By Radha Sakhi Dasi
Local media in past few weeks, has been mostly reporting news about political, sports and social events with paprazzi, but this time while covering the GBC Meeting, they were not just amazed and awestruck but they were deeply touched. Kurma Avatar Das has been in touch with the local media for quite some time now, and an event of this stature being hosted in Iskcon Kanpur obviously attracted a lot of media attention. He is mediating and coordinating the media coverage of the
Film stars, sports stars, rock stars, politicians, rich and mighty have innumerable fan following. Their fans surround their senses with the images of their beloved stars, decorate their houses with their pictures and keep each and every update of their favourite celebrity. They have a dream to meet their icons at least once in their life. They want to touch them to feel, want to shake hands with them, get their pictures cliqued with them and if possible have breakfast/lunch/dinner with them. B
From Back to Godhead
By Janakinatha Dasa
Every December, the book marathon promises to be an exciting event. While travelling from door to door, village to village, through remote parts of India, we invariably meet someone who has been miraculously touched by Krishna’s mercy. One such person was Chandu, whom we met in Srirampur, Maharashtra. His tall posture and heavy built contrasted with his soft, humble demeanor. Curious to know his background, I requested him to narrate his story of choosin
By Madhava Smullen
At MAN-tra, ISKCON’s first ever men’s retreat last weekend, devotee men bonded and dedicated themselves to self-improvement. They learned how to find themselves, become stronger, happier and more productive in society, balance Krishna consciousness and other duties, and how to become better husbands and fathers. They also aired and addressed challenging personal issues not often discussed.
One hundred and twenty-five men attended MAN-tra, held from October 5thto 7thin New Vr
From Back to Godhead
The Vedic contribution to one of the central debates in Western philosophy.
Sam Surya goes to his city’s orphanage one day and makes a large donation. Elsewhere in town, Andy Andhakara robs a bank. What led these two to make such drastically different choices? Was it their own volition, or the force of some other factor? In other words, were their actions predetermined, or did Sam and Andy have free will?
These questions concern one of the pivotal debates in Western philos
Question: You mentioned the shooting incident. I am curious to know how this specific experience affected you in a personal way, if it is not too personal to share?
I will keep it simple. I do not want to speak about the material side of it, you know, the conspiracy, who pulled the trigger and all that. That is for the tabloid newspaper so we leave that out. I could see that the ultimate cause of all this was Krsna, so I did not get into the mood of who did it! It was Krsna who sent this to me.
In Mayapur, there is a bus that stops everyday in front of the gate of our Sri Caitanya Candrodaya Mandir. When one gets on the bus in Bengal, it is not uncommon that people are involved in a heated discussion because Bengali people are fiery people and they like politics. So often times, great discussions would be held on the bus and even when the original people who started the argument got off the bus, the argument stayed on the bus the entire day.
So in the same way, even when the people wh
By Radha Rasikraj Das
The youth are the driving force of any movement. So much so that vibrant ISKCON what we see today had it’s earliest members as the hippie youth of New York.
Since the beginning of creation the youth are being preached to carry forward the words of Lord Krishna far and wide. Narada Muni, acharya in our parampara, is the pioneer of Youth Preaching.
With it’s purity, enthusiasm, knowledge and dealings ISKCON has been instrumental in attracting youth from all walks of life int
By Radha Sakhi Dasi
Iskcon Governing Body Commission (GBC) Meet for the first time is happening in Iskcon Kanpur. Spiritual Leaders from all over the world, from America to Europe to China to Africa to Asia to Australia to Russia, everyone has come together to transform this small temple of Kanpur into a true United Nations. The GBC Meeting commenced on the 15th of October and will last till the 21st of October. The last time Iskcon Kanpur hosted the global spiritual leaders at this magnitude
In the purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.4.12, Srila Prabhupada nicely explains the art of fanning the spark of good qualities in another person. Here, Sati speaks to her father Daksha after he insulted her husband Lord Shiva. Before she quits her body in a blazing fire, she instructs her father as follows: “Twice-born Daksha, a man like you can simply find fault in the qualities of others. Lord Shiva, however, not only finds no faults with others’ qualities, but if someone has a little good qual
On September 27th, 2018, history was created when the first cohort of high school seniors (Year 12) students graduated from the Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukul in Eungella, NSW, Australia.
The Gurukul, as it is commonly known, is the only Hare Krishna high school outside of India.
Over the past several years, the school has been steadily growing.
The graduation was a true community affair with the entire school and New Govardhana community invited to the graduation ceremony. Pr
Seventy-two women, ranging in age all the way from 12 to 76, attended the Vaishnavi Retreat in Lake County, California from October 5thto 7th. Amongst them were 23 Srila Prabhupada disciples, and many second generation devotees and new bhaktins. They hailed from London, South Africa, New York, Washington D.C., Phoenix, Portland, Gainesville, and all over Southern California.
A continuation of the long-running Vaishnavi Retreat run by Malati Devi Dasi at New Vrindaban,
By Kadamba Kanana Swami
The purpose of chanting is about taking shelter. Everyone needs shelter in this world; we know that very well. But where is our shelter other than at Krsna’s lotus feet? That is our situation, there is no other shelter! Everything else is illusory shelter. Real security and shelter is found in Krsna and that is the essence of spiritual life.
When we are new in spiritual life then we think we are advancing – we feel we are advancing, we feel things are changing, we feel o
Different countries are famous for their varieties of export. The Middle East exports, for instance, are known for oil and Holland is known for exporting flowers and cheese. Different countries export different things and India exports gurus. That has been a big thing for a long time.
Once there was a group of people doing a play and they needed someone to play the part of a guru. Somehow they asked an Indian devotee to play this part. This person sat on a raised seat and upon sitting he asked,
From Back to Godhead
By Damodara Dasa
I offer my most respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, my spiritual master and the spiritual master of the universe, from whose lotus lips has sprung the eternal message of the Vedas in the purest line of disciplic succession from Sri Krsna, the Absolute Truth, through Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja. He is spreading the teachings of Krsna consciousness around
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Lecture given in New York City on December 26, 1966
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu points to the Vedic scriptures as unerring spiritual authority.
sarvajna munira vakya – shastra-‘paramana’
ama-saba jivera haya shastra-dvara ‘jnana’
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, “The Vedic literatures composed by the omniscient Mahamuni Vyasadeva are evidence of all spiritual existence. Onl
I will never forget the moment when I heard that George Harrison had passed away, shortly after Thanksgiving in 2001. The strength of my feelings of separation surprised me—and made me think how important and dear George must have been to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Krishna. And I remembered my own little experience with George in Bombay.
In 1974 George came to visit Srila Prabhupada at Hare Krishna Land, in Juhu. He was wearing a white kurta and white yogi pants and had a plain bead bag. I took
Dear Maharajas & Prabhus
Please accept my humble obeisance, all glories to srila Prabhupada!
ISKCON Youth Forum, the youth wing of ISKCON Delhi (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) organized the biggest ever youth festival by ISKCON in Delhi-NCR titled “UDGAAR – An Expression of Goodness and Joy” on 14th October at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Delhi. The festival marked the initiation of their “Value Awareness Campaign” all across Delhi-NCR. It gained the audience of 6000+ youths
From Back to Godhead
By Jivan Mukta Dasa
On the path back home, back to Godhead, householder life often seems like an obstacle course. Stumbling blocks dominate the landscape. Work, social obligations, and household matters such as rearing children and paying the bills can easily become impediments to our spiritual development. Devotees may find themselves pressed to compromise their ideals because of the often negative influence of these constraints.
So how can we successfully prevent the attr
Lecture on The mind is a monkey that makes us a donkey by HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu
(His Grace Caitanya Charan Prabhu is a monk and spiritual teacher in the time honored tradition of bhakti yoga. He is a editor of Back to Godhead, which is the official international magazine of the Hare Krishna movement.)
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