Blog

By Giriraj Swami

I will never forget the moment when I heard that George Harrison had passed away, shortly after Thanksgiving in 2001. The strength of my feelings of separation surprised me—and made me think how important and dear George must have been to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Krishna. And I remembered my own little experience with George in Bombay.

In 1974 George came to visit Srila Prabhupada at Hare Krishna Land, in Juhu. He was wearing a white kurta and white yogi pants and had a plain b

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has taken a significant step forward with the launch of the Transcend app by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. It features over 8,000 hours of audio recordings, 600+ eBooks, the ability to listen or read in 11 languages so far, and is accessible on multiple devices. This groundbreaking app, introduced by Sri Ananda Tirtha Dasa, marks the world’s first integrated platform offering both audio and e-books, revolutionizing the way our spiritu

ISKCON Tucson’s award-winning restaurant, Govinda’s, has served guests gourmet vegetarian cuisine since 1992. The Temple’s newest resident, a white turkey named Sufi, was on hand to greet guests, share hugs, and take a lot of selfies at their annual Thanksgiving Day feast. “We named him Sufi because in Hindi “safed” means white, and Sufis are famously from Turkey,” noted Tucson’s Temple President Sandamani Devi Dasi with a smile. A 5th-grade classroom raised Sufi, and he later lived on a small f

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

His Holiness Giriraj Swami has unveiled his latest book, Dancing White Elephants: Traveling with Srila Prabhupada in India, August 1970–March 1972, published by BBT Australia and launched in Vrindavan on November 14 during the auspicious Govardhana-puja celebrations. 

Based in Carpinteria, California, Giriraj Swami is one of the most senior sannyasis in ISKCON—and a dear disciple of Srila Prabhupada, who, having read an article by him in Back to Godhead in Gor

In the first verse of the Bhagavad-gita, the low-minded king Dhrtarastra asks his secretary, “O Sanjaya, after my sons and the sons of Pandu assembled in the place of pilgrimage at Kuruksetra, desiring to fight, what did they do?” Kim akurvata: “What did they do?” Srila Prabhupada says that this is a foolish question. The two armies had gathered to fight, so what is the question of what they did? Srila Prabhupada gives the example that if someone sits down before a plate of food, intending to e

Krishna can see everything inside our heart. Even though we may be listening Hari Katha, it is plainly obvious to Krishna whether we do so out of eagerness or an obligation. So we should ask ourselves, “Are we relishing Krishna Consciousness?” When we chant more do we feel like chanting more? Does our absorption in hearing Hari Katha give rise to such profoundness that we forget to take Prasadam? If yes, then we are advancing spiritually, without any doubt. If it is one’s genuine experience tha

As an institution representative of Krsna and the parampara, we have the duty and obligation to be an example of responsibility and caring concern for everyone. Thus, in the present context of the coronavirus pandemic, we must strictly take all recommended precautions and strictly follow all official indications.

Krsna must see that we are doing everything that we can and not that we are irresponsibly leaving everything to Him. «God helps those who help themselves.» While endeavoring thus, we

All the unmarried gopīs in Vṛndāvana used to daily worship goddess Kātyāyanī early in the morning after taking a bath in the river Yamunā. Kātyāyanī is another name for goddess Durgā. 

The goddess is worshiped by preparing a doll made of sand from the bank of the Yamunā. 

The gopīs used to prepare the deity of goddess Durgā and worship it with candana pulp, garlands, incense, lamps and all kinds of presentations—fruits, grain and twigs of plants.  

The unmarried girls used to pray with great

The ISKCON Vaishnavi Ministry’s “16 Days of Activism for Safer Families” campaign, running from November 25 to December 10, focuses on cultivating healthy family systems and community cohesion by bringing together ISKCON’s top devotee experts to address a wide range of family-related issues. 

“The campaign’s goal is to spark change, nurture empathy, and create a future where every family feels secure and supported. Strong family values are pivotal for resilient communities,” said Radha Dasi, on

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

ISKCON New Vrindaban hosted a three-day Women’s Retreat on October 12-15 with the theme “Trust Your Intuition.” The event aimed to infuse joy, rejuvenation, and relaxation into the weekend, featuring an array of workshops, guided meditations, daily yoga sessions, self-care activities, and engaging experiences such as a scavenger hunt, dance lessons, and a distinctive food and drink encounter.

Welcoming over 50 women from across the US and Canada, the diverse a

By Bhakta Jason 

November 18, 2023, marked a momentous occasion in the Italian Yatra with the official opening of the Goloka Ecofarm in the picturesque region of Liguria. Just 30 minutes from the Italian Riviera’s beautiful beaches, this ISKCON community stands as a sanctuary and a beacon of light, fully embracing Srila Prabhupada’s cherished mission of protecting cows and disseminating Krishna consciousness.

Nestled in the stunning natural beauty of Liguria, very close to Genoa and Savona, the

Srila Prabhupada was on a marathon practically from the time he took to the vanaprastha order of life and even sometimes before. He was writing BTG articles, getting the magazine printed, and distributing copies. By the early 1960s, an acquaintance had said to him, “You should write books. People throw away magazines, but books they keep.” He took that as a message from Krsna, which was related to His spiritual master’s instruction to print books. Then he started his translation and commentary

A friend recently wrote to me looking for a solution to a dilemma he found himself in. One of his spiritual mentors was heavily pushing him that he should start chanting 64 rounds a day. Our friend obediently started doing that, but very quickly found that if he did so it was not possible for him to both chant so much and help take care of his wife and children. Below is an edited version of my reply to him:

My pranams Prabhuji. You may take instructions and inspiration from many people. There

By Rasananda das

Dandavat pranam. Srila Prabhupada jayatah.

Below is text of a response I wrote and posted to the Krishna Katha conference on PAMHO in response to the question: “Could someone please post the scriptural significance of performing/attending mangala aarti?”. It was just found by someone Googling for “mangal arotik” and sent to me. Copying it to a few friends and students, one godbrother friend who seems to have appreciated it very much responded urging me to send it to you.

From t

By Chaitanya Charan Das  

Millions celebrate the secular holiday of Thanksgiving* this week, which can serve as a helpful reminder to all of the importance of giving thanks and expressing gratitude regularly. Creative devotees also use this annual event to highlight living a non-violent lifestyle that doesn’t involve killing animals and even hosting Thanksgiving day events to share our philosophy, prasadam, and ahimsa recipes. In today’s reflection, Chaitanya Charan Das focuses on expressing gr

By Karuna-Sakti Devi Dasi 

“Srila Prabhupada built a house the whole world could live in — and this included men and women. [and children],” said Krishnarupa devi dasi (ACBSP).1 What is the purpose of Srila Prabhupada’s house? Srila Prabhupada himself often primary purpose of human life, that is, we have a duty to utilise this life for the advancement of one’s Krishna Consciousness. In 1956 November 5 Back to Godhead Volume 3 Part 11, Prabhupada explains that to take birth in a Krishna Conscio

Gitanushilanam 2023 is the world’s biggest online Bhagavad Gita competition dedicated to ISKCON founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. It is the annual flagship event of Learn Gita Live Gita to celebrate the Gita Jayanti of year 2023.

Learn Gita Live Gita is an initiative under the leadership of HG Lila Purushottam Prabhu (Director-IIT Mandi, Director- BGIS Vrindavan) to bring about success and happiness to every person in this world irrespective of their age, gen

By Atma Tattva Das

In a groundbreaking move, Bhakti Theatre (BT), an affiliate of ISKCON Durban, recently stepped onto a broader stage, participating in the Playhouse Company’s 2023 Community Arts Festival (CAF). This marks a significant shift from their traditional performances confined to the annual Durban Festival of Chariots or designated temple spaces. The move to engage with the public space reflects a bold initiative to share Krishna-conscious stories beyond the confines of the Hare Kris

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

Aruddha Devi Dasi pictured alongside the latest volume of the “Srimad Bhagavatam – A Comprehensive Guide for Young Readers”

Aruddha Devi Dasi, a luminary in the realm of Krishna-conscious education, with the help of a team of parents worldwide, has been publishing “Srimad Bhagavatam – A Comprehensive Guide for Young Readers.” Recently, she has released the sixth canto in the series. She has also authored “Homeschooling Krishna’s Children,” a complete guide to

By Rasananda Sankirtana Dasa 

Bhakta Wilfred, Rasānanda Sankīrtana Dāsa, and Gauranga Prema Prabhu distributing books in Paris.

His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada’s marathon in France is considered by many to be in a category of its own. Some devotees say that France is one of the most challenging places to distribute books, and within France, the city of Paris is the most difficult. Yet, it has become a thriving base of operation for the sankirtan devotees under the tutelage of HH Janananda Gos