Mahaprasad Govinda Das, a UK-based devotee with an Ethiopian origin, recently visited Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, where he donated 46 copies of Srila Prabhupada’s books—translated into Amharic—to one of Africa’s largest libraries.
Accompanied by his son, Sandipani Muni Das, Mahaprasad presented the books to the Abrehot Library, a world-class facility with over 1.4 million books housed in more than 19,000 square meters. The library’s director, Mr. Muluken Tariku, warmly received the ge
Enthusiastic devotees from ISKCON Surkhet recently placed copies of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is and the Krishna book in all the rooms of one of the city’s most beautiful hotels, the Siddhartha Resort.
Surkhet is located in a picturesque valley in the mid-western region of Nepal, about 600 kilometers west of Kathmandu. Known for its natural beauty and growing infrastructure, the city has seen significant growth in the past few decades, ensuring these books will be available to many
Picture a small Midwestern town: cold weather, silent streets, gray skies, and no crowds in sight—this is what many Krishna communities face. In such situations, how can they do sankirtan?
In Southeast Michigan, The Harmony Collective Team (THC) has discovered a radiant solution. For the past three months, they’ve brought Krishna’s message to psychic and holistic festivals across the Midwest, finding eager souls ready to embrace wisdom. These indoor gatherings have become a beacon for book d
(LtoR) Masha, Sita Rani Dasi, Yulia, Krsna Abhishek Das, Ishani Devi Dasi, Keith Eustace, Ivan Demiashkin (with mridanga), Manu Das, and Praghosh Das.
ISKCON Dublin recently concluded its participation in the 2024 Srila Prabhupada Book Distribution Marathon, surpassing expectations with a total of 12,781 books distributed across Ireland. The initiative, which took place throughout December, saw devotees tirelessly engaging in the sacred mission of sharing spiritual knowledge through the distribu
Relishing the Bhagavatam for a boost while out on book distribution.
For Gopala-Raya Das, book distribution is more than a duty; it is a central theme in his spiritual journey. His recent appointment as Sankirtan Leader in his yatra – Swansea, Wales, and as Chair of the ISKCON UK Book Distribution Committee is a natural extension of his lifelong dedication to sharing Krishna consciousness. Yet, he approaches this service with characteristic humility. “I don’t have much to say,” he admitted durin
Siddha Hari Das (left); Two children visitors at the mall receive some books from his booth.
A book distribution program led by Siddha Hari Das was successfully conducted at Michigan’s largest mall, Great Lakes Crossing Mall, from December 3rd, 2024, to January 12th, 2025. This innovative initiative was well received by the visitors and became a remarkable endeavor in spreading Krishna consciousness.
A total of 4,222 books were distributed, including 454 Bhakta Stacks (1,816 books), 120 Saptha S
Looking at the ruins of what we’ve been calling until recently Western civilization, I can say that the mankind is illogical and irrational. Led by misguided and selfish leaders, people themselves planned and led their existence to its end, such as we knew it. How come we got here? Couldn’t the ruination of our world be prevented? Couldn’t any of the world leaders remember the bitter lessons of the millenary bloody history of mankind? And why the progress of material science and modern technolo
Srila Prabhupada would be found reading his own books. Someone asked, “Srila Prabhupada, you are reading your own books?” Prabhupada said, “I did not write these books, Krsna dictated these books. These books are pure and transcendental, descending from the spiritual world. The knowledge in these books is absolutely perfect.” Where in the world do you find that? We have advertisements everywhere – advertisements in our faces, trying to convince us that we need this and that to make us happy. It
In Stratford, I met Sandy, a Westpac Bank worker from New Zealand, who told me that she has most of these books and LOVES reading them. She said that every time a devotee comes through, she buys another book.
“These are not books you just read once and move on,” she said. “I read them through fully, then after a few months I re-visit them and start reading them over again.”
She was so inspired, and she really takes shelter of Prabhupada’s books. This time, we sat on a park bench, and I showed h
By Muralimohan dasa
On April 3, 2022, my team and I from ISKCON’s Ahmedabad temple, also known as Sri Radha Govinda Dhama, held a one-day padayatra at Nani Devti gram, about 30km southwest of Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
We arrived at the village to hear that a samuha chandi yajna was being conducted and many people had assembled at one place. Moving ahead we started sankirtan and as we reached the yajna everyone there was pleased to see a group of devotees performing sankirtan and asked us to say som
As we know from the “Teachings of Lord Caitanya,” there are no hard and fast rules for chanting Hare Krishna. Similarly, there are no hard and fast rules for distributing books. I was distributing books at a college, and I saw a security guard coming my way. Sometimes people complain. He was some distance away, so I went into a nearby building. After going through the door, I walked fast to avoid him. I made the first left, and it turned out to be a restroom. I thought, “I’ll just hang out here
What did I learn today from sastra (scripture) or from the words of the guru?
In the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna asks Krishna appropriate questions, with all of them being answered, of course.
Another item that I read from the book Chasing Rhinos, by Shyamasundar, left me satisfied:
“Sometimes, just like the wild tiger, you have got to control by repression. But when the tiger is under control, there is no question of repression. You can play with the tiger; he becomes your friend. So, repression is
When delivered by His pure representative, Krishna’s message attracts and transforms people young and old.
Touched by Srila Prabhupada Books
Haribol Nani!“ I greet my grand mother as I enter her home.
Unable to get up to receive me, she stretches out her arms, ready to welcome me into her warm embrace. Although her face is wrinkled with time and herbody is diseased with old age, her radiant smile and loving mood reveal her inner beauty. My eighty-five-year-old grandfather, lying on a bed nearb
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins with the definition of the ultimate source. It is a bona fide commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra by the same author, Śrīla Vyāsadeva, and gradually it develops into nine can
From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 11:
“In the Hari-bhakti-vilasa there is the following statement about self-surrender: ‘My dear Lord, a person who has surrendered himself unto You, who is in firm conviction that he is Yours, and who actually acts in that way by his body, mind and words, can actually relish transcendental bliss.’”
“In the Nrsimha Purana, Lord Nrsimha-deva says, ‘Anyone who prays unto Me and takes shelter from Me becomes My ward, and I protect him always from all sorts of cal
By Madhava Smullen
Up till now, one of the main methods of getting your Bhakti Sastri Degree in ISKCON involved taking six months off from your job or service to study in person in Mayapur or Vrindavan. This made it elusive and difficult for many to get the “family transcendental diploma” based on Srila Prabhupada’s books which Prabhupada wanted all his “spiritual sons and daughters” to inherit.
This system also required anyone who taught the Bhakti Sastri program to have a Bhakti Sastri degree
By Madhava Smullen
The long-awaited new book, “Yamuna Devi: The Study of Seva-Puja,” is here. The work presents and expands upon the original “Deity Book,” a parchment-paged binder about deity worship and dress which Yamuna Devi, a much-loved ISKCON pioneer, and early Prabhupada disciple, created and brought with her to each ashram she resided in.
Guests frequently asked her to publish the book, and now, nine years after her passing, Dinatarini Devi, her companion in devotional life for 37 yea
By Madhava Smullen
Books are the Basis Week, run by the ISKCON Ministry of Education from September 22nd to 28th, is encouraging devotees worldwide to read Srila Prabhupada’s books by providing resources and guidelines, and facilitating grassroots level engagement.
The Week is part of a larger effort to “enhance the culture of reading Srila Prabhupada’s books globally.” It was officially added to ISKCON’s calendar in 2020, after the society’s Governing Body Commission (GBC) accepted a proposal f
By Madhava Smullen
This year, as we celebrate the 125th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s appearance in 1896, an excellent way to become absorbed in the pastimes and teachings of the ISKCON Founder-Acharya is the latest, fifth volume of Memories: Anecdotes of a Modern Day Saint.
The series all began back in 1991 when Siddhanta Das, the devotee behind the project, was working with ISKCON Television (ITV) and tested out some new video cameras by taping Srutakirti Das, who had served as Srila Pra
By Madhava Smullen
New paperback editions of Srimad-Bhagavatam: A Comprehensive Guide for Young Readers Cantos 1, 2, and 3 are now available on Amazon.com, along with the just completed Canto 4. The first three cantos in the series, compiled by Aruddha Dasi, were originally each released in two parts starting in 2016. However the new editions, redesigned by Raghu Consbruck, and featuring new illustrations by a variety of artists, have been revised into a single volume per Canto, making them mo
