It is very much that time of the year when harvest is on, at least in Southern Ontario. I ask people, “How does your garden grow ?” usually meaning what did you reap as far as veggies are concerned. The question can seem generic. Is life prosperous physically or spiritually ?
For the last 6 or 7 years I have been encouraging those under my bhakti influences to take to the hobby of planting and growing in whatever little dirt spot you may have. To my friends who lost by fire their trees, garde
From Back to Godhead
Because many factors influence the way we see the world, too much faith in our own perspective can be materially and spiritually dangerous.
My husband and I were counseling a couple and making progress, but then we reached an impasse. The husband insisted that his perceptions of the couple’s interactions were reality and anything different from those perceptions was false or illusory. In other words, his wife’s view was wrong if it differed from his. My husband and I did ou
From Back to Godhead
In many places in his books Srila Prabhupada describes the wonders of prasadam, food prepared with devotion and offered to Krishna. Prabhupada discusses such merits of prasadam as how it effectively immunizes one against the contamination of the material nature, how it frees one from becoming a ghost after death, and even how it is considered ecstatic nectar from the lips of Lord Krishna. In the Chaitanya-charitamrita (Madhya-lila, 4.93, purport) Srila Prabhupada writes:
Th
Kama (Cupid) possesses five arrows, with which he inflicts all conditioned living entities. According to Sripad Prabodhananda Saraswati (in his commentary on the Gita Govinda), these arrows are: infatuation, agitation, heart-burning, extreme dryness and destruction. Let us elaborate:
During the course of one’s life, one sees many members of the opposite sex. There is a natural attraction caused by the arrangement of Maya because we identify ourselves with the body (pumsah-striya-maithuni bhava)
भगवद्गीता यथारूप 108 महत्त्वपूर्ण श्लोक
अध्याय सात भगवदज्ञान
न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः ।
माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः ॥ 15 ॥
न– नहीं;माम्– मेरी;दुष्कृतिनः– दुष्ट;मूढाः– मूर्ख;प्रपद्यन्ते– शरण ग्रहण करते हैं;नर-अधमाः– मनुष्यों में अधम;मायया– माया के द्वारा;अपहृत– चुराये गये;ज्ञानाः– ज्ञान वाले;आसुरम्– आसुरी;भावम्– प्रकृति या स्वभाव को;आश्रिताः– स्वीकार किये हुए।
भावार्थ : जो निपट मुर्ख है, जो मनुष्यों में अधम हैं, जिनका ज्ञान माया द्वारा हर लिया गया है तथा जो असुरों की नास्ति
By Rasika Sekara Das
In the peaceful village of Pajieslys, Lithuania, New Govardhan Ashram stands as a spiritual haven built on the vision of Bhakti Sharan Shanta Swami. Although he has since left the body, his teachings and dreams live on through the local community of devotees, who are now engaged in realizing one of his greatest aspirations: the construction of a new temple, a sanctuary for the worship of Giriraj Govardhan and a center for spiritual growth.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org
By Bhavya Bhatnagar and Ramacarya Das
This year marked a remarkable milestone for ISKCON St. Louis, which celebrated its 50th installation of Nitai-Gaura Nataraja Deities. The deities were originally installed during the last week of August 1974. Over the decades, ISKCON St. Louis has become a vibrant community, serving as a spiritual home and contributing to the St. Louis community. This event was celebrated from Aug. 31st to Sept. 1st at the temple.
Renowned honorable guests who were associ
There was foggy condition at the beach in Burlington when Jagannath Misra and I started our morning walk. From there I was whisked away by the same Jagannath headed for a special place - the African Lion Safari, a big attraction. At the entrance I met the members of the Bhakti Academy Toronto (BAT) as we prepared for an adventure by car through regions of African animals, Australians and the Americans. Before making that journey (a caravan of 3 cars) I mentioned to the group, “We are going to h
From Back to Godhead
By Satyaraja Dasa
A section of the Padma Purana glorifying the Bhagavatam presents an allegorical account of bhakti’s travels.
In India’s traditional wisdom texts, bhakti, or devotion, is sometimes presented as a person. This is especially so in Gaudiya Vaishnava literature. In Kavi Karnapura’s Chaitanya-candrodaya-natakam, for example, we see bhakti personified as a character in a play. In the modern era, Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Bhakti-tattva-viveka describes her as a
By Dharma-setu das
Karana and I got married on the 5th of January 2002. Since then I have received a lot of valuable advice that has at various times helped me in my marriage. Three recommendations have been particularly useful and have stood the test of time. I’d like to share these with you along with some of the realisations that I have gleamed from them.
1 – “Always Forgive One Another”
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Lecture given in Hyderabad, December 17, 1976
The most learned members of society should show others by example how to live peacefully and become Krishna conscious.
saktah karmany avidvamso
yatha kurvanti bharata
kuryad vidvams tathasaktash
chikirshur loka-sangraham
“As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to results, the learned may similarly act, but without attachment, for the sake of leading people on the right path.”—Bh
Mahalaya Paksha, or Pitru Paksha, is a deeply sacred time to remember and honor our ancestors. This year, it begins on September 18, 2024, and will culminate with Mahalaya Amavasya on October 3, 2024. During this period, we have the divine opportunity to offer our heartfelt gratitude and prayers for the peaceful journey of our forefathers in their onward spiritual journey.
In this fortnight of reverence, it is recommended in the Shastras that we perform Śrāddha ceremonies and offer Tarpana (obla
भगवद्गीता यथारूप 108 महत्त्वपूर्ण श्लोक
अध्याय सात भगवदज्ञान
दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया।
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥ 14 ॥
दैवी– दिव्य;हि– निश्चय ही;एषा– यह;गुण-मयी– तीनों गुणों से युक्त;मम– मेरी;माया– शक्ति;दुरत्यया– पार कर पाना कठिन, दुस्तर;माम्– मुझे;एव– निश्चय ही;ये– जो;प्रपद्यन्ते– शरण ग्रहण करते हैं;मायाम् एताम्– इस माया के;तरन्ति– पार कर जाते हैं;ते– वे।
भावार्थ : प्रकृति के तीन गुणों वाली इस मेरी दैवी शक्ति को पार कर पाना कठिन है। किन्तु जो मेरे शरणागत हो जाते हैं,
भगवद्गीता यथारूप 108 महत्त्वपूर्ण श्लोक
अध्याय सात भगवदज्ञान
मत्तः परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय ।
मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव ॥ 7 ॥
मत्तः– मुझसे परे;पर-तरम्– श्रेष्ठ;न– नहीं;अन्यत् किञ्चित्– अन्य कुछ भी;अस्ति– है;धनञ्जय– हे धन के विजेता;मयि– मुझमें;सर्वम्– सब कुछ;इदम्– यह जो हम देखते हैं;प्रोतम्– गुँथा हुआ;सूत्रे– धागों में;मणि-गणाः– मोतियों के दाने;इव– सदृश।
भावार्थ : हे धनञ्जय! मुझसे श्रेष्ठ कोई सत्य नहीं है। जिस प्रकार मोती धागे में गुँथे रहते हैं, उसी प्रकार सब कुछ मुझ पर ही आश्रि
Most people, including the religionists in this world, are blind formulaic followers. They want to join and identify with a group by adopting a particular style of dress, language, and social and religious rituals. Blind followers are not much interested in understanding the principles behind the rules – that’s too much work for them. They prefer to just do what they are told and not have to think about it.
Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller and object of worsh
Many local seniors come to the famous Bhaktivedanta Manor to take time to enjoy the building and estate, learn about the ‘Hare Krishna philosophy’ and even bond with one another.
Most recently, for example, Mahimarnava das and Bhavani hosted no less than 21 retired businessmen from members of the local Probus Club.
Probus Clubs are for retired or semi-retired people from all walks of life and includes business or professional people, which operates worldwide.
“They were amazed at how welcoming
By Atma Tattva Das
The Youth Fest, organized by ISKCON Durban, brought together a large group of young individuals for a day focused on empowerment, service, and spiritual enrichment. This year’s event was notable for the significant collaboration among various communities and organizations, including the South African Police Services (SAPS) Spiritual Crime Prevention Forum. The collaborative effort aimed to address the spiritual needs of young people and provide them with practical life skills.
Following devastating and deadly flooding across central and eastern Europe, thousands across the region have been left in difficult circumstances, many needing to flee their homes or huddle on higher floors. Young volunteers from Food for All-UK in London were able to be on the ground within hours, offering hot meals and supplies.
Loka Saranga Das, who leads the Czech Food for All, said, “On arrival, we began cooking prasad for the desperate people, army, and helpers. It’s a big yajna, but I fe
Before covering territory on wheels today, I decided legs must be in motion before the anticipated journey southbound. Through the area of Muskoka, of which Huntsville is located, a good stretch of the Trans Canada Trail exits. Whenever I see that sign with that maple leaf insignia I don’t exactly drool over it, but I do get excited, so I took to the trail by the water’s edge enjoying a mosquito free trek.
What ecstasy !
Much like the previous day’s journey with its layers, today follows a si
God is one. Moreover, according to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that one God is Krishna, the cowherd boy of Vrindavan, who chooses to expand Himself unlimitedly still remain the same one Supreme Person, just to increase His own pleasure. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.3.28) designates this original Godhead as svayam bhagavān: Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead has three primary energies. The first is antarańga–śakti, or the internal potency. The second is known as taṭastha–śakti, th
