By Madhava Smullen for ISKCON New Vrindaban Communications
Tejomaya Das grew up in some of New York City’s roughest neighborhoods in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan. For him and his best friend, Manonatha Das, leaving them to forge a different life for themselves seemed unlikely.
But when the hippie movement came along in the sixties and seventies with its messages of peace, love, and consciousness expansion, their fate changed.
Tejomaya and Manonatha made friends in the hippie scene, got into
Sri Ramanujacharya is one name that glows within the Vaisnava Sampradaya like a crest jewel. Although 1000 years have passed by since the appearance of Sri Ramanujacarya, it has not reduced the brightness of his name and fame, not to speak of diluting the level of adherence to his teachings. And why not!
Acharya Sri Ramanuja, is a great revolutionary saint and divine incarnate of Sri Lakshmana, the younger brother of Sri Rama. He spread the message of equality of all the jivas in the service o
(This is from this year’s resolutions: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=44549
This paper explains the authority of ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission (GBC) to create a system for devotees to take up the service of diksa-guru within the society, focusing on the principles behind the system.
Through many written and spoken instructions, Srila Prabhupada made it abundantly clear that after his departure the GBC should serve as ISKCON’s ultimate managerial authority. In his will he states:
1. The Gov
Appreciation only costs you a few words, but what it buys is priceless. When Dale Carnegie said to be appreciated is the greatest human need, those who paid attention found appreciation one of the greatest motivating forces known to man.
Years of research has taught us this important lesson: if you don’t pay people enough that they feel secure in life, you will get a small percentage of their creative abilities because they are worried about their future. So, it would seem logical that if those
Celebrating ‘Nyepi’ or ‘silence day’, which commemorates the Isakawarsa or Saka New Year on March 28, 2017, the committee of the silence day in coordination with Jogjakarta Tourism department organised the Ogoh-ogoh festival. The festival was held in Malioboro Street and The Chariot of Lord Jagannatha, which was also covered by many news channels, definitely proved to be a special attraction in the festival.
“This is preaching spirit. As soon as you get some opportunity, preach. What is that pr
“GBC College is looking at the need for highly trained, capable, competent men & women to lead our movement in some of the highest rungs of leadership.” (HG Anuttama Prabhu, GBC member & GBC College Advisor).
What are the students of the GBC College saying about their training?
Acyuta Priya das – Ukraine
I went through the first GBC College program, and my experience was very instructive and conducive for my service and for my understanding of what kind of ISKCON we shall build up and have fo
ISKCON Malaysia receives many workaways to serve at our farm or temple. Workaways are group of Americans and Europeans who travel all over the world and would offer some physical service in return for free food and lodging. One such workaway was Elizabeth, a young LLB graduate from North England. She stayed at our Sri Sri Radha Krishna Kanhaiya Temple for 3 weeks and became serious in Krishna consciousness. She started chanting 16 rounds, attending mangala arati daily, vegetarian and seriously
Question: Maharaj, you were explaining how each acharya practices the jewel of transcendental knowledge he receives from the predecessors and adds his personal touch. Sometimes we listen to different devotees and each adds their touch, so it is difficult to consolidate.
That is why you have a spiritual master. The spiritual master is your anchor and you follow your spiritual master. There may be different vaisnavas and they may have a different emphasis at different points in time which may so
Over 200 devotees dressed in different colors converge upon Auckland's Queen Street
Over the Easter Weekend from Friday April 14th to Sunday April 16th, hundreds of devotees at ISKCON Auckland celebrated the 45th anniversary of their Deities, Sri Sri Radha-Giridhari, with love and great pomp.
The celebrations included a massive and stunningly colorful Harinama on Queen Street in the center of Auckland.
Because a planned Friday night bonfire camp-out was canceled due to a storm, things kicked
Jai Uttal chants during a concert on the banks of the Ganga
Jai Uttal, one of today’s best-loved and most popular kirtan artists, has released his latest album Roots Rock Rama! with Mantralogy, an ISKCON devotee-run record company that has also worked with The Mayapuris, Jahnavi Harrison, Gaura Vani and more.
Roots Rock Rama!, an epic double-album, features drumming by Mayapuri Visvambhar Sheth and was co-produced by Gaura Vani.
“I met Gaura about eight years ago at the first ‘Chant 4 Change
Hare Krishna,
Dandavat Pranams, All glories to Srila Prabhupad.
We are from Bangalore, India. We have manufactured a natural
agarbathi(Incense Sticks) free from chemicals.
We got inspiration from Gokul Chandra Prabhu (Isckon Salem) to make a
natural agarbathi to offer Krishna.
We would like to spread awareness regarding usage of chemical-free
agarbathi. Please check the attached file.
Kindly let us know if you would be interested in our product, please
feel free to contact us for further q
I got one of those sweatshirts with a hoodie and it said BBT. It was not from the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust as it was bought from some karmi shop. But I thought to myself, “Just see, Krsna sent me this because I am a sankirtan devotee.” Then I got a hat and the label inside it read BIG BIG UNIVERSE, “Yes, I’m preaching all over, a big preacher!” Within no time I put the hat within the pocket of my sweatshirt but I forgot it somewhere and never saw it again.
Then I got a new hat and on the label
Natesvara Govinda and Vasundara Devi Dasi came from India to Adelaide, Australia in 1978. He was busy in his work as a surgeon and only came in contact with ISKCON devotees many years later.
They come to the temple regularly and have a nice temple in their home as well. Their son, Ananda Laksman, is also a devotee and runs a webpage that sells ISKCON books, music, lectures, beads and incense.
Source:http://www.ramaiswami.com/natesvara-govinda-das-and-vasundara-devi-dasi/
Exterior finishing work on the TOVP continues without interruption. In the last few weeks the following has been going on:
Blue tile laying has begun on the small dome of the planetarium wing. Work is progressing rapidly and the tiles are now significantly prominent and can be seen from the main gate of the ISKCON property.
Waterproofing of the planetarium dome can also be seen on two grey layers above the blue tiling.
Marble cladding of the temple exterior walls with white marble from V
Devotee: Prabhupada, you have said, “Preaching God’s message is a thankless task.”
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, just look at Jesus Christ—crucified. What was his fault? He was simply teaching God consciousness. Of course, he was not killed. Nobody can kill the Lord’s pure devotee.
Devotee: But ungrateful people tried to.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Such a great personality, the son of God. He wanted to deliver God consciousness. And in return, he was crucified. We don’t take Jesus Christ as insignificant
Since Cyclone Debbie made landfall on March 28th, it has brought heavy downpours and flooding to many areas of Queensland, Australia.
In the small town of Murwillumbah (population: 8,523), ISKCON devotees from nearby New Govardhana have done what they know best to help flood victims back on their feet: feed them prasadam.
“This is the worst flooding the town has seen since 1954,” says Rupa Raghunath Das, a well-known Australian book distributor who has been helping with the prasadam relief ef
There is not a drop of fresh Yamuna water at Vrindavan
Recently, a high court in India declared the Yamuna river a living entity, bestowing on her the same legal rights as a person. Many shared the news on social media, excited about this seemingly major move towards cleaning up the heavily polluted river, once called “dead” by the United Nations.
But a closer look shows that the development, while a nice gesture, won’t actually achieve much.
“This status was only given by a court in the Nor
Sudarshana Gayatri
Om sudarshanaya vidmahe mahajvalaya dhimahi
tano chakrah prachodayat
As is our annual custom, Nrsimha Caturdasi will be observed in Sridhama Mayapur as a three day festival from May 7th – 9th. The first day will be celebrated with a huge procession throughout the ISKCON Mayapur property and on the second day we will be performing a three hour long Maha Sudarshana Homa before the Deity of Lord Nrsimhadeva. The third day is observed as Nrsimha Caturdasi. We would like to offe
In spiritual life there is always the transcendental dimension – the dimension of auspiciousness, of purification, of eternal benefit and of getting more and more mercy of Krsna. Sometimes we like the material side in spiritual life more – the temple, a festival, the cheese in the subji or devotees who are our friends and at other times we may find spiritual life to be a big austerity. Sometimes we may like to chant and at other times, it is a struggle but whatever it may be, the spiritual di
Ramai Swami:
Joan Fielder, also known as “Jamuna” by the devotees, had been visiting New Gokula farm on and off for around twenty years.
In the last few years she was a regular at the Bhakti tree in Newcastle where she loved to talk to the devotees, listen to kirtan and have nice prasadam.
At a recent Friday evening program, after listening to the kirtan and sitting to take her meal, she had an attack and was taken to hospital by ambulance.
Unfortunately, Jamuna, who was 87, passed away while
