Cultural appropriation has been a hot topic lately, in society and in particularly on university campuses. At its heart the term refers to disrespectful, offensive and ignorant use of another culture’s sacred symbols and traditions.
For instance, Native American ceremonial clothing has been worn in frivolous settings. The images of Deities or religious figures have been placed on tennis shoes. Or to use a particularly upsetting historical example, the sacred Hindu Swastik
December is a very special month. It is the month when all the ISKCON devotees, armed with sankirtan weapon, march in all the streets, knock at every door to distribute the most valuable treasure of books of Srila Prabhupada. They are determined to bestow all auspiciousness to every living entity, so that they have a very bright new year coming up!
ISKCON Mayapur Sankirtan buses go from villages to villages, to distibute books during this Marathon month & throughout the year. On 23rd Nov, inaug
By Kadamba Kanana Swami
I think it would be really nice if my disciples would have real, genuine relationships amongst each other – positive vaishnavarelationships. It would be something that would have power; power for ourselves. Such relationships would nourish us and it would attract people from everywhere, because the whole world is looking for deep and genuine relationships.
I have always looked for friendships in ISKCON, for real friendships. Sometimes in our movement, people ask, “Is tha
By Sutapa Das
Vrindavana is like a hall of fame. Everywhere you turn there are stories, landmarks and temples commemorating the saintly people who lived here. Ironically, they never wanted any fame. In fact, they actively avoided it – unassumingly absorbed in their daily devotion, quietly dedicating every moment of their time to forging a deep spiritual connection. They walked bare foot, meekly begged for their sustenance, bathed their minds in sacred sound, and curtailed all bodily demands. T
By Drutakarma Dasa
Providing a strong challenge to established academic perception and methodology, Drutakarma Dasa presents the Vaisnava Hindu worldview on the fundamental concepts to the approach to and interpretation of the archaeological record. His presentation is articulate and thorough and the extensive research he has undertaken to support his thesis is very impressive. He contrasts the currently accepted time concept, which closely resembles the Judaeo-Christian model, with the ancient
By Madhava Smullen
Two programs are gifting Srila Prabhupada’s books to thousands of people every year and will change lives across North America this Christmas.
In Canada, Sastra Dana – literally, “The Gift of Knowledge” – places mainly Bhagavad-gitas in hospitals, libraries, universities, hotels, motels, prisons, retirement homes, and schools around Ontario and beyond.
Dedicating a huge amount of their time and energy to this service are Toronto-based brother and sister Minaksh
Verse: SB:9.9.7
Speaker: HG Jananivasa Das
Date: 6 Dec 2018.
Listen in this class, HG Jananivas prabhu explains in detail on the position of Lord Shiva and different Shiva deities worshipped in Navadvipa dhama.
dhārayiṣyati te vegaṁ
rudras tv ātmā śarīriṇām
yasminn otam idaṁ protaṁ
viśvaṁ śāṭīva tantuṣu
Translation:
Like a cloth woven of threads extending for its length and breadth, this entire universe, in all its latitude and longitude, is situated under different potencies of the Supreme
By Karnamrita Das
At at a couple's retreat in South Africa in 2009 my wife and I gave couples different tools to help their marriages, and also different ways of thinking about themselves and their problems. One of my topics was family or couple's prayer. The subject of prayers groups I feel "passionately" about—i.e, strongly, intensely--since I have first hand experience of its power. Here is one way to think about prayer which might help you see it differently.
Everything in existence is ene
By Niranjana Swami
So, this afternoon I just opened up and started to read from this book Amrta-vani, teachings from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja. I read a lot from this book, I like different references that are given here. They are very philosophical and I see how Prabhupada was speaking so much about these points.
Of course, someone may say, “Why don’t I just read from Prabhupada’s book? Because these points are there in Prabhupada’s books”
But this book was made availabl
In this week's episode with Pancharatna Prabhu, we listen to something that could be really helpful for you if you're a book distributor or a preacher in any way. One of the problems in book distribution that we've observed is that devotees who distribute books, they're really focused in giving the books out, but often there's not much follow-up.
Even devotees that put in the effort to follow up, it's really hard because you know, your focus is on distributing books and getting as many books out
By Madhava Smullen
About 150 students, professors and other interested persons attended a one-day open conference at Utah State University on October 18th entitled “God and Smog – The Challenge of Preserving our Planet.”
Subtitled “Scholars and Religious Leaders Confront the Issues,” the event was organized by USU’s Religious Studies Program, headed by Director Dr. Ravi Gupta (Radhika Ramana Das).
Darren B. Parry, tribal council chairman for the Northwest Band of the Shoshone Nation, led the c
A breathtaking new single printing of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is, dubbed “The Astounding Bhagavad-gita,” will measure 2.80 x 2.00 meters (9 x 6.5 ft) and weigh an astonishing 800 kgs (1,763 lbs).
The giant book is funded by ISKCON Italy through donations and designed by the Mediterranean branch of the BBT, which claims it will be the largest sacred text in the world.
Trustee and managing director Madhusevita Das clarifies that while there are bigger books
By Kesava Krsna dasa
Chant and dance in ecstasy! Experience the bliss! Just let go! Many a time we may have felt heightened exhilaration during kirtan or other devotional activities and wondered if it was some form of ecstatic symptom like bhava! If it was bhava, does that make one a maha-bhagavat? If it wasn’t, what was it? An uninformed student may think he has reached the acme of his devotional career with such a feeling and wondered if there is still more bliss ahead.
The whole range of emo
From Back to Godhead
By Sridhara Swami
Through bhakti-yoga we can finally reunite with the person we’ve wanted all along.
A lecture given on December 12, 2000, at 26 Second Avenue in New York City, ISKCON’s first temple.
WE’LL READ TONIGHT from the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, which discusses dhyana-yoga, or meditative yoga. Texts 13-14 say: “One should hold one’s body, neck, and head erect in a straight line and stare steadily at the tip of the nose. Thus, with an unagitated, subdued mind,
Saturdays around 5:00 pm in Mayapur… Magical moments of Sri Radha-Madhava Elephant Procession.
Mystical sounds could be heard by every single living entity anywhere near ISKCON Mayapur campus. Very intense thundering of large drums beating to the rhythm of two elephant’s hearts, was the best way to bring back to mind some very sweet pastimes of our dear Lord Krsna in Dwarka.
Every Saturday evening, Sri Radha Madhava leave their altar carried by one of our leading Pujari, HG Jananivas prabhu and
Hare Krishna,
My name is Andharupa dasi initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1975 at Miami Florida. I was asked to tell my story of my cure from Hepatitis C.
The summer of 2004 His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaja visited New Ramana reti temple in Alachua Florida. I approached Maharaja and asked him for his blessings for my departure from this world. My illness: Hepatitis C of 3rd stage fibrosis of the liver. I was undergoing medical treatment for a duration of 48 weeks with only 45% chance to be cured
By Sunanda Das
On Monday, November 26th the TOVP Management Team held their all important end of the year meeting in Sridham Mayapur headed by TOVP Chairman, His Grace Ambarisa prabhu who flew to India especially for this occasion. Devotees from various departments of the TOVP attended as well as our representatives from Cushman and Wakefield, the world-renowned Project Management Consultancy now working closely with us to complete the TOVP by 2022.
The focus of the meeting was to officially in
The telling of history is almost always a narrative about men. When historians dig out historical documents as they seek to reconstruct and analyze history, it is inevitably a project that tells us far more about men than about women or children. Due to men’s power and position historically, the documents historians find are typically the product of men and written from t
Dear Devotees,
I have been serving at Bhaktivedanta Manor for almost four decades now. Over those years I embraced whatever services were given to me. As you may know my health remains a challenge, it all came very unexpected and now it is taking most of my time and energy. As such I now have to resign as Temple President and Trustee of the temple. I ask for your prayers and whatever blessings I may have, I give them all with a humble generosity for the future.
I wish to thank you from the bott
