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Srila Prabhupada: "The three words, namely Hara, Krsna and Rama, are transcendental seeds of the maha-mantra, and the chanting is a spiritual call for the Lord and His internal energy, Hara, for giving protection to the conditioned soul. The chanting is exactly like a genuine cry by the child for the mother. Mother Hara helps in achieving the grace of the supreme father, Hari, or Krsna, and the Lord reveals Himself to such a sincere devotee.

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While fasting and increasing one’s japa and hearing and chanting about the Lord are foundational principles of ekadasi, giving in charity for the service of Lord Vishnu and His devotees is equally as beneficial for grhasthas.

The TOVP Fundraising Department would therefore like to encourage devotees to use this auspicious day of Apara Ekadasi as an opportunity to make a one-time or recurring donation (each ekadasi) towards either the new Pankajanghri Das Seva Campaign to complete Lord Nrsimha’s Wing in the TOVP, or sponsor an abhisheka for the installation of the new Prabhupada murti in the TOVP in October.

Below are links to both campaign pages on the TOVP website:

Prabhupada Murti Abhisheka
Pankajanghri Das Seva

Apara Ekadasi

from the Brahmanda Purana

Sri Yudhishthira Maharaj said, “Oh Janardana, what is the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the month of Jyeshtha (May – June)? I wish to hear from You the glories of this sacred day of Hari. Please narrate everything to me”.

Lord Sri Krishna said, “Oh king, your inquiry is wonderful because the answer will benefit the whole human society. This Ekadasi is so sublime and meritorious that even the greatest sins can be erased by its purity.”

“Oh great saintly king, the name of this unlimitedly meritorious Ekadasi is Apara Ekadasi. Whoever fasts on this holy day becomes famous all over the universe. Even such sins as killing a brahmana, a cow, or an embryo; blasphemy; or having sex with another man’s wife are completely eradicated by observing Apara Ekadasi.

Oh King, people who bear false witness are most sinful. A person who falsely or sarcastically glorifies another; one who cheats while weighing something on a scale; one who fails to execute the duties of his varna or ashrama (an unqualified man’s posing as a brahmin, for example, or a person’s reciting the Vedas wrongly); one who invents his own scriptures; one who cheats others; one who is a charlatan astrologer, a cheating accountant, or a false Ayurvedic doctor.

All these are surely as bad as persons who bears false witness, and they are all destined for hellish punishments. But simply by observing Apara Ekadasi, all such sinners become completely free of their sinful reactions.

Warriors who fall from their kshatriya-dharma and flee the battlefield go to a ferocious hell. But, Oh Yudhishthira, even such a fallen kshatriya, if he observes fasting on the Apara Ekadasi, is freed of that great sinful reaction and goes to heaven. That disciple is the greatest sinner who, after receiving a proper spiritual education from his spiritual master, turns around and blasphemes him. Such a so-called disciple suffers unlimitedly. But even he, rascal though he be, if he simply observes Apara Ekadasi, can attain to the spiritual world.

Listen, Oh king, as I describe to you further glories of this amazing Ekadasi. The merit attained by one who performs all of the following acts of piety is equal to the merit achieved by one who observes Apara Ekadasi:

Bathing three times daily in Pushkara-kshetra during Kartika (October-November); bathing at Prayag in the month of Magh (January-February) when the sun is in the zodiac of Capricorn; rendering service to Lord Shiva at Varanasi (Benares) during Shiva-ratri; offering oblations to one’s forefathers at Gaya; bathing in the sacred Gautami River when Jupiter transits Leo (Simha); having darshan of Lord Shiva at Kedarnatha; seeing Lord Badrinath when the Sun transits the sign of Aquarius (Kumbha); and bathing at the time of a solar eclipse at Kurukshetra and giving cows, elephants, and gold there in charity.

All the merit one gets from performing these pious acts is gained by a person who observes the Apara Ekadasi fast. Also, the merit attained by one who donates a pregnant cow, along with gold and fertile land, is attained by one who fasts on this day. In other words, Apara Ekadasi is an axe that cuts down the fully matured forest full of trees of sinful deeds, it is a forest fire that burns sins as if they were kindling firewood, it is the sun blazing before one’s dark misdeeds, and it is a lion stalking the meek deer of impiety.

Therefore, Oh Yudhishthira, whoever truly fears his past and present sins must observe Apara Ekadasi very strictly. One who does not observe this fast must be born again in the material world, like one bubble among millions in a huge body of water, or like a small ant among all other species. Therefore one must faithfully observe the sacred Apara Ekadasi and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Trivikrama. One who does so is freed of all his sins and promoted to the abode of Lord Vishnu.

Oh Bharata, for the benefit of all humanity I have thus described to you the importance of the holy Apara Ekadasi. Anyone who hears or reads this description is certainly freed from all kinds of sins, oh best of saintly kings, Yudhishthira.

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Jyeshtha-krishna Ekadasi, or Apara Ekadasi, from the Brahmanda Purana.

It is on Apara Ekadashi that Lord Trivikrama (Vamana) took away the whole universe from Bali Maharaja with His gigantic steps and blessed him by placing His lotus foot on Bali’s head.

NOTES:

1. Pushkara-kshetra, in western India, is the only place on Earth where a bonafide temple of Lord Brahma is to be found.
2. The Vedas declare, narah budbuda samah: “The human form of life is like a bubble in water”.

In water, many bubbles form and then suddenly burst a few seconds later. Thus if a person does not utilize his rare human body to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, his life has no more value or permanence than a bubble in water. Therefore, as the Lord herein recommends, we should serve Him by fasting on Hari-vasara, or Ekadasi.

In this regard, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada writes in the Srimad Bhagavatam (SB 2:1:4 purport) :

“The great ocean of material nature is tossing with the waves of time, and the so-called living conditions are something like foaming bubbles, which appear before us as bodily self, wife, children, society, countrymen, etc. Due to a lack of knowledge of self, we become victimized by the force of ignorance and thus spoil the valuable energy of human life in a vain search after permanent living conditions, which are impossible in this material world.”

Credits: This article has been used courtesy of ISKCON Desire Tree
https://iskcondesiretree.com/

Prabhupada Memories DVD 81 The French Connection. ...devotees from Europe in his room and he was going to to start a talk and started to say thank you very much for distributing my books so profusely, are you reading them? So the devotees were, some leaders said, well Prabhupad you know, not so much because we don't have time, and Srila Prabhupada looked so sad, so sad, that was an answer, you know, he didn't say what is a good or something like that but we could see you know he was disappointed, but that was the real truth of the matter you know everybody was very very much engaged now this philosophy was not not so easy to you know one of the books I got in the beginning somebody gave me this teaching of Lord Chaitanya, you know I couldn't understand the first line you know you're looking for one person for one god until you have all these names you know I read it years after but the Krishna book and the Bhagavad gita was clear enough you know clear enough that God is a person

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The personal weapon used by Lord Kṛṣṇa, the disc, is called hari-cakra, the disc of Hari. This cakra is the wheel of time. It expands from the beginning of the atoms up to the time of Brahmā’s death, and it controls all activities. It is always revolving and spending the lives of the living entities, from Lord Brahmā down to an insignificant blade of grass. Thus one changes from infancy, to childhood, to youth and maturity, and thus one approaches the end of life. It is impossible to check this wheel of time.

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By Dharmatma das

Another wonderful exemplary Vaishnava has left us to be with his worshipful Lordships in the Spiritual World. Bhuvanesvara prabhu has been serving Them in Vrindavan for 35 years and was such an inspiring soul. His sadhana was impeccable, he religiously cooked the Raj Bhoga offering daily, he led kirtan (whose heart could not be moved by his sweet and melodious chanting early in the morning before Mangala Arotik.) He was always was there for Tulasi Puja, Guru Puja, gave classes, and also led Kirtans in the evening. He had a great sense of humor and wit. Knowing how fallen I was, he would ask if I had gotten any more wives and one time said to my wife, "Are you still with this guy!" He always said to me, "Come and live in Vrindavan." When you were in his association it wasn't hard to see your own shortcomings. But he was always sweet and encouraging and would always glorify Sri Sri Radha Syamasundar, Krishna Balarama and Gaura Nitai, and boy, was he a dedicated Prabhupada man! Continue reading "His Grace Bhuvanesvara Prabhu departs!
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The story of Sudāmā and Kṛṣṇa in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is popularly known as an example of “rags to riches.” Sudāmā, an extremely poverty-stricken brāhmaṇa became greatly wealthy by the grace of Lord Kṛṣṇa, his childhood friend. But why was Sudāmā so poor? What was the mysterious reason behind Kṛṣṇa’s making him so rich overnight?

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Ramsden Park, Toronto

 

The Last Straw/The Last Verse

 

It happens frequently enough — poor Wi-Fi reception. Every Thursday I conduct a class hosted by a sweet couple in Florida. Practically every week, over the course of my call, which is actually a Bhagavad-Gita class, I get disconnected and end up disappointing both those on the call and myself. This is a managerial problem that must be solved. The class unfortunately had to terminate, so far as my delivery was concerned. However, two people on the call, Murari Gupta from Florida and Gaurachandra from Calgary, both initiates of mine, stepped up and continued the class.

 

Our lesson was from 9.34 of the Bhagavad Gita, which, in many ways, offers sound advice with regard to meditation and it’s practical follow up. The message is that regardless of what happens we are encouraged to remember Krishna and all his transcendence; whether it be His form, His activities, His relationships, His home, etc.

 

When all else fails in the realm of looking for refuge then we look to the embodiment of God in full beauty, warmth and kindness.

 

The verse is a grand wrap-up to a powerful chapter entitled “The Most Confidential Knowledge.” By the entire chapter we are encouraged to absorb ourselves with Krishna’s presence in all things and in all we do. Although I feel somewhat disappointed, I should not fail to remember Him.

 

May the Source be with you!

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Ramsden Park, Toronto

 

BhaktiArts Hub S.O.S.

 

It was our fourth time together. You may have heard of Vande Arts, an arts initiative driven to create a camaraderie among bhaktiartists. Well, you might say that this next reincarnation of that direction is called BhaktiArt Hub S.O.S. Shaping Our Soul is a piece of our vision statement.

 

Through Zoom our group of a few, for starters, is comprised of Gaura Vani, the bhajan singer, a sweet couple from San Antonio, Texas by the names Bhagavan Narada and Naradi, Govinda Gopal from Jersey City, Pariksit from Vrindavan/Toronto and myself. It’s a nice team representing North America for the time being. We are wishing and praying for success.

 

Our crew firmly believes that culture changes through the medium of the arts. If the thrust is bhakti or devotional promotion, then love can prevail. All the current members have proven to produce or facilitate artistic expressions in the field of divine arts. It is an exciting initiative and, I’m sure, one that our guru, Prabhupada, would be pleased with. Whether through music, dance, drama, film, fine art or graphic art, all have a significant role to play in adjusting the consciousness of a needing world.

 

I’m glad to be involved.

 

Our push at the temple towards fundraising for Mayapura and Bangladesh is not over. My assistant, Sarthak, filmed myself for an appeal to help in matters of supplying food and medicine to those in need. I ended the day at the park chanting my gayatri mantras.

 

May the Source be with you!

2 km

 

Room at 243, Toronto

 

The Day of the Lion

 

Today is all about the lion avatar known as Narasimha. I was happily busy with delivering five classes on the subject today. This fearsome-bodied, lovable creature is a hero for many – a Divine protector.

 

The story of the advent of this extraordinary superhero centers around a child abuse situation. The guilty party and cult mastermind of what you could call “the evil empire” is a fellow by the name of Hiranyakasipu. Hiranya implies the man’s thirst for wealth and Kasipu refers to his lifestyle of womanly pleasure.

 

He begot four sons and Prahlad, one of the boys was different from the others. That was a compliment. Prahlad was under the duress of his father who just could not tolerate his son’s allegiance to God. The boy’s adherence to a power greater than his own father was just infuriating. Unacceptable! That is where the gap began. Prahlad was considered a troublemaker when in truth the real trouble maker considered everyone else outside of himself as such.

 

Tyrants always find themselves in a bubble. It is remarkable what they can achieve through conquest as they do. One single ego can draw an irreversible following of fools. It was just a single scratch from the super hero, Narasimha, who burst out of a pillar, that dissolved the evil empire.

 

May the Source be with you!

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Arnstein, Toronto

 

Escape

 

I managed to keep a proper social distance from moose, bear and cougar while in the north country for the day. My companion, Jivan Mukta, and I escaped from the big city for a three-hour venture to a marvelous 200-acre property he just purchased, near Algonquin Park, for a potential yoga retreat site. En route we did witness a mishap. A young moose did get killed by a motorist. Sad news, but this is a reality when the world of modernity comes face to face with the natural world.

 

But back to pleasantries. The plot of land has many gorgeous features including much waterfront being edged at Lake Bain. There’s 200 acres of sprawling, rolling-hills with a mix of trees, areas of clearing meadow punctuated by ambient rock of the Cambrian. The place is remote, in a way, and that accounts for the clean air and water. However, some cities, Sudbury and Northbay, are situated at a close enough distance. The call of the white-throated sparrow dominated the ether while other signs of wildlife are abounding. Some scant was found; the excrement of some creature, perhaps coyote.

 

We scouted the area, on foot, and then sat by the waters edge for kirtan, after which we munched on wraps of a deliciousness only to be had in the outdoors.

 

It was just perfect; Krishna’s mercy. We pray to be back again sometime soon and make our way to a Muskoka project in Huntsville.

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km

 

Ramsden Park, Toronto

 

Interfaith

 

It was another one of those interfaith sessions I participated in with attendees from Chicago, Atlanta and Toronto. Mostly Christians were present. Basically, it was a Korean-based organization, Christian by nature, who regularly have such events. Oh, how I wish I could be physically interacting with these folks as they do appear to be people of good quality and intent. Of course, there’s always the fear of fanaticism, which can arise from any denomination.

 

Our topic was to do with the different groups’ view on the first created being. Because the overwhelming majority of the speakers where of the Abrahamic tradition, where we hear of Abraham as the first offspring, when I would speak about the Vedic tradition it was indeed new to the group. To hear of a person of four times the usual intelligence became somewhat of a curiosity. “Brahma” is the first created being who himself became a progenitor and the first teacher, apart from God, the Creator, on the science of life.

 

I found it fun to hear the input from a good number of those on the call and because, as before, the moderator couldn’t pronounce my name properly she settled for “Beautiful Swami.” I never thought Bhaktimarga was a tough name to pronounce, but be that as it may.

 

May the Source be with you!

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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 3 May 2021, Simhachalam, Germany, Srimad Bhagavatam 3.19.27)

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura makes one statement which is a statement that should not be taken cheaply. He says that, “Generally, the vows of initiation are so powerful that they will be successful even if they are not followed perfectly.” Now that is not an excuse to not follow the vows perfectly. We cannot proceed as if, “That is interesting. Now I don’t have to be so fanatic.” No, that is not the meaning of that statement from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. The meaning is that we simply go back to basics. Well isn’t initiation the beginning? Isn’t that the very beginning? We must remember that this is the beginning of the regulated process of devotional service, and yet Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura is stating that if one follows these standards not even perfectly, then generally he or she will be successful. And what he meant by successful is going back to Godhead. So the amount of mercy within this movement is extraordinary. It is a mercy movement. It is the movement of the maha-vadanya avatar. That mercy is so great, that the mercy is expanding in all directions. Because whoever is touched by this mercy, will touch this mercy unto others.

The article " Back to basics " was published on KKSBlog.

Prabhupada: It does not require—you simply let him come. Anyone wants to come, let him come. Just like one man has fallen in the well, and he's crying, "Please get me out. Somebody please get some rope. Just catch it, I'll take it." Then where is the question now of getting a blessing? Here is the blessing: take it. But if you don't catch, or if you say that "Give me the strength to catch," this is not very good argument. Here is the rope; you catch it. That's all. But nobody is prepared to do that.

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Radharani's favorite cook for decades, Bhubanesvara prabhu, is in his final hours in this world. He is surrounded by devotees in his room in Vrindavan at the time. All glories to His Grace Bhubanesvara prabhu!!!

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Srimad Bhagavatam class by HH Badrinarayan Swami

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Today is Sri Ramananda Raya’s disappearance day. As stated in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 10.134, “Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Bhavananda Raya, ‘Your five sons are all My dear devotees. Ramananda Raya and I are one, although our bodies are different.’ ” And in his purport, Srila Prabhupada explains:

“The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (120–24) states that Ramananda Raya was formerly Arjuna. He is also considered to have been an incarnation of the gopi Lalita, although in the opinion of others he was an incarnation of Visakhadevi. He was a most confidential devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, ‘Although I am a sannyasi, My mind is sometimes perturbed when I see a woman. But Ramananda Raya is greater than

Me, for he is always undisturbed, even when he touches a woman.’ Only Ramananda Raya was endowed with the prerogative to touch a woman in this way; no one should imitate him. Unfortunately, there are rascals who imitate the activities of Ramananda Raya. We need not discuss them further.

“In Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s final pastimes, Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodara always engaged in reciting suitable verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam and other books to pacify the Lord’s ecstatic feelings of separation from Krsna. When Lord Caitanya went to southern India, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya advised Him to meet Ramananda Raya, declaring that there was no devotee as advanced in understanding the conjugal love of Krsna and the gopis. While touring South India, Lord Caitanya met Ramananda Raya by the bank of the

Godavari, and in their long discourses the Lord took the position of a student, and Ramananda Raya instructed Him. Caitanya Mahaprabhu concluded these discourses by saying, ‘My dear Ramananda Raya, both you and I are madmen, and therefore we met intimately on an equal level.’ Lord Caitanya advised Ramananda Raya to resign from his government post and come back to Jagannatha Puri to live with Him. Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu refused to see Maharaja Prataparudra because he was a king, Ramananda Raya, by a Vaisnava scheme, arranged a meeting between the Lord and the king. This is described in the Madhya-lila, Chapter Twelve, verses 41–57. Sri Ramananda Raya was present during the water sports of the Lord after the Ratha-yatra festival.

“Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu considered Sri Ramananda Raya and Sri Sanatana Gosvami to be equal in their renunciation, for although Sri Ramananda Raya was a grhastha engaged in government service and Sri Sanatana Gosvami was in the renounced order of complete detachment from material activities, they were both servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who kept Krsna in the center of all their activities. Sri Ramananda Raya was one of the three and a half personalities with whom Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu discussed the most confidential topics of Krsna consciousness. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised Pradyumna Misra to learn the science of Krsna from Sri Ramananda Raya. As Subala always assisted Krsna in His dealings with Radharani in krsna-lila, so Ramananda Raya assisted Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His feelings of separation from Krsna. Sri Ramananda Raya was the author of the Jagannatha-vallabha-nataka.”

May Sri Ramananda Raya bless us all.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

One day while Kṛṣṇa was playing with His small playmates, including Balarāma and other sons of the gopas, all His friends came together and lodged a complaint to mother Yaśodā. “Mother,” they submitted, “Kṛṣṇa has eaten earth.”

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In the very last verse of Caitanya-caritamrita, Krishnadas Kaviraja wrote: In Vrindavana in the year 1537 Sakabda Era [A.D. 1615], in the month of Jyaistha [May-June], on Sunday, the fifth day of the waning moon, this Caitanya-caritamrita has been completed. So today is that day!

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When we first arrived in India, in Bombay, Srila Prabhupada was invited to a program on the lawn of an aristocratic gentleman’s house. Most of us went ahead, and Srila Prabhupada followed with a few disciples. When we arrived, our hosts told us, “It is very auspicious that you have come today, because today is a holy day.” We had never heard of the holy day and were somewhat doubtful, so when Srila Prabhupada arrived I asked him, “Is it true that today is a holy day?” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “For us, every day is a holy day; we are Krishna’s servants."

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Before Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met Ramananda Raya, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya told the Lord that no other devotee’s knowledge of Radha-Krishna’s madhurya rasa [devotion in the mood of love] compares with Ramananda Raya’s. 

Although Lord Caitanya was half the age of forty year old Ramananda when they met, the Lord said, “My dear Ramananda, both you and I are madmen and therefore we meet intimately on an equal level.” Outwardly he acted as the Governor of Madras, but he was a poet, Sanskrit scholar, a dramatist well-versed in rasa literature, music, singing, dancing.

During their ten day meeting in Vidya-nagara, Lord Gauranga and Ramananda Raya discussed all points of Krishna conscious­ness. Empowered by the Lord, Ramananda answered all questions posed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Gaudiya Vaisnava acharyas have given lengthy discourses on, “Talks between the Lord and Ramananda Raya.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya Ch.8) These talks are called Ramananda Samvagh.

Ramananda Raya gave a series of answers to Lord Caitanya’s first question, “How to attain the ultimate goal of life?’ He began with varnashrama-dharma, and progressed to karmarpana, karmatyaga, jnana-mishra-bhakti, Radha-bhakti, prema bhakti, (dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, madhurya prema), and Radha-prema. He also described Krishna-tattva, Radha-tattva, Radha-Krishna prema-tat-tva, and finally prema-vilasa vivarta. 

Confirming that this was the highest goal of life, Lord Caitanya asked Ramananda how to attain it.

Ramananda Raya said, “Without adopting the mood of the gopis and following in their footsteps, one cannot enter the con­fidential pastimes of Radha-Krishna. There is no other way to achieve the service of Radha and Krishna within the pleasure groves of Vrndavana.

After finishing his talk, Ramananda Raya saw something never seen before. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu revealed Himself as both Srimati Radharani and Sri Krishna. Seeing this, Ramananda fell unconscious in transcendental bliss.

Upon meeting Bhavananda Raya, the father of Ramananda, Lord Gauranga said, “Indeed, you are ‘Pandu’ and your five sons–Ramananda, Gopinatha, Vaninatha, Kalanidhi, Sudhanidhi–are the five Pandavas.”

Although sometimes called “Arjuna,” Ramananda Raya eter­nally serves Radha-Gopinatha as Lalita-sakhi. Some Gaudiyas say he is Visakha- sakhi.

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This class on Srimad Bhagavatam 9.6.49 is given by HG Kalakantha Prabhu on May 29th, 2021

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By Sankirtana Das

There are many examples in the Mahabharata and other Vedic scriptures of the ksatriyas’ or leaders’ duty to protect all the citizens. In the account of King Sibi, the King even protected a dove who sought his shelter when pursued by a hawk. The responsibility of leadership is very great. In the Mahabharata we also hear that when someone came to Arjuna to complain that their cow was stolen, Arjuna’s two options were either to retrieve or to replace the cow. Continue reading "Tulsa, 1921: Learning From History
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With a very heavy heart we would like to inform you that on May 27, 2021 (Pratipat & Appearance tithi of Sri Narada Muni), H. G. Mahaprabhu das left his body. He was in very good health and spirits till his last breath and finally left due to a cardiac arrest, at his home in Mumbai.

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

In the early ’80s, in Bangalore, I was required to make at least two Life Members a month. I was a bad Life Membership maker, and one month I had only ten days left. I was looking in the telephone directory for Bengali names, and I found a Ganguly. I phoned and said, “I’m from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. I want to come and see you today.” Mr. Ganguly sounded positive. He said, “Oh, you are from the Hare Krishna movement? Please see me at eleven o’clock.”

I took the membership form, a small set of books, a poster, and some other items and went to see him. To my surprise, I found that his was a huge place, almost equal to the aeronautical engineering place in Bangalore. I lost hope—there was no way this man was going to become a member. I went to one secretary, then another, then another, and when my appointment time came, I was still with secretaries. Ganguly was the top man. I thought, “Since I came all this way, I should see him.” Finally they brought me into a big air-conditioned cabin where a meeting was going on. Ganguly told everybody, “I have to talk to the Hare Krishna now, so you all go,” and he closed the meeting.

I went in, spread the books on his table, and put the poster up. I knew I wouldn’t have much time, so I was brief. I said, “I’m sure you know about this movement. We have a branch here, and we have applied for land. You are a Bengali, and you should be proud of this, because our guru maharaja is also a Bengali and he has spread the Hare Krishna movement all around the world. I’m sure you appreciate this service, so would you become a Life Member?” Then I was silent.

He got his checkbook and said, “What is the amount?” I said, “Two thousand two hundred and twenty-two.” He said, “I’ll give you a donation, and you can also make me a Life Member.” He wrote a check for ten thousand and gave it to me.

I was moved. I said, “Thank you very much. This is a nice gesture.” He said, “I wasn’t convinced by your preaching.” I said, “I didn’t think I convinced you, either.” He said, “I want to tell you something. My father grew up in Calcutta and was a classmate of your founder-acharya. Every day, Abhay came to our house on his bike, carrying his little lunch tiffin, and he and my father played chess. The stake for the chess game was lunch—whoever lost the game had to feed the other. Almost every day Abhay won.”

Later, this man’s father received a Ph.D. in Sanskrit and became a professor in the local university. He would tell people, “The Maharaja who founded the Hare Krishna movement was my classmate, and he came to my house every day when we were growing up.” He said that Abhay had told him, “You should help me later on, when I do something.” He would ask, “What is that something?” but Abhay would not explain what he meant.

Years later, the senior Ganguly learned that the same Abhay had become Bhaktivedanta Swami, gone to New York, and so forth, that there was a local Calcutta center on Albert Road, and that the swami was coming to visit. By this time, the junior Ganguly, with whom I was speaking, was in high school, and three days in a row he came to see Prabhupada in the Calcutta ISKCON temple. Since he looked like his father, Prabhupada recognized him. The junior Ganguly said, “I am the son of so-and so.” Prabhupada said, “Where is he? He didn’t come? Tell him I want to see him.”

Later the son told the father, “Maharaja, wants to see you.” His father said, “How can I go and see him? He is the guru of the world, and I am a grihamedhi.” His son said, “But he wants to see you, and tomorrow he is going to ask me, ‘Why didn’t you bring your father?’ ” Feeling shy and small, the father said, “Tell him that I am sick.”

The next day, Prabhupada asked the junior Ganguly, “Your father didn’t come?” “He is feeling sick.” “Oh, he’s sick. Okay, I will come and see him.” When the junior told his father that Prabhupada was going to come, his father said, “How will he come to our house?”

The next morning, instead of taking his usual route, Prabhupada, followed by some disciples, walked down one alley after another, arrived at the Ganguly house, and rang the bell. The son came to the door and saw Prabhupada, his disciples, and a huge crowd of onlookers in front of his house. Prabhupada and a couple of devotees went in, and Prabhupada went straight to the bedroom where the senior Ganguly was lying down, not sick, but tired and broken. Prabhupada sat next to him, poked him like a friend does, and said in Bengali, “Hey, you didn’t come to see me!”

The senior Ganguly was shocked to see the Hare Krishna devotees in his house. He asked his wife, “Please bring something for them.” Prabhupada said, “My disciples need to learn Sanskrit. I told you, you should help me. Come and teach them Sanskrit. You can travel around the world with me and teach them. Why don’t you do that? You come; I will take you.” Ganguly said, “Oh, Swamiji, I am very old, and I don’t have any spiritual energy.” “No, you have the spark. The same quality that’s in me is also in you. You should join this movement. It is very important. Bharata bhumite manusya-janma yara. You should perfect your life. Better late than never.”

Prabhupada took a rasagulla and drank water. He told his disciples, “I used to come in the morning, and from here we took that road to go to school. He was a very intelligent student. He used to score higher than me.”

Around three o’clock that afternoon, when junior Ganguly came back from school, his father asked for some water. Then the senior Ganguly leaned back and said, “Bhaktivedanta Swami will take me,” closed his eyes, and passed away.

Junior Ganguly said, “In the morning, when Prabhupada said to my father, ‘You come; I will take you,’ I thought he was saying, ‘You come to ISKCON, and I will take you to America, or something. We understood what Prabhupada actually meant after my father passed on.” Junior Ganguly said to me, “When you called, I asked you to come, because I wanted to share this with you. In fact, we are already Life Members.”

After that, even though he was a busy man, Mr. Ganguly would regularly come to our Sunday programs.

Hare Krishna!

Please accept our humble obeisances!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!

Date: 30th May 2021

Day: Sunday

Time: 11 am to 12 noon

Topic: "Keeping one's faith during the pandemic"

Speaker: H.H Bhaktimarga Swami

Link to join the class from your desktop or laptop:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9150790510?pwd=Wk5GYXVRMkJmdk84MzZJRXBKYUgwUT09 

 HH Bhaktimarga Swami:

Bhaktimarga Swami, popularly known as "The Walking Monk", took to a monk’s life in 1973 as a youthful 20-year-old. Prior to becoming a monk, he did chores on the family farm in Chatham, Ontario, Canada, and was a college student of Fine Arts. His walks are extensively and internationally featured on radio, television, in the newspaper, and film

ISKCON Scarborough

3500 McNicoll Avenue, Unit #3,

Scarborough, Ontario,

Canada, M1V4C7

Website: www.iskconscarborough.org

Email:

iskconscarborough@hotmail.com

scarboroughiskcon@gmail.com

Source: Bhaktivedanta College

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