ISKCON assists in the ‘Peace Mission’ amid ongoing Russian-Ukraine War Conflict
Large-scale distribution of sanctified vegetarian food, prasadam
According to ISKCON authorities on the ground in Ukraine, there is only one prasadam distribution program operating at this time. It is located in the eastern part of Ukraine, in Donetsk. ISKCON News confirmed this during a zoom call with Acyuta Priya das, ISKCON Zonal Supervisor for Ukraine, at 6 AM EST, Sunday February 27. Hare Krishna Food Relief programs have begun in Hungary to feed refugees, as reported earlier today by ISKCON News. Leaders of other ISKCON temples in Europe including Poland, are hoping to start similar programs in the near future for refugees.
FFL/ISKCON Hungary food distribution, February 26, 2020, Budapest Airport. Photo c/oPeter Bojkovkszky
Large-scale distribution of sanctified vegetarian food, prasadam, is an integral part of the services provided by ISKCON. It is our intention to assure that only accurate information is provided regarding that important relief work.
As the events in Ukraine are changing rapidly, we request that devotees, other readers, and the media are especially careful to verify any information they receive, and not repost unconfirmed reports.
To confirm: ISKCON is not able to provide shelter or food distribution at our temples in Ukraine at this time. We pray for peace for all the people of Ukraine and the entire region. Hare Krishna.
Another Effort -: For Distributing Food Prasadam & Spiritual Books in Ukraine Subway
Today (04/03/22) by the grace of Krishna, we came to distribute Krishna prasadam in the subway. Guys, it’s just like in a movie of post-apocalypse. People live right on the floor. With dogs, cats, things. On different types of bedding. Crowds of people. Sleep, chat, read books. They said there were 2,000 people in the subway station. There was a huge queue. We fed at least 500 people. Today there was soup – 110 liters, drink of 2 types – 80 liters, a lot of bread of 2 types, 3 types of sweets. Oh, what an amazing bread we made. Fragrant, nice smells. Prabhupada’s books were also handed out. Filming inside was prohibited. There are entire communities living inside the trains. This war brought these people together. They became like one family. We left and they simply clapped and thanked us very much. One guy is reading Bhagavad-gita right now. Another guy came up to us and asked for a book.
A lot of children. Everyone took sweets. I deliberately walked around the entire station and went into each train car to give food.
These are the situations that make many of us think about the meaning of life. If we ask the Lord to save our lives, then we must understand why? And who am I to save my life? Am I special? What have I done for the good of mankind? What have I done for the good of society? How do I live? Why do I live and for whom? This question hangs right in the air above each of us. I am asking the Lord to save my life not that I can just eat, sleep, go to the toilet, and spread hate and gossip on the Internet.
It must be preserved in order for me to bring values to society. I must bring value to God and to people. We have to strive to bring to others the light of knowledge and the values of life. Many are offended by war, but war is one of the aspects of this word. It teaches us to value our human life and not to waste it simply on animal needs. Man is not an animal.
When a person begins to live like a beast, he is deeply dissatisfied and tries to settle down somewhere. War reminds us of the frailty of material existence. War teaches us to appreciate those we love, to see the needs of others. And so we live in a cocoon of marginal consumer relations, where a person’s life is needed only in order to satisfy their needs in a sophisticated way. And it loses its value. Under normal circumstances, these 2,000 people would never have become a family. War teaches us to appreciate life and enjoy the simple things. Yes. This is a tough training. Mother nature already tried to inspire us naughty children with a whisper of love, then with the voice of conscience … It didn’t work out. And now we need a mouthful of suffering. May it sparkle with fresh colors of love, kindness, joy, abundance, prosperity for that we will share with the world. Appreciate your life and help others understand its value. Then there will be no wars in the world. Material nature will not need to resort to such harsh methods of teaching. And this will be only when the Supreme Lord is pleased with us.
Vedic Experts offer Psychological Counselling/Support
From Ground Zero -:
Lend ..YOUR Support -: Verified Donations for UKRAINE
Where to Send Donations to Help Ukrainians
Members and friends of ISKCON have asked how to send money to help devotees in Ukraine and to support relief programs for Ukrainian refugees in the region. Below are authorized sites that ISKCON News has confirmed to date. Bank details for each follow the list of charities/ not-for-profits.
Ukraine ISKCON Account — to wire money directly to ISKCON Ukraine
NAME OF BANK: FIRST UKRAINIAN INTERNATIONAL BANK,
ADDRESS OF BANK: ANDRIIVSKA STR. 4, 04070 KYIV
S.W.I.F.T.-BIC FUIBUA2X
Beneficiary: Solianyk Kostiantyn
Personal tax code: 3165407437
Mandatory payment purpose description: Donation for the charity activity of the Hare Krishna community
USD IBAN: UA053348510000026204113989109
Intermediary bank: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON One Wall Street, 8th Floor, 10286, New York
S.W.I.F.T.-BIC IRVTUS3N
EUR IBAN: UA693348510000026206115601096
Intermediary bank: COMMERZBANK AG, Kaiserplatz, 60261, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
S.W.I.F.T.-BIC COBADEFF
For assistance, please, contact bhakta Vladimir Koshelev +380504939872,
e-mail: koshelev.vladimir@gmail.com
To Donate to ISKCON Hungary for their Refugee Relief EffortsAccount holder:
Account Holder: Ételt az Életért Alapítvány
IBAN HU55 1030 0002 1063 1840 4902 0019
BIC/SWIFT code: MKKB HU HB
www.eteltazeletert.hu
To Help Ukrainian Devotees Fleeing To Poland
Account: Viva Kultura Foundation
Ul. Czajewicza 5/7/42
05-500 Piaseczno
NIP 123-09-54-459
Account’s
Bank Millennium
Account in PLN
98116022020000000027671394
USD account
39116022020000000027672262
SWIFT CODE – BIGBPLPW
IBAN: PL39116022020000000027672262
Transfer title: AID FOR UKRAINE
Your servants:
* Trisama Dasa – Polish National Council Chairman
+48 606 650 573, trisama.jps@pamho.net
*Mayamari Dasi – Coordinator from ISKCON Nowe Śantipur farm,
+48 723772347
*Nama Rasana Dasi – Coordinator from Wrocław,
+48 693985260, rasanadd@gmail.com
* Devendravandhya Dasa – Coordinator from Bielsko-Biała,
+48 728589861
*Visnupriya Gaura Dasi – Coordinator from Sieradz,
+48 697141450, rzezbavo@op.pl
*Vaisnava Kripa Dasa – Coordinator from Kraków,
+48 502 507 427, Arkadiusz@waisznawa.pl
* Madhuri Priti Dasi – Coordinator from Poznań,
+48 600442785, madhuri@o2.pl
* Rasikendra dasa – Coordinator from Warsaw,
+48 693723777, Krzysztof.stopa@vivakultura.pl
*Jayatam Das and Nandini Dasi – President of Viva Kultura Fundation,
+48 603 122 054, +48 601 770 849, info@vivakultura.pl
For the UK: Lotus Trust — A certified UK charity that will distribute funds to help in Ukraine and the region
LOTUS TRUST UK: thelotustrust.org
ISKCON Communications Europe– A European non-profit that will distribute funds to support relief efforts in the region
Bank details
Triodos Bank
ISKCON Communications Europe asbl
197 Ave d Auderghem
1040 Bruxelles
Belgique
IBAN: BE27 5230 8129 5573
BIC/Swift: TRIOBEBB
Communication: ISKCON Relief Ukraine.
For the United States: New Vrindaban — tax-exempt in the US; will distribute funds to support relief in Ukraine and the region
New Vrindaban:
Donations Can Be Made Online Here: tinyurl.com/2p9yphz9
Some #Quick Facts#
HELP for the UKRAINIAN DEVOTEES (04 March 2022)
Hare Krishna. Many devotees and friends are asking how they can help the devotees caught in the middle of the deadly and devastating fighting in Ukraine.
ISKCON has over 3,000 initiated devotees in the country, over a dozen temples, and three beautiful farms. I have attached a few photos of the main temple in Kiev.
ISKCON’s international governing body is in regular, daily contact with the Ukrainian devotees. Because of the very delicate and dangerous nature of the situation, we cannot say more than this.
However, a very reliable and trusted conduit for getting funds directly into the country and into the hands of the local devotee leaders has been established. You will find that information below. The need is heartbreakingly urgent and overwhelming.
ISKCON’s efforts are three-fold–
1. The most pressing need is getting assistance to the devotees inside the country. The Kiev temple has two basement floors that have been converted into a bomb shelter. Other devotees are sheltering at the three farms or as best they can at devotee homes with basements.
2. The devotees in Hungary and Poland have set up multiple prasadam / food distribution stations at the main border crossings. The lines of refugees at the border crossings, in their cars, on bicycles, and on foot, are 40 miles long. The most recent report is that it takes 40 to 50 hours waiting in line to get across the border. People are escaping with only the clothes on their backs.
3. ISKCON temples in Europe are organizing housing for those devotee refugees who have managed to leave Ukraine but who now have nowhere to stay and no support. These are mostly women and children as Ukrainian men between 18 and 60 are all being pulled into the Ukrainian army.
Again, the most urgent need now is getting funds into the hands of the ISKCON leaders inside Ukraine who are coordinating the relief efforts to the devotees. You will find the Paypal information below.
There are two components of this secure funding system. The recipient of the Paypal account is a senior initiated devotee here in the USA. She then bundles the individual donations into large wire transfers and sends these to Kadambavan prabhu, an initiated devotee in Ukraine. He is an executive / director of the office of a Fortune 500 company in Ukraine and is very mature, knowledgeable, and impeccably honest. Kadambavan prabhu has sent his family out of the country but is staying on the ground, at great personal risk, to help manage this account and distribute the funds into the devotee relief efforts.
The need is overwhelming and the time is now. Whatever you send will not only help the immediate physical needs of the Ukraine devotees but will also let them know that they are not alone, but rather that the world-wide devotee community is praying for them and standing with them.
• How to send your donation:
Donations can be sent directly to the following email address on Paypal: vrajamohan1008@gmail.com. Zelle can also be used.
Please also send a screenshot of your donation to vedicheart108@gmail.com. This way you have a record and they can send you a tax receipt.
If by Krishna’s grace, you have the means to send a very large donation, you can contact me for how to do that by a bank wire transfer into Ukraine and to Kadambavan prabhu.
Your servant,
Badrinarayan Swami
PS: Please circulate this appeal far and wide. People want to help. They just need an easy way to do so.