Author Archives: Dandavats

Patita Pavana Das: This is chapter 19 of our book ‘’From Radha-Syama to Maya-devi dhama ‘’, which has 27 chapters.

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.

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…

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.

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

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.

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…

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…

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…

By Madhava Smullen

We in ISKCON may feel that times have changed; that we must use very different methods to deliver our message to people. But in New York City’s Harinama Ashrama, a group of devotees is using the most “old school” approach – simple Harinama and book distribution for hours every day – to impressive effect. And nowhere was this more evident than during the Prabhupada marathon this past Christmas. Rama Raya Das, formerly of the 24-Hour Kirtan Mandali in Vrindavana, India, started Harinama Ashrama on the instruction of his late friend and guide, Aindra Das. Aindra had said, “If you just sit on the streets of New York and do sankirtana, you’ll see where your realization will be.”

By Jayadvaita Swami In the Bhagavad-gita Krishna says, “Enjoyments born of stimulation for the senses are themselves the very sources of misery. They have a beginning and an end, and one who is wise does not delight in them.” Yet it is those enjoyment…

By Satyaraja Dasa If you ask the average yoga practitioner in the West what yoga is all about, you’ll probably hear answers like, “It makes me feel good,” “It’s stimulating,” “It’s relaxing,” “It’s quite a workout,” or “It keeps me in shape.” Nearly e…

We will expand our menu from just cooking dosas to include other items like pies, salads, pizza, sweets, burgers, nachos and hot chips.Read More…

By Sikhi Mahiti Das Millions visited and watched the celebrations in Mayapur this year. Just see the images and watch the videos of the ceremonies (included in the post) that took place outside the temple room to see the crowds gathered! This morning, …

ISKCON Kathwada: Here in ISKCON Kathwada it’s about to complete one year of temple opening and this was our first Gaura Purnima, more than 500 people visited temple on the occasion of ‘Festival of Holi’.Read More…

By Mayesvara das

I had watched the destruction done in less than two minutes with astonishment and disbelief and I simply had no idea what to do next. I felt like a complete failure and was so traumatized with what had just occurred, I started telling all those who were asking me what to do: “Tell everyone to go home. There isn’t going to be a parade!” I began to work my way through the crowd and eventually got back into the temple and headed straight back to the roof, which was the only place where I knew I could get some privacy and cry. I had let everyone down. Lord Jagannatha wasn’t going anywhere, and it seemed quite obvious that I was worse than a useless disciple to Srila Prabhupada because I really messed things up this time. I also felt like I had personally let down Jayananda prabhu, as well as Jayapataka Maharaja, all the currently assembled devotees as well as all three million native residents to the city of Calcutta. I mechanically put my hand in my bead bag hoping for relieve and then laid back down on the roof of the temple to try and get the world to stop spinning, but I already knew it would be an impossible task.

By Taru dasa

The Laddu Sadhu. Who is there who can sufficiently describe the wondrous attributes of this illustrious sweet ball? This must surely be Madhumangala, who is mentioned in many Vaisnava books and songs as a great lover of laddus. Being a brahmana boy, he used to promise to give Krishna benedictions in exchange for laddus. So if a laddu is so potent as to be able to distract the attention of one of Krishna’s most intimate friends, who can calculate its effect upon an ordinary conditioned soul in the material world? Also: Sweet Rice Glories. Srila Prabhupada tasted the sweet rice here in 1974 and said, “I haven’t had anything like I his in sixty years”

Dear friends. Please send prayers and support to our BrajaVilasa Prabhu. He was coming from Mayapur to Kolkata today and his taxi was involved in a crash. He went to Apollo Hospital for checking, and has been discharged, but he’s in a lot of pain. He’s…

By Janakinatha DasaI started chanting the holy names of Krishna, the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, and began to follow the four regulative principles. It was amazing to see how I could easily give up my nasty habits. My family members were initially skepti…

By the Secretary of Sannyasa Ministry Although in Kali-yuga the injunction is that no one should accept sannyasa. Of course, those who actually follow the rules and regulations must take sannyasa. Generally, however, people are unable to accept sannyas…

By Madhava Smullen The Go Matsya project aims to save and preserve Vedic culture through distribution of full Srimad-Bhagavatam sets, as the Bhagavatam is the essence of all Vedic literature. Now the project has spread from the US to the UK, where it i…

By Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey The biggest festival in the Gaudiya Vaishnav Sampradaya- Gaur Purnima, the appearance day of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was celebrated with fervour and gaiety at the global spiritual headquarters of International Society for Kr…

By Parasuram das Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted His followers to move all over the world to preach in every town and village. In the Caitanya-sampradaya those who strictly follow the principles of Lord Caitanya must travel all over the world to preach…

Krishna Dhan Das: The book talks about how to remain physically fit, mentally sound, develop excellent memory and concentration, effects of meditation, paper solving tips, time management tips, overcoming bad habits and cultivating good ones and much more….

Abhaya Mudra Dasi: The Blessed Lord said: There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.Read More…

Gaura Prema das: Originally founded by Srila Prabhupada in 1974, the project and its growth is currently under the careful guidance of HH Devamrita Swami. A team of his disciples have recently embarked upon an ambitious project to expand and further d…

By Giriraj Swami Here in caitanya-lila we find that Sacidevi gave birth to eight daughters and that all of them died. Then finally she gave birth to a son, Visvarupa. At an early age Visvarupa left home and took sannyasa, and so for all material purpos…

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, “The Vedic literatures composed by the omniscient Mahamuni Vyasadeva are evidence of all spiritual existence. Only through these revealed scriptures can all conditi…

By Sadbhuja Das Please see our video presentation of the ToVP construction and development for 2018. In this video you will see the work achieved in 2017, our plans for the 2018 year and preparation for the opening in 2022. We are also including a 3D v…

Jaya Gouranga Das:Here it is another production from our Godbrother Anadi Prabhu. We did this production in 2009. I say WE because I was Anadi’s right hand man as well as the casting director. I also appear in the video as one of the Yamadutas, and my …

Nabhinandan Das: Yesterday we were invited to make a presentation on Krishna consciousness to year 3 children (8 year olds) at a Church of England school in Norwood, London. The children loved the chanting of the Hare Krishna mahamantra. By the Lord’s mercy we were able to distribute 40 Higher Taste to the children, who enthusiastically accepted it. The teacher who was vegetarian herself was very pleased about the distribution of the transcendental books. She said even if one of the children becomes vegetarian, many thousands of animals would be saved.

By Radhika krpa Devi Dasi We have a small center there named as Sri Sri Gaur Nitai Bhawan, but the influence of Srila Prabhupada’s simple translations of such a heavy subject of Bhakti is more than enough to attract large crowds. I was fortunate to ad…

By Radhanath Swami

In this age of Kali, the greatest yajna is sankirtana, the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave us a simple principle: trinad api sunicena, taror api sahisnuna amanina manadena, kirtaniyah sada harih We must be very attentive. We must be disciplined. We must be regulated in how we perform this yajna of chanting God’s names. But at the same time, Lord Caitanya gave us this verse. To the degree we are following these principles of humility and tolerance and respect to others, to that degree he is going to be pleased with our chanting. How we treat each other is going to very much determine if Krsna is going to be pleased to reveal himself in the chanting of the holy names.