August 2023

ISKCON of Arizona Newsletter

Our devoted team serving, worshiping, and maintaining the temple

day in and day out.

Greetings & Namaste,


From Thursday, August 3rd through Monday, August 7th, most of our Tucson devotees will be attending our Los Angeles community's Ratha-yatra festival, the largest chariot parade in the Western USA, so our Govinda's restaurant will be closed during those special days.


After we return, of course, we hope you visit us again, where the a/c keeps us cool, the food is divine, and our boutique is stocked with plenty of new items for you to browse.


Stay safe, cool and well.


Yours in service,

Sandamini Devi



[email protected]

Best August Days for

Meditation and Fasting

Purnima - Full Moon

Tuesday, August 1st


Parama Ekadasi

Friday, August 11th

(fasting from grains & beans)


Pavitraropana Ekadasi

Sunday, August 27th

(fasting from grains & beans)


Purnima - "Blue Moon"

Appearance Day of Lord Balarama

Wednesday, August 30th

(fasting till noon)

Observance with 8-hr kirtan at Mantra Oasis starting at 11 am. Mantraoasis.com

At our local swimming retreat this deer & her family greeted us.

Recent Activities

Temple residents come out on the Fourth of July to share sacred chanting with the public.


Despite record breaking temps, the devotees went out to share the holy name of Krishna with the families waiting for fireworks at the Tucson Convention Center.


We were the pre-show entertainment, weaving through the parking lot, giving out cookies and invitations to the hungry crowd. Happy Fourth!

More original art work around the temple by

Sean Cannon


If you appreciate the flowers, mandalas, and chakras adorning the temple walls (and more are appearing all the time), it's due to Bhakta Sean.


An art graduate from NAU in Flagstaff, Sean paints murals around Arizona and New Mexico, and at the temple in his home base of Tucson.


Sean also does spiritual outreach on the internet and has brought countless people to the restaurant and temple.

Bravo, Sean!


A transformed life


Maryrose was a devotee residing in the ashram here for two years. She performed various services like cooking and greeting guests.


She now serves in NYC as an assistant pujari, cook, and street chanter. She recently took a big step in her spiritual life by receiving formal initiation from HH Jayadvaita Swami, with Sandamini Devi as her primary shiksha guru.


We wish her all success on her spiritual journey. Her name now is Madhurya Rasa.

Architecture Design Ready for Pre-approval Permit

The design is "Rajasthan meets the Southwest," by

the renowned architect

John Maddocks.

Click HERE to see the

new temple Brochure

ISKCON Tucson's ten-thousand-square-foot temple, pure veggie prasadam restaurant, boutique, dining patio, and gardens will manifest by the contributions of all devotees. To donate to this amazing project, please see below.

Click to Donate

Temple's Next Major Holiday:

Sri Krishna's Birthday Celebration

Two celebrations this year!

A Grand Public Celebration on

Sunday, September 3rd from 5 to 8 pm

with dances, live music, entertainment, sacred bathing, kids activities, food booths, a big feast & more.

Sponsor the festival for $151, receive the blessings of

Sri Krishna on this auspicious occasion, and pick up gifts of Ayurvedic incense, an incense holder, a ghee lamp & chadar.

We need your support to put on these festivals.

Donate Here $151.

Then, on Wednesday, September 6th...


An Intimate Celebration on

Sri Krishna's Lunar Appearance Day

A more internal gathering of the faithful with bhajan, readings, classes, drama, dance, abhisheka, fasting & feasting & more.

Also see our Events Webpage - iskcontucson.org/events

An Exciting Upcoming Event

Click here to see the poster

     Official Opening of the Vishnu Shiva Outdoor Mandir


After nearly two years the beautifully hand-carved wooden temple is

receiving its final touches for

an opening and Deity installation on Ganesh Chaturdasi

Tuesday, Sept 19th

6:00 pm



Bhajans, sacred bathing of the new murtis at Their installation ceremony, and a feast served for all.


Click Here To Sponsor

the Installation and Deity Puja $108.

The Sunday Feast & Festival

Feeding guests prasadam

(food offered to God) benefits everyone.

Join us each Sunday for an evening of musical meditation, topical philosophy, an ancient worship ceremony, and an

8-course vegetarian feast.


ALL FREE!

5:30 pm - Bhajans

6 pm - Topical talk

6:30 pm - Worship ceremony

7 pm - Announcements

7:10 pm - Feast


August Sunday Talk Slate:

August 6th - CLOSED

Aug. 13th - Kirtanesvara Pr.

Aug. 20th - Jivananda Pr.

Aug. 27th - Dhiro Datta Pr.

Sponsor the Sunday Feast for an upcoming birthday, anniversary or special day. In the name of a loved one or for the benefit of serving blessed food to others. All donations are tax deductible.


Sunday Feast Sponsorship for 75 - 100 plates distributed

$151. Click here

Assisted Living Update

Krishna's Home

News Update

Please take a look at our latest one-page newsletter to see the home's progress. With the inside nearly done, we are focusing on furnishings and the outside.

Click HERE to read.

To get Krishna's Home up and running, we gratefully accept your kind donations.

Krishna's Home Care Tucson 514 E. Blacklidge Dr. (just one block west of the temple across 1st Ave) Krishnashome.org

Feeding the Unhoused on Tucson's Southside

Join us on the 3rd Monday

of every month!

For the past 10 years we've been

serving Tucson's unhoused folks a

six-course hot meal along with chanting.

Now the directors are asking us to teach their guests yoga and meditation as a way to help them transition to a more balanced and meaningful life.



Sponsor a meal here.

$125 serves 100 plates.

Come help us serve every

3rd Monday of the month at 7am.


Thank you, Chakta Yudha, for supporting this month's food distribution!

Govinda's Vegan/Veggie Restaurant

New arrivals in the boutique Get your summer wardrobe now.

Govinda's Self-Serve

All-You-Care-To-Eat Hours:

Lunch - Wednesday through Saturday 11:30 am to 2:30 pm

Dinner - Tuesday through Saturday

5 pm to 8 pm

Sunday Brunch - 11 am to 2:30 pm

Closed Mondays

See the menus on Govinda's webpage: iskcontucson.org/govindas

Govinda's guest quote of the month: "Every time I come down you guys are super friendly and offer great service and environment."

Thanks to our steady crew who work so hard to maintain the temple plants, animals and guests through record-breaking temps this July. Your sacrifice makes it happen. Special hats off to Murli for coating all the roofs and fixing the cracks. Bring on the monsoons!

Income/expense Tracker: Please click to view the Monthly Financial Statement on our Seva webpage - iskcontucson.org/seva

Check out this clip by Mahatma Das titled,

“When We Criticize Others.”

Authentic Indian

Cuisine Catering!



All varieties and quantities of Indian foods for parties, dinners, weddings, and banquets. All main Indian dishes cooked by Master

Chef Kul Sharma. To book, call Kul at 520-891-8083.    

"Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s dancing before the Ratha-yātrā car could be perceived only by pure devotees. Others could not understand. Descriptions of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s uncommon dancing can be found in the revealed scripture Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam."

(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 13.67)


From Srila Prabhupada's Srimad Bhagavatam commentary...

"In his description of the Lord's rāsa dance in Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrīla Prabhupāda painstakingly explains the spiritual purity of these transcendental activities. Those advanced in the science of Kṛṣṇa—the great teachers, or ācāryas—leave no doubt that Lord Kṛṣṇa is full and satisfied in Himself, free of all material desire, which is, after all, a sense of incompleteness or lack.

(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.29.1 Purport)


Visit the website

Homas, Pujas & Blessings

Perform a sacred ceremony...

Have your home, car, business, or family blessed and protected 

with the help and guidance of our experienced temple priest, Kirtan Yajna Prabhu. You may call him at (520) 288-1775, or email

[email protected]

ISKCON Tucson

711 E Blacklidge Dr

Tucson AZ 85719

iskcontucson.org

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