Keep The Mind’s Task Simple
→ Japa Group

"Don't be tempted to add anything to this task. Keep it simple. Don't even attempt to hear only one mantra at a time, this will push the mind to think of the future, demanding to know we plan to hold it captive. Keep the mind's task simple and gradually the mind will act simply."

From Japa: Nine Keys from the Siksastakam
by Bhurijana dasa

ISKCON Scarborough – Kirtan Standards Seminar with HH Bhaktimarga Swami – Saturday- 27th Dec 2014
→ ISKCON Scarborough



Hare Krishna!
Please accept our humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!

For the 1st time at ISKCON Scarborough, a Kirtan Standards Seminar will be conducted by with HH Bhaktimarga Swami coming Saturday, December 27th 2014 from 9 am to 12 noon(yes in the morning!).

This amazing seminar will present the proper etiquette and standards that are meant to be followed at our temple. Moreover, this will give an opportunity to ask questions and discuss various topics related to kirtan.

This seminar is for everyone - current/future kirtaneers, Mridanga players & Kartal players as well as for devotees who do not directly take part in Kirtan

Please pass along this invitation to your friends and family members as well.

There will be a sumptous free vegetarian feast served at the send of the seminar.



ISKCON Scarborough
3500 McNicoll Avenue, Unit #3,
Scarborough,Ontario,
Canada,M1V4C7

Email Address:
iskconscarborough@hotmail.com

website:
www.iskconscarborough.com



Five Forms of Krishna You Can Access Right Now
→ The Enquirer

I think we should turn to the correct form of Krishna for the specific need or interaction we desire.

There are primarily two forms of Krishna we can access directly: the name “Krishna” and the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. There are also three other important forms within our reach: Krishna’s deity, Krishna’s devotee, and Krishna’s dhāma.

I think Krishna’s name is the form to turn to for giving ourselves, giving our heart, in utter purity and simplicity. Chanting Hare Krishna with real attention means offering our whole being to Krishna without any strings attached and with no ulterior motive. So I think the name is the form of Krishna that purifies the sādhaka by accepting his or her heart in sacrifice. Its the “fire” in which we “offer” our core being, in “sacrifice.” We turn to the name out of feeling the need to give ourselves entirely and wholly to Krishna — “svāha.”

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the form of Krishna with which we converse! I don’t think we should primarily turn to the name or the deity for conversation with Krishna. We should turn to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam for that. Krishna’s conversations constitute Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. If we dive deeply into reading it, those conversations include us and speak vividly and directly to and with us.

Krishna’s deity is a form that allows us to see the name, which otherwise is mainly heard. But I think the deity’s special function is to provide a focal point for the practice of personal service to Krishna. So, we turn to the deity out of need to practice rendering some personal favors or services to Śrī Krishna.

The other two forms of Krishna that even we sādhaka (by liberal application of the term) can access are: Krishna’s devotee and Krishna’s dhāma. These are devotional expansions of Krishna which support his rāsa. I think we turn to Krishna’s devotees for to gain empathy and sympathy and inspiration towards the Bhāgavatam, Deity, and Name. I think we turn to Krishna’s Dhāma (which is the platform that supports the name, deity, bhāgavatam and devotee) as we would turn to our mother – seeking affectionate support and nourishment.


Collecting spiritual wealth
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 01 December 2014, Mayapur, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 6.1.50) 

spiritual wealth3It may be true that some people carry a little more spiritual strength from a previous life than others. But, whatever we have got with us in terms of a stock, is not going to last. It is like money; some may have a little more money in the wallet than others, but if you do not make sure that new money comes into the wallet then even if you have a fat wallet, soon it will be empty. Somehow or other, it goes anyway. So, the point is that in this life, we need spiritual strength so that we can have the conviction to actually take up the challenges in spiritual life. That strength is not just coming from what we got from birth. That strength is what we need to build up and that is the main point; one must collect daivī sampad or spiritual wealth.

Just like someone in the world who is always looking for opportunities to make some money, this way or that way to make money. Materialists are always looking for opportunities. In a same way, a devotee is always looking for opportunities to collect some spiritual wealth because it is that spiritual wealth that is the source of strength. Srila Prabhupada gives that example of placing iron in fire and then the iron will act like fire. So the more spiritual wealth we collect, the more that the result will be that we will be more spiritually strong.

 

Gita 07.13 – Let spiritual desire take us from the surface to the substance
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Holy Name Meditation Podcast:


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Gita 03.01 – The Gita’s complex multi-level message is intellectually challenging and fulfilling
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Gita Verse-by-verse Study Podcast:


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Krishna conscious program for deaf children (6 min video) Sri…
→ Dandavats.com



Krishna conscious program for deaf children (6 min video)
Sri Bhakti Das, from Chile: We are trying to share Krishna Counsciousness in Chile through music, prasad, and book distribution. The name of our band is “Krishna Sambandha”.
I would like to share with you a short video of deaf children teaching us how to chant Hare Krishna in sign Lenguage.
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/xC5bfW

Rasa Parayana Prabhu ACBSP left his body As I was ending the…
→ Dandavats.com



Rasa Parayana Prabhu ACBSP left his body
As I was ending the diary here, I received a call from Adya Prabhu again. I sensed the call, and I was right, “HG Rasa Parayana Prabhu has left his body.” Said Adya Prabhu. He left his body at 4.20am (California, USA time) during the brahma muhurta hours. My breathing became thicker and heavier. Adya prabhu continued,” RPP was so cheerful after the conversation with Jayapataka Swami this morning, especially after listening to the pastime, and he left the body in KC way, with so much spiritual vibration, without going through any pain.” I informed Jayapataka Swami about RPP’s glorious passing while he was just wheeling out from his room to give his evening Katha. Before beginning Srila Prabhupada Katha for tonight, Jayapataka Swami spoke about RPP and made a group prayers for his safe journey back home back to godhead.
Photo below- Jayapataka Swami and HG Rasa Parayana Prabhu on the boat, giving out Kitchidi Prasadam to the villagers during the 70’s flood relief program.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=14768

The Poverty of Spirit
→ ISKCON News

The best way to tackle world poverty and indeed all other material problems is to simply abide by the divine instructions given by God, depending on him for our needs while engaging in spiritual practise to keep our desires and demands in check.

Something Positive
→ travelingmonk.com

For the past several months Hong Kong has been disrupted with massive street protests challenging some key government policies. Regularly tens of thousands of people have come out venting their anger and frustration by blocking important streets and avenues. On a few occasions the protests turned violent. Last week the police forcibly cleared the streets [...]

Hold On To Your Beads!
→ Japa Group

"In the beginning, the rock stubborn, lazy mind will rebel with a thousand excuses and obstacles to foil one's attempt to implement the three M's. Persevere; hold on to your beads! By the mercy of Sri Guru and Gauranga one will patiently progress through the three stages of method, mood and mellow."

From Art Of Chanting Hare Krsna
by Mahanidhi Swami

Service and more service
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, October 2014, Mayapur, India, Siksastakam Seminar: Verses 1&2, Part 1)

HolyDhamMayapur39It was here in Mayapur, quite some years back, that once I chanted sixty-four rounds. It was probably a festival day and it was not easy because there were devotees everywhere who wanted to talk to me so I was avoiding everybody quite a bit – when I saw a devotee, I quickly went in another direction. Okay, I made it; sixty-four rounds got done!

Then, there used to be a reception in the Long Building, 111. I walked through the reception after my sixty-four rounds, and I saw a newspaper and my tendency was to go read the newspaper! And I go like, “What’s this? I just chanted sixty-four rounds and the first thing I want to do is to read the newspaper!”

Because to chant those sixty-four rounds was so much stress for my mind, for all those hours I had basically fixed the mind on chanting that afterward, I felt like relaxing and reading a newspaper or something. So, it is not so simple to just chant and chant deeply out of love for Krsna, that is very exalted but at least, by chanting in a regular way, we get some grip on the forest fire (of material desires) and we can contain it. It is still burning… it is not put out yet… day and night, it is still burning in the heart… all these desires are still there burning, blazing and still pushing… but we keep them contained with boundaries around them. Just like a forest fire, sometimes they clear areas around the fire and dig trenches so there is no fuel to go further and it stops there and continues to burn.

So, this is how we build trenches around our ashram. Even varnashram – finding a service that can absorb us. For many of us, it has been service that has been the saving grace over the years. Yes, chanting our rounds was there – a minimum of sixteen and most of the time that is what is was, just a minimum, and ashram and so on… but then the service. If one has a lot of service, that service forces us to sacrifice our personal desires.

 

 

Real meaning of diksha
→ Servant of the Servant

The process of attaining transcendental knowledge is called initiation.  We should know that the Supreme Lord is the transcendental Absolute Truth, we are His eternal servants, and we have no duty other than to serve Him.  Knowing this is actual initiation.   The absence of understanding is ignorance.  At present, there is a controversy about the word “Initiation.”  People proudly claim that they have taken initiation from a bona fide spiritual master, but how can they maintain material attachment even after taking initiation ?  How can they desire to make advancement in material life ?  If they don’t learn about their relationship with the Lord, independent and proud people uselessly brag about their initiations.  Rather than treating their spiritual master as if he were as good as God, they treat him as their disciple, fit  to be their order-supplier. Considering the guru an ordinary mortal being, these persons become offenders at his lotus feet.

- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur - Page No.262 and 263 of the book ‘Amritha Vani’

Two-Day Mridanga Course – Jan 17-18, 2015 -REGISTRATION CLOSED
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

UPDATE - REGISTRATIONS ARE CLOSED - COURSE IS FULL!

The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple is very excited to announce that we will be hosting a special two-day mridanga course for anyone and everyone - all ages and mridanga playing levels welcome!  The course will be taking place on January 17-18, 2015 from 10:00am to 5:00pm on each day.

The course will be taught by Devala Prabhu, a young, second-generation Hare Krishna youth from Alachua Florida who is a masterful mridanga player.  He will be facilitating the two-day course at the temple and everyone is invited.

Course Details:
UPDATE - REGISTRATIONS ARE CLOSED - COURSE IS FULL!
Dates - Saturday, January 17th to Sunday, January 18, 2015
Timings - 10:00am to 5:00pm (both days)
Fee - $70 for both days (lunch included)
Registration - Registration is mandatory and payment must be made before the course date (registration form at the bottom of this post)
Other Notes - please let us know if you will be bringing your own drum or if you need one
Contact - please see poster below for contact information


Bhaktin Cath becomes Chitra Devi Dasi! (Album 32 photos) Srila…
→ Dandavats.com



Bhaktin Cath becomes Chitra Devi Dasi! (Album 32 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: For a devotee, liberation is no problem at all. The impersonalists undergo severe penances and austerities to attain mukti, but the bhakta, simply by engaging himself in the bhakti process, especially in chanting Hare Krishna, immediately develops control over the tongue by engaging it in chanting, and accepting the remnants of foodstuff offered to the Personality of Godhead. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.25.33 Purport)
See them here: http://goo.gl/3zvqlM

The following transcriptions have been uploaded.
→ The Spiritual Scientist

If Draupadi was dishonored due to her past karma, why did the Pandavas have to take revenge?

Is instantaneous forgiveness the characteristic of pure devotion and seeking retribution that of neophyte devotion?

Can grihasthas who want to preach make preaching as their source of livelihood?

How can we stay in the mode of goodness?

How can we understand which mode we are in?

Should we preach to make people ISKCON devotees or to make them better human beings?

The religious rural culture of India is being replaced by materialisitc culture. What can we do to counter this?