”Schnick Schnick AAAhma AAAhma”
→ The Enquirer

”Schnick Schnick AAAhma AAAhma”

Absorbed in the thought of the transcendental qualities of the Lord, who is sung in select poetry, the ladies on the roofs of all the houses of Hastināpura began to talk of Him. This talk was more attractive than the hymns of the Vedas. [ŚB 1.10.20]

The chatter of the ladies on the rooftops was more spiritual than the mantras chanted by the brahmanas.

Why?

The goal of Vedic mantra is to sacrifice oneself entirely into the fire of Brahman. The ladies on the rooftops had absolutely and completely sacrificed every atom of their being to Krishna. Therefore their chatter is on a higher platform than Vedic Mantra.

Similarly the songs of Śrī Narottama are better than the chandas of Ṛg, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva.

The import for us?

“Schnick Schnick Rāma Rāma” doesn’t attract anyone or produce much spiritual bliss. We have to sacrifice our whole minds and hearts to the mantra, giving a completely open space for the mantra to fill. Then our chanting sounds like the chatter of the ladies on the rooftops, otherwise we are lucky if we sometimes sound like Vedic Brahmanas. More like frogs and strange crickets, usually. ;-)


To know the meaning of challenge, know the challenge of meaning
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Materialists sometimes accuse spiritualists, “You are escapists – you run away from problems. You don’t even know the meaning of challenge.”

The fact however is that it is the materialists who run away from the ultimate challenge: the challenge of meaning.

The deepest thinkers throughout history have pondered the challenge of meaning, especially when confronted with the mortality and fragility of human existence: “What is gained by succeeding in challenges that will mean nothing to me when everything will be finished at death? Why do I exist? Why does anything exist? What is the point of it all?”

The deepest thinkers throughout history have pondered the challenge of meaning, especially when confronted with the mortality and fragility of human existence

Materialists find such questions so discombobulating that they frequently avoid them altogether. They lose themselves in the here-and-now by setting challenging worldly goals. On achieving some of these goals, they ostentatiously pat each other on the back. But even after joining such a self-congratulatory circle, they can’t get rid of the existential meaninglessness that gnaws at their hearts. So they bury themselves in new challenges – till death ends their meaningless pursuit of challenges.

Spiritualists are bold enough to confront the challenge of meaning head-on. They recognize that the search for meaning being a function of consciousness cannot be fulfilled in unconscious matter. So they explore the arena of consciousness, the spiritual reality that underlies material reality. To guide such exploration, they turn to time-honored spiritual texts such as the Bhagavad-gita. Therein they come to know about their own identity as indestructible spiritual beings, souls, whose search for meaning comes from the consciousness that is integral to their spiritual essence. And that search culminates in understanding the all-attractive, all-loving supreme person, God, Krishna, who imbues everything with meaning. All living beings are his eternal parts and are meant to delight in a life of eternal love with him.

Those who dedicate themselves for learning to love and serve him transform their life in this temporary world into a gateway to the eternal world. Significantly, such devotee-spiritualists don’t avoid all challenges in this world – they embrace those challenges that are spiritually meaningful. For example, Arjuna after hearing the Gita took up the challenge of assisting the divine in establishing dharma in this world by doing his prescribed duty, and so do all Gita-guided spiritualists.

Gita wisdom offers its analysis of meaning not as a dogma to be accepted uncritically but as a proposition that can be realized experientially through the time-honored process of bhakti-yoga. The Gita (07.03) indicates that those who meet this challenge of meaning are rare, one among millions. After all, it takes courage to turn away from the meaningless challenges of popular culture – courage that materialists lack and spiritualists possess.

 

Estab­lishes It’s Supremacy
→ Japa Group

"When a devotee is perfectly qualified in chanting the transcen­dental vibration of the holy name, he is quite fit to become a spiritual master and deliver all the people of the world. The chanting of the holy name is so powerful that it gradually estab­lishes it's supremacy above everything in the world."

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Beautiful Moldova
→ travelingmonk.com

Moldova is a beautiful landlocked country with 3.5 million people in Eastern Europe. It is boardered by Romania and Ukraine. ISKCON has two temples there with 300 active devotees. During my visit I participated in several television shows, numerous newspaper interviews, 2 very large public programs, harinams and a meeting with a number of distinquished [...]

Monday, September 15th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Brampton, Ontario

Life is a Walk in Progress

I received a message from Louise whom I met back in June in Trail, B.C. I didn’t know she was a journalist when I was puzzled as to the physical continuation of the Trans Canada Trail when I came to a junction by the road.  I saw two female runners and I asked, “Where did the Trans Canada Trail go? It’s not so obvious.”  So I got good directions from her.  Later she followed up with a story that went to various media outlets.  It’s one of my favourites, courtesy of Louise McEwan (www.faithcolouredglasses.blogspot.com). The article:

Life is a Walk in Progress

Trail, B.C. September 15, 2014/Troy Media – My conversation with Bhaktimarga Swami, held by phone shortly after he completed his fourth “Can Walk” across Canada, transcended religious doctrine, dogma and belief systems.

Swami, born in Ontario as John Peter Vis, adopted the Eastern monastic lifestyle of the Hare Krishna movement some 40 years ago.  In 1996, he undertook and completed his first pilgrimage across Canada, journeying from west to east.  Since that time, he has completed three more cross country treks, each time traveling in the opposite direction, and along different routes.

He conceived the idea to walk across Canada one day while walking in a ravine in Toronto, an activity he undertook initially to rehabilitate low back problems. “It was almost like a light bulb lit up,” he told me of the moment that led him to walk across the country.  As he put it, “As a monk might do it, (to)travel kind of lightly, and meet people along the way, spend enough time in a place, as long as it takes to milk a cow, as we say in our tradition,” before continuing his journey to his next destination.

In many religious traditions, the journey is a metaphor for the growth of the soul as it enters more profoundly into an encounter with the Divine.  Since Swami had crossed the country on foot multiple times, I asked him if walking is more than a metaphor for him.  Not surprisingly, it is.  “It’s a natural position of the spirit or soul to wander in this world and to walk it in wonder and appreciation. So (wandering) puts you in that spot where you need to be, that place of humility which is the basis of success in life.”

Swami explained that walking along busy highways with vehicles barreling past or trekking through remote and beautiful landscapes is a lesson in detachment.  “You learn to take it all in, the heat, the wind, the rain, the cold, the black flies, the mosquitoes, attention by the public, no attention, traffic – with all of that, you learn detachment.”  These external factors, along with the physical discomfort that comes from walking 30 to 45 kilometres per day, and the spiritual challenges of facing your own deficiencies, help a person learn disentanglement from this world.

We discussed the idea of detachment in light of today’s culture, with its emphasis on self and acquisition.  At the core of the self “there is passion to move about and pick up on all the little nuances the world has to offer.”  We shared the belief that our passions may become misdirected and we may find ourselves walking in a direction that leads us away from our deepest yearnings. 

Chanting the mantra is an essential part of Swami’s journey, helping him keep the spiritual in his midst. “God is present in sound,” said Swami.  “Hallowed be thy name. So, the name, the sound is sacred. We,” by which the Swami meant the Krishna and Christian religious traditions, “have the same understanding…The Absolute or the Divine is there with you in their sound.”

The word “mantra” comes from two Sanskrit words, “mana” which means the mind, and “tra” which means to free.  Chanting the mantra frees the mind “so that your mind is not on the acquisitions you’re trying to achieve.”  The mantra “pulls you out of that mode,” illuminating the beauty all around, and providing spiritual strength; “it keeps you a bit on your toes, otherwise the force of temptation could get to you.”

Our hour-long conversation ended with Swami providing an exegesis of the verb “to understand” that he picked up from a Catholic priest.  In order to understand, it is important to go under, to stand humbly and look up, then “you understand your real position.”

Walking “brings about a lot of revelation and epiphany about our smallness, our insignificance and about how much bigger the universal machinery is than our self.  Getting to the point of taking the humble stance is the end product of the long and arduous spiritual journey, which, I am sure Swami would agree, is always a walk in progress…

(Thank you, Louise!)

May the Source be with you!

7 KM

Sunday, September 14th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

Mix and Mingle

There are many things I loathe about city life.  Yet there are many things I love about urban stuff.  Within a downtown you can get about and acquire almost all of your cultural and physical needs.

I trekked to our urban easy-to-get-to “Bhakti Lounge” to give a class on anarthas and what to do about “unwanted elements” that stand in the way of spiritual progress.  The discussion that followed after my delivery of some words on the topic “was relevant to us,” so one person commented.  After all, who is perfect?  We all have demons inside.

On my return walk back  to the ashram, an anxious runner, bespeckled and bandana’d whizzed by. “Bhaktimarga!” he shouted when he approached.  Only when he got physically close could I recognize this school teacher friend of mine.  “I’ll come and visit you sometime!” It’s only been about five years since I had seen Mitch.

Mitch’s quick encounter exposed me to an anartha (again, an unwanted element).  This time, it was guilt.  Mind you guilt is positive when it compels you to improve.  Yes, I feel guilty every year when I hear promotion of the annual and popular “Terry Fox Run” which I’m sure Mitch was headed towards. 

Why do I feel this guilt, is because I’m not participating.  Had I participated it would be my opportunity to mingle with folks outside my own community and at the same time not become worldly.  I did take part at the “Terry Fox Run” two Septembers ago in the town of Fort Frances when I had trekked through on the Cross Canada walk #4. I walked and did not run (you are allowed to do so).  And after that walk, Daruka, my support guy, and his parrot, Billy and I went for that luncheon at the church to mingle with co-trekkers and runners.  It was sweet!

Doing marathon walks or runs provides the option to go solo or multiples.  It’s a good idea to mix and mingle in the process and break out of your shell once in a while.

May the Source be with you!

6 KM

Saturday, September 13th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Maple, Ontario

Uptown to Sheppard

It’s 12 degrees Celsius, partly cloudy.  It was truly perfect for a trek.  I left for uptown Yonge Street which was north en route to Maple, Ontario.  The intent was to cut 10 KM off of a ride that would take me to this destination, a residence for a Saturday night satsang (gathering).

So I gained from these two hours of freedom walking on a street of shops and pedestrians, young, old, and everything in between.  One sandwich sign gave me a buzz.  It was outside a tearoom and it read, “Warming up is our special tea.” Gimmicky? Yes!

I passed St. Clair Avenue, Eglinton, Lawrence, York Mills, 401 Highway, and then finally, Sheppard Avenue, where Yadunandan, the host of tonight’s satsang picked me up.  Here’s a man who’s dedicated to sharing.  He and his wife, Hemavati, regularly make packets of offered food to go to the public.  They had invited families, friends, and neighbours to have an evening of devotion.  They told of a swami (me) coming to their home, that he would speak.

I did speak, by first reading from “Krishna”, a book by our guru, Srila Prabhupada.  I tried as best as possible to make my talk, after the short reading, newcomer-friendly.  These first-timers to Krishna Consciousness appeared to be sipping the tea, warming up to the message of the Personalitea of Godhead.

It was a quaint evening topped by excellent prasadam including a favourite of mine “Gauranga potatoes”.  I had achieved out of the day a great walk and a warm gathering of good people.  What more could you want?

May the Source be with you!

10 KM

Friday, September 12th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

Shuffling Through Yorkville


For two good hours, we were out to greet the greeters of the movie stars.  To my knowledge, there are several key locations in the city where celebrities and their fans go during the Toronto International Film Festival, and the Yorkville region is one of them.  It’s a mere four blocks from our ashram, which is convenient. 

What’s great about the time frame for this event is that it coincides with ISKCON’s established “Holy Name Week”.  We thought the title “Holy Name” sounded too Catholic.  Nothing intended against the Catholic faith, but the term, we felt, doesn’t reflect our culture, so we settled for calling it “Maha Mantra Week”. 

Here we were chanting in some kind of moving order through the streets in the Yorkville area.  It was not a march, not even a walk, maybe a kind of shuffle.  The fellow in front of me in our two abreast shuffle, was playing the mrdanga drum, and while playing and moving forward, he was pivoting or bending at the waist in a manner I’ve seen pandas (priests) do in Puri, India, at the big Ratha Yatra festivals.  It was kind of a cool move.

In any event, about 20 of us or so were perking up the people with our music and our mantra.  People in their fine evening attire were lighting up at our presence.  It was the look of, “Hey, I haven’t seen you guys for a while; we’re happy to see you again.”  Some folks would break into a jig and girate to a beat of a drum.  I believe that some good, clean body moves can make you feel a lot better than having a swig or two of whisky. 

Our message is, “Come on and join in on the fun.  This mantra, ‘Hare Krishna’, and swaying to it, is very powerful.”

May the Source be with you!

6 KM

Thursday, September 11th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

Could Have Done More


On hindsight, I felt I could and should have done more.  I may have assessed things wrongly, but here’s my brief story.

As I was walking eastbound on Bloor Street near Castle Frank, I got close to the place where you overlook a street below.  The subway line also speeds by underneath.  I’m on a bridge and as I was trekking this section, a young oriental fellow who was leaning against the edge looking down at the traffic below, he was about of student age, looked particularly unhappy.  He was just staring, and it struck me, “Is he contemplating…  suicide?”  No!  There was this blank stare coming from him, it was very focused.  And as I passed by, I looked at him, hoping to catch his attention.  I cleared my throat and said, “Hello!  Hare!”  He turned his head toward me, but looked emotionless.  I felt a jolt of fear and concern simultaneously.  I realized that I was running late, time wise, for a lunch engagement, a rather important one.  I just kept walking.  I looked back to see that he was looking down again.  It was an eerie feeling seeing this. 

Was this cold look of his a mere urban syndrome, where you don’t bother reciprocating with people?  Or was he just depressed?  Was this soul really struggling and needing help?  Dumfounded me could have done more and reached out, and let the bok choy – baked potato lunch just wait a little longer. 

I felt guilty walking on and showing too minor a helping hand.  Good wishes was my only consolation for now, because I know sending good vibes goes a long way. 

Will I be given an opportunity to be tried again?  Probably so.  The world is full of troubled people, and less, though, of people who care.

May the Source be with you!

7 KM

Widows in Vrindavana should be rehabilitated in their native states: Hema Malini
→ Dandavats.com

“The widows who migrate to Vrindavan should be rehabilitated in their native states. There are temples and pilgrimage places in their native states too. The state governments should build widow shelter homes in their respective states,” said Hema Malini, the Member of Parliament from Mathura. She wondered, “When the temples and other religious places are already there in those states, then why do they migrate here?” She was visiting some of the widow shelter homes in Vrindavan. She said that she will talk to the Chief Minister of West Bengal about facilitating the widows in their native state. A large number of widows come from there and Bihar to stay in Vrindavan. Read more ›

A Letter to a Sincere Departed Disciple from Her Guru Maharaj
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY BHAKTI CAITANYA SWAMI

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Dandavats.com

My dear Radhe Syama devi dasi,

Please accept my blessings. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

You have left us, but we feel your presence spiritually. You were a wonderful example of a sincere devotee who is dealing with the responsibilities of household life in this world.

I remember when I first met you, on one of my first visits to Singapore around 20 years ago. Your husband, Gauracandra prabhu, was an active devotee in the ISKCON temple at the time, and was very enthusiastic about Krishna consciousness. We met, and immediately developed a nice relationship.

He took me to your flat, and I met you, and stayed with your family. At the time you were not so convinced about Krishna consciousness, but as we discussed over a short period of time you became convinced and then took up the active practice of devotional service.

From the time you seriously got into it you immediately became an exemplary devotee. I remember on so many occasions you appealing to me to get Gauracandra and your son Ashvin to become more serious in their spiritual lives. Practically every time I would come you had a list of concerns about their practices in Krishna consciousness, and you expressed them to me strongly.

It was clear that your heart had become completely focused in your spiritual life, and I was so impressed to see the wonderful transformation that had taken place in your life.

I think I first became aware of your health challenges when we were on parikrama in India some years ago. Gauracandra prabhu informed me that it was difficult for you to walk or climb stairs because of your heart condition. I was surprised as you seemed as fit as anyone else, but little did I know then that it was a serious health problem which would bring us to the situation we find ourselves in today.

However, despite your health you continued in a fully dedicated way in your devotional service. You did Deity worship in the Kuala Lumpur ISKCON temple, and regularly cooked for the Jagannatha Deities there. You also became a counsellor for younger female devotees.

Then you returned to Singapore when your health situation worsened, but you continued being nicely focused spiritually here also. You performed the Damodar programme with the Sindhi community on a number of occasions, and would regularly tell me how you were concerned that the Sindhis somehow become more involved in their spiritual heritage. You also remained concerned about how your mother and siblings were doing in Krishna consciousness.

Like this your heart was always full of selfless concern for the spiritual lives of everyone, and you maintained this to the end.

I remember, the day before yesterday, when we were able to have our last proper communication, I said to you that when you go to Krishna you must put in a good word with Him for us who are left behind in this world. Although up to that point in our exchange you had not expressed much emotionally, other than feelings of pain because of your physical condition, when I asked you to speak to Krishna on our behalf when you meet Him, you smiled broadly. It was really wonderful to see.

So now you have gone to Him, and we are left behind, missing you. However we will meet again for certain in Goloka Vrndavana, in the Kingdom of God. I am sure of that. We will all be together eternally in the company of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna in the spiritual world.

Thank you for the wonderful association you gave me. Thank you for the wonderful cooking you did for me. Thank you for your dedication to the practice of Krishna consciousness. I will never forget these things.

And, finally, please don’t forget the request. Please put in a good word for us left here in this material world. Please tell Lord Krishna and Srimati Radharani that we are trying our best to serve Them, and that we want to come and join you before too long.

Hoping this meets you well.

Your ever well-wisher,

Bhakti Caitanya Swami

Sankirtana Yajna in Moldova (Album 165 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Indradyumna Swami: Moldova is a beautiful landlocked country with 3.5 million people in Eastern Europe. It is boardered by Romania and Ukraine. ISKCON has two temples there with 300 hundred active devotees. During my visit I participated in several television shows, numerous newspaper interviews, 2 very large public programs, harinams and a meeting with a number of distinquished personalities. I enjoyed the preaching so much that I plan to take my entire festival progam to Moldova next year! [ Photos by Indradyumna Swami and Mahavan das ] Read more ›

A letter to a sincere departed disciple from her Guru Maharaj
→ Dandavats.com

Dear devotees, Please accept my best wishes. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. A very dear disciple of mine from Singapore, Radhe Syama devi dasi, passed away last night. I wrote her the following letter this morning, which is going to be read out at the funeral today. She was a very sincere and dedicated soul. Please pray to Srimati Radharani and Lord Krishna for her. Hoping this meets you well. Your servant, Bhakti Caitanya Swami Read more ›

Materialist Creed – Bridge Preaching (5 min video)
→ Dandavats.com

Hamsaduta: I once heard that when some devotees wanted to buy a church in America you suggested that they should keep the altar and next put Radha-Krsna and give simultaneous lecture from Bible and from Bhagavad-gita. I was thinking that in Shree Lanka, if it would be all right to have a deity of Lord Buddha and speak simultaneously on the Dharmapatha(?) and also Bhagavad-gita, showing how Bhagavad-gita is beyond the stage of nirvana. Is that a good idea, Prabhupada, or not? Prabhupada: Good idea, provided you can present properly. Read more ›

Consumerism from a yoga perspective (9 min video)
→ Dandavats.com

Why are people caught up in consumerism? Devamrita Swami, an internationally travelling monk, teacher and author explains what yoga psychology has to say on this hot topic. Special thanks to Julian Coutada for making the intro animation. Thanks to the lead actors Rebecca Sim, Rachel Eton and Katja Romanski as well as extra actor Danna Alvarez and Atom Smasher for his GoPro camera. Filmed and produced by Bhakti Lounge, Wellington, New Zealand. www.bhaktilounge.org.nz Read more ›

A Spiritual Solution to Religious and Racial Violence
→ Dandavats.com

Equally ludicrous is the idea of people hating and killing each other because of race or ethnicity. The only thing we gain from this kind of violence is more anger, pain, and suffering. Nobody wins and it's nothing more than a battle of egos where one group needs to feel better than the other. The Bhagavad Gita suggests that we look at each other's bodies as the clothing that covers the soul. Souls in this world are clothed in a variety of colors - black, brown, white, and yellow. Would a sensible person hate another person's clothing and harm that individual simply because of the clothing he or she was wearing? This is essentially what we are doing when we bring harm to another simply because of their skin color, place of birth, or the religion they practice. Read more ›