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It’s easy to take mothers for granted. Some researchers recently followed around one such mother for a week in an attempt to estimate the monetary value of her ‘motherly love’. She took the kids to school, so they calculated how much a taxi driver would cost. She cooked the breakfast, lunch and dinner so they approximated the wage bill of a chef. The mother also played the role of a cleaner, psychologist, accountant and nurse to name but a few. They calculated the overtime the mother put in, and

By HH Sacinandana Swami

As I’m sitting here in Vrindavan, as the minutes, hours and days go by, I am more and more interested in the close God, not so much the distant God. I’m less interested in the God, Who is only thought about, but not experienced, Who is philosophized about, but not seen. As I chant, I think deeply about how to establish real contact with the Lord.

What he says is, “My Lord, I am directly calling out to You now, I am directly approaching You now, by Your various names. And

ॐ  श्री गुरु गौरांग जयतः

श्रीमद भगवद्गीता यथारूप 

अध्याय तेरह-प्रकृति, पुरुष तथा चेतना

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVFzjfOmmWA&t=82s 

1-2 अर्जुन ने कहा— हे कृष्ण! मैं प्रकृति एवं पुरुष (भोक्ता), क्षेत्र एवं क्षेत्रज्ञ तथा ज्ञान एवं ज्ञेय के विषय में जानने का इच्छुक हूँ। श्रीभगवान ने कहा— हे कुन्तीपुत्र! यह शरीर क्षेत्र कहलाता है और इस क्षेत्र को जानने वाला क्षेत्रज्ञ है।

3 हे भरतवंशी! तुम्हें ज्ञात होना चाहिए कि मैं भी समस्त शरीरों में ज्ञाता भी हूँ और इस शरीर तथा इसके ज्ञाता को जान लेना ज्ञान क

Nature was conjuring up a storm of water. Ominous clouds were ever present in the sky and lightning made its periodic flash, accompanied by the rumble of thunder. Hey, that’s the name of this place!

It was at this time, early afternoon, that I began my mere two kilometre walk (my physiotherapist suggested I reduce daily treks and work on stretches to counteract stiffness). In any event, I decided to go at strides at a critical hour of nature. I don’t mind the reminder to be humble. The elements

By Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami

The pure devotee’s first month in the West. “Who would expect to meet a svami in someone’s living room in Butler, Pennsylvania? It was just really tremendous. In the middle of middle-class America. “

Srila Prabhupada was met at the dockside by a man from Travelers Aid who escorted him to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. New York’s midtown streets were far more intense than the Boston pier. Assisted by the guide, Srila Prabhupada got on the “Pittsburgh” bus. Travelers

I was distributing books in Melbourne and approached a young man wearing shorts and a sleeveless shirt. I was showing him the Science of Self Realization and explaining the contents. He was interested and wanted to take the book, but said he had no money. I mentioned that we use card readers for credit cards.

He said, “I can only take money out from the bank.”

So I thought, “Oh well, I guess he won’t be taking a book, because not many people go all the way to the bank to withdraw money.”

But th

ॐ श्री गुरु गौरांग जयतः

श्रीमद भगवद्गीता यथारूप 

अध्याय बारह भक्तियोग

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkkNaIxZiD8&t=60s

1 अर्जुन ने पूछा— जो आपकी सेवा में सदैव तत्पर रहते हैं, या जो अव्यक्त निर्विशेष ब्रह्म की पूजा करते हैं, इन दोनों में से किसे अधिक पूर्ण (सिद्ध) माना जाय?

2 श्रीभगवान ने कहा— जो लोग अपने मन को मेरे साकार रूप में एकाग्र करते हैं, और अत्यन्त श्रद्धापूर्वक मेरी पूजा करने में सदैव लगे रहते हैं, वे मेरे द्वारा परम सिद्ध माने जाते हैं।

3-4 लेकिन जो लोग अपनी इन्द्रियों को वश में करके तथा

Context and Crux of Uddhava-gita

Bhagavad-gita is the great philosophical song by Lord Krsna on the battlefield of Kuruksetra to motivate His bewildered friend Arjuna. There is yet another Gita that Krsna sang in Dvaraka to pacify another of His friends named Uddhava. Famous as Uddhava-gita it forms the longest philosophical section of the magnum opus literature Srimad Bhagavatam.

Lord Krsna’s descent into this world was requested by the devatas headed by Brahma, to reduce the burden of the ear

Hare Krishna and pranams dear devotees,

The current worldwide lockdown situation is unprecedented in recent history and presents a challenge to all humanity, including devotees. At this time material energy is very strong and sharp. She is continuously testing our faith. Doubts, which are anarthas, can easily enter our hearts, further weakening us spiritually, making us lax and lethargic. And an indiscriminate decision, material or spiritual, can very quickly land us in trouble. However, if we s

 ॐ  श्री गुरु गौरांग जयतः

श्रीमद भगवद्गीता यथारूप 

अध्याय ग्यारह विराट रूप

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODXeVXIR5ks&t=5s

1 अर्जुन ने कहा— आपने जिन अत्यन्त गुह्य आध्यात्मिक विषयों का मुझे उपदेश दिया है, उसे सुनकर अब मेरा मोह दूर हो गया है।

2 हे कमलनयन! मैंने आपसे प्रत्येक जीव की उत्पत्ति तथा लय के विषय में विस्तार से सुना है और आपकी अक्षय महिमा का अनुभव किया है।

3 हे पुरुषोत्तम, हे परमेश्वर! यद्यपि आपको मैं अपने समक्ष आपके द्वारा वर्णित आपके वास्तविक रूप में देख रहा हूँ, किन्तु मैं यह देखने का इ

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=89220

Jim is a First Nations person, who had cycled over the creek’s bridge when he stopped to ask, “Are you a monk? Have you been to Tibet?” So I answered. He knew I was about to cross the bridge myself and mentioned there are lots of spirits that go to this bridge. When I handed him my mantra card and the mantra’s translation, he liked the word, “Creator.”

“Do you believe in a creator?” I asked.

“Yes.”                         

A young man, about twenty-five, Ray, was my next encounter. There was no

ॐ श्री गुरु गौरांग जयतः

श्रीमद भगवद्गीता यथारूप 

अध्याय दस श्रीभगवान का ऐश्वर्य

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4ypJcxXVWM&t=82s

1 श्रीभगवान ने कहा— हे महाबाहु अर्जुन! और आगे सुनो। चूँकि तुम मेरे प्रिय सखा हो, अतः मैं तुम्हारे लाभ के लिए ऐसा ज्ञान प्रदान करूँगा, जो अभी तक मेरे द्वारा बताये गये ज्ञान से श्रेष्ठ होगा।

2 न तो देवतागण मेरी उत्पत्ति या ऐश्वर्य को जानते हैं और न महर्षिगण ही जानते हैं, क्योंकि मैं सभी प्रकार से देवताओं और महर्षियों का भी कारणस्वरूप (उद्गम) हूँ।

3 जो मुझे अजन्मा, अनादि, स

Remember our favourite song? What is the favourite song in the Hare Krsna movement? 

It is the prasadam prayers. 

sarira avidya-jal, jodendriya tahe kal,
jive phele vishaya-sagore
ta’ra madhye jihva ati, lobhamoy sudurmati,
ta’ke jeta kathina samsare

Very ecstatic! Most popular song in all of ISKCON. Without a doubt, number one (laughter). So if you allow me to translate it, these words say, “O Lord, this material body is a place of ignorance, and the senses are a network, leading to death …” S

It’s been six months since my last plane ride. A West-Jet aircraft took tabla player, Ananda, and me to Thunder Bay. Before embarking on this two hour, seven minute flight, the attendant at the entrance offered each passenger a sanitized white cloth.

 “This is for your seat,” she said. However, the mask over her mouth muffled the sound that came out. I thought I heard her say, “This is for your feet.” I heard her say it to the passenger in front of me, to me and to Ananda just behind me. “For yo

Gunagrahi Maharaja gave everything he had to Srila Prabhupada. He served ISKCON continuously for forty-nine years. He was a master at engaging people in Krishna consciousness. He made friends quickly and for life. He was largely responsible for the successful spreading of Krishna consciousness among the straight-edge youth. He didn’t complain and he didn’t lament. He had a flair for designing tasteful and novel ways of presenting Krishna consciousness. He innovated incredible Govinda buffet rest

By Mahatma das

Dear Maharaja,

You were special. I have never met anyone like you. You were so cool, totally real, and uniquely funny; and you had this unusual sixth sense for making people Krishna conscious. You just knew how to get into people’s hearts, both devotees and non-devotees, and you knew exactly what was needed to do this in every situation. You touched the lives of many, many people because you were both a special person and deeply cared for others. You related to everyone and thus e