By Karnamrita Das
Some persons caught up in the counter-culture of the late '60's and '70's felt that all materiel prospects were void and society's status quo, miserable stagnation. Thus, as if in a life and death battle, they intensely felt compelled to search out meaning and happiness on the spiritual quest, appearing as their only hope. This free verse poem, inspired by the months I spent in the redwood forest in Muir Woods in Marin County [near San Francisco, California], condenses the bac
By Chaitanya Charan Das
"When we approach Krishna, his supreme attractiveness captivates us, especially if we approach him by associating with devotees and therein absorb their devotional mood."
gopāla iti matvā tvāṁ pracura-kṣīra-vāñchayā
śrito mātuḥ stana-kṣīram api labdhuṁ na śaknuyāt“O Lord! Thinking that you are gopāla (the protector and herder of cows), I approached you hoping to get lots of milk. But you [cheated me in turn and] put me in such a condition that now I cannot even atta
The GBC EC, on behalf of the GBC body, wishes to offer its deepest respect to Sriman Vrndavan Chandra De, on the occasion of his passing from this world.
Vrndavan Chandra De was the youngest son of His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Due to his appearance in such an exalted family, he was brought up very lovingly as a Vaisnava devotee of Lord Krsna.
When Srila Prabhupada joined the movement of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, he would host Gaudiya Math sannyasis and br
Lecture by HH Radhanath Swami
Srila Prabhupada has told us that the culmination of all of our preaching in Krsna Consciousness is to induce people to wholeheartedly chant the holy names of Krsna. The chanting of the Holy names must continue. Srila Prabhupada said we can do without temples, we can do without everything. We don’t need money. If we can get it, we will use it. We don’t need property. If we get it we will use it. We don’t need vehicles. If we get it we will use it. We don’t need go
Radhanath Swami was invited to speak on the subject of ‘Conscious Leadership’ at the Houses of Parliament last month. The event was sponsored by Shailesh Vara MP and attended by representatives of all Parties, including the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Faith and Society, Mr. Stephen Timms MP. Radhanath Swami’s presentation was preceded by a more intimate meeting in Shailesh Vara MP’s office, which also included Lord Dholakia, Baroness Warsi, Seema Malhotra MP, Oliver Dowden MP
By Urmila Devi Dasi
Because Krsna’s name has immense spiritual power, we must be careful how we use it.
This article discusses the offense of sinning while relying on the power of the holy names to protect one from the reactions to the sin.
The students of my Government class and I sat hushed, without even rustling papers, listening to the amazing story in the courtroom. At least it amazed these fifteen- and sixteen-year-old students whose lives never touched those of drug addicts and criminal
Nowhere else in the world can you walk along the roads, Lanes, and pathways and be constantly reminded of the Lord’s Holy Name than in Sri Vrindavan Dham. The street names, the names of the buildings, the signs on the shops, the Radha and Krishna names painted on the compound walls, and hearing the kirtans of the Holy Names being sung as you pass by the different ashrams throughout the city. Automatically you must surely start chanting without even realizing you are doing it.
I recall the day
Just like us, the Lord has feelings. When someone glorifies the Lord, He is happy but if someone speaks ill words, the Lord feels pain in His heart. The pastime between Varaha and Hiaranyaksha is a display of Lord's feelings.
Hiranyaksha spoke of Lord Varaha "When You fall dead with Your skull smashed by the mace hurled by my arms, the demigods and sages who offer You oblations and sacrifice in devotional service will also automatically cease to exist, like trees without roots." Hearing this t
By Akhandadhi Das
A friend of mine recently revealed a personal moment of spirit in action. She had been chronically abused by her father and this had led to an array of deep psychological issues during adulthood. Three years ago, her father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Reluctantly, she agreed to support her mother on a visit to the hospital. My friend recalled the moment she saw the man who had ruined her life. Lying on the bed, hooked up to monitors and drips, he looked so weak and hel
By Madhava Smullen
ISKCON Founder Srila Prabhupada’s youngest son, Vrindavan Chandra De, passed away at his home in Kolkata at 10:30pm on April 3rd. He had been suffering from lung cancer.
Vrindavan Chandra was favorable to his father’s society, and ISKCON devotees were present, chanting in his room, while he passed.
Vrindavan Chandra had been the only family member present when Srila Prabhupada boarded the Jaladuta to leave for the U.S. on August 13th, 1965. He related the experience when he
By Madhava Smullen
As ISKCON’s second and third generations progress in their lives and Krishna consciousness, their signature festival, Kulimela, is also growing and developing in new ways with every event.
This summer’s Kulimela 2018, to be held in Radhadesh, Belgium, is the tenth anniversary of the first Radhesh Mela, and the eleventh overall Kulimela since 2006. Others have been held in France, Germany, Russia, Siberia, Australia, New Zealand, and, in the U.S., Los Angeles, Alachua, and Ne
By Ramai Swami
I recently visited our New Gokula farm and although there has been a severe drought in the area for last few months, finally a good downpour of rain came.
As you can see from the pictures, Radha Gokulananda’s cows and bullocks are happily munching on fresh green pasture.
The places in the eighty-four square mile district of Mathura are so beautifully situated on the banks of the River Yamuna, that anyone who goes there will never want to return to this material world.” (Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 13, Page 111). It is interesting how Srila Prabhupada said the words, “…will never want to return to this material world…” It shows that Prabhupada is truly situated in the spiritual world, unlike us, who are not similarly positioned even when we are present in the ho
The wait in the UK is finally over! Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami who started it all (formerly known as Acharya) is coming to cinemas in the UK! Never before has there been a bigger opportunity for a mainstream audience in the UK to experience the incredible story of A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami (affectionately known as Srila Prabhupada), the 70-year-old Swami from India, who arrived in America without any support or money in the turbulent 1960s. Despite all difficulties and o
By Kripamoya Das
Philosophy – from the Greek words:
philo – love of, affinity for;
sophos – wisdom.
Philosophy – the love of wisdom
Wisdom – from the Old Norse visdomr – the ability to think and act utilising knowledge, experience, understanding, discernment, insight and common sense – coupled with just judgment as to action.
Philosophy means the love of wisdom, the ability to separate truth from error, reality from illusion, and the subsequent discernment as to correct action. Professional phi
We are currently living in an age where everyone is over-educated and has a degree that is not going to bring them much benefit in life. In fact, it is going to take them away from Krsna. We become proud and start to think that, “Oh, I have a master’s degree, so now I am a master!” At that point, one can no longer put their faith in anything else because as an academic, they try to cut everything to pieces and begin to question Krsna consciousness. Well, where is the benefit in that if one is t
By Satyaraja Dasa
By Taru das
“In The Well”
My dear readers, it is time to come to an understanding of the motivation behind these articles. We have attempted to be a little amusing and in this respect, there may have been a certain amount of success. But actually what we are trying to do is to describe the process of purification in Krsna Consciousness. We never wanted anyone to think that all the atrocities detailed herein are actually something to be admired or imitated. Yet the fear is there that we are enco
By Krsangi Radhe dasi (Communications & Public Relations Practitioner)
It has been an amazing festival of spreading Krishna Consciousness through diverse preaching programmes, bringing people together from all walks of life to a spiritual realm. ISKCON Kwa-Zulu Natal (South Africa) hosted the 30th Durban Festival of Chariots over the Easter Weekend (30 March – 2 April). The four day festival is a flagship event on the Ethekwini Municipality calendar as an event that promotes social cohesion th
Interruptions are a part of life. They often come when least expected and have us doing things we never planned to do.
For most of us, Krishna comes as an interruption in our life. There we were living as best we could, planning our future and how we may work or study, live or travel. Then hello! Krishna arrived through a friend or music or a book and suddenly things were different. We look back after years of chanting or service and think – I never thought I would be doing this with my life!
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