Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 19, No. 13
By Krishna Kripa Das
(July 2023, part one)
(Sent from Paris, France, on July 22, 2023)
Where I Went and What I Did
July began with two Ratha-yatras for me, on Saturday, July 1, in Wroclaw, Poland, and Sunday, July 2, in Prague, Czech Republic. The best return flight I could get to Paris kept me in Prague till Monday night, so I could go on harinama midday with Harinama Ruci. The next two weeks I stayed at ISKCON Paris, at Sarcelles, 18 minutes by train and a 12-minute walk from the main Paris train station, Gare du Nord. Thursday and Saturday are their big harinama days, and ten or twenty people come out. I was with a party of four that went out three additional days and that chanted Hare Krishna and distributed books for four or five hours each day. I would come out for three hours and sometimes more. The other two days I went out by myself, inviting those on our harinama contact list to join me, and thus I was joined by one or two people each time.
I share notes from the books I daily read, Srimad-Bhagavatam and The Nectar of Devotion by Srila Prabhupada and Caitanya-bhagavata by Vrindavan Dasa Thakura with commentary by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. I share notes on My Relationship with Lord Krishna, which I am proofreading for its author and my diksa-guru, Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on classes by Srila Prabhupada, Bhakti Vijñana Goswami and Bhadra, Bhavasindhu, Tulasi, Revatinandana, Rohininandana, and Gaura Nataraja Prabhus. I share a comment by an Indian dignitary at the Wroclaw Ratha-yatra, too.
Many, many thanks to Marat and Jagattarini Devi Dasi, who both gave me very, generous donations in Paris. Thanks to Mayapur Chandrodaya Prabhu of Prague for his accommodation and donation. Thanks to Kishora Kishori Prabhu of Wroclaw for arranging a place to stay there and a ride for me to Prague. Thanks to the devotee who gave me that ride, and the nice devotee lady who made us sandwiches for our journey. Thanks to Narakriti Prabhu, who lets harinama-sankirtana devotees eat at Govinda’s restaurant in Prague for free. Thanks to those selling prasadam at the Prague Ratha-yatra for giving me plenty of it. Thanks to Vaisnava Kripa of Poland for the photo of me at Wroclaw Ratha-yatra. Thanks to Kandarpa Manjari Devi Dasi for the photo of me at the Prague Ratha-yatra. As usual, I get by with a little help from my friends!
Itinerary
June 21–August 1: Paris harinamas
August 2–7: Lyon harinamas
August 8–14: Paris harinamas [August 13: lecture at Yoga Lyrique]
August 15: NYC Harinam
August 16: Montreal harinama
August 16–20: Vaishnava Sanga Festival in Canada
August 21–25: Montreal harinamas
August 26–27: Kirtan Festival Celebration in Quebec
August 28: Montreal harinamas
August 29: Albany
August 30–September 6: Syracuse harinamas
September 7–13?: NYC Harinam
September 14–21?: take care of mother near Albany
September 22: Philadelphia harinama
September 23: Philadelphia Ratha-yatra
September 24: Philadelphia harinama
Chanting Hare Krishna in Wroclaw
I went to the Wroclaw Ratha-yatra for the third year in a row. It was nice to connect with devotees there I knew from my many visits to Poland.
Our procession goes around Rynek Square, which has lots of cafes with outdoor seating, and it thus ideal.
It is a pedestrian area so devotees do not have to pay police to alter traffic patterns. I recall always going around the square at least twice, but this year we did four times, even though it started raining in the middle.
Radhanandini Dasi told me that rain was predicted to continue for hours, but it only rained for about twenty minutes.
Gauranga Avatar Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Wroclaw Ratha-yatra in Rynek Square (https://youtu.be/XWk8C29XMJM):
Shishtakrit Prabhu, a Ukrainian devotee who lives in Germany, chanted there next (https://youtu.be/jzvgdzD8zz8):
Viryavan’s friends, a group of Polish and Czech devotees, chants Hare Krishna on Wroclaw Ratha-yatra stage (https://youtu.be/Lk8Qt1C4PFs):
Here they chant another Hare Krishna tune on the stage (https://youtu.be/B_Cg0y5wAEk):
Their lead singer, originally from Mumbai, is a postgraduate student in Prague for four years.
Shishtakrit Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Wroclaw Ratha-yatra stage, and a girl dances (https://youtu.be/eiOSNS_vcmM):
I also danced to that kirtan. When that small girl left, she waved to me, a fellow dancer.
He had some colorful vegan cookbooks on display this year.
Chanting Hare Krishna in Prague
Devotees, led by a postgraduate student from Mumbai, now based in Prague, chant Hare Krishna before the Prague Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/AF1eAtJrEMw):
Young lady enjoys dancing with devotees in the Prague Ratha-yatra procession (https://youtu.be/VmzsqCrTyQs):
Prabhupada disciple, Jayagurudeva Prabhu, chants Hare Krishna and “Govinda Jaya Jaya” in Prague Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/ArO0aaUS5rU):
Prabhupada disciple, Jayagurudeva Prabhu, chants “Jaya Jagannatha” in Prague Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/m2hUzO8-9II):
Bhadra Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Prague Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/bcrTfHEEI1M):
Later while Bhadra Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna there, devotees danced in a circle around the cart, and Italian tourists danced in another circle with the devotee ladies in front of the cart (https://youtu.be/2sRRLLrYy1E):
Nrsimha Caitanya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Prague Ratha-yatra, and tourists enjoy playing shakers (https://youtu.be/SmO5utD7XRQ):
Nrsimha Caitanya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna under an arch in the Prague Ratha-yatra and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/B0EdC35Ud2c):
Nrsimha Caitanya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Prague Ratha-yatra, and tourists dance with devotee ladies in front of the procession (https://youtu.be/M_HCb8EQI-4):
Many passersby were attracted to see the Ratha-yatra procession.
Some, although working, would look out from their shops.
I would look for interested people to talk to during the procession, and I met one family who likes the festival, who remembered me from the previous year.
I would also pass out the colorful invitations to the festival during the procession. They were in English on one side and in the Czech language on the other.
Harinamananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci after the Prague Ratha-yatra, and passersby chant and dance with the devotees (https://youtu.be/b1ndNGg6npg):
Nrsimha Caitanya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci after the Prague Ratha-yatra, and many passersby chant the mantra and dance (https://youtu.be/F9G_Lakf_1E):
Here are some more (https://youtu.be/Hf1YNBxW_aA):
Nrsimha Caitanya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci in the final kirtan on the stage at the Prague Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/dQucZesgJnE):
At Prague Ratha-yatra I hoped to encounter the devotee-made chips that a devotee company based in Czech Republic called Damodara (http://damodara.cz/) produces, but they were not there this year.
Amazingly enough, when I returned to Paris, I met one devotee who was visiting France to serve his guru and who worked for Damodara, and he kindly gave me a bag of the Czech chips.
Chanting Hare Krishna in Paris
Sometimes the deities in Paris seem more attractive than usual, and I take a few photos:
Here are harinama videos from Paris in chronological order:
Tulasi Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles, and Eleanora practices harmonium (https://youtu.be/6yPwPuptt_s):
Marat chants Hare Krishna across from Citadium Caumartin in Paris (https://youtu.be/nOZpgsbUk-0):
Revatinandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna there also (https://youtu.be/CEgIhwU4iks):
Patita Pravana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Caumartin, and Gaura Nataraja Prabhu dances (https://youtu.be/VbZsz6n_Dn0):
Rohininandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/skJYaZ-DN-Q):
Sudevi Manjari Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna there as well (https://youtu.be/czqHdEwuf0k):
Gaura Nataraja Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Canal Saint-Martin (https://youtu.be/hmg7FQvw0GU):
Tulasi Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Canal Saint-Martin (https://youtu.be/MDXMCxrM15A):
Yumi chants Hare Krishna at Hotel de Ville in Paris, and devotee ladies dance (https://youtu.be/tFxUP6FlQDQ):
Later many passersby danced with the devotee ladies (https://youtu.be/lXHrC-ZnLkU):
Gaura Nataraja Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Hotel de Ville in Paris, and two young ladies dance with the devotee ladies (https://youtu.be/Xtdk054NHIE):
The ladies wanted me to send this video to them via WhatsApp, and so I did.
Jagattarini Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Hotel de Ville in Paris, and devotee ladies dance (https://youtu.be/ceNCjz3SjVA):
Sudevi Manjari Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna there as well (https://youtu.be/iOgSAaKk8yQ):
Revatinandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna there as our Saturday kirtan ended (https://youtu.be/H6yNlgksk_4):
Because rain was predicted for Sunday, I chanted at Hotel de Ville, where we are protected. While there on harinama, across from the tourism office, a lady spoke English so nicely that I asked where she was from.
She said she was from here but lived in New York and often saw people chanting Hare Krishna at Union Square. I said I am with them, but I come to Paris two months in the summer. She said, “See you there!”
Tulasi Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on the lawn at ISKCON Paris, and tourists from Bangalore chant and dance (https://youtu.be/uu8UVF_MoL4):
Tulasi Prabhu chants Hare Krishna across from Citadium Caumartin, and a guy dances (https://youtu.be/rUP7wuaaDTg):
Tulasi Prabhu chants Hare Krishna across from Citadium Caumartin in Paris, and a Nepali guy and girl listen (https://youtu.be/qeQOUBPVu1k):
I told the two Nepalis that we chant four hours a day, five days a week, and they wanted to be added to the contact list.
I loved Metroyoga and would go some days each year to chant Hare Krishna on the metros. The lady most recalled the beautiful smiles of the devotees.
Here is an article about that Metroyoga program that Chandrashekhara Acharya wrote for Back to Godhead: https://btg.krishna.com/mesdames-et-messieurs-metroyoga/
Patita Pavana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/4fJPL_mvoh0):
So does Gaura Nataraja Prabhu (https://youtu.be/MloO_Ydl4I0):
While Gaura Nataraja was singing, a kid was attracted to listen and dance a bit (https://youtu.be/DXt3N3owxG8):
Jagattarini Devi Dasi chants there, too (https://youtu.be/SsY8reFYy5U):
Marat chants Hare Krishna at Hotel de Ville in Paris, our rainy day location there (https://youtu.be/AFOBLidPzdI):
I chanted and danced in the hallway outside the crowded Paris temple room during the Sunday kirtan and remembered that Radha and Krishna have come as Lord Caitanya.
Later Ramanaji Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna there at the ISKCON Paris Sunday feast in Sarcelles, and lots of people danced (https://youtu.be/Iz-XRrd-pfU):
Srila Prabhupada:
From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 1:
“Actually, a pure devotee does not aspire after any of these perfections, because the happiness derived from devotional service in Krishna consciousness is so transcendental and so unlimited that no other happiness can compare to it. It is said that even one drop of happiness in Krishna consciousness stands beyond comparison with an ocean of happiness derived from any other activity. Thus, any person who has developed even a little quantity of pure devotional service can very easily kick out all the other kinds of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation.”
“In the Narada Pañcaratra it is also said that any person who has developed even a small amount of devotional service doesn’t care a fig for any kind of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification or the five kinds of liberation. Any kind of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, liberation or sense gratification cannot even dare to enter into the heart of a pure devotee. It is stated that as the personal attendants and maidservants of a queen follow the queen with all respect and obeisances, similarly the joys of religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation follow the devotional service of the Lord. In other words, a pure devotee does not lack any kind of happiness derived from any source. He does not want anything but service to Krishna, but even if he should have another desire, the Lord fulfills this without the devotee’s asking.”
“Similarly, it is confirmed in the Bhavartha-dipika, Sridhara Svami’s commentary on the Srimad-Bhagavatam, ‘My dear Lord, some of the fortunate persons who are swimming in the ocean of Your nectar of devotion, and who are relishing the nectar of the narration of Your pastimes, certainly know ecstasies that immediately minimize the value of the happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. Such a transcendental devotee regards any kind of happiness other than devotional service as no better than straw in the street.’”
“People who are not in devotional service can never understand what great value there is in rendering service to the Lord.”
From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 2:
“Narada Muni mentions this sadhana-bhakti in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Seventh Canto, First Chapter, verse 32. He says there to King Yudhisthira, ‘My dear King, one has to fix his mind on Krishna by any means.’ That is called Krishna consciousness. It is the duty of the acarya, the spiritual master, to find the ways and means for his disciple to fix his mind on Krishna. That is the beginning of sadhana-bhakti.”
“Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us an authorized program for this purpose, centered around the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. This chanting has so much power that it immediately attaches one to Krishna. That is the beginning of sadhana-bhakti. Somehow or other, one has to fix his mind on Krishna.”
From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 3:
“On account of his association with mahatmas, or great souls one hundred-percent in the devotional service of the Lord, one may attain a little bit of attraction for Sri Krishna. But at the same time one may remain very much attached to fruitive activities and material sense enjoyment and not be prepared to undergo the different types of renunciation. Such a person, if he has unflinching attraction to Krishna, becomes an eligible candidate for discharging devotional service.”
“The wise man is he who has thoroughly understood that he is spirit soul and not simply a body. Because he realizes that he is spirit and Krishna is the supreme spirit, he knows that his intimate relationship should be with Krishna, not with this body. . . . A wise man who seeks Krishna knows perfectly well that he is spirit soul, or Brahman, and that Krishna is the supreme spirit soul, or Para-brahman. He knows that the spirit soul, being subordinate and finite, should always dovetail himself with the infinite and supreme soul, Krishna. That is the relationship of the wise man with Krishna.”
“One must know that he is finite and that the Lord is infinite. Thus it is not possible to actually become one with the Lord even if one aspires for this. It is simply not possible.”
“Bhukti means material enjoyment, and mukti means to become freed from material anxiety and to become one with the Lord. These desires are compared to being haunted by ghosts and witches, because while these aspirations for material enjoyment or spiritual oneness with the Supreme remain, no one can relish the actual transcendental taste of devotional service.”
From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 4:
“Sukadeva Gosvami praises this behavior of King Bharata very highly. He says, ‘Any person whose heart is attracted by the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Madhusudana, does not care even for that liberation which is aspired to by many great sages, what to speak of material opulences.’”
“In the Seventh Canto of the Bhagavatam, Sixth Chapter, verse 25, Maharaja Prahlada says, ‘My dear friends born into atheistic families, if you can please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, then there is nothing more rare in this world. In other words, if the Supreme Lord Krishna is pleased with you, then any desire you may have within the core of your heart can be fulfilled without any doubt. As such, what is the use of elevating yourself by the results of fruitive activities, which are automatically achieved in all events by the modes of material nature? And what is the use for you of spiritual emancipation or liberation from material bondage? If you are always engaged in chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord and always relishing the nectar of the lotus feet of the Lord, then there is no necessity for any of these.’”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.39, purport:
“In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (13.2) there is the following verse:
aksnoh phalam tvadrisa-darsanam hi tanoh phalam tvadrisa-gatra-sangahjihva-phalam tvadrisa-kirtanam hi sudurlabha bhagavata hi loke ‘O devotee of the Lord, the purpose of the visual sense is fulfilled simply by seeing you, and to touch your body is the fulfillment of bodily touch. The tongue is meant for fulfilled by glorifying your qualities because in this world a pure devotee of the Lord is very difficult to find.’”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.43, purport:
“One who is now the disciple is the next spiritual master. And one cannot be a bona fide and authorized spiritual master unless one has been strictly obedient to his spiritual master.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.10.6, purport:
“This devotional service is transcendental attraction for the Supreme on account of His being the source of all pleasing humors. Everyone is after some pleasure of humor for enjoyment, but does not know the supreme source of all attraction (raso vai sah rasam hy evayam labdhvanandi bhavati). The Vedic hymns inform everyone about the supreme source of all pleasure: the unlimited fountainhead of all pleasure is the Personality of Godhead. And one who is fortunate enough to get this information through transcendental literatures like Srimad-Bhagavatam becomes permanently liberated to occupy his proper place in the kingdom of God.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.10.9, purport:
“The propaganda of the identity of cosmic consciousness with the consciousness of the individual living entities is completely misleading because even such a person or individual soul as Arjuna could not remember his past deeds, although he is always with the Lord. And what can the tiny ordinary man, falsely claiming to be one with the cosmic consciousness, know about his past, present and future?”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.19.27:
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead fulfills the material desires of a devotee who approaches Him with such motives, but He does not bestow benedictions upon the devotee that will cause him to demand more benedictions again. However, the Lord willingly gives the devotee shelter at His own lotus feet, even though such a person does not aspire for it, and that shelter satisfies all his desires. That is the Supreme Personality’s special mercy.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.3.20–21, purport:
“One who always hears and chants about the transcendental pastimes of the Lord is always situated on a platform on which he has nothing to ask in terms of material benefits.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.3.26, purport:
“Sometimes when bhakti-yoga, Krishna consciousness, is preached to the common man, people argue, ‘Where is Krishna? Where is God? Can you show Him to us?’ In this verse the answer is given that if we are sufficiently intelligent, we must know that there is someone who has created the entire cosmic manifestation, who has supplied and has become the ingredients for this cosmic manifestation, who is eternally existing, but who is not within the cosmic manifestation. Simply on the basis of this suggestion, one can offer respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord. This is the beginning of devotional life.”
From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.26 in Los Angeles on October 1, 1972:
As there is no limit to the number of waves in the ocean, there is no limit to the number of incarnations of God.
As ignorance and passion are causes of bondage, so is goodness, and thus we have to also transcend that.
By devotional service, you can come to pure goodness. Otherwise it will be adulterated.
If we do not think of Krishna always, maya will enter and adulterate our goodness.
If you cannot maintain brahminical qualities, how can you be a Vaishnava?
Lord Caitanya has made it easy. If we chant regularly, we can remain steadily on the transcendental plane.
If you have faith in God and the guru, all this spiritual knowledge will be revealed.
The disciple should respect the guru as God, but the guru should not think he has become God. The real guru, although given the honor of God, never claims to God, but rather considers himself a servant of God.
We are trying to forget God, but God cannot forget us because we are His sons.
From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.27 in Los Angeles on October 2, 1972:
From the word “Manu” the word “man” has come.
It was the culture that one had to give account of seven generations to be considered a respectable family.
We have different bodies because of our karma, but as spirit souls we are all parts of God.
Personal expansions of Krishna are vishnu-tattva, and separated expansions are the living entities.
The scientist and philosophers have tiny brains, and thus they cannot accommodate some of the Vedic descriptions, and therefore, they reject them and are atheists.
When speaking Vedic knowledge, we should give the references in the Vedic literature.
If we take the Vedic literature as fact, we have perfect knowledge.
Even Arjuna, although a constant companion of Krishna, could not remember His previous life.
Anyone claiming to be the Supreme Lord is a cheater for no one can be greater or equal to God.
In the Bible Jesus Christ is claimed to be one with God, but as the son of God he is different. Thus this idea of simultaneous oneness with and difference from God is represented in that tradition also.
When we forget our relationship with the Supreme Lord, that is materialism.
Because everything is an emanation from Krishna, everything is spiritual, but forgetfulness of this fact is materialism.
If we stay in Krishna consciousness, we do not belong to the material world.
Vrindavan Dasa Thakura:
From Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi 17.142:
“One who hears about the Lord’s visit to Gaya will see Lord Gauracandra in his heart.”
From Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi 17.105–9:
“On another day the Lord went privately to Isvara Puri and in sweet words requested him for initiation. Then in order to instruct everyone, the Lord accepted the ten syllable mantra from Isvara Puri.
“Isvara Puri replied, ‘What to speak of mantra, I can give my life to You.’
“The Lord then circumambulated Isvara Puri and said, ‘I fully surrender Myself unto you. Please glance mercifully on Me, so that I may float in the ocean of love of Krishna.’”
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:
From Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi 17.113, Purport:
"While playing the role of an ideal devotee, the Supreme Lord Gaurasundara thereafter enacted the pastime of displaying the internal mentality of a self-realized, surrendered living entity. Progressively dasya-prema-bhakti, sakhya-prema-bhakti, vatsalya-prema-bhakti, and madhura-prema-bhakti in the mood of a beloved increased in the Lord’s heart in ever-fresh ways. Vatsalya-prema-bhakti is included in madhura-prema-bhakti, sakhya-prema-bhakti is included in vatsalya-prema-bhakti, dasya-prema-bhakti is included in sakhya-prema-bhakti, and the neutral santa-bhakti is included in dasya-prema-bhakti.”
From Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi 17.115, Purport:
"The word dhyana is defined (in Bhakti-sandarbha 278) as visesato rupadicintanam dhanam—“the transcendental spiritual cultivation of specifically contemplating the forms, names, qualities, and pastimes of the Lord.’”
“The transcendental symptoms that Sri Gaurasundara exhibited in the external world after engaging in the cultivation of Krishna consciousness by meditating on His worshipable mantra are indicative of His vipralambha-rasa, or feelings of separation from Krishna. At that time, in spite of being with Krishna, He felt that He had not achieved Him, so shedding tears became His principle activity. Feelings of separation alone are the means and nourishment for sambhoga, or conjugal love in direct contact. In order to remove illusions born of the false conclusions of those who accept sambhoga rather than vipralambha as their sadhana, the Lord, who proudly considered Himself a servant afflicted with separation from Krishna, the supreme goal, taught that the mood of separation is the means of achieving the goal of life. Actually, the Lord appeared in this world from the spiritual world, Goloka, simply to preach the glories of the radiant exalted mood of separation from the Lord in this world.”
From Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi 17.120, purport:
“The incomparable nature of love for Krishna is such that, when overcome by it, even a person as grave as millions of oceans becomes controlled by the most wonderful restlessness and waywardness. One should discuss the following verse from Caitanya-caritamrita (Adi 4.147): ‘The beauty of Krishna has one natural strength: it thrills the hearts of all men and women, beginning with Lord Krishna Himself.” It is also stated (Antya 3.268): ‘The holy name of Krishna is so attractive that anyone who chants it—including all living entities, moving and nonmoving, and even Lord Krishna Himself—becomes imbued with love of Krishna. This is the effect of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.’”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From My Relationship with Lord Krishna:
“Some people assume they are always thinking of God. For example, they don’t worry about the earth’s steadiness as it sails through space and spins on its axis. They assume the powers that be are taking care of it. They recognize some dependence on God’s power—even primitive people worship a higher power—but they take that higher power for granted. When people ignore God’s power, they become proud, callous, and hardhearted.
“They either become proud of their apparent power, or they become so preoccupied with the struggle for existence that they don’t think of God.”
“My relationship with Krishna has suffered lifetimes of neglect. I can’t expect an easy victory over that neglect.”
“I feel lonely to be away from myself because I am not yet joined to Krishna.”
“As ISKCON devotees, we also have a relationship with the institution and its Governing Body Commission, with individual temples, with other world religions, with national governments, with the media, and with the sky and land. There is no end to relationships in this world. Everyone and everything is interrelated.”
“I have a personal relationship with the holy name. He allows me to chant and be with Him at any time of day or night in the simplest way.”
Bhakti Vijñana Goswami:
From a lecture at Yoga Lyrique in Paris:
Srila Prabhupada presented that the philosophy of Krishna consciousness, as a worldview, can solve all the problems of society.
Some people think the current crisis is an economic crisis, an ecological crisis, or a moral crisis, but actually it is a system crisis.
Stephen Hawking, the scientist, said man has only 30 years to live on this planet, so we should look for another one.
People do not care what happens after their life is over because they think we have one life.
People are not understanding the ultimate value of life so they waste it just as they throw away used paper plates.
The Vedic scriptures again and again stress the importance of human life and how it is an opportunity to go further.
The fundamental understanding of materialism, that there is nothing after this life, results in our devaluing life and in a sense of uselessness of existence.
Einstein laughed at the fact people were trying to solve their problems with the same mentality that created them.
We have to change our mentality on a very deep level to solve our problems.
Our false identification with the body is the root cause of our problems.
The false ego is very deeply rooted.
The false ego is the most aggressive part and the most vulnerable part.
Although we theoretically accept that we are not the body, we have not realized it.
If we can become free from the false ego, we can practically connect with everyone.
We have to remind ourselves many times a day that we are not this body and that we are connected with Krishna.
Coming to a spiritual organization, we can develop new phases of the false ego.
We should understand on a very deep level that we are all one family, and that is possible if we understand on a deep level we have the same father, and that is Krishna.
Krishna is our father and our mother is nature, and we should act to please our father and mother. The modern philosophy is that there is no father and so we can do with our mother whatever we want.
My background was a scientist, and when I encountered in the Vedic philosophy the concept of the three modes of material nature, I found it a very ingenious scientific explanation.
Because we live in an environment that is antagonistic to Krishna consciousness we experience difficulty in practice. The key is sanga. Lord Caitanya defined a Vaishnava as one who avoids bad association. Thus we should regularly endeavor to get the association of devotees.
The more we realize that we are all connected with all people on this planet, the more we can do to benefit them.
Even if we just get together and do kirtana, it can have a big effect.
Even if we just try to improve our spiritual practice, that can benefit the world.
Changes are taking place now, and we cannot see all the fruits of them.
Srila Prabhupada compared ISKCON to Krishna, saying that when Krishna took birth there was no clue about everything He would do. In the same way, no one knows the influence that ISKCON will have.
It is an understanding of the Vedic civilization that one must fulfill his material desires to a certain extent because otherwise unfulfilled material desires can be impediments to one’s spiritual path.
Unfortunately now people get married ten times, and each time they think they will be happy. In Vedic culture, people would marry once and learn whatever they needed to from that.
The basis of material well being is spiritual practice. Even to maintain physical health, we need spiritual practice. To follow the four regulative principles we need spiritual practice, and without following them, we cannot have good health.
My cardiologist told me he had never seen anyone in such good health. I said I had been vegetarian for many years. He said that was the best diet for the heart, but unfortunately he could not follow it.
As there are always people who will go for passion and ignorance, even during the Mahabharata times when Vedic culture was more established, there will always be people interested in Krishna.
Bhadra Prabhu:
Lord Jagannatha is watching with His big eyes, so be careful what you are doing.
This is the one time a year the Lord comes out to the people, so invite them to pull the cart and invite them to the festival for the prasadam and the cultural show.
Bhavasindhu Prabhu:
The whole Srimad-Bhagavatam is practically all prayers.
There is some event, which often includes some kind of offense, and then at the end of it, someone is offering prayers as he returns to his normal consciousness.
In this material world everyone, more rather than less, is in distress, and he takes shelter of the Supreme Lord to get relieved of his distress.
When we glorify a person, we glorify their intimate associates as well, and so it is with Krishna.
What is the difference between a man engaged only in materialistic activities and an animal?
To become free from the three modes of nature is a principal theme in the Vedic literature.
When I got my first Back to Godhead magazine, it was something special. It smelled like the incense and halava from the temple. I recall one article, “The Man of Kali-yuga.”
A mantra has the special power to relieve us from distress.
One devotee who lives far from the temple, on the Ratha-yatra day just did menial service by helping put up the tents for the festival. Although he missed most of the procession, he told me that he felt ecstatic for two days afterward from doing that devotional service in the association of devotees.
Devarsi Prabhu:
Although appearing as an elephant, from his prayers we see that Gajendra is more elevated than most human beings.
Although we know the philosophy of Krishna consciousness, we sometimes do not accept that Krishna is God for a few minutes, for a few days, or for a few years. That is because of our material contamination.
In Bhagavad-gita Srila Prabhupada follows more the approach of Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu while in Srimad-Bhagavatam he follows Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Practically Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura does not consider one a devotee until he is a pure devotee.
Bhakti Raghava Swami assisted Jayapataka Swami in nama-hatta, and in doing that realized that although devotees practice the chanting of Hare Krishna and taking prasadam that they were not satisfied. He concluded that they were not properly engaged in varnasrama duties.
Bhakti Raghava Swami is getting his Ph.D. in sociology. There are three sociologies: varnasrama, the positivism of Auguste Comte, and a version of varnasrama without the Supreme Cause by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. We are fortunate to be following one of these three sociologies.
If we are not liberated, we need varnasrama dharma.
Srila Prabhupada made the point that there are four movements:
1. Sankirtana and book distribution
2. Temples
3. Initiation
4. Varnasrama dharma
All these should go on simultaneously, but we are deficient in that fourth one, and thus we need people to develop that.
If people are brahmacaris and sannyasis they can be happy living in the temple, but if they live outside, varnasrama is required to be positively engaged.
If people want money for teaching, they are vaisyas and not brahmanas.
It is better for devotees to be trained by devotees.
It is a problem that people have to go outside the society to get training and risk getting materially contaminated.
There are groups of grhasthas in Indonesia who are getting land together outside the city and doing agriculture.
Comment by Revatinandana Prabhu: At the minimum a guru should be able to identify the varna and asrama for his disciple.
Comment by me: One thing we can all do is read Prabhupada’s books, and decide which varna and asrama we are best suited for, and follow the instructions for that varna and asrama to the best of our ability, and if we do that, that will help us move toward varnasrama-dharma in ISKCON.
Tulasi Prabhu:
Going back to Godhead means awakening our love for Godhead, and seeing the actual spiritual reality.
Comment by Gaura Nataraja Prabhu: I used to think that knowledge and renunciation were extremely important, but after the Vrindavan parikrama, I came to realize that humility and softness are more important.
Revatinandana Prabhu:
Krishna gives you more than what you ask for.
The materialists think they are on top although they are not. While the devotees think that they have not attained perfection although they are situated in perfection.
Krishna fulfills material desires and spiritual desires, and He gives people multiple opportunities to attain perfection.
There is a verse from the Brhad-bhagavatamrita which says that humility results in love of God and love of God results in humility.
To think ourselves fallen is the qualification to attain Krishna consciousness.
We approach the people on the street who are happy and convince them that they are not really happy until they cry for Krishna and attain the happiness of His association.
In two places it is said that Putana attracted Krishna’s mercy because she was dressed as a Vraja-vasi, a resident of Vrindavan.
It is said Krishna’s face is superior to the rest of His form, His lips are the most attractive part of his face, and within his lips, his voice is considered superior.
It is said that Vishnu also gave mercy to the crocodile because he was holding on to the feet of Gajendra, who was His devotee.
Maya has three manifestations: Bhu deals with creation, Laksmi with maintenance, and Durga with destruction.
Comments by me:
During your class I thought of related verses that support the points that you made:
“My dear Vyasa, even though a devotee of Lord Krishna sometimes falls down somehow or other, he certainly does not undergo material existence like others [fruitive workers, etc.] because a person who has once relished the taste of the lotus feet of the Lord can do nothing but remember that ecstasy again and again.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.19)
The gopis tell Krishna, “Your lotus feet, which are worshiped by Lord Brahma, fulfill the desires of all who bow down to them. They are the ornament of the earth, they give the highest satisfaction, and in times of danger they are the appropriate object of meditation.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.31.13)
Krishna says, “Abandoning all meritorious performances serve Me with faith. The realization will correspond to the nature of one’s faith. The people of the world act ceaselessly in pursuance of some ideal. By meditating on Me by means of those deeds one will obtain devotion characterized by love in the shape of the supreme service.” (Brahma-samhita 5.61)
Dhruva felt his material desires were like desires for broken glass instead for the valuable gem of Krishna’s association.
“Those who are actually advanced in knowledge are able to appreciate the essential value of this Age of Kali. Such enlightened persons worship Kali-yuga because in this fallen age all perfection of life can easily be achieved by the performance of sankirtana.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.36)
Rohininandana Prabhu:
The consciousness of the animals is very restricted, and they cannot have a higher goal of life. A pig cannot decide to practice yoga or meditate.
If I was a monkey in my last life, it will take some time to transcend my animal desires in this life, but I should start the process.
We often say those who are not yogis are bhogis, sense enjoyers.
Once Srila Prabhupada was asked what extra austerities they should do for Caturmasya, and he indicated their regular devotional practices were sufficient. Caturmasya is meant for those not always engaged in devotional service.
Previously I forced myself to play mrdanga even though it hurt my body, and now I cannot play more than an hour or hour and a half, even if I want to.
Regulations for controlling the senses are to optimize our service to Krishna.
If you want to serve Krishna more, Krishna will make all arrangements.
Danavir as a brahmacari asked his temple president, Vishnujana Maharaja, for time to read, because in his schedule there were so many duties he had no time. Vishnujana Maharaja refused and told him to find his own time to read. Danavir started reading in every spare moment, between engagements, and found he could read two hours a day.
If we invent our own austerity, we can become falsely proud of our austerity.
The verse that says the demoniac cause pain to the Supersoul (Bg. 17.6) does not mean they physically cause Him pain, but that He feels pain seeing them engaging in activities that cause pain to others and which have bad results.
Comment by me:
Regarding sleeping only 6 hours, my sister told me of a study which concluded that people who sleep seven hours live longer than people who sleep eight hours, and people who sleep six hours live longer than people who sleep seven hours. This makes sense as ignorance is associated with destruction, and thus the more you associate with the mode of ignorance by sleeping, the sooner you will meet destruction.
You mentioned how people waste their free time by watching TV. One study shows that Americans watch 21 hours of TV each week. That is 3 hours a day. Imagine if the only change they made in their lives was to replace their 3 hours of TV with 2 hours of chanting Hare Krishna on beads and 1 hour of reading Bhagavad-gita. So many positive spiritual benefits would be there!
Regarding moderating sense gratification, Srila Prabhupada said that sense gratification is like salt. Without some salt a meal is not palatable, but if you have too much salt it is ruined.
Regarding prasadam purifying people unknowingly: Tirupati ISKCON serves 1,200 public school children a prasadam lunch. Before that program was started, each day the principal would get reports of two or three cases of students harming other students, punching, biting or scratching them. After the prasadam lunch was started, that problem was eliminated.
Gopiparanadhana Prabhu did the question and answer booth one summer for a few days on the Polish tour. He would tell the people that if all they did was to chant the name of God and offer their food to God before eating it, they would see a significant positive effect on their consciousness.
Regarding offering Krishna what he likes to eat, Kavicandra Swami askes, “Does Krishna really like imitation meat? Am I acting in devotional service when I offer it to him?”
Gaura Nataraja Prabhu:
Krishna is never flickering in his desire to benefit the conditional souls by giving them mercy in different ways.
Visakha Dasi says that our material desires will be purified and our spiritual desires will be fulfilled by our attachment to the service of Srila Prabhupada.
There is a special service to be fulfilled by each of us in the spiritual world.
We thank their Lordships for the mercy we have, and we cry for the mercy we do not have.
Comment by Revatinandana Prabhu: Without the devotees, the Lord’s opulence is incomplete.
Secretary of the Indian Embassy in Poland, S. K. Ray, at Wroclaw Ratha-yatra:
One message of Ratha-yatra is that no one is big or small before God.
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Too often devotees are distracted when chanting their japa. This can mean that they think that something is more valuable that the chanting of japa. In the stanza from one of his songs, “Arunodaya-kirtana 1,” Bhaktivinoda Thakura reminds us that there is nothing of value in the entire material creation except the holy name of the Lord.
krishna-nama-sudha koriya pan
nama bina kichu nahiko aro
caudda-bhuvana-majhe
“Drink the pure nectar of the holy name of Krishna and thus satisfy the soul of Thakura Bhaktivinoda. There is nothing except the holy name within all the fourteen worlds [comprising the entire material universe].” (“Arunodaya-kirtana 1,” verse 8)
