By Sri Ramadasa"Maya is runninga year-long marathon! Why should we have our marathon for one month every year?" said HH Gopala Krishna Goswami during the recent two-day conference of book distributors at ISKCON New Delhi (Radha Parthasarathy temple) on 6 and 7 October 2014. The conference was attended by more than 60 devotees of the New Delhi and NCR regions, and was hosted by the India Sankirtana Leaders Team (ISLT), a collaboration of volunteer devotees working under the aegis of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT), India.
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- 9 Oct 2014
By Hari Narayana das Malioboro is the most famous street in Yogyakarta. Located in the heart of Yogyakarta, this is the city’s main street, and was once the ceremonial avenue for the Sultan to pass through on his way to and from the Keraton, the royal palace. On commemorating International Tourism Day on September 28, 2014, the government of Yogyakarta did “Becak and Andong” parade. “Becak” is a local tricycle public carrier and “Andong” refers to the horse drawn cart.
...- 9 Oct 2014
By Praghosa DasaThis Krsna consciousness movement is the solution and we have been given the responsibility of organizing it in such a way that it becomes the solution. Specifically in relation to exploitation and modern slaves, there is nothing that worries the powers that be more than a system such as varnasrama. The varnasrama system by its very nature creates a society that is not only independent of ugra karma needs and their suppliers but it also creates independent thinkers with revolutionary views on how society should be structured in a God-centered way, where slaves...
- 9 Oct 2014
By Praghosa DasMapping of the events and creation of the plan of action (by the end of 2014) Save Yamuna Campaign: “Yamuna River is DEAD” – Govt Of India! What flows in Yamuna is nothing but dirty untreated sewage water of Delhi. Maan Mandir has actually picked up speed and volume since it has parted ways with Yamuna Rakshak Dal. True brajwasis have expressed relief and strengthen the campaign. Many more brajwasi leaders have now joined in.
...- 7 Oct 2014
By Basu Ghosh DasOn the auspicious day of Sri Rama Vijaya Dashami, aka "Dassera", October 3, 2104, ISKCON inaugurated a grand new temple for Sri Sri Radha Madhava, on the outskirts of Kanpur city, the largest city in India's largest and most populous state, Uttar Pradesh.
...- 6 Oct 2014
By Dusyanta dasaOur farm projects are an extremely important part of our movement. We must become self-sufficient by growing our own grains and producing our own milk, and then there will be no question of poverty. So develop these farm communities as far as possible. They should be developed as an ideal society depending on natural products not industry. Industry has simply created godlessness, because they think they can manufacture everything that they need.
...- 6 Oct 2014
By Niranjana SwamiThe temperature is now peaking around 57° F (14° Celsius) with lows around freezing at nights. We are working as quickly as possible to get the new building made to provide us much needed shelter. The pictures show how much we have done so far. One of our devotees wanted to share a letter of gratitude to all of you for the support and love that has been extended through the relief fund. It has been translated to English from Ukrainian.
...- 6 Oct 2014
By Nityananda dasaIn the secular world, a major milestone in any organization's existence is enduring the test of Time, remaining active and vital for fifty years. Both global and continental efforts will be increasingly manifest to internally celebrate as well as communicate to the public this milestone, celebrating ISKCON achievements over these 50 years. Many events are being planned.
...- 3 Oct 2014
By SriRamaDasa“The results show that there is no limit to our book distribution. Our books are qualified to be distributed unlimitedly. We are not fiction writers. It is a fact that no expert book salesmen can compete with our men. The librarian has noted the difference between our men and other publisher's men. We are working for heart and soul, not for money."
...- 2 Oct 2014
By Suja NambiarGoing the conventional way, Stainless Steel with a gold finish, was the material of choice for the Kalash, Chakra and a few other elements on the temple exterior. The key requirements for the coating included a longevity of at least 500 years and low maintenance. After intensive research by Bhaskara Das and Parvata Muni Das, Titanium Nitride was picked as the material for coating the stainless steel
...- 2 Oct 2014
By Syamasundara DasaThe mayor adorned with a garland from Lord Narasimhadeva greeted the conference with Hare Krishna and said that he feels part of the community and is friends with them because they are in the same area. He is happy to participate in the conference. His father is an agriculturalist and this type of activity is close to his heart. He appreciated the wide European participation. If there was any way he can be of assistance he offered his help. The mayor also remembered that when he was ten years old that the farm used a bullock cart to tran...
- 1 Oct 2014
By Kesava Krsna DasaMany devotees have extolled the formalisation of our Founder-acarya being given his rightful place within ISKCON. Others say there is still more to come to this effect. This is a recent development. What if this solemnisation had been in place after the physical departure of Srila Prabhupada and during the numerous times of ISKCON difficulty, when this could have prevented hundreds, thousands or perhaps even tens of thousands of devotees from leaving ISKCON? Is this wishful thinking?
...- 1 Oct 2014
By Nitya Krishna DasOn September 21st, Detroit ISKCON celebrated its 2nd Annual Pushpa Abhishek Flower Festival. The ecstatic bliss devotees and new guests enjoyed in the shower of seemingly unlimited flower petals was truly a unique experience. One first time visitor to the Temple who was a lifelong Jehovah’s Witness said it was the most amazing experience of his life. Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Kunjabihari were showered with 25 large baskets of flower petals for over one hour continuously, creating a cascading avalanche of flowers from Their Lotus...
- 29 Sep 2014
By Bhaktivedana Manor staffPatanjali Muni das and Prayojana das have recently been on a preaching tour of South Korea, which included classes held in Kyounghee and Gacheon University’s, in the Shanti Yoga Center, at temples in Pocheon and Itawon, plus house programs with Indian families. Afterwards, Professor Jung was so moved that she expressed her gratitude by inviting the devotees back, not only to her University but also to her own home.
...- 29 Sep 2014
By Vijaya DasaKiev, Ukraine, where even during a war the devotees are determined to distribute books. Figuratively speaking, they're the real soldiers, fighting maya, as Srila Prabhupada said, "by dropping hundreds and thousands of books into the laps of the conditioned souls, just as during war time the bombs are dropping from the sky." This is a special war though. Generally a war causes the deaths and suffering of soldiers, but in this war against maya, Lord Caitanya's soldiers experience the highest bliss. So it's called "the nectar of book distribution...
- 28 Sep 2014
By Kesava Gokulananda DasShe then told us that she took the Maha Mantra back to her village in Brazil and gave it to all there. She also narrated a story about this one snake that came into their house where they lived and in the morning when they woke up, the snake was all coiled around a picture of Srila Prabhupada she had. Only the face of Srila Prabhupada was exposed in the picture. The snake was never seen again since. So we can say that this mataji could have been one of the early pioneers in the early days that took Srila Prabhupada and the Maha Mantr...
- 26 Sep 2014
By Niranjana SwamiOur focus right now is the development of buildings that will shelter devotees as the cold winter months quickly approach, while providing emergency funding to devotees not being able to buy the basic necessities of food and warmth. We have started construction on a 10 room building with a communal kitchen (see pictures below). This will house families most in need of shelter immediately on its completion. The papers for an adjacent property are also being gathered in the intent to purchase it for housing more of the displaced devotees.
- 26 Sep 2014
By Baladev dasLike other places all over the world, World Holy Name Week was also celebrated very enthusiastically by devotees of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir ,ISKCON Chowpatty. Following events were conducted in Temple premises, at Congregation homes and in our Govardhan Eco Village (GEV) Farm
...- 25 Sep 2014
By IANSNew Delhi/Washington: Among the host of high profile personalities to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his New York visit will be a US politician of especial interest - Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu American in the US Congress and a strong supporter of Modi.
...- 25 Sep 2014
By Jaganmohini Devi DasiDuring the time, when inter-religious and intra-religious war is intimidating mankind across the globe and with several nations joining hands for civil and nuclear wars to curb religious violence; at realistic level, a humanistic approach through inter-faith dialogue appears to be a ray of hope to minimise any religiously motivated violence. In this regard, for nearly two decades, the dedicated international Inter-faith organization, United Religions Initiative (URI) has been engaging people from varied background to bridge religious...
- 25 Sep 2014
By Patita Pavana dasWhen Robins Williams died of apparent suicide on 11 August 2014, many of the devotee community were shaken. It was as though a fellow member of the Vaishnava community had passed away. Usually the death of a celebrity or politician or other famous person is greeted with a crescendo of indifference from the devotees, since as philosophers we understand that ultimate death is merely a natural consequence of living here in this martya-loka.
...- 25 Sep 2014
By Divyanam DasThis year ISKCON celebrated Holy Names globally for World Holy Name Week, which took place from the 5th to15th of September. This year we have seen fairly increased participation, many more Holy Name events and much more enthusiasm and excitement in devotees all over the world for WHNW. So far we have received reports from more than 50 ISKCON centers, covering every single continent of the world. We are receiving reports every day. We are very sure that many more centers have participated but didn't report yet.
...- 25 Sep 2014
By Abeer SahaAfter an arrival lecture, in Gainsville (FL, USA), on July 29, 1971, Srila Prabhupada was asked by a reporter in the audience, “It seems that most of the devotees are young people, persons under thirty, under twenty-five. Why is this so? …” Srila Prabhupada responded, “Why, in the university, you'll find all the students are young boys and girls? Why?” “That's the age of education,” she said, as the realization of her own words sunk in. “That's the age of Krishna consciousness,” Srila Prabhupada reinforced, “old fools, they ...
- 24 Sep 2014
By Mina SharmaOne of the UK's best known sustainable and ethical farms has celebrated bringing together local people from different walks of life to care for its cows and bulls, including organic farmers, veterinary students, and even ex-offenders taking part in community payback projects. New Gokula Farm at Bhaktivedanta Manor Hare Krishna Temple has a mixed herd of almost 60 animals, some of whom give milk, some who are working oxen, and some who are retired or in their childhood.
...- 20 Sep 2014