A Talk by Giriraj Swami
Couples’ Weekend
December 18, 2009
Durban
When I first joined ISKCON in 1969, we all were quite young and not many of us were married. And we were so new to Krishna consciousness and so dependent on Srila Prabhupada that we asked him for guidance in every area. When one devotee, Advaita dasa, who had recently gotten married, asked Srila Prabhupada about his having loving feelings for his wife, Prabhupada replied, “One hand cannot love the other hand directly—it must go t
The following letters were written by Srila Prabhupada shortly before and after Jayananda Prabhu’s death.
To Jayananda dasa, February 26, 1977:
This body is today or tomorrow finished. We should not be very much bothered about the body. Trees also live for thousands of years, but that does not mean a successful life. A successful life is one of Krishna consciousness. By the grace of Krishna, from the very beginning you are a devotee, and that is the real profit of your life.
About a sadhu it is
Urmila Devi Dasi (Dr. Edith Best), an initiated disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, feels very blessed that multiple generations of her family have taken up Vaishnava bhakti. As a practitioner and teacher of Bhakti Yoga since 1973, she regularly visits temples and holy places worldwide to hold discourses on topics of yoga, mantra meditation, and living in spiritual consciousness within the world. She also publishes articles and books for adults and children on the science of bhakti
By Taravali Devi Dasi
On the weekend of April 22-23, 2023, the local Vaishnavas Care chapter in Philadelphia organized a two-day seminar called the “Art of Caring for Vaishnavas,” taught by Sangita Devi Dasi (ACBSP), a Registered Nurse, CHPN, Certified Grief Counselor, Certified Grief Educator and Co-Founder of Vaishnavas CARE. Hosted at ISKCON Philadelphia, devotees attended the seminar both in-person and virtually via Zoom from all different corners of the world, including South Africa, La
Mauritius is a place quite friendly to the cause of Jagannath, the Lord of the Universe. Fifty percent of its 1.25 million people identify themselves as Hindu. And so, when someone organizes a Chariot Fest for the Lord, you will get a lively participation. That’s what happened in this one of three or four such festivals a year in this country. A young cow who was put on a wagon and smartly decorated was also part of the procession conducted on the narrow streets of Petit Raffray.
When I arrive
Eric Garcetti, the new US Ambassador-designate to the Republic of India, hosted senior faith leaders at his residence on April 24, 2023. Among the honored guests was Yudhistir Govinda Das, ISKCON’s Director of Communications for India.
Before his March 2023 appointment by President Biden, Garcetti served as the 42nd mayor of Los Angeles (2013-2022), where he visited the ISKCON Los Angeles Temple and Govinda’s Restaurant and attended the annual beachside Ratha Yatra.
“It was a very pleasant exch
By Achintyarup Das
ISKCON Kanpur has surcharged the youth with UP’s biggest youth festival, XPRESSION 2023, on 7th April, with the purpose of reviving the spiritual consciousness of the youths of India.
The theme of this year was Mental Wellness, and ISKCON Kanpur officially attempted for the World record in maximum participation. By the will of Lord Krishna and by the divine mercy of Srila Prabhupada ISKCON Kanpur successfully made a world record with the participation of 8000+ youths. It was
Kala reminded me that the large slug we saw feasting on a bush along the trail gives guidance as to what’s good for human. The most nutritious leaves are what slugs eat. Interesting!
We also came up on softwood trees, or what we thought were pine trees. Actually, the trees boarding some of the beaching are hard as can be, although they bear needles like our northern soft pines. The name of this tree is casuarina and they are protected in these areas by the government.
We notice, too, that as th
Srimati Sita Devi is the daughter of the Earth goddess, Bhumi Devi, and central figure of the Ramayana. In Maharishi Valmiki’s own words, Ramayana is known as the noble story of Sita “Sita-ayah Charitam Mahat”.
Her glories are sun by the poet-saint Thyagaraja in his “Sri Janakatayane”
Oh daughter of Janaka, the blessed souls of refugees! Oh Consort of Sri Raghu Rama, bedecked with shining gem-ornaments! Pray, protect me always! You are the wind that destroys the clouds of demons like the hundre
Ratnalekha Devi Dasi, a devotee from South Africa, has successfully organized a Bala Bhagavatam Level One course for children as offered by the Mayapur Institute. The course, which started in August 2022 and ended on January 22, 2023, was initially designed for children in India. However, Mataji approached the Mayapur Institute to allow South African children to take the course. As a result, the program was authorized with the help of her local ISKCON-ZA Education Ministry.
The program involved
A toddler devotee is taking the French yatra by storm with her extraordinary will to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. Sangita, the two-year-old daughter of New Mayapur’s temple presidents Locanananda Das and Gandharvika Rai Devi Dasi and granddaughter of Paris temple president Gaudamandala Das, accompanies her parents every week on Harinam Sankirtan.
She shares Prabhupada’s books with interested parties from her pram or often standing, joining the other devotees in their Sankirtan efforts.
Belle Mare is a beach destination that has served me as a great walking trail, a swimming opportunity, a rendezvous for kirtan lovers, a picnic spot so ideal, and a sit-by-the-sand location for some good philosophical chats. At least that is how I find this place under cloud or sun. My assistant/student, Kala, plans out my whole program during my stay in Mauritius. My schedule in this paradise country usually consists of piecing together a talent show called “The Shakti Show,” but, the visit
By Thomas Haribol
Vaibhavi Dasi painting one of the many amazing images of Krishna she’s produced for the two Utah Temples.
PBS Television has developed a new travel series highlighting the “must-see” locations along Utah’s Heritage Highway, which stretches over 500 miles from the state’s northern border with Idaho to its southern border with Arizona. One of the iconic stops it highlights on the historic route is the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, UT.
Liz Adeola, an award-winning
Nrsimha Navaratri April 26th – May 4th
˜”°•.˜”°•During these nine days of Sri Nrsimha Navaratri, there will be homa, the homa is accompanied by a fire yajna, offerings of Tulasi leaves to the Lord, and recitation of the Purusha Sukta pre-invoking and petitioning the Lord’s mercy on us. You can choose to sponsor this Seva for a day at Rs. 25,000.00 check below for available dates and for other Sevas that you can perform.•°”˜.•°”˜
We request devotees wanting to serve Sri Nrisimhadeva in Mayapur
I believe I’m not that good with goodbyes. Perhaps I’ll call departing notions and words ‘bad-byes.’ Certainly, I’ll return to unite, and that separation is short term, temporary, and therefore, putting forth strong emotions isn’t the biggest investment for me. Nevertheless, I’ll miss the community in Durban, Pretoria, and Joburg on some level.
South African Airlines took me to Joburg, and then from there to Mauritius on a three-hour layover. This rather busy airport in Johannesburg, to be exac
Food For Life Vrindavan (FFLV), a nonprofit organization and school, was formed 30 years ago by the founders to educate young girls in and around Vrindavan, India. It provides free education, skill training, and medical assistance to around 1,500 girls. The organization also provides free meal programs and teaches organic farming regularly.
FFLV just finished running the Rise Against Hunger campaign. The program successfully donated 1,800 food packets to school children; the majority of childre
An early yearning to change the world leads to a year-long international journey with unexpected results.
From Back to Godhead
I was born in 1970 in upstate New York and had more or less a typical American childhood – that is, until age fifteen, when I began to perceive the shallowness of it. At that time, I started to read books on philosophy and psychology and to listen more carefully to the weekly sermons at our local Baptist church. I had a lot of questions – about God, about life – but no
On April 14th, 2023, HG Patri Das was honored by the President of Nepal, Ram Chandra Poudel, with the prestigious Suprabal Janashree Medal, the highest civilian award granted in the country. The award recognized his significant spiritual contribution to Nepal by uplifting the people’s consciousness and serving them for over two decades. Patri Das has been a member of ISKCON since 1990, and serves as the GBC’s Co-Regional Secretary of ISKCON Nepal.
As part of the ceremony, Patri Prabhu offered k
Youth from around South India, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala gathered for three days to mark the celebration of “Parivartan,” a mega youth festival organized by ISKCON Tirupati.
“It was a massive festival for three days with boarding facility provided by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), hosted in Mahati Auditorium in Tirupati with more than 2,000 youth participating,” said Revati Raman Das, GBC Chairman and President at ISKCON Tirupati.
We interviewed Kirti
