We concluded our last discussion on the existence of the self with the recognition that accepting our own existence somehow or other implied the existence of God, quoting Srila Prabhupada’s words “One can understand the nature of the Supreme by thorough study of oneself” (Bg 2.16, purport) (http://www.dandavats.com/?p=12367#more-12367).But by what process can this understanding be achieved?
Descartes concludes from his first two meditations that the self exists. He begins to ponder the nature o
Srila Prabhupada says that Narada is a great personality and he was so pleased by the devotional attitude of Dhruva, that he could have just given him everything. He could have given Dhruva exactly what he wanted. Why didn’t he do it? [a devotee replies that it was because he wanted Dhruva to surrender to Krishna]. Yes, essentially that’s correct. He wanted him to follow the correct path, he wanted him to engage in devotional service.
You see, and this helps us to develop our perspective about
Thirty years ago I was doing the Prabhupada marathon at the Chicago airport. One afternoon, we devotees were so intoxicated by distributing books that we decided to show that one doesn’t have to speak to sell books, that book distribution just depends on our state of consciousness. So we didn’t speak.
Just after loading my bookbag with (20) maha books I tapped a man on the arm and looked him in the eye. He stopped, expecting me to say something. I didn’t. I put a book in his hand, pointed at Pr
Gitanushilanam 2023 is the world’s biggest online Bhagavad Gita competition dedicated to ISKCON founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. It is the annual flagship event of Learn Gita Live Gita to celebrate the Gita Jayanti of year 2023.
Learn Gita Live Gita is an initiative under the leadership of HG Lila Purushottam Prabhu (Director-IIT Mandi, Director- BGIS Vrindavan) to bring about success and happiness to every person in this world irrespective of their age, gen
By Rasananda Sankirtana Dasa
Bhakta Wilfred, Rasānanda Sankīrtana Dāsa, and Gauranga Prema Prabhu distributing books in Paris.
His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada’s marathon in France is considered by many to be in a category of its own. Some devotees say that France is one of the most challenging places to distribute books, and within France, the city of Paris is the most difficult. Yet, it has become a thriving base of operation for the sankirtan devotees under the tutelage of HH Janananda Gos
Celebrating the 46th Disappearance Day of Srila Prabhupada was a jubilant and spiritually uplifting affair for thousands of devotees gathered at the revered samadhi in remembrance of the remarkable life and teachings of the founder Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
The day commenced with a soul-stirring Samadhi Arati, an offering of lamps, and prayers at Srila Prabhupada’s resting place, setting the tone for a day of devotion and reflection. Mangala Arat
Once, on his guru maharaja’s disappearance day, Srila Prabhupada said, “On the absolute platform, there is no difference between the appearance and the disappearance of the spiritual master. Both are beautiful, just like the sunrise and the sunset.” So, although we feel separation, within that separation our remembrance of Srila Prabhupada is heightened, and thus we experience the beauty of his presence—in separation.
To straightaway speak about Srila Prabhupada’s departure feels abrupt to me, b
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Shri Krishna explains,
janma karma ca me divyam
evaà yo vetti tattvataù
tyaktvä dehaà punar janma
naiti mäm eti so ‘rjuna
[BG 4.9]
‘One who understands the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities never attains…never has to take birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode.’ Those divine personalities who come to distribute the treasure of prema bhakti, the emissaries of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, their lila is of the same natu
Dear Devotees,
Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I am writing this message to you during a solemn yet joyful time when we recall the disappearance of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON. It is solemn because of the very heart-wrenching reality that Srila Prabhupada left our presence forty-five years ago this year, yet joyful because we know he departed back to the lotus feet of Sri Krishna and Caitanya Mahaprabhu after
“That night, Srila Prabhupada called me. I was attending Srila Prabhupada – actually one of us used to always be with Srila Prabhupada for two hours. My shift was 12am-2am. So it must have been around 1am. Srila Prabhupada called me, and told me: “The time has come for me to leave this planet, therefore you should make arrangement to take me to Vrindavan immediately.” He wanted to leave his body in Vrindavan. I was completely shocked, and immediately ran downstairs to wake up Tamal Krishna Ma
Dear Srila Prabhupada! As I was preparing the accompanying lecture on your pastimes in Vrindavan over the years, I stumbled across this photo of myself looking at you in Vrindavan from a short distance away with a smile on my face. I feel so honoured to have been with you at that time! For the pleasure of the devotees I researched many of your pastimes in Vraja from 1925 to 1977. My talk on Tuesday on my YouTube channel at 3:30 pm India time will highlight your glories the day before we all cele
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!
It is only possible to deliver a conditioned jiva from Maya,
By divine intervention of God.
To a realm that is higher;
Ecstatically deep and broad.
An ocean of liquid love!
In His mercy, to bring us there,
He sent us Srila Prabhupada.
Sri Krsna Caitanya desired to moisten the dried-up souls.
To acheive it,
He not only comes Himself, But Nitai-Balarama empowered Srila Prabhupada,
To bountiful conceive it.
A world encircling garland of prema-nama-sankirtana!
All G
Once, on his guru maharaja’s disappearance day, Srila Prabhupada said, “On the absolute platform, there is no difference between the appearance and the disappearance of the spiritual master. Both are beautiful, just like the sunrise and the sunset.” So, although we feel separation, within that separation our remembrance of Srila Prabhupada is heightened, and thus we experience the beauty of his presence—in separation.
Srila Prabhupada’s departure is a painful topic, but remembering Srila Prabhu
Note: Click here for improved version: http://www.dandavats.com/wp-content/uploads/new_SP_Disap_2008.docx
By Giriraj Swami
We have gathered at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada on the auspicious occasion of his disappearance festival. When we were with His Divine Grace in Surat on his guru maharaja’s disappearance day, he remarked that on the absolute platform there is no difference between the appearance and disappearance of the spiritual master—just like the sunrise and sunset, both are beau
DIWALI FESTIVAL: 10th October. 1968,
(Letter from Srila Prabhupada to Hamsadutta dasa written from Seattle., Letters book Vol 1. p.549.)
Diwali ceremony can be observed in the temple by illuminating 100’s of candles, indifferent parts of the temple, and offering a special Prasad to the Deity. This ceremony was observed by the inhabitants of Ayodhya, the Kingdom of Lord Ramachandra, while Lord Ramachandra was out of His Kingdom due to His 14 years banishment by the order of His father. His young
By Giriraj Swami
In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami says that the pastimes of Lord Chaitanya are like a lake with many beautiful lotus flowers, which are love for Krishna—Radha and Krishna. As our acharyas tell us, the Caitanya-caritamrta is perhaps the most important of all the books of the followers of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and on this date thirty-seven years ago, Srila Prabhupada completed his translation of the Caitanya-caritamrta.
Whenever Srila Prabhupada was
By Héctor Rosario, PhD
As followers of Srila Prabhupada we all know his prescription to chant a minimum daily quota of 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mahamantra. This is the minimum standard that he set for his followers and which all ISKCON devotees accept. This standard is actually based on the traditional Gaudiya Vaisnava minimum standard set by Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Of course, that standard is 100,000 names of Krishna daily, roughly equivalent to 64 rounds of Hare Krishna japa, acc
From Back to Godhead
Variety is said to be the spice of life. Imagine a life where you eat the same vegetables daily, wear the same clothes, meet the same people, and visit the same places. So boring, right? This world is full of varieties seasonal changes in the form of summer, winter, autumn, spring; periodic appearance and disappearance of the sun and the moon; cultural differences among people of different nations; the language, the dress, and the eating habits in different parts of the wor
From Back to Godhead
Sri Brahma-samhita is one of the oldest Vedic scriptures, and it is accepted by Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu (an incarnation of Krsna Himself who appeared 484 years ago) as the essence of Vaisnava (Krsna conscious) philosophy. The first verse of the Fifth Chapter of Sri Brahma-samhita reads: “Krsna, who is known as Govinda, is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal, blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, and He is the Prime Cause of
From Back to Godhead
Why hearing is the first and most important of the nine kinds of devotional service to the Lord.
When I first read that hearing is the most important of the nine kinds of devotional service, I was confused. I was twenty-one at the time and had been hearing all day every day for my whole life. What was so special about hearing? Then I read that the “hearing” prescribed wasn’t meant for mundane topics but for the activities and qualities of Krishna and His devotees. This hea
