Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 1 – 6
If a man gets some ministership in the government by worshiping a political leader, he considers that he has achieved a great boon.
BG 4.12, Purport:

The boons of the demigods are material and temporary. Both the material worlds and their inhabitants, including the demigods and their worshipers, are bubbles in the cosmic ocean. In this world, however, human society is mad after temporary things such as the material opulence of possessing land, family and

We often see paintings of Lord Shiva sitting in meditation. After some research, we find that his main object of meditation is Lord Vishnu, which shows he is a great Vaishnava. However, in further research, as presented in this article, we find that his meditation can also be on a few very auspicious mantras with specific and detailed meditation that accompanies them. Herein is Lord Shiva’s ultimate spiritual advice for humanity at large as given to Narada Muni.
In the Sri Sanatkumara-samhita, f

I am glad to announce the release of the Kavya-kaustubha, composed by Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana, which is now being made available in English for the first time. This is one of Vidyabhusana’s independent works, dealing with the basic elements of Sanskrit poetics. Each of the definitions here is followed by examples from Vaiṣṇava literature or verses composed by the author himself. Although primarily didactic in nature, the selection of illustrative verses given here makes this book appealing to

By Kāla-Svarūpa Dāsa  

Earlier this month, ISKCON News published a post entitled “Prabhupada’s Silicon Sutras: When 18 Years of Vision Meet the Speed of Now,” generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and submitted by Visnu Murti Das, Founder of Vanipedia. The following opinion piece is a response to that post. 

Recently, an article was published on ISKCON News describing the integration of the AI tool Gemini into Vanipedia. The article, generated by the LLM itself, announced that the tool will

Following the intensity of the December Marathon 2024, we in the snowy world of Michigan began looking for a new target market for our “family business”—book distribution. We stumbled upon a massive market that was hiding in plain sight: Amazon.

Through our year-long efforts, we have successfully pushed Srila Prabhupada’s magnificent translation almost to the top of the charts. Now, we need your help to finish this race and claim the #1 spot. (Read to the end to find out how!)

When we first look

I had the great fortune of learning Srila Prabhupada’s concept of Utility is the Principle through the personal example of H G Madhupati Prabhu

While I was preparing to leave India to go to United States of America to be part of the Management Program at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, H G Shyamanada Prabhu senior disciple of H H Radhanath Swami Maharaj highly recommended that I meet with H G Madhupati Prabhu disciple of His Holiness Jayadwaita Swami Maharaj who at that was living in ISK

By Dina Dayala dasa  (Dario Knez)

Introduction

Jiva Gosvami (1513-1598) is the youngest of the six Gosvamis of Vrindavana[i] who are honoured as genuine representatives of the teachings and faith of Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534). All of them, except Jiva Gosvami, were personally inspired, instructed or commissioned by Caitanya. (Kapoor, 1984, 54). It seems that Jiva did not have the privilege to associate with and learn from Caitanya; in 1535, at the time he joined Vrindavana’s group, Caitanya

In Vraja there was a dancer named Candrahasa who was very expert in the tasting of rasa. In Chaitanya-lila, he became Jagadisa Pandit who also took great pleasure in dancing for the Lord. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 143)

Jagadisa Pandit is considered to be simultaneously both Nityananda-shakha and Chaitanya-shakha, a branch both of Chaitanya as well as Nityananda in the desire tree of devotion. He was born in the town of Gauhati (Pragjyotishpur) in modern Assam. 

His father’s name was Kamalaksha Bh

By Giriraj Swami

Today is the disappearance day of Srila Jiva Gosvami, one of the Six Gosvamis of Vrndavana, direct disciples of Lord Chaitanya. Srila Prabhupada writes, “Srila Jiva Gosvami composed and edited at least twenty-five books. They are all very much celebrated . . . After the disappearance of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami in Vrndavana, Srila Jiva Gosvami became the acarya of all the Vaisnavas in Bengal, Orissa, and the rest of the world, and it is he who used to guide them

“Sri Jagadisa Pandita is the savior of the world. He distributes the nectar of love of Krsna just like a dense mass of dark clouds in the sky distributes rainfall.” [C.C. Adi 11.30]

Sri Jagadisa Bhatta took his birth in the region of Gauhati. His father’s name was Sri Kamalaksa Bhatta, who was the son of Bhatta Narayana, who hailed from Goyghar Bandyaghata. Both the mother and father of Jagadisa were very devoted Visnu-bhaktas. After his parents passed away he came with his wife to live on the

Real Education for a Real Life

Gurukula, Values, and the Responsibility of Raising Children Today
Education is one of the most important *samskaras* a child receives.

It shapes not only livelihood, but  thought, conduct, and direction in life . In today’s fast-paced world, children are exposed early to competition, stimulation, and pressure. Yet the deeper challenges of life — discipline, decision-making, restraint, empathy, and purpose — often remain unaddressed.

This naturally brings thoughtf

Srila Jiva Gosvami’s Extraordinary Merit  

Appearing as the nephew of Srila Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, Srila Jiva Gosvami  displayed all the charming features of a maha-purusa (divine person). He had lotus eyes, a high nose and forehead, broad chest, long arms, and a radiant golden body.

Srila Jiva Gosvami was the direct disciple of Srila Rupa Gosvami

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter Ten describes the branches of the tree named Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

TEXT 1

sri-caitanya-padambhoja-
  madhupebhyo namo namah
kathancid asrayad yesam
  svapi tad-gandha-bhag bhavet

TRANSLATION

Let me repeatedly offer my respectful obeisances unto the beelike devotees who always taste the honey of the lotus feet of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If even a doggish nondevotee somehow takes shelter of such devotees, he enjoys the aroma of the lotus flower.

PURPORT

Srila Jiva Gosvami (CC Adi 10.85)
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (195) it is said that Srila Jiva Gosvami was formerly Vilasa-mañjari gopi. From his very childhood Jiva Gosvami was greatly fond of Srimad-Bhagavatam. He later came to Navadvipa to study Sanskrit, and, following in the footsteps of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, he circumambulated the entire Navadvipa-dhama. After visiting Navadvipa-dhama he went to Benares to study Sanskrit under Madhusudana Vacaspati, and after finishing his studies in B

As we come to the close of another year, the TOVP Team extends heartfelt wishes to all devotees around the world. May this New Year be filled with spiritual inspiration, divine protection, and ever-deepening devotion to the Supreme Lord.

We pray that Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Sri Pancha Tattva, and Lord Nrsimhadeva bless you and your family with good health, prosperity, and unwavering enthusiasm in devotional service. May you continue to advance on the path of bhakti and immerse yourself in the unl

Hare Krishna, dear devotees!

Please accept our humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

 🌟 🌟 🌟

You are warmly invited to a New Year spiritual retreat with His Grace Patri Prabhu!

 Dates: January 2–5 (3 nights)

Join us in welcoming the New Year with pure consciousness, clear minds, and renewed hearts.

And most importantly—together! ❤️

 Retreat Theme:

“Forgiving Heart” ❤️

This is a 3-day seminar and workshop.

Each day will immerse us in one of the following themes:

💫 Forgiveness

💫Humili

Meet my friend Steve. We first met in December 2016, on my very first visit to Southampton during Srila Prabhupada’s Book Marathon. Each year we stood opposite one another, us distributing books & Steve managing the carousel ride.

Steve was always kind & would always check in on us throughout the day. Without fail, each year I would enthusiastically ask Steve to take a Bhagavad Gita. And every year, just as firmly, he would decline, explaining that he couldn’t read or write.

Each time I would te

Vasudeva Das, a longtime ISKCON filmmaker known for his work with BhakTV, has spent several decades documenting devotional life through film. In 2016, he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2nd Vaisnava Film Awards Festival in Mayapur, an event he co-organized with Nrisimhananda Das.

Recently, Vasudeva Das announced the release of his newest feature-length documentary, Around The Hill: The Giriraja Parikrama, which explores the sacred tradition of circumambulating Govardhana Hil