Monthly Archives: March 2014

New Vrindaban Daily darsan @ March 26, 2014
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Although I earnestly yearn to serve the lotus feet of Sri Krishna, the master of Vrinda?vana, although I am engaged in hearing and chanting His glories, and although I am completely aware of all obstacles which might obstruct my path, I still have not taken shelter of Vrinda?vana. vow lowly and unfortunate I am. [Source […]

Appearance of Srila Srivasa Pandita and Disappearance of His Holiness Sridhar Swami, March 24, New Dvaraka, Los Angeles
Giriraj Swami

“This is another instruction for us: We should be immersed in krsna-katha. We should be so expert in krsna-katha that we can deliver just the katha that the audience needs to hear. And we should become so immersed in krsna-katha that we forget everything else; we loose track of time and are simply absorbed in chanting […]

Inconceivable karma
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 March 2014, Melbourne, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.52) Karma arranges amazing things – amazing, inconceivable things. How could it all come about? There is the karmic story about the man who went snorkeling in Spain, far into the ocean with his flippers. There was a forest fire and one of these big […]

Recordings from Melbourne, March 2014
→ KKSBlog

Kadamba Kanana Swami visited Melbourne from 13-22 March. Recordings of his classes are presented below, including a lecture given on Gaura Purnima, the appearance day of Lord Caitanya. You may listen online by clicking the “play” button of the media player or download by right-clicking on the title and “save target as”.     KKS_AUS_Melbourne_14 […]

Preaching program at Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram, Rishikesh, India
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Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram is one of the most prominent ashrams in Rishikesh, India, on the bank of the Ganges river, at the foot of the Himalayan Mountains. Yogirishi Vishvketu ji and Chetana Panwar, the founders of the ashram, invited Radhanath Swami for a satsang program on the evening of 5th March, 2014. More than two hundred spiritual seekers and yogis who had been visiting Rishikesh converged at the ashram to attend Radhanath Swami’s discourse and kirtans. Read more ›

Festival of colours: New Varshana, Auckland, New Zealand (Album 266 photos)
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Sri Sri Radha Giridhari temple was opened on 18th January 2004. The Deities (Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Giridhari, and Their Lordships Jagannatha Baladeva Subhadra) had previously been installed by the Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Read more ›

Monday, March 24th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

White City, Saskatchewan
Paths
Aang, the air bender, a popular character from the animation series, is the latest person that I remind someone of.  On the list is Ghandi, Dalai Lama, Forrest Gump, Martial Artist Grasshopper, Buddha, and actor Kevin Spacey – all people I’m supposed to either resemble or give a reminder towards.  Whether I’m on one of those marathon walks or at a venue for a presentation, people don’t hold back from addressing someone that is relatable.  These remarks can be flattering or facetious.  I must admit, that in fact, I’m just an ordinary person, a simple monk who is a Prabhupada man.  I belong to my guru and I’ve set out for his mission which is to share the consciousness of Krishna.  My portfolio in this regard is teaching the science of bhakti yoga.  Every day of my life, the compelling obligation is to share some lesson with someone.
An opportunity in White City came when three young men volunteered to join me on the local trail system.  Our step was cautious, moving over intermittent snow, ice and general bareness.  On one trail, deer droppings marked the way.  We found the owners, the herd, who gave a good long curious stare.  We returned the stare, but they outdid us.  We were not prepared to stay there forever.  As we began to move, so did they. 
So the choice of trails was there, to go the way of snow and deer, or to take the path of relative dryness.  In life, we all have a choice to tread either of two paths.  One is called “nvriti marga”, the road of spirituality.  The other marga(path) is “pravritti”, the trail of self indulgence.  Take your pick. 
May the Source be with you!
3 KM

Leaving Aside, or Letting Go, of the Unessential
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(this blog is recorded on the full page: quick time player is needed; works best with Firefox or Explorer; if you are using Google Chrome it will automatically play, so to not listen, mute your speakers.)
In the baby, the aged photo Quotes-by-Srila-Prabhupada-on-Death_zps3d887121.jpg
[Originally published on March 3, 2014–since we are now in the process of selling our house and letting go of more things this blog’s theme is very appropriate]This morning, after rising, folding up my sleeping bag, and taking care of some natural necessities, I read some of Shri Chaitanya’s lila in Chaitanya Bhagavat. Such a nectar book of spiritual delight! Regular reading of scripture is one of my benchmarks for a successful day. I read about Lord Chaitanya’s (so-called) “birth,” heralded by the resounding chanting of the holy names, which was the custom during a lunar eclipse; how child Chaitanya, or Nimai, would cry and only stop when the ladies chanted the holy name; how mischievous he was as he grew older; how two thieves tried to take him away to steal his ornaments only to find themselves back in front of Nimai’s house; and how Nimai revealed his divinity to a visiting Vaishnava holy man staying with his family. These are very sweet lilas (pastimes), full of deep meaning, and providing me a great way to begin my day!

I have had continual interruptions, or necessary duties, in my regular attempt to write. Writing is a joy for me, but also a discipline; even though I find the effort relishable, setting priorities is required to make it happen—as we must, in the accomplishment of any valuable goal. Those who are devotees of a particular manifestation of God, or who have a spiritual orientation, will see the value of hearing about the activities of the Lord or great saints, and yet they are often understandably less interested in sharing about their own lives. However, everyone’s life is full of important lessons and inspiring events. We only need the right attitude to see this played out as we generally see what we are looking for. This is one of the reasons I write about my life—to show that even a regular person who is trying to live a devotional life has much of value to share. “Ordinary” or “extraordinary” are labels from a state of mind. We notice what we value, so what is going on in your life, right in front of you, that may be trying to get your attention?

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