Birthday Gifts for Srimati Radharani!
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Blog!

The Hare Krishna Temple warmly invites you and your family to join us on Thursday, September 12th for Radhastami celebrations - celebrating the appearance of Srimati Radharani! Festivities will commence at 6:00pm, stay tuned for more details. As an annual tradition, the highlight of the evening will be when we open gifts for Srimati Radharani that have been brought by the assembled devotees.

If you and your family feel inclined, you are welcome to bring a gift for Their Lordships. Some humble suggestions from our beloved pujari department for gifts for the Deities include:

  • jewellery
  • bindis and bindi sets
  • 1 set of 14"-16" tall brown vases (colour to match with the Altar)
  • medium size storage containers
  • small pots
  • medium size pots
  • food processor
  • aprons
  • oven mitts
  • mop & bucket
  • broom
  • silver polish
  • copper polish
  • wood polish
  • laundry soap
  • floor cleaner
  • cleaning towels
  • soft towels for the Deities
  • kitchen towels
  • cotton handkerchiefs

A humble request is that all gift items be new as gifts will be placed on the altar and will be unwrapped and shown to the Deities during the program. Of course donations of any kind are always warmly accepted!

07.01 – The propellant of spirituality is not detachment but attachment
→ The Spiritual Scientist

People often think of spirituality as centered on detachment – renunciation of pleasures, positions, possessions, even individuality and relationships.

Such a conception makes spirituality appear unappealing. The Bhagavad-gita seem to endorse this conception when it urges us repeatedly, as in Gita (02.38) to stay unaffected and detached amidst worldly gains and losses, pleasures and pains, victories and failures. However, detachment is preliminary to the takeoff stage of spirituality. The real takeoff stage is centered on attachment – increasing attachment to Krishna, the pinnacle of spiritual reality. The Gita (07.01) underscores that making the mind attached to Krishna is the purpose and perfection of spirituality.

Material attachments comprise the gravity pull that holds our consciousness down to the material level of reality. Just as a rocket needs to counter the gravity to be launched into outer space, we need to counter the gravity of material attachments to be launched into the spiritual sky. When a rocket is launched, it’s essential to break free from gravity, but that’s not the purpose – the purpose is to attain some lofty destination in space. Similarly, when we launch ourselves into spiritual life, it’s essential to break free from the gravity force of material attachments, but that’s not the purpose – the purpose is to attain the supremely lofty destination of Krishna’s personal abode.

The rocket needs to be propelled by appropriate and adequate fuel. The propellant that will fuel our spiritual journey and give us the necessary momentum to break free is appropriate and adequate devotional attachment to Krishna. This attachment comes by hearing about Krishna, as the same Gita verse (07.01 – tac shrnu) underscores in its conclusion.  When we understand Krishna’s glory and majesty as well as his beauty and intimacy, devotional attachment arises and energizes us to break free.

**

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Now hear, O son of Pritha, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt.

 

Radha Ashtami Celebration – Thursday September 12th @ 7:00pm
→ ISKCON BRAMPTON


Saturday September 7th 2013 @ 10:00am

ISKCON Brampton will be joining ISKCON Scarborough this Saturday for the Jagannath Cultural Festival 2013. We welcome everyone to join us for this event at the following address:

Milliken Park
4325 McCowan Road,
Scarborough
M1V4P1
(Near Steeles & McCowan)

Program:
10:00 am - 11:00 am           Lord Jagannath's Parade from McCowan Road entrance
11:00 am - 4:00 pm             Cultural programs:
  • Kirtan and Bhajans by HH Bhaktimarga swami, Gaura Shakti yoga group, ISKCON's youth group(Radha Murari band) and Mother Subhadra
  • Bharata natyam performance by Abhirami Balu
  • Instrumental music(Flute, Violin, Mridanga) by Venugana Alayam group and Students of Lasanthi Rajkumar
  • Dance performance by Laya Bhava Nadana Kaloori students

Program also includes transcendental book distribution, free face painting, mantra meditation, Free Vegetarian prasadam and much more!

Sunday Feast, September 8th @ 11:00am

The program consists of arati, kirtan (devotional chanting), philosophical discussion and prasadam.  Please come, get inspired and inspire others through your desire to share Krsna Consciousness!
 
Program Schedule:
11.00 – 11.15                Tulsi Puja                                            
11.15 - 11.30                  Guru Puja                                             
11:30 – 11:55                Aarti & Kirtan                                       
11.55 - 12.00                 Sri Nrsingadev Prayers                         
12.00 – 1:00                 Vedic Discourse by Her Grace Syamalangi Devi Dasi
1:00 – 1:20                    Closing Kirtan
 
Please note that ISKCON Brampton is a nut free environment. 

Upcoming event:
 
Radha Ashtami Celebration - Thursday September 12th @ 7:00pm

ISKCON Brampton is pleased to invite you and your family for the celebration of Radha Ashtami. Radhashtami is the celebration of the advent of Shrimati Radharani in this world who appeared over five thousand years ago. Lord Krishna is the male aspect of God, the energetic source of the supreme energy, and Shrimati Radharani is the female aspect, of the energy. So when Krishna descends, Shrimati Radharani also descends.

Program:
7:00PM – Guru Aarti & Kirtan
7:15PM – Gaura Aarti & Kirtan.
7:45PM - Nrsingadeva Prayer
7.50PM – Welcome Announcements
8:00PM – Glories of Srimati Radha Rani by Her Grace Kamala Gopi Devi Dasi
8:40PM – Sunday School Presentation
9:10PM - PUSHPANJALI CEREMONY TO HONOR SRIMATI RADHA RANI
9:20PM - Song dedication to Srimati Radha Rani & Closing kirtan
9:40PM – Maha Feast

SPONSORSHIPS AND DONATIONS
Whatever big or small you donate, it’s always been very helpful to carry on festivals in a more opulent and better way. Remember your kind and constant support means a lot to us. ISKCON BRAMPTON will continue to gladly provide a tax deduction receipt for any sponsorship or donation that you'll make towards the festival. Please contact Krsna Smaran Devi Dasi [kavitabalram@yahoo.com] for sponsorships.

RADHA RANI MAHA FEAST                                          $251,
RADHA RANI FLORALS AND GARLANDS              $108
RADHA RANI EXQUISITE SRINGAR                        $201

For more information on how you can serve on festival, please contact Prema Gaurangi Devi Dasi.

Srila Prabhupada Vyasapuja
→ Ramai Swami

IMG_0377IMG_0380

Srila Prabhupada Ki Jaya! The Prabhupada Vyasapuja celebration at New Gokula was very sweet. Even though it was in the middle of the day on Friday still there were quite a few guests and devotees who came to observe the wonderful occasion. Below is an excerpt from the poem I wrote this year.

High fame be thine for endless time
Because, Prabhupada, you were divine
You, throughout this earth did go
And tell it forth that all may know
You told your message bold and clear
Dispelling ignorance and all fear
Sweet to recite and sweet to sing
Great joy to all, you did bring
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Give Proper Respect
→ Japa Group


Today I had a nice realisation - no matter what situation you are in and how many distracting elements are around you, we simply need to have the determination to avoid all distractions in our life and make a big effort to just sit down and chant in a quiet place where we can fully concentrate on the sound of the Hare Krsna mantra.

It's not always easy....Maya has many tricks up her sleeve, but with knowledge and determination we can overcome her allurements and give proper respect to Krsna when chanting.

There is an example...if you call someone into your house and they come but you completely ignore them and continue to do other things - this is like calling out to Krsna (when we chant) and Krsna comes to your house but you completely ignore Him and do other things - then where is there a question of relationship?

When we don't listen to the words of the mantra (and only listen to the mind's thoughts), it's like ignoring Krsna (as He is present in the sound) and it's the same when we do other things at the same time as Japa - we are not being attentive to our relationship with Him.

Let us all give proper respect to the Supreme Lord and really try to fix our mind on the sound during Japa - give up inattention and take up good quality chanting.

Thursday, September 5th, 2013
→ The Walking Monk

In The Vastness

Scotsguard, Saskatchewan

The only thing casting light at 4 AM out in the bareness of the prairie are the stars above, and there is my headlamp – a necessity. You need to know what you’re stepping on at this dark hour. You don’t want to land on some roadkill. Also, with the headlamp you are made known for the oncoming traffic in front or behind. Motorists must be aware that you are there. There is practically no shoulder to the road. But, traffic is light. In the first hour of my walking not a single machine came by. I’m in an area of less civilization.

By 6:30 AM, the eye of God, the sun, came up from behind. At that time you could hear the sound of crickets. Owls are now quieted and hawks began to occupy the ether, moving in swirls. To my amazement, a heard of antelope in full freedom moved with incredible speed in group tightness across the plane from one cut wheat field, crossing the road in front of me, jumping a ditch and then onto another field. Off they went. Minutes later they reappear and it is without a question that they were expressing curiosity at my presence.

En route to work, and some people stop asking if all is okay.

“Yes, I’m alright, it’s a fourth walk across Canada.”

“Good luck!” they say after I’ve identified name, my order, and my purpose.

The sun got brutal. The area is quite desolate, there was no town along the way. From what I could see, Scotsguard is not even a hamlet, maybe three buildings. The first group of trees for any real shade came at the 7th hour of the walk. There I took my one and only cat nap. Thank God for no mosquitoes in this shade, lots of flies though.

I am reminded of the wonder of nature, it’s soft and harsh sides, and I recall a verse from the Gita to allow me to savour in the thoughts of a deeper dimension. From 8.20 it reads:

“Yet there is another nature which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is.”

After a last dash at walking, Daruka showed up having booked us for radio media in the early of next week, and some more school engagements. Eventually we made the four hour drive north to Saskatoon.

Whether on foot or in a vehicle, we are both struck with awe at the vastness of the open prairie as we sped along. Billy the parrot always gives a squawk at the sight of anything in flight.

30 KM

Harinama In Haifa
→ travelingmonk.com

Yesterday we did harinama in Haifa, Israel’s 3rd largest city. Israelis are celebrating their New Year and the beaches are crowded. As we experienced in Tel Aviv people spontaneously came forward to dance with us. I have never experienced this on such a scale in any other country of the world. In one sense it [...]

School of Life: How to Learn from Good and from Evil.
→ Matsya Avatar das adhikari




The Sacred Texts tell us that without receiving mercy from the Spiritual Master and from the Supreme God it's impossible to overcome for good the egoistic attachment toward mundane things. In order to succeed, not only we need to have received divine benevolence, we must have kept it too.
In which way we can receive mercy? Firstly by seeking it ardently, and behaving consequently, by dedicating ourselves with diligence and faith to spiritual practices and so awaken Love and Awareness.
And in which way we can keep it? By offering it to others. Then and only then, through constant and coherent efforts toward achieving Bhaktiin our lifespan, we will be increasingly able to discriminate reality from illusion, the essence from appearance, the eternal from ephemeral.
Mice see the cheese but not the trap. In the same way conditioned souls see the promises of pleasure in this world's things, but hardly can understand that this pleasure hides a trap. A mortal trap.
How to be detached from the world and its overwhelming beauties? How can we resist when we see something appealing, pleasing, good smelling and shining? We should think about it in connection to God. It is difficult to deny this world; the more we deny it the more we are attracted to it, risking to become hypocrites who refuse the world's attractions outwardly while inwardly craving them (Bhagavad-gita III.6). Therefore we should not refuse this material world's beautiful things, but to use them to serve God with Love, correlating them to our spiritual origin, and living them in the vision of eternity. Accordingly, in any circumstance of our life we can connect to the Lord and to our deepest spirituality. Even bitter experiences, the biting words we received, the mistakes we made, at the end can turn into gifts, only if we can learn from the lessons they offer us. Gratitude and appreciation can permeate everybody and everything appear in this world, because we make use of every experience to get closer to God.
This gratitude can be felt and can be expressed both when we receive "good things", and when we get "bad things", being conscious that the light of the day cannot be appreciated without the night's darkness.
As you would expect, it is necessary that we learn how to discriminate between vice and virtue, between good and evil, so we can choose once far all righteousness and be firm in sattva-guna, but also we must be aware that Reality is beyond. It is that pure spiritual dimension in which mundane good and evil are transcended, and they merge in the "sommum bonum": the supreme goodness beyond duality. And supreme goodness is unconditioned pure Love that change and purify everything. Such dimension can be reached when any desire we have becomes an offering to the Lord and all our perceptions are dedicated to His service.
By living in this perspective we will find treasures around each corner, hidden in any occurrence of our life. And we will walk toward death full of gratitude because we understood that by practicing Bhaktieven death leads us to life.

Tracey George, PTA Chairperson
→ TKG Academy

Tracey George is the mother of 4th grader Kalyani Rao. She is originally from Auckland, New Zealand and has been living in Dallas, TX for 7 years. She has been a member of the Hare Krsna community for 15 years. She was very involved in the gurukula last year and this year has accepted the role of PTA Chairperson, which includes organizing the parents in various activities and meetings.

Srila Prabhupada’s Palace News
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Palace News

Many devotees worked very hard this summer serving Srila Prabhupada at his Palace. Following Srila Prabhupada’s Appearance Day we would like to thank them for all their wonderful service.

Lila, Gopa, Purnima, Srimati and Mukunda worked hard in the garden department. They planted many rows of jiva souls who appeared in the bodies of Blue Salvia and Vinca flowers. Two types of Vincas were planted, called “jellies” and “jams”, Numerous Day Lilies were planted as well. Unfortunately the deer came out at night to eat the Day Lilies so the devotees had to spray the plants with liquid fence. As always, Srila Prabhupada’s rose garden continues to attract and enliven our guests. Whenever you can please come say “Hare Krishna! Thank-you and Goodbye” to all these flowers before they leave us for the winter.

Electricity was out at the Palace during the summer for almost three weeks. Tejomaya, Gopisha, Gopal and Gaurashakti Prabhus worked diligently to replace the defective transformer. Tejomaya is pleased to announce that the Palace has been hooked up to city water. Tripad, Bhakta Josh and Gopish Prabhus were busy throughout the summer water proofing the Palace domes.

Hladini,  Kimberely and Shyamala Kishori Prabhus were busy giving Palace tours as well as applying gold leaf on the Palace. Shyamala Kishori, a second generation devotee, (daughter of Batu Gopal das) was so inspired she wants to help start a campaign to help raise awareness about the Palace, Srila Prabhupada’s only pushpa samadhi in the west. If any is interested in collaborating with her on this project please call 304-843-1778.

Chaitanya Bhagavat Prabhu steadily toke care of the puja services at Srila Prabhupada’s Palace and was a source of inspiration to the many guests who come to see Srila Prabhupada.  The guests who come to visit Srila Prabhupada are truly special souls. Last month a guest came out who is working on his Phd. in Theology. Even though he is a Catholic he said because of his association with New Vrindaban devotees he has become a vegetarian. He said one of his friends grew up on Irish Ridge (across from the Palace). His friend told him as a small child when he woke up in the morning he could look out his bedroom window and see the Palace sparkling like a gem in the distance, and he could hear the chanting of Krishna’s holy name floating through the valley from the Palace. What a beautiful way to start your day.

your servants

Krishna Bhava and Kripamaya das

56 photos: ISKCON Kata Beach, Phuket, Thailand program
→ Dandavats.com

Lakshman Poddar: ISKCON PHUKET is a small effort to serve the mission of HIS DIVINE GRACE SRILA PRABHUPAD. SRILA PRABHUPAD extensively travelled through the world to spread the Holy names of the LORD. Infact when LORD KRISHNA appeared in this world 500 years ago as SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU, HE himself confirmed that HIS Holy name will be preached in every town and village of the earth. Read more ›

Innumerable wonderful memories of Janmashtami
→ Dandavats.com

With every ISKCON centre celebrating it on a large scale, it is always full of keertans, cultural programs, loads of service and loads of prasadam. I have innumerable wonderful memories of Janmashtami - waking up early for managal aarti, fasting whole day, performing Bharat Natyam with friends and welcoming and interacting with guests dressed up in wedding attire Read more ›

12 min vid: A visit to Iskcon Toronto
→ Dandavats.com

Toronto's Hare Krishna Centre (ISKCON Toronto), has always been the hub of a rich, vibrant and enthusiastic community. Whether it be grand festivals, programs at local universities and yoga studios, philosophical discussions, cooking sessions, or singing and dancing on the streets, there are events taking place for everyone's interest. Read more ›

66 photos: Prabhupada’s books at the XXV-th Moscow International Book Fair. Does God need advertisement?
→ Dandavats.com

Will the future be a religious book, "competition" fiction and children's fairy tales? The issue date and controversial. God does not need advertisement. Still, a lot depends on how these priceless gifts are perceived by those who would like to still live by the laws of the spiritual world . After all, the holy book - not a dogma. And in order to present it to a secular society, it takes a special vision ... Read more ›