Sunday 2 February 2014

Thursday, January 30th, 2014

Toronto, Ontario

Great Meal / Great Verses


After a great meal at the Patel residence, along with Uttamananda, our steadfast monk from the ashram, I decided to trek it back home.  This is a very smart move, if I don’t say so myself.  When the belly starts to shake like jelly, you know you have to walk it off.  Let agni, the fire within, do its thing.

I traversed westbound on Danforth, one of my more favourite streets.  It’s Little Greece with an arctic spin when you go through.  Very decent folks, you don’t see anyone talking or grumbling to themselves on this stretch. 

Then you take the bridge over Don Valley.  Here, the wind really picks up.  Hold on to your hat – in my case, hood.  Then you come to posh Rosedale, quiet.  Victorian homes and a short stroll through Craig Leight Gardens.  Snow is the only thing growing in this garden these days.

Finally, you come to traffic when crossing Yonge Street – never a major problem.  Rarely do you find road warriors at such junctures.  Then it’s a final trek through one more park with tennis courts galore.  Some damage has been done on the court fences created by fallen trees during the recent ice storm.   You evade the dogs unleashed zone and walk up the sloped incline.  Cross Roxborough Street, and you’re home at 243 Avenue Road, former Methodist Church turned Hare Krishna Temple.

I came in the door and received an invitation to attend the Scarborough ISKCON Centre tomorrow.  So it’s a done deal.  There, I will speak from a verse of the Gita.  “What verse do you want me to speak from?”  I asked the centre’s rep who goes by the name of Dhira. 

“Can you speak from one of two of my favourite verses, either 9.22 or 9.29?”

I said, “Sure.”  In verse 22 there is the appealing phrase by Krishna where He says, “I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.”  Also appealing from 29 are the words, “I  envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone.  I am equal to all.”

May the Source be with you!

5KM

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