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By Nama Prabhu Dasa

5 April, 1974

Seattle

Dear Sukadeva,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter, undated, and I have noted the contents…

One of the symptoms of a devotee is that he is kind, so if our Godbrother becomes ill it is our duty to help him get the proper medicine and treatment so that he can recover…. So there is no question of ill treating of our own Godbrothers simply because they are sick, nor should you allow such neglect to go on. So long we have

Some time ago I forgave four devotees who were responsible for causing great pain and frustration in my life. Actually I didn’t forgive them of my own accord. I was asked to forgive them – for my own benefit. First I focused on the ways these people hurt me. Then I was asked to look at them in a different light; to consider that they were just doing the best they could in the particular situation they were in. Next, I was asked if I would be willing to forgive them, not with the hope that they

On July 16, 2024, Nilachal Vedic Village (NVV), ISKCON Talasari, hosted an event dedicated to supporting local villagers and children and promoting environmental sustainability. Nataraj Gauranga Das, under the guidance of Radhika Kanai Das, coordinated the event in collaboration with the Inner Wheel Club of Borivali.

The club’s visit to the NVV started with a feeding visit to the cows at the farm, followed by participation in a sacred Gaupuja. After the Gaupuja, the members had a darshan of the

History was made on July 27th, 2024, when the first-ever Slovak Rathayatra Festival was held at Freedom Square in Bratislava, Slovakia. In addition to the joyful procession through the heart of the city, a successful festival was held, sharing prasadam, spiritual literature, kirtan, and other cultural programs. The hundreds of local guests who gathered in the country’s capital also received information about the three Hare Krsna centers and restaurants in the country.

Devotees from the United S

Our Gita zoom chat focused on Chapter 18.14 . “The place of action (the body), the performer, the endeavour and the ultimately the Supersoul - these are the five factors of action."

I must share the blessed purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

From Back to Godhead

When the 2017 Super Bowl game, the summit of American professional football, was held in Houston, a devotee convinced me and a few others to try to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books at a huge pregame event downtown. Venturing into the passionate, teeming crowd, we sold a few books, but not so many. This experience reinforced what was already obvious: mundane sport certainly has a powerfu

I recently connected with a childhood friend who also became a monk. As you can imagine, we had lots to talk about, and lots in common. In his tradition, one of the monastic vows is to never touch money; and if he does, even by accident, he observes complete fasting for a day. Serious detachment. Admittedly, if I had adopted that vow I’d be dead and cremated by now – financial transactions seem a staple part of my daily life! But money is dangerous, and time and time again we see how it can att

By Atma Tattva Das

The severe aftermath of Typhoon Gaemi, one of the most powerful typhoons to hit the Asia-Pacific region in nearly a decade, has caused extensive flooding and landslides in the Philippines. In response to this disaster, the Krishna Balarama Ashram in Manila has acted swiftly and compassionately, providing crucial aid to the affected communities.

Typhoon Gaemi, also known as Typhoon Carina, brought heavy rains to the Philippines, and the capital city of Manila and surrounding a

The practice of serving the Lord’s lotus feet is one of the fundamental processes of devotional service. Srila Prabhupada mentions it in his writings and spoken words nearly twenty-thousand times! It is recommended by Prahlada Maharaja in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Pada-sevanam is listed among the nine activities which are technically called bhakti.

Pada-sevanam, or service to the Lord’s lotus feet, is the constitutional position of an accomplished servant of Krishna such as Laxmi devi. Laxmi exemplifi

*Interesting quotes by HH Radhanath Swami during a recent class:*

1. If we judge devotees, it is our spiritual destruction. Do not judge them. You don’t know who they may be.

Presented at Toward a Science of Consciousness 1996, April 8-13, 1996, Tucson, Arizona

by Michael A. Cremo

Research Associate in History and Philosophy of Science,

Bhaktivedanta Institute, 9701 Venice Blvd. Suite 5, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Email: 105406.257@compuserve.com, (310) 837-5283, Fax (310) 837-1056

Topical Area: Phenomenology/Culture

Key words: Consciousness, dualism, religion, India, parapsychology

Abstract:

One barrier to acceptance of interactionist models for mind/body dualism is a s

From Back to Godhead

The Vedic literature reveals a real world beyond our experience and beyond our imagination.

Extra-terrestrial and mythical creatures have invaded our world, along with gods and superheroes, gnomes and fairies, dwarves and elves, hobbits and wizards, hippogriffs and dragons, centaurs and Cyclopes. These are the creations of imaginative geniuses – filmmakers, writers, and artists – who are pouring out more gripping and fascinating blockbusters than ever before. Some of their

From Back to Godhead

A mother’s extraordinary love for her premature son draws those around her closer to transcendental knowledge of the soul.

In college Carol studied psychology and sociology, preparing for social work. Living in a Catholic convent during her first two years of college, she had hoped her aspiration to serve God and humanity would find its fulfillment there. But feeling that there must be a universal platform on which all people can relate, she felt compelled to search beyond

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

On July 13, 2024, ISKCON Butwal held a paddy planting program to provide the required straw and grains for the cows and devotees. One hundred fifty devotees participated in the program, which aimed to promote sustainable farming practices and self-sufficiency in the community. Butwal is a city in the Rupandehi District in Lumbini Province, Nepal, which lies between the Terai plains and the beautiful Chure hills.

ISKCON Butwal also cares for a goshala with more

JULY 26, 2024 UPDATE:

In the latest community update from Partha Das, we learned that the Saranagati Village residents will be permitted to return to the area on Saturday, July 27th, for a four-hour window. During this time, they can assess the damage better, check on the status of their homes, water their gardens, etc.

The latest damage assessment is that six homes and 12 structures were lost to the fire. Some of those structures may have been small cabins (i.e., houses). The temple, goshala,

Kirtana (pronounced keer-ton-uh) is a Sanskrit word that means “praise” or “glory.” The more common Hindi pronunciation is “keer-ton,” dropping the final “a.” Simply understood, it is a form of song that centers on glorifying God, commonly performed in a “call and response” style of singing.

There is Nam-kirtan, which are songs composed of God’s sacred names, and Lila-kirtan, or songs that celebrate the esoteric activities of the Divine. There is Sankirtan, when the songs of praise are performed

By Anuttama Dasa

It has been almost thirty years since I first attended a conference of the American Family Foundation, now the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA). I was recently in Barcelona, Spain, for their latest international gathering. 

What I’ve learned, both in those meetings and through my leadership role in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), is that we in the Hare Krishna movement need to be concerned about “cultic behaviors.” 

When I first atten