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Kirtana (pronounced keer-ton-uh) is a Sanskrit word that means “praise” or “glory.” The more common Hindi pronunciation is “keer-ton,” dropping the final “a.” Simply understood, it is a form of song that centers on glorifying God, commonly performed in a “call and response” style of singing.

There is Nam-kirtan, which are songs composed of God’s sacred names, and Lila-kirtan, or songs that celebrate the esoteric activities of the Divine. There is Sankirtan, when the songs of praise are performed

By Anuttama Dasa

It has been almost thirty years since I first attended a conference of the American Family Foundation, now the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA). I was recently in Barcelona, Spain, for their latest international gathering. 

What I’ve learned, both in those meetings and through my leadership role in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), is that we in the Hare Krishna movement need to be concerned about “cultic behaviors.” 

When I first atten

ISKCON (the International Society for Krishna Consciousness) was incorporated in New York City, in the State of New York in the US, on 13 July 1966, around 53 years ago. This first incorporation of ISKCON was executed at Srila Prabhupada’s behest – then known to his followers only as ‘Swamiji’ and to others as A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.

The lawyer under whose aegis the fledgling movement was officially instituted was Mr Steven Goldsmith, an attendee at Srila Prabhupada’s Second Avenue lectures.

Srila Prabhupada incorporated ISKCON on July 13, 1966, in New York City, which corresponds to today on the Vaishnava calendar. The following conversation indicates some of the significance of Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON:

Bhavananda: In Svarup Ganj there’s one big astrologer. So, he saw your photograph, and he said, “This is the face of the most powerful spiritual personality on the planet.”

Prabhupada: [laughs] Hare Krishna.

Brahmananda: Then what else?

Bhavananda: Then he said that “I can tell

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is a peaceful fraternal movement incorporated in 1966 in New York by its founder Acharya His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and it is aimed at teaching a simple way of living in harmony with nature and to achieve the ultimate goal of human life. “We shall call our society ISKCON.” Prabhupada playfully coined first the acronym, although many alternative names were proposed by his close associates. The principal place

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness has potential as a peaceful extra-governmental force for this kind of change, nationally and internationally. In 1966, Srila Prabhupada included in ISKCON’s articles of incorporation a far-reaching statement of the movement’s purposes. Among them: “To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler, more natural way of life.”

Srila Prabhupada did not, however, recommend high-pressure lobbying. Instead, he emphasized the

from Back To Godhead Magazine #15-05, 1980 - a brief history of the incorporation of ISKCON

by Satsvarupa Dasa Gosvami

July 11, 1966. 26 Second Avenue, New York City: A few sympathetic, interested people gather in a small downtown storefront to help an Indian swami’s mission by adding their signature to a legal document.

Today, ISKCON has branches all over the world. Millions of lives have been transformed by the Hare Krishna mantra and the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita—thanks to the vision

By Jagannatha Damodar Das

On July 7th, Surat hosted a Rathayatra that will be remembered for its grandeur and spiritual significance. The day dawned with mild clouds and gentle sunshine, providing a perfect setting for Lord Jagannatha’s divine journey through the city streets.

The atmosphere was charged with spiritual fervor as devotees, and curious onlookers alike thronged the path of the magnificent chariot. Despite the textile markets and shops along the route being closed, devotees tireles

On July 8th, 2024, a missile attack in Kyiv heavily damaged the main children’s hospital in the city, leaving over forty dead in the strike. Food-for-Life Ukraine was on the scene quickly, providing fresh water and nourishing prasadam to rescue workers and victims.

“As soon as we saw the news about the terrible attack on the children’s hospital, we contacted our team and came to the temple’s kitchen,” said Dayananda Ram Das, FFL-Ukraine coordinator. “While the prasadam was being prepared in the

Hare Krishna dear dandavats readers, please accept my humble obeissances. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. I beg for your patience while reading my personal tribute to Viśvambhara, a very dear Godbrother, whom I can say was instrumental in the Lord’s overall plan for making me a devotee. I will get into details. That the way liffe is. It is only through details of a person’s life that we can try to grasp the essence of that person.
Viśvambhara has always been at the root of my Kṛṣṇa consciousne

Dear devotees, friends and well-wishers,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On Guru-Purnima day at 12:10 am (UTC -5) in Montreal Canada, our dear friend His Grace Visvambhara Prabhu a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupda, departed from this world. He was accompanied with Srila Prabhupada’s continuous chanting of the maha-mantra in his ears. and in the association of his godbrother and godsister. He had been fighting with cancer for many months.

Visvambhara Prabh

Surat embraced the grandest Rath Yatra in decades on 7th July, 2024. The day dawned with mild clouds and gentle sunshine, a perfect backdrop for Lord Jagannatha’s divine journey through the city streets.

The atmosphere was charged with spiritual fervor as devotees and curious onlookers alike thronged the path of the magnificent chariot. Despite the textile markets and shops along the route being closed, devotees tirelessly distributed books to every soul eager for darshan.

In the Rath Yatra par

It was Govardhan Eco Village's great honor to welcome the Honorable Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Ramesh Bais, for awarding the tribal change makers of Govardhan Eco Village's Atmanirbhar Palghar Project.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/wp-content/nectar/2024-07-24-09-54-55.html

By Atma Tattva Das

The first edition of Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto One in Turkish has recently been published after years of dedicated effort. This project was led by Nrsimha Krishna Das and his wife, Krsnamala Devi of ISKCON Turkiye. The new volume was recently presented to their spiritual master, Sivarama Swami, at New Vraja-dhama in Hungary.

Nrsimha Krishna Das, who serves as the Zonal Supervisor for ISKCON Turkiye, has been instrumental in steering this ambitious project. Based in Istanbul, he

By Chandni RAJ

On June 23, 2024, ISKCON New Mayapur, situated in the serene countryside of Centre-Val de Loire, France, organized a Holi Festival mainly attended by locals from nearby towns and villages. For those who are accustomed to croissants, baguettes, and the Fete de la Musique, a completely different kind of Indian festival with traditional Indian music, dance, and throwing colors on one another provided a huge surprise and fun for all. Food stalls, clothes and jewelry kiosks, face-pain