By Kirtan Rasa DasA few months after I started working with ISKCON Prison Ministry, I received a letter from an inmate which helped drive home to me the nature of this service and just how important it is. “I only know what I read in your letters and Prabhupada’s books,” was part of his response to me, regarding my reply to a question he had posed. His words brought me a sudden, clearer understanding and. I’ve often since reminded myself of them. Although I had some idea of the nature of this serv...
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- 30 May 2016
By Times of IndiaMUMBAI: Gita Champions League (GCL), a popular national contest on Bhagwad Gita , has for the first time becomes global in 2016 by opening the competition to school children from all over the world. GCL, an educational initiative of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), will now be open to children from schools all over the world to test their knowledge and understanding of Gita, an ISKCON press release said on Sunday. In 2016, GCL contests are taking place in Australia, Mau...
- 30 May 2016
By Acarya DasaWe have realized that the people of Chennai do not respond when we address them in Hindi. So we have now begun to ask aTamil devotee to do all the announcements. This Tamil devotee actually taught Sahadev Dasa a few words in Tamil which he uses when he distributes books. This proves that a difference in language does not bar one from preaching the message of the Lord. We have seen how inspired people are by hearing a foreigner speak about the message of God. They may not listen to us but they are a...
- 30 May 2016
By the GBCDevotee Outreach Initiative: Whereas a number of devotees, active in ISKCON in the past, have rendered service to Srila Prabhupada’s mission with devotion and distinction but are now distant from, though not inimical to, ISKCON; Whereas reaching out to such devotees with affection and gratitude during the 50th anniversary year of Srila Prabhupada's arrival in America and the founding of ISKCON would be pleasing to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON: ...
- 30 May 2016
By Bhakta Patrick“If I ever decided… like… not to be a devotee” the words caught in my throat, “would you be disappointed?” “You shouldn’t let me influence what direction you take your spiritual life” she said, “You need to do what you feel is right, regardless of what anyone might think”. “Don’t worry about it. This place is meant to be a shelter; somewhere where you can come to rest and plug in, not where you have to worry about living up to expectations. We’re not here to make you ...
- 29 May 2016
By Kevala Bhakti dasOn Friday, May 20, 2016, Toronto's Hare Krishna Community celebrated the appearance day of Lord Narasimhadeva - Lord Krishna's half-man, half-lion incarnation. Lord Narasimhadeva descended to protect his young devotee Sri Prahlada Maharaja from his torturous father, King Hiranyakashipu. There are many prayers to Lord Narasimha that invoke powerful mantras for protection, appealing to the Lord's half-lion incarnation and His weapons. These are for protection from such things as malevolent sp...
- 28 May 2016
By thehansindia.comAmaravati: International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) is constructing 108 mini temples (mandirams) at the upcoming Golden temple premises at Changheeskhanpet near Kondaveedu in Guntur district. These mini temples will depict various phases in the life of Lord Krishna like ‘Kali Mardanam’, ‘Godavardhanagiri’, ‘Geethopadesam’ and others. The mini temples will depict various phases of the life of Lord Krishna First phase of construction to be completed in two ye...
- 27 May 2016
By Sri Paramahamsa Gaura dasaOn the 4th of May, 2016, I graduated from the school and now along with my two good friends Baladev Śrīman dāsa and Krishna Caitanya dāsa we are helping as trainee principals and headmasters of the Academy. I hope that I may be a servant of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission and be an instrument in the gurukula educational system we all know was so dear to him. In conclusion, my experience of gurukula was by far the greatest thing I could have ever imagined. I love my gurukula, my li...
- 27 May 2016
By Gunaavatara dasSrila Prabhupada wanted every temple to have a farm community and goshala within a 50 KM radius of the city temple. As we know, Srila Prabhupada personally started the very first such community New Vrindavan in West Virginia, USA and he established many more similar projects afterwards. We should understand that the desires of the pure devotees will one day be realized because those desires are non different from Krishna’s desires.
...- 25 May 2016
By Nrsimha Krsna dasWhen spring comes we always get excited like most of the people. But reason our excitement is about trip to New Vraja Dham, Hungary. Every year we take Turkish devotees twice to New Vraja Dham festivals. With total of 10 devotees we went to New Vraja Dham for Nrsimha Caturdasi and HH Sivarama Swami Maharaja's Vyasa Puja Festival. Festivals are always wonderful to be a part and always meant to do more sravanam, kirtanam and smaranam. Our devotees took part in kitchen services and chanted and da...
- 25 May 2016
By SriRamaDasaThe Indian Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working on modalities to bring in a new law to combat illegal cow transport and slaughtering. Ministers Prakash Javadekar and Radha Mohan Singh (Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare) called for restrictions on killings saying even in old age cows can be financially viable. He also said that “cow hostels and sanctuaries are being established across the country, and five new veterinary colleges have been set up to take care of o...
- 25 May 2016
By Hari Narayana DasAt present there are only a couple of devotees, Bhakta Putu Parwata and his wife, who reside in Cligeon. They have a good relationship with Mrs . Wira who works as secretary in government office. She also communicated the ratha yatra to the local Hindu community and got the support of the local Hindus to help participate in the festival under the banner of Balinese culture. Hearing the good news from Cligeon, Indonesian leaders spread the word to all Indonesian devotees and requested all thos...
- 24 May 2016
By Mayapur Sasi dasaHere's the good news about the world of book distributors: It used to be said that the sun never sets on the worldwide British Empire, but now it does. However, now the sun never sets on Srila Prabhupada's book distributors. Every seven seconds a book is distributed, and 24/7 the books go out to conditioned souls. This gives many people the opportunity to understand that they belong in another world, a transcendental world where everyone has full knowledge and an eternal position and feels unl...
- 23 May 2016
By thehitavada.comWorld class International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) will construct Shri Radharaman temple at Chouwkital Lamhetaghat over 4 acre land at the banks of Narmada. Gaushala, Free Food for Life, Gurukul, Hospital, Vedic study centre construction has also been proposed. Temple Manager Aditiputra Das said that it will be the third largest temple in Madhya Pradesh. The biggest temple is situated in Indore, while second largest temple is situated in Ujjain. Founder of ISKCON Acharya Bhakt...
- 21 May 2016
By indiatimes.comMumbai, May 5 () International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), which provides mid-day meal free of cost to thousands of school children every day, today opened a state-of-the-art kitchen at the Municipal-run R N Cooper hospital here. The ISKCON Food Relief Foundation's Kitchen at Cooper Hospital in suburban Vile Parle was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, according to a press release. This kitchen will make healthy and hygienic food for the patients of Coo...
- 21 May 2016
By Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey The devotees of Iskcon Mayapur celebrated Narsimha Chaturdashi, the divine appearance day of Lord Narsimha Deva in the temple on Friday, May 20. To commemorate the occasion, discourses from Srimad Bhagwatam , glorifying the pastimes of the Lord Narsimha Deva was recited by H.H Bhakti Purshottam Swami in the morning followed by "Darshan Arti". At dusk "Maha-Abhisheka" of the deity was performed by using sandalwood oil and other precious oils. Hundreds of devotees raised their arms and st...
- 21 May 2016
By radhanathswami.comOn Saturday, May 7, Radhanath Swami spoke before a capacity crowd at The Rubin Museum of Art in New York City. The Rubin Museum is dedicated to the preservation of the art and cultures of the Himalayas, India and neighboring regions. On the eve of the release of his upcoming book The Journey Within, Radhanath Swami was interviewed by yoga teacher and social activist, Dana Flynn on the topic of how to live spiritually through yoga in an increasingly materialistic and impersonal world. Followi...
- 20 May 2016
By Vraj Vihari dasOur Founder, Srila Prabhupada, said that the love a mother has for her child is the closest thing to pure love in this world. We will examine that love as it manifested in famous mothers in the Vedic tradition as well as how it still manifests today.
...- 20 May 2016
By Acarya Dasa Every day we travel to new places, hosting various programs here and there. Our advance party of devotees’ head of to our next destination arranging accommodation and whatever else they can before the rest of us arrive. It is not always that whatever we plan happens, after all ‘man proposes, God disposes[1]’. We are never sure of so many things: like where we will have prasadam, how will we get water or where we will have arati –but as my Gurudev, Lokanatha Swami always says, “Nothing hap...
- 17 May 2016
By Krishna-kripa dasI share nectar from a Srila Prabhupada lecture. I include two inspiring quotes from Sanatana Goswami’s Brhad-Bhagavatamrita and one from Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Sri Gitavali. I began proofreading Sarasvati Sanlapa, a book of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s conversations and discourses, soon to be published by Touchstone Media, and I share an awesome number of amazing insights from him. As usual, I share excerpts from the books and journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share some notes...
- 17 May 2016
By Madhava SmullenFor thirty years, a very special Lord Nrsimhadeva Deity has protected the devotees of New Vrindaban and all of North America, and received their love and service. Now, residents of the West Virginia village want to invite people from all over North America to come celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of His installation, and to behold the only full-size Nrsimha Deity on the continent, on His sacred appearance day. Sculpted by artist Soma Das in New Vrindaban and installed in 1986, the ferocious ...
- 17 May 2016
By Anna WebbBoise architect Bruce Poe designed the first temple in 1999 and the new expansion. Poe is not a Krishna devotee, but he has become a good friend to the congregation, said Gupta. Poe said that designing the temple and complex has been a journey for him, learning about the religion and how devotees regard the world, then coming up with a design that responded to those beliefs and particular rules about temple siting and orientation while fitting into a mostly residential neighborhood.
...- 16 May 2016
By Bruce WaltonSitting underneath a tree by the main library near the corner of Wick and Rayen avenues, a man known simply as “The Walking Monk” enjoyed a quiet Friday afternoon arriving for the first time in the city in his pilgrimage we across the U.S. His only supplies: a cell phone he rarely uses, prayer beads, a watch, some business cards and the bright orange robes and sandals he wears while he traverses the land. Bhaktimarga Swami, 63 is a Hare Krishna monk who started his pilgrimage just three d...
- 16 May 2016
By Devaki Devi DasiAfter a Bhagavad-gita lecture Srila Prabhupada was asked if he was in this world. He replied, "Just like I am in America. It is very easy to understand. I am not adopting any ways of life as the Americans. So I am not in America. Not only myself, all my disciples who are following me, they are also not Americans. They're different from American behavior, American ways of life. In that sense I'm not in America. I am in Vrndavana because wherever I go, in my apartment or in my temple, I live with...
- 16 May 2016