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By Chaitanya Charan Das

Some people study scripture largely, if not entirely, from a historical perspective – they focus on when it was written, what was the general culture then, and what were the specific contexts for its statements.
Such a history-centered approach, though useful in understanding some aspects of scripture, misses its essence. Scripture essentially is divinity’s guiding revelation to humanity, offering wisdom on life and living whose relevance extends throughout history. The

By Purushottam Nitai Das

The stars are still smiling in the sky, the birds are still sleeping in their nests, the big trees and the small plants are curiously looking around enjoying the spectacle, the water in the nearby Ganges are resting peacefully, the cool breeze is singing shyly occasionally touching the sacred river gently and immediately racing to catch up with the devotees who are quickly walking towards the temple. Men, women, children walk briskly lest they miss the momentous opportu

In the age of kali, the general populace consists of two kinds of people – animals and hypocrites. Animals that are the blatantly degraded ones and hypocrites act as if they are not degraded but actually are! These are the only two classes of people will we can find in this age. Hypocrites walk around in nicely polished suits and with their snobbish noses are looking down on others that are so degraded but they too engage in so many sinful activities, hidden and secretly.

So without Krsna consc

Editors’s note: Quite often, those unaware of the knowledge treasured in India’s ancient Vedic scriptures get jitters at the idea that animals can be part of celestial beings and have their place in Hindu temples. This lack of knowledge induces them to conclude that such descriptions in the Vedas and Puranas must be mythology. The reality, however, is entirely different. Animals are very much a part of every civilization. The same is true for the civilizations of celestial beings, who are seen

What would you do if the White House were to announce that President Trump added India to the list of nations whose citizens are temporarily banned from entering the United States? What if the president announced that banning entry to majority Hindu countries is a small price to pay for keeping America safe? Such a scenario is at least worthy of discussion.

Does Bhakti have a role to play in current events? Since followers of Krishna consciousness benefit from First Amendment religious freedoms

I recently connected with a childhood friend who also became a monk. As you can imagine, we had lots to talk about, and lots in common. In his tradition, one of the monastic vows is to never touch money; and if he does, even by accident, he observes complete fasting for a day. Serious detachment. Admittedly, if I had adopted that vow I’d be dead and cremated by now – financial transactions seem a staple part of my daily life! But money is dangerous, and time and time again we see how it can att

Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education (VIHE), is heartily inviting you to take part in the forthcoming 8th Annual International Vaishnavi Retreat, which will be held on March 20-25, 2018 at Govardhana.
Our beloved teachers for this year will be Her Grace Yasomati Devi Dasi, Her Grace Kisori Devi Dasi, Her Grace Damodara Priya Devi Dasi and Her Grace Prasanta Devi Dasi
The aim of the event is to facilitate spiritual association among women in bhakti. Focused on hearing and chanting, it offers

By Damodar das

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.17.

“A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he is vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere. A living being is constitutionally a spiritual spark of the complete whole, and his happiness can be perfectly perceived in spiritual activities. The Lord is the complete spirit whole, and His name, form, quality, pastimes, entour

By Kadamba Kanana Swami

Another point that I find is very nice in the purport of Gajendra, the elephant, is how Srila Prabhupada speaks of when Gajendra assumed a spiritual body when his body was touched by the Lord. We see how Srila Prabhupada’s mind works as he describes, “Gajendra assumed a spiritual body when his body was touched by the Lord,” and immediately he writes, “Similarly, Dhruva Maharaj assumed his spiritual body in this way,” and then goes to the arcana-paddhati, the process of d

By Ananda

Srila Prabhupada in simple English explains the process of Krishna Consciousness in three steps;

1. In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. 
2. In the next stage, one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. 
3. By execution of devotional service under the guidance

By Kadamba Kanana Swami

In the pastime of Gajendra, the elephant, (Srimad Bhagavatam, canto 8, chapters 2-4) the first significant point is that Gajendra managed to attract the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by chanting a mantra. He remembered the mantra from a previous life during this time of the extreme distress that he was going through when a crocodile was attacking his leg, and that cut through the layers of the fog of ignorance! This prayer, from his previous life, emerged a

By Kadamba Kanana Swami

Another point that I find is very nice in the purport of Gajendra, the elephant, is how Srila Prabhupada speaks of when Gajendra assumed a spiritual body, when his body was touched by the Lord. We see how Srila Prabhupada’s mind works as he describes, “Gajendra assumed a spiritual body when his body was touched by the Lord,” and immediately he writes, “Similarly, Dhruva Maharaj assumed his spiritual body in this way,” and then goes to the arcana-paddhati, the process of

By Mahatma das

Yamuna devi said in an interview on the film, Women of Bhakti, “When you live bhakti, you give bhakti.” It’s true. What you live is what you give.

I once attended a workshop facilitation training in which we were taught that many people will come to our trainings with the mindset of “I already know that.” They explained that they might know of it, about it, or are familiar with it, but they don’t know it unless they live it.

So if our audience thinks they already know what we wil

By Sri Bhakti Das

For the second time in the history of Chilean Courts Krishna Sambandha made a cultural preaching program in the Supreme Court of Justice. This time the President, Mr. Hugo Dolmestch received the biography of his Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.

The activity consisted of a concert with devotional dance by the renowned maestra Usha Vikas, a brief talk on Vaisnava philosophy, a prasad cocktail and free distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books to all attendees

14 January 2018, Mumbai.
Sunday, on the eve of Makar Sankranti and the 40th anniversary of Juhu Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari temple, the most awaited book launch of Bombay Is My Office took place amidst a respected gathering of nearly 10000 devotees, congregation members, friends and well wishers who had gathered on Jamnabai Narsee School Ground, Juhu Mumbai to celebrate the occasion.

Bombay Is My Office was launched by His Excellency Padmanabh Acharya, the Governor of Nagaland. Several dignitarie

In Vrindavan, at one point I was the Temple President. It was a very big temple so I never had a peaceful moment! Prabhupada made a rule that the Temple President was to sign off on every cheque that went out of the temple and there were lots of cheques every day. Lots of them and people would come all the time, “Please can you sign this? Please can you sign this?” Sometimes even I was in the shower, they would knock on the door and say, “Please, open up, can you sign this cheque?”

Sometimes I

By Giriraj Swami

Opening the Juhu Temple

Before the Vrindavan temple opening, Srila Prabhupada had instructed us to organize it the way Maharaja Yudhisthira had organized the Rajasuya sacrifice, with a prominent person in charge of each department. As stated in Krsna, “King Yudhisthira arranged to perform the Rajasuya sacrifice. He invited all the qualified brahmanas and sages to take part and appointed them to different positions as priests in charge of the sacrificial arena.”

For the Juhu tem

Like so many things, both Economy and Cow Protection can exist in the Mode of Ignorance, the Mode of Passion and the Mode of Goodness. And although the Economic models can be perceived easily through the different modes of Nature, its way more difficult to differentiate Cow Protection within the different modes of Nature. It’s only been within the last 20 years or so that Cow Protection has taken on any kind of form. That it is not just a bunch of cows hanging around a field with red hands all

Rupa-vilasa: We were spending a little time with Prabhupada’s God-brother Krsna das Babaji Maharaj with whom he had a very affectionate relationship.
He was telling us the story of Prabhupada’s taking sannyas and he said,
“The ceremony was going on. With Kesava Maharaj overseeing and conducting the initiation, Narayana Maharaj was chanting the mantras and I was doing bhajan. But as is my habit I got a little too loud.
“So Kesava Maharaj was making a gesture with his hand palm down as if to say,