Today my beloved disciple Balai Dasi, from Kinross, South Africa, passed away, due to Covid. She was a kind, generous, hospitable, staunch devotee—a mother to many—and she will be sorely missed. Please join me in praying for her auspicious onward spiritual journey.
Hare Krishna.
Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami
The most auspicious dvadashi tithi of the Krishna paksha in the month of Jyeshtha was blessed to be the glorious day when the author of Shri Chaitanya Bhagwat, Shrila Vrindavan Das Thakur, who was a dear devotee of Shri Chaitnaya Mahaprabhu and the disciple of Shrila Nityananda Prabhu, made his appearance on this earth to assist Mahaprabhu in his pastimes, which are most sweet and sublime. Shrila Vrindavan das thakur had taken birth from the womb of Shrimati Narayani devi, the niece of Shrivas
By Jayarama Das
From Back to Godhead
Navayauvana: What is your background as an artist?
Jayarama: I can say that my painting started off with music, because as a child I studied music more than I studied art. I spent most of my time practicing and playing the piano. When I reached sixteen or seventeen I started to become more interested in visual arts, and I began drawing quite a bit. Then I went to study drawing at Washington University, In St. Louis, at the school of fine arts there. I studie
It was our fourth time together. You may have heard of Vande Arts, an arts initiative driven to create a camaraderie among bhakti artists. Well, you might say that this next reincarnation of that direction is called BhaktiArt Hub S.O.S. Shaping Our Soul is a piece of our vision statement.
Through Zoom our group of a few, for starters, is comprised of Gaura Vani, the bhajan singer, a sweet couple from San Antonio, Texas by the names Bhagavan Narada and Naradi, Govinda Gopal from Jersey City, Par
I managed to keep a proper social distance from moose, bear and cougar while in the north country for the day. My companion, Jivan Mukta, and I escaped from the big city for a three-hour venture to a marvelous 200-acre property he just purchased, near Algonquin Park, for a potential yoga retreat site. En route we did witness a mishap. A young moose did get killed by a motorist. Sad news, but this is a reality when the world of modernity comes face to face with the natural world.
But back to ple
The divine counterpart of Sri Krishna is known as Sri Radha. Together, according to the ancient Vaishnava tradition, this dual-gendered divinity is God-male and female dimensions of the Absolute Truth. Sri Radha is the complete energy, and Sri Krishna is the complete energetic source. They are nondifferent from each other, just as musk and its scent are forever merged, or as fire and heat are inseparable.
Radha and Krishna are one, yet They have assumed two separate forms to enjoy loving pastim
Prabhupada explains that ISKCON is a branch of the Caitanya Tree, of that wish-fulfilling desire tree. So, in this way, it is described how the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is flowing and expanding, expanding through the vaisnavas to the whole universe. This process of harinama sankirtana is a personal process. It is a process about individual devotees taking up devotional service. And as such, that devotional service, which is performed by each and every devotee, then goes from one devotee
There were times when the mainstream media lumped us ‘Hare Krishna’s’ with the weird mix of pseudo religions and charlatan led cults, whose existence caused consternation among the establishment and parents alike. When out on book distribution, we would often be confronted with, “Are you sure you are not one of those dangerous David Koresh Heavens Gate suicide pact lunatics?” In many ways we had to plead our case as legitimate followers of the Vaisnava path, without being the glassy-eyed brainwa
It was another one of those interfaith sessions I participated in with attendees from Chicago, Atlanta and Toronto. Mostly Christians were present. Basically, it was a Korean-based organization, Christian by nature, who regularly have such events. Oh, how I wish I could be physically interacting with these folks as they do appear to be people of good quality and intent. Of course, there’s always the fear of fanaticism, which can arise from any denomination.
Our topic was to do with the differen
By Dharmatma das ACBSP
Another wonderful exemplary Vaishnava has left us to be with his worshipful Lordships in the Spiritual World. Bhuvanesvara prabhu has been serving Them in Vrindavan for 35 years and was such an inspiring soul. His sadhana was impeccable, he religiously cooked the Raj Bhoga offering daily, he led kirtan (whose heart could not be moved by his sweet and melodious chanting early in the morning before Mangala Arotik.) He was always was there for Tulasi Puja, Guru Puja, gave cl
By Madhava Smullen
On June 4th, Bhaktivedanta Academy – a Montessori school serving the New Raman Reti community in Alachua, Florida – will reach a successful end to its most challenging school year so far. The heroic effort from teachers and staff has provided primary to high school age students with a safe environment in which their education and social and mental health has been cared for during the pandemic.
It all began in March 2020 when Covid first hit and the State of Florida kept schoo
“You must be the guy my wife met the other day. Charming!” Said the middle-aged man who stopped while passing by.
“I could have been. I’m not sure,” I expressed with some surprise.
“Do you like the bench?” He asked, referring to the seat Sarthak and I sat on.
“It’s a great bench.”
“This bench is in honour of my father. But I won’t charge you,” he said jovially.
“Thanks! That’s a great favour,” I responded as he moved on. I couldn’t resist reading the plaque on the bench. The father’s name appea
The following account was given by Srila Prabhupada’s disciple Atma Tattva Dasa.
In the early ’80s, in Bangalore, I was required to make at least two Life Members a month. I was a bad Life Membership maker, and one month I had only ten days left. I was looking in the telephone directory for Bengali names, and I found a Ganguly. I phoned and said, “I’m from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. I want to come and see you today.” Mr. Ganguly sounded positive. He said, “Oh, you are
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura makes one statement which is a statement that should not be taken cheaply. He says that, “Generally, the vows of initiation are so powerful that they will be successful even if they are not followed perfectly.” Now that is not an excuse to not follow the vows perfectly. We cannot proceed as if, “That is interesting. Now I don’t have to be so fanatic.” No, that is not the meaning of that statement from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. The meaning i
I was trying to make a point by abruptly striking just one branch of a spruce tree. Suddenly, hidden in that limb of the tree, with all its sub-branches and twigs, came a cloud of golden pollen.
My dear friend and godbrother, Ugresh, was astounded to see that pollen, appearing as a light powder, suddenly manifest. “Stay away then, if you have allergies,” I recommended. Indeed, he does have that, acting up from time to time. Now is one of those times.
That gust I brought on to create that cloud
By Radhapriya Chawla
The pandemic is heavily affecting ISKCON devotee communities around the world as there is lack of resources and access to medical equipment and facilities especially for those in rural devotee communities such as Mayapur and Bangladesh. Over 7000 devotee families in Mayapur and Bangladesh are struggling to feed and take care of their families because of the situation. It is heart-wrenching to see these devotees suffering, leaving their bodies, having no access to any basic
The Ministry of Education invites devotees to a symposium designed to bring together via Zoom/Online with the global ISKCON-members involved in Education:
Dear ISKCON educator and leader,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
We are delighted to inform you that the ISKCON Ministry of Education, will be hosting its 2nd Annual virtual Global Symposium of Education “Viplavah 2021” on July 29th 7:00 PM CDT/ July 30th 5:30 am IST until Aug 1st 2021 via the Zoom/FaceBoo
Dear Devotees,
With a very heavy heart we would like to inform that on May 27, 2021 (Pratipat & Appearance tithi of Sri Narada Muni), H. G. Mahaprabhu das left his body. He was a very good health and spirits till his last breath and finally left due to a cardiac arrest, at his home in Mumbai.
Mahaprabhu Prabhu had joined ISKCON at Mumbai on the inaugural day of the Juhu Temple in 1978. Since then he was involved in serving as a legal advisor for various matters of ISKCON India. In his initial y
Are you looking for a summer internship? ISKCON News is holding its first-ever internship program this June - August 2021. This is a great way to get some work experience on your CV/resume and do some seva with a group of other youth - FULLY ONLINE - about 5-10 hours a week with three meet-ups scheduled. ALSO, we have MORE THAN JUST WRITING POSITIONS AVAILABLE:
