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Shrimati Sita Devi is the daughter of the Earth goddess, Bhumi Devi, and central figure of the Ramayana. InMaharishi 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 “Shri Janakatayane”

Oh daughter of Janaka, the blessed refuge of souls! Oh Consort of Shri Raghu Rama, bedecked with shining gem-ornaments! Pray, protect me always! You are the wind that destroys the clouds of demons like the hu

One of the Saptadevalyas (seven ancient temples) of Vrindavan, Shri Gopinath Mandir was founded by Madhu Pandit whose glories are sung in the Bhakti Ratnakar. His Samadhi is found near the temple courtyard.

Madhu Pandit was the disciple of Shri Gadadhar Goswami who came from Nabadwip to Vrindavan in search of Krishna. Here he started living under the tutelage of Shri Paramananda Bhattacharya.

Vrajanabha, Lord Krishna’s great-grandson, installed the original Gopinatha Deity in Vrindavana over fi

From Back to Godhead

In the face of extreme hardship, Lord Ramachandra’s queen reveals her extraordinary character, founded on her pure devotion to the Lord.
The epic Ramayana, written by the sage Valmiki, tells the story of Lord Ramachandra, Krishna’s incarnation as the perfect king. Lord Rama’s wife, queen, and eternal consort is Sita Devi. She is also the ideal devotee.

Sita Devi’s example shows that one who acts according to God’s desire is peaceful and has harmonious relationships, regardl

Today we celebrate the appearance of Sri Jahnava devi, the wife of Lord Nityananda.
Shri Suryadasa Sarakhela lived in Shaligrama. He had five brothers: Damodara, Jagannatha, Gauridasa, Krishna dasa, and Nrishinga Chaitanya. His fathers name was Shri Kamsari Mishra and his mother’s name was Shri Kamala Devi. Surya dasa used to be the King’s treasurer, and it was in this connection that he was given the title “Sarakhela.”

Shri Suryadasa Sarakhela had two daughters. The older of the two was named

Janaka Maharaja did not have any children, so the Brahmins suggested to him to do a hola-yajna.  “You take a plough and draw a line around the palace.  When you move the plough, it will get stuck in the mud, and every time it gets stuck you have to donate gold to the priests. In this way you are giving a lot of charity and you are getting a lot of blessings so you will get children.”

In one place it got stuck, and after giving all the gold, still the plough would not move on.  “There must be s

There is no mention of Sri Madhu Pandit in Caitanya Caritamrta. Only it is mentioned in Bhakti Ratnakar that Sri Gopinathji manifested Himself before Him. [B. R. 2.473]

Oh Srinivas! What more can I say? The Lord reveals Himself to his pure devotee, who then preaches his glories to the world. Who can describe their incomprehensible activities by which the Lord becomes subservient to their love. Thus did Sri Brajendra Kumar reveal himself to Paramananda Bhattacarya and Sri Madhu Pandit, who is th

Today marks the auspicious appearance day of a very great female personality, namely Sita Devi, the consort of Lord Ram. Sita Devi, one of the most prominent personalities in the great epic Ramayan, is an epitome of pure love and devotion and an exemplary chaste wife. Her character and her pastimes set a great example and high standards for all women in today’s world, whether in the role of a daughter, wife, mother or in fact in any role at all. It also shows the strength pure hearted women can

Sri Surjadas Sarekhela was a resident of Shaligram. He had five brothers – Damodar, Jagannath, Gauri das, Krsna das and Nrsimha Caitanya. His father’s name was Sri Kamsari Misra. His mother’s name, Sri Kamala devi. He received the title “Sarakhela” as he used to keep the accounts for the king of Gaur desh. His two daughters were named Sri Vasudha and Sri Jahnava, who was the youngest.

In Gaur-ganoddesh-dipika it is stated that they are the expansions of Baruni and Revati in Brindaban and Surjad

Today is Sita-navami, the appearance day of Srimati Sita devi, the eternal consort of Lord Ramachandra. To begin, we shall read from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter Nine: “Lord Caitanya’s Travels to the Holy Places.”

TEXT 2

jaya jaya sri-caitanya jaya nityananda
jayadvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda

TRANSLATION

All glories to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityananda Prabhu! All glories to Sri Advaita Prabhu! And all glories to all the devotees of Sri Caitan

302.05: Asramas (spiritual orders) in ISKCON: General

[Title] – Encouraging the establishment and maintenance of ISKCON temple asramas — 2025

[Meeting] – Annual General Meeting

[Category] – Guideline

[Date passed] – February 23, 2025

Whereas Srila Prabhupada established and built ISKCON upon the strength of temples with vibrant asramas;

Whereas many if not most ISKCON temples in the West and elsewhere have minimized or closed their asramas in the course of evolving toward congregational develo

411.02: ISKCON Harinama Sankirtana Ministry: Kirtana standards [Title] – Temple kirtana guidelines — 2025

[Meeting] – Annual General Meeting

[Category] – Guideline

[Date passed] – February 22, 2025

Whereas there is a need in ISKCON for clarity in temple room kirtana guidelines.

Therefore it is resolved that:

The GBC approves the Temple Kirtana Guidelines as appended below. It shall be a living document that may be amended as required by the ISKCON Kirtana Ministry, provided such amendments are f

Today, the Lords appear in Their Khat Doli Vesa, gracefully enjoying Their eternal swing pastimes beneath the lush groves of Vrindavan. As the golden swing sways gently from a flowering tree, Their transcendental beauty captivates the hearts of all who behold Them. 

As described in Bhakti Ratnakara by Pundarika Vidyanidhi:

“Krishna is enjoying the beauty of Radha-kunda.

The kunda is full of pure water and lotuses.

Bumblebees hum amongst the lotuses, and the gentle wind causes small ripples in th

In today’s fast-paced digital world, it’s refreshing to come across individuals who use their online presence to share messages of love, compassion, and spirituality. Kishori Jani, a devoted follower of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and popular social media influencer, is one such individual who has been successfully spreading the teachings of Lord Krishna to a global audience.

Devotees gather under the majestic chariots, eagerly anticipating the start of the Durban Festival of Chariots 2025 procession.

Since its humble beginnings on Durban’s beachfront in 1988, the Durban Festival of Chariots (DFOC) has become a cherished part of the city’s cultural landscape. Organized under the auspices of ISKCON in Durban, in a collaboration between the Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple and the New Jagannath Puri Temple, the festival has consistently offered the public a vibrant and

Left to Right: Parabhakti Das and Mons. Michael Santiago; faith leaders in attendance at the funeral; Italian and other European leaders arriving; Sikhs allowed to carry their traditional swords.

In a solemn atmosphere of remembrance and deep interreligious respect, the funeral of Pope Francis gathered representatives from various world religions. More than 400,000 people attended the ceremony, filling St. Peter’s Square and the surrounding streets in an extraordinary tribute of love and rever

Leonard Cohen was an established artist who wrote the globally famous song, “Hallelujah.” Well, Leonard was a Montreal man, a Canadian, and he visited our Chariot Fest in that city, telling us that he used to see and hear our guru, Prabhupada, in New York in the ‘60s. That song was sung by our band, Wawa Baby, at the Bhakti Cloud tent today. Naturally, the song put my mind in connection with His Divine Grace. Nice singing, Shyama. Congrats to the band members.

I was scheduled there to speak at a

His Holiness Bhanu Swami stands as one of the most influential and respected spiritual leaders within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). As a senior disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhanu Swami has dedicated over five decades to preserving and propagating Gaudiya Vaishnava traditions through scholarly work, leadership, and devoted service. His multifaceted contributions have significantly shaped ISKCON’s development and global reach, ma

The discussion focuses on a section where various demigods and celestial beings are offering prayers to Lord Nishingadeva (Narasimha), who has just killed the demon king Hiranyakashipu. Each group of celestial beings describes how Hiranyakashipu had oppressed them and expresses gratitude for his death.

Radhika and her mother Mani-Karuna Devi Dasi perform alongside the Vraja Beats Rock Band.

Radhika Keshari, born into a Krishna-conscious family,  spontaneously absorbed devotional practices from a young age. The now 17-year-old remarked, “I’ve been surrounded by devotees all my life because my parents embraced Krishna consciousness before I was born.” Her early exposure to kirtan and bhajans laid a strong foundation for her creative service.

During an interview with ISKCON News, Radhika recall

With the recent “Hands Off” demonstrations in cities across the USA, I was reminded of the massive demonstrations of the 1960s against the Vietnam War abroad and the social injustices in the USA. Usually, people, including a good number of counterculture hippies, who opposed such things were also inclined to embrace some sort of spirituality, including Krishna Consciousness. Srila Prabhupada noted this. And devotees often appealed directly to this intended audience. 

The hippies rejected the s