Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Devotees packed the temple room at NYC’s Bhakti Center. More than 1,000 people gathered at the Bhakti Center in Manhattan’s East Village on Sunday, November 8, for its ninth annual Diwali festival. Organized by a dedicated team of more than 60 devotees, the free celebration welcomed visitors of all faiths and backgrounds, bringing together the […]
The post More Than 1,000 Celebrate Diwali at NYC’s Bhakti Center appeared first on ISKCON News.
Harinaam Rasa’s recent 10-hour kirtan festival in Gauteng, South Africa, brought local and international devotional musicians together for an in-person gathering focused on strengthening relationships across ISKCON communities. Organized by a five-member family team, the event expanded the previous year’s eight-hour format and followed outreach programs at community venues, a university, and public spaces. Speaking […]
The post Family Tribute Grows Into Kirtan Festival With African Vision appeared first on ISKCON News.
This class was given by His Grace Mahatma Prabhu on September 28, 2026 from New Vrindavan.
Ayodhya Dham Yatra 2026 | Day 3 | HH Radhanath Swami
Finding Inner Stability – Working with Anxiety and Related Emotions, UTN, Nov 13 2026
Sat Sanga | Show and Tell – Srimad-Bhagavatam – Compassion | HH Krishna Kshetra Swami | 07.11.2026
SB 04.31.25 | Fri, 13.11.26 | HG Navina Nirada Pr
Mon 09 Nov 2026 – SB 3.31.40 by Ramprasad das.
His Holiness Bhakti Gaurav Narayan Swami Maharaj|| (SB-11.05.38-40) || 15-11-2026
Srimad Bhagavatam Text 3.29.34 Speaker – HH Kavichandra Swami Maharaj
Religion and Hinduism
By Dayananda Das The words “religion” and “Hindu” are problematic. Both are confusing, inaccurate, and not useful…
Who went West – Srila Prabhupada or the Holy Name?
By Antardwip das Some people hold that, having been prophesied by scripture, by Lord Chaitanya and by the previous…
Which is superior: fate or one’s own exertion and effort?
From Back to Godhead By Bhayahari Dasa Are we simply puppets, helplessly manipulated by the strings of our past…
He Lives Forever by his Divine Instructions, and the Follower lives with Him
Question: For those of us who have never met Srila Prabhupada, how would you recommend we develop and nurture our…
Today's Featured Video: Prabhupada Short Film || Jaladuta #srilaprabhupada #iskcon #bhakti #mayapur #vrindavan
Srila Prabhupada (श्रील प्रभुपाद) — at 70 years of age, with only ₹40 and his guru's order, he sailed alone on the…
Where I Went and What I Did
For week 45 of 2026 I was based at Stuyvesant Falls in Upstate New York to assist the caretakers of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. There I would wake the deities, put them to rest, make the breakfast and dinner, and help clean up the kitchen after lunch as well. Sunday I attended a Diwali / Govardhan Puja festival at ISKCON Schenectady, where I got to chant the Tulasi kirtana and another Hare Krishna kirtana. Monday we had a small Govardhan Puja festival at Viraha Bhavan, my guru’s residence.
I share quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad-Bhagavatam and Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, as well as lectures of his. I share quotes from Dream Notebook and Writing Sessions, July, Italy by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami and notes on classes by Krishna Kumari and Satyavati Devi Dasis.
Thanks to Saci Suta Prabhu for the photo of the Viraha Bhavan Govardhan Hill. Thanks to Tony Gatto for the photos of ISKCON Schenectady and the Chatham program. Thanks to Patrick for his photo of the Chatham program.
Itinerary
September 23–December 31: NYC Harinam
– November 1–???: serve Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami at Stuyvesant Falls
Chanting Hare Krishna in Upstate New York
Damodara Priya Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna in Chatham (https://youtube.com/shorts/FCrzjI0u0OM?feature=share):
Photos
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.7.44–45:
“Since the body itself is ultimately meant to become stool or earth, what is the meaning of the paraphernalia related to the body, such as wives, residences, wealth, children, relatives, servants, friends, kingdoms, treasuries, animals and ministers? They are also temporary. What more can be said about this? All this paraphernalia is very near and dear as long as the body exists, but as soon as the body is destroyed, all things related to the body are also finished. Therefore, actually one has nothing to do with them, but because of ignorance one accepts them as valuable. Compared to the ocean of eternal happiness, they are most insignificant. What is the use of such insignificant relationships for the eternal living being?”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.7.45, purport:
“Krishna consciousness, devotional service to Krishna, is the ocean of eternal bliss. In comparison to this eternal bliss, the so-called happiness of society, friendship and love is simply useless and insignificant. One should therefore not be attached to temporary things. One should take to Krishna consciousness and become eternally happy.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 46:
“Since Krishna had departed from Vrindavan and gone to Mathura, the inhabitants of Vrindavan, especially Mother Yasoda, Nanda Maharaja, Srimati Radharani, the gopis and the cowherd boys, were simply thinking of Krishna at every step. They were thinking, ‘Here Krishna was playing in this way. Here Krishna was blowing His flute. Krishna was joking with us in this way, and Krishna was embracing us like this.’ This is called lila-smarana, and it is the process of association with Krishna most recommended by great devotees; even Lord Caitanya, when He was at Puri, enjoyed lila-smarana association with Krishna. Those in the most exalted position of devotional service and ecstasy can live with Krishna always by remembering His pastimes.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 51:
“‘My dear King,’ Lord Krishna continued, ‘I therefore give you the special benediction that you will always think of Me. Thus you will be able to traverse this material world freely, without being contaminated by the material qualities.’ This statement by the Lord confirms that a person in true Krishna consciousness, engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord under the direction of the spiritual master, is never subject to the contamination of material qualities.”
“Lord Krishna continued: ‘O best of all the brahmanas, you should always remain satisfied, for if a brahmana is always self-satisfied he will not deviate from his prescribed duties; and simply by sticking to one’s prescribed duties, everyone, especially a brahmana, can attain the highest perfection of all desires. Even if a person is as opulent as the king of heaven, Indra, if he is not satisfied he inevitably has to transmigrate from one planet to another. Such a person can never be happy under any circumstances; but if one’s mind is satisfied, even if he is bereft of all possessions, he can be happy living anywhere.’
“This instruction by Krishna to the brahmana is very significant. The purport is that a true brahmana should not be disturbed in any situation. In this modern age, Kali-yuga, the so-called brahmanas have accepted the abominable position of sudras or less and still want to pass as qualified brahmanas. Actually, a qualified brahmana always sticks to his own duties and never accepts those of a sudra or of one less than a sudra. It is advised in the authorized scriptures that a brahmana may, under awkward circumstances, accept the profession of a ksatriya or even a vaisya, but never is he to accept the profession of a sudra. Lord Krishna declared that a brahmana will never be disturbed by any adverse conditions if he scrupulously sticks to his religious principles. In conclusion, Lord Sri Krishna said, ‘I offer My respectful obeisances to the brahmanas and Vaishnavas, for the brahmanas are always self-satisfied and the Vaishnavas are always engaged in actual welfare activities for human society. They are the best friends of the people in general; they are free from false egoism and are always in a peaceful condition of mind.’”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 54:
[Lord Balarama said:] “Sweet, smiling Rukmini, do not be aggrieved by false notions caused by ignorance. Only because of false notions does one become unhappy, but one can immediately remove this unhappiness by discussing the philosophy of actual life. Be happy on that platform only.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 56:
“Jambavan identified Lord Krishna as the Supreme Personality, Lord Vishnu: ‘My dear Lord, You are the creator of the creators of the universal affairs.’ This statement is very instructive to the ordinary man, who is amazed by the activities of a person with an exceptional brain. The ordinary man is surprised to see the inventions of a great scientist, but the statement of Jambavan confirms that although a scientist may be a creator of many wonderful things, Krishna is the creator of the scientist. He is the creator of not only one scientist but of millions and trillions, all over the universe. Jambavan said further, ‘Not only are You the creator of the creators, but You are also the creator of the material elements which the so-called creators manipulate.’ Scientists utilize the physical elements or laws of material nature to do something wonderful, but actually such laws and elements are also the creation of Krishna. This is actual scientific understanding. Less intelligent men do not try to understand who created the brain of the scientist; they are satisfied simply to see the wonderful creation or invention of the scientist.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 56:
[Queen Kunti prayed to Lord Krishna:] “Even ordinary devotees who simply think of You are always immune to all kinds of material danger, and what to speak of ourselves, who are personally remembered by You. So, my dear Krishna, there is no question of bad luck; we are always in an auspicious position because of Your grace. Yet although You have bestowed a special favor on us, people should not mistakenly think that You are partial to some and inattentive to others. You make no such distinction. No one is Your favorite and no one is Your enemy. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are equal to everyone, and everyone can take advantage of Your special protection. The fact is that although You are equal to everyone, You are especially inclined to the devotees who always think of You. The devotees are related to You by ties of love. As such, they cannot forget You even for a moment. You are present in everyone’s heart, but because the devotees always remember You, You respond accordingly. Although a mother has affection for all her children, she takes special care of the one who is fully dependent. I know certainly, my dear Krishna, that being seated in everyone’s heart, You always create auspicious situations for Your unalloyed devotees.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 60:
[Queen Rukmini said to Lord Krishna:] “You are the supreme source from which everything emanates, the reservoir of all pleasures. Therefore, persons endowed with knowledge desire only to achieve You, and nothing else. To achieve Your favor, they give up everything—even the transcendental realization of Brahman. You are the supreme, ultimate goal of life. You are the reservoir of all interests of the living entities. Those who are actually well motivated desire only You, and for this reason they give up everything to attain success. They therefore deserve to associate with You.”
[Queen Rukmini said to Lord Krishna:] “In the society of the servitors and served in Krishna consciousness, one is not subjected to the pains and pleasures of material society, which functions according to sex attraction. Therefore everyone, whether man or woman, should seek to be an associate in Your society of servitors and served. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead; no one can excel You, nor can anyone come up to an equal level with You. The perfect social system is that in which You remain in the center, being served as the Supreme, and all others engage as Your servitors. In such a perfectly constructed society, everyone can remain eternally happy and blissful.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 72:
“Although Jarasandha was killed, neither Krishna nor the two Pandava brothers made a claim to the throne. Their purpose in killing Jarasandha was to stop him from creating a disturbance to the proper discharge of world peace. A demon always creates disturbances, whereas a demigod always tries to keep peace in the world. The mission of Lord Krishna is to protect the righteous and kill the demons who disturb a peaceful situation.”
From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.7 in Bombay on December 19, 1974:
“We are now dogs of material nature, para-tantrya. We cannot go beyond the rules and regulation, condition, of material nature.”
“We are now covered by this material nature, sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna, and our endeavor should be how to purify.”
From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.10 in Bombay on December 22, 1974:
“As Krishna advises to Arjuna, traigunya-visaya veda nistraigunyo bhavarjuna: “You just try to become above the three gunas.” That is human life. Human life is not meant for remaining within the category of these three gunas and struggle for existence. That is not human life. That is animal life.”
“This Brahman realization, can be understood in a moment if you believe Bhagavad-gita as it is. But if you foolishly interpret in this way and that way, then it will take millions of years. You will not understand what is Bhagavad-gita, what is God, what is… But if you take it as it is, then immediately you can understand that you are Brahman. There is no difficulty.”
“We are part and parcel of Krishna—that means we must be partner of Krishna.”
From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.11–14 in Bombay on December 23, 1974:
“So the atheist, they do not believe in the soul or Supersoul. But they have to believe in these twenty-four elements. Therefore European philosophers, they like this Sankhya philosophy of another Kapila. Here is Kapiladeva. He is the incarnation of God. But another, there is imitation Kapila; he is atheist Kapila. The Sankhya-karika, that is very much liked by the European philosophers, because in that Sankhya-karika these twenty-four elements are studied very minutely, without any reference to the soul and the Supersoul.”
“This so-called advancement of material science means that we are kept in the darkness of spiritual knowledge; we are still in the platform of animal concept of life.”
“We are having great struggle for existence. Therefore we should study philosophically and scientifically, analyze what is this body and what is beyond the body—soul—and what is the soul’s function, where is the soul’s place; ultimately what is the end goal of the activities of the soul. This is human life. And all this knowledge can be had from the Vedic literature, and the Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of Vedic literature.”
From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.15 in Bombay on December 24, 1974:
“Brahman realization is not very difficult thing, provided we want to realize. And how we want? You take instruction from the Bhagavad-gita, and if you accept it, then immediately your Brahman realization is there. Krishna says that ‘These jivas, they are My part and parcel.’ So if Krishna is Brahman, Para-brahman, then we are Brahman. If we accept this… We have to accept, because that is the constitutional position. We are part and parcel of Krishna. So we are part and parcel of Krishna; therefore it is our constitutional position to live with Krishna.”
“Krishna is not maya’s, but maya is Krishna’s.”
“The Mayavadi theory is like that, that ‘I am Krishna. I am God. Now I am overpowered by maya [illusion], and as soon as I become free from maya, again I become Krishna.” But the question is that ‘If you are Krishna, if you are God, then why you became under the control of maya? What kind of God you are?’”
“Everyone is under the control of maya. Nobody is free. But there are two maya: yoga-maya and maha-maya. Maha-maya, this material world, and yoga-maya, the spiritual world. If you agree to be under the yoga-maya, then you are happy.”
From a lecture on Govardhan Puja in Bombay on December 19, 1974:
“You should not do anything, religious rituals, under superstition. That is the recommendation of Krishna. Krishna does not like that people should perform anything under superstition. Suppose if you are sacrificing, if you are doing some ceremony, you must have thorough knowledge that there must be the result. There must be the result.”
“So Krishna did not recommend that you should do something under superstition. No. You must do it for practical result. This dogmatism, fanaticism—‘Oh, why I shall chant Hare Krishna? I am Christian,’ ‘I am Jews’—this is fanaticism. If you find actually ecstasy by chanting Hare Krishna, why should you not? Why should you not? ‘No. I am Jew,’ ‘I am Christian,’ ‘I am Muhammadan.’ Well, it is transcendental vibration from the spiritual platform. Your Muhammadism, Christianism, Hinduisim, Buddhism, this is skin disease. This is…
“Because you have got some particular body at particular circumstances, therefore you claim like that. But actually we are all spirit soul, and this sound vibration is from the spirit soul. It will appeal to everyone. See the effect.”
“The religion which you can change, that is not religion. Suppose I am Hindu; I become Christian. So neither this Hinduism is religion or Christian is religion. It is a dictionary, English dictionary, word. But dharma, according to Sanskrit word, dharma does not mean that which you can change.”
“Therefore we must find out what is our dharma, what is our religion. Which we are professing, that “Christianity is my religion,” “Hinduism, my religion,” that is not religion. That is faith. Religion is different. Religion you cannot change. You cannot change. That is the meaning of religion.”
“Just see. A God is preaching atheism. He is God Himself, and He says, ‘Supposing if there is some God.’”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Dream Notebook:
“I was leading this kirtana. It was with doctors in a hospital, and we went on the elevator with them. They were all very serious. One was admonishing another doctor. They were very interested though in the kirtana, especially the lady doctors. After I sang the kirtana and the chorus began, I said to them quickly, ‘The world of medicine and people is very complicated, but the world of chanting is just the opposite.’ They all smiled and chanted Hare Krishna. Then the alarms went off on my clock, and I had to get up.”
From Writing Sessions – July, Italy:
“Take your reading life seriously. The open secrets of Bhagavad-gita. Life comes from spirit, not matter in itself. Spirit originates in eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead. We are His parts and parcels. Study this knowledge. and pray it be revealed to you.”
“Life in the body doesn’t flow problem-free for any of us.”
“Am I in a rut? What do you mean? Not like “an elephant in rut.” No, I mean same old groove. Could be that. You cannot spring yourself out by bizarre methods.”
“I have no brown habit of Christian monk. But I have a respect for any genuine monk who withdraws from the world and tends to be alone, to pray to God. He has faith God hears his prayer. He aspires to join Him in eternity. He wants to be free of sin and errant thoughts. Sure I like that. They focus on impersonal or void. We see the Supreme Person, ‘and always a Person.’ Meditate on Krishna with love. The spiritual master leads us in this.”
“The afternoon not pinned down to a schedule but swimming always in something Krishna conscious, and hopeful the access gained can be maintained. You want to produce pieces, writings or drawings that you can show others to attest that you entered a Krishna conscious state. ‘Hey, he really is quite Krishna conscious. Did you read his book?’”
Krishna Kumari Devi Dasi:
From a drama about Govardhan Puja in Chatham:
The residents of Vrindavan were having such a good time worshiping Govardhan Hill, they forgot all about Indra.
Sometimes when we are arrogant, we think everyone is arrogant, and sometimes when we are doing the wrong thing, we think others are doing the wrong thing.
Satyavati Devi Dasi:
From a class on Diwali and Govardhan Puja in Schenectady:
Diwali comes from dipavali, dipa – lamps and vali – rows.
We can learn from Rama-lila the loyalty of Rama toward His father and His righteousness.
If the Lord performed no pastimes, what would be celebrating today?
Krishna performs His pastimes to attract people to become His devotees.
Although Krishna cannot be bound by anyone, He agreed to be bound by His mother, Yashoda.
The loving relationship with the Lord is more important to Him than demonstrating His superiority to His devotee.
Krishna shows that no one can harm someone He chooses to protect.
False pride means thinking that we are independent of Krishna.
In the Govardhan pastime we learn that the mercy of the Lord shows up in unexpected ways.
Comment by me: Ravana and Indra were both proud, but the Lord dealt with them differently because Ravana was incorrigible whereas Indra was willing to admit his defect and reform.
-----
For Krishna, knowledge is not merely possessing information but rather having divine qualities and engaging in divine activities leading to spiritual perfection. Reading this list, we can consider how far we have come and how far we have yet to go.
amanitvam adambhitvam
ahimsa ksantir arjavam
acaryopasanam saucam
sthairyam atma-vinigrahah
indriyarthesu vairagyam
anahankara eva ca
janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-
duhkha-dosanudarsanam
asaktir anabhisvangah
putra-dara-grhadisu
nityam ca sama-cittatvam
istanistopapattisu
mayi cananya-yogena
bhaktir avyabhicarini
vivikta-desa-sevitvam
aratir jana-samsadi
adhyatma-jnana-nityatvam
tattva-jnanartha-darsanam
etaj jnanam iti proktam
ajnanam yad ato ’nyatha
“Humility; pridelessness; nonviolence; tolerance; simplicity; approaching a bona fide spiritual master; cleanliness; steadiness; self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification; absence of false ego; the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; detachment; freedom from entanglement with children, wife, home and the rest; even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me; aspiring to live in a solitary place; detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth—all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance.” (Bhagavad-gita 13.8–12)
Question: For those of us who have never met Srila Prabhupada, how would you recommend we develop and nurture our attachment for him?
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Srila Prabhupada (श्रील प्रभुपाद) — at 70 years of age, with only ₹40 and his guru's order, he sailed alone on the Jaladuta ship from India to America in 1965. A devotional short film on his journey of faith and surrender to Krishna.
Sri Gadadhara dasa Thakura previously lived at Navadwip. When the Lord went to live at Nilacala Sri Dasa Gadadhara also there to be with Him. Later on Mahaprabhu sent him back with Nityananda Prabhu to preach in Bengal.
He first stayed at Eriyadahagram, which is situated on the banks of the Ganges. Then he spent some time in Navadwipa, taking care of Saci Mata and Visnupriya, but after their disappearance he came to live at Katwa, where Mahaprabhu had accepted sannyasa from Kesava Bharati.
He was a very confidential associate of Sri Sri Gaura-Nityananda. In Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika it is stated that he is an incarnation of the effulgence of Srimati Radharani’s body, as well as an expansion of Purnananda gopi.
Though he was one of the associates of Nityananda Prabhu, the majority of whom were cowherd boys and thus situated in the mellow of friendship, he was always absorbed in the mood of a gopi.
In Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Sri Vrindavana dasa Thakura has described the glories of Dasa Gadadhara in this way: “Nityananda Prabhu was personally present within the body of Sri Gadadhara das; such are his glories.”
Sri Dasa Gadadhara Thakura established a temple at the place where Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa, and the Deity of Lord Gauranga was personally installed by him. This deity is one of three Deities which were carved from one Nimba tree as per the order of Sriman Mahaprabhu, which he communicated to Narahari Sarkar Thakura and the bhakar (deity-maker) on the same night through the medium of their dreams.
The next day, when the two met and learned that they had both had the same dream, they could understand that they should carry out the Lord’s instruction immediately. The other two Deities are at Sri Khanda. There is also a Deity of Balarama (Nityananda) who is about half the size of Mahaprabhu and who came later on. Thus the Deities here are known as Sri Sri Nitai-Gauranga.
My mind is set on gratitude for those so kind to me in British Columbia. I went to especially thank Jaya Govinda and Krishna Kala for taking me around. I do feel I never express that positive heart sufficiently to the souls that give me solace.
I'm now back in Toronto with another set of souls sold out to Krishna. In my absence Nityananda has done so much work in preparation for the upcoming 60th Anniversary of ISKCON celebration on the 14th of this week. He is someone I am so indebted to.
Now that I am settled down gathering laundry from suitcase, catching a nap, then a coconut milk curry veg by Subhadra I stand with script in hand, one I'm most familiar with I'm ready to direct “the Gita” for the 60th. Arina is on sound and she's a solid thespian. A good number of young men, well 10, have come forward for the acting roles but I have some anxiety. There are not enough hours available for the practice to give me solace. I want a good job done. I want Krishna to be pleased. I want guru and Gauranga to be ecstatic about it. And the audience, of course.
Somehow or other, through self-conviction, prayer and blessings I feel some confidence will be mustered up. The show must go on after all. In all my years with the mission I've seen miracles occur. I'm just asking for another one to manifest.
I left the rehearsal this evening somewhat dumbfounded by the lack of time but there isn't anything that a contemplative walk can't solve.
Walking introspectively in the spirit to seek help always hits the spot.
Channel: Indradyumna Swami Official
Indradyumna Swami's Spiritual Journey – Inspiring Videos … more
Channel: Prabhupada Memories
Relive the moment that Srila Prabhupada appeared to channel Mother Yasoda! more
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This piece expresses my feelings this year on Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day: Srila Prabhupada, on this your Disappearance Day, I’m pondering: How can you live forever? And how can I forever live with you? After the disappearance of your Guru Maharaj, you grieved, feeling his separation. And you lamented that your god-brothers had not followed […]
The post Musings with Rukmini Devi Dasi on Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day appeared first on ISKCON News.
Sri Gadadhara dasa Thakura previously lived at Navadwip. When the Lord went to live at Nilacala Sri Dasa Gadadhara also there to be with Him. Later on Mahaprabhu sent him back with Nityananda Prabhu to preach in Bengal.
He first stayed at Eriyadahagram, which is situated on the banks of the Ganges. Then he spent some time in Navadwipa, taking care of Saci Mata and Visnupriya, but after their disappearance he came to live at Katwa, where Mahaprabhu had accepted sannyasa from Kesava Bharati.
He was a very confidential associate of Sri Sri Gaura-Nityananda. In Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika it is stated that he is an incarnation of the effulgence of Srimati Radharani’s body, as well as an expansion of Purnananda gopi.
Though he was one of the associates of Nityananda Prabhu, the majority of whom were cowherd boys and thus situated in the mellow of friendship, he was always absorbed in the mood of a gopi.
In Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Sri Vrindavana dasa Thakura has described the glories of Dasa Gadadhara in this way: “Nityananda Prabhu was personally present within the body of Sri Gadadhara das; such are his glories.”
Sri Dasa Gadadhara Thakura established a temple at the place where Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa, and the Deity of Lord Gauranga was personally installed by him. This deity is one of three Deities which were carved from one Nimba tree as per the order of Sriman Mahaprabhu, which he communicated to Narahari Sarkar Thakura and the bhakar (deity-maker) on the same night through the medium of their dreams.
The next day, when the two met and learned that they had both had the same dream, they could understand that they should carry out the Lord’s instruction immediately. The other two Deities are at Sri Khanda. There is also a Deity of Balarama (Nityananda) who is about half the size of Mahaprabhu and who came later on. Thus the Deities here are known as Sri Sri Nitai-Gauranga.
ISKCON devotees worldwide are commemorating the Disappearance of ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The Prabhupada Memories initiative has released a video compilation, “Commemorating Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day,” which brings together disciples’ recollections of his final months, offering personal accounts of his affection, humor, and commitment to sharing Krishna consciousness as his […]
The post Disciples Recall Srila Prabhupada’s Final Days in Video Tribute appeared first on ISKCON News.
Author and teacher Chaitanya Charan Dasa is encouraging devotees to respond thoughtfully to Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, questioning aspects of its portrayal of Ravana while opposing calls to ban the film or condemn its makers. In a video addressing nine questions about the adaptation, he considers both how devotees should engage with the movie and how […]
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Ayodhya Dham Yatra 2026 | Day 2 | HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj | अयोध्या धाम यात्रा
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Srimad Bhagavatam Text 1.7.44 VRN 1976 Speaker – Srila Prabhupada Recorded more
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Once, on his guru maharaja’s disappearance day, Srila Prabhupada said, “On the absolute platform, there is no difference between the appearance and the disappearance of the spiritual master. Both are beautiful, just like the sunrise and the sunset.” So, although we feel separation, within that separation our remembrance of Srila Prabhupada is heightened, and thus we experience the beauty of his presence—in separation.
To straightaway speak about Srila Prabhupada’s departure feels abrupt to me, because it is a painful topic, but remembering Srila Prabhupada’s words that the disappearance is also beautiful, I wanted to share with you a lesson I learned from his departure.
A few days before he was to leave us, Srila Prabhupada expressed a desire to travel by bullock cart to different holy places in India. His Holiness Lokanath Swami had been traveling by bullock cart to different places of pilgrimage, and Srila Prabhupada was very enlivened when Lokanath Swami reported to him in Vrindavan. Prabhupada said that he too would like to go on pilgrimage on a bullock cart. He asked Lokanath Swami to arrange it, and Lokanath Swami was enthusiastic, having been encouraged by Prabhupada in such a direct way. He immediately went to organize the cart and make all the arrangements. Govardhana-puja was to take place in a couple of days, and Prabhupada said that he would begin his pilgrimage by traveling on a bullock cart to Govardhana Hill to celebrate Govardhana-puja with the Vraja-vasis.
At that time, Srila Prabhupada was bedridden and emaciated. He was unable to eat, and he was able only to sip a little liquid. So he was very gaunt and weak, with almost no energy. He would just lie on his bed, and sometimes, with great difficulty, he would speak softly, often so faintly that only those very close to him could hear his words.
There were many devotees in the room when Srila Prabhupada had his exchange with Lokanath Swami. And immediately after the discussion ended and devotees went outside, they began to express two strong, heartfelt opinions about what Srila Prabhupada should do—and, more than that, how we as disciples should relate to Srila Prabhupada and serve him.
One group, which included Lokanath Swami and other esteemed, senior disciples, such as Hamsaduta Prabhu and Baradraj Prabhu, felt that we should just do what the spiritual master orders. We shouldn’t question his order; we should just execute it. And some of the other disciples, many of whom had been attending to Prabhupada’s personal care, felt that Prabhupada’s health would not sustain his travels on a bullock cart and that, because he was so emaciated (he had practically no flesh on his bones), it would be very painful for him to go. Even if they padded the cart with a mattress, it would still be a basic bullock cart, and the roads in Vraja were very rough, so the movement of the cart would jostle Prabhupada and he would feel pain. Some devotees feared that he might even give up his body on the way. So, they did not want him to be subjected to what they foresaw as certain pain—and perhaps the dire consequence of death.
But this second position was very difficult to maintain under the circumstances, because Srila Prabhupada was so emphatic. “Let me travel to all the tirtha-sthanas,” he had said—to all the holy places. And whatever objections devotees had raised against the proposal, he had countered. “One-day experiment,” he had pleaded. “Rest assured. I will not die in one day.” When even Prabhupada’s kaviraja had predicted that with all the jostling on the bullock cart, Prabhupada would not survive more than two hours, Prabhupada had replied, “But I think I shall be cured.” Still, Tamal Krishna Goswami, Bhakti Charu Swami, Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Maharaja, Bhavananda Maharaja, and others felt strongly that this “experiment” would have dire consequences. But how to convince Prabhupada?
So, the controversy continued. When Prabhupada said, “I think I shall be cured,” Hamsaduta and others took it that he was supporting their position. But the other side took it differently: “What does it mean that he is going to be cured? It means that he is going to leave his body and get a spiritual body. That’s how he is going to get cured.” Each party was seeing things in a particular way that supported their particular point of view.
Finally, things came to the stage where the bullock cart was waiting outside the gates of the Krishna-Balaram Mandir. Everything was being readied. And for the devotees who were in the mood that Srila Prabhupada should stay, it must have been like when the residents of Vrindavan saw Akrura getting the chariot ready to take Krishna to Mathura.
The evening before the planned parikrama, Srila Prabhupada was lying on his bed (many of you have seen his bed in his house in Vrindavan). Bhakti Charu Swami was in the room, and Srila Prabhupada’s godbrother Akincana Krishna dasa Babaji Maharaja was there for a visit. Babaji Maharaja was a very advanced devotee; Srila Prabhupada had said that he was a paramahamsa. He was always engaged in hari-nama, absorbed in hari-nama, and he was always blissful. And he and Prabhupada had an extraordinarily affectionate relationship.
So, Bhakti Charu thought, “Let me appeal to Babaji Maharaja. If he asks Prabhupada not to go, then Prabhupada may listen.” And when he explained the situation to Babaji Maharaja, Maharaja declared, “Then he shouldn’t go.”
“So, do you all jointly request me not to go?” Srila Prabhupada asked when Maharaja had conveyed his conclusion. “Ji,” Maharaja confirmed.
“We were getting so upset,” Tamal Krishna agreed. “Two devotees told me this road is so bad that if you go on it, you’re going to be jolted back and forth. The road is terrible. I just can’t understand, Srila Prabhupada, why it has to be tomorrow that we have to go. If anybody wants you to travel, I do. But why do we have to go when you’re in this condition? I can’t understand it.”
“All right,” Srila Prabhupada said. “I will not go.”
“Thank you, Srila Prabhupada,” said Bhavananda. “I was in too much anxiety.”
“No, no, I cannot put you in anxiety. I shall do what you like.”
“Actually, Srila Prabhupada,” said Tamal Krishna, “we’re so attached to you that you practically drive us to madness sometimes. Tonight we were becoming mad.”
“No, I shall not do that,” Prabhupada said. And to Babaji Maharaja he added, “Just see how much they love me . . . Left hand, right hand. I cannot refuse.”
“The way you deal with us simply deepens our attachment every moment,” Tamal Krishna said.
And Prabhupada replied, “It is my duty.”
For the devotees in the room, it was a jubilant occasion that Prabhupada had agreed to wait. As Tamal Krishna Goswami had said, “We will take you on tirtha-yatra, to all the places. Just get a little stronger.” But when the news reached the other group, they were upset: “This is not our duty as disciples, to try to prevail upon our spiritual master. Our duty is to execute his will. He said that he wants to go by bullock cart to Govardhana, and our duty is to arrange for what he wants. Our duty is not to advise him or prevail upon him according to our perception.” The controversy continued until the end—the anniversary of which is today.
Prabhupada spent his last three days with his disciples at the Krishna-Balaram Mandir, and the last day he didn’t speak. His only words were in the morning, when the kaviraja asked him to drink some juice and he replied, “Meri kuch iccha nahin”: “I have no desire.” After that, Prabhupada didn’t speak. He was in a completely internal state of consciousness, and the devotees surrounded him with kirtan. For the last few hours, in the afternoon, the leaders opened up the doors to everyone. Young, old, children, men, women—all were allowed to be in the room with Srila Prabhupada and to reciprocate love with him. Then, at about 7:26 p.m., his tongue and mouth moved—“Hare Krishna”—and he left.
As for the controversy, it continued; even after Prabhupada left, the feelings still ran strong on both sides. And I still couldn’t determine who was right. There were devotees senior to me on both sides—devotees whom I respected and had served. Personally, I may have been closer to some of the ones engaged in Srila Prabhupada’s personal service, but still I wasn’t sure who was right, and it was on my mind.
It was my habit, or practice, to chant japa in Srila Prabhupada’s rooms (though not when he was there), and after he departed, I did that. I was in his room chanting japa, and behind his bed was an area with his bookshelves. So, I found a little corner there and was chanting japa, when somehow my eyes fell upon the new volume of Srimad-Bhagavatam that had just arrived—the Tenth Canto, Volume Two. It had been delivered into Srila Prabhupada’s hands in his last days. When the devotees had presented the book to Srila Prabhupada and he was looking at the pictures, everyone could see the love in his eyes. Tamal Krishna Goswami had remarked, “How much love for Krishna Prabhupada has,” as evident from the way Prabhupada had been looking at the pictures of Krishna. So, I saw the book. It had gold embossing, made especially for Srila Prabhupada. I opened it up, and it happened to open to Chapter Nine: “Mother Yasoda Binds Krsna.” I read a few verses and purports, and then I came to a verse that, to me, answered the question:
TEXT 19
evam sandarsita hy anga
harina bhrtya-vasyata
sva-vasenapi krsnena
yasyedam sesvaram vase
TRANSLATION
O Maharaja Pariksit, this entire universe, with its great, exalted demigods like Lord Siva, Lord Brahma, and Lord Indra, is under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yet the Supreme Lord has one transcendental attribute: He comes under the control of His devotees. This was now exhibited by Krsna in this pastime.
COMMENT
The pastime is encapsulated in the previous verse:
TEXT 18
sva-matuh svinna-gatraya
visrasta-kabara-srajah
drstva parisramam krsnah
krpayasit sva-bandhane
TRANSLATION
Because of Mother Yasoda’s hard labor, her whole body became covered with perspiration, and the flowers and comb were falling from her hair. When child Krsna saw His mother thus fatigued, He became merciful to her and agreed to be bound.
COMMENT
When I read these verses, I thought, “This is what happened.” The spiritual master is the transparent medium through which Krishna manifests Himself. Of course, in vraja-bhakti the relationship with Krishna is different. In Vraja, Krishna exhibits nara-lila, humanlike pastimes, in which there is complete intimacy and freedom between the devotees and the Lord. In the relationship between the disciples and spiritual master, there is always an element of awe and reverence—and duty. Still, duty is meant to lead to love. And Srila Prabhupada did say to Babaji Maharaja, “Just see how much they love me.”
One month earlier, there had been another incident. Srila Prabhupada had stopped drinking. Previously, he had said that when his father had wanted to leave his body, he had stopped drinking, and that this was a bona fide way to give up one’s body when the time came. Prabhupada didn’t make any announcement or anything; he just stopped drinking.
Upendra dasa, a very sweet devotee who was Srila Prabhupada’s servant at the time, innocently said to him, “Prabhupada, you have to drink. If you don’t drink, you will become dehydrated. And Prabhupada said, “Oh, you want me to drink? Call the GBC.” That decision—whether Prabhupada should drink or not—was no small matter.
So, Abhirama informed the GBC, and the GBC and senior devotees came into the room. Prabhupada said, “If I want to survive, of course I’ll have to take something. But my survival means so many inconveniences. Therefore I have decided to die peacefully.”
“Everything is in the hands of Krishna,” said Tamal Krishna. And that had been the mood, coming from Srila Prabhupada: everything depended on Krishna. Many times Prabhupada had said that he would accept whatever Krishna desired. If Krishna allowed him to stay, he would stay. And if Krishna wanted him to go, he would go. Previously, a disciple had asked him, “You said that your guru maharaja left early because he was disgusted. Is that the case with you?”
“No,” Srila Prabhupada had replied. “No. If Krishna allows me to stay in your association, I will be most happy to stay in your association.”
Now, however, Srila Prabhupada opened his eyes and said, “Krishna wants me to do as I like. The choice is mine. He has given me full freedom.” This was a different mood—a completely different answer. And it gave—and gives—us a glimpse into the intimate reciprocation between Prabhupada and Krishna.
So, we all went out into the anteroom and discussed. Kirtanananda Swami’s point was most clear and lucid and intelligent. “If Krishna has given Prabhupada the choice and Prabhupada is giving us the choice,” he said, “then we should ask Prabhupada to stay.” Everyone agreed: “Yes, we should ask him to stay.” Then a devotee said, “But all the GBC men aren’t here.” And Brahmananda retorted, “Come on. What GBC is going to say that they don’t want Prabhupada to stay?” So, it was decided, unanimously. We would go back into Prabhupada’s room and tell him that we wanted him to stay; Kirtanananda Swami would be the spokesman.
When we went back into the room, Prabhupada was lying quietly on his bed. As soon as we finished offering obeisances, Kirtanananda broke down and started sobbing. He couldn’t speak. Brahmananda, sitting behind him, rubbed his back to soothe him. Then Kirtanananda managed, “Srila Prabhupada, if Krishna has given you the choice, then don’t go! We need you!” Srila Prabhupada asked, “Is this your joint opinion? Have you discussed?” “Yes, we have all met together. We want you to remain and lead the movement and finish the Srimad-Bhagavatam.”
Prabhupada was silent for what seemed like an eternity. Then he yawned and said, “All right.” Just like that. He agreed to stay in such a nonchalant way. All the devotees were jubilant. Within ourselves, we were rejoicing: “Prabhupada is going to stay! Prabhupada’s going to stay! He is not going to leave us. He is going to finish Srimad-Bhagavatam. He is going to lead the movement.”
And Prabhupada said, “This is real affection.”
So, when I read this verse from the Tenth Canto, I thought of these two incidents and put them together. In both cases, when the disciples had expressed themselves—“We want you to stay,” “We want you to get healthy”—Prabhupada had said, “This is real love,” “Just see how much they love me.” So, I think that all the disciples in this controversy were acting on the basis of their realization of their devotion for Srila Prabhupada, but I believe that what Prabhupada really was doing was drawing out our loving sentiments—beyond our just following the order. Following the order is a given; there is no question. We have to follow the order of the spiritual master. To disobey the order of the spiritual master is an offense against the holy name. It is a basic principle of spiritual life. So, we are not talking about disobeying the order of the spiritual master; we are talking about developing loving feelings for the spiritual master and expressing them to him. When Srila Prabhupada brought us to that stage in those two incidents, he commented, “This is real love,” “Just see how much they love me.”
Relating the verse from the Tenth Canto to what Srila Prabhupada did with us, there’s also a parallel between the damodara-lila and that principle of spontaneous love. Every night during the month of Damodara, we recite the Damodarastaka, including verse three:
itidrk sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde
sva-ghosam nimajjantam akhyapayantam
tadiyesita-jnesu bhaktair jitatvam
punah prematas tam satavrtti vande
“By such pastimes He is drowning the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy and revealing to those devotees who are absorbed in knowledge of His supreme majesty and opulence that He is only conquered by devotees whose pure love is imbued with intimacy and is free from all conceptions of awe and reverence. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, whose belly is bound not with ropes but with His devotee’s pure love, I offer my humble obeisances.”
The damodara-lila shows pure, spontaneous love’s special power to conquer the Lord. The Lord comes under the control of such pure love. In the same way, Srila Prabhupada—not exactly that he came under the control of our love, but I would say that he brought that love out from deep within the recesses of our hearts, and then he reciprocated with us by coming under our control, by agreeing to our requests.
So, this is a very deep pastime of Srila Prabhupada’s. Among the disciples who were around him at the end, it was understood that he was the perfect acharya—he had taught us by his own example how to live in Krishna consciousness, and now he was teaching us how to die in Krishna consciousness. That was the general idea in those months and weeks, that he was showing us how to retire to a holy place and how to be absorbed in hearing the holy names of the Lord, and how up until the end, even in his delicate condition, he was trying to push forward the mission and was translating and dictating purports to Srimad-Bhagavatam—until the very end. In that way, he was showing us how to die in Krishna consciousness. But within that final lesson he also brought us to this more intimate level of exchange where we could express to him our heart’s deepest desires even in spite of the barriers that I would say he deliberately put up. He deliberately put up the barriers, but then he inspired us to break through them to reach out to him and express our love for him and ask him to stay with us.
Even though Srila Prabhupada has now left that body, we still have that choice: Do we want him to stay with us or not? And I remember that at that time, although we had been going along in the mood that whatever Krishna wanted was all right, when we understood what really should have been in our hearts—that we wanted him to stay—we thought, “Maybe we want to be the controllers, to be the enjoyers.” So, there is always that question: Do we want the kingdom of God without God, without God’s representative, or do we want the kingdom of God with God, with His representative, as their humble servants? And so I pray to Srila Prabhupada that I will always remember this lesson and always pray and act in such a way that he will be pleased to stay with each of us individually and all of us collectively—and bind us to his lotus feet eternally.
Hare Krishna.
[“Srila Prabhupada’s Departure—Drawing Out Love”, a talk by Giriraj Swami, Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day, November 14, 2007, Mayapur]
ISKCON Tucson held its fourth Rathayatra as part of the city’s annual All Souls Procession on November 8, bringing Lord Jagannath, Lord Balarama, and Subhadra Devi to this famous Arizona gathering honoring departed loved ones. Devotees from communities across the Southwest joined the Tucson temple for the celebration. The 37th annual procession traveled through Tucson’s […]
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Channel: Bhaktivedanta Manor Media
Remembering His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada on his sacred disappearance day. 
Srila Prabhupada was the Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). At an advanced age, he travelled from India to the West and dedicated his life to spreadin …
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The two new initiates (center), together with their parents, grandparents, and well-wishers. In what may represent a historic first for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Janananda Gosvami awarded Harinama initiation to two devotees from Hamilton, New Zealand – Vrajasundari Devi Dasi and Karnamrita Das. The newly initiated devotees represent the fourth generation of […]
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