Witnessing Real Love!
→ Dandavats.com

SEREMBAN - Witnessing the meeting of two great souls shows us in Malaysia what real love really is. HH Jayapataka Swami squeezed in a very special visit out of his hectic schedule to meet his very good friend, Iskcon Malaysia President, HH Bhakti Vrajendrananadana Swami who had miraculously recovered the third time the doctors were almost helpless as to what to do and that he was practically gone. -- Read more ›

Ratha Yatra Festivals in Indonesia
→ ISKCON News

On January 18-19, ISKCON held its first Ratha-yatra Festival in Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia. It was a very successful event. The mayor of Medan, the head of the Regional Representative Council of the Republic of Indonesia, the head of ISKCON in Indonesia opened the event attended by over 3,000 people, who joyfully pulled the chariot of  Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladeva and Lady Subhadra on a 4-kilometer route.

ISKCON organizes Global Indian Entrepreneur 2014 Contest
→ Dandavats.com

Deriving knowledge from Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s (Founder Acharya of ISKCON) teachings of Varnashram Sanatan Dharma on Land Sustainability, Cow Protection, and Living simply with minimum resources, Saving Earth from Ultra Industrial Enterprises and similar principles, we are introducing GIE as a platform to connect youth with this vision for a mission. -- Read more ›

Witnessing Real Love
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY JAI SITA RANI DEVI DASI

PHOTOS BY MULAKARANAM DASA

More pictures here

SEREMBAN - Witnessing the meeting of two great souls shows us in Malaysia what real love really is. HH Jayapataka Swami squeezed in a very special visit out of his hectic schedule to meet his very good friend, Iskcon Malaysia President, HH Bhakti Vrajendrananadana Swami who had miraculously recovered the third time the doctors were almost helpless as to what to do and that he was practically gone. 

It is simply amazing watching how HH Jayapataka Swami takes so much trouble despite his physical disability and busy schedule to simply meet another soul. HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana Maharaj's heart is soft as a rose petal and he relishes memories of meetings with Srila Prabhupada and his god-siblings and the pastimes like no other. Try telling him why he is always repeating these nostalgic moments and you will see tears roll from his eyes. And in this meeting, it has brought so much tears to us just watching them and I realize that this is what real love truly is. 

"Love means sacrifice. Love means service. As long as we have an individual, personal, egoistic desire to enjoy, there is going to be conflict, and then we cannot wholeheartedly love each other." - HH Radhanath Swami

Wednesday, January 22nd, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Port Au Spain/Brampton

As I Was Packing

As I was packing my luggage for the return journey back to Canada, my two monastic friends, guru and Agni, came to join me for our last few minutes together.  It was kind of them to bid farewell.  It is moments of support like this, and the camaraderie that goes along with it, that makes devotional life in the renounced lane very whole and complete. It epitomizes the personalistic approach to spiritual life.

The last few words which express a safe journey is like a prayer that all will go well.  It seems that a frequent traveller would likely be receiving many “Bon Voyages” in his or her life.

A five hour flight by Caribbean Airlines brought me to the Toronto airport where I was greeted by Vaishnava Das of Brampton.  A “Goodbye” should always be followed by a “Welcome”, which is what I totally received.  “Goodbyes” and “Hellos” should run in circles in life, otherwise it means you’re not moving.

Vaishnava Das took me to his home where Janaki, his wife, had left her trademark curry leaf veggies for my tummy.  Vaishanava then drove me to Cassie Cambell Community Centre to enable me to get some walking in.  In the fitness room I tackled the 145 metre lap walking lane.  Seven of those revolutions make one kilometre.  I took a gusto one hour at the track, trekking around a space of occupied treadmills, yoga balls, weightlifting devices and numerous other contraptions for getting fit. 

While I went in stride on with the walking, Vaishnava spent some time chatting with Lauren, a staff member, chatting a bit about the guy in robes who has trekked the country a few times.  My hour terminated.  It was all good, the people, the machines, the walking lane, except for the playing of not favourite selection of music.  At best, it was a step up from bubble gum music.  But I shouldn’t complain, I benefitted from being there.

I did hint to Vaishnava that in the future, we should have Wellness Night for our bhakti yoga practitioners, some of whom are under engaged and the food consumed is too rich. 

May the Source be with you!

6 KM

Tuesday, January 21st, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Los Cuevas, Trinidad

Two Friends

It was a treat on this perfect day to be with an old friend, a new friend.  Along this world class beach I did trail alongside Guru Prasad Swami, an American born who became a monk around the same time as me.  The new friend referred to is Agnidev, known in the world of devotional circles as a leader of smooth sounding kirtan. 

Agnidev, I never met before, until now.  When singing as he did at the beach under a tropical tree with a group of Longdenville Community and I, his voice came across, as usual, in a very transparent way.  It’s the voice of a crooner without ego.  Compliments to him.  After running a successful restaurant in Santa Rosa, California, for a number of years, Agnidev decided to retire from the restaurant business.  When he received the consent of his dharma patni, wife, he moved back to his native Trinidad where he is now the smooth mover and shaker of the community. 

With the old friend, Guru Prasad, we talked of many things.  While waves of the ocean were crashing near to us, we contemplated the direction of our worldwide mission.  We were rethinking and redefining our various centres and temples.  Our thoughts were that a certain type of person is very much drawn to the ritualistic side of devotion.  The majority of people in many countries that we travel to (he, predominantly in Latino places, and I more so in Anglo territory) appear to be more attracted to kirtan, to discussions, and good exotic, but holy food.  He and I firmly believe that we should give greater emphasis toward cultural educational approaches.   We pondered the benefits of this direction, giving ritualism a secondary place. 

Number one, it is always imperative to deliver what’s in demand.  And number two – presentations must be of quality standard, even though the subject is non secular.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Monday, January 20th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Longdonville, Trinidad

When Walking is an Art

One of the monks of Longdonville in Trinidad quoted Schopenhauer, he compared life to walking.  He referred to taking a step forward and in order not to fall, you correct yourself by striding and planting the other leg forward. 

If I got him right, it’s hard to stand on one leg.  The balance factor has to be in place. 

The last few days I’ve been trying to strike a balance by not always being on the feet.  Addressing some varicose vein issues, I recall my doctor saying, I must give some time to the blood in the legs to flow downward while they are suspended up.  So in the last few days, I chose the wall next to the bed I’ve been laying on for propping my legs up and allowing the flow of blood to occur.  I believe I should religiously follow this regiment, even when I’m not on long marathon treks.

It was the same monk, Kavi, by name, who quoted Schopenhauer, who took me for a short jaunt within the neighbourhood of the ISKCON Centre.

The neighbourhood is predominantly Hindu.  This is clearly demarked by the various flags you see pegged in their front yard.  The colours of the flags vary and they represent different personalities of the Vedic pantheon.  By the time we walked, the sun was descending when we met some of those folks, and connected with them.

Kavi and I discussed the art of connecting.  Connecting is sometimes referred to as the word ‘yoga’, as in when you take up the practice of yoga, you are ultimately making a connection or union with the Divine, in other words, communicating with God.

Our guru, Srila Prabhupada, went so far as to say that this is the art of all work.  This full reference from the Bhagavad  Gita goes as such:

“A person engaged in devotional service rids himself of both good and bad reactions, even in this life.  Therefore, strive for yoga, which is the art of all work.”

Take walking, for example.  It takes the form of an art and going beyond mechanics when the spiritual connection is made, when you walk not just for fitness, but when there’s a spiritual intent behind it. 

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Glory be to Krsna
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 12 December 2013, Midrand, South Africa, Evening Lecture)

on your kneesIt is the nature of Krsna that he wants to give the glory to his devotee because Krsna serves his devotee as the devotee is serving him. So, it is a mutual thing. It’s not like here is God and there is the living being on his knees, “Oh yes, on your knees, on thy knees! Thou shall go and thou shall pray and I will…bless!” Not like that.

Rather, Krsna is seeing, “Oh, why are you praying? Why are you praying to me? Why? You don’t want anything?”

“No, no”

“You don’t want any wealth?”

“No, no”

“Then why are you praying to me? Do you have some health problem? Do you want to fix it? Is that why you’re praying to me?”

“No, no.”

“You want to get married? Is that why you’re praying to me?”

“No.”

“You want to get rich? Is that why you’re praying to me? Why are praying to me?”

“No. Oh, I’m actually praying to you because you are so amazing.”

“Oh, you mean you are praying to me and you have no desire for anything in return?”

“Well, I want something…”

 “Oh, what do you want?”

“I want to serve you eternally.”

Oh, that purchases Krsna! Then Krsna will also serve that devotee. He will become the servant of that devotee and that is the highest, when the devotee becomes the servant of Krsna and Krsna becomes the servant of the devotee. The devotee is trying to give the glory to Krsna and Krsna trying to give the glory to the devotee!

A Fun Read – 32 Ways NOT to Chant Japa!
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

We came upon this funny little list of "32 Ways Not to Chant Japa", sent to us from Mahatma prabhu.  For serious practitioners of bhakti-yoga (Krsna consciousness), daily mantra meditation (japa) is a big part of our devotional practice.  Of course, one of the main challenges is staying focused while chanting!  :o)

Here's a fun list of what we shouldn't be doing!

32 Ways to Not Chant Japa in 2014
From The Japa Workshop by Mahatma das
(For more classes on Japa, go to www.krishna.com/mahatma)

  1. To Do List Japa - Meditating on your to do and shopping lists, sometimes adding and deleting items between mantras. This may also include mentally balancing your checkbook or mentally going over which bills you have to pay. Caution: This process can cause you to lament about how many bills you have to pay, and thus changing your prayers from "Oh Lord, please engage me in your service," to "Oh Lord, please add a few more zeroes to the end of my bank balance."
  2. I Hate Him Japa - While chanting, meditating on who hurt you, how badly you were hurt, how  much you hate that person, and what you’ll do to get back at him. By the end of 16 rounds your hatred has increased tenfold and you have developed excellent plans and strategies to take revenge.
  3. I am Right Japa - Meditating while chanting on how right you are and how wrong someone else is, and with every mantra you become more convinced how right you are. Also know as "Pump Your Ego Japa. "
  4. Watering the Weeds Japa - Chanting so poorly that by the time you finish you feel disgusted, depressed and miserable. Gone are the days of "Chant and Be Happy." Now it is, "Chant and Be Miserable."
  5. Beat the Clock Japa - You chant as fast as possible in an attempt to get those bothersome rounds over with, sometimes trying to break your previous record of one round in 3 minutes 59 seconds - which was formerly thought to be humanly impossible - until you proved it could be done if one is intensely motivated to get his chanting over with as soon as possible!
  6. Robot Japa - You chant like a robot. Chanting while totally disconnected from the mood of the mantra. You sometimes wish another devotee or a robot  could chant your rounds for you.
  7. Firing Blank Mantras Japa - Krsna’s name is chanted, but your mind and heart are somewhere else - and so is He. The sound Krsna comes out of your mouth, but because there is no consciousness, it is like firing blank mantras.
  8. Killing Time Japa - Chanting, but thinking of things to entertain yourself with while you chant so you won’t be so bored just listening to the mantra. In this way you kill time while chanting and thus make chanting 16 rounds quite tolerable by making it much less painful than usual. 
  9. Creative Japa - Using japa as a time for brainstorming, thus doing some creative thinking,  generating new ideas, and finding solutions to your problems. It is useful to have a pen and paper handy to write down your ideas. Although you may get very few rounds done, and you won't get the nectar of the name - you have spent the past two hours in a such a high degree of passion that you will definitely have a long list of good ideas. (But is it really a good idea to ruin your japa to get some good ideas?)
  10. Novocain Japa - Your heart is so numbed that you feel absolutely nothing when you chant.
  11. Driving Japa - Chanting while distracted by the task of driving,  sometimes accompanied by cursing at people who cut you off (i.e. the anti-trnad api sunicena mantra).  Of course, the reason you chant while driving is that you get up late.
  12. No Japa, Japa - While holding your beads you converse with another devotee, moving your beads as you talk. In this way you sometimes finish a so-called round or two by the end of the conversation. (Oh God, help us!)
  13. Prajalpa Japa - You chant a few mantras and then speak a few words of prajalpa to your friend. You chant a few more mantras and then listen as they speak some prajalpa to you. Then you respond with some even more juicy gossip. This process often continues for the entire japa session.
  14. Call and Response Japa - You talk to someone, and while listening to you they chant japa. Then they reply and while listening to them you chant japa.
  15. Reading Japa - Reading and chanting at the same time. (Note: This would not be a problem if you had two or more heads.)
  16. Left Hand Japa - Chanting japa while doing something with your left hand (cleaning, cooking, tinkering, organizing, washing your car, etc.). This is very useful for developing left arm strength.
  17. Bubblegum Japa - Chanting in a way that sounds like you are chewing bubble gum while chanting Hare Krsna.
  18. New Mantra Japa - Chanting a new form of the Hare Krsna mantra, such as "here kitty, kitty, here kitty, kitty," or "nish, nish, ram, ram, ari, ari."
  19. Entertainment Japa - Chanting while watching TV or a movie. Note: watching TV while not chanting, but chanting during the commercials is also totally bogus! (And, Krsna conscious video is also included in TV Japa.)
  20. Internet Japa - A few mantras and a few emails, sometimes chanting and reading at the same time.  Inevitably, the beads get put on the table and the right hand lands on the keyboard.
  21. Window Shopping Japa - Chanting while window shopping (this commonly happens when making the attempt to knock out some rounds while in the shopping mall).
  22. Boredom Japa - You are so bored while chanting that you feel like killing yourself.
  23. Relaxing Japa - Lying down or relaxing in a hammock while chanting (often accompanied by coconut water in your left hand).
  24. Slumber Japa - Taking advantage of japa to get a good nap. Another variety of "Slumber Japa" is trying to fight off sleep, but continually failing. This is also known as "Dive Bomb Japa" due to the head constantly rising and falling (diving).
  25. Bitter Medicine Japa - Your experience of the holy name is like bitter medicine and your face turns in disgust as you chant.
  26. Painful Japa - Your mind is so out of control that it is painful to try to control it. Thus, the expression on your face while chanting appears similar to the expression of a person with a knife in their back (or a person with severe constipation). This is often accompanied by banging your head with your hand, or in severe cases - banging your head against a wall.
  27. Shaking Japa - (Also known as "Ants in Your Pants Japa") -  You chant as if you were a toy monkey that was just wound up.
  28. Radar Japa - Looking around at anything and everything - and everybody - while chanting.
  29. Audio Japa - Chanting japa while listening to a lecture, kirtan, song, or the radio. This is especially challenging while listening to the radio (unless, of course, it is one of your favorite songs or some juicy news).
  30. Sightseeing Japa - Walking or driving  and chanting while doing some serious sightseeing.
  31. Shopping Japa - Nish, nish, ram, ram, ari, ari-ing your way through the supermarket or mall.
  32. Apathy Japa - Chanting with absolutely no desire or enthusiasm to chant.

Understand God from God
→ The Spiritual Scientist

If we try to understand God by our limited knowledge, it will be a failure. We have to understand God from God. Then that will be perfect knowledge. So this Bhagavad-gītā is the science of God where God is speaking about Himself. And it is accepted by all great scholars, philosophers, and, I mean to say, religionists, everyone.

- Srila Prabhupada, Lecture on BG 4.1-6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1969