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By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi,

Bhakti Kids, an initiative of ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry, invites devotees worldwide to participate in the 2025 Bhisma Panchaka Challenge, a powerful five-day spiritual intensive that promises to multiply your devotional efforts one hundred times over.

Running from November 1st through 5th, this special observance coincides with the final five days of Kartik month, a period Krishna Himself describes in scripture as extraordinarily auspicious. “

Responding swiftly to Gajendra’s fervent plea, Lord Vishnu, mounted atop his Vahana Garuda, hastened to the scene. Witnessing the divine approach, Gajendra, in an act of profound devotion, raised a lotus with his trunk. Pleased by this heartfelt gesture, Lord Vishnu wielded his Sudarshana Chakra, severing the crocodile’s head and liberating Gajendra from mortal peril.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=116415

By Atma Tattva Das

Across continents and cultures, from Russia to Vietnam, Greece to India, crowds have stopped mid-stride to watch a river of color glide through their streets. Women in coordinated saris dance in rhythmic unity, cymbals shimmering as Krishna’s holy names rise through the air. This joyful vision, both elegant and devotional, is a model to many of how Harinam Sankirtan can be presented to the public.

At its center stands Nilachala Devi Dasi, sankirtan leader of Nitya Harinam, a co

On September 15-16, 2025, Georgetown University convened religious leaders and scholars for a major two-day conference commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on the Catholic Church’s relationship with non-Christian religions.

The event, titled “Nostra Aetate at 60: Legacy and Challenges for Reconciliation and Interreligious Understanding,” was co-sponsored by Georgetown’s Office of the President, the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, a

It is stated in the Kārttika-māhātmya section of the Padma Purāṇa:

śuklāṣṭamī kārttike tu

smṛtā gopāṣṭamī budhaiḥ

tad-dinād vāsudevo ‘bhūd

gopaḥ pūrvaṁ tu vatsapaḥ

“The eighth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kārttika is known by authorities as Gopāṣṭamī. From that day, Lord Vāsudeva served as a cowherd, whereas previously He had tended the calves.”

The word padaiḥ indicates that Lord Kṛṣṇa blessed the earth by walking on her surface with His lotus feet. The Lord wore no shoes

By Parsada dasi

During kartik last year, a very dear friend of mine, Padma visted Sri Vrindavan Dham, and a sincere devotee for many years. She arrived a day after the much celebrated Gopastami festival. As we made our way to the ISKCON goshala that afternoon, I described to her our Gopastami festival, where our Srimati Radharani is dressed as the cowherd boy Subal and at this time Her devotees relish the sweet darshan of Her lotus feet, the only time in the year except Radhastami. On this wo

suklastami karttike tu
smrta gopastami budhaih
tad-dinad vasudevo ‘bhud
gopah purvam tu vatsapah

“The eighth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartik is known by authorities as Gopastami. From that day, Lord Vasudeva served as a cowherd, whereas previously He had tended the calves.”
-Srimad Bhagavatam 10.15.1, translation

Many important pastimes take place on Gopastami. One pastime takes place on this day a few years after Krishna first started tending the cows. On this day, Jat

Today is Gopastami, the day on which Krishna and Balarama and other boys Their age, who previously had tended the calves, were given charge of the cows. This event is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.15.1):

tatas ca pauganda-vayah-sritau vraje
  babhuvatus tau pasu-pala-sammatau
gas carayantau sakhibhih samam padair
  vrndavanam punyam ativa cakratuh

“When Lord Rama and Lord Krsna attained the age of pauganda [six to ten] while living in Vrndavana, the cowherd men allowed Them to take up the

Hare Krishna, AGTSP.

Enjoy a wide variety of Sri Damodarastakam prayers from many devotees/temples on this Spotify playlist.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2SMWc8Xw03CxCVYnpqJZBS?si=DZvz-hgeSIOgB-Hgbixh1Q&pi=_sKN3piaQPq1R

A few days left in this month of Katik to be absorbed in this beautiful pastime of the Lord.

(1)namamisvaram sac-cid-ananda-rupamlasat-kundalam gokule bhrajamanamyasoda-bhiyolukhalad dhavamanamparamrstam atyantato drutya gopya

(2)rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantamkarambhoja-yug

In this thoughtful reflection for Religious News Service (RNS), Joshua M. Greene (Yogeshvara Dasa) recalls his memorable 90-minute conversation with Jane Goodall during the 2000 United Nations World Peace Summit. Though surrounded by religious dignitaries in robes and rituals, Goodall stood out by speaking of nature itself as sacred rather than relying on institutional affiliations.

Greene notes that Goodall’s legacy challenges believers of any faith to reconsider how we relate to the natural wo

By Aseem Krishna Das 

A grand Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Shobha Yatra Festival was organized in the Karnal district of Haryana from 10th September to 5th October 2025. This year, the Shobha Yatra was held at three different locations across Karnal. The local congregation was fully engaged and absorbed throughout the entire month-long festival, spreading the holy names of the Lord and experiencing divine ecstasy.

The devotees organized a series of events leading up to the auspicious month of Kartik

Sri Mayapur Dham, the spiritual headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), recently witnessed a heart-touching and memorable celebration of Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day — a day that evokes both gratitude and reverence in the hearts of devotees worldwide.

A Morning of Love and Remembrance

The day began early at 7:00 a.m., as hundreds of devotees gathered to participate in a beautiful Harinam procession, carrying Srila Prabhupada’s murti on a gorgeousl

“The spirit of Govardhan Puja”, The deeper meaning and mood behind the celebration of Govardhan Puja, explained by Radhanath Swami himself. Kartik Yatra 2025: a devotional pilgrimage during the sacred Kartik month celebrated with deep spiritual practices like kirtan (chanting), kathas (spiritual discourses), and parikrama (holy walks).

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=116340

When we sit in kirtan, we can shut out all the other lamps that light our path to the world—our fame, our money, our material attachments and desires, our plans, aspirations, inclinations, etc., and make this a time with Krishna.

One good practice that I always like to do is to imagine myself sitting before Krishna. It could be an altar, in a temple. It could be the spiritual world, as I have heard about it. And then I sing for Him and for Srimati Radharani, alone.

By spending this time alone wi

Event Highlight: The post promotes the Kartik Nabadwip Mandal Parikrama 2025, a spiritual pilgrimage organized by ISKCON Mayapur.

Source: https://www.dandavats.com/?p=116398

By Nitai Madhav Das  

The ICC Book Distribution Committee successfully organized the Bharat Sankirtan Leaders Sanga on the 23rd and 24th of September 2025 at ISKCON NVCC, Pune. Around 150 devotees — temple sankirtan leaders, senior book distributors, and preachers — gathered from all over India. The atmosphere was filled with devotion, enthusiasm, and gratitude as devotees came together with one purpose: to strengthen Śrīla Prabhupāda’s book distribution mission and keep the sankirtan spirit al

By Atma Tattva Das,

The 12th Annual Bhaktivedanta Swami Lecture (BSL), hosted in partnership between the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Africa (BBTA) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), marked a milestone in ISKCON’s academic engagement in South Africa. This year’s event took the shape of a full-scale academic conference, celebrating fifty years since His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s arrival in the country.

For the first time, devotees, scholars, and professionals shared

By Prabhavati Gopi Devi Dasi 

The Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education (VIHE) in Vṛndāvana has announced new seva opportunities for devotees interested in contributing their professional and devotional skills. The institute seeks qualified candidates for various educational, administrative, and technical services, both onsite and online, to support its expanding educational mission.

The Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education (VIHE) has announced seva opportunities for devotees worldwide to