By ISKCON Desire TreeAs we approach the beginning of ISKCON's 50th year we took the opportunity to interview some of ISKCON's leaders on a variety of topics, while they were gathered at the Govardhan Eco Village in Wada. This interview is with Praghosa prabhu, the current GBC chairman, and it is on the topic of ISKCON outreach.
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- 14 Nov 2015
By Ash ElderMany students search for ways to connect with God on campus and the UNF Hare Krishnas do it through sung prayer and meditation. Sura, a club member was singing the Hare Krishna mantra, a 16 word mantra composed of three Sanskrit names of the Supreme Being; “Hare,” “Krishna,” and “Rama.” The mantra is chanted in order to create vibrations which connect the consciousness with God.
...- 14 Nov 2015
By Haresh Govinda DasAs every year this time also ISKCON Ahmedabad celebrated Govardhan Puja in a very fabulous way. All the devotees enterprisingly fabricated the replica of Govardhan in the temple. Govardhan Hill was adorned with various kinds of fruits, dry fruits and many other preparations like different kinds of sabjis, sweet items, rice, etc. Gujarat Chief Minister Smt. Anandiben Patel also honored this festival and took the blessings of Giriraj. Honorable Chief Minister was welcomed by Temple President H...
- 13 Nov 2015
By Urmila Devi DasiWE CROSS Oxford Street with five mrdanga drums, two loud and deep African drums, karatala cymbals, an accordion, and an electric guitar. Our chanting party consists of over a hundred members, from so many countries and ethnic backgrounds that the diversity is startling. There are men in dhotis, in suits, and in jeans, women in saris, colorful dresses, and subdued business clothes. We race or dance down the street, singing as fast as we run, churning up waves of spiritual joy. The lead singer we...
- 13 Nov 2015
By Ravindra Svarupa dasaOn the eleventh of July, 1966, in New York, Srila Prabhupada incorporated the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. By then, Prabhupada had already discovered an audience for his exposition of Srimad Bhagavatam, an expositon he characterised as 'a cultural presentation for the respiritualisation of the entire human society' (Bhag. Canto 1, Preface). In a further step toward the culture of 'respiritualisation', he established ISKCON. ISKCON was to be an exemplary society, within...
- 12 Nov 2015
By the GBC Strategic Planning TeamThe GBC is pleased to invite you to the ISKCON Leadership Sanga (ILS) 2016 in Sridham Mayapur, India, on February 24 – March 2. If you already attended a previous ILS you already know what an amazing event it was, with over five hundred ISKCON leaders in 2102 and more than a thousand in 2014; Consider some of the past successes of the ISKCON Leadership Sanga: We spent 8 days participating in over 85 seminars and workshops presenting valuable ideas on how to spread Krsna Conscio...
- 12 Nov 2015
By Rsiraja DasThe first thing to be recognized in Gaudiya-Vaishnava philosophy is that Krsna is Reality. Srimad Bhagavatam states that there is a reality which is also the Absolute Truth. That reality is, however, understood in many different ways. Indeed, Srila Prabhupada writes at the beginning of Srimad Bhagavatam that the concept of Absolute Truth and the concept of God are not on the same level. The concept of God is like the driver of a car who controls the car, but this concept does not explain how the car...
- 12 Nov 2015
By Nityananda Chandra DasDue to the extensive help from a large body of devotees here in Dallas the Govardhan Puja festival has been exceedingly grand this year. There is a video included of the cake mountain preparations. Bhaktin Brittany decided to spend the night on Saturday so that she could work the whole evening Saturday and Sunday in preparation. She is was amazing a real trooper. She has a wonderful service mood. Both my wife and her slept just for a few hours and spend both days just working hard. La...
- 11 Nov 2015
By Nila Kamala dasIn continuation with Vraj Parikrama, on the 9th of November, HH Subhag Swami Maharaj took a group of 70 devotees to Badrinath. Buses departed from our Krishna Balaram Mandir after mangal arti, ensuring an auspicious start to our yatra. A bumpy ride which lasted for two hours led us to our desired destination. We were told that in 1932, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur came to Badrinath as part of Vraja Mandala parikrama along with hundreds of his disciples. We feel fortunate to be walking in the...
- 11 Nov 2015
By Giriraj SwamiToday Brahmananda Prabhu was placed in his samadhi in Vrindavan, and all the devotees present felt their hearts melt with love for Srila Prabhupada and Brahmananda Prabhu. I sent an offering to for the occasion, which Bhurijana Prabhu kindly read out for me: One thing was certain in my mind—that I would be present for the dedication of Brahmananda Prabhu’s samadhi in Vrindavan—but as Srila Prabhupada said, “I have my plans, you have your plans, and Krishna has His plans.” Brahmananda Pra...
- 10 Nov 2015
By Abhaya Mudra DasiEven when living entities harbor inimical desires towards Shri Krishna, He satisfies them. Shri Krishna’s arrangement of male and female prototypes in the material world creates an illusion of genuine relations between two different energies. And through the interaction of male and female entities other bodies take birth. The material world mimics (or reflects in a perverted sense) the spiritual world wherein there is constant interaction of Shri Krishna with His innumerable liberated servant...
- 10 Nov 2015
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupadaSimilarly, previously the Vedic knowledge was coming by hearing. There was no need of books. But when this age, Kali-yuga, began five thousand years ago, the Vedic scriptures were recorded. First there was only one Veda, known as Atharva Veda. Then Vyasadeva, just to make it clear, divided it into four and entrusted his various disciples to each take charge of one school of Veda. Then he wrote the Mahabharata and the Puranas to make the Vedic knowledge under...
- 9 Nov 2015
By Anuttama dasThe wisdom traditions of the world teach that God is the all powerful source of existence. The teachings of bhakti or Krishna consciousness give us greater insight into the personality of that all powerful Lord. One aspect we explore this Sunday is that Krishna is unconquerable yet he agrees to be conquered by the love of his devotee.
...- 9 Nov 2015
By Shyamasundar dasWriting “Chasing Rhinos With The Swami” was a labor of intense love. Not that it started out that way. I thought I could knock out seven years of memories in about six weeks, ten at the most. But then Srila Prabhupad came into my life again, called me to his room, made me laugh, began those fun, intense conversations—and soon he accompanied my every waking moment. Even in dreams he came, and I put pad and pen by my bed to scratch in the half-light a memory he had sparked in the ten-minute ...
- 8 Nov 2015
By Bhakta Jay KhushBhrigupati Dasa and Bhakta Jay Khush distribute Chinese books @ UCLA. The FAR EAST • MIDDLE EAST division of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust publishes Srila Prabhupada’s books and other BBT titles in fourteen languages of the Pacific Rim and Middle East for distribution in those regions of the world. As a new Western preaching initiative, BBT FEME is also developing titles specifically for distribution in the Western world to foreign language speakers living within large ethnic communities, a...
- 8 Nov 2015
By Yolanda AmeliaTHERE are many ways one can celebrate an anniversary. Some throw lavish parties and others do a simple get-together. The International Society of Krishna Consciousness of ISKCON, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, distributed free meals to pupils to promote vegetarianism recently. It was carried out under the Sastra Dana Anna Dana programme organised by ISKCON Malaysia together with Bhaktivedanta Books Trading Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Food For Life Society Malaysia. The group vis...
- 7 Nov 2015
By the Radha Kunda Seva teamIt is Srimati Radharani’s special month, the month of Kartika, also known as the month of Damodara. During this holy month, when devotees are converging in Radha Kunda from all over the world, we revel in the fact that we have been given the opportunity to do some small service in this most sacred of places day after day, year after year, 365 days a year. Since our service is here, our thoughts are here also. And what a blessing it is to have our thoughts, like busy bees, buzz from on...
- 6 Nov 2015
By Mukunda GoswamiIn 1981 devotees posed for a photograph that appeared in a publication called The Wonderful World of Hare Krishna in Australia. A sankirtana party of approximately 40 devotees clearly showed the Sydney Opera House in the background. The Opera House has become a worldwide symbol for what Donald Horne in his 1964 book called The Lucky Country. On Saturday, 20 August 2016 devotees of ISKCON will perform sankirtana inside this iconic structure. Srila Prabhupada’s singular fault, according to Sril...
- 5 Nov 2015
By Nila Kamala dasIn continuation with Vraj Parikrama, HH Subhag Swami Maharaj took a group of devotees to Raval, Chinta Haran and Brahmanda Ghat. Buses left straight after mangala arti, all devotees were requested to attend the arti in order to invoke an auspicious start to the yatra. In order to seek the blessings of Srimati Radharani we firstly visited Raval Dham. After taking darshan and praying for Her mercy, we proceeded to Chinta Haran. The presiding deity here is Chinta Haran Mahadev. As stated in the Bhag...
- 5 Nov 2015
By Parividha DasLokanath Swami: Seeing Parividha’s performance in Kolkata at the 50th anniversary celebrations, reinforced that I have always felt when I watch his performances. They are no frivolous and no nonsense performances which are an inspiration to one and all. They display his deep sincerity and are filled with emotion and spiritual devotion, which have a soul stirring effect on the audience. The videos in turn bring to life that which we are always longing to see. Once again, salutations to Parividha a...
- 5 Nov 2015
By Purushottam Nitai DasIf you think strongly enough, you will be forced by science to believe in God: Lord Kelvin There is a perfect brain behind all the natural physical laws: Albert Einstein This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being...This Being governs all things, not as the soul of the world, but as Lord over all, and on account of His dominion He is to be called Lord God, Universal Ruler: Newton God is the...
- 4 Nov 2015
By Sukanti Radha Devi dasiSeven years before the ToVP opens and much interest is found at the World's biggest travel/tourism fair. Little doubt then that by the time Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Sri Sri Pancatattva and Lord Nrsimhadeva move to their new glorious temple, we will have one of the world's biggest tourist attractions to manage!
...- 4 Nov 2015
By Vrndavanlila Devi dasiIn the spirit of serving their beloved guru and his guru His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, the small team of devotees comprising Gour Gopal prabhu, Jananivasprabhu, Ram Lakshman prabhu, Rupanuga prabhu, Sripati prabhu, Siddha Balram prabhu, Toshan Krishna prabhu, (names in alphabetical order) moved on to the next village named Mallareddygudem (October 27). This had unique problem. There was no water facility, even drinking water was sparse and one had to make all ...
- 3 Nov 2015
By Iskcon UK CommunicationsPlanning permission granted for Haveli, ISKCON Newcastle lead harinam at the Great North Run, ISKCON 50 at the ELS in Italy , Preparing for ISKCON 50 at Bhaktivendanta Manor, Diwali at Bhaktivedanta Manor, Go Puja and Gorvadhan Puja, Srila Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, TOVP Fundraiser, Lessons from the Mahabharata, National Communications Day, Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara's 46th Anniversary Event and more.
...- 3 Nov 2015