The devotees around the world will put extra focus on the essence of Gaudiya Vaishnavism—loving service to God—as we celebrate the appearance day of Lord Ramachandra, God’s form as the ideal leader. And who better to follow as the perfect example of selfless, devoted service than Lord Rama’s greatest devotee, the monkey warrior Hanuman?
We cannot, of course, imitate Hanuman’s actions. This is someone, who, as a newborn baby, tried to eat the sun because he thought it was a delicious-looking fr
By Madhumati Pushkarini
Coming from a traditional family in India, the land of myriad ceremonies, rituals and customs, my mind was conditioned to all of it. Quite naturally. As a child I rarely questioned about anything we were ‘asked’ to do such as offering obeisance to parents first thing in the morning, then the deities at home, refraining from tea, coffee, watching TV only in rationed quantities and so on. In fact I got so conditioned to all of it that I would feel guilty when I would sway
By Vishakha Devi Dasi
A life that allows us to reunite with mother earth and offer her products to Krishna favors our spiritual growth.
Srila Prabhupada writes, “Whatever is taken from the earth—either from the mines, from the surface of the globe, or from the atmosphere—should always be considered the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and should be used for Yajna, Lord Vishnu. As soon as the process of yajna [sacrifice] is stopped, the earth will withhold all productions—vegetable
By Chaitanya Charan das
The soul is spiritual. The mind, intelligence and false ego are all part of the subtle body. In general, they are differentiated, based on function rather than structure. The gross elements namely the earth, water, fire, air and ether can be differentiated in terms of structure because they are made of different things. However, the subtle elements, as described in the third canto of the Bhagavatam, in the chapter titled, ‘Fundamental principles of material nature’, are
By Madhava Smullen
On Saturday May 4th, a unique Rathayatra festival will take place in Texarkana, a city that sits on the state line between Arkansas and Texas. Going down Main Street, Lord Jagannath’s chariot will be in both US states at once. The event will also be the first time the Hare Krishna maha-mantra has been chanted on the streets of Texarkana.
The Rathayatra will be organized by UK-native Sri Rangavati and her American husband Bhavananda Das, pioneers who run a small temple in t
By Damodar das
Giriraj Swami read and spoke on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.7.23-25.
“Ravana wanted to steal the property of the Lord and enjoy it for himself. We, in our own ways, may have that same inclination—to be the proprietors, the enjoyers, and the controllers. The materialistic mind and false ego put us in competition with the Supreme Lord. And it is a great process to become free from the sense of false proprietorship.”
70th Vyasapuja celebrations of HH Jayapataka Swami celebrated in a very grand and loving way by his disciples and well-wishers at ISKCON Mayapur. Over 14000 disciples congregated at Mayapur to glorify their beloved Gurudeva. Sri Mayapur and Jayapataka Swami are synonymous. Maharaja once said, I know only three things- Mayapur, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Congregation preaching. His love for Mayapur dhama is no surprise as it is confirmed by Srila Prabhupada that “He is an associate of Sri Cait
By Sri Nandanandana dasa (Stephen Knapp)
It is natural that at some point in our lives we ask, “Why is there suffering?” Or “Why am I not happy?” “Why can’t we simply go on with life and not undergo so many trials and tribulations? Why can’t God make a universe or world where there is no suffering?” Well, my answer to that is He already has, but we are simply in the wrong one.
Let me explain it a little more fully. First of all, we are all spiritual beings within material bodies. Most people at
Plans for a major new ISKCON temple in Columbus, Ohio have been scaled back slightly to push the project forward, and the process of construction drawings and hiring construction companies has begun.
The temple size has been cut back from 45,000 square feet to 30,000, while the price tag has fallen from $10 million to $7 million -- $4.5 million of which has already been raised or pledged.
Recently, engineers have been hired, and this month construction company Thomas & M
By Achyut Gopal Das
"In the end we only regret the chances we didn't take."
“Notre Dame is damaged; The Holy Name shines on.”
Some thoughts on the recent burning of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
I remember when I was a child, from five to nine, walking into Notre Dame while holding the hand of Esther, my Mexican nanny at the time – a devout, black-haired Catholic lady who would tuck me into bed every night by having me recite the “Padre Nuestro” (“Our Father”) prayer out-loud. She took me to Notre Dame regularly. Inside the Cathedral, where silence enveloped the air th
Bollywood beauty Shilpa Shetty took divine blessings of Lord Krishna along with her family. She visited the ISKCON temple in Juhu, Mumbai and was accompanied by mother Sunanda, son Viaan and sister Shamita Shetty.
The Shetty fam jam looked gorgeous in traditional Indian attire and Gopi Chandana or Tilaka on their foreheads. They worshipped Lord Krishna at the temple and sought his blessings.
Shilpa Shetty looks stunning in her mustard silk saree and gold jewellery. The Shetty family celebrated
Sri Rama Navami is always a bigger festival as it is just before the vyasapuja of HH Jayapataka Swami and thousands and thousands of devotees visiting Mayapur for Vyasapuja, come early to take part in Rama Navami also. In the afternoon, we had an abhisheka to “Shaligram Shila” and arati, Pushpajali offered to Sri Ramchandra.
A very grand procession of Sri Ram, Lakshman, Sita and Hanuman in bullock chariot , went around the campus for an hour amidst kirtan & dancing. The Lord accepted bhoga lovi
Sacinandana Swami’s famous Living Name Retreat – a deep and inspirational dive into japa and kirtan – is coming to New Vrindaban, West Virginia for the second time.
Around 150 devotees are expected to travel in from all over the USA as well as from Europe and other locations for the retreat, which will run Mother’s Day Weekend from May 10th to 12th.
The idyllic, tranquil countryside of New Vrindaban, away from the noisy and fast-paced cities many of us live in, will be the
By Achyut Gopal Das
"There is only one happiness in life - to love and be loved."
By Kadamba Kanana Swami
Everyone is an agent of the Lord. Everyone is part of the plan of the Lord. Some understand it, and some do not. The demons do not understand that they are actually also agents of the Lord’s destructive and oppressive force. They do not see that they are simply instruments of the Lord, and they resist being His instrument.
Bali Maharaja was a daitya. He was the grandson of Prahlada Maharaja. Somehow or the other, although Hiranyakasipu was a demon, Prahlada was a devotee
