Diary
of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 9, No. 24
By Krishna-kripa das
(December 2013, part two)
By Krishna-kripa das
(December 2013, part two)
New
York
(Sent from Gainesville, Florida, on January 12, 2014)
(Sent from Gainesville, Florida, on January 12, 2014)
Where
I Went and What I Did
I
continued chanting in New York City as part of Rama Raya Prabhu’s
harinama party for
five or six hours a day, and chopping vegetables for Govinda’s
Vegetarian Lunch at our Brooklyn temple. I visited the Quaker Meeting
in Brooklyn the Sunday before Christmas and went to the Doughnut
Plant that evening with my sister and her daughter, and one of my
sister’s friends. I visited my family in Albany on Christmas Eve
and Christmas. I also was a guest speaker at a Friday Gita
class in Queens, and twice the
speaker at Atmanivedana Prabhu’s program at 26 2nd
Avenue on Saturday, where I made sure to have a stand up kirtana
at the end with lots of dancing
which people liked. Thus it was a busy time. As this is the last
journal for 2013, I include my accounting and thank the many, many
people who donated to allow me to share the Hare Krishna mantra and
philosophy in different places.
Laksmi
Nrsimha Prabhu and his wife invited Jayadavita Swami to speak a few
times at their Monday evening program at 26 2nd
Avenue, so I continue to share notes from his lectures. I also have
some notes on a class by Candrasekhara Swami. All this in addition to
some quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s books and Satsvarupa Dasa
Goswami’s journal.
Thanks
to Braja-raja Prabhu for his videos, Alex Vaishnava for his photos of
harinama in Times
Square on New Year’s Eve, and Silvana Delgado from Columbia for her
video of harinama in
Union Square.
Itinerary
January
13–February 7 - Gainesville, Florida
February
8–11 - Tallahassee
February
12–13 - Jacksonville, Florida
February
14–February 19 - Gainesville, Florida
February
20 - Orlando and Philadelphia
February
21–24 - Dublin, Ireland
February
25 - Mumbai
February
26 - on a train between Mumbai and Howrah
February
27–April 14 - Mayapur
April
16 - Mumbai
April
17 - Dublin, Ireland
April
27 - Kings Day, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
May–July
(first two-thirds) – The North of England, Birmingham 24-hour
kirtana, London Ratha-yatra, Stonehenge Solstice Festival
July
(last third)–August (first two-thirds) – Baltic Summer Festival,
Polish Woodstock, Czech Woodstock
August
(last third)–September (first half) – The North of England
September
(rest) – New York
Income
and Expenses for 2013
Income
- Donations4224.00Book Sales7.60Loan Repayment50.00Total Income$4,281.60
Expenses
- Travel3309.90Gifts444.57Supplies118.46Festival Fees47.22Internet/Phone20.56Food / Water8.27Total Expenses$3,948.98
Comments:
I do not usually ask people for donations unless I need cash for a
ticket to America, Europe, or India. Sometimes people give me
donations when I give lectures or do extra harinamas in
their region. I do sell more books than appears from this statement,
but the funds are for the temple or project I am currently working
on. Phone and internet are small because the U.S. government gives
free phones to single people making less than $16,000 per year,
because devotee friends sometimes top up my UK phone as a favor, and
many temples have wireless internet. Food expenses are minimal as I eat in the
temples. Gifts include donations to swamis and temples, and prasadam
for relatives. Travel expenses
in 2013 included the costs of going to New York and Florida, in the
United Statues, and England, Belgium, Holland, Ireland, Lithuania,
Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, and Slovakia in Europe, and buying a
ticket for my biannual trip to India in February 2014.
I
want to thank the following people who kindly gave donations to me in
2013. They are listed in order from largest to smallest amounts,
along with where the contributors are from, where they are living
now, or where I met them. Rama Raya Dasa (NYC), Kaliya Krishna Dasa
(NYC), Prema Sindhu Dasa (Columbus), Prema Vilasa Dasa (Columbus),
Dhruva Dasa (Kansas City), Kalakantha Dasa (TP Gainesville), Uma Devi
Dasi (Tampa), Pat Beetle (my mother, Albany), Praghosa Dasa (GBC, UK
& Ireland), Newcastle, England, temple, the people who gave
donations on harinama
in many places,
Atmanivedana Dasa (NYC), Janananda Goswami (UK), Charu Gopika Devi
Dasi (Queens), Den Haag temple, Premarnava Dasa (Dublin), Sivananda
Sena Dasa (Rotterdam), Prema Sankirtana Dasa (Newcastle), Jivamukta
Yoga School (NYC), Naveen Krishna Dasa (Columbus), Nanda Kumar Dasa
(Gainesville), Sthita-dhi Muni Dasa (Alachua), devotees from Leeds,
Govind (NYC), Vrajendralal Dasa (Bolton), Caru Candra Dasa (Leeds),
Clive (Chester), Raj Sharma (Leeds), Amsterdam temple, Ananta Nitai
Dasa (Dublin), Gopali Devi Dasi (Slovakia), Pankajanghri Dasa
(Queens), Bindu Madhava Dasa (NYC), Dauji (Switzerland), Kapil
(Queens), Victor (Albany), Sunanda Dasa (Queens), Stevie B. (London),
Alexi (London), Karen (my sister, Albany), Mr. Joshi (Plymouth),
Govinda Prabhu (Bhaktivedanta Manor), Asta-sakhi Devi Dasi (Holland),
the Sheffield devotees, Muni Priya Dasa (CZ), Daru Das (Tallahassee),
Haryasva Dasa (Philly), Rasikananda Dasa (Alachua), Bhakti Rasa Dasa
(Newcastle), an Indian guest (Sheffield), Magdalena (Liverpool), a
man in pub in Hazel Grove, Nayan (Bhaktivedanta Manor), Ram Charan
(London), a new devotee (Bratislava), Iksvaku Dasa (Amsterdam),
Bhakta Andrej (London), Jivananda Dasa (Slovakia), Bhaktin Erzsebet
(London), a man at the Philadelphia airport, and a Birmingham
devotee.
Many
other people helped in different ways. Candrasekhara Swami (NYC)
donated two shirts and a sweater, Bhagavata Dasi (Belfast) donated a
hat, Govind (NYC) donated a gamsha and three sets of counter beads,
Gaura Keshava Dasa (Slovakia) donated some shoes. Prema Sindhu Dasa
(Columbus) and Kaliya Krishna Dasa (NYC) also purchased airline
tickets for me to Columbus and New York, respectively. My family
donated figs, chocolate, and socks for Christmas. Kapil (Queens) gave me a orange
sweater, and Larry (Brooklyn) an orange hat. Amrita Keli Devi Dasi
(JAX) gave me some coconut oil.
If
I forgot you, let me know, and I will apologize and I will mention
you in my next journal. Too many people to mention helped with rides
and accommodation.
Thank
you all for assisting me in promoting the chanting of Hare Krishna
and the knowledge in the transcendental literature given by His Divine Grace
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Harinamas
in New York City
We
continued mostly in the subway stations, occasionally chanting in
Union Square or Washington Square Parks.
Braja-raja
Prabhu took some attractive video [http://youtu.be/vnSmt5d3VEg]
of us chanting at the Times Square subway station. It includes my
exchange with a passerby, who when asked where he encountered Hare
Krishna before, replied with a smile, “Everywhere!”
Even
on one cold night in Union Square, many devotees came out.
There
is one man who has trained his cat to sit on his head.
At
one point, he was even doing some dance steps to our music!
One
old man appreciated the chanting.
Displaced
from Union Square by the Christmas Market and Green Market, sometimes
we chanted at Washington Square Park.
Here
a whole family participated.
Here
a guy joined us, playing the gong at the back of our party.
Back in Union Square, one girl enjoyed dancing and playing shakers.
Then
a group of two adults and two kids all played the instruments with
us.
One
day at Washington Square Park was very warm.
A
father and daughter danced, even as they went on their way.
A
young woman enjoyed dancing with us.
Later
she looked at the books.
At
Union Square, one cab driver danced with upraised hands as he walked
to his cab’s trunk to unload his passengers’ luggage . . .
.
. . and then again while returning to the driver’s seat!
The
day after Christmas at the Union Square subway station, a couple from
Columbia in South America was happy to encounter our harinama
party. The guy enjoyed
playing the shakers and dancing, and the lady took a video
[http://youtu.be/z4C_7sKHhDs]
of us all. At that time, Sofia from Siberia was singing and Rama Raya
Prabhu was playing the harmonium, as you can see:
A
few days later they passed us in Grand Central station, and I thanked
the lady for sending me her video.
At
Delancey Street a man in a Christmas hat happily played the gong.
There
four friends danced in front of our party for almost an hour.
One
day at Union Square subway, three girls chanted happily with us for
half an hour.
Later
four guys played instruments and clapped.
Their
leader was familiar with kirtana.
Later
another girl joyfully chanted with us.
The
last Saturday in December was very warm, and we chanted in Union
Square. Brajaraja Prabhu took some video of children participating
and posted it on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=344917838983786&set=vb.100003967196971&type=2&theater
Jayadvaita Swami joined that day, and once at Grand Central Subway Station.
Jayadvaita Swami joined that day, and once at Grand Central Subway Station.
One
girl passing by our party at Union Square subway station, joyfully
said to her boyfriend, “I love Hare Krishna!”
One
evening when we were chanting at Grand Central on the long hallway
between the other subways and the Times Square shuttle, two policemen
passed our party just as one of our lead singers finished his shift
and the kirtana suddenly stopped. One of the policemen
exclaimed, “Why did you stop?” It made me smile. Usually
policemen want us to stop singing, but this one wanted us to
continue!
On
New Year’s Eve, Rama
Raya Dasa's
harinama party chanted on the outskirts of New York’s Times Square
festival. One Arabic mother from Dubai and her two kids danced with
us for twenty minutes, and you can catch glimpses of them in this
video (http://youtu.be/5whX4vCh-PI).
It
was awesome to see her joy at dancing in the kirtana.
Later a Brazilian couple
followed us for over an hour, smiling and moving with the sound of
the kirtana.
The
lady (above) expressed interest in looking up Hare Krishnas when she
returns to Brazil the following day.
It was seriously cold, 26° F or -4° C, and that was at 11:08 p.m.
To
get uptown to do the Times Square harinama,
we did harinama
on the “F” train from Second Avenue
(http://youtu.be/qBSRwBkKzw4).
Earlier in the day, we had sung at Grand Central subway station on the corridor to the Times Square shuttle. Between Christmas and New Years, often Rama Raya would sing Hare Krishna to the tune of the famous New Years song, “Auld Lang Syne.” (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGerEnGdI0xJ4_V6CVn2KkkjOGQBqLHEn)
One
girl passing by told her boyfriend, “That’s ‘Auld Lang Syne!’”
Atmanivedana
Prabhu’s Program at 26 2nd
Avenue
It is wonderful that Atmanivedanta Prabhu and his wife, Subhie, are
dedicated to having a Gita
class every Saturday
evening at 26 2nd
Avenue. The people who come really enjoy discussing the philosophy
and asking questions. I am trying to always have a nice standing up
kirtana with dancing at
the end, and people have been liking it. It is great to see this
pilgrimage place of Hare Krishna history nicely utilized. Laksmi
Nrsimha Prabhu and his wife also have a program there on Mondays.
Charu
Gopika Devi Dasi and Her Queens Program
Charu
Gopika Devi Dasi uses the Internet to invite people to her home every
Friday for a Hare Krishna program. She has interested some completely new people who have become regulars in that way. I was inspired by
her dedication and innovation and hope to visit her program at least
once each time I come to New York City.
Visiting
the Friends Meeting in Brooklyn
I
decided to visit the Friends Meeting (Quakers) in Brooklyn which is
just three and a half blocks down Schermerhorn Street from the
Brooklyn Hare Krishna temple. I had a friend from when I was teenager
who attends that meeting, and I also like to share my realizations
with them and hear what they have to say. My first encounter with the
joy of the congregational glorification of God was singing Christmas
carols with the members of the Albany Friends Meeting as a youth.
Their worship, however, is sitting in silence, thinking about
God, and sharing realizations. Learning of the power and joy of the
practice of singing the glories of the Lord, I always think that the
Quakers would do better to add more singing to their practice. Thus I
mentioned in the meeting about my early experience with singing the
Christmas carols and saying that they could take advantage of the
season to do more of that. Surprisingly enough, at the end of the
meeting, in honor of Christmas, the First Day school children entered the meeting room, stood right next to where I was sitting, and sang the
song “Silent Night” for the pleasure of the congregation. Later I talked with an older lady who was
originally from the Santa Monica meeting. She said in that meeting,
in addition to speaking realizations during meeting, it was accepted,
and even welcomed, if people would sing a song expressing their message.
I told her how song is more common in Quaker services in recent
years, and in Albany for half an hour one week a month they sing
spiritual songs before meeting, and in Tallahassee some members come
early and sing for fifteen minutes before meeting every week. She was
inspired to suggest they might try that in Brooklyn. I also met a
girl who asked the blessings of the congregation for her trip to
India, and I offered to tell her of some special places to visit
there.
Christmas
in Albany
Victor
greatly facilitated my program of making prasadam for my
friends at the Albany Friends Meeting by greeting me at the Chinese
bus in Albany with all the ingredients I needed for cooking. Since my
sister had her own extensive cooking project, I cooked at the Friends
Meetinghouse. A friendly Peruvian Catholic lady, Arinca, there with
her Quaker friend, Crystal, kindly helped me grate for 4.5 cups of
carrots that Victor had peeled, thus I was able to finish the
carrot-coconut rice from Yamuna’s cookbook on time. I played a nice
Hare Krishna kirtana tape while I cooked, which no one
objected to.
We
attended the Christmas play at the Albany Friends Meeting, and as
usual people dressed up to act out different parts of the narration
of Jesus’s appearance story, which included few appropriate songs
which the congregation sang.
My eighty-nine-year-old mother played an angel.
And
I played a wise man.
When
the congregation sang the songs about the birth of Lord Jesus Christ,
there was a nice spiritual feeling in the atmosphere.
After
the drama, someone read The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey,
a story about a wood carver whose hard heart was softened in the
course of carving the figures in the Jesus story. Later at my
sister’s house my family read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a
story of a family of delinquent children who become righteous in the
course of enacting a drama of the Christmas story. It is interesting
to me that the transforming power of narrations concerning God or the
son of God is a common theme in these two fictional stories.
Different verses in India’s Vedic literature refer to power of
transcendental narrations such as: “On the other hand, that
literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental
glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited
Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words
directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of
this world’s misdirected civilization. Such transcendental
literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and
accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.11) The story of
the appearance of Lord Jesus Christ, who Srila Prabhupada considered
to be a saktyavesa avatar of the Lord could be considered in this
category of transcendental literature.
On
Christmas I gave my adventurous niece, Fern, Radhanath Swami’s
book, The Journey Home, her boyfriend, Oliver, who is studying
philosophy, Bhagavad-gita, Victor, who has some devotional
inclinations, The Nectar of Devotion, and my mother, Pat, the
peace activist, Sri Isopanisad, with its message of peace
through accepting our God-given quota and not taking that of others.
I could not find a book I thought my sister would really like on our
harinama book table.
Thus
I decided to order for her online a Hare Krishna cookbook that she
doesn’t have, Great Vegetarian Dishes by Kurma Dasa.
Oliver
said he had read some passages from the Gita, and he was happy
to get the entire book.
I
also gave all my relatives each a piece of maha-prasadam pera from Radha
Govinda.
I
received two package of figs, one of my favorite treats, some
chocolate, and a couple pairs of socks, useful for keeping warm on
harinama.
Some people living near my mom had an elaborate display of Christmas lights which was hard to avoid taking a picture of.
Some people living near my mom had an elaborate display of Christmas lights which was hard to avoid taking a picture of.
Is it all done
for the glorification of the Lord and free of karma? Let’s hope so.
To
see the photos I took but did not include in this journal, click on
the link below (the unused pictures appear after the used ones):
Insights
Srila
Prabhupada:
from
Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila 11.89, purport:
“Simply
by accepting the associates of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu as
nitya-siddha [eternally perfect], one can very easily go back home, back to
Godhead.”
from
Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila 11.95, purport:
“There
are many professional chanters who can perform congregational
chanting with various musical instruments in an artistic and musical
way, but their chanting cannot be as attractive as the congregational
chanting of pure devotees. If a devotee sticks strictly to the
principles governing Vaishnava behavior, his bodily luster will
naturally be attractive, and his singing and chanting of the holy
names of the Lord will be effective. People will appreciate such
kirtana without hesitation.”
Satsvarupa
Dasa Goswami:
“Today’s
drawing shows three
bhaktas dancing and chanting
with upraised arms.
They are jolly and moving
together. They are detached
from the material world.
They avoid intoxication
illicit sex, meat-eating
and gambling. This
situates them on the transcendental plane.
They have no anxieties
or fear for material life.
This because they are
chanting the great mantra
for deliverance which
puts one under
Krishna’s protection.
The mantra is
so powerful it
beats back the material miseries. Anyone
can receive this position
if he or she chants
in a submissive, surrendered mood.”
bhaktas dancing and chanting
with upraised arms.
They are jolly and moving
together. They are detached
from the material world.
They avoid intoxication
illicit sex, meat-eating
and gambling. This
situates them on the transcendental plane.
They have no anxieties
or fear for material life.
This because they are
chanting the great mantra
for deliverance which
puts one under
Krishna’s protection.
The mantra is
so powerful it
beats back the material miseries. Anyone
can receive this position
if he or she chants
in a submissive, surrendered mood.”
“Today’s
drawing shows four
bhaktas
dancing and
chanting with upraised arms.
They are jolly and
moving together.
Prabhupada encouraged us
right from the beginning
in 1966 to get up
and dance. When the
first boy, Bob Lefkowitz
danced, I thought
he was too sensual, but
Swamiji smiled at him
approvingly. Later I
rose for the first time
and did the Swami
step, and he nodded that it
chanting with upraised arms.
They are jolly and
moving together.
Prabhupada encouraged us
right from the beginning
in 1966 to get up
and dance. When the
first boy, Bob Lefkowitz
danced, I thought
he was too sensual, but
Swamiji smiled at him
approvingly. Later I
rose for the first time
and did the Swami
step, and he nodded that it
was
good. In
later years the
dancing grew more
choreographed and wild.
But Prabhupada allowed it.
He just wanted to see
that we were enthusiastic.”
later years the
dancing grew more
choreographed and wild.
But Prabhupada allowed it.
He just wanted to see
that we were enthusiastic.”
Jayadvaita
Swami:
Devotional
service is practical activity, not imaginative ecstasy. The example
could
be given that a man comes home and asks his wife if dinner is ready,
and she simply says, “I love you so much.”
Bhakti
is
not just a feeling, but practical service, and that service is
performed in knowledge.
[After
telling the story of the bum who donated toilet paper to 26 2nd
Ave.:] We are all more or less bums, just of different caliber.
We
at the BBT (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust) would have put a ceiling on
editing the books a long time ago, but we keep finding things that
really need to be changed.
Srila
Prabhupada told Hayagriva he could use the Bhagavad-gita
translations
from the other editions which were more or less accurate. Hayagriva
said that would be plagiarism. Prabhupada replied, “What
plagiarism? They are Krishna’s words!”
Hayagriva’s
son Stambha delivered some of his father’s papers to the BBT not
long ago. In them I found a page of the Gita
manuscript
with Srila Prabhupada’s introduction of a handwritten line blasting
Mayavadi philosophy. It is good we did not put a ceiling on the Gita
so
we can include this change Prabhupada obviously wanted.
I
think for everyone to be concerned about everything is
psychologically unhealthy, and Krishna recommends that one be
concerned about doing his own duty.
I
think that it would be better if those concerned about the editing
issue voiced their concerns to the people who can actually do
something about it and not by mentioning them on Facebook.
One
might ask if we can change the format of the books, by eliminating
the Sanskrit, the word synonyms, the transliteration, etc. The BBT
trustees are discussing this issue, but it has not yet become an
Internet discussion.
When
I was at our temple on 55th
St. I revised the translations for the first two chapters of the
First Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
When
Srila Prabhupada was visiting New York, I was going to drop them off
with his secretary, but he was there, and he had me read a few of
them to him. He heard them and asked what I had done.
I
said, “I just tried to make them closer to what you originally
said.”
He
said, “Oh, in that case, it is alright.”
Although
Srila Prabhupada blasted Radha Vallabha for liking to change things
too much, when he proposed to resign, Srila Prabhupada would not
allow him to, saying “What else can he do?”
There
are genuine issues and then there is internet madness, which
unfortunately obscures the real issues.
Comment
by Abhirama Prabhu:
When
Srila Prabhupada was personally present, and we did not understand
something, we would ask him about it, and he would explain it in
another way. We can understand from this that Srila Prabhupada
approved of different explanations of the same thing as long as the
meaning was not altered.
Q:
There is so much controversy about this edition of Bhagavad-gita
or that
edition. Is there something else I can do besides reading
Bhagavad-gita?
A:
Yes. You can chant Hare Krishna. That was one of the original
attractions for me. I saw philosophy in school was just a lot of hot
air with nothing definitive about improving my life. Thus when Srila
Prabhupada presented that the Hare Krishna mantra came directly from
the transcendental plane beyond the mind and intelligence, I thought
that was great—I can circumvent all the hot air and attain the
spiritual plane.
Actually
the differences in the editions of Bhagavad-gita
are
really minor. It is not like Krishna is supreme in one edition and
Shiva is supreme in another.
Q:
So I am to understand that by chanting Hare Krishna I will be able to
actually understand either edition of Bhagavad-gita?
A:
Yes. The chanting cleanses the heart so we can understand. That is
why we chant before our classes.
Once
the GBC suggested the BBT footnote Srila Prabhupada’s statements
that might offend some people, but the BBT declined. Who was
qualified to make those determinations and where would they end?
Srila Prabhupada is against anything except pure devotional service
to the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, thus there is
something Srila Prabhupada’s books that will offend anyone.
We
have a few “will not fixes,” things that Srila Prabhupada said a
certain way, and we are not going to change them.
Some
things are hard to define. How many hairs do you have to have on your
face to have a beard? Twenty? Forty?
I
suppose if Srila Prabhupada were here, there may be a few changes he
didn’t like. [With folded hands:] “I am sorry, Srila Prabhpada.”
But he would be very happy so many important corrections were made.
[After
class, Jayadvaita Swami advised one disciple of Tamal Krishna Goswami
to take second initiation from a swami who has a relationship her
initiating guru and who will continue guiding her in the same
direction.]
Death
for the devotee is the path back to Godhead. Death for the atheistic
is total loss.
Death
of the demons is compared to the cat capturing a rat. Demons are like
rats. Rats always hope the cat is absent so they are free to do as
they please.
The
people who pass by us at the subway station benefit. They are not
hearing the holy name offensively; they like it. Their
misunderstandings compared to their appreciation are insignificant.
Q
(by Abhirama Prabhu): Is that first smile of those who hear us
chanting, worship of Krishna?
A:
Yes. They are appreciating Krishna in the form of His name.
Otherwise, they would not be wandering through the subway system
thinking, “I love God.” But they love the chanting, and the
chanting is not different from Krishna.
Q
(by Murli Vadaka Prabhu): Doesn’t Krishna make it hard for us after
the initial stage?
A:
No, we make it hard for ourselves because of our misgivings. We did
not realize how dirty our consciousness is, and what it will take to
clean it.
Happiness
is more than just maintaining a smile. It involves sacrifice. Like
the happiness of the warrior is to fight for the protection of the
innocent people although it may be troublesome. Or the happiness of
the nurse is taking care of the patients despite so much
inconvenience. Similarly the devotee is happy despite the
difficulties in executing devotional service.
Comment
by Abhirama Prabhu: We see people on harinama who are so happy
to encounter the devotees and the chanting that their eyes fill with
tears of joy.
We
can be as happy as the newcomers on harinama. If we think we
have too much work to do and so we cannot go, then we will miss out
on that happiness that even the newcomers experience.
The
Six Goswamis were engaged in utkirtana, the loud chanting of
the holy name, and they were big, big philosophers.
Q
(by Murli Vadaka Prabhu): What about people in other traditions who
engage in some limbs of devotional service but still engage in sinful
activities?
A:
It is good they are chanting the name of God, but not good that they
engage in sinful acts. Still they are much better than those who do
not engage in any acts of God consciousness. They can maintain their
situation in their own tradition, and learn from the Hare Krishna
devotees to avoid illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, and
gambling.
I
do not think I am afraid of birth and death. But I am afraid of
dying, and coming back, and having to go through adolescence again.
Once
Basu Ghosh Prabhu was telling Srila Prabhupada some of the
austerities the Jews perform, and after hearing these, Srila
Prabhupada said, “Something good.”
Philosophically
one should find an uttama-adhikari, or a devotee on the
highest level to be one’s guru. But Lord Caitanya did not make a
big issue of it. He simply accepted that anyone who knows the science
of devotional service to Krishna is qualified to be a guru.
One
must see that Krishna is coming in the form of the spiritual master.
The
devotee thinks, “I may be insignificant, but my spiritual master
can take you back to Godhead.”
Just
take up the service of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and all the confidential
understandings will be revealed. If we try to pursue these separately
we will fail.
Revatinandana
Prabhu told Srila Prabhupada that it was his understanding that by
chanting and serving his spiritual master, all higher understandings
would be revealed. When Srila Prabhupada heard that, he smiled and
replied that he was correct and that our process is one of
revelation.
Q:
What is the difference between kirtana at our temples, and
kirtana on the streets.
A:
Caitanya Mahaprabhu would do both.
At
one point, Srila Prabhupada wanted 24-hour kirtana in all our
temples.
When
we were working on his books in Boston, the most important work, he
still said we should go out on harinama an hour a day, and we
would do that. And that hour of public chanting would nourish us the
whole day as we were connecting with the people we are supposed to be
reaching.
If
we just chant in our temples, that would not be the movement
that Srila Prabhupada created.
And
when we did kirtana in the temple, it was not like Lord
Caitanya at Srivasa Angam where outsiders were not permitted. Srila
Prabhupada always had the doors open to all.
Ramesvara
Prabhu said his realization was that book distributors were in the
mood of the gopis because they are bringing others to Krishna
for His enjoyment. Someone asked Srila Prabhupada about that, and
Srila Prabhupada said Ramesvara was right.
comment
by a senior devotee: Srila Prabhupada said humility means to boldly
preach Krishna consciousness.
Q:
What does it mean that Srila Prabhupada is the siksa guru of
everyone in ISKCON?
A:
He is the samstapaka-acarya (founder acarya). He
created the whole formula. Sixteen rounds of Hare Krishna. Four
rules, mangala arati. He made the teachings of the previous
teachers accessible to people of the present day. ISKCON is that
society that appreciates Srila Prabhupada’s presentation of Krishna
consciousness. If you like that, you can be part of it. If not you
can look elsewhere.
Govinda
Maharaja, successor of Srila Prabhupada’s godbrother Sridhara
Maharaja, said, “We are all eating Srila Prabhupada’s remnants.”
Sridhara
Maharaja said that if you try to skip over any of nine steps from
sraddha to prema, that part that you skipped will
remain hollow. I accept that because it agrees with Srila
Prabhupada’s condemnation of jumping over parts of the devotional
process.
Candrasekhara
Swami:
There
is an eternal world, one that is not manifest at a certain point, and
is thus called aprakat. Not
apricot, but aprakat.
Scientists
have difficulty explaining the origin of language. From the Vedic
knowledge we understand that because language exists eternally in the
spiritual world, it exists in this world.
Unless
we come to point of an intimate relationship with God, we have not
attained the perfection of religion. Developing this relationship is
not a minor point but rather is the central point of religion.
The
spiritual realm seems to people like an endless prayer meeting, so
they are not attracted. God seems like an ego maniac who gets off on
engaging people in glorifying Him.
We
in the material world are like a teenagers so absorbed in video games
that they forget to eat and do not notice people in the room around
him.
The
Vedic literature describes the spiritual world as having the same
sorts of varieties that go on in the material world but in
perfection, and thus it is easier to become attracted to go there.
-----
kalim
sabhajayanty arya
guna
jnah sara-bhaginah
yatra
sankirtanenaiva
sarva-svartho
bhilabhyate
“Those
who are actually advanced in knowledge are able to appreciate the
essential value of this age of Kali. Such enlightened persons worship
Kali-yuga because in this fallen age all perfection of life can
easily be achieved by the
performance of sankirtana [the
congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord].”
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.36)