Where I Went and What I Did
During the eighteenth week of 2026, the first three days I attended days 2 to 4 of the five-day Nrsimha festival at Simhachalam, our Bavarian farm community, near the Czech border. On Nrsimha Caturdasi I chanted harinama at nearby Jandelsbrunn and Waldkirchen by myself as Harinama Ruci went on harinama without me. The next day I did harinama in Passau with Harinama Ruci. And the third day I just did harinama around the temple compound as Harinama Ruci went out again without me. I skipped the final day of the Simhachalam festival and went to Munich, where it is easier to attain harinama spots by public transportation.
I share quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and Sri Caitanya-caritamrita. I share quotes from ISKCON in the 1970s by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on classes by Mahavishnu Swami, Sacinandana Swami, Krishna Kshetra Swami, Candramauli Swami, Niranjana Swami, Jaya Gaura Prabhu, Rama Raya Prabhu, and Krishna Prema Rupa Prabhu.
Many thanks to Vedasara Prabhu for arranging accommodation at Simhachalam. Thanks to Danakeli Devi Dasi for allowing me to stay at the Munich temple.
Itinerary
May 4–June 14: NYC Harinam
– May 29: Baltimore harinama
– May 30: Baltimore Ratha-yatra
– June 13: New York Ratha-yatra
June 28: Paris Ratha-yatra
Chanting Hare Krishna in Bavaria
Sacinandana Swami chants Hare Krishna on Nrsimha Caturdasi at Simhachalam (https://youtu.be/_MmkLQuE9Do):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna on Nrsimha Caturdasi at Simhachalam (https://youtu.be/AaIpeA-uDjs):
Acarya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna as Nrsimha Deity rides a horse carrier on Simhachalam on Nrsimha Caturdasi (https://youtube.com/shorts/KiwpVzk2f10):
Candramauli Swami chants Hare Krishna during Guru Puja kirtan at Simhachalam (https://youtube.com/shorts/L5ucFatiZDA):
Krishna Prema Rupa Prabhu did a talk on the appearance the Radha Raman deity and Lord Nrsimha’s appearance in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes. He used AI to make images of:
The appearance of Radha Raman
Lord Caitanya in the mood of Lord Nrsimha
Lord Nrsimha chastising Chand Kazi
Acarya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Passau, and a family chants and dances (https://youtube.com/shorts/Hj6N-Uq29s4):
Acharya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Passau, and passersby dance with devotees (https://youtu.be/MZVhVSNHUiI):
Acharya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Passau, and more passersby dance with devotees (https://youtu.be/UOBeYePzkGk):
Madhu, the youngest singer on Harinama Ruci, chants Hare Krishna in Passau (https://youtube.com/shorts/ThiEjn60wug?feature=share):
Acharya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Passau, and a group of guys chants the mantra and dances (https://youtu.be/gC97SKzJ7dQ):
Acharya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Passau, and other passersby dance with devotees (https://youtu.be/5QySYmjSJPA):
Acharya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Passau, and still more passersby dance with devotees (https://youtube.com/shorts/Yv5KYZqrxQA?feature=share):
Madhu chants Hare Krishna at Simhachalam (https://youtu.be/39nOGBYwCSU):
Acharya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Passau, and cafegoers chant the mantra (https://youtube.com/shorts/F0RBRqqiTvg?feature=share):
Acharya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Passau, and a couple on a bench chants the mantra (https://youtube.com/shorts/pGp6WhNAFtM):
Acharya Prabhu chants “Jaya Prabhupada” in Passau, and a devotee swings a passerby (https://youtube.com/shorts/-cqRxGsOmkc):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna at Simhachalam (https://youtu.be/tnVWRV4Nn_U):
Harinamananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Simhachalam (https://youtu.be/4XS2iB5ksFw):
Jaya Gaura Prabhu plays bass and chants Hare Krishna at Simhachalam (https://youtube.com/shorts/zuqf8MqeQmc):
Jaya Gaura Prabhu plays bass and chants Nrsimha prayers at Simhachalam (https://youtube.com/shorts/NaNDH3iShgM?feature=share):
Soon the three devotees from the temple came, and a Bhakti Tirtha Swami disciple, who was passing by took this video of us (https://youtu.be/5DFV3RIU1UU):
I missed my return flight to America because online check in was not possible, and I got to the airport 8 minutes after check in had closed. So I went on harinama for three hours in Munich. Soon after I started, three policemen came out to me, I bow slightly to them, and one of the ladies said, “Namaste.” She explain that I could not use amplification nor play the drum in the pedestrian area.” Thus I went past the pedestrian area and played the drum for a while. Because there were fewer people, I decided to opt for playing shakers in the pedestrian area. Later I was joined by Ananda Manjari Devi Dasi.
Ankush of Oceanside, Long Island, stopped to take pictures of our party. He was happy to learn of our Freeport temple and our monthly Friday evening kirtan program.
He also gave a donation for a book summarizing Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, written by Ananda Manjari Devi Dasi, the most enthusiastic of the Munich harinama devotees.
Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the ISKCON NYC Tuesday program (https://youtu.be/T7h8TRKfYhI):
Later many attendees danced (https://youtu.be/rqrKrow2Zak):
Piu chants Hare Krishna in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/5U1mAxNylCQ?feature=share):
Vraja Mohan Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/KoWVeWJ0Y0k):
While he was chanting, a passerby played a drum he was carrying (https://youtube.com/shorts/JE29x8M0QQ4?feature=share):
Later a girl played shakers and took a video of herself doing so (https://youtube.com/shorts/Fu_wzn7DqO8):
Radha Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/xp0zFK7vPsk):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Manhattan, and passersby dance (https://youtube.com/shorts/2RIyIZF0iVQ?feature=share):
Although Passau is a city of just 50,000, you can find veggie leather there.
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From Bhagavad-gita 2.69, purport:
“The sage feels transcendental pleasure in the gradual advancement of spiritual culture, whereas the man in materialistic activities, being asleep to self-realization, dreams of varieties of sense pleasure, feeling sometimes happy and sometimes distressed in his sleeping condition.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.4.1, purport:
“Personal realization does not mean that one should, out of vanity, attempt to show one's own learning by trying to surpass the previous acarya. One must have full confidence in the previous acarya, and at the same time one must realize the subject matter so nicely that he can present the matter for the particular circumstances in a suitable manner. The original purpose of the text must be maintained. No obscure meaning should be screwed out of it, yet it should be presented in an interesting manner for the understanding of the audience. This is called realization.”
“No learned man should be willing to hear a person who does not represent the original acarya. So the speaker and the audience were bona fide in this meeting where the Bhagavatam was being recited for the second time. That should be the standard of recitation of the Bhagavatam, so that its real purpose can be served and Lord Krishna can be realized without difficulty. Unless this situation is created, Bhagavatam recitation will be for ulterior purposes, and such recitation is useless labor both for the speaker and for the audience.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.4, purport:
“Srila Sukadeva Gosvami was a liberated soul, and thus he remained always alert not to be trapped by the illusory energy.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.9, purport:
“To kill cows means to end human civilization.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.18.8:
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Nrsimhadeva, the source of all power. O my Lord who possess nails and teeth just like thunderbolts, kindly vanquish our demonlike desires for fruitive activity in this material world. Please appear in our hearts and drive away our ignorance so that by Your mercy we may become fearless in the struggle for existence in this material world.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.41, purport:
“One should become a guru and spread Krishna consciousness all over the world, simply by preaching the teachings of Bhagavad-gita.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.43, purport:
“Prahlada Maharaja was happy and unhappy simultaneously. He felt happiness and transcendental bliss because of his being Krishna conscious, yet he felt great unhappiness for the fools and rascals who make elaborate plans to be happy in this material world.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 8.6:
“‘Although very ferocious, the lioness is very kind to her cubs. Similarly, although very ferocious to nondevotees like Hiranyakasipu, Lord Nrsimhadeva is very, very soft and kind to devotees like Prahlada Maharaja.’”
“Purport: This verse was composed by Sridhara Svami in his commentary on the Seventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.9.1).”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 8.56, purport:
“Talks about Krishna and His pastimes — especially His pastimes in Vrindavan and His dealings with the gopis — are all very confidential. They are not subject matter for public discussion because those who have no understanding of the transcendental nature of Krishna’s pastimes always commit great offenses, thinking Krishna to be an ordinary human being and the gopis ordinary girls. Following the principle of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who never discussed the dealings between Krishna and the gopis publicly, devotees in the Krishna consciousness movement are enjoined not to discuss the pastimes of Lord Krishna in Vrindavan in public. For the general public, sankirtana is the most effective method to awaken Krishna consciousness. If possible, one should discuss the principles enunciated in the Bhagavad-gita. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu followed this principle very strictly and discussed the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita with learned scholars like Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and Prakasananda Sarasvati. However, He taught the principles of the bhakti cult to students like Sanatana Gosvami and Rupa Gosvami, and He discussed with Sri Ramananda Raya the topmost devotional dealings between Krishna and the gopis. For the general populace, He performed sankirtana very vigorously. We must also follow these principles in preaching Krishna consciousness all over the world.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 8.70:
“‘Pure devotional service in Krishna consciousness cannot be had even by pious activity in hundreds and thousands of lives. It can be attained only by paying one price—that is, intense greed to obtain it. If it is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay.’” [Padyavali 14]
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 8.252:
“Ramananda Raya replied, ‘The chief objects of remembrance are always the Lord’s holy name, qualities and pastimes.’”
Vrindavan dasa Thakura:
From Sri Nityanandastakam 5:
yathestham re bhrataḥ kuru hari-hari-dhvanam anisam
tato vaḥ samsarambudhi-tarana-dayo mayi laget
“My dear brothers, just chant the holy name of the Lord. Then I will be responsible for you. I will take you across this material nature. This is the assurance given by Lord Nityananda Prabhu, ‘You simply chant the holy name, and I will take care of the rest. I will take you to Krishna, I will take you to Caitanya Mahaprabhu’.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From ISKCON in the 1970s:
“He [Srila Prabhupada] said his Guru Maharaja had thousands of disciples and only he has become a little successful—although everyone claims to be the favored, the most scholarly, the most advanced, etc. When he thinks why he has become a little successful, he thinks it is because he firmly believed in the orders of his spiritual master.
“When Prabhupada said that, it was like the conclusion of all he was saying on this topic—or practically any other topic. It was so impressive! We could see that this was Prabhupada’s actual unique position, his magic. He said, ‘I haven’t seen any avatar, but if you want to know my secret . . . ’ Then we saw what a rare position Prabhupada had.”
“Then he said that our program for everywhere is kirtana and prasadam distribution. We distribute books, and the collection is to support these things, kirtana and prasadam distribution.”
“Since the man indulged in a comparison of Buddha, Christ, and Krishna, I asked if we should involve ourselves in that. Srila Prabhupada said, ‘No, only in that Buddha and Christ partially manifest Krishna.’
“Before that, I mentioned that the man had said Vyasadeva failed to capture Krishna completely. Srila Prabhupada said yes, but whatever Vyasa did should be followed. We accept that Krishna is infinite, but whatever Vyasa said, you should follow. I said that the man also wrote that Caitanya was only a partial manifestation of the Absolute. ‘Yes,’ Srila Prabhupada said, ‘He was a devotee, but follow Him.’ Then Srila Prabhupada said that Buddha showed ahimsa, so follow that. Any avatar or religious personality, we can discuss him, but it should be in the sense of how he partially manifested Krishna consciousness or in relation to what Krishna manifested fully.”
“Prabhupada: There is no devotion without guru. That is the defect in modern society—they imagine you can manufacture their own way. Rupa Gosvami said that the first thing is to approach the guru.”
“I mentioned to him [Prabhupada] that the opposition is claiming that it is not a matter of freedom of religion, but that we are guilty of mind control. He said that one whose mind is already in Krishna consciousness—they want to control his mind. They are guilty of mind control, not us. They take him, kidnap him, and force him.”
“Srila Prabhupada heard that some of his disciples were fighting. He said, ‘If you fight among the GBC, what can I do?’ Whatever is agreed in the GBC’s general meeting must be carried out. Discuss in the meeting and whatever decision they make, abide by it. This fighting will spoil everything. I asked, ‘Is this more dangerous than the deprogrammer?’ ‘Oh yes,’ he said. ‘This will break the whole institution.’”
“In Srimad-Bhagavatam class today, Jayapataka Swami repeated how Srila Prabhupada said that if one loves him, it will be proved by how such a loving devotee will maintain his spiritual position and push on Krishna conscious preaching after his departure.”
“He said feelingly that he liked ‘your magazine’ (BTG) and liked the column ‘Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out.’”
“As we entered the room at 3 P.M. to hear TKG read him his mail, Srila Prabhupada said, ‘If in the world there is one Vaishnava, he can deliver all the world.’
I said, ‘You are that one Vaishnava, Srila Prabhupada’
Srila Prabhupada: You become. Each of you. Why not?
Gurukrpa Swami: We can try.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, try. Do not imitate. Follow, not imitate.”
“‘Krishna never forgets a person who does a little service,’ he quoted from Caitanya-caritamrita. ‘Even if there is some mistake. Kaunteya pratijanihi—a little service, He’ll never forget.’ TKG said, ‘You also never forget.’ Srila Prabhupada said, ‘How can I forget? You have all helped me execute the mission of Lord Caitanya and my Guru Maharaja. I always pray to Krishna to give you . . . I am insignificant, I can’t. But I pray to Krishna to give you.’”
“When the going gets rough after his departure, I want to maintain the strict parampara and prove myself a real helper in his movement of pure devotional service.”
“After departure, the worst elements will be envy and noncooperation. One may claim to have understood Srila Prabhupada in a different way, and another will refuse to cooperate. On items of dissension, all the devotees will turn to their own understanding of his books and will cooperate with the leaders they feel are the most authorized and exemplary.”
Mahavishnu Swami:
How many of you had heard of Prahlada Maharaja before reading Srila Prabhupada’s books? How about Lord Nrsimha? That is Srila Prabhupada’s gift to us.
My saving grace was my mother took me to Sunday school. I loved Jesus and all the songs. She was like my vartma-pradarsaka guru.
I decided to join the devotees but on my way to the temple I got cold feet. I decided to hang out at the occult books store for a while and think about it. I closed my eyes and pulled a book of the shelf. It had a picture of a guy and girl on a swing on the cover. I read from it and realized it was a Hare Krishna book. When I left the store, as I turned the corner a devotee was there. There was a whole group of them, and they were going on harinama. Tribhuvana Prabhu was among them. He said they need money for gas to go on harinama, and I gave him a fiver.
Sacinandana Swami:
From a lecture on Nrsimha Caturdasi:
After the death of Hiranyakasipu, Brahma saw Lord Nrsimha with one eye glowing with anger toward the demonic troublemakers and with one eye shedding tears of affection for Prahlada Maharaja.
Kripa-kataksa refers to the merciful glance of the Vaishnava.
It looks really bad for a father to kill his son, so Hiranyakasipu engaged two of his followers. They took up swords to kill him. At first the swords passed through his body, but later they actually broke.
Many of us have left the path of intense of devotional service and are just cruising along.
Of Hare Krishna devotees:
10% become inimical|
10% remain very enthusiasm and blissful
80% reduce their faith to something that makes them very mediocre
I want to address that 80% and bring them to a higher level by giving them the miracle of faith.
Lord Nrsimha came to protect one devotee and stayed just 48 minutes. That was unusual.
India is place of miracles.
A man asked Srila Prabhupada if he could do any miracles. He pointed to his disciples and said, “These are my miracles.” His giving people faith in Krishna consciousness is the greatest miracle.
It is said that when a person begins the practice of Krishna consciousness, Lord Brahma prepares madhuparka to worship that person. It is so rare!
The atheist is so occupied with the world of maya he doesn’t notice God.
When you achieve perfection, you do not notice when the body falls away because you are so absorbed in the Lord.
One dying mother said to her son, “Don’t cry. I need to go now. I am going to Krishna.”
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.43 in Simhachalam on May 1, 2026:
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura said his contribution to the Vaishnava world was the thought that “I am not the seer. I am the seen.” Similarly “I am not the mover. I am being moved.”
My father said, “I have also read the Ramayana and Mahabharata but the problem is that the Lord does not answer our prayers.” He told of how during WWII the German army was captured by the Red Army at Stalingrad. Being starved by the Red Army, the Germans resorted to eating the bodies of their dead comrades. Disgusted by that situation, we all prayed to God, but He did not answer our prayers.
Do you know what Donald Trump said yesterday? I am joking. I don’t think anyone cares anymore.
Darkness can close our hearts. Indra expresses in his prayers to Nrsimhadeva that because of the atrocities of Hiranyakasipu they could not fix the Lord in their heart.
Sometimes the veil of maya is removed, and the Lord appears and protects His devotees.
And sometimes the Lord appears in our hearts, and we become peaceful in the midst of chaos.
Jung said modern man has lost his divine stories so they have to make up their own little stories.
After a painful fracture of his leg, Caitanya Carana was chanting Gita verses and offering prayers, and because of that, he found peace in that painful condition, and he considers that his greatest gain in his spiritual life.
The true miracle of bhakti is when our thoughts of Krishna dominate over our thoughts of the material world.
If we are increasing the world of Krishna within us, we will not be disturbed in any circumstance.
Believers need no reason for Krishna. Nonbelievers will accept no reason for Krishna.
Comment by Candramauli Swami: We should keep the holy name with us, beyond just our sixteen rounds, and we will be protected.
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura said that Prahlada saw Krishna everywhere and Hiranyakasipu saw Him nowhere, and we are somewhere in between.
From a seminar on putting Krishna into more of your life:
If we translate the sastra into our lives, it will easier to for us to advance.
In the beginning of our spiritual life we were willing to give up many things that we are unwilling to give up now.
If suffering is the only motivation for your spiritual practice you will not be successful in the long run, for by practicing bhakti you will become happy and lose that motivation.
Desparation was not the only motivation in the life of Avanti brahmana. He was able to see the hand of the Lord behind his suffering.
One devotee said he lost the taste for chanting and asked what to do.
You must start from the beginning. We want to connect with Krishna. We want to worship Krishna. Only with this bhakti can you maintain your practice.
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura advised his followers to study Bhaktimala among other books.
Have you noticed when you are worshiping your deities with faith, they reciprocate. What you put in, Krishna gives back many times.
The pilgrim always brings a gift to the Deity.
In Bhaktimala, we are invited to act with devotion and to see the results.
Faith, hearing, remembrance, compassion, humility, chanting the holy names, serving the devotees, and desire for uninterrupted service nourish our bhakti.
Bhaktidevi likes it if you bring bhakti to others.
God will not take away the freedom of any soul.
You have to take the step of association with devotees where you hear with some faith.
Faith in doctors, medicine, astrologers, and gurus are needed to attain success in a particular area.
Many times Srila Prabhupada used this analogy to how one become be advanced spiritually: As one gradually becomes drunkard by associating with people who drink, by association with saints anyone can attain the perfection of God consciousness.
Hearing sastra in the association of devotees according Brahma-vaivarta Purana is the way one attains success.
By taking care of our sadhana we attain a purified consciousness.
In a sound there are three things, the sound, the object it names, the meaning or mental image of the event.
If there is no consciousness of the form of the Lord while we chant, our chanting is not complete.
Lord Caitanya is giving us the love of God we need to attain Him.
You have to put aside your ego again and again.
I can cry thinking of all the challenging things you will experience the rest of this life, but if the world of Krishna is more in your mind, you will pass over these obstacles, not exactly like Prahlada Maharaja, but with resiliance.
Krishna Kshetra Swami:
From a Sunday feast lecture on ahimsa in Munich:
Srila Prabhupada defines ahimsa as to deny people the opportunity to be spiritually elevated.
Himsa is usually translated as harm.
Sandila Upanisad defines ahimsa is not cause pain to any living being at any time through the actions of one’s mind, speech, or body.
Srila Prabhupada also says that ahimsa is a subreligious principle.
Mahabharata says that ahimsa is the highest dharma four times. Elsewhere it says noncruelty is the highest dharma.
Krishna mentions ahimsa four times in Bhagavad-gita.
Gandhi said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by how it treats its animals.”
There was opposition by the Jains and the Buddhists to animal sacrifices prescribed in the Vedas, and therefore they rejected the Vedas.
Offering grains began instead of offering animals.
There is physical violence, psychological violence, domestic violence, systemic violence.
There is systemic violence where economic and political systems cause violence.
There is a normalization of violence in society.
Tolstoy said as long as there are slaughterhouses there will be battlefields.
Kant says animal cruelty deadens in man the sympathy for suffering thus weakening morality.
Pythagoras said as long as we kill other living beings we will never know health nor peace.
80 billion land animals are killed each year.
The meat paradox is a form of cognitive dissonance.
People say they have stronger emotional attachment to their pets than humans yet they eat other animals.
To avoid cognitive dissonance some people blur their values.
Misrepresenting vegetarians in negative terms is a strategy of some meat eaters.
The meat industry is not actually sustainable.
There is hybridization where people care for some others and not others.
There are some Indians who say real cows as Deshi cows, and they should not be killed, but it is alright to kill Western cows.
I think it important to know how people deal mentally with behavior they feel uncomfortable about.
Meat is justified as natural, normal, necessary, and nice.
Euphemist language is used. Meat eating is seen as masculine.
Three ideas:
Introducing the vegetarian body.
Animal citizenship.
Nonviolent communication training in general.
The English word progeny is a cognate of the Sanskrit praja.
Animal rights theory tends to focus on negative rights.
In Puri, you see cows in the streets, and some merchants put out pots of rice for them.
Animals can be seen to have cooperation, self-regulation, and reciprocity.
The digestive system of humans resembles that of herbivores in four features, the teeth, the saliva, the stomach acid, and the length of the intestines.
In Hong Kong they have two Sunday programs, one midday with Chinese cuisine, and another evening one with Indian cuisine.
Violent speech is usually a prelude to physical violent.
Persistent dialog leads to truth. If there is some argument, keep talking.
Satyagraha, holding to truth, according to Gandhi, is essential to nonviolence.
There is the reality and the ideal, and spiritual life means always striving for the ideal.
Not expecting honor for myself and appreciating others go together.
By means of the chanting always the holy name, we become tolerant and humble.
One American convert to Islam gave a presentation on the Koran’s statements saying that animals should be properly treated.
The director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics is a Christian and is vegan, and he claims that is the actual teaching of Christianity.
Violence based on envy begets more violence.
Candramauli Swami:
From a class on Nrsimha Caturdasi at Simhachalam:
You can argue Prahlada Maharaja is more important than Lord Nrsimha. We are celebrating the appearance of Lord Nrsimha today because of Prahlada Maharaja’s devotion.
The great devotees are never disturbed because they see everything is done by Krishna who is all good.
Srila Prabhupada sometimes would manifest great affection in his voice when speaking about Prahlada Maharaja.
When Gadadhara Pandita would read the pastimes of Prahlada Maharaja and Dhruva Maharaja to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, after finishing hearing them once, would tell Gadadhara Pandita to read them again. He would hear them 100 times.
Hiranyakasipu employed tantric brahmanas to chant mantras to kill Prahlada Maharaja. Prahlada Maharaja was unaffected but because the mantras had to have some effect, the brahmanas who chanted them began to experience the symptoms of one who is dying. In helplessness, they prayed to Prahlala Maharaja, and thus they were spared.
Krishna says, “I know no one but my devotee, and my devotee knows no one but me.”
Prahlada Maharaja never thought he was better than the demigods who were offering prayers to the Lord. He just thought, “He came to protect me, so I should approach Him.”
When the Seventh Canto came back from the printer, Srila Prabhupada immediately asked for it. He said of Prahlada’s teachings, “This best part of the Bhagavatam.”
Srila Prabhupada make it it very clear that we have to attain the mode of goodness if we want to advance spiritually.
Hiranyakasipu was so proud of his abilities he could not consider there was someone greater than himself.
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.18.8–9 at Simhachalam on May 2, 2026:
Srila Prabhupada recommends that we chant Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.18.8 every day.
We may have material desires, but as devotees we do not endeavor to fulfill them.
Srila Prabhupada said the essence of our movement is how to do good to others.
Srila Prabhupada said that lust and anger can be engaged in devotional service but envy has to be completely given up.
All souls are pure and have unlimited love for Krishna.
Krishna is not only always with us, but He is the closest thing to us.
Finding Krishna within you can help you see Krishna outside.
We can become free from envy of others by being grateful for the many things that the Lord has given us.
If we envy someone, that means we disagree with Krishna’s decision to give them that thing they have which we also desired.
Lord Caitanya emphasized chanting the holy name of the Lord and Vaishnava seva.
The happiness of the devotees is serving the devotees.
Serving the Vaishnavas enhances our chanting of the holy names.
Srila Prabhupada said you can conquer over material miseries by proper dealings between devotees higher than ourselves, those at our level, and also those at a lower level.
The modern moralist thinks that morality is the real achievement.
One women had a son who went to Mayapur. She went there to see him, but couldn’t find him anywhere. In desparation, she prayed to Lord Nrsimha to find her son, and when she turned around, he was there.
Once when Srila Prabhupada was asked by a disciple the reason he came to the material world, Srila Prabhupada responded, “Curiosity.” He elaborated that you may walk down the street and see a cinema and a horror show is advertised. You may think, “If I go into the theater, I will be scared.” But you go anyway.
“One cannot live by philosophy alone. ‘Sarira avidya-jal . . .’”
From a seminar on varnasrama:
Communities facilitate our spiritual practice because we do not have to work as hard to maintain ourselves individually.
We lost so many devotees who were not engaged properly.
If you are a pure devotee, you can do any service anywhere, but we cannot assume that everyone is a pure devotee.
At one temple, the pujaris are qualified as ksatriyas rather than brahmanas. It is difficult for them to proceed because they each want be in control.
Try living in a farm community for sometime. I do not mean doing farming necessarily, but experience life in a farm community.
When a devotee was talking about all the problems in human society, he was saying they existed from time immemorial. Srila Prabhupada said, no, just the last two or three hundred years because of this demoniac civilization.
Niranjana Swami:
From a lecture on Nrsimha Caturdasi at New Vraja Dhama on May 1, 2026:
Sanatana Goswami considered that Krishna personally dictated Brhad-bhagavatamritam to him. Therefore when he wrote a commentary on that book, he wasn’t thinking that he was writing a commentary on his own work.
There are two kinds of dainya (humility), that obtained by one’s effort and that obtained by mercy.
The Lord protects in different ways. One way is by protecting the words of his devotees. He protected Srila Prabhupada’s words on the boat asking for the ability to convince his audience.
“Why would I be a recipient of Krishna’s mercy?” That is how a Vaishnava thinks.
Jaya Gaura Prabhu:
We sometimes think that the bad things in this world are more powerful than the good, but actually the good is more powerful.
Rama Raya Prabhu:
Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Goswami assisted Lord Caitanya in His feelings of separation from Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada considered the conversation between Lord Caitanya and Ramananda Raya one of the most important chapters in his Teachings of Lord Caitanya.
Before attaining the mercy of Lord Caitanya, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya could not appreciate the Vaishnavism of Ramananda Raya, however, later he very vigorously recommended that Lord Caitanya meet him while visiting South India, realizing him to be a highly elevated devotee of the Lord.
Krishna Prema Rupa Prabhu:
From a class on Nrsimha Caturdasi at Simchalam:
The main reason Krishna comes is to protect His devotees.
Humility means to be real, to be simple. It means to be realistic about one’s limitations.
We see in Prahlada Maharaja, satisfaction in devotional service, compassion, and dedication to his guru’s service.
Class on appearance of Radha-ramana:
The story of the appearance of Radha-ramana tells how the Lord reciprocates the love of His devotee.
Some people say that Lord Caitanya traveled to South India just to see his pure devotee Gopal Bhatta Goswami.
Sri Rangam is the largest temple complex in India. It is impressive that active worship has been going on there for centuries.
The devotee searches everywhere for the Lord, and Lord also endeavors to seek out His pure devotee.
Lord Caitanya told the father of Gopal Bhatta that his son was not an ordinary person, but Guna Manjari, an eternal associate of Radha and Krishna.
A brahmana volunteered to travel with Gopal Bhatta to Vrindavan and assist him. When they arrived, the brahmana appeared to Gopal Bhatta as Krishna with a flute and peacock feather. When Gopal Bhatta said he felt bad taking service from the Lord, the Lord told him He takes pleasure in serving His devotee.
Gopal Bhatta was especially attracted to the face of the deity, Govinda, the chest of Gopinatha, and the lotus feet of Madana-mohan Prabhu.
Then once on the day after Nrsimha Caturdasi one of his twelve salagrama silas transformed into a form exactly resembling the features of those deities who had attracted him.
Rukmini tells Krishna, “There is something you don’t know.”
Krishna replied, “I am sarva-jna. I know everything.”
Rukmini replied, “There is one thing you don’t know. You do not know the love the devotees feel for you.”
I was impressed with the fight scene in that recent movie about Nrsimha.
Visnu → Greed to express strength
Nrsimha → Greed to taste being the object of parental love
Rama → Greed for intimate friendship + full conjugal love
Krishna → Fulfills all → develops greed to taste Radha’s love
Caitanya → Fulfills that highest, inner greed
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This is the famous verse of compassion spoken by Prahlada Maharaja:
“My dear Lord Nrsimhadeva, I see that there are many saintly persons indeed, but they are interested only in their own deliverance. Not caring for the big cities and towns, they go to the Himalayas or the forest to meditate with vows of silence [mauna-vrata]. They are not interested in delivering others. As for me, however, I do not wish to be liberated alone, leaving aside all these poor fools and rascals. I know that without Krishna consciousness, without taking shelter of Your lotus feet, one cannot be happy. Therefore I wish to bring them back to shelter at Your lotus feet.” (Srimad-Bhavagatam 7.9.44)
