By Manali D. Bijlani
“Whom are we worshiping in the temple? This query of mine was unanswered till I reached ISKCON.”
I was born and brought up in a Hindu family in Delhi, and we used to go to various temples and offer prayers before the gods. Two questions, however, always tickled my mind: Why do we worship so many gods, and who is the real God? As I never got answers to my questions, I considered all the gods equal, and in my teenage years all religions and faiths became one for me. Be it Hin
Hare Krishna, everyone! I’m BB Govinda Swami and I’m visiting Bhaktivedanta Manor and I was requested to give a brief interview for Kirtan Space. I was requested to speak on important points, points that I feel are important about kirtan.
Naturally I feel that since it’s the process of Mantra meditation, or meditation upon Krishna, we should really be focused when we are participating in kirtan. Whether one is leading the kirtan, whether one is playing the karatals, whether one is playing the m
Disciples of Vedavyasapriya Maharaja organised a boat cruise for the devotees. I was also invited and more the 170 devotees booked on the boat named “The Lady” which left from Southport Marina on the Gold Coast.
The cruise, which lasted four hours, went up and down an inlet between Stradbroke Island and the mainland. The whole time was spent in kirtana, readings and wonderful prasadam prepared by Maharaja’s disciples.
By A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
On the 16th of February 1957 a meeting was held at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan to discuss the above subject matter. Distinguished gentlemen from different categories spoke on the subject, but practically nobody could give us a definite direction as to what actually the matter was that was troubling the whole situation. This feeling of pinching in the existence of our life is a good sign for progress. It is an urge for enquiry what is the wrong in the world
Vrajanatha – What is the final destination of those who worship Sri Gauranga?
Raghunatha dasa Babaji – “Sri Krishna and Sri Gauranga are non-different in terms of tattva; they are the same Absolute Truth and both are the fountainheads of madhura-rasa, nectarean, honey-like mellows. However, there are two ways in which madhura-rasa manifests: madhurya, transcendental conjugal sweetness; and audarya, transcendental magnanimity. When madhurya is pre-eminent, Sri Krishna is manifest, and when auda
Gopiparanadhana Dasa, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) Sanskrit editor and translator for more than 25 years, addresses the difference between Western and Eastern approaches to textual authority. By examining texts from Srila Prabhupada’s commentaries he highlights the difference between Western ideas of plagiarism, and the primacy of originality, and Eastern notions of ensuring the safe passage of traditional thought. He also looks at how in Indian traditions the qualification for authorship is
Om Sri Surabhyai Namah!
The book MODERNITY is KILLING CIVILIZATION analyzes the negative and highly destructive effects of industrialization and modernism tracing their source to the Industrial Revolution of the eighteenth century focusing primarily on three areas of gross neglect related to animals (especially the cows), agriculture and modern education.
The author, a 45 years practitioner of the Vaisnava tradition, presents the Vedic dharmic perspective of sociology by introducing the scient
By HH Sridhara Swami
Through bhakti-yoga we can finally reunite with the person we’ve wanted all along.
The Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, 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, devoid of fear, completely free from sex life, one should meditate upon Me within the heart and make Me the ultimate goal of life.”
Srila Prabhupad
We understand Krishna by the grace of Krishna’s devotees. We cannot approach Krishna directly. It is by His own sweet will that He has arranged. Krishna wants to give credit to His devotees, He wants to bestow His mercy through His devotees. It is only through the mercy of Vaisnavas that we can understand what is Krishna, what is the Holy name, what is Vrindavana, what is the purpose of life beyond just greed and egoism.
I would like to briefly narrate a few personal encounters in my life in re
By Giriraj Swami
Ekadasi is one of the regular celebrations in the Vaishnava calendar. It is observed eleven days after the full moon and eleven days after the new moon of every month. Even in the thirteenth, or leap month, called adhika-masa or purusottama-masa, which comes every three years, during which no other festivals are celebrated, Ekadasi is observed. Ekadasi is known as “the day of Lord Hari” and is said to be “the mother of devotion.” Of the sixty-four items of devotional service li
Homebase: Sridhama Mayapur
Camp: Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai
By Srila Prabhupada’s and the Lord’s mercy and with your and all the devotees’ prayers, I survived the stroke. Then, they found that when I was attacked in Madrid Airport by a crazy person in 1989, they had given me a blood transfusion to make up for the lost blood and that contained Hepatitis C virus. They postulated that the virus was from there because when they did the genetic workup of the virus, it was found to be a
Caturatma das: I have been asked to inform the Vaishnava community of the sad news of the departure from this earthly realm of Yamaraja dasa. Yamaraja dasa was the renowned ISKCON photographer and layout artist, design artist and proof reader of Back To Godhead for decades. He left this world this morning, Friday June the 22nd during the brahma muhurta time listening to Srila Prabhupada chanting japa. His departure was expected as he was in the final stages of cancer. Today is the highly auspic
“The waters of the Ganges are always carrying the flavor of tulasi offered at the lotus feet of Sri Krishna, and as such the waters of the Ganges are ever flowing, spreading the glories of Lord Krishna. Wherever the waters of the Ganges are flowing, all will be sanctified, both externally and internally.”
–Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Chapter 7
Thousands of years ago, during a time of conflict between the demigods and demons, the demigods were forced to retreat as the demons rained terror onto the h
“The waters of the Ganges are always carrying the flavor of tulasi offered at the lotus feet of Sri Krishna, and as such the waters of the Ganges are ever flowing, spreading the glories of Lord Krishna. Wherever the waters of the Ganges are flowing, all will be sanctified, both externally and internally.“
–Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Chapter 7
Thousands of years ago, during a time of conflict between the demigods and demons, the demigods were forced to retreat as the demons rained terror onto th
