The individuality of the self is a central teaching in Vaisnava philosophy, but what is our practical understanding of this term? Individuality is present in all living beings on both a material and a spiritual level. This article translates how this concept needs to relate to education practices in ISKCON today. The author explores evidence in some of Srila Prabhupada’ writings and scripture that deal with the issue of individuality together with some more recent research by academics in the f
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“All their hearts were melting for Him on the pot of attraction. They looked at Him without blinking their eyes, and they moved hither and thither in perplexity.” (SB 1.10.4)
Yes. Krsna, the very name, suggests attractive. Krsna means all-attractive. (from Srimad Bhagavatam lecture June 19, 1973 in Mayapura India)
Full lecture
Krishna Means All Attractive
Lecture by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.4
Mayapura, June 19, 1973
Pradyumna: (leads chanting,
What’s the importance of the family in society? Are men and women the same? What value, particularly, do women have to social peace and harmony? If women have a special role, how is it best accomplished? This article from First Things gives a simple and interesting perspective. As an introduction to the article, here is a quote from Prabhupada that makes the same point…
This is from a lecture by Srila Prabhupada about the value of family and women:
“We were student of economics and there
By Karnamrita Das
I have studied many alternative healing methods, yet I feel our healing power is also transmitted through the written or spoken word, through which I personally share my struggles, and successes on my spiritual journey. Our words increase in potency by our purity, sincerity, and surrender along with spiritual backing from our gurus and the merciful Lord. As important as hearing scriptural stories and spiritual philosophy are for helping awaken our sleeping spiritual self, I fee
Krsna is our solution. Krsna will fulfil our desires. Everything we need, we find it in Krsna and if destiny does not go our way, “My dream, it didn’t work out. Everything, it all collapsed!” It is all right, accept Krsna’s will and somehow or other, tolerate it. If it is difficult, then know, “Krsna wants me to bear this difficulty and this will make me strong.” We know that if life was so soft and if life was so easy what we would become…
Once, I was on a train. I had to carry a suitcase of ca
Live From Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir!
Date: Topic: Maharaj Prthu’s Going Back Home Verse: SB 4.23.17 Occassion: Appearance of Sri Varahadeva
Speaker: HG Hari Sauri Prabhu
________________________________________
So Yesterday was the transcendental appearance day of Lord Varaha. We have got the regular Bhagavatam verse on the board from Prthu Maharaj’s going back to Godhead. However we are not going to read that this morning. We are going to talk about Lord Varahadev instead because it is
Transcript of HH Bhakti Gauravani Goswami’s class on this subject in Mayapur
Kindly transcribed by Madhumati Priyasakhi DD and edited by Sarasvati Priya DD.
From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir
Speaker: HH Bhakti Gauravani Goswami
Subject: Varahadeva’s Appearance Day
Maharaj sings “Dasavatara Stotra by Jayadeva Goswami”.
Sri Varaha deva mahatosav ki
Let us begin by considering the philosophical truth of Krishna’s incarnations, so that way we will get the perspective on His descent to this mater
Nityananda Prabhu’s appearance day lecture.
Hare Krishna!, So Nityananda prabhu is Balaram.
“brajendra-nandana yei, Saci-suta hoilo sei,
balarama hoilo nitai “
Brajendra Nandana Krishna became Sacinandana Gaura Hari, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Balaram appeared as Nityananda prabhu. One interesting thing to note in this respect is, although Gaura Mandala Bhumi, the land of Bengal is Glolok navadvip, it is the spiritual sky. But Bengal or Guaramadala Bhumi was not recognised as holy place. Becau
By Julia Djeke
Those Hare Krishnas in the Big Apple: A Skeptic’s Tale.
People barely look you in the eyes in New York City. They’re trained to avoid it, either by toying with their iPhones or noticing something flashier. The subtext is: anywhere but here, anyone but you.
Unsurprisingly, loneliness has weaseled into my life. It manifests as a sense of fumbling through the day and needing to muster up energy to do anything. I’ve grown increasingly isolated, spending days in my pajamas, staring do
By ISKCON Surat Communications
Over 1000 young people from three premiere educational institutions of Surat heard Radheshyam Das, President of ISKCON Pune, speak about various spiritual topics on 22nd January.
Radheshyam Das, who is one of ISKCON’s pioneering youth outreach leaders, spoke on subjects such as: building bonds of trust, awakening leadership abilities, and true freedom.
“The students were totally engrossed by the gravity of the spiritual topics, and the practical nature of the phil
By Ganapati Govind Das
ISKCON Of CT has been around for more than 35 years and during that time, the small congregation has been using a small house in East Hartford as a Temple. The presiding Deities are Lord Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra Devi, along with Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai. The congregation has been actively distributing books for many years, but the year 2015 brought a dramatic change in the history of ISKCON CT.
In 2015, the Temple President – His Grace Pyari Mohan Prabhu decided to send
By Kadamba Kanana Swami
Sometimes there are devotees, that when you ask them, “What have you read?”, they say, “Oh, many of Prabhupada’s books.” Then they give you a whole list of all small books: Elevation to Krsna Consciousness, The Perfection of Yoga. Then they say, “Well, I am trying to finish the Bhagavad-gita…” and then I ask, “Bhagavatam?” and they reply, “Well… not yet but I am planning to start it.”
Bhagavatam is the central core of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement. It is Bhagavatam
By Radha Mohan Das
Sally Hedges Greenwood has visually captured the life and soul of Bhaktivedanta Manor in the UK and those that worshipped, celebrated, worked and lived there in 2004. Thirteen years later, in 2017, a collaboration with Radha Mohan das adds a further dynamic to the previously unpublished photographs, which succeeds in being both intimate and informative.
Sally was a mature student from Amersham College and was assigned to the Manor for her end of year project. Sally was previo
Freedom From All Calamities
A lecture by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Recorded in Los Angeles, April 17, 1973
vipadah santu tah sasvat
tatra tatra jagad-guro
bhavato darsanam yat syad
apunar bhava-darsanam
“I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.”
Prabhupada: So that is very interesting verse that vipada, calamities, danger, that is
By Sadbhuja Das
The victory flags for the TOVP domes are now being prepared for the installation ceremony to be hoisted along with the Chakras. This is called Dhwaja Rohan.
Each flag on the dome has a different size based on shastric measurements from the Matsya Purana. Once completed, they will be further decorated with auspicious Vedic symbols like the Sun and Moon.
To sponsor an abhisheka for Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s and/or Lord Nrimhadeva’s Chakra please go to:
https://tovp.org/donate/once-
By Romapada Das, ISKCON Surat
Over 700 students of the LPD School in Surat received copies of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is at an event organized by ISKCON Surat on 18th January.
The programme organized by Ramlila Das, a youth preacher in Surat, included skits, prayers, kirtana and a lecture by His Holiness Bhaktiprem Swami.
Bhaktiprem Swami described how the Gita was the essence of all the Upanishads, and engaged the students in a question-answer session that was lively and interactive.
“Our scho
By Gour Govinda Swami
Nitai Guna-Mani amar
Srila Locana Dasa Thakura
Sri Caitanya Mangala
“My Lord Nityananda is the Jewel of all Transcendental Qualities”
(1)
nitai guna-mani amar, nitai guna-mani
aniya premer banya bhasailo avani
(2)
premer banya loiya nitai aila gauda-dese
dubilo bhakata-gana dina hina bhase
(3)
dina hina patita pamara nahi bachhe
brahmar durlabha prema sabakare jache
(4)
abaddha karuna-sindhu nitai katiya muhan
ghare ghare bule prema-amiyar ban
(5)
lochan bole hena nit
By Dhameshvar Mahaprabhu Das
In the preface to Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Beatle Guitarist and songwriter George Harrison wrote, “All you need is love (Krishna)”. I am glad that he specified what he meant by love. The Hare Krishna movement took roots in the Western World, by the grace of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Shrila Prabhupada, during a time of free love, which he came not to stop, but to redirect. He gave us the Nectar of Devotion, where he explained how “
“Lord Advaita Ācārya is the incarnation of Mahā-Viṣṇu , whose main function is to create the cosmic world through the actions of māyā. Because He is non-different from Hari, the Supreme Lord, He is called Advaita, and because He propagates the cult of devotion, He is called Ācārya. He is the Lord and the incarnation of the Lord’s devotee. Therefore I take shelter of Him.”- Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 1.12-13
Śrī Advaita Ācārya is the disciple of Mādhavendra Purī and is combined incarnatio
We are not being judged by material qualifications, let that be. Do not get worried about that. If you get worried about that then you get stressed out. We are here to do some service! And the more service you do, the more you become a nice devotee. So do not dwell on these material things, just dwell on service!
The spiritual master is simply aloof, he does not look at where someone is coming from, although he can see. In terms of sinful activities, he can see the result of sin in a person. Bu
