In the Skanda Purana (Utkala-khanda, Chapter 29) it is described that Lord Jagannatha instructed King Indradyumna to keep His transcendental body cool by applying sandalwood paste all over His divine form:
vaisakhasya site pakse tritiyaksaya samjnikatatra
mam lepayed gandha lepanair ati sobhanam
“Smear fragrant sandalwood paste on My body on the day of Aksaya-trtiya during the waxing moon in the month of Vaisakha.”
This festival is called the Candana-yatra festival, which literally translates
Candana yatra starts on the third lunar day of the waxing moon of Vaisakha month, and continues for twenty days. Lord Jagannatha gave direct instructions to King Indradyumna to perform this festival at this time. Smearing the body of the Lord with ointments is an act of devotion, and the best of ointments is sandalwood paste. Since the month of Vaisakha is very hot in India, the cooling effect of the sandalwood is very pleasing to the body of the Lord.
Sandalwood paste is ap
I’m not sure of the history of Aksaya Tritiya. But ksaya means to diminish, so aksaya means that which never diminishes, or which goes on increasing. So this day is considered a very auspicious day to start anything from which you want the fruits never to diminish. I see that people start their businesses on this day, do grha pravesha on this day, start their journeys on this day. And there is a big festival in Nandagram on this day. But if you want to come and see it, you have to book your tax
Akshaya Tritiya, one of the most important days in the Vedic calendar. Akshaya Tritiya is the appearance day of Lord Parasurama, and it is also the day that the Ganges descended to the earth. Most devotees know it as the beginning of Candana-yatra, but actually many of Lord Krishna’s other pastimes also took place on this day, specifically those which highlight Krishna’s generous and intimate reciprocation with his devotees.
The very word Akshaya means “that which never diminishes”. Any servic
The day known as Aksaya-tritiya occurs on the third (tritiya) day of the waxing moon in the month of Vaisakha. Every second of this blessed day is completely auspicious, and so there is no consideration of any one period (muhurta) being better than another. Aksaya means “inexhaustible”; anything a person undertakes on the day of Aksaya-tritiya is bound to succeed, especially the performance of devotional activities, which guarantee inexhaustible benefit.
It is said that Aksaya-tritiya is the
Akshaya Tritiya day is the very auspicious day - there's no inauspiciousness to be found today so even checking muhurthas is considered unnecessary, so auspicious it is. Whatever one does for devotees, and for Krsna that person will get more benefit and it is eternal benefit and never lost.
Some important events have taken place on Akshay Tritiya -
1. Appearance of Lord Parasurama.
2. Appearance of Mother Ganga.
3. Beginning of chandan yatra (sun is directly above our head for 21 days and he
Krishna Conscious devotees have been visiting the border cities of El Paso and Juarez to preach at various yoga centers since the early 1970s, but they now have a permanent presence in the city thanks to a flourishing home program run by a dedicated grihastha couple Krishna Charan Dasa and his wife, Jasmine Kim Fong. It’s called the New Nilachal Bhakti Yoga Community, and it is the temple home of Jagannatha, Balarama, and Subhadra.
A Not-So-Chance Meeting
In 2010, Krishna Charan (then Alfredo G
“You are distributing this knowledge, so you become immediately recognized, very dear servant, very confidential servant of Krsna. He says personally. [Bg. 18.69]. “Amongst the human beings those who are doing this preaching, nobody is dearer than these persons to Me””
“To be quickly recognized by Krsna, this is the short-cut process. He never says those who are sitting in a secluded place meditating or chanting, doing nothing. He never says that “They are My very dear devotees.” But those who
Like every day, I circumambulate the temple so many times, and that’s how I got my walking in today.
In the temple room, a very handicapped late teen fell with his walker, but got himself up like a hero.
Two schoolteachers came to see the temple and watched our rehearsal. “Are you professional?” asked one.
One person found a source of oat milk, which I humbly requested, and delivered cartons of it.
Bhakti Chaitanya Swami spoke about jealousy. Instead of envying one who is excellin
Gadadara Pandit was a childhood friend of Nimai and both were students in the same ‘Tol’ or school. Gadadhar’s parents Madhav Mishra and Ratnawati were natives of Chattagram district but later on moved to Navadwip. Gadadhara Pandit was born in Navadwip.
In the Gaura-ganodesa-dipika, verses 147 through 153, it is stated: “The pleasure potency of Sri Krishna formely known as Vrindavaneshvari Srimati Radharani is now personified in the form of Sri Gadadhara Pandit in the pastimes of Lord Chaitany
On 25 January 2023, I was on book distribution in the basement parking area of a West Auckland mall. Books were going out slowly, and I noticed it was not as productive as the previous day at the same spot. As time went on, I was praying to Krishna, “Please send someone who can take books.”
Around 5 p.m. I was about to finish, but I thought I should stay a bit longer. A few minutes later, a white van stopped some distance from where I was standing, and the driver got out. As soon as I saw him,
By Atma Tattva Das
Wake up South Africa (WuSA) is a newly established initiative by African devotees explicitly focused on African preaching in university settings. The active non-profit, recognized as an ISKCON affiliate for creative initiatives, is dedicated to sharing the principles of Bhakti Yoga to benefit society through five main objectives: mantra meditation, timeless knowledge, ethical leadership, Vedic lifestyle, and positive recreation.
WuSA Projects include kirtan parties and prasa
By Thomas Haribol
Fifteen members of the New Vrindaban community recently participated in an intensive four-day Devotee Care Education and Training Course led by Jai Nitai Dasa and his wife, Bhava Bhakti Devi Dasi. Previous to their Devotee Care service, the presenters served in the ISKCON London temple for 25 years. Fourteen of those years, Jai Nita served as Temple President.
The course is a ministry of Devotee Care International, an initiative of the GBC. Its goal is to “embed the culture o
A most heartwarming sight during my visit to the French yatra is the example set by Janananda Goswami, a full-time sankirtana devotee. He prefers being on the road and distributing Srila Prabhupada’s mercy, in the form of his books, even in the harsh winters. He is the inspiration behind the sankirtana efforts in France, and he leads by example, tirelessly distributing books on streets or in airports, planes, and bus stations and everywhere else he sets foot.
Janananda Goswami’s enthusiasm is c
His conclusions rest heavily on a thin surface of guesswork.
Real evidence supporting his theory is in short supply.
Over the past 150 years, the expanding role of science in almost every sphere of life has produced a revolution in ideas—a revolution epitomized by Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Although never proven more than a theory, it is accepted by millions as fact. In discussing the influence and implications of his theory, I shall suggest an alternative explanation of evolution th
By Thomas Haribol
On March 30th, the “Building Peace around Ancient Cultures” forum was held in the Legislative Palace of San Lázaro in Mexico City, coinciding with the Rama Navami festival. The Federal Commission for Culture and Cinematography organized the joint gathering, chaired by Deputy Carlos Francisco Ortiz Tejeda, in collaboration with NIOS (the North American Institute of Oriental and Classical Studies). NIOS is an educational research institution at the service of ISKCON and was fo
By Chandni Raj
New Mayapur in Central France is working to implement Srila Prabhupada’s vision for rural farm communities where devotees can live in harmony with nature, while addressing the climate crisis. The aim is to build a Vedic village as outlined by Srila Prabhupada, where earth and her natural resources are protected, which is in perfect harmony with the modern day need for sustainability. Implementing his ideas for community living, based on Vedic wisdom, gives a lasting solution to w
I feel great. The weather is just perfect and I’m getting my avocados. What more can I want?
The only thing that becomes a bit heart pressing is the absence of some of the swamis I used to meet. My dear friend, Kadambha Kanana Swami (Dutch born) passed away last month stricken with cancer. He was a regular feature at Durban’s Chariot Fest and was loved for his classes and chanting, but his presence is no more.
I also recall being here during the time when another beloved monk, Bhakti Tirtha Swa
The following conversation between His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and some of his disciples took place in October 1975 during an early-morning walk in Durban, South Africa.
Srila Prabhupada: Man came from the ape. So why is man not coming from the ape now?
Disciple: It only happened once, and that was enough to start the whole thing.
Srila Prabhupada: Only once? Another rascaldom! We see the flowers and fruits are coming every season. Why once? This is dogmatic. Do we h
