Author Archives: H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami

Toronto, OntarioA Re-Opening ComingIn two days, Govinda’s Dining Room, the eatery within our temple/ashram, will be open again.  “Closed for renovations” reads the sign at the entrance.  Actually, it’s been rather quiet as of late b…

Toronto, OntarioHorses, a Hero and a PrincessSo Krishna receives this love letter from Rukmini, the princess of Vidarbha, and she is head over heels to have Him come to spare her from the arranged marriage to Sisupal, a man not to her liking—at all.&nb…

Toronto, OntarioFun Through StormsI actually had a blast in the ‘blast’. Yes, indeed, the wind picked up today and tossed twenty-plus centimetres of snow into the air.  I see it as a dance–a romance perhaps–snow and wind in a waltz.I fel…

Toronto, OntarioI Walked by the Old HomeThe Canadian Health Food Guide was recently re-released and it’s been a cause of controversy over the fact that it weighs heavily on plant-based food and goes lean on the meat.  Yes, the meat and dairy …

Oakville, OntarioThe Car and the BodyYou would think that I would be fond of automobiles, since I have my best naps when I’m a passenger and they’re in motion. It doesn’t seem to fail; the vibration lulls me to sleep.  For that I am grat…

Brampton, Ontario From Alice to HanumanLong before I became a monk, I ventured off to a rock concert like many of us teens in those days.  A group of friends and I crossed the border to Detroit, to the venue Cobo Hall, to see music sensa…

Toronto, Ontario26 QualitiesI walked in the evening, and came upon a park bench by a wintery young maple tree, dedicated to Bhaktivedanta Swami, who stood in that spot in June of 1976.  And I reflected on the twenty-six qualities of Godly men…

Toronto, OntarioIn the TempleEvery day before any walking excursions on the streets of the city, we have something called Guru Puja,  a time for honouring the guru.  In our temple section of the ashram, there is a statue of Prabhupa…

Toronto, OntarioIn Dryness and SlushOver the weekend, an Ayurvedic doctor read my pulse and offered a few suggestions.  “Avoid sour if you can.  Too much acid is not good for you.”  He also implied, because I do a certain …

Houston, TexasPeople On The Way to The FarmElla becomes Wheatley Street at some point. It was on Ella that I met a middle-aged woman in a red pickup truck.  I walked by her home as she was about to back out onto the road, to run an erran…

Houston, TexasBest MedicineAll of the attendees at this weekend’s medical conference were handed a credit-tracking record form to be tallied.  According to my addition, I can claim 11 points out of 14.75. Where my numbers went, I don’t know. …

Houston, TexasTo MidnightI was previously requested to give a class from the Bhagavatam and had no idea from which verse I would be speaking.  It ended up being one of those 10thCanto verses presenting a list of the names of &n…

Round Rock/Houston, TexasWith Tibetan MonksWalking today consisted of a few steps along a spillway and the Bushy Creek Trail, and up to the home of Rama Vijay, one of the organizers of the famous Sadhu Sangha which takes place in North C…

Round Rock, TexasTo The Heart of TexasI was air-bound to reach Austin, Texas, and while waiting at the airport gate in Toronto, I could hear behind me two young women conversing casually, stumbling on the word “like” very frequently.  To me t…

Toronto, OntarioI Ventured Alone in MemoryI ventured out alone after leading a song in the temple.  I more or less burst out the door after an intense but good day.  Out I went into -9 Celsius weather, in my thick polar orange suit,…

Toronto, OntarioNippy Fingers Nippy Legs“My fingers are getting numb. I can hardly feel them,” said Narahari, who obviously was affected by the January evening chill. He fussed around with his Japa meditation beads, before sliding them into his co…

Toronto, OntarioThe Before and NowIt was in that same queue at the Vancouver Airport that the fellow next to me asked another curious question, after I told him I was a Southern Ontario kid raised on a farm, and that I became a monk in 1973.“So what’s …

New Westminster, British ColumbiaEagles and PlanesAn eagle soared high above us.  Nitai Ram and I were taking a stroll by Meadow Avenue when I saw the large-winged fellow looming up in the sky, before he perched upon the leafless branch of a …

Burnaby, British ColumbiaStep In SyncThe assignment of being an administrator of sorts, as I am, can be a mountain to climb like the mountains I see in the distance. My walking, my presentations—be it chanting, giving a Bhagavatam class …

Venables Valley/Kitsilano, British ColumbiaDance, Dance, DanceMuch pleasure came from sharing a morning class with the students at Saranagati’s school.  Our topic was about creation from the Vedic perspective.  I continued with a wo…

Spence’s Bridge, British ColumbiaThe Valley and the BridgeJaya Govinda let me off at the juncture of the Trans Canada Highway and Venables Valley Road.  I put it to him like this: “If I don’t walk now, I won’t get a chance later.”  …

Surrey, British ColumbiaAutistic KidOn a day when I found no room/time to walk, I came up with a song on what happened when on a visit to a home of a loving autistic kid.  You can put a tune to it.Autistic Kid    ©Bhaktima…

Coquitlam, British ColumbiaSpiritual TrailBalaram turned twenty, today.  He’s reserved, stays away from drugs, plays the bag-pipes and likes Krishna.  Along with his Mom, Manohini, we ventured off to Nitai Priya’s for a great meal o…

Burnaby, British ColumbiaWalking Around In HistoryMathura Lila, who is from the Philippines but has rooted herself in Burnaby for a long time, remarked, “You brought the sunshine,” but I countered it with, “I believe it’s the reverse.”. In truth the Gr…

Toronto / MiltonWedding CardI had received their wedding card, an invitation, quite some time back.  “Sweta Weds Ashvin,” is what it read on the cover.  Ashvin, the bridegroom, whom I’ll refer to as Anuttama, his initiated name, set…

Brampton, OntarioStandardsNew music students, forty or so, came to our seminar on kirtan standards at ISKCON Brampton.  It was a full six hours of learning, with an enthusiastic group hearing about traditions in the matter of the mood and tec…

Toronto, OntarioStretch A BitI told Billy, “I’ll be north on Yonge. Just pick me up whenever you’re ready. I’ll be walking on the east side of the street.””But is there a particular place where I can meet you?””No, I’ll just continue going no…

Toronto, OntarioTo Another Friend GoneI just got the news at 10:52 p.m.  A phone call from Gainesville.  A female voice, Eastern European, was on the phone—Nistaranga by name. “ Your friend, Kalyapani died over an hour ago. &nb…

Etobicoke, OntarioJourney ThroughI was thrilled to receive a parcel in the mail, this morning, from Professor David L. Haberman, whom I met at the Parliament of World Religions this last November, right here in Toronto.  I opened the parcel a…

Toronto, OntarioShoesHappy New Year!A spiritually surcharged program took place at 243 Avenue Road.  To add to our drama repertoire we now have a fresh new skit which was presented, “First Timers,” but what I would like to perhaps rename as, …

Toronto, OntarioNew Year BluesIn he walked, during my moment of chanting the mantracalled gayatri.  It was someone who was familiar with the system.  He reverentially offered his obeisance after entering the temple room wh…

Scarborough, OntarioOm PurnamOmprakash is eighty-six and is a prominent member of the community in ISKCON Scarborough, located at 3500 McNicoll Avenue #3. Whenever I visit this centre, this gentleman stands out by having something pertinent to say…

Toronto, OntarioTalking and Walking It UpThe chill dampness can only get to your legs, with just a dhoti to cover them, if you don’t keep moving.  Ananda had his black long-johns on, while I braved the zero degree celsius with thin fabric.&nb…

Toronto, OntarioA Class of TruthAt our very holy spot in the ashram, the dozen monks, plus to be and wannabe monks, sit in the cozy corner of the temple room for a Bhagavatamreading and discussion. I was asked to conduct the class today based…

Toronto, OntarioRavine StrollRaymond and I went for a ravine stroll.  We appreciated the air movements.  It made the trees sing.  Those higher winds caused trunks and branches to twitch, dance and produce screaming sounds….

Winnipeg, ManitobaNight SteppingIt was “Silent Night” all day.  It is the  quietest day of the whole year.  Shops are closed.  People are in their homes.  Traffic is limited to a short drive to see fami…

Thunder Bay, OntarioThe Sex ChangeAt the quaint Vedic Cultural Centre, a cozy group of us reflected on the story of Vishnu taking on a gender-change as Mohini Murti.  Canto Eight of the Bhagavatam relays the story of what is now a p…

Thunder Bay, OntarioGet Over It!He finally gets it.  Ananda, who’s from Maharastra, India, and accustomed to a hot climate, came to terms with a reality.  Bravely he accepted my offer.  It’s a short trek to the Vedic Centr…

Thunder Bay, OntarioMeet PeteIt was such a pleasure to meet Peter, along with the few others who came to hear our discussion from the book Bhagavatam. Angie came with her daughter, Sarena. Satyam, a student at Lakehead University, sat listeni…

Thunder Bay, OntarioDirections to the TablaI made sure to be bundled up for the weather of the north, which meant any saffron robes, consisting of dhoti, kurta and uttaria, would be sent ahead to the destination point on Victoria Av…