“Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami who started it all” is a fascinating and informative documentary that is shrewdly crafted, giving a one-sided, favourable account of the Guru who spread Krishna consciousness globally. The film tells us how Prabhupada, a fol
Starting Point: SitaRam Temple, Punkunnam, Thrissur, Kerala
Time: Dec 23, 2017 - 2pm
By Padmapani das
Sometimes it appears very difficult to make advancement in Krishna consciousness and we become impatient. If we expect immediate results and they aren’t forthcoming, we can easily become discouraged. For those of us who are unable to live in a temple (or even near a temple), this is especially true. So what’s the solution?
In November of 1969 while speaking in London’s Conway Hall, Srila Prabhupada stated the following:
“The process is very simple. Just keep a picture of Lord C
Is it wrong to want to taste Krsna? Wouldn’t that desire be sense gratification? Shouldn’t we just serve without any personal desire? These are important questions to address.
There is a difference between taste in Krsna consciousness and sense gratification, although they can seem similar, and thus difficult to distinguish. We discuss this difference, as well as the necessity of developing the proper taste for Krsna consciousness.
Mahatma Das: The Goal is to Gratify Krsna’s Senses
What is the
There is one price that one must pay to get Krsna. That price is intense eagerness. This intense eagerness is called laulyam , “greed.”
In his Padyavali, Rupa Goswami has composed the following verse:
“Pure devotional service in Krsna consciousness cannot be had even by pious activity in hundreds and thousands of lives. It can be attained only by paying one price—that is, intense greed to obtain it. If bhakti is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay.”
Here Rupa Goswami says th
By Vraja Kishor
QUESTION: Another thing which I wanted to ask you was regarding Chanting. Japa as I have understood is a Dhayana Yoga with Dhayana being done on Sri Naam which is non different from Sri Hari. So whatever Krishna has said in Chapter 6 can be taken as an aid towards Sri Naam Dhayan.
This is true but remember what he says later too. For example in Chapter 12 at the beginning.
Krishna nāma mantra is basically like any other form of meditation (dhyāna), and therefore should follow th
By Subhag Swami
I am very happy to hear that devotees are gathering together in Penang to pay their homage to His Holiness Bhakti Vrajendra Swami Maharaj and showing their love, affection, dedication and loving service to the cause of our society, mission of Sri ChaitnyaMahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada. He is definitely a great soul, Mahatma… I know him from Birmingham from early 70’s. He used to come to the Birmingham centre and whatever he gets, he used to help the centre as the temple used to
By Kesava Krsna Dasa
Because we think we are “not the body”, it can lead us to do so many wrong things in the name of Bhakti. It can induce false detachment and renunciation. That is, pushing oneself to be detached without spiritual taste to replace it – it becomes an off-the-body form of mind and body deprivation that does not last, because it is exerted by passion, not natural spiritual progress.
An artificial renouncer might think, “I am denying myself of all trappings of sense gratificati
By Ramai Swami
There are many devotional programs going on in the greater Sydney area. Sometimes they are held in halls and other times at devotee homes. Generally, there is kirtan, lecture, arati and prasadam feast.
Recently, I was invited to attend a program in the home of Umesh Prabhu and his good wife Suman Prabhu. They have a beautiful dedicated temple room and about fifty enthusiastic devotees attended the evening.
Source: http://www.ramaiswami.com/sydney-west-program/
By Giriraj Swami
Today Santa Barbara County lifted the evacuation order for the neighborhood of my ashram in Carpinteria, and Kuntidevi will be returning with the Deities and other items, to begin the arduous process of cleaning up the property, reestablishing the worship, and restoring the ashram to proper function. We wish her well in her endeavor, in difficult circumstances, by Srila Prabhupada and Their Lordships’ grace.
Hare Krishna.
By Bhagavan Dasa
Since a long time in its history, Teresópolis, Brazil, has been considered a good place for rest. Its name, "City of Teresa", is due to the fact that the empress Mrs. Teresa Cristina, wife of the emperor D. Pedro II, considered the city one of her favorite places for trip and vacations. Among traders coming from north, Teresopolis also represented a landing place, but shorter: on their way to do business in the port of Rio de Janeiro, they would stop for a day in Teresópolis an
Concerned about India’s falling rank on the Global Hunger Index, ISKCON Food Relief Foundation’s Haryana chapter is to launch a campaign against hunger. Through this campaign, the foundation aims at eradicating hunger and malnutrition from India starting with the Haryana State.
The recently announced Global Hunger Index (GHI-2017) is nothing less than an alarm bell for India. The country ranked 97 in GHI-2016, but has slipped to 100 this year. Concerned about the declining rank, ISKCON Food Rel
"Distribution of books and magazines is our most important activity.Without books, our preaching has no solid basis"- Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Cyavana 26-12-71.
Embracing these divine words of Srila Prabhupada in their hearts and acting accordingly, The devotees from Surat has once again emerged victorious in their 4 hours combat against Maya during a fabulous Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in the Vesu area of Surat city on 10-12-17.
Troops of devotees entered the residential buildings of thi
John Griesser, who has directed the docu-drama Hare Krishna, which is based on Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, opened up about the challenges faced while making the docu-drama in a candid interview.
Talking about the challenges faced, Griesser said, “The biggest challenge was how to distil down into 90 minutes the mass of material we had to work with: 31 hours of archival films of Prabhupada and his Movement and 1800 hours of audio of him speaking. In addition, we sh
By Karnamrita Das
THE POWER OF QUESTIONS and MEDITATION ON WHO WE THINK WE ARE: A natural process for me, almost like breathing, is my daily and frequent contemplation to question myself as to what I am truly absorbed in, focused on, and desire more than anything else, and also my aspirations and highest ideals, or what I want to be absorbed in, and become.( My prayer life is full of sharing this with Krishna, and praying for the empowerment to best serve others by who I am, and who I am becomin
By Giriraj Swami
I have been moved by the many devotees who have written me expressing their concern about the wildfires in the Carpinteria area and informing me of their prayers for me and the other residents. Your concern and prayers mean much to me, and I feel obliged to you all and offer you my heartfelt thanks. Your care is much appreciated, and you all are very dear to me.
Hare Krishna.
By Kadamba Kanana Swami
I remember going door-to-door on book distribution and it was all okay until I came to this one house. The door opened and there was a monster – a huge guy, all leather clad, looking like an enormous Hells Angel. In those days, there were many of them.
I was thinking and I started to pray to Lord Nrsimhadeva, “Oh my god, how do I get out of here quietly?” but it was too late and the guy said, “What do you want?”
I go like, (high-pitched soft voice) “Book.”
He says, “Oh, h
