Are we proud of being honest and straightforward? Do we have a take-it-or-leave-it attitude? Is there a my-way-or-the-highway streak within us? The Vedic world, according to us, can be a very small world indeed.
We might quote sastra and cite references with supreme authority. Because we are ‘authorised’, we must be right all of the time. After all, the teachings of the Vedas and of our acaryas can never be wrong, can they?
What if there is something wrong with us? If we are not pure devotees y
Within ISKCON, the GBC has made significant strides in recent years to inform and train devotees—both leaders and general members—of the need to act ethically, ensure transparency and provide checks and balances at all levels of leadership. But more needs to be done.
“Efforts like the ISKCON Disciple Course, the Spiritual Leadership Seminar [Guru Seminar], the GBC College, ISKCONResolve, and other projects all provide better training for ISKCON members, especially leaders, and to help ISKCON u
News is devotees are all safe. The temple took great damage. I would like to inform you that our temple in Puerto Rico suffered severe damages. The roof was blown off in the hurricane, and much damage to the temple room and other parts of the temple. We have not gotten a full assessment of the damages to the restaurant, but our preaching center was flooded with 1 meter of water. By Krsna’s grace the devotees are all fine. The Deities were moved before the hurricane hit. I hope that our leadersh
Sarva Dasa: As a blogger on a metropolitan newspaper’s religious blog page, I find that some of my references to a higher power or supreme being are met with ridicule or scorn by those readers who profess faith in atheistic views. This is certainly not surprising.
However, even the staunchest atheists will have a hard time logically denying one form of a “higher power” that invariably affects both believer and non-believer alike: almighty time. In the Bhagavad-gita 11.32, Lord Krishna declared,
Kripamoya Das: Sometimes – but only sometimes – I like to think my interfaith credentials are all in order. I mean, as a Vaishnava I regard all religions as paths towards the same supreme Godhead. Religion is one, but the ways we do it – and the outfits we do it in – are many.
God Himself says this in the Bhagavad-gita. (That’s not the Vaishnava God as distinct from the Christian or Jewish God, but the one and only original creator and supreme person.) God says that “All are on my path, and as
Sutapa Das: According to the cosmic cycle described in the Vedas, we are living in the most corrupted epoch. Four fundamental principles underpin any functional society, organization, family or group; self-control, cleanliness, compassion, and truthfulness. When individuals wholeheartedly embrace these virtues, success is guaranteed on every level – physically, emotionally, socially, and most importantly, spiritually. The analysis of the sages, however, reveals that three of the four are practi
By Giriraj Swami
We all want to know who we really are, what role we are meant to play in God’s plan, what contribution we are meant to make to God’s work. And, by God’s grace, we may get a sense of our calling, what we are meant to do in His service. But even then, we may shrink from what we know is our duty, shirk what we know is our responsibility. We may fear the challenges ahead and retreat into what we imagine will be a safer, more comfortable place. We always have that choice–to face God
By Luke Vanderlinden
The American people have demonstrated by their election of Donald J. Trump into the office of president that the greatest significator for success in our modern age is wealth. As the popular saying goes, “Money makes the world go round.” In this way, the deluding potency of the Supreme Lord lulls souls into a false sense of security, thinking that their material assets guarantee perpetual comfort and happiness. However, sastra warns against cultivating such a worldly mental
Acarya Dasa: On August 28th we travelled to the village of Nileshwaram, also known as Nileshwar or Neeleswaram in the Kasaragod district of Kerala. Caitanya Rasamrita Dasa, president of ISKCON Kannur grew up in this village. Actually both he and his family first came into contact with devotees while living in a foreign country. Now, his whole family along with his brothers are devotees. When he received the news that our pāda-yātrā was visiting his village he made arrangements how to welcome us
By Satyaraj Das and Dr. Deadwyler
The question of sampradaya, or the disciplic lineage of spiritual teachers, is the basis of authority for all religious and philosophical teachers and movements arising from the Vedantic traditions. There is no conception of religious organisation among these traditions which does not include reference to sampradaya. Therefore, questions of succession and how the links are made to traditional successions is the most essential ingredient in understanding authent
“Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” ~ Benjamin Disraeli
Bhakti-lata Dasi: One day, three women set off to perform pilgrimage of Varsana – the holy land of Sri Radha. These women would journey through villages, mountaintop temples, and forests, and along the way, they would encounter an array of people – from temple guardians to beggars. Each woman would walk away transformed at the end of the day in unexpected ways.
One of those wome
By Gautam Saha
Most of the times, we are running after money ( dhan ). Money is what makes the world go round, or so it appears. Many a times, this appears to be true. Money enables us to buy goods and services, food, clothing and other basic necessities of life, possessions, home, car, luxuries, etc; Since Laxmi is the goddess of wealth, we worship her to bless us with her favour and benediction. As we are mostly obsessed with money and its acquisition, we do not realize that Laxmi also benedi
From Back to Godhead
By Visakha Devi Dasi
In the face of extreme hardship, Lord Ramachandra’s queen reveals her extraordinary character, founded on her pure devotion to the Lord.
The epic Ramayana, written by the sage Valmiki, tells the story of Lord Ramachandra, Krishna’s incarnation as the perfect king. Lord Rama’s wife, queen, and eternal consort is Sita Devi. She is also the ideal devotee.
Sita Devi’s example shows that one who acts according to God’s desire is peaceful and has harmonious r
From Back to Godhead
By Gauranga Dasa
We all worship someone all of us but the question is…
One of the principles of worship is at traction. When you are reverentially attracted to someone, you have the desire to establish a relationship with that person, and when the relationship is established then you want to perform some worship. Therefore the most important principle is attraction. So the question is what makes a person attractive?
In a spiritual discourse if we announce beforehand that th
Hare Krsna
PAMHO
AGTSP
Online bus booking for Kartik Yatra
(Seat wise booking)
( Howrah Via Airport to Mayapur ) has started.
Limited seats are available.
Charges 475/. per head
For booking devotees can visit our site www.tourmayapur.com
There is a option One way - Devotees can select this One Way option & can proceed for the booking.
Please check the timings while booking.
The time details are as follows:
16/10/17
Ac Bus
Howrah via Airport to Mayapur Time: 07:00 am from Howrah
16/10/17
Ac Bu
By Chaitanya Charan Das
“Man proposes, God disposes” has been the cause of immense frustration for humanity since time immemorial. The best plans are often foiled forever in a single moment by factors beyond human control. Misery can be said to be the condition in which we are unable to get what we want and / or are forced to accept that which we don’t want. A thoughtful person can perceive that misery is an unavoidable, inescapable companion during the sojourn through this world (Bhagavad Gita
Hare Krsna,
In this issue of Illuminations we talk about the power and importance of visualizing ourselves as the kind of devotee we really want to be.
May you always think of Krsna.
Mahatma Das
What You See is What You Get
I’d like you to take a minute and envision the kind of devotee you would like to be if anything were possible. What qualities would you like to possess? How would you like to act? What kind of mentality and attitude would you like to have?
When we first take to Krsna conscio
By Nick Rallo
You’ll find that time slows. You’ll take slower bites, thoughtful and concerted twirls of stir-fried noodles and heaping forkfuls of saucy tofu. Your mind will ease through the flavors like you’re footing your way up the steps of a flight of stone stairs. The lights in the courtyard’s yaupon tree will glimmer.
On my table of polished black, where I’m spooning through a cooling dessert of vanilla sweet rice and halvah — “It’s like vanilla ice cream with a brownie,” I’m told in a in
Sriman Havi Das, a dear disciple of Srila Prabhupada, will receive Grammy Award for Excellence 2017.
Havi das (Ilan Chester) at the age of 19, in 1971 he first met Hare Krishna devotees and two years later he was initiated and given the spiritual name Havi Das by his spiritual master His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Chester has stated on record that ‘Krishna consciousness is and has always been my true source of inspiration. It is the love found in the hearts of the devotee
