Welcome to the 3rd edition of the Sena Newsletter! We are delighted to share that our newsletter continues to grow as Edition 2 has now reached over 1000 views!
Pandava Sena always has an active winter and this one was eventful. We hope you enjoy reading what we got up to!
KCSOC Trips & Events
Weekend Retreat
In early December, university students came together for the bi-annual KCSOC Weekend Retreat, which was centred on the theme of ‘Radiance’. We were graced with uplifting sessions from Krishna Kirtan Prabhu and Shyam Gopal Prabhu, while each day began with early morning gratitude offerings and ended with rousing kirtans. The inspirational conversations reinforced the essence of KCSOC being not just a society but a spiritual family. Further interactive highlights included a ‘Would I Lie to You’ panel, a scavenger hunt, and a unique ‘trust test’ fall demonstration led by Krishna Kirtan Prabhu. All in all, this retreat offered the opportunity to recharge, reflect and reconnect, and set us up with an amazing new community for the start of 2025.
Day Retreat
February’s KCSOC Day Retreat brought together 170+ students from across the country for a day of connection and community at The Bhaktivedanta Manor. Radhika Ranjana Prabhu delivered an inspiring mood setter, sharing stories from his own transformative personal journey with spirituality. A special surprise workshop – ‘Sacred Sanga’ – was a highlight, as was the immersive ‘treasure hunt’ that involved searching all over the Manor’s unique grounds. For many, the retreat was more than a one-day experience… it was a turning point, a reminder that spiritual wisdom doesn’t need to be separate from daily life. In true KCSOC fashion, we rounded off the day with a breathtaking finale kirtan that ignited every heart with joy and devotion.
Flagship Evenings
In December, KCSOC hosted a flagship with HH Jayadvaita Maharaj, where we reflected on the personal nature of Krishna and the timeless relevance of teachings from the Bhagavad Gita for the lives of students today. Embracing the concept of detachment and staying strong in our duty, Maharaj invited us to consider the inherent simplicity of true renunciation: 'You end up with nothing once you strip away everything, isn't that the point?'
In January, KCSOC students also had the privilege to hear from HH Bhakti Vasudeva Maharaj at the LSE. He presented the science of mantra meditation (sonic therapeutic intervention), detailing his advanced research in this field. With a light-hearted charisma, he convincingly expressed the additional benefits of spiritual practices for fostering success in our careers, relationships and overall well-being.
KCSOC Words of Wisdom Podcast
In February, KCSOC held their first ever live podcast at UCL! Navina Krishna Prabhu engaged in a fascinating conversation with two university students about the Existence of God. It was an enlightening evening that introduced students to the nature of consciousness and our eternal, bliss-seeking, cognizant nature as spirit souls. We look forward to the next series of ‘WOW’ live podcasts coming soon…
Trips
Mentorship Trip
The second Mentorship Trip of 2024 was the perfect opportunity to discover our authentic paths and go deeper in our spiritual journeys. The wider PS community came together – families, children, and youth alike – to offer a poignant reminder of the power of association. HH Sacinandana Maharaj offered profound insights into recognising our inner calling, while HH Keshava Maharaj beautifully guided us through a powerful Gaura-Lila. The kirtans were heartfelt, and we were fortunate to share many honest conversations about our own challenges and aspirations in Krishna Consciousness. Overall, the community left with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper commitment to spiritual practice.
Service Trip
Immediately after the Mentorship Trip, our youth headed to The Vedanta, Lincoln, for their second service trip of the year. It was a fantastic opportunity to get outdoors and ‘enjoy’ the crisp countryside air but was full of continuous hard work. The evenings were reserved for kirtan, bhajans and board games, with ‘Articulate’ being a favourite. The service trip was productive and enjoyable, and Sena looks forward to contributing further to The Vedanta’s development.
Pre Trip
Last month, the PS Trip team spent a weekend away at Almviks Gård, Sweden, in preparation for the upcoming Summer trip Saranagati. This involved exploring the stunning temple grounds, organising the incredible lineup of events and activities, and connecting with the welcoming and friendly community. We are excited for our trip in August 2025, and Sweden’s natural scenery makes it the ideal location for our summer retreat! (Only 5 spaces left...)
Flagships
RISE
Our January RISE boys’ house program was a beautiful evening led by Yashoda Suta Prabhu. Through his now signature presentation style, he shared the incredible life of the ‘First Saint’ in the Hare Krishna movement: Jayananda Prabhu. It was a heart-touching story of a devotee who lived by the utmost ideals and heartfully devoted his mind, body and soul to spread the mission of his Guru, Srila Prabhupada. Jayananda Prabhu’s life is a testament to humility, service and complete surrender... a true inspiration across generations within PS.
Empower
There have already been 2 Empower programmes this year! In January, Shyamavallabha Mataji continued the popular series with an enlightening session about Advaita Acharya. In February, Diptimati Mataji shared the life lessons from Santana Goswami, inspiring us with the dedication of a person who exemplified Vaishnava culture and humble attitude to service.
Youth Day Retreat
Last winter, PS held their first ever Youth Outreach day retreat! The day was packed with ice skating, a delicious dinner at Mood Cafe, and in true PS style, a roaring kirtan downstairs at Studio 108. Looking forward to many more memorable days for the youth of PS!
A Sena Xmas
The Pandava Sena Christmas event was a heartwarming celebration wrapped in fun and festive cheer, with Christmas crackers, a photo booth, and an inflatable snowman. Games were both exciting but challenging, while the skit had everyone in stitches. Taking part in Secret Santa reminded us of the joy in both giving and receiving gifts. Overall, the event was a great opportunity to bring the Sena community together and round off an unforgettable year.
Projects
SSP Winter Marathon
Last December, the Sacred Street Party embarked on their annual ‘Prabhupada Marathon’ book distribution programme. This culminated in 60 devotees distributing a grand total of 5637 transcendental books and meeting over 15,000 souls across the UK, connecting people to Krishna and planting the seed of spirituality. SSP also featured in the annual ISKCON Leadership Sanga! You too can join the Sacred Street Party every Saturday, 12-4pm, to experience the magic for yourself!
School of Bhakti Play
Last December, over 400 people filled The Manor’s Haveli for a performance of The Dice Game from the Mahabharata, in collaboration between Pandava Sena and School of Bhakti. Led by the talented duo Draupadi Mataji and Mukunda Prasada Prabhu, the cast shared the timeless message of surrender to the Lord. Due to overwhelming demand, the cast returned for another performance in January…stay tuned for more performances later this year!
VTE
PS have started to run the renowned VTE course for its youth teams. We are fortunate to have our very own Shyam Gopal Prabhu deliver and facilitate fortnightly seminars for a core group of 20 new youth. This project is inspiring a new generation of devotees and is a preliminary stage to Pandava Sena’s sanga and mentorship system…
Save the Dates
KCSOC Weekend Retreat: Friday 14th March – Sunday 16th March 2025
Upcoming Flagships: Sunday 23rd March & Saturday 26th April 2025
And of course, a massive thank you to the contributors of Edition 3 of the Sena Newsletter! :
Abhay Buddhdev
Diya Thaker
Gopinath Jani
Ishan Sanghani
Krishan Parmar
Lavanya Lobin
Lucas Evans
Parth Shahir
Deven Patel
Rayna Chawla
Rishab Patel
Siyona Somani
Vaidehi Sharma
Vinay Patel
Vishnu Gor