Gita 09.24 – Education about reality is not discrimination against certain features of reality
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Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast


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Chant for upliftment
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, November 2015, Vrindavan, India, Video Interview)

kks japa walk

We chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra because it is said that by chanting these sixteen syllables all the influence of the Kali will be destroyed. Under the influence of Kali, we are becoming totally degraded. Illicit activities such as meat eating, gambling, intoxication and illicit sex are rampant in the world. Day-by-day, we become pulled down more and more, and degraded more and more and we sink deeper into the swamp of suffering. But, the chanting of Hare Krsna can liberate us from all this suffering. Therefore we must chant that name of Krsna as recommended in Kali-santarana Upanisad: Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Hiring – Elementary School Teachers.Goswami Academy
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Hiring - Elementary School Teachers.
Goswami Academy, a spiritually-centered elementary school, located in Houston, Texas, is seeking applicants for teaching positions in both the early childhood and elementary level.
We are seeking qualified candidates who possess enthusiasm for working with children in a highly collaborative teaching environment. If you are a self-starter who wants to be part of a mission-driven school that provides an opportunity to grow personally and professionally, we encourage you to apply.
Goswami Academy follows a 175 day school year with time off during summer and holidays. This position will begin in August 2016. The successful candidate is required to attend professional development training in July.
Qualifications:
Good standing with relevant experience
Able to pass local, state, and federal criminal background screenings.
Able to pass CPS Background screening.
Able to speak, read, and write English fluently.
US citizen or possess documentation of right to work in the US.
Ability to deliver engaging curriculum
Connect learning with spiritual base.
Current first aid and CPR certification preferred.
Able to teach in a multi-level setting.
Interested applicants should email current resume to the principal at subhra@goswamiacademy.com Send all correspondence to the attention of Subhra Lind (Principal).
Deadline - February 29, 2016. --------------- Attaced files of job description: http://dandavats.com/wp-content/uploads5/PST-JD.docx http://dandavats.com/wp-content/uploads5/PT-JD.docx

Scholarship and Devotion: Can They Co-Exist?
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Hare KrishnaBy Prof. Keith Ward

Can a scholar be a true believer? Can a believer be a good scholar? Two parts of a problem that has exercised many in the West since at least the Enlightenment. Prof. Keith Ward, Regius Professor Emeritus of Divinity at the University of Oxford, takes a fresh look at the conundrum by examining some of the main problems and outlining a few principles that may help modern-day devotee-scholars. Religion calls for total commitment and faith. Scholarship calls for critical reasoning and a questioning of all presuppositions. How then can religious devotion and academic scholarship live together, even in the same person? It may seem impossible. There are those who say that simple faith is enough, and scholarship is a distraction from a life of devotion. There are others who say that the study of religions requires a lack of commitment, so that you can be dispassionate and detached about whatever findings you come up with. Are devotees who become scholars thus doomed to religious schizophrenia, with two halves of their minds, the committed and the sceptical, condemned never to meet? Continue reading "Scholarship and Devotion: Can They Co-Exist?
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Happy Family Day from the Hare Krishna Temple!
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Today is Family Day and so the Hare Krishna Temple would like to wish you and your family all the best on this special day.  We actually had to Google the official explanation for Family Day and got the following, "Family Day is observed in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan on the third Monday of February. In British Columbia, Family Day falls on the second Monday of February. This holiday celebrates the importance of families and family life to people and their communities."

So, with that in mind, we would like to thank each and every one of you for also being part of our big Toronto Hare Krishna family!  Expressing appreciation is always a good thing for devotees to do and so even though we don't get too many comments on posts, we would like to encourage devotees to leave a comment on this post with some words of appreciation for the rest of your Hare Krishna family!

Venice Maha Harinam 2016 (Album with photos) The last 6th of…
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Venice Maha Harinam 2016 (Album with photos)
The last 6th of February the devotees of the Prabhupada Desh’s community together with devotees from Milan and Florence held an ecstatic Harinama in the streets of Venice. Every year during this time thousands and thousands of people come to Venice to celebrate the famous Venice Carnival. And when the people in mask, who are there in a festive mood, meet the Harinama party begin to dance and chant happily with the devotees, thousands of prasadam cookies was distributed too.
The Venice Harinamas are always especially ecstatic. Next Venice Carnival’s Harinama will be February 25th, 2017, most welcome, who would like to participate please contact Prabhupada Desh’s site or facebook page. Jay Harinama Sankirtana Yajna Ki!!! Jay!!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/wxtBl8

Radha Krishna Camp in Brazil: More Than a Retreat
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By Bhagavan Das



The Radha Krishna campers in front of ISKCON Nova Gokula temple

Photos by Madhumati Radhika.

Considering the major part of the list of things to bring – mat, repellent, water bottle, flashlight – it may seem like a holiday camp like any other. However, it does not take too long until the recommended items reveal that it is a different kind of camp. The list shows: tilaka, japa-mala, devotional clothes. After all, as one can read in the promotional poster, it is “more than an retreat”. Indeed: it not a simple retreat, but a spiritual retreat, and unique to young vaishnavas.

It was in Nova Gokula, Pindamonhangaba, Brazil, that was held the second edition of Radha Krishna Camp (RKC). Surpassing the first edition of the event, the 2016 RKC, which took place from the 5th to the 12th of January, was attended by over 40 devotees, between 12 and 16 years of age, who went to an intensive retreat, where they could make new friends, have fun and experience an ideal spiritual life.

The beautiful landscape of Nova Gokula

Coinciding with the summer holidays in Brazil, RKC met the needs of the new generation of vaishnavas of engaging their free time in a healthy way, while they don’t have any school obligations.

Among children of Krishna devotees and children of supporters, the young devotees arrived “shy, quiet and resistant to change”, says Subhadra, one of the camp organizers. That already began to change on the first day, however, when, after the reception and presentation of the group leaders and of the general program, there were some games for interaction. “They know each other and develop friendship and complicity as the activities happen”, explains Subhadra.

 

“They know each other and develop friendship and complicity as the activities happen”

And there was no lack of activities at all. The teens and tweens, in addition to the temple routine, waking up before sunrise, also had a full day, every day, of activities planned to take place within Nova Gokula community and visitations outside the farm as well. “We avoided leisure time as much as possible. The program was developed to occupy them full time. Although it was exhausting sometimes, the intention was to avoid mishaps and unnecessary conflicts among participants”, explains Subhadra, which is an educational psychologist.

Among the activities carried out in the holy atmosphere of Nova Gokula, there was a lot of contact with nature: a visit to the stables, work in the garden and bathing in the river were some opportunities provided for participants for enjoying the simple life, away from the artificiality and pollution in urban environment. Vaikuntha Murti, Secretary for the Youth of ISKCON Brazil and Subhadra’s husband, says: “The visit to the goshala was surprising because many of them had little contact with nature, and although we had gone there just to observe, almost all of them asked to milk a cow and gave their best to achieve it, contrary to my expectations”.

 

Kids at the goshala

In the words of Purushatraya Swami, a Brazilian spiritual master, a visit to a farm where there is cow protection is an opportunity to “meditate with your eyes open”. There in Nova Gokula, the Deity of Krishna is known as Gokulananda, “the bliss of the house of the cows”. Certainly to see the cows of Krishna, milk them and then see the milk being taken away to make preparations for Krishna is a very special meditation with open eyes.

And that is the central point of all activities in RKC, of course. It is not just for a relaxing contact with nature, but for remembering Krishna in every act. Parama Karuna, one of the group leaders of the camp and he himself a son of devotees, says: “This project serves to educate and teach Krishna consciousness in a practical way. And this is very important, obviously”.

Well, if the goal is to have a day of cowherd boy, of a friend of Krishna, with river, milking and planting, let’s also add games and sports, because we know very well from the scriptures that the friends of Krishna used to have a lot of fun. These activities were due to Arjuna Sundara, expert at rappelling and kayaking, among other radical activities! Hiking, zip lines, volleyball and soccer made ​​the joy of all.

 

Annapurna excited about the zip line

Now, if you think the “good youngsters” of RKC got excited only about running, diving and kicking a ball, you are sorely mistaken. Their interest for the pure wisdom of Krishna consciousness proved to be a great lust. “They undoubtedly showed how much they were eager to know more about the vaishnava philosophy and culture”, recalls Subhadra. “And they realized that there is a lot to be discovered and learned”.

The direct study of Krishna consciousness philosophy was facilitated by none other than Chandramukha Swami, a sannyasi of undeniably youthful spirit. The Bhagavad-gita and the chanting of the holy names were the main topics of study. “Maharaja Chandramukha loved the proposal of the RKC”, tells us Vaikuntha Murti. “He was delighted by the clever questions during his classes”.

 

Chandramukha Swami

Another delight to everybody was the art that permeated the days of the retreat. Drama and music, two arts well explored among followers of Sri Chaitanya since the beginning of gaudiya vaishnavism, were present there. “The spiritual interest had a better answer through music and drama, since theory for those who have so much energy is not very simple to be presented”, admits Katyayani, a group leaders, mentioning the peculiar nature of teenagers.

The dynamics of dramatic games, led by Murari Dasa, who has a degree in Drama, introduced the participants to professional concepts of staging, like recognition of space and movement, scenic body, voice, direction, speed etc. Murari tells us that he allowed everything to flow more freely, taking advantage of what they’ve brought from their cultural background and creativity. At the end, they analyzed the scenes together, discussing whether they could be improved in something, if they had a beginning and an end, and how they could give a more devotional flavor to it. Along this development of techniques, the workshops were designed to integrate well the participants – a goal which was certainly achieved.

Murari with the drama group

The musical height was the rehearsal with Chandramukha Swami, who has to his credit countless CDs recorded – there are so many that if you ask him the exact number, he will say that he does not know. After the private rehearsal, a presentation was made to the residents of Nova Gokula, with Chandramukha and his band accompanied by the choir of participants of the youth camp.

With so much motivation for the arts, Subhadra tells us that a bard was revealed from among the campers. “One of the participants demonstrated ability to produce songs, and as soon as the opportunity arose, he went on to sing about funny things that happened during the retreat, along with others. It was striking and very fun”.

If everything had come down to Nova Gokula, that would have not been a small event, but the spirit that Prabhupada instilled in us is of expanding, isn’t it? Time to hit the road, then. Three very nice activities beyond the gates of Krishna’s cows were waiting for the devotees.

In Taubaté, just one hour from Pindamonhangaba, they had the opportunity to visit the fire department of the city, where they learned more about this important profession in which men and women often risk their own life to save the lives of others. They learned, with the gentle presentation of two sergeants, basic guidelines for the prevention of fires and other accidents.

At the fire station

During the visit to the Cathedral of Saint Theresa, they were received by deacon Marcelo, who, with particular attention, share with them many details and curiosities of the cathedral and particularities of Catholicism, the biggest religion in Brazil. Then they had a meeting with Catholic youth, in an inter-religious interaction that provided to our young devotees the opportunity to know how the Catholic youth experiences their religion and vice versa. There was an exchange of questions about each other’s’ religion and, at the end, each group made ​​an artistic performance. “It was a very rich and fruitful meeting”, recalls Vaikuntha. 

Visit to the Cathedral of Saint Theresa

A third activity outside Nova Gokula was the visit to the central office of BBT, the official publisher of Srila Prabhupada’s books, sometimes referred to as “Prabhupada’s heart”. There, they had the opportunity to know the stages of production and distribution of a book, the physical facilities of the building and the importance of Srila Prabhupada’s books for preservation and propagation of Krishna’s teachings.

 

In the storage of BBT Brazil

On the last day, there was a retrospective of all the eight days of retreat, moments of reflection and a secret santa to definitively tie the bonds of friendship. “It was very cool… I am very sad that I have to come back home”, said Nina, 14. For Pedro, also 14, RKC was special because he could make new friends and develop his spirituality, “and there were also many interesting activities, such as games and sports”. Annapurna, also 14 years old, begins by highlighting the programs with Chandramukha Swami and the making of new friends, but soon she prefers not to highlight anything: “Everything was very special”.

It was not only the cowherd boys and young milkmaids who have learned and had good moments – the “big guys” behind the event too. Katyayani, one of the three group leaders in charge of the girls, says that by seeing the dedication of Subhadra, she came to admire even more her devoted colleague and feels realized for have being giving her company to all the children of devotees in a simple and spontaneous way, so that they may understand that the association of devotees is something light and natural. Vaikuntha Murti says that to be with the new generation renews his enthusiasm. “I’m dealing with the future of ISKCON, and it is very gratifying to know that our institution will have a bright future because we are investing in our young people”.

 

Friends

Murari summarizes RKC: “In my modest view, the basis of Bhagavad-gita is friendship and service. It is beautiful to see in RKC teenagers engaged in Krishna consciousness in this way. Each one of them came with their own style, with their particular tastes, but interacted with each other respecting and being respected with love and trust”. 

Finally, Subhadra says: “I have a feeling of ‘mission accomplished’. Although our time with them is very short, I feel that they will take to their homes and their lives a little bit of what they lived with us. And it will make a difference”.

If it was “very short”, it is comforting to know that the “little bit” that they carry with them includes the desire to return. Tavares, 15, says: “A  week of sheer devotion to Krishna, beautiful friendships, activities very well prepared – for sure I will come back”.

The whole “gang”, in front of the murti of Srila Prabhupada

There will be the third edition of RKC? Oh, yeah! The next editions are already being planned. Although they don’t have details yet, Subhadra and Vaikuntha already tell us they want to do something even bigger and also reach other age groups. They think it may be difficult to do it and they don’t know exactly where to begin from, but with the blessings of these dozens of special souls who return to their homes fully satisfied with them, would anyone doubt that they can do it?

 * * * 

Bhagavan Dasa is chief-editor of BBT Brazil and Back to Godhead Brazil. He has a degree in English language and literature, and has been working with translation and editing since 2005. Bhagavan Dasa is authour of three books, including a poetic version of the Bhagavad-gita. He is a initiated disciple of Dhanvantari Swami and lives in Juiz de Fora – MG, with his wife and their son, Hari (2).

Australia preaching tour of Bhakti Charu Swami
Bhakti Charu Swami

His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja reached Melbourne, Australia on the 18th January 2016 after successful preaching in Malaysia and Singapore. His Holiness received a warm welcome by the local devotees and travelled for about 2.5 hours to the Sen Prabhu’s house in Seaton. Once, when Srila Prabhupada went to Africa, on seeing very few […]

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Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja’s Speech in Artha Forum
Bhakti Charu Swami

On the 17th of January 2016, H.H Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja was invited by Artha Forum to give a speech on the theme – ‘Conscious Leadership’. Artha Forum is an online community dedicated to connecting entrepreneurs, professionals and business leaders and bringing to them the relevance of ancient wisdom and literature in modern business.Artha Forum […]

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What is the difference between knowledge in the three modes and intelligence in the three modes?
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Answer Podcast:


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ISKCON Youth Retreat invitation
Bhakti Charu Swami

ISKCON YOUTH RETREAT, UJJAIN We are very happy to cordially invite you for the most enlivening and inspiring youth event at ISKCON Ujjain temple: ‘ISKCON YOUTH RETREAT-2016’. The Retreat will be held from 19th to 21st February 2016. Last year it was a great success and over two hundred students participated from different parts of India like […]

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2016-02-12 Vrndavana parikrama and Javat and Ter-kadamba on…
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2016-02-12 Vrndavana parikrama and Javat and Ter-kadamba on Vasant-pancami 166 HR photos
Srila Prabhupada: It is not that one must chant at a certain time. No. At any time one may chant. Furthermore, Krishna’s name is identical with Krishna Himself. Therefore the holy name of Krishna is Krishna. (Teachings of Queen Kunti, 8, Purport).
Find them here: https://goo.gl/SfrFIV

Health and preaching programs in Bulgaria
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My name is Loka-guru Das from Bulgaria, a disciple of HH Prahladananda Swami. I’m writing concerning a health and preaching project we are developing with my elder brother Sudama Das and other devotees in Bulgaria and we would like to share it more among devotees.

In short, our father is a dietitian – health nutritionist, a disciple of a famous Bulgarian natural healer – Lidiya Kovacheva. He is into nutritional therapy and natural healing for more than 30 years and has helped thousands of people with different health problems and diseases. The last 4 years we are fully engaged, manage and develop the health center Vita Rama project.
The bases of our system is the healing nutrition, as well as physical exercises (yoga, walks, training and others), which work on the physical level, but also relaxation and meditation practices for the mind and consciousness (different mind games, interactive games and 2 times per week – kirtan meditation). We have everyday lectures on healthy eating (food choice, combination, right preparations and 1 culinary demonstration), physical exercises and yoga, as well as 1 lecture on bhakti yoga. We are doing our health programs in Bulgaria, on the Black Sea coast – in a remote from city place – sea and mountain – surrounded only by nature. You can check more about the center, the health programs, the team and the place on: www.vitarama.eu
On the website we also have different articles and recipes and in the next 2 weeks we will update the English website with all the latest recipes and articles published by Vita Rama in Bulgarian.

Until now we worked mainly with outside people, who have great results with weight loss, detox, but most of them with different kind of diseases as diabetes, cardiovascular, digestive and many other serious problems, even cancer and multiple sclerosis. We are devotees from 6 years and we complete the holistic approach of the health system by adding bhakti yoga in a outreach/loft preaching way, so we attract who is interested from our patients (and surprisingly many of them are great fans of Hare Krishna mantra and some even follow the process).
Some devotees have visited us before 3-4 years, but more and more do it in the last 2 years and we have very good results with them as well. We observe that many devotees are not living very healthy lifestyle (on physical level) and as a result they suffer many diseases, which is a great obstacle for the our devotional life and service. So we would like to share more what we are doing and our health programs for those who are interested. We are writing many articles and recipes and we can provide interesting and helpful information about nutrition and health.

Your servant,
Loka-guru Das

Canberra Rathayatra (Album with photos) Ramai Swami: The…
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Canberra Rathayatra (Album with photos)
Ramai Swami: The Canberra devotees were asked to participate in the capital’s multicultural festival that lasted three days and had hundreds of stalls set up in Civic Square.
On the first day, there was a parade and the devotees were able to bring the Rathayatra cart from the Gold Coast and had the temple deities, Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra Devi ride majestically through the city streets.
Find them here: http://goo.gl/IuoTGm

Jayapataka Swami’s Health Update 15/02/16 (14:00 Mayapur…
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Jayapataka Swami's Health Update 15/02/16 (14:00 Mayapur time)
Jayapataka Swami is currently hospitalized in Durgapur, West Bengal after becoming unwell and requiring further medical support. At this moment we request devotees to pray intensively for his wellbeing.
Jayapataka Swami arrived in Ekachakra on the 13th of February to install the deities and inaugurate the new temple. This is a fabulous temple and is presided with gorgeous deities. Around 10,000 people attended. On the14th Feb morning he developed a mild fever, which eventually subsided but spiked again overnight, thus the need for hospitalization since this morning.
As you know, Jayapataka Swami’s overall health is generally fragile, so these situations do carry a high risk for him. The team of assistants is ensuring that he receives the best possible medical support available.
We promise to maintain the devotees informed according to how things progress. Meantime let’s unite efforts and request Lord Nrisimhadeva and Srila Prabhupada to kindly protect Jayapataka Swami.
Your servants, Jayapataka Swami’s Health Team

Take up a Mission – Inspirational Video – Akhandadi Prabhu….
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Take up a Mission - Inspirational Video - Akhandadi Prabhu.
Pandava Sena Alumni Monthly’s present Akhandadi das, a previous Temple President of Bhaktivedanta Manor who lead the Manor through the campaign. With decades of experience in service to God, he speaks to inspire the youth and corporates of PSena to Take up a mission!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/p7DGrv

Ekachakra deity installation maha Abhishek 2016 during the…
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Ekachakra deity installation maha Abhishek 2016 during the inauguration Festival of the new historical Iskcon temple of Lord Nityananda Prabhu at Ekachakra Dham on 14th Feb. 2016 (Album with photos)
“EKACHAKRA”: “EKA” means one and “CHAKRA” means wheel; this place is named “Ekachakra” because this is the place where the chariot-wheel fell, the one which Lord Sri Krishna took to kill Bhismadeva on the Battle of Kurukshetra. Ekachakra is the birthplace of Lord Nityananda (Nitai).
Ekachakra is located 165km north-west of Mayapur and is easily assessable by car or bus. Ekachakra village extends north and south for an area of about eight miles. Other villages, namely Viracandra-pura and Virabhadra-pura, are situated within the area of the village of Ekachakra.
Arjuna Das: I was there for the opening of the new temple at Ekachakra. The temple is very beautiful.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/YgSiSV

“Reflections on Wise-Love” – A Book Trailer
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In this  book trailer about Wise-Love, a new book written by Pranada dasi, we're invited to feel the hope of Wise-Love (Bhakti) and its transformational power. Wise-Love is an introductory handbook presenting Bhakti in new lights, attractive language, and a manner relatable to a Western audience. It comprehensively covers the core tenets of our philosophy true to siddhanta, yet its short, thematic chapters are easy to assimilate for an outside reader. This book is the author’s offering to Srila Prabhupada on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the starting of ISKCON. For more information please visit www.pranadacomtois.com

Gita 09.23 – The Gita’s multi-level monotheism is the balance between Abrahamic monotheism and Greco-Roman polytheism
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Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast


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Valentine Prayer
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"For the living, death is certain; for the dead, birth is certain." - Bhagavad Gita

Radhanath Swami wants his students to learn how to serve someone who is dying. So he asked Barbara Slaine and Henry Weiss to please allow those who serve at The Bhakti Center to participate in their "death doula" training program. Ghanashyam signed up.

For the past three days, Ghanashyam has shared with me stories and points of the training that have brought me to tears, all showing the power and beauty of death.

Today, Ghanashyam called me. "Bhakti," he said, "Today we were given an assignment,"

"Oh really?"

"Yes, we were put into groups and were given the assignment to choose someone in our lives whom we love and to design a way to facilitate their passing from this world. It's called an 'advance directive.' So... I chose you,"

"Really? How so?"

"Well, how we're planning our wedding, I'm discovering so much of what you love. So I said that I would put lots of beautiful draping cloth from the ceiling in warm colors. The bedspread would be in that Jaipur block print that you love.

"Then, when people enter the room they would all be required to approach deities of Radha and Krishna and to bow down and offer respects, no matter who they were. We've been told that when people know that when something pleases the person who is dying, everyone is happy to do what he or she wants. So religion doesn't matter. I was thinking how you love deities and would want everyone to offer their respects as the first thing that they do when they come into the room,"

Tears filled my eyes. I pictured Ragunath's deities, Radha Madan Mohan, in that room.

"Then I was thinking how you love to write, this is a part of your legacy. Maybe some of your writings of your choosing from your blog could be compiled and given to guests, and maybe on beautiful stationery,"

Tears flowed.

"Then I was thinking how when everyone comes out of the room they would all take prasad, and what's more they would serve each other. You love to take prasad and for everyone to serve each other. You would want that.

"And then in the room, there could be a point where we all surround you on the bed and share some words of appreciation, or a special story in honor of you. That's your style - you love these community type of events where everyone must do something, there's no slipping away, for everyone to bond.

"It was beautiful, because when I shared all of these ideas with the whole group, everyone was fascinated. People kept exclaiming how beautiful this all seemed, how special I must be, and 'wow, you really love your fiancee. I feel like I know her so well, I wish I could be there!'"

"Well, hopefully not yet," and we both laughed.

"The people in my group were fascinated by how you love saris," Ghanashyam continued, "and then one of them even suggested that maybe you wear your favorite sari,"

Immediately I thought of my initiation sari - the ivory one with the gold border.

"And there could be a corner where kirtan and bhajans are going on, so that people could go and sing the holy name,"

Tears flowed down my face and I had the most curious experience of being so deeply loved. Ghanashyam knows me on the soul level. He loves me on the soul level.

"Ghanashyam," I said, "This is the most beautiful Valentine's Day gift I could have ever received. Everything you said... this is exactly how I would want to leave this world. With your words and description, I feel unafraid of death, that I will be surrounded by love and my next destination is auspicious.

"Ghanashyam, I want to also meditate on how to facilitate your leaving this world,"

"Yes, it is a beautiful meditation," he said.

Several hours have passed and I realize that if I was to leave the world in such a loving way, the fear of being a nobody has faded away. The burning desire to be world famous or rich or accomplished has vanished. I don't need to be remembered for eons and put down in the annals of history.

All I want is to be surrounded by loved ones and the holy name, to leave a legacy of love. And soon those people who remembered me will pass from this world and no one will actually remember me or mark my space in history.

And that is okay.

Because my soul has moved onward in the journey of love. That is all that matters.

Whichever one of us leaves first, I only hope that I may journey with Ghanashyam towards Krishna even beyond this lifetime. That is my Valentine prayer.



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Advaita Acarya’s Roaring Call
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Hare KrishnaBy Gour Govinda Swami

Advaita Acarya’s father and mother disappeared when he was very young. Feeling very distressed he went on pilgrimage visiting many, many holy places. When He came back, some of His relatives requested Him to marry. Therefore, at the request of the relatives He was willing to marry. At that time one very pious orthodox brahmana was living there whose name was Nrsimha Vaduri. He had two daughters; their names were Sri and Sita. They were both very beautiful and Advaita Acarya married both of them. Thus Advaita Acarya had two wives; Sri and Sita. Sita Thakurani is famous. Advaita Acarya is also famous as Sita-natha or Sita-pati because the name of His wife was Sita Thakurani. Sita Thakurani is an incarnation of Yogamaya, and Sri devi is a manifestation of Yogamaya. Advaita Acarya is a Maha-Vishnu avatara and in Maha-Vishnu there is Sadasiva therefore we call Him Sadasiva avatara. Continue reading "Advaita Acarya’s Roaring Call
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February 15. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily…
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February 15. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Moving Apartments.
February 15, 1966. Srila Prabhupada moved from 501, downstairs two floors to a room all his own.
“I have changed my room to 307, in the same building as mentioned, for better air and light. It is on the roadside junction of two roads, the Columbus Avenue and 72nd Street.”
According to Dr. Mishra, Prabhupada moved in order to have his own place, independent of the Mishra Yoga Society.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5

Vaisnava Family Resources – Perfect for Family Day!
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

One of the most amazing resources we have in our Hare Krishna movement is the Grihastha Vision Team (GVT) - an incredible group of senior devotees who dedicate themselves to helping our Hare Krishna communities become stronger by developing strength in families.

Being Family Day weekend, this seems like the most opportune time to "plug" the work of the GVT.  The mission of the GVT is to support, strengthen, educate and enliven the individuals, couples and families who are or will be involved with the grihastha ashram (family life).

The GVT has a goal of wanting to help you spiritualize your marriage and make it an act of seva (service).   An important goal for them is to help each person about to marry,  to receive premarital education. The best way to do that would be through one of their team members or trained mentor couples. Marriage mentoring has been proven to raise the success rate in marriage and result in more connected and happy couples.

Feel free to check out the Grihastha Vision Team's great website by clicking here or by clicking the image below!


Read More About All-Merciful Sri Advaita Acharya
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

As discussed during our Sunday Feast discourse this evening, today marks the appearance anniversary of Sri Advaita Acharya who is regarded as one of the dear associates of the Lord.  Below is a description of Advaita Acharya obtained from our friends at krishna.com:

Advaita Acharya appeared in fifteenth century Bengal, India, as a teacher of Krishna consciousness. He is frequently mentioned in the biography of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Chaitanya Charitamrita, as an intimate associate of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and as an avatar of Krishna (specifically an incarnation of Sadashiva and Maha-Vishnu).

Chaitanya Charitamrita relates how Advaita Acharya was so pained to see the degraded condition of the people in Kali Yuga, the Age of Quarrel, that He fervently prayed for Krishna Himself to descend and remedy the situation. Sri Advaita worshiped Krishna on the banks of the Ganges with Ganges water and Tulasi leaves, crying out and begging for the Lord to come save the suffering souls. In response to Sri Adwaita Acharya's devotion and compassion, Krishna decided to appear, in the form of His own devotee—Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Advaita Acharya was the first among Mahaprabhu's associates to appear within the material world. Some sixty years prior to Mahaprabhu's own advent, Advaita Acharya had already begun chanting Krishna's names in the streets with devotees and discussing scriptures on devotional service to Krishna.

Advaita Acharya's name indicates that He is nondifferent—advaita—from Krishna, and spiritual master—acharya—because He taught devotional service to Krishna. Advaita Acharya lived in Shantipura and Mayapura, in what is now West Bengal, and was the head of the Vaishnava community of Nadia.

Monday, February 8th, 2016
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Monday, February 8th, 2016                                           
Toronto, Ontario

Death For Sure

A yaksha is usually described in the Vedic literatures as a nature-spirit who oversees some hidden treasure of the earth like a tree or a body of water.  In the epic tale of the “Mahabharata,” pious king Yudristhira had met a yaksha in the forest.  This yakshawas a guardian of a lake and at that lake the king was forbidden to drink from this its water until the yaksha could have some questions answered.

His questions were of a philosophical nature and the king answered each question masterfully.  One question asked was “What to you is the most amazing thing?”  To which king Yudhisthira responded by saying, “the most amazing thing in existence is that everywhere we see death taking place but one believes that he/she will not die.”

Eventually the king was permitted to drink and all was well.  It did strike me in the course of today’s walk through residential Rosedale that death is all around.  I received information that a young man-- we met at his father’s birthday ten days prior-- had been shot to death at his home in Guyana.  Thieves were attempting to break in.

On that same day I received an e-mail stating how one of my travelling partners in my earlier monk years, Subal by name, got hit by a tractor-trailer while cycling in Vancouver.  He didn’t make it to the hospital.

As painful as it is to be the recipient of such bad news on the topic of a sudden passing, we must be convinced that this feature of death is inevitable for all of us.  We might consider that ego allows us to believe in a false sense of immortality.  Perhaps we can conclude that the atma itself (the soul) is truly resident.  Bear in mind that the body is not.
 
My respects go to Chaitanya and Subal.

May the Source be with you!

7Km

Sunday, February 7th , 2016
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Sunday, February 7th , 2016
Scarborough/Toronto

To Walk

I was compelled to walk my last hours away
After speaking at three venues all in one day
And conjuring up what was appropriate to say
To listeners in helping them on in some way

I went for the stroll to put any closure
To this day, to give balance and utter composure
But I look around me at a world in a seizure
That is so much removed from proper procedure

Left-over Christmas, now Valentine hearts
The doors are all closed to all shopping marts
Until they do open when a new day starts
When breakfast is served with pancakes and tarts

I was compelled to walk my last hours away
After we sang a chant making us all feel okay
Away from a world we do say ‘No way Jose’
It is here at the temple we feel we’re at play

May the Source be with you!

6 km

Saturday, February 6th, 2016
→ The Walking Monk

Saturday, February 6th, 2016
Toronto, Ontario

Eating Like You Should

My good friend, Akhilananda, drove up from Salem, Ohio to spend a day in a devotional environment. We did trek the Yorkville neighbourhood. He liked it until some slight pain hit him in the hips.

We did then go for some delicious Krishna food called prasadam at Govinda’s. Eating time is perhaps time-out for feeling gratitude. I was reminded of some excerpt from the book “The Higher Taste”.

“Walking through a supermarket, people may forget a very basic fact of nature- it ‘s not mom but God who makes food. There’s something mystical about the way food grows. You put a tiny seed in the ground. It sprouts, and by the mysterious life force within it a food factory arises - a tomato plant producing dozens of tasty red tomatoes, an apple tree producing bushels of sweet apples. No team of scientists anywhere has yet invented anything as amazing as the simplest green creation of God.”

On the menu was a squash soup; a lovely lentil dish called sambara; kofta, a veggie ball set in tomato sauce; aloo gobi, which is an unforgettable potoato/cauliflower curry; matar paneer, a cheese and pea combinations; basmati rice; veggie fritters known as pakora; and a flat bread called chapatti as well as other items.

It all went down well before the stomach got a chance to hurt.

Not too much of anything right?

Let’s familiarize ourselves with the well-known verse from the Gita, “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.”

May the Source be with you!

8 km

Saturday, February 6th, 2016
→ The Walking Monk

Saturday, February 6th, 2016
Toronto, Ontario

Eating Like You Should

My good friend, Akhilananda, drove up from Salem, Ohio to spend a day in a devotional environment. We did trek the Yorkville neighbourhood. He liked it until some slight pain hit him in the hips.

We did then go for some delicious Krishna food called prasadam at Govinda’s. Eating time is perhaps time-out for feeling gratitude. I was reminded of some excerpt from the book “The Higher Taste”.

“Walking through a supermarket, people may forget a very basic fact of nature- it ‘s not mom but God who makes food. There’s something mystical about the way food grows. You put a tiny seed in the ground. It sprouts, and by the mysterious life force within it a food factory arises - a tomato plant producing dozens of tasty red tomatoes, an apple tree producing bushels of sweet apples. No team of scientists anywhere has yet invented anything as amazing as the simplest green creation of God.”

On the menu was a squash soup; a lovely lentil dish called sambara; kofta, a veggie ball set in tomato sauce; aloo gobi, which is an unforgettable potoato/cauliflower curry; matar paneer, a cheese and pea combinations; basmati rice; veggie fritters known as pakora; and a flat bread called chapatti as well as other items.

It all went down well before the stomach got a chance to hurt.

Not too much of anything right?

Let’s familiarize ourselves with the well-known verse from the Gita, “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.”

May the Source be with you!
 
8 km

Canberra Rathayatra
→ Ramai Swami

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The Canberra devotees were asked to participate in the capital’s multi-cultural festival that lasted three days and had hundreds of stalls set up in Civic Square.

On the first day there was a parade and the devotees were able to bring the Rathayatra cart from the Gold Coast and had the temple deities, Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra devi ride majestically through the city streets

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Krsna’s unlimited potency
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 06 January 2016, Drakensburg Retreat, South Africa, Morning Lecture)

New_York

We should realise that if we have no faith in ourselves, it is because we think that we are the doers. We believe that we are doing things and the results will depend on our actions. But actually, we should know that everything depends on Krsna and on Krsna’s mercy. So if we say,” Oh, my shortcomings will get in the way and make it difficult for me to advance,” then we are not calculating Krsna’s unlimited potency and power. Basically we are saying, “I am so fallen, Krsna can’t lift me up!”

In this way, we are actually limiting Krsna. Indirectly we are saying that we have no faith in Krsna. Although we claim to have no faith in ourselves, if you look at it a little more deeply, this reveals that we have no faith in Krsna.

It does not matter how weak we are, it does not matter how fallen we are, Krsna can lift us up and Krsna is eager to do so! Srila Prabhupada pointed that out. He said that Krsna is acting with ten arms, and with these ten arms he just showers us with mercy. What can we do with our two arms!? We cannot even receive all the mercy – it is that much! Prabhupada also said that Krsna is more eager for us to go back to Godhead than we are ourselves!

Friday, February 5th, 2016
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Friday, February 5th, 2016                                                     
Toronto, Ontario

Revealing

You always find something fresh, new and revealing on a walk especially when it is outdoors as opposed to walking on the basement treadmill.  Because of the ever-changing nature of nature itself, whether it be weather or just the wear-and-tear that occurs from aging, each season unfolds a new growth and new death.  It’s never the same.

At the Brickworks, a repurposing space had begun when an old brick could have been
demolished.  Some wise and sensitive people decided that the quarry, untouched for years, had value.

Nick, Mandala and I roamed the grounds that were reintroduced to indigenous vegetation.  At one appealing spot at the bottom of the dug-out area an aesthetic blend of colour captured our eyes, with green algae water in the pond reflecting snow-cycles under a fallen, haunting tree, which held by its roots a massive clump of dirt.

At the quarry’s north cliff an ancient beaver skull was more recently found, its size being like that of a black bear, a relic left from the former ice age.

Every time I come here it’s a new face and there’s new information of a world worth viewing and reviewing.  Walking through the features of nature always fascinates and leaves you feeling reincarnated like nothing that our concrete jungle can provide.

May the Source be with you!

8 Km