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In a talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.51, on December 28, 1973, in Los Angeles, Srila Prabhupada spoke about bhagavat-priyanam, those who are very dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

“Bhagavat-priyanam. There is a common saying in English, ‘If you love me, love my dog.’ That is very important. If you love such person who is very dear to Krishna (bhagavat-priyanam), then Krishna is more pleased.

“There is a version in the Padma Purana. Parvati was asking questions to Lord Shiva, and he was

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Foundation by Bhaktimarga Swami

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One of the most foundational principles in the science of bhakti is expressed in a verse from the Adi Purana.  Here's the Sanskrit with Roman Transliteration then the translation.
 
ye me bhakta janān partha

na me bhaktās ca te janāh

mad bhaktānām ca ye bhaktās

te me bhaktatamāh matāh
 
“One who claims to be my devotee is not my devotee, but one who is a devotee of my devotee is actually my devotee.” 

The above verse from the text, is God speaking—the actual words of Sri Krishna.  The verse
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On February 13, 2020, the observance of the 146th Appearance Day of His Divine Grace Astottarasata Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada, the entire completed Pujari Floor of the TOVP was opened in great pomp and grandeur. In preparation for the relocation of ISKCON’s beloved world Deities into Their long-awaited new home in 2022, and to instill confidence in ISKCON’s leadership and devotees that the construction is solidly moving in that direction, the opening was officially underta

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The Iskcon will throw open on Thursday the world’s largest pujari seva on a single-floor facility spread over 2.5 acres at the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium at Mayapur in Nadia.

Devotees from over 77 countries are expected to attend the inaugural ceremony that will also mark the countdown to the opening of the Vedic planetarium, the Iskcon’s flagship Rs 700-crore project slated to be completed in March 2022.

“This is going to be the largest floor for worship and other seva facilities in the

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By Madhava Smullen 

A new project, The Pilgrimage, is providing luxury spiritual retreats and online education for corporate clients, while also offering ISKCON devotees the chance to earn a living amongst Vaishnava peers.

Founder Sandipani Muni Das (Kal Key), originally from Coventry in the UK, worked on Wall Street before a visit to the sacred village of Vrindavan, India changed his life. An encounter with a holy man there, who lived so simply yet was ready to share everything he had, gave

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Lines by Bhaktimarga Swami

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I still catch myself addressing people I meet with a "Happy New Year!”  Soon, in two days only, the calendar flips a page to reveal another month, making New Year's totally irrelevant.  But you're not going to get me to say, "Happy Valentines Day."  It's just not the thing monks say to anyone.
 
To compensate for this great lack of etiquette, I can say to my fellow colleagues and community members, "Happy Nityananda's Day" or "Happy Shiva Ratri" in reference to saints in our lineage.  "Happy Ga
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TOVP Pujari Floor Grand Inauguration

A moment of happiness, bliss, gratitude, appreciation, wonder – no words to describe the emotions and sentiments that everyone experienced, walking through the most grand, largest in the world, Pujari floor at the Temple of Vedic Planetarium. Graced by several stalwarts who are the pillars of ISKCON movement, whose life & soul is to live to fulfill the desire of their spiritual master, our Founder Acharya Srila Prabhupada, opened each of the 64 rooms of worship for Sri Sri Radha-Madhava, Sri Pa

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Today, February 14, Saint Valentine’s Day, I was struck when Srila Prabhupada, at the conclusion of his class on Sri Isopanisad, spoke about love—the love that Krishna wants and the love that will satisfy us:

“Any religion, it doesn’t matter whether Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion—if you are developing love of God, then you are perfect in your religion. . . .

And what kind of love? Ahaituki: without any cause. ‘O Lord, I love You, God, because You supply me so many nice thin

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Much Has Happened by Bhaktimarga Swami

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 Much has happened here in sacred Mayapura over the last two days.  Yesterday, a major section of the Temple of Vedic Planetarium opened to the public—the section for priestly preparation.  This includes the cooking facilities.  There was a large attendance.  Nice kirtan.
 
Today opened the gathering of world-wide leaders, called ILS, where we have presenters giving talks on varying devotional topics.  Basically, the ILS is an educational exercise for leaders young and old.  A refresher in some
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Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Srila Prabhupada’s spiritual master, is my grand spiritual master, but I feel that I never really knew him so well until I read his biography Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava by my godbrother Bhakti Vikasa Swami. Many of the quotes and references below come from that work, which has helped bring me closer to my spiritual grandfather.

We are all here by the mercy of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna Chaitany

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Today is the auspicious appearance day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja. When our Srila Prabhupada first came to America, we had no idea of Vaishnava etiquette or culture; we had no idea how to honor the appearance day of the spiritual master. In 1970, soon after I had joined the Boston temple, Srila Prabhupada explained that the appearance day of the spiritual master is honored as Vyasa-puja, the worship of Vyasa. Srila Vyasadeva compiled the Vedic scripture

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With traditional architecture- pillars and stone carvings, ISKCON Salem’s granite temple promises its name in history for centuries.

We have learned from Srila Prabhupada that Krsna advises Arjuna in Bhagavad-Gita – kuru karmaiva tasmat tvam purvaih purvataram krtam. * There could be no better way of doing things than that of our predecessors in the Vedic times. This is what ISKCON Salem intents to do by making a first full stone temple with a longevity of 1000 years. Main temple building empl

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Arts

By Madhava Smullen 

For devotees and spiritual people looking for devotional music in a different genre than kirtan, but just as transformational, Russian husband-and-wife duo Nilambary’s debut album, the lush film-score-like “Eternal Prayers,” could be the answer.

The record is out on February 10th. And from the sweeping strings of opener “Mangalacarana” to the classy swing of “Jiv Jago,” to the cleansing, pure chorus of “Tulasi,” to the thumping crescendo of closer “Sita Ram,” it’s a skill

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Corrado and I are preparing for the India trip, and before we do so, we are needing to pick up a few things.  Yes, things like bows and arrows, and swords, and perhaps some other weaponry.  Nothing too lethal, mind you.  It's more like goods made of rubber and synthetics for a scene of conflict in our up-and-coming drama, "Grandsire."  The Vedic texts that I draw my script from demonstrate colourful battle scenes.  The story will be about Grandsire Bhisma.  We will stage it, film it, and then t
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The Maharashtra Marathi Journalist Association undertakes several responsibility programs and as one of its activities awards the prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award” to personalities who have immensely contributed to society. This year the nominee of this prestigious award was one of Srila Prabhupada’s senior disciples, HH Lokanath Swami.

The ceremony was held on 4 February 2020 at Annabhau Sathe Auditorium in Pune in front of an audience of about 1500. Many dignitaries and media were in a

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By Svarupananda dasa and Jagbandhu dasa

By the blessings of our founder-acarya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada, and his loyal disciple, Lokanath Swami Maharaja, the ISKCON Greater Noida devotees recently organized a one-day padayatra for their young Vaisnavas.

On January 19, 2020, a cold Sunday morning, the padayatra by little Vaiṣṇavas and Vaiṣṇavis took place for the pleasure of Sri Sri Gaur Nataraj Dayal Nitai and to spread the sankirtan movement, the specific missi

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First established by Brahmananda Das in the 1970s, ISKCON of Tallahassee, Florida closed down before restarting in a new building in the 1990s. After struggling with financial and organizational challenges in more recent times, the center is once again getting a new lease of life with a new name – the Tallahassee Krishna House – and a new young president, Brajananda Das.

Originally from West Palm Beach in South Florida, Brajananda, 31, joined ISKCON in Gainesville in 2012 and served as a full

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"Dear ISKCON Educator and Leader.

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

This is a three-week countdown reminder to Viplavah 2020, the Annual International Symposium by ISKCON Ministry of Education that will be held on February 21st & 22nd, 2020, at ILS Venue in Gita Bhavan, Sridham Mayapur.

We would like to invite you for the symposium. We expect over 150 educators and leaders from around the world to participate. The participation is free for the devotees who

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A popular basketball player, Kobe Bryant, along with his daughter and several family friends, died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.  The gentleman sitting next to me in the Caribbean Airlines showed me the footage.  Sad!  I'm also warned about this new coronavirus going around.  At the airport in both Guyana and Toronto, people were donning masks for protection.  Expect trouble ahead as it is the nature of our dual world.

On the brighter side, I'm home.  I'm with my spiritual family, drinking
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By Madhava Smullen

Back in 2009, when devotees in Radhadesh, Belgium held a small kirtan weekend with Sivarama Swami and Madhava, just 100 people attended. It was a similarly intimate group the next year, when festival coordinator Manu Magnin, then 19 years old, took over the organizing and invited his second generation friends.

Then things skyrocketed. By 2011, 300 people were attending, and by 2013, around 600. Now Radhadesh Mellows is one of the biggest kirtan festivals in the world. This

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