From Back to Godhead
By Sadaputa Dasa
The ancient Greek writer Aratos tells the following story about the constellation Virgo, or the virgin. Virgo, he says, may have belonged to the star race, the forefathers of the ancient stars. In primeval times, in the golden age, she lived among mankind as Justice personified and would exhort people to adhere to the truth. At this time people lived peacefully, without hypocrisy or quarrel. Later, in the age of silver, she hid herself in the mountains, b
Presented at Toward a Science of Consciousness 1996, April 8-13, 1996, Tucson, Arizona
by Michael A. Cremo
Research Associate in History and Philosophy of Science,
Bhaktivedanta Institute, 9701 Venice Blvd. Suite 5, Los Angeles, CA 90034
Email: 105406.257@compuserve.com, (310) 837-5283, Fax (310) 837-1056
Topical Area: Phenomenology/Culture
Key words: Consciousness, dualism, religion, India, parapsychology
Abstract:
One barrier to acceptance of interactionist models for mind/body dualism is a
We chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra because it is said that by chanting these sixteen syllables all the influence of the Kali will be destroyed. Under the influence of Kali, we are becoming totally degraded. Illicit activities such as meat eating, gambling, intoxication and illicit sex are rampant in the world. Day-by-day, we become pulled down more and more, and degraded more and more and we sink deeper into the swamp of suffering. But, the chanting of Hare Krsna can liberate us from all this
By Giriraj Swami
On the auspicious occasion of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s disappearance day, we were pleased to officially connect Vishal Amarnani and his wife, Shweta, to Srila Prabhupada and the guru-parampara through hari-namainitiation. Their new names are Vraja Bihari dasa and Sveta-manjari dasi. Please bless them and support them in their service to Srila Prabhupada, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and their mission.
By Chaitanya Charan Das
Suppose someone said in English, “I don’t know a single word of English.” Their statement would be a blatant self-contradiction.
A similar self-contradiction results when scientism abuses science to deny the existence of consciousness.
Science is an attitude, a way of analyzing the world through empirical observation and rational inference. As a matter of methodology, science largely seeks natural explanations for natural phenomena, wherein natural is a synonym for mater
By Parvati devi dasi
Vrndavan Krishna Balarama Mandir celebrated its 19th Annual Recitation of the Sanskrit verses of the Gita Mahatmya and the Bhagavad Gita in the temple courtyard 19 Dec. 18, Moksada Ekadasi. It was a wonderful Community Event and we thank everyone for their participation, including the chanters and those who helped set things up. We began by 9:30 a.m. with a short aroti to the Bhagavad Gita, and finished the ecstatic recitation just before 12 noon, followed with Ekadasi Maka
Gopi Gita Devi Dasi: There are times in all of our lives, as progressing spiritualists, where no matter how hard we work/surrender/strive for the highest level of purity and love, we fall flat and feel not enough; unable to be enough; ready to give up.
We may feel the challenges we face outwardly and inside our hearts to be insurmountable. We may feel that we are making no progress as to the lessening of material desire, attachments, lust, anger, greed and so much more.
This most incredible pur
As we come into Krishna consciousness then many a times we may get lost in the philosophy itself. The mind too likes newer subjects and intellect is also satisfied by gaining deeper understanding. However we should be careful not to feel satisfied remaining at these levels. Most of us do understand that our real position in the material world is not unlike that of a criminal put in a prison for reform. Criminals can also, rather they do, have high level of mental and intellectual capabilities!
Setting a Good Example
We should concentrate on training the children up in Krsna consciousness, not so much formal academic educationa little reading, writing, mathematics, that’s allbut more by giving them facility to follow the examples of the older devotees in the regular Krsna conscious program.
Letter to Satsvarupa dasa, February 16, 1972
Let the children associate with the elders as much as possible in the routine Krsna conscious program.
Letter to Aniruddha dasa, February 16, 1972
The b
In The Late Eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, European scholars and scientists began to come in contact with the culture of India. Many were impressed by the antiquity of Vedic civilization and the deep spiritual and material knowledge contained in the Vedic literature. But other European intellectuals were dismayed by these developments. For example, in 1825 the British scholar John Bentley wrote of his conflict with the scientist John Playfair, who was an admirer of Indian culture:
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 May 2016, Vrndavana, India, Bhagavad-gita 3.34)
It is interesting that when speaking of prema (pure love for Krsna) in the Srimad Bhagavatam, the example is given of the intermediate devotee, the madhyama-adhikārī. Not the kanishta-adhikārī (the neophyte), but of the madhyama, someone a bit more advanced, a devotee who has shown determination. It is provided: īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā yaḥ karoti sa madhyamaḥ (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2
By Chaitanya Charan Das
We long to be free. And we long for love. Yet love and freedom don’t seem to go together.
Why? Because love apparently restricts freedom. We are finite beings with finite resources such as time, energy and emotions. When we love someone, we have to focus on developing a connection with them. And this focus decreases the resources available for us to connect with others. Moreover, to connect with anyone, we need to do the things that please them and avoid doing the thing
Srila Prabhupada: In the beginning, the Vedic purpose is pursued in three ways (trayi) — by karma-kaṇḍa, jsana-kaṇḍa and upasana-kaṇḍa. When one reaches the complete, perfect stage of upasana-kaṇḍa, one comes to worship Narayaṇa, or Lord Viṣṇu. When Parvati asked Lord Mahadeva, Lord Siva, what is the best method of upasana, or worship, Lord Siva answered, aradhananaḿ sarveṣaḿ viṣṇor aradhanaḿ param. Viṣṇupasana, or viṣṇv-aradhana, worship of Lord Viṣṇu, is the highest sta
By Madhava Smullen
The Lord’s Holy Names continue to be chanted in every town and village, no matter how exotic or remote. Devotees on Réunion Island held their second annual Rathayatra in the city of St. Pierre on Saturday December 8th, summertime for the island.
The festival was small yet ecstatic, and was warmly received by locals.
Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean, is a “department” of France. With a total population of about 800,000 people, its only spoken language is French.
ISK
By Kadamba Kanana Swami
Why I love kirtan? I don’t know if I love kirtan but I am addicted to kirtan! Love is such a big word that I am afraid to use it, because love means really that Krsna is our all-in-all. I cannot say that but somehow or other, I have developed some attachment to kirtan. Of all the material elements, it is said that the ether is the most subtle and within the ether, there is only sound, whereas in other realms there are touch, taste, sound, smell… but in ether, there is on
By Karnamrita Das
The ideas expressed here are especially relevant in dealing with conflicts in communities and families. By our consciousness and actions we can further add to the problem or be part of the solution. Everything in existence is energy—even science tells us that—though as followers of Bhagavad-gita we understand that there is the spiritual energy behind matter. The material world is called in the Gita’s 7th chapter, Krishna’s separated energy. Then, this one energy as a whole, is
By Madhava Smullen
“What’s a Woman to Do?” a new 32-page booklet written by Srila Prabhupada disciple and author Visakha Dasi, and released on Gita Jayanti day, reflects on women’s services in Srila Prabhupada’s Hare Krishna Movement. The booklet is available to read via PDF here: https://www.vaishnaviretreat.com/what-s-a-woman-to-do
Visakha produced the work after she was asked to make a presentation on the topic for members of the Pandava Sena youth group in England earlier this year. She
By Madhava Smullen
Two of the Hare Krishna Movement’s most well-known singers, Jayadev Das and his daughter Gaurangi Devi Dasi, are featured on a new charity record for the California Camp Fire, entitled “Tears Aren’t Enough.”
The Camp Fire, which ran from November 8thto 25th, was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history to date. It caused 86 civilian fatalities, covered an area of 153,336 acres, and destroyed 18,804 structures, causing an estaimated $7.5–10 billion i
“Preaching can be a difficult, thankless task, but a preacher must follow the orders of the Supreme Lord and be unafraid of materialistic persons.”
– Srimad Bhagavatam 6.5.39, purport
His Grace Sudama Das (ACBSP) recalled when Srila Prabhupada was leaving Tokyo to go to India. “He (Srila Prabhupada) said, ‘I have opened the West. Now I will take my dancing white elephants to India.’” Srila Prabhupada wanted to show the people how these ‘dancing elephants’ gave up their “perfect” western life t
Kurma das: Dipak had volunteered for the service of cooking lunch for Prabhupada during his visit to Melbourne. Yet Dipak, usually a proficient cook, was today not his usual confident self. He was nervously dropping butter on the floor, sliding chapatis off the stove and boiling over the milk when he noticed Srila Prabhupada at the kitchen door.
Prabhupada, standing bare-chested after his bath, was smiling as he watched Dipak’s attempts to cook lunch. Returning to his room, Srila Prabhupada app
