Dear devotees,

Srila Prabhupada repeatedly taught that Krishna consciousness must be presented in ways that uplift society, illuminate universal spiritual values, and open the door for people of all backgrounds to discover Dharma. He emphasized that genuine spiritual outreach includes demonstrating how Vedic principles naturally harmonize with the highest expressions of human ethics—compassion, dignity, protection of life, and the cultivation of wisdom.

This initiative presented by the Centro Studi Bhaktivedanta APS beautifully reflects this vision. By highlighting the historic Tuscan abolition of torture and capital punishment and placing it in dialogue with the Indo-Vedic concept of Dharma, the project offers an accessible and culturally relevant entry point into Krishna conscious philosophy. It allows scholars, institutions, and the wider public to appreciate how Bhakti-Vedanta upholds universal values of justice and mercy, thus creating favorable ground for deeper spiritual understanding.

In this spirit, the work embodies Srila Prabhupada’s instruction to engage with society through culture, education, and enlightened leadership—showing that Vedic wisdom is not confined to history or tradition but is a living, transformative force capable of guiding contemporary humanity toward compassion, harmony, and higher consciousness.

So I wish to inform you of an initiative that we at the Centro Studi Bhaktivedanta APS – Institute of Indo-Vedic Studies have undertaken with a deep sense of responsibility, devotion, and gratitude to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna.

The Centro Studi Bhaktivedanta APS – Institute of Indo-Vedic Studies presented to the Regional Government of Tuscany (Italy) a cultural project dedicated to celebrating the historic abolition of torture and capital punishment, enacted in 1786 by Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.

By Krishna’s grace, the project was selected and officially funded by the Regional Government of Tuscany, which recognized its cultural and educational value.

The Regional Government of Tuscany acknowledged the merit of this initiative, granting most of the requested co-financing—originally set at 59% of the total budget—thus confirming the importance of our contribution to the promotion of culture, ethics, and spirituality within contemporary society.

It is significant to remember that this enlightened reform, inspired by principles of human dignity and the sanctity of life, was promulgated thirty-one months before the outbreak of the French Revolution, anticipating by more than a century and a half the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Paris, 1948).

It was the first law in the world to abolish torture and the death penalty — a shining testimony of elevated humanity and governance grounded in compassion, justice, and reverence for life. These values resonate deeply with the Vedic concept of Dharma and the Bhakti-Vedanta spiritual vision that Srila Prabhupada so tirelessly shared throughout the world.

While in France the desire for freedom would soon take the tragic form of terror, in Tuscany justice found a path of mercy and civilization through the foresight of a ruler guided by ethical and spiritual ideals. Such moments in history remind us of Krishna’s unseen hand guiding human society toward higher principles.

The project aims to present to a broad audience the parallels between Indo-Vedic Dharma — in its highest expression within the Bhakti-Vedanta tradition — and the Tuscan Enlightenment of the eighteenth century, embodied by Pietro Leopoldo and the humanistic and reformist spirit of his time.

Our purpose is to show how, in different eras and cultures, the spiritual vision of Dharma and the rational pursuit of justice and freedom converge in the shared values of compassion, respect for life, and human dignity — values which Srila Prabhupada emphasized as foundational for a peaceful and spiritually progressive society.

For this reason, we have produced a comprehensive body of work — philosophical, historical, juridical, sociological, and pedagogical — exploring the dialogue between Bhakti-Vedanta and the European Enlightenment in a comparative, thoughtful, and accessible manner.

These materials, already available in Italian and currently being translated into English, are intended for cultural dissemination and for academic as well as spiritual education, serving as a bridge for sincere seekers to approach Vedic knowledge through universal ethical principles.

It is with great joy that I make this documentation available to my Godbrothers and to ISKCON’s educational institutions worldwide, hoping it may serve as an example of how Vedic culture can harmonize with universal social values and as a tool for further cooperation in the fields of education and spiritual outreach — all in service to Srila Prabhupada’s mission.

Anyone wishing to receive the complete materials or collaborate with the CSB in their dissemination is warmly welcome to contact me; I will gladly provide all necessary details.

This is the link of the event: https://www.centrostudi.net/en/events/enlightenment-and-dharma.html

With gratitude,
Matsya Avatar Das ACBSP
Centro Studi Bhaktivedanta APS – Institute of Indo-Vedic Studies
Italy

I grew up in a very simple, rather poor uh family in rural Minnesota. My father was a small dairy farmer and um the family was not really religious, although the most of the kids and I did go to church whenever we could. My dad was so busy that he was never able to go. Um and um it was um it was a little austere. You know, I always kind of wanted to wish that I was living in the city so I could get out and do more things and be more active. But um in retrospect, it was a very u idyllic upbringing because we were in the country. We had homegrown vegetables all the time and fresh milk from the cows. And so it was actually a very healthy upbringing. But when I became a teenager, of course, I rebelled against all of that and uh I wanted to do something different and I tried my best to get away from it all. Um, and I ended up, um, my parents at one point moved to Oregon to possibly buy a farm there. And I ended up leaving home and going down to San Francisco with a friend. And I happened to be there in 1967 in the summer of love.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=116717

The Essential Qualifications

The Hari-bhakti-vilāsa establishes the essential qualifications of a spiritual master based on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.3.21 and 11.10.5:

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam
śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

“Therefore, one who is desirous of the ultimate good should turn to a guru who is immersed in scripture and in the Supreme Brahman, and sheltered in the highest peace.”

mad-abhijñaṃ guruṃ śāntam upāsīta mad-ātmakam

“One should turn to a guru who knows me, is calm, and whose self is in me.”

Srila Sanatana Goswami comments that śabde, or “in scripture,” means the guru must know the essence of the Vedic literatures—otherwise the guru cannot refute the doubts of the disciple. He further states that the guru must be pare ca brahmaṇy aparokṣānubhavena niṣṇātam—”immersed in the Supreme Brahman by direct experience”—because “otherwise the guru will not be able to transmit understanding.”

This is the essence of the Bhāgavata conception of guru-tattva, encapsulated in Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami’s statement: ye kṛṣṇa-tattva vettā, sei guru haya—”whoever knows the science of Krishna is a bona fide guru.”

Auxiliary Qualifications

The additional qualifications listed in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa and similar texts—such as noble birth, brāhmaṇa status, or being a householder—apply only for devotees who lack pure faith in bhakti. As Srila Prabhupada writes:

“It is stated in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa that one should not accept initiation from a person who is not in the brahminical order if there is a fit person in the brahminical order present. This instruction is meant for those who are overly dependent on the mundane social order and is suitable for those who want to remain in mundane life.” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 8.128 purport)

Significantly, the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa says nothing about gender as a qualification for guruship.

“Being a brāhmaṇa” (brāhmaṇatva) is not an essential characteristic of a guru, just as “being a householder” (gṛhasthatva) and “being of noble birth” (sujātitva) are not essential. As Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains in his commentary to the ye kṛṣṇa-tattva vettā verse, such qualifications apply only to varṇāśrama gurus, not Vaiṣṇava gurus. If women and śūdras are disqualified on the grounds of scriptures like the Bhāradhvaja-saṁhitā and similar texts, then sannyāsīs and devotees born in mleccha families would also be disqualified—an obvious inconsistency.

When Does One “Know Kṛṣṇa”?

The next logical question arises: at what stage does one “know Kṛṣṇa,” both theoretically and through practical realization?

Just as Lord Chaitanya gave different answers to the question “who is a Vaiṣṇava?”, different answers can be given here depending on the context.

The Stage of Bhāva-Bhakti

According to one perspective, a devotee “realizes Krishna” at the stage of bhāva-bhakti. This is indicated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.20:

evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ
bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate

“Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association.”

Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura explains that prasanna-manasaḥ indicates that rati (bhāva), or ecstatic love for the Lord, has arisen. Srila Jiva Goswami clarifies that bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam means bhagavat-tattva-sākṣātkāraḥ—”direct realization of the reality of Bhagavān”—which can occur either within the mind (manasi) or through external vision (bahiḥ).

Based on this verse and its commentaries, a devotee realizes Krishna when bhāva manifests, not before. Therefore, a guru should at least have attained bhāva-bhakti, otherwise, as Srila Sanatana Goswami, warns, the guru will not be able to impart perfect understanding to the disciple.

Realization Begins in Sādhana

However, another perspective holds that realization of Krishna is gradual and begins even during sādhana. This is indicated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.2.42:

bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir
anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ
prapadyamānasya yathāśnataḥ syus
tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo ‘nu-ghāsam

“Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from other things—these three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the same way that pleasure, nourishment, and relief from hunger come simultaneously and increasingly, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating.”

Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura comments:

“On this extremely blissful path of bhakti, attainment of the result occurs even in the stage of sādhana. When devotional service in the form of hearing and chanting about the Supreme Lord Krishna manifests, one also experiences transcendental sweetness and a corresponding detachment from the pleasures of illusory sense objects. These three aspects—devotion, transcendental experience, and detachment—arise simultaneously for one who takes shelter of Lord Krishna and worships Him. It is just like how a person who is eating gradually experiences happiness, nourishment, and cessation of hunger with every bite. When a person eats only a small amount, there is a small degree of happiness, a small degree of nourishment, and a small degree of cessation of hunger; similarly, when a person engages even slightly in hearing, chanting, and other forms of bhajana, a small degree of realization of the Supreme Lord and a small degree of detachment also arise. And just as a person who eats abundantly experiences complete happiness, complete nourishment, and complete cessation of hunger, one who performs abundant bhajana experiences complete devotion, complete realization of the Supreme Lord, and complete detachment.”

Therefore, even in the stage of sādhana, a Vaiṣṇava may be considered eligible to serve as guru in proportion to their degree of devotion, realization, and detachment. However, the highest standard remains that a guru should possess Kṛṣṇa prema.

No Gender-Based Disqualification

Based on the teachings of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and our ācāryas, there is no special qualification that makes a male devotee inherently more qualified than a female devotee. Our Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition primarily follows the Bhāgavatam, with Pāñcarātric texts being secondary.

Vidhi-Mārga and Rāga-Mārga: Different Standards

It is also important to recognize that there is a world of difference between the vidhi-mārga and the rāga-mārga. The experience of a devotee at the levels of ruci and āsakti in the rāga-mārga surpasses even the experience of bhāva in the vidhi-mārga. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti is exponentially more potent than Viṣṇu-bhakti.

This is confirmed by Srila Mukunda Dasa Goswami (a disciple of Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja) in his commentary on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.309, where he states that lobhā—the qualification for entering rāgānugā-sādhana—is even rarer and more difficult to obtain than bhāva-bhakti in the vidhi-mārga.

Therefore, while texts like the Bharadvāja-saṁhitā might stipulate that a mleccha or female guru in the vidhi-mārga should have at least attained bhāva-bhakti, devotees on the rāga-mārga may reasonably be held to a different standard.

Lord Caitanya’s Universal Instruction

In this light, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s famous instruction was neither contrary to śāstra nor irresponsible:

yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa

“Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Sri Krishna as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 7.128)

Based on this instruction, contemporary followers of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu—including Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Srila Prabhupada, and others—have empowered their disciples to become Vaiṣṇava gurus even in the stage of sādhana.

Guru Means “Heavy”

It would be remiss not to emphasize the gravity of serving as a śikṣā- or dīkṣā-guru. In the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami lists numerous disqualifications that prevent a person from effectively enlightening and guiding disciples, such as being:

• a glutton

• a procrastinator

• addicted to sense objects

• prone to disputes and arguments

He also quotes the following statement from the Viṣṇu-smṛti:

paricaryāyaśolābha-
lipsuḥ śiṣyād gurur na hi

“One who makes disciples out of a desire for service, honor, and gain

is not a guru.”

Srila Prabhupada similarly emphasizes throughout his teachings that the role of guru is not to be taken lightly:

“Guru means one who has got perfect knowledge. One who hasn’t got perfect knowledge, he cannot become guru. How he can? Guru means heavy. So if I am light and I take knowledge from another light person, then what is the use of such knowledge?” (Lecture on Bhagavad-gītā 13.3, Hyderabad, April 19, 1974)

“A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself—he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated. Therefore, only Lord Kṛṣṇa, or His bona fide representative the spiritual master, can release the conditioned soul. Without such superior help, one cannot be freed from the bondage of material nature.” (Bhagavd-gītā 7.14, purport)

Conclusion

The qualification to be a guru rests fundamentally on knowledge of scripture and direct realization of Kṛṣṇa, not on birth, caste, gender, or social status. While the highest stages of realization remain the ideal qualification for a guru, even devotees in advanced stages of sādhana can guide others in proportion to their devotion and realization.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=116982

By Yudhisthira Dasa   

No matter where we are on our journey, we can find solace in the fact that the effects of time, as we know it, exist only in the material world and are ultimately not linear. The big picture is that all souls (excluding descending nitya siddha masters) come to the material world, eventually attain a human form to experience an existential crisis, and gradually realize our eternal identity. And, while steady progress is possible, our journeys are often filled with distracting and troublesome detours. Generally, these deviations we all experience are full of unique lessons that each soul needs to learn individually. What can we do to help ourselves stay close to the path we have chosen? We can pray to stay on the path towards the light and have faith that it will inevitably shine brighter and brighter.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/coming-of-age-33-perception-for-a-perfectionist/

ISKCON Philippines has marked a significant milestone with the successful hosting of its first national Vaishnavi Retreat, held from December 6-8th, 2025, culminating in the formal establishment of the Vaishnavi Ministry Philippines. The three-day retreat brought together Vaishnavis from across the country for a carefully structured program focused on sisterhood, healing, leadership development, and spiritual empowerment. The initiative reflects the visionary leadership of the ISKCON Philippines National Council, whose foresight and commitment brought this landmark event to life.

A Vision Brought to Life

The retreat was designed not merely as a one-time gathering, but as a foundational step toward building a sustainable, structured ministry to support Vaishnavis throughout the Philippines. Sessions focused on connection, shared values, faith-based resilience, confidence in service, and leadership preparation, all within a safe and respectful devotional environment.

Leadership, Confidence, and Skill Development

A distinctive feature of the retreat was its emphasis on practical leadership and confidence-building. Vaishnavis received training in public speaking, including an exercise in which participants crafted warm, welcoming introductions suitable for a Sunday Love Feast program. Several women volunteered to present their introductions, experiencing first-hand how encouragement and preparation can transform fear into confidence.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-philippines-establishes-vaishnavi-ministry-following-historic-national-retreat/

Mahaharinama for 7 Bury Place, London – It feels easy enough to take a wander between worlds in the haven of high culture and home to the esoteric known as London’s Bloomsbury, where boundaries seem somehow more blurred. On this chilly but dry late morning of Sunday 11th January 2026, a colourfully vibrant mosaic of humanity is taking shape outside a smart and solid (but otherwise unremarkable) five-storey building rooted right at the heart of this long-established bohemian district. So what gravitational force has drawn such an effusive constellation of souls to this single point?

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117038

By Aseem Krishna Das

A week-long Sādhu-saṅga program was organised at the Rajangana Hall of Udupi Śrī Kṛṣṇa Maṭha, Udupi, Karnataka, from 7th to 12th December 2025.

The program was held on the occasion of the 86th Vyāsa Pūjā celebration of Subhāga Swami Mahārāja. Senior disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda and sannyāsīs from ISKCON, along with revered Swāmījīs from the Madhva-sampradāya of Udupi Śrī Kṛṣṇa Maṭha, graced the occasion. The program nourished the spiritual lives of 1,300 devotees from various parts of India and the world through invaluable Vaiṣṇava association in the holy dhāma.

The inaugural day of the program coincided with the concluding celebration of the month-long Bṛhat Gītotsava Festival, dedicated to glorifying the Bhagavad-gītā. The festival was organised by His Holiness Śrī Sugunendra Tīrtha Swāmījī, Head of Puttige Maṭha and the present pontiff of Udupi Śrī Kṛṣṇa Maṭha. The month-long celebration featured intensive Gītā chanting (Pārāyaṇa), spiritual discourses, cultural programs, competitions, and grand events such as the International Gītā Symposium. Large banners were displayed across the city by Udupi Śrī Kṛṣṇa Maṭha to welcome Subhāga Swami Mahārāja from ISKCON and Honourable Shri Pawan Kalyan ji, Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, for their concluding celebrations. All speakers on this occasion glorified the divine message of Lord Kṛṣṇa as presented in the Bhagavad-gītā for the benefit of all. Subhāga Swami Mahārāja also gifted Bhagavad-gītā As It Is in Telugu to the Deputy Chief Minister and in Kannada to the revered Swāmījīs of Udupi Śrī Kṛṣṇa Maṭha.

From 8th to 10th December, full-fledged devotional activities were arranged for the devotees. They relished Śrīmad Bhāgavatam discourses by Subhāga Swami Mahārāja and seminars conducted by various senior devotees. The program also included extensive Harināma Saṅkīrtana. Devotees visited Pājaka Kṣetra, the birthplace of Śrī Madhvācārya, where he performed many transcendental pastimes during his childhood, as well as the Paraśurāma and Balarāma temples. Various competitions such as storytelling, śloka recitation, drawing, and more were organised for young Vaiṣṇavas and Vaiṣṇavīs.

Moreover, devotees joyfully participated in the daily Ratha-yātrā Utsava of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Utsava Vigraha, held within the sacred campus of Udupi Śrī Kṛṣṇa Maṭha.

Read more: Udupi_Sadhu_Sanga_2025

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.12.23, it is described that Nārada was born from the deliberation of Brahmā, which is considered the best part of the body. Other figures were born from different aspects of Brahmā’s body: Vasiṣṭha from his breathing, Dakṣa from a thumb, Bhṛgu from his touch, and Kratu from his hand. This verse emphasizes the unique role of Nārada, who can deliver the Supreme Lord, highlighting the importance of devotion and the potential for a pure devotee to guide others towards the path of the Lord.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117058

The session opens the 2026 series of Success Sadhana with a focus on equanimity and “getting grounded,” drawing primarily from the Bhagavad Gita and other Vedic wisdom texts. The speaker explains that sadhana (deliberate practice) is the means by which humans can realize life’s deeper purpose beyond basic animal concerns like eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. Human life is unique because it allows self-inquiry—asking “Who am I?” and “Why am I suffering?”

A central theme is recognizing oneself as a conscious being (jiva) distinct from the body and mind, living in a constantly changing world (bhava). Because change is inevitable, disturbance is natural—but suffering can be reduced through conscious practice. The talk emphasizes equanimity as steadiness amid change, likened to a candle flame that does not flicker in a windless place.

Four practical principles for equanimity are discussed:

Balanced living (yukta) – moderation in eating, sleeping, work, and recreation to support clarity and self-realization.

Tolerance (titiksha) – patiently enduring pleasure, pain, inconvenience, and provocation without overreaction, illustrated through everyday examples like driving, family interactions, and travel.

Detached action – performing one’s duties sincerely without attachment to results, understanding oneself as a steward rather than an owner, and offering outcomes as service.

Equal vision – seeing all beings as spiritual entities beyond external differences, while still acting responsibly in the practical world.

Additional tools for staying grounded include remembering that situations are rarely as good or as bad as they seem, recognizing that all experiences pass, regulating the senses, practicing meditation and mantra, and learning to observe thoughts without identifying with them.

Overall, the session frames equanimity not as passivity, but as an active, cultivated strength that enables clarity, rationality, compassion, and steady progress toward self-realization despite life’s constant fluctuations.

The lecture is a devotional class on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 2, Chapter 4 (verses 11–17), focusing on the mood required to speak, hear, and live Bhagavatam. It begins by explaining that Sukadeva Goswami offers prayers to Krishna to receive mercy, emphasizing that no one can act or speak independently of Krishna. Our senses and body belong to Krishna, and true happiness comes from using them in His service.

The speaker explains what it means to be an “instrument” of Krishna: unlike material tools, spiritual instruments think and feel. A devotee thinks, “How can I serve Krishna?” and feels love, gratitude, and longing to please Him. Devotional life requires seeking Krishna’s permission and mercy before acting, speaking, or eating. Everyday activities—work, family duties, even brushing one’s teeth—can be offered to Krishna and thus purified.

Through verses 12–14, Krishna is described as inconceivable, present in everyone’s heart, the protector of devotees, the destroyer of demoniac tendencies, and the ultimate goal of transcendentalists. Three classes of people are contrasted: devotees (who have a personal relationship with Krishna), impersonalists (who seek merging), and materialists (who seek worldly enjoyment). For devotees, Krishna is always accessible; for non-devotees, He remains a mystery.

A key theme is Krishna’s reciprocity. Devotees share personal experiences of how Krishna gives intelligence, answers prayers, sends help through other devotees, removes negative qualities, and grants ability. In return, devotees reciprocate through gratitude, prayer, service, chanting, worship, and serving other devotees.

The “mystery” of Krishna consciousness is identified as devotion—pure love of Godhead (prema)—which brings happiness, satisfaction, and purpose that outsiders cannot understand. The speaker introduces the idea of a “spiritual TV in the heart,” explaining that through guru, sadhu, and shastra the heart is purified, allowing one to perceive Krishna everywhere and witness His pastimes internally.

Verses 15 and 16 highlight devotional practices that cleanse sins, with special emphasis on seeing (audience/darshan) Krishna—through deities and sacred books—as an added, powerful process. Several stories illustrate the transformative and protective power of hearing or even briefly encountering Bhagavad-gita. Verse 16 expands on Bhagavad-gita 18.66, teaching that surrender frees one not only from past sins but also from attachment to present and future suffering.

Verse 17 explains that austerity, charity, philosophy, ritual, and learning alone cannot yield true results without dedication to Krishna. Bhakti is essential. Practical guidance is given to strengthen faith: improve chanting with attention, pray for taste and devotion, and take risks for Krishna by stepping out of one’s comfort zone. Personal anecdotes illustrate how such risks deepen faith through direct experience of Krishna’s protection.

The class concludes with practical advice for householders on charity, service, and protecting children from negative influences, emphasizing gratitude, mercy, and responsibility as key duties in devotional

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117030

By Manorama Dasa,

ISKCON Youth Ministry’s new bus just completed its maiden voyage, transporting 24 teenage boys across the southern US, from Florida to California and back, for the Boys Winter Trip. The organizers, including Manorama Dasa and Jaya Sri Radhe Devi Dasi, would like to thank the more than 300 donors, as well as ISKCON North America temple presidents and leaders, who contributed generously towards the new bus fundraiser.

“The bus tours aim to inspire our youth in Krishna consciousness by immersing them in transformational adventure experiences visiting temples, going on harinamas, participating in festivals, exploring national parks, camping, hiking, swimming…all the while forming strong bonds of friendship with their devotee peers,” said Jaya Sri Radhe Devi Dasi.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/new-iskcon-youth-bus-launches-with-north-america-pilgrimage/

After the successful Sankirtan Marathon in December 2024, Michigan devotees once again undertook a month-long book distribution marathon in December 2025 at Great Lakes Crossing Mall, one of the state’s largest outlet malls. With Michigan’s harsh winter of snow and freezing temperatures, an indoor shopping mall became a strategic space that allowed Sankirtan to continue uninterrupted throughout the season. This time, however, it was not approached as “just another marathon,” but as a challenge. If not double, then more.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/10000-book-sankirtan-challenge-surpassed-at-michigan-mall/

An Overview: Varṇāśṛama Supports Bhakti

In his Śrī Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura describes the general relationship between varṇāśrama-dharma and bhakti:

“What is the relation of varṇāśrama, which was previously discussed, with vaidhi-bhakti? Should people take shelter of vaidhi-bhakti and give up the rules of varṇāśrama dharma, or should they practice vaidhi-bhakti for developing devotion, while still following the varṇāśrama rules and duties? It was previously stated that the purport of varṇāśrama dharma is to maintain the body, develop the mind, perform good works for society and learn spiritual topics, all with the goal of developing pure bhakti. In that humans are bound by a material body, they must follow the varṇāśrama rules. That cannot be denied, for without the development of body, mind, society and spirit, human life becomes degraded. The rules of varṇāśrama are suitable for this purpose, and therefore they should be followed. However, varṇāśrama is not the final goal. With the assistance of varṇāśrama dharma, a person should cultivate bhakti. It is also necessary to follow the rules of varṇāśrama in the cultivation of bhakti.

“[Someone may pose the followign doubt:] ‘But by following the rules of varṇāśrama, which are time-consuming, a person may not have any time left to cultivate bhakti. Furthermore, where there is some conflict of principles, what should be done?’

“First, it should be said that without taking proper care of body, mind, society and spirit, a person cannot perform the more elevated activities of bhakti. How can the seed of devotion, faith, awaken in the heart if a person dies prematurely, develops mental problems and never learns anything about spirit? And if people give up the rules of varṇāśrama and act as they please, their physical and mental actions will be like those of madmen. They will be engaged in the worst sins, and no sign of bhakti will be visible.

“Although varṇāśrama dharma is somewhat engaging, it must be followed as an assistant to bhakti, and, with the cultivation of bhakti, its consumption of time will decrease. Varṇāśrama dharma’s various activities will transform into devotional actions. First a person should practice the five types of devotional activities to the utmost, as directed by Lord Caitanya, while simultaneously being meticulous in observance of varṇāśrama duties, which may take too much time. The person should gradually reject those varṇāśrama duties that are against devotional principles. Finally, being purified by bhakti, varṇāśrama duties will become the servant of sādhana-bhakti. Acting in this way, there will be no conflict between the duties of varṇāśrama and bhakti. By the cultivation of bhakti, the life of a brāhmaṇa and the life of a śūdra, both purified by bhakti, become equalized. The śūdra, being illumined by his state of servitude to the Lord and to the devotees, becomes equal to the selfless brāhmaṇa. The purity of Vaiṣṇava brotherhood will enlighten the lives of the four varṇas so much that the world will seem to be Vaikuntha. By removal of the obstacles arising from identification with body, real equality of the souls is possible. […]

“When the consciousness of those situated in varṇāśrama matures into devotional sentiment they take up the life of a devotee, but as long as they do not, they must be said to be practicing karma. Karma is not an integral part (aṅga) of bhakti. When karma matures fully, it takes the form of devotional action, and this is called bhakti, not karma. The moment that real faith in the Lord arises, a person transcends karma.” (Śrī Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta, Ch. 3)

“The end of action according to varnasrama duties (karma) and the appearance of faith are simultaneous.”* (Śrī Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta, Ch. 6)

* Here Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura cites the following verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.20.9):

tāvat karmāṇi kurvīta

na nirvidyeta yāvatā

mat-kathā-śravaṇādau vā

śraddhā yāvan na jāyate

“One should continue to perform his varṇāśrama duties until he actually becomes detached from material sense gratification and develops faith for hearing and chanting about Me.”

Varṇāśrama Designations Do Not Apply to Vaiṣṇavas

When Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura advises all outcastes and persons of mixed caste, who have a degraded nature, to give it up and accept the position of śūdras (Harināma-cintāmaṇi 5.43), he is not talking about devotees who have faith in pure bhakti. This verse cannot be reasonably applied to initiated ISKCON devotees, whom Srila Prabhupada says are already as good as brāhmaṇas:

Hari-śauri: So the varṇāśrama system is like for the kaniṣṭhas, Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī.

Prabhupāda: Kaniṣṭha?

Hari-śauri: When one is only on the platform of neophyte.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, yes.

Hari-śauri: Varṇāśrama system is beneficial.

Prabhupāda: Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī means he must be a brāhmaṇa. That is kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. The spiritual life, kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, means he must be a qualified brāhmaṇa. That is kaniṣṭha. What is esteemed as very high position in the material world, brāhmaṇa, that is kaniṣṭha-adhikārī.

arcāyām eva haraye

pūjāṁ yaḥ śraddhayehate

na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu

sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ

[“A devotee who faithfully engages in the worship of the Deity in the temple but does not behave properly toward other devotees or people in general is called a prākṛta-bhakta, a materialistic devotee, and is considered to be in the lowest position.” (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.2.47)]

The brāhmaṇa means from the material stage gradually he is elevated to the spiritual stage. And below the brāhmaṇa there is no question of Vaiṣṇava. [End of excerpt, from a room conversation in Mayapur, February 14, 1977, “Varṇāśrama System Must Be Introduced”]

Here, Srila Prabhupada explains that anyone who can follow the four regulative principles and completes their daily vow of chanting Hare Krishna japa is as good as a brāhmaṇa, even if they are otherwise materialistic in their outlook (a prākṛta-bhakta).

This is affirmed in the Manu-saṁhitā (2.87):

japyenaiva tu saṃsidhyed

brāhmaṇo nātra saṃśayaḥ

kuryād anyan na vā kuryān

maitro brāhmaṇa ucyate

“Undoubtedly, by means of japa alone, a brāhmaṇa achieves complete perfection, regardless of whether or not he performs other Vedic rituals and duties. One who is friendly to all is a true knower of Brahman (brāhmaṇa).”

Therefore, if even prākṛta-bhaktas are considered to be as good as brahmaṇas, what to speak of pure Vaiṣṇavas, who traverse the path of uttama-bhakti, giving up all ulterior desires (anyābhilāṣa)?

For this reason, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura writes:

“Sometimes, considering pure Vaiṣṇavas and inferior Vaiṣṇavas to be the same, many people ask pure Vaiṣṇavas their varṇa, and just like those persons within society, they attempt to categorize them in one of the four āśramas. Such attempts are simply befitting a non-Vaiṣṇava and are merely a social endeavour.” (Śrī Vaiṣṇavera-varṇāśrama)

Srila Prabhupada reiterates this same point in a morning walk on April 20, 1974:

“A devotee, because he is working as a śūdra, he is not a śūdra; neither he is a brāhmaṇa. He is already in the spiritual platform. But for management we have to do that. One can do the śūdra’s work nicely—let him be engaged in that way.”

Vaiṣṇavas Do Not Place Faith in Varṇāśrama-dharma

Although devotees should externally situate themselves in a varṇa and āśrama until they attain genuine detachment from material life, they should not place faith in varṇāśrama-dharma, for if they do, their bhakti becomes mixed with karma and is no longer considered pure. Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura explains:

“Faithfully performing one’s worldly religious duties out of fear of incurring sinful reactions by neglecting them constitutes a covering of bhakti. Likewise, performing such duties out of a belief that they will help one attain the desired goal of devotional service in ecstatic love (bhāva-bhakti) also constitutes a covering of bhakti. However, when great souls perform śrāddha to their departed ancestors and similar duties for the sake of setting an example for people in general, without personally having faith in the necessity of such things, this is not outside the scope of pure bhakti.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11, commentary)

Moreover, the rules and regulations of the varṇāśrama system do not apply to a surrendered devotee:

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṝṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ

na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan

sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ

gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam

“O King, one who has given up all material duties and has taken full shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, who offers shelter to all, is not indebted to the demigods, great sages, ordinary living beings, relatives, friends, mankind or even one’s forefathers who have passed away.” (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.5.41, quoted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.68)

Srila Jiva Goswami elaborates in his commentary to this verse in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: “Having surrendered to the Lord, the devotee’s prārabdha-karma is destroyed, which thus cancels his status within the varṇāśrama system. He is therefore no longer required to perform worldly duties.”

To reinforce the point, Srila Rupa Goswami next cites the famous verse from Bhagavad-gītā (18.66):

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.”

Srila Jiva Goswami comments: “By the prefix pari-, meaning “fully,” it is understood that one’s renunciation should be complete. Sarva-pāpebhyaḥ means “from all impediments.” This is because those with faith in bhakti incur no sin for giving up the duties of varṇāśrama-dharma on the Lord’s order.”

And then Srila Rupa Goswami quotes a verse from the Agastya-saṁhitā:

yathā vidhi-niṣedhau tu

muktaṁ naivopasarpataḥ

tathā na spṛśato rāmo-

pāsakaṁ vidhi-pūrvakam

“Just as the rules and prohibitions of the smṛtis do not affect a liberated soul, they also do not touch one who properly worships Lord Rāma.”

Varṇāśrama-dharma—Not a Limb of Uttama-bhakti

Later in the same chapter, Srila Rupa Goswami explains that although performing one’s prescribed duties as an offering for the Lord (karmārpana) is a type of bhakti-yoga, it is not a limb of uttama-bhakti:

sammataṁ bhakti-vijñānāṁ

bhakty-aṅgatvaṁ na karmaṇām

“The consensus of those learned in bhakti is that the activities prescribed within the varṇāśrama system are not limbs of bhakti.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.246)

In his purport to this verse, Srila Jiva Goswami raises the following objection: “Why then do we find scriptural statements such as—varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān / viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam, ‘Human beings are meant to worship the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu through the prescribed duties of varṇāśrama. There is no other path to satisfy the Lord.'” (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 3.8.9)

Srila Jiva Goswami answers: “This verse from the Viṣṇu Purāṇa and similar statements [which seem to advocate the necessity of varṇāśrama even for practitioners of bhakti] are intended for those who have not yet developed firm faith, and who are therefore not eligible for the practice of pure devotional service (śuddha-bhakti).”

It is in the same spirit that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, in Harināma-cintāmaṇi (5.42–49) encourages the observance of varṇāśrama-dharma. The duties of the path of karma are for materialistic people and for devotees who deliberately cling to material desires and have weak faith in the process of pure bhakti. Srila Rupa Goswami confirms:

mṛdu-śraddhasya kathitā

svalpā karmādhikāritā

tad-arpitaṁ harau dāsyam

iti kaiścid udīryate

“A devotee of weak faith is said to still be somewhat within the jurisdiction of prescribed duties. Thus some say that offering these duties to Lord Hari is a type of dāsya.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.186)

Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura comments: “Since it has already been stated that pure bhakti should not be covered by jñāna or karma, the offering of one’s prescribed duties in the varṇāśrama system cannot be accepted as uttama-bhakti. A devotee’s weakness of faith may be recognized by his lack of firm conviction in the principle that solely by the performance of bhakti everything will be accomplished.”

Varṇāśrama Duties Should Be Accepted to the Extent They Support Bhakti

One might object: “But in Harināma-cintāmaṇi, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that one must observe varṇāśrama duties until the awakening of bhāva.”

In the third chapter of Śrī Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta, the Thakura clarifies that this refers only to varṇāśrama rules that are conducive for bhakti:

“Those following vaidhi-bhakti should think of dedication to the Lord as their principle work in life. It is a cultivation performed, not from fear or hatred, but with affection and love. That is the meaning of favorable [ānukūlya]. It is necessary to maintain the body by following the rules of varṇāśrama, but the devotee never allows those rules to overpower devotion of the Lord. Those rules always remain as followers of the cultivation of the Lord.”

Vaiṣṇavas Serving in the Gṛhastha Āśrama Follow Varṇāśrama Until They are Qualified to Renounce

When a devotee overcomes material desires and develops genuine detachment, varṇāśrama-dharma may be rejected. However, this is not permissible for householders:

“It is not true that one becomes a Vaiṣṇava simply by discarding the social rules and etiquette of varṇāśrama-dharma. For a Vaiṣṇava, anything that is favorable towards the path of bhakti becomes his duty. Only when a person develops genuine detachment from varṇāśrama-dharma by progress in hari-bhajana will he be eligible to disassociate himself from it. Then, he must reject the varṇāśrama system and everything associated with it entirely. […]

“However, this is not applicable to gṛhastha-vaiṣṇava society. Domestic society may place hindrances in the gṛhastha’s path of bhajana; however, until he gains the full eligibility to reject the norms of varṇāśrama society, he should not do so. Gradually, when he spontaneously develops firm and steady attachment to practices that are beneficial to his spiritual bhajana, then he may forget his dependence on social etiquette.” (Jaiva-dharma, Chapter Six)

All Vaiṣṇavas are Eligible to Renounce Householder Life

Certain persons hold the view that outcastes, śūdras, and women are never permitted to renounce the gṛhastha āśrama even if they become Vaiṣṇavas, but this is not the opinion of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami:

[Some people object:] “All men have a right to enter the gṛhastha āśrama, but only the three upper varṇas (vaiśya, kṣatriya, and brāhmaṇa) have a right to the other three āśramas (brahmacārī, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa). According to the rules of varṇāśrama, for women, śūdras, and dvija-bandhus these āśramas are forbidden. The śūdra is a person without saṁskāra, or purification, and his characteristic is lamentation (śocana). Lamentation is due to ignorance, which is part of his nature. How is it possible that such a person can become a brahmacārī, or take to any of the activities requiring higher spiritual interest? This is the scriptural statement.”

[Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami answers:] “However, although the Purāṇas place restrictions in this way, the knowers of truth can understand that this stricture applies to non-Vaiṣṇavas. The restrictions apply to a person born in a śūdra family who is not a Vaiṣṇava, and do not apply to a person who, though born in a śūdra family, happens by the grace of the Lord to take to the path of pure devotion. If a person, through association, takes on the qualities of a brāhmaṇa, he can no longer be considered a śūdra. Thus it is stated in scripture: na śūdro bhagavad-bhaktaḥ, “The devotee of the Lord cannot be considered a śūdra.”

“This is illustrated by the story of Satyakāma Jābāla in the Upaniṣads. The saṁskāras given in the Sat-kriyā-sāra-dīpikā are meant to raise a person to the level of sannyāsī, a pure devotee of the Lord. When any person, whether he be brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, or śūdra, or lower by family birth, attains actual qualification for sannyāsa through the practice of devotional service, he may take the sannyāsa-āśrama. But until that qualification appears, he should remain a gṛhastha Vaiṣṇava. […]

“Thus the principle of taking sannyāsa may be stated as follows: taking dīkṣā according to the Pāñcarātrika injunctions from a bona fide guru, a person attains the status of dvija, or twice-born, and as a result of practice as a householder one attains detachment and qualification for viṣṇu-sannyāsa and acyuta-gotra. When one can give up the marks of the sannyāsa āśrama, one attains the status of paramahaṁsa. In the same way that a qualified female Vaiṣṇava is allowed to worship the śālagrāma-śilā, so a qualified female Vaiṣṇava may also take up two pieces of cloth as a brahmacārī or renunciate.” (Saṁskāra-dīpikā)

Conclusion

When the numerous instructions given by our ācāryas on this topic are carefully analyzed and understood, we arrive at a coherent and internally consistent position: varṇāśrama-dharma is a provisional framework meant to support embodied life until genuine faith in bhakti awakens. It is neither the goal of spiritual life nor an intrinsic limb of uttama-bhakti. For those who lack firm śraddhā, varṇāśrama provides order, discipline, and gradual purification, but for those who have taken full shelter of bhakti, its obligations lose binding force and are accepted or rejected solely on the basis of their favorability to devotional service.

Thus, varṇāśrama neither competes with bhakti nor defines a Vaiṣṇava. It functions as a servant, not a master. Like a trellis, it supports the growth of the bhakti creeper in its initial stages, and as the bhakti creeper matures, it naturally falls away.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117023

I made a film about New Mayapur some time ago, but I decided to do a shorter version of the original. It was a good experience to be in New Mayapur, especially because Srila Prabhupada spent time there. He wanted his followers to set up farm communities and work towards self sufficiency as much as possible. The devotees in New Mayapur are doing their best to achieve that goal. When I make these films it is intriguing on many levels, but one of the nicest parts is the exchanges with the devotees. Reworking on the film was a reminder of those times.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117021

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi,

In a historic development at the intersection of spirituality and public infrastructure, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has selected ISKCON Dwarka as an official partner to enhance the quality, purity, and consistency of food served on Indian Railways.

As part of a new “Proof of Concept” (PoC) pilot project launched last month, the Bapudham Motihari–Anand Vihar Amrit Bharat Express (Train No. 15567/15568) is now serving meals prepared under the guidance of ISKCON Dwarka, marking a significant step toward IRCTC’s goal of introducing standardized, “branded meals” on trains. This initiative places ISKCON’s culinary standards alongside reputed global hospitality brands such as Haldiram’s and Elior, signaling a new era for railway catering in India.

The Ministry of Railways, which oversees a catering ecosystem serving over 1.6 million meals daily, is currently undergoing a major transformation aimed at improving hygiene, accountability, and passenger satisfaction. A key objective of this reform is to de-link cooking from serving, moving away from congested and logistically challenging pantry systems. In an official statement, IRCTC noted, “In order to have a PARADIGM SHIFT in quality of meal services in trains and with an objective to have perceptible improvements in on-board catering services in trains, IRCTC has commenced meal trials in some select trains.”

During the current PoC phase, devotees from ISKCON Dwarka are preparing meals on the go within the train pantry itself, ensuring complete adherence to high standards. There is no external transportation involved at this stage, and the bhoga is offered within the train. This approach demonstrates that despite operational constraints, prasadam can be prepared and offered with full consciousness, cleanliness, and discipline while the train is in motion.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-dwarka-partners-with-irctcs-vision-for-branded-meals/

By Brajesh Kumar Pandey, 

As part of a sacred yearly tradition, the ISKCON Bhakti Center for Education and Culture (BCEC) in Vishal Nagar organized its annual Shrimad Bhagwat Saptah from January 1st to 7th, 2025. The week-long spiritual festival brought together thousands of residents from across the Pune metropolitan area for a deep immersion into the teachings of the holy scriptures.

​The highlight of the event was a series of daily discourses by Sarvabhaum Dasa, a world-renowned Katha Vachak, senior ISKCON devotee, and a familiar face to viewers of Hare Krishna TV. His profound and heart-touching narrations focused on the “Glories of the Holy Name,” attracting a diverse audience from Vishal Nagar and neighboring suburbs, including Pimple Saudagar, Wakad, Hinjewadi, Pimple Nilakh, Sangvi, Baner, Aundh, Balewadi, and Ravet.

​Each evening from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the temple atmosphere was charged with spiritual energy as devotees participated in inspiring katha, melodious kirtans, and a grand maha-arti. Following the spiritual programs, the temple served opulent dinner prasadam to all attendees, ensuring that everyone left spiritually and physically nourished.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-pune-bcec-hosts-annual-shrimad-bhagwat-saptah-event/

By Drutakarma das

In the news currently there are many reports about mastodon bones found in San Diego, California. Their age challenges current scientific ideas about the peopling of the Americas. I wrote about these discoveries in 2005 in one of my columns for Atlantis Rising magazine (the column’s name is The Forbidden Archeologist). Here is that column:

California Dreaming: The State Highway 54 Mastodon Blues

By Michael A. Cremo

Atlantis Rising

In 1992 and 1993, paleontologists of the San Diego Natural History Museum were monitoring the construction on State Highway 54 in San Diego County. In the road excavations they found some interesting fossils that raise the possibility that humans have existed in North America for far longer than most archeologists now think possible.

According to the current consensus, humans entered North America no earlier than 20,000 years ago, maximum. A recent genetic study puts the date of entry at about 12,000 years. But the report by the San Diego paleontologists suggests that humans were present much further back in time than that.

The lead author of the July 28, 1995 final report, prepared for California’s department of transportation (Caltrans, District 11), was paleontologist Thomas A. Deméré. On May 31, 1990, I met Deméré at the San Diego Natural History Museum. I was doing research for my book Forbidden Archeology, which was published in 1993. In that book there is a section about incised animal bones, such as whale bones. There can be questions as to whether cut marks on such bones were made by human hunters or by sharks. So my coauthor Richard Thompson and I visited Deméré, who showed us collections of whale bones with marks of shark teeth on them. Richard and I concluded that it was possible to distinguish marks from shark teeth from marks made by stone tools on bone. And thus we included in Forbidden Archeology some reports of whale bones bearing marks of flint tools. Originally reported by Italian geologist G. Capellini in the late nineteenth century, the whale bones date back to the late Pliocene (2-3 million years).

While in the San Diego museum, I asked Deméré if he had heard of some discoveries made by George Miller in the Anza-Borrego Desert east of San Diego. In 1988, Miller had reported finding some mammoth bones with cut marks made by stone tools. The United States Geological Survey used the uranium isotope method to date the bones and obtained an age of about 300,000 years, according to a report published in the San Diego Union (October 31, 1988). Deméré told me he did know about the finds but cautioned me that a report like that would never make it through peer review into any scientific journal. That is how the knowledge filtration process works in science.

It is interesting that a few years later Deméré himself was involved in a similar discovery of ancient elephant bones. In the State Route 54 excavations Deméré and his paleontologist colleagues found parts of a mammoth skeleton. The bones they found, according to the report, were “right and left tusks, two molars, three vertebrae, 10 ribs, portions of both femurs, at least two phalanges, and numerous large and small bone fragments.” The bones were scattered. Some of them were arranged in a way that suggests deliberate human action. For example, the report said, “Of special note was the discovery of both isolated femur heads side-by-side.” One of the tusks was found buried perpendicular to the bedding planes, extending from Bed E down in Bed D, as if someone had deliberately pushed it into the ground. Some of the bones also showed signs of having been deliberately broken. The report said, “a large, sharply fractured piece of long bone was found with a distinct impact scar on its internal surface.” Some of the rocks found along with the bones appeared to have been brought to the site and broken for use there. The scientists were able to gather broken pieces of rock from among the bones and put them back together. The report said, “Pieces of a single granitic boulder were found scattered over an area of approximately 16 square meters.” This small boulder and others like it were found in fine-grained silty sandstones, indicating that they did not belong there naturally, and were probably transported there.

Although this discovery has lots of features characteristic of human action, the authors of the report were quite cautious in their statements. They admitted that the mammoth bones showed “no convincing evidence of carnivore activity or trampling.” Is it possible the bones were broken by natural processes in the earth, long after their deposition? The authors noted, “The spiral fracturing and angular transverse breaks noted on some specimens does suggest green bone breakage.” In other words, the bones were broken when the animal was alive, or shortly after its death. Could boulders have fallen on the dead animal? The report said that at the site there was “no evidence for boulder fall.” The authors added, “The mastodon skeleton was recovered from an overbank silty fine sandstone that was deposited away from any topographic high such as a stream cut bank or cliff.” Could the bones have been broken by action of swift water? The report noted that the bones show no signs of abrasion, as would be the case if they had been transported in a rapidly flowing stream. In the end, they decided that breakage by torsion (twisting of the limbs or falling) was possible. But this seems unlikely, given that that the bones were found away from cliffs or other places that could have resulted in such a fall. The authors conceded that “this type of breakage can also be produced by human activity.” And to me, given all the evidence, this seems the most likely explanation.

A sample of ivory from the mastodon site was dated using the uranium series method at the geochemistry lab of the department of geological sciences of the University of Southern California. The age obtained was 335,000 years. So it appears that we have evidence for some kind of mastodon hunters in southern California over 335,000 years ago. Richard Ku, the geologist who reported the dates to Deméré, said in a letter to him (January 7, 1994) that “one cannot completely rule out the possibility that the sample could be older than 375ka [375,000 years].” Ku said that the safest thing to say is just that the ivory sample is more than 300,000 years old. How much older is anyone’s guess.

So who were these mastodon hunters? According to current views, anatomically modern humans, humans like you and me, go back one or two hundred thousand years at most. Before that there were no humans like us. So perhaps the San Diego mastodon hunters were representatives of Homo erectus. Even that would be quite revolutionary, because according to current ideas that apeman never came to the New World. But if we go beyond the evidence mentioned in the current textbooks, we see that there have been archeological discoveries indicating the presence of anatomically modern humans in the New World that go back two or three hundred thousand years or more.

I have already mentioned the butchered mammoth bones found by George Miller in the Anza Borrego Desert not so far from San Diego. These bones, liked the State Highway 54 mastodon, yielded an age of 300,000 years. Furthermore, in the 1970s American archeologists working at Hueyatlaco, near Puebla in Mexico, found artifacts of the type that archeologists routinely attribute only to anatomically modern humans. The archeologists called in a team of geologists to date the site. Mammal bones with butchering marks were found in the same layers as the stone tools. The bones were dated using the uranium series method. According to a report published in Quaternary Research (1981, vol. 16, pp. 1-17), the age of the butchered bones was 245,000 years. (Actually, it was Virginia Steen-McIntyre, one of the geologists involved in dating the Hueyatlaco site who sent me the copy of the report on the State Highway 54 discoveries.) In the early twentieth century, the Argentine paleontologist Florentino Ameghino reported the discovery of an anatomically modern human skull in an excavation at Buenos Aires (Forbidden Archeology, pp. 413-418). It came from a formation that modern geologists say is about one million years old. And if you really want to back far in time, there are the California gold mine discoveries reported by J. D. Whitney, chief government geologist of Calfironia, in the year 1880, in a book published by Harvard University’s Museum of Comparative Zoology (The Auriferous Gravels of the Sierra Nevada of California). Those human bones and artifacts go back to the Eocene, the geological period that extends from 38 to 55 million years ago.

The State Highway 54 discoveries are not very well known because they can only be found in an obscure report in the files of the California department of transportation. Because state and federal laws now mandate that there must be archeological and paleontological reports in connection with road construction and other construction projects, there are thousands of such reports, and who knows what’s in them. Somehow, because of some inside connections, I got wind of this particular report, which gives evidence that humans were in California over 300,000 years ago. I wondered what they called California back then.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=45596

From Back to Godhead

Taking into account the many descriptions of Godhead found in ancient books, scriptures and the eternal wisdom heard by disciples from their venerable masters, the Absolute Truth may be defined as follows: He is by Himself and for Himself; He has all knowledge, strength, opulence, fame, beauty and renunciation; He is the Fountainhead of limitless energies and the Fountainhead of infinite qualities all of which are identical with Himself. He has infinite forms, all of which have equal powers and qualities; and He has infinite Names with which He is identical. And, He is beyond the scope of the organic senses. We cannot see Him, hear Him, touch Him, smell or taste Him with our eyes, ears, hands, noses or tongues. The Name of God can only be spoken through spiritual lips; in which case, in our Krishna Consciousness society, which preaches the group chanting of the Name of God, exactly what are we all doing? Why chant the 16-word mantra of Hare Krishna if God’s Name is beyond our power to utter? This sensible question deserves a sensible answer, and to do justice to this common inquiry we can only go to the writings of those souls who actually have had spiritual bodies, senses and faculties and who had regular intimate communion with Krishna.

Bhaktivinode Thakur is one such spiritual entity whose poems, writings and powerful, inspiring personality is moving mountains of darkness from the hearts of the devotees. He has written, “O Harer Nama [the Name of God], You enter my ear, my tongue and penetrate my heart and tears spring from my eyes, turning the dust at my feet to clay. Thus the impressions of my steps are left so that others will follow my way.” So it is not by his own initiative that anyone may chant the Name, but it is the Name which takes the initiative and out of His own prerogative descends to the soul of the aspirant.

When the Name pierces all the physical, mental and intellectual boundaries up to the soul, then the full Personality of Krishna with all His qualities, forms, etc. is realized. It is just like this: on a cloudy day we cannot see the sun, but it is due to the sunlight itself that we see the clouds. When by the heat of the sun the clouds break, the clear light is seen and then the full sphere of the sun is seen at last, revealing the world, myself and of course the full sun itself. Krishna descends to our consciousness in the same manner. First as a principle that is to say, by our reason we come to the knowledge that we and this world must have a creator who is different but not apart from us. Then if the seeker is more fortunate, a firm belief can become lodged in his mind.

As the Divinity comes down through the chanting of the Name, real spiritual experience enters one’s senses, and sometimes he feels or sees God everywhere. Where the devotee is determined to seek after God above and beyond anything else, it is a sign that Krishna is piercing his finer sentiments until, face to face, the devotee sees Krishna, having totally surrendered to Him. Those learned in the science of Krishna declare this stage to be “Samadhi,” or trance.

Such a state is very rarely to be found in any person, and yet nowadays we frequently read about states which resemble samadhi achieved by quite a number of mystical people. How can we be sure of authenticity?

There are eight symptoms which precede samadhi, which are as follows: 1) stunned sensation, 2) chills, 3) what we know as goose bumps or horripilations, 4) trembling, 5) perspiration, 6) tears, 7) choking and 8) trance. But just by seeing these outer signs, can we conclude that a person is really in samadhi? No. And many cases of such tricks or accidents of nature occur. Once a scholar was reading this description to some elderly religious women. He noticed that all through his discourse one women was weeping constantly. He thought that she might be approaching that rare state, and afterwards bowed to her and praised her devotion. But the old grandmother said, “No, I am not a devotee. I had a son he died last year. You look just like my boy!” With that she departed the temple, leaving the foolish scholar baffled.

We must never judge the true contact with God by material or outward symptoms, though they may resemble the eight sattvik, or pure, symptoms of samadhi. Once a yogi came to a village and displayed his power of walking across the surface of a river. All the people showered coins and praises on him, but one wise old man approached him and said, “Swamiji, you have two cents worth of power!”

“How is that?” the yogi retorted, amazed by such denseness and arrogance.

“Because for two cents I can take you across the river on my boat!”

No matter how wonderful the feats of magic or of nature may look, we must always weigh them on the scales of eternal, blissful knowledge. At this moment huge waves are crashing together in the ocean. Niagara Falls is discharging billions of kilowatts of energy, even galaxies are colliding somewhere, causing inconceivably blinding light and explosions terrible enough to dwarf 1000 megaton hydrogen bombs but sitting aloof from any of this temporary if grand phenomena, the soul of man remains untouched. No matter how great the impressions of phenomena are, they are only elements changing energy into other elements, and cannot pierce to the true depths of the soul. But if one man makes 1 per cent of spiritual progress, he has made eternal progress which benefits all beings. For when Krishna actually does descend to any soul, He can project His energy to all things near and far.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s inconceivable spiritual potency is such. When His chanting was vibrated, even trees and wild animals forgot their conditional natures and danced in ecstasy. Any of the supremely fortunate people who witnessed His pastimes became powerhouses of divine energy, each and every one capable of continuing the smooth flow of Krishna Consciousness to all, as that consciousness itself descended from Krishna’s realm.

No personality, incarnation, saint or great emperor has revealed such vibrant outbursts of direct contact of God as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Sometimes He would, in the transcendental feeling of separation, be endowed with all the eight above-mentioned symptoms. Raising Himself to full height, He would crash to the ground wailing for Krishna. The devotees often feared all His bones broken to splinters. After chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra, Chaitanya sometimes began to roll to and fro. Rivers of tears flowed from His eyes. And then He gave an extremely confidential teaching: “I have no trace, not a tinge of love for Krishna in Me for if I did, how is it that I could remain alive within this body?”

Not to speak of the trances and “experiences” recorded by many curious seekers of “bliss consciousness,” cosmic and “expanded” consciousness, Lord Chaitanya, in the ecstasy of love of God, felt His own love hopelessly inadequate. He made light of the many symptoms He exhibited, and when He spoke at all it was not of Himself, but of the pure love of God which was His life and mission.

Now, if it is possible to connect oneself with the current of blissful consciousness, what is the method? There are many doors but which one leads to the goal? We are not yet possessed of pure intelligence, so how can we know which way is right? Again the answer descends from Krishna, enriched by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and revived by Bhaktivinode Thakur, whose potency was infused into Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, who in turn bestowed his great love and mercy and sublime wisdom upon Prabhupad Bhaktivedanta Swami, the writer’s own divine master. Now available for all, regardless of rank or status and free of charge, the same primeval Krishna Consciousness is being distributed by Prabhupad’s Society. Carried along spiritual currents, the Name divine, the Maha Mantra comes, as we spread the glorious chanting of Hare Krishna.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=25927

In December, the Second Annual Śaraṇāgati Youth Retreat was successfully held at Govardhan EcoVillage, bringing together 40 young devotees from six countries for a seven-day immersive global bhakti experience.

Organized by Arjuna Sakhā Das and Sudevī Sakhī Devi Dasi, this year’s retreat centered on the lives and teachings of the Ṣaḍ Gosvāmīs, offering participants a deeply reflective and practice-oriented exploration of devotional life. The retreat featured enriching classes and the association of senior ISKCON leaders, including Radhanath Swami, Gaurāṅga Das, and Gaurāṅga Darśana Das.

Each day followed a structured devotional rhythm, beginning with maṅgala ārati and the morning program, followed by japa, recitation of aṣṭakams, personal reflections, and interactive discussions. Evenings were highlighted by deeply moving kīrtanas at Yamunā and Rādhā Kuṇḍa, as well as heartfelt exchanges at Prema Sarovara.

Participants also engaged in hands-on devotional service, including a Deity Dressing workshop led by Shivanand Shyam Das, collecting flowers from the EcoVillage gardens, preparing garlands for the Deities, and assisting in temple services. These activities complemented the philosophical teachings by grounding participants in practical expressions of devotion.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/youth-from-six-countries-join-saranagati-retreat-at-govardhan-ecovillage/