His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada has, once or maybe more, clearly mentionedthat ISKCON brainwashes its members, he says “We are brainwashing from bad to good” This is true.He also stated that everybody is also being brainwashed by advertising and material education etc.,what a simple but profound statement that is

When I was teaching in gurukulas, the students would occasionally find out that another child didn't like one sort of food or another and would tease them: “Eww—you don't like mangoes? That means you don't like Prabhupada and Krishna!” These eight- or nine-year-olds were probably joking, or half joking, to the extent that kids are capable. But when adults insist in the rudest language that other devotees who don't share their opinions on one detail or another regarding devotional practice or association are faithless, or even demons, they are not joking. ...

The Kirtan Mela in Mayapur ended this morning at 10 AM PST. The participants although under one roof physically, yet throughout the world on-line, must have been as diverse as could be, yet all were chanting the Lord's Blessed Holy Names with such exuberance my heart melted

The Small Farm Training Center’s (SFTC) is a land based educational center and a hands-on working organic farm within the boundaries of New Vrindaban Community. Pursuant to Srila Prabhupada’s specific instructions for New Vrindaban, its mission is to create a green economic model that makes organically grown food affordable and available

Like many other mystique Vaishanva personalities of Vraj, Bilvamangala Thakur perhaps would have occurred in many places as he pleased, causing ordinary people to conclude there were 10 Bilvamangalas etc. Thus based on a version of the local people ,but keeping though that Srila Prabhupada narrated quite similar but not exactly the same story, listening to their age old beliefs, an ancient place and people who relishes the nectar of Bhakti latent in their village traditions (na budhibedam janayet) we dare to put this across!

I am writing this article as a means to increase dialogue within the devotional community with respect to risk management. I do not place myself as an expert in this area though I do have a sensitivity to the subject given my occupation

A man’s work is the centre of his life ( unless he is a gentleman of leisure and does not need to earn a living, for one or more of a variety of reasons ). His interests, leanings, education, hobbies, lifestyle all revolve around and are centred on his work. In time, a man’s work becomes his passion. He is identified by his work, and the more successful he is seen in that work, the more successful is his life supposed to be

As the new year approaches, the newspapers and different magazines get flooded with columns on the forecast for the coming year for people born under different star influences or star signs. Everybody seems to be reading it with great interest. The mysticism of the unknown and desire to explore it is very fascinating indeed

When a butterfly sneezes in Africa, there is a hurricane in Caribbean Sea. This is true not just of stock markets but even in the real world that we live in. It brings out how fragile our systems are. A fall in subprime sector in the US melted down scores of sectors and economies across the globe; many big companies closed down, giant financial organizations turned paupers and sold out

What is the best way to relate to other people? What is the secret to success? How can we make others do whatever we wish them to do? This may sound like advertising for some success book, the kind which never really answer our question but only promote the sales of its author. But in this exposé we are going to give it all out to the reader. Those who know the secret of love can be successful preachers. They can have successful relationships with one another and can know the pleasure of being liked

Soon after I joined iskcon, in England in 1975, I got the association of Prabhavisnu Dasa, who was the unofficial leader of the brahmacaris and respected by all. Although he was soft-spoken, his devotional qualities and leadership abilities endeared him to others. He was special

My father though a materialistic person had an auspicious departure from this world, he left with eyes open and a smile on his face ,” recounted His Holiness Giriraj Swami in the discourse he gave on the 7th of Jan. 2012 in Punjabi bagh, Delhi

A unique feature and strength of ISKCON is having many devotees awarding initiation. But this can also engender problems. One problem that negatively affects the development of preaching is that of “guru groupism.” In some places there is no such competition, either due to enlightened leadership or more commonly because something resembling the old zonal acarya

Somewhere round midnight, I could see the shadow of one man standing beside me. I don’t know from where he had suddenly popped up. I was shivering from within and tried to keep my poise as I continued to chant the mahamantra...

Goloka Dasi: For the last fifteen years she’s managed the Govinda’s restaurants in Dublin. Although that is challenging, she does it with an infectious smile. Devotees and guests call her Mrs. Govinda’s. Her other nickname is Mrs. All-nighter, because she does marathons in the kitchen when there are festivals; afterwards, she never takes rest but just keeps going all day

Today, most people in the Western world equate democracy with fairness and justice; these words are interchangeable in common speech. A modern progressive would consider it odd to question if something is “too democratic.” However, if one reads Richard Hofstadter’s classic book, “The American Political Tradition” they will learn that the U.S. Constitutional Assembly was dominated by fear of too much democracy

How many of us wonder, “If I ever attain the level of raga-bhakti, who in Iskcon will be able to guide me? We are emphasising sadhana bhakti too much. Maybe I’ll have to seek someone elsewhere who can do so…” Will such doubt and uncertainty help us find someone capable, or does the answer lie somewhere much closer to home?

We see yet another example of right and left opinions being expressed - this time about Food for Life. We have seen them before on women’s issues, on whether to innovate or not, and on Srila Prabhupada’s way forward for Iskcon. Do these interpretations reflect our unity in diversity, or are they potentially frictional?

Srila Prabhupad's miracle is that he presented Krishna consciousness 'as it is', and so many took it to heart. He nursed us to spiritual health. He never cheated us. He was the living example of the type of person Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was promoting: without desire for wealth, following, mundane sensuality, or even fame as an author of poetic words

ISKCON Vidyadan - Kerala tried out on a sample basis, a one-hour class, 'Power of Habit - How to overcome Bad Habits' on a secular school-student mass containing Hindu, Christian and Muslim boys and girls on the 8th October 2011, in Irinjalakuda (IRJ) of central Kerala, South India

This story has been written by Premanjana Dasa (Pranjal Joshi) on the basis of a conversation that took place between him and His Grace Hari Das Prabhu at the 'Hare Krishna Land' (ISKCON Temple) at Juhu, Mumbai in the months of August and September 2011 in the room of Haridas Prabhu