Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 19, No. 8
By Krishna Kripa Das
(April 2023, part two)
(Sent from Leicester, England, on May 7, 2023)
Where I Went and What I Did
My sister thought I should spend more time taking care of my mother. I said although it is not my calling in life to be a personal assistant, I do take care of my guru for three weeks a year, and so I will take care of my mother three weeks a year, one week in April, June, and September. Thus I spent from April 18 to 25 taking care of my mother, which meant helping her with her meals, medicine, taxes, and excursions. Then I chanted with NYC Harinam at Union Square for a couple of hours before flying to Amsterdam by way of Dublin to keep a promise to Kadamba Kanana Swami to attend Queen’s Day (now King’s Day) every year, and thus to attain his blessings. I also attended the three-day festival his followers had at Radhadesh in honor of his appearance in this world which is about this time of year. Harinama Ruci was there for both events and so I had many wonderful experiences on harinama which I share videos of.
I share a great quote from Sri Caitanya-caritamrita by Srila Prabhupada. I share many wonderful quotes about the holy name and how to offenselessly chant it from the works of Bhaktivinoda Thakura. I share excerpts from the Geaglum Free Write Diary of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on classes by Jayadvaita Swami, Mahavishnu Swami and Svayam Bhagavan Keshava Swami. In a separate section I share some offerings to Kadamba Kanana Swami from senior devotees from his Vyasa Puja festival at Radhadesh
I would like to thank Victor Anderson and my mother for their kind donations in Albany. Thanks to Nilambar Prabhu for arranging my stay in Amsterdam and to Suraj, who was the person I stayed with. Thanks to the Kadamba Kanana Swami Vyasa Puja team for sponsoring my stay in Radhadesh. Thanks to Svayamjyotir Krishna Prabhu for the headphones and help getting some books to the UK. Thanks to Bhakta Sunny of Harinama Ruci for the video of the kirtan in the Radhadesh kitchen.
Itinerary
May 7–8: Leicester harinamas
May 9: Leeds harinama
May 10–12: Newcastle harinamas
May 13–15: Dublin harinamas with Premarnava Prabhu and Ananta Nitai
May 16–23: NYC Harinam
May 24–25: DC harinamas with Sankarsana Prabhu
May 26: Baltimore harinama
May 27: Baltimore Ratha-yatra
May 28–June 9: NYC Harinam
June 10: New York Ratha-yatra
June 12–17: take care of mother in Albany
June 18: Hartford Ratha-yatra
June 19: NYC Harinam
June 20: London harinama
June 21–August 14: Paris harinama [June 25 Paris Ratha-yatra]
June 30: Berlin harinama
July 1: Wroclaw Ratha-yatra
July 2: Prague Ratha-yatra
August 15: NYC Harinam
August 16: Montreal harinama
August 16–20: Vaishnava Sanga Festival in Canada
August 21–23: Montreal harinamas
Taking Care of My Mother in Albany
I watched an interesting video with my mother, which I learned of from Candrasekhara Swami. It tells of an Indianapolis detective, Robert Snow, who has a past life regression, in which he recalls details in the life of a nineteenth-century artist. He is a skeptic and tries to disprove the idea of reincarnation, but as a detective when he found he could corroborate 27 out of 28 details he recalled from the previous life, he had to accept it as a reality. One point he mentions is that when you accept reincarnation as a reality then discrimination based on gender and race makes no sense, as you could have been a different gender or race in your previous life.
I showed it to my mom hoping it would help her to think more about the next life, but she mentioned the topic of the video was not something she was interested in.
I gave her some tulasi beads, saying they offered protection from evil. She asked what I meant by evil. She watches many hours of news shows every week, and so much of the news is bad. I was tired of hearing all this bad news, and I just replied. “You watch the news, don’t you? So much evil is there!”
While I visited my mother, I attended the Sunday program of the devotees in Schenectady. Several devotees there really love kirtan, and thus it is always a pleasure to go there.
Visiting My Guru
I visited my guru for lunch on two days. Once I offered to play him a video of Vicaru Prabhu, who has been serving him recently, chanting Hare Krishna by the Eiffel Tower (https://youtu.be/ytxecDwTEYE):
He wrote about my visit in his journal:
“Krishna Kripa is here today. He met up with Vicaru. They both know each other well because both have traveled around the world doing harinama in many cities and countries. Krishna Kripa is very dedicated to going out every day. He seeks out good climates. He encourages the devotees in each place he goes to go out with him. But sometimes when there is no one to go out with him, he goes out by himself. He does this frequently; he is fearless. Vicaru has been going out on harinama, playing a harmonium, for many years. Both of them have a collection of videos showing them out chanting on harinama with devotees. Today Krishna Kripa showed a video of Vicaru leading the kirtan near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Three women devotees wearing saris were chanting and dancing to his kirtan.”
Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City
I had about two hours before I had to leave for the airport that I could spend chanting with the NYC Harinam party. Rama Raya Prabhu took this video of my kirtan that day (https://youtu.be/EK0FFsO_aE4):
While waiting for an Aer Lingus flight to Dublin, I met a man who teaches in Queen's University Law School in Belfast and who loves our Govinda's restaurants in Dublin. He comes to NYC as a UN consultant for environmental law, so I told him about Govinda's in Brooklyn and Divya’s Kitchen in New York. I mentioned that we distribute food at universities in Florida, and he was interested if that could happen at his college. I gave him the details for Parasurama Prabhu, also an Irishman, who distributes Krishna food at universities in London and at many special events.
Transit in Dublin
Chanting Hare Krishna in Amsterdam on King’s Day
Vraja Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna as the King’s Day harinama begins in Amsterdam (https://youtu.be/w7k7QQSHeu4):
As Vraja Krishna Prabhu chanted, we passed a market, and both vendors and customers were attracted (https://youtu.be/KU9mnN6CQic):
Nitai Pada Kamala Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on King’s Day in Amsterdam at Museumplein, and many dance (https://youtu.be/M77MPflAxp0):
Nitai Pada Kamala Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on King’s Day in Amsterdam in building at Museumplein (https://youtu.be/Yr5SStBgNrU):
Another time Parividha Prabhu, a Prabhupada disciple and performer, chanted Hare Krishna in Amsterdam (https://youtu.be/LmnMx7lj20Q):
Harinamananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Amsterdam on King’s Day (https://youtu.be/v3VJfZuzD0c):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna at Dam Square in Amsterdam on King’s Day (https://youtu.be/s72S_STjUEY):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna on the streets of Amsterdam on King’s Day (https://youtu.be/g32BHLCzayg):
Rati Manjari Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna under a bridge at Vondelpark in Amsterdam, and many dance (https://youtu.be/r6GOxkdsO9k):
Rati Manjari Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Vondelpark in Amsterdam, and three girls play shakers and dance (https://youtu.be/bzx6LpM4o5Q):
Devotees chant Hare Krishna just outside Vondelpark in Amsterdam, and a mother and daughter dance (https://youtu.be/xPimpk-UV64):
Chanting Hare Krishna in Belgium
Friday we chanted Hare Krishna in Liège. Harinanandana Prabhu led, and many people interacted with our party (https://youtu.be/RvOty0b1oWc):
Harinamananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Liege, and two girls play shakers and dance (https://youtu.be/aUyBuHHm8gk):
These two girls stayed several minutes, and then they left. In fifteen minutes, they joined us again, this time trying to chant the mantra (https://youtu.be/-k9Zb0v5vKY):
At Place de la Cathédrale, I offered shakers to two ladies who were sitting across from our harinama party and smiling, watching, and tapping to the beat. They asked what it was, and I said a traditional meditation from India and gave them the French “On Chanting Hare Krishna.” They started playing the shakers and went to dance with the devotees. Then other passersby also joined the dance, some also playing shakers, and Harinamananda Prabhu taught them all the mantra (https://youtu.be/NvsOgIxlpsY):
Followers of Kadamba Kanana Swami chant Hare Krishna at his Vyasa Puja in Radhadesh (https://youtu.be/Prc0bnRhsZs):
Harinamananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with Radhadesh devotees in Namur and Saturday, and many people interact favorably with us (https://youtu.be/nvLuCraSjEc):
Harinamananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with Radhadesh devotees in Namur and encounters Christians (https://youtu.be/I5QsIbFnG2Y):
I never recall seeing a sax player with a kid on his shoulders.
Later Madhupati Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna there in Namur (https://youtu.be/DSul9j0L2bY):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna at a Liege Sunday market, inducing shoppers to chant and dance (https://youtu.be/TSZxalWpuus):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna at a Liege Sunday market, and a man plays guitar (https://youtu.be/77EEqoxg1v8):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna in a Liege restaurant (https://youtu.be/L-eE9-vSJ8E):
After the Sunday feast program at Radhadesh, sometimes devotees do a harinama around the property. Here we sang at the arch for a while.
First I chanted Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/xD9FWKGuN_Y):
Then I gave my friend and godbrother, Caitanya Candrodaya Prabhu, the chance to lead (https://youtu.be/N2TFyiR3LQg):
Thus in Radhadesh there is a clock built into the podium, along with a sign telling when class should end.
Notes on Kadamba Kanana Swami Vyasa Puja
Kadamba Kanana Swami:
From a video, Forever Present:
We are coming to the time when you carry my desire in your heart. My desire is that you really connect with Srila Prabhupada.
I will continue to inspire you to stay on this path through thick and thin.
You have the greatest treasure. Never forget it. Hold it close. Do not become slack.
You will have a wonderful life and go back to Godhead.
Jayadvaita Swami:
In his last will, Kadamba Kanana Swami stresses community among his disciples. He also stresses that they do things together.
The particular mood of your particular spiritual master goes on in the subsequent generations. That is important.
Madhavananda Prabhu has made the contributions of his guru, Gaura Govinda Maharaja, available to the Vaishnava community.
Kadamba Kanana Swami gave importance to the preaching in Soweto in South Africa, King’s Day, New York City, and many other projects that he worked on.
Not that there is a Kadamba Kanana Swami cult apart from ISKCON but within ISKCON.
Among other things, Maharaja was a doer. We have heard about vani and vapu, so what are you going to do?
As Kadamba Kanana Swami did wonderful things, we can see Kadamba Kanana Swami’s disciples are doing wonderful things.
I am going back to New York, and I know I am going to feel the lacking. Who is going to do what he did?
Vibhu Caitanya Prabhu cooked all the offerings for Krishna Balarama in Vrindavan, and it took seven brahmacaris to replace him. In the same way, who can replace Kadamba Kanana Swami?
Chanting Hare Krishna and hearing the sastras is the basis, and from that we get the energy to share Krishna consciousness.
Bhurijana Prabhu:
Comment by Harinamananda Prabhu: Bhurijana Prabhu once said our Vrindavan project would not be the same without all the contributions that Kadamba Kanana Swami made to it.
Although it is a Vyasa Puja there is a sadness because Kadamba Kanana Swami recently left, yet I felt so happy to see his photo and to see Jayadvaita Swami.
I got on with him as he was a radical person. He was from Amsterdam, and I was from New Amsterdam [the Dutch name of New York City].
He told me that he wanted to complete some books, one on Caitanya-caritamrita and a novel. He wanted to complete the books for his disciples. He wanted Keshava Maharaja to complete the Caitanya-caritamrita book.
In the last months of his life, he was clear he really wanted to take care of his disciples. He tolerated his own pain to do parikrama to share his love for Vrindavan with his followers.
He wanted his disciples to carry on his spirit of sacrifice to others.
Although he wanted to finish the books, because all the devotees were there, he decided to take care of them.
He was such a manager. He was so exacting. Even in his last few months he was managing everything, including making that video.
After making that video, he just collapsed on the chair completely exhausted, and he was having difficult breathing at that point. I was telling about Akrura coming to Vrindavana, and he forgot all the pain he was suffering moments before. Hearing the Krishna katha reinvigorated him.
Then he entered a managerial mode and offered me some advice about my Govardhan retreat.
It was amazing to see both sides, the academic side and the management side, of his personality.
He captured people’s hearts because he gave his heart.
He wanted to give his love for Sri Caitanya-caritamrita and his love for Vrindavan to his disciples.
He loved Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavan.
He had a special photo of Srila Prabhupada he would stare at. I made a copy of it, and I put it in my office. You see his depth and gravity in that photo.
Sacinandana Swami:
Comment by Harinamananda Prabhu: Sacinandana Swami once said the best place to chant is in Krishna’s ear.
Kadamba Kanana Swami called me his friend.
It is good we are holding this special relationship at this time. It is important to become mindful of him, his qualities, his teachings, and his example.
A deep person is not always talking about everything on his mind, but occasionally in lectures and in conversations his depth came out.
I left my meetings with him deeply enriched because he was authentic. He was courageous enough to be authentic.
He was a strict sadhaka. He was very surrendered, renouncing the guitar to please his spiritual master.
In his book called Kirtaniya Sada Harih, the whole idea is to hear spiritual sound vibration as long as possible.
Once I asked what he was doing, and he replied, “I bought an old car, and I am preaching to people in their homes. I am doing it because it is an important program that would establish the movement in the future.”
He had a realistic approach. He said we have to arrange our lives in such a way that chanting sixteen rounds is not an austerity.
Don’t forget Kadamba Kanana Swami. Don’t forget his qualities. Don’t forget his path. He taught a realistic path.
I am presently reading all his books.
Mahavishnu Swami:
We were on different sannyasa circuits, but we had a similar mood because we were both eccentrics.
I feel he was always feeling he was not up to standard. I too feel like that.
I recorded a rendition of “Hari Hari Biphale,” accompanied by an ektara, as an offering to him. Because it was March 1, just 8 days before he left, he was too sick to hear it. Thus I am playing it now for the first time.
In that song the author feels he wasted his life not worshiping Radha and Krishna, and he laments that his attraction for the holy name has not come about it. I think both Kadamba Kanana Swami and I had similar feelings which we shared.
Jaya Bhadra Devi Dasi:
Kadamba Kanana lit Radhadesh on fire with his kirtans and lectures. I thanked him, and he thanked me for coming.
When he took sannyasa, he was more blissful and more ecstatic.
There was one devotee who had drifted away from the devotees, but who at the end of her life wanted devotee association. I had free time so I decided to go. I thought I should tell Kadamba Kanana Swami. When I went to visit her, he was already there. There were difficulties with the family not being supportive, and he coached me through them.
Once I expressed some dissatisfaction about a situation. He said, “I got shot for less.”
He reminded us that Krishna consciousness is fun.
Uddhava Prabhu:
King’s Day was clearly not the same without Kadamba Kanana Swami’s personal presence, and I wondered in what sense he was still there. Finally I began to see all little parts of his presence in all the devotees who came to the King’s Day, and realized I can see his presence in them.
Karunika:
In addition to Instagram, we found that Tiktok is a great platform for sharing also to nondevotees.
Krishna Kripa Das:
[I was not a senior enough person to make an offering in the time set aside for senior devotees, and the time set aside for disciples was during the maha-harinama. I made some notes on what I would have said if I had the chance.]
Kadamba Kanana Swami was famous for his intensity in kirtan, and that is something we can all learn from him. The holy name is Krishna Himself and is thus worthy of our complete concentration, and he perfectly demonstrated that.
Once his kirtan in the Bhakti Center was so intense, the harmonium broke. Another time his kirtan in the Atlantic Avenue / Barclays Center subway station was so intense the policemen said we could not use the amplifier for the rest of the day. At the end of the Atlantic Frantic festival, I told him that the passersby were most attracted to his kirtan and the kirtan of Rama Raya Prabhu. He said that in New York City they won’t even notice you unless you put everything you have into it.
He once told me that he could make 50 euros an hour as a busker.
My friend, Yogamaya Yajna Prabhu, because he is planning to marry one of Maharaja’s disciples, got a personal interview with him at the very end of his life. It was his first meeting with him and his last. He wrote, “I asked Maharaja if he was excited for the next part in his journey, and he said in response that he had given it his best and that he had tried to bring as many people to Krishna as he could. He had no regrets.”
If we can increase the outreach in his native Holland, he will be pleased with us. On my flight to Amsterdam the day before King’s Day, one lady was telling her friend, “Tomorrow is King’s Day, but this evening is King’s Night. Actually King’s Night is a lot better than King’s Day.” I told Vishnu Jana Prabhu of Harinama Ruci about this, and he is excited to do harinama in Amsterdam on King’s Night. I know many of you are completely absorbed in preparing for King’s Day the night before, thus for you to do something with King’s Night may be impractical, but if some people from other regions could come the day before, they could have a nice kirtan and really benefit many people.
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 8.78, purport:
“The opportunity to engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord is open to everyone because every living entity is constitutionally a servant of the Lord. To engage in the service of the Lord is the natural function of the living entity, but because he is covered by the influence of maya, the material energy, he thinks it to be a very difficult task. But if he places himself under the guidance of a spiritual master and does everything sincerely, immediately the Lord, who is situated within everyone’s heart, dictates how to serve Him (dadami buddhi-yogam tam). The Lord gives this direction, and thus the devotee’s life becomes perfect. Whatever a pure devotee does is done by the dictation of the Supreme Lord.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Geaglum Free Write Diary:
“Everyone dies. Thérèse died very young, only twenty-four. But she is no exception. You may live a little longer. Who knows? To seventy or eighty. It is your own death. Try not to be so completely self-absorbed as if the world ends when you die. It is not the most important event. Most important is the general invitation, and specific too, by Krishna to every living being to come back to Him.”
“Haribol, partner. You are my man, I wish you well.”
“A person in the mode of tamas or rajas is like a desert where you cannot grow a good plant. We need the ground of goodness and then it will grow. Become gentle.”
“The birds haven’t stopped singing just because it is a dark dawn with rain. They persist in the trees, so I will persist.”
“This is free-write diary time. Relax and loosen. You can help others if you help yourself.”
Bhaktivinoda Thakura:
[Prabandhavali is a book to be published by Touchstone Media consisting of translations of the Bengali articles that Bhaktivinoda Thakura published in the Gaudiya magazine and which I am proofreading.]
From “The Holy Name of Sri Krishna” in Prabandhavali:
“What is the holy name of Krishna? This is understood just by taking shelter of the holy name without deviation. We should always remember these statements of Sriman Mahaprabhu. We are utterly foolish and so Mahaprabhu has mercifully given us the holy name of Krishna. Now, if we can simply chant the holy name of Krishna constantly while maintaining firm faith in the words of the Lord, all our desires will be fulfilled.”
“If you carefully consider the matter, you will find that there is no better and easier means to achieve the goal of life than chanting the holy name of Krishna. There is no need for a pompous display of mystic powers, speculative knowledge, high education, intelligence, learning, or any other material qualification. One must simply chant the holy name of Krishna with faith and devotion. What could be easier than this? But if one externally makes a show of having firm faith in the glories of the holy name, or chanting the holy name in public, but internally harbors aversion to it, or has an inclination for another process, then will he achieve the result? Simply by chanting the holy name without offense, one attains the true result of chanting the holy name—the treasure of love of God. But without offenseless chanting, how can one achieve that benefit?
“By simply believing in the glories of the holy name, or by hearing these glories from the scriptures, nothing is gained. Practical application alone bears fruit. Those who, despite knowing the glories of the holy name, do not chant the holy name, commit an offense. Due to a weakness of heart born of bad association, such persons do not develop a taste for chanting the holy name. Therefore, they are offenders at the feet of the holy name.
“Freeing oneself from all offenses in the association of devotees while sincerely taking shelter of the holy name is the sign of auspiciousness. By faithfully chanting the holy name while giving up the offenses, the holy name appears as most pleasing within a very short time. Gradually, the bliss increases so much that one does not wish to stop chanting the holy name. At that time, one is spontaneously attached to the holy name so that all auspiciousness begins to manifest.
“Without the holy name of Sri Krishna, we must be considered as destitute. Knowing that the conditioned souls of Kali-yuga are exceedingly poor and fallen, Sriman Mahaprabhu has awarded them the jewel-like holy name. By the mercy of Sri Mahaprabhu, may we constantly chant the holy name of Krishna. This should be our only prayer. All glories to the holy name of Hari, for He is the abode of the nectar of spiritual bliss.”
From “Compassion for the Living Entities” in in Prabandhavali:
“Jive daya, or compassion for the living entities, is a principal limb of Vaishnava dharma. It is the nature of the devotees to bestow mercy upon the living entities. One who does not possess this nature cannot be considered a devotee, even if he decorates himself with thousands of external symbols.”
“The more a conditioned soul becomes concerned about piety and impiety, the more he distances himself from his constitutional position as a pure spirit soul and becomes engrossed in material complexities.”
“The showing of compassion to other souls by loudly chanting the holy name of Krishna is the essence of all forms of religion.” [from “Nadiya-godrume Nityananda Mahajana,” verse 4]
“While preaching like this from door to door, if even a single person becomes delivered and begins to worship Krishna, the Vaishnava feels special happiness in his effort.”
“In the statements of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the qualified candidate for performing the supreme religious principles has been pointed out. That which culminates in love of God is the supreme religion, and the person who is nonenvious is qualified for understanding that religion. Freedom from malice is the best definition of non-enviousness.”
“Anger includes lust, and greed includes lust and anger. In illusion, there is greed, anger, and lust. In pride, there is illusion, greed, anger, and lust; and in envy there is pride, illusion, greed, anger, and lust. By the word mada, the six classes of pride, including pride in one’s wealth, beauty, noble birth, and high education are understood.”
From “Cultivation of Krishna Consciousness” in Prabandhavali:
“The intensity of relishing the Lord’s beauty is diminished in His opulent form, whereas the intimate form of beauty is more relishable. That form simply consists of a transcendental sweetness. The other five opulences are present in Him as subordinate characteristics.”
“Both uttama-adhikaris and neophytes who cultivate an appreciation of the Lord’s sweetness attain the perfection of life. The neophytes become uttama-adhikaris by withdrawing from their relative existence, which consists of both pious and sinful deeds, and on the strength of their sadhana, they attain the association of Sri Krishna. But only uttama-adhikaris enter Sri Krishna’s rasa-lila arena as a result of their intense level of realization.”
From “Kuliya, the Place for Dispelling Offenses” in Prabandhavali:
“To research ancient subject matters [such as the location of Kuliya], one must be impartial.”
From “Committing Offenses on the Strength of Chanting the Holy Name” in Prabandhavali:
“When a conditioned soul gives up his aversion and becomes inclined toward Krishna, he becomes transcendental to both piety and sin, because all his activities are in relation to the Lord. For the devotee, only service to Krishna is his eternal occupational duty.”
Jayadvaita Swami:
When one is happily engaged, time passes very quickly, and when one is unhappy, time passes very slowly.
When Uddhava spoke to the Vraja-vasis about the pastimes of Krishna, the time went by very fast.
Uddhava made the constant remembrance of Krishna of the Vraja-vasi more vivid by his recitation of His pastimes.
The details Uddhava mentioned stimulated the Vraja-vasis love for Krishna.
By hearing of the pastimes of Krishna, the Vraja-vasis were feeling the presence of Krishna.
Uddhava also felt pleasure speaking about Krishna.
The pleasure that the scientists gain from talking about the results of their discoveries is not comparable to the ocean of bliss the devotees feel discussing Krishna.
We speak of anartha as unwanted things. Actually both the happiness and distress of the conditioned soul are unwanted. Both their happiness and their distress are superficial.
The distress of the conditioned soul Srila Prabhupada likens to the anxiety a person feels upon seeing his head being cut off in a dream.
If no one takes a book, still the devotee feels happy he spent the whole day talking about Krishna.
Without hearing and chanting, we grow dull. Then it is only a teaching that Krishna is everywhere rather than something we are actually experiencing.
We may not have much taste for chanting, but when we hear about it, we get more taste to chant.
There is something in Krishna-lila for everyone, if you are into relationships, if you are into blood and gore, if you are into theft, if you like stories, if you like philosophy, if you like the absolute truth.
As the materialists take pleasure by hearing about the illusion again and again, the devotees take pleasure in hearing about the substance, Krishna, again and again.
We may be following this religion or that religion but if we do not come to the point of taking pleasure in hearing about Krishna, then what is the point?
When we engage the intelligence we become fixed. Otherwise we are on the mental platform.
Regarding the cause of the universe, there is no superior narrative available beyond the Bhagavatam. What is this? – There was a chunk and it exploded, and by chance all this came to be.
For the person who just wants to drink beer and listen rto ock music, it may be difficult to understand the Absolute Truth.
The instructions of the spiritual master should be honored like those of the Supreme Lord Himself.
Srila Prabhupada would insist that disciples offer full obeisances and recite obeisances out loud because it is the duty of the spiritual master to teach the proper standard.
If we are respectful to law enforcement officers how much more respectful should we be to the representatives of the Supreme Godhead.
Krishna is the only enjoyer, and the rest of us are meant to give pleasure to Krishna.
We have to see that the guru is representing Krishna despite some apparent shortcoming.
If we do not have that faith that we are being properly guided, why accept someone as guru? If I do not have that faith, it is better that I wait.
Accepting that someone is representing Krishna to some degree is not sufficient because we have to surrender completely to the guru.
Srila Prabhupada said that siksa guru helps us execute the instructions of our diksa-guru.
Srila Prabhupada said that we have to see how the guru is fully engaged in devotional service.
The siksa-guru should not be taken lightly.
We should not accept a siksa-guru to get more facility for sense gratification than our diksa-guru permits.
We should not think that Krishna may consider a person who did something abominable saintly because he remains in devotional service, but I read this on the Internet or so and so said such and such.
Mahavishnu Swami:
After my father had somehow got me out of prison for drugs, the next thing he knew was that I joined the Hare Krishnas. He visited the temple. All the devotees were peacefully chanting japa. My father said, “My son, are you happy?”
I said, “Yes.”
He said, “If you are happy, I am happy.”
I went through school. No one could tell me the purpose of life. I asked my father. He said, “You pass your exam. You get a good job. You have a family, and you are happy.”
My mother was always getting my father’s case – we need this. We need that. I wasn’t convinced that this was happiness.
No one told me that I am not my body but Srila Prabhupada. No one told a whole generation they were not their bodies but Srila Prabhupada.
Lord Caitanya’s mission is to give people some purpose in life, to give them some real assets.
Srila Prabhupada warned us in 1973 that this civilization could last only another 50 years as it is unsustainable.
Before chanting Hare Krishna, I had read Back to Godhead articles on “Sankyha” but I couldn’t understand them. After I began chanting, the philosophy began to make sense.
I liked to sing as a kid. After school I would play an upright piano and sing. Sometimes I would climb trees on a windy day, and sing into the wind. When I first heard about the maha-mantra, I went downtown with a tambourine to share it.
He sings a Christian song from his youth:
“All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful, the good Lord made them all.”
At college people pursue all the things they couldn’t do at home, like drugs and illicit sex. Education is just an excuse. But we get kicked by the Lord until we question what is going on.
Before joining the temple, I went to a special mass at Canterbury cathedral to pray to Lord Jesus for forgiveness because I was going to join the Hare Krishnas.
I had a dream which I took as confirmation.
I hitchhiked to London to join the temple, but when I got there I got cold feet. I happened by a book shop called Watkins in Charing Cross which is still there. I was wondering what to do. I put out my hand on a book. I looked at it, and it was called Nectar of Devotion. I started reading it, and I realized it was a Hare Krishna book. Thus my question was answered. I went to the temple. Tribhuvanatha was there, and the devotees were standing outside the van. I told Tribhuvanatha I wanted to join the temple. He invited me to go on harinama, but said they had a problem: they had no money for gas. I had a fiver I received for doing some painting, so I gave it to him, and we went on harinama.
Svayam Bhagavan Keshava Maharaja:
Asking blessings is so important that Arjuna went to the other side of the battle to ask the blessings of Bhismadeva.
Kadamba Kanana Swami wanted to write a study guide to the Caitanya-caritamrita. He decided to go to the bhajana kutir of Krishnadasa Kaviraja at Radha Kunda to get blessings. After asking for blessings he returned to the town of Radha Kunda, to catch a ride to Vrindavan. There he happened to see Bhurijana Prabhu, who happened to have a garland from the samadhi of Krishnadasa Kaviraja. When Bhurijana Prabhu learned why Kadamba Kanana Swami had come to Radha Kunda, he said, “This garland must be for you.” And he gave it to him.
Caitanya-caritamrita is a book of empowerment. Krishnadasa Kaviraja was empowered to write it, and it is about devotees who got blessings and were amazingly empowered. Also the printing of all the volumes of the Caitanya-caritamrita in two months by the followers of Srila Prabhupada was another example of empowerment.
Detachment from our plan allows us to enter Krishna’s plan which is a greater plan.
One meaning of vraja is to move. The residents of Vraja are always moving with Krishna’s plan.
Srila Prabhupada moved to different places according to Krishna’s plan, from Jhansi to New York, etc.
Lord Nityananda told Krishnadasa in a dream to go to Vrindavan, and said he would attain all things. He did attain the best residence and the best association.
One who has a desire to serve sees opportunities while those who do not desire to serve see problems.
One who desires to serve sees the glories of the devotees while one who does not desire to serve sees apparent imperfections.
Being attached to pleasing a particular devotee results in empowerment.
One devotee told me that it is hard to follow the will of God, but it is harder to follow the will of the devotees.
Krishnadasa Kaviraja studied under the Goswamis for forty years before beginning to write Caitanya-caritamrita. Embracing the difficulties of old age was a key to his empowerment.
Bhakti Tirtha Swami says empowerment occurs when one unhesitatingly goes beyond his ability in order to render service.
The previous acaryas were empowered by their predecessors.
We should try to serve in order to develop humility.
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura said that humility is the complete absence of the enjoying spirit.
We are insecure because we are disconnected from Krishna.
Comment by me: You were speaking about how we should not criticize devotees. Srila Prabhupada gave a nice example in that connection. Devotional service is a cleansing process, and we are all being cleansed of our material contamination. If a person who is dirty is in the process of taking a shower, no one would criticize him for being dirty because in just a few minutes he will be completely clean. It is similarly foolish to criticize devotees for material tendencies because very soon they will be completely pure by the power of their devotional service. If we criticize them, it indicates that we have a lack of faith in the power of devotional service to purify people.
One devotee said instead of seeing how far devotees have to go we can see how far they have come.
Kadamba Kanana Swami said, “I do not know how much love I have for Krishna, but I love to do devotional service.”
By associating with someone who is enthusiastic, we become enthusiastic.
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This important verse reveals how great the value of association of saints is in terms of its ability to help us achieve spiritual perfection. Generally people focus more on the needs of the body rather than the needs of the spiritual soul. The encounter of a saint can inspire us to readjust our priorities.
‘sadhu-sanga’ ‘sadhu-sanga’ — sarva-sastre kaya
“The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment’s association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.54)
I chose this verse this time because during the last four days of April, at King’s Day and at Radhadesh. I had a lot of association with enthusiastic devotees which was very inspiring. And that continued into May.
