Recorded at Hsuan Chuang University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan, on March 18, 2026, this lecture by Dr. Kenneth Valpey, also known as HH Krishna Kshetra Swami, presents a thoughtful and deeply enriching exploration of the mind, yoga, and the spiritual search in modern life.

Drawing from the Bhagavad-gita, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and the wider contemplative traditions of India, Dr. Valpey presents yoga not merely as a bodily discipline, but as a profound science of consciousness, inner cultivation, ethical refinement, and spiritual realization. With both academic clarity and devotional sensitivity, he reflects on enduring human questions of identity, meaning, suffering, and the disciplined formation of the mind in an age shaped by restlessness, technological acceleration, and existential uncertainty.

The program concludes with kirtan and the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, beautifully bringing together scholarly reflection and the living tradition of bhakti-yoga in a spirit of sincere intercultural and spiritual dialogue.

With Mandarin interpretation by Rajalaxmi Devi Dasi / @rajalaxmitkggpp
Hsuan Chuang University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan
March 18, 2026

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117578

His extraordinary journey began 74 years ago in the small town of Ede, in the Netherlands. Finishing in an even smaller town, here in Sandy Ridge, North Carolina. He will always be remembered as a small-town boy with big-town aspirations. Indeed, his work reached globally.

By Anuradha Dasi, 

For nearly twenty years, New Vrindaban has hosted its beloved 24-Hour Kirtan, a festival built around a very simple formula: dedicated kirtan singers, a good sound system, water, lozenges, and plenty of prasadam. With these ingredients, the temple room naturally fills with transcendental sound and joyful devotion.

Last year, Ram Raya Dasa of the New York City Harinam group suggested expanding the spirit of the 24-hour kirtan by holding additional kirtan gatherings throughout the year. While four seasonal events proved difficult to schedule, the community found space for a third festival in March, opening the kirtan season much earlier.

Thus, this year, New Vrindaban hosted the first Gaura Prema Festival, held just after Gaura Purnima. Because of its timing, the program centered on the life and teachings of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, especially the mood of the Adi Lila.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/gaura-prema-festival-opens-the-kirtan-season-at-new-vrindaban/

Two newly released reports offer an overview of the 2025 activities of the ISKCON Kirtan Ministry and the ISKCON Padayatra Ministry, as well as the preaching and leadership initiatives of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Swami. Together, they document a year marked by expanding outreach, strengthened coordination among devotional initiatives, and continued efforts to spread the chanting of the Holy Name in line with the mission of ISKCON Founder-Acharya A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.

The Kirtan Ministry report highlights global and regional programs designed to cultivate a vibrant culture of harinama sankirtana, including festivals such as the World Holy Name Festival and BhaktiFest, as well as temple-based kirtan initiatives and training programs. At the same time, the Padayatra Ministry continued its tradition of walking pilgrimages, with ongoing yatras, local padayatras, and parikrama programs connecting devotees with communities in towns and villages. The ministries also strengthened communication and documentation through the Weekly Padayatra News platform and expanded digital outreach to reach a broader audience.

Both reports emphasize youth engagement, leadership development, and the guidance of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Swami, whose international preaching tours and leadership efforts helped coordinate initiatives across regions while strengthening congregations and relationships with supporters. Together, these efforts contributed to wider participation in devotional programs and greater organizational cohesion, while opening new opportunities for devotees and newcomers alike to engage in the global sankirtana movement. Readers are invited to explore the full reports for detailed insights into these initiatives and their impact during 2025 by downloading here.

Source: https://iskconnews.org/kirtan-and-padayatra-reports-highlight-global-preaching-efforts/

Sri Ramanujacharya (A.D. 1017–1137) spent 80 of his 120 years at Sri Rangam. For twenty years he was the chief priest of the temple. Ramanuja is the main acarya, or spiritual teacher, in the line of teachers and disciples knows as the Sri Sampradaya. His presentation of Krsna Consciousness is known as visistadvaita, “qualified nondualism.” 

A staunch proponent of the philosophy of personalism, he taught that although the Supreme Lord and the individual souls are qualitatively one, there is still a difference between them, for the Lord is infinite and the living entities are infinitesimal.

Ramanuja traveled extensively throughout India, teaching personalism and debating proponents of monistic philosophy. His commentary on the Vedanta-sutra is known as Sri-bhasya.

Ramanuja founded seventy-four centers of Sri Vaisnavaism and initiated seven hundred sannyasis (renunciants), twelve thousand brahmacaris (celibate students), thousands of householders (including kings and wealthy landowners), and three hundred ketti-ammanis, women who took vows of renunciation.

Source: https://ramaiswami.com/ramanujacharya-appearance-4/

By Atma Tattva Das,

Devotees from across Gauteng, South Africa, gathered at the grounds of ISKCON Midrand for the first Devotee Care South Africa (DCSA) event of the year, a regional Family Fun Day designed to strengthen relationships and promote practical support within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness community.

The in-person gathering brought together devotees from temples and namahatta communities throughout the province for a day combining devotional association, family activities, and health and wellness services. Local sannyasis Bhakti Chaitanya Swami and Rama Govinda Swami attended the event, offering spiritual reflections that connected the initiative to the broader culture of care within the movement.

The picnic was coordinated by Jayananda Das, a key organizer of the Gauteng DCSA initiative, which serves under the national Devotee Care minister, Smara-Hari Das. Leaders said the event represents a practical effort to translate the principle of caring for devotees into visible community structures.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/devotee-care-sa-hosts-gauteng-family-fun-day-at-midrand/

Miatta Fahnbulleh (center) with faith leaders at the IWD event. Photo source. 

Women representing several faith traditions gathered at Westminster on March 10 to mark International Women’s Day (IWD) in a meeting hosted by Miatta Fahnbulleh, the UK Minister for Devolution, Faith and Communities.* The event brought together women from Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Hindu, and other communities to highlight the vital role women of faith play in strengthening social cohesion and supporting vulnerable members of society.

The gathering was organized by the Women’s Faith Forum and took place shortly after the UK government announced its new community cohesion strategy. Participants discussed how women of faith are contributing to local communities through initiatives that support youth returning to education, environmental stewardship, and programs addressing social isolation and hate crime. 

Representing the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) were Krishna Purna Dasi and Anuradha Sakhi Dasi, from Bhaktivedanta Manor, who joined eleven other women who shared their experiences in community-building initiatives. Bijal Majithia (Braja Vadhu Devi Dasi), a founding member of the Women’s Faith Forum and a member of the Manor community, has also played a key role in fostering dialogue and cooperation among women from diverse faith traditions.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-reps-and-other-faith-leaders-mark-international-womens-day-at-westminster/

What is the appropriate response of a Vaisnava or person of faith during a time of national or global crisis? The examples of great souls and of scripture can help us understand what a Vaisnava response can look like.

From a certain perspective, we are always in a time of crisis. In the material world, there is danger at every step. Although the material world is the wonderful creation of the Divine, it is not our home, and our material position is never secure. A large part of spiritual practice is meant to help us realize this, and to seek to connect with the Divine and with one another on a spiritual level. Spiritual practice helps us find equanimity during times of unexpected or unwanted change, because we have placed our faith with our Eternal Friend.

We see this faith expressed in many traditions. Jesus Christ tells his followers, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt 6:21) and Lord Sri Krishna tells his beloved devotee, “For those who worship me with concentration, I provide what they lack and preserve what they have” (BG 9.22). Spiritual practice helps us understand that no matter what circumstances of life we go through, our Divine Beloved is always, always with us.

Yet there is another dimension to spiritual practice, as well. Spiritual practice also gives us compassion and the courage to reach outside ourselves, serving the needs of others selflessly.

The examples of the great souls demonstrate this. Countless great souls, from ancient times to the present day, used their spiritual practice as fuel to serve others, even in desperate circumstances. The Mahabharata and Ramayana include countless examples of leaders doing their best to address the needs of their communities, even in seemingly impossible circumstances. Their choices were supported by faith; and they even took courageous action during times when all faith seemed to be lost. Each of us may also know people who demonstrate these qualities daily, often the unsung heroes of our movement, or devotees who serve as medical workers, social workers, government officials, chaplains, and teachers.

This character is well summarized in this verse from a section of the Bhagavata Purana, describing the qualities of a mahatma (a magnanimous person):

alampaṭaḥ śīla-dharo guṇākaro

hṛṣṭaḥ pararddhyā vyathito duḥkhiteṣu

abhūta-śatrur jagataḥ śoka-hartā

naidāghikaṁ tāpam ivoḍurājaḥ (3.14.49)

[A mahatma is one who] is not greedy, bears all virtues, does good, is cheerful, is happy for others, is grieved by others’ suffering, is without enemies, takes away the sufferings of the universe, [and who] like the moon [takes away] the austerity of the summer sun.

This verse predicted the kingship of Prahlad Maharaj, a great mahatma, who did indeed enact these virtues, protecting his people and all living entities. Although Prahlad is primarily famous for his profound faith, which enabled him to pass through great trials even as a young child, he should also be remembered for the courageous and compassionate leadership he displayed as a king.

In more recent history, the life and pastimes of Lord Chaitanya include other examples of mahatmas whose compassion led them to care for others selflessly. Vasudeva Datta, a beloved disciple of Lord Chaitanya, was completely selfless in his service to Vaisnavas and the people in general, spending everything he had for the needs of others (see CC Madhya 15.93-96). Vasudeva Datta even prayed to Lord Chaitanya to take all the sinful reactions of all living entities on himself, to relieve them from suffering (CC Madhya 15.162-163).

These examples cannot be imitated. But the examples set by mahatmas point a direction which all Vaisnavas should follow. How do we do that, recognizing our own limitations?

 We can engage in service. To whatever extent we are able – considering financial capacity, responsibilities to care for others, and health considerations – we can volunteer to respond to the needs of our local community. During a time of crisis, many people turn to food pantries, mutual aid societies, financial relief hubs, and phone hotlines. Depending on our capacity, we can volunteer with or donate to these resources.

 We can extend emotional support to others. Our own spiritual practices and emotional capacity can be a great asset to those in our own household (including children or elders we may be caring for), to other relatives, to neighbors and friends, especially those experiencing depression, anxiety, or other challenges. The more isolated people become, the greater there can be a need for loving contact. Picking up the phone to call someone, or holding a family member in a loving embrace, can be a beautiful gift.

 We can pray for others, and pray for our own fears to be resolved. Krishna Consciousness, like many other traditions, believes in the power of prayer, of sacred sound vibration chanted with intention. Our tradition has so many resources for prayer. The Maha Mantra can be chanted with intentions for relieving the suffering of others; Lokah samastha sukhino bhavantu or other Vedic mantras can also be chanted; and we may also draw on resources developed in other spiritual traditions such as metta meditation, Marian prayer, Franciscan prayer, body prayer, etc.

Regardless of the response we choose, the mahatmas show us that faith and compassion are what we should aspire to put into practice. No matter what our circumstance is in life, there is always something we can do to relieve the burdens of others, especially during a time of crisis. And when we feel fearful or hopeless, let’s remember that Sri Krishna is always, always with us, and that He provides whatever we lack and preserves whatever we have.

We often get questions about surrender, like “how can we surrender”. Recently I was reading one old BTG, 2001, and found a nice practical statement from Srila Prabhupada. If we search “surrender” on the vedabase we find 7445 hits, so we know it is an important topic. And we all know the conclusion of the Bhagavad Gita:

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami mä suca

TRANSLATION

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

BG 18.66

Here is simple guidline from Srila Prabhupada.

” Another name for Krsna is Ajita. No one can conquer Krsna, but Krsna can be conquered by His devotee.

One should be submissive and say, “Krsna, I am very poor. I have no means to understand You. Please be merciful upon me. Please allow me to understand You and surrender.”
This is wanted. Krsna is very merciful, and when He sees that someone has surrendered, He will help from within.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => TLK Vs 30

Just before that he refers to the following verse from the SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM:

nane prayasam udapasya namanta eva
jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam
sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir
ye prayaso ‘jita jito ‘py asi tais tri-lokyam

TRANSLATION

Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.

PURPORT

Here the word udapasya clearly indicates that one should not even slightly endeavor to understand the Absolute Truth by the process of mental speculation, for it invariably carries one to an imperfect, impersonal understanding of God. The word jivanti indicates that a devotee who always hears about Lord Krsna will go back home, back to Godhead, even if he can do nothing except maintain his existence and hear topics concerning the Lord.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami has explained the words tanu-van-manobhih (“by the body, words and mind”) in three ways. In reference to devotees, through their body, words and mind they are able to conquer Lord Krsna. Thus becoming perfect in Krsna consciousness, they can touch His lotus feet with their hands, call Him to come with their words, and attain His direct audience within their mind simply by thinking about Him.

In the case of nondevotees, the words tanu-van-manobhih refer to the word ajita, “unconquered,” and indicate that those not engaged in the loving service of Lord Krsna cannot conquer the Absolute Truth by their bodily strength, verbal expertise or mental power. Despite all their endeavors, the ultimate truth remains beyond their reach.

In reference to the word jitah, “conquered,” the words tanu-van-manobhih indicate that the pure devotees of Lord Krsna conquer His body, words and mind. Lord Krsna’s body is conquered because He always remains by the side of His pure devotees; Lord Krsna’s words are conquered because He always chants the glories of His devotees; and Lord Krsna’s mind is conquered because He always thinks about His loving devotees.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has explained the words tanu-van-manobhih in regard to the word namantah, “offering obeisances.” He explains that the devotees can take full advantage of the transcendental topics of the Lord by offering all respects to those topics with their body, words and mind. One should engage his body by touching the ground with his hands and head while offering obeisances to the topics of the Lord; one should engage his words by praising transcendental literatures such as Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, as well as the devotees who are preaching such literatures; and one should engage his mind by feeling great reverence and pleasure while hearing the transcendental topics of the Lord. In this way, a sincere devotee who has acquired even a small amount of transcendental knowledge about Lord Krsna can conquer Him and thus go back home, back to Godhead, for eternal life at the Lord’s side.

SB 10.14.4 

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=1007

Over the years I’ve come across various articles, statements and websites which have been critical or even downright offensive towards Srila Prabhupada. As a disciple — or should I say an aspiring disciple since being a true disciple is no easy thing — I find these writings to be intolerable and I’ll tell you why.

At great personal inconvenience, Srila Prabhupada left the peaceful and holy village of Vrindavan at the advanced age of 69 (almost 70) to travel by steamship across the Atlantic Ocean to fulfill the order of his beloved spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, to preach Krishna consciousness in the Western world. He suffered two heart attacks on board the freighter (not airplane or cruise ship) and arrived in New York City with less than seven dollars in his pocket, completely dependent on the mercy of the Supreme Lord Krishna for the success of his great mission.

Prabhupada wasted no time. After more than 30 days at sea, Srila Prabhupada began his preaching work almost immediately by lecturing at the YMCA in Butler, Pennsylvania. The local newspaper, the Butler Eagle, published an article along with the above photo on September 22, 1965, only five days after Prabhupada arrived in Boston and wrote his famous poem, “Markine Bhagavata-Dharma.”

Rather than focus on preaching to the wealthy or privileged class of society, Srila Prabhupada, an educated scholar of Vedic wisdom, chose to deliver his message to the poorest of the poor in the Bowery and Lower East Side of New York. In spite of his exalted position as an authorized representative of the highly esteemed Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya-Vaisnava Sampradaya in direct disciplic succession from Krishna Himself, Srila Prabhupada always remained humble and respectful to everyone.

“A Krishna Consciousness person thinks always about himself as the lowest creature in the world, and the more one thinks like that he becomes elevated more and more. A Krishna Conscious person is never falsely puffed-up; he is satisfied with his humble position as the servant of the servant of the servant of Krishna.”

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, June 1, 1968)

Despite his humility, Srila Prabhupada set the standard by his impeccable Vaisnava behavior. Prabhupada always practiced what he preached. There was never any discrepancy between what he instructed and how he lived his life. That is the meaning of acarya, or one who teaches by example. Srila Prabhupada was the first to rise in the morning, and no one could keep up with his incessant devotion and service — day after day, month after month and year after year. In all his dealings with thousands of devotees and members of the public during his numerous preaching tours around the world, there was never a hint of scandal or controversy surrounding Srila Prabhupada or his personal behavior.

Prabhupada never accepted anything for himself, nor did he ever enjoy the facilities offered to him by his disciples and followers. Those who had the good fortune to personally serve or spend time with Srila Prabhupada all attest to this fact. He was cent percent engaged in the service of Krishna 24 hours a day. It was his total surrender and dedication to the Lord’s service which inspired so much love and adoration in the hearts of his followers. Srila Prabhupada not only talked the talk, but he walked the walk. Everyone respected Prabhupada, even those who didn’t agree with his philosophy. Poet Allen Ginsberg said it well:

“The main thing, above and beyond all our differences, was an aroma of sweetness that he had, a personal selfless sweetness like total devotion. And that was what always conquered me, whatever intellectual questions or doubts I had, or even cynical views of ego. In his presence there was a kind of personal charm, coming from dedication, that conquered all our conflicts.”

George Harrison, who had reached the pinnacle of material success and popularity as the lead guitarist of the world’s most famous rock band, always offered Srila Prabhupada full dandavats (falling flat on the floor) whenever he entered Prabhupada’s room or came into his presence. George spoke the following about Srila Prabhupada:

“The thing that always stays is his saying, ‘I am the servant of the servant of the servant.’ I like that. A lot of people say, ‘I’m it. I’m the divine incarnation. I’m here and let me hip you.’ You know what I mean? But Prabhupada was never like that. I liked Prabhupada’s humbleness. I always liked his humility and his simplicity. The servant of the servant of the servant is really what it is, you know. None of us are God — just His servants. He just made me feel so comfortable. I always felt very relaxed with him, and I felt more like a friend. I felt that he was a good friend.”

If one takes the time to really understand who Prabhupada is and what he is saying, there can be no mistake that he should be regarded with the highest respect and admiration. It is not blind fanaticism or sectarianism to honor the pure devotee of Krishna. Lord Krishna Himself recommends that we approach the bona fide spiritual master in disciplic succession (B.G. 4.34). Because he is the transparent via medium to the Lord, the spiritual master is qualified to accept service on the Lord’s behalf. Therefore it should be clearly understood that when we worship the spiritual master we are not worshiping a common ordinary man. He is the authorized representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The worship of Srila Prabhupada is therefore the worship of the entire parampara, and ultimately, the worship of the Supreme Lord Krishna. It should always be understood that the pure devotee never takes the glorification for himself, and this can easily be concluded by studying Prabhupada’s books, hearing his lectures, and reading his letters and essays. Srila Prabhupada repeatedly emphasized his status as a humble servant only.

“Personally I have no credit for myself, but I am trying to act as faithful servant of my predecessors and just presenting without any adulteration the message which I have received from my Spiritual Master.”

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, June 1, 1968)

A pure devotee of Krishna is not an ordinary man of this world. Sometimes it might appear to our limited sense perception that his behavior is on the mundane platform just like the rest of us. But we are cautioned not to make a foolish mistake in this regard. Lord Caitanya has warned us not to commit the “mad elephant offense” which can destroy the delicate garden of devotion in our hearts. The pure devotee is acting solely on behalf of the Supreme Lord for the benefit of one and all. He has no personal motivation or selfish desires.

“It is said, therefore, by Vaisnava authorities that even the most intelligent person cannot understand the plans and activities of a pure devotee. The exact words are vaisnavera kriya mudra vijne na bujhaya. A person who is thus always engaged in the service of the Lord or is always thinking and planning how to serve the Lord is to be considered completely liberated at present and in the future. His going back home, back to Godhead, is guaranteed. He is above all materialistic criticism, just as Krishna is above all criticism.”

(Bhagavad-gita As It Is 9.28, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada has also warned against a disciple becoming “over-intelligent.” He gave the example of the mouse who requested the blessing of a sage to make him a cat in order to protect him from being harassed by a cat. Later he asked to become a dog to save him from the unwanted attacks of a dog. Finally he desired to become a tiger to avoid being chased by tigers. Upon receiving this final blessing he approached the sage who had bestowed the benedictions and boldly declared that he now wanted to eat the very benefactor who had blessed him in the first place. So the sage finally cursed him, punar muniko bhava: “Again you become a mouse.”

Here we learn not to bite the hand that feeds us. Almost every Vaisnava and aspiring Vaisnava in the Western world is indebted to Srila Prabhupada who made the ultimate sacrifice for us all. We might not always understand everything Srila Prabhupada has said or done, but at least we can afford him the honor and dignity which Prabhupada so rightly earned for his selfless service and dedication to the spiritual upliftment of all souls. That alone is worthy of our undying respect.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=34408

In 1999, for ISKCON TV, Shyamasundar Prabhu recorded a series of experiences he had with George Harrison and with Srila Prabhupada:

“Srila Prabhupada treated George Harrison like an old, old friend. I spent some time with George this summer. . . . [He] has reached a very high level of spiritual development, I am happy to say. He chants Hare Krishna every day. And he is totally serene, as he has accepted life as it is. He has actually achieved a much higher level of self-realization than I can ever hope to achieve. He is peaceful and serene to a degree that is rare in a person, and at such a young age . . . Prabhupada benefited him so much. Prabhupada knew the buttons to push and not to push because of [the Beatles’] natural hesitancy to have anything public to do with Prabhupada, because they would see us then as just going after their money or their fame and not giving them the real thing. So, I tried, and Prabhupada, by his example, showed me the way to treat them: ‘Always, just keep giving them stuff. Never ask them for anything.’

“One time, though, Prabhupada did call me into his room and said, ‘You know we only have one book. We have Bhagavad-gita—that’s it.’ And maybe there was Nectar of Devotion. He said, ‘Krsna book has been finished for some time, and I got news today that it is ready for publication. How can we publish? We need this book.’  He said, ‘I want you to go and ask George for the money for this book.’ So, then I said, ‘Aww, no, Prabhupada. You know the reason that we have gotten this far with George and he has helped us so much to date is that I’ve never asked him for anything. I always wait until he offers.’ And Prabhupada said, ‘Yes, but we really need this.’ And I asked, ‘Well, how much is it?’ He said, ‘$19,000.’ In those days that was like saying $100,000. Whew. So, I said, ‘I don’t really think it is a good idea, Prabhupada.’ And he said, ‘Yes, yes it is. You’ll see. Krishna will help you. Watch this.’

“So, we had made arrangements for the next day to go look at marble. George had said that he would donate a new slab of marble for the altar. To help us select this marble, he had called on his friend David Wynn, a very famous sculptor who had designed the coinage and who had done the famous busts of Queen Elizabeth and the Beatles too. So, we went with David Wynn to the marble yards, and afterwards we went to his house for dinner. And all this time I was trying to screw up my courage. Because I had one mission that day, How am I going to ask George for this money? Here he has given us this three- or four-thousand-pound slab of marble. How can I ask him for something more on top of that today?

“We had dinner, and we were all finished eating, and it was getting late at night. It was dark. It was a long way from where I had to go in London, and George had to go all the way out someplace in the suburbs. So, finally I just did it. I said, ‘George, Srila Prabhupada asked me to ask you if you would donate money to print the Krsna book.’ I explained what the Krsna book was, and his face just got increasingly grimmer and grimmer. I could see the whole thing passing through his face, with him thinking, Oh, man, they are just another one of these groups. Here it comes. Then the room went quiet for a moment while he thought about it and fixed me with this really belligerent stare.

Read More https://girirajswami.com/blog/srila-prabhupada-george-harrison-and-krsna-book

Fulfilling a Prophetic Vision!
A historic collaboration has taken shape!
The Bhaktivedanta Research Centre (BRC) has launched an online Bengali language course in partnership with Scottish Church College—the very institution where A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada studied in the 1920s.

 The course is live on Scottish Church College’s homepage.
https://onlinecourses.scottishchurch.ac.in/
This initiative brings to life the powerful prediction of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, who foretold that people around the world would one day learn Bengali to read the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta in its original form.

This foundational level is designed especially for beginners and includes:

•  Bengali vowels and consonants
•  Script writing and pronunciation
•  Vowel markers & consonant conjuncts
•  Numbers, gender usage, basic nouns & adjectives
•  Everyday vocabulary (family, fruits, vegetables, spices)
•  Introduction to simple past & future tenses
•  Bengali months and seasons

As Srila Prabhupada kept the original Bengali in his translations, he envisioned a day when devotees would relish the ecstasy of reading the text directly. Today, that vision moves one step closer to reality.
Accessible worldwide.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117557

Bhaktivedanta Research Center (BRC) warmly welcomes you to a Special 9-Lecture Series on the Bhagavad Gītā by the esteemed scholar Prof. Ithamar Theodor.
This series offers a rare opportunity to engage deeply with one of the world’s most influential spiritual and philosophical texts, the Bhagavad Gītā – through structured, academic, and devotional insights.

About the Speaker
Prof. Ithamar Theodor is Professor of Hindu Studies at Zefat Academic College, Israel, and teaches and advises graduate students at Bar-Ilan University. A graduate of the Theology Faculty, University of Oxford, he is also a Life Member of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge.
He is the author of several important works, including:
• Exploring the Bhagavad-gītā: Philosophy, Structure and Meaning (2010)
• Brahman and Dao (2014)
• The Fifth Veda in Hinduism (2016)
• Dharma and Halacha (2018)
• The Bhagavad-gītā: A Critical Introduction (2021)
• The Philosophy of the Bhagavad-gītā (2025)
His works are widely respected in academic and devotional circles worldwide.Bhaktivedanta Research Center (BRC) warmly welcomes you to a Special 9-Lecture Series on the Bhagavad Gītā by the esteemed scholar Prof. Ithamar Theodor.

This series offers a rare opportunity to engage deeply with one of the world’s most influential spiritual and philosophical texts, the Bhagavad Gītā – through structured, academic, and devotional insights.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117564

By Rupa Wathi

The Sri Mayapur International School (SMIS) has launched a major environmental initiative to transform its campus into a diverse green space. This project, a collaboration between the Mayapur Master Plan office and SMIS Management, successfully introduced a wide variety of flora, totaling approximately 25 major trees and over 80 flowering bushes.

Guests at the event who participated in the planting included Anuttama Dasa (Global Minister of Communications) and Hrdaya Caitanya Das (GBC, Mayapur Co-director-in-charge of the Mayapur Master Plan), both members of the Mayapur Executive Board. Racitambara Devi Dasi (ACBSP), the SMIS principal, and Nandan Dasa, Secretary of the Mayapur Master Plan, also took part in the planting.

The selection of species was carefully planned following a biodiversity survey of the existing campus. The new trees include Neem, Swarna Champa, Mulberry, Amla, Jamrul, Papaya, Arjuna, Palash, Bibitaki, Haritaki, Gauri, Bakula, Kanchan, and Krishna Chura. To complement these, a large collection of bushes was added, featuring Kunda, Jasmine, Rangan, White Java, Kamini, and Gandhraj. Each plant was placed strategically to ensure healthy growth while maintaining clear space for the student sports areas.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/where-every-leaf-tells-a-story-growing-our-home-in-mayapur-dham/

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi,

Karuna Chandra Dasa and Karuna Rasa Devi Dasi, a couple based in Mayapur, have introduced KrishnaToys, an initiative aimed to provide children with play materials connected to Krishna consciousness.

The inspiration and heart of the project come from the Vaishnava tradition and the sacred mood of Vrindavan, where Lord Krishna revealed His eternal childhood pastimes. “Our work is offered as humble seva to help bring that mood into the homes of families around the world,” the couple shared.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/bringing-krishna-into-childrens-playtime/

Of all the judgments we make of others—race, religion, nationality, political affiliations, social standing, etc.—perhaps the most excoriating is moral judgment. We can become highly condemnatory when we deem others to have committed a gross moral transgression. Of late, we have often seen banner-waving groups loudly denouncing those whose activities have not met their standards of what they consider morally correct. The situation in the Middle East has evoked this to a significant degree, with the ‘Free Palestine’ cause bringing crowds onto the streets in a passionate fervour of rage. The situation in Iran has also brought out many people on both sides of the argument. Extinction Rebellion, a cause campaigning against environmental damage, is another example, with its vigorous direct action here in the UK. This has been less prominent recently, perhaps overshadowed by the war concerns, as have the LGBTQ+ Rights campaigners and the opposing “Anti-Woke” movement. But they all share the same basic driver: moral outrage. 

All such protesters consider themselves to be occupying the high moral ground, and their opponents contemptible reprobates worthy of nothing but censure, or worse. All too often, things can turn ugly, with violence erupting. It can even lead to serious situations in which certain groups are deemed so reprehensible that they must be eliminated. They effectively become ‘dehumanised’ and are subjected to the most terrible forms of aggression. We saw this in Germany during WW2, where specific ethnic groups were the victims of unspeakable atrocities. This kind of behaviour has been repeated many times since then, most recently among the Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda, the Darfuris in Sudan, the Yazidis in Iraq and Syria, the Uyghurs in China, the Rohingyas in Myanmar, and so on. 

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/the-high-moral-ground/