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By Kadamba Kanana Swami

Dhrtarastra was blind; not just physically blind but also spiritually blind. This is because he did not understand the goal of life. Bhagavad-gita says that we are all also blind in that way:

om ajnana-timirandhasya
jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena
tasmai sri-gurave namah (Bhagavad-gita As It Is – Introduction)

It says that we have taken birth in the deepest and darkest ignorance. It acknowledges that we do not know what the goal of life is. We sometimes think t

Another mesmerizing event recently took place here at the TOVP – Raising of the flagpole and new flag on the main dome!

Previously, because of the crane we were unable to keep the flagpole to our desired height. Now that the crane is no longer present we have raised it to the proper height. From the Kalash to the top the flagpole now stands 20 meters/60 feet! The flag has also been replaced by a full size one 9 meters/30 feet in length.

In addition, we have been able to personally witness the s

When the TOVP Tour sets out to different countries and cities, we don't know what to expect in terms of financial support. Although getting contributions and pledges is our overall aim, we are also pleased to facilitate Lord Nityanada's and Lord Nrsimhadeva's desire to simply bless devotees all over the world with their merciful darshan. Such was the case when we started planning the TOVP 2018 Euro Tour. As a matter of fact, many European countries decidedly dropped out of the tour because they

28 April 2018 - Disappearance Day of Sri Jayananda Prabhu

The test of a theory is in its implementation. While one can spend a lot of time analyzingthe process of bhakti, faith readily comes when one sees the theoryin action. Jayananda Prabhu is such a devotee who exemplified in analmost classical manner the process of bhakti from inception tocompletion. When he left his body on May 1, 1977, Srila Prabhupadainstructed that his disappearance day should be celebrated as that of a great Vaisnava.

Today marks the appearance anniversary of Rukmini Devi, one of Krishna's primary queens in Dwaraka. Rukmini Devi is the eternal consort of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She is the internal pleasure potency of the Lord. Whereas Srimati Radharani is Krishna’s consort in His childhood home of Vrindavana, Rukmini Devi is His chief queen in Dwaraka, His opulent capital. She was betrothed to the envious-minded Shishupala, but Krishna kidnapped her after she wrote Him a letter asking

Rukmini abducted by Lord Krishna Suka Maha Muni then narrated the exciting Story to King Parikshith about Lord Krishna’s abduction of Rukmini and their wedding. Rukmini the elder daughter of Bhishmaka, King of Vidarbha and the elder brother Rukmi fancied Krishna to be her husband since her childhood. Krishna too had a longing for her.But Rukmi convinced his father that Sisupala the King of Chedi was the most suitable bridegroom for her. As this was not agreeble to Rukmini despite the pressure of

Krishna and Rukmini 

Bheeshmaka, the king of Vidarbha had two children, Prince Rukmi and Princess Rukmini. Bheeshmaka had heard many stories of Krishna's valor and secretly wished him to be his son-in-law. He knew that it might not be possible as Kamsa's father in law, Jarasandha, was their overlord and he was Krishna's sworn enemy. Now Rukmi was a friend of Kamsa and owed his allegiance to Jarasandha. He wanted his younger sister to marry Shishupala, the crown prince of Chedi, who also was favor

Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 10 Chapter 54 Text 10-12 Krishna Marries Rukmini by HH Radhanath Swami on 13 Dec 2014 at ISKCON Chowpatty

(Radhanath Swami was born in Chicago in 1950. Radhanath Swami's childhood name was Richard Slavin; Radhanath Swami was given the name Radhanath Swami after he entered the renounced order. In his teenage years)

To Listen and Download - click here

All the princes led by Jarasandha became very angry at Krsna's kidnapping Rukmini. Struck by the beauty of Rukmini, they had fallen from the backs of their horses and elephants, but now they began to stand up and properly arm themselves. Picking up their bows and arrows, they began to chase Krsna on their chariots, horses and elephants. To check their progress, the soldiers of the Yadu dynasty turned and faced them. Thus terrible fighting between the two belligerent groups began. The princes opp

My dear Krsna, O infallible and most beautiful one, any human being who
happens to hear about Your transcendental form and pastimes immediately
absorbs through his ears Your name, fame and qualities; thus all his
material pangs subside, and he fixes Your form in his heart. Through such
transcendental love for You, he always sees You within himself; and by this
process all his desires are fulfilled. Similarly, I have heard of Your
transcendental qualities. I may be shameless in expressing myself

Lecture on Lord Krishna's Exchange with Queen Rukmini by HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami at ISKCON Durban

(Originally from New Zealand, Bhakti Caitanya Swami joined the Hare Krishna movement in London, early in 1973. Almost a year before, as a philosophy student at Auckland University, he had first seen his future spiritual master walking across the campus with his followers. Srila Prabhupada initiated Bhakti Caitanya Swami later in 1973, giving him the name Raghubir Dasa. )

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Lecture on Rukmini's Message to Lord Krishna by HG Vishwarup Prabhu on 31 Oct 2014 at Chowpatty

(He is a spiritual counsellor at Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Gopal's Garden High School & at ISKCON Chowpatty temple. He is a regular spiritual speaker on TV. He loves preaching & takes devotees on yatra regularly. Besides being a counsellor, he also serves ISKCON by playing the role of administrator trustee at the school and hospital.)

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The basic story Bheeshmak, the king of Vidarbha, had two children, Prince Rukmi and Princess Rukmini. Bheeshmak had heard many stories of Krishna's valor and secretly wished him to be his son-in-law. He knew that it might not be possible as Kans's father in law, Jarasandh, was their overlord and he was Krishna's sworn enemy.

Now Rukmi was a friend of Kans and owed his allegiance to Jarasandh. He wanted his younger sister to marry Shishupal, Krishna's cousin and prince of Chedi, who also was fav

Once upon a time, a man found a magical lamp 
That could materialise his dream of total life-revamp
He could rub the lamp and summon a genie, 
Who was at his beck and call and helped him earn money
Only condition ever, this crazy genie had
That if left idle and bored, 
Genie would attack the man and leave him dead.
Man kept the genie engaged and made a fortune
Genie kept dancing to his master’s tunes
One day this man got tired and wanted to take a break
Genie came to know this and started going

The highlight of Chandan yatra festival in  Mayapur is that different veshas depicting various pastimes of the Lord are offered to small Sri Radha-Madhava. Devotees wait eagerly for the curtains to open to reveal the day’s pastime. Being the last day of Sri Radha-Madhava boat & Swing festival, very aptly, Khat Dholi or swing pastime of the Lord is the vesha offered. Sri Madhava also gave His special Darshan of the year as Blue Madhava in blue chandan.

Khat Dholi: Swing Pastime

Of all the festiv

By Kadamba Kanana Swami

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah

When Srila Prabhupada was lecturing on the appearance day of Lord Nrsimhadev in Bombay, he was lecturing immediately after a play and he was glorifying Hiranyakasipu because the part was played so well. Then he explained more about the pastimes of Lord Nrsimhadev and at the end he said, “If I had more time, I would have spoken about the prayers of Prahlad.” These prayers of Prahlad

By Chaitanya Charan das

madopaśamanaṁ śāstraṁ khalānāṁ kurute madam
cakṣuḥ prakāśakaṁ teja ulūkānām ivāndhatām

madopaśamanam — removers of arrogance; śāstram — scriptures; khalānām — for the wicked; kurute — they increase; madam — arrogance; cakṣuḥ-prakāśakam — eye illuminating; tejaḥ — brilliance [of the sun]; ulūkānām — for the owls; iva — like; andhatām — blindness.

“The arrogance of the wicked increases on studying scripture, which is actually meant to remove arrogance, just as the darkness