Gurukula — The Culture of the Soul
The gurukula students in Mayapur are preparing for their future roles in society by performing simple character-building austerities and cultivating qualities like honesty and compassion.
Responsible Parenthood
A mother-to-be ponders karma, reincarnation, and devotional service to Krsna. by Visakha-devi dasi When, one crystal-clear morning in January of 1982, my husband Yadubara and I first learned that we were parents-to-be, we had many of the usual questions first-time parents have. But since we were devotees of Krsna, the answers to our questions were […]
Lord Krsna’s Cuisine
Betrayed by the Basic Four Four? Three? Whatever the count, a balanced diet should nourish not only the body but the spirit as well. by Visakha-devi dasi I remember how we learn about it in elementary school. Mrs. Pile had a colorful, authoritative chart divided into four sections—the Basic Four. Twenty-two young, innocent faces gazed […]
What Have I Achieved Since 1971?
It so happens that 1971 is the year that Srila Prabhupada initiated me. He explained to me then that to become qualified to go back to Godhead, one must hear about Lord Krsna, chant His holy names and serve Him and His devotees.
Vegetarian Cuisine and Continence
From Pythagoras, Plato and Aristotle learned the doctrines of vegetarianism and continence, to which they both adhered throughout their long lives; and Aristotle taught these doctrines to his pupil Alexander the Great, who was a strict vegetarian.
Just Passing Through
If you had known Mr. Griesser in 1920 and then were to see him again today, after a lapse of fifty-eight years, you probably wouldn’t recognize him.
Our Place in Lord Brahma’s Lifetime
In Ancient India’s Vedic literatures we find a cosmic calendar that shows the cycle of ages—and how to break out of it. by Visakha-devi dasi How long we live greatly depends on what kind of body we have. For example, an insect might stay around for only a month, while a human being sometimes lasts […]
Vrindavan: The Land Where Krishna Lives
If there was ever a turning point in our lives, this month in Vrindavan must have been it. John had always been neutral on spiritual matters, but I was an avid atheist, so much so that I had converted some of my friends to my way of thinking.
An Age-old Tradition Comes to the Western World
For thousands of years devotees in India have known that we can personally see and serve the Lord in His Deity form. Now, to the Western mind this idea may seem unfamiliar, but it’s easy to understand.
“We’d Like You To Meet Krishna…”
Introducing people to Krishna is a full-time job for the members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. They chant Hare Krishna on San Francisco Bay and on Parisian boulevards, give out free pineapples
Cow Protection – Practical Necessity for a Peaceful Society
We milk the cows at two o’clock, and as soon as we’re done milking, we go into the temple and attend the morning functions. We’re busy all the time this way, and we don’t fall down to a mundane level.
Sankirtana
This Age of Kali is an ocean of faults. But in this age there is one great advantage—simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, one can be freed of all material contamination.
Sridhama Mayapur — A Holy Pilgrimage
At Mayapur the devotees will chant and visit the places where the Lord performed His pastimes. But most importantly, they will hear from their spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada.
Who am I? Understanding Ourselves
For the anti-material particle, which is the vital force, there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does it ever cease to be. It is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. When the material body is annihilated, the anti-material particle is never affected.
Street Sankirtana
Public chanting of the holy names of God is now commonplace in the streets of cities throughout the world, and Lord Caitanya’s famous prediction, “In every town and village the holy name will be sung,” is quickly being fulfilled.
Summer Sessions With Srila Prabhupada
He’s probably logged as much flight time as any other traveling emissary. Prabhupada has circled the globe twelve times visiting his ISKCON centers, lecturing and insuring a high standard of spiritual life among his disciples.
Ratha-yatra – An Ancient Festival Comes to the West
At the same time that Lord Jagannatha was being pulled through Jagannatha Puri in three giant carts with millions of pilgrims in attendance, Srila Prabhupada and his young friends would pull their small cart through the streets near their home in Calcutta.
Who’s Pulling the Strings?
We generally think that we’re in control of our actions and that we’re making our own decisions, but the supreme authority, Krishna, declares that this is not the case. He says that we are acting as puppets—victims—of the forces of nature.
Lord Krishna’s Prasadam
Prasadam means God’s mercy, and specifically refers to food that’s been offered to Krishna. Prasadam has been offered to Lord Krishna in love by one of His devotees, whereas ordinary food has not.
The World We Live in
A study of material nature, for the purpose of distinguishing matter from spirit, is known as Sankhya philosophy.