On June 5th, 2024, a group of Greek-Catholic seminarians visited the ISKCON Kyiv temple with their professor as part of their religious studies curriculum, which includes learning about other spiritual traditions.
Under the guidance of Acyuta Priya Das and Bhakti Caru Das, the group of seminarians experienced a warm and welcoming atmosphere at the New Navadvipa Mandir Temple. The guests actively participated in a lecture, posed thoughtful questions, and were treated to prasadam and kirtan. In
The great pious king, Yudhistira, answered the pressing question, "What is the most wondrous thing in the world?" And here is what he said, "Everywhere, all around me, people are dying yet those of us who make this observation, feel that they will not perish. This is the greatest wonder."
Does that mean that something inside us will indeed persist through lifetimes?
I was saddened to hear that one of my leading men in my drama productions in Argentina passed away from kidney cancer. Matsya
I sent a telegram to Prabhupada saying, “Can I get out of here?”
Brahmananda: In 1971 Prabhupada was having big public programs in India, and one evening an Arya Samajist challenged Prabhupada. He said, “Oh, Swamiji, you have come to India with your western chelas, but we know all these things. This is our culture. Better you go to the other places and do your work there. All right, you have been to the West, but what about the Muslim countries? What about Pakistan?
You should go to Pakistan
From Back to Godhead
Though he sought enlightenment on an isolated beach through music, meditation, and marijuana, it came to him in a way he’d never expected.
Having had some mystical experiences as a teenager that convinced me of the existence of God, I left my native country, Argentina, for Salvador, capital of the Brazilian state of Bahia, famous for its mysticism and magic. I arrived in the area without plans, money, or acquaintances and moved into a straw hut by the beach a couple of mile
To identify the subtle challenges to our devotional progress, we need the help of scripture and other devotees.
As with any serious endeavor, the pursuit of the true goal of life presents challenges for aspiring devotees, but we need not face them alone.
The purpose of every human life is to go back to Godhead, and the path to Godhead is pure devotional service. Those of us walking on this path will encounter challenges. Identifying these challenges and working to overcome them will accelerate
There is a very, very special dhama located in central Spain about 100 kilometers east of Madrid, Spain’s capital city.
It is geographically right outside the little town of Brihuega, near Guadalajara the nearest city. It is a small farm community, complete with flower and vegetable gardens, a couple of small greenhouses, a beautiful goshala right across the road from the temple, and then a larger goshalla down the road. They have approximately 12 cows and 2 bulls. The five cows that are kept
By Tattvavit Das
The four-day ISKCON Communications conference held at Radhadesh on May 25–28 was the thirtieth conference organized by ISKCON Communications Europe (ICE). The first day was dedicated to this anniversary.
Mahaprabhu Dasa, ICE’s current director, invited Mukunda Goswami, the original director of ISKCON Communications worldwide, to open the conference by video.
Mukunda Goswami spoke from Australia, telling sixty participants how he rescued a Los Angeles devotee abducted by her
Well, the "Kirtan Standard Workshop", re-named "Conscious Kirtan Workshop" came out quite successful. In a mere two hour crash course and with co-presenter, Rukmini, the conference room got filled up with enthusiasts who were curious to know about the passion behind a need. And that need was to insist on keeping Kirtan practices on the straight and narrow path. Much of the directives given by our guru, Prabhupada, on the subject are unknown and so, with the morning's presentation it became kno
Question: Maharaj, sometimes we try to restrain our urges such as eating less. For some time we can but after a while we feel dissatisfied and cannot continue with our practices. How can we practically apply this in our lives and maintain the standard?
Answer: Everything should be done with moderation. There is a famous saying: ‘Haste means waste. Slow and steady wins the race.’ If we are given something very palatable we may say, ‘No, no. Take it away.’ But inside we are meditating on that sen
As long as we are in this world, we have to work and interact with it. It’s hardly practical, or desirable, to ignore the world or the loving relationships we have with the people in it. Nor is it possible to completely avoid environments fraught with negativity and lower vibrations. So how does one fortify oneself from being influenced by these energies?
Those who daily engage in spiritual practice are content because they enjoy pleasure from within. They understand that everything has a r
What is the difference between the spiritual and the material worlds? In the spiritual world, everyone is serving Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And these lovers of Krishna are also serving one another. Even Krishna relishes serving His devotees. It cannot be fathomed. No one wants to get ahead, be the best, or have the most. Everyone is situated in a transcendent state of joyfulness and knowledge. Vaikuntha, the spiritual kingdom free from anxieties, is permeated with loving
By Tattvavit Das
On May 25, 2024, a new exhibition featuring the paintings of Annapurna Dasi (Anna Johansson) opened at the Museum of Sacred Art (MOSA) in Radhadesh, Belgium. Titled “Illuminations from the Ramayana,” it will be on display for one year and showcase more than 350 of her pencil-and-ink and water-color paintings.
Originally from Sweden, Annapurna Dasi has spent the last 25 years creating the artwork, mainly for the award-winning trilogy “Sita’s Fire,” written by her daughter, Vrin
Paul took a mighty amount of pictures
Of the crew that are now temple fixtures
The group is called Bhakti Academy Toronto
BAT for short and devotion is their motto
They took a brisk walk at Park Ramsden
A decent decision, a wise acumen
Catching sun rays and viewing squirrels
They are a combination of boys and girls
The zig zag trail can make one quite woozy
But mantra can anchor any tendency to be bluesy
The walk became an exercise, wholesome and sweet
Up the stairs, down the switchback, f
Though emperor of the world and a powerful warrior, Yudhishthira Maharaja displayed the character of a compassionate Vaishnava.
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Lecture given in Los Angeles on May 15, 1973.
After the Battle of Kurukshetra, Maharaja Yudhishthira’s lament was not limited to concern for the loss of human lives alone.
“Suta Goswami said: Being afraid f
By Yasoda-dulal Das
“The Four Questions: A Pathway to Inner Peace” by Vaisesika Dasa is a remarkable, compact book that not only summarizes the wisdom of ancient Vedic texts into four multi-layered questions but also provides practical answers that are highly relevant to the complex dilemmas and frustrations we all face in today’s world.
The four questions that the book answers are:
1) What is my purpose?
2) How may I be of service?
3) What is the lesson?
4) Where am I investing my attention r
By Parabhakti Dasa
June 1, 2024, marked a historic turning point for Yatra Italia as it moved closer to achieving the Agreement with the State, the highest recognition for a religion in Italy. This status will enable devotees to access grants, media spaces, schools, hospitals, prisons, and many other opportunities. A conference was held at the prestigious Protomoteca of the Campidoglio to celebrate this significant milestone and honor Srila Prabhupada, who visited Rome exactly fifty years ago
Last October I took a trip to France to visit a farm called New Mayapura. When we landed, the passengers were queuing up to deplane. I met Rick and his wife. In the small world we live in, our chat revealed that we both live on the same street in Toronto, which is Avenue Rd. Surprise!
Rick said, "I go by your temple every day. Now that we met I'll have to come by. I gave Rick a copy of, "The Saffron Path,", who expressed that he was an author himself. Well, Rick finally made it to our buildi
A tornado struck the Tongaat area, just north of Durban, 2 nights ago, causing massive destruction and even some deaths. We went out yesterday to do some Food for Life to help the residents there. Thanks to Gomatila prabhu and the FFL devotees for the service, and to Sudarsan Dhari prabhu for the photos.
Source: https://dandavats108.blogspot.com/2024/06/iskcon-devotees-distribute-prasadam-in.html
Sorry I’ve not written anything in a while but often think maybe me writting gets a bit too much and will just bore all of you, however I have been moved to write of a sweet simple loving exchange that I had recently. Every day I am meeting people through my work and everyday I get to realise how special all living things are. I never cease to be amazed how the Lord is everywhere, in one’s hearts whether known or unknown to them.
A few weeks ago there was a festival at Cheltenham headed by the
Young devotees from the Bali Jagannatha Gauranga Temple organized a camping trip to the beautiful lakes area, half way between Denpasar and Singaraja. The accommodation was a comfortable cabin style and over one hundred youth and parents attended.
Kavicandra Maharaja and I were invited to give class and lead kirtan in the mornings and evenings. During the day the devotees took each others’ association and went out on canoes around the lake. Prasadam was wonderful and everyone had a great time.
