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Seeing God Within and Without

Srila Prabhupada speaks about the qualifications to see God, who is all around us.

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, lecture given on April 9, 1971, in Bombay

Although Krishna is invisible to ordinary persons, He tells us how we can become extraordinary and thus able to see Him always.

kunty uvacha
namasye purusham tvadyam
ishvaram prakriteh param
alakshyam sarva-bhutanam
antar bahir avasthitam

“Srimati Kunti said: O Krishna, I offer my obeisances unto You because You a

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By Maharishi Das

My customer ( friend ) Rob drove four and a half hours from Devon to pick up a bespoke hand crafted amplifier. When he arrived HG Titiksu Prabhu was just leaving and greeted him as he walked by on his way out. Rob paused for a moment, then commented “All your friends seem special,” and when I asked why, he said, “They have a certain glow.”

I explained that Titiksu Prabhu has a certain glow as he has been selflessly serving God for many years. I mentioned to him that prior to co

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Chi Gong to Gayatri by Bhaktimarga Swami

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There was a sweet briskness in the air as we set out for a 7am exercise session of Chi Gong in the zoologico. The local folks, mostly retirees, were in Chinese silk garb, while us visitors from Canada were attired in our usual Indian dhoti and kurta. The session, held in gorgeous, natural greenery, was so relaxing. I wish that our temple and ashram had sessions like this, even for fifteen to twenty minutes a day.

It was time for our taxi to arrive and to bid farewell to Laksminath, who has been

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I met a pathologist recently who works with cancer patients. She explained to me that there is a certain kind of pancreatic cancer that is most deadly and that one who contracts it can survive only a few months, at the most.

She said that because of the often-depressing nature of her job, she and her colleagues have a way of speaking among themselves to lighten the emotional impact when they receive bad news about a patient’s prognosis.

For example, when they read a patient’s lab results and fi

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What is the process of sense control by Krishna Consciousness? In fact, what are senses in the first place and why is it so important to control them? 

Senses are compared to venomous snakes (BG 3.58 purport). Snakes are known to be hypnotic, sneaky, fast and extremely poisonous. They have no mercy. Doesn’t sound very friendly, right? But nonetheless, all the conditioned living entities within this material world are constantly trying to satisfy these cruel masters lifetime after lifetime  in o

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I was shocked, confused, bewildered

As I entered Goloka’s door;

Not by the beauty of it all,

Nor the light or its decor.

But it was the devotees in Goloka

That I was amazed to see;

I knew them all on the earth

But they had so little bhakti.

There stood my sankirtan leader

The one who stole Krsna’s money twice;

Next to him was my old TP

Who was never ever nice.

Krsna Das, who never preached,

Who seemed so insincere,

Was sitting ecstatically with Krsna,

To whom he seemed so dear.

I asked my guru,

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GBC Further Restricts Anirdesya Vapu das

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ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission (GBC) today released a resolution regarding Anirdesya Vapu das (formerly known as Bhaktividya Purna Swami). The decision, while overlapping with the Child Protection Office’s (CPO) earlier decision (see article here), sets restrictions on Anirdesya Vapu das that are self-standing. The resolution also clarifies the status of the former guru’s disciples. Like all GBC resolutions, this decision is pending SABHA review before becoming ISKCON Law. The full resoluti

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The first experience I had with Krishna consciousness was when a friend of mine had got a small book, Perfection of Yoga, on the Atlantic City, New Jersey boardwalk. At that time I was going to college at Rutgers in New Jersey and was home for the summer. I was also doing Yoga exercise daily so I was immediately interested in reading the book. I picked it up and read 5 or 10 pages and then put it down thinking this is not Yoga. At that time I though that yoga was physical and breathing exercise

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Aid received from Iskcon Houston, Iskcon San Diego, New Vrindavana and also from other vaishnavas.
We thank his Holiness Badrinarayan Swami and His Grace Kuladri Prabhu for arranging and participating in the fundraiser.
The aid is directed at setting up autonomous electricity and water supply for the New Navadvipa temple in Kyiv.
As of December 10th, 32 solar panels a 10-kilowatt diesel generator an inverter, batteries a stabilizer a water pump and fuel have been purchased it is still necessary

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In the Bhagavatam, there are twelve individuals considered Mahajan and Yamaraj is one among them. Vidura, Yamaraj’s sudra incarnation, is not explicitly mentioned as a Mahajan. For punishing Mundaka Muni, Yamaraj was cursed by the Muni to become a sudra (lower birth).  Is there a reason why Yamaraj punished Mundaka Muni?  Should we consider Vidura a Mahajan as well, since Yamaraj is a Mahajan? Does Vidura possess the traits necessary to qualify as a Mahajan?

Mundaka Muni was wrongly arrested al

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Through Old Havana by Bhaktimarga Swami

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In Havana, if it means a stroll, you might want to be picky and choosy about which streets to take. On some of the more frequented roads, old or newer models of cars release a certain amount of nasty exhaust. It was naturally a great discovery for me to amble along with my walking buddies through Old Havana, automobiles restricted, and where all the tourists go. This area has a particular appeal, and it led us to the Malacon, the sea wall, where the ocean waves crash dramatically against it. In

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16 Days of Activism to 365 Days of Action

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By Rādhā Devi Dasi, Karuṇā Śakti Devi Dasi & Loka-pāvanī Devi Dasi  

Manu-Samhita states, “The gods are very happy with those families where women are respected. And where women are not respected, there all kinds of sacrifices/charities are futile.” Yet the abuse of women and children is the most pervasive human rights violation in the world, what to speak of spiritual violation? ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada emphasized the importance of protecti

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TOVP December New Year’s Message

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Dear Devotees and Friends of the TOVP,

Hare Krishna! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

The year 2022 comes to a close, opening the door to the beginnings of another year of service and surrender, and opportunities to bring Krishna into the lives of the conditioned souls. Underlying all our intense efforts to finance and build the TOVP is this focused intention to bring Krishna consciousness to the world at large. And at the foundation of this motivation is the desire and order of His Divine Grac

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These days, more and more people are becoming vegan, not only outside of our movement but also inside of our movement. Of course, Srila Prabhupada in the first Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam very much emphasises the importance about drinking milk. He also emphasises that milk sweets should be offered to the deities. Here, in Vrndavana, Srila Prabhupada reserved the milk sweets for the Gurukula. Yes, they got all the milk sweets. Sometimes we would steal, and such things were going on. So milk is es

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From Here to There by Bhaktimarga Swami

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Bliss is at the beach, but for those of us who are bhakti boys, the earlier in the day, the better; before crowds set in. A couple from Milton, Ugresh and Urmila, joined us in the oceans of water for a morning Sadhana comprised of prayers to the guru, prayers to Narasingha, the lion avatar, and then finally a Bhagavatam discussion.

What do we get out of this? A water massage, vitamin D, minerals nourishing the body, time to touch the brain and heart. Time to touch humility. We dried off and the

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By Chaitanya Charan das

Speaking on the Mahabharata outside Bharata – at Princeton
During my visit to Central New Jersey, 2016, Govinda Prabhu and I spoke at Princeton University on the topic of “Tragic Hero? Lessons from the life of the Mahabharata character Karna.”
Vineet Chander (Venkat Bhatta Prabhu) serves as the Director of Hindu Affairs at Pinceton University; and he had invited me to speak on this topic. Later, it turned out that Govinda P was also there in Central New Jersey at the tim

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9916636888?profile=RESIZE_584xThe Hindus who visit our Krishna temples perceive ISKCON as an orthodox movement, appreciating the traditional temple service and how beautifully the altars are maintained. Many of our western friends might appreciate the Krishna movement differently: as a modern and relevant movement which advocates vegetarianism, honors the Earth, and offers meditation through joyous singing and dancing.

One might say Vaisnavism is the most stable and orthodox of all the Vedic traditions. Everyone knows how at

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Bhakti Academy Toronto by Bhakta Alex

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In the heart of Toronto, Canada’s biggest city. Five thousand years into Kali Yuga. Shortly after a
brutal pandemic. Surrounded by an ocean of materialism, sin, and providers of sense gratification, such as cosmetic surgery and Botox clinics, strip clubs, liquor stores, cannabis stores, and night clubs. In this most unfavorable environment, a residence of young devotees within the Toronto ISKCON temple ashram has surfaced with energy, commitment, and engagement to learn and practice Bhakti Yoga

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