“Cremation — Ashes to Ashes” by Lou Reed
→ View From a New Vrindaban Ridge

Well the coal black sea waits for me me me
The coal black sea waits forever
The waves hit the shore
Crying more more more
But the coal black sea waits forever

The tornados come up the coast they run
Hurricanes rip the sky forever
Though the weathers change
the sea remains the same
The coal black sea waits forever

There are ashes spilt through collective guilt
People rest at sea forever
Since they burnt you up
Collect you in a cup
For you the coal black sea has no terror

Will your ashes float like some foreign boat
ot will they sink absorbed forever
Will the Atlantic Coast
have its final boast
Nothing else contained you ever

Now the coal black sea waits for me me me
The coal black sea waits forever
When I leave this joint
at some further point
The same coal black sea will it be waiting


Filed under: Poetry

The waters of Prema-Sarovara are the combined tears of Radha and Krsna in feelings of intense separation (Album 162 photos)
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Indradyumna Swami: The waters of Prema-Sarovara are the combined tears of Radha and Krsna in feelings of intense separation from each other. Though such pastimes are far beyond our understanding, our parikrama party had kirtan, discussed the lilas and bathed in the sacred kunda. We left grateful for such an opportunity and felt purified in heart. Read more ›

Tuesday, November 5th, 2013
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Stepping Home
 
Toronto/Ontario
 
I've got a happy story about someone coming home. It's about an all American boy (young man really) who joined the order of the Hare Krishnas. He was like most people at the time in the 60's and 70's, a product of the counter culture. He settled down as a monk and accepted a guru as his guide. He was hit hard in the heart when his guru passed away and saw power struggles happening within the spiritual organization. He got disenchanted and even dis-chanted for a long time, years in fact.
 
Life went on for him, not as a monk, but as a married man. The relationship didn't hold together'. Eventually he made his way to  central Canada to collage country where the canoeing is good. By now, being outside the company of spiritualists, he fell away from vows he made long ago. One day an event occurred that traumatized  him. He took up chanting again after a thirty year break. This was a life break through for him.
 
He recently showed up at our doorstep at the ashram, after some correspondence and came to test the waters after not being wet (so to speak) for so long. I had the pleasure to meet and spend some time with this former monk who now eagerly wanted to be there again. He purchased a kurta (devotional shirt) and we acquired a dhoti for him, the lower body robe. He sported beads around his neck and applied tilak (earth based substance) to his forehead. It was all coming back to him.  The chants, the incense, the prasadam food. The special kind of people. The wisdom. " Why did I even leave"?  he asked himself. "We all learn in different ways," he reasoned.
 
"You're home now," I indicated to him. He ends up having been quite successful in the business world but it just wasn't enough. He wants to get in the thick of spirituality again. It's been a pleasure being with him. We click well together and what's more? He likes exercise and likes walking. That's my kind of person. He's a good brother, a spiritual bro. We went to a sanga home gathering, had a feast and chanting. The host was gracious and all the people there treated him nice.
 
It's like he never left, in a way. We're glad He's home.
 
May the Source be with you!
 
0 KM

Monday, November 4th, 2013
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Tip the Scale
 
Toronto, Ontario
 
I had a real meaningful discussion with a male student while on foot. He believed as I that everyone--well, almost everyone ... at least 99.99% of us-- are good, but we do carry baggage. We are a combination of what's divine and diabolical. We are pure and profane at the same time. We are all in this dual domain.
 
Chapter Sixteen of the Bhagavad-gita puts it very clearly that the world is cut with the powers of the divine and the demoniac. And although we are encouraged to always think or be "balanced" it becomes rational that every individual should tip this scale. Life's mission has much to do with putting weight to the virtuous side causing vice to lighten up. That is the entire thrust of the Gita's message; to address anger, lust and greed.
 
By the way, they do have their place, too. The steam pressure of anger can be released of its lid when one is on the defense of battle, when there is injustice and when one must stand up for the vulnerable. Lust can do a front flip to become love for the Divine. And greed can do a backflip and transform as eagerness to attain the Lord's favor.
 
Chapter 14 of the Gita outlines the three modes of nature, goodness, passion and darkness-- the three states of consciousness. Life is a bag of trail mix in regards to each individual spirit being influenced into negative and positive ways. This is not to complicate matters-- going from two principles, good and evil, to three, but the karma in this world can be complex. Surely a sensible person can appreciate what is permanent and that which is not. He/she will gravitate to the eternal and endeavor in doing what it takes to be good.
 
As I wound up my walk and when my walking/talking companion had to go his way, I reached a juncture at the street. It was at Yonge and Bloor where a fellow bent his head slightly down to maneuver his lighter to his cigarette. Once he succeeded to have it lit he looked up at me and mumbled, "Hare Krishna." Two forces were coming from the same pipe (his mouth), which kind of prove the point made. There’s strength and positive in all.
 
He had me smiling. I hope I'll meet him again and hope that he'll outnumber The mantras to the cigarettes.
 
May the Source be with you!
 
7 KM

Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day, November 6, Bhaktivedanta Manor, London
Giriraj Swami

01.SP_Dis_11.06.13_London“O Maharaja Parikshit, this entire universe, with its great, exalted demigods like Lord Siva, Lord Brahma, and Lord Indra, is under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yet the Supreme Lord has one transcendental attribute: He comes under the control of His devotees. This was now exhibited by Krishna in this pastime.” (SB 10.9.19)

I thought, ‘This is the answer! Just as Krishna comes under the control of His devotees, Srila Prabhupada also comes under the control of his devotees.”

There is another aspect to what Srila Prabhupada taught us at the end. As we recite every day in the Damodarastaka (3): “By such pastimes He is drowning the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy and revealing to those devotees who are absorbed in knowledge of His supreme majesty and opulence that He is conquered only by devotees whose pure love is imbued with intimacy and is free from all conceptions of awe and reverence. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, whose belly is bound not with ropes but with His devotee’s pure love, I offer my humble obeisances.”

Of course, Krishna lila is different, because in Vrindavan the devotees forget that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. With the spiritual master, however, there is always an awareness that he is the spiritual master and we are his disciples. Still, Srila Prabhupada was trying to bring us to a higher, more spontaneous platform in interacting with him, which is also the message of the Damodara lila.”
02.SP_Dis_11.06.13_London03.SP_Dis_11.06.13_London04.SP_Dis_11.06.13_London05.SP_Dis_11.06.13_London06.SP_Dis_11.06.13_London07.SP_Dis_11.06.13_London08.SP_Dis_11.06.13_London09.SP_Dis_11.06.13_London——————————————————————————————————————————
Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day Talk

A dream about Srila Prabhupada
→ Servant of the Servant



Today is the disappearance day of His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. It is on this day 15 years ago I first entered into an ISKCON Temple so this day has a sentimental value for me. Unfortunately, I am so dull I forgot that today is the disappearance day and hence did not fast half day. I will fast (half-day) tomorrow.

It is said that the appearance and disappearance of a divine person such as Srila Prabhupada should be considered the same unlike where the birth and death of a mundane person is seen as sources of joy and sorrow respectively. It is treated the same because souls such as Srila Prabhupada are completely spiritual devoid of any material contamination. They come into this world and leave this world as they please and they are not controlled or forced by the laws of karma unlike mundane people. So on this day we should pray to such great personalities for their mercy and blessings. We should pray that we clean our hearts of material desires and pray we remain humble servants of the servants of the servants of Krishna. In all circumstances we pray to fix our consciousness at the Lotus Feet of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. This sort of prayer only can benefit us, everything else not this is a burden.

On this auspicious day, I would like for the readers to read a pastime of Prabhupada that happened after his departure from this world. It happened as a dream to one of his disciples. The above picture is a painting she envisioned in her dream.

Some time after Srila Prabhupada left this world, I had a very powerful  dream….In that visionary dream, I saw Srila Prabhupada sitting on a huge lion-flanked and jewel-bedecked Vyasasana.   His Vyasasana rested  on  the brightly shimmering globe of Mother Earth, and was positioned just  above the  sacred land of India. Behind him, the vast curvature of the  earth planet was  visible. A silvery bluish-white light emanated from the center of the vision, forming a giant oval, in which Srila Prabhupada  sat.

Below him were many crowds of people–all races, nationalities, and all ages–all  the people of the world, reaching out from darkness.  They were  pointing  toward Srila Prabhupada, in awe and wonder, exclaiming, reaching out, praising,  and acknowledging him according to their various abilities.  Many were in  darkness, in worldly life, yet they were all reaching out  toward Srila Prabhupada, seeking his mercy.

Above Srila Prabhupada, in the shimmering silver-blue sky, many swan-shaped  airplanes circled. In these airplanes, devas were singing praises and showering  flowers.  Cascades of colorful blossoms tumbled down from their swan  planes, as they glorified Srila Prabhupada. With sweet sounding instruments, and  heavenly chorus, they sang “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare  Hare.  Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare…” Their joyful mood  spread throughout the universe. 

They were celebrating Lord Chaitanya’s  mission on Earth, and showering blessings upon His Senapati Bhakta, His  Commander-in-Chief, Srila Prabhupada. 

Srila Prabhupada sat regally upon the huge Vyasasana, like a lion king sits  atop a mountain.  From there he could see all the world and its  inhabitants, their sufferings, and their great need for Krishna  Consciousness.  In his mood of compassionate contemplation, he saw each  person’s needs and desires, past and present karmas, and he devised ways to  bring their hearts back to home, to love of God.

 His Vyasasana shone brightly, like a brilliant golden chariot, bedecked with  shimmering jewels.  Golden lions flanked each side of his seat, each with  piercing ruby eyes.  The Vyasasana was SO dazzling, with sparkling jewels 
of every color, that at first I could not see that something was written  there.  Then, like a camera’s zoom lens, the base of the Vyasasana came  into full focus.  As the focal point moved in onto the base, I saw, just  beneath Srila Prabhupada’s Lotus Feet, written in glittering jewels, was the  word, “ISKCON.”

As the dream faded, I was told to take color notes, and  was instructed  to paint a picture of this vision.  And the realization was transmitted to  me, that “ISKCON” is Srila Prabhupada’s Vahana, his sitting place, his carrier,  just as Lord Shiva has a bull carrier, and Ganesh a rat, and Lord Vishnu, the  glorious Eagle Garuda. 

- by H.G.Govinda Dasi (For more on the dream - please click link)

On this auspicious day, I beg Srila Prabhupada's mercy and blessings and unto all assembled Vaishnavas to bless me on my journey towards Krishna.

Hare Krishna


339. Srila Prabhupada Disappearance Day 2014
→ 9 Days, 8 Nights

Today at the temple, many would have gathered to remember the disappearance day of our beloved founder-acharya Srila Prabhupada. I am at work though at the moment and completely forgot that I could tune-in LIVE to hear the remembrance talks. Hopefully, they are recorded and I can listen to them later on.

During my lunch time, I decided to watch any YouTube video of him and the first one that came up was a collection of his time preaching in the western countries. Shortly into the videos, this particular one came up – him in Melbourne 1974.

20131107-125429.jpg

Smiling at what he said, I continued to honor the Maha Prasad (food offered to the Lord) which I had collected yesterday from the temple.

Thank you Prabhupada for everything.


Krishna is ATTACHED! (Verse 3 of Caturślokī Bhāgavatam)
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Continuing from verse two – here is the third of the the essential, four-śloka core of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam – recorded in the Second Canto, Chapter Nine, Text Thirty-Five. (Large text is direct, literal translation, small text incorporates the Gaudiya Sampradaya commentaries.)

yathā mahānti bhūtāni
bhūteṣūccāvaceṣv anu
praviṣṭāny apraviṣṭāni
tathā teṣu na teṣv aham

Brahmā: How do you interact with the realities that your magic generates?

Hari: I am within them, yet outside them, too.

Brahmā: Can you give an example to help me comprehend this apparent contradiction?

Hari: The primordial elements of the universe are beyond everything within the universe. Yet they are also within everything in the universe, great and small, because everything has evolved from them. Similarly I am beyond yet within all perceptions of reality.

Brahmā: I know that your phrase “I am within them, yet outside them, too.” must have many meanings.

Hari: Yes, listen:

“I am within everything, but beyond everything.” One important meaning is this: the fact that I am spread throughout all of reality does not mean that I cannot also localize myself and display my individual name, form, qualities, and activities. I can be within all things, but also have my own transcendent individuality distinct from them.

You can also take the phrase as, “I am within some  things, but beyond other things.” This reveals another important meaning: Although factually I am everywhere, my presence is not tangibly obvious within the illusory reality of māyā. My presence is tangibly direct within the reality revealed by yoga-māyā. So I am within the spiritual reality of yoga-māyā, but beyond the material “reality” of māyā.

You can also take the phrase as, “I invest myself into some things, but remain univested from others.” I am everywhere in all realities, but I am very detached from the affairs within the so-called realities of māyā. I merely facilitate everyone’s dreams of independence and self-importance, and I do so in an utterly neutral and dispassionate manner. I “do not invest myself” in those “realities.” Yet I thoroughly and absolutely invest myself in the realities revealed by yoga-māyā. I am extremely attached and passionate to serve the perceptions of the spiritual individuals existing therein. I give myself to them, wholeheartedly and emotionally. I offer my divine beauty simply to serve their divine vision, decorating myself and dancing for them. I offer the divine sound of my flute and my voice to their divine hearing, playing music that delights them, and playfully conversing with them day and night. Thus I enter into their vision and hearing, saturating their eyes and ears. So too do I passionately long to drift into their noses as my intoxicating fragrance, to enwrap their skin with my velvet-silk embrace, and to fill their mouths with the nectar flavor of my kisses. So, my heart is detached from the affairs of māyā, yet passionately attached to the affairs of yoga-māyā.

rasalila painting 1


Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day
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Prabhupada morning walk chadar(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 November 2013, Vrindavan, India, Lecture: Damodar Lila)

This is the month of Kartik and I was asked to speak on the month of Damodar but although Damodar is so much on my mind, even more than that is the disappearance of Srila Prabhupada actually.

We will have arati in Srila Prabhupada’s room, by his bed. At the end of the arati, Srila Prabhupada’s chadar goes around, the big grey woollen chadar and it is heavy. When I felt that heavy chadar, I felt the weight of responsibility – now we have to do something; we have to do something to take up this mission!

It is up to us now. See, we have inherited it. Now what are we going to do for Srila Prabhupada’s mission to make the whole world Krsna conscious. I feel that on my head with that chadar. So, we do not need to look at our hearts and do deep psycho-analysis to see whether we can find a trace of the six enemies: lust, anger and greed, madness and envy – don’t worry, it is there! But somehow or other, embrace the service of Srila Prabhupada – if you do that and if we do something to make others Krsna conscious, he will surely look in our direction. He will shower us with mercy and that will save us!

Because of Srila Prabhupada…
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 November 2013, Vrindavan, India, Lecture: Damodar Lila)

srila prabhupada_1When I came to this Krsna Balaram mandir, initially I noticed how much present Krsna was but then I noticed that Prabhupada was even more present than Krsna. That is a fact; that is actually true because Srila Prabhupada has extended the mercy of Krsna and made it more available to us.

Last year, Brahmananda gave this lecture here. He was talking about Prabhupada and someone had a question and said, “In the early days, those were the very intimate days with Prabhupada and later, there was a bigger movement. Do you feel that something changed in the relationship with Prabhupada?”

Brahmananda said, “Well, you know, when you’re a child, your father is your father. And when you’re a grown-up, your father is still your father. So what has changed… Nothing has changed. Still the same!”  

Then the devotee said, “I can see that you are accepting Prabhupada as God.”

srila prabhupadaThen Brahmananda was getting quite strong and he said, “Oh no, that was a mistake! In 1970, I made that mistake that I thought Prabhupada was God. Prabhupada is not God – he is as good as God! But these days, I think Prabhupada is better than God because he came to the Lower-East Side to save me!” And then, Brahmananda started to cry!

So that was something. That was definitely something that touched my stone-like heart! I thought, “That’s right!” That is the position for all of us. Brahmananda may see it; others may see it; you and I may not see it but the fact of the matter is that we are here because of Srila Prabhupada.

We did not only come to Vrindavan because of Srila Prabhupada; we are able to stay here because of Srila Prabhupada, because of his prayer, because of his directions and are only able to catch a glimpse of the dham through him.

 

 

 

Lou Reed 1942-2013
→ View From a New Vrindaban Ridge

I was a big fan of Lou Reed in the late 1960s for all the wrong reasons so news of his death from complications following a liver transplant (see the pattern?) was sad to hear.

Most people spent the 60s listening to R+B or San Fransisco sound and when I mention Lou Reed they give me a puzzled look until I mention his one venture into the Top 40 “Walk on the Wild Side.”

Another song of his that got a lot of covers was “Sweet Jane” most notably by the Cowboy Junkies.

The irony is that I just heard a Lou Reed song in a car commercial for the first time “It’s Such a Perfect Day.” I was a little puzzled who their target demographic was.

Although never a Top 40 success he was  extremely influential amongst musicians and arguably the Grandfather of punk rock.


Filed under: News, Ramblings or Whatever

Saturday, November 2nd, 2013
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The Actor

Brampton, Ontario

Early this morning I met the most amazing actor. He looked wholesome and was stylish in attire. At the time, he was very much in the enjoying mode before he got fearsome.

To be more specific, when on my japa meditation walk at 5 AM in the quiet suburbs of Toronto, I stumble upon an opossum. It’s the first one I had ever seen in Canada. He’s a hairy guy, he had in his possession an apple which he had been chewing on. The reason for me calling him an actor was because he was faking it – dead. Like the saying goes, ‘play possum’, referring to lay low and play dead. This little guy pulled it off real well. He was rather motionless, laying partially to the side, yet I could tell by some jaw movement he was very much alive. His stoic posture is his defense method. It’s instinctive, if not genius.

I wanted to let him know that he had nothing to worry about when meeting a veggie monk. I was able to get close enough and let him catch the sound of the mantra. I proceeded to walk with the intent to come back a few minutes later, and sure enough, I found him gone, his partially eaten apple missing as well. Perhaps he’s found a tree to suspend himself from by means of his powerful tail. I’d say he’s quite professional at what he does. I was reminded of the Gita statement, “I am the ability in all.” Wherever talent lies, it all emanates from Him.

Later in the evening I was proudly engaged in the grand opening of a new facility for VEC, an acronym for Vedic Educational Centre, sponsored by ISKCON. This facility will function as a temple on Sunday while on other days of the week will hold Gita classes, kirtan, cooking demos, Odissi classes of dance lessons, perhaps even South Indian martial arts.

To celebrate its opening at 6 George Street in downtown Brampton, we staged a drama, Gita: Concise. It was performed by our own local actors who are very sincere. They did splendid. They helped me to reflect on the expert marsupial little fellow, the opossum, and the opossum reminded me of Him.

May the Source be with you!

8 KM

The secret of the Hare Krsna movement
→ KKS Blog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 July 2013, Durban, South Africa, Lecture: Journey of faith)

srila prabhupada_2During my stay at the Krsna Balaram mandir, initially I was very impressed by the deities and the temple. But gradually it began to dawn on me that Prabhupada was even more prominently present in Vrindavan than Krsna. Krsna is so much present in Vrindavan – everywhere! But I realized that in the Krsna Balaram mandir, Prabhupada is even more present and that by satisfying Prabhupada’s desire, we will attain Krsna. That became very apparent to me.

And suddenly, I understood the secret of the Hare Krsna movement. I understood that the sincerity, the dedication that I had mistaken for fanaticism, was actually found in the devotees love for Prabhupada. Because at the time when I joined, the movement consisted of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples. They were very sincere and dedicated simply because of their love for Prabhupada.

That was a unique feature. That is the one thing this movement had over others, and we see that it brought about much greater changes in peoples’ lives.