The other day I was remembering Srila Prabhupada’s statement of how paintings of Krsna are like windows to the spiritual world; it means that through these paintings, we are looking into the ‘real world’, and when we are looking out of this window (of the building), we are simply looking at a picture. So Krsna consciousness must begin with that understanding, that the spiritual world is the real world. It is there where we find our nourishment because after all, in the material world, we will n
spiritual (38)
A cleric was once training his students how to perform a wedding. During the cleric’s tutorial, a frisky cat who lived on the church premises repeatedly interrupted the proceedings by meowing and playing with the ceremonial items. To pacify the cat, the cleric asked one of his students to bring it a bowl of milk. After plying the rambunctious cat with milk, the cleric, a cat lover himself, stroked the cat until it became drowsy and fell asleep. Having accomplished his goal, he put the sleeping
Just as a very good sweet will have something hidden inside of it, or a company will have the inner group of key people, the Gita has a core made up of four verses. These are called the Catur Sloki (catur = four, and sloki = verses), and they summarize the entire Gita.
The eighteen chapters of the Gita are themselves divided into 3 parts. The middle six chapters focus on bhakti and are “protected” on either side by teachings on karma-yoga (the first six chapters) and jnana yoga (the focus of th
An enlightened person sees with equal vision a learned scholar,
a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater.
Attempts to establish equality among all people are naive and superficial unless supported by spiritual understanding. Materially, we are not equal. Some people are geniuses; others are fools. Materially, the rule is not unity but diversity. Ours is a world of diverse bodies, diverse faces.
And it is in terms of these diversities that we think of our selves. We think, "I am a man" or "I a
By Madhava Smullen
It’s not always easy to find rock music that tackles spiritual themes, much less Krishna conscious ones. But Australian alternative funk rock band Supersoul does just that, wrapping deep philosophical concepts in funky rhythm sections, soaring harmonies and ripping guitar solos.
Hailing from ISKCON New Govardhana in Murwillumbah, the band consists of four devotees, all family men – singer and guitarist Deva Gaura Hari Das, bass guitarist Laksmivan Das, rhythm guitarist Sve
Video: Click here
We use speech every day in our life. But seldom do we realize it’s power. It leaves a profound impact on others, our mind and consciousness.
Words create worlds. Since language affects reality, there is an irretrievable nature to the words which leave our lips.
Numerous scriptural injunctions are available on the Yama and Niyama of speech.
In the Nectar of Instruction, Srila Rupa Goswami’s first instruction to all practitioners of bhakti-yoga is — vāco vegam — one should con
By Yogesvara dasa
Introduction
A Native American storyteller named Ron Evans tells a tale that warms the heart of all who agonise over the effects of contemporary media. Ron visited Africa some years ago and was present the day electric lines were installed for the first time in a tiny village. Along with wiring came a gift from the local government: the village’s first television. Ron describes how the entire village sat mesmerised for three days watching every programme. Then as if on cue, r
By Sri Nandanandana dasa (Stephen Knapp)
These days fewer people are interested in taking up anything that they cannot immediately apply to their lives. The common question is: “What is this going to do for me?” Or “What am I going to get out of this?” So if we cannot relate the purpose of Vedic culture or its spirituality to people today, especially to the youth, then it is not likely they will take an interest. Yet, everyone is interested in gaining more out of life, or reaching their higher
From Back to Godhead
Which way does one go in moments of despair?
LORD KRSNA HAS TWO ENERGIES, material and spiritual, but they can be used interchangeably if one knows how. Just as the same electricity can be used to heat or cool a building, so Krsna’s energies can be used for different purposes according to the living entity’s desire.
That doesn’t mean that the living entity can control Krsna’s energies, only that he can use them. When a conditioned soul wishes to exploit the material nature,
Let us hear from HH Bhakti Vijnana Goswami as he reaffirms the purpose#1 of ISKCON (To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all people in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world)
About Bhakti Vijnana Goswami.
Bhakti Vijnana Goswami was born in Tashkent, former Soviet Union. He took to spiritual life in 1980, during a difficult time during the communist era in th
By Damodar das
Giriraj Swami spoke on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.6:
etevan sankhya-yogabhyam
sva-dharma-parinisthaya
janma-labhah parah pumsam
ante narayana-smrtih
“The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by practice of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of life.
Remember Krishna at the End of Life (Right click to download)
Source: http://www.girirajswami.com/?p=1
By Damodarleela dasa and Arjuna Krishna dasa
Recently the Maharashtra Padayatra was at Koregaon in the Sangli district, a village enriched with devotees. Cintamani devi dasi, the daughter of a brother of Lokanath Maharaja, stays here and as part of a Vaishnava family she naturally follows the same spiritual path. Her son, Caitanya dasa, who studies in gurukul, was also at home to welcome padayatra and he sang and performed kirtan with us. They have a combined family, a rarity nowadays, and all
Gratitude is a divine virtue that is so important that other divine virtues could not exist without it. Spirituality grows like seeds within our heart. The goodness of our lifestyle protects that seed. Our spiritual practice of chanting God’s names, reading scriptures, doing seva for God and others waters that seed. But gratitude is what makes the ground fertile so that all these other virtues will actually have its maximum effect. A fertile soil allows the seed to have deep roots and grow ve
Bhismadeva was not only a pure devotee, but very much a self-reliant devotee. He was a devotee who chose the transcendental position even though he was in a condition of life which was mundane. Living in a royal court is not the ideal situation for a brahmacari. Generally, brahmacaris are nicely locked away in the brahmacari ashramas, where they are protected from the heavy aspect of sense gratification straight in their face. But here, Bhismadeva was living in royal opulence, a very difficult
The English Dictionary defines the word “spiritual” as “Relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things”.
Now before we attempt to delve deeper into this topic, it is essential for us to understand as to who we actually are? The answer to this question will help us make sense of life, in the first place, and lead us to the gradual understanding of what truly is the goal of it. In other words,the more we discuss and brainstorm on our own identity, the
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Lecture given in Los Angeles, May 17, 1973
Spiritual merit, not wealth, distinguishes the most honored persons in Vedic society.
bhagavan api viprarshe
rathena sa-dhananjayah
sa tair vyarochata nripah
kuvera iva guhyakaih
“O sage amongst the brahmanas, Lord Sri Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, also followed, seated on a chariot with Arjuna. Thus King Yudhishthira appeared very aristocratic, like Kuvera surrounded by his companions,
