Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast
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Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast
The post Gita 15.10 We need knowledge to see our vulnerability in material existence appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast
The post How can we balance our limited controllership over our children with our responsibility to guide them? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Bhaktivedanta Institute founding member Sadaputa Das’ first book, Mechanistic and Nonmechanistic Science (1981), is finally back in print. The work’s cogent critique of materialistic reductionism received attention from numerous recognized scientists, including Nobel Prize winners Eugene Wigner and Brian Josephson.
Six young people in India discover a major ecological disaster that we all unknowingly contribute. A documentary by Kristina Danka, Ph.D. For more information please visit www.stolenriverfilm.com
In the non devotional world, where sex is the norm, the divorce rate, in many nations, is around 50%. So from that angle, the answer is no, sex does not assure one a successful marriage. And within ISKCON, where sex is discouraged, some estimate divorce rates are even higher. So, that begs a much larger question.
Originally starting out under the name “CIT (Caitanya’s Instant Theater)” in the early 1970s, the group became known as the Bhaktivedanta Players in 1976. Devotees were inspired to focus on the service when Srila Prabhupada told Mukunda Goswami that England, with its rich culture of theater, could be culturally “conquered” through drama.
Srimad Bhagavatam class by H.G.Malati mataji in ISKCON Vrindavan, Oct 22, 2017 (video)
Nice memories of Srila Prabhupada.
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Book distribution is sometimes like meeting old friends!! The other day I had time between services to go out. Managing to scramble out the door I was Inspired by how Lord Krishna would sometimes dress as a commoner and walk amongst His citizens in cities like Mathura or Dvaraka. Taking note of the people’s opinion and curious of their concerns, the Lord surveyed the scene. I too like to watch people, walk and talk, stroll and drop. When conversations call my attention I swoop in ready to turn something mundane into a transcendental opportunity with Srila Prabhupada’s books. But on this particular day, it struck me to speak to everyone in my path instead, meeting them like old friends. “Hey there, where are you off to today?” I ask while sweeping past an interesting hippy. I tell him that our yoga and meditation center is calling his name, and ask if he’s ever been to Bhakti Lounge. He says, “No.” But looks interested. Turns out he does kung fu and has interest in meditation. I invite him and show him a few books, but he’s got nothing to spare. Still, he has a friendly invitation to our center and an Enough Magazine. Maybe he will come:) Keep going, there’s a sweet young woman quickly walking through the bustling corner of Vivian and Cuba. Luckily, I’m on foot and keeping pace, “HEY! Have you ever been to Bhakti Lounge?” I ask, placing a flyer in her hand. She says, “No!” And we start talking. Her name is Ruby. I tell her that I was JUST reading a book about how out of all jewels the Divine manifests in the form of the ruby in this world. (11.16.30) And then said, “so you have a special name; you must be a jewel.” She bashfully looks at a few books but is in a bit of a rush. “It’s okay, Ruby- I’ll see you at Bhakti Lounge.” She makes plans to attend a meditation event, and is hopefully going to come to Gurudeva’s talk when he comes Nov 15th. Scanning the terrain I see a man at an open bar taking down a beer while enjoying the warm sun seeping in through the open store front. He’s on his computer, sternly looking at the screen as if masterminding some great scheme! “Excuse me sir, you look like someone who works too hard, he’s a card, come join us for a yoga or meditation class sometime.” He extends his hand smiling and I introduce myself. thinking of how responsive he is. He says he will see us there. Crossing the street, there is a guy with a backpack just settling into a picnic table with a tray of french fries. I sit down next to him and ask where he’s from.. He is from Texas. “Texas! Wow, my friend Erica just left Wellington to go back home to Texas today.” He’s from Dallas, so I ask if he’s ever been to their world famous Govinda’s restaurant. After a bit of small talk, I show him Hiding in Unnatural Happiness, and ask what he thinks about the selfish way we think about happiness and how to obtain it. He said, “Our bias (based on what we desire or are attached to) steers us, even in ways that can lead to pain rather than pleasure.” He asks if I’d like a fry, and I ask him if he’d like the book. He takes the book. I politely decline the french fry.. These experiences of meeting and connecting with people over transcendental literature are addictive. It was hard to restrain myself and go to my next service engagement— the streets are like home to me now. It feels like the only constant in my life lately. Circumstances are always changing, relationships, services, etc. but this book distribution is like a thread and everyone in the world a pearl, or a ruby 🙂 Your grateful servant, Kathamrita Devi Dasi
Brhad-Bhagavatamrta 2.1
One case that came out just a few weeks ago is a discovery of some footprints on the island of Crete, a part of Greece, it's an island in the Aegean Sea. In the northwestern end of Crete archeologists found footprints and layers of rock five million seven hundred thousand years old and the way they described these footprints was pretty interesting they had many human-like features first of all the creatures that made these footprints were bipedal in other words they walked on two legs there weren't any prints of any four limbs like you know you would have a dog walking on four legs but these creatures whatever they were they were walking on two legs and they had five toes which we have and the toes were the same size and shape as the toes of modern human beings Continue reading "What is new in the world of forbidden archeology
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By Vrajendranandan Das
We had the opportunity to get a personal audience with Advani ji and hand over the deities’ Maha Garland, Mahaprasadam and Essence offered to Narasimhadeva. He expressed his sincere gratitude for the blessings of the Lord and recollected fondly, his visit to ISKCON Delhi on the occasion of Srila Prabhupada’s Appearance Day last year. He enquired about HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja and requested me to convey his Pranams to Maharaja. Continue reading “Advani’s Birthdays”
Hare Krishna Auckland: Many people saw our Hare Krishna school kids’ beautiful dance performance at our local Northwest mall today. Our school took part in a West Auckland School’s cultural event. What an awesome preaching opportunity! Jai Srila Prabhupada. (Album with photos)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/iKrZgK
Radha Kunda Seva: October 2017 Photos and Updates (Album with photos)
October bustled and brimmed with the eager devotion of thousands of pilgrims pouring in from all over the world. The Holy Dhama is always magical, but especially during Kartika the buzz of bhakti pulses palpably from every pilgrim on the parikrama paths all over Vraja. Our cleaners were able to keep up with the extra trash, though some festivals, like Bahulastami and Govardhan Puja took some days to recover from. Our widows completed their Kartika vrata (spiritual vows of austerity) and are back to their normal daily fare with occasional feasts. The growing popularity of the Dhama and the lack of adequate sanitation systems is putting a heavy strain on the ecosystem. We are trying to serve the immediate and obvious need to clean waste off the streets and out of the kundas, but the problems are deeper than the surface trash. Last year, it was discovered after a cholera outbreak that the disease was coming from the waters of Radha Kunda. And now, a septic smell coming from the Kunda is clearly conveying the reality that cess pool waste is seeping to the ground water and into Radha Kunda. The sewage system needs an overhaul. But for the present, we are researching and discussing ways to treat and filter the water. By Srimati Radharani’s grace, we hope to soon be part of a carefully planned and organized waste management system to protect the Dham. With your blessings, prayers, and support, we are trying to make some difference in this most holy of holy places, Sri Radha Kunda. Please browse our latest photos and join our efforts by visiting www.radharani.com . Your servants, Campakalata Devi dasi, Padma Gopi Devi dasi, Sri Arjuna dasa, Urmila Devi Dasi, and Mayapurcandra dasa.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/umncF1
The Dress Shop’s new website.
The ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry would like to share with you its new website for The Dress Shop in Mayapur!
The Dress Shop, Mayapur is a project of the ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry to support devotees needs for offering beautiful and custom made dresses for temple and home deities.
The shop is managed and operated by ISKCON devotees and ensures the finest quality of deity dresses on time! The Dress Shop Mayapur understands how essential these two components of timeliness and quality are when preparing anything to offer to the Lord.
This special project of the ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry allows devotees the opportunity to receive a beautiful product while feeling confident that they are spending Srila Prabhupada’s money within ISKCON and supporting the various ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry projects around the world. We hope that you will allow us the great opportunity to serve you and your temple in providing a gorgeous offering to your beloved deities. Please visit our new website at https://www.thedressshopmayapur.com, and allow us to serve you.
Hare Krishna!
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to Feed 1,000 Kids for a Year Through ISKCON’s Meal Scheme.
On the occasion of her 44th birthday, Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, on Monday donated free meals to 1000 children for a year under the Mid-day meal scheme of Annamrita Foundation set up by International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
An official statement issued by ISKCON said that Radhanath Swami Maharaj, ISKCON spiritual leader said the Annamrita Scheme, which started in 2004 from a small room with meals being prepared for just 900 children, today serve meals to 12 lakh children across seven states in India.
Through 20 hi-tech ISO 22000-2005 certified kitchens, Annamrita reaches out to nearly 500 municipal schools in and around Mumbai along with over 2000 schools in Maharashtra with heavy nutritious meals.
Swamiji added, ‘My Guru Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada had once seen a dog and a child trying to pick up the food packet in the street garbage bin, he was taken aback by
this incident and had instructed the devotees of ISKCON that no child in 10 miles radius of ISKCON temple should sleep hungry.
'Following the instruction of our Gurudev, we have been distributing Krishna’s Prasad in the form of Khichdi to all the poor around our temple and from 13 years we are reaching out to feed more and more children through our Annamrita project.’
TOVP Australasia Tour, Day 1 – Perth, Australia (Album with photos)
The Perth temple is a mid-size community of devotees numbering about 200-250, many of them new practitioners of Krishna consciousness. Their Graces Jananivas and Vraja Vilas prabhus arrived on Monday, November 6th in preparation for the first program of the Australasia tour on Tuesday, November 7th.
Being a weekday only 150 devotees were able to attend, but the excitement of those devotees soon became apparent during the abhisheka of the Chakras and Sitari and the ecstatic kirtan. They were further enthused by the talks of Jananivas and Vraja Vilas prabhus and the special video presentation. When the fundraising program commenced devotees went wild and a total of $270,000 was pledged.
We wish to thank Sitaram prabhu, the temple president, for his support and dedication, and for organizing such a wonderful program for the service of the TOVP and the arrival of Lord Nityananda’s Padukas and Lord Nrsimha’s Sitari in Australia.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/8L1vrT
Southern Mathura (Daksina-mathura), presently known as Madurai, is situated on the banks of the Vaigai River and is one of South India’s great temple towns. Madurai is synonymous with the celebrated Meenakshi Temple. On the day the city was to be named, as Lord Siva blessed the land and its people, divine nectar (Madhu) was showered on the city from Lord Siva’s matted locks. This city was henceforth known as Madhurapuri. During His South India tour in 1510 AD, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited Madurai twice, once while going to Rameswaram after meeting the brahmana Ramdasa Vipra, who was a staunch devotee of Lord Ramacandra. The next time was on the way back from Rameswaram with a copy of the Kurma Purana scripture, which had a verse stating that Ravana had kidnapped an illusory Sita, and that the real Sita was safely hidden by Agnideva. Lord Caitanya personally gave this copy to Ramdasa Vipra to dispel his doubts about mother Sita’s kidnapping. Continue reading "Madurai Yatra – Mathura of Southern India
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast
The post Gita 15.09 The mind makes chasing mirages the soul’s tragic habit appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast
The post When taking decisions, how do we balance using our intelligence and having faith in Krishna? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
The post From Passion to Compassion (3) appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
[Seminar at ISKCON, Sydney, Australia]
Podcast
Podcast Summary
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The post From Passion to Compassion 2 – From religion in passion to devotion in goodness appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
[Seminar at ISKCON, Sydney, Australia]
Podcast
Podcast Summary
Video:
The post From Passion to Compassion 3 – Compassion needs to be felt as compassion appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
[Bhagavatam class at ISKCON, Sydney, Australia]
Podcast
Podcast Summary
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The post Using our functional identification to realize our transcendental identity appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
The Perth temple is a mid-size community of devotees numbering about 200-250, many of them new practitioners of Krishna consciousness. Their Graces Jananivas and Vraja Vilas prabhus arrived on Monday, November 6th in preparation for the first program of the Australasia tour on Tuesday, November 7th.
Being a weekday only 150 devotees were able to attend, but the excitement of those devotees soon became apparent during the abhisheka of the Chakras and Sitari and the ecstatic kirtan. They were further enthused by the talks of Jananivas and Vraja Vilas prabhus and the special video presentation. When the fundraising program commenced devotees went wild and a total of $270,000 was pledged.
We wish to thank Sitaram prabhu, the temple president, for his support and dedication, and for organizing such a wonderful program for the service of the TOVP and the arrival of Lord Nityananda’s Padukas and Lord Nrsimha’s Sitari in Australia.
To make a donation and sponsor an abhisheka for Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s and/or Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Chakra during the installation ceremony on February 7th, please go here: https://tovp.org/donate/once-in-a-lifetime-chakra-abhisheka-seva-opportunity/
The post TOVP Australasia Tour, Day 1 – Perth, Australia appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.
The following video presentation from the TOVP is a quarterly report by Sadbhuja prabhu, Managing Director of the project, detailing current activities and progress, and the marathon of work to be completed in the next three months in preparation for the historic installation ceremony of Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Chakras on February 7th, 2018.
To participate and sponsor an abhisheka for one or both Chakras go to the TOVP website: https://tovp.org/donate/once-in-a-lifetime-chakra-abhisheka-seva-opportunity/
The post TOVP Quarterly Report – 3 Month Marathon in Preparation for the Chakra Installation appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.
Prakasananda Sarasvati was charmed by the transcendental beauty of Lord’ - by HG Pragosha dasa (video)
ISKCON-London Radha-Krishna Temple.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/Ro4w6j
Harinama in Uruguay (Album with photos)
The Krishna consciousness movement is chiefly engaged in chanting the maha-mantra all over the world. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu introduced the congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra to give everyone a chance to hear Krishna’s holy name, for simply by hearing Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, one becomes purified (ceto-darpana-marjanam)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/4TzgoH
A visit to the Temple of Vedic Planetarium (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: We had the honor to have a tour of the ToVP with N...
Rare photos of the historical Mantra-Rock-Dance in the Avalon Ballroom with Srila Prabhupada, Allen Ginsberg, the Grateful Dead and others (Album with photos)
Mukunda Goswami: In January 1967, Srila Prabhupada, along with counterculture icon Allen Ginsberg, introduced hundreds of San Francisco hippies to the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra.
Our Publicity worked. at 7:45 on show night the Avalon was filled to capacity. I was at the top of the staircase above the front door taking tickets for the first hour. From the top of the long red-carpeted stairway that led up to the hall from the entrance, I could see the line of colorful late arrivals waiting to get into the Avalon. We’d stuck with our “first-come-first-served” policy in selling tickets, so late-comers were out of luck. Specially deputed agents of the San Francisco Fire Department stood outside at the hall’s main entrance, monitoring the number of people inside.
Prabhupada at the Avalon Ballroom – Back To Godhead
When someone came out, they’d let someone in, although that wasn’t happening much, because those inside really wanted to hold onto their places.
Chet poked his head out of his office door and yelled to me. “Looks like a sell-out,” he said. “you don’t usually get the place full before the show starts. and this is a Sunday!” “yeah, it’s great,” I said, feeling excited.
“Thanks for letting us do this here.” as I scanned the crowd, I spotted Timothy Leary and Augustus Owsley heading up the stairs toward me. as I took their tickets, I was surprised to note the strong smell of alcohol wafting around Leary.
“That’s weird,” I thought. “Leary’s so anti-establishment, but getting drunk is the ‘establishment’ way of getting high. Shouldn’t he of all people be high on LSD? I took the ticket from him, and he proceeded to a nearby phone booth where he sat talking on the phone for the rest of my ticket shift.
Finally, at 9:00 PM, Malati came to relieve me of my ticket duties so I could get back to managing the show. Inside the ballroom, devotees were handing out thousands of orange wedges to the crowd. I pushed my way through the crush and up the stairs to the balcony to check on how Ben and Roger were doing with their light show.
“Hey, how’s it going” I asked.
“Yeah, great, man. We’re all ready to go here,” Roger said. “Hey, we just brewed some tea really nice stuff. you want some?
“nope, it’s OK,” I said. “I’d better get back out there.” “Hey, no, come on,” Ben said. “Have some. It’ll relax you. you look like you need it.”
I hesitated. “Well, OK, just a small cup.” Roger grabbed a little Japanese-style cup without a handle and poured me some of the liquid from a blue ceramic teapot. I took a couple of sips to be polite. It had a bitter undertone.
“Thanks a lot. I’ve really got to get going.” They waved to me, smiling, and as I headed down the stairs to the dance floor, I realized that the tea had been spiked with acid. “no wonder it tasted bitter,” I thought, my head spinning.
It was time to start the show, so in my mildly altered state, I did my best to round up the devotees for the opening act a sort of overture an Indian-style chant that we hoped would set a mystical, spiritual atmosphere for the evening. We’d managed to get exotic clothing to wear on stage merlin gowns for the men and saris for the women and when we came on the stage, the crowd began to cheer. We sat on brightly colored cushions in front of microphones and began to sing a mellow Krishna mantra with tamboura, harmonium, hand cymbals, and drums.
As we sang, I looked out into the crowd. everyone appeared to be high on something mostly pot and acid, I thought. many people had brought their own cushions tasseled, jeweled, patchworked and embroidered and they sat on these during our chanting, closing their eyes or joining in with their own wooden nutes or bells. Some stayed standing and swayed in time to the music. a few cried, whether because they were moved by the chanting or simply high I couldn’t tell. What I hoped was that the swami’s chanting and presence would in the jargon of the Haight “lift everyone to a higher level of consciousness,” not through drugs but through genuine spiritual experience.
After our serene opening, Moby Grape took the stage and the crowd went wild.
Malati was right they were fantastic. The ballroom shook with their amplification, and the crowd gyrated in time with Ben and Roger’s strobe lights and their multicolored oil shapes projected onto the walls. The colors bounced, cascaded, broke into beads, morphed together and separated, jumping to the beat. The music was deafening, the light show mesmerizing.
Things seemed to be going fine, so I headed backstage to the readying room, where Big Brother was tuning up for their performance. With a bottle of Jim Beam in her hand, Janis Joplin turned away from her mirror as I entered the room.
“Hey, you’re one of the Krishnas, right? she asked. I nodded. “Why do you feel you have to chant that mantra” She sounded challenging, if not a bit hostile.
“Because it makes you feel good,” I said moving quickly out of the room. I didn’t want to get into that discussion now. I’d seen her three days earlier walking two large Dobermans down Haight Street holding a half-finished pint of Smirnoff.
When moby Grape finished playing their hour-long set, fifteen of us stepped onto the stage in preparation for the swami’s appearance. allen Ginsberg came into the hall and joined us on stage to the accompaniment of loud applause. Finally the Swami entered the Avalon through the main door, followed by Ranchor and another new york devotee named Kirtanananda, whom I’d met briefly before we’d come to California. The stage was about five feet above the dance floor, so I had a good view of the swami as he made his way across the length of the ballroom toward the stage, walking slowly with his wooden cane. The crowd grew quiet as he walked and parted to allow him to pass through. The hush was broken by a few isolated cheers and some scattered applause. It was a bit like the greeting the swami got at San Francisco airport, only this was bigger much bigger.
When the Swami reached the stage, he stopped for a moment and glanced around; then he saw a small stairway to his right, which he climbed slowly as if he were deep in thought. Ginsberg greeted him with folded palms when he reached the top. “Welcome, Swami,” he said. “Let’s sit.” He gestured toward two large fluffy yellow throw cushions at the front of the stage.
They made a funny pair, Ginsberg with his bushy beard and slightly rumpled brown suit with a white T-shirt underneath, and the swami with his clean-shaven head looking regal in his soft saffron robes as he sat cross-legged, his cane resting across his lap. The hall was quiet except for a few muffled voices and the sounds of some people I didn’t know in khakis who were rushing around the stage positioning microphones in front of Ginsberg and the swami. The hall darkened and the crowd sat down. I started playing the droning tamboura just as color slides of Krishna began appearing on the walls. up on the mezzanine, Ben and Roger projected the sixteen-word Hare Krishna mantra on the wall behind the stage and focused spotlights onto Ginsberg and the swami. Ginsberg said something into the swami’s ear, and the swami nodded. Ginsberg moved closer to the microphone.
“When I was in India,” he said, “I got enthralled with the mantra we’re going to sing. I’d like you to sing loud with me. It’s meditation that’s musical. It’ll take you into another dimension like it does for me every time.”
He paused and squinted through the spotlight.
“The mantra is called the maha-mantra. In Sanskrit, the word maha means ‘large’ or ‘great,’ and man means ‘mind.’ Tra means ‘that which delivers.’ So the word mantra literally means ‘mind deliverance.’
“Sometimes you can have a bad acid trip, and I want you to know that if you ever do, you can stabilize yourself on re-entry by chanting this mantra.” He looked earnest and serious, like he was discussing literature with a group of poets at a university. “now,” Ginsberg continued, “I want to introduce you to Swami Bhaktivedanta, who brought this mantra to the place where it was probably most needed, to new york’s Lower East Side to the dispossessed, to the homeless, the lost, the anarchists, the seekers.” The crowd applauded and cheered.
“He left India, where life is peaceful, where he could have remained happily chanting in a holy village where people never heard of war and violence, where life is slow and meaningful. But instead, he’s here with us tonight, his first time in this city, his first time in America, and he’s come to share with us something precious, something to treasure, something serene.”
Ginsberg gestured to the swami to speak. The swami’s countenance was bright as he responded to the invitation. He spoke slowly, and his aging voice exuded confidence. “Thank you for inviting me to your beautiful city of San Francisco to speak here,” he said. “This chant comes from India. It will lead us to the spiritual world. you may begin tonight or anytime. The mantra is not only for Indians. Hare Krishna chanting is for all people because Krishna is everyone’s father. We should not think that Krishna is Hindu god or is for the Indians and not others. He is for everyone.” I was excited to hear him as he looked admirably around at the rapt audience. “If He were not, how could He be God? God cannot be God simply for a particular type of man or for a particular section of society.
“God is God for all human beings, beasts, aquatics, insects, trees, plants all varieties. That is God. The words of this chanting are Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.”
Ben or Roger bounced the words on the wall behind the swami.
“These words are a transcendental sound incarnation of the absolute Truth. Incarnation means … the Sanskrit word is avatar, and that is translated into english as ‘incarnation.’ The root meaning of avatar is ‘which descends or comes from the transcendental sky,’ the spiritual sky to the material sky. Or His bona fide representative comes from that sky to this material plane. That is called avatar.”
A female voice at the other end of the ballroom yelled, “yeah!”
Another voice somewhere in the hall yelled out, “I’m God!”
The swami continued unfazed. “So this sound is the sound representation of the Supreme Lord. material or spiritual, whatever we have got experience, nothing is separated from the Supreme Absolute Truth. nothing is separated.
“Everything has emanated from the Absolute Truth. just like earth. earth, then from earth, you have got wood, fuel. From fuel, when you get fire, first of all there is smoke. Then, after smoke, there is fire.
“Similarly, there is a link. The whole material cosmic situation, manifestation, what we see, it is just like the smoke. The fire is behind it. That is spiritual sky. But still, in the smoke, you can feel some heat also.
“So similarly, this sound vibration of the spiritual world is here, so that even in this material world, where there is a scarcity of that spiritual fire, we can appreciate, we can feel the warmth of that fire.
“So I wish to thank Mr.Jinsberg and all of you for participating. now Mr.Jinsberg will chant. Thank you very much.”
The audience burst into applause that lasted nearly a minute. Some people stood up and a few whistled and many banged the floor with their hands. A trumpet sounded from the back of the room. “Thank you, Swami,” Ginsberg said. “So I’m going to chant the mantra. These are the words,” he said, glancing behind him. “They’re on the wall behind me for you to follow. I’ll chant the whole thing once and then you repeat it. I’m going to sing a melody I learned when I was in Rishikesh in the Himalayas.” He paused. “everyone sing loud! and dance if you feel like it too!” Ginsberg began to sing, and all the devotees on the stage sang the repeat of the mantra. everyone began playing their instruments after the first few mantras, except for me; I had to quickly re-tune the tamboura to be in tune with Ginsberg. Fortunately, he stayed in the same key throughout his chant.
The audience caught on quickly. encouraged by the fact that the mantra was being sung by one of their icons, the crowd responded enthusiastically.
Everyone sang along, and most people stood up and began to sway with the beat. as the tempo began to pick up, Ben and Roger made sure the oil pulsations were in time with the beat. The chanting reached a fast tempo quickly; Ginsberg and the few devotees who were keeping time with the instruments had to start everything over again. The audience still stood, waiting. This time Ginsberg started the chanting slowly and kept the tempo constant. The audience’s response singing was a roar that echoed through the ballroom.
Suddenly and unexpectedly, the swami stood up from his cushion and raised his arms, gesturing for everyone to do the same. all the devotees on the stage exchanged surprised looks. janaki and I had seen the swami dance once before at Dr.Mishra’s ashram in upstate new york, but no one else had seen him do this before. and none of us had expected it tonight.
The few still sitting now stood up, and the whole audience danced as one body in one giant motion: left foot over right, right foot over left, left over right, just like the swami was doing. Thousands of arms waved like willows in a grove, nuid, silky and hypnotic. It was rhythmic, yet languid and ballet-like. everyone, including the snack sellers and bouncers, was swaying back and forth and singing. Only a few stood motionless at the periphery of the ballroom, excluded from the dancing probably because they were too high to take part. Their mouths hung open as they stared at the spectacle and drooled.
Ginsberg removed his microphone from its stand and unwound the cord so that he could hand it to the swami. For a few minutes the swami led the chanting.
As he did so, musicians from the bands joined us on the stage with their instruments. Don Stevenson from Moby Grape sat down behind his set of drums, which was still on stage from their set, Phil Lesh, and Pig Pen from The Grateful Dead plugged their guitars into amplifiers, and Peter Albin and Sam Andrew from Big Brother started plucking the strings of their guitars. They all began by caressing their instruments as only musicians do, testing the sound levels cautiously, tuning the strings and adjusting the tones and levels, experimenting as to how they could best accompany and augment the chanting.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/DeQNKz
Brhad-Bhagavatamrta 2.
Hindu Heritage Month in Ontario with Bhaktimarga Swami.
Saturday, November 4th, 2017 – Richmond Hill, Ontario
Getting Around.
Ontario proclaimed November as Hindu Heritage Month and the celebrations at the Vishnu Temple at Yonge and Hwy. 7 were the venue for this event. I was invited. Several mayors were present including those from Richmond Hill and I believe, Markham. Other dignitaries were also there. Principle organizer Lajput got up on the stage and mentioned my name twice in the capacity as his guru. It was flattering.
But in reality, the real boost for me, at this event, was the kirtan that Godbrother Gaura and I led. Gopal is an excellent drummer on the mrdunga, and Subal, our driver, is a happy dancer. The projecting of mantras must be a flattery for God.
After the program, when back home, I had the chance to clean, or mop, the floors in the temple and ashram. It’s always a heart-cleansing involvement.
That was followed by leading a discussion at Sacred Space, a weekly program for newcomers. It was a good bunch of humans who turned out—meaning they had a sincerity of purpose. One of the attendees brought up the subject of ‘evil’, questioning its origin and objective. It is a classic topic for Man. Generally I’ve found that if you’re a theist, it is a principle that can be accommodated. When one is an atheist, even of the philosophical mold, one is left baffled with the reality of evil. Theists tend to swallow the concept and can wrestle it down because they have someone to help them. They have a Divine connection.
My final engagement for the day was doing a nighttime walk—west on Dupont, south on Christie and east on Bloor, before making the turn to Avenue Road, in Toronto.
May the Source be with you!