Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 21, No. 24
By Krishna Kripa Das
(Week 24: June 11–17, 2025)
New York City
(Sent from Sarcelles, France, on June 21, 2025)
Where I Went and What I Did
The twenty-fourth week of 2025, I spent at ISKCON NYC in Brooklyn, serving Rama Raya Prabhu’s NYC Harinam program by chanting Hare Krishna and by distributing Ratha-yatra flyers for three or four hours each day before the event. On Friday the Bhakti Center devotees arranged a special program in Tompkins Square Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and NYC Harinama arranged another Times Square Kirtan Festival from 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday was the long awaited New York Ratha-yatra, attended by devotees from all over America, and also Europe, Australia, and India. Despite the drizzle of rain until 4:30 p.m. or so, it was a wonderful event. On Sunday I did a walking harinama with Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci to 26 Second Avenue, which is now blessed by the recent appearance of Srila Prabhupada in his murti form and transformed into a Hare Krishna Museum, and then to Tompkins Square Park. On Monday I did a midday harinama with the famed ISKCON dancer, Bhakta Avatara Prabhu, who must have distributed at least thirty invitations to the ISKCON NYC Sunday and Tuesday program. Another devotee also joined us. I missed my evening flight to Paris by 7 minutes.
Thus I got to spend Tuesday on NYC Harinam, since the next available flight was not till Wednesday, via Charlotte, NC, no less.
I share a quote from Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad-Bhagavatam and one of his letters. I share many quotes from Prabhupada Nectar by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on classes by Mahavishnu and Guru Prasada Swamis and by Vaisesika, Rama Raya, and Navina Nirada Prabhus.
Many, many thanks to Bhakta Henry of Washington, D.C., for his very generous donation. Thanks to Lila Jagannath Ratha-yatra Prabhu of the UK for his donation of British currency. Thanks to Bhaktan Deva for the nice lunch at Divya’s kitchen and the gift of his iPhone case. Thanks to Jivananda Prabhu, Ahaituki Prema Prabhu, Meru, and Bhaktan Deva for the videos and photos of harinamas in NYC and of different devotees. Thanks to Prabhavishnu Prabhu for the gift of his iPhone cable.
Itinerary
June 19–August 19: Paris
– June 22: Paris Ratha-yatra
– July 6: Luxembourg park kirtan
– July 11: Amsterdam harinama
– July 12: Amsterdam Ratha-yatra
– July 13: Holland harinama
August 20: London harinama
August 21–22: Liverpool harinamas
August 23: Liverpool Ratha-yatra
August 24: Manchester harinama
August 25: London harinama and flight to New York
Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City
Devotee chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/2jrGhb5P8QQ):
Another devotee chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/cpzKxQBHDhU):
Gopinath of New Vrindaban chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/g177AcpOlaQ):
Vraja Mohan Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/bWUvOc0FFQU):
Shyam Manohar Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/GkrNIZVCZn8):
Jaya Goracand Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and a young woman plays shakers (https://youtu.be/WMFP_O_JN6w):
Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/GtX-94ffHuQ):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and two young women play shakers (https://youtu.be/LcW9aF21ys0):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at ISKCON NYC Tulasi Kirtan (https://youtu.be/6TnV7r7oOww):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna on Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn, and passersby participate (https://youtu.be/UyoyU-Vek10):
The program organized by the Bhakti Center at Tompkins Square Park was scheduled to be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. I had to catch up on my sleep so I arrived just before 1 p.m. I would pass out Ratha-yatra invitations to people walking by, and I found a higher percentage of New Yorkers there accepted the invitations, more than anywhere in the city except the Bronx.
Here Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Tompkins Square Park, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/mf7GoHNQ9W4):
Here is another video of Madhava in portrait orientation (https://youtube.com/shorts/6kLdpsFOtX4?feature=share):
Here is a video composed of clips taken by Meru of Madhava’s kirtan (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iI0ObN1k2_8):
Meru likes to take photos, especially selfies, and he borrowed my phone to take these photos of the program at Tompkins Square Park.
Here are photos of Jaya Sri Devi Dasi, a leading Prabhupada disciple at New Vrindaban, who remembered me from her winter vacations in Alachua.
Meru got a nice shot of Candramauli Swami and others dancing to Madhava’s kirtan.
Premamani Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at the Times Square Kirtan Festival (https://youtu.be/fW7zQ3hqvg0):
While Premamani was chanting, a woman danced with the devotees (https://youtube.com/shorts/QkqDUliwn-A?feature=share):
Gopinath Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival (https://youtu.be/CTHNfYNvEjY):
During our Times Square Kirtan Festival, the Harinama Ruci traveling party, which was doing a walking harinama at Times Square, stopped by. Here Harinamananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square, and young women dance with devotees (https://youtu.be/mFVjrrajfag):
Radhanath Swami chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival (https://youtu.be/v0elNZUEeZo):
Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival (https://youtu.be/j-JXrsZkPT0):
Here several passersby dance with the devotees as they chant Hare Krishna at the Times Square Kirtan Festival (https://youtube.com/shorts/Ghk6rbwTszA?feature=share):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Times Square Kirtan Festival (https://youtu.be/yjHBJdQXTeE):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival, and devotees and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/gX174d0ZFHw):
After arranging to distribute the books of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami at the Ratha-yatra, I had to take a nap before the procession itself. I arrived about an hour late, but Lord Jagannath had only progressed from 45th Street and Fifth Avenue down to 42nd Street, so I did not miss much of the parade.
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It was raining lightly the whole time, and it was frustrating to have my vision of Lord Jagannath eclipsed by a myriad of umbrellas. I did not take photos or videos of the procession. I prefer to dance for Lord Jagannath and to give interested people invitations to the festival at the park and the temple and also free literature, such as “On Chanting Hare Krishna.” To stay dry, I would stop at positions along the sidewalk that were protected from the rain, and dance for Lord Jagannath there, until He caught up to me, and then I would move ahead to the next position on the sidewalk where rain could not touch me.
One woman from Atlanta, who was accompanied by her daughter, was very attracted by the procession. I mentioned that we had different centers in Atlanta and a vegetarian restaurant. She said before COVID her boss used to send out for lunch from Govinda’s every day, and she really loved the food. Unfortunately, with the COVID, fewer people worked in the office, and the program was discontinued. I told her about Krishna food options in New York during her visit. In her case, you could really see how prasadam makes people very favorable toward Krishna consciousness.
Setting up the GN Press book table in the rain, using the table, racks, and books which I had someone leave at the gift shop, took longer than I thought, and I missed some of my favorite kirtan singers in the NYC Harinam Kirtan Tent.
Here Ananta Govinda and friends chant Hare Krishna in NYC Ratha-yatra kirtan tent (https://youtu.be/owyRe77w4Co):
Braja Sakhi Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna in NYC Ratha-yatra Kirtan Tent (https://youtu.be/5mfbHtsE-0o):
As Braja Sakhi Devi Dasi continued to chant Hare Krishna, more devotees and passersby danced (https://youtu.be/UIvaZAwJZmo):
Harinarayana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at NYC Ratha-yatra Kirtan Tent and people play shakers and dance (https://youtu.be/UQoeib2S7ec):
This woman from Tennessee, appearing in the above video, obviously really loved playing the shakers and dancing. She remembered the Hare Krishnas from when she used to live in New York. I told her that we have this festival the second Saturday in June every year, and she should put it on her calendar. She replied enthusiastically, “I will!”
Acyuta Gopi chants Hare Krishna at NYC Ratha-yatra Kirtan Tent, and passersby play shakers and dance (https://youtube.com/shorts/izUAq-Kd4dY?feature=share):
The day after Ratha-yatra, Mahavishnu Swami decided to go on pilgrimage to 26 Second Avenue and Tompkins Square Park.
Here Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna in the Hoyt / Schermerhorn subway station (https://youtu.be/UMIxvBH44dA):
As we reached the turnstiles, an MTA employee took a video of our party, and at the same time, he held the door open for us so we did not have to pay. Now that does not happen every day!
Later Mahavishnu Swami chanted Hare Krishna on the F train, en route to 26 Second Avenue, and people chanted and danced (https://youtube.com/shorts/AMf54CYClQI?feature=share):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna on Second Avenue, and people chant and dance (https://youtube.com/shorts/rOlDViNA17o?feature=share):
Matchless Gifts at 26 Second Avenue has been remodeled to be a Hare Krishna Museum of sorts.
The Happening album appears next to a phonograph from that time in history.
After seeing 26 Second Avenue, we did a harinama to Tompkins Square Park. During that harinama, a young woman danced with a devotee (https://youtube.com/shorts/iawjl7m2vwE?feature=share):
Devotees chant Hare Krishna and circumambulate the Hare Krishna Tree in Tompkins Square Park (https://youtu.be/a0N1P-xChbQ):
With all the visiting kirtan leaders during Ratha-yatra time in NYC I didn’t have much chance to lead myself until the Hare Krishna Desire Tree fulfilled my desire, and I chanted with Harinama Ruci from Tompkins Square Park on the L and G trains to the Brooklyn temple (https://youtu.be/0dewo9DZkGY):
Thanks to Jivananda Prabhu for the video.
Vishnugada Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at guru puja at ISKCON NYC (https://youtu.be/bQALaa9kAKI):
Vaisesika Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Guru Puja at ISKCON NYC (https://youtu.be/z-Q5xSEDMi0):
There were many gulab jamuns left over from the Sunday feast, and Hansarupa Prabhu left them by the door for devotees to take as they were leaving.
That reminded me of how in the early days of 26 Second Avenue, Srila Prabhupada would keep a jar of gulab jamuns by the door.
Here is a selfie from Meru of me and Janmastami Prabhu, who I have known for 45 years and who was the senior disciple of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami volunteering to man the Ratha-yatra book table for him.
Monday I was to fly to Paris. As I was leaving to catch the subway to the airport, there were two devotees on later flights who were not familiar with getting to the airport by public transportation, so I decided to assist them. One devotee was doing the online check-in for one, but I advised to skip it as I was late, and because that devotee was getting to the airport five hours before his flight and online check-in was not necessary for him. Thus I was detained for several minutes against my will. I was also detained because I could not book my checked bag online and had to do it at the airport, and I forgot to note down my confirmation code to look up the flight at the kiosk. The line to drop off bags was also ten minutes long. By the time all that was done, I had 52 minutes before my flight, but I had to get there in 37 minutes because they close the flight 15 minutes before take off. Unfortunately, the line for security was so long I missed getting my flight by 7 minutes, and had to accept the next available flight, one through Charlotte, North Carolina, two days later.
On Tuesday our harinama started in Union Square Park, but it proved too rainy, so we moved to Times Square subway station above the 7 train.
Here I chant Hare Krishna in the Times Square subway station (https://youtube.com/shorts/DdqQ3LZER-s?feature=share):
I had not sung for a while because of all of the visiting kirtan leaders, and I was happy to sing one last time before going to Europe.
Gopinath Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/E6Iw7YAlvAs):
Harinarayana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/fl61Uht3UBI):
Shyam Manohar Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/0cfqHe1qqyg):
Narayana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/ONG-vT6hXeI):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/4WSbAl4S_3w):
Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.8.59–60:
“Anyone who thus engages in the devotional service of the Lord, seriously and sincerely, with his mind, words and body, and who is fixed in the activities of the prescribed devotional methods, is blessed by the Lord according to his desire. If a devotee desires material religiosity, economic development, sense gratification or liberation from the material world, he is awarded these results.”
From a letter to Markandeya Rsi dasa on May 1, 1974:
“You have asked what is the origin of the black race. This is not an important question. Why should you be curious about the temporary body? If I am very interested in knowing about my clothing that I am wearing only temporarily, it is not a very important thing. We have had many bodies, which we change like sets of clothes. To be very absorbed in the present body one has, whether it is black or white or yellow, is not a sign of a wise person or a Krsna conscious devotee.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Prabhupada Nectar:
From Chapter 3, Number 7:
“Srila Prabhupada was always a true sadhu. He once defined sadhu by saying that he’s not a person who complains, ‘I cannot see you today because I am not feeling well.’ A sadhu tolerates; therefore he is known as titiksavah karunikah—tolerant and merciful. During Prabhupada’s difficult times he remained calm, in control of his senses, and preached continually.”
From Chapter 3, Number 8:
“Even if someone had never been personally in the room with Prabhupada or been on a walk with him, it didn’t matter. He could also know Prabhupada through serving him. By service, disciples have direct spiritual realization; they have direct spiritual experience. When someone goes on sankirtana and distributes books, he experiences a higher taste from the book distribution and that’s Prabhupada’s presence. Otherwise, he couldn’t go out. It is not just another activity like any other in the material world. No, he is experiencing something, and that experience goes beyond the bodily coverings into the spirit soul. The spirit soul tastes that relationship. By distributing Prabhupada’s books or rendering any service personally he is tasting his relationship with Prabhupada.”
—Balavanta dasa Adhikari
From Chapter 3, Number 10:
“The intelligent disciple learns how to follow the spiritual master in a way that will please him. We should not be like foolish Asvatthama who thought he would please his guru Drona by presenting him with the dead bodies of Draupadi’s sons.”
From Chapter 3, Number 13:
“You accept these principles of life, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex, and there will be no cancer. Those who are strictly on this line, they never suffer from cancer or any such disease. Now take for example me. I’ve come here in this country for the last eight years. How many times have I gone to the doctor? That one heart attack. That is serious, that is another thing. Otherwise, generally how many times have I gone? I don’t pay any bill of doctor.
“So if we live a very hygienic life, regulated life, there is no question of cancer or any disease. The disease is created by violating nature’s law.”
From Chapter 3, Number 14:
“In nyaya-sastra it is said, kupa-manduka-nyaya. Kupa means ‘well’ and manduka means ‘frog.’ The frog in the well. Dr. Frog is never visible in the ocean. He has never seen what is the ocean; therefore all these scientists are compared to frogs. They have never seen what is the kingdom of God.”
“Prabhupada explained aja-gala-stana. ‘You have seen in the goats, in the necks—it is just like nipples,’ said Prabhupada. ‘So if one is expecting milk from that nipple, he is also a fool. It is not a nipple, but it looks like one. These are illusions. Aja-gala-stana applies to those rascals who think that from matter, life is coming. Exactly the same, they are thinking that here is a nipple and some milk will come. “Let us milk here. Maybe in the future.”’”
From Chapter 3, Number 15:
“Srila Prabhupada related the story of a rat who became liberated by offering service to Vishnu. The rat was running on the altar of the Deity, just at a time when one of the ghee lamps was about to go out. The rat thought that the flame might be some foodstuffs, so he stuck his whiskers in it. The dying flame caught on to the rat’s whiskers, and the fire flared up, catching on to the unused portion of the wick. In this way, by the rat’s foolish sacrifice, the flame on Vishnu’s altar continued to burn nicely. And for his service to Krishna, the rat went to Vaikuntha. This is the potency of devotional service to Krishna, even performed unknowingly.”
From Chapter 3, Number 18:
“I’ll never forget what Satsvarupa Maharaja once wrote in his Back to Godhead editorial on charisma. A police captain in New York City said, ‘Do you know why this New York Ratha-yatra is a success? Because the Swamiji wanted it so. Because he wanted it.’” (Harikesa Swami lecture).
From Chapter 3, Number 28:
“I do not think that separation from Srila Prabhupada is possible at any moment, provided that we want to keep his association. He is ready and waiting. Any time we turn to him, he is there—there to guide us and help us in any way. Mainly he is there to give us instruction in service and to chastise us if we disobey. But we should never go away.
“He always gives us the chance to leave him—if we want—if the chastisement is too heavy. But leaving him is the greatest loss, complete disaster. It is better to accept the chastisement and try to improve, difficult as it may seem, and win his favor again, rather than try to run and hide, avoiding or, still worse, trying to forget.
“Of course, Srila Prabhupada loves us even when he chastises us. In fact, his chastisement is proof that he loves us, that he cares for us, that he wants us to improve and become good devotees of Krishna.
“And if we follow his instructions, he is very pleased, very easily pleased, and he reciprocally blesses us, encouraging us and giving us further direction. "“We should never become puffed up or complacent, however, thinking that because Srila Prabhupada is reciprocating with us he is favoring us or that we are perfect. Far from it. Srila Prabhupada is helping us out of his causeless mercy. We have no other qualification whatsoever. Our only qualification or hope is Srila Prabhupada’s causeless mercy. That’s all. So if we become proud, thinking that we are special or Prabhupada’s favorite, Prabhupada is not pleased. He may by his causeless mercy arrange some difficulty to humble us, so we come crawling back to his shelter.
“Overall, Srila Prabhupada is a perfect person. He is wonderful. As we approach him, he reciprocates. And he is very personal—even humorous at times—as well as very kind and compassionate. If we make mistakes, he forgives us. He is always ready to forgive and give us another chance to serve him. When we follow his instructions, he is pleased. He reciprocates by giving us more service.
“My advice to everyone is—and this advice is directed more toward my mind than toward anyone else—always remember Srila Prabhupada and never forget him. He is always there. He is our father, our best friend, and our very life itself.”
—Giriraja Swami
From Chapter 3, Number 30:
“One time when Prabhupada was at Bhaktivedanta Manor, a Mayavadi sannyasi came to visit. Srila Prabhupada received him graciously, and they had some discussion. When the man departed, he deliberately left behind a big stack of his pamphlets. The pamphlets contained a little essay on the monistic doctrine that ‘all is one,’ defying the direct meaning of the Vedic scriptures and completely omitting Lord Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
“The next afternoon, Prabhupada met with the devotees as usual. His practice was to receive a very big plate of fruit and nuts, take some himself, and then ask a disciple to distribute the maha-prasadam to all the devotees. On this particular day, Prabhupada called for the pamphlets. The devotees were surprised—‘Why is Prabhupada calling for these pamphlets?’ When they were brought in, Srila Prabhupada said, ‘Distribute one to each of the devotees.’ The devotees were bewildered as the Mayavadi pamphlets were distributed to one and all.
“Then Prabhupada said, ‘Everyone take a pamphlet, open it up, and put it in your hand.’
“He took a few fruits from the plate, began eating them, and then indicated that the rest should be distributed. He said the devotees should use the pamphlets as plates.
“One of the devotees mentioned later that Prabhupada was practicing yukta-vairagya by this simple act. He had found a useful purpose for the atheistic tracts, simultaneously ridiculing their author and yet engaging him in devotional service.”
From Chapter 3, Number 32:
“‘Srila Prabhupada,’ Nava-yogendra asked, ‘how should we feel if you are angry with one of us?’
“Srila Prabhupada replied, ‘If the spiritual master is angry, you should be pleased. It means that he’s paying attention to you.’ Prabhupada went on to say that there are so many hundreds and thousands of people in the streets, but no one is looking after them. But if the spiritual master becomes angry with a particular disciple, that is his loving mercy on that person.”
From Chapter 3, Number 33:
“Regarding the Christian Trinity, I believe it is God, the Holy Ghost, and the Son. A person in Krsna consciousness accepts this by the name Visnu, Paramatma, and jiva. God is a person, the Holy Spirit or Supersoul is a person, and the living entity is also a person. Also Mary is the representation of the energy of God. Either as internal energy, Radharani, or as external energy, Durga, the energy of Godhead can be considered the mother of the living entities. There is no clash between the Bible and the Vedas; simply some people formulate their personal ideas and cause quarreling.”
From Chapter 3, Number 39:
“The thing is if you give more stress on the scholarly line, other devotees will try to imitate you. Already your wife has expressed such intention, and as soon as we try to be scholars, our devotional line will be slackened. These points are to be kept in view always.”
From Chapter 3, Number 40:
“During a short visit to Boston in 1971, Prabhupada gave the devotees a gift for their altar.
“Brahmananda had asked Prabhupada why he always applied his Vaisnava tilaka by using water from an old jar.
“Prabhupada replied, ‘I will give it to you. It is Ganga water and never decomposes.’
“Brahmananda thankfully accepted the jar of water. ‘Thank you, Srila Prabhupada. We will get a silver container for it.’
“‘No,’ said Prabhupada. ‘Put it on the altar as it is.’
“So the devotees placed the jar, which was clearly labeled ‘Maxwell House Coffee,’ on the altar alongside the Radha-Krishna Deities and all the other standard paraphernalia. “Sometimes visitors to the temple would ask about the significance of the Maxwell House jar on the worshipable altar, and the devotees would proudly and gladly explain that it was a gift from Srila Prabhupada.”
From Chapter 3, Number 43:
“Everyone knew that pushing on Krishna consciousness was great trouble for Prabhupada—his travel, his anxiety, his hard work—and yet his glancing, smiling eyes showed that he was above the struggle.”
From Chapter 3, Number 44:
“My realization from my personal meetings with Srila Prabhupada was that he related to me as I related to him. When I was humble, he was very merciful to me, but when I was proud, Prabhupada smashed my pride.
“When I first met Prabhupada in the Calcutta temple in 1971, I went in and just sat down. He asked me who I was and if I had any questions. I said to him, ‘Well, why not Buddhism?’ I was a wise guy.
“Prabhupada answered, ‘What does a Buddhist believe?’
“I tried to recall my college course, Philosophy 101. I said something about the eight-fold noble path and the four-fold. I kind of mumbled what I could about what the Buddha had said, but I was already defeated, because I couldn’t even think what the Buddha had said.
“The next time I met Prabhupada was at the Mayapur festival in 1972. After first meeting Prabhupada, I’d begun chanting Hare Krishna and I’d become a vegetarian. This time I wasn’t so proud. I was thinking, ‘Actually, Prabhupada may know the answers to all the secrets of life.’ I went in to see him with the mood that he was a perfect spiritual master. Although my surrender was only on a theoretical basis, I approached him submissively, the way it says in the Bhagavad-gita, and I was also rendering service while I was staying in Mayapur. Without knowing it, I was following the injunction of the Gita. Therefore, naturally Prabhupada reciprocated by rendering to me the Absolute Truth. Those conversations are all published in the book, Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers. Prabhupada was very, very merciful to me. He even said to me, ‘You are a very good boy.’
“The next time I saw Prabhupada was again in Calcutta. By now I was much more respectful. When I went in to see him, he was drinking coconut juice. The first thing he did was give me some. I entered his room feeling myself very insignificant. Then Prabhupada immediately gave me his own coconut juice to drink. It was just a little thing, but it really touched me.
“Another time I met him in 1973 I was also feeling very insignificant. This was when Prabhupada was in New York at the Brooklyn temple. He was walking from his quarters to the temple room, and I was standing in the hallway packed with devotees. I was thinking, ‘I hope he doesn’t even see me.’ When Prabhupada walked by, we all offered obeisances. I kept my head all the way down, saying the prayers slowly to make sure that he would be past me by the time I would stand up, but what I didn’t know was that Prabhupada had stopped and was waiting for me. I slowly finished the prayers and sat up, and there was Prabhupada right in front of me. He said, ‘Oh! You’re here!’ He put his arms around me and gave me a hug.
“Another time, however, Prabhupada smashed my false ego. He was on a walk in Denver and I joined him. Yadubara said, ‘Prabhupada, here’s that Peace Corps worker. He’s here to see you again.’ On this occasion I was feeling very proud, thinking, ‘Yes, Prabhupada will be very glad to see me.’ But Prabhupada only said, ‘Oh.’ That was all he said.
“One time I also met Prabhupada in his room in New Orleans. On this occasion, I walked in insignificantly and sat in the back of the room. I didn’t want Prabhupada to see me. The room was full of devotees, including many leaders, so I hid in the back. But Prabhupada saw me and he paused in the middle of his darsana. He said, ‘Come here.’ I moved up about a foot. Again he said, ‘No, come here.’ I inched forward a little more. Then Brahmananda Swami turned and said, ‘Come here!’ I wound up sitting right next to Prabhupada, at his feet. He wanted me to sit there.
“The time I was ready to get initiated, I was proud again. This was in 1976 and I was thinking, ‘Now Prabhupada will be so pleased with me. This is wonderful.’ Prabhupada did not personally perform the initiation ceremony. He was feeling ill, but he was sitting on the vyasasana and then was giving out cookies. I was not very far away from Prabhupada, and I looked at him directly, thinking, ‘Now I’m here. I’m going to be initiated. Prabhupada will be glad to see me.’ I looked right at Prabhupada because before, he had recognized me in New Orleans and in the hallway at Henry Street in Brooklyn. I was thinking, ‘Now I will be recognized again.’ I was actually thinking like that. I can remember. When I looked straight at Srila Prabhupada, he looked right through me. He didn’t even see me. He looked directly through me. It was the most eerie feeling, Prabhupada looking at me and not seeing me. It was the most severe chastisement he could give me for being proud.
“So I am convinced that Prabhupada related to me as I related to him. If I was humble, he was kind. When I was puffed up, he practically ignored me.
—Brahmatirtha dasa Adhikari”
From Chapter 3, Number 50:
“‘Do as I am doing,’ said Prabhupada. It’s not that he wanted a cult of personal worship of himself, but because he set the standard for his GBC leaders and others, he wanted his followers to do as he was doing. His intention was that his followers should work together to keep what he gave. He had received the blessings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he wanted that success to be carried out by his followers. He also gave his own example when he said that any one person can go and open a center as he had done, one man alone lecturing, cooking, playing the mrdanga, etc. He also gave his own life as an example when he encouraged his disciples to go to foreign countries and endure difficulties. He encouraged them by saying he had done the same thing when he had come alone to America.”
Mahavishnu Swami:
We have sciences like biology, chemistry, and physics, which are known all over the world. Srila Prabhupada wanted a science of God.
Nothing happens by spontaneous development of matter.
A motor car will sit for millions of years unless someone gets in the driver’s seat.
Life arises from a combination of matter and spirit. When the combination occurs, development begins.
Jagannath is attractive. My brother was attracted to Him, among the deities at ISKCON London. He is like a smiley on the WhatsApp.
Trump said he believes in God. Many people believe in God, but do they know how to overcome the ocean of birth and death?
Trump wants to make America great. We can tell Trump how to make America great.
We do not want to just make America great. We want to make the world great. Srila Prabhupada told us how. Through kirtan and prasadam – spiritual music and food. These Ratha-yatra festivals are saving the planet.
Do not think there has to be a third world war. We have the Hare Krishna mantra which is all powerful.
For the first Ratha-yatra in New York, the devotees were looking for a place to build their carts. Different people rejected us for different reasons. The secretary of one property owner said she would check with the boss. We heard back from her that she had a letter of permission from the boss. It was signed Donald Trump.
Guru Prasada Swami:
We should think that Krishna is just giving us enough misery so that we can remember this world is a miserable place.
Krishna considered that Sudama Brahmana had given Him more than he had, and by doing that he had defeated Him, because Krishna cannot do that because He has everything.
Krishna delivers the sadhus by bringing them to a higher level of devotional service with more surrender.
We should desire to be pure devotees to offer the best to Krishna.
Raghava Pandit did not want to offer the cheapest to Krishna but the best.
Raghava Pandit was happy when after offering the coconut water to Krishna he found that the glass was completely empty.
You cannot preach Krishna consciousness unless you are happy being engaged in devotional service.
When Krishna sees you are not holding anything back, He will be pleased.
Sincerity in hearing and in putting it into practice both have to be there.
We have to be careful to not stick to the minimum.
When we see someone engaged enthusiastically in devotional service, no matter who that person is, we become inspired.
Vaisesika Prabhu:
Krishna is inviting us to remember Him. Everyone in New York is advocating we remember this person or that thing.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate objective of meditation. At initiation we begin to give up less important objectives of meditation.
If we do not accept the beauty in the reality, we have to accept the reflection of that beauty in this material world.
Lord Caitanya describes the happiness of the material world as flickering happiness. It has a beginning and an end, and thus it is always frustrating.
Lord Caitanya introduced kevalya-ananda-kanda, pure happiness.
Initiation means we are opting out of the material world. We are now going to follow in the footsteps of the great souls.
As the salmon identify the pond of their birth after traveling thousands of miles to the ocean and back by their sense of smell, we return to the spiritual world, though so far away, by our sense of hearing.
Srila Prabhupada recommends that the charity to be given in this age is prasadam.
We should have a goal that everyone in New York City gets prasadam.
My economics professor said that the lottery is referred to in economics as a tax on the stupid.
Illicit sex is the biggest trap there is. It is very entangling and takes a long time to get out of.
It is difficult for meat eaters to overcome anger and other base qualities.
You are going to get a sadhana-deha today, the body of a spiritual practitioner. Most people in New York do not have one.
The devotees who were initiated:
Yuli:
Madhurya Rasa Devi Dasi: She goes on harinama and distributes books. She has helped out with the Monthly Sankirtan Festival.
Initiated name: Jhulan Yatra Dasi
Jenny:
Mangala-citra Devi Dasi: We were trying to meet an hour a month, but she was eager to meet more. You will not find a more loving guru and guru ma. We are happy to invite you into our family.
Initiated name: Gandharika Vilasini Devi Dasi
Conner:
Hadai Prana: Congratulations. He came to Krishna consciousness through reading Bhagavad-gita As It Is. He was studying dance at Juilliard, a very prestigious dance school, and found that the Hare Krishnas have the best dancing. He is always a team player. He has strict sadhana. He goes on harinama every day. He helps organize the monthly sankirtana festival. He helps with Bhakti School.
Initiated name: Kana Gopala Dasa.
Rama Raya Prabhu:
People in general want to do as everyone else is doing because they do not want to stand out.
Srila Prabhupada said if we induce people to buy Krishna literature one day they will become devotees.
In our spiritual life there is a real struggle, but the result is guaranteed.
Srila Prabhupada said after the first San Francisco Ratha-yatra, “Why do we work so hard to put on such a festival? This is the compassion of a Vaishnava.”
Srila Prabhupada explained that his guru arranged his disciples to take birth in the west to assist him.
If you are overwhelmed in your service, if you take advantage of the association of advanced devotees, that can give you strength.
Navina Nirada Prabhu:
Ksatriyas, like Dhruva Maharaja here, are all about justice.
If we can think of nothing to say to inspire a particular person to take a book, we can sincerely pray to Krishna, and I have seen some amazing successes by doing this.
One devotee sincerely desired that her relatives become devotees although they had no interest in Krishna consciousness. She bathed photos of them in sacred rivers, and one by one they gradually became devotees.
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After speaking the whole Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, Krishna advises him in this verse to think it over and choose his course of action. Of course, because Krishna is all-knowing and all-merciful, the best course of action and that which Arjuna chooses, is to follow Krishna’s advice. We will also come out ahead if we follow the example of Arjuna.
iti te jñanam akhyatam
vimrsyaitad asesena
yathecchasi tatha kuru
“Thus I have explained to you knowledge still more confidential. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.” (Bhagavad-gita 18.63)
