 The Governing Body Commission (GBC) of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) recently completed a special three-day session during which the GBC Body considered whether or not this worldwide Vaishnava community should endorse and implement the policy of having women serve as diksa-gurus, or initiating spiritual masters, within the ISKCON society.  A new two-volume work will give readers an in-depth, personal look at the journey of one of the most beloved devotees in ISKCON – Yamuna Devi, an ISKCON pioneer and one of the first disciples of Srila Prabhupada. Yamuna passed away on December 20th 2011 at 69, and “Yamuna Devi: A Life of Unalloyed Devotion” is itself a loving offering of devotion from some of the many devotees who were deeply impacted by her.  There is a new multi-faith campaign to raise awareness about climate change. This Diwali, believers from all faiths and geographies across India, will unite their voices in a single unified prayer for the fight against climate change, led by Radhanath Swami, Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati and Sister Jayanti Kirpalani. For more information visit: http://www.ourvoices.net/india  When we see success in someone else, it’s easy to forget the years of sacrifice, austerity and perseverance that got them to that stage. This lapse of memory can often lead us believe that there is a ‘quick-fix’ solution to reach such a level.  ISKCON’s Bhakti Yoga Society operates on campuses at some of the most prestigious universities in South Africa and is program dovetailed for university students. This year the society was awarded the accolade for the Most Outstanding Student Society for 2014 at the University of Witwatersrand, one of Africa’s leading universities at a sepcial event earlier this month.  Archaeological finds have long demonstrated that the swastika is a very old symbol, but ancient examples are by no means limited to India.  "We, Christians and Hindus, may we join together with followers of other religions to foster a culture of inclusion for a just and peaceful society."  "We are speaking of a graceful exchange of lamps--one lit by us in welcoming the Divine, and the other lit by the Divine lovingly revealing himself to us."  “Swamiji,” a new book that recounts Brahmananda Dasa’s memories of his guru Srila Prabhupada, has been called “a long overdue addition to the early history of ISKCON [that] fills in many details only an insider would know” by scholar Thomas J. Hopkins. Author Satyaraja Das (Steven Rosen), whose previous books include biographies of Bhakti Tirtha Swami and Sridhara Swami, interviewed Brahmananda for two weeks, yielding some twenty 90-minute tapes.  ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission (GBC) concluded its annual midterm meeting with a daylong plenary session October 19th in Tirupati, India. The plenary session which had in attendance the GBC members along with Ministers and other guests saw several encouraging reports from different parts of the world detailing the growth and development in outreach efforts of ISKCON.  Nineteen ISKCON devotees were injured when a Vrindavan bound bus rammed against a tree after one of its tyres punctured near Maghera village falling under Vrindavan police station today "While eleven devotees were rushed to district hospital, eight were taken to Paras Mani Hospital. Nobody is in critical position," Dy SP Anil Yadav said.  "COWSPIRACY: The Sustainability Secret" is a groundbreaking feature-length environmental documentary following an intrepid filmmaker as he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today, and investigates why the world's leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it. This documentary will be as eye-opening as "Blackfish" and as inspiring as "An Inconvenient Truth." See more at: cowspiracy.com  A little later the kitchen roof flew away, along with some bowls and plates. When I saw the sheets on our temple hall flying away tears went rolling down my cheeks. We all prayed very sincerely: “oh, Kishna, please protect yourself.” | 
