Planet ISKCON

We welcome you to this most auspicious place, the temple of Sri Sri Radha-Radhanath, on the most auspicious occasion of the beginning of Kartik, in the most auspicious association of Lord Krishna’s devotees. Kartik is also known as the month of Damodara (dama means “ropes,” and udara means “abdomen”), Krishna who allowed Himself to be bound about the waist by the ropes of His devotee’s love.

Srila Rupa Gosvami compiled the law book of Krishna consciousness, the science of devotion, as the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, translated by Srila Prabhupada in a summary study as The Nectar of Devotion. There the observance of Kartik is mentioned as one of the sixty-four items of devotional service. Rupa Gosvami quotes from the Padma Purana that just as Lord Damodara is favorably inclined toward His devotees, so the month of Kartik, which is also dear to Him, bestows great favor upon His devotees for even a little service or a little practice. And it is said that the benefit gained for service performed in the last five days of Kartik is equal to that gained from service performed for the entire month. In other words, for a very small performance of devotional service in the month of Damodara, one gets a very big result—especially in Vrindavan. Also, Srila Prabhupada has explained that wherever the Deities of Radha and Krishna are installed, that is also Vrindavan. So, even here our devotional service will be magnified “one thousand times.”

Srila Prabhupada gave the example of a store holding a sale, when a customer can get a valuable item by paying a small amount. The month of Kartik is like a sale—a transcendental sale—when by a little investment of spiritual practice and service, you can receive great benefit. Of course, the management of the store hopes that you will come to appreciate its goods and patronize the store even after the sale is over. And we too hope that you will continue with your spiritual practices, or increased practices, even after the month of Kartik.

There is a special potency to the month itself. Just as certain times of the day, such as the brahma-muhurta, which begins one hour and thirty-two minutes before sunrise and continues until the sun rises, are more auspicious for spiritual progress and enhance the value of one’s practices, so too, Kartik is the most auspicious month of the year. Devotees try to take advantage of the facility offered by Kartik by on one side increasing their spiritual practices and doing extra service—chanting more rounds, reading more scripture, reciting more prayers, distributing more books, and making special offerings—and on the other side decreasing their material involvement, their sense gratification. As it is, we are in the four-month period of Chaturmasya, so every month we forgo a certain type of food, but in Kartik devotees may do extra austerities. They may eat only once a day, or give up sweet or fried foods, or rise earlier than usual, or whatever—work on some area of their spiritual life that they want to improve—and they get special mercy to fulfill their vows and improve their spiritual practices.

Today also is sarat-purnima, the full-moon night of the sarat season, the night on which Krishna played upon His transcendental flute at Vamsivata by the Yamuna River in Vrindavan and called the gopis to dance with Him. Now, we may take it that He played on His flute and in a figurative way called the gopis to dance with Him, but actually Krishna’s flute is one of His messengers, and so the gopis not only heard the beautiful, melodious sound of the flute, but also received the message that Krishna wanted to meet them. And because their only desire was to please Krishna, to fulfill His desires and make Him happy, they all went to Him not to fulfill any selfish desire of their own, but with the sole aim of fulfilling Krishna’s transcendental desire to dance with them.

Because the rasa dance superficially resembles the dancing of men and women in the material world, it can easily be misunderstood, and there are critics of Lord Krishna and Srimad-Bhagavatam and Krishna consciousness itself that find fault with the rasa-lila. I know religious groups outside of the Vedic tradition that criticize and challenge: “Oh, Krishna is a womanizer. How can you worship a god that enjoys with women?” They do not understand the pure love exchanged by Krishna and the gopis. In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami explains the difference between love, or prema, and lust, or kama. In lust, the person wants to gratify his or her own senses, whereas in pure love, the devotee wishes to satisfy Krishna’s transcendental senses. The two may resemble each other, but actually they are completely different.

kama, prema,—donhakara vibhinna laksana
lauha ara hema yaiche svarupe vilaksana

atmendriya-priti-vancha—tare bali ‘kama’
krsnendriya-priti-iccha dhare ‘prema’ nama

“Lust and love have different characteristics, just as iron and gold have different natures. The desire to gratify one’s own senses is kama, but the desire to please the senses of Lord Krsna is prema.” (Cc Adi 4. 164–165) Iron and gold are both metals, but there is a great difference between them, between their values. The pure love of the devotees for Krishna is like gold, and the lust of people in the material world who want to gratify their senses is like iron.

Another point of contention related to the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam is that the name of Radha is not mentioned. Some people challenge, “You are worshipping Radha and Krishna, Radha-Radhanath, but on what authority? We don’t find the name of Radha in the Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam.” But in the five chapters that describe the rasa-lila, we find that after Krishna called the gopis and began to reciprocate with them, He disappeared. The gopis then plunged into feelings of separation from Krishna, and they began to search all over the Vrindavan forest for Him. In time they found two pairs of footprints: Krishna’s and a gopi’s. Then the other gopis, in their separation, exclaimed:

anayaradhito nunam
  bhagavan harir isvarah
yan no vihaya govindah
  prito yam anayad rahah

“Certainly this particular gopi has perfectly worshiped the all-powerful Personality of Godhead. Therefore Govinda was so pleased with Her that He abandoned the rest of us and brought Her to a secluded place.” (SB 10.30.28) “Because She worshipped Lord Hari better than all of us, She has gotten to be with Krishna now.” The word aradhito, which means “worshipped” or “perfectly worshipped,” refers to Radha, as confirmed by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and other acharyas. They explain that Her name does appear in the Vedas, Upanishads, and other Puranas, and that in this verse, although Her name is not mentioned explicitly, the superexcellent glories of Sri Radha are nonetheless proclaimed.

Ultimately Krishna also left Srimati Radharani, and when the other gopis came upon Her, they found Her in such a state of intense lamentation in separation that they felt, “Actually, She loves Krishna more.” There is a technical discussion of what actually took place in the rasa-lila, why Krishna left with Radharani and why eventually He left Her too. But His ultimate purpose was to reunite all the gopis, and when the other gopis saw Srimati Radharani in such a state of ecstasy in separation, they felt sympathetic toward Her; they did not feel any envy.

Thereafter, all the gopis searched for Krishna together. But they could not find Him anywhere, and finally they decided, “We cannot find Krishna unless He wishes to be found. We cannot force Him to come before us.” So, they considered, “How can we attract Krishna’s attention? How can we move Krishna to come back to us?” And they concluded that the best method was sankirtana, chanting the glories of Krishna together (along with crying).

When they returned to the banks of the Yamuna where they had originally met Krishna, they began to sing His glories—very beautiful songs in separation, known as the Gopi-gita. And when Krishna heard the gopis’ loving prayers, sankirtana, His heart was moved and He could no longer stay away from them. He came to them, reappeared before them, in His most attractive feature:

tasam avirabhuc chaurih
  smayamana-mukhambujah
pitambara-dharah sragvi
  saksan manmatha-manmathah

“Then Lord Krsna, a smile on His lotus face, appeared before the gopis. Wearing a garland and a yellow garment, He directly appeared as one who can bewilder the mind of Cupid, who himself bewilders the minds of ordinary people.” (SB 10.32.2)

Then followed an interesting dialogue between Krishna and the gopis. The gopis felt some transcendental anger, because Krishna had abandoned them. After all, He had called them to Him and they had risked everything to go to Him in the dead of night, and then He had left them. So they wanted Him to explain why.

In a most tactful and intelligent way, they began, “There are three kinds of lovers.” They presented three categories of lovers, three different ways that lovers deal with others, and asked Krishna to explain them. Indirectly, they were asking Krishna, “In which category do You fit?”

In one category are people who reciprocate exactly with the other party. In other words, “If you are kind to me, I will be kind to you; if you ignore me, I will ignore you.” Krishna said, “They are like merchants. They give only with the expectation of return, and they give only as much as they expect in return. Actually, they are selfish.”

In the next category are those who love the other even though the other does not love them. For example, at least in principle, parents love their children no matter what the children do. The children may not even appreciate the parents’ service, but the parents go on loving and serving them. And even better than parents are devotees, because although parents serve their own children, devotees love and serve everyone. Whether others appreciate them or not, they try to help everyone. Krishna said, “Those who love others even if others don’t love them in return are following the true path of dharma and are the true friends of humanity.”

In the third category are those who don’t reciprocate even when others love them. The first category is “I reciprocate only if you love me.” The second category is “Even if you don’t love me, I love you.” And the third category is “Even if you love me, I don’t reciprocate.” So, the gopis wanted Krishna to admit that He was in the third category. They did not want to say it themselves, but they wanted to hear it from Krishna’s own mouth. They wanted to trap Him with their subtle network of wise and clever words.

Now, within the third category there are four divisions. There is the atmarama: he is completely self-satisfied. Even if you love him, he won’t reciprocate, because he is self-satisfied; he is situated in transcendental bliss. Then there is the apta-kama: he has desires, but they are already satisfied, so he doesn’t need you. Even if you love him, he won’t reciprocate. Then there is the third division, akrta-jna: he is ungrateful. And then there is the last division, guru-druhah. In the first three, “You love me, but I don’t reciprocate; I remain indifferent,” but in this last category, guru-druhah, “You love me, and I am not just indifferent to you; I am inimical.” Actually, the gopis wanted Krishna to admit that He had been ungrateful.

Ultimately Krishna had to respond to the gopis’ question, and His answer was, “I did not neglect you, nor was I indifferent to you. I was always thinking of you. But in order to increase your love for Me, I hid Myself from you.” Krishna gave the example of a poor man who gains wealth and then loses it. He will be so anxious that he can think of nothing except his lost treasure: “What happened to my money? How can I get it back?” Krishna said, “So, I was reciprocating with you, because your desire was to increase your love for Me, and by hiding Myself from you I created a situation by which your attachment for Me would increase. So I was reciprocating with you.” Although Krishna’s argument sounded good, it did, however, contain one defect: the gopis’ love was already unlimited, and even so, by its very nature it was always increasing. So that could not have been the real reason.

Again, there is an intricate and elaborate discussion by the acharyas about the dialogue between Krishna and the gopis, but at the very end Krishna admits defeat. He says,

na paraye ’ham niravadya-samyujam
  sva-sadhu-krtyam vibudhayusapi vah
ya mabhajan durjara-geha-srnkhalah
  samvrscya tad vah pratiyatu sadhuna

“Actually, I am unable to repay My debt for your service to Me even with the prolonged life of Brahma, because you have given up everything for Me. You have given up family ties, which are so difficult to break. You have given up the dictates of the world, of the Vedas, and of your relatives. You have forsaken everything for My sake—which I could not do for you. You have given up all other relationships for Me, but I could not do that for you. I still have My father and mother and friends. You came running out of your houses in the middle of the night, but I sneak out and return in the morning so that no one catches Me. But you, with complete abandon, have come to meet Me without any consideration of the consequences. And I have so many devotees with whom I reciprocate: devotees in madhurya-rasa, in vatsalya-rasa, in sakhya-rasa, in dasya-rasa, and in santa-rasa. I also reciprocate with the sadhakas in the material world who are struggling and trying to become devotees. I reciprocate with everyone who approaches Me. But you love only Me. So I cannot equal your love. I admit it: I can never repay My debt to you.” And He concluded, “I am defeated by your love.”

The gopis were so touched by Krishna’s words that they thought, “Now He has defeated us! We could not admit to Him that He defeated us, but He has admitted to us that we defeated Him. So He has defeated us.” Of course, this is all on the platform of transcendental love. And it is said that later, when Krishna left Vrindavan to go to Mathura and Dvaraka and the gopis were left in separation from Him, they would think of His words to them—na paraye ’ham—and that would give them solace to bear the separation. Here we come to another subtle and intricate discussion, because even in separation from Krishna they experienced His presence.

After hearing Krishna’s reply, the gopis were appeased, and so He began the pastime of the rasa dance. All of the gopis were dancing in a circle, and Krishna expanded Himself to be next to each one. Each gopi felt, “Krishna is with me alone,” and each was completely satisfied by Him.

One of our devotees has envisioned the image of the rasa dance as a symbol for interfaith harmony. It is a symbol that is most appropriate, especially for a diverse country such as South Africa.

The idea is that there were so many gopis, and each was individual, but that Krishna was by the side of each one, reciprocating with each perfectly. He accepted all of them, and all of them accepted each other, and there was complete harmony in this dance of divine love—not only between Krishna and the gopis, but also among the gopis themselves. Likewise, different worshippers serve God in different ways. They have different practices and rituals, and different scriptures and languages. But God reciprocates with all of them. And if they can come into harmony, not only with God but also with each other, in the dance of divine love, there can be complete harmony in the world.

So, today is a most sacred occasion: the beginning of kartik-vrata, and sarat-purnima, the night Krishna enjoyed His rasa-lila with the gopis—after removing Himself from their presence in order to demonstrate to the world, in their separation from Him, their supreme love.

Thank you very much.

Hare Krishna.

[A talk by Giriraj Swami, October 17, 2005, Sri Sri Radha-Radhanath Temple, Durban, South Africa]

A continuously updated stream of Vaishnava and devotional content, combining original articles from Dandavats.com with daily posts. Covers Krishna consciousness teachings, scripture classes (Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam), devotee news, and community events from across the global ISKCON. Our desire is to promote the development of Krishna bhakti, to nurture well-informed thought, and to support sustainable bonds between devotees engaged in all varieties of services and social relationships.
 

Sunday, October 25, 2026

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Drutakarma Prabhu shares his memories of Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Drutakarma and his service to His Divine Grace.

Does the Sound of a Mantra Matter? A New International Clinical Study by a distinguished group of physicians and psychologists led by Dr.Venugopal Damerla ( initiated name Gopinatha Dasa)an USA based cancer specialist psychologists and Suggests , It Does

Researchers compared the Hare Krishna mantra with a look-alike sound and with silent meditation to find out whether the sound itself changes how the brain and heart respond.

Many people who chant, pray or meditate report feeling calmer, clearer and more in control. Scientists want to know why. Is it the quiet time, the steady rhythm, or something about the specific sounds?

A team from the Prabhupada Research Institute for Integrative Medicine based in USA and India set out to test this. The study, “Enhancement of Vagal Tone, Cognitive Processing, and Self-Regulation Through Short-Term Audible Mantram Repetition Practice in Novice Meditators,” appeared in the August 2026 issue of Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal. It was led by Dr. Venugopal Damerla, a cancer specialist in the United States, with Dr. Sunita Mittal, professor of physiology, and Dr. Monica Pathania, professor of medicine, both at AIIMS Rishikesh, among other co-authors. The team describes it as the first randomized three-group crossover design to isolate the effect of mantra sound.

It builds on earlier work. A preliminary study from the same group randomly assigned novice meditators to either the Hare Krishna mantra or a made-up Sanskrit placebo sound, and its authors concluded that a larger randomized study was feasible. The new study is that larger trial.

Why the heart and the vagus nerve?

The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body. It links the brainstem with the heart and other organs and works like a calming cable: when it is active, the heart rate eases and the body shifts toward rest and recovery.

Doctors can estimate this “vagal tone” through heart rate variability (HRV), the small natural differences in timing between heartbeats. Higher variability generally points to a body that handles stress well. The researchers’ idea is that chanting aloud may influence the brain through this heart-to-brain pathway, supporting healthier habits and better self-control.

How the study worked

All 39 participants, who were new to meditation, began with four weeks of audible repetition of the Hare Krishna mantra. After a two-week break to let the effects fade, they moved into one of two comparison groups:

Sham mantra (13 people): a made-up phrase, “Sarva Dasa Sarva Dasa Dasa Dasa Sarva Sarva, Sarva Jana Sarva Jana Jana Jana Sarva Sarva.” It matched the real mantra in rhythm and syllable structure but had no sacred sound or spiritual meaning. It acted as a “sound placebo.”

Silent contemplative practice (12 people): meditation with no sound at all.

If the sham mantra worked just as well, the benefit might come from rhythmic repetition alone. If silence worked just as well, quiet reflection might be enough. Only if the real mantra beat both could the team say the specific sound mattered.

What they measured

Heart rate variability, a sign of vagus nerve activity.

P300 brain response, an electrical signal recorded from the scalp. Its speed and strength show how efficiently the brain processes information.

The Stroop test, which asks you to name the ink color of a word that spells a different color. It measures focus and mental flexibility.

Two questionnaires on self-regulation, the ability to manage thoughts, impulses and behavior.

What they found

The key result was in the P300 brain response. The Hare Krishna mantra produced significantly greater improvement than either the sham mantra or silent practice. In plain terms, the real mantra sped up and sharpened how the brain processed information in a way the look-alike sound and silence did not. The authors conclude that the benefit does not come merely from repeating sounds or sitting quietly. What was practiced, and the quality of its sound, seemed to decide whether thinking changed.

What this does and doesn’t mean

This is an encouraging finding, and the careful comparison groups are what make it notable. Some perspective is still useful:

• The comparison groups were small (13 and 12 people), so larger studies are needed.
• A change in a brain signal is not the same as a proven long-term health benefit.
• “Rewires the brain” is shorthand. The study measured changes over weeks, not permanent structural change.
• Mantra practice complements medical care and does not replace it.
• If the sound itself matters, future research can ask which sounds, how often, and for which patients, including people coping with serious illness.

Reference: Damerla VR, Madhavan K, Mittal S, Pathania M, et al. Enhancement of Vagal Tone, Cognitive Processing, and Self-Regulation Through Short-Term Audible Mantram Repetition Practice in Novice Meditators. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2026;25(4):22-33. PMID: 42730089.

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42730089/

Submitted by
Rajaram Dasa
Varnashrama Book Trust

A Message from Ambarisa and Braja Vilasa Prabhus
Dear Worldwide ISKCON Devotees and Congregation,

Please accept our obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

We would like to wish you a happy Kartik month full of divine service to Lord Damodar, and hope you and your family are well and in blissful Krishna conscious spirits. This time of the year is always greeted with great anticipation and excitement by devotees eager to chant the Damodarastakam and remember the pastimes of the Lord with Mother Yashoda.

One important lesson to learn from this pastime is that Krishna responds to desire and effort in His service. These two elements, desire and effort, are essential in devotional service and play a key role in our progress towards love of God, Krishna prema. And therefore, it’s no wonder that the Lord tests us to see the extent of our strength of purpose and resolve in this regard, and rewards us accordingly. Krishna wants our love so we can join Him in His eternal lilas in the spiritual world and be happy, but He doesn’t force us to express it; it must come from our own heart. His job is to find ways to draw it out of us more and more as part of His lila.

The same principle applies to the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. How much do we desire to build this for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada and our acharyas, to fulfill their desire to spread Krishna consciousness? The intensity of our desire and willingness to sacrifice must be there for it to manifest. And this pleases Krishna more than even the temple itself, just as Mother Yashoda’s sweat and tears pleased Lord Damodar more than being bound with the rope. Rather, He was bound by Mother Yashoda’s love, which overwhelmed Him.

Now, we are approaching the next historic phase of the project, the incredible Grand Opening ceremony, a six-month-long, world-class celebration starting on November 1, 2027, Srila Prabhupada’s 50th Disappearance Anniversary. All our beloved Mayapur Deities will be relocated into the TOVP, and gorgeous worship of Sri Sri Radha Madhava & the Ashta Sakhis, Sri Pancha Tattva and Lord Nrsimhadeva, as well as fifteen new Acharya murtis will begin.

Amazing cultural programs, divine yajnas, unmatched kirtans, ecstatic parikramas, and much more will take place at this one-of-a-kind and once-in-many-lifetimes event. At a later time we will officially announce the dates and procedures for registering to attend.

It is our humble and sincere appeal to all devotees to use this auspicious time of Kartik to increase their desire and prayers to see the TOVP opened on Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day in 2027. We also still need your financial support to make this possible. If you have made a pledge, please make a payment or complete it as soon as possible. If you have already completed a pledge, please support us and make another. Or just give a one-time donation of any amount.

Visit the TOVP Seva Opportunity page to see all the current pledge options and make a pledge, pledge payment or one-time donation today.

Thank you for your support and attention to this matter.

Your servants,
Ambarisa das
Braja Vilasa das

HH Bhakti Chaitanya Swami was discharged from the hospital!

Channel: Bhakti Caitanya Swami

Bhaktivedanta Hospital & Research Institute Srishti Complex, Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg, … more

A gifted artist gives up a career on Madison Avenue for a simple life of spiritual dedication.

By Nandarani Devi Dasi

In the spring of 1969, the Today Show ran a special on the paintings of Alfred Valerio, a Madison Avenue ad designer on his way to the top of the commercial art world. While most of his contemporaries starved in their studios, Alfred was selling his paintings for $1,000 each and taking contracts for everything from corporate logos to city hall murals.

Thirteen years later, Alfred (now Bhaktisiddhanta dasa) has no time for what he considers the meaningless art of the commercialized West. From his headquarters in Mayapur, West Bengal, Bhaktisiddhanta oversees teams of sculptors, painters, and craftsmen as they erect a 160-foot-high memorial to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder and spiritual guide of the Hare Krsna movement.

Of course, back in 1969 Alfred couldn’t have dreamed he’d soon be chanting Hare Krsna, living a simple life in an Indian village, and helping to build a masterpiece of classical Vedic architecture. His background was solidly in Western art. Trained by a host of commercial art and fine art professionals at the Los Angeles College of Art and Design, Alfred became the friend and protege of Thomas Buechner, the director of the Brooklyn Museum. On a John F. and Analee Stacy fellowship for classical painting, he studied two years in Italy and produced more than seven hundred paintings.

To satisfy his interest in the philosophical side of life, he turned to Western religious sources. An Italian Catholic, he naturally looked to the Bible for spiritual direction as well as pictorial themes for his art. While in Florence, he painted murals for churches and seriously considered letting his beard grow, donning a long flowing robe, and joining the order of Capuchin monks. But he gave up that idea and returned to the States to begin his career.

“I was frustrated as an artist,” reflects Bhaktisiddhanta, “because I wanted to amalgamate truth and beauty. But the truths of life around us—birth, old age, disease, and death—are far from beautiful. And the beauty we do see is so temporary and insubstantial that it doesn’t represent any lasting truth.” Unable to find a satisfying solution to his dilemma, Bhaktisiddhanta had to content himself with producing ads for Jeeps, Tide, Ivory Soap, and Duncan Hines cakes.

Then Bhaktisiddhanta and his wife, now known as Vidya-devi dasi, paid their first visit to a Hare Krsna temple, in Miami. “I was astounded,” he remembers. “I was introduced to Lord Krsna, who is simultaneously the Absolute Truth and the embodiment of Absolute Beauty. I knew immediately that Krsna consciousness was what I’d been looking for.”

Joining the Hare Krsna movement didn’t slow down Bhaktisiddhanta’s art production in the least. In fact, it gave his artistic life new depth and direction. Now at last he had a worthy subject for the painting, sculpture, and architecture he’d mastered.

Bhaktisiddhanta reflects on the first lecture he attended at the Hare Krsna center in Miami: “The speaker described how Maha-Visnu, an expansion of Lord Krsna, creates the cosmos by exhaling universes as He lies in the Causal Ocean. I anticipated with great excitement being able to illustrate the actual creation in full detail.”

Even more exciting for Bhaktisiddhanta was discovering the personalistic theology taught in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, two basic books of Vedic knowledge. This theology encompassed the life and activities of a personal God, not an abstract, impersonal energy. Bhaktisiddhanta learned that God has form and personality along with an enchanting kingdom full of His friends and relatives and a variety of flowers, trees, birds, and animals. Moreover, Krsna consciousness was exemplified by a self-realized master of the art of serving God—Srila Prabhupada.

“To become a professional artist you must find an art master and study under him,” explains Bhaktisiddhanta. “So the idea of accepting a guru wasn’t new to me. I’d had many art ‘gurus’ who’d helped me shape my art style and professional techniques. But my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, was able to improve my art in a more profound way, by giving it a spiritual foundation.”

Now Bhaktisiddhanta is offering that spiritual art back to Srila Prabhupada. His expertise in sculpture and painting is helping to produce a unique architectural masterpiece—Srila Prabhupada’s puspa-samadhi, or memorial tomb, in Mayapur. He described some of its features: “Around the dome of the samadhi will stand sixteen twelve-foot-high statues depicting devotional practices taught by Srila Prabhupada, such as worship of the Deity in the temple, protection of cows, Vedic education, and distribution of literature about Krsna. Nine eight-foot-high statues will show various ways to serve Krsna—hearing His instructions, chanting about Him, remembering Him, and so on. In addition, sixteen hundred feet of bas-relief panels will portray devotees chanting Hare Krsna in chorus while hundreds of demigods shower flowers and benedictions upon them and Srila Prabhupada.”

Working as an assistant to His Holiness Surabhir-abhipalayantam Goswami, the chief architect for the Mayapur project, Bhaktisiddhanta has designed all the figures that embellish the samadhi. He gives his drawings to sculptors, who carve the pieces and later cast them in cement or bronze under his direction. Bhaktisiddhanta is also preparing a larger-than-life-size statue of Srila Prabhupada, which will sit in an ornate inner chamber four stories high. In addition, he plans more than a dozen three-quarter-size plaster dioramas that will encircle the eighty-foot-wide building and portray the philosophy of Krsna consciousness and the pastimes of Lord Krsna.

Simultaneously, Bhaktisiddhanta is helping to construct a traditional samadhi in Vrndavana, the town ninety miles south of Delhi where Krsna enacted His childhood pastimes. This samadhi, which marks the actual resting place of Srila Prabhupada’s body, will be finished in luminous white marble. It will house a museum of dioramas portraying Srila Prabhupada’s life.

Bhaktisiddhanta’s work will by no means end with the completion of the samadhis in Mayapur and Vrndavana. At that point he will simply turn his attention toward the greater task of spreading Krsna consciousness all over the world through art.

“Architecture coupled with painting, sculpture, and dioramas is a potent way to spread Krsna consciousness,” says Bhaktisiddhanta. All major religions have glorified God by erecting magnificent buildings—temples, mosques, churches, cathedrals, synagogues. We want to affirm the permanence of Vedic culture through splendid architecture, and we also want to introduce the West to Krsna, the pinnacle of artistic expression.

“Just as the philosophy of Krsna consciousness is gradually bringing about a spiritual revolution in the field of Western philosophy, I believe the art of the Hare Krsna movement will cause a similar revolution in the art world. The philosophy is personal and the art is personal—nothing abstract about it. Abstract art typifies social alienation. But people don’t want to be alienated: they want meaningful personal relationships. Through our sculptures, paintings, and dioramas, people can learn the philosophy of Krsna consciousness and begin to reestablish their eternal relationship with the Supreme Person, Krsna.”

Many Hare Krsna leaders agree with Bhaktisiddhanta that art and spreading Krsna consciousness go hand in hand. For example, the heads of the Hare Krsna centers in Baroda and Bhubaneswar have requested dioramas for teaching Krsna consciousness. Bhaktisiddhanta will design and direct the production of dioramas from the Srimad-Bhagavatam as well as the Mahabharata and Ramayana, two classical Vedic histories. And his team in Mayapur will cast lightweight figures in bronze and aluminum for shipment to the West.

Although busy with two large construction projects, Bhaktisiddhanta still finds time to use his illustrational talents. In Vrndavana, he often turns his attention to what he was first trained for—book illustration. His current project is The Life of Srila Prabhupada, a 32-page illustrated booklet based on the Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta, a biography of Srila Prabhupada by Srila Satsvarupa dasa Goswami. In his illustrations, Bhaktisiddhanta has caught the mood of Srila Prabhupada as he struggled with determination to spread love of God worldwide. Another book consists of on-site illustrations detailing the arduous task of building the samadhis in Mayapur and Vrndavana.

For Bhaktisiddhanta, life in the Hare Krsna art world is far more exciting and productive than life on Madison Avenue. “By the ingenuity of my spiritual master, I have found a satisfying way to put all those years of training and experience to use. My love for my work grows as I find newer and more potent means of achieving and teaching spiritual knowledge through art.”

Join us for Day 7 of the Seven Purposes of ISKCON lecture series with Radhakrishna Prabhu, exploring Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.11.

Srimad Bhagavatam Text 3.29.13 Speaker – H.G Sikhi Mahiti Das

Channel: Mayapur TV – English

Srimad Bhagavatam Text 3.29.13 Speaker – H.G Sikhi Mahiti Das  more

We were honoured to welcome Agnimitra Paul, Minister of Urban Development from West Bengal, to Bhaktivedanta Manor. Thank you for taking the time to visit us and be part of our community.

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There is no motorised vehicle traffic allowed at Govardhan Eco-Village. Everything and everyone is transported by electric buggy. Hence, the whole area is very quiet and peaceful with no pollution.

There are many lakes and forests with areas that replicate the forests of Vrindavan, such as, Shyamakunda and Radhakunda. There is a pool for swimming, two restaurants, Ayurvedic clinic and anyone who comes here will feel rejuvenated spiritually and materially.

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 22, No. 42

By Krishna Kripa Das

(Week 42: October 15–21, 2026)

New York City
(Sent from Brooklyn on October 24, 2026)

Where I Went and What I Did

For week 42 of 2026 I was based at ISKCON NYC in Brooklyn, and I chanted Hare Krishna with Rama Raya Prabhu’s NYC Harinam party every day, except Sunday, when I chanted with BYS devotees and two young female devotees in Downtown Brooklyn for an hour and a half.

During this week Srila Prabhupada’s disciples Dayananda Prabhu (right) and Rupa Vilasa Prabhu (center) spent a several days in the New York area giving classes and promoting their books.

I share quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, and The Nectar of Instruction. I share quotes from Improvisations to Music, Book 2 by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami and notes on classes by Vedavyasapriya Swami, and Dayananda, Arcita, Hansarupa, and Rupa Vilasa Prabhus.

Thanks to Madhu Sri Prabhu for his kind donation. Thanks to the BYS devotees for the video of their harinama. Thanks to Meru for his photo of Dayananda and Rupa Vilasa Prabhus.

Itinerary

September 23–December 31: NYC Harinam 
– October 25: Washington, D.C. harinama with Sankarsana Prabhu 
– November 1–???: serve Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami at Stuyvesant Falls

Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City

Ankit Krishna chants Hare Krishna in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/zYrsHlnKJPA?feature=share):

Maha Mantra Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/uxd3iIXJLiU?feature=share):

Ankit Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna elsewhere in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/OOMBVXvY07w?feature=share):

Priya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/7ieMGlMGslY?feature=share):

That venue in Manhattan was very busy, and once we had at least four visitors at our book table.

One policewoman did a few dance steps as she passed by our party of devotees chanting Hare Krishna. I got out my phone to take a video, but I wasn’t fast enough (https://youtube.com/shorts/YwMmTXsLd6Q?feature=share):

I asked Maha Mantra Prabhu what she said to the devotees that made them laugh, and he replied, “She said, ‘I’ll come back to dance with you guys.’”

On Sunday, I planned to do harinama over the Brooklyn Bridge with the Bhaktivedanta Youth Services devotees, but the uptown trains were super delayed so we decided to chant in Downtown Brooklyn.

Achintya Govinda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Albee Square in Brooklyn (https://youtube.com/shorts/HqzeH67nTYM?feature=share):

I offered one young woman some shakers, and she played them and danced with a devotee woman (https://youtube.com/shorts/NdUnu35ovmY):

Here Shyamasindhu Prabhu distributes books.

Vraja Mohan Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the ISKCON NYC Sunday Feast Kirtan (https://youtube.com/shorts/GhvhNwQhzxs?feature=share):

Mahita chants Hare Krishna in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/Zv1igRkfO50?feature=share):

Barsana Radha Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/Uy3tftaO9LI?feature=share):

Abhinav of Toronto chants Hare Krishna in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/7BRhjqpqjmQ?feature=share):

Chatamayi Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna in Brooklyn (https://youtube.com/shorts/4p1aZ80rE98?feature=share):

While Chatamayi chanted Hare Krishna there, a guy danced (https://youtube.com/shorts/Q2mljyMjPGo?feature=share):

Taruna Gopala Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Brooklyn (https://youtube.com/shorts/bG7tLZNx3HE?feature=share):

Gokulendra Pravhu chants Hare Krishna in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/jQe1pd46EkA?feature=share):

Abhinav of Toronto chants Hare Krishna elsewhere in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/DoplEmQBdMY?feature=share):

Photos

Coming up in November we have a “Be a Monk Challenge” at ISKCON NYC. Organizers say it is their best program.

This summer at New Mayapur in rural France they had one for a whole week!

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.10, purport:

“Kardama Muni was a great soul, and therefore he was under the spiritual energy, which means that he was directly connected with the Supreme Lord. The symptom of this is Krishna consciousness, constant engagement in devotional service.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.21, purport:

“That is the way of a God-gifted person. A devotee like Kardama Muni exhibited such opulence by his yogic power at the request of his wife, but when the opulence was produced, he himself could not understand how such manifestations could be possible. When a yogi's power is exhibited, the yogi himself is sometimes astonished.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.41, purport:

“In the modern age, man is trying to go to other planets, but so far he has been unsuccessful. It is not possible to travel to any other planets because by the laws of nature even the demigods cannot move from one planet to another.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.42:

“What is difficult to achieve for determined men who have taken refuge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead's lotus feet? His feet are the source of sacred rivers like the Ganges, which put an end to the dangers of mundane life.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.43, purport:

“By the actions of Kardama Muni we can understand that in spite of his immense mystic power, he remained a devotee of the Lord. That is the real position of every living entity.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.52, purport:

“This relief means spiritual instruction. Relief does not mean material comforts. Material comforts will end with the end of the body, but spiritual instruction will not end; it will go on with the spirit soul. Instruction in spiritual advancement is necessary.”

“The spiritual master cannot accept service from a disciple without awarding him spiritual instruction. That is the reciprocation of love and duty.”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 5.41, purport:

“Ignorance and the jugglery of words are very common in human society, but they do not help one understand the inconceivable energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 5.64:

“Lord Krishna is the creator, and maya only helps Him as an instrument, just like the potter’s wheel and other instruments, which are the instrumental causes of a pot.”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 5.66, purport:

“The conditioned state is caused by misuse of the individual independence of the spiritual platform, for this separates the living entity from the association of the spiritual energy. But when the living entity is enlightened by the grace of the Supreme Lord or His pure devotee and becomes inclined to revive his original state of loving service, he is on the most auspicious platform of eternal bliss and knowledge.”

“The natural position of the living being is always as a subordinate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When one agrees to act in such a position, he attains perfection in life, but if one rebels against this principle, he is in the conditioned state.”

From The Nectar of Instruction, Text 4, purport:

“The conclusion is that we should always keep company with devotees, observe the regulative devotional principles, follow in the footsteps of the acaryas and in full obedience carry out the orders of the spiritual master. In this way we shall be able to develop our devotional service and dormant Krishna consciousness.”

From The Nectar of Instruction, Text 5, purport:

“The chanting of the holy names of Krishna is so sublime that if one chants the Hare Krishna maha-mantra offenselessly, carefully avoiding the ten offenses, he can certainly be gradually elevated to the point of understanding that there is no difference between the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself. One who has reached such an understanding should be very much respected by neophyte devotees.”

“Everyone begins his devotional life from the neophyte stage, but if one properly finishes chanting the prescribed number of rounds of hari-nama, he is elevated step by step to the highest platform, uttama-adhikari.”

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

From Improvisations to Music, Book 2:

“Peacocks make pure devotees
dizzy, and they faint in love
of God down into the dust of
Vrindavan. Those birds
don’t sing a few choruses and
then sit down but praise all day
and night.”

“O Krishna You subdued the gopis
and Srila Prabhupada
told us to simply cry
for You. He told us to be chaste.”

“Although we have in mind some pure instructions
and although we may become tired of official interactions,
we don’t quit our duties or try to escape.
We have hope.”

“I told her to let it go
let yourself go
and become detached from what you were
and what you think you must become.”

“Krishna is the residence
country we live in
He meets us at death and
sustains us till then.
What else
is there to say?”

“All you need to become a pure devotee
is time.”

“Remember the time we went to the park with the Swami?
We sang a song sang
our hearts out.
Hare Krishna—was that Krishna we felt?
Yes, He was there
although I know these are complicated
post-modern times
and that’s difficult to believe.”

“Krishna, we share the promise
of surrender, worship, kirtana—
all offered to You—and Your taking us back
to where we belong.”

“As a solitary lover of
Lord Krishna I aspire to know
from Him my own strength
His comfort, so I can
give Him to others.”

“Don’t give up earnest account
to worship in a church
especially the mandira of the
mind.”

“Krishna You sure spin us around.
Still, an earnest devotee gives his
very best for Your service.”

“I don’t spend my time worrying
about this earth—just me and Krishna
my offering my
prayer
His mercy
‘because this earth world is too
big for me to judge.’”

“On Gaura-Purnima
Cold stars and
night turning to morn— see Lord Caitanya’s
devotees coming to worship Him
and bless us
with enough mercy that we can fulfill our duties
feel the bhakti
that pleases Him.”

“Looking ahead today I ask
not for extreme originality or
genius but simply
to please by sincere and simple
chanting.
I’m so poor I ask only for
clear vision to see
Syamasundara with an inner eye.
My master assures me it
can’t be done except through devotion
which starts first with the ear.”

“I mean
can we sing of Krishna
through world music
sung with heart?”

“As for the maha-mantra
—I’d like to really come home to that all-loving sound one day.”

“‘Hypnotized by Krishna.’ Srila Prabhupada
said that and chuckled
thought it over and
chuckled again, ‘Yes.’ Hypnotized
by Krishna. Instead of earning money they
work for Krishna at New
Vrindaban or in the Boston
temple.”

“Pressure creates heat. Well, when you
confront nondevotees there’s
plenty of steam—enough
to cook by.”

“O Kana I’m Your fan
son merry-maker
I’m here
for You.
I depend on You to love me.”

“Krishna played with
the cows and escaped for interludes
with the gopis
He loved.”

“I intend to remember Krishna
the Lord of the Yadus
who was such a close friend of Arjuna
and all the Panḍavas
although they suffered.
So what is this? What is this
‘hypnotism’ that their love
increases despite the bad
luck?
It’s Krishna’s nature, and taking it
is like drinking hot sugar cane juice.”

“The promise I made to the Swami
I will not abrogate
the gate is
open and
freedom is ours—
the regulated principles of freedom.”

“O Krishna, You allow me
to improve under any circumstance
and I am grateful.”

“When I die I’ll be likely
to have some kind of Krishna conscious
thought. Then can I go to Him I
don’t insist it has to be back in
Goloka right away because
I don’t have that kind of laulyam
but with Him in a next life where I can
continue to yearn intimately.”

“Krishna told Arjuna to be responsible
for his human life
to do as he liked
after hearing from Him.
Go to hell or Goloka—
it’s up to you.
I chose the Bhaktivedanta Swami marga,
although that way is sometimes hard
to follow.”

“We each want
to please the Swami, but
not all of us can jump through
quite so many hoops
or see black
or only white.
And what is said
and lived
cannot be taken back.
May we each
be careful.”

Vedavyasapriya Swami:

The quote in the Bible, “In the beginning was the word, and the word was God,” indicates that the creation began from sabda (sound).

The deity comes so we can render service to Him.

As the pujari respects the deity, he should respect the congregation.

Spiritual knowledge is always required.

If you chant Hare Krishna and follow the Vaishnava etiquette, you will come up to the mode of goodness.

As soon as the sunrises, the mode of passion will increase.

Discipline indicates a disciple.

Krishna and His parts are simultaneously existing. The jiva is not created. We come to this world when we misuse our little independence.

Why did Srila Prabhupada come to the United States? He could hardly make one devotee in India. Do you think he did not have the potency?

Everything in the material world is bad. Therefore Krishna does not take sides, samo ’ham sarva bhutesu.

You should become like a child holding the hand of your spiritual master, completely protected.

Every devotee is indebted to the general mass of devotees and especially indebted to their superiors.

Varnasrama is meant to bring one to the platform of devotional service.

If we are not surrendered to Krishna, the material nature will force us to be obliged.

If the atma and paramatma are in communication there is no need for material activity.

Srila Prabhupada presented Krishna consciousness as simply as possible so that everyone can follow it.

Once a reporter asked Srila Prabhupada, “How do you like our country?”

He replied, “Who says it is your country? You stole it from the previous residents. It belongs to Krishna, and I have come to tell you to give it back to Krishna.”

Our life should not be wasted considering how we came to this material world. We should be considering how to get out of it.

Vyasa-puja is not for the spiritual master, but it is for the disciple to glorify him.

Dayananda Prabhu:

Srila Prabhupada felt we could have unlimited lila festivals, in addition to Ratha-yatras, that would be attractive to people.

Srila Prabhupada wanted congregational devotees to preach also, going to door-to-door, distributing books, and cultivating individuals.

We do not have try separately to save the environment. Just by following the Vedic culture you will automatically save the environment.

Vedic culture offers:

1. Higher enjoyment

2. Vedic Celebration

3. Devotee Association

Instead of spending money for sense gratification, we spend money on sankirtana festivals, sharing the names, forms, and pastimes of Krishna.

Our movement is meant to focus on people who are a little open minded, not those who are complete convinced of their own philosophy.

The Indian community has saved us monetarily and as far as prestige, when we were considered a dangerous cult, but we should not depend solely on them.

Comments:

These monthly sankirtana festivals engage the congregation and in many places they are very successful.

Hare Krishna Dasa maintained his family for years by distributing books door-to-door for five hours a day in a nearby Italian village of 5,000 people.

You mentioned greed. Here’s a nice verse of greed: “The Personality of Godhead [Vamanadeva] said: ‘O my dear King, even the entirety of whatever there may be within the three worlds to satisfy one’s senses cannot satisfy a person whose senses are uncontrolled. If I were not satisfied with three paces of land, then surely I would not be satisfied even with possessing one of the seven islands, consisting of nine varsas. Even if I possessed one island, I would hope to get others.’” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.19.21–22)

Arcita Prabhu:

The present heads of states have no clue what the goal of life is or how to attain it.

We see people who have great fame and wealth but are still unhappy.

Leaders of antagonistic countries are well situated themselves but they are so unhappy that they have to kill people of neighboring countries.

One German Sanskrit scholar was originally very interested in meeting Srila Prabhupada and talking with him, but he could not appreciate Srila Prabhupada mentioning Krishna in his translations when Krishna was not specifically mentioned in the verses. Because Srila Prabhupada understood Krishna’s purpose of convincing everyone to become His devotee and to attain His spiritual realm, he would sometimes mention Krishna before Krishna mentioned Himself.

You are free to join ISKCON or to not join ISKCON, but if you do join ISKCON and live in the temple you do have to follow the authorities.

All these people who split off from ISKCON create their own groups, and then they have their own authorities. Often there is one leader, and everyone has to follow him.

A brahmana never charges for teaching. He knows that Krishna will maintain him.

In my travels I judge the level of bhakti based on how the tulasis are thriving.

Hansarupa Prabhu:

Srila Prabhupada said, “What good will your three-minute speech do?” But Srila Prabhupada’s association was so valuable that one moment’s association was enough inspire one.

People thought they could find something valuable in the books of other authors, but actually it is offensive to think that Srila Prabhupada did not give everything required.

Success is only there when one is fully in line with the spiritual master.

Once Rupa and Sanatana Gosvami realized what the goal of life was, they made arrangments to disengage themselves from their service to the king.

Srila Prabhupada did not say “sincerely” or “best wishes” but “your ever well-wisher.”

We should be endeavoring to give Srila Prabhupada more than that 11-story building on 55^th Street.

Our singularity is alignment with guru and Krishna.

If you associate with people who are less serious, you will become less serious. If you associate with people who are more serious, you will become more serious.

Rupa Vilasa Prabhu:

You may claim that you have surrendered your life to Krishna, but time will tell if you can actually sustain that level of surrender.

Caitanya-caritamrita describes Haridasa Thakura as being “deeply determined.” That is required for spiritual success.

If we avoid offending Vaishnavas we can make quick progress.

People think that on the Internet they can say anything they want about any devotee, but if they make offensive statements about a devotee it will ruin their devotional service.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura had the 32 qualities of a great personality at birth.

An astrologer predicted upon his birth, “This child will become famous all over the world as a brilliant acarya [spiritual authority].”

Lord Jagannatha appeared to Bhaktivinoda Thakura and said, “I didn’t bring you to Puri to execute legal matters, but to establish Vaishnava siddhanta.”

Bhaktivinoda Thakura responded by saying he did not have power and asked Him to send someone from His personal staff to assist him.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s grain ceremony was performed on the Jagannatha cart.

In terms of geneology, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was related to Narottama Dasa Thakura.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura, seeing Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s tendency toward renunciation, advised him to take initiation from Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji Maharaja.

In his Nama-bhajana Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura writes:

“The holy name has been accepted in all respects to be an incarnation of Krishna on this earth. Although He seems to be just a word, still, by His unimaginable powers, He is spiritual and is a special incarnation of Krishna.”

“As Krishna and His name are identical, Krishna has descended to the earth as the holy name; so, Krishna’s name is the first introduction to Krishna. With determination to reach Krishna, jivas the living beings must first accept the name of Krishna.”

In addition to his health issues, Bhaktivinoda Thakura did not want to challenge his diksa-guru, Bipin Bihari, who sided with the smartas that birth in a brahmana family was required to perform the activities of a brahmana. Thus he sent Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura to argue in his place.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura advised Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji Maharaja to go to Calcutta and get medical treatment for his failing vision. Babaji said as long as he could see the Lord in his heart he had no need.

Comments by me:

Although we do not have Haridasa Thakura’s photo on the altar, Srila Prabhupada put his name in the prema-dvani prayers. In one class Srila Prabhupada says, “Just like Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura, we give ‘Jaya. Thakura Haridasa Thakura ki jaya,’ we say. This Haridasa Thakura was born in a Muhammadan family. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu made him Namacarya Srila Haridasa Thakura. He was chanting Hare Krishna mantra daily three hundred thousands of times. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu selected him namacarya. Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself came to broadcast the glory of Hare Krishna maha-mantra. So instead of becoming Himself the acarya, He designated Haridasa Thakura as acarya.” (Srila Prabhupada, class on Bhagavad-gita 2.26, Hyderabad, 30 November 1972)

When Srila Prabhupada gave a class stressing how one had to be pious to engage in devotional service, one disciple said, “I do not think I have done anything pious in my life.”

Srila Prabhupada replied, “I created your pious activities.”

By chanting Hare Krishna in public, as he recommended, we are creating pious activities for others, specifically the pious activity of hearing the glories of the Lord.

It is certainly good if we can follow up with people who have some initial contact with us, but even if we don’t follow up on their ajnata-sukriti, Krishna will follow up. They will get another chance to advance in devotional service by His grace.

-----

The Vedic literature gives different clues how we can attain real happiness. Here is one from the divine avatar Lord Vamanadeva, who advises against greed.

etavataiva siddho ’ham

vittam yavat prayojanam

“The way of happiness is to be fully satisfied to receive that which is absolutely needed.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.19.27)

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Join us for Day 6 of the Seven Purposes of ISKCON lecture series with HH Banu Swami Maharaj, exploring Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.10.4.