Śāstrīya Śraddhā

Śrīla Prabhupāda

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Śrīla Prabhupāda

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Issues in 2017

6

Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 20172017 / #51-01 / 14 articles Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 20172017 / #51-02 / 17 articles Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 20172017 / #51-03 / 17 articles Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 20172017 / #51-04 / 16 articles Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 20172017 / #51-05 / 18 articles Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 20172017 / #51-06 / 17 articles

Articles

99

Welcome2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 2017When His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada conceived the idea of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (TOVP), now being built on the bank of the Ganges in West Bengal, he always knew it would be something Letters2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 2017Bhakti Means Devotion Service Can you please tell me about bhakti-yoga? Vaibhava Shukla Via the Internet Our reply: "Bhakti means devotional service." (The Nectar of Devotion [NOD], Preface) Bhakti connotes devotion, or Founder's Lecture - The Technique for Universal Love2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 2017January 6, 1967, New York City We can love everyone and everything only when we love God and know Him as He is. ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ "I am the sour No Need to Kill Animals2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 2017This conversation between His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and some of his disciples took place at ISKCON's farming village in New Vrindaban, West Virginia, on June 24, 1976. Srila Prabhupada: Who ca In Memorium - Krishna Dasa Swami2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 2017His Holiness Krishna Dasa Swami, a dynamic preacher and initiating spiritual master in ISKCON, passed away in the sacred land of Vrindavan, India, on July 20, 2016. His life reads like a story from the scriptures, much l

My Cancer Diagnosis as Krishna’s Embrace

2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 2017by Karnamrita Dasa "I am now faced with a health challenge, which I have taken to be an answer to my prayers." Each of us is the leading actor or actress in the drama of our life. In this drama there is no rehearsing, me

Sprinkling Krishna Consciousness at Work2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 2017by Meera Khurana Lord Chaitanya instructed His followers to tell everyone they meet about Krishna. Here's how one devotee is trying to take up that task. I was born into a Krishna conscious family. My mother was six mont

How Association Can Ensure Our Spiritual Life2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 2017by Purushottama Nitai Dasa Keeping company with devotees of Lord Krishna guarantees a safe and secure journey back to Him. Srila Prabhupada many times repeats the importance of association, and he even declares that succ

The Greatest Wonder of the World: King Yudhishthira and the Mystery of Death2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 2017By Satyaraja Dasa If we know that death is inevitable, why do we act as if we will live forever? "That is the wonderful thing. Kim ashcaryam ata param. Yudhishthira Maharaja said. He was asked, 'What is the most wonderfu

Srila Prabhupada: Our Founder-Acarya2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 2017Your Srila Prabhupada by Sureshvara Dasa Let’s consider how Srila Prabhupada is for everyone, and then look at some ways to access and nourish our personal relationship with him, our founder-acharya. To honor the fiftiet

The Unseen Universe2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 2017by Yogeshvara Dasa On behalf of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium Executive Committee A groundbreaking museum of science–the Vedic Planetarium–seeks to reveal what the eye cannot see. As visitors to India travel north

A Devotional Take on Mistakes2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 2017by Chaitanya Charana Dasa Krishna can produce auspiciousness out of a messy situation. Sometimes when we commit mistakes, we may become embarrassed, irritated, or enraged with ourselves. If we become excessively disturbe

From the Editor2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 2017BTG Anniversaries On October 23, 1966, just a few months after Srila Prabhupada incorporated the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in New York City, his disciples there began printing the first copies of Ba

Vedic Thoughts2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-01, 2017If a grown man were put into such a condition as the child within the abdomen, completely entangled in all respects, it would be impossible for him to live even for a few seconds. Unfortunately, we forget all these suffe

A Pause for Prayer2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017We pray for Your Lordship to favor us by instructing us how to engage in the transcendental loving service of Your lotus feet so that we may never forget our eternal relationship with Your Lordship. We do not want libera

Satisfying the Universe2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017In the form of a calf, Mother Earth mystically fulfills the desires of beings from all over the universe. daiteyā dānavā vatsaṁ prahlādam asurarṣabham vidhāyādūduhan kṣīram ayaḥ-pātre surāsavam daiteyāḥ—the sons of Diti;

Fatalism or Pragmatism?2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017by Caitanya Carana Dasa Understanding the concept of destiny disempowers passivity and empowers a focus on duty. Indian thought is sometimes deemed fatalistic, holding that everything is destiny, predetermined by our pas

Welcome2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017Last year was the fiftieth anniversary of ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, which means that Hare Krsna devotees in the form of followers of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad

Loving a Loving God2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017Most people value love as an ideal. The religiously inclined like to say, "God is love." Srila Prabhupada would point out that love is part of our essential nature as spiritual beings and that even ferocious animals show

My Only Problem . . . and Maybe Yours Too!2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017by Indra Krsna Dasa The author discovers that all our problems are the manifestation of one single problem. If you know it you can solve it, and make your life successful. It's 7:00 a.m., and I'm standing on the balcony

BBC Meditation2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017by Krsna Dharma Dasa The author has been a regular British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) contributor since 1998. BBC Radio 2, where these meditations are aired, attracts from one million to eight million listeners, depe

Letters2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017From Voidist to Personalist I read ”Spiritual Exchange: A Correspondence Leading to Krsna” in the September/October issue with great interest. The author’s transition from Donna Lee, voidist and impersonalist, to Danakel

Kulimela: The Next Generation2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017On the tenth anniversary of the first Kulimela, Kulis explore how to create a new and better world for future generations. By Madhava Smullen In a leafy yard in New Vrindaban, West Virginia, a large group of children is

What Is a “Kuli”?2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017Gurukulis were students in ISKCON’s early spiritual boarding schools, or gurukulas. When they graduated, they remained bonded through their shared experiences and kept the moniker. The name was later shortened to “Kuli,”

A Life of Dharma2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017By Nikunja Vilasini Devi Dasi In memory of His Holiness Krsna Dasa Swami, whose life and passing exemplify his words: “Live for dharma, die for dharma; live for Krsna, die for Krsna.” Forty-one-year-old Krsna Dasa was al

Thus Spake Sri Caitanya2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017By Satyaraja Dasa Though Lord Caitanya's disciples wrote many books expounding His teachings, only a handful of verses are generally attributed directly to Him. sriman mahaprabhura viracita ai sloka ihate prema-praptira

Founder's Lecture - Try to Understand Krsna2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017Vrindavan, India, August 9, 1974 To truly benefit, we have to go beyond a superficial view of Krsna and learn how great He really is. manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin māṁ vetti tat

Our System of Civilization: Everyone Satisfied2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017This conversation between His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and some of his disciples took place at ISKCON's farming village in New Vrindaban, West Virginia, on June 24, 1976. Srila Prabhupada: This i

In Memoriam - Sri Nathji Dasa2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017May 22, 1940 – October 17, 2016 “I first met Srila Prabhupada, my spiritual teacher, in March 1971, and this changed my life," Sri Nathji once said. "Meeting a pure devotee has that effect–it brings one to another stage

Vedic Thoughts2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017To follow the instructions of the Lord is to associate with the Lord. The Lord is not a material object whose presence one has to feel for such association. The Lord is present everywhere and at all times. It is quite po

An Everyday Life Mystery: Reflections on the Universal Form2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-02, 2017by Yudhihira Dasa Looking for relevance in the eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. The Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna, is the unlimited source of all that be. Throughout the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita the Lord Himself confirms thi

A Pause for Prayer2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017O Supreme Lord, the living entities in this world are bewildered by Your illusory energy. Becoming involved in the false concepts of "I" and "my," they are forced to wander along the paths of fruitive work. I too am delu

What Is Real Renunciation?2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017By Akshay Gupta Yogis used to retreat to the Himalayas (some still do), but there's a better way to pursue spiritual truth. With all of life’s ups and downs, it can be frustrating to live in the material world. When thin

King Prthu Levels and Develops the Earth2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017After using mystic power to sustain living entities from all over the universe, King Prthu develops the earth for the benefit of its residents. sarve sva-mukhya-vatsena sve sve pātre pṛthak payaḥ sarva-kāma-dughāṁ pṛthvī

A Succession Conflict Caused by Selflessness2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017by Caitanya Carana Dasa Bharata's reaction to Lord Rama's exile displays the ideal of sublime brotherly love. When a wealthy patriarch dies, leaving behind a huge inheritance, frequently succession conflicts break out. W

Krsna in the Comic-Book Industry2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017by Carucandra Dasa An attempt to present characters from the Vedic literature through the popular media of comic books and graphic novels. Since my youth I have been interested in the concept of expressing ideas and stor

Welcome2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017As we learn from the Srimad-Bhagavatam and elsewhere, Lord Krsna is the origin of everything, including all incarnations of God, some of them terrifying to the demonically disposed. In this issue we celebrate the appeara

Remembering a Friend and an Inspiration2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017On May 1, 1977, the day before the festival honoring the appearance of Lord Nrsimha, Srila Prabhupada's dear disciple Jayananda Dasa passed from this world. Shortly thereafter, Srila Prabhupada wrote in a letter, "Jayana

In Memoriam - Vrajendranandana Maharaja2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017On December 30, His Holiness Bhakti Vrajendranandana Maharaja passed away at the ISKCON Kuala Lumpur temple, surrounded by devotees chanting the Lord's holy names. He was in his seventy-ninth year. Born in Malaysia, Bhak

Letters2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017Cure for Loneliness Does chanting the maha-mantra stop loneliness? Nigel Via the Internet Our reply: Yes it does, because it puts one in contact with the reservoir of all pleasure, the Supreme Lord, Krsna. Because He is

How I Came to Krsna Consciousness2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017Seeking Change for Eternal Benefit By Prabhupada-priya Devi Dasi An early yearning to change the world leads to a year-long international journey with unexpected results. I was born in 1970 in upstate New York and had mo

Celebrating Sri Narasimha's Amazing Appearance2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017by Premananda Gaura Dasa This extraordinary avatar of the Lord protected His devotee long ago and is every ready to protect anyone who seeks His shelter today. While the Vedas declare in their every breath the presence o

Misotheism: The Devotion of God's Adversaries2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017By Satyaraja Dasa Today's New Atheists, who decry the very idea of God, are unlikely to get the same results as the enemies fortunate enough to challenge Krsna face to face. Sometimes, when things aren't going my way, or

Founder's Lecture - The Spiritual Power of Hearing2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017New Delhi–September 22, 1974 Despite our lack of spiritual qualifications, we can transcend material existence by hearing Lord Krsna's teachings. anye tv evam ajānantaḥ śrutvānyebhya upāsate te 'pi cātitaranty eva mṛtyuṁ

Learn This Science2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017These are the opening remarks by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada from a conversation between him and some of his disciples that took place in Bombay on April 17, 1977. Srila Prabhupada: From the Ved

Through Pain to Joy2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017by Urmila Devi Dasi A lesson in Krsna consciousness learned in labor and childbirth. Thousands of years ago at Kurukshetra, Asvatthama was furious. His great father, who had taught military arts to the opposition, now la

Vedic Thoughts2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017Since time immemorial each living entity has accumulated the various reactions of his good and bad work. As such, he is continuously ignorant of his real constitutional position. One's ignorance can be removed by the ins

An Everyday Life Mystery: Reflections on the Universal Form2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-03, 2017by Yudhihira Dasa Looking for relevance in the eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. The Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna, is the unlimited source of all that be. Throughout the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita the Lord Himself confirms thi

A Pause for Prayer2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017[Painting of demigods offering prayers to pregnant Devaki. I think I'd like to run the Sanskrit this time because it's interesting with all the "satyas" in it.] satya-vrataṁ satya-paraṁ tri-satyaṁ satyasya yoniṁ nihitaṁ

Bhakti-yoga: Fulfilling Our Need to Love2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017By Akshay Gupta Loving is essential to our identity as spiritual beings, and we can learn to direct our love for complete satisfaction. Imagine you had to take care of a bird. Wouldn’t it be a little silly to polish and

King Prthu's Vedic Sacrifices2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017Maitreya Rsi, the current narrator, speaks about King Prthu's sacrifices, attended by great personalities, including Lord Vishnu Himself. siddhā vidyādharā daityā dānavā guhyakādayaḥ sunanda-nanda-pramukhāḥ pārṣada-prava

The Urge to Gossip2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017by Caitanya Carana Dasa An epiphany triggers reflections on the challenges in resisting this common urge. “Can you keep a secret?” With this question, I prefaced a juicy tidbit of gossip I was about to share in a recent

Welcome2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017Sri Krsna Janmastami is the annual celebration of Lord Krsna's appearance on earth some five thousand years ago. Millions of people take part in this event, especially in India, but increasingly, all over the world. Krsn

Doubly Blessed2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017For members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness the annual celebration of Janmastami, the advent of Lord Krsna, is the first day of a two-day festival, the next day being the birth anniversary of His D

Book Excerpt2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017At bottom of page: From A Comprehensive Guide to Bhagavad-gita with Literal Translation, Parts II and III. Copyright 2015 by H.D. Goswami (Howard J. Resnick). Available at the Krishna.com Store and elsewhere. (The citati

Marching Swiftly Towards Sri Krsna2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017by Krsna Dhana Dasa The key is to engage head, heart, and hands in the devotional service of the Lord. Developing single-pointed focus is the key to success in any field, including spiritual life. Lord Krsna says in the

Surrender to the Idea of Surrendering2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017by Kanandini Devi Dasi On making the choice to trust and obey God. We were finishing up our weekly Bhagavad-gita class, and I asked for comments and questions from the congregation. A young lady raised her hand and said

Letters2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017Is Brahman Broken? Atman is Brahman. Why does the eternal essence incarnate parts of itself into the material world? Is it doing so because it wants to have sensory experiences? Have some pieces of itself broken off by m

Yoga, Bhakti, and the Battlefield of Life2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017By Satyaraja Dasa Bhakti-yogis reject outward violence while fighting the battle within. If one man conquers in battle A thousand men, And if another conquers himself, The latter is the greatest of conquerors – The Art o

Founder's Lecture - Janmastami: The Divine Advent of Lord Krsna2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017London, August 21, 1973 Lord Krsna declares that we can gain immortality simply by understanding the nature of His birth and activities. His Excellency the High Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much f

Seeing by Hearing2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017This conversation between His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and some of his disciples took place on April 17, 1977, in Bombay. Disciple: Srila Prabhupada, when we try to show people that they're spiri

The Art of Living: Master the Art of Dying2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017by Sri Caitanya Candra Dasa The most important topic in life is the one no one wants to think about. The last thing people want to discuss or even think about is death. And, ironically, they often don't live long enough

The Three Modes of Material Nature: A Tabular Overview2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017Some Verses from the Bhagavad-gita Dealing with the Three Guas in General Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain fr

Vedic Thoughts2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-04, 2017Time is a representation of the Lord, and it reminds us also that we must surrender unto the Lord. The Lord speaks to every conditioned soul as time. He says in Bhagavad-gita that if someone surrenders unto Him, then the

A Pause for Prayer2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017O master and enjoyer of all sacrificial ceremonies, O infallible and most famous person, whose name, when chanted, spreads all good fortune! O original Supreme Personality of Godhead, supreme controller, shelter of all h

Vtrasura, the Godly Demon2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017By Akshay Gupta Lessons from the history of a fierce being created to challenge Indra, the ruler of the heavenly planets. The Vedic literature contains many histories meant to enlighten us with transcendental knowledge a

King Indra Steals the Sacrificial Horse2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017Afraid of losing his position as the ruler of the heavenly planets, Indra disguises himself to thwart King Prthu's sacrifice. tam atrir bhagavān aikṣat tvaramāṅaṁ vihāyasā āmuktam iva pākhaṅḍaṁ yo 'dharme dharma-vibhrama

Elevating Our Emotions2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017by Caitanya Carana Dasa "Human culture is meant to provide an environment wherein higher emotions can be nourished and lower emotions countered. Unfortunately, contemporary culture is increasingly doing the opposite." Ou

Welcome2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017This issue coincides with the sacred month of Damodara, during which Lord Krsna’s devotees commemorate His being tied to a grinding mortar by His mother, Yasoda. Though every Krsna devotee is familiar with this enchantin

The Good Thief2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017When I first discovered Krsna consciousness, I gave a coworker a copy of Srila Prabhupada’s translation and commentary for Sri Isopanisad. The next day, my coworker let me know that he objected to the idea that God could

Hare Krsna People Patisserie Divine2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017by Gita Beeharry Poonyth A devotee in Mauritius with a successful prasadam pastry shop teaches his secrets to others. Navakisora Dasa, from Mauritius, joined ISKCON in 1985. Before coming to ISKCON, but inspired by Srila

Self-realization in Bhakti2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017by Hari Parayaa Dasa Why the process of bhakti-yoga leads to the most complete answer to the question "Who am I?" For a thoughtful person, the following question may occur: “Am I only matter, or am I something more?” Acc

"Fruitive Activity": Telling Terminology in the Science of Self-Realization2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017by Karuna Dharini Devi Dasi Srila Prabhupada artfully enlists a rare English word for our spiritual benefit. In his translations of Vedic scripture, Srila Prabhupada put the old, nearly retired word fruitive back to work

Letters2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017Where’s Laksmi’s Help? Why does Laksmiji help demons and make them materially opulent and not help people who desire to spread Krsna consciousness? Rohan Singh Via the Internet Our reply: Although material wealth is impo

From Osmosis to Perfection: The Importance of Sadhu-Sanga2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017By Satyaraja Dasa Devotion to Krsna begins with the association of advanced devotees, an essential ingredient of bhakti that nourishes one's progress to perfection. “When the material life of a wandering soul has ceased,

Book Excerpt2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017[Footnote on opening spread: Excerpted from Chasing Rhinos with the Swami, Volume 1. Copyright 2017 Shyamasundar das (Sam Speerstra). Available from the Krishna.com Store and the author’s website: www.chasingrhinos.com.

The Krishna Book Miracle2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017By Shyamasundar das "It’s now or never, the party’s over, it’s a long drive back through the night–I looked across the table to George, and said, ‘George, Prabhupada wanted me to ask you something.’” During the spring of

Words from George2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017George Harrison was invited to write something for the opening pages of the Krsna book. His "Words from Apple" appeared in the first edition and has continued to appear in all subsequent editions. Words from Apple Everyb

Founder's Lecture - The Real Religion of the Living Entity2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017June 13, 1968, Montreal What Lord Krsna descends to teach is beyond the ordinary sense of the word “religion.” yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham "Whenever and wh

Barking About Bodily Concerns2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017This conversation between His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and some of his disciples took place on April 17, 1977, in Bombay. Srila Prabhupada: Today there is no full-brained man. All restless dogs a

Vedic Thoughts2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017When we raise our unmixed faith to the lotus feet of Krsna, everything is revealed. His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.15.58, Purport Our senses act like a mother, and the visible o

The Power of Intent2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-05, 2017by Visakha Devi Dasi Karma is a subtle law of nature that takes into account our mentality at the time we perform an act. One morning I was listening to a few devotees discuss a point of philosophy when one of them empha

A Pause for Prayer2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017O Śrī Nārāyaṅa, O Puṅḍarīka-nayana (lotus-eyed one), O Śrī Rāma, O Sītā-pati (husband of Sītā), O Govinda, O Acyuta (infallible one), O Nandanandana (son of Nanda) O Mukunda (giver of liberation), O Ananda (personified t

Two Boys Who Found God2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017By Akshay Gupta Two histories among many from the Vedic literature that show the material and spiritual benefits of bhakti. The Vedic literature presents many stories meant to enlighten us with transcendental knowledge a

Indra Introduces Counterfeit Sannyasa2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017Lord Brahma arrives at King Prthu’s Vedic sacrifice to put a halt to Indra’s misbehavior. yāni rūpāṅi jagṛhe indro haya-jihīrṣayā tāni pāpasya khaṅḍāni liṅgaṁ khaṅḍam ihocyate yāni—all those which; rūpāṅi—forms; jagṛhe—a

Unity–Within and Without2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017by Caitanya Carana Dasa When disagreement threatens the unity of a party searching for Sita, help arrives in an unexpected form. The Ramayana features many intriguing group dynamics, among human groups, vanara* groups, d

Welcome2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017This issue opens with a lecture by Srila Prabhupada given at the New Vrindaban farm community, the subject of a feature article in our next issue, honoring its fiftieth anniversary. In this current issue, Prabhupada spea

Relish the Bhagavatam2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017In May 1975, Srila Prabhupada requested the editors of Back to Godhead to run a serialized excerpt from the Srimad-Bhagavatam in each issue. Two years later, when some disciples expressed concern about the editorial dire

Do We Have Free Will?2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017By Hari Parayaa Dasa Modern biology suggests that free will is an illusion and that belief in it is similar to a religious belief. What does the Bhagavad-gita say on this point? Biology and Free Will The biological behav

The Dynamics of Environment: A Factor for Assuring Success2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017By Krsna Dhana Dasa Spiritual teachers in the Vedic tradition have often shown great care in selecting the site of their endeavors. I recently visited Sringeri, situated on the Tunga River amid picturesque mountains in t

Letters2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017Why We Fear What is fear, and what are the reasons for it? Please tell me how to overcome it. Ganesh Bhedas Via the Internet Our reply: Fear comes from not understanding that Krsna is in control and is working through th

What’s Wrong with Using a Crutch?2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017By Navina Syama Dasa When atheists decry religion as a crutch, most believers bristle. Perhaps we should agree instead. While riding in the elevator at my workplace the other day, I noticed that one of my fellow passenge

Book Excerpt2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017[Footnote on first page: Excerpted from Our Family Business: The Great Art of Distributing Srila Prabhupada's Books, available from the Krishna.com Store. The original material included three footnotes, and we've added a

Bhagavad-gita: Five Universal Stages, From Existential Agony to Love of God2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017By Satyaraja Dasa Lord Krsna guides Arjuna–and through him, all of us–in the quest to conquer "the dweller on the threshold." The Bhagavad-gita is not just another religious text; nor is it merely a Hindu scripture. Rath

Founder's Lecture - Expanding Our Love2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017June 25, 1976, New Vrindaban, West Virginia With practice, we can become free from limited affection centered on the body and can then realize the ideal of loving everyone. ko gṛheṣu pumān saktam ātmānam ajitendriyaḥ sne

The Conceivability of Consciousness2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017This conversation between His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and Thoudam Singh, PhD, took place in Bhubaneswar, India, on February 3, 1977 Dr. Singh: Many of my scientific colleagues say that intellige

Summary of Srimad-Bhagavatam from the Narada Purana2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017Translation by Jan Mares From Sri Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṅa, Purva-bhaga (“fore part”), Bhad-upakhyana (“the larger episode”), Part 4, Chapter 96. (1) brahmovāca marīce śṛṅu vakṣyāmi vedavyāsena yat kṛtam śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ n

Vedic Thoughts2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017Modern men want to see everything with their eyes, although they are not sufficiently qualified. Consequently, they disbelieve in the existence of the demigods or of the Supreme God. They should see through the pages of

Krsna, Integrity, and Us2017 / Back to Godhead Magazine #51-06, 2017by Visakha Devi Dasi Inner and outer integrity are essential to our individual practice of bhakti-yoga and to our devotional communities as well. Integrity is defined as (1) honesty and fairness, (2) adhering to moral pr