Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 17, No. 16
By Krishna Kripa Das
(August 2021, part two)
(Sent from Tallahassee on September 4, 2021)
Where I Went and What I Did
During the second half of August I ended my seven-week stay in Paris, doing two harinamas on my final full day there and getting more participation than usual. I decided to stay in France for the Balaram Festival at New Mayapur when I learned that Madhava Prabhu, one of my favorite kirtan singers was attending and doing kirtan for five days. Agnideva Prabhu was also there, and so I was blessed with a lot of kirtan as my time in France came to an end.
I returned to Tallahassee, Florida, to promote our Krishna Lunch on the Florida State University campus, which had been suspended for a year and a half because of COVID.
I encountered many students who appreciate our food and our music, and I found I have another devotee to sing with this semester, Madhumangala Prabhu, who is actually a musician, so I am very excited about that. Temple president Kaliya Damona Prabhu has made so many positive changes I cannot count them all, so I am very optimistic about the future of our project there. Madhumangala was enthusiastic to drive to Gainesville for their Saturday night harinama the last weekend of the month, so we joined a party of fourteen Krishna House devotees, who engaged an amazing number of Gainesville youth in enthusiastically chanting Hare Krishna in the course of an hour and a half. We ended the month by observing Janmastami and Vyasa-puja in Tallahassee, chanting Hare Krishna on the campus of Florida State University and doing some additional hearing and chanting about Krishna and Srila Prabhupada in the temple in the evenings.
I share notes on Srila Prabhupada’s lectures on Srimad-Bhagavatam and quotes from his books, primarily The Nectar of Devotion. I share excerpts from the writing of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share quotes from Vrindavan Das Thakura’s Caitanya-Bhagavata and from Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s commentary on it. I share notes on devotees speaking at the Balarama Festival at New Mayapur, some remotely and some personally present. These include Janananda Goswami, Agnideva Prabhu, Aniha Prabhu, Gopaswami Prabhu, Krishna Baladeva Prabhu, Bhogini Devi Dasi, Sitala Dasi, and two ladies whose names I did not catch. I share notes on a lecture in Alachua about the all-attractiveness of Krishna by Tamohara Prabhu. I share notes on conversations with my godbrother, Haryasva Prabhu, and with Madhumangala.
I want to offer many, many thanks to the devotees who help maintain the programs at Yoga Lyrique for their very generous donations. These comprise Akshayananda, Rasa Lila, Rohininandana, Atma, Jagattarini, Patita Pavana, Sudevi, Marat, and Cho Prabhus. It was a pleasure to advertise their programs, and I look forward to doing it again next year, God willing. Thanks to Madhava Prabhu for the ride from New Mayapur to Orleans. Thanks to Janananda Goswami for making sure I was accommodated nicely in New Mayapur.
Itinerary
August 24–September 17: Tallahassee harinamas and college outreach
September 18: Clearwater Beach Ratha-yatra
September 19: Tampa harinama and Tampa and Orlando (via Zoom) Sunday talks
September 20–22: Tampa harinamas and college outreach
September 23–24: Philadelphia harinamas
September 25: Philadelphia Ratha-yatra
September 26–January 3, 2022: NYC Harinam
January 5‒April: Tallahassee harinamas and college outreach
Chanting Hare Krishna in Paris
I was very much encouraged on my last full day in Paris to do two harinamas, one at the Sarcelles Market with three devotees from the temple for 1¼ hours, and another, downtown by the Indian shops with five other devotees for 1¾ hours.
I had been wanting to chant at the Sarcelles Market for seven weeks, but either the weather was too bad or we did not have enough devotees. However, the last Tuesday I was in Paris, a young lady named Karunika Devi Dasi from Czech Republic, a disciple of Janananda Goswami who likes harinama, was visiting to do pujari service. She encouraged Manisirani Devi Dasi, a senior pujari lady, and Jahnava Sundari Devi Dasi, a young Czech lady born into a family of devotees who plays the mrdanga nicely, to also go on harinama with me at the market. I sang, the Czech devotee ladies played the percussion instruments and Manisirani distributed many invitations to the Paris Ratha-yatra. Some of the people at the market felt that it had been a long time since we had chanted there and were pleased to see us. One young drunk guy followed us and actually chanted the mantra for several minutes, reading it off a sheet. When we had almost completed an hour, I asked the ladies if they wanted to go back through the market one more time, and I was surprised that they were all agreeable to it. I actually find it a bit stressful to chant in the market, as it is crowded and a foreign culture for me, and I would have been happy to stop after an hour, but I continued to chant through the market to honor their enthusiasm.
In the evening, Amanda Portier, who is beginning to do kirtan at yoga centers, brought her full-size harmonium.
Vamsi, in the orange, came out for the first time in 7 weeks and distributed lots of Ratha-yatra flyers.
Here Amanda chants Hare Krishna in the Indian Quarter of Paris (https://youtu.be/3Z3suGVzv2c):
Patita Pavana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna by the Indian shops (https://youtu.be/_992q646TnU):
Finally Marat, my most reliable harinama partner, chanted Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/xG8sFTHteqA):
Marat even came out the next day to chant with me at Gare d’Austerlitz, from where I was to catch a train to go to New Mayapur.
After I returned from New Mayapur, I chanted alone for a little over an hour, passing out Ratha-yatra invitations by the Indian shops near Gare du Nord, where I took my COVID test for my flight the next day to the USA.
The last three weeks I was in Paris, the pujari and I were the only persons steadily at mangala-arati.
I really loved looking at the beauty of the deities there during the mangala-arati.
I definitely miss Them.
I submit my harinama report for Paris in August:
Chanting Hare Krishna at New Mayapur
I chanted Hare Krishna in Châteauroux with two other devotees while waiting for the bus to Luçay-le-Mâle to go to New Mayapur. We sat in front of the U.S. Museum (https://www.chatx-usa.com/), which was built to commemorate the time when the U.S.A. had a military base near there (1952 to 1967), and there was a close relationship between the local people and the U.S.A. personnel. Nil, who regularly visits the Sarcelles temple and plays mrdanga, plays karatalas here (https://youtu.be/ICAdnW2-iQU):
We chanted 15 minutes, and a nice Russian devotee lady played the shakers and took the video above.
There was lots of kirtan at the New Mayapur Balaram festival as you can see in the following videos:
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on day 1 of Jhulan Yatra, the swing festival of Radha Krishna, on Wednesday night at the Balaram Festival in New Mayapur (https://youtu.be/rTtU_D8SqUM):
I have not lived in a temple with Radha-Krishna deities during this time of year since 2004, and thus I missed the five-day Radha-Krishna swing festival (Jhulan Yatra).
Later Wednesday night Madhava Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/f1Wrth9ECQY):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Thursday at New Mayapur Balaram Festival (https://youtu.be/YqnuqS_rJzM):
Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/qxBhuwfy5Bw):
Ramanaji Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on day 2 of Jhulan Yatra (https://youtu.be/yjWvgw9Ns6E):
Ramanaji Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the temple lobby after Jhulan Yatra and the small Radha Krishna deities have just returned to the altar (https://youtu.be/afUSxLyQO3s):
Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna Thursday night at the Balaram Festival in New Mayapur (https://youtu.be/WldIU6pQNpY):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna during Guru Puja (https://youtu.be/GoydRDJeHGg):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Friday at the New Mayapur Balaram Festival (https://youtu.be/5WhN6YcvJMM):
Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/W9iqbmEtbQs):
As Chandra chanted, more and more devotees began to dance (https://youtu.be/G13Vo0Ky2pQ):
Ramanaji Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/SzbYn8Yf8q4):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on day 3 of Jhulan Yatra (https://youtu.be/nPg6Ki-NGpY):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the temple lobby after Jhulan Yatra (https://youtu.be/7HCrXT6VTLQ):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in procession from the temple to the festival tent (https://youtu.be/1FDFYLbv9Zo):
Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Friday night (https://youtu.be/nwWKq-hN6lg):
Chandrashekhara Acharya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna during Guru Puja Saturday morning at New Mayapur Balaram Festival (https://youtu.be/MF5zGymSRAI):
Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna Saturday at the Balaram Festival in New Mayapur (https://youtu.be/k47zDiXsHGE):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Ambroise, a small but popular city in the middle of France where the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci is situated, about an hour from New Mayapur (https://youtu.be/HK31FXZBQx0):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Ambroise, and a local lady delights in dancing with our party (https://youtu.be/tCy9u7BLdPw):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Ambroise during a rain shower in a couple different places where the party was protected from the rain (https://youtu.be/H83G1lHtWjo):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Ambroise, and locals watch and wave from their homes (https://youtu.be/JKu5NXJ0ya4):
Madan Gopal Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna in Ambroise on the way back to our vehicles (https://youtu.be/6SPYrPJ-kOU):
Madan Gopal also arranged for a nice picnic in a park there before our party returned to New Mayapur.
Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Saturday night at the Balaram Festival in New Mayapur (https://youtu.be/89pxjQNBPsA):
Janananda Goswami chants Hare Krishna during Mangala Arati on Balaram Purnima (https://youtu.be/uqBcH7woDuE):
Ramanaji Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Balaram Purnima morning at New Mayapur (https://youtu.be/GgN2ZvDGMFo):
Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna during the abhiseka of Krishna Balaram on Balaram Purnima (https://youtu.be/TmkKvjHZpPs):
Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna after the abhiseka at New Mayapur Balaram Festival (https://youtu.be/jlT6CkfYJM8):
Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna during midday arati on Balarama Purnima at New Mayapur (https://youtu.be/et1CTyh789I):
Admirers chant Hare Krishna as Madhava Prabhu, his wife, and I leave New Mayapur midday on Balarama Purnima, they to drive to Zurich and I to go to Orleans to catch a train to Paris (https://youtu.be/b6V6imnfkzc):
Usually I do not eat the airline food, but I could not resist the temptation to offer the ice cream I received on American Airlines to the photo of Radha-Govinda on my computer, and eat the remnants.
Chanting Hare Krishna in Tallahassee
I was happy to be chanting on Landis Green at Florida State University in Tallahassee and advertising our newly resumed Krishna Lunch. I was glad to be singing with Madhumangala Prabhu (Madhu), who I knew from the UNF Krishna Club, now studying music therapy at FSU and leading the kirtan in this video, and with Jorge Enrique Arias, playing the drum, who has been assisting me for years (https://youtu.be/YJ0YJ0IrjwQ):
Once a Jewish club, whose table was set up next to ours the previous day, brought a guitar and a box drum to campus, something I had never seen before. Perhaps they were inspired by us to do a Jewish kirtan! They had another novel promotional idea: “Earn money listening to Jewish Podcasts. $15/podcast.” I asked them to sing a song for my Jewish friends in NYC (https://youtu.be/sgV1mVPEaLI):
Tori Luecking, who did a short documentary on our NYC Harinam party (https://youtu.be/c-3pA-KIb5Q), loved seeing me post that video on Facebook, and wrote, “Yes, it was so great! Thank you! I showed it to Robby, my partner, and we both smiled and sang along as it’s a song we both grew up with.☺️Hare Krishna!”
Madhumangala Prabhu invites Florida State University students to say “Hare Krishna” and gets a variety of responses (https://youtu.be/EYtaxncz59U):
Those clips came from this Facebook Live video (https://youtu.be/Aa7eaSE-Pb0):
I was impressed that we had fourteen devotees from Krishna House inspired to go on harinama on Saturday night in downtown Gainesville, and I was amazed by their ability to get the young people waiting to go in the bars to chant the Hare Krishna mantra and to dance as you can see in this video (https://youtu.be/FRvUAEw2Dr8):
Patricia chants Hare Krishna on Krishna House Saturday night harinama, and passersby chant and dance (https://youtu.be/6wFL_GHo22Y):
Madhumangala Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/t0rAvmjh70o):
Jennii chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/eMtRkwFTJ0s):
Nitai Prasad Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/qFg2E0yULUE):
Ananta Vallabha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/TXkz_aInFn0):
On Janmastami we had an evening program attended mostly by Indian congregational devotees, one local devotee, and a couple college students Jorge invited.
Madhumangala Prabhu plays guitar and chants Hare Krishna at the Janmastami program in Tallahassee (https://youtu.be/6sy2fyv2l0Q):
Jorge chants Hare Krishna after the Janmastami program in Tallahassee with the remaining guests (https://youtu.be/cMpqrwS-8Rg):
All the temple devotees except Jorge and I wanted to go to sleep early to facilitate their Krishna Lunch service, so I did the midnight arati and he did the midnight kirtan. For me that is an integral part of Janmastami, and I do not like to skip it.
On Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja day our temple president, Kaliya Damona Prabhu, suggested we see the film Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami who started it all. It is always a treat to watch that film. I always take notes on it, and different things stand out each time. Here some things I noticed this time:
We want to make revolution against this materialistic civilization so that everyone can become happy. (paraphrase of a Srila Prabhupada quote)
Our vision is to see everyone become happy. Not that I exploit someone, and I become happy. (paraphrase of a Srila Prabhupada quote)
Mukunda Goswami: I saw he was elderly, learned, and alone so I felt I should help him. . . .We saw he was a sincere person, devoid of hypocrisy.
He understood what could happen if Hare Krishna appeared on that world stage.
Shyamasundara Prabhu:
George Harrison memorized word for word the introduction of Srila Prabhupada describing the Hare Krishna mantra which was on the Happening album.
George Harrison’s Hare Krishna recording sold 70,000 copies the first day.
Srila Prabhupada always wanted to go to the place where there was the least development, where he could contribute the most.
Prabhupada would see whoever came. Prabhupada had time for everyone.
Several million people heard Srila Prabhupada in the ten-day pandal in Bombay.
Rukmini Devi Dasi: He was unlike any teacher we had ever known. There was no gap in what he taught and how he acted.
I proofread Srila Prabhupada Tributes 2021 back in June and July, and I noted some excerpts that struck me: some Srila Prabhupada quotes, some stories about him, some examples of eloquence, essential truth spoken concisely, and some creative rhymes. I share these as my offering to Srila Prabhupada (https://krishnamonk.blogspot.com/2021/09/notes-on-srila-prabhupada-tributes-2021.html). I hope reading them increases your devotion to him and inspires you to read the entire book Srila Prabhupada Tributes 2021 (https://sptributes.com/download/147/).
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
For Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.24 in Mayapur on March 2, 1976:
“So here in this material world, Brahma is also a materialist, Brahma, what to speak of ourselves; Brahma, who is directly appointed the creator of this universe by the grace of God. Why he is in this material world? Because he has got some desire that ‘I shall be the master of a brahmanda.’ Just like everyone is trying to become the master of his house or the society or the community or the country. Just like in your country so many people are trying to become the president. Everywhere, everyone is trying to become master. It doesn’t matter it is a small circle or big circle. This is material disease. So Brahma is also trying to become the master of this universe. The same mentality is there. Hiranyakasipu underwent severe penances. Why? To become the master of the world. This is the material disease.”
“Every one of them [the queens of Krishna] were king’s daughter; they were not ordinary person daughter but they wanted to become maidservant of Krishna. This is the idea, to become servant and to become maidservant. This is ideal of human civilization.”
“Either man or woman, everyone is servant of Krishna. We have to be trained up in that platform, how to become the best servant, not servant directly, but servants of the servant.”
“Those who are serving, . . . one should learn from him how he’s serving twenty-four hours; then our joining this institution will be successful. And if we take it that ‘Here is an institution where we can have free hotel, free living and free sense gratification,’ then the whole institution will be spoiled. Be careful. All the GBCs, they should be careful that this mentality may not increase. Everyone should be very eager to serve, to learn how to serve. Nija-bhrtya-parsvam [SB 7.9.24]. Then life will be successful.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.28:
“My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of my association with material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind well full of snakes, following the general populace. But Your servant Narada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore, my first duty is to serve him. How could I leave his service?”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.15.45, purport:
“Significant in this verse are the words jñanasim acyuta-balah. Jñanasim, the sword of knowledge, is given by Krishna, and when one serves the guru and Krishna in order to hold the sword of Krishna’s instructions, Balarama gives one strength. Balarama is Nityananda. Vrajendra-nandana yei, saci-suta haila sei, balarama ha-ila nitai. This bala — Balarama — comes with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and both of Them are so merciful that in this Age of Kali one may very easily take shelter of Their lotus feet. They come especially to deliver the fallen souls of this age. Papi tapi yata chila, hari-name uddharila. Their weapon is sankirtana, hari-nama. Thus one should accept the sword of knowledge from Krishna and be strong with the mercy of Balarama. We are therefore worshiping Krishna-Balarama in Vrindavana. In the Mundaka Upanisad (3.2.4) it is said:
nayam atma bala-hinena labhyo
etair upayair yatate yas tu vidvaṁs
tasyaisa atma visate brahma-dhama
One cannot attain the goal of life without the mercy of Balarama. Sri Narottama dasa Ṭhakura therefore says, nitaiyera karuna habe, vraje radha-krishna pabe: when one receives the mercy of Balarama, Nityananda, one can attain the lotus feet of Radha and Krishna very easily.
If one has no connection with Nitai, Balarama, then even though one is a very learned scholar or jñani or has taken birth in a very respectable family, these assets will not help him. We must therefore conquer the enemies of Krishna consciousness with the strength received from Balarama.”
From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 36:
“The devotees of Krishna engaged in His personal service are always very cautious, because they know that becoming personal servitors of Lord Krishna is not an ordinary thing. A person who offers respect even to the ants engaged in the service of the Lord becomes eternally happy, so what is there to say of one who offers Krishna direct service? Raktaka once said within himself, ‘Not only is Krishna my worshipable and servable Lord, but also the girl friends of Krishna, the gopis, are equally worshipable and servable by me. And not only the gopis, but anyone who is engaged in the service of the Lord is also worshipable and servable by me. I know that I must be very careful not to become overly proud that I am one of the servitors and devotees of the Lord.’ From this statement one can understand that the pure devotees, those who are actually engaged in the service of the Lord, are always very cautious and are never overly proud of their service.”
From a lecture at Philadelphia Ratha-yatra on July 12, 1975:
“The Krishna consciousness movement is trying to educate people about this science, how to go back to home, back to Godhead. It is not a so-called religious movement. Of course, anything which has connection with God, you can take it as religious movement. But it is very scientific movement. For the big scientists, philosophers, thinkers, they should try to understand this movement. We have got fifty-seven books for convincing the philosophers, scientists. If you want to know the value of this movement through science, philosophy, we have got enough ingredients to supply you. Otherwise, it is simple, very simple. Simply chant this mantra,
“Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.”
Then everything will be manifest to you. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. This chanting of Hare Krishna mantra means cleansing the core of your heart. Because our heart or mind or consciousness is now covered with so many dirty things. So if we chant this Hare Krishna mantra, then these dirty things will be cleansed. Then we shall be able to see, ‘What I am, what is my position, what is my goal of life, what I have to do.’”
The humble servants of Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.14:
“Those sinful persons who are ignorant of actual religious principles, yet consider themselves to be completely pious, without compunction commit violence against innocent animals who are fully trusting in them. In their next lives, such sinful persons will be eaten by the same creatures they have killed in this world.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From A Poor Man Reads the Bhagavatam, Volume 1:
“‘You’ve given me enough to type all winter, Swamiji!
“‘Enough,’ he replied, ‘to last you several lifetimes.’
“I remember thinking that I could always leave in a few months if I didn’t like the Swami, just as I could leave a temporary job for the Boy Scouts or the Navy or even home.
“I mean I could leave
any scene I didn’t like—
I learned that from Beat life
and marijuana smoking.
‘I don’t need you, man!’”
“Receiving a letter from Prabhupada was the happiest of occasions, and it is something that is no longer available to the devotees. His letters had a special life for the time they were written. If Prabhupada gave an order, we had to carry it out immediately. If he gave encouragement, the devotees rallied around him. If he gave a reprimand, we felt determined to improve. But receiving a letter always created a special emphasis in an individual devotee’s relationship with Prabhupada.
“Sometimes we read the letters and see an instruction which doesn’t seem to fit the current ISKCON scene. Is the instruction obsolete? Maybe. The letters have to be seen according to time and circumstance, and their essence has to be applied to our present situation. This is again why letters cannot be used to justify our own situations as evidence—they were written under too specific a circumstance to allow for that. In his letters, Prabhupada was trying to teach his disciples how to apply Krishna consciousness in different situations and to different mentalities. They are reflections of his thinking and have a certain flexibility that his purports do not. The constants are always there and never become outdated—chant sixteen rounds, follow the four rules, serve Krishna with full devotion, etc.—but to say that we have to be bound by specific instructions in the letters may be a little sentimental on our part. If we are sensitive to the context, we will understand the essence, Prabhupada’s mood, and we will apply that mood to our own case.
“Similarly, devotees should not use the letters to debate their points. If a devotee reads us a letter to show that something we are committed to is not pleasing to Prabhupada, we have to again look at the context. Prabhupada may have discouraged our particular service for one devotee, while elsewhere he may have encouraged someone to take it up. Although a particular letter may be entered as evidence, the final test is whether that particular instruction can stand up against the sastra. Prabhupada’s books are the ultimate representation of his preaching.”
From Remembering Srila Prabhupada: A Free-Verse Rendition of the Life and Teachings of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness:
“HIS REQUEST FOR A BIOGRAPHY”
“Prabhupada said,
if they write my biography,
have them say
I am like one
who transplanted a tulasi plant
from one continent to the other.
It is not easy.
It has to be done
with care and devotion
or else it will die
as you attempt to plant it
in the new land.
To the harsh West-lands of the mlecchas,
he carried the tulasi
of Lord Caitanya’s teachings
and placed it in the earth
in such an expert way
that it has sprouted
into hundreds of Krishna conscious centers.
“Conclusion
“To turn a sinful person
to a life of pure devotion
is the work of a highly empowered soul.
The thoughtful scholars of Bhagavad-gita
(like Thoreau and Emerson)
had never turned to bhakti
nor could they convey it to others.
The Indian swamis who journeyed West
(like Vivekananda) regarded the Gita
as a vague treatise on many paths.
How could they lead others
to the highest path—devotion to Krishna?
Srila Prabhupada was the first,
and he was the greatest.”
From The Wild Garden: Collected Writings 1990–1993:
“I am also consulting our friend, the Supersoul. Please tell me what to do, inner guide and guru. What is best for a particular follower of Srila Prabhupada? The seas are not always clearly charted for each individual. Even though the seas have been traversed thousands of times, every voyage is unique.”
From My Relationship with Lord Krishna:
“This day belongs to Krishna. I have nothing to sacrifice or renounce because everything already belongs to Him.
“One thing I can say even now, Krishna is always present everywhere. We just have to find Him out. Srila Prabhupada says a geologist can find gold. We can find Krishna.”
From Free Writing Journal #156:
“You have to be open to give love in order to get it. Prabhupada’s famous saying, ‘If you love me, then I’ll love you.’ If he had said it to me earlier, I could have been initiated at the first initiation. I needed that nudge. But once he said it, I was ready.”
From A Poor Man Reads the Bhagavatam, Volume 1:
“When I first came to Prabhupada, this absolute presentation attracted me. He was not overbearing about it, yet he left no room to compromise. It’s difficult to explain what Prabhupada was like in those days. He was soft, elderly, wise, humble, and inviting. He was surrounded by an aura of kindness, gentility, and mendicant poverty. Even we could see that he depended on Krishna. When he spoke, however, he was absolute. It’s inconceivable how we, who were so relative and eclectic, were able to accept what Prabhupada said.
“I remember thinking at the beginning that Prabhupada could teach a different spiritual book every week. After I attended my first Bhagavad-gita class, I asked one of the other students what book he would speak on the next week. I suggested he might like to speak on The Tibetan Book of the Dead. ‘No, Swamiji says everything‘s in the Bhagavad-gita.’ I accepted that quickly. How could we accept Prabhupada’s absoluteness? It is inconceivable, it is only his mercy.”
“Can I connect with Krishna and not with the demon babbler within?”
From Dear Sky: Letters from a Sannyasi:
“But we hanker for the peaceful maintenance of the Lord. Within that maintenance, Krishna gives us a certain life duration and a quota of sense enjoyment, and we fill our life with rajo-guna activities. We jivas basically waste our time trying to establish ourselves permanently in a temporary place. That’s the civilization we live in. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare. But Prabhupada has come on Lord Caitanya’s order to tell us that this world is false, that by chanting Hare Krishna we can realize the real.”
From Free Write Journal #157:
“In our out-loud reading we are coming to the end of the longest chapter in the Krishna book, ‘Prayers of the Vedas Personified.’ After hearing so many personal pastimes of Krishna and His associates, some devotees can’t keep up interest in the technical philosophical discussion of prayers by the Vedas personified. It is very technical philosophy, mostly directed against the Mayavadis in favor of the Vaishnava philosophy. If one reads it carefully and slowly, he or she will find it actually relishable. Every word in the Bhagavatam is said to be like immortal nectar, and we just have to slow down and pay attention to the prayers of the Vedas personified.”
From A Poor Man Reads the Bhagavatam, Volume 1:
“If someone has received this confidential knowledge, then he should serve others who are searching for relief from samsara’s miseries. ‘Here it is, that which you have been looking for but couldn’t find life after life. Here is the Lord you are seeking, the scripture, the hymn, the one work required.’
“When we speak of atma, the materialist doubts that it even exists. He recognizes only the body and the mind. We must affirm, therefore, the existence of our own self despite the detractors.”
“I realize I am not in love with the Absolute or the Srimad-Bhagavatam, although I have a strong affinity for them and feel safe in their company. Therefore, I need to explore without shame who I am—this person who is not yet in love with Krishna. Why am I this way?”
“We have the desire to come through death even as we cope and drive off mosquitoes and flies and other forms of torment Prabhupada assures us pervade life in this world.”
From From Imperfection, Purity Will Come About: Writing Sessions While Reading Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Saranagati:
“I was thinking about this writing this morning. I made a resolution to keep writing, but I realized that at any moment, my peace and ease could be violently torn away. I felt this in a small way today while walking and listening to tapes. I made a gesture with my hand and it caught the wire that leads to the Walkman. Suddenly the earplugs were jerked out of my ears. It didn’t hurt, but it was sudden, accidental—the sound was gone. It produced a mental shock as I humbly returned the earplugs to my ears.
“That was just a small inconvenience—not even serious—but with the same suddenness, I could lose my life. I try to write with that in mind. Every moment is special, and when you pass the fifty-year mark, every moment becomes more precious. I still haven’t been able to write a profound epic, but at least I am able to stop and breathe prayers and to remind myself that I am writing as one who is about to die for those who are also about to die. Don’t waste time. We are all looking for earnestness. We are all looking for that feeling that will connect us to Krishna.”
From The Qualities of Sri Krishna:
“Neophyte devotees may become jaded in their routine practices of worship, but we should always acknowledge that this is our own fault. When genuinely performed, devotional service brings joy and new insights at every moment. We need to go deeper and to remove anarthas, and then we will never think devotional service is stale.”
“Let us pray to attain the quality of ever fresh appreciation for Krishna. The world of maya presents many obstacles to Krishna consciousness, but when we can taste the sweetness of harinama as ever fresh, as always revealing more to us, then we will be able to overcome all obstacles.”
From “Prabhupada’s Room” in Srila Prabhupada Samadhi Diary:
“I cannot expect to live in a vacuum with him [Srila Prabhupada], and I cannot disown disciples I have accepted on Srila Prabhupada’s order. It was in this room that he said, ‘They will be our disciples.’”
From Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name:
“I don’t know exactly where I am situated, whether in namaparadha or namabhasa or both or in-between them. I know I am not in suddha-nama. There are offenses in my chanting. But the holy name has carried me out of the worst darkness. That has already been done by uttering sincere Hare Krishna mantras under the powerful guidance of Srila Prabhupada.”
From Here is Srila Prabhupada:
“The pure devotee loves us in a much greater proportion than we can love him. We are simply beggars. All he is asking in return for his gift of Krishna consciousness is our sincerity.”
From The Wild Garden: Collected Writings 1990–1993:
“O Lord who is not to blame but who is sorry when the jivas torture each other. O Lord who comes to tell us, ‘Come back to God and quit this place,’ O Lord, how hard is it to get back to You?”
From Dublin Pieces (1996):
“You can’t be mechanical. You must put your best effort into seeking shelter of hari-nama and service – or else you’ll drown in the modes so prevalent in Dublin.’”
“The Lord in the heart gives intelligence, inconceivably and imperceptibly. American Friends (the Quakers) depend on this very much. They get together in silence and speak if God moves them. God is in the heart. We don’t trust entirely in this process; we have gurus and Krishna. But the Lord in the heart also. Srila Prabhupada commended us to go ahead; Krishna will give you intelligence. You can’t figure Him out on your own.”
“Prana means life force. A devotee feels Krishna is his life and soul. Radha-Krishna. The Lord guides me. Krishna’s flute I hear. The mrdanga I like to hear. I honor prasadam. Life is an adventure in Krishna consciousness. Don’t be dead to it, see Krishna’s hand at work.”
“Lord, I wish to write this way and my particular service is to write and demonstrate the triumph of the bhakti process for me.”
From A Poor Man Reads the Bhagavatam, Volume 1:
“Kirtana-rasa and japa-rasa are the safest places in the world to be. Whatever provokes us to chant, whether it be fear or joy with duty or impulsiveness, we can certainly find ourselves safe. Prabhupada writes, ‘When chanting the maha-mantra, we are completely safe, even in this most dangerous position.’ He doesn’t say that the dangerous position goes away, even for devotees. Rather a devotee should realize from the tribulations that the material world is a dangerous place. We should get out.”
From My Relationship with Lord Krishna:
“I remember the days when Srila Prabhupada was dictating Krishna book and sending me the tapes to type and edit. I was often the first lecturer who knew directly from Prabhupada the extended pastimes of child Krishna in Vrndavana. When Prabhupada visited Boston in 1968, I had the opportunity to speak to an audience at Prabhupada’s request in his presence. After some preliminary philosophy, I began to tell one of the pastimes I had recently heard on tape. I told how Krishna was a naughty child and had stolen yogurt and butter from a neighbor’s stock. Krishna and Balarama then distributed this butter to Their monkey friends.
“When the monkeys were satisfied and wouldn't take more, the boys said, ‘This butter is useless. Even the monkeys won’t take it!’ When the neighbors caught the boys and accused Them, They said, ‘You think We don’t get sufficient butter at home? We didn’t steal anything.’ As I spoke, I saw my audience break into wonderful grins. I sensed that there was more to their smiles than my own presentation. Glancing at Srila Prabhupada by my side and slightly behind me, I saw him smiling with pleasure to hear Krishna’s pastime repeated by his little son.
“I pray that I may never give up the practice of speaking krishna-katha as ordered by Prabhupada and that I may bring a smile to his face and, by reflection, to the hearts and faces of the audience.”
From Truthfulness: The Last Leg of Religion:
“. . . Honesty means that we have to do what we don’t want to do, but what is best for us. When we do the unwanted task and suffer voluntarily, that is called tapasya—and that is honesty in spiritual life. To sink back from a prescribed duty claiming, ‘I have to be honest with myself; my heart is not attracted to this duty’—is not honesty, but more like corruption and laziness. We should at least strive to know the difference.”
From One Hundred Prabhupada Poems, #80:
“Yes I was on many morning walks with you
and I’m proud of it.
I like to see my sikha-tousled head
sticking up and me gliding behind you,
to hear thoughtfully
what you have to say.
I listened best on those morning walks.
At other times I was plagued with mental problems.
But no matter how restless I was—
wanting service in separation from you,
disliking the menial nature of what I had—
I never disliked the walks.
There was pure philosophy streaming from you.
The debate with Mayavadis and scientists,
the joy of walking with you and
how you kept the conversation
so pure, preaching,
and the clothes you wore too—
lightweight garlands of frangipani in Hawaii,
a soft wool shawl,
your saffron wool cadar over that,
most handsome and stately.
‘Good morning!’ you said to passersby.
Little did they know who you were.
We shared at least a little
the secret you carried.
I’m looking at those photos today
and feeling comforted.
Your hand in your bead bag,
your face turned back and smiling to a disciple.
If I try to get too much out of it
the photo will vanish.
I’ll try not to be greedy.
You exist in many dimensions,
not just in a piece of glossy Kodak paper.
But it aroused my devotion to see your image.
I don’t want to miss you.
Please take me on the walk.
Please talk or be silent as you wish,
please walk with your disciples,
and make us Krishna conscious.”
From Dear Sky: Letters from a Sannyasi:
“But if one simply ‘worships’ life without the transcendental goal, it is hardly a religion.”
From Dublin Pieces:
“Skies in Ireland clear only to cloud again.”
“When Praghosa said he didn’t want to assume that God was speaking to him in the heart, I said, ‘But it is true, imperceptibly in our life.’ Krishna is directing us. So, let us go chant His names.”
Vrindavan Dasa Thakura:
From Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 2.26:
“Lord Caitanya inaugurated the congregational chanting of the holy names as the essence of all religious principles for the age of Kali.”
From Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 2.60:
“Many people came from various provinces to study in Navadvipa, because by studying there one achieved a taste for education.”
From Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 2.93:
[Sri Advaita Acarya said:] “I will make the Lord of Vaikuntha appear in this world, and we will dance, chant, and thus deliver the fallen living entities.”
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:
From his commentary on Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 2.69:
“Instead of glorifying sri-krishna-kirtana as the yuga-dharma, the argumentative and quarrelsome people of that time were busy talking about each other’s temporary faults. As soon as one gives up the glorification of the Lord’s qualities and transgresses the injunctions of the scriptures, one immediately acquires the quality of pride and is swallowed by envy, in the form of fault-finding. In the Srimad Bhagavatam (11.28.1–2) Lord Krishna speaks to Uddhava as follows: ‘One should neither praise nor criticize the conditioned nature and activities of other persons. Rather, one should see this world as simply the combination of material nature and the enjoying souls, all based on the one Absolute Truth. Whoever indulges in praising or criticizing the qualities and behavior of others will quickly become deviated from his own best interest by his entanglement in illusory dualities.’ When the living entities engage in hearing and chanting about the Absolute Truth, Sri Vrajendra-nandana, they find relief from the quarrelsome nature of Kali-yuga and thus remain fixed in the path of hearing from authorities. Then they no longer discuss topics not related with Lord Krishna.”
From his commentary on Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 2.72:
“In his commentary on the Bhagavad-gita, Sri Madhvacarya quotes the following verse from the Maha-kurma Purana:
bharatam sarva-sastresu bharate gitika vara
vishnoh sahasra-namapi geyam pathyam ca tad dvayam
‘Mahabharata is the best of all scriptures, and Bhagavad-gita and Vishnu-sahasra-nama are the best parts of the Mahabharata. They should always be studied and recited.’”
“Lord Sri Krishna is the speaker of the Bhagavad-gita, and Arjuna is the listener. Srimad Bhagavad-gita consists of 700 slokas in eighteen chapters and is found in the Bhisma-parva of the Mahabharata. It is the first book to be read by persons on the spiritual path.”
From his commentary on Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 2.77:
“Whenever the devotees failed to change the extremely materialistic pasandis’ mentality by their cultivation of Krishna consciousness, they would pray for Krishna to bestow His mercy on them.”
From his commentary on Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 2.79:
“The acaryas of the Sri Rudra-sampradaya are known as Vishnusvami, because they preach pure devotional service. A few disciples of the Rudra-sampradaya gave up subordination to their spiritual master, or the process of accepting knowledge through aural reception, and practiced adulterated devotional service. They then created a new sampradaya known as the Sivasvami-sampradaya. Sri Sankaracarya appeared in this Sivasvami-sampradaya and vigorously preached adulterated devotional service in this world. Since less intelligent people considered both pure and adulterated devotional service as the same, they were cheated from achieving eternal benefit.”
From his commentary on Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 2.80:
“In the Mahabharata-tatparya (1.53) it is stated:
paramo vishnur evaikas taj jñanam mukti-sadhana
sastranam nirnayas tv esa tad anyan mohanaya hi
“Vishnu is the one Supreme Lord. Knowledge of Him is the means of liberation. He alone is the object of the scriptures. To conclude anything else is a cause of delusion.”
Sri Advaita Acarya always preached that one should eternally take shelter of the service of Krishna’s lotus feet, as this is the essence and goal of all scriptures within the three worlds. Sri Advaita Prabhu preached that devotional service to Krishna is the essence of all scriptures and the only objective of Srimad Bhagavatam, which is Sri Vyasadeva’s natural commentary on the Brahma-sutras, the fountainhead of all scriptures. By preaching Srimad Bhagavatam, He checked all kinds of false speculation and conclusions that are opposed to pure devotional service. He thus endeavored to establish the attitude of service to the Supreme Lord in the hearts of His audience.
From his commentary on Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 2.95:
“It is due only to Sri Advaita Prabhu’s internal endeavor that Sri Caitanyadeva awakened pure intelligence, in the form of devotional service, in the hearts of the living entities who were absorbed in material sense gratification. In this way everyone was benefited. This was repeatedly stated by Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu Himself.”
Janananda Goswami:
Sometimes we fail to enter the mood of the songs we sing, and sometimes we do not even know their meaning.
When Srila Prabhupada took intiation, his guru advised him to study carefully the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu. Srila Prabhupada likened The Nectar of Devotion to be like the Bible or guidebook for practicitioners of Krishna-bhakti.
The scripture helps us transform our self-centered consciousness to Krishna consciousness.
Preaching means to assist one’s guru in his mission.
The Nectar of the Devotion does not dive off the deep end. Some people like to dive off the deep end, but Rupa Goswami starts with devotional service in practice.
Rupa Goswami shows by his own life how to ultimately attain Radha Kunda.
“Krishna, I exist to please you. Nothing else.” This is mood we are trying to attain.
People say rules are for fools but we have to come to the point of realizing we are fools and therefore we need rules.
If we take shelter of Rupa Goswami in the form of his teachings we will cease being attracted to the temporary forms of this world and become attracted to the eternal forms of the divine couple Sri Sri Radha Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada mentioned different verses were most important in Bhagavad-gita. One was Bg. 4.9.
Once Hari Sauri asked Srila Prabhupada, “Why Balarama is so affectionate to Duryodhana?”
Srila Prabhupada replied, “Duryodhana is an eternal servant of Lord Balarama.”
Even today you can see little kids directing a herd of big cows with just a little stick.
Here a difficulty with getting cows is having someone to look after them. In the spiritual world that is not a problem.
There is a GBC resolution that by this time next year all the milk products offered to the deities should be from our own cows.
On his last trip to Bhaktivedanta Manor, although his body was greatly emaciated, he spirit was strong. During the ride from the airport to the Manor he was talking about cow protection the whole time, asking all kinds of detailed questions about how the cows at the Manor were taken care of.
Varnasrama is not just a nice idea. It is a practical arrangement to help us become Krishna consciousness.
Formerly kids were simply happy playing with sticks, fruits, vegetables, and stones, and now they are becoming addicted to all kinds of technological products and you can hardly get their attention away from them.
The acaryas say that the cowherd friends of Krishna and Balarama said that they wanted to enjoy the fruits guarded by Dhenukasura because then Krishna and Balarama would be enthusiastic to assist them because they like to please Their friends. What the cowherd boys actually wanted was to obtain the fruits to offer them to Krishna Balarama.
Krishna consciousness can shake up people as the presence of Balarama shook up Dhenukasura.
Dhenukasura was a representative of Kamsa. Sometimes we are representatives of Kamsa. Kamsa is sense gratification personified, and when we are overcome with desires for sense gratification we become like representatives of Kamsa.
Agnideva Prabhu:
All the problems in this world are due to unclean hearts. All the leaders have unclean hearts, and people look to them for advice.
Narottama Dasa Thakura says in this song without going through Lord Caitanya, you will not understand Radha Krishna. If you follow Lord Caitanya, you can really know Krishna, like Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada went to countries where people did not even name the name Krishna, and now Krishna is worship going on there.
It seems like effortlessly Srila Prabhupada spead Krishna consciousness around the world.
Srila Prabhupada so much wanted to translate the Sri Caitanya-caritamrita that he stopped his Srimad-Bhagavatam translation to do it.
When the devotees said they could not print all seventeen volumes in two months, Srila Prabhupada quoted Napolean, “Impossible is a word in a fool’s dictionary.”
In Los Angeles at that time it was very ecstatic because every few days at mangala-arati we would see a new volume of Sri Caitanya-caritamrita being offered to the deities on the altar.
On the boat from India, Srila Prabhupada said reading Caitanya-caritamrita was his only solace.
Gopaswami said he heard Indradyumna Swami say that the turning point for Rupa Goswami was when he overheard a Muslim couple say, “That Dabhir Khasa is so devoted to the Nawab that he will do anything for him.” Rupa Goswami decided it was not good that he was so devoted to such a leader, and joined Lord Caitanya instead.
The spiritual master is one who is qualified to accept service and pass it on to Krishna.
Aniha Prabhu:
In 1976 Srila Prabhupada wasn’t planning to come to France. Bhagavan went to England to persuade him to come. After hearing his appeal, he said, “What can do? Bhagavan is the supreme controller!”
Srila Prabhupada visited the cow shed where I was working after his morning walk one day.
I was happy to be Srila Prabhupada’s night guard.
When Srila Prabhupada saw the vyasasana we had made, he smiled.
Gopaswami Prabhu:
Krishna never forgets us. He remains in our heart. He reveals the sastra for those in human society to give His direction.
There are different scriptures because there are different people.
In this verse, Sukracarya is quoting from scriptures meant for the most sinful people who need to be seriously punished to be corrected.
The government is meant to punish cheaters, but in this age of Kali unfortunately there are cheaters in the government.
To those who follow scripture, Krishna gives intelligence.
Srila Prabhupada said if we are enthusiastic to execute the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we will be able to understand the essence of the scripture.
The Six Goswamis have extracted the essence of the scripture.
Srila Prabhupada wanted us to serve the sastra and the pure devotee both together.
Promoting the holy name is our solution to the problem of violence in society. Not only the holy name, but the deity worship as well.
Emperor Akbar was very open to other cultures, and he had Srimad-Bhagavatam translated into Persian.
Indradyumna Swami tells about King Mansing, a Hindu king who was a great devotee, under the Muslim ruler Emperor Akbar. King Mansing, on his way to Bengal to suppress a rebellion, stopped at Mathura and fell in love with Govindaji. He prayed, “If You bless me with success in this battle, I will build You a magnificant temple.”
Emperor Akbar gave his entire budget for one year for the building of the Govindaji temple. The construction took 30 years. Rupa Goswami was not still present, but Jiva Goswami was there when the construction was complete.
New Mayapur is floating on the blessings of Srila Prabhupada and the deities, Krishna Balarama.
Mataji 1:
The day that the Gaura-Nitai arrived in New Mayapur was a lunar eclipse, and seeing the beauty of the deities and hearing of the eclipse Srila Prabhupada decided to rename this place New Mayapur from its previous name of Bahulavan.
The deities were installed at different times 1975, 1976, and 1979, and Krishna-Balarama were the second set of deities installed.
When Srila Prabhupada visited in 1976, Srila Prabhupada wanted it quiet as a condition, so no devotees could live in the castle during that time.
Mataji 2:
We made many preparations for the arrival of Srila Prabhupada, and there was such joy in the whole devotee family receiving Srila Prabhupada.
I was a mom, and my focus during Srila Prabhupada’s visit was how to see that my son, Gaura Shakti, got his association.
We are still trying to prepare a place for Srila Prabhupada in our hearts every single day.
Krishna Baladeva Prabhu:
Srila Prabhupada lost a little balance climbing up the platform, and he grabbed onto Balarama. Later on it occurred to me that he was understanding Balarama to be the Supreme Lord, and thus it was natural to take shelter of Him.
I was so ecstatic later being able to receive a name related to my favorite deities
Bhogini Devi Dasi:
I was not there for the installation. I stayed with three other devotees in Italy maintaining the program there while the other devotees in the temple went to the installation. But those few days when we were responsible for all the temple service, were my most intense experience of service to Prabhupada in my whole life.
Sitala Dasi:
When Srila Prabhupada saw the property [New Mayapur], he loved it.
Bhagavan asked Srila Prabhupada if we could install Radha-Krishna deities. Srila Prabhupada said, “We cannot worship Radha-Krishna. We worship Gaura-Nitai.” Then he added, “You can also get Krishna Balarama.” And after that, he said, “And then you can get Radha-Krishna.”
We got the deities made in Jaipur. All I remember about Krishna and Balaram was as soon as they were carved, they were beautiful.
We knew it was not really legal to take that much silver out of India as was required for Balarama’s plow, but we negotiated it.
We did a marathon to get enough outfits for the installation. We also had to prepare Srila Prabhupada’s room.
Krishna and Balarama quickly captured the hearts of the devotees there, especially the kids, who I talked with after they grew up. One young lady, I recall, seeing the deities on a visit many years later, spent two or three hours looking at them.
Somebody brought a rock from Govardhan, although the devotees were instructed not to worship it. They took it to Prabhupada, and he advised them to put it on the altar.
It is a historic event that Krishna Balarama appeared in France at that time and sat down there. It is unique in that, other than in Vrindavan, no other Krishna-Balaram deities were requested to be obtained and actually installed by Srila Prabhupada’s desire.
It is a good idea to meditate on this special lila of Krishna Balarama in coming to France.
Except for the Manor and Los Angeles, New Mayapur is the only place in the West where the quarters that Srila Prabhupada’s stayed in still exist.
Tamohara Prabhu:
Srila Prabhupada makes the point that a man is attractive if he is rich, if he is strong, if he is beautiful, if he is wise, if he is famous, or if he is renounced, and because Krishna has these different kinds of opulence in full, He is all-attractive.
Srila Prabhupada makes the point that a person may be famous in a city, in a country, or on a planet, but who is famous throughout the entire universe like Krishna? He also makes the point that some people may be famous for a few years, but who is famous for throughout all history?
Srila Prabhupada explains that although Krishna has created the material world, He is not at all attached to it. He does not claim it for Himself. He comes here only occasionally. He has created it and given it to ourselves to use.
Krishna’s pastimes in this world are so wonderful because they are the same pastimes that are going on in the spiritual world enacted here.
Another reason Krishna is all-attractive is the four qualities He alone has: His unique pastimes, especially childhood pastimes, His devotees who have superexcellent love for Him, His ability to attract all living entities by playing the flute, and His unrivaled beauty.
Srila Prabhupada gave us Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead in 1970, and our attraction to Krishna’s pastimes is largely because of this book.
When Krishna plays as son of Mother Yasoda, He is not thinking, “I am really Maha-Vishnu, but I have to play the part of a baby for this lady.” He is completely into it.
Haryasva Prabhu:
From a phone conversation:
Krishna keeps the conversation going to enlighten the intelligence.
When the intelligence becomes laser-like that is most likely the Supersoul.
You are thinking you are so gorgeous, but that is very temporary. Your mother was gorgeous. And we are not even bringing in your grandmother!
Madhumangala Prabhu:
For me the best part of book distribution was giving the people a mantra card, teaching them the mantra, and encouraging them to chant the mantra five minutes a day. The people always felt that they got something substantial out of that, even if they did not get a book.
----
Lord Caitanya said, “After describing the potency of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, My spiritual master taught Me another verse, advising Me to always keep it within My throat.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 7.75)
harer nama harer nama
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
“For spiritual progress in this Age of Kali, there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative to the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 7.76)
Thus we can conclude that the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is very important if we want to achieve the ultimate perfection, and so we had better take it very seriously.
