Presentations from the ISKCON India Scholars Board to Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb and Scholars of the Jagannatha Shreemandira on the question of allowable dates for celebrating the Jagannatha Ratha-yatra

March 29, 2025Posted inEssays, TranslationsNo Comments
These presentations were made by members of the ISKCON India Scholars Board (IISB) before Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb, Dr. Aravind Padhee, Chief Administrator of the Shri Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA), and scholars representing the SJTA on 20th March 2025 in Bhubaneswar, India, on the occasion of a discussion between IISB and SJTA scholars. The presentations are made available both in English and Oriya.

Research on Authorized Dates for Observing the Jagannatha Rathayatra around the world

March 29, 2025Posted inEssaysNo Comments
These essays were presented by members of the ISKCON India Scholars Board (IISB) to Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb, Dr. Aravind Padhee, Chief Administrator of the Shri Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA), and scholars representing the SJTA on 20th March 2025 in Bhubaneswar, India, on the occasion of a discussion between IISB and SJTA scholars. These long-form essays address the topic of whether the Shri Jagannatha Rathayatra may be performed on dates other than the Ashadha-shukla-dvitiya, the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashadha (June-July), or dates near enough to it. This is the day for the Rathayatra stipulated in the Skanda Purana.
IISB Scholars meet SJTA Scholars in Presence of the King of Puri

IISB Scholars meet SJTA Scholars in Presence of the King of Puri

March 20, 2025Posted inCommunicationsNo Comments
A significant and insightful meeting took place on March 20, 2025, between His Majesty the Gajapati Maharaja Dibya Singh Dev, the revered King of Puri, who was accompanied by the Shri Jagannath Temple (Puri, Odisha) Chief Administrator, Shri Arvind Padee, IAS, and representatives of the ISKCON India Scholars Board (IISB) at Bhubaneshwar, the capital of the Indian state of Odisha. The head of ISKCON's delegation, His Holiness Guru Prasada Swami, former Chairman of ISKCON's Governing Body Commission, could not be present; in his place Mukunda-datta Das, disciple of Srila Prabhupada and IISB Head Scholar, lead ISKCON's delegation.
The Lokanath Case: Is the scientific basis of the CPO compatible with Krishna Consciousness?

The Lokanath Case: Is the scientific basis of the CPO compatible with Krishna Consciousness?

August 25, 2022Posted inBlog, Research1 Comment
Is the scientific basis of the ISKCON Child Protection Office compatible with Krishna Consciousness? This article explores this question from the perspective of modern science. Simpson's Paradox, Confounded Variables, and Theoretical Perspectives are discussed, and the theoretical perspective of the CPO is compared with the fundamental tenets of Gaudiya Vaishnava Siddhanta.
Assessing the Five-Man Panel Report in Light of Mīmāṁsā

Assessing the Five-Man Panel Report in Light of Mīmāṁsā

April 8, 2022Posted inEssaysNo Comments
The only meaningful aspect of the report that merits scrutiny are the different approaches, or theories, of textual interpretation that the Minority and Majority use to reach their opposite conclusions. The Minority explicitly names a theoretical approach that they use for interpreting applicable law, and interpretations produced by this approach form the basis of their dissent. . . . It is unnecessary to examine the final decisions each side has made, since they proceed from their different ways of interpreting GBC laws. Hence, in order assess which side has more merit, it is necessary only to consider the different approaches to textual interpretation used by each side.