Quantity of Nāma-Japa?

QUESTION: Why is nama-japa so highly stressed for bhaktas – even for the most beginning yogis?

ISKCON (and most of its branches, I suppose) places this stress on doing a copious amount of nāma-japa even from the beginning, but so far as I have seen, that is not traditional. Even in ISKCON, though, the greater stress is on nāma-kīrtan (which is in line with the traditional Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava approach).

The real ideal is to do nāma-kīrtan and learn the bhakti-jñāna by studying Gītā initially, and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam after that. Without the jñāna from these sources, we only have sentiment to fuel our interest in Krishna bhakti. So, comprehending the essential points presented in Gītā (and more elaborately in Bhāgavatam) is absolutely essential for the beginner. Kīrtan and japa are less important and fruitful then. Once Gītā and Bhāgavatam are well understood and internalized, kīrtan and japa become more fruitful and can be given more focus.

Beginners should also be engaged in a significant amount of seva, as a facsimile of karma-yoga, to give some vent and outlet to our necessity for action.

QUESTION: Can I safely conclude that the holy name is so potent in this age that it is still worth chanting and meditating on without steadiness of mind?

Yes, but that doesn’t mean that bad nāma-japa is advisable or can be allowed to persist.

I have known dozens and dozens and dozens of people, including myself, who chanted copious amounts of nāma-japa for years without any significant progress. Nāma-japa should be done attentively and carefully. Period.

As for the amount, that should be increased naturally as the taste for it increases.

To even chant one māla of attentive, careful nāma-japa is immensely powerful (and significantly advanced – relative to our modern minds). Even to do ten mantras of very attentive, careful nāma-japa is extremely powerful, more powerful than 64 rounds of inattentive japa.

Some people have a different opinion here, but personally I haven’t seen it work. The only one I’ve really seen it work well with was the 24-hour kīrtaniyā, Aindra das of ISKCON Vṛndāvana – but who can match his intensity of dedication and passion for Krishna? Very few if anyone at all. He was a very rare, unique bhakta – though he tried to present himself as a rank-and-file person.

In my opinion, what I am suggesting is the safer path for the majority. And even in Aindra’s case, you’ll find he didn’t “just chant.” He dedicated immense amounts of effort to seva and study.

In any case, we should note here that the 8th Anga of Śrī Rūpa Goswami’s advice for bhakti-sādhana is “yavad arthānuvartita” – to approach life (including sādhana) in a moderate, realistic, appropriate manner.

QUESTION: Especially for those who aren’t completely dedicated to the meditation (who still have a lot of karma-yoga/worldly duties to perform), trying to meditate/practice japa can sometimes feel like a constant battle. Do we just continue to ‘bring our mind back to the mantra’? What other things can be applied to make it more effective in this situation?

Disciplining the mind will never be a stroll amongst the roses. It will always be difficult. It’s always going to be a battle, but that doesn’t mean we should throw ourselves into battles we can win.

For example, first become steady in being able to chant 10 mantras without distraction and with full attention to each syllable. That’s a battle most people can win in some time with some effort, enthusiasm and dedication. Then advance to something more, like 24. If and when you can do that consistently, then try for a māla. Once you can steadily do a complete māla, say for example everyday for a week or a month at a stretch, you are really quite advanced already, and very likely ready to move onto more extensive meditation-based bhakti-sādhana, without the need for significant activity and material considerations. Then you could start to consider the advanced advice about nāma-japa, and doing it for significant amounts of time every day.

 

Tagged: Chanting, Japa

Honoring Saradiya Devi Dasi
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Hare KrishnaBy Padmapani das

Our dear Godsister, Saradiya devi dasi, departed from this world on Sri Krishna Saradiya Rasayatra to be with her eternal father, Srila Prabhupada. Her sincerity and love for Srila Prabhupada is unparalleled. May we follow in her footsteps. Bonds of Love by Saradiya Devi Dasi. Srila Prabhupada and Saradiya. Bhaktivedanta Manor Pancha-Tattva Painting Continue reading "Honoring Saradiya Devi Dasi
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H.G.Srutakirti Prabhu in a recent SB class, in Vrindavana,…
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H.G.Srutakirti Prabhu in a recent SB class, in Vrindavana, narrates pastimes with Srila Prabhupada (video)
Once some of his disciples were talking lightly about the faults of their godbrothers in a room next to that of his Divine Grace without being aware that he was listening. After a while, Srila Prabhupada appeared and told them: “This kind of gossip destroys your Krishna consciousness!”
Srila Prabhupada was never pleased to hear criticisms and negative talk.
During a morning walk, some other disciples were complaining about similar issues, Srila Prabhupada stopped, turn towards them and said: “You have come only to discourage and I have come to encourage!”
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/XnrffU

Gita 14.17 Different modes foster different emotions, dispositions and destinations
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

The post Gita 14.17 Different modes foster different emotions, dispositions and destinations appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Tolerating phases of bad fortune

khalvāṭo divaseśvarasya kiraṇaiḥ santāpite mastake

vāñchan deśam anātapaṁ vidhi-vaśāt tālasya mūlaṁ gataḥ

tatrāpy asya mahāphalena patatā bhagnaṁ sa-śabdaṁ śiraḥ

prāyo gacchati yatra bhāgya-rahitas tatraiva yānty āpadaḥ

 

khalvāṭaḥ — a bald man; divaseśvarasya — of the sun; kiraṇaiḥ — by the rays; santāpite — on experiencing burning; mastake — of the head; vāñchan — desiring; deśam — some place; anātapam — free from heat; vidhi-vaśāt — out of his fate; tālasya — of a palm-tree; mūlam — under; gataḥ — went; tatrāpi — there too; asya — his; mahāphalena — by a big coconut; patatā — by falling; bhagnam — cracked open; sa-śabdam — with a great sound; śiraḥ — head; prāyaḥ — usually; gacchati — goes; yatra — wherever; bhāgya-rahitaḥ — an unfortunate person; tatraiva — there too; yānti — arrive; āpadaḥ — his destined suffering;

 

“A bald man’s head was burning by the strong rays of the sun. He decided to find some relief from the heat, and by the arrangements of providence he found shelter under a palm-tree. Even after finding relief with such great difficulty, a coconut fell on him, breaking open his head with a loud cracking noise. Truly, wherever an ill-fated person goes, his misfortunes follow him.”

— (Nīti-śataka of Bhartṛhari, Verse 90)
We sometimes go through phases of bad fortune when things keep going wrong, one after another. Whatever we do to set things right only makes them worse. Gita wisdom helps us understand that such phases deliver us concentrated doses of reactions to our past karma. To navigate such phases, or even to just survive them, we need patience and tolerance. Kneejerk reactions can cause aggravation, even devastation.

Does this mean that we fatalistically do nothing to solve problems? No, the Vedic tradition wasn’t fatalistic. For example, it didn’t ask the sick to just live with their pain; it treated them with a sophisticated branch of medical knowledge, Ayurveda.

Still, spiritual traditions the world over have been realistic enough to recognize that sometimes, despite our best efforts, nothing works. Such times call for not frantic action, but philosophical contemplation. To become contemplative, we need the capacity to tolerate distress – intolerance keeps us agitated, rushing from one apparent solution to another.

Unfortunately, our capacity to tolerate distress is eroded by modern thought. Most contemporary thought-systems operate on the foundational ideology of self-determination, which holds that we alone are the makers of our destiny. By our intelligence and efforts, we can stave off everything undesirable and attain everything desirable. Or so we are taught to believe. The notion that we are the controllers of our life is so central to our worldview that we define our success and even our self-worth in terms of our capacity to mold our circumstances to our will. Given such self-conceptions, uncontrollable situations don’t just frustrate us – they shatter us. No wonder mental health problems have risen with the spread of modernity.

If we wish to respond to difficulties intelligently, not impulsively, we need to challenge our debilitating beliefs about controllership. Gita wisdom offers a better understanding of our position and purpose in the cosmic hierarchy of things. The Bhagavad-gita (15.07) states that we are souls, parts of the supreme being, God, Krishna. He is the supreme controller, and we, being his parts, are partial controllers. His capacity to control is infinite, whereas ours is finite. We are meant to use our finite controlling capacity to serve him, in whatever situation life sends our way. During phases of bad fortune, the best way we can serve may well be by tolerance.

Tolerating distress doesn’t mean that we become totally passive; it means that we act first for spiritual elevation, not material rectification. The Gita (18.58) urges us to take shelter of the process of bhakti-yoga which raises our consciousness above the material level of reality to the spiritual level, where we find relief through loving absorption in Krishna.

Srimad-Bhagavatam is replete with examples of devotees accepting adversity with spirituality, with devotional dispositions that featured tolerance and fostered transcendence. Its central narrative begins with the great king Parikshit being cursed unfairly with capital punishment for a minor transgression. Rather than resenting or revenging the curse, he absorbs himself in hearing about Krishna and thereby transcends bodily consciousness. Even before his body meets its fated destruction, his soul attains the feted liberation that can’t be attained even by the most zealous material endeavors.

If we too cultivate a devotional disposition of service, the Gita (10.10) assures that Krishna will guide us from within to choose wisely so that we can move closer to him.

When faced with adversities, if we strive first to raise our consciousness to the spiritual level, then we will get the intelligence to act appropriately at the material level in a mood of service.

By thus learning to tolerate adversities, we will not just go through them but also grow through them towards Krishna.

 

 

 

 

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Sri Gaurachandra’s Installation at New York’s Bhakti Center
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On October 4th,  a divine form of Sri Caitanya was installed on the altar of the temple at New York's The Bhakti Center. Accompanied by a chorus of voices chanting Vedic mantras and jubilant kirtan, brahmins began the ceremony by establishing the intention in the minds of the community, honoring and seeking the blessings of the seniors present and commencing the rites with the traditional Vedic fire ceremony.

Sri Gaurachandra’s Installation at New York’s Bhakti Center
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On October 4th,  a divine form of Sri Caitanya was installed on the altar of the temple at New York's The Bhakti Center. Accompanied by a chorus of voices chanting Vedic mantras and jubilant kirtan, brahmins began the ceremony by establishing the intention in the minds of the community, honoring and seeking the blessings of the seniors present and commencing the rites with the traditional Vedic fire ceremony.

A worthy representative

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 18 September 2017, Mauritius, Arrival Lecture)

In the spiritual world, devotees also offer aarti when greeting various personalities. This tradition manifested on this planet and in Mauritius too.

When I travel, I see different cultures, sometimes more traditional and other times more modern. Sometimes simply, “How are you?” and that is all but in Krsna Consciousness, we embrace spiritual traditions. Somehow or other, we are all playing a role in one body or another. Male and female are the big division but there are many other divisions as well. Just like, I am playing the role of a teacher given to me by my spiritual master but at the same time, I am learning also. I am learning how to come closer to Krsna every day, which is an ongoing learning process throughout spiritual life.

In the spiritual world, devotees worship other devotees. Srimati Radharani is worshipped by other gopis because worship is purifying. It is easier to worship than to receive. Receiving worship is very difficult. Just like now, you are singing Guru Puja to me instead of Srila Prabhupada. This is very difficult because I am thinking, “What does Srila Prabhupada think of me now?” Then I apologise for my lack of qualification while I sincerely try to represent Srila Prabhupada and the other previous acaryas.

 

Preaching program in Tirana, Albania’s capital city (Album…
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Preaching program in Tirana, Albania’s capital city (Album with photos)
Ananda Tirtha: We had a really, really wonderful six days in Tirana, Albania. The city is pleasant. People are super pleasant. We managed to sell 500 books. Bhakti-grantha and Nayananda Prabhus distributed almost all of them. I managed to meet up with the Indian consul in Tirana, a man in his 60s with moist and lively eyes, a successful businessman of a warm and unassuming nature. He helped us with our mission. I gifted him a copy of the Sri Isopanisad in Albanian, a copy of the Bhagavad-gita in English, and a copy of the Atma magazine in Albanian. We also met a vibrant woman, a yoga teacher, who without thinking twice invited us to give a lecture at her studio. That proved to be a great gathering. One of the men in attendance even offered his help to initiate an Iskcon center in Tirana and translate the Bhagavad-gita into Albanian. We look forward to our next visit to Tirana.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/y1PvWC

New York Supreme Court Declares Historic Decision in favor of Hare Krishna Movement
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The case began in 2004 in Freeport, New York, when persons from outside Long Island, through deception and subterfuge, took control of the Long Island ISKCON Temple board of trustees. Those persons opposed GBC authority and taught a philosophical system called ritvik, which the GBC declared a deviation from traditional Hare Krishna, or Vaishnava Hindu teachings.

Dauji, The Older Brother! (Album with photos) Indradyumna…
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Dauji, The Older Brother! (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Dauji is a name for Lord Balarama meaning ‘older brother.’ It is also the name of a village in greater Vrindavan, where a very ancient deity of Lord Balarama is worshiped with great love and devotion by the citizens. It’s one of my favorite places in all of Vrindavan. Yesterday we took our parikrama party of 350 devotees to Dauji to see Dauji!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/evTxb9

Rebirth According to the Bhagavad-gita; Epistemology, Ontology and Ethics
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Hare KrishnaBy Ishvara Krishna Das

This paper is engaged with the topic of reincarnation in the Bhagavad gītā, better termed “rebirth”. It first looks into the epistemological aspects of rebirth, and highlights the type of knowledge or terminology underlying the vision of rebirth, as opposed to a different type of knowledge that is not suitable for this purpose, and which leads to a different vision of reality. It then looks into the ontological aspects of rebirth, and having highlighted some Upaniṣadic sources, it highlights major Bhagavad gītā sections describing the soul and rebirth. Finally, it looks into the ethics derived from the concept of rebirth; it first characterizes these as “ethics of equanimity”, and then expands these into the “ethics of enlightened action”, which refer to action grounded in the idea of rebirth. Continue reading "Rebirth According to the Bhagavad-gita; Epistemology, Ontology and Ethics
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Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple Damodar AartI Darshan 5th October…
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Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple Damodar AartI Darshan 5th October 2017 Live from ISKCON Chowpatty (14 min video)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/xosMMq
After He had snuggled into Yasoda’s embrace, Krsna had become both the victim of neglect and the beneficiary of bliss. It was an extraordinary experience, one that He continued to enjoy until His rebellious mind thought,
“She has left Me for some milk.”
Following the experience of separation came thoughts of being neglected, and from those thoughts emerged corresponding feelings that stoked the anger of love. Burned thus by the fire of indignation, Krsna boiled like a baby-volcano.
Mother Yasoda was also a beneficiary of a similar but even more intense sweetness.
Upon feeding Krsna she had tasted the heavenly nectar of His touch, and when she put Him down she drank the abysmal poison of His absence. But as she rushed to save the boiling milk, her ecstasy amazingly increased step by step. Like Krsna, she too was intoxicated by the love of separation. However, because He was the object of love and she the subject because He was unlimited and she limited, her pleasures, both nectarean and poisonous, were a hundred times greater than His. So when divine love forced Yasoda to rush to the stove, she was so disoriented that in an invisible way Yogamaya had to guide her.
Knowing that His mother’s bliss exceeded His own, Krsna felt further deprived.
“Another injustice!”
Pierced thus from multiple directions, His mounting anger finally erupted.
Although a little boy of three, Krsna was the origin of anger, material and spiritual. The forms of Virabhadra and Nrsimha may have appeared ferocious by comparison to baby Krsna, but the fierceness of the anger that He felt was no less than theirs.
In this way, frustration at being neglected, jealousy of the boiling milk, and the injustice of being spiritually short-changed caused a host of bodily symptoms.
His hands clenched and unclenched, His little chest heaved with rapid breathing, and His black complexion became tinged with red. Eyes reddish, eyebrows flitting, and lips trembling, Krsna glared in the direction of the kitchen, bit His lower lip, and vowed,
“I will get revenge.”
Sri Damodara-janani
(HH Sivarama Swami)

Gita 14.16 Piety purifies, craving torments and intoxication stupefies

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Vedic Sociology Seminar at ISKCON Juhu. ‘Varnasrama Dharma is…
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Vedic Sociology Seminar at ISKCON Juhu.
‘Varnasrama Dharma is the society of Vaisnavas in their conditional stage.’ (Bhaktivinod Thakur in Sajjan Toshani)
A 3-day seminar on Vedic Sociology was held at ISKCON Juhu under the aegis of IDVM-India on 1st - 3rd of October 2017. The seminar was given by His Holiness Bhakti Raghava Swami Maharaj. Posters of the event were displayed in the temple premises. Information about the same was also circulated on social media. There was a lot of excitement amongst devotees for the seminar.
The first day of the seminar was an introduction to Vedic Sociology. His Holiness explained that the Vedic Society is primarily an agrarian society and encouraged devotees to lead a more natural life based on land, cows and Krishna. His Holiness also mentioned that cities are supposed to be our preaching bases and villages our living bases. The presentation had many direct statements from past acharyas emphasizing the importance of Varnasrama Dharma. His Holiness explained about the ISKCON’s four movements. His Holiness explained that Srila Prabhupada wanted Krishna Consciousness movement to be not only Religious movement, Cultural movement, Educational movement, but also a social movement.
The presentation was based on Kautilya’s Arthasastra.
The second day of the seminar dealt with another very important topic of Varnasrama Education. His Holiness first explained about the three types of vidyas and then about the five pillars of education. He also explained about the qualities which student and teachers should possess. Maharaja gave the seven pillars of success under the science of politics wherein His Holiness compared the Vedic perspective and their counterpart in a modern organization. Then, Maharaj explained about the char vidyas namely Vedic Philosophy, Vedic Education, Vedic Politics and Vedic Economics. There was an interesting topic about how to determine one’s varna. At the last phase of the seminar on day 2, Maharaja showed an interesting video by Srila Prabhupada on education and politics.
The third day was on Varnasrama Economics. Due to bad health, His Holiness could not present the seminar. His Grace Vishnunam Prabhu, Vice President ISKCON Ahmedabad presented the seminar. Prabhu started with many direct quotes from Srila Prabhupada on cow protection. In his presentation, he shared his own experience with ISKCON Ahmedabad goshala and his experience with the cows. It was interesting to know that milk production could be increased by allowing calves to stay with their mother cow for 12 hours every day. He explained about the animal impact on the land through planned grazing of cows. He also gave few quotes from Vedas regarding taking care of Gomata. He explained how cows help in increasing organic matter of land and thus enables the soil to hold more water. Another interesting point he made was if we eat grains, vegetables etc made out of cow dung and urine, we do not need medicines made out of cow dung and urine.
Devotees attended the seminar in large number. They were very happy to gain holistic vision of Vedic sociology with the seminar and wanted more such kind of seminars to broaden their horizon of thinking. The audience also asked many interesting questions on the topic.
The seminar will be soon uploaded on the youtube channel ‘Varnasrama Media service’. Interested devotees may subscribe the youtube channel to watch full seminar.
Shubhananda Hari Das
To read the entire article click here: https://archive.org/download/VedicSociology/Vedic%20Sociology.docx

Book distribution in Vrindavana. Kavicandra Swami: This is my…
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Book distribution in Vrindavana.
Kavicandra Swami: This is my God Sister, Radha Kunda dasi. She was Book Distributor par excellence in the 70’s. She inspired me in my early days of book distribution.
She moved to India and helped to establish ISKCON in Gujarat.
She started the Mataji book distribution party in front of Krsna Balaram Mandira. They distribute hundreds of book daily. Note the name tag, made in USA. That is to save time since everyone asks about that.

Bhaktimarga Swami Completes 3,550-Mile Walk Across U.S. for…
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Bhaktimarga Swami Completes 3,550-Mile Walk Across U.S. for ISKCON 50.
On Friday September 15th, Bhaktimarga Swami, “The Walking Monk,” crossed the finish-line for his 3,550-mile walk across the USA in San Francisco, beneath shining blue skies and rolling white clouds.
It had been two years since he set off.
This wasn’t the Swami’s first adventure on foot. He has walked across Canada from coast to coast four times; and he has trekked across Ireland, the Fiji Islands, Mauritius, Trinidad, Guyana, and Israel, to promote a more simple, healthy and spiritual lifestyle.
But this latest walk, in honor of his guru A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and the 50th anniversary of Prabhupada’s International Society for Krishna Consciousness, has been the most personally meaningful to him.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/a2cfb1

Wednesday, October 4th, 2017
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North York, Ontario

Clean and Shine

My mind is most peaceful when things are clean, and so, gradually, I’m going about the ashram and mandir (temple) where I live, and addressing the accumulated dust, dirt, crumbs and misplacements.  There is so little help these days.  Few young men reside in the ashram.  They’re better off travelling anyways, which is what they are doing.  The few able ones who do reside with us are, for the most part, off at work or school.

I see it as a glorious service to pick up a broom, dust pan, then mop and water bucket and work away.  Naturally when visitors come by and they see a swami at labour, they may volunteer.  That’s also a good feeling for me—engaging others.  It’s about as sweet as seeing all the dirt wash away.  Therapeutic–it is.

I also had the good blessings to see siblings.  My sister Pauline is a hair dresser for the rich and she invited me to her home where Connie, another sister, and bro Jerry also happened to drop by.  Connie teaches.  Jerry’s a photographer.  The gathering was actually a pre-birthday party for me.  At this full moon, I’ll be 65.

Pauline checked out, online, Hare Krishna cake recipes and came out with something rather successful.

To get to her home, I took the subway to Sheppard and Yonge.  Then, not knowing which way and being greeted by an ominous dark cloud above, I asked for directions because the western sun was not visible.  It’s funny that people don’t have their directions quite right in their own city.  I was misled and went the wrong way through some rain, but that’s okay, I got some walking in.

May the Source be with you!

6 km


Tuesday, October 3rd, 2017
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Tilsonburg, Ontario

Most Welcome

Our morning class discussion was centered around a verse from the Bhagavatam, 10.20.20, which goes as follows: “The peacocks became festive and cried out a joyful greeting when they saw the clouds arrive, just as people distressed in household life feel pleasure when the pure devotees of the infallible Supreme Lord visit them.”

How then to improve our hospitality when people come to visit the temple and ashram? Visitors may not necessarily fit into the category of “pure devotee” but let’s give them the benefit of the doubt that their intent is good. People come on a daily basis for some comfort and serenity. How can we make their stay the most welcoming?

The simple answer that came from the group was to acknowledge their presence with:
1)    A smile
2)    Some words of welcome
3)    Offer some prasadam, even a small piece
4)    Inform them of upcoming sangas—gatherings
5)    Answer their questions
6)    Offer them literature, a take-home bit of information
7)    Inform them as to where they may find water and a washroom

This can be expanded upon, of course.

The demonstration of the above kindness came from Kelly and Ramachandra when Nimai took Wade and I on the drive to Tilsonburg at the Indigo Lounge.  In its yoga room, we met with local folks interested in hearing “Tales From Trails,” the Bhagavat philosophy, and some chanting.

It was nice to see the enthusiasm from the group, in terms of the good questions coming my way and the response to the literature, CD’s and japa beads we made available.

We felt most welcome.  Kelly’s final word was, “Let’s do it again!”

May the Source be with you!

0 km


Vrindavana full of pilgrims for Kartika (Album with…
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Vrindavana full of pilgrims for Kartika (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “The essence of all Vedic knowledge—comprehending the three kinds of Vedic activity, the Vedic hymns, and the processes for satisfying the demigods—is included in the eight syllables Hare Krishna Hare Krishna. This is the reality of all Vedanta. The chanting of the holy name is the only means to cross the ocean of nescience.” (Narada-pancharatra)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ZhJby4

Monday, October 2nd, 2017
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Toronto, Ontario

’Twas Awesome

It was a fast train, only four hours to get from Ottawa to Toronto. Once I arrived at the downtown Union Station, I decided, because it was an awesome day weather-wise, that I would walk to the ashram. Are you inspired?

I had my luggage with wheels and so I rolled it all the way for the 4.4 kilometres. I went north on York Street, and then through Nathan Phillips Square. I was captivated by a sculpture there. Suspended rather high was the image of a lion and a lamb looking fairly contented at each other.

Immediately I thought, “This is biblical. Now let me see….”  I began to speculate.  In truth, I should have read the plaque. This is a depiction of the heaven where there is no fear; prey and predator are one.  ’Twas awesome!

I looked up on Google some reference to the lion and lamb. Apparently the two sculptured animals are more to do with a representation of Jesus. The question is, “How should we understand the lion and the lamb passage?”

Answer: Typically, when someone is thinking of the “lion and the lamb,” Isaiah 11:6 comes to mind due to it often being misquoted. “And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together.”  The true “Lion and the lamb” passage is in the book of Revelation 5:5-6. Christ is both the conquering lion of the tribe of Judah and the lamb who was slain.  There are two aspects of the nature of Christ.

Anyway, it was cool to see a beautiful work of art, with some divine message behind it, in the downtown of a corporate-culture section of town.

May the Source be with you!

6 km

Sunday, October 1st, 2017
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Ottawa, Ontario

On Top of the Hill

The police officer, a female, approached us out of sheer curiosity.  It was Parliament Hill and our small chanting party had made our way to one of those historic sculptures with armed figures, representations of early settlers to the New World as well as some natives of the First Nations.  I had our group posed and interspersed with the sculptured heroes, ready to take a photo of our group holding our weapons of drum, tambourine and cymbals, when the police officer asked, “What are you doing?  We have groups coming up here protesting at times.  I don’t know anything about you.”  To me she asked, “Are you the leader?”

“Yes, I’m a leader amongst us—a visitor to Ottawa, but I can answer your question.  We are from the Hare Krishna group which has roots in India—an ancient tradition that pre-dates Buddhism and Christianity.  We represent peace.  We have no violent or aggressive intent here.”

Then Krishna Dulal, our drummer, added, “As a matter of fact, we come here every Sunday to share our music and spread the peace.  We have a free feast, vegetarian, at our Centre on Somerset.”

“What do you call yourselves?”

“Hare Krishnas!  Here’s my card.”  I pointed to the mantra. She accepted the card but refused our literature.

By now she was convinced that we were harmless.  I do believe she was more inquisitive for her own sake than just doing her job.  We shook hands and were on our way.  Dozens of cameras from tourists moved in.  People thought us to be colourful, after all.  We were.

May the Source be with you!

9 km

Saturday, September 30th, 2017
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Ottawa, Ontario

Different Ways of Walking

My fingers were walking over my mala—beads.  It is a life-long commitment I made to do those rounds—one hundred and eight beads on a strand to make one round—times sixteen.  A vow made to our guru, Prabhupada, it assists in keeping maya, life’s illusions, at bay.

My eyes were walking over words of recent history from the book Chasing Rhinos.  The contents are about a revolution in consciousness.  John Lennon’s song about revolution suggests change.  This evolution begins with a purging of the self.  I was sitting on a park bench, at Sandy Hill, reading.

My ears were walking over the sounds of the loud students at the game nearby.  They were happy sounds, but flavoured with the two words “like” and the “F” word.  This is so common.

My lips and tongue were walking over the savoury morsels of ‘dinner’, as Vinodini put it, actual prasadam, blessed food.  Inside the gymnasium of the community centre, participants also enjoyed this great potluck food.  And I always like the veggies best.

My senses were walking over the delivery of the presenters who were honouring a saintly lady who passed away recently—Guru Prasad’s wife, Vinodini’s mum.  Her name was Niranjani.  She was resilient and always soft and smiling.

Overall, I did some walking with varying instruments, all but for the legs.  Then time allowed five minutes on Highway 7 as Kasyap, the driver, was chanting his gayatri mantra.  To do gayatriyou walk your thumb over your fingers.  That’s the best way I can describe it.

May the Source be with you!

No reporting of km today.

Presenting Krishna consciousness (Album with photos) On 23rd…
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Presenting Krishna consciousness (Album with photos)
On 23rd September 2017, Gaur Gopal das was invited to speak at SBI - SBICAPs Conclave.
SBI Capital Markets Ltd, a subsidiary of State Bank of India, organized a Conclave, which was attended by senior officials of State Bank of India, SBI Capital Markets limited, RBI and other corporates.
Gaur Gopal das spoke on the topic “Secrets to renew Energy and Enthusiasm.”
Find them here: https://goo.gl/aToDNG

How I came to Krishna consciousness
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Hare KrishnaBy Niranjana Swami

We never experienced anything else in Prabhupada’s presence other than his burning desire to give Krishna, and that’s what captured our hearts, and that’s what makes us want to make this life successful by doing something to make Prabhupada smile. And if some day we can become so blessed to be able to do that which he wants us to do, then that’s the only reason why we live in this world. There is nothing else. Continue reading "How I came to Krishna consciousness
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Belief in Reincarnation and Some Unresolved Questions in Catholic Eschatology
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Hare KrishnaBy Bradley Malkovsky

There are two strong arguments advanced by reincarnationists against the teaching of one earthly life. The first argument regards reincarnation as a more reasonable expression of divine mercy and love than the disproportionate and unfair infliction of eternal punishment by God upon a human being for a single morally corrupt lifetime. The second argument finds reincarnation to be necessary for the continued exercise of creaturely freedom required for true moral and spiritual maturation. Catholic teaching, by contrast, asserts that a single earthly life followed by purgatory is sufficient for the perfection and completion of the human person. However, in both the satisfaction and sanctification models of purgatory the human person is entirely passive, not actively contributing to its own completion. Such an approach would seem to devalue free human participation in the process of perfection. Continue reading "Belief in Reincarnation and Some Unresolved Questions in Catholic Eschatology
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The Reincarnation(s) of Jaya and Vijaya: A Journey through the Yugas
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Hare KrishnaBy Satyaraja Dasa

Reincarnation, of course, is accepted as a given in India’s mystical literature, and, according to Eastern sensibility, its truth undergirds any genuine metaphysical understanding of life. We are spirit-soul, say texts like the Bhagavad-gītā (2.13, 21, 22, among others), and not the material body. We are a quantum of energy, and energy, we learn from the natural sciences, is never created or destroyed. It continues to exist in some form. God, too, is spiritual substance, and He/She/It reincarnates as well.1 But whereas regular souls are forced to incarnate according to their karmic activity—for every action there is an equal and commensurate reaction—God appears in various forms according to His sweet will, for the sake of play (līlā) and to educate. Continue reading "The Reincarnation(s) of Jaya and Vijaya: A Journey through the Yugas
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Sri Damodarashtakam Traditional ISKCON Bhajan for Lord Damodara…
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In the month of Kartika one should worship Lord Damodara and daily recite the prayer known as Damodarashtakam along with offering a Lamp twice a day. Damodar Ashtakam has been spoken by the sage Satyavrata which attracts Lord Damodara. Very naughty yet blissful pastimes of Lord Krishna are beautifully narrated in this Ashtakam. Sri Damodarashtakam Traditional ISKCON Bhajan for Lord Damodara By Madhavas Rock Band (11 min video)

Gita 14.15 The modes are not just psychological constructs, they are also post-mortem destination shapers
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

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