By Praghosa DasaMay I express as sincerely as my heart is capable of, my empathy, thoughts and prayers to all those who have been affected by the coronavirus. Can I also offer a special mention to all of the devotees and their families who have been affected. Furthermore my heart goes out to the families and friends of those devotees who have sadly lost their lives. We profoundly pray that they are now under the direct protection of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Sri Krishna
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- 2 Apr 2020
By Lalitanatha dasaOn Saturday, March 28, ISKCON’s Ministry for Cow Protection and Agriculture had a Zoom conference with its European representatives. Everything is online in these corona times, even farming! The members shared reports among themselves. Considering the present crisis, everyone still seemed to be faring somewhat okay. For instance, at New Vraja Dhama, ISKCON’s farm community in Hungary, devotees have a stock of food for seven months plus land and cows constantly yielding more grains, vegetables and milk products. Similar reports were there from New Mayapur in the Ukraine and other far...
- 1 Apr 2020
By Gauranga Darshan DasAn incident from the story of Lord Rama that depicts unity in diversity. Can two persons be alike in all respects? No! Everybody is an individual with unique thoughts, aspirations, opinions, mannerisms and lifestyles. Although birds of same feather flock together, every bird is an individual and unique. There are differences even within one community of people with multiple commonalities, led by one able leader.
...- 1 Apr 2020
By Parasuram dasThe words ‘This is London Calling’ were used by the BBC World Service during WWII as part of its broadcast to occupied countries. Now the Planet is again being invaded by an invisible foe, but with all foes Srila Prabhupada felt protected by the Supreme Lord Krishna and encouraged us to be fearless in spreading the mission of Lord Caitanya. By taking the right precautions, and following government procedures, it is possible to engage in Prasad distribution in these dark days of Kali Yuga.
...- 1 Apr 2020
By Vijaya dasLast month, worldwide, we did quite well as usual. But March will be different, for this was the first month of the lockdown. For the sake of health and safety, officials recommended and insisted on social distancing (staying six feet away from others) and staying home as much as possible. Some devotees still distribute books, despite the seriousness of the pandemic. Srila Prabhupada said that devotees are fearless, but not foolish. Two devotees already have left their bodies, and others have tested positive for the virus. So better be safe than sorry.
...- 31 Mar 2020
By Mayapur Sasi dasaFor the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of February 2020. 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
...- 31 Mar 2020
By Praghosa DasHis Grace Rameshvara Prabhu was a soldier, a valiant warrior for Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON. He never saw a challenge that was too difficult to contend with and always fought until he could offer victory to Srila Prabhupada. He left this world with the very same fighting spirit to achieve a personal victory to cross over this mortal world. A victory that will be celebrated by vaisnavas all over the world, who prayed to invoke the Lord's presence and protection as Prabhu took his final breath.
...- 30 Mar 2020
By Sacinandana SwamiI first met Govinda Hari during a big public program in Serbia where thousands of people came to learn about the Krishna Consciousness and the chanting of the Holy Names. At that time, Govinda Hari was a well-known TV Host. He inspired many of his professional contacts to film such public programs and broadcast them. In this way the programs came to the awareness of the general public. Due to his efforts, Krishna Consciousness soon became well-respected in the countries where these TV broadcasts were seen. Later Govinda Hari made documentaries about devotees.
...- 29 Mar 2020
By Radha Mohan DasSince most of our temples and communities are currently in lock-down mode, The Bhaktivedanta Players have generously made their Vedic Stories for Children Audio series available to keep families enlivened and engaged in Krishna consciousness. Enjoy!
...- 28 Mar 2020
By Praghosa dasaMany devotees have been discussing about making the best use of a bad bargain and using this crisis as an opportunity to better get our message across, given the world's consciousness has effectively become 'corona-consciousness' The main reason for this increased focus? -- Everyone's mortality has now been brought into super sharp focus with many feeling they are being hunted down by a sinister, invisible killer Please view this video, which could easily have been made by a devotee The main point highlighted is that yes, this virus began in a barbaric live food market in Wuhan but do no...
- 28 Mar 2020
By Prana dasaEarlier this month Prana dasa and Candrakoti devi-dasi released Bhakti Learning, in Mayapur Dhama for Gaura Purnima. Bhakti Learning is a Krishna-conscious online learning platform for children from 5 years to 10 and over.
...- 28 Mar 2020
By Chaitanya Charan dasDoesn’t renunciation indicate an absence of the will to keep fighting amidst frustration? Not necessarily. Renunciation can also be a sign of realization; it can indicate the presence of the insight that there is more to life than fighting futilely for perishable material pleasures. Firstly, we need to recognize that the material eye and the spiritual eye don’t see alike, as the Bhagavad-gita (2.69) confirms. For materialists, the journey of life has only one track: the track ...
- 27 Mar 2020
By Khonika Gope-KumarHow should a devotee treat his wife? How should he address her? How should he pacify her when she is angry? How should he guide her if she makes some mistakes? Can we get some clues about these topics from Srimad Bhagvatam? One might wonder whether these are mundane topics and even worth being discussed among the devotees. Srila Prabhupada, nevertheless, stressed a lot on having a harmonious relationship between husband and wife. "A wife should always remain sati...
- 27 Mar 2020
By Govindananda dasAs the ground in Zagreb is still periodically trembling, after two major earthquakes which happened on the morning of March 22nd, when all inhabitants of Zagreb run out of their homes, we are glad to inform you that our beloved deities Sri Sri Gaura Nitai are regularly worshiped without disruption, the Nova Jaladuta temple building did not suffer any major damage, while nobody of the devotees from Zagreb was reported as seriously affected. As an immediate precaution measure the upper part of the altar was temporarily removed.
...- 26 Mar 2020
By Parasuram dasThe government recommended people to go into isolation except essential workers. Our Prasad distribution services now fits into the essential work category, health risk is there but we are following government advice and have a robust health strategy in place. Krishna's Castle kitchen intend to increase from 2,200 plates of Prasad daily to 20,000 plates of Prasad over the next few days. We have thousands of volunteers coming from our Extinction Rebellion friends, but we need to raise an extra £100,000 to get us through the next eight weeks.
...- 25 Mar 2020
By Praghosa dasaIn terms of our temples functioning during these extremely challenging times, our temples must be in lockdown too. That means no visitors. So the resident devotees of any given temple should maintain, as best as they can, the worship of their Deities. As all of our temples also rely on congregational devotees to assist with the Deity worship, the Deity program can be reduced accordingly We now need to use the internet as much and as best as we can for outreach, giving as many as possible the soothing message of Sri Krishna Caitanya. In addition we must also use the internet and the phone to...
- 24 Mar 2020
By Visakha DasiBoris Johnson: I was very sorry to hear the sad news of the passing of His Grace Srutidharma das, and wanted to write to convey my personal condolences to you and to everyone at Bhaktivedanta Manor. Srutidharma Prabhu was an inspirational leader who contributed a huge amount to the United Kingdom throughout his life. He was instrumental in preserving Bhaktivedanta Manor as a centre of worship for the UK's Hindu community, ensuring that this unique temple has flourished and contributed so much to our nation's spiritual life. As the temple's President for the last decade, he oversaw a range of ...
- 23 Mar 2020
By Nitaisundara dasaEverybody has found their way to the Internet; practically every belief, interest, desire, and product has some representation on the Web. It is therefore not surprising that Gaudiya Vaishnavas have also made their way into the online village. After all, with a spiritual aspiration culminating in a bucolic life, one would expect us to gravitate towards village settings, and in this case—for better or for worse—we have. The prospect of Gaudiya Vedanta circulating throughout the global village and thereby reaching people of every background is wonderful. Such an opportunity woul...
- 21 Mar 2020
By Brahma Tirtha dasIn the 1970s Srila Prabhupada spoke forcefully against the philosophical materialism which for some time has functioned as the dominant philosophy behind the sciences, and most other academic fields (1). Prabhupada insisted that consciousness and life itself could not be reduced to the unconscious mechanics of material objects and processes. As a direct result of this teaching that “life comes from life” and not from dead matter, the Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies (BIHS) was formed to engage devoted scientists in the task of rationally demonstrating that materialism does ...
- 20 Mar 2020
By Srila Bhaktivinoda ThakurWe are opposed to the atheists alone who live and enjoy for themselves. Those who are anxious for the blessing of God are our brothers in faith, whatever error there may be in their ideas and forms of worship. Love of God, however misdirected it may be, does by force of its own natural strength, rise higher and higher in the scale of spiritual progress. Its want is the degradation of the soul alone. Those who do not love God have an opposite course from us and are obje...
- 20 Mar 2020
By Bhakti Chaitanya SwamiWith the event of this pandemic calamity and Iskcon temples forced to close down it may be the time for devotees to think and find ways about how to maintain their Krishna consciousness and how to continue their preaching. Broadcasting regularly online and having other programs like japa together can surely be of great help to keep connected and share Krishna consciousness.
...- 19 Mar 2020
By Bhakti Prabhava SwamiSrila Prabhupada recommends that we prepare ourselves for death by training our minds to constantly remember the Lord and His holy names. We should become capable of continuously remembering the Lord, even amidst the disturbances of a rapidly deteriorating body. Such training includes chanting the holy names in our minds, a practice that comes easily to one who has practiced attentive chanting throughout his or her life. In his purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.18.4, Srila Prabhupada writes: By scientific adoption [of the process of de...
- 19 Mar 2020
By Srimati DasiHis words hit me like Indra’s thunderbolt and sent my mind and heart reeling. They haunted me throughout the week and into a new month. So powerful! A not so gentle reminder that diksa is bound by space and time, but siksa is not! Srila Prabhupada said, Real thing is bhakti. What you can offer to Krsna? Everything belongs to Krsna. What you have got? What is your value? And what is the value of your things? It is nothing. Therefore real thing is bhaktya; real thing is your FEELING. "Krsna, kindly take it. I have no qualification. I am most rotten, fallen, but [weeps] I have brought t...
- 18 Mar 2020
By Venu Gopal DasThe consciousness of the gopis is exemplary.The entire day they think of how to serve Krishna. Their minds are not focused on material desires or selfish delusions. When they meet amongst each other, instead of going on about themselves, they constantly glorify the Lord and teach His message without discrimination. These are indicators of those who have surrendered themselves to God. Their actions, thoughts and words are never independent of the Lord.
...- 18 Mar 2020