Daniel Lost and Found
Pacific Harbour, Fiji
Radha Madhava, my stalwart associate for this trip, is telling people “Talatala”’ which means priest as we meet folks along the route. That’s in reference to my humble self. Fijians seem to have this natural reverence for the spiritual guide. Yes, just everywhere we stopped along Queens Road, whether Native or Indian, people carried this remarkable respect.
I revealed my mind to Radha Madhava how it is my strong affirmation that prasadam or Hare Krishna food and some entertainment, drumming and chanting would capture these hearts for their great experience. We came upon this villager that responded merely by our standing there. You just stand there and people come out of their house and come to greet. So imagine the response with the added features.
A young boy resounded “Talatala”’ which means priest, as we met Elike, 15, came forward and told us his elder brother was residing at our temple in Lautoka three years ago. So Radha Madhava sought him out and brought Daniel, 19, to the road to join us. For various reasons he left and being native, at times felt intimidated at the majority of Indian people. I reassured him.
“Why don’t you help us with the food and entertainment program we have in mind,” I asked. So he told people “Talatala”’ which means priest, as we met and stayed on.
“We will start with your village and organise something with the Suva Temple,” I suggested. It sounded so enticing to him.
In the evening I asked Daniel to play the mridanga drum right next to me as I chanted before a group of members at the Suva temple. My theme for talking was “working out of the box.” In other words, after constructing an attractive temple such as we are sitting in here to satisfy our community needs, what next steps can we take to advance a higher consciousness.
Lets consider our local indigenous people and give them an opportunity to explore the form of spirituality that embrace vegetarianism and a higher power that carries a most charming aspect – “Krishna”
31 Km
B L O G S P O T
Monday, 31 August 2009
Monday, August 24th, 2009
One serpent many people
Navua, Fiji
There is something peculiar about the country side in Fiji. It was hard for me to put my finger on it in the beginning. Then it grabbed me so suddenly. Conspicuous by its absence was road kill.
Yes I had seen a cat that didn’t make it across the main road called Queens Road but for the sake of non domestic creature?
“There are no dangerous animals here” reassured Bhimsena a companion for the day along with Radha Madhava.
“How about squirrels or ground hogs, something simple like that” I asked.
He answered with a Fijian proud “No!” and smiled. Not even a snake you’ll find except for what the natives call degei. This is a serpent of extra ordinary kind. Situated in the Northern side of the island is a place called RakiRaki by Nakauvandra Hill and a lake and in it resides a Fijian version of the Loch Ness monster. The natives consider it a forbidden zone and also sacred. I do anticipate to get as close to the demon as possible while I am here.
Our Guru Srila Prabhupada referred to the creature as Kalia which is described in the BBT publication “Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
My day today was not with demons but the sweetest down-to-earth people. They are so happy to receive a “Bula!” welcome, a handshake, a hug or all three. “Down- to- earth” is how Peter Eddy, an Australian I met cycling on Queens Road describes the locals.
Peter is a chef, a spiritualist and a sucker for Fiji. He is building his second home here. We compared notes about our spiritual experiences. We both agree on the nauseous notion when many people say “I have the truth” when no one else does. That is certainly an extension of ego. Just because an individual has come upon a theology does not mean that what he has not discovered should be condemned.
Peter and I parted. I plunged into the Pacific basically to pacify my legs and rushed off to Suva and an evening gathering at the home of a congregant when Fiji TV came around with Edwin to do an interview.
40 Km
Navua, Fiji
There is something peculiar about the country side in Fiji. It was hard for me to put my finger on it in the beginning. Then it grabbed me so suddenly. Conspicuous by its absence was road kill.
Yes I had seen a cat that didn’t make it across the main road called Queens Road but for the sake of non domestic creature?
“There are no dangerous animals here” reassured Bhimsena a companion for the day along with Radha Madhava.
“How about squirrels or ground hogs, something simple like that” I asked.
He answered with a Fijian proud “No!” and smiled. Not even a snake you’ll find except for what the natives call degei. This is a serpent of extra ordinary kind. Situated in the Northern side of the island is a place called RakiRaki by Nakauvandra Hill and a lake and in it resides a Fijian version of the Loch Ness monster. The natives consider it a forbidden zone and also sacred. I do anticipate to get as close to the demon as possible while I am here.
Our Guru Srila Prabhupada referred to the creature as Kalia which is described in the BBT publication “Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
My day today was not with demons but the sweetest down-to-earth people. They are so happy to receive a “Bula!” welcome, a handshake, a hug or all three. “Down- to- earth” is how Peter Eddy, an Australian I met cycling on Queens Road describes the locals.
Peter is a chef, a spiritualist and a sucker for Fiji. He is building his second home here. We compared notes about our spiritual experiences. We both agree on the nauseous notion when many people say “I have the truth” when no one else does. That is certainly an extension of ego. Just because an individual has come upon a theology does not mean that what he has not discovered should be condemned.
Peter and I parted. I plunged into the Pacific basically to pacify my legs and rushed off to Suva and an evening gathering at the home of a congregant when Fiji TV came around with Edwin to do an interview.
40 Km
Sunday, August 23rd, 2009
Day one in Fiji
Suva, Fiji
I’ve got the Pacific close to me. I’ve got a great climate. I’ve got three congenial walking companions. The road winds a bit. Mountains are in the background. My health is super. What more do you want?
The local “hello” address is “Bula” with U sounding like the two o’s in “ooze”. When you say this to someone and give a wide sweep of the hand you’ll get a remarkable response back.
People in Fiji are out and about. Not everyone has a car which works to their advantage. People look healthy. There is this marvellous green wild vegetable called ota, totally organic which comes from the fern family and resembles the North American fiddle-head. It’s delicious and is harvested by the natives. Incidentally, many of the men wear skirts called Sulu which measures down to just below the knee looking something like a short longhi. I was told before the European came it was all grass skirts for the guys in the old times.
Geraldine from the Fiji Times came out with a photographer to do a short story of my Fijian cross country walk. I guess her visit makes it official. My theme here is “walking for oneness”. It may have some connotation of the social statement considering the recent coup, but really; My intention is a spiritual one. “Let’s walk! Let’s go on a pilgrimage! We are all one as spiritual beings”
I also got invited to the Suva temple programme. A rather large congregation came to participate. They didn’t know that I would give them a lesson in devotional dance steps. Quite frankly everyone seems to know how to walk but not everyone knows how to “break-a-leg” and dance.
24 Km
Suva, Fiji
I’ve got the Pacific close to me. I’ve got a great climate. I’ve got three congenial walking companions. The road winds a bit. Mountains are in the background. My health is super. What more do you want?
The local “hello” address is “Bula” with U sounding like the two o’s in “ooze”. When you say this to someone and give a wide sweep of the hand you’ll get a remarkable response back.
People in Fiji are out and about. Not everyone has a car which works to their advantage. People look healthy. There is this marvellous green wild vegetable called ota, totally organic which comes from the fern family and resembles the North American fiddle-head. It’s delicious and is harvested by the natives. Incidentally, many of the men wear skirts called Sulu which measures down to just below the knee looking something like a short longhi. I was told before the European came it was all grass skirts for the guys in the old times.
Geraldine from the Fiji Times came out with a photographer to do a short story of my Fijian cross country walk. I guess her visit makes it official. My theme here is “walking for oneness”. It may have some connotation of the social statement considering the recent coup, but really; My intention is a spiritual one. “Let’s walk! Let’s go on a pilgrimage! We are all one as spiritual beings”
I also got invited to the Suva temple programme. A rather large congregation came to participate. They didn’t know that I would give them a lesson in devotional dance steps. Quite frankly everyone seems to know how to walk but not everyone knows how to “break-a-leg” and dance.
24 Km
Monday, 24 August 2009
Saturday, August 22nd, 2009
Last Day in NZ
In the Air, Pacific Ocean
After a full morning sadhna, spiritual work-out, held at the rural temple and a brief breakfast visit to a congregants home in the city, Radha Madhava and I braced ourselves for flying to Nadi in Fiji.
At security, a towering uniformed chap greeted me with a “Are you in an elevated state?” his remark threw us into a boisterous laughter.
“Just wait! In a few minutes I’ll be way up there,” I said (laughter again!)
“You’re a…?”
“Hare Krishna Monk,” I replied.
“Oh, yes the Beetles really helped you guys”.
“Yes, and George especially,” I said.
“Yes, it was George, wasn’t it?” he commented. I moved on seeking my carry on bags, which had been put through the radar.
While waiting at Gate 8 and anticipating that “elevated state” a young teen from Toronto recognised me and came forward. “You came to my home. We did some singing.” Another middle-aged local New Zealander plopped himself into a chair across from us and asked, “You’re an HK?”
“Yes, I’m.”
“My sister’s with your mission in Sydney…”
“It’s the robes and their colour that does it all the time,” I thought.
Us, monks stand out and draw attention. Naturally, we like it because we love to converse with people.
1 Km
In the Air, Pacific Ocean
After a full morning sadhna, spiritual work-out, held at the rural temple and a brief breakfast visit to a congregants home in the city, Radha Madhava and I braced ourselves for flying to Nadi in Fiji.
At security, a towering uniformed chap greeted me with a “Are you in an elevated state?” his remark threw us into a boisterous laughter.
“Just wait! In a few minutes I’ll be way up there,” I said (laughter again!)
“You’re a…?”
“Hare Krishna Monk,” I replied.
“Oh, yes the Beetles really helped you guys”.
“Yes, and George especially,” I said.
“Yes, it was George, wasn’t it?” he commented. I moved on seeking my carry on bags, which had been put through the radar.
While waiting at Gate 8 and anticipating that “elevated state” a young teen from Toronto recognised me and came forward. “You came to my home. We did some singing.” Another middle-aged local New Zealander plopped himself into a chair across from us and asked, “You’re an HK?”
“Yes, I’m.”
“My sister’s with your mission in Sydney…”
“It’s the robes and their colour that does it all the time,” I thought.
Us, monks stand out and draw attention. Naturally, we like it because we love to converse with people.
1 Km
Friday, August 21st, 2009
Let’s See!
Auckland, New Zealand.
Aucklanders who are walkers really enjoy the trek on One Tree Hill. This is a fabulous conserved patch of greenery in the midst of the city. From the summit of the park called Cornwall you get the view of entire Auckland all around you. Radha Madhava and I took the swizzling path around the hill which has an abundance of grazing sheep and cattle on both sides of the hill's trail.
One fellow was ascending the hill running backwards. Radha Madhava pointed at his leg and remarked, “He is training for rugby.”
“Oh, of course, the Kiwi’s love their rugby,” I concurred.
At the peak of the hill you find a monument honouring the arrival of the Maori race almost 1100 years ago to the North Island of New Zealand.
Speaking about the arrivals, the Krishnas came to this wondrous land well I’m not exactly sure but certainly somewhere around the end of the sixties. Now forty years later the community blossoms. At 4 pm three dozen or more of us gathered in Queen’s St in front of the Metro Cinema to commence what someone called a “rockin” chanting session. Auckland’s downtown is just bursting with youths and they responded so well to the drums, the chanting and the happy folks in their robes.
The evening brought me to the farm at Riverhead where I conducted a “The Walking Monk Speaks” session. I was telling of tales of my Canadian excursion. Naturally people were asking when I’ll take on New Zealand.
“Hmmm! Let’s see what the gods have in store for us”.
10 Km
Auckland, New Zealand.
Aucklanders who are walkers really enjoy the trek on One Tree Hill. This is a fabulous conserved patch of greenery in the midst of the city. From the summit of the park called Cornwall you get the view of entire Auckland all around you. Radha Madhava and I took the swizzling path around the hill which has an abundance of grazing sheep and cattle on both sides of the hill's trail.
One fellow was ascending the hill running backwards. Radha Madhava pointed at his leg and remarked, “He is training for rugby.”
“Oh, of course, the Kiwi’s love their rugby,” I concurred.
At the peak of the hill you find a monument honouring the arrival of the Maori race almost 1100 years ago to the North Island of New Zealand.
Speaking about the arrivals, the Krishnas came to this wondrous land well I’m not exactly sure but certainly somewhere around the end of the sixties. Now forty years later the community blossoms. At 4 pm three dozen or more of us gathered in Queen’s St in front of the Metro Cinema to commence what someone called a “rockin” chanting session. Auckland’s downtown is just bursting with youths and they responded so well to the drums, the chanting and the happy folks in their robes.
The evening brought me to the farm at Riverhead where I conducted a “The Walking Monk Speaks” session. I was telling of tales of my Canadian excursion. Naturally people were asking when I’ll take on New Zealand.
“Hmmm! Let’s see what the gods have in store for us”.
10 Km
Thursday, August 20th, 2009
An Incredible Master
Auckland, New Zealand.
It was a soggy morning walking on Great South Road. Socks got soaked and holey. Radha Madhava and I took a break to visit The Loft. There we met the Loft’s gracious hosts, all women, who run this yoga centre. It attracts people of International background many of whom are students. Some of the yoga practitioners have taken to regular mantra meditation. From Monday to Thursday yoga lessons are given in the evening. Then, Friday, the women from The Loft, the local monks who had been travelling and some folks from the farm community converge on Queen St. for a massive kirtan, street chanting. On Saturday to Sunday for a retreat, the women go to the main temple farm and have their break from the city. What an attractive program!
Our evening was spent with the Singh family where devotees came this time to hear of the relationship between Krishna and Shiva, god of dissolution. It was a lively gathering. We got the visitors to use their legs to dance while chanting. At the settle down time one kind soul loaned me his copy of Sri Vyasa-puja, an annual publication to honour our guru, Srila Prabhupada. Inside is published a poem, a personal offering from myself to him. Here I will share it:
The Incredible Master
Nobody has it like some of us do,
A master of which you’ll find very few,
With sharpness of wit and words he could whip
At science and pundits who distort by the lip.
With grace of hand and adjusting of head,
Elegant of gesture with fingers on bread,
He tossed each morsel of the edible n’ blessed
To the lotus like mouth, and so with the rest.
A message like thunder, a definitive of light –
For us dullards it comes magnanimously bright.
The topic of service in the line of devotion
That moves along like smooth locomotion.
With a smile that beamed ocean wide,
Stretched out a distance from side to side,
He bore a reason to look way ahead
And never to hang low like a hopeless head.
His lesson pronounced a radical meekness,
Otherwise declare – admit to ultimate weakness.
Kindness, concern was his absolute trait,
His thrust was one to advance very straight.
In an unprecedented and very brief time
The earth shook at a political prime,
He racked up incredible marathon levels,
Giving a challenge to desires and devils.
In this world it’s rare to see anything lasting,
But his radiance shines even after his passing.
Memories are gathering, worthy to behold,
Never to be traded, nor to be sold.
A master so rare like a needle in hay,
A mahatma who stays in sound – what more to say?
Drink up his words, observe his action,
Do as he did, or even just a fraction.
Bhaktimarga Swami.
9 Km
Auckland, New Zealand.
It was a soggy morning walking on Great South Road. Socks got soaked and holey. Radha Madhava and I took a break to visit The Loft. There we met the Loft’s gracious hosts, all women, who run this yoga centre. It attracts people of International background many of whom are students. Some of the yoga practitioners have taken to regular mantra meditation. From Monday to Thursday yoga lessons are given in the evening. Then, Friday, the women from The Loft, the local monks who had been travelling and some folks from the farm community converge on Queen St. for a massive kirtan, street chanting. On Saturday to Sunday for a retreat, the women go to the main temple farm and have their break from the city. What an attractive program!
Our evening was spent with the Singh family where devotees came this time to hear of the relationship between Krishna and Shiva, god of dissolution. It was a lively gathering. We got the visitors to use their legs to dance while chanting. At the settle down time one kind soul loaned me his copy of Sri Vyasa-puja, an annual publication to honour our guru, Srila Prabhupada. Inside is published a poem, a personal offering from myself to him. Here I will share it:
The Incredible Master
Nobody has it like some of us do,
A master of which you’ll find very few,
With sharpness of wit and words he could whip
At science and pundits who distort by the lip.
With grace of hand and adjusting of head,
Elegant of gesture with fingers on bread,
He tossed each morsel of the edible n’ blessed
To the lotus like mouth, and so with the rest.
A message like thunder, a definitive of light –
For us dullards it comes magnanimously bright.
The topic of service in the line of devotion
That moves along like smooth locomotion.
With a smile that beamed ocean wide,
Stretched out a distance from side to side,
He bore a reason to look way ahead
And never to hang low like a hopeless head.
His lesson pronounced a radical meekness,
Otherwise declare – admit to ultimate weakness.
Kindness, concern was his absolute trait,
His thrust was one to advance very straight.
In an unprecedented and very brief time
The earth shook at a political prime,
He racked up incredible marathon levels,
Giving a challenge to desires and devils.
In this world it’s rare to see anything lasting,
But his radiance shines even after his passing.
Memories are gathering, worthy to behold,
Never to be traded, nor to be sold.
A master so rare like a needle in hay,
A mahatma who stays in sound – what more to say?
Drink up his words, observe his action,
Do as he did, or even just a fraction.
Bhaktimarga Swami.
9 Km
Thursday, 20 August 2009
Wednesday, August 20th, 2009
Auckland, New Zealand
A Full Day
Its time to look at the maps again. Studying the layout of Auckland brought me to the conclusion that Radha Madhadava and I follow Mt Albert road. It was an early take - 3:40am. Two leaders start up singing beautifully. A large brewery company lives in New Zealand, put the bird. On its label and named it after the bird. I don’t believe that doing so adds glory to the feathered friend.
As it often goes in a new place there is a tendency to get lost. We came to a dead end and in the dark morning it left us a bit surrounded. Fortunately Chinese women riding a city bus gave us a free ride and put us back to a trail in the direction of the Auckland farm. This at Riverhead district in a newly constructed Temple very tastefully done and octagonal in shape.
After delivering a message from the book Bhagavatam we enjoyed breakfast with facilitator Kalasambase a New Zealander from birth. Then an impressive eighty students at the primary level was assembled to meet with this Canadian monk. They were great. I Love kids. I probably would have been a good dad but that was not my destiny. The senior students then put on a special matinee of there last theatrical –production.
A subsequent two of the days walk took me south bound on the great south road. It wasn’t a solo. Dwarkadish, a local engineer, became my companion through an industrial area. The diesel fumes from the traffic is a little more than what I'm use to.
Dwarkadish opened up his home to guests for an evening chant and reading about king Nrgha, a charitable monarch, who found himself in a precarious situation donating one cow to two different brahmins by mistake. One lesson to be learnt from the story is that you never want to get stucked in the middle of two angry brahmins their cursing can make life hell.
21 Km
A Full Day
Its time to look at the maps again. Studying the layout of Auckland brought me to the conclusion that Radha Madhadava and I follow Mt Albert road. It was an early take - 3:40am. Two leaders start up singing beautifully. A large brewery company lives in New Zealand, put the bird. On its label and named it after the bird. I don’t believe that doing so adds glory to the feathered friend.
As it often goes in a new place there is a tendency to get lost. We came to a dead end and in the dark morning it left us a bit surrounded. Fortunately Chinese women riding a city bus gave us a free ride and put us back to a trail in the direction of the Auckland farm. This at Riverhead district in a newly constructed Temple very tastefully done and octagonal in shape.
After delivering a message from the book Bhagavatam we enjoyed breakfast with facilitator Kalasambase a New Zealander from birth. Then an impressive eighty students at the primary level was assembled to meet with this Canadian monk. They were great. I Love kids. I probably would have been a good dad but that was not my destiny. The senior students then put on a special matinee of there last theatrical –production.
A subsequent two of the days walk took me south bound on the great south road. It wasn’t a solo. Dwarkadish, a local engineer, became my companion through an industrial area. The diesel fumes from the traffic is a little more than what I'm use to.
Dwarkadish opened up his home to guests for an evening chant and reading about king Nrgha, a charitable monarch, who found himself in a precarious situation donating one cow to two different brahmins by mistake. One lesson to be learnt from the story is that you never want to get stucked in the middle of two angry brahmins their cursing can make life hell.
21 Km
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009
Auckland, New Zealand
A New Frontier
I left the heat of Canada to enter cold New Zealand. Winter here is coming to a closure. You still see people wearing gloves, winter coats and scarfs
Not only does a Southern Hemisphere dynamic throw me off but I more or less skipped a day. When flying went beyond L.A through the night on Sunday you suddenly leap into Tuesday. Monday seemed to the thrown away.
My sponsor for this trip is Radha Madhava, a devotee from Calgary. He’s travelling with me. I’m here to give some classes in Bhakti Yoga, lead some chanting session and last but not least did some walking. From Mission Bay, Radha Madhava and I took a brisk Walk along the waterfront, then went on Queen Street then to the Food for Life Restaurant. We gorged ourselves into the wonderful, Prasadam.
One person offered to tell about the Kiwi deception. New Zealand is the farmer for the growing and marketing of the fruit. In the minds of some people this green citric food is synonymous to New Zealand. According to the informant it’s actually a Chinese gooseberry. Someone thought to market it form here and one billion dollars later.
On the street there is noticeable large Polynesian population which includes people of the Maori nation. Post cards cut side convenience store highlight tribal men in their traditional attire with elaborate face markings. In general people are reserved and polite. They smile upon seeing a swami walking along on bustling Queen Street.
For me it’s a new frontier, one that I am sure I will like. I’m hosted by Radha Madhava’s in-laws, a Fijian family. A small home gathering called for hearing about Krishna. We then dealt into discussing about demons vanquished by Krishna and in particular Aghasura, a serpent of a gigantic kind.
How many of you people would like Krishna to come and annihilate the serpent within?
11 Km
A New Frontier
I left the heat of Canada to enter cold New Zealand. Winter here is coming to a closure. You still see people wearing gloves, winter coats and scarfs
Not only does a Southern Hemisphere dynamic throw me off but I more or less skipped a day. When flying went beyond L.A through the night on Sunday you suddenly leap into Tuesday. Monday seemed to the thrown away.
My sponsor for this trip is Radha Madhava, a devotee from Calgary. He’s travelling with me. I’m here to give some classes in Bhakti Yoga, lead some chanting session and last but not least did some walking. From Mission Bay, Radha Madhava and I took a brisk Walk along the waterfront, then went on Queen Street then to the Food for Life Restaurant. We gorged ourselves into the wonderful, Prasadam.
One person offered to tell about the Kiwi deception. New Zealand is the farmer for the growing and marketing of the fruit. In the minds of some people this green citric food is synonymous to New Zealand. According to the informant it’s actually a Chinese gooseberry. Someone thought to market it form here and one billion dollars later.
On the street there is noticeable large Polynesian population which includes people of the Maori nation. Post cards cut side convenience store highlight tribal men in their traditional attire with elaborate face markings. In general people are reserved and polite. They smile upon seeing a swami walking along on bustling Queen Street.
For me it’s a new frontier, one that I am sure I will like. I’m hosted by Radha Madhava’s in-laws, a Fijian family. A small home gathering called for hearing about Krishna. We then dealt into discussing about demons vanquished by Krishna and in particular Aghasura, a serpent of a gigantic kind.
How many of you people would like Krishna to come and annihilate the serpent within?
11 Km
Sunday, August 16th, 2009
That Is to His Credit!
The Beaches, Toronto
It was a spontaneous thing. At 5AM a thought came to mind. Why not take a drive to the Beaches on Lake Ontario where our master with loving disciples walked one morning in '75. There is a boardwalk there. You can catch a slight breeze perhaps and hear the subtle lapping sounds of water waves. It's quiet but above all it's a place of pilgrimage.
So those who wanted to - monks and lay persons - piled into a van. We arrived in plenty of time to catch a glimpse of red sun coming up over the water line. We hit the trail, the boardwalk, and commenced with chanting on beads.
Near the east - end of the boardwalk a homeless fellow pressed his weight on a soft drink attempting to reduce it's size. I suppose he was collecting for recycling. Near that location we decided to submerge to ankle level in the refreshing water. While swishing around my feet my mind flashed back to one of our monastic men who left the ashram to take up life in former style with bad habits.
He had lived in our Toronto ashram and emotionally move everyone with his golden and melodious voice while bellowing out the drown sounds of the harmonium. He left the ashram to go to Vancouver where he first joined and while these took to the streets and to substance abuse. He is homeless and is known by friends as the Krishna man. Several attempts have been to bring him back to sobriety of life in our monastery but to no avail.
His Mom from Toronto called me some time back asking of his whereabouts and his overall welfare. Unfortunately, I couldn't report such great news. Devotees in Vancouver say he is thin, disheveled looking and just not doing well. His mother became emotional. What to do?
I pray for him. His name is Gaura Krishna and I'm not sure if he is still with us on this planet.
There are lots of homeless people in North America. In a place like Los Angeles alone there are 90,000 people living on the streets not able to cope with life. Imagine how many people collectively there are on a global scale.
The thing about Gaur Krishna is that he is known as the Krishna man for a reason. Apparently he speaks to people, the co- homeless, about his affinity for Krishna.
That is to his credit.
4 Km
The Beaches, Toronto
It was a spontaneous thing. At 5AM a thought came to mind. Why not take a drive to the Beaches on Lake Ontario where our master with loving disciples walked one morning in '75. There is a boardwalk there. You can catch a slight breeze perhaps and hear the subtle lapping sounds of water waves. It's quiet but above all it's a place of pilgrimage.
So those who wanted to - monks and lay persons - piled into a van. We arrived in plenty of time to catch a glimpse of red sun coming up over the water line. We hit the trail, the boardwalk, and commenced with chanting on beads.
Near the east - end of the boardwalk a homeless fellow pressed his weight on a soft drink attempting to reduce it's size. I suppose he was collecting for recycling. Near that location we decided to submerge to ankle level in the refreshing water. While swishing around my feet my mind flashed back to one of our monastic men who left the ashram to take up life in former style with bad habits.
He had lived in our Toronto ashram and emotionally move everyone with his golden and melodious voice while bellowing out the drown sounds of the harmonium. He left the ashram to go to Vancouver where he first joined and while these took to the streets and to substance abuse. He is homeless and is known by friends as the Krishna man. Several attempts have been to bring him back to sobriety of life in our monastery but to no avail.
His Mom from Toronto called me some time back asking of his whereabouts and his overall welfare. Unfortunately, I couldn't report such great news. Devotees in Vancouver say he is thin, disheveled looking and just not doing well. His mother became emotional. What to do?
I pray for him. His name is Gaura Krishna and I'm not sure if he is still with us on this planet.
There are lots of homeless people in North America. In a place like Los Angeles alone there are 90,000 people living on the streets not able to cope with life. Imagine how many people collectively there are on a global scale.
The thing about Gaur Krishna is that he is known as the Krishna man for a reason. Apparently he speaks to people, the co- homeless, about his affinity for Krishna.
That is to his credit.
4 Km
Saturday, August 15th, 2009
A Good Sign!
Markham, Ontario
It's an established practice of mine to arrange for the driver of the evening to pick me up on route to the program for the night. Tonight’s' venue was in Markham at the home of a god brother, Subha Vilas. I am not the waiting kind of person so I recommend the driver to spot me down the road. So I headed northbound on Yonge St on the shady side of the street. The weather tends to be like an oven these days.
At the crossroads near Eglinton I'm visible enough to be seen by anyone. Who but spots me is another dear friend, god brother and former assistant to our guru, Srila Prabhupada. His name is Thakur Haridar and in '73 in London he shared some personal time with our spiritual master. Thakur is a Jewish Canadian born person who speaks most enthusiastically about his life as a monk back in the seventies. He occasionally visits our temple and has a chance to poke around. He made a remark about his findings.
"What an impressive bunch of young people you have!" referring to our very active in their twenties folks.
When I did get picked up 8km from my starting point the van was mainly occupied with young persons of that age bracket. When we arrived, to greet us in Markham was the family hosting us with three youngsters. In the background, the evening's stage arrangement and well organized outdoor seating beckoned forward more guests; the young, the old and in the middle. What a well rounded community it is in terms of age. It's a good sign.
13 Km
Markham, Ontario
It's an established practice of mine to arrange for the driver of the evening to pick me up on route to the program for the night. Tonight’s' venue was in Markham at the home of a god brother, Subha Vilas. I am not the waiting kind of person so I recommend the driver to spot me down the road. So I headed northbound on Yonge St on the shady side of the street. The weather tends to be like an oven these days.
At the crossroads near Eglinton I'm visible enough to be seen by anyone. Who but spots me is another dear friend, god brother and former assistant to our guru, Srila Prabhupada. His name is Thakur Haridar and in '73 in London he shared some personal time with our spiritual master. Thakur is a Jewish Canadian born person who speaks most enthusiastically about his life as a monk back in the seventies. He occasionally visits our temple and has a chance to poke around. He made a remark about his findings.
"What an impressive bunch of young people you have!" referring to our very active in their twenties folks.
When I did get picked up 8km from my starting point the van was mainly occupied with young persons of that age bracket. When we arrived, to greet us in Markham was the family hosting us with three youngsters. In the background, the evening's stage arrangement and well organized outdoor seating beckoned forward more guests; the young, the old and in the middle. What a well rounded community it is in terms of age. It's a good sign.
13 Km
Sunday, 16 August 2009
Friday, August 14th, 2009
Brampton, Ontario
Cameron and I took my annual post Janmastami walk. It was 2am when we set foot to put an early footing for chanting on the beads. By the time we looped a trail through retail strips and residential neighbourhoods, we were practically staggering from fatigue. After a meaningful rest I sprang up for a new days action. It was another birthday, the birth of our guru, Srila Prabhupada.
For many this day tops even Lord Krishna’s day because the guru is perceived as the accessible medium of God. The guru pulls one out of the doldrums of mundane life through his message of freedom. For staunch followers everyday comes across as a day for guru reflection but this day is special.
As facilitators of the event, called Vyasa-puja, I had the good fortune to call on personal students of Prabhupada to read their prepared offerings of praise and thanks. It is an emotionally –charged time hearing heart felt words form those who had life transformations.
The sentiments continued in Brampton/Mississauga where devotees from that region converged to express the same gratitude to the founder of the Vedic Hare Krishna movement. At the end of the event I sat for feasting with an interesting couple, Bill and Marie. She was from Romania and expressed her earnestness to the philosophy that Prabhupada so carefully delivered to the western world back in ‘65’. It was Bill who struck me with a nostalgic flashback.
Here was the typical image of a dying Canadian. I didn’t catch him saying eh! At the end of his statements. Sporting a fifties duck tail hair style, being a bit reserved, polite speaking in few words, I thought you just don’t find these types like him anymore .
In any case we were moved that he showed up to honor a great soul, Srila Prabhupada.
10 Km
Cameron and I took my annual post Janmastami walk. It was 2am when we set foot to put an early footing for chanting on the beads. By the time we looped a trail through retail strips and residential neighbourhoods, we were practically staggering from fatigue. After a meaningful rest I sprang up for a new days action. It was another birthday, the birth of our guru, Srila Prabhupada.
For many this day tops even Lord Krishna’s day because the guru is perceived as the accessible medium of God. The guru pulls one out of the doldrums of mundane life through his message of freedom. For staunch followers everyday comes across as a day for guru reflection but this day is special.
As facilitators of the event, called Vyasa-puja, I had the good fortune to call on personal students of Prabhupada to read their prepared offerings of praise and thanks. It is an emotionally –charged time hearing heart felt words form those who had life transformations.
The sentiments continued in Brampton/Mississauga where devotees from that region converged to express the same gratitude to the founder of the Vedic Hare Krishna movement. At the end of the event I sat for feasting with an interesting couple, Bill and Marie. She was from Romania and expressed her earnestness to the philosophy that Prabhupada so carefully delivered to the western world back in ‘65’. It was Bill who struck me with a nostalgic flashback.
Here was the typical image of a dying Canadian. I didn’t catch him saying eh! At the end of his statements. Sporting a fifties duck tail hair style, being a bit reserved, polite speaking in few words, I thought you just don’t find these types like him anymore .
In any case we were moved that he showed up to honor a great soul, Srila Prabhupada.
10 Km
Thursday, August 13th, 2009
A Special Day
Toronto, Ontario
Today was a day for God. It was two years ago that I spent on a trail walking an abandoned railway line in Prince Edward Island on the East coast of Canada. A CBC radio DJ was out looking for me to do a story on the cross country trek. He finally caught up with me. When I finally had the opportunity to say something about God’s day or as it is put in traditional terms, Janmastami.
So he broadcast the message that Janmastami, the day of celebrating Krishna’s birthday was today and that people all over the world who are followers of Krishna and the Vedas (which is 1 billion strong) is today.
To honour the occasion I did some walking and have now regular faithful companions which I’m thoroughly happy about. But most of the program is a grounding one. It’s a full day fast when you don’t move so fast and so you get anchored in the temple to receive guests and keep up a lively program going for a stretch of seven hours.
By 9pm I had garnered my face in aging make-up readying myself for acting out the part of Bilvamangal, a blind elderly man, searching for Krishna in Vrindavana. It’s a touching story. And it’s my first time getting out of the directors chair for years.
What is motivating are the crowds. The very meaning of the word, “Krishna” is all attractive and His festival embodies that same quality of attraction.
And so the thousands came. They witnessed. They sang. They smelled and tasted. Spirits were up and when midnight struck which notes the time for Krishna’s birth people broke into a happy hysteria. That was God’s day.
10 Km
Toronto, Ontario
Today was a day for God. It was two years ago that I spent on a trail walking an abandoned railway line in Prince Edward Island on the East coast of Canada. A CBC radio DJ was out looking for me to do a story on the cross country trek. He finally caught up with me. When I finally had the opportunity to say something about God’s day or as it is put in traditional terms, Janmastami.
So he broadcast the message that Janmastami, the day of celebrating Krishna’s birthday was today and that people all over the world who are followers of Krishna and the Vedas (which is 1 billion strong) is today.
To honour the occasion I did some walking and have now regular faithful companions which I’m thoroughly happy about. But most of the program is a grounding one. It’s a full day fast when you don’t move so fast and so you get anchored in the temple to receive guests and keep up a lively program going for a stretch of seven hours.
By 9pm I had garnered my face in aging make-up readying myself for acting out the part of Bilvamangal, a blind elderly man, searching for Krishna in Vrindavana. It’s a touching story. And it’s my first time getting out of the directors chair for years.
What is motivating are the crowds. The very meaning of the word, “Krishna” is all attractive and His festival embodies that same quality of attraction.
And so the thousands came. They witnessed. They sang. They smelled and tasted. Spirits were up and when midnight struck which notes the time for Krishna’s birth people broke into a happy hysteria. That was God’s day.
10 Km
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