From Back to Godhead
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura (1838-1914) is a prominent preceptor acharya in our succession of spiritual masters and disciples coming from Lord Krishna. He was a pioneering spiritual leader, a householder, a magistrate working in colonial India under the British rule, a prolific preacher, writer, and poet. He wrote volumes of books reintroducing the pure teachings of Lord Chaitanya at a time when those teachings had practically become lost. He composed hundreds of devotional
“Dedicated to the sacred service of Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who initiated the teachings of Lord Chaitanya in the Western world (McGill University, Canada) in 1896, the year of my birth.” These words are Srila Prabhupada’s dedication to Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, the first book he published after coming to America. They also apply to Srila Prabhupada’s life, which was dedicated to the sacred service of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and his own s
By Madhava Smullen for ISKCON New Vrindaban Communications
ECO-Vrindaban and ISKCON New Vrindaban are extending an invitation to every Hare Krishna temple and farm in North America to attend the 2017 Annual North American ISKCON Farm Conference from October 13th to 15th.
The Conference will be hosted at INV in West Virginia, and is organized Kalakantha Das, the GBC Minister for Agriculture and Cow Protection, along with volunteers from several farm communities.
“We also want to invite not just
Chalayasi vikramaṇe balim adbhuta-vāmana
pada-nakha-nīra-janita-jana-pāvana
keśava dhṛta-vāmana-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare
“O Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a dwarf-brahmana! All glories to You! O wonderful dwarf, by Your massive steps You deceive King Bali, and by the Ganges water that has emanated from the nails of your lotus feet, You deliver all living beings within this world.”
On Sri Vamana Dvadasi, the appearance day of Lord Vamanadeva, devotees ar
By Radhanath Swami
The Appearance of Lord Vamana
“Bali Maharaj, very intelligent personality. He was the son of Virochana, grandson of Prahlad, great grandson of Hiranyakashipu, great grand-nephew of Hiranyaksha. A very mixed up type of family heritage!”
So he performed yajna to please his guru Shukracharya, and his guru-maharaj was very pleased with him. In fact he arranged for the descendents of Bhrigu Muni to come to perform this yajna. And his disposition, his good qualities, was so pleasin
Kripamoya Das
Lord Vamanadeva appeared within this world from the womb of Aditi, the mother of the gods. He appeared at midday on the shravan-dvadasi, the 12th day of the lunar month of Shravan when the moon is waxing.
There are many lessons for Vaishnavas to learn from the narration of His activities, as found in the 8th canto, 18th chapter of the Bhagavat Purana (Srimad Bhagavatam). Amongst the lessons are these:
1. That God comes to this world in many forms; not just once, in one form, or
Fortnightly Ekadashi E-Magazine in Bengali. "Srila Prabhupada Siksa Sangraha" To join this group email us on - spss.ekadashi@gmail.com
This year, Indulekha Devi's appearance day fell on the 1st of September 2017.
In 1986, just before the annual Gaura Purnima Festival, Sri Indulekha devi and three other sakhis were installed in Sri Dham Mayapur and joined Sri Sri Radha Madhava on the altar. Indulekha Devi stands next to Visakha Devi, second to the right from Srimati Radharani.
Sri Indulekha Devi is one of the eight Asta-sakhis, the most confidential associates of Srimati Radharani. Her father is Sagara, her mother is Vela Devi,
“I went to your country with a mission and you all good souls were sent by Krishna to me.”
– Srila Prabhupada
One of the great souls sent by Krishna to Srila Prabhupada is His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Maharaja, who has been serving Srila Prabhupada as a selfless worker for almost five decades.
In 1968, Gordon John Erdman took his first initiation in Montreal, Canada and was given the name Jayapataka das brahmacari and was very soon afterwards awarded second initiation in New York.
Later, on the
This year, Campakalata's appearance day fell on the 30th of August 2017.
Just before the annual Gaura Purnima festival in Mayapur in 1986, Campakalata Devi, along with three other sakhis, was installed and joined Sri Sri Radha Madhava on the altar.
Sri Campakalata Devi is the third of the eight principle gopis. Her father is Arama, her mother is Vatika-devi and her husband is Candaksa. She has a yellow-white complexion, just like the colour of a full-blown champaka flower. Her garments are describ
This year, Sri Radhastami fell on the 29th of August 2017.
“O Radha! O beloved of Madhava! O you who are worshiped by all the young girls of Gokula! All glories unto You! All glories unto You!” (Sri Radhika-stava, by Srila Rupa Gosvami)
Sri Janmastami is celebrated with much grandeur all over the world, because it is the birthday celebration of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Can there be any festival greater than this? If this question is asked to devotees in Sri Dham Mayapur, the
(Adapted from Srila Prabhupada’s talk on Radhastami, 1971.)
We pray to Radharani because She is the pleasure potency of Krishna. Krishna means “all-attractive,” but Radharani is so great that She attracts Krishna.
So we should try to understand what is Srimati Radharani’s position and offer our obeisances to Her.
tapta-kancana-gaurangi radhe vrndavanesvari
vrsabhanu-sute devi pranamami hari-priye
Our business is “Radharani, You are so dear to Krishna. You are the daughter of King Vrishabhanu, a
By Sacinandana Swami
Dear devotees, I wish you a most fulfilling Radhastami where the blessings of Divine love are abundantly showered upon you and everyone else who aspires for it.
Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami ecstatically raises his voice in glorification of Srimati Radharani:
“If one asks about the origin of love of Krishna the answer is that the origin is Srimati Radharani alone.
If one asks: ‘Who is the most dear friend of Krishna?’
The answer again is: ‘Srimati Radharani alone.’
She is abl
A Talk by Giriraj Swami August 30, 2009 San Diego
For the most auspicious celebration of Sri Radhastami, we shall read from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Two, Chapter Three: “Pure Devotional Service.”
TEXT 23
jivan chavo bhagavatanghri-renum na jatu martyo ‘bhilabheta yas tu sri-visnu-padya manujas tulasyah svasan chavo yas tu na veda gandham
TRANSLATION
The person who has not at any time received the dust of the feet of the Lord’s pure devotee upon his head is certainly a dead body. And the person
Of late I have noticed one disturbing thing in Iskcon which I want to write about. Many of Iskcon Sanyasis and senior devotees are more into writing their own books and spending their energies to push them. Instead they should concentrate on distribution of Prabhupad's books. Prabhupad's books alone have the potency to turn the reader into a Krishna devotee. More over a number books written by second and third generation of devotees are not hundred percent faithful to gaudiya vaishnava samprada
