This year World Holy Name week was celebrated between September 19th and September 26th. In Bali, the devotees decided to extend it an extra week up until October 2nd. The Balinese devotees are very attached to kirtan and there’s a Hari Nama samkirtan party that goes out every day of the week to different locales around Bali.
At the Radha Madhava Temple in Gianyar, the devotees inaugurated a 48 hour continuous kirtan mela on Saturday and Sunday September 28th and 29th. Devotees from all over came and Gopala Das and Akincana Krsna, two famous kirtaniyas from Vrndavan temple, headed up the weekend’s chanting. Needless to say, everyone felt great bliss joining the wonderful occasion of chanting the Lord’s holy names.
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu could have liberated all the three worlds in an instant, if He had desired to do so. But He wanted His pure devotee, Srila Prabhupada, to do it because He takes pleasure in making His devotees famous.
People often ask: “What is the use of remembering Krishna?”
It acts as a shelter and as armor.
As a shelter, it helps us rest and recover after life’s exhausting battles. By remembering Krishna, we get spiritual energy to recoup and regroup, thereby preparing us for future battles.
As armor, it provides inner stability and clarity amidst life’s battles. When we pray or chant and seek Krishna’s help amidst moments of pressure, we feel an inner presence that steadies and illumines.
Pertinently, the Bhagavad-gita (18.57) urges us to do all our activities for him and also cultivate his remembrance. These two gifts of remembrance of Krishna – shelter and armor – are symbiotic; each depends on the other and also enhances the other.
So, we need to seek shelter to wear the armor. That is, only when we practice remembering Krishna exclusively on a regular basis will we have the strong spiritual reflexes to connect with Krishna substantially amidst the world’s passions. Otherwise, amidst danger we won’t call Krishna or we will call superficially and nominally. Either way, we won’t be able to access the protective effect of remembering Krishna.
Conversely, we need to use the armor to feel the shelter. That is, only when we earnestly and intensely remember Krishna will we feel his reciprocation as inner peace, warmth and strength. If when faced with problems we tackle things only at the material level, then we will be like warriors who don’t use the armor and so get wounded – needlessly.
The more we practice remembering Krishna, the shelter and armor will overlap till we relish his rejuvenating, protecting presence everywhere. That constant Krishna consciousness is life’s supreme security and success. It is as good as Krishna’s eternal abode and it will eventually take us there.
**
18.57 - In all activities just depend upon Me and work always under My protection. In such devotional service, be fully conscious of Me.
Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.23 during the Sunday festival in Houston.
“In other words, Lord Sri Krishna is the property of His pure unconditional devotees, and as such only the devotees can deliver Krishna to another devotee; Krishna is never obtainable directly. Lord Caitanya therefore designated Himself as gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah, or ‘the most obedient servant of the servants of the Lord, who maintains the gopi damsels at Vrndavana.’ A pure devotee therefore never approaches the Lord directly, but tries to please the servant of the Lord’s servants, and thus the Lord becomes pleased, and only then can the devotee relish the taste of the tulasi leaves stuck to His lotus feet. In the Brahma-samhita it is said that the Lord is never to be found by becoming a great scholar of the Vedic literatures, but He is very easily approachable through His pure devotee. In Vrndavana all the pure devotees pray for the mercy of Srimati Radharani, the pleasure potency of Lord Krishna. Srimati Radharani is a tenderhearted feminine counterpart of the supreme whole, resembling the perfectional stage of the worldly feminine nature. Therefore, the mercy of Radharani is available very readily to the sincere devotees, and once She recommends such a devotee to Lord Krishna, the Lord at once accepts the devotee’s admittance into His association. The conclusion is, therefore, that one should be more serious about seeking the mercy of the devotee than that of the Lord directly, and by one’s doing so (by the good will of the devotee) the natural attraction for the service of the Lord will be revived.” —SB 2.3.23 purport
Although a man who has fallen in the ocean may struggle very hard and may be very expert in swimming, he cannot save himself. But if someone comes and picks him up from the water, then he is easily rescued. Similarly, the Lord picks up the devotee from this material existence. One simply has to practice the easy process of Krsna consciousness and fully engage himself in devotional service. Any intelligent man should always prefer the process of devotional service to all other paths.
"I don’t want to chant mechanically. I want to feel the meaning of the Hare Krishna mantras as I repeat them. Please engage me in your service. Please reveal the essence of Nama to me. This seeking and crying has to be there, beyond the accumumlation of numbers of rounds."
The greatest transcendental show on earth just ended, bigger and better every year. More than double the devotees at the Mayapur festival, four times the population of an average country town, the ISKCON festival in Ukraine far surpasses anything else in planetary ISKCON. The festival excels in organisational prowess also.
The vast majority of the attendees come from Ukraine, supplemented by a strong showing from neighbouring Russia, plus a tiny sprinkling of devotees from first world countries like the UK., Canada, Australia, etc.
During the festival Radhanatha Swami commented to me that the Ukrainian bhakti-yogis "take nothing for granted." Even just a smile, in passing, from a visiting senior devotee becomes immortalised, never to be forgotten. As I pointed out last year, ISKCON life among devotees in the first world can become quite familiar and jaded, regarding gurus and disciples. The subtle mentality that sometimes creeps in: "He visits here all the time—what's the big deal . . ."
To Niranjana Swami, the GBC and spiritual surcharger for Ukraine, I confided my realisation: "I'm here just for my own purification." Hopefully the embarrassing sincerity and open-heartedness of the Ukrainian devotees will rub off on me. Their freshness and purity of purpose brings down upon them the blessings of Krishna. Maybe some of Krishna's mercy will rain on me also.
As Krishna says in the Gita (5.11): "The yogis, abandoning attachment, act with body, mind, intelligence and even with the senses, only for the purpose of purification."
Traveling through Ukraine, now visiting Lugansk, near the Russian border, I meditate on this Gita verse, seeking to make it my friend and guide.
The greatest transcendental show on earth just ended, bigger and better every year. More than double the devotees at the Mayapur festival, four times the population of an average country town, the ISKCON festival in Ukraine far surpasses anything else in planetary ISKCON. The festival excels in organisational prowess also.
The vast majority of the attendees come from Ukraine, supplemented by a strong showing from neighbouring Russia, plus a tiny sprinkling of devotees from first world countries like the UK., Canada, Australia, etc.
During the festival Radhanatha Swami commented to me that the Ukrainian bhakti-yogis "take nothing for granted." Even just a smile, in passing, from a visiting senior devotee becomes immortalised, never to be forgotten. As I pointed out last year, ISKCON life among devotees in the first world can become quite familiar and jaded, regarding gurus and disciples. The subtle mentality that sometimes creeps in: "He visits here all the time—what's the big deal . . ."
To Niranjana Swami, the GBC and spiritual surcharger for Ukraine, I confided my realisation: "I'm here just for my own purification." Hopefully the embarrassing sincerity and open-heartedness of the Ukrainian devotees will rub off on me. Their freshness and purity of purpose brings down upon them the blessings of Krishna. Maybe some of Krishna's mercy will rain on me also.
As Krishna says in the Gita (5.11): "The yogis, abandoning attachment, act with body, mind, intelligence and even with the senses, only for the purpose of purification."
Traveling through Ukraine, now visiting Lugansk, near the Russian border, I meditate on this Gita verse, seeking to make it my friend and guide.
It has often been said that it is easier to count the number of dust particles on the surface of the earth than to count the number of holy places in Mathura. Each of the ghats, for instance, has its own Krishna story (like Visram-ghat where He rested after killing his evil and tyrannical uncle, King Kansa) Read more ›
The Yuga Dharma was happily embraced by the people in Cali. The got up to dance, and joined us on stage! Santiago de Cali, normally referred to as simply Cali, is a city in western Colombia and the capital of the Valle del Cauca department. With a population of 2.5 million, Cali is the third largest city in the country Read more ›
ISKCON Hare Krishna Land, Baroda, is a place where the ancient cult of Vaishnavism - worship of the Diety forms of Lord Krishna, specifically Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundar, Sri Sri Sri Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadradevi, and Sri Sri Gaur Nitai, is observed on a daily basis Read more ›
Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!
Like others, I always look forward to quotes and inspirational words regarding japa. Today I thought to share.
I realized that sometimes its hard to chant so attentively because the holy names are so powerful. Perhaps because we're conditioned to want to be self sufficient, as soon as the nectar and focus becomes too much about about Sri Krsna, I shy away. For example, I know that I have terrible days when I chant late, this is a practical realization of my dependence on the holy name.
This is also another reason why we are so thankful for Sri Krsnas pure devotee Srila Prabhupada, because he shared his life with us, he won our trust and facilitied our surrender to Sri Krsna.
Of the great sages I am Bhṛgu; of vibrations I am the transcendental oṁ. Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [ japa], and of immovable things I am the Himālayas.
“A gentleman came to Srila Prabhupada and said, ‘Swamiji, Swamiji, please save me! Only you can save me!’And Prabhupada replied, ‘I cannot save you; you have to save yourself. But I can give you the method by which you can save yourself.’ He gives us the instructions, and he prays for us, but we have to at least try to follow the instructions. At least that much. After one lecture in which Srila Prabhupada emphasized the importance of sincerity, a disciple asked him, ‘How do we become sincere?’ And Prabhupada replied, ‘By following all the spiritual master’s instructions — however big or small.’ Once I was discussing the point of sincerity with Brahmatirtha Prabhu, and he quoted Srila Prabhupada: ‘To become sincere, you should associate with sincere devotees.’ Then Brahmatirtha Prabhu added, ‘I like that one. That’s why I associate with Rtadhvaja Swami.’ ”
In a fixed match, things are orchestrated to produce a predetermined result. Is life a fixed match? Is everything destined?
No, indicates the Bhagavad-gita (18.63) through its call to “do as we desire,” which implies that we have the free will to be conscious choosers. And our lived experience confirms our capacity to choose. For example, you can choose whether to go on reading this, as you can choose many other things.
Yet we aren’t entirely free. We can’t choose the family in which we were born. Nor can we choose the weather. Nor most importantly can we choose whether to grow old, get diseased and die – these will be thrust upon us.
Or will they?
The Gita indicates that these affect only the body, not the soul. They traumatize us as long as we identify with the body.
Fixing things means setting them right. Krishna can help us fix things in our life by setting right the fundamental wrong of our bodily misidentification. When we follow his guidance to fix our mind on him, he gives us a nonmaterial enrichment that raises us above bodily misidentification.
Krishna also fixes things by making a devotee’s life into a fixed match – a match in which the devotee will ultimately win the battle against illusion and suffering. In a fixed match, whoever seems to be winning or losing during the course of the match, the final result is fixed. Similarly, in a fixed devotee’s life, whether there appears success or failure during the course of life, the final result of the devotee attaining Krishna is fixed.
Unlike match-fixers who are often shady, Krishna is supremely trustworthy. He’s a time-tested life-fixer. Why unfix what he’s fixing by neglecting to fix the mind on him?
***
18.63 - Thus I have explained to you knowledge still more confidential. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.
This morning myself and Bada Haridas left the Russian Festival on the Black Sea. It was difficult to go. The Russian devotees are so sweet and really relish Krsna katha and kirtan. After spending tonight in Moscow, we leave early tomorrow morning for another adventure: Bulgaria.
He concluded by asking everyone to chant the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra which he said was a very potent way to overcome angry emotions. He stressed that sincere meditation on the sound vibration of the mantra has a calming effect on the mind and will purify one's consciousness and will have the effect of eliminating unwanted emotions such as anger Read more ›
New Vrindaban will have its Kartika 24 hour kirtan, one of the devotees’ favorite festivals of the year on Sat. Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. to Sun. Oct 20 at 11 a.m. There will be continuous chanting of the Lord’s Holy Names for 24 hours. Many talented and devoted kirtaniyers will take turns leading the chanting.
At New Vrindaban’s summer kirtan in June, one guest remarked, “The atmosphere was electric!” This Kartik 24 hour kirtan on Sat. Oct. 19 is another opportunity to leave your worldly cares behind, and come join in the kirtan for 24 minutes, 24 hours, or as long as you’d like.
Varsana is situated 42 km north from Mathura and there is 7 km long parikrama road around it.
It was a residence of king Vrsabhanu and his family. Read more ›
It was a small chanting party that enthused the public at the business and shopping area of Bay and Bloor. We were a lively bunch. We looked happy. One of our monks from the ashram, Maha Mantra by name, is particularly good at playing the mridanga drum. Pedestrians would light up when passing our jolly crew, although you could see the occasional nose in the air kind of response.
One particular fellow took us by surprise. He was obviously drunk. At the same time, he would not be in the category of being a total loser. He was dressed very spiffily even.
“Sixty-nine!” he slurred, “It was Sixty-nine I first met you guys at Rochedale.” Rochedale was an experimental cooperative high rise where you found intellectuals, hippies, beatniks and even Hare Krishnas who are living on one floor. At that time there was rampant drug usage, sex orgies, people jumping out the windows while tripping. Of course, the Krishna’s were exempt from those habits. It was cheaper accommodation so they found it favourable for residing there.
In any event the elated chap kept talking, embracing, and handing us cash, even though we never asked for any. It was hard to comprehend what he was saying at times, he just kept rattling on as we enjoyed his spontaneously warm reception. He kind of made our day you could say by the way that he was so overly accepting of us. At least we could decipher when he said, “Group hug, group hug,” to which we responded. Indeed he was the strongest character we met of all the people there, and he left an impression.
Now, if someone asks why are we out here in the first place, singing and playing all this music, how to respond? Are we a band of street musicians out here to entertain?
The answer to this type of question actually surfaced in our morning discussion when we explored what sacred space is. The sage, Narada Muni defined pilgrimage space in the book Bhagavatam as an area where spiritual activity is enacted.
For those of us who processioned our way from our ashram to Bloor Street, we no doubt benefitted from the workout, and especially for Dharma, a monk in his 60’s who has some disability. We feel that chanting in various public locations offers the space a transition of spirit. It is meant to be an act of magnanimity that great kirtan yogis have made as a contribution to the world.
When I trek through the villages of the prairies just on this last ventures, I sought to meet people. And, for the sake of replenishing energy, I also kept my eyes on the trees of the village in hope to at least spot an apple tree. It’s that time of year that this hearty fruit comes up for harvest. A lesson on detachment often came my way because trees for wind and snow shelter is common around at a person’s house. But that’s the prairies, you’re lucky to find apples.
Now that I’ve arrived in a quite different environment, vegetationally and perhaps culturally also, farmer’s apple trees planted from the days of yore were in the plenty in the Heart Lake area of Brampton. There were multiple varieties. Rajnish, Alpa and I took to the edge of the lake for a stroll only to be richly rewarded with these fleshy and tasty packages of mercy.
Things looked up throughout the day. I signed papers for a 2 year lease to a building, the new location of our Brampton community for future occupancy right in the downtown core. This is a victory of course.
I also could not help to sense another stroke of optimism in the air when later on in the day I veered to the quite Rosedale neighbourhood on a second solo walk near downtown Toronto. In front of me a young man was singing a song to himself as he was striding several metres ahead of me. I first heard him as we ambled on a bridge overlooking the ravine. I admit I was drawn to the song, but I couldn’t discern the genre of music. Then I concluded that it was like a lullaby, it was that mystical time of day at dusk. And as I picked up speed with the anticipation of hearing more clearly, it seemed that he did also. He was dark, either black or east Indian, he kept going on at it until he made a turn. By then the sun had almost vanished, so I lost him. It’s rare to hear someone sing to themselves for a prolonged time. It was like a discovery moment. A discovery which excites like coming upon an abandoned apple tree at Heart Lake.
I had turned a corner myself, making my way back to the ashram. I greeted a guy and said, “How are you?” His tone was terrible, in fact he blurted out the word, “Terrible.”
“What’s wrong?” I stopped and asked, “Such extremes,” I thought. I jumped from Mr. Happy Go Lucky to Mr. Grumps.
Mr. Grumps was beefing about clearing someone’s yard of unwanted shrubs and how he didn’t get paid. I tried to cheer him up, but it appeared that the chip on his shoulder was a heavy chunk.
Yogendra, an active member of the Radha Govinda Cultural Centre, helped break the 0KMs/miles of yesterday. It seems tragic when you don’t score in one day. Realistically, the rest is necessary.
In the Rutherford region of Edmonton, a suburban trail did suffice. It took us by surprise, but there it was, just as we were headed by vehicle to a known spot we stumbled upon a forested trail. I’m grateful that urban planners include paths for people. Our grand score was a whopping 3 KMs, sarcastic as it may sound.
Feet do make noise when they move. Creatures that reside on either side of the trail can hear steps and/or feel the vibes that we create. In the course of this puny trek, I observed a haunting quiet. It’s obvious we’ve entered the fall season and that means longer sleep for many living entities, and a deeper receding in to holes and crevices and the earth and the trees. Mosquitos or bugs are now retired for a while, something I don’t necessarily lament over. But, whatever the season, we humans manage to routinely blaze the same trail. We are out and about. I guess that you could say that we are the resilient bugs.
Sharada conducts a Krishna Sunday school in her own home. Her husband, Srinivasan, is most supportive of the program. Together they hosted a satsang, a spiritual gathering. It was Daruka and I in this last night out together who shared with this group our reminiscences of our trekking adventures. It was a sometimes crazy adventure that we had. Kirtan calmly closed the session, as did a great veggie feast. I rounded up the event with a reading from the book Bhagavatam, 1.11.26, it was a description of Bhagavan.
“His chest is the abode of the goddess of fortune. His moonlight face is the drinking vessel for eyes which hanker after all that is beautiful. His arms are the resting places for all the demigods, and His lotus feet are refuge of pure devotees who never talk or sing of anything not in relation to Him.”
Thanks, Daruka, for a fine journey with you and Billy. Until we resume in the spring – Hare Krishna.
Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.23 during the Sunday festival in Houston.
It has often been said that it is easier to count the number of dust particles on the surface of the earth than to count the number of holy places in Mathura. Each of the ghats, for instance, has its own Krishna story (like Visram-ghat where He rested after killing his evil and tyrannical uncle, King Kansa) 
The Yuga Dharma was happily embraced by the people in Cali. The got up to dance, and joined us on stage! Santiago de Cali, normally referred to as simply Cali, is a city in western Colombia and the capital of the Valle del Cauca department. With a population of 2.5 million, Cali is the third largest city in the country 
ISKCON Hare Krishna Land, Baroda, is a place where the ancient cult of Vaishnavism - worship of the Diety forms of Lord Krishna, specifically Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundar, Sri Sri Sri Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadradevi, and Sri Sri Gaur Nitai, is observed on a daily basis 
“A gentleman came to Srila Prabhupada and said, ‘Swamiji, Swamiji, please save me! Only you can save me!’And Prabhupada replied, ‘I cannot save you; you have to save yourself. But I can give you the method by which you can save yourself.’ He gives us the instructions, and he prays for us, but we have to at least try to follow the instructions. At least that much. After one lecture in which Srila Prabhupada emphasized the importance of sincerity, a disciple asked him, ‘How do we become sincere?’ And Prabhupada replied, ‘By following all the spiritual master’s instructions — however big or small.’ Once I was discussing the point of sincerity with Brahmatirtha Prabhu, and he quoted Srila Prabhupada: ‘To become sincere, you should associate with sincere devotees.’ Then Brahmatirtha Prabhu added, ‘I like that one. That’s why I associate with Rtadhvaja Swami.’ ”
Vaishnavis chant melodiously in a choir the glories of Shri Krishna 
Huge Harinama in New York's Times Square area creates purified atmosphere and engages many souls in the chanting and dancing! 
He concluded by asking everyone to chant the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra which he said was a very potent way to overcome angry emotions. He stressed that sincere meditation on the sound vibration of the mantra has a calming effect on the mind and will purify one's consciousness and will have the effect of eliminating unwanted emotions such as anger 
Varsana is situated 42 km north from Mathura and there is 7 km long parikrama road around it.
It was a residence of king Vrsabhanu and his family. 
Indradyumna Swami: The Russian devotees are so sweet and really relish Krsna katha and kirtan.