Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita (Sanskrit ?????????, Bhagavad G?t?, “Song of God”) is a Sanskrit text from the chapter Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata epic, comprising 700 verses. It was originally written around 3000 BCE and is considered by many to be the most complete philosophical / religious book in the world. Only now is the non-Indian world realizing its value and a 2006 report suggests that the Gita is replacing the influence of the “The Art of War” (ascendant in the 1980s and ’90s) in t

Mirabai's Love For Shri Krishna 

Approximately 500 years ago, the kingdom of Rajasthan was the land of warriors, sages, sadhus, and kings.  It was at this time; Princess Mirabai was born (1478).  Her mother passed away when she was very young and her father, Ratan Singh, was very busy with the kingdom.  Growing up at her grandfather’s palace, Mirabai was deeply devoted to Krishna Bhagwan. After Mirabai’s grandfather passed away, her uncle became the new king. He arranged her marriage with Prince

Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

As long as a man is in the full vigor of life, he forgets the naked truth of death, which he has to meet. Thus a foolish man makes no relevant inquiry about the real problems of life. Everyone thinks that he will never die, although he sees evidence of death before his eyes at every second. Here is the distinction between animalism and humanity. An animal like a goat has no sense of its impending death. Although its bro

Without being favored by Krsna, one cannot become extraordinarily intelligent.  Everyone is trying to be more intelligent than others, but without the favor of Krsna this is not possible.  Therefore whenever we encounter someone with extraordinary intelligence we should think, "That intelligence is Krsna."  Similarly, the influence of one who is very influential is also Krsna.

balam balavatam caham

kama-raga-vivarjitam

dharmaviruddho bhutesu

kamo smi bharatarsabha

"I am the strength of the strong,

Prabhupada: Actually the moon is not moving. It is a maya, illusion. It appears that the moon is moving. But similarly, the living entity, because he is spiritual spark of the Supreme, it has not fallen. It has not fallen. But he is thinking, "I am fallen. I am material." That is the reason. He is thinking, "I am this body." Actually the body has no connection with me. That is experienced, that the body has no connection with the soul. The body is changing, dying. But I am the same. The same exa

A jobless man applied for the position of 'office boy' at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.  'You are employed' he said. Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start.

The man replied 'But I don't have a computer, neither an email'. 'I'm sorry', said the HR manager. If you don't have an email that means you don’t exist. And who doesn't exist, can’t have the job.'

The man left with

We cannot simply accept that part of the scripture we like, and reject what we don't like, and still expect to get the result. If you miss one point, there is a mistake in your calculation. Regardless of what you add or subtract after that, the mistake is already in the calculation, and everything that follows will also be faulty. 

For example, a hen lays eggs with its back part and eats with its beak. A farmer may consider, "The front part of the hen is very expensive because I have to feed it.

Why is a highly posted government officer given better facilities for a comfortable life than an ordinary clerk? The answer is very simple: the important officer has to discharge duties of a more responsible nature than those of an ordinary clerk. Similarly, the human being has to discharge higher duties than the animals, who are always busy with filling their hungry stomachs. But by the laws of nature, the modern animalistic standard of civilization has only increased the problems of filling th

This Is How We Should Preach

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

The following is what I have written down from a short, but most valuable instructive class with His Holiness Mahavishnu Gosvami Maharaja, on the Srimad Bhagavatam 6.1.15, given in London, July 9,2008.

kecit kevalayaa bhaktyaa
vaasudeva-paraayanaah
agham dhunvanti kaartsnyena
nihaaram iva bhaaskarah

kecit -- some people; kevalayaa bhaktyaa -- by e

There was a king who was a great admirer of art. One day an artist came and said to the king, “Oh King! Give me a blank wall in your palace and let me paint a picture on it.”

The artist was given the job. Just then, another young man said, “Oh King! Please allow me to work on the opposite wall. I too am an artist.”  The king said, “What would you like to make?” The man said, “My Lord, I shall make exactly what that man will make on the opposite wall. Moreover, I shall do so, without looking at hi

Yudhisthira Maharaja describing the glories of forgiveness cited the verse spoken in ancient times by the Rsi Kasyapa: 

‘Forgiveness is virtue, forgiveness is sacrifice and forgiveness is the Vedas. Forgiveness is purity and penance; it is truth, piety, religion, and the holy Narayana. Through forgiveness the universe is sustained, and by practicing forgiveness a man can attain to everlasting regions of bliss.’

“How then can I renounce forgiveness, O Draupadi, in which is established spirituality,

If you gathered up all the fearful thoughts that exist in the mind of the average person, looked at them objectively, and tried to decide just how much good they provided that person, you would see that not some but all fearful thoughts are useless. They do no good. Zero. They interfere with dreams, hopes, desires, and progress.

Fearful thoughts take many different forms. Sometimes they sound reasonable: “I’m just being careful, so I’m taking my time.” Other times they are tied to your past: “I’v

Before leaving for the airport, Prabhupada called a final, brief meeting with the temple leaders. Prabhupada sat behind his desk. Leaning forward, he looked intently at Yasomatinandana.

Yasomatinandana: I had been planning to return to Australia straight after Prabhupada left Auckland. So it came as quite a shock to me when Prabhupada gave me his last instructions. "So you must stay here in New Zealand," he said, "and take care of these people. There are some good prospects amongst t

Wednesday, 28 April 1976

Another early-morning fire sacrifice was scheduled, this time to accompany the installation ceremony of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai, Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra. Since he was due to leave for Fiji after breakfast, Prabhupada's schedule was tight. He did not take a morning walk, and received his massage well before the sun rose. After bathing, Srila Prabhupada put on fresh silk clothing and went downstairs for the ceremony. He sat on the elegant vy

During question-time, a strange, dishevelled hippy with long hair, but dressed in devotional apparel, stood up at the back of the audience and spoke to Prabhupada in a challenging tone. "Is it possible to see Krsna right now?"

Prabhupada appeared grave. "Why don't you see Him in your back?" he said, indicating that the Deity of Krsna was right behind him.

But the man's mood was confrontational. "But can't I just see Him?"

"Well, you have no eyes to see."

"Can I see Him within?"

"Y

Srila Prabhupada attended the 7pm arati ceremony and kirtana. Many gifts lay at the base of his vyasasana as he sat, playing his karatals, while the devotees chanted and danced together in the long narrow temple room. After arati, Prabhupada, looking grave and scholarly in his dark-rimmed spectacles, and ruling forth as Lord Caitanya's representative, spoke on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya Lila Chapter 20, verses 98-102.

"So this evening I shall speak to you about Sanatana Goswami,

On the previous night, Prabhupada had asked Tusta Krsna Swami that he and his men should visit the temple daily. Tusta Krsna Swami explained that they couldn't really do that because they lived so far away on the North Shore. Besides, Tusta explained, they were regularly holding their own daily program. Prabhupada became lenient. "At least you should bring fresh milk and cream and vegetables to the temple to be offered to the Deities daily," he had said

While in Melbourne, Prabhupada had heard news that some of Tusta Krsna Swami's men had spread the rumour that Prabhupada would visit their farm in Auckland, but not the ISKCON temple. This was proof, they said, that they were correct in the long running dispute. On hearing this, Prabhupada had immediately cancelled his plans to visit Tusta Krsna's farm, adding that anyone who wanted to see him in Auckland could come to the temple.

Prabhupada was well

New York - Sri Krishna Balarama Ratha Yatra on Sunday, August 5, 2012!

The devotees of Queens invite all to come and celebrate our annual Ratha Yatra parade. It will begin at 1:00 pm sharp from the corner of Liberty Avenue and 123rd Street, and will continue all the way to our Mandir at 111-14 101 Avenue at 3:00 pm, followed by a Festival of India until 8:00 pm. Free sumptuous prasadam will be served all day long and we will have a full afternoon packed with dramas, dances, bhajans, devotional ta