Brampton/Toronto, Ontario

What Is Family


ISKCON Brampton was a tad more quiet than usual according to one of the members.  Though their turn out of 80 people was low due to pilgrimages to India and the absenteeism of some of the youth on drum lessons, I thought the attendance was quite fair. 

It is Sunday, after all, and it’s a day that families are available for spiritual charge-up.  Hey, I’m proud to say that there are a lot of families, good family folks that form the major body of attendees at this midday gathering. 

I brought pilgrim, Manu, with me and he gave the talk citing many references to the family unit.  It got me thinking.  There’s one way we might describe the word family, it is a group of souls that share biological karma together.  Then, let me try something else, it is a network of souls that have the opportunity to serve each other over and over again.  I thought further on, a family could be viewed as a group of beings who can evolve or devolve together. 

We’ve heard of family feuds such as in the case of the Pandavas vs. the Kauravas, as found in the epic, The Mahabharat.  It’s sad, but all blood relations don’t always get along.  Evidently, genuine spiritual discharge has proven to help in damage control.  Somehow we need to see beyond the bodily platform and come to appreciate that as spirits, we belong to a one universal family. 

I was glad to catch a glimpse of this concept being put into practice.  A young drum teacher, Devala, by name, came to our ISKCON Toronto branch, where youths from Brampton and other areas took some lessons from him.   Devala created an atmosphere of family just with the thump of the mrdanga drum.  With his 30+ students, a powerful heartbeat of drums made you want to march, if not dance into the world of synchronicity. 

It was great!

May the Source be with you!

6 KM

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The film about Krishna consciousness was the winner of the Moscow Film Festival
At the prestigious Moscow Film Festival took third place film about Krishna consciousness . “Long-lost” - twenty-five minute short about a young man in search of Truth meets Krishna consciousness.
The film became popular in the Russian Film Festival and other international festivals. The Russian Film Festival in Moscow “I see God”, the audience gave the film “long lost” the third place of the 65-year-submitted pictures. In all the movies of their authors have tried to convey his understanding of God.
“Long-lost” was also approved by the London Film Academy. October 31 he demonstrated at the British Film Institute, along with other short films. The film is dedicated to the proposed for display at the prestigious American Film Festival in Utah. And if it approves of the jury, then from January 22 to February 1, 2015 the film will be shown at the festival.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/MWUQG5

Wanted Dancers, Actors, Singers!
For the Spectacular 40th Anniversary of the Krishna Balarama Mandir Grand Opening
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/YZIEuL

The latest collections by award-winning fashion designer and Krishna devotee Mandali Mendrilla, inspired by her path of devotion, have been featured in the February issue of British Vogue magazine. The magazine’s staff told Mandali that they felt her beautiful contemporary designs would be a perfect fit for their customers.

A study reveals that curcumi may provide what the authors describe as an "effective therapeutic strategy to reverse age-related cerebrovascular dysfunction."

Neuroscientist Sara Lazar's amazing brain scans show meditation can actually change the size of key regions of our brain, improving our memory and making us more empathetic, compassionate, and resilient under stress.

The world believes that Newton was the first to discover the law of gravity. You will be surprised to known that the theory of gravitation was created 1,200 years before Newton by an Indian mathematician Bhaskaracharya.

Pierre Edel - vocals, guitars, bass
Daria Fisher - vocals, violin
Dmitry Zelensky - drums

The post January 22nd, 2015 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

The post Without surrendering to Krsna our chances of liberation are those of a snowball’s chances in hell appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Our final week’s challenge (at least for a now): Who is this Brijabasi?

Bonus challenge: What’s the occasion connected with this photo?

What to do: Post your guesses on the “who, what, when, where & why” in the comment section at the New Vrindaban Facebook page.

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.17 during a program at the home of Gopal Acharya dasa.

“We heard the wonderful descriptions of Mukhara mataji, how she had awakened to her eternal identity and her eternal service to Radha and Krishna. We all can experience the same result if we follow the same method with the same spirit. Even though our forms will be different in the spiritual world, Srila Prabhupada said we will recognize the people we knew in the material world. So, this is also very encouraging We will be reunited in kirtan and seva. That is achieved primarily through the chanting of the Holy Names —Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.”

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Home Program in Nigdi, Pune

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Śrī Kapila Deva gives a wonderful summary of the most important rules (yama) and regulations (niyama) in Śrī Bhāgavata Mahā-purāṇa (3.28.2~5). These are exactly compatible, by the way, with Patāñjalī’s presentation of the same.

Fulfill your responsibilities to the best of your ability, and don’t try to adopt someone else’s lifestyle.

Everyone in the world seems to have something we don’t, some opportunity we wish we had, some asset we can only dream of. Learn to say, “So what? They deserve it. Let them have it. I have what I deserve, and I have what I need.” If we can’t learn to feel this way, we will (a) never be satisfied with anything we have, any situation, and (b) we will neglect to tend to the things, people, and situations we are responsible for tending to. “A” causes material desires to multiple, and “B” does the same by nourishing self-centeredness and ignorance of our duties.

Be satisfied with what comes by natural destiny, and tolerate dissatisfaction.

This principle supports the previous. It is by destiny that we have what we have and don’t have the opportunities that we don’t have. Be satisfied with it, tolerate your dissatisfaction with it. If you don’t you will get sucked into never-ending work trying to adjust and readjust your situation, and sucked into the hopeless, resource devouring war against the universe (destiny).

Be very respectful towards those who understand spirituality, and do not harm anyone at all.

This describes the proper attitude towards living beings. We have to be respectful, all the time. If we are not, we nourish our self-absorption. We express the respect differently towards different people. We can express it most fully towards beings who are the least selfish. So towards those who have realized their true selves, and who are therefore humble and spiritually aware, we can fully express our respect. We can express respect in different ways to other people, being helpful. At the very least, even towards poisonous snakes and insects, we should make all efforts not to harm them. (Though if such creatures attack those it is our responsibility to protect, that principle takes precedence).

Develop attraction for the path of enlightenment, and don’t nourish your attraction for the ways of mundane life.

This could mean many things. In essence it means not “hanging out” with people who are totally into mundane sense-gratification. Hanging out (means “recreation”) with them will only cause us to also begin to value mundane sense-gratification. That’s the niyama. The yama is to try to hang out with spiritually minded people. This sort of recreation means enjoying the glorification of Krishna, and discussion of spiritual philosophy and the service of saintly people.

Eat pure things, and don’t overeat.

Vegetarianism is implied, and healthy, simple food is implied.

Be truthful, and don’t cheat.

Hardly needs a comment.

Be simple, and don’t take more than you really need.

This goes along the lines of “eat pure, and not too much.” Minimizing our needs and simplifying our life, and getting rid of unnecessary things gets tons and tons of mental and emotional baggage out of our minds, make it much, much easier to meditate effectively.

Live in a secluded, peaceful place.

Sorry folks, this is important. Hate to say it since I am blogging right now, but the internet is not a “secluded, peaceful place.” We could move to the top of a mountain, but with the internet on our iPhone it would still not be a secluded, peaceful place. In contrast living in Manhattan without the internet, television, radio, or newspaper would be far, far, far more secluded and peaceful.

Study attentively, aided by cleanliness and celibacy.

It’s not just “service, service, service.” Service is one of the important principles. Another important principle is to study. Aid the study by being clean and organized, especially when and where you study. Aid the study also by keeping your mind sharp. Celibacy sharpens the mind when done intelligently. “Unintelligent celibacy” means trying to stretch it longer than is reasonable for you as an individual. Bhāgavatam is clear (3.12.42-43) that each of the four personality types takes to each of the four spiritual lifestyles in their own capacity. For most people vows of celibacy should be quite short and reasonable, otherwise it becomes more of a distraction than an aid to ones focus on study. Short periods of celibacy can be repeated, this is more effective for the common man in kali-yuga. Those who are actually qualified self-motivated entrepreneurs (vaiṣya) can take this principle for a longer period (like a year). Those who are qualified leaders (kṣatriya) can take it for as long as it takes to finish the study. Those who are qualified intellectuals (brahmana) can take it forever.

This reveals something important. If the brahmana takes brahmacarya (celibacy) forever, how would there ever be any brahmana children? Therefore it is obvious that the brahmacarya principle does not need to mean absolute celibacy. Procreation certainly does not violate brahmacarya. It can be argued that sex as a part of fulfilling ones responsibilities as a partner, husband, or wife also does not violate brahmacarya. But sex which is initiated by ones own desire, for the sake of ones own pleasure certainly violates any concept of brahmacarya. The brahmana should never participate in such. The kṣatriya should not participate in such while he or she is in the course of study (this means during the few years one is studying something to master it). The vaiṣya should discipline himself/herself so that at least it is limited within a year. The śudra should also disciple as far as possible, though even to go as long as a year is an unrealistic expectation. These principles do not refer to birth caste, but primarily to the emotional nature.

Worship God

This means doing daily rituals that involve one in worshipping god. It doesn’t mean śravaṇa, kīrtana, smaraṇa bhakti. That is part of a higer principle, here we are simply discussing yama, niyama. Bhakti sādhana proper begins with dhyāna (focusing on Hari’s līlā by hearing, chanting and remembering)… see 3.28.11

Be silent

Again, its a little embarrassing to write about this on an internet blog.

Especially after just having written something that is sure to make waves (among ISKCON readers who stumble on this page without the context of brahmacarya as a niyama of aṣṭāṅga-yoga.)

But this illustrates why its good to be silent. If you’re not, you get pulled into arguments, debates and discussions that only fill your mind will emotional and intellectual refuse which make it hard to cultivate any real meditations.

Tagged: Niyama, rules and regulations, yama, yama-niyama, Yoga

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Bhagavad-gita 12.6-7 and other devotees shared memories and realizations.

ye tu sarvani karmani
mayi sannyasya mat-parah
ananyenaiva yogena
mam dhyayanta upasate
tesham aham samuddharta
mrityu-samsara-sagarat
bhavami na cirat partha
mayy avesita-cetasam

TRANSLATION
But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Pritha — for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death.

—Bg 12 6-7

“One point that seemed especially relevant in the purport is Srila Prabhupada’s statement that it doesn’t matter what service you perform, what matters is that you devote yourself fully to Lord Krishna. Mother Mukhara was such an unassuming devotee that one could have missed noticing how devoted she was. Because we tend to see things in an external way. But, Krishna doesn’t see things in an external way. He sees things in every way — especially the intention or consciousness of the devotee. Mother Mukhara showed that spirit of selfless service.”

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Mukhara devi dasi’s Memorial Service

Today this thought was on my mind. It's very easy to allow the mind to wander off.....much like a small baby who follows his eyes and mind all over the place going here and there discovering something new.
The child like mind needs to be brought back the self (soul), like when we call the baby back so that it remains out of danger, we need to call back the mind to the Maha mantra and keep it safe away from the allurement of the material energy.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 December 2014, Cape Town, South Africa, Evening Lecture)

There is always mercy to give to people, at work also. Some people are such good preachers, it is amazing. Just like in London, there is this Chinese lady and she sometimes comes to see me off at the airport and then she starts preaching there. She preaches to Chinese people. She always finds some Chinese and she wants to give the mercy to them!

Once, she met some Chinese people and she found out that they had an eight hour wait at the airport and said to them, “Oh, then you can come to the temple.” And she took them to the temple. She just took them to the temple! That is spirit, it is possible.

She works for a construction department of the government and she has to approve construction projects, so like budgets and certain inspections… and even there she is preaching all day. All day at work, no problem, but she does her job.

So, there are so many ways to serve Krsna. Everyone can serve Krsna twenty-four hours a day. It does not matter where you live.

Jagannath Puri: A visit to Gambhira & Siddha Bakula (Photos and descriptions)
A visit to the house of Kasi Misra, where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stayed during His Jagannath Puri lila.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/3sDDh1

Auckland NZ. The nectar of the holy name! (Album 38 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If by the tongue you chant Hare Krishna mantra, and by the tongue you taste prasadam, you will be perfect, simply by executing these two things. London, July 12, 1973.
See them here: http://goo.gl/lOYxp1

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Saturday nights at the Lotus Room, Sydney, have now switched to the Govindas Asrama and even though it’s smaller, somehow the same amount of guests squeeze in.

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