We all have attachments in this material world. The secret of success is to dovetail these attachments to Krishna. This is easy said, than done. However, if you have access to a mature devotee, then the doors of detachment will start to open into the garden of Bhakti. We have five senses which are controlled by the mind, anyone of these senses can be captured by the illusory nature we live in. When one goes through a phase of addiction, it is a way to escape from the realities of life. We can see in the UK that binge drinking is a major problem for the local council...

Very few can immediately give up all material activities; therefore, mundane morality must be observed. But we must understand the fallacies, otherwise materialism will go viral in the movement. If we cannot, at least analytically, distinguish the difference between material and spiritual activity, we must strongly identify with the material body. Members of any group are connected by a collective identity. To see our spiritual connection, members of ISKCON must understand the philosophy. If we become dependent on the service of too many people who do not und...

The different between Krishna’s appearance in Vrindavana and His appearance in Mathura and Dvaraka is described in, Yamala Tantra: “The Krishna known as Yadukumara is Vasudeva Krishna. He is different from the Krishna who is the son of Nanda Maharaja. Yadukumara Krishna manifests His pastimes in the cities of Mathura and Dvaraka, but Krishna the son of Nanda Maharaja never at any time leaves Vrindavana.

Haridas spoke to the Lord with folded hands, “O Lord, I have known only misfortune yet You give me so much hope. Just allow me to partake of the remnant of foodstuffs of Your devotees totally surrendered to Your lotus feet. Let this activity be my permanent and most prominent service life after life. My sinful birth and existence is miserable, without remembering You, but now please make my life successful by granting me the remnant of Your servitors.

The ideas expressed here are especially relevant in dealing with conflicts in communities and families. By our consciousness and actions we can further add to the problem or be part of the solution. Everything in existence is energy—even science tells us that—though as followers of Bhagavad-gita we understand that there is the spiritual energy behind matter. The material world is called in the Gita's 7th chapter, Krishna's separated energy. Then, this one energy as a whole, is broken down into what we might call specific material energies of earth, water, fire, air, et...

Everyone falls short, or doesn’t progress as fast as they would like, on their spiritual journey. Can we ever think we love or serve Krishna sufficiently, when even great souls consider themselves deficient in devotion? Therefore, I always feel it is essential to portray my struggles as well as successes, so that devotees will be comfortable accepting and acknowledging where they fall short—at least with a select group, or a confidential friend. It is a sad truth that too many don't have such a friend and suffer without loving support, or even die alone, forgotten. If...

In the advanced stage, one falls completely in love with Krishna, and that is the beginning of the highest perfectional stage of life which prepares the devotee's transferral to Krishna's abode in the spiritual sky, Goloka Vrindavana, where the devotee enters into eternal happiness. Here Srila Prabhupada is intimating a very profound and subtle subject matter: the journey from prema to fully evolved loving relationship with Krishna and eternal ongoing exchange of rasa with Him.

Pure devotion means first of all you learn not to order Krishna, "Krishna, give me this, give me that, give me that." Don't bother Krishna. That is the beginning of spiritual life. Anyäbhiläñitä-çünyam. You prepare to carry out every order of Krishna. Then it is spiritual life. Don't make Krishna your order-supplier. You become order-supplier of Krishna. If you learn how to give service to Krishna cent per cent, then you get everything, everything, without asking. Krishna knows everything, what is required for you. Just like a father knows what is the necessity of the ...

For me, the reason I like to hear other devotees’ memoirs and experiences, such as in Siddhanta Prabhu’s “Memories” series, and Yadubar/Visakha’s “Following Srila Prabhupada” series, and even simple memories on Facebook, is that when I came to be with Srila Prabhupada, it was at a very different time. I love to hear what other devotees experienced. I love to hear their realizations. And I see the common thread of awe and inspiration at the time of their first meeting with Srila Prabhupada. And I think it is important for everyone who was there at that magical t...

ISKCON devotees started the procession with a unique traditional bullock cart with hundreds of Vaisnava sadhus following the cart of Nitai Gaura Sundar and Srila Prabhupada, and blessed millions of pilgrims and devotees by their melodious kirtan. This Padyatra bullock cart has been travelling all over India for last 29 years since it started in 1984. The ISKCON Camp at Maha Kumbha Mela was located on Tulasi Marg, sector 5, Mori Gate (under Taragunj Railway bridge), and accommodated nearly 1,000 devotees from all over the world. The dioramas depicting churning Kshira Saga...

For in the end, I was reminded that the future of Prabhupada’s movement is progressively transitioning into what appears to be the capable hands of ISKCON’s second and third generations. Because these devotees have made family life central to their identities, Krishna Consciousness promises to thrive as part of a new and healthier matrix—that is a new and healthier grhastha ashram. This realization makes me hopeful. It also reminds me that those of us who are older have a special obligation to help these devotees. They are the future. Hare Krishna.

Beautiful forms inspire attraction, but attachment and affection are developed more because of beautiful characteristics. Although physically attractive, if someone doesn’t have good qualities and attitude, people are not inclined to maintain a relationship with him. But if someone is beautiful both in his form and character, relationship with him is most enlivening. Krsna’s form is exquisitely beautiful, and so is His divine character.

On October 27, ISKCON New Vrindaban devotees in West Virginia heard of the horrific mass shooting at the Jewish synagogue in Pittsburgh, a 90-minute drive away from their idyllic rural community. This tragic news affirmed the timeless knowledge of the Srimad Bhagavatam, which instructs us to take shelter of the Supreme Lord in a time where “there is danger at every step” (SB 10.14.58). Devotees visiting New Vrindaban often travel to and from the Pittsburgh airport,...

An ordinary person might break relationship with others just because they act against his will. But the Supreme Lord never breaks His relationship with the living entities although they act against His will millions of times. Even if the conditioned soul commits such abominable activities and becomes an insect, or a hot or a worm in the stool also, Krsna is willing to stay right in His heart as Paramatma or Supersoul. That is His unlimited kindness due to which H...

Every living entity is a part and parcel of God, and thus has an eternal relationship with Him. Although one has relationships with many others in this world, they begin when one enters a material body and end while leaving the body. But one is eternally related to the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna. The source of the love within all of us is Krsna and Krsna is the ultimate object of our love too. Therefore, everyone loves Krsna the most, and it is Krsna who loves a pers...

I am writing this note to thank all the wonderful devotees of Gita Nagari Dham in Port Royal, Pennsylvania USA and to exhibit the beauty and importance of association in a devotional community. Immediately after my injury, long time Gita Nagari residents, my mother in law and sister in law, Syama Gopa Rupa Dasi and Prema Sankirtana dasi both arrived in our home to help me. Prema decided to stay on until I can walk again. She gave up the comfort of her hom...

There are several existing Hare Krishna communities around the world that have established “Vedic villages” in their own way. Although we may aspire to live in an ideal Vedic village, I don’t believe there is any one model that can be copied everywhere because the local conditions and culture in each country will present its own set of challenges and will require specific solutions.

In the material world, a conditioned soul, due to his false ego, is generally not comfortable to think of oneself as a ‘subordinate’ to anyone including God. But it is in the best interest of a soul to accept subordination to God and His representatives at various levels. Submissiveness to the Supreme Lord, the bona fide spiritual master and their transparent representatives constitute one of the vital aspects of spiritual advancement. Srila Prabhupada writes...

Surrender to the Supreme Whole is not an abnegation of will but a willful decision to “respond rightly to the dancing of Krishna” rather than dance independently, as Prabhupada writes in Krishna, Chapter 33. He also says that the whole world is full of Krishna’s singing. Those souls whose every thought, word, and action is like a song and dance in harmony with Krishna achieve ultimate surrender and unlimited spiritual bliss.

You are surely worthy of all the eloquent words being spoken at this occasion in honor of the amazing service you are rendering to our spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada and his movement. Personally I feel you are the one specifically empowered to carry on his most cherished desire that his books to be distributed far and wide all over this planet. And because you have done it extensively, written about it in a most perfect way and are inspiring so many devotees to...

The other inmates do not bother me anymore as I have a decent reputation here about the way I am. My willingness to help others without strings attached (as is the norm in prison), has endeared me to many. Being an instructor and mentor in the Skills Program has also worked in my favor. And my open-mindedness to other religions has unlocked many doors. Prisoners, for the most part, are good judges of character (don’t BS the Bser’s). As such, my sincerity and devotio...

Although brahmachari devotees have to undergo different types of austerity, tolerance and risk, this ashrama is very simple with less material problems. It’s easy to get spiritual bliss and finally go back home back to Godhead in this lifetime. So if you want to be free from complicated life, and quickly make your life a success, please take a vow and join the Brahmachari Ashram.