Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Are there no torn clothes lying on the common road? Do the trees, which exist for maintaining others, no longer give alms in charity? Do the rivers, being dried up, no longer supply water to the thirsty? Are the caves of the mountains now closed? Or above all, does the Almighty Lord not protect the
In the Bhakti tradition, we learn that there are three desires which spring forth from the soul and which can be fulfilled by a very special personality: the desire to see the divine rasa dance, to attain the kingdom of the Lord — the eternal spiritual world, Vrindavan — and to lovingly serve the divine
Discover the construction of our new eco-house in New Mayapur. Built with 220 locally sourced straw bales on a wooden structure, this low-carbon design offers durability and high thermal resistance. The oak and pine beams come directly from the New Mayapur forest, combining traditional techniques with modern technology. This project uses both concrete and foundationThe blast in Delhi has sent shockwaves throughout India and beyond.
How do we make sense of such an atrocity?
The Bhagavad Gita teaches that the cause for every event can be seen at three levels—the human, the natural, and the divine.
These correspond to the three components of reality:
Jiva — the living being,
Jagat — the material world,
and Jagdish — the Supreme Lord.
When we reduce causality to just one factor,our understanding becomes fragmented—sometimes even distorted.
Let’s consider each of these causes one-by-one.
1. The Human Cause
The Gita (chapter 16) describes people with demoniac natures—those who delight in destruction (16.9),
who scheme devilishly to cause suffering (16.14),who consider such successful scheming as trophies to their smarts (16.15).
Such people must be restrained, resolutely and even ruthlessly.
Gentleness or forgiveness in the face of wickedness is foolishness that only feeds and furthers that wickedness.
As Draupadi told Yudhishthira during their conversation at Dvaitavana in the Mahabharata, the vicious equate kindness with powerlessness and become more vicious.
At the same time, the Gita (18.42) also honors protectors—those who preserve order and safety.
They must be trusted, empowered, and held accountable.
The fact that a nationwide conspiracy, where multiple attacks were planned, was thwarted deserves deep appreciation.
The Bhagavad Gita 3.20 teaches that, each of us must play our role in maintaining the world’s order —what the Gita calls loka-saṅgraha.
For citizens, this means being aware and alert, ready to report responsibly whenever something seems amiss.
2. The Natural Cause
The Gita puts specific incidents of distress in a broader perspective when it (8.15) calls this world duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam —a place of distress and impermanence.
The Bhāgavatam (10.14.58) adds, padam padam yad vipadām —there is danger at every step.
These truths are not meant to make us fatalistic.
They are meant to make us realistic.
They remind us that life has always been fragile,
that suffering is woven into material existence,
that brutality has always existed throughout human history.
Such awareness protects us from two extremes —fear and paranoia on one side, revenge and scapegoating on the other.
The balanced path is resourcefulness —to respond, not react.
To analyze carefully till we zero in on an actionable cause and to act courageously to neutralize that cause, firmly and forcefully.
That was the Pandavas’ path with the Kauravas:they neither caved in before injustice nor became consumed by hatred while opposing it.
3. The Divine Cause
The Gita declares that Krishna, the Supreme Lord, is never the cause of evil.
He is the comfort amid distress and the cure beyond it.
Evil arises not from God, but from the illusions that dominate when people turn away from him —and sometimes even justify that turning away by imagining a sectarian god who hates those whom they themselves hate.
That is not the God of the Gita.
The Gita reveals God to be the universal well-wisher of all beings, who seeks the upliftment of everyone (5.29).
God is our comfort amid suffering, the Gita assures in (18.58).
When we remember him, he steadies our mind and strengthens our heart.
His presence brings clarity amid confusion, and courage amid crisis.
God is also our cure, as he declares in (11.33):we are his instruments, and through our actions, his purpose unfolds.
When we do our part within our limits, he does his part beyond them.
That is the partnership between the human and the divine, as celebrated in the conclusion of the Bhagavad Gita (18.78) —our effort empowered by his grace can herald an era of greater peace, harmony and flourishing.
So, God is never the cause of evil.
He is the comfort through it.
And the cure beyond it.
Conclusion
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us to face atrocity not with despair but with depth, not by giving in to hatrehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdnB2DAGIRAd but by growing to reciprocate rightly with both facets of humanity: demonic and divine.
May our devotion empower us to find comfort amid pain and progress toward a cure that uproots pain.
The post Delhi Blast & the Gita’s Three Levels of Causes appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
The blast in Delhi has sent shockwaves throughout India and beyond.
How do we make sense of such an atrocity?
The Bhagavad Gita teaches that the cause for every event can be seen at three levels—the human, the natural, and the divine.
These correspond to the three components of reality:
Jiva — the living being,
Jagat — the material world,
and Jagdish — the Supreme Lord.
When we reduce causality to just one factor,our understanding becomes fragmented—sometimes even distorted.
Let’s consider each of these causes one-by-one.
1. The Human Cause
The Gita (chapter 16) describes people with demoniac natures—those who delight in destruction (16.9),
who scheme devilishly to cause suffering (16.14),who consider such successful scheming as trophies to their smarts (16.15).
Such people must be restrained, resolutely and even ruthlessly.
Gentleness or forgiveness in the face of wickedness is foolishness that only feeds and furthers that wickedness.
As Draupadi told Yudhishthira during their conversation at Dvaitavana in the Mahabharata, the vicious equate kindness with powerlessness and become more vicious.
At the same time, the Gita (18.42) also honors protectors—those who preserve order and safety.
They must be trusted, empowered, and held accountable.
The fact that a nationwide conspiracy, where multiple attacks were planned, was thwarted deserves deep appreciation.
The Bhagavad Gita 3.20 teaches that, each of us must play our role in maintaining the world’s order —what the Gita calls loka-saṅgraha.
For citizens, this means being aware and alert, ready to report responsibly whenever something seems amiss.
2. The Natural Cause
The Gita puts specific incidents of distress in a broader perspective when it (8.15) calls this world duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam —a place of distress and impermanence.
The Bhāgavatam (10.14.58) adds, padam padam yad vipadām —there is danger at every step.
These truths are not meant to make us fatalistic.
They are meant to make us realistic.
They remind us that life has always been fragile,
that suffering is woven into material existence,
that brutality has always existed throughout human history.
Such awareness protects us from two extremes —fear and paranoia on one side, revenge and scapegoating on the other.
The balanced path is resourcefulness —to respond, not react.
To analyze carefully till we zero in on an actionable cause and to act courageously to neutralize that cause, firmly and forcefully.
That was the Pandavas’ path with the Kauravas:they neither caved in before injustice nor became consumed by hatred while opposing it.
3. The Divine Cause
The Gita declares that Krishna, the Supreme Lord, is never the cause of evil.
He is the comfort amid distress and the cure beyond it.
Evil arises not from God, but from the illusions that dominate when people turn away from him —and sometimes even justify that turning away by imagining a sectarian god who hates those whom they themselves hate.
That is not the God of the Gita.
The Gita reveals God to be the universal well-wisher of all beings, who seeks the upliftment of everyone (5.29).
God is our comfort amid suffering, the Gita assures in (18.58).
When we remember him, he steadies our mind and strengthens our heart.
His presence brings clarity amid confusion, and courage amid crisis.
God is also our cure, as he declares in (11.33):we are his instruments, and through our actions, his purpose unfolds.
When we do our part within our limits, he does his part beyond them.
That is the partnership between the human and the divine, as celebrated in the conclusion of the Bhagavad Gita (18.78) —our effort empowered by his grace can herald an era of greater peace, harmony and flourishing.
So, God is never the cause of evil.
He is the comfort through it.
And the cure beyond it.
Conclusion
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us to face atrocity not with despair but with depth, not by giving in to hatrehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdnB2DAGIRAd but by growing to reciprocate rightly with both facets of humanity: demonic and divine.
May our devotion empower us to find comfort amid pain and progress toward a cure that uproots pain.
The post Delhi Blast & the Gita’s Three Levels of Causes appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
When the Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple (SSRRT) community marked its 40th anniversary in October 2025, one of the most meaningful offerings wasn’t a ceremony or performance, but a living archive. The Memory Vault, compiled by Priya Kishori Devi Dasi, gathered decades of service and shared devotion through interviews with devotees who helped shape ISKCON […]
The post Preserving Devotional Heritage: The Memory Vault at ISKCON Durban appeared first on ISKCON News.
Jaya Jagannatha! Save the date - Join us for our Grand Annual Rathayatra on Queen Street in Auckland's CBD.
Be a part of this magnificent festival, and participate by pulling the grand chariot of Sri Jagannatha, Baladev & Subhadra. Come witness this joyous procession accompanied by kirtan, and dancing all for the pleasure of Their Lordships.
Hare Krishna Dear Devotees, Friends & Well-Wishers,
ISKCON Auckland humbly invites you and your family to celebrate Sri Gita Jayanti on Sunday 30th November 2025. Experience a day full of Bhagavad Gita recitation from 9:30am followed by Prasadam Feast. All are welcome to participate.
This auspicious day honours the advent of Srimad Bhagavad-gita when Lord Sri Krishna imparted the essence of Vedic knowledge to Arjuna and enlightened him about the ultimate goal of life.
“Yes, I am still brave (laughter). Otherwise, how could I come alone to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness?” Srila Prabhupada spoke these words after revealing that at the age of 12, he had climbed the scaffolding of the 300-foot-tall Victoria Memorial. Srila Prabhupada’s bravery in coming to spread Krishna Consciousness was exemplary, and it’s time for US […]
The post Live to Give Campaign Aims to Distribute 4.6 Million Bhagavad-gitas appeared first on ISKCON News.
Farm accommodation. Govardhan Eco Farm CIC, a small hillside initiative in the Wye Valley near Symonds Yat, is bringing Srila Prabhupada’s call for “simple living and high thinking” to life under the guidance of Radha Krishna Das (Richard Higgins), Director of Good Gardeners International (GGI). Through practical demonstrations of composting, ecological design, and devotional service, […]
The post UK Eco Farm Inspires Change Through Soil and Spirit appeared first on ISKCON News.
The A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Legacy Museum in the TOVP will eventually expand in size to 21,000 sq. ft., one of the largest museums of its kind for any single person in history. The paraphernalia within its rooms will include his personal effects, clothing, tape recorders, books, recordings, and many more items of historical value […]
The post Prabhupada Legacy Museum Invites Devotees to Share Tadiyanam appeared first on ISKCON News.
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! This month Mayapur, Mumbai-Juhu, and Bhaktivedanta Manor were the top three large temples. Ahmedabad, Bengaluru-South and London-Soho were the top three medium temples. Chandigarh, Surat and Toronto were the top small temples and Calgary, Madrid and Kishinev were the top maha-small temples this month. Over
While some may think that building the TOVP is just building another temple, this is far from the truth. In reality, it is the greatest act of compassion upon Building the TOVP – The Supreme Act of Compassion – Temple of the Vedic Planetarium
We actually do not die. At death, we are merely kept inert for some time, just as during sleep. At night we sleep, and all our activities stop, but as soon as we arise, our memory immediately returns, and we think, “Oh, where am I? What do I have to do?” This is called suptotthita-nyāya.
Standing on his chariot, Arjuna took up his bow and drove off the valiant fighters and palace guards who tried to block his way. As her relatives shouted in anger, he took Subhadrā away just as a lion takes his prey from the midst of lesser animals. H.G. Tejo Prakash Prabhu || SB – 10.86.10
I was invited to visit the Sri Sri Radha Madhava temple in Manila. It is still in the old temple building I visited years ago but the temple will move to a new property in about 3 months. I was fortunate to go and have a look and it is certainly a big upgrade.
While there, a harinama was organized for a downtown area. Manila is a mega city of 15 or 20 million and there are 17 smaller cities within it. The kirtan started with a sit down in a park where I gave a lecture and then we headed through the streets for an ecstatic parade.
Gokulendra Prabhu (left in background) during a morning walk with Srila Prabhupada. Gokulendra Prabhu, previously known as Greg, met Ksudhi Prabhu either in 1972 or 1973. At that time, he was a student at Rhodes University which I think was one of the most prestigious universities. He would finish his lectures on a Friday night […]
The post Remembering His Grace Gokulendra Das appeared first on ISKCON News.
Beyond the Binary: Recovering Moral Clarity in a Divided World When I wrote recently that the “No Kings” protests revealed the soul’s longing for genuine, caring leaders, for the spirit of Lord Rāma rather than another self-serving ruler, some readers accused me of being “too liberal.” Others said that if I spoke about the sacredness […]
The post Opinion: The Perils of Binary Thinking: Rediscovering Moral Clarity Beyond Partisan Politics appeared first on ISKCON News.
By Partha Sarathi Das Goswami Gokulendra Prabhu, also known as Greg, met Ksudhi Prabhu either in 1972 or 1973. At that time, he was a student at Rhodes University, which was then one of the most prestigious universities in South Africa. Greg would finish his lectures on a Friday night and would hitchhike all the
Mukhya Devi Dasi and devotee volunteers with prepared grocery bags ready to distribute. ISKCON News: When reports surfaced that SNAP food assistance might not be funded on November 1, what prompted you and your team to take action? Mukhya Devi Dasi, Temple President at New Raman Reti: When that news first broke, our hearts went […]
The post Alachua’s Hare Krishna Community Offers Much-Needed Support in Uncertain Times appeared first on ISKCON News.
Preparations are underway across ISKCON for two milestone observances: the society’s 60th anniversary in 2026 and the 50th anniversary of the Tirobhava (1977–2027) of its Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. At the recently concluded GBC Midterm General Meeting in Milan in October 2025, the Governing Body Commission (GBC) gave full support […]
The post ISKCON Begins Planning for 60th Anniversary (2026) and Srila Prabhupada’s 50th Tirobhava (2027) appeared first on ISKCON News.
The post By our thoughts, are we creating fresh karma? || Chaitanya Charan appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
ki bhāve bujhāle tārā
bujhe sei rasa
How will they come to understand,
The taste of your love so deep, so grand?
My dear Lord, Srila Prabhupada highlights the vast gulf between the materially infatuated and the spiritually dedicated. Those who are constantly seeking, scheming, and dreaming of sensual pleasures often have no inner space left to perceive spiritual joy.
O Lord of all joys, sensual pleasures are gross in both form and feel—loud in their visibility, insistent in their contact between senses and sense objects. They parade before us, demanding attention. Yet where the world sees luxury, the saint sees loss.
In stark contrast, spiritual pleasures are subtle and invisible to the materially conditioned eye. During his tumultuous journey to America, while still recovering from two heart attacks, Srila Prabhupada was nourished by reading your pastimes. The tender ways you love your devotees, and the countless ways they love you, are nearly impossible to grasp without saintly association.
O merciful Lord, through the words and lives of saints such as Srila Prabhupada, the inaccessible tastes of devotion become not just accessible but irresistible. Bless me, O Lord, to taste that devotion myself, and let its sweetness flow through me to awaken others.
The post 5.1 Lift me from material infatuation to spiritual dedication appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Anuttama Prabhu begins with light-hearted remarks and kirtan, then reads and explains Srimad Bhagavatam 3.31.14, where the soul in the womb prays to the Lord, realizing its separation from Him due to being trapped in a material body made of the five elements. Main Themes The Soul and the Lord The soul (jiva) is spiritual
And I’m like oh okay this is nice. Some people are rejecting me. This is nice. Why is it nice? Because sometimes we think oh yeah I know something. I know a few shlokas right? I can do this and then people say hey get out of my way you know like I’m not interested
The process is simple. But the application is difficult. Most people they like to hear about the political conversations the news but when invited to attend a meeting of the Shrimage Bavatam you people don’t come. So we must try to convince them from the be and those who are interested. They they find that
With great respect, King Rantideva offered the balance of the food to the dogs and the master of the dogs, who had come as guests. The King offered them all respects and obeisances. Thereafter, only the drinking water remained, and there was only enough to satisfy one person, but when the King was just aboutIn a recent WhatsApp post, our respected ISKCON Vaishnava sadhu and pundit Sriman Pran Govinda das from Alachua, Florida quoted some important instructions from Lord Caitanya and Bhaktivinoda Thakur regarding compassion:
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said that the Vaishnava movement is made of three things:
Jive Daya – compassion to all living beings
Nama Ruchi – a taste for chanting the holy name of Krishna
Vaishnava Seva – service to the Vaishnavas
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, the great-grandfather of the Krishna consciousness movement, said:
“Shri Krishna is very quickly satisfied with persons who have compassion towards all others, and do not cause them any pain and anxieties. Compassion is the foremost quality of the Vaishnavas. Compassion is their main dharma.”
(Jaiva Dharma, Chapter 20)
He explained further:
“Compassion and compassionate actions help us to forget our ego-centered world. Compassionate actions therefore give rise to self-realization and then God realization.”
The Thakur then gives three meditations to help us develop compassion:
While some may think that building the TOVP is just building another temple, this is far from the truth. In reality, it is the greatest act of compassion upon the fallen jivas, giving them the most rare opportunity to come in contact with Lord Caitanya’s movement of Harinam sankirtan to engage in the yuga dharma, develop the highest sentiment of love for God (namo maha vadanyaya, krishna prema pradaya te), and ultimately return home, back to Godhead in this very life.
Building the TOVP is actually the highest welfare work for humanity at large on all levels, mental, physical and spiritual because it presents to the world the model and blueprint for a perfect civilization based on God consciousness according to the principles of our acharyas.
Let us all follow Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s advice “to make a determined effort and take concrete measures to help others and eradicate their misery” by building the TOVP, now scheduled to open on Srila Prabhupada’s 50th Disappearance Anniversary on November 1, 2027, during a three-month-long celebration.
Please review all our donation Seva Opportunities on the TOVP website and sponsor something within your reach or give a general donation. We highly recommend sponsoring the new Prabhupada 50 KRISHNA Ring, a replica of Srila Prabhupada’s personal KRSNA ring. Ambarisa prabhu is matching up to $10 million over the next two years as we approach the grand opening.
Visit: www.tovp.org
Support: https://tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities
Email: tovpinfo@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tovp.mayapur
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/tovpinfo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOVP2022
Telegram: https://t.me/TOVP_GRAM
WhatsApp: https://s.tovp.org/whatsappcommunity1
Instagram: https://s.tovp.org/tovpinstagram
App: https://s.tovp.org/app
News & Texts: https://s.tovp.org/newstexts
Store: https://tovp.org/tovp-gift-store/
Salika Das, Temple President of ISKCON Jos and Vice National Chairman of ISKCON Nigeria, was captured with his signature bright smile. Salika Das’s journey of faith began in childhood, shaped by both hardship and an insatiable search for truth. Born into a Muslim-Christian household in Nigeria, he grew up amid the complexities of a polygamous […]
The post How a Lifelong Search for Truth Led Nigerian Leader to Global Spiritual Work appeared first on ISKCON News.
While recuperating from his stroke at Stinson Beach near San Francisco, Srila Prabhupada found the climate unsuitable due to insufficient sunlight. Deciding to return to India for better health, he planned a route from San Francisco → New York → London → Moscow → Delhi. Initiations at Stinson Beach Unable to travel to the templeThis is an AI-generated transcript and it might not be fully accurate:
So, when the Gita says that we should not disturb others’ minds, 3.26, na buddhi-bhedam janayet, ajnanam karma-sangeenam, joshyet sarva-karmani vidwanikta-samajam. So when we go out to distribute books, no, we are not letting people live their lives comfortably, we are trying to give Krishna to them. So is that disruption? Not necessarily.
If you look at what Krishna is saying in this verse, is that there are two levels. There is a level of, the level of people who are vidwan, who are wise and who are yuktaha, they are spiritually connected. In terms of intelligence and action, vidwan and yuktaha.
And the opposite is, na buddhi-bhedam janayet, ajnanam. Ajnanam is ignorant. And there is ajnanam karma-sangeenam, so karma-sangee is attached.
So there are attached ignorant people and there are wise and connected people. So now if we to some extent are here and there is somebody who is here, now we would like people to rise to the well-connected spiritual level. But sometimes it may happen that when we want people to rise all the way up here, that may become too much for them.
It becomes too much, they try to go up and they end up going further down. So for example, say somebody is worshipping Ganesh. We tell them, oh you worship only Krishna.
And we quote Shastra and they go and talk with their relatives and they find this, Shloka says Ganesh is supreme and this is Shloka says Krishna is supreme and they say that, you know, this whole religion business is very confusing. So better I become an atheist. Then what has happened is, we have ended up doing a disservice.
So when somebody is at a particular level, we want to elevate them from that level to a higher level. If they cannot come to a higher level right away, most people are here Indians from a Hindu background more or less. So there is only one country in the world where ISKCON is officially banned and that is Singapore.
And the reason it happened is that when our devotees, first generation devotees, mostly westerners, they came to Singapore and the devotees were welcoming the people over there. The Hinduism is officially recognized religion and the Hindus were very impressed. All these western people are practicing bhakti.
They invited them to temples to give classes and there are Ayyappa temple and Ganesh temple and Kartikeya temple and in those temples our devotees started saying, oh, Alpamitasa, you are less intelligent if you are worshipping devtas. And that created such a disturbance for them. They told the government that these people are disturbing our religious faith and the government banned us.
So now, if we are going to their forum, we have to speak a message that is acceptable for them. No Hindu will say Krishna is not God. The problem is not that Krishna is God.
The problem is Krishna alone is God. Now we have to be incremental. Instead of, it’s just not proper etiquette.
If we go to somebody else’s organized forum and criticize their beliefs over there, that if they are providing us a forum, then we have to present in a way that is acceptable for them. So if I am invited to Ganesh puja kind of programs, then I glorify a lot of Ganesh, talk some life lessons from him and then I talk about how Ganesh’s signature contribution is that he offered his own task to write the Mahabharata and the Mahabharata is the Bhagavad Gita. So this is a labor of love, this book that has been written.
So let us read that book. And when they read that book, they will get higher truths. So the point is that we need to create incremental pathways with steps.
People can get to the higher level. And different people may require a different degree of steps also. So some people may rise up, it will be Bahunam Janmanam But you will see that actually Srila Prabhupada himself, if you see among Srila Prabhupada’s followers, there were Srila Prabhupada’s disciples who just gave their life to Krishna.
They left everything and came to Krishna. But Srila Prabhupada also had life members. The life members did not become dedicated followers.
Very few of them became initiated. But they did a lot of service at that particular time. And Prabhupada created a place for them.
So that when we go for books, certainly we want to open the door for people to come to a higher level. And that’s what we do. But we don’t have to disrespect or insult their beliefs at that time.
If they have some other conception, we don’t have to criticize their conception at that particular time. We can just find some common ground and encourage them to dive deeper and end the interaction on a positive, favorable note. So to create a disturbance means what? That everybody has some worldview which makes some sense for them.
Now, it’s like somebody is very poor and they are on the streets, they are homeless, and they are having a very thin, torn, tattered kind of cloth with which they are protecting themselves from cold. And we tell them, I’ll give you this thick comforter. Just take this, throw away your tattered sheet and I’ll give you the comforter.
Now, that tattered sheet is the only relief from cold that they have experienced. If they don’t know how the comforter feels, they may not be ready for it. And if we try to pull that sheet away from them, they will fight against us with their life itself.
So whatever the worldview that a person may have, their worldview is like that cloth that is helping them make some sense of life. Giving them some protection from the chilling cold of an utterly meaningless life. So what we need to do is not pull away the cloth that is sheltering them right now.
Rather, that cloth might be there, we can put the comforter on top of it. That means give them an opportunity to experience Krishna. Give them an opportunity to understand Krishna’s wisdom.
They don’t need to confront and confound, confuse or confound them right now. There is a time that is required, but the appropriate time will come up. So don’t disturb people’s mind being that we should not act in a way that pushes people away from Krishna.
We may want to push them toward Krishna, but we push so much that we push them away from Krishna. So that is what we should not do. Thank you for that question.
The post By distributing books to people who haven’t asked for them, are we disturbing their minds, thus going against Gita 3.26? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
eta kṛpā koro prabhu
kori nija-baśa
Grant this mercy on me, O Lord Omnipotent
Take charge of me and make my words potent
Active surrender in service
My dear Lord, this verse reveals the mood of active surrender that defines Srila Prabhupada’s devotion. While he candidly acknowledges that the task before him is impossible without your mercy, he is not asking you to do a miracle while he passively watches. He is prayerfully ready—asking you to take charge of him and to speak through him.
O Lord Almighty, even when I am ready to do your will, that does not bring the results into my control. What remains in my control is my effort, as you instruct in the Gita (2.47): to focus on action, not on results. He does not seek control of outcomes; he seeks alignment of will. Srila Prabhupada exemplifies this mood by praying that you take control of him—not that you magically change the circumstances around him. His focus is on endeavor—on making his heart receptive to transmit your message.
O merciful Lord, his subsequent actions reveal how he remains practically steady—continuing his service of speaking spiritual wisdom for as long as required and as long as he is capable, leaving it to you to decide if, when, and how results will manifest.
O unfailing Lord, when I face formidable challenges, please bless me to remain similarly ready and steady—ever prayerfully ready to do my part and ever practically steady in surrender to yours.
The post 5.2 Make me prayerfully ready and practically steady appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
For the first time, Mahatma Das will be teaching The Art of Forgiveness in a live online format, making the program accessible to devotees worldwide. The course, which has previously been offered in person, presents a systematic approach to one of the most challenging aspects of spiritual life: the practice of forgiveness. The program is […]
The post Mahatma Das Launches Live Online Course on the Art of Forgiveness This Week appeared first on ISKCON News.
Having achieved love of Godhead, the devotees sometimes weep loudly, absorbed in thought of the infallible Lord. Sometimes they laugh, feel great pleasure, speak out loud to the Lord, dance or sing. Such devotees, having transcended material, conditioned life, sometimes imitate the unborn Supreme by acting out His pastimes. And sometimes, achieving His personal audience,
Chanting the holy name of Krishna is the highest spiritual process. In Kali-yuga, the Lord has made the path simple: through sankirtan one can achieve peace, liberation, and pure love of God, surpassing all other methods of previous ages. The true devotee does not seek release from suffering but only the privilege of serving and
What does it mean a mortal wound? You know, if you’re in the battle, you get shot in the arm, you may not necessarily die, right? But in the old days, if you got shot in the stomach, you were dead. It’s over, right? That’s called a mortal wound. You’re shot so badly that you’re
I had the opportunity to visit the Vraja Eco Village about one and a half hours outside of Manila. This project had been developed under the inspiration of his Holiness Giridhari Maharaja and his team of dedicated and talented devotees.
The property is about nine hectares in size and there are many guest houses, a school, restaurant, ashrama and other wonderful facilities. The temple is beautiful and artistically designed, landscaped with beautiful gardens and fountains.
namo ’nanta-līlāya devāya tubhyam
I bow to you, O timeless one,
Whose endless plays are never done.
In my heart, may your pastimes gleam,
As the pinnacle of love, the deathless dream.
(Damodarashtakam, Verse 8, Line 4)
My dear Lord, your pastimes are unlimited and unlimitedly attractive, yet my perception is sadly the opposite. To my conditioned mind, the options for worldly enjoyment seem endless.
O infallible Lord, help me realize that the world’s variety exists only in appearance. In actual experience, it all feels the same; there’s no deeper happiness beyond some superficial short-lived sensory stimulation. The captivating variety soon gives way to numbing monotony, which makes me misuse my intelligence to invent newer illusions of novelty—each promising something different yet delivering only disappointing, leaving me ever more frustrated.
The variety in you, O unlimited Lord, is real, substantial, and transformational. In the divine reality of your personal arena, I behold ever-new facets of you, who possess limitless glories. I discover countless ways in which you express love for your devotees—and they, in turn, express love for you.
Please, my merciful Lord, protect me from being distracted, dissuaded, or deluded by any superficial sense of sameness in your pastimes. Help me dive deeper and relish the ever-new, ever-fresh, ever-rich flavors of love revealed therein. Thank you for giving glimpses of your endless attractiveness by manifesting some of your pastimes in this world. May those glimpses draw my heart ever closer to you—forever and ever.
The post Turn my heart from the deluding variety of this world to the illuminating variety in you appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Basingstoke’s Queen Mary’s College became a lively center of Diwali celebration as the local devotee community, together with ISKCON’s Bhaktivedanta Manor, hosted a special cultural program featuring the Bhaktivedanta Players. The performance, part of the troupe’s ongoing 40th-anniversary tour, highlighted a new staging of the Ramayan that drew a warm response from local residents. Radha […]
The post Ramayan Drama Lights Up Diwali in Basingstoke appeared first on ISKCON News.
sakal-i sambhava hoy
tumi se kautukī
Your mercy makes everything possible,
You are incredible, unstoppable, magical.
My dear Lord, Srila Prabhupada here articulates his conviction that, for you, everything is possible. You have the power to do not just the things I may consider impossible, but also the things I cannot even conceive—things that lie beyond the reach of my imagination.
O ever-accessible Lord, Srila Prabhupada speaks of the miraculous in a disarming matter-of-fact way. For him, you are not a mere concept or a future possibility to be realized through practice; you are a concrete reality—present with him, and within him, always. He pours out his heart to you as if speaking to his most confidential friend—someone standing right beside him. He refers to you in the second person, just as one does in intimate conversation.
O Lord of all hearts, Srila Prabhupada’s conviction in your reality and potency is infectious; he infuses others with a similar conviction. Just as he embarks alone on a mission across the seven oceans to serve you, so too does he inspire hundreds to dedicate their lives in your service.
My eternal Lord, let my contemplation on Srila Prabhupada’s words and actions propel me to reorient my life around you—not as a distant ideal, but as my immediate and intimate reality, always with me and always for me.
The post 4.2 O ultimate, make your presence immediate and intimate appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.