ISKCON Auckland NZ: Rathayatra festival 2016 (Album with photos)
Kalasamvara Das: The Mayor of Auckland Phil Goff and HH Devam......

Seek the great sages and follow their path!
A word of truth to my faithless self: How long will you wander? Back, forth and around in circles, blind but convinced that you can see. You want to walk alone, fancy yourself valiant and unbound, taking the scenic route, as you call it. You go without guidance. Faithless self, you say that no one else can lead you on your path, as no one but you knows where you’ve come from nor can anyone be truly invested in your destiny. This is, after all, your journey; the discovery of your spirit, a recovery of yo...

Harinama in Tel Aviv, Israel (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Interviewer: As far as rites which you practice and demands upon you which Krsna makes, what are any of these rites or demands? That is must you eat special foods, wear special clothing, special…, anything special which you put upon your face, sign, symbols, and also, is there any connection of Krsna consciousness to the meditation of yoga or of Zen, and what of physical fitness? How does Krsna consciousness look at this? Prabhupada: Our process is to accept everything which cond...

6 Bedrock Principles that will Improve your Spiritual Life:
1. Hone your purpose.
a. Carefully examine the purpose of your practice before you begin it each day. The word “purpose” derives from Latin propositus “to put or set forth” & Old French poser, “to place.” Your purpose moves you and gives you a sense of direction. When your purpose is clear and strong you will naturally overcome obstacles along the path. When your purpose is weak, you will be easily distracted and discouraged.
b. Write down your pu...

Is submissive hearing the same as submissive reading?
Cintamani Dhama-dasi: I have a 40 page document of Acarya-vani on this tattva. The conclusion is that submissive reading from the self-realized person is THE SAME as submissive hearing from the self-realized person … but that submissive hearing is still MORE EFFECTIVE than reading. It’s NOT a question of either / or. It’s a matter of perfect & more perfect. If we are reading submissively (not academically), we will apply what we read and we will hanker and cry for more associa...

Mayapur Academy - Abhisheka 2016 - final exam - festivals (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: This is the position of Krishna Consciousness that if anyone will take to it seriously, he will find instant improvement in his life’s condition. By nature every living entity is joyful and in Krishna Consciousness, but due to association with material contamination certain souls have gotten their joyful spiritual nature covered up by the cloud of Maya. The purpose of our centers for Krishna Consciousness is to give everyone the opportunity to remove t...

Blessings of Srila Prabhupada for the Malaysian yatra (Album with photos)
Who can estimate the blessings of Srila Prabhupada for the Malaysian yatra? At the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple of Devotion & Understanding, Prai, Seberang Jaya, Penang hundreds of devotees including many from other countries are right now immersed in the ecstacy of chanting and hearing the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra at the Kirtan Mela which began yesterday and which will go on till 11 December.
Among Srila Prabhupada disciples who are at the Kirtan Mela are HH Lokanatha Sw...

Welcome To Mayapur Institute’s Virtual Classes.
Basic Bhagavad-gītā Study, an online six months course, is designed to help the students study Śrīla Prabhupāda’s presentation of the Bhagavad-gītā in depth. Students of this online course should expect a challenging, disciplined and intensive course of study.
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Surrender in a night….
Ruchika Srivastava: “In this world being ruined by desire for money and sense gratification, inspirational stories such as that of Pingala, are a ray of hope. With a heartfelt prayer that people’s search for love and happiness ends up in the right direction, I dedicate this poem to all those suffering souls waiting for some illumination and direction in life. May the light of Krishna Consciousness brighten up every corner of the world in such a way that there is a celebration of happiness everyday. Hare Krishna!...

What was the technology of the pollution-free Pushpaka vimana?
Feasting on Krishna’s glories on Ekadashi.
Chaitanya Charan Das: During my last full day in the Middle East, on 25th, which happened to be Ekadashi and which also happened to be Friday (the weekly holiday in the Islamic world), it worked out that I had to give five classes in three different cities. For over a decade and a half, I have been fasting on Ekadashi, taking only water or at the most ginger water or lemon water. Over the years, I have found that while fasting, speaking ...

The Super Soul Does It Again!
Recently I was distributing books door to door in Gisborne, New Zealand.
I knocked on one door and had the great fortune to meet Caleb (see attached photo), a very pleasant middle aged gentleman and committed Christian. As a successful musician, one of the ways he serves is to glorify God though music at Christian gatherings all around the world. Still, I could understand from his respectful and friendly demeanor that he was open to receiving one of Srila Prabhupada’s books.
Utilizing the clever presentation H...

Rescued Bull Calves Safe at ISCOWP (7 min video)
These two bull calves were rescued from a dairy a week ago. They will be prote......

Passing of HG Narayan Prabhu.
Dear Godbrothers and Godsisters,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Pr......

Satisfaction is one of the austerities of the mind.
In Bhagavad-gita 17.16, Krsna says that satisfaction is one of the austerities of the mind.
There are plenty of circumstances while traveling to analyze the fluctuations of the mind. A friend of mine once said, “When you’re home, you get what you want. When traveling, you get what you get.”
Moving from place to place requires adjusting to new environments and situations and gives ample opportunity to practice satisfaction of the mind. Noteworthy is that satisfaction is n...

A Venus flytrap and how to resist it.
A Venus flytrap can digest an insect in about 10 days . The unsuspecting bug smells nectar on the leaves that form the trap. When the insect investigates, it crawls into the jaws of the plant. Within half a second the jaws clamp shut and digestive juices dissolve the bug.
This meat-eating plant reminds me of the way our material mind can devour us if we are lured into thoughts of enjoying this material world for selfish purposes, tempting us with a new experience, convincing us that living right doesn’t ma...

Cleaning and Renovations of the iskcon Honolulu temple. (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada would stay there for many days do......

Who is a bonafide Guru?
Srila Prabhupada: The qualification of a spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and arguments and thus be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters. — NOD Ch. 7
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One of the annual events at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, in the UK, is the Ayurvedic retreat, conducted by Dr Vasant Lad. Hailing from Maharashtra in India, Dr Lad is one of the foremost authorities in Ayurveda and comes from a long line of practitioners. Ayurveda is the Vedic science of healing that incorporates medicine, diet and herbology. Ayurvedic practices even featured in the Ancient epic Ramayana, specifically when Sushena ordered Hanuman to retrieve the Sanjivani herb to revive Laxman from his injury....

The Namas Te India restaurant chain in Norwich has distributed no less than 10,000 copies of The Higher Taste. Restaurant manager Mr Vijay Jatani and his family became devotees through the local Nama Hatta (meeting) group. They have two vegetarian restaurants in the city and over the last five years they have distributed the books as complimentary gifts to their customers....

Rise brings you short bursts of wake-up wisdom from the comfort of your phone. It has simple, uncomplicated spiritual tools specific for your needs. If you’re stressed, search through our videos on stress. If you’re looking for advice on relationships, search through our videos on relationships. And if you’re looking to realise your inner self, we may even have something for that too. It’s a practical, accessible approach to spirituality created for the modern world, which is why it all fits into your mobile....

HOLY JAIL (6 min video) In this video HH Candramauli Swami speaks about Prison Preaching and his book Holy Jail. Srila Prabhupada: The Lord’s activities in association with His different energies should be described, appreciated and heard in accordance with the teachings of the Supreme Lord. If this is done regularly with devotion and respect, one is sure to get out of the illusory energy of the Lord. SB 2.7.53 text Watch it here: https://goo.gl/a5Lmem...

Delivering the Antidote to Today’s Ills. Giriraj Swami: Srimad-Bhagavatam contains a discussion between Dharma, in the form of a bull, and the Earth, in the form of a cow. Eventually he asks her, “The so-called administrators are now bewildered by the influence of this age of Kali, and thus they have put all state affairs into disorder. Are you now lamenting this disorder? Now the general populace does not follow the rules and regulations for eating, sleeping, drinking, mating, etc., and they are inclined to perform such anywhere and everywhere. Are you unhappy because of this?” (SB 1.16.22)...

There’s not a more charming or mysterious place in the universe than Govardhana Hill in Vraja Mandala. Apparently, the word is spreading because nowadays, during Karttika season, millions of pilgrims come here to perform parikrama.* [*Literally, “parikrama” means “walking around.”] Only by the mercy of the Vaisnavas have I been allowed to stay for a while here in this magical place under the shelter of the Bhaktivedanta Ashrama, nestled at the base of Govardhana Hill, presided over by HH Keshava Bharati Das Goswami. For my own purification, I’ve been making some notes. Today’s are as follows...

A visit to ISKCON Kurukshetra - 30th Nov, 2016 (Album with photos) Srila Prabhupada: During correspondence I read a letter from Bhagavata dasa about Bhuvanesvara. Money was scarce. Prabhupada gave the same recommendation he had given in so many letters. Building was not as important as prasadam distribution and kirtana. If there was money, we could build later. From TKG's Diary Find them here: https://goo.gl/wYDbc3

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