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In a recent press release, ISKCON of Houston, Texas, announced their first annual Festival of Bliss, the Sri Jagannath Ratha Yatra, to be held on Saturday, November 9th, at 10:30 AM at the American Legion Park.

The festival procession will begin at noon from the American Legion Park and “promises a vibrant cultural experience with live music, dance performances, and traditional Indian cuisine.”

The announcement continued, “The Ratha Yatra is not just a parade; it is a journey of the heart, a cel

By Giriraj Swami Care Team  

Giriraj Swami has been diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia, a progressive neurological condition that affects his cognitive functions, including decision-making, emotional regulation, and social behavior. This diagnosis significantly impairs his ability to control his actions and feelings, leading to behaviors that are inconsistent with his character and values.

Although the diagnosis was only recently confirmed, Giriraj Swami has been affected by the condition fo

Thank you Oh Srimati Radharani, Oh Divine Mother for giving this fallen and sinful soul entrance into Your personal abode, Sri Vrindavan. I know that I am fully unqualified to step onto this holy land of Yours but Your mercy is unfathomable, unimaginable and incalculable.

By Nartaka Gopala dasi

Srimati Gandharvika devi (Sonia Lerner) passed away Saturday September 21, 2024 in Miami Florida from complications of the liver. She was 80 years old and had joined the International Society for Krsna Consciousness in 1988 in Miami Beach, Florida. She was born in Cochabamba, Bolivia, South America, and also lived several years in Brazil. Her mother was from Guatemala and she was mostly raised by her Jewish stepfather. She had two children, her son Juan and daughter Cynthi

Rare photo of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada along with the Chief Mahant of Sri Veni Madhav Temple

Prayagraj Yatra

The King of Tirthas

 

Places to visit in and around Prayagraj:

1. Sri Veni Madhav Temple

2. Triveni Sangam – Magnificent Confluence of Ganges, Yamuna and invisible Sarasvati Rivers

3. Lord Caitanya’s Footprints at Sri Dashashwamedha Brahmeshwar Mahadev Temple

4. Sri Nag Vasuki Temple

5. Bharadvaja Muni’s Ashram

6. Akshaya Vat of Lord Ramacandra near Patalapuri Temple at Pra

September 29th Update

Several power poles and power lines (including phone lines which connects many residents to the Internet) are still down in parts of Alachua. Some devotees saw their power restored yesterday but are still facing damage caused by falling trees and branches. While power has not been restored to the temple and its residents, devotees are safe and beginning cleanup.

Manorama Das, ISKCON Youth Minister, did report that a tree that fell on the covered bus port (shelter) that prot

9/30/24 Health Update

Today, HG Mahatma Das is continuing with his healing and resting as much as possible. Despite experiencing a lot of bodily discomfort, he remains in good spirits and stable condition, making the best of a difficult recovery process. He is constantly thinking of Krishna and sharing blissful realizations.

Your prayers are needed for his ongoing recovery. Please continue with your kirtans, prayers, chanting very good rounds, and pujas. This is helping him greatly.

Radhapriya D

From Back to Godhead

Because many factors influence the way we see the world, too much faith in our own perspective can be materially and spiritually dangerous.

My husband and I were counseling a couple and making progress, but then we reached an impasse. The husband insisted that his perceptions of the couple’s interactions were reality and anything different from those perceptions was false or illusory. In other words, his wife’s view was wrong if it differed from his. My husband and I did ou

From Back to Godhead

In many places in his books Srila Prabhupada describes the wonders of prasadam, food prepared with devotion and offered to Krishna. Prabhupada discusses such merits of prasadam as how it effectively immunizes one against the contamination of the material nature, how it frees one from becoming a ghost after death, and even how it is considered ecstatic nectar from the lips of Lord Krishna. In the Chaitanya-charitamrita (Madhya-lila, 4.93, purport) Srila Prabhupada writes:

Th

Kama (Cupid) possesses five arrows, with which he inflicts all conditioned living entities. According to Sripad Prabodhananda Saraswati (in his commentary on the Gita Govinda), these arrows are: infatuation, agitation, heart-burning, extreme dryness and destruction. Let us elaborate:

During the course of one’s life, one sees many members of the opposite sex. There is a natural attraction caused by the arrangement of Maya because we identify ourselves with the body (pumsah-striya-maithuni bhava)

By Rasika Sekara Das 

In the peaceful village of Pajieslys, Lithuania, New Govardhan Ashram stands as a spiritual haven built on the vision of Bhakti Sharan Shanta Swami. Although he has since left the body, his teachings and dreams live on through the local community of devotees, who are now engaged in realizing one of his greatest aspirations: the construction of a new temple, a sanctuary for the worship of Giriraj Govardhan and a center for spiritual growth.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org

By Bhavya Bhatnagar and Ramacarya Das 

This year marked a remarkable milestone for ISKCON St. Louis, which celebrated its 50th installation of Nitai-Gaura Nataraja Deities. The deities were originally installed during the last week of August 1974. Over the decades, ISKCON St. Louis has become a vibrant community, serving as a spiritual home and contributing to the St. Louis community. This event was celebrated from Aug. 31st to Sept. 1st at the temple.  

Renowned honorable guests who were associ

There was foggy condition at the beach in Burlington when Jagannath Misra and I started our morning walk. From there I was whisked away by the same Jagannath headed for a special place - the African Lion Safari, a big attraction. At the entrance I met the members of the Bhakti Academy Toronto (BAT) as we prepared for an adventure by car through regions of African animals, Australians and the Americans. Before  making that journey (a caravan of 3 cars) I mentioned to the group, “We are going to h

From Back to Godhead

By Satyaraja Dasa

In India’s traditional wisdom texts, bhakti, or devotion, is sometimes presented as a person. This is especially so in Gaudiya Vaishnava literature. In Kavi Karnapura’s Chaitanya-candrodaya-natakam, for example, we see bhakti personified as a character in a play. In the modern era, Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Bhakti-tattva-viveka describes her as a

By Dharma-setu das

Karana and I got married on the 5th of January 2002. Since then I have received a lot of valuable advice that has at various times helped me in my marriage. Three recommendations have been particularly useful and have stood the test of time. I’d like to share these with you along with some of the realisations that I have gleamed from them.

1 – “Always Forgive One Another”

Mahalaya Paksha, or Pitru Paksha, is a deeply sacred time to remember and honor our ancestors. This year, it begins on September 18, 2024, and will culminate with Mahalaya Amavasya on October 3, 2024. During this period, we have the divine opportunity to offer our heartfelt gratitude and prayers for the peaceful journey of our forefathers in their onward spiritual journey.

In this fortnight of reverence, it is recommended in the Shastras that we perform Śrāddha ceremonies and offer Tarpana (obla

Most people, including the religionists in this world, are blind formulaic followers. They want to join and identify with a group by adopting a particular style of dress, language, and social and religious rituals. Blind followers are not much interested in understanding the principles behind the rules – that’s too much work for them. They prefer to just do what they are told and not have to think about it.

Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller and object of worsh

Many local seniors come to the famous Bhaktivedanta Manor to take time to enjoy the building and estate, learn about the ‘Hare Krishna philosophy’ and even bond with one another.

Most recently, for example, Mahimarnava das and Bhavani hosted no less than 21 retired businessmen from members of the local Probus Club.

Probus Clubs are for retired or semi-retired people from all walks of life and includes business or professional people, which operates worldwide.

“They were amazed at how welcoming

By Atma Tattva Das

The Youth Fest, organized by ISKCON Durban, brought together a large group of young individuals for a day focused on empowerment, service, and spiritual enrichment. This year’s event was notable for the significant collaboration among various communities and organizations, including the South African Police Services (SAPS) Spiritual Crime Prevention Forum. The collaborative effort aimed to address the spiritual needs of young people and provide them with practical life skills.