32. What is VRINDA?

VRINDA: Vrindavan Institute for the Culture and Studies of the Vaishnavas.

VRINDA is an institute meant for the harmony and the Universal Love. It was founded in
1984 by Srila Guru Maharaj Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti Swami, with its main branch in
Vrindavan, India. After the departure of his Spiritual Master from this world, Srila A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (look up the Vedic Wisdom Collection, number 34:
“Srila Prabhupada”), our Guru Maharaj Srila B.A. Paramadvaiti Swami continued with
great faith in the Mission of his Master, and established the VRINDA Family in 1984 in
Vrindavan, India. Nowadays, VRINDA has several branches in Colombia, Chile, Ecuador,
Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, Brazil, Panama, Costa Rica, and other countries of
Central and North America, and Europe.

VRINDA represents the former Initiating School from India called “Brahma Gaudiya
Sampradaya”, which has more than 5.000 years of existence on Earth. Lots of people have
been encouraged with the Mission through its founders and representatives, and have
rapidly formed associated centers hoping to create a stunning worldwide integration under
the concepts of Universal Harmony of Bhakti Yoga, where Krishna is conceived as the
most complete expression of the Loving God. VRINDA is the coalition of all these
Vaishnava (Vedic philosophy practitioners who cultivate pure devotion to God) missions in
the world.

In this Kali Yuga era, the era of darkness and ignorance, there is a great necessity of
applying this millenarian Vedic Wisdom in a practical form so that our society can be
healthy in all aspects, and mainly in the spiritual aspect.

To accomplish these objectives, the VRINDA family counts on a series of special programs
lead by a team of men and women. They have a high level of sacrifice and human service,
and struggle everyday to open new ashrams (temples) or helping centers to give relief to the
world in despite of race, color, beliefs, or religion. As an example, Vishnupriya Ashrams
were created as centers for the protection of women since it’s a spiritual refuge for those
women who have decided to carry on a spiritual life consecrated to God.

Another important project from VRINDA is the Ecologic Communities that are true
Spiritual Refuges located in different parts of the world. Among these parks, we can
highlight the “Eco Truly Park” from Lima-Peru, located one hour away from the capital.
This gorgeous place awaits an Ecologic Community with unique clay constructions,
exclusive in the world, that have become an attractive tourist place in Latin America (for
more information visit: www.ecotrulypark.org or contact us at: www.vrinda.org if you want
to support the development of similar projects).

Hoping that day by day more people in the world can enjoy this beautiful places, VRINDA
also counts with the Yoga School “Inbound” (www.yogainbound.org) which offers
wonderful tours where participants can visit the sacred places in India, or our ecological
farms in Latin America and Europe. This way, from the main branch in Vrindavan, India,
the Yoga School Inbound delivers the world this precious Vedic Wisdom to facilitate the
access, according with people’s interests, to the ultimate goal in life.

At the same time, VRINDA introduces us the system of Yoga Inbound that also gives us the
opportunity to know and participate in ceremonies, costumes, and Vedic philosophy to
guide us through the most essential aspects of life, and discover our true interior wealth.

The VRINDA family also promotes everything related with the struggle of all living
entities to have a better life through www.elarmonista.com, and also diffuses valuable
information about arts, science, and Vedic Wisdom.

At the same time, with the desire of supporting Art, the VRINDA family counts with the
Harmony School of Conscious Art (www.consciousart.de), which is an international
organization dedicated to organize cultural, educational, and artistic activities with superior
values. Thanks to these groups, the VRINDA family has awakened the interest of many
people who want to join to struggle for the elevation of the conscious of humanity.

In the same way, the VRINDA family has opened “The House of Wisdom” which seeks the
harmony among living beings and nature; and it also fights for the sake of respect of all
living beings’ life.

Srila Prabhupada wanted to open a school to educate all those who would want to dedicate
their life to save the wrong directed and anguished people. Following these principles and
with the purpose of delivering a Spiritual Education to all the people interested in
improving their lifestyle quality, the VRINDA family has opened the “Vaishnava
Academy”. It is an educational institution dedicated to elaborate cultural programs to
academically diffuse the Vedic Culture around the world.

All members are encouraged to advance in their own comprehension of Vedic Culture
taking courses in several languages, or participating in seva (devotional service) with our
family.

Another program of great importance from the VRINDA mission is the distribution of
Prashadam through its wide chain of Vegetarian Restaurants. Srila Prabhupada taught us
that the spiritual potency of Prashadam elevates humanity toward a conscious of God
liberating a person from birth and death.

VRINDA has also opened the first library Gaudiya Vaishnava in Vrindavan where it
provides and preserves de Vaishnava Literature, which was almost lost. In this library you
can find several books published by all Vaishnava missions, and also the classics of
Vaishnava Literature that will connect you with the greatest sages who spent all their life
teaching valuable advices in all possible languages. To obtain a complete list of the books
and video tapes in your own language, please contact your local VRINDA center. Don’t
forget to ask for the Vedic Wisdom Collection.

A great deal of collaboration is needed to expand the labor of the VRINDA Mission. In
such an extremely materialistic world, we can only pray for the hope that all sincere souls
investigate within their hearts, and then understand how the spiritual lineage of our
sampradaya (Vaishnava tradition) remains alive in the VRINDA Mission.

This family connects every country in the world where there is a solid VRINDA Mission
with the sacred land of Vrindavan, India, through the Vraja Seva Ashram. The Vraja Seva
Ashram is a beautiful place where monks from all parts of the world gather on Vaishnava
festivals to solidify their faith and fill their hearts deeply listening to the Holy Names of the
Supreme Personality of God. This reminds us ancient times when Indian kings would go to
Vrindavan from different states to establish temples. Nowadays, many countries have
adopted this program of establishing transcendental embassies, maintaining temples in
Vrindavan, and this way keeping up their members in the Vraja Seva (service in
Vrindavan).

VRINDA recommends all the members and friends to sing daily the Maha Mantra, which
is the yuga dharma (the principle duty of the human being) for this Kali era:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

VRINDA invites all those who sympathize with our goals to become members of the
Mission, and share the benefit of serving the desires of Sri Krishna (God). There is nothing
more important in life than the attachment and connection with the devotees of the Lord.
You can organize meetings of our VRINDA Mission in your house, and help establishing
weekend programs for the Spiritual Education of your children.

Many of the Vaishnava leaders have been inspired by Srila B.A. Paramadvaiti Swami, and
have joint his Mission, just as Srila Atulananda Acharya did. Also the VRINDA Mission is
a member of the World Vaishnava Association (WVA), co-founded by our Spiritual Master
along with other seventeen spiritual missions.

For more information visit our web site at:

www.vrindavan.org/vrinda

Picture Text:

He is presently the spiritual guide of more than 100 ashrams worldwide, with several
social-support programs in every country, mostly in Latin America, and he also counts with
hundreds of disciples, followers, and friends who assist his Mission. His labor as a pilgrim
monk still continues expanding opening new ashrams, and strongly developing his service
to humanity.

Maxims:
“Let’s respect the faith of all members, and don’t hurt anyone”
“A Spiritual Process could never authorize an injustice against others”