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“What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.” BG 2.6

It could be said that any time of the day is the best time of the day for connecting with transcendence – remembering you are not this body, and meditating on the sweet love of the soul that is the essence of Krishna consciousness. However, when Prabhupada was asked what is the best time for chanting japa, meditating on Krishna’s na

Family affection is dictated by the modes of material nature. It is just amazing, as soon as the child comes out of the womb something changes. One father held his new born child and said, “I do not know why I am ready to completely dedicate myself to this person who I do not even know?”

It is a fact that we do not ‘know’ our family members. If we would actually look at them objectively, they are not always favourable. Sometimes it is said that an enemy from a past life takes birth as your son,

By Ravindra-svarupa dasa

About five years ago, when we were having an altar installed in our new temple, the overseer from the marble company would regularly bring his seven-year-old son along to watch. The boy was very handsome, with jet-black hair and pale skin and long, dark eyelashes. He was well-behaved and always seemed in a good humor even though he could hardly walk at all. I never saw him take more than a few steps, leaning on a wall and straining his torso with an awkward twisting mot

05 September 2015, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Initiation Lecture

One year in Vrindavan during Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day program, one of Srila Prabhupada’s earliest disciples, Gargamuni, was present. Now, Gargamuni is a type of personality what you would call an individual, he is not exactly a traditionalist. On that day, Gargamuni was dressed in blue jeans, a black t-shirt and a tiger skin vest. He was standing on the stage, ready to glorify Srila Prabhupada. Some of thevaisnavas present w

In Bhakti yoga or Krishna consciousness, we practice our sadhana in a mood of shelter. When we chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra, we don't simply chant like the mayavadis or at least this is not how it should be done. Mayavadis chant in a ritualistic manner like in repeating names, thats all. Externally it may look the same but pure devotees are not repeating names, they are calling out names of Krishna in a mood of shelter, "Oh Lord, I am so fallen, please give me shelter at your Lotus Feet."

By Madhava Smullen

For the past thirty-five years, the Bhaktivedanta Manor School in England has given children a loving Krishna conscious education, earning its moniker “The Small School With a Big Heart.”

A year ago, the school moved into its own dedicated building. And now, with committed longtime head teacher Guru Charana Padma Dasi set to retire, it’s looking for a new principal to oversee its exciting next phase.

Over the years, the school has contributed much to the community. It first r

By Sunanda Das

In a matter of days, on February 7th, ISKCON leaders and devotees worldwide will be converging at the holy place of Sridhama Mayapur for the historic occasion of the installation of the final two Chakras onto the domes of Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Pancha Tattva and Lord Nrsimhadeva a top the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. This pivotal event represents the achievement of another milestone of success in the completion of the TOVP, and heralds the next phase of construction as we app

By Chaitanya Charan Das

When we are good at something, we can easily spot others’ weaknesses in that area. For example, if we are good at language, our attention automatically zooms to others’ grammatical shortcomings.

Still, when people have an ability deficiency – they are tone-deaf – we learn to live with it. But when they have a behavioral deficiency – they are forgetful, untidy or unpunctual – we often find that intolerable. We feel that they could easily improve, if they would just try.

H

From 17 to 25th February, 2018 in Sri Mayapur Dham, India. This year is the celebration of the fact that it was 100 years ago that Srila Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Thakur started Sri Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama. For more information and to register please visit: www.navadvipaparikrama.com.

Source: https://iskconnews.org/video/invitation-to-navadvip-mandala-parikrama-2018,1508/

By Shilpy Malhotra

The literal meaning of the Sanskrit word “prasadam” is mercy. So when we say “Krishna prasadam” we are referring to Krishna’s mercy.

Krishna is the owner of everything & we can do nothing without his mercy. We can take the things that Krishna provides and use these raw materials to produce something. In order to create something, we use the intelligence that is gifted to us by Krishna. Thus, we can not make anything unless Krishna provides the raw materials.

The concept of pr

Jananivas: In 1973 we had just completed the lotus building in Mayapur. I went to Prabhupada’s room and asked him,
“Can Lord Chaitanya wear a peacock feather?”
He said, “Why not? He is Krishna.”
I told him some of the Gaudiya Math people were complaining that Lord Chaitanya shouldn’t wear a peacock feather.
Srila Prabhupada became very disappointed and he just looked down. He didn’t say anything else.
I took it to mean that he was disturbed that his God-brothers always criticized him.
In fact

If we do not have a connection with Srimad Bhagavatam, then spiritual life becomes dry! Chanting becomes difficult and then the four regulative principles become very narrow and gradually with time, we start craving for more space. Even though we have all the knowledge, even though we have been enlivened in Krsna consciousness and even though we have been so surrendered, at one point it will become too narrow! So the Bhagavatam is very important because it is the science that explains everythin

By Nitya Kishor Devi Dasi

ISKCON Mayapur welcomes all of you to the most auspicious of the events!

Śrī Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama 2018.

This year we are celebrating 100 years that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur started the Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama.

Nowadays, every year more than 8 thousand devotees from more than 50 countries come to Parikrama. It is a life changing experience for each one of them!

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur says: By performing Sri Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama the who

Srila Prabhupada: Although there is no Deity, still this Hare Krishna Mantra is considered to be the sound vibration incarnation of Krishna. Actually, we should give more stress in worshiping the incarnation of sound vibration but whenever there is possibility of installing Deities and strictly following the regulations of worship, we shall do this, but the essential part of our activities is to worship the sound incarnation.
– Letter to Visnujana – Bombay 4 April 1971

Source: http://www.dandav

Srila Prabhupada: “This is a simple method. All you have to do is bow down before Krishna with faith and say, ‘My Lord Krishna, I was forgetful of You for so long, for so many lives. Now I have come to my consciousness; please accept me.’ That’s all. If one simply learns this technique and sincerely surrenders himself to the Lord, his path is immediately open.”
(Science of Self-Realization, Chapter 7)

By Gopiparanadhana Das

yena sva-rocisa visvam rocitam rocayamy aham yatharko ‘gnir yatha somo yatharksa-graha-tarakah

So, in our material consciousness we think that Krishna is very distant. Even after practicing devotional service for many years. We vaguely perceive the presence of Krishna in His holy name. When we come to the mangal-arati we are vaguely aware that Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda are standing there on the altar. Or maybe we spend the whole mangal-arati not giving any attenti

There was a video clip about teenagers in Australia who have a very hard life – they have iPads with only 1 GB memory space! And on Saturdays their parents would do all the shopping for the week, drive the car into the garage and then the kids had to carry all that shopping, all the way from the car to the kitchen! Oh my God, what an intense life! So this is the suffering of the young generation in Australia. (laughter)

Anyway, we are all like that. Everything is too much. Kitchen sinks are fil

The individuality of the self is a central teaching in Vaisnava philosophy, but what is our practical understanding of this term? Individuality is present in all living beings on both a material and a spiritual level. This article translates how this concept needs to relate to education practices in ISKCON today. The author explores evidence in some of Srila Prabhupada’ writings and scripture that deal with the issue of individuality together with some more recent research by academics in the f

“All their hearts were melting for Him on the pot of attraction. They looked at Him without blinking their eyes, and they moved hither and thither in perplexity.” (SB 1.10.4)

Yes. Krsna, the very name, suggests attractive. Krsna means all-attractive. (from Srimad Bhagavatam lecture June 19, 1973 in Mayapura India)

Full lecture

Krishna Means All Attractive
Lecture by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.4
Mayapura, June 19, 1973

Pradyumna: (leads chanting,

“We were student of economics and there