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Sharing the Mercy, One Lamp at a Time

By the Congregational Development Ministry

As festivals like Diwali, Dussehra, and Thanksgiving approach, families eagerly prepare to celebrate. Homes are decorated, loved ones gather, and happiness is shared. For devotees of Kṛṣṇa, the sacred month of Kārtika offers a similar opportunity—not only to deepen our devotion but also to share that happiness with others.

When something brings us genuine joy, don’t we naturally want others to experience it too?

Thi

Govardhana Puja is celebrated in the month of Kartika (October – November) to commemorate the pastime of Lord Sri Krishna lifting the Govardhana Hill to protect the residents of Vrindavana from the wrath of Indra.

When the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna saw the residents of Vrindavana preparing for Indra-yajna, He suggested that they should forgo the worship of Indra and instead worship the Govardhana Hill. On coming to know of this, Indra became angry and sent a devastating rainfall over Vrindavana

From Back to Godhead

A time filled with love, devotion, and gratitude.

After going through the intense summer and a humid monsoon, we in India perceive sarat, or autumn, as one of the most beautiful seasons of the year. According to the vedic calendar, Sarat falls during the months of Asvin and Karttika, of which Karttika carries special significance because it is favored by Lord Krishna.

Everyone loves certain foods, drinks, clothes, and music, and Lord Krishna is no exception. In fact, we ha

Kartika month is observed this year from 16 Oct – 14 Nov , the most important month in our calendar, as it is very dear to Sri Sri Radha-Madhava. Just as there is no yuga equal to Satya-yuga, no scripture equal to the Vedas, and no place of pilgrimage equal to the Ganges, so there is no month equal to Kartika. During the Kartika month, millions of devotees worship Damodara Krishna with ghee lamps and devotional bhajans, glorifying His playful childhood pastime of stealing yogurt. And traditiona

As darkness descends upon the holy town of Vrindavan, thousands of devotees gather at the ISKCON Krishna Balaram Mandir to celebrate the auspicious month of Kartik. The temple complex comes alive with the warm glow of countless flickering candles, creating an ethereal atmosphere of devotion and spiritual enchantment.

Beautifully adorned deities of Radha-Krishna, decorated with intricate flower garlands and colorful ornaments, preside over the celebrations. The temple’s architecture is magnific

A Message from Ambarisa Das and Braja Vilasa Das

Dear Worldwide ISKCON Devotees and Congregation,

Please accept our obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

We would like to wish you a happy Kartik month full of divine service to Lord Damodar, and hope you and your family are well and in blissful Krishna conscious spirits. This time of the year is always greeted with great anticipation and excitement by devotees eager to chant the Damodarastakam and remember the pastimes of the Lord with Mot

By Atma Tattva Das

As the month of Kartika approaches, devotees of Krishna around the world are gearing up for one of the most spiritually potent times in the Vaishnava calendar. Taking place during October and November, this month is revered as the holiest of the year, and it offers a unique opportunity for spiritual advancement. From candlelit offerings to vows of austerity, Kartika is a time when devotees focus their hearts on Lord Krishna, specifically in His childhood form as Damodara, who

Kartik and offering lamps are synonymous. While you must be offering at your home, even at the local Temple but then there is a unique advantage of offering lamps in the holy Dham of Sri Mayapur in the auspicious month of Kartik, so why would one want to miss this cumulative spiritual benefit?

Let’s make the most of our Kartik !! There are nine options for offering lamps for you.  pick the frequency and category that suits you the most from the array of these.

Kartika is the best and most glorio

Kartik and offering lamps are synonymous. While you must be offering at your home, even at the local Temple but then there is a unique advantage of offering lamps in the holy Dham of Sri Mayapur in the auspicious month of Kartik, so why would one want to miss this cumulative spiritual benefit?

Let’s make the most of our Kartik !! There are nine options for offering lamps for you.  pick the frequency and category that suits you the most from the array of these.

Kartika is the best and most glori

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

The Vrindavan Institute of Higher Education (VIHE) is organizing a dynamic six-day onsite Teacher Training Course (TTC) in the holy month of Kartik from 18th-23rd November 2023 with Aniruddha Dasa and Bimala Prasad Dasa leading TTC1 and TTC2 respectively.

The course will be held on the premises of VIHE in Vrindavana. Students will benefit greatly by learning the philosophy of learning in the supportive environment of Vrindavana. 

The curriculum involves numero

“Because mother loves the most…in this material world, there is no comparison of mother’s love. Without any exchange. Even in this material world. Mother loves the child without any expectation of return generally…that is called unalloyed love. Anyabhilasita-sunyam, free from all material gain.”- Srila Prabhupada, Srimad-Bhagavatam1.8.31 lecture, Los Angeles, April 23, 1973
—-
Just imagine how great her love must be if she thought that she can catch and bind the Lord of the Universe!
She is awa

“So during Kartika month we can more easily obtain the favor of Radha. If Shri Radha recommends us to Krishna, we can be sure he will take notice”
Prabhupada speaks in the Nectar of Devotion (summary of the Bhakti-Rasamrita-Sindhu) about the power of performing devotional service during the month of Karttika:
“One of the most important of these ceremonial functions is called Urja-vrata. Urja-vrata is observed in the month of Karttika (Oct.-Nov.); especially in Vrindavana (Krishna’s place of “bi

By Giriraj dasa

There so many benedictions for the month of Kartika and we get constant reminders via email, messages on mobile and so many other mediums. The list grows only bigger by the day.

“In the month of Kartik, which is very dear to Sri Hari, one who bathes early in the morning attains the merit of bathing in all places of pilgrimage. Anybody who offers the Lord a ghee lamp in the month of Kartik, O brahmana, becomes free from all kinds of sins, such as killing a brahmana, and he goes t

Sri Dik Darshini Tika and Hari Bhakti Vilas on the Month of Karttika, Urja Vrata, Damodar Utsav seva, Akash Dipa:
KARTIKE’SMIN VISESENA NITYAM KURVITA VAISNAVAH
DAMODARA ARCANAM PRATAH SNANA DANA VRATA ADIKAM

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 16/3 from SKANDA PURANA)

Specifically in the month of Damodara, one should daily worship Lord Damodara and take bath early in the morning, give charity and follow a fasting vow. This is the duty of Vaisnavas.

NIYAMENA VINA VIPRAH KARTIKAM YAH KSIPEN NARAH
KRSNA PARAN-MUK

By Khusboo Basan 

The Kartik month starts on the 20th of October (in the west) and 21st of October (in the east) ) 2021 and continues for four weeks till the 18th/19th of November 2021, please check your local calendars for exact dates. In Chapter 12 of Nectar of Devotion, Srila Prabhupada mentions, “It is said that just as Lord Dāmodara is very dear to His devotees, so the month known as Dāmodara or Kārttika is also very dear to them.”

Significance of Kartik Month

Scriptures like Sanatana Gosw

🪔🪔 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗽𝘂𝗿 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗸 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗮 🪔🪔

💫🌹𝟮𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝗰𝘁 -𝟭𝟵𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗼𝘃 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭🌹💫

All glories to the most divine of all the twelve months, all glories to that beautiful little cowherd boy who has specially given us fallen souls the opportunity to render such insignificant service to His Divine form as Damodar!

“It is said Just as there is no yuga equal to Satya-yuga, no scripture equal to the Vedas, and no place of pilgrimage equal to the Ganges, so there is no month equal to Kartika, that is dearest to Lord Krishna.” Dur

We felt so delighted to see many young children and teenagers were offering ghee lamps to the Lord. For many, they have achieved exalted piety by the unknowing performance of pure devotional service, without spiritual knowledge (ajñata-sukriti). We prayed that by associating with a devotee of Krishna, the seed of bhakti would sprout one day.

Devotee and congregation members reached out to different spots in Hong Kong (Kowloon area) and shared the blessings of offering ghee lamps in the month of

In celebration of the holy month of Kartika, the Bhaktivedanta Players drama group of Bhaktivedanta Manor, UK, have made a seasonal audio play for children and families to enjoy.

The 16-minute drama with voices by many actors, beautiful sound effects and music depicts Krishna’s Damodara pastime in Vrindavana. 

Listen to the audio drama here: 

https://www.bhaktivedantamanor.co.uk/home/?p=14217

suklastami karttike tu
smrta gopastami budhaih
tad-dinad vasudevo ‘bhud
gopah purvam tu vatsapah

“The eighth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartik is known by authorities as Gopastami. From that day, Lord Vasudeva served as a cowherd, whereas previously He had tended the calves.”
-Srimad Bhagavatam 10.15.1, translation

Many important pastimes take place on Gopastami. One pastime takes place on this day a few years after Krishna first started tending the cows. On this day, Jat