Karma marks upon my skin
like a story growing old
Like the rings to count on a felled tree
I am lined and scarred
Memories from the cuts and bruises
on the outside me
The one that hits against the earth
and wind and fire and others.
Karma marks upon my heart
of things I want but don’t get
and things I get but don’t desire
The marks on a heart broken by pain
stretched by sadness, lost in loneliness.
The marks on a bursting heart of happiness
that has everything and
yet still feels dissatisfied.
Sri Garga Samhita,
Canto Three, Chapter One
The Worship of Sri Giriraj
(Sri Giriraj-puja-vidhi)
Text 1 Sri Bahulasva asked Narada: Why did Lord Krishna lift Govardhan
Hill as a child playfully lifts a mushroom.
Text 2 O best of sages, please tell that wonderful and glorious transcendental pastime of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Text 3 Sri Narada said: As citizens pay an annual tax to their king, so the gopas, farmers all, at the end of each monsoon season offered a tribut
Origin of Govardhan:
In the western coast of India, in the island of Salmali, lived Dronachala, the king of the mountains. Once a sage by the name of Pulastya Muni, came to him to take his son Giriraja with him to Kashi (Varanasi). After offering some initial resistance, Giriraja, somehow agreed to go with him only on condition that he should not put him down on the earth in between. If he does so, he would stay there forever.
When they were flying over the Vraja bhumi, Giriraja increased his w
I am Kruti Beesam. I work as a proofreader for a reputed software firm company in Hyderabad. I have Cerebral Palsy, which confines me to a wheelchair and makes me dependent on physical assistance even for my basic day-to-day needs. At the age of 13 years my disability gave me an opportunity to meet Dr. Laxma Reddy, a physio at a clinic in Hyderabad. Later, due to my condition, he agreed to pay home visits.
Dr Laxma was a simple person who knew his job well and was very friendly with his patient
ISKCON Melbourne, as well as other Hindu Temples and organizations, had exhibitions displayed in Queens Hall for three days . Chaitanya Lila is seen here with our local member and a good friend to the Temple Minister Martin Foley.
Krishna Kirtan Devi dasi, at 15, an active Christian, first met the devotees in a public park in Paris called Jardin du Luxembourg in July 1972. She thought they were Buddhist monks and was impressed by them, although she didn’t know anything about them. The devotees told her things like, “Disciple means discipline” and “If you want fraternity and equality, join this movement!” Then it started to rain, so she cut short the conversation and left.
I felt awkward and miserable in the world, but my
With regards to these moral principles given by Bhismadev here in the purport, the principle of, “Not to lie,” may be exempt in exceptional circumstances. When devotees are hiding in the basement and a soldier comes looking for them then we can say, “Devotees, I don’t know, I’ve never seen them!” One must not take these principles in a fundamentalist way, they must be applied with intelligence. Fundamentalism is a form of reductionism where we try to eliminate the complexities of life and try t
As an offering to Srila Prabhupada for ISKCON’s 50th anniversary, Bhaktivedanta Manor, the Global Headquarters for ISKCON Child Protection, hosted a child protection training seminar for more than 20 leaders, GBC members, temple presidents and ISKCON charity trustees from across the UK. The training was delivered by Paul and Derek from RWA Child Protection Services and the Manor Child Protection Team. Ray Wyre Child Protection Services are an independent child protection specialist organizati
Srila Prabhupada: Because we are in ignorance, maya, at any time we may forget Krsna. Therefore we must always engage in Krsna consciousness so that we shall not forget Him. That is indicated by Kuntidevi by the words sravana-smaranarhani. The word sravana means “hearing,” smarana means “remembering,” and arhana means “worshiping the Deity of Krsna.” One should always engage oneself in hearing about, remembering, and worshiping Krsna. All the centers of the Krsna consciousness movement are open
President Obama joined Hindus, Sikhs and Jains around the globe on Sunday by celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights. Seven years after he became the first U.S. president to partake in the White House Diwali celebration, Obama lit a diya, or oil lamp, for the first time in the Oval Office to mark his final observance of the holiday as president.
To all who are celebrating the festival of lights across America and around the world, happy Diwali. As Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists light th
A Diwali stamp was launched here by the US postal service, capping seven-year-long efforts by Indian-Americans and influential American lawmakers to commemorate the festival of lights.
The stamp was unveiled at the Indian Consulate at an elaborate “first-day-of-issue” dedication ceremony on Wednesday.
The US Postal Service (USPS) commemorated the Hindu festival of Diwali by dedicating the Diwali Forever stamp.
The stamp shows a photo of a traditional ‘diya’ lit against a sparkling gold backgrou
WWOOFers & ISKCON
Bhaktine Jane: You may ask what is the purpose of including WWOOFers (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) in ISKCON?
The Krishna Village wwoofing system or volunteer work provides people of all ages many opportunities to experience bhakti-yoga, which most are not familiar with.
My first real contact with ISKCON or devotees was experienced through the Krishna Village by being one of these WWOOFers. In my case the choice to live in a temple environment run by ISKCON was c
Indradyumna Swami: Parikrama around Govardhan Hill during the month of Kartika in Vrindavan, India is a favorite devotional activity for devotees of Lord Krsna. Chanting softly on our prayer beads our group of 400 devotees relished every step of the 24 kilometer walk. Ananta Vrindavan dasa’s outstanding footage captured the bliss of the pilgrimage.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/sHqHDT
REJECTED by her mother at birth and with deformities in her legs, Madhuri Adi Lila had more than a shaky start to life.
It was a cold rainy night in August when Radhika - a hand-raised cow herself - gave birth to the calf at the Hare Krishna farm, Eungella.
Farm hand Urvasi Devi Dasi said the calf was sadly rejected and left to die.
"Radhi was not at all interested in anything to do with the shivering little bundle, yet it was imperative the newborn get nutrient-rich colostrum within the first
Every night at our ISKCON Juhu temple during Karttika month, thousands of people offer lamps to Their Lordships.
It is said in the Hari Bhakti Vilasa:
“O tiger of sages, a person who during the month of Karttika eagerly hears the topics of Lord Krishna delivers a hundred generations of his family.”
Lord Krishna explains to Satyabhama: “They who during the month of Karttika bathe, keep an all-night vigil, offer lamps, and protect a tulasi forest, attain spiritual forms like Lord Vishnu’s.”
“Lo
Prime Minister Theresa May’s message to mark Diwali.
“I am delighted to send my very best wishes to everyone celebrating Diwali, a festival which holds such significance for so many people.
Indeed, right across the world, lights decorate the streets, flowers adorn homes, treats are served and presents exchanged – all marking the triumph of light over darkness.
But the festival of lights isn’t just relevant for Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists. It is relevant to all of us, those of all faiths
A special ceremony to celebrate Diwali celebration at Sri Lanka’s President’s House.
ISKCON Sri Lanka Temple President Sriman Mahakarta Das along with Srimathi Nandarani Devi the Principal of Gokulam Bhaktivedanta Children’s Home, participated in the Diwali Celebrations held on the Diwali day at the President’s House. Pictures show Miss. Krishna Priya presenting a copy of ‘Bhagavad Gita As it is’ to the President of Sri Lanka on behalf of the Devotees of the Temple.
Source:http://www.dan
I am currently reading the latest book by Hari Sauri Prabhu. It describes how Srila Prabhupada received so many letters. But when he got letters with information about how book distribution is increasing in this country or that country, or in this temple or that temple, it gave him so much pleasure. Although he was ill, this made him feel healthier, just by hearing about the results of book distribution. So it is something that is very important.
There is so much ignorance in the world now. Pe
The Stars and Us.
In a recent conversation, I heard about a person’s struggle with life, and having the ‘it never rains but it pours’ experience. “What did I do to deserve this?” he mused.
“Something”, I replied.
That was almost as painful for him to hear as his present situation. And he couldn’t accept it. “Are you telling me,” he ventured, “that I have caused as much pain to another that I am experiencing now?”
Yes, no one makes our bad karma that causes us pain. It may appear that others ar
In Search of Relief - Vraja Vihari Das (audio)
Karl Marx is famous for saying, “God is the Opium of the masses”. Is there truth to Marx’s statement? What does the Bhagavad-gita say in this regards? We will discuss these questions and look at the key difference between seeking relief via spiritual pursuits and pursuing a true, intimate relationship with the Absolute Truth.
Listen to it here: https://soundcloud.com/iskconofdc/in-search-of-relief-vraja-vihari-das?in=iskconofdc/sets/sunday-open-hou
