By Praghosa Das
The aim of this paper is to present how the “No Objection” procedure, the mechanism the GBC has established to encourage devotees to serve as diksa-gurus in ISKCON, is not contrary to Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta. We will examine how the system came to be and why it remains in place as the best option available now for the GBC to ensure as best it can, that ISKCON has qualified diksa-gurus available to its aspiring bhaktas. It will also look at how the procedure best
Some people say, “After 36 years that I have been chanting, I can see no result!”
Do not worry, one day we will all realise that making spiritual advancement is not easy. It takes time. It is a slow process. We make spiritual advancement but we do not see it. One may have no taste for chanting but if one day, it is forbidden to chant; we still cannot stop it. It is not possible. That is how it is. It is deeper that we think it is. At the end of life, all that counts is spiritual advancement. Al
By GBC Attorney Guru Gauranga Das (ACBSP)
On January 19, 2018, an emergency hearing was held in New York Supreme Court for Kings County on an application for a temporary restraining order (“TRO”) enjoining the Bharati Center Board led by Ramabhadra Das (the “Ramabhadra Board”) “from interfering with any congregant’s attendance at worship, service and other religious functions in the ISKCON Bharati Center house of worship in Brooklyn, NY.”
The application was submitted jointly by ISKCON’s Govern
By Lila-sakti Devi dasi
2017 was a year full of forward movement and positive changes at ISKCON New Goloka. Established in 1985, our aging temple infrastructure is currently being upgraded and updated to comply with required local building codes. Orange County, North Carolina is particularly stringent with their commercial code requirements, so the renovation process has been long, tedious, and costly. By Krishna’s mercy, however, we are in the home stretch of completing the first part of a mul
By Rasika Kanai Das
On the occasion of ‘Narottama Purnima’, the birth anniversary of Prema Bhakti Mahajan Srila Narottama Das Thakur Mahasaya with fully auspicious festivity in Kheturi Dham, Godagari, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabu left behind Krishna Prema through Padmavati, the river Padma flowing by the side of Prematali, the most auspicious holy place for the vaishnavas. At the age of twelve Narottama dasa Thakura had a vision of Lord Nityananda in a dream. He told Nar
By Hari Narayana Das
Sulawesi is one of the main islands of Indonesia and Kendari is the capital city of South East Sulawesi. We took a flight from Bali to Makassar for a transit of about two hours then another flight to Pomala airport at Kolaka, Sulawesi where devotees were eagerly waiting to receive us. That evening we had the opportunity to interact with few guests who were leaders of Hindu community there. They were happy to discuss Bhagavad-gita with us and also took some books. Next day,
By Rasika Raman Das
A two-day international conference on Vaishnavism: Theory and Practice was held on 18th and 19th December, 2017 at Jadavpur University, organized in collaboration with Stockholm University (Sweden). In this session devotees from various academic fields represented proper a understanding of Vaishnavism and the impact of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement.
Pro Vice Chancellor of Jadavpur University, Prof. PK Ghosh, spoke on the importance of interdisciplinary studies, religi
By Kadamba Kanana Swami
Srila Rupa Goswami said, “Do not go to Kesi Ghat if you have material desires.” But when Krsna plays his flute in Vrindavan how can one not go. We should all go to Vrindavan. Srila Prabhupada used to tell the story of the thief in a village…
Krsna is unlimitedly beautiful. One of His flutes is called sammohini, the bewildering flute. Krsna is always dressed beautifully and on His chest He has a big Kastubha jewel. Once a thief heard about that and he thought that his lif
By Chandan Yatra Das
Over 100 new people committed to chanting at least one round of the Hare Krishna mahamantra everyday at a week-long Bhagavata Saptah discourse from 9th January to 15th January in Surat.
Almost 1500 devotees thronged to hear the discourse based on the story of Prahalada Maharaja in the Srimad Bhagavatam, delivered by Chandra Govinda Das, an eminent exponent of Srimad Bhagavatam, who is a disciple of His Holiness Radha Govinda Swami.
“The lectures started with melodious kirtan and bhajans every
By Karnamrita Das
THINKING ABOUT THE "THIN RED LINE" IN RELATIONSHIP TO LIFE'S DUALITIES, quotes about SUCCESS from various sources : This was a title from a movie about the horrors of war that comes from an old Midwestern saying, "There's only a thin red line between the sane and the mad." This title first came to mind some years ago as I was dealing with the flu for many weeks and couldn't seem to get much better, and then again with my cancer diagnosis and simply observing myself and others,
Speaker: HH Bhakti Rasamrita Maharaj
Caitanya Caritamrita – Adilila Chapter 8 Text 42
Date: 05 February 2018
Mayapur Dhama
Verse
etāvaj janma-sāphalyaṁ
dehinām iha dehiṣu
prāṇair arthair dhiyā
vācā śreya-ācaraṇaṁ sadā
SYNONYMS
etāvat—up to this; janma—of birth; sāphalyam—perfection; dehinām—of every living being; iha—in this world; dehiṣu—toward those who are embodied; prāṇaiḥ—by life; arthaiḥ—by wealth; dhiyā—by intelligence; vācā—by words; śreyaḥ—eternal good fortune; ācaraṇam—acting practica
By Bhakti Chaitanya Swami
The GBC meetings continued today with an amazing two hour presentation on book distribution from Vaisheshika prabhu, one of the main leaders of the resurgence of the distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books around the world. All the GBC members were deeply affected by his sincerity and heart felt commitment to this most essential program of His Divine Grace. The enthusiasm generated in the room was quite overwhelming, and many of the members, who previously had done a
Subroto Das: Please find below the link of interview of HG Ambarisa Das Prabhu in Telegraph all editions on the eve of Grand installation of Chakras on TOVP.
(From top) The gold-plated steel wheel and the Temple of Vedic Planetarium under construction; Alfred Ford at Mayapur on Monday. Pictures by Abhi Ghosh
Gold wheel to adorn temple
Iskcon Chakra will attract tourists: Ford
Mayapur: Ambarish Das, better known as Alfred Ford, said on Monday that a gold-plated stainless steel giant wheel or c
All our material activities, our karma, leave many impressions on our mind. All our actions in all our past lives have left impressions on our mind. All these impressions are still in our subconscious and they still affect us. It is just like eating sugarcane. We chew and remove all the juice but still, we keep on chewing – chewing the chewed. Like that, we have so many desires. Again and again the same desires. Even something that we may not like, still we will accept it out of fear of losing
The Bhagavad-gita teaches, “O son of Kuntī, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.” Gita 2.14
There are many emotions we feel throughout the day; sadness is one of them. It often sweeps across us like grey clouds on an otherwise bright day. It may be trigge
Never Alone!
ISKCON of DC: There is a beautiful story of Srila Prabhupada in 1966 sitting by himself on a bench in New York on a snowy, cold January morning. Another gentleman came and sat beside him and they began to talk. Perhaps feeling a bit sorry for Prabhupada, he asked him if he knew anyone in New York. Prabhupada held up his chanting beads and said, “I am never alone.”
Most of us will experience being alone at some point in our life. For some it’s an extended sense of loneliness. For o
Transcribed by Suvilasi Madhavi dd, Singapore
Speaker: HG Devakinandan Das
Srimad Bhagavatam 4.16.7
Date: 04 February 2018
Mayapur Dhama
titiksaty akramam vainya
upary akramatam api
bhutanam karunah sasvad
artanam ksiti-vrttiman
Synonyms:
titiksati — tolerates; akramam — offense; vainyah — the son of King Vena; upari — on his head; akramatam — of those who are trampling; api — also; bhutanam — to all living entities; karunah — very kindhearted; sasvat — always; artanam — to the aggrieved; ksiti
By Bhakti Chaitanya Swami
The Organizational Development made various presentations to the GBC Body of items for streamlining the functions of the Body, and making the Body’s activities more effective for spreading Srila Prabhupada’s movement. Many leading devotees from around the globe were there.
Photo: Click here
