Wednesday, August 7th, 2013
→ The Walking Monk

The Woman

Burnaby, British Columbia

The woman at the Toronto airport was a passenger, ready to embark on the same flight as myself, destined for Vancouver. At the waiting area, she asked me that all too familiar question, "Are you a monk?" We began a conversation. Naturally, we got onto talking about not just me but also herself. She was born in Scotland and was raised Catholic. In recent years she had gone more "eastern" in her approach quoting Deepak Chopra that it's all inside of you, meaning the spiritual you. There was some implication from her side that you don't need an organized religion to depend on for your salvation.

I have to agree in part that it's all "from within" and that no religion should tell you all of what to do, but we can get some guidance and direction from someone. After all, Deepak did give this woman (my age) some direction. The moment we stop hearing from good sources, I guess, you think you're God.

In the Vedic system from India, a person on the path of self-actualization, actually accepts a guru, one who teaches selflessness, how to cultivate good character, how to live, even how to think and how to love.

This woman, who resides in Windsor and was on a visit to the west coast, concurred that teachers are needed. We wanted to continue but boarding time came and so we broke off the uplifted dialogue between us.

After a 4 and a 1/2 hour flight I deplaned and a gentleman in a suit and with the warmest smile and who was trying to sell me on an air miles program, asked the classic question, "Are you a monk?" "Yes, a Krishna monk," I said to the man who happened to be Iranian. "So you are from Iran, an Aryan, right?

"Yes, we Iranians are supposed to have some of that in us," he said.

"Great," I indicated. Aryans of India always accepted teachers, were keen on spiritual progression and were God-believing.

0 KM

Great faith
→ KKS Blog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 June 2013, Vrndavan, India, Student Talk)


srila-prabhupada-jaladuta-1After Srila Prabhupada left Vrndavan, he tried to preach in the Western world. It wasn’t easy; it is not just an easy success story. When Prabhupada was anchored with the Jaladuta just on the pier in New York city, at that time Prabhupada was reflecting how difficult it was to bring Krsna consciousness to the Western world.

Imagine that you would have to go all alone to New York to preach this sanatana-dharma from Srimad Bhagavatam!? What would you say!? So Prabhupada also felt like that.

While he was on the ship, the Jaladuta, with which he had come to America, he wrote a song called Mārkine Bhāgavata-dharma. In that song he says, “My dear Lord, I don’t know why you’ve brought me to this place. Here, everyone is engaged in all the sinful activities. I don’t know what I’m going to say to convince them. I can’t think of any word that I could say to convince them. All I can think of is that maybe your words will convince them.” And then he started to quote Srimad Bhagavatam:

srinvatam sva-kathah krishnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hridy antah stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrit satam (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.17)

tompkins square parkThat by simply hearing about Krsna, all the impurities and all inauspiciousness from the heart will disappear and gradually one becomes purified. So, on the strength of that faith, Prabhupada did it. He had full faith in the holy name.

This morning in the Bhagavatam lecture, I spoke for a moment about the Tompkins Square Park where Prabhupada started kirtan. It’s sort of a symbol, this Tompkins Square Park, of Prabhupada’s first public chanting in the Western world.

In that way, gradually having that faith, that if we just chant Hare Krsna then everything will change. If I send you to America to make everyone devotees, that would not be so easy.

But Prabhupada went alone, without help, but with this great faith that the chanting of the holy name and Srimad Bhagavatam would make the difference. 

 

 

Imitation of a good thing is desired
→ The Spiritual Scientist

We are sending sankirtana parties all over the world, and they are experiencing that even in the remotest part of the world, where there is no knowledge of Krishna, the Hare Krishna maha-mantra attracts thousands of men to our camp. In some areas, people begin to imitate the devotees by shaving their heads and chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, only a few days after hearing the mantra. This may be imitative, but imitation of a good thing is desired. Some imitators gradually become interested in being initiated by the spiritual master and offer themselves for initiation.

Nectar of Instruction 7 purport

Ratha-yatra, August 4, Venice Beach, Los Angeles
Giriraj Swami

08.04.13_07.Ratha-yatraGiriraj Swami at the Question and Answer Tent at the Ratha-yatra festival.

“Material wealth may not be the best thing for you. What people really want is happiness. It is well documented that wealth does not bring an increase in happiness. Unless you are really poor — then a little increase to bring you to the point of having the basic necessities can result in some increase in happiness. But once you have the basic necessities, increasing your wealth does not increase your happiness. People have been told that if you get a good education, make a lot of money, have a beautiful wife and intelligent children and a large house and fast car and go on fabulous  holidays you will be happy. There is a entire generation of people who did exactly what they were told would make them happy, and guess what? They did not become happy. That has given rise to a whole new study called ‘positive psychology’. Researchers have found that doing something meaningful for others and practicing some meditation technique can actually raise your level of happiness.”
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08.04.13_09.Ratha-yatraGRS_and_Drutakarma08.04.13_03.Ratha-yatra08.04.13_02.Ratha-yatra08.04.13_04.Ratha-yatra08.04.13_05.Ratha-yatra08.04.13_06.Ratha-yatra08.04.13_08.Ratha-yatra————————————————————————- ——————————————-
Q & A,  Ratha-yatra LA

Wow! Maya’s good at her Job!
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I was saddened to read the latest statement from the GBC and wondered how long before the usual ISKCON critics e-mail or make comments on social media; it didn’t take long the usual barrage from the usual suspects.

What surprises me or doesn’t depending on your point of view is that a fall down becomes a universal comment on the whole ISKCON devotee community; some how it appears that universally falldowns are only found in the ISKCON community.

Well coming from the Jehovah’s Witness community I can say that their was announcements of dis-fellowships for discretion from the expectations of baptised members; the protocol was that their association would be avoided until a time of penance and change in attitude prevails.

You can not have a statement like that issued by the GBC of dis-fellowships unless you actually have a standard and a committee that oversees that these standards are maintained for the good of the general society. If then this action is taken then it is usually with a heavy heart from those who had to discuss, research and follow the protocols leading to such an announcement.

For me this recent GBC announcement serves as a warning, in devotional life I am on a knife edge, especially given the little association. But more so that maya devi is wonderful at doing her job, to keep the spirit soul entrapped in material life it is amazing that somehow or another Krishna has allowed me to continue in association and to do a little seva.

I’m also thankful that I’m not seen as senior nor in a position within ISKCON indeed if I fell down today it wouldn’t even register; but to end up again captivated by material energy rather than Krishna is tragic. This being if one had been in devotee association for a day or 40years (given that ISKCON at Bhaktivedanta Manor is only 40years).

I’m not surprised that there is the voices of LOOK ISKCON doesn’t work rather than WOW LOOK MAYA is doing a Great Job; “May I take shelter and become more serious in devotional life”

And as an end notation over the years I’ve seen those who have gloated over devotee fall-down themselves struggle in spiritual life, fall down or worse cease to seek and association with devotees and indeed forget Krishna.

And as we are meant to be full of compassion our thoughts should be: “How can I please help them return back onto a spiritual path and end their material suffering once and for all” and be the first to open the door for them with a smile and prasadam.

Reflective Information From Srila Vyasadeva
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VICARU DAS
BHAKTIVEDANTA MANOR
ISKCON UK

SB 7,10,8
Indriyani manah prana
atma dharmo dhrtir matih
hrih sris tejah smrtih satyam
yasya nasyanti janmana

Oh; my lord because of lusty desires from the very beginning of ones birth,The functions of one’s senses,mind,life,body,religion ,patience,intelligence shyness,opulence,strength,memory, and truthfulness are vanquished.

SB 7,13,34
Soka-moha,bhaya-krodha
raga-klaibya–sramadayah
yan-mulah syur nrnam jahyat
sprham pranarthayor budhah

Those in human society who are intelligent should give up the original cause of lamentation ,illusion,fear,anger, attachment,poverty,and unnecessary labor,The original cause of all of these is the desire for unnecessary prestige and money.

SB 7,15,22
asankalpaj jayet kamam
krodham kama-vivarjanat
arthanartheksaya lobham
bhayam tattvavamarsanat.

By making plans with determination,one should give up lusty desires for sense gratification,similarly by giving up envy one should conquer anger, by discussing the disadvantages of accumulating wealth one should give up greed,and by discussing the truth ,one should give up fear.

SB 7,15,16
santustasya nirihasya
svatmaramasya yat sukham
kutas tat kama lobhena
dhavato ‘rthehaya disah

one who is content and satisfied and who links his activities with the supreme personality of godhead residing in everyones heart enjoys transcendental happiness without endeavouring for his livelihood,where is such happiness for a materialistic man who is impelled by lust and greed and therefore wander’s in all directions with a desire to accumulate wealth?

Glastonbury Rathayatra
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July 21st 2013 Glastonbury Rathayatra

Glastonbury is a famous city in England.
It was the centre of Christanity for the whole of Europe.
After Jesus’s crucifixion, Joeseph of Arimithea brought the “Holy Grail” to Glastonbury.
This cup was used in the last supper and was filled with the blood of Jesus Christ.This was buried beneith the Tor, so as part of the Rathayatra we climb the hill and perform the kirtan in the Tor.
Enjoy the movie

your servant
Parasuram Das

New Vrindaban hosts seminar on Dharma Sastra (Varnasrama)
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Everyone is invited to a Dharma Sastra Seminar Aug.12-14

On Varnasrama Dharma

 with His Holiness Bhakti Raghava Swami

~Under the Lodge~

kaliya-with-prabhupada-New-Vrindaban-1972

Schedule:

Fri. Aug. 9- Maharaja arrives

Sat. Aug. 10 – gives Srimad Bhagavatam class

Sun. Aug. 11 – gives Srimad Bhagavatam class

Sun. Aug. 11 – gives Sunday feast lecture

Monday Aug.12         5 – 7 PM: Dharma Sastra under the Lodge

Tuesday Aug. 13        5 – 7 PM: Dharma Sastra under the Lodge

Wed. Aug. 14             5 – 7 PM: Dharma Sastra under the lodge

DHARMA_SASTRI_Pamphl#4300D1

What is the Dharma Sastra Course

The Dharma Shastri Course will present an overview of the ancient Vedic culture and traditional lifestyle as originally practiced in India, based on principles of Simple Living and High Thinking, the remnants of which can be found in various indigenous cultures around the world even today.

The course will help uncover forgotten concepts that have been the foundational pillars of the ancient Vedic culture for centuries.

Of particular interest will be the guidelines provided that will help establish a balanced social structure and the components needed to help establish a sound educational curriculum design.

The information given in the courses is taken exclusively from the ancient texts and covers a wide range of topics including politics and economics. All are welcome to attend the seminars.

For more information and registration please contact Gaura Nataraj das at: gaurnatraj@gmail.com

To know more about varnasrama dharma, please visit the following sites: www.iskconvarnasrama.com