This is the audio recording from a Lecture – SB 2.7.18 "Questions About Sannyasa Asrama" at Radhadesh (Celibacy) with interesting questions and answers about the sannyasa asrama in Iskcon. How, when and why one devotee should enter the sannyasa asrama. Includes also some history about how the sannyasa asrama was established in Iskcon and some of its results.

The body of Nityananda Svarupa was most enchanting. He glanced mercifully on everyone. Whether He was eating, sleeping, or wandering about, He did not waste a moment without sankirtana. Wherever He performed dancing and congregational glorification of Krsna, many people became overwhelmed with ecstatic love. Even the householders’ children, who did not know anything, uprooted large trees. They roared loudly, uprooted trees, and ran around exclaiming, “I am a cowherd boy.” Each boy possessed such strength that even a hundred people were unable to control him. The children would j...

'It was a calling' - Sunderland man reveals what life is really like as a Hare Krishna monk Daniel King describes his journey of dedicating his life to his faith and how it gives people a happier and more fulfilling life. In this fast-paced world that we live in, this Hare Krishna monk believes his lifestyle is the solution to a happy life. After living in a temple in Scotland for 13 years, following strict rules such as not drinking alcohol or eating meat, Daniel King has dedicated his life to his faith. Now Daniel, from Sunderland, has lifted the lid on what life is really like as a mon...

When Mahaprabhu left home, His servant Isana Thakura took care of Sacimata and Vishnupriya. Vamsivadana Thakura who was very dear to Mahaprabhu also always stayed with Vishnupriya and Sacimata. He received so much krpa, mercy, from Sacimata and Vishnupriya, especially from Vishnupriya Thakurani. Vamsivadana Thakura has written one song, which is Viraha Sangita, a song of separation. The beginning line is ara na heriba sonara kamale nayana khanjana naca. When Srinivasa Acarya came to...

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was always absorbed in thoughts of Sri Vrindavan, often enquiring in a deep devotional mood, "Where is Vrindavan?" On several occasions, His devotees, fearing separation from Him, diverted, discouraged, or dissuaded Him from visiting Vrindavan. The Lord's first attempt to go to Vrindavan occurred shortly after He accepted sannyasa, the renounced order, at age twenty-four. Nityananda Prabhu, His chief associate, tricked Him into thinking that the ...

A few days later, after the water had drained out of the footer, Bob and I went back up to Govindaji Hill and continued the footer exaction. To our surprise and delight, the rock broke out easily this time. I cannot say definitely that it was because of the lightning because standing water will also loosen layered rock. The excavation for the footer of Govindaji Mandir was completed in time so that the community was able to conduct two simultaneous installation ceremon...

Srila Prabhupada tamed our ‘ritual conditioned’ Indian minds. Here we learn how our activities are not aimed at gaining piety or good merit but only bhakthi, Krishna bhakthi or devotional service towards the Lord. Coming from a traditional family in India, the land of myriad ceremonies, rituals and customs, my mind was conditioned to all of it. Quite naturally. As a child I rarely questioned about anything we were ‘asked’ to do such as offering obeisanc...

Arjuna and Krishna preparing for battle “The emblem of Hanuman on the flag of Arjuna is another sign of victory because Hanuman cooperated with Lord Rama in the battle between Rama and Ravana, and Lord Rama emerged victorious. Now both Rama and Hanuman were present on the chariot of Arjuna to help him. Lord Krishna is Rama Himself, and wherever Lord Rama is, His eternal servitor Hanuman and His eternal consort Sita, the goddess of fortune, are present. Therefore, Arjuna had...

"Sanskrit words were not just arbitrary labels assigned to phenomena; they were the sound forms of objects, actions, and attributes, related to the corresponding reality in the same way as visual forms, and different only in being perceived by the ear and not by the eye.” True meditation on an icon thus involves both sound and image, leading us to the important role of music in Hindu religious experience. Moreover, the name of a deity was understood to contain all the spiritual potencies of the deity. Hence the well-known axiom, “Mantra (name) and Devatā (deity) are the same,” that is a...

To become knowledgeable just for the sake of being learned, will look poor if such raw jnana is not balanced by practical experience – vijnana. In Krishna consciousness, it is not what we know, but what we understand, and how we apply such understanding to our daily lives. “Taking a straw between my teeth and falling at your feet a hundred times, I humbly submit, “O great personality, please give up all mundane knowledge that you have learned and just submit yourself a...

Srila Prabhupada instituted the daily Srimad Bhagavatam class as an essential pillar for ISKCON’s preaching movement. He also left us with many instructions on how we can best benefit from this class. The importance of hearing properly from proper sources is always emphasized by Srila Prabhupada. The first duty, of someone who wants to get the right information in the right way, is to select a proper speaker to hear from: “Therefore, first one should select a competent and bona fi...

Yes this is Srila Prabhupada’s world — it’s a world of MERCY MAGIC! The visionary mercy of a compassionate Gaudiya Vaisnava’s heart, and the magic of bhakti in action. On this very cold day we have had the good fortune to see so many compassionate devotees in action — all of them uniquely individual, all absorbed in their own heart-chosen field of service. But there’s a palpable synergy among them. All their hearts have the same heart beat and they dance to the same tune — and what’s that? It is the irrepressible, indefatigable — and irresistible! — compassion of Srila Prab...

Krishna maintains as well as fulfills the desires of enumerable materially engrossed jivas. Because He is responsible; He maintains all living entities, although He does it through His expansions and energies. However Kṛṣṇa Himself personally attends to relatively small group of souls who are interested in His direct love and protection. He exemplifies this tender concern toward His faltering bhaktas. That is His real nature to reciprocate with His devotees.