Q & A sessions with KKS: 

…The Krsna consciousness movement immediately, immediately appealed to me, I must say, because there is so much life, there is so much taste. And we are here in the middle of this Ratha Yatra festival; we have relished the whole pastimes of Lord Jagannatha, Who can take so much service. Lord Jagannatha somehow or other knows how to make us work hard and go beyond our limits. So we did go beyond our

limits again- I did at least - and I think most of us, but that is the satisfying part. Because gradually we learn that the taste in Krsna consciousness is in making a sacrifice for Krsna. Even in this world it is like that; if you do something for someone else- completely voluntarily and you just really do something nice and you help somebody who needs it, you feel good that you did something good. So in Krsna consciousness, when we are serving Krsna, then everything is for the pleasure and for the glory of Krsna. And that in itself is our reward! There is no reward from the service; we do the service and we don’t get anything. We don’t get any special benefits. “What if you do this yajna? Read the rest of this entry »

Battlefield Bhajans Vol. 14

Dedicated to my Spiritual Master, HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, who is so kind and merciful to keep me engaged in devotional service everyday.

Cure of birth and death in the material world.

 I just returned from Balad Air Base in Iraq. I had to have some surgery performed there. As it seems after doing this service for so long, and the austerities that go along with it, I contracted a rare infection and needed immediate surgery to correct it. The doctor who saw me thought it might have been when I was in the human sewage in Baghdad or maybe a result of a kidney stone that caused the infection. So on the day of my surgery I showed up and was admitted. I brought a small bag, containing a Bhagavad-Gita, my japa mala and a photo of Srila Prabhupada. After the procedure, I was admitted to the intermediate care ward with others. I could not leave the bed by the doctors orders, so I began to read the Gita, when a nurse and a male airman came up and asked my what I wanted to eat. I explained that I was a strict Read the rest of this entry »

Battlefield Bhajans Vol. 13

Dedicated to HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 Since the end of this deployment is near, the time of family issues usually come out now. While most are happy to be going home, others are scared. Their marriages have drifted apart and they are finding it hard to accept the realities that await them on the home front.  One on my soldiers, came and found me the other night in hysteria.  He was crying and explained to me that he was thinking of killing himself and handed me his weapon and ammunition. I immediately finished what i was doing and took him to the ashram and talked with him. He explained the situation and I told him to sit and I will put on some music, I gave him some maha water and maha fruits and nuts from the morning offering. Read the rest of this entry »

Anukara means to imitate and anusara means to follow in the footsteps. I think that embracing the mood of the spiritual master does not mean that we exactly try to get in the same frame of mind of the spiritual master but that we hold in high esteem whatever he holds in high esteem. So whatever is important to our spiritual master becomes important to us. And as a servant of spiritual master we begin to pay attention to things that he has pointed out are important; that are important to him. And before we never paid so much attention to these things. And in this way our mood changes, our mood begins slowly… we begin to get some of his mood because the things that are important to him become now important to us. In this way it comes by serving, and by holding in high esteem what is important to him. In this way we embrace the mood of spiritual master without imitating. Read the rest of this entry »

Dedicated to Srila Prabhupada and the wonderful devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu

I have less that forty days left in Iraq. I look back at my time spent preaching in this area and am amazed. Not amazed at what I accomplished, because actually I did nothing. I just assisted Srila Prabhupada. But amazed at situations and realizations the Supreme Lord allowed me to experience. The Lord allowed me to be able to do a little service here, and I am grateful for this chance. Iraq for me is not about war against insurgents. It is about war with my mind, about war with all the excuses I have ever made about not applying myself in Krsna Consciousness. It was about letting my walls down and giving my heart to each person I talked with about Krsna.  For fifteen months, the Lord has shown me the material world. He has been so merciful to allow me to see how special this gift of Krsna Consciousness is. He has allowed me to realize how sad it is to see someone die and say to myself ” this person never heard of Krsna”. From Improvised explosive devices (IED), to sniper shots, to dying children, to a smile that the Holy Name brings to someone’s face, the Lord has shown me this. For others in Iraq, video game, movies and other things were their shelter, for me its was hearing, chanting, and worshiping the Lord. The only reason I survived this long here is because I wanted to use this chance to become a better devotee, to engage myself more in the Lord’s service. As days pass, and my time quickly ends here, I pray to the Lord that I will be able to apply these lessons to my life out of this war zone. That I keep these memories and these realizations in my heart and use them to super charge my sadhana and my preaching. I beg of the Lord to allow me to give my heart to the instructions of my Spiritual Master and of his Spiritual Master and of Srila Prabhupada. I pray that the Lord allows me to truly become the servant of the servant, and to be able to taste the nectar of the Holy Name.

You Can Run but Cannot Hide

Smart Box of Books on Base

I received an email from a fellow this week. It seems he received a book while from a smart box in a base I spent time on. He was explaining to me how he saw the book and thought “Oh what is this hippy stuff. We’re soldiers, why do i need to know about spiritual life?” His only thoughts were that his mission in life was to kill. For many months he would walk past this one smart box and look at the cover of the Bhagavad-Gita and become to embarrassed to take one, for fear of being teased from his buddies. Read the rest of this entry »

The other day I was reading the ‘Trascendental Diary’ and I came to this
passage about a conversation between Srila Prabhupada and Praghosa Prabhu: 
(Praghosa Prabhu is telling to Srila Prabhupada about a soldier who bought some
books) “Prabhupada,” Praghoss said, “this boy was particularly nice, and he
asked me if it was possible for him to remain a soldier and still be Krsna
conscious.” “Accha,” Prabhupada said, stopping for a moment, “So what did you
answer?”  “Well, Prabhupada, I told him that the Bhagavad -gita was spoken to a
soldier. And it was actually meant for the warrior class, and that yes, he
definitely could be a soldier, Arjuna was a soldier.”   Prabhupada nodded and
in a relax fashion began to walk on, “You have answered right. That is our
philosophy. Yes, this is a fact. Arjuna was a soldier, he was a military man.”

Partha-Sarathi das

For those that don’t know, I am submitting a request when I return to be released from my commitment to the Army. I beg everyone to pray for me that this will happen. The Lord always listens to His devotees prayers. below is the letter:

I have been a practicing member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) since 1998. On 15 April 2005, I accepted formal vows and took spiritual initiation into the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, which is an ancient spiritual tradition. The vows I accepted consisted of no engaging in illicit sex, no eating of any meat, fish, or eggs, no consumption of any intoxicants (including caffeine), and no gambling. Additionally I vowed to chant sixteen rounds of prayer (1728 prayers) on rosary type beads. I was also awarded the sacred thread of a brahmana (priest). Read the rest of this entry »

Spiritual success of a Krsna conscious society is founded on how strongly the principles of brahmacarya asrama are taught, maintained and supported. The brahmacarya asrama is the training ground for gaining progressive knowledge and detachment. Srila Prabhupada greatly emphasized training in the brahmacarya asrama as the following quote shows: In the system of varnasrama-dharma, which is the beginning of actual human life, small boys after five years of age are sent to become brahmacari at the guru’s asrama, where these things are systematically taught to boys, be they king’s sons or sons of ordinary citizens. The training was compulsory not only to create good citizens of the state, but also to prepare the boy’s future life for spiritual realization. The irresponsible life of sense enjoyment was unknown to the children of the followers of the varnasrama system. The boy was even injected with spiritual acumen before being placed by the father in the womb of the mother. Both the father and the mother were responsible for the boy’s success in being liberated from the material bondage. That is the process of successful family planning. It is to beget children for complete perfection. Without being self-controlled, without being disciplined and without being fully obedient, no one can become successful in following the instructions of the spiritual master, and without doing so, no one is able to go back to Godhead. (SB 1.5.24). Read the rest of this entry »

Jo’burg, South Africa

Diary of a spiritual journey 19
March 17, 2008

What do I want to share in a diary? Something about life in Krsna consciousness, not only from a book, but our attempts to be devotee in every day practical life.

The travels continue from town to village. People often ask isn’t it tiring all this travel, it is of course, but what is not tiring in this material world, we manage to survive like everyone else, more important than tiring is that it is also inspiring to meet so many people who are encouraged to practice Krsna consciousness. We are now in Lenasia on the outskirts of Johannesburg, we are staying with Harinamananda. There are pictures of Krsna everywhere covering the walls through the entire house. Harinamanda is a devotee who has done a lot of substantial service for many years and now at age 67 he has no interest in retirement. It’s nice to be here. it’s Monday morning, time to rest and recharge. We had a Ratha Yatra in New Castle (South Africa) on Saturday, the rain was pouring down, water everywhere, fish were swimming past us during the parade. Many people dressed in yellow plastic ponchos dancing in the rain, the rain of Jagannatha’s mercy was greater than the downpour from the black clouds. As for the spiritual leaders who were present it was Jagad Guru Prabhu and myself. He is supposed to take sannyasa on Gaura Purnima, which is on this coming Friday. So he was in a very ecstatic mood and singing and dancing very happily in front of Lord Jagannatha. Jaya Jagannatha, Jaya Jagannatha!

Taking sannyasa is not a small thing! How many people in the world are taking this to asrama. In ISKCON, we are having about a hundred sannyasis at most. My dream is a thousand before I die! You may think that it is some sort of Utopian idea, but many devotees who have joined either in the sixties, seventies or eighties are now coming to the right age where sannyasa becomes a serious consideration. One might think sannyasa, giving up ones family and dear ones, what a horrible thing. But vaisnava sannyasa, Tridandi Biskshu, is not all about giving up so many things. This Tridandi Vaisnava Sannyasa is all about embracing the entire world. All about becoming the servant of Lord Caitanya who freely distributes love of God to every nook and corner of the universe. A sannyasi must equally care for everyone. Read the rest of this entry »

A Warrior’s Prayer

By Bhakta Antony Alexander

I give thanks and praises to The Master of Edged Weapons, The Thrower of Divine Missiles, who never misses a target, whose projectiles do not stray.

I give my humble obeisances to The Remover of Obstructions, The Breacher of All-Obstacles, The Transcendental Wave that overflows banks, whose tide can never be stopped.

O Protector of Devotees, whose beautiful lotus feet are an impenetrable fortress, I am not afraid when I take shelter in Your shadow. When destructive things land around me, it is You that provides the greatest protection.

O Lord, I was both lost and fallen in the dust. But through Your mercy and kindness I have regained consciousness and I am now returning back to You.

O Quencher of thirst, O cool and gentle breeze that casts away the fierce winds of the desert. I sing Your Holy Names and fight for the freedom to serve you.

Although I am far from home, I am never outside the reach of Your loving arms and my enemies are never outside the range of Your arrows.

Although I am in a distant and foreign land, there is no place that is unfamiliar to You. You, who does not need a scope to survey the landscape, knows the place of every hill, valley and rock pile.

O Lord of the Heavens and Earth, to whom a thunderclap is barely a whisper, a raging inferno is barely a dying ember, I pray for the strength to serve in Your command and execute Your orders.

O He who makes a lotus blossom deadly to demons, You are The Greatest of Companions in battle. You do not tire, You do not trip. You do not lose your direction. Your aim is always exact. You do not retreat. You do not spread Your formation too thin. You do not get homesick. Read the rest of this entry »