Sun Aug 24th 2008 - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
As usual the birth of Krishna is celebrated by many people. It's safe to say 1 billion people on our humble planet observe some kind of honour for this day. Some of us fast for the entire day. The monks of orthodoxy do. The abstinence of food goes until 12.00 midnight when at that stroke Krishna it is said to was born.
Last year I had honoured the event by walking a major trail on Prince Edward Island seemingly alone but for the occasional cyclist or walker. Today it was a shared experience with an intensely human-body heated, free air pressured body packed temple. It is a day when a limited capacity building appears to be transcendental to fire codes. All day long people arrive for darshan, a viewing of the deity of Krishna with the happy congestion happening from 6pm onwards.
I was given the honour to speak about the day's significance with our guru's book 'Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead' set before me. I read some short excerpt from Prabhupada's words, commented on this, and then proceeded to read the preface by George Harrison signed on the 31/3/70 ending with his remarks "All you need is love (Krishna)". George had written beautifully about this most remarkable book.
The program ran smoothly, and play performance as well. At midnight doors opened to beaming deities in flower apparel. Chanting and drumming was intense and the overall cheerfulness of the evening was what people come for in the mood of service. By 2am I decided to walk leaving the building, as faithful sweepers and moppers put their finishing touches to their service. Those unsung heroes surely are being recognised by Lord Krishna Himself.
7km
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