By Ravindra Svarupa dasaWe conditioned souls are originally Krishna conscious living entities, but owing to a desire to be independent of God and to be the Supreme ourselves, we have fallen from our original position and become covered by maya (illusion), who provides us with false identities of gross and subtle matter. By the grace of Krishna and His pure devotees we fallen souls can regain our original Krishna consciousness and in so doing go back to Godhead. This simple dramatic narrative tells the story of wh...
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- 24 Aug 2015
By Mina SharmaDevotees from across the UK came together today in Leicester for the first ever ISKCON UK National Convention, organised as part of the celebrations for ISKCON's 50th anniversary. Taking place in ISKCON Leicester's magnificent Grade II listed building in the city centre, hundreds of devotees took part in a day of collaboration and learning, and celebrated the successes and new developments taking place in the UK today. This was the first time in the history of ISKCON UK that a maha sanga was organis...
- 23 Aug 2015
By Kesava Krsna dasaThe topic of Sadhu-ninda is given such importance because one can be desensitized to its effects. Persistent exposure to hearing criticism of vaisnavas can cause this, which is so insidious as to be unnoticeable by many. When one realizes his taste for chanting is waning, it is of concern. Advanced devotees just cannot, will not and do not offend vaisnavas. Can one be said to be thinking of Krsna while doing so? Highly unlikely. As BG.18.58. says, ‘if however, you do not work in such consci...
- 23 Aug 2015
By Ranchor dasaThis paper was the ISKCON keynote address at an Inter-faith conference hosted by our communications group in the UK and devotees in Bhaktivedanta Manor. Twenty Christians and twenty ISKCON members took part in the exchange, which was described by Rev. Michael Barnes SJ as, "one of those rare occasions when head and heart seemed somehow to be united.... I was left wondering why it is that Catholics and Vaishnava Hindus get on so well together." Ranchor's paper was very well received and the sincere ...
- 23 Aug 2015
By John BissetWhen John Herbison said goodbye to his wife before setting off on a walk, he didn't say "I'll see you later", it was "I'll be back in about a year". The devout Hare Krishna of 30 years has set out on a pilgrimage to mark the 50th anniversary of the Hare Krishna Society's arrival in the western world. He left Christchurch 10 days ago with a stroppy horse named Samson and a restored 100-year-old wagon, intent on travelling the length of New Zealand.
...- 22 Aug 2015
By a DasaHe was the easiest guest I have had in my life, because when I couldn’t spend time with him he chanted, and I knew he was perfectly happy. When I couldn’t talk to him, he chanted. He was so easy, though, because I knew he was never bored. I never felt any pressure or tension about having him. He was so easy that when I had to take care of the children he would just chant. It was so great. When I had to do things, he would just be happy chanting. He was a very good guest. When the people would...
- 22 Aug 2015
By Mayapur Sasi dasaFor the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of July. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Individuals, Monthly Top 5, Cumulative Countries, Cumulative Temples, Cumulative Top 100 Individuals, Cumulative Top 5
...- 21 Aug 2015
By Jagannath DasFrom August 13th to 16th a massive event in Kolkata – celebrating the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s journey to the U.S. – drew 35,000 people, including representatives of 125 countries and many prominent politicians and VIPs. All were coming to pay their respects to the great spiritual teacher, who left his home alone at age 69, braved two heart-attacks during a month-long voyage on the cargo ship Jaladuta, and struggled with little help in one of the roughest parts of New York Cit...
- 21 Aug 2015
By Anuttama dasa and Tamohara dasa Class at Iskcon Chicago, Sri Kishore Kishori temple streamed live on Aug 20, 2015. All authority in ISKCON is derived from the order and directions of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Thus to the degree a member of ISKCON is following Srila Prabhupada’s order and direction he/she carries authority. In general spiritual matters, this authority is naturally manifest. It does not need to be officially conferred. However based on Srila Prabhupada’s direc...
- 21 Aug 2015
By Sivarama Swami Presentation by Sivarama Swami to the North American GBC on 18 August 2015. We have a three-fold psychological typology. The mode of goodness is manifest by an attitude that is detached, dispassionate and interested in knowledge for its own sake. The mode of passion is evident in the hankering and longings that impel strenuous efforts to obtain objects of desire. The mode of ignorance is manifest in apathy, indifference, obliviousness and bewilderment. When, for example, consciousness is conditio...
- 21 Aug 2015
By Sahadeva Dasa A man is judged by his car. The richer you are, the bigger is your car, in all likelihood. The cars we drive say a lot about us. There are brands costing a fortune. Some people are famous simply because of the cars they own. In a poor country, you have to own a car and in a rich country, you have to own a supercar, to make a difference. Everything in life is somewhere else, and you get there in a car. When it comes to cars, there's no such thing as cheap and best. It's cheap and nasty & expensive...
- 21 Aug 2015
By Giriraj SwamiAt her initiation ceremony yesterday, Rose Forkash received the name Rajani-priya dasi. Rajani is a name of Durga, an expansion of Srimati Radharani, who is the divine, universal mother. Rajani was also the name of Srila Prabhupada’s mother. Priya means “dear” or “dear to,” and dasi means “servant” or “servant of.” During the ceremony, Rtadhvaja Swami, Niranjana Swami, and especially Indradyumna Swami encouraged Rajani-priya via Skype with words of appreciation, affection, and ...
- 21 Aug 2015
By Braja Bihari DasEvening Class at Iskcon Chicago, Sri Kishore Kishori temple streamed live on Aug 19, 2015. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu confirms the conclusion of Srimad-Bhagavatam on the strength of His philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. That philosophy holds that the Supreme Lord is simultaneously one with and different from His creation. That is to say, there is unity in diversity.
...- 20 Aug 2015
By Manohar Krsna DasAs Vrindavan rejoiced in the Hariyali Teej festivals yesterday, MVT (Mayapur Vrindavan Trust), management, staff and residence decided to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s Jaladuta Yatra by distributing delicious kitchari prasadam cooked in desi ghee for over 3000 pilgrims and visitors to Vrindavan. The kitchari prasadam cooked with devotion by Gopal Das (ACBSP) in the staff kitchen, had everyone who tasted it come back for seconds. Manager of MVT Prem Kishore Das said “...
- 20 Aug 2015
By Vanamali Pandit DasaSeveral esteemed ISKCON sannyasis will be joining the celebration. They include: HH Jayadvaita Swami, HH Niranjana Swami, HH Radhanath Swami, HH Giriraj Swami, HH Bhaktimarga Swami, HH Romapada Swami, HH Trivikrama Swami, HH Janananda Gowami, HH Candramauli Swami, HH Danavir Goswami and HH Bhakti Prabhupada-Vrata Damodara Swami. Many prominent government officials have also been invited to attend, including Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, as well as the Chie...
- 20 Aug 2015
Padmapani das: I wish to inform the Vaisnava community that a great soul has passed from our midst. Her name was Rita McNaughton -- better known as Momji among devotees....
- 20 Aug 2015
By the ISKCON Seattle Communications OfficeISKCON Seattle is making great strides in preaching the holy name to the greater Seattle, WA community. Anandamela, the festival of India is a unique cultural event that bridges east with the west. Organized by ISKCON seattle for the last five years, this event comes in the wake of the festival of colors - Holi that has captured imagination of folks in Redmond and neighboring cities representative of general America. The festival is designed to gradually introduce th...
- 20 Aug 2015
By the BhaktiWomen.org TeamAmong the various areas that the Bhakti Women team serves women in, we are also very inspired to support mothers in empowering their daughters and to honor and value their role as women. We wish for them to excel and shine in their roles as home- makers , caretakers of the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of their families, in raising emotionally and spiritually sound children and in maintaining relationships within society. With this purpose in mind we offered a ten session ...
- 19 Aug 2015
By Giriraj SwamiBy Srila Prabhupada’s causeless mercy, Rose Forkash, who developed the Friends of Lord Krishna (FOLK) program with Srila Prabhupada’s direct encouragement and guidance, will receive initiation at my ashram in Carpinteria on Wednesday, August 19, between 10 a.m. and noon. She is four weeks away from her ninety-fifth birthday. Please bless her that she achieves complete success in Krishna consciousness in this very lifetime.
...- 18 Aug 2015
By Bhakti-lata DasiFor those of you who read the previous IPM NEWS, you will remember that inmate bhakta, Richard Chase—affectionately nicknamed “Krishna Kirtan”by Sarva-drik prabhu—was very well situated in a prison in Petersburg, Virginia where he had started what became a very successful and popular Hare Krishna program at the chapel library. Last year, however, he was transferred to a prison in Lisbon, Ohio where the chaplains were quite inimical toward Krishna Consciousness and who prevented him from ...
- 18 Aug 2015
By Pusta Krishna dasLord Chaitanya predicted that the glories of the Holy Names of the Mahamantra would take place in every town and village throughout the world. This energy was reflected in the person of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur who wrote of the Bhagawat and sent a copy of this book to Canada around the time of our Srila Prabhupad's appearance. The great carrier of that mercy was illuminated by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad. He gave the order to Abhay Charan De, later known as His Divine...
- 18 Aug 2015
By Indradyumna SwamiAfter a month of harinams and festivals and a mammoth three-day Woodstock festival, our tour devotees were exhausted. When I mentioned during a meeting that we had seventeen more festivals to go, I saw many devotees catch their breath and roll their eyes upward. “It's our duty,” I said. “We can't give up, we can't give in. We've inherited a tradition that goes back five hundred years. Many great devotees have served selflessly for this very moment that we are living: when the holy names o...
- 17 Aug 2015
By different devoteesWho else would have tolerated all difficulties, and distributed Harinama with a pleasant heart? Who would have given us the dhamas such as Mayapur, Vrindavan and Jagannatha Puri? The teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu constitute the greatest and most auspicious treasure. Who else would have engaged us in constantly practicing and preaching it? Sri Sri Nitai Gaura are desire trees of love of Godhead. Desiring a drop of Their mercy, Jayapataka's heart incessantly takes shelter of Your Divine g...
- 17 Aug 2015
By Iskcon Kolkata If Srila Prabhupada had not come, what would have happened? How could we have passed our lives? Who else would have distributed the unlimited mercy of Lord Nityananda and Lord Gauranga all over the world? Which other compassionate person would have endeavoured to deliver the miscreants , sinful, impersonalistic and voidistic people in the West? Who else would have come to distribute Harinama to them? Who else would have come forward to transform them into civilized beings? Who else would have ta...
- 17 Aug 2015