New Vrindaban: The Black Sheep of ISKCON
Copyright 2002-07 by Henry Doktorski
Culmination of an Era

Giant Prabhupada.
Another fine art besides music which flourished in New Vrindaban was sculpture. This giant Prabhupada, created by Soma Das and dedicated on Prabhupada's disappearance day, November 14, 1990, sat facing the back of the palace.

(Bhaktipada is seated front and center. The author is seated at the top right, next to Prabhupada's left knee.)

Outline of this chapter:

    Bhaktipada's various innovations worked together to create the City of God.
      1. Krishna-ized literature.
        Eternal Love.
        Spiritual Warfare.
        Lila in the Land of Illusion.
        A Devotee's Journey to the City of God.
        Excerpts from the Bhaktipada Psalms.
        Joy of No Sex.
        Darshan with Tamal Krishna Goswami: Krishna-izing Western culture.
      2. Christian-style robes.
        1987 "Freedom Tour" impresses on Bhaktipada the need for more recognizable garb.
        Bhaktipada darshan: "the garments we wear is a detail that we sometimes have to adjust."
        The first Christian-style robe.
        Appreciations.
      3. Women's sannyas.
        Women's day at the temple.
        Bhaktipada: women can become gurus.
        Darshan: sannyas for women.
        First women's sannyas initiations.
        Sannyasinis speak out.
      4. Silent meditation
        Three types of japa: oral, whispered and mental.
        "Mental japa is a thousand times greater."
        Vrindaban babajis chant silently.
        The gayatri mantra: chanted silently.
        Bhaktipada darshan about silent chanting.
        Noon meditation.
        Japatation.
      5. Interfaith preaching.
        Interfaith dialogue: "It's not goulash!"
        Darshan on interfaith.
        Tapapunja Swami preaches interfaith in prison.
        Seven principles of interfaith.
        Prabhupada and interfaith: Light of the Bhagavat.
        New Vrindaban interfaith residents.
      6. Cathedral of the Holy Name: evolution of design.
        Radha-Vrindaban Chandra's palace.
        The Temple of Understanding.
        More changes: granite out; bronze in.
        New design: "an unbelievable out-of-this-world temple."
        Cathedral of Healing: a temple, hospital and health spa  all under one roof.
        Cathedral of the Holy Name: Native American Indian influence prominent.
      7. The Cities of God.
        A walled city: a haven from marauding barbarians after the next nuclear war.
        Twelve Cities of God proposed.
        Definition of the City of God.
      8. Bhaktipada's Rule.
        Concept of the Rule.
        Devotee's daily schedule.
      9. Interracial marriages: uniting the East and the West.
        Case histories.


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