Off we go! Six of us on the way to Mother India where Father Dharma rules, or at least did so at one time. Who are we? Chris, Anya, Dhruva, Vya, Kunti, and I go up, up, and away in Air Canada for a stopover in Heathrow, bound for Mumbai and finally Kolkata.
2020 was my last visit to the place of the essence (dharma). I am blessed to have this company that I’m in. At our waiting gate our crew of six grabbed a final bit to eat and then engaged in our reading of the script “Witness Gopal,” a way t
What really happens to the jiva-souls who have chosen to leave their "real home" in the spiritual world, and live in the temporary material world created by Maha-Visnu?
To begin with, all the material bodily vessels in the material creation aquired by the visiting jiva-souls from Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, belong to Maha-Visnu and must be purchased or "hired" from Him.
Secondly, the jiva-souls are eternal while the material bodily vessels they occupy are temporary.
Therefore, staying in the ma
Hare Krishna!
We have been blessed with a personal visit to TOVP H.H. Niranjana Sami and H.H. Prahladanandana Swami. We took them around the construction site, showed them the current directions of activity, introduced them to samples of artwork and even took them to the upper terrace under the dome of the Temple.
The Maharajas showed keen interest, asked many questions and were impressed by the scope and volume of the work already done.
We hope for their blessings and the blessings of other de
More photos: click here
By Parasuram Das
The Lord Mayor of Sanliufa, Zaynel Abidin Beyazgul, joyfully welcomed us “what took you so long?”, he didn’t realise that we just drove 3,000 miles. He immediately had the police escort our vans into the protected location where the kitchen was to be located. Then the surprise came, our own rooms, basic but comfortable, even laid on hot tea for us, we were anticipating camping out in the snow. Zaynel is a man of action, a hand’s on Mayor ready to mix wit
What a blessing today was, like all days! I say that because I receive an affirmation almost every day. Today was no exception. My stomach confirmed that beet root and I just don’t get along. I love the flavour and the colour, but tummy-wise, it doesn’t work. The truth is simply underscored.
In preparation for my India trip which begins tomorrow, I was urged on to do some shopping. Another truth about myself is that I’m not fond of going out for selecting a purchase. But when it comes to acquir
The ILS – ISKCON Leadership Sanga – has started on 13th Feb and will go on till 16th Feb. Several hundred devotees from all over the world have to come to Mayapur to take part in seminars and courses aimed at deepening their Krishna consciousness and developing their skills in leadership in Srila Prabhupada’s movement.
The ILS provides a unique opportunity for the cross-pollination of thoughts and best practices. It gives a chance for devotees to observe the ISKCON world from a global perspecti
The first Iskcon Leadership Sanga was held in Mayapur after three years because of Covid restrictions. Around fourteen hundred devotees attended from different parts of the world over a five day period.
Every day there were presentations given on the main stage in the ToVP building and the devotees then made their way to the thirty or forty various seminars and workshops held in different rooms.
Of course, there was also wonderful guru-puja of Srila Prabhupada, ecstatic kirtan and sumptuous pr
By now, you must be aware that I am a sucker for three dimensional objects – sculptures. Before becoming a monk, I was preoccupied in various visual art forms. Recently when I made a visit at the dentist’s office, I saw a piece of metallic curvature sculpture which reminded me of something I assembled in college in ’73 when I walked away from several pieces of artwork to take to my current vocation. When seeing that sculpture in the patients’ waiting room, I had that nostalgic moment.
Now back
Mayapur.com welcomes all the devotees who have arrived here for Gaura Purnima 2023 festivities.
Yesterday was the 8th Annual Sravna Utsava since it started in 2014. There would be lectures from 13th to 16th February on Spiritual Master, Advent of Lord Caitanya & His Childhood pastimes, The Liberation of Sarvabhuama Bhattacharya and Lord Caitanya travels to the Holy Places and lots more. Today is the second day of Sravan Utsava Mela, we urge you to please take full advantage of it whether physi
Once again, a group of us walkers moved along River Road with one foot forward and then the alternate one by the oxidized flow of H2O and after a snow storm that broke away at the sun’s insistence. A lovely elderly woman from the UK and resident of the town who walks this route regularly was oh so curious about the monk’s clothes. But it was Vyasacharya who hyped her up about the marathon walker. We certainly ended up encouraging each other in the walking culture and to, as far as possible, do
From Back to Godhead
A devotee-bookseller explains.
Have you ever met a Hare Krsna devotee in an airport, a parking lot, or on the street distributing books and collecting donations? Many people wonder why we do this. I’ve been distributing books for over six years, and I’d like to tell you something about the origin of book distribution.
Devotees are not ordinary booksellers; their bookselling is transcendental. It is sankirtana, the glorification of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
My first close encounter with ISKCON Press was when I visited the Boston ISKCON temple in December of 1969. At the time I was living as a brahmacari at the 61 Second Avenue temple in New York City’s lower east side. Srila Prabhupada was in London at the time but his travel plans were to return to the U.S. on December 21st with his first stop being the Boston center. The day before his arrival all of us New York ISKCON devotees (there were approximately 12 of us brahmacaries living there) headed
Across all religions there is a universal concept that when a man and woman marry with proper attitude they become one body. They don’t merge into each other’s existence, but it means that they start living for a common purpose – to serve God together.
They share the same goal at many levels. First – I will do anything to protect you and you will do anything to protect me; this is oneness. We are there for each other and whatever the difficulties we may face, we will be faithful to each other,
The GBC meeting opened with Srila Prabhupada Guru Puja prayers followed by a reading from the Srimad Bhagavatam (6.5.27-28) by Prahladananda Swami.
Twenty-five members attended the meeting in Mayapur. Dina Sharan Devi Dasi, and Emeritus members Mukunda Goswami, Gopal Krishna Goswami, and Guru Gauranga Das joined online.
The first agenda topic taken was a presentation about Sri Caitanya Culture World Heritage Centre which is a 740 acre project, incorporating most of what is known as the Mayapur
By Chaitanya Mangal
Grammy-nominated Mantra America chants Hare Krishna on the Hollywood red carpet.
After several years of effort, 2023 marked the first time the Grammys officially included chant as a music category. This year the album “Mantra Americana,” by Madi Das & Bhakti Without Borders, was nominated in the “Best New Age, Ambient, & CHANT Album” category. While the album didn’t win the award, a highlight of the experience was the Maha Mantra was chanted on the red carpet, and broadc
The Muskoka River is supposed to be a length of 8 kilometres which is not long and at spots it is rather still in its flow. In other areas it rushes to become white water. At least where Mahadeva, Annapurna, and I were trekking on the River Road in Bracebridge next to the flow, we find it to be a body of water that’s very alive. In sections there are cascades and waterfalls. I can’t wait til the summer to tackle it. I’ll portage when the falls appear. Whatever the season, it's something to marv
For Srila Prabhupada, the term “Society, Friendship and Love,” was used to refer to the primary allurement which keeps us shackled in the material world of illusion and suffering. The following excerpt is indicative of his general usage of the term:
Persons who are conditioned in the society, friendship, and love, this is the attraction for material life. “Society, friendship and love,” they think, “divinely bestowed upon man.” But that, it is not divinely bestowed upon man. From spiritual poin
The Beatles taught us the mantra: “All You Need Is Love” and sang “Love me Do!” However, for the most part they didn’t tell us where to find lasting love. George Harrison was the exception. He gave us songs reminding us that the Lord is Sweet and that the Lord loves the one who loves the Lord! Let one of the most disturbing things currently being promoted as the pinnacle of spiritual wisdom is the concept of “Oneness.” While there is an aspect of similarity we all share, everyone merging togeth
By Subhangi devi dasi
Gold Coast Bhakti Centre in Queensland Australia held their annual Summer Rathyatra in the heart of tourist meccha Surfers Paradise in the peak of tourist season. Hundreds of locals, devotees and tourists witnessed Their Lordships Jaganath, Subhadra and Baladev being pulled through the beach precinct. During the parade an aeroplane flew up and down the coast line for several hours with a banner saying ‘CHANT HARE KRISHNA AND BE HAPPY’ for all to see. Special guests HH Jana
The Prasad Distribution Team left the U.K. by van, on the road to Syria.
Carrying massive pots, and all the essentials required for cooking in extreme circumstances.
They will be joined by more devotees from Czech.
Please give your blessings so our mission will be successful.
Param Vijayate Sri Krishna Sankirtanam
Team leaders are Arjuna Prabhu, Loka Saranga Prabhu and Daya Para Prabhu,
all veterans of Prasad Distribution in war zones.
The death toll in the Earthquake Zone is already 11,200
Ps
