GVA wins People's Choice Award at Georgia Tech for Earth Day
(Left) People's Choice Award, won by GVA at Georgia Tech’s Earth Day celebration.
Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22 in more than 192 countries, and events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. As the world’s population migrates to cities, and as the bleak reality of climate change becomes increasingly clear, the need to create sustainable communities is more important than ever. Typical ways of observing Earth Day include planting trees, picking up roadside trash, conducting various programs for recycling and conservation, using recyclable containers for snacks and lunches, calls for stronger or immediate action to stop global warming and to reverse environmental destruction, and so on.
Shrila Maharaj with ‘Captain Planet’ at GA Tech's 2016 Earth Day celebrations.
Gaudiya Vaishnava Association (GVA) participated in the Earth Day celebrations at Georgia Tech in Atlanta on April 22, 2016 and won the GA Tech People's Choice Award for this year at the event. His Divine Grace B.S. Tirtha Maharaj, the Founder Acharya of Gaudiya Vaishnava Association graced the occasion by his august presence. Among the many exhibitors, GVA focused on vegetarianism, cruelty against animals or nonviolence, why the earth is called the Mother Earth, the material creation from the five basic matter found in nature, namely earth, water, fire, air, and ether, the presence of soul in all living beings including animals and birds, the transmigration of soul from one body to another thereby stressing the point that the progression of soul should not be stopped by animal killing, quotations from the age old Vedas depicting the importance of protecting Mother Nature, and quotes of great Acharyas and prominent scientists through posters and banners in their exhibit. GVA distributed many books, CDs, DVDs, and magazines to all the attendees.
Shrila Maharaj with the exhibitors.
Shrila Maharaj visited all the exhibits at the event, discussed the various ideas through which we can be environmentally conscious in our day-to-day activities by being spiritual, and gave his blessings in appreciation.
Shrila Maharaj was visiting Atlanta in April/May for the annual ‘Spirituality in Spring’ lecture series, and gave discourses from the most esteemed literature, the Shrimad Bhagavatam, every day between April 23 and May 13 in Cumming and Alpharetta. One of the eminent speakers of Bhakti Yoga and preacher of Vedic scriptures, he writes books on the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness and has been invited to a number of leading universities and colleges around the world for his authority, depth, and clarity in the ancient Vedic scriptures.
Science gives a limited picture of reality. The world scriptures reveal the spiritual aspect of reality, including God. God primarily reveals Himself through scriptures known as the Vedas, which contain a vast amount of knowledge about God and reality. Among them, the Shrimad Bhagavatam and Shrimad Bhagavad Gita provide the most focused explanation of God and reality. Shrila Maharaj spoke from the 10th Canto giving detailed explanations on the Supreme Lord of lords, Lord Shri Krishna's pastimes – Killing of Narakasura, Deliverance of King Nrga, Daily activities in Dwaraka, Killing of Salva & Dantavakra, and Discussion with Sudama, to name a few. Krishna prasadam was served every day after the morning and evening programs.
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