Tag: adventures

2026.1–33 — Shifting Gears: Cross-Cultural Connections, Spring Outings, and Global Seeds of Devotion

From the fading frost of a Toronto winter to the crowded streets of Vrindavan and Juhu, the year 2026 has opened with a whirlwind of mercy. Every street corner, temple corridor, and digital classroom has become a stage for Srila Prabhupada’s boundless compassion. Navigating diverse encounters, from enthusiastic villagers in rural India to skeptical truck drivers and curious commuters back home in Canada proves once again that the desire for genuine spiritual connection transcends all borders, cultures, and languages.

Dear Devotees,

Hare Krishna! Please kindly accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

What can I say? Krishna is keeping me on my toes!

I pray that you are all keeping well and remaining in high spirits. By your heartfelt blessings and mercy, I am continually allowed to participate in this wonderful Hare Krishna movement, despite my many personal disqualifications. Thank you so much!

Toronto in Spring

2026 Mid-Year General Update & Reflections

The first half of 2026 has been nothing short of causeless mercy. By Krishna’s infinite arrangement, this season allowed me to distribute books and share kirtan both on our familiar Canadian grounds and across holy places and busy hubs in India.

Looking at the scores, we are maintaining steady momentum. But more than just numbers, it is the individual interactions that leave an indelible mark on the soul. As we move from the extreme cold into the warmer months, our strategies have naturally shifted, but our audience remains incredibly diverse.

Sankirtan Tip: The secret to consistent distribution across different cultures is simple: Stop stopping yourself. A continuous stream of visitors means shifting from passive waiting to proactive, warm engagement. Hold the book out of sight at first, look them in the eye with a genuine smile, and if we get any reciprocation, then offer them the treasure. The Gita will do the rest.

2026 Goals for Outings and Classes

Every year brings a fresh opportunity to stretch our capacities in the service of Srila Prabhupada, and 2026 is no exception. Looking ahead at the scoreboard, our focus for this year is twofold: steady expansion on the streets and deeper consolidation in the classroom. On the front lines, my goal for Sankirtan outings is to maintain a uncompromising, steady rhythm aiming not just to hit our baseline targets but to systematically break into new, uncharted neighborhoods across the Greater Toronto Area while maximizing the seasonal outings abroad.

On the educational front, the goal for our dasadas.com classes is to focus heavily on depth and spiritual stability. With students digging into advanced Bhagavad-gita study (BG 200) and the enthusiastic launch of Batch 3 (BG 100-101), we are aiming to formalize a structured mentorship ecosystem. The target is to ensure every single student transition smoothly from curious reader to active practitioner, well-grounded in daily morning japa and systematic study. We are looking to cultivate deeply rooted, lifelong stable assets of Srila Prabhupada’s mission. And Krishna is sending such gems!

YouTube Channel Launched: I am thrilled to announce the official launch of our centralized spiritual archive on YouTube at @dasadascom! Up until now, our online classes were tucked away in private recordings or on random YouTube channels or Facebook recordings. This new channel will open up these structured, logical scriptural discussions as a completely free public resource for anyone seeking genuine spiritual progress. If you have found value in our sangas, please help us reach more searching souls in the digital wilderness by subscribing, liking the videos to boost their search visibility, and sharing the channel with your family and friends. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your steady support and digital companionship! There is more to come!

YouTube Channel youtube.com/@dasadascom launched

2026 Sankirtan Outings Outline

DateTitleLocation / Description
1 Jan 2026S2026.1S2026.1 old city hall harinam with BMS, VB, temple devotees
Jan 18 2026S2026.2ISKCON Ottawa Sunday Feast Book Distribution
31 Jan 2026S2026.3100 Parkway forest Toronto MSF
1 Feb 2026S2026.4Iskcon toronto Sunday feast book table
8 Feb 2026S2026.5ISKCON Toronto CC Book Table attempt
8 Feb 2026S2026.6Iskcon toronto Sunday feast book table
15 Feb 2026S2026.7Iskcon toronto Sunday feast book table
22 Feb 2026S2026.8Vrindavan Street Distribution
23 Feb 2026S2026.9Vrindavan Street Distribution
24 Feb 2026S2026.10Raman Reti books and harinam 10 bgh equivalent (Day 2/2)
26 Feb 2026S2026.11ISKCON Vrindavan Book Stall Distribution
1 Mar 2026S2026.12Chincholi Book Distribution
3 Mar 2026S2026.13Nagar Sankirtan Gaura Purnima ISKCON Hyderabad
3 Mar 2026S2026.14Gaura Purnima ISKCON Hyderabad Temple Book Distribution (count incl india count)
4 Mar 2026S2026.15P&T Colony Book Distribution (count incl india count)
7 Mar 2026S2026.16Ahobilam Book Distribution (count incl india count)
11 Mar 2026S2026.17Iskcon juhu book stall 8bgh equivalent
14 Mar 2026S2026.18Nira Narasingpur books 1bgh equivalent
15 Mar 2026S2026.19Iskcon pune books 2bgh equivalent
18 Mar 2026S2026.20P&T Colony Book Distribution (count incl india count)
20 Mar 2026S2026.21India Continuous Distribution (Till Mar 18 2026)
28 Mar 2026S2026.22Toronto MSF 125 parkway forest drive north york
19 Apr 2026S2026.23ISKCON Toronto Sunday Feast Book Table
25 Apr 2026S2026.24Toronto MSF 125 parkway forest drive north york
28 Apr 2026S2026.25ISKCON Toronto SUnday Feast Book Table
3 May 2026S2026.26ISKCON Toronto SUnday Feast Book Table
16 May 2026S2026.27Vaishnava Sanga Harinam and Books 8 bgh equivalent
24 May 2026S2026.28ISKCON Toronto SUnday Feast Book Table
25 May 2026S2026.29Old city hall harinam
30 May 2026S2026.30ISKCON Waterloo RY Book Distribution
31 May 2026S2026.31Iskcon Toronto Sunday feast book distribution 1 bgh equi
1 Jun 2026S2026.32Old city hall harinam
20 Jun 2026S2026.33ISKCON Barrie RY Book Stall

I know that these outings are undercounted, but better to undercount and push a little harder as a result.

Encounters & Realizations from the Field

The following stories and breakthroughs capture a beautiful mix of humor, hesitation, and apparently sudden spiritual curiosity that transpired on the streets this year.

1. Toronto Outings: Cultural Hurdles & Breakthroughs

Bypassing Taboos & Inhibitions: During a freezing January outing, I encountered deep-seated cultural blockages among some immigrant families. One Telugu family flatly refused to accept a sacred book because they had recently “eaten non-veg,” while a Marathi family similarly declined, explaining that the “wife has her period” and they felt unclean to touch the literature. Bypassing all these rigid hangups, Alisha Babbar from Delhi walked up with an open heart, warmly embraced the interaction, and made a wonderful $100 donation. On that same outing, a Filipina lady named Maria eagerly took a stack of introductory literature, leaving a warm contribution of her own.

Group of Devotees out on MSF Door to Door in a Cold Wintery Toronto earlier in 2026

2. The Parkway Forest & Apartment Melting Pots

  • The Interfaith Interactions: Out at an apartment complex with fellow warriors Gyaan and Vitthal Bhakta, we witnessed a beautiful intersection of faiths. A Muslim man named Faisal stopped to appreciate our work and spontaneously donated $35. Two other Muslim men, Burhanuddin and Mushtaq, eagerly supported us too—Burhanuddin took home a Bhagavad-gita while Mushtaq took a copy of Chant and Be Happy.
  • The Rama Navami Returnees: Moments later, a young Telugu girl named Pranati and her family walked past. They were visibly joyful, carrying spiritual items and returning home from a local Rama Navami festival. Spotting our book bags right outside their apartment in the corridor felt like a perfect divine alignment, and Pranati happily took a book to top off their auspicious day.
  • United Nations Apartments: Another afternoon felt like a mini-UN assembly in a single building. I had meaningful spiritual exchanges with a Roman Catholic seeker open to Eastern wisdom, a curious Pakistani neighbor, a Malayali man named Mithun with his baby daughter Uttara, and a Punjabi girl named Navjot. To top it all off, a Gujarati girl from Rajkot named Pinal completely stole the show. She turned out to be a phenomenal singer; she joined the devotees, had us do a full kirtan program, and sang beautiful melodies right there with us in the building.

3. Festival & Temple Feast Successes

  • The Birthday Boys: While managing a busy post-feast crowd at the temple table, two young Punjabi boys stepped up together. It turned out to be an unlikely friendship: one was a software engineer celebrating his 28th birthday and the other was a truck driver. Swept up in the positive energy, they handed over a generous $100 donation to support the book mission. Right beside them, a couple named Anish and Shraddha were so inspired by the exchange that they requested a full Srimad-Bhagavatam set and asked to join our upcoming online classes.
  • Shane Goes All-In at Waterloo: Festival distribution is always fast-paced, but this encounter stood out. A man named Shane approached our Ratha Yatra book stall. His t-shirt intrigued me. Instead of just picking up a small introductory booklet, Shane became deeply intrigued by the multi-volume Vedic epics. He decided to dive straight into the deep end, happily giving a $351 on-the-spot donation to take home a complete Srimad-Bhagavatam set, along with a stack of children’s books and a Bhagavad-gita to share with his family.
Ecstatic Shane gets Lord Jagahnatha's full mercy with a Srimad Bhagavatam Set
  • Assisting Nayana & The 38-Book Surge: Our massive 38 BG-equivalent day on April 19 at the ISKCON Toronto Sunday Feast wouldn’t have been possible without the stellar assistance of Nayana. Her help at the desk allowed us to seamlessly manage the rush, distribute a full Srimad-Bhagavatam set, and connect deeply with multiple seekers.
  • Sarika’s First Bhagavatam: On May 3, amidst the busy flow of the Sunday feast crowd, I had a wonderful encounter with a teenager named Sarika, who took her very first steps into the deeper Puranic wisdom by taking home a copy of Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1, Part 1, thanks to her father also.

4. Notes from the Fields of India

  • The Villagers of Nira Narasingpur: In rural India, the distribution took on a completely different flavor. Following an ecstatic kirtan and spiritual class, simple, pure-hearted villagers surrounded me and completely cleared out my meager stock of books. Virtually everyone said yes, eagerly taking books with an innocent enthusiasm rarely seen in busy Western cities. When the books ran out, they took Jagannatha pendants, photographs of Sri Radha Krishna, and anything at all of any spiritual value, really.
The Lakshmi Narasimha Temple in Nira Narasingpur, near Pune. The temple itsel is at least 500 years old, but two deities of Lord Narasimha are timeless... One is self-manifested, and another is personally handcrafted by Sri Prahlada. There is also a deity of Sri Prahlada inside.
  • Juhu’s “Passive vs. Active” Lesson: While serving at the busy ISKCON Juhu book stall in Mumbai, I noted a vital tactical realization. In a crowded temple setting, it is easy to become passive and just wait for people to look at the display. But by actively stepping out, starting conversations, and manually stopping the continuous stream of visitors, the productivity of the stall skyrocketed, a method deeply appreciated by the dedicated Brahmacharis serving there day in and day out.
  • Raman Reti Ecstatic Chaos: On the packed street corners of Vrindavan, amidst thousands of passing pilgrims, we utilized a dynamic approach to capture attention. By distributing colorful spiritual stickers and Prasadam lollipops to everyone, we successfully paused busy families, traveling students, and local auto-rickshaw drivers long enough to hand out hundreds of books into the moving crowds. It is Vaisesika Prabhu’s book distribution brilliance, alongside his team’s foresight, strategic planning and execution, that makes this possible; I just went with the flow!
Enthusiastic Singing, Dancing, Chanting and Books, here Mother Malini distributes to a grpup of young girls...
  • The Ancient Venkateshwara Temple of Chincholi: On March 1, I had the deeply moving and profoundly personal privilege of doing book distribution in Chincholi, my father’s birthplace. This tiny, serene village is home to an ancient temple of Lord Venkateshwara, where the Deity uniquely stands with “eyes wide open.” We distributed books directly to the temple priests, left permanent copies for the temple archives, and shared literature and prasadam with the local villagers. Introducing Srila Prabhupada’s books to the land of my ancestors was an unforgettable moment of causeless mercy.
The narrow Streets of Chincholi. There are souls everywhere!
Lord Venkateshwara (Balaji) in Chincholi with His eyes open! Self-manifested to the local king over five hundred years ago.
  • Courtyard Connections & Long Conversations: Our time in holy Vrindavan wasn’t just fast-paced street rushes; it was anchored by deep encounters. We slowed down for long, deliberate conversations on the streets, placing dozens of small books into the hands of thoughtful seekers. I also served at a bookstall directly in the sacred ISKCON Vrindavan Temple Courtyard. Distributing books within the aura of Sri Sri Krishna Balaram, Radha Shyamsundar, Sri Gaura Nitai, and Srila Prabhupada was a great blessing.
Pilgrims in Vrindavan, from Kolkata, who got Srila Prabhupada's books.
  • Ahobilam and the Moving Wave: Deep in the holy hills of Ahobilam, I met crowds of intense pilgrims traveling from shrine to shrine. Navigating the rough terrain, we distributed streams of small books to travelers looking for spiritual light.
The Rugged Natural Beauty of Ahobilam. Lord Narasimha is Everywhere in Ahobilam! Great place to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books!
Lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Ahobilam
  • Books were distributed day-in and day-out on the move, at busy airports, chaotic bus stops, roadside shops, and public roads. It proved beyond doubt that when you are on the move, if you want to, then sankirtan moves with you.

Systematic Teaching, Festivals & Interfaith Dialogue (Classes C2026.1 – C2026.45)

While books are the groundwork, nurturing those seeds through systematic education has been the parallel anchor of the first half of 2026. Across 45 distinct classes and seminars, the message was carried to completely different environments—ranging from traditional temples to historic Western spaces:

  • Interfaith Outreach at St. James Cathedral: On April 26, I had the unique privilege of presenting a short talk titled “Krishna’s Beauty” inside the historic St. James Cathedral. Speaking to an audience largely unfamiliar with Eastern theology, we explored the aesthetic and philosophical elegance of Bhakti, building bridges of genuine spiritual appreciation.
Sharing Spiritual Insights with seekers of all stripes. Hare Krishna!
  • Speaking at the Heart of the Mission: A profound highlight of my trip to India was being asked to deliver a Chaitanya-caritamrta (Adi 17) lecture directly at the Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir in ISKCON Vrindavan. The class was arranged by His Holiness Bhakti Anugraha Janardana Swami, a long-time mentor. Speaking in that holy atmosphere to traveling pilgrims from all over the world was a deeply humbling experience.
  • Regional Festivals & Specialized Seminars: This season saw a vibrant expansion of traveling programs across Ontario and beyond. Notable milestones included a specialized Maha Shivaratri class in Barrie, an introductory seminar titled “Bhagavad Gita: The Greatest Love Letter” for the community at ISKCON Durham, and multi-city Sunday Feast lectures covering ISKCON Niagara Falls, Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge, Ottawa, and Russell.
  • The Anchor of Weekly Education: Beyond the high-profile events, the real backbone of this outreach remains the steady, unsung weekly tracks. Our online dasadas.com ecosystem continues to thrive, with Batches 1 and 2 stepping up to advanced study (BG 200) and the successful launch of Batch 3 (BG 100-101). Paired with the early morning scriptural deep-dives of the Bhakti Sanga Japa Group exploring Cantos 8 and 9, these classes ensure that the souls who receive books on the street find a structured, permanent home for their spiritual growth.

A Concluding Statement of Gratitude

Trying to convince a complete stranger to take a book can be exhausting, but it remains the most exhilarating experience in the world. It is said that anyone who endeavors in this way builds their spiritual body, one interaction at a time. On these streets, one learns more about oneself in a few hours than a person might in an entire lifetime. When I spot a negative quality or an uncooperative trait in a passerby, it serves as a profound mirror, forcing me to spot those very same flaws within my own heart.

Above all, I am left with a deep sense of appreciation for every single soul who accepted a book or shared a kind word. I know that the specifics of these brief encounters will eventually fade, and I will be forgotten in the sands of time. I am content to remain just an anonymous servitor of these souls, paying onward the immense spiritual debt I owe to my own benefactors.

My deepest gratitude goes to my family for their unwavering, patient support of my sankirtan activities. Thank you also to the wonderful coordinators, tech supporters, and online students who keep our dasadas.com classes running smoothly week after week. It is by your collective prayers and blessings alone that a recovering atheist like me can find a place in this movement. Let us keep placing Srila Prabhupada’s books into every hand we can reach, and help them read those books and understand them well!

Awaken 2026

Organizing the Awaken 2026 Ontario Tour this June has been an absolute labor of love and a blessing of collaborative devotional service. Facilitating a profound summer spiritual reset meant orchestrating tight logistics across multiple cities, from the kickoff programs in Ottawa and Russell, down through the Greater Toronto Area circuits including Scarborough, Brampton, Waterloo, Burlington, and our primary hub at ISKCON Toronto. From managing complex travel timelines to coordinating delicious prasadam feasts and setting up vibrant lecture spaces, this grand endeavor succeeded entirely due to the selfless dedication of so many local coordinators and volunteers. Seeing seekers from all walks of life pack these halls to receive the timeless, practical peace formula from HG Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari and HG Srimati Vishnupriya Mataji made every ounce of behind-the-scenes planning deeply rewarding. You can check out the full breakdown of their dynamic lecture schedule and media archives on our official tour post here: Awaken 2026 Ontario Tour Details.

Awaken the Soul 2026 Ontario Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari & Vishnupriya Mataji
Awaken the Soul 2026 Ontario Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari & Vishnupriya Mataji

Busy Inbox

Beyond our local outings and structured courses, a dimension of this digital outreach has been the steady stream of sincere inquiries landing in our inbox from souls all over the globe. From corners of the world I have never physically visited, people are writing in with questions about overcoming doubts, understanding the laws of karma, and applying the principles of Bhakti to a chaotic life. Addressing these heartfelt questions is an incredibly humbling privilege, continually reminding me the yearning of the soul to break free from illusion and reconnect with Krishna knows absolutely no borders.

My 2026 Sankirtan goals tracking summary

My lifetime goal of being an instrument in distributing 1 Lakh Gitas tracking is at 11,277+/100,000 (11.3% of goal).

My 2026 numbers vs. target are,

  • 33/108 Sankirtan outings
  • 45/100 classes, and
  • an instrument in the distribution of 657/3319 Bhagavad Gitas or equivalent!

Now, onwards to summer 2026!

Your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

2020.31-43 Downtown Toronto Harinam, Street Distribution, Work Sankirtan, Temple Distribution, Work & Professional Outreach. Online

It is marathon month! Sharing Sankirtan stories from 2020 with you… it was another memorable time, and right now, its another memorable time. I feel fortunate to be able to go out, and to share with you. Thank you for your kind support!

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, 12 November 2020

Dear Devotees,

Hare Krishna!

Please kindly accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I pray that you are all well and in good health and spirits.

By your blessings I am able to participate in this Hare Krishna movement, despite my disqualifications. Thank you!

Summary:

29 Sep 2020 – Old City Hall Harinam

6 Oct 2020 – Old City Hall Harinam

8 Oct 2020 – Old City Hall Harinam

10 Oct 2020 – Walk to Temple – Street Distribution + Summer Hill Harinam

20 Oct 2020 – Old City  Hall Harinam

22 Oct 2020 – Old City Hall Harinam

23 Oct 2020 – Niagara Falls Clifton Hill Harinam

24 Oct 2020 – Niagara-on-the-Lake distribution & downtown Harinam

29 Sep – 10 Oct – Sankirtan in the professional world

29 Sep – 27 Oct – Various Online Sankirtan

3 Nov 2020 – Old City Hall

6 Nov 2020 – (Summer in November) Old City Hall

Sep-Oct 2020 – Combined temple distribution & temple guest Sankirtan

————————————-

Total 13 Outings

The mini-summer in an otherwise chilly Toronto November was a great blessing though I couldn’t go as much as I would have liked to.

It has been fun, trying to figure out how to go out on Sankirtan. It has been quite challenging on the time front, but Krishna has been merciful. My spiritual master has always been encouraging, and somehow or other I have managed to focus on Sankirtan and book distribution, despite all my other commitments and duties. I am sure you are much busier than me, but surely you can figure out how to make time?

I am a gap-filler by nature. I was instructed “do the needful” at the beginning of my journey in Krishna consciousness. And this suits my personality just fine. I am drawn to wherever there is a gap, a need. There is surely a shortage of Krishna consciousness in the world today. But while there are many practicing devotees, there is certainly a BIG gap in the Harinam Sankirtan area, especially in Toronto. The devotees are practically invisible. Millions of souls are milling about, going to work, shopping, hanging out, going to restaurants, etc., but the mercy of the Holy Name is being denied to them. This is violence, no? 

Many devotees, such as Rupanuga Prabhu are busier than ever before, propagating the Krishna consciousness movement online. I know that Mother Aditi and Bhadra Krishan Prabhu are doing online programs. So many souls, like Madhava Govinda Prabhu, Sucaru Mataji, Manoj Prabhu, Paramahamsa Prabhu are distributing books by phone. These are all great. What about those who are not ready for those classes or are not in the mercy circle of a devotee yet? The journey in Krishna Consciousness has to start somewhere, no? I still remember the days when I was on the fence after reading the books, and the Harinam Sankirtan party of Bhaktimarga Swami, Krishnadasa Kaviraja Prabhu, Dharmaprana Prabhu and others rescued me from my fence-sitting! I am sure we can do a lot together even if we go out alone together in different parts of the city, and help the souls get enough Sukriti to participate further in the Krishna Consciousness movement!

Imagine if 10, 20, 500 devotees were chanting on different street corners in Toronto and surrounding areas? Everywhere you go, there is the sound of the Holy Name… do you think we could make a dent in the hard materialistic times we live in?

Agreed, I don’t think it makes sense for people to go in large numbers out in public, but wherever you are, go out in ones or in twos! Be seen, be  heard chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Srila Haridas Thakura will bless us!

If you live in a small place, then put on a mask, take your voice and GO! If you live in a big city, put on a mask and GO OUT! Don’t shake hands, don’t get too close to people, but let your voice vibrating the Harinam Mahamantra reach the ears of the poor suffering souls of this age. You will feel happy, Mahaprabhu will be pleased with you, and our lives will be worthwhile. Please go, and report your outing to encourage others. Harinam Sankirtan is the only medicine in the age of Kali, vaccine or no vaccine.

Here are 2 experiences that stood out… never a dull moment out on Sankirtan!

One evening, I was feeling dejected as I went in the dark that I was a madman to go out like this, and who was benefiting from my impure chanting anyway. But I forced myself to go and start. Glad I did! As I stood chanting, an elderly man, unsteadily approached and said “I know this, I know this deeply. Deeeeply”. And then he began crying. He raised his arms, he looked up to the heavens and crossed himself. He said “my man, you have saved me”, and then “do you know what you have just done, you have just saved a soul”. I don’t know what his previous experiences with devotees have been, but he was quite emotional. He said “but it is so hard, SO HARD, how do you do it”. I said “never stop chanting” after a mantra, and continued chanting. He then said “I will say something to you, but you don’t stop chanting”. He said how people think “Toronto” means “meeting place” and that is right, but the full meaning was “Meeting place where the different tribes meet but no one fights”. He said “thank you thank you thank you” so many times”, and tried his own version of chanting. He rambled on philosophically as I continued chanting. Then he said “I have something for you, for your temple”, and pulled out some money, counted out 5 dollars in change. I had to give him a book. I pulled out a Nectar of Instruction. He held the book to his head, he placed it on the wall and bowed to the book. He danced around with the book. He started reading, read a bit, nodded, and then say “my dear man, you have saved me. I have outlived my life, my father is gone, my daughter is gone but I am still here, thank you for giving me hope hope hope”. And then we exchanged some deep Japanese-style bows (I was chanting and playing Karatalas) and he left.

The very next time I went, another madman approached me. The man looked like he was of South Asian descent, told me his name was Raglan. But he was lost to the world, drugged, cigarette in one hand, a Coke in another. The Karatalas just drew him in, he came close, close, closer, until he was about 2 inches from my face, staring into my eyes with a mad look on his face. I had to stop, and say “not this close OK, you stand here” and he obeyed. But as soon as I started the Kirtan his feet moved to the beat, closer, closer, closer. This happened many times. I finally stopped and asked him if he would read, he said no, so I pulled out a Mantra card and he said “I want that, I want that”. So he chanted the Mahamantra with me almost unwillingly. It is as if there were 2 personalities, one was demoniac and one was a bewildered confused lost soul, so innocent. I felt like maybe he was possessed. His feet moved like a zombie’s, his eyes were bloodshot, it is practically as if he wanted to step into me. I felt unsafe. He  (the demoniac personality) had already told me to stop thrice, even thught he couldn’t stop dancing and he couldn’t leave, as if he was hypnotized somehow by the chanting… and the voice was getting more menacing. It was late, dark, and I was not sure anyone else passing would help if he did something stupid. So I stopped and asked him if I could go elsewhere, he agreed, like a child. I said “don’t lose this card, this card will bring great good fortune to you”. As he took the card, I moved across to the South West corner of the intersection and began to chant. He disappeared shortly thereafter.

Going out on Harinam is putting oneself out on a limb, depending only on Krishna’s mercy. This should be done carefully. Many cannot do it at all – for example, as Aruna Keshavi said later “what if the man was COVID-infected?”, I responded, “then the virus is chanting Hare Krishna by now”. That was a joke but it was a serious risk! But those who can do this, should do this, because it bestows the highest blessings on one. I am a madman, mostly in the material sense of the word. But I pray to be mad to spread the mission of Srila Prabhupada or at least die trying.

My 2020 goal is 108 outings, and I have 65 left to go, with just 49 days left this year. Please bless me that I may humbly perform this service. I am very greedy for your blessings. In fact, I am 100% convinced that I can only go out on Harinam Sankirtan because of your blessings, because otherwise I am just a useless fool.

Praying to be always out on Harinam Sankirtan, or at least be in Harinam Sankirtan consciousness 24X7, this is my humble desire, though I must admit that unfortunate as I am, I still maintain all sorts of material attachments. Please bless me.

your servant, 

Mahabhagavat Das

Please subscribe to daily inspirational emails from His Grace Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari (Writings and lectures archived at www.ecstaticmedia.com ), written fresh every day from his travels around the world sharing the highest spiritual knowledge with everyone. Sign up now at www.joincourse.com

2020.21-30 Sankirtan Adventures – Old City Hall, Online Sankirtan, and Chinese Old Age Home

December is celebrated as marathon month all over the world, where the followers of Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada go out to distribute spiritual literature profusely… this is from 2020. But I’m out again in 2022, and it feels like it all happened yesterday. Please help us by going out, or supporting those who are out, in harsh weather, to benefit the world by adding more spirituality to the collective consciousness of the world. Thank you!

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, 26 September 2020

Dear Devotees,

Hare Krishna!

Please kindly accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I pray that you are all well and in good health and spirits.

By your blessings I am able to participate in this Hare Krishna movement, despite my disqualifications. Thank you!

Summary:

26 Aug 2020 – Old City Hall

1 Sep 2020 – Old City Hall

3 Sep 2020 – Old Ciy Hall (With Sagar Vankwani)

7 Sep 2020 – Book distribution at Chinese Old Age Home in Markham

8 Sep 2020 – Old City Hall

10 Sep 2020 – Old City Hall (with Shanti, Ciaran, Nick, Anastasia, Chris)

15 Sep 2020 – Old City Hall

17 Sep 2020 – Old City Hall (with Bhakta Nick, Aruna Keshavi, Vitthal Bhakta)

Aug 21 – 18 Sep 2020  Online – Bhagavatam set distributed (plus more books)

25 Sep 2020 – Old City Hall

————————————-

Total 10 Outings

This online Sankirtan really works! I just write as I have been hearing, and then, often while I am asleep, someone finds what I wrote and reads it. Over the last 2 years thousands have read… Sometimes they request more information, sometimes they request books, and they are often secretly practicing Bhakti at home! One person took an entire Bhagavatam set after a few months of reading the Bhagavad Gita As It Is with me. One person invited me into a Chinese Old Age home where I was able to distribute all the Chinese books I had with me!

I am glad at my great good fortune to be going downtown thrice a week. Am able to go out at the end of the day at least twice a week.

Now I have caught the Harinam fever, and can’t wait to go out. Sometimes, I get the privilege of associating with devotees (especially Nick, he has been very kind to me), sometimes it is just me, my spiritual master and the disciplic succession encouraging me on. Sometimes it is difficult to get going, sometimes unexpected barriers stop me from going. I always have books with me, and no matter what, there are always amazing interactions.

There are people who smile

There are people who begin slapping their bodies in rhythm

There are people who dance

There are people who sing

There are people who clap

There are people who staaaaare

There are people who look as long as you don’t look back at them

There are people who look with tremendous interest (mostly little children)

There are people who take a book

There are people who give a donation

There are people who say “Haribol”

There are people who say “Radhe Radhe”

There are the people who scowl

There are people who frown

Then there are the people who don’t even notice (the most unfortunate of all) – it is not me they don’t notice, but they don’t notice Sri Harinam, their ONLY saviour!

The longer someone stays within earshot of the Harinam, I notice a clear difference come over them… sometimes, people intentionally miss a streetcar so they can hear more. Sometimes, agitated people calm down. Sometimes noisy people quieten down. Sometimes sad people visibly become happy. Many are curious, I am sure they will check us out.

Even though I have begun wearing a mask when outside, I note that many who would have otherwise stopped, don’t stop…. they just continue on.

But times will change. One day they will stop.

They will take the Harinam home with them, and the Harinam will take them home with Him.

People are repeatedly dying, again and again they are taking birth, again and again they are dying. This Harinam Sankirtan will change that trajectory, no more birth, death, old age, and disease, no more misery of any kind. The more Harinam there is in the world, the more fortunate the souls in this world will be, until everyone is fortunate, and then this world will be Vaikuntha.

My 2020 goal is 108 outings, and I have 78 left to go, with just 97 days left this year. Please bless me that I may humbly perform this service. I am very greedy for your blessings. In fact, I am 100% convinced that I can only go out on Harinam Sankirtan because of your blessings, because otherwise I am just a useless fool.

Praying to be always out on Harinam Sankirtan, or at least be in Harinam Sankirtan consciousness 24X7, this is my humble desire, though I must admit that unfortunate as I am, I still maintain all sorts of material attachments.

your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

dasadas.com

Please subscribe to daily inspirational emails from His Grace Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari (Writings and lectures archived at www.ecstaticmedia.com ), written fresh every day from his travels around the world sharing the highest spiritual knowledge with everyone. Sign up now at www.joincourse.com

Sankirtan Adventures – Old City Hall, Guelph, Online, Janmashtami

Sankirtan during the Pandemic, a look back at 2020…

Mahabhagavat Das SDA, 21 August 2020

Dear Devotees,

Hare Krishna!

Please kindly accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I pray that you are all well and in good health and spirits.

By your blessings I am able to participate in this Hare Krishna movement, despite my disqualifications. Thank you!

Summary:

14 Jul 2020 Old City Hall

16 Jul 2020 Old City Hall

19 Jul 2020 Downtown Guelph Harinam

23 Jul 2020 Old City Hall

23 Jul 2020 Walking Harinam Old City Hall to ISKCON Toronto

28 Jul 2020 Email/WhatsApp Sankirtan

11 Aug 2020 Janmashtami Sankirtan

21 Aug 2020 Old City Harinaam

————————————-

Total 8 Outings

It has been a very nice summer generally. The Pandemic is a pity, because it is really hard to meet Canadians at close quarters when it gets cold. Yes, there is the phone, email, WhatApp, zoom, etc., Sankirtan, but a majority of “laying the groundwork” happens out there, on the street, in summer festivals, knocking on doors… The devotees have been largely absent from public consciousness.

As the Pandemic wears on, the attention to social media has waned, and many are not as receptive to online platforms as they were before. So, at least based on the reception we’re getting outside, the devotees should cautiously resume outdoor Harinaam Sankirtan, even though it will probably not immediately result in a lot of books distributed. Right now, we are circling amongst ourselves, preaching to ourselves, which, no doubt,needs to be done, but we also need to distribute the mercy outside of those we know presently.

I had some really nice experiences, in Guelph with Paramahamsa Prabhu, on Janmashtami, with Yogesh who had never been out on Harinam Sankirtan before. He took many books home with him, especially the smaller ones we don’t seem to be distributing a lot of these days. What is more, he is a customer for books that we could not distribute because they were “old looking”! 🙂 And Yogesh is reading those books intently – Mahaprabhu has already brought Yogesh into His tidal wave.

Especially now, the people are very needy for Harinam Sankirtan, while a lot of Harinam may be going on behind closed doors and behind virtual closed doors like Facebook and Zoom, we do need to get out there.

Especially in Toronto – the restaurants are open, the bars are open, the cinemas are open, the liquor shops are open and liquor is now being sold in the grocery stores. The brothels are open, the casinos are open, the malls are open, the offices are open. But the devotees are indoors. Harinam Sankirtan is a closed club. It is indeed a cause for concern that those who know we are not the body but spirit souls are sitting indoors even when the risk has gotten so low. We are supposed to be the fearless Hare Krishnas. Where is our “abhayam”? We are supposed to be surrendered to the Lotus Feet of Sri Abhaya Charanaravinda, where is our Abhaya?

Where possible, I’m urging devotees to get out there and not be lazy/afraid/overly cautious. Please, the world needs us and what we have.

Writing about one experience from yesterday, though there were many more…

I was on Harinam yesterday… Many were responding, many were not, but one man, unsteady on his feet due to being inebriated, cigarette in hand, came close. He asked “Indian song?” I said “yes I am from India but this is the song of the heart”. He listened really intently, thankfully he kept his distance. But I felt somewhat uncomfortable… I  mean, it is easier to be ignored than to be scrutinized like that. He then started singing, suddenly asked me, “Do you need some change”, I asked him “Do you need a book”, so he took 2 books, one by Srila Prabhupada and one by my spiritual master Sankarshan Prabhu. He gave me a donation and immediately started reading the book. He did say “Always Christ” and I said “All the way my brother”. I was intensely praying to Lord Chaitanya “please give this man your mercy and the Lord did shower His mercy upon that soul! So we can see how one can get instant feedback while out on Sankirtan.

Go out where you can. Go out when you can. Go out in ones or twos. Go out with a mask if you have to. Stay outdoors. Wash your hands, stay far away from others, but let the sound of your voice become the humble vehicle for the Holy Name to go out there and do His magic. There is no other way, no other way, no other way, except Harinam Sankirtan Harinam Sankirtan Harinam Sankirtan.

I reported my Sankirtan outing this morning and my spiritual master was pleased. So, dear devotees, please let us please our spiritual masters.

quote

So we have to be very careful. The age is very bad, the Kali-yuga. You are experiencing. We have to simply take shelter of krsna and always cry,

krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, he!

krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, he!

krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, raksa mām!

krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, pāhi mām!

krsna, keśava, krsna, keśava, krsna, keśava, raksa mām!

rāma rāghava, rāma rāghava, rāma rāghava, pāhi mām!

Like that, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught us. The time is very dangerous. And still, in this dangerous time… Just like in epidemic condition where every people is being contaminated and dying, still, the doctors appointed by the government, they have to go into the epidemic area and try to treat the person and save them. Our duty is like that. The whole atmosphere is epidemic, whole atmosphere, this Kali-yuga. And still, by the superior orders we have to preach this krsna consciousness movement. Therefore our only shelter is krsna. krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, raksa mām. Very dangerous position. The foolish people, they are thinking that “We are very happy and we are very safe.” But nobody is safe. Nobody is safe. So we have to deal with persons very carefully, and at the same time, we have to push our missionary activities. Aho kastam dharma drsam.

– from SB 6.2.1-5 in Calcutta, India

unquote

My 2020 goal is 108 outings, and I have 88 left to go, with just over 130 days left. Please bless me that I may humbly perform this service. I am very greedy for your blessings. In fact, I am 100% convinced that I can only go out on Harinam Sankirtan because of your blessings, because otherwise I am just a useless fool.

Praying to be always out on Harinam Sankirtan, or at least be in Harinam Sankirtan consciousness 24X7, this is my humble desire, though I must admit that unfortunate as I am, I still maintain all sorts of material attachments.

your servant,

Mahabhagavat Das

dasadas.com

dasadas.com

Please subscribe to daily inspirational emails from His Grace Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari (Writings and lectures archived at www.ecstaticmedia.com ), written fresh every day from his travels around the world sharing the highest spiritual knowledge with everyone. Sign up now at www.joincourse.com