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By Karnamrita Das

[reposted from 9-21-2010] We have had back to back to back holy days commemorating the appearance or disappearance of great saints in Gaudiya Vaishnavism. These include the appearance day of Shrila Jiva Gosvami (sort of hidden by Lord Vamanadeva’s appearance on the same day), the appearance of Bhaktivinoda Thakur, and today, the disappearance day of the “namacharya” (great teacher of the glories of the holy name) Shrila Haridas Thakur.

Though I can’t do them justice especially

By Giriraj Swami

While I was chanting japa at Butterfly Beach, about forty crows converged on the sand nearby, and I told Jivan-mukta, “Look: a place of pilgrimage for crows (vayasam tirtham),” referring Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.1:

na yad vacas citra-padam harer yaso
  jagat-pavitram pragrnita karhicit
tad vayasam tirtham usanti manasa
  na yatra hamsa niramanty usik-ksayah

“Those words which do not describe the glories of the Lord, who alone can sanctify the atmosphere of the whole universe, are

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

As a Part of 'Sri Krishna Janmastami Celebrations' on the final day September 7th, ISKCON Guntur has conducted a Youth Awareness Rally on the theme 'Say No To Bad Habits-Save The Youth' organised on behalf of ISKCON Youth Forum Guntur.

Around 1500 students from various colleges & schools has participated in the rally.

In the year 1992, the last of the four Asta-sakhis, or principle associates of Srimati Radharani, appeared in Mayapur and took their places on the altar. Rangadevi and Sudevi were two of these four, and they stand third and fourth on Srimati Radharani‘s left.

Rangadevi and Sudevi are identical twins. Their father is Rangasara and their mother is Karuna. Rangadevi is married to Vakreksana, and Sudevi is married to Bhairava. They both have the complexion of padma-kinjalka, the yellowish-red colour

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear sons of the King, I am very much pleased by the friendly relationships among you. All of you are engaged in one occupation—devotional service. I am so pleased with your mutual friendship that I wish you all good fortune. Now you may ask a benediction of Me.
PURPORT
Since the sons of King Pracinabarhisat were all united in Krsna consciousness, the Lord was very pleased with them. Each and every one of the sons of King Pracinabarhisat was an indivi

Praghosa Das: I was saddened to hear about the fire at the Manor’s Goshala but incredibly grateful to Krishna that nobody was hurt and that the cows are safe. I was also very happy to learn that Jagaddhatri, Devaki and Sanjay are all fine after being treated in hospital for smoke inhalation.

The quick actions and tireless work of both our devotees and emergency services helped to contain the fire, and avoid what could have been an unimaginable disaster. It is testimony to the devotees’ ‘can

By Giriraj Swami

“Dedicated to the sacred service of Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who initiated the teachings of Lord Chaitanya in the Western world (McGill University, Canada) in 1896, the year of my birth.” These words are Srila Prabhupada’s dedication to Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, the first book he published after coming to America. They also apply to Srila Prabhupada’s life, which was dedicated to the sacred service of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprab

Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami explains in this particular narration we can understand very clearly how much the Lord loves His devotee, what the Lord is willing to do for His devotee; how the Lord is intoxicated in ecstasy by the love of His devotees. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when He was living in Puri during the last eighteen years of His lila, His ecstasy of separation from Krsna was growing every day more and more and more. During the day He would perform nama-sankirtana with His devotees and du

श्री कृष्ण बलराम मंदिर, सनीवेल, कैलिफ़ोर्निया, अमेरिका के जन्माष्ठमी के शुभ उत्सव पर सैकङों परिवारों ने गो माता की पूजा की । कृपया इस वीडियो में उसी पूजा का एक अंश देखें।

जय गौ माता !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbgrIyQF8Mo

Hundreds of families performed Cow Puja during the Janamashtami celebrations at the Shri Krishna Balram Mandir of Sunnyvale, California, USA. Please watch a short piece of this puja at this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbgrIyQF8Mo

Jai Go Mata!

Can you capture the moment when you accepted Krsna as the ultimate truth.

Because many of the sadhus I met in India were smoking ganja, I did not have much faith in them. They always asked where I was from and just wanted some money to smoke ganja. So I thought to myself that this cannot be spiritual life. I kept quite aloof from them, but after some time I started feeling that I was not making much progress in my pursuit for the truth. Rather than getting involved with a particular book, I w

Have you heard kirtana leaders say “Chant from the heart!”? What do they mean by this?

We have three hearts: the physical pump, the emotional heart and the spiritual heart. Whenever we want to align ourselves to the chanting of the Holy Name we refer to the third heart, the heart in which we experience spiritual feelings. For instance, when you read the Srimad-Bhagavatam or chant, have you noticed that you feel relieved? You feel as though you are above the clouds? This is a reaction in the spi

BY SRILA BHAKTIVINODA THAKUR

The history of the establishment of the great temple in Puri, and the hypocrisy of temple priests as opposed to sincere devotional worship in pure love of God. Written by the Thakur in English, 1871.

There is not a Hindu who has not heard the name of this temple. The old and the young, the male and the female, the Rajah and the ryot, and the weak and the stout, all visit this temple out of a religious curiosity. Three hundred and one miles south-west of the Vice-Reg

By Gour Govinda Swami

This is a translation of part of a speech delivered in Oriya by HH Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja on September 2, 1993, the 155th anniversary of the appearance of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. On that day a public meeting was held at the Dinabandhu Sahoo Law College, Kendrapara, Orissa, to glorify Thakura Bhaktivinoda, whose portrait was installed in honor of his being the first law graduate of Orissa.

namo bhaktivinodaya

sac-cid-ananda-namine

gaura-sakti-svarupaya

rupanuga-v

By Giriraj Swami

Bali Maharaja has become the most famous among the demons and nonbelievers, for in spite of being bereft of all material opulences, he is fixed in his devotional service.” (SB 8.22.28)

Purport: In this verse, the words sidann api na muhyati are very important. A devotee is sometimes put into adversity while executing devotional service. In adversity, everyone laments and becomes aggrieved, but by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a devotee, even in the worst cond

By Vamanadeva das
(from the sannyasa book based on Srila Prabhupadas instructions:(but is is instructions for us all)

10. STRIVES TO ADVANCE IN SPIRITUAL LIFE

SANNYASIS DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING EXCEPT STRIVE FOR ADVANCEMENT IN SPIRITUAL LIFE

As for those who are not grhasthas–the brahmacaris, vanaprasthas and sannyasis–they don’t have to do anything but strive for advancement in spiritual life. This means that three fourths of the entire population should stop sense gratification and simply b

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam2.7.17 on the occasion of Vamana-dvadasi.

“In the beginning stage we sort of surrender but then we go back on our surrender. As Bhurijana Prabhu said, ‘They surrender, but then they take it back.’ This is common in Kali-yuga, because the atmosphere is so polluted and so surcharged with nescience that it is easy to be affected. The illusory energy will wear away one’s determination to surrender to Krishna. It is hard to withstand the assaults of

In 1986, just before the annual Gaura Purnima Festival, Sri Inulekha devi and three other sakhis were installed in Sri Dham Mayapur and joined Sri Sri Radha Madhava on the altar.  Indulekha Devi stands next to Visakha Devi, second gopi on Srimati Radharani’s right.

Sri Indulekha Devi is one of the eight principle gopis, or Asta-sakhis, the most confidential associates of Srimati Radharani. Her father is Sagara, her mother is Vela Devi, and her husband is Durbala. Indulekha Devi’s complexion is d