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From the Biblical teachings of Psalm 84:10, it is said: “Better is one day in the courts of the Lord than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”

The above was quoted to me by one of our resident monks, Hara Kumar—well at least the first line—when I told him that I am enjoying life in the temple ashram. “It is the place of Gopinath (Krishna) and I’m loving it,” I told him. Actually, between the two of us combined, we ha

From Back to Godhead

Bir Krishna the calf loves coconut fudge, and Sita the teamstress knows it. Her pockets bulge with the sweet as she and Bir walk to the training ring. Today the calf will learn his first call: “Get up!”

The earth is soft from the recent rain. Sita carries a lash and leads Bir with a rope tied to a blue halter. The calf bounds through a cluster of gnats, then slows as they come to the ring. What’s this?

The gate opens, and Bir walks in to explore. He treads the edge and snif

Emotions were high across the globe over the death, and today’s funeral, of an innocent George Floyd. It was a clear act of injustice on the part of the police—hence the general public is angry.

From a spiritual point of view George is resting in peace and will be known as a victim/hero. From a social perspective a number of issues need sorting out. May good reason and justice take its presence.

Personally I felt some relief that some resolve, spiritually (to do with Krishna), had come upon the

By Giriraj Swami

Srivasa Pandita is one of the members of the Panca-tattva: sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasa. Vedic authorities state that in the current Age of Kali, Krishna came as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Balarama came as Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Similarly, Maha-vishnu appeared as Advaita Acharya, Srimati Radharani as Gadadhara Pandita, and Narada Muni as Srivasa Pandita.

panca-tattvatmakam krsnam
bhakta-rupa-svarupakam
bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam
namami bha

By Bhakti Charu Swami

So just one stanza I shall sing from a song composed by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura,

suddha-bhakata-carana-renu, bhajana-anukula bhakata-seva, parama-siddhi, prema-latikara mula

Will you be able to sing with me? [Audience agree.] I am sorry I thought I will use the harmonium myself.

suddha-bhakata-carana-renu bhajana-anukula – the dust from the lotus feet of a pure devotee is conducive to spiritual advancement. If we want to make spiritual advancement then it is important

Srila Prabhupada letter to Rayarama, Oct. 22, 1971
My Dear Rayarama,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 11th October 1971 and have noted the contents. I welcome you for your coming back to our society and you are feeling very nicely the association of devotees.
Srila Rupa Goswami has described that devotional service can be advanced by six processes. Perhaps you know them. They are as follows: enthusiasm, patience, conviction, following the regulative principle

How many of us are fortunate to have not just good friends, but close friends with whom we can phone at any time, and for no particular reason, than to simply share a Krishna conscious realization?

How many of us are blessed to be able to shed all institutional and scholarly roles, simply to sit down in an informal setting once in a while, and discuss none other than Krishna katha?

Does it ever occur to us sometimes, particularly if we are second initiated, that the services we try to render fo

When one is sincere in seeking Krishna’s shelter, He will divert us from fake gurus
and direct us towards authentic gurus of bhakti.

Lord Krishna displays His mercy to an unimaginable extent in Vrindavan, His divine abode. He gave the position of a mother to a monster who came to kill Him. She was Putana, a rakshasi, whose business was to search for infants, kill them and suck their blood. She represents a fake guru or the fickle mind that distracts a spiritual seeker from one’s goal in bhakti-y

In this time of social upheaval, how do we build bridges across differences? How do we inspire a shift in mindset on an individual, organizational, and global level? A dialogue facilitated by Gauravani Das with Sastivar Das (ACBSP) and devotees from the Urban Center in Washington D.C. (IFAST) – Madhavacharya Das, Ekavira Das, and Jagannatha Pandit Das.

Video: Click here

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=86374

By HH Bir Krishna Goswami

I am very much in favor of the peaceful protests. There has been gross injustice done to many segments of our society for many, many years. It is everyone’s inalienable right to be treated fairly regardless of whatever type of body they have, and to be engaged according to their nature. It’s good that this is happening to a certain extent; not the violence. Many people are coming to the understanding that they have been mislead, and cheated by the leaders who are not a

By Govinda dasi

Dear Devotees,

Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to our beloved Srila Prabhupada!

It is with great sadness that I have heard the news of our beloved Godbrother Brahmananda Prabhu. There was a sobbing message on my voicemail, from Kosha Rupa, and the rest of my day was spent in bereavement.

Brahmananda was, is, a very great soul. He loved Srila Prabhupada dearly. He never wanted to usurp his position. He never felt he was an ideal disciple, but his love, his he

Much can be said about our dear godbrother Bramhananda, but you know some devotees are just special. Just seeing him could make one smile and as one of Prabhupada’s original “white elephants” his efforts to serve him “in the day” are legendary. As one of the heavy pullers of our “mule team” for Prabhupada, those early devotees did so much for him. They cleared and paved the way for later devotees and enlivened many. Days were glorious but rigorous, filled with exhaustion and sweet surrender. Ti

“These regulative principles should act as servants of the basic principle—that is, one should always remember Krsna and never forget Him. This is possible when one chants the Hare Krsna mantra. Therefore one must strictly chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra twenty-four hours daily. One may have other duties to perform under the direction of the spiritual master, but he must first abide by the spiritual master’s order to chant a certain number of rounds. In our Krishna consciousness movement, we ha

There is a great connection between stillness and listening. “Don’t move” we say when we hear some noise around the house in the middle of the night. In yoga we hold the body still in order to hear the breath. We will hold the shoulders of our child while we tell her something important.

In the tradition of mantra meditation, the repetition of a sacred sound, how we listen, how we hear the mantra is the difference between a successful practice or not. Although in the Krishna Bhakti practice the

Good chanting does not depend on our adherence to mechanical rules. It is not a matter of just doing the dos and avoiding the don’ts and then our job is done. No, not at all! Chanting is an offering of the heart – a heart filled with feelings of humility, a desire to surrender and a sincere service attitude. It is ultimately a loving call to Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. This means we need to chant with a firm understanding of our relationship with Them (sambhandha). “My Lord, I have a relationship