When we chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra we are saying, "Hare! O energy of the Lord! O my Lord Kṛṣṇa!" In this way we are simply addressing the Lord and His spiritual potency, represented as Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Sītā-Rāma or Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. The devotee always prays to the Lord and His internal energy (consort) so that he may engage in Their transcendental loving service. When the conditioned soul attains his real spiritual energy and fully surrenders unto the Lord's lotus feet, he tries to engage in the Lord's service. This is the real constitutional position of the living entity.

Cc. Madhya 22.16

DETAILS

STYLE:  Modern Classic Island Galley

Cabinets:

Schuler (Lowes) Plywood Cabs /

Hampton Door Style /

Maple Wood Divinity Paint / Cherry Wood Chestnut Stain

Countertops:

Carrera Marble (Magma Granite / Ocala)

3 Integrated drainboards / honed island / polished perimeter

8′ x 30″ Tabletop: Sapphire Brown Granite

Appliances:

Kenmore All Fridge (purchased in 2005 from Sears) /

Samsung Dishwasher (Lowes Clearance) /

Broan 60″ Hood (Discontinued / Sears) /

2 30″ Fivestar Dual Fuel Ranges (AJ Madison)

Tile:

Hakatai Classic Series in Mint Ice / Meadow / Porcelain (white grout)

American Olean White Glossy Subway Tile (gray pearl grout)

Angled Plugmold:

Gray sockets on aluminum (Tasklighting.com)

Lights:

Avian Fan (Lowes) /

Seagull 76012 Lighting Modern Flush Mount /

Progress Lighting Functional Flush Mount (single light) /

Progress Lighting Functional Flush Mount (double light) /

Kichler 9112 Transitional Single Light Outdoor Wall Sconce /

Fluorescent Undercabinet Lighting (Lowes)

Faucets:

Kingston Brass Wall Mounted Faucets /

Model # KS200SN /

Model # KS3228AX /

Model # KS216SN /

Seisse RO Faucet

Sinks:

Porcher London 30″ Apron Front Fireclay Sink /

6o” Custom  Belvedere Soapstone Double Bowl Sink (M. Teixeira)

Hardware:

Aubrey Pulls & Duluth Pulls 8″ / Satin Nickel (Restoration Hardware) /

Aubrey Pulls & Duluth Pulls 8″ / Antique Finish (custom finish by Horton Brasses) /

Cast Brass Bin Pulls 4″ / Antique Finish & Polished Nickel (Horton Brasses) /

Classic Kitchen Knobs 1.25″ / Antique Finish & Satin Nickel (Horton Brasses)

Diamond Cut Crystal Glass Knob (D. Lawless) /

Octogonal Cut Old Fashion White Milk Glass Knob (D. Lawless)

Open Shelves:

72″ 16-gauge Stainless Steel Restaurant Shelving (The Web Restaurant Store)

Flooring:

Rustic Pre-finished Red Oak    3/4″ x 2-1/4″ (Lumber Liquidators)

Seating/Dining:

Custom Steel Table Base (Gainesville Ironworks)/

Large Wood Table (Purchased 2003 from Pier 1 Outlet)

Wood Chairs (Purchased 2004 from Target)

Aluminum Jailhouse Chairs (Discount Seating)

Paint:

Sherwin Williams Steamed Milk (Walls) /

Alabaster (Ceiling)

Curtains:

Coqo Floral Curtain in Natural (Anthropologie) /

Dahlia Curtain Holdbacks (Clearance / Curtain Rod Store)

Contractors:

Chris Nietanbach @ Nietanbach Construction 352-246-3098

KD Clinton Moreaux & Lotus @ Moreaux Carpentry 352-339-6801

Shout Outs!

Loved working with Ted & Paula from Magma Granite in Ocala! They gave *excellent* pricing, were super nice to deal with and did an exceptional job on the fabrication.

The internet was my best friend, allowing me to price engineer a killer kitchen at a price point we could swallow.

Orion at Horton Brasses is a sweetheart. This hardware company is family owned and Orion will personally talk to you on the phone, send you cute little cards and just bend over backwards to make your hardware purchase perfect.

My husband is such a generous guy with, thankfully, flawless credit! XOXOXO

Chris, KD and Lotus are the BEST contractors in the Alachua County/Gainesville area. Ridiculously hardworking, strong like oxen, precise and all around gems–these guys are a terrific buy and do amazing work. Love them!

I am extremely happy with how the kitchen turned out. So close to perfection! If I had it to do over again, I would have gotten the cabinets in White Icing, not Divinity (prefer the white white look to creamy white), worked in island seating for the husband to hang out and would paint the walls a different shade of white. We used the same paint that we had elsewhere in the house, but the 1962 walls are plaster and concrete. The paint looks different on the sheet rock and it is driving me slightly crazy. I know it is relatively easy to repaint, but we have other parts of the house that need our love now. Gotta move on. Same thing with the stone dining table. Originally planned for white marble, that didn’t work out, had a granite I could deal with fabricated, an accident happened on the way to the truck and then had to pick a new slab. Not my all time fave, but it is nice, and the husband really likes it. The dark color will make it a prime spot for spreading khandvi.

What I love loVE LOVE?

*The functionality. I am a walking disaster, possibly one of the messiest cooks you will ever meet. Clean up is a cinch in the new kitch. Love the galley layout, which is basically in the same footprint as the original, just longer.

*The soapstone sink, which is not too deep but plenty roomy. Belvedere was not my first choice but it is the hardest soapstone in M. Teixeira’s repertoire and also in the cheapest class category. But you know what? I love it so much now. We are leaving it unoiled

*My marble! For those of you who have kept up with my kitchen obsession on this blog, white marble has an affect on me akin to a dinner of oysters, chocolate and Viagra. Sorry, it’s true. My countertops, especially the honed island where I do most of my work, is like a dream. A very sexy yet soothing dream. It is stone yet it is soft. Evocative of a cloud, pocketbook friendly carrera has a certain translucence and lightness that is divine and inspired. Love it.

*The big sink wall. I love the el cheapo white subway tile. Love the gray grout. So easy to clean. Wall mount satin nickel faucets MMMUH! And the mirror. The mirror was an unauthorized purchase before the green light was given for the remodel. We had no funding. No firmed up plans. Just my vision. And I spotted this beauty at Pier 1 and let me tell you…it was a lot of money for Pier 1. I bought it on the spot and, well, the husband and I were at odds for an entire weekend over it. Ooops.

*Integrated drainboards…yay.

*Hakatai Classic Series Tile. Whenever I showed people the tile sample or pics, they really tried to be polite. I saw it in their strained smiles and read it in between the lines of their courtesy emails. Very few people liked it. They thought the tile was too bathroomy and that the colors were too bright. But I think everyone agrees now that the Hakatai tile choices worked out fabulously, bringing color into the space without kitsch.

*I love the cheap stuff, like my $2 curtain holdbacks, $17 ceiling lights, stainless steel restaurant shelving, Kingston Brass faucets and the magnetic knife holder we recycled from the old and ugly kitchen.

Basically, I am living in my dream kitchen. If you don’t see me out and about, it’s because I would rather be home cooking. Cleaning up…well, not so much.

I am going to work on getting a page up devoted to the remodel, including the worker bees who toiled so hard on what somedays seemed like an endless vortex of monster kitchen–so stay tuned!

In the meantime, here are links to the finished kitch:

How I organized my new kitchen!

Before and after pics!

Garden Web Kitchen Forum Link To My Finished Kitchen Page

www.sdgonline.org.

3:50 A.M.

From Namamrta by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:

“One who chants the holy names is understood to have passed through all forms of Vedic ritual, sacrifice, austerity and study:

[Devahuti to Lord Kapila:] “Oh, how glorious are those whose tongues are chanting Your name! Even if born in the families of dog-eaters, such persons are worshipable. Persons who chant the holy name of Your Lordship must have executed all kinds of austerities and fire sacrifices and achieved all the good manners of the Āryans. To be chanting the holy nameS of Your Lordship, they must have bathed at holy places of pilgrimage, studied the Vedas and fulfilled everything required.”

“There is a hereditary class of brahmaṇas called the smarta-brahmaṇas who are of the opinion that even if such persons who are chanting the holy name of the Lord are accepted as purified, they still have to perform the Vedic rites or await their next birth in a family of brahmaṇas so that they can perform the Vedic rituals. But actually this is not the case. Such a man does not need to wait for the next birth to become purified. He is at once purified. It is understood that he has already performed all sorts of rites. It is the so-called brahmaṇas who actually have to undergo different kinds of austerities before reaching that point of purification. There are many other Vedic performances which are not described here. All such Vedic rituals have been already performed by the chanters of the holy name. (SB 3.33.7)”

The Westerners who first came to Srila Prabhupada were not born in brahmana families, nor had they performed Vedic rituals. But according to this important verse, just by chanting in kirtana and japa with Srila Prabhupada they achieved all the results of practicing Vedic rituals. Even if they were born in the family of meat-eaters (or practiced meat-eating themselves), they became purified by the chanting of the holy name. Chanting is a shortcut. So one should not feel inferior to those who perform rituals and think one has to do them in order to become purified. The chanting alone bypasses the need for performing brahminical sacrifices and ritualistic ceremonies. All the examinations are already passed. There are many statements in the Vedic literatures to support this exalted position of the chanters of the holy name.

I slept all right and rose early, around 12:30 A.M. But my chanting was slow and somewhat distracted. I could not focus and concentrate on the meaning of the holy names. Sometimes, for some unknown reasons, you have mornings like this. But I persisted in chanting without sleepiness and completed my 16 rounds. I can be assured that I have attained the benefit of chanting the holy names even if there are discrepancies in the performance. But to chant on the topmost platform, one has to do it with full attention and devotion.

www.sdgonline.org.

From One Hundred Prabhupada Poems, #17

Sweet morning arati, dimmed lights
in an old Czech farm building,
men on one side,
women and children on the other.
The pujari is a woman about 6 feet 2 inches tall.
Little Gaura-Nitai Deities are before us
and the visitor from America leads the singing.
Lots of guests from a nearby town,
friends of Krishna,
varnished floors,
light arising outdoors over the forest hills.
The train comes by very close and warns by horn –
keep those horses away!

Srila Prabhupada, I will speak of you
to these devotees today. I’ll tell them
of the old days in New York City,
tell them you wanted this farm.
We couldn’t grasp your vision,
couldn’t see the future when there would
be mangala aratik in a farmhouse in Czech.
We only knew the Lower East Side.
But now I’m here to see it:
everyone bows down to Srila Prabhupada.

www.sdgonline.org.

Free Write

I opened the Srimad Bhagavatam to Canto Four, Chapter 30, verse 21. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has just finished speaking to the Pracetas, and they began to offer Him prayers. They were purified by the presence of the Lord, who was before them face to face. Prabhupada writes in the purport, “… As soon as devotees are engaged in devotional service, they become transcendental to all material contamination … Sometimes the devotees are dissatisfied due to not seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally. When the Pracetas saw the Supreme Lord personally present before them, unhappiness vanished.”

I want to be purified by chanting the holy names of the Lord.  I believe the holy name of the Lord is the Lord Himself. I just have to become purified by chanting and hearing, and then it will be as good as seeing the Lord personally. There will be no dissatisfaction. You just have to realize Krishna in the sound vibration of His name. Seeing Him personally present is certainly special, but chanting and hearing are the means to bring about His darsana.

If we were to continue reading this section, you could hear the realized prayers of the Pracetas. They offer their obeisances to the Lord again and again. Krishna is known through the Vedic literature. Hearing about Him and seeing Him brings about His causeless mercy.

Radha and Govinda were polished and dressed in new outfits by Baladeva yesterday. I played Beethoven’s “Late” string quartets while he did the work. The music was so lovely and lively and tender – and I hadn’t heard it in a long while – so that I felt happy hearing it, and I told Baladeva so. He said, “And I have become happy by bathing and dressing Radha and Govinda.” It was a nice combination for a Janmastami yajna.

Free write tries to stay in Krishna conscious acres. The children used colored sidewalk chalk and drew pictures of Radha and Krishna in the asphalt driveway and playground. They are highly blessed and intelligent children, although interested in fun and games and not yet able to focus on the philosophy.  All glories to the next generation of Krishna conscious people.
On Janmastami I wrote a poem of non-chronological stanzas of memories of Prabhupada. I called it “Some Ways I Know Prabhupada.” The typist omitted many stanzas that I had written, so I will write them here:

Around 1971 he visited us at Dallas gurukula and there were fascinating exchanges involving the installation of Radha-Kalachandji. They had arrived with decorative paint, but the devotees convinced me that the decoration should be scraped off and They should be repainted straight black.  When Prabhupada arrived, he was angry that this had been done, and he said the decoration should be restored. On one morning walk I told him that I thought the new painting had not dried and the Deities would not be ready for installation. He said to Syamasundara, “Let us get tickets and leave Dallas immediately.” But fortunately we used electric fans on the Deities, and They dried in time for the installation. During this visit Prabhupada reprimanded me for chopping down a tree that had fallen and was leaning against a building. When I asked him if my act was “demoniac,” he said, “No, just ignorant.”

Around 1970 — I answered the invitation Prabhupada extended to all his temple presidents and visited him in Los Angeles, his Western-world headquarters,  to learn the ideal way  to run a temple.  I copied everything I saw there, the white-colored tiles and yellow-painted walls of the temple room, the way Visnujana Swami wore black electric tape on his fingers to play mrdanga, etc., and brought it back to Boston. Two previous times I had asked Prabhupada if I could quit my welfare job and he said no. I asked him again and he said, “Yes.”

Around April 1974 — I grew restless as Prabhupada’s permanent servant and asked him in Bombay if I could change my service. He grew irritated and told me not to jump around like a monkey. I wrote him a letter of apology and said I wanted to stay with him. In the upper corner of my letter he wrote in his hand, “You are pure. May Krishna protect you from calamities.”

Around June 1974 — while still his servant, I sat in the room in Geneva.  I heard him speaking about the need for a group of men to travel to the universities to place standing orders of his books. I spoke up and said I could do it. “Then do it!” he said abruptly.

Around the fall of 1966 — I first heard Prabhupada  say Krishna married 16,108 wives. I raised my hand and said, “I’m trying to understand Krishna and the Bhagavad-gita philosophy, but now you tell us that Krishna married 16,000 wives. How can I understand this?” Prabhupada replied, “You cannot understand it? The greatest scholars cannot understand it.”

Around the summer of 1966 — I asked Prabhupada my first private question: “Is there a level of spiritual advancement from which you don’t fall down? He answered simply, “Yes.” That one-word answer gave me the confidence and ability to follow the four rules.

Around the spring of 1967 — I was accompanying Prabhupada in the New York City streets after a meeting with his lawyer on Chambers Street. Prabhupada said, “The city is like a jungle.” I replied, “Except there are no snakes.” Prabhupada said, “What about Mr. Payne?” (Mr. Payne was a real estate agent who had cheated us out of $5,000.)

Around May of 1968 — Prabhupada and the devotees went to Boston Commonwealth Pier, where he first arrived in America in 1965. We went in Hamsadutta’s used schoolbus. Except for the driver’s seat, the bus had no seats. The devotees placed a chair for Prabhupada, and a strong devotee, Vamanadev, held the chair, but still the chair slid back and forth. At the pier there was a sign, “Unalloyed Steel.” Srila Prabhupada said, “They have unalloyed steel, we have unalloyed devotion.” On the way back he told Hamsadutta he should not have bought a used bus.

Around Memorial Day of 1967 — Srila Prabhupada was in the Beth Israel Hospital with a stroke. Devotees took turns being with him in his room so he was never alone. Once I was the only person present while he was sleeping. He woke, sat up and said, “I do not know Krishna. I only know my Guru Maharaja.”

Choosing not to breastfeed your babies can have significant health consequences. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have discovered that mothers who do not breastfeed are twice as likely as mothers who do to get type 2 diabetes.

In shocking news, there was an explosion at the ISKCON center in Leicester, England, Friday, Sepetmber 3. Temple President Pradyumna Dasa and ISKCON’s Communications Director for the UK, Vinay Tanna, confirmed that nobody was injured or killed in the blast.

Mainstream nutritionists often claim that conventional produce is no different than organic produce. But a new study proves otherwise, revealing that organic fruits and vegetables pack a greater nutritional punch and produce better, healthier soil than their conventional counterparts.

Dear Srila Prabhupada,Please accept my humble obeisances!  All glories to you!

 

I am writing you now for you most auspicious appearance day.  Indeed the day itself tells of your glories.  Lord Krsna knew how wide and far you would spread His glories so He bestowed upon you the glory of accompanying his very own appearance day every year.  Indeed the event of Krsna Janmastami and your appearance day are often seen as one single festival (simultaneously one and different).  This is very appropriate also because you are the great Guru of so many souls and the Guru is seen as good as God in the eyes of his disciples.

I feel unqualified to write this message to you, to associate with your movement and to read your books.  You are proving yourself to be specifically empowered by Lord Nityananda, the original spiritual master, by showing your unlimited mercy.  I am yet another Ajamila, Jagai or Madhai but you have so gloriously bestowed upon me more mercy than I could have ever earned by my greatest endeavours.  I make so many offences and I am worthy of being thrown away, like a piece of dirty garbage, but you are so merciful that I am forever receiving new chances to associate with your dearest, exalted disciples and to continue to read your seamless books.  Even though, within my false ego, I think I am so great, I genuinely cannot find, in my philosophical efforts, any single qualification for any of this favour that you have bestowed upon me.  To me, this is inconceivable and can only be explained as “causeless mercy”.

Srila Prabhupada, I still feel aggrieved.  I see so many threats to your society and I only want to be an instrument in preserving what you have established.  Still, even with this intention, I am so envious by nature and have made unlimited mental offences to the devotees, as well as plenty of verbal ones.  I mask this with the excuse that I want to “correct” the wrongs but I have no position to make such claims.  I am using this to protect my ego from the intense need to clean my own heart in service to you.  I feel that if you were to see me in person, you - with your piercing vision - would turn in disgust.  “This boy is a rascal” you would say.  I don’t want to be that rascal.

I hope that you will forgive me and never let me leave this mercy.  I have been spoiled with so much love and I am not appreciative enough of this endless, spiritual waterfall that is bestowed upon me.  I beg for your blessings, so that I may never stop reading your books and so I will always be a faithful follower of your vision.  I don’t want to be another mental speculator, quoting your words and other authorities to justify my own sense gratification; I beg you to empower me to speak the truth and to see your vision.  Please empower me so that I can help others to take shelter of your lotus feet, for what is the use of life otherwise?

Srila Prabhupada, you gave me everything in life; from my schooling, to my ethics, to my friends and family members.  Indeed my very birth would be genetically impossible without your prior mercy.  I thank you for your books, which are endlessly enjoyable, inspiring, deep, and which have endless glories to mention.  I hope that I can offer my life to your cause, not that this could pay back my debt to you, but simply as an insignificant sign of my gratitude.  I thank you also for your prayer, which helps me to know you more and more, every time I meditate upon it.  It could easily be overlooked as a simple prayer but it contains the essence of your existence, written by you for your disciples.

“Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Sarasvati Gosvami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.”

The first line of your glorification is apply explained by you, in your preface to Bhagavad-gita As It Is: “If I have any credit in this connection, it does not belong to me personally, but it is due to my eternal spiritual master…If personally I have any credit in this matter, it is only that I have tried to present Bhagavad-gita as it is, without any adulteration.”  The second line was forever exemplified by your zealous preaching and your endless example.  Indeed you came all the way to the Western countries to save impersonalists and voidists like myself.  Your endless humility is also exemplified by this verse because you had all ample opportunity to praise yourself but you simply portrayed yourself as a servant of your Guru and only took credit for presenting the philosophy of Krsna Caitanya without adulteration.  After stating this about yourself, you simply stated your mission, which is also ours to uphold.

 

Your fallen servant of your servants, Madhavendra Puri Dasa.

 

[http://maddmonk.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/a-homage-to-srila-prabhupada-my-eternal-saviour-2010]

Part 3. English/Hungarian.

By Indradyumna Swami

On this auspicious day 114 years ago, you appeared in this world to bestow causeless mercy on the fallen souls of this age. At the time of your appearance your glories were unmanifest like a lotus flower that remains closed in the darkness of night

Radhanath Swami – Srimad Bhagavatam Class – ISKCON Mayapur – Part 3/4

[The maha-mantra] is not a material sound like the sounds we hear on a radio. It is a spiritual sound that comes from the spir­itual world. Even in the material world we can release the sound from one place, and it can be heard thousands of miles away. A spiritual sound can be released from many trillions of miles away, and it can be heard, provided that one has a machine to capture it. That machine is bhagavat prema. Those who have developed love of Godhead can hear it.

From Teachings of Lord Kapila

This material world is an abode of anxieties. Here we experience one anxiety after another anxiety after another anxiety. Sometimes when the anxieties are not quite as bad we imagine that we are happy. But this is not real happiness. This is only a slight reduction of anxiety. Real happiness exists only on that platform which is completely free from...

Srila Prabhupada's Appearance Day

Prabhupada wanted that his followers propagate Krsna consciousness in a spirit of co-operation.

Correction

Central European Time is (due to daylight saving) GMT +2 hours

>From New Delhi VP offering 1973

In Bombay, on the last day of our "Hare Krsna Festival", we saw you [Srila Prabhupada] dance and watched you circumambulate the Deities twice, clapping and smiling and turning so respectfully so that your back would not be to Them. The third and fourth times around you put your hands in the air and you were jumping. Effortlessly, you lifted the whole assembly far beyond this temporary material manifestation. We were exhilarated and we bounded around full of joy upon beholding this wonderful sight. An instant later it was over and again you were very grave. You are so kind to display to the fallen conditioned souls these wonderful manifestations of ecstatic feeling which arises from pure devotional service to Sri-Sri Radha and Krsna, in Mayapura you reminisced fondly with your Godbrother Sridhara Svami of the early days in your first meeting with His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada and of the events which followed, and in the end you shed tears. Then you danced with Sridhara Svami and your disciples wept with joy upon seeing this exchange of love between two surrendered servants of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada.

The following people may be interested in this post:

a) someone who wants to rob me of nutritional yeast and coconut oil
b) persons interested in kitchen organization in anticipation of a remodel
c) my husband, who is still learning where everything goes

FOR BEFORE & AFTER PICS CLICK *HERE*

(Today was the 114th anniversary of the appearance of our beloved spiritual master, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, among us. This is the homage I wrote to mark this occasion.)







namah om visnupadaya krsna-presthaya bhutale
svami sri bhaktivedanta prabhupadaya te namah

I offer my humble obeisances to His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krsna on this earth, having taken shelter of His lotus feet.

gurvajnam sirasi-dhrtva saktyavesa sva-rupine
hare-krsneti mantrena pascatya-pracya-tarine

Taking the order of his guru on his head, he became empowered by Nityananda Prabhu to act as a saktyavesa avatara. He distributed the Hare Krsna mantra all over the Eastern and Western world, uplifting and delivering all fallen souls.

visvacarya prabharyaya divya karunya murtaye
sri bhagavata-madhurya-gita-jnana pradayine

He is the best of millions of gurus because he is the personification of divine mercy. He has distributed the sweet nectar of Srimad-Bhagavatam and the transcendental knowledge of Bhagavad-gita all over the world.

gaura-sri-rupa-siddhanta-sarasvati nisevine
radha-krsna-padambhoja-bhrìgaya gurave namah

He is constantly engaged in exclusive devotional service to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, Srila Rupa Gosvami, and Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. I offer my humble obeisances to Srila Prabhupada, who is like a bumblebee always tasting the nectar of the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha and Govinda.

(These prayers of praise for our beloved spiritual master, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, were written at his request by Sripada Bhakti Sundara Govinda Maharaja, under the direction of his spiritual master, Sripada Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja. Sripada Govinda Maharaja left our vision earlier this year.)

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati wrote that at the beginning of every new year, at the beginning of every new month, at the beginning of every week and every day, and at every moment, we should progressively remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I have sometimes said that Vyasa-puja is an opportunity for us to remember the spiritual master and dedicate our lives anew to his service. I want to do so this year with a particular focus on one aspect of the guru’s place in a disciple’s life.

Devotion to the guru is absolutely essential to spiritual progress. Krsna das Kaviraja says in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta that the spiritual master’s instruction is “the active principle in spiritual life”: acaryera mata yei, sei mata sara. The Bengali word Srila Prabhupada gives as “active principle” here is sara. Another way to understand this word is essence, or essential principle. Consequently, we can see that surrender to the guru is itself the essence of spiritual life, and failure to do so means we completely miss the point of spiritual endeavor, which renders our attempts at progress useless. Srila Jiva Goswami says in Bhakti Sandarbha that satisfying the guru is the main cause of attaining divine love and service.

In each of the centers Srila Prabhupada and his followers have established around the world, devotees begin each day with a meditation on the guru by singing Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti’s Gurvastakam. In the eighth verse, Cakravarti Thakura says,

yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado
yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi
“By the spiritual master’s mercy, one may receive Krsna’s blessings; without the guru’s grace, no one can make any spiritual progress.” From the beginning of his mission Srila Prabhupada established the central position of the spiritual master in the lives of spiritual practitioners.

We see in Bhaktirasamrta-sindhu that practical spiritual life is built on the foundation of taking shelter of the spiritual master, which includes several items. Srila Rupa Goswami explains the first items of sadhana: guru-padasrayas tasmat krsna-diksadi-siksanam/ visrambhena guroh seva. A sadhaka takes shelter of a guru, accepts initiation, takes instruction from, and serves the guru with faith, with trust. Sometimes we see the word visrambha translated as respect, or reverence, but a quick exploration of that word reveals that the relationship with the spiritual master should be much more than the kind of distance implied in words such as respect and reverence.

Srila Rupa Goswami himself defines visrambha later in Bhaktirasamrta-sindhu, in the context of discussing the mood of friendship. He says that deep, familiar trust, free from any sort of restriction or control. Srila Jiva Goswami further explains that deep trust implies not only freedom from excessive reverence and fear, but also a sense that friends are in no way different from each other. Elsewhere, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti says it is a sense that one’s own life, body, mind, intelligence, clothes, and everything else are one with those of the object of love. So visrambhena guroh seva seems to point to service based on a real sense of identity with the guru to the extent that the disciple has no doubt whatsoever that the guru has only his or her best interests in his heart.

So just how deeply does this confidence based on identity run? How far does this intimate trust extend? Visvanath Cakravarti seems to answer this in a commentary on a verse in Srimad-Bhagavatam’s fourth canto:

A devoted and chaste wife, while absorbed in the service of her husband, may ignore even her own children. Similarly, a disciple who is deeply absorbed in the service of the guru may even ignore practices such as hearing and chanting, knowing that by guru-seva alone he can easily attain complete perfection in devotion. And just as a devoted wife ignores her own pleasures and home comforts, so too does a disciple completely absorbed in guru-seva ignore even the divine bliss arising out of hearing and chanting, nor does he seek out the kind of secluded place suitable for such bhajan. That is the instruction in this verse. The Vedas also proclaim the supremacy of service to the guru.

Visvanath Cakravarti Thakura’s analogy in no way minimizes the practices of sadhana bhakti. Our experience, in fact, is that the guru teaches us to engage progressively in cultivating those practices. Rather, it points out, as Visvanatha says himself, “the supremacy of service to the guru” over all else.

The essence of devotional service for a disciple, then, seems to be dedication to the service of the spiritual master without any reservation, with complete confidence that such service will carry us to Krsna’s lotus feet. This confidence finds support in Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s assurance that those of us who regularly chant his eight beautiful verses of praise for the guru during the brahma-muhurta will certainly attain direct service to Vrndavana-natha, Sri Krsna.

With this in mind, then, I beg that I may be able to continually increase my dedication to the service of my eternal spiritual master, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, without which my life has no meaning.

Babhru das

Rupa Madhurya das (hey, that's me!) singing Nrsimhadev Prayers at the end of an ecstatic home bhajan program. 

Dallas, TX
2010-01-09 

Download: 2010-01-09 - 5 - Home Program - Rupa Madhurya das - Nrsimhadev Prayers.mp3

Part two of the over two hour long morning lecture.

Part one of the over two hour long morning lecture.

www.sdgonline.org.

3:59 A.M.

From Namamrta By A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami:

“The maha-mantra is a form of prayer:

“Simply by offering prayers to the Supreme Lord one can become perfect…one can execute devotional service anywhere and everywhere in the material existence simply by offering prayers unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is also a prayer, for a prayer addresses the Supreme Personality of Godhead by His name and invokes good fortune by petitioning the Lord to allow one to engage in His devotional service. The Hare Krishna maha-mantra also says, “My dear Lord Krishna, my dear Lord Rama, O energy of the Lord, Hare, kindly engage me in Your service.”(Srimad Bhagavatam 4.24.69)

“The Hare Krishna mantra addresses the Lord and His spiritual potency, and is a prayer requesting engagement in Their transcendental loving service:

“When we chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra we are saying, “Hare! O energy of the Lord! O my Lord Kṛṣṇa!” In this way we are simply addressing the Lord and His spiritual potency represented as Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Sītā-Rāma, or Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. The devotee always prays to the Lord and His internal energy (consort) so that he may engage in Their transcendental loving service. When the conditioned soul attains his real spiritual energy and fully surrenders unto the Lord’s lotus feet, he tries to engage in the Lord’s service. This is the real constitutional position of the living entity.” (Cc. Madhya 22.16)

We should always remember that the Hare Krishna mantra is a prayer. The Christians and Muslims pray in their own way, and we pray by chanting Hare Krishna. The meaning of the prayer is to ask Srimati Radharani and ask Sri Krishna to please engage us in Their service. We are petitioning Them. We are not asking for material benefits or relief from miseries or even liberation. We are praying to Them to be engaged in Their service. This is real prayer life, and when we chant japa and sankirtana we are offering the highest kind of prayers.

I always wanted to pray.
Once I prayed like the
Christian saints and
devotional engagement and
special word formulas.
Then I realized again
that Prabhupada had taught
us the best prayer
formula in the Hare Krishna
mantra. I pray every
morning in my imperfect way.
Sometimes I forget
to ask for engagement
in Their eternal service.
Still, I pray the
transcendental sound.
It is vandanam
in the most congenial form
given by Lord Caitanya
and recommended as the
only way to call
on Him in Kali-yuga.
I pray to pray.

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From One Hundred Prabhupada Poems #16

Dear Prabhupada, in about an hour
we start our van for
the farm somewhere in the hills
of the Czech Republic.
I hear they go out early there and work
in the fields, stop at 3 P.M.
for their daily Srimad-Bhagavatam class.
I guess you would approve.
Can I do some good there?
Please visit me, or rather,
never leave me.

I’m counting on writing my way to you,
it’s my festival of preaching,
my obedience, the way
I command,
the way I face the opposition.
I offer it all at your feet.
Let me go all out as you did
in those years in India
after your spiritual master’s disappearance.
You didn’t care to develop buildings
or manage the institution—you
wrote with pen or typewriter,
you wrote without even knowing
who would publish or read it.

You wrote Science of Devotion and
Talks with Ramamanda Raya and
Isopanisad and
King Kulasekhara’s Prayers
and many BTG essays and
Easy Journey.
I can’t write like you, but
still it is writing.
I am yours,
please don’t disown me,
this thing I am writing is
a raid on the inarticulate, a
stab at the demons’ stronghold.

On your order
I used to place the letters in the sign
announcing your evening lecture
at 26 Second Avenue.
I think I still have that service.
Please don’t reject me.

Here is a recipe for eggless spritz cookies. Spritz cookies are really cute and this recipe is not exceptionally buttery or sugary. The result is a nice little breakfast cookie that can be eaten any time of day, especially at tea time. The dough is a bit dry and does not expand much at all when baked, so it can also be used as a lower sugar alternative for sugar cookie cutouts.

This recipe makes *a lot* of cookies and is great for when you need to maximize your cookie output. Also, this is a great *make ahead* recipe–these cookies taste better the next day!

Spritz Cookie Recipe (Eggless)

1.5 c butter

1 c brown sugar (packed)

1 tspn baking powder

1 tablespoon cream cheese

1.5 tablespoon yogurt (plain or vanilla or whatever)

1/4 tspn almond extract (optional)

3.5 cups unbleached white all purpose flour

Cream butter and sugar, add cream cheese and baking powder. Mix. Combine other ingredients.

Put unchilled dough in your cookie press and pump them out onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake in pre-heated oven 7-9 minutes @ 375 degrees.

My spritz gun is cheap, old and difficult. So I abandoned spritzing, added chocolate chips and carried on with my chin up and my teaspoon filled with un-rounded, un-heaping scoops. I had a lot of cookies to make and decided to abandon all varieties of cuteness and just be practical.

Okay. I couldn’t totally abandon cuteness. With my mini-food processor I whipped up a very low sugar cream cheese frosting that I piped onto a large circle cut cookie and then topped with another–a’ la’ peanut butter sandwiches. Minus the peanut butter.

www.sdgonline.org.

Free Write

Today is Vyasa Puja for Srila Prabhupada, and I will offer it in the journal. I have made it in the form of an innovative poem, based on a poem in the workshop handbook titled In the Palm of Your Hand, written by my Brooklyn college classmate Steve Kowit. He writes at the beginning of a chapter called “Shards of Memory: Playing with Time.” He writes, “Some of the memories that writers make use of are unforgettable, life-changing experiences. But many others are likely to be those vagrant, momentary encounters that are memorable for no apparent reason: experiences that are part of our ordinary daily lives that for some reason remain significant enough to be remembered.” He then says, “Here’s an odd and engaging poem in which the poet makes use of scattered, fugitive and seemingly disconnected memories.” I’m going to publish a few of those stanzas to give you an idea of the model I use in my Vyasa Puja homage:

“How I Knew Harold” by Deborah Harding

“Around 1953 Mom tells the family she’s pregnant. My brother bounces around the living room with a pillow on his head wailing, “It will change our whole lives!” This story is recounted each year around my birthday.

“Around 1978 I leave home to move in with Jack. Dad and I are standing in the driveway. They don’t want me to go. He’s Jewish. Mom packs ham sandwiches and slips me two twenties. I move back in three months.

Around 1979 my friend Sandy plays Taps at a funeral gig, so I come along. I walk up to the casket in my boots and fur jacket. I’m checking out the deceased when a woman grabs my elbow. She wants to know how I knew Harold.”

My homage follows this innovative poem, writing non-chronological stanzas of fugitive memories of Srila Prabhupada. The poet quoted wrote in the present tense, but I will write in the past tense because I feel it is more realistic. I will use the word “around” just as the poet has to begin each stanza.

Some Ways I Know Prabhupada

Around the end of November 1977, I spent the last days with him in Vrndavana. He laid in his bed, nearly  blind, and did not communicate. He only waved to his secretary, Tamal Krishna Maharaja, who would go over to his bed and exchange with him in whispers. A few devotees stayed in the room chanting kirtana. At one point I was leading the kirtana. I was singing the Nrsimhadeva prayers when Srila Prabhupada motioned Tamala Krishna Maharaja over to his bed. Later TKG told me that Prabhupada asked him, “Who is singing?” Tamal Krishna Maharaja replied, “Satsvarupa Maharaja.” Prabhupada replied simply, “Hmm.” In my desire to always want more attention, I lamented that Prabhupada didn’t say more. Tamala Krishna Maharaja told me I should be fortunate that Prabhupada had at least said, “Hmm,” considering the state he was in. And in fact he passed away within two days. That was my last personal exchange with Srila Prabhupada.

On November 14^th, I stood at the foot of his bed all day as he stayed internal and finally passed away at 7:30 P.M.

Around April of 1977 I massaged his feet with talcum powder and felt I was saying farewell.

Around January 1974 he called me to be his permanent servant, and I joined him in L.A. I was in high spirits and felt very privileged.

Around May 1968 he arrived in Boston and gave lectures at our storefront and at the universities for a full month. Various personal exchanges with him.

Around February 1974 he brought me with his entourage to Vrndavana and made me feel at ease in India by his fatherly presence.  On the way to Vrndavana in our taxi, we came behind an old Indian bus that was belching black smoke out its exhaust. Prabhupada turned to me and said, “They don’t have buses in your country like this, and if they did have them, they would not let them stay on the road.” Actually I had been afraid of the sight of this bus, and Prabhupada in a fatherly way gave me consolation for the culture shock of arriving in India.

Around July 1966—I walked into the storefront at 26 Second Avenue and saw him for the first time. I thought he looked like Lord Buddha. After that first night I never stopped coming back, and I followed the four rules. I began reading his books, which I continue to do now, 43 years later.

Around spring 1973 I joined him on my first trip to India and Mayapur and served him as his secretary, taking dictation for his letters. We went to visit his Godbrother Sridhara Maharaja in Navadvipa.

Around all the time—Whenever I chant japa I am following his order.

Around 1971 he visited us at Dallas gurukula and there were fascinating exchanges involving the installation of Radha-Kalachandji. They had arrived with decorative paint, but the devotees convinced me that the decorations should be scraped off and They should be repainted straight black. When Prabhupada arrived he was angry that this had been done, and he said that the decorations should be restored. On one morning walk I told him that I thought the new painting had not dried. He said to Syamasundara, “Let us get tickets and leave Dallas immediately.” But fortunately we used electric fans on the Deities, and They dried in time for the installation. During that same visit Prabhupada reprimanded me for chopping down a tree that had fallen and was leaning against a building. When I asked him if my act was “demoniac,” he said, “No, just ignorant.”

Around 1970 I answered the invitation Prabhupada extended to all his temple presidents and visited him in Los Angeles, his Western-world headquarters,  to learn the ideal way  to run a temple.  I copied everything I saw there, the white-colored tiles and yellow painted walls of the temple room, the way Visnujana Swami used black electric tape on his fingers to play mrdanga, etc., and brought it back to Boston. Two previous times I asked Prabhupada if I could quit my welfare job and he said no. I asked him again and he said yes.

Around April 1974 I grew restless as Prabhupada’s permanent servant and asked him in Bombay whether I could change my service. He grew irritated and told me not to jump around like a monkey. I wrote him a letter of apology and said I wanted to stay with him. In the upper corner of my letter he wrote in his hand, “You are pure. May Krishna protect you from calamities.”

Around June 1974, while still his servant, I sat in the room in Geneva and heard him speaking of the need for a group of men to travel to the universities to place standing orders of his books. I spoke up and said I could do it. “Then do it!” he said abruptly.

Around the fall of 1966 I first heard Prabhupada  say Krishna married 16,108 wives. I raised my hand and said, “I’m trying to understand the Bhagavad-gita philosophy, but now you tell us that Krishna married 16,000 wives. How can I understand this?” He replied, “You cannot understand it? The greatest scholars cannot understand it.”

Around the summer of 1966, I asked Prabhupada my first personal question: “Is there a level of spiritual advancement from which you don’t fall down? He answered simply, “Yes.” That one-word answer gave me  confidence and ability to follow the four rules.

Around the spring of 1967 I was accompanying Prabhupada in the New York City streets after a visit to his lawyer on Chambers Street. Prabhupada said, “The city is like a jungle.” I replied, “Except there are no snakes.” Prabhupada said, “What about Mr. Payne?”

Around May of 1968 Prabhupada and the devotees went to Boston Commonwealth Pier, where he first arrived in America in 1965. We went in Hamsadutta’s used schoolbus. Except for the driver’s seat, it had no seats. The devotees placed a chair for Prabhupada, and a strong devotee, Vamana dasa, held the chair, but still the chair slid back and forth. At the pier there was a sign, “Unalloyed Steel.” Srila Prabhupada said, “They have unalloyed steel, and we have unalloyed devotion.” On the way back he told Hamsadutta he should not have bought a used bus.

Around Memorial Day of 1967, Srila Prabhupada was in the Beth Israel Hospital with a stroke. Devotees took turns staying with him in his room so he was never alone. Once I was the only person present while he was sleeping. He woke, sat up and said, “I do not know Krishna. I only know my Guru Maharaja.”

These are just a few times that I have jotted down. There are many ways I know Prabhupada, and I treasure them all.

Sometimes I mismanage our leftovers and am left to scramble, last minute, to get together a lunch for The Babu’s work.

This happened twice this week and comes as no surprise to me as I am trying to adjust to life with a first grader with homework, a kindergartener with a reading folder and a pretty full after school schedule of dance, gymnastics, mrdanga, appointments and the usual etcetera.

Rice paper wrappers, God bless you! No cooking required. Just a quick soak and shimmy–makes me feel like I am panning for gold. I had leftover jiaozi filling and was happy to use it in such a simple application. No floured table. No kids turning the crank. Just a plate of water, my finger tips and the delicate wrappers. I fried up some tofu to add to them and, when I ran out of filling, improvised with other provisions.

Couscous. Not really on The Babu’s Top 10 list, but it cooks quickly and is a grain so, you know, deal. To make couscous, simply boil water! Two cups of water per one cup of couscous. Boil water, add couscous, simmer and stir. Off heat. Leave covered. The whole process takes less than 10 minutes. Basically you just want the grains to absorb the liquid.

Now, some may feel it  a cruel punishment to serve couscous with a dry vegetable, but it was late and I was really just feeling like The Babu was blessed that I remembered he needed to eat the next day. High heat and cast iron are my friends at such moments. Tofu, zucchini, tomatoes and the other half of that yellow bell pepper met a tasty fate.

By Madhava Gosh das

Krishna by His practical example taught us to give all protection to the cows and that should be the main business of New Vrindaban. Vrindaban is also known as Gokula. Go means cows, and kula means congregation. Therefore the special feature of New Vrindaban will be cow protection, and by doing so, we shall not be loser

Gaur Gadadhar das: You are cordially invited to the Eleventh Annual 24 Hour Akhanda Sankirtanam at the home of Ravi (Nitai Gaurasundar das) and Meena Singh (Matsya devi dasi)

Jaya Sri Krsna!Please accept my humble obeisances.  All glories to Srila Prabhupada, whom has granted us access to You!

I am writing on this holy day of Your appearance, an endeavour which I have not taken since I was a child.  I hope my realizations of Your unlimited glories have increased some degree since then, to compensate for my decline in innocence.  You are so merciful that You accept such fools as myself as friend, son and servant.  I cannot see anyone else who could tolerate such neglect and still be anxiously awaiting us to return, to enjoy with You in Goloka Vrndavana.  This fact is simply one of Your unlimited qualities.

All glories to You, who have manifest in literary form as Srimad Bhagavatam.  The amazing depth and clarity of this wonderful king of books forever perplexes this humble soul’s mind and intelligence.  Within these books, You reveal Yourself in the Tenth Canto with all Your beautiful pastimes, from Your supposed birth until Your later years of manifestation.

Mother Bhumi and the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma, pray for Your appearance.  You make an elaborate arrangement, simply for the rasa, sending all Your associates, demigods and devotees down to planet earth to also take part.  You appear in Mathura but quickly take up Your true inhabitancy of Gokula, Your eternal abode manifest on earth.

As a baby You prove Your Godly strength.  You do not meditate, perform yoga, or do any material or spiritual process to accumulate Your powers.  You kill the demon Putana, who is very adept in mystic powers herself, just to prove that You are not an ordinary boy.

You lift Govardhana hill as a small boy.  This is again an act that proves Your divine power.  Indeed, almost as if simply to show off, You carry the hill in Your left hand (seemingly the weaker arm) and hold it up simply by Your pinkie.  Each detail that You add to Your divine arrangements simply adds another layer of flavour, for Your devotees to forever savour.  Whilst lifting the hill, for seven days, You enjoy intimate exchanges with the residents of Gokula, who bless Indra for arranging such an emergency situation for them.

You continue to play with Your cowherd boyfriends, including Your older brother, Balarama.  You enjoy sporting pastimes in the forests of Vrndavana, killing many more demons sent by Kamsa.  You also enjoy amorous pastimes with the gopis.  Who can conceive of these pastimes?  Many speculators and immature spiritual practitioners try to gain access to these intimate pastimes but they are not granted access.  Indeed, Laksmidevi herself attempted to enter the Rasa dance but was refused.  I am simply struggling to comprehend Your very basic pastimes and I wonder why people try to interfere with these unreachable abodes?

You seemingly leave Vrndavana and finish Your business in Mathura.  You easily defeat a maddened elephant, wrestlers and the demon king Kamsa.  You go on to inhabit Dvaraka, Your famous city on the sea, and You continue to relieve the burden of kings on the earth.  You elaborately arrange the battle of Kuruksetra, a scheme so cunning, which deals the final blows to remove the burdens of the earth.  Indeed, with this single arrangement You also set up the ploy to remove Your own family from the earth, the last of the burdens that the earth had to bear.

As if manifesting all these pastimes was not enough, You came again in Your confidential form as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.  Taking on the mood of Radharani, You spread Your glories far and wide.  You granted access to this mercy to the most fallen, including myself, and now we have the privilege of observing Your holy appearance day, even in the distant lands of the Mlecchas (today I am observing in Berlin, Germany).  You sent Your great devotee, Srila Prabhupada, over in a boat and You delivered this amazing treasure to us all.  Lord Sri Krsna I can only pray to be a servant of Your gracious devotees, who have saved me from so much suffering, and the chance to chant Your holy names, although I lack any real taste, for as long as I am trapped in this world.  Please never let me forget Your form, which is unlimitedly beautiful.  I long to see that three fold bending form of Syamasundara forever imprinted into my mind.

 

The servant of Your servants, Madhavendra Puri Dasa.

 

[http://maddmonk.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/homage-to-sri-krsna-the-eternal-cowherd-boy-2010]

Janmastami Celebrations went off in a very grand way at the Hare Krishna Temple yesterday! Thousands of people streamed in through the doors all throughout the night and the festival reached its peak with roaring Kirtan as the doors opened at midnight to unveil the gorgeous flower outfit! Stay tuned for pictures and an official report of the festival.

Today, we celebrate the appearance of His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness). It is by Srila Prabhupada's mercy that we are able to celebrate Janmastami in such a grand way in the western world.

Srila Prabhupada came to west in 1965 at the advanced age of 69 to share the message of Krishna Consciousness and Bhakti Yoga which would help people to find true happiness. ISKCON was established in 1966 with a small storefront in New York. Since then, till Srila Prabhupada's departure in 1977, there were over 100 centres around the world (including the Toronto temple!) established with thousands of followers! Today ISKCON has grown into a world wide confederation of almost 400 centres and tens of thousands follow these teachings of Srila Prabhupada. To find out more about Srila Prabhupada's life, please click here.

Today, we will be honouring Srila Prabhupada with a special program starting at 6pm at the Hare Krishna Temple. The program will feature an arati to the spiritual master, offerings and memories shared by senior disciples of his, kirtan and sumptous prasadam (vegetarian dinner) after that. Please join us as we celebrate the appearance of this revolutionary monk!

A Few Know

Niagara Falls, Ontario

It was rather spontaneous – the trip to the Falls. Our guests, Yadhubhar and Visakha, a couple wed since ’71, found the suggestion to see that natural wonder a real treat. Yadubar had not seen the Falls since 1959 and being involved in film and she, Visakh, a photographer could really appreciate the liquid pouring down in torrents.

We arrived early, 8 AM, walking along to catch with eye’s view the various angles of majesty. A stroll through the main street of Niagara on the Lake village astounded them with its array of outdoor plant displays. People say that places adorned with flower growth brings down the crime level.

What this devotional couple really appreciated from the day’s experience was a visit and delivering a presentation of “The Gita” to the Urban Edge community in Toronto. The response to the message, the chanting, the small drama by our youth was so well absorbed by all.

It gives me hope that very regular Canadians are very ready for implementing some level of higher consciousness to their lives. For many of them the personality, Krishna, is a new phenomenon, but He has become more relevant with the passage of time because of the efforts of a few who give honour to Him in presenting His philosophy.

Tomorrow is Janmastami, the birth anniversary of Krishna. One billion people on the planet claim an allegiance in one way or other to Vedic culture but few know much about its source.

7 KM

By Parasuram das

HH Mahavishnu Swami heads up this tour. He's a low maintenance swami and a real pleasure to be with. From morning to night we get non-stop Krishna katha

City Trails and Cemeteries

Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto

Along the ravine I met a young Caucasian male who was running. He offered his pranams (hand gesture) of respect. I didn’t recognize him, “Swamiji, Namaste.” He was gone.

Another man, an artist, on his way to the ponds at the old brick factory offered his pranams. He was white. We got talking.

“This was my training field – this ravine – for doing the cross country trekking, or pilgrimage,” I mentioned.

“Yes, I’ve seen you here before,” he remarked.

Minutes passed by and in the same ravine another very ‘western’ person, a woman, offered her ‘Namaste’ and pranams. It seems the west is becoming more east and vice versa. This is not the first time.

I followed through the ravine route which took me through Mont Pleasant Cemetery. It’s a beautifully maintained space. I passed by Glenn Gould’s grave stone, a crude stone in the shape of a piano. I also spotted a young man who sat next to a stone, transfixed, meditating on a deceased loved one. Some oriental folks were cleaning around a polished tomb stone, and act of love no doubt. And a Jewish man walked slowly about as if in prayer.

I like cemeteries. They have helped me in the past, especially those old graveyards found along the old highways. Along Highway 3 I would take naps in a quiet corner in those sacred places. They were the best sleeping sessions of all because the older cemeteries are visited infrequently.

After Mount Pleasant, you come upon the Belt Line, a well shaded direct trail and then loop around via Cedarbrae Park. I’m getting to know all fruit bearing trees along the way in addition to the wild grape vines. Of course, I take samples. The trek had truly shaped up to be a pilgrimage because that’s what pilgrims do. They walk and meet people that come by and depend on the kindness of others and what nature may provide for nourishment.

After a weekend on wheels I needed these four hours to get grounded again. It’s easy to be a city pilgrim and I recommend more people to explore their city trails of pilgrimage. Do include those cemeteries.

18 KM

By Sukanti Radha dasi

The Minister for Culture at the Indian High Commission in the United Kingdom, Her Excellency Monika Mohta, graciously hosted the launch of the Temple of Vedic Planetarium on the 30th of August 2010 at the Nehru Centre, London

My dear Lord, please engage me in your service eternally and please help me chant your holy name constantly.

BY BELLA JAISINGHANI (TNN) Source: Times Of India 14 Lakh (1.4 million) Devotees Expected To Converge In 48 Hours For A Glimpse Of The World’s Largest Janmashtami Celebrations Fourteen lakh cups made of dry leaves, or dronas as they are called, are stacked in the store room of the ISKCON temple in Juhu, waiting to [...]

Click here to read the full article from the "Beyond Fossil Fuels" series in the New York Times

ROCK CREEK, W.Va.

LORELEI SCARBRO’S husband, Kenneth, an underground coal miner for more than 30 years, is buried in a small family cemetery near her property here at the base of Coal River Mountain. The headstone is engraved with two roosters facing off, their feathers ruffled. Kenneth, who loved cockfighting, died in 1999, and, Ms. Scarbro says, he would have hated seeing the tops of mountains lopped off with explosives and heavy machinery by mining companies searching for coal.

Critics say the practice, known as “mountaintop removal mining,” is as devastating to the local environment as it is economically efficient for coal companies, one of which is poised to begin carving up Coal River Mountain. And that has Ms. Scarbro and other residents of western Raleigh County in a face-off of their own.

Their goal is to save the mountain, and they intend to do so with a wind farm. At least one study has shown that a wind project could be a feasible alternative to coal mining here, although the coal industry’s control over the land and the uncertain and often tenuous financial prospects of wind generation appear to make it unlikely to be pursued. That, residents say, would be a mistake.

“If we don’t stop this,” Ms. Scarbro says, adjusting the flowers on her husband’s grave, “one day we’ll be standing on a big pile of rock and debris, and we’ll be asking, ‘What do we do now?’ ”

For many renewable-energy advocates outside the region, the struggle at Coal River Mountain has become emblematic of an effort across the country to find alternatives to fossil fuels. They have lent money, expertise and high-profile celebrities like Daryl Hannah and James Hansen, the NASA climate scientist, to help residents advance their case for wind power and to make it a test case for others pursuing similar projects nationwide.

The mountain, which is privately owned and leased to coal interests, is also one of the last intact mountaintops in a region whose contours have otherwise been irreversibly altered by extreme surface-mining techniques. Preserving its peaks for a wind farm, plan advocates say, could provide needed job diversification for impoverished towns that otherwise live or die by the fortunes of coal.

Don L. Blankenship, the chief executive of Massey Energy, the largest coal company in West Virginia and the one planning to cut into Coal River Mountain’s peaks, has repeatedly called assertions of long- and short-term environmental damage exaggerated.

“There are a lot of misstatements out there,” Mr. Blankenship says. “I don’t find the environmental damage to be nearly what people say they find it to be, and we’re struggling with whether the true objective of all these regulations is to protect the environment, or whether it’s simply to stop the mining of coal.”

While the odds remain slim that wind power will replace coal mining here, proponents say that changes in state and federal mining regulations could tilt things in their favor.

“We want to make it economically unfeasible to do mountaintop mining,” Ms. Scarbro says.

Citraka dasa: Srila Prabhupada your clever creation, the organized effort of many souls under your guidance, known as International Society for Krishna consciousness has saved my life and that of many others from the onslaught of Kali

We wish all our viewers a very happy Janmastami.Sri Sri Radha-Madhava were offered new bright yellow embroidered outfits with gorgeous flower decorations. The temple decoration is very artistic with qualities of Sri Krishna from Nectar of Devotion written on it. Special class on Sri Krishna’s appearance was given by HG Jananivasa prabhu & HG Hari Sauri prabhu. Bengali classes were given by HH Jayapataka Swami & HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami.

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Here’s a few photos taken about three hours ago of our Mayapur Masters, Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Sri Sri Panca-tattva and Sri Sri Prahlada Nrsimhadeva. Their new outfits are spectacular (unfortunately these photos don’t do any justice to them at all).

At mangala-arati 4-5,000 people were queuing to get in – quite remarkable when you realize how far out into the countryside we are.

Devotees have stuck some nice decorations on the pillars in the temple room describing Krsna’s qualities.

HH Jayapataka Swami did the mangala-arati offering to Lord Nrsimhadeva, gave class in Bengali, and was there to greet the Deities with a plate of lamps.

The temple was of course fully crowded, showing us once again the need for the new temple, which is rapidly being constructed, even during the celebrations.

Tomorrow Friday September 3 2010 is Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasapuja, his 114th appearance day anniversary.  On this Janmastami day I humbly pray to Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Sri Sri Prahlada Nrsimhadeva and Sri Sri Panca-tattva to kindly allow this fallen soul into Srila Prabhupada’s eternal entourage.

I am working on getting all my finished kitchen details together, but in the meantime, here are the before and after shots. We’ve come a long way!

Finished Kitchen Pics *Inside & Out* of cabinets click HERE

Radhanath Swami – Srimad Bhagavatam Class – ISKCON Mayapur – Part 2/4

Song to Srila Prabhupada Srila Prabhupada, you saved me From hopelessness and disgrace. Blessed me with divine vision Of what lies beyond this place. So adeptly you uprooted my confusion By distinguishing reality from illusion. So now there's nothing for this feeble soul to do But to give my eternal existence to you. ================================================================== Thought...

BY SRILA KAVI KARNAPURNA Sweetest Description of Janmastami-lila from Ananda Vrindavan Champu by Srila Kavi Karnapura Translated by Bhanu Swami & Subhaga Swami, Published by Mahanidhi Swami Now we will discuss the truth about the transcendental birthplace of Bhagavan and the appearance of Lord Sri Krishna. Once upon a time, Bhumi, the predominating deity of [...]

Recently, before beginning my japa, I was contemplating Srila Prabhupada’s
definition of the meaning of the maha mantra, which is: “Oh Lord, Oh energy of the Lord, please engage me in Your service”.

I began asking myself, “Krsna is already engaging me in His service, so what is the need to continue petitioning Him? It seems redundant“. But then I thought, “Yes, you are already engaging in His service, but why don’t you try expanding on what that implies and see if you can take the meaning to a deeper and more relevant level?”

That sounded like a good idea, so here is what I came up with:

Oh my Lord, Oh energy of the Lord, please help me to constantly engage in Your service.

Please continue to engage me in Your service in spite of my many faults.

Please one day engage me in Your spontaneous service.

Please help me to engage in Your unmotivated service without my asking You for something in return.

Please help me become free from nonsense thoughts while engaging in Your service and draw my mind to You.

Please help me serve the devotees who are serving the devotees who are engaged in Your service.

Please help me increase the effectiveness of my service.

Please help me to engage in service according to Your desires, not mine.

Please help me to please You with my service.

After meditating in the above way, I felt my appreciation of the meaning of the mantra had indeed deepened, and I felt more prepared to enter into the proper mood while chanting. At this point, I became eager to go further in my understanding of the holy name and asked a godbrother if one of the acaryas had given an expanded version of the meaning Prabhupada had presented. What he wrote back quoting from Srila Sanatana Gosvami’s Hari-bhakti-vilasa was exactly what I was hoping for. I have read it several times to the devotees during the long kirtan festivals we have been having, and many asked for copies. I hope that it helps you as much as it has helped me.

Hare: Oh Radhe, please attract my mind and free me from material bondage.

Krsna: Oh Krsna, please attract my mind by pulling it towards You.

Hare: Oh Radhe, captivate my heart by showing me Your incomparable
sweetness.

Krsna: Oh Krsna, purify my mind with knowledge about devotional service given by Your pure devotee.

Krsna: Oh Krsna, give me steadiness to appreciate Your transcendental name, form, qualities, and pastimes.

Krsna: Oh Krsna, may I develop a taste for serving you.

Hare: Oh Radhe, please make me qualified for Your service.

Hare: Oh Radhe, please make me eligible to relish Your transcendental name, form, qualities, and pastimes.

Hare: Oh Radhe, please instruct me how I can serve You.

Rama: Oh Krsna, let me hear of Your intimate pastimes with Your beloved
Radharani.

Hare: Oh Radhe, please reveal to me Your pastimes with Your beloved
Madhava.

Rama: Oh Krsna, please reveal to me Your pastimes with Your beloved
Srimati Radhika.

Rama: Oh Krsna, please engage me in remembering Your sweet name, form,
qualities and pastimes.

Rama: Oh Krsna, please make me qualified for Your service.

Hare: Oh Radhe, having accepted me as one of Your maidservants, please
enjoy me as You like.

Hare: Oh Radhe, I beg You to be pleased with me.

Sri Krsna Janmastami

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.23.49 - Krsna appears in this world to display the loving ecstasy of His Vraja pastimes.

On this auspicious day of Sri Krishna Janmastami, the sacred Birthday of Lord Sri Krishna, allow mw to leave you with a couple of nice quotes.

"Temporal blessings pass like a dream, beauty fades like a flower, the longest life disappears like a flash. Our existence may be likened to the bubble that forms on the surface of water." - Niti Shastras (Moral Stanzas)

"This life is tottering like a drop of water on a lotus petal. - Govinda Dasa Kaviraja", from 'Bhajahu Re Mana'

"For this reason the enlightened person should endeavor only for the minimum necessities of life while in the world of names. He should be intelligently fixed and never endeavor for unwanted things, being competent to perceive practically that all such endeavors are merely hard labour for nothing." - Srimad Bhagavatam, 2.2.3., A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The following is a transcription of a 1966 "Krishna Meditations" recording of the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada discussing the benefits of chanting Hare Krishna:

Chanting the transcendental vibration:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

...is the sublime method for reviving our transcendental consciousness, or Krishna consciousness.

As living spiritual souls, we are all originally Krishna conscious entities, but due to our association with matter from time immemorial, our consciousness is now polluted by the material atmosphere, called maya, or illusion.

And what is this illusion? The illusion is that we are all trying to be lords of material nature, while actually we are under the grip of her stringent laws. When a servant artificially tries to imitate the all-powerful master, he is said to be in illusion.

We are trying to exploit the resources of material nature, but actually we are becoming more and more entangled in her complexities. Therefore, although we are engaged in a hard struggle to conquer nature, we are becoming ever more dependent on her. This illusory struggle against material nature can be stopped at once by revival of our eternal Krishna consciousness.

Krishna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind. This consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we hear and chant the transcendental vibration:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

...this consciousness is revived.

This simplest method of meditation is recommended by learned authorities for this age. By practical experience also, one can perceive that by chanting this maha-mantra, or the great chant for deliverance, one at once feels transcendental ecstasy coming through from the spiritual stratum.

In the material concept of life we are busy in the matter of sense gratification, as if we were in the lower, animal stage. A little elevated from this status of sense gratification, one engages in mental speculation for the purpose of getting out of the material clutches. A little elevated from this speculative status, when one is intelligent enough, one tries to find out the supreme cause of all causes, within and without. And when one is factually on the plane of spiritual understanding, surpassing the stages of sense, mind, and intelligence, one is situated on the transcendental plane. The chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is directly enacted from this spiritual platform, and thus this sound vibration surpasses all lower strata of consciousness—namely sensual, mental, and intellectual.

There is no need, therefore, to understand the language of the mantra, nor is there any need of any mental speculation or intellectual adjustment for chanting this maha-mantra. It springs automatically from the spiritual platform, and thus anyone can take part in the chanting without any previous qualification and dance in ecstasy. We have seen this practically. Even a child can take part in the chanting and dancing.

Of course, for one who is too entangled in material life, it takes a little more time to come to the standard point, but even such a materially engrossed person is very quickly raised to the spiritual platform.

When the mantra is chanted by a pure devotee of the Lord, it has the greatest effect on hearers, and therefore this chanting should be heard from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord, so that immediate effects can be achieved. As far as possible, chanting from the lips of non-devotees should be avoided, just as one would avoid milk touched by the lips of a serpent because it has poisonous effects.

The word Hara is a form of addressing the energy of the Lord, and the words Krishna and Rama (which mean "the highest pleasure eternal") are forms of addressing the Lord Himself. Hara is the supreme pleasure energy of the Lord, and when addressed as Hare in the vocative, She helps us to reach the Supreme Lord.

The material energy, called maya, is also one of the multi-energies of the Lord, and we, the living entities, are the marginal energy of the Lord. The living entities are described as superior to the material energy. When this superior energy is in contact with the inferior energy, an incompatible situation arises, but when the superior marginal energy is in contact with the spiritual energy, Hara, the living entity is established in his happy, normal condition.

These three words, namely Hare, Krishna, and Rama, are the transcendental seeds of the maha-mantra. The chanting is a spiritual call for the Lord and His internal energy Hara to protect the conditioned soul. This chanting is exactly like the genuine cry of a child for its mother. Mother Hara helps the devotee achieve the grace of the Supreme Father, Hari or Krishna, and the Lord reveals Himself to the devotee who chants this mantra sincerely.

Therefore no other means of spiritual realization is as effective in this age of quarrel and hypocrisy as the chanting of the maha-mantra:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

by Tom Rooney, SPG Solar
Published: August 31, 2010

Conservatives, let’s talk about energy. And why so many conservatives are so wrong — so liberal, even — on wind and solar energy.

Let’s start with a recent editorial from the home of “free markets and free people,” the Wall Street Journal. Photovoltaic solar energy, quoth the mavens, is a “speculative and immature technology that costs far more than ordinary power.”

So few words, so many misconceptions. It pains me to say that because, like many business leaders, I grew up on the Wall Street Journal and still depend on it.

But I cannot figure out why people who call themselves “conservatives” would say solar or wind power is “speculative.” Conservatives know that word is usually reserved to criticize free-market activity that is not approved by well, you know who.

Today, around the world, more than a million people work in the wind and solar business. Many more receive their power from solar. Solar is not a cause, it is a business with real benefits for its customers.

Just ask anyone who installed their solar systems five years ago. Today, many of their systems are paid off and they are getting free energy. Better still, ask the owners of one of the oldest and most respected companies in America who recently announced plans to build one of the largest solar facilities in the country. That would be Dow Jones, owners of the Wall Street Journal.

Now we come to “immature.” Again, the meaning is fuzzy. But in Germany, a country 1/3 our size in area and population, they have more solar than the United States. This year, Germans will build enough solar to equal the output of three nuclear power plants. What they call immaturity our clients call profit-making leadership.

But let’s get to the real boogie man: The one that “costs far more than ordinary power.”

I’ve been working in energy infrastructure for 25 years and I have no idea what the WSJ means by the words “ordinary power.” But, after spending some time with Milton Friedman whom I met on many occasions while studying for an MBA at the University of Chicago, I did learn about costs.

And here is what every freshman at the University of Chicago knows: There is a difference between cost and price.

Solar relies on price supports from the government. Fair enough — though its price is falling even faster than fossil fuels are rising.

But if Friedman were going to compare the costs of competing forms of energy, he also would have wanted to know the cost of “ordinary energy.” Figured on the same basis. This is something the self-proclaimed conservative opponents of solar refuse to do.

But huge companies including Wall Mart, IBM, Target and Los Gatos Tomatoes figured it out. And last year so did the National Academy of Sciences. It produced a report on the Hidden Costs of Energy that documented how coal was making people sick to the tune of $63 billion a year.

And that oil and natural gas had so many tax breaks and subsidies that were so interwoven for so long, it was hard to say exactly how many tens of billions these energy producers received courtesy of the U.S. Taxpayer.

Just a few weeks ago, the International Energy Agency said worldwide, fossil fuels receive $550 billion in subsidies a year — 12 times what alternatives such as wind and solar get.

Neither report factored in Global Warming or the cost of sending our best and bravest into harm’s way to protect our energy supply lines.

Whatever that costs, you know it starts with a T. All this without hockey stick graphs, purloined emails or junk science.

When you compare the real costs of solar with the fully loaded real costs of coal and oil and natural gas and nuclear power, apples to apples, solar is cheaper.

That’s not conservative. Or liberal. That comes from an ideology older and more reliable than both of those put together: Arithmetic.

Filed under: Cows and Environment

Prabhupada said in one lecture, “The atheists claim that God is dead, but the pure devotee can hand you God”—and as he said it, he held his own hand forward and opened it.

>From Prabhupada Meditations by SDG

> in the Gita the Lord instructs us to always > remember Him in His two handed personal form (8.9, 12.2) and that it is > superior to His impersonal form. But then the salagram sila deity form of > the Lord doesn’t look like His personal form of Syamsundara

But also salagram-sila is not impersonal. See CC 3.6.294, 301 regarding how Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Raghunatha dasa saw their Govardhana-sila. Presumably devotees worshiping salagram-sila desire to follow in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Raghunatha dasa. I suggest that you ask devotees performing such puja to describe their conception.

On behalf of Srila Prabhupada, Sri Sri Radha Vrindavan Candra and all the devotees and visitors to New Vrindavan, the ISKCON New Vrindavan Board of Directors would like to express our immense appreciation, gratitude and thanks to Gaura Shakti Prabhu!

Last week, Gaura Shakti performed the Herculean devotional service of donating his time, energy and money by renting and jack hammering all the excess concrete “bumps” in the driveways and parking lots around the temple and cabins! These bumps have been an annoyance for over a decade as they gradually surfaced from the settling of the brick pavers.

This effort took several days of strenuous and exhausting work. He very wisely left two official speed bumps on the main entrance driveway and painted them red to slow vehicles down to a safe speed. He was ably assisted by Janardana das, who, being younger and actually built for this kind of work!, was able to carry the project to completion! As Gaura Shakti himself said, “I could not have done it without him!”

www.sdgonline.org.

3:50 A.M.

From Namamrita by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

“The holy name is a spiritual sound from the spiritual world:

“[The maha-mantra] is not a material sound like the sounds we hear on a radio. It is a spiritual sound that comes from the spiritual world. Even in the material world we can release the sound from one place, and it can be heard thousands of miles away. A spiritual sound can be released from many trillions of miles away, and it can be heard, provided that one has a machine to capture it. That machine is bhagavat prema. Those who have developed love of Godhead can hear it.”

—Teachings of Lord Kapila the son of Devahuti.

“The holy name is eternally pure and transcendental:

“Since Krishna and His holy name are identical the holy name is eternally pure and beyond material contamination. It is the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a transcendental vibration. The holy name is completely different from material sound, as confirmed by Narottama das Thakura golokera prema dhana harinama sankirtana: the transcendental vibration of harinama sankirtana is imported from the spiritual world.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita Adi-lila 7.74).

It is hard to comprehend that the combination of letters in the Hare Krishna mantra is something entirely different than the combinations of letters in a world like “Coca-Cola,” but the Vaishnavas have faith in the scriptures and in sages like Narottama das Thakura that the holy name comes from Goloka. But it has to be said with devotion with the “machine” of bhagavat prema. Aside from faith, there is also experience. If you try to chant “Coca-Cola” over and over for sixteen rounds a day you will not be able to do it. You’ll get disgusted and feel absurd. But you can chant Hare Krishna repeatedly and feel that as spiritually meaningful. You can pray with this sound vibration. So it is proved both by faith and by spiritual experience by the sadhaka.

My japa was a grind,
but I was faithful
to the spiritual count.
It is not a materially
manufactured sound,
but comes straight from
Krishnaloka. Is this
true for me? Do
my utterances come from
the spiritual world or
are they just the outer
covering of nama and
I am merely going through
the motions? I chant
with my mind and
try to pick up the
sounds from their
spiritual origin by
being focused on the
japa. I tune in
my radio and hear
from far away,
very close, He’s
with me.

Although the chanting was a bit dull, I chanted all sixteen rounds before 3:30 and chanted my gayatri also. So I am fulfilling the vow and trying my best.

www.sdgonline.org.

One Hundred Prabhupada Poems #15

My Prabhupada. Find him in the
temple room of the rented house.
They expect me to sing “Samsara”
because I’m the oldest.
Okay, but sometimes I’m not going to
lead as they expect. I’ll be silent
and think of him in my own way.
The Prabhupada twelve-inch murti
leans slightly backward,
the spotlight from the ceiling shining down upon him.

These Czech bhaktas prostrate
themselves fully before him—
they furiously distribute his books, I don’t
dare make fun of them.

Just serve and be simple.
Your master is in every line
of the “Samsara” song.

www.sdgonline.org.

1.

This poem is non-thematic
and jumps from place to
place. But if you open to
it you can find nice lines
and warm moments and
you can make the jumps.
I’ll outline the jumps although
they are already clear to
see. I guess the real
question is why make
them at all. Let us see.

2.

The poem:

“Now that’s nicer,
forget the rest
the Americans are in the belly of the bomber,
it could be a nice family with a
monk living in the center of it
amusing himself with old-time
women and going out to the preacher
where he leaves for better
places like Somalia and Slovenia—I was there.

“And I was there because
I know something
special
so unreal line in my faith,
brahmana’s faith in me,
black caps, jacket,
flashing light cop car!
“Nigger! Put your hands
behind your back. I said
behind your back!”

“The motorist succumbs, and the city
is burned to the ground in rage.

“‘Tell us a good-night story.’ Something
happened with my books, they got accepted
somewhere and I got happy
back home with some old chums out of the Depression, I’m in New York,
near Albany, but big Buff is snowing the most it ever did
in the history of the world—or from the beginning of keeping records.
Birth of Christ-child,
Vishnu’s lotus bud.”

3.

Forget the war combat and focus on your position
as a peaceful monk living
near an active family
who accept your ways.

You used to go out preaching
to the faraway countries
but don’t do it anymore.
A brother jokingly accused
you, “Why do you just write?
Prabhupada did everything!”

I was lecturing because
I knew something and
they accepted me. I could do it again,
but now I am just writing.

4.

The UDS poem flashes
to a scene of police abuse
with racist tones,
taken from the news—
I wasn’t there,
but they burned the buildings
down. You put it
in your poem
because it came.

5.

Instead of violence
tell us a good-night story.
Tell us good news
that your books got
accepted.

And in a few months the
snows will come again because
I am back in upstate New York
where it falls deep, and
I will be here through
the end of the year
and after that.

www.sdgonline.org.

Free write

I opened the Bhagavatam at random. I turned to Canto One, Chapter 11, verse 3. “Suta Goswami said: ‘Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the maintainer of the world, became pleased after reestablishing Maharaja Yudisthira in his own kingdom and after restoring the Kuru dynasty, which had been exhausted by the bamboo fire of anger.’” In the purport Srila Prabhupada writes, “Lord Krishna descended to establish this sort of regime and to kill the unwanted persons who had nothing to do with His plan.” The last descent of the Lord was Lord Caitanya, and He propagated the peaceful sankirtana movement. But it has not spread widely yet. Kali-yuga has set in, and the world is like the forest fire caused by the cohesion of bamboo bushes. In all countries people are engaged in sinful actions, and they are suffering reactions. It is a bad time. The Lord’s representatives are not ruling. One almost wonders why He doesn’t come again personally to set things right. The devotees have responsibility to try to spread the sankirtana movement and bring peace. But their influence is small. The Lord is surely not pleased with this state of affairs. The world is just the opposite of what it was when Maharaja Yudisthira ruled and the living beings were not disturbed by material agonies, diseases or excessive weather or disasters. Unless Lord Caitanya’s movement is unified and strong, we cannot expect peace. The asuras are growing in numbers and forces for good are confused and embroiled in political affairs trying to gain control for their party.”

We must pray and endeavor for better times and depend on Krishna for the result. If the Krishna consciousness movement is to be given power to rule in the world it will have to prove itself worthy and capable. Prabhupada has already given all the directions in his books, and his followers have to learn them and take them up in earnest. Otherwise the bamboo fires will spread and Kali-yuga’s perils will simply increase. If we truly help each other by sharing Krishna consciousness there is hope.

Today is Janmastami, and the devotees are planning a festival from 4 PM to midnight. It will begin at 4 PM with a lecture by Jayadvaita Swami. Then a full abhiseka of the Radha-Govinda deities. All of Keli-lalita’s yoga students and their families are invited. Children are welcome. At 6:15 PM there will be classical Indian dance. At 7 PM there will be a vegetarian feast. From 8:15 to 9:15 there will be kirtana. Then Dhanudara Swami will speak on the birth of Krishna. At 10:30 there will be Vrndavana kirtana and sat-sanga with Shyam das. At 11:30 there will be a final kirtana with Dhanudhara Swami and candlelight arati offered by Her Grace Kaulini Mataji. Then at midnight break fast.

Krishna appeared in the world at the request of Lord Brahma, Mother Earth and the demigods. The Krishna book begins, “Once the world was overburdened by the unnecessary defense force of different kings who were actually demons posing as the royal order.” The same situation prevails today. We are in need of Krishna’s appearance. Prabhupada has written that Krishna has appeared as the Hare Krishna mantra. Wide spreading of the Hare Krishna mantra can counteract the bad effects of this age.

Vyasa-puja is an annual celebration by devotees of Lord Krishna to offer homage to their guru, or spiritual teacher. Each year, the BBT publishes a Vyasa-puja book—a collection of homages to Srila Prabhupada from devotees and temples all over the world.

An early tract distributed by Krishna devotees issued the challenge ‘Who is Crazy?’ Having frequently encountered taunts regarding their mental state, the devotees responded with this well reasoned argument from Srila Prabhupada on the definition of insanity.

The ISKCON Vrindavan Goshala makes an urgent appeal to its worldwide community of devotees, the goshala which houses over 385 cows, bulls and calves are in urgent need of 30 acres of grazing land, winter and summer sheds, upgraded medical care,and other facilities.

Happy Janmastami. Today in the evening, there will be Adhivas of Sri Krishna Janmastami- a ceremony to prepare our consciousness to receive Lord on His appearance day. All the festivities will be available at Mayapur Live. We thank all the donors and wellwishers for supporting Janmastami festival in Mayapur. If you are yet to submit your offering, you can do it now!

Live Schedule

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On 30th August,Students of Bhakti Vedanta National School offered glorification to Srila Prabhupada, performed bhajans, drama and kirtan for the pleasure of His Divine Grace. All the children were blessed with the opportunity to perform abhisheka to Srila Prabhupada. HH Jayapataka Swami, HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami, HG Jananivasa pr, HG Pankajanghri pr, HG Sankarshan Nitai Pr, HG Naru gopal prabhu blessed the occasion. In the evening, they did a big harinam around the campus.

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Even though the New York Times is as establishment as you can get among the major media outlets in the world, they regularly lend their voice to exploring, nay endorsing, all three of the alternative ways of living Srila Prabhupada taught.

In the last 50 years, we have seen divorce rates sky rocket. Currently in the “developed” counties about 50% of first marriages end in divorce, 60-67% of second marriages and 73-74% of third marriages end in the same way. We are witnessing a slow motion collapse of our civilization.

Whether you are riding a wave of success in your devotional service or you are overwhelmed with life's challenges, please seriously consider fortifying and empowering yourself by attending the Mayapur Institute's Bhakti-sastri or Bhaktivaibhava Courses beginning November 10th in Mayapur.

“You rascal, how can you kill me? The child who will kill you is already born before me somewhere within this world. Don’t be so cruel to your poor sister.”

It’s the auspicious event of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s transcendental appearance tomorrow Thursday 2nd of September (Sri Krishna Janmastami) and the Appearance of the foremost preacher of Krishna Consciousness, His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (Sri Vyasa-puja) on the very next day Friday 3rd of September.

This is the most fortunate opportunity to glorify the Lord and His pure devotee, receiving His limitless blessings by chanting and hearing of His glorious qualities and pastimes.

Everyone is cordially invited to attend the functions at Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda’s home in the Hunter Valley – New Gokula farm.

There will be Aratis, Kirtan and Prasadam throughout the day on Thursday for Janmastami with a full evening program of worship, Bhajans, Abhishek bathing ceremony and narrations of the pastimes of Krishna.

Evening festivities begin at 6pm and roll on til the midnight candlelight arati, followed by the sumptuous Janmastami feast.

We are eagerly anticipating your company in commemorating the most important event in the universe. Please come for a darshan or for the entire evening of ecstatic chanting.

Presents can be offered to Their Lordships in the form of decorative jewellery, offerings of grains, ghee, sugar, spices, incense, scented oils, kitchen utensils, donations, flowering plants, fruit trees or any other items useful for the Lord’s service.

There will be a morning program from 10.30 am on Friday for Sri Vyasa-puja (worship of Srila Prabhupada) ending at 1pm with a wonderful prasadam feast.

It’s Festival season. Tuesday the 24th of August is the Appearance celebration of Lord Sri Balarama, which will be celebrated at New Gokula temple from 6pm through to 8 pm. Please come along and hear about The Lord’s wonderful qualities and pastimes and honour the favourite prasadam of Lord Baladev – Varuni juice and Gulab Jamuns!

Your Humble Servant,

Kaliya Krishna Das

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Wednesday 25th, August 2010.

Braja was calling us all for breakfast.  We were not so enthused because we had all been given a big bag of treats for our journeys anyway.  We decided that his wake up call was a good alarm so we jumped out of bed for the sake of it.  We packed and then made our ways downstairs.  I still had no idea where I was going to end up at the end of the day so I simply made my way outside to see who was around.  None of the devotees going to the Polish Rathayatra were in sight.  I submitted to plan B (which was originally plan A), to go to Berlin.

I met up with Radheya and we hauled into the back of a minibus.  I was excited as we saw all the devotees who were joining us, many of them were our close friends.  We had Nanda Kumar and his wife, Braja Kishore and Manjari, Ahobalam Nrsimha Prabhu, Sitala Mataji and the Mayapur girls, Gaura from America, the Aussie girls, and Gaura Mohana and his mother.  Nanda Kumar led the final Nrsimha prayers and we waved our goodbyes to Poland.  I looked out the window, at the rushing countryside, and took one last laugh at all the ironically interesting uniqueness, which was characteristic of Poland.

Our first stop in the city was Tegel airport.  We waved our goodbyes to Sitala Mataji and the girls from Mayapur.  Rasarani Priya was now a Brahmana initiate (since only a few days ago) and Madhurangi was heading off to Australia in less than a fortnight.  We wished them safe travels and all good wishes.

The rest of the party arrived at the temple.  Some of the group disappeared, checking into motels or staying with devotees, only to come back later.  We met Gauranga at the door to the Berlin temple (Govinda Dev’s little brother).  I had gone from travelling with one sibling to staying with another; Krsna seemed to have some mysterious plan.

We settled in, feeling exhausted.  I sat down with one of the Brahmacaris, bhakta Zandor.  I asked him a little about himself.  He told me about his coming to Krsna consciousness.  He mentioned that the first temple he stayed at was New Govardhana, Australia.  It was amazing to see so many people coming in touch with Krsna consciousness in my home town and then spreading it all over the world.  I couldn’t escape this community’s influence it seemed.  Even the receptionist at Radhadesh had spent a few months as a bhakta on New Govardhana farm.  I remembered my friend Richard, who had come to the farm and I had been keeping in touch with since.  I decided I would write him, so we could meet up in Berlin like we had planned.  I was travelling all over the world and so was he but Krsna made it that we stopped in the same city at the same time - this is truly amazing.

I entered the temple room.  I was shocked to see that the temple had occupied a life-size Prabhupada murti.  It was a big, small change for the little Berlin temple.  I  paid my obeisances to Srila Prabhupada, thanking him for allowing me to be a small gear in his amazing preaching operation, and then I paid obeisances to Lord Jagannatha, Lord of the Universe.  His big red smile gleamed down on me with a loving warmth.  Krsna cared equally for all his living entities yet he showed special care to his devotees.  Even fallen devotees like myself were still miraculously allowed the mercy of the Lord.  I thanked Krsna for his unconditional love, love which I was not fit to receive.

The devotees fed us up and we felt a little lively again.  I did some study before checking travel routes for tomorrow.  We were saying goodbye to our final companions tomorrow, as they all headed off for their flights.  Braja returned to the temple, along with the other matajis in our car (the rest of us had been in the temple, sorting out our things for the upcoming farewells).

We sat, casually sharing katha, when the most unlikely candidate arrived - it was Nila!  Nila had left half way through the tour, to go on some other wild adventures, and by Krsna’s arrangement he was back in town at the same time as us, dealing with the same business - eminent flying.  He sat with us and shared his long ventures.  Tomorrow he was heading off to America, a big move for him.  He had caught the travel bug and who knows what could stop him now.

We took one last walk together, through the local park.  Radheya and I looked out across the lake, thinking of the coming adventures and responsibilities.  Radheya was heading back to Govardhana, starting a course in Sanskrit and I was staying back in Europe, to study Vaisnava theology.  Our only motivation for these paths was to please Srila Prabhupada, making his movement stronger, adding to the bundle of unbreakable sticks that was the cooperative ISKCON.  I could already see the events of tomorrow in my mind.  We would all make our ways to our respective airports (I would come along simply for the company), we would say our heartfelt farewells at the gate, I would return to the city and buy myself a small case of luggage for my new, “simplified” life in Europe and then return to the temple.  All we could do after that was wait for another journey across to Poland, now closer than ever before.

 

[http://maddmonk.wordpress.com/2010/09/01/p30-back-to-berlin]

 

[Dear readers (from Planet ISKON and Facebook),Thank you for participating in another tour diary.  I hope you had a blast and I hope I didn’t bore you.  This is the final entry for the season.  I will be publishing different writings still, on facebook and Planet ISKCON, simply when I feel inspired to write something, but if you’re missing any of the diaries, please feel free to check out my site: http://maddmonk.wordpress.com   I will be posting all new entries (as well as some old entries) on there, plus some things that I wont publish on faceboo and Planet ISKCON.  I have made a navigation system on the site, if you want to read back any of the previous tours and you can also subscribe by clicking on the RSS feed.

Thanks again.  I hope all is well.  Hare Krsna.    Your servant, Madhavendra Puri Dasa.]

Dear devotees and friends, Please accept my best wishes. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. On the 13th afternoon (August) I flew from Moscow to Novosibirsk, back in central Russia, for my birthday  celebration. I landed at 3.30 in the morning, having not had more than an hour of sleep, so I took some rest in [...]

Part 2. English/Hungarian.

Radhanath Swami – Srimad Bhagavatam Class – ISKCON Mayapur – Part 1/4

Janmastami Appearance day of Lord Sri Krishna

Thursday 2nd September
From 6pm-midnight
We welcome you to come help celebrate the advent of our beloved Lord’s birth with an evening filled with fun and festivities!

Kirtans
Abishek
Drama
Dance
Discourse
Cultural Program
Midnight candlelit Aarti
Special Midnight Feast
Prasadam will be served from 7.30pm onwards

Check out the web site for more more information

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Thurs 2nd Sept – Sri Krishna Janmastami. Program starts at 6pm.

See the web site for more details

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Date: 2nd September

Venue: CSIRO Discovery Centre, North Science Road , Canberra. (Off Black Mountain Laboratories, Clunies Ross Street).

Time: 6.00 pm – midnight

Program: Abhisekam, Drama, Dance, Bhajan, Arati, Kirtan, Reading, Prasadam

(See Map at the web site and google street view: How to get there from the temple)

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Posted on ISKCON Melbourne web site by Rasanandini

Here is our program for Sri Krishna Janmastami on Thursday.

1. Temple Room
There will be kirtana all day beginning at 9.30am

4.30am – 4.55am: Mangala Arati
7.00am – 7.10am: Deity Greeting
7.10am – 7.30am: Guru Puja
7.30am – 9.00am: Class
12.30pm – 1.00pm: Raj Bhoga Arati
4.00pm – 4.15pm: Dhoop Arati
7.00pm – 7.30pm: Sandhya Arati
9.00pm – 9.30pm: Sayana Arati
9.30pm – Midnight: Kirtana

Midnight – 1.00am: Midnight Arati

2. Darshana Times
Temple Darshana is available all day long, except for
4.30pm – 7.00pm: Closed for deity dressing
10.00pm – Midnight: Closed for deity dressing

3. Offerings to Sri Sri Radha Krishna – Front Lawn
11.00am – 11.00pm: Arati to Sri Sri Radha Krishna by donors

4. Sri Sri Radha Govinda Abhisheka – Theatre
7.45pm – 9.30pm: Abhisheka

5. Prasadam Distribution Tent – Rear Yard
10.00am – 6.00pm: Maha prasadam distribution
11.00am – 10.00pm: Guest prasadam distribution
11.00am – Midnight: Maha prasadam sales
Midnight – 1.30am: Feast

6. Gokul Chaat and Snacks – Side Garden
3.00pm – 11.00pm: Indian snacks

7. Courtyard
8.30am – 5.00pm: Krishna Book Reading
10.30pm – 11.45pm: Yajna – Fire Sacrifice

8. Vedic Cultural Program – Prasadam Hall
All guests are to be seated strictly by 7.00pm for 7.15 pm start.
7.15 – 7.30pm: Welcome
7.30 – 8.15pm: Drama – The birth of Lord Krishna and Dance by the Sri Prahlad School.
8.15 – 8.30pm: Bhajans by Krishna
8:30 – 8.40pm: Odissi dance. Dance on Lord Krishna, by Nilashaki Bora.
8.40 – 9.00pm: Bharatnatyam dance. Lord Krishna dances with his Radha. A dance by Sindhu.
9.00 – 9.15pm: Kuchipudi dance. Dancing on Krishna. A dance by Revathi.
9:15 – 9.35pm: Radha dances to Radha Nachegi melodies, while Krishna plays his flute. By the MNDC school and Shreya, Sruthi, Meenu, Radha, Teju and Somya.
9:35 – 9.40pm: The Glories of Radharani. In this Dance Krishna says that Radha is the ultimate among all the gopis. By the MNDC school.
9:40 – 10.00pm: Appreciation of the artists.
10.00 – 10.15pm: Bharatnatyam dance. Lord Krishna, the king of beauty, nature and happiness, charms one and all. A dance by Sindhu.
10:15pm – 11.00pm: The Krishna Lila Bhajan Band
11:00: Close

Check out the web site for more information

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Since the Lord is absolute there is no difference between His name and His actual form. In the material world there is a difference between form and name. The mango fruit is different from name of the mango. One cannot taste the mango fruit simply by chanting, mango, mango, mango.” But the devotee who knows that there is no difference between the name and the form of the Lord chants Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, and realizes that he is always in Krishna’s company.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.2.36

On October 2 -3, 2010, the final day of World Holy Name Festival, coinciding with a global 108 Hour Kirtan in memory of His Grace Aindra Prabhu, New Gokula Farm in the Hunter Valley will be hosting a 24 Hour Maha-mantra Kirtan Festival. New Gokula is located approximately 2 hours drive from Sydney and 1 hour from Newcastle in the heart of the Hunter Valley. Car-pooling and a van/minibus will be available to ferry guests from Sydney and Newcastle to the farm and back. To view the map visit www.newgokula.com.

The program kicks off at 6 pm on Saturday, October 2nd and runs through til 7 pm on Sunday, October 3rd (extra hour due to daylight saving change). The festival will host kirtaniyas and guests from around Australia. Various modes of accommodation are available on the farm or nearby.

Participating guests are humbly requested to give a small donation of $25 for the weekend. This will cover all meals and accommodation (if you wish to stay in one of the farm’s facilities). However, we would like to make it very clear that the goal of holding a Kirtan festival is to enable anyone and everyone to chant the Holy Names of the Lord constantly without any barriers and therefore no one will be turned away if they are unable to contribute the suggested donation.

We look forward to seeing you here for an amazing 24 hours of non-stop chanting of the Maha-Mantra. For further information on the festival or to book your accommodation and travel connections, or to volunteer for a slot on the roster, email Krishnapada (krishnapada@hotmail.com) or Nimai (nimai2@hotmail.com)

Today is the most auspicious day of Sri Krishna Janmastami. On this day around 5,000 years ago the atmosphere in this universe was most pleasing and wonderful in preparation for the Lord's arrival. In his book, Krishna-The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Srila Prabhupada very nicely explains how auspicious the atmosphere was at that time: "He appears...

Hari bol Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I usually don't go out on Janmastami but I decided to this time because there is no better way to please Krsna "na ca tasman manusyesu." He says, "There is no one more dear to me than he that distributes my message of Bhagavad Gita." So what better birthday present is there than to do what is most pleasing to Him. Of course it is so nice to cook for Krsna and bring presents to Him and to speak amongst the devotees about His pastimes. But to go out and remind the fallen souls about their relationship with Krsna is Krsna's soft spot, he is soo pleased by this.

All glories to out most glorious Lord Sri Krsna!

your servant, Vijaya das

Hari bol Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I usually don't go out on Janmastami but I decided to this time because there is no better way to please Krsna "na ca tasman manusyesu." He says, "There is no one more dear to me than he that distributes my message of Bhagavad Gita." So what better birthday present is there than to do what is most pleasing to Him. Of course it is so nice to cook for Krsna and bring presents to Him and to speak amongst the devotees about His pastimes. But to go out and remind the fallen souls about their relationship with Krsna is Krsna's soft spot, he is soo pleased by this.

All glories to out most glorious Lord Sri Krsna!

your servant, Vijaya das

On the Road to Victory

London, Ontario





I explored the bike trail in Russell. The trail was a former railroad line. It has been common in Canada to witness the dissolution of the train. In Prince Edward Island, there exists not a single train and whatever was a rail route has now vanished and given way to walkers, runners and cyclists. It’s a pity in someway. The public has this nostalgia for trains, myself included.

Sing Lung Wong, an associate from Toronto, Kacsper Waclawski and I hit that great trail until it disappeared to become mean forest and wet grass, so we detoured down along a farmer’s regional road with Holsteins grazing and corn plants swaying by light breezes to our sides. This was a real treat for city boy Sing and busy Kacsper who teaches music in town.

After the walk was over hours chewed up our time in traffic in a stretch from far south eastern Ontario to the far reaches of the west in a city of London. Our destination was Aeolian Hall, a super acoustically-savvy building and once a town hall for east London. There our troupe of Nitai Priya and the tow Penn boys, Gaura and Nitai, staged, “Lonely People”. The performance was great but attendance poor. Promotion is something we have to learn which we will.

I guess the experience is that it’s tough to juggle monastic administration responsibilities with the showman obligations. In any event, I’m not a quitter and the intention is to delegate promotional duties to others. It will be done!

Churchill said something about success coming after a trail of failures. This can’t be more truthful. Victory is only known after a series of defeat.

10 KM

Riverfest Break a Leg

Russell, Ontario

This town, at a border of Francophone and Anglophone communities, hosted Riverfest. At the base of the bank of Castor River and the heart of this town our cast of the tragic comedy “Lonely People” performed well just after a live Celtic music group. The Maritime group just finished “What Can You Do With a Drunken Sailor?” and it was our turn to “break a leg” with a small town audience.

Well, who can identify with that topic of loneliness? Everyone can. As opposed to a “leela” play or something to do with Vishnu and his avatars (something traditional), we chose this contemporary piece to perform as more relative, more relevant.

We were the last act on this outdoor stage. The people appreciated. The Master of Ceremonies, Stewart, got to talking with me after. He directs plays. He was technical director of “Grease” staged in the local arena recently.

People love to be entertained and our objective with my little drama troupe, “Swami Productions” is to produce entertainment that lifts the spirit. In fact, I just revealed our mission statement right there. You might call it “enter-lightenment”. Our obligation to the audience is to encourage the spiritual component.

Prior to our arrival, a choir group also sang and a yoga teacher presented demonstrations to pull up consciousness to some greater height. Our message with “Lonely People” is to look within, recognize the paramatma, supersoul in the heart and take good dictation.

I had little time to walk today. The drive to Russell and the play ate up well-spent time. I did manage to cover a whopping…

3 KM

Trying To Get Out

Toronto, Ontario

In my travels I have seen many birds. They can be very hyper. They panic. For instance when you blaze a trail in a wetland area you watch these guys in flight and how they can come after you. Aggressive might not even be the word to describe their fear and fury. You might be near their nesting area where they have young ones. Overall, depending on the species, some are very territorial.

One day, while walking the back road at the rural farm community, Saranagati, in B.C. where you will find it not particularly wet, but a very dry region, I came upon a female quail. It was my guess it was a she. When she saw me I startled her. She reacted with an incredible dance; rustling feathers indeed. This, I learned later, was an attempt to distract me away from her little ones.

Today a meadowlark flew into our temple. It came in through an open door. Birds don’t understand glass, it seems. It flew towards a tree but butt its beak again and again with the windowpane. Poor soul was desperately trying to get out. Did it ever become fearful as I and god brother, Haridas, attempted to shoo her towards freedom via another open door. Others had tried and failed, but we succeeded and the feathered creature saw to his moksha (liberation).

Bats have done the same thing. They, somehow or other, get inside this sacred place and then work tediously, like hell, to get out.

I contemplated on how we become like these frightened creatures in flight. As tiny souls we move into a cage by chance and get ourselves trapped. There are moments when we panic and want out and when we try different outlets we come to terms with that illusion (the window). After beating our own brows, we may finally understand, “I’m getting nowhere. I need help.”

It usually takes time, patience and often a concerned helper to get us out of the mess we have created before reaching height or chance of freedom.

This evening I and other monks were invited to a beautiful dinner in a penthouse suite with a great view from the balcony. This is where birds fly, land and carry on. They are unaware that a tiny spark of life has flown inside of them, trapped itself in a cage, the body. It’s trying to get out.

16 KM

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.23.44-48 - Control the mind with devotional service

Laughter And The Card

Toronto, Ontario

I left the temple sadhana (spiritual workout) early in order to trek to Services Ontario to renew my medical health card. I passed by a picture frame shop. Charlie Chaplin’s picture caught my eye. The caption read, “A day without laughter is a day wasted’. Next to him was a picture of Einstein. His quote read, “science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind.”

I reached outside the government services office an hour before opening. The line – up had begun. I was number 2. I checked my pocket for my requirements, three pieces of I.D. –birth certificate, social insurance number, and passport. On the phone the day before the health card personnel, Crystal, asked for proof of my residence by way of another piece of I.D. She was surprised I didn’t posses more identification than this.

No cards? Well, I’m a monk.

Drivers’ license? Well, I let mine expire years ago when I discovered the great wonder of walking. Crystal settled for a letter from our institution to verify my home address. SO I read the letter of verification. It read that I was a long standing member…….

How true! I stood in that line so long before official doors opened. It gave me a laugh.

My day was not wasted.

And as far as Einstein‘s words are concerned, our guru, Srila Prabhupada used to say, “Religion without philosophy is sentiment or sometimes fanaticism, while philosophy without religion is mental speculation.” That’s a statement that goes rather deep.

In any event I was happy to have a renewed health card. In walking back to the temple/ashram when I contemplated on a remark made by an American couple the night before. I had my runners on, a gift from someone in Trinidad when the fellow said, “Excuse me! I was just curious about your robes and then I saw your sneakers. Shouldn’t they be sandals or something like that?”

“Well, I do long distance walking. Try three times across Canada?”

“Shut Up!” he said which is really a kind way of expressing disbelief.

We made friends. We had a good laugh. Our day wasn’t wasted in the least. Laughter is better that a health card.

7 KM

Today, It’s Krishna and Buddha

Toronto, Ontario

A young oriental newspaper boy tossed his paper in the air to land on a homeowners concrete steps. He retreated back to his delivery car when we greeted each other. Then his question came. “Are you a Buddhist? “

“I am Krishna, Hare Krishna!”

“You are Christian?”, was his doubtful inquiry.

I went on to clarify.

In the ravine two hours later on foot again I had taken with me a monk from Assam who looks like Buddha. Referring to the naturalness of the place I remarked that it is better than Vrndavan, the green rural place of Krishna’s upbringing. While there we noticed only men jogging. It gave us a feeling that’s it’s men’s day which is a change. Usually women run and men cycle. Not today.

Significant too today was the anniversary day of Srila Prabhupada , our guru’s walking up the planked ramp to embark on the Jaladuta oceanliner to come to America. It was 45 years Ago that this milestone manifested.

On a third jaunt I stopped in at the chain store, “Running Room/ Walking Room”, to check out the latest shoes. Somewhat disappointed I let the clerk know they didn’t carry good shoes in monk’s. But while I did try on the best colours co-ordinated shoes available a young female customer again came with the question posed in the early morning.

“Arre you Buddhist?” she asked innocently as she was trying on shoes.

“I have a good friend who looks like Buddha”, but I am a follower of Krishna”, I said.

She wanted to know about my conversion to Krishna and so a decent conversation ensued. I just couldn’t go deep being in a sterile foot cultured store. But I’m always, always encouraged after having uttered the divine name “Krishna!” That sound vibration is special and it falls on people’s ears as some kind of blessing.

10 KM

Class given on Sunday 29-08-2010
Srimad Bhagavatam 11.23.33-40 - Understanding the cause of suffering.

Class given on Saturday 28-08-2010
Srimad Bhagavatam 11.23.31 - Bhakti is above all varna and asrama.

To help enthuse all of the devotees, Here are some videos of last year’s Janmastami festival taken by our Temple President, Ramabhadra Prabhu:

Mangala Arati @ Radha Govinda Mandir

500 Gardenia Flower Dress

2009 Midnight Darshan

Golden Kalash Maha Abhisheka

For more videos and pictures of Sri Sri Radha Govinda, their temple and activities, visit:  www.radhagovinda108.com

Dear Devotees and Friends!

Hare Krishna! Please accept our greetings from Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir!

Wednesday September 1, 2010 is a very special and auspicious day in the year. It is the day of the divine appearance of Lord Sri Krishna! On this day the practicing Vaishnavas observe fast till 12 midnight.

At Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir, this festival will be celebrated starting at 4:30 AM with Mangala Arati. At 7:30 AM Sri Sri Radha Govinda appear in a stunning new dress, handcrafted in Sri Vrindavana Dhama,and embellished with the finest fresh flowers – roses, jasmine, gardenia, orchids and more! The morning program will be followed by a special Srimad Bhagavatam recitation discussing the topics of Lord Krishna’s appearance. The darshans of Their Lordships will be open for the whole day until 3:30pm.

At 7:00pm Sri Sri Radha Govindadeva will appear in an awe inspiring and stunning flower dress, designed and created by the NY temple devotees and made of the finest flowers imported from different parts of the world. This year’s dress will feature more than 500 Select Gardenia flowers (one of the largest and most fragrant flowers in the world) imported from California.

This year the evening schedule is as follows:

6:00pm – Bhajans and Kirtans

7:00pm – Sandhya Arati & Kirtan Sri Sri Radha Govindadeva Darshan in Dress of 500+ Fresh & Fragrant Gardenia Flowers

7:00pm – Jhulan Yatra Swing Festival of Sri Sri Radha Krishna

8:30pm – Expert Dramatic Krishna Lila Dance Troupe

9:15pm – Vaikuntha Players Drama troupe performs: “Krishna Slays Kamsa”

10:15pm – Patron Donor Kalash Puja Sri Sri Radha Krishna Maha-Abhisek

11:30pm – Auction of Sri Sri Radha Govindadeva Collectibles

12:00 Midnight: Sri Krishna Janmastami Arati

Sri Sri Radha Govindadeva Appear in another Stunning New Dress

12:30am: Janmastami Radha Govindadeva Prasadam Feast

All evening long, prasad will be available, with a special anukalpa

(ekadasi-style) feast served at 12:30am.

*** IMPORTANT NOTICE: ***

On weekdays, street parking is free at all meters after 7:00pm. We humbly

request all devotees who plan to visit the temple with their vehicle to plan enough time to find legal parking on the streets. We request that devotees try to refrain from double parking on any street. The NYC Police Dept are very quick to arrive at the scene and will tow your car away if they choose to, or you will be set with a $150 ticket.

For those who cannot find street parking, the temple recommends devotees to park at a valet parking lot on the ground floor of a new condominium complex adjacent to the NYC Department of Labor building located at the Southeast corner of Bond and Schermerhorn Streets. For a nominal fee,you will be able to park your car till 1:00am.

If you choose to visit the temple via Public transportation, Please plan your trip to allow for sufficient time for the return journey.

*** UPCOMING FESTIVALS ***

Thursday Sept 2, 2010

Srila Prabhupada?s Vyasa-Puja celebration

11am – 3pm

and then continues from 7pm – 9pm

Please join us for special festivities to celebrate the Most-Blessed Vyasa-puja clebration and appearance day of ISKCON Founder-Acarya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Wednesday September 15, 2010

Sri Radhastami

Appearance Day of Srimati Radharani

6-9pm

We humbly invite you to take part all of these festivals by rendering devotional service (prasadam, flower garlands, cleaning, kirtans, readings) to the Lord.There are many service opportunities available, please contact the temple for more information. If you would like to sponsor any part of these upcoming festivals, please contact the temple at the phone # listed below.

Your servants,

NY ISKCON

(718) 875-6127; (718) 855-6714

www . radhagovinda108 . com

She makes some very good points.

Check out the interview...

During the period of Lord Krsna's appearance, the killing of asuras or nonbelievers such as Kamsa and Jarasandha was done by Visnu, who was within the person of Sri Krsna. Such apparent killing by Lord Sri Krsna took place as a matter of course and was an incidental activity for Him. But the real purpose of Lord Krsna's appearance was to stage a dramatic performance of His transcendental pastimes at Vrajabhumi, thus exhibiting the highest limit of transcendental mellow in the exchanges of reciprocal love between the living entity and the Supreme Lord. These reciprocal exchanges of mellows are called raga-bhakti, or devotional service to the Lord in transcendental rapture. Lord Sri Krsna wants to make known to all the conditioned souls that He is more attracted by raga-bhakti than vidhi-bhakti, or devotional service under scheduled regulations. It is said in the Vedas (Taittiriya Up. 2.7), raso vai sah: the Absolute Truth is the reservoir for all kinds of reciprocal exchanges of loving sentiments. He is also causelessly merciful, and He wants to bestow upon us this privilege of raga-bhakti.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Adi 4.15–16

Lord Krsna said to King Yudhisthira, "My devotee is not deterred by any adverse conditions of life; he always remains firm and steady. Therefore I give Myself to him, and I favor him so that he can achieve the highest success of life."

The mercy bestowed upon the tried devotee by the Supreme Personality is described as brahma, which indicates that the greatness of that mercy can be compared only to the all-pervasive greatness of Brahman.

Brahma means unlimitedly great and unlimitedly expanding.

That mercy is also described as paramam, for it has no comparison within this material world, and it is also called suksmam, very fine.

Not only is the Lord's mercy upon the tried devotee great and unlimitedly expansive, but it is of the finest quality of transcendental love between the devotee and the Lord.

Such mercy is further described as cin-matram, completely spiritual.

The use of the word matram indicates absolute spirituality, with no tinge of material qualities.

That mercy is also called sat (eternal) and anantakam (unlimited).

Since the devotee of the Lord is awarded such unlimited spiritual benefit, why should he worship the demigods?

A devotee of Krsna does not worship Lord Siva or Brahma or any other, subordinate demigod. He completely devotes himself to the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Krsna Book 88: The Deliverance of Lord Siva