Author Archives: Dandavats

By Giriraj Swami If we are at all aware of how dependent we are on God—for the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and our very ability to eat and drink and breathe, to think and feel and do everything else we do—we will feel grateful …

By Kumari Kunti Dasi

November 2015 will be a month remembered in worry and fear for Muslims all over Europe, after the Paris attacks, yet again marked the tensions their religious community faces in Europe and the rest of the world. Just a week before the attacks, from Oct. 26 – Nov 2nd, youth from all over Europe were building a network of peace and connection at the Religions for Peace Interfaith Youth Conference, in San Gandolfo Italy. The outcome of the event was simple and hopeful – friendships and knowledge can break any barriers. ISKCON-London was one of six other religious partners, sending five youth and one facilitator to the training conference entitled “Empowering Youth in Interfaith and Multicultural Peace Action” at the Focolare’s Mariopolis Centre in Castel Gandolfo, Italy.

By Dwaipayan De Hence, although the situation seems to be very gloomy in this dark age of quarrel and hypocrisy, and people in general are ignorant and averse to spirituality, still there is a ray of hope in the form of chanting of the holy names of th…

By Jay Cheshes

Alfred Ford might have been any old corporate road warrior, in his pressed khakis and soft traveling shoes. He had come up from Calcutta, a three-hour drive along dusty roads clogged with mule-drawn carts, arriving in Mayapur, West Bengal, to look in on a big building project rising near a bend in the Ganges River. In his VIP suite, across from the site, he slipped into a loose-fitting kurta and wraparound dhoti, a strand of beads creeping out from under his Indian shirt. A murmur of song began to rise in the distance. He caught the tune, barely moving his lips. “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare.” For 40 years Ford has been repeating the mantra just as his guru instructed, 1,728 times daily, counting off under his breath while fingering beads tucked in a cloth bag around his neck.

By Nimai Lila das

Over the past few years, Govardhan Eco Village(GEV) has been making steady attempts to generate positive change waves on the social and environmental front through its multifarious programs and projects. GEV is frequently visited to witness a working model of spiritual ecology demonstrated with its efforts in areas like Organic Farming, Cow Care, Green building, Community living, Integrated waste management, Alternative Energy generation, Education, Rain water conservation, Floriculture and biodiversity projects. Today GEV is an acclaimed ecovillage showcasing a Symbiotic Development Model, wherein it utilizes natures intelligent design where in every system works in harmony with another.

Alicia: Available positions include server and line cook. Server duties include register, light food prep, stocking goods, and maintaining cleanliness.

Prabhupada Prana Das: ISKCON SCOTLAND @ KARUNA BHAVAN are currently looking for volunteers to reside and be trained as brahmacaris (celibate monks).

By Sri Nandanandana dasa These days fewer people are interested in taking up anything that they cannot immediately apply to their lives. The common question is: “What is this going to do for me?” Or “What am I going to get out of this?” So if we canno…

By Vijaya Dasa

Two countries increased the most in October: Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan. Sri Lanka increased by 999%, with 4,111 book points. We haven’t seen a lot of book distribution there, but from now on we’ll probably see more. Just as in Sri Lanka, Ravana was defeated by Lord Ramacandra, similarly, maya will be overcome by Krsna in the form of books whenever people receive and read them. Kazakhstan also increased by 999%, with 3,964 book points. Despite all the difficulties these devotees have faced, they continued distributing books, and Krsna has rewarded them. All glories to their determination! Srila Prabhupada said, “If our books are distributed nationwide, that is the success of our movement.” (Letter dated 14 September 1974)

By radhanathswami.com

This year being the 500th anniversary of Sri Chaitanya’s visit to Vrindavan, Radhanath Swami extensively spoke on the life and teachings of Sri Chaitanya from His biographies, Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita and Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat. The talk was translated into eight languages. Following in the tradition of Sri Chaitanya, who emphasized sankirtan – the congregational chanting of the holy names of Sri Krishna, every evening after the talk devotees from many nations held hands and danced in kirtan. Devotees from United States and China, from Russia and Ukraine, from Iran and Saudia Arabia called out the holy names in one voice, for the wellbeing of the entire world. The devotional celebrations ended every night with each devotee offering a lamp to Sri Krishna, with heart-felt devotion.

By Padmapani das

As we entered the Pacific Coliseum, Mahesh Prabhu and I headed for the floor, our saffron bags filled with books, magazines and incense. The crowd was obviously excited as we gradually walked to the front of the stage distributing our spiritual goods along the way. “Hare Krishna” people shouted. Many of George’s fans knew that he had an affinity towards our movement, so they were very friendly and supportive. When the concert began, George appeared on stage wearing a number of badges with spiritual pictures and “om” signs. His neck was adorned with tulasi beads. Mahesh Prabhu pulled out a large hardbound edition of Srila Prabhupada’s Krishna Book, which had been published with the help of a kind donation by George Harrison himself. When Mahesh got to the front row, he held the Krishna Book high in the air so that George could possibly see it from the stage. As he made his way towards Mahesh, George in fact noticed Srila Prabhupada’s book. His eyes lit up and a large smile beamed across his face as he bowed his head in respect. Since Mahesh was a big fan of the Beatles before joining ISKCON, he was thrilled to have this simple transcendental exchange with one of his old heroes. What an auspicious start to George Harrison’s 1974 tour.

By Purushottam Nitai Dasa After the Mahabharat war ended, Krishna asked Arjuna to get down from the chariot first. But Arjuna requested Krishna to get down first. Krishna advised Arjuna to do what he is being asked to do. So Arjuna got down first and …

By the GBC

Attendees: Ramai Swami (RS) Gauranga Simha Dasa (GSD) Hari Lila Dasa (HLD) Kaunteya Dasa Romapada Swami (RPS) Ramanipati Dasa (RD) Ganga Dasa (GD) Pancaratna Dasa Japataka Swami (JPS) Krsna Nam Dasa (KND) Sankarshan Nitai Dasa (SND) Tapan Misra dasa Bhakti Purusottama Swami (BPS) Vaikuntha Nitai Dasa (VND) Bhakti Caru Swami (BCS) Gopijana Vallabha dasa (GVD) Gopal Krsna Goswami (GKG) Brajavilas dasa (BVD) Praghosa Dasa (PD) Sri Madhava Gauranga Dasa (MGD) Hrday Caitanya Dasa (HCD) Bhadra Caru Dasa (BCD) Kadamba Kanana Swami (KKS)

By Bhayahari das

ISKCON of DC: This week we discuss a number of essential practices of bhakti yoga, including the care of the sacred plant, Tulsi devi. Srila Prabhupada: I am very glad to learn that Srimati Tulasi-devi has favored you so much. If you actually grow this Tulasi plant, and I am sure you will do it, then you must know it for certain that your devotion for Krsna is testified. I was very much anxious to introduce this worship of Tulasi plant amongst our Society members, but it has not become successful till now, therefore, when I hear that you have got this opportunity, my pleasure does not have any bounds. Tulasi leaf is very, very dear to Visnu. All Visnu-tattva Deities require profusely Tulasi leaves. Lord Visnu likes garland of Tulasi leaves. Tulasi leaves mixed with sandalwood pulp and placed on the lotus feet of the Lord is the topmost worship.

By Sukanti Radha Dasi

Visit to Avanti School in Leicester, ISKCON London, ISKCON Leicester, Bhaktivedanta Manor and more! HG Jai Nitai Das and the devotees of ISKCON London gave the TOVP team a grand Vaishnava welcome! Huge fund raising event in the Manor. HG Praghosa Das and the TOVP UK team would like to congratulate TOVP facebook page for achieving a quarter of a million likes today! At every event HG Jananivas Prabhu makes an effort to talk to the devotees and enquire about their spiritual life and encourage them. He loves telling them about the glories of Mayapur. Many devotees made an effort to attend the fundraising events to receive the blessings in the holy month of Kartik. By just taking darshan of the Sitari and Paduka one can have their minds, heart and eyes purified.

By Niranjana Swami In the Fourth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam Narada Muni states: “My dear King, in the place where pure devotees live, following the rules and regulations and thus purely conscious and engaged with great eagerness in hearing and chantin…

By Urmila Devi Dasi

It’s easy to imagine being blind. A simple close of the eyelids in a somewhat dark place or a walk through an unlit room at night, and we can empathize with those who cannot see. Making oneself temporarily deaf, however, is almost impossible. First of all, it’s hard to completely seal the entrance to the ears. Putting our hands over our ears or using earplugs blocks only a portion of the sound. Secondly, much sound is transmitted through the bones of our skull, bypassing the ear. A hearing person’s empathy with the deaf is, therefore, limited. My interest in the deaf world was perhaps different from that of most hearing people. The basis of bhaktiyoga as taught in the Hare Krishna movement is to hear and chant the Lord’s name and glories.

By Giriraj Swami Today is the disappearance day of Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, a great devotee–maha-bhagavata. He was a disciple of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and was very renounced. Earlier, he had lived for many years in Vrndavana, roami…

Dr.T.Sarada: This paper focuses on the contribution of Antal to the Tamil bhakti Literature.

By Rsiraja Das

In recent times, many attempts to bring science and religion together have been motivated from the impersonalist and voidist philosophical stances. Buddhism is a philosophy of voidism while Advaita Vedanta is a philosophy of impersonalism. On the face of it, there is tremendous synergy between science and these ideologies of formlessness because science too tries to describe the ultimate reality as a formless vacuum. In both cases, forms are emergent rather than fundamental properties of nature. However, once you acknowledge that ultimate reality is formless, it hardly matters whether you call it space-time, nothingness or oneness. These are more or less equivalent formulations of the same basic idea.

By Mahatma Das Imagine this scene. After millions of lifetimes you finally make it back to the spiritual world. As you approach the gates of Goloka you are asked to wait because Krsna wants to come and personally greet you. You are getting more excited…

By Tamohara dasa I have seen time and again how devotees who have undergone brahmacari training, and who later take up the reins of householder life, enter the workplace with skills far above those of the average man or woman. It is not that the skills…

By Bhurijana dasa The monkeys of Raman Reti can undoubtedly be cute. But are they wise? Mostly they use their amazing climbing skills to wander from tree to roof to balcony for the purpose of foraging for soft leaves, berries, or other eatables. When t…

By Sunanda das

The Sadaputa Digital Channel Facebook Page is an extension of the Youtube Channel to help further promote his work to the Vaishnava community and serious spiritual seekers. It features a weekly lecture post, videos and many of Sadaputa’s written articles, Monograms and other writings. The lectures of Sadaputa Dasa are currently being transcribed by a team of eight devotees with the aim of publishing these in several volumes along with matching CDs. A website is also underway which will give further opportunity to serious researchers to examine and learn from his works.

By Mayapur Sasi dasa

For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following results of book distribution for the month of October 2015 from the whole planet. World Totals, Monthly Congregation and Weekend Warriors, Monthly Continents, Monthly Top Ten Temples by Size, Monthly Top Ten Temples by Continent, Monthly Top Teams and Individuals, Monthly All Countries, Monthly All Temples, Monthly All Prabhupada Disciples, Cumulative Top Ten Countries, Cumulative Top Ten Temples, Cumulative Top 50 Individuals Worldwide

By Manor staff

BTGs are now available for purchase. And each BTG has a welcome letter, a subscription form, and a envelope for the customer inside it. Additional subscriptions forms are also available without a purchase at the Reception desk to encourage the congregation and visitors to get all six issues a year sent to their homes. Along with the latest BTG, there is a special edition on display in the photo: The cover features Bhaktivendanta Manor’s 40th anniversary, and its Janmastami festival is featured in eighteen pages of photos. Previous issues will soon be on display. The display in the Reception area of the Manor appeared just in time for the January/February issue of BTG, which will contain a cover story, by Jaya Krishna Prabhu, about his thirty years of heading the Bhaktivedanta Players, along with Dvaraka-puri Prabhu.

By Sukanti Radha Dasi

Lord Nityananda’s Paduka and Lord Nrsingadev Sitari were warmly welcomed with their first Abishek in UK by the Bhakti Vriksha UK Group. The fundraising had a great start with Bhakti Vriksha pledging £150,000. It was so heartening to see Bhakti Vriksha devotees dedicate such high degree of service to exalted devotees from Mayapur and render their service with so much love in their hearts. It’s a sure sign on how gracefully Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON is growing. Devotees had the opportunity to offer flower petals to the Padukas and receive a blessing with Lord Nrsingadev helmet. The evening ended with an enlivening kirtan and sumptuous prasadam.

By Gauranga Das

ISKCON GEV’s participation was amongst 500 other nominations in the Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice, and were presented with their trophy and certificate at a glittering presentation ceremony in the Houses of Parliament, Westminster ,London on Monday, November 16 2015. Srutidharma Prabhu, Temple President of Bhaktivedanta Manor, on behalf of ISKCON GEV, received this award from the hands of Mr. Mark Wolens, General Manager of The Green Organization As a result of this Green Apple Award success, GEV has been invited to have their winning paper published in The Green Book, the leading international work of reference on environmental best practice, so that others around the world can follow their example and learn from their achievement. GEV is also invited to progress to represent its country in the Green World Awards and the European Business Awards for the Environment. GEV will also be given free Ambassador Membership of Partners in Protecting the Planet (PPP) the organization planting trees to help save livelihoods, wildlife and the planet.

By Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Goswami

Alas, we have lost the association of yet another great Vaishnava saint in the form of H.H. Gaura Krishna Goswami. Actually, I did not know him well, but because Vaishnava dealings are all on the absolute plane, therefore I know him through hearing his glories from other devotees. It is well known that he was an amazing pandit and wonderful public speaker exclusively on the subject of Hari katha. Although we cannot say he was necessarily a paramahamsa, there is no doubt that he must be counted in his manifest preaching activities as a pure devotee. There are many kinds of pure devotees, beginning with those who strictly follow acharya but may be madhyam adhikary (mid level), up to those who are paramahamsa, maha bhagavata (self realized in pure devotion), uttama adhikary (highly elevated), and, of course, nitya siddha (eternally liberated, who descend from the spiritual world). In any case, Maharaj must be considered a pure devotee who walked this planet to spread the mercy of Srila Prabhupad and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

By Sukanti Radha Dasi

The TOVP International Team arrived today in London Heathrow airport. HG Jananivas Prabhu, HG Radhajivan Prabhu, HG Brajavilas Prabhu together with the Paduka and Sitari. They were received by Sukanti Radha dasi and Bhaktin Denia. Since they were received by 2 mataji’s. The garlands were placed on the chairs at Heathrow airport for them to garland each other, much to the attraction of the visitors at the airport. The International team and the Padukas and Sitari were then taken to the beautiful residence of HG Shailesh Govindia Prabhu who has the most stunning altar. HG Jananivas Prabhu spent hours gazing at the deities.

By Parsada dasi

Thousands grabbed the ropes and pulled Lord Jagannath slowly on the main street of Mathura, which was beautifully decorated with rangoli, police flanked both sides of the chariot and the procession was led by another smaller beautifully decorated chariot of the Yamuna Foundation, a big brass band, horses and a camel, all gorgeously decorated. The Lord was on His way to shower mercy on all. Three groups of kirtaneers pelted out the Holy Names. Shopkeepers and residents showered Lord Jagannath and the devotees with rose petals and came forward with offerings of garlands, sweets, fruits and luxmi, throughout the procession. Every five to ten minutes Lord Jagannath stops to receive the worship and offerings of His people in Mathura. It was truly a very touching sight. We noticed the entire path of the procession decorated with rangoli, which lasted 4 kilometers, these artists had the entire Mathura glorifying their artistic talent.

By aninews.in

President Pranab Mukherjee, who attended the celebrations of the 500th year of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s advent in Vrindavan today, said that the great saint was one of the greatest exponents of the Bhakti movement. Speaking on the occasion, the President said Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu preached love, equality, humanity and harmony. He urged the people to adopt this message of the great saint and recharge the society. President Mukherjee said Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was one of the greatest saints of the Bhakti movement. President Mukherjee said Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings continue to have great relevance in the contemporary world.

By Simheswara Dasa

In Malaysia during the Damodara month devotees at all ISKCON centers serve extraordinarily to meet the public and introduce the Damodara ghee lamp offerings. In this way thousands are given the opportunity to offer ghee lamps to Lord Damodara. For the past few years we have also introduced the Anna Dana and Sastra Dana program at schools and colleges. Through this program we gain entrance into these institutions and engage thousands of students in devotional activities such as hearing scriptural discourses, chanting the Maha Mantra, offering ghee lamps to Lord Damodara and not forgetting the most important of all, that each student is handed one of Srila Prabhupada’s books, the Bhagavad Gita and other literatures according to age categories.

Nandagopal Jivan das: Sarvabhavana Prabhu’s book called “Salted Bread”, which is about the persecution of the Russian and Armenian devotees in the early days of the former USSR, is now again available for circulation

By ISKCON Perth

This year the World Holy Name Week 2015 coincided with the 50th anniversary of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the United States. To give this year’s celebration a higher dimension, the ISKCON Perth congregation laid more emphasis on the chanting of the Holy Name by targeting one Harinama Sankirtana everyday during the span of the event.

By Krishna Dharma Das The Vedas therefore enjoin that this is the first and most important lesson. “Now you have a human life you must inquire into the absolute.” Ask the big questions. Who am I? Why am I here? Where do I go when I die? At least we sho…

By Purushottam Nitai Das

The scripture tells a story of a cruel hunter named Mrugrari who used to rejoice seeing suffering of helpless animals and birds. He used to half kill them and then enjoy seeing them suffer and die. When sage Narada saw the suffering beasts and birds, he was aghast. Why don’t you just kill them completely, he asked? Mrugrari replied smilingly, “Because I enjoy seeing them suffer and die”. Narada understood that his cruelty is going to cost him dear, the hunter is going to get a terrible reaction for his sins. And so he decided to transform Mrugrari’s heart. He explained the hunter how his act is not in accordance with the laws of God and so it is going to bring great misfortune to him. He told him to have love, compassion and mercy towards the other children of God and most importantly asked him to chant and take shelter of the supreme Lord.

By the GBC Corresponding Secretary

The Annual General Meeting of the ISKCON GBC Society will begin on February 22, 2016. Following the ISKCON GBC Society’s Rules of Order, the GBC Secretariat requests proposals, duly sponsored by TWO GBC members, to be submitted by December 31, 2015. This will allow adequate time for the GBC Deputies to prepare the proposals for presentation at the meeting. Please follow the new format for GBC Proposals, attached as a fillable PDF. Plain text submissions are also acceptable. GBC Proposals are serious submissions. Please give appropriate time and consideration to your proposal. Every proposal will be reviewed by the GBC Deputies for suitability, content and compliance to ISKCON Law before presentation to the International GBC Body. GBC Proposals should be international in scope, realistic, relevant and achievable. GBC Proposals must be written clearly and concisely. The three required steps listed below must be completed.