Ravi with his wife and daughter; Ravi with his wife and son.
It is with deep sorrow that we share the devastating news of the passing of Ravi Simkhara in the recent earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar.
Ravi was in Mandalay for a business meeting when a collapsing wall tragically took his life. The news of this loss reached his family late in the evening. Because the airport was closed, his wife, Nistha Rani Radha Dasi, mother-in-law, and other family members embarked on a dangerous journey to Mand
April Fools’ Day is celebrated yearly on April 1, and today I thought of Srila Prabhupada’s instruction that we remain fools before the spiritual master, as stated in a room conversation in Bombay, August 16, 1976.
A devotee asked, “Even nitya-siddha has guru . . . Even the liberated soul, nitya-siddha?” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “Liberated soul never says that ‘I am liberated.’ As soon as he says ‘liberated,’ he’s a rascal. A liberated soul will never say that ‘I am liberated.’ That is l
With my Holland/Inda trip now completed, I would like to close with the poem, “Holland”. The poem, “Mayapura,” is already done.
Dad and Mom used to talk about endless canals
Of tulips, flat terrain, bicycles, and windmills
That became a big part of their personal annals
From days of somber skies, weather with bone chills
My visit to the Netherlands confirmed all
Photos of family from the period pre-to-post war
Were flashing in my head as was the spo
Through bhakti-yoga we can finally reunite with the person we’ve wanted all along.
The Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, discusses dhyana-yoga, or meditative yoga. Texts 13-14 say: “One should hold one’s body, neck, and head erect in a straight line and stare steadily at the tip of the nose. Thus, with an unagitated, subdued mind, devoid of fear, completely free from sex life, one should meditate upon Me within the heart and make Me the ultimate goal of life.”
Srila Prabhupada’s purport to these
A devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake rocked Southeast Asia on Friday. Thousands are feared dead as emergency workers and locals begin searching for survivors in the miles of toppled buildings left behind. The quake’s epicenter was near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, and was felt hundreds of miles away in neighboring countries. In light of this disaster, ISKCON Myanmar has shared an official statement with ISKCON News updating the devotee community on the impact, including the situa
At the airport, our drama group looked interesting to the staff in Visakhapatnam. Some of us are white, some brown, and some black. We’ve got the races more or less covered. The devotees from Africa, in particular, are colourful in splash-coloured lungis. Then, there’s me in my saffron. One of the staff pulled out a camera, “We’ll use the photo as promotion, if you don’t mind?”
The NAMES of krishna are the repository of all happiness and the greatest wealth.If we chant properly,we will not experience material miseries, but we may experience what the materialist might mistake as misery:the spiritual joy of intence separation from KRSNA.
Since that joy comes from proper chanting,we might wonder how we can chant with attention and concentration,even if we are not yet pure devotee of KRSNA.How can we keep ourselves from thinking of a million and one other things besid
ISKCON’s official websites and social media channels have transformed the organization’s global outreach, creating unprecedented opportunities for spiritual connection in the digital age. With tens of millions of views across platforms, ISKCON has successfully leveraged digital technologies to spread Krishna consciousness, foster community engagement, and provide spiritual resources to devotees worldwide. This digital ecosystem has become particularly vital in connecting geographically dispersed
The hero of India’s epic Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna, is at a crossroad. He is intelligent, well-intending, and overwhelmed by a dilemma we all might recognize: the apparent incompatibility of worldly responsibilities and other-worldly aspirations. Arjuna is a warrior who feels the call to a more peaceful, non-invasive life. On the verge of a mammoth war he refuses to fight, even though the enemy is an aggressor who must be brought down. Like Arjuna, once we acknowledge the call to a more enlightened
Last month, Bhaktivedanta National School (BVNS) in Swarupganj marked its first anniversary with an inspiring celebration. The event was held at the Natmandir, a newly constructed monument dedicated to Radhapriti Devi Dasi and Sankarsan Das, both disciples of Srila Prabhupada.
This Annual Day Celebration of the new branch of BVNS reflected the school’s commitment to academic excellence infused with spiritual values. BVNS stands as an example of holistic education, blending the CBSE curriculum wi
Members of the Bhagavata Dharma Nusantara group present President Widodo with a copy of the Gita.
Every Sunday, the 7th President of Indonesia holds an open house to give the public an opportunity to visit his home in Solo. Recently, devotees from ISKCON Indonesia participated in this event and presented him with a copy of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
Joko Widodo, commonly known as Jokowi, has been the 7th President of Indonesia since 2014. He previously served as the Mayor of Surakarta from 2005
On a daily basis, I am receiving in the neighbourhood of a dozen garlands – a way of welcome, an etiquette to honour a sadhu (a monk). You can’t beat the fragrances of the flowers in India. It’s quite a treat. One receives these strings of lovelies when entering a home, an institution, a temple, often two or three at a time. It adds up. Also, when one sits down to give a class.
It was two classes today. The morning one involved pastimes (my personal ones) with our guru, Prabhupada. The s
Intelligent Design in a Modern Vedic Context
By Leif Asmark Jensen
(Lalitanatha dasa)
Consciousness is our most immediate experience. Yet, when it comes to studying consciousness beyond one’s own conscious experience, we can only study circumstantial evidence. One such category is studies of the symptoms of a conscious action on events or physical objects. This is known as the argument from design.
An argument from design refers to the inference that a feature cannot be explained as solely the
The Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir stands as a luminous spiritual beacon at the epicenter of the worldwide Krishna consciousness movement, radiating divine influence from its sacred location in West Bengal, India. This magnificent temple complex not only serves as ISKCON’s global headquarters but has evolved into a dynamic spiritual force employing modern digital outreach, comprehensive educational initiatives, and innovative community services while preserving the ancient teachings of Sri Chait
Raj Mukunda Das interacting with Subhag Swami outside the booth at the ILS 2025 in Mayapur.
Think Gita, a platform based on the teachings of S.B. Keshava Swami, is revolutionizing how the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita are shared with the world through its innovative facilitator training program. The program will equip individuals with the knowledge and skills to teach the Bhagavad-gita effectively in modern contexts. The program aims to make the wisdom of the Bhagavad-gita accessible and relata
Yasodamayi presents at the weekly Boalsburg Farmers Market.
Yasodamayi Dasi’s journey has been one of devotion, sustainability, and deep-rooted service. From her early years in Krishna Consciousness to her dedication to regenerative farming and holistic living, she has woven her faith seamlessly into every aspect of her work. Through her projects, Trifolia Nature Products and Three Leaf Farmden, she strives to provide conscious, sustainable alternatives for the devotee community and beyond.
Some of the greatest monks of the last two millennia, like Sankaracharya, Ramanuja, Madhava, and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, visited the location where the Kurma/tortoise avatar has been honoured near Srikakulam. Our group was told to prepare for a 3 AM pickup by the bus. I hate to say it, but no one in this country tends to be on time.
When we reached the Kurma Mandir, the gates for the 4:30 AM opening was also not a reality. We were eager – eager to see something rare – the snan, or bathing, don
Bhaktivedanta Manor has established itself as a powerhouse of spiritual influence in the United Kingdom, leveraging an impressive digital presence across multiple social media platforms to spread Krishna Consciousness to hundreds of thousands of followers. With over 309,000 Facebook followers and more than 7.3 million combined YouTube views, the Manor has successfully transformed from a physical sanctuary into a digital spiritual hub that reaches far beyond its 78-acre grounds in Watford. The te
Important places to visit in and around Kanpur:
1. Sri Haridev Ji Temple at Budhauli Village, Kanpur Dehat
(Useful information: It is two-hour drive from Kanpur in the remote village of Budhauli in Kanpur Dehat district.)
2. Sri Kesavadev Ji Temple at Rasdhan, Kanpur Dehat
(Useful information: It is two-hour drive from Kanpur in the remote village of Rasdhan in Kanpur Dehat district. Rasdhan is 3 km from Budhauli.)
3. Sri Jagannath Mandira – Monsoon Temple at Behta Bujurg, Bhitargaon
(Useful inf
The GBC expresses appreciation and support to the Gift Prabhupada project team for reaching out to hundreds of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples worldwide with a personalized offering of gratitude for their lifelong commitment to Srila Prabhupada and his mission.
The gift — a miniature lifelike brass murti of Srila Prabhupada in a box with a fragment of the jackfruit tree under which Srila Prabhupada was born and a profound quote from his letter — is a deeply significant memento that inspires Srila P
