January/February 2016

WELCOME

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada understood the power of theater to inform and inspire, and he encouraged his disciples to deliver Krishna consciousness through plays. In this issue’s cover story, Jaya Krishna Dasa, a longtime member of a UK-based acting troupe, tells his story.

Last summer, the troupe performed the Mahabharata, whose cast of characters includes the tragic hero Karna. Chaitanya Charana Dasa discusses some of the issues involving this compelling figure.

The opening illustration for his article depicts Karna straining to free his stuck chariot, the common conveyance of the time, as well as a handy metaphor for ancient teachers. Satyaraja Dasa’s “Chariot of the Soul” presents some versions of the chariot metaphor used by Western and Vedic teachers.

The metaphor coveys the basic truth that the soul and body are distinct entities, a firm grasp of which underpins faith in the reality of spiritual existence. Vishakha Devi Dasi explains the importance of faith in fueling our steady spiritual progress.

Finally, we’ve arrived at the fifty-year anniversary of the founding of ISKCON, and we present Part 4 of Sureshvara Dasa series on Srila Prabhupada and a discussion of Sri Ishopanishad, one of Prabhupada’s first books.

Hare Krishna. – Nagaraja Dasa, Editor

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