What is the appropriate response of a Vaisnava or person of faith during a time of national or global crisis? The examples of great souls and of scripture can help us understand what a Vaisnava response can look like.
From a certain perspective, we are always in a time of crisis. In the material world, there is danger at every step. Although the material world is the wonderful creation of the Divine, it is not our home, and our material position is never secure. A large part of spiritual practi
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Event flyer; Rama Kisora Dasa with Rev. Rachel McIver Morey from Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul.
In 2024, ISKCON Minnesota joined the Minnesota Multifaith Network (MMN), and during a November meeting, Rama Kisora Dasa, a community Board Member, was able to create meaningful connections with other religious congregations in the Twin Cities. Rama Kisora met MMN’s Chairperson, Robert Pickering, and following a long and meaningful conversation, Pickering invited him to present at the upcomi
Govinda Datta Dasa and Dhira-Lalita Dasa distribute 10-course prasadam lunches to grateful police officers.
Dhira-Lalita Dasa, a brahmachari at ISKCON New Dvaraka Temple, has produced an inspiring 25-minute video highlighting the partnership between the LA Temple and the Krishna Lunch So Cal food truck. Together they have distributed prasadam to many hundreds of first responders, especially firefighters who have been battling the devastating fires in LA county. Alongside police and national gua
In the spiritual world, Lord Nityānanda is the eternal companion of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is the very same Lord Balarāma, the first expansion of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. As Lord Balarāma, He serves the Supreme Lord in all His pastimes, and in this divine incarnation as Lord Nityānanda, He appeared to assist Mahāprabhu in spreading the holy names of Kṛṣṇa through the saṅkīrtana movement.
Lord Nityānanda is the foundation of all existence, the original spiritual master, and the source of the material
thanAryan gave me a packet of breadfruit chips to include in my luggage for the trip which touches three countries. I love that breadfruit, prepared in almost any style. I had my snack. I’m set to go.
The longest portion of this flight on Caribbean Airlines was going to be from Trinidad to Canada. Seat 5 A was roomy, especially for the legs. It was my thoughts that became the major occupant in that space. Past, present, and future become the three phases of that time. When memories
The well-known Abhay Charan television series, based on Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami’s biography Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta, will air for the first time on Suriname television in February 2025.
Suriname is a South American country bordered by Brazil, Guyana, and French Guiana, with a coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. Rich in cultural diversity, Suriname has an Indian population of about 27 percent.
The epic 45-episode series tracing the life of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada wa
Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, offered seva alongside the successful prasadam distribution partnership with ISKCON at the Maha Kumbh Mela being held in Prayagraj, India. The collaboration combines ISKCON’s spiritual mission with the Adani Group’s logistical capabilities to distribute 100,000 meals daily during the 45-day festival. Using the famous Mega Kitchen, with its base at Govardhan Eco Village, 2,500 volunteers distribute the prasadam to dozens of locations throughout the relig
It is primarily Prabhupadadev who coordinates my programs in Guyana. The latest topic was held at the seawall right next to the Atlantic. “Youthful Ambassadors of Krishna Consciousness” was our focus. The night before in Berbice, we spoke on the topic “Bridges” since the venue was near the bridge over-arching the Berbice River. A bridge can be seen as a metaphor in spirituality. Through the system of Parampara, disciplic succession, one bridges the gap between a teacher and a listener. In
From Back to Godhead
A child of Indian-born parents in America discovers herself in the context of competing cultures.
“So, tell me about yourself. Where are you from?” asked the chief resident in pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh medical center, where I was interviewing for a residency position.
My answer started off something like this, “My parents are from South India, and I was born and brought up here in the U.S.”
Although his question implied that the place one
“Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura indicates that rather than trying to separate conditioned souls by materialistic distinctions, one should bring them together to chant the holy names of the Lord and propagate the sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya. A nondevotee, or even an envious third-class devotee, is not interested in uniting people on the platform of love of Godhead. Instead he unnecessarily separates them by emphasizing material distinctions like “communist,” “capitalist,” “blac
Translation (SB 11.10.17)
Although the performer of fruitive activities desires perpetual happiness, it is clearly observed that materialistic workers are often unhappy and only occasionally satisfied, thus proving that they are not independent or in control of their destiny. When a person is always under the superior control of another, how can he expect any valuable results from his own fruitive actions?
Purport
Although materialistic persons reject Kṛṣṇa consciousness and instead pursue t
The BBT Marketing, Communications, and Innovations Team is extremely grateful to all the devotees who participated in the 2024 Live to Give campaign. Your efforts to distribute Bhagavad Gita made a positive impact on the planet and will definitely please Srila Prabhupada and our predecessor acharyas. In order to help serve you and assist you, we are requesting any devotee who participated in this campaign to fill out this quick, four question survey regarding your experiences during the campaign
Voulnteers distributing Prasadam to some of the thousands of pilgrims to the area for the Maha Kumbh.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims throng to Ayodhya Dham every day after taking a holy bath at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers during the auspicious Maha Kumbh, which started in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, India.
Anticipating the arrival of millions of devotees in Ayodhya Dham on Makar Sankranti, ISKCON Ayodhya offered its “squirrel service” by serving 100,000 free mea
We want to use this opportunity to warmly invite you for this year Nityananda Trayodasi celebration which falls on the 14th of February 2022. With pleasure we want to invite you and your family to participate in this festival and receive the mercy of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. We hope you will join us in serving Lord Nityananda Prabhu with your time, energy, and donations.
Sri Nityananda Trayodashi is the auspicious appearance day of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna appeared in Na
I sit quietly focused on my practice
but little hands of distraction climb
up the back of my neck.
They carry small bags
of amusing off ramps.
Off ramps of my past,
off ramps to future dreams—
some horrific
some graphically palpable.
Small hands climb to where
the road ends…my mind.
They set up shop there.
Soon a festival of cotton candy
and freak shows—a three ring circus.
Clowns, acrobats, trapeze artists,
magicians, and lion tamers—
all in my mind.
All vanish quickly—
once I realize I hav
Three Jersey calves (left) rescued from a dairy farm on New Year’s Day, 2021, now happily cared for at the Krishna Cow Sanctuary.
The Krishna Cow Sanctuary in Tongaat, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is a unique initiative dedicated to cow protection and community building. Spearheaded by Syamkutir Devi Dasi and her husband, Raghupati Das, the Sanctuary is located just seven minutes from King Shaka International Airport. It has become a vital space for spiritual retreats, volunteer programs, and en
Congratulations to three new initiates in Crane. Vikram has a new name, Vamana. Satya Gopal is now Satyahit, and Rajeeta is Rasalila. I have spoken at the above venues on the topics of “Strength Come from Service,” and “The 7 Purposes of ISKCON.” Below are the 7 purposes:
To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all people in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace
durlabha tnanava janama sat-sange taroho e bhava-sindhu
Human life is extraordinarily rare, and the rarest, most precious blessing in life is the association of devotees. Lord Caitanya revealed his own heart when he exclaimed that all the wealth in Brahma’s creation cannot equal the value of one sincere devotee.
Caring for devotees is perhaps the most important responsibility we have. When we create an atmosphere where devotees feel loved, valued, and encouraged, we can empower them to cross ove
