By Nanda Kishor dasIt is a great pleasure to present to you the ISKCON South Africa Annual report for 2014. The theme for the report is #ISKCONinAction. We pray it reflects the love, dedication, inspiration and compassion that the many members of ISKCON represent in their every day actions along with ISKCON’s many great friends and well-wishers. In this report you will hear from His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami, the Co-GBC for South Africa who along with the National Secretaries reflects on the great strides I...
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- 13 Apr 2015
50th year anniversary/golden jubilee of the Jaladuta DiaryApril 1965: While approaching the Scindia Steam Navigation Company in Bombay to sponsor his passage to America, Srila Prabhupada received one of their complimentary diaries. He used it at first as an appointment book. Once his voyage to America on the Jaladuta began in August of that year, he made regular entries in the diary to record the events of the journey. Subsequently, the diary was kept in the safe of the New York temple until 1972, when Srila Prabh...
- 12 Apr 2015
By Sunanda dasAfter kirtan and abhisheka of the Padukas, a few local leaders, including Madhupati prabhu, Temple President of both New Jersey temples, and Devakinandana prabhu, spoke and began the program. Radha Jivan then introduced Ambarisa prabhu who had come for both the New Jersey programs, and together with Jananivas prabhu they urged the 150+ devotees to make a sacrifice for the TOVP despite the large financial burden of the new facilities. Devotees responded enthusiastically and the pledges amounted to ove...
- 12 Apr 2015
By Ravindra Svarupa dasa1. We all have a relationship with Krishna. A. We are fully and eternally related with Krishna on the spiritual platform. B. The relationship is there whether we are theists or atheists, practitioners or non-practitioners. C. We may be conscious of the relationship or not, and our consciousness may also be in various manners strong, weak or distorted. 2. If we are not pure devotees, that relationship is to some degree or another broken. A. The full relationship is prema. B. Brokenness in...
- 12 Apr 2015
By Chandrashekhara acharya dasaThis paper is about what I call “double voice amplification kirtans.” These are kirtans in which the lead-singer sings into the microphone, after which, on the response, another devotee also sings into a microphone. The result is an uninterrupted amplification of two lead-voices throughout the entire kirtan. I think this type of kirtan is problematic for several reasons, which I explain as follows.
...- 12 Apr 2015
By Shyamasundara Dasa"That is a fact-the brahmanas were accepted. They formed the advisory committee of the king. For example, Candragupta, the Hindu king, was in the age of Alexander the Great. Just before Candragupta, Alexander the Great went from Greece into India and conquered a portion. When Candragupta became emperor, he had Canakya as his prime minister. Perhaps you have heard this name Canakya?"
...- 12 Apr 2015
By Devaki Devi DasiIn material life and its culture, where sense gratification is the goal of life, mothers don't have a very respected and valued position at all. Indeed, it is a down-trodden and pitiful one - the mother is the slave at home! She can't go out and enjoy life by having a career, developing her talents, and earning money. To be 'just a mother and housewife' is not given any importance and value as a rule.
...- 12 Apr 2015
By Damodar Nityananda DasaThis book is not about converting from one faith path to another, but understanding the universality of all religious seekers by showing examples of persons going beyond the all designations into the realm of universal love, Love of God. Therefore, far from what it may seem by its title, "Muslim Devotees of Krsna" is aimed at an audience which transcends the confines of gender, race, caste, ethnicity or religion.
...- 9 Apr 2015
By Indradyumna SwamiThe following morning we went on harinama in Trzebiatow. To the amazement of all the devotees, as we drove into town we passed under a bright orange and green banner proudly advertising the Festival of India. As we descended from the bus into the center of town, several office windows opened and we heard one lady call out to her fellow workers, “They’re here!” As we started chanting down the street, children suddenly began appearing from everywhere, running toward us from all directions ...
- 9 Apr 2015
By Mahalakshmi dasiAt the end of 2014, the disciples of Lalita Prasad Thakura (Bhaktivinode Thakura’s son) and members of the Bhakti Binod Gosthi committee visited BRC to see how BRC’s restoration efforts were coming along. The committee was very pleased with our efforts to preserve the literature. Test strips are used to determine the level of acidity present in the paper. Manuscripts are treated to neutralize the acid.
...- 9 Apr 2015
By Sri Bhakti DasThrough melodies, percussion and singing classical and devotional compositions, the audience is transported to the sacred lands of India, in an atmosphere of meditation, joy and spiritual bliss. The concert in this famed theater was a very special meeting as it presented Krishna Sambandha's first album, which was recorded in "Estudios Del Sur", recognized as one of the best studios in Latin America. The debut album of the group was led by prominent Chilean producer Christopher Manhey, who received...
- 8 Apr 2015
By Hari Narayana DasThe devotees of the Govardhan Ashram in Putemata village, Ladongi district in the regency of Kolaka, Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, out of their sincere desire and even they are small in number but their spirit and enthusiasm were bigger than their size that they desired so strongly to follow H.H. Subhag Swami Guru Maharaj Instruction in serving Prabhupada to satisfy The Lord through the second Jaganath Ratha-yatra festival.
...- 8 Apr 2015
By Sunanda DasOn Monday, March 30th, we drove to Towaco New Jersey for an entire week of evening programs with Jananivas prabhu at both the Towaco and Plainfield, New Jersey temples (March 30 – April 3). Every evening he spoke on subjects such as Deity worship, Mayapur Dhama, the TOVP, etc. On Sunday, March 29th, we made our way by car to the newly purchased temple building in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. A crowd of almost 100 Indian devotees had gathered, including some devotees from Gita Nagari, for the evening c...
- 7 Apr 2015
By Mathura Lilesvari Devi dasiHema says: The concept of ‘I, me, and myself’ is non-existing in my team as we vouch for each other and ensure that we swim and steadily keep each other afloat together, as a team. I learnt this concept through my wonderful up-bringing in ISKCON. My gurumaharaj and our stalwart ISKCON leaders have always demonstrated wonderful leadership qualities that we can all emulate alongside a great showcase of teamwork. I did nothing but only followed in their footsteps and it worked tremen...
- 6 Apr 2015
By Rahul26th of March 2015, saw the inauguration of ISKCON Mayapur’s second annual tribal convention called, ‘The festival of Gau, Ganga, Gita’. This three day convention hosted 600 members from 10 different tribal groups belonging to six Indian states. Some of the tribes that participated were Chakma (Tripura), Chenchus( Orissa), Khasis (Assam), Kuki (Manipur), Mikirs (Assam), Mundas( Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal). His Excellency Mr. Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya (the Governor of Assam, Nagaland, Tripura) w...
- 6 Apr 2015
By Nartaka Devi DasiThe parade is about an hour and a half and spaned about 2 mile heading down Monroe St from Brevard and ending at Madison St. A group of about 35-40 devotee youth from the Alachua, FL temple were the highlight of the procession. It began with a color coordinated, beautifully dress group of dancing ladies (trained in the art of Bharatnatyam) in 2 or 3 rows with each of their steps synchronized and choreographed to create a professional appearance of cultural grace and beauty.
...- 6 Apr 2015
By Chaitanya Charan das“Do you still believe in God when He didn’t – or couldn’t – protect you in His own temple?” This blunt question in my friend’s email brought a smile to my face. Some months before, I had slipped on some spilled water in the ISKCON temple at Juhu, Mumbai. The fall was minor, but the pain was severe. An x-ray showed a cervical hip fracture that had dislocated the bone at its neck. I was rushed to the devotee-run Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mumbai, where the orthopedic surgeon Gir...
- 5 Apr 2015
By the GBCWhereas notwithstanding the launching of a full-time, world-wide Fund Raising Campaign, the TOVP’s very nature and magnitude is unprecedented in size and quality of materials and works—as specified by Srila Prabhupada—and in spite of the frugality of expenditure as evidenced by its accounts, remains in critical need of further funding to keep the construction going without interruption to prohibit any further increase in budget and delay, especially as it now enters the crucial finishing stages; ...
- 5 Apr 2015
By Madhavananda dasOne may ask how it was that the brahmacari was obliged to maintain his aged mother? Since he had devoted himself to religious pursuits and was strictly following the vows of brahmacarya, would he not be free from this obligation as per the following injunction of Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.41? Anyone who has completely given up all worldly relationships and has taken absolute shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, who gives us salvation and who alone is fit to be taken shelter of, is no longer a de...
- 4 Apr 2015
By Sivarama SwamiOne morning Mother Yasoda resolved to propose the match of Radha and Krsna to the queen of Varsana. While Radhika was preparing to go home, Yasoda held her hand and said, “Radha! You are now of marriageable age. I know no one more suited for You than my son.” Taking Radha’s small hand in hers, Mother Yasoda gazed at the auspicious signs on Radha’s palms. With tears in her eyes, Yasoda reached for a tray of turmeric and gently wiped Sri Radhika’s pinkish palms until they were colored yell...
- 4 Apr 2015
By Jagannath DasMumbai: Marryam Siddiqui, a Muslim girl, has won first prize in an inter-school Bhagavad Gita competition which was held in Jan 2015 in Mumbai. The 12-year-old Class VI student of Cosmopolitan High School won the 'Gita Champions League' contest for explaining the teachings of the scripture in the best possible manner. Around 3,000 students participated in the event, which was organised by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) in January 2015.
...- 4 Apr 2015
By Ravindra Svarupa dasaSelves are beings that experience, centers of consciousness, subjects. Matter does not experience; it is without subjectivity, it is completely an object. Selves live; matter is lifeless. When the selves enter the alien, material energy, they acquire and animate bodies ma& out of lifeless matter. Driven by a desire to forget Krishna and their relation to Him, they identify themselves with bodies of matter- In this way the self becomes a divided being.
...- 4 Apr 2015
By Mahaksa DasI was thinking about those devotees in our movement who have stopped to drink milk at all. I have realized it is a form of strike. I use to drink proper milk but I will strike with you. We should get boards, stand before temple on Sunday feast of LOVE as Srila Prabhupada established and demand our spiritual rights. We should have signs like this: "We giving you donations and you buying cars, BUT WE WANT COWS!" "You give to our children poisonous food and milk, instead of liberating us, you are imp...
- 4 Apr 2015
By Mahavrata Devi DasiThe celebrations of Ram appearance in Nigeria Nanda Gram temple this year was unique and filled with tension. Reasons was that the celebrations fell same day with the country general elections, as Nigerians went out to vote their new president. many devotees and guests also used the opportunity to take shelter in the temple for fear of post election violence. Despite the tension, the activity went smoothly as planed. Devotees started by chanting bhajans, followed by abhisek, fire sacrifice, ...
- 3 Apr 2015