From Back to Godhead
I love chanting japa—some days. Other days, I endure chanting japa. It seems to be bliss or boredom. On the good days I am enthralled. Krishna feels very close, and very dear. Not that I’m seeing visions or hearing voices—nothing dramatic that would excite the tabloid crowd. The experience is closer to returning home after a long, arduous journey. Such a sweet pleasure from the simple fingering of beads, the rhythmic repetition of the maha- mantra:Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
The history of the establishment of the great temple in Puri, and the hypocrisy of temple priests as opposed to sincere devotional worship in pure love of God. Written by the Thakur in English, 1871.
There is not a Hindu who has not heard the name of this temple. The old and the young, the male and the female, the Rajah and the ryot, and the weak and the stout, all visit this temple out of a religious curiosity. Three hundred and one miles south-west of the Vice-Regal palace at Calcutta, stands
Recently, a spate of vandalizing statues has turned into a sort of epidemic across various parts of the country. The act of pulling down some statues in Tripura has set off a string of statue vandalism which triggered massive protests in various cities with clashes witnessed between students, police and political workers amidst concerns that the tit-for-tat acts may worsen.
This is precisely the bizarre situation we are witnessing at present. Being worshippers of the personal form of the Lord,
18 April 2018
Aksaya Tritya – Chandana Yatra Starts (Lasts 21 Days)
Every year on the 3rd lunar day of waxing phase of the month of Vaisakha, we celebrate Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akshaya Teej or Parashuraam Jayanti. Akshaya, literally means, that which can't be worn out, or deteriorate or that which always exists.
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Special Blogs on Akshaya Tritiya and Chandan Yatra
What’s So Special About Purusottama Month - by Srimati Devi and Team
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A day in the life of a “typical” devotee shows that, along with hard work and regulation, there are freedom, satisfaction, and ever-increasing pleasure.
Many people think the members of the Hare Krsna movement have failed to join the dance of life. They think we are no longer free to experience life’s Joys. “Your lives are too restricted,” they say. “How can you be happy? You’ve given up so many of the normal pleasures of life. How can you reject all the things that everyone else holds so dear?
“The Lord is the bestower of all benediction. If someone gives something to the Lord, he is not the loser; he is the gainer by a million times.” – Srila Prabhupada in Krishna Book, Lord Krishna blesses the fruit vendor
Dear Devotees,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Greetings from Sridham Mayapur and blessings from Sri Sri Radha-Madhava, Sri Panchatattva and Sri Sri Prahlada Nrsimhadeva.
This Tuesday, April 18th, is Akshaya Tritiya, one of the most important days
By Chaitanya Charan Das
aśanaṁ me vasanaṁ me jāyā me bandhu-vargo me
iti me me kurvāṇaṁ kāla-vṛko hanti puruṣājam
“This food is mine; this cloth is mine; this spouse is mine; these relatives are mine.” Thus, the goat-like conditioned soul keeps uttering “Mine! Mine!” while the wolf of time pounces on it and devours it.”
Suppose a person driving a car to a shopping mall becomes infatuated with dreams of buying various things. If they become so infatuated that they don’t even notice that their c
By Nagapatni Devi Dasi
This year’s International Vaisnavi Retreat was exceptional. Eighty-six radiant sadhakas from 13 countries, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, Russia, Germany, USA, India China, Canada, Italy and Ukraine, came to Govardhana with the unifying desire to deepen their understanding of service to the Deity.
The yearly International Vaisnavi Retreat was established in 2011 to give the ladies of ISKCON special educational opportunities and to strengthen netw
Gadadhara Pandita-The Embodiment of Pure Love for Lord Caitanya
Yesterday (16 Apr 2018) was the appearance day of Sri Gadadhara Pandit.
gadadhara-paṇḍitadi — prabhura nija-sakti
tan’-sabara carane mora sahasra pranati
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto the internal potencies of the Lord, of whom Sri Gadadhara Prabhu is the foremost.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.41)
On this most auspicious appearance day of Sri Gadadhara Pandita, we had abhisheka, arthi & pushpanjali to Sri Gadadhar
It is said in the scriptures that when we have a goal which is other than satisfying the senses of Krsna, then we will remain in anxiety. When our goal is to control, then anxiety will follow – “Will I get it? What do I do? I hope nothing will go wrong! Is it going to work or not? Let me cross my fingers, cross everything, even my toes!” Everything is crossed in the hope that it will go according to our wishes, but there is no guarantee, none at all. This is because the protection of Krsna is t
By Rishab Hauter
This Wednesday, April 18, is Akshaya Tritiya, one of the most important days in the Vedic calendar. Akshaya means “imperishable” or “that which never diminishes”. Traditionally, this is the best day for starting important endeavors or projects. For example, Vyasadeva and Ganesa chose this day to start writing the Mahabharata, and every year construction of the huge Ratha carts in Puri also starts on this day. Srila Prabhupada chose this day in 1953 to start the “League of Devot
Dear Devotees and TOVP Donors,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Greetings from Sridham Mayapur and blessings from Sri Sri Radha-Madhava, Sri Panchatattva and Lord Nrsimhadeva.
This Wednesday, April 18, is Akshaya Tritiya, one of the most important days in the Vedic calendar. Akshaya means “imperishable” or “that which never diminishes”. Traditionally, this is the best day for starting important endeavors or projects. For example, Vyasadeva and Ganesa chose t
Srila Prabhupad said of Rathyatra:
‘So this festival, taking part in these festivals means a step forward for our self-realization. Rathe ca vāmanaṁ dṛṣṭvā punar janma na vidyate. Simply by seeing the Lord on the chariot, one makes advancement for stopping the repetition of birth and death.’
Every year the Rathyatra cart of Iskcon Bhakti Centre Gold Coast participate in the festival of lights parade in Ipswich Queensland. This years festival was on the 14th of April.
The cart was transported t
“For the present you endeavor to make Ratha-yatra festival grand and successful. You should arrange the procession and procedure so nicely that all the neighborhood people may be attracted to join the procession.” (SPL to Upendra, 1st June, 1968)
14th April 2018, New year according to Tamil lunar calender will remain forever in the memory of North Chennai devotees as it does every year. 4th Annual Sri Sri Gaura Nitai Ratha yatra organized by ISKCON Perambur enliven the streets of North Chennai
Haribol, recently I've been to India. It was partly an archeological expedition, we found many forgotten things.
Actually my own heart is like an ancient grave, and I feel like archeologist who is digging with the hope to find something precious.
In India there are millions of warm hearts, connected with each other. Local people in India seldom turn on their intellect, as I understand, instead they mostly use anahata chakra to make decisions, they perfectly feel the heart of a friend or enemy, t
In the Skanda Purana (Utkala-khanda, Chapter 29) it is described that Lord Jagannatha instructed King Indradyumna to keep His transcendental body cool by applying sandalwood paste all over His divine form:
vaisakhasya site pakse tritiyaksaya samjnikatatra
mam lepayed gandha lepanair ati sobhanam
“Smear fragrant sandalwood paste on My body on the day of Aksaya-trtiya during the waxing moon in the month of Vaisakha.”
This festival is called the Candana-yatra festival, which literally translates
By Ramai Swami
Recently, I attended a fund raising dinner for the Sydney West temple construction project. The dinners are organised three times a year as a means to raise much needed laksmi.
Special guest was my godbrother, Yasomatinandana das, who is the temple president for Ahmedabad,India.
As usual, the night started with kirtan, then dance, speeches, project information, fund raising and finally a wonderful prasadam dinner.
So many times we hear the word ‘bhava’ among devotees that one should develop bhava for Krishna or so and so devotee has a very nice bhava. So what actually is this bhava? Is it emotions, is it feelings, is it love or is it a mixture of many things. Sometimes we use this term very casually or liberally in the devotee circles. Indeed, bhava, being the preliminary stage of elevation before the attainment of pure love of Krishna, is a very deep topic. It is meant to be discussed by paramahamsas or
