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PM Modi has applauded the move saying that it is a well-deserved recognition for this iconic festival.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said the recognition was accorded by the Inter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, an entity which works under UNESCO. The decision to recognize the Kumbh Mela was taken at its ongoing meeting in Jeju, South Korea.

The inscription of the Kumbh Mela was recommended by the expert body which examines t

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu predicted:

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma /sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

“In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard.”

– Sri Caitanya-Bhagavata, Antya-khaṇḍa, 4.126

To fulfil the desire of Lord Caitanya, Srila Prabhupada globalized the chanting of the Hare Krishna mahamantra and his disciples spread it in cities and villages far and wide.  The chanting of the holy names continues to spread, reaching even the most remote areas.  In India, one

By Gopamatrka devi dasi

A mother’s extraordinary love for her premature son draws those around her closer to transcendental knowledge of the soul.

In college Carol studied psychology and sociology, preparing for social work. Living in a Catholic convent during her first two years of college, she had hoped her aspiration to serve God and humanity would find its fulfillment there. But feeling that there must be a universal platform on which all people can relate, she felt compelled to search bey

By Ramai Swami

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, appeared in Sri Ksetra Dhama, (Jagannatha Puri) on February 6th 1874 as the son of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. In his childhood he quickly mastered the Vedas, memorised the Bhagavad-Gita, and relished his father’s philosophical works. He became known as “The Living Encyclopaedia” for his vast knowledge.

He preached convincingly against casteism and philosophical deviations from Gaudiya Vaisnavism. He tried to unite the four Vaisnava sampra

A Mantra Yoga Lounge in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is attracting young people to begin chanting. And it’s changing lives in the process.

Krishna consciousness in Portugal is surprisingly recent. Although there were several attempts by devotees to preach there in the 1970s and 1980s, ISKCON Lisbon was born as late as 1996, as a gift to Srila Prabhupada for his Centennial.

Today, with a well-loved Food For Life program, a Rathayatra festival funded and co-organized by City Hall, and a succe

By Kevala-Bhakti Dasa  (Keshav)

On New Year's Day, Sunday, January 1st, 2018, Toronto's Hare Krishna temple will be hosting our annual Srila Prabhupada Festival!  Promising to be a great way to start the new year, the festival is usually one of the biggest of the year.

The festival will feature plenty of kirtan, wonderful classes, dynamic presentations and a sumptuous feast to help ring in the new year!  You won’t want to miss it!  There will be no better way to usher in the new year on an ausp

By Kadamba Kanana Swami

If Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura would be with us today then he would be a BBT man because he was trained by this father, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, in publishing books. He published so many varieties of books and magazines. Book distribution is a natural thing…

Srila Prabhupada was carrying forward that mood of his spiritual master. Even in the war in 1944, Srila Prabhupada produced a ‘Back to Godhead’ magazine as part of his mission. This was very difficult t

By Bhaktimarga Swami

By Kadamba Kanana Swami

Printing books certainly is our family business. There is no doubt about that. Although the early days of ISKCON were centred around harinama and distribution of magazines on the street still Prabhupada printed books. Prabhupada had arranged books to be printed and there were basements filled with books and no one knew what to do with them. 

So the books were being stored in the basement but one devotee in particular, Buddhimanta, once he took some of these books with him

By Purushottam Kumar

While being crucified, Jesus cried. But he did not cry for himself, instead he cried for those who were committing the gravest sin. Jesus was continuously praying to God to forgive those who were menacingly torturing and trying to kill him. Jesus, the son of God, had come to this world to spread the message of peace and love and to effect this change he was ready to sacrifice everything. This is the foremost quality of a holy man, for spreading God consciousness he is ready

By Vaisesika Das

The Prabhupada Marathon Is Mere Nostalgia, Right?

Wrong!

Nostalgia is nothing more than a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past. Sréla Prabhupada’s Marathon, the worldwide end-of-year push by ISKCON devotees to increase book distribution, is far from sentimental; rather, it motivates action now and increases the practical results. It is just as important today as it was in December of 1972 when the devotees in Los Angeles, California, started this now-traditiona

Dear Devotee,
 
Since Christmas is just a few days away, I thought it would be appropriate and enlightening to look at Prabhupada’s views on Christmas and Christ.
 
May you always think of Krsna,

Mahatma Das

Prabhupada didn’t see Christianity, or any bona fide religion, as different from Vaisnavism.

“This awakening of pure love of God is the ultimate perfection of all bona fide religious principles including Christian, Judaic, Mohammedan, Hindu, etc. Just as it is recorded that Lord Jesus Chris

By Chaitanya Charan Das 

The notion of miracles is often seen as antithetical to science. Miracles connote sudden, arbitrary and even disorderly events that go against the natural order of things – such as the parting of seas or the lifting of mountains or walking on water. Science involves a meticulous study of the natural order, a study that leads to adoration and even adulation of nature and its laws, which are sometimes enshrined as if supreme.

Miracles are frequently associated with God, w

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Srila Prabhupada’s spiritual master, is my grand spiritual master, but I feel that I never really knew him that well until I read his biography Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava by my godbrother Bhakti Vikasa Swami. Many of the quotes and references below come from that work, which has helped bring me closer to my spiritual grandfather.

We are all here by the mercy of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna Caitan

The quality of humility and the quality of being able to develop love of God come together. It is not possible to develop love of God if there is no humility in our hearts. A person who is proud, how can he hear!? His ears are blocked because he is overwhelmed by his own ideas that he cannot even hear what everyone else says. But if one is humble, then one can think, ‘Yes, I need mercy.’

So a humble personality is eager to hear and being eager to hear from superior personalities also brings abo