Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Jhulan Yatra takes place every year in the monsoon season over a period of five days, leading up to Balarama Purnima. This is the time when Srimati Radhika and Her Madhava enjoy swing pastimes in the spiritual world. Every year the youth of Mayapur come together and work to make the festival what it has […]
The post A glimpse into Sri Radha-Madhava’s Kunja! (Jhulan Yatra-Mayapur2017) appeared first on Mayapur.com.
By Karnamrita Das The ideas expressed here are especially relevant in dealing with conflicts in communities and families. By our consciousness and actions we can further add to the problem or be part of the solution. Everything in existence is energy—even science tells us that—though as followers of Bhagavad-gita we understand that there is the spiritual energy behind matter. The material world is called in the Gita's 7th chapter, Krishna's separated energy. Then, this one energy as a whole, is broken down into what we might call specific material energies of earth, water, fire, air, ether (or space), and the subtle energies of mind, intelligence and false ego, which are animated by the soul and God. Continue reading "Thoughts, Energy, Prayer: The Power of a Family, or Community, Prayer Group
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Scandinavian Bhakti Sangam Festival - HH Krishna Kshetra Swami - 21 July 2017 (video)
ISKCON Stockholm. Cows are the mothers of all creatures so ... Live by Radha-kunda and do like the Goswamis – he wants to know how to go about doing that.
Answer Podcast
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Answer Podcast
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Answer Podcast
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ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 06/25/2017
Mission Statement: ECO-Vrindaban promotes simple living, cow protection, engaging oxen, local agriculture, and above all, loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON New Vrindaban.
Participating Directors: Chaitanya Mangala, Kripamaya, Ranaka, Sri Tulasi Manjari (Board Chair) and Vraja.
Participating Advisors: Jaya Krsna, Makara and Olivia.
Participating Managers: Nitaicandra
Recording Secretary: Jamuna Jivani
1. Update on Kalakantha as ECO-V Advisor
Kalakantha accepted the invitation to participate as a Board Advisor. He would like ECO-V to be a partner with the ISKCON Ministry of Agriculture and Cow Protection.
2. Ranaka’s Monthly Report
3. Nitaicandra’s Monthly Report
Nitaicandra announced his resignation from ECO-V and will be leaving New Vrindaban on 7/7/17. In response, the ECO-V team members expressed appreciation for Nitaichandra’s contributions over the nearly two years he’s been involved, reluctantly accepted his notice to quit and wished him well in his future endeavors.
4. Ensuring Proper Conduct Among ECO-V Employees
The Board discussed issues regarding improper behavior among ECO-V employees and difficulties faced in enforcing proper conduct. Vraja offered to help create an Employee Policy manual.
5. 2017 Farm Conference Update
Sri Tulasi reported presentation topics for the conference have been confirmed:
6. Community Center Update
The Village Association plans to organize a public event to discuss the new community center proposal.
7. Prabhupada’s Palace Kitchen Renovation Completion
The Palace kitchen renovation is nearly complete. There will be a grand opening celebration once it is ready. Jaya Krsna explained the pujari will start with cooking breakfast daily for Srila Prabhupada, with plans to gradually increase offerings as devotees can responsibly manage it.
For regular updates please visit and like the ECO-V Facebook page.
My tour to the West in 2017 was the longest till date, lasting for three months and extending across forty cities in five countries: USA, Canada, Trinidad, Panama and UK. During the tour, by Krishna’s mercy, I gave around 132 classes and answered around 1000 questions. Here I share some of the highlights of the tour.
This article is part of a series of articles about the recent Western tour – similar articles will be published daily for the next ten days or so.
Carrier Clinic is a behavioral healthcare center specializing in psychiatric and addiction treatments. In both the talks, I focused on the mind, analyzing its functioning from different perspectives.
The first talk was on “Spirituality changes how we perceive, process and pursue.” After the talk, one of the participants, a counselor for teens recovering from addiction, said that she had noted as many points as she could, but if there had been a book with this content, she would immediately have ordered it and recommended it to her clients.
The second talk about a month later was on “From will and power to willpower.” After the talk, a participant, a trauma therapist, said that the level of insight about the mind was so deep that he felt inspired him to study the wisdom-text (Bhagavad-gita) from which it had been drawn.
The talk was organized by Prem Chaitanya P, who is a consulting doctor at Carrier Clinic, and Devakinandan P, who is the vice-President of our Central New Jersey temple and who coordinated with the leaders of the various places I visited in America.
Full article can be read here
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A soul searching for “moksha” gets information of an even higher goal!
Shastrakrit Das: Now this one is worth sharing. This lady walked up to my book table and asked if I have any books on Moksha (liberation). So I said moksha is just introductory stuff and we have books way more advanced than that! She goes “what do you mean?!!” I gave her the example that Devamrita Swami gives. “If you escaped a building that’s on fire you are grateful you escaped, but you can’t just stand on the side of the building all life, you need positive action. Similarly, if you attained moksha or freedom from suffering that’s not everything, you need a comprehensive knowledge of what the soul does after attaining moksha or liberation. What the soul does when he/she reaches paradise/heaven or Goloka. She was like "Wow I have never heard anything like this before in my journey. So which of these books talks about the soul’s activities in the spiritual world?” Then she bought The Nectar of Devotion and other books.
Sivarama Swami’s great advice: Why YOU should disconnect from Technology! (video)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/GrhgtR
Srila Prabhupada: Fire will act, regardless of whether handled by an innocent child or by someone well aware of its power. Similarly, one may or may not know the power of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, but if one chants the holy name he will become free from all sinful reactions. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.18 Purport) 
Australia’s national news agency, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has reported vandalism at the Brisbane Hare Krishna temple. Visiting in the night, vandals spray painted walls and smashed a window. ISKCON News spoke to temple president, Jaya Vijaya Dasa, who said he doesn’t think the devotees are being targeted.
By Radha Mohan Das Devotees understand the importance of developing a deep relationship with Srila Prabhupada’s books. In modern life this often proves difficult. Individuals can therefore benefit from a guided approach which allows many topics to be explored, discussed and debated. Svayam Jyoti das, one of the senior students remarked: “My guru, His Holiness Mahavisnu Goswami, always wanted me to study the Bhagavatam properly and I am grateful to the temple for giving me this in-depth knowledge.” Course coordinator Navadvip Chandra das also teaches Bhakti Vaibhava at ISKCON London. After studying in Sridhama Mayapur, he was encouraged to offer the Bhakti Vaibhava course at Bhaktivedanta Manor in 2013: “The course is run in collaboration with Mayapur Institute and students are encouraged to complete some modules in Mayapur if they wish. Those who complete the assessments are awarded ISKCON’s Bhakti Vaibhava degree. It has been a special period for me, and I could not have wished for a better group of students.” Continue reading "UK’s First Bhakti Vaibhava Course
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Ratha Yatra Palanga 2017 (Album with photos)
Palanga is a resort town on Lithuania’s Baltic coast.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/oQXML9
US Retreat 2017 (Album with photos)
A wonderful association with HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja and HH Devamrita Swami. Series of nectarine disc... 
Upcoming Community Survey.
Members of New Raman Reti Community.
Starting Tuesday, August 1, 2017, you will be invited to complete a survey designed to help us understand the needs and desires of the members of New Raman Reti. A team of local devotees created this survey in collaboration with our Temple Board. The survey will begin an ongoing conversation with the aim of strengthening relationships, promoting communication and much more. Survey results will be presented and discussed on November 5, 2017, during the first of three Community Development Conferences. During the conferences, devotees will have the opportunity to engage in community building exercises and in discussions that, we hope, will empower us to implement new initiatives and effectively address the needs of our growing community.
It’s vital that each of us complete the survey so that everyone’s voice be heard, and every member contributes to the development of our shared vision. We look forward to serving you. For more information on this initiative, see our developing website www.NRRCommunity.com
This is *Mother Kulangana* - a disciple of Srila Prabhupada who makes the world-famous mangala-arati sweets for Sri Sri Radha-Gokulananda at Bhak... 
By TOVP staff Janmastami, the most auspicious appearance day of the original Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krishna is almost upon us. This particular appearance of Lord Krishna, which takes place once in a day of Lord Brahma, is of very special importance because it is followed by the appearance of His combined avatar form of Radha and Krishna, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Continue reading "Special Janmastami TOVP Seva Appeal
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Podcast
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, May 2017, UK Retreat, Wales, Srimad Bhagavatam 11.7.59)
Srila Prabhupada said that the highest placed vaisnava in West Bengal was Tarun Kanti Ghosh. He was elected as a member of parliament and was very popular. Tarun Kanti Ghosh owned several newspapers and was a very influential personality. He became elected in parliament by doing harinama sankirtan in all the villages, all over Bengal.
So in my days in Mayapur, I became acquainted with Tarun Kanti Ghosh. He had a house and in the garden, there was a nice temple with large Gaura-Nitai deities. He was worshipping them himself although he also had a brahmana who was assisting.
In those days, travel by planes was still not common for internal flights, so internal travel was by train. Members of parliament would have free travel on the Rajdhani Express, in two-tier AC. We would also travel on the two-tier AC but would have to pay for it. Anyway, one day we were on the train when we heard that Tarun Kanti Ghosh was also on the train. We heard that he had boarded the train that night and since we knew him, we thought, “Oh, we will go see him and take him prasadam.”
The next morning at around six we went to see him. He had a big wooden box which was open and in there were pictures of all his deities, like a full altar. It was a full puja box and everything was in there and he was doing his puja. He said to us, “What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to chant your rounds? Why are you disturbing a man and his puja?” He was chastising us and continued his puja. He was not going to talk to us.
So, that was very nice to see. Prabhupada said he was the highest placed vaisnava in West Bengal and you could see that he was. He was not thinking like, “You know, I am a big government officer. I did harinama to get elected and I do my puja so that everyone can see that I am a great vaisnava.” No, he also did it for himself on the train because he had taste; he saw himself as the servant of Krsna.
He was not like, “Oh, now I am going on the train, what can I do? The brahmana will do it.” No, he was still in the mood, “I am the servant. I cannot do it in the temple now. The brahmana is doing it in the temple but I will still serve, myself, here in the train with my puja box.”
It was so nice to see that spirit. His solution was also very practical because his deities were big so he could not really put them into suitcases and carry Gaura-Nitai with him. He just worshipped pictures of the deity. But it is the same thing. It is said that the deity can be made either of wood or metal or clay or also in picture form, so a picture of the deity is as good as the deity. So what he did was bonafide actually according to scripture. We saw his eagerness to continue worshipping his deity.
Our "Paramahamster" comic strip follows an enthusiastic devotee as he navigates a 9 - 5 work day in the corporate world. Please check back weekly for new episodes!
By Krishna Ksetra Swami In recent decades we witness increasing public awareness about the profoundly damaging effects of accellerating human production, consumption, and mobility on ecosystems of the world; and this awareness is accompanied by a deepening sense of urgency that “something” must be done to stop the current trends of environmental destruction. Environmental activism is now a mainstream activity for all sorts of individuals and groups, not least persons and organizations whose motivations may be termed “religious.” Religious traditions are being seen as potential resources of wisdom, providing both theological vision and spiritual conviction for fostering responsible and reformative attitudes and action to favor the environment. In view of this journal’s present theme, Vaishnavism and the Environment, here I will explore representations of “nature” within the Bhāgavata Purāṇa (BhP, or Bhāgavata)—a text revered as canonical for followers of several Vaiṣṇava traditions—with the aim of considering how this text might serve as a resource not only for Vaiṣṇavas, but also for other seekers and implementers of deep ecological thought and practice. Continue reading "Nature Deadly and Nature Divine: The Bhagavata Purana’s Lessons on Human Relationships to the Environment
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By Radha Mohan Das Srutidharma das and Parasuram das had a meeting with Radhapriye ji of Barsna who is part of the team heading the Save Yamuna Campaign. The Save yamuna campaign is trying to bring Yamuna back to Vrindavan, which is the most important river for all worshippers of Krishna. Did you know that Yamuna River disappears after Hathani Kund Barrage in Haryana? 97% water of Yamuna river is sucked in by canals just before Hathani Kund barrage. Rest evaporates after running few kilometers. Around 150 kilometers of Yamuna bed is completely empty. Continue reading "Save Yamuna Campaign
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By Radha Govinda das The annual Open Day had always been one of the most exciting events for newcomers to Bhaktivedanta Manor. In the past, there had been Strawberry Open days, Cow athletics Open days and Theatre Open days. The legacy continued, and for at least four years now, the Manor had been organising the Family Fun Open day. “I come to this one every year” said Helen “It’s a fun day for the whole family and my kids look forward to it every single time” as she then walked off to ‘try on a sari’. The two kids ran off to have a go on the bouncy castle. The Open Day featured a variety of activities for everyone. There was a food stall selling many varieties of food, cooked with love and devotion. There was a Henna tent for ladies to try out various designs made with the soothing traditional herbs. There was also a face-painting tent and a shop selling fresh organic vegetables. Curious visitors could also find out more about Palmistry. Guests also received an oxcart ride to the farm where they were told about the importance of cows and oxen and how they should be protected. Continue reading "Family Fun Open Day in the Manor
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Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita – “Among the birds, I am Garuda.” Garuda carries Lord Vishnu on his back always and therefore he is considered as the transcendental prince of all carriers. In the Vedic literature, it is stated that the two wings of the transcendental bird Garuda, are two divisions of the Sama Veda known as brihat and rathantara. When Garuda flaps his wings, one can hear the chanting of the hymns from Sama Veda. Garuda is engaged in eternal service to Lord Vishnu in Vaikuntha. Every temple of Lord Vishnu has a Deity of Sri Garuda sitting in front of the Lord with folded hands. Garuda is also known by the names: Pakshiraja, Vainateya, Suparna, Garuthman, Periya Tiruvadi, Vinatasuta, Vishnuvahana, Nagantaka and Kashyapeya.
Manor devotee brings ISKCON to Ethiopia!
Mahaprasad das has translated a number of Srila Prabhupada’s books from English to Amharic, the official working language of Ethiopia. 10,000 copies of Introduction to Bhagavad Gita and On the Way to Krishna are currently in the UK and will soon be shipped to Ethiopia. Easy Journey to Other Planets, The Teachings of Prahlad Maharaj and Sri Isopanisad will follow. This is a major accomplishment because at present none of Srila Prabhupada’s books are available in Amharic and ISKCON has no presence in that country. “This is a huge breakthrough,” explained Mahaprasad das, “Ethiopia is a completely new pasture and it has the second highest populations in Africa. I give credit to Bhaktivedanta Manor for that, because that is where I was trained in outreach.” Mahaprasad was born in Ethiopia and after joining ISKCON in Kenya, for 21 years he was part of the community of Bhaktivedanta Manor. He is now based in the UK and working in the Middle East within the field of I.T Governance.
Russell Brand visits the Manor.
During a visit to Bhaktivedanta Manor, Russell Brand (comedian, actor, author and activist) spent time with many ... 
UK Prime Minister’s Faith Advisor Jonathan Hellewell LVO, Special Adviser on Faith to the Prime Minister, made a special visit to the ISKCON-London Temple, where he met Jai Nitai das and Srutidharma das. Mr. Hellewell has been appointed to Downing Street to help the build connections among community groups across the country, understanding the needs of faiths across the UK.
NOHO TV film company were hosted at Bhaktivedanta Manor.
NOHO TV film company were hosted at Bhaktivedanta Manor whilst they filmed scenes for the spoof “The Windsors” in Letchmore Heath village. Famous comedian and actor Harry Enfield plays Prince Charles in the series. “There were quite a few vegetarians and vegans amongst the group” explained Radha Mohan das who took members of the cast and crew on a tour of the Manor, “Harry Enfield had some intelligent questions, and reminisced on the times he had spent time with George Harrison”.
