By Acarya Dasa Koramangala is a small preaching center. In big temple celebrations usually we do not get any seva -we have to be mostly guests- so this time we were delighted to get the opportunity to serve.. Expecting a huge number of people, the devo…
Author Archives: Dandavats
All India Padayatra In Koramangala
Pran Pratistha Mahotsav – Bhoomi Poojan – ISKCON Kathwada
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Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundar Gaudham, is a well known Vaishnav temple of Lord Krishna and Radharani in the form of Radha Shyamsundar, and a spiritual-cultural campus in Ahmedabad, India.Read More…
Brilliant As The Sun: A Dramatic Rendering Of Srimad Bhagavatam
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Krishna Dharma: I and my good wife Cintamani-dhama have embarked upon a retelling of the Srimad Bhagavatam, entitled ‘Brilliant as the Sun’, attempting to dramatize and simplify the text to the best of our limited ability.
My Place of Worship
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By ISKCON Mayapur
The opulent outfits offered to the Deities are all designed, stitched, and embroidered by a team of 28 local devotees who work year-round to create the Lord’s beautiful clothing. Resident devotees also hand make most of the jewelry worn by the Mayapur Deities. Approximately 35 devotees are engaged in caring for the Deities’ paraphernalia rooms and paraphernalia. These devotees clean, polish, organize, and in other ways ensure that the Lord’s belongings are maintained nicely.
Telangana Padayatra Still Going Strong
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By Visnuswami Dasa Community members are providing accommodations for devotees and supplying grass for the oxen, contrary to my expectations. I thought that getting accommodations and grass would have been difficult in the cities but by Caitanya MahaPr…
Krishna Consciousness: The Golden Opportunity
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By Satyaraja Dasa In general, people like gold. It represents wealth and success. A golden age refers to an era of goodness and plenty, acknowledged in Greek, Roman, and Indian cultures. If you have everything, you were born with a golden spoon in your…
Sruti Dharma Das Begins His Fight Against Cancer
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By Gauri das
Over the next weeks and months, Sruti Dharma will undergo both radiotherapy and chemotherapy supported by a host of holistic treatments. He has a superb team of health care professionals who are evaluating further treatments available outside of the UK. During this time of treatment he requires to rest and recuperate. He is at home with family and still very much keeping up with temple matters and the construction plans for the Shree Krishna Haveli community facility. The family is grateful for the unprecedented support from the community, and they remain optimistic. We ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy at this time.
Confessions of a Prasadam Addict: Every devotee is a potential maha thief
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By Taru Das You see, the horrible truth to the matter is that every devotee is a potential maha thief. It is hard to trust anyone, save and except the self-realized souls, to be alone in the same room with maha prasadam. That is why the maha cabinet is…
South Africa Padayatra
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Kishore Badal, chairman of the Hindu Coordinating Council (HCC) of Gauteng , South Africa, forwarded an invitation to ISKCON to participate in their 26th Shivratri Walk. Various temples in Johannesburg were also invited to participate in the…
One Day A Knife Pulled To Your Neck And The Next One Being Garlanded!
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By Acarya Dasa
I tried to explain to him that we were not promoting any sectarian religion, we are just servants of the Lord and we don’t believe in any caste system either. But he turned a deaf ear and on top of that he raised his voice and called 10 to 12 young boys from somewhere. All of them started yelling at us, “Go away! Leave this place!” They were about to beat us so we moved towards the hotel where we were staying. Somehow the hotel owner got news of the incident. Within no time these boys reached the hotel by following us. The owner got scared that a riot might break out, and asked us to vacate the place immediately. We were faced to answer this big question: Where to take shelter in this terribly cold night?
Not Just For Distribution: The Importance of Reading Prabhupada’s Books
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By BBT Marketing, Communications and Innovations Department
Since 2012, when ISKCON North America’s leaders unanimously agreed to work as one book distribution team with a collective goal, sales of Srila Prabhupada’s books have seen a dramatic increase. Remittance to the BBT grew 20% in 2012 and 2013, and 10% each year after that, from $700,000 in 2012 to around $2.1 million in 2016. The 2017 marathon was yet another major success, with nearly $2 million again remitted to the BBT in North America. In the U.S. and worldwide, devotees worked closely together, implementing ingenious strategies like Motel Gita, Monthly Sankirtana Festivals, and full set sales with the Go Matsya project.
BBT Only Day Message
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By the BBT
Faithful followers of the BBT have adopted March 14th as “BBT Only Day” in recognition of a significant instruction Srila Prabhupada issued to all temples and members of the Society on March 14th 1974 in the included letter. As is evident from this letter: Srila Prabhupada was concerned that devotees (“centres”) producing his books independently was undermining and potentially threatening the viability of the BBT. ? “This must not go on” illustrates an unambiguous desire on his part to stop any printing of his books separate from the BBT. He stresses that he created the BBT specifically to be the exclusive medium by which his books, lectures, and so on, are to be published and made available.
Nashik Dhama Yatra
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By Chandan Yatra Das Nashik is one of the most principal places in the lila of Sri Sri Sita Ram Laxmana. It is here that Laxmana cut the nose of Surpanakha, the sister of demon Ravana. Nashik means “nose”, and thus this city got its name. In Nashik at …
The Holy Name is the Incarnation of God for the Age of Kali-Yuga
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By Sri Nandanandana dasa As we associate or practice the chanting of this maha-mantra, it will purify us from our bad habits, addictions, and negative thought patterns, and help us rise above the more debased tendencies that we may have. It will help u…
Stephen Hawking’s computer just broke down…
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Nirmala Krishna Das: Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demonic and atheistic views. In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive activities, and their culture of knowledge are all defeated.Read More…
Peter Cosgrove Australian Governor General Visits Iskcon New Delhi
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By Bhaktisiddanta Swami Peter Cosgrove: Governor General, Lieutennat General, Chief of Army, Commander, Royal Australian Regiment. Due to the arrival of the Australian royalty in an entourage of 4 cars and a Mercedes limo, the main thorough fare …
Schools in South London get Lord Chaitanya’s mercy
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By Today, before a break until mid April, we went to 2 primary schools. In Norwood, London, we were again invited to a Church of England school after a visit last week – this time to address their Year 4 children.Read More…
New issue of ISKCON Ministry of Education’s quarterly journal, Viplavah
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By Mitra Devi Dasi
Please find enclosed the third issue of ISKCON Ministry of Education’s quarterly journal, Viplavah. We hope this edition will be useful and interesting to you in many ways. We look forward to being in touch with you. Please let us know if you would like to participate in educational projects facilitated by the ministry or would like to collaborate with the ministry for educational initiatives in your area.
Why Krsna left?
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By Bhurijan Das Krsna’s heart is softer than – fresh butter. Therefore: I personally sustain such devotees, who for My sake give up all worldly duties. When we hear this, we think it does not refer to me, I am keeping something behind my back for mys…
Governor General of Australia Visits ISKCON New Delhi
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By Vrajendranandan Das “And who are those exuberant people singing and dancing”? His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter John Cosgrove, Principal Knight and Chancellor of the Order of Australia, Military Cross, enquired about the more than 100 …
Ravanari Das ACBSP left his body
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Hrimati Mataji: It is with a heavy heart to give the news that our dear godbrother Ravanari Das has left his body March 1, 2018, in Ottawa, Canada.Read More…
What to ask Mahajan Yamaraja for
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Caturatma das: Yamarāja is one of the twelve Mahājanas. These are the personalities that give us our understanding and our standards in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. We can greatly benefit from that. Now for the non-devotee, for those not interested in their s…
Ideal Family Life
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Institute for Spiritual Culture conducted their annual program expounding upon the virtues of ideal family lifeRead More…
Higher Taste given to children in 3 schools in South London
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On Friday we were in primary and secondary schools in Norwood, Clapham and Sanderstead, South London and made presentations about Sanatana Dharma. The children chanted the Hare Krishna mahamantra very nicely. A total of 175 Higher Taste were distribut…
Disappearance day of our most beloved HH Sridhar Swami
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By Niranjana and Jayapataka Swamis He said, “Oh, my Lord. The destined time for my life span in this world is now exhausted. Now it is time to depart from this world and go on to my next destination. Who is anyone’s son? Who is anyone’s father? We are …
Memories of Sridhar Swami
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By Giriraj Swami Sridhar Swami: “When I leave, we can be together in more significant ways.” He said that love in separation was actually stronger. And we do experience that when we are with people we love, we may take them for granted but that when th…
Our original position according to the Sandarbhas
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Patita Pavana Das: This is chapter 19 of our book ‘’From Radha-Syama to Maya-devi dhama ‘’, which has 27 chapters.
Holi celebrations in Croydon schools, London
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Nabhinanda Das: Today we celebrated Holi in two schools in Croydon. The first was an assembly in a primary school with 360 children. The pastime of the Holi festival was presented to the children, followed by wonderful chanting of the Hare Krishna mah…
Please Pray for Braja Vilas Prabhu in the Hospital
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It is with a heavy heart that I inform the worldwide ISKCON community that Braja Vilas prabhu, the Global Fundraising Director for the TOVP project is now at the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mumbai after sustaining injuries due to a car accident on Satur…
10 day long 24 Hours Kirtan at Iskcon Dwarka New Delhi
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By Sahadev Sakha Das Just following the teachings of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the footsteps of our Acharyas, we at Dwarka ISKCON temple tried to spread Krishna Consciousness by celebrating this year Gaur Purnima festival by having a 10 day long 24…
Sri Krishna and the Original Sporting Propensity
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By Sarvabhauma Dasa Why are sports so popular? According to Vaishnava teachings, everything here, including the sporting propensity, is an imperfect or distorted reflection of the original, blissful activities of all-attractive Lord Sri Krishna, the S…
Annual celebration of the Boat Festival in Vrindavan’s Krishna-Balarama temple
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By Aradhika Radha Dasi The Boat Festival has its roots in Goloka Vrindavan, the spiritual eternal realm. One of the boat pastimes is described in detail in Gopal Champu by Srila Jiva Goswami. One day the gopis, loaded with pots full of yogurt and butte…
Confessions of a Prasadam Addict: The Sunday Feast
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By Taru Das
Srila Prabhupada has stated that, “The first sense you will realize Krishna with is your tongue”. The meaning is clear. All of our advancement in spiritual life comes from chanting Hare Krishna. Therefore, by this process of chanting Krishna’s names, one will eventually learn to see Krishna everywhere. But for the prasadam addict, the statement has another meaning. He thinks, “The more I eat, the closer I come to God”. Or again, there is the statement that one should try to see Krishna in everything. The prasadam addict takes this to mean that wherever I am, I should seek out some prasadam. The super addict will even construe the injunction to be always engaged in Krishna’s service to mean that he should be taking prasadam twenty-four hours a day. Finally, when he hears that advanced devotees become mad after Krishna, he understands that anything he can do to get his hands on prasadam is authorized and righteous.
Krishna conscious program in a school of Wimbledon, London
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Nabhinandan Das: Today we were invited to a school in Wimbledon, London to deliver 3 workshops to Year 4 children on God, Sacred Texts, Lifestyle and Worship from the Sanatana Dharma perspective. This is the 6th year that the school has hosted us. The…
Srimad Bhagavatam Class in Mayapur: The essence of all Vedic hymns
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By Bhakti Caitanya Swami
I have been chanting 45+ years. And some of you for longer, I know. And do not mind me saying it but at least from what I have observed, I have not seen any one displaying such symptoms like Lord Caitanya did. Please forgive me if that is inappropriate but I think it is not. Because I think we commit offenses, I think we are sometimes not attentive enough, And that’s why these things are not happening like they did with Lord Caitanya. I mean with Him it happened on a massive scale. With us, sometimes, oftentimes the chanting is nice, sometimes it’s very nice. But some experience like that is beyond most of us generally. So why… Why? Well, that is unfortunately because we are continuing to not chant purely, to chant offensively.
What’s Wrong with Using a Crutch?
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By Navina Shyama Dasa
Sometimes the car becomes blocked. But some fellow pushes it. We have got this experience. What is that called? Chocked up? Then you get down and push the car and – brut-brut-brut-brut-brut – it goes. Similarly the bhakti-rasa [feeling of devotion] is there in everyone’s heart. Nitya-siddha krishna-bhakti. Because we are part and parcel of Krishna. . . . So the fact is that we have got devotion for Krishna. That is a fact. But some way or other we are separated and we have forgotten. So as soon as, by this regulative principle, by the order of the spiritual master, by the injunction of the shastras, we begin devotional service
The Leader of the Devotees of Lord Caitanya
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By Iskcon Mayapur
Śrīla Prabhupāda describes in his purport to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.11.1: “Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has also given us a nice weapon for this age, as stated in the Bhāgavatam: sāṅgopāṅgāstra—in this age, the nārāyaṇāstra, or weapon to drive away māyā, is the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra in pursuance of the associates of Lord Caitanya, such as Advaita Prabhu, Nityānanda, Gadādhara and Śrīvāsa.” This weapon of the holy name was utilized perfectly by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. He took complete shelter of the holy names of the Lord. It is described by Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura that Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura and his brothers were constantly absorbed in singing the names of Lord Kṛṣṇa. It was in the home of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu performed His most intimate saṅkīrtana pastimes. Those nocturnal kīrtanas are compared to the rāsa-līlās of Lord Kṛṣṇa, for they are the topmost and most ecstatic of the Lord’s pastimes.
Krishna conscious presentation at Primary Academy in Croydon
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Nabhinandan Das: Today we were invited to a Primary Academy in Croydon to make assembly presentations to 300 Year 4 and Year 5 students on Holi and Gaura Purnima. The pastime of Lord Nrsimhadeva and Lord Chaitanya was described to the children and the…
The Miracle of Mahaprabhu
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By Anuttama dasa Among social reformers and spiritual teachers of the past, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stands out. Today, in a period of great cynicism, lack of faith in leadership, and growing tension between peoples and cultures of the world, Mahaprabh…
Prayerful Chanting (audio)
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By Giri Govardhana dasa There are many extraordinary benefits that come from chanting the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra, but in order for us to receive those benefits we need to endeavor to chant in the right way. If we approach our chanting not simply as a…