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The first day of the MANtra Retreat was a smashing success. Anuttama is just the best host. Tomorrow will be most exciting—a good speaker from the UK, Bhuta Bhavana, who raises the topic of empowerment. Check it out, 10 AM. Register if you haven’t, gentlemen.

At noon today one of my good friends from Vaughn came over and accepted two garlands for his Ganesh deity. He was proudly letting me know that he lost 35 lbs due to diet change and walking 10 kilometres per day.

I later came upon a tall fel

अध्याय इक्कीस – मनु-कर्दम संवाद (3.21)

1 विदुर ने कहा: स्वायम्भुव मनु की वंश परम्परा अत्यन्त आदरणीय थी। हे पूज्य ऋषि, मेरी आपसे प्रार्थना है कि आप इस वंश का वर्णन करें जिसकी सन्तति-वृद्धि मैथुनधर्म के द्वारा हुई।

2 स्वायम्भुव मनु के दो पुत्रों--प्रियव्रत तथा उत्तानपाद--ने धार्मिक नियमानुसार सप्त द्वीपों वाले इस संसार पर राज्य किया।

3 हे पवित्र ब्राह्मण, हे पापविहीन पुरुष, आपने उनकी पुत्री के विषय में कहा है कि वे प्रजापति ऋषि कर्दम की पत्नी देवहूति थीं।

4 उस महायोगी ने, जिसे अष्टांग योग के सिद्

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu teaches us, na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye. (Siksastaka 4) Dhanam means wealth . . . But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says, na dhanam: “I don’t want money.” Just the opposite. Everyone wants money. He says, “No, I don’t want money.” Na dhanam na janam: “I don’t want many men as My followers.” Just the opposite. Everyone wants. The politicians, the yogis, the swamis, everyone wants, “There may be hundreds and thousands of my followers.” But Chaitanya Maha

In 2017, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us on a boat trip on River Yamuna to Mathura, the birthplace of Krsna in this material world about 5,000 years ago. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtan along with a few photos, on the way to Mathura during Parikrama 2017.

In Chapter 13 of the Nectar of Devotion, it is mentioned about residing in Mathura dhama or Mathura mandala, which refers to the holy dhama of Vrndavana. “So this attainment of transcendental loving devotional service to the Lord is

The following poem is in honour of my dear friend, Baladev, AKA Barry Brown. We traveled as monks in a small party through the United States, experiencing what most people haven’t gone through.

Baladeva / Barry Brown
 

I know you never knelt at a church’s pew

You were Jewish, then Vaishnava, now a “Hin-jew”

As monks in travel we looked at the bible

Viewed the Old Testament exploring the tribal

On that same motel floor you wrestled with Giri

You lost—he won, leaving you feeling weary

On behalf o

अध्याय बीस – मैत्रेय – विदुर संवाद (3.20)

1 श्री शौनक ने पूछा- हे सूत गोस्वामी, जब पृथ्वी अपनी कक्षा में पुनः स्थापित हो गई तो स्वायम्भुव मनु ने बाद में जन्म ग्रहण करने वाले व्यक्तियों को मुक्ति-मार्ग प्रदर्शित करने के लिए क्या-क्या किया?

2 शौनक ऋषि ने विदुर के बारे में जानना चाहा, जो भगवान कृष्ण का महान भक्त एवं सखा था और जिसने भगवान के लिए ही अपने उस ज्येष्ठ भाई का साथ छोड़ दिया था जिसने अपने पुत्रों के साथ मिलकर भगवान की इच्छा के विरुद्ध षड्यंत्र किया था।

3 विदुर वेदव्यास के आत्मज थे और उनसे कि

The Annual MANtra, Men's Retreat, usually held in New Vrindaban, USA, is going virtual this year and it all happens this weekend beginning Friday evening November 20 (EST), and continues through Sunday, Nov. 22.  All men are invited ages 16 and up. 

This annual men’s sanga will feature interactive sessions with leading devotees of all ages and backgrounds including Mahatma, Chaitanya Charana & Sutapa, Bhuta Bhavana, Namarasa, Raghunatha, Partha, Kaunteya, Anuttama, Madhvacarya, and Gopal Lila pr

In 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Mukharai, which is the village that used to be the home of Radharani’s maternal grandmother, Mukhara. Mukhara sometimes acted as an obstacle, but in other times, facilitated the secret meetings of Radharani and Krsna. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtan and lecture below, along with a few photos, at Mukharai during Parikrama 2018.

Love for Krsna is difficult to attain, as we all experience. We love to an extent. If I asked, “Do you have the tast

Today is Gopastami, the day on which Krishna and Balarama and other boys Their age, who previously had tended the calves, were given charge of the cows. This event is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.15.1):

tatas ca pauganda-vayah-sritau vraje
  babhuvatus tau pasu-pala-sammatau
gas carayantau sakhibhih samam padair
  vrndavanam punyam ativa cakratuh

“When Lord Rama and Lord Krsna attained the age of pauganda [six to ten] while living in Vrndavana, the cowherd men allowed Them to take up the t

suklastami karttike tu
smrta gopastami budhaih
tad-dinad vasudevo ‘bhud
gopah purvam tu vatsapah

“The eighth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartik is known by authorities as Gopastami. From that day, Lord Vasudeva served as a cowherd, whereas previously He had tended the calves.”
-Srimad Bhagavatam 10.15.1, translation

Many important pastimes take place on Gopastami. One pastime takes place on this day a few years after Krishna first started tending the cows. On this day, Jat

On this day Lord Sri Krishna became a qualified cowherd. Before this day, he was a keeper of the calves.

This event is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.15.1):
tatas ca pauganda-vayah-sritau vraje
babhuvatus tau pasu-pala-sammatau
gas carayantau sakhibhih samam padair
vrndavanam punyam ativa cakratuh

“When Lord Rama and Lord Krsna attained the age of pauganda [six to ten] while living in Vrndavana, the cowherd men allowed Them to take up the task of tending the cows. Engaging thus in the compa

On this day lord Sri Krishna became a qualified cowherd. Before this day, he was a keeper of the calves.

The Killing of Dhenukasura:

"Thus Sri Krishna, along with His elder brother Balarama, passed the childhood age known as kaumara and stepped into the age of pauganda, from the sixth year up to the tenth. At that time, all the cowherd men conferred and agreed to give those boys who had passed their fifth year charge of the cows in the pasturing ground. Given charge of the cows, Krishna and B

Today is Gopastami, the day on which Krishna and Balarama and other boys Their age, who previously had tended the calves, were given charge of the cows. This event is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.15.1):

tatas ca pauganda-vayah-sritau vraje
  babhuvatus tau pasu-pala-sammatau
gas carayantau sakhibhih samam padair
  vrndavanam punyam ativa cakratuh

“When Lord Rama and Lord Krsna attained the age of pauganda [six to ten] while living in Vrndavana, the cowherd men allowed Them to take up the

अध्याय उन्नीस – असुर हिरण्याक्ष का वध (3.19)

1 श्री मैत्रेय ने कहा: स्रष्टा ब्रह्मा के निष्पाप, निष्कपट तथा अमृत के समान मधुर वचनों को सुनकर भगवान जी भरकर हँसे और उन्होंने प्रेमपूर्ण चितवन के साथ उनकी प्रार्थना स्वीकार कर ली।

2 ब्रह्मा के नथुने से प्रकट भगवान उछले और सामने निर्भय होकर विचरण करने वाले असुर शत्रु हिरण्याक्ष की ठोड़ी पर उन्होंने अपनी गदा से प्रहार किया।

3 किन्तु असुर की गदा से टकराकर भगवान की गदा उनके हाथ से छिटक गई और घूमती हुई जब वह नीचे गिरी तो अत्यन्त मनोरम लग रही थी। यह अद्भुत द

By Madhava Smullen

Achyutam: Your Names, the soulful, joyous debut single from Govinda Priya, is set to be released at 8am UK time on Diwali day, Saturday November 14th. Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights, and the song promises to shed some light during a dark time. 

“At the moment everything is so dull and difficult, and everyone is really struggling,” Govinda Priya says. “So we wanted to offer something uplifting.”

Growing up and going to gurukula in New Mayapur, France, kirtan and singi

It is our great pleasure to announce ISKCON MAYAPUR’s 8th annual Kartik Navadwip Mandal Parikrama, during the most auspicious month of Kartik. Kartik Navadwip Mandal Parikrama 2020 organized by the Mayapur Chandra’s, is a virtual medium by which devotees are taken on parikrama to the nine-islands and various holy places. Here they participate in hearing and chanting about the glories of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and Their associates. The transcendental Sankirtan Movement is an everlasting phenomenon;

In 2016, 2017 and 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Kusuma-sarovara, where the gopis used to come collect different flowers and then Srimati Radharani made her vaijayanti garland for Krsna. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtans and lectures below, along with a few photos, at Kusuma-sarovara during Parikramas 2016, 2017 and 2018.

It is so peaceful in the morning at Kusuma-sarovara. It is a place we all know, a place that is transcendental. The gopis collected different flowers here.

After a day of chanting, discussion, calls, a class, a nap, a reading and some eating (broccoli stalks), I went out to meet the snow. It was a powdery type, drifting and blowing.

I was not the only one out during that night hour. Others, with their leashed dogs, had also come out, away from the mantelpiece, to perhaps greet winter. It has not become the intense sensation of weather just yet. Most likely the white will disappear in three days.

I was, however, the only one with japa beads as my le

अध्याय अठारह – भगवान वराह तथा असुर हिरण्याक्ष के मध्य युद्ध (3.18)

1 मैत्रेय ने आगे कहा : उस घमण्डी तथा अभिमानी दैत्य ने वरुण के शब्दों की तनिक भी परवाह नहीं की। हे विदुर, उसे नारद से श्रीभगवान के बारे में पता लगा और वह अत्यन्त वेग से समुद्र की गहराइयों में पहुँच गया।

2 वहाँ उसने सर्वशक्तिमान श्रीभगवान को उनके वराह रूप में, अपनी दाढ़ों के अग्रभाग पर पृथ्वी को ऊपर की ओर धारण किये तथा अपनी लाल लाल आँखों से उसके समस्त तेज को हरते हुए देखा। इस पर वह असुर हँस पड़ा और बोला, “ओह कैसा उभयचर पशु है?”

3 अस

In 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Kaliya-ghata, where Lord Krsna jumped from a big kadamba tree (which still stands here) into the Yamuna River, which once used to flow here. It was here that Krsna then chastised and danced on the hoods of Kaliya. Check out Maharaja’s full lecture below, along with a few photos, at Kaliya-ghata during Parikrama 2018.

Kaliya was getting tired of being kicked. Not only was Krsna’s dancing on the hoods of Kaliya very elegant and beautiful, but H