One of the annual events at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, in the UK, is the Ayurvedic retreat, conducted by Dr Vasant Lad. Hailing from Maharashtra in India, Dr Lad is one of the foremost authorities in Ayurveda and comes from a long line of practitioners. Ayurveda is the Vedic science of healing that incorporates medicine, diet and herbology. Ayurvedic practices even featured in the Ancient epic Ramayana, specifically when Sushena ordered Hanuman to retrieve the Sanjivani herb to revive Laxman from
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Resistance to surrender comes from maintaining material attachments even after receiving so many instructions on this subject matter. This is what holds us back! But how do we overcome this obstacle? We do so by being brave in Krsna consciousness, by being brave to choose for Krsna. We cannot just be ordinary devotees and just let our spiritual life go along. No, we have to be brave to do something special for Krsna. This is what is required! Let us try to be the exception. Let us not be of ave
Reporter: But the bad gurus…
Çréla Prabhupäda: And what is a “bad” guru?
Reporter: A bad guru just wants some money or some fame.
Çréla Prabhupäda: Well, if he is bad, how can he become a guru? [Laughter.] How can iron become gold? Actually, a guru cannot be bad, for if someone is bad, he cannot be a guru. You cannot say “bad guru.” That is a contradiction. What you have to do is simply try to understand what a genuine guru is. The definition of a genuine guru is that he is simply talking about
ISKCON-London celebrated the 47th Anniversary of the installation of Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara on Sunday, 29th November. This special 50th Anniversary year of ISKCON, themed “The Joy of Devotion”, has been filled with many joyous celebrations both in London and worldwide. This particular event was one of the signature events this year. Held at a big theatre-style venue in central London, the cultural programme started with a sumptuous prasadam feast followed by a line-up of dance, drama, and s
A Venus flytrap can digest an insect in about 10 days . The unsuspecting bug smells nectar on the leaves that form the trap. When the insect investigates, it crawls into the jaws of the plant. Within half a second the jaws clamp shut and digestive juices dissolve the bug.
This meat-eating plant reminds me of the way our material mind can devour us if we are lured into thoughts of enjoying this material world for selfish purposes, tempting us with a new experience, convincing us that living righ
In Bhagavad-gita 17.16, Krsna says that satisfaction is one of the austerities of the mind.
There are plenty of circumstances while traveling to analyze the fluctuations of the mind. A friend of mine once said, “When you’re home, you get what you want. When traveling, you get what you get.”
Moving from place to place requires adjusting to new environments and situations and gives ample opportunity to practice satisfaction of the mind.
Noteworthy is that satisfaction is not dependent on our exte
Passing of HG Narayan Prabhu.
Dear Godbrothers and Godsisters,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Unfortunately, our dear Godbrother, Narayan Prabhu, left his body yesterday in a car accident. He was rushed to the hospital, but had left by the time he arrived.
He was very dear to me, and my first temple president. He opened the Costa Rica temple, and spear-headed sankirtan and preaching throughout Central America. Afterwards he participated actively in the lega
By Krishna Nandan Das & Bhagavati Kripa Devi Dasi
On the most auspicious occasion of ISKCON celebrating 50 years and ISKCON Mira-road celebrating first year after inauguration, which took place in September 2015, HG Kamalalochana Prabhu – President of ISKCON Mira-road, instructed his team of devotees to invite 10,000 school children for Brahmotsava. To fulfill this instruction Bhaktin Samhita came up with a very beautiful brochure to attract the Principals of different schools, so that they wou
IMPOSSIBLE DREAM? Some people think that the existence of the soul and God, what to speak of a relationship between them, is delusional and unproductive. Others may doubt that one can have a spiritual practice to understand them, or that the Ultimate Unlimited Absolute is personal in its highest aspect, what to speak of being Krishna. Or those on the path of bhakti for many decades may doubt that they can make much advancement in this lifetime, but hope against hope for a miracle at the time of
“HH Krishna Ksetra Swami (Dr Kenneth R. Valpey) of the Oxford Center for Hindu Studies and a team of professional filmmakers are preparing to embark upon a quest to uncover the secrets of the jewel of Indian transcendental literature, Bhagavata Purana in a feature documentary.
HH Krishna Kshetra Swami says that "I would like to make a documentary on this great literature to make it more widely known in the West. The Bhagavata Purana invites us to participate in a nontemporal, ever-expanding rea
Question: What if I can only chant Hare Krsna right now, but I can’t do much service?
Answer: Chanting Hare Krsna is service. However, when you are chanting “Hare Krsna,” you are also requesting service. After chanting, don’t be surprised when you are awarded more service.
And then when Krsna gives you service, there may be a question about how much service you should take.
On the one hand, Krsna advises in the Gita (18.66) that we simply surrender to Him. And this is actually the main business
(more photos: https://goo.gl/X4SDgL)
By Nayana Manjari Dasi
Day 1
El Chorro the road of the ancient Incas
On a Friday, September 23rd our team embarked on a second padayatra in Bolivia in honour of ISKCON’s 50thanniversary. This time our route followed the ancient Inca roads found in the Andes Mountains. We walked for three-days along a road known as ‘El Chorro’ which starts in the mountains and ends in the rainforest 52 kilometres away. This road is between 500 and 1000 years old and was built
Do you have a friend who asks, “How are you, you ok?” In one fell swoop. Or maybe a mother who tires incessantly to hook you up with anything that remotely resembles a spouse (a pulse being the sole requirement). Are you acquainted with a vocabulary littered with the phrase “this thing” coupled with “and all.” Prepare to be astounded by the versatility of “this thing.” “This thing” can be used as a noun, verb, adjective, conjunction and even a person’s name. Should this resonant with you like t
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Published by The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.
Review By Byron Kyle: I first met the devotees in 2012 in my first year of study and I couldn’t have been more uncomfortable in their association. “Veda: Secrets from the East” was the first book I received from the devotees and it has been a springboard and an invaluable resource on my journey to discovering Krishna and myself. I had a very staunch Catholic upbringing and so my faith in Catholicism was steadfast and my mind unhinging. I was discernin
It is one thing to take up devotional service but it is another thing to become absorbed in devotional service. Many people do find some taste, some satisfaction in the philosophy and in principles of moral behaviour but it is not so easy to become absorbed…
We see that somewhere along the line, devotees go on an independent course. They start very serious but sooner or later, one gets confronted with oneself.
Sooner or later one must find real happiness in Krsna consciousness. It may not be en
All ISKCON devotees worldwide are undoubtedly inspired and enthused by the rapid progress of the TOVP construction over the last five years. The temple superstructure is complete, the finished domes and chatris await their kalashes and chakras, external embellishments are being added, murtis of the parampara and assorted sculptures are in various stages of production, various artisan work forges ahead, electric and plumbing work continues, marble laying has begun, an elaborate Lightning Arreste
Bhaktivedanta Manor’s president Srutidharma prabhu laid a wreath and recited prayers of Remembrance at the annual Remembrance Day service at Letchmore Heath War Memorial in UK. The service was particularly poignant because it marked exactly 100 years since the Battle of the Somme.
Who knows what the future holds? Fifty years from now, perhaps you will be relaxing at a resort on Mars, being served by a robot. ISKCON will be a hundred- years-old then. Or would it still exist? Currently, ISKCON consists of more than 613 centres, with an estimate of 7 million people worship in ISKCON temples each year. There are also 54 educational institutions, 65 farms and ecovillages and 110 vegetarian restaurants. But, in fifty years time, will ISKCON still be relevant in society?
Techn
The Veda London and Food for the Mind, Body and Soul teams came together at Bhaktivedanta Manor for this year’s Seva Day initiative. The project has grown significantly and this year’s team consisted of a wide range of 100 volunteers, with the youngest aged just two! The day included cooking for nine homeless shelters across Watford, spending time at three Dementia Care homes, raking leaves at the Manor, making care packages for the homeless at Matchless Gifts in Kings Cross, assisting in an a
