“Time and time again I am coming back to this point because it has become quite a common practice in India to present somebody as God or present oneself as God. We can see that those people didn’t even read Bhagavad-gita, and even if they did read, they didn’t understand Bhagavad-gita. The extent of their understanding of Bhagavad-gita is karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana. [Bg 2.47] “You work like a donkey and don’t worry about the results. Give the results to me”, that is their interp
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This morning I happened upon this nice Study Guide on the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. It begins with the Introduction to the Bhagavad-gita, some notes on the Original Edition, the significance of the Bhagavad-gita, a philosophical synopsis, chapter by chapter summary, Q & A, and a suguested teaching syllabus. All in all ,a very nice presentation prepared by disciples and followers of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
We are offing it here as a free pdf download that you can
By Madhava Smullen
Vedic Stories for Children Volume 2, a CD produced by the world-renowned Bhaktivedanta Players, was launched during the Diwali and Annakut festivals at Bhaktivedanta Manor in England.
Over the two days the Bhaktivedanta Players peformed interactive skits, and The Kids’ Sankirtan Party, a group created by the Go Matsya book distribution team, performed a Ramayana drama. Meanwhile copies of the new CD were offered for purchase.
Volume 1 of the series was released on Gaura
By Sesa Dasa
Sesa Dasa, a member of ISKCON’s Ministry for Educational Development, looks at the place of ‘virtue’ in the lives of devotees. He notes the changes that thirty years of devotional practice have made to his outlook on life and takes lessons from Mahabharata about the apparent conflict between material and spiritual duty.
Thirty years is time enough. Thirty years, out of a life of fifty-one, spent in the Hare Krsna movement, is certainly time enough. A thirty-year period provides eno
An Address by Giriraj Swami to Leaders of Hindu Organizations October 23, 2009 Houston
The Bhagavad-gita is also known as the Gitopanisad and is considered one of the Upanisads. The title Bhagavad-gita is sometimes translated as “The Song of God.” Gita mean “song.” God, Krsna, is so sublime that whatever He speaks is music and poetry. The word bhagavan has been analyzed by Vedic authorities. Bhaga means “opulence” and is related to the word bhagya: “good fortune.” And van means “one who possess
By Urmila devi dasi
I watch the sun rising over the horizon where the Pacific Ocean touches the sky. In the beauty of its red glow painting sea, sky, and clouds, I chant the Brahma gayatri mantra, a meditation on the sun. Receiving and chanting this mantra is an essential part of diksa, initiation into the succession of spiritual teachers and disciples from the beginning of universal creation. Those unfamiliar with gayatri might wonder why modern educated people would mediate on the sun, having
ISKCON Mayapur management invites worldwide devotees for Gaura Purnima festival 2019, from 27th February to 23rd March.
This year, the most awaited Sri Panca-tattva Maha abhisheka will be celebrated on 3rd March 2019. Once in four years, the big deities of Sri Panca-tattva will be offered Maha Abhisheka.
Kirtan Mela will be from 5th March to 8th March , followed by Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama from 9th March to 16th March.
Gaura Purnima 2019 festival schedule:
27th February Devotee
TEXT 7
rajo ragatmakam viddhi
trsna-sanga-samudbhavam
tan nibadhnati kaunteya
karma-sangena dehinam
trsna-sanga-samudbhavam
tan nibadhnati kaunteya
karma-sangena dehinam
SYNONYMS
rajah—mode of passion; raga-atmakam—born of desire or lust; viddhi—know; trsna—hankering; sanga—association; samudbhavam—produced of; tat—that; nibadhnati—is bound; kaunteya—O son of Kunti; karma-sangena—association with fruitive activity; dehinam—of the embodied.
TRANSLATION
The mode of passion is born of unlimited desires and longings, O son of Kunti, and because of this one is bound to materia
By Madhava Smullen
In ISKCON today, we typically call everyone who joined the movement “the first generation.” We call all the children of those who joined “second generation,” no matter their age, and all their children “third generation.”
But now the gurukuli pioneers who first coined the phrase “second generation” have come forward to say that continuing to use the term to describe everyone across a thirty-year timespan is confusing and problematic.
In the late 1980s, those who had atten
By Chaitanya Charan Das
We all have certain abilities that enable us to make a contribution and gain satisfaction.
When we use our abilities properly, we get a sense of self-worth and specialness. But sometimes those talents can also make us proud because we may feel superior to those who do not have such talents. To avoid such pride, we need to see our abilities appropriately. Gita wisdom explains that our talents are not our entitlements, that is, we are not entitled to have these talents. E
Visakha dasi ACBSP: Think of a topiary. A topiary is a shrub clipped to create a particular shape. When we look at a topiary, we don’t see the plant’s natural shape but the shape that’s been imposed on it. Topiaries may be visually entertaining, but when that “clipping” is applied to people and they are forced to function in ways that may be artificial for them, it leads to misery. To prevent someone from serving Krishna according to his or her personal proclivities is a kind of violence. No on
We read from Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Chapter Three: “Karma-yoga.”
TEXT 41
tasmat tvam indriyany adau
niyamya bharatarsabha
papmanam prajahi hy enam
jnana-vijnana-nasanam
TRANSLATION
Therefore, O Arjuna, best of the Bharatas, in the very beginning curb this great symbol of sin [lust] by regulating the senses, and slay this destroyer of knowledge and self-realization.
PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada
The Lord advised Arjuna to regulate the senses from the very beginning so that he could curb the g
Please come and chant with us…..in japa as well as in kirtan.
* Deepen your relationship with the Holy Name.
* Spend these days in seclusion in beautiful Ekachakra – away from all usual distractions.
* Hear about the glories of the Holy Name in the association of like- minded devotees and practically apply what you have heard in kirtan and japa.
* Experience a different reality – associate with Krsna in person, through His Holy Name.
* Open your heart and allow the Holy Name to do His mysterio
By Vaisesika Dasa
Journalist Thomas Paine in 1776 sparked the American Revolution by writing and widely distributing his pamphlet, Common Sense. Fidel Castro – while in a Cuban prison – crafted his speech History will Absolve Me, had it smuggled it out of the prison and distributed to the masses. The result? The Cubin public overthrew the government and installed Castro as their leader.
And for thousands of years, our own acaryas have invested their time and energy to write and publish transcen
By Gauranga Darshan Das
It’s best to act appropriately in a situation rather than regret later!
It’s better to regret for one’s poor response rather than justifying it!
It’s worse to justify one’s impulsive act and deny responsibility for its result!
Did someone ever mistreat you? Did you ever hurt someone? How had been your response in either case? A sensitive heart regrets when one fails to respond sensitively. Having said or done something that pained someone or yourself, one often thin
TEXT 6
tatra sattvam nirmalatvat
prakasakam anamayam
sukha-sangena badhnati
jnana-sangena canagha
prakasakam anamayam
sukha-sangena badhnati
jnana-sangena canagha
SYNONYMS
tatra—thereafter; sattvam—mode of goodness; nirmalatvat—being purest in the material world; prakasakam—illuminating; anamayam—without any sinful reachon; sukha—happiness; sangena—association; badhnati—conditions; jnana—knowledge; sangena—association; ca—also; anagha—O sinless one.
TRANSLATION
O sinless one, the mode of goodness, being purer than the others, is illuminating, and it frees one from al
Geeta Bhandari: Yesterday someone walked past me and said, “You’re a beggar, you’re nothing but a beggar”. He then walked off. His comment was said with malice yet I knew he was sent by Caitanya Mahaprabhu to remind me that yes I am a beggar, a beggar begging for the mercy and love of God. I also realized that as a book distributor I’m on the streets begging myself and others to awaken our spiritual identity in order to be able to relate to each other in the mood of pure selflessness so that we
“Topmost Yoga System” Just one of Srila Prabhupada’s books sufficient to change a life forever!
In 1970, I was a young man visiting friends in Montreal. I had just come to the surface of the city after a ride on the subway (underground) when a very enthusiastic devotee approached me with a copy of *Topmost Yoga System*. The friend I was with tried to discourage me from taking anything, but I was curious, gave the devotee a donation and took the book. Apparently, that was the end of the day for
HARE KRISHNA.
Please click the link to know the Evidences from Scriptures that WHO IS SRI KRISHNA CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU ?
By Madhava Smullen
The Manor Preschool, located on the campus at ISKCON’s Bhaktivedanta Manor in England, has received an “Outstanding” grade after a recent Ofsted inspection.
Ofsted (The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills) is the government organization responsible for inspecting all schools and nurseries in the UK.
Arriving unannounced so as to see the Manor Preschool as it is, the Ofsted inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors a
