Today is Earth Day, and I think of a prayer that resonated with me in my youth. “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For He has founded it on the seas, and established it on the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, or who shall stand in His holy place? He that has clean hands, and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord.” (Psalm 24:1–5)
Later,
It happens on occasion that someone enters the temple with good intent, but they are either not so stable, are on drugs, or both. This morning, we were blessed by the presence of someone like that.
A fellow came to the door, introduced himself and asked if he could sit down. His dress was casual, and to my dull recollection, he might have worn a poncho. He plopped himself down on the floor and pulled out of his long bag a number of stones – amethyst and crystals, and began praying or med
Last Saturday, April 12th, the St. Augustine Rathayatra filled the downtown streets with melodious kirtan and a joyous atmosphere. During the procession, the beautifully decorated chariot carrying Lord Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra was accompanied by the Hare Krsna mantra, graceful youth dancers, and colorful flags and flowers calling the attention of the spectators who lined the route.
After the parade, the festivities continued with more chanting and the distribution of sumptuous prasada
As part of the recent Golden Jubilee celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Krishna Balaram Mandir, ISKCON Vrindavan shared the initial details about the new Devotee Care Project, an initiative aimed at supporting senior devotees who have spent their lives in service to Srila Prabhupada’s mission. The announcement was made by Panchagauda Das, Temple President of the Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir, who reflected on the decades of sacrifice and growth within the Vrindavan temple community.
Many of us, regardless of where we come from, believe the world is being crushed by evil forces. What is left of morality appears to be crumbling. Respect for each other is waning, and an overall great burden of hate is escalating. I just heard that Cuba had undergone an earthquake. There is lots of devastation. I hope that in the aftermath people are safe, including those devoted to Krishna. I am trying to contact someone over there to give a report. In the meantime, I'm asking for prayers.
On April 12th-13th, 2025, a historic moment unfolded in the sacred land of Birnagar, as thousands of devotees gathered to witness the laying of the foundation stone for a temple dedicated to Srīla Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Led by Jayapataka Swami, it marked the beginning of a long-awaited project that seeks to glorify one of the greatest acaryas in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition.
This monumental initiative is being undertaken by the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust, an organization established t
Hari Rasa Pandita Devi Dasi, also known as Priti Wright, has spent her life navigating two very different worlds: the path of spiritual devotion laid before her from birth and the call of the mountains, where she pushes the limits of human endurance. Through Alpine Vagabonds, the project she shares with her husband, Jeff Wright, she documents these high-altitude journeys, carrying her faith to the summits of some of the world’s most demanding peaks.
Born into a family of Srila Prabhupada’s dis
STEPPING ENCOUNTERS
It doesn’t register in kilometres
But in steps taken, causing me to boast
For a walker, such figures count the most
They start at zero, go to tens, hundreds, thousands
Not numbers for any dastardly cowards
It is what you do with the steps that matter
And in their wake, the stories you gather
I met a courageous woman on a marathon
Calling it “Get off your butt-athon”
I was humoured by h
Hari Rasa Pandita Devi Dasi, also known as Priti Wright, has spent her life navigating two very different worlds: the path of spiritual devotion laid before her from birth and the call of the mountains, where she pushes the limits of human endurance. Through Alpine Vagabonds, the project she shares with her husband, Jeff Wright, she documents these high-altitude journeys, carrying her faith to the summits of some of the world’s most demanding peaks.
Born into a family of Srila Prabhupada’s dis
ISKCON Halifax devotees gathered outside the newly acquired property.
ISKCON Halifax, Nova Scotia, has moved from dormancy to dynamism over the last seven years through committed leadership, spectacular public festivals, and engaging Sunday programs. With this explosive growth, the community has now acquired Atlantic Canada’s first temple, which is 7,700 square feet in size and sits on nine serene acres.
History of ISKCON Halifax
From 2007 to 2010, under the shelter of Bhaktimarga Swami, ISKCO
Pradeep and I had a little time to kill before the kirtan gathering at Soham Yoga Studio. We ventured off to Locke St., the hip part of town, a place for cannabis shops, salons, spas, boutiques, and bars. Pradeep remarked that people here haven't seen too many monks. They take a second look.
It was on Locke that we met Pat, a sweet middle-aged woman who upon seeing Pradeep and I, decided to follow us to the yoga studio. It was her first time to the kirtan. It was also Pradeep's first. Ap
An important part of the Itihasas are the Puranas. The Puranas are the histories of the universe and contain many stories that took place on earth or even on other planets and dimensions, or in which superhuman powers are commonplace. As we pointed out earlier, Vedic knowledge often consists of information about things from beyond our own sense perception or experience. We can be assured of its authenticity because of the fact that many Vedic scholars such as Shukadeva, Maitreya, Madhva, Raman
George Harrison’s spiritual journey stands as one of the most profound and influential connections between a Western artist and the Hare Krishna movement. His relationship with Srila Prabhupada, founder of ISKCON, and his devotion to spreading the Hare Krishna mantra, left an indelible mark on the global spiritual landscape.
A Deep Spiritual Connection
George Harrison’s fascination with Indian spirituality began in the late 1960s, as he sought peace beyond the fame and pressures of The Beatles
MayapurTV has emerged as a remarkable platform connecting devotees worldwide to the vibrant spiritual activities of ISKCON temples. By leveraging modern technology, it provides an unparalleled opportunity for devotees to experience temple programs, festivals, and transcendental content from anywhere in the world.
Website Features
The MayapurTV website is a hub of spiritual engagement, offering live and recorded broadcasts of temple events, lectures, kirtans, and darshans. It features Srimad Bh
Shaunaka Rishi Das stands as a towering figure in the realm of Hindu studies, interfaith dialogue, and spiritual leadership. As the Founding Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS), he has dedicated his life to bridging the gap between academia, spirituality, and global interfaith cooperation, earning widespread recognition for his contributions.
Founding the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies
In 1997, Shaunaka Rishi Das co-founded the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies with a vision
The Bhakti Center in New York City is set to host a four-day “Career Dharma Coaching Certification” program from April 24 to 27, led by renowned educator and spiritual teacher Urmila Devi Dasi (Dr. Edith Best). This intensive immersion, based on the book Career Dharma: The Natural Art of Work, is designed for individuals who are passionate about guiding others toward fulfilling, purpose-driven careers that align with their spiritual values.
Participants in the course will be trained to assist
There is a warning for drivers about the oncoming freezing rain. For this reason, I am cancelling several programs, especially trips up north such as Huntsville and Sudbury. Better to buckle down and stay at home. By Providence, I had good reason to stay planted. A good 40 or so people came, studiously, to learn about guidelines of Kirtan. The five-hour workshop proved successful. Let the weather do what it wants. We were absorbed in the cultural practices of chanting, and there are standards
A therapist draws on Lord Krsna’s teachings to help a child control his rage.
THE HOSPITAL ROOM SMELLS strongly of antiseptic as I walk in. Chris sits on his bed, immersed in rapidly pushing buttons with his thumbs.
“Nintendo?” I ask nonchalantly, breaking his concentration.
“Play Station,” he replies, continuing to madly push buttons.
I sit in a chair next to his bed, observing his strategy for blowing things up.
After a couple of minutes, Chris slams the game paddle to the floor.
“I hate thi
Asiatoday got an opportunity to meet a young travelling monk, Chaitanya Charan Das, from ISKCON aka Hare Krishna group. Chaitanya Charan Das is an acclaimed author, scholar, mentor, life coach, and monk. He has been an invited speaker at several international conferences on the interface of science and spirituality, including the World Peace Conference 2006 and World Peace Congress 2008 organized by UNESCO. Based in India, he has given talks at colleges and companies all over the world from A
