“Real yoga practise entails meeting the Lord in the heart and then following His dictation.” – Srila Prabhupada (Purport, Bhagavad Gita 6.6) The logic is simple: When you stretch your body and perform herculean physical exercises, you also relax your muscles and rest your body sufficiently. This ensures you get the six pack you seek. …

“I see all people rushing full speed into Your mouths, as moths dash to destruction in a blazing fire.” – Bhagavad Gita (11.29) My close shave and the subsequent epiphany taught me a sacred lesson. ‘Slow’ gives spiritual insight If I hadn’t slowed down, I’d have likely carried the fearful experience with me for the …

Community living is an integral part of human existence. When we study this concept of living in a community or group, it brings out certain interesting phenomena.If we analyse the ideal village depicted in the vedic scriptures or a typical traditional Indian village, we see that it has never been an officially guarded community. Protection …

“By the slow process of devotional service, under the guidance of the bonafide spiritual master, one can attain the highest stage, being freed from all material attachment, from the fearfulness… from the frustrations… Then one can ultimately attain to the abode of the Supreme Lord.” – Srila Prabhupada (Purport, Bhagavad Gita 4.10) The sword of …

“If you simply chant Hare Krishna, you will be directly associating with the Supreme Lord. You will be directly associating.” – Srila Prabhupada (lecture on Bhagavad Gita, New York, May 25, 1966) One day I was chanting intensely in the temple hall – shaking my head vigorously and vibrating my body. It was more of …

“We must chant with the proper service attitude – not demanding love of God, but chanting for Krishna’s pleasure.” – Radhanath Swami Krishna dasa does the needful on his various roles, and then sits to chant. For him, chanting is important but not the first thing in the morning. He confessed that during his initial …

“I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the Holy Name of Krishna.” – Srila Prabhupada, on board the ship Jaladuta, Commonwealth Pier, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (dated 18th of September, 1965) Two sincere spiritual practitioners – Rama dasa and Krishna dasa (names changed) are chanting Hare Krishna for …

Journal with Krishna Many people journal regularly but stay stuck in their negative beliefs. That’s because they are unable to access the deep, spiritual layers within themselves. Usually we write about what’s happening in our lives. We improve awareness of our own inner state; we dive deep into our experiences; and we express gratitude for …

However, when I spend time with Krishna, mind’s crafty schemes are not necessarily checkmated. He is biding his time, and would pounce on me at the least expected moment. He is determined to keep me in the external world, and he does that with myriad thoughts. But the more attentive I am in my Krishna …

“…..After capturing animals, a cunning hunter does not put faith in them, for they might run away. Similarly, those who are advanced in spiritual life do not put faith in the mind. Indeed, they always remain vigilant and watch the mind’s action.” – Shrimad Bhagavatam (5.6.2) Just as a lover feels unloved in a relationship, …

Bhismadeva was known as Devavrata before he took the terrific vow of not becoming the next king, remaining celibate and always protecting the throne of Hastinapura.This vow, shook every one including the Gods above and the celestial beings cried out, “Bhisma Bhisma”- “terrific, terrific” referring to his vows. This vow was taken by Bhismadeva for …

Kunti devi is a personification of motherhood. Her motherhood is not defined only by her loving nature but her ability to help her children find their own true nature and allow them to act accordingly. Kunti devi unlike many mothers raised them to be active participants in real life’s battling situations together with always keeping …

“The key is not in spending time, but in investing it.” – Steven Covey Don’t look at the watch when you meditate. Relax and slow down. To reduce the influence of Time, look at Time, and not at the watch! Acknowledge Time’s presence in your life and observe without judgement. Reduce your activity for some time …

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot” – Michael Altshuler We all do it differently – but we must do it! Withdraw from everything for some time, daily, to meet yourself, your soul, your vision – and feel loved. Just connect and attain a state of congruence where the …

Below verse from Niti Sastra or wisdom from regular life experiences, distill out a dynamic concept of harmonizing growth , ambition with death. अजरामरवत्प्राज्ञः विद्यामर्थं च चिन्तयेत् । गृहीत इव केशेषु मृत्युना धर्ममाचरेत् ॥ Follow “Dharma” as if Yama is holding your hair but work towards “Vidya and Artha” as if you will never become …

Education is the key to empower one with freedom from fear and uncertainty. But sadly, the “factory kind of education system” is causing greater harm to the children as compared to those deprived children who could never go to school. Fifty years ago in India, schools were in “scarcity” but now the schools are “scary” …

Farmers are the backbone of a country who works with patience in all seasons to feed the masses. There are two kinds of farmers: one is a farmer who cultivates farm and the other is one who uses his black money to convert it as farm income and keeps agitating farmers for his personal advantage. …

As each one of us humans is an irreducible individual, we all will have different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. This will sooner or later lead to mutual differences of opinion. Generally, we learn to live with such differences; we consciously or unconsciously adopt the motto, “Live and let live.” However, such coexistence becomes difficult when …

Festive periods usually highlight how much our lives have changed, triggering memories and nostalgia of how it used to be. People have come and gone, relationships redefined, fortunes have swung, lifestyles transformed. Everyone wanders to the past – so many events, experiences and emotions that have made us who we are. To think of the …

Bhagavad Gita is the doorway to Sri Krishna’s world of love and His timeless spiritual & practical wisdom. So if a question is asked, “What are the key learnings from Gita?”…… Below are some reflections: 1. Gita is “Sensitivity to Reality” – visible and invisible 2. Gita is dialogue between two willing people – one …

Channeling the need to be different (02.69 Gita analyzed 7 — Human level) This Bhagavad-gita verse conveys that spiritual seekers need the courage to be different from the world. While being different requires fearlessness, it can also induce recklessness especially when it fulfills a basic human longing: the longing to be special, to stand out …

Don’t Let Your Relationship Unfold Unconsciously – Start to Consciously Plan Weekly & Daily Time to Work On Your Relationship Many of us start our relationships unconsciously. We feel drawn towards another & as our alignments, desires & attractions co-mingle, a relationship is born. But, as our relationships mature & unfold, the many layers of …

There is a light and airy feeling to new beads. Their wood is fresh, often light colored, and their surface textured. After daily, chanting, there seems to be a miraculous change. Their weight begins to change. It is inexplicable, but they feel heavier, as if they have somehow been filled, saturated with the potency of …

In the first few months of a relationship, couples naturally feel a general sense of emotional intimacy because of what I call the euphoria of the “in—love” experience. It’s that feeling of closeness and connection we all long for. Yet, when the euphoria subsides, these same couples may begin to feel estranged or distanced from …

The Indian cricket team had a humiliating defeat in the World Cup T20 semi-finals against England. But astonishingly, who is trolled? The Astrologers, for right or wrong reasons. It is a known fact from the Bharatiya wisdom bank that there are three categories of evidence for proving anything: Direct evidence, inference, and testimony (sabda praman). …

Most people eagerly await their retirement so they can relax and enjoy at home. But there are exceptions Divya Simha Dasa (Devidas Vaidya), 70, from Mumbai is a person who does not believe in retirement – in fact he feels real work begins now. After working with Pfizer India for over 33 years and entering …

Emotional Freedom One day during a light-hearted conversation with Rajesh, my old saintly and joyful ashram friend, I was surprised by his confession: he was unable to forgive his senior leader for insulting him in front of over a hundred people. I was shocked when I discovered that the incident happened over fifteen years ago …

The debate of Hindu and Non-Hindu does not fit in the scheme of Sanatana dharma or Hindu dharma. It is very sentimental, non-philosophical and outrightly useless disposition. Duryodhana was also immensely ritualistic in his life, in fact he performed Vaishnav Yagna unlike Pandavas performing Rajasuya Yagna. So should all the vaishnavas give eulogies about Duryodhana? …

Diwali is an occasion to celebrate victory over defeat, light over darkness & awareness over ignorance. Indeed, it is an occasion to celebrate life. In one of our dharmik literatures, there is a beautiful Vedic Mantra which invokes auspiciousness, resources and culture and seems to b a true Diwali Reflection. This Mantra says: Let my …

The Silent Scream for Love You know it’s the silent scream for love when instead of addressing their anguish people launch an attack on others. Far from solving our problem, the blame game accentuates our misery; additional pain then convinces us more about others’ wrong-doing and finally we merge with the lie that others are …

Poor Self Care Habits If you break your leg while playing football, years later when you watch a football game, the pain won’t resurface. But if your loved one rejected you, and it rained heavily that day, then a downpour on another day could fill your mind with the same memories – emotional pain echoes …

Two-year-old Heer was inconsolable. Her parents, uncles, grandfather, older sister, and my friend Manish tried their best to appease the child. She wailed, then gave out long helpless breaths and again whined. The father took a turn to quieten the baby. With his left arm, he picked her up and with his right began hitting …

To get married is easy, to stay married to the same person is difficult and to stay happily married to the same person is even more difficult. But the difficulties in our relationships help us go deeper and search for meaning and purpose in our lives. To help relationships flourish, right from the day of …

Karva Chauth is where women fast from morning to evening for the safety of their husbands. The modern feminist considers karva chauth as primitive and an insult to womanhood and therefore it should be boycotted by one and all, especially reasonable and empowering women. One unique thing about festivals in India is that it is …

Diwali is one of the most popular festivals in the Indian calendar. The anniversaries of many auspicious historical events comprise this ancient festival. The festivities comprise of firecrackers, ceremonial bathing, feasting, artis, family get-togethers  – and illuminations. The aesthetically appealing illumination dates back to many millennia when the jubilant citizens of Ayodhya welcomed Lord Rama …

Sri Krishna, God of Prema Sri Krishna is called as the God of prema. He taught the world the act of love through the villagers of Vraja. They were willing to do anything and everything for Sri Krishna. This is the most evolved concept of God realization . Similarly, Sri Krishna interacted with every living entity in Vrindavana, including the …

Shubh Valmiki Janmadivas Valmiki – the original compiler of Ramayana is not a poet per se but an empowered learned sage & classic historian speaking skillful poetry that is unique & par excellence. But unfortunately in modern times, the logical human mind bemused by the sheer depths of sacred epics, try to unveil & uncover …

The ability to see divinity in everything can fascinate anyone. During the Dussehra festival, Hindus consciously celebrate this aspect as “Ayudha Puja” by offering respects to every big & small thing that adds meaning to their life – weighing scale, farming instruments, weapons, vehicles, kitchenware and many other utility things. Unfortunately in many modern spirituality …

Ramayana is a magical tale of triumph of good over evil and Lord Rama is an embodiment of righteousness & an epitome of infinite leadership traits. When Lord Rama was in the forest, He had nothing to organize as His army, wealth and ministers were in Ayodhaya. So when war broke out with Ravana, Sri …

Brahmastra – the weapon and the movie, have absolutely nothing in common. One is real and the other is reel with an agenda. What agenda? Conscious commercial interest along with conscious & unconscious denigration of Dharmik tradition. Let us understand what Plato, an ancient Greek philosopher states about actors and art, which has not even …

Harmonising Skill & Patience Any skill acquired due to practice and passion makes one an expert and a master of that skill. Arjuna was skilled due to his extreme degree of focus, practice and passion. Practice and patience are an interesting combination for becoming successful. Both qualities are opposite of each other. Patience is full …

The departure of British royalty Queen Elizabeth is world news. She ruled the throne for, over seventy years, longer than any other Monarch in British history. As a Bharatiya, we do wish the departed soul to be progressing towards higher destination. It does not matter who departs, they deserve respect, prayers and an honorable ceremony …

Shakti Tattva The Sanatana Dharma has the unique concept of – “abstract energy” and the “concrete energetic”. The foundational principle of Sanatana dharma is that the feminine energy and masculine energetic exist simultaneously forever. The Shakti-tattva is feminine in nature and it ranges from physical existence to spiritual ananda – Ma Durga to Srimati Radharani. …

Sri Ganesh denotes beginning of something in regional languages, especially in Marathi. It is folk tradition to offer 1st puja to Sri Ganesh amongst all the devatas because He is vighnaharta, meaning remover of all hurdles in our mission. Ganapati indicates the master of Gana. Crowd without leader or a wrong leader causes great disturbance …

Clashing for survival is the instinct of every living being, be it human, nonhuman or bacteria. But when clashes take place amongst those who have abundant resources, but want some specific position and power, it gives rise to organized war. Kauravas and Pandavas had plenty; to live and let others live for many generations.  But …

Lord Narasimha holds a special place among Vaishnavas, or devotees of Lord Vishnu or Krishna. He is known as the divine protector because he removes all obstacles that can hamper a devotee’s spiritual progress. The form of Lord Narasimha is unique. As the name suggests, his form is a combination of lion and human — …

Prahalad Maharaj’s prayers are very instructive; they also reveal his deep humility and love for the Lord. Besides, we learn how we could also please the Lord by our prayers. It was clear to all that the Lord is very angry and in His most ferocious form of Lord Narasimhadeva, He was unapproachable. All the …

A true story: January’ 1985: Sam thought it was a queer sight; he felt a strange sensation through his spines. Drawn like a piece of iron towards a magnet, he approached the elderly gentleman reading an ancient looking book. The man uttered exotic chants, in a rhythmic meter. It was pleasing to the ears. Meanwhile …

Book distribution is difficult. When most people in the world are interested in things other than Krishna, to stop them and convince them to listen to Krishna’s words is not easy. They will have an unlimited number of excuses to turn in a different direction. In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna says, catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛtino …

“Metpally . . . Radha-Krishna installation . . . festival . . .” Our ashram at ISKCON Chowpatty was buzzing with this discussion last week when I visited after a gap of few days. Many brahmacharis were excited about visiting this small town in Telangana, around 800 kms from Mumbai. The temple managers were busy …

The auspicious day of Makar Sankranti, which falls in the Krishna paksha of Magha maas (month of January), is considered a very auspicious day, and marks the entering of the sun into the sign of Capricorn or ‘Makar’. Importance of Makar Sankranti Lord Surya on His dazzling chariot, that has thousands of spokes and magnificent …

While engaged with the brahmanas who were too much involved in the performance of Vedic sacrifices, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma also saw that the cowherd men were preparing a similar sacrifice in order to pacify Indra, the king of heaven, who is responsible for supplying water. In order to stop all such activities by His devotees, …

The First Day of Diwali The first day of Diwali is Dhanvantari Trayodasi, when Lord Dhanvantari appeared, delivering Ayurvedic medicine for mankind. This day marks the beginning of Diwali celebrations. At sunset, devout Hindus bathe and offer oil lamps along with prasada (sanctified food) to Yamaraja, the Lord of Death, and pray for protection from untimely death. …

Long ago the city of Mathura was ruled by a demon king Kamsa. All the citizens in his kingdom always lived in fear because he was wicked and cruel in his behavior. He had a noble sister named Devaki who was married to Vasudeva. One day he heard a divine voice in the sky which …

From the Vedic mantras we learn that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has nothing to do: na tasya karyaṁ kranaṁ ca vidyate. If the Supreme Lord has nothing to do, then how can we speak of the activities of the Supreme Lord? From Krishna Book chapter-68  it is clear that no one can act in …

While Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued to speak on the transcendental pastimes and characteristics of Lord Kṛṣṇa, King Parīkṣit, upon hearing him, became more and more enthusiastic and wanted to hear further. Śukadeva Gosvāmī next narrated the story of Dvivida, the gorilla who was killed by Lord Balarāma. This gorilla was a great friend of Bhaumāsura’s, or …

Once upon a time, thousands of sages came together in the holy place called Naimisaranya to perform sacrifice. To their very good fortune the great sage Suta Goswami, who had been traveling to different pilgrimage sites, arrived there along with his disciples. The sages present were very enlivened to see him. They all stood up …

The wonderful history of Krsna and His friend Sudama is told in its entirety in the Krsna Book, Volume II, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. When Krsna descends from His eternal abode in the spiritual world and appears to this mundane world, as He did 5,000 years ago, He engages with others …

Daśaratha, his desire fulfilled, dwelt happily in Ayodhya awaiting the birth of his sons. The Brahmins and kings who had assembled for the sacrifice left for their various abodes, sent on their way with kind words and gifts by the emperor. Four seasons passed. Then, at a time when favorable stars were visible in the …