This tall, lean fellow didn’t look like he had it all together. He saw me walking and started cursing. As he crossed the street, there was no shortage of colourful words directed to me.
“Why don’t yah go back where you came from?”
I wasn’t going to be silent. “I’m from here – born, raised, and bred in this country.” He carried on in a cross way with mouth and legs. A cigarette can was in his way, so he gave it a kick landing the can on the street after it had a good roll. A trash
Our visiting monk from Florida, Brhat Mrdanga, showed me the notes he took from my class involving the theme of shifting gears in life, or altering one’s career and what people often call paradigm shifting. The focus in the class was based on a Canto Nine avatar, Parasurama, who was born a brahmin (priest), but took on the disposition of a ksatriya (warrior). He felt he did the needful due to oppressive force from unruly kings. In other words, he demonstrated how, in certain circumstances,
Hare Krishna.
Nestled amidst the serene countryside of Lanchang, Pahang, Malaysia, lies a sacred jewel ISKCON Malaysia’s New Godruma Dhama Farm which propagates cow protection and farming projects in its humble attempt as envisioned by the divine teachings of His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. Named after Godruma, the sacred island of Navadvipa where the Surabhi cow came to worship Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu, this present-day Godruma is now rising as a Vedic eco-village cen
Yudhistir Govinda Das, Trustee and Country Director of Communications for ISKCON India, was recently interviewed by Times Now, an English-language TV news channel in India with millions of monthly readers.
In a thoughtful exchange with interviewer Namya Sinha, Yudhistir explores the profound impact of chanting Krishna’s holy names on mental well-being and spiritual growth. He explains that chanting—especially the Hare Krishna maha-mantra—helps individuals purify their thoughts, center their mi
On August 3rd, nearly 77-year-old Sivarama Swami will take on a remarkable challenge—swimming 10 kilometers through the cold waters of the River Thames. His goal? To raise funds for printing and distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books in the Turkish language, expanding the reach of Krishna consciousness in the Turkish-speaking world.
“I’ve been preaching in Turkey for years and I’ve seen firsthand the hunger for Krishna consciousness and the lack of resources,” Sivarama Swami shares in a promoti
"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself."– Bhagavad Gita 4.7
This tall, lean fellow didn’t look like he had it all together. He saw me walking and started cursing. As he crossed the street, there was no shortage of colourful words directed to me.
“Why don’t yah go back where you came from?”
I wasn’t going to be silent. “I’m from here – born, raised, and bred in this country.” He carried on in a cross way with mouth and legs. A cigarette can was in his way, so he gave it a kick landing the can on the street after it had a good roll. A trash
Following its remarkable success in India, Mahavatar Narsimha is set to captivate international audiences with a worldwide theatrical release on July 31. In just six days, the animated epic has amassed a staggering ₹34 crore at the Indian box office, according to TimesNow. The film’s strong performance has been powered by glowing word-of-mouth and a surge of public enthusiasm across cities in India.
Director Ashwin Kumar, reflecting on the project’s intent, shared: “This film is a heartfelt se
The London College of Vedic Studies warmly invites seekers, scholars, and the spiritually curious to a compelling online seminar on Puranic Cosmology, to be held on Zoom, Sunday, August 31, 2025, from 6:00–7:30 PM BST (1:00–2:30 PM EDT).
This thought-provoking session will be led by Radha Mohan Das (Richard J. Cole) — Communications Officer and Interfaith Leader at Bhaktivedanta Manor, and a respected teacher of bhakti philosophy for over three decades. He is also the creator of the popular Ve
We did well on these consecutive days at the auditorium in Pinewoods. It is something different – a Krishna Folk Fest, the same show as the night before. The audience took to the presentation well. It was very responsive to the chants which we started with an “OM!” These people were great to mingle with in the foyer after the show.
From the auditorium, I took to the sidewalk at dusk towards our hotel accommodation. I needed more steps. I met a man at the edge of town who asked if I
The Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education (VIHE) warmly invites you to Rūpotsava 2025 — a sacred tribute to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. From August 3rd to 6th, in the holy land of Śrī Vṛndāvana Dhāma, devotees will gather to glorify Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī through kīrtana, kathā, śloka recitations, and devotional offerings, culminating in a heartfelt celebration at Ṭer Kadamba, his sacred bhajana-sthalī.
The festival unfolds over four spiritually enriching days, welcoming participation onsite and online
Across every corner of our ISKCON communities, devotees are the heart and soul of our movement. Guided by Srila Prabhupada’s vision of a spiritually nourishing and compassionate society, we’re pleased to invite you to connect with the Devotee Care Initiative, which is one of the initiatives of the North America RGB.
At its core, this initiative is built on a simple yet profound truth: Caring for devotees is just as essential as preaching, because true preaching means teaching by example. How w
We were entering into wild blueberry country. Members of the Bhakti Academy from Toronto and I were invited to do a northern blitz in the province’s cities where mining and timber have been well established. As is common on such trips, I start walking while the other load and pace the van. There are 15 of us spread out among 3 vehicles ready for an adventure. I was getting my sweet walking in and after a good 15,000 steps, my van (out of the 3) appeared.
What a great start!
Off we
As we discussed in Respect, the Basis of Civilisation, Vedic Culture is based on respect and this respect is expressed through specific codes of conduct or etiquette. In this section, we will go a little more in detail about the principles and practices of Vaisnava etiquette.
…it is the characteristic of a devotee to observe and protect the Vaisnava etiquette. Maintenance of the Vaisnava etiquette is the ornament of a devotee. …By observing the etiquette, you have satisfied My mind. Who else b
From Back to Godhead
To ensure the health of our spiritual life, we must transform material hope into spiritual hope.
Hope—the recognition within the human heart that something better is attainable—can mean the difference between life and death. In Man’s Search for Meaning, Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl writes that the rate of deaths in the concentration camp increased after Hanukkah, even though there was no change in camp’s already horrible conditions. Why did more die? Because each year r
The purport of the verse is that even Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu — He is God himself, Krsna Himself — He felt, alone, unable to do this task. He felt.
So this is the position. You are cooperating; therefore I am getting the credit. Otherwise alone what could I do? Ekaki amara nahi paya bolo.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself wanted our cooperation. He is God, Krsna. And therefore cooperation is very important thing. Nobody should think that “I have got so great ability. I can do.” No. It is simply by c
A new Govinda’s restaurant has opened just minutes from Goloka Ecofarm, ISKCON’s rural spiritual community in the Ligurian hills of northwestern Italy. The grand opening took place on July 10, drawing more than 130 guests from nearby towns and villages. Since then, the restaurant has quickly become a popular destination for locals and visitors alike, offering sanctified meals in a peaceful and natural setting.
The restaurant serves freshly prepared vegetarian and vegan food every evening, with
In an era increasingly shaped by digital storytelling and artificial intelligence, one devotee has taken an innovative step toward making Srimad Bhagavatam accessible to a broader audience. Jagat Pavitram Das, a disciple of Hanumatpresaka Swami, has created Histories of the Universe, a 32-episode audiovisual series designed to present key teachings and narratives from the first nine cantos of the Bhagavatam in a format suitable for both devotees and the general public.
From Bookshelf to Broadc
One of our most outstanding devotees was honoured today at his cremation at St. John’s Crematorium. Vaishnava Das, AKA Willy Pillay, passed away on the 11th due to heart and other complications. His life was full, complete, rich. If you live life deeply as he did, you don’t die. And Thoreau once said that if you see death as law, then that’s dignified and don’t see it as an accident.
I recall when he and his family, Janaki, wife, and three daughters first came to our temple to do what
Dr. Larry D. Shinn, a scholar of religion, educator, and interfaith voice, passed away on April 2, 2025, at the age of 83. For devotees of ISKCON, Dr. Shinn’s departure marks the loss of not only a thoughtful academic but also a longtime friend whose balanced research and nuanced understanding of Srila Prabhupada’s movement helped shape both the Society’s self-reflection over the decades.
Born in 1941 in Indiana, Shinn began his academic journey with a deep love for religion and cross-cultural
