Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 18, No. 10
(May 2022, part two)
NYC, Washington, Baltimore
(Sent from Brooklyn, New York, on June 4, 2022)
Where I Went and What I Did
I was based in Radha Govinda Mandir in Brooklyn for the last half of May, chanting Hare Krishna four hours a day with Rama Raya Prabhu’s NYC Harinama party. One day we did a Hare Krishna Festival at Times Square. I made two three-day trips, one to chant with Sankarsana Prabhu in front of the Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., and another to promote and attend the Baltimore Ratha-yatra with Harinama Ruci, a world traveling harinama sankirtana party, which Mahavishnu Swami is presently part of. The Sunday I was in New York City I joined with thirteen other devotees in chanting Hare Krishna across the Brooklyn Bridge and on the subways to and from the bridge. I also proofread Back to Godhead, Volume 56, Number 5 (September/October 2022). Thus I had a very busy second half of May!
I share quotes from Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita, and notes on a Bhagavatam lecture by Srila Prabhupada. I include quotes from the Adi Purana and Katha Upanishad. I share excerpts of writings by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on lectures by Candrasekhara Swami, Mahavishnu Swami, Hansarupa Prabhu, Pancharatna Prabhu, Prasannatma Prabhu, Kadamba Kanana Swami, Janardana Swami, and Padmanayana Prabhu. I share notes on Back to Godhead articles by Nagaraja, Satyaraja, Visakha, Caitanya Carana, Gauranga Darsana, Iksvaku, and Rukmini Vallabha Prabhus.
I thank Guru dasa Prabhu SDG of Washington, D.C., and Sergiue of New York City for their very generous donations on the occasion of the Baltimore Ratha-yatra. Thanks to Janananda Goswami for buying me a train ticket from London to Paris. Thanks to Saurbha Prabhu of Potomac and Yugala Piriti Devi Dasi of New York City for their kind donations. Thanks to Sampradaya Prabhu for allowing me to stay at his place in Baltimore and for dropping me at the bus. Thanks to Prashant Silver for helping me out in Baltimore. Thanks to Krishna Prasada Prabhu for picking me up at the bus in Baltimore. Thanks to MTA for the Fair Fares half-price Metrocard.
Itinerary
May 30–June 13: NYC Harinam
June 14: London lunch lecture and harinama
June 15–August 16: Paris harinamas
July 1: trains from Paris to Berlin and Berlin harinama
July 2: Berlin Ratha-yatra
July 3: Prague Ratha-yatra
July 4: trains from Prague to Paris and Paris harinama?
August 17: Flight to USA
August 18–21: Observe Janmastami and Vyasa-puja and travel to Florida
August 22–September ?: Tallahassee, Gainesville, Tampa harinama and outreach
September ?–21: NYC Harinam
September 22?–September 24: Philadelphia harinamas and Ratha-yatra
September ?–January ?, 2023: NYC Harinam and three weeks of service to guru
January 3: Kings County Court Jury Duty
Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City
Deva Damodara Prabhu chants Hare Krishna after Tulasi Arati at Radha Govinda Mandir (https://youtu.be/7LJZYLeFAY8):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Radha Govinda Mandir in Brooklyn before giving Bhagavatam class (https://youtu.be/FSFRdsgOJCQ):
Jakub chants Hare Krishna at Union Square (https://youtu.be/JAgHxL9lMHk):
Deva Damodara Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Union Square (https://youtu.be/yZmcZIwxpGA):
Krishna Kumar Prabhu from Krishna Balaram 24-Hour Kirtan chants Hare Krishna at Union Square (https://youtu.be/b3pEiYjPYuY):
Krishna Kumar Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Union Square, and passersby join in (https://youtu.be/ofZHcIPjW38):
An older couple plays shakers and dances as Pandava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Union Square (https://youtu.be/a3sZgup7EHQ):
I had never seen a couple that old play the shakers and dance that long!
Deva Damodara Prabhu chants at Hare Krishna Festival in Times Square (https://youtu.be/rt3QYZLaKLA):
Tulasi Das Prabhu chants at Hare Krishna Festival in Times Square (https://youtu.be/d0CNJPlH3dQ):
Godruma Prana Prabhu chants at Hare Krishna Festival in Times Square, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/aqej2Zxw20o):
Pandava Prabhu chants at Hare Krishna Festival in Times Square, and devotees and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/6fns0f3T7Lg):
Padmanayana Prabhu chants at Hare Krishna Festival in Times Square, and devotees and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/fRel4iUze2E):
Krishna Kumar Prabhu from Krishna Balaram 24-Hour Kirtan chants at Hare Krishna Festival in Times Square, and devotees and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/Mfl_SgH4XfQ):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants at Hare Krishna Festival in Times Square, and devotees and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/osNGE2horgg):
At our Times Square Hare Krishna Festival this lady came up to me and said, “I talked to a Hare Krishna in Union Square 21 years ago, and he convinced me to be a vegetarian, and I have been vegetarian ever since. So do not think your endeavors for outreach are without effect!”
I thanked her and told her about Govinda’s Restaurant and our free veggie feast for 10,000 on June 11. I asked if I could take a photo of her for my journal, but she wanted to take a selfie of both of us.
On Sunday, the NYC Harinam party chants at the temple. Another group of fourteen devotees from ISKCON NYC, led by myself, Bhakta Dylan, Pancharatna Prabhu, and Pandava Prabhu, respectively, chanted Hare Krishna on Brooklyn Bridge for an hour or so (https://youtu.be/mCMXRgpz5DU):
Counting the time we spent chanting to and from the subway stations and while waiting for the trains, the entire Sunday harinama was about an hour and three-quarters.
Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Washington Square Park, and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/vjvL2QILlfU):
Jaya Jagannath Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/Svp4cgfrvbo):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Washington Square Park, and devotees and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/aT0ag7_MOV4):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Washington Square Park, and a passerby dances (https://youtu.be/ZleeNtUeKyg):
While distributing NYC Ratha-yatra flyers at Washington Square Park that day, I met a Polish man from Katowice, the city I stayed in with Tara Das when attending Wrocław Ratha-yatra last year.
Kadamba Kanana Swami chants Hare Krishna at mangala-arati at Radha Govinda Mandir in Brooklyn (https://youtu.be/ZLQ_InwYFUc):
Hari Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square (https://youtu.be/pniLU-zfIBg):
Kadamba Kanana Swami chants Hare Krishna in Union Square, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/h4t4yLAj0rc):
Tulasi Das Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Lotus Room Tuesday evening program for new people (https://youtu.be/rf5HqT-Flc4):
Here is a vertical version from later in the kirtan (https://youtube.com/shorts/HrjkQXjZOsw):
Pancharatna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and passersby play shakers and dance (https://youtu.be/t3BcLNxrUVs):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/2JWWXzZOxnk):
Hari Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square again (https://youtu.be/eEcQBi6YXB4):
While Hari was singing I talked with a lady who seemed very open and friendly, so I invited her to sit with us and play the shakers. She said she had some errands but would return.
She did return, donating a watermelon, and sitting cross-legged and playing the shakers till the kirtan ended 2:45 hours later! (https://youtu.be/--04Q-Yq4pA):
Hari Ramesh told me that after the harinama that lady accompanied Rama Raya Prabhu and a group of devotees on a tour of Srila Prabhupada’s first residence in New York’s Upper West Side and bought the devotees fruit from the West End Superette, where Srila Prabhupada shopped!
For several days almost every week, when weather permits, Sankarsana Prabhu plays keytar and sings by the Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., for four hours. For two hours he sings popular Hare Krishna tunes, and the next two hours he does Hare Krishna and devotional songs to the tune of famous songs. I promised to join him three days a year.
Here girls on a field trip with their class dance along to Sankarsana’s Hare Krishna tune (https://youtu.be/7_zmjClW0yM):
Krishna Kripa Das chants Hare Krishna by the Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. (https://youtu.be/3rNCovCkIUg):
Sankarsana Prabhu plays keytar and chants Hare Krishna by the Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., and I play the shakers, chant the response, and occasionally give out “On Chanting Hare Krishna” (https://youtu.be/_ZwFyJOF34o):
Chanting Hare Krishna in Baltimore
Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci chant Hare Krishna at Inner Harbor in Baltimore on a Friday night, and middle schoolers from Massachusetts delight in chanting and dancing with them (https://youtu.be/dkNjrh71r4I):
Later the kids did a snake dance (https://youtu.be/ow1GxXfCHk0):
After that they chanted “Gauranga!” (https://youtu.be/rzgqRrGmu1s):
Other passersby also interacted with Mahavishnu Swami as he chanted Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci that day before the Baltimore Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/Itl-wAo220A):
Janardana Swami chants Hare Krishna with Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci at Inner Harbor in Baltimore, and Pennsylvania high school girls chant and dance (https://youtu.be/2zmuYm-hGCE):
The most enthusiastic of the girls, the one wearing all black, except for a brown shirt, wrote me asking for a copy of this video. When I sent it she replied, “Thank you so much!!!! Great meeting you all.”
Param Prabhu of Vrindavan chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci at Inner Harbor, and a security team dances (https://youtu.be/AmTlWGX6AF4):
Param Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and passersby interact (https://youtu.be/lCaQWkhZOBg):
Param Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Baltimore Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/g2gEz-0qSmQ):
During the Ratha-yatra procession I let Amrita of Krishna House and two ladies she was talking to play my shakers (https://youtu.be/Po5FlUiiWvo):
Amrita recalls, “These two were amazing! She was asking about how we offer food to God because she grew up in a tradition where she does the same. Everyday she offers something to God! She was so surprised to know that we do the same!”
I was impressed with the feast at the Baltimore Ratha-yatra as it included puris, pakoras, and paneer sabji.
Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci chant Hare Krishna at the Baltimore Ratha-yatra festival site, and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/N1mEC2rBR18):
In London the Jagannatha deities remain on their carts, overseeing the festival. At Baltimore they sit on an altar, and people can queue up to fan them with the camara (yak tail fly whisk) or the peacock fan.
Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci chant Hare Krishna in Baltimore on Sunday afternoon, and passersby happily join in (https://youtu.be/wwBndG7gxTA):
A guitar player chants and jams with the devotees (https://youtu.be/bd8dM0tsEB4):
Harinama Ruci shared a photo of our Baltimore harinama party at Inner Harbor.
While in Baltimore I learned the devotees have a food truck and serve free vegan prasadam to impoverished residents of Baltimore six days a week.
I spoke about the walnut burfi I made for the Nrsimha Caturdasi festival at Viraha Bhavan, but I forgot to include of photo of it.
In New York City sometime we have the Indian vegetables that remind us of our past pilgimages to India. One day we had both patola and jackfruit on the menu.
Srila Prabhupada had doubts, based on the Vedic knowledge, about whether the astronauts really went to the moon. Since the first 1969 moon flight, others have expressed doubts about the moon landing from time to time. Here a guy at Washington Square Park has a display about that:
Every once and a while something reminds us of the 1960s, like this T-shirt worn by a girl at Union Square.
Sexual restraint is not so popular. For one desiring spiritual perfection, sex is restricted to within marriage for procreation. I wonder what this guy at the Museum of Natural History means by “Safe Sex.”
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From Bhagavad-gita 3.13, purport:
“The devotees of the Supreme Lord, or the persons who are in Krishna consciousness, are called santas, and they are always in love with the Lord as it is described in the Brahma-samhita (5.38): premañjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayeshu vilokayanti. The santas, being always in a compact of love with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda (the giver of all pleasures), or Mukunda (the giver of liberation), or Krishna (the all-attractive person), cannot accept anything without first offering it to the Supreme Person.”
From Bhagavad-gita 10.12–13, purport:
“Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one should always meditate upon Him and enjoy one’s transcendental relationship with Him.”
From Krishna, Preface:
“If one simply reposes his dormant loving propensity in Krishna, then his life becomes successful. This is not a fiction but is a fact that can be realized by practical application. One can directly perceive the effects that love for Krishna has on his life.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.12.32, purport:
“It is only by the grace of the Supreme Lord that one can be protected from the allurement of lusty material desires. The Lord gives protection to devotees who are always engaged in His transcendental loving service, and by His causeless mercy He forgives the accidental fall of a devotee.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.22.55, purport:
“The ruler of this planet should therefore know that all the inhabitants, especially human beings, have come to this material world for sense enjoyment. It is therefore the duty of the ruler to satisfy them in their sense enjoyment as well as to elevate them to Krishna consciousness so that they all can ultimately return home, back to Godhead.
“With this idea in mind, the king or government head should rule the world. In this way, everyone will be satisfied. How can this be accomplished? There are many examples like Prithu Maharaja, and the history of his regency on this planet is elaborately described in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Even in this fallen age, if the rulers, governors and presidents take advantage of Prithu Maharaja’s example, there will certainly be a reign of peace and prosperity throughout the world.”
From lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.7:
“Because we have not yet awakened our natural love for Krishna, we are required to practice vidhi-bhakti. That is compulsory. Vidhi-bhakti means one has to follow the injunctions of the sastras and the order of the spiritual master. We cannot do anything whimsically.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 2.10, purport:
“Through His different potent agents, the Lord protects and sustains everything, but He Himself personally protects and sustains only His devotees, just as a king personally sustains and protects his own children, while entrusting the protection and sustenance of the state to various administrative agents. The Lord is the leader of His devotees, as we learn from the Bhagavad-gita, which mentions that the Personality of Godhead personally instructs His loving devotees how to make certain progress on the path of devotion and thus surely approach the kingdom of God.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 2.18, purport:
“The authorized scriptures direct the individual souls to revive their relationship with the Supersoul. Indeed, the system of yoga is the process of transcending the influence of the material elements by establishing a connection with the purusa known as Paramatma. One who has thoroughly studied the intricacies of creation can know very easily that this Paramatma is the plenary portion of the Supreme Being, Sri Krishna.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 2.24, purport:
“From the Rk-samhita (1.22.20):
tad vishnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah diviva cakshur atatam
‘The Personality of Godhead Vishnu is the Absolute Truth, whose lotus feet all the demigods are always eager to see. Like the sun-god, He pervades everything by the rays of His energy. He appears impersonal to imperfect eyes.’”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 9.40, verse and purport:
“If the fruits [of love of Godhead] are distributed all over the world, My reputation as a pious man will be known everywhere, and thus all people will glorify My name with great pleasure.”
Purport: “This prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s is now actually coming to pass. The Krishna consciousness movement is being distributed all over the world through the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, and people who were leading confused, chaotic lives are now feeling transcendental happiness. They are finding peace in sankirtana, and therefore they are acknowledging the supreme benefit of this movement. This is the blessing of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. His prediction is now factually being fulfilled, and those who are sober and conscientious are appreciating the value of this great movement.”
Quoted in Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita, Volume 6, Chapter 51:
“Everyone was astonished how I started this without any help. My only asset was I was sincere. Everyone knows it. Otherwise, how is it possible?”
Lord Krishna:
From Adi Purana, as quoted in Hari-bhakti-vilasa 11.470–1:
“O son of Kunti [Arjuna], one who becomes joyful upon seeing a person who is inclined to chant the holy names of the Lord will also go back to Godhead and enjoy the association of Lord Vishnu. Therefore, My advice is that you go on chanting My holy names with firm determination, because one who is attached to chanting My holy names is very dear to Me.”
Srila Vyasadeva:
From Katha Upanishad 2.3.8:
“Only the wise person who can see that Supreme Soul within his heart becomes peaceful and enjoys transcendental bliss.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From He Lives Forever:
“There’s a purport in the Fourth Canto in which Prabhupada specifically describes that when the spiritual master comes to this world he creates order out of disorder, but when he leaves, disorder returns. Yet the sincere, faithful disciple assists the spiritual master in preserving the religious principles. The tendency will be for irreligious principles to sprout up again. The demons and the insincere devotees will cause trouble, and we are without the strength of Srila Prabhupada’s physical presence. So those devotees who are sincere will help the spiritual master reinstate religious principles, even in his absence.”
“Take away a disciple’s following the order of his spiritual master, and there is nothing left of him. And he should be like that. It should not be that if you take away his connection with his spiritual master he will still have something. No. He’s got nothing left. ‘Your mercy is all that I am made of.’ The disciple should take that position.”
“Just look at this Krishna consciousness movement. Srila Prabhupada says there is no scarcity of money. All you have to do is follow the orders of the spiritual master, and everything will come. Money will come, liberation will come, happiness will come. Everything that you want will come, because Krishna will award it. Srila Prabhupada once described that by preaching we’re like Krishna’s advertising firm—advertising the glories of Krishna. Big businesses spend millions of dollars for their advertising. So do you think that when you engage yourself fully as an advertiser for Krishna, He is not going to maintain you or take care of you?”
“When you look out at the material world and the people in this world, if you see the people as potential devotees, if you see the variety of things in the material world as things that can be used for Krishna, then that’s seeing Krishna.”
“As far as material conveniences are concerned, they automatically come, just as the maidservants of the queen follow her wherever she goes. Liberation is no problem for the pure devotee, and all material conveniences are awaiting him.”
“So during his last days, Prabhupada was surrounding himself with the holy name. His whole life had been dedicated to spreading the holy name to every town and village. For his passing away, he especially wanted to fill his room with devotees chanting Hare Krishna, and Krishna fulfilled that wish.”
“Srila Prabhupada was also qualified in that way—to teach sanatana-dharma so expertly that it could be accepted by all people all over the world. We ourselves were not satisfied with sectarian religions or establishment, society and politics. We had become cynical. But Srila Prabhupada was able to break through that because he convinced us: you simply take to spiritual life; and here is your spiritual life, without any sectarianism. You are disillusioned with politics and sectarian religions, but don’t think that all religion is nonsense. Here’s the science of the soul—Bhagavad-gita—and it has nothing to do with Jewish or Christian or black or white. This is spiritual truth.”
From One Hundred Prabhupada Poems, #49
“Srila Prabhupada was strong up
until his last breath; he said
he prayed to Krishna for enthusiasm,
and the Lord gave it.”
“It was a quick eleven years, and the rest
of life is recounting it and living
out service in separation.”
From The Story of My Life, Volume 3:
“I aspire to go back to Godhead, Goloka Vrindavan, and I keep hearing Srila Prabhupada say we should try for that and that it is possible. I may not make it, and I will accept that. Like Maharaja Pariksit I pray that if I have to be born again, I can have devotion for the unlimited Lord, association with devotees, and friendliness to all living entities.”
“From your very first days in Manhattan
you envisioned the exciting prospects of food distribution.
Writing to Mrs. Morarjee,
‘When they will have the actual commodity,
and feel pleasure by eating very delicious
prasadam of Bala Krishna, I am sure a unique thing
will be introduced to America.’
Even your simple cutting of an apple
and giving it out at night in the storefront
was something extraordinary
to those sitting on the floor—
hearing, chanting, and then taking
an apple slice from you in silence,
watching you spit out the seeds onto the nearby sink.
‘How wonderful!’ they thought. ‘No one else can do that.’
At noon you gathered a dozen young men
who came without fail,
even if they could not follow the regulations;
no one missed the prasadam
or was unenthusiastic.
Was it ordinary rice? Just some unleavened bread?
But weren’t rice and bread available in the luncheonettes?
And who had even thought of rice as special—
until you brought it as prasadam?
It wasn’t just rice. It was the way you served it.
And the prayers!
And having the open pots on the floor
in front of the little picture of Lord Caitanya,
and the fact that you were there cooking
or at least presiding, moving on bare feet
in and out of the kitchen.
You were openly stressing prasadam
by quoting the Bhagavad-gita,
and your followers also accepted
that food became completely spiritual
when offered to Krishna in bhakti-yoga:
‘All right,’ we said, ‘this is bhagwat prasad!’
We had known soups, but not hot, spicy dahl.
We knew peas, carrots, et cetera,
but not your special mixtures
of spinach, cauliflower, eggplant, and potatoes.
And the secrets of masala spicing,
the luxury of deep-frying in ghee,
made food new, healthy, hot, and delicious—
and all brought by you.
‘It was not bread he gave me—
he gave me prasadam
This was life, and he saved my life.’”
From Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name:
“Prabhupada doesn’t spell out in detail what will happen or when, yet he clearly says nama [the name of the Lord] will lead to the awareness of rupa [His form], lila [His pastimes], and guna [His qualities]. He has great faith that the chanting will work and that Krishna will reveal Himself.”
From Prabhupada Appreciation:
“Srila Prabhupada always forgave his disciples’ foolishness. Although he did not want to flatter them, it was not his duty to condemn them either.”
From The Twenty-Six Qualities of a Devotee:
“Lord Caitanya did not introduce this science of love of God as a new thing; it exists eternally as the original relationship of all living beings with the Supreme, and it is described in Vedic literatures. Lord Caitanya’s unique contribution was to distribute the mellows of pure love of God in a very simple method.”
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:
From Caitanya-Bhagavat, Adi-lila 14.104, purport:
“Just as actors, while remaining in their original dress, accept and give up sentiments as either hero or heroine, similarly, one should know that the same also applies to the Supreme Lord.”
“Therefore the demigods who had entered among the eternally liberated Yadavas when the Lord appeared in this world were separated from the Yadavas by the Lord and sent to Prabhasa. Later on, by the strength of His illusory energy, the Lord orchestrated their deaths before the eyes of people and thereafter transformed them into demigods by giving them honey to drink and sent them to heaven. This explanation is found in the last part of the Eleventh Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. The Yadavas who are eternal associates in Krishna’s pastimes remained hidden from materialistic people and continued sporting with Krishna in Dvaraka as in their previous unmanifest pastimes. This conclusion should be known from Sri Brihad-bhagavatamrita. ‘The bodies of those who were burdening the earth’ and ‘the bodies of the Yadavas’ mean the bodies of the demons who were burdening the earth and the bodies of those demigods who appeared as Yadavas and others—both of whom were equal to the Supreme Lord. But though in the present example of thorns, both are equal, the extricating thorn (by which the imbedded thorn is taken out) is karana-bhuta, or instrumental, and therefore is beneficial and known as ’antaranga, or intimate (and comparatively more relishable), while the karma-bhuta, or active thorn (since it is imbedded, it is to be extricated) is unbeneficial and known as bahiranga, or inimical (and comparatively abominable).”
“As stated in the Mahabharata: ’The five gross material elements are not present in the body of Krishna, the Supersoul.’ The Brhat-Vishnu Purana also says: ‘According to the injunctions of the Vedas and smrtis, one who considers that Krishna’s body is made of material elements should be rejected.’”
“It is also described in the Mahabharata, Mausala-parva:
kritva bharavataranam prithivyah prithu-locanah
mocayitva tanum krishnah praptah svasthanam uttamam
‘To the eyes of people, after diminishing the burden of the earth, Krishna gave up His form and returned to His supreme abode.’”
“‘Though the Lord is unlimitedly powerful and the only cause of creation, maintenance, and destruction of innumerable universes, thinking that His mundane mortal body would not be effective any more and exhibiting the supreme destination of the self-realized souls, He did not wish to keep His form after the killing of the mortal Yadavas, rather He took it to His own abode. Otherwise, the above-mentioned self-realized souls would disregard achieving the supreme destination and endeavor to remain in this material world by achieving yogic perfections—so that this calamity may not happen, in other words, to check this, the Lord enacts His disappearance pastimes.’ (Sridhara Svamipada)”
“First Rukmini, the daughter of Bhismaka, and then Satyabhama disappeared in the forest. Both of them possess pure spiritual bodies, so they did not give up their bodies like ordinary living entities.”
“In the Brahmanda Purana it is stated: ‘The form of Lord Hari is devoid of mundane abomination and delight, but words like “acceptance” and “rejection,” which are found in His activities, are to be understood as His appearance and disappearance.’ They are just like the exhibition of a magician, who (while remaining in his living state) manifests his and others’ false birth and death.”
From Srila Prabhupadera Patravali, Vol. II, p. 10:
“Do not be preoccupied with the end result of chanting. Rather, chant Krishna’s name constantly with patience and forbearance. The Lord will surely not sit silently and do nothing. . . . As you run your hands over the japa mala, think that you are touching Lord Gaurasundara’s [Caitanya’s] lotus feet. That is the way you should chant.”
Candrasehkhara Swami:
Ontology is the investigation into what exists and how it exists.
If you look into Greek philosophy, said to be the beginning of Western philosophy, you see it has a lot of elements borrowed from the Vedic philosophy, such as the elements, earth, water, fire, and air, and the idea of order in the universe, including the idea of morality, which is there in the Vedic idea of karma.
Communism really shows what happens when you try to remove religion from society. They tried to create a classless society. Thus had to get rid of the bourgeoisie, so they decided to murder them. Then they felt they had to get rid of their sympathezers and so they murdered them. Then they felt they had to get rid of anyone who was not really on board with them, so they murdered them.
Even if God is misunderstood by people, the result they attain is still better than that attained by those avowedly against God.
Societies that try to eliminate God ultimately collapse.
Constantine accepted Christianity in his state, although he previously did not have much to do with it, in order to keep the Roman Empire from degrading.
Marx accused religion of being the opiate of the people, but in reality religion is the cure for the selfishness that will otherwise destroy society.
What makes the government succeed is the blessings of the Lord. If any government leader encourages people to worship God, that will be good for his country.
It is easy for a government or a religion to go wrong, thus Srila Prabhupada did not promote a single person to be the head of ISKCON but rather formed a governing body.
The Vedas are a full philosophy with all the aspects you need for philosophy, ontology, epistemology, value theory, teleology (the cause of everything), eschatology (where everything winds up), soteriology (how one gets saved), all these things are there, and nyaya, logic, is there too. They have all been thought out.
Comments by me:
Although some criticize religion for all the violence caused by it, you have correctly pointed out that in terms of numbers of people killed, the atheists are far ahead.
Although Nietzsche said “God is a dead” he also said, “Without music, life would be a mistake... I would only believe in a God who knew how to dance.” It is funny that Krishna would give this hint of his dancing nature through the words of Nietzsche.
His comments on a class by me:
There is Krishna, who does not interfere with the soul’s free will, and the souls who are uninterested in spiritual life. In between are the devotees who can change the situation of the souls by their desires, their acts, and their prayers.
We have to use all means to encourage people to progress in devotional service. Some need friends, others need their talents to be engaged, others need festivals, etc.
Devamrita Swami used an analogy of poison gas under a door to describe how Krishna consciousness gradually affects people who have some proximity to it.
I like the transistor analogy. A little current applied at one base causes a great current flow at another. The small devotee’s desire connects the soul with the greater influence of Krishna.
Mahavishnu Swami:
Srila Prabhupada attended many Ratha-yatras and spoke at many Ratha-yatras, but he did not speak about the pastime of Lord Jagannatha. He used the opportunity to share the basic philosophy of Krishna consciousness with the public. We need to hear that basic philosophy.
How can you discover how you are created? How can you discover how you are born? This is a mistake of the present civilization to think we can find our origin through mental speculation.
We have this Jagannatha festival here to teach the people of Baltimore there is a supreme person behind everything.
We try to save the whales, but we cannot save ourselves.
Srila Prabhupada is a Jagannath bhakta. He must have been. Jagannatha appeared to him [in San Francisco], and he caused Ratha-yatra to be performed all over the world.
After the first Ratha-yatra, the devotees brought Jagannatha to Srila Prabhupada’s apartment at Stinson Beach and set Him on the piano. I learned recently that at that time Srila Prabhupada played the piano.
Let’s hope we can make some devotees at the festival today.
Hansarupa Prabhu:
Srila Prabhupada taught that within his order was the potency to execute it, and many of his disciples realized this.
The holy names can cool down the heat of passion.
We are not just chanting a mantra. We are worshiping the holy name.
The devotees are holding back the Kali-yuga by their harinama sankirtana.
The whole parampara and Krishna Himself were behind Srila Prabhupada.
We have to learn these lessons. Otherwise, why are we reading the Bhagavatam?
The garbhadana samskara elevates the consciousness of the child who appears in the womb.
For many war is profitable, and so they want to maintain it. This consciousness in demoniac.
One lesson is anger is controlled by penance and meditation.
One disciple who was a pre-med and who came from a family of doctors asked Srila Prabhupada if he should continue his education. Srila Prabhupada told him that there are enough doctors and that he would do better to become a doctor of the soul. Thus Srila Prabhupada was able to engage him in a lot of services he could not have done had he become a doctor.
We do not see many people who are as surrendered as Jayananda Prabhu.
Holika was the auntie of Prahlada who had a garment that was fireproof, and she thought she would hold the child and she would not get burned, however, she got burned and Prahlada remained unharmed.
When we come to the mode of goodness, we naturally do not want to be in the cities, and thus we have to resist that tendency in order to remain in the city and preach to satisfy the spiritual master, and we will get extra credit for doing that.
As metal must be prepared before it can be worked, a devotee has to go through some purification to be useful in the Lord’s service.
We only used to do abhiseka [the bathing ceremony] for deity installations and for Lord Jagannatha’s snana-yatra. Not just to draw a crowd at a festival.
Nagaraja Prabhu:
From “Beyond God” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 56, No. 5 (September/October 2022):
“Prabhupada encouraged his disciples to introduce as many people as possible to Krishna through his books. He saw that people were abandoning religion, and he was confident that if they got acquainted with Bhagavan Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead – His qualities, pastimes, associates, and so on – their natural spiritual inclinations would be awakened.”
Pancharatna Prabhu:
When the pure devotee like Narada delivers the Lord to us, we ourselves become delivered.
Narada stands out among the sons of Brahma as he has no procreation project.
Even if there is a devotee desiring our deliverance, we still have to cooperate with that devotee.
Evidence that Narada can deliver anyone he desires is his deliverance of Mrgari the hunter. He chose to give Krishna to Mrgari, and he could give Krishna to Mrgari.
Where does the ajnata-sukrti that creates some interest in a person come from? Maybe it is from hearing your chanting of the holy name that very day.
Narada is special because he chooses to dedicate his long life, spanning the lifetime of the universe, to deliver others.
Comments by me:
Smita Krishna Swami recalls that Srila Prabhupada said that when the sankirtana party goes down the street the street is never the same. When people go down that street in the future, they will become purified.
Devotees rented Judson Hall for $200 for a program and only 7 people came. “‘I’m sorry, Swamiji. We invited you here and almost no one came,’ Raya Rama apologized. But Prabhupada raised his eyebrows and said, ‘No one? You did not see Narada? You did not see Lord Brahma? When there is chanting of Hare Krishna, even the demigods come to participate.’”
Prasannatma Prabhu of France:
There is so much variety and so many feelings in this world to think that the kingdom of God is devoid of varieties and feelings is a horrible philosophy.
From all of Krishna’s pastimes we can see His friends and lovers have so much feeling for Krishna and Krishna has so much feeling for them.
The feelings of separation in the spiritual world do not bring you down but rather they energize you.
In the interim stage we have some feeling for Krishna, but we also have some feeling for maya. We may desire to become expert and enjoy both Krishna and maya simultaneously. After a while of trying that we will realize that if we maintain attachment to maya, our feelings for Krishna will not grow.
It is possible to attain perfection in one lifetime. Thus we can do it.
We do the Ratha-yatra festival one day a year, but for the gopis every day is a festival when they see Krishna as He returns to them in the evening.
Krishna, Rama, and Nrsimhadeva all manifest the full power of God.
If we have no feeling, there is something wrong in our practice. Our feelings for Krishna should be growing.
If we become strong in Krishna consciousness, we can help out. Srila Prabhupada was so strong he could come to the West alone, because he had Krishna’s mercy.
You throw some prasadam, and the birds come and take and bhakti starts.
You chant Hare Krishna in the street, and all living entities who hear the holy name greatly benefit.
We do not need to become pure devotees to preach because your chanting in the street and your distribution of books are quite perfect.
Ruci, taste, is not the goal. Then there is asakti. But asakti is not the goal. Then there is bhava, but bhava is not the goal, then there is prema. In this way, we should aspire to increase.
Satyaraja Prabhu:
From “Only God Can Make a Tree” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 56, No. 5 (September/October 2022):
“Such tolerance [like that of a tree] comes from seeing oneself in perspective, as a tiny soul in a very large universe.”
Visakha Dasi:
From “The Power of Sound” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 56, No. 5 (September/October 2022):
“The beauty, harmony, and quality of our existence often depend on the nature of sounds we hear and make. We’ve all experienced how hurtful and undermining, as well as how enthusing and empowering, words can be. Words can shape the intent and direction of our lives, strengthen or dismantle our fortitude, make us angry or gentled, alienated or grateful.
“While mundane sound is undoubtedly powerful, transcendental sound can’t be compared to anything of this world.”
“God makes sounds? Yes, He’s a person, and when He wants to communicate He makes sounds. But unlike the sounds we make, His sounds are divine. The infinite Supreme Person cannot be conceived by or contained within our senses, mind, and intellect; however, since He really is infinite, He has the power to make Himself known to our finite selves through the medium of sound.”
“By infusing our consciousness with supramundane sound, saturating it with divinity, we’re spiritually nourished and enlightened, and begin to experience the transformative potency of transcendental sound. Those vibrations cut through our worldly mind and intellect, and awaken our understanding of our spiritual existence. We learn that beyond the intellect is the spiritual element, the soul – me.
“When we open ourselves to authentic transcendental sound waves, our progress and happiness in spiritual life are assured. Our worldview radically shifts, along with our values, goals, priorities, diet, habits, likes, dislikes, and the way we want to spend our time. In Srila Prabhupada’s words, what happens is ‘a revolution in the impious life of a misdirected civilization.’ (Bhagavatam 1.5.11, Purport)”
“The fifth offense is to think the glories of the holy name are exaggerated. We need to humbly recognize our minuteness and limitations and acknowledge that the potency of the holy name of God is beyond our comprehension, just as God Himself is beyond our comprehension.”
“Transcendental sound comes from a realm beyond this world, and that sound can transport us to that divine realm. To be so transported, we first need to hear from authentic spiritual teachers – people who have properly heard the sages and scriptures and have realized and are following their teachings. And we need to avoid committing offenses to the holy names of God.”
“The sound of the maha-mantra powerfully shatters our misconceptions and establishes us in our actual identity as spiritual beings, atmas. By chanting attentively, we feel practical results: we’re less fearful and angry, less envious of others, and more satisfied within ourselves. In a word, we’re happier. We enjoy the sound of the mantra, its pleasant company, and the effect of listening and hearing. The holy name bathes us in spiritual joy, knowledge, and love. As we go on chanting God’s names with attention, carefully hearing each divine word, our mind and body are transformed. By mindfully chanting Krishna’s holy names in the company of His devotees, we come closer to Him. In this way we can have a full draught of the ocean of bliss and satisfy our self – a soul – who has been thirsty from time immemorial.”
Kadamba Kanana Swami:
Lord Vishnu creates the material elements, and Lord Brahma assembles them into so many things.
The different sons of Brahma play different roles in the greater plan.
How much are we still calculating our advantage even in the course of performing devotional service? We have been doing that for a long time, and so we are very much conditioned in this way.
The earlier sons of Brahma perform austerities and engage in procreation with a desire for material activity. Narada, however, only cares about Krishna and delivering transcendental knowledge.
Sense enjoyment is not forbidden in Krishna consciousness. Only sinful sense gratification is.
In the end considerations of varna and asrama disappear, and there is only Krishna. Narada represents this stage.
The role of Rudra in destruction is very important. Everything is breaking down. Even our bodies break down as we are in them.
If we are always seeing everything is temporary, and therefore rejecting it, that is the path of the impersonalists. Our path is to engage the material energy for Krishna. Thus we can engage this tendency to control in Krishna’s service.
If we try too hard to be healthy, we will find that we get sick anyway, so we do something for health but do not endeavor too much.
Regardless of our asrama, most of our energy should be engaged in devotional service.
If you are plagued by dark samskaras, do whatever you can in devotional service, and look for mercy. Ultimately mercy is the cause of our success. Mercy will change our desires, and our desires are what counts.
It is easier to do spiritual activities with others so we have ashrams.
Jayadvaita Swami said as a devotee becomes more advanced his quirks become more charming.
Q: Is it bona fide to be married and not have children and instead agree to dedicate ourselves to the mission?
A: It is not that is not bona fide, but only very rare people can act on that platform.
Even mixed devotional is OK because devotional service is purifying.
For Rudra, destruction is His devotional service, but that should not be our devotional service!
Harinama-sankirtana is our devotional service. We are all here to increase the sankirtana. Become an agent of mercy. Then you fulfill your purpose in life. You may chant, distribute books, dance, give lectures, etc. If you do not become of agent of mercy, you are not living up to your potential.
I have been interested in music my whole life. I played an instrument ever since I was a kid, but now if the music has no relationship with Krishna, I do not care for it. I only like kirtan. Thus in time our attachments become purified.
Janardana Swami:
Although householders do not have to follow the same morning program as in the temple, they should have some morning and evening program.
Some devotees put their shoes in their bags to avoid having them get stolen, but because the shoes are so dirty I do not think that is good idea.
When you see the spiritual master from a distance you should bow down. Then again when he comes closer you should bow down again.
In the Gurudwaras of the Sikhs they have facilities for washing the feet of the pilgrims.
When you offer obeisances to someone, it is for your benefit not the benefit of the person you are offering obeisances to.
In India they are strict about not circumambulating the temple when the deity is eating or sleeping because it is considered to be disturbing to the Lord.
You should not bow down on one hand to avoid your japa mala touching the ground. Better to put it on your back or hang it on a hook (except in India where it will get stolen).
We should not speak lies before the Deity, and in fact, we should not speak lies anyway.
If the other person cannot understand you are telling the truth, then you are not telling the truth because they cannot understand it.
Our consciousness should be that our Jagannatha here in Baltimore is not different than the Jagannatha in Puri.
Even before we apologize to a devotee we offended, he has forgiven us. It is Krishna who is pained when offend His devotee.
Padmanayana Prabhu:
By understanding the opulence of Krishna we can increase our motivation to serve Him.
Although Lord Brahma is so highly qualified that he could create the planetary systems and living entities, he still felt he should pray to the Supreme Lord for the ability.
When we identify ourselves with the body, we forget our identity as soul.
To attain the highest goal of the soul we have to depend on Krishna.
When we realize that we are part and parcel of God, we become happy.
Truth must be confirmed by Vedic authority.
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura said in a letter just 13 days before leaving this world: ‘To cross a river one should keep a boat and a boatman. Similarly I have a guru.’ I have no connection with such disciples who think like that. They have deceived me. I will deceive them life after life by engaging them in worldly objects.
This pastime of Brahma becoming attached to his daughter in a sensual way can be misinterpreted in a couple of ways:
1. That the act is not so bad because even Brahma did it.
2. Because Brahma is acting like that then this scripture Bhagavatam is not bona fide.
If we take it in either of those two ways, we deviate from the path.
The actual lesson is that we have to tolerate lust and anger as long as we have the material body. Otherwise we will become implicated in adharma, and by the mercy of the Lord one can get the required strength to be successful in this.
If we understand the Srimad-Bhagavatam we will not be bewildered.
Srila Prabhupada wanted courses in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam because if we study the books on our own we may not come to the proper understanding.
Caitanya Carana Prabhu:
From “Dhritarastra’s Delusions: From Verbal Illumination to Spiritual Elevation” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 56, No. 5 (September/October 2022):
“In that spiritual evolution, renunciation is a significant step forward, especially when we near death. All the worldly things we have to lose eventually and inevitably, if we choose to give them up voluntarily, we open our heart for spiritual enrichment.”
Gauranga Darsana Prabhu:
From “Lord Vamana’s Mercy on Bali Maharaja” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 56, No. 5 (September/October 2022):
“Satisfaction leads to liberation, while dissatisfaction leads to transmigration.”
“If one doesn’t have the inner fulfilment in experiencing the shelter of the Lord that’s accessed through hearing about, glorifying, and remembering Him, one hankers for the satisfaction of being praised by others.”
“No one can give anything to the Lord, for He is full in everything and everything belongs to Him. What we offer doesn’t belong to us, nor does it enrich His opulence. But such an offering brings one recognition as a devotee, which is an ornament for the soul. Thus Bali Maharaja offered charity of three steps to Vamanadeva.”
Iksvaku Prabhu:
From “Iconography and Vedic Theism” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 56, No. 5 (September/October 2022):
“In the eighth century, the Christian theologian John of Damascus suggested that the expression of the divine through matter is possible; therefore, an authentic form of the Divinity that becomes visible in the world for the benefit of the faithful should not be seen as an ordinary image. For John of Damascus, the incarnation of Christ provided a solid foundation for the use of devotional icons, since they act as a window that offers us a clearer and closer view of the divine. According to John, since Christ became visible, it was now possible to make an image of what was seen, since the mystery of his form had been revealed [The Christian Theology Reader, Alister E. McGrath, Blackwell Publishers, 1995, p. 150] This understanding is compatible with he version of the Vedic sages.”
Rukmini Vallabha Prabhu:
From “Choosing the Right Quest in Life” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 56, No. 5 (September/October 2022):
“The ladder of success in this world does not have an end. Whatever we achieve after arduous effort seems insufficient; our cravings seem insatiable. What the world can give us is limited; what we want from the world is unlimited.”
“When we find that happiness gained from outside does not satisfy us properly, the only solution left is to explore within.”
“The happiness we experience through bhakti-yoga is at the spiritual level. It is true happiness.”
“There is also no competition involved in seeking spiritual happiness. Every one of us has equal opportunity to practice and perfect bhakti-yoga. It is our natural right. Krishna has unlimited capacity to reciprocate with every one of us for eternity. And we can relate with each other without any conflicts by keeping Krishna in the center.”
Soumya Gupta:
From a letter to me:
“Tree consciousness and intelligence really shakes the ground under the neuroscience field, for there is no identified nervous system in trees. That is one of the main reasons why most scientists would like to make us believe that trees do not have feelings/consciousness.”
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When I chant japa, I like to look at photos of Radha and Krishna. I sometimes think of this verse.
‘dhyeya-madhye jivera kartavya kon dhyana?’
‘radha-krishna-padambuja-dhyana — pradhana’
“Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu further inquired, ‘Out of many types of meditation, which is required for all living entities?’
“Srila Ramananda Raya replied, ‘The chief duty of every living entity is to meditate upon the lotus feet of Radha and Krishna.’” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 8.253)
