First harinam
→ KKS Blog

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

harinamaI thought that I had escaped the Hare Krsna movement effectively until I met a girlfriend who had a dog named Krsna! That created further complications in my life because the dog was not very obedient to begin with and at night, when I was walking with this dog, he wouldn’t come back. So, I would call out very loud, ‘Krsnaaaaa!’ every night, many times and in that way, I started harinam around the corner!

My early encounters with Krsna were in the ajnata sukriti category, unknown spiritual benefit. This dog got the name Krsna just by some external arrangement – someone had read a book of Krsna murti just when my girlfriend had got the dog and said, ‘Why don’t you call it Krsna murti?’ She said, ‘No, that’s too long, just Krsna!’ I use to think that movies were more outrageous than real life but now I know that it’s the other way around. I know that real life by far exceeds what happens in any movie; you can’t imagine it! But a dog really had brought Krsna consciousness in my life and then from there it continued…

 

Monday, August 12th, 2013
→ The Walking Monk

A Button Popped

San Diego, California

Intuition told me that the day might have some bumps in it. Some signs seemed to indicate this. It began with having a button pop off my upper cloth, the kurta. Where it rolled off to, heaven knows!
Then, my plane arrived late. It first launched from San Francisco, where it was delayed due to thick fog in the sky. That then led to missing the plane to San Diego. Then, confusion with luggage; long lineups; praying and pleading for an earlier, new flight to substitute for the proposed one. I got a bit panicky for a bit. I was supposed to arrive in San Diego to award diksa (initiation) for a young monk by the name of Bhakta David.

Eventually, United Airlines found one seat available. Someone cancelled out! This meant I could fulfill an obligation. But, only my walking would suffer. For me, a day without trekking is not exactly a tragedy, but it’s a mild curse.

The landing at San Diego terminated the airport experience. David was at Arrivals with a big smile. We drove to the ISKCON ashram on Grand Avenue. Here, you’ve got a real live monastery with 15-20 saffron clad monks, mostly college grad young men. They kept me quite occupied. A fire ceremony was held, and Bhakta David received his new Sanskrit name Dhanajaya, a name that Krishna’s friend Arjuna is known by. A congratulations, Dhanajaya! My first personal assignment for him was to sew a button on my kurta.

0 KM

Sunday, August 11th, 2013
→ The Walking Monk

Insert Devotion

 
Vancouver, BC

There’s always something rustling in the bushes. There’s always something stirring in the swamp. You can hear the sudden swish, amidst the reeds, or an abrupt bloop – the sound of a mini-creature going for the dive in algaed water. These are nature’s responses to my loud prowl, lurking in their territory as I made three repeated treks down the same route in riverside.

The instinctive fear in the land and amphibious creatures astounds me. They are so quick to move and then they become so still. Humans are so far behind the rest of the species in such sharp detectiveness. In an attempt to excel in this, we use whatever brain substance to steer ourselves to inventions of devastating devices.

I could report on today’s glorious fest at Stanley Park, but that could detour us from the trails that I am determined to report. In reflection of the last twenty-four hours, my three treks in this delta strip left me in amazement over the concept of fear.  I first trekked alone. For my second, I was with an American devotee (the name escapes me) who walked the whole of India; and the third trek was with Sing Lung (dancer/actor from Toronto). Fear is so pervasive. It’s in all of us, so much entrenched. For the animal kingdom, fear translates into “will I be eaten?” For a human it’s, “Will I be ridiculed, criticized, character assassinated?”

How to address this reality of possibly losing your hide? What’s the optimum protection?
Bless the humble creatures, the lower brethren, who must live out their tenuous destiny. As humans, we have an obligation to protect their domain in order that they may be permitted to follow their natural course. Secondly, we have the opportunity to protect our spirit from moving in the direction of the world of Maya - this nagging world that sucks out our very life.
Let’s live life the best we can. Insert devotion.

11 KM

Birmingham Ratha Yatra
→ simple thoughts

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Dear Maharaj / Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,

Birmingham Rathayatra took place last Sunday 11 August.
This is one of the biggest Rathayatras in England, thousands of devotees from around England came together to glorify the Lord as he rode in His chariot.
HH Jayapataka Swami gave class, as did HH Bhakticaru Swami and our HH Mahavisnu Swami who happens to be from Birmingham.
Enjoy the movie

your servant
Parasuram Das

what do you really want?
→ everyday gita

Verse 4.12: Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world.

One of the good (bad?!) things about bhakti yoga is that it forces you to really face your intentions and desires. Not just the superficial ones, but the deep one's that we try to hide and forget about.

It's open, non-sectarian and there's something in it for everyone. It's an ideal process because it teaches us how to be successful as persons living in this material world, and for those who are interested, the process by which we can successfully reconnect with our true selves and find eternal happiness.

But...for those who are interested in the latter, bhakti yoga is about work. The best analogy that comes to mind is that of cleaning a really messy room. At the outset there needs to be some faith that cleaning the room will actually help you. Mustering up some enthusiasm (and determination!), you get started and in the beginning may start to experience a sense of accomplishment. But as time progresses (and if you're anything like me), you realize that you had no clue what you were getting yourself into!

That's because as you stand surrounded by clothes and other objects lay strewn about you, shaking your head in disbelief at the amount of things you've accumulated, it becomes clear. There's a lot of junk that just needs to be thrown out.

That's exactly what the practice of bhakti yoga reveals: we have a lot of junk that surrounds our heart and prevents us from experiencing true happiness.

Because we invest our time and energy in that junk, we get side-tracked and forget that happiness actually lies within.

Distilling this verse down, it's stating that if we really want to accumulate more junk, then there's a certain place to go to ask for such blessings. Again, the Gita is not stating that it is bad, per say, but is giving the process (Remember! It's a handbook for both material and spiritual success) to achieve material success.

However, staying true to it's purpose, the Gita does not recommend this path. For the sake of completeness, it is presented and for those who choose that path it gives the formula.

But, if we are truly interested in cleaning our room, it will remain in our consciousness that going out and buying more things will be counter-productive. Similarly, for those who are genuinely interested in attaining permanent happiness and peace, this path isn't the one for them.

The only question you have to ask is - what do you want? Do you really want to clean the room of your heart or are you interested in just accumulating more?

Messiah Complex
→ Tattva - See inside out

Russell Brand popped into our countryside temple last week. We strolled around the gardens, had a bite to eat and finished off with half-an-hour of chanting in the main shrine. According to sources, Russell had at one point seriously considered the idea of monasticism! We didn’t discuss that, but he did liberally share his latest spiritual and philosophical insights. Always pushing the boundaries of political correctness, his newest comedy sketch entitled “the messiah complex” examines the influence and teachings of iconic personalities in history. The material, which discusses Malcolm X, Mahatma Gandhi, Che Guevara and Jesus, has attracted opposition from certain corners, to the point where shows have had to be cancelled due to security risk.

I'm not sure what the message is, but a messiah complex occurs when an individual holds a strong belief that they are, or are destined to become, an influential savior of the world. Often times, the same people display another side; a human side which is subject to the same weaknesses and frailties as everyone else. Followers are discouraged, creating a hesitation to again invest their faith in human beings. It begs the question: do transcendental saintly souls really exist? Is it simply human nature to constantly search for embodiments of perfection? Wouldn’t it be more progressive to focus on ourselves instead of looking to others?

The Bhagavad-gita explains that saints do indeed exist, but that such persons cannot be stereotypically identified. Saints may be followed by many people and famed in spiritual circles, or maybe not. They may be erudite, scholarly and philosophically astute, or maybe not. Saints may be renounced, austere and free from worldly responsibility, or maybe not. The one essential quality of the truly saintly person is their enthusiastic, dedicated and unwavering conviction to selflessly serve. They exist to give happiness to others. It is the association of these great souls that we should seek, for their spiritual prowess can overflow onto us, and their good wishes can attract divine attention. Just as many lenses within a telescope bring an object within sight, similarly, the more saintly people we can please the closer our cherished goal will be.

Festival Season Continues: Lord Balarama’s Appearance Day!
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Blog!

Next week, Tuesday, August 20, 2013 marks the auspicious appearance day (birthday) of Lord Balarama, Lord Krishna's older brother! Lord Balarama symbolizes strength and compassion and we invite you to take part in the celebrations at the Hare Krishna Temple. 

The  festival will kick off at 6pm with kirtan and will feature a special spiritual discourse on Lord Balarama by our visiting guest, HH Gopal Krsna Goswami. After the class, Toronto's Hare Krishna Temple will present the Fourth Annual Balarama's Bake-Off! Five members of our community have been selected and will be been assigned secret ingredients and have been challenged to come up creative sweet items related to Lord Balarama. After the class, the contestants will present their offerings in a fun and creative way. You won't want to miss it! Festivities will conclude with more kirtan and a huge vegetarian feast!

After Lord Balarama's Appearance day, the countdown to Sri Krishna Janmastami, the appearance of Lord Krishna, begins! This year, Janmastami falls on Wednesday, August 28, 2013. As always, this festival will be brimming with excitement as we celebrate the biggest birthday bashes of the year! More information will be posted shortly.

We hope you and your family can join us next Tuesday for Lord Balarama's Appearance day! Please come dressed in blue to honour Lord Balarama!

Kirtan Mela in Germany, 13-18 August 2013
→ KKS Blog

After many requests from devotees, Sacinandana Swami and his team have organized a Kirtan Mela in Germany once again. This year, it takes place at a devotee-owned retreat center in Walthersdorf, which is about 50 km from the old location. Kadamba Kanana Swami and many other kirtaniyas will be participating.

A live-steam from the festival will be available on mayapur.tv. The schedule is given below.

kirtan mela schedule 2013

Kirtan Mela Germany, 13-18 August 2013
→ KKS Blog

After many requests from devotees, Sacinandana Swami and his team have organized a Kirtan Mela in Germany once again. This year, it takes place at a devotee-owned retreat center in Walthersdorf, which is about 50 km from the old location. Kadamba Kanana Swami and many other kirtaniyas will be participating.

A live-steam from the festival will be available on mayapur.tv. The schedule is given below.

kirtan mela schedule 2013

06.26 – Let’s not renew what we need to remove
→ The Spiritual Scientist

The nature of the mind is to wander unsteadily and unstoppably. During its wandering it frequently goes to memories that are emotionally potent. These may be positive, that is, pleasure-giving or negative, that is misery-causing.

However, if the mind is left to itself, it usually revisits memories that are disempowering, not empowering. For example, it may go to our past immoral anti-devotional indulgences, thereby fuelling our desires for them. Reliving past immoral indulgences doesn’t free us from them; it sends us deeper into their grip. This creates an inner struggle that leaves us feeling mentally exhausted. Or the mind may revisit past hurts. Reliving old wounds doesn’t cure them; it simply aggravates them, thereby subjecting us to with draining self-pity. Either way such mind wandering tends to be at best unproductive and at worst counterproductive.

That’s why when the mind starts such revisits down memory lane, we need to stop it as quickly as possible. Such memories need to be removed, not renewed.

Pertinently, the Bhagavad-gita (06.26) urges us to anticipate what’s likely to happen due to the flickering nature of the mind and prepare for it using our intelligence to rein in the wild mind.

The best way to implement this is by providing the mind fresh memories. The richest among such positive memories are those centered around Krishna, for he is the most attractive and the most loving of all. The process of devotional service to Krishna brings us in contact with many spiritually stimulating objects. When we receptively receive these stimuli and cherish them, especially those that provide us the greatest spiritual enrichment and empowerment, then we equip ourselves with an arena for the mind to wander, where we can choose renew instead of remove.

**

From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self.

Let’s get the mercy!
→ KKS Blog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 10 July 2013, Fruska Gouranga, Serbia, Seminar 2)

No place in the world can attract me, I must honestly say, after Vrndavan. What’s the point of any hill when it’s not Govardhan Hill? What’s the point of swimming in some lake when it’s not Kusum Sarova, when it’s not transcendental – even if it’s beautiful – if you don’t get the mercy while swimming!? I can’t get excited about it.

But these transcendental waters in Vrndavan – yes! Oh yes! I’d swim there again and again, even if it’s full of green plants and you come back up with plants on your head! Let’s go! Let’s get the mercy!

 

 

 

TEXAS FAITH 108: What relevance does Pope Francis have beyond the Catholic Church?
→ Nityananda Chandra Das' Blog, ISKCON Dallas

Dallas Morning News,

Each week we will post a question to a panel of about two dozen clergy, laity and theologians, all of whom are based in Texas or are from Texas. They will chime in with their responses to the question of the week. And you, readers, will be able to respond to their answers through the comment box.

Pope Francis made quite a splash when he said last week in response to a question about a priest being gay: “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”

As you may expect, there has been plenty of discussion about what the pope meant. Was he speaking personally? Was he speaking as head of the Catholic Church? Or was he speaking as both?

Beyond those remarks, the pope has received ample attention for the simplicity of his lifestyle, his attitude toward the poor and his humility in washing the feet of criminal offenders. In fact, those are just some of the areas in which the pope has gained attention, as this Washington Post editorial indicates.

Of course, his remarks, attitude and approach have a special audience among Catholics. But what relevance do they have to non-Catholics? The Catholic Church may be the world’s largest body of Christians, but what about other Christians and the many other faith traditions? What difference do comments from the pope make to them — as well as to non-believers?

NITYANANDA CHANDRA DAS, minister of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), Dallas 

In the Bhagavad Gītā, Lord Kṛṣṇa states, “Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.”

Having a leader for the social body is like having a head on the physical body. It is of utmost importance. A leader cannot teach principles that he/she does not imbibe and exhibit. Such a leader is called an Ācārya. A spiritual leader must not only be a living example but he/she must also not manufacture rules and ideas against the principles of the words of God. Thus a leader’s instructions reveal God’s instructions, rather than their own inventions.

Any leader who can impart the message of Bhakti, purely loving God without motivation by their own example, is relevant to all people of this world.

To see all responses of the TEXAS Faith panel click here.

My Day’s Realisation About Chanting
→ Japa Group


Here is my day's realisation about chanting - whatever situation we find ourselves in, whether that is dangerous or difficult (also when things are going well and smoothly) - we need to always chant the Holy names of Krsna and surrender to Him and think about Him in all these times.

How do we think of Krsna in very materially stressful or intense times? By chanting His Holy names and asking the Lord to help us and asking the Lord to allow us to remember Him in these times (and also in the very good times when there is no stress).

Today was a very difficult day - my phone needed repairing but instead of fixing it, the repairman swapped faulty internal parts to make it worst and changed the brand new battery for an old and useless one. When I confronted him with the facts he denied everything and wanted to charge me even more. Instead of getting angry and upset, I just relaxed inside and firmly told him to fix the phone properly but he refused.

After praying inside for the Lord to help and asking Krsna to allow me to remember Him in these intense hardships - the man must have realised his bad way and refunded all the money, including the money for the battery.

It taught me once again, that we need to avoid the lower modes of nature in these times and simply chant the Hare Krsna mantra always then we will be truly happy - when we chant very good Japa in the morning, the Lord will give us this rememberance.

Hare Krsna!

it’s all about reciprocation
→ everyday gita

Verse 4.11: As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.

This verse can be summed up in one word: reciprocation.

If you boil down the word reciprocate, it means to return or requite. That's why I love this verse because there really isn't a topic that's more important to all of us than this one. Reciprocation is what we are searching for in our interactions with one another.

That's because living beings long to love and be loved.

It's not just about loving. It's also not just about being loved. It's both. That give and take is what makes a relationship sweet and interesting. Conversely, one of the greatest causes of anxiety, frustration and hurt results when relationships are not reciprocal. One person gives more emotionally or does more to show their care and when that is not acknowledged and returned, pain can arise in the heart.

Sometimes when persons start to practice yoga or other spiritual paths, they bring along with them the memories of those disappointing experiences. This is often why conceptions of the Divine may be a little but fuzzy because we view everything through the lens of our own experiences. Here, however, the Gita unequivocally states that the Divine also has feelings and reciprocates according to the desires and attitudes of those who not only reach out to Him, but also those who choose to ignore Him. Personally, I've always found that to be so fascinating. In observing others, often if someone is ignored by another, the person who has been ignored will reciprocate the sentiment. The Divine, however, doesn't do that.

That's where the subtlety of yoga really shines through.

In a world where everything is judged by actions, it is a paradigm shift to realize that attitude is actually more important. That's because attitude drives our actions.

The Divine reciprocates not necessarily with what we say or do but what we feel inside. That's why yoga requires introspection and deep thought. It may be easy to fool ourselves, but it's impossible to fool the Divine who is sitting in our hearts observing everything.

Furthermore, when we start expressing our gratitude to the Divine and try to cultivate the sincerity to live a life of compassion and love, we immediately start to experience reciprocation. That reciprocation may come in many different forms such as seemingly serendipitous opportunities, bringing role models into our lives and increased determination and perseverance. For those who are not interested in pursuing such a yogic lifestyle and would prefer to taste the numerous offerings the world has to offer, even then the Divine reciprocates by giving them facility. For those who would negate the existence of a Supreme Person, the Divine allows such souls to exercise their free will to pursue what they choose.

But, for those who genuinely seek to become instruments of compassion and grace, the Divine goes above and beyond by reciprocating in ways we can't even imagine. Facility, intelligence, courage, support and determination are given by the truckloads. So much so that the bhakti yogi becomes even more grateful and genuinely feels that they can never reciprocate adequately.

This is when the possibility of truly becoming selfless can actually become a reality. Such persons have the capacity to be truly selfless and expect nothing in return because they are already in a relationship with someone who is not only reciprocating with them but going above and beyond - the Divine. In this way, such a bhakti yogi just "pays it forward" and helps others.

Such is the power of the reciprocation loop. By offering our heart and attitude to the Divine we can become strong and empowered individuals who are empowered to help others. All we have to do, is try...