In an inspiring display of dedication and endurance, 75-year-old Sivarama Swami, the former GBC of Hungary, successfully swam across the largest lake of the country, Lake Balaton, on July 20th to support an important translation project. This event is a celebrated annual swim, attracting thousands of participants from various parts of Hungary and beyond.
A historic and spiritual journey
The Hungarian Balaton cross-swim, which began in 1979, has grown into one of the largest open-water swimming
The Governing Body Commission (GBC) has released its latest Meeting Highlights Report for July 24th, 2024. The report aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the online GBC meeting highlighting the key topics discussed. You can read the report here or watch a video report on their YouTube channel. You can also follow the GBC on their Facebook page.
Source: https://iskconnews.org/highlights-report-from-july-24th-gbc-meeting-released/
There is never, ever a dull moment in Krishna Consciousness. The internal fire alarm bell went all blaring out repeatedly until the fire brigade came. I was doing my announcements at 5am when the incident happened. The fire panel indicated the source of possible smoke or flames was coming from the main floor. Six men came in full fire fighter gear. One attempted to open the panel. The alarm kept scorching. No source found. The panel was re-set with a host of fire fighters and our own men (a doz
By Nama Prabhu Dasa
5 April, 1974
Seattle
Dear Sukadeva,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter, undated, and I have noted the contents…
One of the symptoms of a devotee is that he is kind, so if our Godbrother becomes ill it is our duty to help him get the proper medicine and treatment so that he can recover…. So there is no question of ill treating of our own Godbrothers simply because they are sick, nor should you allow such neglect to go on. So long we have
Some time ago I forgave four devotees who were responsible for causing great pain and frustration in my life. Actually I didn’t forgive them of my own accord. I was asked to forgive them – for my own benefit. First I focused on the ways these people hurt me. Then I was asked to look at them in a different light; to consider that they were just doing the best they could in the particular situation they were in. Next, I was asked if I would be willing to forgive them, not with the hope that they
On July 16, 2024, Nilachal Vedic Village (NVV), ISKCON Talasari, hosted an event dedicated to supporting local villagers and children and promoting environmental sustainability. Nataraj Gauranga Das, under the guidance of Radhika Kanai Das, coordinated the event in collaboration with the Inner Wheel Club of Borivali.
The club’s visit to the NVV started with a feeding visit to the cows at the farm, followed by participation in a sacred Gaupuja. After the Gaupuja, the members had a darshan of the
History was made on July 27th, 2024, when the first-ever Slovak Rathayatra Festival was held at Freedom Square in Bratislava, Slovakia. In addition to the joyful procession through the heart of the city, a successful festival was held, sharing prasadam, spiritual literature, kirtan, and other cultural programs. The hundreds of local guests who gathered in the country’s capital also received information about the three Hare Krsna centers and restaurants in the country.
Devotees from the United S
Our Gita zoom chat focused on Chapter 18.14 . “The place of action (the body), the performer, the endeavour and the ultimately the Supersoul - these are the five factors of action."
I must share the blessed purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
The word (in the Sanskrit verse) adhisthanam refers to the body. The soul within the body is acting to bring about the results of activity and is therefore known as karta, “the doer”. That the soul is the knower and the doer i
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 powerfu
I recently connected with a childhood friend who also became a monk. As you can imagine, we had lots to talk about, and lots in common. In his tradition, one of the monastic vows is to never touch money; and if he does, even by accident, he observes complete fasting for a day. Serious detachment. Admittedly, if I had adopted that vow I’d be dead and cremated by now – financial transactions seem a staple part of my daily life! But money is dangerous, and time and time again we see how it can att
By Atma Tattva Das
The severe aftermath of Typhoon Gaemi, one of the most powerful typhoons to hit the Asia-Pacific region in nearly a decade, has caused extensive flooding and landslides in the Philippines. In response to this disaster, the Krishna Balarama Ashram in Manila has acted swiftly and compassionately, providing crucial aid to the affected communities.
Typhoon Gaemi, also known as Typhoon Carina, brought heavy rains to the Philippines, and the capital city of Manila and surrounding a
More benches, more picnic tables, more gazebos. That’s more like it, dear city. What a great enhancement to the already existing green spaces. I made no real deliberate attempt to scent these parkettes, just chanced upon them, really. They are all within a five minute walk from our temple ashram. The count is one, two, three, four, five. That is quite good to have around in the neighbourhood.
In one of the larger parks - Ramsden, additional facilities are also laid out for the pleasure of the
The practice of serving the Lord’s lotus feet is one of the fundamental processes of devotional service. Srila Prabhupada mentions it in his writings and spoken words nearly twenty-thousand times! It is recommended by Prahlada Maharaja in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Pada-sevanam is listed among the nine activities which are technically called bhakti.
Pada-sevanam, or service to the Lord’s lotus feet, is the constitutional position of an accomplished servant of Krishna such as Laxmi devi. Laxmi exemplifi
*Interesting quotes by HH Radhanath Swami during a recent class:*
1. If we judge devotees, it is our spiritual destruction. Do not judge them. You don’t know who they may be.
2. Mercy means to get what we do not deserve.
3. Great souls are merciful. Srila Prabhupada was pleased with the little things that someone did, even if that person had all bad qualities. His being pleased was his mercy, because he knew that if he was not pleased, Krishna will not be pleased and if Krishna was not pleas
Presented at Toward a Science of Consciousness 1996, April 8-13, 1996, Tucson, Arizona
by Michael A. Cremo
Research Associate in History and Philosophy of Science,
Bhaktivedanta Institute, 9701 Venice Blvd. Suite 5, Los Angeles, CA 90034
Email: 105406.257@compuserve.com, (310) 837-5283, Fax (310) 837-1056
Topical Area: Phenomenology/Culture
Key words: Consciousness, dualism, religion, India, parapsychology
Abstract:
One barrier to acceptance of interactionist models for mind/body dualism is a s
From Back to Godhead
The Vedic literature reveals a real world beyond our experience and beyond our imagination.
Extra-terrestrial and mythical creatures have invaded our world, along with gods and superheroes, gnomes and fairies, dwarves and elves, hobbits and wizards, hippogriffs and dragons, centaurs and Cyclopes. These are the creations of imaginative geniuses – filmmakers, writers, and artists – who are pouring out more gripping and fascinating blockbusters than ever before. Some of their
From Back to Godhead
A mother’s extraordinary love for her premature son draws those around her closer to transcendental knowledge of the soul.
In college Carol studied psychology and sociology, preparing for social work. Living in a Catholic convent during her first two years of college, she had hoped her aspiration to serve God and humanity would find its fulfillment there. But feeling that there must be a universal platform on which all people can relate, she felt compelled to search beyond
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi
On July 13, 2024, ISKCON Butwal held a paddy planting program to provide the required straw and grains for the cows and devotees. One hundred fifty devotees participated in the program, which aimed to promote sustainable farming practices and self-sufficiency in the community. Butwal is a city in the Rupandehi District in Lumbini Province, Nepal, which lies between the Terai plains and the beautiful Chure hills.
ISKCON Butwal also cares for a goshala with more
JULY 26, 2024 UPDATE:
In the latest community update from Partha Das, we learned that the Saranagati Village residents will be permitted to return to the area on Saturday, July 27th, for a four-hour window. During this time, they can assess the damage better, check on the status of their homes, water their gardens, etc.
The latest damage assessment is that six homes and 12 structures were lost to the fire. Some of those structures may have been small cabins (i.e., houses). The temple, goshala,
The brainstorm session on zoom was stimulating with reps from Durban, Pune, Chowpatty and Toronto. The topic was using arts as a medium to spread Krishna Consciousness globally. It was a zoom call and it was a second instalment of this nature.
And while performing arts is in the air, our local theatre team is working to prepare for the weekend Ratha Fest. We are blessed to have a young York University graduate who majored in Theatre Arts. Arina is her name and her experience is making a diff
