Words From Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura

There is no peace or happiness in our worldly life. Circumstances create turmoil and annoyance. We are put to test and trial in this world. Only those who attend the kirtana of the devotees can succeed. Every spot on earth where discourses on God are held is a place of pilgrimage. Possession of objects not related to Krsna is our main malady. Let me not desire ...Read More

Without Love and Devotion to Radha and Krishna I am Nothing…

As I studied over the years I have come to realize without Bhakti – all I do, all I say and all I think is nothing but sand. Without love and devotion to Krishna and Radha I am nothing. In the words of Sri Chaitanya: “…wake up sleeping soul – How long will you sleep under the spell of Maya? You have forgotten the way of Bhakti and as a result you have wandered, lost endlessly in a never ending cycle ...Read More

A Practical Prescription to Self Realization

Humans–because of cultural messages, the media, films, and everyday interaction with others–have become so deeply hypnotized and conditioned to cling to materialism that we have forgotten our true nature…divine sparks of Krishna’s Universe. Everywhere we look the message is Accumulate and Succeed and your life will be sublime! “Be THE BEST, accumulate the best ‘toys’. If you don’t ‘Make it’ you are a loser! You ‘Must’ be approved by everyone else, you ‘NEED’ to get all your glorious achievements and ...Read More

Chanting Hare Krishna on Beads

We can follow Haridasa Thakura’s example, however, by chanting sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra on our beads every day and offering respect to the Tulasi plant. This is not at all difficult for anyone, and the process of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra with a vow before the Tulasi plant has such great spiritual potency that simply by doing this one can become spiritually strong. BEFORE we chant EACH round CHANT: (1) NAMA OM VISNU-PADAYA KRSNA-PRESTHAYA BHUTALE SRIMATE BHAKTIVEDANTA SVAMIN ...Read More

A.A. > T.M. > Reiki > Krishna Consciousness!

At last my life has meaning to it, gone are the fears of death, as the meaning of life and death have been explained for me in The Bhagavad Gita. Every night when I go to bed I am like a child on Christmas eve full of excitement looking forward to the next day. That’s how I feel about getting up a 3.45 am every morning to do my morning program. My Respectful Obeisance’s to you All Glories to Srila Prabhupada. ...Read More

Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!

You have probably noticed “Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!” at the end of my letters. And some may be skeptical that simply chanting: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare will produce happiness. However happiness is one of the very first symptoms that becomes manifest in a person advancing in Krishna consciousness. And this is my practical, personal experience. Ever since I started chanting the Hare Krishna mantra it ...Read More

A regulated life is very important

“There is no possibility of one’s becoming a yogi, O Arjuna, if one eats too much, or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough.” (Bhagavad-gita 6.16) If we want to become Krishna conscious we have to live a regulated life. We can not eat too much or too little or sleep too much or too little.  Too much eating means eating more than is required to keep the body and soul together. There is no need for humans ...Read More

The Story of Ramadasa Vipra

When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu arrived at southern Mathura (Madhurai), He met a brahmana. The brahmana who met Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu invited the Lord to his home. This brahmana was a great devotee and an authority on Lord Sri Ramachandra. He was always detached from material activities. After bathing in the river Kritamala, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went to the brahmana’s house to take lunch, but He saw that the food was unprepared Seeing this, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, “My ...Read More

Gajendra’s Prayers of Surrender

My dear devotee, unto those who rise from bed at the end of night and offer Me the prayers offered by you, I give an eternal residence in the spiritual world at the end of their lives. Srila Prabhupada writes (partial purport) : “… we should not forget the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra under any circumstances. It will help us in the greatest danger, as we find in the life of Gajendra.” S.B. 8.4.26 om namo bhagavate vasudevaya om ...Read More

Download Prabhupada’s 1977 Conversations

Bhaktivedanta Archives have announced they will now release all of the original, unedited recordings of Srila Prabhupada which is very good news for everyone. They plan to release one year of recordings at a time and they have just released Srila Prabhupada’s previously unreleased 1977 conversations. These are very interesting recordings and document the last year of Srila Prabhupada’s physical presence on this planet. You can download all of the files from the table below. For each conversation there are two ...Read More

What Happened to the Hare Krishna’s?

Many remember the Hare Krishna’s colorful chanting, festivals and book distribution from the seventies. This document will shed some light on why the Hare Krishna’s disappeared. Please click on the link below to open the linked website: What Happened to the Hare Krishna’s? Related PostsGrowing Up in the Hare KrishnasThough they have mixed views about their upbringing in the sect, one ISKCON couple keeps their faith. Subal Smith was only 6 months old when his parents left New York and join…What Happened to ...Read More

A Devotee Remains Fixed in any Adverse Condition of Life

The mountains, although being struck by torrents of rain during the rainy season, are not shaken, just as those whose hearts are dedicated to the transcendental Personality of Godhead are never disturbed, even when harassed by great misfortune. Because a person who is spiritually advanced accepts any adverse condition of life as the mercy of the Lord, he is completely eligible to enter into the spiritual kingdom. Even though a person takes to the devotional service of the Supreme Lord, he ...Read More

Chanting Japa – Mantra Meditation

Benefits of Mantra Meditation When one is out and about in daily life, things tempt to knock one off balance emotionally, which can lead to one getting angry and stressed and developing negative sentiments towards other people.  Such sentiments and emotions are not healthy for one’s body, mind, or spirit. They cloud the mind, pushing one into unproductive mental circles of negative thinking. They cause tension in the body, which leads to disease. They degrade the quality of one’s consciousness, work, ...Read More

Stay on the Light Side

We have to mold our life in such a way that twenty-four hours, not a single moment leaving aside, we should be engaged in the service of the Lord’s relations. The Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, the spiritual master, Tulasi-devi, the temple, the preaching, the books—these are all Bhagavata. Just like we are doing daily, trying to read one verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam, discussing amongst ourselves. By this process the dirty things within the heart become cleansed. Inauspicious things mean the heart disease for ...Read More

Instruments of Kirtan: Harmonium, Mridanga, & Kartals — and Where to Learn

Enhance your Kirtan Experience Along with being one of the main forms of Hare Krishna worship, Kirtan can be great fun — dancing and singing with friends and others. Playing an instrument in kirtan can enhance the experience for you, and everyone present. The traditional instruments for kirtan in India are the harmonium (like a pump organ), the mridanga (2-headed clay drum), and the kartals (small hand-cymbals). Harmonium The Harmonium is a pump-powered reed organ. In India and other parts of South Asia, ...Read More

Vegetarian Cooking – The Art of Indian Sweets

Delicious Treats of Indian Cuisine Have you ever tasted some well-cooked Halava? A Laddhu, or Sandesh? Have you ever popped a whole Gulab-jamun into your mouth and had the sweet syrup burst out of the cake-ball into your mouth in a delightful explosion of sugary goodness? If so, then you probably know how wonderful Indian sweets can be. If not, then it may be time to experience. Preparing Indian Sweets Preparing Indian Sweets can be a challenge. Getting them just right requires the ...Read More

Krishna: Monism or Duealism?

I was debating something for quite some time and I was wondering if you could help me out. Does Krishna preach monism(the universe is one big manifestation of God and the idea of a personal God is replaced by this universe) or dualism (the idea that this universe is pervaded by the Lord but also seperate from Him.) I would greatly greatly appereciate an answer back. This has been on my mind for a long time and I am suffering ...Read More

Living Alone in a Secluded Place?

“A transcendentalist should always try to concentrate his mind on the Supreme Self; he should live alone in a secluded place and should always carefully control his mind. He should be free from desires and the feelings of possessiveness.” (Bhagavad-gita 6.10) Krishna continues to instruct His friend Arjuna on the prerequisites for meditational yoga. He has already established to perform yoga one must control the mind. Now He adds to controlling the mind the necessity of always concentrating the mind on ...Read More

SWEETWATERS 82 (Hare Krishna’s at a Rock Festival)

For three days the kids kept coming and staying late into the night. They had tasted the ecstasy! One girl said, I don’t want to go anywhere else. This is the only thing happening at the festival. While the Northern Hemisphere froze last January, seventy thousand young people were basking in perfect weather at the annual Sweetwaters Rock Festival-New Zealand’s Woodstock. Overnight, several square miles of idyllic pastureland next to the Waikato River were transformed into a bustling tent-and-caravan metropolis. Hastily ...Read More

What is the Age of Kali? (wonderful website and zene)

“In the Age of Kali, the Earth thus becomes crowded with a corrupt population, whoever among any of the social classes shows himself to be the strongest will gain political power.” This zine isn’t for people who feel modern life couldn’t be better. Such people like to be controlled more or less by the media’s projection of the goal of life and attempts made by corporations to promote bodily consciousness. This is a zine for people who, not only want something more ...Read More

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