The ISKCON Constitution Drafting Committee has assembled a document to answer frequently asked questions. We hope this document helps you address any questions you have.
Read more: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117253
ISKCON Desire Tree's Posts (20222)
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By Ambarish Maharaj Das
For decades, ISKCON Wellington has lovingly served the community through vibrant kīrtana, enlightening spiritual discourse, free vegetarian prasādam, youth programs, festivals, and heartfelt devotional gatherings.
In June 2024, however, due to structural and legal challenges, our previous temple premises were closed. Since then, devotees have been without a sacred space for darśana, without the joy of standing before the Deities, without the sacred sound of kīrtana resonating through the temple hall. The silence has been deeply felt.
Yet Krishna’s mercy never abandons His devotees. Through tireless effort, faith, and divine arrangement, a new property has been secured and granted a resource consent to operate as a place of worship. By the generosity of many well-wishers, $2.5 million has already been contributed toward the March 2026 settlement.
Now we stand at the most critical and most inspiring phase of this sacred journey. We are raising $750,000 to complete essential renovations, including:
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Establishing the altar and sacred Deity rooms
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Preparing the temple assembly hall
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Building a proper kitchen for the deities and the devotees
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Creating facilities for kīrtana, festivals, youth programs, and spiritual education
Every contribution, large or small, brings us closer to reopening Krishna’s doors, where His mercy can once again flow freely for all.
As Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gītā 9.27:
“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform – do that, O son of Kuntī, as an offering to Me.”
This is our opportunity to live with Krishna forever.
Donate today and help bring Krishna back home to Wellington:
https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/iskcon-wellington-new-temple
We are also deeply grateful to senior Vaishnava leaders and Maharajas worldwide for their heartfelt blessings and encouragement:
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His Holiness Ramai Swami Maharaj – GBC for ISKCON New Zealand
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His Holiness Devamrita Swami Maharaj – GBC for ISKCON New Zealand
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His Holiness Vedavyasapriya Swami Maharaj – Disciple of Srila Prabhupada
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His Holiness Janananda Goswami Maharaj – Disciple of Srila Prabhupada
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His Grace Gokuleshwar Prabhuji – Vice President, ISKCON Juhu
One temple. Infinite blessings. Be part of it.
The Sri Navadvipa-dhama Virtual Parikrama offers a spiritually enriching pilgrimage experience, inspired by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s vision. This initiative provides darshan of holy places, scriptural insights, enlightening videos, and Google-integrated navigation. QR codes at holy places grant instant access to Gaudiya Vaishnava teachings. With a mobile-friendly, multilingual platform, devotees worldwide can engage in parikrama virtually, fulfilling the desires of previous acharyas and spreading the glories of Sri Navadvipa-dhama
https://srimayapurdhama.com/srinavadvipadhama-virtual-parikrama/
HH Svayam Bhagavan Keshava Maharaja delivered a Marathon Podcast entitled ‘The School of Life’ in December 2025.
Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117424
By Atma Tattva Das,
In 2025, ISKCON Cyprus continued to solidify its identity as a committed, congregationally driven community, enhancing regular programs and improving cooperation across the island. Although the community is relatively small, with approximately 36 devotees, around 15 of whom are initiated practitioners, it has demonstrated steady growth through consistency, shared responsibility, and a clear focus on development. Devotees reside in various towns and cities across Cyprus, but they regularly travel to gather for Sunday programs, Nama-Hatta meetings, festivals, and study groups. This rhythm of coming together has become the backbone of their spiritual life.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/small-yatra-steady-growth-iskcon-cyprus-expands-weekly-programs-and-outreach/
Under the flagship of ISKCON’s Congregational Development Ministry, a two-day Bhakti Vriksha Leadership Training Course was held on February 21–22, 2026 at ISKCON Noida (Govind Dham), Delhi-NCR. More than 35 devotees from the local community gathered with enthusiasm and determination to deepen their leadership skills and expand congregational outreach. The program was guided by His Grace Vedanta Chaitanya Das, Temple President of ISKCON Noida.
The training reflects the dynamic growth of ISKCON Noida, which continues to serve as a vibrant spiritual hub in the region. Through village, youth, and college preaching programs, the ISKCON Girls Forum, house programs, society outreach, and its Gurukula for children’s education, the temple touches thousands of lives. The community includes over 30 full-time devotees, more than 30 Bhakti Vriksha groups, multiple preaching centers, and a thriving congregation of over 1,000 devotees. In a recent book distribution marathon alone, devotees distributed more than 10,000 transcendental literatures.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/bhakti-vriksha-leadership-training-strengthens-iskcon-noidas-outreach/
While in Jaipur we went to the Madan Mohan temple in Karauli.
Madan Mohan means one who can even enchant cupid. In the temple there are three altars. Madan Mohan with Srimati Radharani and Lalita Devi are present in the center altar. On the left altar Gopal Krishna with Radharani and Lalita.
The king of Karauli worshiped the second set of deities 100 years before even Madan Mohan came to Karauli. The deities receive a midday offering consisting of 56 dishes.
The deity of Madan mohan was worshiped by Sanatan Goswami in Vrindavan at the Madan Mohan temple. This deity gave blessings to Krishnadas Kaviraj Das Goswami to write his classic work, the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita.
In 1670 Maharaj Jai Singh brought Madan Mohan to Jaipur from Vrindavan. His brother in law, Maharaj Gopal Singh had dream in which Madan Mohan expressed his desire to return to the area of Vraja. Karauli is considered to be a part of great Vraja mandala.
He then told Maharaja Jai Singh about it and asked permission to bring Madan Mohan to Karauli. Maharaja Jai Singh was also attached to serving the deity. So he made one condition that Maharaja Gopal Singh would be blind folded and all the three deities i.e. Govinda, Gopinath and Madan Mohan would be placed and if he could distinguish Madan Mohan then he could take Him to Karauli.
Maharaj Gopal Singh prayed to Madan Mohan to reveal Himself during the test. So Madan Mohan again appeared to him in dream and said that when he touches the deity He will lower His right hand more than the other two deities and that’s how to recognize Him.
That’s how Maharaja Gopal Singh could take the deity of Madan Mohan to Karauli to worship. Because of this pastime even today the right hand of Madan Mohan is lower and not in line with left hand.
3rd National Conference (ISKCON GBC Ministry of Cow Protection & Agriculture): “Krishi Go-Raksha Vanijyam — Unifying Farms & Temples”
Gopal Krishna Gaushala, ISKCON Kathwada, Ahmedabad (Gujarat, India)
February 22, 2026
Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117421
Swarup das (ACBSP): This story is from my memoirs (that I’ve been trying to consolidate into a book for the past few years).
I met Usika at the Henry Street, Brooklyn temple in ‘71. At the time his name was Ezekiel. He was initiated and given the name Usika in July of that year when Srila Prabhupada came to Brooklyn. Unlike just about all of us who were in our 20’s .. Usika was either just south or north of 50. He was crotchety, moody, cynical and impatient when it came to his dealings with “you young people” as he called us. He had strong convictions in the philosophy and had a deep and sincere reverence for Srila Prabhupada.
One day I found a pair of reading glasses with the name “Jack Stonebrook” glued to the inside of the frame. They looked like Usika’s eyeglasses but I remembered his name was Ezekiel and not Jack. I asked him if the glasses were his and he confirmed that they were. Next obvious question was “Who then is Jack Stonebrook?” “Oh, that’s me. That’s my real name. Ezekiel is the name my spirit guide gave me.” His answer certainly got my attention. I had to hear the story and he was more than happy to tell it.
Usika was the father of a devotee girl named Susan who was eventually initiated with the name Shasti. Shasti’s mother died at a young age and Usika raised her by himself. Shasti was the wife of Mohanananda who helped begin and run the Dallas gurukula for awhile. He left ISKCON in the late 70’s and tried to become a Hollywood Producer. He (Michael Walker was his legal name) was Associate Producer of one movie that I know of .. an animated film called “The Last Unicorn.” Anyway… Shasti, Usika’s daughter, was clairvoyant .. a medium. She channeled various spirits and sometimes using ouija boards or tarot cards made contact with beings from other dimensions. The first of several “spirit guides” gave them the names Ezekiel and Alice. They would ask all sorts of questions of these guides and as their questions got deeper and their thirst for knowledge of higher truths increased they were handed over to higher beings for the answers they were seeking.
The last of their guides was named “Kismet.” He told them that the knowledge they were looking for was in a book but he didn’t tell them the name of the book … just to go to a bookstore and begin looking. They did. They roamed around for over an hour and Alice wasn’t getting any signals nor clues. Finally they gave up and just grabbed some book about Zen and went to the counter to pay for it. While the owner rang up their purchase suddenly a book fell from a shelf behind the cash register. It was the first abridged Bhagavad-gita As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. They bought it, read it … and the rest, as they say … is history.
Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=29620
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi,
India’s Union Home and Cooperation Minister of India Shri Amit Shah visited ISKCON’s spiritual world headquarters at Mayapur (West Bengal) on February 18, 2026, as part of the yearlong celebrations commemorating the 152nd Jayanti of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. The celebrations are being organized by the Saraswata Gaudiya Vaishnava Association (SGVA), a confederation of over 50 Saraswata Gaudiya Vaishnava organizations across India. The event drew devotees, religious leaders, and dignitaries from various parts of the country.
“Upon his arrival, the Honorable Home Minister came to the temple hall to receive the darshan and offer puja to Lord Narasimha, Sri Sri Pancha Tattva, and Sri Sri Radha Madhava. He also offered flowers to Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. While in the temple, he also received a Darshan Book and the latest Bhagavad-gita As It Is in tribal language from Jayapataka Swami. Later, he was also briefed about the Temple of Vedic Planetarium. He enthusiastically committed to be a part of the inauguration festival,” said Yudhistir Govinda Das, Country Director of Communications of ISKCON India.
Prior to his arrival, Shri Amit Shah shared that he had spoken with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who conveyed his Hare Krishna greetings to all assembled.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/union-home-minister-of-india-shri-amit-shah-visits-iskcon-mayapur/
By Rasika Ramana Dasa
What kept an ancient civilization alive despite centuries of brutal invasion and subjugation? What gave its people the strength to remain chaste and faithful to their traditions even in a hostile and volatile political environment? And from the other side—how would their deep spiritual fervour appear to an invader from a foreign faith, curious yet unfamiliar with India’s spiritual pulse? Was there ever a possibility of dialogue between the two worlds?
These questions have often intrigued me about India’s civilizational endurance, and Himanshu Asnani’s The Forest of Love sheds light on many of them through the gripping tale of Madhavi and Shahid.
At its heart, The Forest of Love is a work of historical fiction that masterfully intertwines three captivating narratives. The first unfolds against the dramatic political canvas of 16th-century India, when Emperor Akbar was building his vast empire with the valorous Rajputs at his side. The second thread captures the spiritual renaissance of Vrindavan, the sacred heart of Bhakti culture and one of the richest crucibles of Indian art, architecture, and devotion. The third thread follows the inner journey of an ordinary man—searching for identity, meaning, and faith amidst the turbulence of his times.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/book-review-the-forest-of-love-a-journey-of-awakening/
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi,
The 21-Day Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Reading Challenge is an online scripture study initiative associated with Vedavarsity, an educational platform functioning under In Service of Srimad Bhagavatam (INSS). The program is structured as a three-week reading experience centered on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam beginning on March 18, 2026 and continuing for 21 consecutive days until April 7, 2026.
The initiative is the vision of Brajsundar Das, who, after traveling to 174 cities across 21 countries over a decade, founded INSS on January 16, 2025, inspired by Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami. Recognizing the need for a structured platform to connect people to the principles of Bhakti and the wisdom of the Srimad Bhagavatam, INSS aims to provide practical and spiritual training to devotees and seekers alike.
Speaking on the purpose of the challenge, Brajsundar Das explained: “The main purpose of the 21-Day Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Reading Challenge is to help devotees streamline their Shastric study, especially Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.” He clarified that the program is not simply a call to begin from the first chapter; it welcomes devotees at every stage of their journey. “Those who are already studying certain cantos, but are not steady, can join this campaign, and we will help them systemize their study.”
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/vedavarsity-announces-21-day-srimad-bhagavatam-reading-challenge/
From Back to Godhead
By Guru Dasa (Gurudev D. Allin), a disciple of His Holiness Bhaktimarga Swami.
“Oh, God, I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams.” Shakespeare’s Hamlet, 2.2 (First Folio) This line from Hamlet nicely sums up the absurdity of our delusions of self-importance. I wrote this meditation on the importance of humility as part of my effort to shake my own delusions of knowledge and significance.
Human nature seems to drive us to thinking we know more than we actually know. I like to tell people, “The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.” I believe this principle holds true for any sphere of human activity or learning, be it scientific, theological, or anything else, even vocations.
We should always try to appreciate that the “unknown unknowns” – those things we do not know that we do not know – vastly outweigh both the tiny pittance of knowledge we have obtained in our years and those things we actually understand we don’t know.
We are all in that boat no matter how accomplished, learned, or scholarly, but appreciating that fact takes effort. We seem to be hardwired to think we understand things even if we do not. I count myself as no exception to this rule, and it takes great mental effort for me to step outside of my own shoes and even try to appreciate my own ignorance.
“The more you know, the more you know you don’t know” could be regarded as a truism. Merriam-Webster defines truism as “an undoubted or self-evident truth.” This same truism goes for all fields of so-called knowledge, including all faith traditions, all philosophical points of view, and all sciences, whether considered “soft” or “hard” or anything in between. You see this false confidence in the rabid atheist who insists that there is no God and no such thing as the soul. You see it in the fanatic who shouts that nobody else understands God or that everyone else is going to hell for their sins.
We followers of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition and of Srila Prabhupada are not exempt either. Generally speaking, we all have our anarthas, the dirt in our minds and our hearts that causes us to be arrogant or do things that are unhelpful for ourselves or others. We also all have our false ego, or ahankara, that false sense of self that identifies with our specific situation of the moment. This is our “false ego” – a false sense of self – and it evolves over the course of our life and from one life to another. It is temporary, as are all things in this material world.
The Tao Te Ching advises that humility is the best policy. One quote I like is translated as follows: “If the sage wants to stand above people, he must speak to them from below. If he wants to lead people, he must follow them from behind.” (Chapter 66) Leadership and humility paradoxically go together. We don’t often associate leaders with humility, but wisdom traditions teach us they do go together.
Jesus also advised humility. He said, “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” Matthew (King James Version) 20:16.
Last year I heard a talk about this same principle at a conference in San Francisco attended by hundreds of defense and corporate lawyers. We were told how the U.S. Marines follow this principle – they eat together by reverse rank order. The newest private eats first. The general eats last. It is not a written rule but is a tradition going back for centuries. This practice of humility demonstrates leadership and quality of character.
Our own shastras are replete with examples of humility. Even God Himself shows by example the importance of humility. Lord Chaitanya, whom we accept to be an incarnation of God, often speaks humbly in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, disclaiming His own divinity and knowledge, or claiming He is a fool or pretender even though He is God Himself posing as His own devotee. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam we have many examples of demigods – advanced souls invested with great opulence and cosmic responsibilities – being humbled or having faults. We have the story of Lord Brahma trying to trick Krishna (God) and finding out that he is only one of numberless Brahmas. There is a reason for all this. It is all directing us to endeavor for humility if we really want to make spiritual progress.
Fighting Our False Pride
We must always fight our false pride. False pride in ourselves or in our knowledge makes us miserable. Humility is liberating. When I think about how small I am and how little I actually know, it is liberating, like a weight lifted off my back. I am not in control, so why worry? Stress at work? Stress at home? It will all pass. It is just material nature and time playing their usual tricks. All of our stresses and insecurities are like a fleeting shadow play. Shakespeare said it well: “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts.”
We all have our parts to play at various stages of life, but unlike the actors in a Shakespeare play, we forget we are acting and think we are the character we are playing.
Our false pride also corrupts our sentiments about who God is. One of my favorite verses in the Srimad-Bhagavatam is “O brahmanas, the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water.” (1.3.26) This makes intuitive sense. Could a limited God be God? Doesn’t that defeat the very definition of God? Shouldn’t God have limitless forms and activities?
Who are we to understand God? We do not even understand ourselves, what to speak of God or God’s spiritual world. How arrogant is it to think we understand who God is? Don’t we all box God in within our minds even if unknowingly?
Another area where this comes into play is the seeming conflicts between faith and the sciences. Over the years I have thought about this topic quite a bit, and now I ask myself this: Do I really understand either the sciences I look to or the scriptures I have faith in? I like to think I do as to both, but in truth I do not understand either fully. Therefore there is no need to dwell on any seeming conflicts between science and faith.
I have faith in God, but not blind or unreasoned faith. My faith in God is tested by critical thought, and that testing strengthens it. If I were to have only blind faith, I’d easily be swayed away from faith.
True humility does not mean self-hatred. It’s an acknowledgment of our own limitations, and that is all. As I have heard some wise friends say, one who is humble does not think less of himself, but thinks of himself less. We should seek that humility which does not diminish our sense of self-worth but abhors narcissism and self-promotion.
Finally, the value of humility in our spiritual quest is that it opens our minds and hearts to instruction from higher authorities. If we do not have humility, we close the door to learning. Spiritual sources of knowledge are guru, sadhu, and shastra. It’s easy to feign respect for these higher authorities and put on a show of humility; it’s not as easy to truly achieve that humility. Without achieving it, who are we fooling? We might fool others, and we might fool ourselves, but we can’t fool the Paramatma in our hearts, the Supersoul who sees and knows all. Ultimately only the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the witness who actually matters – and we can’t fool him. So why try?
By Dina-Palika Devi Dasi
The Karuna Care Association is pleased to announce an upcoming online course designed especially for ISKCON leaders and those serving in community roles: Trauma Informed Leadership. This six-week program offers practical insight and spiritual context for understanding trauma and its impact on individuals, relationships, and temple communities.
As awareness grows around the effects of trauma on emotional well-being and spiritual life, leaders are increasingly called to respond with sensitivity, wisdom, and compassion. Childhood trauma and unresolved emotional wounds can influence relationships, leadership dynamics, faith development, and community health. This course equips participants with tools to recognize trauma’s effects and foster safer, more supportive devotional environments.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/new-karuna-care-association-course-trauma-informed-leadership/
By Prabhupada Ashraya Dasa
ISKCON Aravade recently celebrated the 52nd anniversary of its annual Hare Krishna festival, a tradition that began in 1974 on the direct instructions of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada to his disciples.
What started with just two devotees chanting and distributing prasadam in a small village has now grown into one of Maharashtra’s largest devotional gatherings, drawing nearly 25,000 participants from across the state.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-aravade-celebrates-52-years-of-hare-krishna-festival/
There are many deities of our Goswamis in Jaipur. For example, Sri Govinda was originally installed in Vrindavan nearly 5,000 years ago by Lord Krishna’s great-grandson, Vrajanabha. Govinda is one of the four presiding Deities of Vraja-mandala, who was re-discovered and worshiped by Rupa Goswami.
Govinda was later brought to the city of Amber, near Jaipur, by Maharaja Jai Singh II to protect the Deity from destruction at the hands of the Muslim emperor Aurangzeb. Jai Singh’s grandfather had originally constructed the Govinda Temple in Vrindavana.
Govinda was moved to the present temple in Jaipur about 1728. Maharaja Jai Singh created his “City of Victory”, the city of Jaipur, as a dedication to Lord Govinda The temple is in a garden of the palace complex, and when the temple doors were opened, Maharaja Jai Singh in the past could see his beloved Deity from the royal quarters.
On the altar are full-sized Deities of Govinda a beautiful black marble Deity, and Srimati Radharani.
By Dr. J. Chakrabarty, Florida State University
The concept of evolution of species, generally attributed to Charles Darwin, actually had its origin thousands of years ago in ancient India, and formed the basis of the illuminating philosophy of the Vedas. Since Darwin lived at a time when the profundity of the Indian wisdom already made an indelible impression on the minds of the western savants, it is hard to imagine how Darwin could possibly have escaped the compelling influence of the Indian thoughts while formulating his theory of evolution. Darwin differed, however, from the Indian views on evolution in several respects, all of which made his theory an intellectually unacceptable proposition. Three of the most conspicuous lines of difference between the two theories will be discussed in what follows:
1. Evolution, according to the Vedas, presupposes involution. This means that distinct attributes which remain dormant within the evolving entity simply unfold when the conditions become favourable for their manifestation. Thus, life evolves in matter just because life is already involved in matter, even as the essence of a tree is involved in the seed that producers it under suitable external conditions Similarly, mind evolves in life because mind is already involved in life, and does not make its appearance from an external source. The Vedic literature is quite emphatic about the facts that a nonexistent entity can never be made to exist in any form whatsoever, and an existing entity can never be put out of existence, though it can be transformed into a variety of other forms. The Vedic theory is therefore fully consistent with the laws of physical science, and the hypothesis of involution ensures compliance with the principles of conservation of mass and energy in the process of evolution;
Darwin’s theory, on the other hand, seems to suggest that the various attributes which characterize the process of evolution are superimposed on the evolving entity, presumably from an external source which the theory fails to identify. The Darwinian theory of evolution therefore suffers from the logical fallacy of certain things coming into existence virtually from nowhere, which is untenable from the scientific point of view. Indeed, no physical event can ever take place as a natural phenomenon without some kind of scientific reason behind it, any more than an apple can fall from the tree without the existence of the gravitational forces. The Darwinian theory of evolution also violates the well established casual law for the occurrence of phenomena.
2, According to the Vedic theory, an orderly process such as the evolution can never take place on its own, but requires the presence of an intelligent principle which is denied in Darwin’s theory. The Vedic seers duly recognized the indispensability of an intelligent principle, designated as Brahman, which forms an immutable substratum of the ever-changing phenomenal existence. The visible changes that take place in the universe could not have been perceived without the existence of an unchanging reality, even as the events that take place in a movie could not have been possible without the presence of a stationary screen. The denial of this dual purpose of the intelligent principle seems to be a bigotry that goes counter the advancement of science.
It is quite unreasonable to suppose, as Darwin’s theory seems to do, that the insentient Nature that operates on a set of physical principles over which it has no control whatsoever is capable of making crucial decisions and also implementing them in minute details. The idea of natural selection, which is an essential feature of the Darwinian theory, therefore seems to be logically inadmissible. Indeed, any selection that occurs has nothing to do with the insentient Nature, nor with the ill-equipped living entity, but has everything to do with the absolute Brahman, the intelligent Principle, which ensures the evolution to proceed in the appropriate manner. It should be noted that natural instinct and intuition seem to be meaningless expressions from the scientific point of view, since naming is not explaining.
3. The Vedic theory is also emphatic about the fact that the process of evolution applies to the individual living entity, not to the entire species to which it belongs. It is the evolution of the individuals that accounts for the collective process of the evolution. Darwin’s idea of the physical transformation of a lower form of species into a higher form is absurd, not only because such a thing has never been observed in the recorded history of mankind, but also because of the logical impossibility of bringing about the intrinsic changes in living entities, necessary for the attainment of higher states of mind, by means of mere physical changes in them. The Darwinian theory is also incapable of explaining the observed differences between individuals within the same species, since they are simultaneously generated and ought to be identical in all respects.
The Vedic theory, on the other hand, explains the evolution of species with the help of its unique philosophy of rebirth. The overwhelming body of evidence put forward. by eminent psychologists of modern times lends support to the existence of rebirth, which cannot be brushed aside as being a piece of superstition. The acceptance of rebirth is indispensable in a realistic theory of evolution, since it makes a number of issues fall into a consistent pattern. According to the principle of rebirth, a living entity can take birth in a higher form of life when the lower form ceases to be useful for its further evolution, no miraculous metamorphism being necessary for this purpose. According to the theory of rebirth, different living entities belonging to the same species but at different stages of their evolution can easily coexist with different mental levels.
The admission of rebirth makes the Vedic theory of evolution a much broader one than that of Darwin, since the attainment of human birth need not be considered as the culmination of evolution, Indeed, a single span of life is never enough to get rid of the animal propensities inherited from our subhuman ancestors. The process of evolution therefore continues according to the Vedic law of karma, which is simply the casual law applied to the actions of individual living entity, until the individual attains perfection as a human being and is able to realize the unity of existence. It is such individuals who make real contributions to the advancement of mankind. The Vedic theory is also capable of explaining the reason why certain individuals are found to be exceptionally gifted in certain areas of human accomplishment, Indeed, it is not by a miracle, but with the help of sustained efforts made over the spans of several lives that one could acquire such exceptional qualities. The Darwinian theory is not concerned with such things at all.
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SCIENCE AND RELIGION
(Dr. J. Chakrabarty, Florida State University)
At the outset, I would like to apologize to the discerning reader for using an absurd title, which implies that science and religion are mutually exclusive areas, while in actual fact they are two different aspects of one and the same reality. In modern times, there is a common tendency to regard physical science as constituting the entire field of scientific knowledge, and to dismiss anything that falls outside its limited domain as unscientific. This deplorable tendency of identifying a part for the whole betrays a frame of mind that is contrary to what is considered as scientific The main purpose of writing this article is to point out the need to include spiritual science as an integral part of a much broader field of scientific knowledge, and to indicate an appropriate means of achieving possible reconciliation between the two conflicting schools of thought.
According to the spiritually rich Vedic tradition, which is also the oldest religious and cultural tradition of mankind, every aspect of the secular or spiritual knowledge is one of numerous manifestations of an eternal and omnipotent reality which the ancient seers designated as Brahman, our aim of life being to realize our oneness with this reality. It is therefore essential for us to make use of our secular knowledge in a manner that will help us to move toward this goal without hindrances. The spectacular advancement of physical science, which has helped us to understand the mode of working of Nature, offers us a unique opportunity to achieve this, provided we choose to utilize the results of physical science for the benefit of mankind. This is precisely where the spiritual science comes in to our rescue. The object of a genuine religion is therefore to complement the knowledge of physical science by providing it with a spiritual counterpart, to enable us to make the right decision and act accordingly. Consequently, a true religion must be equipped with all the essential features of being thoroughly scientific on spiritual matters, and should not be based on a mere faith that cannot be justified by critical reasoning. Similarly, a worthy follower of physical science should have a frame of mind that is ready to accept the idea of spiritual science, which has been vindicated by the teachings of a number of spiritually enlightened beings who came to this world to show us the way to achieve spiritual perfection. A religion that is opposed to the concept of critical thinking fails to serve any useful purpose, just as an indiscriminate use of the results of physical science with no regard for the moral consequences is always counterproductive;
The ancient religion of the Vedas is exceedingly rich in its philosophical content, and is at the same time completely scientific in its outlook. It is capable of providing a sound basis for a reconciliation between science and religion as perceived by the modern mind. Religion, according to the vedic principles, is essentially a device for making us decent human beings, not an organized institution founded on a set of dogmas that are not open to intellectual scrutiny. Although the ultimate truth, according to the Vedas, cannot be arrived at with the help of reasoning alone, a spiritual truth is considered as one that does not contradict reasoning. There is a strong emphasis, therefore, on the need to purify our intellect with the help of a suitable spiritual discipline, so that we are able to make proper use of the faculty of reasoning. Incidentally, the vedic religion describes the highest state of spiritual perfection as vijnana, which means supreme scientific achievement..
The remarkable achievements in the field of physical science have created a sense of weakness among people for this important branch of human knowledge. Incidentally, they have also paved the way for a group of pseudo-scientists who are eager to exploit the common sentiment in trying to promote ideas, born of their fertile imagination, as pieces of scientific truth. They seem to succeed in getting what they want not only by using the weight of their authority to the fullest extent, but also by adopting deceptive methods of presenting their views in the garb of science. This deplorable practice has created a mass of superstition, in the name of science, which is more dangerous than some of the known forms of religious superstition, since many of these spurious conclusions are becoming an integral part of the modern education system. The fact that these results fail to satisfy proper intellectual and scientific scrutiny seems to have escaped notice of the modern intelligentsia. One such absurd theory that has received a great deal of publicity in recent times will be briefly discussed in what follow.
The so-called big bang theory of creation imagines a vanishingly small particle with an infinitely large mass as the starting point of creation of the universe, the origin and location of this fantastic particle being considered as immaterial. All of a sudden, an equally fantastic explosion took place to disintegrate this particle, generating innumerable material entities with finite masses and densities, and marking the beginning of time and space. This theory evidently gives rise to several pertinent questions which its proponents are unable to answer. Even if we accept, for the sake of argument, the existence of the extraordinary initial particle, the occurrence of a spontaneous event such as the big bang, which requires an infinitely large supply of external energy, is totally unacceptable to the genuinely scientific mind. In the first place, it is impossible to have an effect without an appropriate cause, thereby violating the well established casual law for the occurrence of natural phenomena. Secondly, an event can be identified only within a pre-existent frame of time and space, and to suggest that it is the other way round is simply absurd. Thirdly, the occurrence of a random explosion can only result in a chaotic state with resonating disorder, and it is hard to imagine how an orderly steady state could emerge without the damping effect of an external agency. These remarks, which are by no means exhaustive, should be sufficient to indicate the pseudo-scientific nature of the theory.
The big bang theory is generally associated with another theory that is based on an extraordinary concept of the universe, which is imagined to have a finite radius, and to contain all the heavenly bodies within its boundary. The universe is also supposed to be radially expanding outward, presumably into another universe of no consequence. Thus, the universe is given a different connotation from its accepted linguistic meaning. The available astronomical data on the motion of distant galaxies, based on the relativistic Doppler principle, seem to suggest that these galaxies are moving away from us with a speed which is comparable with the speed of light. Assuming these observations to have a scientific validity, they seem to suggest a curious fact which needs to be addressed. If the universe had been expanding continuously with such a high speed for a considerable length of time, it could not have remained finite enough for astronomical observations to be possible on certain distant galaxies, thereby rendering the initial assumption invalid. This objection must be resolved in a satisfactory manner before the validity of the theory of expanding universe could be truly established.
Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=7866
The world around us is changing at an ever-increasing rate. The notion of keeping up with the changing world may have relevance in devotional service. But is this perspective relevant in all areas of our practices of bhakti? Are there some elements of devotional service that must always be constant? Srila Prabhupada wrote:
The greatest danger to our movement will come when we manufacture and create our own process for worshiping the deities. … Whatever is going on, follow it just to the exact standard as I have given you, that’s all.
Srila Prabhupada often speaks about pancaratrika and bhagavata vidhis, the theme for this, our first issue of Arcana News for 2016, stressing their interdependence and importance for practitioners of bhakti yoga. ISKCON’s temple worship is clearly an element of pancaratrika vidhi. The rules of the pancaratra are specifically meant to regulate our activities, mind and senses, and thus help us to understand we are not the body and we are ultimately a servant of Krishna. Personal purification is one of the main results of deity worship. Srila Prabhupada writes:
The temple worship will keep us sanctified, and when we shall preach in sanctified, pure heart, the preaching will be immediately effective. So we have to follow the two parallel lines simultaneously for successful execution of devotional service.
Or as Jiva Gosvami explains, “Although sankirtana is sufficient for the perfection of life, the arcana, or worship of the deity in the temple, must continue in order that the devotees may stay clean and pure.”
Some may consider that in this age the pancaratra is not so relevant and that it is sufficient to simply focus on the chanting of the Lord’s holy name. Some misunderstand the appropriate mood of temple worship in ISKCON temples. This is manifest in different ways. How the deities are dressed, the mood of worship, or our interpretation of our relationship with the Lord, the way we interact with the deities, how strictly we follow the worship process and the rules and regulations of deity worship, etc. Yet Srila Prabhupada clearly explains in his purports that for this age of Kali, “Without the help of such codes [of the pancaratra], one cannot approach the Lord…” and “[the pancaratra is the] prescribed purificatory process suitable to the age and time.”
Bhagavata vidhi, also known as bhagavata marga or raga marga, broadly refers to activities such as hearing and chanting, studying Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc. In the Bhagavad-gita it is explained that even though we are followers of the bhagavata marga, still we engage in devotional service according to the rules of the pancaratrika vidhi.
While the pancaratrika vidhi is what helps to situate a devotee in the purity required to approach the Lord, the bhagavata marga gives us the inspiration or taste that enlivens us in our practice of devotional service. While all of us experience some glimpses of bhagavata marga in our day-to-day practices, the bhagavatamarga is particularly suited or available to those who are elevated to the consciousness of the residents of Vrndavana.
In our practice of deity worship in ISKCON, though predominately pancaratrika vidhi, it is actually a blend of pancaratrika and bhagavata vidhis, as explained by Srila Prabhupada in the following extract from Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.24.45-46, purport:
Generally the worship of the Lord begins with the worship of Narayana, or Visnu, whereas the worship of Lord Krsna and Radha is most confidential. Lord Narayana is worshipable by the pancaratrika-vidhi, or regulative principles, whereas Lord Krsna is worshipable by the bhagavata-vidhi. No one can worship the Lord in the bhagavata-vidhi without going through the regulations of the pancaratrika-vidhi.
Actually, neophyte devotees worship the Lord according to the pancaratrika-vidhi, or the regulative principles enjoined in the Narada-pancaratra. Radha-Krsna cannot be approached by the neophyte devotees; therefore temple worship according to regulative principles is offered to Laksmi-Narayana. Although there may be a Radha-Krsna vigraha, or form, the worship of the neophyte devotees is acceptable as Laksmi-Narayana worship. Worship according to the pancaratrikavidhi is called vidhi-marga, and worship according to the bhagavata-vidhi principles is called raga-marga. The principles of raga-marga are especially meant for devotees who are elevated to the Vrndavana platform.
Srila Prabhupada also explains, if we accept one without the other it will become troublesome later.
So both things should continue: bhagavata-marga and pancaratriki-marga. … Both of them should be accepted, parallel line. Otherwise, one without the other will be later on troublesome.
Even though we are followers of advanced souls known as raganuga bhaktas, and we may be inspired by the Lord’s Vrndavana pastimes and our ultimate destination is His supreme abode of Goloka Vrndavana, it is still necessary for us to approach the Lord through the rules and regulations of the pancaratra in order for us to become purified enough to gain access to the Lord’s abode in the spiritual world.
By Ananth Krishnan for the Hindu.com
In and around Quanzhou, a bustling industrial city, there are shrines that historians believe may have been part of a network of more than a dozen Hindu temples and shrines
A panel of inscriptions of the God Narasimha adorns the entrance to the main shrine of the temple, believed to have been installed by Tamil traders who lived in Quanzhou in the 13th century. Photo: Ananth Krishnan
For the residents of Chedian, a few thousand-year-old village of muddy by-lanes and old stone courtyard houses, she is just another form of Guanyin, the female Bodhisattva who is venerated in many parts of China.
But the goddess that the residents of this village pray to every morning, as they light incense sticks and chant prayers, is quite unlike any deity one might find elsewhere in China. Sitting cross-legged, the four-armed goddess smiles benignly, flanked by two attendants, with an apparently vanquished demon lying at her feet.
Local scholars are still unsure about her identity, but what they do know is that this shrine’s unique roots lie not in China, but in far away south India. The deity, they say, was either brought to Quanzhou — a thriving port city that was at the centre of the region’s maritime commerce a few centuries ago — by Tamil traders who worked here some 800 years ago, or perhaps more likely, crafted by local sculptors at their behest.
“This is possibly the only temple in China where we are still praying to a Hindu God,” says Li San Long, a Chedian resident, with a smile.
“Even though most of the villagers still think she is Guanyin!” Mr. Li said the village temple collapsed some 500 years ago, but villagers dug through the rubble, saved the deity and rebuilt the temple, believing that the goddess brought them good fortune — a belief that some, at least, still adhere to.
The Chedian shrine is just one of what historians believe may have been a network of more than a dozen Hindu temples or shrines, including two grand big temples, built in Quanzhou and surrounding villages by a community of Tamil traders who lived here during the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1279-1368) dynasties.
At the time, this port city was among the busiest in the world and was a thriving centre of regional maritime commerce.
The history of Quanzhou’s temples and Tamil links was largely forgotten until the 1930s, when dozens of stones showing perfectly rendered images of the god Narasimha — the man-lion avatar of Vishnu — were unearthed by a Quanzhou archaeologist called Wu Wenliang. Elephant statues and images narrating mythological stories related to Vishnu and Shiva were also found, bearing a style and pattern that was almost identical to what was evident in the temples of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh from a similar period.
Wu’s discoveries received little attention at the time as his country was slowly emerging from the turmoil of the Japanese occupation, the Second World War and the civil war. It took more than a decade after the Communists came to power in 1949 for the stones and statues to even be placed in a museum, known today as the Quanzhou Maritime Museum.
“It is difficult to say how many temples there were, and how many were destroyed or fell to ruin,” the museum’s vice curator Wang Liming told The Hindu. “But we have found them spread across so many different sites that we are very possibly talking about many temples that were built across Quanzhou.”
Today, most of the sculptures and statues are on display in the museum, which also showcases a map that leaves little doubt about the remarkable spread of the discoveries. The sites stretch across more than a dozen locations located all over the city and in the surrounding county. The most recent discoveries were made in the 1980s, and it is possible, says Ms. Wang, that there are old sites yet to be discovered.
The Maritime Museum has now opened a special exhibit showcasing Quanzhou’s south Indian links. Ms. Wang says there is a renewed interest — and financial backing — from the local government to do more to showcase what she describes as the city’s “1000-year-old history with south India,” which has been largely forgotten, not only in China but also in India.
“There is still a lot we don’t know about this period,” she says, “so if we can get any help from Indian scholars, we would really welcome it as this is something we need to study together. Most of the stones come from the 13th century Yuan Dynasty, which developed close trade links with the kingdoms of southern India. We believe that the designs were brought by the traders, but the work was probably done by Chinese workers.”
Ms. Wang says the earliest record of an Indian residing in Quanzhou dates back to the 6th century. An inscription found on the Yanfu temple from the Song Dynasty describes how the monk Gunaratna, known in China as Liang Putong, translated sutras from Sanskrit. Trade particularly flourished in the 13th century Yuan Dynasty. In 1271, a visiting Italian merchant recorded that the Indian traders “were recognised easily.”
“These rich Indian men and women mainly live on vegetables, milk and rice,” he wrote, unlike the Chinese “who eat meat and fish.” The most striking legacy of this period of history is still on public display in a hidden corner of the 7th century Kaiyuan Buddhist Temple, which is today Quanzhou’s biggest temple and is located in the centre of the old town. A popular attraction for Chinese Buddhists, the temple receives a few thousand visitors every day. In a corner behind the temple, there are at least half a dozen pillars displaying an extraordinary variety of inscriptions from Hindu mythology. A panel of inscriptions depicting the god Narasimha also adorns the steps leading up to the main shrine, which houses a Buddha statue. Huang Yishan, a temple caretaker whose family has, for generations, owned the land on which the temple was built, says the inscriptions are perhaps the most unique part of the temple, although he laments that most of his compatriots are unaware of this chapter of history. On a recent afternoon, as a stream of visitors walked up the steps to offer incense sticks as they prayed to Buddha, none spared a glance at the panel of inscriptions. Other indicators from Quanzhou’s rich but forgotten past lie scattered through what is now a modern and bustling industrial city, albeit a town that today lies in the shadow of the provincial capital Xiamen and the more prosperous port city of Guangzhou to the far south.
A few kilometres from the Kaiyuan temple stands a striking several metre-high Shiva lingam in the centre of the popular Bamboo Stone Park. To the city’s residents, however, the lingam is merely known as a rather unusually shaped “bamboo stone,” another symbol of history that still stays hidden in plain sight.
By Praghosa dasa
Using the principle of unity in diversity as given by Srila Prabhupada, what might a more federal ISKCON model look like?
In essence, the global GBC would set the core non negotiable standards related to philosophy, teachings and principles, while allowing different regions to adjust other aspects of ISKCON life based on cultural considerations. All based on Srila Prabhupada’s desire for ‘unity in diversity’
Such an affiliate/federal ISKCON model would balance strict adherence to ISKCON’s core spiritual principles along with localised management and cultural adaptation. Srila Prabhupada described this as “varieties of engagements” in service, united by a common purpose—keeping Krishna in the centre.
Read more: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117385
