By Amy McCarthyFood and the Hare Krishna movement are intrinsically linked. "The Krishna movement has always been interested in food," says Graham M. Schweig, a professor of religion at Virginia's Christopher Newport University. "It's a natural consequence of the temples opening their doors to the public every Sunday for a feast." In the 1960s, Prabhupada taught his first disciples how to prepare Indian dishes that follow the Krishnas' strict dietary guidelines (including an adherence to a vegetarian diet and us...
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- 12 Jul 2017
By Mayapur Internal Communications TeamStarting in the late 80âs with one small chariot, Ratha-yatra was celebrated just inside the Mayapur campus by the gurukula students. As time went on, Ratha-yatra grew, and the campus grounds could no longer hold the festival. We had to start thinking big. In 1997, the Mayapur management organized the first ever Ratha-yatra festival coming from Rajapur to ISKCON Mayapur with three grand chariots. It was only with their leadership and expertise that this festival continues today.
...- 11 Jul 2017
By Greg CookAround noon on Saturday, men wrapped in white robes gathered just off Bostonâs Boylston Street in the middle of a festive crowd of women dressed in bright colored saris and men in dhoti kurtas, with gopi dots and lines of color painted on their faces. The robed men lined up before the tall yellow chariot wagon, garlanded with flowers, that resembled a temple on wheels. One man raised a coconut above his head, then smashed it on the pavement for an auspicious beginning to the annual Festival of Chariots â or Ratha Yatra (a Sanskrit phrase that roughly translates as âchario...
- 11 Jul 2017
By TOVPOperation FullDome is a way to give any visiting guest to Sri Dham Mayapur an opportunity to experience the most unique immersive spiritual experience in a spiritual town. The visitors will relax in comfort and watch high-quality presentations of professionally made FullDome films, using only top grade technology â the same technology that Disney, NASA, and many Fortune 500 companies use. This place will become the pivot point of interactive educational and spiritually riveting audio-visual experience. The proceedings from this project will go towards the TOVP Exhibits. ...
- 11 Jul 2017
By Bhurijana Dasa1. One should hear the pastimes, names, and glories of the Lord from the Srimad Bhagavatam, in which all material forms of region have been are rejected, from a bona fide spiritual master, become fixed in devotional service, and not allow his mind to be deflected to anything else. Patiently and submissively hearing the Srimad Bhagavatam immediately re-establishes a soul in his eternal relationship with Krsna. All other goals are rejected in the Bhagavatam. (1-3) 2. One must hear the Bhagavatam f...
- 10 Jul 2017
By ISKCON Sannyasa MinistrySrila Prabhupada on âWhat is a Sannyasi?â As there are hairs and nails on the body and sometimes we separate these parts from the body similarly when the material energy is separated from the service of the Lord it is inferior energy. Inferior energy is not false but temporary. The same temporary energy when surcharged with Krsna consciousness it transforms into supreme energy by the supreme will. By this will any energy can be transformed into another just like electronic energy in a refrigerator or in a heater, to an ordinary layman, he sees cold and ho...
- 10 Jul 2017
By Romapada SwamiQuestion: Srila Prabhupada's translation indicates that "a-brahma-bhuvanal - up to the Brahmaloka plane" The Bhagavatam seems to say that Satya Loka is not subject to birth, death, old age and disease. The Bhagavad Gita seems to say that it is subject to these four states. Can you shed on light on this seeming contradiction?
...- 9 Jul 2017
By Rachna TyagiSo, what are the prerequisites to join them? âISKCON is a calling. The person coming to ISKCON actually comes to serve Krishna. He wants to dedicate his life to Krishna,â says Das. As a student of structural engineering in IIT-Madras, he came across a book on Prabhupada at a library in IIT-Bombay. He says, âWhen I read that, I felt it was something that nobody had taught me. I was very inspired, especially after I finished reading the Bhagavad Gita. I felt this was what I should dedicate my life to. I then switched over to philosophy, did my masterâs and got my docto...
- 8 Jul 2017
By Vijay Krsna Kumar DasScholars and academicians from various parts of the country and abroad converged at the Kalina campus of Mumbai University to participate in a first of its kind International conference on the topic âRelevance, Role and Resurgence of Vaishnavism studies in 21st century.â Jointly organized by the Bhaktivedanta Vidyapitha Research Center of ISKCON and Shree Halari Oswal College, the conference witnessed participation of more than 200 students, scholars and administrators from the field of academia. Honorable Vice Chancellor of Mumbai University, Dr. San...
- 8 Jul 2017
By Ravindra Svarupa DasSrimad-Bhagavatam Eleventh Canto Chapter 31: The Disappearance of Lord ĹrÄŤ KášášŁáša. DÄruka delivered the account of the total destruction of the VášášŁášis, and upon hearing this, O ParÄŤkᚣit, the people became deeply distraught in their hearts and stunned with sorrow. Feeling the overwhelming pain of separation from KášášŁáša, they struck their own faces while hurrying to the place where their relatives lay dead.
...- 7 Jul 2017
By Anantashesh DasSrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura instructed Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura to establish scriptural learning in Mayapur. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura worked out a detailed tenfold curriculum of study of all of the major writings of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya to be taught here. It is based on this curriculum that Srila Prabhupada presented his Bhakti-sastri, Bhakti-vaibhava, Bhakti-vedanta and Bhakti-sarvabhauma courses.
...- 7 Jul 2017
By Mayapur Internal Communications teamIn the book The Seventh Goswami, a biography of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura , it is stated that Thakura Bhaktivinoda prayerfully invoked the Lord, and expressed his heartfelt desire, âWhen will that day come when the fair-skinned foreigners will come to Sri Mayapur-dhama and join with the Bengali Vaisnavas to chant âJaya Sacinandana, Jaya Sacinandana!â ⌠Very soon the chanting of Harinama sankirtana will be spread all over the world. Oh, when will that day come when people from America, England, France, Germany, Russia will take up kartals and ...
- 6 Jul 2017
By Hari Parsada DasaA confidential thought gets exposed as soon as it reaches six ears. (This means that the confidential thought should stay always between the two ears of the speaking friend and the two ears of the listening friend. As soon at the thought reaches a third person, it has reached six ears and is now exposed). As a good friend, we should know how to keep secrets. These secrets are something which can cause immense public embarrassment to our friends if revealed. These are weaknesses that have been confidentially confided in us.
...- 4 Jul 2017
By Vaisesika DasaSunday feast lecture in London Iskcon Temple. How to install the Srimad Bhagavatam in your house. Those persons who worship the Vaishnava literature Srimad Bhagavatam in their house are freed from all sins and they become worshipable by even the demigods. In the age of Kali, I become very pleased with those who regularly worship Srimad Bhagavatam in their house and dance without fear.
...- 3 Jul 2017
By ISKCON IndonesiaPerkumpulan (Indonesian for "Association") ISKCON is a legal body registered with the Indonesian government since September 2015. Perkumpulan ISKCON was founded directly by the ISKCON Governing Body Commission (GBC) representatives for Indonesia. Executives, Supervisors and Members of the Association forms the National Council of ISKCON for Indonesia.
...- 3 Jul 2017
By Iskcon Desire TreePancharatna Das was and still is one of the important managers in Mayapur, who started living there since the middle of 70 and till now is striving to make this place better.
...- 2 Jul 2017
By Mukhya Devi DasiThe State of the State - your tithing dollars at work! Wow, we are already half way through 2017, so here's a peek at what your tithing dollars are allowing us to do at the Temple. We have spent the past 16 months working on securing development permits for Phase II of our master plan, which includes building guest cottages around the pond. Itâs been a long and tedious process, where every department of county regulators comes over to have a look and give opinions on what we want to do. Thank you to all of our donors and tithers, your generous contributions make these ...
- 2 Jul 2017
By Ravindra Svarupa DasAlthough Lord Krsna, being the possessor of infinite powers, is the only cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of innumerable living beings, He simply did not desire to keep His body in this world any longer. Thus He revealed the destination of those fixed in the self and demonstrated that this mortal world is of no intrinsic value. (SB 11.31.13)
...- 2 Jul 2017
By AdministratorIf you met someone in the heart of Londonâs financial district and told them a monk was speaking at the âOld Ladyâ of Threadneedle Street, they might be in disbelief. Although he hasnât had a bank account or signed a cheque since 1969, and to the humour of the hundreds that attended when he admitted that, Radhanath Swami spoke at the Bank of England on Wednesday 22nd March 2017. Founded in 1694, the Bank of England is a public institution responsible for maintaining the monetary and financial stability of the United Kingdom. It serves as the model on which most moder...
- 1 Jul 2017
By Vijaya dasMany years ago a man in one village was so inspired when the padayatra arrived that he took a vow to remain silent until the padayatra returned on its next lap around India. It takes the padayatra six years to go around India. When it did return, it was a big thing in the village, because now the man was going to speak again. So a stage was made for all the devotees to do kirtan, and afterward the gentleman would speak. Everyone in the village showed up, and he spoke for three hours, just from Srila Prabhupada's books, because the only reading he had done was from those books. ...
- 30 Jun 2017
By Subroto DasAt Mayapur, the birth place of MahaPrabhu, the devotees of ISKCON today gave a lively presentation of the HeraPanchami pastime. Knowing the importance MahaPrabhu gave to this pastime, the devotees organised a splendid show at the Prabhupad Ghat where the Gundicha temple has been constructed for the first time. Carried on her palanquin a disgruntled LaxmiDevi with a bunch of aggressive servitors came rushing towards the Gundicha temple in the evening where the Lord was gleefully enjoying melodious kirtans being rendered by His devotees. They tried to breach the boundary of Gund...
- 30 Jun 2017
By Bala Govinda dasOn Tuesday 27th JUNE, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Netherlands of his three-nation tour after concluding his visit to the United States. During the visit, Prime Minister Modi was meeting the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, King Willem-Alexander and the Indian Diaspora in The Netherlands. The ISKCON Hague leader Syamasundara das, Chitra devi dasi, bhn Sandjli Bisesser, bhn Reeshmi Chitan and bh Ashis Autar had the opportunity to meet the Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in the Royal Residence city. When the Prime Minister arrived at his hotel âThe C...
- 30 Jun 2017
By Vaisesika DasaThe most important and uncontrollable sense is the tongue. If one can control the tongue, then there is every possibility of controlling the other senses. The function of the tongue is to taste and to vibrate. Therefore, by systematic regulation, the tongue should always be engaged in tasting the remnants of foodstuffs offered to KášášŁáša and chanting Hare KášášŁáša. Although one may conquer all of the other senses, as long as the tongue is not conquered it cannot be said that one has controlled his senses. However, if one is able to control the tongue, then one is un...
- 29 Jun 2017
By Jagannath DasAfter giving up the company of the Vraja-gopis, Vrajendranandana performed His pastimes in Dvaraka. When Sri KášášŁáša visited Kurukshetra during a solar eclipse, He was accompanied by Baladeva, Subhadra, and other Dvarakavasis. At Kurukshetra, KášášŁáša again met the Vrajavasis, especially Srimati RÄdhikÄ and His beloved sakhis. Bhakti Charu Swami recently visited Dubai and on 26th June 2017, Maharaj gave a very nectarian class on the sweet pastimes of Lord Jagannath.
...- 29 Jun 2017