Planet ISKCON

Forty-four years ago this year, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada left this world for the divine abode of Sri Krishna and His pastimes. During his empowered life as a preacher of Krishna consciousness from 1965-1977, he accomplished more than practically any acharya in history, bringing the opportunity for the highest attainment of Goloka […]

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Forty-four years ago this year, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada left this world for the divine abode of Sri Krishna and His pastimes. During his empowered life as a preacher of Krishna consciousness from 1965-1977, he accomplished more than practically any acharya in history, bringing the opportunity for the highest attainment of Goloka Vrindaban to millions of souls throughout the world. We are brought to tears no longer having his association in our midst.

Early this morning Srila Prabhupada’s beloved disciple, my dear godbrother, Sankha Dasa departed this  world. You can read about him and his wonderful service to Srila Prabhupada in Juhu in the following excerpt from my book I’ll Build You a Temple: The Juhu Story. I have no doubt that Srila Prabhupada has called Sankha Dasa back to him. He is in the front row at the far left in the attached photo.

After Nara Narayan left, we didn’t have a steady gardener for almost two years—until Sankha dasa arrived after Gaura-punima in 1974. “I didn’t know how to do anything,” Sankha later admitted, “but I feel in my heart that I was blessed by Prabhupada to learn gardening. When I arrived, Caitya-guru, the temple commander, took me to see Prabhupada, and I said, ‘Srila Prabhupada, you have asked me to come to Bombay. What would you like me to do?’ ‘I want you to plant a flower in every square inch of Hare Krishna Land,’ he told me. And we offered our obeisances and left.

“The next day, we went back for clarification, and I asked Prabhupada, ‘Would you like me to grow vegetables?’ ‘No,’ he said, ‘our space is limited; it will be cheaper to buy them in the local market.’ ‘What about fruits?’ ‘Yes—guavas, chikus, bananas.’

Prabhupada passed by the garden every day on his morning walk, and some time after Sankha’s arrival, he noticed that there still weren’t any fruits or flowers growing. “Where are the flowers?” he asked Sankha, but there never were any. “He’s just bluffing,” Prabhupada commented. “He doesn’t know what he’s doing. Simply bluffing.”

Then one morning, after he had returned from traveling in India, Prabhupada went out for his walk and saw that the garden was full of fruits and flowers. He was very pleased with Sankha’s service, and thereafter, Sankha would offer Prabhupada a flower every day and became known as “Prabhupada’s flower boy.”

Sankha grew papayas, guavas, chikus, and strawberry bananas—small and pink inside, and very sweet. “One day at the airport when Prabhupada was about to depart for London,” he recalled, “I brought a big load of ripe bananas and asked Prabhupada if he would like one. He opened his eyes wide and said, ‘You grew these?’ ‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘I have grown them for you.’ He grabbed one, peeled it, and ate it all. ‘These are very good,’ he said. ‘Now pass them out to everyone in the airport.’ And while I was distributing the bananas, Harikesa jumped up on a table and started preaching. Prabhupada really appreciated when we grew our own food.”

Hare Krishna.

In the splendid Tuscan settings of Villa Vrindavana ISKCON (where the  ” Goshala Balarama ” Cow Protection Sanctuary is located), an initiative dedicated to children aged between 3 and 9 was started. ”Om” Giardino in Natura is a family-oriented project of devotees designed to help children to grow in harmony with themselves and with the […]

The post ”Om” Giardino in Natura at Villa Vrindavana ISKCON – Italy appeared first on ISKCON News.

In the splendid Tuscan settings of Villa Vrindavana ISKCON (where the  '' Goshala Balarama '' Cow Protection Sanctuary is located), an initiative dedicated to children aged between 3 and 9 was started.

It is said that acceptance of uncertainties in life leads to adventure. On top of being a devotee leader par excellence, Nityananda Pran Das (Nachi Lolla) is certainly an adventurous man. At the peak of his professional career as a marketing executive at a fortune 500 company making a 6-figure salary, he quit and became […]

The post Nityananda Pran Das: On a Mission to Improve Marriages and Parenting in ISKCON appeared first on ISKCON News.

It is said that acceptance of uncertainties in life leads to adventure. On top of being a devotee leader par excellence, Nityananda Pran Das (Nachi Lolla) is certainly an adventurous man. At the peak of his professional career as a marketing executive at a fortune 500 company making a 6-figure salary, he quit and became the full-time temple president of Chicago ISKCON. That too with wife and a young child in-tow. Do not try this at home, folks! This unique path which included being the Temple President and leader for 13+ years and building one of the top ISKCON communities in the USA without any personal income to maintain his family is only for the very adventurous and courageous!

Portland’s only vegan Jewish deli and bakery is open for business and is devotee run and operated. Ben and Esther’s is modeled after a traditional New York-style Jewish deli but is completely plant-based. You’ll find their menu filled with classic New York deli staples like lox, matzo ball soup, rugelach, knishes, and kugel.  ISKCON News […]

The post Ben & Esther’s, Portland’s Only Vegan Jewish Deli appeared first on ISKCON News.

Wise Love: Bhakti and the Search for the Soul of Consciousness, an innovative introductory book to the path of Bhakti for a modern Western audience, has been translated into Spanish as Amor Sabio, and is now available in paperback and Kindle editions. Author Pranada Dasi, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, first released Wise Love in […]

The post Award-Winning Introduction to Bhakti “Wise Love” Released in Spanish appeared first on ISKCON News.

As the year nears its conclusion, Team ISKCON Alachua, the book distribution effort of the biggest Hare Krishna community in the Western world, is already in the midst of its final marathon of 2021, the Live to Give Campaign. Running from September until the end of the year, Live to Give is an international book […]

The post Book Distribution Keeps Team ISKCON Alachua Connected appeared first on ISKCON News.

By The GBC Strategic Planning Team

On Srila Prabhupada Disappearance Day festival , here are some lesser-known facts related to ISKCON Founder acharya Srila Prabhupada by Praghosa Das GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) is pleased to invite you to the Day 2 of our 3 day series celebrating Srila Prabhupada Disappearance Day festival reflecting on the role of Srila Prabhupada as our preeminent Siksha Guru with Praghosh Das. Continue reading "Powerful Life Lessons Everyone Should Learn From Srila Prabhupada-Our Preeminent Siksha Guru (video)
→ Dandavats"

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Govardhan Puja is celebrated the day after Diwali. It is the day Lord Krishna defeated Indra, the King of Heaven and deity of thunder and rain. As per the story, Krishna saw huge preparations for the annual offering to Lord Indra and questioned his father Nanda about it.

He debated with the villagers about what their ‘dharma’ truly was. They were farmers, they should do their duty and concentrate on farming and protection of the cows. He continued to say that all human beings should merely do their ‘karma’, to the best of their ability and not pray for natural phenomenon.

The villagers were convinced by Krishna, and did not proceed with the special puja. Indra was then angered, and flooded the village. Krishna then lifted Mt Govardhan and held it up as protection to the cowherds and cows from the rain. Indra finally accepted defeat and recognized Krishna as supreme.

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Diwali celebrates the return of Lord Rama, King of Ayodhya, with his wife Sita and brother Laksmana to Ayodhya after a 14 year exile, and a war in which he killed the demon king Ravana.

It is believed that the people of Ayodhya lit ghee lamps along the way to light their path in the darkness. Since Lord Rama traveled from South India to his kingdom in North India, he passed through the south earlier. This is the reason why the festival is celebrated a day earlier in South India.

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We shall read from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Two, Chapter Seven: “Scheduled Incarnations.”

TEXT 32

gopair makhe pratihate vraja-viplavaya
  deve ’bhivarsati pasun krpaya riraksuh
dhartocchilindhram iva sapta-dinani sapta-
  varso mahidhram anaghaika-kare salilam

TRANSLATION

When the cowherd men of Vrndavana, under instruction of Krsna, stopped offering sacrifice to the heavenly king, Indra, the whole tract of land known as Vraja was threatened with being washed away by constant heavy rains for seven days. Lord Krsna, out of His causeless mercy upon the inhabitants of Vraja, held up the hill known as Govardhana with one hand only, although He was only seven years old. He did this to protect the animals from the onslaught of water.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Children play with an umbrella generally known as a frog’s umbrella, and Lord Krsna, when He was only seven years old, could snatch the great hill known as the Govardhana Parvata in Vrndavana and hold it for seven days continuously with one hand, just to protect the animals and the inhabitants of Vrndavana from the wrath of Indra, the heavenly king, who had been denied sacrificial offerings by the inhabitants of Vraja-bhumi.

COMMENT by Giriraj Swami

Lord Krishna was playing the part of a young boy. Here the Bhagavatam says salilam, playfully: just as a small child picks up a frog’s umbrella (a mushroom shaped like an umbrella) and plays with it, so Lord Krishna picked up Govardhana Hill and held it like an umbrella to shelter the residents of Vrindavan from the torrential rains of Indra.

PURPORT (continued)

Factually there is no need of offering sacrifices to the demigods for their services if one is engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord. Sacrifices recommended in the Vedic literature for satisfaction of the demigods are a sort of inducement to the sacrificers to realize the existence of higher authorities. The demigods are engaged by the Lord as controlling deities of material affairs, and according to the Bhagavad-gita, when a demigod is worshiped the process is accepted as the indirect method for worshiping the Supreme Lord. But when the Supreme Lord is worshiped directly there is no need of worshiping the demigods or offering them sacrifices as recommended in particular circumstances. Lord Krsna therefore advised the inhabitants of Vraja-bhumi not to offer any sacrifices to the heavenly king Indra.

COMMENT

Many of you know the story: Nanda Maharaja and the other men of Vrindavan were collecting the paraphernalia to perform the Indra-yajna, and when the child Krishna saw the men so engaged, He asked His father, “Dear father, kindly explain to Me the purpose for which you are gathering this paraphernalia. Is this ritualistic performance based on scriptural injunctions, or is it simply customary? What is to be gained by this performance?” Srila Prabhupada tells us the implication of Krishna’s inquiry: We should not engage in rituals simply because our parents or grandparents did—without any gain. Although we may have had forefathers who worshipped demigods, Lord Krishna here suggests that there is no need for us to continue such worship. Therefore, in due course, Krishna advised the residents of Vrindavan to stop the sacrifice to King Indra. So, in principle, we should not engage in ritualistic performances without any result. There should be some positive benefit from our activities, as there is with devotional service, which, according to the Bhagavad-gita and to practical experience, is joyfully performed. Pratyaksavagamam dharmyam su-sukham kartum avyayam: “It gives direct perception of the self by realization, and it is joyfully performed.” (Gita 9.2)

The Bhagavad-gita also explains that worship offered to demigods is actually meant for Lord Krishna but is avidhi-purvakam: it is offered indirectly, improperly, to the demigods.

ye ’py anya-devata-bhakta
  yajante sraddhayanvitah
te ‘pi mam eva kaunteya
  yajanty avidhi-purvakam

“Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only Me, O son of Kunti, but they do so in a wrong way.” (Gita 9.23)Therefore Lord Krishna, by His own example, showed us that we need not worship the demigods.

The question may be raised that if there is no need to worship demigods, why are sacrifices to demigods recommended in the Vedas? The answer is that although there is no need to worship the demigods when we worship the Supreme Lord, the fact is that the demigods are superior to ordinary human beings. They are entrusted with the management of different affairs within the universe. So, for those without knowledge of Krishna, sacrifices to demigods are recommended so that the performers at least acknowledge their debt to and their dependence on superior authorities.

Srila Prabhupada has compared the demigods to ministers in the cabinet of a king, and Lord Krishna to the king. The ministers are actually servants of the king and are obliged to do their jobs as directed by the king. So, if we satisfy the king, we need not satisfy the demigods separately. If the king wants to grant us some favor, the ministers are obliged to execute his order. And even if we approach some minister for some favor, if the king is against it, the minister has no authority or power to grant it.

Srila Prabhupada has also given the example that if you pay your taxes to the central government, you don’t have to go separately to the various offices to bribe them. When you pay your taxes to the central government, your money is automatically distributed among the different departments of the state. You don’t have to pay each department separately, and as a tax-paying citizen you’re entitled to all benefits.

Here Lord Krishna is acting on the principles of the Bhagavad-gita, in the role of a small child. He stopped the worship of the demigod Indra and ordered that the paraphernalia be used for the worship of the cows, the brahmans, and Govardhana Hill, which is actually the Supreme Lord Krishna Himself. As revealed later in the govardhana-lila, although Krishna, playing the part of a seven-year-old boy, accompanied the Vraja-vasis around Govardhana Hill in worship, He also expanded Himself into a separate, gigantic form and declared, “I am Govardhana Mountain.” Thus, together with the people of Vraja, the original, small Krishna bowed down to this form of Govardhana Hill, who was Lord Krishna Himself.

After Lord Krishna advised the inhabitants of Vraja-bhumi not to offer any sacrifices to Indra, the heavenly king, Indra, not knowing the position of Lord Krishna in Vraja-bhumi, became angry with the inhabitants of Vraja-bhumi and tried to avenge what he considered to be their offense to him. He ordered the Samvartaka clouds, the clouds used at the time of partial devastation to inundate the universe, to flood Vrindavan. We can just imagine: here is a simple cowherd community in Vraja, and King Indra was so blinded by pride that he summoned the clouds used to inundate the universe to attack this little community of cowherds, cows, and calves.

PURPORT (continued)

But competent as the Lord was, He saved the inhabitants and animals of Vraja-bhumi by His personal energy and proved definitely that anyone directly engaged as a devotee of the Supreme Lord need not satisfy any other demigods, however great, even to the level of Brahma or Siva.

COMMENT

The Fourth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam states:

yatha taror mula-nisecanena
  trpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopasakhah
pranopaharac ca yathendriyanam
  tathaiva sarvarhanam acyutejya

“As pouring water on the root of the tree benefits the trunk, branches, twigs and leaves, and as supplying food to the stomach nourishes the senses and limbs of the body, so worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service automatically satisfies the demigods, who are parts of that Supreme Personality.” (SB 4.31.14) Yet here in the govardhana-lila we find that although the Vraja-vasis worshipped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, still the demigod Indra was not satisfied. In fact, he was most dissatisfied. Why? Because of his false pride. Govardhana Hill was being worshipped with paraphernalia meant for him. And because he was blinded by ignorance, he could not understand that the little cowherd boy Krishna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead and his eternal master. And certainly, he could not understand that Govardhana Hill was the same Supreme Personality. But demigods are not supposed to be proud—or ignorant. They are supposed to be faithful servants of Krishna. Thus, to break the false pride of Indra and bring him back to his original consciousness, Lord Krishna enacted the govardhana-lila.

The scriptures describe that for a moment Krishna thought that maybe He should just kill Indra but then decided no, He should bestow mercy upon him, crush his false pride, and bring him back to his original position of service to Him. And so Krishna playfully lifted up Govardhana Hill. Any of you who have visited Vrindavan know that Govardhana Hill is quite long—at least eight kilometers—no toy for an ordinary person. But it was like a toy for Lord Krishna, and He lifted it and held it over His head with the tip of His little finger. The scriptures say that Krishna wanted to prove that He could defeat the mighty power of Indra with the tip of the little finger of His left hand. That was all He needed to dispose of the king of heaven. Eventually, after seven days, Indra came to his senses and realized that he, not the Vraja-vasis, was the one who had committed the offense, and so he withdrew the Samvartaka clouds and came to Vraja-bhumi to beg for forgiveness from Lord Krishna. And then he worshipped Lord Krishna.

As part of the worship of Govardhana Hill, Lord Krishna ordered the Vraja-vasis to prepare all sorts of foodstuffs, which they did, and they offered them to Govardhana Hill, and Govardhana ate them all. So, later in the day we’ll be having the celebration in which we offer, as the Vraja-vasis did, all sorts of preparations to Govardhana Hill, and He will eat them all. But out of His kindness He will again return them to us to honor as maha-prasada.

PURPORT (concluded)

Thus this incident definitely proved without a doubt that Lord Krsna is the Personality of Godhead and that He was so in all circumstances, as a child on the lap of His mother, as a boy seven years old, and as an old man of a hundred and twenty-five years of age. In either case He was never on the level of the ordinary man, and even in His advanced age He appeared a young boy sixteen years old. These are the particular features of the transcendental body of the Lord.

COMMENT

There are impersonalists who try by yoga or meditation to become God, but Krishna is not that kind of God. He did not have to become God by yoga or meditation; He was always God. From His very appearance in the prison of Kamsa, when He manifested His four-armed form as Vishnu, He was God. When He was a three-month-old baby and killed the great demoness Putana, He was God. When He was a seven-year-old boy and lifted Govardhana Hill, He was God. And when He spoke the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, He was God. Even at that time, although by material calculation He was a great-grandfather and more than ninety years old, because His body never ages or deteriorates, He appeared like a youth of sixteen. Krishna’s body is spiritual and not subject to disease, old age, or death, like the bodies of ordinary conditioned souls. After Krishna’s body matured to the point of appearing like a youth’s, it never grew older. That proves that Krishna had a spiritual body. We never see a picture of Krishna as an old man with gray hair and wrinkles, walking with a cane. He always looks like a handsome young man.

One more note about Krishna’s appearance and activities. We know from Krishna’s statement in the Bhagavad-gita, paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam (4.8), that He appears to deliver the devotees and to annihilate the miscreants. But actually, He does not have to come personally to destroy the miscreants; He has many agents to do so. The real reason He comes is to give pleasure to His devotees, and the special feature of the govardhana-lila is that Krishna gave His association—and the greatest pleasure—to all of the residents of Vrindavan continuously for seven days. Usually the residents of Vrindavan were with Krishna for only so many hours every day. For example, in the afternoon when Krishna would return from the pasturing grounds and enter His home and have dinner with Nanda Baba, He would give His association to Nanda and Yasoda and others in their household. And then He would take rest. But while He was taking rest at home, the cowherd boys were in separation from Him, eagerly anticipating, “Oh, when can we be with Krishna again? Oh, we have to wait until morning when we all take the cows to pasture.” So they were in separation. And in the morning, when Krishna went into the pasturing grounds with the cowherd boys, Nanda and Yasoda and the residents of the village of Vrindavan were in separation.

The young damsels too were almost always in separation, except on special occasions when they would secretly meet Govinda at midday or in the dead of night. The young gopis could never gaze directly at Krishna except at their trysts, when they engaged in transcendental amorous pastimes.

So, the devotees were always alternating meeting and separation. Yet for the seven days of the govardhana-lila, all the inhabitants—the servants, the friends, the elders, and even the young damsels—could be with Krishna continuously. Thus the govardhana-lila, while it achieved the purpose of crushing the false pride of Indra, also achieved the purpose of satisfying the devotees, who hankered to have Krishna’s association without cessation.

So, here is another special feature of Govardhana Hill. Because of differences in rasa, Krishna could not reciprocate openly with certain devotees in the presence of other devotees. In the govardhana-lila, however, He could reciprocate with each and every devotee no matter what relationship they had, in the presence of all the other devotees. Therefore Govardhana Hill is very special, because Govardhana is witness to Krishna’s pastimes in all different mellows.

We can learn from this pastime that whatever onslaughts of material nature come upon us, if we take shelter of Krishna we can be protected and at the same time have all our desires for transcendental love and bliss satisfied in Krishna consciousness.

Hare Krishna.

Are there any questions or comments?

Devotee: You mentioned that Krishna comes especially for the devotees, to bestow His association upon them and give them pleasure—not for the purpose of killing the demons. So, the special demons killed by Krishna were not happy to be killed by Krishna? Can you comment?

Giriraj Swami: Krishna achieves many purposes with one action. Although His primary purpose is to please the devotees, His secondary purpose is to kill the demons, and He does both simultaneously. Actually, Krishna does not kill the demons personally; Vishnu within Krishna kills them. If His only purpose were to kill the demons, He would not appear personally. He really appears to pacify His devotees, though simultaneously He also kills demons.

Devotee: Lord Indra is such an elevated soul. How is it possible that he could not see Lord Krishna in the little seven-year-old boy? What stopped him from seeing that?

Giriraj Swami: Indra was proud, and vraja-lila is very special. In such nara-lila, humanlike pastimes, Krishna appears just like an ordinary human. Suppose, for example, if someone who held a high position in China—say, the Premier of China, whose face is not familiar to us—were to come here in disguise. We would not recognize him, because he would look just like everyone else. So, Krishna looked like everyone else. He looked like all the other cowherd boys; there was nothing special about Him. What distinguished Him was His potency. The head of a country is also a human being. There is nothing about his physical features that distinguishes him from others. What distinguishes him is his potency. He has the whole military under his command. He may be sitting here just like any of us, but if we order, “Declare war! Invade!” nothing will happen, and if he orders, “Declare war and invade!” it happens. That is the difference. He has potency that we do not have, but still he looks the same. Because Indra was already proud and was not really interested to know more—he just wanted to be worshipped as usual—he saw superficially, “They are just a cowherd community, and Krishna is just a small child. He is so puffed up that he thinks he can stop my worship, and these adults are so foolish and so enamored of this boy that they follow his advice.” He thought that there was something really wrong, because that is how it looked. Therefore, sastra-caksuh: we should see the Lord through the eyes of scripture.

Devotee: Krishna came to earth to show favor to the human beings, but what about the demigods? The demigods also came to earth to participate in Krishna’s pastimes, but then we have this incident with Indra and another incident with Brahma, when they became bewildered.

Giriraj Swami: The demigods, although very powerful, can be covered by illusion just like any of us. We can be covered. We can chant Hare Krishna and feel great enthusiasm, and then later stop chanting. We are the same person, but something has happened. One day we were enthusiastically chanting and dancing, and the next day we were out in the material world. So, what happened? We got covered, and maybe puffed up. “Pride cometh before a fall.” That is what we have heard, and that is what we have experienced. Therefore Krishna mercifully displays some of His potency so that they realize His position as Supreme Lord and their own position as His eternal servants.

Sometimes when Krishna would return from the pasturing grounds with His cowherd friends, the demigods would come and shower flowers.

vatsalo vraja-gavam yad aga-dhro
  vandyamana-caranah pathi vrddhaih
krtsna-go-dhanam upohya dinante
  gita-venur anugedita-kirtih

“Out of great affection for the cows of Vraja, Krsna became the lifter of Govardhana Hill. At the end of the day, having rounded up all His own cows, He plays a song on His flute, while exalted demigods standing along the path worship His lotus feet and the cowherd boys accompanying Him chant His glories.” (SB 10.35.22)

So, the demigods also get to witness and worship Krishna in His pastimes. And although the cowherd boys would see the demigods worship Him, still they would not think of Krishna as God. They would think of Him as their dearest friend. There is a difference between Krishna’s two mayas, energies—yoga-maya and maha-maya. Yoga-maya partially reveals the Lord and partially conceals Him, so the residents of Vrindavan love Krishna but are unaware that He is God. They just love Him spontaneously. In Vaikuntha the devotees love the Lord but are aware that He is God. And the conditioned souls covered by maha-maya forget that Krishna is God and sometimes forget God altogether. Their eternal love for Him is covered. Generally, demigods are also conditioned souls. Consequently, influenced by illusion, they can also forget that Krishna is God and need to be reminded.

Of course, one could say that the pastimes are there to instruct us; and they do manifest eternal principles. So we should learn from them, become Krishna conscious, and go back home, back to Godhead, to serve Lord Krishna and His associates in love.

Sri Giri Govardhana ki jaya!
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

[ A talk by Giriraj Swami on Govardhana-puja, October 26, 2003, Houston]

Hare Krishna!
Please accept our humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!


Date: 7th Nov 2021
Day: Sunday
Time: 11 am to 12 noon
Topic: Special class on Srila Prabhupada's disappearance day
Speaker: HG Adi Gadadhar Das


Link to join the class from your desktop or laptop:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9150790510?pwd=Wk5GYXVRMkJmdk84MzZJRXBKYUgwUT09


HG Adi Gadadhar Das

Adi Gadadhar Das was introduced to Krishna consciousness by Gaur Gopal Prabhu and Gaurānga Prabhu in August 1998 at the age of 18 years while studying at Grant Medical college and JJ Hospital, Mumbai. He completed the Bhakti shastri course taught by Caitanya Charan Prabhu. He received first and second initiation from HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj. He currently serves as the congregation director for ISKCON Atlanta. He is a physician and completed his medical training at Emory university. He serves as a Geriatric Hospitalist and lives in Atlanta with his wife Radhabhava Devi and two children Gopal and Maithili.

ISKCON Scarborough
3500 McNicoll Avenue, Unit #3,
Scarborough, Ontario,
Canada, M1V4C7
Website: www.iskconscarborough.org
Email:
iskconscarborough@hotmail.com
scarboroughiskcon@gmail.com

 

Hare Krishna! Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada All glories to Sri Radha Damodar Ki Jai! All glories All glories to Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva & Subhadra Maharani Ki Jai! All glories to Sri Mayapur Dham Ki Jai! Greetings from Sri Mayapur Dham! Happy Dipavali! Happy Govardhana Puja! We convey our warmest […]

The post Wishing You A Happy Diwali In This Auspicious Month appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia

Charm Boy

 

He is both menacing and adorable

His sweet innocence bars one from saying He's deplorable

For His babyhood charm is written all over His face

And whatever He does transforms that very space

 

That face is on Earth and beyond the skies too

His father and mother impose a well-meaning curfew

Yet He sneaks away at night under the moon

After plotting a rally of monkeys and friends by noon

 

The plot is to scout the neighbours' homes

And spot the butter stock like bees to honeycombs

There is success in the break and enter

It's obvious He is left, right, and center

 

He gets caught red handed by His mother

For His hands and mouth are moistened by thick, smooth butter

His mother decides He must learn a good lesson

She grabs a stick and starts a chasing session

 

But He's fast on His feet, with speed He goes

She runs and, due to fatigue, she slows

Tossing out the stick she manages to stop Him

From here on it may appear to look grim

 

But not so, she secures a rope to bind the boy

For both persons there's a mix of fear and joy

Mystically the rope of lesson and love

Cannot tie Him, frustrating her thereof

 

So He surrenders to her will of good intent

Convinced that her love is one hundred percent

He allows her to fasten Him to a mortar in the yard

For her it is not easy, in fact it is hard

 

In her absence He proceeds to pull rope and mortar

With ease he pulls down two trees in the back quarter

And from that fall appears two beautiful men

Bedazzled they are for what happened to them

 

They had been cursed by a well-known sage

For partying shamelessly, lowering guard and gauge

They now honestly feel a kind of liberation

And they credit the boy for such a relieving sensation

 

They were existing as trees for far too long

And now regained their original forms, so strong

There is a side to the boy that leaves us in wonder

Frivolous and yet helpful, we are left to ponder

 

Now who is this child with all this power

With skin blue and whose mother makes Him cower?

For many admirers and scholars He is a great subduer

Of miscreants, scoundrels, and a host of wrongdoers

 

He goes by different names–Damodara, Mukunda, or Krishna

If you call for Him, by any of these names, you'll feel that He's warm and that He has endless charm 

 

-Composed by Bhaktimarga Swami, The Walking Monk©

May the Source be with you!

 

 

Halifax, Nova Scotia

At the Waterfront

 

A warm wind invited itself into the harbour as we strode along Halifax’s boardwalk. It looked like the city is investing in the beautification of the harbourfront; the place where we have found adequate little nooks for devotee’s presentations of kirtan. With few people out at the early morning hour it makes for a pleasant combination of chat and chant. Basically, we have the raw elements before us – the wind, the waves, the clouds, and the gulls. Yes, those gulls span their wings and sail in the air without effort.

The afternoon turned misty. Rains came down in incredible force and we could view auto accidents from the motorists who had lost control. Our destination, a dance and wellness studio, became our venue for the local Krishna community. It’s Sunday after all, and we must come together. With rain or shine the show must go on and the stalwarts and diehards did attend, despite the storm.

I spoke about community (or to break up the word: common unity) and how important it is for us social animals. It was young Krishna who demonstrated the naturalness of human bonding through His words of charm, creativity, innovation, heroism and attractiveness, which pulled people together in the rustic town of Vrindavan, India. It’s possible to replicate that spirit of harmony by merely planning and willing it. It only requires the combined effort of everyone pulling some weight at the same time.

I hope the talk was meaningful. I know the kirtanwas. So was the blessed food, prasadam. The power of togetherness was there. That’s what heavy rain does – pulls people together under an able roof.

May the Source be with you!

3 km

 

Forty-four years ago this year, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada left this world for the divine abode of Sri Krishna and His pastimes. During his empowered life as a preacher of Krishna consciousness from 1965-1977 he accomplished more than practically any acharya in history, bringing the opportunity for the highest attainment of Goloka Vrindaban to millions of souls throughout the world. We are brought to tears no longer having his association in our midst.

“Harassed life after life by the laws of nature, the living entity wanders throughout the entire universe in different planets and different species of life. Somehow or other, if he is fortunate enough, he comes in touch with a devotee who reforms his entire life. Then the living entity goes back home, back to Godhead… The difficulty is to obtain a bona fide spiritual master and Krishna. Therefore the duty of a human being is to capture the opportunity to come in touch with Krishna’s representative, the bona fide spiritual master. Under the guidance of the spiritual master, the spiritual father, one can return home, back to Godhead.”

SB 6.16.6

For those who have “captured the opportunity” and realized the great gift which Srila Prabhupada gave to the world, there is no option than to repay him through our surrender, service and sacrifice, whether he is here physically or not. Our debt of gratitude to our acharya is eternal and constant, and focused on the fulfillment of his order to spread the sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to every nook and corner of the earth, and even beyond. As his servants it is our bounden duty to give all we can for this purpose.

The TOVP project represents the culmination of his expressed projects during his physical presence. He had clear vision that this crest jewel of his ISKCON society would be the greatest preaching tool for bringing the message of Godhead to the world on a large scale. As a matter of fact, he saw the world beating a path to his TOVP: “My idea is to attract people of the whole world to Mayapur”.

On this most glorious yet sad occasion, let us renew our commitment to our own emancipation by “capturing the opportunity”, and to the TOVP project, as well as to Prabhupada’s far-reaching vision. We are the pioneers of Krishna consciousness in the modern world and are part of this grand, transcendental and most rare opportunity he has given us. As he said, “Just give this one life to Krishna, and He will bring you back to Goloka”.

We humbly request all devotees to take advantage of this occasion during the auspicious month of Kartik, when spiritual activities have increased potency, to support the completion of the TOVP construction so the temple can open timely in 2024. Our newest fundraising campaign started the beginning of September with the release of the India Govt. minted Prabhupada 125th Anniversary Year coin. We are just reminding devotees that they can get one of these rare coins from the TOVP, which will remain as an heirloom in their family for generations to come.

Of course, during this auspicious month you can also sponsor any Seva Opportunity ​or make a Pledge Payment ​or General Donation​.

The coin is available for $1,250 / ₹1,25 Lakhs / €1,250 / £1,250. A two-year installment payment plan is an option for long-term payments. That’s a payment of $50 / ₹3700 / €85 / £37 a month for two years.

Reserve your coin today as supplies are limited!

To reserve your coin, use the following buttons:

 

 

We wish you all a happy Diwali. Diwali, or Dipavali, marks the end of the year, and by the year’s end we want to pay our debts and rectify our relationships—and then try to do better the next year.

The Vedic literatures inform us that in the present age, Kali-yuga, the recommended process for self-realization, or God realization, is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Lord Krishna appeared about five thousand years ago and spoke the Bhagavad-gita, and at the end of the Gita (18.66), He instructed:

sarva-dharman parityajya
  mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
  moksayisyami ma sucah

“Give up all varieties of religiousness and just surrender unto Me. I will deliver you from all sins. Do not fear.”

But how do we surrender to Krishna—practically? It is a big question. Therefore Krishna Himself came again about five hundred years ago as Sri Krishna Chaitanya and showed us how to serve Krishna and develop love for Krishna, especially in the present age of Kali. He quoted one verse from the Brhan-naradiya Purana (3.8.126):

harer nama harer nama
  harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
  nasty eva gatir anyatha

“One should chant the holy names, chant the holy names, chant the holy names of Lord Hari. There is no other way, no other way, no other way for success in the present age of Kali.”

Lord Chaitanya Himself demonstrated how to chant the holy names. Actually, there are two methods: In japa, one chants softly but loud enough that at least he himself, or she herself, can hear. Our acharyas have recommended that we chant on beads, japa-mala. I suggest that as a New Year’s resolution you all begin to chant at least one mala (round) every day, and that those who are chanting already try to increase. Suppose someone is chanting two malas every day. In the New Year that person can decide to do four malas, or whatever he or she can manage. One mala will take five to ten minutes. So, that is japa.

The other method is kirtan. Kirtan means loud chanting, all together, usually with musical instruments such as mridanga, kartals, and sometimes harmonium. That collective chanting of the holy names of God is very effective in the present age of Kali.

What does chanting do? As Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explains, ceto-darpana-marjanam: chanting cleanses the dirt from the mirror of the mind. If you want to know what you look like, you have to look in a mirror. But if the mirror is covered with dust, you cannot see. So, we have to cleanse the dust from the mirror of the mind; then we can know who we are. In ignorance, we may think we’re the body. We may think that we’re black or white or red or yellow; man or woman; American, Russian, Chinese, or African. We have so many designations based on our falsely identifying with the body. But ceto-darpana-marjanam—when we clear the dust from the mirror of the mind by chanting, we can actually see who we are: not the body but the soul within the body. The soul is not black or white or male or female or Russian or Chinese. The soul is pure spirit, part and parcel of God, the Supreme Spirit, Krishna.
So, chanting will cleanse all the dirt from the mind, from the heart. But how does chanting work? A verse from the Padma Purana (quoted as Cc Madhya 17.133) explains:

nama cintamanih krsnas
  caitanya-rasa-vigrahah
purnah suddho nitya-mukto
  ’bhinnatvan nama-naminoh

“The holy name of Krsna is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Krsna Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Krsna’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Krsna Himself. Since Krsna’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with maya. Krsna’s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Krsna and Krsna Himself are identical.”

The holy name of Krishna is Krishna Himself. Abhinnatvat nama naminoh: there is no difference between the name and the person who has the name. In the material world, the relative world, there is a difference between the name, or word, and the object. For example, if I am in the desert dying of thirst and chant “water, water, water, water,” my thirst will not be quenched, because the word water and the substance water are different. But in the spiritual world, the absolute world, the name of the thing and the thing are the same. So, when we chant the holy name of Krishna, Krishna is actually present, dancing on our tongue. Thus, because Krishna is all pure, when we associate with Him by chanting His holy name, we become purified (ceto-darpana-marjanam). And when we become purified—when we become Krishna conscious—we automatically develop all good qualities.

At present we have qualities that are good, and we have other qualities that are not so good. Often, at the end of the year people make resolutions for the new year—how they will improve. It may be that one will try to not lose one’s temper, or try to not overeat. We make so many resolutions, but after some time we may fail in our determination because of weakness in the heart. The one resolution that will eventually help us develop all good qualities and keep our other, secondary resolutions is the resolution to chant the holy names of God.

Diwali also commemorates the return of Lord Ramachandra to Ayodhya. You all know the history of how Rama was banished from His kingdom into the forest. In the forest Ravana kidnapped Sita and took her to Lanka. Then Rama and Laksmana searched for Sita. They made alliances with many monkey warriors, and eventually They came to the southern tip of India. They built a bridge across to Lanka, and eventually Rama killed Ravana, which is commemorated by Dasara, or Rama-vijaya-dasami. Then Mother Sita was tested in fire, and she emerged pure. And Rama, Laksmana, and Sita, accompanied by other associates, returned to Ayodhya. To prepare for the Lord’s arrival, the residents of Ayodhya placed lamps on the rooftops and balconies and celebrated His return. And Lord Ramachandra was installed on the throne.

We, too, want to welcome Lord Rama (Lord Krishna) into our hearts. And just as before we install a Deity, we clean the temple so that it is a fit place for the Lord to reside, similarly we each want to welcome Lord Ramachandra into our heart, to install Him on the throne in our heart. But to make our heart a proper, fit place for Him, we have to cleanse it. Therefore, on the auspicious occasion of Diwali, we chant the holy names of Rama and Krishna—Hare Krishna, Hare Rama—so ceto-darpana-marjanam: the heart is cleansed. Then we can welcome Lord Rama into our hearts and install Him on the throne of our hearts and celebrate His presence.

So, this should be our resolution: to purify our hearts so that the Lord will have a proper place to sit there. And who could be more fortunate a person than he who has Lord Rama, or Krishna, with him?

There are many Ramayanas, histories of Ramachandra, but the most authorized in Sanskrit is the Valmiki Ramayana. Consistent with that version, the Ninth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam also contains a short Ramayana. And at the end of the Bhagavatam’s Ramayana, there is a statement that during the reign of Lord Ramachandra all of the citizens were peaceful and happy, just like in Satya-yuga. There are four ages that repeat in cycles, like the seasons. Satya-yuga is the best of the ages, the golden age. Then come Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. The Bhagavatam describes that during the rule of Lord Ramachandra all of the citizens were religious and completely happy, healthy, and peaceful, just like during Satya-yuga, although it was actually Treta-yuga. Srila Prabhupada comments that by God consciousness, Krishna consciousness, one can invoke Satya-yuga, or Rama-rajya, even in Kali-yuga. Therefore the same Krishna who appeared in Treta-yuga as Lord Ramachandra appeared in Kali-yuga as Lord Chaitanya to introduce the chanting of the holy names—Hare Krishna and Hare Rama.

So, if we take up the chanting of the holy names, we can not only invoke the presence of Lord Rama within our hearts, welcome Lord Rama into our hearts, but we can also recreate the situation of Satya-yuga, the situation of Rama-rajya. Sometimes Srila Prabhupada remarked, “People want the kingdom of God without God.” But we cannot have the kingdom of God without God. We cannot have Rama-rajya without Rama. But if we invoke the presence of God, of Krishna, by chanting His holy names, we can have the same experience of Satya-yuga in Kali-yuga. We can have the same experience of Rama-rajya, when, as described in the Bhagavatam, Rama loved all of the citizens just like a father loves his children, and all of the citizens loved Lord Rama and obeyed Him just like children love and obey their father. By Krishna consciousness, we can have the same situation even today. And if on this Diwali you can take a vow, make a resolution, to chant every day in the next year—and in all the years to come—that will bring you all auspiciousness.

We pray that the Lord will bless all of you in the year to come, and that you will also take the blessing of chanting into the New Year.

Hare Krishna.

Happy Diwali

[A talk by Giriraj Swami, on Diwali, October 25, 2003, Houston]

By Giriraj Swami

After Srila Prabhupada left us on November 14, 1977, I came across a section in Srimad-Bhagavatam—Canto 4, Chapter 28—in which he explicitly discusses the disappearance of the spiritual master and how the disciple is to serve him—even in separation. The following paragraph summarizes the essence of his instructions Continue reading "Srila Prabhupada—Vani and Vapuh
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By Nama Prabhu Dasa

So at times like this we should remember Lord Dhanvantari to become free from disease, yet at the same time we must always remember that death is inevitable as long as we have a material body and Krishna will always do what is best for us. "My Lord, due to Your illusory energy, all living beings in this material world have forgotten their real constitutional position, and out of ignorance they are always desirous of material happiness in the form of society, friendship and love. Therefore, please do not ask me to take some material benefits from You, but as a father, not waiting for the son's demand, does everything for the benefit of the son, please bestow upon me whatever You think best for me.” (SB 4.20.31) Continue reading "One Who Remembers the Name of Dhanvantari Can Be Released from All Disease
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Today is the appearance day of Dhanvantari, who is described in the following verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.7.21):

 TEXT

dhanvantaris ca bhagavan svayam eva kirtir
  namna nrnam puru-rujam ruja asu hanti
yajne ca bhagam amrtayur-avavarundha
  ayusya-vedam anusasty avatirya loke

TRANSLATION

The Lord in His incarnation of Dhanvantari very quickly cures the diseases of the ever-diseased living entities simply by His fame personified, and only because of Him do the demigods achieve long lives. Thus the Personality of Godhead becomes ever glorified. He also exacted a share from the sacrifices, and it is He only who inaugurated the medical science, or the knowledge of medicine, in the universe.

PURPORT

As stated in the beginning of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, everything emanates from the ultimate source of the Personality of Godhead; it is therefore understood in this verse that medical science, or knowledge of medicine, was also inaugurated by the Personality of Godhead in His incarnation of Dhanvantari, and thus the knowledge is recorded in the Vedas. The Vedas are the source of all knowledge, and thus knowledge in medical science is also there for the perfect cure of the diseases of the living entity. The embodied living entity is diseased by the very construction of his body. The body is the symbol of diseases. The disease may differ from one variety to another, but disease must be there just as there is birth and death for everyone. So, by the grace of the Personality of Godhead, not only are diseases of the body and mind cured, but also the soul is relieved of the constant repetition of birth and death. The name of the Lord is also called bhavausadhi, or the source of curing the disease of material existence.

* * *

May Lord Dhanvantari bless us all.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

The following account was given by Srila Prabhupada’s disciple Atma Tattva Dasa.

One Ekadasi during the Kumbha-mela in Allahabad, Prabhupada was sitting back with his eyes closed, his legs stretched under his desk, talking about Ekadasi. Prabhupada said, “Lotus pods fried in ghee are very good on Ekadasi.” Somebody immediately ran to the market to arrange for lotus pods, but just two minutes later a Ramanandi brahman and his nine-year-old son arrived, both wearing Ramanandi tilak. They paid their obeisances, and the father put a cloth bag from his shoulder on Prabhupada’s desk. Prabhupada put his hand in it and said, “Just see; it has come.” It was lotus pods fried in ghee. He looked at the Ramanandi and said, “How are you?” This man happened to be the priest of a Bengali family in Firozabad, U.P., where Prabhupada used to stay. Even though this person was a Ramanandi, he did the Gaura-Nitai Deity worship for this family.

Prabhupada ate some of the pods, distributed the rest, and said to the Ramanandi, “You haven’t taken bath in the confluence, the sangam?” The Ramanandi said, “Swamiji, I have come to take bath in the sangam,” and he put a plate under Prabhupada’s feet. Prabhupada adjusted his feet on the plate, and this man bathed Prabhupada’s feet in sangam water from his pot while he chanted mantras. Prabhupada looked at him, smiling.

During that time—this was December 1976—it was rare to get Prabhupada’s charanamrita, and all of us desired it. This Ramanandi sprinkled that water on his head, drank some, and then sprinkled some on all of us. He said to Prabhupada, “Your feet are the actual sangam. What will we get in bathing that sangam? Your feet will purify the Ganges, and since you are not going to the Ganges, I brought the Ganga here. I will mix some of this charanamrita in the Ganga.”

Prabhupada smiled and said, “Give me your son. I will make him an acharya.” The man said, “He is yours, Swamiji, you can take him any time.” Prabhupada said, “No, no, any time means no time. You give him to me now. I will make him an acharya.” The Ramanandi said, “Swamiji, now he is learning Sanskrit grammar. To study the bhasyas, the commentaries, he must know some grammar. Once his vyakarana is over, I will hand him over to you. He is yours.” Prabhupada insisted for the fourth time, “No, no, what grammar? We don’t need grammar. Give him to me. I will make him an acharya.” The man said, “Swamiji, I am not saying no; everything mine is yours. But he is too small. He will only be trouble for you. In a few years, I will hand him over to you.” Prabhupada said, “Okay, thik he, thik he,” and he rubbed the boy’s head. After that, there were other visitors to see Prabhupada, and this man and his son left.

Years passed, and the Ramananda sampradaya broke into many inimical sects. Then one year, I took ten gurukula boys to the Allahabad Kumbha-mela, and I was surprised to learn that the Ramanandas had elected one young sannyasi to lead their whole sampradaya and that they had a huge Ramananda stall at the festival. I told the gurukula boys, “We will have this leader’s darshan. That one sadhu united a whole sampradaya is unheard of, and you boys should meet the person who has this potency. God knows, tomorrow you may become a guru.”

So, we went to see him. We were given priority because some of the boys were from South America, Australia, and so on. There were about a hundred people with this young sannyasi—men with long beards and matted locks of hair, all three times older than him, and leaders in their own right. This young sannyasi was sitting on a big seat, and people were fanning him with a chamara. We paid obeisances, and a gurukula boy from South America loudly chanted the sannyasa-sukta, which is a traditional way to greet a sannyasi. As he started chanting, everyone became silent, and after he had finished, this young Maharaja composed a Sanskrit poem about Prabhupada. He recited, “If I say that neither in the past nor in the future will there be an acharya equal to the acharya of the Hare Krishna movement, I won’t be committing an offense to the founder of my line, Ramananda, because in his commentary Ramananda himself predicted that Vishnu worship would spread around the world and that the whole world would take to it.”

As the sannyasi was talking, I realized that this was the same person who, as a small boy, had his head rubbed by Srila Prabhupada. He finished four slokas glorifying Prabhupada and ended with the glorification of Lord Jagannatha. Then he honored each boy separately, and when I went up to him, he said, “Atma Tattva Prabhu, do you remember me? You used to carry me on your back.” When I had traveled on padayatra, we had stayed at his father’s house. At that time, I was a brahmachari, and I used to carry this boy on my back. He used to call Lokanath Maharaja an “old man” because he had white hair. He said, “Prabhupada spoke about me becoming an acharya. My father never brought me to the Hare Krishna movement, but before he passed away, he told me that I had to study the Shankara-bhasya so that I could defeat it. That was his last wish. So, for four years I stayed with the Mayavadis in Benares and studied the commentary of Shankara. It was painful. Our whole sampradaya had split up over misunderstandings, and I thought that since I had Prabhupada’s blessings, maybe I could unite us. I tried for nine years, and this year it has happened. By the blessings of your guru maharaja, we are united. Ramananda said that as long as we were broken, we would never be able to fulfill his prediction. But Ramananda also said, ‘We don’t have to fulfill that prediction, because it has already been fulfilled by these people. We simply have to join and preach with them. Their movement is spreading around the world.’ ” Using us as a catalyst, this young sannyasi preached to everyone assembled there in that way. It was great to hear from him.

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На днях провели парикраму в Гокуле, во Вриндаване. Среди множества новых и интересных мест, которые мы посетили, были священные самадхи Рас Хана и Тадж Биви. Рас Хан был уважаемым мусульманином, и стал великим и весьма уважаемым Вайшнавом. Его стихи о Вриндаване, Радхе и Кришне растапливают сердце. Тадж Биви была царицей у Великих Моголов, – в точности как жена императора Акбара, которая также обратилась в Гаудия-Вайшнавизм и прожила большую часть жизни в отречении во Вриндаване.

The other day we did parikrama in Gokula, Vrindavan. Among the many new and interesting places we visited were the sacred samadhi’s of Ras Khan and Taj Biwi. Ras Khan was a Muslim gentleman who became a great and highly respected Vaisnava. His poetry about Vrindavan and Rádha and Krsna melts one’s heart. Tāj Biwi was a Mughal Queen – the wife of Emperor Akbar to be exact – who also converted to Gaudiya Vaisnavism and lived most of her life as a renunciate in Vrindavan.

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Halifax, Nova Scotia

Fun All Around

 

The day started with a walk and it was Daniel, Nihil, and Ryan that explored Savyasacin’s neighbourhood along with him as the host – and me. The area is mostly of rock, lakes, and trees as well as new development – a kind of urban sprawl, but wilderness is sustained with plenty of that mentioned above in between each home. There are sightings of fox, bear, deer, and bobcat.

To contrast there is the city of Halifax itself, fast-becoming what some people call “The New Vancouver.” It’s growing. People from other parts of Canada are settling here and immigrants also find it a desirable place to live.

In the deep of downtown, devotees of the area gathered on Argyle St., at the famous Neptune Theatre, for perhaps the last outdoor kirtan chanting session for the year. Tomorrow is Hallowe’en, which usually marks the end of fall and the start of winter. Passersby responded favourably. We presented a happy sound and we do come across as a spiritual lot. In fact, Hare Krishnas are a group of that spiritual genre that are openly visible to the public. Salvation Army would be about the only bold group to sing and play musical instruments to song, in praise of the Supreme, in major downtown areas one hundred years ago or more.

Chanting outside the theatre was great but more kirtan took place at people’s homes, which prolonged the ecstasy for some of us. In two apartments I had the pleasure to charade out stories of Krishna, His parents and friends.

 

May the Source be with you!

4 km

 

Halifax, Nova Scotia

First Day by the Atlantic

 

I was brought to Maya’s Court. Yes indeed. A kind couple, Mangalananda and Ratri, scooped me up from Swoop Airlines at Halifax Airport and from there to be driven to Maya’s Court, the actual name of the street where my hosts live. Savyasacin, Shyamesvari and their three girls reside in this gorgeous natural setting near Sackville and in that sense, because of its paradise features, it could pose for an illusion, which is mayain Sanskrit.

A brief walk by McNabb Lake, a great meal from Shyamesvari’s hand, and concluding the day with a group of bhaktienthusiasts at the home of Angiras made the day complete.

About the evening program? Well, the group was a mixed bunch of East and West folks. I was pleasantly surprised to find a nice couple (next door neighbours) from the Netherlands because I have Dutch blood in me. The thrust of my talk was on pilgrimage and what I benefited from in the past marathon walks and how it is a natural thing for a monk to do. Being that different kind of pedestrian is what I don’t mind sharing.

The talk culminated in a chanting session which stoked up a fire in us for a wholesome meal. This Halifax group is a fine community that is building on relationships between each other and the Supreme. Any chanting that is ever done is to satisfy the Supreme. During this month we are remembering Him as Damodara, the young Krishna, engaged in habits of divine charm. Meditate on the pastimes and you are assured of being out of maya’sdomain.

 

May the Source be with you!

 

St. Jamestown/High Park, Toronto

Both Crowds Are Good

Many connections I made, just before the disconnections of tomorrow when I will soar in the air, via Swoop Airlines. Making that domestic flight will bring me to the city of Halifax. So, tying up loose ends is what I’m talking about. With my phone as a constant communication device, I’ll be staying in touch with regular comrades but for the most part I’ll endeavor to “be here now” while being Atlantic way.

There will be plenty to do on the east coast, where they’ve got me in queue for programs. Not too many monks come around the Maritimes for delivering a dash of bhakti. Come to think of it, monastics are hard to come by these days, even though the general public are intrigued, and perhaps even mystified by men of the cloth.

I did, by the way, make an escape from winding down to briefly attend an outdoor ecstatic dance event. It was at night and one of our boys was DJing to genres of electronic sound. Shared headphones aglow in the dark, in green, drew a crowd. I was not up for the dance but for meeting nice folks; open-hearted. I did recognize some of them for having visited the temple at times. Indeed, it’s here in High Park, amidst trees, that openness abounds.

I often times find myself with the conservatives but here you are mingling with the liberals. Both crowds are good for me. Both demonstrate some spark from the soul. A monk’s presence consequently brings that out in people.

 

May the Source be with you!

5 km

 

St. Jamestown/High Park, Toronto

Both Crowds Are Good

Many connections I made, just before the disconnections of tomorrow when I will soar in the air, via Swoop Airlines. Making that domestic flight will bring me to the city of Halifax. So, tying up loose ends is what I’m talking about. With my phone as a constant communication device, I’ll be staying in touch with regular comrades but for the most part I’ll endeavor to “be here now” while being Atlantic way.

There will be plenty to do on the east coast, where they’ve got me in queue for programs. Not too many monks come around the Maritimes for delivering a dash of bhakti. Come to think of it, monastics are hard to come by these days, even though the general public are intrigued, and perhaps even mystified by men of the cloth.

I did, by the way, make an escape from winding down to briefly attend an outdoor ecstatic dance event. It was at night and one of our boys was DJing to genres of electronic sound. Shared headphones aglow in the dark, in green, drew a crowd. I was not up for the dance but for meeting nice folks; open-hearted. I did recognize some of them for having visited the temple at times. Indeed, it’s here in High Park, amidst trees, that openness abounds.

I often times find myself with the conservatives but here you are mingling with the liberals. Both crowds are good for me. Both demonstrate some spark from the soul. A monk’s presence consequently brings that out in people.

 

May the Source be with you!

5 km

 

Mississauga/Hamilton

MANtra and Visits

 

Great women of bhakti (devotion), tell your men about the upcoming retreat; for men and by men. In particular, we encourage Krishna Conscious guys to connect via the fourth Annual MANtra retreat, which will be virtual, once again, and held on the 12^th, 13^thand 14^th of November. It is a very enriching experience; informative, engaging and powerful. All guys can make some room for improvement in their lives. When they become more enhanced everyone benefits.

Some cool topics of discussion under the theme of “The Hero’s Journey” are “Big Heroes Do Cry,” “Heroes Forgive,” and “Marry the Mission.” There are great presenters such as Mahatma, author Yogesvara, and a stand-up comedy act by Yadunath.

Ladies, please get your men to register. They will like “Heroes in Marriage.” Check https://man-tra.org/

Today, I had the fortune to make two hospital visits. First of all, with kind Nanda Maharaja as the driver, we visited beloved Madhurya Lila from Bengal, a cherished member of ISKCON Brampton, who is suffering from cancer and is currently in Credit Valley Hospital. Our deep prayers to her.

Secondly, with a trip to Hamilton General, we made that visit to see Vaishnava, hailing from South Africa. He is dealing with a heart condition. Again, prayers to this great soul who opened up ISKCON branches in Brampton and Niagara Falls.

 

May the Source be with you!