Blog

By Madhava Smullen

Disciples and well-wishers of ISKCON guru Varsana Swami have established a Health Care Fund to help cover costs as Maharaja faces various health challenges. 

A beloved long-time resident of New Vrindaban and dedicated disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Varsana Swami has been battling Chronic Lyme Syndrome for several years. Most recently, he developed a severe acute episode which has further complicated his progress in healing. The neurological conditions suggest that Lyme disease,

I was walking near the new Yorkville Mall when the threat of a rain storm compelled me to search for shelter. Well, there is such a place at a side entrance, a fair expanse. It was there that I met a fellow with a coffee cup in hand who approached me in a jovial manner.

“Are you hare-ing?” he inquired.

“Excuse me?” I asked, not sure of the word he used.

“Are you hare-ing?” He asked in a higher tone.

Of course, I took it that he was saying, “Hurrying.” After all I was a little anxious about stayi

New Vrajamandala, ISKCON’s farm near Guadalajara, Spain, has temporarily closed due to COVID-19 cases. 

Temple President Yadunandana Swami writes, “Considering that several devotees have tested positive for COVID-19, the Board of Directors and the Council of Department Leaders have decided to close Nueva Vrajamandala to the public most probably until the end of October, to avoid exposing the public to possible contagions.”

He adds: “Based on how the situation evolves, the date of opening to the

I began my steps through Ramsden Park, which is particularly busy this late afternoon. People are lined-up on both sides of the tennis courts waiting for a spot. The playgrounds are full. People are seated on the grass in circles. I wonder what they are talking about? The government is cracking down on gatherings starting tomorrow. A second wave of Covid-19 has begun and is drawing concern. Is that on people’s minds?

One circle of young men, five in number, looked my way as I strode along. I got

Forgiveness is Pleasing to Krsna

The duty of a brahmana is to culture the quality of forgiveness, which is illuminating like the sun. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is pleased with those who are forgiving. (SB 9.15.40)

The Lord is very satisfied with His devotee when the devotee greets other people with tolerance, mercy, friendship and equality. (SB 4.11.13)

Forgiveness is Dharma

Forgiveness is virtue, forgiveness is sacrifice and forgiveness is the Vedas. Forgiveness is purity and pe

New ministers In Caribbean country Trinidad and Tobago, take oath on Bhagavad Gita as it is of ISKCON Founder-Acarya His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada ki jai…. Srimad Bhagavad Gita ki jai…

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=90233

By Gaura Das ACBSP

I have a little story about the time I distributed a Bhagavad-gita As It Is to the then-future Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau and his fiancee Sophie-Gregoire. They married in 2005 so it must have been a year or two before that when I met them.The Montreal Hare Krishna devotees from the ISKCON community of Sri Sri Radha Manora were doing Harinam Sankirtan, the congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra in a parade down trendy St. Laurent Blvd. The parade was

A lot of people think that in chanting 16 rounds, it is all about sincerity. And they come to me and ask, “I am lacking. What can I do to get more serious about chanting 16 rounds?” In other words, how to become more sincere? But it is not about sincerity, it is about organisation. Organise your life! Become regulated! Do not let the mind and the senses just drag you according to their dictations. The ‘manoratha’, the chariot of the mind, is taking us here and there and everywhere. Whatever we s

On June 30, 1966 the very First Newspaper Interview was conducted at Srila Praphupada’s temporary residence and meeting Hall in the ‘Bowery’ near ‘Chinatown’ NYC [see photo]. [This was after He led kirtan at Washington Sq. Park, just near NY University.] It was here that His Divine Grace lived, typed, prepared Prasadam, and Preached to a small congregation before setting up Iskcon. On June 12, 1966, Srila Prabhupada prepared 12 prasadam preparations for 16 people in that’Loft’ [see diary photo].

By Madhava Smullen

Facing the challenges of the pandemic, ISKCON devotees have created an ever-increasing host of online sanga opportunities, which continually reveal new treasures. 

One particularly sweet offering, which has been running since late April but may still be undiscovered by some, is Bhakti Virtual’s “One Day in the Life of a Vaishnava,” or “Un Día En La Vida De.”

The program is organized by Prema Rupini Madhavi Dasi from Buenos Aires, Argentina, along with her husband Prema Rupa Ma

Video: Click here

Each service is a preparation for a greater service in the future.

Source: https://www.kksblog.com/2020/10/every-service-matters/

I did not get much of a walk in today, just a wee number of indoor strides. My only outside touch of the elements was the stairway at the temple’s entrance. There our kirtan crew met with the night. The lamp-post lit up by its sensor and we, too, got lit with the kirtan. We were in a happy state. We could have chanted the night away.

I did, however, accomplish a number of things; responding to emails, counseling people, reading “The Chaitanya Charitamrta,” as well as publication and proofreading

From the ISKCON GBC – Minutes Of The Annual General Meeting – February 2017

313: Global Duties & Responsibilities of the Governing Body Commission

[ISKCON Law]

Whereas the GBC wishes to formalize the understanding of its global services to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness;

Whereas it is important that duties and responsibilities be clarified at all levels of the Society;

Whereas the GBC wishes to produce a legacy document for the instruction and training of future GBC members

By Bhakta Thomas 

The Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork is world-famous for its huge festivals drawing tens of thousands of visitors to the Utah attraction, but COVID-19 changed everything.  “Our Festival of Colors (Holi) has been going on for 25 years,” said Caru Das, co-founder of the two ISKCON temples in Utah, “Just two weeks before the March event, the governor banned any gatherings larger than ten people.”  All but one of our other festivals in California and Nevada were also canceled.

It is our goal to always be one in thought with Krsna. One of the symptoms of surrendering in devotional service is to have no other interest other than the interest in Krsna. Of course, it is not that our thoughts are always aligned with Krsna, what to speak of our actions, however our meditation remains to cultivate pure devotional service so that we can be one in thought with Krsna. We have the following words – anukulyasya sankalpah, accepting whatever is favourable to devotional service; pr

atho maha-bhaga bhavan amogha-drk
suci-sravah satya-rato dhrta-vratah
urukra masyakhila-bandha-muktaye
samadhinanusmara tad-vicestitam

“O Vyasadeva, your vision is completely perfect. Your good fame is spotless. You are firm in vow and situated in truthfulness. And thus you can think of the pastimes of the Lord in trance for the liberation of the people in general from all material bondage.” (SB 1.5.13)

Each and every word of Srimad-Bhagavatam is full of volumes of explanation—each and every wor

David, who lives with us in the ashram, drove us north to the very base of the Bruce Peninsula, which divides the Georgian Bay from Lake Huron. It is quite the waterway, an amazing expanse of H2O, minus ocean salt, with clean air. I would call it a place of opulence.

Clavering is a small hamlet. To reach there, David and I got adventurously lost, however, this displacement brought us through some of the prettiest scenery. Then, once we gained our bearings, we coasted by the shores along Collingw

As part of its online Bhakti Wisdom offerings, designed for people who want to dive deeper into their practice, the Bhakti Center in New York City is offering Pathways to Perfection, a 10-part series on the nine processes of devotion.

These key pathways to connect with Krishna are outlined by Prahlada Maharaja in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and include hearing about the Lord, chanting the Lord’s Name and glories, remembering Krishna, serving the Lotus Feet of Krishna, offering worship, offering prayer

yasya deve para bhaktir
yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah
prakasante mahatmanah
[Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.38]

[“Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge are automatically revealed.”]

Transcendental knowledge becomes revealed. To whom it becomes revealed? It becomes revealed to such person who has got unflinching love for Krishna and for the spiritual master. Caitanya-caritamrta also says, 

Birthday wishes came flooding in. Thank you all, from across Canada, Africa, India, Florida and, of course, South America. It’s nice to know I have a big family that cares. I’m 68.

For starters our Monday group comprised of cousin Correy, Eric and Victor. A cake came to the Yorkville Mall, complements of the group. We come together to talk of Christ, Krishna, Mohammed as well as humanity and of how the world is in a tussle. The serviette for the cake bore the image of a fall landscape print, by