Sunday, February 8th, 2015
→ The Walking Monk

Mayapur, India

Dogs and Others


At dawn the dogs are still asleep.  You'll see a solitary guy just lying rolled up on the sand.  If it’s a puppy it will lie coiled around its mum or dad.

Our passing by them makes no difference to their slumber.  They are beautifully resolute and will not move until the sun or some other urge beckons them.

I'm noticing a decrease in these homeless fellows, at least on the campus at Mayapur and also an increase in jackals.  The jackals love Mayapur and for one major reason.  One kitchen man at the Gada Building told me that jackals look forward to kitchen scraps and prasadam remnants left on banana leaves.  They really party it up at night.

When you think about it, whenever you trek you'll view living entities and whether they fly, crawl, or prowl, most of them are on the big search for food.  It appears to be the number one objective.  I'm not sure if movement geared toward a sleeping venture is a close second in terms of rank.  Mating is a cause for motion as are opportunities for a good fight.

We have cornered or identified four major functions of souls in this world.  Rather our guru identified them for us.  Humans are also included in these dynamics yet we play a major role as having a proclivity towards the spiritual.  This does not mean we wield condescending attitudes towards other beings.  It means we have an obligation more so to protect these other creatures in carrying on with their business of an eco-natural culture.

May the Source be with you!

6 KM

Saturday, February 7th, 2015
→ The Walking Monk

Mayapur, India

I Was Coming


I was coming from lunch in what's called the Lotus Building and when I was descending the stairs a young male Russian doing the same made an observation.  We both noticed the pilgrims from Kolkata.  They were sitting, resting, and playing on the grassy grounds.

The Russian devotee remarked, "They really know how to enjoy." I concurred.

In the developed world people get bored if you don't pay a big fee for a water park.  And I said, "If there's no engine next to you making a roaring noise, how do you get stimulated?" 

Naturally these people are coming from Kolkata, "The City of Joy."  They consider this outing a great time.  They came here in a crammed bus, went through hellish traffic, then stood in the sun in a long queue for lunch - on arrival.  All this and no complaints.  They are an unspoiled group.  They enjoy each others' company.  "I hope that this country won't become developed," I thought.  Incredible India!

I have always felt that about this amazing land.  People smile.  They enjoy the simple things and very much value relationships.  It is a resilient race that survived subjugation for hundreds of years.  Mind you, challenges are there but for the most part, India's spiritual foundation can be identified as the reason for its upbeatedness. 

There is a need to clean house.  It is crowded in places and the lavatories are minimal in number but this great land of Bharat can truly be noted for its glowing dharma.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Friday, February 6th, 2015
→ The Walking Monk

Mayapur, India

The Mist is Thick


The mist is thick and but for the moon all is beautifully dark as our usual group hits a trail.  When the second ball of light, the sun, pulls the fog - you hear the sounds of the morning.  There's the twitter of birds, bells from the temples, and the morning cry from the local Mosque.  And, oh yes, you can't see but you can hear someone in the midst of a bucket-tossed shower - gathering up all the phlegm of the world and spitting it out.  It's a common sound, really.

The air, with its winter-end chill is practically nothing to respond to for someone in a Canadian body but it is for others.  Winter coats, sweaters, and scarves is the way of addressing it.  It did send me for a moment to the past when I would don my barn coveralls on a really chilly day in Canada.  I was off to milk the family cow at 5:30 AM.  My dad would give me a call, "John!" he'd say in an optimistic tone.  I would rise from bed and then meet the outdoor February chill.

"It's fresh, it's good for you!"  he said.  I never doubted him.  It seemed that he relished the bite on his face, a bite of robustness.  I had come to appreciate his remark many years later.  That was a warm flashback.

As we trekked onward and stopped to greet cows at the goshala, I came to pet the bull that a few days' before almost gored me.  Once again a flashback to the farm when I was in my teens.

Mayapur, I love thee! 

May the Source be with you!

6 KM

Thursday, February 5th, 2015
→ The Walking Monk

Mayapur, India

Reveal One's Impressions


At the final session of our monk sanga (gathering) our facilitator asked us to write down a statement revealing our impressions.  This was my off-the-cuff rendition:

"Krishna is fond
When we do bond
In sharing views
We destroy our blues."

Another verse from the Bhagavad-gita confirms the notion of chatting on spiritual topics.  Such activity brings about the greatest joy.  That verse is 10.9.

If we talk of practical matters we may get bored.  If we talk of purely mundane matters that are demeaning to others one may find stimulation but such subject matter serves to backfire.  Then there are philosophical talks, as pandits do - talks which perk the intellectual side of the brain.  Finally when one takes shelter of spiritual talks, it compels one to transcend.

It is well-known that your tongue can lead you to hell.  When directed to a spiritual channel our words can liberate us.  One of our great bhakti teachers, Bhaktivinoda Thakur spoke about the tongue being voracious and the most uncontrollable among the senses.  When you engage this tongue in not only chanting but in eating food which is offered to Krishna, it becomes purged and all other sense organs follow in line.

With the sadhus (monks) expressing themselves with words in appreciation of each other, you could feel a light energy, free from stress.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Wednesday, February 4th, 2015
→ The Walking Monk

Mayapur, India

Unity in Diversity


I was asked to read the following letter to the body of monks that have come from all over the world:

Following in the footprints of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu:

trnad api su-nicena taror api sahishnuna
amanina manadena kirtaniya sada harih

"One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.''

We must always remember this verse and be as tolerant as the tree, as we execute the Krishna Consciousness Movement.  Without this mentality we cannot be successful.

Material nature means dissension and disagreement, especially in this kali yuga. But, for this Krishna consciousness movement its success will depend on agreement, even though there are varieties of engagements. In the material world there are varieties, but there is no agreement. In the spiritual world there are varieties, but there is agreement. That is the difference. The materialist without being able to adjust the varieties and the disagreements makes everything zero. They cannot come into agreement with varieties, but if we keep Krishna in the center, then there will be agreement in varieties. This is called unity in diversity. I am therefore suggesting that all our men meet in Mayapura every year during the birth anniversary of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. With all GBC and senior men present we should discuss how to make unity in diversity.  But, if we fight on account of diversity, then it is simply the material platform.  Please try to maintain the philosophy of unity in diversity. That will make our movement successful. One section of men have already gone out, therefore we must be very careful to maintain unity in diversity, and remember the story in Aesop's Fables of the father of many children with the bundle of sticks. When the father asked his children to break the bundle of sticks wrapped in a bag, none of them could do it. But, when they removed the sticks from the bag, and tried one by one, the sticks were easily broken. So this is the strength in unity. If we are bunched up, we can never be broken, but when divided, then we can become broken very easily.

May the Source be with you!

6 KM

Krsna gives us beyond our dreams
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 27 January 2013, Radhadesh, Belgium, Radhadesh Mellows Class)

peacocksIf we simply chant in the mood of being Krsna’s servant: Krsna is my whole life… all my energy is for His glorification and everything I do, I do for that. If one spends a life like that then Krsna will just shower us and shower us with mercy. The example that Prabhupada gave was that Krsna has ten arms! If you hold onto your material attachments, how can you stop Him!? You have it on one arm and then you try to block Him with the other one but He has ten arms. He gets around you… on top of you… everywhere… and He has got it out of your hand in no time!

So, whatever Krsna wants to take from us, there is nothing that we can do. Therefore, let go! Then when we let go of all our false possessions, our false pride, our false hopes, our small petty little things that are so important to us, if we let go, then, yes – Krsna has ten arms. Then Krsna will give and when He starts giving with ten arms, He gives more than we can hold! Krsna gives us beyond our dreams!

Proposal for New Playground at New Vrindaban’s Home School Co-op
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

by Vidya dasi

Gopal's Garden School Building

Gopal’s Garden School Building; Playground is on far right side of picture, not totally visible.

Wouldn’t it be nice to fix up the play ground at the New Vrindaban Home School Co-op, Gopal’s Garden?

Wish they would do that!

Wait! Who’s “they”?

It’s me!   Us! What could I do? Well I’ve been part of some great projects in the past at New Vrindaban. Why not try something else? So, for 2015, I am making this playground improvement my service. If you have ideas for this, or would like to help, please let me know. I already have some things we can use. Plus, the added attraction is that Ruci is cheering me on!

See the link below for a great sand box for the school.

Vidya 304 845 5416

See Amazing Sandbox here

sandbox

 

 

Arrival in Vrindavan, February 11, Vrindavan
Giriraj Swami

GRS_BCSOn his arrival in Vrindavan, Giriraj Swami met with some devotees and shared an account of his time in Kolkata and Mayapur.

“In Mayapur Yadubara prabhu was showing the trailer for his feature documentary film about Srila Prabhupada called Acharya. It will run about ninety minutes. It was very moving and impressive. I spoke with him and then it was time for puspanjali and arotik. The Panca-Tattva made a lot of arrangements.”

Arrival in Vrindavan Talk

The magic is still there!
→ Servant of the Servant

We hear so many sadhus performing miracles, manifesting gold, curing diseases etc. But ISKCON the way it began and grew and the way people got attracted to Prabhupada was simply a miracle. While kirtan, prasadam, philosophy was there, it still was not sufficient to set the ISKCON Juggernaut ball rolling. It was one man Prabhupada to whom so many people got attracted.

Besides considering the commitment required to be in Krishna consciousness, it was anything short of miracle. Unlike other world religions, Krishna consciousness was not forced upon anyone, it was an open voluntary movement started by a 70 year old man. To voluntarily give up meat eating, alcohol and illicit sex for westerners especially is not something to be taken lightly. Indians born in pious brahman families engage in such sinful behavior...so to be born in a western culture and having these habits since childhood and just give it up instantly is anything short of miracle. Then above that to chant Hare Krishna for two to three hours everyday at a minimum is unthinkable. What to speak of young westerners in their 20's willing to take up sanyas to preach about Krishna?

So Prabhupada was like a pied piper hypnotizing people towards Krishna. So in that sense, it is a miracle. The movement we see and experience today is simply the wake left behind by Prabhupada in the 60s and 70s. If we want to continue to spread this magic, then we have make things simple by letting Prabhupada lead from the front and that is possible by adhering to his instructions, reading his books, chanting Hare Krishna and sincerely purifying our own consciousness free from envy and pride.

The magic is still there!

Hare Krishna

Hare Krishna! BBT Once Again Selling Srila Prabhupada’s…
→ Dandavats.com



Hare Krishna! BBT Once Again Selling Srila Prabhupada’s “Original Edition” MacMillan Bhagavad-gita As It Is
Great news has just come from Srila Prabhupada’s BBT in Los Angeles. Due to so much popular demand, the BBT-I has made available for purchase 4000 copies of the “Original Edition” Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972 MacMillan) for mass and individual distribution. The Los Angeles BBT has purchased these original Gitas from BBT-India, who just finished printing 100,000 copies for distribution and is performing this valuable service for Srila Prabhupada and for the deliverance of the conditioned souls of Kali Yuga. Every penny of the purchase price stays within Srila Prabhupada’s BBT.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15528

Gaur Purnima festivities begin in Mayapur
→ Mayapur.com

Mayapur.com welcomes all the devotees who have arrived here for Gaura Purnima 2015 festivities. Today saw the commencement of Sravna Utsava. This is the second time Sravna Utsava has been organized. There would be lectures from 12th to 15th February on Gaur Lila, pastimes of Lord Nityananda, Brihat Bhagwatamritam, Sat-sandharva and Sri Jagannath lila.  This […]

The post Gaur Purnima festivities begin in Mayapur appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Nemesis in a bag of peanuts
→ The Vaishnava Voice

Peanuts

I’m afraid I laughed at the misfortunes of another human being this morning. Its not a Vaishnava quality to laugh at others, I know, and I should be much more compassionate. I’m sorry.

The subject of my laughter was Mrs. Cho, the daughter of the Korean Airways CEO, who ordered the plane she was on to be turned around from the runway and one member of the cabin crew ejected for failing to serve her peanuts on a plate. Apparently she also forced him into kneel in apology before her. Now she is the one who is being forced to bow, as the judge has sentenced her to one year in prison for violating air safety law.

How do people get so above themselves?

The great king Yudhisthira was once asked a series of riddles: “What is it that, when you abandon it, the whole world loves you?”

“Pride,” the king replied correctly.

“And what is that, when you lose it, you become happy instead of sorrowful?”

“Anger.”

“What is it that, when you give it up, you become rich?”

“Desire.”

That question and answer dialogue may be 5,000 years old but the rules still apply today. The notion of having power over others may provide a temporary gratification, but it starts to unravel pretty soon. Real happiness – and I’m speaking here of ordinary happiness within the world – comes when you are loved, and love comes to you when you think of others first, thinking of their happiness before your own.

Ordinary logic dictates that if you are powerful, then others will serve you, and that they should serve you, so the best course of action is to cultivate power, and specifically power over others. But that only leads to power being the one commodity everyone aspires for, which leads to power struggles. People will serve someone with power often because they want the same power or possessions. It is a service based on selfish aspiration, envy or political flattery.

In Vedic circles, being very highly placed in society then falling to a low position is known as yoga-bhrasta, a hubris followed by a nemesis. Its painful when it happens, but Nature provides us all with these precious opportunities so that we can reform ourselves and develop the key that will open the door to the highest heaven: Humility.

 


World’s Largest Bhakti Vriksha Community Hidden in Persian Gulf
→ ISKCON News

 An intriguing and inspiring new documentary by French filmmaker Vasudeva Das takes viewers into the world’s largest Bhakti Vriksha community, comprising of multiple Krishna conscious congregational groups. The twist? It’s located in the Persian Gulf, in a country whose name is withheld due to its laws against public exhibition and propagation of non-Islamic practices.

First Annual Congress Brings Latin American Educators Together
→ ISKCON News

The first “Latin American Congress of Education with ISKCON,” brought together ISKCON educators from all over South America, along with prospective collaborators. Their goal was to create effective networks amongst each other, share inspiring reports of educational efforts; identify strengths and challenges faced in ISKCON education in South America; and develop practical proposals for implementation.

Hare Krishna! Second day of GBC AGM focuses on Disciples Course,…
→ Dandavats.com



Hare Krishna! Second day of GBC AGM focuses on Disciples Course, Child Protection and Healthcare Services in Mayapur
11th February 2015: After four days of Strategic Planning Network meetings, the GBC Body reconvened today beginning with a presentation by Anuttama Dasa on the ISKCON Disciples Course (IDC) which shall be a mandatory pre-requisite for all devotees accepting first or second initiation by an ISKCON guru, from Janmastami, 2015 onwards.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15517

Hare Krishna! From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir: HG Vaisesika…
→ Dandavats.com



Hare Krishna! From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir: HG Vaisesika Das
There is a way in which to perform tapasya in order to control the senses. It is a kind of combat between the practitioner and the desires and emotions within. But after all, we are sentient beings, which means we have emotions and we have desires. Therefore, the abject denial of desires and emotions can make the heart hard. From a hard heart, anger may arise. Therefore, we as Vaisnavas, perform yukta vairagya. That is, we perform austerities by rejecting anything that cannot be used in the service of Krishna.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15514