Realisations Of A Group Member
→ Japa Group

I received a very nice realisation from a Japa Group Subscriber. I will share it with you here.

Most often while we chant we hear other voices of our thoughts. Sometimes these other voices can become overpowering and the voice of chanting can become like background voice.
I found raising one's volume of chanting helps. This is analogous to raising the volume of car music system to tune out traffic noise. I could now relate to the recommendation of the acharyas on how chanting aloud can dispel Maya.

The key is however to become conscious of background voices taking over and to raise the voice of chanting to counteract it.

Thanks
Your servant
Kishorinath Das

Documentary on the spectacular upsurge of visitors to Govardhan…
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Documentary on the spectacular upsurge of visitors to Govardhan Hill
(3 min video)
This is a three-minute trailer to an upcoming feature-length documentary on the spectacular upsurge of visitors to Govardhan Hill, North India. For centuries, steady but modest numbers have kept to the practice of circumambulating the hill, which is regarded as the epicenter of Lord Krishna’s pastimes in ancient India? Today those numbers have suddenly soared to millions. Watching this in-depth presentation may find you joining a crowd of expectant pilgrims on the 21 KM trail around the hill. Be warned.
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/7rA2Xb

Harinama in Prague (Album with photos) Srila Prabhupada: Muci…
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Harinama in Prague (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Muci haya suci haya yadi krsna bhaje. It is said that even a cobbler or person born in the family of a cobbler can be elevated to the position of a brahmana (suci) if he takes to Krishna consciousness. Any person who is purely Krishna conscious and who engages in chanting the Hare Krishna mantra is the purest in the whole universe. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.12.37 Purport)
See them here: http://goo.gl/MMd6NU

Ram Navami @ ISKCON, LUDHIANA Appearance Day of Lord Rama (Ram…
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Ram Navami @ ISKCON, LUDHIANA
Appearance Day of Lord Rama (Ram Navami) was celebrated at ISKCON Temple, Ludhiana with great enthusiasm and devotions. The festival starts at 6PM with ecstatic sankirtan by temple devotees. Very beautiful Phool Bangla was made in the temple. His Grace Narottamanand das, Temple President gave lecture on the past times of Lord RamChandra and said that Sri Ram Navami is dedicated to the memory of Lord Rama and this festival commemorates the birth of Lord Rama who is remembered for his prosperous and righteous reign.There was panchamrit Abhishek (Bathing) of Lord Ramcander by the temple devotees. Chhapan Bhog was offered to Their Lordship. A large number of congregations attend this grand festival. After aarti , full fasting prashadam was distributed to the people.

who do you serve?
→ everyday gita

Verse 4.38: In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has become accomplished in the practice of devotional service enjoys this knowledge within himself in due course of time.

The quest to figure out who were are and what we are meant to do is one that many have embarked on. Perhaps you are on this very quest yourself.

For some people, its a journey they've been on since childhood. For others it's one that they have embarked on later in life. Perhaps, like me, these questions started occupying your mind towards the end of high school when you felt pressured to choose a major in University.

The Gita provides the answer for all of us.

We are spiritual beings (having a material experience) and we are meant to serve.

The answer is so simple and elegant. Know what the best part is?

It is applicable to everyone regardless of gender, nature or culture.

Personally, I have always struggled with "what it is I'm meant to do". The Gita's answer that we are meant to serve is a powerful one for two reasons:

1. It isn't prescriptive. It takes into account that everyone has different natures and inclinations.

2. It indicates that consciousness behind an action is more important than the action itself.

When speaking about service, the Gita is defining it as a mood, intention and attitude. It's not the service we receive as part of a business transaction but rather the understanding that everything we do is in service of something or someone and is done with a particular intention/consciousness. Whether we realize it or not, the thing we serve most is often our own minds!

For this week's challenge, we invite you to stop once a day to ask the question "who am I serving?" before doing something. It's a powerful question and the answer might surprise you!

The Story of the Arrival of Our Deities!
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

The presiding Deities of the Toronto Hare Krishna Temple are Sri Sri Radha Ksira-Chora Gopinatha (Radha Krishna), Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai and Sri Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra.  Everything we do in our temple is a just a humble offering to the Lord and our Deities are the heart of our temple!  Below, you can find the latest pictures of our beautiful Deities, information about darshan times and even the stories about how our Deities arrived in Toronto!

We've recently updated the page on our website dedicated to our Deities and we've added stories about how our Deities arrived to our beautiful temple!  Check out our new "Our Deities" page by clicking here!

Canada Couple Try to Live Prabhupada’s “Simple Life” Gaura Nitai…
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Canada Couple Try to Live Prabhupada’s “Simple Life”
Gaura Nitai and Lala Gopi’s 100-acre “Govinda’s Farm” in King’s County, Eastern PEI overlooks the Northumberland Strait of Nova Scotia and includes a 140-year-old Victorian house, a barn and outbuildings. Today, the couple live in the house with their Gaura Nitai and Jagannath Deities and their 23-year-old son Rama, who moved back home to help out. “When we first came here, we paid cash for the land – we don’t take mortgages out,” says the likeably direct and plainspoken Lala Gopi. “After that, we only had $600 left to our name.”
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/QKhxR9