A Message from Ambarisa Das and Braja Vilasa Das

Dear Worldwide ISKCON Devotees and Congregation,

Please accept our obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

We would like to wish you a happy Kartik month full of divine service to Lord Damodar, and hope you and your family are well and in blissful Krishna conscious spirits. This time of the year is always greeted with great anticipation and excitement by devotees eager to chant the Damodarastakam and remember the pastimes of the Lord with Mot

I had no opportunity to touch nature today, other than the five kilometre brisk walk from Union Station to the ashram. Yes, it was fresh and early. Our train from Ottawa left us still for over two hours near Pickering, which landed us at our destination at 1:30 am. I wheeled my suitcase once again down the stretch. Good for wheels. Good for legs.

Bhisma-panchaka is five days dedicated to Bhismadev, The son of mother Ganga and his father King Shantanu-Bhismah santanavo birah. He is the grandfather of Pandavas, descendant of Great king Bharata in Kuru dynasty. The period falls in the last 5 days of the month Kartik, the resounding 5 days of chaturmasya. It is said to commemorate the life of Grandfather Bhismadev, a key figure in the history of India, one who is known as a powerful warrior and commander-in-chief of the royal army who renou

Mitch from Orangeville came by to join us on the prearranged walk to the Brickworks and beyond. Usually, I can pack in some japa on beads; chanting during these urban pilgrimages, which are actually located in ravines. However, today was just talking all the while. The topic of Tattva, philosophical truths, according to the devotional perspective and practical realities were what occupied our time. It was sweet. We even cited a beaver lodge.

Now, I am the first to admit that I am a trite bit be

“Because mother loves the most…in this material world, there is no comparison of mother’s love. Without any exchange. Even in this material world. Mother loves the child without any expectation of return generally…that is called unalloyed love. Anyabhilasita-sunyam, free from all material gain.”- Srila Prabhupada, Srimad-Bhagavatam1.8.31 lecture, Los Angeles, April 23, 1973
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Just imagine how great her love must be if she thought that she can catch and bind the Lord of the Universe!
She is awa

Sir Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party, visited Bhaktivedanta Manor in Hertfordshire to mark the start of the Hindu holy month of Kartik.

On arrival, the Labour leader was greeted and garlanded as part of a traditional ceremony to welcome guests, and met with the Temple President, Her Grace Visakha Dasi.

Sir Keir spoke to Her Grace about being the first female President of a major Hindu Temple in the UK and recognised her endeavour in keeping the Temple open during the pandemic.

Sir Keir

By Giriraj dasa

There so many benedictions for the month of Kartika and we get constant reminders via email, messages on mobile and so many other mediums. The list grows only bigger by the day.

“In the month of Kartik, which is very dear to Sri Hari, one who bathes early in the morning attains the merit of bathing in all places of pilgrimage. Anybody who offers the Lord a ghee lamp in the month of Kartik, O brahmana, becomes free from all kinds of sins, such as killing a brahmana, and he goes

"Mother Yashoda’s love is unmatched in purity and is unlike any other that even the infinite Lord who pervades the entire creation is bound by her love."

“Because mother loves the most…in this material world, there is no comparison of mother's love. Without any exchange. Even in this material world. Mother loves the child without any expectation of return generally…that is called unalloyed love. Anyabhilasita-sunyam, free from all material gain.”- Srila Prabhupada Srimad-Bhagavatam1.8.31 lectur

Amidst the Covid situation of this year, pilgrims from far and across the country are visiting Sri Dham Mayapur during this auspicious period of the year to partake in the various auspicious pastimes of the Lord. From Govardhana Puja celebration, to Gopastami, down to the most auspicious days of Bhisma Pancha, Devotees all over the Dham are observing various vrata, taking cold and auspicious bath in Ganga while reciting various sacred mantras, offering seva to our Mayapur Goshala, Sri Radha Madh

The last five days of Kartika month are known as Bhisma Panchaka. Grandfather Bhishma fasted for these five days, preparing to give up his life. One serious in bhakti should observe Kartika-vrata, and he should intensify it for the last five days.

The best way to observe Bhisma Panchaka is to abstain from eating grains and be fully absorbed in the Holy name of the Lord, and to take only milk or water for the last five days. If one has one eaten grain during the month of Kartika, he should avoid

TWO FINGERS SHORT

Tulsi Books is delighted to announce the release of ‘TWO FINGERS SHORT’ by Shubha Vilas Das.

Kartik month, the much awaited month is fast approaching. And we can think of nothing better than launching a book on Damodar Lila, a book that takes you to the events of that fateful Diwali day when little Krsna decides to play his special lila.

“namas te ‘stu damne sphurad-dipti-dhamne
tvadiyodarayatha visvasya dhamne
namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai
namo ‘nanta-lilaya devaya tubhya

By Madhava Smullen

A new bhakta director and youth preacher at ISKCON Juhu, Mumbai has been taking new devotees and their parents on spiritual retreats together. The results? Deeper relationships, and unfavorable parents becoming favorable to Krishna consciousness and in some cases taking up the path themselves.

Chakravarti Das works with the Mumbai chapter of CHOICE (Center for Heritage of Indian Culture and Education). The program sees devotees renting an apartment near a college, and accommo

By Vaikunthanath das

It is a miracle of good fortune that Srila Prabhupada’s disciple, Saradiya dasi, should leave her physical body on the very day of the Sri Krsna Saradiya Rasa-yatra (October 5, 2017). She left at 6:15 a.m. San Diego time. The time zone in India is twelve and a half hours ahead of California, so it was 6:45 p.m. in Vrindaban at that moment. The moon rose at 6:03 p.m. in Vrindaban. So Saradiya left her body just as the moon was rising above the horizon in Sri Vrindaban Dham.

By Sanatana Gosvami

Kartika month is the most important month in our calendar, as it is very dear to Sri Sri Radha-Madhava. Just as there is no yuga equal to Satya-yuga, no scripture equal to the Vedas, and no place of pilgrimage equal to the Ganges, so there is no month equal to Kartika. During the Kartika month, millions of devotees worship Damodara Krishna with ghee lamps and devotional bhajans, glorifying His playful childhood pastime of stealing yogurt. And traditionally, desiring to satis

…Once upon a time, thousands of sages came together in the holy place called Naimisaranya to perform sacrifice. To their very good fortune the great sage Suta Goswami, who had been traveling to different pilgrimage sites, arrived there along with his disciples. The sages present were very enlivened to see him. They all stood up immediately to pay their respects to the great sage, offered him a very nice Vyasasana, and requested him with folded hands to sit down on it.

The sages of Naimisaranya sa

Translated from Padma Purana

Once upon a time, thousands of sages came together in the holy place called Naimisaranya to perform sacrifice. To their very good fortune the great sage Suta Goswami, who had been traveling to different pilgrimage sites, arrived there along with his disciples. The sages present were very enlivened to see him. They all stood up immediately to pay their respects to the great sage, offered him a very nice Vyasasana, and requested him with folded hands to sit down on it.

T