Where I Went and What I Did
The thirty-second week of 2025, I spent five days in New Mayapur, attending the Balarama festival and staying for the initiation ceremony the following day. The first three days I was unable to go on harinama because I had no transportation, but the last two days I did harinama with Harinama Ruci. On Balarama Purnima we chanted in Tours for almost two hours, and a lot of people interacted with us. The next day we chanted in Amboise for about an hour and a half, and then I chanted for another forty minutes on my way to and at the train station. The last two days, I lived at ISKCON Paris in Sarcelles, eighteen minutes by train north of Paris itself. In Paris I chanted Hare Krishna for three hours each afternoon, usually from 3 to 6 p.m.
We were blessed to have three devotees from Amsterdam who love kirtan, namely Parividha Prabhu and Rati Manjari and Citralekha Devi Dasis, visit us on Monday, and they chanted for the deities and also came on harinama.
I share quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya-caritamrita and The Nectar of Devotion. I share notes on classes by Janananda Goswami, Agnideva Prabhu, Mandakini Devi Dasi, Devaki Devi Dasi, and Vigatsu Prabhu. I share quotes from Sri Caitanya-bhagavata by Vrindavana Dasa Thakura and its commentary by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.
Thanks to Jiva Prana Prabhu, president of ISKCON Paris, for sponsoring my train from Amboise to Paris, so I could attend the harinama with Harinama Ruci there. Thanks to Devaki Devi Dasi for giving me a complimentary copy of her book, Sheltering Relationships. Thanks to Parividha Prabhu for taking the video of me dancing in kirtan.
Itinerary
June 19–August 19: Paris
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 Mayapur
Rati Manjari Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna during Jhulan Yatra at New Mayapur (https://youtube.com/shorts/rf8VpI0R4as?feature=share):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna and “Yasomati Nandana” after Guru Puja in New Mayapur (https://youtu.be/m_ymEiXWoKM):
Svarupa Damodara Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at New Mayapur (https://youtu.be/nNNedXFt60E):
Mataji chants Hare Krishna at Jhulan Yatra in New Mayapur (https://youtube.com/shorts/AWtsfZcPxJQ?feature=share):
Taptakanchana Gauradhama Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the end of the Jhulan Yatra and in the New Mayapur temple lobby (https://youtu.be/iAxpjlM0lL0):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at New Mayapur the evening before Balarama Purnima (https://youtu.be/_YTGIAW07hM):
Janananda Goswami chants Hare Krishna before the deity greeting on Balarama Purnima in New Mayapur (https://youtu.be/oDK0IO2Kgu4):
“The cowherd girls said: ‘O friends, those eyes that see the beautiful faces of the sons of Maharaja Nanda are certainly fortunate. As these two sons enter the forest, surrounded by Their friends, driving the cows before Them, They hold Their flutes to Their mouths and glance lovingly upon the residents of Vrindavan. For those who have eyes, we think there is no greater object of vision. Dressed in a charming variety of garments, upon which Their garlands rest, and decorating Themselves with peacock feathers, lotuses, lilies, newly grown mango sprouts and clusters of flower buds, Krishna and Balarama shine forth magnificently among the assembly of cowherd boys. They look just like the best of dancers appearing on a dramatic stage, and sometimes They sing.’” (SB 10.21.7–8)
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna during midday arati on Balarama Purnima in New Mayapur (https://youtu.be/HsDN4IzEjMw):
Parividha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna after Jhulan Yatra in New Mayapur temple lobby on Balarama Purnima (https://youtu.be/1F89r3wRzSs):
Svarupa Damodara Prabhu chants Hare Krishna after abhiseka on Balarama Purnima in New Mayapur (https://youtu.be/ELTkJV8lOIQ):
Handicapped people and their caretakers chant Hare Krishna and dance with Harinama Ruci in Tours (https://youtube.com/shorts/KI8uS-29iZc?feature=share):
The caretakers were not so interested in getting books, but the handicapped people were and demanded them.
Jivananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Tours on Balarama Purnima, and three women dance (https://youtube.com/shorts/nVL3jvW497E?feature=share):
On our Balarama Purnima harinama we met a young woman celebrating her birthday. Rupanuga Bhakti Prabhu engaged her in chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, and then we sang “Happy Birthday” to her in Hare Krishna style (https://youtube.com/shorts/XGxSzgaOtKA?feature=share):
Then a guy at her table danced with a devotee (https://youtube.com/shorts/Lfr0hsCoD_I):
Rupanuga Bhakti Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in a Tours Cafe, and women chant the mantra (https://youtube.com/shorts/DbDrP0SeGoA):
Rupanuga Bhakti Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in a Tours cafe, and a man chants and dances enthusiastically (https://youtube.com/shorts/ZfkpV30waSY?feature=share):
Rupanuga Bhakti Prabhu chants Hare Krishna outside a Tours cafe, and two women chant the mantra (https://youtube.com/shorts/KmRErQWGVNc):
Rupanuga Bhakti Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Tours, and three people chant and dance (https://youtube.com/shorts/kG5p4-hFsh4?si=ZZuIBLmbBjYb3aXK):
Rupanuga Bhakti Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Tours, and people chant and dance (https://youtube.com/shorts/kUXEC6wFa3Y?feature=share):
Rupanuga Bhakti Prabhu encourages reluctant cafe goers to chant Hare Krishna, and dance in Tours (https://youtube.com/shorts/MvEmEIMdvNE?feature=share):
Rupanuga Bhakti Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Tours, and a guy chants and dances (https://youtube.com/shorts/LF4gEJR9Y9E):
Rupanuga Bhakti Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Tours, and a couple chants and dances (https://youtube.com/shorts/Yjr8_fdbuw0?feature=share):
Rupanuga Bhakti Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Tours, and three people chant (https://youtube.com/shorts/THeVa-LY7FU?feature=share):
Rupanuga Bhakti Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Tours, and a man dances and a woman chants (https://youtube.com/shorts/eDE1pijltEk?feature=share):
Rupanuga Bhakti Prabhu teaches a guy the Hare Krishna mantra in Tours (https://youtube.com/shorts/QKpTwgS4pZU?feature=share):
I chanted Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci in Amboise, known for the Château d’Amboise, featuring Leonardo da Vinci’s tomb, which is one hour from New Mayapur. People were happy to chant and dance with us, and two young women danced for a second time.
Harini and Emile both sold 5 Gitas and some smaller books. I gave out 8 French, 2 Spanish, and 1 English magazine. A Dutch man attracted by the chanting took an Amsterdam temple invitation.
Jivananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci in Amboise, and people chant and dance (https://youtu.be/lSHR9HYh6U0):
Jivananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci in Amboise, and a family chants (https://youtu.be/noyVPJyChbE):
Jivananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci in Amboise, and a whole table of people chant the mantra (https://youtu.be/ttxZuobK8jk):
Jivananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci in Amboise, and a little girl dances (https://youtube.com/shortsf35NLjVMj28?feature=share):
Jivananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci in Amboise, and two guys chant (https://youtu.be/KF7vDqCkEz8):
Two young women had such a good time dancing with the devotees, they spontaneously danced again when we passed their table at the cafe (https://youtube.com/shorts/eS4EZ6lDo1w):
Jivananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci in Amboise, and a man chants and his wife dances (https://youtu.be/N-cMPmrWxXM):
Chanting Hare Krishna in Paris
Rati Manjari Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna during midday arati at ISKCON Paris (https://youtu.be/dADVF7DTCyo):
Thanks to Parividha Prabhu, who filmed the part with me dancing.
Parividha Prabhu chants on a suburban train en route to Paris with Amsterdam and Paris devotees (https://youtu.be/aJLWrMjEbtU):
Revatinandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Gare du Nord (https://youtu.be/9An1X2x8syQ):
Rati Manjari Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/HNpLmIPfzIQ):
Parividha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/10Rw3jGbGsc):
Citralekha Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/10Rw3jGbGsc):
While Citralekha Devi Dasi chanted Hare Krishna, Parividha Prabhu taught onlookers to chant the mantra (https://youtu.be/TijKAP-v1Qs).
Later he taught another couple of young woman onlookers to chant the mantra (https://youtu.be/lkySTZqGzm0):
Citralekha Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles, and a woman plays shakers and dances (https://youtu.be/K1bCE9XL2gw):
Citralekha Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles, and Parividha Prabhu teaches a guy to play gong (https://youtu.be/2IjdOVefsQU):
Photos
Insight
Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.9.15:
“Let me take shelter of the lotus feet of Him whose incarnations, qualities and activities are mysterious imitations of worldly affairs. One who invokes His transcendental names, even unconsciously, at the time he quits this life, is certainly washed immediately of the sins of many, many births and attains Him without fail.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.9.15, purport:
“The activities of the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are a kind of imitation of the activities going on in the material world. He is just like an actor on a stage. An actor imitates the activities of a king on stage, although actually he is not the king. Similarly, when the Lord incarnates, He imitates parts with which He has nothing to do. In the Bhagavad-gita (4.14), it is said that the Lord has nothing to do with the activities in which He is supposedly engaged: na mam karmani limpanti na me karma-phale sprha. The Lord is omnipotent: simply by His will He can perform anything and everything. When the Lord appeared as Lord Krishna, He played the part of the son of Yasoda and Nanda, and He lifted the Govardhana Hill, although lifting a hill is not His concern. He can lift millions of Govardhana Hills by His simple desire; He does not need to lift it with His hand. But He imitates the ordinary living entity by this lifting, and at the same time He exhibits His supernatural power. Thus His name is chanted as ‘the lifter of Govardhana Hill,’ or Sri Govardhana-dhari. Therefore, His acts in His incarnations and His partiality to the devotees are all imitations only, just like the acts of an expert dramatic player on a stage. His acts in that capacity, however, are all omnipotent, and the remembrance of such activities of the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is as powerful as the Lord Himself. Ajamila remembered the holy name of the Lord, Narayana, by merely calling the name of his son Narayana, and that gave him a complete opportunity to achieve the highest perfection of life.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.23:
“Engaged constantly in chanting and hearing about Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sadhus do not suffer from material miseries because they are always filled with thoughts of My pastimes and activities.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.12.5, purport:
“Krishna comes down to teach us how we can enjoy with Him on the spiritual platform, in the spiritual world. Not only does He come, but He personally displays His pastimes in Vrindavana and attracts people to spiritual enjoyment.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 13.79:
“Lord Sri Krishna is He who is known as jana-nivasa, the ultimate resort of all living entities, and who is also known as Devakinandana or Yasoda-nandana, the son of Devaki and Yasoda. He is the guide of the Yadu dynasty, and with His mighty arms He kills everything inauspicious, as well as every man who is impious. By His presence He destroys all things inauspicious for all living entities, moving and inert. His blissful smiling face always increases the lusty desires of the gopis of Vrindavana. May He be all glorious and happy!” [Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.90.48]
From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 19:
“In the Narada Pañcaratra Lord Shiva therefore tells Parvati, ‘My dear supreme goddess, you may know from me that any person who has developed the ecstasy of love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who is always merged in transcendental bliss on account of this love, cannot even perceive the material distress or happiness coming from the body or mind.’”
The humble servants of Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.6.46:
“Simply by decorating ourselves with the garlands, fragrant oils, clothes, and ornaments that You have already enjoyed, and by eating the remnants of Your meals, we, Your servants, will indeed conquer Your illusory energy.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.11.34–41:
“My dear Uddhava, one can give up false pride and prestige by engaging in the following devotional activities. One may purify oneself by seeing, touching, worshiping, serving, and offering prayers of glorification and obeisances to My form as the Deity and to My pure devotees. One should also glorify My transcendental qualities and activities, hear with love and faith the narrations of My glories and constantly meditate on Me. One should offer to Me whatever one acquires, and accepting oneself as My eternal servant, one should give oneself completely to Me. One should always discuss My birth and activities and enjoy life by participating in festivals, such as Janmastami, which glorify My pastimes. In My temple, one should also participate in festivals and ceremonies by singing, dancing, playing musical instruments and discussing Me with other Vaishnavas. One should observe all the regularly celebrated annual festivals by attending ceremonies, pilgrimages and making offerings. One should also observe religious vows such as Ekadasi and take initiation by the procedures mentioned in the Vedas, Pañcaratra and other, similar literatures. One should faithfully and lovingly support the installation of My Deity, and individually or in cooperation with others one should work for the construction of Krishna conscious temples and cities as well as flower gardens, fruit gardens and special areas to celebrate My pastimes. One should consider oneself to be My humble servant, without duplicity, and thus should help to clean the temple, which is My home. First one should sweep and dust thoroughly, and then one should further cleanse with water and cow dung. Having dried the temple, one should sprinkle scented water and decorate the temple with mandalas. One should thus act just like My servant. A devotee should never advertise his devotional activities; therefore his service will not be the cause of false pride. One should never use lamps that are offered to Me for other purposes simply because there is need of illumination, and similarly, one should never offer to Me anything that has been offered to or used by others. Whatever is most desired by one within this material world, and whatever is most dear to oneself—one should offer that very thing to Me. Such an offering qualifies one for eternal life.”
Vrindavana Dasa Thakura:
From Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 19.113:
“Lord Gaurasundara will deliver everyone except the sinful people who blaspheme Vaishnavas.”
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:
From Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 19.113, purport:
“Sri Gaurasundara’s preaching of devotional service is meant to deliver everyone in the world, but Mahaprabhu did not display any compassion for delivering the sinful Mayavadis who indulge in blaspheming Vaishnavas. Rather, He enacted the pastime of accepting the hospitality of a drunken debauchee. Yet He did not award the Mayavadi Vedantists who were envious of Vaishnavas the good fortune of attaining His darsana.”
Janananda Goswami:
From a class on Balarama Purnima at New Mayapur on August 9, 2025:
Balarama was a great friend of the Kuru dynasty.
Srila Prabhupada said that Duryodhana is eternally a devotee of Lord Balarama. He was just playing a part of a demon.
namas te halagrahanamas te musalayudha
namas te revati-kantanamas te bhakta-vatsala
namas te dharani-dharanamas te balanam srestha
pralambare namas te ’stuehi mam krishna-purvaja
“Obeisances to You, O holder of the plow. Obeisances to You, O wielder of the mace. Obeisances to You, O darling of Revati. Obeisances to You, O kind benefactor of Your devotees. Obeisances to You, O upholder of the earth. Obeisances to You, O best of the strong. Obeisances to You, O enemy of Pralamba. Please come to me, older brother of Krishna.”
We wish Lord Balarama would smash our anarthas with His club and drag us back to Godhead with His plow.
The enemies of Krishna consciousness are in our hearts.
Srila Prabhupada bowed down to the printing press once, because it was printing his books.
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura had the deity at one end of the temple room and the printing press at the other end.
From a class on August 10:
Sometimes we emphasize the secondary characteristic of devotional service of freedom from designations because we are so absorbed in our designations in our conditioned life.
Srila Prabhupada would always chant this mantra at initiation ceremonies:
om apavitrah pavitro va
sarvavastham gato ’pi va
yah smaret pundarikaksam
sa bahyabhyantarah sucih
“Either pure or impure, or having passed through all conditions of material life, if one can remember the lotus-eyed Krishna, he becomes externally and internally clean.”
After that he said we should chant ‘Sri Vishnu Sri Vishnu Sri Vishnu’ because Vishnu is mentioned only indirectly by the name Pundarikaksa in the mantra, which could be interpretted to mean someone else.
About five years ago, Ramadasa Abhiramadas, along with his wife, Dhrti devi dasi, painted this picture of Krishna Balarama, which is hanging in the back of the temple to the right of Srila Prabhupada. Then he left his body about a year later.
Modern religion is all naimittika dharma, temporary religion.
Change of heart means we change the way we react. It happens naturally. We do not have to try for it. Then we are not disturbed by disturbances.
Srila Prabhupada says in a lecture we have two states either (1) conditioned or (2) liberated.
We are not here to do what we want but what Krishna wants.
We have to always remember Krishna to become pure.
We have to hear from those are free from anarthas to become free from anarthas.
We get what we desire and what we deserve. We do not blame anyone.
We have to keep ourselves busy in one of the nine items of devotional service.
Maya is always waiting for us as soon as we turn away from Krishna.
Sometimes our conception of life is “I will satisfy my senses in the Krishna consciousness movement.”
There is a tree on the property of New Mayapur that Srila Prabhupada sat under and gave initiation in 1976. We are doing today’s initiation there.
Initiation means to accept the path of purification.
It is important to control the tongue by not talking prajalpa. [Sometimes Bhaktimarga Swami includes a fifth prohibition, no gossiping. - kkd]
By exposure to the holy name we are purified from material contamination.
The Mayavada mentality is worse than sinful activity.
Srila Prabhupada said the Bible and Koran are leading to the Vedic conclusion.
Just because many people abandon their initiation vows does not mean that we should not take initiation. Just because many drop out of college does not mean one should not enroll. Taking initiation is part of the practice of devotional service to Krishna. We do not serve Krishna directly but through the guru.
It is Kali-yuga, and now people have yajnas [sacrifices] for new cars.
You can use bananas instead of coconuts in the arena of the fire sacrifice.
We would never get out of the bathroom if we followed all the Vedic injunctions.
Srila Prabhupada suggested devotees might chant 25 rounds on a Ekadasi, but it was not a rule.
We have to practice remembering how fortunate we are to have the opportunity to serve Krishna.
Initiates, their glories, and their new names:
Vijaya Krishna Prabhu: His father was Bengali, and his mother was British Jewish. He works in the kitchen and Food for Life.
New name: Vijaya Gauranga Dasa
Although he looks younger, he is a senior citizen, over 65. Later you can ask him his secret.
Anton and Dasya, along with their five children, are from Ukraine. Three years in France and one in New Mayapur. They are both qualified lawyers but are taking care of the guest house. They are honest, reliable, dedicated, and responsible.
New names: Aravinda Dasa and Draupadi Dasi
Draupadi had five husbands. You stick to one.
Agnideva Prabhu:
The pastimes of Lord Caitanya are always going on. Srila Prabhupada wrote that this movement is a pastime of Lord Caitanya.
Narottama preached in Manipur and converted the king to Vaishnavism, and thus the whole kingdom became followers of Narottama Dasa.
Srila Prabhupada said the songs of Narottama Dasa are as good as the Vedas. Do not neglect them.
We do not want remain as we are. Not that we joined, we got initiated, and that’s it.
On the last day of Srila Prabhupada’s stay in Los Angeles one year, the Vaikuntha Players did a drama called “The Pandavas Retire Timely,” and Srila Prabhupada watched it with rapt attention and liked it. A devotee put Srila Prabhupada’s poem, “Markine Bhagavata Dharma,” to music. Yadabara Prabhu showed a film he had done about New Vrindaban. Srila Prabhupada spoke about the poem, saying that he knew what he was getting into when he came to the West and that he thought that when he told people to give up meat eating, intoxication, gambling, and illicit sex, people would say, “Swamiji, go home.”
If we do not give up our bad habits we will not be able experience Vrindavan as something other than just another place in India.
In 1977 after we were in Mayapur with Srila Prabhupada, he advised us all to go to Bombay and see the project which was 75% complete, so we altered our itinerary to spend a day in Bombay before going to Vrindavan.
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati requested that Sridhara Maharaja sing “Sri Rupa Manjari” just prior to his departure from this world. He began singing. He wasn’t really a singer, and one sannyasi suggested that Puri Maharaja sing instead, so Puri Maharaja took over. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura noticed the change in the voice, and requested that Sridhara Maharaja continue, saying he did not want to hear his voice, but he wanted to hear his heart.
The maha-mantra was already there in the Vedas, but Lord Caitanya brought it out and showcased it.
Srila Prabhupada said, “You have to be convinced that there is no better thing than this chanting.”
We are caught in the net of maya. We are like fishes that are caught in a net and are struggling to get out but cannot do so.
From a class on Balarama Purnima:
Srila Prabhupada liked us to sing “Dasavatara Stotra” on the appearance days of the avatars.
We become devotees by the mercy of Lord Balarama.
Srila Prabhupada that Jayadeva Goswami speaks of three Ramas, (1) Parasurama, (2) Ramacandra, and (3) Balarama.
As devotees we seek the mercy of Balarama so we can be strong in Krishna consciousness.
This is not our first birth as some people think, and this is not our only birth as some people think, but it can be our last birth.
I was preaching to some young people at Laguna Beach about how the material world is a miserable place, but they could not understand that because it did not seem so to them. Thus I decided to talk about how it is temporary.
From a class on SB 9.9.18 in Paris on August 11, 2025:
When Yudhisthira, after losing everything in gambling, decided to bet their mutual wife, Draupadi, Bhima and Arjuna were ready to knock his block off.
As a grhastha, Srila Prabhupada thought that first he would make money, and then he would preach. But Krishna had another idea, and arranged that his lucrative business would fail and his family would lose interest in him.
Our troubles are never over in the material world.
Srila Prabhupada explained all a devotee wants is time to chant Hare Krishna, a place to lie down, and some Krishna prasadam, and if there is some service, he is happy to do it.
Yamuna asked Srila Prabhupada what his favorite bhajana was, and he said, “Hari Hari Biphale.”
When I came to NYC in 1970, I became aware of more kinds of music than we had in Trinidad. I still remember one line from Joni Mitchell, “there must be more to living that a mortgage and a lawn to mow.” I felt that too, that something was missing.
Even during Srila Prabhupada’s time there were not slaughterhouses in India. When Indira Gandhi became prime minister, she sanctioned slaugherhouses. Ultimately, she and her son had horrible deaths.
Question by me: Do you think one lesson to learned from the Pandava’s losing in gambling is that gambling is not a good thing?
Answer: Yes. We say no meat eating, illicit sex, intoxication and gambling.
Question by Devaki Devi Dasi: Is playing the stock market gambling?
Answer: Yes. I know a devotee who made a lot on the stock market, and then he kept playing and lost everything.
I learned simplicity in living from watching Srila Prabhupada.
Mandakini Devi Dasi:
Srila Prabhupada asked the devotees, “Who is stronger Krishna or Balarama?”
He answered himself by saying, “Krishna is stronger because Balarama resting on Krishna.”
Krishna’s paraphernalia is a manifestation of Lord Balarama, and therefore, we should take care of it.
Although Balarama knows of the superexcellent power of Krishna, He plays the role of His protector.
Lord Caitanya did not take sankirtana out to the streets until Balarama, in the form of Lord Nityananda, appeared to assist Him.
Balarama is the ultimate of companion of Krishna in intimate friendship.
As the original spiritual master, Balarama is inspiring everyone to engage in devotional service to Krishna, both in the material and spiritual.
Although it was very hard both in Paris and New Mayapur several years ago, now both Paris and New Mayapur have been revived. This is the mercy of the original guru, Balarama, coming through the disciplic succession through Janananda Goswami the current spiritual master.
In Ratha-yatra, Lord Balarama clears the path for Subhadra and Jagannatha.
Laksmana, the younger brother of Lord Rama, was engaged by Him in the service of telling Sita that she was banished for the sake of the kingdom. He did not like that service, and said in the next incarnation he would play the role of Krishna’s eldest brother so he did not have to obey Krishna’s order.
If one perseveres, difficulties are opportunities to grow, if we maintain our faith and gratitude.
Q (Harini): What to do when impurities arise?
A: We should not be surprised because we have been in the material world a very long time. For example, if we have envy we should serve the person we are envious of. Also we can pray to Krishna.
A (by Janananda Goswami): When impurities come, it is a great opportunity to teach shelter of Krishna, and that is what we are supposed to be doing, not aspiring for a comfortable life.
Vasudeva Prabhu:
from his video about Govardhan Hill:
In 24 years Govardhan has gone from 6,000 to 25,000 people.
Govardhan is more popular than Vrindavan.
Guru Purnima in July is the most popular time to visit.
It is said that if you circumambulate Govardhan Hill, Giriraja will follow you around the hill and ask you what you want.
A swami: Whenever I go around Govardhan, I feel a surge of devotion in my heart.
Pundarika Goswami of Radha Ramana: By circumambulating Govardhan, we are putting Krishna in the center of our lives.
Buddhist proverb: “When the iron bird flies, the dharmas of the east will go West.”
Sanatana dharma is there in Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism.
56 hours is the time of dandavat parikrama. Otherwise it is 6 hours.
Some people do dandavat parikrama with 108 obeisances at each place. They say it takes four or five years. Couples get the same benefit in half the time. Some people do 1008 times.
Radhanath Swami: If you think you are great, you have zero standing in Vrindavan.
Vaisesika Prabhu: As the sun rises Govardhan Hill, its color changes to pink and then purple, and then everything comes to life. We did Govardhan parikrama in 3:27 hours.
Indian lady: The consciousness of the world is higher so more people are attracted to Krishna’s land.
Radhanath Swami: While some people were circumambulating Govardhan Hill, Srila Prabhupada was circumnavigating the world, 11 times.
Vaisesika Prabhu: I come to experience the magic that everyone comes here to experience.
At Govardhan people feel satisfied at heart which is rarely found in the West.
Madhava: I recommend dandavat parikrama to those with a strong mind . . . and a strong body.
Author: The spirit of self-sacrifice there in all religions, is especially present in India.
Some people rolls in the dust around the hill.
Sadhu: The most I prostrate my body, the better for the soul.
Srimati: One pilgrim had intestinal cancer that disappeared after a month of parikrama in a very painful state.
Rupa Raghunatha Prabhu’s Sandipani Muni schools operated by Food For Life in Vrindavan teaches kids spiritual culture and practical skills so they can maintain themselves as adults.
Madhukari
One person doing madhukari does not take food from outside Braj.
I feed the sadhus. My parents did it. My grandparents did it.
One sadhu does three times around the hill each day. He wants more bhakti. The more love you have, the more you want.
There is a special antelope that lives on Govardhan Hill which is very shy and not so often seen.
The gopis glorify Giriraj as the best of Krishna’s devotees because he nourishes Krishna and His friends.
Radhanath Swami: I drank the milk offered on Govardhan Hill that ran into the gutter, and it was nectar.
Kusum Sarovar is the largest pond and the most visited.
Ramesvar of Nimbarka: “We are fighting to save the Braja and Braja culture.” He leads a leads 10,000 people around Govardhan every year.
Srivatsa Goswami, head of one of five families in charge of Radha Ramana temple, a Vrindavan sadhu: Radha tastes the bliss of Krishna and passes it on. Radha is the channel for Krishna’s grace to flow to us. Every leaf is speaking Radhe, Radhe, Radhe.
Devaki Devi Dasi:
I spend twenty years spending time in Bangladesh and thus I came to appreciate this Vedic culture by experiencing it. Now I try to share that through books and seminars.
From a seminar “Meeting Death with Joy”, Day 1, in New Mayapur, on August 6, 2025:
We have to be detached enough from our plan, so we can accept Krishna’s plan.
Having had cancer twice, really shook me up and changed my outlook on life.
As vanaprasthas, finally we can do all these things we could not do when we had small kids.
I worked as a physiotherapist. When I worked in the hospital I saw so many people die, and it intrigued me. What actually happens at death?
I could see that my treatments could not give real happiness.
We get the notice of death from all sides, but we are so expert in counteracting these warnings, the teeth falling out, the face wrinkling, the hearing going.
In obituaries, often it is said the person died “unexpectedly,” but actually we should expect “death” at any moment.
You would think if something is 100% sure, we would inquire into it.
We make so many arrangements to live nicely, but we should make arrangements to die nicely. And if we make arrangements to die nicely, we will also live nicely.
If we confront the topic of death, we will lose our fear. It is a mysterious transition. It is a journey into an unknown service situation.
For a devotee death is a glorious moment. Time to get on a plane back to Godhead. Preparing for it, is like preparing for an exam. If you prepare, you will not be anxiety.
Death is like a test. Is Krishna the most important person in my life? Or is it someone else?
That we have to remember Krishna alone makes it clear it requires lifetime preparation.
Remembrance is not in our hands. We can serve nicely and hope that Krishna kindly appears in our minds.
There are people in India who four or five thousand years ago wrote accounts of people’s lives who would live in the future on palm leaves, and they have palm leaf libraries. These people know who your mother and father are, details from your previous lives, and how many more lives you have to live.
What is the use of all of our preaching if at the time of someone’s death we cannot be with them.
Comment by me: That the lady with the stroke could not remember her name nor her language but she could remember Hare Krishna mantra means that memory of Krishna is on the platform of the soul not the platform of the brain nor the mind.
From a seminar “Meeting Death with Joy”, Day 2, in New Mayapur, on August 7, 2025:
People are often more worried about the pain of death than death itself. If our minds are absorbed in something else, we will not feel pain.
It is important to have the association of one empowered devotee during the end of our life.
Radhanath Swami helped Bhakti Tirtha Swami remember Krishna during the end of of his life with bone cancer.
Bhakti Tirtha Swami say toward the end, “Life cannot be better than this. We are not reading Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, we are entering Sri Caitanya-caritamrita.”
Chemotherapy was an opportunity to give prasadam to the doctors and hospital staff. I even did a program for a hospital staff about the science of the soul.
By nature animals that are dying go into the forest, separating themselves from the others. Domesticated animals, however, are not allowed that space, and thus it is difficult for them to die. Thus vets often have to given them injections.
It is important to be sensitive to the wishes of the dying person and not try to control the situation according to our own desire.
It is better just to have small team of caretakers, that we choose, who are not emotional and sentimental, at least two or three people.
The last one or two weeks it is better if the family members are not there except in the case of a devotee child taking care of a nondevotee parent, in which case the child can help the parent.
Kadamba Kanana Swami came to the point as he was approaching death: I want no more women around me because the male-female attachment is so deep rooted. You do not want risk come back because of some attachment.
At the moment of death, all external things are very insignificant.
Think of what community you want to leave your body in. Then go there and serve ahead of time. People will feel indebted to you and want to take of you.
Better to die in India, Russia, or Ukraine, because the culture of taking care of people is still intact.
Those surviving should not burden the dying person with their grief because of attachment.
It is a blessing to get a warning, for example, the fourth stage of cancer.
To give spiritual knowledge is helpful, even for nondevotees. People are very grateful when they get some knowledge, especially if it is given humbly, simply, and carefully. Who else has this knowledge?
There should always be some transcendental sound, especially when people leave their bodies.
Some people think that when someone is in a coma you should play transcendental sound very loudly, but actually in a coma the hearing is quite acute, and there are cases where people in a coma for months heard the doctors talking about their case.
Fasting from food and drink is the most dignified way to leave. You save yourself from so much trouble.
My mother passed away in four days by fasting from food and drink.
Dangers of taking morphine: It gives you a sense of happiness and comfort. It makes it very difficult to leave. You get attached to the comfort. If there is pain, better take pain killers, and not morphine.
In the West, if you have no relatives, the government decides, how you will be cared for at the end.
Comment by Citraratha: Sometimes morphine can make people depressed.
Comment by me: You are reminding us that Krishna advises at the time of death to remember him alone. In my attempts at japa reform, I consider japa a practice of remembering Krishna alone. Just focus on the holy name, considering the holy name Krishna Himself, and do not let the mind wander to anything else. It is very powerful, and I encourage others to try it.
Another comment by me: One hospice worker told us, “Some dying people want everyone to be around them, and others want no one to be around them.”
From a questions and answers session in New Mayapur, August 7, 2025:
The families of the father and mother of Lord Caitanya, Rupa and Sanatana Goswami, Srivasa Thakura, Narottama Dasa Thakura, Pundarika Vidyanidi, Vasudeva Datta, and Mukunda Datta all came from East Bengal, now Bangladesh.
It is a blessing that Bangladesh is a Muslim country, because the Western culture has not taken over there as much.
I have not studied the Vedic culture. I have experienced the Vedic culture there in Bangladesh. It is Vaishnava culture. It is Krishna’s culture.
In Bangladesh, they know which type of sak (spinach) Lord Caitanya liked best, and they are really cooking for Lord Caitanya.
On the mundane plane tolerance is seen as weakness, but on the spiritual plane it is seen as a progressive quality.
We have to keep in mind that what this materialistic civilization considers valuable is most likely an impediment to bhakti.
The mother keeps the spiritual focus in the home.
I was able to train up many devotees in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings on deity worship and book distribution in Bangladesh without any official position in the ISKCON hierarchy simply because mothers are respected and listened to in Bangladesh.
I was many years on the devotee care community of the strategical planning of the GBC.
The preaching committee had two moods. One to get more devotees, and another to worry about all the devotees who left. People in the second group transformed into the devotee care committee.
Mentorship, or sheltering relationships, are essential to devotee care. We need people who have no other interest than our spiritual growth and development. Without this we just stay in our comfort zone.
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has a quote from his Amrita Vani: “One who gives personal instruction to each and everyone does more for others than the platform speakers do. Generally, whatever platform speakers say cannot solve the problem of everyone in the audience, nor can it always benefit every individual. A person’s defects are better rectified in a private tutorial class or private coaching than in hearing lectures in a school or college. Therefore those who instruct particular persons separately can award them something more permanent.”
The essence of devotee care is to become more people focused than project focused.
Niranjana Swami says that devotee care means nourishing and protecting a devotee’s faith in Krishna consciousness.
Bharata Maharaja’s problem is that he did not have a mentor to tell him that he was becoming too attached to a deer and should return to his spiritual practice. That should be a warning to us, how important it is to have a mentor.
Forty years ago almost every temple had a brahmacarini ashram. It is meant to be a preparation for the grhastha ashram. They learn all the techniques of sadhana-bhakti. Traditionally this role was played by the women in the family, a setting where they also got more emotional support. In the brahmacarini ashram after six months, or a year, or maybe two, the women suffer from a lack of emotional fulfillment. I recommend to all young girls to spend some time in the brahmacarini ashram. In this way, they can get some taste for the chanting of the holy name. Otherwise when they get pregnant and have children, they can forget about their practice of chanting the holy name. When the children are grown up, the women can get back in the chanting and service that they got a taste for as brahmacarinis.
Every community should have a match making service. If that is not there, that is where all the unchaste behavior and dressing comes from.
In my book I go so far as to say that if a temple has a brahmacarini ashram, they must have a match making service. Otherwise it is exploitative, just using the women for service but not taking care for their future.
From a seminar “Meeting Death with Joy”, Day 3, in New Mayapur, on August 8, 2025:
Because family attachment is very difficult to give up is not a reason not to get married.
If our family life is not ashram, the married devotees may not get the required realizations, and then instead of becoming naturally renounced they will get married again when they are sixty-nine.
I see sannyasa is for very rare souls, but vanaprastha is a necessity for anyone who wants to go back to Godhead.
The brahmacari-brahmacarini time is important for successfully transitioning to vanaprastha life.
Srila Prabhupada could not establish the vanaprastha ashram because there were not people that age during his time.
Often these topics are spread over twelve cantos, so we do not take them so seriously.
If people do not retire until they are seventy-five years old, a whole generation loses an opportunity, because they are also meant to retire at fifty.
Imagine how much manpower we could have if people took vanaprastha and shared their wisdom and gave their service in the temple.
Mentorship is the most important service of the vanaprastha ashram. And if the need for mentorship is not recognized, how can the vanaprastha ashram be established.
In the vanaprastha ashram our attractiveness should be coming from the purity of the soul.
One Prabhu said, “My wife has a whole wardrobe of nothing to wear.”
Have a base where you spend three or four months a year and become dear to the devotees by your service, and they will automatically care for you in your old age.
Comment by me:
Devamrita Swami will not let his Ukrainian disciples serve him in Australia because they will become distracted by sense gratification.
Vigatasu Prabhu:
The Ninth Canto has especially amazing stories, even scandalous stories.
For us, we should not be concerned about the people in these stories, but rather how we have the same issues in ourselves.
Rupa Goswami says that there must be good stories to attract the conditioned souls. There must be stories of chivalry and romance. So you find this in the Ninth Canto.
The Bhagavatam is teaching us how we can take complete shelter of the Lord as the residents of Vrindavan.
During Srila Prabhupada’s time, one devotee woman was crossing the street to attend a kirtan, but a truck was coming and killed her. The case was described to Srila Prabhupada, and he said she would definitely attain the spiritual world because she was hearing the kirtan at the time of her death by Krishna’s grace.
We think that we have just solved one problem, but the next problem is right around the corner.
In this temple so many people are doing so much service to the Lord that when people come here they will be positively influenced.
Gangadevi worried being overloaded with the reactions of sinful people, but that is just her humility. Her water comes from lotus feet of the Lord, so how can it be contaminated?
In the Third Canto, the Sankhya philosophy decreases our attraction to the material world by breaking it up into its component parts and revealing that there is nothing of value there.
Third Canto shows that bad result of greed in the story of Hiranyaksa.
Srila Prabhupada said that Thailand is a place of Vedic sense gratification.
Mixed devotees have a mixed experience.
It is said that if someone dies within a mile and a half of a salagram-sila.
The Ninth Canto begins by several chapters describing the kings of the Surya-vamsa and then later several chapters describings the kings of the Soma-vamsa, leading up to the appearance of Lord Krishna.
In the Bhagavatam, the stories of devotees who have different challenges are explained in the mood of compassion.
Do not under estimate the problem of lust.
“I want this. I want that.” – that is lust. “I want more.” – that is greed. Then if I do not get it, I become angry.
In the Ninth Chapter, the main story in the beginning is the Ambarisa Maharaja and the main story in the end is the story of Maharaja Yayati. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura said those two kings were contemporaries, and it was by the mercy of Ambarisa that Yayati was able to become renounced after his life of sense enjoyment.
We think that we can counteract attachment by aversion, but the story of the brahmacari Raghava reincarnating as a Indian woman because having a argumentative relationship with Indian woman show that is not a good idea.
There has to be intense greed to go back to Godhead.
Comments by me: You speak of giving up dirty coal to accept a valuable jewel. That reminds me once on harinama, we met a person whose hands were so full he had to give up his cigarette to accept the sweets we were giving out. In the Bali Maharaja lila there is one verse glorifying the sankirtana of the holy name.
Svarupa Damodara Prabhu:
We need spiritual strength from Balarama to get beyond our attachments to our past activities.
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that in addition to anartha-nrvrtti, giving up unbeneficial activities there is artha-pravrtti, acceptance of beneficial activities.
Balarama gives us the strength to remove the anarthas from our hearts.
Dhenukasura represents the anartha of wanting to carry our own ignorance.
We pray to Balarama to remove this anartha from our heart.
Sometimes we do not even have a desire to say no to Maya.
Maha-Vishnu comes from the second Sankarsana.
Balarama gives us the cognizance of Krishna as the spiritual master.
When Ambarisa, the grandson, of Henry Ford, was introduced as such to Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada said, “So where is Henry Ford now?”
Balarama once teased Krishna, saying, “Krishna, how is it that I am fair in color, your mother is fair, and your father is fair, but you are dark. I think you are not their son, but that you have been purchased.” Krishna said, “Marry me to Radharani then, and although I am dark, at least I will have a fair girl.”
Balarama in the form of Ananga-manjari, the little sister of Radharani, assists in Krishna’s conjugal pastimes, thus Balarama is the only person who enjoys all five rasas with Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada disciple, Hladini Devi Dasi, was a great devotee of Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra. Once she was given a large jar of honey. She knew Balarama liked honey, so she put the jar next to him. Later she saw that Balarama’s face and hands were smeared with honey, and half the pot was empty.
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Sometimes devotees are too depressed that they still have material desires and lose enthusiasm. This verse spoken by Krishna Himself to Uddhava is very encouraging.
“Having awakened faith in the narrations of My glories, being disgusted with all material activities, knowing that all sense gratification leads to misery, but still being unable to renounce all sense enjoyment, My devotee should remain happy and worship Me with great faith and conviction. Even though he is sometimes engaged in sense enjoyment, My devotee knows that all sense gratification leads to a miserable result, and he sincerely repents such activities.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.20.27–28)
