The Yamuna Network is a nonprofit coalition of like-minded organizations and individuals whose sole purpose is to stop Yamuna River’s waters from being diverted and prevent industrial and municipal waste from entering her waters, restoring the river to her past glory.
The Yamuna River, one of the greatest rivers on the planet, is rich in history and culture and has provided nourishment to the people residing near her banks for thousands of years.
Now the Yamuna is in dire need of help: The United Nations has declared the river downstream of New Delhi to be officially “dead.”
About the Yamuna
The Yamuna flows through many of India’s most significant attractions, including the capital New Delhi, with a population of almost fourteen million; Vrindavan, an international pilgrimage site visited by tens of millions annually; and the Taj Mahal, a World Heritage site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Over fifty million people rely on the Yamuna for their daily needs, using the water for religious observances, agricultural needs, and bathing, washing, and cooking. In addition to benefiting the human population, the Yamuna has supported a vast ecosystem of wildlife, such as fish, turtles, crocodiles, river dolphins, and aquatic plants.
Aside from agricultural, ecological, and domestic uses, the Yamuna River has long been regarded as a cultural icon and defining symbol of India. Ancient scriptures, traditional and contemporary art, music, festivals, and even the Indian National Anthem, demonstrate the reverence in which the river is held.
Support
If you want to support the Yamuna Network, please consider making a donation. Thank you very much.
Bhakti Projects, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) federally approved non-profit religious organization that provides tax exempt receipts for all donations.
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From what I have heard on other websites there will be a march of 200,000 plus persons from Braj to Delhi next month to bring the plight of the Holy Yamuna river to the attention of the Indian Central Government (and ultimately the World).
This is what’s needed PEOPLE POWER!. Polititions only take action when they are forced to because they are mostly corrupt and incompetent beaurocrats and in the ‘pockets’ of big business and multinational corporations. They don’t like it when the ‘spotlight’ is on them and their mismanagement is under world scrutiny.
Wow, that’s going to be one ‘blowout’ harinam party! Wish I could be there to participate in that. Like Lord Chaitanya’s harinam to the house of the Chand Kasi.
He will be ‘THERE’ with all the devotees I’m certain……….
Your servant
Sudarsana
Would it be possible to have a little more information on how the funds are being used to achieve these aims? It would help to be able to read about any plans underway. Thank you.
Thanks prabhu. Here’s a link to their website, and I have also asked Bhakti Projects to provide more information.
http://yamunanetwork.com/
ys Raghava
I could find very little information about Yamuma Network on the internet. Who is heading up this organisation? What is the connection with ISKCON? some connection is mentioned, but what? What is their strategy? Clear checks and balances should be in place and full public disclosure including financial statements and endorsments from our managing body. I share the concern of Sriman Bhudhara prabhu, more information please, this is all very vague to me……..
Sudarsana
So let’s get this right, 3 of the 6 Board of Directors are Radhanath swami (ISKCON), Sachinandan swami (ISKCON), and Gauri das from Bhaktivedanta Manor (ISKCON). What I don’t understand is why this websight is suggesting that we send them money???? Isn’t there something wrong with this picture????
Sudarsana
Dear Sudarsana Prabu,
Dandavat Pranams. The purpose of this posting is to bring more attention and information about what is going on with the Yamuna river. The Yamuna Network has been formed by a devotee named Ram das Prabhu who is a disciple of Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Maharaja and was formerly a member of ISKCON with me from the late 70′s. As a householder for the past 20 years he has tirelessly served his guru maharaja’s mission and is continuing to this day to serve the Gaudiya mission as well as broader social / devotional causes like this.
Ram das Prabhu has started the Yamuna Network in an attempt to bring together all the various efforts from different organizations and voices to save the Yamuna and to get them to collaborate, and serve together as a stronger voice. He is a professional publisher of spiritual books (Mandala Media) and is very good at marketing and organization. Presently he is putting together a documentary about the movement to save the Yamuna river.
This is not an organization of ISKCON, although it is supported by some prominent ISKCON figures. All of Vrindavana and many spiritual institutions and spiritual leaders are concerned about the welfare of the Yamuna as they all should be. She is a holy river and to serve her and protect her is devotional service. This is not a sectarian issue. Please do not try to make it into that. I am very careful to allow projects on this website that are authoritative and devotional.
Those who believe in the cause of promoting awareness of the plight of the Yamuna and all the pollution that is killing this holy river that is so dear to Sri Krsna may want to help in some way or can donate. Otherwise we are happy to just present information on a worthy non-sectarian devotional project through the Bhakti Projects website to the worldwide devotee community.
Respectfully,
Radhakanta das
President
Bhakti Projects
Thanks so much Radhakanta prabhu, for providing that extra bit of information on this very worthy cause. Anyone with a soft spot for Vrindavan will (or should) be concerned about the ongoing destruction of Yamuna devi.
We will soon announce several global kirtan events to raise awareness!
Koti pranams,
ys Raghava
Dandavat pranams prabhu. Thanks for the info, however I don’t much care for ‘prominant’ ISKCON figures as ‘board members’ for worthy causes such as this one.
Sudarsana
What I find interesting though prabhuji, is that although there maybe many issues that separate us from them (the ISKCON figures), the Yamuna projects is one cause that we may all agree on being a worthy one…..
thanks for your comments….
ys Raghava
Yes indeed prabhu, and one most relevant issue that springs to mind is that ISKCON has a track record of diverting funds from ‘worthy causes’ under their stewardship a fact that you seem to find a mere triviality……..the Australian ‘Food for Life’ program to give one example is one of ‘numerous’ examples. Worthy causes can be diverted much easier than Holy rivers…….
Kindest regards
Sudarsana
Many thanks to Radhakanta prabhu for providing a better picture of the project. Much obliged. Bd
Dear Budhara Prabhu,
Dandavat Pranams. Thank you for your understanding and appreciation.
I have to admit something. The attempts of our IBPYS and especially Raghava Pandit Prabhu for putting together this wonderfully informational website are so appreciated. It is not an easy job. The webmaster seeks to keep the forums open for discussion and comments. That is the positive side. The negative side is that some persons dominate the comment thread with critical and negative comments that then minimize the author or the articles presentation. I feel that this has happened here and has happened in the past.
So, what to do? Do we ‘censor’ those negative comments in an attempt to provide fairness to the author and audience? I know that has happened in the past when the comments were too offensive. But if the comment is just very opinionated with negative overtones from what is usually a few outspoken persons who dominate the comment thread, do we allow that? Then the author has to defend themselves and it kind of questions the credibility of the article.
Raghava Pandit Prabhu is attempting to share a worthwhile cause (from Bhakti Projects website) and information to the general devotees. Sudarsana Prabhu has been outspoken and skeptical. I recognize that he must have his history and reasons that color his outlook. But, is this really the place to express all that?
I felt a need to express my frustration that in our attempt to educate the worldwide sanga about a non-political cause like saving the Yamuna that these political issues have to be brought up. It makes me feel that I do not want to post anything in the future on Back to Bhakti if the audience is going to be hostile.
Dear Radhakanta prabhu.
Because your statement minimising ISKCON’s involvement was misleading how is that my fault? Also what is wrong with beying outspoken and skeptical? I am always ready to conceed to a superior argument or correct any wrong information.
If you do not like the ‘colour of my outlook’ then that should not become a source of ‘frustration’ for you. Perhaps this is something for you to sort out for yourself.
You are respectfully entitled to counter any argument of mine, ideally without the need for any anxiety or false perception of ‘hostility’, this is called discussion.
Frustration, I’m afraid, comes from the desire to be in control.
Sudarsana
Dear Sudarsana Prabhu,
Dandavat Pranams. I was merely responding to your comments that I felt minimized the importance of this effort to serve Yamuna devi. This seva is beyond organizations and sectarianism. Those who serve Yamuna devi now in her time of need will get so much spiritual benefit. She is the Kaya vyuha of Srimati Radhika, the liquid form of prema and Visakha sakhi. I cannot or will not debate with you or judge other Vaisnavas who are rendering seva to be part of this campaign simply because they belong to another institution. Mahaprabhu’s mission is very broad it is not relegated to just the followers of Srila Bhaktivendanta Narayana Maharaja or any particular group.
You asked what is wrong with being skeptical? Skepticism, cynicism or doubt – Krsna says in the Bhagavd Gita for the doubting soul they will neither attain happiness in this life or the next. I understand that you have had some bad experiences in the past, we all have. This is our own karma. You have to let it go and be forgiving to move past it, realizing that everything that happens to us in this life is a result of our OWN past actions. If we perpetually carry negative impressions of blame towards others for the difficulties we have had in this life and then prejudge others in new areas where there is no need for this then we limit our ability to have healthy interpersonal relationships. This is dangerous with Vaisnavas as it creates aparadha.
Dear Radhakanta prabhu,
I am neither skeptical or doubtful of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna nor the previous Acharyas in our great sampradaya but only those with a dubious (ongoing) history of deceit, delusion and abuse of vaisnavas. Thank you for pointing out that It was my own bad karma to put my faith (and money) into the hands of such persons of dubious character which I have fully accepted as my own fault (and I might say not about to repeat). I don’t feel that ‘amnesia’ though a necessary prerequisite element of bi-partisanship.
If your need for healthy interpersonal relationships inspires you and an old aquaintance from New Vrindaban to dance along the Yellowbrick Road of devotion then you have my best wishes but I hope you won’t think that I’m “letting the team down” by not joining you or committing vaisnava aparadha.
Dandavat pranams and wishing you well in your endeavors,
Sudarsana
i heard Gurudev many times saying that “Yamuna and ganga can never be contaminated” and Prabhupad also told to one disciple who was feeling smell of stool in Navadwip: “Oh, u can not see that this dham is transcendental?” i think the best for me is never speak other thing refering to Yamuna or any holy deitie than Always Pure, Transcendental and Can never be contaminated by any material thing.
Baldev prabhu, I can understand what you are saying but here’s what comes to my mind.
Would you think along the same lines, and say that Krishna can never be hungry and that we don’t really need to feed Him? Or bathe Him, or put Him to rest? On the contrary, Krishna depends on His devotees to be fed, etc.
The gopis and gopas, as well as Krishna and Balarama in Vraja, were constantly being ‘attacked’ by the demons trying to destroy Vrindavan and its inhabitants. The loving exchanges and prayers that arise from these situations is what constitute the very essence of rasa, or devotional exchanges. It would be quite boring to think that they are all made of brahman, eternal spiritual energy, with no qualities or desires.
Thinking that Yamuna-devi is in need of our help is an expression of our devotional sentiment and desire to offer service. We are not indifferent to that. Should we not cry any tears when our Gurudeva leaves our material vision?
What are your thoughts on this?
Thanks for your comments prabhu?
ys Raghava
hari bol Raghav Prabhu ….. dandavats ….agree wit you …. if the persons in the video speaks in this way of yours .. i think it would be very apropriated and well-informed about the situation and would give a nice view of how glorious is Yamuna and how Jamuna-devi would be satisfied with people envolved in the project …. any way its only my opiniom …. its just painfull to hear persons speking about Ganga and Yamuna with disgusted face, ( it was like hearing persons speaking about any river, like one that runs just near my city in america) .. any way very good project … (just the wrong video´s mood in my opinion) .. thank you …. a healthy discussion is always good … Jay Gurudev! hari Bol!
Dear Baladev Prabhu,
Dandavat Pranams. Thank you for your comments. It is bringing up some interesting points and making us go deeper into the realization of who Yamuna devi actually is.
Srila Gurudeva has once said that if we pray to and serve 3 things we will get so much benefit, Yamuna devi, Giriraja Govardhana and Lalita Sakhi. They can all award Krsna prema in madhurya rasa. Yamuna devi is the liquid form of Visakha sakhi and a very near and dear companion of Srimati Radhika. She is the kaya-vyuha (bodily expansion) of Srimati Radharani and her personal energy. So, if we serve her in any way, even just thinking about her we get so much benefit and progress in bhakti.
It is true what you say that the Yamuna can never be contaminated. The bubbles and foam and other surface pollutants are not Yamuna devi, they are external things. Still, we should care for her, as Raghava Pandit Prabhu has said. If Krsna’s mandir was dirty, or if the deity needed new clothes would we not lovingly engage in their service to clean the temple or prepare nice srngar for the deities? Even though they are not material and never contaminated by the dirt or dust in the mandir, we clean their temple in their seva. By doing so it cleans our hearts. So, by endeavoring to prevent the pollution that are being dumped into the sacred waters of the Yamuna we are also cleaning our own hearts.
Another point is that the waters of Yamuna devi are being diverted away from her dearmost pranantha’s dhama, Sri Vrindavan dham. Yamuna devi does not want to be diverted to irrigate some farmers fields in Haryana, but wants to flow near Vamsi vata and Kesi ghat where she can hear Krsna’s flute playing and ecstatically offer lotus flowers to Sri Krsna’s lotus feet. The painting of Syamarani dd’s Venu Gita.nicely shows this pastime. Yamuna devi become so ecstatic upon hearing Sri Krsna’s flute that she actually reverses her flow just to stay in Vraja dhama and be close to the lotus feet of Sri Krsna. This is called prema vivarta. So, by helping Yamuna devi to come to Vraja and not be diverted in Haryana state we are actually doing the seva of her sakhis, helping her to satisfy her innermost desire to be there in Vraja with Sri Krsna.
I know this is all a bit esoterical, but that is our Krsna Consciousness, there are many many deep meanings behind everything. Yamuna devi is so dear to Krsna and any seva we can render is so beneficial for us. It is actually Krsna’s arrangement that this is all happening so that the devotees can render seva to her in her time of need.
Yamuna devi ki jaya!
dear radhanta prabhu .. dandavats …
as i told before, its very good to serve Jamunaji in this way … no doubt … i just feel very bad seeing this video, wheres no person told about who really is She, and how glorious is She, all told just that ‘we need pure water to drink or to bath or anything’ wich is also material …. no one told in the way you are saying now .. (any one who is not aware of transcendence of jamuna will think that they just want to clean the water to use her in their domestical affairs, like any river of the world) may be you and others devotees do the next video so that all world will understand who really she is and for what we are serving and geting from hers sacred water. : ) .. thanks all Jay Sri Gurudev!!!
sorry, wrote fast ‘Radhakanta Prabhu’