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Dear Sivarama Maharaja,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

It is impossible to put into words your contributions to the GBC Body in over three decades of service.

We have leaders who are expert managers and we have leaders who are deeply immersed in Krsna consciousness, thus bringing another sort of expertise to management. You, however, are that very
rare Vaisnava who is a brilliant manager yet deeply Krsna conscious, committed to your service in Srila Prab

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Chandan Yatra Day2: Krsna Janma

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Krsna Janma – The Birth of Lord Krsna
During the great festival of Lord Krsna’s birth, the king of Vraja respectfully gave to the brahmanas a mountain of glittering jeweled ornaments, an even greater mountain of grains, and 200,000 young cows, all beautifully decorated with gold necklaces of large pearls. I offer my respectful obeisances to Mahavana, the place where the king gave his charity.

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Source: http://www.mayapur.com/2019/chandan-yatraday2-krsna-janma/

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Be an instrument

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By Kadamba Kanana Swami

Ekalavya, on his own, was trying to perfect the way of archery and appeared to be even better than Arjuna. But as a result his thumb was taken by Dronacarya. So we are not becoming Ekalavya – no. We cannot imitate Krsna; we can only serve Krsna. We cannot imitate Arjuna either. Arjuna is Krsna’s eternal associate, and we are simply following in the footsteps. Our path is not anukāra – imitation; it is anusārataḥ – to follow.

Anusārataḥ means to follow in the footsteps. W

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Wake Up by Bhaktimarga Swami

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I woke up with low energy.  Instead of lower back issues, which I've been confronted with in the past, my right side went quite stiff.  A nice guy by the name of Gopal, took me to another end of the island to see an expert massage therapist, then to a doctor for medicine.  Pray for me that healing will happen in a pronto manner.
 
I did go for an extended sleep.  Time ran short for any walking.
 
My friend, Sri Niketan, from Europe, is 70.  He has knee challenges, something we have in common.
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The Unsung Hero

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By Achyut Gopal Das
 
A few days ago, I was traveling from Mumbai to Govardhan Eco Village (GEV), our farm at the outskirts of Mumbai. While on the way I somehow remembered about a unique spiritual personality, Punchari ka Lota Baba. I don't know how I remembered about him, but sometimes Krishna gives sudden remembrances. This was of course a pleasant one. Just by remembering him, I felt elated. There is a fascinating story of this great soul from Govardhan Hill at Vrindavan. I had gone to hi
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Dear Tamohara Prabhu,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

We hereby accept your letter of resignation with immense gratitude for your service to the GBC Body.

Beginning with your contributions to developing and maintaining the Child Protection Office as its director, you have steadily accepted your service as a leader in ISKCON with integrity and dedication.

Your educational background, your insights, and your focus on serving the devotees of Srila Prabhupada’s

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Dairy of a Traveling Monk

Volume 15, Chapter 2

May 7, 2019

“Their Joyful Smiles”

I had spent most of the last five months in Vrindavan, with only a few side trips here and there. But at the beginning of May, I was leaving. Despite the approach of Vrindavan’s oppressive summer weather, I felt I could have stayed longer. It was with much regret and intense feelings of separation that I headed towards the New Delhi airport to fly away from the holy dhama.

Vrindavan grows on you if you stay long e

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Chandan Yatra Day1: Natabara

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Happy Akshaya Tritiya. Happy Chandan Yatra. On the first day of Chandan Yatra, Sri Radha-Madhava is dressed as Natabara- the Best of Dancers!

Sri Radha -Madhava as Natabara:
As the vicious snake tried to bite Him, Sri Krsna, moving from one hood to another with lithesome grace and unparalleled speed, earned the name, Nata-bara, the best dancer. As bees fly from flower to flower even in the greatest wind, Sri Krsna placed His lotus feet on one hood and then another, even though the movements
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By Chintamani dasi ACBSP

What is this? Oh my, Srila Prabhupada appearing with Allen Ginsberg? On the same stage? How is it possible?

It was true. We put these posters all over the Ohio State University campus. I was in the room when Srila Prabhupada was talking to Sriman Allen Ginsberg before the event. I was shocked, quite honestly, at how humble Srila Prabhupada was, how he was asking Ginsberg’s opinion on the venue. It was amazing. Anyway, about 2,000 midwest teenagers from the “All American

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Complete Happiness

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By Kadamba Kanana Swami

In Navadvipa, before taking sannyasa, Lord Caitanya was known by two names, either Nimai or Visvambhara. Visvambhara was His former name, meaning the maintainer of the entire universe. 

It is said in the Caitanya Caritamrta: He thought, “How can I be called Visvambhara, the maintainer of the whole universe, unless I give people entire happiness?” How can you say you are maintaining someone if you are only feeding them, if you are only providing them a roof over their hea

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Aksaya Tritiya

By Giriraj Swami

Today is Aksaya Tritiya. In May 2003 I wrote Deena Bandhu Prabhu, my godbrother who is based in Vrindavan, about the date, and his reply follows:

My dear Giriraj Swamiji,

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

I’m not sure of the history of Aksaya Tritiya. But ksaya means to diminish, so aksaya means that which never diminishes, or which goes on increasing. So, this day is considered a very auspicious day to start anything from which you want the f

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From Milk to Saltwater Oceans

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By Bhaktimarga Swami
 
Kala and I started off in the ‘sark’ with a walk in the quaint downtown.  We moved in stride and then ‘crunch’ came the sound and sensation.  
 
Wait a minute, I know that sound, I thought, so I confessed to Kala that I just cracked the shell of one of those huge snails.  
 
We briefly talked about whether this slow-but-sure mover was going to make it through.  No municipal lights were there to reveal his actual identity.  Will he be reincarnated?  Hard to say, but one t
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By Venu Govind Dasa

On 10th April, 2019, the auspicious occasion of Sri Ramanujacharya appearance day, His Grace Vrindavan Chandra Prabhu accepted Sannyasa Diksha from HH Radha Govinda Dasa Goswami Maharaj in ISKCON Vrindavan. He received the name HH Vrindavan Chandra Dasa Goswami Maharaj from his dear Guru Maharaj in the courtyard of Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir.

HG Vrindavan Chandra Prabhu is one of the senior stalwart disciple of HH Radha Govinda Dasa Goswami Maharaj. He is simple, sincere

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On the occassion of appearance day of Sri Gadadhara Pandit, abhisheka took place, with bhog offering, pushpanjali and Arti. In Navadvipa, Sri Gaura -Gadadhara is worshipped at Champahatti. These were the deities worshipped by Sri Dwija Vaninatha, nephew of Sri Gadadhara Pandita. Sri Bhakti Vinod Thakura’s worshippable deities were Sri Gaura -Gadadhara at Godrumadvipa. During Mahaprabhu’s Sankirtan lila, Sri Gadadhara Pandit used to reside in Gadadhar Bhavan at Srivas Angan. In Sri Yogapith, the

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Never Ever

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By Bhaktimarga Swami
 
Never ever have I seen or heard such forceful rain. It was an all-nighter, and penetrated, somehow, through windows and doors, leaving us with a threat of flights being cancelled to various destinations, ours being Mauritius.  When finally we did arrive and having survived the consistent pounding of water, Sukadeva, 19, and I experienced another hiccup. Our itinerary said we leave today, while the computer at the airport wicket read that we were on for tomorrow. Yikes!
 
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Choose Your Chaos

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By Achyut Gopal Das
 
There is a very interesting theory called the Deterministic Chaos Theory. I was quite fascinated when I first learnt about this theory and the impact it can have on our life. We live in a world with so many laws both gross and subtle. Better to understand them and live our life in accordance with them, because as the saying goes "You can't break the law but can break yourself against it". With this little introduction let us try to understand this theory in action. 

Det
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By Ambika devi dasi, VCC secretary 

As many are aware, New Govardhana’s Vaishnava Care Committee (VCC) has formed to assist seriously ill devotees and those in need of palliative care within our community. On 20 February, the VCC officially registered as a non-profit incorporated association. The VCC has also applied to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (ACNC) for charity status, which, if approved, will allow tax deductions for contributors. The VCC requires this status be

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Power of Sound

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By BB Govinda Swami 

Sound is the most powerful energy we will contact in our lives. It is powerful because it affects our consciousness. Whether we remain immersed material sound or spiritual sound will determine the development of our consciousness.

Immersion in spiritual sound awakens the spiritual understanding that we are parts of Krishna, the absolute truth, endowed with an eternal individual nature filled with knowledge and ecstasy.

In the way an alarm awakens us in the morning, by heari

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ISKCON Brooklyn Rebuilds

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By Madhava Smullen

Many ISKCON devotees around the world are now aware of the conflict and court cases that took place over the past few years regarding managerial authority of the Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir in Brooklyn, New York City.

The conflict arose when the former board and temple president attempted to sell the property without consulting the congregation and ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission, and against their wishes. (Read more: https://iskconnews.org/gbc-opposes-brooklyn-temple

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Fun Under No Sun

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By Bhaktimarga Swami
 
The temple in Durban has a rather elaborate book display, which on its own merit demonstrates the great wisdom presented on Vedic culture.   https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwnt-fwAD3H/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=xis41sh4hyn8 I took personal note of this as I was preparing to leave for, of all things, a picnic with the volunteer actors whom I worked with.  We drove to an old quarry where a benevolent owner had turned the place into a fun outdoor park with trails and ob
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