By Visakha Devi Dasi
The desire to be soul-conscious inspires a move to a soul-compatible place.
“The soul [jivatma] is unborn, eternal, immortal, and primeval. It does not die when the body dies.” (Bhagavad-gita 2.20)
I first heard details about jivatmathe soulin 1971 during my maiden overseas trip. I was reuniting with my then-boyfriend (later husband) John in India, and to me, a born and bred atheist, jivatma was a quaint irrelevant idea.
An idea, however, can be like a seed: it can germinat
By Bhakti Chaitanya Swami
Hare Krishna dear devotees, this is a long read. Please persevere through it all. I hope it is worthwhile
We just had an amazing visit to the Balaji/Venkatesvara temple, the main temple at Tirupati. Or more correctly at Tirumala, on top of the hill above Tirupati town.
Balaji, arguable more properly known as Venkatesvara or even Srinivasa, was looking amazing. By the kind arrangement of the local GBC, Revati Ramana prabhu, I was able to get special darsana early in the
An innovative new website, Chantnow.com, was offered to Srila Prabhupada on Radhastami, September 9th, and aims to revolutionize online outreach for ISKCON.
The site’s goals are to 1) Make Krishna consciousness relevant, relatable and easy to understand for someone who doesn’t know anything about it. 2) Provide a systematic course that they can follow. And 3) Do all this in a framework where devotees are interacting with them and helping them along the way.
Run by Panchar
By Madhava Smullen
The ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry has released two position papers on perennially debated issues: “Showing Radharani’s lotus feet;” and “Who can participate in public abhisekhas in ISKCON Centers?”
Both can be read in full here: http://deityworship.com/downloads.html#positionpapers
The first paper takes the position that “Srimati Radharani’s lotus feet should not be ever shown publicly at ISKCON temples, whether on a daily basis or particularly on festivals such as Radhast
Yesterday was the disappearance day festival of Srila Prabhupada. At Srila Prabhupada Pushpa Samadhi Mandir, Srila Prabhupada’s disciples, sanyasis, senior godbrothers, community devotees came together to celebrate this festival by offering glorifications, abhisheka, Pushpanjali and a grand bhoga offering. Samadhi Mandir was beautifully decorated with colorful flowers and new asana and golden canopy is offered to Srila Prabhupada’deity. In the evening, Tirobhav Muhurta or the time of disappear
By Anuradha dasi
On October 27, ISKCON New Vrindaban devotees in West Virginia heard of the horrific mass shooting at the Jewish synagogue in Pittsburgh, a 90-minute drive away from their idyllic rural community. This tragic news affirmed the timeless knowledge of the Srimad Bhagavatam, which instructs us to take shelter of the Supreme Lord in a time where “there is danger at every step” (SB 10.14.58). Devotees visiting New Vrindaban often travel to and from the Pittsburgh airport, and one of t
Dear Srila Prabhupada,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you.
As always, this day is bittersweet for me. Knowing that you went back home, back to the spiritual world, is the only consolation for the pain of losing you. Surely our grievous loss was an immense gain for the many residents of the spiritual world. One can only imagine the joyful festivities they held upon your long-awaited return! It is only natural for devotees to appreciate the selfless service of great souls like
“So at the time of death… Of course, those who are devotees, their position is different. People may say, “The devotee is also dying, and the nondevotee, sinful man, is also dying. What is the difference?” So there is much difference. The example is given: just like a cat catching a rat in his mouth and at the same time carrying his cubs in the mouth. Superficially, we can see that the same mouth is being used, but one is feeling comfortable being carried by the mother, and another is feeling t
From Back to Godhead
In believing our senses, how far do we go?
“Not enough evidence, God! Not enough evidence!”
The atheist philosopher Bertrand Russell was once asked what he would say if he found himself standing before God on judgment day and God asked him, “Why didn’t you believe in Me?” Russell replied, “I would say ‘Not enough evidence, God! Not enough evidence!’”
When philosophers or scientists complain about lack of evidence, they mean empirical evidence or evidence that can be interpr
By Jaganmohini Devi Dasi
Dear Param Guru Srila Prabhupada,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
All glories to Your Divine Grace.
‘Krishna Consciousness is to make a person independently thoughtful and act accordingly.’
This instruction of yours which I heard several times from my spiritual master, founder director of BI and your beloved servant, H.H. Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami, has been largely echoing in our thoughts this year. It was also simultaneously facilitated by dif
By Yamuna Devi Dasi
What a week of Vaisnava sadhu-satsanga this has been! I leave the richer, having exchanged with my family members, old and new, Godbrothers, Godsisters, nephews and nieces. While I feel most unqualified to speak to you today, I am honoured and privileged to join my Godsisters in voicing my concerns as a woman in ISKCON.
As the GBC body, all of you are responsible for establishing Srila Prabhupada’s legacy, which, in these difficult and turbulent times, is at stake. One realm
A Talk by Giriraj Swami November 14, 2007 Mayapur
I am very grateful to Srila Prabhupada for having brought me into your association. You are his sincere followers, and many of you have been serving him for decades, from when you read or heard about him or met him in person.
Tonight I thought to share with you one incident that pertains specifically to Srila Prabhupada’s departure pastime. Once, on his guru maharaja’s disappearance day, Srila Prabhupada said, “On the absolute platform, there is
We have gathered at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada on the auspicious occasion of his disappearance festival. When we were with His Divine Grace in Surat on his guru maharaja’s disappearance day, he remarked that on the absolute platform there is no difference between the appearance and disappearance of the spiritual master—just like the sunrise and sunset, both are beautiful.
Srila Prabhupada always glorified Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he instructed everyone to take sh
By Bhakta Manfred
Srila Prabhupada created a home where everyone can live in, I have personally experienced this at the Hare Krishna Training centre( ISKCON NAIROBI). As early as 3:30 am you can hear distant chanting as the boys here prepare for morning program and meditation. The Hare Krishna Training Centre (HKTC), officially Opened by HH. Gopal Krishna Maharaja on 11th January 2017 with a population of fifty students then has now been running for seven years. Students here get a training for
By Gauranga Darshan Das
“The intelligence that discriminates between right and wrong is great, but the heart that accommodates even wrongdoers and uplifts them is greater.”
What will you do when someone misbehaves? Of course, it’s natural to disapprove his action. But do you tend to disown him or again continue to interact with him? That probably depends on the extent of his misbehavior and your relationship with him. It’s easier to excuse people who are close to us, but not others! And it may
By Kalakantha dasa
After You steal butter, Your earrings dance and shine
as You flee Your mother in Gokula pastimes.
Though you are all blissful, all knowing, ever-new
Greatest of controllers, Your mother controls You.
She shows You the stick and she binds You by the waist.
As You rub Your frightened eyes, tears roll down Your face.
Sobbing and quick breaths make Your necklace of pearls shake.
Ropes of her love bind You in Your mother’s embrace.
Relishing Your childhood activities like this,
Yo
hantayam adrir abala hari-dasa-varyo
yad rama-krsna-carana-sparasa-pramodah
manam tanoti saha-go-ganayos tayor yat
paniya-suyavasa-kandara-kanda-mulaih
“Of all the devotees, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends, this hill supplies Krishna and Balarama, along with Their calves, cows and cowherd friends, with all kinds of necessities—water for drinking, very soft grass, caves, fruits, flowers and vegetables. In this way the hill offers respects to the Lord. Being touched by the lotus fe
From Back to Godhead
The supreme controller is controlled – and still remains in control.
Prayer is the universal language by which the human heart communes with the divine heart. Poetry is an artistic means for verbalizing the heart’s deep emotions. Singing is a popular method to express one’s emotions.
The integration of these three – prayers composed poetically and sung individually or collectively – is a powerful and joyful way to channel human emotions towards the divine. In the wor
We are gathered on the auspicious occasion of Sri Govardhana-puja at the feet of Sri Giriraja Govardhana. Many of you may know the history, related in Srimad-Bhagavatam: One day Sri Krishna noticed that the cowherd men were collecting paraphernalia for worship. As the omniscient Supersoul, the Lord already understood the whole situation. Still, as a matter of etiquette, He humbly inquired from His elders, headed by Nanda Maharaja, what their purpose was. He said that no secrets should be kept b
One of the most important days in a person’s life is his Birthday. This day is celebrated and cherished by everyone with special treats and gatherings from families and friends. Generally a Birthday is celebrated by cutting a well decorated and nicely prepared cake, by blowing the candles and making a wish. Then friends and family wish the person whose birthday is being celebrated followed by drinks, eating and partying with music and dance. This constitutes a successful Birthday Party.
Devotee
