The Lord’s devotees
→ Ramai Swami

Devotees at Radha Gopinatha Mandir and Radha Rasesvara Mandir have been buying land near the temple and building their family homes.

This is like many temples in India, especially temples like Sri Rangam, where the whole town is built around the temple in the centre.

Of course, it allows devotees to regularly attend temple functions and render valuable service.

An elephant to the rescue
→ Servant of the Servant



People say animals do not have soul, or feelings or the ability to think. This video proves otherwise.

Anyone with an ounce of intelligence will understand that animals of all species have desire, intelligence, mind and feelings (thus consciousness) to emote at times of happiness or despair. It is just that the emotions fit the body of that living being. Animals have the same rights as humans to live out their lives per their life style habits. In my opinion, humans who support animal slaughter have feelings less than an animal since they cannot appreciate the consciousness (thinking, feeling and desiring) of the animal.

In this video, two elephants are trying hard to prevent the baby elephant from dying. You can see that they show urgency which means they understand the elephant is drowning and will die if we do not save it immediately (like any human). Since elephants are evolved beings, their consciousness is evolved to the point they can understand when someone is drowning. Then they use their intelligence and mental capacity to save the drowning elephant.

Hare Krishna

Appreciating Mother Aditya
Giriraj Swami

Yesterday, on Ekadasi, Aditya dasi left her body in Sri Vrindavan dhama. She was a pure, devoted soul who sincerely served Srila Prabhupada and his Lords for the last forty-five years. She was our secretary in Juhu, and after Prabhupada’s Mother Aditya in Vrindavandeparture she did wonderful service in his quarters. To assist me with the preaching, she even visited Pakistan, where she was much appreciated and loved by the local ladies. Later, when I was kept out of India because of visa problems, she moved to Vrindavan to serve Prabhupada there. She was ill these last days and wanted to leave her body on Ekadasi, and Prabhupada fulfilled her desire. We feel her separation, but we take solace in knowing that she has gone to continue her service to him and his Lords in a better situation. I am praying for her. And I am reminded of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta’s description of Haridasa Thakura’s funeral ceremony: “Thereafter, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bade farewell to all the devotees, and He Himself, with mixed feelings of happiness and distress, took rest.”

Hare Krishna.

In humble service,
Giriraj Swami

 

Tuesday June 20, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Massadona, Colorado

Dry Day

All three of us like the early morning treks. Millions of stars adorn the sky up above. I asked the boys, Hayagriva and Marshall, if they were familiar with the Classical Music “The Planets” by Gustav Holst. They had never heard it. So I played “Venus, The Bringer of Peace” from the album on my phone.
https://youtu.be/5Hpb2gp4mtc

How soothing and appropriate it was to have that playing while we looked up at the heavenly bodies and chanted our japa (mantras) over top of the music. We had the road to ourselves. We were kings of the road. The area west of Elk Springs is so desolate. Even rush hour makes you wonder how it could be so calm at the usual hectic hours between 7 and 9:00 a.m.

Once the sun arises, it is not long before it becomes merciless. That then draws black flies and mosquitoes. They have a circus and they come in numbers as plentiful as the stars had been up above. The further west I go, as the boys settle in the van for their reading sessions, the more dry as a bone the land becomes.

Wildlife is rare to see now. They are attracted to green but here it’s sage plants. Even hawks and crows are hard to come by. This is a desert for sure. There’s even some resemblance, in spots, to the Grand Canyon.

Fortunately, with my phone, while I walk, I am able to call anywhere in North America and get office work done at the same time. You just have to watch your step. Rarely does traffic interfere. There is so little of it. There are no billboards which is great.

Our meals comprise of snacks in the form of trail mix, wraps at noon and a cooked kitchari, a rice and moong lentil with vegetables, in the evening. By 10:30 a.m. I did my quota of twenty miles.

All is good!

https://instagram.com/p/BViXVRXl-eh/

May the Source be with you!

20 miles

Please join us in prayers for our dear Godsister Aditya Devi…
→ Dandavats



Please join us in prayers for our dear Godsister Aditya Devi Dasi, who left this world here in Vrindavan on Ekadasi evening!
Giriraj Swami: Aditya Dasi was a pure, devoted soul who sincerely served Srila Prabhupada and his Lords for the last forty-five years. She was our secretary in Juhu, and after Prabhupada’s departure she did wonderful service in his quarters, and then she went to Vrindavan to serve him. She was ill these last days and wanted to leave her body on Ekadasi, and Prabhupada fulfilled her desire. We feel her separation, but we take solace in knowing that she has gone to continue her service to him and his Lords in a better situation. Nonetheless, I am praying for her. And I am reminded of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta’s description of Haridasa Thakura’s funeral ceremony: “Thereafter, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu bade farewell to all the devotees, and He Himself, with mixed feelings of happiness and distress, took rest.”

The self-realised soul
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 June 2012, Cape Town, South Africa, Bhagavad-gita Lecture)

The 5th Chapter of Bhagavad-gita gives us a metaphor of the lotus flower that sits on water but yet is not affected by the water. The water just runs off and the lotus is blossoming in that condition.

In this analogy of the lotus in water, the water represents the struggle for existence that everyone is facing  and the lotus is a symbol of one who is not affected by that struggle for existence. A lot of people are under the weather, a lot of people have a story to tell about how tough it is.

But here, we see a lotus – a symbol of beauty and a symbol of being the best while the conditions are difficult. The lotus is representing a self-realised soul, a person who is in this world but at the same time not in this world – who may be physically here but who internally lives in another reality, in another dimension.

The personal and dear servant of Srila Prabhupada, Srutakirti…
→ Dandavats



The personal and dear servant of Srila Prabhupada, Srutakirti Prabhu, recovering after suffering a seizure.
Vishakha Fiorentino: My husband was discharged from the hospital. Cat scans for head and stomach didn’t show anything that could trigger seizures. All of his vitals are normal. He has bad pain in the middle of his back and it’s difficult for him to breathe if he is standing up or sitting straight.
Thank you all for all your love, care and prayers.
—
We were happily celebrating my husband’s birthday with our family and friends on the Big Island. My husband was talking about Srila Prabhupada and his mother. Suddenly he got quiet and started shaking in seizure. Thankfully there were 2 registered nurses. They took control of the situation. I will not tell you all the sad and shocking details. Later on, he regained consciousness. We are in the hospital now. He is going through checkup. Will update when we will hear anything from the doctors. Big thanks to Debra , Radhana Rupini, Mayapur and Campakalata and all the devotees for the help and prayers.
—
Urmila Devi Dasi: He was speaking at his birthday party about Prabhupada, and then said, “I need to go now” and then went into a grand mal seizure for a long time. He seems to be mostly ok now and is recovering at his son’s home. After many tests at the hospital, the doctors were not able to discover the cause. Prayers are welcome.
—
Further updates: https://goo.gl/JSgzKk

Crown Prince of Udaipur Rajasthan His Highness Prince Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar visits Melbourne Temple
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Sukadev Das

It was our great honour to receive the visit by Crown Prince of Udaipur Rajasthan His Highness Prince Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar who comes in the lineage of great king of Mewar (Rajasthan – capital is Udaipur) Maharana Pratapa and great devotee Meera Bai. I had the opportunity to receive him to our temple, took him around our temple area including our Tulasi house, he was very impressed with how Tulasai Maharani was well cared and looked after in Melbourne (cold place). As we were walking from Tulasi house to our new kitchen I asked the Prince in a quest to find out how much he knows about ISKCON, in a response he said by pointing out to rose flower bush ‘who doesn’t know ISKCON, just like everyone knows rose flower similarly ISKCON is well known to all’. I also gave him the tour our new kitchen along with Darpan, Nitin from Victorian Parliament who were accompanying the Prince. Darpan and Nitin who were highly instrumental to organise the grant of $500k from Victorian Government for our new kitchen. They were all extremely impressed with our new kitchen. Prince (owns 5 star hotel in India) commented ‘this is far better than any of our hotel kitchens, temple of Lord Krishna deserve such a nice kitchen to distribute Krishna Prasad to everyone’. They all had darshan of our Deities, took them to Srila Prabhupada house, naively I asked him to sit on the floor of Srila Prabhupada house he happily sat and listen to the glories of Srila Prabhupada for about 15 min, during our discussion he commented generally ‘Brahmanas are by birth’, at the end of our discussion he agreed that Brahmana is by action (characteristics and qualities) not just by birth. Finally they all honoured fruits and juice from 4pm offering and left happily. Continue reading "Crown Prince of Udaipur Rajasthan His Highness Prince Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar visits Melbourne Temple
→ Dandavats"

A magic book
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Rachael LeValley

Some time back I was offered a gift - Caitanya Caritamrta, a multi-volume set of books which cradle eternal knowledge in biography format... the biography and philosophy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu who lived from 1486 to 1533 as a Vaisnava Saint; He founded the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. Because of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Russell Brand chants the Hare Krsna Maha Mantra in 2017; Because of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, food is distributed for free every Sunday at temples around the United States of America (a program created by one of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's grand-disciples - Srila Prabhupada - and which is maintained still by Prabhupada's disciples). Continue reading "A magic book
→ Dandavats"

New Vrindaban Kids’ Camp Makes Spirituality Fun
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Madhava Smullen

“We never thought a spiritual event could be so much fun – we would love to come again!” wrote one family after attending the Children’s Summer Camp in New Vrindaban last year. “Wonderful event – we can’t wait till next year,” wrote another. “Our son says he will miss New Vrindaban very badly.” These families are in luck. After the very well-received first New Vrindaban Children’s Summer Camp drew around 25 families from up and down the East Coast, organizers Sundari Dasi and Mercy of Gopal’s Garden Preschool are turning it into an annual event. Continue reading "New Vrindaban Kids’ Camp Makes Spirituality Fun
→ Dandavats"

Demystifying Reincarnation 4 – Past life memories – Guesses or Hyperboles?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast

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The post Demystifying Reincarnation 4 – Past life memories – Guesses or Hyperboles? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

ISKCON Disciples Course – July 28 – 31, 2017
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

A few years ago, the leadership of our international Hare Krishna movement instituted the "ISKCON Disciples Course", which is a great overview about several important aspects in one's spiritual life within our Hare Krishna family. This foundational course covers important topics like:


The importance of accepting initiation in a disciplic succession
Srila Prabhupada's special position
How to select a spiritual master
Relationships in a multi-guru environment
Parallel lines of authority and more

Laxmimoni Devi Dasi is visiting Toronto for a few weeks this summer and she will be facilitating the ISKCON Disciples Course from July 28th - 31st.

Course Schedule:
Friday July 28th:  6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Saturday July 29th: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sunday July 30th: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Monday July 31st:  6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

To register and to find out more information about this important course, please click here.

Isn’t it better to read Prabhupada books instead of wasting time on social media?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast

The post Isn’t it better to read Prabhupada books instead of wasting time on social media? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Transformation is inevitable – positive transformational has to be intentional
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Podcast

 

The post Transformation is inevitable – positive transformational has to be intentional appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

To traverse the path to self-improvement, balance aspiration with awareness
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Podcast

 

The post To traverse the path to self-improvement, balance aspiration with awareness appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Metaphorical Meditations on the Holy Name 1 – The Holy Name grounds consciousness in the source of its source
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Podcast

 

The post Metaphorical Meditations on the Holy Name 1 – The Holy Name grounds consciousness in the source of its source appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Social Media Analysis 3 – Greater accessibility brings greater responsibility
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Podcast

 

The post Social Media Analysis 3 – Greater accessibility brings greater responsibility appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Kirtan Forever – Bada Hari Das Prabhu (6 min video)Even a…
→ Dandavats



Kirtan Forever - Bada Hari Das Prabhu (6 min video)
Even a moment of Kirtan can change your life. What to speak of doing Kirtan day in and day out for the past 48 years. We are so honored to be able to share this interview with Kirtan legend @Bada.Haridas Prabhu. Listen carefully and you’ll save years quality chanting!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/NxxhRm

Monday June 19, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Elk Springs, Colorado

Butch’s World

We are in the area traversed (or rather galloped) by the notorious Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Butch was apparently a thief, a robber of banks and of horses. One local person told myself and the boys that Butch would send photos of himself in the fine clothes he had stolen to the actual merchant he had taken them from. That sounds like pouring salt on the wounds.

We were cooking our kitchari outside at Maybell’s park when the history of the West was coming our way.

Backtracking to Steamboat Springs was intended for chanting and a chat about Tales From Trails at the Sundance Yoga Studio last evening. Talaya hosted us, and the group that showed up was great. They especially liked the philosophical point that we are not our bodies. “The body is the vehicle and our soul is the engine that mobilizes the body.”

I believe that Butch Cassidy, in a big way, was taking his body to be the self: perhaps even considering  himself as God and thus doing whatever he so wished.

Today has been an interesting day of meeting motorists. One person from Maine offered me water. So did a fellow from Boulder. A mystery donor left two fresh bottles of spring water on the shoulder of the road, for me, no doubt. How kind. There’s no one else around. It’s a desert here.

One final guy, 55, said he was from Saskatchewan. He pulled his truck over, walked up to me where I was trekking at Elk Springs, a ghost town of sorts, and asked, “Can yah come and visit me?”
“Where do you live?”
He pointed to his truck and let down the tailgate. There we sat and chatted.

“Why is there so much pain in the world,” he asked. “I thought a monk would know.”
“Because people forget to count their pleasures and gifts,” I said.

http://www.dandavats.com/?p=47441

May the Source be with you!

20 miles

Harinama at Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia – 18…
→ Dandavats



Harinama at Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia - 18 June 2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s transcendental mission is to distribute love of Godhead to everyone. Anyone who accepts God as the Supreme can take to the process of chanting Hare Krishna and become a lover of God. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 4.41 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Fgz4BX

Tirupati Yatra – Sri Venkata-ksetra
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Chandan Yatra Das

Tirupati is the place of Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy, who is the all-pervading Lord of the Universe also known as the Lord of the Seven Hills. Tirupati is one of the holiest places of pilgrimage where Lord is worshiped in the mood of awe and reverence. Tirupati is the home to the world’s richest temple, where thousands of pilgrims visit daily to take darshan of Sri Venkateswara Swamy, also popularly known as Balaji. The magnificent temple of Lord Venkateswara Swamy is located on the 7th peak, Venkatachala (Venkata Hill) of Tirumala. It is by the Lord’s presidency over Venkatachala, that He has received the appellation, Venkateswara (Lord of the Venkata Hill). Continue reading "Tirupati Yatra – Sri Venkata-ksetra
→ Dandavats"

3 Reasons to Study the Gita
→ The Enquirer

1. To Understand Vedic Culture…

If you want to understand Vedic culture, but don’t know how, realizing that studying the Vedas is an impossibly big and difficult ambition – then you should study the Gītā! Vyāsa wrote it especially to condense all the Veda, Upaniṣads and Purāṇas into a bite size, easy to digest cookie.

2. To Understand Yoga…

If you want to understand yoga and know it must be more than just breathing and stretching, (but also what to know what the breathing and stretching part is really all about) – study the Gītā! It succinctly teaches the essence of karma-yoga (the yoga of action), jñāna-yoga (the yoga of consciousness – which includes all the breathing and stretching, and also all the mind-stretching philosophy of the Upaniṣads), and bhakti-yoga (the most popular new trend in modern yoga, and also the most dramatically misunderstood and poorly imitated apex of all Vedic yogas), and shows how all three are integrated into a whole.

3. To Understand Life!

If you want to understand all-important perennial topics like karma, happiness, suffering, the nature of reality, the purpose of life, and the core of who you really are – study the Gītā! It’s interesting to hear everyone’s opinion about these things, and so much more so to hear the viewpoint of the ultimate conscious being, Śrī Krishna, as described by the world’s greatest narrator, editor, and poet: Śrī Vyāsa.

Paramparā! (It’s not “Dogma”)

When you learn Gītā with me, you will be learning it through a genuine, authentic paramparā lineage (Gadādhar Parivar of Rūpānugā Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Sampradāya), so you’ll be getting a truly authentic, indigenous, native presentation. But don’t think that this means it will be old-fashioned, out-dated, bull-headed, fanatical or dogmatic in the least. Real paramparā brings out the vivid life and relevance of the original text without distorting or compromising its original meaning in the slightest.

When, How?

18 online class sessions, every week, starting Sunday July 9th, from 8:30 ~ 9:30pm Eastern Time.

Classes include the weekly online session (recorded for review or for those who miss class), question and answer discussion via group email, homework questions checked by me, beautiful class notes, and PDF format of the text book: A Simple Gītā (my translation).

Tuition is $220 (adjustments possible if necessary).

To ensure quality student-teacher interactions, I limit the class to 9 students, maximum. A few seats are still available, so contact me ASAP to reserve a seat or inquire.

Enroll here: http://vrajakishor.com/class_gita.php