Tuesday, September 26th, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

From Chasing Rhinos

After an evening walk through Belfour Park, I sat down to the excellent book, Chasing Rhinos With the Swami.  Here’s an excerpt when the first monks from America arrived in London after meeting with the Beatles.

“We had gone to the BBC-TV studios in London to videotape a pantomime of Radha Krishna Temple singing the Hare Krishna mantra, lip syncing the words to our record.  Top of the Pops broadcast every Thursday night for thirty minutes and, with twelve million viewers, it was the most watched show in Britain.  We didn’t have a TV set but on the very night Prabhupada arrived in England, the Radha Krishna Temple appeared on Top of the Pops as the third of seven acts.  On the same show were Crosby, Stills and Nash doing “Marrakesh Express’ and Bobby Gentry doing, ‘I’ll Never Fall In Love Again,’  George (Harrison) contacted the show and told us later that it was one of the highlights of his life to be sitting at home and watching the Krishnas on Top of the Pops.  He got a kick out of converting a gang of outlandish looking monks into rock stars.

Early the next morning, September 12, Prabhupada dives into his new surroundings.  Walking the magnificent grounds, through prized rhododendron thickets still in bloom, he points his cane at flowers and trees and things around us and makes flowing philosophical statements like, “Just see all these statues of so-called famous men.  Now they are covered with weeds, and no one remembers their names.”  The donkey, John keeps in a meadow, also became a topic for Prabhupada’s wise and often hilarious comments.”

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Monday, September 25th, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

What People Said!

I have written before about people’s interesting reactions to the robes I wear when out in public, walking along the street.  Early this morning, I received some new responses.

It started with a man, quite intoxicated, on Bloor Street.  “Hey, are you with the circus?”

Then on Yonge Street, which becomes rajasically(passionately) vibrant, especially on a sticky, hot evening like tonight, when just about everyone’s out and about, “Oh monkeeeey!” said the woman and then apologetically retracted, “I mean monk.”  There’s a question of whether or not she’d had a few.

I do take pride in wearing my monastic clothes.  From all that I’ve read, our guru, Srila Prabhupada, held a fearless countenance as he walked the streets of New York.  He carried himself like “an aristocrat.”  Hayagriva, his first student, had said that of him after their first meeting.  I believe Prabhupada wanted us (his students) to dress smartly and not necessarily like an avadhuta, one who is uncaring about attire and behavior, yet renounced.

As I walk on Yonge, I have to keep in mind, upon recalling my early years on the street in a dhoti (lower garment), that if you walk over a subway vent, when the train underneath goes by, the hot wind suddenly shoots up.  It can be embarrassing when clad in a dhoti.

The finishing steps of my early night walk on Yonge were met with nods from several people.  One young fellow in T-shirt and shorts looked at my clothes from afar and as he got closer said, “Yah wanna trade suits?  I like it.”

May the Source be with you!
7 km

Sunday, September 24th, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Fort Erie, Ontario

Back to Kilometres

One good friend of mine, or shall I say, someone I know who’s a good friend to many, lives on the Canadian side of the border near the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie.  His name is Murali Krsna, aka Mark Griffis, and he has his home situated right on Lake Erie.  I looked him up and popped in for a visit, before proceeding on to Toronto.

The boys and I shared some time, prasadam and a swim with Murali and his life partner, Pundarik.  Murali wasn’t aware of my U.S. walk, what to speak of my completing it.  Now he is, and the congratulations came.  The swim was a thanks and this walking body of mine found it welcoming.

I credit Murali for being a walking companion back in ’96 when he and his son, Tyler, and friend, Malcolm, took to walking with me along the Niagara River.  It was a longwalk.  I managed to make it an 82 kilometre day on that celebratory one called Radhastami, in honour of the consort of Krishna and ‘ultimate’ Goddess.  There’s always a need for cheerleaders and walking buddies can make the best ones.

This final drive from Niagara to Toronto actually marked the official finish of the U.S. walking project.  It was a sweet gesture that the homebase community arranged two fabulous cakes after my talk from verse 2.16 of the Gita.  The ingredients were sugar and spice and everything nice, and the icing was creamy, with a dark outline of the U.S. of A. and footsteps in carob running across the nation from east to west.

I believe the entire community caught a piece of the action—that is, a piece of one of the cakes.  The author of the masterpiece was Systyna.

Thank you all.

“Om Tat Sat.  Thanks an awful lot!”  As Murali would say.

May the Source be with you!
6 km

Good leadership
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, January 2012, Radhadesh, Belgium, Srimad Bhagavatam 5.18.9)

I visited a temple during my travels last year. For quite a number of years, that temple was emptying out. Everyone was leaving! Then suddenly, they found a new president who was young, enthusiastic and kind of nice in human relationships. That was his strongest point and this had changed the mood so much that now everyone is moving towards the temple. People were telling me, “Can I talk to you? I am thinking of moving into that temple!”

So it is like that. Good leadership is certainly important. Especially leadership centred around the behaviour of a sadhu – a person who is gentle; who is an example; who is spiritually strong and who is kind in his dealings. People look up to that kind of leader.

It is still a fundamental principle. In India, they still say, “Ram raja… Ram raja!” The rule of Lord Ramachandra from one million years ago is relevant still today – very relevant in India today. They all want that.

In our Movement, this is required but it also requires that we all come forward. I read a book about management and it mentioned, “Three hundred sixty degree leadership!”

It means that everyone on every level must be in a role of leadership. It is not that the person who is at the top position has to be a perfect example and a leader. No, everyone has to take his share of leadership! Everybody has to be a leader in his own field – three hundred sixty degrees means all around! Everyone has to be an example, everyone has to lead and take the initiative! No one can just wait for someone to make it happen!

The Gita Contest – December 2, 2017
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

The Gita Contest 2017

Krishna's Funskool at ISKCON Toronto is pleased to announce the Gita Contest 2017– Bhagavad Gita competitions for children.
                           
Event Date: Saturday, December 2nd, 2017
Venue: The Hare Krishna Temple, 243 Avenue Road, Toronto

Category 1: Age 3-5 years - Recitation and Translation
Category 2: Age: 6-8 years - Recitation and Translation
Category 3: Age: 9-12 years - Recitation, Translation and application
Category 4: Age: 13-17 years - Chapter study - MCQ and Short answer quiz

Please note: The selected verses will be sent by email to the participants on completion of registration

  • Assured prizes and Certificates of Participation for all contestants
  • For Gita verses and translations, please refer only to Bhagavad-gita As it is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
  • Contestants should bring proof of age (preferably copy of birth certificate/ photo ID card with age on the day of the contest
  • Registration fee is $20 per child (can be paid online at torontokrishna.com, or at Krishna's Funskool, ISKCON temple, Toronto on Sundays between 6:15 and 8:30 p.m.)

For details about content for Bhagavad Gita contest, registration and other information, contact kids@torontokrishna.com


Reconnection – Multi-Award-Winning Film About Vrindavan Premieres Online
→ ISKCON News

Reconnection, a multi-award winning film by ISKCON filmmakers Maxim Varfolomeev (Shyam Gopal Das) and Olga Avramenko (Vijay Radhika Dasi) has premiered online on Tuesday, September 26th. Reconnection is a coming of age story of a Western young man, Sean, who ends up in the sacred town of Vrindavan and goes through a transformative experience.

Saturday, September 23rd, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Moundsville, West Virginia

So Much So Little

It was my first time attending a retreat of the Bhaktivedanta Medical Association (BMA) held this year at the location of the New Vrndavana country ashram.  When I was invited as a special guest, I was flattered.  I have no medical background and, thus, what qualifies me, really, for being at such an event?

In a certain amount of words, organizer Prasanatma from Omaha, expressed that leading a kirtan, giving a class from the Bhagavatamand participating in the discussions offers a healing dynamic.  He was just a gentleman for saying so.

What was discussed?  A number of relevant topics came up such as how to balance work, family and community with one’s spiritual sadhana (practices) and not “burn out,” which is a common theme nowadays at major world conferences.  “This is a reality,” expressed Prasanatma.  Surprising?  Or maybe not?  People are sick in greater numbers, more than can be imagined, and doctors as well as nurses are few.  Medical people are in super-high demand.  It puts a strain on them.

The attendees who came from places like Chicago, Detroit, Tulsa, New York, Columbus, Miami—I’m sure I'm missing a few—were just wonderful folks, very mature and brahminical.

The venue was the new yoga structure located by the lake where you have situated these towering figures of Chaitanya and Nityananda.  Yes, here we are in the gorgeous hills of West Virginia.  I and the boys were given Cabin #7 by that placid lake.  This atmosphere, and the fact that we didn’t drive for two days, truly gave us the rest we needed.  Too bad, but I got so little walking in.

May the Source be with you!

0 miles

Friday, September 22nd, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Moundsville, West Virginia

Back in West Virginia

For the second day of fall, I find the weather not bad.  I have no network available in these hills of West Virginia, but it feels like in the 80s Fahrenheit.  It’s humid, too.  The evening will likely be substantially cooler.  We used to call these conditions ‘Indian Summer’, but I heard that is now politically incorrect to say.  Is it true?

But just before reaching West Virginia at 12 Noon on the dot, our van pulled over in order that I could be part of a radio interview over the phone.  One and half months ago I was on live and in the studio with Frank and Taylor on KUSA FM 100, of AJB FM radio, and they had asked that I call them after my cross U.S. walk was completed.  It was merely a fun follow-up.

So I called and Frank introduced me to their listeners as the Walking Monk and told them how I had finished up the mission.  They asked for my comments and I opened up by saying there is a tradition among Hare Krishna monks to travel long distances on foot for inspirational purposes and then to share some enlightenment.

At the end of the interview, I summed up by saying that the spiritual component needs to be inserted in one’s life in  order to increase it in richness and happiness.  “In America we have everything, all facilities,” and I ventured to say that our participation in spiritual practice is weak.

The radio station is located in Price, Utah, and I expressed over the air that most likely Utah was the state I liked the most.  Frank and Taylor were happy about that.

May the Source be with you!

2 miles

Govindas and Lotus Room
→ Ramai Swami

Govindas restaurant and the Lotus Room in Darlinghurst are still going strong after more than twenty years of operation.

The restaurant, run by devotee couple Pratapana and Jayasri, is pretty much packed out every night.

The Lotus Room hosts kirtan evenings headed by local devotees, however, many  well known international devotees come through to lead kirtans, which are also well attended.

 

TOVP Announces A Once-in-a-Lifetime Chakra Abhisheka Seva Opportunity
- TOVP.org

Opportunities to be part of history in the making, especially spiritual history related to the mission of the Lord, are rare in the material world. With the advent of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu we have been given the most rare chance to develop our love for Krishna and also return to Him. Rarer still is to be part of the building of the Lord’s “adbhuta mandir” in the Holy Dhama of Navadvipa from which the waves of Krishna prema will spread throughout the world.

The TOVP Fundraising Team announces yet another incredible seva: A Once-in-a-Lifetime opportunity to participate in the simultaneous grand installation ceremonies of the remaining two Chakras on the Radha Madhava and Nrsimha Domes in Sridhama Mayapur. We are offering devotees the unique seva to personally bathe the Chakras that will be mounted on these two domes! 1008 sponsorships will be available for each Chakra. And the needed funds will go directly to pay for the Chakras.

On February 7th, 2018, during the GBC meetings in Mayapur prior to Gaur Purnima, we have scheduled the official TOVP Chakra Installation Day to install the Chakras on top of the Radha Madhava and Lord Nrsimhadeva domes and you or your temple can participate by sponsoring the abhisheka of one or both of the Chakras. A Maha Sudarshana Yajna will be performed along with an abhishek and other auspicious ceremonies. If you are coming to Mayapur you can personally attend and bathe Lord Sudarshana with your family, or we will perform the service on your behalf and in your name. Your name will be read during the Maha Sudarshana Yajna and also placed at the base of the Chakra(s) you sponsor. You will also receive a very special gift from us. Nrsimha Chakra abhisheka donors will receive a beautiful silver colored Nrsimha Yantra. Radha Madhava Chakra abhisheka donors will receive a gold colored plate with the impression of Radha Madhava’s lotus feet. Sponsors of both abhishekas will receive both gifts. All gifts will be personally offered to the Deities first by Jananivas prabhu. If you are not personally present we will ship it to you anywhere in the world.

This unique opportunity is completely separate from all other previous pledge programs and is available for a contribution of either $501 (25,000 rupees) for Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Chakra abhisheka or $1,001 (51,000 rupees) for Radha Madhava’s Chakra abhisheka, or $1502 for both. These contributions will be used directly for the Chakra fund to pay for Their production. The payment can be made in full or paid in five installments. The installment option works out to only about $3 a day for the Nrsimha Chakra abhisheka, about $6 a day for the Radha Madhava Chakra abhisheka, and about $10 a day for both, for five months. This is a limited time offer as we expect a large, enthusiastic response and each Chakra abhisheka will be for only 1008 devotees. So act soon before it’s too late. And remember, temples can also participate in this opportunity to sponsor an abhisheka as a combined effort of many devotees. Contact your temple president and let him know.

EXTRA SPECIAL SEVA OPPORTUNITY! For devotees with the financial means and desire, we have a very special offer to sponsor the Victory Flags that will be raised onto both the Radha Madhava and Nrsimha Domes during the installation ceremony. The Planetarium Dome Victory Flag was previously sponsored and now these two flags are available for sponsorship for $25,000 for the Nrsimha Dome flag (11 ft./3.50 m. long) and $50,000 for the Radha Madhava Dome flag (16 ft./5 m. long). The flag along with a beautiful, decorative storage box will be given to you as a gift for your sponsorship. If you are interested in this most auspicious service opportunity please contact Vraja Vilas das directly at:

Phone – + 91 963 599 0391
Email – *protected email*

Please watch this video of the first Chakra installation onto the Planetarium Wing Dome:
https://tovp.org/construction/tovp-chakra-installation-milestone-event/

To make your installment pledge or full payment, please do the following:

DO THIS FIRST: Send an email to *protected email* and register for this seva opportunity by providing your personal contact information, your sponsorship choice (one or both Chakra abhishekas), and whether you will be paying in full or through installments for five months for the Radha Madhava or Nrsimha Chakra Installation Abhisheka Seva Program either by Paypal, bank transfer or Axis Bank General Donation (India only).

For U.S., U.K. and other International Payments Outside India

1. Go to https://tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities/ and click on the Square Foot option.

2. Click on Donate Now.

3. Select the Country and Payment Method (except India – see below)

4. In the Other Donation Amount section enter your payment amount, either the full amount or the portion of your pledge. The Total Amount box will show the amount you are paying. If you wish to set this up on a recurring schedule for five months check the “I want to contribute this amount every ______” box and select the week or month option. If you do not set up the recurring payment option you will need to remember to make your payment each month for four more months.

5. Enter all your personal data.

6. VERY IMPORTANT: In the Notes section under the personal data be sure to indicate that this donation is for the Radha Madhava/Nrsimha Chakra Installation Abhisheka Seva Program and whether you will be sponsoring one or both abhishekas.

Bank Transfers Outside of India

If you live outside of India and wish to pay in full or monthly through a bank transfer, follow the instructions in DO THIS FIRST above and then go to:
https://tovp.org/donate/bank-transfer-details/
You will need to remember to make your payments each month for four more months if choosing to pay in installments.

For India Payments

1. If you are an Indian citizen and wish to pay in full or in installments through a bank transfer, go to: https://tovp.org/donate/bank-transfer-details/
You will need to remember to make your payments each month for four more months if choosing to pay in installments.

2. If you are an Indian citizen and wish to pay through the Axis Bank General

Donation option (you will need a PAN number for this option), go to:
https://tovp.org/donate/axis/
Enter the amount of your payment, either the full or installment amount, enter your email address, and enter all your personal data.

VERY IMPORTANT: In the Notes section under the personal data be sure to indicate that this donation is for the Radha Madhava /Nrsimha Chakra Installation Abhisheka Seva Program and whether you will be sponsoring one or both abhishekas.

“If the devotee offers something to the Lord, it acts for his own interest because whatever a devotee offers the Lord comes back in a quantity a million times greater than what was offered. One does not become a loser by giving to the Lord; one becomes a gainer by millions of times.”

Srila Prabhupada; Krishna Book, Chapter 21

The post TOVP Announces A Once-in-a-Lifetime Chakra Abhisheka Seva Opportunity appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Different but the same
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 05 August 2012, Stockholm, Sweden, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.13.3-4)

Every devotee is an individual. We are not all stereotypes – all walking the same and all saying Hare Krsna in the same way. No, we are individuals who have a role to play and a contribution to make. That is what we are meant for. That is the higher plan. But when Prabhupada said, “Please, just give me this one life,” instead of just trying to be what we want, what we dream to be, what we’re always hoping for… for one life, just be the instrument of Krsna.

Thursday, Sept 21st, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Sterling Heights, Michigan

What Is Genuine?

“Hey, do you guys want to distinguish reality from illusion, big time?” is what I said to Hayagriva and Marshall.  The phrase about “reality and illusion” may sound as a reference from the book Bhagavatam—the first verse.  What I was actually half-joking about was something more to do with the truth behind taste—real taste or flavour that’s organic and not GMO.  While we were parked at an abandoned lot off of I-80 for a break, I pointed at two apple trees, one a red delicious breed and the other, a golden delicious.

“Go and try some of these fruits, far removed from the artificial flavours at the grocery store.”  There was a slight hesitation before they moved zealously in the direction of the discovered apple trees, but once they went for the pick and the bite, they understood what I was talking about.  The experience of taking an apple locally-grown and free of pesticides is a taste worth experiencing—a genuine explosion of joy.

My team agreed with me that real flavour is what’s missing in our food today. https://instagram.com/p/BZTi5bDlpxt/

It was an energy boost.  We carried on driving.  And what a drive it was, starting from Omaha, Nebraska, en route to Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and finally Michigan.  We embarked upon our destination for an evening program at Ypsilanti.  I see new people here, Carl and Radha who are new-residents in the house called “Harmony Collective.”  For my talk some young folks came for the first time—Meena and Josh.  I wish them well in their spiritual endeavours.  I hope they return for more of the genuine experience of hearing and chanting.

Vivasvan and Ananda Rupa invited us to their home for a rest.  They still have the Ganesh deity that we found in the bottom of a lake in Massachusetts when commencing this U.S. walk.

May the Source be with you!

0 mi


Giriraj Swami’s Vyasa-puja, September 17, London, via Skype
Giriraj Swami

IMG_0877Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad Bhagavatam 3.15.25.

“When one is free from all ten of these offenses in chanting the holy name of God, he develops the ecstatic bodily features called pulakasru. Pulaka means “symptoms of happiness,” and asru means “tears in the eyes.” The symptoms of happiness and tears in the eyes must appear in a person who has chanted the holy name offenselessly. Here in this verse it is stated that those who have actually developed the symptoms of happiness and tears in the eyes by chanting the glories of the Lord are eligible to enter the kingdom of God. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that if one does not develop these symptoms while chanting Hare Krsna, it is to be understood that he is still offensive. Caitanya-caritamrta suggests a nice remedy in this connection. There it is said in verse 31, Chapter Eight, of Adi-lila, that if anyone takes shelter of Lord Caitanya and just chants the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krsna, he becomes freed from all offenses.” SB 3.15.25 purport.

Vyasa-puja, London

Chitra Devi – The Compassionate-Hearted One
→ Mayapur.com

Today is  Chitra Devi Sakhi’s divine appearance day. At Mayapur, she is adorned with colorful garlands and special decorations and her divine qualities are displayed, for everyone to glorify & pray to her for mercy to serve the divine couple. In the year 1992, Chitra Devi was one of the last of the four Asta-sakhis, […]

The post Chitra Devi – The Compassionate-Hearted One appeared first on Mayapur.com.

The days of austerity
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2011, Berlin, Germany, Lecture)

In the earlier days of ISKCON, austerity was a big thing. It was considered spiritual, the more austere the more spiritual – the colder the water the better, the less you ate the more Krsna conscious you were! The days of austerity where everything was taboo! A book that was not Krsna conscious, if found in the ashram, would be confiscated and burned!

“Such books are not to be read, such books are maya, such books are contaminating us! We do not even wish to see them! Destroy them, annihilate them so that we will be safe from maya and it will not in any way disturb us and we will have purity in our devotional life!”

There is just one thing that we forgot. We forgot that we are human; we forgot that we have taste; we forgot that we have likes and dislikes; we forgot that we desire to enjoy and feel good.

Those days of fanaticism have moved along; it does not last.

 

Training Oxen by Voice Commands Lesson 3
→ Life With the Cows and Land



Lesson 3 is about teaching the commands "Get Up" and "Whoa" to the team Dhruva Laddhu and Kalyan Tamal. In this video, Dhruva is 9 months old and Kalyan is 10 months old. Check back or subscribe to know when the continuing lessons are published. By the end of the series, one should know how to train a team from an early age to adulthood or full working capacity.