Srila Jiva Gosvami’s Extraordinary Merit  

Appearing as the nephew of Srila Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, Srila Jiva Gosvami  displayed all the charming features of a maha-purusa (divine person). He had lotus eyes, a high nose and forehead, broad chest, long arms, and a radiant golden body.

Srila Jiva Gosvami was the direct disciple of Srila Rupa Gosvami

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter Ten describes the branches of the tree named Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

TEXT 1

sri-caitanya-padambhoja-
  madhupebhyo namo namah
kathancid asrayad yesam
  svapi tad-gandha-bhag bhavet

TRANSLATION

Let me repeatedly offer my respectful obeisances unto the beelike devotees who always taste the honey of the lotus feet of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If even a doggish nondevotee somehow takes shelter of such devotees, he enjoys the aroma of the lotus flower.

PURPORT

Srila Jiva Gosvami (CC Adi 10.85)
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (195) it is said that Srila Jiva Gosvami was formerly Vilasa-mañjari gopi. From his very childhood Jiva Gosvami was greatly fond of Srimad-Bhagavatam. He later came to Navadvipa to study Sanskrit, and, following in the footsteps of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, he circumambulated the entire Navadvipa-dhama. After visiting Navadvipa-dhama he went to Benares to study Sanskrit under Madhusudana Vacaspati, and after finishing his studies in B

We are entering the New Year, and on such occasions we take stock of what and how we did in the previous year and what we want to do in the next. Studies have shown, and probably many of us have experienced, that most New Year’s resolutions are broken during the first week. Still more are broken in the first month, and almost all are broken within the first three months.

Why does this happen, and what can we do? We are creatures of habit. We have developed certain habits over however many years—

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=12226

Pocket Meditations.
As we settle into the rhythm of the New Year here are some pocket meditations to carry with us every day. These small reminders can bring quality to our lives and thus help us feel more alive. As the Joseph Campbell quote goes – “I don’t believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive.”
For those practicing bhakti, that means being alive to our relationship with Krishna and others. It’s all about relationship. N

By Janananda Gosvami

Hey that’s not what Prabhupada said. You’ve got it the wrong way round. He said ” resolution, then revolution, then dissolution—no solution!

What do you mean revolution? Another ISKCON reform, a changing of the guards, change the structure of the management, get rid of the tyrants at the top, throw out the guru system, bring in the uttama bhagavata, a philosophical revelation. Aha! An unveiling of the hidden mysteries of ISKCON history, the latest solve the problems techniq

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2) To see myself as a survivor rather than a victim.
3) To see how I truly am the architect of my own destiny and how my feeling, thinking and willing determine how my life takes shape.
4) I resolve to reaffirm my dedication to Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON with a view to take very seriously his statement that ISKCON is his body and become determined to heal that body or die trying.
5) I resolve to set my sights on the highest possible goal. Srila Prabhupada said he would know his mov

By Sesa Das

OK, I admit it. I’m a junkie, a New Year’s resolutions junkie. Every year I make so many resolutions, and every year I fail to keep them. I know I am not alone in this. Is there a support group out there?!

This pesky little urge to make a commitment to a project or to reforming a habit to mark the beginning of each New Year is not new and seems to be quite universal. Brooke Williams’ article, The History Behind New Year’s Resolutions, published in The Colonnade, The Official Student

“For us, every day is a New Year. Nava-nava-rasa-dhamany. Our Krishna consciousness is so nice, the more you advance, the more you see new year, new year. That’s all. Nothing is old. People are seeing that ‘They are simply chanting the same old slogan, Hare Krishna.’ But we are feeling new pleasure in every moment. Take any other chanting, you cannot chant more than a few hours. But the Hare Krishna mantra we can chant perpetually. So, unless there is new enlightenment, how we can do that?”

In t

How to Change this Year? You Need to Freak Out!

Our cultural conditioning tells us we should make resolutions for the new year. Of course, the perennial problem is that most of us haven’t followed through on our previous year’s resolutions. And it can even get depressing to think about how many times this has happened. So maybe it is better we don’t make any resolutions this year. This way we’ll have nothing to lament about in early February when we haven’t followed through.

Well, actually I th

By Giriraj Swami

“For us, every day is a New Year. Nava-nava-rasa-dhamany. Our Krishna consciousness is so nice, the more you advance, the more you see new year, new year. That’s all. Nothing is old. People are seeing that ‘They are simply chanting the same old slogan, Hare Krishna.’ But we are feeling new pleasure in every moment. Take any other chanting, you cannot chant more than a few hours. But the Hare Krishna mantra we can chant perpetually. So, unless there is new enlightenment, how we c

Since the new year is around the corner, it’s natural to talk about new year’s resolutions. You might be thinking about doing something you’ve put off or making some changes for the new year. You might even be making the same resolutions you made last year at this time. Or maybe you just don’t make them anymore because you never follow through on them anyway.

“There’s hope”

Do You Just Want It or Are You Committed to Get It?

Srila Prabhupada cites Dhruva Maharaja as a perfect example of determi

A Talk by Radhanath Swami January 2, 2010 Bhaktivedanta Manor England

When we asked His Holiness Giriraj Swami what tonight’s topic would be, he said, “I will lead kirtana and see what emerges from my heart.” I will try to speak a few words on some of the primary themes of His Holiness Giriraj Maharaja’s beautiful dissertation.

Maharaja was stressing how much suffering comes to us in this world when we individually and collectively forget the purpose of life. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thak

Most resolutions take the form of “do’s”—things I resolve to do—and “don’ts”—things I resolve to not do. And Vedic wisdom tells us that all do’s and don’ts should support one main do—always remember Krishna (God)—and one main don’t—never forget Him.
Now, practically, what can we do to always remember Krishna and never forget Him? The item most favorable for remembering Him is chanting and hearing: chanting and hearing His holy names—the Hare Krishna maha-mantra—and chanting and hearing His trans

Madhavananda Das, managing editor of the Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu e-journal, has released issue 558, which explores the subject of darshan. The popular publication explores a single theme in each issue, often translating unique content not seen previously by most devotees, including stunning artwork. A new issue is released twice a month on every Ekadasi and is free of advertising, promotion, or criticism.

Issue 558 includes the following articles:
* You Can’t See God — From the teachings of

Vaikunthanath Das departed from this world to join Srila Prabhupada on November 21, 2024, while residing at Tucson’s Krishna’s Home. Srila Prabhupada was chanting in the background and Vaikunthanath Das was wearing a maha garland and peaceful at the time of his departure.

The following is written by his daughter, Braj:
“My father, Vaikunthanath, was an early disciple of Srila Prabhupada where he joined the Krsna Consciousness movement in the 1960’s. He was a very devout and scholarly person. He

Welcome 2025 With the Blessings of Lord Narasimhadev

“By meditating upon He whose form is fearsome, all peace, happiness and prosperity can be obtained, all sins can be obliterated, the fear arising from evil spirits, fevers and unfavorable planetary positions can be removed, O Lord Nrisimha, please bestow upon us Your merciful side-long glance.”

ISKCON Sri Dham Mayapur invites devotees from around the world to take part in our special New Year’s Narasimha Puja, invoking auspiciousness and bless

Two thousand twenty-four
A year that we scored
On God’s back side, if any
Problems were plenty
Leaders let us down
How did they get crowned?
We are all to blame
Incompetent with our aim
But enough of that already
Let self-discipline be steady
Rise early in the morning
Giving its much-deserved glory
Lend ears to an uplifting sound
And to promises we are bound
Commitments we make
With strength we won’t break
Let’s look at our health
Stretch life to a good length
With rest, food, and exercise
For t

The Vedic literatures give us many wonderful examples of selfless, devoted and spiritually empowered mothers. These glorious mothers such as Queen Suniti (the wife of King Uttanapada and the mother of Dhruva Maharaja), Srimati Kunti devi (the wife of King Pandu and the mother of the Pandavas and Mother Sita (the wife of Lord Ramachandra and the mother of Lava and Kusha) serve as great role models for us mothers to take inspiration and spiritual strength from.

Throughout their lives these spirit