Diary
of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 17
By Krishna-kripa das
(September 2015, part one)
By Krishna-kripa das
(September 2015, part one)
Newcastle,
Sheffield, Ireland, New York City
(Sent from Brooklyn, New York, on October 1, 2015)
Where I Went and What I Did
(Sent from Brooklyn, New York, on October 1, 2015)
Where I Went and What I Did
September
began with a final harinama
in
Newcastle, followed by the regular Sheffield nama-hatta
program
and a harinama and
evening Janmastami program the next day, an increase for the devotees
there. Then I went on to Dublin for harinama
the
day before Janmastami and a seven-hour harinama
on
Janmastami day, by the mercy of Ananta Nitai Prabhu, who pushed me
past my limits. I observed the rest of Janmastami and Vyasa-puja on
Govindadvipa, (Inis Rath Island) in Northern Ireland, and four of us
chanted in Cavan, Ireland, on Vyasa-puja evening. My last day in
Europe was in Belfast, where seven of us chanted in Victoria Square
for three hours. Then I joined Rama Raya Prabhu and his New York City
Harinama, helping out by leading, singing the response, dancing,
distributing the Krishna:
Reservoir of Pleasure, and
manning the book table.
I
share insights from Srila Prabhupada's lectures. I share notes on the
lectures of Jayadvaita Swami, Rama Raya, and Madhavendra Puri Prabhu
in New York City, and notes on the lectures of Tulasi Priya Das and
Gopalacarya Prabhu in Northern Ireland. I share notes from Srila
Prabhupada remembrances by Mula Prakrita dd. I also share Srila
Prabhupada Vyasa-puja offerings from the devotees at Govindadvipa in
Northern Ireland.
Thanks
to the Newcastle temple for helping with my expenses in England. Thanks to Shelina, who picked us up at Derrylin on Janmastami, and Bhakta Tom, who drove us to Cavan for harinama on Vyasa-puja Day. I am
very, very indebted to Kaliya Krishna Prabhu, a disciple of Romapada
Swami, who kindly pays for my subway expenses so I can attend the New
York City Harinam. All thanks to him.
Thanks
to Joe Kenny for all the pictures of the harinama and
Janmastami program in Sheffield. Thanks to Ravi Chambers for his
video of us chanting in Dublin. Thanks to Krishna Daily Darshan for the Janmastami picture of Radha Govinda on the Irish island.
Itinerary
September
28–November 12: New York City Harinama
November
13: Philadelphia?
November
14–17: Washington, D.C., Harinama
November
18: Jacksonville, FL
November
19: Tampa
November
20: Orlando
November
21–December 15: Krishna House (except 5 days in Tallahassee)
December
16–January 3: New York City Harinama
Harinama
in Sheffield
I
was happy we had eight people on harinama
in
Sheffield, including a new person who played guitar.
Sometimes
I sang.
When Geoffrey sang, I distributed.
Sheffield
Janmastami Program
We
had a Janmastami program on Thursday, because we were going other
places on the actual Janmastami day (Saturday).
The venue was the
Burngreave Ashram, where we have prasadam
and
kirtana
every Thursday.
The organizer of the ashram, Rev. John Vincent, came
to the program, and I had a nice chat with him about religion before
the program started. Both he and his wife, Grace, participated by
chanting Hare Krishna and honoring prasadam.
He
gave me a copy of his book on discipleship.
I
sang the first kirtana,
and
Harisuta Devi Dasi did arati.
I
spoke briefly about the universality of Lord Krishna's supreme instruction
to remember Him, become His devotee, to worship Him, and to bow down
to Him, and the value of understanding the transcendental nature of His appearance and activities.
I
also read the beautiful description of the evening that Krishna
appeared, when everything was adjusted for supreme auspiciousness.
We
had a second kirtana
sung
by a friend of Geoff who is a soprano
who teaches music to children and has some interest in the spiritual. She ended up leading for almost an
hour. She really got into the kirtana,
and
it was beautiful to see.
Thanks
to Joe, Geoff, and Harisuta Devi Dasi, for their organizational work, and to
the nice Indian lady, Manju, who along with help from her husband, a
distinguished teacher of cardiology, and others, made a wonderful feast.
Harinama
in Dublin the Day Before Janmastami
The
advantage of doing harinama
the
day before Janmastami is that you can invite people to the festival
the next day. Both the Indians and the Westerners who like Hare
Krishna and Hare Krishna festivals are likely candidates.
Amazingly
I met one Indian man living in Dubai who I had seen back in April
when I chanted in Dublin with my friends. He had taken a book, given
a donation, gone to Govinda's Restaurant, and come back to see us the
next day. Now he was in Dublin with his whole family as his daughter
enrolled in Trinity College. They knew it was Janmastami the next day
and were planning to fast, and they were very happy to hear of our
Janmastami festival at our Dublin temple, above the restaurant.
Ravi
Chambers, who is originally from Ireland, was well known to
Premarnava Prabhu, also from Ireland, and Ananta Nitai Prabhu and I
knew him from his later life in the UK, where he is the MC of our
24-hour kirtana
in
Birmingham each year. We were all surprised to see him in Dublin as
we were chanting on the steps of the Bank of Ireland. He took this
little video of our meeting (https://youtu.be/Dv4cS2A1Ptw):
Harinama
in Dublin on Janmastami
We
planned to chant from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Janmastami. I thought we
should do a little longer, because I always do three hours, but I
wanted to go to the Janmastami celebration on the island, and it
takes three hours to get there. After some time, Ananta Nitai Prabhu
said he was thinking of chanting until midnight. I was already
noticing I was more tired than usual after 2:00 p.m., and I knew
midnight would be too much. Thus I said I could chant for five or
seven hours instead of three. That way I could still catch the end of
the festival on the island. In this way, we chanted for seven hours!
Ananta Nitai Prabhu and I began the harinama.
Premarnava
Prabhu, and later Manu Prabhu, joined us.
We
chanted on O'Connell Street near Govinda's for a while, then we
chanted through Temple Bar and down Grafton Street.
Manu
Prabhu played his accordion and sang at the top of Grafton Street, a
very busy area (https://youtu.be/L-qotxL_u8k):
Later,
back on O'Connell Street, when it was just myself and Ananta Nitai
Prabhu, one group of young guys enjoyed chanting and dancing with us
(https://youtu.be/h-ImHWyV4o0).
They
liked it so much that they came back to visit us again, this time
wearing Burger King crowns (https://youtu.be/dk-FYUYwdyg):
After chanting from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m., we dashed off to catch the 7:30 p.m. bus to Derrylin to see Radha Govinda on Their island.
We got there at 10:45 p.m., and the devotees let both me and Ananta Nitai Prabhu sing a kirtana for the Lord.
Vyasa-puja of Srila Prabhupada
On the day of the Vyasa-puja of Srila Prabhupada, I
decided to go to mangala-arati.
There
were about six of us. I had slept 3 hours and 10 minutes and was able
to get that much rest only because they made the arati
an
hour later than usual.
During
the midday kirtana,
as
I saw Srila Prabhupada at one end of the temple and Sri Sri Radha
Govinda at the other, I recalled how Srila Prabhupada said, “By the
mercy of Krishna, one gets a guru, and by the mercy of the guru, one
gets Krishna.” As I chanted I felt happy to be the recipient of the
mercy of both guru and Krishna.
Vyasa-puja
Offerings
There
were not many people around to make the offerings due to the late
night, but there were a few.
Tulasi-priya
Prabhu:
Even
just considering all that you did in the year 1966, it is truly
amazing, and then looking at 1967, you have another whole set of
amazing activities.
One
Indian lady asked Srila Prabhupada, “How did you do this?” He
replied that he just presented the words of his spiritual master as
they are.
We
actually experience that by chanting 16 rounds of Hare Krishna,
following the four rules prohibiting sinful activities, and studying your
books, all our problems of life are solved. That is because we become
free the clutches of the material energy of the Lord.
Narottama
Prabhu:
Thank
you for traveling over the six continents and preaching Krishna
consciousness.
You
saved us from going to hell.
Thank
you for giving us Krishna.
Without
you what are the heroes our children will grow up with?
Krishna-kripa Das:
Thank
you for giving an ocean of conclusive knowledge of God.
Thank
you for solving the problem of evil.
Thank
you for letting us understand that every living creature is a soul as
good as another.
Thank
you for revealing the beauty of the Supreme Lord and His pastimes.
Thank
you for revealing to us that we have an eternal relationship of love
with Him.
Thank
you for giving a joyful process of spiritual life. Even children are
attracted by our public chanting, and sometimes when their parents
forcibly drag them away, they cry.
Thank
you for planting seeds of devotion all over the world and
establishing centers worldwide. All over the world I encounter
devotees with faith in Krishna, by your mercy, and I encounter
devotees who want to share Krishna with others.
Rohini
Kumara Prabhu:
Your
instructions save us from our lower nature.
Inspired
by you, half a billion books were distributed by your followers.
Ananda
Maya dd:
I
never felt a part of my family, and I went on a spiritual search.
I
investigated everyone who had some spiritual idea, I had every
baptism, and I became disillusioned.
I
saw the devotees chanting on O'Connell Street, and they were
striking, and that planted seeds in my heart.
Vaishnavi
dd:
You
single-handedly brought the mercy of Lord Caitanya to the West.
The
more I realize my fallen nature, the more I am amazed by your great
mercy, what you had to overlook to train Westerners.
I
pray that my sons might have a fire of devotion ignited by you in
their hearts.
Sri
Rupa BCS Prabhu:
I
remember I was in a distressed condition, when I first read your
books. The words were glittering on the page. I rarely understood the
words, but I liked the nice feeling I got while reading.
Over
the last 25 years, when I look, I see it is your books and your
followers saving me.
Madana
Mohana Prabhu:
You
have made a great impact on Western society by bringing this Vedic
culture.
Beyond
our reading of your books, our whole lifestyle is based on your
instructions.
Acarya
Prabhu:
Srila
Prabhupada was living every verse of Bhagavad-gita.
He
embodied all the divine qualities described there, such as tolerance,
mercy, etc.
Srila
Prabhupada made it clear that without surrender to the guru, one
cannot express spiritually.
Those
preaching impersonalism do not appreciate the value of surrender to
the spiritual master.
Hari
Sauri Prabhu says that now we are so much concerned with creating a
comfortable situation for ourselves, that we cannot understand how
Krishna is taking care of us. In the early days of the movement it
was not like that.
When
I am on book distribution, if I think that “I will distribute 20
books,” then I do nothing, but if I think I am just an
insignificant being, then Krishna will make all kinds of
arrangements, sending me people who are interested in books.
Ananta
Nitai Prabhu:
Thank
you for giving me the association of persons who are enthusiastic to
spread your message.
If
you go out on the street to do books, harinama,
or
prasadam, you
see how people are attracted, and it gives you faith.
Visiting
devotee communities, I see that people really take care of each
other, and I am inspired.
I
like these presentations, because you do not really know who is who,
but the bhakti is
really coming.
Supriya
dd, daughter of Prahlad and Ananda Mayi:
It
is not enough to be born in this movement, you have to actually join
it.
Your
mercy has brought me from existing to really living.
I
read your Jaladuta diary. My heart was breaking to read it. You gave
everything to save us.
Realizing
my debt to you, I want to give my life to your mission. I am ready to
be your puppet. Make me dance.
I
am working with the Sadaputa Archives, and I hope to dedicate my life
to serving your Bhaktivedanta Institute.
Dmitri:
You
brought meaning to my life.
In
1988, I felt there was more than materialistic life. My parents could
not help me. The Russian Orthodox Church could not answer my
questions about a relationship with God. I read different esoteric
books. In 1989 I got Easy
Journey to Higher Planets, and
I visited the temple. I lived with the devotees two years, and then
on my own, but always keeping Bhagavad-gita
as
my guide.
Harinama
in Cavan
Although
I like to go on harinama
every
day, I think we get special mercy making harinama
part
of our celebration of the festival days. I feel like we are including
the general populace in our honoring of the great personality whose
appearance we are celebrating, and they are getting special benefit
from that.
It
is always difficult to get people to go on harinama
on
Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa-puja day. People are tired after the feast
and have many rounds of Hare Krishna to chant before meeting their
quota. Thus I was very happy we had a team of four devotees to chant
in Cavan. Tim had led some nice bhajans
as
part of the festival, and Arena, daughter of a devotee mom from
Latvia, was enthusiastic to play the drum. Ananta Nitai and I are
always enthusiastic to go out. As it turned out we did not make it to
Cavan and begin singing until 6:26 p.m., so we only chanted 1¼
hours. We were worried that there would be no one on the streets at
that late hour on a Sunday, but we were pleasantly surprised. At one
point, I counted fifteen people on the street at once. Cavan has a
great venue for harinama,
a
square with a stage that is protected from rain. Across the street
were two ATMs and a cafe that got regular traffic as did an Irish
Post box to the side.
One
young guy who was clearly inebriated and his friends, who appeared
less so, danced with us for a time. He was so happy he threw a euro
and some change into our donation box and took a book and invitation.
One girl with him danced very nicely.
Other
people listened for awhile including a man who liked the music but
did not want literature, and a family eating some fast food.
While
we were there, two different Indian men came by, one with his family,
both of whom had recently moved to the area and did not know about
our temple just half an hour away and who were happy to learn of it.
There
were some rascal kids who must have thrown twenty small hard fruits
at us, none doing any damage, but the amazing thing was, as we left,
one was singing the mantra to the tune we last sang, which
was not a simple tune.
We
were glad we went out and hope Srila Prabhupada was pleased with our
little attempt to share Krishna with people on his appearance day.
You
can see this brief video of the event (https://youtu.be/fRrLyc5Y2d8):
Belfast
Harinama
I
told Bhagavati dd (formerly Bhagavata dd) to bring her friends on
harinama in Belfast,
but I was amazed when she turned up with five people, including
Belfast temple president, Prabhupada disciple Bhagavata Asraya. Thus
including myself and Ananta Nitai Prabhu, we had seven all
together, and we stayed out for three hours.
We
also had prasadam and
books for distribution to accompany the chanting.
New York City Harinama
New
York City Harinama is always an increase in my devotional service,
from three hours of chanting in public each day to six. It is powerful to be living
with a group of people so dedicated to sharing the holy name. I will just
share a few drops from the ocean of nectar here.
As
usual, Rama Raya Prabhu leads a lively finale kirtana
that
gets both onlookers and devotees dancing
(https://youtu.be/Mp6_q_Wq9hc):
One
time
Ananta Gauranga Prabhu led a kirtana
in
the subway station inspiring one saxphone player to play along
(https://youtu.be/dyE4JKzF53U):
Clarissa
comes whenever she is not in high school and has learned some tunes
on the harmonium since my last visit (https://youtu.be/T4ZeFtBoIOw):
Jai
Giridhari Prabhu comes from time to time and leads a high energy
kirtana
(https://youtu.be/ARpV4-rT35o):
Kalyani Devi Dasi, new since my last visit, delights in giving people the mantra.
Harinama
Ruci came and their singer, Sundar Nitai Prabhu, got the guys
dancing.
Girls
would dance.
One
older lady in a wheelchair played the shakers.
Sometimes
people walking by would lift up their headphones to hear the chanting.
Sometimes
a good crowd would watch us.
At Grand Central, a formally dressed man with a briefcase was delighted to play the shakers for a while.
Another
gentleman chanted with us there for a bit.
To
see photos I took but did not include in this journal, click on the
link below:
Insights
Srila
Prabhupada:
From
a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.8.19 in Mayapur, India, on September 29, 1974:
Krishna
is very difficult to understand because (1) we are fools and rascals,
(2) the deluding energy is covering us and placing obstacles in our
path, and (3) Krishna is adhoksaja,
beyond
that which we can describe with words. Therefore, we have to be very
serious.
Without
hearing about Krishna, we will simply do sense gratification. Thus
hearing is very important, but we are not inclined to hear.
We
who have taken a vow to become Krishna's friend, Krishna's lover, we
cannot remain mudra-drsa
[of
foolish vision] without opening our eyes. Krishna
is everywhere but for the mudra-drsa
He
is not visible. Thus we must increase our love for Krishna.
The
most important process is sravanam,
hearing.
My guru was very kind upon me because I wanted to hear. That was my
only qualification.
Lecture
on maha-mantra, New York, September 8, 1966:
“These
are different, nine processes, sravanam kirtanam. Sravanam
means hearing, and kirtanam means chanting, chanting. So by
this process... Just like I chant and you hear, and you chant and I
hear. Parasparam. Bodhayantah parasparam. This is the
factual activities of devotion in devotional society. This
bodhayantah parasparam: I chant, you hear, and you chant, I
hear. So by this process, the transcendental name, the sound
incarnation of the Supreme Lord, becomes manifest, manifest so that
we can realize God simply by chanting and hearing. Simply by chanting
and hearing that will be realized.”
From
Srimad-Bhagvatam 8.1.15,
purport:
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, appears in order to teach us how to work so that we will not be entangled in this material world. Our real problem is that we are entangled in materialistic activities, and because we are conditioned, our struggle continues through punishment in material existence in one body after another in different forms of life . . . We must therefore follow the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and then, like Krishna who is never entangled by His material activities of creation, maintenance and annihilation, we will have nothing for which to lament (navasidanti ye 'nu tam). Krishna personally gives instructions in Bhagavad-gita, and anyone who follows these instructions is liberated.”
From
Srimad-Bhagvatam 8.1.16,
purport:
“Follow the instructions of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and your life will be successful. That is the summary of the Krishna consciousness movement.”
Jayadvaita
Swami:
From
a festival program with Satsvarupa dasa Goswami at Stuyvesant Falls:
Srila
Prabhupada advised that even his ISKCON Press workers, who were
considered to be doing the most important service, go out on harinama
for one hour a day. Our
practical experience was that going out that hour a day did
not detract from our ISKCON Press work.
Srila
Prabhupada said regarding sentimentality:
First to cry, first to dry.If you come on sentiment, you will leave on sentiment.
From
classes in New York City:
Krishna
has nothing to gain in the material world. Everything is already His
property. Thus when Krishna acts, He does not act to get something.
He does not have to do anything because His energies do everything.
This
material world is like a slum. What does Krishna have to gain here?
If
simply by knowing Krishna, one becomes free from entanglement, how
could Krishna be entangled.
Our
constitutional position is to act as servants of Krishna, and if we
do not act in this way, we are entangled.
One
should not eat food cooked by the nondevotees. It is a simple thing
to offer food. It is not a big yajna
[sacrifice]
to bow down to Krishna, ring a bell, offer the food, “please take.”
Imagine
taking rest in a room with your worst enemy, who has a knife under
his pillow. That is the uncontrolled mind.
We
cannot follow Krishna's instructions without becoming His devotee. He
advises in Bhagavad-gita,
“Just
become my devotee.” Thus one should become an initiated devotee.
We
are always bowing down so we come to understand we are servant of the
Lord and of the spiritual master. The material world means master,
master, master.
If
one accepts that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and
acts accordingly, he goes back to Godhead. Knowing implies acting.
Comment
by Rama Raya Prabhu:
One
reporter asked, “What do you think of Hinduism and Buddhism?”
Srila
Prabhupada asked, “We have nothing to do Hinduism and Buddhism. We
are speaking the truth, and if you are truthful you will accept it.”
Q:
How does understanding that Krishna is not entangled translate to
ourselves not be entangled.
A:
We can understand Krishna is so great, acting yet being unattached, I
should serve Him and thus be unattached.
What
you do before you are initiated counts, but it counts when you become
initiated. It is just like your advanced placement in high school
counts, but it counts after you are enrolled in college. Otherwise, it
has no significance.
Srila
Prabhupada said initiation means “Yes, sir.”
When
we gain the association of devotees and begin some acts of devotion,
we become purified, and when we get initiated everything becomes
solidified.
Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati said in The
Harmonist, “We
do not hate the sahajiyas
because
they are acknowledging Krishna, whereas the Mayavadis are trying to
kill Krishna. But we do not associate with them.”
In
Tehran there have been Hare Krishna devotees since Srila Prabhupada's
time. There is a picture of a Janmastami celebration with all these
ladies in head scarves wearing tilaka.
Comments
by Abhirama Prabhu:
We think that when we have a good kirtana everyone gets the same benefit, but actually they benefit individually as they surrender.When I chant just to get the chanting done, I do not even say the mantra properly, but when I chant, calling on Krishna to save me, I see the chanting has a different quality.I saw my old friend Ambarish, the Ford heir who has millions of dollars, after many years.Ambarish said, “I have heard about your Harinama Ashram in New York. You are so fortunate.”I replied, “I am the richest man in the world to have this opportunity.”
People
need leaders. Even if they are rebels, they follow a rebel leader.
Solzhenitsyn
criticized Russia society saying that it failed not because of not
following Lenin but because of following Lenin exactly. That is the
result of following an imperfect leader.
It
is a fact that modern society creates madness. Madness is a symptom
of ignorance.
Q:
People have different ideas of how distribute Krishna consciousness.
A:
Srila Prabhupada said, “Chant Hare Krishna and distribute my books.” Do
not make it complicated. And do not bicker about this and that.
The
Internet was started by the military and then academia got into it.
Netiquette:
Do not post something you would not say in person. Do not post in a
passion without considering it for a day.
If
we had to pay money before sending an email, we would be more
careful.
The
society is degrading while the Vaishnavas are busy criticizing each
other for what someone said years ago. It is not a good situation.
The
soul is present everywhere in two ways:
1.
There are souls everywhere, in all the planets.
2.
The consciousness of the soul is spread throughout his body.
A
Srila Prabhupada analogy: You know your apartment, but the landlord
knows all the apartments. In the same way, you know your body, but Krishna knows all the bodies.
That
Krishna has hands and legs everywhere can be explained in two ways:
1.
Everyone's hands and legs are His.
2.
He is everywhere.
Srila
Prabhupada said that Indra is sense gratifier number one among the
demigods.
We
like to think of the good side of life in the womb. All the nutrients
are supplied, it is warm and cozy, etc., but we neglect that the
embryo is cramped, bitten by wombs, and suffers when the mom eats
spicy food.
Bhagavad-gita
says
we should not gloss over the miseries of material life.
What
is the pharmaceutical industry working on these days?
Anti-depressants. 40% people are clinically depressed, and the rest
are just depressed.
Even
you discount the miseries, we cannot stay here.
A
body has life. Where did the life come? From a body that has just
died.
Krishna
says that the cycle stops when one comes to Him. Krishna means the
Supreme Lord.
In
our natural state we are ever existing.
How
long does a cockroach want to live? It wants to live forever.
When
the parts serve the whole, they are happy, especially when it is a
happy whole.
When
we chant Hare Krishna we associate with Krishna and become joyful.
The
worst fools are the fools who do not know they are fools. The
beginning of knowledge is to understand "I am a fool."
To
ask “Who am I and why are these miseries harassing me?” is the
business of human life.
The
other animals are busy fighting, and we are spending half our budget
on defense.
We
eat eat, sleep, have sex, and protect ourselves, but these are not
the goal of life.
Q:
Why Hare Krishna as opposed to another religion?
A:
We are not concerned with the religion you were brought up with or
which you choose to identify with. We are interested in understanding
the eternal nature of the self and what are its activities. The
activity of the soul is to connect to God. It is not that you serve
God, and God is indifferent. Even though in this material world we
are turning away from Him, He still tries to benefit us.
Why
milk and not eggs? Milk does not turn into a cow.
Gambling
agitates the mind, and in such a state, you cannot focus on God.
The
alternative to sex within marriage is exploitation.
The
divorce rate for the first marriage is less than that for future
marriages. This shows that divorce and remarriage is not a formula
for happiness.
The
Vedic conception is that trial and error in sex does not bring
happiness. It is almost like gambling.
If
I train my mind to be satisfied with what I got, then I can actually
be satisfied.
Q:
Why do we exist?
A:
God created us to enjoy happiness. Just like if I were alone in this
room, how much happiness would I experience. Thus God expanded us to
enjoy, and when we participate in that enjoyment, we enjoy.
Q:
How do I know that bhakti-yoga
will
not make me irresponsible and escape reality?
A:
Krishna advises Arjuna to be responsible and do his duty. If my idea
of reality is actually an illusion, then to escape illusion is good.
If I think ultimate happiness is to be found in relationships based
on the body, then I am in illusion.
Come
to these meetings, take up the chanting, read our books, associate
with us, and you will get a higher taste. Do not worry about the
past.
If
I was giving a million dollars away, you would not say, “I will
wait until I am forty-five to accept it.”
Q:
Is it all right when asked if we are a religion if we say we are a
universal nonsectarian spiritual practice?
A:
Yes, if you can get all that out.
When
an avatar is described, His physical characteristics and His mission
are listed. Thus here Lord Caitanya is described has having a yellow
color and preaching the Kali-yuga dharma, the chanting of the holy
name.
The
holy name is best method of spiritual realization because the holy
name is not different from Krishna Himself.
The
mantra must come from the sampradaya
[spiritual
lineage].
Otherwise
it does not have potency. It is not that we can concoct some mantra
from different names.
Our
goal is get people to chant Hare Krishna, so we should chant Hare
Krishna ourselves.
Srila
Prabhupada did not introduce the chanting of jaya
sri krishna caitanya nityananda sri advaita gadadhara srivasadi
gaura-bhakta-vrinda before
each round of japa.
Perhaps
because Srila Prabhupada advised the chanting of that Panca-tattva
mantra before the Hare Krishna mantra in kirtana,
some
people may have decided to do it before japa,
but he did not instruct that.
When
it is said we should chant “the names that are dear to us” it
means we should chant the names of the Lord that our guru has given
us. It also means that the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra should
become dear to us.
Srila
Prabhupada said that we should chant the mantras and the songs of the
previous acaryas.
Not
that we hear something from the greater yoga kirtana
circle.
In
Vrindavana Srila Prabhupada told Harikesa Maharaja the morning
kirtana should
be “Gurvastakam,” sri
krishna caitanya, Hare
Krishna, and nothing else, and the evening kirtana
should
be the Gaura Arati song, sri
krishna caitanya, Hare
Krishna, and nothing else.
In
the Bhagavatam, it
is described in this degraded age of Kali, the government
administrators will become like thieves, mispending the citizens tax
money for their own purposes. You can see this even now. In America
this is generally covered up, but in some countries they do not
bother covering it up.
Srila
Prabhupada sometimes described the demigods as law abiding and the
demons as outlaws. The demigods consult the sastra
(revealed
literature) to determine their duty, but demons act according to
their own whims.
There
is a sense of duty even now, as in the military, but when an officer
is off duty, he acts according to his whims for sense gratification.
One
cannot go back to Godhead by mental concoction.
Sally
Agrawal, from her brief dealings with Srila Prabhupada when he first
arrived from America, thought that Srila Prabhupada had just wanted
to sell books and print more books, not that he wanted to start a
movement.
Srila
Prabhupada said that the brahmacari
ashram
should be so full of books that if the brahmacaris
want
to sleep they have to distribute the books.
Srila
Prabhupada spoke of translating other books. Maybe Bhagavad-gita
(another version). Katha
Upanisad, some
of the other Upanisads,
Vishnu Purana, Padma Purana.
Mula
Prakrti Devi Dasi (from a Prabhupada memories tape):
At
the last lecture of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura's last
parikrama he
spoke about spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world:
“Bhaktivinoda Thakura desired that. My mother Bhagavati told me as
she was on her death-bed, 'Your father wanted very much that this
Krishna consciousness spread all over the world, so you do it.'” So
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura told of his attempts. “I have a
prediction that the disciple of mine who goes across the sea will
bring back the whole world.”
Srila
Prabhupada, they have been calling for you. They have been crying for
you.
Srila
Prabhupada went to Delhi and told people he was looking for someone
who could help him go to the West, and if they could help, he asked
that they let him know.
At
Devananda Gaudiya Math Srila Prabhupada spoke about his preaching in
the West. He tried different things, but found that the disillusioned
young people were those Lord Caitanya meant Him to pursue. “I would
chant in the park. It was so awful what was going on in the park, I
would close my eyes. I had to drag them with my own hand out of the
gutter.”
Another
time Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was talking about going to the
West with his disciples. He was encouraging them. He asked Sridhara
Maharaja, but he said he was too reserved and could not understand
the Western inflection. Then he asked Narottama Ananda Das Brahmacari
who was very outgoing and successful preaching in India. He said, “I
am just like a kid. I would die there, being away from you, and I
would fail, and fall away. Do not send me.” Then Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura glanced around the room. He glanced at our Srila
Prabhupada and said, “No need to worry, Abhay Babu will do it.”
A
couple of weeks before Srila Prabhupada left this world, he talked to
Puri Maharaja. Srila Prabhupada asked Puri Maharaja for a gift. “Yes,
what is it?” said Puri Maharaja.
“I wanted to go on parikrama around Govardhan but I was unable. You wanted to sing for our Guru Maharaja at the end of his life but you were unable. Please sing 'Jaya Radha Jaya Krishna' so I can go on parikrama around Govardhan,” replied Srila Prabhupada.
After he sang, Prabhupada said, “Now I want to give you gift.” And he gave him some maha-prasadam halava, and it was most ecstatic. Puri Maharaja said, “He pleased our Guru Maharaja more than anyone could ever imagine. He taught me that all jivas are qualified to accept Krishna.” Saying that, he cried many tears.
“I wanted to go on parikrama around Govardhan but I was unable. You wanted to sing for our Guru Maharaja at the end of his life but you were unable. Please sing 'Jaya Radha Jaya Krishna' so I can go on parikrama around Govardhan,” replied Srila Prabhupada.
After he sang, Prabhupada said, “Now I want to give you gift.” And he gave him some maha-prasadam halava, and it was most ecstatic. Puri Maharaja said, “He pleased our Guru Maharaja more than anyone could ever imagine. He taught me that all jivas are qualified to accept Krishna.” Saying that, he cried many tears.
Sridhara
Maharaja heard our Srila Prabhupada was coming. Srila Prabhupada
dropped his suitcases and began running to Sridhara Maharaja, and
Sridhara Maharaja ran toward him, and they were touching their feet.
Sridhara
Maharaja and our Srila Prabhupada would talk hari-katha
for
hours and sometimes he would not even open his pharmaceutical
business that day.
I
met one couple who lived in Jhansi near Srila Prabhupada's place
there. The man recalls Srila Prabhupada's incredible enthusiasm. The
couple told him they were mostly Rama bhaktas
and
were into Sanskrit and said they would not be interested in Lord
Caitanya's chanting and dancing, but Srila Prabhupada was not
concerned. He was eager to try anyway. The man took Prabhupada on the
back of a bicycle to look for temples. He did not want to hear about
Krishna, but Prabhupada would speak anyway, and Prabhupada said,
“Someday you will chant Hare Krishna.” Years later, it actually
happened.
People
were amazed at Srila Prabhupada's determination to print books, even
in the heat of the Delhi sun. He was very blissful despite all
obstacles.
Some
Sanskrit scholars had a writers group, and Srila Prabhupada regularly
came and showed his manuscripts. He could use their help with the
Sanskrit. When he had finished his three Bhagavatams,
he
took them to the scholars, telling them that his guru and
Bhaktivinoda Thakura wanted these books to go to the West, and begged
the scholars to touch the books and give their blessings. Then he
said, “Someone must take the books, and I want to be that person,
can you give me your blessings too?” And so they happily did, although
he knew they were not originally inclined to because of warnings in
the scriptures about sadhus
traveling over the seas.
On
sadhu
sent his disciple in November 1977 to Vrindavana to pay full dandavat
respects
to Srila Prabhupada himself and on his guru's behalf.
Srila
Prabhupada asked him, “What are you doing?”
“I
am managing temples. I have paid priests,” he replied.
Srila
Prabhupada told him, “But your grandfather did all the service
himself. You should do it yourself. And you should take sannyasa,
and travel the world and preach.”
Despite
many different impediments, the man ended up doing as Srila
Prabhupada desired.
Tulasi
Priya Das (from Ireland):
From
a Janmastami lecture:
Bhakti-rasayana
are
verses from the Tenth Canto which increase one's love for Krishna.
Rasayana is
a life-giving elixir.
Chanting
is the best form of meditation on the Lord.
By
hearing about chanting from those who have experiences from chanting
we advance.
Although
unaware of Krishna's glories, the gopis
attained
pure love for him.
The
perfection of love is to be totally absorbed in Krishna and not even
slightly attracted to anything else.
From
a Vyasa-puja lecture:
The
British were in control of India when Srila Prabhupada was a youth.
He presented to Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati his doubt that it would
possible to spread Lord Caitanya's message with India under foreign
control. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati explained that it did not matter
who was in control of the government.
In
the world, wherever you look, you see one country trying to control
another. Srila Prabhupada frequently made the point that those who
are too much absorbed in bodily relationships have the same
consciousness as animals. If you put animals from different countries
together, they will simply fight, and so you cannot expect the United
Nations to bring peace.
Srila
Prabhupada wanted to purify the consciousness of the people.
Rama
Raya Prabhu:
A
party is a group of people as well as a function where you have a
good time. Our sampradaya
has
both features. We are a group of people who have a good time sharing
Lord Caitanya's message.
Madhavendra
Puri Prabhu:
Only
because of lack of enthusiasm for hearing and chanting about Krishna
do our material desires remain.
Everything
we do is to make arrangements for our own hearing and chanting about
Krishna and to also similarly make facility for others.
Foolishly
we think that the few minutes of pleasure we get every day is worth
the 23 hours and so many minutes of inconveniences. By hearing, we
learn of a world where people are happy at every moment. By continual
hearing, we decide we should try to attain that place.
Srila
Prabhupada explained the material mind is trying to keep us in
material existence forever.
The
challenge in chanting japa
is
to hear the vibration of Hare Krishna and not the nonsense mind.
Bhakti-yoga
has
to be intense to blast away the mountain of ignorance covering us.
Krishna will reciprocate with our intensity.
When
Krishna becomes Gaura (Lord Caitanya) to relish devotional ecstasies,
all His devotees want to take part in His pastimes.
Haridasa
Thakura, during Lord Caitanya's maha-prakasa
lila, asked
to be able to have the remnants of the food of the devotees life
after life, although he felt he was shameless to ask for such an
exalted benediction.
By
hearing of the sweet loving exchanges between the Lord and His
devotees, we should become greedy to achieve that position. It is
possible for everyone, but it is not easy. Still it is the only thing
worth achieving, and if we do not strive for it we will be degraded
by maya and
suffer.
If
you have a vast treasure, why ignore it and get a job of McDonalds!
Maya
does
not let you remain a mediocre devotee. Either you advance or you fall
away.
The
long descriptions of the suffering of the material world are not
required for one who is willing to absorb himself in hearing and
chanting about Krishna and His devotees.
It
is a travesty of religion to say that for a limited number of crimes
there is a unlimited punishment.
We
work for Lord Caitanya's mission and hear of Lord Caitanya's lila.
Get
rid of the hocus pocus. Keep a simple focus.
Those
who neglect hearing and chanting end up barking and panting.
Gopalacarya
Prabhu:
A
dream is very realistic when you are in it, but when you wake up, you
realize it was just a dream. Similarly our situation in this material
world seems very significant
although
it is not.
It
is a wonderful situation to be in Krishna consciousness, despite the
different issues we may be facing.
Often
people who come to Krishna consciousness these days do not understand
that Srila Prabhupada came with a mission and that we are meant to
assist him in his mission. New people should be advised that they
should learn what is Srila Prabhupada's mission, and then take part
in it. The sampradaya
has
a mission, and we learn it from our guru, and then we execute it. The
plan is already there for the spreading of Krishna consciousness. We
just have to play some part in it.
“I
want all the people of the world to come to Krishna [God]
consciousness and be happy. Without God, there is no question of
happiness. Without God consciousness there are no good qualities.”
We
chant, we read Bhagavad-gita
and
Srimad-Bhagavatam,
and
we distribute prasadam.
We
do not need to add anything else.
So
many times Srila Prabhupada requested people to simply assist him in
his mission.
Srila
Prabhupada advised, “Do not try to do anything beyond the
jurisdiction of my instructions.”
Every
day should be an offering of ourselves to Srila Prabhupada.
When
we read Srila Prabhupada's books, we should considering “What is
Srila Prabhupada trying to teach me?”
Srila
Prabhupada said that his guru said if he could deliver one soul back
to Godhead his mission would be successful. Srila Prabhupada said the
same thing of himself. That should be our mission also: to deliver
one soul back to Godhead.
The
indirect preaching programs may be done by grhasthas
outside
the temple. In the temple, we should be just presenting pure Krishna
consciousness.
-----
I
like to remember these Bhagavad-gita verses spoken by Krishna
on Janmastami, the anniversary of His appearance. Simply by
understanding them one can attain spiritual perfection.
paritranaya
sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge
“To
deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to
reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium
after millennium.” (Bg. 4.8)
janma
karma ca me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so ’rjuna
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so ’rjuna
“One
who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities
does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this
material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” (Bg. 4.9)