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Sri Vrindavan Dham has a lot of traditions related to Radha and Krishna, the temples and ashrams, through which they bless their devotees.
One of these amazing traditions is the “eternal” fire in Shri Radha Raman Lal Ji’s kitchen, which hasn’t gone out in 450 years. Sewayats use kande (cakes made from dried cow dung) only to bring the fire to the surface for cooking purpose. No match box is used in the entire temple premises.
450 years ago Gopal Bhatt Goswami, who revealed Radha Raman Lal to

On July 31st padayatra camped on the outskirts of the Manalmedu Village, 10 kilometers away from Karrur. There was an old age home nearby where many disabled, diseased and elderly people lived. We thought because they could not walk to come see us that we would go to them. So, we went there and had a wonderful kirtana and katha for the residents. When we were leaving the old age home we noticed a man very cruelly dragging a cow to his village. It was painful to watch and we understood by the ma

As long as we think, even mildly, that material situations are important, we are in the trap of deadly illusion. This illusion causes us to mistake the unimportant as important, the inessential as essential, the temporary as permanent. It makes us despair in unfortunate times; it makes us fearful about losing the good ones. It makes us struggle to accumulate more and even to just maintain status quo.

Unfortunately the world situation today forces us to struggle even for basic necessities and se

Sometimes I pause for thought – “what is motivating my spiritual journey?” The fact that one continues on with a seeming enthusiasm, year after year, may not tell the full story. When we receive appreciation, respect, encouragement and a plethora of impending opportunity, it’s somewhat easy to carry on with a gusto and drive. There is, after all, an immediate sense of achievement, value and purpose. The defining moments, however, often occur when that reciprocation is not so forthcoming. That’s

I like chanting Hare Krishna. It’s great & a good means to bring out the best in people. Yet within the society of ISKCON I wonder if there is a place for people like me?

Let me explain what I mean, by people like me. I really want to be a good person in the sense that I want to treat everyone with love, respect & kindness. We’re all birds of a same feather – we are all spiritual beings at different places in our journey. Even the most apparently horrible person say for instance a cannabalistic

Srila Prabhupada Receives the First Big 1972 Original Bhagavad Gita As It Is
by Nanda Kumar Das

One day, when I was first with His Divine Grace in L.A., Brahmananda Prabhu came from New York and they were talking about the printing of a Bhagavad Gita with Sanskrit included. Evidently, there was a question as to whether the western people could pronounce the transliteration with diacritic marks.

Srila Prabhupad rang his bell, and I came into his room. Brahmananda was there. Srila Prabhupad hande

No one is equal to God. The servant cannot be equal to the master. According to the Vaishnava philosophy, the master is one, and the servants are also one, but the distinction between the master and servant must continue even in the liberated stage. - Srimad Bhagavatam 7.5.11 Purport 

It is funny how we devotees always can find something to occupy ourselves with. If I was a karmi, staying here at the ayurvedic center I would have left screaming for being bored out of my mind. Benefits of being a devotee, Radha rati mataji and me are occupying ourselves with singing kirtans, reading the Bhagavatam (we have an aim to finish the first canto before we leave) and generally exchanging our realizations.

Last night I was particularly lamenting on my separation from Panihati Dham an

In our current experience so far, to serve others is not very glorious position. In fact people like to be served but not serve others or people serve only if there is some sort of return. So generally speaking, to serve is not popular or done with some motive. So when pure devotees pray to the Lord for service, it is not very appealing to the common man.

Therefore very few people actually pray like this – “oh my Lord, please engage me in your service as the servant of your servant!”. However,

The TOVP Kalash is the only one of its kind in the world owing to its sheer size and magnitude. It is 23 meters (75 feet) tall and 19 meters (62 feet) wide, and sits atop a mammoth dome at a height of 84 meters (276 feet) from ground level. Being the topmost architectural feature of the temple dressed in resplendent gold, it will be visible from far and wide. Hence, considerable efforts have gone into its complex and intricate design as well as execution.

According to sacred architecture, the K

Gopidots.
Scent of rosewater making me heady
bathing your glowing white body
The silence of the altar
Hum of the mahamantra
It is just you and me
as I play with your skirts
Which earrings would you like today ?

The ache is back my dear Rani
Is some of that mercy saved for me?
One desire.
One day again....just to hold that brush
be absorbed in those patterns.......just to paint gopidots on your moonlike face.....When?

Source:http://walksatdawn.blogspot.in/2009/12/gopidots.html

I have a cartoon. The first picture shows a child, you know, baby just born and the caption says, “Too young.” Next picture shows a couple in love, hand-in-hand, full moon behind them, “Too much in love.”Next picture shows a family, a few kids, you know, bags with groceries. He has got a phone, a computer, a drill and a screwdriver. I mean, they have six arms; they are, “Too busy.” Next picture, an old man; death, “Too old.” Last picture has cross on the grave, “Too late.”

So at every stage of

Jayapataka Swami remembers precious times with Srila Prabhupad.!
Srila Prabhupada spoke to me for the first time- then he asked, “What is your plan?” “Well I thought that I would go to India to find a master but I already found you here.” I said.

 People are unhappy. Someone has lost their dear one, someone has not yet settled down in life. Someone still yearns for affection and appreciation, or that elusive recognition. Someone still looks back at what could have been and some heart burns at a lifetime of limited success. Someone has classmates more accomplished than them, someone has friends who pity them. Someone struggles for daily bread and someone dreams for a stable job. The list is unending. Eyes moisten if you care to look.

2015 was the 500th anniversary year of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s visit to Vraj Mandal and 2016 being ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. Come for Vraj Mandal Parikrama on this special occasion and immerse yourself in Krishna katha and kirtan by devotees from around the world.

There will be special facilities for international group. Visit www.vrajmandalparikrama.com for details on booking and facilities available. For more information contact us

VRAJ84@Pamho.net, Brajbhoomi.lok@pamho.net,

Question: How to control our mind?

Romapada Swami answers:

Patita Pavana dasa: It was 1971 or 1972, I had been out on the streets of New York City all day preaching, selling books, collecting and generally spreading the blessing of serving the Supreme Lord through the mercy of His representative Shrila Prabhupada. That day the Guru of the Universe was leaving New York to spread Lord Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s divine message of Krishna consciousness all over the world.
On the street of Manhattan I had spotted a sidewalk vendor selling novelty newspaper

Ananda Vrindavana Devi Dasi: As we approach Janmastami, Krishna’s birthday, we’ll be thinking of what to give. It’s a birthday celebration after all and everyone’s invited. The guest list is unlimited and when it’s a birthday we think of expressing our love with a gift.
Each of us has a unique and personal relationship with Krishna. Our world is not just me, myself and I. It’s me, the world, and Krishna. And still, this is our story as we are the main player. Everyone else is a supporting cast