29 June 2012

KKSblog.com - How do you convince other members of the family?

KKSblog.com - How do you convince other members of the family?

How do you convince other members of the family?

Posted: 28 Jun 2012 02:21 PM PDT

(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, May 2012, Bhaktivedanta Manor, London UK) Lecture: Part 2 seminar – Higher taste

Devotee: How do you convince other members of the family to become Krishna Consciousness?

Maharaja: How do you convince other members of the family? Well it's always that we come with our enthusiasm about Krishna Consciousness and wouldn't it be wonderful if we could take the whole family back to the spiritual world and turn them all into that, and we thought that they would be just as enthusiastic as we are, then after a short while we find that they reached a point of saturation very quick and that they are not really coming along.

So once the family has reached a point of saturation then we cannot take them any further and at that point it's '007' James Bond at work. Become a secret agent. Oh yes, a little maha water here and in whatever ways, somehow or other:

'Can you fix this? You are so good at these things.'

Okay devotional service, and engage them in devotional service 'ajñāta-sukṛti,’ because most people need that, they need to first get the unknown benefit of a little devotional service performed unknowingly. So that is why I say become James Bond, somehow or other engage them in the service, and in that way little by little. Don't talk too much about Krishna, just engage them and get them to do some service, and then one day on their own, to your surprise they start to talk about Krishna, and Dad (you never thought that he would) but even then suddenly it's like:

'What is that? What are those languages? That's Sanskrit.' So he suddenly says.

'Wow! He's getting into it!'


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28 June 2012

KKSblog.com - ‘It’s The law of attraction’

KKSblog.com - ‘It’s The law of attraction’

‘It’s The law of attraction’

Posted: 27 Jun 2012 02:07 PM PDT

(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, May 2012, Bhaktivedanta Manor, London UK) Lecture: Part 2 seminar – Higher taste

They say:

'It's the law of attraction.'

Well they are right but then you see people testifying:

'Yes I mean ever since I'm thinking about this all attraction, you know I became very wealthy!'

They are thinking a lot about money, all right very good, but Prabhupada commented about that and spoke about the very same point. A man who went to the bank and saw the teller there with a big stack of cash. He took some notes and threw it at the pile of cash. The teller asked:

'What are you doing?'

He said:

'I heard that money attracts money, and therefore I am throwing my money at your money to attract some money.'

The teller said:

'Yeah it's right, money attracts money. My money attracted your money.'

That was Prabhupada's theory, and so in the same way who is attracting who? They are right since it is about the law of attraction, but not that we are in the centre, and we are attracting all kinds of things for our pleasure. But Krishna is all attractive and will surely attract us, and if we just believe in that. We know what's the meaning of the word 'Krishna', which means to attract, therefore the name, 'Krishna' means the all attractive. We can put it on our T-shirt,'Krishna is all attractive,' but now do we believe it? If we believe it then we can drop other things and we can go for Krishna!

Therefore let us explore. Let us serve Krishna and make a sacrifice and simultaneously explore the qualities of Krishna. Sometimes we are making the sacrifice and it's tough but we do it, but the other times we explore the unlimited qualities of Krishna through chanting and hearing and in the combination of the two we are stern and our taste will increase!


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27 June 2012

KKSblog.com - Just jump in and become a weekend warrior!

KKSblog.com - Just jump in and become a weekend warrior!

Just jump in and become a weekend warrior!

Posted: 26 Jun 2012 02:57 PM PDT

(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, May 2012, Bhaktivedanta Manor, London UK) Lecture: Part 2 seminar – Higher taste

For most of us the issue is to make some sacrifice – to give up our personal agenda and instead adopt the agenda of Srila Prabhupada. For example become a weekend warrior. It's not that you have to do it in your weekend:

'Can't we go and do something else, something a little lighter in KC?'

Yes we can, we can always look at the lighter side in Krishna Consciousness, a path of the least resistant. In Germany they have the outer bound and everyone has heard about it, everybody knows that there is no speed limit, and traffic is on the right side of course – not on the wrong side. Some years ago they had a sign on the outer bound, which said 'Turtles to the right.' So I applied that to our movement and was thinking:

'Yes we have a turtles in our Hare Krishna Movement, because we may noticed that things should not go into cast and creed or over welcomed.’

So turtles are also welcomed:

'Well, I am working on surrender. I kind of gave it a lot of thought and it's a gradual process.'

Yes, welcome turtle. Welcome to our movement there is a place for you. Still I have this feelieng that when Srila Prabhupada boarded the Jaladhutta (when he went across the Atlantic) he didn't have a mind to create a movement of turtles! What do you think? So really, a bit of that spirit, that revolutionary spirit of taking on some trouble and strife for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada. It does wonders, it really does wonders and that's when spiritual life becomes exciting. Let's see what's going to happen!

So let's consider that. If we are always very safe then you know:

'Okay, I'm not giving up all my material desires all at once because what if I don't get the higher taste? Then I have nothing if I've given up all my material enjoyments. Look at that, I did it all for Krishna and didn't get any higher taste so the propensity is zilch.'

Then again it takes years to build up all kinds of material facilities, then you give them up all at once. So over zealousness in your early Krishna Consciousness and later you cry for years:

'Why in the world did we do this?'

All right I know those thoughts which is the kanistha-adhikari. Madhyam is ready to put his faith in Krishna:

'If I simply make a sacrifice for Krishna, then that is where our means will be found!’

And therefore it goes forward. So Prabhupada said that we should at least become madhyam-adhikari. So this is the challenge. So taste is the secondary concern since the primary concern is to muster up a little courage and just jump in! Don't dip your toe, just jump:

'Oh God it maybe cold!'

'It will be. It is, but get used to it.'

'I'm not sure.'

'It's okay jump. Weekend warrior jump!'

Personally I did go on the weekend warrior with Vaisheshika in New York and my feet were killing me to tell you the truth. Carrying the books back these days is a bit too much, so I hurt my shoulder, my feet and my back so after a while I developed a different technique. I started to preach to the people, who were sitting on the park benches, and I would just sit next to them comfortably, and then it was pretty good, the sun was shining. I did the park benches all day, I did okay and my feet didn't kill me! In that way where there is a will there is a way. And if it's not book distribution then something else – something with some sacrifice for the pleasure of Prabhupada and that's the secret!


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26 June 2012

KKSblog.com - Czech Republic kirtanized

KKSblog.com - Czech Republic kirtanized

Czech Republic kirtanized

Posted: 25 Jun 2012 04:45 AM PDT

Kadamba Kanana Maharaja is well-known for his ecstatic kirtanas. Everyone has heard of how he turns "raga into rock". And last week, which was spent in the Czech Republic, he again displayed his extraordinary style in his enthusiastic kirtanas and Harinamas. His visit started-off at the Prague temple, which is now situated about a 45 minute drive outside the city, where Maharaja gave the morning class. Here he elaborated on how "cultured" material life is focused on dharma, artha and kama (religiosity, duty and enjoyment), and the goal of the enjoyer is to attain Svarga Dhvar (the gate to the heavenly planets). But such a soul, in due course of time, gets frustrated with material life and he might strive for moksa (liberation). However the devotee rejects all of these things, even liberation because his only focus is service to the Supreme Lord.

Then during the day, he put this theory into practice by leading a large group of devotees on a Harinama through the city of Prague. The response of the locals was amazing as many danced and chanted along. There was a special interaction with a street artist, a violin player, who managed to pick up Maharaja's tune perfectly and in this way, joined the kirtana party for some time.

The Harinama ended in front of the local Govinda's restaurant, where a program was to be held. Although the evening's kirtana was scheduled for only one hour, Maharaja kept on glorifying the Lord by uttering His Holy Names for almost twice as long and he got the whole crowd dancing in ecstasy. "It is hard to stop! I tried to stop since half an hour but it is very hard," was his comment. What followed was a short talk on the importance of deep absorption in Krsna consciousness by managing one's life in such a way that Krsna is in the forefront. After another half an hour of bhajanas the program concluded.

The next day (21 June), we were off to the yearly Czech summer-camp. On the first evening, Maharaja led a one hour long Gaura arati kirtana at full steam and this was followed by a lecture. It started-off with the example of Narottama Dasa Thakura, who appeared on this planet just after Caitanya Mahaprabhu had left, and felt great separation and complained about his misfortune. But still, even though he missed Mahaprabhu himself, he attained Krsna Prema. Similarly, we might complain that we just missed Srila Prabhupada, but Prabhupada's mercy is still fully present. Maharaja concluded: "The truth is that the Krsna Prema that came with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu 5000 years ago, is that very same Krsna Prema that came with Srila Prabhupada, and that very same Krsna Prema is available now…"

On Friday, the famous Czech Harinama party consisting of Visnujana and company, organized a Maha Harinama in a nearby town and got both, Kadamba Kanana Maharaja and Bhakti Vaibhava Maharaja to join in. Altogether, about 50 devotees went out to spread the Holy Name, including some book distributors. Once again, people were amazed at these effulgent people in white and saffron-coloured bed sheets, who were just happily singing and dancing in the streets.

The evening continued with bhajanas led by Bhakti Vaibhava Maharaja and Kadamba Kanana Maharaja until Dhanavir Maharaja arrived at the camp and joined in.
On Friday and Saturday morning, Maharaja led rocking kirtanas at Guru Puja. On Saturday, which was his scheduled day of departure, a name giving ceremony was held where Maharaja gave spiritual names (Surya Narayana Dasa, Govinda Dasa and Premarnava Dasa) to his new disciples and asked them to kindly participate in the next day's fire sacrifice that was to be done after more initiations were to be given by the other sannyasis. During the rest of the day, Maharaja spent his time talking with devotees, until his departure which by chance was perfectly synchronized with the arrival of Jayananda Maharaja, who whole-heartedly greeted and then saw off Kadamba Kanana Maharaja.

Can’t view the slide show? Just visit flickr!


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25 June 2012

KKSblog.com - Can you read all of the time?

KKSblog.com - Can you read all of the time?

Can you read all of the time?

Posted: 24 Jun 2012 03:08 PM PDT

(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, 10th June 2012, Bhaktivedanta Manor, London UK) Lecture: Part 1 seminar – Higher taste

You cannot read all of the time. We had one such devotee who for a little while was a temple president and he was always reading. If you were to ask him:

'Prabhu.'

He would say:

'Huh?'

'Prabhu excuse me.'

'Huh? What?'

'Prabhu.'

'Yes.'

'We need the car.'

'What?'

'Car, Prabhu, Car.'

'A car? Oh yeah okay, you can have it.'

'Prabhu.'

'Er yeah.'

'Prabhu, with the key.'

'Oh.'

'Key, the key.'

'The key? What key?'

'The car key!'

'Oh the car key, there, okay.'

'Thanks. Where's the car?’

Like that it would take a long time to get through the daily activities, and he was reading…In the bathroom he had slokas everywhere stuck on the walls. He used to go on harinama with a gong (big gong) and in the gong there was a book! So he played the gong and then he was reading the book. He was really into reading, seriously and we can say:

'Well is that what it means when they say that the Bhagavatam should be our constant companion?'

If everyone would live like that then another one would come off the world and it would get a little difficult. So maybe not like that. Maybe that we have the Bhagavatam to touch us, and that we have to find jewels in the Bhagavatam. We have to find things that are precious to us and have a lot of meaning to us, and with these things we memorise and we carry them with us. Then the Bhagavatam begins to work with us, and that we learn verses, verses that we find are very deep and inspiring, and these verses become a shelter for us. They are there or just hear the Bhagavatam and regularly read the Bhagavatam every day. Bhagavatam is then appearing in our consciousness! Suddenly in the middle of the day you are in down town London (in the headquarters of maya) then suddenly a Bhagavatam appears in your hand. That is very nice:

'That's okay. Maybe this is good!'

And that is what you call a taste, and that's where Bhagavatam begins to live a life in our consciousness, and it is there that gradually we begin to perceive reality from the Bhagavat!


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24 June 2012

KKSblog.com - ‘What can we do to get the higher taste?’

KKSblog.com - ‘What can we do to get the higher taste?’

‘What can we do to get the higher taste?’

Posted: 23 Jun 2012 03:00 PM PDT

(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, 10th June 2012, Bhaktivedanta Manor, London, UK) Lecture: Part 1 seminar – Higher taste

'What can we do to get the higher taste?'

'Just carry on.'

'You mean just carry on?'

'Yes, just carry on.'

'But is there something that I can do?'

'Just carry on.'

'No, no but really anything special that I can do?'

'Just carry on. It is very special devotional service because it really works. It's all that is needed.'

'Can I say a special prayer?'

'Yeah, you can just chant Hare Krishna. It's very special.'

'Can I do some special service?'

'Sure, what service are you doing?'

'Any service really.'

That is the nature of devotional service. In the Nectar of Devotion, Rupa Gosvami speaks about. kṛṣṇa-anuśīlanam. Cultivation is required, then we get a lengthy description from chapter 6 to 14 about the cultivation of sadhana-bhakti, and in there the 64 limbs of devotional service is required and are described. You see things like:

'Just by smelling the garlands that has been offered to the Lord the many sinful activities and the many sinful desires in the heart are being destroyed!'

No bad! Do you want to have a go?


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Chanting from the material platform

Posted: 23 Jun 2012 02:03 PM PDT

(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, 10th June 2012, Bhaktivedanta Manor, London, UK) Lecture: Part 1 seminar – Higher taste


We see how Uddhava is completely absorbed in serving Krishna, in remembering Krishna and in particularly the eternal activities of Krishna. Therefore Uddhava automatically is a resident of the spiritual world. That is his constant focus he is just absorbed in the relationship with Krishna. Not absorbed in the relationship with the environment:

Where are we now? What are the conditions like with the weather? What are the people we are with like? Are we sitting nice and cushy? And so on.

Like this we can always see in relation to the material world and that is our condition. So we are practicing spiritual life from being situated in the material world and from all the material relationships that we have. And we are firmly anchored in that – our whole consciousness is absorbed in all these relationships: my work, my home, my lover, my dog, my everything and then we chant Hare Krishna and it's so difficult. Somehow or other it is a great struggle to somehow or other chant Hare Krishna from that platform.


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23 June 2012

KKSblog.com - Suffering has brought us forward

KKSblog.com - Suffering has brought us forward

Suffering has brought us forward

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 03:21 PM PDT

(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, London, England, May 2012) House Program


Many of us who in the past have eaten flesh of animals, but we wouldn't like to be eaten ourselves, and nor would the animals like to be eaten. They are not waiting. The chickens are not walking into the kitchen and say:

'Please it's time for lunch now!'

It's not like that since when I studied more about Krishna Consciousness I found that one should not build one's happiness on the suffering of others. You know that's a very noble thought. So many people have tried to build their happiness on the suffering of others…

It has to make sense at the end of the day. It has to feel right to make sense. This Krishna Consciousness is little by little convincing me more because it is based on noble ideals, it's based on principles of mercy, it is based on truth, tolerance, humility – these are all the qualities that are held on a higher esteem. I am not saying that I have these qualities, because it is not so easy to have them, but I am trying to work on these things. At the same time I can respect also other people who are trying other path, since we don't really want to be saying:

'These are not good. These are not good.'

But okay something that is pure. Something that is based on compassion and kindness is a God who is not a punishing God but a merciful God, and who sometimes may punish, like a parent punishes a child, but not that that is the main operand, or is the operand, and that is what is behind all of this.

There's a lot, so little by little we become convinced, especially the lady who has chanted for 3 days. I mean what can be very much? I can appreciate it when you described your suffering, and many of us have seen that side but we also saw that suffering has brought us deeper than ordinary people. So in a way that was also good because it has brought us forward!


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22 June 2012

KKSblog.com - We need the blessings of them all

KKSblog.com - We need the blessings of them all

We need the blessings of them all

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 03:03 PM PDT

(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, Leicester, England, 4th June 2012) Lecture: SB 1.2.7

Gradually we begin to see the Krishna has representatives everywhere and in that we are approaching Krishna through His representatives. And we can see that His mercy is coming through to us and we are becoming sensitive. Instead of being dull and ignoring the devotees, we begin to see that Krishna has empowered agents and devotees everywhere. Gradually we begin to understand that we don't just need Krishna since we need them also, we need them all, we need the blessings of them all and we realise that. Sometimes on the vyasa puja, you can hear an offering when someone says:

'I have no qualification. I am just made up of many mercy. I am just made up of many blessings.'

And that's right our spiritual life is made up of blessings. Blessings are building stones in our spiritual life. It is through blessings that we are gaining qualities. On our own where do we go? But blessed by a great vaisnava, makes such as difference and for each blessing one must be grateful!


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21 June 2012

KKSblog.com - The mind has a will of its own

KKSblog.com - The mind has a will of its own

The mind has a will of its own

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 04:16 PM PDT

(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, London, England, May 2012)Lecture: House Program

Well let's go to the moon! I mean it's a bit of a jump, you might say – but no problem. The mind can go in one moment from here to the moon; it's not a big step, since with the mind you are already there. Some say it's made of green cheese. Other's say you can jump because there is less gravity. You can jump very high on the moon so you can try. So travelling with the speed of mind is the greatest speed. Greater than the speed of light is the speed of mind, so it has been said. That's the greatest speed you can find in the material world.

We speak of the speed of light, but what about the speed of mind? That's greater. Unfortunately as I've said before the mind has a will of its own and at times it's going in the wrong direction and that with great speed at 300 miles an hour in the wrong direction is maybe not such a good idea. So the mantra, it anchors the mind, it fixes our mind, which is otherwise restless:

'cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa,'(Bg 6.34)

Restless mind – a little bit here, a little bit there is the restless mind, so what else is there to do? What else is there to see? How long will it go on? Is there something more? Is there some excitement maybe? It's already getting boring. Can we switch him on the other channel? It doesn't work. Like this it's sometimes difficult when you have a live performance because you can't switch him onto another channel!

A restless mind – 87 channels from Bollywood, then off to Hollywood in one jump at a click. So we have this culture where more and more variety is needed:

How many flavours of yoghurt are there? How many types of bread can you have? How many different types of juice do we have? How many varieties do we have?

The world of endless variety for the mind. Something different, yes. I remember the days when a chair was just a chair. I mean it was for sitting, you know. Not like nowadays when a chair can be massaging the body at the same time and in this way it is stimulating the blood circulation. In that way it is rejunivating you with the sitting experience. Also we used to have soap. Okay it smelt, but not any longer, since now it is vitamin 'E' enriched. And if you are using this vitamin 'E' enriched soap, then you get younger at anytime you wash yourself! Don't wash too much since you might wind up in the cradle!

So in this way we are living in a time, which is designed for the mind. My mind likes vitamin 'E' a lot. My mind likes to be young, yes. So like that it is all for the mind. I don't really need it for the body, but all for the mind, and all needs are there for the mind.

The mantra is nice because it sets us free and it reduces all these useless needs, so one becomes peaceful. So this is actually very good, if we don't have all these endless needs. Therefore the mantra minimises all our needs. But this is only the preliminary stage, the stage where gradually it lifts our consciousness!


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