By Giriraj Swami and Sri Prahlada dasa
To commemorate the anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in America, we shall sing and discuss the second poem that he wrote on the ship Jaladuta when he arrived in the Boston harbor on September 17, 1965.
Poem [translation]:
1: My dear Lord Krishna, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me.
2: But I guess You have some business here. Otherwise, why would You brin
By Sandipani Muni Krsna das
The Hare Krishna Movement has two types of reaching out to people, “outreach” which is bringing in new students and practitioners who have no background in Krishna consoiuness, but another type is “in-reach” which is finding ways to inspire, engage and train the next generation by reaching out to youth who are born in the movement or have participated in the movement from their childhood.
One of the most effective programmes for the youth are ISKCON Bus Tours led by t
By Sahasranam Das
In the sacred soil of Maharashtra, where saints once walked and bhakti still echoes through the hearts of devotees, a monumental spiritual endeavor is taking shape. The town of Ichalkaranji, nestled in Kolhapur district, is witnessing the birth of one of the largest ISKCON temples in the region—a beacon of devotion, culture, and community transformation.
This ambitious project, initiated by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), is not merely a constru
By Atma Tattva Das
In Alto Paraíso de Goiás, a tranquil region in central Brazil known for its crystal waterfalls and sattvic atmosphere, an ambitious project is taking shape. Eco Vrindavan aims to recreate the spiritual mood of Vraja, establishing a fully sustainable and spiritually centered community for devotees in South America and beyond.
At the heart of this effort is Ishvara Das, a disciple of Bhakti Tirtha Swami and longtime member of the Sankirtan mission. “My journey began in 1995, whe
Srila Prabhupada: I planned that I must go to America. Generally they go to London, but I did not want to go to London. I was simply thinking how to go to New York. I was scheming, “Whether I shall go this way, through Tokyo, Japan, or that way? Which way is cheaper?” That was my proposal. And I was targeting to New York always. Sometimes I was dreaming that I have come to New York.
Then Bhaktivedanta Swami met Mr. Agarwal, a Mathura businessman, and mentioned to him in passing, as he did to alm
I will begin by reading a couple of exchanges with Srila Prabhupada about his coming to America. Once, Srila Prabhupada was asked, “Your godbrothers who came to the West went to England and Germany. Why did you choose to come to America?” And he replied, “They went and came back to India without accomplishing anything. So I thought, ‘If I am going to fail, at least let me fail in a different place.’ ”
And on a morning walk in Los Angeles, a disciple said to Prabhupada, “When you came to the Wes
By Atma Tattva Das
At just eighteen years old, Mayuri Gandharvika Priya Dasi has already connected with many devotees and listeners through her kirtan and bhajans. A third-generation devotee from New Jersey, she represents both the roots and the future of ISKCON’s musical tradition, continuing her family’s devotional legacy while developing her own voice as a singer and kirtan leader.
“I’ve been very blessed to grow up in Krishna consciousness,” Mayuri reflected. Her paternal grandparents are di
By Yudhisthira Dasa
To answer this question, let’s look at the definition of truth. The word “truth” subdivides into two categories. There are finite “truths” in the material world, and there are absolute “truths” within all eternal spiritual energy. Finite truth has a beginning and an end. Infinite truth has no beginning or end. It just is and has always been.
ASSOCIATION
The saying “you are the company you keep” confirms that our friends and associates can greatly influence our character and
By Manju Mukhi Devi Dasi
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in La Paz hosted a vibrant celebration of Janmashtami, the appearance day of Lord Sri Krishna, marked by devotional singing, prayers, and cultural unity. The event drew special recognition as the Indian Ambassador to Bolivia, Rohit Vadhwana, along with officials from the Embassy of India, joined the local community in honoring the occasion.
The celebration, held at the ISKCON center in La Paz, witnessed the co
If you’re a monk in a mega city
You just can’t sit there looking pretty
In the ashram there are programs on the go
That operate at a pace that is not slow
Humanity has needs you don’t want to miss
Keeping active is truly a state of pure bliss
Community interests never put you on pause
While outreach efforts are a regular, ‘cause
Mindfulness is the direction to the transcendental
Let’s be practical and deal with the dental
Some intense days you could cut with a knife
Striking that balance in the
The Vande Arts Team would like to offer this special drama script depicting Srila Prabhupada’s epic voyage on the Jaladhuta.
Devotees are welcome to use the script for there own celebrations of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the USA and throughout ISKCON.
For the soundtrack and slideshow please contact Damodara Pandit das
yakdas@hotmail.com
Swamiji at Sea
Written by
Yasomatinandana das (ACBSP) & Damodara Pandit das
Music by
Indradyumna Swami & Sri Pralad das
Soundtrack by
Ekendra das
Actors
It’s still early morning, the sun is starting to rise over the horizon, and it’s reddish—it reminds me of Srimati Radharani’s tilak upon Her beautiful broad forehead. And the glowing of the sun, the rays that it casts everywhere, paint the village nearby and the field in front of me a golden color.
There are flowers everywhere, and those flowers are growing in tall grass, knee-high grass, which sways to one side and then another. It’s like the way the Brijbasi’s sway under the winds of their pr
Kirtan Fest Houston 2025 marked the powerful return of one of the community’s most beloved celebrations. Organized by the youth of ISKCON of Houston, the festival brought together thousands of people for a weekend filled with sacred music, flowers, devotion, and community spirit. Over three days, more than 2,500 people attended the event, experiencing the joy of kirtan and the warmth of a community united in service.
The centerpiece of this year’s festival was the Flower Festival on Sunday night
By Prabhupada Ashraya Dasa
The sacred village of Aravade once again blossomed with transcendental joy as ISKCON Aravade hosted its grand three-day Janmāṣṭamī festival, drawing over 50,000 devotees from across Maharashtra and beyond. The celebrations, held from August 15th to 17th, were a vibrant offering of love, devotion, and service to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His pure devotee, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Day 1 & 2: Janmāṣṭamī Mahotsava
The first two days were dedicated to the divine appearance of Lord Kṛṣ
By Atma Tattva Das
In Budapest, a grassroots initiative led by Ishvara Krishna Das and Bhakta Szabolcs Tárkányi is exploring one of the most unexpected tools for Krishna-conscious outreach: artificial intelligence. Their project, which blends AI-generated music with a vision for community engagement, aims to spark inspiration among devotees and seekers while highlighting both the promise and the pitfalls of technology in spiritual life.
“Although we have reservations abou
On the occasion of the Vyasa Puja Mahotsava of H.D.G. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda, the newly formed Śrīla Prabhupāda Connection–Mayapur Team (website to be launched soon), in collaboration with the Bhaktivedanta National School (BVNS), Mayapur, organized a special competition for children on August 14, 2025.
Here is a relevant reference for this initiative:
sunanda-nandāv ūcatuḥ
bho bho rājan subhadraṁ te
vācaṁ no ’vahitaḥ śṛṇu
yaḥ pañca-varṣas tapasā
bhavān devam atītṛpat
Trans
Things are back to normal, back in regular gear. Children are back at school, and in general, vacation is over with adults also in full tilt situated at their workplace.
Construction goes on in various locations of the city like most contemporary urban areas of the world. Roads need repair. New edifices need to rise up to accommodate the growing population.
And what about Chinatown? It is always busy, no sign of death there. With such an industrious community, there will always be a
I first see him just after crossing the Bowery at Houston Street. As he passes before the iron-mesh fence of a playground, I distinctly glimpse the aura of saintliness. I watch him through the rushing traffic and stumbling derelicts.
He strolls almost jauntily down the sidewalk. He is an old man whom age has never touched. Aloof from the people and bustle about him, he walks proudly, independently, his hand in a cloth beadbag. He wears the saffron robes of a sannyasi, and on his feet are quaint
On the occasion of the Vyasa Puja Mahotsava of H.D.G. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda, the newly formed Śrīla Prabhupāda Connection–Mayapur Team (website to be launched soon), in collaboration with the Bhaktivedanta National School (BVNS), Mayapur, organized a special competition for children on August 14, 2025.
Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=116079
A recent Pew Research Center post, drawing on a global Nature Communications study, maps out how religious engagement has diminished across generations in 111 countries between 2008 and 2023. The research identifies a consistent three-stage pattern—coined the Participation-Importance-Belonging (P-I-B) sequence—whereby religious decline tends to unfold first in reduced participation (such as worship services), then in lessening personal importance of religion, and finally in a decline in formal r
