On the auspicious Appearance Day of Srila Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada on Monday, February 21, 2022, members of the Varnasrama College Foundation (VCF) performed the Bhumi Puja for the Mayapur Bhakti Kutir that will be part of the Varnasrama College Campus.
The purohit (priest) conducting the fire sacrifice was Vageecha Prabhu from Sridham Mayapur. After the initial ceremony at the site where the Bhakti Kutir will be erected the closing ceremony entailed sanctifying the northeast corner of the property and placing the bricks that will be used for the foundation of the Kutir. In attendance were devotees from Malaysia, Indonesia, Canada, and India.
Once all the formalities were completed on the site, including a short lecture given by HH Bhakti Raghava Swami, the assembled devotees performed the flower offering ceremony called puspanjali to His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada.
We also underlined the importance and significance of the following letter written in 1910 by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura to his son whom he addresses as SARASVATI!
Saraswati!
“People of this world who are proud of their own aristocratic birth cannot attain real aristocracy. Therefore they attack the pure Vaisnavas, saying, “They have taken birth in low-class families because of their sins.” Thus they commit offenses. The solution to this problem is to establish the order of daiva-varnasrama dharma – something you have started doing; you should know that to be the real service to the Vaisnavas. Because pure devotional conclusions are not being preached, all kinds of superstitions and bad concepts are being called devotion by such pseudo-sampradayas as sahajiya and atibari. Please always crush these anti-devotional concepts by preaching pure devotional conclusions and by setting an example through your personal conduct.
Please make a great effort so you can start the parikrama (Circumambulation) of Sridham Navadwip as soon as possible. It is by those actions that everyone in this world will receive Krsna-bhakti (devotional love for the Lord). Please try very hard to make sure that the service to Sri Mayapur will become a permanent thing and will become brighter and brighter every day. The real service to Sri Mayapur can be done by acquiring printing presses, distributing devotional books, and preaching congregational chanting, not reclusive bhajan. Please do not neglect to serve Sri Mayapur or to preach for the sake of your own reclusive bhajan.
When I am not present anymore, please take great care to serve Sri Mayapur Dham which is so dear to you. This is my special instruction to you. People who are like animals can never attain devotion; therefore never take their suggestions. But do not let them know this, directly or indirectly.
I had a special desire to preach the significance of such books as Srimad Bhagavatam, Sat Sandarbha, and Vedanta Darsan. You have to accept that responsibility. Sri Mayapur will prosper if you establish an educational institution there. Never make any effort to collect knowledge of money for your own enjoyment. Only to serve the Lord will you collect these things. Never engage in bad association, either for money or for some self-interest.”
