The excerpt below was translated from its original source, a news website in Brazilian Portuguese called Razões para Acreditar.
Verônica Monteiro, 23 years old, and Tatiane Alves, 25 years old, performed a beautiful wedding ceremony inside the Hare Krishna Movement in Taubaté (SP), one of the strands of Hinduism. Besides the fact that getting married is exciting, this was the first homosexual couple to get married within the movement here in Brazil!
“We married with the blessings of Krishna and the devotees. The only gay marriage within the movement was in Los Angeles, in 2009, and at that time it received many negative comments and now, 10 years later, we got married and could reinforce the idea that we are not this material body but eternal souls. Also, the 2009 wedding was not disclosed. I only came to know about it in 2017, when I started to research on this possibility” said Veronica.
The ceremony was held at the Bhakti Yoga House. They enlisted the help of devotees and parents to perform a beautiful ceremony!
“They didn’t have to help, but they wanted to and did it willingly. We are very grateful to all who helped us, devotees, parents, priest and Maharaj Chandramukha Swami, who is now my spiritual master and has given us his blessings” she said.
The pictures of the ceremony that follow below were taken from the dezanove news website.
The except below was translated from its original source, an European Portuguese LGBT news website called dezanove.
Verônica Monteiro (23 years old) and Tatiane Alves (25 years old) were married in Brazil, according to the Hare Krishna rituals. It was the first time two women were married according to the principles of the movement, as informed by the couple’s testimony. The first and only known Hare Krishna marriage between two men took place in 2009 in Los Angeles.
“The wedding took place at the Bhakti Yoga House in Taubaté, in the state of São Paulo. We have no temple in Taubaté, the place where we hold the meetings is a devotee’s house. He uses the house as a law and accounting office, and as devotees are always ready to serve, he uses the place on Sundays to carry out the programs, with free yoga, kirtan (mantra chanting), spirituality chat, and finally a vegetarian and vegan meal. The devotees named the place as Bhakti Yoga House”, Veronica Monteiro tells dezanove.
“The movement does not discriminate against anyone, God does not discriminate against anyone. As a devotee named Abhiceta Dasa told me the first time I went to a meeting in Guarulhos: we are all spirit souls and not this material body”, continues Veronica Monteiro, who nonetheless admits that “some devotees have prejudice, a closed mind. And it happens in every religion, everywhere. We will always meet receptive people and others not so much, but if we don’t take the first step, we will forever stand still. When I saw the possibility, I started sending e-mails and messages to people who are advanced within the movement, including Maharaj Chandramukha Swami, a sannyasi, and ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) spiritual master who answered me with all kindness and attention. He sent me several audios explaining how the movement sees marriage and same-sex relationships, and he told me that ISKCON was not ready to receive the marriage, but as God’s blessings are important to any relationship, therefore, if we were sure about our feelings, then we should go to the Brahmin priest Rama Putra and talk about the ceremony”, she recalls.
Here follows some background on the authorities that were involved in the ceremony:
Hridayananda Dasa Goswami is currently serving as the GBC for Brazil, and he’s being assisted by Dhanvantari Swami as a co-GBC. ( source )
Chandramukha Swami: “In 1986, Chandramukha Swami embraced vows of renunciation (sannyasa) in the holy city of Mayapur, India, when he received the venerable title of Swami and became one of the leaders in Brazil ISKCON. Maharaj helped establish Vrajabhumi Ashram in Teresopolis, RJ. Maharaja is a writer and musician. He has authored over twenty books on yoga philosophy and spirituality. He has released eight CDs of mantras and meditation. Maharaja is famous for his ability to make the Vedic wisdom easily accessible to the lay public.” ( taken from the ISKCON Leaders webpage ).
Rama Putra Das: The brahmana who is seen performing the fire sacrifice on the header photo in the original article is Rama Putra Das, who’s currently a leader of the Nova Gokula farm community, the largest of the official projects of ISKCON Brazil. He’s a disciple of Hridayananda Dasa Goswami.
Answering questions from our readers:
Amara Das Wilhelm asked: Very encouraging. There are actually many ISKCON devotees and priests who perform same-sex marriage ceremonies but always outside of the temple proper. I’m not sure what the Bhakti House is but I assume it is not the main ISKCON temple?
Bhakti Yoga House is not an ISKCON temple, but a place for a program that happens every fifteen days and is organized by an ISKCON devotee ( Narada Muni Das ). As far as we can tell, there is no other currently active program which is somehow connected with ISKCON in the same city ( Taubaté ).
Bhakti Yoga House has already been advertised on many occasions by the official page of ISKCON Brazil on Facebook. It also frequently receives ISKCON authorities as guest lecturers. Purushatraya Swami and Lokasaksi Dasa have already given lectures at Bhakti Yoga House, as it can be seen here and here.
Read also:
Brazilian ISKCON authorities respond to our post on gay marriage ceremony
ISKCON considers allowing official gay marriage ceremonies in Brazil
Brazilian ISKCON Authorities’ Response on Gay Marriage Disingenuous
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This is not a iskcon devotee....
devotee means 4 regulative principles. but they are not follow the 4 regulative principle (illegale sex/marraige).
so, this is not a prapupada followers..
This is not a iskcon devotee....
devotee means 4 regulative principles. but they are not follow the 4 regulative principle (illegale sex/marraige).
so, this is not a prapupada followers..
ISKCON GBC allowing this kind of activities which Srila Prabhupada never encouraged shows that there is degradation happening in ISKCON. Also female diksha gurus? very strange that none of the 4 bonafide sampradayas allow women to give diksha. Looks like Krishna will have to send another Acharya to revive the Bhakti movement. GBC is going to hell & they are taking all the ISKCON devotees who are supporting them to hell. What is the use of preaching to new members when existing devotees are leaving ISKCON.
If they want to like gay marriage, why de want to marry by the name of iskcon sorrounding, everybody known sex require to hele up new generation of getting children , that does not means that de r in sex inside of temple, street, school, college, for that purpose property place nd time require, like this marriage also require property place nd time, not by the name of God u can marry to do, tiger, etc.nd also inside of temple u can marry anyone . Actually that gurudev how allowed this, may be he does not follow the rules of prbhupad seriously, prbhupad strictly instruct sex is not imp in life, u can marry a devotee who really in krishna conceousness nd also do sex for create some devotee, the rest of the life u can pray for God, gay marriage means its completely illegal, u cant get also new devotee, both can enjoy nd satisfy der life without krishna conceousness. That s true.. GBC want to drop dis nd make action against this, otherwise all over world ppl doesnot have faith on iskcon devotees. Gurudev completely responce on dis, if guru can allow then who can show the right way to love forward for a pure devotee. Hk.... Diptikar prabhuji....ISKCO Nellore
Gay marriage
As in the case of Female Diksa Guru we find the same Leftist leaning ( socialist leaning ) devotees foisting on ISKCON modern political/social policies.
This is symptom of a great evil in the heart.
It is not the purpose of those who follow the parampara to act outside of guru, sastra and sadhu. It isn't allowed.
Idiots who have not been graced by the bona fide guru to gain insight into the sacred and invaluable truth descending from guru to disciple from creation speculate that guru can change things.
But if the guru changes things then his own authority, which he has received by following parampara is immediately lost.
We do not find homosexual marriage sanctioned by Vedic ceremony in the 18 Puranas, Vedas, Upanisads, Vedanta Sutra, Ramayana, Mahabharata, etc.
Time to clean house in ISKCON.
Hare Krishna,
It is really a surprise that ISKCON leaders allow illicit-sex among the disciples as it was very clearly indicated by HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami in the letter quoted above. We are trying to help in Sri Chaitanya Mahaprahu's Harinama Sankirtan but doing opposite to dharma is like digging our own grave.
Hope the leaders could take this seriously to propagate the pure teaching of Srila Prabhupada. Individual liking and orientation is not the movement's concern. They have to reap what they sow but DO NOT...DO NOT implicate ISKCON. Thank you.
Hare Krishna,
Next month GBC meeting going to happen, If they have will they can take up this issue and make a strong rule against this. Although HDGSP was very clear on this still our GBC member not strong enough to take action against them under whom this abominable activity happened.
Iskcon allow gay marriage in india?
NO
Dear SoumyaRanjan Sahoo,
If you are saying you are ISKCON devotee you must have followed the instructions of His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivednata Swami Prabhupada and he was very clear on this topic. Kindly read the below-attached letter of SP. I hope these divine words may enlighten your life. Hare Krsna!
Letter to: Lalitananda
—
Hawaii
26 May, 1975
75-05-26
My Dear Lalitananda dasa,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 13rd, 1975 and have noted the contents. I am very sorry that you have taken to homosex. It will not help you advance in your attempt for spiritual life. In fact, it will only hamper your advancement. I do not know why you have taken to such abominable activities. What can I say? Anyway, try to render whatever service you can to Krishna. Even though you are in a very degraded condition Krishna, being pleased with your service attitude, can pick you up from your fallen state. You should stop this homosex immediately. It is illicit sex, otherwise, your chances of advancing in spiritual life are nil. Show Krishna you are serious if you are.
I hope this meets you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
I'm really happy and feel proud ... actually im a iskon davotyy but Iam a gay but I like a davotyy boy .... I want the boy in my full life...please accept geys ????