On Sunday, June 21st, we were scheduled for two TOVP presentations. The first was at New Hastinapura Dhama in the U.S.A.’s capital, Washington, D.C.. This is also one of the original temples established by Srila Prabhupada and, in fact, the main Deities of Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan were the first Radha Krishna Deities in ISKCON. Alongside Their Lordships are Gaur Nitai and Sita, Rama, Lakshman and Hanuman.

The mid-day program in New Hastinapura began with an abhisheka of the Padukas and Sitari

On Friday, June 26th, we arrived in Detroit, Michigan at the home of Temple President Jagad Guru das and his wife Radha devi dasi, and were served the most wonderful varieties of International cuisine at lunch. A TOVP presentation had been arranged for that evening in Farmington Hills, a suburb of Detroit, at a large temple building recently purchased by the devotee community there. 200 devotees and congregation were expected.

We arrived to a packed temple with kirtan going on and quickly set u

The small devotee community in Richmond, Virginia is run by temple president Divyanam das, and he and his wife Premalatika devi dasi, along with their two children Kulashekhar and Mahatma, hosted us in their home.

The TOVP presentation on Tuesday, June 23rd was in the home of Subala Sakha das and Krishna Pramodni devi dasi and was attended by 40+ devotees. An abhisheka of the Padukas and Sitari was first on the schedule during kirtan, after which Radha Jivan and Jananivas prabhus spoke to the g

On Sunday, June 28th, we arrived at ISKCON Houston at the home of Advaitachandra and Kalasuddha prabhus. They are leaders in the U.S. of the Bhakti Vrksha programs, helping devotees all across the country to organize their efforts in this regard. Their home was like Vaikuntha; every inch of wall-space was covered by either a photo of some Deities or guru, or a picture of the Lord in one of his incarnations. Their Pancha Tattva Deities were cast from the leftover metal used for the original Panc

With lakhs of devotees expected to arrive in Puri for Rath Yatra celebrations, Odisha government is taking all measures to ensure smooth conduct of the annual festival which is slated for July 18 this year. The state government is racing against time to brace up for the festival.
Keeping in view the safety of devotees and avoid any untoward incident, 9,000 policemen will be deployed during the yatra. Over 2,000 volunteers and 224 doctors will be deployed in Puri so as to provide emergency medica

Time Magazine – The Answers Issue: A Closer Look

By Sankirtana Das

The cover of the recent Time is intriguing – The Answers Issue – with dozens of little cubes, each asking questions about some of today’s most important concerns, and looking like some information terminal. I thought that this would surely be a breakthrough in journalism. I thought that maybe I could find some answers to our troubled existence and why so many of us feel burdened all the time, or about breakthroughs in curing the

Conversation Between
Krsna-ksetra Dasa (now Swami)
and Mr Vineet Narain (Vineet Narain is Editor of Kalchakra, a video magazine for investigative news.)
New Delhi, 1993

KK: So, Mr Narain, perhaps you could first explain something about how you came in contact with the Krsna Consciousness movement?

VN: Well, on different occasions, devotees of ISKCON sort of accidentally met me with a gap of a few years each time. And this was so limited that I couldn`t really understand what is it all about, e

I think I have acquired a spiritual guru…

By Auriga

Actually, I think it might be more accurate to say that he has acquired me.

I’m a scientist (astrophysicist to be precise) and I’ve been agnostic for as long as I can remember, so I’ve always struggled with the idea of God and the purpose of religion. But a few months ago, I had a spiritual experience, and since then, I’ve been on a quest to understand the being known as God. To learn more, I’ve studied and participated in various religious s

Dear devotees,
Hare Krsna!

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. It is our great pleasure to announce the dates for this year’s Kartik Navadwip Mandal Parikram! The parikram begins on November 10thand ends on November 17th. There will be two days break in between, one for Goverdhan puja (November 12th) and the other for Srila Prabhupada's disappearance day (November 15th), so that devotees may participate in the festivals.

For this year also, the parikram will no

Vegetarian quotes can provide you with motivation to continue on your healthy eating journey. Perhaps you need some ideas to help explain your vegetarian convictions to your family and friends.

Here are some vegetarian quotes that might inspire you, make you sad, or encourage you:-

“We all love animals. Why do we call some ‘pets’ and others ‘dinner’?" –K. D. Lang.

“How can you eat anything with eyes?” -Will Kellogg.

“We don't need to eat anyone who would run, swim, or fly away if he could.” -Jam

World acharya (Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 December 2014, Cape Town, South Africa, Evening Lecture)

It is interesting that Prabhupada was not a temple devotee! Prabhupada was that nice Mr De from the congregation. (Indian accent) He used to give nice donations for Janmastami. Also, he would play mrdanga. That was a nice thing.

This Mr De, he was a nice man, nice congregational member. Next moment, here comes the acharya! He did bigger than all the others. They could not believe it! Some really had

Hare Krishna.

9th July, 2015. Gurgaon

I was a preparing for a brief session on the second chapter of  book `Essence of Bhagavad Gita’ last two days on material miseries, namely adhyaatmik, adibhautik and adidaivik kleshas. As I was preparing for the class I thought that this particular session is getting more heavy in negativity. Some times we also hear that we have no solution to them and the only way is to tolerate them. I wrote about these three miseries in my last blog on how one can attain pe

By Hari Narayana Das

“Ratha Yatra on the eve of Ramadan”

How would you describe the moment where devotees from all the different locations in a country come in a spirit so enthusiastic just to celebrate Ratha Yatra of Lord Jagannatha, a moment where people from different faiths join the devotees and chant and dance so blissfully, a moment where you begin to admire the wonderful mercy of Srila Prabhupada and feel so indebted to him for giving us Jagannatha, Baladeva, Subhadra, Their Chariots and

By Radha Mohan Das

“Cultural Awareness Through Drama”

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Bhaktivedanta Manor’s main drama group. It has been led chiefly by Jaya Krishna Das and Dwarka Puri das but over the years a great many other devotees of all ages and backgrounds have participated and given much of their time.

Disciples of Srila Prabhupada pioneered the first dramas at Bhaktivedanta Manor during the early 1970’s. By 1985 the baton had gradually passed onto the next generation

For the pleasure of their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Pancatattva, Nrisimha Dev and His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, Mayapur Local Preaching (MLP) held a ‘Summer camp’ on 13-14th June. More than 200 Bhakti Vriksha devotees participated in this program. On 13th morning, devotees arrived from different places like Krishnanagar, Dhubulia, Bhaluka, Srirampur etc. at ‘Gita Bhavan’. They stayed for 13th & 14th and on 15th morning they returned home after having breakfast Prasadam.

Most of th

By Mathuralilesvari Devi Dasi

When Srila Prabhupada arrived at the Commenwealth Pier in Boston fifty years ago in 1965, he did not know if he should turn left or right. With only forty Rupees and a trunk containing Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagvatam,Srila Prabhupada carried the instructions of his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur close to his heart. In a poem that he penned upon his arrival in America he said,”O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have