Saturday, July 9th, 2016
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Saturday, July 9th, 2016
Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Taking another one of those breaks became another reality today, as my trusted team, including Gopal and Uttama, drove north to Minneapolis for a speaking engagement on “Tales from Trails.”  Seventy to eighty people showed up.  These talks also assist us financially towards the walking cause.  Donations came our way.

Before it becomes forgotten, I will happily report another newspaper reporting, this time from the Chicago Tribune News, author Urvashi Verma.

Chicago, Il: Bhaktimarga Swami, a 63 year old Canadian born monk has embarked on a transnational walk of 3,000 miles across the United States from New York City to San Francisco to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the coming of the Hare Krishna Tradition to the West and to promote a more green style of living in America.

Swami who has arrived in Chicago, IL on June 11 has traversed open plains, highways, and landmarks. For the general public, Bhaktimarga Swami is best known as "the walking monk".  To share his message of peace and gratitude he has already crossed Canada four times covering over 17,000 miles on foot.

The Swami is walking to draw attention to the contributions of his own spiritual teacher, or guru, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.  Prabhupada arrived in the USA 50 years ago, on September 17, 1965.  He came practically penniless from India at the age of 70 on the order of his teacher to promote God consciousness, or devotional bhakti-yoga, to the English-speaking world.

"In the broader sense I'm walking to honor all our teachers," Swami says.  "Our teachers open the doors to the world for us, and to other worlds as well.  I hope to remind us all how grateful we should be to those who give us knowledge, especially knowledge about our inner potential,” he says.

Each day Swami, donned in monastic orange garb and his favorite crocs he walks 20 miles each day along path chartered by his companion assistant Gopala and returns to the same spot where he left the next day to complete another 20 miles.

"Generally it takes about 10 to 12 hours to complete the days walk, because often we have to start from the same spot where we left last day, and many times we get up by 3:30 AM to be able to back to the location where we left off.  On the way we find accommodation is spiritual places and often have meetings with others on the path of spirituality.  The time it takes to complete the 20 miles is not important what is important is make sure that you take every step," shared Swami in an interview with Desi Talk Chicago.

(Bhaktimarga) Swami, whose name coincidentally means the "path of devotion," took up the monastic lifestyle at the young age of 20 and since then has dedicated his life to teaching of spiritual knowledge and devotional arts and theater.

“I knew was meant for sanyaas, (monastic life) even at a very young age, and I always knew deep inside that I had already fulfilled my worldly commitments in my past life and that for me this life was supposed to spiritual," said Swami.

Swami who has traversed more than 1,000 miles in the US so far made his first walk across Canada in 1996.  Since then he has walked across the world's second largest country four times going both east to west, and west to east and has also trekked across Ireland, the Fiji Islands, Mauritius, Trinidad, Guyana, Israel, and other countries.

"More relevant that the distances covered are the people I encountered," Swami says.  He reflects on his experiences and adventures in his daily blog, which he calls "Tales from Trails."  Sometimes we meet the kindest people who provide us food and shelter, we have enlightening conversations about Krishna consciousness, and most are very intrigued for the reasons of the walk."

Traveling on foot is a common practice in various spiritual traditions, and the walking monk believes that it's an effective way to reach out and communicate the importance of morality and ethical priorities.

Swami says that when you walk, "You learn to take it all in.  The heat, the wind, the rain, the traffic, the cold, the black flies, the mosquitoes, the public attention or none.  With all of that you learn detachment from externals and how to go within to be happy."

Thank you, Urvashi, for the article.

May the Source be with you!

0 miles

Krsna conscious theory
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, October 2014, Mayapur, India, Siksastakam Seminar: Verses 1&2, Part 1)

dbn_sept_2014 (25)I have a story of my spiritual master, Jayadvaita Swami. He comes up with good titles of seminars and he came up with the title: The hopes and horrors of household life. Even before the seminar, there was a storm of discussion and people were saying all kinds of things, “The hopes and horrors of household life – what does he know about it? He has never been married. Why doesn’t he speak of the hopes and horrors of sannyasa!” There were all kinds of comments going around. So it was a good title as it got people going even before the seminar started.

I was supposed to go to the first session but I got stuck in traffic somewhere, so I was late and I missed it. I just arrived as people came out of the room. There was someone else who had also missed it and he asked another devotee, “So, how was it?”

The devotee said, “Oh, it was all theoretical, just quotes from the scriptures!” I thought that was such an amazing statement, really, because when the quotes from the scriptures are just theoretical it means that you are not following the scripture! I mean, when you live by the scripture, it is not theoretical anymore, then it becomes realised and it becomes very relevant… as simple as that!

Polish tour Brhat mrdanga is heard in Los Angeles! While…
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Polish tour Brhat mrdanga is heard in Los Angeles!
While distributing books at the Los Angeles airport I approached a man who said he was from Poland. When I showed him the Bhagavad Gita he said, “I know that book, when I was in Poland last year at a concert called,"Woodstock” I saw it at the Hare Krsna site. I wanted it because it seemed very interesting, but I didn’t have any money. But now I do, so can I give you a donation for it?“
I said, "Alright, if you insist” :-)
your servant, Vijaya das
P.S. All we have to do is get some books, go out with some sincerity and we’ll find people that want Prabhupada’s books.

ISKCON Auckland NZ: 50th years on!
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Hare KrishnaBy Kalasamvara Das

Dignitaries and well-wishers spent the afternoon at the local hare Krsna temple as part of the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON movement receiving the mercy of the Deities, placing Garlands and performing the abhiseka of Srila Prabhupada. They all spoke with great Enthusiasm about being in the Association of devotees and expressed how we have something very special, something they don't find at other programs they attend. They appreciated the spiritual contribution ISKCON has made through the distribution of spiritual knowledge in the form of Bhagavad Gita and the millions of people feed world wide. Dignitaries attendance: Mr Sanjiv Kohli- Indian high commissioner, Dame Susan Devoy NZ Race relations commissioner, Hon Phil Goff, and Mr Bakshi members of Parliament, Hon Mayor, Cheryi Mai, Vinoda Kumar- President of the Hindu Council and Trustee of Chinmaya Mission, Dr.Kanthibhai Patel, And members from the New Zealand Police Force, and their wives. Continue reading "ISKCON Auckland NZ: 50th years on!
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Conscious Leadership seminar at BSE Event
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Hare KrishnaBy Radhanath Swami

I was born and raised in the United States, and I saw all around me so much wealth, so much luxury, such nice telephone system and road systems, and televisions and everything else, and I saw so much power, but to myself and so many people of my generation it was so hollow, it was so shallow, because you see greed could never satisfy the heart. Bhagavad-Gita tells that greed is like fire, the more you feed it, the hungrier and more it needs. When people are trampling on each other, exploiting each other due to greed, ‘Do I want to be a part of this?’ And then I heard of verse, that in many ways is the essence of the Bible, it was spoken by a great personality of Jewish descent who founded Christianity, Jesus Christ, and to me this statement is what a Christian is, what is Jew is, with what a religious person is. And I just saw that it was so rare all around me. The verse is – what profit of a man who gains the whole world but loses his eternal soul? That’s what I saw happening, and it’s happening today more than ever, even in the name of God. I was seeking my soul. I was seeking a meaning and purpose in life that would make whatever I did of actual value. Children in so many parts of the world, if we don’t give them a meaning, a spiritual purpose to live for, then they are so vulnerable to greed, to arrogance, to exploitation. Continue reading "Conscious Leadership seminar at BSE Event
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The Strange Story of Usika Das. Swarup das
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The Strange Story of Usika Das.
Swarup das (ACBSP): This story is from my memoirs (that I’ve been trying to consolidate into a book for the past few years).
I met Usika at the Henry Street, Brooklyn temple in ‘71. At the time his name was Ezekiel. He was initiated and given the name Usika in July of that year when Srila Prabhupada came to Brooklyn. Unlike just about all of us who were in our 20’s .. Usika was either just south or north of 50. He was crotchety, moody, cynical and impatient when it came to his dealings with “you young people” as he called us. He had strong convictions in the philosophy and had a deep and sincere reverence for Srila Prabhupada.


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A gallery of photos from Iskcon Ratha-yatras all over the world
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Hare KrishnaBy Ananda Murti Devi Dasi

It may be known by now how many Ratha-yatra festivals are being conducted every year in different countries and cities spanning across continents, of the world. It is really impressive though to get, even a little glimpse of them, through this gallery, of what it really means! One can only imagine how many hours, days and weeks of preparations and expense all these festivals needed for their realization, with the sole motive of pleasing Srila Prabhupada and spreading the glories of Lord Jagannath and the Sankirtana movement! Really a miracle considering it is Kali yuga! Continue reading "A gallery of photos from Iskcon Ratha-yatras all over the world
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​Gita 10.22 – God’s opulence pervades and sustains all life everywhere
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Gita verse-by-verse podcast


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Thursday, July 7th, 2016
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Thursday, July 7th, 2016
Muscatine, Iowa

Wrinkly Shirt

I started off the day with a wrinkly shirt, or what we call a kurta, but one hour after the walk began perspiration took all creases out.  Problem solved.

I took shelter of our support van today, when another substantial downpour came.  After the rainfall, moisture just hung in the air like a possum hangs from a tree branch.  It’s ‘sticky’ conditions.  Except for construction workers doing extensions to the “Hon” office-chair company, most people prefer to be indoors.  I recommend walking and noticing a vibrancy about the place.  These days it’s rare to find manufacturing going on in North America.

Muscatine was also known world-wide for its production of pearl buttons.  Plastic put that out of business.  I was learning as much about the town from Emily Winger, the reporter from The Muscatine Journal, as she was learning about my walking project.  Actually she was equally keen on knowing about life in the moderate lane, as a monk.

The interview went well, and longer than usual.

I am a little saddened to see the Mississippi leave me.  It makes an acute turn towards the south, and I’m going west.  Some magical moments did happen here, like in almost any place.  I met Alijandro, who hails from Mexico, who greeted me with the mantra “Namah om Vishnu padaya…” This is a mantra which honours our guru Srila Prabhupada.

Alijandro said, from his works pick-up truck, that he was once ready to shave off his hair and be a full-fledged monk when his family stopped him.  That was years ago.

Later on, an officer of Hispanic origin offered to give me a ride to the next town.

“I’m walking to San Francisco.  I can’t cheat,” I said.

“Oh!  I gotcha!”

May the Source be with you!

16 miles


Tuesday, July 5th, 2016
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Tuesday, July 5th, 2016
Davenport, Illinois

Mississippi Milestone

“Just think of those five toes on each foot as being like a team of horses.  They have been working hard and now that it’s rest time, squeeze each one lightly, like you would pat each horse, by the neck, to thank them for their wonderful service.”

Such is what I explained to Uttama as he gave me a massage last evening as I suggested he encourage giving attention to the fine mechanics of the feet.

Well, this paid off, and, with the help of the new kyboots footwear, I felt like I was flying this morning.  I was also childish with anticipation of reaching the Mississippi River today.  That was accomplished.

I was on a conference call, a break to my walking, and one that consumed time.  Badrinarayan Swami, a monk from the west coast who was on the call, remarked, “I think you’re now clearly in the west (having stepped over that line).”

It was at a park by Union Station and near a casino (an actual riverboat), that I made a call, met Kevin Schmidt from the local “Times” for photos, and where I made friends with a black dude.  I offered to show him a hand shake that puzzled him.

Excitedly he said, “Hey, man, that’s new!  Yah learn somethin’ every day. If yah don’t learn somethin’ new every day yah ain’t nothin’ but dead, man!”

May the Source be with you!

15 miles

Wednesday, July 6th, 2016
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Wednesday, July 6th, 2016
Fairport, Iowa

Cool Mississippi Folk

“There aren’t too many monks around here,” remarked the officer.  I was really enjoying the route along the east/west flow of the Mississippi, on Concord St., and then on Hwy 22, headed for the town of Muscatine, where I met the police officer.  To my left, the muddy waters would carry massive barges of cargo.  It is a river that has perhaps as much folklore and social value in America as the Ganges has been to India.  The only feature about the Ganges that distinguishes it from other rivers, is the spiritual power attached to its name.

In any event, people along the Mississippi have been real “cool,” including the police.  There have been so many ride offers.  I have to decline, of course.  People give me water.  This compensates for the loss of it, by way of my sweat.

It’s humid, but over-cast.

Young fellows ask about life as a monk.  A woman asks for a picture of me, which she wants to send on the internet.  There are also questions, “Where did you start?  Why the walking?”  No challenges!  Just interested people asking questions.  Perhaps the most intriguing interaction was with someone named Johnny.

I met Johnny at the side of the river.  He had parked there overnight, tucked amidst the trees and onto the sand.  He has his life’s belongings in his car.  It was a rough night with strong wind gusts, thunder, lightning, and heavy rain; enough to make a sheep rather restless.

I take it that he’s about 40.  He’s from one of the Carolinas and is trying to get to Colorado to start up an existence again.  He’s super friendly, but kind of lost.  I shared with him the maha (great) mantra.  It was his first time meeting a monk.

May the Source be with you!

16 miles

Rathayatras in Bali
→ Ramai Swami

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The celebration of Rathayatra in ISKCON is popular all over the world. In Indonesia there are more than 20 Jagannatha Rathayatras in areas of Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi and Kalimantan.

I was able to attend 3 Rathayatra festivals when I was in Bali last. Two of them were in the area of our local temples and the third in Denpasar where we had three chariots and thousands of devotees attend.

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He’s a Trip Monk! From the News Tribune an article appeared,…
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He’s a Trip Monk!
From the News Tribune an article appeared, authored by Ben Hohenstatt in the city of La Salle, Illinois.
He’s a Trip Monk
If you saw a man with a shaved head in orange robes in the Illinois Valley Thursday that wasn’t an oddly dressed flagger.
A walking journey from New York to San Francisco took Bhaktimarga Swami “The Walking Monk”, a Hare Krishna monk originally from Canada, through Ottawa, Peru and La Salle Friday.
“I’ve been to Chicago, but I’ve never been here,” he said. “We’ve met a lot of nice people…There’s a lot of sweet people…People in the Midwest carry some good values”
In the past, he has crossed Canada four times and walked across Guyana, Ireland, Israel, the Fiji islands and Trinidad and featured in documentaries.
Swami said this walk was to promote physical and spiritual health as well as to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada incorporating the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
“The walk is to encourage people to have a workout and a work-in,” the 63-year-old monk said.
Around 11 a.m. Thursday, he stopped to eat mangoes and cherries in Pulaski Park in La Salle. Swami said his day’s walk began in Ottawa around 5 a.m.
Despite covering dozens of miles a day in weather that is “almost never perfect”, encountering bears and schlepping through the Appalachians and downtown Gary, Ind., Swami said sometimes it can be tough to pause his journey.
“It gets to the point sometimes where it’s hard to stop,” he said.
Swami said he would follow U.S. 6 toward Peru before continuing west toward Davenport, Iowa, and he will be excited to continue westward and cross the Mississippi River.
“I might swim it,” he said. “We’ll see if I can swim it.”
He said he thinks he will be able to make it to the middle of Nebraska before other commitments will cause him to put his walk on hold before being resumed next year.
“Next year, I’m hoping to finish walking to San Francisco
Swami said during his cross-country trek he expects to wear out about four pairs of shoes and several robes, which become faded from sunlight.
While marathon walking, he said he encounters people, wildlife and all manner of weather and tries to engage with his surroundings.
However, the rhythm and repetition of walking also makes it easy to get lost in thought.
“It’s an everyday experience,” he said. “You are very much present, but you’re also someplace else; it’s a great time to dream. Your feet are on the ground, and you’re head definitely isn’t in the clouds.”
Thanks Ben!
May the Source be with you!

#1 book distributor in North America hits a record! Jaya…
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#1 book distributor in North America hits a record!
Jaya Chaitanya Das distributes over 9,000 pieces of literature last month (June 2016) with a 72% increase! Here are the final scores and figures:
book points: 6399.00* +72%
maha-big:1258*
big:1976*
medium: 1440*
small: 4664*
magazines: 210
All glories to Srila Prabhupada’s mission to distribute these books to the masses and awaken Spiritual consciousness throughout the world! All glories to the Sankirtan army!

Their Lordships too wear designer clothing! VRINDAVAN: If you…
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Their Lordships too wear designer clothing!
VRINDAVAN: If you thought designer dresses and clothes are for mortals only, you are mistaken, as there are designers who toil throughout the year to make our revered deities look their very best.
In the holy city of Vrindavan, at the Chandrodaya Temple, a group of six people, led by 35-year-old Sangini Indulekha, a management graduate who did a course in fashion designing only to pursue her passion to “serve the lord”, design clothes for the murtis of Kirshna and Radha. These clothes and dresses are sent to temples under the Hare Krishna movement, which are part of Iskcon, across the world and sometimes a single dress can cost as much Rs one lakh.
Attires of the deities have also undergone a sea change over the years - from usage of simple colours and attractive beads to stylish cuts with applique work (needlework technique in which patterns are created by the attaching smaller pieces of fabric to a larger piece of contrasting colour or texture) with Zardosi Aari embroidery. The clothes are now designed to make Their “Lordships” stand out and look more appealing to the devotees at first sight.
Talking to us, Sangini said many decades ago, the styles were very simple and in “braj shaili” (style) where only simple silk with some pearls, thread work and flowery embroidery were used. She said later the Mughal concept took over where the use of velvet fabric, with thread work depicting domes and monuments became common.
In the 70s, the styles took a slight western turn, and the traditional braj shaili was experimented with the use of Kora and dapka embroidery. Sangini said the present day trend is to use of large varieties of bright coloured fabrics - pure silk, satin, tissue and shimmer- with applique work and stylish cuts.
Sangini said presently two styles of embroidery, Zardosi and Aari, are in vogue and various styles of stitches, including chall zamki, zigzag, fashavuda and pipalgray, are used to make the clothes attractive.
She said while the deities have a set of 50 dresses, which are changed every day, five special occasion dresses are designed every year for festivals. She said a normal dress for a three and a half feet deity idol takes about three weeks and special occasion ones, which have heavy work, can take over a month to design and stitch.
She said these dresses cost anything between Rs 45,000-75,000 and are sold to other temples, after including costs of material, design and labour.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/En3an8

NASN June 2016 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
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Hare KrishnaBy Mayapur Sasi dasa

For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of June 2016. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Individuals, Monthly Top 5, Cumulative Countries, Cumulative Temples, Cumulative Top 100 Individuals, Cumulative Top 5 Continue reading "NASN June 2016 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
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Preaching program in New Mayapur, Ukraine (Album with…
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Preaching program in New Mayapur, Ukraine (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “Just work in such a way that God may see you.” This is the Krishna consciousness movement. Everyone is busy to see God. Of course, it is not so easy to see God. But a devotee is not busy to see God, but he wants God to see him. Bombay, May 12, 197
Find them here: https://goo.gl/U05RkR

Is forgiveness practical?
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By Chaitanya Charan das

Forgiveness involves our cultivating virtue independent of the other person, whereas trust is our reciprocation conditional to that person’s cultivating virtue. By carefully understanding the difference between the two, we can transform unfortunate episodes in our relationships into spiritual growth opportunities at least for ourselves – and possibly even for the other person. We needn’t make our forgiveness conditional to the other person’s seeking it, but we should certainly make our trust conditional to that person’s earning it by sustained improved behavior. Conveying our forgiveness helps that person avoid the pitfall of self-justification, and holding back our trust avoids the pitfall of that person remaining oblivious to the past wrongdoing. Forgiving a person certainly doesn’t mean that we let the other person continue the hurting behavior; that would be masochism and there’s nothing laudable or spiritual about masochism. At the same time, it needs to be stressed that there’s nothing intrinsically laudable or spiritual about cultivating and actualizing revenge fantasies. So, we need to find that balanced course of action which allows both us and the other person to grow spiritually. Continue reading "Is forgiveness practical?
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The dream of a book distributor realized!
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The dream of a book distributor realized!
Recently while distributing in the Wicker Park district of Chicago I had some very nice interactions. The first encounter exhibited timing. I parked my jeep that had some for sale signs on it and seeing some police officers there I asked them some questions about a city ordinance that forbids sale signs on cars. After discussing with them I walked back to the vehicle and there was a man there looking at the for sale sign. Then after telling him about the car I proceeded to heap the Bhagavad-gitas into my arms and the bag of Perfection of Yoga around my shoulder.

Nine Down, Twelve More Festivals To Go…
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Hare KrishnaBy Madhuha Das

In a Talk at the Radha-Govinda Mandir in Calcutta on March 24, 1976 Srila Prabhupada said: And that is the inspiration of my devotional life. Then I asked my father that “Give me Radha-Govinda Deity; I shall worship.” So my father was also Vaisnava. He gave me small Radha-Govinda Deity. I was worshiping in my house. Whatever I was eating, I was offering, and I was following the ceremonies of this Radha-Govinda with my small Deity. That Deity is still existing. I have given to my sister. So then I introduced Ratha-yatra. Continue reading "Nine Down, Twelve More Festivals To Go…
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​Bhagavatam study 63 1.13.1-8 Periods of distress can forge the deepest bonds
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Answer Podcast


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Gita 10.21 – Celestial glory manifests transcendental glory
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Gita verse-by-verse podcast


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A selfless desire
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 13 January 2014, Mayapur, India, Lecture: Kirtan Academy 2)

Naturally, every devotee desires to see Krsna and the desire to see Krsna is not a fruitive one. You might say, “Well, the top most level of pure devotion was to be free from all selfish desire so isn’t it selfish when we are desiring to see Krsna. Isn’t it about our desire instead of the higher principle of satisfying Krsna’s desire?”

shri_radha_krishnaYes, but still every devotee in his heart-of-hearts desires to be with Krsna, desires to see Krsna because that is how we are designed, we are made like that. We are pleasure seeking – this we cannot stop. The constitutional position of the living being is described in the Vedanta Sutra (1.1.12) as ānandamayo ‘bhyāsāt, or being pleasure seeking.

So, this element of being pleasure seeking is something that cannot be taken away out of our nature therefore any process that denies us that is an artificial process and cannot be maintained. Therefore, we see that impersonalism and Buddhism are two processes that are based on negation, processes that are based on denial of desire, denial of pleasure. In these two processes, one has to basically write-off the whole material world whereas in Bhagavatam, we find that the beauty in this world can be taken as the smile of Krsna.

A smile can be taken as “welcome”. So the beauty in this world is the welcoming smile of Krsna. This is nice so then we don’t have to develop this mood where we write-off the material world altogether; that if we see anything beautiful in this world that can’t appreciate it. We can appreciate it and see that Krsna is behind it all. If we see some beautiful birds, not that we desire to become like that, but we can see that there is beauty in this world because it is reflecting the even greater beauty of the spiritual world. And that all the aesthetics of this world are inviting us to the higher world of beauty and aesthetics…

Bhakti in the Christian and Vaishnava Traditions: A 50 Anniversary Event at the UK
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 As a part of Incorporation Day celebrations, the Bhaktivedanta Manor hosted esteemed members of various religious organisations for a discussion about devotion (bhakti) in Vaishnavism and Christianity.  On July 14th, individuals from BAPS Swaminarayan, the Interfaith Network UK, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, and various churches from around the region, gathered at Srila Prabhupada theatre to hear guest speakers Rev Kumar Rajagopalan, from the London Baptist Association and Saunaka Rsi Das from the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies.

Mainstream Media Across Four Continents Cover Incorporation Day Stories in a Big Way
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Major newspapers and TV channels across four continents covered the 50th anniversary of ISKCON’s incorporation on 13th July with positive stories that reached out to millions of people around the world. The BBC UK, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Chicago Tribune, the Times of India and India’s government-owned DD National TV gave extensive coverage to the history of ISKCON, the achievements of Srila Prabhupada and local events happening in their area.