Aversion to fault finding, especially in public forums, or the artful practice of becoming ladies and gentlemen
→ Dandavats



The social, emotional environment is generally nasty. Children are bullied at an early age, and many of them are also physically, sexually, and emotionally abused. It’s hard to find a safe-place and even more difficult to find a safe-person whom we can be open with and in whom we can place our trust. For beginners in devotional service, like me, the devotional creeper is tender and easily damaged or even killed


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ISKCON Contributes to Rise of Vegetarianism in Brazil, The World’s Largest Exporter of Beef
→ ISKCON News

A December 26th New York Times article, entitled “Brazil Is Famous for Its Meat. But Vegetarianism Is Soaring.” details how Brazil, the world’s largest exporter of beef, has seen a major move toward vegan or vegetarian diets in recent years. There has also been a boom in business for plant-based alternatives to meat. A survey […]

The post ISKCON Contributes to Rise of Vegetarianism in Brazil, The World’s Largest Exporter of Beef appeared first on ISKCON News.

Ganga Sagara Mela
→ Ramai Swami

The second most popular mela after Kumbha Mela is the Ganga Sagar Mela. It is India’s biggest fair held in Sagardwip, West Bengal and witnesses a large number of people pouring in.

Celebrated with great vigour and enthusiasm, the festival has a cultural and spiritual significance where pilgrims dip themselves in the holy waters of Ganga to purify their souls. Held during the winter, the Mela is an annual gathering of pilgrims which see a number of rituals, lit lamps and chanting in and around Sagardwip.

Ganga is regarded as the holiest river, which originates in Gangotri and marks the end of her journey in Sagardwip where it merges with the Bay of Bengal. If one bathes in the Ganga here, he/she would be cleansed of all his/her sins. 

The story of Ganga-sagar can be found in the epic Mahabharaat. Unwilling to let King Sagar reap the benefits of an Ashvamedha Yajna, Indra stole the sacrificial horse and hid it near the ashrama of sage Kapila. The king sent his 60,000 sons in search of the horse.

They found the horse but mistook the holy man for the thief and hurled abuse and attacked him. The sage’s wrath turned them into ashes. Many years later, Prince Bhagiratha wanted to atone the sins of his forefathers and underwent penance at Gokarna (Karnataka).

Then he persuaded Ganga to flow to earth from heaven. After many trials, the river goddess flowed across the ashes and the souls of the dead princes were liberated. It is said that the goddess returned to her heavenly abode but left behind her river avatar.

Apparently, it is on the day of Makar Sankranti that the river flowed into the sea at the ashram of sage Kapila. Hence a dip in the river on that day absolves one of all sins and prevents re-birth.

How Depressed Desire Leads to Depression
→ ISKCON News

Suppose someone riding a cycle pedals too fast and falls into a ditch. On getting up, they decide that pedaling caused their accident and refuse to pedal anymore. If cycling was their only means of locomotion, their misdiagnosis would leave them immobilized.   If we liken our life-journey to a cycle ride, then our desires are […]

The post How Depressed Desire Leads to Depression appeared first on ISKCON News.

Radha Mohan Das: Synthesizing Science and Spirituality – My Personal Journey
→ ISKCON News

“Like most youth of my generation and many previous on the whole I was brought up to believe in the existence of God. But also like many others, by the time I reached about 14 I had delved into science text books and the secular narrative influenced my world- view. But after a few years  […]

The post Radha Mohan Das: Synthesizing Science and Spirituality – My Personal Journey appeared first on ISKCON News.

Radha Mohan Das: Synthesizing Science and Spirituality – My Personal Journey
→ ISKCON News: Latest Stories

“Like most youth of my generation and many previous on the whole I was brought up to believe in the existence of God. But also like many others, by the time I reached about 14 I had delved into science text books and the secular narrative influenced my world- view. But after a few years  I realised there was something important missing. A cold, dark, largely empty universe with no apparent meaning did not at all satisfy me internally. 

I needed something outside of the box..."

Poem: Lockdown
→ ISKCON News

  Almost a year gone All personal life perhaps undone  Challenges on all sides  A time like no other  No longer in arms with our brothers  Many soldiers have left us  Now we stand bereft of their light  Much has changed on the external plane  But have we changed our internal frame Where has our […]

The post Poem: Lockdown appeared first on ISKCON News.

ISKCON Leader Participates at US Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service
→ ISKCON News

Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service with President Joe Biden, hosted by the Washington National Cathedral. ISKCON Communications Minister Anuttama Dasa’s prayers start at 37′ 25. A video by the Biden Inaugural Committee. Read ISKCON News article about the event: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-leader-to-offer-prayer-at-official-us-presidential-inauguration,7663/

The post ISKCON Leader Participates at US Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service appeared first on ISKCON News.

ISKCON Leader Participates at US Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service
→ ISKCON News: Latest Stories

Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service with President Joe Biden, hosted by the Washington National Cathedral. ISKCON Communications Minister Anuttama Dasa's prayers start at 37' 25. A video by the Biden Inaugural Committee. Read ISKCON News article about the event: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-leader-to-offer-prayer-at-official-us-presidential-inauguration,7663/

Bulls or Oxen. What’s in a Name
→ Dandavats

By Syamasundara Dasa

In searching for something in the Srimad Bhagavatam that gives some reference to castrating a bull to make an ox I could not find something that said “you castrate a bull” directly however there is some word use information that might be telling. I am not a sanskrit scholar and may be well off the point here (if you are one please help). Continue reading "Bulls or Oxen. What’s in a Name
→ Dandavats"

ISKCON Scarborough – Class by HH Sundar Chaitanya Goswami Maharaj – Sunday 24th Jan 2021- 11 am to 12 noon EST
→ ISKCON Scarborough


Hare Krishna!

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

Date: 24th Jan 2021
Day: Sunday
Time:11 am to 12 noon
Topic: Chat with God
Speaker: HH Sundar Chaitanya Goswami Maharaj

Link to join the class from your desktop or laptop:


HH Sundar Chaitanya Goswami Maharaj

His Holiness Sundara Chaitanya Goswami Maharaj is an international motivational speaker, leadership trainer and a renowned youth preacher. He specializes in spiriting and empowering people to realize their true selves. As a keynote speaker, thousands of people have discovered a new light from his energetic workshops worldwide.
He is basically from Mauritius where he came in contact with ISKCON in 1982. In 1986 Maharaj joined the Brahmachari ashram dedicated his life to the mission. From 1988 - 1992 He served as a sankirtan leader in Mauritius.
Maharaj has  served as temple president in Mauritius and in Nagpur, India for several years.

He travels to many countries and is very active in preaching in Aravade, Noida, Delhi, Europe ( Italy, England, France, Belgium), South Africa, Reunion Island.
Last year we had the opportunity to have his association in Toronto and Scarborough temple.
He has Managed inter- faith events, bringing together the communities of different religious faiths in order to strengthen their faith and belief in God together. He has opened ISKCON preaching centers all over the world
Maharaj Sundara Chaitanya Goswami is popular for his outstanding lectures and seminars about the philosophy of Krishna consciousness with the expert hand in Bhajan & Kirtans.
He has been instrumental in providing the teachings of Vedic scriptures, the Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita. For the past few years and at present - Maharaj is a lecturer at the Vaishnav institute of higher education in Sri Vrindavan dhaam, India.

He has also been an inspirational coordinator to various international level festivals in Mauritius. He has managed the famous 3 days rath yatra festival in Mauritius which is attended by thousands of guests.


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

NASN December 2020 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
→ Dandavats

By Mayapur Sasi dasa

For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of December 2020. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Individuals, Monthly Top 5, Cumulative Countries, Cumulative Temples, Cumulative Top 100 Individuals, Cumulative Top 5 Continue reading "NASN December 2020 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
→ Dandavats"

Appreciating America
Giriraj Swami

Today on inauguration day, I thought of Srila Prabhupada’s appreciation of America. Tamal Krishna Goswami came in with Prabhupada’s green card and said, “Prabhupada, America is waiting for you. Customs is ready; immigration is ready. Everything is cleared.” Prabhupada began to cry. “I am so indebted to America,” he said. “America has given me so much. It’s given me men, money. I am so indebted.”

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

 

Appreciating America
Giriraj Swami

Today on inauguration day, I thought of Srila Prabhupada’s appreciation of America. Tamal Krishna Goswami came in with Prabhupada’s green card and said, “Prabhupada, America is waiting for you. Customs is ready; immigration is ready. Everything is cleared.” Prabhupada began to cry. “I am so indebted to America,” he said. “America has given me so much. It’s given me men, money. I am so indebted.”

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

 

Karma – An old-fashioned suitcase
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 22 November 2020, Simhachalam, Germany, Caitanya Caritamrta Adi-Lila 9.36)

It is said that there are six whips in the material energy – birth, disease, death, hunger, thirst and lamentation. We are always beaten by these six whips here in the material world, yet a vaisnava is always happy. Maybe not free from struggle, but certainly happy within, because a vaisnava has received the ultimate gift of perfection in life. Everyone else is trapped and there is no way out of this cycle of birth and death. There is no way to escape karma. People work to relieve the problems of karma, but karma is interesting. If we are destined to suffer, we cannot by work resolve that suffering. That is not possible. Although the world works very hard to get rid of suffering one way or another and to turn this world into paradise, it does not work. It is simply not possible. So karma is like this. It is like an old-fashioned suitcase. A long time ago, suitcases had no wheels and people had to carry them on their heads. They had to carry these suitcases till they could not stretch their fingers any longer. They would then move it to the other hand until they could no longer stretch those fingers, then onto the shoulder and then onto the head. So, karma is like that, like a suitcase without wheels. We carry it in one place and it comes back from the other side.

The article " Karma – An old-fashioned suitcase " was published on KKSBlog.

Monday, January 18, 2021
→ The Walking Monk

Rosedale, Toronto

 

Grids and Curves

 

The streets in Rosedale are not necessarily running on a grid. There are some curves that make it interesting for a walker, a driver or a cyclist. The fox in the neighbourhood, with their shared companions such as squirrels, skunks and raccoons, have little appreciation for our trails. Laneways, lines of landscaped shrubs are more like their forte. However, at least some of the urban wildlife enjoy upward mobility with vertical trees. You see the occasional curious head pop out of a hedge or a fairy tail sticking out of the foliage. Anyway, they are our neighbours, like anyone else.

 

People were out walking their dogs, the more domestic of creatures. One woman was bending over, picking up after her pet, as I was walking by. She remarked, “It’s not the most glorious deed but once you have a dog it goes with the territory.” It was her mild way of saying service must be done.

 

That is foundational. Her words expressed the essential truth about life. We are here to assist others whether it be humans, pets, plants or the elements. They serve us. It is simply a matter of reciprocation. We receive but we must also give. It’s in giving that the heart lightens. Yes, the weight of the world can be lifted. It is understood that karma-free actions turn everything around. It is the joy of service that makes us joyful. Let us get familiar with the practical application of servitude and enjoy the benefit thereof.

 

I ended my walk at the liquor store where I sat to chant gayatri mantras. No booze for me. That stuff is horrible, if I do say so myself.

 

May this source be with you!

3 km