Participants in the Walk for Peace initiative. Image courtesy of Walk for Peacc USA.

Walk for Peace recently crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, which was the site of a vicious attack on a peaceful civil rights march in 1965. The WFP group of Buddhist monks, led by Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, started in October from their Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas. The 2,300-mile trek will end in Washington, D.C. sometime in February.  

Bhikkhu explained the purpose of the wa

“Jesus Christ was such a great personality—the son of God, the representative of God. He had no fault. Still, he was crucified. He wanted to deliver God consciousness, but in return they crucified him—they were so thankless. They could not appreciate his preaching. But we appreciate him and give him all honor as the representative of God.

Of course, the message that Christ preached was just according to his particular time, place, and country, and just suited for a particular group of people. Bu

By HH Bhakti Gauravani Goswami

New Book and Song Released

A new inspirational work, Krishna’s Cows in New Vrajamandala, has just been released, offering readers an intimate glimpse into the sacred relationship between Lord Krishna, His devotees, and the cows who share His eternal pastimes.

Excerpt from the Introduction by Yadunandana Swami:

In the pages of this book, the reader will come closer to a world where everyday simplicity becomes an offering, and the life of seemingly ordinary animals r

Maharaja focuses on a crucial verse from Sri Caitanya-caritamrita about avoiding offenses toward the Lord and the Vaishnavas. He emphasizes how fundamental this principle is for spiritual advancement. Before explaining the verse, he recites related scriptural passages, sometimes set to music, noting the importance of keeping sacred texts—even digital ones—treated with reverence.

The main teaching centers on the gravity of Vaishnava aparadha (offenses). Various scriptures, including Bhagavatam, S

When Srila Prabhupada incorporated ISKCON in 1966, he expressed his desire that the Society would “systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large … to achieve real unity and peace in the world.” This guiding vision continues to inspire our service today.

At ISKCON News, we strive to inform and inspire our readers by sharing breaking news, major events, preaching initiatives, interfaith and institutional collaborations, devotee profiles, book previews, opinion pieces, and much m

By Atma Tattva Das, 

During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Ethiopia on December 16-17, 2025, Mahaprasad Govinda had the opportunity to present BBT Africa’s new Amharic edition of Sri Īśopaniṣad, along with a translated Introduction to the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, to Prime Minister Modi. According to Mahaprasad Govinda, the gift was received warmly. Modi’s visit, the first state visit of its kind in recent years, highlighted the strengthening ties between India and Ethiopia.

Srila Prabhupada’s First Talks in America (New York, March 1966)

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you, because he has seen the truth.” [Bhagavad-gita4.34]

Knowledge is the solution. And for knowledge we have to go to the right person, the tattva-darsi. Tattva-darsi m

The purport of the verse is that even Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu — He is God himself, Krsna Himself — He felt, alone, unable to do this task. He felt.

So this is the position. You are cooperating; therefore I am getting the credit. Otherwise alone what could I do? Ekaki amara nahi paya bolo.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself wanted our cooperation. He is God, Krsna. And therefore cooperation is very important thing. Nobody should think that “I have got so great ability. I can do.” No. It is simply by c

Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 1 – 6
If a man gets some ministership in the government by worshiping a political leader, he considers that he has achieved a great boon.
BG 4.12, Purport:

The boons of the demigods are material and temporary. Both the material worlds and their inhabitants, including the demigods and their worshipers, are bubbles in the cosmic ocean. In this world, however, human society is mad after temporary things such as the material opulence of possessing land, family and

I am glad to announce the release of the Kavya-kaustubha, composed by Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana, which is now being made available in English for the first time. This is one of Vidyabhusana’s independent works, dealing with the basic elements of Sanskrit poetics. Each of the definitions here is followed by examples from Vaiṣṇava literature or verses composed by the author himself. Although primarily didactic in nature, the selection of illustrative verses given here makes this book appealing to

By Kāla-Svarūpa Dāsa  

Earlier this month, ISKCON News published a post entitled “Prabhupada’s Silicon Sutras: When 18 Years of Vision Meet the Speed of Now,” generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and submitted by Visnu Murti Das, Founder of Vanipedia. The following opinion piece is a response to that post. 

Recently, an article was published on ISKCON News describing the integration of the AI tool Gemini into Vanipedia. The article, generated by the LLM itself, announced that the tool will

Following the intensity of the December Marathon 2024, we in the snowy world of Michigan began looking for a new target market for our “family business”—book distribution. We stumbled upon a massive market that was hiding in plain sight: Amazon.

Through our year-long efforts, we have successfully pushed Srila Prabhupada’s magnificent translation almost to the top of the charts. Now, we need your help to finish this race and claim the #1 spot. (Read to the end to find out how!)

When we first look

In Vraja there was a dancer named Candrahasa who was very expert in the tasting of rasa. In Chaitanya-lila, he became Jagadisa Pandit who also took great pleasure in dancing for the Lord. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 143)

Jagadisa Pandit is considered to be simultaneously both Nityananda-shakha and Chaitanya-shakha, a branch both of Chaitanya as well as Nityananda in the desire tree of devotion. He was born in the town of Gauhati (Pragjyotishpur) in modern Assam. 

His father’s name was Kamalaksha Bh

By Giriraj Swami

Today is the disappearance day of Srila Jiva Gosvami, one of the Six Gosvamis of Vrndavana, direct disciples of Lord Chaitanya. Srila Prabhupada writes, “Srila Jiva Gosvami composed and edited at least twenty-five books. They are all very much celebrated . . . After the disappearance of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami in Vrndavana, Srila Jiva Gosvami became the acarya of all the Vaisnavas in Bengal, Orissa, and the rest of the world, and it is he who used to guide them

“Sri Jagadisa Pandita is the savior of the world. He distributes the nectar of love of Krsna just like a dense mass of dark clouds in the sky distributes rainfall.” [C.C. Adi 11.30]

Sri Jagadisa Bhatta took his birth in the region of Gauhati. His father’s name was Sri Kamalaksa Bhatta, who was the son of Bhatta Narayana, who hailed from Goyghar Bandyaghata. Both the mother and father of Jagadisa were very devoted Visnu-bhaktas. After his parents passed away he came with his wife to live on the

Srila Jiva Gosvami’s Extraordinary Merit  

Appearing as the nephew of Srila Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, Srila Jiva Gosvami  displayed all the charming features of a maha-purusa (divine person). He had lotus eyes, a high nose and forehead, broad chest, long arms, and a radiant golden body.

Srila Jiva Gosvami was the direct disciple of Srila Rupa Gosvami

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter Ten describes the branches of the tree named Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

TEXT 1

sri-caitanya-padambhoja-
  madhupebhyo namo namah
kathancid asrayad yesam
  svapi tad-gandha-bhag bhavet

TRANSLATION

Let me repeatedly offer my respectful obeisances unto the beelike devotees who always taste the honey of the lotus feet of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If even a doggish nondevotee somehow takes shelter of such devotees, he enjoys the aroma of the lotus flower.

PURPORT

Srila Jiva Gosvami (CC Adi 10.85)
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (195) it is said that Srila Jiva Gosvami was formerly Vilasa-mañjari gopi. From his very childhood Jiva Gosvami was greatly fond of Srimad-Bhagavatam. He later came to Navadvipa to study Sanskrit, and, following in the footsteps of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, he circumambulated the entire Navadvipa-dhama. After visiting Navadvipa-dhama he went to Benares to study Sanskrit under Madhusudana Vacaspati, and after finishing his studies in B

As we come to the close of another year, the TOVP Team extends heartfelt wishes to all devotees around the world. May this New Year be filled with spiritual inspiration, divine protection, and ever-deepening devotion to the Supreme Lord.

We pray that Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Sri Pancha Tattva, and Lord Nrsimhadeva bless you and your family with good health, prosperity, and unwavering enthusiasm in devotional service. May you continue to advance on the path of bhakti and immerse yourself in the unl