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
Bhaktivedanta Manor: Brahmins in yellow.
Srila Prabhupada: All glories to the all-blissful holy name of Sri Krishna, which causes the devotee to give up all conventional religious duties, meditation and worship. When somehow or other uttered even once by a living entity, the holy name awards him liberation. The holy name of Krishna is the highest nectar. It is my very life and my only treasure. (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 4.71 purport).
From Dharma prabhu, the head pujari at the Miami temple: The hurricane passed. The temple buildings had minimal damage although the storm uprooted 3 big mango trees. The Deities were untouched. We resumed Deity service, in a restricted way the next morning (Monday) after hurricane passed.
We still do not have electricity, which is a disturbance but we are dressing the Deities twice daily, cooking Raja bhoga offering and doing Raja Bhoga arati. The schedule is modified because of curfew. We cann
By Rachel Norris
Something very special and rare has come to our attention in the last couple of days, and it’s something that will make you walk the walk, literally. Bhaktimarga Swami, also known as The Walking Monk, has walked across Canada (Earth’s second largest country) from coast to coast, four times to be exact. He has also trekked across Ireland, the Fiji Islands, Mauritius, Trinidad, Guyana, Israel, and other countries to promote a healthier global lifestyle and the Hare Krishna monk c
By Anand Caitanya das
ISKCON’s Govardhan Eco Village (GEV, http://www.ecovillage.org.in) won the Spirit of Humanity Award in the Livelihood category. The 8th edition of the Spirit of Humanity awards was held on 14th Sept 2017, in a gala event at J W Marriott, Juhu, Mumbai. The event was organized by AmeriCares, a non-profit disaster relief and global health organization providing immediate response to emergency medical needs and supporting long-term health care initiatives for people around the
[From the time she was 4, Urmila (Dr. Edith Best) was looking for God. If somebody said, “What do you want to do?” she’d say, “I want to be spiritually perfect. I want to find God.” They’d say, “Don’t you want to get married, have kids, have a career?” She’d say, “I just want to find God.”] Urmila: My first contact with Prabhupada was in ’67 when I was 12 years old.
I would regularly listen to him chanting on the Happening album playing in Alan Kallman’s shop on the Lower East Side.
I’d ask, “W
Book distribution “miracles”
I was distributing in Bethlehem, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. In the Countdown Supermarket parking lot I saw a young delivery guy heading toward his van. I approached him and put a Hiding in Unnatural Happiness in his hand. Eru is a nineteen-year-old New Zealander half Maori native.
Enthused about the book and our exchange, he wanted to donate but had no cash, so I pulled out the mobile eftpos PayClip machine. Eru trusted me but had doubts about this device
ISKCON Czech Hare Krishna farm – Krishna’s yard
We would like to evaluate today’s harvest festival on the farm Krishna’s yard. It was a beautiful event we organized 2nd year with an idea not only to entertain the visitors with the different attractions and the workshops, but also we wanted to evaluate the entire agricultural season. During whole day were prepared a different workshops – the hand milling of flour on a stone mill, a ceramics production on the pottery circle, a blacksmith workshop
