Where I Went and What I Did
For week 45 of 2026 I was based at Stuyvesant Falls in Upstate New York to assist the caretakers of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. There I would wake the deities, put them to rest, make the breakfast and dinner, and help clean up the kitchen after lunch as well. Sunday I attended a Diwali / Govardhan Puja festival at ISKCON Schenectady, where I got to chant the Tulasi kirtana and another Hare Krishna kirtana. Monday we had a small Govardhan Puja festival at Viraha Bhavan, my guru’s residence.
Wednesday I attended a Govardhan Puja festival in Chatham, where I got to lead a Hare Krishna kirtan. I am struggling against my conditioning to dramatically improve my attention in chanting Hare Krishna japa during my time upstate.
I share quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad-Bhagavatam and Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, as well as lectures of his. I share quotes from Dream Notebook and Writing Sessions, July, Italy by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami and notes on classes by Krishna Kumari and Satyavati Devi Dasis.
Thanks to Saci Suta Prabhu for the photo of the Viraha Bhavan Govardhan Hill. Thanks to Tony Gatto for the photos of ISKCON Schenectady and the Chatham program. Thanks to Patrick for his photo of the Chatham program.
Itinerary
September 23–December 31: NYC Harinam
– November 1–???: serve Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami at Stuyvesant Falls
Chanting Hare Krishna in Upstate New York
I chanted kirtan morning and evening for the Gaura Nitai and the other downstairs deities at Viraha Bhavan, the ashram of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. In the morning I would chant “Gurvastakam” and ten minutes of Hare Krishna with Krsna Dasi, the pujari, and in the evening I would chant the Gaura Arati song and ten minutes of Hare Krishna alone. From one to four of us would chant “Damodarastakam” in the evening and offer lamps to Damodara.
I went to the ISKCON Schenectady Sunday program celebrating Diwali and Govardhan Puja. About forty people attended, and an impressive sixty-one different items decorated their Govardhan Hill.
I made walnut burfi and coconut burfi for the Govardhan Hill on Monday at Viraha Bhavan. Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu made his legendary sweet rice with saffron and cardamom. Krishnaendu Prabhu made halava. Krsna Dasi made puris and other items.
Krishna Kumari Devi Dasi did a little drama, and Amalalini Radha played Krishna.
Damodara Priya Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna in Chatham (https://youtube.com/shorts/FCrzjI0u0OM?feature=share):
As Damodara Priya chanted devotees began to dance (https://youtu.be/L9dlLyQjQGI):
Later the devotees danced even more (https://youtube.com/shorts/pbqUMUkhQxs?feature=share):
After chanting the “Damodarastakam” responsively in Sanskrit, the Chatham devotees chanted English version of “Damodarastakam’ of Kalakantha Prabhu in unison (https://youtu.be/V4wGLJ-p010):
as You flee Your mother in Gokula pastimes.
Though you are all blissful, all knowing, ever-new
Greatest of controllers, Your mother controls You.
She shows You the stick and she binds You by the waist.
As You rub Your frightened eyes, tears roll down Your face.
Sobbing and quick breaths make Your necklace of pearls shake.
Ropes of her love bind You in Your mother’s embrace.
Relishing Your childhood activities like this,
You plunge Your devotees in deep oceans of bliss.
Though many revere You, by love You are subdued.
Again and again, Lord, I bow down before You.
Although You give freedom, I don’t ask to be free,
Nor do I want anything You could offer me.
I only request that Your sweet childhood pastimes
Ever be enacted in my heart and my mind.
Curly hair encircles Your face of blackish-blue.
Kisses make Your cheeks look like red bimba fruit.
May this sublime vision be all that I can see.
Any other treasure has no value to me.
Damodar! O Vishnu! O Lord beyond compare,
Be pleased with a soul sunk in oceans of despair.
Uplift and protect me with glances from Your eyes;
Shower Your compassion like rainfall from the sky.
Two sons of Kuvera were cursed to stand as trees;
You gave them the chance to become Your devotees.
My Lord, will You offer the same blessing to me?
I don’t want to merge with Your identity.
Although in Your belly the universe is found,
Your mother’s effulgent rope has Your belly bound.
I bow to that rope and to Radha, Your most dear,
And those sublime pastimes in which You appear.
Damodara Priya Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna, and Chatham devotees circumambulate Govardhan Hill (https://youtube.com/shorts/HloLV3ajAf0):
In addition to taking videos, I danced in the kirtans.
During prasadam I talked to our drummer, Patrick, who was also at his third Govardhan festival. He changed his plane ticket to attend one Sunday at ISKCON Alachua, and he changed his train ticket to attend the Bhakti Center one on Monday. We both felt fortunate to attend three Govardhan Puja festivals this year.
Photos
Some supporters sponsored a motorized chair for Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, and in the good weather, he would go down by the creek and the waterfall and write for an hour before lunch.
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.7.44–45:
“Since the body itself is ultimately meant to become stool or earth, what is the meaning of the paraphernalia related to the body, such as wives, residences, wealth, children, relatives, servants, friends, kingdoms, treasuries, animals and ministers? They are also temporary. What more can be said about this? All this paraphernalia is very near and dear as long as the body exists, but as soon as the body is destroyed, all things related to the body are also finished. Therefore, actually one has nothing to do with them, but because of ignorance one accepts them as valuable. Compared to the ocean of eternal happiness, they are most insignificant. What is the use of such insignificant relationships for the eternal living being?”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.7.45, purport:
“Krishna consciousness, devotional service to Krishna, is the ocean of eternal bliss. In comparison to this eternal bliss, the so-called happiness of society, friendship and love is simply useless and insignificant. One should therefore not be attached to temporary things. One should take to Krishna consciousness and become eternally happy.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 46:
“Since Krishna had departed from Vrindavan and gone to Mathura, the inhabitants of Vrindavan, especially Mother Yasoda, Nanda Maharaja, Srimati Radharani, the gopis and the cowherd boys, were simply thinking of Krishna at every step. They were thinking, ‘Here Krishna was playing in this way. Here Krishna was blowing His flute. Krishna was joking with us in this way, and Krishna was embracing us like this.’ This is called lila-smarana, and it is the process of association with Krishna most recommended by great devotees; even Lord Caitanya, when He was at Puri, enjoyed lila-smarana association with Krishna. Those in the most exalted position of devotional service and ecstasy can live with Krishna always by remembering His pastimes.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 51:
“‘My dear King,’ Lord Krishna continued, ‘I therefore give you the special benediction that you will always think of Me. Thus you will be able to traverse this material world freely, without being contaminated by the material qualities.’ This statement by the Lord confirms that a person in true Krishna consciousness, engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord under the direction of the spiritual master, is never subject to the contamination of material qualities.”
“Lord Krishna continued: ‘O best of all the brahmanas, you should always remain satisfied, for if a brahmana is always self-satisfied he will not deviate from his prescribed duties; and simply by sticking to one’s prescribed duties, everyone, especially a brahmana, can attain the highest perfection of all desires. Even if a person is as opulent as the king of heaven, Indra, if he is not satisfied he inevitably has to transmigrate from one planet to another. Such a person can never be happy under any circumstances; but if one’s mind is satisfied, even if he is bereft of all possessions, he can be happy living anywhere.’
“This instruction by Krishna to the brahmana is very significant. The purport is that a true brahmana should not be disturbed in any situation. In this modern age, Kali-yuga, the so-called brahmanas have accepted the abominable position of sudras or less and still want to pass as qualified brahmanas. Actually, a qualified brahmana always sticks to his own duties and never accepts those of a sudra or of one less than a sudra. It is advised in the authorized scriptures that a brahmana may, under awkward circumstances, accept the profession of a ksatriya or even a vaisya, but never is he to accept the profession of a sudra. Lord Krishna declared that a brahmana will never be disturbed by any adverse conditions if he scrupulously sticks to his religious principles. In conclusion, Lord Sri Krishna said, ‘I offer My respectful obeisances to the brahmanas and Vaishnavas, for the brahmanas are always self-satisfied and the Vaishnavas are always engaged in actual welfare activities for human society. They are the best friends of the people in general; they are free from false egoism and are always in a peaceful condition of mind.’”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 54:
[Lord Balarama said:] “Sweet, smiling Rukmini, do not be aggrieved by false notions caused by ignorance. Only because of false notions does one become unhappy, but one can immediately remove this unhappiness by discussing the philosophy of actual life. Be happy on that platform only.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 56:
“Jambavan identified Lord Krishna as the Supreme Personality, Lord Vishnu: ‘My dear Lord, You are the creator of the creators of the universal affairs.’ This statement is very instructive to the ordinary man, who is amazed by the activities of a person with an exceptional brain. The ordinary man is surprised to see the inventions of a great scientist, but the statement of Jambavan confirms that although a scientist may be a creator of many wonderful things, Krishna is the creator of the scientist. He is the creator of not only one scientist but of millions and trillions, all over the universe. Jambavan said further, ‘Not only are You the creator of the creators, but You are also the creator of the material elements which the so-called creators manipulate.’ Scientists utilize the physical elements or laws of material nature to do something wonderful, but actually such laws and elements are also the creation of Krishna. This is actual scientific understanding. Less intelligent men do not try to understand who created the brain of the scientist; they are satisfied simply to see the wonderful creation or invention of the scientist.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 56:
[Queen Kunti prayed to Lord Krishna:] “Even ordinary devotees who simply think of You are always immune to all kinds of material danger, and what to speak of ourselves, who are personally remembered by You. So, my dear Krishna, there is no question of bad luck; we are always in an auspicious position because of Your grace. Yet although You have bestowed a special favor on us, people should not mistakenly think that You are partial to some and inattentive to others. You make no such distinction. No one is Your favorite and no one is Your enemy. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are equal to everyone, and everyone can take advantage of Your special protection. The fact is that although You are equal to everyone, You are especially inclined to the devotees who always think of You. The devotees are related to You by ties of love. As such, they cannot forget You even for a moment. You are present in everyone’s heart, but because the devotees always remember You, You respond accordingly. Although a mother has affection for all her children, she takes special care of the one who is fully dependent. I know certainly, my dear Krishna, that being seated in everyone’s heart, You always create auspicious situations for Your unalloyed devotees.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 60:
[Queen Rukmini said to Lord Krishna:] “You are the supreme source from which everything emanates, the reservoir of all pleasures. Therefore, persons endowed with knowledge desire only to achieve You, and nothing else. To achieve Your favor, they give up everything—even the transcendental realization of Brahman. You are the supreme, ultimate goal of life. You are the reservoir of all interests of the living entities. Those who are actually well motivated desire only You, and for this reason they give up everything to attain success. They therefore deserve to associate with You.”
[Queen Rukmini said to Lord Krishna:] “In the society of the servitors and served in Krishna consciousness, one is not subjected to the pains and pleasures of material society, which functions according to sex attraction. Therefore everyone, whether man or woman, should seek to be an associate in Your society of servitors and served. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead; no one can excel You, nor can anyone come up to an equal level with You. The perfect social system is that in which You remain in the center, being served as the Supreme, and all others engage as Your servitors. In such a perfectly constructed society, everyone can remain eternally happy and blissful.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 72:
“Although Jarasandha was killed, neither Krishna nor the two Pandava brothers made a claim to the throne. Their purpose in killing Jarasandha was to stop him from creating a disturbance to the proper discharge of world peace. A demon always creates disturbances, whereas a demigod always tries to keep peace in the world. The mission of Lord Krishna is to protect the righteous and kill the demons who disturb a peaceful situation.”
From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.7 in Bombay on December 19, 1974:
“We are now dogs of material nature, para-tantrya. We cannot go beyond the rules and regulation, condition, of material nature.”
“We are now covered by this material nature, sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna, and our endeavor should be how to purify.”
From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.10 in Bombay on December 22, 1974:
“As Krishna advises to Arjuna, traigunya-visaya veda nistraigunyo bhavarjuna: “You just try to become above the three gunas.” That is human life. Human life is not meant for remaining within the category of these three gunas and struggle for existence. That is not human life. That is animal life.”
“This Brahman realization, can be understood in a moment if you believe Bhagavad-gita as it is. But if you foolishly interpret in this way and that way, then it will take millions of years. You will not understand what is Bhagavad-gita, what is God, what is… But if you take it as it is, then immediately you can understand that you are Brahman. There is no difficulty.”
“We are part and parcel of Krishna—that means we must be partner of Krishna.”
From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.11–14 in Bombay on December 23, 1974:
“So the atheist, they do not believe in the soul or Supersoul. But they have to believe in these twenty-four elements. Therefore European philosophers, they like this Sankhya philosophy of another Kapila. Here is Kapiladeva. He is the incarnation of God. But another, there is imitation Kapila; he is atheist Kapila. The Sankhya-karika, that is very much liked by the European philosophers, because in that Sankhya-karika these twenty-four elements are studied very minutely, without any reference to the soul and the Supersoul.”
“This so-called advancement of material science means that we are kept in the darkness of spiritual knowledge; we are still in the platform of animal concept of life.”
“We are having great struggle for existence. Therefore we should study philosophically and scientifically, analyze what is this body and what is beyond the body—soul—and what is the soul’s function, where is the soul’s place; ultimately what is the end goal of the activities of the soul. This is human life. And all this knowledge can be had from the Vedic literature, and the Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of Vedic literature.”
From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.15 in Bombay on December 24, 1974:
“Brahman realization is not very difficult thing, provided we want to realize. And how we want? You take instruction from the Bhagavad-gita, and if you accept it, then immediately your Brahman realization is there. Krishna says that ‘These jivas, they are My part and parcel.’ So if Krishna is Brahman, Para-brahman, then we are Brahman. If we accept this… We have to accept, because that is the constitutional position. We are part and parcel of Krishna. So we are part and parcel of Krishna; therefore it is our constitutional position to live with Krishna.”
“Krishna is not maya’s, but maya is Krishna’s.”
“The Mayavadi theory is like that, that ‘I am Krishna. I am God. Now I am overpowered by maya [illusion], and as soon as I become free from maya, again I become Krishna.” But the question is that ‘If you are Krishna, if you are God, then why you became under the control of maya? What kind of God you are?’”
“Everyone is under the control of maya. Nobody is free. But there are two maya: yoga-maya and maha-maya. Maha-maya, this material world, and yoga-maya, the spiritual world. If you agree to be under the yoga-maya, then you are happy.”
From a lecture on Govardhan Puja in Bombay on December 19, 1974:
“You should not do anything, religious rituals, under superstition. That is the recommendation of Krishna. Krishna does not like that people should perform anything under superstition. Suppose if you are sacrificing, if you are doing some ceremony, you must have thorough knowledge that there must be the result. There must be the result.”
“So Krishna did not recommend that you should do something under superstition. No. You must do it for practical result. This dogmatism, fanaticism—‘Oh, why I shall chant Hare Krishna? I am Christian,’ ‘I am Jews’—this is fanaticism. If you find actually ecstasy by chanting Hare Krishna, why should you not? Why should you not? ‘No. I am Jew,’ ‘I am Christian,’ ‘I am Muhammadan.’ Well, it is transcendental vibration from the spiritual platform. Your Muhammadism, Christianism, Hinduisim, Buddhism, this is skin disease. This is…
“Because you have got some particular body at particular circumstances, therefore you claim like that. But actually we are all spirit soul, and this sound vibration is from the spirit soul. It will appeal to everyone. See the effect.”
“The religion which you can change, that is not religion. Suppose I am Hindu; I become Christian. So neither this Hinduism is religion or Christian is religion. It is a dictionary, English dictionary, word. But dharma, according to Sanskrit word, dharma does not mean that which you can change.”
“Therefore we must find out what is our dharma, what is our religion. Which we are professing, that “Christianity is my religion,” “Hinduism, my religion,” that is not religion. That is faith. Religion is different. Religion you cannot change. You cannot change. That is the meaning of religion.”
“Just see. A God is preaching atheism. He is God Himself, and He says, ‘Supposing if there is some God.’”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Dream Notebook:
“I was leading this kirtana. It was with doctors in a hospital, and we went on the elevator with them. They were all very serious. One was admonishing another doctor. They were very interested though in the kirtana, especially the lady doctors. After I sang the kirtana and the chorus began, I said to them quickly, ‘The world of medicine and people is very complicated, but the world of chanting is just the opposite.’ They all smiled and chanted Hare Krishna. Then the alarms went off on my clock, and I had to get up.”
From Writing Sessions – July, Italy:
“Take your reading life seriously. The open secrets of Bhagavad-gita. Life comes from spirit, not matter in itself. Spirit originates in eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead. We are His parts and parcels. Study this knowledge. and pray it be revealed to you.”
“Life in the body doesn’t flow problem-free for any of us.”
“Am I in a rut? What do you mean? Not like “an elephant in rut.” No, I mean same old groove. Could be that. You cannot spring yourself out by bizarre methods.”
“I have no brown habit of Christian monk. But I have a respect for any genuine monk who withdraws from the world and tends to be alone, to pray to God. He has faith God hears his prayer. He aspires to join Him in eternity. He wants to be free of sin and errant thoughts. Sure I like that. They focus on impersonal or void. We see the Supreme Person, ‘and always a Person.’ Meditate on Krishna with love. The spiritual master leads us in this.”
“The afternoon not pinned down to a schedule but swimming always in something Krishna conscious, and hopeful the access gained can be maintained. You want to produce pieces, writings or drawings that you can show others to attest that you entered a Krishna conscious state. ‘Hey, he really is quite Krishna conscious. Did you read his book?’”
Krishna Kumari Devi Dasi:
From a drama about Govardhan Puja in Chatham:
The residents of Vrindavan were having such a good time worshiping Govardhan Hill, they forgot all about Indra.
Sometimes when we are arrogant, we think everyone is arrogant, and sometimes when we are doing the wrong thing, we think others are doing the wrong thing.
Satyavati Devi Dasi:
From a class on Diwali and Govardhan Puja in Schenectady:
Diwali comes from dipavali, dipa – lamps and vali – rows.
We can learn from Rama-lila the loyalty of Rama toward His father and His righteousness.
If the Lord performed no pastimes, what would be celebrating today?
Krishna performs His pastimes to attract people to become His devotees.
Although Krishna cannot be bound by anyone, He agreed to be bound by His mother, Yashoda.
The loving relationship with the Lord is more important to Him than demonstrating His superiority to His devotee.
Krishna shows that no one can harm someone He chooses to protect.
False pride means thinking that we are independent of Krishna.
In the Govardhan pastime we learn that the mercy of the Lord shows up in unexpected ways.
Comment by me: Ravana and Indra were both proud, but the Lord dealt with them differently because Ravana was incorrigible whereas Indra was willing to admit his defect and reform.
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For Krishna, knowledge is not merely possessing information but rather having divine qualities and engaging in divine activities leading to spiritual perfection. Reading this list, we can consider how far we have come and how far we have yet to go.
amanitvam adambhitvam
ahimsa ksantir arjavam
acaryopasanam saucam
sthairyam atma-vinigrahah
indriyarthesu vairagyam
anahankara eva ca
janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-
duhkha-dosanudarsanam
asaktir anabhisvangah
putra-dara-grhadisu
nityam ca sama-cittatvam
istanistopapattisu
mayi cananya-yogena
bhaktir avyabhicarini
vivikta-desa-sevitvam
aratir jana-samsadi
adhyatma-jnana-nityatvam
tattva-jnanartha-darsanam
etaj jnanam iti proktam
ajnanam yad ato ’nyatha
“Humility; pridelessness; nonviolence; tolerance; simplicity; approaching a bona fide spiritual master; cleanliness; steadiness; self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification; absence of false ego; the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; detachment; freedom from entanglement with children, wife, home and the rest; even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me; aspiring to live in a solitary place; detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth—all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance.” (Bhagavad-gita 13.8–12)
