The ISKCON Ministry of Education will host its Annual PAN America Mini-Symposium 2025 on Friday, July 18, bringing together educators, leaders, and practitioners from across the Americas in a two-hour virtual event. The symposium begins at 6:00 PM CDT (4:00 PM PDT / 7:00 PM EDT) and will be conducted online via Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube Live. To register for the event on Zoom, click here.
Balimardana Das, Co-Minister of North America’s Ministry of Education, said the event offers a unique op
Great experience it always is taking that special 6:30 AM trek through the Ramsden green. Neighbours who do the same as we do (minus the meditation beads) are seeing us as regulars. We came to the children’s playground section of the park. I led them there. Anyone who knows me knows there is a time in the day where I want to be like a kid. At the playground is a small cabin resembling a wood cabin like the type a hermit might take shelter of. It was good connecting with it.
As the
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi
Bhakti Kids, an initiative of ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry, will be leading an inspiring new online course beginning this week titled Krishna – My Best Friend, designed to help children build a personal and loving relationship with Lord Krishna. The initiative, led by Gourangi Gandharvika Devi Dasi, seeks to cultivate spiritual values, devotional reflection, and emotional connection with Krishna in an accessible and engaging format.
The course inv
By Suniti Devi Dasi
Premkishor Das (Dr. Prashant A. Jani), a dedicated member of ISKCON Thunder Bay and Director of the Vedic Cultural Centre, has been awarded the June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism 2025. This is one of the highest civilian honors presented by the Government of Ontario. Conferred upon only 20 individuals across the entire province each year, the award recognizes outstanding, long-term contributions to community development through volunteer service.
This
At Bronte Heritage Park, our Oakville branch of devotees organized their annual Chariot Fest at the harbour of Lake Ontario where gracious swans call it home. People in the neighbourhood enjoy this waterfront green property, but this afternoon there was a unique feature. Tents housing bhakti paraphernalia were present, a large shelter for nutritious food, directions India, and consecrated. Another awning for a 12 by 16 stage got busy with presentations, including the drama, The Age of Kali p
By Kenneth R. Valpey (Krishna Ksetra Swami)
Introduction
In recent decades we witness increasing public awareness about the profoundly damaging effects of accellerating human production, consumption, and mobility on ecosystems of the world; and this awareness is accompanied by a deepening sense of urgency that “something” must be done to stop the current trends of environmental destruction. Environmental activism is now a mainstream activity for all sorts of individuals and groups, not least per
In the section below, I have shown in italics, the relevant portions for our discussion on Conflicting roles of Sati:
It is said, “Satī was very much anxious to see her relatives at her father’s house, but at the same time she was afraid of Lord Śiva’s warning. Her mind unsettled, she moved in and out of the room as a swing moves this way and that.” [SB 4.4.1]
Satī felt very sorry at being forbidden to go see her relatives at her father’s house, and due to affection for them, tears fell from he
By Campakalata Fiorentino
Our beloved Kamalini Devi Dasi, a respected disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who has devoted her life to the distribution of his books and the education of our youth, experienced a harrowing brush with death — and a remarkable example of Krishna’s protection — as she made her way to New Goloka Temple for Mangala Arati.
At 72 years old, Mother Kamalini, a long-time resident of Efland, NC, was driving to attend Mangala Arati at 4:30 a.
By Payonidhi Das
Prema vilasa about the disappearance of Srila Sanatana Goswami and how Srila Rupa Goswami was very much affected by his divine disappearance.
Srila Narrotama das Thakura has sung:
kaha mora svarupa-rupa, kaha sanatana
kaha dasa raghunatha patita-pavana (2)
2) Where are my Svarupa Damodara and Rupa Gosvami? Where is Sanatana? Where is Raghunatha Dasa, the savior of the fallen?
vairagya-yug-bhakti-rasam prayatnair
apayayan mam anabhipsum andham
kapambudhir yah para-duhkha-duhkhi
Sri Sanatana Gosvami appeared in 1488, five years before Sri Rupa Gosvami, in a Sarasvata brahmana family in Bengal. Sanatana and his two brothers, Rupa and Anupama, were always absorbed in bhava bhakti from early childhood. Remembering Vrndavana, they named the forests in which they played after Vraja’s twelve forests (Talavana, Madhuvana, Kamyavana, Mahavana). They called their favorite bathing ponds Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda.
In his youth, Sri Sanatana dreamt that a beautiful brahmana boy
Today is Guru-purnima. Srila Prabhupada has explained that the system of honoring the spiritual master is current in all sections of Vedic followers. In the Mayavadi (impersonalist) sects, the disciples offer respect to the spiritual master once a year, on Guru-purnima. And in the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya, the disciples offer homage annually on the appearance day of the spiritual master, called Vyasa-puja because the spiritual master represents Vedavyasa, the empowered incarnation of Krishn
The appearance anniversary of Srila Vyasadeva, the compiler of the Vedic literature.
This event really is directed towards Srila Vyasadeva, thus in some sampradayas they refer to Guru Purnima as Vyasa Purnima. Traditionally it is the day when the guru is worshipped.
In the book Festivals, Fairs and Fasts of India (Shakti M Gupta. 1991. Clarion books. page 88-89.) It says: Guru Purnima "……is observed on the full moon day in the month of Ashadha in honour of the sage Vyasa, by keeping a fast, wor
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By Jayabhadra Devi Dasi, IGF Preacher, ISKCON Amravati
On June 18, an extraordinary incident took place at the ISKCON Amravati temple.
At about 10 am, a horse-like animal came running onto the property filled with fear as if it was searching for a temple. It turned out to be a cow—though not a normal cow, but one known colloquially as a nilagai, a large Indian antelope found only in jungles.
Those who saw her said she had also been
In 1986 I stopped in Singapore with a devotee for a few days before attending the 500th anniversary of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s advent in Sridham Mayapur.
We visited Govinda’s Boutique, a small shop that sold many items, including Srila Prabhupada’s books 📚 Walking around after visiting the boutique, we heard a big boom 💥 A multistory building had collapsed right around the corner.
Hundreds of people were in the building when it came down. The Singapore army was brought in. Piece by piece they
By Atma Tattva Das
On June 15th, the streets of Gaborone vibrated with rhythm, color, and spiritual energy as ISKCON Botswana held its 9th Annual Rathayatra, also known as the Festival of Chariots. What began nine years ago with a handful of determined devotees has grown into one of Botswana’s most anticipated spiritual gatherings, this year attracting over a thousand guests from across the country and neighboring South Africa.
Behind the scenes, weeks of preparation were unfolding. “This year’
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi
A recent theatrical production titled The Promise, performed at ISKCON Chowpatty, has brought renewed focus to the Barsana Medical Camp and Hospital Project—an initiative dedicated to providing free medical services in Vrindavan. Presented as part of the temple’s annual festival, the drama highlighted the spirit of selfless service that defines the project, portraying the sincere dedication of both the volunteers and the local Vrajavasis.
Speaking about the mot
By Radhapriya
Over the past several months, ISKCON Toronto has actively participated in three meaningful interfaith engagements, strengthening connections with other faith communities through dialogue, collaboration, and compassionate service.
On April 26, 2025, ISKCON Toronto welcomed a delegation of Catholic leaders and scholars to the temple as part of a continuing Catholic-Hindu dialogue initiative. This gathering included guests such as Father Daniel, Father Joseph, Father Prakash, Brian, A
By Atma Tattva Das
This June, 22 and 29th, 2025, ISKCON Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar Mandir in Bambous, Mauritius, hosted a youth workshop that blended practical life skills with spiritual grounding. Designed in response to concerns from local parents, the two-day initiative was co-facilitated by Acyuta Pranapriya Devi Dasi, a disciple of Bhakti Carudesna Swami and long-time community leader.
“Parents were worried,” she explained. “They came to us saying their children were being influenced by unf
Leicester’s city center fell silent for one minute during the Rathayatra – Festival of Chariots on Sunday, 22nd June 2025, as a mark of respect for the lives lost in the plane crash, which has particularly affected Leicester, having lost 10 members of its community.
City and religious leaders, including Cllr Ravi Mahesh, the cousin of the sole survivor of the crash, attended the festival. The names of the deceased were read out by Temple President Pradyumna Das. “Though a joyous occasion, this y
