Author Archives: KKSBlog

Written by Sesa Das  After the Czech Summer Camp, Kadamba Kanana Swami returned to Radhadesh. He took just one day of well-deserved rest (even though he should have taken more), before giving another penetrating, jaw dropping insightful morning Srimad Bhagavatam class on Friday, 07 July, on the 8th canto, chapter 3, entitled Gajendra’s prayers of surrender, […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 10 August 2014, Czech, Balarama’s Appearance Day, Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.8) Brahmananda Prabhu told us how the deities in Vrindavan were installed. He said that if you look at the deities in Vrindavan, you will see that Balarama has a hand on Krsna’s shoulder. Prabhupada had asked, “Who is stronger, Krsna or Balarama?” […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 18 August 2016, Zadar, Croatia, Balarama’s Appearance Day Lecture) In the spiritual world, people have bodies made of spirit. There is no war and no problems. Everyone is interested only in the Supreme Lord, and there is a constant festival. Sometimes the Lord comes to this world. Krsna came 5000 years ago and […]

Written by Sesa Das As the evening of Friday, the 30th June approached, HH Kadamba Kanana Swami landed in the Czech Republic & he wasn’t alone! Nandagopa das from Mafikeng, South Africa had just received the great news of successfully passing his Bachelor’s degree at Bhaktivedanta College, and Maharaj decided to treat him by taking […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, September 2013, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.20.12) Many artists are only recognised for their greatness once they are dead but Beethoven was famous during his life but then, he went deaf. Can you imagine that!? It was practically the worse thing that could have affected him. For a musician, the ear is essential. […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2010, Stockholm, Sweden, Lecture) The desire to be free is in every living entity but there are always some obstacles to our freedom. For children, it is the parents who are constantly blocking them and at one point when they grow to maturity, they move away from their parents, and think, “Freedom […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, May 2017, UK Retreat, Wales, Srimad Bhagavatam 11.7.59) Srila Prabhupada said that the highest placed vaisnava in West Bengal was Tarun Kanti Ghosh. He was elected as a member of parliament and was very popular. Tarun Kanti Ghosh owned several newspapers and was a very influential personality. He became elected in parliament […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 24 August 2012, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Srimad Bhagavatam 4.29.56) Intellectual philosophers are trying to figure out the absolute truth but by the dint of intelligence, one cannot even touch the tip of the toe of the Lord since transcendental knowledge comes only through the process of devotional service when Krsna is pleased! So, […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, August 2010, New Radha Kunda, Sweden, Lecture) Devotional service is so powerful that it will always have an effect. Therefore, gradually devotional service will take over our lives – there is no doubt about it. We need not worry if this process will work for some but may not work for others […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 27 June 2012, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.1.3) We must come to the stage of being fearless of death. We will become truly fearless of death only when we feel very sure in our relationship with Krsna. An element that causes anxiety in death is that we do not know our […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 13 May 2012, Sydney, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 5.11.14) Sometimes in the course of life, in the course of duty, while interacting with the world, we have to adjust our dress and we cannot speak about Krsna. That is okay but we must understand that when we are forced to do it then […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 18 September 2012, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam Lecture) Gajendra (the elephant in Srimad Bhagavatam, Chapter 8) realised that this material world in itself has no value. There may be so much enjoyment in the world but what is its value when all the enjoyment is temporary and can never fulfil […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 31 July 2005) The scripture says that if you chant the Holy Name of the Lord even once, you will be purified for more sinful activities than you can commit in an entire lifetime; imagine that! So can we all say the whole mantra just once: Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 29 April 2010, Radhadesh, Belgium, Lecture) Another quality that I would like to see in individuals is kindness. Kindness is so important! We want to be on the receiving end of kindness but to be kind is so difficult however this is something that I see as being part of a strong […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, June 2011, Helsinki, Finland, Lecture) We should appreciate why Krsna consciousness is the best. We have to be thoroughly convinced that our life is much better than the lives of non-devotees. We follow four regulative principles; the regulative principles of freedom. When the rest of the world is caught up in sinful […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 04 June 2012, Leicester, England, Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya-Lila 7.21) I remember the very first social development conference in ISKCON, which was very interesting because all the ashrams got to speak about their lives. I remember there was a gṛhasta who said, “I’m tired of being considered a second class citizen. Everyone is […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 29 April 2010, Radhadesh, Belgium, Lecture) If I think of what I would desire to achieve, it is to become a strong individual – strong in integrity, strong in character, to be someone who lives by his word, to be someone who embraces principles regardless of whether it brings me gain or […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, October 2011, Melbourne, Australia, Lecture) Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva can give so many benedictions but they cannot give what Lord Vishnu can give, which is liberation from birth and death! But Lord Vishnu cannot give what Lord Krsna can give and that is Krsna-prema. Therefore, we understand that demigods are to be […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, August 2010, Leipzig, Germany, Initiation Lecture) Initiation is very important and of great help in our spiritual life. Within Iskcon, Srila Prabhupada formalised this process of initiation where formal vows are taken. Previously it was not like that. Previously there weren’t these questions, “What are the four regulative principles and how many […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2011, Govinda Valley, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.27) As the years go by in the Hare Krsna Movement, sometimes we are surprised at how some devotees become entangled again in material things. We could never have imagined that it would happen to them. If you are involved in management, it’s like being the […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 28 May 2017, Holy Name Festival, Slovenia, Srimad Bhagavatam 6.2.7) I like one of the plays done by the Germans. In the play, there is a wife who is ironing endless dhotis, piles of them. She has got a cloth around her hair. She looks totally un-charming (laughter). I mean, that is […]

Please find below recordings from “A short UK haul“. Download all (zip file, 1.3 GB)   Retreat  KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_13May2017_Kirtan_Part1 https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_13May2017_Kirtan_Part1.mp3 KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_13May2017_Kirtan_Part2 https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_13May2017_Kirtan_Part2.mp3 KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_14May2017_Kirtan https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_14May2017_Kirtan.mp3 KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_15May2017_Kirtan https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_15May2017_Kirtan.mp3 KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_Part1_Hearing_Chanting_Remembering_CC_Madhya_16.186 https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_Part1_Hearing_Chanting_Remembering_CC_Madhya_16.186.mp3 KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_Part2_Hearing_Chanting_Remembering https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_Part2_Hearing_Chanting_Remembering.mp3 KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_Part3_DeityWorship_Prayer_OfferingRespects_SB_11.7.59 https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_Part3_DeityWorship_Prayer_OfferingRespects_SB_11.7.59.mp3 KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_Part4_DeityWorship_Prayer_OfferingRespects https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_Part4_DeityWorship_Prayer_OfferingRespects.mp3 KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_Part5_ExecutingOrders_Friendship_CompleteSurrender_BG_5.29 https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_Part5_ExecutingOrders_Friendship_CompleteSurrender_BG_5.29.mp3 KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_Part6_ExecutingOrders_Friendship_CompleteSurrender https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_Wales_Retreat_Part6_ExecutingOrders_Friendship_CompleteSurrender.mp3 Other KKS_UK_11May2017_BhaktivedantaManor_SB_10.11.33-35 https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_11May2017_BhaktivedantaManor_SB_10.11.33-35.mp3 KKS_UK_11May2017_DisciplesMeeting_Kirtan https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_11May2017_DisciplesMeeting_Kirtan.mp3 KKS_UK_11May2017_DisciplesMeeting_Lecture https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_11May2017_DisciplesMeeting_Lecture.mp3 KKS_UK_May2017_HouseProgram_Kirtan https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_May2017_HouseProgram_Kirtan.mp3 KKS_UK_May2017_HouseProgram_Lecture https://archive.org/download/KKSUKMay2017/KKS_UK_May2017_HouseProgram_Lecture.mp3

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 09 February 2012, Leicester, England, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.19) We cannot trace how long we have been in the material world. Life after life, we are changing bodies – the gross body – but the subtle body; which is made up of the mind, intelligence and false ego; is travelling with us. Therefore, […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 04 March 2017, United Kingdom, Pandava Sena Event – The Real Adventure) Continued from No compromise on one’s commitment to pure devotional service Question: The basis of relationships is compromise. In grhasta asrama, if there is no compromise, there is virtually no existence of a relationship. So ideals of higher principles are not to […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 June 2013, Vrindavan, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 6.16.34) Ultimately, the mercy of Mahaprabhu is what we are hoping for but only after we have given our everything – NOT BEFORE and NOT while lying on our back saying, “Oh, I really hope for the mercy of Mahaprabhu.” Not like that but instead, after we have […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2015, Johannesburg, South Africa, Youth Group Lecture) Srila Prabhupada described how one corner of the spiritual world becomes covered, just as how a corner of the sky becomes covered by a cloud. So this corner of the spiritual sky that is covered, is the material world! And in the material world, people think […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 04 March 2017, United Kingdom, Pandava Sena Event – The Real Adventure) Question: You mentioned that you did not agree with your father who said that life is a compromise. Sometimes it is not always clear what is a compromise and what is not. What is a compromise and what is not […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2015, Johannesburg, South Africa, Youth Group Lecture) Srila Prabhupada said 5+5 = 10, 2+2 = 4 but everything + Krsna is Vrindavan. So this formula is very brilliant and very simple and if we can just apply this formula, by adding Krsna, if we simply add Krsna, everything will change. That’s all […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 16 July 2012, Modra, Slovakia, Lecture) In so many ways, maya (the illusory energy) is infiltrating our lives. Maya is everywhere. They say maya is a witch. For the male, maya takes a female form and for the female, maya takes a male form. In this way, maya has only one purpose which is to bind the living […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 16 February 2010, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 7.4.12) Austerity is the wealth of the brahmanas. Great sages like Bhrgu had attained higher planetary systems above the heavenly planets. They were very powerful by dint of their austerity and everyone within the universe was under the control of these great sages. […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 13 May 2012, Sydney, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 5.11.14) I remember when the Australian devotees used to come to Vrindavan. I used to be in charge of allocating rooms in the ashram. For the Australian brahmacaris, I used to give them a whole room for themselves which was pretty good and they had […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 June 2012, Cape Town, South Africa, Bhagavad-gita Lecture) The 5th Chapter of Bhagavad-gita gives us a metaphor of the lotus flower that sits on water but yet is not affected by the water. The water just runs off and the lotus is blossoming in that condition. In this analogy of the […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 March 2013, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.12.6) When the disciples of Prabhupada saw him lying on his bed, in his final days, they said, ‘How can such a terrible condition happen now? How can this happen?’ Prabhupada said, ‘Don’t think it will not happen to you because it will.’ So, this […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 25 April 2017, Radhadesh, Belgium, Srimad Bhagavatam 7.15.68) The teachings of Srila Prabhupada, his books and his lectures, are like our anchor. We also get more information from the previous acaryas. In this way, we get a general idea of what to do in our lives. In the Eleventh Canto of the […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 25 April 2017, Radhadesh, Belgium, Srimad Bhagavatam 7.15.68) Worshiping the deity is a way to regulate our lives but this is not the real thing about worshiping the deity. In worshiping the deity, when you step onto the altar, you step into the spiritual world. Whoever is on the altar is actually […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 March 2013, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.12.6) Pure devotees of the Lord are only interested in satisfying the senses of the Supreme Lord, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.2). They are not concerned with the material world because they appreciate that in the material world, everything is only temporary and […]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 14 March 2013, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Bhagavad-gita 7.24) In everything in our life, if we see the connection with the Supreme and we see, “I didn’t make this world. I appeared in this world. It was already there. It is not mine therefore, it actually was made by someone else – the Supreme Lord and […]