Author Archives: Dandavats

By Badrinarayan Swami Hare Krishna. Many devotees and friends are asking how they can help the devotees caught in the middle of the deadly and devastating fighting in Ukraine.
ISKCON has over 3,000 initiated devotees in the country, over a dozen te…

By Vijaya Dasa In Ukraine, there is usually nice book distribution. There are fifty-four centers and thousands of devotees, many of whom came because of getting books. Maybe some determined devotees are distributing in places where there’s no invasion…

By Sankirtana Das Sanctimony is not necessarily reserved for the righteous. It’s a condition that could affect anyone: the right wing, left wing, atheists, and even “the sinful.” It means “making a show of being morally superior to others.” We all fal…

By the GBC EC The devotees wake up to a changed reality — tanks rolling through the streets in some places, explosions in their neighborhoods in others, and the sound of gunshots in the distance. While the tendency for a living entity in such a situa…

By Dhira Gaura Das Shri Mohan Bhagwat, the head of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) one of the most renowned and influential personalities of India, stayed in ISKCON Ujjain campus for 3 days from 19th February to 21st February. RSS organized thei…

By Mayapur Sasi dasa For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of January 2022. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 I…

By the GBCRESOLVED: The GBC hereby states their commitment to increase the number of diksa-gurus in ISKCON by systematically and promptly increasing the number of diksa-gurus before we lose the present gurus. The GBC also accepts the principle that the…

By Indradyumna Swami Though we are visiting remote areas of Orissa to document ancient temples, we couldn’t resist a pilgrimage to Jagannatha Puri. We spent the day visiting numerous sacred temples and places associated with the pastimes of Lord Caita…

By Dhirasanta dasa Goswami I asked for Strength…and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for Wisdom… and God gave me problems to solve.
Read More…

By Krishna dharma das “One should learn how to associate with the devotees of the Lord by gathering with them to chant the glories of the Lord. This process is most purifying. As devotees thus develop their loving friendship, they feel mutual happines…

By Bhakti-lata Dasi From time to time I send books to inmates who haven’t contacted us. I never had a response but I still try once in a while. Back in February 2018, I saw a documentary entitled Death Row: Inside Indiana State Prison. One inmate, in…

By Vijaya DasaWow! So many outstanding scores from the Prabhupada Marathon in December. Pune was on fire. Under the able guidance of Radhe Shyama Prabhu, Pune was the No. 1 temple in the world, with 856,826 book points. It was a close competition with …

By Vishakha Devi DasiIf I truly want to be satisfied, and thus stress-free, I need to truly understand who “I” am. Stress, according to The World Health Organization, is the “health epidemic of the 21st century.” Demanding circumstances make us tense m…

By the GBC As taught by Srila Prabhupada, the etiquette of not initiating in the presence of one’s diksa-guru will be upheld in ISKCON. However historical precedents also teach us that disciples may sometimes, in exceptional cases, initiate in the phys…

By Ananda Tirtha dasThe 2021 GBC Resolutions have finally been released. Due to the global pandemic, it was not possible for the GBC Body to conduct in-person meetings and therefore the AGM 2021 was conducted online. Similarly, the 2022 AGM will also b…

By Mayapur Sasi dasa For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of December 2021. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 …

By Sankirtana Das Prabhupada wrote and spoke millions and millions of words that are now accessible to anyone and everyone. Sometimes devotees quote a sentence or two from Prabhupada but don’t necessarily look to examine the context of what is being ex…

By Shyamasundar Das Well, this was Prabhupada’s, Bhaktivedanta Swami’s formula for action. He always said… If you’ve ever read Bhagavad-gita, on the battlefield where Arjuna is asking Krishna, the Supreme Person, “What should I do?” Krishna gives him…

Srutadeva das: But now, even though I am a temple president, I feel weaker than ever before. Maya seems to be attacking me very fiercely. At times I feel very discouraged and feel like leaving. Although I have attained a certain position in the Soci…

Garuda Das Kavirāja is Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Christopher Newport University, Virginia and Director of Studies in Religion. He is also Distinguished Research and Teaching Faculty at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley. He lectures…

By the GBC EC It seems that this horrible Covid disease is attacking quite a number of our devotees again. We sincerely hope you are all taking precautions to prevent falling ill. There is the old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cur…

By Satsvarupa das Goswami Etymologically analyzed, nara means of Narayana or the Lord (Krsna), and da means deliverer. Narada is the deliverer of the Lord and the Lord’s message. Of course there are countless preachers, gurus, evangelists, mendicants …

By Vijaya DasThe No. 1 book distributor is Bhakti Prema Swami from Ujjain, who did an astounding 11,154 book points, by selling many Bhagavatam sets. Not far behind is Mahotsaha Prabhu, who did 10,444 book points by selling Sapta Rishi sets (seven boo…

By Editorial Staff December 22, 2021—The Governing Body Commission (GBC) of ISKCON today passed a resolution amending a 2019 law affirming that qualified Vaisnavis, or women devotees, may under certain conditions, initiate disciples (give diksa) withi…

By Mayapur Sasi dasa For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of November 2021. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 …

By Aditya Varna Devi Dasi Once in India Srila Prabhupada said to you “Yamuna you will become as famous as the river Yamuna.” In the mood of a pilgrim at the banks of a sacred river offering drops back to the river in the hope of receiving its blessing…

By Sankirtana DasThe Hindus who visit our Krishna temples perceive ISKCON as an orthodox movement, appreciating the traditional temple service and how beautifully the altars are maintained. Many of our western friends might appreciate the Krishna movem…

Giriraj Swami: Today is Odana-sasthi, the date on which Lord Jagannatha is given a winter shawl. One year, when Lord Chaitanya and His associates celebrated this festival in Puri, Pundarika Vidyanidhi, who is Vrsabhanu Maharaja, Srimati Radharani’s fa…

By Atma Tattva dasa Bhattacarya: ‘Swamiji, I want to tell you something. In Vrindavan temple, they are having your deity on the altar. And all kinds of people are coming and praying to it, and offering flowers to it, and you are still living. According…

By Jaganmohini Devi Dasi(On December 9th, 2021 (Odan Shasti), disciples and servants of H.H. Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami will be celebrating his 84th vyasa all over the world. On this occasion we are pleased to share below excerpts from his lecture’s …

By Goloka Devi Dasi Having been appointed just a matter of weeks ago, one of the first meetings the new Ambassador for Ireland, Mr. Akhilesh Mishra, wanted to arrange was with ISKCON! A very nice, knowledgeable and humble man we spent about 40 minutes …

By Badrinarayan Swami, Arcita and Dravida Prabhus Yesterday, December 2nd, at about 5:30 am California time, during the auspicious Brahma Muhurta period, His Grace Sura Prabhu, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada and long-time servant of the Bhaktivedanta B…

By Mayapur Sasi dasaWhoa, this is huge! ISKCON Silicon Valley did 130,018 book points in October, way ahead of any other temple. What’s going on there? Vaisesika Prabhu is spreading the word that Srila Prabhupada likes it when his books are distributed…

By Aseem Krsna DasHere is an exceptional devotee of the Lord, who is committed to improving the deplorable conditions of the prisoners within the jails with the brilliant lamp of Krishna consciousness. The prison house is a place meant for reformation …

By Amanda LuciaUnlike other versions of Hinduism that gurus have presented to Americans, ISKCON is unique in that it has never attempted to universalise or dilute Hindu beliefs and practices in order to fit into local American customs. In fact, ISKCON …

By The GBC Strategic Planning Team On Srila Prabhupada Disappearance Day festival , here are some lesser-known facts related to ISKCON Founder acharya Srila Prabhupada by Vaisesika Prabhu. GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) is pleased to invite you to t…

By Mayapur Sasi dasaFor the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of October 2021. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Ind…

By Syamasundara Das In Jennifer Mishler’s article she mentions ‘environmental harms of animal agriculture, often left out of climate change discussions—and most importantly—not addressed in climate policy or action.’ At first glance we might think yes,…