Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 7, No. 22
By Krishna-kripa das
(November 2011, part two)
North Florida
(Sent from Tuxtla, Mexico, on December 23, 2011)
Where I Was and What I Did
I was chanting at Krishna Lunch the second half of November, mostly in Gainesville except once at the end of the month in Tallahassee. I gave a lecture for the Gainesville Sunday Feast program on dancing and spirituality, and it was well received, with almost everyone chanting and dancing. Madhava Prabhu and Visvambhar of the Mayapuris came to chant at Gainesville’s Krishna Lunch one day and both the devotees and some onlookers appreciated, as you can see in this video below:
The last two Saturdays in November we chanted at the stadium in Gainesville before the Gator’s last two football games, and visiting devotees, such as Guru Prasad Swami and Dravida Prabhu, joined us. The video below, includes clips taken at these football game harinamas, following a brief one showing the Gainesville Friday program kirtana.
The Festival of the Holy Name, Alachua’s 24-hour kirtana, split over two days, and with several days of wonderful evening kirtanas leading up to it was a absolutely wonderful major event during the end of November.
There are valuable insights from Prabhupada in the Acarya videos and Prabhupada Siksamrita, and from visiting devotees, Guru Prasad Swami and Dravida Prabhu, as well as many regular Krishna House speakers. Different devotees share different beautiful things that they were thankful for at Thanksgiving dinner at Krishna House.
The Festival of the Holy Name
Beginning the Saturday evening, the week before The Festival of the Holy Name, there was chanting of the holy name for several hours, every night, with the possible exception of the Thanksgiving at different places in the Alachua community. It was wonderful to see the devotees’ faith in and enthusiasm for the chanting.
One young lady from Florida State University who is doing her Ph.D. In ethnomusicology on kirtana in Hare Krishna festivals came to take video of the Festival of the Holy Name and to interview devotees. She had visited Alachua before and attended the Ratha-yatras in New York and Los Angeles, but she found the kirtana at the festival the sweetest of all and was very impressed.
I tried to stay for twelve hours both days except on Saturday when fifty of us chanted for two hours before the football game in Gainesville. I was impressed as usually only twenty people come out for that kirtana, but here thirty additional people chose not to hear some of the best kirtana singers in the Hare Krishna movement but to instead share their enthusiasm for the holy name with others. The final day, the kirtana ended just before midnight, but I had to stop dancing half an hour before that because I was physically exhausted. I joked with Madhava Prabhu, the final kirtana leader, saying that he defeated me before he was able to keep singing but I had to stop dancing. I did not take much video of the event because I saw many people with better video equipment videoing it already. You can find videos posted by YouTube user bvdasa, who has two play lists of videos from the Alachua holy name event. Find them at http://www.youtube.com/user/bvdasa. I did take many still pictures, hoping for a one that is good enough to use for the chant page of Back to Godhead. I tried to get shots of devotees really absorbed in the chanting. Here are a couple:
Dancing for Krishna
Hanan, manager of Krishna Lunch, invited me to speak at the Gainesville Sunday Feast program, which is designed to encourage our friends from the university community in their spiritual life. My topic was dancing and spirituality. I explained how Srila Prabhupada, the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, described his practice has having four features, chanting, dancing, feasting, and philosophy. At Krishna Lunch, the feasting is prominent, but the chanting is also there and the philosophy is evident in the books on the information table and through talks with devotees. The dancing, however, is somewhat lacking. I told about how my guru ordered me to dance more, and how dancing is there in the practicing stage of Krishna consciousness, in the stage of spiritual perfection, and in the spiritual world. God Himself, Krishna, is the source of dance and the best dancer. I complied a video of devotees dancing in different parts of the world, and I showed that for the audience. Then I taught the swami step, a simple dance taught by Srila Prabhupada himself, and seeing everyone participate in the chanting and dancing my joy knew no bounds. Mother Amrita Keli, who graduated from both University of Florida and our program at Krishna House and who is in charge of the academic aspect of it this year led the kirtana. One girl, who was a friend of Andrea, one of our most enthusiastic resident dancers at Krishna House, said that she did not expect to like the dancing, but that she found she did. Hanan Prabhu and his wife both loved the program, and I felt very successful. Here is the video I showed the people:
If you want to hear the lecture, it is on ISKCON Desire Tree. Click here.
Insights from Lectures
Srila Prabhupada:
From the Acarya videos:
Vedic religion means to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the Absolute Truth.
We chant to keep in touch with Krishna by just as by listening to the radio people keep in touch with what is going on.
From Prabhupada Siksamrita:
If one always remembers Krishna and prays that he may not fall down, Krishna will protect him.
For persons who were completely engaged in service, occasionally Srila Prabhupada did not consider their failure to chant sixteen rounds very seriously, but if anyone was not completely engaged in service, it was a great defect not to complete his japa quote, and it should be made up the next day.
Srila Prabhupada says in a purport, “One with material attachments cannot understand spiritual freedom.”
In one letter, Prabhupada said we should read at least twice a day, morning and evening.
“You are to keep your beads very carefully because they are your direct link to Krishna.”
“Keep chanting and any offenses, because they are not intentional, will be vanquished.”
“Keep your beads in a bag and keep the bag around your neck. In this way you will not lose them.”
“If you lose your initiation beads, you do not to have your spiritual master chant on another set of beads. Once your chanting has been sanctified by the spiritual master it is eternally so.”
Regarding split personality, there is no question of split personality, just a very disturbed mind. Fix your mind on chanting Hare Krishna and that will bring the mind under control.
Guru Prasad Swami:
Srila Prabhupada said the disease of you Americans is that you want to change things.
For the devotee, every day is Thanksgiving, or he is thankful just to be allowed to engage in devotional service.
I tell the devotees that the first principle is that the preacher himself must be happy. The thing that will change devotees’ hearts is if a devotee is happy. Because happiness is what everyone is looking for.
People in general are thankful for the earth’s bounty, but they are not thankful for calamities.
In this world of duality we try for pleasurable situations and avoid the unpalatable ones, but the devotee sees Krishna in every circumstances and finds happiness everywhere.
Being deprived of someone's association causes one to relish it more when one has it.
Surrender to Krishna, desiring to please Him, is the essential feature of the devotee, and the other twenty-five qualities may or may not be present. Even if a devotees does not have all the Vaishnava qualities we must appreciate the presence of this most important quality.
The devotee is thankful that his suffering is reduced beyond what he deserves and that his facility is increased beyond what he deserves.
When prosperity occurs we are thankful for a greater opportunity for serving externally and when deprivation occurs we are thankful for a greater opportunity for internal work.
A mature devotee sees everything to be meant to be engaged in Krishna’s service. Although nothing every leaves Krishna’s control, Krishna makes it look like that so the devotee can reclaim it and engage it on His behalf.
When there is a rebellion, the government tries takes away the rebel’s facility. But Krishna is so kind he gives facility to the rebels who protest His existence.
Some modern psychologists do not think children should ever be restricted, but even plants are restricted so they may grow in the proper direction.
If you are too tolerant, people will take advantage of you, and if you are too stern people will rebel.
You should be tolerant of a person’s offense if the person has no knowledge or the person is repentant or they are unable to understand the gravity of the offense, or it is the first time. If it is the second or more offense, or when they know it is wrong but they do it anyway, you must be stern.
We should not waste time defending the false ego.
In his youth his village was wiped out by plague, but Bhaktivinoda Thakura saw it as Krishna’s mercy.
We are trying to govern the whole world by varnasrama, but we first have to follow varnasrama ourselves.
Srila Prabhupada's purport to Bhagavad-gita, purport to 10.4-5 is very illuminating.
On this day of Thanksgiving, we thank Krishna for everything He has given us.
Q: One lady I met on harinama said she was already happy without any spiritual endeavor. What to do?
A: Unless persons are interested, Prahlada recommended not speaking to them. That lady was not ready to listen. She was ready to speak. Also sometimes Krishna sends us people to defeat our false pride.
Bhaktisiddhanta Saravati Thakura would only speak to the more intellectual people and let his disciples speak to others. This was not his lack of humility but his practicality. When there was a chance to distribute prasadam, however, he would eagerly distribute to everyone.
Krishna intervenes in a devotees life when he surrenders, otherwise he just gets the response of the cosmic karmic mechanism.
Krishna never creates a situation that is impossible for a devotee to handle, but we may require to take extra help from the devotees to understand what to do.
The only purpose for a pure devotee to suffer unnecessarily is to show that the devotee's happiness is beyond material plane.
Christ says that not only he but all are sons of God. [ask him for verse reference]
The tendency is to bring the scripture down to our level instead broaden our intelligence to come to understand the Lord.
In school we hear of the activities of the same historical figures year after year. My experience was it was boring the first time, and it remained boring. But Krishna’s pastimes are ever fresh.
Sometimes people interpret another intentions, but the real way to understand a person’s intentions is to ask the person.
Bhagavad-gita, according to the great spiritual teachers, is just an introduction to the spiritual science, yet most people do not understand it in a whole lifetime.
At Radha Kund Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakra spoke about sa vai pumsam and other Bhagavatam verses and Sri Isopanisad to make the two points that (1) unless one understands the basic philosophy one cannot appreciate the highest knowledge of spiritual relationships, and (2) one advanced in the spiritual science can hear repeatedly the basic knowledge and relish it. In this way he was simultaneously chastising those who were proud and giving nectar to the humble.
The South Indian brahmana who could not perfectly pronounce the Sanskrit verses of Bhagavad-gita but had great appreciation of the sweet relationship between Krishna and Arjuna in the estimation of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, attained the highest success in spiritual life simply by meditating on this single pastime of the Lord.
The proof that one has understood the philosophy of life is that one is always happy and satisfied. If you understand the knowledge of Bhagavad-gita you must be happy, what to speak of understanding Srimad-Bhagavatam or Caitanya-caritamrta.
Lord Krishna wanted to speak Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna because he was a playing the role a common man in human society and not a great saint such as Narada or Sukadeva Goswami.
Sometimes we want to be Krishna consciousness, but when we encounter some obstacle, we hesitate and become like Arjuna, saying in effect, “Krishna, change my service.”
Krishna says that He is the taste of water. If your tongue is dry, you cannot taste something without water in. Water is necessary to relish the taste of things.
When Nrsimhadeva appeared He saved Prahlada Maharaja, but when Krishna appeared He delivered even those inimical to Him, and what to speak of Lord Caitanya, who came to give everyone love of God.
We are advised to follow the gopis who wanted no spiritual or material happiness but only Krishna’s pleasure
Once Rukmini was crying, and Krishna asked why, wondering if she was remembering His joking words. She replied that was not it. She explained the problem was that He did not understand the feelings the devotees have for Him.
The Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam are all based on inquiry. One who is humble will inquire and easily advance.
In japa we are sitting down alone with Krishna.
Bhaktisiddhanta Saravati Thakura says kirtana is powerful because we have the reinforcement of others.
Srila Prabhupada says when we are chanting, here is Krishna, here is Vrndavana, etc.
To improve japa get up so early there is nothing else to do.
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami (from Memory in Krishna Consciousness):
The spiritual transformations that we seek do not come by accident. Only by deliberate management of our lives, taking time to go deep into the subject of spiritual devotion, can we obtain our hearts’ desires.
Dravida Prabhu:
We are taking the interest of the body and mind as our true interest and forgetting the actual interest of the soul.
Arjuna surrendered to Krishna when he realized he could not determine his actual self-interest and asked Krishna to instruct him about his real self-interest.
When we awaken from a dream, whether it is a nightmare we wish to forgot or a pleasant dream we may wish to return to, it is only temporary.
We invest every day, in our studies, in some relationship, or in Bhagavad-gita. And Srimad-Bhagavatam tells us where to invest.
Now instead of doing dharma to get economic development, people engage in technology to achieve that end.
Prahlada explains those who only see the value of the material cannot place their faith in Krishna. Because of uncontrolled senses they chew the chewed and view the viewed. Because they ignore the goal of Vishnu they take shelter of false goals, being led by blind men. Without taking shelter of the pure devotee, one cannot gain the goal of freedom from false goals.
Contact with the holy name gives us another kind of pleasure, and this pleasure is the antidote to all kinds of material addictions.
Serving Krishna means serving our true self.
We obey lust because we think it is us.
If we everything to Krishna, we get everything back. We have to have that faith that the more we give to Krishna, the more we get back.
Do we want to live eternally? Yes, but we have so much reluctance to do what is required to attain that state.
Srila Prabhupada asked his disciples, “What do you accept Krishna as God?”
One said, “Because what Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita.”
No said, Srila Prabhupada, “Because of you, Srila Prabhupada,” another said.
No, Srila Prabhupada, “Because you are experiencing bliss by chanting Hare Krishna.”
The Gaura-arati song is a description of the Maha-Prakasa-lila of Lord Caitanya.
There is no point at which material piety can produce bhakti. Only spiritual piety can do that.
Greed is good, if it is greed for the Holy Name, or greed for service to the Lord. That comes from service to the guru.
As soon as you start chanting Hare Krishna, your previous life makes no difference.
Kalakantha Prabhu:
Because Drupada did not give Drona half his kingdom as he promised as a kid, Drona engaged his students in defeating Drupada as guru daksina [remuneration for their education], and thus winning his kingdom. Drona gave half back to Drupada so the promise would be kept but Drupada was so angry he performed sacrifice to have a son who would kill Drona, and thus Drystadyumna was born.
After the battle, when Arjuna is taking with Krishna about what to do about Asvattama, he offers prayers showing he is in full consciousness of Krishna as the Supreme Godhead and he is clearly surrendered to Him. Although in a serious situation, he is not freaked out because of his enlightened consciousness, and so he takes the time to glorify Krishna before asking for help.
People are looking for happiness in the mode of ignorance and passion but not finding it because happiness is there only in the mode of goodness. By living in an ashram we can come to mode of goodness.
Progressing in spiritual life is like walking on a tight rope, and sometimes Krishna will wiggle the rope. Actually you can count on Him to wiggle the rope.
When Srila Prabhupada heard that President Nixon asked the nation to pray for the safely of the Apollo 13 astronauts who were in danger, he chuckled and said, “They did not consult God before sending up the rocket.”
The people I ask to give class here [in Gainesville] have gone through many trying situations and remained in Krishna consciousness and so I think their realizations will benefit you.
In the 1970s, Srila Prabhupada could see that women’s liberation was promoted by men so they could exploit the women for their sense enjoyment without taking responsibility to maintain the women and their offspring. No one else was seeing it like that.
In Bg. 9.32 sudras are considered to be sinful birth, but in the Bhagavatam everyone in this age is said to be less than sudras, so we are all less than sinful.
One scientific study showed:
The weight of the brain is proportional to the weight of the body and thus women have smaller brains simply because their bodies are smaller. As a proportion of body weight there is no different in brain size between the sexes.
The study also showed that men work mostly with the left brain which specializes in discrimination, while women work with both sides of the brain and have better intuition and emotional intelligence. So the sexes excel in different areas.
Because of how they think women are better at passing on culture to children which is important and requires some time, therefore full time mothers play an essential role in society.
If a man cannot provide for a woman, he is not ready to get married.
The question, “Can pure devotees make mistakes?” often really means “Can I judge whether or not someone is a pure devotee by whether or not they make mistakes?”
Good judgment is born of experience, and experience is born of bad judgment.
One of my senior godbrothers used to tell us that Srila Prabhupada said, “My body is Indian, but my ideas are all American.”
Sesa Prabhu:
From a discussion on punishment:
Comment by Vaishnava Prabhu: Manu Samhita recommends different punishment according to the consciousness of the person who commits it.
Comment by Kalakantha Prabhu: To reduce meat consumption, I recommend taxing meat and reducing health insurance for nonmeat eaters.
Revenge is inconsistent with Krishna’s purpose of creating the material world.
Comment by Mother Amrita Keli: If forgiveness is globally applied, lawlessness will reign.
In a conversation with Prahlada Maharaja, the idea of sometimes forgiving is recommended, as never forgiving or always forgiving will not work.
From the legal point of view if one does not know of the illegal objective of an act he cannot be convicted for conspiracy to commit it. Thus because the meat eaters in general do not know it is sinful to kill animals they cannot be said to be part of conspiracy to do so.
We have to educate people about the connection between slaughtering animals and war and pestilence.
Animal rights theories:
For animal rights: Peter Singer, on the equality of all beings because they are sentient.
For animal rights: Tom Regan, animals have a right not be used in a way they experience pain or suffering.
Braja Hari Prabhu:
Somebody once told me that Arjuna decided to fight, because otherwise Krishna would explain the whole Bhagavad-gita all over again, and he did not want that. This of course is not true. Arjuna relished hearing the words of Krishna, although sometimes we [in our neophyte condition] get tired of hearing them.
Dr. Dina Bandhu: Without activity that is based on faith, there is no evidence that a person actually has faith.
“I cannot conceive of a genuine scientist without that profound faith. . . science without faith is lame, faith without science is blind.”—Albert Einstein
Mother Govinda Mohini dd from South Africa:
My mother is very supportive of my spiritual life, and she knows that Krishna has to purify me. Once when things were very difficult for me here in America, I decided to go back home to South Africa. My mother discouraged me, saying, “You are like a patient who is on the operating table in the middle of an operation. You should stay there.”
As Lord Caitanya accepted the form of a sannyasi so people would offer Him respect, sometimes Krishna would display the four-handed Vishnu form of the Supreme Lord so people would realize His divinity and take Him seriously.
Comment by Amrita Keli: When I burned my arm and was there in the hospital with Ali Krishna I really felt how I was not my body. I had been praying to Krishna for purification for two weeks, and I really felt Krishna taking me seriously.
In difficult situations, I feel we should be grateful and ask for help.
Thanksgiving Dinner:
[Many devotees at Krishna House said what they were thankful for, and I wrote down some of them.]
Krishna-kripa Das:
I am thankful to see so many devotees who really love kirtana and who chant together morning and evening here. I am thankful that the Krishna House devotees maintained my program of chanting Wednesday at the Farmers’ Market when I went away for the summer. I am thankful to see how things are increasing here in so many ways, and I am grateful to be allowed to live here.
Nimai Pandita:
If feel the three years I spent at Krishna House were the most valuable and educational in my life.
I am thankful Kalakantha Prabhu encourages people to offer their individuality in Krishna's service.
Padma:
I am thankful Arjuna was uncertain and needed guidance.
Anna, the Quaker lady:
I am thankful I heard the chanting at the Farmers’ Market, and that Terri taught me the Hare Krishna mantra. It does make you happy.
Gopal:
I am grateful that, unlike many men my age, I have the time to come and participate in Krishna House because I have not so many other responsibilities.
Trey:
I am thankful that I met Donna, a Unitarian universalist charible person, who came with me and spontaneously brought fruit to offer. I thankful for Krishna House.
Clayton:
I am thankful to Kalakantha Prabhu for letting me live here, to Estefania for making breakfast, to Gopal for cutting up all the vegetables, to Mike for his cooking, . . .
Govinda Mohini dd:
I am thankful for my month-long stay. I feel refreshed. I am inspired by the seriousness of the new devotees, some who are more serious than I am. I will always treasure this time.
Indian student:
I am thankful I applied to UF, and that Krishna House is right by the campus and Krishna Lunch is served every day.
Olivia:
I am grateful to Kalakantha and Caitanya Prabhus, who preached to me every day. Before meeting the devotees, the words on the Dr. Bronner’s soap bottle were all I knew of God. I see you are all very saintly people, and I am very happy to be in your association.
Sruti Sagar Prabhu:
I am thanks to Srila Prabhupada for bringing Krishna Consciousness to the West, and Gaura Nitai for allowing me to serve, and Kalakantha Prabhu for tolerating me. Thanks to all the devotees.
Jagannatha Puri Dhama Prabhu:
I feel thankful for Gopal every day [as he chops all vegetables I cook]. I am thankful for your calamities because it keeps me employed.
I am thankful for this amazing community that has been taking care of me in every way. Thanks for Kalakantha.
Joy:
I would not have become a devotee without Krishna Lunch and Krishna House. I have never lived in an ashram, although here I can pretend to.
Estefania:
I am thankful to Kalakantha Prabhu for dealing with all our stuff. I am thankful for my sister for becoming a great devotee, and Tony for teaching me mrdanga. I am thankful to Gaura Nitai, Srila Prabhupada, and Radhanatha Swami.
Mike:
I am thankful for my parents who are so supportive. I am thankful for all the great devotees who have created this place. Thanks for the friends. It is amazing you can make 25 friends all at once.
Ananta:
I am most thankful for Kalakantha Prabhu for facilitating my stay. I did not know what to expect. My mom said, “You are going to the Krishna House.” Everyone’s heart is so open here, even at 5:00 in the morning. Thanks to Tony for being such a respectable roommate. And Baladeva for being the ultimate gurukuli.
Ananda Seva Prabhu:
I want to thank Andrea for taking over this service [of organizing Thanksgiving dinner]. In the beginning I was worried letting the new people do my services. Now I like it. I do not think I would have been able to go back to school without Krishna. I would like to thank the Krishna consciousness management and all the devotees.
Brahma Tirtha Prabhu:
I am thankful for an interesting phenomena. In the beginning, we had more determination than patience, and we had Srila Prabhupada. But then Srila Prabhupada left, and we were left without any adult guidance, and somehow we just stuck to what we gave, and now we see you new devotees have come, and you have more patience and other good qualities, and to see this I am thankful. I can see how things will go on.
Hanan:
I am thankful for all the devotees I work with. Srila Prabhupada says in Nectar of Instruction that devotional service begins by appreciating the devotees have something valuable. Every day, every week, and every month I learn something valuable from the devotees.
Kalakantha Prabhu:
I am inspired to see all the devotion and all the happiness of the devotees.
Madhava Prabhu [from La Crosse]:
When we see a movie, we may cheer when the hero is victorious, but who is hearing our cheers? But when we glorify Krishna, it is different because He reciprocates.
Because we have an eternal relationship with Krishna, when we hear about Krishna, it awakens our spiritual emotions for Him.
Some devotees consider the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam a favorite part of the book because we are introduced to Krishna. We see how Krishna drives Arjuna’s chariot, He protects King Pariksit in the womb, he reciprocates with Kunti’s prayers.
Aindra Prabhu tells an analogy about a sitar and our relationship with Krishna. The sitar has two sets of strings, one that is played and another that vibrates when the others are played. Those reciprocal strings of our relationship with Krishna vibrate when we hear of Krishna.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura discussing Srivasa Thakuras son’s death and Srivasa’s words to the lamenting ladies, as long as you are in this world understand that your husbands, sons, etc., are temporary relationships. Do not get so caught up in them and forget your real relationship with Krishna.
Krishna has taken His dear one for His own pleasure.
Krishna may not protect your body or your mind which is so attached to your body, but He will protect your soul.
From Kalakantha Prabhu: When people are in lamentation over a loss, the best thing we can do is hear and try to understand their pain. Then if they are willing we can read Bhagavad-gita, just the verses about the eternality of the soul, without giving any of our own purport. You can ask their permission to read Bhagavad-gita.
Krishna did not call Arjuna a fool until he surrendered. Before they just had friendly talks.
When my mom was passing away, my relatives would watch TV as my mother lay dying. The first thing I did was turn off the TV. They were so attached to watching TV, you could see that disturbed their minds. Some even left soon after. I would take longer shifts than the others just so the TV would be off, and I would play kirtana softly. My relatives saw I knew how to deal with situation better than them, and that I was happier. My brother asked me about it, and I explained Krishna consciousness elaborately. But at a certain point, he realized to experience it, he would have to give up things that he was attached to, and so he stopped inquiring.
Some of the people you could see were making a show of grief, so in those cases, there is no grief to relieve.
On sankirtana one women was obviously disturbed my lamentation. She gave money and took a Coming Back. The next day she thanked my profusely, saying her son had just died, and she was so relieved after reading the book.
Dr. Dina Bandhu Prabhu:
Everyone just wants to be saved by just believing in something without worrying about changing his actions.
Just because you do not see your anarthas (unbeneficial qualities and behaviors) does not mean you do not have any. It just means you are in the mode of ignorance [illusion].
Madhava Prabhu [from Switzerland]:
Kirtana is very special. It is our connection to Gaura Nitai and Srila Prabhupada.
Aindra Prabhu would say Krishna has very fine ears. If you do not know how to play the karatalas, then do not play them. There is time to learn them, but now is not that time.
Subuddhi Krishna Prabhu:
Here Shiva is described as being satisfied by his own ecstasy. Most people are satisfied by their wealth and other material possessions, but here we find Shiva is satisfied by his own ecstasy.
We say that Krishna is identical to Vishnu, and some places in the Vedic literature, as here, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are described as nondifferent, thus people protest, “Why should we worship Krishna as Supreme?”
Comment by me: Perhaps we should show them the statements where Brahma and Shiva address Lord Krishna as being Supreme, as being their own worshipable deity, and as being the source of their potency.
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atmendriya-priti-vancha—tare bali ‘kama’
krishnendriya-priti-iccha dhare ‘prema’ nama
“The desire to gratify one’s own senses is kama [lust], but the desire to please the senses of Lord Krishna is prema [love].” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 4.165)
