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Showing posts from May 24, 2010


Sea Surfing Ashram at Mulki – Kaliya Mardana Krishna Ashram at Mangalore in Karnataka

The unique Sea Surfing Ashram retreat is part of the Kaliya Mardana Krishna Ashram at Mulki North of Managlore in Karnataka. People here do sea surfing as part of their spiritual experience. The Kaliaya Mardana Krishna Ashram is managed by Lord Krishna Devotees who follow the Gaudiya Vaishnava Tradition of Hinduism and are known as the Surfing Swamis. The community has strict rules and there are no night parties etc that is associated with Surfing. The life at the Ashram starts at 4:00 AM with Hare Krishna Chant. This unique sea surfing Ashram and retreat was founded by Daruka Dasa, a native of San Diego , US , with two others and his gurus – Swami Narasingha and Haridas Babuji. “For some people, surfing is almost a spiritual thing,” Swami Narasingha said, explaining the link between the sport and his interpretation of Hinduism. “It’s to do with a very mellow connection to the ocean” – the connection is more clearly written on a painted surfboard in the courtyard of the Ashr

Bodhayana Amavasya - Bodayana Amavasi or No Moon

Bodhayana Amavasya is the no moon day or Amavasi calculated a day earlier than the normal Amavas date. This particular observance is also limited to a certain section of Vaishnava Sect. Usually, in such cases the major part of the Amavasi will fall on the previous day but it ends on the next day after sunrise. There is a popular story associated with Bodhayana Amavasya, which is related to Sahadeva, one of the Pandava brothers. Sahadeva is believed to have had the capacity to do astrological predictions. It is said that Duryodhana before the start of the Mahabharata war approached Sahadeva and asked for an auspicious time to perform puja dedicated to Goddess Durga for success in war. Sahadeva suggested the next Amavasi day. But the other Pandava brothers were unhappy with this gesture of Sahadeva. But Sahadeva said that he will not cheat anyone as it is against his Dharma. Then Krishna is believed to have helped the Pandavas by moving the Amavasya a day earlier. And this