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CHAPTER 3:  KARMA YOGA ( DISCHARGE OF DUTY)

A true devotee of our most beloved lord Sri Krishna can attain his lotus feet either through Gyana (knowledge), Karma ( discharge of the prescribed duty) , Bhakti ( devotion), Prapatti (total unconditional surrender also called Baranyasam, surrendering all our burden unto the lotus feet of the lord ) etc. Out of all these routes, to attain the lotus feet of our Lord Sri Krishna, the simplest one is Karma Yoga for here right from the stage of our though

Questions Are the Answer : My "Question for the Week," got me thinking about the power of the questions we ask ourselves or others. Some verses came to mind, as well as my limited understanding about what the questions we ask tell us about ourselves and our absorption. Many of us know, from such verses as follows, the importance of asking relevant questions to great sages or gurus, but what do our personal, internal questions tell us about ourselves? "One day, after finishing their morning dutie

“What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.” BG 2.6

It could be said that any time of the day is the best time of the day for connecting with transcendence – remembering you are not this body, and meditating on the sweet love of the soul that is the essence of Krishna consciousness. However, when Prabhupada was asked what is the best time for chanting japa, meditating on Krishna’s na

Family affection is dictated by the modes of material nature. It is just amazing, as soon as the child comes out of the womb something changes. One father held his new born child and said, “I do not know why I am ready to completely dedicate myself to this person who I do not even know?”

It is a fact that we do not ‘know’ our family members. If we would actually look at them objectively, they are not always favourable. Sometimes it is said that an enemy from a past life takes birth as your son,

In the beginning of my spiritual journey within the confines of ISKCON, I had the inclination to accept pretty much everything that was presented to me by what seemed was an “advanced devotee” even if it didn’t sit well with my mind & intelligence. In hindsight I realize that this is the mentality of a cult follower & that my over zealousness made me believe that pretty much every member of ISKCON was a pure devotee. I, on the other hand,  was nothing more than an anartha-laden conditioned soul

By Ravindra-svarupa dasa

About five years ago, when we were having an altar installed in our new temple, the overseer from the marble company would regularly bring his seven-year-old son along to watch. The boy was very handsome, with jet-black hair and pale skin and long, dark eyelashes. He was well-behaved and always seemed in a good humor even though he could hardly walk at all. I never saw him take more than a few steps, leaning on a wall and straining his torso with an awkward twisting mot

05 September 2015, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Initiation Lecture

One year in Vrindavan during Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day program, one of Srila Prabhupada’s earliest disciples, Gargamuni, was present. Now, Gargamuni is a type of personality what you would call an individual, he is not exactly a traditionalist. On that day, Gargamuni was dressed in blue jeans, a black t-shirt and a tiger skin vest. He was standing on the stage, ready to glorify Srila Prabhupada. Some of thevaisnavas present w

In Bhakti yoga or Krishna consciousness, we practice our sadhana in a mood of shelter. When we chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra, we don't simply chant like the mayavadis or at least this is not how it should be done. Mayavadis chant in a ritualistic manner like in repeating names, thats all. Externally it may look the same but pure devotees are not repeating names, they are calling out names of Krishna in a mood of shelter, "Oh Lord, I am so fallen, please give me shelter at your Lotus Feet."

By Madhava Smullen

For the past thirty-five years, the Bhaktivedanta Manor School in England has given children a loving Krishna conscious education, earning its moniker “The Small School With a Big Heart.”

A year ago, the school moved into its own dedicated building. And now, with committed longtime head teacher Guru Charana Padma Dasi set to retire, it’s looking for a new principal to oversee its exciting next phase.

Over the years, the school has contributed much to the community. It first r

By Sunanda Das

In a matter of days, on February 7th, ISKCON leaders and devotees worldwide will be converging at the holy place of Sridhama Mayapur for the historic occasion of the installation of the final two Chakras onto the domes of Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Pancha Tattva and Lord Nrsimhadeva a top the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. This pivotal event represents the achievement of another milestone of success in the completion of the TOVP, and heralds the next phase of construction as we app

By Chaitanya Charan Das

When we are good at something, we can easily spot others’ weaknesses in that area. For example, if we are good at language, our attention automatically zooms to others’ grammatical shortcomings.

Still, when people have an ability deficiency – they are tone-deaf – we learn to live with it. But when they have a behavioral deficiency – they are forgetful, untidy or unpunctual – we often find that intolerable. We feel that they could easily improve, if they would just try.

H

From 17 to 25th February, 2018 in Sri Mayapur Dham, India. This year is the celebration of the fact that it was 100 years ago that Srila Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Thakur started Sri Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama. For more information and to register please visit: www.navadvipaparikrama.com.

Source: https://iskconnews.org/video/invitation-to-navadvip-mandala-parikrama-2018,1508/

By Shilpy Malhotra

The literal meaning of the Sanskrit word “prasadam” is mercy. So when we say “Krishna prasadam” we are referring to Krishna’s mercy.

Krishna is the owner of everything & we can do nothing without his mercy. We can take the things that Krishna provides and use these raw materials to produce something. In order to create something, we use the intelligence that is gifted to us by Krishna. Thus, we can not make anything unless Krishna provides the raw materials.

The concept of pr

Jananivas: In 1973 we had just completed the lotus building in Mayapur. I went to Prabhupada’s room and asked him,
“Can Lord Chaitanya wear a peacock feather?”
He said, “Why not? He is Krishna.”
I told him some of the Gaudiya Math people were complaining that Lord Chaitanya shouldn’t wear a peacock feather.
Srila Prabhupada became very disappointed and he just looked down. He didn’t say anything else.
I took it to mean that he was disturbed that his God-brothers always criticized him.
In fact

If we do not have a connection with Srimad Bhagavatam, then spiritual life becomes dry! Chanting becomes difficult and then the four regulative principles become very narrow and gradually with time, we start craving for more space. Even though we have all the knowledge, even though we have been enlivened in Krsna consciousness and even though we have been so surrendered, at one point it will become too narrow! So the Bhagavatam is very important because it is the science that explains everythin

By Nitya Kishor Devi Dasi

ISKCON Mayapur welcomes all of you to the most auspicious of the events!

Śrī Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama 2018.

This year we are celebrating 100 years that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur started the Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama.

Nowadays, every year more than 8 thousand devotees from more than 50 countries come to Parikrama. It is a life changing experience for each one of them!

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur says: By performing Sri Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama the who

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