Gita 08.08 – Practice to take consciousness beyond endlessly deceptive material reality to Krishna
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Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast


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Bhagavatam study 24 – 1.6.8-15 – Spiritual vision makes the heart-breaking heart-freeing
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Disneyland, Korean Air & Self-Realization
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After a full day at Disneyland followed by a twelve hour airplane flight, I feel I have come several steps closer to self-realization. I think I finally comprehend how entertainment actually works – and this clarifies my understanding of how time works in three phases: past, present and future; which ties in with my understanding of how the three guṇa (sattva, rajas, and tamas) work; and, ultimately, how consciousness itself works.

This is what I learned…

Entertainment entertains by absorbing our attention. A thrilling roller coaster or a slapstick cartoon, a horror movie or sex, a sad song, good meal, or a bottle of beer – all forms of entertainment work by absorbing our consciousness in the present, allowing us to forget our past and future. All sorts of entertainment, from horror to romance, produce the same effect (pleasure) using the same technique (absorbing our attention in the now).

It’s not the entertainment itself we enjoy, its the effect of entertainment – absorption in the present and forgetting the past and future. That’s why there are countless different genres of entertainment, but they all produce the same effect – pleasure.

The exact form of the entertainment is important only in terms of how well it absorbs our mind in the now. The better the entertainment, the more thoroughly we forget our timeline.

What’s Wrong with The Past and Future?

The past and future are stressful because they involve work, and result from needs. These needs arise from a malfunction in our orientation towards reality. The “malfunction” is that we do not turn our attention towards the effortless joy naturally present in existence itself. Instead we feel empty, unsatisfied and needy, and begin to search for joy elsewhere. Ironically, we forfeit our ever-present inherent joy, to go out hunting for the same thing.

This hunt creates the past and future – two modifications of the present. Reality is called sattva, the present. The two modifications of sattva are called rajas and tamas. They generate a sense of future and past.

Rajas allows consciousness to conceive of “the future,” a phase of reality that contains plans for things we want to acquire, create, build, and so on. Rajas and the future are associated with hard work and anxiety.

Tamas allows consciousness to conceive of “the past,” a modification of reality that contains references to things that have been destroyed or lost. Tamas and the past are experienced via anger and grief.

So, rajas and tamas are not enjoyable, they are stressful and depressing. Entertainment works by liberating us, if only temporarily, from our connection to them.

What’s Special About the Present?

The present is the object directly experienced by consciousness, so it is inseparable from consciousness. Consciousness generates it.

Consciousness, like the present, simply exists. Its existence is effortless and boundless, so it contains a joy (brahmānanda). Entertainment brings us into touch with brahmānanda by riveting us in the now. When we are riveted into the now we experience what it is like to exist as we are meant to exist, without worry or sadness – without the need to create or destroy anything else.

Entertainment, unfortunately, requires work. Tickets to Disneyland, for example, cost a lot of money. Another problem with entertainment is that it doesn’t last as long as we want. The sages of India utilized drama and entertainment as part of their effort to help liberate humanity from suffering, but they also developed another, more direct approach to attaining brahmānanda, an approach called mukti. This is a more direct approach because it attempts to repair the root of the problem, rather than temporarily alleviate the symptoms. The root of unhappiness is the malfunction in our perception discussed earlier, which involves us in the stress and depression of the future and the past.

Mokṣa, the goal of mukti, is the ultimate pinnacle of entertainment, and the pleasure we experience in other forms of entertainment should inspire us to seek mokṣa with more determination.


Tagged: entertainment

Vedic Discourse by His Holiness Bhakti Marg Swami this Sunday – January 3rd,2016.
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His Holiness Bhaktimarg Swami: Over forty years ago it was a youthful quest for life that lead Chatham, Ontario born Bhaktimarga Swami, (formerly John Peter Vis), to adopt an Eastern order of monastic life that landed him in the Hare Krishna movement. Since that time, as a celibate monk, Swami has evolved as an instructor of bhakti-yoga and mantra meditation. His presentation on this subject of life, based on the popular Hindu text, “Bhagavad-gita” is lively, candid and informative.

With a background in fine arts, Swami also developed a passion for the performing arts. Even in the course of his duties as a monk, he expands his portfolio and manages to take an active role in theatrical productions from epics of ancient Indian origin. Casting, scripting, and directing morality theater takes him annually to venues from North America to India and Africa.

Finally, Bhaktimarga Swami achieved a remarkable feat in 1996 when he went the way of a pilgrim and walked on foot cross country from west to east and then back for a return journey from Cape Spear, Newfoundland to Vancouver Island in 2003, going full circle. He likes to share of his unique experiences and fond memories on the road after trekking 16,000 kms. Swami is a consistent feature in “The Longest Road”, a recent National Film Board documentary detailing the history of the people who shaped or were shaped by the Trans Canada Highway, the world’s longest continuous maintained road.



11.00 - 11.15   Tulsi Puja                                           
11.15 - 11.30   Guru Puja                                        
11:30 - 11:55   Aarti & Kirtan                                      
11.55 - 12.00  Sri Nrsingadeva Prayers                 
12.00 -  1:00    Vedic discourse
  1:00  - 1:30    Closing Kirtan
  1.30 -  2.00    Sanctified Free Vegetarian Feast



COMING UP AHEAD

Fasting For Saphala Ekadasi

Fasting.....................on Tue Jan 5,2016
Breakfast................. on Wed Jan 6,2016 b/w 7.51am-10.52am

Every fortnight, we observe Ekadasi, a day of prayer and meditation. On this day we fast (or simplify our meals and abstain from grains and beans), and spend extra time reading the scriptures and chanting the auspicious Hare Krishna mantra.
English audio glorification of all Ekadasis is available here 

 

 
ONGOING EVERY SUNDAY
 

Sunday School

To register,contact us
Email:sundayschool108@gmail.com
Call:647.893.9363

The Sunday School provides fun filled strategies through the medium of music, drama, debates, quizzes and games that present Vedic Culture to children. However the syllabus is also designed to simultaneously teach them to always remember Krishna and never forget Him. School
The Sunday School follows the curriculum provided by the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC).


Gift Shop

Our boutique is stocked with an excellent range of products, perfect for gifts or as souvenirs of your visit. It offers textiles, jewellery, incense, devotional articles, musical instruments, books, and CDs inspired by Indian culture.We're open on all Sundays and celebrations marked in our annual calendar.
 

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Chant and Be happy


Receiving And Giving The Holy Name
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Hare KrishnaBy Urmila Devi Dasi

Among the many presents I received for my sixth birthday were several pairs of heavy red stockings. Like most children, I preferred toys to clothes-especially duplicate clothes. So I ran to my room and pouted. Like any good mother, mine told me to return to my guests, smile, and say, "Thank you," regardless of how I felt about the gifts. We commonly show what value we place on things by how we treat them. If I respect the gift or the giver, I place the object in a position of honour or give it to someone I care for. Giving what I have received to an unworthy person or throwing it carelessly into storage shows my lack of regard for it and may invoke the displeasure of the giver. There's an example of this in the scriptures. While the sage Durvasa was passing on the road, he saw Indra, chief celestial administrator, riding on the back of his elephant. Durvasa was pleased to offer Indra a garland from his own neck. But proud Indra took the garland and, without respect for Durvasa Muni, placed it on the trunk of his elephant. Being an animal, the elephant couldn't understand the value of the garland and threw it between its legs and smashed it. Seeing this insulting behavior, Durvasa cursed Indra to become poor. (Srimad-bhagavatam 8.5 .15 – 16, Purport} Continue reading "Receiving And Giving The Holy Name
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When the Vedas also talk about transcendence, why does Gita 2.45 ask us to go beyond the Vedas?
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Does the Gita flow from 2.58 to 2.61 reflect rise from karma-yoga through jnana-yoga and dhyana-yoga to bhakti yoga?
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Can buddhi-yoga refer to all three yogas – karma, jnana and bhakti?
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Matchless Gift for Malaysia
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During the month of Damodara, the Food For Life Society Malaysia and Bhaktivedanta Books Trading Sd. Bhd jointly organised a famous project in Malaysia, the Sastra Dana and Anna Dana (food and books distribution) program.

Bhagavatam study 23 – 1.6.1-7 – Even when our disposition changes, our position may not change
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Celebrating the New Year 2016 in ISKCON-Delhi (Album with…
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Celebrating the New Year 2016 in ISKCON-Delhi (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Everyone of us is searching after some mellow, some pleasure from everything. Krishna is the reservoir of all pleasures, rasa-vigraha, fully personified. Wherever there is Krishna, there is rasa, a transcendental mellow, enjoyment, relishable. Surat, December 17, 1970.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/OisGxA

Picnic-2015 (Chapahati) in Mayapur. Dear devotees, once again…
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Picnic-2015 (Chapahati) in Mayapur.
Dear devotees, once again Mayapur Bhakti Vriksha (MBV) exploring a very enlivening news for you all that by the 20th December, 2015(Sunday) the annual picnic of MBV held with great joy at champahati (Ritudwip) ‘Gour Gadadhara’ Temple. More than 400 fortunate devotees participated in this festival, who had good fortune to see the beautiful lotus eyed deities of their Lordships Sri ‘Goura Gadadhara’ over there. The program starts at 10:30 AM with mangalacaran and Bhajan-Kirtan for one hour. H.G. Sankarsan Pr. sung a heart touching Goudiya Bhajan related with ‘Goura Gadadhara’ that compiled by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur— ‘kabe aaha gouranga balia’ …… very softly, that created a devotional environment into the consciousness of the assembled devotees. Then worldwide Congregational Development Minister (CDM) H.G. Kounteya Pr. spoke on the importance of spiritual life based on ‘Sraddha’ for 30 minutes and Bhakti Vriksha Director H.G. Sankarsan Nitai Pr. delivered the main part of the lecture for 15 munities and followed by H.G. distributed different certificates on Bhakti Vriksha Siksha Level and Sraddha-Kutir etc. After that the stage occupied with enlivening cultural dance program by one of the BV kid for ten minutes and followed by three different games program namely musical ball for the matajis; spiritually ‘symbolic identifying with gesture’ music play for the children and Tug-of-war- tuging with a huge rope of lord Jagannath Ratha for all the Mel members over there and simultaneously for all these events prize also distributed.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/jKN8ek

This is how the devotees in Mayapur celebrated New Year’s…
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This is how the devotees in Mayapur celebrated New Year’s eve (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: This is the solution to all sinful activities. Chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, be freed from all the complexities of life, and realize Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Engage in His devotional service and perfect your life so that you can return home, back to Godhead. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 25.198 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/3f5TPf

TOVP: First sandstone windows with its columns installed (Album…
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TOVP: First sandstone windows with its columns installed (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: Last week we were talking about preparing the GRC columns for the sandstone windows.
Today, we are able to give a first look at the column put into place.
Under Savya Sachi prabhu and Prem Avatar Gourange s supervision the first 2 pieces were added to the window.
On top of this column we will add a capital, which we were looking to do next Monday.
These windows will have a mixture of work in sandstone, marble and GRC.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/qWQL9m

The Most Multinational Harinama! (Album with photos) Mahavishnu…
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The Most Multinational Harinama! (Album with photos)
Mahavishnu Swami led kirtan for 5 hours non-stop!
Srila Prabhupada: One should not wait to purify himself before chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. Whatever our condition may be, we should begin chanting immediately. By the power of the Hare Krishna mantra, we will gradually be relieved from all material contamination and will get shelter at the lotus feet of Krishna, the ultimate goal of life. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 25.199 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/lazKzx

The Supreme Person
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Hare KrishnaBy Krishna Dharma Das

In its most recent survey on the subject of God, the National Centre for Social Research found that some ninety percent of us claim to be believers. One in five even said they had no doubts about God’s existence. Such statistics are perhaps surprising, given that education today tends to steer us toward more atheistic notions such as the’ Big Bang’ and evolution. Surprising also in the face of the widely touted suggestion that religion is the cause of most conflicts, a suggestion seemingly reinforced by the ferocity of some of the more fundamentalist believers seen of late. Plainly, in spite of everything, faith in the divine is an enduring feature of the human mindset. Although by its very definition belief in the supramundane cannot be proven by normal scientific methods or logic, for the faithful there are compelling enough reasons to accept God’s existence as fact. Many of the principal arguments were put forward by the Catholic theologian, Thomas Aquinas, who himself had borrowed from the Greeks (who in turn are said to have borrowed from India). Continue reading "The Supreme Person
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January 1. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations. By…
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January 1. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
By Satsvarupa dasa Goswami.
Prabhupada insisted on repeating the point that we are all servants. We may serve our bodies or families or our nation, but it is best to serve the Supreme Lord, and that is our constitutional position. In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna asks Arjuna, “O son of Prtha, O conqueror of wealth, have you heard this with an attentive mind, and are your ignorance and illusion dispelled?” (Bg 18.72). Arjuna replies, “My dear Krishna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.” In the purport, Prabhupada emphasizes that we are all in illusion thinking we are someone other than the servant of Krishna. We may even think that we do not have to serve anyone. But we do serve – either the illusory energy or the Lord.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4

Dissolved Barriers
→ Seed of Devotion

I know that man, I thought, looking at an elderly man with short, gray hair. His history within the Hare Krishna movement is dark.

The 24 Hour Kirtan in New Vrindavan had commenced, and whorls of people surrounded the kirtan party. A bitter taste came to my mouth and my mind to see this man across the way. I looked around and noticed some other people I had some personal painful history with, or disconnection, and that "loneliness in the crowd" feeling descended over me like a cloud.

Hour after hour of kirtan played on and on - on through the afternoon, on through the evening, on through the night and into the next morning. I had participated in this festival with a vow of silence - to sing only the holy name. The easiest way to keep this vow seemed to simply stay in kirtan. So I stayed in kirtan hour upon hour, singing and singing.

The final kirtan commenced, Badahari Prabhu at the helm. The melody was slow, soulful, and wound us all together with silken threads. The melody seemed to say, "Where are you, My Lord? I am so far away from You. I miss You. I need You." We sang at the top of our voices, a violin, mridanga, kartals, harmonium all filled the air, and yet there seemed to be a deep quiet beneath this fabric of kirtan.

I lost track of time. At one point, I opened my eyes and saw tears running down the faces of almost every person there. I raised my arms and tears also came to my eyes.

Spontaneously, people began to rise to their feet to dance, arms raised. I also rose. The mood changed.

Joy.

An embrace.

Krishna, You are here. You are here. 

I'll never forget. I looked across the crowd and saw the man with the gray hair. His smile shone. My judgment had dissolved. My previous conceptions melted away. To this very day, I honestly do not even remember who that man was - what his name was or his history. All I remember is that I experienced love for him.

I looked around at these faces, shining so brightly, smiling, singing the holy name. My heart swelled with love, unconditional love. I felt that these people loved me too. Somehow in the unity of singing the holy name, all the pain, loneliness, sorrow, and judgment had dissolved.

When the kirtan concluded, the dust in my heart slowly came back.

But I know now.

It's possible.

I want to get back. I want to live my life as a kirtan, all day. Every day.  
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Does the well-river example of Gita 2.46 illustrate transcending the Vedas recommended in Gita 2.45?
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Gita 08.07 – Devotion is not about rejecting the outer world but about offering the inner world
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Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast


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Faith – It is an active expression
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Service towards Krishna increases as our realization of Him increases. So service and realization are not mutually exclusive, they go hand-in-hand. Service and realization is a direct product of faith in Krishna.

The faith i am talking about is not the blind faith people profess in a superior being.
The faith i am talking about is an active expression of simple living and high thinking.
The faith i am talking about is an active expression of a life enriched with gratitude towards God with a desire to serve God and all living beings of this world free from envy and fault finding.

Such active expressions of faith is the life force of a true devotee of God. This faith is not sectarian because selfless service to God is not sectarian. Without this faith within the heart of a devotee, there is no dharma or goodness in this world. Everything else is a detail but one must guard carefully like a mother her baby to ensure that this faith is nurtured and protected.

On the threshold of a new year, I wish the faith which is burning within each of us either slow or hard, continues to grow to the point where we can offer our heart, mind, body and words with due diligence at the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.

Happy New Year 2016!

Hare Krishna.

How movies embraced Hinduism (without you even noticing) From…
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How movies embraced Hinduism (without you even noticing)
From Interstellar to Batman and Star Wars the venerable religion has been the driving philosophy behind many hit movies. Why?
Interstellar’s box office total is $622,932,412 and counting. It is the eighth highest-grossing film of the year and has spawned an endless raft of thinkpieces testing the validity of its science and applauding the innovation of its philosophy. But it is not so new. The idea that propels the plot – there is a universal super-consciousness that transcends time and space, and in which all human life is connected – has been around for about 3,000 years. It is Vedic.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/TnXQhO

New Year’s Resolutions
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By Giriraj Swami

Most resolutions take the form of “do’s”—things I resolve to do—and “don’ts”—things I resolve to not do. And Vedic wisdom tells us that all do’s and don’ts should support one main do—always remember Krishna (God)—and one main don’t—never forget Him. So for our New Year’s resolutions, we can resolve to increase our chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra, especially on beads, and our reading of Srila Prabhupada’s books. And we can resolve to decrease, or stop, activities detrimental to Krishna consciousness. And in our efforts, the Lord will help us, for God helps those who help themselves. We wish you a happy New Year—in Krishna consciousness—by the grace of Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga. Continue reading "New Year’s Resolutions
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Droova. Prince of Anger & Peace (42 min video) A play…
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Droova. Prince of Anger & Peace (42 min video)
A play adapted by Bhaktimarga Swami from the ancient epic story of Droova, a young boy who runs to the forest to meet God. Full of anger after being insulted by his stepmother, Droova’s prayer is to petition God for a kingdom greater than that of Brahma. Upon meeting God in person, however, Droova changes his mind and only prays for eternal service at the feet of the Lord.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/uLILCO