From Back to Godhead
By Vamsi Vihari Dasa
Variety is said to be the spice of life. Imagine a life where you eat the same vegetables daily, wear the same clothes, meet the same people, and visit the same places. So boring, right? This world is full of varieties seasonal changes in the form of summer, winter, autumn, spring; periodic appearance and disappearance of the sun and the moon; cultural differences among people of different nations; the language, the dress, and the eating habits in diffe
By Padmanabha Dasa
Invitation
Kishore Badal, chairman of the Hindu Coordinating Council (HCC) of Gauteng , South Africa, forwarded an invitation to ISKCON to participate in their 26th Shivratri Walk. Various temples in Johannesburg were also invited to participate in the walk with various floats to honor Lord Shiva, the topmost Vaishnava. The organizers had also asked the ISKCON devotees to provide the lunch for the public and all the walkers. Caitanya Dasa, temple president of ISKCO
Gaur Gopal Das felt humbled and grateful to receive “The Best Spiritual/Motivational Show On The Web” Award 2018 at the IWM Digital Awards.
Soon after setting up our BBT FEME booth recently in Mayapur, our Middle East panel draws in the crowds with Premadhan Prabhu, our Arabic translation co-ordinator from Lebanon (on the left), Rasamandala Prabhu (our well-wisher from Morocco), and finally Gaura Bhakta Prabhu from Algeria, who blissfully distributes the Arabic books from the souks of Algiers to the elegant boulevards de Paris…
By Acarya Dasa, Leader of All India Padayatra
WHY GAURA PURNIMA IS SO SPECIAL TO US?
Gaura Purnima is the auspicious appearance day of Sri Caitanya MahaPrabhu, also known as Gauranga due to His golden complexion. The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna appeared as Sri Caitanya MahaPrabhu to establish sankirtana, the chanting of the Holy Names as the yuga dharma for this age of Kali. This year is the 532nd anniversary of His appearance. Gaura Purnima is a very special day for us padayatris, because on that
Firstly the title of Bhagavad Gita is two Sanskrit words. Bhagavad comes from the word Bhagavan which referrers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and 'gita' means song. Sometimes we hear the Gita referred to in English as "The Song of God," and this is a reasonable English translation of the title and it is a fairly accurate description of what the Bhagavad Gita is.
The Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to His friend Arjuna on the battlefield of Kuruk
By Madhava Smullen
A series of PDF activity books by Urmila Dasi, now available online, teaches children about Krishna consciousness through the joyful celebration of Vaishnava festivals. Extremely popular with parents and teachers, the series is set for a more elaborately produced print version soon, and may become part of a new official ISKCON Sunday School curriculum.
Longtime educator Urmila now serves as a speaker and author of spiritual educational books for children and adults. But she t
ISKCON has to be a very friendly movement. A very accommodating movement that is ready to give everyone a chance; ready to not find fault in others. To not find fault in others is hard. We may catch someone lying and say, “He is a liar! Shame! This person needs to be rejected!” Well, have we ever lied? Never, ever? That is a lie! So yes, even if we catch someone lying, it does not mean that that person has some weakness. It does not mean that we can say, “This person is a write-off! I do not wa
By ISKCON Mayapur
All of the devas, ṛṣis, and tīrthas congregate in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur to worship the Supreme Lord, for in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur – the center of the universe – Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa eternally reside and bestow Their benediction and mercy to those who worship Them there.
Is it any wonder, then, that Śrīla Prabhupāda stated that Māyāpur, the World Headquarters of his ISKCON movement, was his place of worship? It is described in Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta that “[h]e and his devotees would worshi
By Visnuswami Dasa
Walking in the colonies around Hyderabad
Last December, after a program in the town of Singapore our small Padayatra Telangana team slowly approached the city of Hyderabad. We are getting good response from the people and local temple committees. Good book distribution also. Community members are providing accommodations for devotees and supplying grass for the oxen, contrary to my expectations. I thought that getting accommodations and grass would have been difficult in the
By Gauri das
Sruti Dharma Das, Temple president at Bhaktivedanta Manor, has been diagnosed with a form of brain cancer. The news was unexpected as there had been no previous indications. Both his family and the temple community are adjusting to the news. Sruti Dharma had been facing various health complaints and his medical advisor spontaneously decided to run further tests, beyond what was required. The results of those tests showed several lesions on his brain. He was then admitted to Charing
By Ramai Swami
Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukula at New Govardhan is in the process of constructing more high school facilities.
This includes relevant earthworks and building of eight classrooms, science lab, art studio, hard court outdoor basketball court, play areas and a toilet block.
This project is partially funded by the Commonwealth Government, offering $900,000 towards the construction costs. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $1,479,610.
The school, which now has well over on
By Kadamba Kanana Swami
We may think, “What about my security? I need some security; like a little money in the bank, a credit card maybe. You know, just in case, something happens. Need to be prepared. What about my security?”
But a vaisnava’s security is his goodwill; his goodwill with the people. That is the best security because goodwill goes much further than the bank. You know, the banks may say, “Well, sorry!” If you have maybe 150 000 and the bill is 160 000. The bank is not paying the
In the Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 13, we are talking about residing in Mathura dhama or Mathura mandala which refers to the holy dhama of Vrindavan. Mayapur dhama is non-different. “So this attainment of transcendental loving devotional service to the Lord is the goal of life and it can be achieved very easily for one who lives in Mathura mandala even for a few seconds.” EVEN FOR A FEW SECONDS! Just see all the benefit we are getting by being part of this Movement and understand why Srila Pra
By Bhaktisiddanta Swami
Peter Cosgrove: Governor General, Lieutennat General, Chief of Army, Commander, Royal Australian Regiment.
Due to the arrival of the Australian royalty in an entourage of 4 cars and a Mercedes limo, the main thorough fare (Rajadhirsen Marga) adjacent to Rādhā Parth-sarathi Mandir, was blocked off. Sir Peter Cosgrove, along with his wife, Lady Cosgrove, was the first ever Governor General of Australia to visit an Iskcon center, accompanied by such dignitaries as Her excel
By Madhava Smullen
For BBT Marketing, Communications and Innovations Department
Since 2012, when ISKCON North America’s leaders unanimously agreed to work as one book distribution team with a collective goal, sales of Srila Prabhupada’s books have seen a dramatic increase.
Remittance to the BBT grew 20% in 2012 and 2013, and 10% each year after that, from $700,000 in 2012 to around $2.1 million in 2016.
The 2017 marathon was yet another major success, with nearly $2 million again remitted to th
Question: How do we survive exploitation and abuse and at the same time not become an impersonalist who just renounces everything? We also need to continue to have a soft-heart in order to love Krsna.
Abuse is very disgusting. As I said earlier, yayedaà dhäryate jagat (Bhagavad-gita 7.5), exploitation exists among living beings in this world. It becomes even more distasteful when such exploitive mentality enters into the relationship between devotees but at the same time it can be expected tha
“I have always had a fascination with the North.”
Issue: 2016-09-29, PHOTO: courtesy of Bhaktimarga Swami
Bhaktimarga Swami, is a 63-year-old, Ontario-born monk who has walked across Canada four times.
I am on the phone with Bhaktimarga Swami, a 63-year-old monk in Toronto. We are talking about the visit to Whitehorse he has planned for late September.
Better known as The Walking Monk, at 63 he has already walked across Canada four times, as well as across the United States, Ireland,
Spiritual Gardener is someone who first of all cultivates the garden of his own heart. He plants the right seeds, waters them nicely, and also takes out all the unwanted weeds.
He also helps others to do the same.
Srila Prabhupada writes in the Srimad-Bhagavatam Purport:
The conditional changes of the living entity are explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta in the instructions given to Srila Rupa Gosvami by Lord Sri Caitanya:
“The living entities all over the universes are enjoying the effects of
Once I gave initiation in Mayapur to a devotee and afterward, we met Jananivasa Prabhu. I said to Jananivasa Prabhu that I just gave initiation to this devotee, could you please just give him your blessings. Jananivasa Prabhu said, “Oh, you just took initiation! This is very nice because the time when you just take initiation is a very special time! It is the time where everything is still fresh and you are full of good positive energy. This is the time when you can put some really good habits
