Towards Vrindavan
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Today I leave for Vrindavan to begin preparations for our Kartika parikrama. Over 300 devotees have registered. I am very happy to be going home, but something in my heart tells me I belong back on the front lines preaching Krsna consciousness to those less fortunate than me. I am missing Mongolia. I felt very [...]

Hare Krishna! From the Beatles to Elvis Presley, these musical…
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Hare Krishna! From the Beatles to Elvis Presley, these musical devotees have brushed with fame: meet the Hare Krishnas of Hong Kong
A full page story featuring an article on the Hong Kong ISKCON temple, along with an interview with His Holiness Bhakti Bhringa Govinda Swami was recently published in the South China Morning Post, a renowned English newspaper in Hong Kong, After a two week tour of China performing kirtan in a number of public events Govinda Swami’s last stop was the city of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong temple organized 3 public kirtans programs for Maharaja and his kirtan group, all of which received a very favorable response. The reporter herself attended the kirtan event held in the Hong Kong temple and it was at that event that she received news for her story.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20448

Hare Krishna! Avoiding the 10 offences Srila Prabhupada: A…
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Hare Krishna! Avoiding the 10 offences
Srila Prabhupada: A serious student of Samkirtan can get rid of all the above offences if he desires so, knowing well the different forms of offences and by refraining from them by all possible precautions. This can however be done without difficulty by continuous chanting of the Name of the Lord and for such constant reciter of the transcendental name of the Lord, there is no room for committing such offences.
In conclusion we may add that without culture nothing can be made to perfection. The culture of the science of Samkirtan is Sree Krishna Himself, both being non-different. In mundane matters only the means and the end are different from one another. But in the transcendence the means and the end are non-different. In preparatory stage only, for chanting the Name of the Lord, there is every chance for committing the above offences but for the reason of that we must not be disheartened at the least. We should always remember that both the preparatory stage and the perfection stage of Samkirtan is nothing but Samkirtan. The difference of these two stages are realisation and non-realisation only.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=2984

Hare Krishna! The Need for Struggling Together to Help Each…
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Hare Krishna! The Need for Struggling Together to Help Each Other
Niranjana Swami: I wanted to express my convictions today, not based upon my position as an “authority”, but from a personal and open-hearted viewpoint of someone who has had many years of experience in ISKCON. If you see any validity to these years of experience, then maybe when I open my heart to you, it may influence you, in some small way, to understand why I feel that this counselor system is important. I am not here in the capacity of the GBC for Moscow. I’ve come to realize that hammering from the GBC doesn’t open anyone’s heart. Frankly, I’m tired of hammering, and therefore I put away my hammer many years ago. If I ever use a hammer again, it will be only to hit a nail. I am not going to hammer on your heads to accept this system, although I may try to open up a few minds, and hopefully some hearts as well. Just before I came here, I was thinking that if I opened my heart first, it might have some influence. I’m therefore just going to express to you why I personally feel it’s important to have this counselor system.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=1869

Carrying the mercy
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 09 September 2015, Randburg, South Africa, Youth Group Bhajans)

LCBy the mercy of the holy name, we are here. The holy name is being carried by devotees. In the Srimad Bhagavatam, there is a description of how the Ganga is entering into the universe – as Vamanadeva cracks the shell of the universe, a drop of the causal ocean enters into the universe. That drop is falling down towards the middle planetary systems where we are residing.

Then the demigods come with kumbas, pots, in which they carry the Ganga in the same direction the Ganga was already going and they bring the Ganga down. I mean, exactly in the same direction the Ganga was flowing but now they are carrying it down. Then, Ganga comes to planet earth. On planet earth, Ganga is known by many; during kumba-melas as many as twenty million people take bath in the Ganga. Then, Ganga goes down further and comes to the lower planetary systems known as Bhogavati. In the Bhogavati, nobody knows about the Ganga but somehow or other, by accident people take their bath in the Ganga or get benefit unknowingly.

So, why are the demigods carrying the Ganga? Because the demigods understand that the Ganga is liquid mercy and if they carry this mercy, then they get more mercy because they partake in distributing it. So not only do we get the credit for receiving mercy, we also get credit for giving it. Therefore, the demigods brought their pots, caught the Ganga, carried the Ganga to planet earth where many were eager to bathe in the Ganga.

So we can compare the sankirtan movement to the centre of the Ganges and we can see that the sankirtan movement is spreading. It is spreading everywhere simply by being carried by the devotees. The acaryas carried this holy name and brought it to so many places. Somehow, they made this holy name the tool by which they changed the world. So, still now, it is possible to carry the name. One who carries the name gets the most mercy. Then there are those who are bathing in the name and they are also receiving the mercy. Then, there are the neighbours who do not know what is going on but they also take their bath in the ocean of nectar of the holy name without even knowing what is going on. So, in this way, let us be carriers of the holy name. That will be the most wonderful.

Hare Krishna! The Unknown History of Big Book…
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Hare Krishna! The Unknown History of Big Book Distribution.
Mahatma Das: (The following is an excerpt from an unfinished book about my life in Krsna consciousness. It details the history of how big book distribution began in Iskcon, a history which has not been chronicled in any Iskcon publications. The scene takes place in Vancouver, Cananda, November of 1971.) At this time in Iskcon (1971) big book distribution had not yet begun. We only distributed Back to Godhead magazines (BTG’s) on the street. We usually got donation of 25cents per magazine. If we were lucky, we might occasionally get a really big donation of 50 cents. We thought it was difficult to get that much money from most people so we didn’t usually ask for it. I have never been one to be happy with the status quo (sometimes that gets me into trouble) and I began thinking that we should try to distribute Krsna Books which had just recently been published. That was such a big way of thinking at the time that it was hard for any of us to take it seriously, myself included, since the Krsna Books sold for $8 and we were cautious about asking for mere 50 cents. Yet on one Canadian holiday in which everyone stayed home, we decided to go door to door.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=2288

Three last wishes! Alexander, the great Greek king, after…
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Three last wishes! Alexander, the great Greek king, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed. So, the mighty conqueror lay prostrate and pale, helplessly waiting to breathe his last. He called his generals and said, “I will depart from this world soon, I have three wishes, please carry them out without fail.” With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their king’s last wishes. “My first desire is that,” said Alexander, “My physicians alone must carry my coffin.” After a pause, he continued, “Secondly, I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury.” The king felt exhausted after saying this. He took a minute’s rest and continued. “My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept dangling out of my coffin.” Alexander’s favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. “O king, we assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled. But tell us why do you make such strange wishes.” At this Alexander took a deep breath and said: “I would like the world to know of the three lessons I have just learned. I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure any body. They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted. The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way to the graveyard is to tell people that not even a fraction of gold will come with me. I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth. And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I wish people to know that I came empty handed into this world and empty handed I go out of this world.” With these words, the king closed his eyes. Soon he let death conquer him and breathed his last.

Councillors approve plans for new venue at Hare Krishna temple…
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Councillors approve plans for new venue at Hare Krishna temple in Aldenham
Plans to build a new venue on Green Belt land at the Hare Krishna temple site in Aldenham has been approved by councillors. Bhaktivedanta Manor, in Hilfield Lane, submitted a planning application to Hertsmere Borough Council to build a two-storey “Haveli”. The proposal was submitted following the council’s adoption of a planning brief in 2012, which sets out the manor’s plans for the next 15 years. The “Haveli” building will be approximately 2,000sq m.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/IqqTWH

Hare Krishna! Lust blinds love liberates Bilvamangala Thakura…
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Hare Krishna! Lust blinds love liberates
Bilvamangala Thakura was a wealthy south Indian Brahmin and belonged to a cultured family. But he got attracted to a prostitute named Cintamani. The attraction soon became attachment. And as it happens when we get attached to worldly enjoyment we lose our intelligence and subsequently our dignity. The fire of lust was so intense that he was not at all moved when his father died; in fact standing near the pyre of his father he was engrossed in the thought of Cintamani. The body of his dead father did not bring tears to his eyes but his eyes were eager to see the physical beauty of the lady.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20436

Acid Test
→ Tattva - See inside out

Sometimes I pause for thought – “what is motivating my spiritual journey?” The fact that one continues on with a seeming enthusiasm, year after year, may not tell the full story. When we receive appreciation, respect, encouragement and a plethora of impending opportunity, it’s somewhat easy to carry on with a gusto and drive. There is, after all, an immediate sense of achievement, value and purpose. The defining moments, however, often occur when that reciprocation is not so forthcoming. That’s the acid test to measure the sum and substance of our spirituality. In those difficult times we witness where we are actually drawing our enthusiasm from. Is the driving force a genuine spiritual connection or more based upon material gratification? What happens when all the results are taken away?

Periodically, we'll all be confronted with situations where people are oblivious to our sacrifices, unappreciative of our endeavours, and seemingly unimpressed with our contributions. People may even misunderstand our purpose and cuttingly criticise us. Swami Prabhupada talked about a period of his life where he was "crying alone in the wilderness." Few who heard, even less who genuinely appreciated, and scarcely anyone who actually helped. He nevertheless continued on with no loss of enthusiasm. In such testing times, the level of our spiritual purity is exhibited and developed. One must be fixed in the consciousness that there is divine appreciation for our sincere endeavours, even if the individuals around us aren't so forthcoming. When Mother Teresa scribed her poem entitled "Do it Anyway," she concluded with a poignant reminder - "in the final analysis its between you and God, it was never between you and them anyway."

Thus, in the rollercoaster journey of life, the ‘good times’ and ‘bad times’ all have their part to play. Whatever encouragement we receive is being willed by providence because it’s the ‘need of the day’ in our spiritual journey. Those times of stability, prosperity and recognition, should be utilised for spiritual immersion so we can build up assets of inspiration, gratitude, strength and unbreakable faith. And when the acid test comes, when we’re stripped of that encouraging support, crying alone in the wilderness, then we exercise the internal muscles by practicing resilience, humility, patience and tolerance. The test will expose us, educate us and hopefully inspire us. It’s a learning curve and I’m trying to remain alert – surprise tests are always around the corner.

Bhaktimarga Swami’s Walk Featured on ISKCON News
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

Bhaktimarga Swami has been on a walk through the United States of America, as part of our international movement's honouring Srila Prabhupada's arriving in America 50 years ago!  Check out the article below!

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The Walking Monk Retraces Prabhupada’s Journey
By: Madhava Smullen ISKCON News on Oct. 7, 2015

Bhaktimarga Swami has become famous as “The Walking Monk” from his treks on foot four times across his native Canada, as well as across Ireland, Israel, Fiji, Mauritius, Guyana and Trinidad. On each walk, he shares his message of reconnecting to a simple, natural, and God-conscious life with the media and locals along the way.

The Swami’s current walk, however, may mean the most to him on a personal level. Dubbed “Walking for our Teachers,” its theme is to honor all teachers in a broad sense—but in a more specific sense, Bhaktimarga’s own guru.

“Personally, we’re walking to honor ISKCON’s Founder-Acarya Srila Prabhupada, who was at the cutting edge of animal rights, vegetarianism, going back to the land, and of course spiritual enlightment,” he says. “People know the Hare Krishnas, but they don’t know about the person behind it all. So I feel it’s our mandate now to let people know who Prabhupada was.”

Bhaktimarga Swami’s walk began on September 20th at Boston’s Commonwealth Pier, where Srila Prabhupada first reached the U.S. on the steamship Jaladuta in 1965.  [Read More]

Cows Have Started to Arrive at Govardhana Farms
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

As many of our regular congregation members know, two young devotees from our community - Fil and Sukhayanti devi dasi - have started Govardhana Farms!  Aside from their organic vegetable program, wherein organic produce was sold to our devotee community this past summer, they are actively working on starting their cow protection program.

The first cows have arrived to Govardhana Farms and there are some very nice videos that we're sure you would love to see.  Check them out below.

Also, don't forget!  The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple has sponsored a cow (set to arrive to the farm very soon) which will be saved from slaughter and we are asking you to help us name the cow!



University Program
→ Ramai Swami

imageimageimage

The Mahendradatta University is one of the many universities in Denpasar and some of our devotees teach there.

I was invited me to give a lecture on the relevance of Bhagavad-gita in the modern age. Kishora das, from Radha Madhava temple, opened with a talk on the importance of varnasrama and protecting cows.
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Don’t Miss This Opportunity
→ Japa Group

"But here is a tongue given by God. You can utilize it for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Don’t miss this opportunity. That chewing facility, tasting facility, you’ll get even in cat’s life, dog’s life. But this chanting facility you’ll not get. This is in this life, human form of life. So don't misuse it. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa regularly and be happy."

Initiation Lecture,
December 26, 1969 - Boston

When many spiritual paths say they are the best, how to choose our path?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast:


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Preserving tradition means fulfilling the purpose of the tradition
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Class at New Jersey
Lecture Podcast:


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How to deal with people who don’t want to clarify misunderstandings?
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He went for the jugular
→ Servant of the Servant

This woman here is the official reception director for VIP's coming to Paris. In fact, she was the woman who arranged for Srila Prabhupada's reception at the Paris City Hall. The protocol was made very clear to us - that when we go into the reception room, everyone should stand and the mayor will give his opening remarks and then Srila Prabhupada can reply. The way it worked out was somewhat different.

The mayor waited and Prabhupada sat, and the mayor started getting nervous and Prabhupada sat. Then everyone was looking at Srila Prabhupada and I leaned over and said, "Srila Prabhupada, they're waiting for you to stand." Srila Prabhupada looked at me and said, "I'm supposed to stand for who?" and refused to stand. So the mayor started his remarks and gave his greeting to Srila Prabhupada seated, probably the first time in the history of the country that anyone had been received in City Hall without standing up. Then when the mayor was finished saying how Paris has always been such a spiritual city, Srila Prabhupada stood at that moment and said, "Mr. Mayor, you have spoken very nicely about how France is such a spiritual country, etc.

Let us examine what is spiritual," and went right for the jugular, that there is a soul within the body and any government that is unaware of the difference between the soul and the body is a demonic government. "Just like your Napoleon Bonaparte," (he pronounced the name "Napoleon Bona-partee"), "he said, 'I am France.' France is there. Where is Napoleon? The soul is gone. Where has it gone? This is the importance of proper spiritual training is to understand the difference between the body and the soul

- Following Srila Prabhupada - Rememberances by Yogeswara das

Srila Prabhupada ki jay!
Hare Krishna

Sunday, October 11th, 2015
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Sunday, October 11th, 2015
Pigeon Lake, Alberta

Smooth Synergy

I feel myself to be very fortunate, being in the best company. Through culture and like-mindedness, I feel very cuddled in the huddle of community spirit. I believe that many many people, especially in the capitalistic world, lack the community experience and find themselves to be so very alone.

I know we have written of this before but once again, the moose (of which you will find a fair share of here in Alberta) are happy campers being alone. Humans, however, have that angle in life which calls for social intercourse. To humans I say, “Be human and not a moose on the loose.” Take the goose, for instance, here we find another creature (also common enough in these parts) that flock together.

The gathering of devotees of Krishna from Canadaat this year’s Annual General Meeting in Pigeon Lakeare an incredible, stimulating, and inspiring group of individuals. It appears to me that they have a heart to discuss and then implement actions that can add color to the world. No, I am not saying we’ll save the world no more than I’ll admit that we are better than everyone else. We are all in the same boat shifting within varying lifestyles the activities of eating to sleeping, to mating and defending.

What I would dare to say is that, as a monk in the Krishnaorder, we can offer a mild reminder about the spiritual component of life. I really like it how our guru, Prabhupada, put it when questioned by a reporter from the Butler Eagle News in Pennsylvania (and here we set no boundaries between the US and Canadian border),

“If Americans would give more attention to their spiritual life, they would be much happier.”

Well, our group of leaders who converged at the lodge at Pigeon Lake, chanted, talked, ate, and slept with spiritual motives in mind. It brought about a beautiful synergy I hope is the type of synergy that can more readily be shared amongst others.
 

May the Source be with you!

0 miles / 0 km
 

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Saturday, October 10th, 2015
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Saturday, October 10th, 2015
Pigeon Lake, Alberta

Mud Feet

Everyone needs a little downtime. I’m getting mine at Pigeon Lake. Yesterday, I had flown from Pittsburgh to Chicago, on to Edmonton, and then finally driven to a rustic looking resort where a European settlement began 175 years ago on Pigeon Lake. In this countryside retreat, called Rundle House, you can find bison bones on display which were found in the area along with a massive tooth left from a mastodon. Personally, my interest is strong in this. There is also a plaque on the wall with a quote on creativity which reads,

“The man who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been before.”

No author is credited here.

To fill the rooms of this building and some additional cabins are our members of Iskcon, the leaders actually. Here at this year’s annual gathering for Canada’s Thanksgiving, important strategies were discussed with messages along the lines of “what gets measured gets improved” and “the difference between a dream and a goal is a written statement”. Presentations were truly inspiring.

Now, Pigeon Lakeis quite sizable and at one point in the day it was 20 degrees Celsius. I was tempted to go for a swim but by the time our meeting ended, that idea seemed less appealing. I did, indeed, stroll out to the water’s edge or what I thought was the water’s edge. The 20 foot wide beach was actually a depth of black muck. I sunk but not deep. I had seen enough old Tarzan movies in my youth to know what to do when stuck in quicksand. I leapt out fast, grabbed on to something and didn’t panic, knowing well that we’re not talking about some African soil here. Basically, I was happy to use my legs on this feet-easy day.

Frankly, it’s hard to sit at a chair for hours when your feet are accustomed to trekking 20 miles per day. My resolve is that it is short term. It is an austerity which is never a negative action on the part of a monk.


May the source be with you!

0.5 miles / 0.8 km
 

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Friday, October 9th, 2015
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Friday, October 9th, 2015
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

Never Seen The Stars

“I’ve never seen the stars like this before,” remarked Tre’von.

“You must have spent your whole life in the city,” I guessed.

“That’s true”, he said and then he started to rap something along the lines of,

“Your ego says you’re such a big shot

When you see the stars you’re not even a shot

Not even a spot

Not even a dot…"

He was really liking the early excursion, making our way through small hamlets under the ever-changing sky. He was appreciating the brahma muhurta hour, the time before sun up . He told me Einstein called it ‘the genius spot’.

The sun had just come and Matt from ‘The Standard News’ came by with a recorder. It was question time. “The Daily Item” news also sent a rep who took notes.

“Why notepaper and a pen?” Vivasvan asked when he caught up to us with his van.

The reporter said, “If I record, I’ll have to listen to it all again. I just take notes.”

As the questions went on, Tre’von took the liberty to grab Vivasvan’s camera and then walk a few metres to the gathering of local farmers huddled around representatives of the controversial Monsanto. With camera in hand Tre’von posed challenging questions regarding the tampering of God’s seeds. Monsanto’s rep attempted to respond to radical Tre’von’s cutting queries.

I wasn’t there to hear the dialogue but my daily companion put his warrior self out to action and then relayed back to us the stirring points that were exchanged.

The final little rendezvous place along Buffalo Valley Trail Run was the termination spot for my walking today. We then rushed to Pittsburghfor my flight to Edmontonfor the weekend. I will miss magical Pennsylvania.
 

May the Source be with you!

18 miles / 29 km
 

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Thursday, October 8th, 2015
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Thursday, October 8th, 2015
Danville, Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg

It wasn’t long into the swing of our trek today that media attention came our way. Tre’von and I were ambling along through the fog on bustling Highway 11 when Vivasvan informed us that WHLM radio wanted to have an interview at the station.

Okay. And so we went to Bloomsburg downtown. It was great to see some pedestrians downtown walking or rather, off in a dash to work. Seeing pedestrians is sometimes quite rare in these parts.

Following that interview, the ‘Press Enterprise’ newspaper with their rep, Mike, came to see us at the highway for more questions. I felt that Mike took our pilgrimage to be a very different kind of story. A photographer also came by, snapping shots to include the traffic in the background.

Yes, the traffic, that is part and parcel of the whole walking experience, the sharing of space with creatures much bigger than you – trucks and cars. Fortunately, a more subdued road lay open for us, a quiet one along Hemlock Creek all the way to Danville. Here, life seems almost perfect. Country homes are smartly maintained with trimmed grounds all around. The occasional farmer passes by in truck and sometimes someone in a car, maybe en route to the office. On this stretch of the trek, I met this down-home couple on the front porch of their house. The woman was actually sitting there with a display of her own grown veggies up for sale. For one dollar you could go away with three whopper tomatoes. When I approached her for the purchase, I could understand that her speech was impaired. She rapped on the living room window to get her hubby’s attention. Bearded and in coveralls, he came out to greet. The charm of this simple couple was almost too much. Here are quite the remote people making a modest living for themselves from their tiny rural dwelling.

The one other outstanding feature today was bumping into an older Indian gentleman clad in traditional white dhoti right here in conservative small city Pennsylvania. He couldn’t speak a word in English but what he did say a few times in absolute ecstasy was “Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna....”
 

May the Source be with you!

20 miles / 32 km


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Wednesday, October 7th, 2015
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Wednesday, October 7th, 2015
Berwick, Pennsylvania

By The Farms

It is easier to make the gradual climb up a slope of a hill than to descend. We humans just don’t have a good brake system built within us. Coming down just isn’t so easy. Other walkers and runners say the same thing.

Perhaps we can take this as an analogy on life. We might think that the way down is a breeze, that it’s the easiest mode of travel. Yet, it’s the challenges in life that give strength and tough skin, so to speak. Perhaps the balance of both makes sense. Different muscles get activated on both the ascending and declining ordeals. Let’s consider these physical blessings happening in these two ways. Enjoy those hills, as we are in Pennsylvania.

Tre’von and I found the hills to be splendid when daylight became present. It’s farmland now. There’s corn and soya fields and there’s animals. We even saw the first sign of Amish communities. Eventually, we made it to a small city, Burwick, and then on to Highway 11, a dreaded stretch of passionate motorists.

Amongst friends we made were two ladies from ‘The Standard Speaker’ newspaper who caught up with us at the local Mexican taqueria place. There the proprietor became an instant amigo with us in exchange for the veggie plate he gave us. We presented to him Iskcon’s official simple cookbook, ‘Higher Taste’. He was grateful.

Perhaps the lightest part of the day for me was receiving a call from an acquaintance struggling with drugs but who now, after the 12-step process, is doing much better. I would say that at all costs one should stay away from harmful drugs as stimulatingly promising as they may be. Too many people’s lives are destroyed by such intake and that holds true for alcohol as well. To those items — stay away! Stay away!
 

May the Source be with you!

20 miles / 32 km
 

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Hare Krishna! Reflecting on Half a Century “Bhakta Tom,” he said…
→ Dandavats.com



Hare Krishna! Reflecting on Half a Century
“Bhakta Tom,” he said the first week, “we’re going out to chant Hare Krishna. Please come with us.” His sincerity encouraged me. He regularly organized the inspiring chanting and dancing on the streets. Tall and charismatic, he played a drum and led the singing. Once, on seeing Jayananda entering the temple, Prabhupada paused his lecture and said of him, “Jayananda looks like Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Yes! He was tall and stout and strong. Caitanya Mahaprabhu.” Sri Caitanya benevolently gave humanity a dispensation, five hundred years ago, to chant Krishna’s names as the sufficient means of spiritual deliverance. Just a recipient of the grace of Prabhupada and Sri Caitanya, I lacked any further qualifications to join the Hare Krishna movement.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20424