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ISKCON Milestone: Kolkata Ratha-yatra, 2012

In his letter to Gargamuni Maharaja in 1970 Srila Prabhupada wrote:

"i We shall open a very gorgeous branch in Calcutta. Calcutta is my birth-place, so all of you as my disciples do something unique in Calcutta. That will be fitting service to your Spiritual Master." Desiring to please Srila Prabhupada by doing something unique for him in Kolkata, his birth-place, devotees of ISKCON Kolkata decided to organize the grandest Ratha-yatra ever in ISKCON. It

How to avoid suffering in the material modes

(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)

Everyone feels bewildered and anguished at some point of time because of dysfunctional relationships. Dealing satisfactory with other individuals at all times requires wisdom and in the Bhagavatam verse 4.8.34 the formula is given for avoiding suffering in the material modes by acting prope

Maya means when we forget Krsna and we want to enjoy this material world to the best capacity, means as far as we can do with our senses, Krsna gives us opportunity. Krsna gives us opportunity, and therefore so many varieties of life. If somebody wants to eat without any discrimination anything... There are many persons, even in the so-called civilized world, they eat anything and everything. But that is misuse of life. Human life is meant for eating Krsna's prasadam, not anything and everything

Genuine vs. Fake Religion

(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)

His Holiness Mahavishnu Gosvami Maharaja is always kindly showing us the doubtless way of pure devotional service by the torchlight of transcendental knowledge, as in the following class on the Srimad Bhagavatam 6.16.41, given in London, July 7, 2008.

visama-matir na yatra nrnaam
tvam aham iti mama taveti ca ya

As infants, we enter this world in a delivery room because we need to be delivered from the confines of our mother’s womb. Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, comes here as an infant, too. But He has no need for a delivery. He arrives by His own sweet will, and His purpose is to deliver us. He plays the role of an endearing and dependent newborn, but He is complete with all of the powers of the Godhead.

Lord Krishna

Venue: Guayana , Guayana katha, dated: 2006, June 30

Hare Krishna……………… Jai Shri Krishna…………….Jai Shri Radhe………………..Jai Shri Vrindavan.  By causeless mercy of the Lord, we have this good fortune great fortune of coming together every evening, some of us were also getting together during the day time around noon time and then again evening this is Krishna’s kindness to all of us. We would not know, but punya karma what pious deeds we have performed to have this rare gift, rare opportunity to assoc

Janmashtami, one of the most popular festivals of Hindus celebrates the birth of their beloved God, Sri Krishna. Detailed story of Janmashtami or Lord Krishna's birth has been narrated in Puranas. Please read on to know more about the various fascinating aspects of the legend of Janmashtami as stated in Puranas.

Mathura, a prominent town of Northern India and the birth city of Sri Krishna was ruled by King Ugrasen, a Yaduvanshi ( Belonging to the Community of Yadavs). He was a great king loved b

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Every journey, however long it may be, begins with a single step. But you must take that first step. Once you do, each step takes you closer and closer to your goal.

Sometimes, when you consider taking on a new venture – whether it’s writing a book, beginning a new project, or anything else – the task can seem overwhelming. It’s as though you’ll never be able to arrive at your final destination, as if the first step isn’

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Chanting Japa

At the conclusion of Tulasi-arati, during the 1-1/2 to 2-hour period before Guru-puja begins, the devotees take time for chanting japa. By definition, 'japa' means personal chanting on beads and hearing the Holy Name. Since time immemorial, the devotees have preferred to chant japa in the early morning hours. Those who are able arise well before Mangala-arati and begin chanting their prescribed rounds, often finishing their rounds after Tulasi-arati.

Srila Prabhupada's program for ch

"The Science of Congregational Chanting
of the Name of the Lord"

The sincere devotee who wants to attain a perfection (Siddhi) for himself by the process of chanting the Name of the Lord must refrain from the ten kinds of offences which are quoted below from the "Padmapuranam."

The first and foremost offence is the act of defaming the great saints who have glorified the chanting of the Name of the Lord by example in their own life and precepts. According to ordinary moral principles no one must be

Benefits of Mantra Meditation

When one is out and about in daily life, things tempt to knock one off balance emotionally, which can lead to one getting angry and stressed and developing negative sentiments towards other people.  Such sentiments and emotions are not healthy for one’s body, mind, or spirit. They cloud the mind, pushing one into unproductive mental circles of negative thinking. They cause tension in the body, which leads to disease. They degrade the quality of one’s consciousness, w

Japa Begins at Night

Japa begins at night***

Below is the summary of Sudama Pr’s session:

Japa begins at night – The Intro

Ø Spiritual advancement depends on hearing & chanting

o 99% of our spiritual advancement depends on hearing & chanting & 1% depends on service. But for this 1% seva to be perfect in its execution we have to give our best in the 99% composition pertaining to hearing & chanting.

Ø Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakura: 3 most important things for a Vaisnava: Naam-ruchi, Jiva daya, Vaisnava se

The name of God is powerful like the River Ganges

Japa Quotes from HH Radhanath Swami:

When we wake up in the morning, the first thing we have to do is immediately start chanting His holy names... very essential.

“My dear Lord, O Krishna, all-attractive supreme object of everyone’s love;

O Rama, the reservoir of all pleasure and happiness;

O Srimati Radharani, the divine pleasure potency and the bestower of devotion-

PLEASE ENGAGE ME IN YOUR SERVICE; PLEASE ENGAGE ME IN THE SERVICE OF YOUR SERVANTS”

We

On Chanting

By Srila Prabhupada Chanting the transcendental vibration

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

is the sublime method for reviving our transcendental consciousness, or Krishna consciousness.
As living spiritual souls, we are all originally Krishna conscious entities, but due to our association with matter from time immemorial, our consciousness is now polluted by the material atmosphere, called maya, or illusion. And what is thi

Quality in Chanting (3)

Sravanadi suddha citte karaye... It will be awakened. Not by force. Just like love between two persons, it cannot be forced. "You must love him. You must love her." Oh, that is no love. That is not love. When automatically you love one another, that is quality. Dora vede(?) prema.

And therefore formerly, at least in the Indian society, at an early age they were married. There is no quality in that quality. But gradually, remaining together, the quality of love increases. Th

Quality in Chanting (2)

When you come to the quality, you will feel yourself, "Why sixteen? Why notsixteen thousand?" That is quality, automatically. Just like HaridasaThakura was doing. He was not forced to do. Even Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Herequested, "Now you are old enough. You can reduce." So he refused, "No. Upto the end of my life I shall go on." That is quality.Have you got such tendency that you will go on chanting and nothing to do?That is quality. Now you are forced to do. Where is the qu

Quality in Chanting (1)

Devotee (8): When chanting our sixteen rounds, we are not sure if these rounds are sincere...

Prabhupada: You should be sure.

Devotee (8): How can we be sure?

Prabhupada: There is beads.

Brahmananda: No, he's saying that when we chant our rounds, how can we be sure that when we chant the round that the round is a perfect, attentive round, sincere?

Prabhupada: Therefore it is sastra, "You must." There is no question of understanding.

Brahmananda: The quality of the chanting he's