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Janmastami is just one day, but how we spend it can deeply inspire us for the whole year.
Krishna consciousness mean we are conscious of Krishna. He becomes an active part of our life – like a close friend or an affectionate family member we love to be around. Krishna consciousness, then, is loving to be around Krishna.
Here are 5 ways to love and be with Krishna on his birthday:
1. Come early, stay late – be close to Krishna today, close to the Temple. This is our day with Krishna. There will

We read from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Ten, Chapter Two: “Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Krsna in the Womb.”

TEXT 18

tato jagan-mangalam acyutamsam
samahitam sura-sutena devi
dadhara sarvatmakam atma-bhutam
kastha yathananda-karam manastah

SYNONYMS

tatah—thereafter; jagat-mangalam—auspiciousness for all living entities in all the universes of the creation; acyuta-amsam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never bereft of the six opulences, all of which are present in all His plenary expa

Janmashtami commemorates the earthly appearance of Krishna, who is described in India’s sacred writings as God Himself. One of the biggest religious festivals in the world, it is celebrated by nine hundred and thirty million people around the world–and two mill

Back in 1972 I was a 17 year-old sea cadet. My ship had docked in Bombay and I stepped onto that exotic shore in search of reasonably priced souvenirs. Under the intense encouragement of a shopkeeper I came close to purchasing a fine ivory chess set costing most of my week’s wages before I spotted a little figurine of Krishna. He exerted a strange attraction over me and after handing over my hard-earned rupees I left with him in my pocket. The god of love, I thought. I could do with a bit of lo

In the chapter of the Krishna book titled “Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Krishna in the Womb” Srila Prabhupada cautions against the tendency to be a bit impersonal towards God. We understand that Krishna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has both personal and impersonal aspects – He is simultaneously one with everything and different from everything. It’s easy to see and appreciate the power and energy of Krishna in the world in front of us, but sometimes not so easy to see or understa

From Gopal Campu by Srila Jiva Goswami and and Ananda Vrindavan Campu by Kavi Karnapura

In Gopal Campu Srila Jiva Goswami describes that the father of Nanda and Upnanda was Sri Parjanya who was chief of the cowherds in the lineage of the Yadus. Sri Parjanya had five sons. When he retired from family life he installed his eldest son Sri Upnanda as heir. Upnanda accepted the title in accordance with his father’s wish but he immediately deferred the title of chief to his younger brother Sri Nanda.

For convenience and to suggest a celebration, we sometimes say that Janmastami is Krishna’s birthday, since anyone we know of on Earth, either past or present, is apparently “born” into this world. However, this is not an accurate description for Krishna (who we understand as the original feature of God), or for any of God’s other incarnations.

Why?

There is no “birth” or “death” for God, since by definition He is primeval, always existing, the source of everything, who has no material form with

भगवद्गीता यथारूप 108 महत्त्वपूर्ण श्लोक

अध्याय 2 : गीता का सार

व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन ।
बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्चच बुद्धयो स व्यवसायिनाम् ।। 41 ।।

व्यवसाय-आत्मिका– कृष्णभावनामृत में स्थिर;बुद्धिः– बुद्धि;एका– एकमात्र;इह– इस संसार में;कुरु-नन्दन– हे कुरुओं के प्रिय;बहु-शाखाः– अनेक शाखाओं में विभक्त;हि– निस्सन्देह;अनन्ताः– असीम;च– भी;बुद्धयः– बुद्धि;अव्यवसायिनाम्– जो कृष्णभावनामृत में नहीं हैं उनकी।

भावार्थ : जो इस मार्ग पर (चलते) हैं वे प्रयोजन में दृढ़ रहते हैं और उनका लक्ष्य भी एक होता है।

Radhe Radhe everyone , 

Wishing you a happy , warm and safe janamashtami 

After fasting enjoyyyy the day with lotsssss of maakhan and sweets 

Hare Krishna 

By Ananda Vrinavana Devi Dasi

In spiritual parlance there are ‘thin’ places in the world. These are holy places, sacred spaces, where the line between the spiritual and materials worlds is very thin and the ability to feel and perceive our relationship with Krishna is heightened. It’s easier to chant there, to call Krishna deeply from the heart, and thus to call ourselves to experience our spiritual selves.
There are also thin days (and even thin times in the day). Janmastami is one such day.

While attending the Janmastami festival at the ISKCON farm in Czechoslovakia several years ago, I was asked to give a lecture about the appearance of Lord Krishna. Afterwards I asked for questions and an elderly, red-haired lady raised her hand. Since almost all the devotees there spoke only Czech, I was surprised when she began to speak in English. She said, “Satsvarupa Gosvami, could you tell us something about Prabhupada, because you knew him very well?”

I started out by remembering Janmasta

From Ananda Vrindavan Champu by Srila Kavi Karnapura Translated by Bhanu Swami & Subhaga Swami.

Now we will discuss the truth about the transcendental birthplace of Bhagavan and the appearance of Lord Sri Krishna. Once upon a time, Bhumi, the predominating deity of the earth, felt overburdened by different demons posing as members of the royal order. Feeling aggrieved upon seeing her miserable condition, the lotus-born Brahma appealed to Ksirodakasayi Visnu, the maintainer of the universe, sayi

By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

Yamuna Devi: Three Years Ago, on Janmastami, Lord Krsna’s appearance day, I received a copy of the diary Srila Prabhupada wrote aboard the steamship Jaladuta. It’s a personal account of his first journey from India to America. Though I had read excerpts in various publications, the full handwritten text revealed a richness I had barely realized before.
Often difficult to read, the cramped and sometimes blurry script describes dramatic events with life-threatening heart attacks, repeated illness

Janmastami is Krishna’s day. More than any other day of the year we should make an effort to meditate on Him on this day. Meditation means to engage in contemplation or reflection. In Bhakti Yoga we contemplate upon Krishna through the use of all the senses – which makes it a most enjoyable practice. In sanskrit it’s called ‘kevala ananda-kanda’ – the path of happiness.
The following list of the 64 qualities of Krishna is a delightful source of meditation. It is taken from the Nectar of Devotio

भगवद्गीता यथारूप 108 महत्त्वपूर्ण श्लोक

अध्याय 2 : गीता का सार
नेहाभिक्रमनाशोSस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते ।
स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ।। 40 ।।

न– नहीं;इह– इस योग में;अभिक्रम– प्रयत्न करने में;नाशः– हानि;अस्ति– है;प्रत्यवायः– ह्रास;न– कभी नहीं;विद्यते– है;सु-अल्पम्– थोडा;अपि– यद्यपि;धर्मस्य– धर्म का;त्रायते– मुक्त करना है;महतः– महान;भयात्– भय से।

भावार्थ : इस प्रयास में न तो हानि होती है न ही ह्रास अपितु इस पथ पर की गई अल्प प्रगति भी महान भय से रक्षा कर सकती है।

तात्पर्य: कर्म का सर्वोच्च

A life-changing and memorable experience is awaiting you at the Annual MAN-tra Men’s Retreat in New Vrindaban, West Virginia on September 20-22, 2024. The popular annual event promises to be a spiritually uplifting gathering for all devotee men.

The MAN-tra Team shared what you can expect: “Special guest presentations and workshops by Sri Prahlada Das, Prasannatma Das, Yadunatha Das, and Bhuta Bhavana Das will be held, and there will even be an interactive all-women’s panel discussion. All thes

The 9th Annual India Day festival was recently held in Moscow, Russia at the “Dream Island” Landscape Park. This past weekend’s event (August 15-18th), which is the heart of the multi-day festival, welcomed more than 600,000 people. Over 2 million were estimated to attend all the festival days.

Dozens of religious and cultural organizations participated in the massive event, which included 20 themed zones, each with a wide variety of tents. ISKCON Russia, one of the leading organizations invol