Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Bhakti Caru tells a story of how Srila Prabhupada was challenged with a question, “Why are you building new temples when so many old temples need renovation?”. The answer reveals why Srila Prabhupada has built so many temples, and especially the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium in Mayapur. (11 min video)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/uke698
Dino Gordillo (Comedian) and DJ Mendez (singer), both famous in Chile, receiving On they way to Krishna of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Read more ›
Hare Krishna! BBT Once Again Selling Srila Prabhupada’s “Original Edition” MacMillan Bhagavad-gita As It Is
Great news has just come from Srila Prabhupada’s BBT in Los Angeles. Due to so much popular demand, the BBT-I has made available for purchase 4000 copies of the “Original Edition” Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972 MacMillan) for mass and individual distribution. The Los Angeles BBT has purchased these original Gitas from BBT-India, who just finished printing 100,000 copies for distribution and is performing this valuable service for Srila Prabhupada and for the deliverance of the conditioned souls of Kali Yuga. Every penny of the purchase price stays within Srila Prabhupada’s BBT.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15528
Parikrama in Raval – Gokula (Album 60 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Krishna, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. (Sri-… Read more ›
His Grace Praghosa Das (9 min video)
Praghosa prabhu speaks on the Disappearance Day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur about the Thakura’s predictions and how “impossible” is not a word in a Vaishnava’s dictionary.
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/I7T21p
TOVP Presentation and Tour by Sadbhuja das (Album 56 photos)
See them here: http://goo.gl/k54DP8 Read more ›
Hare Krishna! Second day of GBC AGM focuses on Disciples Course, Child Protection and Healthcare Services in Mayapur
11th February 2015: After four days of Strategic Planning Network meetings, the GBC Body reconvened today beginning with a presentation… Read more ›
The Temple of Vedic Planetarium in Mayapur during the 2015 presentation to the GBC (Album 23 photos)
See them here: http://goo.gl/cp2HLU Read more ›
Preaching in Ram Chandra Govardhan School (Album 12 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna, one can be freed from all undesirable habits. This is the means of awakening all good fortune and initiating the flow of wav… Read more ›
Meet TOVP Seva Office Designer, Sri Radha Vallabha Das
The TOVP Team would like to recognize the wonderful service of Sri Radha Vallabha Das who is responsible for the interior design work of the new TOVP Seva Office in Mayapur.
Read the entire article… Read more ›
Hare Krishna! From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir: HG Vaisesika Das
There is a way in which to perform tapasya in order to control the senses. It is a kind of combat between the practitioner and the desires and emotions within. But after all, we are se… Read more ›
Laughing is a Vaisnava Activity! (Album 8 photos)
Beautiful photos of Srila Prabhupada laughing!
See them here: http://goo.gl/nKLCCt Read more ›
Old photos from the San Francisco temple room (Album 72 photos)
Include also the initiation of Visnujana Maharaja and Tamal Krsna Goswami!
See them here: http://goo.gl/tp3LMd Read more ›
2015-02-08 Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 06 04 01 04 by HH Bhanu Swami at ISKCON Mayapur https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2AGgJlL8_A
Parikrama in Radhakunda, Vrindavana (Album 164 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The soul already has a spiritual body, which the material body covers. My material body grows upon me – my spiritual body – but my material body is unnatural. The real body is spi… Read more ›
A visit to Mayapur (Album 24 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If Krishna does not supply you this light, sunlight, you will die. But he does not charge anything. But because you are human being, you should try to repay: “Oh, Krishna is giving us so much facilities. Let me render some service unto him.” This is Krishna Consciousness. This is to acknowledge, “Oh God, You are so kind. You are giving so many things. So I have collected this fruit. It is Your fruit, I know. Still, please accept.” Columbus, May 9, 1969.
See them here: http://goo.gl/CkIYfC
Hare Krishna! Where Is Our Education Leading Us?
Srila Prabhupada would say that this miraculously transformed educational system would still be a grand failure. Why? Because it would still be built on ignorance, on mistaking the body for the self, and on making the gratification of our bodily demands—the needs for eating, sleeping, mating, and defense—the central focus of our life. The animals know of no higher purposes in life than to eat, to sleep, to defend themselves, and to have sex. Of course, as human beings we share these same needs. But human life is meant for a higher purpose.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15511
A tribute to Kayla Mueller
Kayla volunteered at Food for Life Vrindavan in 2010. She had a heart of gold. She volunteered for more then 6 months. At the beginning she was giving English classes and then the Kindergarten kids stolen her heart. She was very simple and humble. She loved the kids, without the “fear” that many foreigners have. She made many friendships with the parents of the children, use to visit them in the slum, even eat with them.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/vR8VVG
Hare Krishna! The Bhagavat Dharma Experience: Prabhupada’s Second Visit to New Vrindaban
Prabhupada wrote to his disciples elsewhere in the world expressing his appreciation of the festival. “The Bhagavata Dharma discourses here in New Vrindaban are going on very nicely, and daily several hundred devotees and guests are coming to hear, and it is truly a wonderful time,” he wrote to Radha Damodar Das. And to Brahmananda, he wrote, “Now go on holding [these] Bhagavata Dharma discourses in every city of the world.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15507
Flower Festival – A Festival of Unity in Diversity
On Januray 31st, 2015 the annual Flower Festival was celebrated at Radha Gopinath Temple in Mumbai. First an enthusiastic team of hundreds of volunteers plucked petals from 2000 pounds of flowers including white and yellow chamomile, orange and coppery marigold, yellow and white chrysanthemum, pink and red roses, jasminum molle and jasmine. The petals were then showered upon the deities of Radha and Krishna in the temple as everyone sang melodious kirtan. Finally when the same petals were showered upon the assembled devotees and guests, the ambience pulsated with colours, fragrances, and most of all – spiritual delirium.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/KLZYmG
Famous american singer Prince presented himself dressed like a Hare Krishna devotee, or almost, wearing saffron color clothes and carrying chanting beads, during the popular Grammy Awards event in Los Angeles, at least according to this website: http:/… Read more ›
Thaipusam Book Marathon 2015 (Album 98 photos)
Sri Jagannatha Mandir,ISKCON Malaysia HQ
See them here: http://goo.gl/5sksK9 Read more ›
Hare Krishna! Mayapur Sanga of ISKCON Sannyasis, Gurus and GBCs – Day Two
The discussions were dynamic and pertinent, and then the participants broke for lunch. After lunch, the participants stood before a large banner on the wall with an important excerpt from a letter from Srila Prabhupada: “This is called unity in diversity. I am therefore suggesting that all our men meet in Mayapur every year during the birth anniversary of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. With all GBC and senior men present we should discuss how to make unity in diversity. But, if we fight on account of diversity, then it is simply the material platform. Please try to maintain the philosophy of unity in diversity. That will make our movement successful.” Giriraja Swami, Radhanath Swami, and Anuttama Prabhu were invited, one after another, to read the excerpt aloud, and time was given for everyone to meditate on Srila Prabhupada’s words.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15493
Iskcon leaders meet in Mayapur for the 2nd day (Album 58 photos)
On day one participants explored ISKCON’s past, examining the trends in and influences on ISKCON, both internal and external. Following from that, on the second day participants began to look at ISKCON’s present. The meeting’s facilitator’s started with a question: How well do the four groups in the room (the GBC members, the sannyasis, the gurus, and the BBT trustees) address the trends in ISKCON. They were asked to list their perception of the strengths and weaknesses of each of the four groups of devotees.
See them here: http://goo.gl/JtMwFA
Hare Krishna! All the way from Finland – to do Harinama in London!
This week we were joined by two enthusiastic devotees, Nrtya Gita Dasi and Bhaktin Jaana, who had taken the time to travel all the way from Finland to London, especially to take part in… Read more ›
Hare Krishna Melbourne: Faces of the St Kilda Festival (Album 36 photos)
Happy faces at a happy event!
See them here: http://goo.gl/EV0D62 Read more ›
Hare Krishna! “Elementary, my dear Watson, elementary…”
Admiration for the astounding abilities of Sherlock Holmes is certainly not misplaced. The methods he and his contemporary scientific counterparts use for acquiring knowledge—observation and reasoning—are universal and necessary, and even the Vedic literature of ancient India recognizes them as valid for certain purposes. Nevertheless, they are not sufficient. Because they are imperfect processes, subject to limited certainty and scope, they should not be independently relied upon.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15484
Hare Krishna! Hold on!
I analyzed my work through the lens of Krishna consciousness and found it degrading and contrary to Krishna consciousness. I work for a retail company where I create propositions that entice people to buy more and more. I started feeling that any kind of work is equivalent to contributing to maya’s trap of increasing material desires. “I’m on the path of Krishna consciousness to escape the influence of maya, but I’m busy creating material allurements for others.” That thought disturbed me constantly.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15481
Hare Krishna! We need to go back to Dwarka. This is why
Could Dwarka really be the most ancient civilization in human history?
=> Was there or was there not a government cover-up?
=> Did Dwarka truly possess ahead-of-its-time technology?
=> What other ancient scriptures offer clues to the truth about Dwarka?
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15478
Hare Krishna! NOW STARTING–Distance Learning Hospice Course
REGISTRATION is NOW OPEN for the Vaishnavas C.A.R.E. Distance Learning Hospice Course where you can learn “The Art of Caring for a Terminally ill Loved One” in the quiet and comfort of your own home.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15474
Appearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati in Mayapur.
Today, 9th February, 2015, ISKCON Mayapur celebrated the auspicious appearance day of His Divine Grace (HDG) A.C. Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, the spiritual master of HDG A. C. Bhaktiv… Read more ›
Hare Krishna! Dhotis, fur hats, burkas and other items of cultural baggage
By Kripamoya Dasa
Some things must, unavoidably, be jettisoned as excess baggage and some things adapted if the distinct religious community is to survive. Yet it would seem that some things – essential aspects of the theology, for instance – must be carefully protected if the religion is to continue to exist at all. Full cultural assimilation may completely swallow up a unique religious tradition causing it to disappear, along with any contribution it offered. The questions confronting religions today, spread as they are around the globe yet wishing to preserve themselves, is which aspects can be sacrificed and which carefully guarded?
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15468
Hare Krishna! From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir: HG Hari Vilas Prabhu
In France we were very poor also. So Prabhupada wanted us to open a temple. So somehow or other by a miracle we opened a temple. And we invited him to come. So first he went to Moscow from India and then from Moscow he came to Paris. The day before he came I was in deep, deep anxiety. We didn’t have any money, we couldn’t buy flowers, we couldn’t buy bhoga, we didn’t have a car, we couldn’t even rent a taxi. That night I could hardly sleep. I woke up very early in the morning, went down to the temple room, I started chanting. I was thinking what are we going to do? We are going to hitchhike to the airport, but we can’t hitchhike back with Prabhupada! Now this is a true story. I am not making anything up, I am not elaborating it or… . While chanting I noticed there was a brown bag in the temple room. It was a brown paper bag. So I picked it up, I looked inside it was full of money. More money than I had ever seen in my life! So immediately I put it under my arm and covered it with a chadar. (claps) and I started to sweat thinking what will I do if someone comes looking for the bag? (laughter) So I just started chanting, we had mangala arati. It wasn’t really a temple room, it was a room with a very small little altar, with small picture of Panca tattva and few pictures of the parampara. By 11 o’clock in the morning no one had asked me for the bag. We had to pick up Prabhupada at 1 o’clock in the afternoon. So I accepted this as Krishna’s mercy. I gave people money to buy flowers, to buy bhoga, we got a taxi, and we went to the airport.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15465
Hare Krishna! Radhanath Swami Attends Reception for Barack Obama at the Invitation of the President of India
Last month President Barack Obama took in a regal display of Indian military hardware, marching bands and elaborately dressed camels, becoming the first American leader to be honored as chief guest at India’s 66th annual Republic Day festivities at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In honor of the visit by the U.S. President and First Lady, the President of India, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, hosted an “At Home” reception at his residence Rashtrapati Bhavan wherein many distinguished guest attended, among them Radhanath Swami.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15462
Iskcon leaders meet in Mayapur to plan how to spread Lord Chaitanya’s Sankirtan movement (Album 152 photos)
See them here: http://goo.gl/V5RiCZ
February 2015 Newsletter of the New Govardhana Community
Last month one of our sponsors came to visit “his cow”, along with his family. After their brief visit he asked if he could sponsor another two cows. Of course I said yes. He then said that he would like to sponsor all of our cows. Knowing the number of cows, bulls, and calves we have here at New Govardhana, I didn’t take his comments too seriously. As we have 80 or so cows here at New Govardhana, i thought that he couldn’t possibly sponsor them all. As he and his family were about to leave, I said to him, “by the way, we have 80 cows here”. He thought for a moment, and with a very earnest, yet sweet smile, he said, “yes, I want to sponsor them all”. Cow protection, ki jaya!
Read it here: http://goo.gl/Zx1vbQ
Hare Krishna! Marriage is an ashram. It is important to make it successful
This next coming Sunday 15th of February in Sridhama Mayapur, His Grace Mahatma prabhu (ACBSP) will be conducting a seminar about relationships. “Sacred Union”, the title of his presentation gives us a hint of the importance of marriage in our spiritual life. This is what he says about his seminar: “A good marriage is not an accident. You need to learn how to make it work. Do we need a workshop to help our marriages? If you are married, if you plan to marry, or even if you don’t plan to marry but will be instructing married couples, the answer is a resounding yes. Married life is an asrama and Prabhupada wanted us to make it successful. To be successful in your service and sadhana and not in your asrama is a paradox.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15454
Unity in Diversity (1 min video)
Radhanath Swami, GBC member for centers in Italy and India, and serving on the SPN committee for Devotee Care, speaks his appreciation of the dynamic example of Unity in Diversity the SPN exemplifies – so many devotees from diverse backgrounds serving together for the unity of ISKCON’s mission.
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/SUIv8f
GBC Team Building (2 min video)
Praghosa Prabhu, a GBC member for the UK, Ireland, and parts of Northern Europe, and also serving on the SPN committees GBC Team Building and Organizational Development, speaks on the challenging but rewarding work of bu… Read more ›
Spiritual Inspiration & Strategic Planning (2 min video)
Badrinarayan Swami, whom we introduced in previous posts, speaks on the exciting deliverables coming out of the strategic planning work, the latest being the leadership training college, a legacy for ISKCON’s future.
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/uLnyjy