A story from

Krishna,

the Supreme Personality of Godhead

by His Divine

Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The King of Vidarbha, Maharaja Bhismaka, had five sons and a young daughter known as Rukmini. Many saintly persons used to visit the King’s palace, and from them Rukmini obtained information about Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Simply by hearing about the opulences of Krishna, she desired to surrender herself to His lotus feet and become His wife. All the relatives of King Bhismaka agreed that Rukmini should be given in marriage to Krishna, and after hearing how Rukmini was a reservoir of all transcendental qualities—intelligence, liberality, exquisite beauty, and righteous behavior—Krishna Himself decided that she was fit to be His wife.

However, Rukmini’s brother Rukmi arranged for her to be married to Sisupala, a determined enemy of Krishna. When the black-eyed, beautiful Rukmini heard of this settlement, she became very morose. But, being a king’s daughter, she could understand political diplomacy, and therefore she decided to take immediate steps to acquire Krishna as her husband. After some deliberation, she wrote a letter to Krishna and entrusted it to a brahmana
messenger. Without delay, she sent him with her letter to Krishna’s capital city of Dvaraka.

Reaching the gate of Dvaraka, the brahmana
informed the doorkeeper of his mission. and the doorkeeper led him to Lord Krishna, who was sitting on a golden throne. After the messenger was duly greeted according to his brahminical status, he carefully read Rukmini’s letter to the Supreme Lord:

“My dear Krishna, O infallible and most beautiful one, I have heard of Your transcendental qualities. I may be shameless in expressing myself so directly, but You have captivated me and taken my heart. I am an unmarried girl, young in age, and You may doubt the steadiness of my character. But my dear Krishna, since You are the supreme lion among human beings, the supreme person among persons, any girl not yet out of her home, or any woman of the highest chastity, would desire to marry You, being captivated by Your unprecedented character, knowledge, opulence and position.”

“I know that You are very kind toward Your devotees. Therefore I have decided to become Your eternal maidservant. My dear Lord, I dedicate my life and soul unto Your lotus feet. I have selected Your Lordship as my husband, and I request You to accept me as Your wife. You are supremely powerful, O lotus-eyed one. Now I belong to You. It would be ludicrous if what is enjoyable for the lion is taken away by the jackal. Therefore I request You to immediately take care of me before I am taken away by Sisupala. Please come here and catch hold of my hand so that I may not be touched by Sisupala and his men.”

Lord Krishna was very pleased to hear Rukmini’s statement. He shook hands with the messenger and said, “My dear
brahmana,
I am very glad to hear that Rukmini is anxious to marry Me, since I am also anxious to get her hand. I can understand that Rukmini’s brother has arranged her marriage with Sisupala in a spirit of animosity toward Me. So I am determined to give him a good lesson. Just as one can bring forth fire from ordinary wood by proper manipulation, similarly, after dealing with the demoniac princes, I shall bring forth Rukmini like fire from their midst.”

When Krishna heard that Rukmini’s marriage was scheduled for the following day, He decided to leave for the kingdom of Vidarbha immediately. He ordered His driver to harness the horses to His chariot and prepare for the journey, and they started at once. Within a single night they rode one thousand miles to their destination, the town of Kundina.

Krishna’s elder brother, Lord Balarama, soon received the news that Krishna had left for Kundina accompanied only by a brahmana,
and that Sisupala was there with his ally Jarasandha and a large number of soldiers. Suspecting that they would attack Krishna, Balarama took strong military divisions of chariots, infantry, horses and elephants and rode to the precinct of Kundina.

Meanwhile, inside the palace, Rukmini was expecting Krishna to arrive. But when neither He nor the
brahmana
messenger appeared, she became full of anxiety and began to think how unfortunate she was. She thought, “There is only one night before my marriage day, and still neither the
brahmana
nor Krishna has returned. I cannot understand this.”

Being the Supersoul of all living beings, Krishna could understand Rukmini’s anxiety, so He sent the
brahmana
inside the palace to let her know that He had arrived. When Rukmini saw the brahmana,
she was elated. She smiled and asked him whether or not Krishna had come. The brahmana
replied, “The son of the Yadu dynasty, Sri Krishna, has arrived!” He further encouraged her by saying

that Krishna had promised

to carry her away without fail. Rukmini was so thrilled by the brahmana’s
message that she wanted to give him in charity everything she possessed. However, finding nothing at hand suitable for presentation, she simply bowed down and offered him her humble respects.

When King Bhismaka heard that Krishna and Balarama had come, he invited Them to see the marriage ceremony of his daughter. He arranged to receive Them and Their soldiers in a garden house. As was the Vedic custom, the King offered Krishna and Balarama honey and fresh washed cloth.

Meanwhile, Rukmini came out of the palace to visit the temple of the goddess Durga. Rukmini was dressed very beautifully, and as she proceeded toward the temple, she was very silent and grave. Her mother and girl friends were by her side, and she was surrounded by royal bodyguards. In this way she entered the temple and offered her prayers to the deity. Ordinary people pray to Durga for material wealth, fame, strength and so on. Rukmini, however, desired to have Krishna for her husband, and therefore she prayed to the deity to be pleased with her and bless her. Then she caught hold of the hand of one of her girl friends and left the temple, accompanied by the others.

All the princes and visitors who had come to Kundina for the marriage were assembled outside the temple to see Rukmini. When the princes, who were especially eager to see her, caught sight of Rukmini leaving the temple, they were struck with wonder. Indeed, they thought she had been especially manufactured by the Creator to bewilder them! She appeared to be just a youth not more than thirteen or fourteen years old. Her body was well constructed, the middle portion being thin. The beauty of her green eyes and pink lips was enhanced by her scattered hair and different kinds of earrings, and around her feet she wore jeweled lockets. All in all, the bodily luster and beauty of Rukmini, which was specifically intended to attract the attention of Krishna, appeared as if painted by an artist perfectly presenting beauty following the description of great poets.

Although the princes gazed upon her beautiful features, she was not at all proud. Her eyes moved restlessly, and when she smiled very innocently, her teeth appeared just like lotus flowers. Expecting Krishna to take her away at any moment, she proceeded very slowly toward her home. The motion of her legs was just like that of a full-grown swan’s body, and her ankle bells tinkled very mildly.

The princes assembled there were so overwhelmed by Rukmini’s beauty that they almost became unconscious, and they fell from the backs of their horses and elephants. Full of lust, they hopelessly desired Rukmini’s hand, comparing their own beauty to hers. Srimati Rukmini, however, was not interested in any of them. In her heart she was simply expecting Krishna to come and carry her away. As she adjusted the ornaments on the fingers of her left hand, she happened to look upon the princes. Suddenly she saw that Krishna was among them. Although Rukmini had never seen Krishna before, she was always thinking of Him, and thus she had no difficulty recognizing Him.

Ignoring the other princes, Krishna immediately took Rukmini and placed her on His chariot. He then proceeded slowly, without fear, taking Rukmini away exactly as a lion takes a deer from the midst of jackals. Meanwhile, Balarama appeared on the scene with the soldiers of the Yadu dynasty.

Jarasandha, who had previously been defeated many times by Krishna, began to roar, “How is this? Krishna is taking Rukmini away from us without any opposition! What is the use of our being chivalrous fighters? My dear princes, just look! We are losing our reputation by this action! It is just like a jackal’s taking booty from a lion!”

All the princes, led by Jarasandha, then became very angry at Krishna for kidnapping Rukmini. They stood up and properly armed themselves with their bows and arrows. However, as they began to chase after Krishna on their chariots, horses and elephants, the soldiers of the Yadu dynasty turned and faced them. Terrible fighting between the two belligerent groups ensued. The princes opposing Krishna were all very expert fighters, and they shot their arrows at the Yadu soldiers just as a cloud splashes the face of a mountain with torrents of rain. Determined to defeat Krishna and recapture Rukmini from His custody, Jarasandha and his companions fought with Krishna’s army as severely as possible. Rukmini was seated by Krishna’s side on His chariot. She became fearful when she saw the arrows of the opposing party raining onto the faces of the soldiers of Yadu, and she looked at Krishna, grateful that He had taken such a great risk alone. She felt very sorry. Krishna understood, and He encouraged her with these words: “My dear Rukmini, don’t worry. Please rest assured that the soldiers of the Yadu dynasty will kill all their opponents without delay.”

Lord Balarama and the commanders of the Yadu soldiers did not tolerate the defiant attitude of Jarasandha’s army. They started to strike them with their arrows. As the fighting progressed, the princes and soldiers of the enemy began to fall from their horses, elephants and chariots.

Read more: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=116389

In 1973, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), arranged for several of his disciples to go to Mayapura, West Bengal, to study the traditional art of putul (dollmaking). These unfired clay figures are composed of raw materials gathered from the riverbank of the Ganges, traditionally created for holiday festival worship and then submerged back into the Ganges at the end of the season.

Inspired by his guru, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, who conceived of the theistic exhibition by using putul figures to depict the pastimes and teachings of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Prabhupāda envisioned diorama exhibitions as a staple in ISKCON.

“I want very extensive doll exhibits in every center. My Guru Mahārāja used to spend lots of money on doll exhibitions on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So I am sure that if we make doll exhibitions very prominent, many tourists and visitors will throng in our temples.”
—Letter to Jagadīśa, September 14, 1974

After a year of training, the team returned to the West and established the First American Transcendental Exhibition (F.A.T.E.) in the ISKCON Los Angeles “New Dvārakā Dhāma” community. The exhibition officially opened for the Janmāṣṭamī festival in 1977. F.A.T.E., now the Diorama-museum of Bhagavad-gītā, consists of eleven diorama exhibitions that survey the spiritual teachings spoken by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna in the Gītā.

Thereafter, F.A.T.E. studios created a second diorama museum for the Fisher Mansion in Detroit. Additionally, the team, which had expanded exponentially to include sculptors, painters, costume designers, mold makers, electricians, and architects, produced numerous projects — including sculpting the Pañca-tattva deities for the Laguna Beach and Hawaii temples, and the Kṛṣṇa-Kāliya deity for the Fiji temple.

Several of the original F.A.T.E. artists have come together to personally oversee and execute the museum’s restoration. Through this campaign, they are restoring and preserving Śrīla Prabhupāda’s vision for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness through visual storytelling.

The Restoration Project
Since its opening almost 50 years ago, the Diorama-museum of Bhagavad-gītā has undergone several minor restorations to repair figures and update audiovisual components. Recently, the Changing Bodies exhibit suffered critical damage, sparking a grand renovation project to:

Repair dioramas

Repair and update architecture

Revamp audiovisual technology

Reconfigure lighting

Replace outdated electrical components

Secure exhibits in a climate-controlled environment

50th Anniversary
The restoration project seeks a grand reopening in the summer of 2027 to celebrate the museum’s 50th anniversary.

The Diorama-museum of Bhagavad-gītā of the Los Angeles New Dvārakā Dhāma community is the first diorama museum produced by ISKCON. It is the only diorama exhibition personally supervised and directed by Śrīla Prabhupāda, who visited the F.A.T.E. studio and the museum during its development. The museum also contains the first life-size murti of Prabhupāda, now a fixture in every ISKCON temple.

The Diorama-museum of Bhagavad-gītā is the heart of New Dvārakā and sets the gold standard for ISKCON theistic exhibition.

In addition to restoring and upgrading the exhibits, an exhibition catalog is being produced to honor the F.A.T.E. artists and narrate the museum’s unique story within the history of ISKCON’s arts and culture.

The 50th anniversary is both a culmination of restoring the exhibition and preserving its history, and a mark of a new era of community engagement and artistic tradition in ISKCON.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=115886

By Lila-sakti Devi Dasi, 

On November 30th, 2025, the ISKCON New Goloka community in Hillsborough, North Carolina, joyfully gathered at the site of our new temple foundation to mark a significant milestone in the ongoing expansion of our sacred space. The moment reflected our commitment to better serve our loving congregation, to welcome all sincere spiritual seekers, and to expand our outreach operations in the mood, mission, and service of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. Kurmadeva and Ananta Sesa were lavishly worshipped and invited to reside in the new temple foundation, supporting the throne of our presiding deities of New Goloka Dham, Sri-Sri Radha Golokananda.

Strategically located in a North Carolina suburb, at the intersection of the Triad and the Triangle, New Goloka Dham has witnessed tremendous population growth in the last 15-20 years. Humble beginnings in the early 1980s established the powerful presence of the first Radha-Krishna temple in North Carolina, and from there, the temple and community have grown through friendly, tireless, and patient cultivation. 

More recently, the post-COVID pandemic brought out the need to connect (or reconnect) with what is most important in life, creating the impetus within our growing community to reach out and share the valuable gem of Krishna consciousness with others. Conversely, many sincere souls are reaching in and are finding their way to New Goloka Dham to immerse themselves in Bhakti through chanting, hearing, and feasting. Our aim now is to increase capacity, efficiency, and safety, and, most importantly, invite everyone to chant, dance, and be happy. 

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/new-goloka-dham-rises-to-embrace-a-growing-spiritual-community/

In the last thirty or forty years, the rapid pace of technological progress has been dazzling. I still remember my first desk-sized computer, with its massive 20 megabytes of storage, its MS-DOS operating system with the old C: prompt, and the modems that emitted a kind of high-pitched banshee wailing. Ah, those were the days. Now, the phone in my pocket is a thousand times more powerful, and my laptop can handle tasks unimaginable back then. With AI, it seems the sky is the limit. Soon, we’ll all be sitting in the sun with our feet up as robots jump to our remotely issued commands and do everything. Sounds wonderful, but is it actually increasing our happiness? Personally, I find that the onslaught of information, news and social media simply increases my anxiety levels. I need to unplug every so often to recover my peace of mind. I’m seriously considering deleting all my social media accounts and trading my smartphone for something a lot dumber.   

Maybe that’s a bit drastic, and I’ll probably find it hard to do, but I do think the exponential growth of technology has its downsides. First of all, where is it all going to? Do we have any specific goal in mind, beyond making life easier? What shall we do with our easy lives? I don’t know about you, but I find sitting around idly rather boring. Is a life of pure recreation fulfilling? I once took a three-month vacation with my true love, complete with sun, sand, and surf, but by the end, I couldn’t wait to get back home. It comes back to the first point of spirituality: we are spiritual beings meant for spiritual happiness. No matter how much pleasure we indulge in, we are never satisfied, and eventually it becomes jaded and even nasty.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/a-vulture-like-civilization/

Discovering Spiritual Knowledge

There is a general perception that the modeling industry is far from goodness and that it has been vulgarized. In your Instagram profile, you expressed gratitude to a number of people and shared that your path was different. Could you please tell us more about that?

I agree that modeling is far from goodness. At the same time, I think it all depends on a person. If you see the negative in everything, then you will be surrounded by the negative. Similarly, if you see positivity in everything, then you will be surrounded by the positive. That is number one. Number two, spiritual practice plays a big role. Since I discovered it, my surrounding has changed dramatically. In the same manner, my work clientele has changed as well. I started attracting vegetarians, people who were interested in spirituality, and spiritually practicing people. As you can see, everything depends on us. If we know how to think and act right, then we can survive even in this kind of environment. I do not consider my work to be bad. Good things exist everywhere, and I do my best to maximize them. However, I cannot say that I want to be a model for the rest of my life. Actually, I have much more exciting plans for the future.

You travel a lot and meet a lot of people, do you think they are interested in any philosophy? Do you get to talk to them about anything?

Absolutely! That is yet another reason why I love my work, as it gives me multiple opportunities for preaching.  When you are simply out there with a japa bag, everybody wants to come up to you, and that is a good reason for a half an hour conversation! What’s this bag? What are beads? What is japa? The last trip to Hanjoy, China turned out to be very special. Many people became interested in karma: how it is created, how to avoid bad karma, and how to improve one’s karma. I was so happy to tell them about that! While I am still new to this and there are many things I do not know, it is so cool when you know an answer to a particular question. That is how I get to preach while I am out traveling. At the same time, there are people who refuse to accept this philosophy, but I do not force them to be engaged in a conversation, because it is our personal business – to accept or not accept it.

Recently I was in New York attending an initiation ceremony. As I watched the new devotees, young and old, take their vows, I reflected on my own beginnings.

Over 35 years ago I sat before the fire and took the same vows. I am grateful to still be practicing. Later that day I heard a talk which shared 4 reasons why devotees sometimes give up the process of Krishna consciousness, the one they once started so enthusiastically. Turning them into positives, here are 4 things, if we do them well, that can bring us success in our spiritual endeavor, which is to awaken love for Krishna and live to in congruence with that wholesome truth.

1) Humility – the heart of a spiritual practice is humility, accepting the fact that we can’t succeed alone, we need help. As the years go by we gain knowledge and spiritual insights and feel our relationship with Krishna deepening and sweetening. This is a good thing. It means the process, the practice, is working. However, we may also grow the weeds of pride, making us feel like the big cheese in the spiritual community. We should watch out for those thoughts and throw them out the window. We are as big as our gratitude to, and utter acknowledgement of the role, of our spiritual teachers and fellow devotees in our spiritual journey. Anything other than that will trip us up and cause us to struggle.

2) Offenses – when we hurt, disrespect, or in any way short change other devotees of the Lord, we are offending. It can be by speech, by action, or by inaction. In any number of ways, offending brings clouds of discontent to our life. If we are feeling discouraged, or have little taste for our daily chanting, we can often trace it back to offending others. We may compound that by blaming everyone else but ourselves. Press the pause button. Slow down. Go for a walk alone or talk to a trusted spiritual advisor. Recognise the grip offensive or negative attitudes may have over your way of living in the world and change it. Small offences can build up over time so be careful to treat everyone with affection and care. After all, they too are trying their best to serve the Lord.

3) Sanga – sanga means association, a gathering of those interested in spiritual subject matters. Make sure you have time in your week to be together with devotees to hear and chant about Krishna, to serve together or to have meaningful conversations. When we have good friendships with other devotees it not only makes the good times better, but we have support and love when we are facing difficulty. Who we ‘hang out with’ shapes who we become. Find good Krishna devotee association and make time in your life to be with them. It is one of the most essential aspects of a successful spiritual practice.

4) Knowing the Path – this last one is perhaps the one we might neglect the most. Life, and also spiritual life, is full of ups and downs. When times get rough we might think – “Krishna, what’s going on? I’m serving you and why are things not going my way?” When we expect difficulty, and expect to be challenged as part of the growing process, the purifying process, we are ready for it when it comes along. Oh, there you are – now what am I to learn from this? What I am to change or grow into?

When we make a commitment to the practice of Bhakti Yoga, to following strong principles and compassionate teachings, we make a commitment to make ourselves better. Such a practice has the potential to bring us extraordinary results, beyond even our wildest imagination. Don’t sell yourself short. Dive into the deep end, swim with courage, and honor the wisdom of those who have gone before us. If we do, we’ll make it to the end in one piece (and more).

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=47092

The Secretariat to the Co-Directors of ISKCON Mayapur has issued an urgent advisory warning devotees and well-wishers about an ongoing room-booking scam targeting pilgrims planning to visit Mayapur during the upcoming festival season.

According to the notice, fraudsters are falsely offering accommodations in Prabhupad Village, Isodyan, Gada Bhavan, Conch Bhavan, and Gita Bhavan through a fake website and WhatsApp communications. In several reported cases, scammers have contacted devotees by phone or WhatsApp, offering discounted room rates—sometimes claiming up to a 30% reduction for ISKCON life members—in order to solicit advance payments.

ISKCON Mayapur officials have reported the matter to the appropriate authorities. However, they note that legal processes take time before fraudulent websites and accounts can be blocked. In the meantime, devotees are strongly advised to exercise caution, verify all accommodation bookings through official ISKCON Mayapur channels, and avoid making payments based on unsolicited messages or unofficial links.

The Mayapur administration has requested that this warning be widely shared so that devotees can be protected from financial loss and inconvenience during their pilgrimage.

Issued January 2026
Secretariat to the Co-Directors, ISKCON Mayapur

Source: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-mayapur-issues-warning-on-room-booking-scam-ahead-of-festival-season/

By Sunanda Das,

On February 11, 2026, the TOVP will reach its next milestone: the Grand Opening of the Lord’s Yajna Shala in the TOVP gardens. Only yajnas for the Lord’s pleasure will be executed in this facility on a daily basis, continuing this long-standing seva since 1986.

Constructed of granite, marble, and brick, this ornate and beautifully designed structure will house an enormous Yajna Peeta (sacrificial fire arena) wherein daily yajnas to the Lord will continue in perpetuity.

108 sponsorships for the first yajnas on February 11 are now available. Sponsors who are present in Sridham Mayapur on this occasion will have access to seating in the Yajna Shala.

Take the opportunity to sponsor a yajna today, or one of the many other seva options on this historic occasion. Visit the Yajna Shala Campaign website page for more information.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/tovp-yajna-shala-grand-opening-yajna-sponsorships/

The auspicious day of Makara Sankranti, which falls in the Krishna paksha of Magha mas, this year the month of January, marks the sun’s entering the zodiac sign of Capricorn, or Makara. Although in ancient times all Sankrantis were observed and celebrated, Makara Sankranti is of special importance, as it also marks the beginning of the auspicious six-month period of Uttarayana, the tithi of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s sannyasa and of the descent of the Ganges on this earthly planet.

After the Kurukshetra war, when Bhishmadeva was lying on a bed of arrows and was preparing to leave his body, he was waiting for the sun to enter into Uttarayana, which is considered to be an auspicious time, and therefore it is understood that he left his body on the auspicious day of Makara Sankranti while beholding the beautiful face of Lord Krishna in the holy place of Kurukshetra, also known as Dharmakshetra.

This glorious day also marks the descent of Mother Ganges, after the austere penances performed by King Bhagirath with the aspiration to free his ancestors from the curse of Kapila rishi, who, falsely accused by the sixty thousand sons of King Sagar for stealing the sacrificial horse actually stolen by Indra, cursed them to go to the nether regions. After being pacified by their prayers, he proclaimed that their only means of salvation would be if the Ganges would descend from the heavenly planets to the earth and down to the nether regions. Then, by being purified by her, they would be freed from the curse. After the penances of King Bhagirath, the most purifying Mother Ganges came down to the earth on the day of Makara Sankranti, and this descent of hers is still celebrated in the form of Ganga Sagar Mela, when numerous pilgrims go to the Sagar Islands in West Bengal and bathe in the holy confluence of the Ganga with the ocean.

Another significant event that took place on this date is the acceptance of the sannyasa order by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu for the purpose of preaching and propagating the path of devotional service and delivering the fallen, conditioned souls in this Age of Kali. It was on this day that Mahaprabhu left behind His widowed mother and His young wife in Mayapur and, in the village of Katwa, left the grihastha ashrama. Shaving His beautiful locks of hair and donning saffron cloth, He accepted sannyasa from Sri Keshava Bharati. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one of Mahaprabhu’s opulences is that He is the most renounced, and thus there was no need for Him to accept the renounced order of sannyasa. But seeing the faultfinding nature of the people and understanding that if He accepted the life of a renunciant, the general populace would be able to give Him proper respect and refrain from committing offenses at His lotus feet, He decided to do so. Thereafter, He inundated the universe with Krishna-bhakti, and it is due to His causeless mercy that today we are able to tread the path of devotion under the guidance of and following in the footsteps of His followers.

anarpita-carim cirat karunayavatirnah kalau
  samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam
harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah
  sada hrdaya-kandare sphuratu vah saci-nandana

“May that Lord who is known as the son of Srimati Sacidevi be transcendentally situated in the innermost core of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has descended in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most elevated mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love.” (Cc Adi 1.4)

Makara Sankranti is also the anniversary of the grand opening of Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari’s temple in Juhu, Bombay—after many years of intense struggle by Srila Prabhupada and his devotees.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

Source: https://girirajswami.com/blog/sri-makara-sankranti

According to Vedic scriptures, in the past age, in Satya Yuga lived a king named Sagara, King of Oudh, the 13th ancestor of Lord Ramachandra. He performed a holy yajna, the Ashwamedha yajna or horse-sacrifice 99 times.

This ceremony consisted of sending a horse (the symbol of his power) around the world challenging all to arrest its progress. If the horse returned unopposed, it was understood to be an acceptance of the supremacy of the king.

When King Sagara made preparations for the 100th sacrifice, Indra, the King of heaven, who had himself performed the ceremony a 100 times, jealous of being displaced by this new rival, stole the horse and concealed it in a subterranean cell, where the sage Kapila (incarnation of Lord Vishnu) or Kapila Muni, was absorbed in meditation, oblivious to all happenings of the external world. 

Sagara’s 60,000 sons traveled far and wide to find the stolen horse. At last, they found it near the ashram of the great sage. Believing the sage to be the thief, they assaulted him. The muni, upon being aroused, opened his eyes, understood the situation and cursed his assailants, who were immediately burnt to ashes and sentenced to hell.

On hearing this, King Sagara went to the sage and begged for his mercy. The sage, at first turned a deaf ear to his plea, but later told that the princes would gain enlightenment if their ashes were washed by the holy waters of the heavenly river Ganges. 

For two generations, attempts were made to bring the Ganges down to the earth from the celestial regions but all efforts proved futile. A prince of this dynasty, Bhagiratha, pleased the gods, and with the help of Lord Shiva, brought Ganga down to earth. His forefathers’ sins were washed away and the people had the opportunity to wash away their sins as well.
 

From then on, Gangasagar, near the ashram of the sage Kapila, has been a holy place of pilgrimage at the junction of the river and sea. It is auspicious, especially during Maker Sankranti, to come here and free the soul from earthly sins.
 
As per Vedic scriptures, Lord Balarama the eternal brother of Lord Krishna, also visited Ganga Sagar. In Gaura Lila, Lord Nityananda also visited this place. As per the Srimad Bhagavatam, Lord Kapila is still residing here. 

Source: https://ramaiswami.com/ganga-sagara-2/

Dear Beloved Devotee and Well-Wisher,

May Lord Śrī Krishna and Mother Ganga shower their blessings upon you.
Wishing you a blissful, auspicious, and prosperous New Year 2026.

At the divine confluence of the Bay of Bengal and Mother Ganga rests Gangasagar Dham—celebrated in the scriptures as a holy tīrtha that can wash away the accumulated sins of innumerable lifetimes.

During the annual Gangasagar Mela on the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti, millions of sādhus and tīrtha-yātris travel great distances—many walking for days, some sleeping beneath the open sky, others elderly, fragile, hungry, thirsty, or physically exhausted. Yet all of them come with one profound aspiration: purification of the heart, spiritual upliftment, and the hope of receiving the Lord’s mercy in this holy dhām.

Scriptures narrate how King Bhagirath brought Mother Ganga to earth and liberated his forefathers. Gangasagar, further sanctified by the intense tapasya of Lord Kapila Muni, is described in Vedic śāstra as a sacred place where bathing on Makar Sankranti bestows peace, prosperity, auspiciousness, and liberation from material suffering.

On this very day, the Sun enters Uttarāyaṇa—a supremely auspicious moment that even Bhīṣma Pitāmaha waited for before leaving his earthly body.

Across India, this festival is celebrated under many names—Poush Sankranti, Pongal, Lohri, Magh Bihu, Uttarayan, Khichdi, Pedda Panduga—yet everywhere its essence remains one: charity, compassion, purification, and devotion.

ISKCON Gangasagar Seva Camp

This year once again, ISKCON Gangasagar is setting up a devotional seva camp on the banks of Mother Ganga to lovingly serve thousands of pilgrims with:

Hot, nutritious prasādam

Shelter and resting facilities

Spiritual association

Medical care

Gītā-dāna and vastra-dāna

Drinking water and sanitation

Compassionate assistance

This divine mission can be accomplished only through the generous support of devotees and well-wishers like you.

The Glory of Bengal
The Vedic Center for Culture & Education

International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Founder-Ācārya: His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Address:
Hare Krishna Land, Road No. 5, Near Helipad
Village, PO & PS: Gangasagar Coastal
24 Parganas (South), West Bengal – 743373

Contact:
iskcongs@gmail.com

97353 33511 / 98744 37164
www.iskcongangasagar.com

About the Pilgrims

During the Mela, pilgrims arrive weary—often elderly or ill, many having walked barefoot for miles. They seek:

Hari-kathā

Harinām-saṅkīrtan

Blessings and guidance

Prasādam and drinking water

Medical assistance

A moment of spiritual refuge

Your support offers nourishment, relief, dignity, and upliftment to thousands.

The scriptures declare:

“Tīrtha-kurvanti tīrthāni sādhavaḥ”
It is the saintly devotees who sanctify the holy places.

Serving pilgrims is therefore serving the Lord Himself. As Krishna assures in the Bhagavad Gītā (9.26):
“Patram puṣpam phalam toyaṁ…”—even a leaf offered with devotion is lovingly accepted by Him.

Seva Requirements for Gangasagar Mela 2026

To organize the ISKCON Gangasagar Mela 2026 Seva Camp, we humbly require ₹50 lakhs, covering:

Prasādam distribution

Accommodation and kitchen setup

Sanitation and drinking water

Vastra-dāna & Gītā-dāna

Medical assistance

Volunteer services

Prasādam Seva Goal

1,50,000 pilgrims

₹30 per prasādam plate
(Rice, dal, sabji, pickle/halwa)

Served from early morning till midnight

Special Donor Facilities (First Time Ever)

Sponsor 7,000 meals (₹2,10,000 and above):

AC Super Deluxe Guest House accommodation

Donor banner display

Opportunity to personally serve pilgrims

Sponsor 1,000 meals (₹30,000):

VIP Tent accommodation (common toilets)

Donor banner display

All donors receive:

Personalized appreciation letter

Sealed bottle of Holy Ganga water

Sanctified prasādam packet

A Humble Appeal

Imagine an elderly pilgrim who has walked for two days…
A mother shielding her child from icy winds…
A sadhu relying entirely on the Lord’s mercy…

When such pilgrims receive warm prasādam, shelter, water, or even a gentle smile—that moment becomes your seva. The Lord sees it, and Mother Ganga lovingly witnesses it.

With Gratitude

On behalf of ISKCON Gangasagar, we sincerely thank you for your trust and support. With folded hands, we invite you to join this sacred mission of compassion and devotion.

Please support according to your capacity.

For assistance:
Shri Sundar Govind Das – 97353 33511 / 98744 37164
iskcongs@gmail.com

May Lord Kapila Muni and Mother Ganga bless you and your family with devotion, protection, prosperity, and spiritual happiness in the New Year.

Your insignificant and ever-grateful sevak,

Shri Sundar Govind Das
Temple President
ISKCON Gangasagar International

Tax Benefit

All donations toward annadāna are eligible for 80G tax exemption (India).

http://www.iskcongangasagar.com/gs-mela-2026.html

 

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi,

The Krishna Center for Empathic Communication, an online platform under the guidance of Bir Krishna Das Goswami, is conducting a ten-week online course series beginning on January 18 that examines communication and relationships through the framework of Empathic Nonviolent Communication (ENVC). The first course in the three-part series, titled “Seeking Harmony Within & Without: Become Your Own Best Friend,” is being held over ten consecutive Sundays from January 18 through March 22, with an additional session scheduled for March 29. The live sessions take place from 3:00 to 5:00 pm Central European Time.

Bir Krishna Das Goswami began offering Empathic Communication seminars internationally in the 1990s. After studying sociology and relationship dynamics and attending Nonviolent Communication workshops conducted by Dr. Marshall B. Rosenberg, he developed Empathic Communication as an approach adapted for devotional settings. Over time, he organized extended workshops and trained devotees to serve as facilitators.

‘Seeking Harmony Within & Without: Become Your Own Best Friend’ takes inspiration from Srila Prabhupada’s teachings in The Nectar of Instruction, where he emphasizes that the Krishna consciousness movement progresses through loving relationships among devotees. According to facilitator Madhuri Radhika Devi Dasi, the program examines how harmony in relationships is connected to how individuals relate to themselves, rather than focusing on changing others.

She explained, “Becoming one’s own best friend means learning to listen inwardly with honesty and care, and honoring what is true and vulnerable within. When this inner relationship strengthens, its effects are often reflected in how we communicate with others.”

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/ten-week-program-on-empathic-communication-and-relationship-harmony/

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi, 

The Mayapur Clean and Green initiative, led by Murari Mohini Devi Dasi, has unveiled a new song and accompanying music video, celebrating its ongoing environmental mission in the Holy Dham of Mayapur. The song, aptly titled “Mayapur Clean and Green,” is the result of a beautiful international collaboration, bringing together devotees, musicians, and students from the Philippines, the United States, Italy, the UK, Russia, and India, reflecting the spirit of unity and cooperation that Srila Prabhupada always emphasized.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the song, Murari explained, “This song was born from the need to encourage participation from our local community, as well as from the international community that is part of Mayapur Dham—whether as visitors or as those who hold the Holy Dham in deep esteem, recognizing that it deserves to be an exemplary model for all of humanity.”

The song features an original composition by Bhaktin Gandharvika from the Philippines, who not only composed it but also performs as a guitarist and singer, lending her musical talents to convey the spiritual importance of caring for Mayapur’s environment. Complementing the composition, Bhakta Prahlad from the United States contributed the mridanga rhythm, while Prema Vilas Das from the Philippines added depth with the piano, creating an inspiring soundscape that bridges spiritual practice and ecological mindfulness.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/mayapur-clean-and-green-song-released-to-celebrate-environmental-mission/

Today, Makara Sankranti, is the anniversary of the grand opening of Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari’s temple in Juhu, Bombay—after many years of intense struggle by Srila Prabhupada and his devotees.

And Makara Sankranti is significant for other momentous events as well. The auspicious day of Makara Sankranti, which falls in the Krishna paksha of Magha mas, this year the month of January, marks the sun’s entering the zodiac sign of Capricorn, or Makara. Although in ancient times all Sankrantis were observed and celebrated, Makara Sankranti is of special importance, as it also marks the beginning of the auspicious six-month period of Uttarayana, the tithi of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s sannyasa and of the descent of the Ganges on this earthly planet.

After the Kurukshetra war, when Bhishmadeva was lying on a bed of arrows and was preparing to leave his body, he was waiting for the sun to enter into Uttarayana, which is considered to be an auspicious time, and therefore it is understood that he left his body on the auspicious day of Makara Sankranti while beholding the beautiful face of Lord Krishna in the holy place of Kurukshetra, also known as Dharmakshetra.

This glorious day also marks the descent of Mother Ganges on this earthly planet, after the austere  penances performed by King Bhagirath with the aspiration to free his ancestors from the curse of Kapila rishi, who, at being falsely accused by the sixty thousand sons of King Sagar for stealing the sacrificial horse actually stolen by Indra, cursed them to go to the nether regions. After being pacified by their prayers, he proclaimed that their only means of salvation would be if the Ganges would descend from the heavenly planets and come down to the earth and down to the nether regions. Then, by being purified by her, they would be freed from the curse. After the penances of King Bhagirath, the most purifying Mother Ganges came down to the earth on the day of Makara Sankranti, and this descent of hers is still celebrated in the form of Ganga Sagar Mela, when numerous pilgrims go to the Sagar Islands in West Bengal and bathe in the holy confluence of the Ganga with the ocean.

Another significant event that took place on this date is the acceptance of the sannyasa order by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu for the purpose of preaching and propagating the path of devotional service and delivering the fallen, conditioned souls in this Age of Kali. It was on this day that Mahaprabhu left behind His widowed mother and His young wife in Mayapur and, in the village of Katwa, left the grihastha ashrama. Shaving His beautiful locks of hair and donning saffron cloth, He accepted sannyasa from Sri Keshava Bharati. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one of Mahaprabhu’s opulences is that He is the most renounced, and thus there was no need for Him to accept the renounced order of sannyasa. But seeing the faultfinding nature of the people and understanding that if He accepted the life of a renunciant, the general populace would be able to give Him proper respect and refrain from committing offenses at His lotus feet, He decided to do so. Thereafter, He inundated the universe with Krishna-bhakti, and it is due to His causeless mercy that today we are able to tread the path of devotion under the guidance of and following in the footsteps of His followers.

anarpita-carim cirat karunayavatirnah kalau
  samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam
harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah
  sada hrdaya-kandare sphuratu vah saci-nandana

“May that Lord who is known as the son of Srimati Sacidevi be transcendentally situated in the innermost core of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has descended in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most elevated mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love.” (Cc Adi 1.4)

Hare Krishna.

source https://girirajswami.com/blog/makara-sankranti-2

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