By Kalpesh PatelThe Gita Champions League (GCL) is a competition based on the teachings of the ancient book of knowledge, the Bhagavad Gita. This contest was an inspiring and motivating way to help everyone to absorb themselves in the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, enrich and refocus their life in the right manner. GCL was a written test primarily targeting students from age 7 to 14. The test based on following key topics of Bhagavad-Gita As It Is written by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder Acharya of...
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- 6 Oct 2016
By PrashanthIn addition to classes, the kids also participate in the community, by volunteering and book distribution at festivals and events. At festivals, the kids participate from start to finish, gaining exposure on how an event is planned, set up, and executed. Kids see what goes on behind the scenes, developing life skills in project management and communication. At events, Sunday school provides them with the knowledge and understanding behind Krishna consciousness, allowing them to engage in conversation ...
- 6 Oct 2016
By Parabhakti dasThe conference was entitled “Fifty Years of the Krishna Consciousness Movement: Srila Prabhupada, Messenger of Peace and Spiritual Knowledge” and it was held at the Chamber of Deputies, one of two houses in the Italian Parliament’s bicameral legislature and a spot where all major political decisions are made. At least one hundred devotees of different ages and “ashramas” or stages of life represented ISKCON at the conference, and the Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies introduced...
- 5 Oct 2016
By Kevala-Bhakti Dasa The year 2016 is a special year for Hare Krishna communities around the world as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of ISKCON, which was incorporated by our beloved founder Srila Prabhupada in 1966. Celebrations are taking place in 600 cities across 75 countries from August 2015 till December 2016. Here in Canada, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau has shared a congratulatory message for our Canadian Hare Krishna communities! Special thank to one of our dynamic young devotees of our commu...
- 5 Oct 2016
By Srihari Hrisikesa dasOn the occasion of 50 years Golden Jubilee celebration this year we were blessed with our special guest for Janmastami, His Holiness Sivarama Swami Maharaj, from Hungary. The celebrations went on for 3 days from 24-08-2016 to 26-08-2016. People from all over Tirupati and Andhrapradesh attended to receive blessings of their Lord ships Sri Radha Govinda and Srila Prabhupada. Around three hundred thousand plates of prasadam were distributed and at Mid Night 12'o clock Maha Shanka Abisekha wa...
- 5 Oct 2016
By Vaisesika DasaSpiritual Gardener is someone who first of all cultivates the garden of his own heart. He plants the right seeds, waters them nicely, and also takes out all the unwanted weeds. He also helps others to do the same. The creeper of devotional service, so nourished, gradually grows, and the devotee, acting as a gardener, goes on pouring the water of constant hearing and chanting. The creeper of devotional service gradually grows so high that it passes through the entire material universe and enter...
- 4 Oct 2016
By Braja Vilas dasThis is our second visit to South Africa and the tour took us to Durban, Capetown, Johannesburg and Botswana, as well as some smaller cities. We were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm, support, cooperation, attentiveness and generosity of the South African Yatra leaders and general devotees, especially considering this was our second visit. We received pledges well over $2 million, matching the amount pledged on our first tour two years ago. The overall feeling was one of deep commitment to the proj...
- 2 Oct 2016
By Mukunda GoswamiThe Conch Blows its Horn! Is it time to party? The number five is flyin’ high in the sky over the Vaisnava world these days: Lord Krishna’s appearance (5000 years ago), Lord Caitanya’s ‘birth’ (500 years back) and ISKCON’s beginning (50 years ago). And lo and behold, October 2016 marks The Conch’s fifth birthday anniversary. The Conch newsletter (New Govardhana’s only) began in 2011 at the prompting of Karunika devi dasi. It was initially slated to be only four pages long, but th...
- 2 Oct 2016
By Muralimohan DasThe Padayatra was arranged between ISKCON temple and the famous Jamalpur Jagannath Temple, which is about 10 km away. Sharp at 8.00 am, we started from our ISKCON temple with more than 150 devotees and many more joined on the way. The atmosphere was cloudy, but no rain, so we felt it’s Krsna's mercy; otherwise we generally have very hot days even during the rainy season. Eventually, it started raining very heavily in the evening, after the completion of the Padayatra. The yatra went on very sm...
- 2 Oct 2016
By Paramatma dasaLast Saturday, on September 24, history was created when ISKCON of Suriname held its first Ratha-yatra festival in the capital City of Paramaribo, with the Lord Jagannath cart parading through one of the busiest streets in the city. The festival was organised as part of ISKCON Suriname’s main 50th anniversary initiative. The procession began at 5:00 pm sharp with the ribbon cutting done by the Raghoebier family, who, over a decade ago, had kindly provided the facility in Paramaribo that ISKCON...
- 2 Oct 2016
By Sri Sri Radha Gopinath MandirHow to receive guests on Sunday: After the announcements are made it very important to focus on newcomers and later one can deal with regular visitors and congregational devotees. Following points should be considered while dealing with newcomers. 1. TEMPLE – PAMPHLET Giving daily pamphlets while giving Welcome pamphlets, explain about Temple timings, Sunday program timings Invite them graciously to attend our programs. Do not insist them if they are not interested. Just enc...
- 1 Oct 2016
ISKCON 50: Festival @ ISKCON Punjabi Bagh to mark anniversary of Srila Prabhupada arriving at Boston
By Premanjana DasProgram consisted of an elephant procession, “Reliving Prabhupada at Boston(Performance by Gauranga Band)” , “Bigwig in conversation with Srila Prabhupada(Puppet Show)”, Govindam Prayers(Yoga Acrobatics by students from blind school) and Prabhupada Katha by his three senior disciples: HG Pancagauda Pr, HG Hamsrupa Pr & HG RadhaKunda Mj. The program began by carrying the deity of Srila Prabhupada on a decorated elephant accompanied by hundreds of devotees who were joyfully chanting and dan...
- 1 Oct 2016
By Sri Sri Radha Gopinath MandirEvery guest coming to the temple is warmly welcomed with folded palms and cordially received. Since our movement is a preaching mission, in the International Society for Krishna consciousness (ISKCON), the proper reception of guests is very important. As followers of Srila Prabhupada, the founder Acharya of ISKCON, we should consider any guest in the temple to be his guest. Proper reception of a guest can make a difference between a person coming once to the temple and never retur...
- 28 Sep 2016
By Daamodara Dhananjaya DasToday, one of the best avenues to reach out, not just to the masses, but also to the upper most class of people, is through the Press or the Print Media (Newspapers) and the Electronic Media (TV News & Entertainment Channels and Radio Channels). Reading newspapers and watching TV News Channels, is now one of the preeminent necessities of life. These days apparently oxygen seems to be of the secondary importance, as compared to the need of the Media. So much so that the preachers too, in...
- 27 Sep 2016
By ISKCON PerthThis year marks the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in New York by our dear Srila Prabhupada. As a special offering to His Divine Grace, the ISKCON Perth Temple with the help of the congregational devotees had planned to hold one program every day on the Holy Name during the 18 day span of the celebration
...- 27 Sep 2016
By Kesava Krsna DasaIt can sometimes be tough being an intellectual in Iskcon. The tendency to keep one foot in the empirical camp and the other in the devotional arena can cause incompatibilities of faith, especially when continuing to grapple with “oddities” like elephant sized mangoes, airborne mountains, talking hyenas and bodily exuded cosmic bubbles. Almost everything is interesting for an intellectual. How things work, or don’t. Statistics and comparisons, complex and more complicated, beyond comprehension and ridic...
- 26 Sep 2016
By Romapada DasThe Chief Minister of Maharashtra in a message sent on 16th September, praised ISKCON for its '50 years of glorious achievements and service to humanity'. He praised ISKCON for the dissemination of what he called the 'glorious Vedic wisdom including the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam'. The Chief Minister also praised ISKCON's philanthropic activities and youth preaching programmes. He concluded his statement by saying: "It is commendable that ISKCON is working with a view to spreading divine...
- 25 Sep 2016
Vivasvan das: In our sadness, we are feeling separation from Vrndavana Das, as Prabhu 67th (ACBSP) passed away from this mortal world....
- 24 Sep 2016
By Bhakta BhusanDeputy Chief Minister Shri Gaikhangam inaugurated Sri Sri Krishna Janmastami Celebration 2016 at ISKCON Manipur Sri Sri Radhakrishnachandra Manimandir as Chief Guest, Commerce and Industries Minister Govindas Konthoujam, Social welfare and cooperation Minister, Kumari A.K. Mirabai and His Holiness Bhaktivyasa Tirtha Swami as president. After the ministers had ‘darshan’ of Sri Sri Radhakrishnachandra, they were explained the posters given in iskcon50.org by His Grace Barnamali Das and His grace...
- 24 Sep 2016
By Hari Narayana DasWe would like to take this opportunity to thank HH Bhakti Raghava Swami for his blessings and encouragement which were so essential for the devotees. Our ever grateful obeisances are due to HH Kavichandra Swami and HH Ramai Swami, the GBCs of Indonesia, for their support and guidance to always looking for new avenues for sankirtan. Our humble obeisances to HH Subhag Swami for always reminding us of the importance of the Sankirtan movement of Mahaprabhu and inspiring us with the dedication of ...
- 23 Sep 2016
By Padmanabha DasaDuring the padayatra, people would often ask us about Srila Prabhupada. They wanted to know why he was sitting and not saying anything, and others wanted to know if they could touch his feet. We took this as a good opportunity to explain to people about Srila Prabhupada. The sun was blazing but with a cool breeze accompanying it, the procession kept moving. It was a joyous walk with many African people joining us; they sang, danced and jumped in ecstasy as they all tried to get some mercy. We e...
- 21 Sep 2016
By Murali Vadhana Govinda DasaA small padayatra was held in Malaysia on August 14th. It was organized by ISKCON Teluk (Mayapur Baru) and commemorated ‘World Holy Name Week’ and ISKCON’s 50th anniversary. Srila Prabhupada visited the town of Teluk Intan located in the Hilir Perak district of Malaysia in 1970. He also visited the Mariamman Temple here. Now, years later it was decided that this temple would be the starting point of the commemorative padayatra. The padayatra was set to take place at 5:30 pm. Th...
- 21 Sep 2016
By Madhava SmullenThe festival is a revival of the historical Prabhupada Festivals that began in the West Virginia rural community with the opening of Srila Prabhupada’s Palace in 1979, and continued through to the mid 1980s. Lavish affairs, they saw devotees from around the world come together to serve Srila Prabhupada with processions, abishekhas and gift-giving, as well as 24-hour kirtans, dramas, sumptuous feasts, and elaborate fireworks displays. This year’s festival aims to not only bring back that t...
- 21 Sep 2016
By Mahakarta dasHonourable Mano Ganesan – Minster of National Coexistence Dialogue and Official Languages, attended the Sri Krishna Janmastami celebration at Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple. He was offered Golden shawl, Prasadam and Garland. He gave a memento in honour of Srila Prabhupada for the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON.
...- 20 Sep 2016
