The principle of gratefulness grew clearer in my heart during the seminar given by Urmila Devi, another ISKCON veteran. She gave the example of the gopis, who didn't give up on Krishna. With His flute He invited them to the rasa dance. But when they arrived, He told them to return home – even though they had performed severe austerities for millions and millions of years, intensely longing for Krishna to reciprocate with their desire for intimate loving exchanges. When the time finally arrived...

Certainly, we have a right to our emotions – we are sentient beings and we can’t just do away with our emotions. Still, our life is too precious to be dissipated by living in the past, wallowing in self-pity, sighing about the way things could have been and begrudging the way they have turned out. The Bhagavad-gita (18.28) cautions that such morose living characterizes the ignorant. Thankfully, Gita wisdom counters such ignorance with an empowering insight: we are bigger than our presen...

In an old temple tucked away in a street near Loi Bazar in Vrindavan is the oldest existing copy of Srila Krsna das Kaviraja Goswami’s epic Caitanya Caritamrta. Over 350 years old, it sits in a cabinet in a room near the alter. In 1982, Sri Harishan-kara dasa, the head priest, donated 475 precious manuscripts that had been with the temple for 400 years to the Vrindavan Research Institute. But he kept the Madhya-lila portion of the Caitanya Caritamrta. His son, Govinda Sankar Sharma kindly in...

In the Caitanya-caritamrta Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has quoted more than 90 different sources (among them he quoted Srimad-Bhagavatam the most – 404 times). The book consists of 62 chapters (“paricchedas”) divided into three parts (“lilas”) and 11.555 verses, out of which 97 Sanskrit slokas were composed by the author himself, 933 Sanskrit verses were quoted by him from many different sources and the remaining 10.525 bengali verses (“payaras”) were, of course, composed by Sri...

Srila Krishna dasa kaviraja Goswami, the author of Sri Chaitanya Charitamritam (CC), allowed his readers to know the date of completion of scripture’s compilation in the book itself through the final verse of Antya Lila, which reads as, “In Vrindavana in the year 1537 Shakabda Era (A.D. 1615), in the month of Jyaistha (May-June), on Sunday, the fifth day of the waning moon, this Chaitanya Charitamritam has been completed” (CC. Antya Lila 20.157). Thus the great scripture completes...

HG Rupa Goswami prabhu who earlier took care of Iskcons All India Padayatra successfully for around a decade decided to take the service of developing Iskcon Vrindavans Eco Farm near Radhakund. It is said that this was the place where the Demon Aghasura was killed. If you ever thought Vrindavans ground water is salty, you should try tasting it here. It might even beat the salty Ocean water. Locals say that it is the blood of Aghasura that made it like that. This caused many people to leave ...

“Acharya: The Life and Legacy of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada” is now in the final stages of production. The slated premiere date is Sept. 17 in honor of the 50-year anniversary of Prabhupada’s arrival in the United States. Das, the spiritual name John Griesser prefers, has been working on the film for two years. He and a staff of 40 producers, filmmakers and editors began production one year ago. “I think coming up with a really good script (has been the biggest challenge),” Das...

“Sri Nrsimhapalli” Or Devapalli At “Sri Godrumadvipa“ Island Of Navadvipa-mayapur Dhama The Place Where Lord Nrsimhadeva Came To Take Rest And Wash The Blood From His Hands After Killing Hiranyakasipu. Sri Nrsimhapalli is located on the eastern and southern boundaries of Navadvipa Dhama and is known by the names Nrsimha Puri and Devapalli. This temple is famous since Satya-yuga