Blog

By Atma Tattva Das,

On November 25, 2025, devotees gathered at ISKCON Midrand for the opening of a facility that many described as long overdue. The new End of Life Care Room, developed by Devotee Care South Africa under the regional leadership of Jayananda Das, marks a turning point in how the South African devotee community supports its members in their final days.

The vision did not appear suddenly. It began almost a decade ago, when a devotee care workshop in 2019 inspired Jayananda and othe

Shri Lochana Dasa Thakura was a disciple of Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura, a dearest associate of Lord Gaura Raya.
 
 “My hope of hopes is to be near the lotus feet of Shri Narottama Dasa Thakura and serve him with my very life. The cherished desire of the fallen Lochana Dasa is to be allowed, by Narahari’s grace, to sing the glories of Lord Gauranga. My Lord is Shri Narahari Thakura, I am His servant. Bowing before him I beg for his service. This is my only aspiration.” (Lochana Dasa, Chait

On December 14, 2025, a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach left at least 15 people dead and dozens more injured in what Australian authorities have condemned as an antisemitic terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community. The gunmen, identified as a father and son, opened fire on the crowd before police engaged them; the 50-year-old father was shot and killed at the scene, while his 24-year-old son was critically wounded and is now in hospital under police guard.

Lionel Messi, the Argentine football icon widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, visited India this month as part of the “GOAT India Tour 2025,” a fan-engagement and promotional tour spanning four major cities—Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi. The visit marked Messi’s first trip to India in 14 years and drew widespread attention from fans and media across the country.

During his Mumbai visit, a brief interaction between Messi and ISKCON leader Guru Prasad Swami was a

The Temple of the Vedic Planetarium has released their free online TOVP 2026 calendar as a viewable, downloadable, and shareable flipbook. This year’s theme is “The TOVP Story 1971-2025, From Kutir to Mandir.”

Monthly images showcase the progress of the TOVP from its initial inspiration by Srila Prabhupada into the heart of H.G. Ambarisa prabhu in 1976 to the recent Grand Opening of the A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Legacy Museum in February 2025. In 2026, the TOVP will reach another miles

Yamuna-devi—Serving Vani and Vapuh

There is so much to be said about Srimati Yamuna-devi dasi!

In October of 1970 I was one of a group of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples from America going to join him in India. On the way, we stopped in Brussels, and it was there, in an apartment, that I first met Yamuna-devi—and Malati and Shyamasundar (I had met Gurudas before, in Boston). Upon entering, I could immediately feel their intense, extraordinary devotion to Srila Prabhupada—it was so palpable, so tang

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi, 

On December 5, 2025, the Bhaktivedanta Research Center (BRC), Kolkata, collaborated with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar in a three-day Dharma Studies Conference (DSC 2025), marking a milestone in establishing Dharma Studies as a legitimate interdisciplinary academic field. The event brought together scholars, researchers, and spiritual practitioners from India and around the world to explore the contemporary relevance and application of

By Radha Mohan Dasa,

As part of outreach preaching efforts beyond the UK, Maha Prasad Govinda Das, who lived as a monk at Bhaktivedanta Manor from 1983 to 1990, recently traveled to three prestigious universities across India as a delegate to a Bhagavad Gita conference.

Entitled the “International Gita Mahotsav” conference in India, he, along with other BBT and ISKCON international devotees from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Bahrain, Hungary, and China, spoke on topics relating to the Bhagavad-gita and

By Atma Tattva Das,

Best Friend is a heartfelt devotional film weaving sankirtan history, personal reflection, and creative outreach, crafted with sincerity and faith through immense challenges. It is also the culmination of a journey that began when a Best Friend filmmaker, Gita Galadauskaite, was a young girl in Lithuania, falling asleep to cassette recordings of devotional classes. Among them was a sankirtan story, likely narrated by Indradyumna Swami, that left such an impression that she re

The Wellington temple’s Higher Taste restaurant has gone through some challenges over the last few years, especially during the Covid period where the whole city was practically shut down and right after when a lot of people still worked from home.

Somehow, it has managed to survive, albeit in a new location, not far from the old premises. I went there for lunch and there was a fine menu combination of Bain-Marie preparations like rice, dhal, subji, pakora etc. and an a la carte menu of more spe

A Talk by Giriraj Swami December 17, 2000 Ojai, California

In the West this is the holiday season, with Christmas and Hanukkah both coming up. As Srila Prabhupada explained, the Lord comes to this world to enlighten people with transcendental knowledge. Sometimes He comes personally, and sometimes He sends His son or His prophet or His representative, but they all come with the same message. They may speak in different languages according to the circumstances and the audience, but the essence

Service Opportunity

ISKCON Communications is inviting applications for the role of a Social Media Manager. The role is based in New Delhi. We are looking for devotees experienced in this field and looking to contribute in the Sankirtan mission.

The pay scale is on par with the industry to help the devotees render their service without any anxiety.

Please share this message among your friends and congregation. If someone is interested, they can send their resume to india@iskcon.org along wit

Hare Krishna dear devotees,

Devaki Mataji will be offering five deep and transformational courses throughout the month of January 2026 in Mayapur. Please see the course schedule below:

* 29th Dec to 2nd of January: Mentorship in Krishna Consciousness

* 5th to 9th of January: Meeting Death with Joy - The Vanaprastha Ashram

* 13th to 16th of January: Being in Harmony With the Other Gender

* 19th to 23rd of January: Family Life - Secrets of Success

* 26th to 30th of January: Our Children Are Our Future

Th

Sometime in the year 2018 Rashmi Mataji had come to meet me to explore the possibility of getting an engagement for Trailblazers where she was working. Although we didn't engage her however during COVID when she learnt about my lay off she immediately messaged me is there anything i can do for you? you can feel free to call if you require any support. This meant a lot to me. At a time when nuts and bolts are down every one who is supportive in any way makes a big difference. In one of the intera

The Jolly Swami (Wit and Wisdom from Sridhar Swami) is a unique compilation of His Holiness Sridhar Swami’s realizations of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, drawn primarily from his lectures and seminars between 1996 and 2004. Organized alphabetically by topic for ease of reading, the book presents his deep philosophical insights alongside glimpses of his characteristic humor and warmth—qualities that endeared him to devotees around the world.

Sridhar Swami served Srila Prabhupada closely at Hare

The Charm in Krishna’s Beauty

Eye contact is the biggest source of causing attraction and distraction. It is but natural, in our movements and actions, we touch upon objects and people not merely by hands, but by all our senses. Human mind is naturally drawn to beauty, pleasure and love.

In some way or the other, we tend to develop an attachment. Sometimes we keep thinking of what we touched. Sometimes even to the extent of imagining, owning, being with and dreaming. Maya, as they call it!

In the V

Sri sri Radha Madhava of Iskcon Attapur. They came recently to accept my measly service. They're one of the few forms of Krishna on their altar. And yet, when They appeared, my heart was captured by Them just by being here ❤️