How science points to spirituality
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[Science and spirituality seminar, part 3, at ISKCON, Connecticut, USA]

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Saturday, May 12th, 2018
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Markham, Ontario

Dwarka’s Birthday

When I became a monk back in ’73, the opinion amongst the movement was that your birthday wasn’t important.  It relates to the body, and since you are not that body you don’t need to give it much attention.  A brief mention of your birthday would happen, as this was our mood, then, in the name of renunciation.    

As time passed and our cultural evolution shaped up, we found that ashram residents and community members really do feel loved and appreciated with at least a small birthday cake—without eggs—and when everyone sings, “Hare Krishna to you… Hare Krishna dear so-and-so…” it brings everyone together.

Tonight we went in carloads of well-wishers to the home of Dwarka who turned 60.  She is very saintly and she is well loved by the community.  Her tiny place in Markham was filled to its capacity in honour of this worthy person. With a little discomfort, we managed to all pack in, and then do the honours of highlighting her qualities—a good mother, wife, devotee and human being.  She’s one of those unsung heroes.

We are accustomed to remembering the birth of Krishna or Chaitanya and celebrating them in a grand style, but it is also virtuous to celebrate someone who’s lived through a lot and continues to serve unceasingly.  Your birth, your marriage and your death are significant days in your life.  Perhaps also the day you accept a guru can be an event to be taken seriously with celebration in remembrance.  We want to wish Dwarka the happiest birthday of all.

May the Source be with you!
5 km

Friday, May 11th, 2018
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Toronto, Ontario

New Friend in the Pack

I'm really getting to like that park nearby for what it offers, even apart from its name: Ramsden—with a name like that…Ram’s Den.  For a second day musician monks, Dwarkanath, Karuna, and today, Bhakta Billy as well as myself scouted out a fine location for a sit-down chant.  As soon as we lay down the madras,a man took notice and left his wife and young daughter at the playground to approach us.

He is an Armenian.  It’s natural to ask anyone in Toronto about their origin because everyone here is from some unique part of the world.  I invited him to the park bench where I sat next to the boys performing mantra music.

We spoke of the genocide his people have gone through, his career, his family, his beliefs.  He is remarkably open, and was curious about our take on life, to which I responded, “Essentially, we are all spirits going through life to learn lessons, but for slow learners, you come back again to complete what you could not.”  The man, who goes by the name Vekan, nodded in agreement to the nutshell explanation I gave him.

He did say, when he first moved to Canada, he observed a good amount of greed, but overall he likes it here.  He is not shy about expressing his opinion.

We concurred on many points as we chatted.  He considers himself a minimalist and loves getting by with the simple things in life.  He’s keen to come visit our restaurant and temple.

We made a friend.  This is why I love parks, whether it’s a Ramsden, Balfour or Deer Park.

May the Source be with you!
6 km

Thursday, May 10th, 2018
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Toronto, Ontario

Two Monks on the Grass

I like the approach of sharing Krishna Consciousness in a cultural, entertaining way, over a forceful, in-your-face presentation.  Having some new talent in our midst, I thought, Let’s give it a try by having our best young monks—even if only two—display their ‘stuff’ in the least intimidating way.

Dwarkanath played his sarodin the temple this morning and it sounded so heavenly.  Karuna plays well on the mrdunga drum.  The combination is attractive.  “Let’s go somewhere within walking distance, lay out a madras, sit ourselves down, play the instruments, and see what may come of such ingredients.”

The experimental location was the corner of the Rosedale Subway and Yonge Street, a rather high-end neighbourhood.  The two monks took their positions while I stood back to watch the reactions from passersby.  I took some photos.  End result being that in over an hour’s length of time, pedestrians noticed. They did not feel threatened. Some folks stopped nearby the transcendental musicians to listen.  The most responsive was a Brazilian—Jose.

From my perspective, the two looked peaceful.  They could have smiled a trifle more.  Overall, it was good.  The downside was the sound of traffic obscuring the beautiful vibrations of the sarod.

Our small group of three will continue to find the ideal spot for such a sattvicpresentation.  We will continue to establish a good form of music and mantra over the coming pleasurable months.  Wish us the best.

May the Source be with you!
1 km

Wednesday, May 9th, 2018
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Toronto, Ontario

The Shy Monk

Yesterday someone called and one of our monks answered.  He is just a great soul and he’s shy but not when it comes to devotions or opportunities for devotions.  That’s why he answered the phone.

The caller asked, “Would you people be interested in purchasing a church?”

Our shy monk didn’t know how to answer but boldly brought the message to me.

“I don’t know that we’re ready for a second building in the downtown but let’s take a walk over there anyway, and look,” I said.  It was actually his suggestion to walk in that direction, initially.  So we went to look at the Baptist Church with the shy monk, a quiet monk and a less quiet but sweet and talkative girl.

The church is impressive.  For its time—when constructed in the late 19thcentury—it was the largest Baptist church in Canada.  There’s a theatre hall with balcony, lots of office space, housing facility and parking for 27 vehicles. But…  It was nice to dream about it.  We got our walking in to Walmer and Lowther Streets.  The Annex is a great neighbourhood where the building is located. But…  I was looking at the windows and thinking we can hardly keep a small interior windowed door clean in our existing building.  I kept oscillating back and forth on a dreamy project.

By the way, the shy monk has a name.  It’s Karuna Sindhu, a home-grown boy from Canada.  He’s terrific.

May the Source be with you!
4 km

Do we need to master our emotions to be sensitive to others’ emotions – is being emotional bad?
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Answer Podcast

The post Do we need to master our emotions to be sensitive to others’ emotions – is being emotional bad? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

An Auspicious Bath in an Auspicious Month
Giriraj Swami

Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 15, we begin the auspicious Purusottama-adhika Masa (extra month), which is considered three times more powerful than Kartik. One year, Srila Prabhupada was in Juhu during that month, and Dr. C. P. Patel, Srila Prabhupada regular companion on his morning walks on Juhu Beach, prevailed upon him to take bath in the sea before the end of the month. In an article published in Back to Godhead, Dr. Patel wrote:

“Every third year an extra month is inserted into the lunar calendar to bring it into line with the solar calendar. As per astronomical calculations, one year sacred Sravana was the month that came twice. The first month of the double month is called purusottama-masa, and devotees of Lord Krishna observe it by fasting, praying, and reading Srimad-Bhagavatam. The last day of this month was somavati-amavasya, a very auspicious occasion. On this day all religious people take a bath in the early morning in the sea, or in a river or sacred lake.

“I proposed that on that auspicious day Srila Prabhupada take a dip in the sea along with me and the others. He agreed at once. We all planned to go to the sea with extra clothes, take a bath, and change. He accompanied us, but just near the edge of the water someone suggested that he not take a bath in the sea, since he had had a coronary episode some time back. So he halted then and there and would not enter the water. He pondered for a while and then suddenly asked me to bring some water in my palm and pour it on his head. He said, ‘That is as good as a bath on this auspicious day.’ Very intelligently, he found the means, and I obliged him. He was pleased. I touched his feet and felt satisfaction at having taken a bath in the sea with him on a very auspicious day.”

By Srila Prabhupada’s grace, I may take a similar bath in the Pacific Ocean before the month’s end.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

“We should do what Krishna or His devotee instructs us to…
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“We should do what Krishna or His devotee instructs us to do.”
BB Govinda Swami: I think it is one thing to join the Krishna consciousness movement, it is one thing to just sort of float on whatever is happening within the Krishna consciousness movement and it’s another thing to actually take control of the situation and have the determination to advance in Krishna consciousness.
As we mentioned before it appears that some people come to Krishna consciousness and they just float in whatever is going on and then there is some type of awakening process and you realize you’re in the middle of something big, something which is sort of demanding, something which is quite powerful, something which you really have to give up everything else to participate in.
And then people may find themselves in a marginal position, they don’t know if they really want to surrender themselves fully to that energy or not, or whether they want to not surrender and reserve energy for independent identity. Sometimes it becomes a crisis for people.
What to do? Our acarya Srila Raghunatha Goswami, he is giving an instruction here. He is saying “Push everything to the side. Push everything else to the back and move ahead in the process of surrendering to Krsna.” The person may say “Well, I keep my body working in service and I follow this and that principle”. But Srila Raghunath Das Goswami is saying “Surrender your mind”.
That is a nice thing that your body is engaging in some service activity. But take your mind and surrender your mind. Body is one thing, the mind is something else. Surrender your mind to the service of the Lord. Keep always in your mind topics that are related to Krishna.
That’s a crisis that many people come to. And then often times depending on how clever is the person he can present different reasons why not to surrender the mind.
Arjuna was very clever. He was a very intelligent person, he was presenting many arguments to Krishna why not to surrender, see, but Krishna cut them all. And ultimately Krishna brought the argument to the point that the mind should always be fixed in Krishna, and then there is a science how to fix the mind on Krishna, which practically is based upon doing what Krishna says. And the way that Krishna has presented it, is that we do what Krishna says based on what our authorities say. You see, that’s basically the way Krishna consciousness works.
Some intelligent people may say “No, I will only do what Krishna directly tells me. And other people say, well He was here 5000 years ago, He spoke, but He is not here anymore. But Krishna says "You hear from me and hear from my devotees, follow their instructions”. But! Because we are so intelligent, we can create so many different ideas.
But despite whatever we create, the essential truth is still the essential truth. That If we wish to absorb our mind in thinking about Krishna we should do what Krishna or His devotee instructs us to do.
HH Bhakti Bhringa Govinda Swami

Protecting ourselves
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 11 April 2018, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.16.26 – 30)

We really have to take responsibility for our own Krsna consciousness; to make arrangements for it. If we say, “Oh, I find it very difficult to be a devotee. I find it difficult to avoid the influence of maya.” In such an instance where it is difficult to resist maya, we must be careful and consciously keep a safe distance from such maya.

Sometimes, we have devotees who are also professionals. They have their jobs which require them to perform all kinds of activities, but then they are also devotees. If one can manage that successfully, that is good! However, if one cannot do that, there is still no need to be ashamed. There are many people who cannot do that. It is very difficult to wear a tie at work and then take that thing off when you come home. If you are struggling to do this, then it is best to surround yourself with devotees. So in this way we are taking responsibility, by taking into consideration who we are and protecting our own Krsna consciousness. We have to watch out for maya as she is very strong! Maya does not always come with a boxing glove. No, sometimes maya comes very subtly, little by little. So we must be very careful to cut all the material connections to which we have attachments. We have to trim it back!

So this is what responsibility means; by taking responsibility for our own Krsna consciousness, protecting it and making the necessary arrangements for it. If one takes a job in a city where there is no temple and there are only two families of devotees living there, then it is going to be tough, as it is going to be them and their mind. And we all know how hard it is to live with our mind. So therefore, knowing that our mind is strong and that we are weak, we must make arrangements to protect ourselves. That is called being responsible. Such responsibility means that we have to be a bit realistic and honest about ourselves and our limitations, and accordingly deal with our Krsna consciousness.

The article " Protecting ourselves " was published on KKSBlog.

Instant connections
→ Servant of the Servant

“In physics class I learned how sound waves propagate into our ear. It was mind-blowing. Those waves create emotions that make us happy, that get us pumped up”

This is a quote from a student from a polytechnic college in the US doing research on helping endangered species using sound. His comment about sound creating emotions may sound correct to the untrained ear but actually sound in itself does not create emotions. If that were so, a dead body also has ears and if you play music to a dead man, he will not express any emotions. So why is that sound only creates emotions in a living person?

The soul seated inside the body is the actual sentient receiver of the sound (not the ear). The soul gives life to the body. This soul influenced heavily by the modes of nature (there are three - goodness, passion, ignorance) uses the mind and body to satisfy its desires. Because of the soul's willingness to be influenced by material nature, the soul desires things connected to this world otherwise typically the soul's desires' are non-material.

The sound enters the ears and the signals are processed by the brain. The influenced soul activates the device called mind which is like the software. The mind reacts to the sound either favorably or unfavorably and sends the signals back to the hardware - the brain. The soul is the user (beneficiary) of the software and hardware.

The brain, influenced by the mind, releases chemicals according to the signals from the mind resulting in a positive or negative sensual feeling. Finally, these feelings are expressed as emotions through the face and or other gestures. All of this happens instantly as if there is no gap in time between the time you hear the music to the time you emote.

All of this mechanistic process is even possible because the Supersoul (Krishna) activates the tiny soul (just as the soul activates the body) to interact with material nature (three modes) , mind and body. As a result, the soul can continue its illusion of enjoyment in this world perpetually in different bodies!

The three modes, mind and and body is provided by Krishna to the soul and the soul is an amsa or a tiny separated expansion of Krishna. The soul is so tiny that on its own the soul cannot do anything so the Supersoul has to assist the soul to enjoy. What type of mind and body the soul gets and its interaction with the modes depends on the karma of the soul. Like this, Krishna forever in time continuously churns out different bodies and scenarios for the soul to enjoy!

Nothing is accidental or whimsical. Krishna is so perfect and precise that this material nature is a seamless process. Pretty deep if you ask me!

Hare Krishna

Back In The USSR – Moscow (9 min video)
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Back In The USSR - Moscow (9 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: Our visit to Moscow was the last stop on our preaching tour of Russia. There we discovered literally thousands of devotees, the fruit of Srila Prabhupada’s visit to the capitol in 1971. We arrived on Victory Day, a celebration by the Russian people of their victory over the Nazis in World War II. Red Square was alive with a show of military might. As we stood there we pondered that Srila Prabhupada also came to the same square during his visit to Moscow. In our heart’s we quietly celebrated his victory in bravely and boldly establishing Krsna consciousness in the country many years ago.

Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s 35th anniversary, ISKCON Leicester
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Hare KrishnaBy ISKCON Leicester

Devotees speaking on the 35th anniversary of the installation of Sri Sri Radha Madhava in ISKCON Leicester. With HH Jayadvaita Swami, Praghosa Prabhu, Shaunaka Rishi Prabhu and many others. So many sweet memories of Radha Madhava’s installation 35 years ago! Continue reading "Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s 35th anniversary, ISKCON Leicester
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Mother’s day Meditation – Conception, Commercialization, Spiritualization
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[Sunday feast class at ISKCON, Connecticut, USA]

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What is spirituality and why we need it
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[Science and spirituality seminar, part 2, at ISKCON, Connecticut, USA]

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What science can provide – and what it can’t
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[Science and spirituality seminar, part 1, at ISKCON, Connecticut, USA]

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Bhagavad-gita and Modern Psychology 3 – Changing our mind by changing our relationship with the mind
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[Seminar at ISKCON, Towaco, USA]

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All India Padayatra Visits Hampi, The Birthplace Of Hanuman In Karnataka
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Hare KrishnaBy Acarya Dasa

Anjeyanadri Hill is surrounded by lovely plantain and paddy fields. The hill has 572 steps to reach the top and offers a lovely view of the valley and of the Tungabhadra River. The Hanuman Temple at the summit is one of the attractions of the Anjeyanadri Hill, a sacred pilgrimage center for Hindus. The temple is a white-washed structure with a pyramidal roof and a mall red dome at the top. A red flag flutters in the air and is easily visible from a far-off distance. This simple temple has an image of Hanuman carved from a rock. There is a small shrine for Lord Rama and His wife Sita inside the temple. Continue reading "All India Padayatra Visits Hampi, The Birthplace Of Hanuman In Karnataka
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My First Experience Of Padayatra In India
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Hare KrishnaBy Abhay Charan Nimai Dasa

One day I met Akhila Dhara Prabhu, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada, who told me boldly, “If you want to experience the real nectar, then go on Padayatra”. So I decided to go, thinking, “If I am not going for ever, then at least I should go for a week.” So, on March 13th I joined the Padayatra India party, then in Bangalore, Karnataka. First I saw the magnificent oxen of the Kankrej breed, and I immediately paid my obeisances to them. They are huge and have well shaped body and horns. The two devotees taking care of them, Damodar Lila and Janardan Prabhus, allowed me to help feed and give water to the five oxen. I was told their names were Krishna, Nandulal, Kaliya, Jaya and Narasimha. Having walked 10 years with the padayatra, Narasimha is the senior. Continue reading "My First Experience Of Padayatra In India
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To protect ourselves, we sometimes become insensitive to others – how to avoid?
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Answer Podcast

 

Transcription :

Transcribed by: Dr Suresh Gupta

Edited by: Raji Nachiappan

Question: To protect ourselves, we sometimes become insensitive to others – how to avoid?

Answer: Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura says that aggressive intellectualism is coward atheism. When we are very aggressive that we are right and they are wrong, that is actually because we are ourselves insecure about whether we are right. If we can prove that we are right to someone or if we can convert a person to our path, then we feel vindicated. If someone is doing something different, then that is perceived as a threat to one’s faith. To the extent our faith is insecure, to that extent we will be aggressive in our inter-personal dealings with people of other faiths. This is just a coward way to seek security. However, we need to understand that in actuality, there are different people at different levels in their spiritual evolution and what is right for us now, may not be right for someone else at their level of spiritual maturity.
Krishna says in the Vedic scriptures, that there are many different ways people can grow spiritually. He also says not to disturb the minds of those who are attached.

na buddhi-bhedaṁ janayed
ajñānāṁ karma-saṅginām
joṣayet sarva-karmāṇi
vidvān yuktaḥ samācaran (Gita 3.26) –Do not disturb the minds of those who are attached, even if they are wrong and we are right. Encourage them to engage themselves in a spiritual direction wherever they are. Krishna acknowledges that there are different people at different levels and not everybody will be taking significant leaps forward in their spiritual life. If they cannot take a leap, we do not have to kick them down. We need to encourage them to take baby steps and that will also help them move forward.

Therefore, if we become more secure in our own faith, then we do not have that insecurity within us pushing us to prove to the other person that we are right and they are wrong. Secure faith will come by our own serious practice, systematic scriptural study, and our own strong devotional connections. Once we have this secure faith, we can understand that Krishna has different plans for different people and ultimately Krishna has plan for everyone. Hence, if we are a part of Krishna’s plan for another person taking up spirituality, then Krishna will use and give us the right words and he will also give the person the right receptivity by which our words will be received. However, if Krishna has a plan to uplift someone spiritually, which is not through us but through somebody else, then that is also fine.

There is a beautiful prayer of Bhaktivinoda Thakura in the Chaitanya Sikshamrita where he describes his mood if he goes to a place where they are worship God in a way different from what he knows. He says that we should be there in a mood of reverence and appreciating the mercy of God for manifesting there in a form that is different. Therefore, although we cannot appreciate whatever they are doing and what the exact manifestation and practices are, still we can appreciate the compassion of the Lord for the fact that he has reached out to the people in this manifestation. Therefore, our devotion to the Lord in the manifestation that we know increases, knowing how compassionate the Lord is. This way, if we can become secure in our own faith and understand that different people may be going in different directions at different times, then we do not have to become aggressive and insensitive to them.

Education initially is given in terms of black and white, where there are clear distinctions between right and wrong. Therefore, moral categories are drawn very clearly in the initial stages. However, as we grow when we see morality intercepting reality, then we understand that moral categories are not so rigid. For example, generally lying is considered wrong. However, if someone is in a situation where they will be killed if they do not lie or if we do not speak a lie then that can lead to somebody else being killed, then we do speak a lie at that time. The point is that initially education is given in black and white but then we learn to see the shades of grey. In the beginning, students are told three minus five is not possible but then, later they are taught how three minus five is possible. In the same way, initially when we get our spiritual education, the moral boundaries are drawn very rigidly. This may work for our protection initially, but this does have a tendency to make us very judgemental and insensitive. At present, we live in an age where any kind of judgemental attitude is very much frowned at. Hence, we have to recognise that there are many shades of grey in between and as a result we do not have to become judgemental about others.

Therefore, by both recognising that Krishna has many different ways of getting people to him and that between black and white there are many shades of grey, we can do what is best for others, without necessarily judging them based on what we are doing or not doing.

End of transcription.

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“Krishna’s methods of training”
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“Krishna’s methods of training”
BB Govinda Swami: One should feel oneself meek and humble and also has to tolerate. Tolerance without any limits. Krishna will do this to us because that’s the standard. He’ll do it to us. It’s not that He dislikes us for a moment. But He will test our tolerance until the end of our ability to tolerate anything. We think: “After this point I’m gonna go crazy”. And Krishna says “Ok” and will push us a few kilometres beyond that point, to make us see that we have to tolerate everything without limit.

Amara Conference 2018 (Album with photos) Super success of Amara…
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Amara Conference 2018 (Album with photos)
Super success of Amara service launched yesterday, 12th May 2018 at Amara Conference at ISKCON Leicester.
Nurses and doctors from many NHS hospitals attended the Amara conference.
There was also Kripamoya Prabhu’s book launch - “What to do when someone dies”
Bereavement Support for ISKCON devotees Leaflet.
Memory box now available.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/cnCGtZ

A Mother’s Love
Giriraj Swami

“There are very exalted spiritual understandings in Krishna consciousness. They are not fictional, imaginary, or concocted. They are facts, and every devotee can have the privilege to understand and indeed take part in Krishna’s pastimes if he is actually advanced. We should not think that the privilege given to Mother Yasoda is not available to us. Everyone can have a similar privilege. If one loves Krishna as one’s child, then one will have such a privilege, because the mother has the most love for the child. Even in this material world, there is no comparison to a mother’s love, for a mother loves her child without any expectation of return. Of course, although that is generally true, this material world is so polluted that a mother sometimes thinks, ‘My child will grow up and become a man, and when he earns money, I shall get it.’ Thus there may still be some desire to get something in exchange. But while loving Krishna there are no selfish feelings, for that love is unalloyed, free from all desires for material gain.

“You should not expect anything in return. That is real love. Just like a mother is loving her child, not expecting any return. But she still she gives service. So, that is as a little sample of pure love.”

—Srila Prabhupada, talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.31, April 23, 1973, Los Angeles, and room conversation, July 13, 1976, New York