Does transcendence mean we ignore current events? Does it mean ‘we are spiritual’ and ‘that is material’ and we don’t get involved? Does being detached mean we don’t care?
Yes and no.
Yes because we are all caught in karmic cycles of events, and on many levels we cannot do much about it. We should remember we are souls inhabiting our bodies, and that all that is happening does not touch the soul…can not touch the soul. Spiritually we are not defined at all by the externals of the world. By our
2016 marks 50 years of ISKCON. 50 years of dedication, 50 years of sacrifice, 50 years of devotional service. This video is dedicated to all the volunteers who work tirelessly year after year to make Sri Krishna Janmashtami at Bhaktivedanta Manor the most amazing place to be on Lord Krishna’s Birthday. ‘Krishna will reward you in Goloka’ – Sruti Dharma das
A special birthday poem, for Guru das
An intricate mosaic is Guru das ji
Experiences life footloose and fancy free
But a closer look reveals a tender heart
Moved by compassion, caring as an art.
You have known the highs and lows of human life
Rejected inherited values despite poverty’s strife
Sought to give a picture of a divine example
For Prabhupada’s grace you’ve received ample.
You chose not to take much of this dreary world
And to share glimpses of divinity so others may be healed
May you
I was distributing door to door: I rang the bell, and a middle-aged woman opened the door. When she saw me she opened her mouth and eyes wide.
Slightly laughing, I said, “I’m a missionary, do not worry”.
In the meantime her husband came, saw the situation and invited me to enter the apartment.
After few moments the woman “woke up” and told me,“ Please excuse me if I did not let you in immediately but I was very shocked to see you here, it is the first time…. you are a Hare Krishna right?”
“Yes
A few Sundays ago, at the LA temple, I noticed that the BBT FEME books were
not on the main book table outside, which is active during the Sunday
program, being located right in front of the temple room. I asked the
devotee in charge of the table to please put them there, which he did.
About a half hour later, someone came to tell me that three brothers from
Palestine were looking at the Arabic books with a lot of interest. He
suggested that I should speak with them. I discovered their interest
On Saturday, November 12, the Chariot Festival Ratha Yatra was held in Chile, with thousands of people pulling Lord Jagannath’s car through the main avenue of the capital, followed by a cultural show in fron of the Government Palace La Moneda.
In an unprecedented event, Santiago’s main street, Avenida Libertador Bernado O’Higgins, was used exclusively by the majestic chariot that carried the Lord of the Universe and the people who pulled its ropes, filling the streets of Santiago with joy and c
Tivon and Cheyenne are an African American couple in their mid-twenties. She works in a steakhouse, and he’s in marketing. Cybil, in her fifties, is a real estate agent. Jorge is a student. Lauren is a professor of music at Towson University. Maria is retired from her government agency job. Ravi is doing his postdoc in medicine at John Hopkins. Kate is a nurse and a Buddhist. And Henna works on a horse farm.
They’re as diverse a group as possible, but they all have one thing in common: they’r
During kartik last year, a very dear friend of mine, Padma visted Sri Vrindavan Dham, and a sincere devotee for many years. She arrived a day after the much celebrated Gopastami festival. As we made our way to the ISKCON goshala that afternoon, I described to her our Gopastami festival, where our Srimati Radharani is dressed as the cowherd boy Subal and at this time Her devotees relish the sweet darshan of Her lotus feet, the only time in the year except Radhastami. On this wonderful day also T
…As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried away the eggs on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal. So the sparrow decided to dry up the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news o
Srila Rupa Goswami.
From the translation and purports of Srila Prabhupada.
Preface:
This book of 11 verses in Sanskrit was written by Srila Rupa Goswami in Vrndavana, and deals the gradual stages of devotion developing within the aspiring bhakta; beginning with the control of the senses, all the way to hearing about the glories of Radha and Krsna and Their topmost lilasthana, Sri Radha Kunda. This book is an instructing guide and manual for all sadhakas. Srila Rupa Goswami gives herein, the bas
Oh Holy Name!
Cause
Even when a person becomes an offender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, he can still be delivered simply by taking shelter of the Holy Names of the Lord: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. In other words, the chanting of Hare Krishna is beneficial for eradicating all sins, but if one becomes an offender to the Holy Names of the Lord, then he has no chance of being delivered.
— NOD Ch. 8
Effect
M
Bhaktimarga Swami: “On this day, Remembrance Day, men and women whose lives were sacrificed in recent wars are honoured for their service.” After these opening remarks at our ISKCON Canada AGM, I also included mention of one of our own veterans, if you will, an ISKCON pioneer for Latin America, Jagajivan, who passed away this week from heart failure. He was likeable, loveable, and a firm, stalwart man for our guru, Srila Prabhupada, and his mission. He surely will be missed.
Eventually, we all
Hare Krsna
Dear Devotees,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. We have a new book available: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam -A Comprehensive Guide for Young Readers-. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is an incomparable treasure house of Krsna’s pastimes, and by studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam our children can gain spiritual knowledge, language and reasoning skills, and most importantly, devotion for Lord Krsna.
This comprehensive guide contains many fun and educational activities for each c
Mahatma das: Today I heard a wonderful story. A devotee wrote Srila Prabhupada because his disagreed with the tactics devotees were using to raise donations, tactics supported by the Temple President. He expressed his specific concerns in his letter to Srila Prabhupada.
In Srila Prabhupada’s reply, he did not address the issue. He did not say he favored one idea over the other. All he said was, “I just want you to work well together.”
Some argue that it is not right to cooperate when we believe
In this material world, everything is so gross and cheap. Here, when there is a meeting between lovers then within no time, it is the full embrace – that is what it is all about… Right down to the action! The main thing! Let us not waste any time! Acceleration from zero to a hundred in two seconds, right!? That is the material experience. Very quick and very shallow and with strong exchanges.
But in spiritual loving exchanges, things are very different. In spiritual loving exchanges, everything
Swarupa das: Last Saturday night I went to the ER with high fevers and cellulitis (swelling and redness due to infection in the blood). I was admitted and finally got to my room early Sunday morning. I was feeling pretty out of it most of Sunday and then the fevers began to subside as the I-V antibiotics began doing their magic. By Monday morning my head began to clear and I was only running a low grade fever. My wife brought my laptop in so I could get on the Internet, check emails, etc. whi
I would like to share an unexpected surprise yesterday in Melbourne Harinam. We (group of devotees) were doing our regular Harinam in Swanston Street. We were in front of Town Hall, suddenly a long official car stops right front of our Harinam party and to our surprise Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle joined our Harinam, greeted each devotee with a hand shake and hugs to kids and played ‘hi five’ with them, he said ‘I thank you and appreciate you people’s contribution towards incorporating m
Mahotsaha das: Bhakta Cesar and I distributed 667 books over a long weekend at the annual comic book convention.
The comic convention is where over 100,000 people come to the Javits Center by Penn Station in NYC and buy paraphernalia related to their favorite comic book characters. So, of course we made sure they also received some of Srila Prabhupada’s books, the original comic books.
We encountered many costumed characters. I encountered one of the most peculiar people at this event while
