About two weeks ago, Brahmananda Puri, one of the seniormost Russian-speaking Vaishnavas, was hospitalized with pneumonia as a result of COVID-19.
Senior Russian ISKCON sannyasi Nitai Chaitanya Goswami Maharaja was hospitalized on September 25th with COVID-19, and passed away around noon on October 14th in the city of Kursk, Russia. He was 70 years old.
Nitai Chaitanya Goswami is one of ISKCON Russia’s first sannyasis and seniormost devotees.
How can devotees trained in science and other academic disciplines best use their education in Krishna’s service? Murali Gopal Das, a Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies research associate with a PhD in Physics, embarked in June on a global tour, to encourage devotees to use science in Krishna’s service.
A popular vacation spot in the south of Russia, Jubga is bordered on one side by lush greenery and on the other by the picturesque Black Sea. It has been the site of Sadhu Sanga for the past five years, although the festival was launched over two decades ago.
Over 1,000 people new to mantra culture are expected to attend Mantra Fest in Moscow, Russia on September 1st at the Green Concert Club.
Chanting japa is one of the activities most central to Krishna consciousness. So every year for the past seven years, devotees from Kemerovo in Siberia, Russia, have put on a special Japa Retreat for both local Vaishnavas and those from surrounding areas.
On Radhasthami, I remembered how Lord Krishna lived in the magnificent city of Dwaraka, after leaving the simple village of Vrndavan. Amidst the opulence of Dwaraka, He was longing for the simple village life, and the love of the unsophisticated residents there, especially Sri Radha.
Murali Gopal Das, a physicist based in Gainesville, Florida, during his recent summer tour in Europe has enthoused devotee scientists to work together and use their special talents for Krishna.
The internationally renowned street and fine artist Kardami Kapila Das, a former of the K. Art Collective recently visited St. Petersburg to paint a mural by invitation of ‘Fortunate People’ team - worldwide mantra flash-mob dedicated to spreading Love & Peace.
ISKCON was officially recognized and registered in the Soviet Union on May 20, 1988, ending years of persecution of the Hare Krishna devotees by the Communist regime. On May 17, 2018, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his congratulatory message for the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of ISKCON in Russia.
Russian-speaking ISKCON leaders from all over the country (and beyond) assembled in Moscow, in January 2018, for continuing their Zonal Supervisor course, an offering of the GBC College for Leadership Development.
ISKCON devotees' 7-year-old daughter Vasilisa Yashenko has been recently filmed in a major Russian TV talent show for children entitled as “Luchshe Vseh” or “Best Of All”.
A seminar, held on September 26th, 2017, in Italy’s House of Parliament, at the Sala del Refettorio, and organized in co-operation with MP Lacquaniti, has discussed the problems of religious freedom in Russia, a cause of serious concern in Europe.
With hilarious animation.
Gauranga festival near Moscow, June 2017, featuring one of two Russian Gurus, Chaitanya Chandra Charan Das is giving initiations. He also sings in the video by Dmitry Tolkachev.
On July 10th, an official delegation of the Parliament of India visited ISKCON’s Sri Sri Dayal Nitai Sacisuta temple in Moscow. The delegation was led by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. She has arrived in Russia on a five-day visit to address the Russian Parliament Duma on July 12. Among other guests of the ISKCON temple were actress and MP Hema Malini, India's Ambassador to Russia Pankaj Saran, as well as other deputees from different Indian states and representatives of the Russian Duma.
A Russian blogger has been convicted of inciting religious hatred for playing “Pokemon Go” in a church, and given a suspended sentence.
Despite bone chilling weather, Indradyumna Swami and his team's visit to Moscow was blissful due to the warm hearted nature of the devotees who love to chant the holy names and dance in ecstasy. Srila Prabhupada’s visit to Moscow in 1971 planted the seeds of Krsna consciousness which continue to grow in great proportions.
A new book from the Russian branch of the BBT tells the amazing history of ISKCON in the USSR during the Soviet era, detailing the struggles and successes of some of our movement’s most dedicated and often unsung heroes. “The Krishna Consciousness Movement in the USSR: A Historical Outline From 1971-89” is out on May 15th in the Russian language. Not yet available in English, it is the first comprehensive account of these 18 years of history.
Russia's Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that Jehovah's Witnesses were an "extremist" organization and must disband and hand over all property to the state, local media said. The religious grouping confirmed the ruling about its "liquidation" in Russia.
“I am concerned about the complete arbitrariness of this law, which can lead to the persecution of my many fellow citizens who practice yoga and study Indian philosophy,” Ugai wrote in his blog.
Vaishnava marriage counselors Partha Das and Uttama Dasi were recently invited, under the recommendation of GBC Bhakti Vijnana Swami, to offer marital and premarital education to devotees in Moscow, Russia, for the first time. The effort was an important service to the vast and fast-growing ISKCON Moscow community, who were grateful to learn practical advice and new paradigms.
One thousand Russian devotees gathered to celebrate Diwali in spectacular style in Moscow on Saturday October 29th. The afternoon was a cultural event to commemorate welcoming Lord Rama and his wife Sita Devi back to their capital Ayodhya. Hanuman, played by Jagat-Pati Das, was a particular crowd favorite. In an incredibly realistic costume, he jumped into the crowd, involving the audience. He also invited all the children onto the stage to participate in fun games with him.
Govardhana Puja – the sweetest day of the year – celebrates the day when Lord Krishna as a young boy lifted Govardhana Hill with just His little finger, to protect the residents of Vrindavana village from Lord Indra’s furious thunderstorm. Devotees around the world pour their hearts into their own offerings for the late October festival, engaging their creativity in Krishna’s service to often astonishing effect.
A short film about brahmachari life at Moscow's Jagannath Mandir. Produced by Evgeny Rumyantcev, Georgy Vlasov, Danya Mogutov.
On October 16th, the ashes of leading Russian devotee Radha Damodara Das were placed in the holy river Yamuna.
Radha Damodar Das, One of the First Devotees in the Soviet Union passed away on September 3rd evening succumbing to lung cancer. ISKCON Communications Director Anuttama Dasa remembers: "Radha Damodara prabhu was a true, humble and dedicated servant of his guru maharaja and Srila Prabhupada. Despite the dangers and troubles of being a Krishna devotee in the early years in Russia, Radha Damodara was fully committed to Lord Caitanya's mission."
Since its release in February 2016, the short film celebrating ISKCON's 50th Anniversary has been screened in over fourty countries and seen by hundreds of thousands. Recently, the Russian version has been released. Click here for the English version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44OoZ6GfmK0. For a high definition screening copy please contact Krishna-lila dasi: editor@iskconnews.com
In May 1983, Radha Damodara was arrested and imprisoned for his faith. While in prison, he had to work in dangerous conditions, which included using a poisonous glue. He also suffered from malnutrition. Nevertheless, Radha Damodar continued to follow the principles of Krishna Consciousness and to preach. His health suffered, especially his lungs. Today, it is the lungs that have been affected by a dangerous disease.
A Hare Krishna adherent has become the first person to be charged under Russia's new law restricting sharing beliefs. Anti-extremism police in Karachai-Cherkessiya arrested 19-year-old Vadim Sibiryev.
The book is an account of painful experiences of the first attempt to spread Krishna consciousness in the USSR, which was Srila Prabhupada’s desire; stories of devotees’ trials in jails and psychiatric hospitals, their encounters with the KGB, but the author Sarvabhavana Das doesn’t lack in humor when he recalls, as he puts it, “his painful but blissful past”.
Premamaya Vasudeva Das has entered The Voice of Ukraine and blew the judges and the audience away.
Russian devotees began their 2016 with the second annual “Our Prabhupada” festival. The first, in December 2014, saw Suresvara Das speaking about Srila Prabhupada as ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya. At this year’s festival from January 15th to 20th hundreds of devotees learned about Srila Prabhupada as a person from Hari Sauri Das, who personally served him for sixteen months.
"The Flame of Eternal Love" a documentary about Shrila Prabhupada and the development of the Society for Krishna Consciousness in the USSR. Anchor: Sofia Ignatova. Actors: Alexey Sviridov, Acyuta Priya, Nimai, Vrinda. English Anchor voice: Jaya Madhava Das. English voice: Alisa Tchebotareva. Music: Yury Dimentyev. Sound: Vibhavari das. Written and directed by: Arjuna das. Русская версия фильма: "Зажигающий сердца".
In 1891, Hindus who were bathing in the sacred river Yamuna witnessed an amazing scene. A ship with a name in an unknown language was approaching.
Forget to Remember, the new transformational short film from young Russian director Shaktyavesha Avatar Das, is now available online with English subtitles. The 36-minute Russian language short won second place at the viewer-voted Moscow film festival “I See God,” which is dedicated to work that explores different understandings of God.
Construction is set to begin on a new dayschool gurukula near Sochi, Southern Russia sometime this spring, with plans to open in September 2017. With no other gurukulas currently in operation in Russia, it may be under high demand as the only one of its kind.
There were three days of unforgettable kirtans that lasted late into the night, hundreds of guests, participants and volunteers. BB Govinda Swami spoke about the importance of sharing the happiness that we experience, as “love should always be shared – such is its free nature. Love cannot be limited, we just need to become the instrument, through which love will flow further and further…”
"Yoga is about the development from the physical to the spiritual. Let us say I have started with the spiritual," Putin said at a news conference.
Rasikanam Das, a young Russian kirtaniya who was well known for his dedication to chanting Krishna’s Holy Names, passed away at the age of 32 due to heart trouble after he felt weak while leading a Harinam in the town of Sarapul, Russia. The details of his extraordinary life and passing have just come into ISKCON News through an interview with his widow Narasimhi Dasi.
This video is featuring Rasika-nam Das, a well-known Russian kirtaniya. Rasika-nam left his body on February 24th, 2015 in Sarapul, Volga region, Russia. He felt unwell during harinam which he was leading, was taken to a hospital and passed away in a few hours.
Moscow’s first ever Kirtan Mela, which ran from Friday January 30th to Sunday February 1st, drew nearly 2,000 devotees from around Russia – and it was a colorfuly uplifting affair on a grand scale. The event was organized by Saraswati Dasi after ISKCON guru Bhakti Bringa Govinda Swami, inspired by a “Mantra Yoga” program he attended in Moscow, expressed the desire to participate in more outreach programs there.
After reaching the quarter finals in the Russian edition of hit talent show The Voice, ISKCON devotee Premamaya Vasudeva Das (Pierre Edel) is continuing to use his newfound fame to deliver a Krishna conscious message. After his final performance, Premamaya thanked his guru Jayapataka Swami on live TV watched by 40 million people, and ended his concession speech with the words, “Hare Krishna.”
Pierre Edel - vocals, guitars, bass
Daria Fisher - vocals, violin
Dmitry Zelensky - drums
Moscow Vaisnavas have prepared a gift for all the Russian readers. Now A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's books are available in one of the leading bookstore chains in the country. All BBT books can be bought in 204 stores of the chain in 80 Russian cities.
ISKCON devotee Premamaya Vasudeva Das (Pierre Edel) singing in front of millions of Russian viewers on the Voice. He was wearing a Prabhupada-shirt during his performance. When asked who it was on his shirt, Pierre answered, "My grandfather".
Pierre Edel (Premamaya Vasudeva Das) a beautiful soul carrying French and Russian origins started his journey at the Russian 'The Voice' programme. Having Lord Jagannath upfront and kanthimala on his neck, he started sharing his loving heart with hundreds of thousands of people.
"We have good news and bad news from Ukraine.The good news is that practically all devotees from the Lugansk region have been safely accommodated elsewhere. Devotees are still fleeing the Donetsk region. On August 28th, eight more devotees from Donetsk, including three children, were assisted into safer accommodations."
Hundreds of ISKCON devotees, including families with small children, had been displaced and rendered homeless due to the military conflicts in Eastern Ukraine. Please help volunteers to provide them shelter.
https://sites.google.com/a/niranjanaswami.org/ukrainian-vaisnava-refugee-fund/
In celebration of Shri Krishna’s birthday, ISKCON Moscow has organized a beautiful and spiritually deep cultural show in the prestigious Concert Hall “Russia” in Luzhniki, Moscow. Fabulous were not only the performances, which included singing, dancing, and theatrical acts of Krishna lilas and Vedic philosophy, but also the sound and the scene illumination.
The Hare Krishna movement has been trying to build a temple in Russia since 1990. They still don't have one. It's not for lack of funds.
On Thursday, June 12th at 12.30 PM EST ISKCON Communications Minister and Governing Body Commission Chairman has released an updated report about the tragic bus accident that claimed at least two lives of Russian ISKCON devotees who were visiting holy places in Northern India. In the meantime, ISKCON Russia has confirmed the names of the deceased devotees.
The buildings at Dinamo where Vaisnavas worshipped Krishna for ten years have been recently demolished after the devotees had moved all their belongings to their new temple. The new rented place is spacious and beautifully renovated. But still not spacious enough to accomodate the crowd of five to ten thousand people that are expected to visit the Centre on Janmashtami.
Today, Ukraine is all over the news for the civil unrest in its capital Kiev. But devotees are safe, and doing what they can to assist those affected. The crisis has, however, affected the Bhakti Sangam festival, which draws thousands of devotees and is the biggest ISKCON festival in the Ukraine and one of the biggest in the world. The festival was held every September in the Crimean Peninsula on the coast of the Black Sea, an area which became Russian territory in late February.
ISKCON devotees in Russia and Ukraine have had quite a turbulent time in the past month with the revolution in Ukraine. Due to this situation Bhakti Vijnana Goswami has recorded an appeal to the devotees of Ukraine and Russia.
Bukvoed, one of Russia’s leading bookstore chains, has been selling Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is from a prominent stand at one of its specialist stores in St. Petersburg since last year. The bookstore, called “The Shop of the Most Essential Books: In All Senses,” stocks about 60,000 titles, with many unique books on spiritual traditions, world religions, spiritual practices, history, astrology, philosophy, psychology, health and business.
In the latest in a series of exhausting trials, ISKCON devotees have been given until March 1st by the Moscow government to move out of their temple at Dinamo. The devotee community has already found a new space to rent, and will stay there while they go to court to pursue justice.
A new year offers new opportunities to take our campaign against fur to the country that buys more of it than any other in the world: Russia.
With a Spanish language ISKCON News website launched on January 1st (noticias.iskcon.org), and running successfully, it’s now Russia’s turn. “There is a lot going on in Russian-speaking ISKCON,” she says. “But a system for timely communication between different temples’ Communications Departments is only in the making now," says managing editor Bhaktin Olessia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Orthodox Christians and all citizens of Russia who celebrate Christmas.
The tragic events in Volgograd makes us wonder about the nature of terrorism. The saddest thing is that people explain or justify terrorism with God, and with the name of God.
An inspiring video by the brachmacharis of Yurlovo ashram about the book distribution leaders in Russia.
A video by Shkatyavesha Avatara dasa.
For years, the Moscow Society for Krishna Consciousness has endured broken promises by the Moscow City government, which has repeatedly given them land and buildings, only to evict them later. Today, with most of their center demolished, an already passed deadline from the courts to leave the premises, and no replacement temple ready, the future of ISKCON Moscow is uncertain.
Vishvamitra Das (Vladimir Kritsky) joined the Krishna Consciousness movement in 1979. In the beginning of the 80's he was arrested for his faith and has spent six years in prison.
The long-running feud over Moscow’s ISKCON temple shows the suspicion and hostility that the Hare Krishna movement still evokes in that country.
The belongings of Moscow Hare Krishna Temple are packed in boxes so most treasured items can be removed "within 15 minutes if the bulldozers come."
Five thousand devotees visited ISKCON Moscow from June 28th to 30th to celebrate 25 years since the Moscow Society for Krishna Consciousness—and with it, other ISKCON communities all over Russia—was officially registered in 1988. The Moscow temple is one of the most resilient and fast-growing communities in ISKCON.
Ananta Shanti das (Anatoli Pinyaev), the firs Russian disciple of Srila Prabhupada, has left his body on June 3rd, 2013, as a result of a stroke.
Believers of the Hare Krishna movement call for the Indian President’s support in the construction of a new Krishna temple in Moscow.
Nandapriya Das, an oncologist at one of Scandinavia’s largest hospitals, spends his spare time translating Srila Prabhupada’s books into the language of his native Georgia.
On the 5th of May, over a hundred Hare Krishna devotees from all over Russia gathered in Kursk to celebrate the opening of the new center.
On February, 12th and 13th ISKCON Russia celebrated its 40th anniversary. It was in the summer of 1971, when ISKCON founder A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977) visited Moscow, and started to teach and spread the science of Krishna-consciousness in the former Soviet Union.
On November 29, three Vaishnavas from Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia died in a car accident. The devotees - Ananga Mohan Das, Adhi Yagya Das and Bhakta Lev Khramilov - were in a hurry to Izhevsk, taking part with enthusiasm in the traditional Srila Prabhupada book distribution marathon.
The Hare Krishnas will finally get a long-sought-after temple if Oleg Mitvol, former environmental crusader and now prefect of the Northern Administrative District, gets his way. At a meeting with Dzhkha Sandzhit, the president of the Association of Indians in Russia, Mitvol said that a Hare Krishna temple would be built in the Molzhaninovsky area, 10 kilometres outside the Moscow Ring Road in the north of Moscow.
The appointment of renowned "anti-cultists" and controversial scholars of Islam to a government body allocated sweeping powers to investigate religious organisations has provoked an unprecedented outcry from many religious representatives and human rights defenders, Forum 18 News Service notes. Particularly striking opposition to the Justice Ministry's Expert Council for Conducting State Religious-Studies Expert Analysis has come from the Union of Old Believer Theologians, a group not directly threatened.
On Sunday, five minutes after the protesters were taken away to the police precinct, about 50 Hare Krishnas walked in a formation down Nevsky Prospekt to a site in front of Gostiny Dvor, near to that of the thwarted rally, where they danced and chanted using an amplifier for 12 minutes. One police officer was present on the scene and said that the Hare Krishna event was authorized.
Visa restrictions for single women traveling to India; 2) Indian visas for Russian female singles; 3) Female, under 45? – No entry. In late December 2008, the Russian electronic media brought bad news for female tourists going to India. Reports were circulating that the Indian Embassy in Moscow stopped granting visas to single women under 45 years of age.
In 2008, a new Vaisnava training initiative was launched in the city of Sotchi on Russia’s Black Sea coast. Unlike many previous versions of bhakti-sastri curriculum (in depth classes on Gaudiya literature), the present course is based on interactivity and emphasizes practical application of knowledge as its main component.
On the 9th of December, Moscow Hare Krishna followers celebrated the festival of Gita Jayanti, or the birthday of the Bhagavad Gita.
The Gita Jayanti is celebrated all over India and other parts of the world on Ekadasi, the eleventh day of the lunar month of Margaseersha (December-January). It was on this day over 5000 years ago that Vedic King Dhritarastra heard the Bhagavad Gita as narrated by his secretary Sanjaya.
Moscow, June 4, Interfax - Public protest against building a religious construction for the Moscow Society for Krishna Consciousness was held in the Molzhaninovo District of Moscow. Residents of neighboring districts came out to demonstrate their protest with slogans "Sects destroy families," "Say "no" to Krishna center!" "Protect Orthodoxy!"