By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

OmniLight Films Production, a Mayapur-based film production company, recently released “Three Nights,” a short film based on the story of Srila Haridas Thakur and the prostitute who was sent to defame him. Directed by Yadava Jivana Das (alias Shyamsundar), a disciple of Indradyumna Swami, the film presents a narrative that combines Krishna consciousness with cinematic storytelling and aims to engage both devotee and non-devotee audiences.

In an interview with ISKCON News, Shyamsundar shared the inspiration, creative process, and message behind his film. Originally from Pune, he moved with his family to Mayapur ten years ago. Although trained in computer science, his passion for videography began during his school years. “I’m not a professional filmmaker—this is just my hobby and passion,” he said modestly.

The idea for “Three Nights” began in August 2023 when Ekadashinath Das, a visiting devotee from Italy, came to Mayapur for his Bhakti Shastri course. Initially seeking only a mobile phone gimbal to record a short video, his conversation with Gaura Karuna Das, Shyamsundar’s brother, quickly expanded into a collaborative effort to create a short film aimed at international film festivals.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/omnilight-films-debuts-three-nights-exploring-the-story-of-srila-haridas-thakur/

By Atma Tattva Das

As the African Union (AU) assumes a permanent seat at the G20 table, faith leaders are stepping into a more prominent role in shaping global policy, and the 2025 G20 Interfaith Harmony Week, held this week in Addis Ababa, reflected that shift. Held just months before South Africa hosts the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, the 2025 gathering brought together more than 350 religious leaders, diplomats, and policy experts. Among the standout voices was Salika Das of ISKCON Jos, whose decades of interfaith service across Nigeria spotlighted how spiritual communities can offer not just moral guidance but tangible strategies for education, empowerment, advocacy, and interfaith solidarity.

The G20 Interfaith Harmony Week has evolved significantly since its inception, aligning global faith-based dialogue with the broader economic and political priorities of the G20. Originally conceived as part of the United Nations’ World Interfaith Harmony Week in 2010, the initiative gained new prominence when the African Union (AU) was admitted as a permanent G20 member in 2024. This inclusion granted Africa a direct voice at one of the world’s most influential economic forums, one that represents roughly 85 percent of global GDP and two-thirds of the global population. As South Africa prepares to host the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November 2025, Addis Ababa was selected to host the 2025 Interfaith Harmony Week conference from May 13 to 14, underscoring the city’s role as the AU’s political and diplomatic hub.

Held under the banner “Africa’s Faith Communities: Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union Agenda 2063, and South Africa’s 2025 G20 Process,” this year’s gathising drew over 350 participants, including religious and traditional leaders, diplomats, policy experts, and representatives of faith-based and interfaith organizations, from across Africa and beyond. The conference was convened by the Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia, the United Religions Initiative–Africa, the G20 Interfaith Forum, and the AU’s Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO) in partnership with ECOSOCC. Distinguihed figures such as Ambassador Taye Atsikesillassie (President of the Federal Government of Ethiopia), Mahmoud Ali Youssouf (Chairperson of the African Union Commission), and Abune Tesfasillasie (Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Addis Ababa) offered opening remarks emphasizing the spirit of “ubuntu” and the Golden Rule, “treat others as you would like to be treated,” as foundational to interfaith cooperation and sustainable development.

Among the esteemed participants was Salika Das, a disciple of Bhakti Tirtha Swami and Temple President at ISKCON Jos for the past 25 years. As an experienced interfaith practitioner, Salika has spearheaded intellectual preaching and community outreach across northern Africa, engaging both local and continental platforms, such as the African Union (AU). When asked to represent ISKCON on the panel “How Can Interreligious and Religious Actors Lead and Contribute to the Goal of Leaving No One Behind?”, he drew upon decades of grassroots and institutional interfaith work to illustrate the transformative power of faith-based collaboration. “Stepping onto the panel, I felt both excitement and responsibility, knowing that my contribution could influence perspectives and inspire collective action,” he wrote in his report, underscoring how his life’s mission has always been to bridge theological divides for social upliftment.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-champions-unity-at-g20-interfaith-harmony-week/

Devotees walk together at Rondebosch Common during the SP50 Morning Walk Tribute in Cape Town, listening to Srila Prabhupada lectures and conversations.


By Kala Das  

As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Srila Prabhupada’s 1975 visit to South Africa (SP50), the ISKCON Cape Town temple hosted a series of events in May 2025. These included a Devotional Practices Workshop, a memorial morning walk, and a movie night to commemorate the 100-day countdown to Srila Prabhupada’s historic arrival. The programs engaged over 100 participants in devotional culture and reflection.

A workshop emphasising traditional devotional practices was held on May 17th in the Cape Town temple courtyard. The event featured tutorials on Sari and Dhoti wearing, and Prasadam cooking, all aimed at strengthening daily spiritual habits and fostering a deeper connection to the Vaishnava tradition. Notably, this workshop has inspired the Cape Town Yatra to begin work on a cookbook, intended to encourage devotional vegetarian cooking both at home and for the service of the resident deities, Sri Sri Ntai Mayapur Chandan, at the Cape Town temple.

A highlight of the session was a hands-on prasadam demonstration featuring roti, subji, and halava preparation. Facilitators emphasised consciousness and care during cooking as offerings to the Lord. Attendees learned the correct way to wear traditional devotional clothing.

Two weeks later, on May 31st, over 35 devotees gathered for a Srila Prabhupada Memorial Morning Walk at Rondebosch Common. Inspired by the founder-Acarya’s morning walks in South Africa during 1975, this 2.7-kilometre walk lasted approximately 50 minutes and featured archival audio recordings of Srila Prabhupada’s lectures and conversations.

Participants listened via headphones while walking in quiet remembrance. The event was led by Medhavi Das (74), an ISKCON initiating spiritual teacher and direct disciple of Srila Prabhupada, along with his wife, Lalita Devi Dasi. Their participation added authenticity and historical context to the walk. Devotees ranging from 10 to 74 years old took part.

Following their walk, participants enjoyed refreshments such as cupcakes and hot chicory. Medhavi Das then shared valuable insights on crafting heartfelt Vyasa Puja offerings for Srila Prabhupada. These offerings, due by June 1st, would be included in a special SP50 commemorative collection, coinciding with Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja in August 2025.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-cape-town-yatra-hosts-sp50-walks-and-workshops/

By Sacinandana Swami

There is one foundational principle of the Bhagavata philosophy, which is enacted and taught practically by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu during His earthly pastimes. By understanding it you will be able to live and apply what Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had come to teach us. This foundational principle is to establish a relationship with the Lord through the mood of separation. This is best practiced in kirtan.

RECEIVING THE HOLY NAME

We have heard it so many times – in order to receive the holy name we first need to become focused. By being mindful to the sound vibration of the holy name we will bring the mind into connection with Krishna. To do this we need to actually hear the mantra and stay with it all the time, which requires some focus, willingness, and prayer.

Our biggest problem however is that we feel disconnected and “dry” while applying ourselves to the practice of chanting. We try to focus our minds on the sound vibration, but alas – the mind seems to be more difficult to control than the wind! What should we do? Where is our hope?

Our hope and solution lies in learning to chant in the mood of separation. This feeling of separation from Krishna is possible for the conditioned soul because we have turned away from Him.

How do we come to this mood? It is by feeling: “Krishna, I really need You!”

LEARNING FROM THE LIVES OF GREAT DEVOTEES

After the death of his mother, the five-year-old boy Narada Muni left his home and went into the jungle. There, under a banyan tree, he sat down and meditated according to the instructions of the four great saints who had visited his home. While Narada Muni was meditating under the banyan tree, the Lord appeared to him.

Narada Muni was so overwhelmed by the darshan of the Lord, that he became so absolutely moved and lost both the vision of himself and the Lord. Everything disappeared. He became frantic and most eager to see the Lord again, but the Lord said to him:

“I regret that during this lifetime you will not be able to see Me anymore. Those who are incomplete in service and are not completely free from all material things can hardly see Me. Oh Narada Muni, you are virtuous. Only once you have seen Me in person, and this is just to increase your desire for Me, because the more you hanker for Me, the more you will be freed from all material desires.”
(SB 1.6.21, 22)

When the Lord disappeared, Narada Muni was thrown into an ocean of abject inner pain. Imagine what happens when a poor man receives a touchstone which can fulfill all of his desires, and then all of a sudden loses it. What will this poor man do? For the rest of his life, he will try to find this jewel again.

In the same way that Krishna disappeared from Narada Muni, He appears and disappears from our lives as well. For example, He appears to us at the beginning of our Krishna Consciousness by giving us some taste which is so strong that we leave the material world behind. Otherwise how could we attempt to live a life which is completely different from what we had learnt and seen before? Krishna is present to some degree or another when we read the Bhagavatam. It is said that by reading the Bhagavatam the Lord appears within our hearts. To some degree or another, we have experienced this as well. And Krishna also appears in our lives when we sing kirtans. At other times we have feelings of deep appreciation and connectedness. In this way we know Krishna is there.

But then He leaves us…And we experience states of dryness, separation, disconnectedness, etc. In Christian theology, these phases are known as the “dark nights of the soul.” You feel desperate because you don’t feel any love of Godhead left.

The question is what will you do then. Will you say: “Oh, I’ll get another Lord. This is just too much for me.” Or will you understand “I need to become purified now. There is a reason why the Lord does this to me. He wants to increase my hankering for Him.”

Don’t despair! Understand Krishna’s principle of wanting to increase your attachment to Him.

Krishna said to the gopis: “The reason I do not immediately reciprocate the affection of living beings even when they worship Me, O gopīs, is that I want to intensify their loving devotion. They then become like a poor man who has gained some wealth and then lost it, and who thus becomes so anxious about it that he can’t think of nothing else.
[..] I acted as I did only to increase your attachment to Me. Even when I removed Myself from your sight by suddenly disappearing, I never stopped loving you. Therefore, My beloved gopīs, please do not harbour any bad feelings toward Me, your beloved. (SB 10.32.20, 21).

Let us see what Narada Muni did, when the Lord disappeared from Him: He became determined to meet the Lord again and concluded, “Thus I began chanting the holy name and fame of the Lord by repeated recitation, ignoring all the formalities of the material world. Such chanting and remembering of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are benedictory. So doing, I traveled all over the earth, fully satisfied, humble and unenvious.” (SB 1.6.26)

Let us also choose this response to Krishna’s hiding and thus continue to worship him in this mood of separation.

What we can learn from Narada Muni is that:

1) We need to take shelter in Krishna by chanting in the mood of separation and

2) We need to be in a humble and non-envious state of mind while chanting

Narada Muni expressed this in his own words:

“Thus I began chanting the holy name and fame of the Lord by repeated recitation, ignoring all the formalities of the material world. Such chanting and remembering of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are benedictory. In doing so, I traveled all over the world, fully satisfied, humble, and unenvious.”
(SB 1.6.26)

THE MOOD OF SEPARATION

To come to this anticipating mood, or the mood of longing for Krishna, “Krishna I really need You” you can do the following:

* Hear about Krishna from the Bhagavatam. In this way you will develop
your taste for Krishna.

* Serve the Bhagavatas – devotees who talk about and live by the example of
the Bhagavatam. They can infuse us with the bhakti, which they have for Krishna.

In his lecture on Nectar of Devotion, (Sri Vrindavan Dhama, Oct 20th 1972), Srila Prabhupada explains that to read regularly from our acaryas means to associate with them and if we act accordingly, then we are serving their lotus feet .

By hearing the Bhagavatam and serving the devotee Bhagavata, we will come to understand that we belong to Krishna. This understanding will make us turn to Krishna for shelter. Hence a devotee will pray:

“Ayi nanda tanuja kinkaram . . . My dear Lord, I am Your eternal servant, but somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of this material world. Kindly pick me up and fix me as a speck of dust at Your lotus feet.”
(Siksastaka 5)

HUMILITY

Srila Prabhupada said in the purport to the text 1.6.26, that such devotees who take the chanting of the Lord’s names seriously have no desire for material gain. Because they have the highest aim of life, going back to Godhead, they are never envious of anyone, nor are they proud of being eligible to go back to Godhead

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu expresses the same principle in His Siksastaka (3), where He says:

trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena kirtaniya sada hari

“One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw on the street, being more tolerant than a tree and always ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.”

As we can see the way in which Narada Muni chanted ‘fully satisfied, humble and non-envious’, was also instructed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu:

• We must be free from pride like the straw on the street that people trample upon and

• We must be non-envious – in the words of Mahaprabhu, we must respect others, not be envious of them.

This instruction of Mahaprabhu does not refer only to social etiquette whereby we give respect to those ‘higher’ than ourselves, “Oh Sannyasi Maharaja, you are the best..” No, it means that we respect everyone, all souls without wanting anything else in return. So the next time we are disrespected, next time someone hurls insults upon us, we should just understand that it is not worth our while to fight. We want something much higher.

So let us get practical now!

1) When you sit down to chant your japa or kirtan, remember the Lord and how you are now separated from Him. Turn to Him for shelter:

krsna, tomara hana´ yadi bale eka-bara
maya-bandha haite krsna tare kare para

“My dear Lord Krsna, although I have forgotten You for so many long years in the material world, today I am surrendering unto You. I am Your sincere and serious servant. Please engage me in Your service.”
(CC M 22.33)

2) Then continue to chant by focusing on the maha-mantra. Try to hear each mantra all the while staying in the mood of longing.

3) When your mind starts to wander here and there and you cannot easily focus it on the holy name, then come to a humble state of mind. You may pray to the Lord, a prayer like:

aparadha-sahasra-bhajanam
patitam bhima-bhavarnaodare
agatim saranagatam hare
krpaya kevalam atmasat kuru

“O Hari! I am guilty of committing thousands and thousands of offenses thus I am drowning inside this terrible, turbulent ocean of material existence. I have lost my way, but I desire to find the right path and so I have taken shelter of Your lotus feet. Please accept me as Your own out of Your mercy alone.”
(Stotra-ratna 48)

If you continue to chant in this way, chanting from the heart and thus connecting with the Lord, miracles will unfold!

So far we have learnt from the example of Narada Muni how chanting in the mood of separation and in a humble state of mind forms the essence of our philosophy. This is exactly what Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to teach us, by establishing His sankirtan movement:

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met Isvara Puri in Gaya, He received the Gopal mantra, which is chanted to worship Krishna. As a result, He wanted to run to Vrindavan to meet His Lord.

After travelling awhile, the Lord heard a voice from the sky—a representative of the demigods—saying, “O crest-jewel of the twice-born, do not go to Vrindavana now. You will certainly go when the appropriate time comes. Now just return to Your house in Navadvipa. You are the Lord of the spiritual world and have appeared with Your associates to deliver the people of the world. When You distribute the wealth of ecstatic love of God, Your chanting will inundate innumerable universes. We are Your servants, and thus we offer this reminder at Your lotus feet.”
(CB Adi 17.129-132)

So by this “higher intervention” the Lord did not go to Vrindavan. He went back to Navadvipa to start the sankirtana movement. After His return the devotees witnessed a distinct change in His character, because instead of engaging them in difficult debates, He was now crying “Krishna! Krishna! Where are you?”

The Lord wanted to explain to His devotees what had happened, thus He invited them to the cottage of Suklambara das on the banks of the Ganga. There He explained how on His way back from Gaya, He came to Kanai Natshala where He had the darshan of Krishna. He expressed in His own words:

“There I saw a young, beautiful boy, with a glowing, dark complexion, blackish like the bark of a tamal tree. His enchanting curly hair was decorated with wild flowers, a fresh garland of gunja berries, and a colourful peacock feather. His jewellery and gems were so bright that I could not see Him properly. Thus it is impossible for Me to describe the beauty of the delicately ornamented flute in His hand. His soft lotus feet were adorned with attractive ankle bells. His strong, graceful arms defeated the strength and beauty of blue pillars. How will I ever be able to describe the wonder of His golden-yellow silk dhoti, His dangling fish-shaped earrings, and His lotus-petal eyes with a beautiful, lazy expression? He sweetly smiled as He approached Me, and after embracing Me, He suddenly ran away.”

Sri Chaitanya then fainted. The devotees hastily picked Him up and chanted, “Krishna! Krishna!” They pacified Him to some extent, but He could not remain calm. He continuously cried, “Where is Krishna? Where is Krishna?”

(Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-khanda 2.180–195)

“Nimai Pandit has become a great devotee,” the devotees said. And then they said to the Lord, “For one who associates with You, what is the value of Vaikuntha? A single moment with You gives us the fruit of devotion. We are now all dependent on You. You are our leader now. You lead us in Kirtan.”

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu then started his nocturnal kirtans in the house of Srivasa Pandit and chanted throughout the night. He said, “Why should we waste our nights with sleeping? Let’s chant!”

So this is how it all started. This is the underlying mood, the mood of separation. In the words of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “Where is Krishna?”

From Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu flows a river of the immortal nectar of bhakti. “Anyone who has taken a human form of life but does not take advantage of such a river, but instead drinks the poison of material life is baffled in his opportunity.” (CC Adi 13.123)

Do you want to live? Then come to drink from the nectarine river of the Holy Name. According to the Upanisads, we are all born in the ocean of nectar. We are not meant to be satisfied with anything else but nectar. This is our birthright.

By appearing in the land of Navadvipa, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu revealed the chanting of the Holy Names as the means of obtaining this nectar of immortality and by taking on the role of a teacher He has revealed how to chant the Holy Names for the best results.

Gour-premanandi Hari Haribol!

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=53847

An allegory from the Srimad-Bhagavatam sheds light on the mind/body connection.

This article was originally presented at ‘Toward a Science of Consciousness,’ an international conference attended by leading scientists, physicians, philosophers, and other scholars, and hosted by the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Is There A Conscious Self distinct from the physical mechanism of the body? Is there a mind distinct from the brain? Those who answer yes to such questions are called dualists, and they are rare in contemporary science and philosophy.

Dualistic solutions to the mind/body problem are perhaps hampered by, among other things, inadequate analogies and allegories on the topic in Western thought. Whether we turn to Plato’s cave, to the formulations of Descartes, or to the proverbial little green man in the brain, there is apparently not enough substance to inspire the modern researcher of consciousness to seriously consider dualism. But if we turn to chapters 25-29 of Canto Four in the Bhagavata Purana, or Srimad-Bhagavatam, a Sanskrit text from India, we’ll find the elaborate allegory of the City of Nine Gates. The sophistication of this allegory challenges modern researchers to take a second look at dualism.

The central character in the allegory is a king named Puranjana. The Sanskrit word puran-jana means ‘one who enjoys in a body.’ So the king’s name hints at soul/body dualism. King Puranjana originally existed as a spirit soul in a purely spiritual realm in relationship with a supreme conscious being, God.

Materialists may oppose the introduction of this transcendental realm, which exists outside the material universe knowable by science. But even the materialist cosmology of modern science incorporates a ‘transcendental’ realm, that is to say, a realm that exists beyond the universe knowable by science, and from which that universe emerged at the time of the Big Bang. This transcendental reality, existing beyond time, space, and matter, is called the quantum mechanical vacuum and is pictured as a pure energy field in which particles appear and instantly disappear. From this sea of virtual particles some expand and continue to exist. According to many cosmologists, our universe is one such expansion.

So both the Bhagavata Purana and the Big Bang cosmology of modern science point to an eternal transcendental existence from which our universe of matter, with its features of time and space, arises. Now, which version of ultimate reality better explains the variegated reality of our experience’ Modern cosmologists and other theorists have a great deal of difficulty in coaxing enough variety from the rather smooth and featureless universe that, according to theory, expands from the quantum mechanical vacuum. The origin of consciousness also poses a difficult problem. In light of this, an ultimate reality that is itself conscious and variegated might offer a solution.

Having departed from the spiritual world, by misuse of independence, King Puranjana journeys through the material world, accompanied by Avijnata Sakha (‘the unknown friend’). The Unknown Friend corresponds to the Supersoul expansion of God. When Puranjana leaves God and the spiritual world, his memory of them becomes covered. But unknown to Puranjana, God accompanies him on his journey through the material world. According to the Bhagavata Purana, God accompanies all spirit souls in the material world as their Unknown Friend, who observes and sanctions their activities.

In the Western world, mind/brain dualism is identified with French philosopher Rene Descartes, who posited the existence of (1) matter extended in space and (2) mind existing outside space. Cartesian dualism is characterized by an interaction between mind and matter, but explaining how this interaction takes place has proved problematic for advocates of the Cartesian model. For example, how are impressions transmitted from the realm of matter to the completely different realm of mind’ Descartes thought the connection between mind and matter occurred in the pineal gland in the brain, an answer most scientists today reject.

According to the Bhagavata Purana, both matter and the souls in the material world are energies of God, and as such both have a single spiritual source. The philosophy of the Bhagavata Purana is thus both dualist and monist simultaneously. The interactions of matter and the soul in the material world are mediated by the Supersoul, who exists inside each material atom and also accompanies each spirit soul. By the arrangement of the Supersoul, impressions of material experience can be channeled to the soul. How this takes place is the subject of the allegory of Puranjana.

Having left the spiritual world, Puranjana, accompanied by Avijnata Sakha (the Supersoul), wanders through the material world. He wants to find a suitable place to enjoy himself. In other words, he searches for a suitable kind of body to inhabit. He tries many kinds of bodies on many planets.

Here we note that each species of life consists of a soul inhabiting a particular kind of body. In this respect, the Bhagavata Purana account differs from that of Descartes, who held that only humans have souls. For Descartes, animals were simply automatons. If one concedes that animals, with all their signs of life and consciousness, are simply automatons, then why not human beings as well’ The Bhagavata Purana model avoids this weakness of Descartes’s system.

The Attractive city

Eventually Puranjana comes to a place called Nava Dvara Pura, the City of Nine Gates. He finds it quite attractive. The City of Nine Gates represents the male human body, with its nine openings’two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, the mouth, the anus, and the genital opening. As Puranjana wanders through the gardens of the city, he encounters an extremely beautiful woman. Puranjana is attracted to her, and she is attracted to him. She becomes his queen.

Puranjana, as we have seen, represents the conscious self. The beautiful woman represents buddhi, intelligence. According to the philosophy of the Bhagavata Purana, intelligence is a subtle material energy with discriminatory capabilities like those manifested by artificial intelligence machines. The attraction between King Puranjana and the queen (between the conscious self and the intelligence) is the root of embodied consciousness. The king, it should be noted, has distinct conscious selfhood, with nonmaterial sensory capability, but this capability becomes dormant when he begins his relationship with the queen.

The queen (the subtle material element called intelligence) allows Puranjana (the conscious self) to enjoy the City of Nine Gates (the gross physical body). Employing a computer analogy, we might say Puranjana represents the user, the City of Nine Gates the computer hardware, and the queen the software that allows the user to interface with the hardware and use it for practical purposes.

The queen is not alone, however, but is accompanied by eleven bodyguards and a serpent with five heads. The bodyguards comprise the mind and the ten senses. The ten senses are made up of five knowledge-acquiring senses and five working senses. The five knowledge-acquiring senses are the senses of sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch. The five working senses are those of walking, grasping, speaking, reproduction, and evacuation. All ten senses are grouped around the mind and are considered servants of the mind. Each of these servants has hundreds of wives. The wives represent desires for material experience, and the senses act under their pressure.

Senses and Sense Organ

According to the philosophy of the Bhagavata Purana, the senses are different from the physical sense organs. The senses, along with mind and intelligence, are part of the invisible subtle material covering of the soul. The physical organs of sensation (eyes, nose, tongue, ears, skin, legs, arms, mouth, anus, and genitals) are part of the visible gross physical body.

The distinction between subtle senses and physical sense organs is important and offers consciousness researchers a valuable conceptual tool. Let us consider, for example, the problem of phantom limbs. Persons whose legs or arms have been amputated often report that they distinctly feel the missing limb, and even experience quite distinct sensations, such as twinges of pain or itching. The City of Nine Gates allegory provides an explanation for this mysterious phenomenon. Let’s take the case of someone whose arm has been amputated but who still feels the presence of the arm. The arm is one of the working senses. It is composed of two elements, the subtle grasping sense and the physical organ of the arm and hand. Amputation removes the physical organ through which the subtle sense operates, but the subtle sense itself remains, and therefore its presence may be mentally perceived.

Since the subtle sense is material, it may be able to act upon gross physical matter without going through the related physical sense organ. This model may therefore explain some of the phenomena reported in connection with ghosts and apparitions, and in connection with mediums, particularly the mysterious movement of physical objects. This model may also explain how persons are able to experience sense data during near-death experiences when the physical sense organs are incapacitated because of anesthesia or shock.

The senses are compared to attendants of the queen. They serve her by bringing information and performing activity. Together they comprise the array of material intelligence and sensory capabilities, all formed from subtle but nevertheless material energy. They combinedly manufacture a sense of self, with which the king becomes entranced and falsely identifies.

The body itself, the City of Nine Gates, is made of gross material energy, of the kind that can be manipulated by ordinary physics and chemistry. The body is powered by five subtle airs, listed in the AyurVeda, the Vedic medical science, as prana, apana, vyana, samana, and udana. In the Puranjana allegory the five airs, comprising the vital force, are represented by a five-headed serpent.

Unknown Origin

In the allegory, Puranjana asks about the identity and origin of the queen and her attendants. The queen replies,

O best of human beings, I do not know who has begotten me. I cannot speak to you perfectly about this. Nor do I know the names or the origins of the associates with me. O great hero, we only know that we are existing in this place. We do not know what will come after. Indeed, we are so foolish that we do not care to understand who has created this beautiful place for our residence.
My dear gentleman, all these men and women with me are known as my friends, and the snake, who always remains awake, protects this city even during my sleeping hours. So much I know. I do not know anything beyond this. You have somehow or other come here. This is certainly a great fortune for me. I wish all auspicious things for you. You have a great desire to satisfy your senses, and all my friends and I shall try our best in all respects to fulfill your desires. I have just arranged this city of nine gates for you so that you can have all kinds of sense gratification. You may live here for one hundred years, and everything for your sense gratification will be supplied.

The king’s questioning the queen represents the self’s asking material intelligence for the answers to ultimate questions. The answers provided by the queen, as well as her fundamental attitude, reflect those of modern science, which prides itself on avoidance of certain questions and the tentativeness of whatever answers it may provide. “I cannot speak to you perfectly about this. … We only know that we are existing in this place.” Essentially, the queen provides a monist, materialist answer to the king’s questions about his situation.

Description of the Gates

The Bhagavata Purana then provides a more detailed description of the nine gates of the city inhabited by the king and queen. Seven gates are on the surface (two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and a mouth), and two gates are subterranean (anus and genitals).

Five gates face east. The first two gates on the eastern side are called Khadyota (“glowworm”) and Avirmukhi (“torchlight”). To see, the king exits these two gates and goes to the city called Vibhrajita (“clear vision”). On this journey he is accompanied by his friend Dyuman (the sun, the ruler of the subtle visual sense).

In other words, the king encounters qualia by sensory contact through the physical gates of the body. Qualia are secondary properties of objects, such as color. In consciousness studies, the question of how we perceive qualia is a much debated topic. Do they exist in their own right, in the objects with which they are identified, or do they exist only in our own minds’ According to the Bhagavata Purana system, qualia, such as colors, exist as subtle sense objects. They have a reality of their own and are not simply produced within the mind.

That the king goes out through the gates of the eyes to contact subtle sense objects in a city of visual impressions suggests that the seeing process is not simply one of passive reception, but may involve an active process of image acquisition (as in sonar or radar). This may explain such phenomena as traveling clairvoyance, whereby a subject can mentally journey to a particular location, beyond the range of the physical sense organs, and then accurately report visual impressions. This model could also explain visual sensations reported during out-of-body experiences. The exact relationships between the physical sense organs, the subtle senses, and the subtle sense objects are not easily understood, but could perhaps be clarified by experimental work based on the overall model of the City of Nine Gates.

In the eastern part of King Puranjana’s city there are, in addition to the eyes, two gates called Nalini and Nalini, representing the nostrils. The king goes through these two gates with a friend called Avadhuta (representing breathing airs) to the town of Saurabha (“odor”). The last gate on the eastern side is Mukhya (“mouth”), through which the king goes with two friends to the towns of taste sensation and nourishment.

Through the two gates on the northern and southern sides (the ears), the king goes to places where different kinds of sound are heard. Through the gates on the western side of the city, the king goes to the towns where sensations of evacuation and sexual pleasure are experienced. During his journeys, the king takes help from two blind men, Nirvak and Peshaskrit, who represent the arms and legs.

Illusory Identification

In all his activities, the king follows the lead of the queen. In other words, the conscious self in the material world becomes conditioned by material intelligence. The Bhagavata Purana says,

When the queen drank liquor, King Puranjana also engaged in drinking. When the queen dined, he used to dine with her, and when she chewed, King Puranjana used to chew along with her.
When the queen sang, he also sang, and when the queen laughed, he also laughed. When the queen talked loosely, he also talked loosely, and when the queen walked, the king walked behind her.
When the queen would stand still, the king would also stand still, and when the queen would lie down in bed, he would also follow and lie down with her.
When the queen sat, he would also sit, and when the queen heard something, he would follow her to hear the same thing.
When the queen saw something, the king would also look at it, and when the queen smelled something, the king would follow her to smell the same thing.
When the queen touched something, the king would also touch it, and when the dear queen was lamenting, the poor king also had to follow her in lamentation. In the same way, when the queen felt enjoyment, he also enjoyed, and when the queen was satisfied, the king also felt satisfaction.

As noted above, an important question that arises concerning dualist solutions to the mind/body question is how a nonmaterial conscious mind interacts with material sense objects. In this model, there is an answer to this question. As seen above, the interaction is based on illusory identification.

To understand the nature of this illusory identification, we first need to readjust the familiar mind/body dualism to a triadic conception incorporating (1) a nonmaterial conscious self, (2) a subtle material body formed of mind and intelligence, and (3) a physical body composed of gross matter.

In this model, the mind is a subtle material substance, associated with material intelligence. Mind is at the center of the subtle senses, which are in turn connected to the physical sense organs, which bring to the mind sense data in the form of subtle sense objects.

Here yet another question arises. In consciousness studies one is faced with the problem of how the various kinds of sense data are presented in an integrated fashion. Even various elements of the visual sense, such as the perception of color, movement, and form, are located in different parts of the brain. Sounds are processed in other parts of the brain. How are all these elements combined’

In the Bhagavata Purana model, the integrating function is performed by the mind, which receives sensory inputs from the subtle senses grouped around it. The mind is not, however, conscious. So the mind might be compared to multimedia computer software capable of integrating audio and visual materials into a single display, making use of a variety of inputs and source materials. The material intelligence, represented by the queen, directs the living entity’s consciousness to the integrated display of sense data. Intelligence, as a subtle material energy, is not itself conscious, but it mimics the behavior of consciousness. So the intelligence attracts the attention of the conscious self, causing the self to identify with it, just as we identify with the image of an actor on a movie screen.

By identification with material intelligence, which is in turn connected to the mind’s integrated display of sense data, consciousness is connected with the sense data. This connection is not direct. The indirect connection of the conscious self with gross matter arises from the self’s false identification with the action of a subtle material energy, intelligence. The extremely subtle material element that connects the conscious self with material intelligence is called ahankara, or false ego. The whole system is set up and directed by the Supersoul.

According to the Bhagavata Purana picture, the conscious self originally experiences nonmaterial sense objects through nonmaterial senses. This takes place in the spiritual world, with God. But having turned from this original situation, the self is placed in a material body in the material world. Identifying with this artificial situation, the self forgets its own nature and that of God. But God remains with the self as the Supersoul, the Unknown Friend. If the self tires of the artificial material reality and desires to return to its original position, the Unknown Friend will reawaken the original spiritual senses of the self and reconnect them with their spiritual sense objects.

The whole system therefore resembles a computer-generated virtual reality. In virtual-reality systems, the user’s normal sensory inputs are replaced by computer-generated displays. But just as a person can turn off the virtual- reality display and return to normal sensory experience, so the conscious self in the artificial sensory environment of the material world can return to its original spiritual sensory experience.

Attacked by Time

In the Bhagavata Puranaallegory, King Puranjana and his queen enjoy life for some time in the City of Nine Gates. Eventually, however, the City of Nine Gates comes under attack by a king named Candavega. Candavega represents time, and his name literally means “very swiftly passing away.” Candavega commands an army of 360 male Gandharva soldiers and their 360 female companions. Together these represent the days and nights of the year. When Candavega’s army attacks, the five-headed serpent (the vital force) tries to defend the City of Nine Gates. The serpent fights the attackers for one hundred years but eventually becomes weak, his weakness causing anxiety for the king and his associates. Finally, the attacking soldiers overwhelm the defenders and set the City of Nine Gates ablaze. As it becomes obvious that the battle is being lost, King Puranjana is overcome with anxious thoughts of his wife and his relatives and associates. Then the commander of the invading forces arrests the king and takes him away along with his followers, including the five-headed serpent. As soon as they are gone, the attackers destroy the City of Nine Gates, smashing it to dust. Even as he is being led away, the king cannot remember his Unknown Friend, the Supersoul. Instead, he thinks only of his wife, the queen. He then takes another birth, this time as a woman.

In this part of the allegory, we see how the conscious self, accompanied by the mind, intelligence, and subtle senses, leaves the gross physical body. When they leave, the gross physical body disintegrates. The conscious self then receives another gross physical body. The kind of body received depends on the condition of the subtle material body, composed of mind, intelligence, and subtle senses. The subtle material body is the template upon which the gross physical body is constructed. This model allows one to account for reports of past-life memories. In the Bhagavata Purana model, the mind is the storehouse of memory from past lives.

In his next life, King Puranjana becomes Vaidarbhi, the daughter of King Vidarbha. When grown, Vaidarbhi becomes the queen of King Malayadhvaja. At the end of his life, Malayadhvaja retires to the forest and takes up the process of mystic yoga. The Bhagavata Purana (4.28.40) informs us, “King Malayadhvaja attained perfect knowledge by being able to distinguish the Supersoul from the individual soul. The individual soul is localized, whereas the Supersoul is all-pervasive. He became perfect in knowledge that the material body is not the soul but that the soul is the witness of the material body.” In this state of higher awareness, Malayadhvaja, following the yoga process, deliberately leaves his material body and achieves liberation from material existence.

Queen Vaidarbhi (formerly King Puranjana) is overwhelmed with grief at her husband’s departure. At this point, King Puranjana’s Unknown Friend (the Supersoul) appears before Vaidarbhi as a brahmana sage. The brahmana says to Vaidarbhi, “My dear friend, even though you cannot immediately recognize Me, can’t you remember that in the past you had a very intimate friend’ Unfortunately, you gave up My company and accepted a position as enjoyer of this material world. … You were simply captivated in this body of nine gates.” The brahmana then instructs Vaidarbhi further about her original position as a purely spiritual self in the spiritual world.

I have extracted only the principal elements of the City of Nine Gates allegory. The complete account is much more detailed and allows one to make an even more subtle and refined model of self/mind/body interaction. This model does not fit easily into present categories of the mind/body debate. Although dualist, it partakes also of idealism and monism. It does, however, allow one to integrate many categories of evidence from normal and paranormal science, as well as evidence from humanity’s wisdom traditions, into a rich synthesis, providing fruitful lines of research confirming and refining a complex dualist model of mind/body interaction

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=23624

What started off as a vision to bring together the different yatras within the UK, the Rise UK National Retreat returned for its second Maha gathering from April 18-21, 2025 – this time even bigger and better than before! Once again, the Rise retreat brought together devotees from all across the country and beyond for four days of deep connection, spiritual nourishment, and profound realisations. Hosted at Nottingham Venues, this year’s theme, “Hand on Heart – Understanding the Heart of Sri Krishna,” set the tone for a deep, transformative experience for all who attended.

The retreat began with an electrifying Harinama procession through Nottingham Town Centre, filling the streets with sacred sound and vibrant energy. As devotees gathered at Trinity Square, chants of the holy names echoed, drawing intrigued onlookers into the transcendental celebration. This was the very same square that gave rise to one of our very own – Kripamoya Das, where he had first taken a book from the chanting and dancing monks many moons ago.

Once settled into the retreat centre, participants immersed themselves in an enriching schedule designed to deepen their understanding of Krishna’s heart. The opening session, led by Vaisesika Das, laid the foundation for introspection, inviting everyone to explore devotion through setting intentions. His seminar on “Understanding the Heart of Sri Krishna,” coupled with some soul-stirring Bhajans from our Acaryas, unravelled the obstacles that we often hold on to. His analogy of a black box that sends out a beacon to be found was powerful and was the perfect way for us to get in the best mood to immerse ourselves in the retreat.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/rise-2025-a-journey-to-the-heart-of-krishna/

Errol Musk, father of tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, visited ISKCON Delhi in East of Kailash at the invitation of Dr. Vivek Bindra. In India to explore green technology and sustainable energy initiatives, the South African businessman took darshan of Sri Sri Radha Parthasarathi and offered a garland to the murti of Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya.

During a press conference following the Temple visit, Musk spoke on global challenges, environmental innovation, and the spirituality he encountered in India. When asked about his experience at ISKCON Delhi, he highlighted the beauty of the temple and the warmth and friendliness of the priests, adding, “I can see why people join Hare Krishna.” He was presented with several gifts, including a copy of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/errol-musk-visits-iskcon-delhi-praises-warmth-of-hare-krishna-movement/

ISKCON’s Communications Office in India released a statement today regarding the tragic Air India accident in Ahmedabad. The plane was carrying 242 souls, and it appears there are no survivors. Given that it crashed in a residential/office area of the city, casualties on the ground are also expected. Air India said in a statement to the press that the passengers on Flight 171 included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national, and seven Portuguese nationals. Devotees from ISKCON Ahmedabad will be providing spiritual care and food relief for those impacted.

Here is the full statement:

“ISKCON community offers its prayers and support to all those impacted by the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad, India.

The members and volunteers of all the ISKCON in India and around the world share the grief and are deeply saddened by the tragic Air India Flight crash in Ahmedabad on 12th June 2025. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and loved ones of the victims, as well as to all those affected by this devastating incident.

In this time of grief, the monks of ISKCON, along with thousands of devotees, are offering our prayers to Lord Krishna for granting strength, healing, and solace for those impacted.

ISKCON temples in Ahmedabad and the rest of India are committed to supporting relief efforts by providing spiritual care, food relief, and assistance to those in need.

May Lord Krishna grant his shelter to the departed souls and courage to their families. Hare Krishna.”

Source: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-statement-on-air-india-crash-in-ahmedabad-local-devotees-supporting-relief-efforts/

 

By Hemo Krsna dd

On Sunday, 8th June, Nottingham’s Market Square hosted its second annual Ratha Yatra festival. Around 1,000 people came together to celebrate this joyful occasion, as Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladeva, and Lady Subhadra once again graced the city with Their presence. The chariot, brought from London by HG Parasuram Prabhu, was beautifully decorated by devotees from Nottingham Namahatta and Leicester.

The event opened with welcoming remarks and a graceful Kathak dance performance in honour of the deities. Soon after, the chariot procession began, there was uplifting kirtan. People of all ages joined in, enthusiastically pulling the ropes and offering their heartfelt service. It was a joyful moment for many as the Lord offered His darshan to everyone present.

Following the procession, a cultural program featured traditional dances such as Bharatanatyam, Kathak, more kirtan, a drama and inspiring talks from the youth. There was a distribution of over 1,000 plates of prasadam to all attendees.

Devotees expressed their gratitude to Srila Prabhupada, who introduced Ratha Yatra to the Western world. Thanks to his efforts, this timeless tradition is now taking root in Nottingham, offering the public a chance to connect with Lord Jagannatha’s mercy.

Though the original intention was to keep things modest, it’s clear that Lord Jagannatha had something more in mind. With growing interest and participation, the devotees are already looking forward to next year’s festival – hoping it continues to bring joy, unity, and spiritual upliftment to the city for years to come.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=115929

Teachers’ Sanga at Gurukula

Monday, 9th June – Gurukula – The Hare Krishna Primary School, located near Bhaktivedanta Manor, hosted a special Teachers’ Sanga (gathering) focused on spiritual growth and insight for educators.

The highlight of the event was a talk by His Holiness Svayam Bhagavan Keshav Maharaj, who graciously accepted the invitation to speak on the topic of “Spiritual Insight for Teachers.”

The event was attended by more than 40 participants, including devotee educators, newcomers to Krishna consciousness, and staff from several local schools, nurseries, and ISKCON Educational Services.

Maharaj delivered an engaging and heartfelt session, drawing extensively from śāstra (scripture) to highlight the transformative role of teachers. He spoke about the essential qualities of a teacher—such as compassion, patience, and the ability to inspire—and addressed real-life classroom challenges.

Questions from the audience included how to manage difficult situations beyond a teacher’s control and how to remain spiritually grounded while fulfilling educational responsibilities.

The session was interactive and personal, with Maharaj appreciating the sincerity and attentiveness of the audience. He noted that although the role of a teacher—particularly in a school setting—is demanding, it is also deeply valuable and spiritually significant.

This sanga served as a reminder of the powerful influence educators have in shaping not only academic outcomes but also the character and consciousness of their students. The event left attendees inspired and better equipped to integrate spiritual principles into their daily teaching practice.

The Gurukula regularly organises and facilitates events for teachers to develop and share ideas about Krishna conscious education. They currently have places in their Reception class for September 2025. If you would be interested in your child studying at Gurukula, please email the head teacher, Gunacuda dasi, at headteacher@bvmschool.co.uk.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=115931

This article describes the higher potential for the development of civilization that is offered through Vedic culture, and some of the tools for doing such as found therein.

First of all, we should understand that the development of civilization, which means the upliftment of consciousness in society, should not be a fight or competition between parties, but a united endeavor for the improvement and continued means to reach our full potential for one and all, both materially and spiritually. This has always been the goal and motivation and purpose of Vedic culture / Vedic dharma.

This means that when we encounter a society that is divided and displays a lack of cooperation, the united endeavor to uplift one and all becomes most difficult to achieve, if not impossible. It forces us to work outside the influence or activity of such a society in order to plug into the means for real upliftment. Nonetheless, as the saying goes that in the end truth prevails, we have to find that truth in which we can engage in the process for attaining that higher purpose and potential for which this human life is meant. That is also called Sanatana-dharma, which can also mean the eternal duty, and eternal state of being in line with our true spiritual identity.

This Sanatana-dharma offers many unique tools that can be used that affect us for our upliftment, individually and socially, on many levels of our existence, whether it be physically, healthily, emotionally, mentally, intellectually, and ultimately spiritually. Let us describe a few of these.

THE VEDIC LIBRARY

The Vedic tradition, unlike other religions and philosophies, is rooted in such remote antiquity that its origin cannot be fully traced. The Vedic literature explains that it exists in the form of eternal spiritual vibrations, the Shabda Brahman, and is present both within and outside the universal creation, which is given to humanity through the great Rishis and explained by the spiritual authorities. It is this vast knowledge which is in found in written form within the Vedic library, which consists as follows:

The Vedas. The Vedic library consists of some of the oldest books known to humanity. And they cover the many angles of looking and understanding the Absolute Truth and purpose of life. This library consists of its earliest books starting with the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and the Atharva Veda.

The Rig Veda in particular is considered the oldest book known to humanity. It is considered as the Veda of praise to the various Vedic divinities used in rituals to attain the necessities of life. However, the tenth and final chapter also contained verses of spiritual wisdom, and mantras for magical effects.

The Sama Veda were mostly the verses composed for singing during the rituals. The Yajur Veda is the Veda of Rituals for use during the Vedic rites with different levels of knowledge and wisdom. Then the Atharva Veda was the Veda of Chants or mantras for use in daily needs with a special section on wisdom, knowledge of the soul and God.

The Brahmanas and the Aranyakas are composed of instructions to take the rituals to a higher level of perfection, but also with cosmological stories that explain the need for the rituals and how they affect us.

The Upanishads are a group of books, often connected with the Vedas, that present higher levels of spiritual knowledge that is meant to destroy the materialistic ignorance and inspire divine insight for the further progress of the individual. Out of all the Upanishads, the following eleven are considered to be the topmost: Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya, Aitareya, Chandogya, Brihadaranyaka, and Svetasvatara. But there are up to 108 philosophical dissertations in the Upanishads, all with special knowledge and stories of spiritual enlightenment. If you count all of the major and minor Upanishads, there are well over 200 of them.

The Upa-Vedas, aside from the Upanishads, consist of such books as the Artha-veda (science of economics and sociology), the Dhanur-veda (the science of defense, war, and politics), the Gandharva-veda (art of music, dancing, and singing), and Ayurveda (the holistic medical science). These are smaller compositions each are attached to one of the four main Samhitas (namely the Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva respectively).

The Vedangas, or the six Angas (or subsidiary portions of the Vedas), viz., Siksha, rules of reciting the prayers, the accents, and tones to be observed; Kalpa, ritual; Vyakarana, grammar; Nirukta, glossarial comment; Chandas, metre; and Jyotish, astronomy; with Mimamsa, theology; Nyaya, logic; Dharma, the institutes of law; and the Puranas, constitute the fourteen principal branches of knowledge. Or they are considered as eighteen with the addition of these four: the Ayur-veda, medical science as taught by Lord Dhanvantari; Dhanur-veda, the science of archery or military arms taught by Bhrigu; Gandharva-veda, or drama and the arts of music, dancing, etc., of which the Muni Bharata was the author; and the Artha-sastram, or science of government, as laid down first by Brihaspati. (Vishnu Purana, Book Three, Chapter Six)

The Sutras is next on our list, which contain a wide assortment of information through a number of books. However, the foremost are listed as follows: The Nyaya Sutra presents the Vedic system of logic as established by the sage Gautama. The ultimate purpose of the Nyaya system, which is closely linked to the Vaisheshika system, is to use this process of logic to establish the ultimate truth, or God, the Supreme Reality, and to show the spiritual platform is all that is truly desirable and not the temporary material creation.

The Vaisheshika-sutra is a study of the uniqueness and qualities of existence, such as the elements, atoms, their interactions, as well as the soul.

The Sankhya philosophy is another system. The principal aim is to analyze the distinctions between matter and spirit.

The Kalpa-sutras are divided into four kinds, namely the Shrauta-sutras, Grihya-sutras, Dharma-sutras, and the Shulba-sutras. The Shrauta-sutras explain the rituals the priests engage in, and the details of performing a Vedic yajna, or ceremony. The Grihya-sutras describes the general and ritualistic social traditions that are usually observed by householders for their upliftment. The Dharma-sutras deal with the different disciplines or duties of a person, from common individuals up to the king. The Shulba-sutras gave the Vedic system of mathematics, usually connected with building altars and temples for the worship of the Vedic divinities. The Shulba-sutras show the earliest forms of algebra as used by the Vedic priests. It was this Vedic system that developed the decimal system of tens, hundreds, thousands, etc., and how to take the remainder of one column of numbers over to the next. The numeral system of nine numbers and a 0 made calculations very easy. Without the invention and use of 0, many of the mathematical advancements that have been made in the West would not have been possible.

There were many other books that help codify various aspects of life, such as the Kashyapiyakrishisukti by Kashyapa (c. 700-800 AD). This describes the means of producing certain crops, cattle management, soil properties, laying out gardens, means of irrigation, and so on. Along with the Vrikshayurveda (The Science of Plant Life) by Surapala was another book that appeared later (c. 1000 AD). This dealt with the application of Ayurveda to various kinds of trees. However, it also contained knowledge of raising orchards, seed management, selection of soil, ways of irrigation, finding groundwater, using fertilizers, dealing with plant diseases, and so on. These books recommend practical ways of efficient farming while preserving the world’s resources and environment, along with the means by which humanity can achieve the essential aims of life, such as dharma, artha, kama and moksha (religion, economic development, sensual happiness, and liberation through spiritual advancement) which are all things that we should still consider today.

The Manu-samhita also explained the codes and laws or disciplines of proper conduct, and the consequences or recommended penances for bad or evil behavior. This is considered the first law book of humanity.

The Vedanta-sutras are a systemization of sutras or codes for understanding Vedic knowledge. They are short codes that are later to be explained by the spiritual master, guru or spiritual authority. By themselves, without further explanations, it is not easy to fathom their depths. So, it is the commentaries that contain the additional information about such things as the Brahman, etc., that are explained by the guru.

Vedanta means the conclusion of the Veda or end of all knowledge. Vedanta is also known as Uttara Mimamsa, or later examination, and is a companion to the Purva Mimamsa, or preliminary examination. The Purva Mimamsa deals with the early portions of the Vedas and the Uttara Mimamsa deals with the latter portions.

The Agamas are another group of scriptures that worship God in particular forms, and describe detailed courses of discipline for the devotee. Like the Upanishads, there are many Agamas. They can be broadly divided into three sets of Agamas, namely:

Vaishnava Agamas – the worship of Lord Vishnu;

Shaiva Agamas – the worship of Lord Shiva;

Shakti Agamas – the worship of Devi, the Mother Goddess.

Read more: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=115923

In Śrimad Bhāgavatam 4.8.53, Nārada Muni reveals a confidential mantra to Dhruva Mahārāja, instructing him to chant it for seven nights to witness perfect beings flying in the sky2. The verse highlights the mystical Siddhaloka, where yogic perfections allow inhabitants to transcend physical limitations. It emphasizes meditation with mantra chanting as a path to divine realization.

Thousands of people are expected to join a procession as part of a Hindu festival in Leicester later this month.

The Festival of Chariots, known as Rath Yatra, will take place on 22 June.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Leicester – a Hare Krishna branch of Hinduism which organises the event – said a 40ft (12m) chariot will be hand-pulled through the city accompanied by a procession which will involve music and dance.

Pradyumna Das, president of ISKCON Leicester, said Rath Yatra is a festival of “reunion” and is “open to everyone”.

The traditional Rath Yatra is a celebration dating back more than 5,000 years and is believed to be the oldest chariot procession in the world.

ISKCON Leicester said the procession would start at 11:30 BST in Gallowtree Gate and would go along the Golden Mile before arriving in Cossington Park at 14:30 for a free festival.

A chariot will be paraded through the city as part of the Rath Yatra festivities.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=115921

Srila Prabhupada’s overarching mission was to create a worldwide Brahmanical culture in order to inject Krishna Consciousness into mainstream society: into academia, the religious and scientific communities, into the arts, the workplace, and into the voting booth as well. The foundation of the Hare Krishna Movement takes two forms. One is the publishing, distribution, and study of his numerous books. The other is Sankirtana-Yajna, the chanting of the holy names of Krishna in the public arena.  Prabhupada wanted devotees to make a “revolution of the Sankirtana Movement, everyone chanting and dancing.”

Yajna means sacrifice. People want to know, “What do I have to do to be successful, to be peaceful and prosperous?” Everyone is making a sacrifice in one way or another: for their children, to buy a home, to donate to a cause, to serve their country. Yajna especially means to make a sacrifice to open our hearts to serve God, the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, the Lord within the hearts of all beings. Krishna is constantly with us as we wander through this world.  

The age we are presently in, the Kali-yuga, is an especially difficult age. The material world is full of miseries and dangers of various sorts. What can we do to counteract the myriad problems of life? Above all, we desperately want to find a solution so we can live peacefully.  This requires yajna, sacrifice. In different ages, different types of sacrifices were recommended.  

In previous ages, there were other forms of sacrifices: going into the forests or mountains to meditate in seclusion and perform austerities, or by performing very elaborate and costly rituals.  And if the mantras were not recited perfectly by the learned brahmanas, the ritual would be invalid. 

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/the-potency-of-sankirtana-yajna-by-sankirtana-das-acbsp/

The Bhaktivedanta Players celebrated their 40th anniversary in grand and dramatic style, packing the Haveli to the brim. Praghosa Das, the ISKCON GBC for the UK and Ireland, flew in from Dublin, especially to serve as the MC for the event. Proceedings took off with the Junior Bhaktivedanta Players, who charmed and impressed the audience with a story from within the Mahabharat: Draupadi’s Svambara.

For the full story, click here.

Source: https://iskconnews.org/bhaktivedanta-players-celebrate-40th-anniversary-in-style/

Yesterday we celebrated the ever-merciful Snana Yatra of Lord Jagannatha, and what an outpouring of love it was! Truly, the Lord is Bhavagrahi Janardana — the One who accepts the devotion in our hearts far more than any external offering. Who could be more merciful, more reciprocal, more captivating than Him? Just after the glorious Darshan Arati, Lord Jagannatha, along with His dear brother Baladeva and sister Subhadra Devi, ascended Their Snana Mandap — the bathing platform — where They received an unending Abhishek from thousands of longing, love-filled hearts. For over 5 hours, devotees poured water, love, and prayers upon the Supreme Lord who stood there gracefully, accepting all offerings without discrimination.  Jagannatha’s mercy knows no boundaries.

The Skanda Purana proclaims: — "I do not consider one’s sin or piety, family or birth. Whoever worships Me with love is very dear to Me." Just look around — villagers, pilgrims, children, elders, near and far — they all came together, united by the sheer pull of the Lord of the Universe. He draws the soul, not by force, but with those huge lotus eyes, reminding us that we are never too unqualified to approach Him.  The Abhishek ceremony isn’t just a ritual — it is an act of surrender. Bathing the Lord on this day is said to wash away lifetimes of sins, open the heart, and awaken dormant love for Krishna. It is said that the Snana Yatra is the only time the Lord accepts such public bathing, allowing each of us to come face-to-face with His humility and compassion.

 Alongside, prasadam flowed endlessly — lovingly cooked and distributed to tens of thousands of devotees, visitors, and guests who gathered to honor our dearest Lord on this auspicious day of His appearance in this majestic form. And now, having accepted all our offerings and sins, Lord Jagannatha will rest for 15 days — this period is known as Anavasara. During this time, the Lord enters a private chamber to "recover", but really, He is entering our hearts, preparing them to receive a spark of pure love for Him.  But don’t worry — He’s coming back! And not quietly! The grandest parade — Ratha Yatra — will begin soon from 27th June to 5th July! Jagannatha will once again come out in His chariot to bless the world.  

If you missed the chance to serve during Snana Yatra, this is your golden opportunity! Come join the service of the Lord of the Universe as He takes to the streets with His siblings. There are many sevas waiting, and every little effort is seen and loved by the Lord.  

Come pull the chariot of your heart closer to Him. Come serve Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra Devi in Their divine journey!  
Sponsor a Seva: https://www.mayapur.com/festivals/Ratha-Yatra

  Source: https://www.mayapur.com/en/blog/snana-yatra-2025-mercy-overload-

The new temple building will be modern and functional and will be accented with elements of classical Vedic architecture. The following are the key components of the planned temple:

• Vedic Temple Architecture
• Spacious Darshan Hall (3,500 sqft)
• Educational Facilities
• Community Hall and Auditorium
• Commercial Kitchen
• Library
• Vedic Books and Gifts Boutique
• Ashram
• Parking for 140+ vehicles
• Beautiful Landscaping
• Organic Garden

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=115906

ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry North America will now be offering the upcoming ‘Temple Deity Worship’ course at ISKCON Grand Rapids in Michigan. The course is now offered on the same dates as scheduled before, from 20th to 29th June 2025, but will be offered at ISKCON Grand Rapids. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity and take part in this immersive training.

The training will be facilitated by Nṛsiṁha Kavaca Dāsa – ISKCON’s Global Minister of Deity Worship, Murli Manohara Dāsa – Deity Worship Ministry Representative for the UK, Vraja Mohan Dāsa – Deity Worship Ministry Representative for NorthEast (Zone 2) NA, Nāma ruci Dāsa – Deity Worship Ministry Representative for Midwest/South (Zone 4) NA, Rasa Devi Dasi – Deity Worship Ministry Representative for North America.

This intensive and immersive course, typically taught over a period of three weeks at the Mayapur Academy, will give devotees a thorough introduction to the knowledge, skills, and values of deity worship that will help them to understand and appreciate this service as an integral part of the philosophy and practices of devotional service, and to assist them in carrying out the essential elements of daily temple worship.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/relocation-of-june-20th-29th-2025-temple-deity-worship-training-from-nyc-to-grand-rapids/