The Deep Ecology movement is rooted in the conclusions of Professors Lynn White and Arne Naess. By the late 1960s, Prof White, a historian and university president who had studied the development of technology from medieval times to the present, published “The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis”. In that influential article, he identified society’s mentality of anthropocentrism (human-centrism) as the root cause of the ecologic crisis. Shortly after that, Prof Naess, philosopher and enviro
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By Sri Nandanandana dasa (Stephen Knapp)
As many of you know, when I was initiated by His Divine Grace, Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, I was given the name of Sri Nandanandana dasa.
When I was to be accepted for initiation, I was told to write a paper on the significance of being initiated. I did the research from whatever books we had back then, and found that I really liked going through my books of Srila Prabhupada and gathering the information for the paper. The paper was then
karmany evadhikaras te
ma phalesu kadacana
ma karma-phala-hetur bhur
ma te sango ‘stv akarmani [ B.g. 2.47]
“You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty”.
The above mentioned verse is one of the most famous verses in Bhagavad Gita, although many know this verse and probably might have recited and heard them many times, very few
The Sri Mayapur Community Hospital project received the blessings and encouragement from ISKCON leaders in North America after a presentation to them at the North American Regional Governing Body (NA-RGB) Conference held in Houston, Texas.
Sri Mayapur Community Hospital Project Director, Harilila Das, traveled from Mayapur to personally present the hospital’s progress and vision to GBC leaders and temple presidents on September 7th. Over the three-day gathering, September 5–7, he met with many l
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi,
In a welcome move for pilgrims and devotees traveling to the holy dhama of Mayapur, Eastern Railway’s Sealdah Division has announced the launch of a new AC EMU train service connecting Krishnanagar and Sealdah, with key stops en route.
In a letter addressed to Dayaram Das, Co-Director General & President of ISKCON Kolkata, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Jasram Meena outlined the new service details. The train will operate six days a week (Monday to Satu
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi,
Bhaktivedanta University has announced the launch of its second academic pillar, the Faculty of Vocational Education, aimed at revitalizing village life and traditional occupations in the face of rapid urbanization.
With older generations of farmers aging and younger people moving to cities, rural sustainability faces a growing challenge. The new faculty seeks to safeguard the traditional knowledge of India’s villages while integrating modern advancements to m
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
Kama (Cupid) possesses five arrows, with which he inflicts all conditioned living entities. According to Sripad Prabodhananda Saraswati (in his commentary on the Gita Govinda), these arrows are: infatuation, agitation, heart-burning, extreme dryness and destruction. Let us elaborate:
During the course of one’s life, one sees many members of the opposite sex. There is a natural attraction caused by the arrangement of Maya because we identify ourselves with the body (pumsah-striya-maithuni bhava)
ISKCON has recently been invited to contribute to the prestigious Online Certificate Course on Global Interfaith Dialogue, organized by JIS University, Kolkata, in commemoration of Swami Vivekananda’s historic address at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago. Dr. Bratati Bhattacharyya, Director, Management Studies, JIS University, said, “This academic initiative has been envisioned as a global platform for understanding, reflection, and dialogue across religions, philosophies, and c
By Yadunandan Acharya Das and Nidhi Chaudhari,
It began with a simple thought: “How can we use creativity in Krishna’s service?”
With this vision, the ISKCON Kirtan Ministry launched a global Poster-Making Competition as part of the World Holy Name Festival 2025. What followed was nothing short of inspiring—nearly 350 devotees from across continents picked up their brushes, pencils, and digital tools, pouring their love for Krishna into art. From delicate hand-painted strokes, to intricate sketc
Who or what is God? In our modern world, when we observe the amount of energy consumed by all of the other topics that fill our lives, this question is given almost no consideration or thought whatsoever. As such, we are burdened with so many frivolous misconceptions of God, the Supreme.
For the most part, this lack of attention to the true nature of God is due to the misconception that we cannot know God. Although there is certainly truth in thinking that total knowledge of the Infinite is not
From Back to Godhead
Lessons on life, death, and living in a spirit of devotion
ISKCON devotees commonly use the phrase, “Going back home, back to Godhead.”Have you ever thought about what this means when a traveler is anxious to return home? Home is where our family is, where there are people who love us, who trust us. It’s the place we’re comfortable and happy. It’s the place we feel most natural.
The world we live in is foreign to the soul; we are strangers in a foreign land. In this alien p
From Back to Godhead
Discover Krishna’s law of attraction, the real power behind the latest rage in the self-improvement marketplace.
The Secret, a book and DVD by Rhonda Byrne, is getting a lot of attention as sales soar. The author claims that if we apply the principles she lays out, we can achieve whatever we desire. People from all walks of life are excitedly latching on to her ideas.
In the beginning of the DVD, ancient-looking texts in a medieval ambiance invite us to discover secret
By His Divine Grace Srila A.C.B. Swami Prabhupada
sri bhagavan uvaca
abhayam sattva-samsuddhir
jnana-yoga-vyavasthitih
danam damas ca yajnas ca
svadhyayas tapa arjavam
ahimsa satyam akrodhas
tyagah santir apaisunam
daya bhutesv aloluptvam
mardavam hrir acapalam
tejah ksama dhrtih saucam
adroho natimanita
bhavanti sampadam daivim
abhijatasya bharata
Srila Prabhupada: The first thing is that bhagavan uvaca. These things required for purification. Sattva-samsuddhih. The human life is meant for sat
Members of the ISKCON community in St. Louis released a devotional film entitled Geetha Ganam, a project highlighting both the wisdom and beauty of the Bhagavad-gītā.
The title, Geetha Ganam — which literally means “the singing of the Bhagavad-gītā”—refers to the devotional practice of chanting or melodically reciting the verses of the Gītā, often set to traditional rāgas or simple tunes. The film offers viewers an immersive journey into this unique art form, exploring its history, cultural infl
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi
On August 14, 2025, the newly formed Srila Prabhupada Connection–Mayapur Team, coordinated by Janmastami Das, in collaboration with Bhaktivedanta National School (BVNS), Mayapur, organized a special children’s competition to commemorate the Vyasa Puja Mahotsava of Srila Prabhupada. The event drew 779 enthusiastic participants from across the ISKCON Mayapur campus and surrounding areas.
Students from four educational institutions participated in the competition,
From Back to Godhead
Why hearing is the first and most important of the nine kinds of devotional service to the Lord.
When I first read that hearing is the most important of the nine kinds of devotional service, I was confused. I was twenty-one at the time and had been hearing all day every day for my whole life. What was so special about hearing? Then I read that the “hearing” prescribed wasn’t meant for mundane topics but for the activities and qualities of Krishna and His devotees. This hea
When it comes to understanding the meaning of Sanatana-dharma, we have to be aware of its Sanskrit definition. The root of the word dharma comes from dhri, which means to uphold or maintain. The Sanskrit says dharayati iti dharmaha, which translates as dharma is that which upholds. However, not only what is supported is dharma, but that which does the supporting is also dharma, dhriyate iti dharmaha. So dharma consists of both the force that sustains as well as what is sustained. It can a
The greatest challenge in performing Sadhana Bhakti is our attempt to serve the Lord with only the cognizance of Him being an almighty God. The immense distance between us and the Lord during the clearing process (Anartha Nivrtthi) is such that most Sadhakas face difficulty in maintaining steady service. This misfortune can solely be attributed to a lack of Sambandha Jnana or in other words due to forgetting who we are.
Most of our energy during the clearing process goes into fighting our previ
A spiritual gathering in ancient India yields sage advice for our age of skepticism.
“Once, in a holy place in the forest of Naimisharanya, great sages headed by the sage Saunaka assembled to perform a great thousand-year sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Lord and His devotees. One day, after finishing their morning duties by burning a sacrificial fire and offering a seat of esteem to Srila Suta Gosvami, the great sages made inquiries with great respect.”—Srimad- Bhagavatam 1.1.4
When I tel
