Shortly before passing away in Vrindavan, a devotee requested her spiritual master to establish a “Back to Godhead” clinic there for Srila Prabhupada’s followers. The land is adjacent to the parikrama road trod by pilgrims during their devotional walks around Vrindavan. It is a sacred grove of mostly kadamba and tamala trees known as Giriraj Bhag (“Giriraj’s garden”). For five generations it belonged to the family of Sri Padmanabha Goswami, hereditary priests and caretakers...

If a devotee child grows up to be a non-devotee, is this evidence that the parents mood at the time of conception was anything but Krishna conscious? Are the parents to be blamed, or are there other factors that determine this outcome? Is it possible that in spite of the parents best interest and loving Krishna conscious attention given to their children, that such children can turn their backs altogether, to pursue life, as they desire most? Would there have to be a major ...

What are your expectations for a guru? A psychologist to solve your emotional issues? A father to run to whenever you have a problem, or to replace the loving father you never had? Do you expect him to be someone who will always do what you need or want him to do, or make time for you whenever required? Do you expect him to be so self-sacrificing that he will give up his own needs for you? Do you expect him to answer every email you send within a few days, or even answer at all? Do expect to get enough of his love to feel complete? Do you want to write often about what’s going on in your lif...

One evening, Srila Prabhupada spoke at the University of California in Berkeley, the heart of the hippie capital. The San Francisco devotees enthusiastically received him and relished his lecture. They prepared barrels of popcorn and distributed it following Srila Prabhupada's lecture. "What is that?" His Divine Grace asked. "Popcorn, Srila Prabhupada," Jayananda explained. "Would you like some?" "Yes, give me some," Srila Prabhupada said. The devotees gave him pop...

How would you feel if your parents are partial towards your sibling? Would you be comfortable when your teacher is biased towards your classmate? It is natural to expect from one’s superior or guardian a similar treatment as one’s equals receive. Any discrepancy in that leads to disappointment. Perception of partiality is painful and could demotivate people and slacken their spirits. What if one sees partiality in God?

"Notre Dame is damaged; The Holy Name shines on. "Some thoughts on the recent burning of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. I cannot count how many rounds of japa I have chanted inside the shelter of Notre Dame, hearing my the sound of my footsteps on the floor, walking by confession booths and feeling inspired by the dedication and devotion of millions of pilgrims and devoted souls who had sung, heard and prayed there before me for 800 years. So when I recently watched the online footage of Notre Dame burning down, and when I heard from newscasters that the Parisian firefighte...

While visiting Madurai and the surrounding area, it is easy to catch the early morning train for Ramesvaram. It is a relaxing ride (about six hours) as we head toward the coast. The first time I went there, it was a pleasant train ride all the way there, but the second time several years later everyone had to jump off and change trains about half-way there. Ramesvaram is a tropical island surrounded by coral reefs and sandy beaches with coconut palms and tamarind trees. It is a major holy place of pilgrimage for both Vaishnavas and Shaivites. One of the major reasons for its importa...

This is no ordinary shopping-carrier. It hails from the Indian city of Mayapur, spiritual capital of the world, and it depicts the vision that founder of the Hare Krishna movement, Srila Prabhupada, had for a unique ‘Temple of the Vedic Planetarium’ to be built there to showcase the Vedic perspective on life with a gigantic display of the material and spiritual worlds all under one great roof.

How can stones float on water!? But they did…once upon a time! In treta-yuga, God appeared as a human being, and engaged some monkeys to throw stones in water. By the power of His name, the stones floated and thus a bridge was constructed across the ocean. Crossing this bridge, God rescued His wife, who was kidnapped by a demon. This is a popular pastime of Lord Sri Rama. But a common man doesn’t believe in such ‘stories’ calling them ‘mythology.’ Nevertheless, they are not myth but factual incidents recorded in our timeless scriptures. It takes a little intelligence, som...

It is impossible for a materialistic person like Ravana to touch Srimati Sitadevi, just as it is impossible for anyone within the material world to enjoy the energy of the Lord no matter how they try to exploit it for their own pleasure. What Ravana touched was illusory, just as the enjoyment of those in the material world is only an illusion that leads to suffering. Devotees of the Lord, however, honor, respect, and worship Srimati Sitadevi, knowing her glorious posi...

Sri Lanka is the proud custodian of more than 50 Ramayana sites from the place of Sita Devi’s captivity to the battlefields where vast armies clashed, to the groves of exotic herbs dropped by Hanuman, to the ultimate theater of war where Lord Rama slew Ravana, the ten-headed demon-king. People living in the areas where great events took place remember to this day the connection of their soil to the great epic. An oath taken at the spot where Sita Devi undertook "Agni Pariksha" is still considered valid in village courts or grama sabhas. The color of the so...

So ideal state means the king must be very responsible. There are many instances. Just like Yudhisthira Maharaja, who was a pious king. In Bengali there is a proverb rajar dose raja nasto dose grihastha bhrasta. If the king is not pious, then the whole kingdom is spoiled. Everyone has got this experience. So, the king must be very honest, pious, and religious. Such kings were called rajarsis. Although they were kings, they were great saintly people. . . . If the king is educated nicely in spiritual affairs, if he knows what the purpose of kingdom ...