My mate Anita Bradley !

Here is a pic of my mate Anita.

I was introduced to Anita way back in 1996 by a Srila Prabhupada disciple called Jagatam devi dasi.

We have been pen pals ever since.... we are yet to meet in person but I could not ask for a dearer devotee friend then Anita.

She is a true well wisher.

Bhaktin Anita ki jay !

Be Krsna Conscious NOW !

I was sitting in Srimad Bhagavatam class today - by HH Lokanath Swami by the way ! - and I suddenly got the realisation that I have to be Krsna Conscious NOW !

How many times have I heard this from Srila Prabhupada and other devotees?

Yet today the penny dropped for me.

My mind is always planning for the tomorrow that never comes... I will be KC when I get my own place, when I get married, when I get a better job.. or even when I lose weight !

But NO - I got to be KC now !

My goal should be to go back to Godhead and along the journey if I am meant to enjoy (due to past pious activities) any material returns then so be it otherwise gotta keep going on this imperishable path towards Krsna.

So many plans are made as it is assumed the grass is surely greener on the other side.. but it ain't !

And you know what?

Who has time to see if it is?

Srila Prabhupada said our lives are like a drop of water on a leaf ... we can be wiped out at any moment !

So as I sat there amongst all the other devotees listening to Maharaj's class this morning I had this realisation.

Next step... implementing my desire.

Prison

"According to Brahma Sutra, when we ask who am I, who is the Absolute Truth, what is the goal of life; that is beginning of human existence. Krsna has placed us under the subjugation of material existence. Srila Prabhupada explains that the whole material creation is under the subordination of Durga. Durga is the shakti of material energy, Durga actually means, according to Srila Prabhupada, prison, she keeps us in a prison house, but it is a very incredible prison because it doesn’t need barb, wire, fences, doesn’t need bars, or guards, or machine guns, watching on high walls seeing if no one escapes, because no one wants to escape, it is a prison with bars with our own desires to enjoy within that abode. But as soon as we give up the desire for sense gratification we are liberated from all suffering. Krsna tells us why don’t we believe Him; an intelligent person does not try to take part in enjoying the objects of the senses because the object of sense gratification are the source of all miseries. To the degree we want to enjoy to that degree we become attached to the object of our enjoyment and because it is temporary and limited, it is going to be dragged away from us then we have to suffer. "

HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj

Snana Yatra 2009

Dear Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

CHANGE OF VENUE! SOHO STREET!

I'd like to take this opportunity to invite you all to the Snana Yatra ofLord Jagannatha. Please note the change of venue for this year.

Because of planning problems with Hertsmere Borough Council,London Snana Yatra will be held at: SOHO STREET on SUNDAY 14th JUNE starting at 10am.

Your servant,
Titiksu dasa

Please visit http://www.rathayatra.co.uk/

The Body Is Always Changing

But an intelligent person comes to a realisation that one time we were little insects, ants, and spiders crawling around, another time we were plants, grasses, weeds, another time that I was in a form of a fish, so many species of fish, and then I was a snake, a reptile, and each species were thinking that the whole universe is centered around me, so thorough, so incredible is the energy of the Lord, Maya shakti, the insignificant ant, is thinking that the entire creation is revolving around me, that the standard of success is my enjoyment, I am enjoying then the creation is a success and I am suffering then it is all a failure. Every living entity is thinking that way. Sometimes I am a bird, flying in the sky, sometimes an animal, so many species of animals, and sometimes I am a human being, sometimes black, sometimes white, sometimes red, sometimes yellow, sometimes old, sometimes young, sometimes male, sometimes female, sometimes African, American, European, sometimes I am beautiful, sometimes no one can stand looking upon me. So the body is always changing, and the bodies are always changing so who am I?

HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj

Preparation is key

My notes from a talk by my godbrother - Siksastakam Prabhu:

Chanting is for our benefit.

In Mumbai they say if your rounds are completed by 7.30am you are like an express train for the rest of the day but if you don't finish them until in the evening it is like a passenger train... you will be slow and stop a lot ....!

99% of our spiritual advancement will come from our japa.

Like students of an exam we are told what the answer of the exam is (i.e.: chanting =success) and so all we have to do is chant.

I ran the marathon ... and survived !

So..... I ran the BUPA 10k marathon .... with NO training... and managed to survive ... and completed in 1 hour and 15 mins.

Not bad !

Am starting to feel the burn now and am sure by the time I get up tomorrow will REALLY feel the burn!

Raised £300 in total (when all donations come trickling in) and along with my friends Sonia and Uma we have raised over £1,000 for the Temple.

Jaya!

The most important center in the world !

"Practically I am British by training, so I am also trying for dual
Indian-British citizenship. I still remember that you both helped me very
much by opening this London center, and it is the most important center in
the world, so I am very much thankful always."

Srila Prabhupada's letter to Gurudas and Yamuna in 1972

My Guru Maharaj is on Facebook !

Check this out !

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Radhanath-Swami/51051167747?v=wall&viewas=0


Personally I can't figure out this Facebook malarky but I might just join up again now ...!

New blog to check out !

Check out this blog !

http://www.buddhiyogi.blogspot.com/

It is by my godbrother - Sanatana Goswami dasa.

He lives in Italy with his wife (also my godsister) called Namaruci dd.

They are very nice devotees and we all miss them very much at ISKCON-London.

PS: Note how Sanatana Goswami Prabhu has copied my blog background innit! :o))

Association

There is a verse in the Bhagavatam,

"By associating with great souls the doors to liberation are opened wide."

Who we associate with is what we become.

HH Radhanath Swami

Motives

It is important to watch our motives when we try to 'correct' others.

Why are we really saying what we say?

To help or to hinder?

To watch someone grow or to stint their growth.

In the Temple I have heard of a sandwich effect feedback.

In a sandwich you have bread on the outside and the filling on the inside.

Similarly sometimes feedback is given like that.

Words of appreciation first, then constructive criticism and then words of appreciation again.

The sandwich effect !

I guess it can work as long as the person who is feeding the sandwich does not bite off more then they can chew!

Reading Srila Prabhupada's books

Why the austerity to read?

Srila Prabhupada's books are like the life line between us and the spiritual world.

They reveal what God looks like, what He likes, dislikes, who His friends are, where He lives etc and yet it is such a struggle to read these books it seems...

Maya is so clever.

Everything but these books is appealing.

Reading the paper is more appealing.

Reading products in grocery stores is more appealing.

Listening to prajalpa is much more appealing.

But reading Srila Prabhupada's books....?

Urm.... well .... urm .... is 20 mins ok? What about 30 mins while I watch TV at the same time or listen to a lecture?

That should do it.

I will be okay.

WRONG!

Srila Prabhupada instructed us to read at least 1 hour a day from his books.

And the first rule of making progress in spiritual life is to follow the orders of the spiritual master.

So if we don't follow this order what chance have we got to follow the other orders or to stick to this path of self realisation?

Hmmm...

Read everyday.

Like your (spiritual) life depends on it.

Because it does.

Daily Prayers by HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami

My dear Lord Syama, please kindly hear my cry. Grant my devotional desires andeliminate my undevotional desires. I am your instrument; please make me worthyenough to serve You in all circumstances.

May the Lord, who is known as Maniman, protect my thighs. Protect them fromevil, from Maya, and give them protection so that the mind does not allow themto be a source of captivating the opposite sex.

May Lord Visnu, who is known as Yajna, protect my legs. Let my legs do onlyduties that are meant for Your glorification and for the glorification of SrilaPrabhupada. Dear Sweet Lord, please direct them in auspicious directions.

May Lord Acyuta protect my arms. Use them only for Your divine service andnothing more. Dear Lord, please protect them from all unnecessary andinauspicious activities.

May Lord Hayagriva protect my abdomen. Dear Lord let it be used for eating onlythings offered at Your Lotus Feet and please protect whatever I take into it.Allow me to eat only things that can sustain me to serve You more and serve You better.

May Lord Kesava protect my heart. Please Lord, make my heart an eternaldwelling place of the Sweet Love of the Divine Couple. Please make my heart anabode of surrender, humility, dedication, and selflessness. Make my heart growonly in love of Your Supreme Majesty and allow Your pastimes to eternallyremain blissful in my heart.

May Lord Isvara protect my head. May He only allow me to use my head in workingfor His glorification. Bless this lowborn head of mine and give me knowledge ofhow to serve and please You better.

May Lord Cakradhara protect my front and may Lord Gadadhara protect my back.More at this time of chaos and problems in the movement. Please dear Lord,kindly protect me from all material influences from any direction. Protect me with Your love and Divine Strength.
May Lord Visnu, with His conchshell, protect my left side. May the SupremeGodhead Upendra protect me from above and may Lord Tarksya protect me frombelow the Earth.

May Lord Haladhara protect me from all sides.

May Lord Madhusudana, who carries a bow in His hand, protect my eyesight. Theeyes are the major object of false gratification—a quick route to hell. Pleasedear Lord, kindly guide my vision. Protect my eyes from Maya, and pleaseprotect them from the scenes that can pollute my mind and make it go crazy.Please put them under Your full protection and divine control.

May the Supreme Lord, in His Hrsikesa form, protect all my senses. May Heengage all my senses only in service. Protect them from all contamination andentangling pleasures. Let them be used only to please You. Tie them against anymaterial nonsense and release them only when they are to serve You.

May Lord Narayana protect my breath. May He encourage me to only use my breathfor appreciating things offered at Your Divine Feet.

May Lord Yogesvara, in His divine mystic potentiality, protect my mind andintelligence. This is the greatest of all senses. Please dear Lord, controlthis rascal entity and make it a place where only Your pastimes are beingrelished and appreciated. Dear Lord, close up all false entrances of my mind.Cleanse it of all inauspicious thoughts and always check any such thoughts, asI am a fool who does not know how auspicious and purifying it is to meditate onYour Divine Form.

Dear Lord Krishna, please protect my soul. While sleeping, may Lord Madhavaprotect me from all dangers and may the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in HisNrshma form, protect me from all evils, all danger, all inauspiciousness, andall illusions.

Dear Lord, I humbly beg that You daily and eternally hear these my prayers andultimately make me Your useful, dedicated eternal servant and a devoted son ofmy beloved Spiritual Master, Om Visnupada Paramahamsa His Divine Grace SrilaPrabhupada. May His love be my source of inspiration and may I learn toeternally be a humble servant of my beloved spiritual master.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

By HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami

http://www.btswami.com/

The holy land of Sri London dham !

Got back to my temple services yesterday after a 2 week break.

It was soooo good to be back... like taking a refreshing bath.

The Deities looked wonderful & were wearing my favourite outfit.

I was feeling humble how fortunate I am to be allowed to keep coming back and serve in this glorious and historic place. So many faces have come and gone in this small tardis like temple !

So many famous devotees and some not so famous but equally devoted in their hearts.

How long will I be permitted to serve with my offensive mentality and controlling nature?

Just taking one step at a time and relishing this most rare and sweet gem that seems to have fallen into my lap... ie: devotional service to Sri Sri Radha Londonisvara.

Thank you.

Home Sweet Home

Was walking from the tube station to my house yesterday.

I was thinking "ahh... home at last" after a long journey that involved a car, plane, train, tube and now foot... but then I thought... am I really home?

The streets looked familiar and comforting... I had been living here for over 20 years...

But is this really "home?"

Not really.

Home felt like Derrylin in Ireland when I was there was 2 weeks.

It felt like the Treasury Solicitors when I worked there for 2 years...

But my real home is the spiritual world I thought.

That is where I originally came from ... and from where we all aspire to return whenever we chant our japa, read, perform some service.

It is all so we can purify our hearts and return to Krsna ... in OUR home ... in the spiritual world.

Nrsimhadev ki jay!

Check out this website for wonderful real life lilas about Lord Nrsimhadev:

http://narasimhalila.com/home.html

Today is His appearance day so please all pray to Him to protect your spiritual lives from all sides.

He is so merciful.

Nrsimhadev Bhagavan ki jay !

Spiritual Friendship

Still here in Belfast City.... feels like home actually .... grey skies and rain !

Had a bit of a Ekadasi feast last night and so am taking it kinda easy today prasadam wise. :o)

When I was in Derrylin last week it was soooooo quiet and only cows and sheep for company.

Outside the flat we are staying in now the cars are constantly going up and down and also there is a train track here too!

Hare Krsna...! ..... from no noise to constant noise in the space of a week.

Will be leaving lovely Ireland tomorrow.

Very sad to do so.

Had a nice time with my dear friend Shelina - just talking and eating and talking and urm ... eating!

I find that having a few good strong friends in Krsna Consciousness is sooooooo important and keeps you on the straight and narrow. Not friends that agree with you all the time but the ones that actually love you enough to tell you when you are wrong.

This is one of the secrets of remaining strong in Krsna Consciousness and also being able to stick around too ie: being humble and tolerate enough to hear honest feedback.

And believe me my friends don't hold back with their honest feedback.

Hare Krsna!

Lord Nrsimhadev

Thursday 7th May is the divine appearance day of Lord Nrsimhadev.

There is fasting until sunset and then feasting!

May Lord Nrsimhadev protect you all from all sides and always bless you with fearlessness in Krsna Consciousness.

Check out this website!

Radhanathswami.com

Belfast Temple

I am staying in Belfast City until I leave on Thursday 7th May.

The Deities here are called Sri Sri Radha Madhava.

They are golden brass and are very cute.

Only 2 full time pujari's are here and so as you can imagine they are very busy!

Attended a kirtan night in the temple yesterday from 4pm to 8pm - non-stop singing and dancing. It was very nice.

Made me think how simple and satisfying Krsna Consciousness is.

Belfast City appears more harder then Inish Rath ... seems like the people are more bogged down here with the tensions of the land, politics etc.

Will venture out for a walk today... need potatoes for our Ekadasi sabji today!

Happy Ekadasi everybody :o)

Inish Rath Temple

Just spent 1 hour and 20 minutes in the gym ... don't ask !

Anyway still continuing to love this place!

Green grass and lovely fresh air... cows and sheep's and rabbits for neighbours too.

Went to the Inish Rath Ireland yesterday - 22 acres owned by the ISKCON.

Sri Sri Radha Govinda are the presiding Deties and They are gorgeous. Srimati Radharani has pink cheeks and Krsna is black with nicely painted patterns on His face.

The Deities are bigger then Sri Sri Radha Londonisvara but naturally no one can rival Londonisvara's beauty. :o)

And as if to remind me of this I saw a mrdanga in the Temple room with a sticker on it and upon closer inspection saw that the big smiling face on the sticker was that transcendental heart stealer ... Londonisvara !

Took loads of pics but will have to wait to upload them as no facility here.

Tomorrow we are off to Dublin !