MAN-tra Retreat men gather for kirtan in front of Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold.

Men from across North America recently gathered for the annual MAN-tra Retreat at New Vrindaban, West Virginia. Filled with inspiring and challenging presentations, joyful kirtans, meaningful association, and delicious prasadam, the retreat was “just what the doctor ordered” for the grateful participants.

The MC for the weekend was Anuttama Dasa, GBC member and co-founder of the MAN-tra Retreat with Bhaktimarga Swami back in 2018. 

Friday night began with a richly relevant topic at the end of a long work week: “How to be Productive Without Becoming Toast.” The speaker, Prasannatma Das, a board-certified neurologist who also serves as an executive coach, helps professionals avoid burnout while managing the stress and challenges of our modern world. You can hear all of his insights and wisdom here

Prasannatma Das speaking to the men on the first night of the retreat.

The evening culminated in a heartwarming dinner at Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold, followed by a bonfire gathering. Here, senior devotees shared their cherished memories of Srila Prabhupada, evoking a sense of spiritual nostalgia. The night was filled with the joyous melodies of kirtan, creating a truly memorable experience.

On Saturday morning, Yadhunath Dasa spoke on the topic “Seriously, Let’s Stop Taking Ourselves So Seriously!” He is well known in devotee circles for the lessons he draws from his experience as an improvisational comic. In addition to a thoughtful presentation, Yadhunath Dasa also guided the men in several exercises that helped them hone their listening skills and hold meaningful conversations with other men. You can listen to his presentation here.

Yadhunath Dasa shares how men can take their spiritual life seriously and also embrace fun and humor as a tool for growth.

Following a nourishing lunch, devotee men were treated to a presentation by UK devotee Bhuta Bhavana Dasa entitled “Transformation Through Talents—How to Give Your Gifts in Krishna’s Service.” Bhuta Bhavana, a successful corporate trainer with an international firm, held devotees’ rapt attention with his insights into finding one’s purpose and engaging our gifts in Krishna’s service. Listen here. 

Bhuta Bhavana Dasa challenging men to engage their gifts in Krishna’s service.

Vaishnavi Panel – How Men Can Succeed in Honoring and Protecting Women

Arguably, the most engaging, challenging, and sobering part of the retreat was a panel offered by Vaishnavi leaders sharing their experiences and perspectives on how men can “succeed in honoring and protecting women.” This is the second time the MAN-tra Retreat has invited Vaishnavi speakers to their annual gathering.

The panel was introduced and moderated by Anuttama Dasa. Speakers included Rukmini Devi Dasi and Praharana Devi Dasi, both Srila Prabhupada disciples, and Dr. Nancy Rothman, a Bhakti practitioner, corporate leader, and mentor for those in recovery. The three explored the past treatment of women in ISKCON, the present dynamics for women in our Society, and their hopes for a better future for our movement.

Panel members (L-R), Dr. Nancy Rothman, Praharana Devi Dasi and Rukmini Devi Dasi.

The panel began with Rukmini Devi Dasi giving a broad context on Srila Prabhupada’s respect for and confidence in his female disciples, showing a stark contrast with how some later leaders mistreated and marginalized them. Srila Prabhupada left a legacy for current and future leaders on how to help Vaishnavis “shine and flourish according to our individual abilities and gifts given by Lord Krishna,” concluded Rukmini. In addition to serving as a member of the Board of Directors for the Bhakti Center, the Board of Trustees of the  Bhaktivedanta College in Belgium, and as a member of SABHA, an international committee advising ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission, Rukmini founded the Urban Devi initiative which seeks to uplift the voices of women on the path of Bhakti in the 21st Century.

Following Rukmini, Praharana Devi Dasi was tasked with giving specific examples of abuse that she and other women experienced within ISKCON. She catalogued the challenges Vaishnavis endured from male leaders and also highlighted those male leaders who kept Prabhupada’s appreciating mood and protected women. Her critique was pointed and powerful, sharing a culture of mistreatment that was largely unknown to most of the men present. She also gave examples of pockets in our Society that seem to be maintaining misogynistic behaviors even today. In spite of these challenges, Praharana went on to serve ISKCON in many leadership roles and earn her master’s degree in social work and public policy. Professionally, she has served in hospital administration and as an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto. Her experience and credentials have proven incredibly valuable to several ISKCON ministries, including the Leader Sexual Misconduct Office and the Grhasta Vision Team. She continues to serve as a member of the GBC Organizational Development Team.

Dr. Nancy Rothman spoke next, bringing a unique Vaishnavi perspective of someone coming to the movement within the last decade. She spoke of counseling two Vaishnavis who experienced similar abuses to those shared by Praharana Devi Dasi and how some of the tools from the recovery movement helped them find healing and hope. Since becoming a Bhakti practitioner, Nancy has worked closely with the Bhakti Recovery initiative and recently developed a series of videos for Karuna Care about the 12 steps of recovery. Nancy continues to share her gifts with the devotee community, helping victims bravely find their voices and establish appropriate boundaries to stop the abuse.

Sharing their painful and shameful treatment in the early decades of the ISKCON took courage and inspired everyone in attendance. The discussion then turned to practical ways the men in our movement can protect, honor, and appreciate Srila Prabhupada’s female disciples. Following their remarks, the room erupted in applause and a long-standing ovation – the retreat’s first in its seven-year history. Click here to listen to all the panel presentations and the Q&A which followed.

In the afternoon, most of the men walked to Old Vrindaban to hear the early history of the community. The evening brought another wonderful dinner prasadam with a creative drama by Bhaktimarga Swami’s team with kirtan offered by Gaura Vani and friends.

Sunday morning concluded with a talk by Sri Prahlada Dasa on “Leadership Lessons from the Gita for Men.” The interactive presentation looked at the key principles from the Gita that men can apply to their devotional and professional lives. You can listen to his session here. Sri Prahlada is not only a well-known kirtaneer, but is also an author, researcher and Ph.D. scholar who taught at Brunel Business School in London, UK and most recently relocated to New York City where he teaches at Baruch College.  In 2024, he released his latest book, “Leadership Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita.”

MAN-tra Retreat participants left on Sunday feeling nourished, revived, equipped, and challenged.  

To follow the MAN-tra ministry and learn about their latest events and initiatives, please visit their Facebook and Instagram. You can watch the 2024 presentations and talks from previous years on their YouTube channel.