Travel Journal#14.6: North Florida

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 14, No. 6
By Krishna-kripa das 
(March 2018, part two) 
North Florida 
(Sent from Tallahassee, Florida, on April 3, 2017)

Where I Went and What I Did

The first weekend in the second half of March, I attended the semimonthly Saturday night program at the Jacksonville Bhakti House, along with Madhava Prabhu from Alachua, who sang a nice bhajan. On Sunday Hanan Prabhu interviewed me at his Sunday Krishna Lunch program, and I shared a playlist of memorable moments on harinama (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGerEnGdI0xIv3FbcbKKgHTy7uKE6MtWb):

Monday I returned to Tallahassee, and I chanted at Florida State University at the free speech area for the week. That week Adikarta Prabhu visited us, and he talked to a lot of students, distributed a lot of books, and led many kirtans and gave many lectures. The next weekend I returned to Gainesville to go with Krishna House devotees to the St. Augustine Ratha-yatra on Saturday. Sunday I chanted with Krishna House devotees at the University of Florida Indian Students Holi Festival, which was catered by Krishna Lunch, and I attended a kirtan at the Sunday Krishna Lunch program at Hanan Prabhu’s place. Then I returned to Tallahassee to chant at Florida State University, mostly in the free speech area and once at Krishna Lunch. Vaikuntha Prabhu, who I have known since 1988 in San Diego, came to visit us in Tallahassee for one day, and he chanted at Krishna Lunch and on the campus and talked to students and devotees. We ended the month with a lively harinama by the bars near FSU on Friday night and chanting at Lake Ella on Saturday.

I share many quotes from and notes on Srila Prabhupada’s books, lectures, and letters. I share inspiring quotes from Sanatana Goswami and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. I share notes on classes by Bhakti Charu Swami, Bhakti Vikasa Swami, Adikarta Prabhu, and Vaikuntha Prabhu. I share quotes from Back to Godhead articles by Satyaraja, Visakha, and Caitanya Carana Prabhus.

Many thanks to Adikarta Prabhu for his kind donation. Thanks to Mormon Elder Bryan of Utah for his $20 donation for a hardbound Bhagavad-gita, a softbound Bhagavad-gita (for his companion), and Nectar of Instruction.

Itinerary

March 26–April 5: Tallahassee (FSU on weekdays, Lake Ella on weekends)

April 6: Tallahassee First Friday

April 7: Tallahassee Ratha-yatra

April 8: Gainesville Krishna House / Alachua Sunday Feast

April 9: Albany

April 10: Philadelphia

April 11–13: Washington, D.C.

April 14: New York City

April 15–19: Dublin

April 19–23: Newcastle

April 24: Edinburgh

April 25: London

April 26: Radhadesh

April 27: Amsterdam (King’s Day)

April 28: Radhadesh (Nrsimha Caturdasi)

April 29–May 1: Antwerp

May 2–3: Brussels

May 4: London

May 5–6: Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtan

May 7: Newcastle

May 8: Edinburgh

May 9: Edinburgh and Newcastle

May 10: Sheffield

May 11–12: Leeds

May 13: Manchester

May 14: London

May 15–July 22?: Paris

July 24–27?: Vaishnava Summer Festival in Lithuania

July 28–30: Berlin Ratha-yatra and harinamas

July 31–August 4: Polish Woodstock

August 5: Berlin

August 6: Dublin

August 7–13: Vaishnava Sanga Festival in Canada

August 14–15: Montreal harinama with Ekalavya Prabhu

August 16–September 2: North UK

September 3–28: Mayapur

September 29: Newcastle

September 30: Dublin

October 1–January 5, 2019: New York City Yuga Dharma Harinama Party

Chanting Hare Krishna at The Bhakti House in Jacksonville

Amrita Keli Devi Dasi and her JAX Krishnas meet at their Bhakti House on the first and third Saturday of the month these days. Because I have obligations in Tallahassee and Tampa and because I have no vehicle of my own, the third Saturday in March was the only program I could attend in the three months I have been in North Florida this winter.

Madhava Prabhu from Alachua has been going to the program once a month and leading bhajans, and he was scheduled to come too.

The topic was spiritual revolutions and the pastime to discuss was that of Chand Kazi, a local Muslim leader in Mayapur, Bengal, and Lord Caitanya’s civil disobedience to his ban on the public chanting of the holy name. To prepare for my class, I read the more elaborate description of the pastime from Caitanya Bhagavata for the first time. The spiritual revolution that impressed me most in the pastime was the internal revolution in the hearts of people who heard the chanting of the holy name. Here are some examples:

“Seeing the carefree citizens leaving their house unguarded [to join the congregational chanting in the streets] a thief thought to himself, ‘this is good opportunity for me to clean out the people’s belongings.’ But as time passed and the chanting entering his ears took affect, the thief got rid of his stealing tendencies and also joined in with the others, joyously chanting Lord Hari’s sweet transcendental name.” (Caitanya Bhagavata) 

“So many of the Kazi’s men spread open their rolled up head cloth and hung it over their heads, so as not to be recognized, and joined in with the dancing, but with a thumping heart.” (Caitanya Bhagavata) 

“[Chand Kazi said to Lord Caitanya:] ‘I know that Narayana is the Supreme God of the Hindus, and I think that You are the same Narayana. This I feel within my mind.’ 
After hearing the Kazi speak so nicely, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu touched him and smilingly spoke as follows. ‘The chanting of the holy name of Krishna from your mouth has performed a wonder — it has nullified the reactions of all your sinful activities. Now you have become supremely pure. Because you have chanted three holy names of the Lord — Hari, Krishna and Narayana — you are undoubtedly the most fortunate and pious.’ 
After the Kazi heard this, tears flowed down from his eyes. He immediately touched the lotus feet of the Lord and spoke the following sweet words. ‘Only by Your mercy have my bad intentions vanished. Kindly favor me so that my devotion may always be fixed upon You.’” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 17.215–220) 
“Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went back to perform kirtana, and the Kazi, his mind jubilant, went with Him.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 17.224) 

The chanting of the holy name has the power to purify the hearts of even demonic people who oppose it, what to speak of those who aspire for spiritual life. When our hearts become pure, we will be in the position to conduct a spiritual revolution.

Here Kira chants Hare Krishna beautifully at the Jacksonville Bhakti House, inspiring Sadhya to dance (https://youtu.be/zcnVMebF96Y):

Madhava Prabhu of our Alachua community chants “Gay Gora Madhur Svare” and Hare Krishna at the Jacksonville Bhakti House, inspiring devotees to chant and dance with great devotion (https://youtu.be/AHThagvh5dE):

Chanting Hare Krishna at the Alachua Sunday Feast

When I stay in Gainesville, I always try to attend the Sunday feast program in Alachua to see the beauty of Sri Sri Radha-Shyamasundara, to engage in congregational chanting with many devotees, and to see the many devotees I know in the area.

Jagannatha Dasa Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Alachua Sunday Feast (https://youtu.be/Es7OoNwLgIs):

Chanting Hare Krishna in Tallahassee

The third week of March we were greatly fortunate to have Adikarta Prabhu visiting us at the Tallahassee temple. At the temple he led many kirtans and gave many lectures, and on the FSU campus, he talked to many students and distributed many books. He also encouraged the new devotees here in book distribution.

Here Adikarta Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Tallahassee Hare Krishna temple evening program (https://youtu.be/rtp_8xz0UeI):

Adikarta Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Tallahassee Hare Krishna temple morning program (https://youtu.be/mCUN0pvlU-s):

Adikarta Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at another Tallahassee morning program (https://youtu.be/VDvTzWt8cvk):

Bhaktin Aris chants Hare Krishna at the Tallahassee Hare Krishna temple morning program (https://youtu.be/db9zL4Sy19o):

Adikarta Prabhu chants Hare Krishna before the Tallahassee Tuesday Bhagavad-gita class (https://youtu.be/nsWHJ2g4A_w):

Bhaktin Aris chants Hare Krishna at the Tallahassee Wednesday Evening Kirtan, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/0I0SJpp4gIQ):

Adikarta Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Tallahassee Wednesday Evening Kirtan, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/TGyb5sXFqJI):

Although the Wednesday kirtan was scheduled to be two hours, because of the spontaneous enthusiasm of the devotees, it went over two and a half hours!

We advertise no evening program on Thursdays, but we do chant the Gaura Arati song and Hare Krishna for ten minutes or so. After that Adikarta Prabhu pleasantly surprised us by leading a kirtan that captured the devotees’ minds for quite a while (https://youtu.be/1x0iLNydxK4):

Chanting Hare Krishna at the Friday Night Program in Gainesville

Richie plays bass and chants Hare Krishna at the Gainesville Krishna House Friday evening program (https://youtu.be/sr9jUQyHcaY):

Animesh Prabhu asked me to speak about Ratha-yatra, in honor of the St. Augustine Ratha-yatra the next day. I explained it has an external meaning and an internal meaning. The external meaning is Lord Jagannatha desires to go out in the streets to show mercy to those too atheistic, agnostic, or materially absorbed to visit Him in the temple. Srila Prabhupada said whoever sees Lord Jagannatha on his cart attains the spiritual kingdom at death, and hearing that, Jayananda Prabhu dedicated himself to build Ratha-yart carts each year and to help organize the Ratha-yatra festivals. The internal meaning is that the devotees of Vrindavan, who worship Lord Krishna [Jagannatha] in spontaneous love wish to pull Him there, away from Dvaraka, where He is worshiped in opulence. Ratha-yatra is important to us because it is important to Srila Prabhupada, who began at age five to observe Ratha-yatra with his childhood friends and who introduced it in ISKCON in 1967, the very year Lord Jagannatha appeared at our San Francisco temple. Ratha-yatra is also important to us because it is important to Lord Caitanya, who lived in the town of Lord Jagannatha, Puri, Odisha, the last half of His time in this world and whose devotees would walk all the away from Bengal to observe the cart festival with Him.

Chanting Hare Krishna at the St. Augustine Ratha-yatra

Dravida Prabhu, who loves to hear and chant about Krishna and who I got to know in Philadelphia in the mid 1980s, was visiting our Alachua community, and I was so happy to see him at the Ratha-yatra festival.

Here Godruma Prabhu, assisted by Dravida Prabhu, chants Hare Krishna before the St. Augustine Ratha-yatra procession began (https://youtu.be/omP-pPwPVPM):

Three people that Adikarta Prabhu sold books to, Daryl from Gainesville (on the left), and two friends studying at Flagler College in St. Augustine (on the right) had a wonderful time dancing in the Ratha-yatra, practically the entire time.

Here Keshava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the St. Augustine Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/qYbklwP6dVw):

Visvambhar Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/ZHg1VomY5fk):

Jagi Kirtan Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/8FbZ2fS8fGQ):

Dhanya chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/qZip9aJ6f8E):

Adikarta Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/97ocHGtDlg8):

Sharanagati, a young devotee lady from the UK, chanted Hare Krishna very nicely at end of the St. Augustine Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/_q96sjCJRHc):

The city of St. Augustine does not give us the busiest street for the cart procession, but they do let us do harinama on it for an hour afterward. It was very ecstatic. I took a lot of video of it, but somehow I lost most of it. Just one clip remains, Amala Harinama Prabhu chanting Hare Krishna at the end of the harinama (https://youtu.be/K2SFFbU7hHA):

Two young ladies (in the center of this photo), who were residents of St. Augustine, took prasadam with the devotees and came for the entire hour-long harinama. At one point, the one wearing blue danced with the devotees at Bhadra Prabhu’s invitation. I gave them the contact details for the local devotees so they could attend their weekly programs. Other residents of St. Augustine also were visibly attracted by the devotional festival, and one of the ladies at the book table told me many locals purchased books.

I look forward to attending the ecstatic St. Augustine Ratha-yatra again next year, God willing.

Chanting Hare Krishna at the University of Florida Indian Students Holi Festival

Krishna Lunch in Gainesville catered the lunch for the University of Florida Indian Students Holi Festival which occurred on Rama Navami this year. Devotees supplied their most popular Wednesday menu, with spaghetti the main attraction.

Distribution of Krishna prasadam is not complete without Krishna kirtan so several of our kirtan-loving devotees performed during the serve out.

Here Richie chants Hare Krishna at the University of Florida Indian Students Holi Festival (https://youtu.be/H13hxKT0kJI):

Shruti Sagar Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/4KLbTKivLpE):

Here Shruti Sagar Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and a new couple joins in, listening and playing instruments (https://youtu.be/4iJK6c-tir8):

Here Shruti Sagar Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and Marissa, who chanted Hare Krishna kirtan for the first time ten days before, dances (https://youtu.be/GuJcbYSa-rA):

Animesh Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the University of Florida as participants in their Indian Students Holi Festival throw dye at each other across the field. One Indian girl could not tolerate seeing the devotees untouched by the dyes, so she approached our chanting party to color us (https://youtu.be/T764N1kdQ2s):

Chanting Hare Krishna at Sunday Krishna Lunch

Shyama Kishori Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Sunday Krishna Lunch on Rama Navami in the home temple room of Hanan and Tsurit Prabhus (https://youtu.be/HNVE5ZXLUak):

Chanting Hare Krishna in Tallahassee

Aiden, who studies music and theater at Florida State University and who has visited the Tallahassee temple a couple of times, asked to lead a Hare Krishna chant at Krishna Lunch, and Vaikuntha Prabhu, playing the drum and visiting from Alachua, encouraged him. Thinking we had only two singers I just brought harmonium and drum, so I made due with a pot and a spoon. Thanks to Aris, who invisibly chants the response, for taking the video, as I forgot my camera (https://youtu.be/X-lw3h6mcfA):

Afterward Vaikuntha Prabhu had a nice conversation with Aiden about spiritual life. When that concluded we went to the free speech area and continued chanting for almost two hours. One guy who played the piano was fascinated with the harmonium and played it for awhile. I taught him the words to the mantra and the chords to the simple Prabhupada melody, and we sang it briefly, while I played the drum. Vaikuntha Prabhu recorded it on the guy’s phone, and I gave him my card and asked him to send it to me, but he didn’t.

Bhaktin Aris chanted two Hare Krishna tunes one evening in Tallahassee (https://youtu.be/LA7BmVOVpw4):

Then Daniel chanted Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/bZvgqXxZkFc):

Finally Suresh chanted Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/E9SKJ3l1faA):

Here Bhaktin Aris chants Hare Krishna after Guru Puja in Tallahassee (https://youtu.be/f_VZggwX8d0):

Chanting Hare Krishna Friday Night by the Bars
On College Avenue in Tallahassee

The last Friday in March, six Tallahassee devotees chanted near the bars on College Avenue, a very new venue for street chanting, and many young people danced, played the instruments, clapped, took photos, took videos, exclaimed “I love you guys!” and embraced the devotees (https://youtu.be/HTFnRBRYN-s):

That night Daniel found it hard to get people to chant the whole Hare Krishna mantra so he tried getting the partiers to chant “Haribol!” instead (https://youtu.be/jlZLn-7Bytw):

Next he invited them to chant “Krishna!” (https://youtu.be/721TaHYNEp8):

Finally Bhakta Daniel suggested that the people chant the two words “Hare Krishna!” You can see the people were really into it! (https://youtu.be/ookkhBfYJwM):

Many people people expressed appreciation for the chanting Hare Krishnas by saying “I love it” or “I love you guys” or by embracing the devotees, waving, high five, or joined palms (https://youtu.be/CA56HTd0jTo):

As a result of the positive feedback, Nama Kirtan Prabhu, our Tallahassee temple president, was inspired to make the Friday night harinama a regular event.

Funny Photo

To gas up a vehicle low on gas, one requires another vehicle to come by carrying the gas. Here at Florida State University, one driver was helping another fuel up, and two more stopped by just to watch! Such inefficiency is characteristic of Kali-yuga.

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From a morning walk conversation:

You have got this human form of life. Your only business is to realize God.

Lord Caitanya, Bharata Maharaja, etc., gave up everything just to teach us.

If you take the false thing, you will be frustrated. If you take the real path of self-realization, you will find ananda-buddhi-vardanam, an increasing ocean of spiritual ecstasy.

[Thanks to Visakha Dasi for including these seven wonderful Prabhupada quotes below about testing our spiritual advancement in her article “Tests” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 52, No. 4 (July / August 2018).]

From an initiation lecture on December 1, 1968, in Los Angeles:

“By chanting we shall see how much we are making progress, how much I am free from these two concepts of life, that ‘I am this body, and anything belonging to this body is mine.’ This is the test – how we are becoming free from these two concepts of life. If there is still the concept that ‘I am this body, and anything belonging to this body is mine,’ then you have to chant very cautiously to make progress.”

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.20 on October 31, 1972, in Vrindavan:

“If I am not jolly, if I am not prasanna-manasa, that means maya has attacked me. A bhagavad-bhakta [devotee of God] shall never be aprasanna, not joyful. Always joyful. If he is actually in contact with Krishna, how he can become morose? No. If he is morose, if he is unhappy, that means maya has attacked him. This is the test.”

From a ceremony speech on August 18, 1974, in Vrindavan:

“Sarve sukhino bhavantu. This is the test. A devotee wants to see that everyone is happy. It doesn’t matter whether he is a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian. It doesn’t matter. We want to see that everyone is happy.”

From lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.23 on April 15, 1973, in Los Angeles:

“Those who are jealous and envious are within this material world, and those who are not are in the spiritual world. Therefore, we can test ourselves. If we are jealous or envious of our friends or other associates, we are in the material world, and if we are not jealous we are in the spiritual world. There need be no doubt of whether we are spiritually advanced or not. We can test ourselves. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra ca [Bhagavatam 11.2.42]. When we eat, we can understand for ourselves whether our hunger is satisfied; we don’t have to take a certificate from others. Similarly, we can test for ourselves whether we are in the material world or the spiritual world. If we are jealous or envious, we are in the material world, and if we are not we are in the spiritual world. Then you can serve Krishna very nicely if you are not jealous.”

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.19 on August 22, 1972, in Los Angeles:

“To become Krishna conscious means immediately – that is the test – immediately he will become free from lust and greediness. If he’s not free from lust and greediness, he is making a show; he’s not Krishna conscious. This is the test.”

From a letter written in November 20, 1971:

“One test is that all the devotees should be satisfied. They have given their lives to Krishna, so we should see they are always happy. Their service is voluntary. It is not that we can force anyone to do anything. If we do they will go away and that is a great loss. Everyone must be encouraged to do what he likes to do for Krishna.”

From a letter written December 9, 1973:

“Sometimes there may be disagreement and quarrel but we should not go away. These inebrieties can be adjusted by the cooperative spirit, tolerance and maturity, so I request you to kindly remain in the association of our devotees and work together. The test of our actual dedication and sincerity to serve the spiritual master will be in this mutual cooperative spirit to push on this movement and not make factions and deviate.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.20.13, purport:

“If one sticks to the principle of abiding by the order of the spiritual master, he will always remain in a liberated position.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.20.14, purport:

“As soon as there is complete eradication of sinful activities in the state, then there will be no more war, pestilence, famine, or natural disturbances.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.20.16:

[Lord Vishnu tells Maharaja Prithu:] “My dear King, I am very captivated by your elevated qualities and excellent behavior, and thus I am very favorably inclined toward you. You may therefore ask from Me any benediction you like. One who does not possess elevated qualities and behavior cannot possibly achieve My favor simply by performance of sacrifices, severe austerities or mystic yoga. But I always remain equipoised in the heart of one who is also equipoised in all circumstances.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.7.25, purport:

“This attachment of the gopis to Krishna is wonderful and transcendental. The center of all the activities of the gopis was Krishna. When Krishna was there they were happy, and when Krishna was not there, they were unhappy. Thus when mother Yasoda was lamenting Krishna’s absence, the other ladies also began to cry.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.7.26, purport:

“Trinavarta had been able to take Krishna away in the presence of mother Yasoda. But when Krishna, high in the sky, assumed the mahima-siddhi, the demon, unable to go further, was obliged to stop his force and come down according to Krishna’s desire. One should not, therefore, compete with Krishna’s mystic power.”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya 15.23:

“Krishna’s lips are so sweet when combined with the camphor of His gentle smile that they attract the minds of all women, forcing them to give up all other attractions. If the sweetness of Krishna’s smile is unobtainable, great mental difficulties and lamentation result. That sweetness is the only wealth of the gopis of Vrindavana.”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya 15.56:

“Standing there with His flute to His lips, Krishna, who enchants millions upon millions of Cupids, attracted the eyes and minds of all the world with His unlimited beauty.”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 13.138, purport:

“Unless one’s mind is filled with thoughts of Krishna, feelings for Krishna and a desire to serve Krishna, the mind will be filled with material activities. Those who have given up all material activities and have ceased thinking of them should always retain the ambition to think of Krishna. Without Krishna, one cannot live, just as a person cannot live without some enjoyment for his mind.”

From a lecture on the Appearance Day of Lord Ramacandra on March 27, 1969, in Honolulu, Hawaii:

As the waves of the river or the ocean cannot be counted, the incarnations of the Supreme Lord cannot be counted, but the principle ones are mentioned.

Ayodhya is situated about 500 northeast of New Delhi.

Just one day before Lord Rama’s coronation, his father’s youngest wife requested that her son, Bharata, be coronated instead and Rama be sent to the forest for 14 years.

You can claim to be richer than Rockefeller, but no one can claim to be richer than God.

Rama demonstrated His opulence of supreme renunciation by agreeing to give up the throne and to live in the forest.

What to speak of the forest, Sita said she was willing to go to hell if Rama went there, thus she showed the example of ideal wife.

Rama was willing to massacre the entire family of Ravana to get Sita back after Ravana had kidnapped her, thus setting an ideal example of a husband protecting a wife.

One brahmana would not take his meal until seeing Lord Rama and offering obeisances to Him. When Lord Rama was out of town, he would fast till Rama returned. Laksmana informed Lord Rama of the devotion of the brahmana, and Lord Rama had delivered to that brahmana a statue of Him that was worshiped in the family of King Iksvaku prior to His appearance, but which was then in a closet because the Lord was Himself present. [In this way the brahmana could offer respect to the deity of Lord Rama daily and eat his meals when Rama was out of town.]

We observe His appearance day not because Rama is a great king. So many great kings have been there, but Lord Rama is the king of all kings, the Supreme Lord.

We take advantage of these appearance days to associate with the Supreme Lord, for by associating with the Lord, we become purified.

Sanatana Goswami:

From Sri Brihad-bhagavatamrita 2.3.184:

[The Vaikuntha-dutas:] “Dearer to the Lord than even His own beautiful form, His easily worshiped holy name benefits the entire world. Indeed, nothing is as full of nectar as the holy name of the Lord.”

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

From 64 Principles for Community, Principle 13:

“If we want to follow the path of true auspiciousness, we should give up the countless opinions of people and only hear the words of the Vedas.”

Bhakti Charu Swami:

Through the drama the message becomes clear and relishable.

We are Gaudiya Vaishnavas. Although Lord Caitanya appeared in the Brahma-Madhava sampradaya, one of the four Vaishnava sampradayas, His presentation was markedly different. The destination of the four sampradayas is Vaikuntha, but Lord Caitanya taught the destination is Goloka Vrindavan. This was not known before His time.

In Vrindavan Krishna is not thought of as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

There are two kinds of forgetfulness of Krishna, in ignorance and in love. We are always experiencing forgetfulness in ignorance.

If a mother’s son becomes president, although she knows he is the president, she will still treat him as her son.

The devotees of Krishna in Vrindavana think, “Whether You are the Supreme Lord or not does not matter. Our loving relationship with You is what matters.”

Krishna’s desire is to drown His devotees in an ocean of ecstasy through His pastimes.

The actions of Krishna make the devotees ecstatic, and the actions of the devotees make Krishna ecstatic.

Krishna makes His devotees forget His supremacy so they can engage in intimate relationships with Him.

Although no one can become equal to or greater than Krishna, Krishna can become equal or inferior in His pastimes.

Yogamaya even makes Krishna forget that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Krishna would feed the monkeys so much butter they could not eat any more. Then He would break the pots, saying, “This butter is so bad even the monkeys will not eat it.”

A gopi caught Krishna in the act of stealing her butter to prove to His mother He was creating some mischief. When she brought Him before His mother, He transformed into the gopi’s own son, thus frustrating her plan in order to protect Himself. Then when the gopi took the boy home, He resumed His form as Krishna. The gopi complained about His tricky behavior, and Krishna threatened to turn Himself into her husband if she ever caught Him again.

Abhimanyu is said to be Krishna’s shadow, and thus Radharani did not have a relationship with anyone other than Krishna.

Once Radharani’s in-laws thought they had caught Krishna for sure, because although He escaped from Her room unseen at the last moment, He left His flute there. To exonerate Krishna, Paurnamasi explained that there had been a storm of flutes raining from the sky that night, and thus one will find flutes in all kinds of unexpected places. When Radharani’s relatives went outside they saw flutes wherever they looked, and thus they could no longer accuse Krishna of being in Radha’s room.

Krishna did not like Radha being criticized for being unchaste so he devised a way to glorify Her. He told His mother he felt sick. Yashoda went looking for a vaidya, and coincidentally as soon as she went out, one was walking by. The vaidya examined Krishna and said the only cure was water from the Yamuna to be carried in a certain bucket that was full of holes. When Yashoda inquired how it would be possible to carry water in a bucket full of holes, the vaidya explained it would be possible for a chaste woman to do it. Those considered the most chaste women in Vrindavan all tried, but the water leaked out every time. Finally, Radharani was encouraged to try. Her in-laws thought it was ludicrous. They had even failed themselves. Radharani tried and was most successful, and thus her reputation has a chaste lady was restored. Krishna had appeared in the form of the vaidya to facilitate that pastime.

The five types of relationships that exist in the material world, which is the reflection of the spiritual world, must exist in the spiritual world itself.

In Vaikuntha you find the relationships of neutrality and servitude with the Lord. In Ayodhya there is some friendship. In Dvaraka, there are some friendship, parenthood, and conjugal love. In Goloka Vrindavan, friendship, parenthood, and conjugal love are fully manifest.

Bhakti Vikasa Swami:

From a recorded lecture given in Mumbai:

Human life, in which we can pursue self-realization, is very short, especially in this age. In Mumbai the average life expectancy is 52 years. There ten people commit suicide every day, and fifteen people die on the trains.

At least there must be some little austerity. Otherwise there is no chance of purification.

If one becomes materially educated, one becomes proud of having knowledge that is of no ultimate importance, in this way, from the spiritual point of view he is worse off.

Mumbai was not developed for spiritual advancement, but you can make spiritual advancement here simply by following the practice of Krishna consciousness.

Adikarta Prabhu:

The entanglement of the karmi [one who works for his own sense enjoyment] is practically unlimited, but all the devotee’s activities are freeing himself.

The life of a devotee is difficult, but the result is that we become free from material entanglement.

It may seem hard to chant japa but it is a lot easier than living the life of a karmi who is entangled in so many ways.

Srila Prabhupada said that unless we read all his books we will fall down. His books are filled with so many details about the spiritual world that it creates a sense of wonder within us.

There is evidence that Indian culture was spread all over the world. No knowledge really came into India, but India exported knowledge all over the world. Western intellectuals deprecated the Indian culture.

I was distributing books at a music concert where the music was so loud it shook the van that I was staying in with three brahmacaris.

Krishna made this world difficult if you are not a devotee.

It may take more than one life to attain perfection in devotion to Krishna, but we should understand that there is nothing higher.

The mind creates so many problems. We have to understand that devotional service is the only solution.

The real nectar is giving out Krishna consciousness to others because Krishna rewards you.

When you get a higher taste, you can actually become detached from material life. You can come to think of your past material activities as foolish – “you mean I did that?”

If we have a project we can fix our minds on, that will help.

It is not that everyone has to do book distribution, but everyone should consider that it is very important.

Q (by Bhaktin Aris): How can I preach as a new devotee?

A: If you are enthusiastic, you believe in Krishna’s message, and you are sincere, then you can preach. When you think about it, you are much more advanced than practically anyone in Tallahassee.

It is important to understand that Krishna is nondifferent from His name, from His form, and from His pastimes, because Krishna is absolute. We may not understand how this is true, but we should have faith in it because all the previous acaryas [spiritual teachers] said it.

We can understand the greatness of Nama Acharya Haridas Thakura, who appreciated the truth about the holy name, by the fact that Lord Caitanya personally danced with his body after his death, arranged to put his body in samadhi, and begged donations from the shopkeepers for a festival in his honor.

Comment by Nama Kirtan Prabhu: The great thing about Krishna consciousness is that whatever background you come from, if you are serious about the practice, you can make great advancement spiritually.

Srila Prabhupada told Indradyumna Swami, “Preach Krishna consciousness and have faith in the holy name.”

In France people were so materialistic when they heard the chanting they would cover their ears. Srila Prabhupada told the devotees they should remove the people’s hands from their ears so they could hear the holy name.

We have to be self-critical to make sure we do not deviate and that we try to improve.

We may not be able to give everything to Krishna immediately, but we should try.

You encounter little children who spontaneously do not want to eat meat and who become vegetarian. This is because of spiritual advancement made in their previous lives.

For a devotee death is not something to be afraid of because if we chant the name of the Lord we will be protected.

King Pariksit was not worried about dying. He just wanted the assembled sages to continue to chant the glories of the Lord.

If we just live for our sense gratification, we will get another material body.

Krishna is pleased even with a little bit of service.

To love and to be loved is our primal need. Love starts by being grateful.

Srila Prabhupada saw Jayananda Prabhu’s death as auspicious because he was liberated from his miserable material body and because of his full engagement in devotional service, he would attain the spiritual world.

We have to insulate ourselves from material enjoyment by hearing devotional sound.

We have to be very sincere because we cannot fool Krishna.

If we chant and hear about Krishna, He will help us to remember Him.

We should admit we made a mistake in coming to this material world.

We should see difficulties as tests from Krishna. My friend, Srutidharma Prabhu, president of Bhaktivedanta Manor, has brain cancer. It is in five places so it cannot be operated on. He is seeing it as a test from Krishna to bring him to a higher level of devotional service.

We should never think that Krishna is being unkind to us.

The gopis’ minds are completely absorbed in Krishna because He is so beautiful and is such a wonderful person.

The clouds in the spiritual world are conscious, and they choose to shade Krishna from the sun and to sprinkle drops of cooling rain.

Krishna gives us Bhagavad-gita to tell us what to do and to inform us of life’s goal.

If you give in charity to a hospital, you get implicated in the karmic reactions for all the meat fed to the patients.

They say the Balaji temple has existed for millions of years.

You can worship any of the forms of Lord Vishnu, but that worship should be without any selfish motive.

To be sincere means to have no other ultimate interest than becoming a pure devotee of the Lord.

Unmotivated and uninterrupted does not mean we do not take a break or go to another place but that wherever we go we engage in pure devotional service.

We cannot be artificially renounced because the result is we will get back into sense gratification again in a big way.

If you make a wrong decision, you can suffer for a long time. Therefore, it is important to consult others before making decisions.

One devotee I know has a father, who in a rage, killed his mother and had to be imprisoned for life.

Srila Prabhupada called England the “Green Hell,” because of the cold and the rain, and Switzerland the “White Hell,” because of the snow.

There are not many superstars in ISKCON, but even the ordinary devotees who do their services steadily with faith go back to Godhead.

Comment by Nama Kirtan Prabhu: There are some devotees who are really renounced personally, like Radhanath Swami, but who do not force others to be so strict. In America, if you try to force people to be strict, it will backfire because they will rebel.

Everyone has a different way they achieve detachment. King Yayati was enthusiastic to enjoy sex but realized in the course of his enjoyment that he was becoming lustier and lustier instead of becoming satisfied. Thus he gave it up and engaged in devotional service to the Lord. King Bharata, although he gave up his kingdom, became attached to a fawn while meditating in the forest. Having to take birth as a deer for one life made him serious about detachment in the next.

It is easy to become covered over because Maya is always looking for our weakness to tempt us because as a pure devotee of Krishna she does not want to let anyone with any material desires disturb Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada said that sense gratification is like salt. We need some sense gratification but not too much. And it should not be sinful sense gratification. We have to figure out for ourselves the proper amount.

A devotee may or may not be surrounded by opulence, but we can understand his advancement from his absorption in Krishna’s service regardless of his external situation.

We are trying to attain a situation where nothing material will tempt us.

Comments by Nama Kirtan Prabhu:

I have a tendency to criticize people, but I can see it does not really benefit me or them. After all, I am not in a position to judge another person. I do better to focus on my spiritual development.

Jim Carrey, a famous actor said, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.”

Satyaraja Prabhu:

From “The Life of a Text: Bhagavad-gita Through the Ages” in Back to Godhead, Vol 52, No. 4 (July / August 2018):

“Most of all, Srila Prabhupada’s edition [of Bhagavad-gita] is significant in that it stands as a challenge to all armchair philosophers who depart from the Gita’s central teaching of devotional service to Krishna.”

“But the Gita is clear that the essence of reality involves embracing Krishna’s personal form with heart, mind, and soul. All aspects of Godhead are contained in Him. This truth, says Prabhupada, is not meant to be taken metaphorically. The Gita (18.75) carefully records this with the words krishnat saksat kathayatah svayam, which clearly indicate that Krishna was directly (saksat) in front of Arjuna articulating these teachings personally (svayam). Thus, given that this was Prabhupada’s emphasis, his Gita may be considered the most accurate and true to the original text.”

Visakha Dasi:

From “Tests” in Back to Godhead, Vol 52, No. 4 (July / August 2018):

“Once we come to love God, Krishna, we stop testing Him. Pure love for Krishna means that whatever He may be, He is our lovable object and He alone, no one else, is the worshipable Lord of our hearts. Our only business is to love Him.”

Vaikuntha Prabhu:

If we are not careful, Krishna warns, we can get caught up in responding to dualities, and that can divert us from our real mission.

Mostly we are clueless about what is going on in the bodies of others, but still we are more than willing to judge them.

I first read the Penguin Gita. I thought, “Wow! That is a cool book!” But I had no idea that I was a spiritual soul and that I was supposed to surrender to Krishna.

We are hankering for an ocean of bliss, but this material body and this material world are not capable are delivering that. Prasadam and kirtan can.

These miseries of birth, death, disease, and old age are completely unnatural for the eternal soul, and thus they are such a disturbance for us.

The sages of India understand that this material world is inherently miserable, and so rather than spending our brief time in trying to counteract the miseries, it is better to strive to attain an eternal spiritual situation by practicing devotional service.

If we act for Krishna we do not have to worry about the results because they are Krishna’s concern.

In The Nectar of Devotion I read that by engaging in devotional service one becomes free from anxieties, and I actually would experience that. I would be washing the temple floor and playing a Prabhupada lecture, and there was no anxiety.

In every service, all you have to do is try your best. Krishna does not need the results. He is just interested in our love and devotion. Krishna does not need our water. He has oceans.

Indradyumna Swami says, “Share your good fortune with those who are less fortunate.”

Q (by Daniel): When you were becoming a devotee what service did you like to do?

A: Before I joined the temple, I used to like to help build the Ratha-yatra carts in the summer. As a brahmacari, I liked to clean the temple and play a Prabhupada lecture.

There are animals that are more expert in gratifying their senses than humans, and if that is our only interest, we can attain such animal forms.

What you like to do, do that for Krishna. By doing that, you become purified and come up to the level of asking Krishna what He wants you to do for Him. That is bhakti.

Our birthright is to attain that love of Krishna that is in our hearts.

Q (by Daniel): Are there senior devotees who have given you inspiration?

A: There are many. I hitchhiked to the temple for the free feast. One lady gave me Sri Isopanisad. I apologized for having no money to give. She said I could have it for free. Next time I went to the temple, someone gave me Krishna book. I saw Vishnujana Maharaja for the first time in Miami. I never saw someone chant with such concentration on the Deities. It was amazing. Jayapataka Swami stayed in my guest room in San Diego. When I drove him to the airport, I asked where he was going. His ticket was like an accordion, so many places.

He explained, “I have a lot of disciples in places where there are very few senior devotees, and thus I go there for two days every year instead for four or five days every two years.”

Jananivasa Prabhu said, “Whenever I see Jayapataka Swami, I think, ‘Here is someone who lives for the benefit of others.’”

My family lives in Mayapur. Mayapur is great for young people.

Comment by me: Yes, in Mayapur there is little maya and a lot of Krishna consciousness.

While explaining the Ajamila pastime in which Krishna arranged that Ajamila named his child Narayana so he would remember Him, Srila Prabhupada said that Krishna will always do that, unless one is offensive to guru or devotees, then it is very difficult.

Srila Prabhupada explained that in the guru-puja song “cittete” means “heart” and “consciousness,” and thus the disciple must take the order of the guru completely seriously, not considering anything else. Regarding his spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world, he indicated his success was due to his complete dedication to his guru’s order. He said, “I did it. It is not my pride. I am telling you for your instruction.”

Srila Prabhupada was so spiritual you could not think of him ever departing this world.

When I heard that day Srila Prabhupada had left this world, I first thought the movement would be finished, but that day I stayed at the temple, and by the end of the day, seeing how the devotees were still absorbed in their services and that the deity services were going on, I understood that the movement would continue.

I met devotees who got a book, and then went to the temple the next day and are still there.

Srila Prabhupada has tracked down each one of us, giving us Krishna consciousness in the most potent way.

I learned from Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami in Mayapur that Krishna’s relationships are so nice because Krishna is the supreme controller and the supreme enjoyer, and so He is not striving for that in His relationships. In the case of ourselves, our attempts to establish ourselves as enjoyers and controllers tend to adversely affect our relationships.

Saints have given us these activities of devotional service to help ferry us beyond the material ocean.

In addition to doing our activities for Krishna, we should think of Krishna within our minds. Vaisesika Prabhu has verse cards with him, and he is always learning verses, even waiting in line at the bank.

The idea is to find the situation that meets your mental, physical, and emotional needs, and then get on with the real business of self-realization.

On a ferris wheel, we may be up or down, and we may enjoy the different views, but we do not really get on with our life until we get off. So it is also with samsara, the cycle of repeated birth and death. Our real life does not begin until we get off.

We have to take care of the needs of our body and the needs of our family, but to make all these activities worthwhile, we should have a program of benefiting ourselves and others spiritually.

Srila Prabhupada glanced through a magazine on an airline once and afterward told a disciple, “No devotee should read these because they make the material world seem like an attractive place.”

If we give things to Krishna, He will keep giving us more and more.

From one of the Puranas, there is a story about Arjuna’s visit to Dvaraka. Krishna set him up in a nice palace as a guest. Rukminidevi, Krishna’s wife, noticed that Krishna was leaving her side in the middle of the night. She was curious, and so she followed Him one night. Being omniscient, He could understand her desire, and encouraged her to come with Him. They went to Arjuna’s palace, and Krishna showed her that Arjuna’s body was vibrating His name, even in his sleep.

From a conversation after Ratha-yatra:

Maya is all promise. Krishna is all substance.

Caitanya Carana Prabhu:

From “Don’t Identify With the Mind . . . Identify the Mind” in Back to Godhead, Vol 52, No. 4 (July / August 2018):

“To identify with the mind means to accept its desires as our desires and act according to them. To identify the mind means to recognize that the desires popping up inside us are the mind’s desires – ‘Aha! That’s the mind speaking’ – and to evaluate them intelligently before deciding what to do with them.”

“Ultimately, to identify the mind instead of identifying with the mind, we need to identify with Krishna, as His eternal parts. When we become situated and satisfied in serving Krishna, we use the mind to elevate ourselves.”

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Everyone wants to enjoy unlimited happiness, but in this civilization it is thought that that can be achieved through sense gratification. Bhagavad-gita dispels this illusion and reveals the true path to unlimited happiness, concentration on the Supreme [Krishna]. It makes sense that unlimited happiness is attainable by concentration on the unlimited not the finite. We feel happy when in the presence of happy people, and so it is reasonable to conclude that we would feel the most happy in the association of God, the most happy person.

bahya-sparsheshv asaktatma

vindaty atmani yat sukham

sa brahma-yoga-yuktatma

sukham akshayam ashnute

“Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure but is always in trance, enjoying the pleasure within. In this way the self-realized person enjoys unlimited happiness, for he concentrates on the Supreme.” (Bhagavad-gita 5.21)