Last weekend, ISKCON devotees joined tens of thousands gathered in Bangkok and Pattaya, Thailand, for the annual Holi Festival celebrations. The two events are the result of a partnership between the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Indian Association of Thailand.
In Bangkok, the celebration was held at the expansive “centralwOrld” mall, one of the largest in the world. ISKCON devotees were invited to participate in the official kickoff event, where a joyful kirtan welcomed Mr. Srett
Recently, ISKCON devotees participated in the UK Women’s Faith Forum’s inaugural event, “Keeping Hatred Off Our Streets.” The February 28th gathering in Parliament included women from across five major faith groups who are working collectively to ensure that the experiences, skills, and dedication of women in faith communities are focused on today’s key issues.
“Representing Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Judaism, the Women’s Faith Forum is motivated by the essence of our faith tra
Looking to post my daily Srila Prabhupada quote I stumbled upon the beautiful chapter 22 of canto 8, describing pastime of Bali Maharaj. It was amazing to read how Krishna expertly, what else can we expect from Him, bestows opulence on His aspiring devotees. On one hand He grants a lot to some while on the other hand He takes away everything from others.
It is a misplaced perception that Krishna does not grant opulence to His devotees, in fact His devotees receive limitless opulence, there are
By Thomas Haribol
Known for its creative and successful outreach efforts, ISKCON Tucson integrated its first Ratha Yatra event into the city’s 34th annual All Souls’ Procession on Nov. 5, 2023.
All Souls’ Day is a Christian holy day focused on remembering and praying for the souls of the deceased. The All Souls’ Procession was the brainchild of Tucson artist Susan Johnson, who sought a public way to honor her father and grieve after his death. The multi-day event also integrates imagery from t
By Thomas Haribol
Despite the ongoing warfare and shelling, programs for devotees in Tel Aviv are still being held every weekend. According to ISKCON Israel, “Devotees continue to gather almost every day, offer wicks to Lord Damodara and to have kirtan.” In the midst of their travails, they are redoubling their efforts to extend their “Food for Life” programs in the face of overwhelming need.
“The sons and daughters of many devotees have been drafted into the army; we all pray for them, as well
From a series of lectures by HH Radhanath Swami, introducing the Spiritual Counselor System that has been successfully deployed at Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath Temple in Mumbai, Chowpatti.
Inroducing the Counselor System
Service To The Vaishnavas – The Highest Religious Principle
Vaisnavism has been manifested in its purest and most wonderful form through the love and teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates. The most beautiful aspect of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes is the loving interac
When in danger, devotees of Lord Krishna naturally turn to His fiercest form for protection.
One of the most awe-inspiring of Lord Krishna’s forms is Sri Nrisimhadeva, His half-man, half-lion incarnation. Lord Nrisimha descended to protect His devotee Sri Prahlada Maharaja from the atheistic king Hiranyakashipu, Prahlada’s father.
The Boy Saint Prahlada
Sri Prahlada Maharaja was a devotee of Lord Krishna from birth, having acquired knowledge of devotional service in the womb. Once, during
By Gandharvika prema Dasi
Devotees from Turkey and Hungary met in Istanbul so that they jointly distribute cooked food for the survivors in the most heavily damaged earthquake-stricken area in Turkey.
With permission from the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the devotees will arrive to Antakya, Hatay province on Sunday, where they will prepare cooked food in a truck converted into a mobile kitchen and they will distribute it locally. The simple, nourishing food will help feed
Dnipro in Ukraine has a beautiful Hare Krishna Temple, a thousand devotees live in this city with beautiful Deities of Gaur Nitai and Jagannath, Baladev and Subadra. (The big Gaur Nitai have moved to a secret safe location.)
They have a traveling Sankirtan party and a big Prasad Distribution Initiative, it’s like going back in time to ISKCON in the old glory days. The devotees have such a welcoming mood, it is very humbling visiting this temple.
There are 150,000 refugees living in Dnipro as it
Here is how the funds have been used:
By Doyal Gauranga Dasa
A complete solar power plant was already unloaded at New Mayapur yesterday. Tomorrow we start installation. We plan to install in a week. This station will provide all our emergency needs (water, heat, sewerage, communications). It will also become the basis of an autonomous system, where biogas generators and bulls will eventually be connected.
The biogas plant is already in operation, but without the equipment, which should arrive fr
All the wealth we can accrue from a whole lifetime of service is insignificant compared to the blessings of our spiritual master. It is blessings that are the principal factor and not only of our spiritual master but of the entire sampradaya, of the previous spiritual masters. One should however not jump over though. One should approach through the lineage and through the Vaisnavas and therefore, one has to become soft.
In the beginning, we make distinctions between Vaisnavas, thinking, “This Va
By Anuttama Dasa
Special Report: Devotees in Ukraine Continue On Despite Fears, Instability
February 25, 2022 3 PM EST
Members of the Governing Body Commission (GBC) were given a report by leaders aware of the Ukrainian situation earlier today. What follows are selected highlights of that report, with additional information provided by other devotees familiar with the current circumstances.
Thousands of devotees of Lord Krishna live in Ukraine, and they worship at approximately twenty ISKCON c
When first joining the Bhakti Centre I had so many devotees offering to help with my spiritual journey, that I did not know which direction to take. I was quite bewildered until I met Rasarani, a most advanced devotee who would come to be my Siska Guru. She told me I could follow a progressive path in Bhakti, and she would be my guide.
My first and possibly most difficult challenge was to try to control the mind and senses, or Sraddha. Rasarani explained that she used small tokens to help her
When first joining the Bhakti Centre I had so many devotees offering to help with my spiritual journey, that I did not know which direction to take. I was quite bewildered until I met Rasarani, a most advanced devotee who would come to be my Siska Guru. She told me I could follow a progressive path in Bhakti, and she would be my guide.
My first and possibly most difficult challenge was to try to control the mind and senses, or Sraddha. Rasarani explained that she used small tokens to help her
This year, ISKCON is celebrating the 125th anniversary of the appearance of its Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada – born in 1896 in Calcutta – with various efforts to honor him throughout the year.
On Saturday August 21st, ten days before Srila Prabhupada’s August 31st appearance day, devotees from the ISKCON Auckland congregation in New Zealand will hold Harinama Sankirtana in multiple suburbs around Auckland, as well as on the city’s main thoroughfare Queen
Prabhupāda: So the devotees are protected by the Viṣṇudūtas always, constantly. They are invisibly wandering all over the universe. We may see or not see, because we cannot see spiritual body with these material eyes. So even we do not see, the Viṣṇudūta is always protecting the devotees from the enemies.
As I have explained yesterday, devotees will have enemies. Kṛṣṇa had enemies. This world is such: envious. Ordinarily, they are envious. The whole world is full of enviousness. Even the greate
By Parijata Devi Dasi
The Devotee Care Directorate, together with GBC SPT is endeavoring to extend tribute to all the devotees in ISKCON who have unfortunately departed in the current pandemic due to Covid as well as non-Covid related death during this period (over the last year).
As part of this initiative, the Devotee Care team is compiling a consolidated list of these departed devotees from across the world; their names and photographs, and will display them on the official site: www.devotee
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura makes one statement which is a statement that should not be taken cheaply. He says that, “Generally, the vows of initiation are so powerful that they will be successful even if they are not followed perfectly.” Now that is not an excuse to not follow the vows perfectly. We cannot proceed as if, “That is interesting. Now I don’t have to be so fanatic.” No, that is not the meaning of that statement from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. The meaning i
By Radhapriya Chawla
The pandemic is heavily affecting ISKCON devotee communities around the world as there is lack of resources and access to medical equipment and facilities especially for those in rural devotee communities such as Mayapur and Bangladesh. Over 7000 devotee families in Mayapur and Bangladesh are struggling to feed and take care of their families because of the situation. It is heart-wrenching to see these devotees suffering, leaving their bodies, having no access to any basic
