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Insider Travel, with over 8 million followers on Facebook, published their 2023 roundup of the 40 most beautiful places to visit in the US, and Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold is on this prestigious list. Their recommendations are selected, in part, from a wide variety of travel sites and visitor reviews of must-see locations that span […]
The post Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold Named One of 40 Most Beautiful Places in US appeared first on ISKCON News.
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It is with gratitude and deep sadness that ISKCON extends their heartfelt condolences to the Family of Prince Buthelezi, the Zulu Nation, and followers of Prince Buthelezi, Founder and President Emeritus of the Inkatha Freedom Party. ISKCON’s relationship with Prince Buthelezi dates back over four decades, wherein he helped secure the land on which the […]
The post ISKCON Mourns and Pays Tribute to His Excellency Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi appeared first on ISKCON News.
On September 2nd, in a remarkable display of devotion and cultural unity, residents of Batam, Indonesia, witnessed the Jagannath Ratha Yatra festival. As part of the esteemed Indonesian Cultural Week, known as “Pekan Budaya Indonesia,” this festival illuminated the depth of tradition and the spirit of togetherness, surpassing the expectations of the organizing committee. You […]
The post Batam Indonesia Ratha Yatra Promotes Unity and Spreads Joy in Community appeared first on ISKCON News.
On September 2nd, in a remarkable display of devotion and cultural unity, residents of Batam, Indonesia, witnessed the Jagannath Ratha Yatra festival. As part of the esteemed Indonesian Cultural Week, known as “Pekan Budaya Indonesia,” this festival illuminated the depth of tradition and the spirit of togetherness, surpassing the expectations of the organizing committee. You […]
The post Batam Indonesia Ratha Yatra Promotes Unity and Spreads Joy in Community appeared first on ISKCON News.
On the occasion of Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasapuja ceremony, I would like to offer some of my homage to him:
It became apparent the movement would spread
Because Śrīla Prabhupāda was at the head
On and on to every village and town
A transcendental flood of rain came down.
Everyone was amazed to see the effect
Lord Caitanya’s desire could not be checked
One man’s effort would not go in vain
To transfer all to the spiritual domain
What is the duty of a disciple who is faithful
He must show that he is always grateful
To his guru, who gave him a precious jewel
Follow in his footsteps; that’s the golden rule
We should never imitate the powerful ācārya
Otherwise we will be captured by māyā
Nevertheless, we should try our very best
To forward the mission so that he’ll be impressed
Satisfying him is our desire and success
The more we do it, the more we progress
For what is advancement in spiritual life
If not to please the guru who frees us from strife
I pray to always remain at his holy feet.
That one day, I may again directly meet
The wonderful person who guided me well
To the abode where I may eternally dwell
Dear Srila Prabhupada: Please accept my most humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to you!
My dear spiritual master, as we find ourselves in the twilight of our lives, my godbrothers, godsisters and I are coming face-to-face with the harsh realities of material existence that you so poignantly warned us about in the innocence of our youth: birth, disease, old age and death. The stark experience of these sorrows serves as a sobering reminder that your words of wisdom about the material world always ring true. However, even more significant to us – and indeed to devotees of any age – is the positive alternative you compassionately bestowed upon us all: the path back home to the spiritual world, where life is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss. If there is any advantage to growing old, it is that we now hold this alternative closer to our hearts than ever before!
I am eternally grateful for your direct guidance and blessings. Your instructions to “preach boldly and have faith in the holy names” have been the guiding principles of my life in Krsna consciousness. Your unwavering faith in the power of the Hare Krsna mantra has instilled a deep conviction within my own heart. Your dedication to spreading Krishna consciousness through large-scale events has been the source of inspiration for the same service I offer to your lotus feet. And your profound love for Vrindavan, that sacred abode which you so mercifully revealed to us all, has been the motivation for my ongoing research efforts and weekly lectures on the dhama. Through your grace alone, I have spent the last 50 years sharing the joy of Krsna consciousness with others; my goal has been to make your divine presence felt in every kirtan I lead, in every lecture I deliver, and in every soul I meet on this sacred journey.
My dear spiritual master, your arrival in the Western world was a turning point – a pivotal moment – in the history of spirituality on this planet. Your journey from the shores of India to the distant land of America was not just a physical one; it was a transcendental voyage on which you carried the eternal wisdom of our scriptures to the eager hearts of seekers across the globe. Your Bhagavad-Gita As It Is has become a timeless classic, and your Srimad Bhagavatam will continue to illuminate the path of bhakti for many generations to come. May your words continue to resonate in the hearts of all those who encounter them and may your legacy shine eternally as a ray of hope and love in this world. Your literary contributions are a veritable treasure trove of spiritual knowledge, and I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to share these jewels with others. May I always remain a faithful servant in your divine mission to spread the glories of Krsna far and wide, as I know this pleases Your Divine Grace.
Srila Prabhupada, I long for the day I can be with you again in person. But I know I must earn that privilege through the medium of service to your lotus feet. Throughout this past summer, amidst the exhilarating kirtans we held with the many guests who attended our festivals along the Baltic Sea coast in Poland, I often gazed towards the heavens and wondered if you were watching. I earnestly prayed for a sign that you were aware of our efforts to please you.
Then, one night, I had a dream that I was chanting japa while strolling through a picturesque park. Suddenly, you were there! You were walking towards me in the company of several of my esteemed godbrothers. Overwhelmed, I prostrated myself at your feet. As I rose, you passed by and turning towards me, you kindly said, “You are doing well. I am pleased with you. Continue as you are.”
I took great inspiration from that dream, Srila Prabhupada. My godbrother Hayagriva dasa recounted in his book, The Hare Krsna Explosion, that you told him that although most dreams are simply functions of the mind, dreams of the spiritual master are of spiritual significance.
“If the guru gives instructions in a dream,” you said to him, “the disciple is supposed to follow them. When I came to the West my spiritual master repeatedly advised me in a number of dreams.”
Srila Prabhupada, I am determined to continue “doing well” so that you will be “pleased with me” and so that my cherished desire to be with you again will come true. Honestly, nothing else matters to me in this world. I stand prepared to accompany you to any corner of the three worlds in order to propagate Krsna consciousness. I beg you, my dear spiritual master, to please be present with me when I leave this mortal frame one day. Please take me by the hand and lead me to my next service. I promise wholeheartedly to try to make you proud! And sometime in the future, when the day arrives that your mission in this world has been achieved, perhaps you will take me home to Sri Vrindavan dhama to serve you eternally in that transcendental abode.
Until then, I will keep memories of days spent with you locked safely within my heart. From time to time, I will unlock those treasures and gaze upon them with relish. One time you left your chaddar on the vyasasana after a lecture on a grassy lawn in New Mayapura in France. Seizing the opportunity, I grabbed that chaddar and carefully carried it back to your quarters in the chateau. After knocking softly on your door, I entered to find you motionless, staring out the window at the large assembly of devotees and guests starting to take prasadam on the lawn. After a minute, you turned around and with tears flowing down your cheeks, you said softly, “Let them take Krsna prasadam!”
Srila Prabhupada, I miss you more than words can express. I relive that moment again and again in hopes of meeting you once more.
The Vrajavasi poet, Rasika dasa, has written:
(1)
kabahu dekhun ina nainana, udata upraina sundara cala, nasata tapa hridaya te bhapa
(2)
kabahu dekhun ina nainana, sundara-mukha daya jhalakata hai, kripa sisya pe karata rasala
(3)
kabahu sunu jhankara sri-mukha ki, sravanana milata rasa jhalakata hai
(4)
rasikadasa-vira kabahu men calatahu pache, prita-rita me punha-milana ki bata
TRANSLATION:
1) When will I see again the glorious gait of my guru who, with his chaddar flowing in the wind, removes the distress in the hearts of his disciples?
2) When will I again behold with these eyes the beautiful and merciful face of my guru, whose eyes are dripping the most condensed form of mercy which melts the hearts of his disciples?
3) When will I again hear his nectarian words which reveal the blissful pastimes of the Divine Couple in my heart?
4) The poet Rasika dasa says, “Oh brother, tell me please, when will that day come when I will walk beside my guru again, relishing our sacred reunion?”
Srila Prabhupada, I am and will always be,
Your eternal servant,
Indradyumna Swami
On Wednesday, September 8th, at 10 am, in Chandigarh, under the shelter of Sri Sri Radha Madhav, HG Nand Maharaj Prabhu departed from this material realm. A very senior disciple of HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj, who had been serving Sri Sri Radha Madhav and the community of ISKCON Chandigarh and Panchkula with pure devotion […]
The post HG Nand Maharaj Prabhu Departs in Chandigarh on September 6th appeared first on ISKCON News.
During the September 6th Krishna Janmashtami festivities at ISKCON NYC, Jenifer Rajkumar, a member of the New York Assembly, 38th District, presented an official proclamation that honored the NYC’s Harinam Sankirtan devotees for their many years of service to the community. Their mission, according to their website, is “the propagation of harinam-sankirtan (the congregational chanting of […]
The post NY State Assembly Proclamation Honors NYC’s Harinam Sankirtan Devotees appeared first on ISKCON News.
We celebrated Sri Krsna Janmastami this year very blissfully at Jagannatha Gauranga temple in Bali. There are six major temples in Bali and each one had their own festivities.
There were yajnas, abhisekha, kirtana, dancing, lecture, midnight aroti and feast prasadam. Everyone was, of course, happy to honour the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna on the occasion of His appearance anniversary.
On September 6th, BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought episode was entitled “My Spiritual Inspiration” and presented by devotee Nimai Devi Dasi (Nima Suchak). Her reflection, an homage to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada, was part of the week’s theme, “Go Forth Boldly.” “Prabhupada was fearless because of his conviction in the teachings […]
The post BBC Radio Episode Celebrates the Bold Mission of Srila Prabhupada appeared first on ISKCON News.
Understanding the meaning of Vyāsa-pūjā begins with understanding the full import of the well- known verse Śrīla Prabhupāda chose to begin his Introduction to Bhagavad-gītā As It Is: oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ “I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. […]
The post The Meaning of Vyāsa-pūjā and The Śrīla Prabhupāda Kṛpāṣṭaka Poem appeared first on ISKCON News.
I have been alive for 36 Janmastamis.
I remember attending festivals in celebration of Krishna's Appearance Day as a child, running around in fancy clothing with my friends at night outside, thrilled to have the go-ahead once a year to stay up until midnight.
I remember dressing up to attend the festival throughout my teenage years, bubbling over with anticipation to see who would be coming (any cool girls and any cute guys??), and relishing the midnight feast.
I remember traveling the world and settling into a community in my adult life, experiencing Janmastami in places like Hawaii, England, Belgium, New York, and Florida; some of these festivals were attended by tens of thousands of people. I've performed in many dances and dramas, dressed up in gorgeous princess-like outfits, danced in many midnight kirtans, offered all kinds of services from decorating to cutting up vegetables, and received the most magnificent darshans of the deities of the Lord.
Today, I wore leggings and stayed home all day.
I asked Ghanashyam if he wanted to go to the temple, and he said gently, "Only if you're there,"
And so we took darshan of the deities with our 3-week-old son Arjuna in our arms, lying on the daybed in the nursery, using Ghanashyam's phone to stream the live webcast from our local temple. The images were somewhat grainy, but we oohed and aahed with wonder anyway.
Then later in the evening, Ghanashyam carried over the harmonium and a Krishna book and placed each on the daybed. I gently sang kirtan and Ghanashyam joined in while our little one laid down and played on his chest. Arjuna's wide eyes gazed at us and he stayed (mostly) still.
There we were, wearing t-shirts and leggings/pajamas at home, but we were singing the holy name and honoring the Lord. We smiled at each other, and my heart filled with a kind of golden joy.
I thought, well, this is our child's first Janmastami. This family is the adventure that Ghanashyam and I have chosen. Images of all those exotic and wondrous Janmastamis wheeled through my mind and I marveled at how this simple scene felt just as wondrous.
Then I held Arjuna in my arms and Ghanashyam read about the birth of Krishna from Krishna Book. His deep voice described how even though Krishna was born on the eighth day of the waning moon when really the moon should be rather obscure in the sky, nevertheless the moon rose full, just to honor the Lord. When he had finished reading, I said to Arjuna, "Well, my son, today is the birthday of your best friend. Krishna is Arjuna the supreme archer's best friend, and Krishna is personally your best friend, my little one, He is there in your heart."
Soon, our son will begin to experience his own panoply of Janmastamis throughout his life, maybe run around with his friends or perform in dramas or offer service, maybe travel the world and experience the thrill of a familiar tradition in an exotic place. But I pray that he may always know and understand that the moon of Lord Krishna may always be full within his heart, that even in the simplest of moments that Krishna is his best friend.
