A path of surrender means attentive chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord. Path of surrender means attentive study of scriptures. Path of surrender means describing the glories of Krishna to other people. Path of surrender means to live in cooperation with the vaisnavas. Because all of these different activities will help to change the consciousness, change our attitude.

You are right when you say that setting a good example for the boys is the best precept. There is a saying that an example is better than a precept. Our exemplary character depends on strictly following the four principles, and this will conquer the whole world. Our boys and girls in London, by their exemplary character, have drawn the attention of many respectable persons and even some public papers. Our movement is not only for some theoretical teachi...

Man has the chance to bloom spiritually by raising himself to the highest level of love of God.The Vedic scriptures divide consciousness into five categories, namely covered, shrunken, budding, blooming, and fully bloomed. Trees and plants, for example, are almost inert. They fall into the “covered consciousness” category. They seem to show no sign of consciousness, but when we observe them carefully, we see they have a limited consciousness. Other living entities, such as worms, insects, and other animals, are in “shrunken consciousness.” They are not as cov...

Three things are unbearable: the eyes of the snake, the eyes of the Rishi, and the eyes of the afflicted. -Bhishmadeva - Shanti Parva (Mahabharata) A compilation of relishable testimonies from various devotees about what it felt when Srila Prabhupada was looking right at you.

The Palace of Gold is the first samadhi of Srila Prabhupada in the world, although originally it was not intended to be his samadhi. The devotees had intended to construct a simple residence in a peaceful, undisturbed environment where Srila Prabhupada could fulfill his life goal of translating and commenting on the entire Srimad Bhagavatam. As time went on, however, the residence became more ornate and came to be known as “The Palace of Gold,” which is very appropriate because golden is the ...

Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was the founder and organiser of a large worldwide religious movement; that he developed it in just twelve years, all after his seventieth birthday, shows that he was not only practical, innovative and determined but also spiritually empowered. Although these are valid reasons to think highly of Srila Prabhupada, he always de-emphasised his own abilities, preferring to be judged on the more objective grounds of his bona ...

Devotees of Krishna meditate about things they can be grateful for. They avoid thinking about all those things that they do not have, nor all those arrangements that have not worked out. Instead they focus on what has been given to them – all the opportunities that arrive each day upon their doorsteps, all the relationships that have encouraged them and last but not least, the human form of life, which offers them a unique opportunity for self-realization. Thus, they cover themselves each new morning in the warming mantle of gratitude and feel empowered.

When practicing spiritual life, we may equate spiritual advancement with denying our bodily needs such as sleep. We may deprive ourselves of sleep to demonstrate our spiritual advancement. However, spiritual advancement centers not on physical deprivation, but on spiritual absorption. To grow spiritually, we need to become conscious of our own spiritual identity and of the supreme spiritual reality, Krishna. The more we become lovingly absorbed in Krishna, the more we advance spiritually.

Why are sports so popular? According to Vaishnava teachings, everything here, including the sporting propensity, is an imperfect or distorted reflection of the original, blissful activities of all-attractive Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unfortunately, although in this material realm sports may be attractive, their charm is illusory. We can’t enjoy the Real Thing here. At best we can try to squeeze pleasure out of a perverted representation, like a mirage in the desert. When it comes to genuine, pure fun or sport, Lord Krishna is the unrivaled...