By Govindananda dasUnder the organization of Ministry of External Affairs Government of India and Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Prayagraj hosted at least one person from every country at the occasion of the sacred Kumbh festival. Kumbha Mela is unique and world's largest event in which hundreds of millions of spiritualists converge for a holy dip at the confluence of the sacred rivers Ganga, Yamuna and invisible Saraswati. UNESCO has recognized this festival as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of the humanity.
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- 20 Mar 2019
By Chandan BhatiaThe Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Caitanya, propagated the essence of all religion for the age of Kali - congregational chanting of Lord Hari’s holy name. Accompanied by His associates, He appeared in Kali-yuga simply to establish the religious practice of congregational chanting. According to His desire, His eternal associates appeared before Him, taking birth as humans. Ananta Sesa, Siva, Brahma, the sages, and other associates of the Lord all took birth as highly elevated, pure Vaishnavas. Lord Caitanya, Krishna, knew everyone’s position and identity. Mo...
- 20 Mar 2019
By Hari Narayana dasThe month of March brings Nyepi - the day of silence throughout the whole of Bali. In the Balinese lunar calendar (Saka), Nyepi is New Year's Day. It is a day wholly dedicated to rest, staying in, turning off the lights and keeping quiet for 24 hours. It is one of the biggest and most unique ceremonies of the year, where staying in and resting is enforced by law. It is practiced island-wide where the Balinese dedicate an entire day to introspection and spiritual cleansing.
...- 19 Mar 2019
By Ambarisa dasWe are very pleased to announce on the most auspicious day of Gaur Purnima 2019 the launch of the promotion campaign for our historic 10 day fundraising event from May 7th (Akshaya Trittiya) until May 17th (Nrsimha Caturdasi). The *#Giving TOVP 10 Day Worldwide Matching Fundraiser* is exactly what it sounds like, a 10 day worldwide online window of opportunity to make a donation, large or small, to the TOVP that will be matched by myself, Ambarisa das.
...- 18 Mar 2019
By Louise GuthrieMy intrepid Mystic India 2019 tour companions and I have, in recent days, been reciting that self-same mantra in the holy town of Vrindavan, where Krishna spend his childhood. We chanted it in the pilgrimage city of Mayapur, home to world ISKCON-Headquarters, and while passing through Delhi and Kolkata, in airports and aeroplanes, busses and rickshaws. Upon arrival here in Rishikesh, we spontaneously took the maha mantra to the streets in musical format as a merry band of minstrels complete with Indian percussion instruments.
...- 17 Mar 2019
By Bhakta dasaThe horrific massacre that unfolded in Christchurch New Zealand on Friday 15th March, in which to date 50 human beings have lost their lives, is truly a very dark moment in history, not only for Muslims but for all who treasure the gift of life. On behalf of the Australian and New Zealand Hare Krishna Movement, I wish to convey that ISKCON members all over the world offer their sincere prayers to all who are suffering due to this insane act of evil madness. Our deepest sympathy goes to those who lost family members, friends and fellow members of the Christchurch Muslim community, as w...
- 17 Mar 2019
By Praghosa DasaToday we express our heartfelt sorrow to the senseless and horrific atrocities that took place in New Zealand. Defenceless, peaceful people praying in a sacred place taken away in a cowardly act of terrorism. We stand united with the Muslim community against such evil terror.
...- 16 Mar 2019
By Nitya Kishore dasiSri Caitanya Mahaprabhu left His house (where the Yoga Pitha is situated) in the early morning heading to the Ganga. He crossed the river by swimming on His way to Katva to take sannyasa. When Saci mata understood that He was not in the house, she left looking for him, asking the villagers " Did you see Nimai?" In their hearts, the eternal associates of the Lord in the form of villagers, just remained silent. By seeing their behaviour mother Saci said:" You are just merciless."
...- 15 Mar 2019
By Nitya Kishore dasiThe next stop was the house of Saranga Murari, the famous guru who initiated a dead body that was floating in the Ganga in the early morning. His very unique pastimes made the devotees laugh when they heard the incredible activities of this unique vaishnava. The most humble and sincere Vasudeva datta was also living in this house and His beautiful deities are still there: Radha Madhan Gopal, they are very tall and Gopal has light blue body with big lotus eyes. Once Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to this place and for the pleasure of the devotees he saved a tree which was giving shadow in the c...
- 14 Mar 2019
By Bhaktimarga SwamiThereafter, Paraśurāma joined his father’s head to the dead body and placed the whole body and head upon kuśa grass. By offering sacrifices, he began to worship Lord Vāsudeva, who is the all-pervading Supersoul of all the demigods and of every living entity. After completing the sacrifice, Lord Paraśurāma gave the eastern direction to the hotā as a gift, the south to the brahmā, the west to the adhvaryu, the north to the udgātā, and the four corners — northeast, southeast, northwest and southwest — to the other priests. He gave the middle to Kaśyapa and the place known a...
- 13 Mar 2019
By Nitya Kishore dasiSo, we can't describe the happiness of the devotees to visit such sacred places! Champahati (or the market of jasmines) are one of the most beautiful places in Navadvipa Dhama. The Lordships Gaura Gadhadara are forever worshipped here. They were installed by Gadadhara pandit's nephew. Campahatti is also the place where Jayadeva Goswami wrote his world famous Gita Govinda poems. In this very sacred place Jayadeva Goswami and his wife Padmavati had the darshan of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna! Every year the Parikrama party stop in Champatti and have a great time with Katha...
- 13 Mar 2019
By Radhanath SwamiThe greatest spiritual disqualification is what people consider the greatest material qualifications. Greatest obstacles to spiritual progress, to have beauty, wealth, fame and knowledge, because in such a state one become proud and in that false ego one makes more and more and more one’s interest in the centre of one’s life. And then we become envious of others. A vaisnava is one who is a sincere well-wisher of anothers.
...- 12 Mar 2019
By Nitya Kishore dasiThe last 2 days of Parikrama have been such an unforgettable experience for all the pilgrims. In the second day we visited Godrumadvipa, the island where kirtan is the process. This is where Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave comments on the Sri Caitanya Caritamrta and wrote all his songs. We were in Surabhi kunj where Sri Nityananda prabhu started His first Namahatta and from that very place the incredible mercy of Lord Nityananda crossed the whole world and touch the hearts of millions of living entities. So walking in that place, listening to the lectures and chanting gives us the chanc...
- 12 Mar 2019
By Mani Manjari DasiThe Independent online news reports that this weekend (24th of February) the animated cartoon Peppa Pig has attained 10 years of being broadcast for the entertainment of young children. The Independent mentions that Peppa Pig is being shown in 180 countries and has been translated into 40 languages. One might ask why does the show has so much success among little children. Basically because the episodes use children´s ordinary interests as main topics and show children natural ability to do imaginative play also call “Pretend Play”.
...- 11 Mar 2019
By Devaki Devi DasiIn February, the leaders of the Sri Mayapur International School had requested me to spend quality time with their pupils aged 11 to 18. We had decided to first welcome the boys with a group of teachers for two days to Nityananda's abode, and then a bus-load of girls and their teachers. What a wonderful excursion! Our children are very special, and they start chanting in japa and kirtan already at a very young age. If we can inspire them to develop good chanting habits from the very beginning of their life, it will give them a wonderful start to their way back home, back to Godhead. <...
- 11 Mar 2019
By Suvilasi Madhavi Devi DasiSo the purpose of the program today is to increase the awareness and the importance of all of us participating to complete the TOVP project in time. Whats our deadline? 2022! And how many years are left? Three years! We don’t have a lot of time left! Only three years! So we have to go a real marathon to increase the awareness and the urgency of this project. Prabhupada had a great desire to build this temple to fulfil the desires of the previous acharyas
...- 11 Mar 2019
By Rohininandan dasI have been distributing Srila Prabhupada's books for more than 12 yrs. This is the part of my book distribution that I have started for the last 2 years now, and this has been successful. I give Srila Prabhupada's books, I explain to them about Peace mantra for their mind, body, and soul. I request them if they like to participate with me in chanting Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, they happily do it. You can see the clips to believe it.
...- 11 Mar 2019
By Badrinarayan SwamiThe materialists spend their whole time fixing petty problems. We should appreciate the scope, the depth, the value of Vedic wisdom. It goes to the heart of the matter. What is the first thing that’s essential for a good doctor? What is the first thing to get cured? Medical, good insurance? No. You have to have a good diagnosis, you have to know the cause of the disease is, and otherwise you might as well be taking colored water for medicine.
...- 11 Mar 2019
By ISKCON MayapurIn 2019, kirtan is readily available anywhere in the world. Kirtan is daily performed in temples and on the streets across the globe. Every year, more kirtan events are held, some drawing hundreds of thousands. Kirtan recordings and albums are available online at any time. Even so-called mainstream culture in the Western world is embracing kirtan as a form of meditation in the music and yoga scene. Kirtan is now available for all. But it wasn’t always like this. Before the 15th century, the chanting of God’s own holy names was a sacred activity reserved for the highest of ecclesiastic...
- 10 Mar 2019
By Bhakti Caru SwamiIt is so unfortunate that today, especially in India, that people think these are fairy tales, concocted stories. No, these are not concocted stories, these are historical facts. These are facts. People think that this is mythology or whatever because they never read them. They never read the scriptures but they will say that these are all fairy tales. Another thing is that it's not just by reading the books that they understand. They will need a teacher to reveal those scriptures. We are so fortunate that we came across Srila Prabhupada's teachings. That is how we get to know what the s...
- 10 Mar 2019
By Brijabasi Das 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....
- 10 Mar 2019
By Devamrita SwamiMaterial 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.
...- 9 Mar 2019
By Yugala Kishor Gour dasaOn the 10th of March it will be exactly 60 years ago, 10th of March 1959, that the MS Jaladuta was launched at its shipbuilding yard in Lubeck Germany. It is this vessel that brought Srila Prabhupada from Calcutta, via Boston, to New York on a journey that started on the 13th August 1965, in what became an astonishing journey and also the beginning of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. This launch was organised by the Lubecker-Flenderwerke AG yard in Northern Germany at the completion of the ship. This event is standard in the shipbuilding industry and is likene...
- 6 Mar 2019
By Parasuram dasaAt the official opening of Krishna's Castle in the City of London on March 1st 2019, representatives from 10 banks and businesses were in attendance. Since 14 months Krishna's Castle, situated in the heart of the banking world, has been a hive of devotional service. We need about 10 volunteers daily and half of them are bankers who come to do their Corporate Social Responsibly.
...- 5 Mar 2019