Water Harvesting Preparations in full swing in Hare Krishna Village

On going construction of a large underground chamber to collect all the rain waters from the roof tops of the temple and roofs of other strcutures.

The following structure is to preserve and store the water flowing down slopes on the hills 

We are also recycling the water by means of canals and working towards increase of ground water level by means of recharge pits

Recent Krishnamrta Program at Tonk by the devotees of Hare Krishna Village

 Sankirtan and Book Distribution 

Performing Harinam Sankirtan & Distribution of Srila Prabhupada Books

Prasadam Distribution

"It is reciprocal"

You cannot survive without my mercy and I cannot survive without your mercy. It is reciprocal. This mutual dependence is based on love-Krishna Consciousness.

I hope this meets you well.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

- Srila Prabhupada's letter to: Jayatirtha, Mayapur, 22 January, 1976

Why is it an offense to wear red or blue clothing in the Kṛṣṇa temple?

Śīlavatī: I understand that it is an offense to wear red or blue in the Kṛṣṇa temple. Why is this true?

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Devotee: She says that it is an offense to wear red or blue in the temple.

Prabhupāda: Blue?

Devotee: Red or blue. She wants to know why this is.

Prabhupāda: I do not follow.

Madhudviṣa: Why is it an offense to wear red or blue clothing in the Kṛṣṇa temple? That's what she thinks.

Prabhupāda: Oh. (laughs) Because it is red and blue. Is that all right?

Śīlavatī: Because the temple red and blue?

Prabhupāda: You see, you have to accept the Vedic injunction as it is. There is some meaning which may not be explained immediately, but because it is so enjoined, we have to accept it. Just like the conchshell. The conchshell is the bone of an animal. Now in the Vedas it is said that if you touch the bone of an animal or human being, you have to take bath immediately to purify yourself.
Now, this conchshell is also a bone of an animal. Now, it is kept in the Deities' room. Now, if you say, “The bone of an animal is impure. How it is that it is kept in the Deities' room?" So actually it is being done. Why it is being done? Because it is injunction of the Vedas. Similarly, all such injunctions we have to accept, but there is meaning. There is meaning, and that may not be understood immediately. That doesn't matter. So if, instead of red garment, if you take this saffron, what is harm to you? So you should accept the injunction.”

-Bhagavad-gītā 2.27-38,

Los Angeles, December 11, 1968

If you are lazy you cannot keep clean

Prabhupāda: Even though they're not... You cannot say not... They are clean. I have seen in Bombay even the poorest man, his house, and a Parsee gentleman, his house. Kitchen habits. A Parsee's kitchen is so nasty. And here you see this poor man's house, they are neat. Their utensils how much cleansed. I had been in Parsee kitchen. All the pots black. Nothing is cleansed. For eating they use this China. So clean or unclean cannot be understood. Simply washed. But so far the kitchen pots, all are... In our also, when it is handled by this European, American devotees, the black. Down, it is black. That should not be black. It must be cleansed.

Mahāṁsa: By the heat with these wood, it brings up a lot of soot.

Prabhupāda: But it must be cleansed daily.

Mahāṁsa: It should not come on your finger if you touch it. That black thing.

Prabhupāda: Not even you cannot see black, any black spots. Then it is clean. Otherwise not clean. If there's a single black spot, it is not clean. You can see from this poor class of men, how their utensils are cleansed. Before taking water the jug, the waterpot... You'll like to drink water. In our school days there were sweeper, they were a different quarter. So you like to sit down. So clean. The sweeper, cleansing the toilet, bangi. But when you come to his house, living quarter, oh, it is so clean. The bed, the room, the utensils. And they also will take twice, thrice bath, then they will eat. That is a Hindu culture. Even the sweeper class, lowest class. And I have seen one sweeper class who were in Allahabad, regularly worshiping Deity. Very nice worship.

Mahāṁsa: So a Vaiṣṇava then...

Prabhupāda: They took initiation from the Vṛndāvana Goswami and they follow strictly rules and regulations. Cleanliness is very essential. In English also it is said cleanliness is next to Godliness. Everything should be, especially temple. It will attract them. And we are singing daily, śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau **. Tat-mandira-mārjana. Mārjana means cleanliness. And want of cleanliness means laziness. If you are lazy you cannot keep clean. "Ah, let me sleep for the time being." That is mode of ignorance. Tamo-guṇa. So we have to conquer over rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ [SB 1.2.19]. Then there is question of coming to the platform, śuddha, sāttvika. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. Where is this verse? In Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Pradyumna: Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam.

Prabhupāda: Maybe Fourth Chapter, Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Pradyumna: Caitanya-caritāmṛta was quoted? Ādi-līlā?

Prabhupāda: Mm.

 Room Conversation -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad