Blog

By Atma Tattva Das

Nestled in the vibrant capital of Colombia, ISKCON Bogotá has become a strong source of spiritual guidance and community development under the leadership of Harinam Gauranga Das. His dedication and service to the mission of Krishna consciousness have transformed the temple into a thriving center for spiritual growth and outreach.

Harinam Gauranga, born in Colombia in 1980, began his spiritual journey in 2009 when he first encountered Krishna Consciousness. Initiated by Jayapa

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

In a recent interview with ISKCON News, Praghosa Das shared important details about the establishment of the European Leadership Mela (ELM), its aims and significance in contemporary times, and the agenda for this year’s Fall ELM event.

The History and Mission of the ELM

“In Europe, just before 1997, a few years prior to the establishment of the ELM, the European RGB (Regional Governing Board) was created. In many ways, this body acts as a mini GBC for the Eur

On this date in 1965, at the age of sixty-nine, Srila Prabhupada left India on a steamship bound for the United States, with the intention of bringing the teachings of Krishna and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to the English-speaking world. With him was a trunk full of his translations and commentary on the First Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and about forty rupees in cash.

Within a year, he had attracted a few committed followers willing to help him spread his mission. Over the next decade, Srila Pra

These excerpts have been taken from Satswarup dasa Goswami’s Prabhupada-lilamrita ch 11-12.

With the manuscript for Volume Three complete and with the money to print it, Bhaktivedanta Swami once again entered the printing world, purchasing paper, correcting proofs, and keeping the printer on schedule so that the book would be finished by January 1965. Thus, by his persistence, he who had almost no money of his own managed to publish his third large hardbound volume within a little more than two

According to the lunar calendar, today is the most auspicious 54th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s departure for the United States of America.

On the 13th of August, 1965, just a few days before Janmastami and a few days before his sixty-ninth birthday, Srila Prabhupada boarded the cargo ship Jaladuta with only a small suitcase, an umbrella, a bag of dry cereal, some boxes of books, and a few rupees in his possession. He was about to embark on the mission that his spiritual master had given h

भगवद्गीता यथारूप 108 महत्त्वपूर्ण श्लोक

अध्याय 2 : गीता का सार

न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि- न्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः ।

अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोSयं पुराणोन हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ।। 20।।

न– कभी नहीं;जायते– जन्मता है;म्रियते– मरता है;कदाचित्– कभी भी (भूत, वर्तमान या भविष्य);न– कभी नहीं;अयम्– यह;भूत्वा– होकर;भविता– होने वाला;वा– अथवा;न– नहीं;भूयः– अथवा,पुनःहोने वाला है;अजः– अजन्मा;नित्य– नित्य;शाश्वत– स्थायी;अयम्– यह;पुराणः– सबसे प्राचीन;न– नहीं;हन्यते– मारा जाता है;हन्यमाने– मारा जाकर;शरीरे– शरीर में;

भावा

To complete our spiritual journey we need strength – much spiritual strength – so that we can act upon our higher convictions. But how and where do we find this strength?
The answer is we need to go to the Lord Himself! He is the reservoir of everything, including infallible spiritual strength, the “acyuta balah”. The aspect of Lord Krishna who is particularly responsible in granting spiritual strength is Lord Balarama, who acts in the pastime of Lord Krishna as His beautiful older brother.
Lor

Gargamuni said: This child, the son of Rohini, will give all happiness to His relatives and friends by His transcendental qualities. Therefore He will be known as Rama. And because He will manifest extraordinary bodily strength, He will also be known as Bala. Moreover, because He unites two families—Vasudeva’s family and the family of Nanda Maharaja—He will be known as Sankarnana.

sri-garga uvaca
ayam hi rohini-putro
ramayan suhrdo gunaih
akhyasyate rama iti
baladhikyad balam viduh
yadunam aprt

By Urmila Devi Dasi

Activities and stories about Lord Balarama! Lots of fun things to do for children aged 2-18.

Here are many stories about Balarama, along with activities about the stories. The story activities were created by the Hare Krishna School in Auckland, New Zealand, under the direction of Prana dasa. There are also dozens of Balarama-centered activities in the areas of scripture, Deity worship, devotee association, holy places, and Balarama’s holy name. Have some transcendental fu

Sometimes people ask who is Lord Balarama? And the answer is that He is the brother of Lord Krishna. However, He does many things besides that.
How we understand this is to first recognize that, according to Vedic scripture such as the Srimad Bhagavata Purana, it is described that Lord Krishna is the primeval Lord, the original Personality of Godhead, so He can expand Himself into unlimited forms with all potencies. They are no different from Him, but may exhibit differences in form and functio

Today is the appearance day of Lord Balarama, the Personality of Godhead who is the first expansion of Lord Krishna, the original Personality of Godhead. Krishna states in the Bhagavad-gita (4.7):

yada yada hi dharmasya
  glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
  tadatmanam srjamy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.”

Krishna says, srjamy aham: “I manifest Myself

APPEARANCE

Sri Baladeva is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. He is equal in supremacy to the Supreme Godhead, yet wherever Krishna appears, Sri Baladeva appears as Krishna’s brother, sometimes elder, sometimes younger. In his vaibhava-prakasa feature, Lord Krishna manifests Himself as Balarama. The Balarama feature is as good as Krishna Himself, the only difference being that the bodily hue of Krishna is dark and that of Balarama is fair. These two Lords, Krishna and Balarama, are e

“O Kesava! O Lord of the Universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of Lord Balarama, the wielder of the plow! All glories to You! On Your brilliant white body You wear garments the color of a fresh blue rain cloud. These garments are the color of the River Yamuna, who feels great fear due to the striking of Your plowshare.”
“All glories to Rama-ghata, where Lord Balarama performed His rasa dance. All glories to Lord Balarama, the son of Rohini. All glories, all glories to the residents o

Krsna and His brother Balarama passed the childhood age known as kaumara and stepped into the age of pauganda, from the sixth year up to the tenth. At that time all the cowherd men conferred and agreed to give those boys who had passed their fifth-year charge of the cows in the pasturing ground. Given charge of the cows, Krsna and Balarama traversed Vrndavana, purifying the land with Their footprints.
Accompanied by the cowherd boys and Balarama, Krsna herded the cows and played on His flute thr

This Indian event about brother and sister loving affection and commitment to care for each other - materially and spiritually.

On this day, sisters tie a rakhi, a colorful bracelet made of silk thread, on the wrist of their brothers to protect them against evil influences. Sisters pray for long life of their brothers and ask God to bless them with His blessings.
Brothers in turn, give them best gifts and promise to care and help them life long.

The Rakhi event importance reflects in Mahabhara

भगवद्गीता यथारूप 108 महत्त्वपूर्ण श्लोक

अध्याय 2 : गीता का सार

मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः ।
अगामापायिनोSनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ।।14 ।।

मात्रा-स्पर्शाः– इन्द्रियविषय;तु– केवल;कौन्तेय– हे कुन्तीपुत्र;शीत– जाड़ा;उष्ण– ग्रीष्म;सुख– सुख;दुःख– तथा दुख;दाः– देने वाले;आगम– आना;अपायिनः– जाना;अनित्याः– क्षणिक;तान्– उनको;तितिक्षस्व– सहन करने का प्रयत्न करो;भारत– हे भरतवंशी।

भावार्थ : हे कुन्तीपुत्र! सुख तथा दुख का क्षणिक उदय तथा कालक्रम में उनका अन्तर्धान होना सर्दी तथा गर्मी की ऋतुओं के

भगवद्गीता यथारूप 108 महत्त्वपूर्ण श्लोक

अध्याय 2 : गीता का सार

देहिनोSस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा ।
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति ।। 13 ।।

देहिनः– शरीर धारी की;अस्मिन्– इसमें;यथा– जिस प्रकार;देहे– शरीर में;कौमराम्– बाल्यावस्था;यौवनम्– यौवन, तारुण्य;जरा– वृद्धावस्था;तथा– उसी प्रकार;देह-अन्तर– शरीर के स्थानान्तरण की;प्राप्– उपलब्धि;धीरः– धीर व्यक्ति;तत्र– उस विषय में;न– कभी नहीं;मुह्यति– मोह को प्राप्त होता है।

भावार्थ : जिस प्रकार शरीरधारी आत्मा इस (वर्तमान) शरीर में बाल्यावस्था से त

The 2024 Srila Prabhupada Tributes Book has just been released in multiple digital formats. Each year, “the book provides an opportunity for all of Srila Prabhupada’s direct disciples to express their realizations, reflections, and gratitude – and for other devotees to read and reflect upon what these disciples have expressed,” notes the Introduction. “The book can [also] help fill your mind with thoughts of Srila Prabhupada and his devotees as the sacred day of Vyasa-puja draws near. And later

By Atma Tattva Das

As environmental challenges continue to escalate, integrating sustainable practices into every aspect of life has become crucial. Religious festivals, often marked by large gatherings and elaborate preparations, provide an opportunity to promote environmental awareness. The Hare Krishna community, guided by Lord Krishna’s teachings, is uniquely positioned to lead by example. Krishna, often depicted as the protector of nature, embodies the principles of environmental stewardshi