My biggest obstical in spiritual growth so far has been the tendency to use certain substances to numb out or get high whenever life becomes uncomfortable.  I simply cannot allow myself to feel pain, emptiness, depression, angst etc. without "using" something. 

According to the laws of Karma, every action produces an equal and opposite reaction. This means that in the big picture (the really big picture), every experience of pleasure is balanced by and equal amount of suffering.

To me, this is t

Faith Gives us Peace

A Krishna conscious person does not even want to stop the cycle of birth and death. He simply prays, " I may take birth as You like, but my only prayer is that I may be engaged in Your service.
SB 9.9.45

It is exciting to know who was the cow who participated in Lord Krsna’s pastimes, or who did severe penance to please the Lord or who appeared from the churning of the ocean. Are all the cows alike? Holy scriptures discriminate, as does Science – Bos Indicus and Bos Taurus. The book throws light on these aspects while discussing the different existing indigenous cow breeds of India; differences between indigenous cows and exotic cows; and difference between buffalo milk and cow milk. It gives bo

Lord Shiva has a very unique and significant position in the cosmic manifestation. In fact Lord Shiva is the most powerful, second only to Lord Vishnu. Shiva is an expansion of Lord Krishna. Revealed scriptures explain that Krishna has 64 qualities.  Lord Brahma posses 78% of these qualities and Lord Shiva possesses 84% of these qualities. Since living entities are also like Brahma so they also possess 78% of these qualities but in lesser extent. None of them possess all 100%.  

Srila Prabhupada

External arrangement means illusion. We have nothing to do with it. But due to this Kali-yuga especially, we are very much affected by these external disturbances. And that disturbances sometimes make us forced to forget our relationship with the Supreme, and that is called illusion. That is called maya. But if we become very strictly adherent to Krsna consciousness... That is very easily done at the Kali-yuga. Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet. Kirtanad eva krsnasya [SB 12.3.51].

Submission Leads to Ripened Devotional Service

 Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev.

In order to progress in spiritual life, we must always be submissive to Guru and Krishna. It is not that we remain submissive until we get initiation and then behave as per our own whims. Inorder to show us how we should behave

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

You can try and try – you can make allowances for contingencies and mix-ups, but there are still going to be errors. And when errors happen, forget a promise, meeting, or commitment; then someone is going to be hurt, upset, mad, or disappointed. 

Rather than becoming upset, defensive, or guilty, maintain your bearings and remain compassionate. You should understand that there’s simply nothing you can do – other than your

When the share market has an upward swing the investors joyfully celebrate and when the market crashes the investors miserably laments. No investment can guarantee 100% return in this world. Even the most promising company itself does not have secure future then how can it guarantee a secure return. During the recent recession banking giants like Lehman brothers, Merril Lynch etc. collapsed. Insecurity and fear accompany our every endeavour.

However there is something to cheer about. Timeless Ved

So this is very natural. This temple worship is meant for that purpose. Actually, when we see the Deity, immediately our mind become Krsna conscious. At least, we think of Krsna: "Here is Krsna." So that is man-manah. Chanting also, chanting, that is krsna-manah, man-manah. In this way you become bhakta. Regularly chanting, you become bhakta. Without becoming bhakta, nobody can chant. So man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji. And worship Deity. He has come very kindly to accept your service. You ju

Menial Service Attracts the Lord

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev.

We always say that devotional service means that we should be ready to do any type of menial service in order to attract the mercy of the Lord. Voluntary endeavour is the only way to attract the mercy of the Lord. In the corporate world if we

The Rainbow Gathering!

Hare Krishna! I deliberately chose the title despite the fact that this post has nothing to do with the Rainbow Gathering that happens annually, except that what i am going to be writing about is a gathering and happens outdoors. Thats about where the similarities end.

This is the month of Kartika, the month of Govardhan Puja, In his classes on Madhurya Kadambini in the month of Kartika, several years ago, Guru Maharaja encourages us to share our reflections and realizations

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

When Śrīla Prabhupāda asked for questions (after delivering a lecture in Hamburg, Germany), one devotee asked if it was possible to become Krishna conscious in this very lifetime. “It is possible in one second, provided you are serious,” Prabhupāda said. “It is not difficult. Bahūnām janmanām ante jnānavān mām prapadyate: ‘After many, many births, when one is intelligent, wise, fully grown in wisdom, he surrenders unto

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

February 8, 1970

Dear Swamiji:

Thank you very much for your kindness in sending me your long and interesting letter of January 30, together with the last issue of Back to Godhead. So far I have had a few discussions with members of your society here, but they were not entirely satisfactory from my point of view. But now I have your much more authoritative letter, whereby the discussion moves to a h