How I Was Saved From Being “Saved” — The Vedic Observer
Strange that these Baptists should discover, looking back at them under a shaven head marked with the twin clay lines of tilaka—the signs of a servant of Visnu—such a disconcertingly…
Can Religions Compete?
He considered how a religion, as a whole, measures up to narrow expectations drawn from Christianity. Thus he complained, "India has no 'expiator' [referring specifically to Jesus], no Golgotha [the…
Hare Krsna Confronts B’nai B’rith — Fighting Religious Defamation
Devotees of Krsna were surprised, therefore, when they recently found a B'nai B'rith pamphlet rife with stereotypes of Krsna devotees as cultists and brainwashed robots. Such caricatures, the devotees thought,…
Celibacy—Exquisite Torture? — The Vedic Observer
I had watched as one Catholic priest after another abandoned their vows to take up secular life. Some got married; others simply hit the streets.…
The Aim of All Faiths — One truth ties all religions together
The aim of any scripture of any country—not only the Bhagavad-gita, but any scripture—is simply to get us back to Godhead. That is the purpose.…
Vedic cuisine — The Taste of Another World
Delicious, traditional Vedic cuisine was part of the legacy Krsna consciousness brought to Western shores. Eating, like everything else for Krsna devotees, is a part of the complete spiritual experience…
Exposure to the “Cold Cruel World”
Gurukula, "the school of the guru," has no equivalent in Western education. It is all at once a place of spiritual formation, character development, academics, and vocational training.…
Pope Receives Bhagavad-gita As It Is — Every Town and Village
His Holiness Pope John Paul II received a copy of Bhagavad-gita AS IT IS, the scripture that sets forth the basic philosophy of the Krsna consciousness movement. …
A Monastic Encounter — Hare Krishna Meets Priest
My friend came back for a second visit to our monastery more recently. I was very favorably impressed by the spiritual growth that I witnessed in him. It was quite…
Hindus in the West: The Challenge to Spiritual Roots
Indians in the West can succeed materially. But the challenge remains: will they be able—and willing—to retain their cultural origins?…
Christ Is Our Guru — Srila Prabhupada
Jesus Christ is our guru. Christ is preaching consciousness of God. So he is our guru, our spiritual master. That's a fact. Don't take him otherwise. He's our guru.…
Why Our Schools Don’t Have a Prayer — Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out
It is all cheating. You have left God out. That is the height of cheating. So naturally the rest of your so-called schooling must also be cheating.…
“Here is Something Very Beautiful and Lovely”
My first impression of the Hare Krsna temple was, "Here is something that is very beautiful and lovely." As far as the worship was concerned, it was the happiness of…
Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out on the Secular State
In America and India and so many countries all over the world, they have a "secular state." The government leaders say they don't want to favor any particular religion, but…
Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out on The Absurd Dialectic
It will be settled at death. That's all. A rascal may think foolishly that life is absurd—but death will not be absurd. Lord Krsna says, "Everyone must finally accept…
Faith Healer, Heal Thyself — Notes from the Editor
In recent years thousands of religious figures have taken up faith healing. They use all kinds of approaches, but basically they claim that through their charismatic prayer and laying on…
Rascals, Bluffers and Show-bottle Spiritualists
From his behavior I can understand he is rascal number one. I do not want to know about him, but what he has done makes it obvious. But the wonderful…
More on Faith Healing — Notes from the Editor
I read with much dismay your reflections ("Healer, Heal Thyself") in Vol. 13, No. 9. What gives you the right to criticize faith healers and charismatics? Most of them that…
Peoples Temple in Guyana — The Vedic Observer
The bizarre mass suicide-murder of 913 members of the Peoples Temple in Guyana has raised serious questions about unscrupulous religious leaders who exploit their followers, stripping their souls and pockets…
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