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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&notif_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

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

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=117941

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

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi,

After more than a decade of effort, grave challenges, and a restoration completed in just thirteen months, ISKCON Kolkata has opened Bhakti Bhavan, the ancestral home of  Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur at 181 Ramesh Dutta Street, Kolkata, as a heritage site and place of pilgrimage for Gaudiya Vaishnavas.

Radharaman Das, Vice President of ISKCON Kolkata described the significance of Bhakti Bhavan, “Without  Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, the teachings of Chaitanya Mahapra