If, in our marriage, we focus on what we need and negate the needs of our partner, the relationship can’t last. If we give up who we are to please our partner, we may suffocate and become frustrated, resentful and depressed. One who is self-controlled doesn’t need to lord it over another, and neither does that person need to be overpowered by another. Marriage is a balance between satisfying our self and satisfying our partner. It means maintaining an awareness of the other person and their des
srila prabhupada (839)
By His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Lecture given in Honolulu, May 6, 1976
Our proclivity to enjoy here under the influence of the material nature keeps us bound to material existence.
pravritti-lakshanash chaiva
traigunya-vishayo mune
yo ’sav alina-prakriter
guna-sargah punah punah
“O great sage Sukadeva Goswami, unless the living entity is freed from the infection of the material modes of nature, he receives different types of bodies in which to enjoy or suffer, and
United Airlines took me from Vancouver to New York direct for a red-eye flight. I don't recall any shut-eye time, however, when Virat Priya, my walking partner when I pedestrianed by way through Guyana, met me at arrivals at La Guardia Airport, we zipped over to his home for catch up rest. We were both surprised at the sudden spread of an annoying rash all over the legs, something aggravated by some very strong organic massage oil.
Oh well! Some extra mercy!
My purpose in coming to New Yor
By Atma Tattva Das,
Mauritius formally honored the legacy of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), on Saturday, 8 August 2026, when His Excellency Mr Dharambeer Gokhool, G.C.S.K., President of the Republic of Mauritius, unveiled a Special Day Cover at Hare Krishna Land in Pont Fer, Phoenix.
The ceremony, which began at 1:30 p.m., marked two milestones: ISKCON’s 60th anniversary and the 50th annivers
We reside in an incredibly fast-paced, demanding world. Every single day, we are bombarded by a relentless stream of information, urgent material tasks, and an undercurrent of endless anxiety. Amidst this modern noise, it is remarkably easy to lose sight of the essentials – that deep, foundational inspiration that originally sparked our spiritual journey in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Fortunately, we possess a steady, infallible anchor capable of pulling us back into spiritual reality at any given mome
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
Krishna is self-satisfied and does not need anything, but out of His mercy He will accept our offerings of love and devotion.
Krishna’s supreme opulence surpasses all description and comparison. Millions of goddesses of fortune serve Him in the spiritual realm. He is the supreme controller, the ultimate refuge, and the proprietor of everything. Yet, because of His love for His devotees, the all-powerful Lord accepts their loving offerings.
Krishna consciousness helps us recognize and reestablis
From Back to Godhead
In the Bhagavad-gita (7.14) Lord Krishna refers to maya, the deluding material energy, as mama maya: “My maya.” We Vaishnavas accept His word on this, with profound philosophical implications.
The chief philosophical opponents of Vaishnavas are the Mayavadis, or impersonalists, who posit ultimate reality as one homogeneous impersonal energy, with no second thing: All the unique entities we perceive, whether things or living beings, are merely mirages. Variety and individual
By Sitalatma das
January 7 is the date of Orthodox Christmas but most of our devotees are not familiar with that tradition though there are quite a few useful things we can learn from it.
Srila Rupa Goswami wrote in both Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu and in Upadesamrita about importance of living in holy places like Vrindavana. Orthodox equivalent of it would be Mt. Athos, which is located at the tip of Mt. Athos peninsula in Northern Greece. They say that Virgin Mary took shelter there during a big
“Infatuated by promises of a hi-tech paradise, people don’t even think about the spiritual purpose of life, erroneously considering it unscientific and outdated.”
We live in the age of technology. We commute by automobiles and airplanes and communicate by emails and mobile phones. The media and the Internet provide us the latest information from all over the world. Movies filled with hi-tech special effects entertain us. Central heating and air conditioning keep us comfortable despite the weath
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is a peaceful fraternal movement incorporated in 1966 in New York by its founder Acharya His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and it is aimed at teaching a simple way of living in harmony with nature and to achieve the ultimate goal of human life. “We shall call our society ISKCON.” Prabhupada playfully coined first the acronym, although many alternative names were proposed by his close associates. The principal place
ISKCON (the International Society for Krishna Consciousness) was incorporated in New York City, in the State of New York in the US, on 13 July 1966, around 53 years ago. This first incorporation of ISKCON was executed at Srila Prabhupada’s behest – then known to his followers only as ‘Swamiji’ and to others as A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.
The lawyer under whose aegis the fledgling movement was officially instituted was Mr Steven Goldsmith, an attendee at Srila Prabhupada’s Second Avenue lectures.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness has potential as a peaceful extra-governmental force for this kind of change, nationally and internationally. In 1966, Srila Prabhupada included in ISKCON’s articles of incorporation a far-reaching statement of the movement’s purposes. Among them: “To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler, more natural way of life.”
Srila Prabhupada did not, however, recommend high-pressure lobbying. Instead, he emphasized the
from Back To Godhead Magazine #15-05, 1980 - a brief history of the incorporation of ISKCON
by Satsvarupa Dasa Gosvami
July 11, 1966. 26 Second Avenue, New York City: A few sympathetic, interested people gather in a small downtown storefront to help an Indian swami’s mission by adding their signature to a legal document.
Today, ISKCON has branches all over the world. Millions of lives have been transformed by the Hare Krishna mantra and the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita—thanks to the vision
Compiled by Nartaka Gopala dasi
Gopal Prabhu received initiation from Srila Prabhupada in Los Angeles, July, 1970. He was given sannyasa initiation at some point in the very early seventies, meaning he was among the first devotees to get sannyasa in ISKCON. He was extremely young to enter that ashram, barely 21 or so. He remained in that ashram a few years. I met him for the first time in 2011 when I started working at Radha Jivan Prabhu’s import business where only devotees were employed, and G
As devotees gather in New York City to mark ISKCON’s 60th anniversary, youth from the local community will present an original musical depicting the life and mission of Srila Prabhupada.
The Hare Krishna Musical, written and performed by ISKCON NYC youth, will combine music, drama, and dance to tell the story of ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya and the movement he established in New York City in 1966. Radhanath Swami will be among the honored guests attending the performance.
The musical begins promptly
Radhanath Swami: “I was in Vrindavan in 1971, and I was among five or six other people sitting around Srila Prabhupada. He wasn’t my guru then; he was just one of the saints I was coming to visit. And Srila Prabhupada was in Vrindavan for a few days. Somebody asked him, ‘Are you the guru for the whole world?’ He didn’t say anything. I was really very excited with anticipation—what is he going to say? Most people would say, ‘Yes.’ And after he paused for a few minutes, he looked down to the grou
On Instinct, Intuition, Paramātmā, and the Guidance That Moves All Living Beings
Jananivāsa Dāsa
This essay is a condensed version of a longer paper by the same
author, which treats the argument, its scriptural sources, and its
supporting cases in fuller depth.
“Knowledge given by Paramātmā from within the core of the heart
is explained by the modern scientist as intuition. They do not know
wherefrom the intuition is coming. And that is coming from God.”
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Le
By Bhava Bhakti Devi Dasi
ISKCON 26 2nd Avenue celebrated the 60th Anniversary of ISKCON with eight days of spectacular events. The festival ran from the 6th to the 13th of July. Over 20 Srila Prabhupada disciples were present, sharing memories. There were daily harinams to Tompkins Square Park and evening programs with kirtan, memories shared both in person and online, all ending with sumptuous prasadam.
The festivities began with Candrasekhara Swami, Gaur Kumar Dasa, and Yadunath Dasa cutting
By Bhava Bhakti devi dasi
ISKCON 26 2nd Avenue Celebrates the 60th Anniversary of ISKCON
ISKCON 26 2nd Avenue celebrated the 60th Anniversary of ISKCON with eight days of spectacular events. The festival ran from 6th to 13th July, bringing together devotees from around the world. Over 20 disciples of Srila Prabhupada were present, sharing their cherished memories of the movement’s early days. Each day featured harinam to Tompkins Square Park, followed by evening programs filled with kirtan, hea
