Travel Journal#15.3: North Florida

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 15, No. 3 

By Krishna-kripa das 

(February 2019, part one) 

North Florida 

(Sent from Tallahassee on February 23, 2019, 

The Appearance Day of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura)

Where I Went and What I Did

I began February by chanting Hare Krishna in Tallahassee’s Railroad Square Art Park at a monthly event called First Friday. As usual, I spent the weekdays chanting Hare Krishna for three hours on Landis Green, behind the library, at Florida State University, and I spent the weekends chanting at Lake Ella in Tallahassee, except for one Saturday when I chanted with Krishna House devotees at the Ocala Regional Rainbow Gathering in Ocala National Forest for almost five hours during the day and in Gainesville for almost two hours in the evening. While visiting Krishna House, I also chanted at the University of Florida Krishna Lunch for two days and with the Alachua devotees by the University of Florida entrance on Friday afternoon.

Under “Insights” I include quotes and notes on lectures and books by Srila Prabhupada, and excerpts from Every Day, Just Write and the Free Writing Journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on recorded lectures by Hridayananda Goswami and Radhanath Swami, which we played for the morning classes in Tallahassee, in addition to the Prabhupada lectures. I also share notes on lectures by Srila Prabhupada disciples, Sesa and Adikarta Prabhus. I also include notes on a presentation I did at Krishna House on “The Art of Mantra Meditation.” As my closing quote at the end of this journal, I chose a statement by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura on the congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord, as I am posting this issue of my blog on his auspicious appearance anniversary.

Thanks to Prishni Devi Dasi of Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies for sponsoring my trip to Gainesville for the BI Consciousness in Science conference last month. Thanks to Breanna Bruner for her photo of me chanting at Florida State University. Thanks to Shuntel Murray for his photos of me chanting at Lake Ella. Thanks to Taproot for his photos of me speaking at the Tallahassee temple. Thanks to Animesh Prabhu for the video of Nadia singing at the Krishna House Friday evening program and for the use of his phone to take several videos at Krishna Lunch of the devotees chanting there.

Itinerary

February 17–March 17: Tallahassee, Florida State University (weekdays), Lake Ella (weekends) [March 15: Acola Rainbow Gathering]

March 18–22: Krishna House

March 23: St. Augustine Ratha-yatra

March 24: Krishna Lunch Sunday Program

March 24–April 5: Tallahassee, Florida State University (weekdays), Lake Ella (weekends) [March 30: Ratha-yatra]

April 6: Jacksonville Bhakti House program

April 7: Philadelphia

April 8–9: New York City

April 10–12: Washington, D.C., harinama with Sankarsana Prabhu by the museums

April 13–14: Albany

April 15–18: Dublin

April 19–24: Newcastle-upon-Tyne

April 27: Amsterdam King’s Day harinama

September 8: Great North Run harinama (Newcastle-upon-Tyne)
September 9–10: Dublin
September 11–30: New York City [with trips to Philadelphia and Boston]
October 1 – December 31: New York City Yuga Dharma Harinama Party

Chanting Hare Krishna in Tallahassee

The first day of February, I chanted at the Florida State University campus for two hours during the afternoon, and another two hours at First Friday, a monthly event in the evening.

Here Jorge chants Hare Krishna and a passerby plays shakers and dances during First Friday at Railroad Square Art Park, which is visited by a cross-section of locals. Thanks to Nama Kirtan Prabhu for playing the drum (https://youtu.be/NxxMCNBbnck):

On Saturday, Jorge went out of town, but I chanted at Lake Ella anyway and other attenders at our Tallahassee Sunday feast joined me.

Here Taproot plays guitar and leads the Hare Krishna chant while Kevin plays shakers and Alyssa plays djembe at Lake Ella in Tallahassee (https://youtu.be/N_V9oC8E10k):

Later I taught Taproot the chords to the traditional Prabhupada melody, and Taproot played guitar, Kevin played trumpet, and Alyssa played karatalas, as we continued chanting Hare Krishna at Lake Ella (https://youtu.be/E8u3fJQQpRI):

Sunday I chanted alone for three hours at Lake Ella, and a friendly photographer named Shuntel Murray took a couple of photos.

I gave the Sunday feast lecture at the temple afterwards.

Chanting Hare Krishna at University of Florida Krishna Lunch

The Thursday and Friday I was in Gainesville I joined Krishna House devotees in chanting for 2½ hours while they served Krishna Lunch to over 600 people. It is always inspiring to see the enthusiasm of the youthful new devotees for chanting Hare Krishna.

Moka chants Hare Krishna and Kira and Nadia dance at University of Florida Krishna Lunch in Gainesville (https://youtu.be/ZHPLWvygHcs):

Nadia leads Krishna House devotees in chanting a couple of Hare Krishna tunes at Krishna Lunch (https://youtu.be/WLW5IFSaH5A):

Animesh Prabhu plays harmonium, and Krishna House devotees chant Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch (https://youtu.be/zrlfXuXKkX8):

Here Animesh Prabhu chants another Hare Krishna tune (https://youtu.be/hT4-_vXj0sY):

Chanting Hare Krishna with Alachua Devotees at University of Florida Entrance

When I arrived at the University of Florida entrance to chant with the Alachua devotees, I noticed they only had a single pair of karatalas and some shakers, but no mridanga, harmonium, or amplifier. Thus I gave them my karatalas to play, and immediately returned to Krishna House to get a mridanga, a harmonium, and an amplifier. They were all very grateful I brought the additional equipment, and I felt like a very useful instrument in the hands of Krishna that day.

Chanting Hare Krishna at Krishna House in Gainesville

Abhay Prabhu of Mayapur chants Hare Krishna at the beginning of the Krishna House Friday Evening Program in Gainesville (https://youtu.be/rmyFnWTyEXA):

Nadia chants Hare Krishna at the end of the Krishna House Friday Evening Program. Video by Animesh Prabhu (https://youtu.be/vhLGEmd77yI):

Nadia continued to chant Hare Krishna, inducing devotees to dance (https://youtu.be/dLisn9Mh3uU):

Chanting Hare Krishna with Krishna House at Ocala Rainbow Gathering

Devotees from Alachua or Krishna House or both have been chanting Hare Krishna and distributing prasadam at the Ocala Regional Rainbow Gathering in Ocala National Forest for at least one day of the two-week gathering almost every year since before I moved to Alachua back in 1994. Two or three people have even taken a serious interest in devotional service to Krishna from meeting devotees there, and one lived for many years in our Alachua community. Last year I was based in Tallahassee, and I was unsuccessful in convincing the Krishna House devotees to include the event in their schedule, and the previous two years we only had about six devotees from Krishna House attend. This year, however, we had a larger group of ten devotees, including Moka (Jennifer Mowka) [wearing white above] who originally met devotees at the National Rainbow Gathering a couple years back and who was a model of enthusiasm. Kira was also very enthusiastic, especially about distributing prasadam.

This year the gathering itself seemed a bit diminished. Apparently the National Forest rangers gave the Rainbows the same area in the park as last year, which many of them were not happy about. Also the event, which traditionally lasted two weeks, was reduced to eight days, beginning just the day before we arrived, which also made for a small crowd.

Usually we go on a Saturday, but I was not sure which Saturday would be best, so I posted the following on the “Ocala Rainbow Gathering 2019” Facebook page, “I would like to come with some friends from Gainesville and bring some Krishna food and song on one Saturday. Which would be better in terms of the most people being at the Gathering, February 9 or February 16?” I included in my post two photos from 2015:

I got some very positive responses:

Lisa Moon commented, “I have had the pleasure of visiting the Krishna House in Gainesville for lunch a couple of times, and I love it when you are at the gatherings. I hope to see you this time. You all are so beautiful.” Her comment received three ‘loves.’ We did see her, and she was very happy about that, and especially about the halava.

Barry Sacharow commented, “We have been blessed by Hare Krishna visits in most years… The ninth would definitely be the better day to arrive, and we are always great fans of the food, the music and the lessons we receive.… Much love, and I look forward to seeing you all there.” His comment received five ‘loves’ and five ‘likes.’

Lisa Skowronski commented, “You served us at our trading circle 2 years ago. Look forward to seeing your beautiful faces again.” Her comment received two ‘loves’ and two ‘likes.’

We got to the Ocala National Forest venue just before noon, and we chanted till almost 5:00 p.m., as we served prasadam consisting of two kinds of halava, pineapple and carob, and some rice, beans, and vegetables. Many people loved the food, and several played their own musical instruments along with us, one young lady dancing with the devotees. The devotees all had a great time. I feel obliged to attend this gathering every year because the people appreciate it so much.

Here are several videos from the event:

Abhay Prabhu of Mayapur chants Hare Krishna at the Ocala Rainbow Gathering with Krishna House devotees, and Kira serves halava to happy campers. One kid tries playing the instruments (https://youtu.be/rqirWXa2TzA):

Abhay Prabhu continues chanting Hare Krishna, and many Krishna House devotees dance as well as one Rainbow Gathering attendee from an intentional community in Interlachen, Florida (https://youtu.be/Ai55iNHIfss):

Michael Collins, who plays music professionally in a band with his wife, chants Hare Krishna with Krishna House devotees at the Ocala Rainbow Gathering (https://youtu.be/NGZrerNPQzY):

Bhaktin Lucy chants Hare Krishna with Krishna House devotees at the Ocala Rainbow Gathering (https://youtu.be/CcNJsujnKBA):

Bhaktin Lucy continues chanting Hare Krishna, and several devotees dance (https://youtu.be/GUSyw6b0r4c):

Bhaktin Lucy chants Hare Krishna at the main circle site in the mid afternoon, and a man plays djembe (https://youtu.be/2RZxmg4fVj4):

Abhay Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the trade circle, and Rainbow guys play guitar, djembe, and shakers (https://youtu.be/3jbYLEMW-0I):

Chanting Hare Krishna with Krishna House Devotees on Gainesville Streets

After returning from the Ocala Rainbow Gathering, Abhay Prabhu and I joined another group of Krishna House devotees to chant Hare Krishna along the streets of Gainesville in the evening.

Here Animesh Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, Hari Priya plays harmonium, Abhay Prabhu plays drum, and many onlookers chant and dance as Krishna House devotees do harinama by the bars across from University of Florida in Gainesville (https://youtu.be/R8nQ-RFb41k):

Seeing the area by the university was not so crowded, Ekayani Devi Dasi offered to drive our party downtown.

Here Hari Priya, the younger daughter of Prabhupada disciples, Yadubara and Visakha Prabhus, chants Hare Krishna with the Krishna House devotees in downtown Gainesville, giving the locals a chance to experience the transcendental joy of participating in Lord Caitanya’s sankirtana mission (https://youtu.be/6RmdgxtYHYQ):

Next Animesh Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna, accompanied by Hari Priya on harmonium, and many onlookers happily chanted and danced (https://youtu.be/xMiuAGrSMKE):

After that enthusiastic group of young women in the entry way of that building participated in our kirtan, we moved on. As we were leaving one irate man mentioned that we were in front of a church, which I had not noticed, and said in an angry mood, “How would you like it if a Christian group sang Christian songs in front of your temple?” I said it would not really bother us because our understanding is that God is one. He went away grumbling, and I shouted, “God is one!” after him. Later on as I was preparing this journal I looked up the address on Google Maps and found we were in front of the City Church of Gainesville, which had had a Christian concert earlier in the evening, and the people coming out of that building, who were all either favorable or at worst neutral, except for that lone complainer, must have been attending it.

Then Abhay Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna, accompanied by Hari Priya on harmonium and Animesh Prabhu on drum, and a few passersby danced (https://youtu.be/bSKiB6Dn9Wo):

Although Krishna House devotees usually end their Saturday night harinama around 10:00 p.m., at 10:25 p.m. they were so enthusiastic they decided to continue, and they kept chanting Hare Krishna in downtown Gainesville till 10:50 p.m, with Hari Priya again leading the chant (https://youtu.be/ISi-f7W7jD4):

Although it was rare for me, I was not enthusiastic to stay out longer as I already chanted for almost 5 hours in the Ocala National Forest earlier in the day, and I needed to get enough rest before my 2½ hour bus ride to Tallahassee the next morning so that I could sing at Lake Ella for at least a couple of hours before the Sunday feast.

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.7 in Mayapur on June 22, 1973:

“In the Bible it is said, ‘Man is made after God.’ Because God is person, therefore we are person. Otherwise, where from our personality comes? God is the origin of everything. Therefore He is the origin of personality, individuality, otherwise how we are persons? How we are individuals? Where from we get this personality, individuality?”

“So the foremost feature of the Absolute Truth is a person. And as a person, He has got the same feelings as we have got. As we have got feelings for our relatives, for our brothers, for our sisters, for our friends, for our enemies, the same thing there is also. If you study your personality or your friend’s personality, you can get a rough idea of the Supreme Personality because our personality is dependent on the Supreme Personality. Mamaivamsah. We are simply fragmental personalities just like the sparks and the fire, or the drop of ocean water and the ocean. The difference is in quantity. A drop of ocean water or a fragmental spark of the fire is of the same quality like the fire or the ocean. But in magnitude it is very, very small. God is vibhu, the greatest, and we are the smallest. God is infinite, we are finite, infinitesimal. That is the difference. Otherwise everything is there, as we have got.”

“Pleasure is the constitutional position of spirit soul, or the Absolute Truth. Anandamayo ’bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12). God and we, being of the same quality, we are by nature always joyful. So our joyfulness is checked when we are in material condition. Therefore there is struggle. We are hankering after, to revive that joyfulness, but this contamination of material energy, sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna, they are checking, obstacles. Therefore we have to get free from obstacles. Sattva-guna, we have to go above the sattva-guna, suddha-sattva. Then again we revive our original position of joyfulness.”

“We want to become independent. What is the meaning of independence? Even the sun, moon, or the sea, ocean, nobody is independent. And how we can be independent? We are teeny, very small. There is no question of independence. The so-called independence, as we fight for independence, that is maya [illusion]. There is no question of independence.”

“We manufacture so-called independence. Nobody is independent. I thought, ‘We are so much dependent on the state rules and regulation. America is independent.’ When I went to America I saw they are so dependent that any young man could be called for military service without any objection. So the whole nation is dependent on the whims of the military board. So dependent.”

“You cannot understand Krishna fully. Krishna Himself cannot understand Himself. So it is not possible. But whatever Krishna is speaking about Himself in the Bhagavad-gita, if one hundredth part, one percent you can understand, then your life is successful. . . . That is Vedic knowledge.”

“Subhadra was sister of Krishna. So Baladeva wanted to hand over the sister to Duryodhana, and Krishna wanted to hand over the sister to Arjuna. Two brothers, difference of opinion. But elder brother’s order cannot be disregarded. Therefore Krishna planned that Arjuna may kidnap His sister.”

“At the present moment, the whole world is visayi [sense enjoyers]. But this line, Krishna consciousness line, is so transcendental that one has to give up this visayi idea. Visaya chariya se rase majiya mukhe bolo hari hari. We chant ‘Hari, Hari,’ but actually, . . . we can chant ‘Hari, Hari’ only when we give up visaya. . . . Otherwise ‘Hari, Hari’ is not purely chanted. Therefore there are ten kinds of offenses we have to give up. Suddha-nama – when we chant pure Hare Krishna maha-mantra, then we are elevated to the platform of transcendental love. Otherwise we can attain up to liberation, not . . . the platform of loving.”

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.8 in Mayapur on June 23, 1973:

The first Vedic instruction is to understand that we have to get out of this bhava-sagara, ocean of birth and death.

In Hawaii, one university student said if I become an animal what is wrong with that. People are so degraded.

Nobody likes to die, but nobody thinks how to stop this death.

To think “If I am eternal, and if I do not like to die, then how do I stop it.” That is intelligent.

No politician teaches that there is birth after death. They pose for a photo with Bhagavad-gita, but they do not know the first instruction of Bhagavad-gita.

This knowledge is attained by sat-sanga, association with the devotees of the Lord.

This sat-sanga is so powerful that by it one can immediately give up attachment to pursuing wealth and association with the opposite sex.

By hearing from one who is really a devotee, one becomes interested in Krishna consciousness.

We see the deity Krishna is not working in the factory. He is enjoying with Radharani. If we want to enjoy with our so-called Radharani, we have to work. So Krishna is not like us.

One who understands how Krishna takes birth and how He performs activities does not take birth again in this world.

One who associates with a sadhu cannot again accept bad association.

The sankirtana is so pleasing that one cannot give it up if he has once associated with devotees.

If the devotees cannot give up the sankirtana, how could the Pandavas possibly give up personal association with the Lord?

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.13 in Mayapur on June 26, 1973:

“Sastra means simply restrict. One who is accustomed to restriction, he’s perfect. Not indulgence. The animals are not restricted. But nowadays, animal is better restricted. They have got a time for sexual intercourse. But these, these animals, . . . two-legged, two-hands animal, they have no restriction. Any time. Less than animal. Therefore sastra is there.”

“This is natural tendency [toward unrestricted sense enjoyment]. If you want, if one can stop it, that is called tapasya. And human life becomes perfect by tapasya.”

“As soon as one associates with Krishna’s name, he associates with Krishna. Therefore asat, maya, cannot touch him. If he’s purely chanting, without any offense, maya cannot touch him.”

“The blazing fire of material existence extinguished immediately. This is the first gain. By chanting Hare Krishna maha-mantra offenselessly, the first gain is mukti. Bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam means mukti. By chanting Hare Krishna mantra, namabhasa, not pure name. As soon as one comes to the platform of chanting pure Hare Krishna mantra, without any offense, he becomes immediately enhanced in love with Krishna, prema, krishna-prema.

“Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was chanting as acarya. He was crying. Tava nama-grahane bhavisyati [Cc. Antya 20.36]. Sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me [Siksastaka 7]. So what is that verse? . . . Caksusa pravrisayitam. Caksusa pravrisayitam. Tava nama, kada tava nama-grahane bhavisyati. This is the ultimate, ultimate realization of chanting Hare Krishna maha-mantra, that one should cry. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said like that. So Krishna and Krishna’s name, identical.”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 1.60, purport:

“Unless one gets this spiritual encouragement by following the instructions of the spiritual master, it is not possible to make advancement. Therefore, one’s development of a taste for executing these instructions is the test of one’s devotional service.”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 1.98–100:

“But these two brothers [Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda] dissipate the darkness of the inner core of the heart, and thus They help one meet the two kinds of bhagavatas. One of the bhagavatas is the great scripture Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the other is the pure devotee absorbed in the mellows of loving devotion. Through the actions of these two bhagavatas the Lord instills the mellows of transcendental loving service into the heart of a living being, and thus the Lord, in the heart of His devotee, comes under the control of the devotee’s love.”

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.20 in London on May 24, 1973:

“Krishna is very pleasing to hear. Krishna is the reservoir of all pleasure. When we get our attachment for hearing about Krishna, then at least we can consider that we have become freed from material contamination. When we get attachment simply for hearing Krishna, nothing else, all nonsense, then you should understand that you have become liberated. These are the test. Everyone can get this position. Because there is process. If you follow the process, then you come to the real stage.”

“The beginning of this process is sraddha [faith]. Just like you have come here with a conception of faith, that ‘Here is Krishna consciousness movement. Let us hear something about this movement.’ This is sraddha. Adau sraddha. This is the beginning.”

“So we are opening so many branches just to give opportunity to the people to mix with us. Come with us . . . we don’t want anything from anyone. We don’t want any political independence, social reformation or humanitarian benefit. Nothing. We simply request people, ‘Please chant Hare Krishna and come with us.’ That’s all. We don’t expect anything from anybody else. This is our mission. Radha-krishna bolo sange calo. You chant. . . . Also we are chanting on the street, Hare Krishna. You also join with us. . . . And so long we go, you come with us. Ei matra bhikha cai. We don’t want anything more. . . This is not a business, that you have come on the street to chant and to make some business. No. That is for your benefit.”

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

From Free Write Journal #24:

“So I am grateful for everything. Not a blade of grass moves but by the will of the Lord. I don’t like this material world with all its threats, cheating, politics and wars. It is not a fit place for a gentleman. If I am sincere about this, actually detached from material pleasure, and following in the footsteps of guru and Krishna, then I am on the safe path protected by the internal energy. Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita, ‘Tell it boldly, Arjuna, My devotee never perishes.’

“I am grateful that Lord Caitanya has given us the maha-mantra as the only way to attain God consciousness in this age of Kali.”

“I know I will have a chance to continue this service after the end of this present body. I don’t know what form or shape that will take, but it is guaranteed. Those who have a strong desire to serve Krsna will be given the opportunity to do so in the next life. So don’t be afraid of death. You will get a new body with youth and no big disabilities. You will not use the body for sense gratification. You have indulged in enough sense gratification in this lifetime. You know better now. Lord Caitanya says, ‘Na dhanam na janam na sundarim . . . ’ I do not want great learning or a beautiful woman, many followers, or anything. All I want is to have Your causeless devotional service in my life, birth after birth.”

“We each have a minute amount of free will, so if I use that free will in serving Krsna, I will be all right. I am grateful for that small amount of free will, and I pray not to misuse it and get covered by maya. Prabhupada, please help me.”

“I wrote a book titled Human at Best. The meaning is that the best human is a devotee of the Lord. A ‘best human’ tries to share Krsna consciousness with others. I didn’t mean to say ‘human at best’ in a negative sense (‘only a human, not a spirit soul’). It was not meant for atheists or humanists. But I meant the best human is one who, even though imperfectly, engages himself or herself in full devotional service. That’s what I mean by a human at best. It’s a book containing short edited excerpts from the volumes of Every Day, Just Write. There is a humility in the title. I am only human. I try my best. I am not a demigod or a vishnu-tattva or a mahabhagavata. I am a human at best, and that’s pretty good.”

“Sanskrit knowledge is not required. Prabhupada used to say, ‘We want sruti, not sanskriti.’ He translated the Sanskrit sastras into modern English. In this way he unlocked the treasure which was buried in the Sanskrit language.”

“Manohara just told me about Krishnadasa Kaviraja’s writing how Krishna has 24½ moons on His body. Visvanatha Cakravarti studied this section of Caitanya-caritamrta and couldn’t understand where the ‘half-moon’ came from. It had to do with the kama-gayatri mantra. He’s going to show me some evidence that he researched from the scriptures. The story is that Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura was so perplexed over not being able to understand why Krishnadasa Kaviraja wrote about the half-moon that he decided to give up his life. But Srimati Radharani came to him in a dream and referred him to a sastric book where he would find the explanation. Radharani told him to look into the book Varnagama-Bhasvadi. In that book it is stated, ‘The ya in “kamadevaya” counts as a half-syllable because it is followed by the vi in “vidmahe.” The kama-gayatri mantra has twenty-four and a half syllables.’ He went to the book, where it is explained that the half-syllable is actually in the kama-gayatri mantra. She also told him that She, as well as Krishna, is alluded to in this mantra. Due to this dream, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura was relieved and did not have to give up his life.”

From Free Write Journal #25:

“D. devi dasi wrote me that she reads Prabhupada’s books and my books, but she also reads books about St. Francis and other saints. She says she feels she benefits by reading about bhakti on these other paths. I didn’t write back to her anything about it, but I don’t think it’s a good thing for devotees to read many books on different paths. I did some of it in Entering the Life of Prayer, but then I weaned off.”

“Srila Prabhupada

Prabhupada is my mentor,

he is my boss.

Prabhupada is my eternal father,

he personally told me so.

Prabhupada is my Swamiji,

from 1966–68

until he told us to

call him Prabhupada

which we accepted joyfully.

In the 21st century he is

with us in his vani

which is more powerful

and permanent than

his personal presence.

He is my beloved, and he

knows me by my name,

‘Satsvarupa dasa.’ I pray

that he will remember me

and recommend me

to Krishna – to enter the spiritual world.

I want to meet

him there and take

up his service. Or if he is in the material

world preaching, I want

to join him there

and work in his mission.

Let me remember Prabhupada

wherever I go. Let

me never forget that I am

his humble cela,

and may I never

disobey him.

Prabhupada, I honor all

your followers and

bow at their feet:

I will associate with

your devotees and not

withdraw or mix

with nondevotees.

‘Please accept me as

an atom at your lotus feet.’”

From Free Write Journal #26:

“In the Caitanya-caritamrita the main theme is Lord Caitanya reciprocating in loving dealings with His followers. He treats each one as an individual, and they relate to Him with their own unique devotion. It’s all a study of loving dealings. I am not Lord Caitanya, but my disciples and I have a bond of love. They should read the Journal, and at best, tell me something, some incident in it, that they liked. If not, I can go on posting the Journal for the small band of readers who consume it and be satisfied that some are finding nourishment in it.”

“I have personally suffered a great deal over the years with migraine headaches, but I never blamed Krishna. I took it that I was getting a small token amount of suffering that I was due because of my past sinful acts. And beyond that, I think that it is not karmic suffering, but that Krishna is dealing with me personally, training me to become a detached devotee.”

“An ill devotee may lament, ‘I used to do so much service, but now I cannot do it anymore.’ This makes him depressed. But he should take solace and shelter in the service that he can do such as chanting and hearing. We can pray to Krishna to please accept our offering, even though it may be externally reduced. Krishna doesn’t really need our service. We can do as much as possible when we are healthy, but when we become unable to act as we did before, we have to pray that the Lord accept our sincere, but perhaps tiny, offering.”

From Every Day, Just Write, Volume 20:

“On this day of December cold

I look over yonder and what

can I see without love anointed

eyes I see still Your

kindness in all You’ve given

especially the guidance of the

bona fide spiritual master.”

Radhanath Swami:

The Advaita Acarya’s appearance day is so auspicious that if a person dies on that day, Advaita Acarya and Nityananda Prabhu chant the holy name of Gauranga into his ear.

One devotee named Stokakrishna Prabhu left his body on that day. He had cancer, but he never complained because he considered that he deserved all the pains he experienced and was undeserving of all the blessings he was given in terms of opportunities for devotional service to Krishna.

This year one lady, Radha Shakti Devi Dasi, whose son was completely dedicated to serving the IIT preaching, also left her body. All she wanted at that point in her life was the service and blessings of Radha and Krishna and service to Srimati Tulasi Devi.

In both cases, Jananivasa and Pankajanghri arrived the day after those devotees disappeared from this world.

Advaita Acarya is simultaneously the incarnation of Sadashiva, the Shiva of the spiritual world, and Maha-Vishnu.

Advaita Acarya was only a teenager when both His parents departed for the spiritual world.

He was considered the leader of all the brahmanas and the leader of all the Vaishnavas.

Haridasa Thakura was driven out of every place until he came to Shantipur. Although some of the brahmanas of Shantipur considered Haridasa Thakura an untouchable, Advaita Acarya gave him all facility and spent time hearing and chanting about Krishna with him.

Madana-mohana appeared to Advaita Acarya in a dream saying that He was buried, and Advaita Acarya exacavated Him. Later He was given to a brahmana who gave Him to Sanatana Gosvami.

Advaita Acarya made Haridasa Thakura His best friend to teach the world that devotion to God is more important than external considerations.

Hridayananda Goswami:

From Mahabharata Katha, lecture 10, at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram on April 30, 2010:

Srila Prabhupada would quote an English saying that you can say any damn thing but you should not put it in writing.

In the time of the Mahabharata, because it was an oral society and nothing was written, people took their word very seriously as much as one would take a signed written document today.

You can detect a change in attitude between the older generation and the younger generation in the Mahabharata. Kunti and Bhismadeva were more bent on keeping their word no matter the consequences, while the young generation, the Pandavas and even Krishna, were more pragmatic and interested in justice. Thus Yudhisthira felt Arjuna should marry Draupadi, while Kunti, to keep her word, thought all five of them should marry her.

The marriage of the Pandavas changed the balance of power because the kingdom of Pancala, governed by Draupadi’s father, was now behind the Pandavas. Thus it was a crisis for the Kurus.

The Kurus used Vidura to propose to split the Kuru kingdom in half.

The Kurus took the capital and gave the Pandavas the wilderness of Khandavaprastha.

In Khandavaprastha, the Pandavas built a great city. That city is now known as Delhi and New Delhi.

Some demons took birth as animals so they could kill sages and yogis without violating dharma. These animals were concentrated in the Khandava Forest. There is an obscure Mahabharata verse that says that these demoniac animals were burned in the Khandava Forest fire.

Some say that Plato’s city of Atlantis corresponds to Krishna’s city of Dvaraka. Geologists confirm that the ocean did rise and did cover the region of Dvaraka.

Some kings accepted Yudhisthira because the Pandavas were powerful, and others because they understood that Yudhisthira was representing dharma.

At the Rajasuya sacrifice, Bhima took charge of the kitchen because he knew what a good meal was. Krishna, interestingly enough, washed the feet of the attendees.

Upon Sisupala’s death, within the sight of everyone, the soul of Sisupala left the body of Sisupala and merged into the body of Krishna, and that was so amazing that everyone was talking about it, and in assemblies where that is known, it is still discussed.

One king who would never accept the Pandavas was Jarasandha.

Jarasandha captured many, many Yadu kings and imprisoned them with the intention of offering them as a human sacrifice to goddess Kali. Hearing that, Krishna made an arrangement to kill Jarasandha.

[If these notes sound interesting, hear the whole lecture at https://www.hdgoswami.com/lecture/mahabharata-katha-2010-10/)]

Adikarta Prabhu:

We are all trying to be dear to Krishna.

Distributing Krishna consciousness is all that is needed because a Krishna conscious person does not require anything.

People are envious because they are not satisfied with what they have. The more we advance in devotion to Krishna, the more we become satisfied and thus the less envious we become.

The goal of sadhana bhakti is described in this verse spoken by Krishna to Uddhava: “One who does not desire anything within this world, who has achieved peace by controlling his senses, whose consciousness is equal in all conditions and whose mind is completely satisfied in Me finds only happiness wherever he goes.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.14.13)

If you become dear to Krishna, you have attained success.

Comment by Nama Kirtan Prabhu: If we stop someone from doing us harm, we are doing them a favor because they would get karma for harming us.

The sun is a very important planet. Even Radharani worships the sun.

This knowledge of yoga was first spoken to the sungod.

Many ancient cultures worship the sun.

Those who worship Krishna are most intelligence as Krishna says, “After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” (Bg. 7.19)

Prabhupada mentions that for humans to get an airplane to fly they have to supply so much fuel, but Krishna easily has so many planets flying without any such difficulty.

Speculation is dangerous because we can misunderstand what life is all about.

When you become a devotee you get the eyes to see the reality of the material world, that it is actually a miserable place.

We should hear about Krishna and thus develop love for Krishna, seeing how He is always trying to help people.

Krishna is so happy when people turn to Him that He makes their lives easier.

Comment by Nama Kirtan Prabhu: We should not ask Krishna for an easier life but to be able to handle the difficulties.

We show our love for Krishna by doing something for Him.

This one girl told me that her mother put her on medication when she was seven years old. She was taking two kinds of meditation, but since she has been coming to Krishna Lunch at FSU she has stopped taking her medication, and she is a lot happier.

Krishna admitted He could not repay the love of the gopis, but the gopis were not interested in being repaid. They were satisfied simply to love Krishna.

Sadhana bhakti means purifying the heart by doing devotional service every day. In this way, we become happy in this life and attain the spiritual world.

We do not want good karma because good karma makes you proud. If you have beauty, wealth, aristocracy, etc., you become proud, and that can block your spiritual progress because spiritual life is based on humility.

George Harrison was the most successful of the Beatles as a solo musician. He was frustrated being part of the Beatles as the others were less spiritually inclined, and he wanted to write more spiritual songs.

Sesa Prabhu:

Yudhisthira was Krishna’s chosen ruler yet he was hesistant to fight his kinsmen. After the war, although being the righteous king, he was still worried about the sinful reactions for fighting in the war and wanted to perform sacrifice to purify himself from them.

After the sacrifice of Maharaja Marutta, the brahmanas were overloaded with all the golden utensils the king had given them, so they just left the extra in the forest.

Srila Prabhupada was asked by a disciple if there really was a peak of gold in the Himalayas. Srila Prabhupada said yes. The disciple asked him where. He asked the disciple why he wanted to know. The disciple, Dhananjaya Prabhu, said he wanted to go there and get some and use it in Krishna’s service, and again he asked Srila Prabhupada where it was located. Srila Prabhupada said he would not tell him “because that would be too controversial.” He also mentioned that most valuable thing is devotees of the Lord, and that to make people into devotees of the Lord is the best service.

I think the Srimad-Bhagavatam is meant to erase the conception of a material life and a spiritual life by teaching “the highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.2)

Sacrifice is the bridge between our material life and our spiritual life.

Comment by Caranti Devi Dasi: Before I met the devotees I was in the military, and the idea of sacrifice was there, sacrificing your life for your country. But there you are required to serve people who may be spiritually ignorant, whereas in Krishna consciousness you sacrifice for God.

Comment by Lavanga Devi Dasi: I realized that one had to perform some sacrifice to advance in any field so it made sense that to advance spiritually one would have to perform sacrifice.

Comment by Ekayani Devi: When I heard of the animal sacrifices in the Vedas, it reminded me of the animal sacrifices in the Bible, which also are not recommended in this age, so that was an idea that was in common.

Here it says that peace and prosperity are the results of sacrifice.

The different spiritual ashrams are different ways of sacrificing for Krishna.

Comment by Sruti Sagar Prabhu: In Maryland I was going to book rooms for the programs for the semester, but I did not have any money to do so. On the way I brought prasadam to a well-wishing devotee. He spontaneously gave me $100, and I used it to book the rooms.

Krishna-kripa Das:

From a lecture on “The Art of Mantra Meditation” at the Gainesville Krishna House Friday night program:

Benefits of mantra meditation:

Material:

Freedom from stress

Freedom from depression

David Wolf (Dhira Govinda Prabhu) in a study for his Ph.D. thesis in social work at Florida State University showed that chanting the maha-mantra reduced stress and depression to a statistically significant degree.

Overcoming addiction

Ananta Nitai Prabhu gave up cigarettes by chanting a round of japa between each cigarette, thus losing the taste for cigarettes and attaining a taste for the mantra. He is now so enthusiastic about chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, he convinced me to do three twelve-hour harinamas on the streets of Dublin and he convinced two friends from Newcastle to fly to Dublin for a twenty-four hour harinama there!

Spiritual:

attaining spiritual qualities

Krishna describes divine qualities that we can attain by chanting the maha-mantra in Bhagavad-gita 16.1–3: “Fearlessness; purification of one’s existence; cultivation of spiritual knowledge; charity; self-control; performance of sacrifice; study of the Vedas; austerity; simplicity; nonviolence; truthfulness; freedom from anger; renunciation; tranquility; aversion to faultfinding; compassion for all living entities; freedom from covetousness; gentleness; modesty; steady determination; vigor; forgiveness; fortitude; cleanliness; and freedom from envy and from the passion for honor – these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature.”    One college girl in Brazil, who chanted the maha-mantra as a meditation, ended up becoming vegetarian as a side effect thus manifesting the quality of nonviolence.

the joy of realizing one’s spiritual identity

“When the embodied being is able to transcend these three modes associated with the material body, he can become free from birth, death, old age and their distresses and can enjoy nectar even in this life.” (Bhagavad-gita 14.20)

the joy of relationship with the supreme spirit

“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)
[Lord Krishna said:] “O learned Uddhava, those who fix their consciousness on Me, giving up all material desires, share with Me a happiness that cannot possibly be experienced by those engaged in sense gratification.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.14.12)
“In the stage of perfection called trance, or samadhi, one’s mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This perfection is characterized by one’s ability to see the Self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the Self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness, realized through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.” (Bhagavad-gita 6.20–23)

Srila Prabhupada explains in the address on the “Happening” album:

“Krishna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind. This consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we hear the transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived.”

“This chanting of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, surpassing all lower states of consciousness — namely sensual, mental and intellectual. There is no need of understanding the language of the mantra, nor is there any need of mental speculation nor any intellectual adjustment for chanting this maha-mantra. It springs automatically from the spiritual platform, and as such, anyone can take part in this transcendental sound vibration, without any previous qualification.”

“The living entities are described as superior energy than matter. When the superior energy is in contact with inferior energy, it becomes an incompatible situation. But when the supreme marginal potency is in contact with the spiritual potency, Hara, it becomes the happy, normal condition of the living entity.”

How to meditate? This is described nicely by Krishna in Bhagavad-gita 6.26: “From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self.”

[Do these notes seem interesting? Hear the whole lecture at https://drive.google.com/open?id=1NSCp9WQgrXOEAHlOvTC0qYGM33bTxQIk]

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In my nearly forty years as a Hare Krishna devotee, the following is the most positive statement I ever encountered about the value of the congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord. It is made by the guru of Srila Prabhupada, His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, whose appearance day we are celebrating on February 23 this year:

“Srinama-sankirtana [the congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord] is the best sadhana [spiritual practice]. If other sadhanas help us in Krishna-sankirtana, then they deserve to be called sadhana; otherwise they are simply impediments to sadhana. Sri-Krishna-nama-sankirtana is the emperor of sadhanas. It is the only infallible sadhana capable of bringing us to siddhi [spiritual perfection].” (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, quoted in Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava, Volume 1)

I try to do at least three hours of sri-krishna-nama-sankirtana each day in a public place for the benefit of myself and all those who pass by, and this quote gives me great encouragement to continue the practice.