From Back to Godhead
Why Krishna’s holy names are the greatest treasure.
Some people fantasize about accumulating immense wealth and dream of what they would buy if they only had enough. To them, happiness hovers elusively on the other side of that new car, that big house, that diamond necklace.
While many of us will say, “Money can’t buy happiness,” do we really believe it? If not money, what is the solution to our hankerings? What is the greatest treasure that will bring true happiness? And h
Speaker: HG Vaisesika Das
Srimad Bhagavatam 10.3.14
ity uktvadri-dari-kusja-
gahvaresv atma-vatsakan
vicinvan bhagavan krsnah
sapani-kavalo yayau
“Let Me go and search for the calves,” Krsna said. “Don’t disturb your enjoyment.” Then, carrying His yogurt and rice in His hand, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, immediately went out to search for the calves of His friends. To please His friends, He began searching in all the mountains, mountain caves, bushes and narrow passages.”
This is
Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: With flames of protest erupting in Odisha over the untimely Rath Yatra organised by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on the occasion of Basant Panchami in Mumbai, Yudhistir Govinda Das, national director of communications, ISKCON (New Delhi) has finally released a statement mentioning that the chariot fest of the Holy Trinity is being observed as per the scriptures.
“Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb in November 2019 had sugge
There are so many mantras out there? Why is the Hare Krsna mahamantra considered to be the most powerful one?
Mantras are all invested with power. Previously, there were sages, who by chanting mantras, could do many things. Some people were fighting with mantras. Now we think we are very sophisticated these days; we have missiles for instance. But in the old days, you could just chant a mantra and invoke a great power. So mantras are known to have all kinds of powers. People could light fire by
One of the books I truly love is the JAPA book my Bhurijan Prabhu. It is such a practical, beautiful and deep book. It just makes so much sense and puts things in perspective.
It’s a general concern of devotees which we hear in many of the classes, forums and seminars on what can be the real key to balance one’s material and spiritual lives.
There is a very interesting statement made by famous French priest and philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience but we are spiritual beings having a human (material) experience.” It’s true that because of our past conditionings, desires and lifetimes of karma, we are having a
By Sacinandana Swami
Our spiritual practice should nourish us, it should supply us with a taste that is better than the taste that material activities and sense gratification provide us with. When our spiritual practice lacks this taste, the temptation of material life which then allures us with a seemingly greater taste is always close to us. And at that time we are in danger. However, if we can find taste in our spiritual practice we are safe on the spiritual platform.
The chanting of the Hol
From Back to Godhead
Why hearing is the first and most important of the nine kinds of devotional service to the Lord.
When I first read that hearing is the most important of the nine kinds of devotional service, I was confused. I was twenty-one at the time and had been hearing all day every day for my whole life. What was so special about hearing? Then I read that the “hearing” prescribed wasn’t meant for mundane topics but for the activities and qualities of Krishna and His devotees. This hea
By Suta Goswami Das
Prabhupada Bhagavata Swagatham Book Marathon distribution 2019 with Radheshyam prabhu
Traveling with Radheshyam Prabhu and distributing books is nothing short of an adventure. As per the English dictionary, the definition of an adventure is “an exciting or daring experience”. An experience is exciting when you don’t know what is awaiting you the next moment. With Radheshyam Prabhu, every day is an exciting experience, especially during Book Marathon. One day traveling in cro
Cambodia, a small country between Thailand and Vietnam, has a population of about sixteen million people. Kala Das has regularly visited this land for the last ten years to share Krishna consciousness with people. He is a great source of inspiration for those few devotees who stay there on a regular basis.
“Kirtan is 2020 Vision for Cambodia“ was organized to bring people’s attention to the local programs so that they can become involved in devotional service to the Lord. The beautiful festival
In the U.K., devotees from ISKCON Leicester’s congregation joined a total of nearly twenty families for a groundbreaking scheme called ‘Come Dine Together,’ designed to build friendships and understanding between Hindus and Muslims.
ISKCON Leicester has a close working relationship with St Philip’s Centre, the charity for interfaith understanding that launched the scheme. During a discussion with the Centre’s Deputy Director Riaz Ravat, ISKCON Leicester temple president Prad
Mayapur is getting painted with a festive mood everywhere. Attractive pandals, tents, variety prasadam outlets, exhibits, and most importantly, the feast of seeing all the wonderful moons of our movement together in Mayapur, Gaura Purnima festival is the highlight of the year in Mayapur. ISKCON Leadership Sanga (ILS) setting is so creative, artistic and innovative and added with the various seminars on leadership skills nurture a bright future for ISKCON.
Everyone enjoys having their photo taken, no matter where we may go in this world. Our deep-rooted identification with our gross and subtle material body allows us to experience pleasure seeing our own picture and showing it to others. On my travels I often see people at airports taking pictures of themselves with their relatives and friends. Now, through the modern technology of smartphones, people can take selfies without needing another person to take the shot.
Many times I observe people ta
Man has the chance to bloom spiritually by raising himself to the highest level of love of God.The Vedic scriptures divide consciousness into five categories, namely covered, shrunken,budding, blooming, and fully bloomed.
Trees and plants, for example, are almost inert. They fall into the “covered consciousness”category. They seem to show no sign of consciousness, but when we observe them carefully, we see they have a limited consciousness.
Other living entities, such as worms, insects, and oth
From Back to Godhead
The desire to be soul-conscious inspires a move to a soul-compatible place.
“The soul [jivatma] is unborn, eternal, immortal, and primeval. It does not die when the body dies.” (Bhagavad-gita 2.20)
I first heard details about jivatmathe soulin 1971 during my maiden overseas trip. I was reuniting with my then-boyfriend (later husband) John in India, and to me, a born and bred atheist, jivatma was a quaint irrelevant idea.
An idea, however, can be like a seed: it can germinat
From Back to Godhead
Sri Brahma-samhita is one of the oldest Vedic scriptures, and it is accepted by Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu (an incarnation of Krsna Himself who appeared 484 years ago) as the essence of Vaisnava (Krsna conscious) philosophy. The first verse of the Fifth Chapter of Sri Brahma-samhita reads: “Krsna, who is known as Govinda, is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal, blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, and He is the Prime Cause of
By A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
On the 16th of February 1957 a meeting was held at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan to discuss the above subject matter. Distinguished gentlemen from different categories spoke on the subject, but practically nobody could give us a definite direction as to what actually the matter was that was troubling the whole situation. This feeling of pinching in the existence of our life is a good sign for progress. It is an urge for enquiry what is the wrong in the world
With the famous annual Gaura Purnima festival at ISKCON’s headquarters in Mayapur, West Bengal running from February 17th to March 11th, and thousands of devotees and pilgrims pouring into the spiritual city, there’s now an alternative, more peaceful way to get there from Kolkata airport.
Avoiding the bumpy, risky roads and pollution, travelers can instead book the Jaladuta boat service organized by the Mayapur Tourism department and enjoy a relaxing cruise down the river
