This year’s Festival of the Holy Name, held over Thanksgiving weekend (November 24-25, 2023) in Alachua, Florida, was another spiritual success, welcoming hundreds of devotees to the two-day kirtan event.
The annual gathering is “fully organized and subsidized by second-generation devotees; the festival attracts every member of our local temple community as well as friends and congregation members from all over Florida and beyond,” said Mukhya Devi Dasi, Temple President at ISKCON’s New Raman R
I love the lines of Shakespeare that made me think a little bit more about Diwali, the light festival of optimism. Here it is from William Shakespeare, “How far that little candle throws its beams. So shines a good deed in a weary world.”
I had to ponder on what kind deed did I execute today? Well, here goes. I had to dredge memory, but could only come up with something miniscule compared to the heroic deeds of others. It was on my night walk when the sidewalk got tight and with a municipal tre
There are bumper stickers that say, “I’d rather be hang-gliding”. For devotees of Krishna it could read, “I’d rather be distributing books”. Book distribution is that beautiful experience that melts the heart and is not
easily forgotten.
However, sometimes we neglect to distribute books, so Krishna sends certain reminders. Here are several reminders I have experienced:
Once I was standing outside the LA temple when a couple approached me. “Don’t you remember us? You gave us a calendar.” I vague
Food for Life Hungary reached a historic milestone on 17 November when the head of the humanitarian program, Bhakta Vatsala Dasa, received the “For the City of Budapest” award from the capital’s mayor, Gergely Karacsony. The honor, given on Budapest’s 150th Birthday, also conferred honorary citizenship on Bhakta Vatsala. The 150th celebration commemorated the unification of the three historical parts of the city: Buda, Pest, and Óbuda.
Dozens of honorary citizens, artists, and celebrities who h
INSTED OF A JACK'O'LANTERN, A DEVOTEE FROM VANCOUVER CARVED OUT OF A PUMPKIN THIS EXTRAORDINARY PIECE DEPICTING KRISHNA LIFTING GOVARDHAN HILL.
I get so fascinated by Shyamasundar’s book, “Chasing Rhinos.” There were a few spots that I shared with Cory and Uday.
One of George Harrison’s acquaintances, David Wynne, had connections with the Queen. He offered her a Bhagavad-gita As It Is. According to David, she read the book for about half an hour and remarked, “How marvelous it would be to compl
Certain phrases and ideas tend to be especially memorable for devotees who regularly read Srila Prabhupada’s books. One such idea is that we must know not only that God is great but also how He is great.
Here’s one example of Prabhupada making this point.
The highest summit of spiritual perfection is knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unless one is firmly convinced of the different opulences of the Supreme Lord, he cannot engage in devotional service. Generally people know that Go
We concluded our last discussion on the existence of the self with the recognition that accepting our own existence somehow or other implied the existence of God, quoting Srila Prabhupada’s words “One can understand the nature of the Supreme by thorough study of oneself” (Bg 2.16, purport) (http://www.dandavats.com/?p=12367#more-12367).But by what process can this understanding be achieved?
Descartes concludes from his first two meditations that the self exists. He begins to ponder the nature o
ISKCON Malaysia Headquarters, Sri Jagannatha Mandir, Kuala Lumpur created a record this year where a team of devotees conducted Damodara Program or also known as Deepa-Damodara Programs at a total of 25 local primary schools (ages 5 to 12) in the whole of Damodara month (from 27th Oct to 29th Nov). This is a grand milestone for Sri Jagannatha Mandir, with a total lamp shown at 104,747 and with 8656 total plates of Prasadam distributed.
The Damodara Month preaching was inspired by HH Srila Jaya
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi
Staff and well-wishers join Anuttama Dasa, ISKCON’s global Minister of Communications, to celebrate the opening of the new office; asking for Srila Prabhupada’s blessing.
The ISKCON Mayapur Communications Department, which temporarily closed due to budget constraints and the challenges posed by the 2019-2020 COVID-19 crisis, has officially reopened in Room Number 204 of the Lotus Building, ISKCON Mayapur.
The reinstatement ceremony featured respected personal
By Atma Tattva Das
Earlier this year, devotee Texito Langa released his latest musical offering, a single titled “Oh Afrika!” that is a poignant call for collective spiritual awakening and intentional unity to overcome the many struggles that plague the continent. This musical endeavor not only reflects Texito’s personal journey but also carries profound significance for the broader International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) community on the mother continent.
Texito’s journey in t
By Prishni Sutton
The Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies (BIHS) hosted its second international conference, “Cosmology of the Bhagavata Purana: Current Research on History, Philosophy, and Science,” on November 17–19 at the BIHS Headquarters in Gainesville, FL. Use of this lovely facility, the former home of the president of the University of Florida, was secured with the generous support of Hridayananda Das Goswami.
This conference was a natural outgrowth of three prior BIHS cosmology
This conversation between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and physicist Gregory Benford took place in October, 1973, at the Los Angeles Krsna center.
Dr. Benford: You are probably familiar with what Western theology calls “the problem of evil”: Why does evil exist?
Srila Prabhupada: Evil is the absence of good, just as darkness is the absence of sunlight. If you keep yourself always in the light, where is the question of darkness? God is all-good. So if you keep yourself al
Srila Prabhupada: (chants mangalacarana prayers) Today is birth, appearance day of Srimati Radharani, Radhastami. Fifteen days after Krsna’s birth, Radharani appeared. (pause) Radharani is Krsna’s pleasure potency. Radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktih. The Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has got varieties of energies, as it is confirmed in the Vedic literature. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. The Supreme Lord has
“In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.”
(Bhagavad-gītā 2.40)
“Activity in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or acting for the benefit of Kṛṣṇa without expectation of sense gratification, is the highest transcendental quality of work. Even a small beginning of such activity finds no impediment, nor can that small beginning be lost at any stage. Any work begun on the material plane has to be completed, other
By Sri Krishna Chaitanya Swami
On November 22, 2023, a historic moment unfolded with the Bhumi Puja and Ananta Sesa Sthapana for a new temple project in Sri Dhama Pandharpur, dedicated to Sri Sri Radha Pandharinatha, Sri Sri Sita Rama Laksman Hanuman, and Sri Sri Gaur Nitai.
The ISKCON Bhu Vaikuntha Project marks a significant step in establishing a dynamic center in Sri Pandharpur Dham, the spiritual hub of Maharashtra. This endeavor aims to cater to the needs of the hundreds of thous
By Radhapriya
This past weekend of November 24th to 26th saw ISKCON leaders from across Zone 1 temples in North America descend upon Toronto for the annual leadership conference. Zone 1 encompasses ISKCON centers primarily across Canada but also includes one temple in Minnesota and some very northern states, as well as Alaska. The Zone 1 temple contingent has grown in recent years, now consisting of 25 centers from coast to coast.
Under the inspiration and title coined by HH Bhaktimarga Swami,
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi
Mandakini Dasi released her latest book, Panchatattva: Five Heroes Of The Golden Age, on November 16, 2023, in Puri. The series consists of five books, each dedicated to one of the Panchatattvas, and they are available as a colorful box set that is very appealing to parents and children alike.
The launch of the book took place at the inauguration of HH Radhanath Swami’s Puri Yatra. Mandakini revealed, “The decision to launch in Puri Yatra was driven by the int
The efforts, austerities, and practices involved with the acceptance as a disciple do not end with initiation. Rather they begin, in a formal sense, at that point. Whatever outer challenges or inner demons we have, will be overcome by Krishna’s grace for those who persevere in their vows. It is only those who quit who will suffer defeat.
Even as the connection and dependency between the words “disciple” and “discipline” are obvious, some devotees tend to be more attentive to the fruits than t
Leadership is an art, a responsibility, and a journey of continuous growth and learning. The timeless wisdom of Vedic texts like the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Chaitanya Charitamrita offers profound insights into the essence of true leadership. These ancient scriptures, filled with stories of great leaders, provide timeless lessons that are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago.
1. Vision and Conviction: Lord Rama (Ramayana)
One of the most celebrated leaders in Vedic literature
By Dr Malav Bhimpuria
On a crisp autumnal day in late November, visitors to the Manor were blessed by the warm glow of the inaugural BMA medical camp, part of the Devotee Care Festival. The beaming smiles and joyous faces of the devotees was testament to the resounding success of this inspirational event, held in association with Devotee Care UK, Karuna Care, Alzheimer’s UK, Dental Smile and Hertfordshire Health Improvement Service (HHIS).
The BMA’s aim is to deliver holistic care to the ISKCO
