[This wonderful lecture was one of the last given by HH Gour Govinda Swami, before departing from this world]
Mayapura: February 21, 1995 – Srimad Bhagavatam 4.18.33 – 36
gunadhikam mudam lipsed
anukrosam gunadhamat
maitrim samanad anvicchen
na tapair abhibhuyate
Translation: Every man should act like this: when he meets a person more qualified than himself he should be very pleased; when he meets someone less qualified than himself, he should be compassionate toward him; and when he meets some
Active Listening
Adapted, with permission, from The Art of Teaching, by HG Bhurijana Prabhu
Who Owns the Problem?
The first step in trying to solve a problem is to identify who owns it, because you need to approach the situation differently if you own the problem or not. The owner is whoever is tangibly and concretely affected by the problem.
If the problem belongs to the other person, it is appropriate to listen, trying to understand exactly what is going on. If you own the problem, the counse
With growing Krishna consciousness all over the world ISKCON has been instrumental in bringing many souls under the shelter of Lord Sri Krishna with its Philosophy, Kirtans, Prasadam, etc., however the villages and tribes located in remote areas remain unaware of the good fortune in Kaliyuga.
An initiative was taken by devotees from ISKCON Pune and with dedicated efforts and Krishna’s mercy a new preaching centre ”Bhagavad Darshan Prachar Kendra” was established in Bodhan village, Telangana.
I
“Missing? Misplaced? Stolen!” I felt the blood rush to my head as I realized with horror that someone had sneaked into my room and taken off with my laptop.
It was 3.45 am at Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. I was at the guestroom of the ISKCON temple, waiting for the ride that would take me to the airport for my flight to Panama. Shanta Vigraha P, the devotee who had coordinated my visit there and who was to drive me to the airport, had been slightly delayed. Meanwhile, I had thought of usi
With growing Krishna consciousness all over the world ISKCON has been instrumental in bringing many souls under the shelter of Lord Sri Krishna with its Philosophy, Kirtans, Prasadam, etc., however the villages and tribes located in remote areas remain unaware of the good fortune in Kaliyuga.
An initiative was taken by devotees from ISKCON Pune and with dedicated efforts and Krishna’s mercy a new preaching centre ”Bhagavad Darshan Prachar Kendra” was established in Bodhan village, Telangana.
I
It was a beautiful sunny New York afternoon, with a slight cooling breeze and the familiar scent of incense wafting out the front door of the 26 2nd Ave storefront, the birthplace of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness by the Founder-Acarya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Amid the hustle and bustle of the city’s rush hour, disciples and grand-disciples made their way to the tiny temple, nearly completely hidden by scaffolding of surrounding construction pr
My most beloved Srila Prabhupada,
Please accept my most humble obeisances at the dust of your divine lotus feet on this most auspicious occasion of your 121st Vyasa-puja celebration! All glories to Your Divine Grace!
This humble homage is an offering of an entire book dedicated to you, Srila Prabhupada. This book entitled Bombay is my Office: Memorable days with Srila Prabhupada in Bombay will be launched on the grand occasion of the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Radha-Rasabihari Templ
I have written several articles on vows and feel that any discussion on vows wouldn’t be complete without addressing sexual restraint. Plus, men often ask me how to control sexual desire and I felt that to do justice to this question I would need to write an article.
I am approaching this issue mainly from the male perspective (obviously because I am a man and also because the scriptures approach it more from that perspective). Still, although men and women are wired differently and thus respon
Citraka dasa: A distinguished astrologer, after studying your personality declared that you were a person capable of building a home in which the whole world could live peacefully.
And as a matter of fact, in due course of time, you did create that house which now exists, open for all. It is like an extension of the original abode of the Lord, Goloka Vrindavana.
It is not a physical space, ashram or farm community. It is a reality existing in sound. It is the sound which originally emanated fro
My Vyasa-puja Offering to Srila Prabhupada.
Dear Srila Prabhupada,
Please accept my humble, prostrated obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace, to your powerful love, mercy, and Krishna consciousness.
Last month your spiritual granddaughter Smriti “Baby” Warrier (now Sravana Dasi) lost her son in a tragic accident at the railroad. When I wrote to offer my condolences, I was wonderstruck by her reply:
“Thank you for your kind blessings and prayers for our son
Ambarisa Prabhu:
From Srila Prabhupada Tributes:
“I remarked one time on a morning walk with you, that materialists were always looking for the bright side. You said gravely that ‘there is no bright side in the material world.’ You are that bright side, Srila Prabhupada. You are the sun which is bringing light to this place of darkness. We only beg for your continued mercy. We are in so much need of the compassion you brought so many years ago. Please engage us in your eternal seva [service].”
Sri Krsna Janmastami
A Talk by Giriraj Swami
September 2, 2007 Ojai, California
We read from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Ten, Chapter Two: “Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Krsna in the Womb.”
TEXT 18
tato jagan-mangalam acyutamsam samahitam sura-sutena devi dadhara sarvatmakam atma-bhutam kastha yathananda-karam manastah
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, accompanied by plenary expansions, the fully opulent Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is all-auspicious for the entire universe, was transferred from t
Srila Prabhupada gave the first Krishna deity in ISKCON to the temple in Washington DC. Sri Sri Radha Madana-Mohana were moved to a bigger temple situated on 12 acres of beautiful forested land in Potomac prior to Srila Prabhupada’s visit in 1976. The building where Srila Prabhupada stayed for a whole week has been nicely preserved by the devotees.
During his visit Srila Prabhupada met with scientist disciples from Bhaktivedanta Institute. They accompanied him on several morning walks in idylli
Expression reflects and reinforces emotion. The celebration of Vyasa-puja is an expression of the gratitude that the disciple feels for the spiritual master. And that feeling becomes reinforced when a disciple expresses one’s own gratitude and hears other disciples’ express their gratitude.
The spiritual master’s guidance and grace are indispensable for elevating and liberating souls caught in this dangerous and treacherous material existence. The spiritual master is non-different from the Supr
On Monday 14 August at 6.45pm, on the eve of Sri Krishna Janmastami, Mother Kulangana passed away surrounded by devotees chanting the names of Krishna. This morning sankirtan was performed as her body draped in sacred items was carried around the temple in circumambulations. Devotees gathered to offer their final respects with offering garlands, flower petals and prayers. Her cremation will take place today and a memorial service remembering her life of service will be held on Saturday evening.
1) O Krsna, Who descended in the province of Mathura, O Lord Who gives the great gift of pure love for Yourself, O Perfromer of extraordinary pastimes, O great Treasure-house of various kinds of sweetness, O Lord Who is full of transcendental opulences, great mercy and majesty. All glories unto You.
2) O Krsna, O Deliverer of the Pandavas and Protector of King Pariksit, everyone should hear talks in relation with You, just as King Pariksit who enquired about Your pastimes.
3) O Krsna, you are s
ISKCON’s Mission
Srila Prabhupada’s sole mission in life was, as was his spiritual master’s and his spiritual master’s before him, the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to help the fallen conditioned souls who are rotting within this material world by teaching them the process of Krsna consciousness, devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna. Not only teaching, but benedicting and practically forcing them in one way or other to get some transcendental benefit.
On Friday, 11 August 2017, ISKCON BiH devotees held a sitting harinam in downtown Sarajevo. This time of year is especially busy for Sarajevo because right now the famous Sarajevo Film Festival is taking place. The city is full of tourists and this proved to be a very good audience to hear the maha mantra and watch Odissi dance. We are very happy to have Anuradha dd and her husband Maha-jvala das with us this week, because they both participated in the harinam. Anuradha danced and many people
Krsna’s Village of Peace at this year’s Woodstock festival in Poland exceeded the expectations of everyone. With a steady stream of people passing through our site the lines for prasadam got longer and longer, large crowds spilled out of the Mantra Yoga Tent and all other activities were fully packed. From this one can appreciate that Lord Krsna is truly ‘all-attractive.’
ISKCON’s GBC (Governing Body Commission) opposes the sale of the ISKCON Radha-Govinda Mandir because the GBC considers selling or moving the temple a risky proposition that’s contrary to the instructions of Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON’s Founder-Acarya.
Acccording to a false story being spread by Ramabhadra Dasa, the GBC would favor the sale if it were to get a cut of the proceeds. Since the Bharati Board won’t agree, so the story goes, the GBC opposes the sale.
None of that story is true.
In April
