Author Archives: Dandavats

By Varsana SwamiA few days later, after the water had drained out of the footer, Bob and I went back up to Govindaji Hill and continued the footer exaction. To our surprise and delight, the rock broke out easily this time. I cannot say definitely that …

By Indira-sakhi Devi Dasi You are right when you say that setting a good example for the boys is the best precept. There is a saying that an example is better than a precept. Our exemplary character depends on strictly following the four principles, an…

By Tirtha-pavana Das

Any structure suggests a kind of pattern, but we aim to make education more personal. We have given local leaders the right to adapt curriculums and different resources, including books, training aids, etc., to the needs of their community. Also, we try to make education inextricably linked with mentoring in order to implement the principles of individuality, practicality, and live guidance in education. Therefore we are trying to organize a considerable amount of home programs, where in small groups, devotees can receive education that meets their needs. So, devotees are able to attend courses of their interest, which are conducted in an informal environment from year to year to develop relationships with the elder Vaisnavas and receive systematic mentoring in their life.

By Rachael LeValley Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Harinama Sankirtan Mission. Right now, this moment in Harinam Sankirtana, the Maha Mantra rises. The kirtan leader was born a devotee – blessed by the commitment of his parents and the mercy of Srila Prabh…

Srila Prabhupada: Always remember therefore to chant Hare Krishna, and that will save you in all circumstances, without any doubt.Read More…

By Urmila Devi Dasi

A very interesting way of envisioning the relationship between the jīva, mind, body, and the world has been explored by Dr. Richard Thompson (1947- ). He presents the material world as a kind of computer simulation, with the bodies of living beings like the characters seen in a role playing game. The subtle body consisting of mind, intelligence, and false ego acts as the interface much like computer mouse and keyboard, with the self as the one desiring and willing.

By Mahatma Das “Nish, nish, ram, ram, nish, nish, ram, ram.” Prabhupada once imitated how we sometimes chant without focus, without concentration, without proper pronunciation – how we chant when we don’t feel like chanting. You know the mood behind th…

By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila PrabhupadaLord Shri Krishna Who is the Personality of Godhead in His eternal Form is glorified because He has endeared Himself by His acts of benevolence in disseminating the different kinds of Rasa or…

By Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati ThakuraThe holy command of Shri Guru has been that we shall serve Godhead in association with one another. By the word ‘we’ he did not mean any one individual. There are many persons who are very selfish, indeed. They…

By Subhadra Devi Dasi Once upon a time there was a rich King who had four wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best. He also loved the 3rd wife …

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, from the very beginning I went to New York because I thought that Krishna Consciousness is the most important idea in the world, so let me go to that place, New York, which is the most important city in the world, and if I am ab…

By Kripamoya Dasa The Devil always likes to help saints ‘organize’ religion, and organized religion can be problematic. But without human structures, the saint’s messages and good public works may not endure over the next three generations. For thousa…

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 May 2018. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Indivi…

By Sesa Dasa Talk about living a nightmare. There was a report on the news that a Belgian man “though to be in a coma for 23 years was actually conscious the whole time.” Alex Watts of Sky News Online writes, “For the whole time, he was trapped in his …

By TOVP staff Having desired to build a temple for Hari, a man immediately takes a million of his generations, past and future, to the region of Vishnu. The departed manes of the person who builds a temple for Krishna live in the region of Vishnu, well…

By Radhanath Swami “Srila Prabhupada stressed the urgency to surrender to Krishna. Every line of his books, every sentence of his tapes, you would hear him urgently, just pleading with you and me, to take Krishna Consciousness seriously. Death, tragedy…

By ISKCON Mayapur

In Sridhama Mayapur, Sri Sri Radha Madhava enjoy the Salila Vihar festival by sitting in the middle of a beautiful lotus shaped pond filled with hundreds of blossoming lotus flowers, each containing sacred tulasi leaves. This lotus pond is constructed in the Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir on the platform below Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s altar, and is covered by a fragrant flower canopy. A fountain sprays cooling lotus-and-tulasi-scented water on the transcendental bodies of the Divine Couple.

Danavir Goswami: Please click the picture below or the link provided to experience the preview trailer of what’s to come and also to learn more about the team and the project. This documentary, which is an art in-itself, can come to life through your help.

Devamrita Swami: In February of this year at the annual GBC meetings I met with a cohort of my GBC godbrothers at their request to address some concerns raised in regards to the transparency of my past when it comes to accepting and initiating discipl…

Srila Prabhupada: I know that over the past years you have suffered so many tribulations to push forward Krsna consciousness in Germany. But this has not stopped you from your determination to serve the cause of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.Read More…

By Urmila Devi Dasi The individuality of the self is a central teaching in Vaisnava philosophy, but what is our practical understanding of this term? Individuality is present in all living beings on both a material and a spiritual level. This article …

By Sridevi Dasi Sitala devi dasi, a resident of Mayapur Dham, had been ordering deities for ISKCON since 1975. Many temples around the world have used her services to obtain their deities. In the 1990’s the devotees of New Raman Reti asked her to order…

By Vishakha Priya Devi Dasi Shortly before passing away in Vrindavan, a devotee requested her spiritual master to establish a “Back to Godhead” clinic there for Srila Prabhupada’s followers. The land is adjacent to the parikrama road trod by pilgrims …

Giriraj dasa: After reading my last post on ‘Other scriptures’ and devotees a kind-hearted vaishnava read me amazing lines, written by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, on how a devotee should see different religions.

By Giriraja Swami After hearing so many complaints from so many devotees, Srila Prabhupada called a meeting of all the devotees. Practically all the devotees in the temple came into Srila Prabhupada’s room, and he listened very sympathetically to what …

By HH Bhakti Bhringa Govinda Swami Increase the quality of your chanting. Increase the quantity of your chanting. Read more Srimad Bhagavatam. Read Caitanya Caritamrita. Read prayers. Acaryas have written so many prayers. Read prayers of acaryas. Pray…

Tapahpunja Dasa: Once upon a time, in a village called New Vrindaban, a group of young villagers experienced how service to the cows, coupled with worship of Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra, defined their daily routine and consecrated their love for Srila Prabhupada’s first farm mission.

By Purushottam Nitai Das To control the elephant is humanly impossible. So as soon as the baby elephant is born, the elephant trainer ties him with a rope to a pole. Initially the baby elephant tries his best to break the rope but because of his tender…

ISKCON Gangtok: The mercy of Sri Sri Nitai Gaurchandra has reached the farthest corner of north-east India, border of india and china.Read More…

When Srila Prabhupada first arrived at the Paris temple, the devotees anxiously waited on a veranda high above the front entrance. Like demigods, they showered flower petals onto His Divine Grace. Srila Prabhupada responded with a beautiful smile, rec…

By His Divine Grace A.C.B. Swami Prabhupada May there be good fortune throughout the universe, and may all envious persons be pacified. May all living entities become calm by practicing bhakti-yoga, for by accepting devotional service they will think o…

By Yogesvara dasa A Native American storyteller named Ron Evans tells a tale that warms the heart of all who agonise over the effects of contemporary media. Ron visited Africa some years ago and was present the day electric lines were installed for th…

By Dayananda das“Everything should be done on the basis of love. Strictness is not very good. The students should act automatically, out of love. That is wanted. [However,] Superficially, strictness may be necessary—some material laws or basic principl…

By Hari-dhama dasa In this presentation, Hari-dhama dasa discusses an important social issue for the Society: that of providing care for the terminally ill in the movement. Since Vaisnava hold very dear the hope of dying in the association of devotees …

By Satsvarupa Dasa Gosvami July 11, 1966. 26 Second Avenue, New York City: A few sympathetic, interested people gather in a small downtown storefront to help an Indian swami’s mission by adding their signature to a legal document. Today, ISKCON has br…

By Srutakirti dasaOne evening, Srila Prabhupada spoke at the University of California in Berkeley, the heart of the hippie capital. The San Francisco devotees enthusiastically received him and relished his lecture. They prepared barrels of popcorn and …

Rukmini had never seen Krishna, but by hearing about Him from Shri Narada, purva raga arose within her heart. Thus she became exceedingly anxious to meet with Krishna. Similarly, by hearing from the guru and Vaishnavas or by reading the shastras, the …

By Radhanatha Swami Across all religions there is a universal concept that when a man and woman marry with proper attitude they become one body. They don’t merge into each other’s existence, but it means that they start living for a common purpose – to…

By ISKCON Ministry of Education

Please find enclosed the 4th Issue, 2nd Volume for this year, 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.

By Indradyumna Swami When Hanuman returned from Lanka, reporting to Lord Rama, he didn’t want to start by “I found Sita” by putting himself first, neither putting Sita’s name first like “Sita was found” to prevent Lord Rama’s anxiety by hearing first h…