By Parsada dasi
During kartik last year, a very dear friend of mine, Padma visted Sri Vrindavan Dham, and a sincere devotee for many years. She arrived a day after the much celebrated Gopastami festival. As we made our way to the ISKCON goshala that afternoon, I described to her our Gopastami festival, where our Srimati Radharani is dressed as the cowherd boy Subal and at this time Her devotees relish the sweet darshan of Her lotus feet, the only time in the year except Radhastami. On this wo
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
By Sri Nandanandana dasa (Stephen Knapp)
Sometimes people say that they want to see God, or that God is not perceivable. And this is confirmed in the Vedic scripture, but with additional points of instruction on how we can perceive the Supreme Being. The Svetasvatara Upanishad (4.20) explains “His form of beauty is imperceptible to mundane senses. No one can see Him with material eyes. Only those who realize, through deep pure-hearted meditation, this Supreme Personality, who resides in ev
By Goloka Devi Dasi
Having been appointed just a matter of weeks ago, one of the first meetings the new Ambassador for Ireland, Mr. Akhilesh Mishra, wanted to arrange was with ISKCON!
A very nice, knowledgeable and humble man we spent about 40 minutes discussing Sanskrit (which he has studied and his father was a professor of), Vedic culture and the achievements of Srila Prabhupada.
Before leaving we presented him with the complete edition of the Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta. Somehow that seem
By
H.H. Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami
(On December 9th, 2021 (Odan Shasti), disciples and servants of H.H. Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami will be celebrating his 84th vyasa all over the world. On this occasion we are pleased to share below excerpts from his lecture’s question/answer session.
The excerpts from chapter ‘Prayers’ are adapted from the book “Sripada in Switzerland – Lectures, conversations and instructions of His Holiness Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami in Switzerland published by BI,
By HG Atma Tattva dasa (ACBSP)
It was the beginning of 1977. Prabhupada was in Bombay temple. He was very sick. He had stopped all food intake – he was taking 1/4 a cup of orange juice per day. His body had only bones left – there was no flesh. And yet, he was insisting that he wanted to go to London. The doctors had given up responsibility. But as always, he was adamant.
At this time, one Pancaratrika Pandit from Bangalore named Sampat Kumar Bhattacarya came to know about Srila Prabhupada’
Note: There is an improved version of the article here: https://girirajswami.com/blog/?p=16644
By Giriraj Swami
Today is the disappearance day of Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja. Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji was a great devotee—a maha-bhagavata. He was a disciple of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and was very renounced. Earlier, he lived for many years in Vrindavan, roaming the twelve forests, chanting the holy names of Krishna, begging alms, and sleeping under trees. Later, after Srila Bha
A Gorakshya (Cow Protection) Perspective by Syamasundara Das
I am submitting a response to an article I read very recently by Jennifer Mishler in Sentient Media. Plant-Based Companies Call Attention to ‘the Cow in the Room’ at COP26 (https://sentientmedia.org/plant-based-companies-call-attention-to-the-cow-in-the-room-at-cop26/)
In Jennifer Mishler’s article she mentions ‘environmental harms of animal agriculture, often left out of climate change discussions—and most importantly—not addressed i
Shri Radha Krishna
Radhe radhe when I visit the Shri Radha Krishna temple I always thinking was positive happened because our daily routine and work we got tired and also mentally torture but when you go and visit temple you feel very positive and we enter that ISKCON so we have that 108 times hare Krishna hare Krishna Krishna Krishna hare hare hare Rama hare Rama Rama Rama hare hare we do and I remember how many times I went ISKCON I follow that after that I can enter and see the Radha Krishna g
