The Glories of Varuthini Ekadasi: Sri Yudhisthira Maharaj said, “Oh Vasudeva, I offer my most humble obeisances unto You. Please now describe to me the Ekadasi of the dark fortnight (krsna paksha) of the month of Vaisakha (April-May), including its specific merits and influence.”
Lord Sri Krishna replied, “Oh King, in this world and the next, the most auspicious and magnanimous Ekadasi is Varuthini Ekadasi, which occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Vaisakha.
Whosoever observes a co
Vrndavana Dasa was born in Mamagachi in the Navadvipa area of West Bengal. His mother was Narayani, the niece of Srivasa Pandita.
Vrndavana Dasa’s father, Vaikunthanatha Vipra, was from Sylet in East Bengal. However, it is said that his father died before he was born and so his mother moved to the house of Srivasa in Mayapur.
In his youth Vrndavana Dasa took initiation from Lord Nityananda and he was apparently the last disciple that Nityananda accepted.
In 1535, Vrndavana Dasa wrote the Chaita
By Kadamba Kanana Swami
In the Eleventh Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam there is a chapter entitled the Bhumi Gita – the song of the earth. The earth is explaining, “So many have tried to possess me, to control me, lord it over me. And now what remains of them? Only names.” So we see that influence of time which destroys everything and takes everything away. It is painful to lose one’s influence, to lose one’s power. It is painful to become old, but there also is an advantage, if one is engaged
By Acarya-nistha Das
On April 8th, at 5:34pm His Grace Visvakarma Das departed this world. A beloved friend and guide to many, Visvakarma Das dedicated his entire life to the service of Lord Krsna. The past 22 years he spent devotedly cooking for the ISKCON Chicago community, amazing devotees with his qualities of compassion, care, and expertise in service.
Hemangi Devi Dasi, the current Temple President recalls, “Vishwakarma Prabhu was a responsible husband, a loving and caring father, a d
The Hare Krishna movement was built on a pioneering spirit. Srila Prabhupada was the original pioneer who then empowered three couples – Mukunda and Janaki, Shyamasundara and Malati (with their baby Sarasvati), and Gurudasa and Yamuna – with a dream to start a center in London and meet the biggest band in the world, the Beatles, to help spread Krishna Consciousness.
The couples arrived in London in September 1968, and by Christmas, they were chanting Hare Krishna with the Beatles themselves! On
We may read or hear some gurus say that Sri Vrndavana Dhama is the land of Sambhoga, or meeting with Lord Krishna. Devotees might think this is at odds with what Srila Prabhupada taught us in Krishna Book and Srimad Bhagavatam tenth canto. Does not Vipralambha occur in Vrndavana?
Have we ever considered why Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited His most elevated ecstatic emotions, not in Navadvipa or Vrndavana-dhama, but in Jagannatha-puri?
One answer is that Sri Jagannatha-puri is also referred t
By Kalacakra Krsna das
The inauguration ceremony of ISKCON temple in Rajkot, “The Glory of Saurashtra” was celebrated with great enthusiasm on the auspicious day of Sri Rama Navami (14th Apr) in the presence of exalted sannyasis, senior disciples of Prabhupada and senior vaishnavas from across the world, presided over by ISKCON India Chairman and GBC HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj and ISKCON Gujarat Secretary and senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada, HG Yashomatinandan Prabhu. Thousands of de
By Parasuram das
For the last 11 days and nights a massive eco demonstration has taken place around the planet, here in London 5 main traffic arteries have been blocked by concerned activists and over a thousand people arrested. Hitting the headlines of every newspaper, constantly covered by every form of media, and now supported by many politicians, school children and community leaders.
So what has that got to do with Krishna Consciousness? We are not environmentalists or eco-warriors!
But h
It’s always a pleasure visiting our Perth temple. Although a long way across to the west coast of Australia, the devotees are enthusiastic to receive visitors.
I was able to attend three or four Bhakti Vrksa and Namahatta programs where we had kirtan, Bhagavad-Gita study, more kirtan and prasadam.
Recently, Mayapur Bhakti Vriksha organised the festival of glorifying Holy Name, 2019 -Krishna Naam Sudha, in the city of Krishnanagar, Nadia, West Bengal India.
To glorify & preach the yuga dharma- chanting of holy name, Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra was made the prime focus and the crowd of Krishnangar area participated whole heartedly in this great kirtan festival. Close to 400 attendees were in the house.Festival took place on 21st of April 2019, at 4 pm at the Dijendra Mancha, Krishnanagar M
By Sacinandana Swami
Question: When we associate with devotees, is it enough to chant and hear together or is there a need for personal interaction – especially if it is hard for us because we are introverted by nature?
Answer: Srila Prabhupada writes: “Anyone who is trying to be aloof from this Krsna Consciousness Society and yet engage in Krsna consciousness is living in a great hallucination, for this is not possible.“ (Srimad-Bhagavatam ,4.9.11, purport)
This is striking, isn’t it? Why do
By HH Radhanath Swami
In America motherhood is considered old-fashioned. People are ashamed to be mothers. Women are taught to be professionals. Child care is given to other professionals, and thus children miss out on the love of a mother and have so many psychological difficulties. In America, 68% of couples get divorced. Of the parents of my friends I grew up with, my mother and father are the only couple that stayed together.
There is a need for ideal mothers, ideal fathers, ideal brahmacar
Some of our pujaris insist that only white flour and white sugar should be used in bhoga offerings for our Lordships, while many of us, being health conscious, will avoid eating such adulterated or suspicious foods. Should we feel a guilty conscience if we eat healthily, but the Lord does not?
One may say that Srila Prabhupada liked white flour, but did not his personal cooks use ‘unbleached’ white flour for him? One may also say that our deities are the Supreme Lord, so how can He eat unhealth
