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Dear Devotees

By Kadamba Kanana Swami

Our goal is to use the time that we have to deepen our lives. When devotees meet, it is not that we are just looking for some spiritual inspiration. Festivals where devotees come together are for lasting advancement. It is for transforming ourselves. The idea is that when devotees meet during festivals, it is not some form of entertainment or some mere questions and answers. No, it is about some deep genuine exchange and this is an opportunity to go deeper in our commitm

By Rama Vigraha Dasa

From Back to Godhead

To say that most politicians are incompetent, and in many cases downright dishonest, isn’t very controversial. We’ve all read about their blunders, their tricks, and their schemes. So the aim of this article is not to give proof of their failure to bring about world peace and prosperity; it is rather to show that the root cause of their incompetence is selfish materialism, and that the remedy is the re- spiritualization of society through the worldwid

A few years ago, while pursuing my postgraduate studies at USM in Penang, I happen to glance over the front page of the local newspaper to read the following headlines in large capital letters: WANTED: LEADERS. The statement was being made by the then Prime Ministry of Malaysia who was expressing his dismay at the lack of leadership within his country, especially in the context of educational institutions who seemingly were not able to produce highly qualified leaders. Not only was he pointing

Hundreds of Hare Krishna worshippers are set to walk the streets of Ilford town centre escorting a wooden chariot carrying three religious dieties.

By Kadamba Kanana Swami

When is the perfect time to take initiation from one’s spiritual master?

I do not know if there is a perfect time for someone to take initiation. I compare it to jumping into a pool. You know, first you put your toes in and go, “I don’t know. This is too cold for me. I’m not ready to go in there.” But then you start to think, “No, come on now. Jump! Jump! Jump!” And at some point, you finally have to jump! Before you take initiation, you must be able to for at least for

By Giriraj Swami and Sri Prahlada dasa

In honor of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in America, we shall sing the poem he wrote on the ship Jaladuta as he arrived in the Boston harbor.

Song [translation]:

1: My dear Lord Krsna, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me.

2: But I guess You have some business here. Otherwise, why would You bring me to such a terrible place?

3: Most of the population here is covered

Are our abilities and expertise valuable assistance for our devotees? Are we confident that our positive-thinking techniques and service input is pleasing to all because devotees depend on us? Is satisfaction and contentment a common feeling earned through our ‘big’ endeavours and peer acceptance? Then beware, because we could be pleased for the wrong reasons – self-empowerment can be mistaken as genuine Krishna empowerment.

One can achieve all the above successes by NOT being very Krishna cons

From Back to Godhead

A therapist draws on Lord Krsna’s teachings to help a child control his rage.

THE HOSPITAL ROOM SMELLS strongly of antiseptic as I walk in. Chris sits on his bed, immersed in rapidly pushing buttons with his thumbs.

“Nintendo?” I ask nonchalantly, breaking his concentration.

“Play Station,” he replies, continuing to madly push buttons.

I sit in a chair next to his bed, observing his strategy for blowing things up.

After a couple of minutes, Chris slams the game paddle to th

By Subhangi Devi Dasi

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupad! All glories to all of the Vaishnavas, especially the preachers who are saving the world from hell! All glories to your service!

Have you ever heard of terminal restlessness? Probably not, unless you are a doctor or a nurse. But although the name is new, the condition is described in Srimad Bhagavatam. Srila Prabhupada says:

“And similarly, miserable condition of death. When one is lying in coma, so many

“A brahmachari should be quite well behaved and gentle and should not eat or collect more than necessary. He must always be active and expert, fully believing in the instructions of the spiritual master and the sastra. Fully controlling his senses, he should associate only as much as necessary with women or those controlled by women.”
- Srimad Bhagavatam, 7.12.6, translation

In the Vedic scriptures, the life of a brahmachari begins from as young as 5 years of age and goes up until 25 years of ag

Ananda: There is a great connection between stillness and listening. “Don’t move” we say when we hear some noise around the house in the middle of the night. In yoga we hold the body still in order to hear the breath. We will hold the shoulders of our child while we tell her something important.

In the tradition of mantra meditation, the repetition of a sacred sound, how we listen, how we hear the mantra is the difference between a successful practice or not. Although in the Krishna Bhakti prac

By Sri Ramadasa

We are unabashedly ecstatic to announce that the Bhadra Campaign has launched in India with a resounding success this year! The full moon of good fortune rose on Bhadra Purnima, which was on 24-25 September 2018, *with 4485 sets of Srimad Bhagavatam* being donated to homes, offices, schools, libraries, prisons, and hospitals located across India. Devotees even distributed sets of Srimad Bhagavatam to eminent personalities and current gurus of other Vaishnava Sampradayas in Ind

By Iskcon Mayapur

“A brahmachari should be quite well behaved and gentle and should not eat or collect more than necessary. He must always be active and expert, fully believing in the instructions of the spiritual master and the sastra. Fully controlling his senses, he should associate only as much as necessary with women or those controlled by women.”
– Srimad Bhagavatam, 7.12.6, translation

In the Vedic scriptures, the life of a brahmachari begins from as young as 5 years of age and goes up