Blog

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

On March 20th, 2024, Raasbhakti Devi Dasi (Dr. Aditi Mishal) received the esteemed international award, “Outstanding Women in Global Sustainable Development – 2024.” The honor was awarded to her by the Global Alliance of Sustainable Development Foundation at the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW68) held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. 

The distinguished presentation of this award was carried out by Hon. Mr. Zhang, Ch

“Maybe I was just made evil,” says Kimberly to herself. That leads to another thought. “Maybe some people are made good. Like Heather. Everything always seems to go right for Heather. G

“Is chanting all that your religion does? Don’t you do welfare or anything like that?”

Alex, my barber, works at the Pilatos salon in Queens, New York, on the cusp of a Hispanic neighborhood. The salon has mostly Latino hairdressers and clients, and it is bright and upbeat, with salsa music often playing softly in the background. On a recent visit there, instead of salsa, I heard the chanting of om namo bhagavate vasudevaya, which means “obeisance to the Supreme Lord Krishna.” I remarked to Ale

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

The 68th Annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), the United Nations’ (UN) largest annual gathering on gender equality and women’s empowerment, took place this year from March 11-22, 2024. The event’s focus was “accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.”

The delegation of devotees who represented ISKCON Vaishna

In a spiritual culture you can surely expect blessings in great number. You will lose count of them because they are numerous even if you have a registering type of mind. Today's blessing came in the form of a visiting monk and his name is Devamrta Swami, an Afro American devotee of the Hare Krishna Movement.

He came into the temple hall while Kirtan was going on. Naturally it created some excitement as he made his way to the vyasasan, the exalted seat for the teacher of the Gita or the Bhagava

Some suggestions on how to stay inspired.

Somehow, it happens that our motivation in Krishna consciousness may falter. Usually that faltering comes in the form of lacking the desire to do some practical service, associate with devotees, or develop our spiritual practices, such as improving the quality or quantity of our chanting or of our reading of Srila Prabhupada’s books. Whenever this happens to me or a friend, I realize the urgency and fragility of devotional service and the importance of

Many people think that science and spirituality will always be at odds, but true religion must be supported by science, and true science must be supported by religion.

Real religion is sanatana dharma, or eternal duty. It is based on universal truth rather than rituals or superstition. Real religion is about truth because God is truth. When religion is true, it is applicable to the material world and can be used to explain natural phenomena. Here’s how by taking three science courses (astronomy,

Srivasa Thakura, one of the members of the Pancha-tattva, lived in Navadvipa-dhama in Mayapur, near the residence of Jagannatha Misra and Sacidevi, where Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared. Later, when Lord Chaitanya began His sankirtana movement in Navadvipa-dhama, He and His other most confidential associates would meet at Srivasa-angana, the home of Srivasa Thakura, and have kirtan throughout the night. The kirtans at Srivasa-angana were ecstatic, and only the most intimate devotees of Sri Ch

By Niranajan And Jayapataka Swami

Memories of His Holiness Sridhar Swami.

The mission statement of HH Sridhara Swami (1995) is very inspirational:

“My mission is to serve my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, with all my heart and soul… .

“To achieve this goal has now become my only reason for living. Out of a great sense of debt for his having shown me the path, I want to become a sharp instrument to be used by Srila Prabhupada in his mission of flooding the world with love of Krishna.

“I will strive to achieve excellence in all

The Mayapur Temple of Vedic Planetarium (TOVP), under construction, recently opened an office in the ISKCON Juhu temple, at Hare Krishna Land in Mumbai. In honor of the occasion, and to further the cause, I thought to share an excerpt adapted from my article “Memories of Sridhar Swami” in my book Many Moons.

In November 2003, Srila Prabhupada’s staunch disciple Sridhar Swami phoned me from Bombay and told me that he was planning to go to Vancouver in April for four to six months. Soon thereaft

By HH Bhakti Brhat Bhagavata Swami

Today marks the most auspicious anniversary appearance of Srila Srivasa Pandit or also known as Srila Srivasa Thakura and it also coincides with the anniversary disappearance of one of our Commanders in Srila Prabhupada’s army – Srila Prabhupada is our General – HH Sridhara Swami.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi Lili chapter 7, entitled, Lord Caitanya in Five features, text 15

ei tina tattva, — ‘sarvaradhya’ kari mani caturtha ye bhakta-tattva, — ‘aradhaka’ jani [

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

Recently, Mayapur Clean and Green, headed by Murari Mohini Devi Dasi, has been valiantly working to improve the air quality in Mayapur. Earlier this year, a pivotal agreement was reached with ISKCON Mayapur, outlining policies to address air quality issues and prohibit waste burning. 

In spite of waste burning being outlawed by the Indian government and supported by specific legislation and guidelines governing landfill management, air quality remains a pressi

Our drama crew lined up and loaded up for the bus trip to Vrndavan. It's their first time to hit that holy spot where Krishna enacted so many pastimes in child and youthhood. We feel bad about parting now that our 11 day performance terminates here. However, for the coming weekend we will be reuniting at Durban for more of the same ecstasies in drama.

From Back to Godhead

A discussion on the options for the soul under the influence of Krishna’s material energy.

A controversy arose during a Sunday discussion at ISKCON’s Saranagati Village, in British Columbia, Canada. Some devotees quoted a famousBhagavad-gita verse (3.27) where Krishna says, “The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of nature [goodness, passion, and ignorance].”

In othe

By Indira-sakhi Devi Dasi

Srila Prabhupada stressed that character development was an inseparable part of education. He explained that the teachers themselves should be exemplary role models to successfully impart Vedic knowledge to the students.

You are right when you say that setting a good example for the boys is the best precept. There is a saying that an example is better than a precept. Our exemplary character depends on strictly following the four principles, and this will conquer the

From Back to Godhead

The Vedic contribution to one of the central debates in Western philosophy.

Sam Surya goes to his city’s orphanage one day and makes a large donation. Elsewhere in town, Andy Andhakara robs a bank. What led these two to make such drastically different choices? Was it their own volition, or the force of some other factor? In other words, were their actions predetermined, or did Sam and Andy have free will?

These questions concern one of the pivotal debates in Western philoso

(English version of the ‘Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu’ by Sri Rupa Goswami)

Edited by Tridandi Goswami Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta Swami

Text

Akhilla, Rasa, Amrita, Murti, Prasrmara, Ruci, Ruddha, Taraka, Pali, Kalita, Syama, Lalita, Radha, Preyan, Bidhu, Jayati.

Akhila=All inclusive, Rasa=Mellow, Zest, Amrita=Nectar, Murti=Form, Prasrmara=Expanding, Ruchi=Attractive features, Ruddha=Controlling, Taraka=of the name, Pali=of the name, Kalita=Influenced by, Syama=of the name, Lalita=of the name, Radha=

“Update on HG Caitanya Candra prabhu,initiating guru and president of Gadai Giri temple, who has been in ICU in Bhuvansevara hosptial for over one month. He is the senior disciple of HH Gaura Govinda Maharaja and has many disciples in Orisssa, Europe and elsewhere. He has been suffering severely from pneumonia and being diabetic the condition deteriorated leading to hospitalisation. other complications developed and now his condition is extremely serious. Please keep him in your prayers and tho