Rat in a box

Yesterday was nirjala ekadashi and I could barely maintain myself for longer than 10 minutes on street. I was looking for some pepping up when this interesting couple stopped. The girl had hair all colors of the rainbow but both she and her boy friend were interested in spiritual life. She started to admire the Bhagavad Gita, read a few Sanskrit words and was really into it. Meanwhile I noticed that the guy was talking to his pizza box saying 'hey buddy, you stay right in there'. I thought perhaps he was speaking to his food and asking the pizza to stay in and chuckled within thinking hmm heights of personalism. They had very little money but they both were very interested in the Bhagavad gita and the coming back, so I let them take those for their donation. Then i noticed the girl also was talking to the pizza box- she turned around to me and said I feel very nice i saved a life today and opened her pizza box and there was a live rat inside. I jumped in fright and somehow curbed a loud shriek - something in my heart said Mangal-arti at least for now try to be a devotee because these people think you are one. Somehow trying to keep a straight face i heard their story of how they picked the rat from the street as it was going to die and they were taking him to an animal protection centre. A thousand thoughts rushed through my head including questions about Karma and the fallen state of Kali - but amidst all stood tall one fact - Srila Prabhupada's books are the greatest source of mercy for anyone and everyone.

An early start to sankirtan

I saw this young lady with really long dreadlocks and interesting dots and tatoos - she stopped and started to look at the Books and ask questions. She really related to the reincarnation picture too and then she told me about her and her boy friend's passion with spirituality. So I showed her the bhagavad Gita that she deeply appreciated. While she was looking I tried to hand a perfection of yoga to het friend who immediately backed off saying I had talked to him before and he is not into spirituality and would not take it. So I didn't push him but me and this warm girl continued our discussion. So she decided to take the Gita and gave me a donation. Now I started to think of how to engage her in some service and somehow Krishna inspired from within and I asked her to give a book to her friend. So she took the perfection of yoga from me and started convincing her friend to take it- he was determined not to take it and she to convince him - her sankirtan spirit was coming alive and then she told him to take it if the past few hours of their conversation meant something to him. Ultimately he started to give in and I told her to ask him for a donation of even 1 c- he started to laugh and tell me I am a good sales person - I laughed it off but that young girl ended up selling the perfection of yoga to the young man. Her sankirtan career just started. 

The reach of Bhagavad gita

I saw this guy with a little beard standing near his scooter, getting his stuff out and I approached him. He was really curious about spiritual stuff, though i started from perfection of yoga we quickly settled for a Bhagavad gita and he said he would come visit us. His Iron Maiden t-shirt with a half lion half man t-shirt caught my eye. He expressed his interest in spirituality, spiritual music and even wrote an email later saying he would like to come see us.

Morning class with Vaisesika prabhu - LIVE!

Free Videos by Ustream.TV

The Book attracts the chosen person

Posted by : Mahabhagavat Das

Recently, for Doors Open Toronto, I was attending to the book table at the Krishna temple. A young couple, names starting with A & W, walked up to me and started asking about the books, the philosophy, the chanting. They chanted Hare Krishna Mahamantra right away. They said they were going through a rough time and that they were looking for some answers. I gave them Inspirit cards and showed them the Bhagavad Gita and talked through the entire book, but while they listened attentively, they remained non-commital. The girl's eyes were on the Krsna book all the time. In the middle of talking about Bhagavad Gita As It Is, I paused and showed her the pictures and just said that these were stories about Krishna's interactions with other living entities, that each chapter was a story from an event in Krishna's life, but that there was a lot of wisdom woven into the story, and that we could learn a lot just by reading those stories. She felt an instant fondness for the pictures, admiring Krishna and remarking how cute he looked. She then immediately pulled out her wallet, and placed the donation right on top of "her" copy of the Krsna book. They both thanked me for spending the time with them, just imagine, how decent they are, that they thanked me even as I was feeling very grateful to them for giving me the opportunity to just be there and share something about Krishna!

So, it is not that I am doing anything, the Book on Krishna, being non-different from Krishna, has already chosen the person who will be showered with unlimited grace, and I am there just to give me an opportunity to participate somehow and get some purification that way, otherwise Krishna is capable of going to anyone by Himself without needing me in the least. And even if I sometimes get in Krishna's way by saying/doing/showing the wrong thing, He makes it right always by making miracles happen.

A transcendental journey

As I was trying to talk with different people I saw this man come up and his t-shirt read ‘need less, be more’...so I said – Hey I like your T-shirt, you are a spiritual seeker or what. He kind of smiled and even though his friend moved on he stayed and started to talk. As I showed him the perfection of yoga he told me he already had it. Curious I inquired where you got it from. He said a few months ago he was travelling in Johannesburg and he had met someone giving out books on the street and he had got the book from him. He explained that later he got invited to a Kindered spirit concert and he went with them for Kirtan. I asked him if he had the Bhagavad gita and turned out he had got that too from sankirtan devotees. By now he was already holding nectar of Instruction and I also handed him a Krishna book saying if he had the Bhagavad gita then he should have the Krishna book too as they go hand in hand. Showed him all the pictures that he greatly admired and gave a donation for both the books. He seemed like such a ripe fruit so I wanted to invite him to Urbanedgeyoga for the special programs. To my surprise he told me he was leaving for Italy in 1-2 hours and would not be back until August. I showed him the address for Italy and asked him if he could chant japa while he was away. He told me he had mantra beads but he did not know how to chant. So I took him to a shaded area at the corner of street and showed him how to hold the beads and chant – we chanted the maha mantra a few times and then I requested him to chant at least one round a day through his travels and keep in touch. I was remembering how I too on my last evening out of India, had received a Krishna book from a devotee. Little did I know where it would truly take me?

Vaisesika Prabhu is coming back to town - THIS WEEKEND!

With the spring finally setting in and the super busy summer right around the corner, we have Vaisesika Prabhu, coming back to Toronto after 6 months to kick start the summer festivities!


Vaisesika Prabhu along with Nirakula Mataji will be in Toronto from June 3 - June 6th facilitating a variety of seminars! Please take this amazing opportunity of getting some amazing association with them!


Special Srimad Bhagavatam Classes on "How to stay inspired in MY Krsna Consciousness?" - June 3rd, 5th & 6th - 7:45am - 9:00am
1. Have you ever been troubled by the "see-saw" of inspiration?
2. Do you sometimes struggle to keep up your enthusiasm while practicing your spiritual life?


If your answer to these questions is YES, then come join us for 3 very enlivening lectures by Vaisesika das, and take home your personal inspiration tool-kit!

Friday, June 3rd, 7:45-9:00am: Watering The Seed - Transcendental "Supplements" for a "healthy" Krsna Consciousness

Sunday, June 5th, 7:45-9:00am: Growing Together - Individual, Spontaneous and Voluntary Service

Monday, June 6th, 7:45-9:00am: Sharing the Fruit - The more you give, the more you get

(b'fast will be served on all days)

durlabho mānuṣo deho dehināḿ kṣaṇa-bhańguraḥ

tatrāpi durlabhaḿ manye vaikuṇṭha-priya-darśanam

For the conditioned souls, the human body is most difficult to achieve, and it can be lost at any moment. But I think that even those who have achieved human life rarely gain the association of pure devotees, who are dear to the Lord of Vaikuntha SB 11.2.29

Special Sankirtan Training Interactive Seminar - Friday, June 3rd - 6:30pm - 9:00pm
An inspiring sankirtan training session with Vaisesika Prabhu, with practical tips on how to engage in effective conversations and distribute books.

Sharing Krsna Consciousness with others is surely an express highway to becoming dear to the Supreme Lord., and this coming weekend equip yourself with the best tools and techniques in achieving this cherished goal. Get inspired and empowered through the  special Seminar on ‘Sharing Krsna Consciousness As Ambassadors of Good Will” by H.G. Vaisesika Das

Vaisesika das, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada, and a veteran book distributor who has inspired devotees all around the world in creating and sustaining book distribution, and has been the inspiration and guiding force behind our Monthly Sankirtan Festivals and otherSankirtan Initiatives here in Toronto!   Through classroom lectures and on-field training, Vaisesika das will enlighten, encourage and empower us to become the agents of spiritual change by sharing this timeless knowledge.

So whether you are a seasoned veteran, or just an aspiring book distributor, this seminar is for you! Please come, get inspired and inspire others through your desire to share Krsna Consciousness!

Sankirtan is a Sanskrit term which means the congregational chanting and sharing of the names and glories of Krishna, which is the recommended process for spiritual success. In the Hare Krishna tradition, sankirtan is associated with sharing our spiritual culture with the public via the timeless books, translated by Srila Prabhupada.
  
Special Sunday Feast - Sunday, June 5th - 5:45pm - 9:00pm
Don't miss out on an amazing Sunday feast with Vaisesika das which will feature an amazing class and fantastic kirtans!


Also, Prabhu and Mataji are joining us for the 2nd Anniversary MSF! So if you haven't paid for your tickets, please do so immediately!!!!

Mood of Krishna conscious warrior - mental culture

The author of Bhakti-rasāmrita-sindhu, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, very humbly submits that he is just trying to spread Krishna consciousness all over the world, although he humbly thinks himself unfit for this work. That should be the attitude of all preachers of the Krishna consciousness movement, following in the footsteps of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. We should never think of ourselves as great preachers, but should always consider that we are simply instrumental to the previous ācāryas, and simply by following in their footsteps we may be able to do something for the benefit of suffering humanity....Those who are cultivating spiritual life and executing devotional service are always engaged in activity. Such activity can be performed with the body or with the mind. Thinking, feeling and willing are all activities of the mind, and when we will to do something, the activity comes to be manifest by the gross bodily senses. Thus, in our mental activities we should always try to think of Krishna and try to plan how to please Him, following in the footsteps of the great ācāryas and the personal spiritual master. There are activities of the body, activities of the mind and activities of speech. A Krishna conscious person engages his words in preaching the glories of the Lord. This is called kīrtana. And by his mind a Krishna conscious person always thinks of the activities of the Lord — as He is speaking on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra or engaging in His various pastimes in Vrindāvana with His devotees. In this way one can always think of the activities and pastimes of the Lord. This is the mental culture of Krishna consciousness.
Introduction to Nectar of Devotion