Image-custom header
  • Our Websites
    • Homepage with news and events
    • Topical articles on our Seva Ashram Post website
    • Our former site with photos and news from 2007-2011
  • About Us
    • About our beliefs
    • What you will see
    • Deity worship
    • Mission statement
    • Our spiritual guardians
      • Srila Janardan Maharaj
      • Srila Acharya Maharaj
      • Srila Govinda Maharaj
      • Srila Sridhar Maharaj
  • Contact
    • Subscribe to our newsletter for event invitations
    • Santa Cruz Seva Ashram
    • San Jose Seva Ashram
    • Host a namahatta at home
  • Calendar
    • Vaishnava Calendar
    • Events
  • Audio, video, photos
    • Facebook: Live broadcasts of classes and festivals
    • Youtube: Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita readings
    • Audio: Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita readings
    • Photos
      • 2019 Photo Gallery
      • 2016 Photo Gallery
      • 2015 Photo Gallery
      • 2014 Photo Gallery
      • 2013 Photo Gallery
      • 2012 Photo Gallery
      • 2011 Photo Gallery
    • Videos
    • Bookstore
  • Development Plans
  • China
  • Donate

What You Will See at the Santa Cruz Seva Ashram

Peaceful setting

When you visit the Santa Cruz Seva Ashram you will be embraced by natural beauty. Nestled into the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains, the Ashram is home to a vast array of flora and fauna including deer and cotton tail rabbits.

As for birds, you may see red-tail hawks, owls, quail, starlings, swallows, blue jays and several varieties of hummingbirds. We have beehives, a fruit orchard, two Eucalyptus groves and plenty of Live Oak, Aspen, Redwood and Willow trees.

On a clear day,  follow the Via Govinda hill-crest trail for a breath-taking view of the Monterey Bay.

Devotional culture

Even more striking than the natural environment is the full and rich cultural heritage of our devotional lifestyle. Originating in India in the holy land of Navadwip on the banks of the sacred Ganges river, the caring way of devotional life is practiced here on a daily basis.

Affectionate association

Our members and visitors are spiritual people with affectionate hearts. They are dedicated to a life engaged in devotional service or Bhakti-yoga. There are all kinds of people in our community ranging from monks to families with young children.

Deity worship

At the Ashram we worship the Deities of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharvika Giridhari (Sri Guru, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and Sri Sri Radha Krishna). There are always seva or service opportunities and many varieties of Prasadam (blessed foods) to honor.  Our cooks are famed throughout the world for preparing incredible feasts.

Your home

We invite you to join us every Sunday at 11:30 a.m. for chanting, a special talk and a wonderful vegetarian feast. We look forward to meeting you in person.

seva-ashram-500w-01 seva-ashram-500w-02 seva-ashram-500w-03 seva-ashram-500w-04 seva-ashram-500w-05 seva-ashram-500w-06 seva-ashram-500w-07 seva-ashram-500w-08 seva-ashram-500w-09 seva-ashram-500w-10 seva-ashram-500w-11 seva-ashram-500w-12 seva-ashram-500w-13 seva-ashram-500w-14 seva-ashram-500w-16 seva-ashram-500w-17 seva-ashram-500w-18 seva-ashram-500w-19 seva-ashram-500w-21
[Show picture list]

All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!

These are the presiding deities in the temple, Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharvika Giridhari. Our founder, His Divine Grace Srila B.S. Govinda Maharaj installed Their Lordships in 1996 for the spiritual benefit of everyone.

“The manifestation of the Deity gives us love for the Lord because the Deity’s manifestation is very near and very close to our mental position. Within this mundane environment we are habituated to be with our relatives. Now the Lord, in his manifestation as the Deity, is present here among us in the form of our relative. The Lord is so attractive and so sweet and so beautiful and so ecstatic and He is very near and very dear to human society, human beings and human experience.”

– Srila B.S. Govinda Maharaj

Srila Bhakti Pavan Janardan Maharaj is the acharya and spiritual leader of the Seva Ashram.

Janardan Maharj’s daily classes

In his morning classes, Srila Janardan Maharaj reads from Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita, a holy scripture describing the pastimes and teachings of Lord Chaitanya and the essence of Gaudiya Vaishnava philosphy.

Come to the Sunday Feast

Guests are invited to the Sunday Feast from 11-2 every week. Experience congregational chanting, a lecture and a vegetarian feast. We try to offer activities for kids too!
Santa Cruz Seva Ashram
2900 N. Rodeo Gulch Rd.
Soquel, CA 95073
(831) 462-4712

Tags

B.C. Parvat Maharaj B.K. Ashram Maharaj B.K. Tyagi Maharaj B.N. Acharya Maharaj B.P. Janardan Maharaj B.R. Madhusudan Maharaj B.R. Sridhar Maharaj B.S. Govinda Maharaj B.S. Vaishnav Maharaj Bhagavad-gita Bhakti Lalita Devi Dasi Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Bhakti Vinod Thakur BP Siddhanti Maharaj Braja Mohini Devi Dasi Cabrillo College Children China Gaura Purnima Govardhan-puja Hasyapriya Prabhu Jairam Prabhu Janmastami Lord Nityananda Lord Nrsimhadev Lord Ramachandra Lord Sri Krishna Namahatta Salt Lake City San Jose Sankirtan Santa Cruz Sarvabhavana Prabhu Soquel Seva Ashram Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Sri Gadadhar Pandit Sri Govinda Mela Srila Prabhupad Sri Radhastami Sri Vishnu Priya Devi Sunday Feast Vidura Krishna Prabhu Vishakha Devi Dasi Yudhamanyu Prabhu Seva Vikram
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Vaishnava Seva Society
Seva Ashram News of the Vaishnava Seva Society
Copyright © 2025 All Rights Reserved