ISKCON JAPAN

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Feedback on Maha Shivratri celebration @ VCC

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: munish sharma < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Date: Sun, Feb 19, 2012 at 10:58 PM
Subject: [ice_indians] Life and times around Nishi-Ojima
To: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Hindi < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Amidst all the traditional fervor and gaitey,  the newly inaugurated Temple in Funabori today stood witness to Mahashivratri celebrations  .A good number of devotees thronged the sanctum-sanctorum with their families , friends and friends of friends ! The morning session of rituals was followed by a discourse and chanting of melodious bhajans with a lunch break in between where many traditional Indian dishes were served with genuine warmth of Indian hospitality . Some of the visitors were even heard confessing that it is actually the charm of Govindas which keeps pulling them to all the celebrations here . Well, different folks- different strokes, but three cheers  for Govindas. This restaurant is  doing a yeoman’s service ,indeed, by binding many of Indian expats together!! So even if you are not very religiously inclined, next time do not forget to sample some of the glorious Indian dishes served at Govindas ! Jai Shiv Shankar-Kaanta lage na kankar !!

One picture is worth a thousand words and keeping with this age old saying Mr. Rohan aggarwal  has graciously shared some of the pictures taken in the temple this very afternoon . It is a pleasure indeed to share some of these pics which speak for themselves . The amount of euphoria today's celebration generated can easily be gauged through the pics. Kudos to all the organizers  of this magnificent event which has a deep cultural, social and religious significance and may we all witness and be a part of this gesture of universal brotherhood !!Amen.

Soon after moving to Tokyo in 2008, one of the first things I was missing in this biggest metropolis of the world was an Indian Temple. Although I was not a regular temple visitor in India as well, but especially on the occasions of festivals, visiting temple and praying for everyone’s wellbeing was part and parcel of the celebration itself. One of my favourite prayer is:

Sarve bhavantu sukhinah= may every one be happy
Sarve santu niramayah= may every one be free from all diseases
Sarve bhadrani pashyantu = may every one see goodness and auspiciousness in every thing
Ma kaschit duhkha bhaag bhaveet- may none be unhappy or distressed
Om shantih, shantih, shantih-Om peace, peace, peace!

When I started interacted with Indian community in Tokyo and joined a few mailing-lists, I was amazed to receive a message regarding Janmashtmi (Birthday of Lord Krishna) celebration in a community hall. I attended the program and was astonished to see enthusiasm, spiritual elegance and dedication among the volunteers of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). People of all age groups and nationalities were presenting wonderful programs and enjoying mahaprasad (food offered to the gods) prepared by the volunteers. I also attended a presentation and learned that there is a temple in Nakano which is functioning for the past about 30 years, but it is a temporary arrangement, and everyone’s support was sought for building a new temple. The gap between resources available and required to build a temple was huge and I was under the impression that the dream for a new temple may not be realized in near future. But I was wrong, absolutely wrong  !!

 July-2011 witnessed a historic moment in the history of Japan when first Indian temple became a reality. It was not only a matter of pride for about 23,000 Japan based Indians and  127 million Japanese, but also for people from other nationalities who have shown keen interest in India’s rich tradition, culture, diversity and spirituality. Honorable Ambassador of India to Japan also personally visited the new temple and enjoyed grand opening ceremony. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have witnessed the grand opening ceremony and pran-pratistha (deity installation ceremony) of the Radha-Krishna. This was my first time to observe such an elaborated procedure of establishing new deities in a new temple. It was an incredible experience which is so difficult to define in words in any language!! Temple was full of visitors from Japan and overseas, and everyone was oozing out an aura of intense devotion. Every occasion during the temple opening ceremony was very special and very unique. The crowd was thrilled and mesmerized with the most auspicious and magnificent  darshan (beholding the beautiful deity form of lord) of Radha-Krishna. Every ceremony was dotted with entirely new and glorious darshan (beholding the beautiful deity form of lord) of the Lord and   people were rejoicing their intense enjoyment by chanting and singing non-stop, vehemently. Mahaprasad consisting of 56 types of food items (56 Bhog) was offered to the Lord. Mahaprasad buffet was enjoyed by one and all which was served round the clock during the grand opening of the new temple.

 Indian diaspora has a very strong presence in many Western countries compared to Japan. However, about 140 year strong relationship between India and Japan is bound to witness great momentum with the new temple. Awe-inspiring efforts of the visionary community leaders turned a distant dream into a marvelous reality. Let’s come together and enjoy writing a modern history. Visit the temple and be a proud partner of this cultural-spiritual journey which is destined to bring harmony, peace and compassion in present and future generations !!!

 ====== In JAPANESE ==============

シュリー・シュリー・ラーダー・クリシュナに導かれ、
ともに汗を流した私たちは
至高主の住むカルムブーミーから遠くはなれた地に
この壮麗な寺院を築いた

寄りつどう人々の胸を幸福と感謝の思いがつつみ
こみあげる歓喜の涙がほほをつたう

尽きることのない法悦の歌声が
シュリー・シュリー・ラーダー・クリシュナのお姿をいっそ
う引きたてる

海を渡して馳せ参じた尊い指導者たちの優しさを心に刻みつ
つも
心こめたもてなしができなかったことを悔やみ そして詫び
るばかり

手をとりあい ともに進もう
もう一度 自分がすべきことを見つめ
思いつくものすべてに挑戦し
だれをもとりこにする美しさでこの寺院を飾ろう

体 信仰の力 財産――すべてをなげうって ともに働こう
クリシュナの崇高な御心は そのような私たちにそそがれる

ジャイ シュリー・クリシュナ！

 ======= With Translation ===============
कृष्ण-कृपा Krsna-Kripa (Krsna'a Mercy)
श्री राधा-कृष्ण ने दी प्रेरणा With the inspiration from Sri Radha-Krsna,
और किए सबने प्रयास, and with everyone's efforts,
मंदिर बना अति-सुंदर able to built a very beautiful Temple,
उसकी कर्म-भूमी के सात समंदर पार | at a place which is across the sea from
Supreme Lord's "Karmbhumi".
दर्शन करके सभी उपस्थित Everyone who were present,
हर्षित हुए, धन्य हुए, were happy and thankful,
नयन हुए सजल सबके and being very emotional,
और निकले अश्रू बारम्बार | tears keep coming out of
everyone's eyes.
इसी हर्ष और उल्लाहस के मध्य In the mid of this joy and happiness.
श्री राधा-कृष्ण की गून्जी जय-जय कार | continuous chants of Sri Radha-Krsna
made it more bright.
गुरुवर जो बाहर से आये Mentors (Maharaj), who came from
overseas,
कैसे भूले उनका उपकार, how can we forget their kind
mercy,
कर नहीं पाये सेवा में कुछ, we were not able to do
anything for them,
मांगते क्षमा उनसे हम बारम्बार | and would like always
apologies for it.
आओ, अब इसे और आगे बढाये Lets come and take it ahead,
बीडा उठाये, आज फिर सब एक बार, lets all of us take this responsibility again.
नहीं रखेंगे कसर कोई भी, we will not leave any stone un-turned,
सुंदर, सुसज्जित करने में इसे - "अपरंपार" | to make it beautiful and to
decorate it with endless beauty and charm.
लुटा सके, तन-मन-धन सब मिल, Lets all of us devote what we can
have (Physcial efforts, Spiritual efforts and financial efforts)
होगा श्री कृष्ण का यह हम पर उपकार | this will be the Krsna's
great mercy on us.

"जय श्री कृष्ण" "Jai Sri Krsna"