Just a little update.
→ OppositeRule

Yesterday I went to the Rathayatra in Harrisburg, PA, with my son Caitanya, and it was my first time in kirtan with devotees since three years ago.  It was a good time, and I was able to connect a little with a few devotees.  Later, at night my legs were sore from dancing. 

Also, I’ve been keeping up with sixteen rounds a day again since more than two weeks ago. 

It’s a little bizarre after having thought I would never do this again.  Imagine trying to serve Krishna for fifteen years but feeling oneself a failure, rejected.  So I quit, thinking Krishna either won’t accept me or was an hallucination or dream. 

Asking anyone, I think I could find a lot more agreement with the latter than with the first there.  I therefore tried to forget Krishna, and went and became part of the atheist community.  I began following the big atheist speakers and identifying with what they were saying.  I remember finding videos of Christopher Hitchens arguing anti-religion, listening to them for several hours one day and thinking he was really great. The next days news indicated he died that day, perhaps while I was watching, and it made me think of Krishna.  I noticed the atheist community argued against the Abrahamic religions but apparently didn’t know Bhagavad-gita As It Is.  So I thought I should present it to them.  I don’t know if I convinced anyone else to try it, I guess not, but I convinced myself. 

Unfortunately it seems to mean that despite giving what I felt was my best effort to serve Krishna for fifteen years, He was not impressed and let me leave His service to commit spiritual suicide, eventually rescuing me a little but somehow still leaving me too captivated by Maya, with a material conception of life, as if Krishna consciousness were some kind of chore that I am unfit to accomplish. 

Special "Kirtan Sunday Feast" with Madhava and Dravida Prabhus
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Blog!

This upcoming Sunday, we will be surely be recovering from an amazing pre-festival launch at Yonge-Sundas Square.  However, there won't be much time to catch our breath!  This upcoming Sunday Feast will be a special "Kirtan Sunday Feast" with Madhava and Dravida Prabhus!

The kirtan-filled evening will be a special treat and you won't want to miss it!  The tentaitve schedule is as follows:

5:00pm to 6:00pm - Opening Kirtan
6:00pm to 7:00pm - Kirtan with Madhava Prabhu
7:00pm to 7:30pm - Presentation with Dravida Prabhu
7:30pm to 8:00pm - Vegetarian Feast (Prasadam)
8:00pm to 10:00pm - Kirtan with Madhava

This will be Madhava's first time attending one of our Sunday Feasts, so please plan on staying back late!  The kirtan will go well into the night!  Hare Krsna!

Special "Kirtan Sunday Feast" with Madhava and Dravida Prabhus
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Blog!

This upcoming Sunday, we will be surely be recovering from an amazing pre-festival launch at Yonge-Sundas Square.  However, there won't be much time to catch our breath!  This upcoming Sunday Feast will be a special "Kirtan Sunday Feast" with Madhava and Dravida Prabhus!

The kirtan-filled evening will be a special treat and you won't want to miss it!  The tentaitve schedule is as follows:

5:00pm to 6:00pm - Opening Kirtan
6:00pm to 7:00pm - Kirtan with Madhava Prabhu
7:00pm to 7:30pm - Presentation with Dravida Prabhu
7:30pm to 8:00pm - Vegetarian Feast (Prasadam)
8:00pm to 10:00pm - Kirtan with Madhava

This will be Madhava's first time attending one of our Sunday Feasts, so please plan on staying back late!  The kirtan will go well into the night!  Hare Krsna!

An Official Mystery
→ Seed of Devotion

"You want to walk with Radhanath Swami and me to the Union Square Park harinam?" Dhanurdhara Swami asked me. We were conversing in a hallway of the Bhakti Center in New York City.

"Why, sure!" I replied.

"Let me just go ask him, and I'll get back to you. We'll leave soon, so just stick around,"

I nodded.

I had just flown in from India that very morning after being gone from America for almost an entire year. I kid you not when I say that tears stung my eyes when I walked through the corridors of Newark Airport. I was on American "soil"! I felt unabashedly patriotic.

Today was also the day that I had officially moved into the Bhakti Center - to give this Center and this city a whirl in service for awhile, see how things go.

A half an hour later, Dhanurdhara Swami ushered me to join him and Radhanath Swami, but the time was running late so we hailed a cab. As usual, I felt nervous to be around my spiritual master, who is such a huge guiding force in my life. The two swamis got into the back and I got into the front. How surreal, I thought. I'm riding in a cab with such eminent personalities. 

When we got out of the cab at Union Square Park, I could hear the distant thrum of the mridanga drum and the soft 'ting' of the karatalas. We were getting closer to the harinam.

I circled around to join the two dignified Swamis in their flowing orange robes. Radhanath Swami caught my eye. A mysterious smile lit up his face and he intoned, "Bhakti lata, today I officially give to you New York City."

My eyes widened. "Really?" That sounded pretty important, but I was puzzled. "What does that mean?"

"In time, everything will be revealed," he replied enigmatically.

I knit my eyebrows. I turned to Dhanurdhara Swami, "Maharaj, what does that mean, that Radhanath Swami has officially given to me New York City?"

"Ah, this is called Prabhudatta Desha,"

"Prabhupada Desha?" I said, trying to clarify.

"No, Prabhudatta, with a 't.' Prabhudatta Desha,"

"Prabhudatta Desha," I said carefully. The three of us were now walking abreast, weaving through crowds, approaching the harinam.

"Yes," Dhanurdhara Swami said, "This means 'the place of residence that the guru gives to you as your main place of service,'"

I was stunned. I looked over to Radhanath Swami. He grinned. "I told you that everything would soon be revealed."

A week later and I am realizing that his words will take a lifetime to be revealed.

Manhattan skyline the morning I arrived

Union Square Park harinam

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An Official Mystery
→ Seed of Devotion

"You want to walk with Radhanath Swami and me to the Union Square Park harinam?" Dhanurdhara Swami asked me. We were conversing in a hallway of the Bhakti Center in New York City.

"Why, sure!" I replied.

"Let me just go ask him, and I'll get back to you. We'll leave soon, so just stick around,"

I nodded.

I had just flown in from India that very morning after being gone from America for almost an entire year. I kid you not when I say that tears stung my eyes when I walked through the corridors of Newark Airport. I was on American "soil"! I felt unabashedly patriotic.

Today was also the day that I had officially moved into the Bhakti Center - to give this Center and this city a whirl in service for awhile, see how things go.

A half an hour later, Dhanurdhara Swami ushered me to join him and Radhanath Swami, but the time was running late so we hailed a cab. As usual, I felt nervous to be around my spiritual master, who is such a huge guiding force in my life. The two swamis got into the back and I got into the front. How surreal, I thought. I'm riding in a cab with such eminent personalities. 

When we got out of the cab at Union Square Park, I could hear the distant thrum of the mridanga drum and the soft 'ting' of the karatalas. We were getting closer to the harinam.

I circled around to join the two dignified Swamis in their flowing orange robes. Radhanath Swami caught my eye. A mysterious smile lit up his face and he intoned, "Bhakti lata, today I officially give to you New York City."

My eyes widened. "Really?" That sounded pretty important, but I was puzzled. "What does that mean?"

"In time, everything will be revealed," he replied enigmatically.

I knit my eyebrows. I turned to Dhanurdhara Swami, "Maharaj, what does that mean, that Radhanath Swami has officially given to me New York City?"

"Ah, this is called Prabhudatta Desha,"

"Prabhupada Desha?" I said, trying to clarify.

"No, Prabhudatta, with a 't.' Prabhudatta Desha,"

"Prabhudatta Desha," I said carefully. The three of us were now walking abreast, weaving through crowds, approaching the harinam.

"Yes," Dhanurdhara Swami said, "This means 'the place of residence that the guru gives to you as your main place of service,'"

I was stunned. I looked over to Radhanath Swami. He grinned. "I told you that everything would soon be revealed."

A week later and I am realizing that his words will take a lifetime to be revealed.

Manhattan skyline the morning I arrived

Union Square Park harinam

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Kirtan and Bonfire night
→ Ramai Swami

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In July, Madreya Prabhu from New Govardhana, organised a Bonfire and Kirtan night at the school hall . The activities kick started at 4.pm with stalls that featured arts and crafts, shadow puppets, yoga classes and Indian dance lessons.

There were a couple of fresh organic fruit and vegetable stalls and Krsnagana set up an outside prasadam tent. Inside, Danesvara was in charge of the Krsna art gallery, as well as serving prasadam that consisted of samosas, pizza, donuts and natural juices.

At 7.pm the gurukula students chanted sanskrit invocation mantras that were well received by the audience of more than 400 guests. At 7.30pm Janardhan from Brisbane led wonderful bhajans to the accompaniment of harmonium, mrdanga and other instruments.

The evening ended with kirtan by the Lore of Gravity Bhajan Band that had the crowded chanting and dancing in ecstasy.

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Czech summer camp 2013
→ KKS Blog

During InitiationFinally, we are back to reporting on Kadamba Kanana Swami’s travels. I was not with Maharaja for over three weeks, and Markandeya Dasa (Amsterdam) travelled with him through Slovenia, England, Germany and Croatia. Markandeya will be sending us pictures and other media, and as soon as we get it, we will share it with you. For now, we will catch up with the latest of Maharaja’s travels.

I rejoined Maharaja in the Czech Republic (20 June). Every year, Maharaja attends the “tabor”, the summer camp, which gathers the whole Czech yatra at a holiday village near the city of Brno, which is also located close to the Slovakian border hence many devotees from Slovakia joined in as well. Furthermore, the camp was blessed with the presence of Bhakti Vaibhava Swami, Dhanavir Goswami and Navina Nirada Prabhu.

Kadamba Kanana Swami gave several lectures – two Bhagavatam classes and a seminar. Although the title of the latter was The six Goswamis, the focus fell more on Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami and his taking shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha Madhana-mohan in order to be able to write about Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. On Sunday (23 June), Maharaja, together with Dhanavir Goswami, held an initiation ceremony outdoors, where Kadamba Kanana Swami initiated one disciple from the Prague temple, blessing him with the name Balarama Dasa! For the rest of the summer camp, it was kirtan, kirtan and kirtan! Bhakti Vaibhava Maharaja changed this year’s schedule to build in daily evening bhajans. While he delighted the devotees with Aindra melodies, Kadamba Kanana Maharaja forced them into dancing wildly to rocking KKS-tunes.

Below, you can find the links to these classes and kirtans, as well as a slide-show depicting the summer camp. To download audio files, just right-click on a title and ‘save target as’. In case you cannot view the slide-show, then please visit flickr.

 

Lectures

KKS – Seminar – 6 Goswamis – Czech Summer Camp – 22 June 2013

KKS – Initiation Lecture – Czech Summer Camp – 23 June 2013

KKS – SB. 8.2.33 – Czech Summer Camp – 24 June 2013

KKS – SB. 8.3.1 – Czech Summer Camp – 25 June 2013

 

Kirtans

KKS – Kirtana I – Czech Summer Camp – 21 June 2013

KKS – Kirtana II – Czech Summer Camp – 21 June 2013

KKS – Kirtana III – Czech Summer Camp – 22 June 2013

 

Pictures

Lecture – BG 9.22 What Are We Prepared To Do For Krishna? – Video
→ Prahladananda Swami

Bhagavad-gita 9.22 by HH Prahladananda Swami (Health Resort Vita Mores, Saint Vlas, Bulgaria, July 21, 2012). from Lilasuka Das on Vimeo.

Our ability to understand spiritual life depends on our engagement in Lord Caitanya’s Sankirtan Movement. Very nice question & answer session in the audio not available on video.

BG 09.22 What Are We Prepared To Do For Krishna? 2012

Lecture – SB 1.4.3 Lost In The Philosophy, Lost In The Story – Video
→ Prahladananda Swami

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.4.3 by His Holiness Prahladananda Swami, 21 July, 2012, Health Resort Vita Mores Saint Vlas. from Lilasuka Das on Vimeo.

Srila Prabhupada Never Really Left Us.
When Mickey and Mini Fail, What to Do?
What When All the World Became Ritviks?

World domination with Mickey Mouse and Coca-Cola

SB 01.04.03 Lost In The Philosophy, Lost In The Story 2012-07-21

Initiation Lecture Sudama & Loka Guru Das – Bulgarian Camp – Video
→ Prahladananda Swami

Initiation Ceremony at Health Resort Mores Vita, Saint Vlas, Bulgaria on the 18th of July, 2012 – PART 2 from Lilasuka Das on Vimeo.

Initiation Lecture Sudama & Loka Guru Das – Bulgarian Camp 2012-07-18

Initiation Ceremony at Health Resort Mores Vita, Saint Vlas, Bulgaria on the 18th of July, 2012 – PART 2

Initiating Guru: His Holiness Prahladananda Swami

Initiates: Sudama Das (Bhakta Slavi) and Loka-guru Das (Bhakta Lenk0 (book distribution, history)

I Have No Time To Chant
→ Japa Group

I was reading an interesting article today....it talks about how we should organise our time around our Japa and not organise our Japa around the time that we have left in the day. Here is a quote from the article:

I Have No Time to Chant

Most of us who are raising families are challenged to find two undisturbed hours a day to solely focus on our rounds. Yet many of the activities that take our time away from chanting are activities that we specifically have chosen to do. Afer the second retreat I thought that the reason I have so much on my plate that takes me away from chanting is simply because I don't like chanting enough. It's what Prabhupada calls the "self created burden." If I am finding it difficult to finish my rounds because of a lack of time, I am ultimately the one who chose to do all the activities that are getting in the way of my chanting. Even when I can't really avoid all the work and responsibilities, still I am the one who is organizing those activities in a way that chanting often takes a back seat to the other things I do.

http://www.harekrsna.de/artikel/japa-chanting.htm

I Have No Time To Chant
→ Japa Group

I was reading an interesting article today....it talks about how we should organise our time around our Japa and not organise our Japa around the time that we have left in the day. Here is a quote from the article:

I Have No Time to Chant

Most of us who are raising families are challenged to find two undisturbed hours a day to solely focus on our rounds. Yet many of the activities that take our time away from chanting are activities that we specifically have chosen to do. Afer the second retreat I thought that the reason I have so much on my plate that takes me away from chanting is simply because I don't like chanting enough. It's what Prabhupada calls the "self created burden." If I am finding it difficult to finish my rounds because of a lack of time, I am ultimately the one who chose to do all the activities that are getting in the way of my chanting. Even when I can't really avoid all the work and responsibilities, still I am the one who is organizing those activities in a way that chanting often takes a back seat to the other things I do.

http://www.harekrsna.de/artikel/japa-chanting.htm

burning like fire
→ everyday gita

Verse 3.39: Thus the wise living entity's pure consciousness becomes covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.

Very often readers of the Gita pose this question: "If I'm an eternal soul which is always blissful and full of knowledge, then why don't I experience those qualities?" It's a great question and one which is answered here today-

When the pure consciousness of the soul is covered by lust, the soul forgets who it really is.

This lust is what causes us to feel empty and lonely. As a quick reminder, lust is the negative transformation of love and compels the covered soul to seek enjoyment in all that is temporary. That search for pleasure outside of ourselves in temporary material things is what often leads to great frustration.

Makes sense if you think about it. If we are eternal, then how can we be satisfied by impermanence? It just doesn't work.

The thing is, although the soul has forgotten its eternality, its inherent pleasure seeking characteristic still remains. That's we continue to try to seek eternal happiness despite all our failures. In fact, it is this lust which continues to burn within us and fuels our desire to keep trying to find that pleasure - just in all the wrong places!

That's where the Gita provides the solution. The Gita doesn't promote that we just ignore our inherent nature to desire pleasure. Instead, it teaches us how to transform our lust into its original state of love. Specifically, it teaches us:

We're searching for pleasure in the wrong places.

See the difference? The search still remains...it's just that it becomes transformed. Instead of seeking pleasure in the temporary, material world, instead we are directed to seek pleasure in that which is eternal - our relationship with the Supreme.

It is this relationship which will revive our pure consciousness and which will transform all the lust in our heart to pure love.

burning like fire
→ everyday gita

Verse 3.39: Thus the wise living entity's pure consciousness becomes covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.

Very often readers of the Gita pose this question: "If I'm an eternal soul which is always blissful and full of knowledge, then why don't I experience those qualities?" It's a great question and one which is answered here today-

When the pure consciousness of the soul is covered by lust, the soul forgets who it really is.

This lust is what causes us to feel empty and lonely. As a quick reminder, lust is the negative transformation of love and compels the covered soul to seek enjoyment in all that is temporary. That search for pleasure outside of ourselves in temporary material things is what often leads to great frustration.

Makes sense if you think about it. If we are eternal, then how can we be satisfied by impermanence? It just doesn't work.

The thing is, although the soul has forgotten its eternality, its inherent pleasure seeking characteristic still remains. That's we continue to try to seek eternal happiness despite all our failures. In fact, it is this lust which continues to burn within us and fuels our desire to keep trying to find that pleasure - just in all the wrong places!

That's where the Gita provides the solution. The Gita doesn't promote that we just ignore our inherent nature to desire pleasure. Instead, it teaches us how to transform our lust into its original state of love. Specifically, it teaches us:

We're searching for pleasure in the wrong places.

See the difference? The search still remains...it's just that it becomes transformed. Instead of seeking pleasure in the temporary, material world, instead we are directed to seek pleasure in that which is eternal - our relationship with the Supreme.

It is this relationship which will revive our pure consciousness and which will transform all the lust in our heart to pure love.