Diary
of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 6
By Krishna-kripa das
(March 2015, part two)
By Krishna-kripa das
(March 2015, part two)
Jacksonville,
Tallahassee, Gainesville, and Alachua
(Sent from Brooklyn, New York, on April 15, 2015)
(Sent from Brooklyn, New York, on April 15, 2015)
Where
I Where and What I Did
I spent the third week of March at Krishna House chanting at Krishna Lunch every day. We had the first of many Florida Ratha-yatras in Saint Augustine on March 21, and it was so wonderful my friends at Krishna House were really blissed out for at least two days after. The final week of March I spent going to Tampa and Tallahassee to chant and promote our programs there. I participated in the Tallahassee Ratha-yatra on March 28.
I have insights from Srila Prabhupada's books and lectures, from Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya, from a book by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, from Batu Gopala Prabhu, a wonderful Prabhupada disciple visiting from Hillsborough, North Carolina, and from the devotees at Gainesville's Krishna House.
I would like to thank Sankarsan Lila Prabhu and his wife Sanatani Radha dd of Gainesville for their wonderful South Indian meal and donation. Thanks to Victoria O'Hara for her video clip of me chanting at Florida State University. Thanks to Yamaraj Prabhu for his picture of Tallahassee Ratha-yatra, and Dhira Das, Sudevi Dasi, Vaisnava, and Marlon for their pictures of Saint Augustine Ratha-yatra. Thanks to Syamala Kishori Devi Dasi for the Farmers Market picture. Thanks to Raju for his pictures of the USF program in Tampa.
Itinerary
April 13–15: New York City
April
16: Toronto
April
17–23: Ireland (Dublin and Cork)
April
24–26: Rotterdam
April
27: Amsterdam (King’s Day)
April
28: Radhadesh, Belgium
April
29: Germany
April
30–May 3: Simhachalam, Bavaria, Germany (Nrisimha Festival)
May
5: London
May
6–8:
Newcastle
May
9–10:
Birmingham 24-hour kirtana
May
10–12:
Newcastle
May
13: Sheffield
May 14–24: Sheffield and Manchester areas promoting their Ratha-yatras
May 14–24: Sheffield and Manchester areas promoting their Ratha-yatras
May
25: London
May
28: Preston?
May
31: Leeds
Saint
Augustine Ratha-yatra
Devotees
from Alachua, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Orlando, and even Tampa,
joined together to participate in the Ratha-yatra in Saint Augustine
on March 21.
I traveled with the Krishna
House devotees.
When we stopped for a bathroom break, Satyahit
Prabhu, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, started singing and playing
djembe, as
we waited for everyone to return to our vehicles.
Several devotees danced in the
parking lot of the gas station.
It
was so warm sweaters were not necessary, and as it was cloudy, it was
also not too hot during the parade itself and sunscreen was also not
required.
Chelsea
of Krishna House swept the road at one point.
Several
people were so attracted by the chanting, dancing, and procession
that they followed us and took pictures.
In addition to the
Ratha-yatra, which follows a largely unpopulated route for much of
the time, we do a one-hour harinama
(chanting
procession) up and down the very busy St. George Street.
Many people danced with us, some even reading the mantra on our sign and chanting along.
Many people danced with us, some even reading the mantra on our sign and chanting along.
Here
is a video clip in which two new guys, one in red and the other in lime
green, took pleasure in singing and dancing with the devotees:
(https://youtu.be/s-yBwrcl6zQ):
Tulasirani
Devi Dasi encouraged one lady in dancing with us.
Over
a case of the pamphlet, Krishna:
Reservoir of Pleasure, was
distributed and a number of books as well.
Mikey
Prabhu from Krishna House was one of the distributors.
Many
local people love the festival, one saying she has come for five
years.
While
I was telling one young resident of Saint Augustine and her friends
about the history of the festival, she
gazed
at the devotees and
interjected, “There is Tulasirani!” I was surprised. “How do
you know Tulasirani?” I asked. She explained she was from Columbus,
Ohio, and encountered the devotees there, including Tulasirani. “They
taught me about yoga and it changed my life.”
Later
she (right) and her friend (center) took prasadam
with
Tulasirani (left). They exchanged phone numbers, and she promised to meet
Tulasirani the next time she came to Gainesville.
In the winter, my main engagement is to chant during Krishna Lunch at the University of Florida in Gainesville for 2½ hours while the devotees serve vegetarian food offered to Krishna to between 800 and 1200 college students.
Danielle Veenstra, a student photographer, came by one day and took some nice photos which she sent me. These first three pictures of chanting at Krishna Lunch are hers.
Syamala
Kishori Devi Dasi, disciple of Indradyuma Swami, played the role of
arranging educational programs and field trips for the devotees at
the Krishna House. She is a talented singer and musician. In this
video, she sings and plays harmonium, and her father, Batu Gopala
Prabhu, disciple of Srila Prabhupada, plays the mrdanga
(https://youtu.be/5-QjWUAKJBM):
Hari
Priya, daughter of Yadubara and Visakha Prabhus, is another one of
the beautiful chanters at Krishna Lunch.
During
the rainy days we serve Krishna Lunch by the library. The drawback of
that is we cannot play the karatalas
(cymbals)
as the library workers will complain to the police and we will get in
trouble. On the other hand, we are closer to those who are serving
the lunch, and they can take part in the chanting as you can see in
the video below. Dhameshvar Prabhu, who is leading here, is the most
reliable of all the Krishna Lunch chanters, coming out everyday for
the whole time (https://youtu.be/QQMvGxf5Ckg):
Krishna Lunch on Sunday
Hanan Prabhu asked me to teach his Sunday Krishna Lunch participants a dance step, and just see how they responded! (https://youtu.be/5syEsdwVXz0)
Thanks to Tsurit who took the video using Syamala Kishori's camera.
Chanting at the Farmers Market
Chanting at the University of South Florida
I chanted almost three hours, sometimes with Raju, our Bhakti Yoga Club president, and we passed out flyers to students who showed some interest in us. A few people we distributed flyers to seemed happy to get them, and two people came come to our meeting as a result. Still we had many new people because one guy named Carlos, who had come before, invited a friend of his named John, and John invited a girl named Madison. Chris also learned of the program from John, and he brought Abigail and Taylor. So even though Carlos himself did not come, he was instrumental in at least five people coming!
That whole group of people all experimented with both japa and kirtana, and were very happy to encounter them. Several of them said they would be back and Chris and Abigail (sitting in front) purchased beads to chant on. The next week two carloads of students from Tampa came to Alachua for the Holi festival, including Chris and Abigail, who was wearing her chanting beads around her wrist.
The day after our club meeting I chanted on the campus in front of the University of South Florida Library for about three hours. I mentioned to one girl who came by as I was chanting in front of the library that our club does yoga and meditation, and that we talk about Bhagavad-gita, a well-known text which summarizes India's revealed wisdom and is the ultimate book on yoga and meditation. She sat down near my book display to look at the books, and she asked me what meditation was all about. I explained we did mantra meditation or meditation on spiritual sound, and I showed her the verse in the Gita [6.26] that explains how in meditation one must bring the mind back under the control of the self, from wherever it wanders. I taught her the mantra, and she tried singing the response, but to learn both the words and the tune were too much for her. I mentioned we also chanted the mantra softly on beads, and I pulled out my beads and demonstrated. She listened as I chanted, and then she chanted herself and liked it. I told her she could get some beads of her own at next Thursday's club meeting. In the midst of my meditation lesson, I talked to a couple about Bhagavad-gita, and the guy ended up buying it and a small book as well. Then at the end of the meditation lesson the girl I taught decided to buy a Bhagavad-gita too!
Tallahassee Ratha-yatra
Tallahassee Ratha-yatra is our participation in the Springtime Tallahassee parade viewed by many thousands of people.
We were limited to 30 devotees in our procession. There were many youthful devotees from Alachua and Gainesville. Bhadra Prabhu encouraged us to march and dance in a more choreographed way than in your average Ratha-yatra.
Visvambhara,
Dhanya, (both above) and also Bali,
all of the Mayapuris, were among the singers.
all of the Mayapuris, were among the singers.
Anapayini
organized the dancers.
Afterwards we had prasadam at our temple in Tallahassee with the congregational devotees and sang some kirtana and told some pastimes about Lord Ramacandra as it was His appearance day. Thanks to Damodar Das for the great photos.
Chanting
at Florida State University in Tallahassee
One
middle-aged lady came up to me, surprised to see someone playing a
harmonium, and asked if she could take a picture. I replied, “Yes,
if you send it to me.” Turns out she is Victoria O'Hara, a music
teacher at Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in Seminole, Florida,
and she plays the piano and the guitar herself.
You can see her brief video clip (http://youtu.be/AgaPlOmZzkg):
You can see her brief video clip (http://youtu.be/AgaPlOmZzkg):
Zeta
Beta Tau fraternity had a giant ball they were trying to get
signatures on. The idea was that a business would donate a certain
amount to Children's Miracle Network for each signature on the ball.
Kim, a young lady who loves the Florida State University Krishna Lunch, would come by my book table every day that I was at the campus behind the library in January, February, and March, and she would always take a free vegan oatmeal cookie. On my last visit for the year, I invited her to our club meeting. She came, and I taught her how to chant japa. The next day she told me she tried. It was hard because there was too much noise around. I encouraged her to continue.
One day a young lady came up to me with five dollars in her hand, saying she wanted the Gita. She had meant to get it on one of my previous visits but had not. The same day two Indian students came by. One recognized Srila Prabhupada from the picture on the back of the books. He knew Hare Krishna from visiting the Miami temple, and he also bought a Bhagavad-gita. He was studying at University of South Florida in Tampa but was visiting his friend at FSU. I gave him an invitation to our Tampa club, and I told them both about Krishna Lunch at FSU, and they went that very day and liked it.
I
always meet nice students on the Florida campuses, and I enjoy giving
them the chance to experience Krishna sound, Krishna wisdom, and
Krishna food.
To see photos I took but did not include in this blog, click on the link below:
Insights
Srila
Prabhupada:
from
a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.8.33:
As
merely washing the clothes of a hungry man will not satisfy him nor
will polishing the cage of a hungry bird satisfy him, satisfying the
needs of the body will not satisfy the soul.
We
need to give comfort to the soul.
To
advance in life and to reduce our miserable condition of life is
[real] science.
Even
in the bird society, there are difference between the crow class and
swan class. Similarly in human society there is a difference between
the crow class of men and the swan class of men. By Krishna
consciousness we can transform the crow class man to the swan class
man, just as an uncultured man can be trained to become cultured.
It
does not matter how fallen a man is, if he follows our instructions,
he can be reformed.
When
we understand we are part and parcel of God, that is the brahma-bhuta
[spiritual]
stage.
War,
pestilence, etc., can kill so many people. Krishna does not have to
come here to kill the demoniac. He comes when He is requested by His
devotees.
When
the scientists are in danger they pray to God, but when they are not
in danger, they defy God.
Artificially
we are trying to banish God.
From
a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.2.24:
We
are conditioned at every step. The animals cannot live in the town,
and we cannot live in the jungle.
If
you are in put in prison, you cannot improve your condition. You are
given a certain cell.
In
grhastha
life
one lives with wife and family but desires to improve spiritually.
It
is all individual. I have to surrender to Krishna individually. Just
like one has to fly his own plane. No one can help him. Not that when
my husband will do I will do or when my wife will do I will do. And
no one can check our individual surrender to Krishna.
Bhaktivinoda
Thakura:
from
Sri
Navadvipa
Dhama Mahatmya, Parikrama-khanda,
Chapter Six: Sri Ganga-nagara, Prthu-kunda, Simantadvipa, Saradanga,
Visrama-sthana:
“Therefore,
Lord Gauranga's pastimes are considered the highest. Gauranga's
abode, name, form, and qualities do not consider offense; rather,
they expertly deliver one from any offense. If the devotee has some
offense in his heart then Krishna's name and abode will deliver him
only after a long time. But Gauranga's name and abode immediately
bestow prema
on the devotee, for offenses create no obstacle and are easily
overcome.”
Satsvarupa
Dasa Goswami:
from
Day
by Day: A Record of a Seven Day Japa
Vrata:
“ .
. . whatever we gain here, when we can recall it later, we'll see
that it wasn't some evanescent short period in which we imagined
something, but that we were touching the most indestructible entity,
Krishna Himself, the holy name, and our chanting link with Him.”
Batu
Gopal Prabhu:
Krishna
sees things in a different way than we.
It
is as important as bathing to bathe ourselves in optimistic thoughts
about Krishna consciousness. Optimism fuels your enthusiasm.
Q:
How do we see Krishna when we are busy doing things that have no
direct relationship with Krishna?
A:
The more you become Krishna consciousness the more you see Krishna
everywhere. The first and foremost thing is to give up the fruits of
work. Everyone who is working can give something to Krishna.
Krishna
thinks about each living creature, “Even though he is in a state of
rebellion, let him at least have something to eat.”
Of
every dollar we earn, we should give so many cents to Krishna. You
will be surprised how such a small discipline provides so many
rewards, and I do not mean material rewards, I mean the revelation of
Krishna in different circumstances.
Krishna
accepts all the people who come with material motives and gives them
more than they deserve. He says the person in knowledge is the best,
but He accepts them all.
Q:
How to practice Krishna consciousness our whole life?
A:
You will not be able to escape. Lord Caitanya is spreading a net to
capture everyone, and He will not let you escape. Krishna is not like
us. He is wonderful. Our imagination cannot approach the mercy of
Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Everyone who has taken prasadam
or
heard the holy name in any city is on their way to joining this
sankirtana
mission.
Q:
In my travels sometimes people ask how they can inspire their
children to become Krishna conscious. Your daughter who is here
(Syamala Kishori) is very enthusiastic about Krishna consciousness.
How were you successful in inspiring her?
A:
The more there are talks about Krishna, everyone benefits. Other
talks should be kept to a minimum. So also it is true in our homes.
The more there is talk about Krishna, wonderful things will happen.
People will acquire a thirst for these topics.
Religious
people consider God is great, but the extent of his greatness is not
known. Because God is so great that universes emanate from Him, even
people who are devotionally inclined tend to see Him impersonally.
Brahma
was curious about Krishna, and as if performing a scientific
experiment, he stole His friends and calves, to see how Krishna would
react. Krishna responded in a nonaggressive way because ultimately
Brahma is a devotee of the Lord. Similarly because Indra is a
devotee, Krishna did not pick up the mountain and throw it him like
He could have. [He just held it as umbrella to protect His devotees.]
The
worst feature of Kali-yuga for me is that evil appears to be rewarded
and piety is ridiculed.
One
qualification of God that is not so obvious to most people is that
God is the Supreme Enjoyer. How else could he enjoy all the offerings
offered to Him? How else could He reciprocate the devotion of all
living entities?
If
I love myself, and I do, it must be because I am part and parcel of
Krishna. I am lovable only because I am part and parcel of the
Supreme Person, Krishna.
Q
(Tulasirani dd): Brahma's prayers are amazing and cover all important
parts of the philosophy yet all Krishna did was simply nod at Him.
How is that?
A:
You do not understand the significance of His nod. Just like His
sidelong glance.
Krishna's
business is to make sure all His devotees are fully satisfied.
There
is always the next chapter with Krishna because He is eternal.
Krishna
says in Bhagavad
gita
7.27 that all living beings are born into delusion. That includes us.
Generally we rebel if someone says we are deluded, but we cannot do
that with Krishna. Fortunately, however, Krishna does not end there.
He reveals His transcendental nature and ours, and He tells how we
can escape this delusion. We can follow Krishna's instructions and
get out of here. This is a gradual process, and it takes time. But
even in the beginning, just by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra we
experience a lessening of delusion.
Q
(by Syamala Kishori dd): What about people who feel that everything
is OK in their life, and they do not have the inclination to apply
Krishna's teachings?
A:
Srila Prabhupada would explain that everyone bows down to Krishna,
either voluntarily to Him personally or forcibly to His form as
death.
Q
(by Arjuna): How exactly are we bewildered by these dualities?
A:
Although we are spiritual beings we identify with our body, and
because of that, we are affected by these dualities. Again and again
I am pursuing the objects of the senses although I repeatedly
experience they do not satisfy me. This is delusion. Actually because
we are spiritual, nothing in this world can satisfy us.
This
world is not as we wish, where beloved relatives get old, sick, and
die, where we are laid off by our employer despite so much faithful
service.
There
is simultaneous realization of the self and God by practicing this
bhakti-yoga.
Start
making your plans to get out of this material situation. No matter
how long it takes, it is the only reasonable direction to go in.
Even
in the most primitive civilizations, God has provided some way of
progressing.
Don't
give this up. Even reading one verse of Bhagavad-gita
can save your life. In a dark time, even simply remembering that
Bhagavad-gita
exists can be a cause for optimism.
Syamala Kishori Devi Dasi:
The
Hare Krishna mantra is an individual prayer to Krishna, but it is
powerful to do it together, and it creates a spiritual bond between
us.
Krishna took more pleasure in
glorifying Balarama than in glorifying Himself.
Krishna was conscious of the
desires of the plants and animals in addition to those of the human beings.
Krishna is a God who is
willing to be tricked by His friends
If
you think that the spiritual world is a boring place, Krishna
book
can remove that misconception.
Comment
by Dhamesvara Prabhu: When the gopis
saw Krishna dancing on Kaliya, they developed the urge to dance with
Him.
Giriraja Swami asked how
Krishna could dance on all of Kaliya's hoods. Srila Prabhupada
explained Krishna expanded Himself to dance on each hood, but the
residents of Vrindavan saw just one Krishna, and he reminded Giriraja
Swami it was not possible for him to understand Krishna from his own
point of view.
We hope to become the kind of
the people that the devotees will pray to Krishna for.
We can pray that Krishna may
dance on our tongue in the form of the holy name.
Sanatani
Radha dd:
My
parents came from India to visit me and my husband in America for
three months. My father was a Communist and an atheist, and in the
beginning, he was challenging my beliefs and practices at every step.
Then gradually things changed. When I was out, my mother would make
snacks for him and first offer them to Lord Jagannatha. Once she
forgot to make the offering, and my father complained they tasted
nasty and asked if she made some mistake in the preparation. She
thought about it and concluded that she had made them the same way
she always had and just forgotten to offer them to Lord Jagannath. My
father told her to make them again and offer them to Lord Jagannath,
and then they tasted as good as usual.
We
do not have a TV or get the newspaper so my father was bored without
anything to do. We gave him the Srila
Prabhupada-lilamrita to
read, and he read the entire book.
His
conclusion at the end was that Srila Prabhupada was a genuine person.
Now
my parents are back in India. My father has insomnia at night, and my
mother sees him pacing back and forth and softly chanting Hare
Krishna, until he is tired enough to sleep.
My
mother's friends find her to behave differently. She only speaks when
it is required, and spends much of the rest of her time chanting Hare
Krishna. Before she would just chant one round a day.
Vaishnava
Prabhu (from New Vrindavan):
Growing
up in New Vrindavan I got to take care of the cows. By doing that I
feel I could relate more to Krishna's pastimes as a cowherd boy. The
cows are worshipable because they are very dear to Krishna.
Krishna's
friends were so confident of Krishna's protection they fearlessly
entered the body of the snake demon. This confidence in Krishna's
protection is a symptom of a great soul advanced in devotional
service.
Krishna
performs many pastimes in order to facilitate our remembrance of Him.
A
devotee lady Yamini has written songs for children describing
Krishna's pastimes.
Comment
by Kalakantha Prabhu: The Romans had a pagan worship centered around
the worship of a deity represented as a bull. As Christianity became
more popular it ultimately became the state religion during the time
of King Constantine. Then the bull became a symbol of Satan.
Having
moved from New Vrindavan to Gainesville, I miss the nice places in
the woods to chant japa.
Q
(my me): It is amazing the cowherd boys were so confident of
Krishna's protection they fearlessly entered the mouth of the demon.
How can we attain this level of confidence in Krishna's protection?
A:
We can begin by making a simple prayer to Krishna, “I am not very
surrendered, but I want to be surrendered.” Then by associating
with devotees, and by taking advantage of preaching opportunities, we
become more surrendered.
Hanan
Prabhu:
The
example of the musk deer searching for the fragrant smell that comes
from itself, sages use to illustrate that our real happiness comes
from within although we do not know it.
I
was working for an insurance company in Israel, which was ripped off
by a thief, and the managers decided they would come out ahead if
they settled it out of court. I was the person sent to carry the
money, which filled an entire suitcase. I found when I was carrying
this suitcase of money, I had this consciousness that I was very
important for the time I was doing that service.
Because
we want to be selfish, we get entangled in karmic reactions.
Q:
Why is bhakti-yoga
powerful?
Suggested
answers by the audience:
We
can eat food.
You
can do it with anyone and with anything.
It
is practical because we are active, and we can engage our senses,
which are otherwise disturbing elements.
It
is fun.
It
is the natural situation of the soul which is going on in the
spiritual world.
The
first step in dealing with a challenging situation is to accept it.
The
whole Srimad-Bhagatavam
is
an answer to the question, “What is the duty of a man at death?”
Dennis:
We
have to be more enthusiastic in sharing Krishna with people than they
are to remain in material life.
I
found I could introduce Krishna only very gradually at my office. All
I did was to burn incense for years. Then my coworkers were ready for
prasadam.
comment
by Krishna Kumara Das: One professor explained 60 years of research
in social psychology shows that people are convinced by emotional
arguments more so than by rational arguments. Rational arguments can
be used later to make the people feel their choices were reasonable.
comment
by Tulasirani Devi Dasi: We are not meant to defeat the mind or
intelligence of the people but to conquer their hearts.
Ricky
Lee:
from
an ice breaker called “What did I last lend and not get back?”:
I
lent people a lot of time, and I never got any of it back.
Darlina:
from
an ice breaker called “What did I last lend and not get back?”:
I
never let anyone borrow anything that I want back.
Marlon:
What
is the use of having a gold cage if you have a dead bird?
Naomi:
Hearing
that I am a soul, my first question is what are the needs of the
soul?
Realizations Shared at an
Evening Program:
Krishna-kumara Das: Vaisesika
Prabhu says practice is always effective. Even a little regular
practice goes a long way.
Vaishnava: If one is of good
character, that is more convincing than speaking nicely.
Karly: Speaking your actual
realization to someone is most powerful.
Varangi Radha dd: I heard a
class in which Devamrita Swami was explaining how just as we
encounter distress without endeavoring for it, in the same way we
will encounter happiness even if we do not endeavor for it. Thus it
is better to endeavor for spiritual life and be satisfied with the
happiness that comes without endeavor rather than wasting time
endeavoring for happiness. Since I am always endeavoring for
happiness so much, this was a great realization for me.
Vaisnava's father: When you
just serve, without worrying about anything, you experience real
happiness.
Naomi:
It is awesome how the Bhagavatam,
though written so long ago, is so relevant to our lives.
Lavanga: When Brahma told
Priyavrata to get married after Narada had previously instructed him
in renunciation, it was amazing to me that Narada did not get envious
and object, but rather Narada actually appreciated Brahma's
instructions.
Karly:
I was just meditating during the kirtana
how
wonderful it is that everyone here, and even the plants and animals
nearby, are benefiting from the kirtana.
How
wonderful is the holy name!
Christina: When Kalakantha
Prabhu was reading about the first devotees that Prabhupada initiated
by in 1966 who were very inexperienced in very basic ways, I felt
relieved thinking there is hope for me.
Mike: There is a purport in
the Second Canto where Srila Prabhupada mentions peace and
satisfaction three times as results of practicing Krishna
consciousness.
Syamala Kishori Devi Dasi:
My
father was saying that the Bhagavatam
is
a book of happy endings, and Krishna is the author of happy endings.
At Payne's Prairie, I was
telling my father, “If we chant Hare Krishna to this caterpillar
that will be the best day of its life.” He agreed and so we did, and
my father chanted it so loud it jumped from his position and fell a
ways down.
Comments on my class on
improving sadhana:
Carlos: In India I was busy
running around to holy places and doing many things, but I felt some
dissatisfaction I could not explain. Then in Vrindavan I read for two
hours and felt satisfied. Then I realized I was dissatisfied because
I had no time to read.
Syamala Kishori: Reading puts
everything in perspective. In Vrindavan I read 2 or 3 hours a day and
got more realizations than ever before.
Autumn: When you read you
realize you do not always have to be busy doing something, and you
are more in the mode of goodness.
Chelsea: Reading is my time
with Srila Prabhupada.
Syamala Kishori: Reading the Varaha
pastime, I felt I was on a safari and Srila Prabhupada was my tour
guide.
Marlon: Devamrita Swami said
when he heard the devotees say that the sense gratification we have
is the same as that of the dogs and hogs those words convinced him to pursue
spiritual life and his telling of that to me inspired me in the same way.
Carlos: Aindra Prabhu said
japa
[chanting
privately on beads] is
like a pill but harinama
[singing
in a group] is
like a shot.
Vrinda:
This idea of doing a fast and
praying to Lord Shiva for a good husband is such a part of Hindu
culture my mother did it in her early life and trained me to do it
too. The last time I did it, we recited the translation of the
prayers. The final one was a prayer to attain Lord Shiva's abode, and
once I realized that, I stopped it as I wanted to attain Krishna's
abode.
Comment
by Dennis: There was one lady in Denver who was not a very expert cook,
but because she was so sincere, everything tasted wonderful, although
the puris
were misshapen. In contrast someone who cooked very expertly did not
produce food that tasted so good.
In
the pastimes of the brahmanas
wives,
Krishna reveals that devotion
to Him is not attained by proximity to Him but by hearing and
chanting about Him.
Krishna's diverse qualities
can attract.
What qualities of Krishna
attract you?
Dennis: He is humble.
Dhameshvar: He is in
everyone's heart.
Naomi: He is able to relate to
everyone individually.
Mother Caitanya: He is funny.
Vrinda: He is a trickster.
Madhava: We may not always
experience His reciprocation at every moment, but we see as time goes
by that He ultimately reciprocates.
Suresh:
Valmika's
Ramayana
is
divided into seven divisions called khandas,
and
these are divided into sargas.
The
first khanda
is
called Bala-khanda,
and
its first sarga
is
a one-hundred verse summary of the entire Ramayana.
Someone
has also composed a list of names of Rama which tell the whole story
of Ramayana.
Its
refrain is: rama
rama jaya raja rama, rama rama jaya sita rama
Some
people analyze that the Ramayana
is
a series of examples of different living beings taking shelter of
Lord Rama and Him giving them all protection.
-----
ramante yogino ’nante
satyanande cid-atmani
iti rama-padenasau
param brahmābhidhīyate
“The mystics derive
unlimited transcendental pleasures from the Absolute Truth, and
therefore the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, is
also known as Rama.” (Padma Purana)