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HH Bhakti Vigna Vinasha Narasimha Swami has been teaching in the Bhakti Sastri, Bhaktivaibhava, and Bhakti Vedanta programs almost since the inception of the Mayapur Institute. He is a very much appreciated member of the faculty, a wonderful devotee, and a great source of inspiration for all of the students. During the 2016-17 Graduation Ceremony, we were honored to have his association and hear him speak on the importance of studying and living by Srila Prabhupada’s books. Watch Now!

During the 2016-17 Bhakti Sastri Graduation Ceremonies, we were honored to have many wonderful sannyasis, and senior devotees join us and congratulate the students on completing their studies. Both students and guests had the opportunity to hear these senior devotees speak and offer words of wisdom. Here is an excerpt from HH Bhakti Dhira Damodar Swami:

If you give a car to a person who doesn’t know how to drive, what will he do with it? He will harm himself. If we don’t understand the scriptures

Episode 15:  Reactionary Response From My Mind: Cynicism

“In the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, the word dainya (humility) is explained as follows: "When unhappiness, fearfulness and the sense of having offended combine, one feels condemned. This sense of condemnation is described as dinata, humility. When one is subjected to such humility, he feels physically inactive, he apologizes, and his consciousness is disturbed. His mind is also restless, and many other symptoms are visible." The word nirved

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also recommended this process of hearing as a means of self-realization in the present Age of Kali.  -The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 10

Within such a huge organisation like Iskcon, it is not surprising to sometimes experience less of the affection we expected. There are several reasons for this. But if a disciple feels this way about his or her guru in good standing, does it indicate a neglect of some sort?

The worldwide preaching mission of Iskcon is still a novelty in historical vaisnava terms. This is the first successful attempt, and still very much work in progress. Often we hear that other religious organisations have old

In many of Srila Prabhupada’s lectures he exclusively explains about the two topics  sreya and preya.  He explains that sreya means the ultimate benefit  and preya means immediate profit. Just like  children want to play all day long that is preya,  but the parents know that they must go to school and learn in order to become educated, which  in the long run will be beneficial for them, so that is sreya.

In Bhagavad Gita Lord Sri Krsna talks about sreya and preya in terms of happiness, he says

Sragen is regency in the eastern part of Central Java province in Indonesia. Its capital is Sragen, located about 30 km to the northeast of Surakarta. Sragen is bordered with East Java Province to the east. Presently there are no devotees that are staying in Sragen.

The first time devotees held the Ratha Yatra festival in Solo, Indonesia, a few months prior, they met the Tourism leader of Sragen. The Tourism leader of Sragen requested the devotees to join in their annual city parade and hold a

We all have attachments in this material world. The secret of success is to dovetail these attachments to Krishna. This is easy said, than done. However, if you have access to a mature devotee, then the doors of detachment will start to open into the garden of Bhakti.

We have five senses which are controlled by the mind, anyone of these senses can be captured by the illusory nature we live in. When one goes through a phase of addiction, it is a way to escape from the realities of life. We can s

Last week I was asked, “What’s the most important practice for advancing in spiritual life?” Srila Prabhupada said chanting of Hare Krishna is most important. Some have suggested that devotee association is more important because without it, most of us wouldn’t have the strength to chant Hare Krishna.

I agree. But I think there is a principle even more fundamental than this.

OUR VERY DESIRE TO ADVANCE IN SPIRITUAL LIFE IS THE CORE CONDITION UPON WHICH OUR ADVANCEMENT IS BUILT.

“One’s devotion a

“My father and the coach at UCLA were pleased with my volleyball successes, and my mother was satisfied with my academic work. But I wondered if Krishna was pleased.”

I was born in Los Angeles in 1949. My parents were avid volleyball players. My father had been one of America’s best, and my mother had been a third-team All-American. I started playing volleyball when I was four. I passed through school easily. Sports dominated my free hours, and generally my childhood was a happy one. With ado

A lot has changed since H.H. Subhag Swami’s last visited the Wellington ISKCON temple many years ago. But the one thing that remains unchanged is the teachings of Srila Prabhupada and his disciples, H.H. Subhag Swami Maharaj being one of them. Initiated by Srila Prabhupada himself in 1971, H.H. Subhag Swami has since served Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission and vision from Sridham Mayapur for the last 40 years out of his 46 years in ISKCON.

On his recent four-day Wellington visit, coinciding with

• So a ''day-time of Brahma's 12 hours'' equals 1000 Maha yugas, Catur-yuga or Divya-yuga which are -.

Satya Yuga is 1,728,000 human years,
Treta Yuga is 1,296,000 human years long,
Dwapara Yuga 864,000 human years
Kali Yuga 432,000 human years.

And only the ''night-time of 12 hours'' from sunset to sunrise is when a partial annihilation takes place while Brahma sleeps where there are no Maha yugas

So a ''day and night 24 hour period'' of Brahma's time equals 8 billion 640 million human years.

Lord C

“My dear King, one should stay at a place where the great acharyas [holy teachers] speak about the transcendental activities of the Lord, and one should give aural reception to the nectarean river flowing from the moonlike faces of such great personalities. If someone eagerly continues to hear such transcendental sounds, then certainly he will become freed from all material hunger, thirst, fear and lamentation, as well as all illusions of material existence.” - Shukadeva Gosvami to Maharaja Pari

Episode 14:  Maya's Attack! Feeling Helpless & Thoroughly Defeated!

"The state of conditioned life in the material world is just like that of a man lying unconscious, having been bitten by a snake. This is because both such unconscious states can be ended by the sound of a mantra.” -The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 10