By Tamohara dasThe ISKCON GBC is pleased to announce that appointment of Kamlesh Krishna das as the International Director of the ISKCON Child Protection Office. He succeeds Champakalata devi dasi in this role, and is already actively involved in the service. We thank Champakalata Prabhu for her many years of dedicated service to child protection in the ISKCON Society. Prior to joining ISKCON Kamlesh Krishna Prabhu worked with the Ministry of Defence in London for a number of years, covering roles in various departments such as defence public relations, personnel management and procuremen...
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- 27 Nov 2016
By Prahladananda SwamiI am happy to introduce the 4 th issue this year of the ISKCON Sannyasa Ministry newsletter. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada explained that an advanced devotee and preacher out of humility takes the vows and dress of a tridandi sannyasi. Previous to the reintroduction of tridandi sannyasa by Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada, advanced Vaishnavas who were renounced, often became paramahamsa sannyasis and wore the white dress of a babaji. To keep himself in a position of a servant of his paramahamsa guru, a disciple keeps himself in the formal 3rd stage of ...
- 27 Nov 2016
By Mayapur Sasi dasaYou may have heard that the Russian government is trying to stop book distribution. It passed a law that does not allow anyone from any religion to promote his beliefs, and if anyone gets caught, he invites a big fine. When the devotees in Russia heard this, it caused them transcendental anxiety. Devotees are known to be quite fearless, however, so they continued distributing anyway. One devotee was caught and went to court. Fortunately, he had a good lawyer. So the judge did not rule that the devotee had done something wrong. Rather, he threw out the case. That was the ...
- 26 Nov 2016
By Promila ChitkaraIt was December – the month of Srila Prabhupäda’s book marathon! We were quite excited when we began book distribution. We remained excited throughout. The thought of reaching out to unlimited number of souls thrilled me. The results we achieved were seemingly in proportion to our efforts. Actually, the mercy we received during this time was much beyond the external effort or internal state. There were times when nothing seemed to work out, but then everything worked out at once. The first time when we got zero response I had this feeling Krishna would do something j...
- 25 Nov 2016
By Krishna-kripa dasI share an excerpt of a letter from Srila Prabhupada, and a quote from his guru, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. I share inspiring selections from Vaishnava Compassion and Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami. I share notes on lectures Prahladananda Swami gave at 26 Second Avenue and The Bhakti Center. I share notes on a lecture by Adi Purusha Prabhu, who does Food for Life in New York City, and part of a conversation with Bhaktivinode Prabhu, a Prabhupada disciple who plays drum on harinama in Washington, D.C. I share notes on an excelle...
- 24 Nov 2016
By Krishna-kripa dasSince Vivekananda’s 1893 address to the Parliament of World Religion in Chicago, Aurobindo’s extensive writings on evolutionary theory in the early to mid-20th century, and Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda’s discussions with scientists and philosophers popularized by his young Hare Kṛṣṇa followers in the late 20th century, the natural sciences of the West have been on the mind of great thinkers from India. Focusing on how Bhaktivedanta Swami’s teachings have been developed and articulated in the early 21st century, this conference highlights developments fro...
- 24 Nov 2016
By Chandan Yatra DasKanchipuram, also known as Benares of Southern India or The City of Temples, is one of the most ancient and sacred cities of India. Kanchipuram is an eternally holy place and has some of the most magnificent temples. The Garuda Purana enumerates seven sacred cities (sapta-moksha puri) as giver of moksha. They are Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya, Kasi, Kanchipuram, Avantika (Ujjain) and Dwarka. Kanchipuram is one of among such holy place. It is 75km from Chennai, 130km from Tirupati and 32km from Sriperumbudur (birthplace of Sripad Ramanujacarya).
...- 22 Nov 2016
By Bhakta George ShihunduDespite the chilling cold and rainy weather of Nairobi, a large group of more than 250 devotees assembled at the Sri Sri Radha Banke Bihari Mandir to commemorate the ISKCON’s golden jubilee. Amongst them were HH Bhakti Narasimha Swami(South Africa), HG Akhandadhi Prabhu(UK), ISKCON Nairobi Vice President Rukuma Prabhu,HG Manasi Ganga Mataji, and 90 jubilant students that celebrated attaining a Certificate of Ethics and Morality after a year-long course on Vaishnava philosophy. The programme is run by the Hare Krishna Training Center, part of ISKCON Nairobi. The ...
- 21 Nov 2016
By Advaita Acarya DasaWorshiping the cows: The Vedic scripture states that all the demigods and demigoddesses reside in the body of a cow. This explains why the body of a cow is divine and holy. If we worship Mother Cow, we attain the same material benefits we'd get by worshiping the demigods and demi-goddesses individually. The Garuda Purana says that anyone who has even once worshiped Mother Cow will be saved after death from the great suffering of hell (Naraka). Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, gave more importance to the worship of the cows than to the worship of ...
- 20 Nov 2016
By Madhavananda DasAt about 6:46 pm yesterday evening, this world became a darker place. Pujyapad Fakir Mohan Maharaja left this world, surrounded by devotees chanting Hare Krishna and crying. His departure was extremely auspicious: He had a prasada Tulasi leaf on his mouth, the Govardhan Sila given to him by his Gurudeva was on his forehead, on his chest was a prasada chadar from the ancient deity of Tota-Gopinath, there was a plate full of Salagram Silas by his head. Also on his chest was a silk rope that had been used to tie Lord Jagannath to his Ratha-yatra cart in Puri. There was also ...
- 19 Nov 2016
By Rajesh Hirani2016 marks 50 years of ISKCON. 50 years of dedication, 50 years of sacrifice, 50 years of devotional service. This video is dedicated to all the volunteers who work tirelessly year after year to make Sri Krishna Janmashtami at Bhaktivedanta Manor the most amazing place to be on Lord Krishna's Birthday. 'Krishna will reward you in Goloka' - Sruti Dharma das
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- 19 Nov 2016
By Krishna Kishore DasOn, 17th of November 2016, Institute of International Social Development – New York, an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations awarded a special award to His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami. Over the years, Institute of International Social Development, has grown from a small organization to a vast Non Governmental Organization, helping those in disadvantaged areas. The organization is very grateful for all the support His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj gave them on behalf of the International Society ...
- 18 Nov 2016
By Cintamani Madhavi Devi DasiOn Saturday, November 12, the Chariot Festival Ratha Yatra was held in Chile, with thousands of people pulling Lord Jagannath's car through the main avenue of the capital, followed by a cultural show in fron of the Government Palace La Moneda. In an unprecedented event, Santiago's main street, Avenida Libertador Bernado O'Higgins, was used exclusively by the majestic chariot that carried the Lord of the Universe and the people who pulled its ropes, filling the streets of Santiago with joy and colors like never before. It all started as a dream. When Sri Bhakt...
- 17 Nov 2016
By Bhaktivedanta Hospital and Research InstituteH. G. Jagajivan Prabhu joined ISKCON in the year 1970. He was initiated by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada in the year 1972. Throughout his stay at the Hospital H. G. Jagajivan Prabhu was extremely cheerful and always spoke enthusiastically about the preaching mission. He will be fondly remembered by the Hospital team which considers itself fortunate to receive an opportunity to serve this dear devotee of the Lord.
...- 17 Nov 2016
By HariKirtan DasRecently I got an opportunity to attend the conference on Rural development based on cows, conducted by National Institute for Rural Development (NIRD) & Panchayati raj (Ministry for Rural Development, Government of India) Rajendranagar, Hyderabad on 3rd of November, 2016. As a pleasant surprise, I met Rupavilas prabhu (Venumadhuri trust director) who was also giving a seminar sharing his experience about Venumadhuri NGO activities. Seminar was well organized by NIRD inviting the elite group consisting of Senior IAS officers, scientists, doctors, scholars, NGO’s director...
- 16 Nov 2016
By Indradyumna SwamiSo we should arrange things, we should arrange our life in such a way that we don’t become overburdened with unnecessary things and so our whole life revolves either around chanting the holy names or distributing the holy names to others. This is the Internationals society for…this is our business. To get up in the morning and chant, to join the congregation of devotees and chant and somehow assist the sankirtana movement. A famous verse amongst kirtaniya’s. Whatever results was attained in Satya yuga by meditating on Visnu, in the Treta yuga by performing agnih...
- 16 Nov 2016
By Gaurachandra DasRecently, there were incidents of anti-corruption protests started by some national leaders in India. They had started nation-wide awakenings to make the people alert and aware for corruption free India and curbing the use of black-money. Such efforts may be appreciable to some extent but they are not perfect as far as wiping out of corruption from a state is concerned. The people are in general attached to sense gratificatory propaganda, and such protests can’t withdraw sinful tendencies from the minds of the public. Consequently, people are again taken up by such tendencies and the nati...
- 15 Nov 2016
By Nima SuchakThe archives of famed Leicestershire architect Joseph Goddard were handed over to ISKCON in a ceremony on Monday 14th November. Tony and Joe Goddard, the great grandsons of Joseph Goddard, the architect of Leicester’s Clock Tower and the grade 2* listed former bank on Granby Street, signed over archives and their copyright to the care of ISKCON in the presence of members of Leicester City Council, representatives from The Victorian Society, historians and design students. The archives will be placed in a newly built Heritage Room at the Centre for the benefit of schools, c...
- 15 Nov 2016
By Radha Mohan DasAs ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary draws to a close, Bhaktivedanta Manor would like to make an epic final offering. Every December the entire ISKCON world focuses all attention on distribution of transcendental literature, something we all know was so close to Srila Prabhupada’s heart. Indeed, he said it gave him life. When a new book was printed, Prabhupada felt as though he had conquered an empire. He told one disciple - "the best of me is in my books." Last year’s historic “100k Effort” at the Manor was a resounding success, with a record number of devotees partici...
- 14 Nov 2016
By Mayapur Sasi dasaFor the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of October 2016. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Individuals, Monthly Top 5, Cumulative Countries, Cumulative Temples, Cumulative Top 100 Individuals, Cumulative Top 5
...- 14 Nov 2016
By Guru Prasad SwamiJagajivan Prabhu was the main person instrumental in opening Peru and Chile. He was a pioneer in some of, especially at that time, the most difficult countries in Latin America; extreme poverty and lack of education amongst the population in general. Even to travel around those areas is a great austerity. In the early and mid-seventies, he would travel by Morales Moralitos; buses full of people who bathed maybe once a month or less, packed in with some animals, sometimes hot, sometimes freezing cold in the passes that reach up to 15,000 feet altitude, with broken windows...
- 13 Nov 2016
By Ananda Tirtha DasThe Annual General Meeting of the ISKCON GBC Society will begin on February 9, 2017. Following the ISKCON GBC Society's Rules of Order, the GBC Secretariat requests proposals, duly sponsored by TWO GBC members, to be submitted by December 31, 2016. This will allow adequate time for the GBC Deputies to prepare the proposals for presentation at the meeting.
...- 13 Nov 2016
By WIDC StaffISKCON Western India Division Council (WIDC) Brahmachari Sanga was conducted recently at Govardha Ecovillage, Mumbai. It was a 2 day event in the serene and natural setting of GEV located near the Kohoj mountain ranges. The venue provided a naturally refreshing and spiritually enlivening experience to devotees participating from various cosmopolitan cities and rural centers in different parts of Maharashtra. The event was attended by 350 plus devotees from over 43 ISKCON centers. Explaining the vision for this sanga, HG Gauranga Das, Chairman, WIDC, said, “The inspiration fo...
- 13 Nov 2016
By Krishna Prema dasaGita Nagari Baru (GNB) is a village where one hundred and fifty devotees live. GNB has six cows and one bull. They are Surabhi, Candani, Godavari, Kaveri, Gauri, Subhadra, and Ram. We have started to make a replica of Vrindavan forests since 2014. Our goal is to make our village like Vrindavan village, and it will help the devotees to remember Krishna’s lilas more easily. Since we opened this forest, we always gather together once a month to do Go-Puja. Some of our cows will be there for grazing every day.
...- 12 Nov 2016