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2515267331?profile=original

Nama Om…
Mukham karoti …
I need some warm water.
Mukham karoti…
So after spending almost a month and a half in the ICUs, after having waited for about six months to have a liver and kidney organs, Mahavaraha, he went and found out the exact system that whatever organs become available, go first to the government and which only the government hospitals do the liver transplant, Stanley Hospital which is owned by the state.

Then I had a transplant registration through the Stanley Hospital under th

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2515267234?profile=original

Most devotees’ lives and views on devotional service change as their ashram changes. When several devotees pass through ashram changes at approximately the same time-or even if one respected devotee within a temple changes his ashram-a temple can become affected.

My writing down these developmental stages, which is similar for both individual devotees and temples (If the majority of devotees within a temple are in a similar ashram situation, it can be said that that temple is at that particular

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In Prabhupada We Trust By Hari-sauri dasa

2515267276?profile=original

I HAVE ALWAYS done a bit of travelling, at least since 1975 when I was fortunate enough to join Srila Prabhupada’s personal entourage. I got to travel India and around the world with His Divine Grace, and it gave me my first look at worldwide ISKCON.

I was impressed. Impressed with Srila Prabhupada and impressed with his disciples and the amazing scope of transcendental activity that was manifesting all over the globe. Unity was the key, and that was achieved through the presence and desire of

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Seeing the Funny Side

2515086298?profile=original

It isn’t always easy to see the funny side of things. Often I find it happens in retrospect. Recently I set off for a trip to that fabled land of chocolate and respected home of the European Union, Belgium. After loading up my trusty Satnav with the appropriate maps, I struck out by road. All went well until I approached my destination and it became apparent that the old satnav was struggling. It had taken me far out into the snow swept wilds of the Ardennes and as I peered about in alarm it su

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Yours forever by Kadamba Kanana Swami

2515085911?profile=original

I was reading a verse where it says, “Not by any means nor by any weapon, can one take away the possessions of a devotee.” That was interesting because I do watch over my electronics and do not leave them lying around because things sort of move in different directions. But, the possessions of a devotee cannot be taken away by any means because the true possession of a devotee is Krsna and devotional service; and devotional service cannot be taken away! Devotional service is always there. It is

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The Validity of Dandavata Parikrama

2515085475?profile=original

By Hari Parshad Das

The term parikramā is a synonym for the term pradakṣiṇā.

Both terms are used synonymously.

For example, while performing parikramā of tulasī-devī, we call it a pradakṣiṇā — “tāni tāni praṇaśyantipradakṣiṇaḥ pade pade”

Parikramā means — To completely (pari) travel around (krama).

 

Pradakṣiṇā means — To walk around completely (pra) while keeping the deity to the right (dakṣiṇa)

The Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (8.393) specifies the method for performing Parikramā/Pradakṣiṇā of an

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What kind of devotees we are making?

2515085514?profile=original

What kind of devotees we are making?
Subhaga Swami: Srila Prabhupada wanted all his disciples to become gurus. To spread Lord Caitanya’s message to every town and village many gurus are needed. The guru should be an elevated person, beyond material attraction. That is not easy. We must understand we can never, never, never be happy here [in the material world], despite our dreams. Srila Prabhupada said this movement is for building character. We should be introspective to see how well we are

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Accepting A Guru – The Choice Is Yours

2515085906?profile=original

The scriptures tell us that accepting a spiritual master (Guru) is must for perfection in spiritual realization. But still, accepting a guru is a matter of choice in multiple ways.

One, everyone has a choice to decide whether they want spiritual realization or not. Basic information about the goals of various spiritual paths is needed for one to get curious, and then attracted, to these paths. A charismatic spiritual personality might also bias one to the path that that person has accepted.
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How to instantly win people’s hearts?

2515085834?profile=original


How to instantly win people’s hearts?

Point out the good qualities of their children, or even their pets. How to make people dislike you? Insult or harm someone dear to them.

Similarly, the most grievous way to block the Lord’s mercy is to have contempt or irreverence for those who love and serve Him, especially those sacrificing to teach others about spiritual life. If we offend Krishna by insulting His dear sons and servants, we will fail to feel the ecstasy of love of God when we chant H
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2515058008?profile=original

Question: You’ve said, “in love, the pleasure comes from humility.” Can you explain this more thoroughly?

My Answer:  Non-humility means to feel that the self is of central importance. The self, however, is a very dependent entity, so to put it in a central position is unnatural and stressful because it is like putting a weak beam as the support of a house. It is very stressful, and subject to frequent collapse.

Humility is natural and therefore not stressful but joyful. Humility means taking t

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2515057726?profile=original

WHAT IS ONE ACTION YOU COULD TAKE THAT WOULD IMPROVE YOUR LIFE? As I contemplate my upcoming talks with the title, "Facing Death to Live More Fully Today?", I have realized that this is more of a workshop than a lecture. My talk can't just be words, but has to be an extension of my heart and how I live my life. That, and the empowerment from above/within, will give my words the power to connect to the audience. I have to speak to each person in the assembly.

What I have done in preparation is t

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Is Maya the same as Durga?

2515057872?profile=original

". . .the Brahma-samhita (5.44)says, sristhi-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-shaktir eka chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibhartidurga. Maya is like a shadow of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who serves Him in the creation, maintenance and annihilation of this world. Just as a shadow has no independent power of movement but follows the substance that casts the shadow, the illusory energy of the Lord has no independent power, but bewilders the living entities according to the Lord's desire. One of Krishna's

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Krishna wants us to depend on Him

2515057771?profile=original

Last week, I was asked to present to a big group of about forty people on the importance of data quality. I was planning to use a spreadsheet I created a month earlier for this meeting. So I was confident about the presentation since I already knew what was in the spreadsheet and all I needed to do was do a last minute inspection before the actual meeting. About 20 minutes before the meeting, I opened the spreadsheet and reviewed what I had done earlier. To my utter dismay and shock, I could n

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Hacha Puri and the Peace Formula!

2515057322?profile=original

Hacha Puri and the Peace Formula! 
Govinda Swami: Saci, Vrindavan Kirtan, and I arrived in Moscow yesterday afternoon.
On a chilly Moscow afternoon we were warmly received by Radha Raman Giridhari, Sri Rupa Manjari, Sarasvati, and Master Baladev.
We then travelled from west Moscow to south to the home of Nandi Mukhi and Radha Preyan to spend the night. They are Georgian devotees that date back to the early, early days of ISKCON during the Soviet Union.
They are both from well-to-do families dur

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Cooking Chapattis for Prabhupada

2515057245?profile=original

Harikesa das: I had been cooking for Prabhupada for a long time, but I reallyhad a hard time making chapatis because we were always in places where there were no proper stoves. To make a good chapati you need a gas stove at leastor coals, and here we are in Mauritius and I'm cooking in a closet on a one-burner electric stove that didn't even have enough power to boil water and I have to make a full meal that he likes up to his standards. So Prabhupada was complaining and complaining about the c

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Draupadi – dishonored yet honorable

2515056438?profile=original

Draupadi. Her admirable character is revealed in the most humiliating incident of her life – her disrobing by the wicked Dushasana. Though victimized in body, she refuses to be victimized in her heart. Her exceptional character transforms the lowest point in her life into the highest point. The incident in which she is the most dishonored, she emerges as the most honorable.

On that dark day, her period has just ended and she has emerged after bathing, wearing a single cloth before she puts on h

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Events

By Madhava Smullen

The Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.13.13 states, “If on the full moon day of the month of Bhadra one places Srimad-Bhagavatam on a golden throne and gives it as a gift, he will attain the supreme transcendental destination.”

Srila Prabhupada encouraged devotees to act on this, writing in a 1977 letter, “I want that every respectable person has a full set of Bhagavatam and Caitanya Caritamrta in his home.”

Last year, several temples in North America and India launched a Bhadra Purnim

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Living with Srila Prabhupada

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By Rukmini Devi Dasi

The ultimate anxiety for every parent is how their child will fair in the world. Srila Prabhupada’s mother wanted him to study in London and become a barrister, akin to the current day I.T. specialist who scores a job in the USA. However, Srila Prabhupada lovingly describes how his father’s ambition differed. Gour Mohan De wanted Abhay (Srila Prabhupada ’s birth name) to be skilled in mridanga and the art of knowing and sharing the sacred scripture, Srimad Bhagavatam. As an

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2515170699?profile=original

At a recent farewell gathering for a departed Vaisnava, God brothers spoke. One sannyasa-guru Godbrother said that his Godbrother has gone Back To Godhead. Another sannyasa-guru Godbrother said that his Godbrother has gone to take another birth in Krishna or Gaura-lila, which seemed to put a dampener on things. Are they saying two different things?

They are both right. They are both saying the same thing in different ways. One is a simple conviction and the other is more elaborate. Srila Prabhu

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By Saci Sundari Dasi 
 
Events

On September 15th, Ratha Yatra was celebrated with great fervor in Sofia, organized by ISCKON. For the first time in the country’s history, the Indian Ambassador to Bulgaria, Ms. Pooja Kapur inaugurated the cultural festival.

During the course of the day, hundreds of people poured in the prestigious Borisova Gardens to enjoy the flavors of India and Krishna-consciousness have to offer.

There were Indian dances, bhajans, yoga, painting, henna, saree tying, cuisine, b

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