Real Knowledge Changed My Life

By Vishakha Devi Dasi

Despite years of academic study, I didn’t know anything until I met Srila Prabhupada.

“In this material world there are different types of achievement, but of all of them the achievement of knowledge is considered to be the highest because one can cross the ocean of nescience only on the boat of knowledge. Otherwise the ocean is impassable.”—Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.24.75

“Wales: Its People, Climate and History” was a myopic 61-page report of fac

Bhaktin Sakshi Donates Scholarship for TOVP Construction

Bhaktin Sakshi from Delhi, India decides that the scholarship money she received from her college would best be spent on “higher education” by helping to build the TOVP to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s desire to bring millions of people to Mayapur, and ultimately back to Godhead. This is truly the best use of intelligence in the Lord’s service and a wonderful example of sacrifice

His Grace Sesa Das, ISKCON GBC and Minister of Education, Speak About the TOVP

Sesa prabhu expalins that, as the Minister of Education in ISKCON he sees the TOVP as an educational project and an integral part of our missionary work to educate the general public about Vedic knowledge. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity we are part of and he encourgaes us to give our “might” to help in it’s completion.

The Indian government has finally agreed to restore the Yamuna’s ecological flow through several steps demanded by protestors, beginning with bringing the sacred river under the Environment Protection Act within two to three months.

The move is a huge victory for the Free Yamuna Campaign of Braj (the land of Lord Krishna’s pastimes), which has been fighting for years now to restore the beleaguered river.

It is also a direct response to the Campaign’s third protest march since 2011, which was org

Hare Krishna.
1st April 2015. Gurgaon

We read in the past few blogs (Blog1, Blog2) about serious repercussions of Vaishanava Aparadha. Few days back I was browsing through a book by HG Srimati Mataji on Srila Prabhupada and by sheer coincidence my eyes caught the page which mentioned what is the cause of vaishnava aparadha. HG Srimati Mataji quotes Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, mainly from his book Bhaktyaloka, and bind various quotations meticulously to bring the essence of this important topic. H

TEXT 5

yajna-dana-tapah-karma 
na tyajyam karyam eva tat 
yajno danam tapas caiva 
pavanani manisinam

SYNONYMS

yajna--sacrifice; dana--charity; tapah--penance; karma--activities;na--never; tyajyam--to be given up; karyam--must be done; eva--certainly; tat--that; yajnah--sacrifice; danam--charity; tapah--penance; ca--also; eva--certainly; pavanani--purifying; manisinam--even of the great souls.

TRANSLATION

Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not to be given up but should be performed. Indeed, sacr

If you want to advance in spiritual consciousness -- because that is the only objective of life -- then you should not eat more, atyaharah, or collect more. Atyaharah prayasas ca prajalpo niyamagrahah. That is our philosophy.

By H.D.G. Srila Prabhupada

Dear Disciples and Well-Wishers, 

Please accept my blessings. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

TEXT 4

niscayam srnu me tatra 
tyage bharata-sattama 
tyago hi purusa-vyaghra 
tri-vidhah samprakirtitah

SYNONYMS

niscayam--certainty; srnu--hear; me--from Me; tatra--there; tyage--in the matter of renunciation; bharata-sat-tama--O best of the Bharatas; tyagah--renunciation; hi--certainly; purusa-vyaghra--O tiger among human beings; tri-vidhah--three kinds; samprakirtitah--is declared.

TRANSLATION

O best of the Bharatas, hear from Me now about renunciation. O tiger among men, there are three kinds of re

So Krsna is the master of the senses. The whole world is struggling for sense gratification. Here is the simple philosophy, truth, that "First of all let enjoy, let Krsna enjoy. He is the master. Then we enjoy." Tena tyaktena bhunjitha. The Isopanisad says everything belongs to Krsna. Isavasyam idam sarvam: [Iso mantra 1] "Everything belongs to Krsna." This is the mistake. Everything belongs to Krsna, but we are thinking, "Everything belongs to me." This is illusion. Aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. Aham

Early Sunday morning, March 15th, the TOVP Team consisting of Jananivas prabhu, Radha Jivan prabhu, Vraja Vilas prabhu and Sunanda prabhu flew to the Lone Star State, Dallas, Texas.

Arriving at Sri Sri Radha Kalachandji Dhama, the Lord’s Padukas and Sitari were greeted by a large kirtan and gave darshan to all the devotees. In the evening the TOVP program began with arati to Sri Sri Radha Kalachandji followed by more krtan. The temple room was at maximum capacity of 300+ devotees by the time th

On Monday, March 16th, while still in Dallas, Texas, the TOVP Team visited Mr. Vora’s home at his invitation, bringing the Lord’s Padukas and Sitari.

The previous evening at the temple during the TOVP presentation Mr. Vora had pledged a Silver Gratitude Coin and he wanted to encourage some of his friends to do the same. A few of his friends came on short notice and one Gold Gratitude Coin was pledged for $250,000.

While traveling with us, Jananivas prabhu is giving Deity Seva Seminars and other talks at the temples in-between traveling.

On the evening of Tuesday, March 17th he gave his first Deity Seminar at the Dallas temple to another packed temple room of devotees eager to learn from him.

From Dallas, our next stop is Denver, Colorado, home of Sri Sri Radha Govinda, Gaur Nitai and Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra.

Like Dallas, this is one of the original 108 temples established by Srila Prabhupada which he personally visited and installed the Deities. We arrived on Wednesday, March 18th greeted by an ecstatic group of devotees dancing and chanting. The Padukas and Sitari gave darshan while kirtan continued, and finally Jananivas prabhu spoke about Mayapur and the TOVP.

On Thursday, March 19th the Denver devotees congregated to observe the 71st birthday of Jananivas prabhu (and Pankajanghri prabhu).

Just as Srila Prabhupada came to America at the advanced age of 70 to bring the message of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta and the parampara, Jananivas left India for the first time in 43 years to do “whatever it takes to build Radha Madhava’s new home.”

On Friday, March 20th, the TOVP presentation took place to an audience of about 75 devotees. The Padukas received an abhisheka during an ecstatic kirtan while Jananivas placed Lord Nrsinghadeva’s Sitari on everyone’s head.

Temple President Tusta Krishna prabhu introduced the TOVP Team consisting of Jananivas prabhu, Radha Jivan prabhu, Vraja Vilas prabhu and Sunanda prabhu. Radha Jivan spoke for some time and introduced Jananivas who inspired the devotees to serve Sridhama Mayapur and the TOVP

Saturday, March 21st was a day of traveling, flying to North Carolina to the community of devotees in Hillsborough, North Carolina.

We arrived too late in the evening for any temple greeting and went straight to our accommodations at the house of Aditya Narayana prabhu and his wife.

On the morning of Sunday, March 22nd, the Lord’s Padukas and Sitari were greeted at the temple with kirtan and an abhishek and arati, and placed on the altar. In the evening we made our TOVP presentation to the Hillsborough community.

This temple was built and started by His Holiness Bir Krishna Goswami in the 1980’s in the rural area surrounding Raleigh, North Carolina, and has grown to become a community of dedicated servants of Srila Prabhupada and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabu. After kirtan, Radh

On the evening of Monday, March 23rd, the temple filled up again to hear Jananivas prabhu speak on Deity worship. For almost two hours he spoke, bringing great happiness to all the devotees present.On the evening of Monday, March 23rd, the temple filled up again to hear Jananivas prabhu speak on Deity worship. For almost two hours he spoke, bringing great happiness to all the devotees present.