Today is a red-letter day—I received an advance copy of my book about Srila Prabhupada and Juhu: I’ll Build You a Temple: The Juhu Story. The volume is beautiful, and I felt humbled by and grateful for all the help I received in this effort.
Thank you very much.
Hare Krishna.
Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami
Source: https://girirajswami.com/blog/?p=16720
Sometimes we may question the suitability of the term “razor’s edge” when applied to the process of Krsna consciousness. Isn’t this too harsh? Shouldn’t Krsna be more kind and yielding to His devotees? Is there not a more suitable term that we could use?
That God displays features of unyielding and uncompromising hardness cannot be denied. In Bhagavad Gita Lord Sri Krsna says: “Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, I perpetually cast into the ocean of material exi
By Gauranga Das
Do you know before the advent of proper paper, what was the substance on which people used to write? What are the types of manuscripts?
The Manuscript Mission team at Bhaktivedanta Research Centre has visited more than 50 remote corners of India and Bangladesh over the past decade. BRC now has over 1000 manuscripts preserved digitally and around 70 physical manuscripts.
There are three primary types of manuscripts:
1. Tree Bark – Birch bark manuscripts are documents written on p
ISKCON Temple of Greater Chicago is based in Naperville, a growing suburb of Chicago, Illinois, USA. The temple moved to its current location a few years back and since then, the community has been growing exponentially. Looking at the growth, there is need for a commercial kitchen, community hall along with additional space to conduct different programs for children, youth, devotees and other community members, and thus a new temple construction plan was in motion.
And then COVID came along! W
With folded hands, we thank all the Vaishnavas for participation in this year’s Kshetra Parikrama. Irrespective of the pandemic and the bridge in physical association it has caused, in great numbers from all around the world, has tuned in daily to participate in the parikrama engaging our minds fully in Puri Dham.
This has proved to us that indeed we can systematically and devotionally engage modern day technology fully for the service of the Lord and how it can be used perfectly in this period
We had a full day of rain, then a full day of snow. Finally, on Tuesday, the sun reigned and dominated the skies.
After a session of cleaning in the kitchen and taking a small portion of kheer, a sweet prep quite renowned in our temple in Toronto, I laid down on the floor to bathe in the rays of the sun. What a comfort that was, receiving vitamin D in such a fine dose, along with the prana in the air due to having my windows open.
I heard the ringtone on my phone. It was Victor, my young Muslim
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Medical professionals and healthcare heroes across the country are going above and beyond in the fight against coronavirus. This week, GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) invites you to meet, hear and learn from Krsnadasa Kaviraja Das on how to responsibly play our part in this fight. He is one of the many unsung devotee heroes who have put t
By Madhava Smullen and Anuttama Dasa
The coronavirus pandemic, which has now claimed over 276,000 lives in the United States, and 1.5 million around the world, continues to be a major health threat. And ISKCON temples have not been immune to the challenge.
In addition to the sad passing of some senior ISKCON leaders and congregational members, whole temples have been closed for a period of time to protect the community and other visitors. These have included ISKCON’s international headquarters
Usually at this time of year I’m in Varadero, Cuba. I am typically at the beach, under the sun, making visitations to cities like Havana, Matanzas and St. Declaro. We hold kirtan sessions, give bhakti lessons, answer questions, walk the streets, etc. etc. I do miss the wonderful people there. I also miss the good company of another monk, a Swami from Spain. His name is Yaduananda Swami. He’s kind, cool and caring.
With everyone in the world being grounded, reminiscence becomes somewhat magnified
Rucira Devi Dasi: Himavati told me a story from the first trip with Srila Prabhupada to India. The devotees were living in tents and Hansadutta refused to sleep with her in their tent. All the other couples were sleeping together in their own tents. So she snuck into Srila Prabhupada’s room and slept in his closet.
The next morning she got up and snuck out. She said that day Prabhupada called her into his quarters. He said, “Himavati, you cannot sleep in my closet. This will cause rumors. People
By Giriraj Swami
On October 28, 1972, in Vrindavan, Srila Prabhupada spoke on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.17:
srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam
“Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous w
I received my permanent bridge. It was installed in my mouth and it looks great. The word “permanent” may be deceiving. The only power that I understand to be of a lasting fixture is the soul. But, you know, I wasn’t about to have a dispute with my dentist on the use of the word. He even admitted it’s good for about 20 years.
The soul, the Supersoul, brahman, or the spiritual energy all around us, is eternal but that is not the same case for any dental office. The theme is “teeth” and such a cli
By Madhava Smullen
One of the catalysts for this was the 2017 Sanga for Gurus, GBCs and Sannyasis (SGGS) in Mayapur, West Bengal, at which it was felt that there should be a worldwide effort to increase reading amongst ISKCON members and leaders. Following this, ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission made a resolution in February 2020 to introduce an annual “International Sravanam Week.” The week ran from September 3rd to 9th and featured online study groups, webinars and daily Zoom interviews about
If you can draw a little attention of Krishna, yat karunya-kataksa-vaibhavavatam [Caitanya-candramrta 5]. Kataksa-vaibhavavatam, Prabodhananda Sarasvati says. If somehow or other you can draw a little attention of Krishna, your life is successful. Immediately. And how can you draw? Bhaktya mam abhijanati [Gita 18.55]: simply by serving Krishna. Take to the service of Krishna, as it is ordered by the spiritual master—because the spiritual master is the representative of Krishna. We cannot approac
Yogendra, The priest for the event, was all set up with his kund, a sacrificial apparatus for a fire ceremony in his home in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Etienne had his array of musical instruments—harmonium, mrdunga drum and hand cymbals—at his place in Moncton, New Brunswick, the next providence over. He was poised to play along with his daughter, Kunti. It was 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time in Toronto, where I sat in our temple on Avenue Road, prepared to be on the same Zoom network as them for de
We have been honoring the month of Damodara, Krishna who acts as a child in all frivolity. The following is a rhyming translation by Kalakanta for the song, “Damodarastaka”.
After you steal butter, Your earrings dance and shine.
As you flee Your mother in Gokula pastimes.
Though you are all blissful, all knowing, ever-new
Greatest of controllers, Your mother controls You.
She shows You the stick and she binds You by the waist.
You shutter and sob and Your necklace of pearls shakes.
As You ru
As conditioned souls, our deepest problem is that we have forgotten our relationship with the Supreme Lord, and we are engrossed in thinking of material activities. In order to transfer our thinking power back to Krishna, we have received the Holy Name and the Vedic literature.
A basic piece of the Vedic literature is Bhagavad-gita. It was spoken at the beginning of Kali-yuga, 5000 years ago, and it addresses the specific situation of the modern man. In Kali-yuga, people are short-lived, their e
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INSIGHTS, TAKEAWAYS & REALISATIONS
As Kartik comes to a close, we have the opportunity to reflect on the gifts that this special month has given to all of us. Sacinandana Swami will not only share his realizations and insights, but he will also tune us in to how we can carry on with the blessings we have received this month!
Sacinandana Swami, a spiritual teacher and monk in the Bhakti tradition, is known for his significant contribution to the practice of meditation and kirtan
Our sincere appreciation to all devotees for joining us yesterday being the first day of our virtual Kshetra Parikrama. The outcome of the first day was immensely overwhelming as the turn up was more than expectations, our zoom platforms hosting different groups were fully filled. Special Prayers to Sri Jagannath for bestowing His blessings and our gratitude goes to our hosts and all wonderful Vaishnavas who have tuned in.
If you were unable to join us yesterday, do not MISS THE MERCY of PURI DH
I’ve been wanting to get in a bit more exercise for my upper body. Although walking for me is rather a routine, and it is great for the overall physical self, I have been feeling the need to strengthen the arms and shoulders. Lo and behold my wishes became fulfilled. The pots in the kitchen had started to pile up and there aren’t too many extra bodies around due to the Covid virus forcing restrictions on helpers coming in.
I looked at the pile of love, perhaps the way we should lovingly glance a
