Gainesville,
Alachua, Tampa
(Sent from Gainesville, Florida, on February 2, 2014)
(Sent from Gainesville, Florida, on February 2, 2014)
Where
I Went and What I Did
For the rest of January, I
continued chanting at Krishna Lunch and giving lectures at the
Gainesville Krishna House, and even one in Alachua, which many people liked. At
Krishna House, Paramesvara Prabhu, a leader of American book
distributors, gave a seminar on book distribution with an ocean of
practical ideas which I share. I continued teaching the mantra
meditation class in Gainesville and share people’s realizations from that.
Gainesville and Alachua devotees chanted in the Martin Luther King
March, where they were well received. Alachua, Gainesville, and Tampa
devotees did harinama for the third time at Gasparilla
Pirate Festival in Tampa, an event said to be attended by 250,000
people. More people from the crowd participated by dancing and chanting than usual.
I ended the month with a enlivening visit to our Krishna Club meeting
at University of North Florida in Jacksonville on Thursday, and
seeing a play the Krishna House students did in Gainesville for their
Friday evening program.
In
addition to great quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s books and lectures
and more excerpts from Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami’s journal, I have
notes on a class Jayadvaita Swami gave at the Krishna House and notes
on many lectures by Prabhupada disciples who regularly give lectures
in Gainesville and Alachua. I also have a class by Parmesvara Prabhu.
Chanting
at Krishna Lunch
Occasionally
some student sits near our blanket of Hare Krishna chanters while
eating Krishna Lunch. I have begun asking such students if they like
the music. One girl named Hadee said she liked it a lot. I told her
how I had been chanting for 6 hours a day with my friends in New York
City, and I said there is a lot of joy in the mantra. She can find
free downloads of the chanting from Krishna.com on the Internet. She
surprised me by saying she would come and sit with us on the blanket
the next day. She surprised me even more by actually doing that, and
by bringing a friend, Danny, who played the flute. They both chanted
the mantra, but mostly Danny played the flute, following the
melody and doing some improvisation. I asked Danny if he knew that
Krishna played the flute, and he replied, “I do now!” I explained
how God is the source of music and the arts, and that He Himself
played the flute. They both had a great time participating in the
kirtana
and
said they would sing with us in the future.
Devotees from Alachua sometimes join us, such as Prabhupada disciples, Pancagauda Prabhu (left), temple president of Vrindavan, and Purusartha Prabhu (right), when he is not traveling with Gaura Vani and his band, Hanumen.
We
had a cold spell and some days were very difficult. On January 29, we
chanted for over two hours although it was 41° F (5° C) with a wind
chill of 34° F (1° C). If we were in New York City we would have
chanted in the subway stations. I could only play harmonium 20 minutes at a
time. The worst day I remember chanting outside in New York City I could last 30
minutes!
Chanting
in the Martin Luther King March
The Hare Krishnas joined a number of different organizations such as churches, peace activists, school organizations, politicians, waste disposal companies, and even McDonalds, to participate in the Martin Luther King March in Gainesville, Florida.
Clearly
the devotees seemed the happiest people in the march.
Several people danced with us and clapped to our music, during and after the march.
Kamala Manjari dd and her kids, her brother, and her mother came from Alachua to join the Krishna House devotees, along with a couple of traveling book distributors, Deva Krishna Prabhu and Brandon, formerly based in Gainesville, to sing and dance in the parade. Thus our party spanned three generations and different racial backgrounds.
Bhaktin Alex told us afterward that one lady told her, “You guys made the whole parade!”
Bhaktin Alex told us afterward that one lady told her, “You guys made the whole parade!”
As
I walked to get the van, one lady seeing me in my robes chanting japa
said
“Hare Krishna Hare Krishna.”
I
replied, “You say that so nicely!”
She
responded, “I feel it. I feel it in my heart.”
That
lady made the whole parade worthwhile for me.
Damodar
Prasada Prabhu would explain to people that although we have
different abilities because of our different bodies, on the platform
of the soul we are all equal. The people were happy to hear that, and
one lady gave him $20, so he was able to distribute several books.
Mantra
Meditation Class
I
asked new and veteran chanters to share their experiences.
Jaya
Sri Vrinda dd: I have been chanting for five years. Not only do you
feel more peaceful yourself, but others also notice. When I was in
law school, I would say “Hello” to someone, and the person would
reply, “How is it you are so calm?” Everyone in law school was in
complete anxiety because of all the studying they had to do. I would
explain the calmness came from meditation. I had a group of a few
people who I taught mantra meditation. They were all very grateful
because it freed them from so much stress.
Hladini Dasi:
At New Vrindavan, I used to sit in the classes teaching the mantra to
the guests. We would chant one round at such a slow rate, I would
always leave after it was half over, and chant outside at a higher
rate of speed. Tonight, however, I was able to chant the whole round at the
slow rate and appreciate it.
Mick:
I found because chanting the mantra was a new experience for me, it
took all my concentration just to keep saying the words properly, so
my mind was not able to focus on anything else.
We
had three new people. All took beads, and Mick kindly gave a
donation. None of the four who came to the first class returned, will
any of these three? God only knows. I am thinking of asking the
devotees who come to the class to pray to Him, in His feature of Lord
Caitanya, for the new people to take up the chanting and to continue
attending the class. They can only benefit by doing so!
Harinama
at Gasparilla Pirate Festival
For
the third year, Hare Krishna devotees from Gainesville, Alachua, and
Tampa chanted Hare Krishna at the Gasparilla Pirate Festival in
Tampa.
As
usual there were a lot of people who were really intoxicated, and too
many people were dressed in a risque way. But more people danced with
us than previously.
I held the mantra sign much of the time.
Some
people just appear really happy to have encountered the Hare
Krishnas.
Others took pleasure playing the instruments.
Some
tried to chant, reading the mantra from a card.
When Damodar Prasad Prabhu led, some people really got into dancing.
Once Hladini Dasi swang a young lady around
and then offered her some literature.
One
young man said, “I feel both confused and enlightened.”
I
was not sure what he meant, and replied, “This world is a confusing
place.” Then I added, “But by hearing the spiritual vibration
everything becomes clear.”
He
said some words in agreement, and concluded by saying, “You have
opened up a whole new world to me. Thank you.” That was the most
positive comment I have heard on harinama in some time.
Hladini
Dasi overheard a girl saying to her friends about the devotees, “They
are here every year, every year! Awesome! They are the best part!”
We
sang as we returned to our cars, and one young man said to us, “Thank
you for playing.”
The
Tampa nama
hatta devotees
made a terrific lunch for all the devotees, and we were so happy
because it was 4:30 p.m., and we were all hungry from all the singing
and dancing.
Except
for a few devotees who found the degradation too much of a
distraction, many of us rejoiced in seeing so many people happy to
hear the holy name and happy to dance with the devotees, some even
expressing words of appreciation. We look forward to representing
Lord Caitanya and His sankirtana
mission
in Tampa for Gasparilla again next year.
Thanks to Hladini Dasi, who took photos while I was holding the mantra sign.
Thanks to Hladini Dasi, who took photos while I was holding the mantra sign.
Krishna
Club at University of North Florida
As
I have chanted Hare Krishna on the campus of the University of North
Florida (UNF) in Jacksonville several times a year for several years,
I try to go to their Krishna Club meetings at least once a month.
Tulasi-priya dd, who along with Ekendra Prabhu, now live in
Jacksonville and regular contribute to the program, suggested I speak
on the univeral nature of bhakti. Many regulars came to the program
along with three new students, all friends from Tallahassee who began
going to UNF this semester. I was happy to see all three new students
were adventurous enough to chant in the lively kirtana
led
by Ekendra Prabhu on guitar. Kayla, one of the regular attenders, has
the bells that the belly dancers use, which she puts on to dance in
the kirtana.
She also brings instruments and bells for others. Amrita Keli dd
encourages the regular attenders to introduce the chanting and the
prasadam,
spiritual
food, to the newcomers. She also plans to engage them in doing the fifteen
minutes of yoga at the beginning of the program.
While
giving examples of bhakti in different traditions I mentioned I was
brought up as a Quaker. During the prasadam
after
the lecture and chanting, Hannah, one of the new students, mentioned
she was a Quaker. Outside New York State, I have only attended one
Quaker meeting in the world, and that was the one Hannah attended in
Tallahassee, and I knew a couple of Hannah’s Quaker friends, one
who would come to the Tallahassee temple on occasion and another I
would see on the campus at Florida State University. Hannah as a
vegetarian could appreciate that vegetarianism is an important part
of pacifism, and it is really not possible to live in peace as long
as we commit the violence of killing animals, a truth that not all
the Quakers appreciate. She and her friends liked the program and
said they would be back. Hannah also expressed interested in buying
some books.
Laura,
who lives at Krishna House and who was the first president of our
Krishna Club, before graduating from a masters program at UNF, came
with us and was happy to catch up with all her old friends who are
still involved with the club.
I
arranged to chant with some students on the campus next Tuesday and
Wednesday when I return to Jacksonville for a couple days. So on the
whole it was a wonderful program and a great opportunity to meet old
friends and make new ones.
Jagai
and Madhai Play
For
three years, Arjuna Prabhu has been desiring to do a play for the
Friday night program at Krishna House. Now by the assistance of
Kaliyaphani Prabhu from the UK, it actually happened. Krishna House devotees did a play called the
“Deliverance of Jagai and Madhai.” The students
took their parts seriously and practiced a lot, and the result was
powerful. That pastime in which the drunken brothers are delivered by
tolerant and merciful Lord Nityananda Prabhu is especially
captivating when presented as a drama, and everyone felt in a good
mood as a result. Arjuna Prabhu and his friend who played the two
drunks did a great job. Vaishnava, born of Hare Krishna parents from
New Vrindavan, did very well as Lord Nityananda. There were a couple
of guests coming to our program for the first time, and they were
clearly impressed and attracted.
Haridas
Thakur and Lord Nityananda spread the holy name.
They encounter the drunken Jagai and Madhai.
The drunks are reveling in madness.
Madhai
hurts Lord Nityananda, thus enraging Lord Caitanya, but
Lord Nityananda begs Lord Caitanya to be merciful.
Lord Nityananda begs Lord Caitanya to be merciful.
He
agrees, if Madhai surrenders to
Lord Nityananda, and so he does.
Lord Nityananda, and so he does.
The play ends with everyone chanting Hare Krishna.
And after the play, we continued chanting Hare Krishna.
Devotees
would swing other devotees around as we chanted.
One new girl asked me if there were any more pastimes of these divine avatars, and I told her about Lord Caitanya bringing His devotee’s dead son back to life to discourse on transmigration of the soul and planting a mango seed, which immediately grew to a mature tree, producing fruits for the refreshment of His chanting party. I also told how Lord Caitanya would use His omniscience to tell the servers which type of food each devotee wanted more of. In general, the Lord uses His omnipotence and omniscience to please His devotees. She stayed talking to Hladini Dasi till after most people had left.
Parmesvara
Prabhu on Book Distribution
Some important principles:
1. Leaving
everyone with a favorable expression.
Often someone I treated pleasantly who did not take a book, did take a book in the future, because I had originally treated them in a very nice way.
2. Tolerance.
A really important part of book distribution is to understand it is for our purification. If we have another motive than our purification, then we will not get the full experience. If we consider that no matter what happens to us, it is Krishna’s doing and therefore perfect, and we actually say, “Perfect,” when confronted with a challenge, then we will find we remain in a much more positive consciousness.
Comment
by Satyahit Prabhu: On traveling book distribution, we used to go to
different peoples’ homes. We would cook a feast in their kitchens
and stay over night. That is how Bhakti Marga Swami became a devotee.
Srila
Prabhupada said to flatter people like anything. I myself try to
say three positive things to them in the thirty seconds or so I talk
to them.
Our
desire is to be instruments in the hands of the previous teachers.
Our desire is to attain Krishna prema,
love
for Krishna.
We
can always try to please God, in all circumstances. You do not have
control of the results, of the weather, or of the people you meet.
It
is not our duty to make sure they become Krishna consciousness, but
we are responsible to try. Trying
is the perfection. It
is not proficiency or results, but simply to try is the perfection.
Sometimes we find when we feel most unqualified, we do the best. And
conversely, when we feel most qualified we do worse.
The
final of Lord Caitanya’s eight prayers is good to remember: “I
know no one but Krishna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He
handles me roughly in His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not
being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and
everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord unconditionally.”
Sometimes
I have had one of the best days when I was completely exhausted. I
prayed to Krishna and did not expect anything, and I had one of my
best days.
I
know some people who read Srila Prabhupada’s arrival address in
America in Science
of Self-Realization before
they distribute books. There are four key points.
D
– Desire
that the people be delivered.
U
– Feel yourself the most unqualified.
T
– Beg Krishna, “Make me your tool.”
Y
– Tell Krishna, “I have full faith in Your
holy name.”
All
our anarthas
are like a virus in our computer, and remembering the above four
points, resets our system.
Read
an hour a day and be steady with your service, and if you have
difficulty, remember trying is the perfection.
By
giving Krishna, you will get Krishna.
If
you have the real thing, devotion to God, by doing sadhana
[your
spiritual practice],
then
you will be hard to resist.
The
difference between a fighter and a prize fighter is that a prize
fighter gets back up.
Realizing
70% of your fears are unfounded by seeing someone doing book
distribution and having a good recipe, makes it possible for you
overcome resistance to wanting to go out on book distribution.
comment
by Caitanya: I use a line from Vaisesika Prabhu regarding dealing
with Christians. Tell them, “Great. We need more people of faith
like you out here.” Then send them on their way.
Self
realization is a great word. Everyone can relate to that.
“Transcendental” is also a good word.
Having
a good morning and evening program, and serving during the day, as
Srila Prabhupada recommended, will fulfill all your desires.
I
had a dream in which I went to touch Srila Prabhupada to get his
blessings, and he talked to me. He wanted me to stop someone to
preach to. I went to a place where people were moving more slowly. A
guy came up to me, asking for a Science of Self-Realization. I
sold him one. He gave three dollars. I said, “My spiritual teacher
wants to talk to you.” He gave a strange expression, and I turned
and saw Srila Prabhupada had gone. From that dream I came to
understand that by distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books, I am
giving him people to preach to.
It
is alright to go out there in bad consciousness. I do it all the
time. But after some time of doing distribution, that loving feeling
returns.
Say
to Muslims: “Allah Akbar. This book will tell you how to love Allah.”
Say
to Christians: “Stay Christian. That’s what the book says. That
is alright. Learn how to love God more. Christ said he had more to
teach you.”
It
is not a religion. It is a science. The science of self-realization.
Hardly
anyone says those little nice things at the end of the conversation
so that can really leave a good impression.
comment
by Caitanya: Vallabha Prabhu would always tell me to approach
everyone because you do not know who may be interested.
Their
negativity is their problem.
You
can accept gift cards. 25% of my income is from gift cards. If you
cannot use them, there is a company that buys them and gives you 70%
of their value.
If
you learn to have a grip on the book, they will not walk off with it.
If
you ask for $20, they may give you $10. If you ask for $10, they may
give you $5.
If
they say, “I am a Christian,” “I am an atheist,” “I am
Satanist,” or whatever, just say, “I respect that.”
Just
say, “People just take one and give a donation.”
Praise
them for what they have invested their time in.
With
a group, stand in the middle of them, and try to approach the leader
unless he does not appear interested, and in that case, approach the
most interested person.
If
you have a temple in the town, you should be especially nice to the
people who you distribute books to.
People
are inclined not to take books, so do not give them an opportunity to
say “no” in talking with them.
Krishna
House Scenes
On
January 19, Alex made a nice cake for Caitanya’s birthday. After we
sang the birthday song, Caitanya bowed down to the devotees.
She also took great pleasure serving the cake.
We continue to have plenty of devotees for the evening kirtana. One day Tony sang a lively tune, and everyone went wild as you can see in this video (http://youtu.be/DEPio_MYBek):
Another day, Prabhupada disciple, Lilananda Prabhu, joined us and led the
Nrsimhadeva prayers.
To
see the photos I did not include in this blog, click the link below:
Remember
the photos I did not use appear after the ones that I used.
Insights
Srila
Prabhupada:
from
a lecture given on April 20, 1975, in Vrindavana:
“Everyone
has got love for Krishna within the heart. That is natural. But that
love is distributed in different ways. How? Yasyatma-buddhih
kunape dhatuke tri-sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
[Srimad-Bhagavtam
10.84.13]. This love has been distributed familywise, communitywise,
nationwise, countrywise, like that. So this love has to be
concentrated, converted to be love of Krishna. That is required. Then
everything is perfect. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s teaching.”
from
The
Nectar of Devotion, Chapter
3:
“Because
the impersonalists cannot appreciate the spiritual happiness of
association and the exchange of loving affairs with the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, their ultimate goal is to become one with the
Lord.”
“
.
. . anyone who has any desire or aspiration for satisfying his senses
by becoming more and more important, either in the material sense or
in the spiritual sense, cannot actually relish the really sweet taste
of devotional service. Srila Rupa Gosvami has therefore compared
possessing these bhukti
(material) and mukti
(liberation) desires with being influenced by the black art of a
witch: in both cases one is in trouble. Bhukti
means material enjoyment, and mukti
means to become freed from material anxiety and to become one with
the Lord. These desires are compared to being haunted by ghosts and
witches, because while these aspirations for material enjoyment or
spiritual oneness with the Supreme remain, no one can relish the
actual transcendental taste of devotional service.”
“
.
. . in the Third Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam,
Chapter Twenty-five, verse 36, Kapiladeva has advised His mother,
Devahuti, as follows: ‘My dear mother, My pure devotees are
charmed by seeing My different forms, the beauty of My face, the
structure of My body so enchanting. My laughing, My pastimes and My
glance appear to them so beautiful that their minds are always
absorbed in thoughts of Me and their lives are dedicated fully unto
Me. Although such people do not desire any kind of liberation or any
kind of material happiness, still I give them a place among My
associates in the supreme abode.’”
from
Bhagavad-gita
10.12–13, purport:
“Krishna
is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one should always meditate
upon Him and enjoy one’s transcendental relationship with Him.”
from
Srimad-Bhagavatam
7.5.23–24,
purport:
“The
Lord has unlimited transcendental qualities and opulences, and one
who feels influenced by the Lord’s qualities in various activities
offers prayers to the Lord. In this way he becomes successful.”
“If
one simply continues to think that he is an eternal servant of
Krishna, even without performing any other process of devotional
service, he can attain full success, for simply by this feeling one
can perform all nine processes of devotional service.”
from
The
Nectar of Devotion, Chapter
7:
“In
the Brahma-vaivarta
Purana it
is said that one who observes fasting on the Ekadasi day is freed
from all kinds of reactions to sinful activities and advances in
pious life. The basic principle is not just to fast, but to increase
one’s faith and love for, Govinda or Krishna. The real reason for
observing fasting on Ekadasi is to minimize the demands of the body
and to engage our time in the service of the Lord by chanting or
performing similar service. The best thing to do on fasting days is
to remember the pastimes of Govinda and to hear His holy name
constantly.”
from
The
Nectar of Devotion, Chapter
9:
“Even
if one does not accept all the Vaishnava principles, but still takes
the remnants of foodstuff offered to Krishna, or krishna-prasada,
he will gradually become qualified to rise to the platform of a
Vaishnava [devotee of the Supreme Lord].”
from
a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam
6.2.4,
given in Vrindavana on September 8, 1975:
“If
you become benefited by neglectfully chanting Hare Krishna, then how
much you will be benefited if you carefully chant Hare Krishna. That
should be the ideal.”
from
Srimad-Bhagavatam
8.8.11,
purport:
“Civilized
men who follow the system of varnashrama,
especially those of the vaishya
class, who engage in agriculture and trade, must give protection to
the cows. Unfortunately, because people in Kali-yuga are mandah,
all bad,and sumanda-matayah,
misled by false conceptions of life, they are killing cows in the
thousands. Therefore they are unfortunate in spiritual consciousness,
and nature disturbs them in so many ways,especially through incurable
diseases like cancer and through frequent wars and among nations. As
long as human society continues to allow cows to be regularly killed
in slaughterhouses, there cannot be any question of peace and
prosperity.”
from
a letter to Satsvarupa:
The
police and the war resisters appear to be on different sides, but
because both are in favor of meat eating and slaughterhouses, they
are actually on the same side. Until people give up sinful activities
like meat eating, there will always be war.
from
a lecture on a Brahma-samhita
verse:
Why
the cow? Why not some other animal? Cow protection benefits the whole
human society. If brahminical culture and cow protection is there,
there will peace in human society.
from
a conversation with Mr. C. Hennis of the United Nations’
International Labor Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 31,
1974:
“Wherever
I go, when I ask any gentleman, ‘What is the purpose of life?’ he
cannot explain, That means there is no truly intelligent class.
Nobody knows life’s real, spiritual purpose – realizing the self
and realizing God.”
from
Bhagavad-gita
1.1,
purport:
“One
will find in the Bhagavad-gita
all that is contained in other scriptures, but the reader will also
find things which are not to be found elsewhere. That is the specific
standard of the Gita.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
“Today’s drawing shows three bhaktas dancing and chanting
with upraised arms.
They
are merry and prancing.
The image of the early ISKCON
devotees was that they were
the “Happy Haris.” They
were always photographed
in the act of bliss with bright
faces and smiling. But
as time went by we admitted
we weren’t constantly happy.
We were neophytes, and we
struggled with maya.
So a more relative picture
of a devotee has evolved.
The image of the early ISKCON
devotees was that they were
the “Happy Haris.” They
were always photographed
in the act of bliss with bright
faces and smiling. But
as time went by we admitted
we weren’t constantly happy.
We were neophytes, and we
struggled with maya.
So a more relative picture
of a devotee has evolved.
But
still
whenever one takes
part in congregational chanting
the blues are chased away.
The singing of the
Hare Krishna mantra works wonders
on the mind. Krishna
is the name and in the heart.
whenever one takes
part in congregational chanting
the blues are chased away.
The singing of the
Hare Krishna mantra works wonders
on the mind. Krishna
is the name and in the heart.
The
harinama
prevails
in happiness.”
from
“Poem
for January 18” in Viraha
Bhavan:
“The harinama
movement
brings
out the spontaneous spirit
of a person. It
is the original nature
and is evoked by
chanting. It breaks
up the material modes
of nature and brings
one to the transcendental platform.
While these men are
chanting Hare Krishna
they forget their material problems
and come directly
in touch with Krishna consciousness.
They even forget
their material bodies
and live as spirit souls.”
out the spontaneous spirit
of a person. It
is the original nature
and is evoked by
chanting. It breaks
up the material modes
of nature and brings
one to the transcendental platform.
While these men are
chanting Hare Krishna
they forget their material problems
and come directly
in touch with Krishna consciousness.
They even forget
their material bodies
and live as spirit souls.”
“Today’s drawing shows four
bhaktas dancing and chanting
with upraised arms.
One has a brown face
and wears white clothing,
and the rest wear bright
multicolored sport clothes.
They are all good friends.
They share the activities
of harinama and
this bonds them
as soul mates. They
may have different
personalities and
social backgrounds,
but the fact that they
come together
and chant Hare Krishna
makes them dear to
one another.
This is the basis for real intimacy:
chanting harinama
in public for the
benefit of the fallen souls.”
“Once
Prabhupada was asked
‘What do your devotees do
for recreation?” He
replied, ‘We are chanting
and dancing. We
are taking nice prasadam.
Practically all our activities
are recreation. Can you
name something that
is not recreation?’”
‘What do your devotees do
for recreation?” He
replied, ‘We are chanting
and dancing. We
are taking nice prasadam.
Practically all our activities
are recreation. Can you
name something that
is not recreation?’”
Jayadvaita
Swami:
The
universal form is seen by many to be the most important part of the
Bhagavad gita, but actually the message of Chapter Eleven is
that the two-handed form of Krishna is supreme.
Our
hands are actually Krishna’s hands because they all belong to
Krishna, so how many hands does Krishna have!
Modern
experiments in remote viewing by the CIA and others show that it is
possible to view things at a distance as Sanjaya was doing by viewing
the battle at Kuruksetra from Hastinapura, the site of the modern
Delhi.
Mystic
power means “power that you do not have.” Srila Prabhupada said
that. A dog can hear sounds that we cannot. Trees can eat through
their feet, which we cannot do.
The
whole Bhagavad gita depends on the mystic power of Sanjaya.
Q:
Do we see differently according to our position?
A:
Yes. A layman sees only barren land; a geologist sees oil is likely
to be underneath.
As
the form of death is included in the universal form, everyone on the
battlefield meets the universal form, but not in the same way as
Arjuna.
If something is in one place, it is not spread out, and if it is spread out, it is not in one place. Thus the universal form is inconceivable.
Q
(by a devotee to Srila Prabhupada): Was Arjuna shown just one
universe?
A
(by Srila Prabhupada): One universe is enough for you.
Prabhupada
gave the example that a son may be terrified seeing his father, who
is a policeman, firing guns in the line of duty. Here his fear
temporarily covers his affection.
Q:
Can you give me an example of ghastliness?
A:
Two brahmacaris talking about the disgusting nature of the
human body might be appear ghastly, but it is conducive to
detachment. That, of course, would be incompatible with a conjugal
relationship: “Oh my love, your body is composed of skin, blood,
muscle, etc.”
Service
is open to everyone.
The
amorous relationship is an extreme manifestation with Krishna. The
gopis are not trying to enjoy sense gratification but to
serve.
The
cowherd boyfriends are not just buddies who want to have a good time
joking and hanging out in a field. They are trying to serve Krishna.
The
nondevotees use Krishna’s energy to have a happy life. The devotees
use Krishna’s energy to please Krishna.
The
devotee gets the happiness the servant is entitled to. And when the
master is unlimited, that enjoyment of the servant is unlimited.
A
ten-year-old boy cannot understand what sex is like, but after
puberty he can understand it completely. Similarly we cannot understand
our relationship with Krishna at present, but after liberation it
will be clear to us.
comment
by Kalakantha: My chaplain friends, when fired up, make plans for
welfare activities. We are so fortunate to know about service to
Krishna.
response
by Jayadvaita Swami: They want to serve, but their target of service
is the wrapper [the body of the spirit soul and not the soul itself].
I
am tiny, and even when perfect, my knowledge will be tiny compared to
that of Krishna. We are full of knowledge and Krishna is full of
knowledge, but we are small and He is great.
Q:
How to take Srila Prabhupada’s views on social and political
events?
A:
Understand the point he is making, and do not be distracted by his
differing in inconsequential details.
I
was convinced of Srila Prabhupada’s political philosophy after a
few years, but after 9/11 I was fully convinced of it. Seeing the
role of the U.S. Government in that, I could not see democracy in the
same way again.
There
is an Indian man in charge of the building the Lagos metro.
Previously he had done one in Dubai. There the king said he wanted
three years hence on his birthday to get into a train and to go, and
all government and business enterprises cooperated, and so the project
was done on time. But in Lagos, after three years, 3% of the project
was finished. The money was misappropriated for other things. When
the man in charge expressed frustration, the governor said, “You
are getting paid. Why are you worried?”
Prabhupada
reads the Gita according to the message of the whole book. He
is criticized by scholars for that, but that is his glory. Now in
academic circles, Barbara Stoler Miller’s translation has become
more popular than others, and she concludes that the Gita is a
bhakti text, and now the scholars are agreeing, “Yes, it is
primarily a bhakti text.” Previously they considered Srila
Prabhupada’s stress on bhakti to be a sectarian interpretation.
The
scholars are aspiring to be impartial observers, but they do not know
they themselves are being impartially observed.
Caturatma
Prabhu:
You
are very fortunate to have Kalakantha Prabhu very attentively looking
after you all. It has not always been like that.
The
Third Canto was written in the prime of Srila Prabhupada’s life,
and he covers many important and interesting topics in it.
How
we progress though difficulties and complications determines how we
progress in devotional service.
If
we are surrendered, our distresses will be reduced.
I
would always tell my children when they went through their teenage
challenges, “The only thing that can hold the material energy at
bay is Krishna.”
Usually
wealth is a source of pride, but although Ambarisa Prabhu is
incredibly wealthy, there are few devotees who are more humble.
Bhumi
devi, Mother Earth, feels the weight of those appearing on the planet
who do not behave properly.
Madhumangala
considered Krishna held up the hill by his brahminical power.
Sudarsana
[the effulgent disc weapon of Lord Vishnu] wanted to play a role in
Krishna’s sweet Vrindavan pastimes and so with his effulgence he
dried up the torrents of rain as soon as they hit Govardhan Hill.
Srila
Prabhupada told us that this Krishna consciousness is going to
spread, and the question is, “What are you going to do to help it?”
We
have to feel that Krishna is going to protect us to remain engaged in
devotional service.
By
our sadhana we are invoking Krishna, who protects us from the
material energy.
When
Vidura was inquiring about the devotees of the Lord from Uddhava, he
would remember one of their good qualities.
Srila
Prabhupada requested that the devotees come to Mayapur each year to
recharge their batteries so they could preach in the West.
I
lived in a commune before I became a devotee. There were eleven
members in the commune, nine became devotees, seven still are, and
five live in Alachua. I have to be on guard not to offend them
thinking of them familiarly because of our previous relationship.
Duryodhana
was known to be offense personified. We must avoid following in his
footsteps.
Anyone
who has been a parent knows that you cannot raise children without
consequences for misbehavior. In this way, we can see calamities as
God-given for our rectification.
Kalakantha
Prabhu:
In
the Vietnam War, 50,000 Americans were killed, and every year on the
road, 50,000 American are killed in automobile accidents.
If
our family engages us in maya’s
service, they are maya.
But if we can engage them in Krishna’s service, then they are not.
The devotee is supposed to love everyone, so why not our family
members? To ignore them is a neophyte mentality.
It
is valuable to accept ourselves and understand that Krishna accepts
ourselves too.
If
we are too determined to serve Krishna is a certain way, we may not
be able to surrender to Krishna’s plan which may be different than
ours. Thus we must be open-minded to surrender to Krishna.
If
you resolve the problems of your life, people will be attracted to
you and ask you how you did it.
Life
is a series of decisions, and how we make those decisions determines
what kind of people we are. As devotees, we have to factor Krishna
into all our decisions.
We
must come to the conviction that Krishna is real and it is a gradual
series of steps by which
one comes to that conviction.
The
strategy of dealing with distress is:
1. accept
it is our karma
2. remember
the Lord
3. expect
the Lord’s mercy.
We
can accept Bhagavad-gita
5.29 in a personal way. We should offer our activities, whatever they
are, to Krishna. We should understand that Krishna owns everything.
We should understand Krishna is our friend.
It
is the dharma of the grhastha
to
make money. If we are always worried about that, then we should be in
that ashram.
Comment
(by Valentina): I always believed that God would never give you more
than you can handle until today, from hearing your class. Now I see
Krishna will give us more than we can handle just so we will turn to
Him.
Srila
Prabhupada liked the United States motto which appears on the
currency “E
pluribus unum,”
or “From many, one,” or as Srila Prabhupada would say, “Unity
in diversity.” In
fact, Srila Prabhupada said the agenda of the Mayapur meetings of the
GBC should be to discuss this “unity in diversity.”
If
we say, “I am not so sure about this Krishna,” Krishna says about
us, “I am not so sure about them.”
At
least we should realize our petty fault finding is not a revelation
from God.
If
someone does something that annoys us, we should consider whether the
person is doing something that is against Srila Prabhupada’s
principles, and if not, we should tolerate.
Feelings
are realities, although they may not be based on realities.
Do
not blame the agent of your karma.
One
godbrother, when I ask him how he is doing, always says “Better
than I deserve.”
If
someone does something that hurts you, it is better to say “I am
concerned about . . .” rather than saying “You are wrong for
doing . . .”
If
you hear criticism about a devotee, it is best to make a positive
comment about them, change the subject, or go away in order to
protect your devotional mentality.
Nagaraja
Prabhu:
from
“Since God Was a Boy” in Back
to Godhead, Vol.
48, No. 3:
“When
applied to theology, it [speculation] can provide seemly reasonable
ideas about God, but will always be inconclusive. The simple reason:
He’s a person, and we can never truly know anyone by guessing based
on our observations. Intimate knowledge of people comes when they
reveal themselves to us.”
Nanda
Devi:
It
is not enough to study the scriptures, we have to be able to
discriminate between good and bad in practical life.
Becoming
free from fault finding is a door we have to pass through to enter
the house of bhakti.
How
can we give up fault finding? By becoming humble.
How
can we increase our humility?
By
considering our own shortcomings.
By
rendering service.
By
hearing from advanced devotees.
By
noticing good qualities in others.
Desiring
to kill his enemies, the demon Vrkasura asked for the benediction
that whoever’s head he would touch would crack. What a troublesome
benediction! That means he could never touch his son’s head or his
wife’s head.
Urmila
Devi gave a seminar on plan making, and the first item was to
determine what is in your control.
We
are not in control of other people and their qualities, but we can
control our own mind. That, however, I found is not easy to do
because we are so habituated to acting in a certain way.
But
by the mercy of the guru one can become free from the fault finding
tendency.
The
great acaryas
[previous
spiritual teachers] bring us from the state of hopelessness to having
the highest hope. The hopelessness comes from realizing one’s
inability to achieve success on our own, and the highest hope comes
from realizing the reality of the Lord’s mercy.
The
ways the Lord bestows His mercy on us are sometimes unexpected.
Actually His ways are often unexpected.
Sometimes
different people get different things out of a class on
Srimad-Bhagavatam. This is because Lord wants to teach them
different things in the heart. And if they do not hear it in the
class, He will tell them again later in the day.
Your
homework is: Within the next hour, you have to say something
encouraging to someone.
comment
by Gopal : Kalakantha Prabhu says it is a great relief to realize that
it is not our job to judge everyone.
comment
by Krishna-kripa das: For a Kartika vow one year I considered the
devotional activities we regularly perform are so powerful, the best
vow would to give up criticizing the devotees, a great offense that
keeps these regular devotional activities from bearing their fruit of
love for God. I tried to avoid criticizing devotees, even in my mind.
I found it was a difficult habit to break, but I was able to make
progress. By the end of the month, although I had not attained love
for God, I felt a lot lighter and less burdened.
Another
reason not to criticize is that we can see only externally with our
eyes and cannot understand the internal consciousness of a person and
may make incorrect assessments of it.
Q
(by Nanda Devi) What can we say about Vrtrasura’s examples of the
chicks waiting for their moms, the calves waiting for the cows, and
the wives waiting for their husbands?
A
(by Dvijamani dd): They are helpless.
A
(by Camilla): They are hankering.
A
(by Rasaraja Prabhu): They are one-pointed.
Wherever
we are doing, we should be doing to please Krishna. This is something
that is very simple and doable by us.
One
acarya
advises
meditating on grasping the line on the Lord’s lotus feet to be pulled
out of the material existence.
Verses
6.11.24–27 in Srimad-Bhagavatam are very powerful prayers of
longing for Krishna, the final one being especially wonderful.
comment
by Valentina: Bhakti Caru Swami explains that bhakti
is
to bring us to understand how much Krishna loves us.
In
the pastime of Gopa Kumar returning to Goloka Vrindavan, what caused
him to faint in ecstasy was realizing how much Krishna loved him.
comment
by Caitanya: Indra and the demigods had to suffer so much in this
pastime because they offended their spiritual master. That is a
lesson for us.
comment
by Gopal Prabhu: Indradyumna Swami said, “We cannot look down our
nose at anyone because we are just now being pulled out of the muck.”
Ranjit
Prabhu:
To know and love of
God is the essence of Krishna consciousness.
We are suffering in
this world, and we are born in ignorance. By association with family
and friends we learn some way of dealing with the suffering we
encounter in this world.
Generally people
want to advance or enjoy life, mostly in a material way.
Krishna teaches
Arjuna that his duty is more important than sentimental attachments
to family or friends, and that duty should be done as an offering to
God.
When Krishna
explains He taught this knowledge of yoga to the deity of the sun
millions of years before, Arjuna has a doubt, and Krishna responds by
saying they have both had many births, but because His form is
transcendental, He can remember all, while Arjuna cannot. He advises
that one approach a guru to learn truth about Himself.
Chapter
Seven of Bhagavad-gita
does
not begin with a question by Arjuna. Krishna begins by promising to
reveal everything that one needs to know in this chapter. He explains
how he is origin and dissolution of everything, and in fact, everything
comes from Himself and rests upon Him as pearls are strung on a
thread.
Those who want quick
results and who worship demigods are like the day traders on
the stock market who do not care for the economy as a whole and just
want to come out ahead at the end of the day.
Krishna does not say
to have no other gods but Him, but rather He facilitates the worship
of demigods by making the worshipers’ faith steady and ultimate
rewarding them the results of their worship.’
The desire and hate
in this world are distortions of the pure emotions in the spiritual
world.
We
learn that piety will give us a better life, but still we are foolishly
attached to the insignificant enjoyment of this world. In the
Mahabharata,
there
is a scene after the battle where Duryodhana is enjoying in heaven
after dying in the Battle of Kuruksetra more than he would had he won
the earthly kingdom.
Sesa
Prabhu:
I would say a
transcendentalist dies a purposeful death.
Some people think
death has no purpose, breaking all their relationship with this
material world. Thus death is absurd for them.
Others think in
terms of leaving some legacy.
Others hope to go to
heaven rather than hell.
A devotee has a plan
for success for death.
What might be
elements of that plan?
Leaving your body in
the association of devotees chanting the holy name.
Leaving your body in
Mayapur.
Pundarika Prabhu,
who spend some time in Alachua and spent his later years in New
Talavan, went to Vrndavana and lived in a hospice. His friends took
up a collection to send him there. Radhanath Swami and Indradyumna
Swami visited him there, and he left his body there not too long ago.
Plan of life. (Bg.
8.5–8)
Think of Krishna,
and then do your study or your work dedicated to him.
Method. (Bg. 8.9–13)
These verses tell
how to fix our mind on Krishna. Bg. 8.9 describes Krishna as the
maintainer of all. We have to see beyond our immediate situation that
Krishna is maintaining us.
Goal. (Bg. 8.14–15)
To remember Krishna
at the end and go to Krishna.
One
Prabhupada disciple who distributed books for many years left the
association of devotees and became an architect and worked for many
years, ultimately in Orlando. In later years he got some illness, and
decided he had wasted his life, so he returned to the association of
devotees and would regular distributely books. He actually left his
body while out on sankirtana.
We don’t die. We
just go to another place in the association of Krishna.
We can develop
relationships with the members of the disciplic succession who have
left this world long ago.
We just have to be
in the right consciousness, and we can have the association of those
we knew before in this life who have since departed.
Bhakti Tirtha Swami
said, “If miracles are not happening in our life every day, we are
doing something wrong.”
Our experience is
that it is more difficult to cross over ocean of material existence
than stepping over the puddle created by a calf’s hoofprint.
Contradictions can
exist in the Supreme Lord that are bewildering.
Krishna could have
lifted a mountain ten times bigger than Govardhan Hill with His
spiritual power.
Krishna uses His
inconceivable power to increase the love of His devotees. That he
exchanged with all the residents of Vrindavan continually for a week
is inconceivable.
Krishna
danced with billions of gopis,
and
created a situation so each gopi
experienced
that she was with Krishna alone. That is inconceivable.
For several hours Yasoda was getting more rope to tie up Krishna, but it was always two fingers two short. That is inconceivable.
Then when He allowed Yasoda to bind Him, that was also inconceivable.
Q (by Sesa Prabhu):
Have you seen any miracles?
comment
by Bhisma: I was with two bhaktas
both named Blake, outside the kitchen in New Talavan. One of them
said, “See Krishna in the cloud!” I was doubtful about this, but
I looked up and there in the sky was a perfect murti
[form] of Krishna. Not that you had to imagine, “This is Krishna’s
flute, this is Krishna’s head, etc.” It was there for ten minutes
and then gradually dissipated.”
Caitanya Carana
Prabhu describes that the devotees endeavor and Krishna’s
reciprocation create a situation for miracles to happen.
Narada does not tell
Mrgari, the hunter, to stop killing animals but just to kill them
completely instead of leaving them wounded and writhing in pain. In
the way, he empathized with Mrgari’s situation as a hunter.
Narada used his
mystic power, not for his own pleasure, but to show the hunter how he
would suffer in future lives, in order to inspire him to reform.
In the case of
Dhruva, Narada first tested the determination of Dhruva by advising
him to go home to his mother.
Narada, out of
compassion for Dhruva’s father, told him that Dhruva was performing
austerities in the forest to realize God and was nearly perfect.
Dhruva, upon
returning home after attaining spiritual perfection, did not
criticize his father for his materialistic lifestyle.
When you think about
it, Narada Muni’s ecstatic stretching which caused his brahmana
thread to break, was very extensive as a brahmana thread
is very loose, and even to make it taut by stretching it, what to speak of breaking
it, is quite a feat.
comment by Clayton:
Do you Narada’s hair color? Blond. See Srimad-Bhagavtam
10.70.32, “Śukadeva Gosvami said: When the kings’ messenger
had thus spoken, the sage of the demigods, Narada, suddenly appeared.
Bearing a mass of golden matted locks on his head, the supremely
effulgent sage entered like the brilliant sun.”
Tamohara
Prabhu:
Without cow products
we cannot properly worship the deity.
The cow symbolizes
the earth, which nourishes us, and the bull symbolizes religion.
Eating sanctified
food, and especially milk, plays a key role in being able to take
spiritual life seriously.
Srila Prabhupada
said the world food shortage was caused by producing nuts and bolts
in factories instead of producing food.
For ourselves we can
practice devotional service to Krishna in any setting, but those who
value the mission of Lord Caitanya must consider how to create
settings to make it easier for the people in general to take to the
practice of devotional service.
At New Vrindavan
they have made the decision to only use milk from protected cows for
the devotees’ and the deities’ daily needs.
Simple living,
protecting cows, and Vedic culture are meant to please Krishna.
Otherwise they have no special importance.
comment
by Lilananda Prabhu: There was an article in the New
York Times a
few years back stated that returning to family farms would solve the
economic problem.
comment by a devotee
who works at the University of Florida: We did a study at University
of Florida showing the fat in cow’s milk actually complete protects
against colon cancer.
comment by Ajamila Prabhu: There was a farm near me with eight or nine hundred
cows. They would milk the cows in batches of fifty by machine, and
after they were done all of them had blood on their udders. It was so
distressing to see that I stopped drinking milk because of it.
Madhava
Prabhu [from Alachua]:
Krishna’s
final instructions to Uddhava are like many of final instructions
that we hear in devotional service:
“Always
remembering Me, one should perform all his duties for Me without
becoming impetuous. With mind and intelligence offered to Me, one
should fix his mind in attraction to My devotional service.”
(Srimad-Bhagavatam
11.9.29)
Impetuously means
quickly and without thought or care. Actually as the years go by, our
chanting of the holy name should be done with more thought and with
more care.
Commenting on the
verse from the Padma Purana which advises always remembering
and never forgetting Krishna, Srila Prabhupada explains we do this by
chanting Hare Krishna sixteen times around our beads each day without
fail.
Bhurijana Prabhu’s
book, Japa, I find to be one of the most insightful books on
chanting. He advises to focus on a single mantra, and even on the
first “Hare.”
By taking shelter of
Krishna, through the chanting, we will find our daily duties to be
not so difficult.
When we go home, we
may have to internalize devotional practices that our family would
not appreciate. Prahlada Maharaja was in a situation of complete
adversity, but he was able to successfully take shelter of Krishna
through constant remembrance of Him.
Prana
Govinda Prabhu:
from
a comment during my lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam
10.31.1–3
in Alachua:
According to
Sanatana Goswami’s commentary on the Tenth Canto, Narada encouraged
Laksmi to visit Vrndavana. At first she resisted, saying she was just
happy serving Narayana, but Narada persisted. She went and she became
so attracted by the sweetness, she did not want to leave. Krishna
said there is no place for Laksmi in Vrndavana. Thus Laksmi
volunteered to reside in Vrndavana as a sweeper, and Krishna accepted
her. Often her tears would moisten the dust before she could sweep
it.
Parmesvara
Prabhu:
Lord
Shiva is a personalist and wants everyone to become a devotee of Lord
Vishnu,
When
we endeavor for sense gratification we are like moths rushing into a
fire.
When
I decided to do full time book distribution, I stopped in the middle
of working on my master thesis. I was worried that my professor, who
had invested so much time and money in me, would be upset. I told him
that I wanted to become a full time Hare Krishna and distribute books
and that was perfectly OK with him. Also my family had no problems
with my decision.
Once
I distributed two cases of books (400 books) to a group of school
children in Mexico for just a few small donations. Later in the day,
a lady who looked like an angel, gave me enough money to cover it.
Harinamananda
Prabhu was driving back to the temple at 11:30 p.m., and he passed an
apartment with a few lights still on. He stopped the car, and
distributed books to the last people of the town who were still
awake.
We
need more pure devotees in this movement.
Radha
Kunda Devi Dasi heard devotees say that Prabhupada promised that Lord
Caitanya will come to take you back if you distribute books. Nirguna
Prabhu, who distributed books in America for decades, was leaving his
body in Mayapur, so she decided she wanted to be there and see Lord
Caitanya. Near the end of his life, Nirguna asked to go to Govardhan
Hill. Because he was in Mayapur, that was not practical, but someone
gave him a Govardhan sila
which
he held to his chest. Once he started talking with someone, and they
asked him who it was, and he said, “It is Lord Caitanya, and He is
saying it is time to go and to take the Govardhan sila
with
you.” Then Nirguna left his body, and the Govardhan sila
was
nowhere to be found in the room.
Sundari
Gopi Devi:
Krishna
mentions 82 exhibitions of his opulence in Chapter Ten of
Bhagavad-gita.
Krishna’s
opulence is limitless, and the nectar in hearing of it is also
unlimited.
Nanda
Kumar Prabhu:
When Gajendra prayed
to the Supreme Lord, Lord Vishnu appeared and not the demigods, and
Vishnu protected him by killing the crocodile. It seems Lord Vishnu
was partial to Gajendra, but the crocodile was liberated by being
killed by the Lord, and thus Lord Vishnu benefited them both.
Animals gradually
rise life after life, one species at a time, but they can be
benefited by hearing the holy name.
Vaishnava
Prabhu:
In India most people
consider that Krishna emanates from Vishnu rather than that Krishna
is the source of all incarnations.:
Q (by Diwakar): What
are there so many people in this world who are not Krishna conscious?
A: It is like in a
prison, you can expect to find practically all criminals. Perhaps one
or two has a change of heart and gets out for good behavior, but it
is rare.
If you go to see a
3-D movie, they give you 3-D glasses. Similarly Krishna gave Arjuna
divine eyes so he could see His universal form.
Hanan
Prabhu:
Psychologists
say those who gradually work through their fears in a supportive
environment become fearless, but this purport says that only a
devotee can be fearless.
Q
(by Hanan to the audience): Who is most fearless?
A:
(by different devotees in the audience) Srila Prabhupada
The
Pandavas
Bhima
Abhimanyu
Prahlada
Maharaja
Hanuman
Kunti
Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura
Lord
Caitanya
My
dad
Ambarisa
Maharaja
Stalin exhibited a
certain type of fearlessness, refusing anesthesia while undergoing an
operation. [But he was not completely fearless because he refused
anesthesia fearing he might be killed while under anesthesia!]
What are you afraid
of?
Suffering.
The unknown.
A painful death.
Forgetting Krishna.
Time.
We are fearful when
are material attachments are threatened.
One commentator says
that Arjuna did not have so much difficulty killing his friends and
relatives as he did in killing his attachment to them.
The first thing
Pariksit Maharaja did was to not retaliate.
The second thing was
to renounce everything.
One Ayurvedic doctor
told me that formerly when people got cancer they knew the body was
temporary, and they would just go a secluded place and fast until
death. After you do not eat or drink for a few days, you stop feeling
the pain of the body.
Instead of thinking
”“I am in the center” and “the material energy should cooperate with
me” and thus becoming frustrated, we must gradually come to the point of seeing I
am the eternal servant of Krishna, and we try make choices that help
develop that relationship.
Draupadi was the
queen and she had five heroic husbands, but in the assembly when
Dushasana tried to disrobe her, no one could help her but Krishna.
When she completely realized that, she completely surrendered.
When we take shelter
of Krishna, sometimes the external situation will not change, but
Krishna will change our consciousness so we progress toward Him.
Alex:
[Introducing
a kirtana.]
This
is a very sweet prayer. You believe in the power of prayer right?
Laura:
I
think the yoga we have at the beginning really brought a lot of
people to our Krishna Club at University of North Florida in
Jacksonville.
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jivera
‘svarupa’ haya – krishnera ‘nitya-dasa’
krishnera
‘tatastha-shakti’ ‘bhedabheda-prakasa’
suryamsa-kirana,
yaiche agni-jvala-caya
svabhavika
krishnera tina-prakara ‘shakti’ haya
“It
is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal
servant of Krishna because he is the marginal energy of Krishna and a
manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord,
like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire. Krishna has three
varieties of energy.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila
20.108–109)