Devotees in Newcastle have been catering for lunches at the University of Newcastle for years. The tradition is still going on with the Bhakti Tree supplying wonderful prasadam for students during their break.
Three days a week devotees head out and the students and staff eagerly line up for a plate of rice, subji, koftas, drink and alternatively veggie buns or samosas. Needless to say, everyone is very satisfied.
These two files are scans of Srila Prabhupada’s original notebooks of his initiated disciples which was maintained while he was on the planet.
These notebooks have surfaced recently on the internet, and the links to veiw and save them are as follows:
Disciples of Srila Prabhupada Receiving their Initiated Names
A total of 1,679 first initiates are listed below. There are 1,142 initiated men an
In short, I have summarised what I desire and what I request of you. I also thank you all for coming. I do this festival here every year because of the Kingsday. It is just too big an opportunity to let go by. Although in a way, I feel it is quite intense with all those drunken, intoxicated people. And not just ten of them, but more like ten thousand, many, so it is intense!
But every year, miracles do happen on Kingsday. We see people literally having the time of their life in a kirtan – chant
“We should always be enthusiastic to try for capturing the rhinoceros. That way, if we fail, everyone will say, “Never mind, nobody can catch a rhinoceros anyway,” and if we succeed, then everyone will say, “Just see what a wonderful thing they have done!”
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad changed the world. When he came to America from India in 1965, few Westerners knew the deep spiritual truths behind ancient Vedic culture and civilization. Within a decade most h
On 10th of May, Kadamba Kanana Swami came to England after an incredible Sri Nrsimha Caturdasi festival in Simhacalam temple, South-West of Germany. Sutapa and Vaisnava Sarvabhauma Prabhus picked up Maharaj and took him to Krishna Kirtan’s house where he rested well and had some informal talks with them for that day.
The next morning Maharaj came to the Bhaktivedanta Manor to give the morning Srimad Bhagavatam class on the 10th Canto, chapter 11, verses 33 to 35. Maharaj straight away pulled out
We invite you to join us in the celebration of Balarama Jayanti, the appearance day of Lord Balarama, on the 18th of August. Find the details on the web site of your closest temple.
Who is Lord Balarama?
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The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the fountainhead of all incarnations. Lord Balarama is His second body. They are both one and the same identity. They differ only in form. Balarama is the first bodily expansion of Krishna, and He assists in Lord Krishna’s transc
Hare Krishna Dear Devotees,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
Mayapur Institute is happy to announce - ISKCON DISCIPLES COURSE (IDC) (ENGLISH) on 26th to 28th June 2017
The ISKCON Disciples Course is a training program which deepens devotees understanding of guru tattva and guru padasraya within the multiple guru environment of ISKCON. Designed for new devotees preparing to take initiation in ISKCON, the course is also recom
nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ
śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam
pibata bhāgavataṁ rasam ālayam
muhur aho rasikā bhuvi bhāvukāḥ
O expert and thoughtful men, relish Śrīmad-Bhagavatam, the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls.
(SB 1.1.3)
Hare Krishna dear devotees,
Please relish as we read, chew,
Srila Prabhupada explained that this material world is just a tiny little corner of the spiritual sky and that tiny little corner of the spiritual sky is covered by a cloud, therefore we feel disconnected from the sunshine of the spiritual world. But the effulgence of Krsna, the brahma-jyotir, is pervading in all directions and then there is this little corner of the spiritual sky which is covered by a cloud of illusion, thus we think that we are separated from Krsna and that Krsna is far away
“Krsna is giving you chance because you want to serve. It is all Krsna's grace. Krsna says "tesam satatam yuktanam . . .'' Anyone who is sincerely engaged in My service I give him the intelligence. So if Krsna gives the intelligence who can compete with you? Krsna is the most intelligent.” -Letter to: Madhavananda: Vrindaban 16 September, 1974
Almost as if he was reading my mind Jayapataka Maharaja then said that he had been brainstorming with the devotees for a vari
For many years I have wondered why it is so difficult to find devotees who are inspired to not only correspond with inmates but to do so steadily as well. It’s been quite a bottleneck since there are far more inmates who write than there are volunteers to reply to them.
It seems that often the devotees who volunteer with IPM have an unrealistic, romantic view of what this service is and they get discouraged when reality turns out to be different. I am wondering if,
HH Bhakti Vigna Vinasha Narasimha Swami has been teaching in the Bhakti Sastri, Bhaktivaibhava, and Bhakti Vedanta programs almost since the inception of the Mayapur Institute. He is a very much appreciated member of the faculty, a wonderful devotee, and a great source of inspiration for all of the students. During the 2016-17 Graduation Ceremony, we were honored to have his association and hear him speak on the importance of studying and living by Srila Prabhupada’s books. Watch Now!
During the 2016-17 Bhakti Sastri Graduation Ceremonies, we were honored to have many wonderful sannyasis, and senior devotees join us and congratulate the students on completing their studies. Both students and guests had the opportunity to hear these senior devotees speak and offer words of wisdom. Here is an excerpt from HH Bhakti Dhira Damodar Swami:
If you give a car to a person who doesn’t know how to drive, what will he do with it? He will harm himself. If we don’t understand the scriptures
“In the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, the word dainya (humility) is explained as follows: "When unhappiness, fearfulness and the sense of having offended combine, one feels condemned. This sense of condemnation is described as dinata, humility. When one is subjected to such humility, he feels physically inactive, he apologizes, and his consciousness is disturbed. His mind is also restless, and many other symptoms are visible." The word nirved
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also recommended this process of hearing as a means of self-realization in the present Age of Kali. -The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 10
Within such a huge organisation like Iskcon, it is not surprising to sometimes experience less of the affection we expected. There are several reasons for this. But if a disciple feels this way about his or her guru in good standing, does it indicate a neglect of some sort?
The worldwide preaching mission of Iskcon is still a novelty in historical vaisnava terms. This is the first successful attempt, and still very much work in progress. Often we hear that other religious organisations have old
In many of Srila Prabhupada’s lectures he exclusively explains about the two topics sreya and preya. He explains that sreya means the ultimate benefit and preya means immediate profit. Just like children want to play all day long that is preya, but the parents know that they must go to school and learn in order to become educated, which in the long run will be beneficial for them, so that is sreya.
In Bhagavad Gita Lord Sri Krsna talks about sreya and preya in terms of happiness, he says
