On November 27 the All-India Padayatra was in Navsari, the ninth biggest municipality of Gujarat state, where we presented several programmes. That evening I received a call from a devotee asking after padayatra’s location. While we do post updates on social media, we regularly get telephone enquiries from devotees so that if we are nearby, they can join us for a day or two and experience the bliss of padayatra. I told the devotee we were at Na
The Yamuna River is worshipable, for her greatest pleasure is to serve Krsna and His pastimes in Vraja. One of these pastimes in which the bank of the Yamuna served as a backdrop was Krsna’s killing of Vatsasura, which is described in Bhagavatam Canto 10, Chapter 11, Verses
41-45. Krsna had just begun caring for the calves in the nearbye Vrajabhumi forests.
Srila Jiva Gosvami describes Kamsa’s mood as he sent Vatsasura to his death, which came in the form of his attempt to kill Krsna:
Srila Jiva Goswami made his appearance in 1533 and disappeared from view at the age of 85 in 1540.
As a child, Sri Jiva took up the worship of Rama-Krsna Deities. Carefully decorating Them, and offering bhoga and arati, he served Them attentively. Even when playing, Jiva’s games were often connected with Lord Krsna’s pastimes.
Later, in a dream, Sri Jiva saw that Rama-Krsna had taken the forms of Nitai-Gauranga, and They were dancing. Giving him the dust of Their lotus feet, the two Lords then
A new ISKCON-endorsed online training program, Karuna Care Education (KCE), is equipping students with the basic tools to offer people in crisis competent, well-informed emotional support and spiritual care. https://karunacare.iskcon.org/
KCE provides introductory, lay interfaith ministry education for second-initiated ISKCON devotees who wish to provide compassionate care in hospitals, hospices, prisons, airport chapels, college campuses, psychiatric hospitals, homeless s
"Attraction to distraction causes serious inhibition in one's devotion."
This Christmas season, students from Alachua’s Bhaktivedanta Academy (BANA) participated in “Outreach Week” from December 16th to 20th. A tradition stretching back decades, and since 2008 in its current form, it’s designed to give students a positive experience of sharing Krishna consciousness.
“We carefully craft the experience, making it age appropriate,” says principal Visvambhar Aguilera. “For example, our youngest students visit a devotee’s home on the temple proper
Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.8.6.
“In discharging such devotional service, as ordered by Brahmaji to Narada in the preaching of Srimad-Bhagavatam, sometimes a representative of the Lord engaged in preaching work meets various so-called difficulties. This was exhibited by Lord Nityananda when He delivered the two fallen souls Jagai and Madhai, and similarly Lord Jesus Christ was crucified by the nonbelievers. But such difficulties are very gladly suffered by the devotees
Nirakula comes to visit us every six months, along with her husband, Vaisesika, to encourage the sharing of wisdom. It is significant at this time of year in December, when the ‘giving spirit’ is the strongest. Classes are lined up, beginning with today, to express the joy of giving. Some devotees from different cities have come to hear how to best achieve the act of giving.
It was today, before I went for a five kilometre walk, that I received a call from a bhakti follower from Canada, who
By Radhavallabha dasa, AP Padayatra leader
The Andhra Pradesh Padayatra is currently walking towards Ahobilam, covering about 18km a day. As we passed through the villages around the city of Chittoor, we were often invited to programmes at devotees’ homes.
MLA comes for darshan
On December 6, we reached the small town of Chandragiri where we performed sankirtan in the main square. As news spread that padayatra had arrived, the Chandragiri constituency member of the AP Legislative Assembly,
Fifty years ago, on December 26, 1969, in Boston, Srila Prabhupada awarded me second initiation. He said, “Sucih means purified. And another meaning of sucih is brahman. A brahman means purified. Those who are going to be sacred-threaded today should remember that they are being accepted as sucih, as brahman. After chanting for six months or one year, it is supposed that he has already become purified. Now he should be recognized that he is purified. So this sacred thread means recognition. Sac
By Madhusudana Das
With mixed emotions, we would like to convey to all her Godbrothers and Godsisters that Vaikuntha Murti dasi peacefully passed away after being released from the hospital and being in hospice.
The few days at her home was filled with many well-wishers and video chats with a couple of her very dear friends. So, she left knowing that she was loved and appreciated.
Although she suffered physically for many years her passing was quick and peaceful.
Thank you Srila Prabhupada for
Historically, ISKCON Brooklyn, New York, was perhaps the greatest center of book distribution in the world. In the 1970s, ISKCON Press printed Prabhupada’s books at 32 Tiffany Place near the Henry Street temple. The huge amounts of books distributed from Brooklyn, meanwhile, contributed much of the funds to build flagship ISKCON centers such as the Juhu temple in Mumbai, and Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir.
For the past twenty years, however, book distribution came to a comple
Take sometime to think about all the things you wanted to do in 2019 and is still undone.
“Lord Jesus Christ lived for two years in the temple at Jagannatha Puri. He was thick and thin with the priests in that temple, and he took his spiritual training from Lord Jagannatha. It is because Lord Jesus loved Lord Jagannatha……and because Lord Jagannatha loved Lord Jesus…….that He, Lord Jagannatha, has come to your country”. (Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami. Identical statement made during two separate Ratha Yatra lectures, 1972).
In those Ratha Yatra lectures, Srila Prabhupad built up to
“If one loves Krishna, he must love Lord Jesus also. And if one perfectly loves Jesus he must love Krishna too. If he says, “Why shall I love Krishna? I shall love Jesus,” then he has no knowledge. And if one says, “Why shall I love Jesus? I shall love Krishna”, then he has no knowledge either. If one understands Krishna, then he will understand Jesus. If one understands Jesus, you’ll understand Krishna too”
(Srila Prabhupada – Room conversation with Allen Ginsberg, May 12, 1969 / Columbus –
By Ramai Swami
Christmas is celebrated by millions all over the world. Thousands of the ISKCON congregation, although not Christians, visit our temples on Christmas day. Carparks are full and temple rooms packed out.
Srila Prabhupada commented on Jesus Christ many times:
“Jesus Christ was such a great personality–the son of God, the representative of God. He had no fault. Still, he was crucified. He wanted to deliver God consciousness, but in return they crucified him–they were so thankless. Th
By Giriraj Swami
“Now these Christmas holidays have begun in your country. Throughout the whole month of December you’ll observe nice festivities. Why? It began with God consciousness. Jesus Christ came to give you God consciousness, and in relation to him these festivities are going on. It may have degraded into another form, but the beginning was God consciousness. Now we may have lost it. But people cannot be happy without reviving God consciousness. It may be named differently—‘Krishna cons
