Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 21, No. 1
By Krishna Kripa Das
(Week 1: January 1–7, 2025)
(Sent from Tallahassee, Florida, on January 11, 2025)
Introduction to Volume 21 (2025)
I originally started this journal in June 2005, as an offering to those who kindly contributed funds so I could take the Bhakti Sastra course in Mayapur. Later Manorama Prabhu of the Vaishnava Youth Ministry and Krishna.com set me up using blogger.com, the blogger feature of Google. Originally it was sporadic, but later I published it every week. I thought it would be less work for me to make it semimonthly, and so I changed it. I can think of at least three people who have told me this journal is too long. I can easily make it shorter by returning to a weekly schedule, and I decided to do that this year.
I wish everyone a spiritually progressive 2025. Thank you for encouraging me in my service to Krishna by reading this compilation of quotes and notes from my reading and hearing of lectures and stories from my attempts to share Krishna consciousness with others which have inspired me and which I hope will inspire you.
I wanted to share the highlights of 2024 in my last journal, but I was too busy to even remember to do that, so I will do it now.
Highlights of 2024
My favorite outreach success was inviting the Amsterdam devotees to do a harinama the evening before their Ratha-yatra. About ten devotees participated despite the intermittent rain, and we chanted for two and a quarter hours. More people were interested in hearing about the Ratha-yatra than in cities like New York and Paris, which was refreshing. The devotees were so pleased they decided to do it every year. Many, many thanks to Rati-manjari and Citralekha Devi Dasis for their enthusiasm in making the event happen.
It is difficult to get devotees to go on harinama for three hours, so I proposed doing two shorter ones to the devotees at ISKCON London. Gopal Krishna Goswami had passed away the previous day, however, and the devotees impressed me by deciding they would do a three-hour harinama in honor of him. After the event, some of them said they were surprised how fast the time had passed.
It is always difficult to organize harinama on Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja Day because devotees are tired from the Janmastami festival the night before. Only in New York and London can I count on harinama happening on that day. One year Vyasa-puja Day was Saturday, and the London devotees did two harinamas, one after the Vyasa-puja feast and one on Saturday night. I was at the Czech farm on Vyasa-puja Day in 2024, and I was so pleased we were able to organize about ten devotees to chant for an hour and a half in Prague in the afternoon, after the festival at the farm. Midway through that harinama, an Indian man who had attended Janmastami in Leipzig the night before, joined our party, having heard our kirtan soon after leaving the hotel he had just booked a room in, and he came for the whole rest of harinama! I feel great gratitude toward the Czech devotees for fulfilling my desire to do harinama on Srila Prabhupada’s auspicious appearance day. I did some additional harinama on my own to complete my three hours.
I love Ratha-yatras, and in 2024 I was able to attend eleven: Miami, Tampa, Tallahassee, St. Augustine, New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Bratislava, Basel, Liverpool, and Philadelphia. I was able to go early and promote several of them, Paris, Amsterdam, Bratislava, Basel, Liverpool, and Philadelphia.
I went to Trutnov, the Czech Woodstock, an event I attended many times from 2008 until COVID altered everyone’s life in 2020. This year Bhadra Prabhu of Alachua, who organizes many Ratha-yatras in Florida, attended the event for the first time. He chanted and spoke nicely, and organizers say he really appreciated the outreach opportunity. I like it when devotees I know attend some event I have been going to for years and have a positive experience. I hope to see him there again.
My mother passed away, and that is a success in that she does not have to experience the miseries of old age and disease anymore in that body. She passed away on the auspicious day of the disappearance of Ramananda Raya at the auspicious time of Abhijit. I was able to put Ganges water from Mayapur on her body as well as tulasi beads, a Nrsimha pavitra, dust from sacred places, and a garland from Radha Govinda. My friends from ISKCON Schenectady chanted Hare Krishna for an hour at her cremation, and the funeral director found the chanting very moving and accepted “On Chanting Hare Krishna.” I advised people attending her memorial service to pray to the Supreme Being that she might attain the supreme destination or her desired destination, and the 80 prasadam samosas I distributed at the event were appreciated as were my coconut sweets.
As far as my sadhana, my spiritual practice, I learned that if I chant the verses from the scripture I have memorized once a month, I will never forget them. Thus I was able to rememorize, hopefully for good, Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 1, Chapter 2, the prayers of Queen Kunti, and the prayers of Bhismadeva. In the coming year, I hope to rememorize The Nectar of Instruction and Sri Isopanisad, and to learn Brahma-samhita.
For the Prabhupada Marathon, I went out on harinama for more hours than ever before, thirty, and I collected more lakshmi for NYC Harinam than ever before, $184. I hope to increase next year.
I read or heard the audiobook of Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead for the third Karttika in a row, and I found it absolutely wonderful as usual. Kadamba Kanana Swami kindly recommended that in at least a couple of lectures.
Enough of 2024. Now 2005.
Where I Went and What I Did
I spend the first week of 2025 in New York City for three days, where I had joined NYC Harinam for the fall, and in Miami for the weekend, where I attended harinama and Ratha-yatra.
I was in Tallahassee, for the final two days, where I do harinama and college outreach at FSU during the spring semester.
I share many quotes from the books, lectures, conversations, and letters of Srila Prabhupada, many I read in Bhakti Vikasa Swami’s soon-to-be-published book on the mood and mission of Srila Prabhupada. I share notes from the commentary of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura on Caitanya-bhagavata as well as a pastime of his recorded by his disciple Jati Sekhara Prabhu in Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava. I also share notes on ISKCON NYC classes by Jayadvaita Swami and Arjunananda Prabhu and a class in Miami by Radha Vallabha Prabhu.
Many, many thanks to Namamrita Prabhu, a pilot for Southwest Airlines, who gave me a free ticket to Florida. Thanks to Lalita Mohini Devi Dasi for her sizeable donation on harinama in Miami. Thanks to Adikarta Prabhu for his kind donation. Thanks to Jayadhvaja Prabhu for paying for my Uber from Miami Airport to Miami ISKCON. Thanks to Jagannatha Prabhu for his ride from ISKCON Miami to harinama. Thanks to Hari Vilasa Prabhu for his ride from Babylon LIRR to Islip Airport. Thanks to Lilakara Prabhu for food and lodging in Miami.
Thanks to Madhavi Devi Dasi, who was initiated at the first initiation by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami in 1978, and her husband for their ride from Lilakara’s place to Miami Ratha-yatra.
Itinerary
January 6–April: Tallahassee harinama and FSU college outreach
– January 17–20: Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies, Evolution Conference
– January 24: Chanting Hare Krishna at UF Krishna Lunch and with the Alachua devotees.
– January 25: Gasparilla harinama and Ratha-yatra in Tampa
– January 26–29: Tampa harinama and USF college outreach
– March 9–16: Krishna House Gainesville harinama and college outreach
Chanting Hare Krishna in New York
Premamani Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/kc--oOFaddE):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on New Year’s Day at Times Square, and a woman plays shakers and dances enthusiastically (https://youtu.be/5IfTPtpgARw):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on New Year’s Day at Times Square, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/jyJA9M8kBmc):
Nityananda Chandra Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/CjdM-rSdLA8):
Piu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/CbZO0uUVuyc):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/qoFISO8zxpI):
As Rama Raya Prabhu continued chanting Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station, more devotees danced (https://youtu.be/gagh8hXsFjM):
On January 3, the last full day I was in New York, Radha Govinda were dressed impressively.
This man, who Conner is talking to in the photo above, listened to our kirtan for at least 15 minutes and sometimes chanted along. He told me he was from Germany. He recalled the days when the devotees had a castle in Germany, and he said he had a friend who used to be a Hare Krishna monk.
Then he showed me a web page about his friend, Marcus Schmieke, who is famous for inventing a product called TimeWaver. We found later that his name is Gadadhara Dasa, and he also invented the Healy.
Jaya Goracand Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Times Square, and a family plays shakers (https://youtu.be/a16wYzzhbuc):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/GfR8oEy67gI):
Chanting Hare Krishna in Miami
I had an amazing evening on harinama in Miami Beach. I found the people more open than in New York, and of course, it was great to be chanting in the fresh air and not in the subway stations.
I chanted Hare Krishna with Adikarta and Jayadhvaja Prabhus and a party about ten devotees for an hour or so. Here Adikarta Prabhu leads the Hare Krishna chant (https://youtu.be/8IP3tnkXj9Q):
Some people danced and played the shakers. A lady visiting from Sweden chanted the mantra as she passed by.
JR and Lilakara Prabhus agreed to continue chanting for a couple more hours with me. JR sang the response mostly and played drum while I played harmonium and led the chanting. Lilakara distributed books. Later Lilakara led for a little bit (https://youtu.be/DJRPSltpQhU):
I invited a girl who was moving to the music to play shakers, and she played for several mantras as her friends filmed it. An eccentric guy chanted and danced a bit, and then indicated he wanted food. I gave him a samosa an Indian lady made. He amazed Lilakara by inquiring about the sesame sweets that Siddha Vidya Prabhu used to pass out over a decade ago. I gave him a cookie from NYC Harinam. Three young Jewish lads came up, moving to the music and wondering what it was about. I gave them shakers which they played, and JR got one of them to chant the mantra. I told them we were chanting names of God. I mentioned in the Bible three places it says those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved and that was our program for salvation. I said a rabbi told me in the Kabbalah, there are 72 names of God, a fact one boy confirmed. I said I heard two of the names are “Hari” and “Rama,” names which we chant, and I told him to look it up. They were interested that I was a monk, and I explained the four rules we follow. As our two hours came to an end, a Russia speaking woman who said her name was Lalita Mohini and that she was with a Gaudiya Math branch, was so happy seeing some people in Miami promoting Krishna consciousness that she gave us $100. She was happy to learn of the Ratha-yatra, and said that she had previously told the ISKCON Miami leaders she did not want acknowledgment for her donations to them. She just wanted that they do Ratha-yatras all over the Miami area!
Adikarta Prabhu chants Hare Krishna before the Miami Ratha-yatra procession begins (https://youtu.be/5U9wunXE6VU):
Laksmi Nrsimha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Miami Ratha-yatra, and several people play the shakers (https://youtu.be/Zqb0EsB2Z_4):
Laksmi Nrsimha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Miami Ratha-yatra, and another onlooker happily plays the shakers (https://youtu.be/tLCufgDtoAA):
After our official Ratha-yatra was over, we went to Peacock Park for prasadam, doing harinama through Coconut Grove on the way.
Here Adikarta Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in front of a Coconut Grove cafe, and people interact (https://youtu.be/V427RIko5MM):
Radhika, the granddaughter of Bhagavan, who is involved with the Gaudiya Math, chants Hare Krishna after Miami Ratha-yatra in Coconut Grove (https://youtu.be/oTVmOIgAoko):
There was plenty of prasadam for the event, which was good because we were hungry.
I was worried when they said the salad had no dressing, but it turned out the gulab jamun juice spilled over on to the salad, so it didn't matter.
Chanting Hare Krishna in Tallahassee
After my nine-hour bus ride from Miami I chanted Hare Krishna at FSU in Tallahassee for an hour. There is a new Indian student devotee, Ananga Mohan Prabhu, who is happy to play karatalas with me this semester. A couple students were happy to hear about Krishna Lunch, which resumes next Monday, and a couple were interested in the chanting and the philosophy.
I was glad I brought my winter coat from NYC as when the sun set it dropped to 45° F (7° C) with a wind chill of 39° F (4° C)!
Katie, a full-time Christian missionary attracted by the kirtan, was vegan for two years, thinking that humans were not meant to eat meat judging from the diet in Genesis. She travels to 11 states, inviting students to programs where she and others sing Christian songs. She offered to pray for me. I said I want that my love for God become fully manifest in this very life. Among other things, she prayed that my love of God become greater than I thought possible. I encouraged her in her vegetarianism and her Christian kirtan. She took seconds on my promotional halava. She wanted to take a video of me playing my instrument and singing, and she also took a video for me (https://youtu.be/rwo3Yl5qbrg):
Please give her your blessings.
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.13:
“For one who is anxious to engage constantly in hearing such topics, krishna-katha gradually increases his indifference towards all other things. Such constant remembrance of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna by the devotee who has achieved transcendental bliss vanquishes all his miseries without delay.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.24, purport:
“Since the Lord is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], He likes every part and parcel of His different potencies to take part in the blissful rasa because participation with the Lord in His eternal rasa-lila is the highest living condition, perfect in spiritual bliss and eternal knowledge.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.26, purport:
“When the cosmic creation is manifested, the living entities are directly supplied from the Lord; they are never products of material nature. Thus, no scientific advancement of material science can ever produce a living being. That is the whole mystery of the material creation.”
“The living entities are foreign to matter, and thus they cannot be happy unless they are situated in the same spiritual life as the Lord. The mistaken living being, out of forgetfulness of this original condition of life, unnecessarily wastes time trying to become happy in the material world. The whole Vedic process is to remind one of this essential feature of life.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.28, purport:
“The Lord again and again gives the bewildered conditioned souls a chance to get free from this false ego, and that is why the material creation takes place at intervals. He gives the conditioned souls all facilities for rectifying the activities of the false ego, but He does not interfere with their small independence as parts and parcels of the Lord.
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.29, purport:
“A pure living entity in his original spiritual existence is fully conscious of his constitutional position as an eternal servitor of the Lord. All souls who are situated in such pure consciousness are liberated, and therefore they eternally live in bliss and knowledge in the various Vaikuntha planets in the spiritual sky.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.37, purport:
“Living consciousness is the final word in all physical changes. This fact is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita (9.10) as follows:
mayadhyaksena prakritih
suyate sa-caracaram
hetunanena kaunteya
jagad viparivartate
The conclusion is that the although the physical elements may work very wonderfully to the laymen’s eyes, their workings actually take place under the supervision of the Lord. Those who can mark only the changes of the physical elements and cannot perceive the hidden hands of the Lord behind them are certainly less intelligent persons, although they may be advertised as great material scientists.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.38, purport:
“Persons averse to a loving relationship with God are more or less condemned by their own actions.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.9.11, purport:
“Transcendental devotional service cannot be complete and cannot be relishable without the association of devotees. We have therefore established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.”
From Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 26:
“The missionary goal of a devotee is to convert simply one person into a pure devotee. Then the devotee’s admission to the spiritual kingdom is guaranteed.”
From Teachings of Lord Kapila, verse 21:
“At the present moment it is very difficult to avoid the company of asadhus, those who are not sadhus. It is very difficult to find a sadhu for association. We have therefore started this Krishna consciousness movement to create an association of sadhus so that people may take advantage and become liberated. There is no other purpose for this society.”
From Light of the Bhagavata, verse 2:
“This process of yajña is called the sankirtana-yajña, or mass agitation for invoking man’s lost spiritual consciousness. As soon as this movement is taken up through spiritual singing, dancing, and feasting, the people will automatically become obedient and honest.”
From a conversation with Hayagriva about Thomas Hobbs:
“If the government all over the world take Krishna’s instruction, then every government will be perfect and there will be no disturbance of peace and happiness. That will be perfect world. Krishna has given instruction in all fields of activities. Simply we have to take it practically.”
From a conversation with Dr. Arnold Toynbee in London on July 22, 1973:
“By Krishna consciousness, one can become free from all these calamities [foretold to take place in Kali-yuga] and go back to home, back to Godhead. Only Krishna conscious people will be free from all these calamities. Others will have to suffer.”
From room conversation in Honolulu on June 14, 1975:
“People may say that . . . this Krishna consciousness movement also will not solve the problems for everyone. But that is not the fact, the fact is whoever will take it seriously his problems will be solved. If everyone takes it seriously then everyone’s problems will be solved.”
From a morning walk in Los Angeles on December 8, 1973:
“Just like even Krishna: He came to preach, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam [Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me., Bg 18.66]. And did everybody do so, sarva-dharman? So that you cannot expect... Because it is so sublime, it is not possible. But if one or two men accept, then you are successful.”
From a letter to Danavir on December 12, 1971:
“Our philosophy is practical. Actually, philosophy means practical application – if it is mere theory then it has no value. But our Krishna philosophy is working now in modern society to solve all kinds of problems, all over the world, never mind white man, black man, Christian or Hindu, Russian or American. Everyone is feeling the nice result of our philosophy. And it has worked in the same way for the last 5,000 years at least.”
From a letter to Jadurani, Bharadraja, Muralidhara on June 4, 1970:
“Krishna wants everyone of the living entities to go back to home, back to Godhead, so if we can induce even one person to understand that this material world is not meant for our living, our real home is in the spiritual world, and if we can convince this philosophy to even a single person, that is the success of our missionary activities.”
From a letter to Andrea Temple on March 6, 1968:
“We must try to catch the attention of as many people as possible; so that some may come and hear us, and be benefited.”
From a class on Bhagavad-gita 4.7 in Bombay on March 27, 1974:
“So if you try to serve the root, water the root, automatically everything will be served. Just like this Krishna consciousness movement. This Krishna consciousness movement is aiming at service, aiming to serve Krishna. That is the only aim. But automatically we are giving social service. Because as soon as one becomes Krishna conscious, he gives up all kinds of intoxication, all kinds of illicit sex, all kinds of meat-eating, all kinds of gambling. Is it not social service? Best social service. In America the government is appreciating, because the people are addicted to LSD, and they are seeing practically that as soon as a boy could come to Krishna consciousness, he gives up all this nonsense. They are spending millions of dollars; they cannot stop. But we can stop simply by word: ‘Give up this,’ and he immediately gives up.”
From a letter to Umapati on February 18, 1970:
“Actually the whole world problems can be solved by this movement, that is a fact, but people are so much involved in Maya’s activities that it takes some time to come to the right conclusion.”
From a letter to Jagajivana on September 6, 1974:
“Leader means spiritually, not materially. This you should understand very clearly. If spiritual potency and strength is there, then material intelligence will automatically follow. We must have a solid foundation of chanting and following the regulative principles. Then one is fit to lead others.”
From Quest for Enlightenment, Chapter 8:
“By sincerely cultivating the authentic spiritual science presented in the Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic scriptures, we can become free from anxiety and achieve a state of pure, unending, blissful consciousness.”
From a letter to Tamal Krishna on October 1, 1969:
“That all men are brothers can be practiced only when we realize God as our common ultimate father.”
“Our basic mission is to propagate the sankirtana movement (chanting of the holy names of God) all around the world, as was recommended by the incarnation of the Lord, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. People in this age are very reluctant to understand God consciousness because of their unfortunate condition of life. They are working hard day and night simply for sense gratification. But this transcendental vibration of sankirtana will knock at the door of their hearts for spiritual awakening. Therefore, they should be given the chance for this opportunity.”
From “Krishna Consciousness: The Sankirtana Movement” in Back to Godhead, No. 40 (1971):
“It is not recommended that a Krishna conscious devotee go into seclusion to chant by himself and thereby gain salvation for himself alone. Our duty and religious obligation is to go out into the streets where the people in general can hear the chanting and see the dancing. We have already seen practically how by this process many, many boys and girls of America and Europe have been saved from the immoral practices of this age and have now dedicated their lives to the service of Krishna.”
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6 in Calcutta on February 27, 1974:
“This Krishna consciousness movement is simply to teach people how to love Krishna, how to become beloved of Krishna.”
From an explanation of the song “Nitai-Pada-Kamala” by Narottama Dasa Thakura:
“The aim of this Krishna consciousness movement is to enable us to approach Radha-Krishna and associate with the Supreme Lord in His sublime pleasure dance.”
From a room conversation in Honolulu on 30 May 1976:
“Our mission is back to home, back to Godhead, to enter into the society of associates of God – but you are avoiding it. You do not want. You want this temporary so-called society, friendship and love, which will be finished within some years. That is your ignorance. This society will not stay. How long you shall remain American? You will not remain for many days. Then where is your position? You will be kicked out. However you may try to remain in this so-called society, friendship and love, you will not be allowed to stay. You will be forced to renounce. We are trying to enter into the society of Krishna, where everything is eternal.”
From Srila Prabhupda Lila, Chapter 2:
“I have only one request. . . . Whatever happiness you have felt, you simply tell someone else about that. That is all you have to do. You don’t need to teach anything. You don’t need to teach the philosophy. You just explain to people that because you chant Hare Krishna you have become happy, and if they chant, they will become happy. Then I will be satisfied, and my spiritual master will be satisfied.”
From Srila Prabhupada Lila, Chapter 3:
“The people might not understand our message, but Krishna will be pleased, and that is our mission. They thought Jesus Christ’s mission was stopped. They killed him. But his mission was attained. He preached three years only, but so many followers. He pleased Krishna. We must not be disappointed that no one is hearing Krishna consciousness. We will say it to the moon and stars and all directions. We will cry in the wilderness, because Krishna is everywhere. We want to get a certificate from Krishna that, ‘This man has done something for Me.’ Not popularity. If a pack of asses says you are good, what is that? We have to please Krishna’s senses with purified senses.”
[Note: I read the above quote to two Franciscan sisters at FSU, and they both appreciated it.]
From a letter to Sudama on February 17, 1970:
“The potency of spreading Krishna Consciousness is everywhere the same. That was experimented by me in your country, where I came alone without any support; and Krishna is so kind that He has sent me so many boys and girls like you. Lord Caitanya said that every village and town on the surface of the world will know the message of the Sankirtana movement. This very statement affirms that in every village and town all over the world there are many candidates who are awaiting this message.”
From a room conversation in Honolulu on June 12, 1975:
“Just like I came to America. When my spiritual master asked me to do this, let me go out, I never expected that it will be so successful … never expected, because all my previous godbrothers and all the swamis, they could not do anything.”
From a letter to Sivarama on December 7, 1975:
“When I first came to America I never imagined that this movement would spread so far and wide. I thought that my Guru Maharaja has ordered me to try to spread his teachings in the English language, so let me try. In a country where everyone is trained from childhood to indulge in sinful activities who will accept these restrictions, no meat fish and eggs, no intoxicants, no gambling, no illicit sex life. These things are the life and soul of western people, and I never imagined that even one person would accept. But by the mercy of my spiritual master and Krishna the thing has taken shape. I am so much indebted to you nice boys and girls who are helping me in this mission that I always pray to Krishna for your advancement in Going back to Godhead more and more. Thank you.”
From a room conversation in Bhubaneswar on January 21, 1977:
“It is genuine movement. There is no doubt about it. No doubt about it. We are not going to be defeated, I am confident. And with this confidence I went to your country . . . ‘So many rascals are going and talking nonsense. They are becoming successful. Why not Caitanya Mahaprabhu?’”
From a morning walk in Los Angeles on December 12, 1973:
“I myself did not believe I shall be successful, [laughs] what to speak of others. But because I did in the proper line, so it has become successful.”
From a letter to Madhudvisa on August 4, 1975:
“This is the function of the GBC, to see that one may not be taken away by maya.”
From a letter to Giriraj on May 15, 1972:
“I think there is more than sufficient engagement for everyone. We have got so much to do. We have to deal with so many men with different personalities. So kindly utilize their energies and at the same time keep them satisfied. That is leadership.”
From a letter to Hansadutta on November 20, 1971:
“One test is that all the devotees should be satisfied. They have given their lives to Krishna, so we should see they are always happy. Their service is voluntary. It is not that we can force anyone to do anything. If we do, they will go away and that is a great loss. Everyone must be encouraged to do what he likes to do for Krishna.”
From a letter to Vrindaban Chandra on November 9, 1970:
“As president, you should see that everyone stays engaged twenty-four hours a day in Krishna’s service.”
From a letter to Jahnava on August 1, 1973:
“You have written so many nice things in praise of me but I think that my Guru Maharaja is great, I am not great he is great. So sometimes by association of the great one appears great. Just like the sun is great heat and light and by reflecting the greatness of the sun’s light the moon in dead of night also appears great, but actually the moon is by nature dark and cold, but in association with sun it has become accepted as great, this is the real position. So I thank you very much that you are appreciating my Guru Maharaja who wanted to preach Krishna Consciousness all over the world, he is so great.”
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:
From his commentary on Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 10.157:
“One’s greatness is determined by how much he is engaged in the service of Sri Caitanya. The degree of attachment one has for the service of Sri Caitanya determines one’s higher or lower status.”
From his commentary on Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 10.249:
“If one is not inclined towards the service of the Lord, then instead of serving the object of service one ends up serving unservable objects.”
“The Kaivalya Upanisad states: sraddha-bhakti-dhyana-yogad avaiti—“Faithful sadhakas attain Lord Krishna by meditating on His form with devotion.”
“The Vedanta-sutra (3.2.24) states: api samradhane pratyaksanumanabhyam—‘According to the srutis and smritis, the Lord becomes visible to those who worship Him with love.’ In the Atharva Veda (Gopala-tapani Upanisad 1.79) it is stated: vijñana-ghanananda-ghana sac-cid-anandaika-rase bhakti-yoge tisthati—‘Sri Govinda, who is sac-cid-ananda, always exists in the mellows of devotional service, in other words, He is attained only through devotional service.’ In the Mundaka Upanisad (3.18) it is stated: jñana-prasadena visuddha-sattvas tu tam pasyate niskalam dhyayamanah—‘If a pure-hearted, self-realized sadhaka meditates through the knowledge of the scriptures on the unchangable Supreme Lord, then he can directly see Him.’ In the Vedanta-sutra (3.2.26) this is also described in the following words: prakasas ca karmany abhyasat—‘Devotional service is so potent that simply by engaging in the activities of devotional service one becomes enlightened without a doubt.’”
“In the Srimad Bhagavatam (11.14.20) it is stated:
na sadhayati mam yogo na sankhyam dharma uddhava
na svadhyayas tapas tyago yatha bhaktir mamorjita
‘My dear Uddhava, the unalloyed devotional service rendered to Me by My devotees brings Me under their control. I cannot be thus controlled by those engaged in mystic yoga, Sankhya philosophy, pious work, Vedic study, austerity or renunciation.’”
Jati Sekhara Prabhu, disciple of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:
Quoted in Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava:
“Once when Malaviya (a great scholar) wanted to submit some intricate philosophical doubts, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati directed him to ask the devotees cleaning the arcana paraphernalia.
“Malaviya protested, ‘These are recondite queries on Vedanta that your disciples will not be able to satisfactorily reply to.’
“But Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati insisted that he ask the pujaris. Thus Malaviya submissively approached the pujaris, only to be told, ‘We're busy polishing these items, so please help us. When we have finished, your inquiries will be answered.’ Even though he was a famous dignitary, Malaviya humbly agreed to assist.
“After the brass was cleaned, without saying anything more to the pujaris, Malaviya returned to Srila Sarasvati Thakura, who asked, ‘Were your questions answered?’
“Malaviya replied, ‘Yes, even without discussion. When I was polishing the Lord’s paraphernalia the explanation automatically came to my mind.’
“Srila Sarasvati Thakura responded, ‘Yes. Krishna consciousness can be approached by a service attitude, not by any amount of intellectualism. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. Merely reading books and reciting scriptural verses will not help. Those who serve are blessed to understand. Serving Godhead will reveal all answers to questions on sastra. My gurudeva could not even sign his own name, yet all slokas and siddhantas came to his mouth because he was sevonmukha.’”
Jayadvaita Swami:
The body is a largely a pneumatic system with its movements controlled by various airs.
Because the yogis could control their breathing they could meditate under water for many years.
Dhruva could stop the breathing process of the whole universe. That is the power of real yoga.
Even the demons knew how to practice these yoga principles for their own purposes. Pious persons would perform them to attain higher planets. Devotees would practice yoga to attain the spiritual world.
In Taiwan, the main way they could make devotees is through offering yoga courses. However, you can waste a lot of time practicing and teaching yoga because often people remain simply attached to improving their bodies and do not become devotees.
It is not for me to sit here and tell people all over the world how they should spread Krishna consciousness.
Srila Prabhupada said Jiva Goswami is the greatest philosopher. He studied philosophy and became expert in these things. The six treatises known as the sat-sardarbhas are his most celebrated books. He establishes Srimad-Bhagavatam as the best source of knowledge.
Now we have sports competitions. Previously they had debating matches.
We do have to defend our philosophy, but while distributing books, you can waste 45 minutes arguing with someone who will never admit defeat and lose time which could have been used to distribute many books to innocent people.
Radha Vallabha Prabhu:
From a Sunday feast lecture in Miami:
Krishna says He comes in every day of Brahma. That is a long time, but still He comes every day.
When we remember Krishna, we place ourselves in our eternal situation.
When we follow the four principles and chant 16 rounds of Hare Krishna, we begin to get glimpes of our actual spiritual situation.
How many people ask, “Why am I suffering?”
Real happiness is the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Arjunananda Prabhu:
No matter how many years you have been a devotee, you still have to be conscious to take good association and to avoid bad association.
We attain bad habits by bad association.
Dvivida gorilla was on Rama’s side in His pastimes, but during Krishna’s pastimes He caused so much trouble to Balarama.
Giving up bad association is mentioned twice in just eleven verses in The Nectar of Instruction, and thus its importance is stressed.
When I joined ISKCON I was impressed with the renunciation of the devotees.
Real renunciation is to give up impediments to self-realization.
Srila Prabhupada advised to appreciate how valuable a devotee is by seeing how dear he is to Krishna. Instead of that, we tend to see the devotee in relationship to ourselves.
When Srila Prabhupada dealt with reporters and scientists, he would give them his association. They would speak a sentence or so, and then Srila Prabhupada would speak a paragraph.
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Two verses are repeated in Bhagavad-gita almost verbatim. One deals with the dharma of the body, and this one, deals with the dharma of the soul. The second time it appears is immediately following a verse where Krishna tells Arjuna that He will speak for his benefit the most confidential knowledge of all. He summarizes bhakti-yoga, devotional service, listing four important practices:
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mam evaisyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo ’si me
“Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.” (Bhagavad-gita 18.65)
It is good to remember these four and to make sure we are performing them regularly.
