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By Madhava Smullen

In this gloomy time, there can never be too many sources of light. So it’s apt that on Diwali day (November 14th) this year, there are at least two new devotional songs set to be released. As well as Govinda Priya’s first single “Achyutam: Your Names,” another UK-based artist, Radhika Ranjana Das (affectionately known as Radhika Das) has announced his debut track Ram Sita Ram. 

“In my childhood I would hear ancient tales of Sita Ram and particularly Hanuman, the fiercely str

In 2017 and 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Surabhi-kunda, where Indra met Krsna after the Govardhana lila to ask for forgiveness for acting out of anger. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtans and lectures below, along with a few photos, at Surabhi-kunda during Parikrama 2017 and Parikrama 2018.

Indra allowed himself to fall prey to anger by being proud. When one is proud, one gives undue importance to oneself and everything that one experiences is extremely important. When we are

अध्याय बारह – कुमारों तथा अन्यों की सृष्टि (3.12)

1 श्री मैत्रेय ने कहा: हे विद्वान विदुर, अभी तक मैंने तुमसे पूर्ण पुरुषोत्तम भगवान के काल-रूप की महिमा की व्याख्या की है। अब तुम मुझसे समस्त वैदिक ज्ञान के आगार ब्रह्मा की सृष्टि के विषय में सुन सकते हो।

2 ब्रह्मा ने सर्वप्रथम आत्मप्रवंचना, मृत्यु का भाव, हताशा के बाद क्रोध, मिथ्या स्वामित्व का भाव तथा मोहमय शारीरिक धारणा या अपने असली स्वरूप की विस्मृति जैसी अविद्यापूर्ण वृत्तियों की संरचना की।

3 ऐसी भ्रामक सृष्टि को पापमय कार्य मानते हुए ब्रह्मा

We wish you all a happy Diwali. Diwali, or Dipavali, marks the end of the year, and by the year’s end we want to pay our debts, rectify our relationships–and then try to do better the next year.

The Vedic literatures inform us that in the present age, Kali-yuga, the recommended process for self-realization, or God realization, is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Of course, we know that Lord Krsna appeared about five thousand years ago and spoke the Bhagavad-gita. At the end of the Bh

अध्याय ग्यारह – परमाणु से काल की गणना (3.11)

1 भौतिक अभिव्यक्ति का अनन्तिम कण जो कि अविभाज्य है और शरीर रूप में निरूपित नहीं हुआ हो, परमाणु कहलाता है। यह सदैव अविभाज्य सत्ता के रूप में विद्यमान रहता है यहाँ तक कि समस्त स्वरूपों के विलीनीकरण (लय) के बाद भी। भौतिक देह ऐसे परमाणुओं का संयोजन ही तो है, किन्तु सामान्य मनुष्य इसे गलत ढंग से समझता है।

2 परमाणु अभिव्यक्त ब्रह्माण्ड की चरम अवस्था है। जब वे विभिन्न शरीरों का निर्माण किये बिना अपने ही रूपों में रहते हैं, तो वे असीमित एकत्व (कैवल्य) कहलाते ह

In 2016, 2017 and 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Prema-sarovara, where Radha and Krsna once met, and in a moment of separation, They shed so many tears that it formed the waters of this sarovara. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtans and lectures below, along with a few photos, at Prema-sarovara during Parikrama 2017 and Parikrama 2018.

In the Prema-sarovara, all the holy rivers manifest. There is a story explaining how all the holy rivers came here on a pilgrimage. This place ca

अध्याय दस – सृष्टि के विभाग (3.10)

1 श्री विदुर ने कहा: हे महर्षि, कृपया मुझे बतायें कि लोकवासियों के पितामह ब्रह्मा ने भगवान के अन्तर्धान हो जाने पर किस तरह से अपने शरीर तथा मन से जीवों के शरीरों को उत्पन्न किया?

2 हे महान विद्वान, कृपा करके मेरे सारे संशयों का निवारण करें और मैंने आपसे जो कुछ जिज्ञासा की है उसे आदि से अन्त तक मुझे बताएँ।

3 सूत गोस्वामी ने कहा: हे भृगुपुत्र, महर्षि मैत्रेय मुनि विदुर से इस तरह सुनकर अत्यधिक प्रोत्साहित हुए। हर वस्तु उनके हृदय में थी, अतः वे प्रश्नों का एक एक कर

In 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Narada-kunda, a place to reflect on Narada Muni, a pure Vaisnava, and the meaning of true bhakti. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtan and lecture below, along with a few photos, at Narada-kunda during Parikrama 2018.

Narada Muni desired to join the pastimes of Krsna as a gopi. He went to Kusuma-sarovara, took his bath there and transformed into Narada gopi. That, of course, was very convenient for him to enter the pastimes of the gopis. When Kr

My cousin, Corry, her hubby, Eric, and our young Muslim friend, Victor, came together to talk spiritual. And it wasn’t a conversation devoid of opinions about the American election. Political opinions often tend to polarize people. It occupies many peoples’ lives. Spiritual conversations can do the same—occupy and polarize. At least our group succeeded in hitting common ground when talking stayed on the other-worldly thoughts.

I had shared my realizations with Gabriel of St. Mary’s. We dwelt on

अध्याय नौ – सृजन–शक्ति के लिए ब्रह्मा द्वारा स्तुति (3.9)

1 ब्रह्माजी ने कहा: हे प्रभु, आज अनेकानेक वर्षों की तपस्या के बाद मैं आपके विषय में जान पाया हूँ। ओह! देहधारी जीव कितने अभागे हैं कि वे आपके स्वरूप को जान पाने में असमर्थ हैं। हे स्वामी, आप एकमात्र ज्ञेय तत्त्व हैं, क्योंकि आपसे परे कुछ भी सर्वोच्च नहीं है। यदि कोई वस्तु आपसे श्रेष्ठ प्रतीत होती भी है, तो वह परम पूर्ण नहीं है। आप पदार्थ की सृजन शक्ति को प्रकट करके ब्रह्म रूप में विद्यमान हैं।

2 मैं जिस रूप को देख रहा हूँ वह भौतिक कल्मष से

In 2016 and 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Varsana, the village of Srimati Radharani. It is here that various deities such as Lord Brahma and Lord Visnu have manifested themselves in the form of hills, as they carry the Lord and His devotees on their heads. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtans and lectures below, along with a few photos, at Varsana during Parikrama 2016 and Parikrama 2018.

There is Goloka Vrndavana, Bhumi Vrndavana and a third Vrndavana – the internal Vrndavana.

By Giriraj Swami 

Today, Sri Rama-ekadasi, is a very special day. It is the first Ekadasi in the month of Kartik, or Damodara, and it has special significance as the day on which Srila Prabhupada completed his translation of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, the most important book on the life and precepts of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, which was originally published in seventeen volumes. Every devotee should read it. Actually, every devotee should read every book of Srila Prabhupada’s, from Sri Iso

Through the arched window

I see a couple crossing

The road of intensity

No pleasant walk night here
 

Through that lofty window

Men are thinning the tree

I don’t know why

I wish I did though
 

Through this broad window

I can view four homes

Sheltering good families

Our neighbours and friends

Through the part-frosted window

I admire binds in flight

Not destined for the south

They wish to stay here
 

Through that wood-framed window

I am blocked from the air

I hear leaves are rustling

And people

तीन सौ खरब वर्षों से अधिक तपस्या करने पर ब्रह्माजी को परमेश्वर का ज्ञान हुआ, जिससे वे अपने हृदय में उनका दर्शन कर सके।  (3.8.22-24)-श्रील प्रभुपाद!

अध्याय आठ – गर्भोदकशायी विष्णु से ब्रह्मा का प्राकट्य (3.8)

1 महा-मुनि मैत्रेय ने विदुर से कहा: राजा पुरू का राजवंश शुद्ध भक्तों की सेवा करने के लिए योग्य है, क्योंकि उस वंश के सारे उत्तराधिकारी भगवान के प्रति अनुरक्त हैं। तुम भी उसी कुल में उत्पन्न हो और यह आश्चर्य की बात है कि तुम्हारे प्रयास से भगवान की दिव्य लीलाएँ प्रतिक्षण नूतन से नूतनतर होती जा

By Madhava Smullen

Around forty-five women from Sweden, Switzerland, Brazil, Chile, and across the U.S. and Canada attended the fourth annual Urban Devi Retreat on October 17th, entitled “Welcoming Transformation” and held virtually on Zoom.

Co-hosted by Urban Devi and the Bhakti Center in New York City, the inspirational all-day event ran from 7:30am to 5:30pm EDT. It was organized by Urban Devi founder Rukmini Devi Dasi along with Brajarani Devi Dasi, Lila Devi Dasi, and Champakalata Sakhi Dev

Back at the temple ashram, downtown Toronto, movers came over to empty out the excess paraphernalia thus freeing up the building from potential danger, such as the fire hazard it had created. A kind member of our community, Mukesh Gelda, allowed space in his warehouse, the new home of this paraphernalia; materials that are used in North America‘s largest Ratha Yatra, the Chariot Fest. We are grateful for the service he is offering and I want to thank Rudradev for organizing the move, as well as

प्रथम पुरुष कारणोदकशायी, द्वितीय पुरुष गर्भोदकशायी तथा तृतीय पुरुष क्षीरोदकशायी विष्णु हैं, जिनमें विराट पुरुष की कल्पना की जाती है, जिसमें सारे लोक अपने विभिन्न विस्तीर्णताओं तथा निवासियों समेत तैरते रहते हैं।    तात्पर्य - 3.7.22  श्रील प्रभुपाद

अध्याय सात – विदुर द्वारा अन्य प्रश्न (3.7)

1 श्रील शुकदेव गोस्वामी ने कहा: हे राजन, जब महर्षि मैत्रेय इस प्रकार से बोल रहे थे तो द्वैपायन व्यास के विद्वान पुत्र विदुर ने यह प्रश्न पूछते हुए मधुर ढंग से एक अनुरोध व्यक्त किया।

2 श्री विदुर ने कहा : हे मह

In 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Ter Kadamba, which is famous for Srila Rupa Gosvami’s bhajana-kutir. It is also here where Krsna would climb onto a Kadamba tree and call out the names of the leaders of the various herds of cows. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtan and lecture below, along with a few photos, at Ter Kadamba during Parikrama 2018.

In one sense, Ter Kadamba is the most important place for us because it is where Rupa Gosvami resided for quite some time. Ter Kadamb