Time ago , a particular news item caught my eye: “Shmeat: Reducing Animal Cruelty or Defeating the Purpose of a Sustainable Diet?” written by Sarah Jugovic.
The article explains that shmeat, also known as “in vitro” meat (i.e., test-tube flesh), is cruelty free – it is a lab-grown food product using animal stem cells to create an edible solid without killing the creature. Or so they say.
Shmeat has been in the works for more than a decade, the article tells us, and was conceived, in its present
By Satyaraja Dasa
In more ways than one, the word “movement” captures the essence of Lord Caitanya’s religion of the holy name.
I offer my respectful obeisances to the devotees of the Lord. Simply by their hearing the two syllables Krishna, their bodily hairs stand up in ecstasy and they become moved to dance in ecstatic bliss. With their sandals they expertly extricate the fallen souls deeply sunk in the fetid mud of the ocean of repeated birth and death.
( Rupa Gosvami, Padyavali, Text 54)
K
In Memoriam HG JAGANNATHA MISRA DAS
Hare Krishna
It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the sudden unexpected passing of HG Jagannatha Misra das, on the early morning of Saturday, July 30th, 2022 in Alachua. He was going through some health challenges.
Jagannatha prabhu was a big book distributor and collector for New Vrindavana in the early days. He also worked on the construction projects there and took care of cows. He spent a period of time in France as a married man. He was deeply af
On July 20th, Praghosa Dasa, a Governing Body Commission (GBC) member of ISKCON since 2001, resigned from the GBC. He made his resignation public in a video entitled “An Honor and a Privilege” on his personal YouTube page:
In the video, Praghosa Dasa explains his resignation is due to his disagreement with a GBC decision that is in process regarding Lokanath Swami and his position as initiating guru in ISKCON.
Praghosa Dasa outlined his reasons for stepping down based on that decision not bein
Adapted from Srimad-Bhagavatam, translation and commentary by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
With recent disgrace of an American president still fresh in our minds, it is interesting to read of a similar case in ancient times. Five thousand years ago, a blind king named Dhrtarastra dishonored his high post and caused the death of millions. His story is of special importance, even today, because he found an antidote to the crimes of a lifetime, and in his old age became sel
You see them in almost every big city in the United States: devotees of Krsna singing the holy names of God (Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare). In India, the chanting of Hare Krsna has been going on for thousands upon thousands of years. During the American Bicentennial celebration this summer, there will be another cause for celebration: in the Western world, the chanting of Hare Krsna has now been going on for ten years. And, two days
The Right to Distribute the American Dream
In 1776, when the American Dream was very new, you could expect to find out about the latest inspiration of Tom Paine, Sam Adams, or Alexander Hamilton when you walked along Main Street, stepped into the town square, or answered your doorbell.
Not that you would take wisdom for granted, but you could expect to find out about it. The first American settlers had come to get away from political and religious oppression; to search out a new land rich in fr
Two hundred years ago, Americans fought the War of Independence to assure life, liberty, and happiness in a fledgling nation. In a conversation with the BACK TO GODHEAD staff, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that Americans can actually achieve these things only by maintaining a God conscious society, with God conscious leaders.
BTG: Thomas Jefferson put the basic philosophy of the American Revolution into the Declaration of Independence. The important men of the da
By Acarya dasa (All India Padayatra leader)
The All India padayatris started the char dhama yatra from Haridwar on May 10, 2022. We had darshan of Hari ki paudi at Haridwar and Sapta rishi ghat and, of course, a holy dip in mother Ganges. The next day we moved ahead from Rishikesh and after a journey of twenty days we reached Badrikashram dhama on May 30. Some congregation devotees and padayatris from the Maharashtra, Utkala-Banga and Uttar Pradesh padayatras also joined this adventurous spirit
On a Monday afternoon, in the recent mid-year marathon, Bal Gopal, my husband, and I were trying a little book distribution along the busy Lambton quay in Wellington. Nobody was showing much interest at all. We were on our way home from serving Krsna Food and had to stop at the bank to deposit the takings from that day.
Inside the bank, I held up the Science of Self Realisation, showing it to Bal Gopal, and recited the Panca Tattva mantra, pleading aloud: “Please, Gauranga, let us meet one sinc
If you live in North America, this year’s Srila Prabhupada Vyasa-puja book can now be ordered from the North American offices of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. The price is $14.25 plus shipping. The book can be ordered any time, but please order your copy by calling 1-800-927-4152 no later than August 5th so you’ll receive it in time for Vyasa-puja, on August 20th. If you’re not a resident of North America, contact your local BBT office to order your copy of the Vyasa-puja book.
The book will al
My dear Maharaji’s, Prabhuji’s and Mataji’s Please accept my most humble obeisnaces! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
By all your prayers, active support, we all were able to get 3,600 square feet land where Srila Prabhupada apperaed 175 years ago. In his letter which he wrote to his diciple and relative Shri Sankarshan prabhu, Srila Prabhupada instructed that a grand memorial should be constructed at his birthplace and we all should try to get land at his birthplace. Keeping this in mind and e
We are happy to inform you that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India came up with the concept of ‘Manthan Shivir’, an informal gathering of the national and state tribal department Ministers and
officers to share best practices.
Thanks to some of our contacts in the Government of India, the first inaugural edition is being hosted by ISKCON at its Govardhan Ecovillage campus in Maharashtra.
The participants included the Federal (Union) Minister for Tribal Affairs Shri, Arjun Munda
The Manor’s resident drama group, the Bhaktivedanta Players, put on a rather profound new play in the recently refurbished Victorian-style theatre auditorium.
It was essentially a spoof of the Hollywood 1999 blockbuster ‘The Matrix’, delivering a Krishna conscious angle on points explored in conversations between the main character and the mystical teacher ‘Morphus’.
“The play was originally conceived to be part of an outreach event, such as something organised by the UK Festival Team,” explain
White City, with a population of approximately 4,000 people, and growing, is an upper middle-class type of town. Many trees have been planted here and the urban green trails are plentiful. Poplar trees are indigenous to the area, as were prairie grasses and tiger lilies until European farmers cleared these areas. There are spots where you can sit, wait ’til the deer come, and enjoy some shanti (peace) as if you are plopped in the middle of tranquil Vrndavana.
It was in Regina at Retallack Stree
The question of sampradaya, or the disciplic lineage of spiritual teachers, is the basis of authority for all religious and philosophical teachers and movements arising from the Vedantic traditions. There is no conception of religious organisation among these traditions which does not include reference to sampradaya. Therefore, questions of succession and how the links are made to traditional successions is the most essential ingredient in understanding authenticity and integrity in precept and
My name is Yuliia Mudrak, I am 25 years old, and I am from Ukraine. Before the war, I lived in Kyiv and worked as a certified preschool-teacher. Unfortunately many devotees had to leave their normal life in Ukraine due to the war. But at the same time, we’ve been able to see wonderful examples of devotees in other countries, who show great concern for us Ukrainian devotees.
For the first two days of the war, I stayed in my apartment close to the temple. However when it became too unsafe, I, lik
Registration is open now
It is our great pleasure to announce ISKCON MAYAPUR’s 10th annual six-day Kartik Navadwip Mandal Parikrama during the most auspicious month of Kartik (organized by the Mayapur Chandra’s). The Parikrama dates are the 27th, 28th, 30th, 31st of October, 2nd, and 3rd of November 2022. There will be two days break, for Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day (29th of October) and Gopashtami (1st November) so that devotees can participate in the festivals.
For this year also, th
Please join us for 4 blissful days in the association of Mahatma Das ACBSP. We will retreat at the beautiful Gita Nagari Eco Farm and Sanctuary, which has very comfortable accommodations for families, couples, and singles. Situated in the farmland of Pennsylvania, we will spend time with nature and the cows, come together for the morning program, chant and hear together, have interactive sessions with Mahatma Prabhu, and develop close friendships. The retreat will focus on Krishna Katha, streng
At security in the Saskatoon airport, just behind me, was a tall man of medium-large frame and his son in the line up. I admit I immediately judged him (the father) as a prejudiced cowboy. However, when I sat down at Gate 5, the destination for Calgary, I found the two of them, sitting across the seating aisle, to be quite kind and curious.
“What does your attire represent, if you don’t mind me asking?” inquired Mr. Cooper (not related to yesterday’s Chief of Police, Officer Cooper). That quest
