By Bhakti Niskama ShantaThe archaeological record is very limited and its analysis has been contentious. Hence, molecular biologists have shifted their attention to molecular dating techniques. Recently on April 2013, the prestigious Cell Press Journal Current Biology published an article (Fu et al. 2013) entitled “A Revised Timescale for Human Evolution Based on Ancient Mitochondrial Genomes”. This paper has twenty authors and they are researchers from the world’s top institutes like Max Planck Institute, ...
-
(1)
- 3 Dec 2015
By Govinda prema dasThe students are very inspired by the teaching of the Vedic culture, the graduation ceremony was attended by HH Bhakti Narasimha Swami , HG Umapati prabhu, HG Manasi Ganga mataji and other senior devotees. We also established a training centre which enables the students to come and live in a contemporary ashram, where they pay a minimum rent.Every morning and evening the students attend a sanga class and a japa meditation workshop. By the mercy of Srila Prabhupada in 6months 30 students have ...
- 3 Dec 2015
By Mina SharmaDavid Cameron also met and shook hands the children from Krishna Avanti, a flagship Conservative free school, and sat with them in the VIP area, which was an unforgettable moment for them. Srutidharma Das spoke to Narendra Modi in Gujarati about ISKCON's 50th anniversary next year, for which he offered heartfelt congratulations. Modi also spoke about his visit to Bhaktivedanta Manor in 2005. Upon meeting Srutidharma Das, David Cameron said "We meet again!" as Prabhu had only recited Diwali prayers...
- 3 Dec 2015
By Radha Bhakti devi dasiAs you may have heard, we are creating a display at the ISKCON Leadership Sanga in Mayapur, taking place on February 24 - March 2, 2016. The display will feature highlights of the centres around the world from the last 50 years. It will consist of photos and text showcasing different yatras' temples, programs, and devotees. In particular, devotees have submitted such things as: - When their temple was built - When deities were installed - When Srila Prabhupada visited - Significant succ...
- 2 Dec 2015
By Kumari SherreittIt’s a momentous year for ISKCON (the International Society for Krishna Consciousness) all over the world for it is 50 years since Founder A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada came to West and started the movement, and especially in its ever-growing community in the UK. ISKCON-London Radha-Krishna temple, was the UK’s first temple, and has just celebrated its 46th anniversary of the Deities Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara’s installation. Although the Deities were first installed at anot...
- 2 Dec 2015
By Yasoda devi dasiThe bus drove everyone to the temple area. The teachers had sent me a document of 18 questions prior to the day of the excursion. I answered these as a group, as it is a requirement that the students were to discuss and record the answers for an assignment that they will complete back at school after their visit to us. The questions are quite varied and some of the topics include Hare Krsna key beliefs, sense of identity, lifestyle features, history and the like. It was now time for the midday...
- 2 Dec 2015
By Madhavendra Puri dasa“I have been thinking of Mukunda Goswami constantly and praying for him intensely” said Giriraja Swami. Mukunda Goswami’s brother, Tom Grant (an established jazz musician), also asked for prayers on the night of Maharaja’s first surgery, pulling together thousands of correspondents in prayerful thoughts. Niranjana Swami posted: “Please continue with prayers for Mukunda Goswami and as much as possible have kirtanas for him.” Devotees organised kirtanas in New Govardhana, and ...
- 2 Dec 2015
By Sutapa dasEvery 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. He was incredibly eager to hear the figures of how many books were being distributed. 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.” At this special time in ISKCON’s history, Bhaktivedanta Manor wo...
- 2 Dec 2015
By Basu Ghosh DasAfter years of struggles of various types, including having to overcome a number of legal hurdles, ISKCON has inaugurated the beginning of a grand project at Jagannath Puri by performing the bhumi puja and installation of Ananta Shesha on the 18 acre ISKCON project land in a grand ceremony that was attended by thousands of devotees who participate in an annual three day Puri Parikrama (circumambulation of Jagannath Puri) organized by Bhakti Purushottam Swami, ISKCON’s Governing Body Commissione...
- 2 Dec 2015
By Manu ShahHow does one balance the material world with the spiritual world? I can only speak for myself. I have to put my spiritual life first. In order for me to do that I have to put in the time, early in the day. I'm always up by 3 or 4 in the morning doing my meditation. My wife and I are up early and we do our japa, our offerings. We try to get centred early in the morning and then everything else comes after that. If I can't go to the temple, then I watch the arati on the Internet. I take care of the de...
- 1 Dec 2015
By Nrsimha Krsna dasWe don’t have chance to do public sankirtan here in Turkey yet, however we use every chance to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. Our Srila Prabhupada Marathon started with an exhibition called Natura Festiva. We attended this prestigious Exhibition from 26 to 29 Nov which was held in Istanbul. We had a stand there for 4 days. I must admit that it was the best preaching activity for us in public. The exhibition was opening from 11:00 and lasting till 19:00 every day. We had a 4,50 sqm st...
- 30 Nov 2015
By Samapriya devi dasiSmall children are completely dependent upon their mother’s care, who is always attentive to their every need, in every way, all the time. Many children of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples were obliged to make a great sacrifice when they were very young. These children were asked to give up there mother’s constant loving care, for the benefit of the suffering conditioned souls in the world. Their mother’s were soldiers in Lord Caitanya’s army. Some were book distributors on the front ...
- 30 Nov 2015
By Anand caitanya dasaEvery year the Aqua Foundation groups organizes the World Aqua Congress on a specific theme related to environment and invites abstract of papers from speakers all around the country. The IX world Aqua Congress was centered on the theme of reviving traditional water and environment conservation techniques. GEV’s abstract on the paper “Integrated Water Conservation and Protection Schemes for Rural Location” was accepted for the Conference. Following the award ceremony GEV was invited to...
- 30 Nov 2015
By Urmila devi dasiThroughout most of the world, religious organizations have primary and secondary schools where students can gain knowledge and experience of their tradition in the context of academic learning. Whereas in some countries nearly all schools are religiously based, it is far more the norm in most nations for various religious denominations to have schools side by side with secular educational institutions. Some countries, such as New Zealand and the Netherlands, offer a wide range of support, inclu...
- 28 Nov 2015
By radhanathswami.comWith the bright lights from the London skyline seeping into the ninth floor room at EY, one of the “big four” international professional services firms, Radhanath Swami gave spoke at their Diwali cultural showcase, “Life Beyond Borders”. As is tradition, he began with the chanting of ancient mantras, which created a mood of serenity. Regardless of background, when the Swami folds his hands, and bursts the pin-drop silence with his elongated “Aum,” you sense that something special ...
- 28 Nov 2015
By Madhava Smullen“My parents had eight kids, so we didn’t really go out to eat – my mother just cooked constantly to feed us all,” she says. “So being around it all the time, I started cooking myself when I was a little kid. I baked my first brownies at the age of seven.” But with all that good old-fashioned home cooking, Dharmakala never tasted anything quite like the Sunday Feast at the Hare Krishna temple in Ocean City, Maryland, in 1972 – “It was totally out of this world,” she says. And i...
- 27 Nov 2015
By Devaprastha dasGovinda’s is home to a vegetarian cafe, and is the local ISKCON Temple. The presiding Deities are Sri Sri Pancha Tattva. The devotees are well known and liked in the area, and have been in this location for the last 15 years, led by Tarakanath prabhu. The community of devotees is a wonderful, selfless community, and, as well as being generous of heart, also have a great sense of humour and compassion. There are regular well attended programs, Harinamas, prasadam and book distribution going on....
- 27 Nov 2015
By Krishna-kripa dasOne day Bhaktimarga Swami and some followers and devotees on the New York City Harinam team chanted from Union Square Park to Tompkins Square Park. There we chanted around the famous Hare Krishna tree. Bhaktimarga Swami and those who walked with him, even part of the way, from Boston to Butler, Pennsylvania, and then finally to Manhattan, shared realizations, and Abhiram Prabhu and I told stories about the supernatural events that take place at the Hare Krishna tree.
...- 27 Nov 2015
By Chandan Yatra DasThe Srimad-Bhagavatam mentions that Lord Balarama visited Kanyakumari in the course of His pilgrimage. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also visited Kanyakumari during His South India tour. In the year 1510, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to Kanyakumari. In Vrindavana, in the forest of Bhandiravan, there is a murti of Sridama. When Krishna and Balarama were leaving Vrindavana, Krishna told Sridama that He will be back in few days and Sridama said that he will wait. Under a banyan tree, in the forest...
- 27 Nov 2015
By Manu ShahBack in the 1960s and 1970s Hare Krishna was considered to be a cult. There were a lot of people who thought it was a crazy thing to do -- it wasn't legitimate, it wasn't authorised, it was another cult like the Moonies. People didn't understand that it is a very ancient religious tradition, based on ancient scriptures like the Bhagwad Gita. You had to constantly explain that to people. That was the challenge: Trying to differentiate us, Hare Krishnas, from the rest of the crazy things that were goin...
- 27 Nov 2015
By Kumari Kunti DasiNovember 2015 will be a month remembered in worry and fear for Muslims all over Europe, after the Paris attacks, yet again marked the tensions their religious community faces in Europe and the rest of the world. Just a week before the attacks, from Oct. 26 – Nov 2nd, youth from all over Europe were building a network of peace and connection at the Religions for Peace Interfaith Youth Conference, in San Gandolfo Italy. The outcome of the event was simple and hopeful - friendships and knowledg...
- 26 Nov 2015
By Jay CheshesAlfred Ford might have been any old corporate road warrior, in his pressed khakis and soft traveling shoes. He had come up from Calcutta, a three-hour drive along dusty roads clogged with mule-drawn carts, arriving in Mayapur, West Bengal, to look in on a big building project rising near a bend in the Ganges River. In his VIP suite, across from the site, he slipped into a loose-fitting kurta and wraparound dhoti, a strand of beads creeping out from under his Indian shirt. A murmur of song began to ...
- 26 Nov 2015
By Nimai Lila dasOver the past few years, Govardhan Eco Village(GEV) has been making steady attempts to generate positive change waves on the social and environmental front through its multifarious programs and projects. GEV is frequently visited to witness a working model of spiritual ecology demonstrated with its efforts in areas like Organic Farming, Cow Care, Green building, Community living, Integrated waste management, Alternative Energy generation, Education, Rain water conservation, Floriculture and biodi...
- 25 Nov 2015
By Vijaya DasaTwo countries increased the most in October: Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan. Sri Lanka increased by 999%, with 4,111 book points. We haven't seen a lot of book distribution there, but from now on we'll probably see more. Just as in Sri Lanka, Ravana was defeated by Lord Ramacandra, similarly, maya will be overcome by Krsna in the form of books whenever people receive and read them. Kazakhstan also increased by 999%, with 3,964 book points. Despite all the difficulties these devotees have faced, they con...
- 25 Nov 2015