Sri Locana dasa Thakura, he very beautifully describes sankirtana as an actual yajna. He says in his Caitanya Mangala – “The living entities ears are sacrificial openings, yajna kunda, our ears are yajna kunda, the tongue is a sacrificial ladle that you pour the ghee with, sound of Krishna’s glories is charming sacrificial ghee. So the sound of Krishna’s names or glories is actually that ghee that you pour into the fire. When the ladle of the tongue pours that ghee into the opening of the ears, the ghee enters the heart. In the heart the ghee adds fuel to the fire of ecstatic love....

Material society is ripped apart, material family life is ripped apart, material desires are ripped apart. It is natural that the conditioned soul in this world wants shelter. One of the inconceivable characteristics of the conditioned soul in Maya is that it's not only we cannot perceive the full extent of the forest of illusion. We also cannot perceive how helpless we are. We can’t fully appreciate how tiny and helpless we are. Because we have surrounded ourselves with so much bad shelter. It’s natural for us to want to take shelter.

Every year during the auspicious month of Kartik, His Holiness Radhanath Swami takes devotees from all over the world on a Yatra (A Spiritual Journey). This year the annual yatra is at Sri Dham Puri.

When Hanuman returned from Lanka, reporting to Lord Rama, he didn't want to start by "I found Sita" by putting himself first, neither putting Sita's name first like "Sita was found" to prevent Lord Rama's anxiety by hearing first her name and assuming the worst. So he said: "Found Sita I"! Hanuman had so many good qualities that Lord Rama said: "If I can have him as my associate I will achieve success!" In this class there are also nice expressions of appreciation a...

Srila Prabhupada told us later that he received some direct instruction from Rupa Goswami. Rupa Goswami came and said to him: Take courage, I will be with you, your mission will be successful! Go forward, complete the instruction given to you by your spiritual master and I will help you! Because the quarters where Srila Prabhupada stayed is, just outside the window, is the bhajan-kutir and samadhi of Srila Rupa Goswami, the principle Acharya following Chaitanya Mahapr...

Ramachandra’s Appearance Day Lecture, December 27, 1966 New York. When Lord Ramachandra appeared, He made a bridge between India and Ceylon. There is no history in the world that one has made bridge over the ocean, Indian Ocean. And how the bridge was made? Not in the present, modern way, that making concrete on the ground and then pillars and then… No. The stones were floating. The Ramachandra assistants, all the monkeys...

I have been chanting 45+ years. And some of you for longer, I know. And do not mind me saying it but at least from what I have observed, I have not seen any one displaying such symptoms like Lord Caitanya did. Please forgive me if that is inappropriate but I think it is not. Because I think we commit offenses, I think we are sometimes not attentive enough, And that’s why these things are not happening like they did with Lord Caitanya. I mean with Him it happen...

In this age of Kali, the greatest yajna is sankirtana, the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave us a simple principle: trinad api sunicena, taror api sahisnuna amanina manadena, kirtaniyah sada harih We must be very attentive. We must be disciplined. We must be regulated in how we perform this yajna of chanting God’s names. But at the same time, Lord Caitanya gave us this verse. To the degree we are following these principles of h...

Less reading of Srila Prabhupada's books, minimizing his position by more elaborate guru-pujas than SP's guru-puja, introduction of new, unauthorized literature, demigod and non Vaishnava worship in Iskcon temples, Indian social customs like rakhi, minimizing prasadam standards, inappropriate items offered to the deities like frozen vegetables, relaxed sexual behavior, improper decorations of the Deities, non traditional kirtans by chanting names non associated with ...

Tamal Krishna Maharaj had come back to Bombay and in the meantime something happened with me. I was getting ready for marriage, it was arranged, temple president was involved and my parents were very happy, thinking that I became normal so they also had come and everything was but then, on the day of the ceremony, the girl’s parents came and then they parked the car, some distance away from the temple. They said jewelleries and sarees for you, please come to the car,...

Srila Prabhupada said the chanting of Hare Krishna is the panacea for all material problems and all diseases. But at least for myself I find it's very hard to chant attentively day after day, month after month, year after year. It's very easy to take it for granted. The mind is continually thinking of things in the past, is thinking of things in the future that we have no control over, so by the influence of passion and ignorance we're being robbed of that opportunity to a...

Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.51in Mayapur on 17-02-2018. Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults but there is a great benediction given to the people of this age: the congregational chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord. There is no way to overestimate the potency of this Sankirtana-Yajna! The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna Bhagavan Himself descended on this planet as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to establish this Yuga Dharma which is available to all without limitation of ...

As leaders we get to do so many different things but we should be knowing that we are under the radar of Maya and Kali. "You are the leader who is going to take people out of the world and send them to Godhead, you are working for Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s organisation! You are a dangerous guy for me. I am going to attack you!" And definitely iskcon leaders who are proponents of pure bhakti are going to be attacked more and more in their leadership positi...

Who remembers the motto of the Strategic Planning team? “More devotees, happier devotees.” Why is it we are focusing on more devotees and happier devotees? Because Krishna will be pleased. If they are not happier there won’t be more. More devotees means external growth. Happier devotees means internal growth. Which one is more important? It’s just so interesting we are focussing really a lot on spreading Krsna consciousness. And that’s a really good goal...

Srimad Bhagavatam class in Mayapur, 13 February 2018. Hiranyakasipu was terrorizing the universe, abusing his own son and was atheist. But Prahlad Maharaja, risking his life, he kept sharing Krishna consciousness. Similarly in this Kali-yuga chanting Hare Krishna publicly and preaching is a courageous act but this is the Yuga dharma as taught by Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and we must make it known!

In ISKCON, when you become a leader you may obtain several assets. By being in a dress of a sadhu, with the tilak and the saffron, people will bow down to you and worship you and they may give you donations or properties, so many things in the name of ISKCON! Don't think for a moment they are yours. And don't utilize them for yourself. We are simply the custodians! The name, the fame, the assets, the gross tangible and the intangible assets are all belonging to Bh...

When you give to Krishna, because we are parts and parcels of Krishna, then we also become enriched simultaneously. This is a principle that Prahlad Maharaj mentions in the ninth chapter of the Bhagavatam. He gives the example that when you decorate your face and you look in the mirror, the reflection is also decorated. How about that? In a similar way he said that when we give to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we, ourselves, become decorated. This is a great revel...

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur was the president acarya and also the founder Acharya of the gaudia mutt. In the gauida magazine it was described that Srila Bhakti Siddhanta is the instrument and the counterpart for the gaudia mutt rather, for the gaudia mutt is the instrument in the counter part of the Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur and that the mutt lives and moves and has its very being in the founder Acharya. The institution is identical to the founder ...

King Pṛthu is herein compared to the earthly planet as far as his tolerance is concerned. Although the earth is always trampled upon by men and animals, it still gives food to them by producing grains, fruits and vegetables. As an ideal king, Mahārāja Pṛthu is compared to the earthly planet, for even though some citizens might violate the rules and regulations of the state, he would still be tolerant and maintain them with fruits and grains. In other words, it ...

Today's (22-1-2018) SB class in Mayapur. We should respect, honor and appreciate each other's service and never minimize or belittle anyone's contribution in our collective endeavor to glorify Krishna and bring others to His lotus feet. We don't compromise our principles but whatever works for some particular country and class of people should be accepted. Srila Prabhupada wanted us to come in Mayapur every year and cultivate unity in diversity.

All wondrous phenomena showing power, beauty, grandeur or sublimity, either in the material world or in spiritual, are but partial manifestations of Krsna's divine energies and opulence. He is the supreme cause of all causes & the essence of everything living or non living. Anything extraordinarily opulent, beautiful and glorious should be considered as a fragmental manifestation of Krsna's splendor. All things are existing due to Krsna's entering into them as supersoul. Krsna is supreme object of worship. The Bhagavad Gita has long been a source of inspiration and guidanc...

Yesterday's (Oct. 11) SB class in Iskcon Ujjain. Don't tell Krishna how big your problems are, tell your problems how big Krishna is! Like there is an expression in Spanish "pochito" meaning "little, very little or small". So when someone tells you all about their problems, remind them how small, temporary and insignificant they are in front of the greatness of the Lord and our eternal spiritual life by saying: "pochito prabhu!"

Today's SB Class in Iskcon Ujjain. "Lord Yamaraja took upon himself the responsibility for the offense committed by his servants. If the servant of an establishment makes a mistake, the establishment takes responsibility for it. Although Yamaraja is above offenses, his servants, practically with his permission, went to arrest Ajamila, which was a great offense. The nyaya-sastra confirms, bhrtyaparadhe svamino dandah: if a servant makes a mistake, the master is punishable because he is responsible for the offense. Taking this seriously, Yamaraja, along with his servants...