This Home Page outlines the functionary services that Pt. Jaya Tirtha Charan dasa does in relation to the community, and more specifically the devotees of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) and the mass of congregational devotees, Naam Hattas, Indian Communities, and broader minded non-Hindus.

In every culture or belief system there are specific developmental, and maturational stages in one's life that are recognised. Not only are they recognised, but also celebrated by devotionally orientated social rituals. Together the individual person shares their growth, be it material, or spiritual, with all of their extended family around them. In so doing there are also set authorised / approved / proven "rites of passage", "spiritual quests", "tests by fire", etc., tests, that one naturally undergoes in order to qualify for passing them, graduating, before moving onto the next stage of one's life.

In this Home page and related links you will appreciate the wholistic approach to a healthy society in general, as well as natural holistic living of any set individual devotee.

The structure of society as we are propagating it is based around simple, practical implementation and development of the Daivi Varna-Ashram system of Social interactive living. The term Daivi emphasises that it is God centred, and not otherwise.

Recognising the NEED for social balance, security and direction, we're willingly accepting our place in the structure of the Universe with God as its centre. A friend once gave me this analogy; If one can imagine life as being likened to a pool. Each of us has our allotted worth to be utilised in a positive manner. So doing if we take that worth / ability / attribute and offer it into the central focus of the Pool (God - Krishna, Rama, Vishnu, Narayana, Allah, Buddha, Kristos, etc.) in harmony with our common brethren. Then nice concentric circles ripple out from Him. I, however, everyone tries to throw in their own materially motivated, or invented two penneth as they like, when they like - instead of concentric ripples we get ego-centric clashes of interest.

In this way we are working practically on a day to day basis while utilising the wisdom of the past to create a better future for all of us.

akamah sarva-kamo va moksa-kama udaradhih /
tibrena bhakti yogena yajeta purusam param //

"A person, though he may be full of desires or may have no desires, still he may follow this infallible Bhakti Yoga process to the Purusha, Visnu for the attainment of complete perfection." Yes, even as we go through our daily lives we can gradually make advancement to returning back to home, back to Godhead. How is that, its simple, because Krsna gives us His blessings, and protection, as we turn towards Him, and take shelter of Him, Bhagavad Gita assures us 18:56.

sarva karmany api sada kurvano mad vyapasrayah /
mat prasadad avapnoti sasvatam padamavyayam //

"As one engages in all different kinds of activities, my devotee, who is under My protection, reaches the eternal and imperishable abode by My grace."

It doesn't take much, to perform devotional service, one can remember Him, offer Him something nice, to chant the Hare Krsna Mahamantra, or sing His glories, read a book concerning His transcendental pastimes, or perform some little puja, or prayer, or combinations of ALL the above........ so much can be done. He is the solution to all our challenges.

In every culture in the World ritualistic symbolism is used as a medium to approach the Lord; some through prayer; some through ritual; some through remedial action, but all focused on Him, The Supreme Lord, and His Representatives. Celebrate life's crucial junctures by partaking in holy sacraments, or rites of passage, called samskaras, which impress the subconscious mind, inspire family and community in sharing and invoke the Lords' blessings.

His Divine Grace, Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was very keen to see that this culture, of genuine appreciation of God, Krishna culture, be again established for all persons irrespective of material social status (Varna or Ashram), colour or creed. We recognise that as spirit souls with material bodies, we need to redirect our attention toward Him, our constitutional position at all of the conditional / maturational / developmental stages of life. We as members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness are trying to fulfil those wishes by making available pujas in your home, or at our local temple, with the view to helping us all redirect ourselves closer towards Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

"I want to take this opportunity to fully endorse the providing of SAMSKAR SERVICES for the congregation as a means of helping them advance in Krishna consciousness as well as making them feel a part of the Krishna consciousness family. It makes the temple relevant to their lives when temple authorised brahmanas perform the samskaras. It creates a community spirit as the samskara event also becomes a social event inviting families and friends to come and witness the specific ceremony and accept a feast, etc. Every temple should strive to provide these kind of Krishna conscious samskaras. HH Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami Maharaja, based in Mayapur, has published an English translation of Gopal Bhatt Goswamis (of the 6 Goswamis) Sat-kriya Samskara Dipika which contains all the principle samskars. It always impressed me that if one of the 6 Goswamis took the trouble of writing these samskaras then it is obvious that we should utilise them.

I hope you can get some ideas for your congregational development through providing samskara facilities in your area.

Yours in service, Jayapataka Swami".(HH Jayapataka Swami. [Text 1458601 from COM] Camp: Nama Hatta Festival & Seminar - Sri Gaura-Nitai Temple Wroclaw, Poland.)

According to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur (Sri Chaitanya Shikshamrtam chapter three), and our own humble experience, by performing the various functionary rites for the community of devotees, these rites themselves act as the glue which bond society, and community together. We have found that as we all come together in wholistic co-operation to celebrate, and appreciate the practical implementation of Daivi Varna Ashram Dharm, whilst ecstaticly chanting the Hare Krishna Maha mantra, our community is healthy and attractive. "Those who are Vaishnavas - the devotees of Lord Vishnu, true to their sense - for them according to their ashram, and nature, how to lead their life - they should look to 'Satkriya-Saradeepika' of Gopal Bhatta Goswami"(Sri Chaitanya Shikshamrtam, page 83.)

"As for the various fruitive results, such as the attainment of rain, a son, or residing in a celestial material planet, that are offered to the followers of the karma-kanda rituals in the Vedas. These benefits are offered to attract the minds of ordinary men. When ordinary men see that these material benefits are actually attained by performing Vedic rituals, they become attracted to study the Vedas. By studying the Vedas they become able to discriminate between what is temporary and what is eternal. In this way they gradually become averse to the temporary things of this world and they come to hanker after Brahman. In this way it may be understood that all the parts of the Vedas describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Vedic rituals bring material benefits as a result only when the performer of the ritual is filled with material desire. If the performer is materially desireless, then he does not gain a material result, but rather the result he obtains is purification of the heart and the manifestation of spiritual knowledge. Therefore the meaning of the verse 'tam etam vedanuvacanena brahman vividisanti', 'brahmanas study the Veda to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead'(Brhad Aranyaka Upanishad 4:4:22.) is that in the Vedic rituals when one is required to worship a particular deva, one does so as a limb or representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus by worshipping them one is actually worshiping the Supreme Lord, the result being that one gradually becomes pure in heart and awake with spiritual knowledge."(Baladev Vidyabhushana. Govinda Bhasya commentary on Vedanta Sutra 1:4:4. Adhkarana sutra 4.)

Humbly I'm trying to follow in the footsteps of the great Purohits (Garga Muni, Parasara Muni, Gopal Bhatta, etc.) of yore who provided personal services for their community of devotees.

Some of the functions that I live by, and perform are:
SYNASTRY (marriage compatibility assessment)
VIVAHA (Vedic & Secular marriage)
GRHA RAMBHA (ADMESTIKA)(foundation laying for the new house)
GRHA PRAVESH (moving into a new or different home)
GARBADANAM (Garbha Rtu)
PUMSAVANAM (invoking a male child)
SIMONTONAYANAM (blessing the child in the womb at seven months)
SOSHANTI KARMAN (prayers for successful & easy birth)
JATA KARMAN (the birth ceremony)
MUKHAVALOKANAM - UPAAYAM (shanti puja for doshas in children or adults charts)
NAAM KARANAM (name choosing and name giving ceremony)
NISKRAMANAM (coming out for the first time - to the temple)
ANNA PRASHNA (first solid food grain ceremony, and natural varnik aptitude assessment for the child)
PUTRA MURDHABHIGHRANAM (Smelling the child's head)
KARNA BEDA (when to do ear piercing)
PAUSTI KARMAN (ceremony for continuing health of the child)
CUDA KARANAM (MUNDAN)(Tonsure - head shaving)
VIDYA RAMBHA (beginning of the formal education)
UPANAYANA (sacred thread)
SAMAVARTANA (graduation from formal schooling)
ANTYESTHI (last rites according to ashram)
NARAYANA BALI (Requim Rites)
NAVAGRAHA PUJA (for remedial measures for problematic planets)
YANTRAS (The use of geometrical diagrams that are surcharged with mantrik formulas to assist in various needs)

As well as advice on all manner of other household functionary activities such as;
When to TRAVEL, BUY A NEW CAR, BUY A NEW HOUSE, DIRECTION OF HOMES, FILE LAW SUITES, INVESTING IN BUSINESS, BORROW MONEY, INSTALLATION OF GEMS, EMPLOYMENT, PLANTING TIMES, TIMES FOR MOVING COWS, PAINTING THE HOUSE, BUYING OR PUTTING ON NEW CLOTHES, WORKING ON THE LAND, WORKING WITH TIMBER, WORKING WITH ELECTRICITY, etc., etc., etc.

If it's not listed here send me a message just below and who knows, we might have something to help with that.

WE USE THE PANCHANGAM SYSTEM TO SELECT THE PROPER TIMES BY; LAGNAM (solar zodiacal - 12 astrological months, utilizing their individual strengths), MASAM (lunar months), PAKSHA (light & dark fortnights), VARAM (days), TITHIS (phases of the moon; ekadasi, dwadasi, purnima, amavasya), NAKSHATRAS (the 27 stellar constellations, some male some female some hermaphrodite), MUHURTHAS (segements of the day - every 24 minutes) etc.

VARJITAM - THINGS & TIMES TO AVOID:
ASAUCHAM (Mritakam or sutakam), RAHU KALAM (the time of Rahu), YAMA GHANTAM (the time of Yamaraj King of death), SANKRANTI (six hours before and six after is a time of flux), ECLIPSES (solar & lunar).

Please visit my events panjika and panchanga HERE:

MUHURTHA ASTROLOGY FOR TIME PLACEMENT:
Naming the Day - Moving from Profane to Sacred Time:
For most contemporary couples, the proper time to wed is largely a matter of convenience when the parents, relatives, and friends can come (usually a weekend); when the weather will be user-friendly (usually summer); when churches / temples are available (usually Saturday); and when it's most popular and socially correct (typically June through to September - Northern Hemisphere / November through to February - Southern Hemisphere). But according to world folk-lore wisdom and Eastern spiritual traditions, establishing the correct time for a wedding may be a bigger, more vital subject, more profound than the arguments of convenience suggest.

When the question of timing comes up in Western - Judeo - Christian culture, suitable wedding dates have usually been determined with respect to pre-existent liturgical calenders that mark holy days. Secular wedding celebrations must not interfere with the hieratic, ecclesiastical cycles of the year. Therefore, to prevent nuptial contretemps, it's been customary within the tight folds of orthodox established religions for the priest, minister, or rabbi to take responsibility for 'naming the day'.
The folk-lore constellated about the theme of naming the day is complex, sometimes contradictory, but consistently intriguing. If the plethora of customs and traditions we're about to examine has one common theme, it's the inference that ordinary, calendrical time - yearly, seasonal, monthly, weekly, daily, hourly - has a sacred as well as a mundane dimension; and that a major life transition ritual such as a wedding properly takes place within sacred time. A correctly placed event thus becomes auspicious.
The scattily of time and the appropriateness of the moment were once cornerstones of an entire cosmological view of the world, human life, and the universe; in fact, all human social activities, from agriculture to marriage, were undertaken within this sacralised context. According to scholars of myth, this context of sanctified time was the fertile soil from which all human ritual observance sprouted. The core rituals of human life, says Mircea Eliade, were originally offered in imitation of stages of the Creation for the 'continuous regeneration of time'. If the perennial wisdom implicit in folklore is to be trusted, it's telling us that our choice of day and hour can have an import that surpasses what convenience, personality, and conventionality would reasonably dictate."(Richard Leviton.1993. Weddings by Design, pages 13-15.)

Conversly for those who'd rather not rely on material means to offset various doshas that are identified as being present, and would rather rely wholely and solely on Lord Sri Krishna and His various manifestations for all upaayam (remedial measures) that's fine, we can also suggest which particular form of the Lord that governs a particular aspect of life you may find challenging. As stated below:

NaaLEnna seyyum kOLenna Seyyum
NaarAyaNan Thiruvadi piditthARkkE

(Meaning ): what can the Thithi (phase of the Moon) and nakshathrams (stellar constellation) do for one, or to one, who has firmly grasped Sriman NaarAyaNA's Thiruvadi (Lord Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Vishnu or Lord Sri Krishna) as one’s protection ? Nothing. No need to fear Grahams (planets) and their effects. Graha PhalamEmi asks Saint ThyagarAja for those who has recieved the anugraham of Sri Raamachandran (Sri Rama).
 
Shastra tells us that the worship of Garuda and Bhagavan Narasimha wards off all evil effects from the navagrahas (nine planets). The Nrisimha PuraNam specifically glorifies this aspect in the RuNa vimOchana stotram salutation "krUragrahaI: piidithAnAm bhakthAnAm abhaya pradham".
 
Recitation of Srila Jayadev Goswami's, or Sripad Vadiraj Tirtha's, or Swami Desikan's Dashavatara stotram (prayers in glorification of the 10 primary incarnations) safeguards one from all evil effects of navagrahas. Matsya avataram rules over Ketu, while Kurma avataram confers protection against the effects of Shani (Saturn), Varaha grants succour from the effects of Rahu, Narasimha from Mars, Vamana from Brihaspati (Jupiter), Bhargava Rama (Parasuram) from Shukran (Venus), Dasharatha Rama from the Sun, Krishna from the Moon, Balarama from Gulikan, and Kalki from Budhan (Mercury) - again a wonderful demonstration of the compassion of Our Paramacharyan (gurus) for their followers.
 
We also have direct contact with a friend who is a first class astrological gemologist

For some to overcome the negative influences of certain specific planets such as Mars, Sun, or even Jupiter and Ketu it is advised that one may take to such remedial measures. For health issues we would recommend gem therapy, by placing the gemstone for the particular planet either onto one’s skin and in that way charging the body with the required forces, or to place the same gems into a medium such as water and drinking that water after leaving it overnight. If you require this then please let him know at the site above, and he can prescribe a suitable gem for you, what metals it should be set into. Once you have the gem you can get back to me to find out what day and time it should be placed on what finger, with the appropriate mantra – there is a little puja that accompanies it also if you haven't already found out from my friend Hrishikeshananda prabhu.

These gems have similar effects to one taking vitamins or suppliments in one’s diet.

Talking of Diet etc, we also have good contact forn Ayurvedic medical help - see her site HERE.

My other samskaras home page (old one)
See my Vaishnava Calendar - Panjika - Whose-Who-events data-base.

For Further Information & Bookings contact: