By Gargamuni Das

October – November 1966: NEW YORK CITY, “Happiness on 2nd Ave.”

We used to make these leaflets called “Stay high forever.” People really got a kick out of those.

Gargamuni das: We had a big tape recorder that weighed 50 pounds. I was in charge of that.

Brahmananda would bring it down from Prabhupada’s closet every night.

So my job was to set up the tape for Prabhupada’s lecture.

Prabhupada was very insistent in having his lectures tape recorded – so much so that when the tape ran out, he would stop and wait for me to rethread the tape with a new one.

In those days, we didn’t have money; and those tapes, I remember they were three, four dollars for Scotch tapes.

So Prabhupada wanted everything tape recorded. We didn’t think it was important in those days, but now we do. They’re important for preaching.

In the beginning, there was only one or two who were thinking how to give Prabhupada something instead of just taking from him.

Because I had asked Prabhupada, I said, “Swamiji, we’re here with you, and what are we supposed to do? We come here, we take Krishna prasadam, and then we all go away. But what are we supposed to do for you? What are we here for?”

I wanted something definite. Prabhupada said, “The duty of a disciple is to assist the spiritual master in his work.”

That’s all he said. So then I thought, “Work?”

Later on I pondered on this subject, work, and I said, “Prabhupada doesn’t work. What does he do? He doesn’t have a job. He’s a religious teacher.”

So then it occurred to me there’s one thing he does do every day and that’s translate books, and he’s using this typewriter.

Prabhupada wasn’t a typist. He used just his index fingers. That’s how he was typing his books.

So I was walking one day, because there were four or five head shops that would carry Back to Godhead and I would always stop in the shops to see if they’re selling.

So on my way I passed this Grundig shop, and something in the window caught my eye.

It was like a miniature tape recorder, and it said Dictaphone. I said, “What the hell is a Dictaphone?”

So I went inside, and I went up to the man and I said, “What’s this Dictaphone?”

He says, “Well, it’s used by lawyers and doctors to keep notes.” I go, “Oh, yeah?”

I said, “I know somebody who is translating books. It would be good for him?”

He said, “Oh, yeah.” So he showed me how to use it, and I said, “I’m going to buy this for Prabhupada.

Now I’m helping him because this will go a lot faster than typing.”

Practically speaking, the Dictaphone revolutionized Prabhupada’s book.

Because he wanted to do the Gita, and so it would take ages for him to finish typing by hand.

It was 150 bucks [dollars], I think. So I brought it to Prabhupada. I was all excited and puffed up, and I said, “This is helping Prabhupada.”

So I thought, “Boy, how am I going to show Prabhupada how to use this thing? He’s from the village. In Vrindavan, they don’t know what a Dictaphone is.”

So I brought it up to Prabhupada’s room, and I showed it to him. I showed him the mike, and he looked at it.

I said, “Prabhupada, there’s an instruction book here how to use it. I’ll go through it with you.” He said, “No, that’s OK, I know.”

I was shocked. And sure enough, Prabhupada knew. He pressed the right buttons, he was testing it, and I was shocked. He never even looked at the book.

It took me an hour with the guy, he had to show me everything, and here I’m showing it to someone from the village and he didn’t have to look at the book.

Then I realized that this person, he’s not human. How does he know how to work this thing? He never had one.

Prabhupada was very easy with electronics. He wasn’t at all intimidated.

And then boom, Prabhupada started doing the tapes. It was great. But then we had the other problem – the tapes were building up, and the tapes were expensive.

At the end, we had six or seven tapes and we didn’t have money to keep buying tapes.

For some reason, nobody knew how to type properly because you have to have coordination.

I think because we were all on LSD, nobody could coordinate their foot with their fingers.

Because you had to use a foot pedal, and then you had to hear Prabhupada and coordinate, like driving a car, and nobody could do it.

So all of a sudden this Neal shows up, and he’s from Antioch College.

He has to do a summer course, three months course, joining a religious organization and writing about his experience. That was his paper.

So he thought, “I’ll join you guys.” He said, “I’m going to do it.” I said, “Fine.”

So I immediately asked him, “Do you know how to type?” We just thought we’d ask. He goes, “Yeah, I can type.”

I said, “Do you know how to use a Dictaphone?” “Oh, yeah, that’s easy,” and right away the guy started typing 60 words a minute.

We used to watch his foot – man, the foot was going a mile a minute.

He knew how to go back and go forward in a second if he didn’t understand anything.

And we go, “Wow!” We looked at each other, “This is mystical,” because this is the person we needed and then all of a sudden he shows up knocking at the door.

You don’t know, the devotees then had an inner communication with each other. When things like this happened, we’d look at each other and go, “Wow, this is mystical.”

And then we understood that Krishna provides. That was the famous word: “Krishna provides.”

That’s why you really felt secure when you were with Prabhupada, because you felt nothing could hurt you or touch you and you felt wonderful.

You always wanted to be around him because you felt fully protected – that feeling that everything’s going to work out when you’re with Prabhupada, because everything did work out.

To see an Indian man in Indian dress in a park on Tompkins Square where the majority of the people were old Russian and Polish people, it was just too far out.

So we used to go every weekend Sundays, especially Sundays, to Tompkins Square to chant with Prabhupada. I would be in the crowd with the leaflets, talking and inviting people.

We used to make these leaflets called “Stay high forever.” People really got a kick out of those.

We used that photograph of Prabhupada where he’s sitting and he’s smiling and he’s got his hand on his head.

That photo was…people would look at that and say, “Wow! He is high. He’s so high, he’s trying to keep himself down just from the mantra.”

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=54667

On 2nd February, Dr Diviash Thakrar and Nilesh represented Bhaktivedanta Manor at a local Tu BiShvat festival, the Jewish tree-planting celebration. The ceremony was led by a mix of civic leaders, faith representatives, and local community members. Its purpose was to foster unity across different faiths, highlighting the connections that bring communities together rather than the differences that divide us. In this way, the event celebrated shared values and collective harmony.

From our community’s perspective, the devotees reflected on teachings such as those in the Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam, which emphasise being “more humble than a blade of grass and more tolerant than a tree.” Planting the tree was therefore deeply meaningful, allowing us to appreciate how different faiths approach and celebrate themes of growth, renewal, and care for the natural world. While Tu BiShvat is a significant festival in the Jewish calendar, it also offered us a valuable opportunity to show support and recognise the values we share.

“It was encouraging to see such a wide representation of civic and faith leadership,” said Diviash. “We would like to place on record our appreciation for The Mayor of Hertsmere, Cllr Alpha Bird Collins, and his wife, Reverend Louise Collins, who were gracious and gallant throughout the event, as well as Sandra Parnell, whose warm presence contributed to the spirit of the occasion.”

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117289

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi, 

The Bhaktivedanta Research Center (BRC) entered into a strategic collaboration with the Management & Entrepreneurship and Professional Skills Council (MEPSC) and Nalanda Learning Systems Pvt. Ltd. through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the Press Club, Kolkata. The partnership marked a significant step toward embedding Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) within India’s formal skill development and early childhood education ecosystem.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Dr. Sumanta Rudra, Dean of Academics and Trustee, Bhaktivedanta Research Center, and Aradhya Bhagavan Das. Nalanda Learning Systems Pvt. Ltd. was represented by its Founders and Directors, Tamal Mukherjee and Mitali Mukherjee, along with Anil Rana, Director, and Chirabrata Majumder, Co-Founder. Abhijit Mukherjee, Senior Manager – Business Development, represented MEPSC.

The collaboration brought together BRC’s academic and research expertise in Indian Knowledge Systems, MEPSC’s nationally recognized skill certification framework, and Nalanda Learning Systems’ experience in educational content development and implementation. Together, the partners sought to strengthen Pre-school Facilitator and Caregiver Certification Programs, ensuring they were academically robust, culturally grounded, and aligned with contemporary pedagogical standards.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/brc-signed-mou-for-iks-integration-in-early-childhood-education/

By Nityananda Chandra Dasa, 

Adi Purusa Dasa, a disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda, has been at the forefront of prasadam distribution in New York City for more than 26 years. Alongside this service, he operates several hostels in the city, engaging guests directly in seva while helping sustain a steady, weekly prasadam outreach. In a recent interview with Nityananda Chandra Dasa, Adi Purusa reflects on the vision, challenges, and continuity of this remarkable, uninterrupted service in the heart of the Big Apple.

Chandra: How long have you been distributing free hot meals at Tompkins Square Park?

Adi: Bhaktivedanta Swami, a.k.a. Śrīla Prabhupāda, started this program of distributing vegetarian food 55 years ago, in 1965. We have continued this endeavor steadily as Interfaith Community Services for the past 25 years, rain or shine.

Chandra: Can you tell us more about Interfaith Community Services?

Adi: Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we gather at our kitchen in the Lower East Side with cooks and volunteers to prepare healthy, flavorful, and balanced vegetarian meals for anyone who is hungry.

At 9:00 a.m., we head to the southwestern corner of Tompkins Square Park and offer any arrangement of our meals free to anyone who is there. If someone wants three containers of salad, two containers of vegetable curries, two containers of rice, and one cake, we give it to them.

As everyone comes through the line, we take their order and prepare it according to their preference. We feel that God’s love is distributed through service, and we want people to know that God loves them.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/over-26-years-of-prasadam-service-in-the-heart-of-nyc/

atha bhāgavatā yūyaṁ
priyāḥ stha bhagavān yathā
na mad bhāgavatānāṁ ca
preyān anyo ’sti karhicit

You are all devotees of the Lord, and as such I appreciate that you are as respectable as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. I know in this way that the devotees also respect me and that I am dear to them. Thus no one can be as dear to the devotees as I am. (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.24.30)

Lord Shiva is revered as the foremost of the Vaishnavas and the eternal protector of the holy dhamas. In Vrindavan, he resides as Gopeswara Mahadeva, guarding the transcendental pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna. In Navadvipa Dhama, Lord Shiva manifests as Vriddha Shiva, the protector of the dhama, residing along with his consort, Praudha Maya.

At Simantadvipa, in Rajapur, Lord Shiva is worshiped within the temple premises of Lord Jagannath. On the sacred occasion of Shivaratri, devotees and pilgrims assemble to celebrate this auspicious festival with abhisheka, hearing the glories of Lord Shiva, Harinam Sankirtan, and a Maha Yajna, all performed for the welfare of all living beings.

This year Shivaratri falls on 16th Feb and the program schedule is as follows:
10:30 am- Maha Yajna ceremony

4.30 pm- Kirtan
5:00 pm- Katha and dance

5.45 pm- Sandhya Arti

6:45 pm- Maha Abhishek

Followed by bhog offering, puspanjali and Maha arati.

For the benefit of devotees staying far away from Mayapur, Mayapur.tv will be doing a live broadcast . We shall also be posting festival pictures of the event.
You can offer abhishek ingredients, or bhog offering or send any seva of your choice for the pleasure of Lord Shiva and His devotees!

Click Here: https://www.mayapur.com/donations/donationform/general 

Source: https://www.mayapur.com/en/blog/maha-shiva-rathri-2026-seva-opportunity

As part of the ISKCON Governing Body Commission (GBC) Annual General Meeting 2026, the GBC is hosting an Online Maha Istagosthi and warmly welcomes ISKCON devotees worldwide to participate.

Date: 8 February 2026
Time: 6:00 PM IST
Other time zones: USA (New York, EST): 7:30 AM, Argentina (Buenos Aires): 9:30 AM, UK (London, GMT): 12:30 PM, Europe (Central Europe, CET – e.g., Paris/Berlin): 1:30 PM, South Africa (Johannesburg, SAST): 2:30 PM, Russia (Moscow): 3:30 PM, India (Mumbai, IST): 6:00 PM
Australia (Sydney, AEDT): 11:30 PM

This YouTube Live stream is provided to support global participation, especially when Zoom capacity is reached.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117282

As part of the ISKCON Governing Body Commission (GBC) Annual General Meeting 2026, the GBC will host an online Maha Istagosthi on February 8, 2026, inviting devotees from around the world to participate in a global dialogue and association. The program is being organized as a special AGM-related gathering and is open to the wider ISKCON community.

The Maha Istagosthi will be held via Zoom, with limited capacity. Once the Zoom meeting reaches capacity, participants are requested to join through YouTube Live, where the program will be broadcast in real time on the GBC YouTube channel. Both access links have been provided in advance to accommodate devotees across regions.

The program will begin at 6:00 PM Indian Standard Time (IST), corresponding to 7:30 AM in New York (EST), 9:30 AM in Buenos Aires, 12:30 PM in London (GMT), 1:30 PM in Central European Time (including Paris and Berlin), 2:30 PM in Johannesburg (SAST), 3:30 PM in Moscow, and 11:30 PM in Sydney (AEDT).

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/online-maha-istagosthi-announced-as-part-of-gbc-agm-2026/

The ISKCON Youth Ministry has announced its 30th Anniversary Youth Bus Tour, scheduled to take place from June to August 2026, marking a milestone for the long-running program. Open to youth ages 18–29, the eight-week tour will travel across North America, visiting temples, sacred festivals, and national parks throughout the United States and Canada.

The tour began in 1995, so the 30th anniversary should have taken place last year. However, due to problems with their old bus and the time needed to raise funds for a new one, the anniversary tour will take place this summer. Manorama Dasa, ISKCON’s Global Youth Minister, expressed gratitude to devotees worldwide for their generous support, which has made it possible for participants to travel in a newly acquired bus for the 2026 journey. The tour will accommodate up to 40 youth, with limited spaces available.

By Raman Reti Dasi, 

As part of implementing ISKCON North America’s 3/35 Vision, Zonal Supervisors and the new Growth Acceleration Team (GAT) members gathered on Saturday, January 17, 2026, for a Zoom orientation focused on strengthening zonal cohesion, cooperative planning, and practical support for leaders.

The orientation was led by Indresh Gaura Dasa and Vrinda Devi Dasi (Zone 1 Zonal Supervisors), whose Zonal Support Office model is serving as a practical foundation for developing Growth Acceleration Teams in the other four zones. Together, they shared lessons drawn from years of leadership service and experience building zonal unity and cooperation. The session also included an acknowledgement of Bhaktimarga Swami, whose forward-thinking strategies and inspiration contributed greatly to Zone 1’s unity and growth.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/north-american-3-35-vision-advances-with-growth-acceleration-teams/

Leaders from around the world once again came to Sridham Mayapur to attend the annual GBC meeting. This includes Sabha, GBC Deputy, Ministers, Zonal Supervisors and others.

As usual, there were various topics starting with a wonderful BBT presentation given by His Grace Vaisesika Prabhu that was very enlivening. Other highlights were the Mayapur report and master plan shown in 3D video.

Source: https://ramaiswami.com/mayapur-gbc-agm-2/

On the all-auspicious disappearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati we should all try to remember His divine instructions and make them our life and soul – guru mukha parma vakhya cittete koriya aikhya ara na koriho mane asa. This philosophy that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati epitomises and that he expounded is well worth remembering on this day when the prediction of Padma Purana –
sri-brahma-rudra-sanaka vaisnavah ksiti savannah
catvaras te kalau bhavya hy utkale purusottamat

“In Kali yuga the four Vaisnava sampradayas, which are purifiers of the earth, will appear in Purusottama-ksetra, in Utkala” was fulfilled. Thus Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati appeared as the summum bonum of all the four Vaisnava sampradayas at Sri Purushottama Ksetra in Orissa.

In establishing the synthesis of all the four sampradaya’s teachings and defeating the triputi vinasha doctrine of the Mayavadis Srila Sarswati Thakura explained drg-drsya philosophy as follows –

“A bhogi (one who attempts to enjoy this world) considers himself the seer (drasta), and everything else, including the Supreme as the seen (drsya), his object of vision (darsana). Due to their bitter experience of this world, so-called renouncers wish to deny the plurality of drasta, drsya and darsana and thus regard them as one. Only devotees have the proper vision to appreciate that Krishna is the Supreme enjoyer and alone is fully independent and no one’s servant, being the drasta, should be served by all, for the jivas and all else that be are drsya, objects of His darsana.”

He who sees an object is called the seer, and an object seen by the observer is called the seen. The instrument of seeing, is called sight. It is a common error to deem the sense of sight the actual seer. Whatever we can measure by any of our senses we also call a seeable object, and he who senses it is called the seer. It is best that the jiva see himself as the object of Krishna’s enjoyment. Thinking himself the seer, he sees the world as the object of his enjoyment. But thinking himself the enjoyer, under the influence of the false ego, will result only in his misfortune. It is not fitting that the jiva see the world as the object of his own enjoyment. Rejecting that outlook, and instead seeing the world as the object of the Lord’s enjoyment, seeing it as Krishna’s world or Gokula, is the jiva’s good fortune and satisfies Krishna’s senses – “I am not the seer, but rather am seen by Krishna. I am not the enjoyer, but the object of enjoyment for Krishna.”

Hiranyakasipu thought he was the seer of the pillar in his hall and desired to observe the existence of Visnu, or to measure Visnu, and adjudging himself the enjoyer, perceived Prahlada as his son, the object of his enjoyment. But the Lord of inconceivable powers revealed His inconceivable eternal form to Hiranyaksipu and destroyed that seer, and was very, merciful to Prahlada, who regarded himself as the object to be seen or enjoyed by Visnu.” – Gaudiya 16.24.403-6

It will do us all a world of good to also remember his heart’s desire and make it our life’s mission –

“My sempiternal wish is that in unlimited ways you constantly remain preaching Krishna katha. Then all my desires will be fulfilled.” – Gaudiya 2.540

“When big city halls have been transformed into Gaudiya Mathas and Hari katha is heard everywhere, at that time the whole world will be filled with ecstasy.” – Srimad Bhagavata Tatparya.

All glories to His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaja!

Hare Krishna!

yours in service of Sri Guru and Gauranga,
Shyamananda dasa brahmacari

P.S: This article is largely based on Srimad Bhakti Vikasa Swami’s magnum opus Sri Bhakti Siddhanta Vaibhava.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=12366

By Amala Bhakta Dasa

Though Lord Caitanya is known as Krsna’s hidden incarnation,
His biographers have preserved accounts of His displays of divinity.

SOON AFTER LORD CAITANYA began His movement for chanting the holy name of the Lord (sankirtana), many of His followers would sing, dance, and play musical instruments for many hours in glorification of Lord Krsna. Some envious brahmanas resented the Lord’s increasing power and influence over the people and decided to try to check Him at any cost.

These brahmanas complained to the Muslim Kazi, or governor, that Lord Caitanya’s movement was sinful and would result in Navadvipa’s becoming deserted. Many Muslims also complained, but mainly about the resounding noise of the sankirtana. All the fault-finders urged the Kazi to banish the Lord from the city.

These reports greatly angered the Kazi. So one evening, entering a home in which sankirtana was in progress, the Kazi broke a devotee’s drum. He then banned all sankirtana and threatened serious punishment to anyone who violated his order. Shocked and disheartened, the devotees informed Lord Caitanya, who then organized a massive civil disobedience march consisting of hundreds of thousands of devotees engaged in a thunderous sankirtana.

When the demonstration reached the Kazi’s residence, Lord Caitanya conversed with him on several issues, and the governor revealed an amazing experience he’d had.

“On the evening I broke the drum and forbade any further sankirtana,” the Kazi said, “I had a horrifying dream. I saw a dreadful creature with a human body and a lion’s face roaring loudly. He jumped on my chest and savagely laughed at me. Placing His nails on my chest, He said in a grim voice, ‘I shall tear your chest apart the way you broke the drum! You have forbidden the performance of My congregational chanting; therefore I must kill you.'”

“Horribly afraid, I shut my eyes and trembled. Then the man-lion said, ‘I have conquered you just to teach you a lesson. But I will be merciful to you because on that day you did not create a big disturbance. So I have forgiven you and not killed you. But if you do that again, I will destroy you, your entire family, and all the meat-eaters [the Muslims].'”

“After the man-lion said this, He left. I would like you to see the scratches He made over my heart.”

The Kazi then revealed his chest, and as the people there saw the scratches, they were astonished. Everyone realized that Lord Nrsimha, the half-man, half-lion incarnation of God, who had appeared long ago to kill the demon Hiranyakasipu and protect His devotee Prahlada, had again appeared for a similar purpose. But what most people did not know was that Lord Caitanya Himself was also Lord Nrsimha-and thus His sankirtana mission could not be checked.

The Kazi then revealed something equally extraordinary.

On the same day that he had dreamed about Lord Nrsimha, one of his soldiers said, “When I went to stop the congregational chanting, suddenly flames struck my face. My beard was burned and there were blisters on my cheeks.”

Every other orderly who had tried to check the devotees’ sankirtana reported a similar expenence .

But even more remarkable was that some of the complaining Muslims, after hearing the Hare Krsna mantra, began to uncontrollably chant it, even though they had no desire to.

When the conversation ended, the Kazi said to Lord Caitanya, “To all my future descendants, I give this solemn order: No one should ever stop the saiikirtana movement.”

His descendants have respectfully honoured those words.

THE LORD REVIVES A CHILD

One night at Srivasa Thakura’s house, Lord Caitanya, along with His devotees, was deeply absorbed in sankirtana. During the festival, Srivasa Thakura was informed that one of his sons, who had been seriously ill, had just died. To avoid disturbing Lord Caitanya and His devotees, Srivasa forbade his family members from expressing their sorrow and grief at that time. Thus, the blissful chanting and dancing continued without tearful interruptions.

But when the sankirtana ended, the omniscient Lord Caitanya said, “There must have been some calamity in this house.”

He was then told about the death of Srivasa’s son.

“Why wasn’t this news given to Me earlier?” He sorrowfully asked.

Then He went to the deceased body and said, “My dear boy, why are you leaving Srivasa Thakura’s house ?”

The soul of the dead boy re-entered the body and replied, “I’ve lived here for as long as I was destined to. That time is now over. So I’m going someplace else now-to wherever You’re sending me. I’m Your eternal servant, a living being who depends on You. I must act only in harmony with Your wish. I can’t do anything else. I have no such power.”

Hearing these words, all the members of Srivasa Thakura’s family received transcendental knowledge and felt happily assured. Thus, they felt no reason to lament or grieve anymore.

THE LORD REVEALS HIMSELF

One day, in Jagannatha Puri, Lord Caitanya had a philosophical discussion with the famous scholar Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya.

After the Lord defeated him on every point, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya thought, “Lord Caitanya is certainly Lord Krsna Himself. Because I could not understand Him and was very proud of my learning, I have committed many offenses.”

When Sarvabauma denounced himself as an offender and took shelter of Lord Caitanya, the Lord wanted to show him His mercy, so He manifested His four armed Visnu form. Then, just after this, He manifested His original two-armed Krsna form, with a blackish complexion and a flute near His lips.

When Sarvabauma Bhattacarya saw this, he prostrated himself before the Lord. Then he arose and with folded palms offered Lord Caitanya prayers of glorification. By the Lord’s mercy, all truths were revealed to him, and he could understand the importance of chanting God’s holy names and distributing love of God everywhere.

From that time on, Sarvabhauma did not know anything but reverence for the feet of Lord Caitanya. And all his explanations of the revealed scriptures were in strict accordance with the process of devotional service.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15895

Praghosa Prabhu reflects on the universal role of the guru in Krishna consciousness, emphasizing that the soul is not defined by bodily distinctions such as gender. Citing multiple statements from Srila Prabhupada, he argues that spiritual qualification—not gender—is the true criterion for becoming a guru. Srila Prabhupada explicitly encouraged all his disciples, men and women alike, to become spiritual masters, even stating this on his own Vyasa Puja day.

The talk notes that the GBC acknowledged over two decades ago that there is no philosophical reason preventing Vaishnavis from serving as diksha gurus, a position consistent with Gaudiya Vaishnava history. Resistance to this, the speaker suggests, stems more from fear of change than from philosophy. The argument that “if Srila Prabhupada didn’t do it, we shouldn’t” is described as weak and potentially paralyzing, as ISKCON has evolved significantly since 1977.

Addressing a commonly cited purport about Suniti and Dhruva Maharaja, the speaker argues that Srila Prabhupada was describing historical social norms, not establishing an eternal policy. He stresses the importance of balanced understanding, especially regarding women’s protection and independence, again quoting Srila Prabhupada to show that protection does not negate responsibility, education, or leadership.

Finally, the speaker discusses the GBC decision to allow regional choice on whether to introduce Vaishnavi diksha gurus, expressing concern that one region’s refusal has effectively overridden others’ desire to follow the words of ISKCON’s Founder Acarya. He concludes by reaffirming Srila Prabhupada’s desire that all his spiritual sons and daughters initiate disciples and expresses a personal commitment to helping fulfill that vision.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117190

Personal spiritual journey that began in a nominally Methodist upbringing, passed through a brief period in Mormonism, and eventually led to the practice of Krishna consciousness after meeting early Hare Krishna devotees in Ohio in the late 1960s. Inspired by vegetarianism, yoga, and spiritual philosophy, the speaker wrote to Srila Prabhupada and received a defining reply: one need not abandon one’s existing faith but should learn to love God through chanting the Hare Krishna mantra and associating with devotees. Deeply moved, the speaker began chanting before even having an image of Krishna, using a picture of Jesus instead, and soon became a devotee and was initiated by Prabhupada in 1969.

Much of the talk consists of vivid personal memories of Srila Prabhupada that illustrate his saintly character, humility, compassion, discipline, and personal care for his disciples. Stories include public kirtans where devotees responded to violence with saintly gentleness, Prabhupada’s insistence on proper standards in initiation rituals, his joy in simple sincere offerings, and his ability to correct or chastise without lingering anger. He is depicted as deeply attentive to details of devotional life, from clean cooking pots to correct worship procedures, yet also extraordinarily kind and reassuring to insecure or struggling disciples.

Several episodes highlight his spiritual depth and compassion: being moved to tears while reading about the suffering of souls, praying not to fall into illusion, and expressing that a simple offering made with devotion pleases Krishna more than opulent items bought without devotion. The speaker describes feeling personally protected and guided by the holy name, recounting getting lost in the woods and being saved from an attacking dog while chanting.

Prabhupada is shown as adaptable and personal in his guidance, giving different instructions to different devotees when needed, such as permitting the speaker to personally worship Jagannath deities despite general restrictions. He strongly condemned domestic abuse, encouraged kindness in marriage, and emphasized reading his books and maintaining philosophical grounding alongside chanting.

The narrative also covers early missionary hardships in places like New Vrindavan and Japan: poverty, cold, isolation, and austere living conditions, yet also moments of profound encouragement when a single appreciative word from Prabhupada dispelled all difficulties. Encounters with figures like Allen Ginsberg illustrate Prabhupada’s humility and openness even toward those not fully following the practices.

Overall, the testimony portrays Prabhupada’s mission as creating saintly, compassionate representatives of Krishna consciousness who live simply, serve sincerely, reconcile conflicts quickly, and spread the holy name. His defining quality is presented as boundless compassion for all beings and an unwavering desire to bring everyone closer to God through chanting Hare Krishna.

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Yogesvara das: In February 1970, shortly after joining the London Hare Krishna devotees in their temple off Oxford Street, we were visited by a warlock, a male witch. London had an active community of occultists in those days (the Swedenborg Society, for example, named after an 18th century Swedish spirit-channeler, had its offices just next door), and the Krishna temple attracted hundreds of unusual visitors including yogis, sorcerers, and ecstatics who would pretend to fall into a trance and roll around on the carpeted temple floor. Every day we received someone new and strange, but the male witch has remained in my memory as among the most bizarre.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117216