There was a sweet briskness in the air as we set out for a 7am exercise session of Chi Gong in the zoologico. The local folks, mostly retirees, were in Chinese silk garb, while us visitors from Canada were attired in our usual Indian dhoti and kurta. The session, held in gorgeous, natural greenery, was so relaxing. I wish that our temple and ashram had sessions like this, even for fifteen to twenty minutes a day.
It was time for our taxi to arrive and to bid farewell to Laksminath, who has been
The words “religion” and “Hindu” are problematic. Both are confusing, inaccurate, and not useful words.
Religion
Depending on the context, the use of the word religion can be ill-defined and even offensive—for example, when someone says that religions cause all wars or when someone says, “Science is logic; religion is belief.”
These two statements are ignorant because the person using the word religion has defined it in an arbitrary manner when in fact the word religion defies definition and th
I met a pathologist recently who works with cancer patients. She explained to me that there is a certain kind of pancreatic cancer that is most deadly and that one who contracts it can survive only a few months, at the most.
She said that because of the often-depressing nature of her job, she and her colleagues have a way of speaking among themselves to lighten the emotional impact when they receive bad news about a patient’s prognosis.
For example, when they read a patient’s lab results and fi
What is the process of sense control by Krishna Consciousness? In fact, what are senses in the first place and why is it so important to control them?
Senses are compared to venomous snakes (BG 3.58 purport). Snakes are known to be hypnotic, sneaky, fast and extremely poisonous. They have no mercy. Doesn’t sound very friendly, right? But nonetheless, all the conditioned living entities within this material world are constantly trying to satisfy these cruel masters lifetime after lifetime in o
I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Goloka’s door;
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the light or its decor.
But it was the devotees in Goloka
That I was amazed to see;
I knew them all on the earth
But they had so little bhakti.
There stood my sankirtan leader
The one who stole Krsna’s money twice;
Next to him was my old TP
Who was never ever nice.
Krsna Das, who never preached,
Who seemed so insincere,
Was sitting ecstatically with Krsna,
To whom he seemed so dear.
I asked my guru,
Holding their ‘Gita Trophies’ inside the Argentine Embassy in Paris after they won the World Cup :-)
By Janananda Gosvami
Above and beyond all the challenges and events in the world around us this week, the “World Cup” has stolen the show. Such a climax with adrenaline running at top pitch. Billions glued to the box enwrapped in one of maya’s most entangling nets – not only the football nets – but the very intoxicating effect of national identity. Like the game or not, it’s my country. ‘Oh God
I met with the President of the Republic of Mauritius, His Excellency Sri Prithvirajsing Roopun, G.C.S.K, at the State House, Le Reduit. He was pleased to accept from me Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is and my I’ll Build You a Temple: The Juhu Story and Life’s Final Exam: Death and Dying from the Vedic Perspective. He is a pious man, is very encouraging and supportive of ISKCON, and has taken darshan of Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari in Juhu and Sri Sri Radha-Radhanath in Durban. He wished m
ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission (GBC) today released a resolution regarding Anirdesya Vapu das (formerly known as Bhaktividya Purna Swami). The decision, while overlapping with the Child Protection Office’s (CPO) earlier decision (see article here), sets restrictions on Anirdesya Vapu das that are self-standing. The resolution also clarifies the status of the former guru’s disciples. Like all GBC resolutions, this decision is pending SABHA review before becoming ISKCON Law. The full resoluti
The first experience I had with Krishna consciousness was when a friend of mine had got a small book, Perfection of Yoga, on the Atlantic City, New Jersey boardwalk. At that time I was going to college at Rutgers in New Jersey and was home for the summer. I was also doing Yoga exercise daily so I was immediately interested in reading the book. I picked it up and read 5 or 10 pages and then put it down thinking this is not Yoga. At that time I though that yoga was physical and breathing exercise
“Nish, nish, ram, ram, nish, nish, ram, ram.” Prabhupada once imitated how we sometimes chant without focus, without concentration, without proper pronunciation – how we chant when we don’t feel like chanting. You know the mood behind this chanting; “I have to chant but I’d rather be doing something else.” And in our minds we are thinking, “I can’t wait to get these rounds out of the way.” We all do this. And it can get pretty bad. I know devotees who chant rounds while watching football games
Om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjan- salakaya
Caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah
Please accept my humble obeisances at Your Lotus Feet
Dear Guru Maharaja You are the external manifestation of Supersoul and the only hope for all living entities within this universe to obtain pure Devotional service unto Sri Krsna. It is only by Your causeless mercy that we have this opportunity to glorify Your divine personality and qualities as the most exalted proponent of Lord Caitanya’s Sankirtana move
Aid received from Iskcon Houston, Iskcon San Diego, New Vrindavana and also from other vaishnavas.
We thank his Holiness Badrinarayan Swami and His Grace Kuladri Prabhu for arranging and participating in the fundraiser.
The aid is directed at setting up autonomous electricity and water supply for the New Navadvipa temple in Kyiv.
As of December 10th, 32 solar panels a 10-kilowatt diesel generator an inverter, batteries a stabilizer a water pump and fuel have been purchased it is still necessary
Sometimes I have had dreams wherein I’m caught in a situation that seems to have no solution. For example, I have found myself where I am staying in a hotel, but this hotel is huge, with many floors of rooms, an arena for sports games, stages for entertainment, plus shops, restaurants, and all kinds of amenities, with crowds of people everywhere. I check in and then I am supposed to find my room. Or maybe I have already checked in and reached my room, but after wandering around the place, I can’
By Radhikakrpa dd
A famous Sanskrit shloka reads
Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu
Gurur Devo Maheshwara
Guru Sakshat Parabrahma
Tasmai Shri Guruve Namah
Meaning
Guru Brahma – Guru is Brahma also called as Generator, Guru Vishnu means Guru is Vishnu (Vishnu is the Lord who is called organizer), Guru Devo Maheshwara means Guru is the Maheshwara (Shiva or the destroyer), Guru Sakshat Parabrahma means Parbrahma the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Since Guru leads to a path of light, Guru is Parabrhma.
In the Bhagavatam, there are twelve individuals considered Mahajan and Yamaraj is one among them. Vidura, Yamaraj’s sudra incarnation, is not explicitly mentioned as a Mahajan. For punishing Mundaka Muni, Yamaraj was cursed by the Muni to become a sudra (lower birth). Is there a reason why Yamaraj punished Mundaka Muni? Should we consider Vidura a Mahajan as well, since Yamaraj is a Mahajan? Does Vidura possess the traits necessary to qualify as a Mahajan?
Mundaka Muni was wrongly arrested al
A preaching center of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) burned down in West Bengal’s Birbhum district on Saturday, December 17, ISKCON officials reported.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-vimgarh-west-bengal-india-up-in-flames-arson-suspected/
In a December 12th, 2022 New York Times business article entitled “Japan Indian Tech Workers. But Do They Need Japan?” ISKCON Japan’s New Gaya temple was featured with two photos taken at the Tokyo-based center.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-japan-photos-featured-in-new-york-times-article/
In Havana, if it means a stroll, you might want to be picky and choosy about which streets to take. On some of the more frequented roads, old or newer models of cars release a certain amount of nasty exhaust. It was naturally a great discovery for me to amble along with my walking buddies through Old Havana, automobiles restricted, and where all the tourists go. This area has a particular appeal, and it led us to the Malacon, the sea wall, where the ocean waves crash dramatically against it. In
By Rādhā Devi Dasi, Karuṇā Śakti Devi Dasi & Loka-pāvanī Devi Dasi
Manu-Samhita states, “The gods are very happy with those families where women are respected. And where women are not respected, there all kinds of sacrifices/charities are futile.” Yet the abuse of women and children is the most pervasive human rights violation in the world, what to speak of spiritual violation? ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada emphasized the importance of protecti
Dear Devotees and Friends of the TOVP,
Hare Krishna! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
The year 2022 comes to a close, opening the door to the beginnings of another year of service and surrender, and opportunities to bring Krishna into the lives of the conditioned souls. Underlying all our intense efforts to finance and build the TOVP is this focused intention to bring Krishna consciousness to the world at large. And at the foundation of this motivation is the desire and order of His Divine Grac
