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
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):
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):
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.”
“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]
-----
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.
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.
