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From Mayapur to Melbourne, Brazil to Bangkok, New York to New Delhi, hundreds of thousands of Krishna devotees gathered at ISKCON temples and centers worldwide to celebrate Sri Krishna Janmashtami. ISKCON devotees first celebrated the festival with Srila Prabhupada at the New York storefront in 1966. Here are some highlights from reports shared with ISKCON News from Dublin, Finland, Juhu, Mayapur, London, Sandton, South Africa, and Washington, DC.

Janmashtami commemorates the earthly appearance

Each year I try to come for the Seattle Rathayatra, which goes over two days during the Labor Day long weekend. The first day started at a local park where devotees and guests came with their families.

As you can see in the pictures, there were stalls with free prasadam, snacks, books, kirtan and drama stage, and many others. A favorite attraction were the areas with calves and goats from one of our nearby farms. Their Lordships, Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra sat on a beautiful swing.

Sourc

भगवद्गीता यथारूप 108 महत्त्वपूर्ण श्लोक

अध्याय तीन कर्मयोग

यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः ।
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥ 21 ॥

यत् यत् –जो-जो;आचरति– करता है;श्रेष्ठः– आदरणीय नेता;तत्– वही;तत्– तथा केवल वही;एव– निश्चय ही;इतरः– सामान्य;जनः– व्यक्ति;सः– वह;यत्– जो कुछ;प्रमाणम्– उदाहरण, आदर्श;कुरुते– करता है;लोकः– सारा संसार;तत्– उसके;अनुवर्तते– पदचिन्हों का अनुसरण करता है।

भावार्थ : महापुरुष जो जो आचरण करता है, सामान्य व्यक्ति उसी का अनुसरण करते हैं। वह अपने अनुसरणीय कार्यों से जो आदर्श प

The Seattle Rathayatra was held on the second day of the festival and started a few kilometers from the park. Their Lordships, Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra rode majestically on Their chariot through the streets for two hours until They came back.

There was also a smaller Rathayatra cart in front and the kirtan was led by devotee children between ten and fifteen years of age. I started off the kirtan in front of the bigger cart and other devotees took over.

When Their Lordships were brou

The Governing Body Commission (GBC) has released its latest Meeting Highlights Report for August 22nd, 2024. The report aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the online GBC meeting highlighting the key topics discussed:

“ISKCON GBC MEETING HIGHLIGHTS REPORT
22 August 2024

We are pleased to present the 22 August 2024 GBC Meeting Highlights Report. This report aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the online GBC meeting highlighting the key topics discussed.

A former student of psychology traces his life, from childhood to now from looking up to others to looking into himself.

On June 17, 1959, with summer vacation just a few days away, I walked onto my grammar school playground in a lighthearted mood. Just then my best friend Billy rushed over to me with wide eyes. Did you hear the news?!”

“What news?”

“This morning Superman killed himself! He shot himself in the head with a luger!”

At first I thought Billy was kidding, but soon I noticed that eve

By Payal Shah

(Adapted from a class given by H.G. Narayani Mataji in Sydney on the 24th of December 2019)

In older civilizations, it was possible to conceive, understand and retain spiritual knowledge by simply hearing from a spiritual master. In today’s day and age, however, the majority of us need to read scriptures alongside hear in order to learn, digest and remember spiritual knowledge. The foundation of the Krishna consciousness movement is predicated on the principles presented by Lord K

Discovering Spiritual Knowledge

भगवद्गीता यथारूप 108 महत्त्वपूर्ण श्लोक

अध्याय तीन कर्मयोग

अन्नाद्भवति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः।
यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः ॥ 14 ॥

अन्नात्– अन्न से;भवन्ति– उत्पन्न होते हैं;भूतानि– भौतिक शरीर;पर्जन्यात्– वर्षा से;अन्न– अन्न का;सम्भवः– उत्पादन;यज्ञात्– यज्ञ सम्पन्न करने से;भवति– सम्भव होती है;पर्जन्यः– वर्षा;यज्ञः– यज्ञ का सम्पन्न होबा;कर्म– नियत कर्तव्य से;समुद्भवः– उत्पन्न होता है।

भावार्थ: सारे प्राणी अन्न पर आश्रित हैं, जो वर्षा से उत्पन्न होता है। वर्षा यज्ञ सम्पन्न करने से होती ह

By Radha Mohan Das

Devotees from ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Manor participated in a special event in observance of the 150th anniversary of the birth of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. The event, hosted by the Gaudiya Mission at the Harrow Leisure Centre, brought together representatives from a number of other Vaishnava organisations who all glorified the great personality. ISKCON devotees wholeheartedly participated in a harinama chanting procession between the Siddhashram S

By Atma Tattva Das

Radha Damodar Dasa, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, has been a dedicated servant of ISKCON for over five decades. His journey within the Krishna Consciousness movement includes the significant effort of preserving 1,684 play scripts, which are not just text on a page but a living part of our cultural heritage. They have long been an essential tool for preaching as well as providing devotional entertainment within the community.

Radha Damodar’s involvement with ISKCON began in

There is some renovation going on. Yes, here at 243 Ave. Rd., the temple is making way for a much needed elevator to take care of the elderly and the handicapped. It is going to change the force of our handsome building, perhaps even improve it and add more dignity. The process of it getting there is rather messy but that’s what happens even when assembling a good-looking cake. Things get untidy.

भगवद्गीता यथारूप 108 महत्त्वपूर्ण श्लोक

अध्याय तीन कर्मयोग

यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोSन्यत्र लोकोSयं कर्मबन्धनः ।
तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्गः समाचर ॥ 9 ॥

यज्ञ-अर्थात्– एकमात्र यज्ञ या विष्णु के लिए किया गया;कर्मणः– कर्म की अपेक्षा;अन्यत्र– अन्यथा;लोकः– संसार;अयम्– यह;कर्म-बन्धनः– कर्म के कारण बन्धन;तत्– उस;अर्थम्– के लिए;कर्म– कर्म;कौन्तेय– हे कुन्तीपुत्र;मुक्त-सङ्गः– सङ्ग (फलाकांक्षा) से मुक्त;समाचर– भलीभाँति आचरण करो।

भावार्थ: श्रीविष्णु के लिए यज्ञ रूप में कर्म करना चाहिए, अन्यथा कर्म के द्वारा इस भौ

World Cleanup Day, a global event aimed at combating litter and waste pollution, is a cause that resonates deeply with ISKCON’s values of environmental stewardship. The ISKCON Environmental Initiative (IEI) is calling on our temples, congregation members, temple devotees, youth groups, and nama hatta groups worldwide to participate according to their capacity, reinforcing our shared responsibility towards Mother Earth. 

“As we all know, the Earth, Mother Bhumi, is suffering due to irresponsible

By Atma Tattva Das

The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Africa (BBTA) has once again honored the legacy of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada with the release of the 2024 Pan-African Vyasa-puja book. This annual offering, now available for free download on the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust-Africa (BBTA) website, provides a platform for devotees, friends, and well-wishers across the African continent to express their gratitude and reverence for Srila Prabhupada.

This year marks the 128th Vya

On August 20, 2024, the Co-Directors of ISKCON Mayapur officially inaugurated the Sridham Mayapur Board of Education, marking a significant step toward enhancing and transforming the educational scenario of Mayapur.

The Board’s focus will be on key areas such as curriculum development, teacher training, and student support services. Its primary mission is to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education that prepares them for success both within ISKCON and in the wider world.

The Boa

I popped out of the door of the Air BnB, we are staying in along the lakeside at 7 a.m . I managed to gain a few steps on a peaceful road when I received a call from a sensitive and kind person thinking about the recent death of Bindu Madhava.

भगवद्गीता यथारूप 108 महत्त्वपूर्ण श्लोक

अध्याय 2 : गीता का सार

या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी ।
यस्यां जा ग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुनेः ।। 69 ।।

या– जो;निशा– रात्रि है;सर्व– समस्त;भूतानाम्– जीवों की;तस्याम्– उसमें;जागर्ति– जागता रहता है;संयमी– आत्मसंयमी व्यक्ति;यस्याम्– जिसमें;जाग्रति– जागते हैं;भूतानि– सभी प्राणी;सा– वह;निशा– रात्रि;पश्यतः– आत्मनिरीक्षण करने वाले;मुनेः– मुनि के लिए।

भावार्थ: जो सब जीवों के लिए रात्रि है, वह आत्मसंयमी के जागने का समय है और जो समस्त जीवों के जागने का सम