Travel Journal#13.18: New York City, Boston, Philadelphia

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 13, No. 18
 By Krishna-kripa das 
(September 2017, part two)
New York City, Boston, Philadelphia 
(Sent from New York City on November 21, 2017)

Where I Went and What I Did

I continued assisting the Yuga Dharma New York City harinama party for the second half of September, except two weekends when I chanted with Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci, one weekend at the Boston Hempfest and another weekend promoting and attending the Philadelphia Ratha-yatra. The Philadelphia Ratha-yatra was special this year because of the attendance not only of Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci, but also Indradyumna Swami and his traveling festival team, who were touring the northeast USA for three weeks. On International World Peace Day, September 26, Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It was shown at many theaters around the country, and I got to see it for the first time after having heard about it for several weeks.

I share insights from a book and conversation of Srila Prabhupada and excerpts from Sri Ksetra: Vaikuntha on Earth, a soon-to-be-published book about Puri by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura's disciple, Sundarananda Vidyavinoda Prabhu, from Touchstone Media. I share notes on classes by Mahavishnu Swami in Boston and Philadelphia and by a visiting swami at The Bhakti Center, as well as notes on talks by several Prabhupada disciples, Adi Purusa Prabhu and Badarayana Prabhu speaking at The Bhakti Center, and Bada Haridas Prabhu and Bhusara Prabhu speaking in Philadelphia. I also share notes on a class by harinama leader, Rama Raya Prabhu, and notes on classes by younger devotees, all speaking at The Bhakti Center. I share excerpts from Back to Godhead articles by Nagaraja Prabhu and Karuna Dharini Devi Dasi, and an answer to a letter by the Krishna.com Live Help staff.

Thanks to Atmanivedana Prabhu, who keeps a Bhagavad-gita class going each Saturday night at 26 Second Avenue, for his very liberal donation on my birthday.

Thanks to Bhaktin Diana for the many photos of me chanting in New York City. Thanks to Devatideva Prabhu and Ritchie for photos of me in Philadelphia. Many thanks to John Kilgariff for his beautiful video of the Philly Ratha-yatra.

Itinerary

November 11, 2017–January ?, 2018: Yuga Dharma New York City harinama party

except:

December 2, 2017: Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami Vyasa-puja in Stuyvesant Falls

December ?, 2017: possible visit to Hartford to see Niranjana Swami

December 24, 2017: Christmas Eve with my relatives in Albany

Chanting with Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci at the Boston Hempfest

The Hare Krishna devotees in Boston have been chanting at the Boston Hempfest (officially known as the Boston Freedom Rally), which is sponsored by a pro-marijuana group, for many years. It is always on a weekend in mid September and sometimes on the same weekend the Boston devotees celebrate the anniversary of the arrival of Srila Prabhupada in Boston in 1965. You can find YouTube videos of the devotees chanting there in previous years. I first learned about the event from Janananda Goswami of the UK, who was visiting Boston for the Prabhupada festival, and who told me that many young people at the Hempfest chanted and danced with the devotees and that it was a great venue to share the chanting of Hare Krishna with American youth. I was happy to learn that Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci were going to Boston for several days at that time, and so I decided to join them for the weekend of the Hempfest.

There were literally thousands of people sitting in groups all over Boston Commons. We chanted sometimes on the sidewalks which were packed with people, especially where sidewalks would meet, and also through the grassy areas from one group of people to another. We also chanted in the streets of Boston briefly. Mahavishnu Swami would chant the Hare Krishna mantra two words at a time and encourage the people to respond and most of them would, although some had difficulty focusing because of intoxication and others were too lazy or spaced out. We had plenty of invitation cards for the Boston temple which had the Hare Krishna mantra in large letters on one side. I would give favorable people the cards and tell them, “If you chant this mantra, you can stay high forever!” I got a lot of positive responses. I would invite people who enjoyed chanting with us to the Boston Sunday feast that weekend, and a lot of people were happy to learn about it. One person who was not a Hempfest attender, but who happened to be out and about, saw the devotees and learned of our temple and Sunday program and came and had a good time, having previously met the devotees in Brazil. Some of the Boston devotees also distributed invitations, “On Chanting Hare Krishna” pamphlets, and books, and a traveling party led by Brajananda Prabhu distributed books.

One devotee lady was really expert in encouraging all the young ladies to dance with her and proved to be a great asset to our party.

One devotee sported a T-shirt the Boston devotees especially designed for the Hempfest in past years.

Mahavishnu Swami occasionally let some people wear his special hat.

One guy even danced with him while wearing it.

Here is some video of Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci joining with Boston devotees and other visiting devotees to chant Hare Krishna at the Boston Hempfest (officially the Boston Freedom Rally)

Day 1(https://youtu.be/e_DID-rZzuo):

Day 2 (https://youtu.be/01aKO_xS_D0):

With Mahavishnu Swami playing the accordion and adding his energy and enthusiasm, the Boston temple kirtanas were extra special (https://youtu.be/WpW81qcYdeE):

Chanting Hare Krishna in Philadelphia on the Occasion of Ratha-yatra

I heard from my Philadelphia friend, Haryasva Prabhu, that the devotees planned to do a harinama on South Street with Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci the night before the Ratha-yatra, so I decided to go there after doing a couple of hours of harinama in New York City that afternoon.

The most striking thing for me was to see how much more open the people in Philadelphia were to accepting the Ratha-yatra invitations than New Yorkers. To see their gratitude that I offered them an invitation was powerful and endearing. Of course, the kirtan attracted musically inclined passersby to participate which made it a very lively event.

Here you can see Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci chanting Hare Krishna and encouraging passersby to chant and dance on South Street in Philly to promote the Ratha-yatra the next day (https://youtu.be/QxXFTCLXLMk):

While chanting Hare Krishna along South Street, Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci entered a clothes shop and employees, shoppers, and passersby participated by dancing (https://youtu.be/-olcULN7Ulk):

The Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra deities have their own car seat in which they are transported from the temple to the Ratha-yatra site.

Here they appear nicely seated, with their loving pujari.

I was surprised to see how nicely decorated the wheels of the cart were. I did not recall seeing that before.

Prabhupada disciple, Bhusara Prabhu, chanted Hare Krishna before Philly Ratha-yatra procession began (https://youtu.be/reDE4ZolWdQ):

The most special feature of this year's Ratha-yatra was the participation of Indradyumna Swami and his festival team, both in the procession and in the stage show afterward. The final kirtan lead by Indradyumna Swami was especially powerful.

Indradyumna Swami chants Hare Krishna in Philly Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/7VC9H6J_lV0):

Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna in Philly Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/9gPfi2Nd9CM):

One devotee encouraged a young couple who encountered the Philadelphia Ratha-yatra to participate by dancing, and they responded enthusiastically (https://youtu.be/xgiIa7BYkSw):

I also danced at the Ratha-yatra to please Lord Jagannatha.

An enthusiastic young devotee lady chanted Hare Krishna at the end of Philly Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/Lx6JDTjqUqg):

Another special feature for me about this year's Philly Ratha-yatra was that I helped out in preparing the salad for the Ratha-yatra feast, which is something I never do. Vishnu Gada Prabhu, who I have known since 1979 when he was head cook at the 55^th Street temple in Manhattan and would take me and the other new devotees on harinama at lunch time, was the organizer of the feast so it was nice for me to connect with him by volunteering to help. Later we ate lunch together at the festival, and it was nice to spend some time with him.

I missed the harinama that Harinama Ruci did during the stage show, but I did spend time at the kirtan tent and invite locals who liked the kirtan to our programs in Philadelphia.

Here Acyuta Gopi and some friends and relatives chanted Hare Krishna in the Philly Ratha-yatra Kirtan tent, and many passersby were attracted to watch (https://youtu.be/FjNjyPr0CuY):

As Lord Jagannatha was getting ready to return to the temple, His garlands were distributed to passersby. As devotees we find it always a treat to be blessed with the maha-prasadam garlands, but I noticed even brand new people became completely blissed out to receive the garlands of the Lord.

These girls looked so happy I just had to take their picture.

Sometimes garlands and offered flowers lie neglected in odd places, but at the Philly temple they have a nice receptacle for them.

I attended the final kirtan at the stage show led by Indradyumna Swami which was so lively that people walking past would stop to watch and sometimes after watching would join the dance (https://youtu.be/o_RQZnKLZNI):

I saw someone taking more video of that final kirtan than I did with a much better camera, and I asked him to share it with me (https://youtu.be/9cqJ88-sDGA):

After the Philadelphia Ratha-yatra, Devatideva Prabhu gave Kate and me a ride to Haryasva Prabhu's Bhakti Garden in central Philadelphia, and I was happy to not have to walk.

We found that Indradyumna Swami, Bada Haridas Prabhu, and their traveling festival team were visiting Haryasva Prabhu at the Bhakti Garden and seeing his Panca-tattva deities there. Haryasva Prabhu has great love for Indradyumna Swami, and he wanted to feed him and his forty-five associates wraps and ice cream. Thanks to Kate and Saumya Radhika Devi Dasi for getting that all together.

While waiting for the wraps, Bada Haridas Prabhu led the chanting of Hare Krishna for the pleasure of the Panca-tattva (https://youtu.be/eNkEHUdr6Ag):

Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City

A middle-aged black man stopped by our book table at Union Square one day hoping to buy a DVD of the recent Hare Krishna! film [http://harekrishnathefilm.com/] he had enjoyed seeing. We said, “It hasn't been released yet as a DVD, but when it has, we will definitely have it. However, it is playing at 7:00 p.m. [in 75 minutes] at the Regal theater in Brooklyn, and three of us are going to see it!” Later on at the theater, after the film, I saw the same man, happy to have seen it again. He and a friend accepted invitations from us for Saturday's Philadelphia Ratha-yatra.

Chanting Hare Krishna in Union Square

On our Union Square harinama, I would mostly watch the book table.

I would also sing for half an hour.

Once a New York City policeman came by and stopped in front our chanting party. Devotees were worried we had done something wrong. Then he came over to our book table and told Mahotsaha Prabhu that he was really into this and he had been to the Brooklyn temple. He asked for some japa beads, and we got him some, and you can see them around his neck.

Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna in Union Square with Harinama Ruci (https://youtu.be/kD0jBvmKqJg):

Brajananda Prabhu, a traveling book distributor, chants Hare Krishna in Union Square (https://youtu.be/Txb-882UkT4):

Pavana Nitai Chandra chants Hare Krishna in Union Square and a man, who regularly comes by, dances in the distance (https://youtu.be/0caZgMIYtfQ):

Krishna Prasad Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square and two young ladies play shakers (https://youtu.be/yVuMG4-vvro):

Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square, and a young lady chants Hare Krishna and plays shakers (https://youtu.be/1WG2kyWlwM8):

Tota Gopinatha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square (https://youtu.be/gEbZf8GyieM):

Jaya Jagannatha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square and Rama Raya Prabhu and a kid play shakers (https://youtu.be/agEPFAY7kUY):

Chanting in Times Square with Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci

Mahavishnu Swami, traveling with Harinama Ruci, leads the chanting of Hare Krishna in Times Square, joined by the Yuga Dharma NYC harinama party, and onlookers joyfully participate by chanting and dancing (https://youtu.be/l5wsBX-nTnU):

Brajananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci in Times Square and many people dance enthusiastically (https://youtu.be/Z2VFo47JzpU):

On the way from our Hare Krishna kirtan in Union Square to our walking harinama in Times Square Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci, along with Brajananda Prabhu and his traveling book distributors and local New York City devotees chanted on the N train (https://youtu.be/oe2eXCgBgrs):

Chanting Hare Krishna at Times Square Subway Station

Times Square has the busiest of all the subway stations and on rainy days in warm weather and twice a week in the cold weather we chant there.

Krishna Prasad Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Times Square subway station and a passerby plays shakers (https://youtu.be/uoDgEpd-MM4):

Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/CNdvgasJXW0):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Times Square subway station, and a little girl from the local Hare Krishna congregation plays the shakers in back (https://youtu.be/ha33U9t5uMQ):

Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It

I saw Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It (the film) with two friends from the Yuga Dharma NYC harinama party in Brooklyn, just a few blocks from the Radha Govinda temple there. It was special to watch it in New York City, within a few miles of where the movement first began.

I liked many things about the film beginning with all the audio clips of Srila Prabhupada speaking. People will benefit so much from hearing that transcendental sound. The religion professors speaking with appreciation of Srila Prabhupada and his movement was also very powerful. The sections on the Mantra Rock Dance, George Harrision and the Beatles, and the New York court case victory were great. The devotees appreciations what Srila Prabhupada had to offer and his qualities such as genuine concern to benefit others and freedom from hypocrisy was valuable and has the potential to increase the audience's awareness of Srila Prabhpada's divine qualities. I liked the video clips from the early public kirtans, and the London and New York Ratha-yatras.

I liked the Krishna conscious scenes from around the world and the Madhava kirtan during the credits. Madhava Prabhu seems to me to very much reflect Srila Prabhupada's mood of simply wanting people to chant Hare Krishna and be happy.

I felt bad that I had not encouraged people to see the movie more, and I look forward to promote its DVD incarnation in the future.

I do not know that I am qualified to suggest how it could be improved nor do I know if there is any value in such a meditation. Perhaps to consider what elements could be included in its sequel may be relevant. Maybe more devotees telling how Krishna consciousness benefited them or stories of materially successful people who felt their lives incomplete until encountering Krishna consciousness would be valuable. To communicate how the knowledge Srila Prabhupada gave really explains practically all kinds of natural, supernatural, and religious experience would be wonderful if it could be done. There is one quote from a letter by Srila Prabhupada, expressing Srila Prabhupada’s own wonder at the success of his movement, which I have included in Vyasa Puja offerings to him the last two years, that I would like to share with the world:

“Srila Prabhupada letter to Sudama, December 23, 1972:

“Yes, from the very beginning I went to New York because I thought that Krishna Consciousness is the most important idea in the world, so let me go to that place, New York, which is the most important city in the world, and if I am able to do anything for Krishna and my Spiritual Master, even I am at the fag-end of my life, at least let me try for it there. So my dreams have all come true, and all of you nice boys and girls are getting the credit. When I was alone in your New York, I was thinking, who will listen to me in this horrible, sinful place? All right, I shall stay little longer, at least I can distribute a few of my books, that is something. But Krishna was all along preparing something I could not see, and He brought you to me one by one, sincere American boys and girls, to be trained-up for doing the work of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Now I can see that it is a miracle. Otherwise, your city of New York, one single old man, with only a few books to sell for barely getting eatables, how he can survive, what to speak of introducing God-consciousness movement for saving the humankind? That is Krishna’s miracle. Now I can see it.”

More T-shirt Messages

From Boston, I shared of photo of a devotee with a “Stay High Forever” T-shirt, and from Philadelphia, the “Krishna Reigns Supreme” T-shirt Devatideva Prabhu sported.

I also encountered a couple other messages that can have nice Krishna consciousness purports:

As devotees we do believe in heroes. Krishna Himself, who did so many heroic acts to protect His devotees, is our supreme hero. Also great devotees like Prahlada Maharaja, who led ideal lives and gave ideal instructions, are heros we believe in. Srila Prabhupada is a hero for coming to America by cargo ship and suffering two heart attacks on the way to make the essence of the world's most complete body of spiritual knowledge available to those all over the world. The Hare Krishna! movie will make this important contemporary hero more well known.

Knowledge obtained by our senses and mind is imperfect. Our process is to sit down and learn from the master, as Lord Krishna advises in Bhagavad-gita 4.34: “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.” This man, out of humility, did not want us to see him, but his message is a good one. 

To see photos I took but did not include click on the link below:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/iuonu4a90jkD0gVg2

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.19.36, purport:

“In Calcutta there are many butcher shops which keep a deity of the goddess Kali, and animal-eaters think it proper to purchase animal flesh from such shops in hope that they are eating the remnants of food offered to goddess Kali. They do not know that goddess Kali never accepts nonvegetarian food because she is the chaste wife of Lord Siva. Lord Siva is also a great Vaishnava and never eats nonvegetarian food, and the goddess Kali accepts the remnants of food left by Lord Siva. Therefore there is no possibility of her eating flesh or fish. Such offerings are accepted by the associates of goddess Kali known as bhutas, pishacas, and Rakshasas, and those who take the prasada of goddess Kali in the shape of flesh or fish are not actually taking the prasada left by goddess Kali, but the food left by the bhutas and pishacas.”

From a conversation with biochemist Thoudam Singh, Ph.D. [Svarupa Damodara], in Bhubanesvara, India, on February 3, 1977:

“If we go beyond our knowledge, it is false. When we have gone beyond our knowledge, our conclusions have to be false. Our conclusions must be false – unless they come from someone whose knowledge goes beyond our own. In other words, from someone who is a bona fide authority.”

Sundarananda Vidyavinoda Prabhu:

From Sri Ksetra: Vaikuntha on Earth:

“Actually the cultivators of devotional service, which diminishes the importance of liberation, know that the purifying qualities of the water of holy places, which are described in the Puranas, are simply to deceive one about devotional service. They are not equal to the water that has washed the lotus feet of a Vaishnava for this water can easily fulfill all one’s desires.”

“It is said that once one of the priests from a Koma brahmana family went to another place for some work and he asked his young son to carry on the daily worship of Alvarnatha. The simple-hearted young brahmana somehow or other cooked some foodstuffs and brought it before Alvarnatha. Since he did not know the appropriate mantra for offering, he said to the Deity, 'My Lord I am a foolish boy and I don’t know Your mantras and procedure for worship. My father has gone to another place. Kindly accept this offering.'

“After making the offering to Alvarnatha, the brahmana boy shut the temple door and began to play with his friends as any young boy would have done. When his mother saw him playing with other boys, she asked if the offering to the Lord has been completed or not. To this the boy replied, 'I have made the offering to the Lord.'

“Hearing this, the boy’s mother replied, 'A while after you make the offering, you should remove the offering plate and bring it home.'

“According to the order of the mother, the boy opened the temple door and saw there is nothing left on the offering plate. The boy informed this to his mother. The boy’s mother could not believe this and the boy took her to the Deity room to show her directly. The mother was still doubtful. She thought that due to restlessness the boy must have eaten all of Sri Narayana’s food and now he is telling a lie out of fear of punishment.

“But for a few consecutive days, the boy made an offering to the Lord in the same way and after sometime he opened the door of the Deity room and showed his mother that indeed Alvarnatha has accepted all the foodstuffs. The mother became very astonished and said to her son, 'Your father worships Alvarnatha every day with sixteen ingredients, but the Lord does not eat all the foodstuffs like this. On the other hand you do not know the process of worship, what to speak of that you cannot even pronounce the mantras for worship, and yet the Lord accepts foodstuffs offered by you!'

“After some days the above-mentioned priest brahmana returned home and heard everything in detail from his wife. Being surprised, the brahmana desired to personally see on the next day how his son offers bhoga to Narayana and how Sri Narayana eats the offering. The young brahmana cooked the bhoga as before and offered it to Alvarnatha as his father hid himself in one corner of the Deity room. The brahmana could hear that his young son was offering bhoga to Sri Narayana, saying, 'O Lord! I do not know any mantra or procedure. I also do not know how to make the offering. My father is not present, so until he returns please accept these offerings.'

“Saying this as the boy closed the temple doors, his father who was hiding inside the Deity room, could see that with His four hands, Sri Narayana was happily and eagerly eating all the foodstuffs offered by the boy. Seeing that the Lord is eating up all the foodstuffs, the brahmana went before the Lord and caught hold of His hands and said, 'If You eat up all the foodstuffs what will we eat?'

“Sri Alvarnatha simply replied, 'I am eating everything out of love for the boy. You may ask for any benediction you wish.'

“The priest brahmana then said, 'What benediction can I ask? When you are eating up all our share of food then we have to die out of starvation.'

“To this Sri Alvarnatha replied, 'From today onwards I will not accept anything offered by you. Everything in this world is meant for My enjoyment. You have the right to accept whatever remnants of food I mercifully leave behind as your share. Since you desired to enjoy My share, therefore very soon you and your family members will be vanquished. Only My eternal devotee who has appeared as your son will come with Me to Vaikuntha.'

“After this statement of Sri Alvarnatha, the 1,200 families of the Koma brahmanas vanished one by one. No one survived in that family. In the meantime, Sri Alvarnatha appeared to Purushottamadeva, the King of Puri, in a dream and ordered him to immediately arrange brahmanas for His worship.”

“Since Brahmagiri or Alalanatha is the topmost place for Sriman Mahaprabhu’s pastime of searching after Krishna, it is extremely dear to the Gaudiya Vaishnavas who are devoted to Gaura and who worship the Lord in the mood of separation. This place has been considered as very favorable for awakening the spirit of service. Whenever Mahaprabhu would perform a pastime of loving quarrel with the devotees at Nilacala, He would go to Sri Alalanatha.”

“Although Purushottamadeva was not the eldest son, Kapilendradeva decided to hand over the kingdom to him by the order of Sri Jagannathadeva. In Gangavamsanucarita, it stated that the brothers of Purushottamadeva asked him in an angry mood to prove that he was the future successor and appointed by Sri Jagannathadeva. Purushottamadeva agreed to this and on a fixed day he stood in front of his brothers without any weapons in his hand while chanting the holy name of Sri Jagannathadeva. His brothers began to throw sharp weapons at him. But by the mercy of Sri Jagannathadeva, he remained unaffected and completely unharmed. Seeing this, his brothers left, allowing him to rule the kingdom peacefully.”

“The marriage of Purushottamadeva was arranged with the princess of Kañci. The King of Kañci decided to personally come and meet the groom during Ratha-yatra. According to ancient custom, the King of Odisha is supposed to sweep the road in front of the chariot with a golden broom. When the King of Kañci saw his would be son-in-law in that condition, he decided not to give his daughter in marriage to a person who was like a dog-eater or a sweeper.

“The King of Kañci was a devotee of Sri Ganesa, and he had no respect for Sri Jagannathadeva. Being puffed up by mundane pride, the King of Kañci could not understand how even the demigods like Brahma and Rudra desire to serve Sri Jagannathadeva. With a desire to smash his useless pride and to give him suitable punishment for such humiliation, Purushottamadeva promised, 'I will forcibly kidnap the princess within three years, three months and three days and get her married to a real sweeper or dog-eater.'

“He took a huge army with him and attacked the city of Kañci. But in the beginning he was forced to retreat. The king took shelter of Sri Jagannathadeva so that he could punish the King of Kañci, who had disregarded Sri Jagannathadeva by disregarding his servant. Purushottamadeva received an indication of Sri Jagannathadeva’s support, and with greater force he again attacked Kañci. While marching towards Kañci, about ten miles from Puri, the king saw a devoted cowherd girl named Manika in a village called Anandapura. The girl showed a ring to the king and said that two soldiers on horseback came to her because of thirst. After accepting yogurt, milk and buttermilk, they gave this ring to her and told her that she should give the ring to the king and he would pay the price of the yogurt and milk, etc.

“As soon as Purushottamadeva saw the ring, he could easily understand that the soldiers were none other than Sri Jagannatha and Sri Balarama! The Lords were going ahead of the king just to help him.

“The king rewarded Manika with land and honor and marched forward. He fought a fierce battle with the King of Kañci and defeated him. During the battle, Sri Jagannatha and Sri Balarama completely destroyed the city of Kañci. Having won, Purushottamadeva took away the jewel-studded throne of the king and offered it in the service of Sri Jagannathadeva. He also brought to Puri the Ganesa deity worshiped by the royal dynasty of Kañci. It was said that this Ganesa created various impediments in the way of Sri Purushottamadeva’s battle. Therefore he was famous as Bhanda Ganesa or Hypocrite Ganesa.

“This Ganesa is still present within a small temple adjacent to the western gate or tiger gate in Sri Jagannatha temple. The king also brought the princess of Kañci named Padmavati to Puri and according to his previous promise he decided to marry her to a sweeper. But by the will of Sri Jagannathadeva, when Purushottamadeva was sweeping the road with a broom during Ratha-yatra, his minister brought the princess and offered her to the hand of the king. Thus the promise of Purushottamadeva was also kept intact.”

“Even before Sri Caitanyadeva’s arrival at Sri Nilacala or from the external point of view, even before achieving Sri Caitanyadeva’s mercy, Prataparudradeva had the crest jewel of all transcendental poets Ramananda compile Sri Jagannatha Vallabha Nataka, which is enriched with the amorous pastimes of Sri Radha-Govinda. Therefore, it is understood that Sri Krishna Caitanya, who is the combined form of Sri Radha-Krishna, appeared in the heart of Prataparudradeva unseen by others and inspired him to be attracted to Raya Ramananda, who was an eternal associate of Sri Radha-Govinda. What can be difficult to achieve for a person who is enlightened by the mercy of Raya Ramananda?”

“Mahaprabhu did not agree to meet with the king directly, but said that since a son is as good as the father He can meet the king’s son. When the Lord saw the black-complexioned young prince, His remembrance for Sri Krishna immediately awakened. The Lord embraced the prince, considering him to be Sri Krishna. The eight symptoms of ecstatic love manifested in the body of the prince. The prince began to chant ‘Krishna Krishna’ and dance in bliss. Mahaprabhu pacified him and asked him to come everyday. Prataparudra felt the touch of Sriman Mahaprabhu by seeing and embracing his own son. From that day onwards, the fortunate prince has been counted as one of the devotees of Sriman Mahaprabhu.”

“How the golden personality, Sri Gaura Hari, lived in the house of Kasi Misra being bound by his love is still sung today in folk songs in the villages of Utkala as follows:

'O brothers! Go and see the golden pet bird in the house of Kasi Misra who has kept it bound by the rope of love within his heart.'”

“It was said that once Syamananda Prabhu was dancing in ecstasy in the mood of the rasa dance. Seeing this, Hrdaya-caitanya Prabhu, who belonged to sakhya rasa, displayed the pastime of being artificially angry in order to test Syamananda Prabhu’s qualification. As a result of this, Sriman Mahaprabhu told Hridaya-caitanya that Syamananda was a suitable candidate for madhurya-rasa; therefore it was not proper to check the flow of his natural service attitude. Then, considering that he had committed an offense by awarding punishment to Syamananda, Hridaya-caitanya asked the acaryas headed by Jiva Gosvami about the way to get rid of that offense. In order to teach people in general, they gave the injunction that he should glorify the qualities of the Vaishnavas and satisfy them by feeding mahaprasada for twelve days. Syamananda Prabhu humbly begged from his spiritual master the responsibility of carrying out this twelve-day festival. He used to hold that festival twelve days every year with great pomp. After the disappearance of Syamananda Prabhu, his disciple Rasikananda and then the successors of Gopivallabhapura have been celebrating this grand festival for twelve days for every year, starting twelve days before the disappearance day of Syamananda Prabhu.”

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

From Vaishnava Compassion:

“Real compassion is not achieved automatically upon joining the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Compassion is not a line of work but an expansion of heart. The more institutionalized we make our acts of compassion, the more likely we are to fall victim to motivations such as pride, honor, righteousness—one type of moral superiority or another. Srila Prabhupada, however, genuinely understood the suffering of material life and the pain of rebirth. He knew and taught his followers that only by awakening the people's dormant Krsna consciousness could they be freed from the cycle of birth and death. It is not enough, he said, to alleviate people's material hunger and thirst. It is not enough to alleviate their suffering for this lifetime only. He wanted his followers not only to save the drowning man's coat but the drowning man himself.”

From Looking Back, Volume 2:

“We can be intimate friends by endeavoring to help ourselves and others to become Krishna conscious and celebrate the many ways it can be done.”

“So the prime order is to rest, and I agree, although this means greatly minimizing japa and writing. Rest comes first because then I will build up the strength to do those things of utmost importance. It sounds contradictory. But for so many years I have not been able to accomplish my top priorities due to weakness. I have pushed to the max with no relax. But now I am going to change that. Now is the time for rest and doing necessary, basic health repairs.”

“I know who Krishna is theoretically, now I have to think of Him, even if only in a theoretical way. As Prabhupada writes at the beginning of Bhagavad-gita, 'At least theoretically one must accept Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.' I have located Him on the map. Now let me look in His direction.”

“But my mind doesn’t rest. It goes all over the place. Then bring it back to the Supreme Lord. He has so many activities. We can think of His pastimes and focus on His qualities. We can chant His names. The main thing is to bring the mind back, away from those errant thoughts. You’ve had millions of errant thoughts, but now you have millions of Krishna conscious thoughts and entreaties that you can make. You can repeat and repeat them. Turn to them sincerely and free them from envy. Don’t put the quality of materialism into your prayers. Pray to please Him, and while chanting Hare Krishna be above your own wants. There should be a pleading, and an awareness, and a sincere direction to your thinking. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna is a prayer form, but within it is the coming closer to the pleading, a coming closer to the wanting to be with; otherwise, your mechanical chanting leaves so much space for exploring where He is not. So fill up all those empty spaces with Him. Otherwise your little devils will be romping and jumping about and reminiscing on past follies. Bring the mind back to the now.”

“If you are raking in the bucks from your business and are just reinvesting it in a capitalistic spirit to make more money for your own sense gratification, it’s like carrying around an octopus with many arms that will eventually entangle and choke you.”

“The religion of love. Each gendarme can’t force you, not even the provosts or ecclesiastical chiefs; you do it yourself on bright wings.”

“I asked Pandit Maharaja, 'do you know a particular Prabhupada-ism about listening to music during japa?' He said he didn’t know for sure about music in japa, but he thought it was not required. As for the phrase 'not required,' it had a different meaning in English. He said he was serving as Prabhupada’s servant and he asked Prabhupada a question about something that Jayadvaita Maharaja actually wanted to do, but Prabhupada said, 'It is not required.' So Pandit took it to mean that it was okay to do, but that it was not required. Pandit asked him again, 'Can we do such and such?' Prabhupada answered, 'It is not required.' Then Pandit understood that for Prabhupada 'not required' meant 'don’t do it.' It’s a clear negative. 'It is not required' means 'don’t do it.' So many derivations from so many directions. There could be a Prabhupada etymology book about how Prabhupada uses words. Or is it not required?”

“He [the Buddhist master] was so luminous; he made us more illuminating in presenting Prabhupada’s philosophy in our own voices. Holy people are like that, they elevate us. They elevate us because they genuinely want everyone to be on a higher platform. In our case, he didn’t elevate us to talk Buddhism, but Krishna consciousness, in a sharing context that he might have access to.”

“Death is the mirror in which the entire meaning of our life is reflected.”

“Those who believe they have plenty of time get ready only at the time of death, and then they are ravaged by regret. But isn’t that far too late? What more chilling commentary on the modern world could there be, than that most people die unprepared for death, in the same way as they lived unprepared for life? They die meeting the unknown in ignorance. We shouldn’t wait; we should prepare now.”

“The main thing is to keep preaching and have a zest for it. He [Prabhupada] was so enthusiastic for all of us to be preachers. Prabhupada was warm towards each of us. He refused to be annoyed at any of our mistakes. He was simply encouraging us to take up the preaching mission and do it. And he was infectious – we all felt the desire to do it and spread Krishna consciousness as our life’s mission. Yes I could do it I thought as he spoke; I could make it my lifelong career.”

“Love of God and fear of death,

keep fixed on them and remain

renounced.”

Mahavishnu Swami:

We take Bhagavad-gita as it is because that is how Arjuna accepted Krishna. We want to accept Krishna as Arjuna is.

Krishna has a home. He has relatives. He has a wife. There are so many descriptions of Krishna in the Vedic literature.

In all scriptures, those of the Christians, Muslims, and Jews, there is an idea of loving God but who that God actually is is not known.

When we are seeing the deity of Krishna, we are seeing Krishna.

Krishna is a magician.

Actually cell phones are magical, the way you can push a few buttons and talk to your beloved on the other side of the world.

Why does God put us into illusion? That is a very interesting question.

If we identify with the body, what do we get? Birth, death, disease, and old age.

Krishna cannot force us to love Him, because if there is force there is no love.

We have turned our back on Krishna so we only see the darkness of maya.

My experience is the chanting of this Hare Krishna is very powerful. It will help us understand our spiritual nature.

This surrender to Krishna will get us free from maya. It is very easy. All you have to do is to chant Hare Krishna. There are many tunes. It is not tedious.

Q: Are other religions also worshiping God?

A: Yes. But just as when you view a mountain from the distance, it may be a blue haze on the horizon. Then as you come closer, you may see there are some trees, and when you come still closer you see more detail.

Lord Jagannatha in Puri is 12 feet from arm to arm.

It is good if you invite the local dignitaries to the Ratha-yatras because then the press comes, and you get so much publicity for the Ratha-yatra. In India we always invite the governor or chief minister to the Ratha-yatra.

Everyone has a story about how he was in dire straights and prayed to the Lord, and then he met a devotee.

Rohininandana Prabhu tells how he was playing in the rocks off the sea at Cornwall and could not get back to the land. He started praying to God and found the strength to climb out through the rocks. The next person he saw was a devotee.

From the seed of devotional service one gets a creeper of kripa.

Today many people will be enticed to pull the rope of the Ratha-yatra cart. It looks fun.

Srila Prabhupada said, “Rythmn is the universal language.”

The African community really gets in there with the dancing and shows the whites what it is all about.

We should induce people to pull the rope.

Anyone who welcomes the Ratha-yatra goes back to Godhead.

Srila Prabhupada explains that when people see Lord Jagannatha on the cart, at that point they are liberated. If they were to die then, they would go back to Godhead.

My godbrother, Dhruvanatha Prabhu, came to the Sunday feast for twelve years before becoming a devotee.

Both the York and Liverpool mayors said the same thing, “We are invited to so many functions but this is different. This is alive.” The York mayor said, “This is like being in India again.”

Krishna does not see the motive, He just sees the service.

A visiting swami:

Vaisesika Prabhu says if your cell phone goes off in class you should buy a book as atonement.

There is no real relationship between the individual cantos and the ten subject matters described in the Bhagavatam. Different commentators place the different subjects differently.

One who realizes the victory and supremacy of God is protected by the Lord. One who fails to do this becomes entangled in fruitive activities.

When we are going against God, we are going against ourselves as we are part of God.

One cannot be satisfied without relationship with God anymore than a fish can be happy out of water.

The material world has the right intention behind it. Its two purposes are bhoga [sense enjoyment] and moksa [liberation]. Sense enjoyment is to give us energy to strive for liberation, or if in excess, to frustrate us to give it up.

The secret of good writing is to eliminate anything that does not serve the theme.

You can be satisfied when you act in harmony with your nature.

Suffering is an indication that something is wrong.

God gives external suffering to keep us from following a path leading to internal suffering.

Performance of sacrifice is the mark of a sage and makes one a sage.

Jnana [knowledge] is to discriminate matter from spirit so we can renounce matter.

A devotee is renounced because he wants to please Krishna not because of separate endeavor.

Raghunatha Dasa Goswami did not become renounced because he could not function in the material world, but because he had a higher consciousness than the material world.

I can cure anyone who gets sick in India within one day. It is simple. You just fast for a day.

You have to cure the tendency for sinful activities by going to the root of the problem by surrendering to Krishna.

Comment by Adi Purusa Prabhu: If we are sincere, Krishna will show us how to present the truth in such a way that people can assimilate it.

We have to study the scripture and apply it, and then we will get the realization of how to share it.

Srila Prabhupada had the realization to be able to give the highest subject matter to those with the least frame of reference to understand it.

Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, it is said, prayed to each word of the Bhagavatam because it is not different from Krishna Himself.

If you depend on yourself, you are limited by your karma, but if you depend on Krishna you can do things beyond your karma because you being empowered by Krishna.

In both books, the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam, we first see Krishna at the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, as the chariot driver of Arjuna. That is significant as Krishna not acting as the Supreme Godhead but the friend of Arjuna, taking a subordinate position out of love.

If you do not have faith, you cannot learn beyond your own frame of reference.

We tend to accept things filtered through our imperfect intelligence.

Arjuna, in the beginning, misunderstood bhakti to be renunciation and thus he repeatedly asked about it, and it was not till the Fifth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita that he finally understood it.

It is said that Brahma heard the Vedas three times until he understood that the goal was bhakti. The first time he considered that perhaps it was karma because there are so many rewards for good work in the Vedas. The second time heard the Upanishadic portions, he considered it may be that the goal is jnana. But the third time, he realized it was bhakti.

When inquiring from the guru, we should not consider the guru may be wrong but rather that we have misunderstood.

We should read the Bhagavatam to be transformed.

Comment by Adi Purusa Prabhu: We need to give people knowledge there is something beyond their present understanding. Prema [love of God] is beyond shanti [peace]. Eating only prasadam is beyond veganism.

We have our plan, and God has His plan.

John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men, has this striking line, “The plans of mice and men often go astray.”

My godbrother, Pradyumna Prabhu, once told me, “Bhakti means always making ourselves available to render service to Krishna.”

My friend who is walking down the Appalachian Trail, in his journal, asks, “Why are we in Krishna consciousness?”

His answer is “the drop of ecstasy we feel from it.”

When you walk to a place, your mind arrives before your body, and when you fly to a place, your body arrives to serve your mind.

Akrura stayed in Mathura (1) because he valued living in the holy dhama and (2) to protect Vasudeva by advising Kamsa that there was no need to worry about him.

Dogs joining parikramas is common in India.

Good managers give authority but maintain responsibility, and bad managers give responsibility and try to maintain authority.

Bhurijana Prabhu, commenting on the pastime of the dog attaining the spiritual world by joining the parikrama, says that our success is to melt the heart of a Vaishnava.

One simple business lady who was leaving her body in Vrindavan said, “I am not advanced but I know who is and I serve them.”

Comment by Adi Purusa Prabhu: Lord Caitanya's movement is spreading from heart to heart.

Badarayana Prabhu:

The absolute truth when presented humbly as a messenger has a profound effect.

We were counting money in a parking lot in Boston after distributing books all day. A policeman shined his flashlight in our car, and asked us what we were doing. We explained that we were Hare Krishnas and we had been distributing our literature, and we showed them the books. The policeman accepted that, and inquired from us, “You are spiritual people. What do you think of the death penalty?” I explained that a murderer should be killed by the state otherwise he will have to suffer greatly in his future lives. He was surprised. He independently asked the other two book distributors the same question and was amazed to see we all had the same answer. He was happy to let us go, and he asked to have a copy of one of our books.

We can see that Srila Prabhupada, although not appearing politically correct, was always giving knowledge out of compassion to free people from their misconceptions.

In one lecture Srila Prabhupada says, “What to speak of those who kill human beings, even the animal killer should immediately be killed.”

Bhakti Tirtha Swami told Srila Prabhupada that he sometimes encountered racism in his movement. Srila Prabhupada made the point that because Bhakti Tirtha Swami was still identifying himself with his body as a black man that he was disturbed by it.

Srila Prabhupada stressed sincerity in book distribution for if devotees are sincere Krishna would direct them from within.

Srila Prabhupada thought of book distribution as distribution of knowledge, not in terms of sales.

Comment by a visiting swami:

Persons without realization make two mistakes: (1) they change the truth in order to be accepted or (2) they present the truth in such a way people hear it but misunderstand it.

Nagaraja Prabhu:

From “Fulfilled by the Simple Life” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 52, No. 1:

“What we generally see is that people work hard to fill their lives with artificial luxuries. The result of all that hard work is dissatisfaction. Acquiring more and more stuff can never truly satisfy us because we’re spiritual beings with spiritual needs. To find fulfillment, we need to reconnect with Krishna, the source of all happiness.

“This basic principle of Krishna consciousness lies at the heart of the devotee’s quest for a simpler way of life. It’s an important point to grasp, and until we do so, we’ll fall victim to the allure of material things. There’s nothing wrong with living a comfortable life and practicing Krishna consciousness in that environment, but modern life abounds in ways to distract us from our essential task of making spiritual progress. So we have to be careful.”

Bada Haridas Prabhu:

From an informal gathering at the Bhakti Garden in Philly after the Ratha-yatra:

Panca-tattva was my ista-deva from the beginning. I was grateful that Panca-tattva came while I was in Laguna, where we previously had Gaura-Nitai deities. The Panca-tattva mantra is not just a mantra. The persons are personally present. Whenever we worship just Gaura Nitai I always wonder, “Where are the others?”

Srila Prabhupada said our obeisances are complete when we chant, “Jaya Sri Krishna Caitanya Prabhu Nityananda Sri Advaita Gadadhara Srivas-adi Gaura-bhakta-vrinda," and that in chanting it there no consideration of offense. He also said it is the most powerful mantra. When asked why we do not chant it instead of chanting Hare Krishna. Srila Prabhupada said because Lord Caitanya told us to chant Hare Krishna.

Bhusara Prabhu:

From an informal gathering at the Bhakti Garden in Philly after the Ratha-yatra:

It is easy to progress if we love the devotees.

Vishnujana Swami was always blissful about Krishna, and I never saw him otherwise.

He was sweet like sugar, and Tamal Krishna Swami was like pepper.

It was like Srila Prabhupada did not walk, but he floated.

It was like Srila Prabhupada was in color, and everyone else was in black and white.

Comment by Indradyumna Swami: Srila Prabhupada struggled so much in the first 12 months in the USA, but he always had faith that the will of Supreme Lord would someday manifest.

Adi Purusa Prabhu of NYC Food for Life:

When people won't give a donation, I invite them to offer words of appreciation, and many people gladly do.

Rama Raya Prabhu:

In sadhana bhakti we engage in activities that purify the heart.

We all must come to the point of realizing “I cannot figure this out by myself.” We need a guru.

In the beginning Srila Prabhupada was very encouraging about devotional service, but after 1974 you can hear that Srila Prabhupada is very intense in his lectures.

Hearing scripture with taste and realization is the reward for serving the guru intensely.

By the potency of Srila Prabhupada, people who had his association were lifted up to the platform of becoming spiritual revolutionaries.

Bhavananda donated 25,000 1983 dollars for Aindra Prabhu's sankirtana truck.

Krishna uses mixed devotees to attract new people and bring them up to that level.

We should strive for Krishna prema [love of God].

Revolution means come to the original consciousness.

Disturbance is due to a final goal for the mind.

Q (by Josh): How to become more serious?
A: Understand the material way of life has nothing to offer us. If we stick to the mission of the guru we will come to understand what desires of ours are not to be held on to.

Devotional service is the reward.

It is important to understand we are either going toward Krishna or away from him.

Prabhupada losing his place in Jhansi, etc., was amply rewarded.

From conversations:

“If you are chanting, dancing, and feasting then you have understood Lord Caitanya's philosophy, and if you are not chanting, dancing, and feasting then you have not understood Lord Caitanya's philosophy.”

“Hope for best, and prepare for the worst.”

Karuna Dharini Devi Dasi:

From “In Excess of Our Quota” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 52, No. 1:

“Every emanation from Krishna is a complete unit, and each of us, as pure spiritual beings, lacks nothing for our existence. So how do perfectly equipped complete units experience restriction? When the soul ignores the Personality of Godhead, restriction begins. Our own minute completeness faces limitation the moment we disassociate ourselves from the Supreme. Our full potential for bliss, knowledge, and eternal existence is put on hold.

“Consider the example of fire and sparks. Sparks sometimes jump out of a fire, fall through the air, and become extinguished. Similarly, we fall into restriction when we disassociate ourselves from the greatest source of fire and light, the original source of everything that exists. Restriction of God’s resources comes from our being distanced from Him, but Krishna, our ever well-wisher, sends us a quota for living a balanced, happy life.”

Shyamala Kisori Dasi:

In pursuing speculative knowledge, we still are possessed of a dominating, controlling mentality and are still thinking in terms of “I” and “my”.

We are busy building our sand castles on the beach, and even quarreling in the process, oblivious to the fact that the waves will soon wash them away.

The defending propensity Srila Prabhupada would describe as “fearing,” and we can see it is all-pervading.

As long as we try to be the controller, we will be in anxiety.

When we surrender to Krishna, we can become free from fear.

Comment by Adi Purusa Prabhu: We are not successful only if we win the battle, but even if we merely engage in the battle, as Krishna is pleased if we simply try.

Karuna Nimai Prabhu:

Many times in Srila Prabhupada's books he says that the secret of success is to follow the instructions of the pure devotee of God and thus please him.

Srila Prabhupada would stress that because he was simply repeating Krishna words his speech was authoritative.

Srila Prabhupada defined a mahajana as someone completely absorbed in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord.

The mahajanas teach by their example to follow guru, sadhu, and sastra.

In the previous life Narada Muni as a young boy served the great souls and by their blessings he became the great soul, Narada Muni.

Giriraja Swami said in a lecture that when Krishna takes something away it is only to give something better.

The devotee is not disturbed because he has substance. That substance is his devotion to Krishna.

Kapila pleased His mother, not by getting a good job, but by enlightening her in the spiritual science.

The greatest gift we can give is devotional service because it is the only thing that is imperishable.

We can follow Bali Maharaja by rejecting persons who presume to be spiritual teachers but who advise against making offerings to the Lord.

Virabhadra Rama Prabhu:

Arjuna Prabhu often shares with me this quote, “Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.”

Not only did Srila Prabhupada give us the process and the path, but he made pure devotees who we can serve even today and who can guide us.

Now things are so degraded even festivals supposedly performed in the name of some saint, like St. Patrick, are filled with people performing sinful activities.

Thousands of people pass the harinama at Union Square, but how many people take it seriously. We are so fortunate. If we maintain gratitude for that, we can advance.

Durga tests our sincerity to see how much we really want to serve Krishna. If we have a material tendency, she is ready to help us work it out, to fulfill the desire and let us suffer the consequences so we might learn.

Q (by Gopal Campu Prabhu): How to increase gratitude?

A: Honesty about where we are at, and where other people are at. Stay in the association of devotees. Remember our sinful life, the fact that we are not that far from that state now, and have compassion for people who are presently there.

Comment by Arjuna Prabhu: Appreciation is very important. Even if you appreciate people in a mechanical way, you still become uplifted because by doing so you are purifying your heart.

Radhanath Swami said Arjuna is the heart of The Bhakti Center.

Krishna.com LiveHelp staff:

From answers to letters to the editor in Back to Godhead, Vol. 52, No. 1:

“It is impossible to be comfortable here in the material world, and if we continue to try to be, we will not do the work necessary to go back to the spiritual world, Goloka Vrindavana.”

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This age appears very dark with mass shootings and natural calamities yet the saints glorify it because the holy name of the Lord is so powerful it can nullify the defects and create a positive spiritual situation. Let us always remember that and promote the sole solution to the soul problem.

kalim sabhajayanty arya

guna jnah sara-bhaginah

yatra sankirtanenaiva

sarva-svartho bhilabhyate

“Those who are actually advanced in knowledge are able to appreciate the essential value of this age of Kali. Such enlightened persons worship Kali-yuga because in this fallen age all perfection of life can easily be achieved by the performance of sankirtana [the congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord].” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.36)