Author Archives: H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami

Toronto, Ontario About Animals and MeNow I was raised on a small farm. We had—on this ten acre piece of land—a house, barn, sizeable front yard, a garage for two vehicles, and an orchard to accommodate some apple, peach, plum, pear and mulberry trees…

Toronto, Ontario Some Pacing, Some ZoomingI only did some pacing in our temple room today, and chanted on my beads during that time. I kept myself grounded. The wet, gray weather of the outdoors didn’t necessarily beckon me. Besides, I was at the mer…

Toronto, Ontario The Tree Fight ClubFor the longest time, three raccoons were at each other in a vicious fight, clasping onto the flimsy branches of the huge tree outside my window. It was nighttime and this was before I retired for sleep. They snarl…

Toronto, Ontario The Earth Will Close DownA man of experience—meaning middle-aged—and dressed very finely, spotted me on the park bench where I was alone chanting on my beads. He came toward me, stopped at a healthy distance and asked, “So you a man …

Toronto, Ontario Virus on the WorldWalking along Spadina, to my right I observed a lovely Presbyterian church with a message out front: “The world is both beautiful and terrible.“ Minutes later, a cyclist with longish hair pulled over. “Didn’t the Bu…

Toronto, Ontario We Are AffectedI believe people should be careful in the matter of overdosing or over-exposing themselves to negative signals. Now that everyone is homebound, corona broadcast is very much in everyone’s face. Mass media is doing a go…

Toronto, Ontario Be Determined As I ventured west on Bloor Street,  a woman asked me for change just outside the Dollarama.“I’m sorry,“ I said, “I don’t have anything.“At Bathurst, I crossed over to head back in an easterly direction, and at Bru…

Toronto, Ontario Walker’s ResponsesIf I didn’t get to the outside for that daily walk, I would feel utter cabin fever. In a prison. So, while the sun is at optimum power, I feel I must burst out the door.I observed interesting behaviour from fellow p…

Toronto, Ontario Some Anger On the WalkI walked to the old house, 187 Gerrard Street, which was a temple at one time. Forty of us lived there in that three-storey building with a basement; the first place I lived in the city. I came here specifically…

Toronto, Ontario To Go InsideToday is 20:2020. And it is not an ordinary day.I announced to our small crew of monks that as of tomorrow, there will be a shutdown of the temple, due to the coronavirus. “Oh yes, the duty service will go on, the cooking…

Toronto, Ontario In the AnnexIn the Annex I’m walkingMoving and not dockingRow upon row a Victorian homeWith cars lined just like a comb.As I stroll here BroI see the status is “pro“Got it made for sureThey are far from poor.Wish I could meet themThe…

Toronto, Ontario Don’t Shut Down My FeetThey can shut down the accessory stores, the banks, the taverns, the offices and the factories, what of the schools, churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, libraries, and only keep open the essential shops.&nb…

Hamilton, Ontario Can’t Be All That BadAs the sun was stretching it’s rays toward the east at late afternoon, I passed by several pedestrians, all having something to say, except for one, who whistled. One woman, to another, said, “ It’s St. Patrick’…

Toronto, Ontario Something Good Will ComeOne of the most benevolent of functions is to plan and organize a kirtan, especially in tough times.  Kirtan is, in many ways, another word for ‘healing’, a nourishment for the soul.Billy and I were talki…

Scarborough, Ontario I Love StIt was nippy but nice.  The sun was strong and people were cheery going down, or up, Yonge Street.  I took to the west side of the street, going north, because that’s where the sun was angled.  I was doing…

Toronto, Ontario Corona and KarunaI was invited to ‘Kirtan Toronto’ in location—Richmond and Spadina—at the residence of host Rikin (aka Rasheshvara Madhava) to conduct a chant-and-chat session.  He told me it would be a small gathering, I guess…

Toronto, Ontario How We ReactI was enjoying the food (prasadam) in Govinda’s Restaurant, and at a time when there were several other people also pleasing their palates and soul.  I was just coming to a closure of my meal.  Everyone was quit…

Toronto, Ontario Stretch and WalkOne way to address the dreaded coronavirus is to build up your strength and resistance.  I hear that many of the victims of the disease are travel related.  I believe that if you put your “pedal to the metal…

Toronto, Ontario Brahmana’s TalesIt was a blessed day in a simple kind of way.  By morning, we opened up a new chapter from the book Bhagavatam, Canto 10, on how Krishna gave special mercy to His old classmate, Sudhama the brahman.  It just…

Toronto, Ontario Dreaming About the Yukon When I visited the Yukon, not so terribly long ago, I received a small gift—a key chain.  Attached to this key chain is that iconic image of backpacking prospectors, struggling up a steep snowbank by way…

Toronto, Ontario Panic ModeI noticed something peculiar about some of the shoppers as I walked with Corrado to our favourite chanting park, Bellevue Square.  I spotted several people carrying toilet paper.  I believe that some folks are cau…

Brampton, Ontario Approaching This AgeSunday is that day of the week for spending hours with community.  It started off for me at the ISKCON Brampton Centre with everyone singing in unison, and also as far as possible, physically moving together…

Toronto, Ontario Think Less.  Do More.I was happy to be part of the wedding reception for Damodhara, Gujarati born practitioner of bhakti yoga.  He resides in Sudbury, the place where I lived when I met Krishna monks who changed my life.&nb…

Stouffville, Ontario About OthersWhen I was in Mayapura, India, I saw a piece of myself on someone’s table.  I’ll clarify.  An artist had a booth where he was displaying his wares—copies of painted portraits of bhakti-yogis  Well, I wa…

Toronto, Ontario The SunThe sun was beckoning to me in the second half of the afternoon.  It shone strong like a laser from the westerly direction.  It was directly blinding me, as I ambled along Bloor Street, and it created silhouettes of …

Toronto, Ontario Back in the SwingBack in the swing of things.  I’m walking on the streets to be nice to this body, a vehicle of honour.  With our bodies, we express ourselves best, or worst.  At best, we serve humanity, nature and the…

Toronto, Canada Clean Those BabiesAir Canada Flight 43 came in for a smooth landing.  We couldn’t even feel it when the wheels touched the runway.  After being picked up, we saw snow around all along the 401 Highway, but our driver, Jaya, s…

Noida, India Putting A Closure to Our TripSchools from the area went on a field trip (that’s what we called it in my day) to the ISKCON Temple/Ashram.  The specific reason for the visit was to come and see our play in the auditorium.  Over …

Noida, India I Went For A WalkI went for a walk.  Tried to.  In my first five minutes of a stroll, one of the congregants, a male, came up to me and wanted to talk.  It started out as a slow-moving walk so I could catch all he was sayi…

Noida, India Noisy NoidaNoida is noisy.  People let off firecrackers everyday.  I guess it makes some of them happy.  From fairly close by, some of us guests heard a bomb go off.  Well, it certainly sounded like that.  The re…

Noida, India Sweet Papaya, Sweet PeopleIt’s papaya season and it shows.  For breakfast, we were provided with chunks of the fruit, in addition to grapes, chicu (sapota) and apples.  About one kilometre away from the ashram, where we’re stay…

Noida, India The Temple RoomThe temple room at the ISKCON Centre is a sizeable space for worship and meditation.  As is custom, men who live as monks, in the ashram section, rise early for the first devotional service at 4:30 a.m.  We sing …

Noida, India Good SignI thought it to be a good sign when our plane landed in Delhi.  Vistara Airlines, on my flight, was playing pop music over the loud speakers, with Louis Armstrong singing, “What A Wonderful World” which was segued by George…

Noida, India Hope to See You AgainMy visit to Mayapura reached its end, when on the way out, I stopped by the local hospital to see an aging devotee.  It was 3:00 a.m., and I was good and ready for the taxi which turned up late.  He dropped…

Mayapura, India Last DayToday was wrap-up day, for sure, with two interviews (on farming and temple fund-raising), an important conference call, home visits, leading kirtan at the annual kirtan mela, and also delivery of an hour-long class based on t…

Mayapura, India Heal the Legs, Heal the HeartAn accupressurist, who comes around to see me in Mayapura, is actually quite good.  He is a kind-hearted person; Bilvamangal, by name.  He came to my invitation last night, and I awoke this morni…

Mayapura, India Crowds and ServiceYou do see the occasional gray langur, a black-faced, powerful monkey, not as naughty as the rhesus macaque of the Vrindavan area.  The langurs are rather chilled out, but are still out there searching for food,…

Mayapura, India Flowers of Wilt RestoredInteresting day which started off with flowers in a park and bowing before an icon or deity of the sage, Vyasa, author of Vedic wisdom.  That was fragrant and sweet in its own way.I did get quite worked up…

Mayapura, India When the Sun MovesWhen the sun moves to touch the horizon, a recording of the beautiful shehnai begins.  It’s not the sound of a bird, but a magical-sounding horn accompanied by drone and tabla.  When our guru attended this …

Mayapura, India Selfless LoveThere is this nice devotee, Sujan, who loves the soil, water, plants and flowers.  He spends hours outdoors, weeding, watering, curing and caring for the greens and the flowers.  He loves his work.Mayapura is a …