Teachings, stories, and glimpses of life from our spiritual family around the world.
“An old Bābājī Mahārāja once lived in a village called Raṇavāḍī in Vraja-maṇḍala more than a hundred years ago. At one point, the desire awakened in him to have darśana of Dvārakā. A brāhmaṇa family…
Read moreThe case caused quite a stir in India. After going to the Kolkata High Court, it was transferred to the Bombay High Court. In danger of losing all ISKCON properties and assets, ISKCON leaders begged…
Read moreWhen one repents, knowing his own fallen position, and surrenders to Guru and Vaiṣṇavas, then they directly show one his own condition, like taking a picture of one’s own heart and showing how fallen, impure,…
Read morePride is called ahaṅkāra and abhimāna . Many persons may be worshipping guru with the pride of being qualified and wealthy. They think, “I myself have many followers, I please Gurudeva so much. Without me…
Read moreA rāgānuga-bhakta is characterized by primary and secondary symptoms. He is always engaged in kṛṣṇa-sevā. He always follows the rāgātmika associates of Vraja. A rāgānugā is he who always follows the anurāga of the nitya-siddha…
Read moreRādhārānī is the prema - sūrya , the sun of divine love. Everyone who is lit up by the rays of love coming from the Śrīmatī Rādhārānī feels transcendental joy. If we hide in the…
Read moreMahāprabhu replied, “Following Ekādaśī is the primary limb of bhakti. She is the mother of devotion. One must take shelter of Ekādaśī-devī. If you do not respect her you will be destroyed. No one has…
Read more(Year 1994) - As Śrīla Gurudeva’s influence increased in ISKCON, two groups developed among the leaders in the society. There were those who didn’t want ISKCON members to associate with Vaiṣṇavas outside ISKCON and who…
Read more“Why do so many fail to develop profound hari-bhakti, even though they reside in the temple and follow the practices of devotion? The mouse performed ārati and the pigeon did parikramā, and through this they…
Read moreGod cannot tolerate those who are against Vaisanvas and try to make Vaisnavas their servants. Krsna never tolerates this. If you serve Gurudeva and God, then everybody will serve you and follow you. But if…
Read moreOne who stays in Vṛndāvana engaged in bhajana under the guidance of sad-guru and Vaiṣṇavas will in time, upon becoming fully immersed in rasamayī-bhakti, have realization of this storehouse of divine nectar. When this nectar…
Read moreWe are all prakrti. And because, being prakrti, we are trying to become purusa, that is called māyā, or illusion. Just like if a woman dresses like a man and wants to act as man,…
Read moreOnce, a landlord came to Vṛndāvana and told a sādhu, “I heard prema-bhakti is available here in Vraja. Where can I get it?” “You can collect it from the local sādhus and vaiṣṇavas,” the sādhu…
Read moreHow could the disciple possibly be equal to Gurudeva? If the disciple desires to be equal to or greater than his Guru, he will always be two fingers short, like the rope of Yasoda Mata…
Read moreDressed as a sādhu I wonder around and give others advice. Yet I myself cannot follow anything in my own life. I am thus a great hypocrite. I am dividing my senses and mind from…
Read more“One may ask,” Gurudeva said, “why did the living entities manifest—for what purpose? The living beings are a manifestation of Kṛṣṇa’s śakti. Mahāprabhu proclaimed, with supporting evidence from the scriptures, the philosophical conclusion of śakti-parināma-vāda,…
Read moreŚrīla Gurudeva went to houses of people from all walks of life to inspire them to practice bhakti. When a local congregational member was struggling or someone was sick in the family, Gurudeva would go…
Read moreIn Vṛndāvana, rasa is present everywhere. It is in all the kuñjas and groves. Kṛṣṇa-līlā is full of rasa. The bumblebees, birds, and butterflies all taste this rasa. In the same way, all the bhaktas…
Read moreŚrīla Gurudeva had a sevaka who was very handsome. He was one of Gurudeva’s earlier sevakas. He would cook and play mṛdaṅga and sang melodiously in kīrtana. He was quite intelligent and could speak hari-kathā…
Read moreEveryone has forgotten their relationship with the Guru-varga. Everyone has been enraptured by the plane of mundane, physical attraction since millions of lives. The conditioned souls try to free themselves but it is not possible…
Read moreDiscrimination may take place in different planes, but it must have a connection with the higher plane. Judgment and discrimination should be in the right plane. Judgment and discrimination come from our side, but our…
Read moreŚrīla Gurudeva instructed the brahmacārīs, “You must take special care regarding your bhojana, bhajana, and sāyana—food intake, spiritual practice, and rest. A sādhaka who desires success in spiritual life must be prudent and pure in…
Read moreNews quickly spread to nearby villages. By twilight a crowd of hundreds had gathered. Everyone was afraid to go near the snake. Observing the situation, Gurudeva addressed the crowd in a loud voice; “the boy…
Read moreIt is here that Rādhārānī taught the sakhīs and mañjarīs how to be clever and tricky. Generally, when people cheat others, it is to defeat them or to cause them harm, but Rādhārānī’s trickiness, and…
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