{"id":2229,"date":"2015-11-16T16:28:02","date_gmt":"2015-11-16T10:58:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.padayatra.com\/?p=2229"},"modified":"2015-11-16T16:28:02","modified_gmt":"2015-11-16T10:58:02","slug":"the-walking-monk-from-october-12-to-27-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.padayatra.com\/padayatra-new\/the-walking-monk-from-october-12-to-27-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"The Walking Monk from ( October 12 to 27, 2015)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Monday, October 12th, 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Mississauga, Ontario<\/p>\n

Sorting Out The Trails<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cSince the Supreme is the origin of all facets of life, including<\/p>\n

ourselves, where does hate come into the picture?\u201d asked Raj as we stepped<\/p>\n

through the trees on a trail near his home.<\/p>\n

Raj had been questioning this for years, wondering how hate or contempt<\/p>\n

could be a component of God\u2019s personality. As we were walking, he and I<\/p>\n

discussed how Krishna, in His pastimes, eliminated demonic forces. Yet,<\/p>\n

it appears that hate or malice was not necessarily found in the character<\/p>\n

of Krishna during the time of His subduing such nasty forces. Raj<\/p>\n

insisted, \u201cHe doesn\u2019t show hate but where does this hate come from since<\/p>\n

whatever is within us can be traced back to the Source?\u201d<\/p>\n

While I was looking deeply within for the best way to respond to Raj\u2019s<\/p>\n

wonder, we had to make choices as to which path to tread. All trails were<\/p>\n

laden with autumn leaves but some were broad in width while some were less<\/p>\n

defined, obscured, and less travelled. We chose to tackle them all. We<\/p>\n

found other people from the same neighbourhood doing the same type of<\/p>\n

exploration. Searching for answers through adventurous avenues might be a<\/p>\n

very good thing.<\/p>\n

Here is the gist of my contribution to Raj\u2019s query. The Absolute (God,<\/p>\n

the Divine, whatever is your preferred terminology) is definitely the root<\/p>\n

or the seed behind all things good and bad. Yes, even when Krishna does<\/p>\n

some of His dissolution work, He invokes some anger but with a charm that<\/p>\n

moves the emotions. It is executed in the spirit of detachment. Now, why<\/p>\n

is our hate so strong and so vindictive at times? In other words, why are<\/p>\n

we so extreme? What comes to mind is something that our guru, Srila<\/p>\n

Prabhupada, and his guru explained. It goes as such:<\/p>\n

All things in the material world are perverted reflections of the<\/p>\n

spiritual world. Here\u2019s one example to illustrate our malicious<\/p>\n

intentions. When a rod is placed in a pool of water, the image in the<\/p>\n

water is refracted or distorted. Similarly, whatever we do in this world<\/p>\n

tends to get twisted and our attitude becomes extreme and this happens by<\/p>\n

choice. Choice is another trait we have inherited from the Supreme. Our<\/p>\n

obligation is to just get clean, to go for a purging.<\/p>\n

May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

1.9 miles \/ 3 km<\/p>\n

Tuesday, October 13th, 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Woodward, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

Back Again<\/strong><\/p>\n

So many people have written upbeat songs about being on the road again.<\/p>\n

What comes to mind is my dear friend, cross-country walker Michael Oesch,<\/p>\n

who likes Willie Nelson\u2019s rendition. Well here I am, once again, at one of<\/p>\n

the places I like to be – the road, the trail.<\/p>\n

After being picked up at the Pittsburgh Airport, where they were playing<\/p>\n

classical music over the speaker, which I liked, Vivasvan and Tre\u2019von came<\/p>\n

to drive us to College State where we slept for the night. We then drove<\/p>\n

to the spot where I left off from four days before at Buffalo Valley Trail,<\/p>\n

a parallel route to Highway 45.<\/p>\n

The trek started with a drizzle, though rain never became a big issue. At<\/p>\n

one point the sun blazed through before overcast sky hit us again. Tre\u2019von<\/p>\n

stayed loyal to my every step for 18 miles. Then, I finished solo with an<\/p>\n

extra four miles under the feet. It was at this point that a police<\/p>\n

officer came to see what was up. It was another one of those things where<\/p>\n

someone called in, being suspicious of a guy in orange, the colour that<\/p>\n

prisoner\u2019s wear in jumpsuits. This simply became an opportunity for me to<\/p>\n

talk and make a friend with the officer. He resembled strongly the<\/p>\n

features of fellow monk, Sridhar Swami.<\/p>\n

A real milestone for our team today was to hear Tre\u2019von master his memory<\/p>\n

of mantras. I had been teaching him while trekking the two mantras in<\/p>\n

honour of guru. He took the bold step to ask to learn the mantra for<\/p>\n

Pancha Tattva. This he learned, with a breeze.<\/p>\n

I observed that he likes to rap and at times breaks into a dance step while<\/p>\n

we travel along. Traffic is not anything that hinders his spontaneous<\/p>\n

mood and frankly, I don\u2019t get embarrassed despite the conservative Amish<\/p>\n

countryside we find ourselves in. At one point, he played from his phone<\/p>\n

James Brown\u2019s \u2018I Feel Good\u2019 which ended up being an ideal pacey piece of<\/p>\n

music for walking.<\/p>\n

May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

22 miles \/ 35 km<\/p>\n

Wednesday, October 14th, 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

State College, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

Day Is Dung<\/strong><\/p>\n

I was raised on a farm, have visited India in her rural parts multiple<\/p>\n

times, and so I\u2019m used to dung. My morning walking partner, Tre\u2019von, is a<\/p>\n

city boy and is not used to the horse caca on the road\u2019s shoulder. I told<\/p>\n

him, \u201cJust get used to it. Some of the stuff will get trapped in between<\/p>\n

the treads under your shoes. You have to live with it so you might as well<\/p>\n

love it.\u201d<\/p>\n

We started our trek at 5:45 AM, an hour when the sun has not yet woken.<\/p>\n

We are somewhat moving through heaps of the stuff due to the Amish<\/p>\n

horse-driven carts coming through on the sides of the road.\u00a0\u00a0 Because it\u2019s<\/p>\n

dark, it\u2019s hard to see when the heaps are coming forward. We just have to<\/p>\n

accept it.<\/p>\n

The area is all about land and animals. A team of mules was pulling a<\/p>\n

machine for corn harvest. They are natural work animals. Some Holsteins<\/p>\n

came to greet us until the electric fence opposed further forwardness from<\/p>\n

both sides. White horses and beef cattle were also curious about us.<\/p>\n

But the creatures of the wild, the undomesticated ones, had a hard time<\/p>\n

with the road. We\u2019re talking about raccoons, possums, deer, skunks, and<\/p>\n

porcupines. Even the fast fox has no chance against the more rapid<\/p>\n

formidable machines which we call trucks and cars.<\/p>\n

At one person\u2019s driveway, two huge black pigs were milling around. They<\/p>\n

were held in check by three Doberman pinchers. The dogs appear to be the<\/p>\n

fence for the pigs, otherwise, those oinky creatures would be venturing<\/p>\n

into the traffic. The dogs became a bit distracted from their work when I<\/p>\n

was walking by their property but then a stocky woman, I assume the owner,<\/p>\n

called the dogs off from going after me. I guess she was their fence,<\/p>\n

thank God. Cyclists drove by and there were also two motorists who stopped<\/p>\n

to offer a ride on different occasions. In most cases, such persons are<\/p>\n

more curious than anything because most people have this notion that<\/p>\n

someone in robes is most likely on a mission, a walking mission, a<\/p>\n

pilgrimage of sorts.<\/p>\n

May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

20 miles \/ 32 km<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thursday, October 15th, 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Pennsylvania Furnace, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

On Top of the Hill<\/strong><\/p>\n

While walking down cool downtown State College, one caf\u00e9 was playing the<\/p>\n

local radio station broadcasting through the speakers. It just so happened<\/p>\n

that the chorus of My Sweet Lord was playing as I passed the caf\u00e9. Yes<\/p>\n

indeed, the sound of George Harrison\u2019s voice came through on the chorus of<\/p>\n

that beautiful musical piece at that moment. What are the chances of that<\/p>\n

happening? I took it as a good omen. What else about State College?<\/p>\n

It’s where you find Pennsylvania\u2019s largest university. Two young female<\/p>\n

students working on a film project spontaneously had me in a queue for<\/p>\n

questions about pumpkin picking. The camera started rolling:<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you ever picked pumpkins?\u201d was the first question.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs someone who grew up on a farm, I\u2019ve harvested about everything, except<\/p>\n

for pumpkins.\u201d<\/p>\n

The interview started off light but it became more grave as we moved along<\/p>\n

and started to discuss about my purpose for walking. The notion of<\/p>\n

pilgrimage was discussed. The interview was done and personally I believe<\/p>\n

that the girls were charmed by having a guy answering questions in<\/p>\n

pumpkin-coloured attire.<\/p>\n

Our evening in Tyrone, a town of 5,000 plus, was something to remember. We<\/p>\n

took a chance to stay at a bed and breakfast called \u2018Stoney Point\u2019, a sort<\/p>\n

of old mansion on top of a hill. We found out later on that this place was<\/p>\n

rated as the number one B&B in the state, number 3 in America, and number<\/p>\n

14 in the world. It\u2019s no wonder because Paul, the host, is a real human<\/p>\n

with a big heart. This place had charm. The ambiance was great and it\u2019s<\/p>\n

not what the three of us in our team are usually used to although we\u2019ve<\/p>\n

been very lucky to stay at temples and people\u2019s homes and on occasion, a<\/p>\n

motel.<\/p>\n

It was great to pull out our dolak drum and to chant in the living room<\/p>\n

with Paul and other tenants in the house. It was as if the wood of the<\/p>\n

fireplace got lit up by the stroke of a chant. The place became so cozy<\/p>\n

and warm.<\/p>\n

May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

20 miles \/ 32 km<\/p>\n

Friday, October 16th, 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Tyrone, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

Shooting Stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shooting stars we saw.\u00a0\u00a0 We viewed with awe. Our walking route also called<\/p>\n

for a section through the forest. The kicking of leaves, which created a<\/p>\n

hissing sound, and moving shadows conjured up from our flashlights spooked<\/p>\n

Tre\u2019von in the darkness of the early morning. We could still see the stars<\/p>\n

above but they were blinking because of the effect of passing through the<\/p>\n

trees. Owls were making their sound. These were great sensations.<\/p>\n

Paul had made a jovial deal with us the night before, \u201cCome to Mass with me<\/p>\n

in the morning and I\u2019ll take you to the newspaper place for a story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul, our B&B host, placed this loving condition on us which, to us, was<\/p>\n

irresistible. We sealed the deal. We like both of the venues and their<\/p>\n

people. We sat in at the Christian service and then ventured off to the<\/p>\n

Herald, the local paper, for an interview. This was followed by visiting a<\/p>\n

new-age shop which was newly opened. We happened to be there just before<\/p>\n

the ribbon cutting ceremony. There I met briefly with the local senator.<\/p>\n

I told him of our guru\u2019s benevolent work and how he came to the US fifty<\/p>\n

years ago from India and launched the Hare Krishna Movement.<\/p>\n

I asked him, \u201cHow are things?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLots of problems,\u201d he said with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can imagine,\u201d was my response.<\/p>\n

From that downtime in Tyrone\u2019s downtown, I proceeded onto the highway going<\/p>\n

up the mountain and entered into deer hunting country. 1600 acres are<\/p>\n

allotted for the hunt in this area. At one point, a young fellow, plumber<\/p>\n

by profession, pulled over and graced us with a donation. He liked what we<\/p>\n

were doing and then happily received from us our favourite mantra, the Hare<\/p>\n

Krishna mantra. He wanted to invite us to his home but he remarked, \u201cMy<\/p>\n

wife would think I was crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

21 miles \/ 33 km<\/p>\n

Saturday, October 17th, 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Westover, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

A Pull<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cMaya, get back here!\u201d shouted the owner of the pitbull.\u00a0\u00a0 This young<\/p>\n

female dog named Maya was definitely after me and her master was calling<\/p>\n

her back. It was necessary for him to come right up to me in order to<\/p>\n

stave off Maya. She was not listening too well to orders even when the<\/p>\n

lady of the house yelled “Get over here!” with her raspy voice. I asked<\/p>\n

the owner if he knew what Maya meant.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo I don\u2019t,\u201d he said in a confession-like tone.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a Sanskrit word meaning \u2018illusion\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

“Well, she\u2019s illusion alright,\u201d he retorted, now gaining some control over<\/p>\n

her barking and threatening.<\/p>\n

It was a crazy road to be on. Vivasvan and I were scolded for being on<\/p>\n

what GPS identified as a walking trail by a teenage boy in fatigues and<\/p>\n

crossbow in hand who told us it was not. The boy I managed to shake hands<\/p>\n

with and talk with but the oncoming overbearing dad was different. The<\/p>\n

stern message was clear, that we were to turn around and get out of there<\/p>\n

NOW!!!<\/p>\n

It was so evident that deer are the actual target these days during<\/p>\n

hunting season. At the front of one household, a deer\u2019s carcass was hung<\/p>\n

from a pole and an open bucket was set underneath. In the early hour of<\/p>\n

the day, the first hour, as I was walking with my safety vest on, a vehicle<\/p>\n

swerved away from me and wheeled over onto deer road kill. This sent the<\/p>\n

contents in the air. An explosion of guts, you might say.<\/p>\n

I trekked through trails and roads today that were clearly in State Game<\/p>\n

Lands but like all the other hunters in the vicinity who wear luminescent<\/p>\n

orange, I\u2019ve got myself fully covered with the colour.<\/p>\n

Even though a vegetarian pacifistic monk may feel some discomfort in all<\/p>\n

of this, I will refrain from judging. I feel the power of the mantra that<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been singing, the prana from the clean air, the prana from the crisp<\/p>\n

organic apples I would chance upon, and just the anticipation that I\u2019m<\/p>\n

getting closer and closer to the city of Butler where our guru, Srila<\/p>\n

Prabhupada, first launched the bhakti movement in the west, I feel choked<\/p>\n

up at times and with tears in the eyes, a pull comes to the heart.<\/p>\n

May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

22 miles \/ 35 km<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sunday, October 18th, 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Earnest, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

Kirtan Inside Outside<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bandhur atmatmanas tasya.<\/p>\n

I referenced this quote from Chapter 6 of the Bhagavad-Gita for a group of<\/p>\n

soon to be yoga teachers at Penn State College. We are talking here about<\/p>\n

the mind and how it can be your best friend or worst enemy. Another verse<\/p>\n

describes how the mind can either degrade or elevate the consciousness.<\/p>\n

Therefore, the message is to harness the wild mind and to direct it to a<\/p>\n

progressive higher consciousness. This chapter has all to do with<\/p>\n

meditational yoga. I explained \u201cIn order to benefit from yoga in full, the<\/p>\n

Gita recommends an insertion of bhakti, devotion, into the practices.\u201d<\/p>\n

I was happy to see and hear everyone take to the process of kirtan,<\/p>\n

chanting, and lest we forget \u2013 dancing.<\/p>\n

Vivasvan, Tre\u2019von, and I then rushed to the farm community of Gita Nagari<\/p>\n

near Port Royal. Arriving in the nick of time, 4 PM, for the Sunday Open<\/p>\n

House. We were warmly greeted and taken to the temple building where the<\/p>\n

microphone was placed before me for leading another kirtan and then class.<\/p>\n

I was keen to keep some continuity in my message. I spoke on Chapter 6,<\/p>\n

again, entitled \u2018Jnana Yoga\u2019, wherein determination, patience, and<\/p>\n

disregard for mundane things which arise from mental speculation, were<\/p>\n

topics for discussion.<\/p>\n

People at Gita Nagari are more familiar with kirtan than the first group.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, it was enjoyed at both sessions all the same.<\/p>\n

Whether indoor or outdoor, kirtan, chanting, has its natural attraction.<\/p>\n

When Tre\u2019von and I took to trekking earlier on in the morning, we came near<\/p>\n

a barn with a cow sticking her head out curiously to see us. We both broke<\/p>\n

into another song beginning with the name Govinda, a name for Krishna<\/p>\n

referring to Him as the tender of the cows. The cow came out of the barn<\/p>\n

to listen and then a herd followed and remained still as if they were yogis<\/p>\n

themselves, motionless and serene.<\/p>\n

May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

12 miles \/ 19 km<\/p>\n

Monday, October 19th, 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Rural Valley, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

Pennsylvania People<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bill was right on the road to greet me. He shook my hand and I remarked<\/p>\n

that he\u2019s got farmer\u2019s hands, big and callous-like. It was a compliment of<\/p>\n

course and he took it that way. \u201cWell, more like coal miners\u2019 hands,\u201d he<\/p>\n

said in good fun. We talked and I could see he was a very God conscious<\/p>\n

man. In fact, he asked for a blessing since he\u2019s having kidney issues. He<\/p>\n

removed his hat, I placed my right palm on his forehead and recited a<\/p>\n

Sanskrit mantra for protection. He was grateful.<\/p>\n

I also came upon two country folks at the side of their yard. Two<\/p>\n

gentlemen. They had been looking with an eager eye as to what I was all<\/p>\n

about. Handshakes again. \u201cI\u2019m Bhaktimarga Swami, Swami for short. I\u2019m a<\/p>\n

monk and I\u2019m walking. I started from Boston.\u201d Surprised, they were. They<\/p>\n

offered iced tea. We chatted. One of the fellows said, \u201cOnly Catholics<\/p>\n

have monks, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cActually, there\u2019s a whole history of monastic life within Hinduism and<\/p>\n

Buddhism, big time.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I asked them if they were familiar with Hare Krishna and the response was<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. I asked if they had heard of Broadway\u2019s production, \u2018Hair\u2019.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u201cYes!\u201d<\/p>\n

    And so that was their reference point.<\/p>\n

    Further down the road I met some teenage Amish girls with dresses and<\/p>\n

    bonnets. They were gathering walnuts on the side of the road. I could see<\/p>\n

    they were shy.<\/p>\n

    \u201cHello, how are you? What do you do with them?\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe make pies with the walnuts and cakes.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cGod bless,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n

    Not but ten minutes later on in my walk, there was a team of horses, two in<\/p>\n

    number, that were yoked to a wagon standing stationary at the side of the<\/p>\n

    road. Right next to them, in a corn field, was an Amish farmer along with<\/p>\n

    two women who were manually breaking off corn and tossing it into the<\/p>\n

    wagon. I asked if he could toss me one for a souvenir, so he did and<\/p>\n

    suggested that they are good for corn bread.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThanks, God bless.\u201d<\/p>\n

    In Pennsylvania country I see it\u2019s much to do about family, food, work, and<\/p>\n

    God.\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s good.<\/p>\n

    May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    21 miles \/ 33 km<\/p>\n

    Wednesday, October 21st, 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Butler, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s so Special About Butler<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

    My very competent support person, Vivasvan, navigated a route that<\/p>\n

    would avoid busy traffic. A connected series of quiet gravel and<\/p>\n

    paved roads was the perfect lead into Butler, Pennsylvania \u2013 a true<\/p>\n

    milestone for this pilgrimage.<\/p>\n

    Karuna Sindhu joined Tre\u2019von and I for a stretch. Yes, our party is<\/p>\n

    growing happily. It seems that some young men are attracted to the<\/p>\n

    program. Another one joins us on Saturday.<\/p>\n

    Now, back to Butler and the significance this tiny city has for our<\/p>\n

    spiritual order (known in theological terms as the Gaudiya Vaishnava<\/p>\n

    tradition) which has roots in India. The Vaishnava culture dates back<\/p>\n

    thousands of years. One of the major teachers in this lineage from<\/p>\n

    the medieval period in India is Sri Chaitanya, himself, a well-known<\/p>\n

    walker, who promoted adoration for the Divine in the form of Krishna.<\/p>\n

    The most recent exponent of this form of spiritualism is, in lengthy<\/p>\n

    honorific terms, known as Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada \u2013 or<\/p>\n

    Prabhupada for short.<\/p>\n

    It was he, Prabhupada, who came to Butler in 1965 \u2013 50 years ago. He<\/p>\n

    took accommodation at the then YMCA, now the Boys\u2019 Cubs Hall on McKean<\/p>\n

    St. Prabhupada spoke at the Y as well as the Lions Club and St.<\/p>\n

    Fidelis Monastery in nearby Herman. It was here in Butler, at the<\/p>\n

    mature age of 70, that he planted seeds of bhakti (a form of<\/p>\n

    devotional yoga) before he moved on to New York City where a following<\/p>\n

    finally took hold.<\/p>\n

    When I entered Butler today and made my way to the old YMCA, I met a<\/p>\n

    rep from the Butler County Eagle Paper and a local radio rep. The<\/p>\n

    news was later announced that the Walking Monk had come to honour his<\/p>\n

    teacher, Prabhupada. My emotions did arise.<\/p>\n

    I shall attempt to make a list of Prabhupada\u2019s accomplishments after<\/p>\n

    my own humble deliberation:<\/p>\n

    1) Forerunner of kirtan culture, or introducing chanting to the West.<\/p>\n

    2) Introduced bhakti-yoga, an ancient devotional lifestyle to the West.<\/p>\n

    3) Wrote, presented, and published a scholarly line of Vedic<\/p>\n

    philosophical texts (including a translation of the Bhagavad-gita)<\/p>\n

    forming a veritable library on Eastern thought. Established the<\/p>\n

    Bhaktivedanta Book Trust to print these books.<\/p>\n

    4) Introduced a new line of vegetarian cooking. Perhaps the first<\/p>\n

    teacher of Vedic cooking in the West. Taught how to consecrate that<\/p>\n

    food as prasadam (where, in Judaism, such food is known as Kosher and<\/p>\n

    in Islam as Halal).<\/p>\n

    5) Forerunner of animal rights, ie. Cow and bull protection<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    6) Introduced to the West the ancient technique of seva puja,<\/p>\n

    honouring the Divine as a sacred image.<\/p>\n

    7) Forerunner of the science of reincarnation. Spoke boldly of the<\/p>\n

    soul\u2019s transmigration (sourced through his books).<\/p>\n

    8) Reinforced agrarian life, \u2018Back-to-the-land\u2019 living as an<\/p>\n

    ecologically-friendly alternative, ie. \u2018Gita Nagari\u2019 in Port Royal, PA<\/p>\n

    & \u2018New Vrindavan\u2019 in Wheeling, West Virginia.<\/p>\n

    9) Reinforced that God is a person, hence, he challenged atheism and<\/p>\n

    Darwinism.<\/p>\n

    10) Promoted anti-racism through provocative, profound statements like<\/p>\n

    \u2018We are not these bodies, we are spirits.\u2019 All-inclusive policies<\/p>\n

    towards men, women, and people of all races.<\/p>\n

    11) Spoke strongly against drug intake, alcohol intake, and gambling \u2013<\/p>\n

    hence saving lives.<\/p>\n

    12) Established a world-wide mission called ISKCON, commonly known as<\/p>\n

    \u2018Hare Krishna.\u2019<\/p>\n

    These and other contributions can be considered as benevolent for<\/p>\n

    improving and adjusting life-styles in the West. We are grateful to<\/p>\n

    the founder of Iskcon, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.<\/p>\n

    May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    20 miles \/ 32 km<\/p>\n

    Thursday, October 22nd, 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Ford City, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

    Credit Goes to the Media<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The Leader Times and the Butler Eagle came through with good articles<\/p>\n

    about the walk celebrating and honouring 50 years since our guru,<\/p>\n

    Srila Prabhupada, came to the area. During that time, he spoke at St.<\/p>\n

    Fidelis Monastery in nearby Herman. Now it is a school for boys. The<\/p>\n

    three of us walked by it before the sun peaked over the horizon. Once<\/p>\n

    the sun revealed who the three people were, especially the<\/p>\n

    saffron-robed one, the honking and stopping of motorists began.<\/p>\n

    Home-owners and restauranteers came out to greet us because of the<\/p>\n

    attention brought on by the media. A staff of a dozen or so people<\/p>\n

    from a popular Italian eating villa stood in line to offer<\/p>\n

    congratulations. I was touched. And of course, everyone wants to get<\/p>\n

    in on a photograph with a monk – that\u2019s a rarity.<\/p>\n

    A family from Florida drove all the way up to join us for a three-day<\/p>\n

    experience on an American pilgrimage. The only thing was that our one<\/p>\n

    mile venture at the end of my day\u2019s trek turned out to be a happy but<\/p>\n

    dragged-out stretch due to the minute or two of \u2018connecting\u2019 that<\/p>\n

    people wanted.<\/p>\n

    Off the feet and into the vehicle, we zipped for an evening happening<\/p>\n

    at an art gallery in Pittsburgh. In this former<\/p>\n

    steeltown-now-gone-soft-hardware-city, we participated in a lively<\/p>\n

    kirtan and I talked from 5.18 of the Gita. It was day number 2 for<\/p>\n

    evening chanting in Pittsburgh. These were perfect endings to perfect<\/p>\n

    days.<\/p>\n

    I recall one gentleman who, during the day, had taken his Great Dane<\/p>\n

    Rotweiller for a walk down a quiet trail, saw me, and stopped to talk.<\/p>\n

    Later, he was well-informed on what I was doing through the media. He<\/p>\n

    mentioned that next to his home there once was a monastery. It<\/p>\n

    appears the monastic order may be on the decline in America, being<\/p>\n

    that it was the second time for this kind of story in one day.<\/p>\n

    The man\u2019s dog demanded attention so he received my petting under the<\/p>\n

    snout. After the chat, the man admitted that we both had to part from<\/p>\n

    each other, so he turned to his dog and said, \u201cOkay, the man has to go<\/p>\n

    to work now.\u201d When I heard that, it struck me that this is my job.<\/p>\n

    At the same time I realized I enjoy very much my work (pilgrimage). I<\/p>\n

    would rather consider it play.<\/p>\n

    May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    21 miles \/ 33 km<\/p>\n

    Friday, October 23rd, 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Elderton, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

    The Sun Drew Mist<\/strong><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    As the sun drew mist into the air, Karuna, Tre\u2019von, and I could hear<\/p>\n

    regular gun shots in the not-so-far distance. It\u2019s deer-hunting season<\/p>\n

    and one couple, while driving down en route to their hunting destination,<\/p>\n

    came upon us. The woman pulled out of the van requesting a photo. I<\/p>\n

    guess you could say, \u201cA funny thing happened to me in the forest. I met a<\/p>\n

    monk.\u201d<\/p>\n

    En route towards the college town of Indiana, Tre\u2019von and I met a biker<\/p>\n

    who deliberately went to the store after seeing us. With a big heart, he<\/p>\n

    picked up two well-intended sandwiches \u2013 cheese and ham \u2013 along with lemon<\/p>\n

    water. As vegetarians, we just couldn\u2019t surrender to the meat but I<\/p>\n

    believe in my heart and soul that the man gave with all his heart. We<\/p>\n

    accepted his package with its contents and carried them for some good<\/p>\n

    distance before we had to renounce. I will not forget the joy of the<\/p>\n

    donor\u2019s face when he offered his gift. Will he be blessed? God will see<\/p>\n

    to it.<\/p>\n

    At a crossroads in the town of Elderton, I was moving on the green light<\/p>\n

    when a stopped motorist yelled for attention. I looked and he asked, \u201cDo<\/p>\n

    yah take donations? I read the article about you.\u201d I went up to the<\/p>\n

    driver. He gave a bill and asked, \u201cThis will help you with your travels?\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cWhy, thank you! Thank you, so much!\u201d<\/p>\n

    The response from the public has been phenomenal.<\/p>\n

    Our evening was spent at the West Virginia farm community, New Vrindavan,<\/p>\n

    where I spoke about \u2018Tales from Trails\u2019 and how I hold my guru, Srila<\/p>\n

    Prabhupada, totally responsible for the mercy that comes our way.<\/p>\n

    May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

    21 miles \/ 33 km<\/p>\n

    Saturday, October 24th, 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Butler, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

    One Mile<\/strong><\/p>\n

    I always consider it a sign of good fortune to see a creature of unique<\/p>\n

    features. As our crew left on Limestone Rd. for Butler, 3 deer crossed<\/p>\n

    the road. But that is not unusual to have happen in this part of the<\/p>\n

    world. What was astonishing was, the one to lead the others was a total<\/p>\n

    albino, meaning no pigment, a rather gorgeous white-furred beauty.\u00a0\u00a0 Wow!<\/p>\n

    More fortunate for today was, while in Butler, Don & Tony (2 current<\/p>\n

    managers of the Cubs Hall, the former YMCA where our guru was staying in<\/p>\n

    1965) gave a group of close to 200 attendees for today\u2019s event a guided<\/p>\n

    tour of the place. To show their generosity, Don and Tony donated the<\/p>\n

    metal desk they figured our guru used in his room when he stayed at the Y.<\/p>\n

    The attendees came from Philly, Pittsburgh, Wheeling, Cleveland, Florida,<\/p>\n

    Toronto, and of course Butler. A queue of speakers briefly shared<\/p>\n

    reflections after a chanting procession down Main St. in the rain. The<\/p>\n

    procession took us on foot to the former Agarwal residence (the Agarwal’s<\/p>\n

    sponsored our guru, Prabhupada, when he came to America) and then to Grand<\/p>\n

    Hall for the speeches, more kirtan, and the food we call prasadam (blessed<\/p>\n

    food). Prabhupada used to walk almost a mile twice a day from his room at<\/p>\n

    the Y to the Agarwal residence to cook for them, do his laundry, and meet<\/p>\n

    people. When he would do his laundry, he would use their sink or bath tub<\/p>\n

    and spread the cloth outside on the grass to dry.<\/p>\n

    It really was a day to relax, take a break from walking, and meet<\/p>\n

    friends. Oh, and how everyone danced. It was a joy to behold.<\/p>\n

    Our full appreciation goes to Jai Krsna and Vrindavan, two top-notch<\/p>\n

    devotees from the New Vrindavan farm, who organized and financed the<\/p>\n

    magnificent event.<\/p>\n

    May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

    1 mile \/ 1.6 km<\/p>\n

    Sunday, October 25th, 201<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Indiana, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

    James Stewart Showing Us<\/strong><\/p>\n

    There was a pleasantly long interview with Brittany of Renda radio today.<\/p>\n

    In the course of her questions, she came up with a classic one, \u201cOf all<\/p>\n

    your experiences in this walk, what stands out?\u201d And so, I had to think<\/p>\n

    swiftly of what was dominant.\u00a0\u00a0 I thought in terms of today. Since Indiana<\/p>\n

    is the hometown of superstar actor James Stewart, with a sizeable museum<\/p>\n

    dedicated to him and a local airport also in his name, what came to mind<\/p>\n

    was what I read today. Here was a leading man for a number of decades, and<\/p>\n

    yet, as a silver screen hero, he was also a hero off-screen. He was<\/p>\n

    married to one woman for his entire life-time and didn\u2019t flirt with other<\/p>\n

    glamour queens. In other words he held a high calibre of morals and so I<\/p>\n

    thought that that would be inspirational for people.<\/p>\n

    I went on to explain to Brittany that my walk is to promote a higher<\/p>\n

    state of consciousness and if such moral values can be achieved by our<\/p>\n

    deeds, whether past or present, then as a human race we can boast that<\/p>\n

    perhaps we are advancing on some level.<\/p>\n

    The interview flowed smoothly. So did today\u2019s walk. The moderate<\/p>\n

    temperature in the upper 40\u2019s and lower 50\u2019s as well as greetings from<\/p>\n

    motorists and home-owners who happened to see me and Tre\u2019von ambling along<\/p>\n

    made it so. At one point a couple of women pulled over and mistook me for<\/p>\n

    being one of the Tibetan monks who are visiting town to demonstrate a<\/p>\n

    mandala.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWhat\u2019s that? Other monks are in town? Oh well, the more the merrier!\u201d<\/p>\n

    In the evening, our crew drove to a group meeting in Pittsburgh for a<\/p>\n

    summary presentation of the Bhagavad-gita. The simple and brief<\/p>\n

    explanation behind the wisdom of the Gita is to know the Divine and hence<\/p>\n

    find out more about yourself.<\/p>\n

    May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

    20 miles \/ 32 km<\/p>\n

    Monday, October 26th, 201<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Carrolltown, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

    Nice Officer<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Officer Smith ended up walking with Vivasvan and I for a few yards. At<\/p>\n

    that time, I mentioned to him how team work is required. \u201cIn our<\/p>\n

    tradition, with roots from India, people like me try to give guidance and<\/p>\n

    direction. We are pro-active. In your role as a ksatriya, a member of the<\/p>\n

    warrior class, you are re-active, assisting those who can’t follow the<\/p>\n

    directives.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The officer, who was really nice, remarked, \u201cA warrior \u2013 I\u2019ve never heard<\/p>\n

    it put that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

    There was more response from the public, a residual effect of the<\/p>\n

    pilgrimage story being covered in the \u2018Indiana Gazette.\u2019 One woman we met<\/p>\n

    told us she was on her way to pick up her sons, 17 & 4, to go out<\/p>\n

    harvesting hickory nuts. Another woman stopped her car right on the road<\/p>\n

    while the traffic was lulled. With tears in her eyes she asked if I was<\/p>\n

    the one walking. I said, \u201cYes!\u201d In the passenger\u2019s seat was her son who<\/p>\n

    was suffering from an anxiety attack and so she was bringing him to a<\/p>\n

    gospel place of prayer. I shook hands with him and encouraged him towards<\/p>\n

    upbeatness.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe sun is shining. Just look up. There\u2019s God.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Naturally I prayed for him.<\/p>\n

    Our gracious host for the evening was a family from Gujarat who manage a<\/p>\n

    \u2018Quality Inn.\u2019 For the evening stay, there was no problem. For an<\/p>\n

    evening meal, no problem. Then I proceeded to say something from Chapter<\/p>\n

    Nine of the Bhagavad-gita.<\/p>\n

    \u201cCurrently we are all duratma which means we are a bit crooked. We must<\/p>\n

    strive towards greatness \u2013 mahatma.\u201d<\/p>\n

    May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

    23 miles \/ 37 km<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Tuesday, October 27th, 2015<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Altoona, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

    Exit & Entrance<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Today, Karuna left for his trip back to India. We will miss him. He\u2019s a<\/p>\n

    great man for any travelling expedition. Last year he also accompanied me<\/p>\n

    as we trekked on highways and trails through the Rockies in Canada. Until<\/p>\n

    next year.<\/p>\n

    A new recruit is joining us. Mandala, a young chap, also from Canada,<\/p>\n

    will be joining us, giving some assistance and going for an experience of<\/p>\n

    a life-time. As mentioned before, \u201cWalking is like breathing. It is<\/p>\n

    super and natural. It conjures up simplicity, helps to clear the cob-webs<\/p>\n

    in the mind, and brings you closer to the Divine.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Now, with frost hitting us for a few consecutive mornings, our cherished<\/p>\n

    organic and neglected apple trees we come across along the way are<\/p>\n

    challenged. The fruit has turned slightly mushed in some cases, closer to<\/p>\n

    an apple-sauce texture.\u00a0\u00a0 Also, there is less craving for juices until the<\/p>\n

    sun becomes present and there\u2019s more of an interest for warming-type<\/p>\n

    food. I prefer sandwiches with fresh veggies and vegenaise over smoothies.<\/p>\n

    As it is for all days on the road, there is a need to push yourself. As<\/p>\n

    much as you love it, it requires endeavour. The legs feel some strain.<\/p>\n

    Regardless, you have to \u2018put pep in your step\u2019 as Tre\u2019von put it. I don\u2019t<\/p>\n

    know if I can go so far as to say that this daily project is a labour of<\/p>\n

    love for guru. At the same time, I\u2019m basically \u2018lovin\u2019 it\u2019 despite the<\/p>\n

    occasional impulse at the knee or stiffness in the thigh.\u00a0\u00a0 And I would<\/p>\n

    also not go so far as to say that a yogic stretch can cure all. The body<\/p>\n

    slowly gives way and the soul persists.<\/p>\n

    May the Source be with you!<\/p>\n

    20 miles \/ 32 km<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    source:\u00a0http:\/\/thewalkingmonk.blogspot.ca\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Monday, October 12th, 2015 Mississauga, Ontario Sorting Out The Trails \u201cSince the Supreme is the origin of all facets of life, including ourselves, where does hate come into the picture?\u201d asked Raj as we stepped through the trees on a trail near his home. Raj had been questioning this for years, wondering how hate or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.padayatra.com\/padayatra-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2229"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.padayatra.com\/padayatra-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.padayatra.com\/padayatra-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.padayatra.com\/padayatra-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.padayatra.com\/padayatra-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2229"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.padayatra.com\/padayatra-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2229\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.padayatra.com\/padayatra-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2229"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.padayatra.com\/padayatra-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2229"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.padayatra.com\/padayatra-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2229"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}