How Sri Sri Radha Shyamasundar and Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Manifested in Jaipur With the Help of Sitala devi dasi
By Sridevi Dasi
Sitala devi dasi, a resident of Mayapur Dham, had been ordering deities for ISKCON since 1975. Many temples around the world have used her services to obtain their deities. In the 1990’s the devotees of New Raman Reti asked her to order deities in India for our Temple. “It took a while for consensus to be reached among devotees here as to who should be the Lords
Devotees gather for the first-ever Rathayatra festival in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Recently, the first-ever Rathayatra festival in Ethiopia took place, quietly but significantly, inside the compound of the Indian Embassy in Addis Ababa. For Mahaprasad Govinda Das, the only full-time ISKCON preacher currently active in the country, the festival marked a historic milestone in a long and determined effort to establish Krishna consciousness in one of Africa’s most religiously sensitive regions. “The
After a strong theatrical debut across India earlier this week, the much-anticipated animated film Mahavatar Narsimha, directed by Ashwin Kumar, is now facing an urgent and unexpected crisis: piracy.
Positive reviews and an enthusiastic reception were marred when illegal mobile recordings of the film began to surface on social media, seriously endangering the film’s financial viability and future prospects for similar productions.
“While devotees and friends of ISKCON may be eager to share thi
Indra, the great god of rain, was very present at the commencement of our havan, the sacred fire that represents the divine tongue of Vishnu. We were ready for a downpour and secured whichever tent was available. Everyone knows what it means when rain is determined. It finds its way. I’ve done plenty of camping when in the middle of the night wetness would be felt and make your time quite unpleasant.
Here we were, all huddled tightly together, very sheltered, for an initiation ceremon
From July 11-13, 2025, at the New Godruma Dhama Farm outside Kuala Lumpur, 45 youth from Malaysia’s MySkills Foundation experienced something rare: a spiritual retreat grounded in love, simplicity, and purpose. Behind this heart-transforming event stood the husband-and-wife team of Rasa Parayana Das and Rati Gopika Devi Dasi, who have quietly spent the past decade transforming the lives of “at-risk” youth through Krishna consciousness.
Their “Welcome to Vrndavana” Outreach Retreat, an ISKCON P
First Padayatra Ministry Meeting at the newly inaugurated Lok Archives Office in Sri Pandharpur Dham.
In a significant milestone for the ISKCON Padayatra movement, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Swami, Global Minister for Padayatra, convened a strategic and heartfelt meeting with key leaders and stakeholders on July 5, 2025. The gathering took place at the newly inaugurated Lok Archives Office in Sri Pandharpur Dham, a serene and spiritually charged venue.
The Padayatra Ministry extends heartfelt grati
New York’s Chariot Fest encountered much rain last month. Toronto’s event of this day was wet but of a different kind. The humidity brings on the humility. In the parade, people were beaten down. Who said Canada’s cold? The intense heat warranted a good swim on Centre Island’s southern beach. Arjuna Sakha and I did what we believe was the smart thing to do – to get wet in the lake water.
The parade was grand, but with some hiccups. The thing that made it pleasant was the cooperativ
Jahnava Sundari Devi Dasi, founder of Cintamani Yoga in Florence, Italy, has built a vibrant spiritual and healing community by fusing traditional yoga with bhakti principles. Through years of personal hardship, spiritual surrender, and a deeply intuitive approach to healing, her work has inspired many to explore Krishna consciousness in an accessible yet transformative way.
Early Years and Introduction to Bhakti
Jahnava Sundari’s spiritual journey started not with quiet reflection, but with e
Let’s begin by sharing a striking example of what appears to be a huge “risk.” On August 13, 1965, Srila Prabhupada boarded the Jaladuta Cargo Steamship from Kolkata on to New York City with 200 Rupees (about US$7) in his pocket, a trunk full of books, and puffed rice, since he didn’t know if America even had vegetables! Would any of us take this risk? A “normal” person seeking material security would never have gotten on that steam ship. Srila Prabhupada, on the other hand, had an army to pro
JOURNEY UNDERWAY
(In Honour of Vaishnav Das)
The journey is now underway
That’s what real people say
Gone is departing soul, Vaishnav
Who shared with us so much love
In quiet somber demeanour
His words were of genuine candour
Often fueled by a sharp wit
Oh, yes, I’ve heard him quip
At random nonsense things
He relieved us with guitar strings
And keeping a smile at the forefront
Never a need to get too blunt
Husband to one we adore
Fa
Janmashtami commemorates the earthly appearance of Krishna, who is described in India’s sacred writings as God Himself. One of the biggest religious festivals in the world, it is celebrated by nine hundred and thirty million people around the world–and two mill
August 1973 at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, in the countryside near London. Several thousand guests (including the Indian High Commissioner) listen to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada speak about the day Lord Krsna made His appearance on earth.
Your Excellency the High Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for your coming here and participating in this ceremony -Janmastami, the advent of Krsna. In the Bhagavad-gita [4.9] Krsna says,
Recently, ISKCON Kolkata marked the celebration of its 54th annual Rathayatra, recognized as the second largest Ratha Yatra in the world. Each year, the city of Kolkata is surrounded by an atmosphere of devotion as the grand chariot festival of Lord Jagannath, organized by ISKCON Kolkata, unfolds. The majestic procession of Lord Jagannath, accompanied by Lord Baladeva and Subhadra Maharani, moved through the city streets, attracting thousands of devotees who gathered to witness and participate
In the late 70s, our Los Angeles community organized what was probably the biggest Ratha Yatra to date, especially in the western world. It was promoted in such a dynamic way. The whole town was curious about a fest involving chariots. Is it like the second coming of “Ben Hur?” Alice Coltrane, legendary jazz musician, was going to appear and present mantras on the stage (I remember the melody she sang of the maha mantra from a recording). Ramesvara Swami, the leader of the LA community,
Lecture given in Honolulu, May 6, 1976
A life that allows us to reunite with mother earth and offer her products to Krishna favors our spiritual growth.
Srila Prabhupada writes, “Whatever is taken from the earth—either from the mines, from the surface of the globe, or from the atmosphere—should always be considered the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and should be used for Yajna, Lord Vishnu. As soon as the process of yajna [sacrifice] is stopped, the earth will withhold all productions—vegetables, trees, plants, fruit
It was two o’clock in the morning. My airplane from Frankfurt had arrived in Delhi one hour late. Would my taxi still be waiting? Going through customs was quick, so I rushed out through the main gate and saw a man motioning toward me. He recognized Prabhupada’s white elephant! Within minutes, we were on our way to Sri Vrindavana Dhama.
Devotee men from across North America will gather at IKSCON New Vrindaban, West Virginia, for the 8th annual MAN-tra Retreat, happening from Friday, September 19 to Sunday, September 21, 2025.
Conceived in 2018 by Bhaktimarga Swami and Anuttama Dasa, the retreat aims to empower Krishna-conscious men to live with greater integrity, devotion, and purpose. The weekend promises dynamic seminars by renowned speakers—including Brahma Tirtha Das, Vraj Vihari Das, Mahatma Das, and Gopal Hari Das—along
For the second year in a row, ISKCON Gurugram organized a Rathayatra marathon, hosting 13 Rathyatras across the city over just 11 days, from June 26 to July 6.
The celebrations, held in various housing societies, neighborhoods, and city sectors, provided devotees with a powerful opportunity to share Krishna Consciousness with thousands of residents. According to Rambhadra Das, Temple President of ISKCON Gurugram, over 50,000 plates of prasadam were distributed, and around 5,000 of Srila Prabhu
JOURNEY UNDERWAY
(In Honour of Vaishnav Das)
The journey is now underway
That’s what real people say
Gone is departing soul, Vaishnav
Who shared with us so much love
In quiet somber demeanour
His words were of genuine candour
Often fueled by a sharp wit
Oh, yes, I’ve heard him quip
At random nonsense things
He relieved us with guitar strings
And keeping a smile at the forefront
Never a need to get too blunt
Husband to one we adore
