Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 13, No. 20
By Krishna-kripa das
(October 2017, part two)
New York City
(Sent from New York City on December 1, 2017)
By Krishna-kripa das
(October 2017, part two)
New York City
(Sent from New York City on December 1, 2017)
Where
I Went and What I Did
I
continued staying in New York City for the last half of October,
chanting Hare Krishna with the Yuga Dharma New York City harinama
party
for
several hours every day, except the day of my hernia operation and
the day after. I attended three special events: Govardhana Puja at
Radha Govinda Mandir, Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day at 26 Second Avenue (where
several Srila Prabhupada disciples made wonderful offerings which I tell
highlights of in
a separate section below),
and a walking harinama
on
Halloween.
I
share insights from Srila Prabhupada’s books and classes. I share
notes on lectures by Candrasekhara Swami, Badarayana Prabhu, Bhakti
Vasudeva Swami, Bhakti Ananda Svarupa Caitanya Swami and Rama Raya
Prabhu, as well lectures
by younger devotees speaking at The Bhakti Center, Pavana Nitai
Chandra Prabhu, Prana Gauranga Prabhu (a
brahmacari
from Montreal), Paramananda Gopala Prabhu, Jai Giridhari Prabhu, and
Mahotsaha
Prabhu. I also share a Facebook post I made on a current ISKCON issue
and a nice comment by Bhakta Eduard from a conversation.
Thanks
to Atmanivedanta Prabhu, who maintains the Saturday evening
Bhagavad-gita
at
26 Second Avenue, for his very generous donation. Thanks to Bhaktin
Diana and Dipika Ray
for their photos of me and Kalakantha Prabhu, the GBC Minister for
Agriculture and Cow Protection, on harinama.
Itinerary
November
11, 2017–January 7?, 2018: Yuga Dharma New York City harinama
party
except:
December
2, 2017: Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami Vyasa-puja in Stuyvesant Falls
December
3, 9–10, 2017: visit to Hartford to see Niranjana Swami
December
24, 2017: Christmas Eve with my relatives in Albany
Chanting
Hare Krishna in New York City
I
continued chanting with the Yuga Dharma New York City harinama
party
for several hours a day.
Sometimes
I would lead the chanting.
More
often I would sit at the book table.
At
the book table, I would also chant the response.
First
I tell what was special about this
last half of October:
One
devotee who
visited
our harinama
during
a brief New York visit was
Kalakantha
Prabhu (left), the GBC Minister for Agriculture and Cow Protection (not the
same as the temple president of Krishna House Gainesville).
As
Karttika continued through the second half of October, the Yuga
Dharma New York City harinama
party continued inviting people attracted by our harinama
and our literature to get additional spiritual blessings by offering
lamps to Lord Damodara, Krishna as a child.
The
first man in
this video offered
a
real candle
at Union Square Park, since
we forgot to bring the electric ones, which are more preferred by the
police. The
others offered electric candles in Union Square subway station on
Halloween, one man doing so wearing a costume
(https://youtu.be/3e6lvLDxo3c):
Halloween
is a great opportunity for walking harinama
as all kinds of people are willing to interact with the chanting
party. Six devotees associated with the Yuga Dharma New York City
harinama
party chanted Hare Krishna and danced on Halloween on 14th Street to
the crowds coming to see the Halloween parade on 6th Avenue, and all
kinds of people wearing a variety of costumes had a great time
chanting and dancing with us. Special thanks to Pavana Nitai Chandra
Prabhu, who played the drum, Mahotsaha Prabhu, who led lots of the
chanting, Sasha, who played the karatalas,
Bhaktin Summer, who dressed up as Krishna, and Elaf, who carried our
bags (https://youtu.be/pVm1yjH3lNg):
Bhakta
Josh chants Hare Krishna in Times Square subway station. Mother
Ekadasi Vrata, who was visiting family in New York City, joined us
that day and plays the shakers in back. Her two sons, Ananda Gauranga
and Kishor Gopal Prabhus, have spent many months serving our New York
City harinama
party in the past (https://youtu.be/kwT0N-CjC00):
Jaya
Jagannatha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights attracting
attention from passersby (https://youtu.be/bEBq9ZT14G4):
The
kirtan became so ecstatic that book distributors Eduard and Kate
began to dance (https://youtu.be/rrptl9cMUHE):
Natabara
Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square and kids play
shakers (https://youtu.be/-uapAF12Yms):
Pavana
Nitai Chandra Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Union Square and a man
plays shakers and his wife dances briefly
(https://youtu.be/YkKEy-hWBKY):
We
engaged several ladies attracted by the chanting in playing shakers
during Hare Krishna chant at Union Square, and they had a good time
connecting with Krishna in this way (https://youtu.be/1Chtgu5rmbE):
Pavana
Nitai Chandra Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Union Square subway
station (https://youtu.be/P3u_XZjmedM):
Pavana
Nitai Chandra Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Penn Station and a man
dances (https://youtu.be/1P0LpqBuXtE):
Krishna
Prasad Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Penn Station, and a lady dances
while holding the Bhagavad-gita
she just purchased (https://youtu.be/PfRWfll8lJE):
A
T-Shirt with a Message
On
harinama
in New York for the fourth time since I returned in September I have
seen women wearing “THE FUTURE IS FEMALE” shirts. Originally from
the 1970s, they are enjoying a boost in popularity. It is interesting
that
in
Hare Krishna temples every morning we sing a song by a Gaudiya
Vaishnava poet, who calls himself Krishna Das, and who aspires for a
female future. He prays to follow in the footsteps of the female
associates of the divine couple Radha and Krishna, and to become the
maidservant of Tulasi Devi, who makes amazing arrangements for the
perfection of Their pastimes. Thus he aspires for a very bright
female future.
Brooklyn
Govardhan Puja
Went
to the Brooklyn Govardhan Puja festival. After all, despite recent
controversies, Radha Govinda are Radha Govinda, donated by the Queen
of Jaipur and installed by Srila Prabhupada, the first Radha Krishna
deities in my life who I met 38 years ago and who are looking even
more gorgeous every year. And Govardhan Puja is Govardhan Puja, the
most accessible of all our festivals, and New York City is New York
City, where everything is done big time. Thanks to Nruhari and
Nandanandana Prabhus for the wonderful kirtans, and the Yuga Dharma
New York City regulars for their ecstatic dancing. A young man came
from harinama
came to the temple for the first time and loved the kirtan, the
prasadam,
and the whole experience. Seeing so many devotees I knew of all ages,
races, genders, nationalities, levels of spiritual practice, and
philosophical and political positions all
together
there,
chanting and dancing and honoring prasadam,
as
one big family, was very powerful, and reminded me how by putting
Krishna in the center, we rise up to the spiritual platform and we
are at our best. Thanks, Satya, for a great festival.
Srila
Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day at 26 Second Avenue
[Moderator: Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu is an amazing asset to ISKCON for revamping corrupted systems, and we all owe him a great debt.]
Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu:
In
those days, airports were not fortresses. We brought vyasasanas
in
there, and there were press conferences.
At
one press conference, the reporter asked Srila Prabhupada, “Why
have you come to the West?”
Srila
Prabhupada replied, “To give you a brain.”
[All
the reporters pencils stopped.]
Then
he explained the varnasrama
system,
how the brahmanas
were
the head, and how
that
lacking
brahmanas,
our
society was therefore headless. There were all sudras
and
a few vaisyas.
It
reminded me of how President Coolidge said, “The business of
America is business.”
Another
time a reporter asked, “How does your group differ from the other
Buddhists?”
Srila
Prabhupada replied, “We have nothing to do with this Hinduism and
Buddhism. We are presenting the truth, and if you are truthful, you
will accept it.” In this way, Srila Prabhupada destroyed the whole
mental platform on which the question was asked.
Srila
Prabhupada once explained that matter is another form of spirit.
When
I got a chance, I asked Srila Prabhupada, “I am trying to
understand how I am spirit and that spirit and matter different, but
you are saying matter is another form of spirit.”
Srila
Prabhupada replied, “We are not Mayavadis. There are many kinds of
spirit.”
Srila
Prabhupada explained that Krishna consciousness is the
respiritualization of matter.
Srila
Prabhupada explained that simply by chanting sixteen rounds a day and
following the four regulative principles that we would not fall down
and become demoniac.
My
mother, who was a nurse, thought in the 1970s that I would die when I
became vegetarian. Later she commended me on the health of my diet.
The
devotees were crowding up the boarding area at the airport to send
off Srila Prabhupada, and I could see the boarding agents were
becoming flustered. I tried to tell the devotees to make room for the
other passengers, but they ignored me. I explained the situation to
Rupanuga, the GBC. The devotees ignored him too. Finally he stood on
a table and requested that all the devotees leave the boarding area.
Srila Prabhupada immediately stood up to leave, and Rupanuga said,
“No, not you, Srila Prabhupada.” Srila Prabhupada was so humble!
Saudamani
Devi
Dasi:
As
I am the only female disciple of Srila Prabhupada present here, I
will say something about Srila Prabhupada’s dealings with women.
I
never saw such dedicated people as my godsisters in the beginning of
this movement, who would do whatever Srila Prabhupada wanted.
Once
in the presence of Srila Prabhupada’s godbrothers and my
godbrothers, Srila Prabhupada asked Malati to give class. This was
not done to placate her, as she did not require placating, but to
teach by his example. Without much preparation, Malati gave a very
nice class.
Once
Srila Prabhupada said he wanted all his disciples to become gurus.
Rukmini, who was only sixteen, said, “Even the girls?”
Srila
Prabhupada replied, “Yes.”
Look
at Srila Prabhupada’s books, and see how he behaved. Then you can
understand how to act.
The
essential instruction is to chant Hare Krishna and help Lord Caitanya
spread Krishna consciousness.
Srila
Prabhupada wrote to me, “You are an intelligent girl, and your
husband is a good soul, so if you preach Krishna consciousness
together you will be successful.”
Mahavira
Prabhu:
I
was in Los Angeles.
There Srila Prabhupada stopped the gopi bhava club.
There Srila Prabhupada also stopped the devotees from executing a plan to move the deities to another room in the temple building, saying that once the deities were installed they should not be moved around like baggage.
There Srila Prabhupada stopped the gopi bhava club.
There Srila Prabhupada also stopped the devotees from executing a plan to move the deities to another room in the temple building, saying that once the deities were installed they should not be moved around like baggage.
One
man stripped naked in the temple while Srila Prabhupada was giving a
lecture. Danavira Prabhu and I put his clothes back on him, and threw
him out. Srila Prabhupada was not disturbed and kept preaching
throughout the entire incident.
Once
I touched Srila Prabhupada’s feet to touch the dust of his lotus feet,
and Srila Prabhupada was pleased and said everyone should do that.
By
the mercy of the devotees, we have entrance to the spiritual world.
Srila
Prabhupada radiated such a golden aura of peace and happiness that it
overwhelmed me.
The
great devotees have the power to overwhelm you, but you have to let
them. You can block them if you desire.
By
being here and by putting Srila Prabhupada in the center, you are
becoming fortunate.
By
nature you are eternal, blissful, and full of knowledge. Having to
come to Krishna consciousness, you have nothing to lament. You are on
the path to immortality.
Yogesvara
Prabhu:
Srila
Prabhupada’s mission was to change our vision.
In
explaining why realized souls say this world is unreal, Srila
Prabhupada said, “The only reason you think your waking life is
more real than your dreams is that you spend more hours a day awake.”
Seeing
a plant that was not watered, Srila Prabhupada pointed it out to all
the devotees, and said, “You must take care.”
At
Hyde Park Srila Prabhupada asked his servant to get a twig from a
willow tree to use as a toothbrush. Nanda Kumar Prabhu took one twig,
and then another, and he was going to take a third when Srila
Prabhupada told him, “Do not disturb more than necessary.”
Srila
Prabhupada noticed that in their haste to get Radha-Parisvara ready
for Their installation, the devotees had neglected to put on
Krishna’s ankle bells. The devotees had not noticed, but Srila
Prabhupada noticed.
I
know God is real because I saw that Srila Prabhupada loved Krishna,
and you cannot love a myth like that.
We
must consider that, as devotees, if we truly suffer when we see the
suffering of others, what is the evidence of that?
In
the United States, one in four women and one in six men are abused in
the course of their lives.
On
an ontological level, we are all family. That is why we can genuinely
care for others.
Deepening
our understanding means to see what Srila Prabhupada did to relieve
the sufferings of others.
Our
responsibility is to apply the teachings of Krishna consciousness in
such a way that people can see their practical value and become
interested to apply them in their own lives.
Adarsi
Prabhu:
In
a very brief period of time, because of his purity and connection to
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada created a worldwide
movement.
When
I joined in 1973, Srila Prabhupada was acting as a general in Lord
Caitanya’s army.
Srila
Prabhupada was always planning to spread Krishna consciousness all
over the world.
At
the temple in Henry Street in Brooklyn in 1973, we had 90 brahmacaris
and
30 grhasthas.
We
had 30 or 40 devotees distributing books on the subways every day. We
would collect money on the plea of distributing food, and we did have
our Sunday feast, and on Mondays we would distribute all the
leftovers in the Bowery, and in Mayapur we distribute so much food.
On Saturdays, 100 devotees would go out and distribute in the
subways. Harikesa Prabhu was the cook all week, but he would go out
on Saturday and always do best of all. He would enter the subway car,
and say, “I am here on behalf of the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, and
if you can give 5 cents, 25 cents, or a dollar, you will begin your
path back to Godhead.”
We
began traveling book distribution to beat Los
Angeles
in the competition. We would go to a toll booth, and give the
attendant a mantra card, and ask him to
chant
the mantra and to donate his money for our tolls, so in this way, we
would have more money for our preaching.
Brooklyn
today is a heavenly planet compared to Brooklyn in 1973.
Devamrita
stayed up all night preaching to one young man, Bhakta David, who
then attended mangala-arati and never left. That Bhakta David is now Ramabhadra Prabhu.
Srila
Prabhupada always considered New York to be his most important
project.
Badarayana
Prabhu:
I
still give the toll collectors mantra cards and have them chant the
mantra, but I do not ask them to donate for my tolls.
Srila
Prabhupada, we can still see you if we desire to see you. You are here
in the hearts and minds of your followers. You are in your books. You
are in your murtis
in
the temples.
A
professional looking lady in her forties, who had gotten a book from
me, later
told
me, “It changed my life. I chant Hare Krishna. I tell all my
friends. I use it in my professional life.”
You
are present in the amazing movie, Hare
Krishna!
I
talked with a lady at Hare
Krishna! I
asked how she came to be there. She explained that her daughter had
got a book in Philadelphia and was becoming a devotee and attending
the temple there, and she wanted to find out about Srila Prabhupada.
When I asked her how she liked the movie, she said she cried the
whole time.
You
are present in your projects worldwide.
You
are present in the hearts of your followers.
Locanananda
Prabhu:
We
have stuck together for 45 years, and Srila Prabhupada is the glue
sticking us together.
When
returning to Vrindavan for the final time, Srila Prabhupada chanted
the verse by Maharaja Kulashekhara about fixing his mind on the lotus
feet of Krishna at the end of life.
I
was
temple president of Amsterdam, and
we
were going to install a granite deity of Srila Prabhupada that
weighed 200 pounds. Two
of us must have been empowered to be able carry the murti
to
another floor of the temple.
Srila
Prabhupada took his socks off and put them in the glove compartment
before going on one morning walk. Bhugarbha and I, the only devotees
remaining in the car, turned his socks inside out and touched the
dust from his feet to our heads.
We
would pray when Srila Prabhupada was sick, “Dear Krishna, if you
desire, please help cure Srila Prabhupada.”
Sometimes
Srila Prabhupada dreamed that he had come to New York before his
original trip.
In
Amsterdam, we had 400 guests each Sunday and classes in six
languages.
Writing
on behalf of the devotees, I said, “You
have given us the matchless gift of Krishna consciousness, but what
have we given you? We cannot . . . You have instilled in us
seriousness of purpose. You are the most confidential servant of
Radha-Krishna . . .” [I
asked
him for the text of the letter which is very long and full of
wonderful realizations, and
I will share it when I receive it.]
Mahesh
Prabhu:
I
feel unqualified to be a disciple
of Srila Prabhupada. Forgive me if I have offended any of you. Srila
Prabhupada had so much love for all his disciples.
Srila
Prabhupada said, “George Harrison is more than a disciple. He is
like a son.”
You
can understand Srila Prabhupada more through this book, Prabhupada
Nectar, so
I will read from it.
Srila
Prabhupada advised one sannyasi
to
travel and preach, and immediately after, he told another to stay and
manage Vrindavan. The devotees marveled that Srila Prabhupada had
given the swamis two completely different instructions yet
both were accepted as absolute.
When
given a sweet in India by his British devotees, Srila Prabhupada
said, “Not even the Queen of England could enjoy a rasgulla
made in London at Kumbha Mela.”
“New
things” means their brain is not clear.
Tarun
Prabhu:
Bhavananda
invited me to shave up. I said I was waiting for a voice from the
sky. Bhavananda said that Srila Prabhupada is that voice, and they
took me off to shave me up.
We
had six people move in the temple at Henry Street after one Sunday
feast. Usually
there were just one or maybe two.
Regarding
the book distributors which some devotees thought were using too
heavy techniques, Srila Prabhupada once said, “Don’t check them
one bit. They are pleasing me like anything.”
Srila
Prabhupada was determined to preach until his body completely
dwindled, but he paced himself.
I
worried toward the end that Srila Prabhupada had initiated too many
disciples. I considered myself to be one of the too many disciples.
The
Saga of My Hernia Operation
I
attempted for two years to get a free hernia operation through the
“We Care” program of the Alachua County Department of Health in
Florida as a devotee friend had done. I never completed all the
necessary steps in the three or four months I was in Florida. The
third year, someone at University of Florida’s Equal Access Clinic
advised I seek charity care from Shands Hospital, which I did. Two
weeks after I had left the USA for Europe I received that charity
care which was to expire in August, before I returned from Europe in
September. One nice young devotee couple in Florida agreed to sponsor
my operation, but I thought they probably had better uses for their
money, so I tried other options first. My sister and her partner
encouraged me to seek Medicaid in New York State, which was possible
for me to get, although it was not possible in the more conservative
Florida. The day after I returned from Europe, I got my New York
State drivers license, and within a week I received Medicaid, as my
net income for the previous three months was about -$3.00. I got an
appointment with Howard Liang, a friendly, experienced, peaceful
surgeon at the NYU Langone Heath Center. 75% of the people who rated
him gave him a 5 out of 5, and the clinic is said to be one of the
best in the country. Thus a month and twenty days after returning to
New York City, I had surgery to repair my hernia.
That
day I wrote my Facebook friends, “Today I begin recovering from a
long-awaited hernia operation, courtesy of The State of New York, the
spiritual consciousness of which I try to elevate by chanting Hare
Krishna for hours a day in the autumn. Thanks to Bhakta Eduard, who
Adikarta Prabhu inspired to become a monk, for expertly caring for me
at the hospital and bringing to me to The Bhakti Center, where I
expressed gratitude to the Lord and my divine friends by singing
“Gaura Arati” for Sri Gauracandra. Thanks to the caring Bhakti
Center devotees, for giving me the shelter of the lotus feet of
Krishna [Muralidhara] which fulfill the desires of all who bow down
to them, are the ornament of the earth, give the highest
satisfaction, and which in times of danger are the appropriate object
of meditation. (SB 10.31.13)”
I
lived in The Bhakti Center for two weeks so I could attend
mangala-arati
without
having to walk eleven minutes in the cold. I took two days off from
harinama,
and
chanted two hours the next day, and then three hours a day for two
weeks. Now I am back up to six hours. I still cannot jump up and down
in the kirtan, lift very heavy things, or exercise, but otherwise my
body is working normally. I gained more realization of the misery of
the material body and of the material world, and more realization of
the kindness of my friends. Thanks to all of you who have assisted me
through this. May the good Lord bless you abundantly.
Regarding
taking help from the government, I heard that Srila Prabhupada did
not want the devotees to make up false stories to gain government
aid, but it was alright if we actually qualified for it. My hernia
operation cost each taxpayer a fraction of a cent and each will get
some credit for assisting the sankirtana
mission
of Lord Caitanya by helping a devotee who spends six hours a day for
three months working for the spiritual benefit of their state, their
country, and the universe. Thus I consider it is a win-win situation.
Everyone benefits.
Insights
Srila
Prabhupada:
From
Srimad-Bhagavatam
6.1.54, purport:
Instead
of trying to unite human society through pacts for sense
gratification that can never be achieved, it is clearly desirable to
teach people how to become Krishna conscious and return home, back to
Godhead. This is true now and, indeed, at any time.”
From
Srimad-Bhagavatam
9.24.59:
“Although
the demons who take possession of the government are dressed like men
of government, they do not know the duty of the government.
Consequently, by the arrangement of God, such demons, who possess
great military strength, fight with one another, and thus the great
burden of demons on the surface of the earth is reduced. The demons
increase their military power by the will of the Supreme, so that
their numbers will be diminished and the devotees will have a chance
to advance in Krishna consciousness.”
From
Srimad-Bhagavatam
10.1.13, purport:
“The
entire world is suffering because of spiritual thirst. Every living
being is Brahman, or spirit soul, and needs spiritual food to satisfy
his hunger and thirst. Unfortunately, however, the world is
completely unaware of the nectar of krishna-katha [talks about Lord Krishna]. The Krishna consciousness movement is therefore a boon to philosophers, religionists and people in general. There is certainly a charming attraction in Krishna and krishna-katha. Therefore the Absolute Truth is called Krishna, the most attractive.”
From
Sri
Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya-lila
3.207, purport:
“A
Vaishnava is always tolerant and submissive like trees and grass. He
tolerates insults offered by others, for he is simply interested in
chanting the holy name of the Lord without being disturbed.”
From
a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.10.11–12 in Mayapur on June 25, 1973:
“Sannyasa
means simply possess Krishna and no other possessions. That is
niskincana.”
Candrasekhara
Swami:
Because
atonement is also a fruitive activity, although it frees one from
sinful reactions, it does not free one of the tendency to act
fruitively, and therefore, it cannot release one from material
bondage.
It
is amazing that nowadays people know how governments work, how
economies work, how the insides of the small intestines works, etc.,
but they do not know how karma works.
In
a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam
6.1.50, Srila Prabhupada says, “No one asks the question, ‘Why
are some people suffering a lot and others suffering not so much?’”
The
idea here is that the soul is not gross or subtle matter but is
distinct from both and has erroneously got caught up in this world.
Oliver
Sacks,
a neuropsychologist, who dealt
with the mental issues of older people, visited an older lady who
reported seeing things. These included seeing men with distorted
faces and large teeth. He has YouTube videos dealing with this issue.
This is a common medical condition referred to as Charles Bonnet
syndrome.
The
Vedic idea of hell is that it is temporary, but it is not a nice
place.
The
Vedic ideas of hell, heaven, and reincarnation are practically
unknown in the West.
Badarayana
Prabhu:
Maharaja
Pariksit is trying to understand how we suffer life after life.
We
are all suffering, to a greater or lesser extent, and if we are not
suffering, we just have to wait. Even if we have a wonderful life,
death will inevitably come and take everything away.
In
India they have nadi
readers,
which are like the Brighu readers, who can tell you information about
your life and issues you have to deal with from previous lives. They
take your thumb print. There 108 types of thumb prints for males and
108 types for females. They have bundles of palm leaves for each type
in storage in Tamil Nadu in South India, and they find the ones for
your type, and they begin to read off details about the life of a
person until they encounter one that does not apply to you, and then
go on to the next. They got to one that said, “Your father’s name
is Gerald, and your mother’s is Jerri. I was amazed. My father’s
name was Gerald and my mother’s was Geraldine, and there is no way
they could have known that, and they proceeded to tell me many other
details about my life. Then they tell you details of your previous
lives, and then go over them with you, focusing on how you are
suffering now because of causing trouble to others in the past. So we
should be very careful in our dealings with others, because if we are
not, that will be the cause of our future suffering.
Our
suffering is caused by the influence of time. If we want to transcend
time, we have to associate with that which is transcendental, such as
Krishna and His pure devotees.
Because
of Srila Prabhupada we have a mission and a purpose in life.
Srila
Prabhupada is definitely the person who was predicted by Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu and by Bhaktivinoda Thakura to spread the chanting of the
holy name all over the world.
As
if we understand the transcendental nature of Krishna we can attain
the spiritual realm, if we understand the transcendental nature of
the maha-bhagavata,
Srila
Prabhupada, we
will attain that same destination.
Srila
Prabhupada once told Sudama Prabhu, “When you do not see me here
physically, always listen for me. I will instruct you through the
bodies of others from time to time. Always listen for me.”
Sudama
Prabhu asked if even a dog barking could be an indication from Srila
Prabhupada.
“It
can come from everyone. It can be everyone.”
Also
Srila Prabhupada said to Sudama, “If you think you have become an
advanced devotee and you start acting a role you will become mad.”
Sudama
told Srila Prabhupada that the devotees criticized his classes
because he did not quote enough verses. Srila Prabhupada told him not
to worry and praised him for cooking nicely, singing beautifully, and
attracting many people by speaking from his heart. His pleasing
Krishna by those activities of devotion was sufficient.
In
telling a disciple how to distribute his books, Srila Prabhupada
quoted, “This Bhagavata
Purana
is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the
departure of Lord Krishna to His own abode, accompanied by religion,
knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense
darkness of ignorance in the Age of Kali shall get light from this
Purana.”
(Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.3.43)
He praised the verse and explained that the Bhagavatam
is
so nice that it will sell itself.
In
resolving a controversy over book distribution techniques, Srila
Prabhupada did not praise either side, but his main concern was that
his disciples work together despite their differences.
Bhakti
Vasudeva Swami:
The
modes of material nature deal with our everyday reality. We can see
people are affected by these different qualities.
When
we plan to enjoy by sleeping we are in the mode of ignorance.
The
sleep of the Lord is not in the mode of ignorance and is called
yoga-nidra.
Actually
the Lord’s sleep is very active because He creates universes in His
sleep.
If
we perform acts and another person is hurt, that action is in the
mode of ignorance.
The
guy in Las Vegas who killed 58 people and injured over 700 people is
a typical case of action in ignorance. He will have to be shot in so
many lives for his crime.
Mother
Yashoda tied her mischievous son Krishna to a grinding mortar. Try
doing that now, and you will end up in jail.
Some
of the examples given in the Vedic literature, I do not use because
people in the West cannot appreciate them.
People
commit suicide because they are depressed. They want to change their
situation. They think, “Let me rest in peace.” But who says they
will rest in peace? This is the mode of ignorance.
74%
of Americans experienced loneliness last year, yet
on
the planet 1 billion people sent 55 messages on WhatsApp.
Despite so much social media, people still feel lonely. Loneliness is
a symptom of depression, a product of the mode of ignorance.
Personal
face-to-face meetings are 34 times more effective than email.
Sometimes
when someone asks a person why he did something, he replies, “I do
not know why I did it.” That is a sincere expression of his action
in ignorance.
If
someone does something bad, we should felt pity for them that they
are acting in the mode of ignorance.
People
in the mode of ignorance do not know how to say, “I am sorry.”
Life
is too short for us to play around with our lives.
Procastination
destroys our future. Destruction is ignorance. Anything instrumental
to destruction is ignorance.
We
should read and discuss Bhagavad-gita
every
day. Because Krishna is Absolute, He is not different from His
teachings.
Learning
from our mistakes is a symptom of great achievers.
One
problem most devotees have is a lack of expertise in time management.
I
got a management Ph.D., and in the course of it, I studied time
management. I came to realize how much time I was wasting.
If
you reject the food your mother prepares for you, she will become
angry. Why? The food she prepares is a manifestation of her love. If
you are not cooking for your loved ones, you are making a big
mistake.
Love
is based on a service exchange.
One
in the mode of ignorance does not want to render service.
Once
in New York City, the devotees were harassed by people when they
chanted in a certain place. The devotees chanted in another place for
a while. When they came back to the original place. Those who
harassed them came up to them and said, “Where have you been?”
Sometimes
people attack us. Bhakti Tirtha Swami says that is a call for
love. The question is how to respond. Of course, if the people are
too aggressive, we should call for the police.
There
is a story of Balarama, Satyaki, and Krishna, and a demon who was
anger personified. The demon told Balarama that he wanted to eat
either Balarama or one of his friends. Balarama was so angry he
started fighting the rascal demon. The more angry Balarama became the
more the demon increased in size. Balarama become tired. Satyaki took
over. The same thing happened. The more angry Satyaki became, larger
the demon became, and ultimately Satyaki became tired. Then the demon
challenged Krishna in the same way, but Krishna simply laughed. When
the demon was thus insulted by not being taken seriously, he became
angry, and Krishna just laughed and laughed, and the demon became
smaller and smaller until he was the size of a sweetball, and Krishna
just popped him in His pocket. Later Balarama and Satyaki were
talking about their fierce fight with the demon, and Krishna
smilingly produced the sweetball-sized demon from his pocket. They
were amazed. The lesson is: if you fight anger with anger it will
increase unlimitedly.
Bhakti
Ananda Svarupa Caitanya Swami:
Death
is a radical point in the life of the living being.
It
is said that during the Second World War, of those sent to the death
camps, the atheists were completely mad with anxiety but the faithful
people simply prayed to the Lord in the heart and were peaceful.
Every
day our mind demands that we seek out pleasurable objects for the
senses.
As
surrendered servants of Yamaraja, the Yamadutas could appreciate the
beauty of the Vishnudutas and praise them.
The
residents of Manhattan cannot so well appreciate you, as Lord
Vishnu’s representatives, as the Yamadutas could appreciate the
Vishnudutas. Maybe a few can appreciate, but most cannot.
In
Lithuania, the devotees arranged a program called “Meet the Monks”
and invited a Christian monk, a Buddhist monk, and myself to speak.
Seven hundred people attended.
The
Buddhist monk said they vow to follow two hundred principles. The
strict ones, if they break one of the principles, dip their finger in
a flammable substance and burn it off as a penance. They are so
serious that even in the worst cases they still have many remaining
fingers.
The
devotees are conscious beings who are happy to serve the Lord, and
thus they have a higher taste and do not dream of varieties of sense
enjoyment.
The
Bhagavatam
is
all about transformation ‒ the radical transformation from the life
of a materialist to the life of devotee.
If
the Yamadutas, despite their situation, could appreciate the
Vishnudutas, we can appreciate the devotees in our life.
Comment
by Natabara Gauranga Prabhu: Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami says those in
Pitrloka have to leave when their descendents become sinful and do
not offer pinda
in
the sraddha
ceremony,
and thus they become angry. Yamaraja offers to employ them so they
can keep their position, and they become Yamadutas with a hatred for
sinful people.
This
verse shows the affection the Lord has for His devotees: “The Lord
was just about to leave, but because He was so greatly inclined
toward the behavior of King Prithu, He did not depart. Seeing the
behavior of Maharaja Prithu with His lotus eyes, He was detained
because He is always the well-wisher of His devotees.” (Bhagavatam
4.20.20)
Honest
people realize their mistakes and punish themselves by performing
austerity, and thus they do not need to be punished.
Tapasya
is
the most universal currency in the world.
The
biggest austerity is to follow the instruction of your guru, for that
shows you have conquered your ego.
When
the gurukulis
from
Mayapur come to the West, although they do not know some things like
how to drive a car, they adapt very easily because they have learned
qualities such as humility and truthfulness in the gurukula.
We
should not endeavor to acquire more and more knowledge. That is not
the proper mentality.
A
man asked the pharmacist for tablets for greed. The pharmacist gave
him some, and the greedy man asked for more.
If
you have a pure attitude, you can maintain your spiritual duties
indefinitely, but if you develop the wrong attitude, you will get
stuck.
Rama
Raya Prabhu:
From
a class he gave in Vrindavan:
The
Absolute Truth is always beautiful [even here as Lord Nrsimha, being
garlanded with the intestines of Hiranyakasipu], and the devotees can
always appreciate it while the nondevotees cannot.
The
material world is for the nondevotees, those who want to enjoy a
fool’s paradise without surrendering to the Lord.
The
sahajiya
wants
to immediately establish an intimate relationship with Krishna
without recognizing his fallen nature.
Hiranyakasipu
is the embodiment of the nondevotional attitude.
Present
day residents of Vrindavan, by sharing their facilities, can best
show appreciation to the devotee pilgrims coming to visit.
Those
who like Ravana, try to separate Laksmi from Narayana, will also be
destroyed.
Krishna
and Balarama have appeared in Kali-yuga as Gaura Nitai, and Their
weapon is sankirtana.
Our
duty is to have 100% faith in Krishna and in developing a
relationship with Krishna and in the understanding that Krishna is
the only goal for the love of all living entities.
Ananta
Gauranga, who travels all over the world with the traveling
sankirtana
party
Harinama Ruci tells me that everywhere people are simply imitating
New York.
Srila
Prabhupada understood that there are many customers out there for the
spiritual knowledge he and his followers were distributing; and
therefore, we should be out in public to contact such people.
Srila
Prabhupada says we should not consider ourselves great preachers or
great devotees, but we should just try to be instruments of the
previous acaryas.
I
pray that your preaching all over the world will become successful
and relishable.
Pavana
Nitai Chandra Prabhu:
Once
Gaura Govinda Swami asked his audience, “Has anyone of you seen
Krishna?”
One
bold brahmacari
said,
“Yes, I have seen Krishna.”
Srila
Gaura Govinda Swami replied, “Then I should take the dust from your
feet, for I have not seen Krishna.”
Gaura
Govinda Swami was making the point that it is very rare to see
Krishna.
It
is said Lord Nityananda Prabhu is so mad with love of Godhead, he
does not differentiate whether people are higher or lower. He gives
mercy to everyone.
Govardhan
changes size according to Krishna’s needs.
There
was a whole town under the hill when Krishna lifted it.
Comment
by Adi Purusa Prabhu: It is important we understand a person’s
present conception before we share the knowledge we have been given.
Prana
Gauranga Prabhu, brahmacari
from
Montreal:
We
are being carried away by the modes of passion and ignorance, just as
a person in a dream is carried away by a series of subtle experiences
that is provided for him without any say in it.
Knowledge
based on mental speculation is always unconclusive, and therefore, in
the present day society there is no real knowledge.
Comments
by me:
On
the importance of sense control, Srila Prabhupada writes, “In all
spiritual affairs, one’s first duty is to control his mind and
senses. Unless one controls his mind and senses, one cannot make any
advancement in spiritual life. Everyone within this material world is
engrossed in the modes of passion and ignorance. One must promote
himself to the platform of goodness, sattva-guna,
by following the instructions of Rupa Gosvami, and then everything
concerning how to make further progress will be revealed.” (Nectar
of Instruction, Preface).
Ian
Stevenson, although his research convinced him about previous and
future lives, did not think we could come back as an animal. That
shows the limitations of mental speculation.
You
can sell a Gita
by
saying this book gives you information about your past and future
lives.
Comment
by Jaya Jagannatha:
We
say seeing is believing, but actually more frequently hearing is
believing, not only in spiritual circles, but in modern society as
well. We accept so many things as real because we have heard from
some authority. So who we choose as an authority is most crucial.
Comments
by Adi Purusa:
People
do not know which way to go or which way is up or down.
I
saw a snipet of a movie where a lady told her male domestic partner,
“I am going to get you a plant. Maybe you can relate to a plant as
you are not doing very well relating to humans. At least you might
come to the realization: ‘If I do not take care of the plant, by
watering it, etc., it will die.’”
Paramananda
Gopala Prabhu:
I
was in Nepal recently, and I saw a practical demonstration of a
common Vedic example. I was in the forest, and I saw an elephant
across the river take a bath and then afterward roll around in the
dust to dry himself off.
We
learn in Bhagavad-gita
2.62 that after we contemplate the objects of the senses, we do not
have control of what happens in the future. Attachment, lust, anger,
etc., naturally follow. Therefore our free will is in what we
contemplate. If we just contemplate devotional objects we will be
protected from negative future consequences.
Hatred
of the sense objects does not bring us to detachment but is just the
other side of attachment.
We
have to take advantage of the nature of the mind to control it by
following the instructions given by the expert spiritual masters in
the revealed literature.
Jai
Giridhari Prabhu:
Radhanath
Swami stresses avoiding bad association and avoiding offending
devotees to be successful in devotional service.
From
a lecture by Radhanath Swami I learned that if we find ourselves
confused it may because we are hanging on to selfish desires.
If
you think about it, in cases where we act improperly, often the cause
is a lack of affection, either within ourselves or within another.
There
is a story of a very intimate disciple of Radhanath Swami who left
for many years and became so distanced he did not even remember
Krishna is God, but ultimately he encountered the devotees and the
books again, and now is enthusiastically engaged in devotional
service once more.
Comment
by Jaya Jagannatha Prabhu: Visvanatha
Cakravarti Thakura
says that one who leaves devotional service will be haunted by the
ghost of bhakti
and thus will soon return, if not in this life, in a future one.
Mahotsaha
Prabhu:
The
siddha-deha
of
Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji Maharaj is Guna Manjari, and Guna Manjari
descends in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes as Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami.
Raghunatha
Bhatta Goswami played an important role as a guru after Lord Caitanya
because he came from a Sri Vaishnava brahmana
family
and so even caste-conscious persons would be willing to take
initiation from him.
Gaurakisora
Dasa Babaji Maharaj initially refused to initiate Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura saying that because one disciple cheated him he did
not want to initiate another.
When
you completely lose faith in material arrangements for happiness, you
are ready to surrender to a guru.
Seeing
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura felt that his life had no value
without getting initiated by him, Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji Maharaja
agreed to initiate him.
Seeing
Radha-Shyamasundara and Lalita and Visakha on the altar in Vrindavan
reminded me of Lord Caitanya who is Radha-Shyamasundara, Svarupa
Damodara, who is Lalita, and Ramananda Raya who is Visakha, and their
pastimes in the Gambhira.
When
people would chant “Jaya Prabhupada!” Srila Prabhupada would say
“Jaya Prabhupada!” thinking of his own guru, Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura, who was also called “Prabhupada.”
Only
because of the intense desires of the previous acaryas
is
Krishna consciousness spreading all over the world.
Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura explained that his gurudeva’s bhajana
was the engine empowering his preaching.
One
lady may hear Radha and Krishna pastimes and cry, and then later hear
a Bollywood movie and also cry.
Comment
by Bhakta Josh:
Once
after Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave a lecture, he saw one old raggedly
dressed householder still sitting in back. Upon closer inspection, he
realized it was Gaurakisora Das Babaji Maharaja. He asked Babaji
Maharaja why he was dressed as a householder. Babaji Maharaja
explained, “I find if I dress as a householder no one bothers me,
but if I dress as a sadhu
so many people harass me.”
Comment
by Krishna Prasada Prabhu:
Those
who offer food to Gauranga, who are nonvegetarian, adulterous, or who
offer food with a motive, do not have their food accepted.
Krishna-kripa
das:
From
a Facebook post:
[I
was annoyed when someone commented on one of my Facebook posts and
criticized some ISKCON gurus who are following Srila Prabhupada
nicely and who have inspired many others to do so, and who I am
convinced Srila Prabhupada and Krishna Himself are very pleased with.
It occurred to me that Srila Prabhupada did not publish specific
criticisms of his godbrothers or their disciples, listing them by
name and defect, and I really doubt he approves of it. Thus I posted
this comment on Facebook.]
“One
proponent of a group claiming to represent Srila Prabhupada better
than ISKCON commented on one of my Facebook posts recently. That
group publishes a periodical that lists followers of Srila Prabhupada
by name and the deviations the group considers they have made. Srila
Prabhupada never wrote literature containing lists of the followers
of his guru and their deviations, nor did he publish or circulate
such literature, nor did he like to read such literature. He did not
advocate that his followers read or write such literature either. To
blaspheme devotees who have dedicated their lives to propagating the
holy name is a great offense blocking one from attaining love of Krishna, life’s goal. I beg at the lotus feet of all those who
aspire to be pure followers of Srila Prabhupada that they follow
Srila Prabhupada’s perfect example and not read, write, publish, or
circulate literature filled with blaspheme of devotees who have
dedicated their lives to propagating the holy names. Please protect
your tender devotional creeper and those of others and become
eligible to attain more quickly the love of Krishna that Srila
Prabhupada came to give us all the opportunity to attain. All glories
to His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada,
founder-acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, beloved disciple of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, pure follower of Rupa Goswami, pure devotee of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai and Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, and savior of the whole world!”
Bhakta
Eduard:
From
a conversation:
We
have to maintain the purity of the movement because only Krishna can
attract the jiva.
Therefore we have to preach the Absolute Truth.
-----
One
verse that is dear to me is one in which Krishna tells us
how to easily obtain Him. It was also found listed in the notebook of
the celebrated disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Jayananda Prabhu, who
was a very surrendered servant and very dedicated to Ratha-yatra. It
stresses that we always remember Krishna by including three words
meaning “always”: satatam,
nityasah, and
nitya.
ananya-cetah
satatam
yo
mam smarati nityasah
tasyaham
su-labhah partha
nitya-yuktasya
yoginah
“For
one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O
son of Pritha, because of his constant engagement in devotional
service.” (Bhagavad-gita 8.14)