Before I hit the pavement (as in taking a walk) I was running on meagre sleeping power from the night before, but running on some magical fuel nevertheless. I was in one of those creative modes, excited about the temple’s touch-up cosmetic work. Yadu, who’s from the Ukraine, is our local cosmetic handyman wiz, and he has been putting a fresh coat of paint on the interior doors. Each night, while our monks and nuns are asleep, he tackles one of our metal doors with a fresh coat of paint.
Everyon
By Giriraj Swami
Fifty-one years ago, on December 26, 1969, in Boston, Srila Prabhupada awarded me second initiation. He said, “Sucih means purified. And another meaning of sucih is brahman. A brahman means purified. Those who are going to be sacred-threaded today should remember that they are being accepted as sucih, as brahman. After chanting for six months or one year, it is supposed that he has already become purified. Now he should be recognized that he is purified. So this sacred thread me
*”Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi*
Today, in Coventry I stopped a senior gentleman who revealed he was familiar with the Bhagavad Gita, having been a school teacher for decades. As we spoke further, I was left stunned as I realised he was my teacher in my final year at primary school – Mr James!
When I quoted his name, he was taken aback. Excitedly, I told him that I recognized him when he mentioned being the deputy at the primary schoo
For an aspiring devotee of Lord Krishna, what does it mean to live a simple life?
By Vishakha Devi Dasi
Lord Krishna’s devotees differ from nondevotees in describing the essence of the simple life.
Srila Prabhupada encouraged his followers to adhere to the principles of simple living and high thinking, and he himself exemplified those principles. People may associate simple living with minimalism, a current movement that encourages us to avoid overcollecting and conspicuous consumption. Minimal
As Sadhu Sanga turns a decade old, the crescendo of celebration coincides with the Gita Jayanti Day, which marks the inaugural of New Navadvip Dham—a celebration spanning December 22-25 in McAllen, Texas. The event unfolds with the recitation of the Bhagavad Gita, enrapturing kirtans, enlightening classes by revered personalities, and the resonance of Harinam. Devotees can join the festivities beginning with the Yajna and Gita recitation at 3 pm CDT, USA, on December 22, on their Facebook and Y
I was asked to, “Do something different,” for the Bhagavatam class in place of the usual format. Since I am on a fairly regular roster for this great book’s morning presentation it was felt that an approach along the lines of an “out-of-the-box” experience would be helpful for the students and members of the Bhakti Academy. I was up for the challenge and decided that everyone in the group, numbering 20, would participate freely.
Here’s what we did:
I read a verse chosen for me from Canto 3 of t
From Back to Godhead
Krishna is always engaged in sport, and when we try to imitate Him, we lose.
When the 2017 Super Bowl game, the summit of American professional football, was held in Houston, a devotee convinced me and a few others to try to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books at a huge pregame event downtown. Venturing into the passionate, teeming crowd, we sold a few books, but not so many. This experience reinforced what was already obvious: mundane sport certainly has a powerful allure.
Food-for-Life Nepal (FFLN), a non-governmental, non-profit organization dedicated to the well-being of marginalized children and communities in Nepal, recently hosted a stall at the Administrative Staff College in Lalitpur as part of the 15th Human Rights National Magna Meet 2023 held on December 8th.
Inspired by the teachings of Srila Prabhupada, Mr. Brijesh Lacoul, Founder-Chairperson, established FFLN in September 2015 with a mission to address classroom hunger by providing nutritious meals
Leaders of Iskcon from Zone One in Canada and Northern US converged happily at the Holiday Inn for our Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Our meeting opened up with a Land Acknowledgement which I read, “We acknowledge the lands which constitute the present-day City of Missassauga as being part of the Treaty and Traditional Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, The Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and the Huron-Wendat and Wyandot Nations. We recognize these peoples and their ancestor
Once when the Kurukshetra war was declared, Duryodhana sent messengers to every part of the globe to seek the assistance of various kings. But Krishna was so powerful that He warranted a personal request. Also Duryodhana knew that Krishna was the main support of the Pandavas, and if Duryodhana could get His assistance, then the Pandavas would stand no chance in winning the war. Arjuna also thought of Krishna, so both of them decided to go to Dwaraka.
When Arjuna arrived in Dwaraka, he saw the p
“Vedic Culture Hasn’t Been Preached Properly”
Chapter 13 of the book “Civilization and Transcendence”
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Next question, Śrīla Prabhupāda. “Do you envision a different role for the Vedic culture in the Western countries, where the influence of other great religions has been felt for centuries?”
Śrīla Prabhupāda: No. There is no “different role.” God is one. God cannot be two.
As Kṛṣṇa states in the Bhagavad-gītā [7.7], mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: “There is no author
An address by Giriraj Swami to leaders of Hindu organizations in Houston, October 23, 2009.
The Bhagavad-gita is also known as the Gitopanisad and is considered one of the Upanishads. The title Bhagavad-gita is sometimes translated as “The Song of God.” Gita mean “song.” God, Krishna, is so sublime that whatever He speaks is music and poetry. The word bhagavan has been analyzed by Vedic authorities. Bhaga means “opulence” and is related to the word bhagya: “good fortune.” And van means “one who
Print books, distribute profusely, and that will be the best preaching work. What will your three minutes preaching work—But if they buy one book, it may turn their life. (Srila Prabhupada Letter to Bhagavan, 5th November, 1972).
------------ Message from HH Jayapataka Swami.
Srila Prabhupada rose in the middle of the night for many years translating and writing his purports to share his personal ecstasies for our understanding and upliftment. He arranged the book printing and organized the boo
By Atma Tattva Das
In the quaint villages and bustling towns of Norfolk, a retired couple, Shyamlal Prabhu and Danakeli Mataji, have embarked on a remarkable 175,000-mile book distribution journey in the last seven years, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of the local community. This initiative, driven by their deep devotion to Srila Prabhupada’s mission and guided by the instruction of their spiritual mentor, serves as a shining example of dedicated service within the Internati
We on Day #2 with our convergence of leaders which started with a pep step, literally so. As is expected by a group of Hare Krishnas, we dance and chant. The final item on today’s agenda was the same, only the movement and sound was more invigorated – lovingly intense. Naturally, participants were enjoying it. They had been on chairs and behind desks for hours. It was time to let loose.
And it happened in the Avenue Road temple. All the better. All the merrier. All 60 of us.
In between the c
The semi-annual joint board meetings with ECO-Vrindaban, ISKCON New Vrindaban, and the Village Council took place recently in New Vrindaban, where members met in multiple sessions to discuss the achievements of 2023 and explored ongoing and future projects for 2024. We will look at some of the highlights from the meetings.
Following a joint board gathering on Friday night, the community meetings on Saturday included reports from the boards and other groups formed in the Spring to address specif
There is so much to be said about Srimati Yamuna-devi dasi.
In October of 1970 I was one of a group of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples from America going to join him in India. On the way, we stopped in Brussels, and it was there, in an apartment, that I first met Yamuna-devi—and Malati and Syamasundara (I had met Gurudas before that, in Boston). Upon entering, I could immediately feel their intense, extraordinary devotion to Srila Prabhupada—it was so palpable, so tangible; the room was just suffu
