By Padasevan Bhakta Das
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) celebrated an annual Mega Youth Fest ‘UDGAAR – An Expression of Goodness and Joy’, on October 6th at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. It was based on the theme ‘Anti-Addiction: Making India Addiction Free’. A world record for “Largest Addiction Awareness Festival” was awarded in the event by World Book of Records, London to His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami, ISKCON GBC, in presence of Dr. Harsh Vard
An ISKCON devotee has been nominated co-chair of the UN Multifaith Advisory Council on Religion and Development.
Gopal Lila Das (Gopal Patel) is Director of the Bhumi Project, an environmental effort of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. He also co-leads The Sacred Ecology Forum at the Bhakti Center in New York City, and is an advisor to the Climate Action Task Force at the Parliament of the World’s Religions.
His relationship with the UN goes back ten years to 2009, whe
The ISKCON Chile Newsletter was launched in February of this year with the purpose of informing the community of devotees and Krishna's friends about ISKCON’s activities.
The Newsletter is sent by mail every Ekadasi (every 15 days), informing about upcoming classes, programs, seminars and outstanding visits. In addition, several of the newsletters include a note thanking a member of the community for their service.
According to Amara Gauranga Das, president of ISKCON Chile, “these types of com
By Kadamba Kanana Swami
Devotional service binds us to Krsna in responsibility. The first time we do little seva, we gradually start to develop our service and the more service we take, the more we continue to develop our service. For example, Srimati Radharani came from Yavat to Mother Yashoda’s house everyday to cook for Krsna. Radharani took that service very seriously. It was her responsibility to cook for Krsna, and she was bound to that service. So one might think, what freedom is there in
By Kadamba Kanana Swami
In the Bhagavad-gita 10.35, Krsna says that of all the months, “I am marga-sirsa,” which is a name for the November-December period. It is said that before Krsna, first comes Radha… Radha-Krsna, Radha-Syam, Sita-Rama, like that. First the consort of the Lord is mentioned. Therefore the month of Kartik, which comes before this month of marga-sirsa, is a month of Radharani. It is a month when we are meditating on pure devotional service because she is the proprietor of pur
By Vasanta Das
The Pastimes of Lord Damodara.
Just as there is no yuga equal to Satya-yuga, no scripture equal to the Vedas, and no place of pilgrimage equal to the Ganges, so there is no month equal to Kartika. Even unserious persons who execute devotional service according to the regulative principles during the month of Karttika, and within the jurisdiction of Mathura (or Vrindavana) in India, are very easily awarded the Lord’s personal service". During the Kartika month millions of devotees
By Ananda Vrindavaneswari Devi Dasi
As my bare feet hit the cold marble floor of the altar during the early morning service hours I whispered, ‘Oh, so cold!’. My fellow pujari turned and smilingly whispered back, ‘Austerity!’
It wasn’t the first time I was reminded that there is a sweetness to doing something difficult for Krishna. Actually, it’s only by intentional practices that we can begin to access spiritual tastes and emotions that are less obvious and more refined.
My recent experience of
By Madhava Smullen
Srila Prabhupada’s Palace in New Vrindaban was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 28th by the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office, the Department of the Interior, and the National Park Service.
Around seventy devotees from around the US gathered on Friday September 27th, during the opening ceremonies for the 40th Anniversary of the Palace, to celebrate the distinction.
They formally dedicated a cast bronze plaque commemorat
From the very beginning, the body was given by father and mother. In the childhood, as the father and mother say, “Sit down here, eat this, don’t go there,” everything is controlled by the father and mother, and originally given by the father and mother. So how we can claim, “This is my body”? From the very beginning. Then, somebody else maintains you. Suppose you are working in an office, in a factory. So actually that body belongs to him, the maintainer. In this way, up to the point of death,
By Manorama das
Peter Leggieri, the editor-owner of “The East Village Other” (EVO), wrote the “Save Earth Now” article about the Hare Krishna movement in 1966 under the pen name Irving Shushnick. Here’s an excerpt from the EVO website where he mentions how that article came to be.
“I was the anonymous Other, the one editor-owner unknown to the public. I did not party. I did not schmooze with the literati or seek publicity. I had no time for such things. I worked seven days a week, 20 hours a d
By Lalitanatha dasa
For the past 13 years ISKCON’s Ministry for Cow Protection and Agriculture (IMCPA) has organized a European conference for ISKCON farmers and anyone interested in agriculture and cow protection. The idea is to create networks and unite everyone towards Srila Prabhupada’s goals for cow protection and simple living. This year, 2019, the conference was hosted at the Krishna Dvur community in the Czech Republic between the 30th of August and the 1st of September. The participant
Srila Prabhupada’s Palace is one of ISKCON’s most impressive achievements. Built by young, inexperienced devotees who trained themselves in construction and artisanal skills, it began in 1973 as a simple residence for Prabhupada. The devotees’ love for their guru, however, saw it become more and more elaborate.
Srila Prabhupada reciprocated, constantly encouraging the team and asking for reports on their progress. “I am expecting very soon to go there and live in my propos
I heard a beautiful talk by Srila Prabhupada, Los Angeles, January 5, 1974, on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.8, which says, “Living beings who are under [Yamaraja’s] grip should take advantage by hearing the deathless nectar in the form of this narration of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord.” And Srila Prabhupada glorified Srimad-Bhagavatam and the importance of book distribution:
“This is the Bhagavata. There is no comparison. There is no literature throughout the universe like Srimad-Bhagavata
In the Gaudiya way of bhakti, you offer everything to Krsna, the good, the bad – your life. You share everything with someone you are close to, the barriers are low, close friends are intimate. In bhakti this is called mamata, a strong sense of ownership, or relation to the Lord, that “He is mine and I’m His”. This type of love can be attained by two types of devotional service, as it is stated by Narada Muni in Sri Brhad-bhagavatamrta: “One develops that love by practicing the devotional servi
Unless we are on a total media fast, we have likely heard of the notion of tidying our home with the KonMari method of asking the question of our belongings – ‘does this spark joy for me?’. If not, we thank it for being in our life and bid it farewell.
What’s powerful about this is the experience of personalism. When we are more conscious about the things in our life and how they affect us, we value them more and treat them better. This will spill out into how we treat ‘living things’ – the ali
Beginning from Chaturthi till Vijay Dashami or Dusherra as popularly known in India, spread over almost a week, Durga Puja celebrations are the biggest and most glamorous festival of Eastern India, especially West Bengal. The Durga Puja festival has become more of an expression of art, extravagance, than performing rituals.
To add to the glitz, fun and frolic mood of the people, over the years it is in vogue that celebrities and political leaders inaugurate Durga Puja at various places i
Towards the end of the rainy season during the months of August-September-October, the water levels of Ganga increases, filling up all the low lands around the banks. This swelling of the river is caused by excessive rain from up north and the release of large quantities of water from barrages.
Due to the recently released large quantities of water from barrages, Ganga has swollen covering all low lands and is flowing by the Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Marg road.
On the release of insurmountab
I heard a wonderful talk by Srila Prabhupada in which he spoke of love and service, that love must be accompanied by, or expressed through, service. He said, “Real love, engaged in the service of the Lord—then our life is successful. If you sacrifice your life for serving Krishna, you will always remember Krishna. You are taking so much trouble, going place to place to give one book to somebody. Why? Because you love Krishna, and you are thinking, ‘If this gentleman takes one book, never mind s
