Other topics on the agenda at MANtra 2022 were “The Art of Meaningful Association,” “Chasing the Wild Monkeys: Lust, Addiction and the Power of Healing Association,” “Flourishing as a Father” and “Compassion as a Man.” Also on the list was our drama “Demon,” as part of the entertainment section including beautiful chanting by Gaura Vani in the evening.
Singing also resounded outside with millions of crickets at the relatively quiet hours of our morning when a group of us went zoom zoom around t
By Srila Prabhupada
There is nothing in the world with which the Lord is disconnected. The only thing we must learn is to excavate the source of connection and thus be linked with Him by offenseless service. We can be connected with Him by the transcendental sound representation of the Lord. The Holy Name of the Lord and the Lord Himself are identical, and one who chants the Holy Name of the Lord in an offenseless manner can at once realize that the Lord is present before him. Even by the vibra
It was with great satisfaction that I conducted a Kirtan Standards course along with the Bhakti Academy students. The feedback that I received from this three hour interactive workshop/presentation were words like “informative,” “educational” and “clarification on things.” It was felt that before these students develop some habits regarding Kirtan (chanting) that fall in the realm of divergent, why not get it right in the beginning?
It was the founder-acarya of the movement, Prabhupada, who est
Faith is the unflinching confidence that upon attaining one thing — Krsna-bhakti — one is provided with all other desirable achievements. Absolute faith, unflinching faith, rests in Krsna-bhakti only. Faith in any other result or any other process will be unavoidably transient and ultimately disappointing. Attaining this faith rests upon guru-kripa, which includes very careful guidance and training. Similarly, one cannot move forward on this path while holding tightly to a bodily or a material
From Back to Godhead
What do the Bhagavatam and Srila Prabhupada have to say about these universal concepts?
At the beginning of his first book, Easy Journey to Other Planets, Srila Prabhupada writes, “Dedicated to the scientists of the world.” Perhaps it was Lord Krishna’s special plan that Srila Prabhupada’s first book be related to science, and space in particular. By this dedication, Srila Prabhupada is inviting scientists and any inquisitive thoughtful people to explore the science in the
Westerners, in general, take too much for granted and are not careful enough in social dealings.
Modern Western society conditions one to artificially come too close, too soon without respect for one another.
Modern Western society respects nothing beyond fame, money and sexual prowess; it is the antithesis of Vaishnava culture.
Prematurely judging others and jumping to conclusions are other negative traits found almost everywhere, which most of us must admit. These traits, born of the mode of
Our spiritual practice should nourish us, it should supply us with a taste that is better than the taste that material activities and sense gratification provide us with. When our spiritual practice lacks this taste, the temptation of material life which then allures us with a seemingly greater taste is always close to us. And at that time we are in danger. However, if we can find taste in our spiritual practice we are safe on the spiritual platform.
The chanting of the Holy Names is recommende
By Mahavrata Devi Dasi
Nigerian devotees were excited to perform the annual World Holy Name week which started on the 17th of September. Devotees all over Nigeria were seen chanting on the streets, distributing Prabhupada books and singing to the glory of the Lord as chanting enters day 3.
By Mahatma Das
There is something I’ve noticed about my japa over the years: Bad habits don’t die easily. Prabhupada said chanting produces more chanting. But the question is what kind of “more chanting” does it produce? My experience is that bad chanting produces more bad chanting. And if the bad chanting goes on long enough, it pretty much becomes a habit. Then bad becomes the norm.
Since bad chanting is not relishable, japa tends to take less of a priority in life. It becomes harder to finis
By Bharata Das
The first ever Rathyatra in California’s Capital City of Sacramento took place on September 18, 2022. This is the only Rathyatra in the world where Lord Jagannath made the very special gesture of giving darshan to hundreds of jeevas right at the front door of the State Capitol. It took a long time to bring Rathyatra to the capital of the most prosperous and progressive state in the United States. Srila Prabhupada and many devotees traveled all the way from the ISKCON Berkeley te
By Satyaraja Dasa
Most systems of Indian philosophy endorse the notion that, in some sense, all living beings are one with God. Some would say that spiritual philosophy in general – East and West – is based on the premise of oneness, suggesting an ontological unity for
all that is. The reasoning is straightforward: Since everything emanates from God, and since God is absolute, then His emanations partake of His essential nature, even if they exist in temporary forgetfulness.* Thus, ultimate spir
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaja is one of the senior disciples of His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, founder acharya of ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. He holds a BA Degree in Oriental fine arts history from the University of British Colombia. He joined the Hare Krishna movement in India in 1970. Initiated in 1971 by Srila Prabhupada, he took sannyasa vows in 1984. Bhanu Swami was personally instructed in the art of Deity worship by Srila Prabhupada,
The Bhagavad-gita teaches, “O son of Kuntī, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.” Gita 2.14
There are many emotions we feel throughout the day; sadness is one of them. It often sweeps across us like grey clouds on an otherwise bright day. It may be trigge
The smaller communities we have established in recent years are all doing well in terms of governance, attendance and participation. Financially things are also doing all right. Even during the pandemic, none of our places of education and spiritual wellness suffered in a major way. At least not in “Zone One” of North America, which I am responsible for. This is, by the way, the krpa of God — mercy from the Universe.
Two such centres were on my visiting list today – Scarborough and Milton. Scar
The Goddess
The embodiment of beauty
The spirit of purity
Her complexion resembles gold
While Her senses are controlled
She is calm, composed, collected
To all souls She remains connected
She is the epicenter of radiance
As A flower’s essence is fragrance
She is the master in the cuisine
After Her craft She keeps it all clean
She is a teacher of surrender
Holding no place for a pretender
And those who are morose
To Her just can’t come close
She is the epitome of the feminine
Spontaneous in lo
We are just having fun, that is what life is all about. We do not suffer and if there is any suffering, then we make sure that there is maximum care. Someone may have one leg, but that is okay because we can give that person an electronic one. If someone has lost both legs, then no problem, we will give them two electronic legs. The point is that we attempt to turn everything in this material world into enjoyment. I mean, I would rather not lose my legs if I get to choose. Electronic legs are n
Recently, I was distributing at Orange Coast College, and a student came to the table and showed an interest in getting Bhagavad-gita. I explained it to him a little. Then he opened it, to see what he could get out of it. He opened it to text 4.22: “He who is satisfied with gains that comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.” When he read that he said, “All right, I’ll take it
The bhakti tradition acknowledges the personal and impersonal aspects of the Absolute Truth, but values one of them as the more desirable of the two.
For hundreds of years, philosophers and theologians have debated whether God is ultimately personal or impersonal. After all, the nature of God plays a major role in our fate. If God is a person, then we have the potential for a loving, eternal relationship with Him. But if God isn’t a person and is instead impersonal, like a light we merge into,
Bhakti means “Devotional service”. Every service has some attractive feature which drives the servitor progressively on and on. Every one of us within this world is perpetually engaged in some sort of service, and the impetus for such service is the pleasure we derive from it.
Driven by affection for his wife and children, a family man works day and night. A philanthropist works in the same way for love of the greater family, and a nationalist for the cause of his country and countrymen. That f
PRESS RELEASE
ONE DAY FOR UKRAINE festival will take place on Saturday, October 1st, 2022 in Alachua, FL (15 minutes outside of Gainesville) and will aim to bring awareness to the ongoing war in Ukraine. This will be the first interfaith event for the community, uniting people of various cultural, religious, social and economic backgrounds, around a great humanitarian cause. The event will welcome members of the greater Gainesville, Orlando, St. Augustine, Tampa, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville
