By Krishna Kripa Das
(Week 44: October 29–November 4, 2026)
New York City, Stuyvesant Falls
(Sent from Stuyvesant Falls, New York, on November 7, 2026)
Where I Went and What I Did
For the first three days of week 44 of 2026 I was based at ISKCON NYC in Brooklyn, and I chanted Hare Krishna with Rama Raya Prabhu’s NYC Harinama party every day.
Saturday was Halloween, and many, many people enjoyed playing shakers and dancing with our party, both at Washington Square Park and on the sidewalks of Greenwich Village. On Sunday I took the train upstate 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 as do a little shopping. Wednesday I attended the evening program in Chatham, and I got to lead a Hare Krishna kirtan as well as “Damodarastakam.” My aspiration is to dramatically improve my attention in chanting Hare Krishna japa during my time upstate. I am slowly improving.
I share quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and The Teachings of Queen Kunti, and from three of his lectures on Śrimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 3, Chapter 26, given in Bombay in December of 1974 and a 1972 room conversation of his. I share quotes from Improvisations to Music, Book 3 and Dream Notebook by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami and notes on classes by Arcita Prabhu, Caitanyananda Prabhu, and Rasananda Govinda Prabhu.
Thanks to Arcita Prabhu for the photos of me on the walking harinama in Greenwich Village on Halloween. Thanks to Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu for picking me up at the train station. Thanks to Janardhan Prabhu for giving me a ride to the Chatham Wednesday Program. Thanks to Shyamasindhu Prabhu for sending me all my Halloween harinama videos via the Interet. Thanks to Krishnendu Prabhu for doing the evening offering and the put to rest so I could go to the Chatham program.
Itinerary
September 23–December 31: NYC Harinam
– November 1–???: serve Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami at Stuyvesant Falls
Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City
One day I had an unusual conversation with a young Indian-looking couple watching our Hare Krishna chanting party from the distance. Early on the guy said, pointing to the woman, “She is a nastik. Do you know what a nastik is?”I tried to think of a nice way of defining nastik, but nothing came to mind, so I said, “That means she is an atheist.”Then I said, “People have so many speculative philosophies, but if they chant Hare Krishna, they will experience the reality of Krishna.”
Neither of them supported nor contested that statement.
I offered them prasadam cookies. The guy accepted one, but the woman did not.
maha-prasade govinde nama-brahmani vaisnave
sv-alpa-punyavatam rajan visvaso naiva jayate
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Manhattan, and passersby play shakers (https://youtube.com/shorts/6KYM4TLeWyI):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Manhattan, and devotees dance (https://youtube.com/shorts/iXZ-DCWKrhk):
On Halloween as I walked from the West Fourth Street subway station to Washington Square Park, I was surprised to see how many policemen were on duty that night. I had never seen so many!
On Halloween, some of the devotees also wore costumes.
Some people had costumes with dark humor.
Hrith chants Hare Krishna on Halloween in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/zSvX3lsEC6Q?feature=share):
Suhani chants Hare Krishna on Halloween in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/0xUnBgNdJnk?feature=share):
Keshava Madhava chants Hare Krishna on Halloween in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/Rpt8_baSgB0?feature=share):
As devotees chanted Hare Krishna in Washington Square Park in New York City on Halloween, many folks played shakers and danced (https://youtu.be/zEektPa-p50):
Here I share the many individual clips from which the previous video was generated:
Suhani chants Hare Krishna on Halloween in Manhattan, and people dance (https://youtube.com/shorts/j4adMnIeASQ?feature=share):
Suhani chants Hare Krishna on Halloween in Manhattan, and a group of friends dances (https://youtube.com/shorts/zCarBQDRXcU?feature=share):
Srikar chants Hare Krishna on Halloween in Manhattan, and a guy plays shakers and dances (https://youtube.com/shorts/7cEhBZ4Akdg?feature=share):7cEhBZ4Akdg
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Halloween in Manhattan, and a man dances with a spatula (https://youtube.com/shorts/UjSF9jcfFLA?feature=share):
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Halloween in Manhattan, and people dance side to side (https://youtube.com/shorts/L7OMlqgKK3E?feature=share):
Both devotees and passersby also danced in a circle (https://youtube.com/shorts/jgxWnWeLIrg?feature=share):
Later more people joined in (https://youtube.com/shorts/tRNCVaDQuwc?feature=share):
At one point, Krishna Rai, who is wearing the banana costume, taught a dance, which he had learned from Tulsi Prabhu, to the devotees and the passersby (https://youtube.com/shorts/_HK47-tlvGA?feature=share):
Hadai sometimes invited people to chant the Hare Krishna mantra (https://youtube.com/shorts/l0PqQa1rs-I?feature=share):
When Hadai picked up the tempo, people danced wildly (https://youtube.com/shorts/waUpZAaHAZs?feature=share):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Halloween in Manhattan, and people dance side to side (https://youtube.com/shorts/FrbF9miSIOI?feature=share):
After the police kicked everyone out of Washington Square Park, we spent about two and a half hours chanting all over Greenwich Village, first a couple of blocks to the southeast of the park, and then all the way up to Union Square.
Srila Prabhupada disciple, Locanananda Prabhu, was the first kirtan leader on that walking harinama (https://youtube.com/shorts/l0ecD5fH4hY?feature=share):
Some people were happy to see the devotees and took photos or videos of them.
When I was not taking videos myself, I would pass out temple invitations
In this video I show how many people enjoyed participating in the kirtan during that Greenwich Village walking harinama (https://youtu.be/pKI50U8ee_4):
Here are the individual clips from which the above video is compiled:
Locanananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Greenwich Village on Halloween, and still more onlookers dance (https://youtube.com/shorts/CBUeGIZDt9g?feature=share):
While Locanananda Prabhu was chanting, the police relocated the devotees, who were chanting in a street on which vehicles occasionally traveled (https://youtube.com/shorts/RowHQPlgUIA):
Locanananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Greenwich Village on Halloween, and onlookers dance (https://youtube.com/shorts/WooVca7Gbcw?feature=share):
As Locanananda Prabhu more onlookers danced (https://youtube.com/shorts/4jpJ_tUrC7w):
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Greenwich Village on Halloween, and onlookers dance, part 1 of 3 (https://youtu.be/xggSlOOzR3o):
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Greenwich Village on Halloween, and onlookers dance, part 2 of 3 (https://youtube.com/shorts/8IuM8abJEYo):
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Greenwich Village on Halloween, and onlookers dance, part 3 of 3 (https://youtube.com/shorts/7wp3mA4bwl0?feature=share):
Keshava Madhava chants Hare Krishna in Greenwich Village on Halloween, and onlookers dance, part 1 of 5 (https://youtube.com/shorts/XV4HS88tPjo?feature=share):XV4HS88tPjo
Keshava Madhava chants Hare Krishna in Greenwich Village on Halloween, and onlookers dance, part 2 of 5 (https://youtube.com/shorts/8IuM8abJEYo?feature=share):
Keshava Madhava chants Hare Krishna in Greenwich Village on Halloween, and onlookers dance, part 3 of 5 (https://youtube.com/shorts/NXyOhNlci7o?feature=share):
Keshava Madhava chants Hare Krishna in Greenwich Village on Halloween, and onlookers dance, part 4 of 5 (https://youtube.com/shorts/prhqFJ4QyqI?feature=share):
Keshava Madhava chants Hare Krishna in Greenwich Village on Halloween, and onlookers dance, part 5 of 5 (https://youtube.com/shorts/CaEgyzvpHUk?feature=share):
Chanting Hare Krishna in Upstate New York
Sunday I played my harmonium and chanted Hare Krishna for ten minutes at the Hudson railway station, while waiting for my ride.
Sometimes I get it together to play my harmonium and chant Hare Krishna for an hour a day on the porch of the residence of my guru, but this time I have been too busy. I hope to resume that at some point.
I do chant Hare Krishna for the Gaura Nitai deities here. I sing "Gurvastakam" and ten minutes of Hare Krishna in the morning and the Gaura Arati song and ten minutes of Hare Krishna in the evening. Also between one and four of us gather in the evening and chant "Damodarastakam" and offer lamps.
At the Chatham Wednesday program, Malati, daughter of Krishna Kumari Devi Dasi, who runs the program, chanted the first Hare Krishna kirtan. Then I chanted Hare Krishna and "Damodarastam."
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 5:
“In this material world it is to be understood that we are always living in a contaminated state. We therefore have to purify the duration of our lives, our possession of wealth and our self. We can purify our duration of life by taking daily bath and cleansing the body inside and outside and accepting the ten kinds of purificatory processes. By austerities, by worship of the Lord, and by distribution of charity we can purify the possession of wealth. We can purify our self by studying the Vedas in order to understand the Absolute Truth and achieve self-realization.”
“Vasudeva continued: ‘My dear friend, it is very difficult for us to live together. Although we have our family and relatives, sons and daughters, by nature’s way we are generally separated from one another. The reason for this is that every living entity appears on this earth under different pressures of fruitive activities [karma]; although they assemble together, there is no certainty of their remaining together for a long time. According to one’s fruitive activities, one has to act differently and thereby be separated. For example, many plants and creepers are floating on the waves of the ocean. Sometimes they come together, and sometimes they separate forever: one plant goes one way, and another plant goes another. Similarly, our family assembly may be very nice while we are living together, but after some time, in the course of the waves of time, we are separated.’”
[Vasudeva continued:] “Therefore, it is everyone’s duty to see that his fellow citizens and the cows are not put into difficulty. One should see to the peace and comfort of his fellow man and the animals.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 6:
“It is said that wherever the chanting of the holy name of Krishna is done, even negligently, all bad elements—witches, ghosts and dangerous calamities—immediately disappear. And this is certainly true of the place where the chanting of the holy name of Krishna is done seriously—especially in Vrindavan when the Supreme Lord was personally present.”
“Devotional service in Krishna consciousness is so sublime that even a little service rendered to Krishna, knowingly or unknowingly, gives one the greatest transcendental benefit. The system of worshiping Krishna by offering flowers from a tree is also beneficial for the living entity who is confined to the bodily existence of that tree. When flowers and fruits are offered to Krishna, the tree that bore them also receives much benefit, indirectly.”
“Devotees therefore pray that if simply by offering something as an enemy Putana got so much benefit, then who can measure the benefit of worshiping Krishna in love and affection? Therefore only Krishna should be worshiped, for so much benefit awaits the worshiper.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 20:
“Actually, one should undergo severe austerities and penances only to achieve spiritual happiness. In Śrimad-Bhagavatam it is recommended that tapasya, or austerity, should be accepted for realizing the Supreme Lord. By accepting austerity in devotional service, one regains his spiritual life, and as soon as one regains his spiritual life, he enjoys unlimited spiritual bliss.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 21:
“Persons who are advanced in transcendental knowledge take pleasure in seeing their descendants engage in the service of the Lord.”
“Although the gopis were village cowherd women and girls, they had extensive Vedic knowledge. Such is the effect of Vedic civilization. People in general would learn the highest truths of the Vedas simply by hearing from authoritative sources.”
“Another gopi said to her friends, ‘My dear friends, the cows are also charmed as soon as they hear the transcendental sound of the flute of Krishna. It sounds to them like the pouring of nectar, and they immediately spread their long ears just to catch the liquid nectar of the flute. As for the calves, they are seen with the nipples of their mothers pressed in their mouths, but they cannot suck the milk. They remain struck with devotion, and tears glide down from their eyes, illustrating vividly how they are embracing Krishna heart to heart.’ These phenomena indicate that even the cows and calves in Vrndavana knew how to cry for Krishna and embrace Him heart to heart. Actually, the perfection of Krishna consciousness can be culminated in the shedding of tears from the eyes.”
“While Krishna was engaged in tending the cows in the forest of Vrindavan or on Govardhana Hill, the gopis in the village were always absorbed in thinking of Him and discussing His different pastimes. This is the perfect example of Krishna consciousness: to somehow or other remain always engrossed in thoughts of Krishna. The vivid example is always present in the behavior of the gopis; therefore Lord Caitanya declared that no one can worship the Supreme Lord by any method which is better than the method of the gopis. The gopis were not born in very high brahmana or ksatriya families; they were born in the families of vaisyas, and not in big mercantile communities but in the families of cowherd men. They were not very well educated, although they heard all sorts of knowledge from the brahmanas, the authorities of Vedic knowledge. The gopis’ only purpose was to remain always absorbed in thoughts of Krishna.”
From The Teachings of Queen Kunti, Chapter 4:
“This is not civilization. Civilization means calmness, prosperity, and shanti, peace. In peace and prosperity one should be Krishna conscious always.
People work so hard, day and night, simply for a little food, not knowing that their food has already been provided. Avidya-karma-samjñanya trtiya saktir isyate (Vishnu Purana 6.7.61). This material world is full of ignorance (avidya). Therefore our endeavor should be to become free from this ignorance. It is only for this reason that we should work—to come out of ignorance.”
“Kuntidevi, therefore, is pointing our attention toward Krishna, the Supreme Person, who is alaksya, invisible to all. Who is that invisible person? Here—Krishna. ‘Oh, Krishna,’ one may say. ‘There are so many Krishnas.’ Therefore Kuntidevi says, ‘I am offering my prayers to Vasudeva, the son of Vasudeva.’ ‘There are many Vasudevas.’ ‘No. Nanda-gopa-kumaraya: [SB 1.8.21] I am praying to the foster son of Maharaja Nanda.’ In this way, three times she points out, ‘Here is Krishna.’”
“We are looking for sense gratification, and if we associate with Krishna we shall enjoy our senses abundantly, just like the gopis who are dancing with Krishna. Thus there is no scarcity of sense gratification, but this sense gratification in association with Krishna is not gross sense gratification; rather, it is the spiritual sense gratification enjoyed in the spiritual world.”
From a lecture on Śrimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.1 in Bombay on December 13, 1974:
“If Krishna sees that ‘one is presenting My message as I have given,’ then He is pleased.”
“Spiritual world means there is full consciousness of the existence of God, and material world means to full forgetfulness of God. This is the difference between material world and the spiritual world. So if you bring, in the material world also, Krishna consciousness, then it is spiritual world. How it is possible? Yes, it is possible. Just like you put one iron rod in the fire, it will become gradually warm, warmer, warmer, then the iron rod will be red hot, and if that redness you will touch anywhere, it will burn you. It is no more iron rod; it is fire. So you keep yourself always in Krishna consciousness, then even if you possess this material body, you will be in the spiritual world.”
From a lecture on Śrimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.2 in Bombay on December 14, 1974:
“Suppose a foreigner is in America, an Indian is in America, or an American is in India, so he is conscious that ‘I am American,’ or ‘I do not belong to this country.’ Or Indian, when he goes to America, he knows, ‘I am Indian. I do not belong to this country.’ Similarly, when you realize, when you understand that you do not belong to this material world, you belong to the spiritual world, that is self-realization. Atma-darsanam.”
“In the spiritual world, the purusa, the living entity, enjoys with Krishna, not alone. Therefore you will find Krishna is always accompanied by someone else—either Radharani or cowherds boy, or the gopis, or Mother Yasoda, or Nanda Maharaja, or the cows and the calves, like that. Or even with the monkeys.”
From a lecture on Śrimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.3 in Bombay on December 15, 1974:
“We are rendering service. Either you are rendering service in office, or to your family, or to your cat, or to your dog, or to your government, or to your society—you must be giving some service. There is no escape. But that is saguna service, under these material laws. So you have to give nirguna service. If you give nirguna, then you become nirguna. Then what is that nirguna? When you render service to Krishna.”
“So far individual living entity, soul, is concerned, he is also all-pervading. All-pervading means within this limited body. So long I am present within this body, anywhere of the body I feel, I am present here. You pinch; you feel, “Yes, there is pain.” That means I am present here. I am present there. This is called consciousness.
“But there is another consciousness—so don’t mix it up—that Krishna consciousness. That consciousness, sarva-ksetresu bharata: that Krishna is present everywhere. Sarva-ksetresu. That is the difference between Krishna… Krishna says, ksetra-jñam ca, ksetra-jñam ca aham: ‘I am also ksetra-jña. I am also soul, but I am Supersoul.’ How? Now, sarva-ksetresu bharata: ‘I am present in everyone’s body.’ I am not present in your body. You are not present in my body. I am present in my body. Dehino ’smin yatha dehe [Bg 2.13].
“But Krishna is present, everyone’s body. That is the distinction between Krishna and me.”
“If you can understand everyone’s pains and pleasure, then you are God. If you cannot say what is my pains and pleasure and you come as God, then I am not going to accept. What kind of God you are? God must be present everywhere.”
“So this human life is meant for self-realization, not simply wasting time like cats and dogs, eating, sleeping, mating and… No. That is not human life. Athato brahma-jijñasa. Everyone should be interested to understand himself, God and his relationship. Then the life will be successful.”
From a lecture on Śrimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.4 in Bombay on December 16, 1974:
“If one surrenders to Krishna, then he becomes free from the clutches of maya. So how Krishna can be caught by maya? This is contradictory. If anyone surrenders to Krishna, he becomes free from the influence of maya, simply by surrendering. Then how Krishna can be influenced by maya? It is common sense.”
“So this is called tattva, to know about Krishna perfectly. And the informations are there in the sastras. And simply to understand it, we require a little qualification. We require little qualification. Otherwise, everything is there. That qualification is to increase the, I mean to say, temper of your devotion, or increase the quality of your love for Krishna. Premañjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilo… [Bs 5.38]. And that love can be increased by the process:
adau sraddha tatah sadhu-saṅgo ’tha bhajana-kriyatato ’nartha-nivrttih syat tato nisṭha rucis tatahathasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudañcatisadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah[Cc. Madhya 23.14–15]
“This is step by step.”
“So our this Krishna consciousness movement is giving, educating people how to become Krishna conscious, how to know the science of Krishna.”
From a Room Conversation in Dallas on September 13, 1972:
“So our bhakta philosophy is we are all individuals. God is individual and we are all individuals we live together and along with the supreme person we also enjoy. Just like the gopis are dancing with Krishna, that is the highest perfection. To keep your individuality and dance with the supreme individual person.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Improvisations to Music, Book 3:
“Some want it to be only between themselves and Jesus.
Is this true of Jesus?”
“We were human, we wasted time, we lasted a little longer.”
“The ‘argument’ with God and self means I do love Him. I try but I fail. Lord, let me see You, be with You.”
“Now ISKCON is the solid river
and anything branching from it is suspect
although we’ll always be kind to brothers
who claim allegiance to our master.”
“Krishna consciousness makes sense you goto eternal glory of service andeven if you have to come backyou’ll know what to do—chant God’s namesand seek shelter for quiet workand give out good advice forpeople who ask for it.”
“Let’s just write I say it’s mybhajana I say it’s my way to prayas others do through music or mantradirect service or cookingI do in words that playlike cooking blues—it’s the same thing.”
“Don’t say ‘chant and readand follow guru’ if you’renot doing it with your whole heartuntil it hurts.”
“Just that if we can find it—if we were to look in all the right places—we could see Krishna everywhere.”
“The extra daring, the best thing I could have done was to have seen through the whole system and not taken disciples in 1978. But Krishna wanted it this way.”
“I want thegoodness transcendental which isfixed on Krishna
holy service specific to Krishna in His two-hand form. I’ll place him there in any context I’m forced into.”
“It’s nice to hear people say‘Krishna’ in their speech naturallywhen they visit you in prison evenif they are kanisṭha or whateverbecause you too are …”
“We are normalfolks following impossible ideals.”
“You can be free forserving the Lord that’s possibleand the best thing there is.”
“Krishna is the way and wheyHe’s the song and dayHe’s the night and playand as for work and hell
they’re from your misuseof free will—fromyou.”
“That Japanese monk said his peaceand quiet might cheat him of salvation,so he shouldn’t have praised his tinyhut his renunciation and all …But he said he would chant thename of Buddha instead of talkingand poor as his chanting washe knew he’d win something.”
“On my knees before Him it’salmost His breakfast timeand I know He never suffers fromindigestionor depression, unhappiness evenwhen You put down Your flutemaybe lift off Your turbanornamentedand receive Your devotee’s bhaktieven from this earnest but pig-like foolwho comes before You twice orthrice a day and never strays sofar away.”
“Freedom. Peace and Love. Fight for those. Peace andLove?Who said that?But it’s true. They just don’t know how to go about it.Do I? Krishnaize the universe. run out and do it.How? Oh, just sing in the streets—a great sacrificeof your so-called respectable anonymity.”
“Work it out for Krishna consciousness. This is the life so
short so cagey—cat and mouse with pain—but get your licks in before you get kicked out—and make
as much progress as you can.Heretofore.You are bluetrueto masterin own wayI want to say I never quit.And neither do so many brothers. I admire them eachfrom across the Grand Canyon of our livesalthough we all have sufferedblues in the night.”
“O Krishna Youare the source of all good times andbad, and I pray to stick with his books.A man tells me he’s crying and I do toosometimesbut I know You will rescue us all.”
“It’s a crazy place. O Kesava, how strange are wecreatureswho inhabit this space.”
“And when it rains or headaches come
or real worse, I pray Lord preserve some inner turning to You.
They say you should make hay while the sun shines,and I interpret that in my life to meanread and chant against the endbecause even nowall we have is the hopethat He will come to us.”
“What’s happening? What’s all that noise?
I just want a little peace so I
can concentrate on God in my
heart
but the neighbors and my roommate
have different ideas makes
it seem like the
earth is quaking
and I’m telling you this
because I
can’t seem to drown it out with
the sound of my own
concentration.”
“You can just imagine.Krishna is the Lord of sixesand sevens and twenty-fours andChristians and Muslims and politiciansof no particular religion.He’s Death—can you beatthat?”
“I don’t own anythingbut my singing and danceO Lord, let me dancefor You.”
“I walk alonecreek bubbling—I callmy soul to be present and hear mechant the Lord’s names.”
“Up in clouds in sky on eartha tiny person walking thinkshe’d like to love his Lord.”
“Who Am I?Am I an Irishman? No!A transvestite? NoA club card holder ofBritish Airways Business Class? Nonor a Russian nyet, a new disciple
of Muni Maharaja. A friend ofSatsvarupa(now you’re getting close).
A one ten-thousandth the upper portionof a hair a soulwho can blast through solidstone
not any of the twenty-four elementsor a herring sad and blessedby some Jewish-American deli owneror a student turnedprofessor evena wanna-be best-selling author.”
“Krishna is the one who givesRain and sun—you can’t figure Him outso don’t trytake info from sastrasand guruand just execute it.”
“‘reading your book I forgotit was by a Hare Krishna author.’Good—disarm them and thengive them Krishna”
“Each moment of the day is blissfulif you attend it.”
“I’m happy know why’cause I’m a loyal sonnot much butnot kicked out.”
“Or better yet go straight to Golokaand serve Śrila Prabhupada back at the beginningwhatever he wants me to doI am willing and he says you’re myeternal son, here take asandesa and go work withthis devotee. I’m happyto do it.Would you?”
“You read and acceptResolutions nosolution schisms andinvasions allsuperficialand turn backto your own work”
“We’ll keep on tryingwin first prizesometimes in a Hawaii paradeor when a mayor shows up to cuta ribbonor better yetwhen a serious persontakes to the processand we feel satisfied to knowthat Prabhupadawould smileon usinsisting wecontinue.”
“Don’t let that old mayabeleaguer megive me the KC bluesany dayand not maya’s joy.”
“Rain beating hard Iopened the window and saw the Popefly by he said, ‘We’ll doall we can to help ISKCON.’”
“I’ll find my Krishna and dust Himoff, I mean, my forgotten Krishnaconsciousness. I’llclean it from the modesthe drossbut nihil obstatthere are no real obstacles.”
“I have God’s namesas a giftto say and finger beads andbe awareor not.”
“Don’t you see? It had to go willhave to gosooner or laterbut God’s namesare eternal.Do you know whatthat means?”
“Strength of sadhanaprotects me fromindulging in art world,world love,because that’s how it has to befor us sadhu soldiers,us recruits.”
“God gave me the ability to ride this penthe words come out fromHim so direct them to Himin praisebut howif you don’t love?”
“This is the toad’s sonnetand I try to shape thewords away from their possibleworst but nothing can come outin praise of Krishnauntil you loveand serveand there’sthe truth.”
“I am not going to learnfrom doctor or shrinkor priest or new guruon my own …stay with the one
who taught me in youthand sustains mestill.”
“I like to walkand think that Heis with me everywherewill teach meand love me andprotect methat He is doing thatfor everyone.Maybe they’re not wrongwhen they ask to be acceptedas they accept Him.”
“Our only asset our guru’sservice even offered in thisbroken and whimsical conditionself-righteous each oneof us.”
“I don’t want to livein a cage of my own makinglike I did before July ’66.”
“Truth descends like a mango handedfrom guru’s venerable handsfinally to you.Receive it withfaith and reverence.”
“O Krishna, You in all times.I missed our midnight rendezvousbut You will offer yet another.Will it be the same—no, latemorning and midnight are different,but You are kind andeverything is absolute inthe Bhagavatam at least.”
“I want to be a devotee, in there with my brothers, defending the movement. This is a big concert, and Śrila Prabhupada (the maestro) points in my direction for a solo sound. I let it rip and depend
on the rhythm section. Then he turns to the main groupwho roar into action and harmonizeI’m expected to join inwith no more solo partsuntil the end.Do you so much want the solo thatyou’d leave the orchestra to play ona corner under a street lamp?No, I won’t leave this family reunion. I’ll be a part.”
“I know how people are weak and Idispense compassion.”
“You have to withdraw your heart whereyou placed it in a woman’s care,because she touched you withher earnest devotion to guru andGod that sure commends herbut there’s no scope forbodily affection in theseRanks.”
“I am yours to say KrishnaKrishna, Krishna You let me sing butplease let me sing withpure devotionbut I knowthe answer to that—Youwant to know whether I can paythe saint’s priceor am I just out herefor a walka funny man-boy whocan’t go deeperwhere it hurts togive up self and seeGodas my guru does.”
“But Death has me marked as hemarked J. S. Bach centuries agoand caught him despite his lovelysongs and violin and harpsichord notesand that people still playhis sonatas hundreds of years later.”
“Please please pardonenlightenand may Iget going growingkinder workingwithout complaint.”
“grace has given himthis sacred space and stillhe wants more becausea person’s never satisfied
until he knows God as hisprotector. The poor affectedfellow will do better ifhe recites scripture butwhich holy bookto choose?”
“We old men gather in this precious groupand quibble instead of celebratethat Krishna is revealed and weshould desire Him only.”
“We are scared of hellso we praise Godnot devotees really becauseReal devotees don’t fear anythingthey sing in heaven orhell—wherever they go.”
“carrying rocks of burdensstill praying to Himto resolveand absolveand to set me straight.”
“At any rate it is now Kali’s age andwe can simply chant the Lord’s nameto avoid the pain of arthritic knees—not the painas if we think Hari’s nameis an analgesicit’s notbut to lose the painof an arthritic kneeby becoming absorbedin soul-solacing soundand waiting with thatinstead of Nyquil or Prozac.”
“wise ones turn to God and seeketernal life but not only for the sakeof safety. They seek God’s pleasureknow His plans for them or notbut trust and love Him.”
“I can only thank Krishnafor my present bountyof a bhakti-directed life. Icould not take advantageof Mathura, the Lord of,but let it be said that He keptme, my connection with the Swamiuntil all fool ladies and gentsand cattle and housesand cold misty mornings passed.”
“I’m on my own with a fewfaithful Hare Krishna friends—weare writing our way to deathour comic tragedy. No, notragedy but progressto the pointof no return—to Goloka.”
“He saidKrishna liked it when Bhisma piercedHim with arrows that flew like kisses.There are so many ways toexpress bhakti.”
“I saidI don’t want the worst thruston me just yet. It will come, Iknow, so I pray to rememberKrishna at all times and onall occasions.”
“O Krishna, I hold up my handsand You reassure me. I am novoidist but I am still crazy withfalse ego. Still, I want neverto leave my Swami’s shelter.Some words from a person in retrospect.”
“O master, it’s July 4, and todayI don’t want to be independentof your rule.I declare myself eager forthe simple things you gave.”
“‘Why is there anything?’For ananda, the Swami said inMexico.”
“And who knows myjoy except He who reignsin my heart and the heartsof all moving and nonmoving entities?”
“‘They make thisworld seem real,’ thoseNewsweek guys, butKrishna is with us and will protectHis devotees from such illusions.”
“O Govinda,I stretch and strain butbetter I transfer myenergy to bhakti’sprinciplelimbs.”
“But if I simply turn to KrishnaI’ll find rest there eternalthe Vedas say it and I believe.I live according to guru’scode hoping always to rememberKrishna in Goloka.”
“As I grow older Isee in a different waythat nothing in my life will lastand that I have achieved so little.”
“Down the scale He callsand I say I am coming Krishnajust let me hear You andI will not tarry.”
I’m not cheerful? I runthis way in rain gearsinging for the life of meknowing my masterwill at least claim me as his ownslow son the onehe picked upand shaved and dressedwho stays that way stillin recognition of that day.
From Dream Notebook:
“Take to the external reality of Krishna consciousness, which is all you can get. You can only scratch the surface of it, but be true to it and do the regular duties and hope to develop love of Krishna and believe in Krishna.”
Arcita Prabhu:
Jimmi Hendrix became famous in 1966, the year Srila Prabhupada started. Unfortunately he was addicted to drugs, and he died in 1970.
Comments by me:
Regarding the purifying association of Srila Prabhupada, Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami said after hearing Srila Prabhupada give just one lecture at 26 Second Avenue he gave up illicit sex and intoxication.
Regarding materialists doing the same things because they have no alternative, when I was 27 I spent Thanksgiving with my relatives. My mother asked me about getting married. It occurred to me that my mother was married, but now she was widowed, my aunt was married, but now she was widowed, and my cousin was married, but now she was divorced. So I said, “You were all married, but now you are single. Which one do you like better?”
They all said they liked being single better, so I said, “Then why are asking me to get married?”
They had no answer, and they did not ask again.
Thank you for all the verses stressing the importances of nama-sankirtana. Here is one more:
“Then the Bhaṭṭacarya asked Caitanya Mahaprabhu, ‘Which item is most important in the execution of devotional service?’ The Lord replied that the most important item was the chanting of the holy name of the Lord [nama-sankirtana].” (Cc. Madhya 6.241)
Caitanyananda Prabhu:
We are drowning in the material ocean. We see the life raft, yet we make no endeavor to reach it. How foolish is that!
Krishna is the only one who is always with us.
Narottama Dasa Thakura teaches that we must learn to cry for Krishna.
Unless we take this crying mood, Krishna will not take us seriously.
Even if we are chastised by senior devotees there is some sweetness in that because we are becoming free from our anarthas [qualities not favorable for spiritual realization].
If we practice devotional service seriously, senior devotees will want to spend time with us.
It is said that Narottama Dasa Thakura left his body after writing “Je Anilo Prema Dhana,” because the separation was unbearable for him.
We may think we are doing something alone, but actually the whole parampara is watching and appreciating.
Rasananda Govinda Prabhu:
Why does the Lord remain in the heart? One swami explains that He is waiting there for that moment when we decide to surrender to Him so He can give us the full protection which He promises.
If there is some apparent inconsistency in the scripture, then just say that it happened in another kalpa.
Lord Krishna’s first expansion to actually touch maya is Lord Shiva.
Bhakti gives auspiciousness in the form of divine qualities, good character, and spiritual happiness.
Just like we do not give our phone number to just anyone, Krishna does not give bhakti to just anyone.
We gossip because we are not going deep in our spiritual practice, and our minds need some engagement.
If we talk about a devotee with a malicious intent, that is offensive.
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In the Hare Krishna movement it is common for people to chant this verse before meals, although previously only the prasadam song by Bhaktivinoda Thakura was chanted. Although we often chant this Sanskrit verse, we practically never say its English translation, and thus many people may not know the meaning or significance of this verse.
maha-prasade govindenama-brahmani vaisnave
“Persons who are not very highly elevated in pious activities cannot believe in the remnants of food [prasadam] of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nor in Govinda, the holy name of the Lord, nor in the Vaishnavas.” (Mahabharata and Skanda Purana, quoted in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya 16.96)
In addition to chanting Hare Krishna in public and distributing the transcendental literature of Srila Prabhupada to the people in general, we also often offer people some kind of prasadam, spiritual food. We see practically that although we all value prasadam and consider it a great blessing of God, not everyone is able to appreciate it, and this verse tells why. The chanting of Hare Krishna, however, is so powerfully purifying that those who hear it repeatedly will develop faith in the transcendental nature of prasadam, the Lord Himself, His holy name, and His devotees, the Vaishnavas. They are all sources of transcendental pleasure for the pure soul.
