An Overview: Varṇāśṛama Supports Bhakti
In his Śrī Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura describes the general relationship between varṇāśrama-dharma and bhakti:
“What is the relation of varṇāśrama, which was previously discussed, with vaidhi-bhakti? Should people take shelter of vaidhi-bhakti and give up the rules of varṇāśrama dharma, or should they practice vaidhi-bhakti for developing devotion, while still following the varṇāśrama rules and duties? It was previously stated that the
I made a film about New Mayapur some time ago, but I decided to do a shorter version of the original. It was a good experience to be in New Mayapur, especially because Srila Prabhupada spent time there. He wanted his followers to set up farm communities and work towards self sufficiency as much as possible. The devotees in New Mayapur are doing their best to achieve that goal. When I make these films it is intriguing on many levels, but one of the nicest parts is the exchanges with the devotees
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi,
In a historic development at the intersection of spirituality and public infrastructure, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has selected ISKCON Dwarka as an official partner to enhance the quality, purity, and consistency of food served on Indian Railways.
As part of a new “Proof of Concept” (PoC) pilot project launched last month, the Bapudham Motihari–Anand Vihar Amrit Bharat Express (Train No. 15567/15568) is now serving meals prepa
By Brajesh Kumar Pandey,
As part of a sacred yearly tradition, the ISKCON Bhakti Center for Education and Culture (BCEC) in Vishal Nagar organized its annual Shrimad Bhagwat Saptah from January 1st to 7th, 2025. The week-long spiritual festival brought together thousands of residents from across the Pune metropolitan area for a deep immersion into the teachings of the holy scriptures.
The highlight of the event was a series of daily discourses by Sarvabhaum Dasa, a world-renowned Katha Vachak,
By Drutakarma das
In the news currently there are many reports about mastodon bones found in San Diego, California. Their age challenges current scientific ideas about the peopling of the Americas. I wrote about these discoveries in 2005 in one of my columns for Atlantis Rising magazine (the column’s name is The Forbidden Archeologist). Here is that column:
California Dreaming: The State Highway 54 Mastodon Blues
By Michael A. Cremo
Atlantis Rising
In 1992 and 1993, paleontologists of the San D
From Back to Godhead
Taking into account the many descriptions of Godhead found in ancient books, scriptures and the eternal wisdom heard by disciples from their venerable masters, the Absolute Truth may be defined as follows: He is by Himself and for Himself; He has all knowledge, strength, opulence, fame, beauty and renunciation; He is the Fountainhead of limitless energies and the Fountainhead of infinite qualities all of which are identical with Himself. He has infinite forms, all of which
In December, the Second Annual Śaraṇāgati Youth Retreat was successfully held at Govardhan EcoVillage, bringing together 40 young devotees from six countries for a seven-day immersive global bhakti experience.
Organized by Arjuna Sakhā Das and Sudevī Sakhī Devi Dasi, this year’s retreat centered on the lives and teachings of the Ṣaḍ Gosvāmīs, offering participants a deeply reflective and practice-oriented exploration of devotional life. The retreat featured enriching classes and the association
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi,
On September 19th, 2025, a milestone in academic collaboration was achieved with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Institute of Engineering & Management (IEM/UEM University), ISKCON Mayapur, and the Bhaktivedanta Research Centre (BRC).
As outlined in this MoU, UEM, BRC, and ISKCON Mayapur intend to establish collaborative academic degree programs (Doctoral, Master’s, Bachelor’s, etc.) in fields such as Engineering, Law, Management, Huma
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
Who or what is God? In our modern world, when we observe the amount of energy consumed by all of the other topics that fill our lives, this question is given almost no consideration or thought whatsoever. As such, we are burdened with so many frivolous misconceptions of God, the Supreme.
For the most part, this lack of attention to the true nature of God is due to the misconception that we cannot know God. Although there is certainly truth in thinking that total knowledge of the Infinite is not
The first time I met Yamuna devi, my life changed forever.
I was in Saranagati for the Christmas holidays in 2000 having a reunion with my closest childhood friends. We were all in our early twenties, and having recently finished our university education and started work, we spent our time together recalling our childhood activities. One day we decided to have kirtan, but in a rather irreverent way, mocking the showy, elaborate vocal and instrument style we had all absorbed growing up in ISKCON
A spiritual gathering in ancient India yields sage advice for our age of skepticism.
“Once, in a holy place in the forest of Naimisharanya, great sages headed by the sage Saunaka assembled to perform a great thousand-year sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Lord and His devotees. One day, after finishing their morning duties by burning a sacrificial fire and offering a seat of esteem to Srila Suta Gosvami, the great sages made inquiries with great respect.”—Srimad- Bhagavatam 1.1.4
When I tel
From Back to Godhead
Why Krishna’s holy names are the greatest treasure.
Some people fantasize about accumulating immense wealth and dream of what they would buy if they only had enough. To them, happiness hovers elusively on the other side of that new car, that big house, that diamond necklace.
While many of us will say, “Money can’t buy happiness,” do we really believe it? If not money, what is the solution to our hankerings? What is the greatest treasure that will bring true happiness? And h
By Sukanti Radha dasi
“Anyone who carries Krishna within himself, constantly, can go anywhere and turn the place into a sacred pilgrimage.” – Letter to Rupanuga, July 03, 1968 In the streets of the UK and Ireland, devotees transform ordinary book tables and spaces into vibrant altars, embodying a deep sense of devotion and spiritual commitment. These tables, carefully adorned, symbolise more than just a place for distributing literature; they represent a sacred space honouring Krishna. Creating
In late December, the School of Bhakti hosted
Gita 2099 with His Holiness S.B. Keshava Swami. From 6.30pm, over 650 devotees, families, friends, and community guests gathered to explore how the Bhagavad-Gita can guide us through the future.
Before the programme, Maharaj warmly met the 2025 Gita Life students, adults and children alike, including those who had travelled from as far as Poland. He presented certificates, and a group photo marked a meaningful moment for many.
The evening opened with
I came because it was Lila Shakti that was there. I don’t think she was initiated yet. I wanted to hear the man that was responsible for the movement, and I wanted to see what was going on. Who captured my daughter? Not that she didn’t need capturing. But when we walked into the temple, that was my husband and I, the sun was coming through the window and shining on this man. He seemed to be engulfed by the sun, like the sun was purposely coming just for him. Mind you, I was not a believer at tha
By ISKCON Prison Ministry
*In this world we spend hundreds of gallons of blood to bring a person out of the clutches of maya*
Once some devotees were sent to establish a preaching center in Bengal. They worked day and night, equipping it as a beautiful temple. When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati arrived to install the Deities, he was very pleased and asked about one brahmacari who had worked hard on the preparations.
The disciples told him, “Master, he became entangled with a lady. We rebuked h
By Atma Tattva Das,
In 1975, a small band of determined devotees in apartheid South Africa faced a task that seemed almost impossible: bringing His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to their country. Fifty years later, as ISKCON South Africa celebrates the golden jubilee of that historic visit, one of the movement’s earliest pioneers, Riddha Das, reflects on the challenges, miracles, and mercy that shaped the beginning of Krishna consciousness in the nation.
Born in Durban in 194
By Atma Tattva Das,
When life slowed in 2020, and routines stumbled, Dr Nivedita and her husband Prathap found themselves in a rare stillness. Dr Nivedita, with a PhD from Oxford and a career in pharmaceutical manufacturing, and Prathap, working across IT and fashion supply chains, had long followed the rhythm of modern enterprise. But when COVID-19 paused everything, the couple asked a different question: “What is the purpose of life?” she remembered. “We saw people losing their lives so easil
