What to ask Mahajan Yamaraja for
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Hare Krishna

Caturatma das: Yamarāja is one of the twelve Mahājanas. These are the personalities that give us our understanding and our standards in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. We can greatly benefit from that. Now for the non-devotee, for those not interested in their spiritual upliftment, Yamarāja has one purpose, he’s the lord of death. He’s feared by everyone who is not in their devotional position and he is the source of anxiety and stress when an individual who is not a devotee is leaving this world. But for those of us who are taking those instructions that he gives in our Kṛṣṇa Conscious development, he actually becomes our friend.


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Preaching program at ISKCON Singapore (Album with photos) Bhakti…
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Preaching program at ISKCON Singapore (Album with photos)
Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: Last night we participated in the main weekly program at ISKCON Singapore. Srila Prabhupada’s movement has been active there for many years, and there are some very senior devotees such as Sudarsana prabhu, Bala Krishna prabhu and others, who have been devotees for more than 30 years. It was a nice program, and I was happy to see the devotees after being away for one year.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/iNZVV7

Thursday, March 8th, 2018
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

The Walk Helped

A mid-day stroll led me to the Brickworks and the ravine, away from everything the urban reality represents.  There’s traffic.  There’s people experiencing discontent—it’s on their faces.  What troubles them?  Who knows?  The sky is grey.  I went out of the building—the ashram—after news of someone slowly leaving the mission.  Also, news came to me of a couple speaking about divorce.

It was a dark hour.  Walking was so justified.  I was chanting.

Just before hitting the trail on the ravine, a guy in workman’s clothes, hard hat and all, saw me across the street.  He gave a warm, “How’s it goin’?”

I reached the ravine and ten minutes into the beauty of it, I received a call and I answered it saying, “Haribol!  Tell me some good news!”

And the caller did.  He’d been struggling devotionally but more recently things have picked up for him.  “Congratulations!” I said.  “Now don’t let go this time, of what you’ve achieved.”  Staying strong is what I encouraged.  Things were looking brighter as I plodded on.

At the Brickworks itself, the trail came to an end.  Construction signs indicated, with barriers, that walkers/runners were to turn back.  So I did.  No choice.

The lesson?

I had my break and now I had the opportunity to go back to deal with issues.  “Don’t try to escape!” was the message.

Everyone must go out for breathing in new air each day.  Brightness will come!

May the Source be with you!

6 km

Intelligence over Mind 2 – Concentration
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Seminar at Silicon Valley, USA]

Podcast


 

Podcast Summary


 

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The post Intelligence over Mind 2 – Concentration appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Wednesday, March 7th, 2018
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

Krishna As Messenger

Krishna was known to play a flute, to dance, to fight, and yes, to run and walk.  He is also known as Partha Sarathi, a chariot driver for friend and warrior, Arjuna.  He drives.

In fact the famed dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna, the one that became the talk which altered Arjuna’s mind completely, took place after the brief ride with Krishna via chariot and horses.  It was stationary at the time of the discussion—stationary in order that Arjuna could have a clear look at the illusions of the world.

The Lord then spoke eloquently.  Arjuna listened.

Before that, it was Krishna who solely went off to speak to the vile Duryodhana.  In an attempt to plea for peace and appeal for fairness, acting as messenger on behalf of the Pandavas, Krishna delivered a proposal.  He came humbly to adversary, Duryodhana, requesting five villages which the pious five Pandavas could rule over.  Diplomacy was applied.

Through a rigged game of dice, the Pandavas lost their land and kingdom.  Only after an exile period was there a promise for land to be returned.  But Duryodhana did not comply with a previous agreement.  Krishna was disappointed in Duryodhana’s unwillingness to be co-operative.  He was even angered as an attempt for peaceful settlement providentially failed.

Krishna was in no way about to play the flute, dance, run or walk.  His journey was by horse and chariot and he was intent on delivering the bad news that war would prevail before there would be peace.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Intelligence over Mind 1 – Conviction
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Seminar at Silicon Valley, USA]

Podcast


 

Podcast Summary


 

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Video:

The post Intelligence over Mind 1 – Conviction appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Tuesday, March 6th, 2018
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

I Called Her

I called my sister today.  “Connie, I want to wish you a Happy Birthday!”

“Well, thanks,” she said to her monastic bro.  Connie just turned sixty-four, so, over the phone, she sang the song by Paul McCartney, just as I had done a year and a half ago (before an audience).

“When I get older, losing my hair
Many years from now
Will you still be sending me a Valentine
Birthday greetings, bottle of wine…”

Of course, I’ve been losing my hair since the age of twenty, when I joined the Hare Krishnas, except for that little tuft at the back, the area of the brahma-randra.  As of late, there is no hair even there, to boast of.  This is the usual small crop of hair, the size of the calf’s hoof-print, which is called the sikha.

It was after I spoke to Connie that I took a walk with Jay, up the street on Avenue Road.  Behind a window, in a shop, there is an art display, one piece of which is a sculpture of a retro / metro monk-like yogi, sitting in a meditative pose.  He sports an adorable Mohawk.

Passersby find him interesting, as do I.  He’s young looking, almost child-like, and definitely not sixty-four.

Going back to Connie, I could not get very preachy with her by saying something like, “You’re not that body!”  That’s never worked in the past.  As far as she is concerned, I’m not a priest, but her bro.  So be it!

May the Source be with you!
5 km

The Sauce Archives: Memories in Service of my Gurudeva
→ A Convenient Truth


Sometimes I feel like writing about my personal experiences with my Guru Maharaja can come across as being narcissistic or braggadocious. I have no intention of them sounding that way and I hope the readers will not interpret them in such a way. My sole reason for sharing these experiences is two fold: 1) it’s for my own remembrance/meditation/reflection and 2) for the pleasure of the devotees who may take something out of these memories for their own personal benefit.

I was thinking what would be the best way to present these memories. After all, there are so many that it becomes difficult to categorize them all. It also becomes very difficult to remember them in a chronological order, because the passing of time has blurred the exact details of when and where.  So as I was thinking about it I thought that perhaps I would just write spontaneously and allow the memories to appear randomly in my stream of consciousness.

Then I thought I would like to maybe first remember some of the interactions with my Gurudeva where I received “the sauce” (those great moments of chastisement or embarrassment). These memories may seem of a negative nature at first glance, but upon deeper reflection they allow me to see how he was showing me “tough love” out of a genuine concern for my well-being and spiritual advancement. So without further ado, here are some of the memories that I will call “The Sauce Archives”:

A LOT TO LEARN

The year is 1995 or 1996 in Detroit, Michigan. Gurudeva is in town as the Detroit temple is one of the temples in the zones that he oversees. I don’t remember if I’m initiated yet or not at the point of this memory. He’s staying at someone’s house in the vicinity of the temple. I am there with him as his personal servant. We’re waiting for a car to come and pick him up to drive him to a devotee’s house (I think it may have been the house of our god sister Titiksa dasi and her husband, who’s name I can’t recall) for a disciples meeting. As we’re getting things prepared to leave he says to me, “Uh, make sure they have the things for guru-puja.” I acknowledge what he said. The devotee arrives to drive us.

As we’re driving, Gurudeva is in the front passenger seat and I am in the back. At some point he turns to me and inquires, “Do you have the instruments for kirtan?” I can’t remember what my full response was, but I tell him I forgot but that maybe we could borrow them from the temple. He then informs the driver to swing by the temple so we can pick up a mrdanga and kartals. I run in frantically, not wanting to make Gurudeva late. I come running back with instruments and get back into the car. Gurudeva was annoyed and said something like, “How did you forget the instruments? Was I supposed to just sit there and clap my hands?” I felt so incompetent and embarrassed! But wait, because this isn’t the worst part of this memory!

We arrive at the devotee’s house for the meeting and walk in to a kirtan. The devotees bow down as he enters and he sits down in a chair covered with a cloth. The kirtan goes on for a bit more with Gurudeva now playing kartals. As the end of the kirtan arrives and the premadhanavi prayers are recited there is then an awkward silence. There is a guru-puja tray set up and cookies to distribute, but no one is initiating the guru-puja! Everyone is kind of just standing around. Gurudeva then says something like, “So I guess we can just start the class”. I’m standing there confused, because I’m thinking, “Wait…didn’t Gurudeva tell me earlier that he wanted us to do guru-puja?” So I quickly blurt out, “Did you still want us to do guru-puja, Gurudeva?” Gurudeva quickly retorts in disbelief, “Do I want guru-puja?! I don’t want guru-puja!” (He puts the emphasis on the “I”. I can still to this day hear his voice in my head saying this!) Being such a neophyte I’m still confused and don’t fully understand what’s happening. Titiksa dasi steps in and says, “We want to OFFER you guru-puja, Gurudeva!” Gurudeva then replies, “That’s up to you, if you want to.” At that point someone steps up and begins the puja, while another devotee starts up a kirtan. It finally sinks in as I’m standing there like an idiot that the Guru doesn’t WANT guru-puja. It’s the offering of the disciples and what he wanted me to do was to oversee it and make sure it went smoothly (which I clearly totally botched!). After the program we were walking out back to the car. I remember it was cold and dark out and I still remember the way the porch light illuminated him and reflected off of his glasses and the hat he was wearing. I apologize to him for what happened with the guru-puja. He says very simply and directly, “You still have a lot to learn.”

THE SHAVEN HEAD

I don’t remember the year (maybe 1998), but I was with Gurudeva at Gita-nagari as his personal servant. We were going to leave to the Washington DC area (I believe) and his first engagement there was an interview at a radio station. Before we left I had this brilliant idea that I would shave my head clean so that I could look more externally like a devotee for the upcoming preaching programs. We were going to be leaving in a few hours and I came running up to the Institute House all proud of my clean shaven head. When I walked into Gurudeva’s room and paid obeisances he turned around and said, “Why did you shave your head?” I explained to him that I wanted to look more like a devotee for the preaching programs. He then explained to me that these programs would be better if I DIDN’T look so much like a devotee! He then said, “You really should have asked me before you did this.” I felt so ashamed and crushed. Then he asked, “Do you have a hat or baseball cap you could wear?” I replied, “I don’t think so Gurudeva.” He then said, “Well maybe you can run down to the temple and see if anyone has a hat.”

So I ran down the hill and through the woods behind the Institute House. I went in search of our god brother Nrsima-titha prabhu. I found him and asked if he had a hat I could borrow. He gave me one of those flat cap Kangol style newsboy caps. I thought it looked odd when I wore it with the bill facing forward, so I turned the bill to the back and wore it backwards. I came running back up to Gurudeva. I came into his room and paid obeisances. As I was sitting up he knocked the cap off of my head and said smiling, “What are you…trying to be cool? Wear it the other way around!” I sheepishly replied, “Yes Gurudeva.”

I have to be honest: I looked REALLY weird in that cap and I was a super skinny brahmacari with big, round frame glasses. So there I was wearing hand-me-down khaki pants that were too large for me as well as an oversized long sleeve shirt that made me look like I was being swallowed up. Combine that with my clean-shaven head and that style of cap over it (which you could still see I was very bald!) and I looked like some kind of sickly alien! I could tell Gurudeva was still annoyed when we walked into the radio station. I felt so uncomfortable and self-conscious the whole time. I learned from that experience that Gurudeva was beyond the external designations and that in the world of preaching we could adapt our external appearances in order to be more effective in delivering the message and principles of bhakti-yoga.

CARING FOR OTHERS

There was one incident once at Gita-nagari (probably also around 1998) that is still embarrassing and shameful for me to think about. One evening after a program Gurudeva had gone back up to the Institute House. The plan was for me to take prasadam and then to come up later for his bedtime routine. So on this particular evening I was getting a ride back up to the House from bhakti Derek. As we were driving along the main road and right before the driveway for the Institute House we saw in the headlights a god sister of mine walking along the side of the road. I remember thinking, “Hmm…that’s odd. What’s she doing walking out here late at night?” I figured maybe she was just going for a japa walk. Then I thought, “Well, no worries then. I have to get up to the House to serve Gurudeva! I don’t want to be late or I might get reprimanded!” So we head up the driveway and pull around back. I get out of the car and quickly head into the House. There I see Gurudeva talking on the phone. I hear him say something about this devotee who went missing and had walked off. “Oh Gurudeva!” I say. “I just saw her walking along the road.” He tells the devotee on the other end of the phone and then hangs up. I’m sitting there thinking that I just did an amazing thing by solving this mystery and helping out with this information, but my Gurudeva says to me with anger and disbelief, “Why didn’t you stop and ask if they needed help?!” I’m shocked and scared and then I quickly realize I made a huge mistake. “Were you thinking just because she’s in a female body you can’t stop and offer help?” I reply, “No, no, Gurudeva. I just knew you were waiting for me up here and…” He then cuts me off and says, “That doesn’t matter! I would have understood if you were late helping your god sister! You’re thinking you have to serve your Guru but you’re neglecting the devotees that are in need!” He was so upset with me. I felt so tiny and foolish. It was a powerful lesson for me and made me realize how neophyte my consciousness was. Service to the Guru doesn’t just mean direct, physical service to him. It means serving all of the Vaishnavas in a spirit of humility, compassion and care.

PRASADAM CONSCIOUSNESS

At some point in my fanatical brahmacari days at Gita-nagari I wouldn’t eat the cooking of certain female devotees. I didn’t advertise that I did this. It was just my personal quirk. When some of my other god brothers heard of this practice of mine, they decided to also take it up. Somehow this got back to Gurudeva. He never directly talked to me about it, but in a morning Bhagavatam class he brought the issue up during a Q&A session. He was saying that it’s not only the consciousness of the person cooking that can affect the quality of the prasadam, but it’s also the consciousness of the person who is offering it to the Deities. I realized at that moment he was talking to/about me. It made me realize that I should be more concerned about the quality of my own consciousness rather than worrying about the faults of others.

EMAILS AND WASPS

There was one time at Gita-nagari in the late 90’s where we were getting ready for an upcoming Ratha Yatra festival. It meant that the regular out reach sankirtan had to be put on hold, because they needed everyone on the farm to help get things ready. There was a lot of service to be done. At that time one of the devotees who would regularly go out on sankirtan was a little perturbed and upset that we couldn’t go out as usual. He implored me, as Gurudeva’s personal secretary, to do something about it or to stand up for the sankirtan devotees. For whatever reason I became influenced by this devotee’s persuasion and decided to take action. I had this brilliant idea to quote an email that Gurudeva had sent to some devotees in South Africa. I figured the best time to bring it up would be during an istha-gosthi gathering of devotees. As Gurudeva’s secretary I was dictating all of his email messages, so I had access to these correspondences. (Looking back at it now and even thinking about it is so embarrassing! Like what the hell was I thinking?!) I made sure that the email from Gurudeva that I selected didn’t mention any specific names, but that was more of a general support for sankirtan. The problem was of course that the email was intended for a particular place, at a particular time. So even though the email supported the supremacy of performing public sankirtan and preaching, it didn’t take into account the importance of serving and assisting the devotees over one’s own personal desires!

So anyway, at the end of this meeting, there was an opportunity to bring up any questions or concerns. “Ah-ha! Here’s my moment!” I thought. So I raise my hand and take out this folded up, printed email out of my kurta pocket. I then looked over at the devotee who had been imploring me to “save” our sankirtan preaching. I thought I was doing God’s work. I clear my throat and start reading Gurudeva’s email…the personal email…that was meant for someone else…in a different part of the world…in front of all the devotees…in a public forum. At the end of the letter I say something like, “So this is why we should still be allowed to go out and preach on sankirtan.” I see the face of the facilitator looking at me with a blank stare, like she can’t believe what I just did. She then went on to explain why this was highly inappropriate to be reading this email and why it wasn’t relevant in this case. At that moment the severity (and stupidity) of my actions started to sink in.

A couple of days later that devotee approached me and told me that Gurudeva was informed of what I did and they relayed a message from him to me. I don’t remember the specifics of what Gurudeva told me (I probably blocked it out of my mind!), but all I know is that he was upset, disappointed and irritated.

A couple of days after that we were all back into full swing of getting the temple and grounds ready for Ratha Yatra. I was standing up on a scaffolding outside of the old temple room building. I think I was doing some painting. As I’m standing there painting and reflecting on what an idiot I was, I feel this sharp pain on my hand. I look down and see a giant wasp stinging me! I swat it off and immediately I start to feel nauseous and dizzy. I climbed down from the scaffolding and laid down on the ground with my hand beginning to swell. Ekavira prabhu brought me some kind of plant to chew and place on the sting. As I was laying there on the ground I realized that this was a karmic reaction for what I had done. Needless to say I never read any of Gurudeva’s emails in public again, nor shared them with anyone else!

NEW VRINDAVAN LECTURE

I was once traveling with Gurudeva to New Vrindavan as his personal servant and secretary. It was probably around 1999. At this point I had been struggling with sex desire and wondering if I should really still be a brahmacari or not. I think this was also after I had ran away once from Gita-nagari (that’ll be a memory below). So I was in this really weird mental space while serving him. I was also kind of burnt out and exhausted mentally from being so close to him for so long (more on that below as well). I still have an email from him from this time that was sent to me shortly after the New Vrindavan trip. He said to me in that email that it was “interesting” that Krishna had arranged for myself and another brahmacari god brother to be there with him at the same time, because we were both “somewhat pretending” to be surrender brahmacaris.

I remember once being in Gurudeva’s room with him and dictating emails. I was so tired and hungry and I wasn’t doing a very good job of hiding my emotions. Gurudeva was naturally sensitive to other peoples’ energies anyway, so he could very easily sense that I was struggling. Out of nowhere he said to me, “…It’s like even right now, you’re just grudgingly doing this service.” I was like, “Woah, wait…what? Gurudeva just called me out for the thoughts I was having! In mid-sentence as he was dictating a message to someone else!” He was so irritated with me and I can’t blame him, because I was being so ungrateful and on the mental platform.

So later that day he said to me, “I want you to give the Bhagavatam class in the morning instead of me.” I started freaking out in my mind! “What?! Give the Bhagavatam class? In front of you? In front of HH Radhanatha Swami? In front of so many senior Prabhupada disciples?!” My anxiety was through the roof. I thought I was going to pass out and throw up at the same time. The whole next morning I was just silently freaking out in my mind and dreading the time for class to begin. Before I knew it there I was sitting on the vyasasana with my Gurudeva, HH Radhanatha Swami and the assembly of devotees starring at me. Now you have to remember, I’m already stressed about my service to my Guru Maharaja and I’m already feeling like a false renunciate/fake brahmacari, etc. and now there I am having to give a class to all of this senior Vaishnavas.

Unfortunately I don’t even remember what the verse was and I don’t even remember what I said. I do recall saying something about HDG Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja and a quote from him. Other than that it’s all an anxiety blur. I think at the end Mother Malati chimed in and tried to rescue me by adding to the discussion about pure bhakti. I remember I was so quiet and insecure and scared and nervous. I felt like such a fraud sitting up on that vyasasana. And I can look back and see it as Gurudeva’s mercy to let me know that I wasn’t ready to be a vessel to deliver any type of transcendental message. It was like he was saying, “So you think you’re so pure and surrendered? Let’s see you in action!” And I failed. It was as if he held a mirror up and allowed me to see myself, to see my selfishness, to see my faults and to see my weaknesses. I’ll never forget that moment.

On a side note: I sometimes think back on this memory and wish I could go back in time knowing what I know now and deliver a different kind of discussion. Maybe one day I’ll write a blog entry entitled, “The Class I Should Have Given”.

ON THE RUN!

This memory is from 2001 and takes place at Gita-nagari. This is one of the most regretful, selfish things I did as Gurudeva’s personal servant. A lot of devotees probably don’t realize just how intense it was being so physically close to Gurudeva for such extended periods of time. A lot of devotees experiences with him were more like you see him at the temple, hear him give a class and then you go and take prasadam and go home and watch TV or relax with your family and friends or go on a relaxing japa walk, etc. My experience was more what I liken to that of a firefighter having to constantly be on call and waiting for the alarm to go off. There was always a constant, high level of anxiety, anticipation and attention. There was never any down time, never any time to relax. And that was just Gurudeva’s nature. He was intense in his service to Srila Prabhupada and the Vaishnavas. He never had an off-switch. He never contemplated his own sense-gratification. (One time I even heard him say, while serving him at the Institute House in DC, “Hmmm…I wonder why I’m not tired…I wonder what I didn’t do in my service to Srila Prabhupada.” which meant he couldn’t relax because he was in some transcendental anxiety feeling like he hadn’t done enough service that day! This is a symptom of someone experiencing the higher stages of devotional service.)

So anyway, my service as his secretary mainly consisted of dictating emails. And there were A LOT of emails. Sometimes we would spend HOURS replying to emails. And I would sit on the floor with crossed legs, hunched over while typing on his laptop, because many times we would be in his room and there was no table to sit at. This eventually lead to severe back pain and issues, but even when the back pain was intense I wouldn’t say anything. I would just work through it. (It was Brahma-muhurta prabhu that later realized you could just say to Gurudeva, “Is it okay if I sit at a table while we do this?”) So imagine sitting on the floor for hours, your back is having muscle spasms and burning, Gurudeva is asking you to repeat what he just said, not once, but twice or sometimes several times and you haven’t eaten anything all day and you only got 4 hours of sleep! And this isn’t just one day. It’s EVERY single day for sometimes two or three weeks at a time. And then you realize that after you’re finished with this service you have to run down to the temple and do an offering or arati and then quickly eat something and run back up to the Institute House up a steep hill through the dark woods to go and do more emails. It was a very unique and intense kind of seva! And it lead to a lot of my ungrateful attitude and struggles in my devotional service.

So at some point it just got to be too much for me to handle. I think there was one point where I had a fever and was falling ill. I hadn’t eaten or drank anything all day and was running on very little sleep. And Gurudeva was composing an important email to the GBC that he kept revising and having me read over and over and over. I thought I was going to lose my mind. At one point I had to tell him, “Gurudeva…I think I’m becoming sick. I have a really bad fever right now. Is there anyway I could go soon and go to bed?” He replied, “Uhh…sure. Let’s just finish up these emails.” So we spent another hour replying to them. I remember walking down that hill in the dark, feeling feverish and nauseous and thinking, “What even is my life? How is being selfless supposed to be blissful and yet here I am feeling so miserable?!” It was intense and it was the daily norm when he was physically there.

That was just a little backstory to what follows. So Gurudeva was away from Gita-nagari on a preaching tour. He was due to come back soon and I started having a panic attack, like a legitimate anxiety overload. I was freaking out. Then I had this brilliant idea: I’ll just leave! I’ll just get on a train and go back home to Michigan! For whatever reason that was the solution my panicked mind came up with: just run away! Of course in retrospect I can look at it and see that this wouldn’t solve anything, but at the time it was the only solution I could see. So I devised an entire plan about how I would tell a devotee who commuted to Harrisburg that I needed a ride to the train station because I was going home to visit, but I wouldn’t tell him the whole story. And so I did just that. I made some arrangements before hand to get a train ticket from my father that would be waiting for me at the station. And one morning this devotee drove me to Harrisburg as I slouched down in the passenger seat so no one would see me.

Looking back at this moment in my life is so embarrassing and regretful. I still don’t know why I did it. For some reason I had also used the writings of HH Satsvarupa Maharaja as justification for my actions. I had read that he had struggles in his service as a secretary to Srila Prabhupada to the point where he asked Srila Prabhupada if he could leave this service. (I later wrote to Maharaja about this and received a nice letter in response from him, which I still have.)

Anyway, I finally made it to Michigan and awaited the fall out and consequences of my actions. You can imagine that Gurudeva wasn’t happy with me. He sent me an email (which I also still have) basically calling me out for my selfish nature. The email is too personal and painful to really share the whole thing in public, but here is a small portion of it:

“So, it comes down to basically selfishness, dishonesty, and somewhat of a
hate of Krishna, or let us say distrust. So therefore there is always an
underlying frustration in your nature. You may only get out of this fully
by just changing into white, having your independence with a wife, and
having your sense-gratification, and at the same time doing devotional
service as it fits into your material desires.”

And well now…here I am! I try not to look back at this time with too much regret, but it’s definitely hard in retrospect, especially now that he’s physically gone. Of course at the time too I was much younger and much more immature. I was a kid when I joined and shortly afterwards got placed into this really intense service that probably would have cracked any mortal (at least I tell myself this to feel better about my choices). (There are some sweet memories that take place after this event, but I’ll save those for another blog entry.)

LITTLE DROPS OF SAUCE

1. One time I was dressing Gurudeva’s Deities. None of Their outfits matched and all of the clothes were mixed up. It was taking me a long time to dress Them, as I was spending so much time searching for things that would match. Gurudeva noticed this and inquired why it was taking me so long. When I explained my predicament he replied, “You can just use whatever is there.” Then after a short pause he added, “Sometimes we have to be creative like anything in the service of the Lord!”

2. One time after having just arrived to Gita-nagari late at night from the Detroit temple (that’s a long story!), Gurudeva said I should call my mother to let her know I was okay and that I had arrived safely. So I used the phone in the living room. As I was talking to her he was standing near me and listening. I must have sounded scared or nervous or something, because when I got off the phone with her he said to me, “You should try not to upset your mother so much.”

3. One time on a Nirjala ekadasi I decided to take prasadam instead of doing a full fast. When I went up to the Institute House later to serve Gurudeva, he asked me if I was strictly following Nirjala. When I replied that I had taken prasadam he was grave and quiet. Then he said, “Sometimes it’s good to do some fasting. It helps control the mind and senses.” I felt like such a turd!

4. One time in Gita-nagari while I was serving Gurudeva we were sitting in his room. I asked him, “Gurudeva…I wanted to ask you a question.” “Sure, what is it?” he replied. I then said, “I was wondering…why is it so hard to be truly selfless?” He quickly replied, “Do you realize that you ask the same question over and over? Maybe you need to take a look at that.” Then he added, “It’s just like I’ve said before, the more you only worry about yourself the more miserable you will be. You need to do your service in a loving mood, not just in a begrudging mood.” I don’t fully remember what the actual answer was that he gave me. At the time I was thrown off by his comment that I ask the same question over and over! I couldn’t understand what he meant. In later reflection I could understand that he meant I wasn’t really applying the answer he was giving me. I was just asking to ask, but I wasn’t really doing the work to be more selfless!

5. One time while massaging Gurudeva’s feet in the evening he said to me, “Right now you’re caught up in your mind, but one day you’ll look back at this service and be extremely grateful.” I was shocked and almost started crying. I was so selfish and ungrateful in my service to Gurudeva, but he was right: I now look back at those experiences with such gratitude and appreciation.

6. One time while serving Gurudeva in New Vrindavan, we were sharing a cabin. I would sleep up in a loft and he had the room on the main floor. As a brahamcari I was into the whole kaupin thing. So I would wash them in the evening and hang them up to dry over the railing in the loft. On one particular morning Gurudeva said I could go to mangal-aratik by myself, because he had some work to do. So I went to the morning program and when I came back Gurudeva was chanting his japa and pacing back and forth in the main room. I paid obeisances and when I stood up he said to me, “Uh, can you take those down?” as he pointed with his japa finger towards my kaupins hanging off the railing! He then added, “I don’t want to be looking at your underwear!”

7. One time also in New Vrindavan he asked me to wash and iron his clothes. For whatever reason I accidentally left the laundry in a different building, so when he woke up that morning for mangal-aratik he asked me where his clothes were. When I told him that I forgot to bring them back and that it wasn’t even ironed yet, he became very upset and annoyed. He then said, “Well I can’t NOT go to mangal-aratik. I guess I’ll wear the clothes I was wearing yesterday. Where are they?” I had them wrapped up to be washed later, so they were all wrinkled. He didn’t say a word, but I could tell he was so annoyed at my incompetence. He quickly got dressed and I followed behind him as we walked to the temple. I felt so terrible!


8. One time at a preaching program at a college in Pittsburgh I was in charge of Gurudeva’s metal briefcase. After he gave his lecture we were all standing around talking. It was then time for Gurudeva to leave, so we rushed out. As we were walking off the campus and towards the car Gurudeva stopped dead in his tracks and looked at me and said, “Do you have my briefcase?” My heart sank. I looked at my hands. There was no briefcase in my hands! “Oh no…I forgot it Gurudeva! I’ll run back and get it!” So I took off sprinting. About 20 feet later I see a brahmacari running towards me shouting, “Maharaja! Maharaja!” I see in his hand he’s holding the briefcase. “Maharaja, you forgot your briefcase!” He hands it over to Gurudeva. Then he says, “Thank you so much. At least someone here was thinking.” Ouch! I felt like such an idiot. It was like the current meme where people say, “You had one job!” All I had to do was keep an eye on that briefcase and take care of it, but I couldn’t even do that right. Gurudeva later told me in the car that I have to be more aware and careful and that his briefcase was very important because he kept a lot of his legal documents and passport in there.

9. One time I was out with Gurudeva at a greenhouse in Mifflintown, as he wanted to go shopping for plants. He was about to leave on a month long worldwide preaching tour, but at the time he was also dealing with some health issues. As we were walking back to the car I said to him, “Gurudeva, I don’t know how you do it!” in reference to his intense traveling schedule and despite his health issues. He smiled that wonderful, big, bright grin of his and said to me, “Jayadeva…you think about yourself too much!”

Bhakti Tree Anniversary
→ Ramai Swami

The Bhakti Tree in Newcastle recently celebrated its third year since opening with a special program for the evening.

Prasadam was served first from 6pm and over a hundred guests came. This was followed by a wonderful kirtan led by Sri Prahlada who had the crowd clapping and dancing.

Sunday Love Feast – Mar 11th, 2018 – Vedic Discourse by HG Radha Govind Das
→ ISKCON Brampton



Chant: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare And Be Happy!!


When?

Sunday,March 4th,2018
11am-2pm

Where?

173 Advance Boulevard
Unit # 41
Brampton,ON,L6T 4Z7
(Free Parking)
Phone:416-648-3312

New! Listen

Click here to listen to previous class recordings on our blog
Make a Donation
ayur harati vai pumsam
udyann astam ca yann asau
tasyarte yat-ksano nita
uttama-sloka-vartaya

Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.
 ~ Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.17




11.00 - 11.15      Tulsi Puja
11.15  - 11.30     Guru Puja                          
11:30 - 11:55     Aarti & Kirtan                        
11.55  - 12.00    Sri Nrsingadeva Prayers 
12.00 - 1:00     Vedic discourse
  1.00 - 1.30      Closing Kirtan
  1.30 - 2.00     Sanctified Free Vegetarian Feast


COMING UP AHEAD

Papamocani Ekadasi
Fasting.....................on Mon Mar 12th,2018
Breakfast................  on Tue  Mar 13th ,2018 b/w 10.44am – 11.29am

Every fortnight, we observe Ekadasi, a day of prayer and meditation. On this day we fast (or simplify our meals and abstain from grains and beans), and spend extra time reading the scriptures and chanting the auspicious Hare Krishna mantra.By constantly ‘exercising’ our minds through regular japa we can train our senses to push the threshold of contentment.
English audio glorification of all Ekadasis is available here 




Grand Celebration on the way...
March 25th


ONGOING PROGRAMS



Sunday School

To register,contact us
Email:sundayschool108@gmail.com
Call:647.893.9363

The Sunday School provides fun filled strategies through the medium of music, drama, debates, quizzes and games that present Vedic Culture to children. However the syllabus is also designed to simultaneously teach them to always remember Krishna and never forget Him. School
The Sunday School follows the curriculum provided by the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC).

Monthly sankirtan Festival(MSF)
“One who has life can preach, and one who preaches gets life.”(Previous Acaryas)
Every member of ISKCON should have the opportunity to make advancement in Krishna consciousness by preaching.We encourage everyone to come out and participate and make Srila Prabhupada happy.

Please contact:
Dharma Dasa- dharandev58@gmail.com-647.892.0739(Mississauga and Brampton regions)
The Mentorship Program

Please note that registration in the Mentorship System is now a mandatory requirement for all initiation requests at ISKCON Brampton.It

1.Facilitates  and nurtures devotees aspiring for first and second Initiation.
2.One-on-One personal follow up on a regular basis.
3.Systematic training to devotees in matters of Philosophy, Sadhna, Vaishnava behavior, etiquette, Lifestyle and attitudes.

To find details please click here

Gift Shop

Are you looking for some amazing gift items which are less expensive and more beautiful for your loved ones for festivals or many other occasions??
Our boutique is stocked with an excellent range of products, perfect for gifts or as souvenirs of your visit. It offers textiles, jewelry, incense, devotional articles, musical instruments, books, and CDs inspired by Indian culture.We're open on all Sundays and celebrations marked in our annual calendar.

When fear accelerates the imagination, let faith be the brake
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Congregation program at Silicon Valley, California, USA]

Podcast


 

Podcast Summary


 

Video:

The post When fear accelerates the imagination, let faith be the brake appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Harinama at Byron Bay – 04 March 2018 (Album of photos) Srila…
→ Dandavats



Harinama at Byron Bay - 04 March 2018 (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “Authorities who are learned scholars and sages have carefully ascertained that one should atone for the heaviest sins by undergoing a heavy process of atonement and one should atone for lighter sins by undergoing lighter atonement. Chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, however, vanquishes all the effects of sinful activities, regardless of whether heavy or light.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.16)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Khkzrb

The search for pleasure is often the source of the greatest trouble
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Congregation program at Sacramento, California USA]

Podcast


 

Podcast Summary


 

Video:

The post The search for pleasure is often the source of the greatest trouble appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Gaura Purnima 2018 – New Raman Reti (Album with photos) Srila…
→ Dandavats



Gaura Purnima 2018 - New Raman Reti (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.” If one practices chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, he is naturally expected to chant Hare Krishna when he meets with some accident. Even without such practice, however, if one somehow or other chants the holy name of the Lord (Hare Krishna) when he meets with an accident and dies, he will be saved from hellish life after death. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.15 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/a87zGA

New Delhi’s District Judges Receive Guidance from Bhagavad-gita…
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New Delhi’s District Judges Receive Guidance from Bhagavad-gita As It Is (Album with photos and videos)
Srila Prabhupada once stated,’Someday the judges will be wearing tilak.’ Well in the present day we do have a step towards just that. Every Wednesday Ramanroop Prabhu, Iskcon New Delhi’s minister for foreign affairs has a home program at alternating judges homes. These judges act from within mediation services to life and death sentencing for criminals, all the while catering to political prisoners on all levels.
They participated with a Tulasi, Gaura Arotik, Nrsimhadeva Puja, kirtan, bhajans(several Judges were quite accomplished harmonium players, one senior most magistrate played the khol), and reading 3 verses and purports from Bhagavad-gita. One Brajabasi judge from Mathura led the chanting of one round of japa, and got so absorbed that we actually chanted around 3 rounds.
Even there was so much excitement in the chanting that they were singing along with the lead singer as well as the refrain.
The Gita reading was shared with quite exacting questions being raised almost as though we were in a courtroom! It was delightful that the sharpest governmental minds were refining and bathing their minds in this original law book of the Lord.

Prasadam became a highlight and after the meal some of our public servants who stayed to the end partook in a group picture.

Jokingly I quipped,’Here is where material law meets spiritual law.’ Everyone laughed…I guess tilak in the courtroom is next…
Find them here: https://goo.gl/1zmMgZ

Disappearance day of our most beloved HH Sridhar Swami
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Niranjana and Jayapataka Swamis

He said, "Oh, my Lord. The destined time for my life span in this world is now exhausted. Now it is time to depart from this world and go on to my next destination. Who is anyone's son? Who is anyone's father? We are all living beings meant to go on in our journey from one body to the next. Oh my Lord, I simply pray to Your lotus feet. Please forgive me for any offenses I may have committed in your presence, and please allow me to continue to my next destination." And then he stopped speaking. Continue reading "Disappearance day of our most beloved HH Sridhar Swami
→ Dandavats"

Memories of Sridhar Swami
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Giriraj Swami

Sridhar Swami: “When I leave, we can be together in more significant ways.” He said that love in separation was actually stronger. And we do experience that when we are with people we love, we may take them for granted but that when they are gone, we realize how valuable their association was and how much we loved and still love them. And the feelings become more intense than when we were with them. Continue reading "Memories of Sridhar Swami
→ Dandavats"

Gaura Purnima & outreach programs around Malaysia
→ ISKCON Malaysia

Nitai Gauranga Rai Abhiseka on Gaura Purnima

krishna-varnam tvishakrishnam sangopangastra-parshadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah

In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the holy name of Krishna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.

Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga Rai, Temple of Devotion & Understanding

Hare Krishna. Pleased to post a little bit about the preaching activities over the last ten days around the country.

Gaura Purnima, the appearance day festival of the golden avatar Lord Caitanya is celebrated grandly at all 30 ISKCON centres in Malaysia. Lord Caitanya is the most munificent incarnation of Lord Krishna who appeared 532 years ago in Mayapur and personally together with His associates spread the chanting of the Holy Names of Krishna in every town and village. This is the most sublime and easy process for us to achieve perfection in this Kali Yuga and to go back to Godhead at the end of our lives.

Vaisnavi the favorite of all takes advantage and gets her rewards]

Good idea to let children have a feel of feeding cows

 

In the cowshed hearing pastimes of Lord Krishna and about cow protection

On Thursday 1st March New Godruma Dhama farm hosted a busload of about 45 children and adults from the Indian Knowledge Systems Academy. They especially came to participate in Go Puja (worship of mother cow) and to also brush, bathe, cuddle the cows and feed them. Cuddling of cows has caught up as a health phenomenon in the west, only to say that it was an Indian therapy since the time of Lord Krishna. Children, cows and calves make a perfect match of friendship. The group members heard a class on the importance of caring for cows.

Kavi Nimai the dynamic full of energy Temple President of ISKCON Gelugor, Penang

Sri Sri Radha Krishna Kanhaiya

Not to forget our ISKCON bramachari Hari Das Nitai serving prasadam at a food for life program at Santipur

On Gaura Purnima, 2ndMarch morning I joined the morning Mangala Arati at Sri Jagannatha Mandir. In the evening I was in the Temple of Devotion & Understanding reaching for the evening arati. I was blessed to witness for some minutes the worship of the most merciful Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga Rai & Sri Sri Radha Krishna Kanhaiya. I then visited Bukit Mertajam,  ISKCON Bhakti Mandir for the evening program of Abhiseka, Kirtan, worship, class and prasadam.  A nice play was enacted by the temple’s kids and very ecstatic kirtan by the youths. It was really assuring to see the sons and daughters of congregation members following in the devotional footsteps of their parents.

 HH Bhakti Mukunda Swami Vice President of ISKCON Malaysia delivering Krishna Katha at Seremban

It was really nice to be with devotees from different parts of Malaysia from morning to evening taking their association and conversing about Lord Caitanya.

 Kalesa dasa Co-Temple President of TODU

Dvija Gauranga prabhu Temple President of Bhakti Mandir with a good harvest from Bhakti Mandir Gardens

The next morning after Mangala Arati prayers and Japa, I joined the Bhakti Mandir temple president HG Dvija Gauranga Prabhu a retired director of the Anti-Drug Department of Selangor for Srila Prabhupada Guru Puja followed with Bhagavatam discussions. In the early 80’s Dvija Gauranga prabhu served as commandant of the Bukit Mertajam Drug Rehabilitation centre and later promoted to the bigger Karangan Centre. During these times he organized many preaching programs for the inmates and many did stop their drug habits and some becoming vegetarians. Notably his children are all practicing devotees. It is nice to see similarly many youths following the devotional examples of their parents.

 ISKCON Sri Rama Vanam altar

Dvija Gauranga prabhu was happy to show me around the Bhakti Mandir Gardens of around 1 acre belonging to river reserve land which is being cultivated with vegetables, fruits and flowers for Lord Jagannatha. In Jagannatha Puri Lord Jagannatha is ONLY offered cooked items from vegetables grown in His own garden. Bhakti Mandir is making an attempt.

 Indian Knowledge System members with Vaisnavi

At around 10AM I left to the Temple of Devotion & Understanding to join the Jagannatha Misra feast. HG Isvara Prabhu from Nigeria but who is stationed in Calcutte and who is the founder of Touchstone Publications was giving the talk using a power point presentation of Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakura’s songs glorifying Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 After Gopuja circumbulation 

There again I saw another example of a leader whose sons are all practicing devotees. HG Kalesa prabhu the co-temple president of the Temple of Devotion & Understanding has 4 sons who are all practicing devotees. There are many such examples of parents and children practicing in all these temples. It is very encouraging. Thanks to all these youths for following in the devotional footprints of their parents.

 

In the evening I visited the Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir, ISKCON Kulim for their weekly program. HG Satyananda prabhu a devotee from his childhood times in Sitiawan following in his parents’ examples is leading the Kulim branch.

 Youths following examples of parents 

On 4th March I left for Nibong Tebal where we have a simple centre but a sizeable land for a future temple project and community living. HG Sevaya Hari the temple treasurer was offering the noon arati to Sri Sri Radha Syamasundar at the time I arrived. I then gave a class to about 20 people mostly children and youths. ISKCON Nibong Tebal has a good future seeing the gradual progress of Krishna conscious development. They are known for their free prasadam distribution in thousands during the Penang Thaipusam festivals.

 At Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir, Kulim

After a nice lunch at Nibong Tebal I drove south to Ipoh for the evening program. ISKCON ipoh inaugurated their new temple in December 2015. It has a big temple hall with the most beautiful Sri Sri Parama Karuna Nitai Gauranga Deities. At the class I met some very old ISKCON Members Mr & Mrs Radhakrishnan and senior devotees including the temple president HG Para Brahma prabhu. Para Brahma prabhu is not only the temple president of ISKCON Ipoh but he is also very active around the country carrying out ISKCON’s spiritual, social & welfare work. He was a devotee since he was 17 years old. His services include performing vedic samskaras, the many purificatory rites from birth to death.

Sri Sri Radha Krishna Kanhaiya, Temple of Devotion & Understanding

After the night class at Ipoh I headed to Kuala Lumpur and was happy after having spent three full days with devotees.

 

For the Gaura Purnima festival and to discuss the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, ISKCON Malaysia was very fortunate with the visit of many itinerant preachers. ISKCON GBC member His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami Maharaja travelled the central, north and south Malaysia from 2nd to 9th March. HG Isvara prabhu, founder of Touchstone Publications visited the central and northern centres from 1st March to 11 March. ISKCON Malaysia Vice President HH Bhakti Mukunda Swami Maharaja has been making his preaching rounds around the country while HH Bhakti Prananatha Govinda Maharaja from Bhubaneshwara touched Malaysia on 8th and will continue visiting centres till the 17th of this month. It is not always we get such a bonus of itinerant preachers at the same time.

 Gopuja at NEw Godruma Dhama farm

While chatting about preaching activities in Malaysia, H.H. Bhakti Caitanya Swami mentioned that during this visit he was very impressed with ISKCON Gelugor Temple President HG Kavi Nimai prabhu for his dynamism and energy engaging the congregation in outreach programs. Maharaja also said that ISKCON Taiping is very nicely located and also has a dynamic Temple President.

 

satam prasangam mama virya-samvido

bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah

taj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmani

sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati

 

SYNONYMS

satam—of pure devotees; prasangat—through the association; mama—My; virya—wonderful activities; samvidau—by discussion of; bhavanti—become; hrt—to the heart; karna—to the ear; rasa-ayanah—pleasing; kathah—the stories; tat—of that; josanat—by cultivation; asu—quickly; apavarga—of liberation; vartmani—on the path; sraddha—firm faith; ratih—attraction; bhaktih—devotion; anukramisyati—will follow in order.

 

TRANSLATION

In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.

 

 

Hare Krishna.

If we don’t speak about high standards, won’t low standards become the standard
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast

The post If we don’t speak about high standards, won’t low standards become the standard appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.