There is nothing as beautiful as pure love–the pure love between the Lord and the devotee, the pure love between the spiritual master and disciple, the pure love between pure souls. Such love was the subject of the class I gave on Sunday, January 17, at Bhaktivedanta Manor, in conjunction with the five hundredth anniversary of Lord Caitanya’s sannyasa:
We read from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter One: “The Spiritual Masters.”
TEXT 62
sadhavo hrdayam mahyam sadhunam hrdayam tv aham
Lost Soul was homeless. He rarely spoke, but He listened to Crip. Crip was Lost Soul’s close friend. The nights were long and there was always fear or danger on the streets. “Got your back,” Crip said. He made plans for survival; meanwhile L. Soul grew sullen.
The two other companions to Lost Soul were Mind and Senses. Together they crouched in the doorways of abandoned buildings. Mind talked gibberish to distract Soul from his plight.
But it was Senses who served as L. Soul’s best distraction.
I looked at my watch as I stepped out of the show room in Agra. It was 9.30 in the night. I winced. It would take us more than an hour to reach Vrindavan. We had to get up for mangala arati again the next morning.
By Suvyakta Narasimha Dasa
We had come to Agra to pick up some things for the upcoming project in Vrindavan, since they were not available there. Things were going on at a frenetic pace and devotees were working over time. We were compelled to come to Agra even though it was late. But
Do non devotee have no good qualities? by HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu in 2013
(Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 05)
(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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Kirtan London’s summer of success!
This year, Kirtan London is reaching out even wider than ever before with many more outreach kirtan (music) events in London: 1. Mantra Lounge – Kirtan evenings in Covent Garden have become weekly in frequency since the beginning of the year, with 40-50 people attending every session. 2. Pop-up Temple at the Wellbeing Festival (Mind Body Spirit) in May: – over 700 people participated in kirtan and japa meditation sessions; – over 900 prasadam sweets distribute
This year we had the largest gathering for the Dublin Ratha Yatra ever! It was a truly wonderful day beginning with lively kirtan as Lord Jagannatha ascended His chariot. 30 minutes later we were hearing the 1st citizen of Dublin waxing lyrical about how once he learned he would be attending today, he was eagerly awaiting the opportunity to help pull the Lord’s chariot! An avid walker and long term abstentionist from motorised vehicles, he was very impressed with such a grand vehicle having no
The all merciful Lord Sri Gaur Hari, as He travelled from village to village throughout the south of India, continued to distribute love of Godhead wherever He went. Hearing the nectarean names of Hari from His lotus mouth, thousands and thousands men and women felt relief from the blazing fire of material existence. Various wretched, miserable and fallen souls lives were completely rejuvenated and thus they became virtuous and happy. While causing rains of love of God to fall anywhere and ever
What do the Splendour in the Grass Music Festival in Australia and TOVP have in common? Remarkably, devotees from New Govardhana Farm have set up a Govinda’s prasadam stall there with a theme representing the TOVP itself as the shape of the stall.
The Splendour in the Grass Festival is a three day music festival held near Byron Bay, New South Wales since 2001. Ticket sales reach the maximum 25,000 and sell out within 45 minutes, making the attendance a total of 75,000 during the three days.
New
The Vyasa-puja came and went and the sounds of the holy name still vaguely resound from the Kingsday. Time moves pretty fast. If you don’t look back once in a while you might miss it. But we are here to make sure you don’t miss these wonderful new items that were released in April 2018. We have 3 new books, a new CD and we have added another digital album to the “Album collection”. So lets get to it!
Rupa Gosvami, one of the principal theologians of the Caitanya Va
From Back to Godhead
The swami arrived in Los Angeles the day before the show and spent the afternoon recuperating from the flight in his apartment on Saturn Street. The following night, we headed down to the studios for our first television appearance. March met us at the door and led us through a warren of corridors to a small room.
“We’re going to start with a warm-up interview so you get used to how the show is run.” She opened the door to a larger room and motioned for us to go in.
There w
A Global Climate Accord (The Paris Agreement) was signed by leaders of 195 countries some time ago. On page 1 in a report by “nature.com” 1 we read:
The ambitious 32-page package contains a multitude of provisions to accelerate the world’s transition from fossil fuels to solar, wind, nuclear, hydropower and other clean energy sources.
Use of fossil fuel can be described by the Vedic term “ughra karma” or greatly destructive work; but changing to other forms of energy does not address the real p
A famous comedian now passed on was famous for his routine that “I Don’t get no respect”. Not getting respect means receiving disrespect. Respect is an important word, and a word with many meanings. Here is something to start on from the dictionary which I think would be useful to consider in beginning our brief discussion:
RESPECT: esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or abi
By Ananda Vrindavaneshwari Devi Dasi
Last week a dry cough gripped my breath and made it short. I had the experience we all have – appreciating something when it’s gone or not working well.
Breathing is the in and out of life that happens unconsciously until it doesn’t. The idea of my last breath became a reality. What do I breathe? How do I breathe? Can I do it better when I’m better? These were all questions that stayed with me as I slowed down due to shallow breathing.
That experience helped
From Back to Godhead
The swami arrived in Los Angeles the day before the show and spent the afternoon recuperating from the flight in his apartment on Saturn Street. The following night, we headed down to the studios for our first television appearance. March met us at the door and led us through a warren of corridors to a small room.
“We’re going to start with a warm-up interview so you get used to how the show is run.” She opened the door to a larger room and motioned for us to go in.
There w
When Srila Prabhupada arrived at the Commenwealth Pier in Boston fifty years ago in 1965, he did not know if he should turn left or right. With only forty Rupees and a trunk containing Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagvatam,Srila Prabhupada carried the instructions of his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur close to his heart. In a poem that he penned upon his arrival in America he said,”O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, the
– Akrura: Could you please describe your project? What is Vanipedia?
Visnu Murti: Vanipedia is a humble but bold attempt to offer an unparalleled platform for Srila Prabhupada to continuously inspire and train devotees, strengthening their faith to take up the process of devotional service through his teachings.
It is meant to be a long-term project. We have done this work in the last 35 years since Prabhupada’s demise, but still there is a lot of work to be done. Why? When Srila Prabhupada lef
June 21st, 1976 was a normal day at the Pittsburgh International airport until a group of Krishna devotees from New Vrindaban, dressed in an odd combination of dhotis or saris with large rubber farm boots, appeared. Commuters stared open-mouthed as the fifty-strong crew exploded into a cacophonous burst of chanting, mridanga drums, and gongs in front of the arrival gate.
They were there, of course, to greet their beloved guru Srila Prabhupada, who appeared presently, effulgent and regal with hi
For the pleasure of their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Pancatattva, Nrisimha Dev and His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, Mayapur Local Preaching (MLP) held a ‘Summer camp’ on 13-14th June. More than 200 Bhakti Vriksha devotees participated in this program. On 13th morning, devotees arrived from different places like Krishnanagar, Dhubulia, Bhaluka, Srirampur etc. at ‘Gita Bhavan’. They stayed for 13th & 14th and on 15th morning they returned home after having breakfast Prasadam.
Most of the
“Ratha Yatra on the eve of Ramadan”
How would you describe the moment where devotees from all the different locations in a country come in a spirit so enthusiastic just to celebrate Ratha Yatra of Lord Jagannatha, a moment where people from different faiths join the devotees and chant and dance so blissfully, a moment where you begin to admire the wonderful mercy of Srila Prabhupada and feel so indebted to him for giving us Jagannatha, Baladeva, Subhadra, Their Chariots and the Ratha Yatra fest
“Cultural Awareness Through Drama”
This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Bhaktivedanta Manor’s main drama group. It has been led chiefly by Jaya Krishna Das and Dwarka Puri das but over the years a great many other devotees of all ages and backgrounds have participated and given much of their time.
Disciples of Srila Prabhupada pioneered the first dramas at Bhaktivedanta Manor during the early 1970’s. By 1985 the baton had gradually passed onto the next generation and The Bhaktivedanta Pl
