Author Archives: H.H. Indradyumna Swami

Our second and final parikrama around Govardhan Hill this Kartika yielded some wonderful photos showing the beauty and sanctity of one of Vrindavan’s most sacred places.

The waters of the famous lake, Prema-sarovara, in Vrindavan are the combined tears of Radha and Krsna. Situated in Prema-van, the Forest of Love, the entire area is saturated with an intense spiritual atmosphere that even neophyte devotees can begin to…

The other day our parikrama party visited Varsana, the home of Srimati Radharani. This beautiful photo album by Ananta Vrindavan dasa perfectly captures the mood of the people and places of this most revered village. Such photography helps to increase one’s desire to one day reside in the eternal realm Goloka Vrindavan.

Our parikrama party spent a wonderful day in Talavan – one of Vrindavan’s 12 major forests. The scenic beauty of the forest stole our hearts, as did the kirtans led by Bada Haidas prabhu and the katha we spoke about Krsna and Balarama’s pastimes.Talavan is a ‘must-see’ for all devotees who visit Vrindavan!

A walk around Vrindavan during Kartika reveals the beauty and sanctity of it’s ancient culture.

Ananata Vrindavan’s much appreciated photography of sacred Govardhana Hill. Our parikramas around Giriraja this Kartika are life changing.

Our parikrama party traveled south to Jaipur for darsan of Radha Govinda, the beloved deities of Srila Rupa Goswami. We also visited Radha Gopinath, Radha Damodar and Radha Vinode. We were deeply touched by the love the citizens of Jaipur display towar…

It is only the exceptional mercy of Lord Caitanya and His representative, Srila Prabhupada, that we can be all delivered and go back home, back to Godhead.

One time Srila Prabhupada described prasadam as Lord Caitanya’s ‘secret weapon.’ When properly cooked with love and devotion, prasadam has an amazing ability to purify the heart and awaken love for Krsna. On our festival tour in Poland this summer we focused on preparing first-class foodstuffs for our guests who purchased them from our restaurant […]

Photo gems of our visit to Madan Mohan temple in Vrindavan and the samadhi of Srila Sanatan Goswami. A day we will never forget.

These are Ananta Vrindavan’s spectacular photos of our parikrama into the heart of Mathura. We were in awe of the ancient temples and we eagerly sought the mercy of the many Deities worshipped throughout the city.

The first destination on our Kartika Parikrama 2015 was the sacred village of Kamyavan, where the Deity of Vrinda-devi is worshipped. Srila Rupa Goswami discovered the beautiful deep red-colored Vrinda devi 500 years ago in Vrindavan and worshipped her…

Today, on the first day of Kartika, we made a quick trip downtown to take darshan of Sri Sri Radha Raman. We prayed for His blessings that we might develop a drop of love for Him and His transcendental abode of Sri Vrindavan Dhama during this most ausp…

Tomorrow is the first day of Kartika here in Vrindavan. One can just feel the excitement in the air. Everyone is busy preparing for the most auspicious month of the year. Ananta Vrindavan dasa arrived in the afternoon and even before he put his bags do…

Yesterday in my travels it was my good fortune to arrive in Udupi on the appearance day of Sri Madhavacarya. I took the opportunity to seek his blessings and those of his beloved deity, Udupi Krishna.

A first glance of Vrindavan upon our arrival in this transcendental abode yesterday. “Vrndavana is wonderful. The two sweet fair and dark splendors named Radha and Krsna are wonderful. Pure love for Their lotus feet is wonderful. He who has faith in Them and rises to the spiritual world is wonderful. The rare soul who […]

Today as I rode in a car from Delhi to Vrindavan I saw the good, the bad and the ugly.The good I encountered at a stop light as we drove through Delhi. As our car pulled up to a red light a number of young boys in their early teens sitting in a bus beg…

Today I leave for Vrindavan to begin preparations for our Kartika parikrama. Over 300 devotees have registered. I am very happy to be going home, but something in my heart tells me I belong back on the front lines preaching Krsna consciousness to those…

We are indebted to Ananta Vrindavan dasa for his amazing photography and excellent videos covering our travels here in Mongolia this past month. As our adventure winds down and we start heading back to the capital, Ulaan Bataar, we share a few more of …

After an arduous journey of 16 hours in jeeps through difficult desert and mountainous terrain we arrived safely in Uliastai, Mongolia at 3:00 a.m. in the morning. The following is my schedule for the day: 11:00: Visit the main Buddhist temple in Ulias…

As we go deeper into the remote areas of Mongolia with our preaching party we are treated to some of the most stunning nature on this planet. In all my travels I have never seen anything like it. And no less beautiful are the people who flock to our pr…

We took a break from our traveling around Mongolia and spent 5 days in the capital Ulaanbaatar having programs in our small center in the city. We also used the time to rest and stockpile supplies for our next journey which begins tomorrow – a 3,500 kilometer journey in 3 jeeps to the most remote […]

Two days ago we did a public program in a hall in Ulaanbaatar and then an initiation in a traditional “yurta” in a forest outside the city. Krsna consciousness is slowly taking root in Mongolia.

Volume 14, Chapter 6 Sep 23, 2015   Time passes quickly when you are doing something you love, and since the devotees love spreading Krsna consciousness, the summer flew by. Our schedule was intense—a festival every day—but the reward of seeing people smile and dance with us was enough to keep us going. And we […]

Two days ago we ventured 500 kilometers from the capital of Mongolia to Erdenet. The 9-hour drive on rough roads took us through some of the most breath taking scenery in the country. We are visiting all these towns and villages for the first time. Previously our movement didn’t have permission to do harinam and […]

Глава 6   Время летит, когда ты занят любимым делом. Преданные любят распространять сознание Кришны, так что и лето летело быстро. Расписание наше было плотным, каждый день по фестивалю, но мы были вознаграждены: люди танцевали и пели с нами.  Этого было достаточно, чтобы мы продолжали – и мы ежедневно получали эту награду. Как-то вечером во […]

On this auspicious day of Radhastami I long to be in Vraja, celebrating the Queen of Vrindavan’s appearance with all the beloved Vrajavasis. Instead, I find myself on the remote steppes of Mongolia, sharing the message of Lord Caitanya with the people of this isolated country. Despite the many austerities involved in traveling and preaching […]

Yesterday was an historic day in the Mongolian yatra. We performed harinam samkirtan for the first time in the country since 1992. In the early morning, when the Gobi desert sun was still tolerable, we took to the streets of Sainshand, a town of 23,000 people, with mrdungas, kartalas and the sweet chanting of Krsna’s […]

During our trip to Kharkhorin, the old capital of Mongolia, we visited the ancient Buddhist monastery of Erdene Zuu. After discussing spiritual matters with the monks there for sometime, they asked us to have kirtan. I believe it was one of the best ki…

“Maharaja, if you wear the traditonal clothes of Mongolia for your first few days in our country you will gain the sympathy of our government who granted you a special visa,” said the temple president of Ulaanbaatar. “The people will also appreciate,” he continued, “and be inclined to hear the message you have brought.”

Our long awaited dream to visit Mongolia came true today. As our plane circled the airport waiting to land at Ulaanbaatar I was surprised to see that the barren brown landscape, which stretched as far as the eye could see, did not contain a single tree…

“Kirata, Huna, Andhra, Pulinda, Pulkasa, Abhira, Sumbha, Yavana, members of the Khasa [ Mongolian ] races and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, due to His being the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.” [ SB 2.4.18 ]

Ufa is the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan. The beautiful city, with many old rustic houses, has a population of just over one million people, 90% of whom are Sunni Muslims. Somehow, by the special grace of Lord Caitanya, ISKCON has a temple n…

“Nityananda Prabhu is more merciful than Mahaprabhu. Unless you get the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu you cannot get the mercy of Mahaprabhu, and unless you get the mercy of Mahaprabhu you cannot approach Radha-Krishna. This is our process. Moreover, guru is the manifestation of Nityananda or Balaram, so guru is more merciful than Krishna. He […]

On September 12, Bada Haridas, myself and 6 other devotees will journey to Mongolia for a two week preaching tour of the country. ISKCON is officially registered in Mongolia with a small center in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. We will travel extensively to…

The Bhakti Sangam Festival in Ukraine concluded as it began; with endess kirtan, Krsna katha and prasadam.The hearts of the Vaisnavas were completed satisfied.

In a country with political instability in the capital, an undeclared war on the eastern front and an economic crisis prevailing everywhere, Ukrainian devotees are taking shelter of Krsna’s holy names at the Bhakti Sangam Festival in the countryside near Shatsk. Their mood of devotion and surrender was especially evident during Srila Prabhupada’s guru-puja and […]

There is lots of good association at the Bhakti Sangam Festival in Ukraine. Many Maharaja’s and senior devotees are giving seminars. Many seminars take place at the same time throughout the day, making it difficult to choose which ones to attend!

Myself and Bada Haridas prabhu arrived in Shatsk, Ukraine just in time to attend the first evening kirtan with several thousand devotees at the Bhakti Sangam Festival. Over 6,000 devotees are eventually expected for the 7-day event. Havi prabhu, a seni…

The final days of our summer festival tour on the Baltic Sea coast in Poland were bittersweet. While tasting the nectar of sharing our good fortune with others, we knew it would only last a few days more. Now the drums, accordians and kartalas have gone silent. The loud chanting of Krsna’s sweet holy names […]