Sunday, March 16th, 2014
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Ottawa, Ontario

Fast to Feast

Savyasacin had gone to his godfather’s for the evening while I was accommodated in the apartment right next to our Ottawa ashram / restaurant.  There was not to be any eating today.  Govinda’s restaurant is closed on Sunday.  And besides, we are looking at a fast today in honour of Sri Chaitanya’s birthday. 

Who is Chaitanya? 

As I had outlined to the people in the packed place, he is the avatar of the current era (yuga)  who introduced kirtan to the world in a very extraordinary way.  He is credited for bringing the magicalpreoccupation of chanting yoga to the modern world.  As guest speaker, I expressed to the crowd the obligation we all have in offering him our gratitude.  I also spoke about his encounter with the two nefarious characters, Jagai and Madhai, notorious outlaws who struck fear in the hearts of all humble townsfolk in Bengal’s Nadia district in very early 16thcentury.  There was a serious scuffle which involved these two characters and his close associate, Nityananda, but the outcome was a miraculous conversion from heathens to saints for the lives of these two murders, Jagai and Madhai.

Chaitanya was on regular pilgrimage.  His prominent walks were from as far north as Vrindavan in the Delhi area down to the southernmost section of India.  He particularly loved the pilgrimage site on the eastern shore at a place called Puri and spent much of his last 18 years there.  Walking played a big part in his life, as a renunciate, it was a veritable practice. 

Oh yes, and our fast was also followed by a feast.  Scrumptious!

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Saturday, March 15th, 2014
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Norwood / Ottawa

Two Stops

Savyasacin and I were headed for the city of Ottawa, not by foot, no, that would take two weeks.  We were scheduled to a satsang(gathering of spirits) in an Ottawa suburb for the evening.  We drove, and through another storm, in another day of the winter that refuses to end.

A stopover in Norwood, midway to Ottawa, was really cool, as was our visit to the capitol city.  At the home of Kirtan, mother of 12 great kids, we had lunch, and talks with members of the neighbouring kirtan group.

Now I don’t intend to be redundant with the word, kirtan, but the person’s actual name is Kirtan, which means, a singing or a praise of the absolute.  It just happens to be the name awarded to her by her guru.

The group, from Peterborough, were curious about my passion for walking.  The door of glowing opportunity then arose for me to highlight pilgrimage as a positive outlet for people, as an ancient therapeutic practice, and as a search for answers to otherworldly quests.  I had passed through this town here in 2003, took to some trekking on the nearby Trans Canada Trail, and found myself under constant attack by horse and deer flies.  The only relief was a submerging into the waters of a local lake. 

Speaking of submersion, our little kirtan group did enter into the chanting of the maha mantra, after which we sunk teeth into muffins and chips and guacamole dip.  A great group of chanters and munchers we are. 

Savyasacin and I really look forward to being with the group in the not so distant future.  All hail to Kirtan, the person!  All hail to kirtan, the chanting! 

May the Source be with you!

3 KM

Pleasure seekers
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 25 December 2013, Mayapur, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 5.9.3)

Faith is based on desire. The living being is by nature is pleasure seeking, ānandamayo ’vasāne, according to the Vedanta Sutra. So, wherever we think that happiness is found that is where we will direct our faith. If we think it is in money then all our efforts will go towards money. If we think it is sex then all our effort will go towards that. If we think it is children then all our efforts will go towards the children. And if we think that happiness is really found in so many things – this one, that one and really everything; then we will be very restless!

harinama partyIt is like when Canakya Pandita speaks about a girl who is talking to one man, looking at another one and thinking of the third one; he could also speak about a boy in that way. So we are like that, whatever object of sense gratification we have, we hold onto that and meanwhile we are thinking, “Where is the next?” Everywhere, we are looking for more and more, still more and nothing satisfies us completely. It satisfies us at least partially so we keep everything we have and just get more! In this way, we think our happiness is increasing, “We are doing a lot better now than twenty years ago. We made a lot of progress.”

In this way, the illusory energy seems to indicate that we are making progress but it is false progress. Something like this situation – I saw pictures of Iskcon development. In the 1975 picture of the temple and all the devotees, some were on the roof, some were on the balcony in front of all the windows and the brahmacaris were next to the sankirtan van. In 1978, a newer picture – bigger house, more devotees everywhere. But what it does not show is the dent in the bank. It does not show that the new temple was purchased with a big loan. It does not show that all those devotees in the picture now have to work very hard to pay-off that loan.

So, in the same way, it may show that we have made so much progress in spiritual life. Look at what we have now – nice garlands, chadars, dhotis, hats in the right colour and matching socks. It looks good on Facebook but what about our spiritual bank account? That is the question and that is what we are facing in Jada Bharata as one who had a lot of substance in his spiritual bank balance and therefore, he had incredible strength!

 

 

Prelude to Gaura Purnima, Part 2, March 16, ISKCON Silicon Valley, Mountain View, California
Giriraj Swami

03.16.14_01.GauraPurnima_ISVGiriraj Swami and Vaisesika Dasa continued reading and discussing Sri Caitanya-caritamrta.

“One thought about rapturous hearing. I have had the experience that when someone is talking to me in a room where many conversations are going on and somebody nearby is having a conversation that I really want or need to hear, and the person talking to me is saying something that is not so important and is going on and on, there is a way that my ear and brain can filter out not only what the person is saying directly to me, but also the kids running around the room and screaming and all the other conversations. My ear can pick up that one conversation. Why? Because I really want to hear it. It is a state of heart, a state of consciousness. Rapturousness means there is a hunger. When you are hungry, anything seems good. Even a simple meal. Like, ‘I am sorry it it so simple,’ and you are thinking, ‘Are you kidding? This is fantastic!’ So, in that verse Srila Prabhupada is talking about living in such a way that you have that hunger. And once you have that hunger, the circumstances don’t matter that much, you will be able to absorb it wherever you are—’rapturous.’ “—Vaisesika Dasa

Prelude to Gaura Purnima, ISV, Part 2

Dive into the Ocean..
→ TKG Academy

Fourth graders used different materials to create dioramas of the ocean. They labelled different parts of the ocean, including the continental shelf, continental slope, and ocean floor. They also included various sea creatures which they read about in their books.

Homage to Ganda
→ Life With the Cows and Land
























Ganda, in his prime, living the life of a protected ox on the ISCOWP Farm, 2007.
























Ganda in his last days n a bed of hay.


3/15/14
Our oldest ox named Ganda is down after 19 years of wonderful association and friendship here at ISCOWP Farm. For several years his back legs have been riddled with arthritis which has made it hard for him to rise from a sitting position. Last summer on pasture he did really well and made it through this last winter with not much difficulty. Two weeks ago he went down and could not get up. We were able to get him up with a "come-along" and a tool called "Hip Huggers". He did alright until 3 days ago when he could not get up again. This time he was very weak and we were not able to get him up. He has been taking food and water up until this afternoon when he was too weak to even sit up. He has had Govardan dust sprinkled on his head. He is wearing a Pravitra garland from Lord Narashimhadeva in Mayapur. Today he had Radha Kund water. He has been listening to Srila Prabhupada chanting japa and bhajans 24/7.

My feeling is that he will depart tomorrow which is Gaura Purnima here in West Virginia,USA - a very auspicious time for departure from this material world. I was lying down with him for over an hour this afternoon and I would be very surprised if he would make it through tomorrow due to his weaken condition.

3/16/14
We looked to the barn and saw Madhava looking over the fence towards our house. He had been standing guard over Ganda for days. He would also occasionally lick him. We had a sense that Ganda may no longer be alive. Balabhadra went to the barn and found Ganda had passed away on the auspicious day of Gaura Purnima.

Like all great sadhus, he left a lasting impression of enlightened goodness to those who met him and especially those who knew him well. It may be difficult to understand how a soul in a bovine body could have such an affect but he did and because of who he was we are now empty hearted. Please pray for Ganda's spiritual journey while viewing the following photos and videos.


































Ganda at 6 months old in 1996.























In 1996 ISCOWP was training ox teams and teamsters. 
Ganda (on left) was part of a team with Padma.



 Madhava watched over Ganda in his final days by standing over him. Sometimes he would lick Ganda. In this picture Ganda has passed but Madhava is not leaving.

You can view Videos of Ganda's life since 2012 to learn more about him. Thank you so much for your prayers.


Huge Harinama, parade in London for the advent of Lord Chaitanya and our new year (5 min video)
→ Dandavats.com

Gaurapurnima is the celebration of the advent in 1486 of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the incarnation of Krishna, who spread the chanting of Hare Krishna throughout India. In more recent times, by disciplic succession, the chanting was brought to the west by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in the early 60's! Today its being chanted and will be chanted in every town and village throughout the entire world to give relief to the jaundice like condition of limted sense inebriation. Chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare and your life will be sublime! 17th March 2014 Read more ›

ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 03-09-2014
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

ECOV Logo

ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 03-09-2014

Mission Statement: ECO-Vrindaban promotes a simple, sustainable lifestyle centered on the care and protection of cows, local food production and the loving service of Lord Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON New Vrindaban.

Participating Members of the ECOV Board of Directors: Bhima, Chaitanya Mangala, Madhava Gosh, Krpamaya (partial attendance), Navin Shyam, and Ranaka.

Advisors present: Jaya Krsna

1. $15,000 for Prabhupada’s Palace Rose Garden conversion

WHEREAS:  The ECOV Board wishes to promote organic gardening throughout New Vrindaban.

RESOLVED: The Board authorizes a grant of up to $15,000 to INV for materials, labor and consulting services toward making the Palace Rose Garden organic and free of synthetic toxic pesticides and fungicides.

2. $1,500 for temple/lodge foundation plantings 

WHEREAS:  The ECOV Board wishes to see its projects brought to successful completion.

RESOLVED: The Board authorizes an increase in the funding of the foundation planting project by $1,500.

3. $2,000 for Garden of Seven Gates prototype housing 

WHEREAS:  The ECOV Board wishes to see its projects brought to successful completion.

RESOLVED: The Board authorizes an increase in the funding of the prototype G7G cabin project by $2,000.

4. $3,000 for garden implements

WHEREAS:  The ECOV Board wishes to maximize the productivity of its agricultural projects.

RESOLVED: The Board authorizes up to $3,000 for the purchase of a rotavator and tiller

5. Gopal’s Garden school newsletter

An article by Madhava Smullen about Gopal’s Garden school is forthcoming. The next newsletter will be in June, to promote the beginning of the next school year.  At least one family has expressed interest in moving to NV based on the last newsletter.