“One day Srila Prabhupada asked me to paint a set of Radha-Krishna Deities that he was sending to Hamburg to have installed. When I informed him I was not an artist and didn’t feel I could do it, he said that he would show me what to do. So he told me to find a special black, white and red paint, and that evening we sat Them on his small desk and Srila Prabhupada personally painted the Deities and instructed me at the same time. I sat in front of him, and as time seemed to disappear, the lovely
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For a change I thought to submit a poem of the past from the book, The Walking Monk Poems .1. Here it is:
YOU’RE IN
Dull time did pass – no break
Something that seemed so hard to shake
When out the window a pathetic gloom
A day of utter drizzle doom
Not even a steamy herbal teacup
Could pull the entire spirit up
For a grey day veil did suspend there
Endorsing a world that’s so unfair
When observing the world, it’s most mundane
It can drive one to be quite insane
If and only if you allow it
We shall discuss the conversation between Sri Ramananda Raya and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, ramananda-samvada, recorded in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter Eight: “Talks Between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya.”
TEXT 1
sancarya ramabhidha-bhakta-meghe
sva-bhakti-siddhanta-cayamrtani
gaurabdhir etair amuna vitirnais
taj-jnatva-ratnalayatam prayati
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is known as Gauranga, is the ocean of all conclusive knowledge in devotional servi
Five hundred years ago in the district of Puri, in the village of Bentapur adjacent to Brahmagiri Alalanatha, there lived a great devotee named Bhavananda Raya.
Bhavananda had five sons, the eldest of which was Ramananda. Descendants of this family-line are known as Choudhurya Pattanayaka. It is said that Lord Caitanya visited the birth-place of Ramananda in Alalanatha every year.
Ramananda was the Governor of East and West Godavari and a minister of King Prataparudra.
A great statesman of that
We continue our discussion of the conversation between Sri Ramananada Raya and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, ramananda-samvada, recorded in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter Eight: “Talks Between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya.”
TEXT 1
sancarya ramabhidha-bhakta-meghe
sva-bhakti-siddhanta-cayamrtani
gaurabdhir etair amuna vitirnais
taj-jnatva-ratnalayatam prayati
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is known as Gauranga, is the ocean of all conclusive knowledge in de
Today is an auspicious day in Krishna consciousness. Of course, every day is auspicious in Krishna consciousness. When we first arrived in India, in Bombay, Srila Prabhupada was invited to a program on the lawn of an aristocratic gentleman’s house. Most of us went ahead, and Srila Prabhupada followed with a few disciples. When we arrived, our hosts told us, “It is very auspicious that you have come today, because today is a holy day.” We had never heard of the holy day and were somewhat doubtfu
SRI RAMANANDA RAYA
A MOST CONFDENTIAL ASSOCIATE OF LORD SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU
Sri Ramananda Raya was the Governor of the Rajamahendri (present day Rajahmundry of Andhra Pradesh at the bank of river Godavari), Godavari Province of Kalinga-Utkala Empire under the King Prataparudra. When Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was setting out on his tour of South India, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya humbly requested his plea to Lord to meet Ramananda Raya. Ramananda Raya was one of the most intimate associates o
I would like to share a very touching and wonderful realisation from our ISKCON Maharashtra Padayatra. While travelling through a village, we stayed there for just one night. In the evening, during the blissful nagar sankirtan, a dog quietly started following us. At first, we did not notice anything special, but that night it came and stayed near our chariot as if it had found shelter.
The next morning, when we began our padayatra and started moving with the chariot, something amazing happened:
By Bhakta Pagehyasa
More photos here: https://www.facebook.com/hari.sukrawan/posts/4425438854583? comment_id=4128435&offset=0& total_comments=1¬if_t=feed_comment
Srila Prabhupada frequently impressed upon the devotees that ‘prasadam’ is meant for all, there is no distinction of high or low position and rich or poor. Actually everyone is poor because they are bereft of Krishna consciousness and everyone should get the opportunity to hear the names of Krishna and taste mahaprasad thereby they
Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Devotee Care Office (DCO) has been recognised for its outstanding community service, receiving a Civic Award in the Community Care category at Hertsmere’s annual ceremony held at the Hilton DoubleTree in Borehamwood.
Krishna Purna Dasi, Dr Diviash Thakrar, Hemangi Radha Dasi, and Saraswati attended the event to accept the award on behalf of the DCO, highlighting a year of impactful and compassionate service to vulnerable individuals.
In front of local leaders, charity worke
The spiritual necessity of cultivating deep connections with fellow practitioners to better understand divine messages. By building a meaningful bond with advanced and pure devotees, an individual creates a channel through which spiritual wisdom can be clearly communicated. Rather than focusing on superficial social interactions, the source defines a true relationship as a profound heart-to-heart alignment with another person. This internal intimacy allows a devotee to act as a transparent mediu
Websites like Google, Facebook and Twitter have become a part of the evolving world. Now people don’t talk… they google. As the holiday frenzy builds up consumers are scrambling to stretch their budgets to find the best bargains on things few people need for people they may not even know.
Kids are trained up early to be consumers of sense gratification when the illusion that toys will make them happy is thrust in their face. Some toys can get rather expensive and it seems parents may feel oblig
ISKCON Tucson has taken a significant step toward its long-term development plans with the purchase of an adjacent property intended to support its future temple construction and community growth.
In February 2026, the community finalized the acquisition of the Many Hands property, a nine-unit residential facility located directly north of the future temple site at 3054 N 1st Ave. The purchase is expected to play a key role in both generating steady income and preparing the infrastructure for a
Krishna House in Gainesville shared an inspiring video of their recent Sankirtan Tour to Miami, one of South Florida’s most vibrant urban centers.
The short documentary-style offering follows the realities of sankirtan outreach, from approaching strangers and facing rejection to engaging in thoughtful conversations and witnessing unexpected responses to spiritual knowledge. With the help of Jagadish Das’s narration and interviews, it offers a colorful glimpse into their simple lifestyle, joyful
The ISKCON Angus Bhakti Yoga Circle is a success story. Once a month the group meets at a Royal Canadian Legion Centre attracting locals, the bulk of them of a more western background. Today some of its members came forward to take that next step to join Prabhupada’s family. Three candidates for initiation accepted diksha and I congratulate them.
Tara accepted the Sanskrit name Tamaharini, which means “destroyer of darkness.”Kenneth took the name Kana, an affectionate name for Krishna. And Ja
ISKCON Temple is more than just a place of worship; it’s a spiritual sanctuary where individuals can explore their inner selves.
Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117923
In this inspiring episode of the Success Sadhana series, Vaisesika Dasa invites listeners to move beyond illusion, distraction, and surface-level living—and to become real now. Drawing from timeless bhakti wisdom, he explains that true success begins when we honestly examine our life, recognize what truly matters, and align our actions with our higher purpose.
With practical insights and spiritual depth, this talk encourages us to stop postponing growth, awaken inner sincerity, and live with cla
By Atma Tattva Das,
Over the long Easter weekend of 3-6 April 2026, the Durban beachfront was transformed into a tapestry of sacred sound, color, and devotion as the annual Festival of Chariots returned. A longstanding collaborative effort between the Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple and New Jagannath Puri in Phoenix, the festival has grown over the years through shared vision and coordinated service. For many locals and tourists alike, the sight of the chariots silhouetted against the Indian Ocea
His Grace Agnidev Das a senior disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, a renowned kirtaniya, leader, and recording artist whose devotional music has inspired devotees around the world for decades, passed away on April 28th following hospitalization due to a serious brain stroke. An accomplished cook, he opened four successful Govinda’s restaurants in California and Oregon.
The stroke occurred following the Memorial Service of His Grace Caru Dasa, held in Spanish
