Sunday, February 9th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Vrindavan, India 
 
Janardan                    
 
 
Janardan is from the Philippines and joined the ashram in Toronto to become a monk in the 80's. Most recently he became a swami. People address him honourifically, as tradition has it, he is now a "Maharaj". It takes a bit for me to get use to this title.  We are proud of him.  I have worked for years together with him.  I was the president managing the Toronto temple while he was a great support and assistant. That changed when in ‘96 when I went for a long walk across Canada. He took over the presidency and is now a major coordinator in our international centre in the town that Krishna was raised in.
 
Janardan Maharaj, or Swam, said, "We are going to take advantage of your short stay here. Please lead some kirtans and give a class on Bhagavatam".  I complied in the mood, "If it helps you.”
 
It was last evening that I was already engaged in a presentation. The school academy for boys had me lead them in the chant and dance, and to say a few words that would inspire. Naturally, I dipped into the topics of pilgrimage. It looked like the hundred and more students had a bhakti blast. 
 
To follow up on the presentation, a young man who heard my talk came to me and asked my opinion about a personal project. He told me that a Sharma fellow from Delhi  has done all the research on the travels on Rama, which includes three hundred or more locations of where He did His wonders, and covers fifteen hundred kilometers.
 
"I would like to take that route. I have a passion for walking.  What do you think?" he asked.
 
How should I not encourage someone like this?  I suggested for him to team up with a friend and to share his realizations with others, encouraging them into higher consciousness.  I hope he succeeds.
 
This morning I delivered the class from the Bhagavatam, highlighting the life of luminary foot traveler, Ramanujacharya who propounded the philosophy of  “Visishtadwaita” and did much to define the personal aspect of the Divine.
 
 May the Source be with you!
 
2 KM

Friday, February 7th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

 Noida, India

Spiritual But Not Religious


Here we are in India, the land of dharma. Maha Mantra, the monk from Toronto, and I are joined by Fil and Mukunda, readying ourselves in Nodia, New Delhi's arm or suburb for the two hour trip to Vrindavan.

Lokanath Swami, our host from Maharastra has for years headed up a ministry for padayatra, which means, "festival on foot”. He has successfully seen to a pilgrimage involving a group of walkers, and a pair of oxen pulling murtis of Chaitanya and Nityananda, the 16th century revolutionaries promoting mantra culture. This endeavor has circled India several times.

Lokanath Swami, is physically a monk with a youthful demeanor, however, numerically he is in ascendancy to the point where he's looking for a padayatra successor. While he was showing me around the new construction in progress, Noida’s temple, which is already looking gorgeous, He asked if I could take the lead on the ministry. This is not the first time he's asking me. I’m touched that he has the confidence in me, but being a head for the creative arts team called VANDE, was the reason for the decline of the offer.

Our hour long time together in viewing the new facility in Noida, while having parlance on padayatra, made it clear that we are both engrossed in growing and expanding a more Vedic world throughout, not only constructing of temples (that’s his department), but through the humble act of walking. "Vedantic" is the word used by Phillip Goldberg, author of an article, in the time of India of yesterday, on America's view on religion. I browsed through the paper as we drove on the Yamuna Express en route to Vrindavan, and happy to note the expressway is well maintained. In the article, research by Gallup Harris and Pear discovered a trend in the U.S. It appears the reality is that "Many religions can lead to eternal life.” But common also is the notion that many people prefer to be in the category of "spiritual but not religious” (SBNR).

I found it interesting when he said every reputable analyst says that access to India's spiritual teachings has been a central factor.

May the Source be with you!

6 KM

Sunday, February 9th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Vrindavan, India 
 
Janardan                    
 
 
Janardan is from the Philippines and joined the ashram in Toronto to become a monk in the 80's. Most recently he became a swami. People address him honourifically, as tradition has it, he is now a "Maharaj". It takes a bit for me to get use to this title.  We are proud of him.  I have worked for years together with him.  I was the president managing the Toronto temple while he was a great support and assistant. That changed when in ‘96 when I went for a long walk across Canada. He took over the presidency and is now a major coordinator in our international centre in the town that Krishna was raised in.
 
Janardan Maharaj, or Swam, said, "We are going to take advantage of your short stay here. Please lead some kirtans and give a class on Bhagavatam".  I complied in the mood, "If it helps you.”
 
It was last evening that I was already engaged in a presentation. The school academy for boys had me lead them in the chant and dance, and to say a few words that would inspire. Naturally, I dipped into the topics of pilgrimage. It looked like the hundred and more students had a bhakti blast. 
 
To follow up on the presentation, a young man who heard my talk came to me and asked my opinion about a personal project. He told me that a Sharma fellow from Delhi  has done all the research on the travels on Rama, which includes three hundred or more locations of where He did His wonders, and covers fifteen hundred kilometers.
 
"I would like to take that route. I have a passion for walking.  What do you think?" he asked.
 
How should I not encourage someone like this?  I suggested for him to team up with a friend and to share his realizations with others, encouraging them into higher consciousness.  I hope he succeeds.
 
This morning I delivered the class from the Bhagavatam, highlighting the life of luminary foot traveler, Ramanujacharya who propounded the philosophy of  “Visishtadwaita” and did much to define the personal aspect of the Divine.
 
 May the Source be with you!
 
2 KM

Nityananda-trayodasi Evening, February 12, San Diego
Giriraj Swami

02.12.14_SanDiegoIt is the same message: “Chant Krishna’s name, worship Krishna, accept Krishna as your life and soul.” But the people Srila Prabhupada was approaching did not even know who Krishna was. The people Lord Nityananda approached in Navadvipa to chant Krishna’s name, worship Him, and accept Him as their life and soul knew who Krishna was; they knew what Nityananda Prabhu was saying. But in America and Europe, nobody knew who Krishna was. So that simple request had to be explained in detail, and thus Srila Prabhupada wrote so many books to explain Krishna and His name and His service. It was the same message that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked Lord Nityananda to deliver to everyone, whether pious or sinful, but in an expanded form, because the people Srila Prabhupada was approaching had no idea who Krishna was or what the significance of His holy name was or how to worship Him. Srila Prabhupada had to explain the message, but the essential message was the same.

Nityananda-trayodasi Evening

New Vrindaban Daily darsan February 13, 2014.
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

01

I pray that I may engage in the service of the moving and non-moving residents of Vrndavana. What are Brahma and the other demigods in comparison to them? The residents of Vrndavana are more glorious. They are very dear to Vraja’s king. Their forms are eternal, spiritual and full of nectar. Their glories are limitless. They are the root that sprouts into the bliss of the Upanisads.

[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-61 Translation.]

Please click here for more photos

For Each And Every Bead
→ Japa Group

If Japa is attentive and concentrated, then when we read the philosophy we will be able to concentrate and immerse ourselves in the meaning of Krsna's knowledge.
If we listen to class, we will be attentive and able to absorb....when we perform some service for Krsna, we will be able to chant His Holy names and think of the Lord more easily.
Japa affects all the other aspects of sadhana and service so we need to give our chanting the best possible effort and love we can for each and every bead.

The bigger picture
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, March 2011, Melbourne, Australia, Lecture)

chessWhen we look at all the devastation in the world, all the pain and suffering, then we think, “It’s too much! It is! It really is!”

The only way to rise above it is to look at the bigger reality – how there is eternity and how these temporary ups and downs are not so important. We should ascend this temporary reality. We should not allow ourselves to become so involved in this reality. So again and again, we have to remind ourselves that through our embodiment, we are inclined to become involved in this temporary reality. It is difficult! We cannot see the whole picture. We are like a small piece on a chess board – all we see is our own square. We don’t see the whole board.

But we have to always remember, “No, no! It’s part of a bigger plan and Krsna is simply purifying the living beings and bringing them back to him.” The living being is going through this cycle of birth and death, and when he gets a chance to express independent desire, it will be taken away. In this way, slowly the living being is being cured from this particular conditioning so that he can return to Krsna, in the eternal spiritual world. Once he is there, it is like he has been away only for a moment. Only for a moment! All this time in the material world… only a moment in eternity! So we have to practise again and again to see the bigger picture!

Free Speech
→ Tattva - See inside out

We live in an overcommunicated world. Good etiquette insists we reply to all text messages within 10 minutes, be mindful of the mountain of emails building up in our inbox, and unfailingly return all ‘missed calls’ on our phones. Don’t forget to regularly post something witty on Facebook, follow your best friends on twitter and utilise all the free airtime minutes on your contract! It is, after all, good to talk. But what is the net result of this web of exchange? Does it bring a greater sense of relationship and community? Is it a case of more connected, but further apart?

Silence, it’s said, is the art of conversation. We often struggle with a quiet moment. When it does arise, most will instinctively grab their phone in a drastic attempt to engage their mind. To see someone sitting and doing absolutely nothing is rare! Even more unusual is to be with another person and not say anything. It feels awkward and uneasy. Yet silence is imperative – it forces us to understand, assimilate, reflect and think deeply about what is actually going on. Often times, however, in order to frantically fill those redundant moments we often end up generating substandard content to share with the world: meaningless, speculative and shoddy communication.

Don’t get me wrong, there is definitely room for chitchat, niceties, and light-hearted exchange between humans. It would be unnatural to jump to the other extreme of strictly regulating our every word. The Bhagavad-gita, however, offers the over-arching model to guide speech. Words, Krishna recommends, should be truthful, pleasing and beneficial. How much of our written and verbal communication would make it through this filter? Along with freedom of speech, it may be worthwhile to remind people of their longstanding right to freedom of thought.

“Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something” (Plato)


Valentine day Hare Krishna quotes (Love of God)
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

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Effect of Loving God :

When you love God, you love everyone and everything.
Beyond Illusion and Doubt, Chapter-7,
Srila Prabhupada.

 

Goal of Human Form Of Life :

This Human form of life is meant for developing love for God.
Quest for Enlightenment,
Srila Prabhupada.

Love of God :

Love of God is dormant within everyone, and to realize that love is to fulfill the purest ambition.
Mukund Mala-Stotra, Mantra 40,
Srila Prabhupada.

Real Result of Devotional Service :
The real result of devotional service is the awakening of pure love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which continues under all circumstances.
Srimad Bhagavatam 5.24.19,
Srila Prabhupada.

Result of Inoffensive Chanting :
When one is accustomed to inoffensive chanting, then his fruit is that he is promoted to pure love of Godhead or Prema.
Srila Prabhupada.

Eligibility for Serving Radha and Krishna :

In our conditional stage, we cannot worship Radha and Krishna. Radha-Krishna-seva is for them who have developed spontaneous love for God.

Srila Prabhupada.

Love :

Life without love is useless and poor they say, Appoint me in thy service, Oh Lord with Love as my pay. 

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.

 

Followers of Srimad Bhagavatam :

Srimad Bhagavatam does not allow its followers to ask anything from God except eternal love towards Him.

Bhaktivinoda Thakur.

 

Love of God :

Love of God is transcendental to liberation [mukti], and thus it is called the fifth stage of spiritual realization, above the stage of liberation.
Srimad Bhagavatam Introduction.

 

Means of Awakening All Good Fortune :

Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna, one can be freed from all undesirable habits. This is the means of awakening all good fortune and initiating the flow of waves of love for Krishna.
Chaitanya caritamrita Antya Lila 20.11