Blog

By Vraja Kishor

QUESTION: Another thing which I wanted to ask you was regarding Chanting. Japa as I have understood is a Dhayana Yoga with Dhayana being done on Sri Naam which is non different from Sri Hari. So whatever Krishna has said in Chapter 6 can be taken as an aid towards Sri Naam Dhayan.

This is true but remember what he says later too. For example in Chapter 12 at the beginning.

Krishna nāma mantra is basically like any other form of meditation (dhyāna), and therefore should follow th

By Subhag Swami

I am very happy to hear that devotees are gathering together in Penang to pay their homage to His Holiness Bhakti Vrajendra Swami Maharaj and showing their love, affection, dedication and loving service to the cause of our society, mission of Sri ChaitnyaMahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada. He is definitely a great soul, Mahatma… I know him from Birmingham from early 70’s. He used to come to the Birmingham centre and whatever he gets, he used to help the centre as the temple used to

By Kesava Krsna Dasa

Because we think we are “not the body”, it can lead us to do so many wrong things in the name of Bhakti.  It can induce false detachment and renunciation.  That is, pushing oneself to be detached without spiritual taste to replace it – it becomes an off-the-body form of mind and body deprivation that does not last, because it is exerted by passion, not natural spiritual progress.

An artificial renouncer might think, “I am denying myself of all trappings of sense gratificati

By Ramai Swami

There are many devotional programs going on in the greater Sydney area. Sometimes they are held in halls and other times at devotee homes. Generally, there is kirtan, lecture, arati and prasadam feast.

Recently, I was invited to attend a program in the home of Umesh Prabhu and his good wife Suman Prabhu. They have a beautiful dedicated temple room and about fifty enthusiastic devotees attended the evening.

Source: http://www.ramaiswami.com/sydney-west-program/

By Giriraj Swami

Today Santa Barbara County lifted the evacuation order for the neighborhood of my ashram in Carpinteria, and Kuntidevi will be returning with the Deities and other items, to begin the arduous process of cleaning up the property, reestablishing the worship, and restoring the ashram to proper function. We wish her well in her endeavor, in difficult circumstances, by Srila Prabhupada and Their Lordships’ grace.

Hare Krishna.

Source: http://www.girirajswami.com/?p=12340

By Bhagavan Dasa

Since a long time in its history, Teresópolis, Brazil, has been considered a good place for rest. Its name, "City of Teresa", is due to the fact that the empress Mrs. Teresa Cristina, wife of the emperor D. Pedro II, considered the city one of her favorite places for trip and vacations. Among traders coming from north, Teresopolis also represented a landing place, but shorter: on their way to do business in the port of Rio de Janeiro, they would stop for a day in Teresópolis an

Concerned about India’s falling rank on the Global Hunger Index, ISKCON Food Relief Foundation’s Haryana chapter is to launch a campaign against hunger. Through this campaign, the foundation aims at eradicating hunger and malnutrition from India starting with the Haryana State.

The recently announced Global Hunger Index (GHI-2017) is nothing less than an alarm bell for India. The country ranked 97 in GHI-2016, but has slipped to 100 this year. Concerned about the declining rank, ISKCON Food Rel

By Karnamrita Das

THE POWER OF QUESTIONS and MEDITATION ON WHO WE THINK WE ARE: A natural process for me, almost like breathing, is my daily and frequent contemplation to question myself as to what I am truly absorbed in, focused on, and desire more than anything else, and also my aspirations and highest ideals, or what I want to be absorbed in, and become.( My prayer life is full of sharing this with Krishna, and praying for the empowerment to best serve others by who I am, and who I am becomin

By Giriraj Swami

I have been moved by the many devotees who have written me expressing their concern about the wildfires in the Carpinteria area and informing me of their prayers for me and the other residents. Your concern and prayers mean much to me, and I feel obliged to you all and offer you my heartfelt thanks. Your care is much appreciated, and you all are very dear to me.

Hare Krishna.

By Kadamba Kanana Swami

I remember going door-to-door on book distribution and it was all okay until I came to this one house. The door opened and there was a monster – a huge guy, all leather clad, looking like an enormous Hells Angel. In those days, there were many of them.

I was thinking and I started to pray to Lord Nrsimhadeva, “Oh my god, how do I get out of here quietly?” but it was too late and the guy said, “What do you want?”

I go like, (high-pitched soft voice) “Book.”

He says, “Oh, h

By Danavir Goswami

From its early years to present, ISKCON has witnessed droves of devotees leave their bodies while traveling in automobiles. Although devotees don’t drink and drive, many male devotee drivers that I know are virtual terrors behind the wheel. With a desire to reduce Vaisnava auto tragedies and hoping to improve our service to Lord Krishna, Srila Prabhupada and our spiritual authorities, we humbly suggest some guidelines for devotee drivers to follow.

Let us begin by understandi

ISKCON Baltimore’s Jiva Daya Sankirtana Team has been distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books in many creative ways over the years, including placing them in prison libraries and motels. This year so far, for instance, they have put 500 books in prisons, and 13,000 Bhagavad-gitas in motel drawers. 

In June 2016, after brainstorming more ways to share Prabhupada’s books, a five-person team was created to place them in hospitals and hospices. 

Bhakti-lata Dasi, Tarini Ganga Dasi, Prema-Dhama Das, S

By Jayadvaita Swami and Guru Gauranga Das

December 6, 2017 - New York Supreme Court for Kings County Room 525 was filled with Krishna devotees opposing a petition seeking approval of the sale of their temple in Brooklyn. Also appearing in court to oppose the proposed sale were attorneys for ISKCON's Governing Body Commission (GBC), an attorney for the newly reconstituted Bharati Center board, and a New York Assistant Attorney General.

New York State law requires court approval of the sale of re

By Kadamba Kanana Swami

There are techniques to book distribution. Vaisesika Prabhu is not only a leading distributor in our society but Vaisesika has demystified it. Book distribution has always been sort of a mystical thing! How do you do it – is it hypnosis OR is it just being assertive OR do you sweet talk people into it, “Hi, are you from here or out of town? Well, you are the lucky one! Congratulations, only a hundred people today get a promotional copy of this book. There you go… ”

Then

By Madhava Smullen

Beloved kirtaniya and Prabhupada disciple Agnideva Das has been discharged from hospital and is on the road to recovery, causing devotees around the world to breathe a sigh of relief.

During a kirtan tour of Australia and New Zealand, Agnideva was rushed to the hospital in Sydney on October 14th with a lung infection and very low oxygen levels.

When he began coughing and spitting up blood, doctors placed him in an induced coma to stabilize his condition, as well as on a venti

By Kadamba Kanana Swami

There are always people who will say no to a book today. In their mind, they had to make the choice and they said no. However, some attachment, some curiosity has been awakened and the next time you offer it, again they may say no but then one day, they will come on their own. They say, “Excuse me. Can I have one of those books?” People like that come out of nowhere. Those are the people who got the ajnata-sukrti (unknown spiritual benefit). Those who say NO today are th