Srila Prabhupada’s Chastisement is that of a Loving Father

I was distributing books at a famous food restaurant at Gurgaon (India). I approached a senior person while he was leaving the restaurant. From his demeanor & grey hair, I understood that he was a reputable person working with a big organization. I offered him some books, and he said that he already has some books by Srila Prabhupada, but he has now stopped reading them. I was surprised and sorry to hear this and asked him to share the re

How To Pray and What to Pray

(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)

In Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 5 Chapter 18, Sukadeva Goswami describes the different varshas of Jambudvipa and the incarnation of the Supreme Lord worshiped in each. In the land known as Hari-varsha, Prahlad Maharaja offers wonderful prayers to Lord Nrsimhadev and following the footsteps of Prahlada Maharaja,

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

1 MIN reading: Krishna will hear your prayer

A widow from a poor village in Bengal did not have enough money to pay for her son’s bus fare, and so when the boy started going to school, he would have to walk through the forest all on his own.

In order to reassure him, she said: ‘Don’t be afraid of the forest, my son. Ask your God Krishna to go with you. He will hear your prayer.’

The boy followed his mother’s suggestion, a

When we talk about human society and other species in existence, we distinguishes ourself from animal society on the basis of progressive civilization. If we ask a person what is the difference between an animal and a human, he will say that we are civilized. So civilization define the difference between human beings and other forms of life. But what does define civilization ?

If we ask any modern man what is definition of Civilization. He would say more technological advancement which will give

We see in Bhagavad Gita second chapter Krishna is encouraging Arjuna to fight the battle, by emphasising on the point that it is the duty of a Kshatriya to fight on religious principles without consideration of gain or loss [BG 2.31: Considering your specific duty as a kṣatriya, you should know that there is no better engagement for you than fighting on religious principles; and so there is no need for hesitation.] because Krishna saying to Arjuna that if one neglects his prescribed duty (accor

This is the statement of sastra, that with our these blunt material senses it is not possible to appreciate or to understand sri-krsna-namadi, Krsna, His name, His form, His quality, His pastimes, His paraphernalia, His abode, so many things. Krsna is not alone, but Krsna begins from the name. Then there is form. Generally, for the beginners, neophytes, these two things are essential: to hear the name, to hear the qualities, and see the form of the Lord, to offer worship. That is the instruction

Receptive Traveler

On the bus, en route to the Grahamstown Arts Festival in South Africa, we stopped at a rest stop.

Coming back into the bus, I noticed a young man, and said to him: "By the way you are dressed, it looks like you are on your way to the Grahamstown Arts Festival."

He replied that he was going to the festival, and his accent sounded Spanish. So I greeted him in Spanish, and he said that he is from Brazil. I introduced myself, telling him that I am a traveling monk and that I am also

Organized Life

(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)

Last week it was our good fortune in Abu Dhabi, that for an entire week we could have the association and blessings of our Spiritual master, H.H. Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaja who is festive nature personified. In one of his class Maharaja gave very nice instructions to be applied in our practical life. I shall try to summ

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

 In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says,

“My dear Arjuna, any person who simply tries to understand about My transcendental appearance and activities, does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.”

The Personality of Godhead is not niskriya, without activiti

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Bhavāmbudhi means this great ocean of nescience, in which we are now fallen and very much struggling for existence. Exactly just like if you are thrown in the ocean, although you may be a very good swimmer, but still the condition is very dangerous… You will have to strug

Having faith in anything comes from the mood or quality of goodness (sattva-guna), which aspiring devotees of Krishna are encouraged to cultivate. Though not spiritual in itself, living and seeing through the guna or quality of goodness, is illuminating and favorable for spiritual cultivation. So part of cultivating Bhakti or the serving and remembering of Krishna in love is being situated in goodness (simplicity, peacefulness, discernment). This will be very helpful, as opposed to being in pass

udarah sarva evaite

jnani tv atmaiva me matam

asthitah sa hi yuktatma

mam evanuttamam gatim

"All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous ouls, but he who is situated in knowledge of Me I consider verily to dwell in Me.  Being engaged in My transcendental service, he attains Me." (Bg. 7.18)

Here Krsna is saying that all the men who come to HIm-whether they be distressed, in need of money, curious, etc.-are welcomed, but out of them the person who is in knowledge is very dear to Him.  The others a

The Adventures of Full Set Distribution

by Guru Dasa (Mumbai)

We are trying to distribute Srimad-Bhagavatam sets, and so we carry them to every home. And by Srila Prabhupada's mercy we have distributed many full sets following the policy of "the more you show, the more you sell." While doing this we have met with some nice people.

We entered one home and soon came to know that it belonged to a police inspector. The host invited us into his living room and offered us a seat, and as soon as he saw th

Krishna Janmastami report from ISKCON Baroda

On Fr

Time - Use it or Lose it

(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)

The following is a transcription of a part of an astounding lecture given by our spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaja in South Africa.

"There is no need of running away from the responsibilities but there is a need of waking up. Don’t run away but wake up in your own situations. And know that all si

The wise man, the jnani, actually understand the science of God.  One who only understands that "God is good" is ina preliminary stage, but one who actually understands how great and good God is, is further progressed.  That knowledge is to be had in Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita.  One who is actually interested in God should study the science of God, Bhagavad-gita.

idam tu te guhyatamam

pravaksyamy anasuyave

jnanam vijnana-sahitam

yaj jnatva kosyase subhat

"My dear Arjuna, because you are ne

Suffering for Others

(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)

In the last few days there were some wonderful mails in Granthraj, especially the sequel "Appointment with Krishna" which were a compilation of our spiritual master's wonderful realizations.

While it is easy to appreciate those golden words of realization, it is imperative that we also understand the amount of aust

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

If you observe the conversations around you, you’ll notice that, often, what many of us do is simply wait for our chanceto speak. We’re not really listening to the other person, but simply waiting for an opening to express our own view. Weoften complete other people’s sentences, or say things like, “Yeah, yeah,” or “I know,” very rapidly, urging them to hurry up so that we can have our turn.

This harried form of communic

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

The happiest person on earth isn't always happy. In fact, the happiest people all have their fair share of low moods, problems and disappointments. Often the difference between a person who is happy and someone who is unhappy is not how often they get low, or even how low they drop, but instead, it's what they do with their low moods. 

Many people take their low moods very seriously and try to figure out and analyze what