By Bhakta MukeshElaborating on the causes of attachment, Maharaj mentioned that we think that our gains are due to our hard endeavour. Therefore, we attempt to preserve these gains, and thus become attached to it. This attachment is the root-cause of all miseries. The recipe to overcome this attachment is to understand that as miseries (and losses) come to us unsought, so would happiness (and gains). We must, therefore, cultivate the faith that both happiness and distress would come of its own accord and practice detachment from both.
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- 16 Oct 2017
By Anand Caitanya dasConfederation of Indian Industry (CII) has established Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), with a vision to enable sustainable built-environment for all and facilitate India to be one of the global leaders in sustainable built-environment by 2025. With a modest beginning of 20,000 sq.ft of green footprint in the country in the year 2001, today over 4,205 IGBC green building projects, amounting to over 4.61 Billion sq.ft are adopting IGBC green building rating systems. This in turn has enabled India become one of the top 5 countries in the world in terms of largest...
- 16 Oct 2017
By Padmapani dasOur dear Godbrother, Tribhuvanatha das, departed from this world on October 16, 2001. A lot has been written about Tribhuvanatha Prabhu over the years — his dynamic preaching programs, his ecstatic harinamas, his fired up classes, etc. -- but I simply remember him as my best friend.
...- 16 Oct 2017
By Urmila Devi DasiThe enlightened devotee’s detachment derives from the superior satisfaction of spiritual love. The rising tide of spiritual love gradually increases to a flood. This love, real love, means giving rather than taking. It means giving oneself for the pleasure of God. It means being an agent to unite the Lord and His energy of pleasure – Krishna with Radha, Narayana with Lakshmi, Rama with Sita. Of course, the Lord and His eternal consort do not depend on a tiny soul to aid their union. It is the kindness of the Lord that He engages the expanded living beings in this way ...
- 15 Oct 2017
By Srila Vyasadeva"O expert and thoughtful men, relish Srimad-Bhagavatam, the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Sri Shuka Muni. Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls." Srimad-Bhagavatam is the galitam phalam, or ripened fruit, of all Vedic knowledge. It is exactly like amrita, for by hearing its recitation we can cross beyond birth and death. The Srimad-Bhagavatam describes the various incarnations of Lord Hari, and in the process of these des...
- 15 Oct 2017
By Visakha DasiMature practitioners in the Hare Krishna tradition choose to accept vows of purity. Individuals or couples solemnly vow to avoid intoxicants, illicit sex, meat eating and gambling, and to chant 16 rounds of the maha-mantra daily. To preserve these holy vows that are taken before the Deity, before the fire and before the Vaishnavas are the most important practices in spiritual life. Caring for one another in a marriage means protecting these principles in each other's lives by our example and by our words. Yet, if the husband or the wife is not following these principles, we...
- 15 Oct 2017
By Mayapur Sasi dasaFor the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of September 2017. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Individuals, Monthly Top 5, Cumulative Countries, Cumulative Temples, Cumulative Top 100 Individuals, Cumulative Top 5
...- 14 Oct 2017
By Danae KingOn a recent sunny morning, Dr. Piyush Gupta was gazing across a broad expanse of land just west of Hilliard. Many might just see a dew-covered field dotted with groups of trees, but Gupta can imagine a large, white stone temple rising up from the ground. The site, just off Walker Road, is the future home of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Columbus, of which Gupta is a council member. ISKCON is a society for Hare Krishnas, who believe meditation can purify one’s consciousness. The society, located in a small house near Ohio State University’s Wexner M...
- 14 Oct 2017
By BBT staffA European division of BBT (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust) is in the process of printing the largest sacred text in the world! Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita As t Is. It will be 2.8 meters high (9.18 feet) and 2 meters large (6.56 feet). It will weight 750 kgs. The idea is to make it travel all over the world as a big piece of religious art and people can take darshan and worship the Bhagavad-gita as a Deity. The Bhagavad-gita is also a Deity of Lord Krishna because His words are there.
...- 13 Oct 2017
By Anuttama DasaUjjain, India; October 11—Zonal Supervisors, an important leadership role created by the Governing Body Commission (GBC) to improve management in ISKCON around the world, was the first topic of today’s GBC meeting. Working directly under an individual GBC member, a Zonal Supervisor assists that GBC member by supervising a number of temples and projects within a particular geographical zone. Currently most GBC members directly oversee all the temples in their zones. Some GBC members have intermediate managers under them, with different titles such as “Regional Secret...
- 13 Oct 2017
By Bimal Krishna DasThe Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Shivraj Singh Chauhan, visited ISKCON Ujjain on 6th October. He was greeted by a large group of devotees chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. As he stepped out of his car, he became so inspired by that kirtan that he also started dancing. The GBC mid-term meeting is going on in Ujjain now and when Maharaj told the Chief Minister about that, he expressed his desire to also participate in that meeting. His Holiness then escorted the Chief Minister to the conference hall where the GBC mid-term meeting is being held. While introdu...
- 13 Oct 2017
By Anuttama dasaThe second day of the Governing Body Commission (GBC) Mid-Term Meeting began with a report of a one-year study of how to improve the effectiveness of GBC meetings. Members were presented with a 94-page document or “Meetings Manual,” and a second 23-page guide on “Decision Making.” Both texts were drawn from research conducted by the GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT). In preparing the manuals the SPT underwent a detailed analysis of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings on management as well as a review 40 professional studies and books on meetings and decision-making. V...
- 12 Oct 2017
By Bhaktimarga SwamiYesterday's (Oct. 11) SB class in Iskcon Ujjain. Don't tell Krishna how big your problems are, tell your problems how big Krishna is! Like there is an expression in Spanish "pochito" meaning "little, very little or small". So when someone tells you all about their problems, remind them how small, temporary and insignificant they are in front of the greatness of the Lord and our eternal spiritual life by saying: "pochito prabhu!"
...- 12 Oct 2017
By Sukanti Radha devi dasiThis is the first TOVP Europe Tour opening the door of opportunity for every devotee to participate in this once in a lifetime opportunity. Lord Nrsimhadeva's Sitari and Lord Nityananda's divine lotus shoes will travel to Belgium - Germany - Poland - Slovakia - Hungary - Austria - Slovenia - Italy and Switzerland The Tour will begin 10th April 2018 in the ISKCON Europe headquarters at Belgium - Radhadesh and will continue until 30th April 2018 in Switzerland. The TOVP Europe Tour can be viewed live on many Europe temples' live broadcasts available through Mayapur...
- 11 Oct 2017
By Anuttama DasaThe Mid-Term Meeting focuses on strategic, organizational and development issues, whereas the Annual Meeting focuses primarily on proposals for new legislation to become ISKCON Law. This morning’s meeting began with an update on the progress of the GBC Organizational Committee (Org Dev). Org Dev’s role is to serve the devotees of ISKCON by building ISKCON’s administrative capacity; understanding that while ISKCON has grown substantially in its first 50 years, its administrative elements have not kept up. Org Dev reported it is working on multiple issues.<...
- 10 Oct 2017
By Giriraja Swami and Bhurijana prabhu"In the course of time, the transcendental news of Krsna's pastimes in Vrndavana, was almost lost. To enunciate explicitly those transcendental pastimes, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, at Prayaga, empowered Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatana Goswami with the nectar of His mercy to carry out this work in Vrndavana. From the very beginning Rupa Goswami was deeply attracted by the transcendental qualities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus he was permanently relieved from family life. Srila Rupa Goswami and his younger brother Vallabha were blessed by Sri Caita...
- 10 Oct 2017
By Padmapani dasOur dear Godsister, Saradiya devi dasi, departed from this world on Sri Krishna Saradiya Rasayatra to be with her eternal father, Srila Prabhupada. Her sincerity and love for Srila Prabhupada is unparalleled. May we follow in her footsteps. Bonds of Love by Saradiya Devi Dasi. Srila Prabhupada and Saradiya. Bhaktivedanta Manor Pancha-Tattva Painting
...- 9 Oct 2017
By Niranjana SwamiWe never experienced anything else in Prabhupada’s presence other than his burning desire to give Krishna, and that’s what captured our hearts, and that’s what makes us want to make this life successful by doing something to make Prabhupada smile. And if some day we can become so blessed to be able to do that which he wants us to do, then that’s the only reason why we live in this world. There is nothing else.
...- 7 Oct 2017
By Vaikunthanath das It is a miracle of good fortune that Srila Prabhupada’s disciple, Saradiya dasi, should leave her physical body on the very day of the Sri Krsna Saradiya Rasa-yatra (October 5, 2017). She left at 6:15 a.m. San Diego time. The time zone in India is twelve and a half hours ahead of California, so it was 6:45 p.m. in Vrindaban at that moment. The moon rose at 6:03 p.m. in Vrindaban. So Saradiya left her body just as the moon was rising above the horizon in Sri Vrindaban Dham.
...- 6 Oct 2017
By Madhava SmullenSince moving back two years ago, he has been serving as the construction and maintenance manager for ISKCON New Vrindaban, overseeing a team of seven. Together they are assisting the effort to physically revitalize key parts of New Vrindaban, much of which had received little maintenance over the previous thirty years. In his two years there so far Bhagavan and his team have already done an impressive number of upgrades.
...- 5 Oct 2017
By Gandharvika Radha Devi Dasi“Even though it lasts for only a brief moment, the human form of life is very rare and valuable. In the same way, the brief month of Kartik is also very rare and valuable.” – Kartika Mahatmya by Srila Sanatana Goswami. H.G. Vaisesika Prabhu has selected Chapter 9 for Kartik 2017! Make a vow to recite Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 9 every day from 6 Oct 2017 to 3 Nov 2017.
...- 4 Oct 2017
By Hanumatpresaka SwamiMy dear servants, please bring to me only those sinful persons who do not use their tongues to chant the holy name and qualities of Krsna, whose hearts do not remember the lotus feet of Krsna even once, and whose heads do not bow down even once before Lord Krsna. Send me those who do not perform their duties toward Visnu, which are the only duties in human life. Please bring me all such fools and rascals.
...- 4 Oct 2017
By Badrinarayan SwamiToday's SB Class in Iskcon Ujjain. "Lord Yamaraja took upon himself the responsibility for the offense committed by his servants. If the servant of an establishment makes a mistake, the establishment takes responsibility for it. Although Yamaraja is above offenses, his servants, practically with his permission, went to arrest Ajamila, which was a great offense. The nyaya-sastra confirms, bhrtyaparadhe svamino dandah: if a servant makes a mistake, the master is punishable because he is responsible for the offense. Taking this seriously, Yamaraja, along with his servants...
- 4 Oct 2017
By Gauri dasA few years back a brand expert was asked about ISKCON UK’s presence on social media. His response was simple and to the point: ‘the good news is that you are not scary anymore, you are just confusing’. Though temples and devotees do have a solid presence on social media, the big question remains, how effective is that presence? To examine this question, devotees from across the UK came together at Bhaktivedanta Manor for a weekend of communications training that focused on social media.
...- 3 Oct 2017