The Art of Invitation
→ Seed of Devotion

Love is the art of invitation. We can't force invitations - that's why the experience of lack of invitations in our life can hurt so badly. It's a lack of love. But, we are surrounded by invitations every day, all day, like beautiful cards flying around us in whirlwinds. We need only open those envelopes and RSVP to the conversation, the party, the walk in the park, the wedding, to lead a kirtan, to accept a proposal. We need only be willing to write a couple invitations ourselves and send them off to the people we're most afraid of welcoming in to sit down next to the fireplace of our heart. Never underestimate the power of an invitation - to give one, to receive one. It is love in jeans and a t-shirt.

(photo by femiology.com)


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Connecting With The Lord
→ Japa Group

I had this realisation today.....like a strong relationship there is good communication - we have this chance to connect with the Lord via the mercy of the spiritual master. That connection is through sound.....when we really hear the Maha mantra that's our connection and we feel the Lord's presence.
It's been said many times but we always need to be reminded of this simple truth....just hear the names and then we will connect with the Lord and receive His mercy.

Gosh Outruns The Cops (Sorry Madhu)
→ View From a New Vrindaban Ridge

3 days a week I have to make the 16.4  mile (26 km) 28 minute drive into Wheeling to do dialysis. To save a few minutes I tend to drive 5 mph (8 km) over the speed limit as my experience is that even 8 mph over the limit law enforcement will give you a pass.

In Sherrard on Route 88 there is a bit of the road where the speed limit is 25 mph. I had just gone thorough the dip in the road and was heading up when here comes a State Trooper. He gave me a hard look and I glanced at my speedometer and saw I was at 33 mph, 8 mph over the limit. I watched him in my rear view mirror and sure enough the first driveway he came to he pulled in and clearly was turning around, waiting for traffic as the road curved and I lost sight of him.

Running a little late and not wanting to go through getting a ticket within a few seconds I was at Route 86 and I turned off onto it. It goes straight for only a few yards then turns and drops down behind a bank.  I hoped I would be out of sight by the time he got there.  Over 95% of the traffic on Route 88 stays on 88 so I hoped he would make the assumption I did too.

There was an anxious moment but in a few hundred yards (meters) I was at the turn off for Boggs Run and headed down there. Boggs Run is parallel to Route 88 so it didn’t add any distance to my journey but is a lot twistier and slower.

I soon realized he hadn’t followed me and I breathed a sigh of relief. I soon felt a pang of guilt as I respect law enforcement and generally am supportive so this wasn’t typical of me and I wouldn’t advise anyone else to do so.  I even have a son who is a policemen in Georgia,  of whom we are very proud, so I do try to see the world through their perspective.

I hadn’t actually heard a siren or seen flashing lights so technically I wasn’t breaking any laws by running.

The guilt was soon replaced by a thrill of adventure. My life is generally quite placid and routine and it has been years since I even had the thrill of competing in a soccer game, so this was quite out of the ordinary for me.  I will say it wasn’t an unwanted thrill that I had pretty much written off I would ever feel in this body again.

Plus it gave me something to write about. :-)


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Gita Jayanti
→ Ramai Swami

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Jyotisar is the exact spot where Lord Sri Krishna spoke Bhagavad-Gita. There is a Banyan tree in this place under which Krishna explained Bhagavad-Gita 5000 years back to Arjuna – his greatest friend and devotee.

On a board placed on the tree there it is written “The immortal banyan tree, witness of the celestial song Bhagavad-Gita”. In fact this place is named, “Gitopadesh sthal - the place where the Bhagavad-Gita was spoken.”

Kurukshetra is referred to as “Dharmakshetra,” the place in Haryana state where the epic Mahabharata battle took place between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The Indian government has named the state, ‘Haryana’ which in local language means: ‘Hari ka ana’ (Lord Hari came here).
The founder of the land was King Kuru who practiced austere penance to make this land righteous. That is why in the first verse of Bhagavad-Gita it reads, “Dharmakshetra Kurukshetra.”
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The Very Best Day of My life
→ travelingmonk.com

Volume 13, Chapter 13 Dec 6, 2013   Memorial Address for Nelson Mandela Delivered at Edison Power Group Memorial Function Durban,South Africa December 6, 2013 Dearest Madiba, It was with profound sadness that I learned of your departure from this world yesterday. Though all of us were aware that your demise was imminent, somehow we [...]

A year of eating vegetarian food in Ireland, my favorite veg restaurants
→ Dandavats.com

With locations across central Dublin, Govindas is a great place to stop into for lunch. You walk up to the counter and ask for a regular or large plate, and the kind soul serving you proceeds to pile it high with homemade Indian-ish tasty glop. Their food isn’t as intensely flavorful as traditional Indian, but it’s so cheap and satisfying (and the soft Hare Krishna chanting playing in the background is so soothing) that I’m never disappointed Read more ›

O’ VAISNAVA GOSWAMI
→ simple thoughts

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Vicaru das
ISKCON uk

O’ Vaisnava Goswami please be merciful to me now ,there is no one except you who can purify the fallen souls.where does anyone find such a merciful personality by whose mere audience all sins go far away/.After bathing in the waters of the sacred Ganges many times one becomes purified.,but just by the sight of you, the fallen souls are purified,This is your great power

The holy name delivers one who has committed an offence to Lord Hari, but if one commits an offence to you, there is no means of deliverance,Your heart is always resting place of Lord Govinda and Lord Govinda says,The vaisnavas are in my heart,
I desire the dust of your holy feet in every birth I may take ,./Please consider Narottam yours, and be kind upon him

NOTHING GOES FURTHER WITHOUT MERCY
→ simple thoughts

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VICARU DAS
BHAKTIVEDANTA MANOR
ISKCON UK

Gurudava,By a drop of your mercy make this servant of yours more humble than a blade of grass.Give me strength to bear all trials and troubles,and free me from all desires for personal honour.

O lord and master Invest me with the power to properly honor all living beings.Only then will I sing the holy name in great ecstasy and
will all my offences cease.

O lord and master’ when will this devotee be blessed by obtaining your mercy/ I am low fallen and devoid of all strength and intelligence.Please make me your beloved servant.

When I examine myself,I find nothing of value,your mercy is therefore essential to me.If you are not merciful,I will constantly weep, and I will not maintain my life any longer.

Srila Prabhupada Shobha Yatra @ LUDHIANA (Album 21photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Srila Prabhupada Shobha Yatra (Glorification Parade) was taken out in the city today. This yatra is taken out two days before the historic annual Rath Yatra of Ludhiana. The distance of about two kilometer was covered with chanting of maha-mantra. Chariot of Srila Prabhupada was decorated beautifully with colorful lights. People on both sides of the road welcomed with flowers and prashadam were also distributed on the way of parade Read more ›

Christmas is. . .Not on Vaishnava Calendar – Lyrics and previews
→ Dandavats.com

It is so inspiring to hear how the devotees came to the Krishna consciousness, especially in the BTG magazine section, "How I Came to the Krishna consciousness." Except for every such story there are many stories you never hear, of "How I Did Not Come to the Krishna Consciousness." They do not publish in the BTG because those persons are not going back to the Godhead. Maybe next life or so Read more ›

Wednesday, December 11th, 2013
→ The Walking Monk

That’s Right, Dave!

Burnaby, British Columbia

In the course of a chilly walk this evening, I met Dave by the Chinese convenience store on Marine Drive.  He was cozily bundled up in a parka and hat to cover the ears.  I still could recognize him though.
 
Dave was the guy that drove me to my accommodation after a grueling trek, day 4, of my first cross-Canada walk in ’96.  I targeted and achieved a 47 KM walk that day.  Dave was the guy who drove me in his second hand black Cadillac.  He was unique, observing the asphalt moving under you with the car in motion because of the rust that eroded the floor to create holes.  Dave was the guy who was very fond of his dog, a massive specimen who sat in the back seat.  The next day, Dave was also the guy who gave me a small plastic bag of cayenne pepper to put in my socks, guaranteeing me that it would help pick up speed while walking.  You know, honestly, I bought into it, and poured the stuff inside.  My soles were a little fiery that day.  At least with the mix of rain those white socks turned saffron – my colour.

Dave was also the guy who let me reciprocate with his generosity by teaching him a verse from the Gita.  It goes like this: 

rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ
su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam 

It’s funny, after all these years, Dave retained it in his memory banks, so as soon as he saw me, he recited it, right in front of the Chinese boy behind the counter, and he recited it quite well.  I was quite proud of him.  We went for a mutual hug.  I didn’t ask for the English translation.  Even if he knew it, letting the sound linger in Sanskrit was just good enough.  However, I will take the opportunity to present its translation: 

“This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.” 

I thanked Dave for his gestures of the past.  Even his reciting was a gift to the ears.  He let me know that his dog, since then in ’96 passed on, while he had planned to continue going on.

“That’s right, Dave, your soul will.”

May the Source be with you!

8 KM