“Kṛṣṇa has given me hundreds of nice places of residence,” Śrīla Prabhupāda laughed. “But His order is you cannot stay.” Prabhupāda was explaining his transcendental predicament to a few disciples gathered in his room on the last day of his visit in Los Angeles. “I’ll tell you one humorous storyContinue Reading
ISKCON Los Angeles, New Dvārakā, the Western world headquarters, was burgeoning with many Kṛṣṇa conscious projects. Book distribution was booming. The devotee population was growing. Money was available and was utilized in various technological and cultural preaching departments. Śrīla Prabhupāda visited for the first time the spacious BBT warehouse, whereContinue Reading
Śrīla Rāmānujācārya writes in his book Vedārtha-saṅgraha: evaṁ-vidha-parābhakti-svarūpa-jñāna-viśeṣasyotpādakaḥ pūrvoktāharahar upacīyamāna-jñāna-pūrvaka-karmānugṛhīta-bhakti-yoga eva; yathoktaṁ bhagavatā parāśareṇa — varṇāśrameti. nikhila-jagad-uddhāraṇāyāvanitale ’vatīrṇaṁ para-brahma-bhūtaḥ puruṣottamaḥ svayam etad uktavān — “svakarma-nirataḥ siddhiṁ yathā vindati tac chṛṇu” “yataḥ pravṛttir bhūtānāṁ yena sarvam idaṁ tatam/ svakarmaṇā tam abhyarcya siddhiṁ vindati mānavaḥ.” Translation: The cause of such kind of knowledge, whichContinue Reading
Today’s people all over the world are deeply saddened and frightened by the coronavirus epidemic. The government of all countries is working tirelessly to avoid this epidemic. But still, this attempt seems to be unsuccessful. People who used to work in far western countries to earn a lot of moneyContinue Reading
View FREE! for a limited time only* HARE KRISHNA! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami who started it all A 90-minute Feature-length Documentary …a stirring story! — The Washington Post …an uplifting spiritual experience, regardless of one’s personal beliefs or religion. —Red Carpet Crash – Released theatrically inContinue Reading
During his stay in Seattle, a few people came to join his disciples, living with them and aspiring to become devotees. After several weeks, Prabhupāda held an initiation for students who had already been with ISKCON for about six months. Prabhupāda held the traditional initiation ceremony with mantras and fire yajña in the templeContinue Reading
Before Prabhupāda’s arrival in Seattle, Upendra had written the head of the Asian department at the University of Washington, requesting a speaking engagement. The professor wrote back entirely in Sanskrit, knowing well that the boys would not be able to read his letter. Upendra gave the letter to Prabhupāda, whoContinue Reading
The London party, now ready to go, went for a final meeting with Prabhupāda. He was sending them to start a center in London and thus fulfill his spiritual master’s dream. The sannyāsīs Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī had sent to London had lectured in a few places, posed for photos with lords andContinue Reading
Prabhupāda attended a more formal ecumenical meeting, a religious conference. About fifty people, including Prabhupāda and a group of his devotees, attended. A panel, representing various religions, honored Prabhupāda as the main speaker as well as a member of the panel. Prabhupāda lectured. After the lecture, a Catholic priest askedContinue Reading
Govinda dāsī raised her hand. “Prabhupāda,” she asked, “what does it mean exactly to surrender?” “Surrender,” Prabhupāda replied, “is to know that ‘I am nothing…’ ” As Prabhupāda spoke, Govinda dāsī, accustomed to taking dictation, wrote down the answer, while other devotees – some seated on the floor around Prabhupāda’sContinue Reading