By Chandan Yatra Das
Shukratal is a tiny holy town about 2-3 hours (72 km) from Haridwar on the banks of Ganges River in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. Srila Sukadeva Goswami spoke sacred Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana) to Maharaja Pariksit (the grandson of Arjuna and son of Abhimanyu), under a banyan tree 5000 years ago.
Here at a place called Sri Sukadeva Temple, there is a gigantic 5100 year old Banyan tree, also known as Akshaya Vat Vriksha, underneath where Sukadeva Goswami,
The Hindus who visit our Krishna temples perceive ISKCON as an orthodox movement, appreciating the traditional temple service and how beautifully the altars are maintained. Many of our western friends might appreciate the Krishna movement differently: as a modern and relevant movement which advocates vegetarianism, honors the Earth, and offers meditation through joyous singing and dancing.
One might say Vaisnavism is the most stable and orthodox of all the Vedic traditions. Everyone knows how at
Who is qualified for spiritual life? Only brāhmaṇas? Or sannyāsīs, or human beings, scholars, or Indians!? – Whether one is a man or a woman, householder or a renunciant, Indian or an American, aristocratic or underprivileged, rich or poor, educated or illiterate, child or an elder, human being or an animal, everyone is a child of God and is spiritual. Therefore, to love God and serve God is the innate characteristic (dharma) of every living being.
BHAKTI IS NOBODY’S MONOPOLY
Bhakti or devo
This journey is documented in undated Hindu sacred texts known as the Puranas written a few thousand years ago
One of India's biggest religious festivals, the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra, gets under way on Thursday. The festival is unique in that three Hindu gods are taken out of their temples in a colourful procession to meet their devotees. The BBC's Priyanka Pathak explains the legend behind the festival and its significance.
The biggest of these processions takes place in Puri in the eastern
By Jayabhadra devi dasi, IGF preacher ISKCON Amravati
The Amravati ISKCON Girls’ Forum recently held a three-day children’s summer camp in the temple, as per the instruction of temple president Anantasesa dasa. We organize such camps every year and then follow the kids in Bhakta Prahlad School (BPS) classes. However, as this year is the 70th Vyasa-puja of our spiritual master, Lokanath Swami Maharaja, our team thought of offering something very dear to his heart: a dedicated padayatra. So as a
During a visit to the picturesque ISKCON Radha-Damodara temple on the banks of the Tapi River in Surat, Gujarat, Lokanath Maharaja instructed the devotees to organize a padayatra. Following much discussion, it was decided to hold a three-day walk of approximately 12-13km a day beginning on September 30.
On the morning of departure, Bhakti Gaurav Narayan Maharaja inaugurated padayatra in the presence of Surat temple vice-president Vrindavana dasa and 250 devotees by doing arati and giving an in
The mercury had been hovering at 45º and the Indian summer heat was scorching as ever. May is the hottest month in Hyderabad. Undaunted by the heat, a pack of devotees were packing their luggage to go to a village located about 45-50 kms away from Hyderabad, in Narsapur, called Peddagottimukla.
May 28, 2017 was not an ordinary day; it could not be so for the events to unfold. It was to become a day when another village would be on the way to become Vrindavan village. The day had come when the d
We may be surprised to learn that many things we consider as acts of spiritual advancement in Krishna consciousness, like tapasya or austerity, are actually acts of selfishness, and will impede our real growth. Even following the four regulative principles in certain ways, can divert us.
“So this austerity is called tapasya, denial, self-denial” (class on SB. 5.5.1 in Vrndavana, Oct 23, 1976). To give up certain forms of selfishness is required to progress in spiritual life, and this is usual
As jack-o-lanterns, comedy gravestones, and fake ghosts and zombies crop up on our neighbor’s lawns, and every kid in town shakes with excitement about their candy haul, ISKCON devotees may be wondering whether or not to take their own children out trick-or-treating.
Some devotees have expressed concerns that in celebrating non-Gaudiya Vaishnava holidays like Halloween or Thanksgiving, we will wind up becoming culturally indistinct, and gradually assimilating all the practices of ordinary mater
Jahnavi Harrison leads a group of ladies in dancing their heart out
Over 2,000 people from the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe are expected to attend the 17th annual 24-Hour Kirtan in Birmingham, England from Saturday April 30th to Sunday May 1st.
Today, it’s a huge bank holiday weekend draw. But back when the event – the oldest 24-Hour-Kirtan Festival in the Western world – began in 1999, attendance was muchsmaller.
It all started with a group of Pandava Sena teenage youth, fans of the year-a
The Legend of Vyas game
Imagine if you could fight as the great warrior Arjuna, launching an attack with your Gandiva bow? And imagine if your friend, taking on the role of Karna, could counter-attack with his own bow, Vijay?
Now you both can.
It all came about when back in 2012, high school friends and huge gaming fans Varun Devanathan and Huren Sivaraj met to catch up.
Reminiscing about the old B.R. Chopra Mahabharat TV serial they us
By Hari Narayana Das
2nd Ratha yatra festival at Bantul, Indonesia.
A cultural carnival was held at Bantul city, Jogyakarta, Indonesia, on July 25 this year commemorating its 284 anniversary. Traditional cultural performances starting from dances exhibiting attractive costumes and social life were performed in the carnival. Groups of traditional artists from 17 districts in Bantul participated and presented their performances in front of the crowd at the parade starting from Trirenggo field t
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The books Srila Prabhupada brought with him from India were the first three volumes of the Srimad Bhagavatam he had printed in Delhi between 1960 and 1965. This 3-volume set is reprinted to match the original volumes as accurately as possible. With matching layout, typesetting, and even the original printing errors, this edition is perfect for any avid collector.
In Srila Prabhupada's letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar, written 2-05-70 i
There was a great rumor that the five Pandava brothers, along with their mother Kunti, had, under the plan of Dhrtarastra, died in a fire accident in the house of shellac in which they were living. But then the five brothers were detected at the marriage ceremony of Draupadi; so again another rumor spread that the Pandavas and their mother were not dead. It was a rumor, but actually it was so; they returned to their capital city, Hastinapura, and people saw them face to face. When this news was |
I would like to thank all of you for kindly taking your precious time to come to this most auspicious place of Sri Rama Mandir to join us to hear and chant the glories of Supreme personality of Godhead. In fact, each moment really is so precious that Vishnu Purana explains that there is nothing so precious in all over creation as each moment that we have in this valuable and rare human form of life. And there is no greater misfortune than to waste a single moment in forgetfulness of Lo
Arati songs by composers not in our parampara
Q) I have a question regarding arati songs. Is it mandatory to sing only Gaura arati irrespective of the Deity we have on the altar? I have Lord Rama's Deity and while serving the Deity, I sing some particular songs which glorify Lord Rama. If there is not a single word in these songs that are not in line with Shastra, can these be sung and followed by singing of the Maha-Mantra? Though these songs do not come directly from our parampara, can't they
An incredible 4,000 devotees—hailing from India, England, Uganda, and across Kenya—are expected to attend the opening of the New Dwarikadham complex in Mombasa, Kenya from April 9th to 13th this year.
During the five-day festival, the Deities of Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarikadhish will be moved from their old temple in the Ganjoni area of Mombasa, and new Deities of
Sri Sri Sita Rama Lakshman and Hanuman will be installed with them.
The new complex is named not only after its worshipable Lords, but also
Live From Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir!
Date: February 16th, 2011
Topic: Appearance of Lord Nityananda
Speaker: HH Radhanath Swami
HH Radhanath Swami: I am very grateful for this opportunity to be with all of you in the holy dham Sri Mayapur on the holy day of the appearance of SriNityananda Prabhu. It appears that there is no verse selected so with your permission I will just talk in what time is allotted.
How Lord Nityananda Prabhu revealed the glories and the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahapra
Live From Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir!
Date: February 16th, 2011
Topic: Appearance of Lord Nityananda
Speaker: HH Radhanath Swami
________________________________________________
HH Radhanath Swami: I am very grateful for this opportunity to be with all of you in the holy dham Sri Mayapur on the holy day of the appearance of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. It appears that there is no verse selected so with your
permission I will just talk in what time is allotted.
How Lord Nityananda Prabhu revealed the glor
Transcription and Editing : Vinod-Bihari Dasa (The Hague, Holland)
Today is the second day of the seminar on Brahmacarya.
Again, brahmacarya is not just celibacy, or remaining single andunmarried. Actually, it means to be situated on the spiritualplatform, upon which celibacy becomes a side-effect.
Brahman means the spiritual world, and acarati means to actaccordingly, living in such a way that one attains the spiritualplatform. To review yesterday’s class, there are
