Friday, August 12th, 2016
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Friday, August 12th, 2016
Pelee Island, Ontario

Driven!

He had whiskers and was no more than a foot in length.  He was tanned and wiggling his way along, moving by will and not wave.  It was time for him to go.  Providence had told him so.  He had had the lake as his habitat for ‘who knows how long’ and now he was beach-bound. 

A group of us, in retreat on the island’s east-side, were ready to indulge in prasadam, a sacred picnic, when we saw this catfish coming our way.  At first glance, I thought “Is he hungry?” as he ignored the kids a-splash all around him, and ‘bee-lined’ his way to dry sand.

He was determined to hit air, to lie on that sand, die, and hence--end a cycle.  The water kept pulling him in, in small lapping waves, but he fought to remove himself from the H2O, and succeeded.  He keeled over and did what I’ve seen massive carps do when they’re aged.  They exit from the water and camp at the beach, passing away in seconds or maybe minutes.  For this catfish, it was about two minutes.

What’s next for him?  A new body awaiting his spirit?

He was pulled by nature, and behind that, a divine power.  Perhaps it was the same power which compelled those people coming from the winery, to dance with us at our dusk kirtan.  We wrapped up the day by the dock with not a swim, but with receiving a wondrous wind while I led that timeless mantra and produced a tal on the drum.

I was surprised at the zealousness shown by the folks who sang and danced.  But then after their sips and swigs of grape-juice-gone-WOW, it’s understandable.  We devotees from Ohio, Michigan and Ontario, were inspired to see the full-on participation.

Everyone, everything, is driven by divine force.

May the Source be with you!

1 km

Thursday, August 11th, 2016
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Thursday, August 11th, 2016
Pelee Island, Ontario

Back to Kilometres

I showed my birth certificate at the Sandusky, Ohio ferry terminal, ascended and sat in the top, outside level of the boat, destined for a small retreat at Pelee Island.  I was surprised to see the swift response by the Afro-American devotee couple, Avadhuta and Agnihotra, to come and join me after my invite just hours before.

We sailed under myriad-blue-toned clouds, caught a breeze from Lake Erie’s kindness, and chatted with the couple.  Once settling ourselves after docking, we drove in their van around the entire island, measuring its distance.  It is 23 kilometres riding the coastal roads. That was great!

We stopped in at an outdoor café for a custom-made, vegetarian pizza (no other option).  We were pleased to meet the cook, Riki, a devotee of nature who had met members of our crew last year.  She has been reading the “Bhagavad-gita,” Krishna’s divine words.  She is the wife of Matthew--who has to work on the mainland--and is the mother of Camilia, age nine.  She teaches yoga, by the way, to some of the residents on this island which has a population of 125 in the winter (expanded in the summer).

Truly it’s great to be in a place where there are no billboards and no lamp-posts.  You can see the stars in the sky, and  tonightin particular  was unique, because you could maximizeyour  meteor-gazing.  I bumped into a couple and scared them to death with my presence in the dark.  They had counted over one hundred meteors shooting in the sky.

May the Source be with you!

12 km

Tuesday, August 9th, 2016
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Tuesday, August 9th, 2016
Chicago, Illinois

Now That This Half Is Over

About the sweetest thing I experienced from this stretch of the U.S. walk was to receive a letter from my spiritual brother, who’s also a monk—Jayadvaita Swami.  The words were encouraging.

“Well, you’re doing the healthiest thing in the world and making a valuable spiritual contribution by your example.  Happy walking and happy chanting.”

I’ve calculated to have just completed 1,232 miles or 1982.7 kilometres from Butler, Pennsylvania to Seward, Nebraska.  There’s another 1,594 miles to go to make it to San Francisco.  For now, I’ll hold it as a dream until I return, in the spring of 2017, to exercise the second half of the U.S.A.

It was today that I sat for nine hours in a meeting, with minor breaks at different times.  The feet hardly did any work.  It’s awkward, and it doesn’t make for great sleeping conditions in the night.

At 6:30 p.m. Praharana, a godsister from Canada, and I, delivered a talk on youth empowerment.  Some of the highlights were “when we became renunciates we were young,” (average age of people joining in the early 70’s was anywhere from 18-24), and “take responsibility when you’re young.”  And finally, we spoke about Krishna appearing ‘young’ in His pastimes.  His childhood and youth are to be adored.

May the Source be with you!

0 miles

Wednesday, August 10th, 2016
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Wednesday, August 10th, 2016
Cleveland, Ohio

Returning Things

Now that the walk is put to rest for the time being, it is a matter of tidying up and putting away, or giving away (as gifts) some of the items that were part and parcel of our paraphernalia meant for the travels.

At an evening sanga (gathering), I gave away some literature for good reading, a stockpile we had left over after sales.  The group in Cleveland was really fanciful by the offer of Steven Rosen’s book “Christ and Krishna.”  Rosen is one of my favourite authors and the book is excellent.  As I was passing them out, I received donations, against the printing costs anyways.

One of the items we were to return back to its owner, with whole-hearted obligation and appreciation, was the Honda van which we named Vamana.  Rene is a true sweet-heart for lending it to us over this period of two and a half months.  We wanted to return it in as mint a condition as possible.  This entailed internal and external cleansing.  Mandala did a great job with that.  A rear window was replaced by us after someone had bashed that area and snuck inside while we were parked in Des Moines, one night.  We also  gassed up, and Mandala and I went to the Lube Shop for an oil change.

This last item was a good experience in terms of the thorough, friendly nature in which the auto crew handled themselves.  As said, they were friendly, and concise.  And quick!  I was inspired. 

“Now this is the way a spiritual organization can be managed,” I thought.  And if I could add, the tone of empathy in dealing with clients/congregants/seekers could be added.

May the Source be with you!

0 miles



Monday, August 8th, 2016
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Monday, August 8th, 2016
Princeton, Illinois

A Few Steps, A Few Memories

Our team of Gopal, Mandala and myself, set out on our return journey.  We were headed east in our Toyota van which we named Vamana, a name for an avatar meaning “the one who makes great strides”.  We spanned the states of Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois, arriving at destination Chicago for a day’s stay, before continuing.  Oh, how we shook our heads in disbelief, wondering how these hundreds of miles were just recently covered on foot.

We took a break at Princeton for our two drivers to catch a nap, and I took the opportunity to walk east on 6.  It was time to reminisce on recent doings. I thought about the beautiful people who had hosted us and organized sangas, or gatherings of devotion.  They rarely get a swami coming to town; so while our pedestrian troupe (the three of us) were around, they milked us like a contented cow, with questions and requests for mantras. Their children, too, loved to listen to the wisdom and pastimes of Krishna. How gracious they all were!

At the edge of Princeton, where I walked, is the old homestead of abolitionist, Owen Lovejoy, who fought for the liberty of slaves. This was also the stomping grounds of President Ronald Reagan. I’ve come upon birthplaces of other celebs, besides U.S. Presidents, on this walk, like actors John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart. Illustrious company, I suppose.

At the side of one corn field waited two young ladies, cousins, who stopped to meet and offer me water. They called me a “celebrity.”  That’s a far cry. Maybe a “celebrant.”
This walk isfor 50 years of Hare Krishna in America.

May the Source be with you!

3 miles

Have you met Srila Prabhupada?
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 18 August 2014, Krišnův dvůr, Czech Republic, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.43)

SP_smiling

In 1977, I started to take interest in Krsna consciousness but then, in the same year, one after the other, both my parents died. So it was such a family drama. I just had to put everything aside and deal with that situation. So, I joined in 1978.

It would sound, at least to me, it would sound very ridiculous to say that I never met Prabhupada because I know more about Prabhupada than I do about my own biological father and Prabhupada has completely taken control of my life. How can I say I never met him? It does not make sense. I met him in service. I met him in mercy from his followers. So, all of you can also have a direct relationship with Srila Prabhupada. If you think I am speculating then Prabhupada himself said that by reading the books of Rupa Goswami, you can directly associate to Srila Rupa Goswami. Still today, everyone can have a relationship with Prabhupada and still today, everyone must have a relationship with Prabhupada – not to the exclusion of our own spiritual masters but that relationship must be there, nonetheless, with Prabhupada.

So let us find out more and more who was Srila Prabhupada, who is Srila Prabhupada, what did he desire, what did he say, and once we have studied all the instructions then let us not make the mistake to become proud and think, “I know!” Let us remain humble and ready to hear from others what Srila Prabhupada really wanted. All of that will be our saving grace!

Appearance day of HDG Srila Prabhupada
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From Prabhupada Lilamrta

An excerpt from the Prabhupada Lilamrta about Srila Prabhupada's mother, Srimati Rajani Devi. Abhay’s mother, Rajani, was thirty years old when he was born. Like her husband, she came from a long-established Gaudiya Vaisnava family. She was darker-skinned than her husband, and whereas his disposition was cool, hers tended to be fiery. Abhay saw his mother and father living together peacefully; no deep marital conflict or complicated dissatisfaction ever threatened home. Rajani was chaste and religious-minded, a model housewife in the traditional Vedic sense, dedicated to caring for her husband and children. Abhay observed his mother’s simple and touching attempts to insure, by prayers, by vows, and even by rituals, that he continue to live. Continue reading "Appearance day of HDG Srila Prabhupada
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How to Celebrate Janmashtami
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How to Celebrate Janmashtami.
Janmashtami commemorates the earthly appearance of Krishna, who is described in India’s sacred writings as God Himself. One of the biggest religious festivals in the world, it is celebrated by nine hundred and thirty million people around the world–and two million in the US alone. To devotees, it’s Christmas and New Year’s in one, a day of deep spiritual renewal and celebration that effectively finishes an old year and begins a fresh one.
But why Janmashtami, you may ask? What’s so special about Krishna, as opposed to any other form of God? It’s His personable-ness. He reciprocates in unique, personal ways with every devotee who offers Him love—He is the most adorable, mischievous son, the most romantic lover, the most compassionate friend. And on Janmashtami, devotees celebrate Krishna in all of these aspects. For just as Krishna reciprocates individually with His relatives and confidantes, he responds to the distinct feelings and desires held most deeply in the heart of every single worshipper.
So remember that whatever way you worship Krishna on Janmashtami, He will reciprocate with you accordingly. It’s a meditation that makes for an extremely rewarding devotional experience.
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Don’t be so confidently pessimistic
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Recently a devotee told me that he had been fighting against a particular conditioning for a long time and was repeatedly relapsing into it despite having made many resolutions to give it up. He had become so disheartened that he said, “Maybe I should just stop practicing bhakti. What is the use of all my practicing and preaching if I can’t overcome such a basic anartha? And I have tried and failed so many times that I am sure I will never be able to give this up.”

“I don’t think you have a right to be so confidently pessimistic,” I told him. “To claim that something will never happen is to claim that even Krishna doesn’t have the power to make it happen.”
“But Srila Prabhupada says that even Krishna can’t help us if we are not determined,” he said despairingly. “And I can no longer be determined because I have lost my confidence.”

I reassured him. “You haven’t lost your confidence – you have just misplaced it. Instead of placing your confidence in Krishna, you are placing it in your conditioning. And that is making you confidently pessimistic. Instead if you place it in Krishna, you can become confidently optimistic.”

“But what is the basis for optimism when I am not able to overcome such a basic conditioning?”

“Don’t judge the progress of your bhakti only by your success in overcoming a particular conditioning. Bhakti practice is meant to increase our attraction to Krishna. And every single bhakti activity we do, it increases that attraction, even if infinitesimally. And that attraction will eventually erase our attraction to worldly things. Some conditionings may be very deep-rooted and may take time to go away. No matter how long our conditionings last, they can’t stop our bhakti practice – they can only interrupt it.

“And for resuming it after the interruption, we can base our optimism on Krishna’s unfailing love for us. He doesn’t disqualify us from bhakti practice, no matter what happens, as he indicates in Gita (09.30-31). The essential message of those verses is that we don’t have the power to do anything that can make Krishna stop loving us. Nothing we do can make Krishna as the Supersoul leave our heart and abandon us. Krishna waits for us because he is confident that one day we will turn towards him.”

I concluded, “Krishna has maintained his confidence in us despite not having much result to show. Why then should we give up our confidence in him just because we don’t have a particular result to show? If he has maintained his confidence in us for so many lifetimes, why can’t we maintain our confidence in him for this one lifetime?”

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How can we draw lessons from scripture – should we stick only to lessons given by acharyas?
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Why Krsna Comes To This World
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By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

Lord Krishna: "One who knows the transcendental nature of My advent and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode." Therefore Krsna says, “Just try to learn about the transcendental nature of My advent and activities.” The advent of Krsna it is a very important thing. We should try to understand Krsna, why He makes His advent, why He comes down to this material world, what His business is, what His activities are. If we simply try to understand Krsna, then what will be the result? The result will be tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so’rjuna: we will get immortality. The aim of life is amrtatvaya kalpate, to achieve immortality. So today, on the advent of Krsna, we shall try to understand the philosophy of Krsna. Continue reading "Why Krsna Comes To This World
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​How can Vishvanatha Chakravarti say that scriptural verses are grammatically inaccurate?
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How to respond to scholars who consider abstract principles more important than bhakti specifics?
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Krishna comes to conquer our hearts
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Hare KrishnaBy Purushottam Nitai Das

“Anyone and everyone can become God.” This philosophy is propagated by certain so called spiritual preachers. In order to mislead the gullible people they assert that by chanting certain mantras or doing certain types of meditation one becomes God. But Krishna did not chant any mantra nor he did any sort of meditation to become God. He was always God. And the moment he appeared in this world he had all the qualities of God. All the Vedic books very clearly tell that Krishna is the Supreme God. Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.28 states, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam, Lord Sri Krishna is the original Personality of Godhead. Brahma Samhita too says, “ishvarah paramah krishnah” i.e. Krishna is the Supreme Lord. Krishna’s appearance and pastimes totally debunks this myth that anyone can become God. Krishna appears to establish religious principles to ensure that we, his children, by following those principles ameliorate our life and achieve everlasting happiness. Continue reading "Krishna comes to conquer our hearts
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ISKCON’s 50th anniversary celebration at the Opera House
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The International Society for Krishna Consciousness celebrated its 50th anniversary with a spectacular show titled ‘Transcendental Journey: Hare Krishna Celebrating 50 years’ at the iconic Sydney Opera House on Saturday August 20th, 2016. The show presented the cultural history, inception, development and achievements of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON. The story was told through traditional Indian dance, […]

“Up the Ladder” by Dana-keli Devi Dasi. Krsna-Kumari…
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“Up the Ladder” by Dana-keli Devi Dasi.
Krsna-Kumari Devi Dasi: I would like to announce the birth of a wonderfully inspiring book written by a new Vaishnavi, Donna Lee, who was initiated Dana-keli Devi Dasi in May of this year by His Holiness Giriraj Swami. She has written the story of her 68-year adventure coming to Prabhupada’s movement. We often hear about climbing the ladder of spiritual growth through all the levels of disciplines. Here is a personal account of such a journey, and all done in one lifetime. Ever wondered what it might be like to slowly climb from one rung to the next and embody all the meaningful teachings along the way? Here it is! From this personal triumph, we can see that it is never too late to come to the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.
This beautiful little book is a great treasure for any new person and should be kept handy in any FOLK meeting place, KC restaurant, gift shop, library or Festival event. Replete with moving quotes and lively narrative; you won’t be able to put it down. Do you always target young people when you preach? Think again! There are millions of receptive mature individuals who grew up in the 60’s and 70’s and who are now in their own 60’s and 70’s, and finally realizing that they have not yet fulfilled the dreams they were once searching for as Hippies and flower children. Many of them are professionals, like Dana-keli Devi, who have much to share in the way of life lessons and experience as well as love, joy, and enthusiasm which doesn’t fade. Lord Krishna is ready to rescue them all. You just need to find them, and this book is a finely-tuned homing device.
How many ladies in the movement are sharing their life, heart, and struggles along the path with us all? Very few, and yet we Dasis are just as much in need of inspiring role-models as our brother Dasas. This new book, as well as this new author, have much to share and many more experiences to unfold into your waiting hands. Whether you need inspiration, confirmation, revelation or an invitation—enter here with eagerness, and you will not be disappointed:
Up the Ladder by Donna Lee - Sanctuary Publishing on Amazon.com: https://goo.gl/Lfztwh

Successful West African Preaching Tour (3 reports) AUGUST 1 TO…
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Successful West African Preaching Tour (3 reports)
AUGUST 1 TO 14, 2016 – REPORT ON IVORY COAST VISIT
HH RP Bhakti Raghava Swami: My first stop on the West Africa tour was in the Ivory Coast. HH Bhakti Carudesna Maharaja was on hand to receive me at the airport in the capital city of Abidjan. The first thing that comes to ones notice is the country’s National Flag. It has the exact same colors as that of the Indian National Flag, Green, White and Orange. I shared with Maharaja how in the last elections in India, the now newly elected Prime Ministry, Sri Narendra Modi, had given a fresh interpretation of the color meaning: green refers to organic farming, orange refers to sadhus or spiritual life and white refers to cows who give us wholesome and nutritious milk.
Read more about it here: http://goo.gl/e4QAcZ
REPORT ON GHANA VISIT
HH RP Bhakti Raghava Swami: I was pleasantly surprised to see the domed structured temple that immediately reminds one of India’s traditional temples. We first took darshan of HH Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja’s Puspa Samadhi close to the entrance of the temple. Maharaja was very instrumental in opening up the preaching all over West Africa and brought many people to Krishna consciousness. We then took darshan of the presiding Deities, Sri Sri Radha Govinda, Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai and Sri Sri Jagannatha Baladeva and Subhadra. The temple room is large and easily can accommodate 400 to 500 devotees.
Read more about it here: http://goo.gl/Lefx8Y
REPORT ON TOGO TOUR
HH RP Bhakti Raghava Swami: Togo is the smallest of all the West African countries having as capital TOME. I visited the devotees here accompanied with HH Bhakti Carudesna Maharaja after having toured our projects in the Ivory Coast and Ghana. Maharaja travels regularly to these countries as he actually oversees the seven French-speaking countries of West Africa. The devotees serving in Tome have been blessed to have their own property that is also quite centrally located. This was made possible by the kind donation of some of the local Indian community supporters. The temple President is Madana Gopal prabhu and he personally looks after the Deity worship assisted with another long-standing devotee, Atma Tattva prabhu who is the National Secretary for ISKCON Togo. The temple has presiding Deities of Sri Sri Radha Govinda-Madhava, Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai and Sri Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra. Devotees have a weekly Food for Life program serving about 100 guests, in addition to having Harinam three times a week in the streets of Lome.
Read more about it here: http://goo.gl/Zcckpc

Was Yudhishtira’s gambling Draupadi after he had lost himself dharmic or adharmic?
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How can the Gita’s spiritual knowledge be compared to nuclear weapons knowledge?
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When Bhishma comes after Ajamila pastime, how does that pastime list him as a mahajan?
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Self-destruction strategies 4 – Let guilt come between you and Krishna
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Seminar at ISKCON. Seshadripuram, Bangalore
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Self-destruction strategies 3 – Treat the peripheral as the essential
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Seminar at ISKCON. Seshadripuram, Bangalore
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Self-destruction strategies 2 – Be a perfectionist
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Seminar at ISKCON. Seshadripuram, Bangalore
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Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja celebrations begin!
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As an offering to Srila Prabhupada on the 50th Golden anniversary of ISKCON Sri Mayapur will be celebrating His appearance day for 1 week. The first celebration began with Bhakti Vedanta National School honoring our Founder Acharya’s appearance day. The program began with senior devotees glorifying Srila Prabhupada. The program was presided by HG. Vasu Ghosh […]

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