Sincerest dandavat-pranams dearest devotees around the world.
All glories to Sri Sri Guru & Gauranga!
Gaura Purnima is around the corner and most of us are getting ready to either travel to Navadvipa Dhama this year, (as I heard that there will be many devotees visiting), or you wonder what the festival will be like this year, and how to keep up-to-date.
Backtobhakti will continue to try and keep you informed as much as we can while on Parikrama – with all its challenges due to slow Internet connections etc. Also, since we embarked upon a “new” venture called BhaktiMedia, you may be curious by now as to what we’ve been up to.
We want to give you a little preview of some things to come. If all goes well, by mercy of Guru and Gauranga only, we will have available some 2 or 3 new small books, especially designed and formatted as an introduction to Bhakti Yoga delivered in Srila Gurudeva’s own sweet way, based on interviews and informal talks he gave during his travels.
Also, since Srila Gurudeva had requested us to form the International Pure Bhakti Yoga Society, we will be presenting a 32-page brochure about the IPBYS, its background and activities – all of it aimed at answering the question that a person may have when they meet us for the first time. Below are some draft designs of several pages. We welcome your feedback and suggestions, and pray for your blessing to please Srila Gurudeva and be instruments in his mission.
“Love has nothing to take, but everything to give.”
“I see rays of hope everywhere.” – Srila Gurudeva
Draft design sample pages (click to enlarge)
Dandavat pranams. Excellent work prabhu!, beautiful subtle colour and nice use of blurrs and feathering, coupled with a clear understanding of the design ‘brief’. Your choice of typography is also first class, very scriptive, organic and poetic. I am sure that even those persons with little or no understanding of our sanga will be immediately attracted as the beauty of the ‘concept and design’ instantly conveys the sweetness and beauty of bhakti.
All glories to your service.
Thank you very much Sudarsana prabhu for your kind comments
Yes, we certainly hope to attract the unfamiliar reader/browser to want to learn a bit about what we do and why – trying to strike a fine balance between information and visuals.
They brochure will be available in Navadvipa, if anyone’s interested….
Hare Krishna. ys Raghava
Hare Krsna, dandavat pranams.
Well done. I feel very positive about this recent development. My biggest endorsement goes to the picture of Buddha at the end. Buddhism is absolutely huge but actually what people are seeking by following it is what we have to offer by the grace of Srila Gurudeva and our acharyas. I always felt that we could capitalize on a cultural wave if we could incorporate the moods and feelings of the current Bhuddism trend with our Vaishnava philosophy and culture. I think that this brochure does that to some extent naturally therefore I say, Way to go!
Abhirama das
I don’t understand the buddhism idea – I remember Srila Gurudeva not being very positif towards buddhism – I’m not so sure about catching cultural waves or other waves that can engulf society as a whole to present our way of life – other institutions do it and sometimes it can really water down the message brought by our acaryas – not that I’m against those waves necessarily but they don’t mix well with pure bhakti – Not to be totally negative, I think it’s a very beautifull book -
Dandabats Raghava-Pandit Prabhu
What beautious syncranistic interaction… If anybody asks you if you are a know it all upstart…just tell them no, you may not know it all…but what you don’t know…you know some that do…and you are not afraid to ask…in this case the whole cyber space Sanga and all the Greats therein…this is a big step on Gurudeva’s Harmony Path…thanks so much for wearing this order on your head…
…and if they do want a ‘know it all upstart’, then you can just send them to me!
me three
Very beautiful work, indeed. I am sure Srila Gurudev is happy with this
This will serve as a great reference and a profile of our society and the movement itself.
Thanks and pranams Tulsi Krishna prabhu ji – we’re praying that it will all be ready in time for Gaura Purnima this year – also printing in US, Australia, Europe and whoever wants to order wholesale for mass distribution alongside our Gurudeva’s books, as well as placement at flyer section or noticeboard in local community centers, libraries, vegetarian cafe, health food store, …. etc.
ys Raghava
Dandavat pranams. The 32 page brochure looks and sounds wonderful and is an excellent addition for book distribution or any outreach preaching program. This will certainly help spread the philosophy and culture of bhakti by encouraging people to read Srila Gurudeva’s and other Acaryas books. The layout and all the accompanying pictures is so beautifully done. Your illustrators, editors, etc. are very expert. It is very obvious that you want to please Srila Gurudeva and I’m sure that his heartly blessings are upon all of you. I very much look forward to these brochures and the small books for distribution in our area. Thank you. Hare Krsna!
Thanks for your kind comments and encouragements. We will soon post the full pdf for download. People can decide to either print them locally, or we can provide all services including printing, shipping and localizations (adding contact details and local programs listings, etc.) …
ys Raghava
Hare Krsna! Please accept my pranams and awe at the absolute lovelyness of your presentation.
I have 2 really minor editing suggestions for flow that just sort of stood out to me. On page three the second sentence- “Composed in Sanskrit, the texts are considered the world’s oldest sacred texts known to man.”
The word ‘text’ is repeated here in the same sentence, does it sound nicer, “Composed in Sanskrit, these scriptures are considered…”
The second thing that stood out to me is the first sentence of the second paragraph on that page. “Bhagavad Gita establishes Bhakti Yoga… Divine Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. When reading that sentence from an outsider perspective I am a little bewildered because it is such a long sentence and contains so many ideas that are somewhat foreign to me in such a compact way. I suggest breaking that sentence in half.
How about: “The Bhagavad-Gita establishes bhakti yoga as the supreme process for spiritual elevation, while the Bhagavata Purana (known as Srimad-Bhagavatam, the essence of all Vedas) further expands on this idea. The Srimad Bhagavatam elucidates the ninefold practice of bhakti yoga for the bhakti yogi, which includes hearing its recitation, chanting the verses contained within it, and contemplation of the highest goal; devotional service to the Supreme Divine Sri Sri Radha Krishna.”
Do you like that?
Vaisnava sevabhilasi,
Sita dasi
Thanks so much for the comments Sita ji; we will take them into consideration and apply them … where possible….. ys Raghava
I have made the changes as suggested (see image):
Dandavats! I would prefer if the description of the Society of Sri Gouranga’s objectives include – ‘To facilitate hearing from realized personalities.’, as it is our #1 priority, without vijnana and instead by only amassing jnana of the veda we will FAIL to become Krishna Conscious.
Thanks prabhu ji – you are right, and although I thought we included that by stating “Sat-sanga) as one of the activities, we will clarify and make it more obvious.
Just now I found this amazing letter by Srila Gurudeva, stating just that: “My contribution to the present and future generation of devotees is largely embodied in the books that I am writing and translating. They are my legacy. We should always remember that the transcendental knowledge of the Vedas must be accompanied by association with self-realized souls.” …
ys Raghava
I’ve made some changes (see image):
Thanks prabhu, that’s perfect. Yes, this point must not be vague. It could be our defining glory – directing people to self-realized personalities, even if they are outside of our institution, but who are Rupa-nuga. That lesson we learned from our beloved Srila Gurudeva directly.
Great and thanks again!