Planet ISKCON

Achintya Bheda Abheda Tattva with Bhakti Rasayana Sagar Swami

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Approaching Radha Krsna through Gaura Nitai with Varsana Swami

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Jagannatha Puri Yatra and Pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu with Chandan Yatra Das

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One of them today, who I’m very happy to introduce to you is His Grace Ramesvar Prabhu, who was the head of the BBT. A confidant of Srila Prabhupada, especially in book publication and who was right there on the ground with all the proceedings that took place before, during and after this Chaitanya Caritamrita marathon. He is privy to many of the things Prabhupada said and expressed about the importance of the Chaitanya Caritamrita, so historically his presentation will be very important.
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243 Avenue Rd., Toronto

Life in the Building

Our roofer, Victor, did make it up above me. I could hear his clumping on the flat roof overhead, the very place where squirrels race back-and-forth; never on a schedule. It’s just frivolous, whimsical play. Their footsteps are light compared to Victor’s firm and less speedy moments.

Below me, on the main floor, is Sri the Pea (that’s what he calls himself) getting already for Govinda's take out. It Involves mostly the use of water, the washing of trays and laying out of the day’s spread of tasty entrées. When his use of water is on it makes it hard for me to shower. It all runs on the same pipeline. When Sri is on the phone it’s so obviously him with a rather high tone voice, but not soprano.

The lower deck is the actual basement where our main cook, Dwarkanath, is cooking up a storm in the presence of Cameron, who tackles the pot washing. With two floors down it makes it hard to hear the cleaning of pots. Yet I do know they are busy because of the finished product — the meal itself. With today being a grain-fast, called ekadasi, the preps are lighter and are felt as such when portions land in the stomach. Happy cooking and cleaning, you guys. Great prasadam — blessed food.

Finally, in the most remote section of the basement, workers have been at the job, which is getting closer and closer to completion, of renovations on the west side of the building. I’m on the east side, laying down, mostly hearing and perceiving all the vibrancy in the rest of the edifice, a former church. I must not fail to mention one of the most important functions of the place. From the temple room my ear catches the bells for the aratiservice. It’s ever so sweet.

May the Source be with you!

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Please view our new film, Rolling the Dice:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF3legHdMgI

243 Avenue Rd., Toronto

Spent Some Hours

I spent some hours on this day assembling a PowerPoint presentation for Sunday’s class on the qualities of Shiva. That kept me busy, along with the help of Sarthak, who is just a great assistant when it comes to technical things. In any case, engagement is the best means to get one’s mind off of any discomfort.

I will be highlighting the power of wholesome relationships. The great bond between Shiva and Sati demonstrates whole-hearted commitment despite all odds. The one major oddity between the divine couple was Sati’s father. Daksha was his name and he was against their marriage from the beginning. Publicly he ridiculed Brahma for the marriage arrangement. He certainly went overboard in his criticism on many counts. What he did not realize is that the connection between his son-in-law and Sati was inseparable and so attempting to wedge a block in the relationship proved disastrous. I will spare the details of that story until Sunday, via Zoom, from 5-6 p.m. (check thewalkingmonk.net).

To this day in India, many young women pray to Shiva for a good husband like him while young men ask for some benefit when it comes to a good wife. I suppose asking for a good mate is natural.

One issue I see is that not a lot of young folks are seeking relationships as it used to be, hence birth rates are low in many countries of the developed world and thus we end up with a major portion of our populations fast approaching old age. That is a big topic but I would say it is a real scare.

May the Source be with you!

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Please view our new film, Rolling the Dice:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF3legHdMgI

243 Avenue Rd., Toronto

No Miler, Getting Smiles

I am sorry but I won’t be able to report any kilometres (or miles) these days. I’m off my feet. My mind still races, though, and in merely a flash, I’ll be in Mayapura, India, hurriedly moving from my room to the Samadhi Auditorium and back, or walking on a trail by the Assiniboine River in Manitoba. I am covering many miles, mentally, each day but I would have difficulty nailing down an actual record, really.

In any event, one of the physician friends of our ashram, Jagannath Misra, came over to see my condition. He observed my knees and gave his diagnosis. “What you’ve got is shingles.”

Okay.

And just as the doctor recognized my shingle situation our roofer, Victor, came in from outside, after a look at the leaky roof above my room. The word “shingles” resonated with him.

So now both areas of concern need to be addressed — the ceiling and my legs. We are getting at it and at the same time I’m catching up on more rest (which you cannot do standing up or while the legs are in motion), some reading, some viewing and some communicating, via phone.

It’s all so wonderful but I must admit I miss the trails and trees, the people and the parks.

Time is on my side. No miles but getting smiles.

May the Source be with you!

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Please view our new film, Rolling the Dice:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF3legHdMgI

Please accept our heartfelt condolences to friends, and disciples of HH Tamal Krishna Goswami, and to family, and friends of HG Vrindavanesvari devi dasi who both passed away on 15th March just outside Mayapur, India.

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Bhagavata Cosmology – Vedic Alternative to Modern Cosmology

By Pavaneshwar Das

BHAGAVATA COSMOLOGY Consolidates and summarizes the descriptions of universal geography presented in Srimad Bhagvatam, Bhugola Varnanam, Surya – siddhanta, Ramayana,Mahabharat, Visnu Purana, Vayu Purana and other books. This book reconciles the scriptural understanding and the modern understanding by drawing parallels between them.

This book systematically presents the process and purpose of the creation of universe and variety of living entities populating it. it briefly outlines the structure of the universe, with its horizontal and vertical divisions, as presented in the Bhagvata Purana, the 2D and 3D pictorial representations, flow charts and summary tables in the book reveal the working of the universe by explaining the passing of day and night, the phase of the moon, the passing of seasons and the eclipses and many more.

Author: Pavaneshwar Das
Published: 2019
Book size: 340 pages
Formats: Paperback
 
BUY ON AMAZON  

  Residents of India will have to search for this book on www.amazon.in

Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja lived for one hundred forty-four years. He took diksha from Sri Madhusudana Dasa Babaji and did bhajana for many years at Surya Kunda in Vrindavana. Thakura Bhaktivinoda received valuable instructions on pure devotional service from Jagannatha Dasa Babaji.
 
His practice was to live six months in Shri Navadwipa dhama and six in Vraja mandala. “During his time,” said Thakura Bhaktivinoda, “Sri Jagannatha Dasa Babaji was the.most advanced rasika Vaishnava in Gaura and Vraja mandalas, and Purushottam Kshetra (Jagannatha Puri).” Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave him the title Sarvabhauma, the chief of the Vaishnavas.

HH Tamal Krishna Goswami played the role of the older brother to so many godbrothers and godsisters in ISKCON, and he played it exceedingly well. He was loving, caring, expert, and resourceful in many, many ways. He could give expert advice and practical support on the physical plane—medical, architectural, financial; on the emotional plane—psychological, social, marital; and on the spiritual plane—chanting japa, singing bhajanas and kirtana, studying and teaching sastra, associating with devotees, worshiping deities, going on parikrama, preaching, distributing books, writing books, engaging different kinds of people, and so much more.

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Mayapur is a very special place and is expanding so fast!

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While getting vaccinated against COVID-19, I remembered these words from Āyurveda-śāstra: auṣadhi cintayet viṣṇum. When taking medicine, one must remember Viṣṇu because ultimately He is the active ingredient that makes any medicine potent. More prominent in my mind, however, was my recollection of Śrīla Prabhupada's mood when it came to vaccinations, or for that matter, his approach to life in general. Srila Prabhupada once nonchalantly commented “All right, let us have,” when getting vaccinated against the Hong Kong flu. Perhaps he got vaccinated due to his need to travel internationally for preaching, or perhaps at the behest of his disciples. For whatever reason, he got vaccinated and moved on with his mission. Continue reading "Why I Decided that Getting Vaccinated Against COVID-19 Was the Right Choice for Me
→ Dandavats"

Seen in this video is the completed murti of Jaya, who permanently stands 18′ high with Vijaya at the main entrance of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Together, Jaya and Vijaya are the well-known gatekeepers of Vaikuntha who were cursed by the four Kumaras to enter the material world where, by the arrangement of the Lord, they played the part of demons for three births, most notably Hirakashipu and Hiranyaksha.

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The magical CC publishing marathon w/ HH Devamrita Swami!

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Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja comes in the Gaudiya Vaishnava disciplic succession after Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana. He was a renounced ascetic, fully engaged in chanting the holy names of Krishna and meditating on the pastimes of Krishna. For some time he made his residence at Surya-kunda in Vraja-dhama, near the temple of Suryadeva, where Srimati Radharani used to come and worship the sun-god—or, I should say, where She used to come to meet Krishna on the pretext of coming to worship the sun-god.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who comes in the disciplic succession after Jagannatha dasa Babaji, accepted Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja as his main guru, his siksa-guru. Once, some of Jagannatha dasa Babaji’s disciples in Vraja approached the Thakura and complained that although they had come to Vraja to live like Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja, fully absorbed in chanting the holy names and meditating on Sri Sri Radha-Krishna’s astakaliya-lila, Babaji Maharaja had refused to instruct them in such topics and had instead engaged them in cultivating flowers, vegetables, and tulasi plants to offer to the Lord. And they requested Bhaktivinoda Thakura to appeal to their guru maharaja to instruct them in the esoteric practices of Krishna consciousness.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura told the disciples, “Actually, your gurudeva’s instructions are right for you. Because you still have anarthas, for you to try to sit and try to do nirjana-bhajana [solitary worship] and practice asta-kaliya-lila-smarana [meditation on the Lord’s eightfold daily pastimes] would be artificial, and you would just become degraded. So you should follow his instructions with full faith and work hard in Krishna’s service. Then, in time, you may be able to chant the holy names purely.”

Eventually, Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja moved to Mayapur, where he lived by the banks of the Ganges, fully absorbed in chanting the holy names. He had the greatest reverence for the holy land of Navadvipa. Although he was so renounced and so absorbed in Krishna consciousness, as his reputation spread, gentlemen would come to him and give him donations. Once, Babaji Maharaja asked one of his servants to take the donations he had received, which he kept in an old burlap bag, and purchase a large pot of rasagullas. All the devotees were surprised, because Jagannatha dasa Babaji was so renounced and lived so simply; he would eat only the simplest rice and dal. Anyway, the servant brought the sweets, and Jagannatha dasa Babaji offered them to his Deities and then distributed them to the cows and dogs in the dhama. He said that the creatures of the dhama were elevated souls and worthy of service.

Later, Babaji Maharaja would not honor prasada until he had shared it with ten newborn puppies. He would wait until they came, and because in his old age his eyelids drooped over his eyes and prevented him from seeing, he would count them with his hands. Only after they had begun to eat would he also partake. He would say, “They are puppies of the dhama. They are not ordinary living entities.” He had so much faith in and affection for the dhama.

He had less affection for Mayavadi impersonalists. He used to say, “Let the dogs come in for darshan, but the impersonalists—kick them out!”
Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji lived to a very old age. Some Vaishnavas say he was just waiting for Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura to come—someone to whom he could impart his special knowledge and realization, for the benefit of humanity. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura requested to be transferred from his post in Orissa to Bengal so he could be near Navadvipa-dhama. And eventually he was posted at Krishnanagar, near Navadvipa.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura did extensive research to determine the actual birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He studied old maps, consulted the local people, and visited different places. Eventually he found a mound where many tulasi trees were growing. He got the intuition that this was the actual birthplace of Lord Chaitanya, but he wanted his intuition to be confirmed. At the time, Jagannatha dasa Babaji was the most renowned Vaishnava, and he was Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s siksa-guru. So, Jagannatha dasa Babaji’s disciples brought him to the place with the mound and tulasi plants. He was so old—over a hundred and forty years old, some say—that his disciples had to carry him in a basket. The disciples brought him, but they didn’t tell him when they came to the site that Bhaktivinoda Thakura had determined was the birthplace. Still, when Babaji Maharaja arrived there, he spontaneously jumped out of his basket and began to dance in ecstasy, singing the holy names. Thus he confirmed the location of Mahaprabhu’s birthplace.

Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji’s bhajana-kutira and samadhi are there in Navadvipa-dhama, in Koladvipa. Devotees who perform Navadvipa-parikrama visit there and get his mercy. We also pray to him for his mercy, that we may be instrumental in fulfilling the desires of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and the other acharyas in the line of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu coming to us through Srila Prabhupada and his disciples.

Today especially we think of His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja, who left this world on Jagannatha Dasa Babaji’s Disappearance Day, also in Gauda-mandala-bhumi. Two years ago I was in Dallas for the disappearance day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, just a few months after Goswami Maharaja passed away. As we were observing the ceremony in the temple, I was thinking how Goswami Maharaja was the perfect servant and therefore the fit representative of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Then I thought of him in relation to all of the acharyas in the last two centuries—Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and Srila Prabhupada (who are the most prominent of them)—and how he really took their mission to heart. He was absorbed in fulfilling all aspects of their mission: developing Mayapur, distributing books, spreading the chanting of the holy names throughout the world in various ways—all the programs that were so important to our predecessor acharyas.

Although I could speak of Goswami Maharaja’s surrender and service for days, today we have the rare opportunity to hear from His Grace Amoghalila dasa Adhikari. Amoghalila, could you please tell us something about your experiences with him and your realizations about him?

Amoghalila Prabhu:

I am thinking of one or two incidents I can mention, and some realizations I had from them. One was actually the last morning Srila Prabhupada was in Bombay, in Juhu. I was fortunate, actually by Giriraj Maharaja’s mercy, to be able to be in Srila Prabhupada’s room then. After about a month in Bombay, Srila Prabhupada was leaving that morning for Vrindavan. Madhava Prabhu and Upendra Prabhu were also there, though Upendra was in and out of the room.

Srila Prabhupada was just lying on his bed. He could hardly move. He couldn’t even sit up by himself. He was so weak he could barely speak. But then he said something. It was hard to hear what he said, so I leaned closer and asked, “What, Srila Prabhupada?” He said, “Call Tamal.” So Upendra Prabhu went out to get Tamal Krishna Maharaja. When Goswami Maharaja came into the room, he offered dandavat-pranama (prostrated obeisances) and then got up. Srila Prabhupada asked him about the arrangements for going to Vrindavan. Goswami Maharaja said, “Yes, Srila Prabhupada,” offered dandavat-pranama, and went out. A minute or two later, he came back in. He offered dandavat-pranama, got up, and then told Srila Prabhupada the answer to Prabhupada’s question. He said something, he got something ready, and then he offered dandavat-pranama and went out. This happened at least three times: He came in and went out, he came in and went out, he came in and went out, all within just a few minutes—it couldn’t have been more than five minutes. Practically every minute he was coming in, offering dandavat-pranama, getting up, talking to Prabhupada for a few seconds or half a minute, offering dandavat-pranama again, and going out.

Later, after Srila Prabhupada left us, when I was Goswami Maharaja’s personal secretary, I mentioned this to him, and he said, “Yes, Srila Prabhupada instructed me to do this. Srila Prabhupada said that because familiarity breeds contempt, it is very important when somebody is intimately serving the spiritual master that they keep a reverential mood.” Goswami Maharaja, of course, was such an intimate servant of Srila Prabhupada’s, yet he always maintained that deep reverence—of course love, also, but at the same time he always had such deep reverence for Srila Prabhupada. Tamal Krishna Maharaja is such an ideal example of a personal servant and disciple.

I am thinking of one other incident then, when I was Goswami Maharaja’s personal secretary in 1978 in Bombay. As I mentioned to Giriraj Maharaja, I think the real reason Goswami Maharaja wanted me to be his personal secretary was so he could train me, because he had seen how disturbing my mismanagement was. I had been the vice president and the so-called manager of Hare Krishna Land, and at one point during that time Giriraj Maharaja had mentioned to Tamal Krishna Maharaja, “Amoghalila is mismanaging the affairs here.” Goswami Maharaja had said, “There is no mismanagement . . . There is no management!” So, he felt that I needed some training in management. Therefore, he made me his personal secretary, to train me. I think that was the main reason, and he tried to train me and he did.

He did train me a lot, although I didn’t follow his training so well, but one incident when he trained me was very moving. Every time I think about it, I just . . . He was teaching me how to clean the floor. I mean, I had been a devotee for six or seven years, so I had been cleaning floors for a long time. Anyway, once, when I was cleaning the floor, he said, “No, that’s not how you clean the floor,” because I had the cloth bunched up or something. So, he took the cloth from me, got down on his hands and knees, spread the cloth out big, folded it over once, and started cleaning the floor. I tried to stop him; I said, “Maharaja, it’s okay, it’s okay. I’ll do it.” He responded, “No, I want to show you how to do it.” And he cleaned for quite a while. He cleaned a large area, and I was protesting, but he said, “No. Just watch what I am doing.” He had the cloth spread out quite big, and he cleaned for some time. I tried to stop him again, but he explained, “No, Srila Prabhupada did this to me. Srila Prabhupada showed me like this. He got down on his hands and knees and he cleaned the floor to show me how to do it. So why can’t you let me show you how to do it?”

So, Tamal Krishna Goswami was the perfect servant of Srila Prabhupada. And as you said, Maharaja, the perfect servant or ideal servant becomes the ideal representative. Goswami Maharaja was so strict in following Srila Prabhupada exactly, to the detail, even how you open up a cloth and fold it and clean the floor—every detail, everything! These are just a couple of little incidents I was thinking about.

Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: When you began, saying how Tamal Krishna Goswami would come and offer full obeisances, I thought of what some devotees told me about his routine in Dallas after Srila Prabhupada left. Every night, he would go into Srila Prabhupada’s room where the deity of Srila Prabhupada was installed and chant his last Gayatri and put Srila Prabhupada to rest. He wanted to do that as his personal service. And they told me that whenever Goswami Maharaja would leave the temple premises, even for an hour or two, he would first circumambulate the building. They gave me the impression that he was circumambulating Srila Prabhupada, although, of course, he was circumambulating the other deities as well. But he was very conscious of Srila Prabhupada. In general, he was always very conscious of his lords and masters.

I also think of how after Srila Prabhupada left Goswami Maharaja distributed different remnants of Srila Prabhupada to different devotees. He had one of Srila Prabhupada’s teeth, which he had placed in a silver capsule and hung around his neck. Indradyumna Swami, who is quite expert in getting deities and sacred relics, once was asking Tamal Krishna Goswami about the tooth—what was eventually going to happen to it. And Tamal Krishna Goswami understood that Indradyumna Maharaja was trying to see if he could one day get the tooth. Goswami Maharaja just laughed and said, “Don’t even think of it! I am taking it with me. Even after I leave, it will stay with my body.” His idea was that by the tooth being put into his samadhi, people who circumambulated his samadhi or offered obeisances there would get the benefit of circumambulating Srila Prabhupada’s tooth, of offering obeisances to his tooth. And on the absolute platform, Srila Prabhupada’s tooth is as worshipable as he is.

Devotee: The tooth was kept with him, even when he was put into samadhi?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, it was always with him.

Hare Krishna!

[A talk by Giriraj Swami on Jagannatha dasa Babaji’s disappearance day, February 20, 2004, Carpinteria, California]

Gaura Purnima 2021 - Festival Inauguration, Sri Mayapur Dham

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  In recent times, a common theme keeps surfacing in our spiritual circles: the need to find yourself, your purpose, nature, contribution and calling. Here’s an exercise: grab a piece of paper, pick up a pen, and quickly scribble down your name using your non-writing hand. Unless you’re ambidextrous, the experience is pretty much universal […]

The post Finding Your Dharma appeared first on ISKCON News.

Tuning into our inner calling is where the real journey begins, otherwise we may well be careering down a no-through road.

ISKCON at the UN and the ISKCON Vaishnavi Ministry have organized an interfaith panel discussion entitled “Shared Stories: Culture, Religion & Women’s Empowerment” which will take place virtually on March 21^st as part of the NGO Commission on the Status of Women Forum.

Hare Krishna!

Please accept our humble obeisances!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!

Date: 14thMar 2021

Day: Sunday

Time: 11 am to 12 noon

Topic: Teachings of Chaitainya Mahaprabhu

Speaker: HH Bhakti Anugraha Janardana Swami

Link to join the class from your desktop or laptop:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9150790510?pwd=Wk5GYXVRMkJmdk84MzZJRXBKYUgwUT09 

HH Bhakti Anugraha Janardana Swami:

H.H Bhakti Anugraha Janardana Swami is disciple of Gopal Krishna Goswami and in 2014, he was awarded sannyas initiation by Gopal Krishna Goswami. He has been preaching in New Delhi, Vrindavan and Philippines.

H.H Bhakti Anugraha Janardana Swami travels with HH Gopal Krishna Maharaja and has been assigned the work of preaching in Philippines. H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami is H.H Bhakti Anugraha Janardana Swami's mentor.

ISKCON Scarborough

3500 McNicoll Avenue, Unit #3,

Scarborough, Ontario,

Canada, M1V4C7

Website: www.iskconscarborough.org

Email:

iskconscarborough@hotmail.com

scarboroughiskcon@gmail.com

Live broadcasts on YouTube and Facebook will take place on the last Saturday and Sunday of each month during 2021, to mark the 125^th birth anniversary of Srila Prabhupada. 

Non-profity entity ECO-Vrindaban, which works closely with ISKCON New Vrindaban in West Virginia on ISKCON’s first farm, is preparing for another growing season. Its mission statement? To “promote cow protection, local agriculture, and above all, loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada.” Typically, the season for outdoor gardening in the area begins around mid-May, after […]

The post ECO-Vrindaban Prepares For Another Plentiful Growing Season appeared first on ISKCON News.

ECO-Vrindaban is preparing for another growing season in New Vrindaban. High tunnel greenhouses allow devotees to offer locally grown flowers and vegetables to Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra and the temple kitchens all year round.  

Starting on 12th March, ISKCON Mayapur will bring to the community a condensed version of the key events of the festival every day.

ISKCON News has an opening: the Managing Editor position in its team for a seasoned editor, manager, or budding professional looking for experience.

(The articles in this section do not necessarily express the position of ISKCON News, they are the personal opinion of the authors.)   While getting vaccinated against COVID-19, I remembered these words from Ayurveda-sashtra: aushadhi cintayet visnum. When taking medicine, one must remember Vishnu because ultimately He is the active ingredient that makes any medicine […]

The post Why I Decided that Getting Vaccinated Against COVID-19 Was the Right Choice for Me appeared first on ISKCON News.

One may ask why take any precaution at all since we are devotees and Krishna protects His devotees.