Some years ago, George Harrison was already giving the world the gift of spiritual inspiration through his music when he donated the Bhaktivedanta Manor to Srila Prabhupada.

My sweet Lord . . .

I really want to see you
Really want to be with you
Really want to see you, Lord,
but it takes so long, my Lord.

George Harrison released “My Sweet Lord,” his first solo single, in America in November 1970. Internationally, sales soon exceeded five million copies.

The biographer Simon Leng calls the release of “My Sweet Lord” one of the “boldest steps in the history of popular music,” because it risked ruining Harrison’s career.

In I, Me, Mine, George writes, “I thought a lot about whether to do “My Sweet Lord” or not, because I would be committing myself publicly, and I anticipated that a lot of people might . . . fear the words ‘Lord’ and ‘God’—makes them angry for some strange reason.”

Leng, in The Music of George Harrison, characterizes the song as “gospel incantation with a Vedic chant” and a “triumph” because it was “obviously genuine. . . . The power of the song comes from the emotion it transmits. . . . His tone was beguilingly sweet, but also sad.”

“My Sweet Lord’s” repetitive, emotional appeal, laced with self-pity, certainly is “beguilingly sweet, but also sad.” For the song expresses an aesthetic quality characteristic of Vaishnava theology. That quality, technically known as viraha bhakti, is a soul-stirring love for God arising from the anguish of distance and separation. Such love in separation is a precursor of unfettered unity, for God responds and makes Himself known by His embrace.

Srila Rupa Goswami (c. 1550 CE) describes the sweet-sad melange of separation from God in this comment: “If one develops love of Godhead, love of Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, all the bitter and sweet influences of this love will manifest in one’s heart. Such love of Godhead acts in two ways. The poisonous effects of love of Godhead defeat the severe and fresh poison of the serpent. Yet there is simultaneously transcendental bliss, which pours down and defeats the pride of nectar and diminishes its value.” (quoted in Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 2.52)

The bittersweet aesthetic of “My Sweet Lord” touched the hearts of millions. Love in separation is one of many aesthetic qualities in Vaishnava theology, and some of these qualities are illustrated in George’s other lyrics. In making observations about George’s songs, I am not arguing that he attained the highest states of bhakti, nor do I want to pass judgment on anyone. George was seriously spiritual-minded. The Vaishnava journey to Krishna, in progressive stages of love, is reflected in his songs. He struggled in life, found some balance, and never departed from his convictions. Westerners especially can easily learn something about the theology of bhakti as George expressed it.

They say I’m not what I used to be
All the same, I’m happier than the willow tree . . .
I know something so dear to me
Beyond words, beautiful feeling in my soul.
— from “Mystical One” (1982)

How did George’s interest in Eastern spirituality grow? At the height of the Beatles’ fame, George’s LSD experiments and interest in Indian music drew him into an experience of the all-pervasiveness of God in music (nada brahma). His friendship with the sitarist Ravi Shankar led him to India.

John Barham, another student of Shankar’s, recalled, “The meditative aspect of some Indian music touched George in a way that no other music did, and this did influence the development of his own identity in a profound way.”

Upon returning to record with the Beatles, George’s realizations were set to an Indian rhythm and melody in “Within You Without You” on the Sgt. Pepper album (1967): “When you see we’re all one, and life flows on within you and without you.”

That August, George attended a lecture in London by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and then went on a retreat with him in Wales. Next, along with the other Beatles, George stayed in Rishikesh with Maharishi for three months. By July of 1968, George’s quest was portrayed in the film Yellow Submarine: He was the mystical Beatle, wearing wooden beads and seated in a lotus position.

In London in November 1969, George met a small group of Hare Krishna devotees. Gathering the group in Apple’s Abbey Road studio, he recorded the single “Hare Krishna Mantra,” which quickly became the number one song in Britain and several other countries. Then George met Srila Prabhupada in England and received his encouragement to write songs about Krishna.

George next donated twenty thousand dollars to publish Srila Prabhupada’s book Krishna, a narration of Krishna’s transcendental life from the Bhagavata Purana’s Tenth Canto. In the foreword, George mentions reconciling all things in Krishna, or God.

Interviewed about the success of “My Sweet Lord” and his triple album All Things Must Pass (1970), George said, “I want to be God conscious. That’s really my only ambition, and everything else in life is incidental.”

It appears from the lyrics in the album Dark Horse (1974) that George, though making spiritual progress, relapsed and had to struggle with unwanted habits. He writes about this with stark honesty in these songs. However, from then on he apparently found a steady balance between worldly existence and his commitment to a spiritual path. His resolve became firmer. This is evident from his final songs and from his widow Olivia’s descriptions.

George’s spiritual resolution rarely decreased for the rest of his life, Olivia said about her late husband: “The issue of possessions, attachment, and identification with the ego were in the forefront of our awareness, and George was always quick to point out that in reality there is no I, me, or mine. George was relentless at keeping our spiritual aim.”

In the obituaries, his most often recurring quote was “Everything else can wait, but the search for God . . .”
The Vaishnava Path

The doctrinal focus of the Bhagavad-gita is devotional service to Sri Krishna, and the devotion of intense love and separation (viraha bhakti) is found in the Chaitanya Vaishnavas’ most influential devotional text, the Bhagavata Purana (Srimad-Bhagavatam) , and in the South Indian songs of the ülvars.

In Philosophy and Theistic Mysticism of the Alvars, S.M.S. Chari presents Srila Ramanuja’s understanding of devotion in four phases. The first phase, bhakti, is sincere devotion, with a keen desire to see God. When bhakti is nurtured and made steady through meditation and practice, as outlined in the Gita, it is called para-bhakti, the second phase. Then come initial experiences of God, temporary glimpses of God within—the third phase, para-jnana. Having had glimpses, the devotee feels an intense anguish of separation and ardently yearns for a full, uninterrupted vision of God. This fourth phase, called parama-bhakti, in due course delivers one from worldly existence through direct realization of God. The joy of union and the anguish of separation alternate, arousing unceasing and ever-increasing ecstasy and contemplation.

Prominent followers of Sri Chaitanya reflected on His life and teachings with extensive references to the Bhagavata Purana. The first of them to identify chronological stages of devotional achievement was Rupa Goswami, who outlined nine stages: faith (shraddha), the association of saints (sadhu-sanga), devotional practices (bhajana-kriya), purification (anartha-nivritti), resolve (nishtha), relish ( ruci), attachment (asakti), love (bhava), and pure love (prema). (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.4.15—16) Two centuries after Rupa, Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti wrote Madhurya Kadambini to elaborate on Rupa’s stages. Later, in Sri Bhajana-rahasya Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura (c. 1850) correlated the nine stages with the eight verses of Chaitanya’s Sikshashtaka. With respect to their descriptions of the Vaishnava path to Krishna, we now turn to George’s songs.

“Awaken and See”

The earliest sign of bhakti, says Rupa, is faith: a trust or interest in the path. Vishvanatha mentions a firm trust in devotional scriptures and a genuine desire to practice their prescriptions. Bhaktivinoda presents the first act of faith as remembering God by the continued repetition of His names, which subdues ignorance.

In George’s songs, faith appears in “Awaiting on You All,” wherein George humorously excludes any requirements other than chanting: “You don’t need no passport. And you don’t need no visas.”

He asks you to “open up your heart” to recognize that we are “polluted” and “fallen” and take the solution: “Now here’s a way for you to get clean.”

By chanting the names of the Lord and you’ll be free.
The Lord is awaiting on you all to awaken and see.

The words “awaken and see” express George’s early faith and encouragement to others. The song embodies his understanding of scriptural lessons he learned from Srila Prabhupada, both in person and through his books.

“I Look for the Pure in Heart”

Next Rupa speaks of three stages: saintly association, practice, and purification. He explains that saints and gurus are respectfully approached for instruction on proper conduct. This is also important to Vishvanatha, who explains how unsteadiness is overcome as obstacles are surmounted. Bhaktivinoda includes in his second division both good association and overcoming obstacles. For him, the separation of the soul from Krishna and its misidentification with matter (maya) are unwanted. Other obstacles (weakness of heart, offenses) can be overcome by chanting, by following a guru’s direction, and by receiving the mercy of saints. He advises shunning bad company and desires for fame.

George’s rejection of fame and possessions is identifiable in “I, Me, Mine,” the last song the Beatles recorded. George, in “Help Me Lord,” petitions God to snuff out his mundane desires.

In “Beware of Darkness,” he warns, “Watch out now, take care, beware of the thoughts that linger, winding up inside your head. . . . each unconscious sufferer wanders aimlessly; beware of Maya.”

In “The Day the World Gets ‘Round,” he describes a deluded world and the foolishness of people, while himself aspiring for good company: “I look for the pure of heart, and the ones who have made a start. . . . But Lord, there are just a few, who bow before you.”
“Your Love and Nothing More”

Steady resolve and resolute practice constitute Rupa’s fifth stage. Vishvanatha says that although impurities are still somewhat present, they no longer distract one from direct devotional practices, and one develops qualities favorable to the practice, such as humility. Bhaktivinoda emphasizes the necessity of self-surrender, eagerness for bhakti, and profound humility.

“That is All,” George’s final track on Living in the Material World, illustrates these qualities: “That is all I’m living for, your love and nothing more, and that is all . . . that is all I want to do, to give my love to you. . . . Please let me love you more, and that is all.”

In “Give Me Love,” a full commitment is expressed: “Trying to touch and reach you with heart and soul.”

George’s humility is evident in “Hear Me Lord”: “please, please hear me, Lord, . . . forgive me, . . . help me rise a little higher.”
“He Whose Sweetness Flows”

Rupa’s sixth stage, relish, implies a taste of the nectar derived from resolute practices. For Vishvanatha, relish results from taking the “golden medallion” of bhakti deep into the heart. An unimaginable bliss, “taste” acts like a dance instructress who takes the devotee by the hands. At this stage Bhaktivinoda emphasizes total uninterest in worldly affairs, owing to a taste for the holy name. With one’s attention undivided, worldly interests dwarf before bhakti’s sweetness.

During a visit to Vrindavan, the sacred village where Krishna grew up, George illustrated bhakti’s sweetness in a song he wrote there: “It is ‘He’ (Jai Sri Krishna).” The song mainly repeats and relishes names of Krishna and Radha, His consort.

The tempo and lyrics delight the listener: “He whose sweetness flows to anyone of those that care to look his way, see his smile. . . . He who is complete, three worlds at his feet, cause of every star. It is ‘He’: Jai Sri Krishna.”

George also used “sweet” to describe God in “My Sweet Lord,” accompanied by the significant, repetitive sound of “Hmm,” as if encouraging listeners to taste the sweetness.

“You are the breath of life”

In Rupa’s seventh stage, strong attachment appears. Vishvanatha says that although “taste” has Krishna as its subject, the subject becomes profoundly Krishna at the stage of attachment. This attachment reaches an “extreme depth,” and it polishes the mirror of the heart so that the Lord’s reflection is almost visible. Such absorption requires no effort, whereas remaining conscientious about normal worldly dealings does.

The devotee may call out, “Will I ever see Krishna? Where shall I go? What shall I do to attain my desired object?”

Bhaktivinoda explains that this stage is attained by chanting without offenses and makes one feel insignificant and full of anguish. George’s song “Life Itself” suggests some awareness of this sort of attachment:

You are the One
You are my love
You send the rain and bring the sun You stand alone and speak the truth
You are the breath of life itself,
Oh yes you are, you are the One.
I need you more each step I take
You are the love in life itself . . .
You are the one that I’d die for
And you’re all that is real
You are the essence of that which
We taste, touch and feel . . .
You are my friend and when life’s through
You are the light in death itself, oh yes you are.

In Ramanuja’s third and fourth stages, glimpses of God are achieved and relieve a devotee’s feeling of separation from God. The joy of union and the anguish of separation alternate. This is also represented in George’s lyrics:

It’s been a long long long time.
How could I ever have lost you?
When I loved you?
It took a long, long, long time.?
Now I’m so happy I found you?
How I love you
So many tears I was searching
. . . How I want you
Oh, I love you
You know that I need you
Oh, I love you

Devotional heights akin to a madness of extreme emotion and unusual bodily symptoms are not identifiable in George’s songs. As described in Rupa’s eighth and ninth stages, there is a meltdown of the heart and mind, as God’s beauty overwhelms the devotee. Such love exhibits possessiveness of God and marks the stage of prema. God, powerless before such love, reveals Himself in all His beauty and charm.

Both Vishvanatha and Bhaktivinoda cite examples and verses that convey the nature of these stages. The condition is best portrayed in the life of Chaitanya: Paralyzed and then shaking, sweating, and turning pallid, Chaitanya wept and uttered indistinct sounds. His bodily hairs stood on end. He laughed, wept, danced about, and sang. He jumped up and ran about, and the next moment fell on the ground unconsciousness.

George remained detached from the wealth and fame that surrounded him. His catalogue of songs honestly illustrates what he learned about the devotional path and could express in the grammar of a contemporary rock star.

via The Vaishnava Path in George Harrison’s Songs | Back to Godhead.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=14012

By Hema Jagannatha Das

On New Year’s Day 2026, approximately 400 devotees gathered at ISKCON Plainfield, NJ, to honor a traditional Sri Jagannath Puri–style Maha Prasad buffet featuring 15 courses.

Organized by ISKCON of Central New Jersey (ICNJ), the annual New Year Sri Jagannath Puri–style buffet has been held for nearly a decade. Even during the COVID year, ICNJ volunteers continued the tradition by preparing and distributing 10+ course Jagannath Puri–style takeaway meals for hundreds of devotees who had pre-ordered prasad in 2021, allowing them to begin the year by honoring Sri Jagannath Mahaprasad.

This year’s 15-course feast included delicacies such as dahibara, ghanta, kanika, khaja, malpua, arisa, and khata. Long lines formed as devotees patiently waited to partake of the sanctified food offered to Sri Krishna.

The ongoing enthusiasm for distributing Lord Jagannath’s Mahaprasad was evident in the dedicated service of ISKCON Plainfield devotees, many of whom arrived as early as 5:00 a.m. to clean, cook, set up, and serve the feast with care and devotion, offering their best for the pleasure of the Lord of the Universe, Sri Krishna.

The New Year Sri Jagannath Puri–style lunch buffet was organized by the Govinda’s team of ISKCON of Central New Jersey. To keep up with their ongoing service activities, visit their website and follow them on Facebook. You can view more photos from the event here.

Source: https://iskconnews.org/new-years-day-jagannath-puri-style-maha-prasad-draws-hundreds-in-new-jersey/

A disciple of Shri Madhavendra Puri, Pundarika Vidyanidhi was Shri Gadadhara Pandit’s guru, and an intimate friend of Svarupa Damodara.

Pundarika Vidyanidhi had other names-Shri Vidyanidhi, Acaryanidhi, Bhaktyanidhi, and Premanidhi (given by Lord Chaitanya). “Simply by hearing his name,” said Shri Gaura, “the whole world becomes purified.”

Premanidhi’s pure devotion caused Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to sometimes cry profusely and call out loudly, “Bop, (father) Pundarika! Pundarika is My father, My dearmost friend. When will I see him again?” Pundarika Vidyanidhi is King Vrishabhanu, Shri Radha’s father, in Vrindavana lila.

Continually floating in the sea of Krishna prema, Pundarika often showed ecstatic bodily symptoms of tears, horripilation, falling unconscious. “Whoever recites or hears the following narration of the meeting of Pundarika Vidyanidhi and Shri Gadadhara Pandit will receive the treasure of love of God.” (Shri Chaitanya Bhagavata)

When he first arrived in Navadwipa Pundarika Vidyanidhi disguised himself as a worldly sense enjoyer. Besides Mukunda, nobody knew that Pundarika Vidyanidhi was pure a Vaishnava. “Today, I will introduce you to a most exceptional Vaishnava,” said Mukunda, as he took Gadadhara Pandit to meet Pundarika Vidyanidhi.

They found Pundarika reclining on an opulent brass bed covered with red satin sheets, silk pillows, and topped with a three-tiered canopy. A gem-studded pan box stuffed with fragrant spices and betel nuts waited within arm’s reach. Two shiny brass spitoons stood as silent sentries beside the bed. Seeing the mirror stained red from his chewing pan, Pundarika laughed heartily. Two servants cooled him with peacock fans.

Was this a Vaishnava or a prince wallowing in luxury wondered Gadadhara Pandit? Doubts arose in Gadadhara’s mind about Pundarika’s spiritual status. Reading his mind, Mukunda decided to reveal the highly exalted transcendental identity of Pundarika Vidyanidhi.

Mukunda recited Shrimad Bhagavatam (10.6.35): “Always hankering to taste the blood of small children, Putana came to kill baby Krishna. However, because she offered her breast to the Supreme Lord, Putana attained the greatest blessing of being accepted as a mother of Shri Krishna.” 

Hearing this verse totally transformed Pundarika Vidyanidhi. A Ganges river of tears flooded his eyes. Perspiration rained from his body, his hairs stood erect. He ripped off his embroidered silk shirt and wildly thrashed his legs about. Rolling on the ground, he wailed, “The Lord is infinitely merciful. Yet He deprives me of His mercy.”

His clothes, brass bed, fine bed-sheets, mirror, spitoons, all his opulent trappings were ripped to shreds-smashed to bits. Ten men tried but couldn’t restrain the force of Pundarika’s ecstasy. The manifestations of Pundarika Vidyanidhi’s pure love for Krishna competed with one another for some time. Finally, his spiritual emotions reached their peak and he lost external unconscious.

After witnessing this spectacular display of transcendental feelings Gadadhara Pandit realized his offense in misjudging Pundarika Vidyanidhi to be a materialistic devotee. To rectify his mistake he wanted to take initiation from Pundarika Vidyanidhi.

Six hours later, Shri Pundarika returned to external consciousness. Now he seemed calm and composed. Happily he initiated Gadadhara Pandit. Pundarika Vidyanidhi is Shrimati Radharani’s father in Vraja pastimes. 

Source: https://ramaiswami.com/pundarika-vidyanidhi-appearance-3/

This session introduces a teaching presentation on applying the elements and principles of art to deity worship, especially dressing Radha-Krishna, with a focus on Krishna’s turban. The presenter explains that the material comes from training at the Mayapur Academy, a pajari school, and was compiled by Krishna Kanta, a senior priest who dresses Lord Chaitanya daily. Learning these principles helped the speaker better understand why certain deity dressings look harmonious or distracting, and how to give clear, constructive feedback.

The talk explains that all art—including deity dressing, altar decoration, temple design, flower arrangements, garland making, cake decorating, architecture, and even web design—can be understood through common elements of art: point, line, shape, form, color, texture, brightness, and space. These elements guide where the eye rests, how it moves, and how forms are perceived. Special emphasis is placed on space, which allows beauty to be appreciated and prevents visual overload.

The speaker then introduces the principles of art, which organize the elements into pleasing compositions: unity, harmony, balance (symmetrical and asymmetrical), proportion, rhythm, variety, movement, and emphasis. Each principle is illustrated with examples from deity dressing, particularly turbans, garlands, jewelry, and floral arrangements. Unity and harmony make designs readable and natural; balance keeps attention centered on Krishna’s face; proportion ensures elements are not distracting by being too large or too small; rhythm creates consistency through repetition; variety prevents boredom; movement adds energy; and emphasis highlights what is most important.

Nature is used as a key reference: it contains both unity and a touch of chaos. Applying a controlled amount of “natural chaos” can make decorations feel alive and spontaneous, while avoiding crooked or careless lines that disturb harmony. Practical guidance is given on creating main focal elements, secondary elements, and smaller details, and on balancing shapes, colors, and sizes to support the central focus rather than distract from it.

The session concludes by encouraging devotees to consciously observe these principles during darshan, to analyze deity dress and temple decoration through this lens, and to apply the teachings in future service. Participants are given “homework” to identify elements and principles of art in the next darshan they take. The presentation is ongoing, with further sessions planned.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117087

Her Grace Gopimata dasi grew up in the midwestern US. In 1977 she traveled to London where she met Srila Prabhupada.

She stayed for ten years in the ashrams there, mostly doing sankirtan. She also served as a pujari and cook as well as performing with the Vaikuntha Players. Later, she married His Grace Ankottha Das and moved back to the U.S. where she and her husband raised 3 sons.

Her Grace Gopimata has been teaching Yoga for over 30 years in Kansas and created the “Yoga with Heart” teacher training school with a view to introducing yoga students to Bhakti.

She lives on a forty acre farm called Bhaktivana. Along with her friends and family there, she hosts regular programs to celebrate Krsna Consciousness with Kirtan, Prasadam, and philosophy. She hosts online classes and reading groups on Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and other Bhakti philosophy studies.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117091

I felt insulted that he didn’t want my money. I grabbed the book from his hand, threw the book in my briefcase, and walked away quickly, without even so much as a look to say thank you. I’ll read that book, I thought, to find all the faults, and show any shaven-headed fellows next time I met them, that they are just wasting their time with all this religious mumbo jumbo. That if they really want to succeed in life, I could show them how.

——-

I often look back upon that kind soul, unknown to me, my great benefactor, to whom love such an immense debt of gratitude, for having the compassion to distribute a Bhagavad-gita to me, even though I was so offensive toward him. I now know that he was the wealthy person on the street, and I was the beggar. That boy had chosen the right way, and I had fallen into material life, and every young man should emulate that great and humble devotee, not me. If I see him ever again, I don’t know how I would express my gratitude. I would fall flat on the ground, grab his feet and beg for forgiveness for my arrogant, offensive thoughts and words. But I realize that the humble soul will never let me do something like that. Instead, I think I can please him by passing on what he gave me, and inundate this planet with Krishna’ s message in every way imaginable. From sneering passerby to initiated disciple, what a long journey, and how wonderful has it been!

Read more: https://dasadas.com/contact/

The Manor plays host to book distributors from across the UK and Ireland as we celebrate the National Sankirtan Festival.
It’s a chance to appreciate their efforts in sharing spiritual knowledge, the answer to all of life’s problems, in the form of Srila Prabhupada’s books throughout the year and particularly during the month of December.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117098

Position Paper – ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry Position statement Regular daily deity worship in ISKCON centers must be carried out without interruption during an eclipse. If there are concerns regarding local public sentiment that may be caused by continuing the deity worship, the temple may be closed to the public while privately maintaining the scheduled daily worship of the deities.

By Atma Tattva Das, 

Kamita Kamau, known online as Kamita_Kirtan, is a Nairobi-based Krishna-conscious content creator, musician, grihastha, and entrepreneur whose work documents both his inner spiritual life and the outward expression of Krishna consciousness in contemporary African society. His journey into bhakti began in 2020, during a period of personal searching and questioning. Like many young people of his generation, Bhakta Kamita was seeking meaning beyond career ambition or social identity. “I was searching,” he reflected, “but I didn’t yet know what I was searching for.”

What struck Kamita most was not philosophy alone, but practice. The daily chanting of the holy names, hearing Srimad Bhagavatam, and the rhythm of devotional service became anchors. “All I have to do is keep the holy name on my tongue, engage in dance every time I get a chance,” he reflected, “and share moments like this that talk solely about life’s ultimate purpose.” These practices, he explained, cultivated clarity and steadiness during a time when many young people felt disoriented.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/from-ashram-to-outreach-a-young-life-in-bhakti/

By Mahabhagavat Das SDA

In Toronto’s brutal winter, Srila Prabhupada transforms the cold into spiritual gold by encouraging remarkable Sankirtan efforts, exceeding a total of 110 outings in 2025 against all odds for one humble warrior. Battling frigid temperatures and indifferent crowds, Srila Prabhupada tirelessly inspires diverse audiences, from skeptical Sikhs to curious Muslims. Each cold encounter becomes a lesson in humility to the Sankirtan warriors, the transient nature of recognition, and the deep connections formed within fleeting moments. Amidst dismissals and challenges, he ignites a spark of spirituality, guiding strangers towards timeless wisdom with every book offered. Dressed like a warrior against the harsh elements, the Sankirtan warriors are inspired into urgency into Srila Prabhupada’s mission: spreading enlightenment, one icy encounter at a time.
 

I am a formally initiated disciple of His Grace Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari. My spiritual master was initiated by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1971. He is the author …

Mahabhagavat Das SDA


Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117112

ISKCON’s Ministry for Book Distribution is inviting devotees and communities worldwide to submit nominations for the 2025 Book Distribution Awards, recognizing outstanding leadership, innovation, creativity, and resilience in the global sankirtan movement.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/global-call-for-nominations-to-honor-sankirtan-excellence-and-innovation/

By Priyagovind Das

As the sun transitioned into Capricorn for Makar Sankranti on January 14, 2026, Ayodhya Dham was transformed into a sea of devotion. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, fresh from their holy bath at the Magh Mela in Prayagraj, arrived at the feet of Lord Ram. To honor this sacred arrival, ISKCON Ayodhya scaled its Food for Life initiative, distributing over 100,000 free prasadam meals.

This massive humanitarian effort is rooted in the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad-gita: “The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal enjoyment, verily eat only sin” (3.13).

Gita Manishi Devshekhar Vishnu Das, ISKCON Ayodhya’s Project Director, emphasized that this service goes beyond mere charity; it is a tool for social cohesion. “The Magh Mela teaches us that we are all interconnected in our spiritual journey,” he said, “Our ‘squirrel service’ this year in Ayodhya Dham, home of Lord Shri Ramchandra Ji, isn’t just about filling stomachs; it’s about breaking down social barriers. When thousands honor prasadam together, there is no high or low, no rich or poor. We want to send a message that true spiritual progress is inseparable from social responsibility. By serving the pilgrims and protecting our environment with eco-friendly practices, we are practicing ‘Bhakti in Action’—healing the heart and the Earth simultaneously. We are all dedicating this service to our Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada and guru parampara.”

To accommodate the surge in devotees traveling from the Triveni Sangam, ISKCON Ayodhya expanded its distribution network to 11 distribution pavilions across the city.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-ayodhya-serves-100000-meals-during-magh-mela-2026/

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit our Adelaide temple again where the presiding deities of Sri Sri Radha Syamasundara are amongst my favorite deities in ISKCON.

The new temple room was beautiful and many devotees and visitors attended. A team worked to prepare Lord Jagannatha’s Rathayatra cart for the upcoming Australia Day parade on January 26th.

Source: https://ramaiswami.com/adelaide-temple-visit/

From Back to Godhead

Understanding the levels of instruction in the Bhagavad-gita can help us comprehend the overall unity of Lord Krishna’s message.

The Bhagavad-gita is no doubt a major spiritual treatise and one of the world’s greatest classics. Understanding that a hierarchical concept of reality characterizes the Gita can help us see coherence of the Gita’s message.

The Bhagavad-gita speaks on two major levels of reality and a third, intermediate, one. We can use the Sanskrit words dharma and moksha to treat the two main levels, and the word yoga for the third. Dharma refers to a set of values representing duty, religion, morality, law, order, and justice, which together sustain civilized human life. Yoga refers to the attempt to detach oneself from worldly life while trying to yoke oneself to the liberated state. Moksha refers to the liberated state of perfection and eternal existence in pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna. The level of dharma represents the human or worldly condition, the level of moksha represents the real or absolute condition (liberation), and the level of yoga is intermediate. We can also define these three levels as the finite, the intermediate, and the infinite.

We can distinguish each level in terms of values and “being.” For dharma, the general rule in terms of value is to prosper. At this level, one desires worldly happiness and prosperity, seeing these as good. In terms of being, one see the living entity as the body, whether as a human being or as some other species.

On the second level (yoga), one rejects worldly prosperity, valuing instead detachment from the world and indifference to both worldly happiness and worldly distress. On this level, one also yokes oneself to a higher reality, that of moksha. In yoga, one values the superiority of being equal-minded towards both happiness and distress and seeking absorption in Brahman. In terms of being, one no longer perceives of oneself or others as the body but as eternal spirit souls bound by the laws of samsara.

On the third level (moksha), one replaces the indifference and detachment of the second level with deep love and attachment for the Supreme Person. As for being, the awakened spirit soul of the second level now becomes a pure servant and a lover of the Supreme Person.

The three levels represent internal mental states or attitudes. Thus, one who sees the world from the point of view of the first level is convinced that he is a human being and that his aim is to prosper. On the second level, one is convinced that he is an embodied spiritual self and that his aim is to get released from that condition. On the third level, one sees the Supreme Lord everywhere and tries to love and serve Him.

We can use a three-story house as a metaphor. Each story contains unlimited opportunities and paths. Moreover, the residents of each floor have their own language, terms, and assumptions. In a sense, the Bhagavad-gita speaks in three languages and constantly moves between the three levels. Once we recognise which level a particular text or section is on, that text or section becomes intelligible and we can see how it is consistent with the rest of the treatise.

An Example of the Bhagavad-gita’s Shifting Between Metaphysical Levels

When Arjuna argues against fighting the war, he does so from the first level. We can examine his arguments according to the two parameters previously mentioned: values and being. Regarding values, it is clear that underlying Arjuna’s speech is the desire to achieve worldly prosperity. One of his main points is that the war would cause the decline of dharma and the rise of adharma, and thus suffering would come upon the world. As he believes that prosperity is good, he objects to the war. In terms of being, Arjuna thinks of himself and the others there as human beings.

Krishna doesn’t answer Arjuna directly, but raises the conversation to the second level. In Krishna’s reply the values He propounds are utterly different; Krishna does not accept the idea that worldly prosperity is good, but calls for indifference to (and endurance of) both worldly happiness and worldly distress. He says these are impermanent and produced by sensual perception alone. As for being, Krishna does not refer to the soldiers present as human beings; rather, He refers to them as spirit souls.

By not directly answering Arjuna’s doubts about fighting, Krishna performs a kind of a “Copernican revolution,” changing the underlying assumptions of the conversation. Arjuna argues that killing his relatives is bad, an obvious first-story statement that assumes that people are subjected to death and that death is to be avoided as far as possible for the sake of a prosperous life. Krishna doesn’t answer Arjuna’s arguments, but shifts the conversation to a different level altogether and speaks out of different assumptions. Basically He says that death doesn’t exist at all (a second-story assumption) and therefore He doesn’t see much logic in Arjuna’s arguments. Also, Krishna challenges Arjuna’s idea that worldly prosperity and happiness are good and to be desired. He propounds the idea that indifference to both happiness and distress is good and desirable. As such, He speaks from a second-story position.

The Bhagavad-gita’s Transformational Aspect

As a practical scripture, the Bhagavad-gita offers the means for crossing the gap between the first level (dharma) and the third (moksha). Mere following of dharma while avoiding adharma is not sufficient to attain the stage of moksha. One needs a different type of endeavor or path. This process or enterprise is sometimes called self-realisation, and it involves a transformational path by which one progresses step by step, thus making advancement from the lower level to the higher one. What practical means or system does the Bhagavad-gita offer?

A major question raised in the Bhagavad-gita is whether one should choose the path of action or the path of contemplation. Arjuna raises the question twice, at the beginning of the third and fifth chapters. The Bhagavad-gita clearly recommends the path of action as the means by which the performer is to be elevated all the way from the level of dharma to the state of moksha. One performs this uplifting action according to one’s dharma and continues to work within the dharmic framework all along the way. Thus, Krishna encourages Arjuna throughout their conversation to follow his dharma and fight. However, as the text progresses, Arjuna’s motives for fighting are refined. Krishna shows Arjuna how he can fight in higher and higher inner states of consciousness. Thus, although externally we continue to carry out our prescribed duty, we undergo an internal transformation through sublimation or purification of our motives for performing action. In this way a kind of ladder is formed, by which one rises higher and higher, from dharma to moksha, along the path of self-realization.

Textual References for the Ladder of Motives

At the lowest stage, one’s actions are motivated by utilitarianism, or the desire to achieve something for oneself. Krishna first uses a utilitarian argument to try to convince Arjuna to take up arms. He assumes that Arjuna aspires to accumulate gain, such as fame, and argues that by withdrawing from the battle, Arjuna will loose his fame.

Krishna’s next argument is also utilitarian, but is somewhat higher in that it accepts scriptural authority by stating that warriors who die in battle attain heaven. Thus we can call the stage on which this argument is based the stage of “religious utilitarianism” or “dharmic utilitarianism.”

In other words, Krishna advises Arjuna to follow dharma to achieve some end in this life or the next. Still higher is following dharma for its own sake, or performing one’s duty for the sake of duty. That stage represents a pure mode of action, free from desire for its fruits, and is one of the central teachings of the Bhagavad-gita. It is still within the first story, however, as it doesn’t include an awareness of the ultimate good, which according to the Bhagavad-gita is release from samsara. Still, those who follow dharma for its own sake reach the top of the first level and can progress further, into the next stage.

The next stage rejects the value of the Vedas, considered to be engaged with worldly gains, in favor of a higher ideal: the attainment of Brahman. We can call this stage “action for the sake of the highest good (Brahman).” He who thus acts is situated in the second level, characterised by various yoga processes. He may act now in karma-yoga; uninterested in the fruits of his actions, he offers those fruits to the Supreme. He may practice jnana-yoga, ashtanga-yoga, or bhakti-yoga. All these yoga practices have the common goal of detaching oneself from worldly existence and attachments and fixing oneself to the Supreme. Enlightenment and renunciation characterize the stage of yoga. Having perfected that stage, we finally elevate ourselves to the third story, that of moksha, and continue to carry out our duty in a deep, pure, spontaneous, and unalloyed mood of loving devotion unto Krishna.

Summary

We’ve added some steps to our basic three-step ladder. Now we can summarize the stages as simple utilitarianism, dharmic utilitarianism, duty for its own sake, acting for the sake of the highest good or Brahman, the stage of yoga, and the stage of moksha or pure devotion. On this ladder of motives, the higher one’s motive for action is, the higher one is situated in the Bhagavad-gita’s metaphysical structure. In this way the Bhagavad-gita encompasses the entire realm of existence while encouraging all to ascend the ladder of motives, thus distancing oneself from samsara and absorbing oneself in Brahman. Following this structure, a student can make sense of the Bhagavad-gita as a coherent theological-philosophical treatise, firmly tied together as a single and unified text. It can offer a model for a three-story house in which the whole world can reside.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=22066

In spite of the fact that everything comes from the Supreme Being, He is still aloof from it all. He does not disengage Himself from His eternal pleasure pastimes with His devotees in the spiritual realm. So, in the process of creating the material worlds, the Supreme expands Himself into various forms, which are His plenary parts. Krishna is the primeval Lord, the original Personality of Godhead, so He can expand Himself into unlimited forms with all potencies. They are no different from Him, but may exhibit differences in form.

He first expands Himself into Baladeva, or Balarama, who is considered Krishna’s second body and brother. Balarama assists in Lord Krishna’s innumerable spiritual pastimes in both the spiritual and material realms.

Lord Balarama is also Lord Sankarshana, the predominator of the creative energy. He creates and is the shelter of the material and spiritual worlds. By the will of Krishna and the power of the spiritual energy, Lord Balarama creates the spiritual world, which consists of the planet Goloka Vrindavana and the Vaikuntha planets. 1

Lord Balarama especially assists Lord Krishna in the creation of the material worlds. After Balarama has expanded Himself into Lord Maha-Sankarshana, He expands Himself into four different forms, including: 1) Karanadakashayi Vishnu [Maha-Vishnu], 2) Garbhodakashayi Vishnu [the expansion in each universe], 3) Ksirodakashayi Vishnu [the Supersoul in each individual], and 4) Sesha, also called Seshanaga. These first four plenary portions assist in the material cosmic manifestation. Sesha is Balarama’s form who assists in the Lord’s personal service. He is also called Ananta, meaning unlimited, because He assists the Lord in His unlimited variety of pastimes. 2

* * *

To explain more clearly, all expansions of the Lord begin with Sri Krishna. For His pastimes in one of the highest levels of the spiritual realm, called Dvaraka, Sri Krishna expands Himself into Balarama, who then expands Himself into Pradyumna and Aniruddha. These four expand into a second quadruple which is present in the unlimited Vaikuntha planets of the spiritual sky. The second quadruple is known as Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. They are changeless, transcendental expansions of the Supreme Lord, Krishna. In this second quadruple, Vasudeva is an expansion of Krishna, and Sankarshana is a representation of Balarama.

In the Vaikuntha sky there is the pure, spiritual creative energy called Shuddha-sattva that sustains all of the spiritual planets with the full opulences of knowledge, wealth, power, beauty, etc., all of which pervade the entire spiritual kingdom and are fully enjoyed by the residents there. This energy is but a display of the creative potencies of Balarama, Maha-Sankarshana. It is also this Sankarshana who is the original cause of the Causal Ocean where Karanodakashayi Vishnu (Maha-Vishnu) sleeps, while breathing out the seeds of innumerable universes. When the cosmic creation is annihilated, all of the materially conditioned, although indestructible, living entities merge back into the body of Maha-Vishnu where they rest until the time of the next creation. So, Balarama as Sankarshana is the origin of Maha-Vishnu, from whom originates all of the potencies of the material manifestation. 3

So, to summarize, for His spiritual pastimes in the Vaikuntha realm, Lord Krishna has four original expansions, namely Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. Maha-Vishnu is an expansion of Sankarshana; Garbhodakashayi Vishnu is an expansion of Pradyumna; and Ksirodakashayi Vishnu is an expansion of Aniruddha. 4

* * *

To begin explaining the purpose and function of these expansions, the Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.6.42) describes that, “Maha-Vishnu (Karanadakashayi Vishnu) is the first incarnation of the Supreme Lord in the process of creating the material worlds. He is the master of eternal time, space, cause and effects, mind, elements, material ego, the modes of nature, senses, the universal form of the Lord (Garbhodakashayi Vishnu) and the sum total of all living beings, both moving and nonmoving.”

Then Maha-Vishnu lies down in the Viraja River, which is the border between the spiritual and material worlds. 5

Lord Maha-Vishnu is the source of thousands of avataras in His thousands and thousands of subjective portions. He is the creator of countless individual souls. He is also known by the name of Narayana, meaning the shelter of all the individual jiva souls. From Him springs forth the vast expanse of water known as the spiritual Causal Ocean. Maha-Vishnu then reclines in the waters of the Causal Ocean in a state of divine sleep, called yoga-nidra. Thus, it is said that the universal creation is but the dream of Maha-Vishnu. 6

Since the waters of the Causal Ocean, known as the Karana Ocean, come from the body of Maha-Vishnu, it is completely spiritual. The sacred Ganges is but a drop from that ocean, which can purify the fallen souls. 7

Lord Balarama also expands into the great serpent known as Ananta, or Seshanaga. He reposes on the Causal Ocean and serves as the couch upon whom Lord Maha-Vishnu reclines. 8

That Ananta-Sesha is the devotee incarnation of God who knows nothing but service to Lord Krishna. With His thousands of mouths He always sings the endless glories of Lord Krishna. He also expands Himself to serve as Lord Krishna’s paraphernalia, including such items as the umbrella, slippers, bedding, pillow, garments, resting chair, residence, sacred gayatri thread, and throne in the pastimes of Lord Krishna. Thus, He has attained and exhibits the ultimate end of servitude to Lord Krishna. 9

At the time of creation, after the Supreme has been sleeping for some time, the first emanation from the breathing of Lord Maha-Vishnu are the personified Vedas who serve Him by waking Him from His mystic sleep. They begin to enthusiastically sing His glories, pastimes, and praises, just as a King is awaken in the morning by poets who recite his heroic deeds. 10 This shows the eternal nature of the Vedic literature. They are not merely the writings of men, but they are spiritual vibrations that exist before and after the material creation, and which emanate from the Supreme Lord.

Once the Lord is awoken, He casts His glance upon the material energy of maya. Then she becomes agitated. At that time the Lord injects the original seeds of all living entities. This glance is how the Supreme impregnates material nature with all the living entities. Thus, the Lord does not personally touch the material energy, but by His functional expansion He places the living entities into the material nature by His glance. 11 This functional expansion of the Lord takes the form as Shiva, which will be explained later.

After agitating material nature into three qualities, which are the modes of nature in the form of passion, goodness, and ignorance, they become active and material nature begins to give birth to the total material energy known as the hiranya-mahat-tattva. This is the sum total of cosmic intelligence. Thus, material nature becomes agitated by the destinations of the conditioned souls as determined by the influence of the modes of nature. 12

Simply by the glance of Maha-Vishnu consciousness is created, which is known as the mahat-tattva. The predominating Deity of the mahat-tattva is Lord Vasudeva, another expansion of Lord Krishna. This explains how the material energy is like the mother of the living beings while the Lord is the Supreme Father of everyone. Just as a woman cannot give birth without the contact of a man, or at least his seed, so material nature cannot create without the contact of the Supreme Being.

So, first the total material energy is manifest, and from this arise the three types of egotism, which are the original sources of all the demigods [the minor controlling deities], the senses, and material elements. By combining the different elements, the Supreme Lord creates all of the unlimited universes. Once the material elements have been manifested, and the full potential for creating the universes has been established, the innumerable universes begin to emanate from the pores of the body of Maha-Vishnu, and from His exhalations. They appear just like atomic particles that float in sunshine and pass through a screen. When Maha-Vishnu inhales at the time of the universal annihilation, they return to His body. In this way, Maha-Vishnu is the Supersoul of all the universes. 13

Brahma, the demigods, and each universe remain alive for the duration of one of His exhalations. 14 However, there is no limit to the exhalations of Maha-Vishnu. 15

Once all of the universes are created, which are unlimited, Maha-Vishnu expands Himself into unlimited forms and enters each universe as Garbhodakashayi Vishnu. Once He is in each universe, He sees that there is no place to reside. Then, after some consideration, He fills half of the universe with water from His own perspiration. He then lays down on the water, again supported by the bed of Seshanaga. 16

Garbhodakashayi Vishnu, who is known within the universe as Hiranyagarbha and Antaryami, the Supersoul, is glorified in the Vedic hymns. He is the master of each and every universe and shelter of the external or material energy. However, being transcendental, He is completely beyond the touch of the external energy.

Next is the third expansion of Vishnu, called Ksirodakashayi Vishnu, who is the incarnation of the quality of goodness. He is the universal form of the Lord and expands Himself as the Supersol within every living entity. He is known as Ksirodakashayi Vishnu because He lies on the ocean of milk on the island of Svetadvipa. These are the three expansions of Lord Vishnu who oversee and make the creation of the material world possible. 17

In this way, we can see how all of the expansions of the Lord, and also all of His energies that are manifested to bring forth the cosmic creation, all originate from Lord Krishna. Therefore, the reason why Lord Krishna is considered the ninth incarnation is only because this is the order in which He displays His avatars before He displays His own pastimes. Basically, if we can further understand this description, everything is but a pastime of the Lord.

A few additional verses that clarify this topic include the 3rd chapter of the 1st Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam which describes the principle incarnations of the Supreme Lord. Having done that, verse 28 says:

ete camsha-kalah pumsah

krsnas tu bhagavan svayam

indrari-vyakulam lokam

mridayanti yuge yuge

“All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krishna is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.”

Also in Brahma Samhita (5.1) Lord Brahma says:

isvarah paramah krishnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah

anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam

“Krishna who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.”

In this way, the Vedic literature agrees that Krishna is the source of Brahma, Shiva and all other demigods. In the Atharva Veda (Gopala-tapani Upanishad 1.24) it is said, yo brahmanam vidadhati purvam yo vai vedamsh cha gapayati sma krishnah: “It was Krishna who in the beginning instructed Brahma in Vedic knowledge and who disseminated Vedic knowledge in the past.”

Then the Narayana Upanishad (1) says, atha purusho ha vai narayano kamayata prajah srijeyeti: “Then the Supreme Personality Narayana desired to create living entities.” The Upanishad continues, narayanad brahma jayate, narayanad prajapatih prajayate, narayanad indro jayate, narayanad ashtau vasavo jayante, narayanad ekadasha rudra jayante, narayanad dvadashadityah: “From Narayana, Brahma is born, and from Narayana the patriarchs are also born. From Narayana, Indra is born, from Narayana the eight Vasus are born, from Narayana the eleven Rudras are born, from Narayana the twelve Adityas are born.”

This Narayana is an expansion of Krishna as previously explained.

It is further said in the Narayana Upanishad 4, brahmanyo devaki-putrah: “The son of Devaki, Krishna, is the Supreme Personality.”

In the Moksha-dharma Sri Krishna Himself says,

prajapatim cha rudram chapy aham eva srijami vai

tau hi mam na vijanito mama maya-vimohitau

“The patriarchs, Shiva and others are created by Me, though they do not know that they are created by Me because they are deluded by My illusory energy.”

Lord Brahma continues to pray and explains in his Brahma Samhita (5.46) how the potency in Krishna’s expansions spreads from one form to another:

diparchir eva hi dashantaram abhyupetya

dipayate vivrita-hetu-samana-dharma

yas tadrig eva hi cha vishnutaya vibhati

govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami

“The light of one candle being communicated to other candles, although it burns separately in them, is the same in its quality. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda who exhibits Himself equally in the same mobile manner in His various manifestations.”

Thus, the Vedic knowledge clearly accepts Sri Krishna (Govinda) as the original independent causeless fountainhead of all of His various personality manifestations known as the various Vishnu avataras (forms/personalities).

CHAPTER NOTES

1. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.255-6

2. Ibid., Adi-lila, 5.4-6, 8-11

3. Ibid., Adi-lila, 5.41 & purport

4. Ibid., Adi-lila, 2.56, purport

5. Ibid., Madhya-lila, 20.268-271

6. Brahma-samhita, 5.11-12

7. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, 5.54

8. Brahma-samhita, 5.47

9. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 5.120-124

10. Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.87.12-13

11. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.272

12. Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.26.19

13. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.275-282

14. Brahma-samhita, 5.48

15. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.324

16. Ibid., Madhya-lila, 20.284-6

17. Ibid., Madhya-lila, 20.292, 294-5

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=70584