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The Essential Qualifications

The Hari-bhakti-vilāsa establishes the essential qualifications of a spiritual master based on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.3.21 and 11.10.5:

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam
śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

“Therefore, one who is desirous of the ultimate good should turn to a guru who is immersed in scripture and in the Supreme Brahman, and sheltered in the highest peace.”

mad-abhijñaṃ guruṃ śāntam upāsīta mad-ātmakam

“One should turn to a guru wh

By Yudhisthira Dasa   

No matter where we are on our journey, we can find solace in the fact that the effects of time, as we know it, exist only in the material world and are ultimately not linear. The big picture is that all souls (excluding descending nitya siddha masters) come to the material world, eventually attain a human form to experience an existential crisis, and gradually realize our eternal identity. And, while steady progress is possible, our journeys are often filled with distracti

ISKCON Philippines has marked a significant milestone with the successful hosting of its first national Vaishnavi Retreat, held from December 6-8th, 2025, culminating in the formal establishment of the Vaishnavi Ministry Philippines. The three-day retreat brought together Vaishnavis from across the country for a carefully structured program focused on sisterhood, healing, leadership development, and spiritual empowerment. The initiative reflects the visionary leadership of the ISKCON Philippines

Mahaharinama for 7 Bury Place, London – It feels easy enough to take a wander between worlds in the haven of high culture and home to the esoteric known as London’s Bloomsbury, where boundaries seem somehow more blurred. On this chilly but dry late morning of Sunday 11th January 2026, a colourfully vibrant mosaic of humanity is taking shape outside a smart and solid (but otherwise unremarkable) five-storey building rooted right at the heart of this long-established bohemian district. So what gra

By Aseem Krishna Das

A week-long Sādhu-saṅga program was organised at the Rajangana Hall of Udupi Śrī Kṛṣṇa Maṭha, Udupi, Karnataka, from 7th to 12th December 2025.

The program was held on the occasion of the 86th Vyāsa Pūjā celebration of Subhāga Swami Mahārāja. Senior disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda and sannyāsīs from ISKCON, along with revered Swāmījīs from the Madhva-sampradāya of Udupi Śrī Kṛṣṇa Maṭha, graced the occasion. The program nourished the spiritual lives of 1,300 devotees from var

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.12.23, it is described that Nārada was born from the deliberation of Brahmā, which is considered the best part of the body. Other figures were born from different aspects of Brahmā’s body: Vasiṣṭha from his breathing, Dakṣa from a thumb, Bhṛgu from his touch, and Kratu from his hand. This verse emphasizes the unique role of Nārada, who can deliver the Supreme Lord, highlighting the importance of devotion and the potential for a pure devotee to guide others towards the path

The session opens the 2026 series of Success Sadhana with a focus on equanimity and “getting grounded,” drawing primarily from the Bhagavad Gita and other Vedic wisdom texts. The speaker explains that sadhana (deliberate practice) is the means by which humans can realize life’s deeper purpose beyond basic animal concerns like eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. Human life is unique because it allows self-inquiry—asking “Who am I?” and “Why am I suffering?”

A central theme is recognizing one

The lecture is a devotional class on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 2, Chapter 4 (verses 11–17), focusing on the mood required to speak, hear, and live Bhagavatam. It begins by explaining that Sukadeva Goswami offers prayers to Krishna to receive mercy, emphasizing that no one can act or speak independently of Krishna. Our senses and body belong to Krishna, and true happiness comes from using them in His service.

The speaker explains what it means to be an “instrument” of Krishna: unlike material too

By Manorama Dasa,

ISKCON Youth Ministry’s new bus just completed its maiden voyage, transporting 24 teenage boys across the southern US, from Florida to California and back, for the Boys Winter Trip. The organizers, including Manorama Dasa and Jaya Sri Radhe Devi Dasi, would like to thank the more than 300 donors, as well as ISKCON North America temple presidents and leaders, who contributed generously towards the new bus fundraiser.

“The bus tours aim to inspire our youth in Krishna consciousne

After the successful Sankirtan Marathon in December 2024, Michigan devotees once again undertook a month-long book distribution marathon in December 2025 at Great Lakes Crossing Mall, one of the state’s largest outlet malls. With Michigan’s harsh winter of snow and freezing temperatures, an indoor shopping mall became a strategic space that allowed Sankirtan to continue uninterrupted throughout the season. This time, however, it was not approached as “just another marathon,” but as a challenge.

An Overview: Varṇāśṛama Supports Bhakti

In his Śrī Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura describes the general relationship between varṇāśrama-dharma and bhakti:

“What is the relation of varṇāśrama, which was previously discussed, with vaidhi-bhakti? Should people take shelter of vaidhi-bhakti and give up the rules of varṇāśrama dharma, or should they practice vaidhi-bhakti for developing devotion, while still following the varṇāśrama rules and duties? It was previously stated that the

I made a film about New Mayapur some time ago, but I decided to do a shorter version of the original. It was a good experience to be in New Mayapur, especially because Srila Prabhupada spent time there. He wanted his followers to set up farm communities and work towards self sufficiency as much as possible. The devotees in New Mayapur are doing their best to achieve that goal. When I make these films it is intriguing on many levels, but one of the nicest parts is the exchanges with the devotees

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi,

In a historic development at the intersection of spirituality and public infrastructure, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has selected ISKCON Dwarka as an official partner to enhance the quality, purity, and consistency of food served on Indian Railways.

As part of a new “Proof of Concept” (PoC) pilot project launched last month, the Bapudham Motihari–Anand Vihar Amrit Bharat Express (Train No. 15567/15568) is now serving meals prepa

By Brajesh Kumar Pandey, 

As part of a sacred yearly tradition, the ISKCON Bhakti Center for Education and Culture (BCEC) in Vishal Nagar organized its annual Shrimad Bhagwat Saptah from January 1st to 7th, 2025. The week-long spiritual festival brought together thousands of residents from across the Pune metropolitan area for a deep immersion into the teachings of the holy scriptures.

​The highlight of the event was a series of daily discourses by Sarvabhaum Dasa, a world-renowned Katha Vachak,

By Drutakarma das

In the news currently there are many reports about mastodon bones found in San Diego, California. Their age challenges current scientific ideas about the peopling of the Americas. I wrote about these discoveries in 2005 in one of my columns for Atlantis Rising magazine (the column’s name is The Forbidden Archeologist). Here is that column:

California Dreaming: The State Highway 54 Mastodon Blues

By Michael A. Cremo

Atlantis Rising

In 1992 and 1993, paleontologists of the San D

From Back to Godhead

Taking into account the many descriptions of Godhead found in ancient books, scriptures and the eternal wisdom heard by disciples from their venerable masters, the Absolute Truth may be defined as follows: He is by Himself and for Himself; He has all knowledge, strength, opulence, fame, beauty and renunciation; He is the Fountainhead of limitless energies and the Fountainhead of infinite qualities all of which are identical with Himself. He has infinite forms, all of which

In December, the Second Annual Śaraṇāgati Youth Retreat was successfully held at Govardhan EcoVillage, bringing together 40 young devotees from six countries for a seven-day immersive global bhakti experience.

Organized by Arjuna Sakhā Das and Sudevī Sakhī Devi Dasi, this year’s retreat centered on the lives and teachings of the Ṣaḍ Gosvāmīs, offering participants a deeply reflective and practice-oriented exploration of devotional life. The retreat featured enriching classes and the association

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi, 

On September 19th, 2025, a milestone in academic collaboration was achieved with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Institute of Engineering & Management (IEM/UEM University), ISKCON Mayapur, and the Bhaktivedanta Research Centre (BRC).

As outlined in this MoU, UEM, BRC, and ISKCON Mayapur intend to establish collaborative academic degree programs (Doctoral, Master’s, Bachelor’s, etc.) in fields such as Engineering, Law, Management, Huma

From Back to Godhead

Sri Brahma-samhita is one of the oldest Vedic scriptures, and it is accepted by Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu (an incarnation of Krsna Himself who appeared 484 years ago) as the essence of Vaisnava (Krsna conscious) philosophy. The first verse of the Fifth Chapter of Sri Brahma-samhita reads: “Krsna, who is known as Govinda, is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal, blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, and He is the Prime Cause of