ensured not only by strict monitoring of the work but also by inspiring the workers. Recently all the workers attended a class on the importance and significance of the project.

As is widely known, from the top of the central dome will hang the world’s largest and the one-of-its-kind chandelier. The chandelier will depict the structure of the universe as described by the Srimad Bhagavatam. It will also depict the spiritual world beyond the universe leading up to the highest spiritual planet – Goloka Vrindavan. Visitors will be able to study the universe from multiple levels. At each level will be galleries and exhibits to explain the various aspects of the universe along with its purpose. The highest level will take visitors on a tour of the spiritual world. Detailed design discussions for the chandelier are underway. This chandelier was one of Srila Prabhupada’s most dear ideas.

It’s only a matter of time before the magnificent, exquisite, and sparkling TOVP will adorn the bank of the Ganges right where Lord Chaitanya inaugurated the sankirtan movement.

Srila Prabhupada’s Desire

Srila Prabhupada used to say that he works in Bombay, stays in Vrindavan, and worships the Lord in Mayapur. On Lord Chaitanya’s order, the six goswamis discovered and excavated many holy places in Vrindavan. Vrindavan is Krishna’s town. Similarly, recent Gaudiya acaryas have contributed immensely to Mayapur – Lord Chaitanya’s town. Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur discovered Lord Chaitanya’s birthplace. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur discovered many other pastime places of Lord Chaitanya and founded the Gaudiya Math with one of it’s prominent branches - the Sri Chaitanya Math - in Mayapur. Similarly, the ToVP will be Srila Prabhupada’s most striking contribution to Mayapur. It’s Srila Prabhupada’s most ambitious project. It’s at Srila Prabhupada’s place of worship. It will be Mahaprabhu’s home.

Centuries ago, grand temples were constructed by devoted kings. For example, the massive Ranganath Swamy (a reclining form of Lord Vishnu) Temple in Trichy in the south-Indian state of Tamil Nadu was built between the 11^th and the 17^th century A.D. During this period, the rulers of the region changed, but all of them gave paramount importance to the temple construction. Times have changed. The rulers of the India don’t build temples anymore. Temples are now built by raising funds from the general public. Mayapur is the international headquarters of ISKCON. Consequently, the TOVP is not a local temple of Mayapur. It’s not even an Indian temple. Due the interconnected nature of the modern times, and the international outreach of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON, the TOVP is an international temple. The general public for the TOVP is the entire population of earth.

Srila Prabhupada taught his followers to desire big for the service of Krishna. In the same spirit, the TOVP was one of Srila Prabhupada’s grandest desires. It is yet unfulfilled. Desires of pure devotees are fulfilled by the Lord Himself. For example, years before Srila Prabhupada started ISKCON, he had a desire to build a grand temple in Juhu, Mumbai. Years later the landmark Sri Sri Radha Raasbihari Temple manifested. Similarly, “when” is the only question to ask about the TOVP, not “if”. The TOVP team would like to relocate the deities - the Pancha Tattva, Sri Sri Radha Madhav and the asta sakhis, and Lord Nrsimhadeva - into the TOVP by 2022. When devotees of the Lord come together and cooperate in the spirit of gratitude and love, anything is possible.

Future in the Making

Today, the most prominent and powerful stream of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Pramapara is represented by Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON. The TOVP will be its dam. From this dam, innumerable streams will burst forth in various directions. They will irrigate the whole world with the nourishing waters of the Holy Names. Apart from redirecting waters to otherwise arid places, a typical dam also prevents floods. The TOVP will cause floods – roaring and benevolent floods of the Holy Name sankirtan:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare.

With TOVP, Mayapur will soon become the spiritual capital of the world. Its towering domes will not only be visible from miles away to the naked eye, but also all over the world via mass media. Its spectacular construction, vibrant culture, scientific education, and breathtaking beauty will attract millions. Even today Mayapur sees four million annual visitors. This number will shoot up exponentially. The number of devotees of Lord Krishna will thus shoot up proportionally. Mayapur will become the new Mecca and Vatican of the world. The acaryas who sacrificed their lives for the welfare of the world will see the fruits of their sacrifice. It will bring joy to their hearts, and tears to their eyes. Can there be a greater gain?

The inauguration of the TOVP will open a new chapter in history. It will partition the history of the world into two – history before the TOVP, and history after it.

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This article appeared in the Nov/Dec 2014 issue of the Back To Godhead International

The Rising Moon of Mayapur

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Back to Godhead (International) March/April 2012

By Abhijit Toley

In West Bengal, in a little-known village on the bank of the Ganges, an extraordinary temple is taking shape.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), or the Hare Krishna movement, is gradually being recognized all over the world as an authentic spiritual tradition with roots in ancient Vedic scripture and culture. Throughout history, the great spiritual traditions of the world have gifted mankind many grand monuments that serve as lasting, inspiring reminders of the glorious traditions they represent. The upcoming Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (ToVP) will be one such monument, representing ISKCON in particular and Gaudiya Vaishnavism in general. Combining modern technology, ancient science, timeless wisdom, and lively culture, the ToVP promises to be a popular spiritual destination.

The Mayapur Connection

The ToVP is rising on the banks of the Ganges in the holy town of Mayapur, West Bengal, India. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the father of the modern-day Krishna consciousness movement, narrates in his Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya how Lord Nityananda spoke to Srila Jiva Goswami (both contemporary devotees of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) about the future of Mayapur. Lord Nityananda prophesized: "When our Lord Chaitanya leaves this world, by His desire the Ganges will swell. Its water will almost cover Mayapur for a hundred years, and then the water will recede. Then, by the Lord's desire, Mayapur will again be manifest, and the devotees will build temples of the Lord. One exceedingly wonderful temple (adbhuta-mandira) will appear from which Lord Chaitanya's eternal service will be preached around the world."

Because Mayapur is where Lord Chaitanya appeared, Srila Prabhupada chose it as ISKCON's international headquarters. Lord Chaitanya, who is Krishna Himself in a golden form, appeared in Mayapur a little over five hundred years ago with the mission to flood the world with the highest love of God, a love rarely revealed. He spread the Hare Krishna mantra throughout India and prophesized that one of His "commanders" (senapati-bhakta) would one day deliver the holy names to every town and village in the world. In 1965, at seventy years of age, Srila Prabhupada arrived in the USA. Within twelve years, he inspired the founding of 108 temples in cities around the globe. Now, forty-seven years later, ISKCON continues to spread Lord Chaitanya's mission with the goal of fulfilling His prediction. ISKCON has about five hundred temples, farm communities, restaurants, and schools, and the number is growing.

It's significant that Srila Prabhupada chose Mayapur as ISKCON's international headquarters. Even today Mayapur is not well connected with the rest of the world; he didn't choose it for its material assets. Rather, he well knew the incomparable spiritual significance of Mayapur. Here Lord Chaitanya first revealed his superexcellent presentation of Vaishnavism: Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Mayapur is the highest seat of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. With the construction of the magnificent ToVP, Gaudiya Vaishnavism could become a well-known spiritual tradition all over the world, attracting millions from all walks of life to its sublime philosophy and culture.

Temple or Planetarium?

In Mayapur, Lord Chaitanya started His sankirtana movement of the congregational chanting of the holy names. The main activities of the Mayapur ISKCON temple, on whose campus the ToVP is being built, center onsankirtana and gorgeous deity worship. Whoever visits Mayapur, for whatever reason, gets a chance to experience and practice Krishna consciousness, thus ushering auspiciousness into the visitor's life.

Srila Prabhupada had a clear vision for the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, one he often expressed. He wanted a unique Vedic planetarium to present the Vedic perspective of life, including a gigantic display of the material and spiritual worlds that visitors could view from different levels as they traveled through the planetarium. He wanted something startling and state-of-the-art to attract people from around the world to Mayapur.

Srila Prabhupada recognized the hold modern atheistic science has on most people. He wanted to challenge the mechanistic understanding of the universe. To educate people in the principles of Vedic cosmology is a crucial aim of the ToVP. Cosmology studies the origin and structure of the universe, and Vedic cosmology goes further, giving extensive information about its purpose and the subtle laws that govern it.

A fundamental concept pervades Vedic cosmology: Everything and everyone has a relationship with, and depends on, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, the source of the creation, maintenance, and dissolution of the manifested worlds. The Vedic Planetarium and Science Center will attractively present this profound understanding. It will also provide scientific evidence that supports the idea that there is a supreme conscious intelligent being, Krishna, who is responsible for the order and complexity we observe in the universe. And the ToVP will challenge atheistic claims about human ancestry by showing through evidence and logic that life cannot come from matter and that humans could not have evolved from apes.

Five hundred years ago Mayapur was a center of learning in logic, philosophy, and theology. Today, ISKCON Mayapur hosts primary-school students as well as adults taking advanced courses in Vaishnava philosophy and practice. Mayapur's leaders, headed by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami, plan to build a university. Along with an academic education, Mayapur students also experience a practical way of life centered on devotion to God. The ToVP will be the hub of this spiritual education.

The ToVP's aim is the aim of any true temple: to attract people to God and educate them about Him. Thus, even with the emphasis on the Vedic planetarium, the ToVP is most definitely a temple—a temple with a difference, the first of its kind: the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Grand and Exquisite

The ToVP will be the largest Vedic temple built in the last thousand years. Srila Prabhupada is the original ToVP architect. In letters and conversations, he clearly outlined its key features. In July 1976 he expressed his preference for the outer design of the temple. While visiting Washington, D.C., he instructed his disciples Yaduvara Dasa and Vishakha Devi Dasi to take detailed photos of the US Capitol building, which would serve as a prototype for the ToVP. The most prominent external feature of the ToVP will thus be its three towering domes. In consideration of Prabhupada's various instructions, the highest and central dome, more than three hundred feet tall, will house three sets of deities. On the left will be the disciplic succession of spiritual masters in which Srila Prabhupada came. In the center will be huge, effulgent Panca-tattva deities: Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Nityananda Prabhu, Sri Adwaita, Sri Gadadhara, and Sri Srivasa, who are already being worshiped today in the present Mayapur temple. And on the right will be the gorgeous Sri Sri Radha-Madhava and Their intimate servants the eight principal gopis(cowherd girls). The combined presence of all these deities on the 140-foot-wide ToVP altar will offer a deity darshana (viewing) unmatched in the world.

The huge temple space around the central deities will hold ten thousand devotees. The high ceiling of the dome will remind visitors of the greatness of God and inspire humility and submission to Him. Hanging inside the central dome will be a chandelier with a difference: a moving 3-D model of the structure of the universe as described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.Visitors will be able to study the universe from multiple levels. At each level will be galleries and exhibits to explain the various aspects of the universe, along with its purpose. The highest level will take visitors on a tour of the spiritual world.

The inside walls of the central dome will be of the best marble, ornamented with gold inlays. Onyx, known for its translucence and delicacy, will adorn the altar. Two smaller domes will flank the central dome. The dome on the right will house the deity of Lord Nrisimha. Its interiors will be South Indian style and dominated by black. The dome on the left will house the Vedic Planetarium. The temple will use green architecture. For example, a state-of-the-art system for natural airflow will ventilate the central and right domes. In contrast, the Vedic Planetarium, consisting of multiple floors and seminar halls, will be fully air-conditioned.

The towering domes will be visible from miles away. Beautiful landscaping, with lawns, fountains, and ponds, will surround the temple. The massive size of the complex will awaken visitors to the temple's immense significance. The outside walls will be clad in various exquisite shades of blue, white, and gold marble of the highest quality, from the quarries of Turkey. True to its purpose of being a world temple, its architecture will be an eclectic blend of Vedic and non-Vedic styles of sacred architecture. The main entrance will be like that of a classic Vedic temple with pillars and a courtyard. The domes will be elaborately ornamented with weavings of gold. An astronomical clock similar to the famous Prague Astronomical Clock will sit above the entrance to the central dome. Eight staircase towers all around the structure will lend delightful symmetry. At night, the play of light will create another breathtaking scene. Apart from these major features, innumerable finer aspects will lend unprecedented beauty to this magnificent temple.

An Inspired Team

Srila Prabhupada requested his disciple Ambarisha Dasa (Alfred Ford, great-grandson of Henry Ford) to help build the ToVP. Taking this instruction as his very life, Ambarisha Dasa is covering a major portion of the cost. The temple construction started in 2009 and is well under way. Srila Prabhupada talked about the ToVP most with his disciple Bhavananda Dasa, who was involved for many years with the early development of the current Mayapur temple. He now serves as the creative director for the ToVP. Íadbhuja Dasa, a 22-year Mayapur veteran and project coordinator for the completion of Srila Prabhupada's Pushpa Samadhi in Mayapur, is now project director for the ToVP. Working under him are Pundarikaksha Govinda Dasa as the site project coordinator and Vilasini Devi Dasi as the consultant coordinator for architects.

Gammon India, one of the largest construction companies in India, is building the temple. Mr. Vibhuti Choudhary is the consultant. The plan is for the superstructure to be complete within the next three years, with the possibility that the deities could move in at that time. The completion of the external decorative work will take some years. As a token of love and immense gratitude for the unfathomable gift of Krishna consciousness Srila Prabhupada gave to the world, the ToVP team desires to present this grand temple to him in 2016, the fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of ISKCON.

Srila Prabhupada said that the ToVP already exists—Bhaktivinoda Thakura saw it. Whatever the Lord desires will manifest. What remains is to put the bricks and cement and steel and paint in their place. Srila Prabhupada explained that Krishna showed Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra that He had already killed Arjuna's enemies and Arjuna only had to fire his arrows and become an instrument for the victory. Similarly, whoever helps build the ToVP will become an instrument of the Lord in fulfilling His cherished desire to see His message spread everywhere in the world.

Srila Prabhupada named the present Mayapur temple complex "Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir." Chandrodaya means "rising moon," indicating that the moon of Lord Chaitanya's mercy will rise in Mayapur and spread around the world. Srila Prabhupada once said in reference to the ToVP, "The plans and contemplations are going on in different phases; now when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu will be pleased, it will be taken up." That time has come. With the rise of the ToVP, the resplendent moon of Lord Chaitanya will ascend further and bathe the world with the most pleasing moonlight of love of God.