Friday, October 2nd, 2015
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Friday, October 2nd, 2015
Matamoras, Pennsylvania

A Cool Mayor

Monks in our order are allowed to vote but I would not, even if I would be an American citizen. If I WERE to vote, I would cast my vote on November 3rd for Judith L. Kennedy. She is the mayor of Newburghin New York State and with her term coming to an end and the election campaign going on, she has the chance to be re-elected. The reason why I would have put a check to her name had I the opportunity, is because she stands for moral values. I spent an hour talking to her over dinner at Newburgh’s vegetarian restaurant, Nimai’s Bliss Kitchen. Judith and I dialogued over many topics concerning the way our society is. She let me know of a recent shooting of eight people in a college in Oregon. God, I didn’t know. I haven’t been following the news lately although I got interviewed by Mark of the Sentinel Newspaper today. With Judith, we spoke of rampant drug use, the world of Reaganomics, commercialism, and being in deep debt. We spoke of Americaand the world at large being like the Roman Empire, a civilization that fell into decline with the cause coming from within.

She was totally right on with her assessment and that there’s need for change. She came, along with others, to the restaurant not just for a meal but also to hear from The Walking Monk, so I delivered 'Tales From Trails', and to do something that can shake up a troubled world, so we did kirtan. We chanted and danced up a storm, including Judith. She’s totally cool. After a long day trudging through drizzle, tracking back for dinner, and after stepping into a new state, Pennsylvania, it was worth coming to the event.

I expressed to the group how our guru, Srila Prabhupada, came to the West 50 years ago with a message and part of that message was about redefining what we call ‘partying’. His definition, having a good time with kirtan and acknowledging the Source. Judith actually mentioned to me that she uses the word Source quite a lot. Anyways, I hope to see her stay in her mayoral seat for another term.

 
May the Source be with you!

Port Jervis, Milford, Matamoras

19 miles / 31 km

 

 

How to see death of a loved one philosophically without becoming hardhearted
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How are trust and expectation related? Can we love without trust?
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By trusting someone, aren’t we give the key to our happiness to that person?

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Happy Birthday (Vyasa Puja) to Bhaktimarga Swami!
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Today, October 5th, marks the birthday (what we often say as "Appearance Day") of our very own HH Bhaktimarga Swami!  As many of our regular temple-goers know, Bhaktimarga Swami serves as Co-GBC (Governing Body Commissioner) for our Canadian Hare Krishna temples.  This means that he helps guide the spiritual course for our Canadian temples and their respective communities.

Known for his amiable personality, humble disposition and incredibly artistic nature, Maharaj is at the very heart of so many giant projects across our country.  Our Toronto temple's vibrant community, innovative outreach and fledgling congregation are certainly attributable to our dearest Maharaj.

The disciples of Bhaktimarga Swami will be organizing a Vyasa Puja celebration on Monday, October 12th (the long weekend Monday) at 12:00pm at the temple.  In our tradition, it is customary for disciples to honour their guru (spiritual master) on the occasion of his appearance day.  Everyone is welcome to join these celebrations on Monday, October 12th. You don't need to be a disciple to attend, even well-wishers are welcome!

We encourage devotees to share your "birthday / appearance day" wishes to Bhaktimarga Swami by commenting below.  We will share your wishes with Maharaj!  Hare Krsna!

About Bhaktimarga Swami (from his website):
Born in 1952 in Chatham, Ontario, Canada, Bhaktimarga Swami (formerly John Peter Vis) adopted the monastic lifestyle of the Hare Krishna order in 1973.  Globally known for his “Canwalk” marathons, he achieved the remarkable feat of walking across the entire length of Canada from the west to east coast in 1996 which was detailed in the National Film Board of Canada’s documentary, “The Longest Road”.  Bhaktimarga Swami repeated the feat again in 2003 (this time from east to west), and yet again a third time (west to east) in 2007.

Believe it or not, The Walking Monk recently finished his FOURTH trek across Canada in the summer of 2014 (Canwalk 4) which began in the spring of 2012.  With this "friend-raiser", he is once again promoted pilgrimage and a more car-free, care-free lifestyle.  In addition to Canada he has also walked across the countries of Ireland, Israel, Fiji Islands, Mauritius, Trinidad and Guyana. 

Bhaktimarga Swami is a member of ISKCON (The International Society for Krishna Consciousness) founded by his teacher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and is the GBC (Governing Body Commissioner) for ISKCON Canada.

In addition to marathon walking and administrative duties, Bhaktimarga Swami is an instructor of Bhakti Yoga (devotion to the Divine) and mantra meditation.  He is also a playwright, producer and director of live avant garde “morality theatre”, whose captivating works based on tales from ancient India are performed regularly across the globe. In his productions, The Walking Monk regularly engages youth from the global communities he visits in this “enter-lightenment” designed to uplift the spirit. 

Our Dear Head Pujaris at Krsna-Balarama Mandir
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

Our dear and beloved head pujaris (priests who perform worship services on the altar), Brahma das and Sathvathanu devi dasi are currently traveling in India.  Their travels mark the first time they have left the country in many years; their full focus on the daily care of our beautiful Deities has meant that traveling has been out of the question.  

So it was with great excitement that we heard (and then came across pictures) of Brahma prabhu performing an arati ceremony in the world-famous Krsna-Balarama Mandir in Vrndavana!  Check out the pictures below and be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of this post expressing your appreciation for our two wonderful head pujaris as they spend time in the holy and sacred land of Vrndavana!  We will try to forward your messages to them.












Thursday, October 1st, 2015
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Thursday, October 1st, 2015
Montgomery, New York

Walk or Drive But Move

The temperature has dropped to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s still fine and the weather is not severely austere. Yesterday, rain and drizzle came periodically and whether accompanied by umbrella, plastic poncho or not, constant walking provides warmth. In looking at the bright side of things, the rain of yesterday and the coolness of today provides a transition of texture and colour to the vegetation and foliage all around. Hence, the awesomeness of autumn begins to show its usual splendor.

By 1:30 PM I had completed my targeted 20 miles. That was done to make room for a drive to Schenectedy, a historic city in New York State. There we conducted a sangha, a devotional gathering with the Guyanese community. Sabrina was our host. With children all the way to seniors in the group, the mild challenge is to keep everyone perked up and attentive. Any presentation should inspire. For me, before attempting such a task, an internal mindfulness of prayer, as brief as it may be certainly helps in the endeavour.

I spoke from 9.29 of the Bhagavad Gita and explored the fairness of God. We read through the purport of our guru, Srila Prabhupada, by the way of charades. That’s always a winning approach for the kids.

Kirtan (chanting) and blessed food known as prasad finished off a great evening before the long drive back to our rendezvous in Newburgh. When choosing whether to be a passenger in a van or walking on the road, I prefer the latter. However, it’s always good to be in that vehicle to maximize time in the company of my team players, Vivasvan and Tre’von. Incidentally, Tre’von is completing a good amount of mantrameditation on his beads. It’s day number two of accomplishing 16 revolutions on the beads.

 
May the Source be with you!

20 miles / 32 km

IDEA – 4 insights for facing adversities
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Talk to students of California State University, Channel Islands
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How can I write a book?
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I have been sharing bhakti wisdom for many years and have many ideas that I wish to put together as a book. How can I go about doing this?

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Is thinking that we may not attain Krishna in one life being realistic or being lethargic?
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How can we avoid losing enthusiasm as we keep practicing bhakti over the years?
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How do our relationships in this world relate with our relationship with Krishna?
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Overcome discouragement through spiritual wisdom
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Gita class at ISKCON, Laguna Beach
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When prasad is so purifying, why don’t those who take prasad regularly get fully purified?
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“Man is the architect of his own fortune, so you make your…
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“Man is the architect of his own fortune, so you make your fortune now.”
Dhruvanath: I’d come back from India as a hippie in 1969 or ‘70, and I was attempting to write a book based on the hallucinogenic drug experiences I’d had there. At that time the devotees had a big hit record, The Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, and I thought it would be a great idea to have a chapter of interviews with the devotees.
When I finally found the temple, I met Kulashekar prabhu, and he said, “Our spiritual master is upstairs, why don’t you talk to him?” I said, “Great, why not?” We went to Prabhupada’s room on the first floor in Bury Place.
Before we entered, Kulashekar told me that Prabhupada was a great personality and we should offer our respects to him. I said, “Fair enough.”
Prabhupada was sitting on a cushion behind a low desk on the far side of the room with his back to the window. He was writing something and had his glasses down his nose. He peered up and said, “Hare Krishna,” and somehow I felt overwhelmed to be in his presence.
I automatically fell to the floor like a stick as I had seen devotees do in the temple downstairs. I simply lay there frozen, thinking: “What do I do now? When do I get up?” A few moments passed and Kulashekar motioned, “Okay, you can get up now.”
I had preconceived questions I was going to ask, because at that time LSD was my method for achieving self-realization. But when I sat there directly facing Srila Prabhupada, I went blank. I was speechless.
Somehow or other I had read The Nectar of Devotion, and I remembered that the pure devotees’ eyes are anointed with the salve of love.
Looking at Prabhupada’s eyes I could see this, and I could see that he was unlike anyone I had ever met in my life. After we had exchanged pleasantries, some moments passed, and then Prabhupada broke the ice by saying something that showed he knew what I was thinking.
He said, “How unfortunate it is that the youth of today are trying to become self-realized through the use of hallucinogenic drugs.” I was totally taken aback because this was exactly what I was going to challenge Prabhupada on. All my thoughts of writing a book went out the window.
After that I plucked up some courage and asked a question, “What are the characteristics of a pure devotee?” Prabhupada expounded for about twenty minutes just on that question.
I was with Prabhupada for about an hour, and Kulashekar was the only other devotee in the room at the time. Before I left, Prabhupada looked at me straight in the eyes and said, “Man is the architect of his own fortune, so you make your fortune now. Whatever is done is done. Now start a new chapter in your life, and in the next life go back home, back to Godhead.”
Those words are still ringing in my ears to this day.

Hare Krishna! The Cow Incarnation Of Lord Vishnu O Shri Hari,…
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Hare Krishna! The Cow Incarnation Of Lord Vishnu
O Shri Hari, Krishna, You are the Remover of all that is evil in the form of materialistic desires that have chained us conditioned souls to the vicious cycle of birth and death. I eternally bow again and again in the dust of the hoof prints of the cows that follow You in Vrindavana. Again and again let us take the dust of the hooves of the cows of Vrindavana upon our heads as we fall down like a stick before the dust of the herd of Vraja. By the grace of Mother Cow alone we see imprinted here and there in the pasturelands wetted by milk from the joyous herd numbering crores, the footprints of Lord Krishna and His cowherd boy friends running here and there. Veritably Shri Krishna, the Source of all Incarnations, is none other than Vraja Gopala, Govinda, Gopinatha and Gopijanavallabha in His Original Form.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20223

Curiosity kills the cat
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 27 August 2015, Stockholm, Sweden, Srimad Bhagavatam 3.6.6)

Krsna_and_gopakumar

The living beings originate in the spiritual world and then come to a state where they enter into tatashta – tatha, it means the edge – the marginal state where they are neither in the spiritual world nor in the material world. It is the state where the living being enters into contemplation upon his nature, as it is within his nature to not only be the servant of Krsna but also to be isvara, or the controller and enjoyer.

Once that contemplation is there, that is when the living entity enters into a neutral state. So it is not that in the spiritual world, in the midst of loving Krsna, suddenly envy develops, ‘Why do I have to serve Krsna?!’ That is not the case. It is simply that upon eternity, the living entity discovers an aspect of his own nature and when he dwells on it then for that moment, he is in tatashta, in marginal state where he is not absorbed in service.

Then from that state he can immediately return, ‘What is this?! I am not involved now in the nectarian service of the Lord! Let me immediately reassume that service!’  Or one can become curious – as they say in English, ‘Curiosity kills the cat.’  It is curiosity that can bring the living entity to the point where he decides, ‘Yes, maybe I want to try out that material realm!’  Then the living entity comes into the material energy – anadi mahirmukha – meaning that they are in the material world since the time immemorial…

Only the Best Marble for the TOVP – Part 2
- TOVP.org

This is a continuation of the previous article in which TOVP Managing Director, Sadbhuja das, went to Europe to see and purchase some of the world’s most unique marble, the best of the best.

Pictured in photo 1 and 2 is the Royal Blue marble from Bolivia that will be used on the Altars.

[See image gallery at tovp.org]

In photos 3, 4 and 5 we can see Sadbhuja standing next to some samples of white marble from Vietnam; a mock up what it will look like right next to blue marble mixed together on the steps.

[See image gallery at tovp.org]

And finally a pink marble from Turkey is shown in the photo 6.

[See image gallery at tovp.org]

The post Only the Best Marble for the TOVP – Part 2 appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Glastonbury Rathayatra (Album with photos) This Sunday was…
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Glastonbury Rathayatra (Album with photos)
This Sunday was Glastonbury Rathayatra, the last Rathayatra of the year! It was a blissful street procession as the devotees chanted and danced their way through Glastonbury town. The festival was carried on later in the Assembly Rooms with a stage programme of Bhajans, poems, songs, Parasuram’s famous magic show, a final kirtan and of course a delicious feast at the end. A really wonderful end to the Rathayatra season. Jai Jagannatha, Baladeva, Subhadra! Jai Srila Prabhupada!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/12Vuyz

New video: Only devotees can know Krsna With the analogy of bee…
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New video: Only devotees can know Krsna
With the analogy of bee licking on the bottle of honey, Srila Prabhupada explains that Mayavadis do not have access to the real knowledge about Krsna as they do not dive deep into the ocean of devotion. Please watch this video to know some more philosophical points about how only devotees can know Krsna.
Watch it here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20212

Hare Krishna! Sivarama Swami addresses World Peace Forum A group…
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Hare Krishna! Sivarama Swami addresses World Peace Forum
A group of devotees from Radhadesh, Belgium, recently attended the World Peace Forum conference in Luxembourg and Germany for two days. The meeting was attended by MPs, diplomats, academics and other professionals. The general mood among the meeting’s participants was very open and friendly. We have been invited to these meetings for the last 3 years. The main topic was the current refugee crisis in Europe. Representatives of different projects described their work and got responses. On the first day we chanted for 20 minutes for the delegates and distributed nearly 100 burfis. On the second day devotees started the general program with a bhajan and then we played a 10 minute video presentation by HH Sivarama Swami on the topic of the ISKCON Hungary response to the refugee crisis.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20208

Krishna – The God of Gods
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No other religious/spiritual text proclaims the supremacy of God as Bhagavad Gita does. In Bhagavad Gita, Krishna proclaims His supreme dominion as supreme God of all that be in a poetic and awe-inspiring manner. Arjuna who was the direct first-hand recipient of this knowledge conceded to the supremacy of Krishna after Krishna proclaimed His supremacy. Following, Arjuna himself glorifies Krishna in his own words as follows.

You are the supreme Brahman, supreme abode and ultimate purifier, the eternal divine Person and original God - unborn and almighty. All seers, such as Devarsi Narada, Asita, Devala and Vyasa, say this of you, and You in fact are personally telling me. Kesava, I accept as true all that You tell me. Neither gods nor demons know your personality, Lord. Only you yourself know your Self by your Self, O Supreme Person Who causes beings to be! God of gods! Master of the World! Kindly describe fully your vast, divine powers - powers by which You continue to pervade these worlds.

- literal translation of Bhagavad Gita 10.12-16 by HH H.D. Goswami

Hare Krishna