The Elixir of Immortality, Prabhupada’s Books
Millions of years ago a great sacrifice was performed to obtain an elixir of immortality. After it had been obtained there was fighting over this pot of nectar. At which time the jug (Kumbha) had to be put down on
Vrindavan, Krishna’s Transcendental Abode
Ninety miles southeast of New Delhi, India, is a railway station known as Mathura. From Mathura, a bumpy seven-mile ride by horse-cart brings one to a unique town called Vrindavan. This simple village is unlike all other places in the
Playground of God
Are you coming? It’s a magical and mystical land…Traditionally the place of saints and sages…Even today you’ll meet yogis and ascetics there…Every year, thousands go there to inspire their hearts…It’s a ‘tirtha’ – a bridge which connects you to the transcendent
Land of My Heart
Diary entry dated 10th November 2019: This morning’s class at the Manor covered a series of verses from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta. In one of those verses, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, “Where is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose form is curved in three places? Where is
A Heart Touched by Vrindavan
Some faraway dike in my consciousness had cracked, and a new openness to alternative notions was starting to trickle through." Chapter Five: Immersion Two days and two nights on a dirty train and a bumpy, cramped ride on an antediluvian bus brought
Spiritual Melting Pot
It wasn’t planned, but it was a great opportunity. I threw together a few essentials, jumped on a rickety Indian bus, scrambled for one of the last remaining seats, and sat through a violently bumpy twelve-hour overnight journey. It was
Down to Earth
They say a little knowledge is dangerous. We can learn a philosophy, but if we haven’t understood it in a mature, balanced and well-rounded way, we can actually cause more harm to ourselves and others. Recently I was speaking to
The Plastic Problem
Often times we start on our spiritual journey with great enthusiasm, excitement and cheer. Yet, somewhere in the middle we come to a point where everything becomes known, monotonous and obvious. The adventure of learning new things dies out and
Phone a Friend
Life is full of complexity, and making decisions can be incredibly tough. To spice it up there are emotional attachments, the stress factor, expectations of others and our general indecision and dithering. We can easily get stuck. Thankfully, we always
Failed Success
They say failures are stepping stones to success. Lately, however, I’ve been thinking how success can be a slipping stone to failure! Swami Prabhupada once commented how he faced two great tests in his life. At one point he was
Hearing with Heart
Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could wake up everyone morning to that feeling of Magic? Well, this morning I found a little piece of Magic again and here’s how it all happened. I was not longing for anything, I was
Blissful Agony
“If one’s hairs do not stand on end, how can the heart melt? And if the heart does not melt, how can tears of love flow from the eyes? If one does not cry in spiritual happiness, how can one
Divine Intervention
On recent travels around the country I met a lady who expressed frustration in her attempts to find God. She told me her story: two years of spiritual travels, countless nights of prayer, careful scriptural exploration and persistent introspection, but
Don’t Look Back
Yesterday I went on Parikrama, which literally means to “walk around.” Circumambulation of holy places has a symbolic meaning – to always keep our spiritual aspirations central and close, regardless of where we are in life (whatever point on the circle,
Motherly Love
It’s easy to take mothers for granted. Some researchers recently followed around one such mother for a week in an attempt to estimate the monetary value of her ‘motherly love’. She took the kids to school, so they calculated how
Digging a Little Deeper
The internet is full of different conspiracy theories. It’s hard to know whether we are living in illusion or reality due to the dubious integrity of our sources of information. Joseph Goebbels, known for his work with Adolf Hitler, undoubtedly
Character or Capability?
Scriptures are often replete with long lists of names, exalted personalities who most have never heard of, but who are nevertheless immortalised in the pages of history. In the material world people are remembered for what they do – their ground-breaking achievements,
Mr Motivator
In his paper “A theory of motivation”, Abraham Maslow outlined the famous “Hierarchy of Needs” model. He explained that individuals are driven to pursue various things in life. However, only when basic needs are met can one begin to focus
In the race… but not a rat…
The competitive spirit pervades the world we live in. Students fiercely compete to clinch university placements and graduate positions. Colleagues deviously compete to intercept each other in the ascent up the corporate ladder. Neighbors become engrossed in ‘keeping up with
People Problems
Conflict, friction and human disagreement is, unfortunately, a major part of daily life. Whether it’s the erratic driver who cuts in front of you on the high street, crafty and cunning work colleagues pulling a fast one, or ungrateful and