Video: Click here
By Garuda Das
The picture above is of Tom and I in his library at his home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, taken about two years ago, when he was eighty-nine years of age. Tom and I were very good friends and close colleagues. Please note the books on some of the shelves behind us: all the Līlāmṛtam volumes, the three original “Delhi” Bhāgavatams, other books by devotees, and a complete set of the Journal of Vaishnava Studies on the top shelf.
Saturday, February 20, 2021
My Dear
Diving deep into the core elements of our philosophy as expounded in the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) invites you to join us for an enlivening talk by Kadamba Kanana Swami.
Video: Click here
About Kadamba Kanana Swami
Kadamba Kanana Swami started his spiritual life in Vrndavana, the Holy land of Krishna and immediately felt he found his home. He became a disciple of HH Jayadvaita Swami.
He joined ISKCON in 1978 shortly after Srila Prabhupada’s departure from this wo
By Madhava Smullen
“The Rising Sun: Vrindavan Samadhi Diary” by Alfred Valerio (Bhaktisiddhanta Das), now available on Amazon Kindle, recounts the story of how the Vrindaban samadhi, or mausoleum, for ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada was built.
Author Bhaktisiddhanta Das, a seasoned professional in bronze casting, fiber-glass and mixed media sculpture, assisted in the design and construction of both the Vrindaban Samadhi and Mayapur Pushpa Samadhi of Srila Prabhupada. He also created s
Amala Ratna is a highly devotional-type of person with a night job. She drives around from skating rink to skating rink in the downtown area for maintenance of those operations. They are all over the city and kids/adults are on a craze about gliding on ice. While walking on an average day I come upon these ice fields in parks and I’m sure, one day, I’ll have the opportunity to meet up with Amala and wish her a “Haribol!” Which means “say the name of Krishna!”
During a phone call today, I spoke
अध्याय एक – समदर्शी भगवान (7.1)
1 राजा परीक्षित ने पूछा: हे ब्राह्मण, भगवान विष्णु सबों के शुभचिन्तक होने के कारण हर एक को समान रूप से अत्यधिक प्रिय हैं, तो फिर उन्होंने किस तरह एक साधारण मनुष्य की भाँति इन्द्र का पक्षपात किया और उसके शत्रुओं का वध किया? सबों के प्रति समभाव रखने वाला व्यक्ति कुछ लोगों की तरह किसी के प्रति पक्षपात करेगा और अन्यों के प्रति शत्रु-भाव रखेगा?
2 भगवान विष्णु साक्षात पूर्ण पुरुषोत्तम भगवान तथा समस्त आनन्द के आगार हैं, अतएव उन्हें देवताओं का पक्ष-ग्रहण करने से क्या लाभ म
Video: Click here
“Metpally . . . Radha-Krishna installation . . . festival . . .” Our ashram at ISKCON Chowpatty was buzzing with this discussion last week when I visited after a gap of few days. Many brahmacharis were excited about visiting this small town in Telangana, around 800 kms from Mumbai. The temple managers were busy arranging for all the essential services that had to be taken care of in the absence of so many devotees.
Ever since lockdown was imposed in Mumbai and the rest of Indi
By Gauranga Das
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) stands appraised and recognized with one of the highest honors nationally- “IGBC Green Champion Award 2020” during the 18th edition of ‘Green Building Congress’ organized from 29th – 31st October 2020. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was unanimously chosen as a winner of the 7th IGBC Green Champion Awards under the category of ‘Pioneering Institution in sensitizing the masses by going green
The Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies, founded by American businessman Robert T. Bigelow, is currently running an essay competition on “Best Evidence for Afterlife.” Bigelow is the owner of hotel chain Budget Suites of America and the founder of Bigelow Aerospace.
According to http://www.bigelowinstitute.org/, “The goal of the essay contest is to award contestants for writing papers that summarize the best evidence available for the survival of human consciousness
I have had the fortune of staying in Vrndavana. There were prices of austerities to pay undoubtedly. I had a lot of malaria in the Holy Dhama. In one year, I had it twelve times and each time it took about two weeks to recover. So I was sick for about half of the year. As a result, I lost a lot of weight and they sent me to Australia. When I arrived in Melbourne, I found that the sparrows there were twice as fat as they were in India, and I knew that I had come to the right place! (laughter) I k
A poem I wrote to honor the guru (Prabhupada):
Inspiring Captain
Bless that a new power be bestowed upon me
To be humbled as if standing next to the big sea.
It’s what I’ve never known, never seen
For behind the ears, I’m embarrassingly green.
I am small, I am petite
Searching constantly for what’s labelled as sweet.
Conceit is the weakness that brings this about
Causing an entrance, an exit — I’m in, I’m out.
I find a straw-in-teeth so hard to swallow.
Pride ‘n snobbery is what I’m up t
अध्याय उन्नीस – पुंसवन व्रत का अनुष्ठान (6.19)
1 महाराज परीक्षित ने कहा: हे प्रभो! आप पुंसवन व्रत के सम्बन्ध में पहले ही बता चुके हैं। अब मैं इसके विषय में विस्तार से सुनना चाहता हूँ क्योंकि मैं समझता हूँ कि इस व्रत का पालन करके भगवान विष्णु को प्रसन्न किया जा सकता है।
2-3 श्रील शुकदेव गोस्वामी ने कहा: स्त्री को चाहिए कि अगहन मास (नवम्बर-दिसम्बर) के शुक्लपक्ष की प्रतिपदा को अपने पति की अनुमति से इस नैमित्यिक भक्ति को, तप के व्रत सहित प्रारम्भ करे क्योंकि इससे सभी मनोकामनाएँ पूरी हो सकती है। भगवान
Today is the day when we honor that personality who has brought the descent of Lord Caitanya into this world Shri Advaita Acarya, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is Mahavishnu, He is the personality who created this entire cosmic manifestation and knowing the purpose of the cosmic manifestations to send everyone back to Godhead that same Mahavishnu incarnated within this material world slightly over five hundred years ago. He was born in a little village in Bengal called Navagram, h
Today we shall discuss Sri Advaita Acharya and His desire to induce the Lord to appear to deliver the fallen souls, who were so engrossed in material thoughts and activities, by introducing the yuga-dharma of hari-nama-sankirtana.
We read from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter Three: “The External Reasons for Lord Caitanya’s Appearance.”
TEXT 96
prakatiya dekhe acarya sakala samsara
krsna-bhakti gandha-hina visaya-vyavahara
TRANSLATION
Advaita Acarya having appeared, He found the world
अध्याय अठारह – राजा इन्द्र का वध करने के लिए दिति का व्रत (6.18)
1 श्रील शुकदेव गोस्वामी ने कहा: पृश्नि, जो अदिति के पाँचवें पुत्र सविता की पत्नी थी, उनसे तीन पुत्रियाँ सावित्री, व्याह्यति तथा त्रयी और अग्निहोत्र, पशु, सोम, चार्तुमास्य तथा पंच महायज्ञ नामक पुत्र उत्पन्न हुए।
2 हे राजन! अदिति के छठे पुत्र भग की पत्नी का नाम सिद्धि था जिसके महिमा, विभु तथा प्रभु नामक तीन पुत्र तथा आशीष नामक एक अत्यन्त सुन्दरी कन्या उत्पन्न हुई।
3-4 अदिति के सातवें पुत्र धाता की चार पत्नियाँ थीं जिनके नाम थे कुहु, स
Lord Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes, who has 64 qualities in full.
This means those 64 qualities of Krishna ARE His full potential, having 100% of His own attributes.
However, the Vishnu-tattva (also God) expansions of Krishna have only 60 qualities or attributes out of the full 64 which is 93.75% of Krishna’s qualities.
Some Vedic scholars and academics and other Sangas cannot understand why Krishna has more qualities than Vishnu or Narayana, and why Krish
In a recent ISKCON Leadership Sangha (ILS-2020) Lokanath Swami requested ISKCON Nepal regional secretary Patri dasa to organize a padayatra (pilgrimage) in Nepal. Patri took Maharaja’s words to heart and discussed the idea with the Nepali devotees.
A friend of Patri, Brahmacari Sahastranam dasa from Ukraine, who has been serving in Nepal for twelve years engaged in community and farm services, was inspired by the proposition and used his own money, to buy oxen and construct a cart from his uniqu
The message came from Ohio. It came from a fine fella who considers himself a punk, perhaps an X. His name is Kaustubha and it is good news — I’m sure he doesn’t mind me sharing the message regarding a new trail. Seems like he would go for trail blazing it. That’s his offer. He’s wondering if I still have some steam in my tank for a marathon. My answer is “Yes, most probably, but after some work is done on the knees.” Here is his message:
“Just saw a wonderful article about a new walking/biking
अध्याय सत्रह – माता पार्वती द्वारा चित्रकेतु को शाप (6.17)
1 श्रील शुकदेव गोस्वामी ने कहा: जिस दिशा में भगवान अनन्त अन्तर्धान हुए थे उस दिशा की ओर नमस्कार करके, राजा चित्रकेतु विद्याधरों का अगुवा बनकर बाह्य अन्तरिक्ष में यात्रा करने लगा।
2-3 महान साधुओं तथा मुनियों एवं सिद्धलोक तथा चारणलोक के वासियों द्वारा प्रशंसित, सर्वाधिक शक्तिशाली योगी चित्रकेतु लाखों वर्षों तक जीवन का आनन्द भोगता हुआ विचरता रहा। शारीरिक शक्ति तथा इन्द्रियों के क्षीण हुए बिना वह सुमेरु पर्वत की घाटियों में वहाँ घूमता रहा जो
Jai Sriman SriNarayanaya namaha.
The Trinkets and Treasure Trove.
Dazzling Diamonds,
Robes and Riches,
Palaces and Perks,
Status and Stature.
Oh !No.
They are just trinkets.
Balloons and Butterflies,
Rainbow and Roses,
Peace and Piety,
Hope and Happiness,
Silence and solitude,
Wow ! Yes ! These are my Treasure Troves.
All praise be our Lord Sri Krishna.
Jai Sriman SriNarayanaya Namaha.
On Cloud Nine.
Self pity! , Self pity!
Why me ? Why me?
Starving Souls,
Ailing and the Aggrieved,
Homeless and the Hapless,
Lost and the Lone,
Kismet and Karma,
Cause and Effect , then,
Why not me?Why not me?.
Self Glory! Self Glory !
I am the Best! I Am the Best !
Scientists and Saints,
Authors and Astronomers,
Philosophers and Philanthropists,
Oh No! Not I Not I !
Them first and then Me.
Yes ! Countless Joy,
Our Adoring Almighty ,
Our Lord Sri Krishna and HIS Mercy,
MERIT, kno
