Tag: travel

2025.27-68 – Summer, Fall, Poland, Canada, India, Pre Marathon update

2025.27-68 – This is only my second Sankirtan update of 2025, and there will be just one more 2025 marathon update after this… Lots of outings, lots of classes, online articles, service, mentoring, travel, etc., no time to write about it all promptly. But more and more engaged in sadhana and service than ever before, carefully tracked and measured. Feeling very blessed and grateful for it. 68 outings this year so far, 73 classes, 1027 Bhagavad Gitas. Please could you help?

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!

General Update:

You’re used to getting my Sankirtan updates via email. But it became really hard for me to manage all my different communications channels alone. So I will use my website as the primary channel and connect all other channels to it. I pray for your kind understanding. Thank you.

This is only my second Sankirtan update of 2025, and there will be just one more 2025 marathon update after this… Lots of outings, lots of classes, online articles, service, mentoring, travel, etc., no time to write about it all promptly. But more and more engaged in sadhana and service than ever before, carefully tracked and measured. Feeling very blessed and grateful for it.

Outings Outline:

2025.27 – 28 May 2025 – Old City Hall Harinam
2025.28 – 31 May 2025 – MSF Old City Hall with VB and devotees
2025.29 – 7 Jun 2025 – Waterloo Ratha Yatra Book Table
2025.30 – 16 Jun 2025 – Warsaw Prosta & Zelezna Harinam + books
2025.31 – 18 Jun 2025 – Warsaw Old City Harinam
2025.32 – 23 Jun 2025 – YD Square Toronto RY Flyers Distribution
2025.33 – 28 Jun 2025 – Avenue & Bloor Harinam Toronto MSF
2025.34 – YD Square RY Flyer distribution
2025.35 – 7 Jul 2025 – Toronto General Hospital Kirtan with Bhaktimarga Swami & Vaishnava Prabhu
2025.36 – 12 Jul 2025 – Toronto RY Distribution
2025.37,38 – 12 Jul 2025 Toronto RY Book Tent Distribution
2025.39 ,40- 13 Jul 2025 Toronto RY Book Tent Distribution
2025.41 – 19 Jul 2025 – Thunder Bay Ratha Yatra Book Tent Distribution
2025.42 – 20 Jul 2025 – Thunder Bay Festival of Colors Book Tent
2025.43 – 2 Aug 2025 – Stratford Vaishnava Sanga Harinam & Books
2025.44 – 9 Aug 2025 – ISKCON Scarborough Ratha Yatra Book Table
2025.45 – 10 Aug 2025 – ISKCON Toronto Sunday Feast Distribution
2025.46 – 17 Aug 2025 – ISKCON Toronto distribution
2025.47 – 23 Aug 2025 – Kensington Market MSF
2025.48 – 24 Aug 2025 – Toronto Sunday Feast Distributon
2025.49 – 31 Aug 2025 – Toronto Radhastami Distribution – SB Sets + BG
2025.50 – 6 Sep 2025 – Cabbagetown Festival Book Distribution
2025.51 – 7 Sep 2025 – Toronto Sunday Feast Bhadra Purnima
2025.52 – 14 Sep 2025 – ISKCON Toronto Sunday Feast Distribution
2025.53 – 15 Sep 2025 – Old City Hall Harinam
2025.54 – 25 Sep 2025 – Old City Hall Harinam w/ Rahul
2025.55 – 5 Oct 2025 – Hyderabad Nagar Sankirtan with Vishwa Kirti Prabhu ACBSP
2025.56 – 6 Oct 2025 – P&T Colony Books – counted separately
2025.57 – 7 Oct 2025 – Hyderabad Nagar Sankirtan with Vishwa Kirti Prabhu ACBSP
2025.58 – 8 Oct 2025 – Hyderabad Nagar Sankirtan with Vishwa Kirti Prabhu ACBSP
2025.59 – P&T Colony Books – counted separately
2025.60 – 9 Oct 2025 – Hyderabad Nagar Sankirtan with Vishwa Kirti Prabhu ACBSP
2025.61 – 12 Oct 2025 – ISKCON Juhu Books
2025.62 – 13 Oct 2025 – ISKCON Juhu Books
2025.63 – 16 Oct 2025 – Thiruvananthapuram Adi Keshava temple Books
2025.64 – 17 Oct 2025 – P&T Colony Books
2025.65 – 2 Oct – 18 Oct 2025 Continuous India distribution all day – counted separately
2025.66 – 26 Oct 2025 – ISKCON Toronto Sunday feast distribution
2025.67 – 30 Oct 2025 – Royal St. George College Talk & Books
2025.68 – 2 Nov 2025 – ISKCON Toronto Sunday feast distribution

New 42 2025 Outings

Total 68/108 outings in 2025

Here are just a few of interactions that stood out…

Poland was a delightful place for Sankirtan & Book Distribution!

Poland was a delightful place for Sankirtan & Book Distribution!

Rahul joined me on Sankirtan one day at Old City Hall

Rahul joined me on Sankirtan one day at Old City Hall

Radhashtami blessings! Siddharth is a young man who I struck up a conversation with on Radhashtami, discussing the Bhagavatam. He surprised me with his openness and deep questions, and took a set almost right away! Doesn’t happen too often. I remain in touch with him… that day was blessed and 11 sets were distributed in that outing! Bright young people, looking for answers to the questions of life. Just the type of people Srila Prabhupada had in mind!

Ritiv, the man of questions, was referred to me because he was asking so many questions. And he joined the classes reading the books carefully and asking many questions. He writes “this class is changing me into the best version of me. I would be always grateful to Radha Rani for giving me this opportunity to better understand myself with the help of Bhagavad Gita”. Thank you Ritiv and the whole Parampara is rooting for our success, we’re only getting started!

YD Square is a loud space, Toronto version of Times Square experiences, I call it an assault on the senses. The square with gigantic screens, all sorts of sights, sounds, and smells. And a continuous stream of people moving through it in all directions. Distributing Ratha Yatra invitation cards was a fun and interesting experience there. I got to invite several who would otherwise not know about the festival. The ones I least expected to took the cards. That reminded me again that we’re not these bodies. Krishna consciousness operates on the level of the spirit soul.

The Toronto Ratha Yatra is really BIG in terms of the opportunity to distribute books. Even though we have been distributing extensively there, there are still repeat customers. And the festival gives the perfect atmosphere for spiritual discussions. It was good numbers for me personally, even though my time was fragmented in so many services.

In my first unexpected visit to Thunder Bay, I was delighted to join their Ratha Yatra celebration. With a team that is stretched thin, book distribution often doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Serving souls up there in the North was very inspiring. I know this is one reason why Krishna took me from a tiny village in South India and plonked me here in Canada!

The Vaishnava Sanga festival was in Stratford this year and the Harinam was as good as it gets. There were hundreds of devotees out on the streets of Stratford. But they were light on the book distribution side – with just a few books. So I added my own personal stock to the mix and together we all distributed many books.

The ISKCON Scarborough Ratha Yatra has been steadily building up. They have a nice focus on book distribution, led by Anuttama Prabhu and my Godbrother Sudarshan Prabhu. It was a pleasure and privilege to assist them with book distribution

The Kensington market in Toronto has its own vibes. Whenever I go there, I can be sure to meet some far out folks. The total number of books distributed has somewhat reduced there. This is owing to the gentrification. But Kensington remains a great spot to go out on book distribution!

Kensington is still a fun place for Harinam Sankirtan & Book Distribution

Kensington is still a fun place for Harinam Sankirtan & Book Distribution

One of the summer festivals we go to is the Cabbagetown festival. Named after its frugal inhabitants who grew cabbages in front of their homes instead of lawns, that reputation persists. We were met by this keen bargain hunter, a gentleman who wanted the Bhagavad Gita in Tamil. He came and he went. The devotee he spoke to first refused to give him a Gita… He came back, and again. Finally he got a Gita for what he thought was a bargain price. But he didn’t know that he’s bargaining with the best bargainer in the business, Sri Krishna. I got my Gita for free around 25 years ago, and look where I am!

Friend in deed! Antariksh is a young devotee in the community. He brought some of his friends to me at the book table. He then asked me to recommend some books for them, which I did after asking them a few questions. He then ensured that these young men liked the books. And then, he bought the books for them. What a friend!

My new friend with a book to sober him up

My new friend with a book to sober him up

On my trip from Frankfurt to Hyderabad, I sat next to a young man. The flight was full. The cabin crew served passengers with their German efficiency. I struck up a conversation. he was an ambitious engineer. Reminded me of myself a couple of decades ago. He worked fulltime and had a business in Hyderabad. He was looking for advice in running his business. The young man, Sai, later confided in me. Among other things, he regretted getting drunk on this day. Of all days, he felt it was unfortunate since he was to sit next to me. We spoke about spiritual life, Krishna, about Karma. We spoke about chanting Hare Krishna. But anyways, he took a book, gave me a generous donation in Euros.

These boys have a Japa circle of their own at ISKCON Juhu!

These boys have a Japa circle of their own at ISKCON Juhu!

India Sankirtan is always ecstatic! The Nagar Sankirtan with Vishwa Kirti Prabhu (ACBSP) was a highlight. There was also the book distribution at the ISKCON temple book stalls. It was even more exciting out on the street. Coming from the west, it is relatively hard to get the books out! But not in India. One just had to stand somewhere with the books and souls would make a beeline for the books. One just has to scratch the surface, and almost everyone in India is Krishna Conscious.

Books fly out in India

Books fly out in India

Narayana is the owner of a motorcycle repair workshop. He pulled up on his sleek motorbike and I handed him a small book. He took out his phone and transferred the entire content of his bank account to my Sankirtan account! I struggled to find books to reciprocate with his generosity! I gave him a few extra copies. Narayana said he was going to make the books mandatory reading for his “boys” back at the workshop! I look forward to visiting that transcendental workshop in my next visit!

This gentleman teaches chemistry and is preparing to serve as an officer in the government.

This gentleman teaches chemistry and is preparing to serve as an officer in the government.

BACE Power! All this time, I’ve been distributing alone at my spot at the P&T Colony 5-road-intersection… But this time, all of a sudden, some boys with Tilaka came and asked if they could assist. Turns out, ISKCON Attapur has opened a BACE not too far from there. Boys stay there, work, study, and practice Krishna Consciousness. These boys enthusiastically distributed all my books in a few minutes – no donations LOL! Clearly they hadn’t been trained in the art of book distribution! We can afford to give the books away. But we try to get whatever donation we can for the benefit of the recipient. I look forward to associating more with those boys in my next visit. And I heard there is another BACE from ISKCON Hyderabad not far away. Talk about ecstatic!

My enthusiastic book distributor friends from the BACE in P&T Colony Dilsukhnagar

My enthusiastic book distributor friends from the BACE in P&T Colony Dilsukhnagar

This young reader, Krishna, is reading Srila Prabhupada's book. He later brought a handful of rice as a donation in exchange for the book.

This young reader, Krishna, is reading Srila Prabhupada’s book. He later brought a handful of rice as a donation in exchange for the book.

I have an inspiring Godsister named Guru Vandana Devi Dasi. She is a very sincere and serious devotee. She distributed an SB set, and let me be an instrument in her distribution. Of course, Sri Adi Keshava orchestrated all this, we were all just instruments.

Sriman Padmakumar is a retired chief engineer from the Kanyakumari district. He met us at the ancient Sri Adi Keshava temple in Thiruvattaar, Tamil Nadu, right on the border with Kerala. We were on yatra there with my spiritual master and Gurumataji. There he expressed a wish to get a Srimad Bhagavatam set in English. He told Mother Guru Vandana, who passed me the lead. We only had enough time to exchange numbers. Over the next couple of days, I coordinated with Padmakumar and India BBT. With the magic of electronic messaging and transactions… while I was travelling around… Padmakumar sent me a donation, which I forwarded to the BBT. The BBT shipped an SB set! And just like that, 1 SB set distributed while on pilgrimage!

These are only a few of the many interactions… something about these stood out to me even now and I wrote them down for your pleasure. Please pray for everyone else who reciprocated with any devotee who was out on Sankirtan. They deserve your blessings. A few pictures attached.

Now, here in Toronto we have welcomed the Srila Prabhupada marathon. This is the month where we try in a concerted way to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. Especially the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, we distribute as much as possible. At least in Toronto, most of the targets are achieved through collection of funds – shaastra daan. This is a good way for those who don’t distribute books to get involved in book distribution. But for me personally, it’s about going out regularly. It is a very purifying experience, especially in the cold weather of Canada. If it was not for the kindness of the followers of Srila Prabhupada, where would I be? Probably on the other side of the marathon. So I try my best to reach as many souls as possible.

Would you like to help? I can’t hit my targets alone. But you can help. You can donate for distribution in any region of the world. I will work to get your donation to book distributors in that part of the world. This way, we can make it easier for someone to get Srila Prabhupada’s books. Will you help?

All this is possible only by your encouragement and blessings! Thank you!

Do you want to be notified when I go out? Anyone you know? When I’m going out on Harinam, book distribution, or giving a class, I send out a notification. Please let me know… let us together flood this world with Harinam Sankirtan, Krishna Katha, and Srila Prabhupada’s books!

My 2025 goals summary is

  • 68 Sankirtan outings
  • 73 classes delivered, and
  • 1027 Bhagavad Gita or equivalent distributed.

    My lifetime goal of being an instrument in distributing 1 Lakh Gitas tracking is at 10,195/100,000 (10.2% of goal).

    My 2025 goals are,
  • 108 Sankirtan outings
  • 70 classes (exceeded), and being an instrument in the
  • distribution of 2330 Bhagavad Gitas or equivalent!

I can only set goals and pray for mercy, then try my best. But the Vaishnavas and Krishna can help fulfill the prayer, enable the effort and make the target possible to achieve. Please bless me, because your blessings are certainly potent!

40 outings to go in 2025! Please bless me, please pray for me.

Please engage in acts of Harinam Sankirtan wherever you are!

This is written for your pleasure. 

your servant,
Mahabhagavat Das
dasadas.com

P.S: If you wish to help me distribute Bhagavad Gitas, please let me know. Distribution can be arranged in a country of your choice. You can start with as little as 1 Bhagavad Gita. There are no upper limits! 🙂

P.P.S: Please forward to as many souls as you can with your personal note, where attention goes energy flows, so more and more souls may take up Harinam Sankirtan and Srila Prabhupada’s book distribution all over the world…

A Moment of Reflection: Mantras and Unexpected Friendships

During a serene lunch break by Lake Ontario, a spontaneous encounter with a young man named George transformed a potentially uneasy moment into a thoughtful exchange about spirituality. Embracing the opportunity, I conveyed some nuggets of spiritual knowledge, fostering connection and understanding. Then I chanted my mantras. Ultimately, I left the encounter gratefully, having made a new friend.

I sat at one end of the bench and prepared to chant my Gayatri mantras. This big burly young man came and plonked himself right on the other end. The whole bench shook with the force of his landing. All other benches were empty, and this man chose to sit on the same one I was on.

The unkempt, untidy, muscular fellow was looking at me with some unusual interest… I wondered if I should move… was it going to be trouble? But I decided to stay there and chant my Gayatri mantras there anyways. After all, Krishna is non-different from His Names. I was in safe hands, come what may.

To make matters worse, this young man lit a cigarette. Oh no, I thought, how can I chant here amidst all the smoke? But still I resisted the urge to move. There was after all a reason why the Paramatma, the Supersoul in his heart inspired him to sit there. On the lone occupied bench on the entire pier.

All this happened one afternoon earlier this week, on my lunch break. Mantras on the pier that looks onto Lake Ontario – a typical lunch time routine for me. I took a slow walk, beads in hand, softly chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Then I chose an empty bench, which was not hard to do. Even though it was bright and sunny, it was still cold, about plus two degrees Celsius. So I had the pier all to myself, or so I thought. Krishna clearly had other plans!

Thus the intelligent person who places his faith in the Paramātmā or the Supreme Personality of Godhead begins to advance toward a blissful eternal life of knowledge.

https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/13/23/

Suddenly he asked me, interrupting, “Are you praying to the the Buddha?”. I said I was chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. He said “I believe it all, the cross, Buddha, all”.

So then George, who is from Greece, and I had a nice little chat. We spoke about how there is only one God and we know the same God by different names. I chanted peacefully. George just sat there, taking a puff, looking at me, taking a puff…

As he smoked, I was hoping the smoke didn’t blow my way, and it didn’t, for the most part. Except for the last puff – the wind changed directions that moment. But then, he threw away the cigarette, and with a “be well, my friend” got up walked away.

Why had I wanted to avoid the interaction? What was the difference between this brief interaction and the ones that we view as more significant? Yes, the time span was different. This one was a few minutes, the others, a few hours, days, weeks, months, years, or even decades.

But no matter what, we have to part ways, is it not? We sometimes meet each other again, our paths cross again… but is it guaranteed that they will? So why did I want to get away from George? It was the mind that was playing tricks, that’s all!

Thereafter, Devayānī, the daughter of Śukrācārya, understood that the materialistic association of husband, friends and relatives is like the association in a hotel full of tourists. The relationships of society, friendship and love are created by the māyā of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, exactly as in a dream. By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, Devayānī gave up her imaginary position in the material world. Completely fixing her mind upon Kṛṣṇa, she achieved liberation from the gross and subtle bodies.

सा सन्निवासं सुहृदां प्रपायामिव गच्छताम् ।
विज्ञायेश्वरतन्त्राणां मायाविरचितं प्रभो: ॥ २७ ॥
सर्वत्र सङ्गमुत्सृज्य स्वप्नौपम्येन भार्गवी ।
कृष्णे मन: समावेश्य व्यधुनोल्लिङ्गमात्मन: ॥ २८ ॥

sā sannivāsaṁ suhṛdāṁ
prapāyām iva gacchatām
vijñāyeśvara-tantrāṇāṁ
māyā-viracitaṁ prabhoḥ

sarvatra saṅgam utsṛjya
svapnaupamyena bhārgavī
kṛṣṇe manaḥ samāveśya
vyadhunol liṅgam ātmanaḥ

https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/9/19/27-28/

It is best to serve another soul whenever we get a chance. No postponing. After all, who knows if and when our paths will cross again?

I don’t know why George chose to sit next to me. I wonder if he just wanted to have an interaction with another human. But I feel that Krishna, God, inspired George. I hope I served the soul passing for George for the brief length of our interaction! I hope that the few nuggets of spiritual knowledge was pleasing to the soul in the body called George. I pray that my effort was pleasing to Krishna, who sits in my heart as well as George’s as Paramatma, the Supersoul.

I am glad I overcame my preconceived notions about this young man. It was by Krishna’s grace. Otherwise I would have missed the service opportunity, maybe even conveyed some misunderstanding to George. It is not very pleasant when someone tries to avoid you, especially if you don’t know why.

Too often, spiritual people end up pushing others away. This is because we are not in tune with the dictations of God sitting within our heart. It is because we fall prey to the urges of the mind.

Chanting Mantras with meditation beads...

I then chanted my Gayatri in peace. I continued chanting the Mahamantra after. Finally, it was time to get back to the office for a quick lunch and my next meeting.

It all ended well. I made a new friend, George from Greece. I prayed that he also experience Krishna in the form of His His Names, some day.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
The Hare Krishna Mahamantra

Leveraging Jet Lag for Spiritual Growth

Recently returning from a transformative trip to India, I found jet lag to be an unexpected ally in my spiritual journey. Embracing early mornings, I engaged in meditation, reading, and serving Krishna. Instead of viewing jet lag negatively, I was able to leverage it to enhance my devotional practices and enrich my daily routine. What a blessing! Jet lag? Bring it on!

I have recently returned to Toronto from a hectic, exhausting, yet ecstatic trip to Bharat Bhumi, also known as India. I was away for a total of 14 days. Out of those, I got to spend 11 in the holy land.

The privilege of meeting, hearing from, and serving the sincere devotees of Krishna is, as always, a life changing experience.

I visited…

  • Frankfurt
  • Mantralayam
  • Hyderabad
  • Bengaluru
  • Pune
  • Mumbai

With a 10.5 hour time zone difference between Toronto and India, that is just enough to get jet lagged. Jet lag gets a bad rap… because the body clock is set to some other time zone. It wakes up at odd hours. It feels sleepy at odd hours and so on. There’s an entire cottage industry to help people cope with and overcome jet lag.

I even tried this app called “Timeshifter” but it was totally impractical for my lifestyle… for example it contained advice to use caffeine, which I avoid like the plague, and melatonin… It required specific times to go to sleep and wake up. There were also specific times to “see” light and to avoid it. This was almost like trying to hack the body and mind. It didn’t sit right with me. Was it really necessary to “overcome” jet lag? I wondered if jet lag can be leveraged for Krishna, for spiritual growth.

When I was in India, the jet lag was a great asset! I managed to wake up early enough to attend Mangala Arati. I completed my Sadhana. I got by with a short nap for the rest of the day. Early mornings, late nights, and the rest of the time spent in serving Krishna and His devotees, perfect!

When I got back to Toronto, for example this morning, I was up at 2AM. I wondered if I should try to go back to sleep… then I remembered that my Guru and Gurumata usually rise at this hour. They complete their japa, meditation on the Holy Names of Krishna on their beads, well before others rise… and then they can spend their whole day serving others on their spiritual journey.

So I decided to follow in their footsteps. After completing my meditation, I still had time to read, not one but parts of 2 books! Anyone who has a corporate career and a family understands the challenge. Finding quality time to read is incredibly hard. I still had enough time to complete Mangala Arati. Then I performed deity worship before getting an early start to the day!

In this way I will leverage jet lag to serve Krishna. And when the jet lag ends? I will simply go back to my earlier routine to serve Krishna!

Devotee serving Krishna

Jet lag? Bring it on!

Of course, in all success, the credit goes to Guru and Krishna, as long as we are ready to be an instrument!

Now, in case you think that this idea to leverage jet lag in Krishna’s service somehow is mine… it is not.

Srila Rupa Goswami enunciated the principle of “avyartha–kālatvam — being free from wasting time”, this was over 500 years ago…

ক্ষান্তিরব্যর্থকালত্বং বিরক্তির্মানশূন্যতা ।
আশাবন্ধঃ সমুৎকণ্ঠা নামগানে সদা রুচিঃ ॥ ১৮ ॥
আসক্তিস্তদ্‌গুণাখ্যানে প্রীতিস্তদ্বসতিস্থলে ।
ইত্যাদয়োঽনুভাবাঃ স্যু র্জাতভাবাঙ্কুরে জনে ॥ ১৯ ॥


kṣāntir avyartha-kālatvaṁ viraktir māna-śūnyatā
āśā-bandhaḥ samutkaṇṭhā nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ
āsaktis tad-guṇākhyāne prītis tad-vasati-sthale
ity-ādayo ’nubhāvāḥ syur jāta-bhāvāṅkure jane

“ ‘When the seed of ecstatic emotion for Kṛṣṇa fructifies, the following nine symptoms manifest in one’s behavior: forgiveness, concern that time should not be wasted, detachment, absence of false prestige, hope, eagerness, a taste for chanting the holy name of the Lord, attachment to descriptions of the transcendental qualities of the Lord, and affection for those places where the Lord resides — that is, a temple or a holy place like Vṛndāvana. These are all called anubhāva, subordinate signs of ecstatic emotion. They are visible in a person in whose heart the seed of love of God has begun to fructify.’

https://vedabase.io/en/library/cc/madhya/23/18-19/

My spiritual master has indeed planted the seed of pure devotional service in my heart. However, I cannot claim any success in cultivating devotional service. I am just sincerely trying to practice sadhana bhakti.

And I have examples of great Vaishnavas who travel around the world…

So I brought Prabhupada his breakfast, and then when he was finished I came and took everything out and Prabhupada laid down. So I went back, I said, “Prabhupada’s resting.” So Paramahamsa and I, we laid down. Of course, we fell asleep, we were out, and Prabhupada maybe took 15 minutes or something and he was up. So finally I heard a bell ring. So I went into Prabhupada’s room, and it happened a few times where I would literally try to wake up as I was offering obeisances and exercise my eyes so Prabhupada couldn’t tell that I was sleeping. I sat up, and as soon as I sat up he said, “Why are you sleeping? You’re like dead men. Everyone is awake. The karmis are all at work but not the devotees. No, they’re sleeping.” He said, “They’re sleeping very soundly. Why are you sleeping?” And, of course, when Prabhupada asked why were you doing something wrong, I never had a response because whatever you said, he would just take that apart. So I just said, “Prabhupada, I’m sorry.” “What about Paramahamsa? Why is he sleeping?” He said, “Call him in here.” He goes in and immediately Prabhupada says, “You are a sannyasi. Your business is to minimize bodily demands, minimize sleeping, minimize eating. Why are you sleeping?” Paramahamsa said, “Prabhupada, I have jet lag,” and I thought, “Oh, no!” And Prabhupada said, “Jet lag?” He said, “Well, we just flew from here and done this,” and Prabhupada said, “So I am also flying, I am doing the same thing. I am awake.” Then he said, “All right, go on. Go sleep if you want.“

https://srilaprabhupadalila.org/read/3665 

Srila Prabhupada circled the globe twelve times in less than 10 years… and no one ever recalls a time when he was jet lagged.

Gopal Krishna Goswami, a dear disciple of Srila Prabhupada, traveled from continent to continent. He was always on the altar offering Mangala Arati to the local deities at the temple he was staying at. This was regardless of which time zone he came in from and which time zone he traveled to. I have personally witnessed this, arrived at midnight, 1AM, 2AM, but no, at 4:30am he was on the altar.

My own spiritual master, Srila Sankarshan Das Adhikari, has circled the globe more than 50 times. My Gurumataji Srimati Vishnupriya Devi Dasi has accompanied him. They have never let jet lag stand in the way of their service to Krishna. They are both up early. They chant their rounds and offer their service to Sri Sri Radha Damodar. Then, they follow a full schedule of service all day, working 12-16 hours most days.

So why should I not try to follow in their illustrious footsteps?

“Old” New Discoveries

Do you think the Vedic Scriptures are Mythology? Do you think that modern scientists know better? Did you know that scientists are simply re-discovering whatever was already explained in the Vedic Scriptures?

Sometimes, it is thought that we are making advancement in this world today. It is thought that the Vedic Scriptures are archaic and full of superstition and dogma. In fact, I grew up in India, where I was taught that the Vedic scriptures are “mythology”.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Vedic Scriptures are the most advanced science we have today. But most of the knowledge contained in the Vedic scriptures is not understood by most of us.

The knowledge in the Vedic scriptures require purity and sharp consciousness, not consciousness dulled by repeated sense gratification like meat eating, intoxication, gambling, and illicit sex.

Let us consider one example…

Robert Boyle, an Anglo-Irish son of an Earl, is credited with discovering that sound must travel through a medium in the year 1660. While it is nice that he discovered this, he is not the first to know that sound travels through the air.

Over 5000 years ago, in the Srimad Bhagavatam, here is a verse:

चालनं व्यूहनं प्राप्तिर्नेतृत्वं द्रव्यशब्दयो: ।
सर्वेन्द्रियाणामात्मत्वं वायो: कर्माभिलक्षणम् ॥ ३७ ॥

cālanaṁ vyūhanaṁ prāptir
netṛtvaṁ dravya-śabdayoḥ
sarvendriyāṇām ātmatvaṁ
vāyoḥ karmābhilakṣaṇam

The action of the air is exhibited in movements, mixing, allowing approach to the objects of sound and other sense perceptions, and providing for the proper functioning of all other senses.

https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/3/26/37/

But there is a lot more information contained the ancient Vedic knowledge. The great seer His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, writes, in his purport to the above verse…

We can perceive the action of the air when the branches of a tree move or when dry leaves on the ground collect together. Similarly, it is only by the action of the air that a body moves, and when the air circulation is impeded, many diseases result. Paralysis, nervous breakdowns, madness and many other diseases are actually due to an insufficient circulation of air. In the Āyurvedic system these diseases are treated on the basis of air circulation. If from the beginning one takes care of the process of air circulation, such diseases cannot take place. From the Āyur-veda as well as from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is clear that so many activities are going on internally and externally because of air alone, and as soon as there is some deficiency in the air circulation, these activities cannot take place. Here it is clearly stated, netṛtvaṁ dravya-śabdayoḥ. Our sense of proprietorship over action is also due to the activity of the air. If the air circulation is stifled, we cannot approach a place after hearing. If someone calls us, we hear the sound because of the air circulation, and we approach that sound or the place from which the sound comes. It is clearly said in this verse that these are all movements of the air. The ability to detect odors is also due to the action of the air.

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Robert Boyle didn’t know all this. So he spent his life re-discovering what was already known. Most modern scientists are fools in that respect, running around re-discovering what was already known, and often making foolish mistakes along the way. But they are proud. They will not accept the Vedic Scriptures. And the rest of us are even bigger fools for trusting them.

The Vedic Scriptures contain everything one can possibly need. But at the end, they say this is not our home. So therefore, it is important to learn to end our material sojourn as quickly as possible, not get caught up in material consciousness.

Please look into the Genuine Vedic Scriptures. Please follow them. Please perfect your life, and go back home, where you belong. By following the Vedic Scriptures under the guidance of the bonafide spiritual master, one can live happily in this world, and at the end of one’s life, be transferred to the spiritual sky.

How may I serve you on your spiritual journey?