By HG Vrndavanlila Devi Dasi
“Everyone was sitting in the terminal where Srila Prabhupada was speaking. I walked up to Srila Prabhupada with the big bunch of strawberry bananas. Srila Prabhupada’s eyes opened very wide and said, “These are our bananas?” I said, “Yes Srila Prabhupada I have grown these bananas for you.” He immediately took one and ate it and said, “These are very good and now pass them out to everyone.””
As we read these memories shared by Sanka prabhu about his experiences with
By Janananda Gosvami
NEW GOKULA FARM – N.S.W. AUSTRALIA
Two hour’s drive from bustling Sydney, nestled in the hills above the Hunter Valley – Australia’s most famous wine growing area. Our farm is situated above what was previously a thriving coal mine. The area became depressed – land prices fell. In the late 80’s ISKCON bought 550 acres of land in this area. Many devotees moved there with big ideas. Like many of our farms, when push comes to shove, there aren’t many around to do the needful.
By Karnamrita Das
SUCCESS, WHAT IT IS, AND HOW TO GET IT: To make the claim of today’s title, which might be promised by motivational speakers or writers, I would have to give a universal definition of success. Though I honestly don’t think this is possible, I could do my best to say that in general, success means to be happy—though even here, at different times, people would disagree for various good and bad reasons. In any case, if we can agree for the sake of this blog, that in general people
By Svaha Devi Dasi
HG Vaisesika Prabhu has written about book distribution in “Our Family Business.” Closely connected to it, or inseparable from it, is the manifestation of the TOVP as funds from book distribution around the world directly contribute to the TOVP every year. These two heartfelt desires of Srila Prabhupada are intimately connected. This becomes even more evident in the following account from HH Giriraja Swami: In 1971, as a young devotee in Calcutta, I approached Srila Prabhupad
By Rukmini Devi Dasi
“Shoot him,” said the man with the crowbar. Kshudhi felt the cold metal against his skull and chanted Hare Krishna like never before. His nimble nineteenyear old body was tucked under the bed. The other four men with guns hesitated. They attacked the house knowing that a Johannesburg vegetable merchant had kept cash there, but were they ready to kill for it?
Less than two years before, Kshudhi had purchased a copy of Teachings of Lord Chaitanya from a book store in Los Ange
ISKCON Pakistan celebrated Diwali with a 2-day "ISKCON Diwali Gala Festival" in Karachi.
There were many topics discussed, including “scientific understanding of Bhagavad Gita” by guest speakers Shyamanada Krishna Das from Australia and Shyama Chandra Das from Dubai; sankirtan and “Hawan Yagya for Peace in Pakistan.
Attendants also watched the recently released documentrary on the life of ISKCON Founder Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. BhaktiVedanata Swami Srila Prabhupada, and a performance by Sh
By Madhava Smullen
New Orleans is known for its seafood and meat dishes, but the Good Karma Café – only the city’s second vegan eatery – is giving people a taste for prasadam, and could change hearts in the process.
“Prasad is food offered to God,” explains the Café’s website. “We believe that putting loving intentions into food changes its vibration. Prasad is based in Ahimsa, the principle of nonviolence. Our mission is to create a diverse and inclusive community space and work environment s
By Ramai Swami
The marriage of Tulsi with Vishnu/Krishna resembles a traditional wedding. The marriage ceremony is conducted at homes and temples where a fast is observed on the Tulsi Vivaha day until evening when the ceremony begins.
The bride, Tulsi, is clothed with a sari and ornaments including earrings and necklaces. The groom is a murti or picture of Vishnu or Krishna or more frequently a Salagram-sila, who is clothed in a dhoti.
Both Vishnu and Tulsi are bathed and decorated with flowers
By Madhava Smullen
A new bhakta director and youth preacher at ISKCON Juhu, Mumbai has been taking new devotees and their parents on spiritual retreats together. The results? Deeper relationships, and unfavorable parents becoming favorable to Krishna consciousness and in some cases taking up the path themselves.
Chakravarti Das works with the Mumbai chapter of CHOICE (Center for Heritage of Indian Culture and Education). The program sees devotees renting an apartment near a college, and accommo
anganam anganam antara madhavo
madhavam madhavam cantarenanganah
ittham akalpite mandale madhya-gah
sanjagau venuna devaki-nandanah
“Lord Madhava was situated between each pair of gopis, and a gopi was situated between each pair of His manifestations. And Sri Krishna, the son of Devaki also appeared in the middle of the circle, playing upon His flute and singing.”
– Srimad Bhagavatam 10.33.3, purport
On the full moon night in the autumn season, during Krishna’s eighth year, He enacted His Ras
By Ramai Swami
Kaliya Krsna das, of New Gokula temple, organised a go-puja festival in the Durga Devi Mandir at Regents Park in Sydney. Some of our devotees are friendly with the management there and many were invited to attend the event.
One of the cows, along with her calf, was brought from the farm to accept the worship of those who came on the Saturday afternoon.
I was fortunate to attend as one of the guest speakers and spoke about how Krsna is very fond of the cows. There was also nice ki
Vrindavan, India: The government of Uttar Pradesh on Friday announced that Vrindavan and Barsana are now tirtha sthal – official pilgrimage sites. In a special meeting at the Vairagi Baba Ashram on Parikrama Marg, sants of Braj lauded the government’s move.
The announcement has been warmly welcomed by residents of the two towns, but it has also left many wondering what this really means for Vrindavan and Barsana.
While visiting nearby Agra on Thursday, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath threw so
By Kesava Krsna Dasa
Does anyone aspire to become a sannyasi? Simply having this ambition in the first place is not the desire of a truly renounced person. On the other hand, all those who relish genuine taste in Krishna consciousness, will know what proper renunciation is. For this reason, both men and women can live as sannyasis without having that title.
To emphasise renunciation before taste indicates a lack of understanding on the path of Bhakti. Devotees often preach about the importance
Subhangi devi dasi: If you go to Surfers Paradise, especially on a Friday night, it is usual to see crowds of tourists gathered around a hari-nama party dancing and chanting.
The Bhakti Centre Gold Coast is a satellite centre for Radha Govardhanadhari that my husband, Jamal Arjuna dasa (ACBSP), established. I have tried to assist him in his preaching endeavours over the years.
The Centre facilitates those busy professionals working in the area who want to associate with other Vaishnavas to cha
By Clarissa Pollack
Avid Gardeners On The New Govardhana Property, Madhumati Devi Dasi And Ranadhira Dasa Have Been Sharing Their Love Of Gardening With The Local Community At Regional Markets.
“Our Produce Is Grown Using Traditional Natural Methods,” Says Ranadhira.
Ranadhira’s association with New Govardhana devotees began in 1988 when he helped to train bullocks for ploughing fields. He lived on the property for a couple of years and returned in 2007 to live here permanently.
Since 2009, Ran
