Travel Journal#13.22: New York City

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 13, No. 22 
By Krishna-kripa das 
(November 2017, part two) 
New York City 
(Sent from Hartford on December 11, 2017)

Where I Went and What I Did

I chanted with the Yuga Dharma New York City harinama party for the second half of November, without going anywhere else. One day Ramesvara Prabhu, who is famous for his service with the BBT, came by and chanted and danced with us for an hour. We were happy our leader, Rama Raya Prabhu, returned from six weeks in Vrindavan. Satya Dasi of Radha Govinda Mandir let our harinama party have their Thanksgiving feast for free, and it was very good.

I share notes on and quotes from recorded classes by Srila Prabhupada. I share notes on Radhanath Swami speaking at The Bhakti Center on Gita Jayanti. I share notes on the morning classes at The Bhakti Center by Rama Raya, Shyamananda, Shubha Vilas, Gaura Sarana, Karuna Gauranga, Virabhadra Rama, and Mahotsaha Prabhus. I share excerpts from Back to Godhead articles by Nagaraja and Caitanya Carana Prabhus. I share an interesting point from a conversation with Jaya Jagannatha Prabhu, and two Radhanath Swami quotes from Jai Giridhari Prabhu.

Thanks to Atmanivedana Prabhu, who runs the Saturday night Bhagavad-gita class at 26 Second Avenue, for his very generous donation. This time at that program, while I led the kirtan, I prayed to Srila Prabhupada to be able to chant the same pure holy name of Krishna that he chanted there in 1966 and which he spread all over the world, and thus that kirtan became an especially ecstatic experience for me. Thanks to Dina Bandhu Prabhu and his family, Larry, and all the other devotees at the Gaura Nitai temple in Queens for their kind donations. Thanks to Sunanda Prabhu and Bhakta Bob of the Krishna Balarama temple in Queens for their kind donations.

Thanks to Bhaktin Diana for the photos of me on harinama in Jackson Heights.

Itinerary

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

except:

December 24 : Christmas Eve with my relatives in Albany

lectures in New York City:

December 23: ISKCON Queens

December 30: 26 Second Avenue

Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City

I continued chanting with the Yuga Dharma New York City harinama party six hours a day, except on the days I had evening lectures.

I mostly watched the book table, sometimes playing shakers and sometimes dancing, as here in Jackson Heights. Besides that I would lead the chanting usually for half an hour or an hour.

Rama Raya Prabhu's kirtan attracts the most participation by both the devotees and the passersby, and the devotees on the party were happy he returned from Vrindavan.

Here Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Times Square subway station, and three passersby play instruments (https://youtu.be/OoJGRybbSW4):

Here Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Atlantic Avenue / Barclays Center subway station, and a man dances (https://youtu.be/RsGqCM2ncdA):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/1RXTTQF2x_8):

We like to give visiting devotees the chance to lead kirtan. Here little Radha, whose family joins our Yuga Dharma NYC chanting party from time to time when we are in Jackson Heights, plays the harmonium and leads the chanting of Hare Krishna although she is only nine years old (https://youtu.be/mvrQiG7O-sk):

Once time Krishna Prasada Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights, and some youths played shakers and danced.

I personally encouraged them by handing them the shakers and dancing myself.

They had such a good time participating in our harinama that although they tried to leave twice, they could not go. Finally Mahotsaha Prabhu brought their dancing to another level (https://youtu.be/3QEqthgZWn0):

Krishna Prasad Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and Ramesvara Prabhu, who did a lot for Srila Prabhupada’s BBT and presently gives occasional lectures at The Bhakti Center, dances at Penn Station subway station (https://youtu.be/PJLgrzPjzm8):

Kalpavrksa Prabhu of New Jersey chants Hare Krishna at Atlantic Avenue / Barclays Center subway station, and some boys dance (https://youtu.be/00tYeQZZSsk):

Kalpavrksa Prabhu of New Jersey chants Hare Krishna at Atlantic Avenue / Barclays Center subway station, and two kids play shakers (https://youtu.be/TsNwriivCQ0):

Kanai Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights, and a young girl plays shakers as her mom watches (https://youtu.be/olw6zaLxSKA):

Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and a mom and daughter play shakers in Grand Central subway station (https://youtu.be/MD_fN0wWbqw):

Kanai Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and two kids play shakers and dance at Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Ave. subway station (https://youtu.be/CRWRHkstcfo):

Mahotsaha Prabhu chants, and two Ukrainian tourists who attend Hare Krishna programs in their country play shakers and dance (https://youtu.be/wTZ-ngTcPFU):

Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Times Square subway station, and a man dances (https://youtu.be/iDSeT4Qlvww):

Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station, and Mikey and Richard dance (https://youtu.be/CQne9XtpLMM):

Kanai Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Penn Station (https://youtu.be/-sFLAcO1f5E):

Tota Gopinath Prabhu, originally a full time member of our New York City harinama party, chants Hare Krishna in Penn Station after work (https://youtu.be/vB3TQ8JyYmk):

Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/ffbkCTeGmew):

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.2 in Bombay on November 2, 1974:

Krishna is maintaining all the large elephants, all the small ants, all the 8,400,000 different species. Why are we worried about Him maintaining us?

“Therefore the conclusion is that ‘Don’t try for your so-called happiness or so-called distress. Try to achieve that position where you can understand Krishna and get shelter at His lotus feet.’”

“President Nixon was thinking, ‘I am very fortunate. I have become the President of United States.’ But now he’s realizing, ‘I am the most unfortunate.’”

Sometimes a yogi may show a little mystic power by manufacturing some gold, and we are so foolish that we accept him as God. However, we forget that the real yogi, the Supreme Lord Himself, has created millions of gold mines and is floating them in space.

What is the difficulty? God personally explains Himself as He is, and if we accept the Bhagavad-gita as it is, we shall no longer have to transmigrate. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti. We shall no longer have to endure birth and death, for we can attain our spiritual bodies (sac-cid-ananda vigraha) and live happily in Krishna’s family. Krishna is providing for us here, and He will also provide for us there. So we should know that our happiness is in returning home, back to Godhead, where we can eat, drink, and be merry in Krishna’s company.

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.12 given in Geneva on June 3, 1974:

A lesson to be learned from the destruction of the Yadu dynasty is that “if we fight amongst ourselves, even we belong to the family of Krishna, we are ruined.”

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.1 in New York on November 29, 1973:

“Actually, he [Arjuna] was unhappy on account of being separated from Krishna. Similarly, not only Arjuna, all of us. . . . he is also a living entity, we are also living entity. So we are also unhappy because we are separated from Krishna. These modern philosophers or scientists, they may suggest . . . that they can improve the world situation in their own way, but that is not possible. We are unhappy on account of being separated from Krishna. They do not know that. Just like a child, a child is crying, nobody can say why he is crying, but actually a child is generally in crying condition being separated from the mother.”

“Everyone of us [is] very intimately connected with Krishna, and Krishna is sitting in everyone’s heart. Krishna is so kind, that He is simply waiting, ‘When this rascal will turn his face towards Me.’ . . . He is so kind. But we living entities, we are so rascal, we shall turn our face to everything except Krishna. This is our position.”

“There are also living entities [in the spiritual world], but they know perfectly well that real enjoyer, proprietor, is Krishna. That is spiritual kingdom. Similarly, even in this material world, if we understand perfectly well that we are not enjoyer, Krishna is enjoyer, then that is spiritual world. This Krishna consciousness movement is trying to convince everyone that . . . we are not enjoyer. Enjoyer is Krishna. Just like, this whole body, the enjoyer is the stomach, and the hands and legs and eyes and ears and brains and everything, these should be engaged to find out the enjoyable things and put it in the stomach. This is natural. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God, or Krishna. We are not enjoyer.”

“We living entities, we are eternally servant of Krishna. That is our position. But if we deny this position, ‘Now why shall I become servant of Krishna? I am independent,’ then suffering begins, immediate. Krishna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare, as soon as you desire to enjoy independently, immediately that means immediately he is captured by maya. Krishna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare pasate maya tare japatiya dhare. It is very easy to understand. Just like if you don’t care for the government laws, if you want to live independently, that means immediately you are in the clutches of the police force. . . . So our position is always dependent on God. We should understand this. This is Krishna consciousness.”

You Americans consider you can take by force the Arabian oil which is Krishna’s property, but you should let the Arabs freely live on your land which is also Krishna’s property.

Radhanath Swami:

From a lecture at The Bhakti Center on Gita Jayanti:

Arjuna was thinking “I can’t not fight yet I can’t fight. . . . This bewilderment is beyond my control.”

From the very beginning of the Gita Krishna tells Arjuna that each of is eternal and individual. Our nature is to serve the Lord and to love the Lord.

That question philosophers have been asking for centuries “Who am I?” Krishna answers in chapter 2. Who is seeing through these eyes?

Love for God and all living beings is what we are and what we have always been. When we do not find that love within us, we look for it outside of us.

To awaken the dormant love of God in our hearts is the perfection of yoga.

The sun ray is not the cause of the sun, but the sun is the cause of the sun ray.

Prabhupada defined bhakti as devotional service because when we love we want to serve.

God’s happiness is my happiness. God’s will is my will.

Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita 18.66 “live in the spirit of love.”

When the leaves falls from the trees we see it is beautiful. Death can also be seen as beautiful.

My mind is my underwear, and my body is my clothes. No one laments the change of clothing.

Bhagavad-gita was spoken to activate Arjuna to act in this world but not be of this world.

A warrior is the last person you would think to talk to about peace and love.

When our mind is acting in harmony with our soul it is our friend.

According to our association and activities we are controlled by the ropes of material nature. Bhagavad-gita tells us how we can become free.

The nonsectarian nature of knowledge in Bhagavad-gita has made it loved by people of every religion.

Bhagavad-gita 4.7 tells how the Lord is always coming to deliver us.

Srila Prabhupada said that to awaken the innate love for the Supreme in our hearts is religion.

Krishna says one who is advanced in love for Him sees all living beings equally (Gita 5.18).

The illiterate brahmana who daily read Bhagavad-gita according to his guru’s order had so much love for his guru he didn’t mind being ridiculed for his mispronunciation. He would visualize Krishna acting as the driver Arjuna’s chariot as he read, and he told Lord Caitanya, “When I think of how much love Krishna has for His devotee it makes me cry.”

By applying the basic principles of the Gita in our lives we attain perfection.

The Gita teaches us how we can live in this world and remain pure like a lotus and really make a difference.

Haridasa Thakura said the goal of kirtan is prema, unconditional ecstatic love for God and all living entities.

We should pray to be free from false ego and situated in love of God. We should desire to be an instrument of God’s love.

Nagaraja Prabhu:

From “Being with God to be with God” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 52, No. 2 (March / April 2018):

“Once we’re convinced that we must revive our relationship with Krishna, how do we go about it? . . . We do everything we can to keep ourselves in Krishna’s company right now.

“Fortunately for us, that’s easy to do, in theory at least, because everything about Krishna is Krishna. When we chant Krishna’s name, read books about Krishna, hear classes about Krishna, and so on, we’re with Krishna directly because, being absolute, He’s identical to everything related to Him. We’re trying to live with God – Krishna – constantly so that we become qualified to be with Him eternally. That’s what Hare Krishna is all about.”

Rama Raya Prabhu:

Niksepa (regret) is one category of Vaishnava expression, and many songs of Narottama Dasa Thakura are in that category.

Illicit sex is the worst offense in Vrindavan, where everyone is meant for Krishna’s enjoyment.

We should always be on guard against becoming proud of whatever little respect we have achieved within the Krishna consciousness movement. There are still many ways we can serve Krishna which have not yet been revealed to us.

Except for sincere devotional service, everything else is simply a show.

Hellish punishment is meant for people who have so misused their human form of life that nothing but such punishment could wake them up.

When Srila Prabhupada was informed about the rock bank “Kiss” who some say consider themselves servants of Satan, he said, “They have been sent from the hellish planets to bring people back there.”

The potency of the Krishna consciousness movement is very great because it is the movement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Having a material body is like having a prison uniform, and we can easily understand our fallen position if we possess one.

By giving our utmost to this Krishna consciousness movement, we will become qualified to go back to Godhead.

The problem of Arjuna was an acute bodily conception of life which is the problem of all of us.

The Bhagavad-gita can solve all mental agonies – we do not have to go to a psychologist.

Those merely engaged in temple worship should be respectful toward and offer all facility to those in spreading Krishna consciousness.

Because Krishna chastised Kaliya in the cold December water of the Yamuna, Radharani was concerned He would catch cold. Thus Aditya, the sun god, manifested twelve suns on the hill, therefore known as Dvadasaditya, to warm Him.

Bankibihari is the form of the Lord who killed Kamsa.

Maya keeps people in illusion until they give up the idea of trying to imitate Krishna by being the enjoyer.

2042 is the 500^th anniversary of the Radha-Ramana deity of Vrindavana.

In Bhagavad-gita Krishna tells people what they need to know, what they need to hear, and what they need to blessed with.

It is wonderful that forty years after Srila Prabhupada’s departure book distribution is still going on in America.

When a maha-bhagavata like Srila Prabhupada was present, people could go far beyond their realizations in rendering service.

In 1975, there was a book distribution marathon between the Chicago and the Los Angeles temples the day before Thanksgiving, 2,042 hardbound books were distributed by Chicago and 1,800 by Los Angeles. One devotee distributed 210.

When I was doing books in New York City as a young man your age, it was a privilege to be in Manhattan, what to speak of on 5^th Avenue.

What are good places to distribute books in New York City?

Fifth Avenue from 34^th Street to Central Park, 34^th Street itself, and Astor Place and St. Marks Place at night.

Shyamananda Prabhu:

Srila Prabhupada came to America with a pamphlet “India’s Message of Peace and Goodwill.”

When someone said to Srila Prabhupada before his transcontinental ocean voyage, “So you are going to America?” Srila Prabhupada humbly replied, “Srimad Bhagavata is going to America.”

One man asked an abbot, “What do you do in the monastery, in one sentence?”

He thought for awhile and replied, “We fall, and we get up, we fall, and we get up, we fall, and we get up.”

Arjuna has hatred for the sons of Dhrtarastra, affection for his grandfather and teacher, and pity for the others who would be killed.

Duryodhana just wanted the kingdom.

Dhrtarastra wanted his sons to get the kingdom and was worried about the influence of the holy place.

There is no one who says, “Everything belongs to me.” Only Krishna says that. He is either a lunatic, or it is true. You have to decide.

We see that Krishna’s devotees are enjoying. The gopis are enjoying, the cowherd boys are enjoying, Mother Yashoda is enjoying, Lord Caitanya’s associates are enjoying, and they are inviting us to join them.

Caitanya Carana Prabhu:

From “See Criticism with a Critical Eye” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 52, No. 2 (March / April 2018):

“Returning to our discussion about outer cynics, neglecting them entirely is difficult because we are social beings. We need a supportive circle that encourages and appreciates us. Our social needs remain even when we start practicing spiritual life. Materialists are usually critical of spiritualists. So, if we are to persevere on the devotional path, we need the association of devotees. When we get a sense of belonging in devotee circles, we can develop the necessary thick skin to endure the inevitable criticisms of materialists.”

“Ultimately, to sustain our devotion amidst criticism, we need to connect spiritually with the one who has given us our gifts and for whom we are striving to develop them. Our relationship with Krishna established through prayer, meditation, and worship provides us an inner sanctuary beyond the reach of critics. By finding affirmation and inspiration in His loving remembrance, we access inexhaustible inner empowerment for persevering despite the world’s criticism.”

Shubha Vilas Prabhu:

After reading the final chapter of the Fifth Canto, you can get very depressed hearing all the different hells you can suffer in for making different mistakes, and thus in the first chapter of the Sixth Canto, Sukadeva Goswami tells how by chanting the holy name you can easily escape all the hells.

The Ajamila story is the story of all of us because we were destined to go to hell, but by the mercy of the devotees, we received a change of destination.

Ajamila was kind to one sadhu who advised him to name one of his sons Narayana.

The guru gives direct instructions, and when that is not possible, he gives indirect instructions.

King Uttanapada had two wives, Suruci and Suniti. Suruci means a taste for material things. Suniti means attraction for higher principals. Actually we often have these two choices.

Bhakti means engaging what you have in Krishna consciousness. Do not worry about what you do not have. If you can’t sing, if you can’t cook, if you can’t dress the deities, do not worry. Just engage what you have in Krishna’s service.

The monkeys fighting for Lord Rama would engage what they had in the fight.

The spiritual master is like a vessel. If you want to heat water, you need a vessel. You are like the water, Krishna is like the fire, and the spiritual master is the vessel. Without the vessel it is not possible to heat the water.

Lanka is symbolic of temptation, and Hanuman’s burning Lanka was his response to the situation of temptation.

If you do not check temptation, it can grow out of hand.

Some people think the proper way to deal with desires is to fulfill them, but the Bhagavad-gita says something else. If you fulfill your desires, they will just become more and more uncontrollable.

If we succumb to temptations, we become unable to follow the spiritual master.

The role of the Paramatma is to give us warnings if we go in the wrong direction.

Ajamila repented after the fact, but it is better to hear the guidance of Paramatma beforehand.

Our heart beating fast before we did some mischief as a child is an indication from Paramatma. We have to learn to listen for such indications.

Gaura Sarana Prabhu:

Comment by Adi Purusha Prabhu: It takes two years for a bamboo seed to sprout, but when it does so it grows three feet a day for thirty days. In the same way, there will be effect from the chanting of the holy name, but we must wait to see it.

Comment by Natabara Gauranga Prabhu: Visvanatha Cakravarti says that the effect of chanting the holy name is not immediate and dramatic by the arrangement of Krishna so as to allow people to still have faith in karma [works] and jnana [knowledge].

It can just take a moment to regret our past misdeeds and turn toward Krishna.

In this age of Kali, even in India, people may think they are pious, but in reality they engage in so many materialistic activities that is just their mental conception.

Karuna Gauranga Prabhu:

Not only the holy name, but also the deity and the prasadam purify if received jokingly or critically.

Even though we loved to play with dolls and toys as a child, we have absolutely no interest in them now. Similarly the material things that allure us now will not disturb us in the least when we advance in devotional service.

One devotee asked Srila Prabhupada why he had to suffer so much although he was a pure devotee. Srila Prabhupada explained that the material world spares no one. Even Krishna encountered so much difficulty in the material world.

Jaya Jagannatha Prabhu:

From a conversation:

I find if I speak tattva (spiritual truth) to people, they feel I am caring for them.

Virabhadra Rama Prabhu:

I was born in a devotee family so I knew all the practices, but when I was a teenager they were not a part of my life. I had other interests. I worked with Arjuna Prabhu doing land surveying, and after work he would suggest, “Why not stop at the temple?”, and after we got there, “Why not offer obeisances? Why not honor the caranamrita?” And then in time he would gradually include other ideas. “Why not offer a donation? Why not stay here and chant a round? Why not read a verse?” In this way because of his compassion, he gradually created a taste for all these devotional activities within me.

Comment by Gopal Campu Prabhu: One lady who talked to us on book distribution came back an hour later accusing us of stealing her wallet. The police listened to her story, and said to us, “We have seen you coming here for seven years without any incidents, so it is difficult for us to believe her story.” Two of the policeman asked for books before they left.

Comment by Jaya Jagannatha Prabhu: Gaura Govinda Swami explains that sin is like a layer of dust that can easily we wiped out, but aparadha [offense to the devotees, the scriptures, the guru, the Lord, etc.] is like a thunderbolt that cannot be destroyed. Our scriptures do not emphasize sins because the fire of bhakti can easily destroy them all, but aparadha is greatly warned against.

Yashoda Dulal Prabhu in New Jersey told me there was one person who would regularly come to The Bhakti Center Thursday kirtan with alcohol on his breath. He kept coming and gradually progressed to chanting sixteen rounds a day and becoming an initiated devotee.

Jai Giridhari:

From The Bhakti Center Gita Jayanti festival:

Radhanath Swami says:

“The sirens remind us there is suffering in this world.”

“What good is there in being eternal and full of knowledge if you are not happy?”

Mahotsaha Prabhu:

Everyone is walking around with God in their hearts, but the saints are always realizing this.

If you become humble, then you can surrender to a guru.

If you aware of abhidheya [the practice of devotional service] and prayojana [love of God] but you do not know sambandha [your position as God’s servant] you will become a prakritya sahajiya, one who does sense gratification in the name of devotional service.

Narada advises Yudhisthira that householders can advance by hearing sadhus.

Comments by Adi Purusa Prabhu:

In the story of Ajamila we see how one can be dragged down by association with a sinful person, but there are examples how a sinful person can be lifted up by good association, like the pastime of Haridasa Thakura delivering the prostitute.

At a devotee marriage, the priest asked the couple if they wanted their love to grow and grow. They said yes. He advised them to encourage each other in acts of Krishna consciousness. Otherwise he said that if they simply engaged in acts of sense gratification it would soon come to an end.

Comment by Vasudeva Prabhu: Bhurijana Prabhu, who has been married practically longer than anyone in ISKCON, says that in marriage in the West there is love and then commitment, but in the East there is commitment and then love.

-----

There are many verses describing the great potency of chanting the holy name of the Lord. This is one of three I memorized from the Ajamila pastime in the beginning of the Sixth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Why does the holy name have such potency? Because it is not different from the Lord Himself. It is the incarnation of God in the form of transcendental sound! People may joke about or ridicule our chanting parties on the street, but by saying “Hare Krishna” the rascals advance spiritually despite their negative intentions. One devotee tells how one man in Johannesburg, South Africa, criticized the chanting party every day when it passed his apartment, yet ultimately he became a devotee.

sanketyam parihasyam va

stobham helanam eva va

vaikuntha-nama-grahanam

asesagha-haram viduh

 “One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly [to indicate something else], jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully. This is accepted by all the learned scholars of the scriptures.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.14)