Our global team continues to distribute unprecedented numbers of Srimad Bhagavatam sets through the Bhadra Campaign. This year, 250+ communities from 50+ countries distributed 45,800 sets of Srimad Bhagavatam, smashing the worldwide goal of 43,000 sets. The long-term goal is to reach 100,000 sets by 2026. This Bhadra Campaign was launched in 2017 by the BBT MCI Team (Marketing, Communications, and Innovation) under the leadership of HG Vaisesika Prabhu. By uniting a global team around this common goal, Bhagavatam distribution has skyrocketed from 7,007 sets in 2018 to 45,880 this year. The campaign runs annually from Gaura Purnima to Bhadra Purnima. Vaisesika Prabhu commented, “Congratulations teammates, we smashed it together. The globe will never be the same. How did it happen? Because Lord Chaitanya wanted it to happen. We're just cooperating; we're just instruments. The more we advocate for this, the more we assume it can be done and do our part methodically, the more this will increase and bring pleasure to Srila Prabhupada.”
This past Sunday I had the opportunity to visit the ISKCON temple in Buenos Aires, needless to say, it was a very nice experience. I had read many books of His Divine Grace Abhay Caranaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda “The man who built a house that everyone can live in”.
Krishna Bhava Das, from ISKCON Punjabi Bagh community in Delhi, is 68 years old, strongly built, having a sharp gaze of determination yet having an air of humility around him. He is the eldest in his family of 30 members, untouched by modern flare, who prefers to keep to his village roots and culture. He is strong businessman and has also been one of the most enthusiastic devotees when it comes to book distribution. Over the last ten years, he has distributed lakhs (hundred thousand) of Srila Prabhupada's books and contributed to various projects of ISKCON. He was introduced to devotees by one of his relatives approx 14 years ago and his life took a different turn at that point. He was initiated in 2010 and heard through devotees how much Srila Prabhupada and his spiritual master, H.H Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja, love book distribution. Taking inspiration and gathering courage he started going door to door with his study class for three years during the December book marathons and they would distribute a total of 250 Bhagavad-gitas as a group.
Washing Post recently wrote an article about an issue that environmentalists and vegetarians have been aware of for decades, the link between the cattle ranching industry and the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest. In looking back at the history of Washington Post articles on this subject, they have been regularly covering the subject from varying angles as far back as 2014. This is quite significant considering the reach and influence of the Washington Post.
ISKCON Disciple Course is a training program that deepens devotees’ understanding of guru tattva within the multiple guru environment of ISKCON. Designed for new devotees preparing to take initiation, the course is also recommended for leaders, preachers, and educators in ISKCON.
According to a new Bhumi Global survey, Hindus around the world see global environmental issues as an urgent concern. The poll, which was conducted last year and analyzed over the past few months, is the first such global survey conducted among Hindus. Participants of the survey represented the gamut of the Hindu population, including India, the United States, Canada, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Mauritius.
April 22—Aligned with the world celebration of Earth Day 2022, ISKCON is launching a global environmental initiative to assist local temples, communities, and families in better ‘walking our talk” by living more environmentally conscious and sustainable lifestyles.
We've been commemorating Earth Day for 52 years every April 22nd to show our support for environmental protection. This month, approximately 1 billion people will celebrate Earth Day, and today alone, scores of people will plant trees, clean rivers, not use single-use plastics, and recycle. Of course, all of this is beneficial, but it will not save the earth. To genuinely be "green," we must eliminate meat consumption from our diets and demonstrate to others that vegetarianism is the finest thing we can do for our planet and our souls.
We are deeply saddened to see the suffering faced by people who are victims of the escalating conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The Ukrainian people are in need of our sincere prayers. While we are staying warm and comfortable in our homes with our families, in Ukraine it is getting harder and harder for people to get hot food, shelter, medications, and in some places, even drinking water. Can we help? Yes! What we can do as a community is to gather and chant together, pray for peace and raise funds to help in this time of dire need and desperation. Please join in this collective prayer and donate generously when you book your ticket.