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As part of the ISKCON Governing Body Commission (GBC) Annual General Meeting 2026, the GBC is hosting an Online Maha Istagosthi and warmly welcomes ISKCON devotees worldwide to participate.

Date: 8 February 2026
Time: 6:00 PM IST
Other time zones: USA (New York, EST): 7:30 AM, Argentina (Buenos Aires): 9:30 AM, UK (London, GMT): 12:30 PM, Europe (Central Europe, CET – e.g., Paris/Berlin): 1:30 PM, South Africa (Johannesburg, SAST): 2:30 PM, Russia (Moscow): 3:30 PM, India (Mumbai, IST): 6:00 PM

As part of the ISKCON Governing Body Commission (GBC) Annual General Meeting 2026, the GBC will host an online Maha Istagosthi on February 8, 2026, inviting devotees from around the world to participate in a global dialogue and association. The program is being organized as a special AGM-related gathering and is open to the wider ISKCON community.

The Maha Istagosthi will be held via Zoom, with limited capacity. Once the Zoom meeting reaches capacity, participants are requested to join through Y

The ISKCON Youth Ministry has announced its 30th Anniversary Youth Bus Tour, scheduled to take place from June to August 2026, marking a milestone for the long-running program. Open to youth ages 18–29, the eight-week tour will travel across North America, visiting temples, sacred festivals, and national parks throughout the United States and Canada.

The tour began in 1995, so the 30th anniversary should have taken place last year. However, due to problems with their old bus and the time needed

By Raman Reti Dasi, 

As part of implementing ISKCON North America’s 3/35 Vision, Zonal Supervisors and the new Growth Acceleration Team (GAT) members gathered on Saturday, January 17, 2026, for a Zoom orientation focused on strengthening zonal cohesion, cooperative planning, and practical support for leaders.

The orientation was led by Indresh Gaura Dasa and Vrinda Devi Dasi (Zone 1 Zonal Supervisors), whose Zonal Support Office model is serving as a practical foundation for developing Growth Ac

Leaders from around the world once again came to Sridham Mayapur to attend the annual GBC meeting. This includes Sabha, GBC Deputy, Ministers, Zonal Supervisors and others.

As usual, there were various topics starting with a wonderful BBT presentation given by His Grace Vaisesika Prabhu that was very enlivening. Other highlights were the Mayapur report and master plan shown in 3D video.

Source: https://ramaiswami.com/mayapur-gbc-agm-2/

On the all-auspicious disappearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati we should all try to remember His divine instructions and make them our life and soul – guru mukha parma vakhya cittete koriya aikhya ara na koriho mane asa. This philosophy that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati epitomises and that he expounded is well worth remembering on this day when the prediction of Padma Purana –
sri-brahma-rudra-sanaka vaisnavah ksiti savannah
catvaras te kalau bhavya hy utkale purusottamat

“In Kal

By Amala Bhakta Dasa

Though Lord Caitanya is known as Krsna’s hidden incarnation,
His biographers have preserved accounts of His displays of divinity.

SOON AFTER LORD CAITANYA began His movement for chanting the holy name of the Lord (sankirtana), many of His followers would sing, dance, and play musical instruments for many hours in glorification of Lord Krsna. Some envious brahmanas resented the Lord’s increasing power and influence over the people and decided to try to check Him at any cost.

Praghosa Prabhu reflects on the universal role of the guru in Krishna consciousness, emphasizing that the soul is not defined by bodily distinctions such as gender. Citing multiple statements from Srila Prabhupada, he argues that spiritual qualification—not gender—is the true criterion for becoming a guru. Srila Prabhupada explicitly encouraged all his disciples, men and women alike, to become spiritual masters, even stating this on his own Vyasa Puja day.

The talk notes that the GBC acknowledge

Personal spiritual journey that began in a nominally Methodist upbringing, passed through a brief period in Mormonism, and eventually led to the practice of Krishna consciousness after meeting early Hare Krishna devotees in Ohio in the late 1960s. Inspired by vegetarianism, yoga, and spiritual philosophy, the speaker wrote to Srila Prabhupada and received a defining reply: one need not abandon one’s existing faith but should learn to love God through chanting the Hare Krishna mantra and associat

Yogesvara das: In February 1970, shortly after joining the London Hare Krishna devotees in their temple off Oxford Street, we were visited by a warlock, a male witch. London had an active community of occultists in those days (the Swedenborg Society, for example, named after an 18th century Swedish spirit-channeler, had its offices just next door), and the Krishna temple attracted hundreds of unusual visitors including yogis, sorcerers, and ecstatics who would pretend to fall into a trance and r

By Atma Tattva Das, 

Harita Madhavi Devi Dasi is a Krishna-conscious practitioner who uses rap as a contemporary medium for devotional preaching. Appearing on stage in full devotional attire, she delivers mantra-infused verses that introduce audiences to the core teachings of bhakti-yoga through rhythm and rhyme. Based in Mayapur, her work reflects a growing effort within ISKCON to engage younger generations through culturally familiar forms while remaining rooted in traditional practice.

Read

Early 70s, the Hare Krishna Movement
North America enjoyed a great recruitment
We were a growing, glowing family
A blessed bunch existing happily
Prabhupada’s “boys and girls” flourished
Under his mercy we were nourished
The temple room was a divided place
Both genders occupied equal space
Both dhotis and saris were there at prayer
And basically duties were a joyful share
From puja to cooking, chanting, books, fundraising
The focus was Krishna receiving the praising

Source: https://www.dandavat

By Giriraj Swami

Today is Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada’s appearance day. We have heard about His Divine Grace already. Today is also the disappearance day of HH Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja. He left on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s appearance day.

I remember the first time we celebrated Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s appearance day. I was a new devotee in Boston temple in early 1970, and Srila Prabhupada instructed us how to observe the appearance day of the spiritual

Dhruva Maharaja dasa: I put this slideshow/video together for a class on Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s Appearance day this Saturday at the Alachua Temple of Srila Prabhupada explaining his famous Vyasa-puja Offering poetry from 1936. I think devotees may appreciate Prabhupada explaining reasons for using various phrases in that offering.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=71884

1. We are put to test and trial in this world. Only those who attend the kirtana of the devotees can succeed.

2. Every spot on earth where discourses on God are held is a place of pilgrimage.

3. Possession of objects not related to Krsna is our main malady.

4. Let me not desire anything but the highest good for my worst enemies.

5. As dalliance with the body in luxury increases, so wanes the spirit of service of the Lord.

6. Those favored by God find their paths set by thorns.

7. There is no pe

1. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s instructions in Sikastakam, “param vijayate Sri-Krishna -Sankirtanam” is the only motto of the Gaudiya math.
2. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna is the only enjoyer. Everyone and everything else is the object of his enjoyment.
3. Anyone who does not serve Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is ignorant and a killer himself.
4. To learn to tolerate is one of the most important responsibilities of those living in the math.
5. Rupanuga devotees offe