ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary and ISKCON-London’s 47th Anniversary celebrated at a signature event in London
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Hare KrishnaBy ISKCON-London Communications

ISKCON-London celebrated the 47th Anniversary of the installation of Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara on Sunday, 29th November. This special 50th Anniversary year of ISKCON, themed “The Joy of Devotion”, has been filled with many joyous celebrations both in London and worldwide. This particular event was one of the signature events this year. Held at a big theatre-style venue in central London, the cultural programme started with a sumptuous prasadam feast followed by a line-up of dance, drama, and speeches, ending with a lively kirtan that got everyone off their seats and dancing! Continue reading "ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary and ISKCON-London’s 47th Anniversary celebrated at a signature event in London
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Who is a bonafide Guru? Srila Prabhupada: The qualification of a…
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Who is a bonafide Guru?
Srila Prabhupada: The qualification of a spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and arguments and thus be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters. — NOD Ch. 7
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Srimad Bhagavatam – The Perfect Gift
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Srimad Bhagavatam - Bring Auspiciousness Home & Help Preserve Vedic Wisdom

This holiday season, take the perfect gift for your family & friends - a set of Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavat Purana), also called ‘the ripened fruit of all Vedic literature’. The complete Srimad Bhagavatam set contains 12 cantos in a beautiful 18 volume hardbound set, and is available also in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu, and many other languages. Click here to get a glimpse into the Srimad Bhagavatam!

In order to share this gift widely, it is being offered at a discounted price of $299, or only $29/month on a payment plan (offer ends Dec 31st). Please reserve your copy now before we are sold out! If you already have the Srimad Bhagavatam, we are making the entire nine volume Caitanya Caritamrita available for just $99!

Please help us preserve these priceless gems of Vedic wisdom for the generations to come!

We’re Looking for Website Contributors
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As our temple website continues to grow, we are looking for enthusiastic members of our community to contribute regularly! If you are interested in being part of our team, we'd love to hear from you!

Maybe you have some neat recipes to share, or want to share Krsna conscious videos, or even have some wonderfully crazy idea that we just haven't thought of. Now's your chance to contribute!

If you have some neat idea to bring to the table, or if you just want to join the team, please feel free to fill out the form below!  Hare Krsna!


Bull Calves Rescued by ISKCOWP
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These two bull calves were rescued from a dairy recently by the activists of ISKCOWP (International Society of Cow Protection.) These calves will be protected for life and trained as an ox team to show their usefulness as an argument against their slaughter. In the dairy they are considered useless because they do not produce milk. Unless rescued they will be sold as meat. More information about the project: http://iscowp.org. A video by Chayadevi Dasi.

Be brave in Krsna consciousness
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 06 May 2002, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.11)

KKS_harinam.1JPGResistance to surrender comes from maintaining material attachments even after receiving so many instructions on this subject matter. This is what holds us back! But how do we overcome this obstacle? We do so by being brave in Krsna consciousness, by being brave to choose for Krsna. We cannot just be ordinary devotees and just let our spiritual life go along. No, we have to be brave to do something special for Krsna. This is what is required! Let us try to be the exception. Let us not be of average standard and say, “Well, everybody is doing it like this so you cannot expect anything more from me.”

No, let us do something brave for Krsna and Prabhupada and then we will conquer our obstacles. We see in the scriptures the descriptions of those who conquered, they all made special endeavour. So let us try doing something extraordinary in our own way, according to our own inspiration. It is between us and Krsna.

We see in the Bhagavatam, in these pastimes, these personalities all did something special and they got special mercy and it is by mercy that we are going to be purified. We cannot purify ourselves, it is by mercy. We must attract mercy; we need mercy of the devotees, of the sadhus, of real saintly people and we the need mercy of Krsna.

Saintly people are merciful but they do not get too involved with people who are too materially entangled, they give a bit of mercy but then they withdraw from that association. So the more one is endeavouring to be Krsna conscious, the saintly people will notice that and will want to give their mercy. We all can equally attract the mercy of Krsna by special endeavour. This is the only way, there is no other way, be brave and trust Krsna.

Monday, December 5th, 2016
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Moundsville, West Virginia
  
Birds and Dudes


I was walking around the pond and happily met Malati, a dear god-sister, who was feeding the peacocks.  They became the subject of our discussion.  You know they are beautiful conversation pieces.  Malati had tossed out an assortment of seeds and corn, and those birds, about ten in all, were relishing lunch like anything.

In the course of our chat, we both observed an interesting dynamic.  The crows quietly made flight to nearby trees.  They helped themselves to branches for perching.  When the peacocks had their fill, the chickadees bobbed around and took to the remnants.  Bon Appetite!  The crows still waited.

The next installment was two blue jays.  Aggressive or what?  They  zoomed in with their larger wing-span and threw off the tiny feathered-friends, the chickadees.  For the final swoop, the crows came down and finished off what was left.

Here we saw a genuine display of ‘pecking’ order.  Most interesting!  Maybe a form of caste system?

I left the quiet of the country, New Vrindavana, for the airport at Pittsburgh; then to Toronto, and then Union Station.  I was searching for the subway transit system when I met a flock of birds.  Dudes rather.  One particular young Afro-Canadian fella asked, “You’re a monk?”  I told him I was.  “Holy F***! Oh! I’m not supposed to swear?”

His friend said, “You can swear but he (meaning me) can’t.”

“Oh!”  He was stunned, but shook hands and promised to visit me, and he won’t swear if he comes.

May the Source be with you!


4 km

Sunday, December 4th, 2016
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Moundsville, West Virginia
  
Another Day


Another day with glorious purpose
Feeding the soul, doing all to uplift us
I spoke from a verse of the Bhagavatam
Of symptoms of Kali where you find little calm.

A Cleveland clan came then to visit
A break, a change, a bhakti deposit.
I spoke from the Gita: 9, text 2,
Of what’s confidential to me and to you.

Pilgrims did come to make an invest
To advance their soul and doing what’s best
The chanters did dance and dancers did chant
Missing the presence of those who just can’t.

Vraja and I took to the palace road,
Walking and talking with no heavy load.
We sighted an albino, a pure white deer
Smartly he dashed, for it’s humans to fear.

At Lila and Jesse’s we drank ginger light
We chatted, ate wraps—was joy at each bite
He pulled out guitar and she the flute
The songs they sang were beyond what’s cute.

The day was of glory, full and complete
I walked back on my little ol’ feet
Reviewing my input for these past hours
“Gave only half of my heart” and then there were showers.

May the Source be with you!


6 km

Saturday, December 3rd, 2016
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Moundsville, West Virginia
  
Wedding Bells


Few people get married in December, but bridegroom, Vrndavan Das, had adjusted from an earlier date to today, since that was when I was available.  Bless him!  The couple, Vrndavan and bride, Neetika, both were recipients of blessings from friends who came from Europe, India, various locations in the U.S. and Canada (me).

The ceremony was of good cheer, although not perfect in its execution.  The pundit/pujari or priest, Krpamoya, had to work his way through a muffled sounding microphone, while a second mic became the instrumental tool for the chanters who came off as competitive in volume.  All that aside, you had a gorgeous celebration.  Some newcomer Caucasian folks (friends of Neetika) were highly impressed with the richness of display—not necessarily in monetary pomp but in feel.

The ring was given, so also garlands were exchanged, and the knot was tied, her saree to his shawl.  For the tongue, a phenomenal cake was devoured and for me, the salty stuff was a delight—veggie preps and paneer kofta, a non-violent dairy savory.

After the satisfying meal, a walk, up and down the sloping McCreary’s Road, was justified, and there I met devotees, attendees to the wedding from Atlanta.  They were curious about the location of the goshala, the cow sanctuary.  So off we went in their rented SUV and made it to the herd; bulls and cows, happy to be given some attention.

When I think about it, every day of our life is complete when we give attention to humans, animals, the trees and the earth.

May the Source be with you!


5 km

Science of Ayurveda and its growth in the west
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One of the annual events at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, in the UK, is the Ayurvedic retreat, conducted by Dr Vasant Lad. Hailing from Maharashtra in India, Dr Lad is one of the foremost authorities in Ayurveda and comes from a long line of practitioners. Ayurveda is the Vedic science of healing that incorporates medicine, diet and herbology. Ayurvedic practices even featured in the Ancient epic Ramayana, specifically when Sushena ordered Hanuman to retrieve the Sanjivani herb to revive Laxman from his injury.

Norwich restaurants in the UK distribute 10,000 books!
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The Namas Te India restaurant chain in Norwich has distributed no less than 10,000 copies of The Higher Taste. Restaurant manager Mr Vijay Jatani and his family became devotees through the local Nama Hatta (meeting) group. They have two vegetarian restaurants in the city and over the last five years they have distributed the books as complimentary gifts to their customers.

A New App to Take Spirituality to Every Phone and Tablet
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Rise brings you short bursts of wake-up wisdom from the comfort of your phone. It has simple, uncomplicated spiritual tools specific for your needs. If you’re stressed, search through our videos on stress. If you’re looking for advice on relationships, search through our videos on relationships. And if you’re looking to realise your inner self, we may even have something for that too. It’s a practical, accessible approach to spirituality created for the modern world, which is why it all fits into your mobile.

HOLY JAIL (6 min video)
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HOLY JAIL (6 min video) In this video HH Candramauli Swami speaks about Prison Preaching and his book Holy Jail. Srila Prabhupada: The Lord’s activities in association with His different energies should be described, appreciated and heard in accordance with the teachings of the Supreme Lord. If this is done regularly with devotion and respect, one is sure to get out of the illusory energy of the Lord. SB 2.7.53 text Watch it here: https://goo.gl/a5Lmem

Bhakti Charu Swami’s Visit To ISKCON Vadodara
Bhakti Charu Swami

His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj visited ISKCON Vadodara on 6th Decemeber 2016 and delivered the following lectures : 1. Srimad Bhagavatam 5.6.15 – Krishna always gives credit to His devotees 2. Address to the Bhakti Vriksa Students – How to receive Vedic knowledge 3....

The post Bhakti Charu Swami’s Visit To ISKCON Vadodara appeared first on Bhakti Charu Swami.

Delivering the Antidote to Today’s Ills
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Delivering the Antidote to Today’s Ills. Giriraj Swami: Srimad-Bhagavatam contains a discussion between Dharma, in the form of a bull, and the Earth, in the form of a cow. Eventually he asks her, “The so-called administrators are now bewildered by the influence of this age of Kali, and thus they have put all state affairs into disorder. Are you now lamenting this disorder? Now the general populace does not follow the rules and regulations for eating, sleeping, drinking, mating, etc., and they are inclined to perform such anywhere and everywhere. Are you unhappy because of this?” (SB 1.16.22)

There’s not a more charming or mysterious place in the universe than Govardhana Hill in Vraja Mandala
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There’s not a more charming or mysterious place in the universe than Govardhana Hill in Vraja Mandala. Apparently, the word is spreading because nowadays, during Karttika season, millions of pilgrims come here to perform parikrama.* [*Literally, “parikrama” means “walking around.”] Only by the mercy of the Vaisnavas have I been allowed to stay for a while here in this magical place under the shelter of the Bhaktivedanta Ashrama, nestled at the base of Govardhana Hill, presided over by HH Keshava Bharati Das Goswami. For my own purification, I’ve been making some notes. Today’s are as follows: The precious powder clinging to the feet of the pilgrims who walk around Govardhana Hill is Cintamani dust. One particle of this dust is more valuable than all the wealth in the material world.

Unflinching Book Distribution
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Hare KrishnaBy ISKCON Sankirtana Leaders Team - India

This December, devotees in India face a unique challenge in distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books. Due to recent actions taken by the Government of India viz., the demonetization of large currency notes, everyone here is literally in a cash crunch, whether or not one is a millionaire as per the bank accounts. And distributing books in such a scenario could be tough if we follow the usual techniques of hand to hand distribution on streets, or at doors, which depend on collecting cash. This could potentially have a large impact on the annual scores for India in 2016 (the 50th anniversary of ISKCON!), because it is an open secret that MOST of the book distribution in India happens during the December marathon! Continue reading "Unflinching Book Distribution
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ISKCON Wales’s new Headquarters
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Hare KrishnaBy Praghosa dasa

Congratulations to Tarakanatha Prabhu and all his team for securing this wonderful new property in the heart of Cardiff which will serve as the main ISKCON temple in Wales as well as ISKCON's headquarters there. Wales has produced many wonderful devotees over the years, so it is very encouraging to now see the yatra itself develop and expand in the way that it is. Continue reading "ISKCON Wales’s new Headquarters
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A visit to ISKCON Kurukshetra
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A visit to ISKCON Kurukshetra - 30th Nov, 2016 (Album with photos) Srila Prabhupada: During correspondence I read a letter from Bhagavata dasa about Bhuvanesvara. Money was scarce. Prabhupada gave the same recommendation he had given in so many letters. Building was not as important as prasadam distribution and kirtana. If there was money, we could build later. From TKG's Diary Find them here: https://goo.gl/wYDbc3

Does expertise in shabda make one expert in fields in which one may have no practical experience?
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Answer Podcast


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When Krishna disapproves renunciation as it will disturb people’s minds, how can we understand Prabhupada’s giving sannyasa to young disciples?
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Answer Podcast


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Is dandiya rasa considered imitation of Krishna’s rasa-lila — is it allowed in ISKCON?
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Answer Podcast


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If the Gita is a recorded conversation reported by Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra, how does it contain Sanjaya’s speech?
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Answer Podcast


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Did Sanjaya report the Kurukshetra war from Kurukshetra or from Hastinapura?
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Answer Podcast


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If the soul gets a body through the semen what happens to it when conception doesn’t occur?
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Answer Podcast


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A Vaishnava is kind to every living entity
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Prabhupada said, "This is Vaishnava. A Vaishnava is kind to every living entity. Not this squishing business." Sukadeva: Prabhupada said that you have to become like the bumblebee and not like the fly and Prabhupada proved it by his own example. Once Nara-Narayan—who does not sing like a nightingale—was in the temple room singing and Prabhupada said, "Who is that singing?" Karandhar said, "It's Nara-Narayan, Srila Prabhupada." Prabhupada said, "Hmm, he keeps very good time." Once Hari Sauri's alarm clock went off and Prabhupada said, "What is that sound?" Hari Sauri said, "That's the alarm clock, Srila Prabhupada." Prabhupada said, "Oh? Who is in danger?" I looked at Hari Sauri and thought, "Wow! My spiritual master has a sense of humor!"

Gita Jayanti – Saturday, Dec 10, 2016
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On Saturday, December 10, 2016, the auspicious festival of Gita Jayanti will be celebrated at the Toronto Hare Krishna Temple. Gita Jayanti marks when Lord Krishna expressed the truth of life and the philosophy of the Bhagavad-Gita to his student, Arjuna.

The Bhagavad-gita continues to be one of the world's most popular and inspiring books, covering topics such as the immortality of the self, the origin of all existence, how to remain peaceful in the most trying circumstances, and the relationship between us and God.

To celebrate Gita Jayanti, we will be reading the entire Bhagavad-Gita between 4:30pm and 7:30pm.  We will alternate between reading Sanskrit and English chapters.We warmly invite you and your family to come join us for this very special festival this Saturday.

Welcoming Vaisesika Dasa & Nirakula Devi Dasi
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*** NOTE - Most events and programs will be broadcast live at www.mayapur.tv - stay tuned for more details! ***

Toronto's Hare Krishna community is very excited to once again be welcoming Vaisesika Dasa and Nirakula Devi Dasi to our community from Dec 17th to Dec 21st!  Their visit will be punctuated by a whirlwind five days of seminars, classes, and book distribution!  The official schedule is as follows:

Srimad Bhagavatam Classes
Saturday Dec 17th to Wednesday Dec 21st
7:45am to 9:00am (Followed by Breakfast)

Sankirtan - Hitting the Streets with Spiritual Knowledge
Saturday, December 17th - 11am-2pm
All devotees are welcome to join Vaisesika Dasa as we collectively hit the streets with our beloved spiritual books with the goal of sharing our beautiful spiritual heritage with the public. Stay tuned for more information!

A Night of Kirtan with Vaisesika Dasa
Saturday, December 17th - 6:00pm to 9:00pm
You won't want to miss this opportunity to dive deeper into melodious kirtan with Vaisesika Dasa. We will explore some of the beautiful chants of our Vaisnava tradition and the mood will certainly be sweet. Join us for what will surely be a very special evening!

Sunday Feast with Vaisesika Dasa
Sunday, December 18th - 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Our weekly Sunday extravaganza will include a special class by Vaisesika Dasa. Toss in some amazing kirtan and mouth-watering vegetarian feast and your Sunday should be booked!

Tuesday Sanga
Tuesday December 20th 6:30-8:30pm
A special edition of the weekly tuesday sanga, an interactive discussion with Vaisesika Dasa.



Srila Prabhupada Festival – Jan 1, 2017
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On New Year's Day, Sunday, January 1st, 2017, Toronto's Hare Krishna temple will be hosting our annual Srila Prabhupada Festival!  Promising to be a great way to start the new year, the festival is usually one of the biggest of the year.

The festival will feature plenty of kirtan, wonderful classes, dynamic presentations and a sumptuous feast to help ring in the new year!  The highlight of the festival will be another spectacular drama, presented by Bhaktimarga Swami.  You won’t want to miss it!  There will be no better way to usher in the new year on an auspicious note!

Festival Schedule (Subject to Change):
6:00pm to 6:30pm - Kirtan (Arati)
6:30pm to 6:45pm - Guru Puja
6:45pm to 6:50pm - Sankirtan Announcement
6:50pm to 6:55pm - Presentation by Krsna FunSkool
6:55pm to 7:00pm - Video Presentation
7:00pm to 7:05pm - Special Photo Session
7:05pm to 8:00pm - Drama: "Mr. Puri"
8:00pm to 8:30pm - Kirtan (Arati)
8:30pm to 9:30pm - Vegetarian Feast (Prasadam)

Ring in 2017 in Grand Fashion with Outdoor Kirtan!
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There are numerous busy times of year for the Hare Krishna Temple here in Toronto when activities and events come in abundance and the temple is buzzing with excitement. The end of the year is certainly one of those times and is always a fun time for everyone as Toronto's Hare Krishnas are known for closing the calendar in style and ushering in the new year on a transcendent note! The following is your guide to spending New Years Eve with Toronto's Hare Krishna Temple!

As we do every year, devotees gather at the temple on New Year's Eve and then head over to City Hall to join the tens of thousands of revelers, ushering in the new year. However, we come armed with our drums, karatalas (cymbals) and voices as well!

Here's all that you need to know about this evening:
8:00pm - Kirtan will begin at the temple.
10:00pm - The kirtan will really pickup by this time!
10:30pm (approx) - Bundle up and off to Rosedale station.
11:30pm - We will start chanting in front of Old City Hall (NE corner of Bay & Queen)
12:00am - the kirtan will reach it's peak as fireworks set the sky ablaze!
1:30am (approx) - We'll get back on the subway and make our way back to the temple for hot ginger tea and snacks!


Some tips to keep in mind for this evening:
  • Come early to the temple - enjoy the kirtan and association of devotees before we head out to City Hall.
  • Dress warmly - it may be chilly, so dress in layers!
  • Don't worry about weather - whether it be snow, rain, hail or sleet, we will usher in the new year with kirtan!
  • Bring your voices - don't forget to chant with all of your hearts!

Sastra Dana – The Gift of Knowledge
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The world today is undergoing a major crisis; people are experiencing an all-time high level of stress, with insecurity and temporariness of life plaguing all walks of life. Spiritual books like Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam (the Bhagavat Purana) help alleviate these issues by bringing superior knowledge and happiness into people's lives.

In the Bhagavad-Gita, Sri Krishna states, “For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me. There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.” (BG 18.68 & 69).

Thus, we are asking for your help with “Sastra Dana” or sharing of knowledge, by sponsoring Bhagavad-Gitas or other Vedic texts. For example, sponsoring 108 hard-bound Bhagavad-Gitas is $1,080, 108 soft-bound Gitas is only $540, and 108 other smaller Vedic books is $216. You can give as much as your heart desires. There is no minimum, and no maximum, the whole world is in dire need of this literature. Please note that your kind donations towards Sastra Dana will be tax deductible.

Over the last five years, by the generous support of our donors, the Sastra Dana Team has placed over 55,000 books in close to 500 locations! This year, we continued placing and replenishing copies of the Bhagavad Gita As It Is in hotels and motels all over Ontario as well as, in hospitals, community/welcome centres and cultural centres in the GTA.

Last year, the placements in doctors offices was a new avenue, and this year, placements in international airports was the latest innovation. Other avenues are being explored, and 2017 is sure to bring more venues as Sastra Dana becomes more established and reaches a larger audience every year. The Sastra Dana Team is forecasting several thousand book placements as they continue to increase penetration in hotels and other institutions. In fact, we already have over 1500 Bhagavad Gitas in cue for placement in the first quarter of 2017.

To learn more about where we've placed these books please click here.

Please support the Sastra Dana Program wholeheartedly to bring these books to newer avenues.