By Madhava SmullenThe Bhaktivedanta Book Trust has already translated ISKCON founder Srila Prabhupada’s books into 87 languages. But there are more to go. And today, dedicated servants working for the spiritual publisher in far flung corners of the world still continue to translate his works into their native languages, despite busy family lives and professional careers. On August 24th this year, for example, Nandapriya Das finished translating the last of seventeen volumes of the ...
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- 13 Dec 2017
By Madhava SmullenBeyond the 2017 marathon, a goal has already been set of further 10% increases every year for the next ten years, reaching an annual remittance to the BBT of $5.2 million by 2026. If, however, goals continue to be exceeded at the rate they are currently, the remittance by 2026 will be an unprecedented $10 million. Why is remittance to the BBT so important? Well first of all, fifty per cent of all profits from the BBT go towards building ISKCON projects around the worl...
- 13 Dec 2017
By Mahatma dasForgiving yourself is obviously an issue for you. Look at it this way: Krishna wants you to come back to Him, and if you don’t forgive yourself, you’re making that trip back to Him a more difficult – and thus slower – journey. Krishna is waiting for you to come back, so don’t make Him wait longer than necessary. Krishna forgives you, and if He forgives you, certainly you can forgive yourself. (If it’s good enough for Him, it’s good enough for you.) In addition, if you are thinking, “I am so low and so ...
- 12 Dec 2017
By Urmila Devi Dasi"No Krsna rituals," my cousin the doctor admonished me. Although not her attending physician, being a doctor he had more or less taken charges of things."Your mother was not a Hare Krsna. Let her die as she lived." "But," I argued, "these last weeks I've been chanting to her, reading stories to her from our scriptures, singing devotional songs. She often asked me to , and really loved it.Why should I do something different today?" I was hopeful, yet nervous. For two weeks now I'd been with my mother twelve hours or more a day. The firs...
- 11 Dec 2017
By Gopal Bhatta dasILS 2018 will play a critical part in setting the stage for ISKCON’s future. Speakers will explore the challenges and opportunities ISKCON will face as it continues to shift into the hands of the next generations. The ILS provides a unique opportunity for a cross-pollination of thoughts and best practices. It gives a chance for devotees to observe the ISKCON world from a global perspective. In this atmosphere devotees can expand their frame of reference and become...
- 9 Dec 2017
By Purushottam KumarWhile being crucified, Jesus cried. But he did not cry for himself, instead he cried for those who were committing the gravest sin. Jesus was continuously praying to God to forgive those who were menacingly torturing and trying to kill him. Jesus, the son of God, had come to this world to spread the message of peace and love and to effect this change he was ready to sacrifice everything
...- 8 Dec 2017
By Mahatma DasDear Devotee. Since Christmas is just a few days away, I thought it would be appropriate and enlightening to look at Prabhupada’s views on Christmas and Christ
...- 8 Dec 2017
By the GBCOne World Team (passed by Correspondence Vote in September 2017) Summary: "Inspired by the success of the goal-driven model for increasing book distribution in North America, the BBT Marketing and Communications Department would like to propose a "One World Team" approach with an aim to increase book distribution in all temples around the world. By setting a unified worldwide goal and by providing methods by which congregations can be engaged in systematic book distribut...
- 6 Dec 2017
By the GBC BodyMany years ago, a relatively small group of devotees claimed that some of Srila Prabhupada's devoted servants had poisoned their beloved guru and caused his disappearance from this world. These conspiracy theorists accused dedicated Vaisnavas of the greatest evil, and they did so with no credible evidence. No reliable science or witnesses supported their ghastly accusations, and so the Vaisnava community in general rejected their unjust claims.
...- 5 Dec 2017
By Indradyumna SwamiYesterday we participated in “Color Splash” a multi-cultural festival in Durban, South Africa. Various ethnic groups showed off the best of their music, dance and theater. It began with a parade along the beachfront with Zulu warriors, Scottish bagpipes, boy scouts, a marching band and of course our blissful harinama. At the festival site we were prominent with kirtan, prasadam distribution and a Holi festival; throwing colored dyes to the accompaniment of a bli...
- 5 Dec 2017
By Palaka dasI remember when it started, quite innocently, after devotees who had attended the Mayapur Festival when they had kirtan contests with Bengali Vaishnavas who chanted ramo... putting an o at the end of words that have an a is just a particular Bengali accent... just like in every country, there are accents from various areas... in the UK, someone from Manchester speaks much differently than someone from London or Scotland... in the US, the southern accent is very different f...
- 5 Dec 2017
By CDI TeamAlong with the recently completed Community Survey, the objective of this conference was to create a platform that allows the community’s voice to be heard, deepen our relationships, and build a shared vision for New Raman Reti going into the future. This exciting event took place at the Alachua Woman's Club, Sunday, December 3, 2017, from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm. and followed by sumptuous lunch Prasadam. The overall Vision of the Community Development Initiative (CDI) is a l...
- 4 Dec 2017
By Chandan Yatra DasSant Tukarama (AD 1609-1650) was a saint-poet of towering stature. Tukarama was among the most prominent saints to have come out of the holy land of Maharashtra. He hailed from the village of Dehu, near Pune, and was born in the Warkari community who are devotees of Lord Vitthala (or Panduranga). Srila Prabhupada occasionally referred to this great saint, “The great saint of Maharashtra known as Saint Tukarama was also initiated by the Lord Caitanya. Saint Tukaram...
- 4 Dec 2017
By Govinda DasFrom West Virginia to New Vrindavan; Lord Krishna has spread His causeless mercy through Srila Prabhupada in every part of His creation. Now, it was time for Aligarh to become Harigarh. Lord Sri Hari sent His representative, HH Kratu Das ji Das Ji Maharaj to carry out this most auspicious task and materialize or better so spiritualise the words of Lord Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada who prophesied the existence of Krishna’s temple with the echoes of Harinaam in every to...
- 4 Dec 2017
By Radhanath SwamiThe debate started with Ken Follet defining the word faith and sharing his thought on why faith had no place in our society. Radhanath Swami spoke in opposition first, arguing that giving up artificial faith makes us eligible to find genuine faith. As the debate proceeded, it swung to become a debate on religion versus science, but a member of the audience, Jonathan, who studied Philosophy and Religion at Cambridge University brought it back. He mentioned that we must...
- 3 Dec 2017
By Anand Caitanya dasIn the last 2 years, with the help of HG Rasamandala Prabhu, the committee has developed a Devotee Care Course. The course was officially launched in Pune in November, 2017 and will be conducted again in Pune in January, 2018. The Devotee Care Committee is a strategic planning team appointed by ISKCON GBC to embed the culture of care in ISKCON temple communities all over the world. The Devotee Care committee has been in action from past many years and comprises of ...
- 3 Dec 2017
By Jaya Govinda dasaVancouver, BC - One of Canada's fasting rising young opera stars, Dustin Hiles, first met the devotees seven years ago in Winnipeg, MB, while campaigning as a candidate for the provincial Liberal Party of Canada. After his staff put together a list of temples and mandirs for him to visit, he eventually made it to 108 Chestnut Street where the devotees invited him, and his team, to hear about Krishna and take prasadam. This meeting had a profound effect on Dustin who...
- 3 Dec 2017
By Parvati devi dasiThis November 30th, our Vrndavan Krishna Balarama Mandir celebrated its 18th Annual Recitation of the Sanskrit verses of the Gita Mahatmya and the entire Bhagavad Gita in the temple courtyard. It was a wonderful Community Event and we thank everyone for their participation, including the chanters and those who helped set things up. We began by 9:30 a.m. with a short aroti to the Bhagavad Gita, and finished the ecstatic recitation 12 noon, followed with Ek...
- 2 Dec 2017
By Gauranga Das5000 years ago, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, the Supreme Lord delivered the most confidential and topmost knowledge of devotional service to His lotus feet in the form of the Bhagavad-gita to His dearmost devotee Arjuna, and to humanity at large, in order to help all devotees understand the purpose of life and the way to surrender to Him. This day is also called Mokshada Ekadashi. It generally comes in the month of December
...- 2 Dec 2017
By Giriraj SwamiThis is parampara. Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami and all the Gosvamis wrote books for the enlightenment of the general populace, and that instruction and practice came down through parampara to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, who wrote many books and instructed his disciples to write books. And Srila Prabhupada faithfully followed those instructions and also wrote many books. In fact, it is inconceivable that anyone could write so many books in such a...
- 2 Dec 2017
By Vaisesika DasAll wondrous phenomena showing power, beauty, grandeur or sublimity, either in the material world or in spiritual, are but partial manifestations of Krsna's divine energies and opulence. He is the supreme cause of all causes & the essence of everything living or non living. Anything extraordinarily opulent, beautiful and glorious should be considered as a fragmental manifestation of Krsna's splendor. All things are existing due to Krsna's entering into them as supersoul. Krsna is supreme object of worship. The Bhagavad Gita has long been a source of inspiration and guidanc...
- 1 Dec 2017
By Urmila Devi DasiNational holidays, and even religious festivals such as Christmas, are often occasions for diving into intoxication, illicit sex, and materialistic life in general. If we wish to raise our children to be absorbed only in thoughts of Lord Krishna, how should we treat these secular holidays? One approach is, as far as possible, to ignore them. We can tell our children that although the preparations they see around them—sometimes for weeks before the holiday—are certainly attractive, we are interested only in celebrating the Lord’s glories. Children can be satisfied ...
- 30 Nov 2017
By Romapada SwamiKeeping Krishna in the center doesn’t mean we have no relationships with others; rather, we then have the proper perspective of our spiritual relationship with all beings. In the last several decades, after having made the state secular, carefully keeping any mention of God out of educational institutions and relegating religion to a sort of personal hobby or an unofficial non-governmental Social Welfare agency, there has been no dearth of researches and reform movements and humanitarian efforts targeting the upliftment of others, seeking in various ways to help people....
- 30 Nov 2017
By Bhakti Charu SwamiSrila Prabhupada: “From your letter, I can understand that you are reading my books nicely and understanding our philosophy. This is wanted. By reading my books carefully, you will become enthused to distribute them more and more in greater quantities. If you continue in this way being very much determined to achieve success in this lifetime, following all the rules, chanting at least sixteen rounds, and reading my books, then all of your desires to advance in Krsna consciousness will be fulfilled and you will surely attain spiritual perfection and be able to go back ...
- 29 Nov 2017