Interfaith Festival at New Vrindaban (May 1990)

BHAKTIPADA HAD ALWAYS TRIED to share with others what he called “Interfaith” preaching. As early as January, 1975, he spoke to the congregation of the Trinity Episcopal Church (founded in 1836) at One Oak Street in Moundsville about interfaith. He explained, “We must be God conscious at every moment of the day. That is our purpose. Our purpose is not to convert you away from being Christians, but to help you become better Christians. The principle is the same, to love God.”
During a 1987 news conference with reporters in Lagos, Nigeria, Bhaktipada explained, “My message to Nigeria and to the world is very simple: I want to teach people how to love God. Whatever your religion, whatever names you may have for God, please chant them. We are all brothers with one Father, the Almighty God.”
Bhaktipada explained what is interfaith: “Interfaith means we share our faith. By sharing, we are inspiring each other in the Supreme. We want to increase each others’ faith. . . . The more faith, the better.”
Although some New Vrindaban devotees lost faith in Bhaktipada’s brand of religion by sharing religious rituals with Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, etc., and left the community to follow other paths, it seemed most New Vrindaban devotees relished the association of interfaith fellowship and appreciated the new perspectives on their own Vaishnava tradition.
Dutiful Rama fondly remembered the interfaith conferences, “Looking back, what I thought was groundbreaking at New Vrindaban was the interfaith conferences. They opened my eyes; they were so unique, so precious. The development of our interfaith preaching was so concise and accelerated. I feel blessed to have been part of that: trying to show the world that although there are many faiths, there is one common truth behind each tradition. The festivals allowed people to experience their faith and others’ faith, to share joy with each other. It was a monumental experience.”
Even Nityodita Swami, who later rejected Bhaktipada’s “Reformation,” at one time said he was greatly inspired by the interfaith festivals. He explained, “This is a dream come true. Sometimes we think it’s Bhaktipada’s vision, but it’s not Bhaktipada’s vision (although he is pushing it); it is God’s vision. It’s in every true lover of God’s heart to bring together the peoples of the world under the banner of love of God. To see it actually happening; getting a taste for what is the full-blown daily life of the City of God resident is ecstatic. There was such tremendous energy. . . . I feel very grateful to be a part of this. It’s like being swept along in a hurricane of devotional service that is being manifest. . . . I feel lucky to be near this hurricane.”
The interfaith festivals were filled with music; not only at the three formal temple worship services, but also informal kirtan. This recording features music at a New Vrindaban interfaith festival in May 1990. By the summer of 1990, the New Vrindaban City of God Temple Orchestra was established, with strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, harps and accordions.
To read the text to the hymns in this recording, go to henrydoktorski.com/Gold_Guns_G...
For more about music at New Vrindaban and the interfaith era, see Henry Doktorski's book, "Gold, Guns and God," Vol. 8: www.amazon.com/Gold-Guns-God-...
Tracks:
(A) Day One
Morning Service
0:00 Processional
2:30 Invocations
5:44 Gurudeva, with cantor Bhavisya devi dasi
18:38 Vaishnava Glorification Prayers, recited by Bhavisya devi dasi
19:37 Prayers to Lord Nrsimhadeva
23:00 Vrindaban's Woods and Groves, with cantor Compassionate Swami
25:20 Prayers, recited by Paramahansa Krishna Swami
25:45 The Vaishnava Creed, led by Paramahansa Krishna Swami
26:50 Holy Father, Holy Mother (hymn with lyrics by Hayagriva dasa and music by Hrishikesh dasa)
29:35 Benediction, recited by Kirtanananda Swami Bhaktipada
(B) Day Two
Morning Service
30:00 Processional
31:30 Invocations
34:32 Gurudeva, with cantor Brihan Naradiya Purana devi dasi
47:34 Vaishnava Glorification Prayers, recited by Brihan Naradiya Purana devi dasi
48:30 Prayers to Lord Nrsimhadeva
52:00 Vrindaban's Woods and Groves, with cantor Brihan Naradiya Purana
57:20 Invocation, recited before Bhagavatam class by Devamrita Swami
58:00 The Vaishnava Creed, recited by Devamrita Swami
59:15 Recitation from "Heart of the Gita," with cantor Hrishikesh dasa
Noon Service
1:01:15 All Creatures of Our God and King
1:07:37 Hare Krishna kirtan, led by cantor Bhavisya devi dasi
1:14:42 I Surrender All
(C) Day Three
Noon Service
1:17:42 Invocations
1:18:04 All Creatures of Our God and king, led by Shyama dasi (the wife of New Vrindaban's Minister of Music)
1:24:15 Evening Hare Krishna kirtan, led by Chakravarti Swami, with Native American friends
Musicians: Hrishikesh dasa, organ; Dutiful Rama, timpani, Dhruva, crash cymbals and orchestra bells. Chakravarti Swami, Casio keybd

[@AFSchule]

Beautiful.

[@divinebrightlight]

It would be nice to have subtitles