At our weekly leaders meeting we always open up with a reading over Zoom. Today, it was my turn to read. I chose a passage from a letter our guru, Prabhupada, wrote in 1974 to his student/disciple, Sukadev, regarding devotee care. This is the heart of the letter, dated April 5th:
“First of all, there is no question of a devotee being ostracized because he has become ill, nor do I think this is being widely practiced. Who has been ostracized? One of the symptoms of a devotee is that he is kind,
Tatastha-sakti
It has already been established that Srila Prabhupada’s letters, although by no means to be neglected, do have a limited application, whereas his books, being the lawbooks for the next ten thousand years, are applicable for everyone, everywhere, any time. Somehow, when discussing the controversial subject of where we fall from, no one ever refers to Srila Prabhupada’s purport to the sixteenth mantra of Sri Isopanishad, which is really as clear as can be:
“The all-pervading featur
There are these hidden treasures that commuters on major highways are unaware of, as their routine command, they remain on routes of monotony. I’m referring to those tucked away pieces of paradise; waterways that cut through the terrain to reach their final destination, after a twisty journey, to massive Lake Ontario.
Myself and our group of Bhakti Academy met in Burlington, population 206,000, with Jagannatha Misra, president of ISKCON in that city, and then made our way to Hidden Valley Park
ISKCON India’s Director of Communications Yudhistir Govinda Das spoke at the recently concluded annual conference of the International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD), a Germany-based organization whose members include 123 Faith-based Organizations (FBOs) and 15 government and multilateral entities, in Bali, Indonesia.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-official-speaks-at-pard-annual-conference-in-indonesia/
Board members and residents visit Vrindaville, a new development of 1-4 acre land plots that devotees can purchase for building homes.
The semi-annual joint board meetings with ECO-Vrindaban, ISKCON New Vrindaban, and the Village Council took place on October 21-23rd. Members met in multiple sessions to discuss the achievements of 2022 and speak about initial plans for 2023. “The combined board meeting this year was a very positive experience. New Vrindaban is unique in that it’s managed by thr
Winnipeg has so few hills, but since I arrived, I have been contemplating and shaping up a poem about a hill, Govardhana, which is held sacred in India, attracting people from all over the globe. The poem:
The Living Hill
The god of rain, Indra, became extremely irate
Pride is often the big part of his game
With thunder, clouds and lightning so great
He exerts this power to maintain fame
What incited him so was a talkative child
Who put his village on a paradigm shift
Instead of a day to
Chanting the holy names of the lord is the most profound method in this age of Kali to rise above the influences of Maya. To engage in Harinama Sankirtana is definitely the only viable process of freeing ourselves from this precarious position we have implicated ourselves in within this material world. Inaugurated by Lord Caitanya who then empowered his pure devotee, His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, we have all been exposed to this Yuga Dharma Harinam Sankirtan through
It is that time of the year when leaves are descending, but geese are ascending and soaring to the south in their V formation. Ah, yes, V for Vishnu. Thanks for the reminder, guys. Your honking sound is well noticed by those of us making the trails in King’s Park. What splendour there is in all we see, including a woodpecker who allowed me to come so close. The Assiniboine River is humble as it is low; a notable message we are able to take in as a component to the natural splendour of God.
Much
By Chaitanya Charan das
Transcribed and edited by– Nayanasundari Devi Dasi
Question– As devotees, as sadhus, should we focus on just internal change or should we focus on social change also?
Answer (short)–
Be personal. Honor each individual for who he or she is. This principle was repeatedly exemplified by Srila Prabhupada throughout his time with us. As he saw how everyone is spiritually equal and should have an equal opportunity to participate in his movement according to his or her qualifications and propensities, so can we. As he encouraged everyone, so can we. In the world today, there’s a dire need for this cutting-edge, spiritual vision, a vision that’s resonant with Krishna’s teachings, t
I spent the day visiting Krishna Bhakti students at their homes. It is inspiring to see their love and commitment to Krishna, their work, their school and their parents. I also had the pleasure to walk along Red River at St. Vital Park. Lots of geese in the pond. Since arriving in Manitoba all households that I visit, they conduct a beautiful ceremony to honour Damodara (Krishna) with ghee lamps.
We were at the dawn of our guru’s anniversary of his passing. My poem, in his honour, follows. Prab
Even when there is duty, we have to see what will be the effect of the duty. Not everything should be done very blindly. This is devotee. Devotee means he’s not blind. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. (SB 5.18.12) [“All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge, and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva.”] Bhagavad-bhakta means he w
Written By Madhava Smullen for ISKCON New Vrindaban Communications
Archival Research by Chaitanya Mangala Dasa
ISKCON Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada visited New Vrindaban four times, giving the devotees there his association and dispensing practical advice for simple living that remains invaluable not only to New Vrindaban, but to all ISKCON rural farm communities to this day.
During his first visit, running for over a month from May 20th to June 23rd 1969, Srila Prabhupada encouraged the sma
Amidst the Covid situation of this year, pilgrims from far and across the country are visiting Sri Dham Mayapur during this auspicious period of the year to partake in the various auspicious pastimes of the Lord. From Govardhana Puja celebration, to Gopastami, down to the most auspicious days of Bhisma Pancha, Devotees all over the Dham are observing various vrata, taking cold and auspicious bath in Ganga while reciting various sacred mantras, offering seva to our Mayapur Goshala, Sri Radha Madh
Video: Click here
Join us for a one-hour special conversation with Niranjana Swami, ISKCON Governing Body Commissioner, to learn about the current status of Hare Krishna devotees in Ukraine, the challenges they face, and how you can help.
Maharaj will share many of the stories and plight of the Ukrainian devotees. In an interview format, he will answer questions and describe the condition of the yatra and how the ISKCON community came to help.
Some of the topics:
Rouge National Urban Park is a real gem located in the east end of the city of Toronto. To my understanding it is one of the largest green spaces in a major city in North America. Recently there have been bear sightings in the area. Unfortunately (or fortunately) our group from the Bhakti Academy didn’t see any, although I did take home a tick crawling on my dhoti (lower robe).
This might be the last of our outings for the group this season before late autumn chills set in. For today the scener
Srila Prabhupada: One time, Indra, the king of heaven, was cursed to become a hog, and he became a hog. He had a wife and many kiddies and was living in a filthy place, eating stool. Brahma came to him because in his absence the management in the heavenly kingdom was not going nicely.
Brahma requested, “Indra, now please come with me.”
“Where shall I go, sir?”
“Heaven.”
“What is that? I cannot go. I have responsibilities. I have my wife, my children, and I am happy here. I do not know what heav
