ISKCON NewsThe News Agency of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

The ISKCON community is shaken and saddened after three young devotees—Nitai Dasa of New Vrindaban, West Virigina, Yadupati Dasa of Alachua, Florida, and Tim "Gopinath" Carter of Gainesville—passed away in a tragic car accident.

A new seminar, educating prospective initiates on everything they need to know about being a disciple in ISKCON, is in the final stages of development and is expected to be available worldwide by next year.

This question has probably caused more people to lose their faith than anything else. Why does God sit peacefully in his cloud or wherever, feet up and smoking his pipe, while we suffer all kinds of grim miseries down here on earth?

Legendary Indian film actor and producer Amitabh Bachchan visited Oxford University on May 17th, to attend the Distinguished Ford Lecture and a dinner, both hosted by the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS).

Over the last two years, we've witnessed a mass exodus away from agave nectar and a search for more natural sweeteners that are both low on the glycemic index and high in nutrient density.

Balinese-style architecture, carved by local devotees and featuring beautiful sculptures, including Lord Narasimhadeva bursting from the stone wall above the altar. In the pond outside, there is also a sculpture of Vasuki, the famous snake king, who is commonly worshipped in Indonesia.

On May 21, 2009 the Board of Directors of Prabhupada Village (Sandy Ridge, North Carolina) decided to affiliate with ISKCON, thereby joining the greater communities of ISKCON temples throughout the world. Tamohara Dasa was selected as the GBC representative.

Is Darwin’s theory of evolution unquestionable fact? Or should the possibility that an intelligent designer created our world be discussed as an alternative? Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, a recent film presented by actor and political speech writer Ben Stein, suggests that it should.

The pastor of a Florida church says his congregation has decided to call off the burning of the Quran that was to be held Saturday -- the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States by the al Qaeda terror network.

Renowned masters from various Yoga schools—including ISKCON’s Yadunandana Swami and Radhanath Swami—met for an international Yoga conference this past December 4th and 5th at the headquarters of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living Foundation in Bangalore, India to agree on a date for a special World Yoga Day.

The GBC wishes to acknowledge the pain this causes those who been serving with and under Prabhavisnu Prabhu while at the same time acknowledging, as we feel Srila Prabhupada would, the extensive service Prabhavisnu Prabhu has rendered in some of the most challenging parts of the world.

While doctors may be quick to write a prescription for blood pressure medication if your numbers are a little high, research shows coconut water is a highly effective natural remedy for lowering blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

The sanskrit word for gratitude is “krta-jna” – literally meaning “to know what has been done for you.” The ungrateful person who lacks such a vision may instead be called a great fool.

While printed books still account for the lion’s share of the market, the publishing business is changing in today’s digital world. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, ISKCON’s publishing wing established by its founder Srila Prabhupada in 1972, is also looking to keep up with the changing times.

I first visited Cambodia in the year 2006. What amazed me at the time was the uniqueness of its cultural connection with India. The Surabhi like cows, the Khmer language with its heavy accent of Sanskrit, the local customs mixed with Hinduism and Buddhism, and the general mood of the Khmer people simply capture the hearts of any visitors.

Aindra had complete conviction. Conviction that Vrindavan was the highest spiritual abode. Conviction that kirtan was no ordinary music - it was the divine name, descended from above, non-different from Radha and Krishna. He had no interest to be anywhere else or do anything else. He was convinced that by sitting in that spot he could change the world through his song.

Today, at 69 years old, Chaitanya Prema Das is a robust, healthy devotee, visiting the Potomac, Maryland ISKCON temple every Sunday and working at the Pentagon. Seeing him, you would never guess that back in 1997, at age 55, Chaitanya Prema was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma—or blood cancer—that had already reached stage four.

One of our monks recently made a transition back into the ‘real world’. He recently went for an interview. It was his big break. Frustrated, he came back and complained “in this world it’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know.”

London’s burning. Literally. But ISKCON devotees headed by Food For All charity director Parasurama Dasa are hoping to calm the blaze with the cooling spray of God’s Holy Names.