Diary
of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 12, No. 22
By
Krishna-kripa das
(November 2016, part two)
(November 2016, part two)
Yuga
Dharma New York City Harinama Party
(Sent
from Manhattan, New York, on December 19, 2016)
Where I Went and What I Did
I continued doing daily harinama with Rama Raya Prabhu’s Yuga Dharma New York City party,
six hours each day. One day, Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, we did a
special Sankirtan Festival where we chanted inside the Times Square subway
station for six hours and then on the streets of Times Square itself afterward
for two hours. For this event, devotees attending The Bhakti Center in
Manhattan and the Krishna Balaram temple in Queens joined with us. Another day we had a party to honor Mathura Prana Krishna Das Prabhu, who did a lot of service for the harinama and who will be part time now, because of getting married.
I share inspiring quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s books,
conversations, and letters. I add a quote by Krishna Himself from Srimad-Bhagavatam. I include quotes from
the books of previous acaryas, namely
Rupa Goswami and Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Ramesvara Prabhu, who did great service
for the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, gave a class after breakfast on Thanksgiving
at The Bhakti Center on the philosophy
behind book distribution. The class was very inspiring and filled with a lot of
realizations, and I share my notes on that. I also share notes on the morning
classes at The Bhakti Center given by Adi Purusha, Rama Raya, Karuna Gauranga,
Paramananda Gopal, Murali Gopal and Mahotsaha Prabhus, and by Bhaktas Josh and
Cesar. I also include quotes from articles in Back to Godhead, Vol. 51, No. 2, by Krishna Dharma Prabhu, Nagaraja
Prabhu, Caitanya Candra Prabhu, Nikunja Vilasini Devi Dasi, and Madhava
Smullen. I also share one note from an internet lecture by Vaisesika Prabhu,
which I overheard.
I would like to thank Atmanivedana Prabhu and Yugala
Piriti Devi Dasi of the Saturday night Bhagavad-gita
class at 26 Second Avenue for their kind donations. Many, many thanks to
Stella for all her photos of the Yuga Dharma New York City harinama party. Thanks to Kate for her videos of harinama in Times Square and on the subway afterward. Thanks to
Kaliya Krishna Prabhu for his photo of me on harinama in Times Square. Thanks to Cinmaya Radha Devi Dasi for her
photo of the party for Mathura Prana Krishna Das Prabhu.
Itinerary
December 4–23: New York City Harinam
December 24: Albany, seeing the folks for Christmas Eve
December 25–January 2, 2017: New York City Harinam
January 3: Atlanta Harinama
January 4–April: Gainesville and north and central
Florida campuses
Yuga Dharma New York City Harinama Party
Chanting Hare Krishna daily in New York City for the
second half of November was full of adventure. Read some of the details in the
Yuga Dharma New York City newsletter: http://www.ydnyc.org/november16
Here are some more stories, photos, and videos from
myself and others:
One day I was feeling that we were not distributing many
books. I recalled Prahladananda Swami’s recent suggestion to pray. I prayed,
“Dear Lord Krishna, please empower us to distribute these books and pamphlets
for the pleasure of your pure devotee, Srila Prabhupada. We have no concern for
ourselves.” Within half an hour, one young man came up to the book table and
asked the prices of the books. I explained that the small books were $1 or $2,
the Bhagavad-gita and the Science of Self-Realization were $5, and
the hardbound books were $10. He said he had $10 to spend, so I gave him Science of Self-Realization, Chant and Be
Happy, and two small books. He kept looking at the books, asking about the
price of the hardbound Srimad-Bhagavatam and
the Journey of Self-Discovery, which
I said were $10, and the soft Gita which
was $5. He gave me $25 more and took those books also. It was the first time in
37 years that someone gave $35 and took 7 books. Such is the power of prayer.
On one Sunday three different individuals joined our
party for some time. The most striking was one young woman who chanted with us
for 2½ hours. She was very grateful to encounter the joyful chanting of the
holy name. Later another lady chanted with us for half an hour.
Another day a guy sat down on the floor nearby and
listened for over half an hour with a smile of contentment on his face.
Seeing some kids with the tendency to move to our music, I
went beyond my usual shyness and encouraged them to dance to the chanting of
Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/xWuwxLoSAcA):
[If you cannot easily rotate your device and want to see
the lower resolution, rotated version here it is (https://youtu.be/KS3EbPTj_A4):]
The kids are friends who like to hang out together in
Union Square Park and had seen the devotees chanting before. The girl with the
shirt with “LOVE” written on it was most enthusiastic, and she accepted an “On
Chanting Hare Krishna” pamphlet. Thanks to Mahotsaha Prabhu for the video.
Our New York harinama
party has few regular dancers these days. Still some dancing does go on.
Mahotsaha Prabhu is the best of the dancers there every day. Here he dances with
a guy he distributed a book to as Kaliya Krishna Prabhu leads the chanting of
Hare Krishna at the Grand Central subway station (https://youtu.be/hsMkWpujL_M):
One of the last warm days of the year, Kaliya Krishna
Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna in Union Square Park, and Mahotsaha Prabhu danced
with onlookers (https://youtu.be/hVY9vGnttrs):
You meet all kinds of people in New York City, and all
kinds of people are willing to dance to the chanting of Hare Krishna. Natabara
Gauranga Prabhu leads the chanting of Hare Krishna and an anonymous Indian lady
dances at the Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station (https://youtu.be/lO3S-PNSbO4):
Later Murali Gopal Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna and a kid
who likes to join us whenever he passes by us at Jackson Heights / Roosevelt
Avenue subway station played the shakers (https://youtu.be/Kq692j79NXg):
Afterward Mahotsaha Prabhu took a rare break from book
distribution to chant Hare Krishna, Kaliya Krishna Prabhu played harmonium for
him, and Murali Gopal Prabhu danced (https://youtu.be/1Rk8bcmMbow):
Here Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants and devotees dance in the
Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station (https://youtu.be/349oIfWjeog):
When Sanya returned from India, and she distributed a few
books as before.
Our regular book distributors, Mahotsaha Prabhu and
Bhakta Cesar, continued steadily with great enthusiasm in that service.
As usual, sometimes I would sing.
Sometimes I would play the drum.
Sometimes I would dance with the other brahmacaris.
Sometimes I would dance alone.
Often I would distribute pamphlets.
I would also offer donated sweets to our picture of
Krishna.
Dipika, from Bangladesh, who attends local Hare Krishna
programs in Queens, chanted a lively Hare Krishna tune with the Yuga Dharma New
York City devotees at Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station (https://youtu.be/J8-NhUTQV8E):
One time Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna at
Times Square subway station, I danced, and Mahotsaha and Cesar Prabhus
distributed books. Caitanya Ananda Prabhu of The Bhakti Center took this video
(https://youtu.be/yE37djmJvEY):
Here Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at
Grand Central subway station (https://youtu.be/NlgngxTkLr0):
Here Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times
Square subway station (https://youtu.be/-wJ0N9l38Uo):
Here Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at
Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/fDp7XlP4R8A):
One day three devotee ladies who come on harinama from once to several times a
week danced together. At that time Natabara Gauranga Prabhu was leading the chanting
of Hare Krishna at Union Square subway station (https://youtu.be/KiRWqMfWP78):
Usually Mahotsaha Prabhu distributes books on harinama, but occasionally he leads the kirtana as he often does in the temple.
Here at Union Square subway station Kaliya Krishna Prabhu plays harmonium for
him (https://youtu.be/IBS7uw1XXdM):
Bhakta Josh led a lively Hare Krishna chant, getting
devotees dancing at Union Square subway station. Natabara Gauranga Prabhu plays
the harmonium for him (https://youtu.be/1CzS7ByjDIo):
On Thanksgiving Day we sang at the Jackson Heights /
Roosevelt Avenue subway station. Here Natabara Gauranga Prabhu leads the
chanting of Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/LXy3U0ue5YE):
On the last Sunday in November, Kaliya Krishna Prabhu led
the chanting of Hare Krishna at Union Square subway station and devotees and
onlookers danced (https://youtu.be/FBBxvepHc3U):
On the last day of November, Bhagavata Purana Prabhu,
godbrother of Rama Raya Prabhu, who has also spent many years assisting Aindra
Prabhu and the 24-Hour Kirtan at Krishna-Balaram Mandir in Vrindavan, led the
chanting Hare Krishna at Union Square subway station after a transatlantic
flight (https://youtu.be/rMIgIa_7A14):
Natabara Gauranga Prabhu also led the chanting of Hare
Krishna in the Union Square subway station that day (https://youtu.be/pCwh9kogg6Q):
Times Square Sankirtan Festival
We planned the Sankirtan Festival for Black Friday, a
time when many people are out shopping to take advantage of deals. The plan was
to chant in the Times Square subway station from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and then
outside at Times Square itself from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. We invited devotees from
26 Second Avenue, The Bhakti Center, and two Hare Krishna groups in Queens to
attend.
Here Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the
Times Square subway station on Black Friday afternoon (https://youtu.be/gG_asigCZUo):
Later about thirty Hare Krishna devotees from the Yuga
Dharma Ashram, The Bhakti Center, and the Krishna-Balaram temple in Queens
chanted Hare Krishna for two hours outside in Times Square as part of this new
Sankirtan Festival event. It was wonderful to see how happy the people were to
dance with the devotees! (https://youtu.be/Agzvsz-zNV4):
Kate also took a couple of videos, one of our party
moving through the crowd (https://youtu.be/rGehWDwPKYQ),
And another with mostly just the devotees dancing
I led the kirtana for
fifteen minutes or so at the end, before we marched toward the subway. I prayed
to the acaryas for mercy. My friends
said it was a very lively kirtana.
Many of the devotees had an ecstatic kirtana on the subway home, but to save money, I went separately
and missed out.
Kate took a video of that which I share with you, if you are a Facebook user:
Party for
Mathura Prana Krishna Prabhu
Mathura
Prana Krishna Das Prabhu (reclining above) did a lot of service to the harinama party, especially by taking the cart of equipment to the harinama site, setting up for the party
and manning the book table much of the time. He has gotten married and started
a job to maintain himself and his wife, and so now he will serve the Yuga
Dharma New York City harinama party
just part time. The devotees decided to have a program to honor his service,
and different devotees spoke in appreciation of him.
Mathura
Prana Krishna Das Prabhu:
I
was in Denver, and I did not know what to do as a new devotee, so I was washing
pots and doing this and that. Then Phalguni who was visiting Mother Nidra to
learn book distribution told me about harinama
and gave me Aindra Prabhu’s book, and I realized that is what I should be
doing. We only had two harinamas of
two hours each there. Phalguni told me about Michigan where they did more, and
I went there. I prayed to Aindra Prabhu, asking how I could assist the harinama sankirtana. We visited New York
with the Michigan devotees. At one point, the other devotees returned to
Michigan, but I stayed.
The
cart of harinama equipment was
scientifically designed by Rama Raya Prabhu.
Binky,
wife of Mathura Prana:
I
knew ISKCON from India, but when I saw the devotees chanting in Union Square
Park, I thought, “What are these foreigners doing? These people are doing it
more fiercely than I would have done being an Indian.”
Prabhupada
has made Krishna consciousness more accessible.
Brajaraja
Prabhu:
I
was so happy to see Rama Raya so happy that Mathura Prana Krishna Das was coming.
Whenever anyone makes Rama Raya Prabhu happy, it makes me so happy.
Ananda
Bihari Prabhu:
When
you came, the caliber of people joining the harinama
increased. Rama Raya Prabhu, like Srila Prabhupada, was able to engage all
kinds of people in doing whatever they could for Krishna.
Bhakta
Josh:
I
remember several times Rama Raya Prabhu would say, “Mathura Prana is a damn
good guy.”
Mahotsaha
Prabhu:
Once
as we were walking back to the ashram on
Macdougal Street, Rama Raya Prabhu said he was very happy about three things.
(1) Ananta Gauranga came to play the drum, and that he is pure devotee. (2) We
finally have an ashram. (3) Mathura Prana is here.
Ananda
Sankirtana Prabhu:
You
have fierce determination, like Rama Raya Prabhu, and that is very rare for
anybody.
You
are one of the first people who has gone through the whole program at the harinama ashram.
Bhakta
Cesar:
Rama
Raya Prabhu would say, “The devotion is in the details.” Mathura Prana Prabhu
explains things he wants you to do in such detail it is possible to actually do
them.
Striking
Photos
Through
chanting we absorb ourselves in Krishna, who is the source of all warmth (Bg.
9.19). and who is in the core of our hearts (Bg. 15.15 and 18.61). We also aspire to share the warmth of Krishna with others.
Of
this setting at Grand Central subway station, Yasoda Dulal Das Prabhu writes, “This is the best background ever up to
now!”
Sometimes,
even in this materialistic age, people use slogans on shirts to remind us to take shelter of God:
To
see photos I did not include in this journal, click on the link below:
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From
Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.8.29, purport:
“If we
misuse our position and think that we are fully engaged in devotional service
and can do whatever we like, we have to suffer like Bharata Maharaja and be
condemned to accept the type of body that impairs our devotional service. Only
the human form is able to execute devotional service, but if we voluntarily
give this up for sense gratification, we certainly have to be punished.”
From a
letter dated November 27, 1968:
“We
should concern ourselves only with giving everything to Krishna. When we keep
our association with Krishna only every activity is proper and liberating, and
should we dissociate ourselves from the Lord’s Mercy then like a hand severed
from the body, we become ugly and useless.”
From
a conversation with disciples in New Vrindaban, West Virginia, on June 24,
1976:
“Whether
or not one of my students has a propensity for preaching, let him preach by the
way he lives. Let his personal life be perfect. Let him teach by his life.”
“The
secret is to make the Lord the center of all that you do. Become preoccupied
with Krishna. Then naturally you’ll not be preoccupied with your material body.
Lavish your affection upon Krishna. Then you’ll not lavish excessive affection
upon the material body, which is, after all, temporary and not your real self.
Because people today are caught up in this misconception that the material body
is the self, they’re misspending so much time and effort and money. Isn’t that
so? All on something that cannot last. Why not transfer your love to your real,
spiritual self and to the Supreme Self – make Him your beloved and enjoy life
with Him forever. That is our system of civilization.”
“Disciple:
Srila Prabhupada, I thought you’d once said love is impossible between humans
and animals, because they belong to different species.
Srila
Prabhupada: Being in the same species is very conducive to love. But love is
possible between any living entity and any other – because every living entity
is a spirit, part and parcel of God, the Supreme Spirit. So genuine love
requires that we center our love on God, on Krishna. That love can make this
world as blissful as Vrindavan, as blissful as the spiritual world, where the
human beings love Krishna, the animals love Krishna, the trees love Krishna,
everyone loves Krishna – where everyone loves everyone, because Krishna is the
central point. That is the perfection of civilization, the perfection of love.”
Lord Sri Krishna:
From
Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.21.18:
“By
refraining from a particular sinful or materialistic activity, one becomes
freed from its bondage. Such renunciation is the basis of religious and
auspicious life for human beings and drives away all suffering, illusion, and
fear.”
Rupa Goswami:
From
Padyavali, Anthology of Devotional Poetry:
Shri-Radhayah
purva-ragah
The
Beginning of Radha’s Love
Verse
177
“My
husband is angry?
Let
him be angry.
My
friends rebuke Me?
Let
them.
Let
there fall upon Me
whatever
other catastrophe
there
may be in this world.
I
do not care.
I
simply wish that My eyes
may
eternally drink the nectar
of
Krishna’s handsome form.”
—
Shri Pushkaraksha
Srila Bhaktivinoda
Thakura:
From
Vaishnava-siddhanta-mala, Chapter 6:
“When
the spirit soul (jiva) gives up the
illusory relationship with matter and cultivates its eternal relationship with
Krishna, a boundless joy that is characteristic of its own pure consciousness
arises in its being. That is the natural happiness of the jiva.”
From
Harinama-cintamani, pp. 91–92:
“Offenses
to the holy name of the Lord are dissolved solely through constant chanting.
When they are thus destroyed, they can never reappear. Constant chanting means,
apart from a minimal time for rest and other bare physical necessities, one
should chant throughout all hours of the day with intense contrition. No other
penance or ritual is as effective as this. When the offenses are destroyed, the
pure holy name blossoms within the heart. The pure holy name of Krishna
delivers bhava and finally prema.”
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami:
From
Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name:
“Nine
rounds done averaging seven and a half minutes. Notice (when you can) that your
mind is dwelling in foolish spaces, consorting with demons and chimeras, going
to places not fit for a devotee-sannyasi.
Notice and bring the mind back to hearing the Hare Krishna mantra. Then bring
it back again. And again.
“Can
I ask for more than this? That would be asking for Krishna’s mercy. To be able
to feel myself His fallen servant filled with anarthas; to be able to feel the mercy of harer nama; realizing everything in the maha-mantra, tears of remorse, tears of joy, the unfolding of
Krishna’s pastimes . . . the resolution for service . . . the unending
attachment to chanting His names and qualities and pastimes.”
“Chanting
the holy name is the foundation of spiritual life. Such a nice simple act for
the people of Kali-yuga. Unfortunately, devotees neglect their rounds.
‘When
you adopt a submissive attitude and chant, realization begins from the tongue.’
I
am the common man, the one who needs to control his mind and senses, the fallen
one, the atheist, the agnostic, the one with no spiritual education. I am the
one who should take to the chanting of Hare Krishna. I am one who should be the
object of mercy for the preachers of the Krishna consciousness movement: ‘Become
a devotee of the Lord by continuously chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. You don’t need to change
your position, but give up all endeavors to understand the Absolute Truth by
speculative reason.’ It is I who should learn to become a servant of those who
are in knowledge of the Supreme Lord.”
“Bhaktivinoda
Thakura tells us that the only way to rectify ourselves is to completely
surrender to the holy name. The tenth offense is the sum total of all namaparadhas. If we are committing it,
it means we need a total overhaul. Chanting is not a light activity. It is not
meant to be a relaxing meditation. It is not something to be dispensed with
quickly so we can get on with our lives. This offense is the final statement on
the aparadhas; total surrender to the
holy name is the final remedy.”
“The
ten offenses are severe handicaps, so we have to be serious to overcome them.
The prescription is surrender. Bhaktivinode Thakura writes, ‘If one is
sufficiently greedy for attaining pure devotion, he will chant free from the
ten offenses. He must diligently avoid each of the offenses with feelings of
deep repentance for having ever committed them. He should pray sincerely at the
lotus feet of the holy name and chant with determination.’ Only then will he be
blessed with the mercy of the holy name, which will destroy all of his
offenses. No other activity or penance can possibly exculpate his offenses.”
Adi Purusha Prabhu:
Spiritual
life is something that has to be practiced very carefully or we do not get the
same result.
We
have a natural tendency to give and accept love, and in the case of Bharata
Maharaja, it was misused.
Pure
love is not just a possibility; it is a fact.
Whatever
Krishna is sending is an expression of His love. It may not be what we expect
or what we want.
Constantly
hearing the truth is the cure for our misconceptions.
Satsvarupa
dasa Goswami said, “If we do not hear sufficiently, we will begin to imagine
injustices.”
We
can be grateful to Krishna for our present situation.
A
person in maya does not rejoice.
If
we are looking for comfort, prestige, or sense gratification then we will not
always be able to appreciate the situations Krishna puts us it.
“The
Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job
1.21) This mood is like that of “Siksastakam,” verse 8.
We
should see whatever happens as the Lord’s mercy.
Comment
by me: There was one pastime where a disciple made a mistake and told Srila
Prabhupada that it was Krishna’s mercy. Srila Prabhupada replied, “It is
Krishna’s mercy and your stupidity.”
The
light of sastra gives the vision and
enthusiasm to continue.
Satan
revealed in a conversation with a famous French priest, Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney (also known as Curé d’Ars), that thanking
the Lord for everything and glorifying the Lord under all circumstances is the
only thing that destroys the seed of complaining, which is Satan’s most
successful weapon.
Comment
by Paramananda Gopal Prabhu: If we engage in the six kinds of loving exchanges
mentioned by Rupa Goswami in the Nectar
of Instruction then we will not feel unloved.
Krishna Dharma Prabhu:
From
“Loss of a Loved One” in Back to Godhead,
Vol. 51, No. 2:
“Of
the many pieces of wisdom that struck me when I read the ancient epic the Mahabharata, one that particularly stuck
out was the statement of a sage who said, ‘All happiness must end in distress,
all union in separation, and all life in death. Seek then the eternal.’”
“Many
spiritual teachings say that we are undying souls, parts of God. This being the
case, death means only the death of the body – like a change of clothing, as
the Mahabharata puts it. In fact the
people I’ve known and loved have not died. They have simply moved on but are
still safely in God’s hands. And that, says the Mahabharata, is where we truly belong, and where I can enjoy my
loving relationships forever.”
Nagaraja Prabhu:
From
“Loving a Loving God” in Back to Godhead,
Vol. 51, No. 2:
“I
find it interesting that people who champion love as the solution to all the
world’s problems often hold philosophical views that preclude the reality of
love. For the philosophical materialist, only matter and laws controlling
matter exist. In that view, love does not really exist, and neither do we. It’s
all illusion.
“The
perspective of those who hold that the Truth is ultimately impersonal is
similar to that of the materialists. They speak lovingly about love, but they
aspire to dissolve into the one all-pervading spiritual reality, leaving no
chance for exchanges of love.
“Materialism
and impersonalism are both monistic philosophies, in which reality is either
only matter or only spirit, both ultimately without variety. The
more nuanced philosophy of Krishna consciousness, on the other hand, allows for
love. Against the philosophy of materialism, it argues that consciousness is
irreducible and outside of matter; we and our love actually exist – eternally.
Against the philosophy of impersonalism, Krishna consciousness argues that to
conclude that spirit must lack variety is shortsighted. The Vedic literature
consistently teaches that the individuality of both God, the supreme spiritual
person, and the innumerable minute jiva
souls is eternal. Not only do Krishna and the jivas always exist, but their loving relationships are the essence
of reality.”
“Our
spiritual process, bhakti-yoga, is
all about love. We Hare Krishna people know more about love than anyone else in
the world. Or at least we have access to more information about it than anyone
else, received most notably from Srila Rupa Gosvami’s Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, which Srila Prabhupada presented as The Nectar of Devotion. That book – in
fact all of Prabhupada’s books – teaches us pretty much all there is to know
about love.”
“We
devotees of Krishna may feel uncomfortable with the phrase ‘God is love,’
because love is a thing and God is a person: Krishna. But we can soften our
objection to the phrase by remembering that Krishna is identical to His
qualities, love arguably being the most important and the most defining of His
personality.”
Vaisesika Prabhu:
From
a internet lecture:
Sampradaya [spiritual lineage]
literally means ‘giving the greatest gift.’
Ramesvara Prabhu:
From
a sankirtana seminar at The Bhakti
Center on Thanksgiving Day:
In
some confidential conversations with his disciples, Srila Prabhupada indicated
that he was sent from the spiritual world to write his books and distribute
them worldwide, much in the same way as the Six Goswamis were.
It
was Srila Prabhupada’s genius to illustrate his books with fantastic, colorful,
and glorious artwork to attract the conditioned souls to read them.
London
was considered the capital of the world because of the British Empire, but
after World War II, New York City became more prominent.
Srila
Prabhupada envisioned presenting the Srimad-Bhagavatam
in 60 volumes of 400 pages each. Most religions have one book about God,
and they think that is amazing. In the introduction to the first printing of
the second volume of the First Canto, Srila Prabhupada recalls a conversation
with someone who found it hard to believe he was producing so many volumes about
God. He replied that he was only producing 60 volumes because the puny brains
of the residents of Kali-yuga can only take so much. In the higher planets,
they have millions of volumes.
Of
all of our activities, this activity of book distribution is our most important
activity.
Srila
Prabhupada gave up everything to write these books, and if we give up
everything to distribute them, that will be proper reciprocation, and we will
experience a deep satisfaction.
Every
embodied soul in every body has a deep-rooted desire to enjoy sense objects. If
we had that desire in the spiritual world, it would create a lot of
disturbance, and thus Krishna created this world for us. This material sense enjoyment
is not this world’s only purpose. Krishna has not forgotten us, and enters into
the heart of each body as Paramatma. To come to the human form takes millions
of births.
A
rich person dies, a poor person dies, a famous person dies, and an unknown
person dies. Why should I endeavor for wealth and fame if my end is the same. A
human being can question this.
If
you are not focused on this philosophy, when you walk out of the door, you will
look after one sense object after another, because it is a deep-rooted habit.
No
love in the material world could motivate someone to follow his friend in every
abominable birth he takes, and thus no one has love like Krishna, who is
willing to do that.
Although
the souls have attained the human form, they are victimized by Kali-yuga and
encouraged to desire like animals, and thus lose their opportunity for
perfecting their human lives. When you see with that vision when you go out,
that is seeing spiritually. Everyone is part of Krishna like we are and is a
family member.
Approaching
them, knowing they are our brothers and sisters, although they do not recognize
that we are their brothers and sisters, is an art.
The
secret on sankirtana is to really
care about the people, and Krishna will give the person the ability to see that
you really care.
If
they get a book, even if they do not read it, they will get a human birth.
If
you perform the austerity of trying to distribute the books, although it is not
your nature, you will become very dear to Krishna. Krishna sees that you are
trying to come up to a soul He has been watching for so many births and get him
to turn away from sense enjoyment.
In
the beginning it is very hard, but at the end it is nonstop spiritual ecstasy,
and that is because Krishna is so pleased that someone is finally trying to
turn each soul away from sense enjoyment and toward Him.
We
should always think, “These are my brothers and sisters. They are living in a
culture that causes them to waste their human lives. I have to give them the
opportunity to be delivered.”
Japa is a prayer. It is a
call for help. If you pray to Krishna to always give you that sankirtana consciousness, he will do
that.
Those
ecstasies of sankirtana are waiting
for you, like an ocean to swim in.
I
cannot describe how dear you become to Krishna if you dedicate your life to
connect others with Him.
Q
(by Cesar’s father): What did Srila Prabhupada think of when he came to America
all alone?
A:
This is recorded in his poem “Markine Bhagavata-dharma.” First he thought,
“Krishna, why did You bring me here?” For thousands of years in India, the mood
was to not associate with such degraded souls. Then he considered that Krishna
brought him there for a purpose. And he prayed for Krishna to give him words to
say to the people and to make him a success, if He desired.
It
has nothing to do with us, but some impossible things occur because Krishna is
working through us.
You
may think “that person will never take a book,” but Krishna can give you the
words to say so he will take a book.
Srila
Prabhupada wrote in a letter to Satsvarupa Maharaja one paragraph for me to
tell the book distributors. In essence it was, “Because I have sacrificed so
much to write these books and you are sacrificing so much to distribute them,
we have an intimate and intense relationship, like actors on a stage, and I am
the director, and through this the people of the world will be saved.”
Srila
Prabhupada said that he liked to work at night because he had to have it very
quiet so Krishna could speak to him the translation and purport from within the
heart and he could hear it.
Caitanya Candra Prabhu:
From
“Fatalism or Pragmatism?” in Back to
Godhead, Vol. 51, No. 2:
“If
Rama responded to Sita’s abduction so resourcefully, then why did He accept His
own exile so passively? If He didn’t ascribe Sita’s abduction to destiny, why
did He ascribe His own banishment to destiny? Because the defining decider of
His responses was the consideration of not destiny, but duty. For Rama as a
husband, protecting His wife was His prime duty, and He didn’t even consider
abandoning that duty in the name of destiny, no matter how difficult it was.
For Rama as a son, obedience to His father was His prime duty, one He did even
when it required renouncing His right to the kingdom.”
“So
the Ramayana’s message is not that we
passively give in to destiny, but that we gallantly stick to duty. And if in
the course of duty some inconceivable calamity strikes, we can attribute it to
destiny and continue to do our duty.”
“Known
in Sanskrit as daiva, destiny is
understood to be the determiner of our circumstances, but not our actions. By
choosing to act dutifully with scriptural guidance, we can grow through adverse
destiny and create for ourselves an auspicious future destiny.”
Nikunja Vilasini Devi
Dasi:
From
“A Life of Dharma” in Back to Godhead, Vol.
51, No. 2:
“‘Your
stomach is a graveyard and your fridge is a mortuary,’ he [Krishna dasa Swami]
would remind those who were nonvegetarians. His description of meat-eating
would inspire many in his audiences to become vegetarians overnight. He did not
make people feel guilty or deride their behavior, but he made them understand
that to grasp the intricacies of spiritual knowledge and the spiritual way of
life, one has to come to the human platform of goodness, compassion, and
concern for other living beings. He understood that human society would have to
suffer the consequences of cruel actions, and he feared for its welfare.”
Karuna Gauranga Prabhu:
Bharata
Maharaja is glorified not for ruling but renouncing the rule, and yet quite
unexpectedly he became attached to a deer.
In
his next life, after realizing why he attained a deer body, his first thought
was to avoid bad association and attain good association. Thus he went the same
ashram where he previously practiced.
Transformation
of speech, thought, behavior, and action, is the proof of association.
Krishna
wanted to show with the example of Bhisma that if you side with adharma [irreligion], no matter how great you are,
you will be destroyed.
Bhisma,
although having so much bad association with ambitious politicians, kept
whatever good association he had within his heart, and then at the end he spoke
eloquently about bhakti.
Seventeen
times Krishna advised Duryodhana to make peace with the Pandavas, but
Duryodhana was not able to take advantage of His perfect instructions.
Good
association causes one to feel enlivened.
My
friends in my youth in India used to use so much profanity in their speech, but
when they became devotees they found to their surprise they could not utter
such bad words.
Paramananda Gopal
Prabhu:
Bharata
Maharaja’s conditioning as king caused him to feel responsible to take care of
the baby deer, whereas another person would not have felt the responsibility.
Radharani
also had a pet deer, but her deer did not steal her mind away from Krishna,
even when Krishna left Vrindavana.
A
study shows an average American couple spends 2½ hours in argument each day. One’s
pet dog does not argue and is always faithful and licks your feet, so people
looking for happiness through relationships find this in their dogs.
Comment
by Arjuna Prabhu: They have an organic dog shop. [Actually if you search
“organic dog shop” on Google, you get over 2 million results!]
If
you give people facility to have deep relationships, they will not fall into substance
addiction.
If
our compassion is misplaced, the symptom is that we lose our attraction for
Krishna.
Comment
by Arjuna Prabhu: We can mock people for their foolish attachments, but unless
we compassionately try to help them, we will find ourselves becoming entangled
in the same kinds of things they are.
Comment
by Cesar: I know a man who was an atheist who became more God consciousness
because of his dog. The dog died, and the man was so distraught, he prayed to
God that the dog come back to life. The dog actually revived and lived a couple
more months.
Comment
by Adi Purusha Prabhu: I noticed that those who worked in the psychiatric ward
divided mostly into two categories, those who became callous and those who
became sentimentally affected. There was, however, another person, who when she
entered the room full of crazy people, created an atmosphere of peace. I
wondered, “How did she do that?” Later she told me that she was praying for me
and for everyone there.
Comment
by Adi Purusha Prabhu: The Amish, once the children become sixteen, tell the
children to decide to be strict followers in the community or to go out and lead
their own lives. Most of those who go out of the community end up coming
back.
Although
situated in an auspicious place, Bharata was so attached to his pet deer that
when it was not present he felt inauspiciousness.
Murali Gopal Prabhu:
It
is significant that Bharata Maharaja is repentant. Srila Prabhupada stressed
that is important to be repentant about our previous degraded activities. If
one is not repentant for his past activities of sense gratification one will
return to them.
Identification
with one’s nation can have extreme consequences. In the country of Columbia,
one soccer player made a wrong play in a World Cup match causing his team to
lose, and when he returned his country he was shot dead by the Mafia.
Association
is the cause of the development of nationalism.
Reading
Srila Prabhupada’s books is necessary to be inspired to follow the other
devotional practices.
There
was devotee who had very good sadhana
but who had difficulty living in the association of devotees so he lived
outside and did his own practice at home. Bhakti Tirtha Swami visited him from
time to time to check up on him. After a month, after two months, and even
after a year he was still going strong, but after two years he showed signs of
weakening and after two more months he stopped his practice.
Comment
by Bhakta Josh: Divyanga Prabhu told us when he was a new devotee, he was on
Tripurari Maharaja’s book distribution party, and they were required to read
two hours a day. If a man on the party did not show up for the reading time,
Maharaja would look through the whole temple and find him.
Someone
said to Aindra Prabhu, “I thought we were supposed to desire to come back life
after life to deliver the fallen souls.”
Aindra
Prabhu replied, “Why should I keep Krishna from enjoying that specific taste He
enjoys in His relationship with me?”
Jai Giridhari Prabhu:
When
people hear that Bharata Maharaja was sacrificing so much to take care of a
deer, the tendency is to think he is a really nice guy, but when we read Srila
Prabhupada’s purport, we understand what is happening on a deeper level.
There
are some Christians preachers called “The Skit Guys” who distill the essence of
Christianity and present it in skits. They did one on idol worship with a
relevant message as you can see (https://youtu.be/QPil9Br-5lE):
When
Radhanath Swami began preaching in Mumbai in the 1980s, he did a program every
single night.
Srila
Prabhupada, in writing to India to enlist support, described how he wanted to
make a cultural center to teach the Americans a higher standard of devotion.
Comment
by Mother Rukmini:
When
the devotees told Srila Prabhupada about their new place at 61 Second Avenue,
they described it as a palace, when in reality, it was another storefront, just
a bit larger and nicer. I was worried what he would think when he actually
came. When he did come, after he looked around, he sat on his vyasasana and said, “I just wanted one
moon, but now I see I have so many moonlike devotees.” Srila Prabhupada was so
appreciative!
Comment
by Adi Purusha Prabhu:
I
played security guard for Srila Prabhupada at New Vrindaban. It started raining
one night. I waited in a garage nearby, doing my service. Suddenly Srila
Prabhupada appeared. I offered obeisances and asked how I could serve him. Srila
Prabhupada replied, “You can go where I won’t go.” I inquired what he meant, and
he said, “To the future. How you treat the people there will show how Krishna
loves them.” I closed my eyes, meditating on this, and when I opened them Srila
Prabhupada had disappeared up the stairs.
If
we follow the instructions of the guru we are never alone.
Brahmacari meeting:
Natabara
Gauranga Prabhu: I have heard that when the demigods realize their time in
heaven is up, that pain counteracts all the many years of heavenly enjoyment
they experienced.
From
Vaishnava Compassion:
Section
on aniha:
“Swami,”
explained Srila Prabhupada, meant one who could be in the association of
beautiful women and not be affected by them.
Section
on sthira:
As
the pure devotee is fixed on Krishna, Krishna is fixed on His pure devotee.
An
advanced devotee is fixed in the chanting as a bee is fixed in tasting the
nectar from a flower.
Karuna
Gauranga Prabhu: In the beginning of our devotional service, everything is new.
After some time, Sacinandana Swami says one comes to a stage of “nothing new
anymore.”
Cesar:
In Harinama Cintamani, Haridasa
Thakura prays, “Be merciful, Mahaprabhu, so the ten offenses do not enter my heart.
Then I will be able to taste the nectar of the Name.”
Mahotsaha Prabhu:
It
is described that Bharata Maharaja was so renounced that he gave up his
kingdom, wife, and family, just as one gives up stool after passing it. When we
pass stool we do not really feel separation from it. Thus it was amazing to me
that he later became attached to a deer.
Krishna
explains to the gopis that although
some devotees become so advanced they attain bhava, He does not reveal Himself to them because He is not
satisfied until they achieve prema, and
He wants them inspired to endeavor for that.
Rama
Raya Prabhu always says, “Maya will
give you unending excuses to not surrender to Krishna.”
B.
R. Sridhara Maharaja said that Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati wanted to spend ten
years preaching in New York City, and it can be understood that he did that
through Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
No
one tells you that the soul never dies and the body never lives, but that is
the truth.
One
guy told me that he was God. I started talking to him in Telugu. He was
bewildered and asked what I was doing. I said that I thought if you were God,
you would know Telugu. Several months later I saw him on the street. He was
grateful that I shook him up. Now he chants 32 rounds and frequently comes on harinama.
The
sahajiyas want to take the lila [pastimes] but they do not take the
tattva [understanding of Krishna in
truth].
We
should make ourselves available because we have the greatest thing and we want
to share it.
Srila
Prabhupada explains in his purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam
3.25.25 that talks of Krishna, krishna-katha,
are the remedy for all problems.
Bhakta Josh:
By
the grace of Krishna, although he had to accept the body of the deer, Bharata
Maharaja did not have to go through all the other species of life to regain the
human form.
Gaura
Govinda Swami says that we have to pray for good association. Actually he said we
have to cry for good association.
B.
R. Sridhara Maharaja says that our very deep-rooted desire for fame can be
transformed into the desire that our guru be pleased with us.
Sometimes
you can think your problems are so small that you do not want to bring them up
to a sadhu, and in this way you are tricked by maya. But you are not bothering the sadhus by mentioning them. They
take pleasuring in helping you, and they know they also benefit by doing so.
Comments
by Adi Purusha Prabhu:
Because
Bharata Maharaja was all alone he got into difficulty. The sadhu has no private
life. He does not have a separate program when no else is around.
We
get the quality of association we desire.
Tamal
Krishna Goswami did not go to China for four years after Srila Prabhupada asked
him to, but he realized he had to, and so ultimately he did.
Bhakti Cesar:
Ramesvara
Prabhu was saying that Srila Prabhupada considered he was the director and his
followers were the actors. One can add to that the understanding that Krishna
is the scriptwriter, and He gives His pure devotees different scripts to
direct.
Lord
Caitanya asked Saranga Thakura what he was going to do about a dying bakula tree. Saranga said, “Aside from Your mercy, I see no hope for this
tree.” Lord Caitanya embraced the tree, and it improved in health and is still healthy
till this very day.
When
Adikarta Prabhu visited around Ratha-yatra time, we asked him how he has been
able to be a devotee for forty years. He replied: “There is no special secret.
Just keep the transcendental vibration going.”
Madhava Smullen:
From
“Kulimela: The Next Generation” in Back
to Godhead, Vol. 51, No. 2:
“As
the blistering set reaches its conclusion, and everyone is left grinning,
panting, and sweating, Balarama Tirtha Dasa leaves us with a heartwarming
thought: ‘We may all be such varied people spread across all corners of the
world,’ he calls out. ‘But we all have one thing in common: we love Krishna,
and we love Srila Prabhupada!’
“This
intrinsic unity in kulis, and the
stunning cultural talent on display, recalls a letter Prabhupada sent to Syamasundara
Dasa when his daughter Sarasvati was two: ‘I am very glad to learn about the
activities of your nice daughter,’ he wrote. ‘I am sure she will be a great
devotee and great preacher also in future. I want that on this Krishna culture
the whole world can be united.’”
-----
tvam apy
adabhra-sruta visrutam vibhoh
samapyate
yena vidam bubhutsitam
prakhyahi
duhkhair muhur arditatmanam
sanklesa-nirvanam
usanti nanyatha
“Please,
therefore, describe the Almighty Lord’s activities which you have learned by
your vast knowledge of the Vedas, for that will satisfy the hankerings of great
learned men and at the same time mitigate the miseries of the masses of common
people who are always suffering from material pangs. Indeed, there is no other
way to get out of such miseries.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.5.40)
