Once in India Srila Prabhupada said to you “Yamuna you will become as famous as the river Yamuna.” In the mood of a pilgrim at the banks of a sacred river offering drops back to the river in the hope of receiving its blessings, so I offer to you words from your own life of devotion in the hope that this fallen soul may receive your mercy . The above prophetic words were spoken by Srila Prabhupada after a gentleman in India had just shown him a glowing newspaper article about the success of Sri Sri Radha Londonisvari with pictures of the Deities. It was largely down to your...

We performed our duty at his sickbed. I was also among them. My duty was from two o’clock at night to four o’clock morning, and just twenty-four hours before his departure he called for me and asked me to sing a song, sri rupa manjari pada se mora sampada, this famous song which is supposed to be the highest realization of any Gaudiya Vaishnava devotee. Then after twenty-four hours—the 1st of January— early in morning he left the world. He was lying and slight jerking, thric...

One day Krodhashamani came to my apartment and asked me to come see Sudama. He arrived in Los Angeles from San Francisco, and was dying of Aids. I knew Sudama from the Brooklyn temple. At that time he was a sannyasi, therefore we never spoke.

One day Pankajanghri Prabhu was posted outside Srila Prabhupada’s room to guard the door. Pankhajanghri Prabhu had a cast on one of his legs. So when he folded his legs, the sole of one his feet was exposed. When Srila Prabhupada noticed this, he said “Don’t you know that it is disrespectful to expose the sole of your foot to the spiritual master?” Pakhajanghri Prabhu apologised and immediately began to re-position his leg when Srila Prabhupada noticed the cast on his leg and asked “Have you injured your leg?” Pankhajanghri Prabhu replied “Yes” and then Srila Prabhupa...

In the early days of ISKCON back at 26 2nd Avenue, Brahmananda Prabhu was all-pervasive. Whenever I would stop in at the Matchless Gifts, he was always parked Buddha-like on the rug chanting on his big red beads. He spoke rarely: he controlled the atmosphere simply by his glance which could be intimidating. Once when a guest inquired, he happily explained his name, “One who only likes only transcendental bliss.” I never forgot his presence and later when I wrote to Shrila Prabhupada from N...

Mahadevi Dasi: Over the last week, I compiled and edited about 30 tributes from our Godbrothers and sisters and those were read yesterday, as not many Prabhupada disciples are here in Vrndavana right now. For the last 20 years serving in Vrndavana, I've had the great pleasure of organizing programs to glorify devotees. How could we leave out Brahmananda prabhu, who was also like a brother and very dear friend to me, as well as Prabhupada's dear son..

Sridhar Swami: “When I leave, we can be together in more significant ways.” He said that love in separation was actually stronger. And we do experience that when we are with people we love, we may take them for granted but that when they are gone, we realize how valuable their association was and how much we loved and still love them. And the feelings become more intense than when we were with them.

Yesterday, December 2nd, at about 5:30 am California time, during the auspicious Brahma Muhurta period, His Grace Sura Prabhu, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada and long-time servant of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT), left his body in Los Angeles. He had been hospitalized since November 26th, after being diagnosed with Covid-19. His son, Ram Nomi, and his daughter, Sitapriya, were in the room chanting when he departed. Srila Prabhupada's chanting was also playing softly in the background. Sura Prabhu had his japa beads and was wearing a Nrsimha-pavitra from...

On Srila Prabhupada Disappearance Day festival , here are some lesser-known facts related to ISKCON Founder acharya Srila Prabhupada by Vaisesika Prabhu. GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) is pleased to invite you to the Day 2 of our 3 day series celebrating Srila Prabhupada Disappearance Day festival reflecting on the role of Srila Prabhupada as our preeminent Siksha Guru

Rajendranandana prabhu’s health had been failing for some time, and two or three weeks ago he was diagnosed with terminal spinal cancer. He was given three months to live. In the Vaisnava fashion so typical of Raj prabhu, he took the diagnosis as Krishna’s mercy and began to prepare himself for this final test. By the merciful arrangement of the Supreme Lord, he passed away within two weeks (instead of the projected several months).

We Celebrate Both, Appearance & Disappearance: On the disappearance of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, Srila Prabhupada taught us how to observe this day of the disappearance of the Guru. He explained that there is no difference between appearance and disappearance on the spiritual level. Because, for such divine realized souls who are in contact with the eternal soul, there coming and going into this world are both only for the benefit of those who love them. Of course, on the appearance there is usually a great celebration and on the disappearance there is the ...

On Srila Prabhupada Disappearance Day festival , here are some lesser-known facts related to ISKCON Founder acharya Srila Prabhupada by Praghosa Das GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) is pleased to invite you to the Day 2 of our 3 day series celebrating Srila Prabhupada Disappearance Day festival reflecting on the role of Srila Prabhupada as our preeminent Siksha Guru with Praghosh Das.

The GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) is pleased to invite you to the Day 3 of our 3 day series celebrating Srila Prabhupada Disappearance Day festival reflecting on the role of Srila Prabhupada as our preeminent Siksha Guru with Visakha Devi.

The GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) is pleased to invite you to the Day 3 of our 3 day series celebrating Srila Prabhupada Disappearance Day festival reflecting on the role of Srila Prabhupada as our preeminent Siksha Guru with Nrsimhananda Das.

H.G. Jasomatinandan Prabhu left this world on October 24, 2020, at the age of 72 due to the effects of the covid-19 virus that he contracted. He was born on Guru Purnima day, July 20, 1948, near Surat, and dedicated his life to ISKCON and Prabhupada’s mission after getting initiated by Prabhupada on Krishna Janmashtami 1972 at New Vrindavan, USA

For those who knew and loved Pita it is a great loss for us and certainly the world at large. Why is the passing of Pita prabhu such a great loss for all? Well, it is difficult to begin extolling his glories, there are so many! Pita prabhu was a great devotee, friendly to all, amicable, compassionate, helpful, very honest, funny, a true Southern gentleman, but most of all his highest virtue is that he loved and served Srila Prabhupada with all his heart and soul! Certainly, people of his caliber, whether devotees or not, have risen above the grade of varna shankara, unwanted population...

"People should not expect that even in the Krishna Consciousness Society there will be Utopia. Because devotees are persons, therefore there will always be some lacking -- but the difference is that their lacking, because they have given up everything to serve Krishna -- money, jobs, reputation, wealth, big educations, everything -- their lackings have become transcendental because, despite everything they may do, their topmost intention is to serve Krishna. "One who is engaged in devotional service, despite the most abominable action, is to be considered saintly because he is rightly sit...

Can you picture our dear Vaisnava gentleman His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami as a sword-wielding, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, general on the battlefield, a courageous soldier in the thick of battle, waging war on behalf of ISKCON? A more predominant view of Maharaja is one who is a source of inspiration, refuge, and hope. However, as I reflect on my recent GBC Executive Committee service with Bhakti Charu Swami, an instance of such a military persona stands out vividly in my mind.

Another wonderful exemplary Vaishnava has left us to be with his worshipful Lordships in the Spiritual World. Bhuvanesvara prabhu has been serving Them in Vrindavan for 35 years and was such an inspiring soul. His sadhana was impeccable, he religiously cooked the Raj Bhoga offering daily, he led kirtan (whose heart could not be moved by his sweet and melodious chanting early in the morning before Mangala Arotik.) He was always was there for Tulasi Puja, Guru Puja, gave classes, and also led Kirtans in the evening. He had a great sense of humor and wit. Knowing how fallen I was, he ...

I was repeatedly asked, "What was Jim like in school?" Well, you know, that was quite a few years ago. I had even forgotten, or just not given a thought to the fact that Jim and I lived in the same cabin in summer camp. I forgot that until I came upon the 1951 camp photo. And the photo of Jim on the front of the chariot is unrecognizable because of the years, the Hare Krishna robes Jim is wearing, and because as they said, the photo is not a good one because it was not taken until Jim was very ill. I told them that Jim was very funny. They ...

From Jayananda's mother, taken from Radha-Damodara Vilasa by Vaiyasaki Dasa – Mrs. Kohr: At the age of four he was taken to a service in what we call the big church in Dayton, Ohio. He was very restless, standing up in the sanctuary and looking around. His grandmother inquired, “Jimmy, what's wrong? What are you doing? What are you looking for?” “Where is God?” he replied. Gaynelle Kohr Pietrangelo (Jayananda's sister) Jim was kind to animals, too. I know he was on a beach in California an...