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In 2017, during the Padayatra march in the Czech Republic, I was hit by a car with two other devotees. The driver of the car had an epileptic seizure and drove at full speed into our ten-member harinama group. She only stopped when she hit a gas station, in the place where cars are pumped with fuel. I stayed between the pillar and that car, the other two were lying on the road. They said they flew like rag dolls, but even in the initial shock they didn’t know about me, because I remained wedged

By Prishni Sutton 

This month, the Bhaktivedanta Institute held its third Richard L. Thompson Lecture Series on Thompson’s book, Parallels: Ancient Insights into Modern UFO Phenomena, initially published as Alien Identities (1993). 

The event featured presentations by Michael Cremo (Drutakarma Das), Christopher Beetle (Krishna Kripa Das), and Bob Cohen (Brahmatirtha Das), along with a small party held in honor of Sadaputa’s birthday.

The day began with a talk by Michael Cremo describing his day

By Sutapa Das

On January 18, 2024, Sri Udupi Dham in Karnataka, India, witnessed a paryaya (transfer of worship) to Sri Puthige Mutt, which was one of the most significant events in the whole of Karnataka. The three-day celebration, with a series of Vedic rituals and cultural events, created great jubilation in the Holy Dham of Udupi.

Sri Puthige Mutt officially invited ISKCON devotees to grace the occasion. ISKCON was represented by Revati Raman Das, the GBC Chairman. Sri Sugunendra Teerth Swa

When I was young, no one called it Valentines Day, everyone called it Saint Valentines day. You remember? Now they just call it Valentines Day because they don’t want to think about saints (laughter). Because it’s actually totally contradictory to the whole conception of what valentine’s day is all about. Who was saint valentine?
There were 2 saint valentines. And they were both celibate monks how were preachers of God consciousness. One of them was a catholic priest who lived in Rome and who p

Today, February 14, , I was struck when Srila Prabhupada, at the conclusion of his class on Sri Isopanisad, spoke about love—the love that Krishna wants and the love that will satisfy us:

“Any religion—it doesn’t matter whether Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion—if you are developing love of God, then you are perfect in your religion. . . .

And what kind of love? Ahaituki: without any cause. ‘O Lord, I love You, God, because You supply me so many nice things. You are order-supp

Today is the appearance day of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and many other acharyas and associates of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was born in a very aristocratic family in Bengal. His father and uncle, Govardhana and Hiranya Mazumdar, were wealthy landlords, or zamindars; they were almost like kings in opulence. But although Raghunatha dasa was their only heir, he had no attraction for material opulence and enjoyment.

The Mazumdars’ family priest was Yadunandana Ach

By Giriraj Swami

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter 10, Text 14:

TEXT

pundarika vidyanidhi—bada-sakha jani
yanra nama lana prabhu kandila apani

TRANSLATION

Pundarika Vidyanidhi, the third big branch, was so dear to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that in his absence Lord Caitanya Himself would sometimes cry.

PURPORT

In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (54), Srila Pundarika Vidyanidhi is described as the father of Srimati Radharani in krsna-lila. Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore treated him as His father

Today is auspicious Vasanta Pancami, the first day of spring. It is also the appearance day of Srimati Visnupriya Devi, Sarasvati Puja, the disappearance day of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, and the appearance day of Sri Pundarika Vidyanidhi, Sri Raghunandana Thakura, and Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami.

Even ducks and other birds of Vrindaban participate in Krsna’s wonderful pastimes. In Bhag. 10.12.08 Sukadeva Gosvami describes the following to Maharaja Parkshit: “Some boys imitated flyi

jaya jaya sundara nanda-kumāra

saurabha-sańkaṭa-vṛndāvana-vihita-vasanta-vihāra

“O handsome son of Nanda, O Lord who enjoys springtime pastimes in the fragrant forest of Vrndavana, all glories to You! All glories to You!”

– Srila Rupa Goswami

The Vasanta season is celebrated as the best of seasons, not only because it represents life and joy, but because it is the most fortunate of all the seasons, as Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in the Vasanta season.

“King Vasanta (the personificat

The Food For Life Monterrey team of devotees is joyfully distributing prasadam and the holy names in Mexico’s second-largest city, bringing spiritual and physical nourishment to the community’s most needy populations.

Monterrey, located in the northeastern part of the country, nestled against the picturesque Sierra Madre mountain range, has over one million residents. Though it’s a major economic hub, the community still faces issues of economic disparity and food insecurity. 

Different devotee

On February 8, 2024, during festivities in New Delhi celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Appearance of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a commemorative postage stamp honoring Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s significance as a spiritual leader.

The India Post noted, “This stamp emphasizes his immense contribution to the spiritual upliftment of millions in India and abroad.”

Additionally, a commemorative coin was unveiled. The 150 rupee no

On Monday 22nd January Bhaktivedanta Manor joined in the global celebration of Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya and the inauguration of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.

The Manor opened up the opportunity for thousands of pilgrims to offer flowers to the special utsav (festive) deities of Sita, Rama Laxman and Hanuman in an electric atmosphere filled with ecstatic kirtan.

The main deities of Sita Rama Laxman and Hanuman on the Manor’s shrine there have been worshipped there since 1981.

“We mark the l

Hare Krishna Dear Temple Presidents,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On behalf of the GBC, we extend a warm invitation to the Temple Presidents for the upcoming International Temple Presidents Meeting scheduled for 27th February 2024 at Mayapur.

This sanga provides an opportunity for Temple Presidents from ISKCON temples across the world to converge, connect with the GBC, share experiences, and contribute to shaping the future of ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada sa

The prestigious Columbia University Press has recently released a ground-breaking volume, the first-ever comprehensive concordance of the Bhagavad Gita, authored by Dr. Graham M. Schweig (Garuda Das), PhD.

Entitled “Bhagavad Gita Concordance: A Comprehensive Word Reference with English and Sankrit Indexes,” the new work has been hailed by scholars and students alike as a monumental achievement. It “fills a major lacuna in scholarship and will become a standard reference book and resource for mi

Dear follower of Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Thank you for submitting so many heartfelt homages to Srila Prabhupada last year. You can view the full 2023 Vyasa-puja book here:

https://gbc.iskcon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/spvp2023.pdf

This year we request you to submit your homage by April 2, 2024 by emailing it to vphomages@iskcon.net. Below are the standard parameters.

Hoping this meets you well, we remain

Your servants on the Sri

Dear Valued Donors and Supporters,

We would like to express our deepest gratitude for your extraordinary generosity in supporting Srila Prabhupada’s Film Restoration Project. Thanks to your contributions, we are delighted to announce that **the necessary funds have been successfully collected**, marking a crucial milestone in the realization of this significant endeavor. Your commitment to preserving Srila Prabhupada’s legacy through this project is truly commendable.

**Srila Prabhupada’s Film R

By Sankirtana Das (ACBSP)

The recent consecration of the new Rama Temple in Ayodhya, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, generated a flurry of articles and stories in the international media. The ceremony was met with great fanfare from Hindus around the world, although some Indian politicians and brahmins declined to attend for one reason or another. Reportedly, the ceremony put Moslems on edge in India and especially in Ayodhya. The ceremony included the installation of the Deity of L

Translation: Sofiya Perfilyeva
Edited by Visnu Murti das

The first Russian to visit Vrndavana was Emperor Nikolas II, 125 years ago

On Friday, January the 4th in 1891, Hindus who were bathing in the sacred river Yamuna witnessed an amazing scene. A ship with the name of an unknown language approached.

In the morning mist, surrounded by armed soldiers, a young light-skinned man in an officer’s jacket, looking, however, not belligerent came ashore. The stranger was the crown prince Nicholas, soo