One of the basic principles of Krsna consciousness is that one may utilize whatever talent he has in the service of the Supreme Lord. And it is a symptom of a bona fide spiritual master that he is expert in engaging everyone in practical transcendental devotional service. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has thus engaged a number of very talented artists in the service of the Lord by asking them to use their natural artistic inclination in painting pictur...

We all know that Mahaprabhu was born on February 18, 1486. Other than these broad chronologies, we know very little about the exact timelines of His life events. The difficulty in constructing a reliable timeline of His life events lies in the fact that the years of most of those events are hardly recorded. However, Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami, the most prominent biographer of Mahaprabhu, does mention the seasons/months and the duration of the major events in his most c...

This topic is more relevant at this point in time than any other in modern history. We stand at a crossroads of mankind. If the enlightened leadership of mankind can catch a clue from Bhagavatam, and take note of the cause of the "pinprick through out the social body at large, wherein large scale quarrels take place over even less important issues," then there is hope. The problems arising from gross mis-identification with matter is what is unfortunately being perpetuated by the current broad form -slaughter...

For Srila Prabhupada, the term “Society, Friendship and Love,” was used to refer to the primary allurement which keeps us shackled in the material world of illusion and suffering. The following excerpt is indicative of his general usage of the term: Persons who are conditioned in the society, friendship, and love, this is the attraction for material life. "Society, friendship and love," they think, "divinely bestowed upon man." But that, it is not divinely be...

What is this? Oh my, Srila Prabhupada appearing with Allen Ginsberg? On the same stage? How is it possible? It was true. We put these posters all over the Ohio State University campus. I was in the room when Srila Prabhupada was talking to Sriman Allen Ginsberg before the event. I was shocked, quite honestly, at how humble Srila Prabhupada was, how he was asking Ginsberg’s opinion on the venue. It was amazing. Anyway, about 2,000 midwest teenagers from the “All American City” of Columbus, Ohio showed ...

Srila Prabhupada told us that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was a ray of Visnu, a liberated soul sent by Krsna. He took birth in the material world for a divine purpose, specifically to assist Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his work and to carry on his mission. Soon after Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's birth, during the Ratha-yatra, the chariot stopped in front of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's house, and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's mother took him onto the chariot; and a garland from Lo...

The common understanding of an Advanced Civilization in today's context is to be advanced in Technology, having a comfortable lifestyle, Earning Lots of money and having enough or rather lavish facilities to enjoy the senses to the fullest. This is the yard stick that is generally used to gauge the Advancement in Civilization. Owing to this yardstick Countries like United States of America, Great Britain etc are considered as First world Countries and more advanced in civilization then others. Undoubtedly thes...

Please know that I also suffered a great deal emotionally as my long sought after first born child was diagnosed as autistic and mentally retarded. They might as well have given me the news of her death, which is how it felt at first. I was emotionally devastated by this and it very nearly ruined my life at the time. I went from being a top Ford salesman to being virtually unable to sell anything (after a lifetime of sales work). I cried a lot with self-pity, "Why me, God?" This caused me to call out to K...

Devotees from other centers such as Buffalo, Columbus, New Vrindaban, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. were also coming to Boston to see Srila Prabhupada. On the day he was due to arrive a school bus was rented to transport everyone to the airport from the temple at 38 N. Beacon Street to greet him. The wonderful reception scene was documented in a series of photographs in which can be seen a banner saying “ISKCON New York Welcomes Prabhupada.” I’m holding one end and Rohini Kumar...