While much of Canada is consumed in forest fires (and there are videos out there of a hazy New York skyline to prove it), wherever I have been travelling within the land of the Maple Leaf, I see nothing but water, whether it be the West or east. You certainly don't hear of blazing flames in the far north.
As Nakula and I make that drive South towards the south, we encounter clouds and rain, and for a fraction of the day, that welcoming sun bursts through. Global warming? Well, I don't see avoca
By Gauranga Darshan Das
“A brief outline of the twelve cantos of Srimad-Bhagavatam that represent the bodily limbs of Lord Sri Krsna and present ten transcendental topics.”
Of all the sacred Vaisnava scriptures, Srimad Bhagavatam is considered the topmost. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu hailed the Bhagavatam as the spotless authority (pramanam amalam) amongst the Vedic literatures. Srila Rupa Gosvami, in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu declared that hearing Srimad Bhagavatam is one of the five most po
By Cintamani Dhama-dasi
Many devotees undergo so much material tribulation in life. Despite the fact that we have given up the four sinful activities and we daily engage in Sri Krishna Sankirtan…still we suffer from financial problems, severe health problems, relationship problems, political persecution….Why? In this exchange between the imprisoned kings and Lord Krishna we get an amazing insight why this is all actually the mercy of the Lord on His devotees:
“The time element is so strong that
People like to hear about other people’s problems. It’s fun for some. That’s the reason why some of the most popular magazines in the world just focus on scandals. Recently, a champion golfer got into some scandal. It’s like a rule in this world—that such news must be known to everyone, that such news must be the event on every television and news channel. That scandal was all that the people were talking about, for weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks. Ironically, nobody cared that much when he
By Gandharvika Prema Dasi
On May 20th, 2023, Hungary’s largest and only active ox-powered treadmill was inaugurated at ISKCON Krishna Valley. The treadmill is a power-generating machine that uses animal power rather than fossil fuels. Power generated from the treadmill will be used to press oil, produce wood chips, mill grains and fodder, and generate electricity for the community.
The inauguration of the treadmill house helped kick off the upcoming year of festivities marking the 30th anniver
I am certain that the saffron apparel stood out against the grey and gloomy atmosphere for motorists on their way to work. It's not a usual part of the landscape of residential North River Street in Charlottetown this morning. I was on a spriteful walk to Shoba’s home at 7:00 AM, racing with time to take part in a mini sadhana of chanting, shastra (scripture) Reading and a breakfast. Do try hummus on toast with fiddlehead sauteed in olive oil to top like we did.
Ambarish And I drove then to the
[This wonderful lecture was one of the last given by HH Gour Govinda Swami, before departing from this world]
Mayapura: February 21, 1995 – Srimad Bhagavatam 4.18.33 – 36
gunadhikam mudam lipsed
anukrosam gunadhamat
maitrim samanad anvicchen
na tapair abhibhuyate
Translation: Every man should act like this: when he meets a person more qualified than himself he should be very pleased; when he meets someone less qualified than himself, he should be compassionate toward him; and when he meets some
This morning I boarded the metro to go to my office, and it was more packed than usual. Almost all the seats were taken. As usual, I was reading the Srimad Bhagwatam during my journey. At Sikanderpur Station, the people sitting next to me left the train, and a new person sat beside me. He was gazing at my book. I could see from the corner of my eye that he was interested in knowing what I was reading. My station was still three stops away, so there was time to try to distribute books.
I told hi
This video describes HH Indradyumna Swami’s visit to a large and surprising Botanical Garden. He expresses his amazement at its beauty and discusses the significance of nature in Krishna Consciousness. Maharaj reflects on the peacefulness and harmony of nature, contrasting it with the bustling city life. He mentions the importance of living in the mode of goodness and the benefits of a simple life focused on Krishna Consciousness. Indradyumna Swami wishes for more parks and gardens like this t
Vani School, a new online learning platform, aims to connect subscribers with established and professional teachers from the diverse yoga landscape and culture and features many devotees known to the ISKCON family. The initiative was inspired by the vision of Radhanath Swami to offer a single platform to showcase some of the most influential young Bhakti yoga teachers who are serving throughout the world. Users can access a select collection of video master classes covering a wide range of topi
It was determined by one or two of my benevolent organizers of my maritime trip, that today, by some chance or mistake, that nothing be scheduled; that it be a day for downtime. Certainly, we can say that everything was meant to be. So be it. I was, at this last minute of a meagre miscommunication regarding the day's itinerary, when I called a couple I know residing in the Moncton area to see what they were up to.
Jason and Nicole are about the sweetest couple you could ever imagine, and while t
By Sachin Bhardwaj and Arundhati Devi Dasi
Devotees recently celebrated the Ratha Yatra festival in the streets of Eindhoven, Holland. Their Lordships, accompanied by marching bands and patriotic floats, bestowed darshan upon the enthusiastic crowds of Eindhoveans.
The ISKCON Eindhoven community has been organizing this annual Ratha Yatra Festival there every year since 2007. This year, more than 3,000 visitors enjoyed the Ratha Yatra and Indian culture with food, Indian clothing, and artifa
Without hesitation, a group of local enthusiasts for walking met at 10:00 AM with the intention to go as far as possible for a trek to the ‘0 MILES’ Monument in downtown St. John's, which is a mere 13 kilometres (somewhere in that neighbourhood).
We began the walk from the major parking lot, and from the start, high winds and drizzle were enough to detour anyone. But, NO! This crew is a bunch of troopers, and not poopers. By the time we headed West into the tree zone and away from barren boulder
I was recently looking at new property for our ladies’ ashram in Wellington. We moved out of a large house and needed to store our things before moving into our next location, so we needed a storage facility fast!
That’s when I was introduced to an Indian man named Raj. Gokula-lila recounted how Raj had spent some time at The Loft in Auckland around 2010. His brother and father also often spend time at the The Loft and Bhakti Lounge in Wellington.
Owing to the encouragement and persistence of M
Anyone who’s visited Bali will attest to the fact that there is no place like Bali anywhere in this world! Known as The Land of Gods, Bali is not only famous for its volcanic landscapes, terraced paddy fields, pristine beaches, friendly locals but also for it’s rich and colourful Balinese Hindu culture.
Bali is also home to more than 1000 practicing ISKCON devotees with 7 main ISKCON temples. In the recent years ISKCON devotees have been facing some challenges in practicing Krishna consciousnes
On World Environment Day, a group of 30 students and seven teachers from ISKCON Punjabi Bagh’s Hare Krishna Sunday School gathered in a nearby renowned park to celebrate and raise awareness about the importance of caring for our planet. The participants engaged in various activities aimed at promoting environmental consciousness.
The day commenced with a cleanliness drive, where the enthusiastic group worked together to clean up the surroundings and make the park a cleaner and more pleasant pla
India has recently witnessed a tragic train accident near Balasore, Orissa, leaving several hundred dead and many more maimed. In the face of such a devastating event, we offer our heartfelt prayers for those who have lost their loved ones and friends, as well as for the welfare of the departed souls. During times of tragedy, we may seek solace and guidance from the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita. From the Gita’s perspective, let us explore three essential points: seriousness, strength, and servic
The mind questions, “When things happen, are they accidental, coincidental, providential, or divine interventional?” I believe all words can apply, but I would say that the phrase ‘no blade of grass moves without the will of the Lord’ bears good faith, trust, and love behind it.
I boarded the plane in the morning on the airline called Lynx (my first time) and wiggled my way through its one aisle to my destination, seat 12F at the window. A young woman from Great Save Lake, Alberta, was at the ai
By Prof. Keith Ward
Can a scholar be a true believer? Can a believer be a good scholar? Two parts of a problem that has exercised many in the West since at least the Enlightenment. Prof. Keith Ward, Regius Professor Emeritus of Divinity at the University of Oxford, takes a fresh look at the conundrum by examining some of the main problems and outlining a few principles that may help modern-day devotee-scholars.
Religion calls for total commitment and faith. Scholarship calls for critical reason
I feel there needs to be some clarification about the use of the words “Hindu” and “Hinduism.” The fact is that true “Hinduism” is based on Vedic knowledge, which is related to our spiritual identity. Many people do accept it to mean the same thing as Sanatana-dharma, which is a more accurate Sanskrit term for the Vedic path. Such an identity is beyond any temporary names as Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, or even Hindu. After all, God never describes Himself as belonging to any such category, say
