Saturday, November 19, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Fast approaching

The Chariot Fest fast approaches, mañana (tomorrow) to be exact. Many visitors from different locations in the country have arrived. From outside Germany, comes a monk, Bhakti Bhushana Swami, a wonderful peaceful monk if ever I knew one. I already mentioned about Mahavishnu Swami, who’s from the U.K. And then there’s myself, from Canada.

I met Mark, a New Yorker, now living in Santa Fe, who was startled to hear a kirtan party in one of the sections of Buenos Aires where he was on an art assignment. He sought out the temple and came over. Nice guy.

I also met Ricardo, an Ayur-Vedictherapist. He agreed to work on my stiff thighs, so we made a much-needed appointment. I now have happier legs.

I have been coming to Argentina since 2006 so I’ve become acquainted with many of the youth, whom I’ve engaged in the plays in the past. Two brothers are now members of a band, playing at nightclubs. It’s not what I recommend, but I’m glad they love Krishna and I’m glad they come around.

A fourteen-year-old, the son of one of my disciple students, asked me what I thought about his school teacher asking him to accept Jesus in his heart. I explained that Krishna isthat heavenly father that Jesus talks about. So, both father and son give good guidance, but to compare notes, Krishna, though the disciplinarian, is more fun and you can accept both persons as guides.

May the Source be with you!

3km




 

 

Friday, November 18, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Buenos Aires, Argentina

While Waiting

 

Hard work with the drama practice, but while waiting for all to show up, I pulled together this poem:

 

Dream and Cream

 

It’s a blessing to be alive

In such a honey bee hive

Sharing space of purity

Where darkness becomes obscurity

 

In a safe ashram temple

Far from the judge mental

We sing and we play

Even on the most gloomy day

 

Keeping to some regimen

For even Bhakta Benjamin

We sit and hear a lesson

Always time for some question

 

We honour the best food

At the three point interlude

A session for social intercourse

Essential for a bonding force

 

Here the hurricane of MAYA

Infuses the fever of fire

Like anywhere within and out

The intent is to put out doubt

 

We scrub and we clean

For body / mind hygiene

We are pulled by the Supreme

To the land of dream and cream

 

May the Source be with you!

3km



 

 

Thursday, November 17, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Buenos Aires, Argentina

A Day for Coaching

We were in the temple room with a couple dozen devotees just after darshan time when swami, 7 years my senior, said, “Ring or sing?”

I didn’t quite get what this British swami was saying. Then it came to me that I have an option to either do the honour of the guru-puja ritual (where you ring a bell) or lead in singing the song to revere our guru Prabhupada.

“I already led at the 4:30 am chanting, so if you want to sing, Maharaja?” I inquired

This Maharaja’s name is Maha Vishnu and, despite his mature age, he demonstrates all this energetic power for public chanting as well as the temple indoor stuff. That I can respect. I personally have an issue with the eccentric hat he wears. We monks are entitled to opinions, however.

Anyway, he sang and I rang.

I was pleased to receive from one of my volunteer actors, Muktinatha, a copy of his wife’s new cook book Cocina de las Cuatro Estaciones. The author, Daksha Devi, put a lot of energy into this beautiful publication. Kudos to her.

And I was also excited to know that back home, where snow has begun to fall, in Brampton, Ontario, a special workshop on “Leadership Parenting” by Gopi Gita, an education coach, will be taking place. This is a first and I highly recommend this valuable course held this weekend.

A super day of drama practice ended with a walk in the neighborhood. We took to a stroll which included as breaks some japa circles to chant and discuss. I do feel like a coach most of the time.

May the source be with you!

4km





 

Wednesday, November 16, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Buenos Aires, Argentina

All His Mercy

My last festival here was in 2019 and now that I’m back at the same service of giving class, leading the chant and directing a drama, it almost seems like I have not missed a beat. The last item is the biggest but happiest challenge.

First of all, there is a language barrier. I know little Spanish. So, how does one direct a play written in English to a Spanish-speaking group? Getting the script translated was accomplished, but, as most people know, intent can be lost in translation. A lot of the work for me is establishing the proper mood for each character and the interaction between several on the stage.

As usual, I am left to surrender to this and other projects and when all seems hopeless, even in terms of where to get volunteer actors. Krishna comes through with His magic. He really does! By the end of the practice, the end of the day, He jells all of the fragmented pieces together.

I’m beginning to build more faith in such circumstances. In all honesty, He has always been good to me. And when I was in the line-up at the Toronto Airport, I received a call from my doctor’s clinic.

“We tested your blood and you’re doing okay!”

That was relief to hear. Even if the tests prove that I’m having some physical issues, I still believe that the responsibility lies with me to improve myself in health if I can.

It is all His mercy.

May the Source be with you!



 

Tuesday, November 15, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Back to Buenos After Covid

A very kind-hearted Markandeya was at arrivals to pick up my check-in, my carry-on and myself. The airport at Buenos Aires has very much improved with its renovations. I got through the customs with a cinch. On the freeway, I could see the usual tall hardwoods and, with it being spring, good fragrances are in the air. Colours too. The purple-flowering jacaranda is stunning. There’s also the very red santarita, which gives life just by looking at it. However, in man’s world of duality there is always an evil to cancel or neutralize the good. The traffic exhaust leaves much to be desired, though there is a pleasant 70⁰ Fahrenheit, as the Delta Airline American pilot put it over the PA system.

I was greeted by a happy kirtanparty, located at Ciudad de La Paz 394, in Buenos Aires. Improvements have been made there as well, with a new tiled temple floor and an overall cleaner look to the building; a former private school. Some things don’t change and those are the items that give stability. For instance, the robins sing this time of year. And people of a stalwart nature – that are dependable – make it welcome. Merudevi, the Ratha Yatra festival coordinator, was there and that’s comforting. She is like a deity; always there.

Our group of theatrical people got together. I had a light lunch with asparagus (it’s in season), an avocado-and-lettuce salad and an easy, cheesy bread. That’s the way I like it. It’s like being on the road, eating healthy.

A small band of us took to walking to Lagos (lake) de Ragata, near the heart of Buenos Aires. I had a fall (The street concrete is uneven). However, I sprang back into action right away.

May the Source be with you!

6km




 

Highest ever attendance of George Harrison tribute evening
→ Dandavats

Bhaktivedanta Manor’s annual George Harrison tribute evening at the end of November received the highest ever attendance, many being first-time visitors to the Temple. Having been treated to a generous helping of delicious prasadam, the assembled crowd’s expectation levels were set high. The evening opened smoothly with sacred mantras delivered in silken melody form by
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*Book Marathon Forecast* *Across UK High Streets*
→ Dandavats

*Book Marathon Forecast* *Across UK High Streets* *1st – 24th December 2022* ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️ ❄️ Torrential Showers of Blessings! ❄️ Blizzards of Mercy! ❄️ Tornadoes of Miracles! ❄️ Gale Force Winds to blow away your worries! ❄️ Flooding of streets with the Bhagavad Gita! ❄️ Tsunami of Transcendental Knowledge! Geeta Bhandari: Today marks the first day
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Meet Shyam Sakhi Devi Dasi, an upcoming ISKCON artist/author
→ Dandavats

Meet Shyam Sakhi Devi Dasi, an upcoming ISKCON artist/author from ISKCON Radhadesh Belgium. She has been part of the Radhadesh Community for about 17 years and has been involved with many services such as wedding planner, gurukula teacher, social media manager, festival organizer, managing the congregational department and many many more.   She has now
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Prayers for HH AMIYA VILAS SWAMI
→ Dandavats

Hare Krishna Dear Maharajas, Prabhus & all Devotees, We would like seek the prayers for the recovery & well-being of Senior Sanyasi Disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedant Swami Srila Prabhupada, HH AMIYA VILAS SWAMI MAHARAJ. Maharaj was diagnosed with cholesteatoma a disease (that can be fatal if not treated) of the ear in
Read More...

Amazing 360° Panorama of the Completed TOVP Nrsimhadeva Wing
- TOVP.org

The TOVP 3D Department has recently finished a 360° panorama view of the completed Nrsimhadeva Wing. Srisha das and Pavan Gopa das have rendered their collection of cgi images into an all-encompassing and awe-inspiring picture of the entire hall and altar, viewable from left to right, up and down, and zoomable in or out.

In October, 2023 all ISKCON members will be joyfully celebrating the much- anticipated opening of the completed Nrsimhadeva Wing of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (TOVP). Although our beloved Mayapur Prahlad-Nrsimhadeva will not be relocated into Their new home until the three-month-long TOVP Grand Opening festival from December, 2024 until Gaura Purnima, 2025, this historic event will send a signal out to the world that the TOVP will soon be opening.

To help promote awareness of the event, excitement and further financial support, we have released this inspiring 360° panorama. We encourage our readers to please financially support the opening of the Nrsimha Wing in October by sponsoring a Nrsimha Brick with your name inscribed and placed under the Lord’s altar or one of several other sponsorship options such as doors, artwork, murtis, etc.. Go to the Give To Nrsimha 2023 Campaign page for more information.

View the 360° panorama at the following link: https://truevirtualtours.com/panorama/p-360-with-the-lord

  Note to Viewers: To view properly, hold down your mouse left button to go up or down, left or right, and use the scroll wheel to zoom in or out.

 

 

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

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Professor Kenneth Cracknell, Friend of ISKCON and Champion of Religious Pluralism, Passes Away
→ ISKCON News

It is with great sadness that we report that Reverend Dr. Kenneth R. Cracknell, a Methodist Christian scholar, theologian, professor, and friend of ISKCON passed away on October 26, 2022. Kenneth was a was a British specialist in interfaith dialogue and the Christian theology of religions. His career included pioneering the interfaith relations work of […]

The post Professor Kenneth Cracknell, Friend of ISKCON and Champion of Religious Pluralism, Passes Away appeared first on ISKCON News.

December Book Distribution
Giriraj Swami

My dear devotees,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

In a letter to me dated December 1971, Srila Prabhupada wrote, “Go on increasing books, and go on increasing my pleasure.” December is a special opportunity to focus on Srila Prabhupada’s desire that we distribute books—and thus increase his pleasure. As he wrote in the same letter, “I am most pleased especially to hear that you are distributing many books.”

tad-vag-visargo janatagha-viplavo
  yasmin prati-slokam abaddhavaty api
namany anantasya yaso ’nkitani yat
  srnvanti gayanti grnanti sadhavah

“That literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world’s misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung, and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.” (SB 1.5.11)

Now let us cooperate to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s desire, which is the desire of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the parampara, and distribute such transcendental literature for the benefit of all—and be blessed by their sublime mercy.

Thank you very much.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami