Blog

By Kadamba Kanana Swami

I remember going door-to-door on book distribution and it was all okay until I came to this one house. The door opened and there was a monster – a huge guy, all leather clad, looking like an enormous Hells Angel. In those days, there were many of them.

I was thinking and I started to pray to Lord Nrsimhadeva, “Oh my god, how do I get out of here quietly?” but it was too late and the guy said, “What do you want?”

I go like, (high-pitched soft voice) “Book.”

He says, “Oh, h

By Danavir Goswami

From its early years to present, ISKCON has witnessed droves of devotees leave their bodies while traveling in automobiles. Although devotees don’t drink and drive, many male devotee drivers that I know are virtual terrors behind the wheel. With a desire to reduce Vaisnava auto tragedies and hoping to improve our service to Lord Krishna, Srila Prabhupada and our spiritual authorities, we humbly suggest some guidelines for devotee drivers to follow.

Let us begin by understandi

ISKCON Baltimore’s Jiva Daya Sankirtana Team has been distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books in many creative ways over the years, including placing them in prison libraries and motels. This year so far, for instance, they have put 500 books in prisons, and 13,000 Bhagavad-gitas in motel drawers. 

In June 2016, after brainstorming more ways to share Prabhupada’s books, a five-person team was created to place them in hospitals and hospices. 

Bhakti-lata Dasi, Tarini Ganga Dasi, Prema-Dhama Das, S

By Jayadvaita Swami and Guru Gauranga Das

December 6, 2017 - New York Supreme Court for Kings County Room 525 was filled with Krishna devotees opposing a petition seeking approval of the sale of their temple in Brooklyn. Also appearing in court to oppose the proposed sale were attorneys for ISKCON's Governing Body Commission (GBC), an attorney for the newly reconstituted Bharati Center board, and a New York Assistant Attorney General.

New York State law requires court approval of the sale of re

By Kadamba Kanana Swami

There are techniques to book distribution. Vaisesika Prabhu is not only a leading distributor in our society but Vaisesika has demystified it. Book distribution has always been sort of a mystical thing! How do you do it – is it hypnosis OR is it just being assertive OR do you sweet talk people into it, “Hi, are you from here or out of town? Well, you are the lucky one! Congratulations, only a hundred people today get a promotional copy of this book. There you go… ”

Then

By Madhava Smullen

Beloved kirtaniya and Prabhupada disciple Agnideva Das has been discharged from hospital and is on the road to recovery, causing devotees around the world to breathe a sigh of relief.

During a kirtan tour of Australia and New Zealand, Agnideva was rushed to the hospital in Sydney on October 14th with a lung infection and very low oxygen levels.

When he began coughing and spitting up blood, doctors placed him in an induced coma to stabilize his condition, as well as on a venti

By Kadamba Kanana Swami

There are always people who will say no to a book today. In their mind, they had to make the choice and they said no. However, some attachment, some curiosity has been awakened and the next time you offer it, again they may say no but then one day, they will come on their own. They say, “Excuse me. Can I have one of those books?” People like that come out of nowhere. Those are the people who got the ajnata-sukrti (unknown spiritual benefit). Those who say NO today are th

By Dwaipayan De

The dictionary defines the word ‘Renunciation’ as follows – ‘the formal rejection of something, typically a belief, claim, or course of action.’ All over the world, we come across people who practice the spirit of Renunciation – There are some who renounce bad/harmful habits or renounce bad association, and there are some who renounce negative thoughts/words/deeds, etc. Again, we find people, who are a bit more serious and claim to belong to the Renounced order of life altogethe

“My dear boy, whatever you desire while chanting your mantra, by its power you will fully receive. Indeed, you will attain more than you desire. This chanting, please understand, is another form of service to Lord Jagannatha. Have faith in this and never give up your japa. By the potency of this mantra, may you live a long time, may you always have the form of a cowherd boy, and may you develop the right mentality for tasting the mantra’s fruit.”

[ Sri Brhad Bhagavatamrta, Srila Sanatana Goswam

The potency of Prasadam…
In one lecture Prabhupada talked about prasadam, and afterwards one of the devotees asked, “Prabhupada, is it true that if you take prasadam even once you’re guaranteed a human birth?” Prabhupada said, “Yes,” and all the “devotees said, “Hooray!” We were thinking, “Wow, we’ve got it made. We’ve got a human birth coming, and that’s all we have to think about.” But Prabhupada became grave and didn’t say anything for a few seconds. Then he said, “But there are some species

For charity to be effective, in either a religious or a practical sense, it must be given to the right person in the right way.

Who to Give to?

Donations are primarily supposed to be given to brāhmaṇas, not primarily to vaiṣyas or kṣatriyas. All śāstra concurs on this basic point. Brāhmaṇas are people who spend the vast majority of their time and energy studying and teaching, especially studying and teaching the Veda. Kṣatriyas are people who spend the vast majority of their time managing organ

I am a bookworm.

As a teenager, I used to camp out in bookstores for hours and hours at a time, losing myself among the maze of shelves. I would read sitting on the floor until my bum would ache. When the final Harry Potter book came out, I bought the book and read for 14 hours straight - taking hurried breaks for meals and bathroom - and then read the final words just as dawn was breaking. I have been known to pull all-nighters when a book captures my heart.

But.

This bookworm is picky.

I

By Sacinandana Swami

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said: “Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most important is to always chant the Holy Name of the Lord. If one does so, avoiding the ten kinds of offenses, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya 4.71)
One might ask, “Then why do we hear so many lectures on the Bhagavatam in our movement. Why don’t we simply sing and dance instead of listening to so many explanations?” The answer is: th

He had surgery almost immediately when he felt sick and the operation was successful. The doctors said it was just in time. He’s still in hospital but has 24 hours assistance from his disciples. We don’t know when he’ll come back home. Your prayers are welcome. Thank you

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=54170

From Back to Godhead

By Vicitravirya Dasa

Through the ages Western man has alternately
pondered or ignored death, the most
persistent yet least understood fact of our existence.

In the year A.D. 138, the great Roman emperor Hadrian lay dying in a villa overlooking the Bay of Naples. For many years he had been the mighty ruler of the Western world, governing an empire that stretched for thousands of miles. In the course of his eventful life as soldier/statesman, he encountered diverse peoples of