Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 21, No. 2
By Krishna Kripa Das
(Week 2: January 8–14, 2025)
(Sent from Gainesville, Florida, on January 18, 2025)
Where I Went and What I Did
For the second week of 2025, I remained living at ISKCON Tallahassee and chanting three hours each day on Landis Green, behind the main Florida State University library. Only one day did another devotee chant with me. I distributed five books along with forty-four little cups of halava to promote our Krishna Lunch at the campus. I added five students to our mailing list. I was happy to go to Alachua for the Sunday feast and to stay through the morning program on Monday.
I share lots of quotes from the books, lectures, conversations, and letters of Srila Prabhupada, many I read in Bhakti Vikasa Swami’s soon-to-be-published book on the mood and mission of Srila Prabhupada. I also share notes on an ISKCON NYC class by Jayadvaita Swami, which I heard online. I share quotes from Vyasadeva, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, and O. B. L. Kapoor (Adi-kesava Prabhu, disciple of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura). I share notes on articles in Back to Godhead magazine, Volume 59, Number 3, by Srila Prabhupada and Visakha Dasi. I share notes on classes at ISKCON of Alachua by Acyutananda and Ekadasi Vrata Prabhus.
Thanks to Ramiya Prabhu for letting me stay at his place in Alachua. Thanks to Ananga Mohan Prabhu for driving me from Tallahassee to Alachua and back.
Itinerary
January 6–April: Tallahassee harinama and FSU college outreach
– January 17–20: Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies, Evolution Conference
– January 24: Chanting Hare Krishna at UF Krishna Lunch and with Alachua devotees
– January 25: Gasparilla harinama and Ratha-yatra in Tampa
– January 26–29: Tampa harinama and USF college outreach
– March 9–16: Krishna House Gainesville harinama and UF college outreach
Chanting Hare Krishna in Tallahassee
A Christian girl I talked to the previous day came back next day. This time she was not with the Christian guy who I had been talking to when she came before. She asked to hear about my whole spiritual journey, took another promotional halava, and bought The Higher Taste. When I told her religion is what distinguishes humans from animals, a common theme in Srila Prabhupada’s writing and speech, she completely agreed.
On Ekadasi afternoon as I chanted Hare Krishna on Florida State University’s Landis Green, I saw the waxing moon rising above a tree.
On Saturdays there are fewer students on the campuses, but they have more time to talk. I did not used to chant on the campuses on the weekends, but after trying it, I found I always have nice experiences. I talked to a student who was getting a PhD in biology. He was a Christian who was open to hearing about other beliefs. With the biologists, I often talk about how complicated the cell is, and how inconceivable it is that it could come about by random physical processes alone. The mechanism for complex development is natural selection, but that does not take place until you have reproduction, and how do you get reproduction? He appreciated the argument. He seemed philosophical so I recommended Beyond Illusion and Doubt, in which the views of fifteen Western philosophers are contrasted with Bhagavad-gita, and he gave $5 and took the book.
On Sunday, although it was only 45°F (7°C) out, with a wind chill of 41°F (5°C), four girls were eating lunch at a table 30 feet from where I was chanting Hare Krishna. I decided I should invite them to Krishna Lunch. I came up to them and said, “You seem to enjoy eating together!” to which they responded positively.
I said I was promoting Krishna Lunch, a vegan meal, all you can eat for $8. We have a promotion “bring a friend get one free” so you would only have to pay for two meals. Three took the promotional halava, all but the gluten intolerant one.
Because they seemed so happy together, I asked, “Did you know each other before?”
One answered, “Yes.”
“From the same high school?” I asked.
“Yes, and the same soccer team.”
Hopefully the four will soon enjoy eating Krishna Lunch and taking steps toward Krishna together. Please give them your blessings!
I generally have nice experiences every day chanting Hare Krishna on the campuses, both here at FSU in Tallahassee and at USF in Tampa.
Chanting Hare Krishna in Alachua
I came to ISKCON Alachua for the Sunday feast and the Monday morning program by the kindness of Ananga Mohan Prabhu, an initiated Indian FSU student with a car, who loves coming to Alachua on the weekends.
I was so busy dancing to Adikarta Prabhu’s kirtan during the first arati that I forgot to take a video of it, and I was too busy talking to the many friends I have from living there for eleven years that I missed the Gaura arati altogether. Fortunately I caught two hours of Hare Krishna chanting after that and took videos of the last two singers.
Here Tulasi Nadia chants Hare Krishna after the Sunday feast in Alachua (https://youtu.be/y8rThqqtKAU):
Here Jahnavi Jivana Dasi chants Hare Krishna after the Sunday feast in Alachua (https://youtu.be/7Ml1K2lNe1Q):
The next morning, Caitanya Dasi, who loves chanting at the Gainesville Krishna Lunch each week, chanted Hare Krishna and played ukulele after the Guru Puja arati was over in Alachua (https://youtube.com/shorts/kLwgDalHwA4):
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.9.29, purport:
“Any person authorized by either the Lord or His bona fide representative is already blessed, as is the work entrusted to him. Of course, the person entrusted with such a responsibility should always be aware of his incapability and must always look for the mercy of the Lord for the successful execution of his duty. One should not be puffed up because he is entrusted with certain executive work. Fortunate is he who is so entrusted, and if he is always fixed in the sense of being subordinate to the will of the Supreme, he is sure to come out successful in the discharge of his work. Arjuna was entrusted with the work of fighting on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, and before he was so entrusted, the Lord had already arranged for his victory. But Arjuna was always conscious of his position as subordinate to the Lord, and thus he accepted Him as the supreme guide in his responsibility. Anyone who takes pride in doing responsible work but does not give credit to the Supreme Lord is certainly falsely proud and cannot execute anything nicely.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.24.50, purport:
“Although the impersonalists are always engaged in the worship of Lord Shiva, they are unable to understand the prayers offered by Lord Shiva to the bodily features of Lord Vishnu.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.24.51, purport:
“Here Lord Shiva kindly describes the details of the Lord’s bodily features. Thus the impersonalists’ argument that the Lord has no form cannot be accepted under any circumstance.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 8.31, purport:
“Considering the position of the people of this age, however, the chanting of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s name is more essential than the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra because Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the most magnanimous incarnation and His mercy is very easily achieved. Therefore one must first take shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by chanting sri-krishna-caitanya prabhu nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda.”
From a class on Bhagavad-gita 16.2–7 in Bombay on April 8, 1971:
“Why these American boys are coming to us? Because they did not get the advantage of spiritual life, but they are seeking after spiritual life. Athato brahma jijñasa.
They are fed up with this materialistic way of life. They want something spiritual. But because there is no such information, there is no such leader, they are becoming hippies—frustrated, confused. And because here is something substantial, they are taking it. This is the secret of success of this Krishna consciousness movement.”
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.16 in Bombay on November 16, 1974:
“We give chance to the people to hear about Krishna. . . . Therefore we have specifically mentioned: Krishna consciousness. We don’t talk any other nonsense things. . . . We have no other business. Simply we talk of Krishna. That will purify. Srnvatam sva-kathah krishnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. . . . Even if you do not understand a single word, if you simply hear, then you become pious. It is so nice.”
From a Vyasa-puja lecture in London on August 22, 1973:
“Therefore, a so-called philosopher, scientist’s knowledge is always imperfect. The perfect knowledge can be received through this parampara system—from Krishna, Krishna to Brahma, Brahma to Narada, Narada to Vyasa, Vyasa to Madhvacarya. In this way, from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, six Gosvamis, then our Guru Maharaja, in this way. And our business is just to present whatever we have heard. This is very important point.
And because we do not speculate mentally, just like so many swamis comes from India, they make their own presentation by speculation. So whatever little success I have got, it is due to this process, that I do not present anything which is created by me. That is the secret of success. All these rascals, I say, declaring this. All these rascals come, they manufacture. A spiritual thing cannot be manufactured—as God cannot be manufactured. God is always God, and the words of God is also God. If we present as it is, then it will be effective.”
From “They Have Created an Animal Civilization” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 59, No. 3:
[This is an edited transcript of a morning walk in Johannesburg on October 18, 1975.]
“We have little anxieties, simply because we have to deal with this rascal world. Otherwise, we have no anxiety. But we have taken this mission, to go and approach people and tell them the truth. Therefore we have got a little anxiety. Otherwise there is no question of anxiety. Because we are mixing with these rascals – and we have to do that, we who have taken up this mission – therefore we have some little anxiety. That is also not very much.”
From a morning walk in Paris on June 11, 1974:
“Unless you think yourself helpless, you cannot surrender. Surrender is complete when you think yourself helpless. ‘I am helpless, but because I am surrendered to Krishna, He’ll save me.’ This faith also must be there, that ‘Although I am helpless’ – Not although I am factually helpless, but ‘because I am surrendered to Krishna, I have no danger. He’ll help me, protect me.’”
From a letter to Tulsi on December 18, 1975:
“My only credit is that I have presented Bhagavad-gita as it is, without any speculation, or interpretation, therefore for the first time in the history of the world people are accepting it and living practically according to the principles of Bhagavad-gita.”
From an initiation lecture in Bombay on March 17, 1972:
“This Krishna consciousness movement is especially meant for preaching Bhagavad-gita as it is.”
From “Success at the Time of Death” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 59, No. 3:
[This is an edited transcript of a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.13 in Vrindavan on September 15, 1975.]
“And [another offense against the holy name is] sruti-sastra-nindanam, to disobey the injunctions of the Vedic literature. One may think, ‘Oh, there are so many rules; it is not possible to follow them.’”
“If at the time of death one chants Hare Krishna, then you know certainly that he has gone to Vaikuntha. There is no doubt about it. And even if there is aparadha, offense, that is not taken into consideration, because he has uttered Hare Krishna at the time of death. This is a special consideration. Anta-kale: at the time of death.”
“Why should we stress only upon seeing Krishna? That is a most foolish proposal. You have other senses. Krishna is prepared to be perceived by you by other senses. How? If you hear Krishna’s name, then you must know there is Krishna. Krishna is not different from His name or His form or quality or paraphernalia – anything. He is absolute. There is no duality in Him. Anything you perceive is Krishna. This Krishna temple is also Krishna. But we have no sufficient knowledge about how to understand Krishna. Krishna is prepared to be understood by us in so many ways.”
“The only qualification is that we must be very sincere. If even by symbolic chanting or by joking one can get the benefit, why not do it carefully? What is the wrong there? Be serious and chant Hare Krishna very carefully in order to get the success of life at the time of death.”
From a letter to Upendra on November 26, 1968:
“The leader in charge of a temple must learn to successfully deal with the other persons there. No one is working as a paid servant so if the dealings are not friendly everyone will decide to leave.”
From a letter to Karandhara on December 22, 1972:
“The future of this Krishna consciousness movement is very bright, as long as the managers remain vigilant that sixteen rounds are being chanted by everyone without fail, that they are all rising before four in the morning and attending mangala-arati. Our leaders shall be careful not to kill the spirit of enthusiastic service, which is individual and spontaneous and voluntary. They should try always to generate some atmosphere of fresh challenge to the devotees, so that they will agree enthusiastically to rise and meet it. That is the art of management: to draw out a spontaneous loving spirit of sacrificing some energy for Krishna. But where are so many expert managers? All of us should become expert managers and preachers. We should not be very much after comforts and become complacent or self-contented. There must be always some tapasya, strictly observing the regulative principles. The Krishna consciousness movement must be always a challenge, a great achievement to be gained by voluntary desire to do it, and that will keep it healthy.”
From a letter to Satsvarupa on September 9, 1975:
“I want that all centers follow the following procedure for handling the money. Whatever income is there, every cent must be given to the treasurer. Immediately he records it in the book. Then daily he deposits everything in the bank. For the expenditures, he withdraws from the bank the petty cash by check, signed by himself and the president. Then the expenditures are checked by the president to see how the money is being spent. The important thing is that all monies must be given to the treasurer and he records it and every day deposits everything in the bank. And whatever is spent that also is withdrawn from the bank. This will stop the embezzling that is going on. Please arrange for this and inform me.”
From a morning walk at Marina del Ray near Los Angeles on July 13, 1974:
Prabhupada: Politics, diplomacy, fraud, cheating. These things are the general qualification of the Western people. Do you admit or not?Devotees: Yes.Prabhupada: If . . . these things come within our movement, then it will not be successful.
From a letter to Brahmananda on November 11, 1967:
“If a sincere soul goes out and opens a center in any part of the world, Krishna will help him in all respects. Without being empowered by Krishna, nobody can preach Krishna consciousness. It is not academic qualification or financial strength which helps in the matter, but it is sincerity of purpose which helps us always. . . . I was prepared to chant even if there were no men present to hear me. The principle of chanting is to glorify the Lord and not to attract a crowd. If Krishna hears nicely then he will ask some sincere devotee to gather in such place. Therefore be advised that thousands of centers may be started if we find out a sincere soul for each and every center.”
From a letter to Himavati on June 15, 1972:
“I don’t know who has given you this idea of shaving your head and wearing white garments. In India only the widows are allowed to shave head. I have never suggested your husband to take to sannyasa, but we can discuss this matter further when we shall meet again in London for Ratha Yatra. You remain the beautiful maid servant of Krishna. That is your business, and you should dress yourself always very nicely so that Krishna by seeing you will be pleased.”
From a letter to Damodara on March 30, 1970:
“My idea is to train up many devotees and as soon as they are ready send them for starting new branches.”
From a letter to Giriraj on June 8, 1972:
“If we make our deity worship program extremely opulent and gorgeous, and if all of the devotees are always attending arati and holding kirtana in front of the deities, that will be the best program for attracting the Indian people to the Krishna consciousness movement.”
From a letter to Bhavananda on March 17, 1971:
“I wish that the number of devotees in every temple be more and more increased. . . . Make all our temples full with many devotees, and after being trained they should be sent to every town and village in your country so that they will be benefited as well as all others.”
From a letter to Gaura Hari on July 9, 1971:
“New men may not always behave so nicely but we must be tolerant. To train a new man is like training a wild animal to be a pet.”
From a letter to Sukadeva on December 13, 1972:
“The secret will be to engage them as they like to be engaged. Suppose I have got some education, I am a business student, or I have got some skill or talent, I am a typist or musician or something like that; so I will like to utilize these things for Krishna only if I am encouraged in a certain way, very tactfully, and I must not be discouraged by too much forcing me to accept everything at first: shaving the head, rising very early, going for street sankirtana, like that. No, let me come gradually; let me also study Krishna consciousness and see how it is practical and sublime. Gradually I may get some taste for these other things and agree to do them voluntarily and intelligently. We are not dogmatic or like an army-camp, no. We are servants of Krishna. That means because we understand that Krishna is our protector under all circumstances, we have no more any anxiety, so we become very liberal and tolerant upon seeing others’ sinful activities, and we see them innocent victims of maya, and we try to help them understand the real position of life.”
Srila Vyasadeva:
From Skanda Purana:
“By a scrutinizing review of all the revealed scriptures and a judgment of them again and again, it is now concluded that Lord Narayana is the Supreme Absolute Truth and thus He alone should be worshiped.”
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura:
From his commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.16.31:
“One invokes the Lord by the Rg Veda, performs sacrifice by the Yajur Veda, and praises the Lord by the Sama Veda.”
O. B. L. Kapoor (Adi-kesava dasa), disciple of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:
From The Saints of Bengal:
“While Krishna is more interested in the dispensation of justice, Gaura is more interested in the dispensation of mercy. From this point of view, Gaura-kirtana is also more useful than Krishna-kirtana.”
Jayadvaita Swami:
When the glories of the Lord are chanted loudly, the demons flee just like cockroaches when you turn on the light. They like the dark.
It is good to do book distribution during harinama because the chanting preselects people. You can see who is favorable and approach them.
Why settle for their money? Why not their life? We have our words, our intelligence, our wealth, and our life to give to Krishna. Sometimes we just get people to donate their wealth, but it is actually better if they give their life.
If we preach, money will follow. If we just pursue money, sometimes everything falls apart.
When the devotees got an elevator at the Juhu project, Srila Prabhupada insisted that the devotees not use it to go down or to go up just one or two flights because it is a waste of money.
Acyutananda Prabhu:
I selected for the Vaishnava song book the most commonly sung songs in Vrindavan and Navadvipa.
I like how Lord Nityananda’s feet are described as millions of cooling moons.
Hare Krishna is not like anything else, but we have never stopped.
In Vrindavan in the beginning [the late 1960s] there were no cars and no radios, only temple bells.
The songs are not replacements for the maha-mantra but expansions of the maha-mantra.
I brought a Bengali mrdanga player who could make the mrdanga talk. Srila Prabhupada smiled more and more upon hearing him play.
Something simple done well is better than something complicated not done well.
In India there was 15 minutes of news in Sanskrit on the radio.
In South India you have to quote Sanskrit, otherwise they do not take you seriously.
Navadvipa was like Satya-yuga, and in South India some of the temples were like Satya-yuga.
We heard some people chanting “Siksastaka” in South India. We learned that some followers of Lord Caitanya went there and stayed.
I built the Prabhupada kutira in Mayapur. Srila Prabhupada told me how much sand and how much cement.
I traveled with Srila Prabhupada alone in India for three months in 1967 until he recovered his health. Srila Prabhupada would carry a book of Baladeva Vidyabhusana.
Dharma is the natural function of anything.
Prema bhakti is our natural function.
The Vedas are arranged so that if you follow them you will quickly become elevated.
Narada told Vyasa, “You have described so many things but not pure bhakti.”
The first verse I heard from Srila Prabhupada was sarvopadi vinirmuktam.
So many religions tell you how to get saved, but now that you are saved, what do you do? That is Krishna bhakti.
That are thousands of nigamas and thousands of agamas.
Vyasa writes in the Padma Purana, caitanya rasa vigraha. And then 4,500 years later, Caitanya appeared. You can’t make this stuff up.
One envious godbrother of Srila Prabhupada’s said, “If Lord Caitanya wanted His name spread all over the world, then why did He not do it Himself?”
Srila Prabhupada replied, “Because He saved it for me.”
Once I noticed that the pujari put the flute in backward. I told Srila Prabhupada. He said that Krishna is all powerful. He can play even it from the other side.
Visakha Dasi:
“Unlike those who are higher and are afraid of falling, the person on the ground is unafraid. When we’re at the lowest point, we’re finally on a solid platform for spiritual progress.”
“Since Krishna’s devotees have no wish except to serve Him with devotion, they don’t hanker for what they lack or lament for what they’ve lost. Rather, they’re absorbed in their sacred service.”
“Krishna’s devotees pray to Him to keep them from getting proud. They don’t want to lose the satisfaction and happiness they feel in chanting Krishna’s names and serving Him, for nothing is more valuable or important than these opportunities and privileges.”
“Srila Prabhupada replied, ‘Humility means that you are convinced beyond any doubt that there is nothing in this world, absolutely nothing in this world – not your money, not your family, not your fame, not your gun, not your education –nothing will save you except the mercy of Krishna. When you are convinced like this, then you are humble.’”
Ekadasi Vrata Devi Dasi:
Anthropomorphic is used to describe Biblical references to God as having human attributes, for example, “the outstretch arms of God” protect Israel from the Egyptians.
Prayer helps a lot when we encounter things that are difficult to accept in the scripture.
Bhakti Vijnana Swami was saying that Gayatri is the source of the Vedas.
Comment by Prana Govinda Prabhu:
The four kinds of miscreants [Bhagavad-gita 7.15] are also in me. Also we see people come to this movement and then leave because of these four tendencies.
Comments by me:
Regarding the Lord being seen when the heart is pure, that is mentioned in the Bible: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)
One example of mayayapahrita-jñana that came to mind I learned from Sadaputa Prabhu. In the 1960s some mathematicians presented to some biologists that according to their calculations of the probabilities, evolution could not have occurred. The biologists replied saying that we know evolution occurred; and therefore, the mathematicians must have made some mistake in their calculations. After that the mathematicians understood the sort of people they were dealing with and did not again approach the biologists.
I believe I have heard something like 80% of the Vedas are karma-kanda. Thus it is not surprising that their followers are just interested in going to heaven and not knowing and attaining God and His kingdom.
The idea that Gayatri is the source of the Vedas in mentioned in Brahma-samhita 5.27:
“Then Gayatri, mother of the Vedas, having been manifested by the divine sound of Sri Krishna’s flute, entered the lotus mouth of Brahma.”
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It is important to keep progressing in our spiritual life up to the stage of devotional service to the Supreme Lord. That point is made in this powerful verse spoken by Devahuti, the mother of the divine incarnation, Lord Kapila:
neha yat karma dharmaya
na tirtha-pada-sevayai
jivann api mrito hi sah
“Anyone whose work is not meant to elevate him to religious life, anyone whose religious ritualistic performances do not raise him to renunciation, and anyone situated in renunciation that does not lead him to devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, must be considered dead, although he is breathing.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.56)
