ReciprocationBy Mukunda Goswami On 13 December 1973, at the Los Angeles temple, during the observance of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s disappearance day, you concluded your lecture with a startling revelation. You described feeling “horrified” after dreaming several times that Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaja was calling you to take sannyasa. The atmosphere in the…
Author: founderacharya.com
“My spiritual master,” you said, and your voice, he says, choked to gravel. “My spiritual master,” you repeated, “he was no ordinary spiritual master.” You paused again, and then whispered falteringly, “He saved me.”
I have sometimes reflected on this astonishing transcendental moment and wondered exactly what you meant when you said, “He saved me.” You were born into a family of devotees, and your father was a pure devotee. What, then, was there to be saved from? But this is how you felt—and we honour that. It is another deep expression of yours that we relish and deeply appreciate
In 1973, I sent you my Vyasa-puja offering. On 23 August, from Bhaktivedanta Manor, you sent me an encouraging note:
“I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter and the nice Vyasa-puja offering you sent. I have sent it to Satsvarupa Goswami for printing in the BTG. Writing is a very important part of our work, and Satsvarupa is always anxious to have new material from the devotees for expanding the BTG. You have a nice talent for writing, and practice makes perfect, so continue. It will be appreciated.”
On Rama-Navami day, the appearance of Lord Ramachandra, many government officials are present for the Grand Opening ceremony. Prabhupada has personally invited the governor of the state of Uttar Pradesh to be Guest of Honor. It’s important to establish the credibility of his ISKCON mission and the Krishna-Balarama Mandir. He…
by Suresvara Das The year is 1972. In New Vrindaban, West Virginia, it is Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja Day. As the sun climbs to the meridian, the thick mist shrouding the foothills gives way to a spotless blue. Inside a hilltop pavilion, hundreds of devotees and guests—politicians, journalists, and academics among…
One of the early devotees I met at the temple was the artist and musician Marek Buchwald, whom Hamsaduta dasa had recruited in Montreal to design a cover for a reprint of Easy Journey to Other Planets and who had come to Boston to meet Srila Prabhupada for the first time. When Marek arrived—the same day I had met Prabhupada, the day after the Brandeis program—he said, “I could smell the incense from some distance away, and as I came up to the door of the temple and peeked inside, I saw two young women dancing in a circle, one strumming a dulcimer and the other playing small hand cymbals, just dancing around and chanting. I was very conscious that this was some kind of fulfilment, that a story was being fulfilled.
by Caitanya Candrodaya das
Many scholars agree that following the physical departure of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, his International Society for Krishna Consciousness has passed through what some scholars call the “post-charismatic” period (Rochford, 2007; Ketola, 2008). This period, while necessary for institutional stabilization, has also brought into focus a paradox central to the movement’s identity: many of the externally charismatic successors have proven problematic, whereas the Founder-Acharya himself, who eschewed theatrical charisma, continues to attract, transform, and stabilize the movement even in his physical absence.
Urmila Devi Dasi: Recognising Srila Prabhupada as the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON has profoundly shaped the movement. While acknowledging him as founder is widely accepted, his role as acarya—an ongoing guide, not merely a historical figure—remains more challenging. Staying true to ISKCON’s mission requires adherence to its core principles, while adjusting secondary details according to time, place, and circumstance. Prabhupada himself stated that such adaptation is essential.
Interview with Bhakti Raghava Swami Interviewer: How did Srila Prabhupada envision the integration of Varnashrama projects within the educational system for ISKCON devotees? Bhakti Raghava Swami: Education is a major aspect of Vedic culture. Srila Prabhupada spoke extensively on education, particularly in the context of Varnashram. As discussed, he advocated…
By Dandavats Staff Writer Few figures shine as brightly as Siddhanta Dasa ACBSP in the realm of spiritual preservation and historical documentation within the Hare Krishna movement. Through his tireless efforts and unwavering dedication, Siddhanta Dasa has become a pivotal force in capturing and sharing the personal experiences and memories…