Author Archives: Admin108

Virtual Mantra Choir video, Giri Govardhan (11 min video)
A unique offering was presented to the sacred hill Giri Govardhana. Renowned UK musician and singer Jayadeva Das (John Richardson) has put together a virtual version of his Mantra Choir project…

By Rsiraja Das

The first thing to be recognized in Gaudiya-Vaishnava philosophy is that Krsna is Reality. Srimad Bhagavatam states that there is a reality which is also the Absolute Truth. That reality is, however, understood in many different ways. Indeed, Srila Prabhupada writes at the beginning of Srimad Bhagavatam that the concept of Absolute Truth and the concept of God are not on the same level. The concept of God is like the driver of a car who controls the car, but this concept does not explain how the car came into existence. The concept of Absolute Truth, on the other hand, is like the concept of car from which the car is created. The car is therefore “controlled” by the underlying abstract idea, and also produced from it. They key point is that it is not enough to know that God is the controller, but also to know how God created the world, and then to know the manner in which He exercises His control.

Mahendra das: We’re pleased to announce the release of “Joy,” Kirtan Raga’s first album of live kirtan recordings.

By Giriraj Swami On the auspicious occasion of Diwali, I share with you a description by Smriti “Baby” Warrier (later initiated as Sravana dasi), whose family were tenants at Hare Krishna Land in Juhu, of how when she was a child she and her brothers w…

Hare Krishna devotee Yashoda Dulal enjoys southern hospitality on pilgrimage
A Hare Krishna devotee is taking in New Zealand at 25km a day. Otago-born John Herbison is travelling the country on a horse and cart to mark the 50th anniversary of the Hare Krishna movement in the Western world. Travelling under his religious name, Yashoda Dulal, he left Christchurch in August, arriving in Riverton on Sunday, where he planned to stay for a few days. Herbison’s walk is one of 50 other walking pilgrimages taking place around the world this year to mark the anniversary.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/xS1tH3

Care for Cows Newsletter Memorial Edition!
By Care for Cows Dear Friends, Jai Govinda! Our November 2015 Care for Cows Newsletter has been posted. Please review it at your earliest convenience. This edition is a special memorial edition…

Srila Prabhupada departed from this world in Vrindavan dham, India, on the 14th of November 1977. One would not usually celebrate the disappearance day of a person, especially one so loved and revered as Srila Prabhupada. However, the departure of a p…

Good morning Sri Vrndavan! (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In the material world we want to minimize our activities and take rest more, but in the spiritual world, there is no rest and there is no limit of activities. Krishna is unlimited, and …

Nandgaon Karttika (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: On Monday, we went to Nandagram and visited Uddhava Kyari, Ter Kadamba, Nanda Bhavan, and Vrinda Kunda! Relish the parikrama with us through the pics of Vittalrukmini Das!
Find them here: https…

New facility for spreading the Sankirtana in Nigeria (Album with photos)
ISKCON Benin city Nigeria: By the mercy of HH Kavicandra Swami and H.H Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami our Harinam Sankirtana party has now a full air conditioning branded bus. Spec…

By Nityananda Chandra Das

Due to the extensive help from a large body of devotees here in Dallas the Govardhan Puja festival has been exceedingly grand this year. There is a video included of the cake mountain preparations. Bhaktin Brittany decided to spend the night on Saturday so that she could work the whole evening Saturday and Sunday in preparation. She is was amazing a real trooper. She has a wonderful service mood. Both my wife and her slept just for a few hours and spend both days just working hard. Last year HH Giriraj Swami attend the festival and was very much enlivened. He shared some very encouraging words, saying that, ‘Anyone who helps to put on this Govardhan Puja festival will go Back to Godhead.’ In the mood bringing joy to exalted devotees such as Giriraj Swami, everyone strived to out do the grand scene of the previous year. There were many beautiful lamps hanging from the trees!

By Nila Kamala das In continuation with Vraj Parikrama, on the 9th of November, HH Subhag Swami Maharaj took a group of 70 devotees to Badrinath. Buses departed from our Krishna Balaram Mandir after mangal arti, ensuring an auspicious start to our yatr…

November 11. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
At this time in Prabhupada’s life, he was most restricted in conducting his mission. He was forbidden from preaching to Dr. Mishra’s yoga students. He had no money of his own and was dependent on Dr. Mishra’s support. He only had about two men who were interested in visiting him in his windowless room, Robert Nelson and Harvey Cohen, but they were not able to offer much help. When the thousands of loyal, surrendered followers of Prabhupada today read of his neglected condition in 1965, they may feel frustration and wish they were present in 1965 to give him care and support. Years later when he had many followers, he once said, “I am the same person now that I was in 1965, the only difference is that now I have devotees and money.” But what a difference! We feel poignant and helpless when we read of his condition in 1965. Why weren’t we there to help him? Each devotee can ask himself or herself, “Where was I in 1965 when Prabhupada needed me?” Maybe you were too young or not even born yet, but some of us were old enough; we were just too entangled in Maya. In short, we were not ready. We have to be grateful to Prabhupada that he was patient when he had no assistance and that he persisted and endured until Krishna gave him the opportunities to spread the Movement. Reading the accounts of his situation in 1965, we simply pray, “Please stay in America, Prabhupada. Don’t give up. Help is coming. Krishna is guiding you.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490

By Sesa Dasa Our family goals – Our principle: * To serve Srila Prabhupada and the Vaisnavas: chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba (without being a devotee of a devotee, one cannot be released from material entanglement, Narottama Dasa Tha…

By Giriraj Swami

Today Brahmananda Prabhu was placed in his samadhi in Vrindavan, and all the devotees present felt their hearts melt with love for Srila Prabhupada and Brahmananda Prabhu. I sent an offering to for the occasion, which Bhurijana Prabhu kindly read out for me. One thing was certain in my mind—that I would be present for the dedication of Brahmananda Prabhu’s samadhi in Vrindavan—but as Srila Prabhupada said, “I have my plans, you have your plans, and Krishna has His plans.”

Brahmananda Prabhu left his body on the appearance day of Vakresvara Pandita, one of Lord Chaitanya’s most dear associates. A contemporary of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu named Devananda Pandita had no faith in Mahaprabhu and thus avoided Him, but fortunately, Devananda Pandita developed great faith in Vakresvara Pandita and rendered service to him. And by Vakresvara Pandita’s mercy, he developed faith in Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and ultimately achieved His shelter.

15 foot Cake Mountain – Govardhana Puja preparation at Dallas (Album with photos)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/pe1EhURead More…

Please join us in prayers for our dear Caitanya Simha das, disciple of Srila Prabhupada and friend and well-wisher to so many devotees. He started so many on their path, built temples and opened farm communities, worked on Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi and now TOVP. He is in his last hours on this planet before taking the final journey to the next great adventure. Please give him your blessings that he has a safe and blissful journey back Home to Lord Krishna’s lotus feet. Thank you, Srila Prabhupada, for saving this soul, for saving all of us. Hare Krishna!

Priyavrata das: The basic idea behind the book was to provide the philosophical foundation for starting a FFL project and providing clear guidance to the devotees. Read More…

By Abhaya Mudra Dasi

Even when living entities harbor inimical desires towards Shri Krishna, He satisfies them. Shri Krishna’s arrangement of male and female prototypes in the material world creates an illusion of genuine relations between two different energies. And through the interaction of male and female entities other bodies take birth. The material world mimics (or reflects in a perverted sense) the spiritual world wherein there is constant interaction of Shri Krishna with His innumerable liberated servants, friends, mothers, fathers and lovers. In the material world the variety of personal characteristics is limited only to two. The material world does not have the facility to satisfy the spiritual seeker who is after the unlimited variety of the spiritual world.

KK Bindu #362: Srila Prabhupada on “Observing Urjva-vrata” etc. The latest issue of Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu e-magazine was just released. It can be downloaded here: zine was just released. It can be downloaded here: https://archive.org/details/bindu362 TOPICS INCLUDE: * OBSERVING URJA-VRATA – His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada speaks about the importance of observing the month of Kartika. * TOLERATING GURU’S DISCIPLINE – An excerpt from a lecture by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja. * CONTROLLING THE URGES – A fresh translation done for this issue of Bindu of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura’s commentary on the first verse of Upadesamrta, including the verses of his poetic Bengali song. * EQUAL AND UNEQUAL EXCHANGES – A first time translation done for this issue from Srila Kavi Karnapura’s Alankara-kaustubha. To our knowledge this is the first time anything from this important book has been translated into English. * I MEDITATE ON RADHA-DAMODARA – Another fresh translation for this issue from Srila Rupa Goswami’s Stava-mala. * DAMODARA’S GREATEST LOVE – Another verse freshly translated from Srila Rupa Goswami’s Padyavali. For a free subscription or to download back issues of Bindu go to: http://www.gopaljiu.org/bindu “This chanting should go on. Instead of meetings, resolutions, dissolutions, revolutions and then no solutions, there should be chanting.” – His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, from Lilamrita, Vol.6, p.182

TOVP: Nursery Update (November 2015) (Album with photos)
Our nursery is now three years old.
Over 2,000 different items were planted on this plot of land three years ago. All these trees and plants will be used in the gardens surrounding the Temple …

November 10. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Prabhupada once remarked, years later, that now that he had thousands of disciples he had many headaches, whereas in the beginning when he was alone with Krishna he was happy depending only on the Lord. This was an unusual statement because Prabhupada usually expressed that he was more enthusiastic and hopeful with more men and money. Nevertheless, he made the remark. He was not disturbed or in anxiety being alone in the jungle (New York City) with scarce apparent hopes of starting his mission. He maintained the six symptoms of surrender through saranagati: (1) Humility – (2) dedication of the self – (3) acceptance of the Lord as one’s only master – (4) the consciousness that “Krishna will surely protect me” – (5) execution of only those acts favorable to pure devotion – and (6) renunciation of conduct averse to pure devotion. And thus he was steady and peaceful in his outwardly unstable situation. He was driven by his mission and would be active in pursuing the path to carrying it out, but he would not be unduly worried when immediate results did not appear. Everything was in Krishna’s hands and Prabhupada was His surrendered instrument.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490

Govardhan Hill Through The Lens (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Ananta Vrindavan’s much-appreciated photography of sacred Govardhana Hill. Our parikramas around Giriraja this Kartika are life changing.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/x59gx8

Winter has finally arrived in Mayapur. (Album with photos)
Along with the change of seasons the month of Kartika has begun, bringing the blessings and mercy of Lord Damodar. Work on the TOVP steadily continues, bringing newer and newer developments a…

Probably one of the best Govardhan Hill replicas ever made!
With the much hard work of Mother Krishna Mangala and Nityananda Chandra Prabhus and all their helpers at Kalachandji’s Hare Krishna Temple in Dallas! Happy Govardhan Puja!

Harikripa in Arequipa, Peru (Album with photos)
After more than 10 years the mercy of Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra once again descends to the streets of Arequipa.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/zyOJ9lRead More…

Prabhupada Katha by Hari Sauri Prabhu (1 hr video)
In November of 1975 Hari Sauri Prabhu joined A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada’s personal entourage, remaining as His Divine Grace’s servant for 16 months.
In 1986, he began the work of transforming the diary he kept while traveling with Srila Prabhupada into a book, or rather a series of books.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/MgWk76

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Similarly, previously the Vedic knowledge was coming by hearing. There was no need of books. But when this age, Kali-yuga, began five thousand years ago, the Vedic scriptures were recorded. First…

By Lokanath Swami Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was always absorbed in thoughts of Sri Vrindavan, often enquiring in a deep devotional mood, “Where is Vrindavan?” On several occasions, His devotees, fearing separation from Him, diverted, discouraged, or dissuad…

By Anuttama das

The wisdom traditions of the world teach that God is the all powerful source of existence. The teachings of bhakti or Krishna consciousness give us greater insight into the personality of that all powerful Lord. One aspect we explore this Sunday is that Krishna is unconquerable yet he agrees to be conquered by the love of his devotee.

TOVP fund-raising program in Delhi (Album with photos)
Gopal Krishna Swami, Ambarisha and Yasomatinanda Prabhus and many other devotees from Iskcon Delhi arranged for a very well attended event by local respected members of the congregation in order to advance Srila Prabhupada’s desire for a Vedic Planetarium in Mayapur.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/TQ6bmz

Busy week at Mayapur Academy (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet [SB 12.3.51] Simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, one becomes free from the bondage of material existence and thus becomes eligi…

Mellacheruvu Opens New Vistas of Preaching.
9th Day of Sri Govind Gau Gram PracharYatra
Vrndavanlila Devidasi: Sri GovindGau Gram PracharYatra entered into its 9th successive day of out-reach preaching into the villages on November 2, 2015. On the …

New Vrindaban – 24 Hour Kirtan (Kartik 2015) (Album with 135 photos)
New Vrindaban – 24 Hour Kirtan, Palace of Gold & also a few pictures of unseen Old Vrindaban.
Photography Courtesy: Arjun Bhattacharyya
Find them here: https://goo.gl/iZuV0c

November 9. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
While Prabhupada sat alone in his fifth floor room in Dr. Mishra’s yoga studio, the lights suddenly went out. This was his experience of the first moments of the New York City blackout of 1965. In India, power failure occurred commonly, so Prabhupada, while surprised to find the same thing happening in America, remained undisturbed. He began chanting the Hare Krishna mantra on his beads; meanwhile, outside his room, the entire New York metropolitan area had been plunged into darkness. The massive power failure had suddenly left the entire City without electricity, trapping 800,000 people in the subways and affecting more than 30,000,000 people in nine states and three Canadian provinces.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490

By Shyamasundar das

Writing “Chasing Rhinos With The Swami” was a labor of intense love. Not that it started out that way. I thought I could knock out seven years of memories in about six weeks, ten at the most. But then Srila Prabhupad came into my life again, called me to his room, made me laugh, began those fun, intense conversations—and soon he accompanied my every waking moment. Even in dreams he came, and I put pad and pen by my bed to scratch in the half-light a memory he had sparked in the ten-minute span between sleep and awake, hoping I could decipher it later. I would rush to the computer, and the day would fly by; often I’d look out the window—What? It’s already dark outside!

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Bhumi puja at ISKCON’s Puri Project.
Basu Ghosh Das: ISKCON is about to begin a grand construction project at holy Jagannath Puri, on 18 acres of land at Sipasirubuli, located near the Sea Beach on the Southwest side of the town. Project Director and Temple President Vanamali Prabhu wishes to invite all ISKCON devotees to attend the function, that will take place on the morning of Sunday, November 29, 2015, starting at 7:00 AM, corresponding to Margashira Krishna Chaturti. Sriman Krishna Chaitanya Das of the Bhaktivedanta Academy (Mayapur Gurukula), and a group of students will perform the bhumi puja – worship of the earth – rituals and installation of Ananta Shesh on the site of the proposed temple on the ISKCON Puri property. ISKCON sannyasis Jayapataka Swami, Lokanath Swami, Bhakti Purushottam Swami, Bhakti Gaurav Narayan Swami, Bhakti Ashray Vaishnav Swami, and Gauranga Prem Swami are expected to attend. Senior ISKCON devotees, members of the Puri Project Committee, Bhaktarupa Das, Project Chairman Devakinandan Das, Vice Chairman Braja Hari Das, Gaur Nitai Das, and Secretary Basu Ghosh Das are all expected to be present at the function. The function will be held towards the conclusion of the annual Sri Kshetra Parikrama organized by Bhakti Purushottam Swami. More than eight thousand devotees gather annually at Puri for the Parikrama. It has been organized for several years now and is usually a grand success. Mahaprasad will be distributed to all after the function. The Puri project on this large plot of land will consist of a traditional stone temple of Radha Krishna, three guest houses, auditoriums, library, ayurvedic hospital, theistic exhibition, and a five hundred unit “bhakta nivas” (residential accommodation for devotees), that will be made available to ISKCON devotees from all over the world. For more information on the project, contact Vanamali Prabhu via e-mail: or All are welcome to attend the function. Jaya Jagannath! Jaya Baladev! Jaya Subhadra!

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The “jewels” of Jaipur as you’ve never seen them before! (12 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: The city of Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Jai Singh II to protect Sri Sri Radha Govinda, the beloved Deities of Srila Rupa Goswami, from foreign invaders. From that time on, down to the present day, Radha Govinda have been worshipped with great love and devotion by the citizens of Jaipur. The Pink City, as it is also known, is home to other Vrindavan Deities as well, namely; Radha Gopinath, Radha Damodar and Radha Vinode. Each day, from early morning until sunset, we spent our time going from one temple to another begging for mercy. It was a rare opportunity to seek blessings, as well as to delve into the history and culture of our Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/N3rZ3I

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By Damodara Nityananda Dasa Sayyed Martuza (1590-1662), a Muslim fakir born in the Murshidabad district of Bengal, wrote poems adoring Krishna. The style of his composition is simple and rhythmic. Here is his Bengali poem that was compiled in Pada-kalp…