Under the shelter of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Swami Prabhupada and Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja.
Welcome to the July edition of the Sacred Vedic Arts monthly newsletter! We’re excited to share all the wonderful highlights from this month at Miami’s best spot for celebrating, enjoying great food, and cultivating sweet friendships.
Welcome to the SVA Family! Hare Krishna
Grateful for You.
We would like to thank each one of you who prayed and contributed generously to the wellness fund for Her Divine Grace Srimati Syamarani Didi’s healing at Hippocrates Wellness Center. As Didi continues on the path to holistic health, you will see her at the center and online.
Friday Night Kirtan
Friday 6pm – 8:30pm
Feel the ecstasy of Kirtan and dancing before our beautiful Deities Sri Sri Radha-Ramana Bihari, Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, Sacinandana Gaurahari, Giriraja Govardhana, Gopisvara Mahadeva, and Lord Narasimha. After the delicious Prasadam feast, all the guests leave with gladdened hearts and most leave with a bagful of books and art.
Sunday Love Feast
Sundays 11am – 2:30pm
Every week, you are welcome to come experience the bliss of sharing a spiritual vegetarian and vegan feast called Prasadam (mercy), with a loving community and divinely empowered friends. Hearing transcendental talks, dancing and singing together in devotion, and sharing nourishing Prasadam meals is what we’re all about.
Staying in Divine Association
June 30 – July 1
SVA was honored to have welcomed many Sadhus (Saints) to our Miami Center. On June 30th, Srila Bhaktivedanta Padmanabha Maharaja visited from India. Check out his visit below, including his arrival, his spiritual discourses, sweet moments with Syamarani Didi, and our ecstatic Sankirtan at the beach!
Greeting Maharaja at the airport
Didi speaks about her Seva Kunj painting to him
Maharaja lead kirtan on Miami’s South Beach
Independence Day
July 4th
Our spiritual master Srila Prabhupada’s lecture from Vedic scriptures says “Real independence is how to get out of the clutches of material laws [lust, anger, greed, pride, and envy]. Everything is being pulled down by the laws of material nature, and still, because we are so fool, we are thinking “independent.” This is our fault. We do not know what is the aim of life, how nature is carrying us, how we can protect ourselves from the problems of life. We are busy solving the temporary problems of life, just like dependence or independence. These are temporary problems. Actually we are not independent. We are dependent on the laws of nature. And suppose we become independent, so-called independent, for a few days. That is not independence. Real independence is how to get out of the clutches of these material laws.[birth, old age, disease, death, and then transmigrating through different species]”
Following in the footsteps of our spiritual masters, we danced and sang under the fireworks, at Bayfront Park and the vibrant Calle 8.
Dancing at Bayfront Park
Kirtan at Calle 8
Chariot Festival of Lord Jagannath Deva
July 7
Jagannatha Deva is Lord Krsna’s beautiful form of love. On this day, Lord Krsna goes from Kurukshetra to Vrindavan sitting in the Chariot of Srimati Radhika’s and the Gopi’s minds. SVA was invited by the leaders of the South Florida Hindu Temple to perform kirtan and distribute transcendental books and art to the community.
Didi speaking about the importance of this festival
Bhakti and Skate
July 15
SVA met new friends and special souls at Lot 11’s thrift and alt market on Sunday. So many amazing inquisitive people stopped by and took home books, art, and Prasadam brownies.
Celebrating Sri Srimad Bhakti Vijnana Bharati Goswami Maharaja’s 98th Appearance Day
July 17
Srila Maharaja’s Appearance Day observance was ecstatic and sweet, as direct disciples glorified and remembered him, an opulent feast was prepared, bhajans were sung, and pushpanjali (offering their hearts in the form of flowers) and Guru-arati was performed. Below is the full livestream of the event!
The devotees remember his glories
Harinam Sankirtan
Wednesdays & Saturdays 7pm
Please join us to spread the love around the city on our weekly ecstatic Harinam Sankirtan! Srila Prabhupada says, “this sankirtan or street chanting must go on, it is our most important program.” (Srila Prabhupada Letter, 9-18-72)
Guru Purnima
July 21
Guru Purnima celebrates the appearance day of Srila Vyasadeva (Krisna’s literary incarnation) and honors the entire lineage of our spiritual masters. This sacred day, known as Guru-puja or Vyasa-puja, commemorates Srila Vyasadeva, who distilled the essence of all Vedic knowledge into the Srimad Bhagavatam while in deep yogic trance. He then passed this wisdom to his son, Srila Sukadeva Goswami, who shared it with the world.
We invite you to relive these special moments with us, which included two initiations by Srimati Syamarani Didi, class, and Guru-puja. May they bring you joy and inspiration!
A discourse on the importance of this day
The devotees sing upon Didi’s arrival
The devotees worship to their gurus
A Bridge between You and Pure Saints
‘sādhu-saṅga’, ‘sādhu-saṅga’ — sarva-śāstre kaya
lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya (CC Madhya 22.54)
“The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment’s association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success.”
Helping someone meet an advanced devotee is the best charity. All other charities are included within this.
Sripad Bhaktivedanta Vana Goswami Maharaja’s Visit
July 23-26
This month, Sripad Bhaktivedanta Vana Goswami Maharaja graced us with a powerful three-day visit, filling our hearts with spiritual nourishment and devotion. We were honored to serve him and hear from him the divine pastimes of the Lord. Throughout his stay, Maharaja performed Mangala Arati, delivered morning and evening inspiring spiritual discourses, led intimate home programs, and blessed the shores of Miami during his early morning Japa walks with the devotee community.
Kirtan with Srila Vana Maharaja
A morning mantra meditation walk on the beach
One his Miami discourses
The archive of his lectures
Book and Art Distribution
These books aren’t just books; they are transcendental personalities. Sacred Vedic Arts is honored to share the mercy received from the hearts of our spiritual masters, in the form of these sacred texts. Below, you’ll find highlights of the month’s offerings —an abundance of books, art, sacred food, and transcendental sound vibrations, all happily embraced by the diverse community of Miami.
People on Miami Beach love receiving books
Outreach to the Underserved
Prasadam Distribution
Throughout the month we go out to distribute Prasadam to our underserved and marginalized communities. If you would like to come and serve, stay tuned with our schedule!
Tulsi Worship
Daily
mūlam aṅkuraṇam patram skandhaḥ kṣīraḥ sura-drumāḥ gandho rasaḥ phalaṁ nātha sarvaṁ bhadrāya kalpate
Translation – “By merely seeing, touching, remembering, or bowing before the Tulasi plant, one achieves all auspiciousness.” (Skanda Purana, Uttarakhand, 25.16)
“Make your life magical by taking a Tulsi Devi plant home and caring for and worshiping her. She has come from the spiritual world to bless you with her association and service.” – Srimati Syamarani Devi Dasi Didi.
Tulsi Leaves Plucking Mantra
oṁ tulasy amṛta-janmāsī sadā tvaṁ keśava-priyā
keśavārthaṁ cinomi tvāṁ varadā bhava-śobhane
Translation – “Oh Tulasi, you were born from nectar. You are always very dear to Lord Kesava(Krishna, who has fine hair). Now, in order to worship Lord Kesava, I am collecting your leaves and manjaris. Please bestow your benediction on me.” (Hari-bhakti-vliasa 7.347, Citing the Skanda Purana, also found in the Padma Purana 1.61.12)
Opportunities for Service at SVA
Thanks to generous donors like you, many lives are being transformed at Sacred Vedic Arts Academy. Your gift, no matter the size, makes a meaningful impact by providing deserving individuals from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to learn and engage in devotional practices, including deity worship, sacred cooking of Prasadam (spiritual food), Kirtan (devotional singing), playing instruments, garland making, studying the Bhagavad Gita and other sacred Vedic books, reciting Sanskrit verses, connecting with saints, attending spiritual discourses, and even visiting holy places like Vrindavan and Mayapur. Visit our SVA Academy website to learn more about how we’re helping students grow in their spiritual journey.
Seen above: Garland making, cooking Prasadam, decorating, and serving visiting saints.
Seen above: Making Prasadam Pizza and Sandwiches for distribution, dressing Radha Raman Bihari, Prasadam catering at community programs.
Book of the Month
“The Soul of Book Distribution”
This volume contains Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja’s appeal, inspiration, guidance and blessings in regard to the most essential practices that nourish our bhakti, namely śravaṇa (hearing, or reading) and kīrtana (chanting, or preaching), and especially the distribution of ancient vedic wisdom books.
Find your digital copy online!
Get your own printed copy in our boutique!
We especially extend our thanks to all of you for supporting and encouraging us, and also participating in our services. You are a great boon to us.
We look forward to bringing you news of exciting developments and initiatives in the upcoming weeks. We hope and pray to keep serving you all with love. We want to hear from you and stay in touch with you.
If you would like to donate to Sacred Vedic Arts, your contribution makes a meaningful difference and we deeply appreciate your generosity. Sacred Vedic Arts is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. All donations to SVA are charitable contributions that can be deducted from federal income tax.
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