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Shraddh Ceremony: A collective Shraddha ceremony for
forefathers was performed Sept 28 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Sept
29th 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Pandit Bhajagovind led the ceremony. Ac-
cording to the rules and regulations of fruitive activities, there is a
need to offer periodical food and water to the forefathers of the
family. This offering is performed by worship of Viṣṇu, because eat-
ing the remnants of food offered to Viṣṇu can deliver one from all
kinds of sinful reactions. Sometimes the forefathers may be suffer-
ing from various types of sinful reactions, and sometimes some of
them cannot even acquire a gross material body and are forced to
remain in subtle bodies as ghosts. Thus, when remnants of
prasādam food are offered to forefathers by descendants, the fore-
fathers are released from ghostly or other kinds of miserable life.
Such help rendered to forefathers is a family tradition, and those
who are not in devotional life are required to perform such rituals.
One who is engaged in the devotional life is not required to perform
such actions. Simply by performing devotional service, one can de-
liver hundreds and thousands of forefathers from all kinds of mis-
ery. It is stated in the Bhāgavatam (11.5.41):
devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ
na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan
sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ
gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam
“Anyone who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, the
giver of liberation, giving up all kinds of obligation, and has taken
to the path in all seriousness, owes neither duties nor obligations to
the demigods, sages, general living entities, family members, hu-
mankind or forefathers.” Such obligations are automatically fulfilled
by performance of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.

Damodara Leela Celebrations – October 18 to No-
th
vember 16 . In this month devotees sing the Damodara astakam
and offer a ghee lamp. Lamp signifies the offering of love. When
we are offering lamp - through that lamp we are offering our love,
our heart our life to Krsna. Similarly, offering anything to Krsna is
like offering our heart and love to Krsna. Point is with complete
devotion and love to offer to Krsna. Transformation through For-
giveness. Seminar and Workshop by Mahatma Das, on Sept 28 &
Sept 29th 9am to 5pm. This Seminar and three days of preaching
techniques class totally changed the way devotees.

We also welcomed the season with Straw Berry Festival in Bellevue
on June 21st, 22nd and 23rd. Bellevue Strawberry Festival is a big
festival in Bellevue area. VCC is hosting a Food Booth.