By Prisni Devi Dasi
In 1976, Srila Prabhupada instructed the founding members of the Bhaktivedanta Institute “to build a model of the universe that could later be built full size at the future Mayapur Temple and Planetarium complex.” To help broadly facilitate Srila Prabhupada’s directive, the Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies (BIHS) in Gainesville, Florida, recently hosted its second cosmography workshop with the title, “Models and memes and maps: A modern journey through ancient cos
It was the second Sunday night in a row that I took a walk to Isabella Street to meet Vallabha and Michaela, the great couple that worked on our film, “Rolling the Dice.” My intent on the visit, which was outside their apartment for Covid safety, was to bring them a token of appreciation in the form of cake prasadam. Also, we needed to set some schedules to fine-tune our production. It was our first film.
My day was like a live-wire of bhakti, devotional service. At 6 a.m. I chatted with Vrishab
अध्याय पन्द्रह – राजा पृथु की उत्पत्ति और राज्याभिषेक (4.15)
1 मैत्रेय ऋषि ने आगे कहा: हे विदुर, इस प्रकार ब्राह्मण तथा ऋषियों ने राजा वेन के मृत शरीर की दोनों बाहुओं का भी मंथन किया। फलस्वरूप उसकी बाँहों से एक स्त्री तथा एक पुरुष का जोड़ा उत्पन्न हुआ।
2 ऋषिगण वैदिक ज्ञान में पारंगत थे। जब उन्होंने वेन की बाहुओं से एक स्त्री तथा एक पुरुष को उत्पन्न देखा, तो वे अत्यन्त प्रसन्न हुए क्योंकि वे जान गए कि यह युगल (दम्पत्ति) भगवान विष्णु के पूर्णांश का विस्तार है।
3 ऋषियों ने कहा: यह पुरुष तो सम्पूर्ण
By Kalakantha das and Jitamitra dasi
We became close to Yamuna and Dinatarine Prabhus over the last five years. We run a busy college outreach program in Gainesville and, in 2006, looking for a getaway during the summer breaks, we decided to visit Saranagati, as we had lived and served in Vancouver temple years ago and had many friends there.
Soon after arriving in Saranagati we discovered Banabihari Ashram, a straw bale house plastered in adobe covered with a green metal roof perched on a smal
By Malati Devi Dasi
Hare Krishna Respected Vaishnavas: With immense sorrow and deep regret, I beg to report the departure of Her Grace Yamuna devi dasi, premier disciple of Srila Prabhupada, known for her deeply spiritual qualities and connection with His Divine Grace, for her glorious offering of the Govindam prayers that we hear and chant daily, for her love of pure kirtan, for her ecstatic award winning cook books which were infused with spiritual anecdotes, for greatly inspiring and encourag
The third annual MAN-tra Retreat was held online November 20th to 21st. Due to Covid-pandemic restrictions, the planned 2020 New Vrindaban in person retreat was cancelled but then, bad became good. With 210 registered participants from Canada, US. England,South Africa, Trinidad, India, Indonesia, Australia, Russia and Bangladesh the audience widened. International participants have requested that the online format continue next year.
The retreat included panel discussions, powerpoint present
Her Grace Yamuna-devi dasi passed away on December 20, 2011.
There is so much to be said about Srimati Yamuna-devi dasi.
In October of 1970 I was one of a group of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples from America going to join him in India. On the way, we stopped in Brussels, and it was there, in an apartment, that I first met Yamuna-devi—and Malati and Shyamasundar (I had met Gurudas before, in Boston). Upon entering, I could immediately feel their intense, extraordinary devotion to Srila Prabhupada—
I committed to time in the walk-in cooler where we keep produce of fruits and veggies but also flowers and greens. The lifting, stretching and reaching, to some degree, compensated for the day’s no-walking program. The sorting out had to be done and the coolness of the fridge made me feel as if, indeed, I was outside.
By the way, the cold rain and wind of the out-of-doors was a deterrent for me. First and foremost, the cleaning and setting things up for the sake of efficiency was my impulsive se
अध्याय चौदह – राजा वेन की कथा (4.14)
1 महर्षि मैत्रेय ने आगे कहा: हे महावीर विदुर, भृगु इत्यादि ऋषि सदैव जनता के कल्याण के लिए चिन्तन करते थे। जब उन्होंने देखा कि राजा अंग की अनुपस्थिति में जनता के हितों की रक्षा करनेवाला कोई नहीं रह गया तो उनकी समझ में आया कि बिना राजा के लोग स्वतंत्र एवं असंयमी हो जाएँगे।
2 तब ऋषियों ने वेन की माता रानी सुनीथा को बुलाया और उनकी अनुमति से वेन को विश्रवा के स्वामी के रूप में सिंहासन पर बिठा दिया, यद्यपि सभी मंत्री इससे असहमत थे।
3 यह पहले से ज्ञात था कि वेन अत्यन
अध्याय तेरह – ध्रुव महाराज के वंशजों का वर्णन (4.13)
1 सूत गोस्वामी ने शौनक इत्यादि समस्त ऋषियों से आगे कहा: मैत्रेय ऋषि द्वारा ध्रुव महाराज के विष्णुधाम में आरोहण का वर्णन किये जाने पर विदुर में भक्तिभाव का अत्यधिक संचार हो उठा और उन्होंने मैत्रेय से इस प्रकार पूछा।
2 विदुर ने मैत्रेय से पूछा: हे महान भक्त, प्रचेतागण कौन थे? वे किस कुल के थे? वे किसके पुत्र थे और उन्होंने कहाँ पर महान यज्ञ सम्पन्न किये?
3 विदुर ने कहा मैं जानता हूँ कि नारद मुनि समस्त भक्तों के शिरोमणि हैं। उन्होंने भक्ति की पाँ
By Ritudvipa dasa, UP Padayatra leader
The coronavirus lockdown kept the Uttar Pradesh Padayatra confined to the village of Bhilwal 30km from Lucknow for five months, about forty per cent of the time since padayatra’s inauguration in September 2019. However, by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and our spiritual master, Lokanath Maharaja, the padayatris were able to take up their service again on October 22, 2020, continuing with our programmes and festivals while strictly observing social distancin
Dear Devotees,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
The GBC Strategic Planning Team (GBC SPT) is looking for devotees to join our team and take on responsible service in several key areas.
If you would like to join yourself or help us find qualified devotees to be part of a highly dynamic, forward looking team, dedicated to helping manifest Srila Prabhupada’s brilliant vision for all of ISKCON, then read on to know more.
At the start of the pandemic in March, the
Every year after kartika the VIHE holds the Holy Name Retreat and the Govardhana Retreat at the foot of Giriraja. However, as many of you might have expected, we will not have the retreats at Govardhana this year BUT we have decided to present to you a wonderful online retreat helped by our esteemed speakers HH Sacinandana Svami, HG Bhurijana Prabhu, HG Jagattarini Devi Dasi, and HG Madhavananda Dasa so that you may start the new year with Giriraja’s blessings. The dates are January 2-6, 2021.
J
Devotees around the world are aiming to distribute at least two million Bhagavad-gitas during the last quarter of 2020, as part of the Prabhupada marathon and the Live to Give campaign.
The campaign will culminate with World Gita Day (also known as Gita Jayanti) on December 25th. To mark the occasion, there will be a live Zoom broadcast wherein ISKCON communities from all over the world will glorify the Bhagavad-gita As It Is in creative ways, concluding with a COVID-safe fire yajna broadcast on
The sun was hitting the rooftops, and people too, and it was beckoning people to come out of hiding. Yes, people like me. At 9°C who wouldn’t go for a stroll with Friday night optimism in the air. I set out for Bloor Street.
At Hot Docs movie house the curved art deco. awning shelters a homeless crew. How many? I don’t know. They do seem to hoard a lot of paraphernalia. It’s a bit unsightly with it sprawled out, including a half dozen comforters or so.
One of the blanket proprietors did see me a
अध्याय बारह – ध्रुव महाराज का भगवान के पास जाना (4.12)
1 महर्षि मैत्रेय ने कहा: हे विदुर, ध्रुव महाराज का क्रोध शान्त हो गया और उन्होंने यक्षों का वध करना पूरी तरह बन्द कर दिया। जब सर्वाधिक समृद्ध धनपति कुबेर को यह समाचार मिला तो वे ध्रुव के समक्ष प्रकट हुए। वे यक्षों, किन्नरों तथा चारणों द्वारा पूजित होकर अपने सामने हाथ जोड़कर खड़े हुए ध्रुव महाराज से बोले।
2 धनपति कुबेर ने कहा: हे निष्पाप क्षत्रियपुत्र, मुझे यह जानकर अत्यधिक प्रसन्नता हुई कि अपने पितामह के आदेश से तुमने वैरभाव को त्याग दिया यद्
By Indulekha Devi Dasi
Vatsala Prabhu, our spiritual brother, left his body tonight. His whole world was serving at the Indian Festival, whenever I had contact with him he always lived and spoke about this service. Sending my sympathy and support to His Daughter and the rest of the family.
Srimati Tungavidya Devi Dasi, wife of Trikalajna Das, left this world from Sri Vrindavan Dham due to an accute cardiac arrest on 14 December 2020 at 4:20am.
Around 1980s, she served Sri Radha Madan Mohan of ISKCON Washington DC with all her love and dedication while Trikalajna Prabhu served as the Temple President. She constantly served the deities and preached zealously bringing many lost souls into Krishna consciousness. She was extremely loved by the local devotees. Both Mataji and Trikalajna
