By Madhumangal das
On the auspicious day of Ram Naumi 2019, we inaugurated a monthly outreach programme called “The Vedic Essence” and also a harinam in Worcester town centre.
A group of devotees (some from London) performed a 5 hour harinam in Worcester town centre on the day, distributed 200 maha cookies, 250 flyers and books. The Mayor of Worcester heard the holyname being sung and came out of his office to welcome the devotees which really inspired everyone. The Mayor was delighted with our
By Sri Nandanandana dasa (Stephen Knapp)
It is natural that at some point in our lives we ask, “Why is there suffering?” Or “Why am I not happy?” “Why can’t we simply go on with life and not undergo so many trials and tribulations? Why can’t God make a universe or world where there is no suffering?” Well, my answer to that is He already has, but we are simply in the wrong one.
Let me explain it a little more fully. First of all, we are all spiritual beings within material bodies. Most people at
Plans for a major new ISKCON temple in Columbus, Ohio have been scaled back slightly to push the project forward, and the process of construction drawings and hiring construction companies has begun.
The temple size has been cut back from 45,000 square feet to 30,000, while the price tag has fallen from $10 million to $7 million -- $4.5 million of which has already been raised or pledged.
Recently, engineers have been hired, and this month construction company Thomas & M
A gurukula boy convinces his best friend to run away from school with him to meet his estranged father in the jungles of North India. But the adventure turns out to be much more than they bargained for when their train ride comes to an unexpected end and Sikkimese separatists enter the mix. This movie was written, filmed, directed, and starred in by the students and staff of Bhaktivedanta Academy, Mayapur.
Source: https://iskconnews.org/video/the-night-train-to-nowhere-a-gurukula-film,1781/
“Notre Dame is damaged; The Holy Name shines on.”
Some thoughts on the recent burning of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
I remember when I was a child, from five to nine, walking into Notre Dame while holding the hand of Esther, my Mexican nanny at the time – a devout, black-haired Catholic lady who would tuck me into bed every night by having me recite the “Padre Nuestro” (“Our Father”) prayer out-loud. She took me to Notre Dame regularly. Inside the Cathedral, where silence enveloped the air th
By Achyut Gopal Das
"In the end we only regret the chances we didn't take."
Bollywood beauty Shilpa Shetty took divine blessings of Lord Krishna along with her family. She visited the ISKCON temple in Juhu, Mumbai and was accompanied by mother Sunanda, son Viaan and sister Shamita Shetty.
The Shetty fam jam looked gorgeous in traditional Indian attire and Gopi Chandana or Tilaka on their foreheads. They worshipped Lord Krishna at the temple and sought his blessings.
Shilpa Shetty looks stunning in her mustard silk saree and gold jewellery. The Shetty family celebrated
Sri Rama Navami is always a bigger festival as it is just before the vyasapuja of HH Jayapataka Swami and thousands and thousands of devotees visiting Mayapur for Vyasapuja, come early to take part in Rama Navami also. In the afternoon, we had an abhisheka to “Shaligram Shila” and arati, Pushpajali offered to Sri Ramchandra.
A very grand procession of Sri Ram, Lakshman, Sita and Hanuman in bullock chariot , went around the campus for an hour amidst kirtan & dancing. The Lord accepted bhoga lovi
Sacinandana Swami’s famous Living Name Retreat – a deep and inspirational dive into japa and kirtan – is coming to New Vrindaban, West Virginia for the second time.
Around 150 devotees are expected to travel in from all over the USA as well as from Europe and other locations for the retreat, which will run Mother’s Day Weekend from May 10th to 12th.
The idyllic, tranquil countryside of New Vrindaban, away from the noisy and fast-paced cities many of us live in, will be the
By Achyut Gopal Das
"There is only one happiness in life - to love and be loved."
By Kadamba Kanana Swami
Everyone is an agent of the Lord. Everyone is part of the plan of the Lord. Some understand it, and some do not. The demons do not understand that they are actually also agents of the Lord’s destructive and oppressive force. They do not see that they are simply instruments of the Lord, and they resist being His instrument.
Bali Maharaja was a daitya. He was the grandson of Prahlada Maharaja. Somehow or the other, although Hiranyakasipu was a demon, Prahlada was a devotee
By Achyut Gopal Das
"At the end of the day I would rather be humbly sitting at God's feet than proudly bowing down to illusion." - Mahatma Das (Author, Spiritual master and Lifestyle trainer)
Better to be a servant in the spiritual world than a King in the material world because the King of this world also has to call it a day. As the Italian proverb goes - "Once the game is over, the King and the pawn go back in the same box." That's why all the scriptures and saints from all traditions impl
By Sri Nandanandana dasa (Stephen Knapp)
While visiting Madurai and the surrounding area, it is easy to catch the early morning train for Ramesvaram. It is a relaxing ride (about six hours) as we head toward the coast. The first time I went there, it was a pleasant train ride all the way there, but the second time several years later everyone had to jump off and change trains about half-way there. Ramesvaram is a tropical island surrounded by coral reefs and sandy beaches with coconut palms and
From Back to Godhead
By Vishakha Devi Dasi
To ensure the health of our spiritual life, we must transform material hope into spiritual hope.
Hope—the recognition within the human heart that something better is attainable—can mean the difference between life and death. In Man’s Search for Meaning, Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl writes that the rate of deaths in the concentration camp increased after Hanukkah, even though there was no change in camp’s already horrible conditions. Why did more di
Countless people come to ISKCON Mayapur from all over India and the world, and ISKCON Mayapur has a number of preaching endeavors to attract these people to Mayapur and to preach the science of Krsna consciousness to them. ISKCON Mayapur’s preaching targets all people, both those from far away lands and those who reside within and near Mahaprabhu’s own land.
One of these preaching programs is the Mayapur Bhakti Vriksha program. Bhakti Vriksha preaching is a met
