Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 14, No. 20
By Krishna-kripa das
(October 2018, part two)
New York City and Albany Area
(Sent from Yuga Dharma Ashram in New York City on November 7, 2018)
Where I Went and What I Did
Where I Went and What I Did
For
the second half of October I stayed in the Yuga Dharma Ashram in
uptown Manhattan and chanted Hare Krishna with the devotees for six
hours in good weather at Union Square Park or in bad weather either
at Times Square, Penn Station, Grand Central
or Jackson Heights / Roosevelt
Ave. subway stations. New
York City devotees did an extra harinama
for
Halloween on the last day of the month and at least eighteen
participated. I spent
the third weekend in October visiting my family in Albany and doing a lot of
cooking, some shopping, attending an alternative energy seminar and a
Quaker meeting and luncheon, and watching the Hare
Krishna! film with my
family.
I
share Srila Prabhupada’s realization of the importance of the songs
of Narottama Dasa Thakura and insights from a purport of his to Sri
Caitanya-caritamrita. I
share excerpts from my favorites among the many devotional poems
extracted from Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami’s series Every
Day, Just Write,
by Rev. John Endler, a friend and follower of his, for
a new book.
I share many deep realizations from the morning classes of Rama Raya
Prabhu, leader of the Yuga Dharma Ashram in New York City, who has
practiced Krishna consciousness for forty years. I also share notes
on the classes by Vishnu-citta Prabhu, who greatly assists Rama Raya
in the management of the Ashram. I share a realization and an appreciation of Satsvarupa
Dasa Goswami’s writing by Rev. John Endler and a quote from
Christian mystic and writer, Evelyn Underhill.
Many,
many thanks to Victor Anderson, my sister’s partner, who kindly
contributed to my travel expenses to Albany. Extra special thanks to my niece, Fern Bm, who let me have her old iPhone 5, so I can now take videos with good audio quality.
Thanks
to Mangal Arati Das Ramnarine and Mert Özer for their videos. Thanks
to all the devotees taking videos of the New York City Halloween
Harinama, which include Bhaktas Sasha and Jeremy, Divyangi Devi Dasi,
and Bhaktins Masha and Yana. Thanks
to Divyangi Devi Dasi for the many photos of the Yuga Dharma Ashram
harinamas.
Itinerary
October
1–: New York City Yuga Dharma Harinama Party
December
8: Bhagavad-gita class at 26 Second Avenue
December
24: Albany, New York, for Christmas Eve
January
8–17: FSU Tallahassee
January
18–20: BI Gainesville Consciousness Conference
January
21: Gainesville Martin Luther King Day parade
January
27: Tampa Gasparilla Pirate Parade harinama
Chanting
Hare Krishna with the Yuga Dharma Ashram in New York City
We
had a couple of devotees visiting the end of October, namely Srila
Prabhupada disciple, Sunanda Prabhu, and former member of our Yuga
Dharma party, Ananta Gauranga Prabhu.
Sunanda
Prabhu, who formerly cooked Krishna
Lunch in Gainesville and presently works with the Temple of the Vedic
Planetarium, chants Hare Krishna at Union Square, enlivening the Yuga
Dharma NYC harinama
devotees by his enthusiasm and devotion
(https://youtu.be/9W4qTKXKGmI):
Ananta
Gauranga Prabhu, who was formerly was part of the Yuga Dharma Ashram
and who briefly visited New York City after traveling for many
months with Harinama Ruci, chants Hare Krishna at Union Square Park
(https://youtu.be/baQsXbTT5v4):
Besides
our special guests, the end of October was special because the most spiritual of all months, the holy month of Karttika (Damodara) began
on October 25. Devotees on the Yuga Dharma Ashram harinama
party encouraged passersby to offer lamps to Krishna in His form of
Damodara during Karttika. The revealed literatures declare: “When
one offers a lamp during the month of Karttika, his sins in many
thousands and millions of births perish in half an eye blink. . . . A
person who offers a lamp to Lord Krishna during Karttika attains the
eternal spiritual world where there is no suffering. . . . One who
offers a steady lamp to Lord Hari during the month of Karttika enjoys
pastimes in Lord Hari's splendid spiritual world.” These video
clips are from the Union Square and Grand Central subway stations
(https://youtu.be/UYbDqpYAc6M):
Besides Union Square and its subway station, we would chant at different subway stations such as Times Square
Penn Station,
Grand Central,
and Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue.
I would play the shakers and distribute the pamphlets
sometimes sitting
and sometimes standing.
Rama
Raya Prabhu, our leader, led
many lively kirtans as usual during
the second half of October.
Here
Rama
Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Grand Central Station, and a
passerby dances, encouraged by Mahotsaha Prabhu
(https://youtu.be/8szVKV5O2qg):
Rama
Raya Prabhu chants an increasing lively Hare Krishna tune in Penn
Station, Kalki and Mahotsaha Prabhus dance in jubilation, and a
passerby either pounds a coffee cup into the floor or claps in time
with the music (https://youtu.be/e3Ez2f6OGV4):
Rama
Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square and devotees dance
(https://youtu.be/FJ7_TCU62Xk):
Rama
Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights, and a man plays
shakers and listens for the rest of the evening
(https://youtu.be/C-HQ9Jh-6qA):
Besides
chanting on harinama
in
New York City, Rama Raya Prabhu occasionally chants at other venues:
Here
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna during the second kirtan after
giving the Saturday night Bhagavad-gita class at 26 2nd Avenue and
devotees dance (https://youtu.be/LEQNl_zpySY):
Sometimes
Rama Raya Prabhu would dance while the others sang. Here Natabara
Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Penn Station, and Rama Raya
Prabhu dances (https://youtu.be/E4EZT57MHvA):
Here
Natabara
Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Grand Central, and a passing
musician plays and chants. Every week when she sees us, she stops by
and plays and chants for five minutes or so. She has many of the
books, and she always leaves a donation
(https://youtu.be/s-ajMcSFdY8):
Here
Mahotsaha
Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights, and a lady
enthusiastically plays shakers and dances
(https://youtu.be/2477ZuJd01Q):
Different
devotees lead the chanting of Hare Krishna during the afternoon and
early evening at Union Square, while kids in queue for a Halloween
show play the shakers, sometimes dance, and occasionally chant Hare
Krishna (https://youtu.be/ef6P8fXGHFw):
Kaliya
Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Union Square, and a small girl
plays shakers. Facebook video by Mangal Arati Das Ramnarine
(https://youtu.be/Q4q12U-RtZI):
As
you may have noticed in the above video, I was also filming the same
scene, with higher video resolution but lower audio quality. I also
show how the girl later accepts a piece of prasadam
candy and a Jagannatha sticker (https://youtu.be/EXJ-ewBPOWE):
Kaliya
Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna briefly in Union Square another
day. Video by Mert Özer (https://youtu.be/psk0IctGpbI):
Priya
Krishna Prabhu sometimes
joins us after work as here when he
chanted
Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights, and Russian devotee ladies danced
(https://youtu.be/t5ih1S_nLRM):
Here
Priya
Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Times Square subway station,
and Richard dances (https://youtu.be/q6OVNRIwx6c):
Padmalaya
Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Union Square subway station
(https://youtu.be/4l6ITefk3iI):
When
I wasn’t taking videos of the chanting, I was chanting the
response, playing the shakers, distributing pamphlets and watching
the book table as seen in this video of the same kirtan by Mert Özer
(https://youtu.be/jaXpE25KHlY):
Kaliya
Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Penn Station, and a passerby
dances (https://youtu.be/fZXPwZOrLlQ):
Krishna
Prasad Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Penn Station, and a passerby
dances (https://youtu.be/Gn9Ak0Q_DtU):
Kaliya
Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square, and devotees
dance and a kid plays the shakers (https://youtu.be/kdSdgfYOetc):
For
years in the Times Square and Grand Central subway stations this
Korean Christian preacher lady and her friends have stationed
themselves in front of our chanting parties and hurled Christian
dogma at us instead
of peacefully preaching in another part of the station.
Sometimes the police have had to intervene. Our dancing around her
here is a humorous response to the situation
(https://youtu.be/PxcVOw4DAzI):
Chanting
Hare Krishna on Halloween in New York City
Even
though it is so late in the autumn, it was warm enough to chant
outside in Union Square Park on Halloween. Some costumed entities
participated by playing the shakers and dancing as you can see in the
two videos below:
Kishor
Gopal Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square on Halloween, and a
costumed kid dances with delight (https://youtu.be/M1vBMRuKt24):
Rama
Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Halloween in Union Square Park,
and devotees and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/6P12DB6NujA):
Our book distributors would encounter costumed entities and try to sell them books.
This angel is being given the chance this Halloween to purchase literature to develop her dormant divine qualities to the highest level.
One regular local costumed performer posed for a photo with our chanting party.
After
our daily harinama
which
is
from
1:30 to 7:30 p.m. I organized an extra harinama
for
Halloween evening from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. because the streets would be
filled with so many people in a party mood.
Last year we had only six
devotees, but this year we had at least eighteen. Eight were regulars
or supporters of our Yuga Dharma Ashram harinamas.
Four
were regulars at Atmanivedana Prabhu's Saturday Gita
class
at 26 Second Avenue, Murali Gopal Prabhu came from the Bhakti Center,
and five ladies came
from
the New York City congregation
of Russian-speaking devotees.
On
our extra
Halloween harinama
I played
my
harmonium
and led for
the first hour or so.
Mangal Arati Prabhu played drum
for
the first
hour, and
then Murali Gopal Prabhu took over.
Vrinda Devi Dasi played
karatalas.
Other
people played karatalas
and
a couple shakers I had picked up in Mayapur. Ken brought and
distributed prasadam
cookies.
One Russian lady distributed the YumEarth organic candies we
distribute on our daily harinamas.
Two
Russian ladies danced wonderfully
the
entire harinama.
Many devotees took videos
which I was very happy about because I was playing the instruments or
leading the
whole
time.
After
I led, Jeremy Pennewell led playing karatalas.
I played the mrdanga,
and Murali Gopal Prabhu played harmonium.
We
chanted back and forth on 14th
Street between Fourth Avenue and Fifth Avenue a few times and the
scheduled time to end the harinama
had
come, but
we kept going almost a full half hour at Union Square Park,
with
Vrinda
Devi Dasi of Russia
leading
the final Hare Krishna kirtan
while two costumed men danced with devotees.
Although
I was playing the drum, I could not restrain myself from also taking of
video of
the costumed men dancing with us (https://youtu.be/O2oX4ZrQL0I):
Many
devotees thanked me for organizing that harinama,
and
I thank all of them for participating in so many different and important
ways. Special thanks to Sasha for advertising the event.
We
hope to do a special harinama
on
New Year's Eve with greater participation.
My
Albany Visit
Renewable
Energy and Sustainable Living Fair
When
my sister Karen picked me up at the Rensselaer train station, the
first of the two Megabus stops in the Albany area, we went to visit
my 94-year-old mother, Pat, who was helping out at the third annual
Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair, also in Rensselaer,
put on by a group called Community Advocates for Sustainable Energy.
My mother has been a social activist ever since I was a teenager, and
helping out with such an event is natural for her. The event was
described in the Troy
Record to
be “the largest event of its kind in the Capital District [the
metropolitan area around Albany, New York].”
As
Hare Krishna devotees we understand it is a problem that people are
abusing the earth to attain an artificially high standard of material
enjoyment. A couple of verses from Sri
Isopanishad (1–2)
which
I often cite in my attempts to sell the book, explain how human
beings should live: “Everything animate or inanimate that is within
the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should
therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are
set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things,
knowing well to whom they belong. One may aspire to live for hundreds
of years if he continuously goes on working in that way, for that
sort of work will not bind him to the law of karma. There is no
alternative to this way for man.” Of course, we are taking way more
than our quota and thus causing trouble to other residents of the
earth and accruing all kinds of bad karma.
Some
devotees use methane produced from cow manure (biogas) and diesel
engines powered with vegetable oil as alternatives to the petroleum
industry, which is known for damaging the environment.
Walking
from the car through the parking lot to the Doane Stuart School, the
venue of the event, we encountered three Tesla cars, which my sister
recognized.
Apparently a company called Tesla, named after Nikola
Tesla, a famed Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer,
mechanical engineer, and futurist, makes several electric cars. Some
are said to be self-driving. Apparently only some of the self-driving
features are used as the state has banned fully self-driving cars,
probably a good idea!
Different
groups were tabling, informing people of different environmental
facts, such as industries which contribute to environmental
destruction, like:
the
meat industry
and the
defense industry.
As
I left I noticed a pro-environment poster that was not part of the
fair
but from the school in which the fair was held.
but from the school in which the fair was held.
Cooking
at Home
Saturday
was Ekadasi. I never plan to go home on Ekadasi because there are fewer cooking options, but that turned out to be the best day for other
reasons. I decided to make the famous ISKCON classic known Gauranga
Potatoes. I searched Google for Gauranga Potatoes, and at the top of
the search was this web page,
http://www.food.krishna.com/recipe/gauranga-potatoes,
a recipe by Kurma Prabhu on Krishna.com.
Some say it is not good to use turmeric powder on Ekadasi as it is
cut with rice flour, so I bought fresh turmeric root at the coop,
which reminded me of Mayapur, the only other place I have bought
fresh turmeric. It was another great Kurma recipe, coming out
perfectly, and everyone loved it. When I left, I asked Victor if I
should leave the leftover with him or take it on my journey, and he
wanted me to leave it. At the same time I made coconut burfi,
flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg, for the Quaker meeting luncheon the third Sunday in the month, the next day.
On
Sunday as a main dish for the Quaker luncheon I made the
carrot-coconut rice from Yamuna's cookbook because it is easy and it
comes out perfect every time. My mother thoughtfully saved out some
salad for me, before adding the mushrooms and dressing with garlic to
it. Usually between twenty and forty people come for the Quaker
lunch, and it is one of my prasadam
distribution
venues when I go home.
During
the lunch I talked to one Quaker I remember for many years named
David Barnard, and I added to his understanding of Hinduism. He, like
many people, thought of Hinduism as polytheistic and did not realize
that the main book that practically all Hindus accept, Bhagavad-gita,
promotes
worship of the one Supreme Lord and actually rejects the worship of
many gods.
On the way out of the Quaker meeting house I saw this bumper sticker. I was going to make a photo of it, but they said I could keep it.
For
dinner we made spaghetti and koftas
using the recipe from Yamuna's cookbook. I let the koftas
soak longer in the sauce this time, so they were juicer, perhaps too
much so. Still it was very good. Ginger beer I acquired a taste for, being turned on to it when I was in college by my temple president, Kesihanta Prabhu, who would have one with a friend after the Sunday Feast.
Appreciations
of the Hare Krishna! Film by My Family
I showed the Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami who started it all film to my mother, Pat, my sister, Karen, and my sister’s partner, Victor.
My
mother recognized Radhanath Swami from seeing him in person, and
Victor recognized him from seeing a recorded video of his dialog with
Dr. Cornel West during one of my previous visits.
I
pointed out Yamuna Devi to my family as they know her from her big
cookbook, and I told my mother that Visakha Dasi, whose book she had read,
along with her husband, had produced the film.
My
family members found it striking in different ways.
My
mother was so impressed by Srila Prabhupada’s determination in the
beginning, struggling alone in New York City with no one to assist
him. Although things did not look hopeful, he never gave up. My
mother also recalled that brainwashing case in the Supreme Court in
New York where the judge recognized Hare Krishna to be a true
religion with roots in India for thousands of years, considering it
to be an important case for civil rights.
Karen
thought that it was great that they kept the name Matchless Gifts on
the storefront after Srila Prabhupada relocated there. She said that
in the United States at that time “Greenwich Village is about the only
place he could have taken the chanting to the streets,” and “San
Francisco is the only other place he could have pulled that thing
off.” She found it striking that he came to America simply because his
guru asked him to.
Victor
was very touched by the humanness of Srila Prabhupada although he was
a great spiritual leader, and he appreciated his innocence and
deep devotion. Prabhupada was like a loving father to his disciples.
He often looked like his eyes were filled with tears of a compassion
that was not occasional but a steady feature of his being. You could
feel the pain of his disciples who were worried whether he would
become well enough to return from India. What if he had not come back
from India?
Victor
was inspired to add a couple of Hare Krishna mantras to his daily
spiritual practice the next morning, and he found it very calming on
his mind. I mentioned that if he chanted five minutes of Hare Krishna
before his silent meditation every day that he would find his silent
meditation would be improved because the Hare Krishna mantra would
put his mind in a very calm state.
Striking
Photos
Hare
Krishna: Easy to switch. Easy to save.
Previously I chanted a TM mantra, but I found it easy to switch to Hare Krishna. TM focuses on the impersonal feature of the Supreme rather than the personal form of Lord Krishna. Although accepting that path as bona fide, Lord Krishna says, “For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied.” (Bg. 12.5) Thus I consider that I saved myself a lot of trouble!
Hare
Krishna: Invest with Confidence.
“God
Belongs in My City,” a phrase that Hare Krishnas and other theists can agree with, is
campaign slogan of a Christian youth group protesting atheistic propaganda in New
York City. Learn more about their story at
http://godbelongsinmycity.com/.
Avid
readers speak of getting lost in the stacks at the library, but
unfortunately the vast majority of books in the library cannot award
one spiritual perfection. This fortunate lady is now happy to have the chance to read
books, namely Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, that are “a different creation, full of transcendental words
directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of
this world’s misdirected civilization. Such transcendental
literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and
accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.11)
This passerby (on the right), upon hearing the chanting of Hare Krishna, felt inspired to sit in the middle of the floor of the Penn Station subway station corridor in half lotus position.
One lady, while holding an ice cream bar she was eating in one hand, received an armload of books from Mahotsaha Prabhu, one of our most enthusiastic book distributors, in the other.Insights
Srila
Prabhupada:
Quoted
in Srila
Prabhupada-lilamrta:
“The
prayers of Narottama dasa Thakura, this sound is above the material
platform. It is directly from the spiritual platform. And there is no
need of understanding the language. It is just like a thunderburst.
Everyone can hear the sound of thunder – there is no
misunderstanding. Similarly, these songs are above the material
platform, and they crack like thunder within your heart.”
From
Sri
Caitanya-caritamrita 13.67,
purport:
“A
bona fide devotee of Lord Krishna is always pained to see the fallen
condition of the whole world. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
used to say, ‘There is no scarcity of anything within this world.
The only scarcity is of Krishna consciousness.’ That is the vision
of all pure devotees. Because of this lack of Krishna consciousness
in human society, people are suffering terribly, being merged in an
ocean of nescience and sense gratification. A devotee onlooker is
very much aggrieved to see such a situation in the world.”
Satsvarupa
Dasa Goswami:
From “Jagannatha is Kind” in The Waves
at Jagannatha Puri:
“I
was married and now I am free,
free
as a bird
in
a cage of my making.”
From “Poem 7” in The Waves at Jagannatha Puri:
“By
4:30 A.M., long before sunrise, they
are
out on the beach. A tea walla
sets up a
bench,
and they sit there facing the
ocean,
twenty feet from the waves’ edge,
sipping
tea in glasses, huddled
in
the cold, blankets, jackets
and
later walking in larger groups
across
the sands, not doing anything,
just
walking, and when one sees a
crab
they all gather around.
I
like their innocent do-
nothingness,
the no-ghetto-blaster mood,
the
no fighting, no bikinis, no strutting,
and
even though their visit is a karmi’s
vacation,
they go for a darsana
of
Lord
Jagannatha.”
From “Poem 9” in The
Waves at Jagannatha Puri:
“It
seems that when we open the floor, people immediately start
complaining or talk politics or try to hurt someone with their
outpouring of grief. I don’t mind grief, but speak it in a way that
it sounds like blues music. Speak everyone’s sadness or make the
Krishna conscious element so true and full of yearning and
appreciation that we don’t mind the pain. Don’t be a twig that
snaps off the Caitanya tree in the wind. Bend, be flexible, and keep
going.”
From “Music Box” in The
Waves at Jagannatha Puri:
“Christ
and Krishna, don’t make a
fight
between them.”
From “Many Lives” in The
Waves at Jagannatha Puri:
“Love
to be there one day
but
so far I struggle
for
strength each day –
I
want to be a devotee,
make
a bee-line to His lotus feet,
but
ecstasies must be paid for,
samadhi
is no joke.”
From “Poem 18” in The
Waves at Jagannatha Puri:
“They’ve
got bright lights on
towers
to keep the beach crime-free.
But
it’s a crime they
don’t
come here to remember Sri
Krishna
Caitanya Mahaprabhu,
a
crime the sellers and dogs litter
and
they don’t let us into the temple,
it’s
a crime
that
I complain
and
waste time.”
From “Mercy” in The
Waves at Jagannatha Puri:
“Mercy
of God will come to me
as
He desires, as Gadadhara knows.
Each
one has a chance.
When
it comes
choose
to act
receive
the mercy by standing
in
the right place.”
From “Short Lines” in Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
5:
“May
Krishna give me a little
hint
which way to go.”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
6:
“Yeah,
He lifted Govardhana
He
killed the Baka and Agha demons
and
gave His friends the greatest delight
of
His personal company.”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
7:
“Work
hard
for
the spiritual master, and
your
whole life becomes prayer.”
“You
make my own act of confession,
I
don’t want to,
but
I do love the Lord, His holy names
are
one. My fault is I do not preach
with
total dedication. I don’t
meditate
the way I should.
Of
course, I’m in there trying.”
“Don’t
talk of God, Prabhupada says
‘Okay,
then Krishna.’
No!
he says. Not Krishna. Krishna is far, far away
we
are just talking common sense.
You
are subordinate, you have to bow down to someone.
Why?
Because
that’s your nature.
I
don’t agree. I think we’re all spiritually equal.
That
is your disease. You are thinking wrongly.
I’m
thinking wrongly?
Yes.
Then
how should I think?
You
are subordinate always. You have to bow down to death, disease and
old age. The thing is to find out, since you have to bow down anyway,
whom you will bow down to, who will make you happy.”
“I
stub my toe and curse all
demons
and temple proprietors and
beggars
and rocks and too-hot
suns,
I
curse the world
and
wind up cursed among
the
atheists.”
“Our
God is better than Walsch’s God.
He
is Govinda, He is the Navadvipa Lord
they’ve
never met.
We
can bathe in the Ganga and Yamuna
know
Narottama dasa Thakura
and
all the saints. We can lead them toward that path,
but
as Prabhupada says (Seattle 1968), see how few people
come
to hear from us because
it
takes a rare soul
intelligent
enough to know
that
Krishna is God.”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
8:
“The
mind gets in and pushes around, but
still
I shall chant on my master’s
order.”
“Thoreau
taught simplicity. He wanted a house where he could see the vista of
land and sky. He admonished those who live meanly. He walked, enjoyed
beauty, and saw heaven in nature. I am attracted to that, but not
quite in the same way, of course. Not separate from Krishna, but with
Krishna in the center. He is the beauty in nature, and He has a
beautiful personal form that all nature reflects.
Where
is he?
Where
can I seek Him?
Who
will tell me and be my guru in each and every instant, the guru who
will say that’s Krishna when you feel no pain, and it’s also
Krishna at the first sign of a headache. He’s there when I feel a
rift with a friend and even when I don’t. He’s there in prayer
when
I say I want to see Him
even
in some small way. He’s
already
there.
Be
simple and practice constant remembrance,
nothing
convoluted,
no
methods, but awareness that He’s here or else
there’s
nothing.
Hare
Krishnas, even empty ones
fill
the ‘void.’”
“Hari-nama,
You are the angel
of
mercy, and I am in need
of
the regular installments of the nourishing
Retreat
from maya.
I grasp Your
lotus
feet, holy names.”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
9:
“Institutionalized
confessors
are
okay, but if your
ISKCON
temple doesn’t
have
such designated
brahmana
counselors –
then
find one on your own.
A
friend whose guidance
you
can trust.”
“Swami,
Swami Bhaktivedanta
looked
at me and saw my
hopeless,
self-consciousness and
he
looked sad, said Poet
Ginsberg.”
“Here
we go Swami. You are
watching
from your place.
May
we all somehow make
it,
to where we are going
with
you in our separate
ways.
But on sort of one train
to
Goloka.”
“Swami
teaches us, I keep
going
back to first days because
he
formed us then, and I was
on
the beam.
Swami,
the controlled teacher in
saffron
khadi.
Don’t
abandon the dress, the
shaved
head, the way.
When
you taught us it was
your
mercy.
We
‘forgive’ you any little
apparent
discrepancies we see with
our
faulty eyes. Please
forgive
us our kicking and
rude
ways.”
“Oh,
whimsical brother,
you
think you’ll get an honorary
degree
simply by sitting
under
the light of the window and
reading?
Yes, why not?
This
is no ordinary book.
Whoever
touches it, touches
Krishna,
the Supreme Lord.”
“‘This
ananda, that ananda,
do
your own work in your
own
hand,’ he said to his disciple,
meaning
you needn’t depend
on
a questionable Godbrother
but
memorize 30 Gita verses as
all
you need to equip yourself
to
preach in South India.”
“Swami’s
Easy
Journey to
Other
Planets
affected me
when
reading it in 1966.
Best
change I ever made.”
From
Free
Write Journal#10:
“Srila
Prabhupada said, ‘We should always keep death in our front.’
Senior citizens are living older. I am almost 79. I may have ten
years left. Or I may have only ten minutes left. I will have to leave
everything behind. My writings are my legacy. I will live on in my
books. I have written many books about Srila Prabhupada; the most
recent is a handsome reprinting in India of two volumes, Books 1–4
of Prabhupada
Meditations.
These are wonderful books, a continuation of the inspiration I had
while writing Srila
Prabhupada-lilamrta.”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
10:
“He’s
everywhere
but
dancing in His own
world
where He’s the
center
for those who
love
Him and join Him
where
He is more and
better
even than God.”
“Radha-Krishna
everyone
knows,
but
only a few
actually
know
Radha
and Krishna.”
“It’s
dangerous looking deeper.
Under
the welcome mat I
found
wet mold slime and
a
juicy worm curling. Ugh.
I
put it back the way it was.”
“Lord
who kills demons –
we
routinely ‘pray’ –
please
kill mine, make me strong.”
“All
these things together don’t
add
up to a center. I keep
adding
more trinkets, ‘Send
one
dozen Ticonderoga pencils please
and
pills for digestion.’ But even if
you
fill up the rooms and suitcases
and
keep adding inventory,
where
is the center?”
“Krishna
is fully
present
in name and sastra
–
it’s
just our blindness and deafness
prevents
us.”
“Please
let me serve You free
of
that which holds me
back,
the
fears and reservations and
the
attempt to get the first-
class
berth for the
easy
ride for
yours
truly.”
“Who
can figure it out?
Better
to pray to God for
permission
to act as His
instrument,
a
pen, a knife, a zither,
a
guide,
a
preacher,
don’t
bore,
don’t
sin or deviate and if you
“must”
read your Christian
authors
and others make
some
use of it in His
service.”
“I
suddenly collapsed,
passed
out with fatigue
at
my desk. But am
now
up to tell it. One
day
I won’t wake up.
“Except
in the next world, I
mean
to say next life –
Lord,
he says,
but
in vain? Chant Hare Krishnas
but
there too he’s flawed,
offensive
pramada.
“Turn
to God.
He
taught Devahuti.
In
His original form He
holds
the flute,
controls
all worlds by His
expansions,
is the only
true
enjoyer of sacrifices
and
the best friend of everyone.
Whoever
knows Him (even partially)
is
free from fear and
attains
shanti.
Now
you’re talking.”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
11:
“Swami,
I confess I’ve been a bad boy.
I
used to make confession in church, and you blasted
that
church saying, “They can’t answer two questions –
why
God has only one son and why they are
killing
so much although Christ says,
‘Thou
shalt not kill.’
He
got their number.”
“Sixteen
the mere minimum I do
as
my offering of breath and
scattered
inattention, but
at
least I count
and
utter out loud the sweet
holy
names which
will
conquer.”
“Expose
yourself,
take
off your protective covering and
allow
the Bhagavatam’s
rays to
bathe
you.
It’s
not difficult, harmful,
or
painful,
and
the gain is great.”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
12:
“My
mind went over again and
again
an inferior thought about
two
children here who preferred
another
guru rather than me.
No
worth in the thought,
no
investigation of it,
just
chewing on it like an old bone.”
“Now
I’m a cowpoke,
Western
in Wellies
expatriate
escaped in Ireland
get
the hell away from
ISKCON
downs and controversies and
the
too much socialization.”
“You
say secret life, but it can’t be a secret from God.
But
it’s secret from you guys.”
“The
guru mostly talks to those
who
have at least proclaimed
surrender
to him. Sometimes for preaching
he
speaks to outsiders, but
the
sastras
say he speaks
only
to disciples
the
inner meanings.
“What
if he doesn’t know
anything?
Then he’s no guru.”
“When
is the last time
I
read Srimad-Bhagavatam?
Having
been away even an hour,
can
you speak something
solid
and precise and inspiring?”
“the
Lord grants all –
if
you can yearn for purification
He
comes to you in that way”
From “After Japa” in Every Day, Just Write, Volume 12:
From “After Japa” in Every Day, Just Write, Volume 12:
“You
did your japa
in two hours
for
that you don’t get flowers bowers.
But
yes, it’s most important.
Sailing
from one to sixteen and thinking,
‘One
day I won’t be able to
do
this, it’ll be over.’
“O
Lord, such little
feeling
from me to You.
Please
be kind and grant me
ability
to love.
“It
starts with attention,
but
even that I lack
so
I have to offer my thoughts
to
You, but maybe they’re not suitable –
“My
plans to read and write
and
paint,
whatever
I do,
remember
You…
and
then back to hear the Mantra.”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
13:
“You
ask me why you should
follow
so closely behind the Srimad-Bhagavatam?
I’ll
tell you: so you don’t veer off and crash off the road
and
plunge down the ravine.
You
have a habit to do that
and
have crashed more than once or twice
in
your ISKCON days. Follow
his
path under the arch
which
is Bhaktivedanta Swami Marga.
I
accept the truth of that.”
“I
want to see the
form
of Radha-Krishna
and
be enamored by Them.”
“Uneventful
means
no catastrophes, no rain
crash
or robber, no one
died
today. Events,
changes,
wars, who
needs
it?
“We’ll
get enough of that.
Record
as much of the sameness
and
peace as possible before
the
revolution which is also
another
sameness.
“Birth
and death
Ever
fresh is Krishna.
You
don’t understand.”
“Forget
you
ever had a date
with
an angel,
forget
the Miles tunes,
forget
trying to enjoy
the
vague concept of spirituality,
New
Age dream explorers.
“But
don’t forget Vishnu,
Krishna.
If you are forgetting
in
that way, hold on and
pray
Krishna Krishna Krishna,
I’m
fading and need Your
protection.
Please accept
my
song
my
intended
good
acts of bhakti.”
“The
clerk and the boss and
the
ksatriya
and
rash drivers of taxis
the
henchman, punch man,
clever
manipulator, all…
eligible
for going back to
Godhead
and entering the pastimes of Krishna, even in this life.”
“But
the soul can fly
to
God, and
He
is Krishna, Society for
Krishna
Consciousness we are starting,
join
us,
I
did.
“Soon
part of it asking
others
‘Join
us, at least on
Sundays
when have
a
love feast and before that
chanting
in the grassy park.’”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
14:
“Please
redeem me,
please
guide me
Lord
of the heart
Gopinatha
Govinda
Madhava,
Lord of all names and rasas,
as taught to me by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.”
“Some
Prabhus fast totally
on
this day [Ekadasi]. I say my
headaches
are my tapasya,
and
I don’t want more.”
“I
thank You for this day
and
simply hope it counts
as
offering to You.
Please
give me what You
think
is best and the
strength
to endure all
in
remembrance of
Govinda
as he taught me
and
us all.”
“Unless
you are serious
nowhere
you’ll go
in
spiritual life.”
“Peace
in my head
from
the day, Lord
Krishna
gave it.”
“Make
it even in a diary
so
interesting that they keep reading
and
hear Krishna, Krishna. I want to
serve
Krishna, they hear a doubt,
‘Is
Krishna God?’ And then it’s
countered.
Yeah,
but those who are devotees already know this.
Maybe.
Let them hear.”
“Diary
lines
in
devotion means
always
remember you’re meant
for
death and next life,
remember
Krishna, what you
learned:
You’re
a disciple submissive.”
“Janmastami
is happy
always
with devotees
never
apart in spirit
may
I worship my Lord
always.”
“Don’t
force too much emotional truth on me about my inadequacy, etc. – I
have enough Cross to bear. But Providence may force me to do both –
head pains and heart pains. Job of the Old Testament suffered from
head to foot but remained faithful to God.”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
15:
“He’s
the Supreme Person from
whom
all comes, the sastra
tells.
He’s not subject to
error
as we are. And He
lights
the way with dances
and
friends, intimate friends
who
have passed all tests.
“Oh,
if you could concentrate on
that.”
“Let
Krishna enter
the
natural way
demanding
my love
and
attention.”
“God
in
all
things, even I
faintly
perceive.”
“He
[Krishna] doesn’t neglect us,
though
it may seem so.
He
cares and waits until
we
pay attention to the soul,
obey
the guru and give up
chasing
the prizes of
the
world and listening
to
misleaders.”
“I don’t know how to use
“I don’t know how to use
a
computer – that doesn’t
make
me better, wiser, purer,
but
still it’s nice.
“To
be illiterate and out of harm’s
way
as the news broadcasts
the
slaughter, and I pray
for
a little thing – that I
can
hear my own chanting of
God’s
names? Maybe.
I
pray…I cannot say.”
“In
the days that remain
let
no one be blind to
the
truth of Krishna’s Gita
–
tell
them and yourself
surrender
to the King, sweet
Lord
in three-fold bending form
and
Radha’s blessing on us.”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
16:
“In
M.’s absence Jaya Govinda is
guarding
the door. I’ll go
in,
and tell him he can do as
he
likes in Krishna consciousness.
He’s
old enough as a man and has
done
very good sankirtana
service.
Why should he have to do
only
what his ‘authorities’
tell
him since they themselves
do
what they want?”
“Lord,
let us behold Your
face
and lotus feet or form,
even
by hearing it’s enough –
let
us not forget You and
next
life please let us
serve
You.”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
17:
“If
you allow ignorance
then
you’re in it yourself.
‘That’s
why I holler at
my
servants,’ said the guru,
‘So
I and they don’t stay in tamas.’”
“O
Lord, Your nature is
beautiful
I am digging it that way
Christ
came
Krishna
came
They
taught us to love God that’s
the
purpose of life
People
don’t want to hear His message.
We
do it nicely.
Let’s
jive not for sense grat
but
dance in the halls of light and mangala-arati
dark
candle
at night
Karttika
Blackberries
I
host
hold
the host up
my
prayer is to learn to the Love’s names
and
convey this to others
varieties
of delight
the
bitterness
understood
in that way
God
is good
Prahlada
teaches and
I
am his, go in goodness.
Give
me strength.”
“Singing
for the faithful, the whole world may
become
so
if
I could bewitch them
please
them
with
incarnation of sound
music
hath charms
and
powers – like song for You
who
knows the
emotions
we feel are
due
to Supreme One
may
it please Him
may
His will be appreciated
by
us so we can say
it’s
good
it’s
Krishna in my life.
“The
times when we thought we’d
died
and finally did,
bluffed
that we were pious to enjoy with
ourselves
as center,
making
a melody around oneself.
The
world is a sorry place
but
for the incarnations of the Lord
and
his faithful servants,
mighty
devotees and simple ones too.
“In
a special place we
sing
of God’s grace even
in
simple ways as He entered
our
lives major and minor
Hare
Krishna chanting this morning
you
can say thanks and write, the power
is
yours for awhile,
every
life thrown around
inter
outer space went
the
airplanes
thrown
from Lord Nrsimha’s
power
glory
amen.”
Rama
Raya Prabhu:
Comments
on a Srimad-Bhagavatam
class
by me at his harinama
ashram:
Devotees
asked Srila Prabhupada which of the nine processes of devotional
service is book production, and he replied, “Arcanam.”
He explained preparing the books is like decorating the deity.
Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura explained every possible trick of maya,
the illusory
energy of the Lord.
Only such an
advanced soul can understand the Lord’s intimate pastimes in the
spiritual world.
If
you are not this body, what body are you? That is the siddha-deha
[the
spiritual body of the perfect soul].
At
the end of one of his collections of songs, Bhaktivinoda Thakura
expresses his aspiration to relinquish his body at the soles of the
feet of the devotees engaged in serving the divine couple, Sri Sri
Radha-Krishna.
From his classes at his harinama ashram:
The
devotees respect the soul of every one by giving them the opportunity
for devotional service to the Lord.
There
is no other yuga-dharma for anyone except to chant the holy
name.
On
a morning walk one devotee praised the beauty of the sunrise, but
Srila Prabhupada said that we are not so much concerned with the
beauty of the sunrise but rather the beauty of that person who
created it.
Krishna
is the soul of our soul and so pleasing Him is true
self-satisfaction.
Distributing
books is giving knowledge, the greatest gift.
This
Krishna consciousness movement is not an isolated movement but is the
personal movement of the Supreme Lord and is present in all places
and all times.
Srila
Prabhupada would often make the point that no matter how hard you
try, you cannot make a permanent settlement in this world. This
building was constructed 108 years ago in 1910, but where is the
person who built it? Where are the people who lived in it in the
1920s and 1930s?
The
appearance of Nrsimha to Chand Kazi, chastising him for trying to
stop His sankirtana,
indicates the
non-difference of Lord Nrsimha and Lord Caitanya, the founder of the
sankirtana
movement.
An
acarya can
defeat all opposing philosophies.
We
should think: How much did I control my mind? How much did I think of
Krishna?
Our
chanting of japa
is a
barometer of our spiritual life, thus we should complete our quota
and chant without offenses.
Only
after Lord Krishna saw everyone’s effort for a considerable time
did Krishna agree to be bound by the ropes of Yashoda.
You
can never figure out Krishna or the process of
bhakti. There
is no specific formula by which Krishna can be pleased.
When
the friends of Krishna and Balarama begged for charity in the name of
Krishna and Balarama, the brahmanas
performing
sacrifice completely ignored them, not even replying to their
request, just like when we are distributing books, the people we
speak to sometimes do not even look at us or respond to our words.
Srila
Prabhupada once said, “If the devotees of the Lord do not preach
Krishna consciousness, then who will do it?”
At
the ardha–Kumbha
mela when Hamsaduta asked Srila Prabhupada if it was true that one
who bathed at that time would be liberated, Srila Prabhupada replied,
“It is true, but we are not interested in liberation. We are
interested in preaching Krishna consciousness. We are already
liberated.”
The
love of the disciple to serve his guru’s mission to his own guru is
the highest love.
That
which the guru gives is coming from the whole lineage of spiritual
teachers. This is more authoritative than our whimsical mental
concoctions.
Srila
Prabhupada said that the Los Angeles deities Rukmini Dvarakadhisa
communicated to him that if he went to India, the Lord would arrange
he would get a temple hundreds of times better than that in Los
Angeles. That was the Krishna Balarama temple which went up in just
two years, much faster than Mayapur or Bombay.
When
your desire is what Krishna wants, then the result is hundreds of
times what you would attain on your own.
Because
I am from New York, I can think that Srila Prabhupada came to New
York to deliver me.
If
one thinks that he can instruct the spiritual master, one at once
becomes fallen.
Devotional
service is so pleasing that it is its own reward. The pure devotee
thus does not aspire for anything else.
Srila
Prabhupada once explained that our process of Krishna consciousness
is easy because we do not have to manufacture anything. We just have
to follow our predecessors.
As
the cars in the express lane all move fast, if you choose the express
ashram, the brahmacari
ashram, you
have to move as fast as the others in the ashram.
When
Krishna is convinced that we are serious and sincere, Krishna will
lift the veil of maya.
We will then
see Krishna, and we will be very satisfied.
The
New Age people are the modern Mayavadis.
Narottama
Dasa Thakura was so powerful he was able to unite all the
groups
of followers of Lord Caitanya. Imagine someone powerful enough to
unite all the different branches of the present-day Gaudiya Vaishnava
community. Then you can get an idea of how powerful a person
Narottama Dasa Thakura was.
Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura advised that his followers could become perfect by
reading three books, Prarthana
and
Prema-bhakti-candrika
by Narottama
Dasa Thakura and Upadesamrita
by Rupa
Goswami.
Narottama
Dasa Thakura’s spiritual ecstasy in his sankirtana
at the famous
Vaishnava festival at Kheturi was so powerful anyone who saw him
would be immediately converted to love of Godhead.
Whoever
hears the pastimes of Lord Caitanya will get the same benefit as
those who were personally in His presence.
Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura placed a printing press on the altar of his temple
in Mayapur along with Sri Sri Gandharvika Giridhari and the other
deities to stress the importance of printing literature.
Ramesvara
Prabhu asked Srila Prabhupada if book distribution is in the mood of
the gopis who are always eager to tell people about Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada replied that that was the correct understanding.
Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura says the dressing as women by the sahajiyas is
an insult to the truly advanced devotees and will destroy the
sahajiyas who do it.
Not
being complete atheists, people not being ready to give up sense
gratification concoct their own ways of worship, and similarly minded
people join with them.
For
the Vraja devotees all the names of Vishnu refer to the original
Krishna.
As
we act as Krishna’s representatives by reminding people of their
spiritual identity we stir up their dormant spiritual rasa and
experience spiritual rasa ourselves thus protecting ourselves
from falling down to the platform of material rasa.
When
we pray “let me become a follower of the cowherd damsels of Vraja”
we are praying to be a follower of the disciplic succession because
that is processes of attaining that advanced state.
Bhakti
is to serve the soul of our soul, and in fact, the soul of all souls,
Sri Krishna.
Govinda
dasi toured the world before meeting the devotees and concluded from
seeing the great paintings and statues created in glorification of
God that God must be a reality. How could such great personalities
all be wrong?
Raghunatha
Dasa Goswami is known as the emperor of Radha-kunda.
If
one is serving Krishna day and night in one’s spiritual body one
naturally becomes detached from the demands of the material body.
Krishna
consciousness is to reveal our true identity which requires becoming
free from all false identities.
A
British official who saw Srila Prabhupada sign his name was impressed
and said, “This is the signature of royalty.”
Our
ashram at Govardhan is near the place where Krishna and his
boyfriends set up a toll booth to tax the gopis.
We
have come so far [in our spiritual life];we should not hold back.
In
Jaiva Dharma the guru asks the disciple about his desire to
serve Krishna, and the disciple replies, “I have read the
Srimad-Bhagavatam a number of times and feel inspired to serve
Krishna following Lalita Devi.” The guru said, “Say no more!”
and he gave him his blessings. Another disciple wanted to serve
Krishna in the mode of Subala, the leader of the cowherd boys. The
guru was competent to instruct both disciples.
Radha
Kunda is for the raganuga devotees [those in spontaneous
love].
Just
by pleasing the spiritual master one can attain one’s original
spiritual body. Nothing else is required.
By
serving the great acaryas, the spiritual masters in our
lineage, we are serving the eternal residents of Vrindavan.
Vishnu-citta
Prabhu:
Madhavacarya
accepted ekadandi sannyasa while Ramanujacarya accepted
tridandi sannyasa.
Madhavacarya
took the very same eleven Upanishads the Mayavadis use to
promote their theory of monism to establish Vaishnavism.
At
the end of Madhavacarya’s life, he gave an amazing lecture on his
favorite Upanishad, the Taittiriya Upanishad, and the demigods
showered flowers, covering his body. When his disciples removed the
flowers, Madhvacarya was nowhere to be found.
In
the other sampradayas, preaching is not so much stressed as it
is in the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya. In our movement, if
you come to the Sunday feast for the first time, the devotees
encourage you to come back next week and bring your friends.
The
Arya Samaj have created a Hindu yajna to make people into
Hindus. This is in response to the Christian preachers who have rites
of conversion to Christianity.
Sannyasa
is banned in Kali-yuga, but the Mayavadis ignore that and take
sannyasa anyway. Vaishnavas take sannyasa for the
purpose of serving the Lord with body, mind, and words.
Because
Kala Krishna Das was not a sannyasi Lord Caitanya tolerated
his offense of associating with women for sense gratification
although with the sannyasi Chota Haridasa he was very strict,
banishing him from His association for very slight association with a
woman.
Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura got the sannyasa ceremony he used in his Gaudiya
Math from the Ramanuja sampradaya. It was his desire to
reestablish the Vaishnava order of sannyasa.
According
the Gaudiya Vaishnava understanding if you do not know the name,
form, qualities, pastimes, and abode of the Supreme Lord, you do not
really understand the Supreme Lord.
We
talk of linking ourselves with our source, understanding the source
to be the Supreme Lord Krishna, and people like that because it
sounds really impersonal. One guy I met on book distribution said, “I
want to tap into ‘The Thing’”.
Why
is there competition among those engaged in karma-kanda? There
is only one Indra.
Why
is there competition among those engaged in jnana-kanda?
Everyone is trying to put forward the best speculation.
Comment
by Natabara Gauranga Prabhu: In Vaishnavism the devotees compete to
see who can give the most respect to others.
Due
to our karma we may not be destined to gain spiritual association,
but a pure devotee can change all that.
Because
the scriptures themselves describe they were passed down orally
before they were written, the academics cannot really give realistic
dates for them. Also there is astronomical evidence that confirms the
traditional dates.
Bhakti
Vikasa Swami makes the point in a Vyasa-puja offering that although
Srila Prabhupada showed the perfect example of a guru by simply
repeating the message of his predecessors, his followers are
realizing that it is actually hard to do that because one gains
wealth and followers which prove to be a distraction to one’s
simply repeating the spiritual message.
Respect
for superiors, like one’s parents, is such an important part of
Vedic culture that it is not given up even when one takes sannyasa,
the renounced order of life. Lord Caitanya showed great
respect for his mother even after he took sannyasa, agreeing
to reside not so far away, so she could get news of Him. Adi Sankara
visited his mother when she was about to die and chanted the holy
name in her ear and sent her to Vaikuntha, the spiritual world. It is
interesting that Sankara, although preaching Mayavadi impersonalist
philosophy, sent his mother to the abode of the Lord, thus revealing
his heart.
Sariraka
means the essence of everything.
Within
each of the Puranas, whether they be of goodness, passion, and
ignorance, there are portions in each of the three modes. Thus
even Puranas for those in the mode of ignorance have some
verses in the mode of goodness which thus promote the worship of Lord Vishnu, and
therefore, we sometimes quote them.
We
have to feel a lacking if a day goes by and we have not heard the
spiritual philosophy of Srila Prabhupada’s books if we hope to
advance spiritually.
When
you understand the Mayavadi philosophy in the Vedic culture, then you
can spot it in other traditions.
Comment
by Jayesa Prabhu: Actually Sankara did the Vaishnavas a favor by
presenting his Mayavadi philosophy very systematically point by
point, so they can defeat it point by point.
Nothing
Vyasadeva said is false. It is just bewildering so Narada, his guru,
criticized him.
Rev.
John F. Endler (follower of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami):
From
Preface to Poems from Every Day, Just Write, Volume 1:
“Acceptance
of limitations is an act of surrender before the Lord, hardly a sign
of weakness, or lack of motivation or imagination as the world
commonly teaches. Ultimately to accept one’s limitations is to
acknowledge that I am not God and that I will never be God, an act of
humility that defines the devotee of the Lord.”
“To
acknowledge one’s limits is an act of courage, to accept one’s
limits is an act of surrender. It is to this surrender that
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami invites his readers.”
Evelyn
Underhill (Catholic mystic and writer):
“After
all it is those who have a deep and real inner life who are best able
to deal with the irritating details of outer life.”
-----
On
days like Halloween and New Year's Eve when everyone is in a party
mood, many people appreciate and enjoy interacting with the harinama
parties.
In taking advantage of such events we are following Lord Caitanya and
His associates as this verse indicates:
patrapatra-vicara
nahi, nahi sthanasthana
yei
yanha paya, tanha kare prema-dana
“In
distributing love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates
did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not, nor where
such distribution should or should not take place. They made no
conditions. Wherever they got the opportunity, the members of the
Pañca-tattva distributed love of Godhead.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 7.23)
