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Saturday, March 03, 2018

Travel Journal#14.4: North and Central Florida

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 14, No. 4 
By Krishna-kripa das 
(February 2018, part two) 
North and Central Florida 
(Sent from Tallahassee, Florida, on March 3, 2017)

Where I Went and What I Did

After leaving Tallahassee, I attended the Friday night program at Krishna House followed by a late night harinama in downtown Gainesville, and a three-hour kirtana at University of South Florida the next day. Sunday I went to the usual feast program in Alachua and heard some nice kirtana and bhajans. Monday and Tuesday I chanted at Krishna Lunch in Gainesville. Wednesday and Thursday I chanted at University of North Florida in Jacksonville, and I spoke on meditation and its goal samadhi, absorption of the mind in the Supreme Person, at their Krishna Club meeting on Wednesday night. I spent the rest of February chanting in Tallahassee, at Florida State University during the week and at Lake Ella on the weekend, very happy to have five devotees joining me from time to time.

I share many very inspiring quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s books. His faith that Krishna has come in the form of His holy name to curtail the activities of present-day demoniac politicians and warmongers is inspiring, as are quotes from The Nectar of Devotion about the wonderful qualities of Krishna. I have notes on lectures by Bhadra Prabhu speaking in Tampa and Alachua, Shastrakrit Prabhu speaking in Tallahassee, and Tulasirani, Nanda Kumar, and Hanan Prabhus speaking at Krishna House in Gainesville. I share an interesting observation made by Sthita-dhi Muni Prabhu during a conversation in a car.

Itinerary

February 22–March 12: Tallahassee (FSU on weekdays, Lake Ella on weekends)
March 12–13: Gainesville Krishna House
March 14–15: Jacksonville (UNF)
March 16–18: Gainesville Krishna House / Alachua Sunday Feast
March 19–March 23: Tallahassee (FSU)
March 23: Gainesville Krishna House Friday Night – Talk on Ratha-yatra
March 24: St. Augustine Ratha-yatra
March 25: Gainesville Krishna House
March 26–April 5: Tallahassee (FSU on weekdays, Lake Ella on weekends)
April 6: Tallahassee First Friday
April 7: Tallahassee Ratha-yatra
April 8: Gainesville Krishna House / Alachua Sunday Feast
April 9: Albany
April 10: Philadelphia
April 11–13: Washington, D.C.
April 14: New York City
April 15–19: Dublin
April 19–23: Newcastle
April 24: Edinburgh
April 25: London
April 26: Radhadesh
April 27: Amsterdam (King’s Day)
April 28: Radhadesh (Nrsimha Caturdasi)
April 29–May 1: Antwerp
May 2–3: Brussels
May 4: London
May 5–6: Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtan
May 7: Newcastle
May 8: Edinburgh
May 9: Edinburgh and Newcastle
May 10: Sheffield
May 11: Leeds
May 12: Manchester, Chester, or Liverpool
May 13: Manchester
May 14: London
May 15–July 22?: Paris
July 24–27: Vaishnava Summer Festival in LithuaniaJuly 28–30: Berlin Ratha-yatra and harinamas
July 31–August 4: Polish Woodstock
August 5: Berlin
August 6: Dublin
August 713: Vaishnava Sanga Festival in Canada
August 14–September 2: North UK
September 3–28: Mayapur
September 29: Newcastle
September 30: Dublin
October 1–January 5, 2019: New York City Yuga Dharma Harinama Party

Krishna House Friday Program and Harinama

Tsurit chants Hare Krishna at Krishna House Friday program, and devotees and guests dance (https://youtu.be/MnkzPfJKfe8):


Either Friday or Saturday Krishna House devotees do a late night harinama in Gainesville. This week it was Friday, after the evening program.

Abhimanyu Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in downtown Gainesville with Krishna House devotees, and onlookers dance with devotees (https://youtu.be/kRE-2hZWpl0):


Animesh Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in downtown Gainesville with Krishna House devotees, and onlookers dance with devotees (https://youtu.be/E3OeRhv75II):


Chanting Hare Krishna at the University of South Florida at Tampa

Bhadra Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at a University of South Florida at Tampa kirtan program and many dance, including one male student who never attended our weekly program but wants to come now (https://youtu.be/ZI60JHCr8yU):


Dr. Sujoya Banik chants Hare Krishna at a University of South Florida at Tampa kirtan program and many dance (https://youtu.be/oVek6z-tbRA):


At that Tampa kirtan, many congregational devotees attended, and a few students, passing by, stopped in for prasadam and heard a little kirtan.

Chanting Hare Krishna at the Sunday Feast in Alachua

Bhadra Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Alachua Sunday Feast (https://youtu.be/BLVogzM0baI):


Mayuri, a very small but talented devotee girl, chants Hare Krishna after the Alachua Sunday Feast (https://youtu.be/m1YJ2uFaASM):


Amala Harinama Prabhu chants Hare Krishna after the Alachua Sunday feast, and I dance, as well as several youthful devotee ladies (https://youtu.be/WHj_jWeiReo):


Chanting Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch in Gainesville

Adikarta Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch (https://youtu.be/_Aq6UWTfvqA):


Abhimanyu Prabhu plays guitar and chants Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch (https://youtu.be/Smy2mk-_440):


Lucy chants Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch (https://youtu.be/FbhlJjZXWgw):


Chanting Hare Krishna at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville

At University of North Florida we chant either on the green or the grassy area by the Student Union and tell people about our campus Krishna Club.


Kira designed an attractive poster with photos of different Krishna Club activities with joyous participants and Amrita Keli Devi Dasi added captions such as:

“At Krishna Club, we teach and practice Bhakti yoga – linking with the divine, or God, through loving service.”

“We use music as meditation, share a sanctified vegan meal to feed the soul, and discuss the science of spirituality as spoken from the Bhagavad-gita.

“No matter our beliefs, genetics, or backgrounds, we have found amazing joy in simply coming together for a common cause – supporting one another to seek the true self within, our Common Creator, & selfless service in whatever we do.”

“Bhakti teaches us that the body is a complex material machine covering an eternal spirit soul, unique and beautiful.”

“Whether you have it all figured out, have no idea what’s going on, or are happily living somewhere in the middle, we welcome you and really value your voice. Hare Krishna!”

Here Kira chants Hare Krishna on the University of North Florida green (https://youtu.be/uz1NUTEkqes):


One young man from Jordan stopped to talk with Kira and me, as we chanted Hare Krishna on the University of North Florida green. He recalled talking to a devotee before, and from his description we suggested it might be Adikarta Prabhu, and he confirmed it. We talked about the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita and Krishna Club, and Kira described her visit to Jordan. After talking with us for a while he said, “Talking with you just now, and also talking with Adikarta before, I feel completely cleansed. I really like talking with you people.” Many verses in the Vedic literature tell of purification by associating with devotees of God, but practically never does anyone you meet in public spontaneously say they experienced it. Of course, aspiring Vaishnavas do not imagine their association to be so valuable. It must be Adikarta Prabhu and Kira are such nice devotees that people feel cleansed by their presence!

Here Courtney, who last year led the chanting of Hare Krishna on the grass by the University of North Florida Student Union for her first time ever, on her birthday no less, visits our chanting party, and a student passing by takes a Krishna Club invitation (https://youtu.be/r7ecvLwBVZw):


Two friends also stopped to talk, one who found the cookies Kira had made to be so delicious that she asked for the recipe. We met the two the next day as I was chanting with Amrita Keli Devi Dasi, UNF Hare Krishna chaplain, and they talked to us for some time, and even chanted the mantra with us at Amrita’s invitation, after Molly, a student who regularly attends Krishna Club and Bhakti House meetings, briefly explained it (https://youtu.be/Asmb0P-tmy8):


Here I lead the chanting of Hare Krishna on the grass by the UNF Student Union, engineering professor, Prema Vardhana Prabhu, plays drum, Amrita plays karatalas, and Molly plays the shakers (https://youtu.be/4t4bNtUbGk0):


Krishna Club at the University of North Florida

This Krishna Club meeting was especially exciting as a film crew doing a documentary called Sounds of Devotion came to video the kirtan, and two journalism students attended, one who ended up writing a rather favorable article, which I responded to in a letter to the editor.

At the meeting, I was asked to choose the icebreaker (a question that serves to relieve inhibitions or tension between people, or start a meeting) for our introduction part of the program. This question came to mind:
Q: What inspires you to come to a higher level?
A (by Agustin): Authenicity.
A (by Prema Vardhana Prabhu): Association of devotees chanting the glories of the Lord.
A (by Lila Kishor Prabhu): Reading about inspired persons.
A (by Djana): Acts motivated by love, and people sharing these.
A (by Isa): Seeing beauty in nature.
A (by Laura): Seeing people in a lower stage of consciousness does not appeal to me, and so I am inspired move to a higher level so I can uplift others.
A (by Amrita): Seeing beautiful qualities in others and their expression of them.
A (by Kira): Realizing the dissonance between me and society originally inspired me to come to higher level. In Krishna consciousness, all kinds people from all kinds of backgrounds come together and that inspires me now.
A (by me): Seeing dedication in others inspires me to become more dedicated myself.
A (by Terri): Seeing growth in myself.
A (by Jaime): Having spiritual experiences.
A (by Javiera): Setting a goal, and after attaining the result, finding another.

Kira played on the harmonium as she spoke nicely introducing the kirtan (https://youtu.be/LfSnCUu_-QA): [Unfortunately her voice was soft and meditative, the harmonium was loud in comparison, and my camera was too far away to record it nicely, thus when I amplified it I got a lot of background noise as well.]


Three students filmed the kirtan led by Kira (https://youtu.be/zrsY35QGpkQ) for a movie they are doing which is tentatively titled Sounds of Devotion:


Sounds of Devotion – what an amazing topic and just perfect for Hare Krishnas to appear in!

Cori, one of the journalism students, did not stay for the whole meeting. I intercepted her on the way out, inviting her to try the Krishna prasadam, and she took a plate to go. Her friend, Isa, said she had a rare opportunity for ride to Wal-Mart which she wanted to take advantage of. Lila Kishor Prabhu sent me and Krishna Club leaders a link to her article published in Spinnaker, UNF’s #1 New Source, five days later (https://unfspinnaker.com/65907/features/unf-krishna-club-an-outsider-experience/).

My favorite parts were:
Immediately upon walking in the door, my friend and I were greeted with welcoming smiles from three current members who were very excited to have us there . . .
We sat in a circle and chanted “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare” repeatedly with the goal of putting ourselves into a meditative state. . . .The meeting ended with goodbyes, thank you’s, and hugs from all who attended. Hare Krishnas believe that by chanting the mantra one is spiritually awakening their soul (“mantra” means “to free the mind”). . . .As a whole, members of this devotion emphasize love and acceptance among people, above all else. Their ultimate goal is to have a relationship with their God, Lord Krishna. Chanting is their form of worship. While to some it may seem like simple repetition of words, to them it is a beautiful expression of love.
. . . the Krishna Club at UNF is filled with friendly faces who are eager to educate new people about what they believe and recruit new followers. I’m not sure if I will be attending again, but if I feel the need to further awaken my soul, I know where to go.”
I wrote a letter to the editor:

Dear Editor: 
Thanks to Cori for writing the interesting, informative, and rather favorable article about her experience at the UNF Krishna Club meeting. 
I was the guest speaker at the program that night, and I enjoyed meeting Cori, and her friend, who stayed the entire time.
I proofread many Hare Krishna publications as a service, so it is natural for me to notice little errors. Please do not take offense. 
1. “Hare” refers to the spiritual energy of God, who brings us closer to Him, not to God Himself. We see some people have a natural attraction to God, and this is brought about by His spiritual energy. Others, under the influence of God’s material energy, are averse or indifferent to God. Thus we address His spiritual energy, desiring to approach Him. 
2. The duration of the chanting was nowhere near two hours. Judging from the creation time on my video files, it was very close to half an hour. 
3. This statement “Their ultimate goal is to have a relationship with their God, Lord Krishna.” does not sit comfortably with me. I think “Their ultimate goal is to have a relationship with God, who they refer to by the name Krishna.” is better. God is the supreme being, thus everyone who is worshiping the supreme being, is worshiping the same God. Different traditions have more or less, or even different, knowledge about that unlimited and inconceivable God, but still the supreme being is One. This idea of my God and your God causes unnecessary conflict in the world. Religion is meant to bring the individual souls together to worship and serve their creator and maintainer, God, who goes by different names in different traditions but is the same entity. When religion becomes sectarian, its purpose is lost; rather than bringing souls together in unity, it divides them.
4. There was a half-hour talk on meditation after the chanting and before the meal, which although Cori did not stay for, her friend did, and which might be mentioned to make the report of the meeting more complete.
I visit Krishna clubs at different universities in Florida and beyond, and Cori correctly perceived how much affection the club members have for each other and for the new people who come, and that is one of the best features of our club at University of North Florida and makes me inspired to come there as much as possible. Generally the Hare Krishnas are friendly, but at UNF, they are especially so. 
Thanks again to Cori, for sharing her experience through her nicely written article.
All the best to all of you on your spiritual journey, 
Krishna-kripa das, Hare Krishna traveling monk

I was worried I could not stay for that Krishna Club meeting. I hoped I could convince devotees from Krishna House in Gainesville to come to the meeting and give me a ride an hour and a half back to Gainesville afterward, but I failed. I thought of taking a bus the next day. The problem with that is I would have no time to chant at either University of North Florida or University of Florida because the only bus takes over four hours in the middle of the day. I even started to book my bus ticket because I really wanted to go to the Krishna Club meeting instead of catching a ride back to Alachua with the devotee who dropped me off in the morning, but the low battery on my computer did not permit me to finish. While walking across the campus to relocate our chanting party, as a professor had complained about our volume, I met Prema Vardhana Prabhu, who teaches electrical engineering there and who planned to come to our Krishna Club meeting, stay over night, and drive back to Alachua in the middle of the afternoon the next day, after a midday appointment. He kindly agreed to give me a ride to Gainesville, half an hour out of his way, and thus I could attend the Krishna Club meeting and also chant at the campus the next day. I could see that Krishna was really reciprocating with me!

Chanting Hare Krishna at Florida State University in Tallahassee

Some Fridays we do not have Krishna Lunch in Tallahassee, thus I was fortunate to have Krishna Lunch servers, Aris, who leads the singing here, and Daniel, who plays the karatalas, to join me in chanting in the free speech area at Florida State University (https://youtu.be/4NJHb6rE2eI):


Here Daniel sings later that day at the same venue (https://youtu.be/y-XPmd9U9go):


The next Tuesday and Wednesday, college book distributors Shastrakrit and Kumari Gopal Prabhu joined me two days, doing a book table near the Florida State University Student Union and chanting Hare Krishna in response to my kirtan. It was inspiring for me to see their dedication to distributing books on the campus and to have them to chant the response to my kirtan at the same time (https://youtu.be/UDhtYl50MaI):


Chanting Hare Krishna at Lake Ella in Tallahassee

I chanted both Saturday and Sunday at Lake Ella in Tallahassee and was fortunate to have Bhakta Daniel and Bhaktin Aris join me both days for the three hours and Brahma Haridas Prabhu to play the drum for two and a half hours on Saturday!

I chanted and Brahma Haridas Prabhu played the drum and Aris, the karatalas (https://youtu.be/BCmrg-26Dsw):


Here Bhaktin Aris chants (https://youtu.be/kH8hBPmGav0):


While Aris sang, some kids played shakers while their mom moved with the music (https://youtu.be/R1phQT8y_RM):


Here Bhakta Daniel chants (https://youtu.be/2p3mk9F5WDQ):


At the end of our Saturday kirtan, I chanted my favorite Hare Krishna tune (https://youtu.be/17AnFOqXE5Y):


Sunday we chanted for an hour, and then took shelter either of our van or the gazebo by the lake and chanted japa for an hour while it rained. Then we chanted another hour of kirtan. Here Bhaktin Aris chants Hare Krishna at Lake Ella in Tallahassee on that rainy Sunday (https://youtu.be/D8XgPNkwkMg):


The young man behind our chanting party in the above video and in the first video from the day before was attracted to the books and the chanting, and Daniel invited him to the temple for the Sunday feast. He came back with us in the van, and he liked the whole program.

Chanting Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch in Tallahassee

I do not usually chant Hare Krishna at the Krishna Lunch itself in Tallahassee but elsewhere on the Florida State University campus to inform the students of its existence. Monday, however, was predicted to have occasional thunderstorms all afternoon, and having to take a break to wait out the rain as I did the previous day did not appeal to me. Thus I decided to chant at the cafeteria of the Center for Global Engagment where the lunch is served out. Usually I do not eat in the middle of a short three-hour harinama, but I fasted half the day for Ekadasi so I was really hungry and thus I engaged Aris in singing while I ate. I talked with a jovial young black guy named Wis, who was very enthusiastic about Krishna Lunch. While talking, I mentioned to him how good the Ekadasi carrot halava was and offered to get him some. When I came out of the kitchen with the Ekadasi halava to put some on his plate, I saw he was no longer at the table. When I returned to the kitchen, I saw Wis was playing the mridanga for Aris in her kirtan (https://youtu.be/QUPd3UVHE10):


Chanting Hare Krishna at the First Wednesday Two-Hour Kirtan in Tallahassee

Because of an influx of devotees who like kirtan, I started a Two-Hour Kirtan every Wednesday evening in Tallahassee, from 6 to 8 p.m., like we have in Newcastle. Suresh, chanting Hare Krishna here, is one of four lead singers at the inaugural program, the day before Gaura Purnima (https://youtu.be/29PJNtN51xg):


Here Bhaktin Aris chants at that first Wednesday evening kirtan program (https://youtu.be/_b8aAUfcUA0):


An Uncommon Photo

Religious groups and people involved with them have different ideas to reach out to the student community. Here is a Catholic strategy:



Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.3.31, purport:

“The form of the Lord with a flute in His hands is most attractive, and the one who is most sublimely attracted is Srimati Radharani, Radhika. She enjoys supremely blissful association with Krishna. Sometimes people cannot understand why Radhika’s name is not mentioned in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Actually, however, Radhika can be understood from the word aradhana, which indicates that She enjoys the highest loving affairs with Krishna.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.3.37–38, purport:

“If we go back home, back to Godhead, our real relationship with the Lord is revealed, and we eternally engage in our eternal relationship. By chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, we gradually develop our eternal relationship with the Supreme Person and thus attain the perfection called svarupa-siddhi. We should take advantage of this benediction and go back home, back to Godhead.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.3.33, purport:

“If one follows religious principles, he automatically practices birth control because if one is spiritually educated he knows that the after-effects of sex are various types of misery (bahu-duhkha-bhaja). One who is spiritually advanced does not indulge in uncontrolled sex. Therefore, instead of being forced to refrain from sex or refrain from giving birth to many children, people should be spiritually educated, and then birth control will automatically follow.”

From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 20:

“The beginning is to hear about Lord Krishna in the association of devotees who have themselves cleansed their hearts by association. Hearing about the transcendental activities of the Lord will result in one’s feeling transcendental bliss always.”

From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 21:

“Devotees have accepted the beginning of His youth as the most attractive feature in ecstatic love. At this age Krishna is described as follows: ‘The force of Krishna’s youth was combined with His beautiful smile, which defeated even the beauty of the full moon. He was always nicely dressed, in beauty surpassing even Cupid, and He was always attracting the minds of the gopis, who were thereby always feeling pleasure.

“When Krishna politely bade His father, Nanda Maharaja, to stop the ritualistic offering of sacrifice to the rain-god, Indra, a wife of one village cowherd man became captivated. She later thus described the speaking of Krishna to her friends: Krishna was speaking to His father so politely and gently that it was as if He were pouring nectar into the ears of all present there. After hearing such sweet words from Krishna, who will not be attracted to Him?

“Krishna’s speech, which contains all good qualities in the universe, is described in the following statement by Uddhava: ‘The words of Krishna are so attractive that they can immediately change the heart of even His opponent. His words can immediately solve all of the questions and problems of the world. Although He does not speak very long, each and every word from His mouth contains volumes of meaning. These speeches of Krishna are very pleasing to my heart.’”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.3.21, purport:

“Krishna appears in this world for two purposes, paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam: to protect the innocent, religious devotees of the Lord and to annihilate all the uneducated, uncultured asuras [demons], who unnecessarily bark like dogs and fight among themselves for political power. It is said, kali-kale nama-rupe krishna avatara. The Hare Krishna movement is also an incarnation of Krishna in the form of the holy name (nama-rupe). Every one of us who is actually afraid of the asuric [demoniac] rulers and politicians must welcome this incarnation of Krishna: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Then we will surely be protected from the harassment of asuric rulers. At the present moment these rulers are so powerful that by hook or by crook they capture the highest posts in government and harass countless numbers of people on the plea of national security or some emergency. Then again, one asura defeats another asura, but the public continues to suffer. Therefore the entire world is in a precarious condition, and the only hope is this Hare Krishna movement. Lord Nrsimhadeva appeared when Prahlada was excessively harassed by his asuric father. Because of such asuric fathers — that is, the ruling politicians — it is very difficult to press forward the Hare Krishna movement, but because Krishna has now appeared in His holy name through this movement, we can hope that these asuric fathers will be annihilated and the kingdom of God established all over the world. The entire world is now full of many asuras in the guise of politicians, gurus, sadhus, yogis and incarnations, and they are misleading the general public away from Krishna consciousness, which can offer true benefit to human society.”

“As Kamsa was not expected to kill the beautiful child [Krishna] of Devaki and Vasudeva, the uncivilized society, although unhappy about the advancement of the Krishna consciousness movement, cannot be expected to stop it. Yet we must face many difficulties in many different ways. Although Krishna cannot be killed, Vasudeva, as the father of Krishna, was trembling because in affection he thought that Kamsa would immediately come and kill his son. Similarly, although the Krishna consciousness movement and Krishna are not different and no asuras [demoniac people] can check it, we are afraid that at any moment the asuras can stop this movement in any part of the world.”

Sthita-dhi Muni Prabhu:

From a car conversation:

The whole conditional realm is just a place for atheists to fantasize.”

Bhadra Prabhu:

From a kirtan program at the University of South Florida in Tampa:

This life is meant for chanting, dancing, and feasting, and then going to the Lord.

So you have experience of the joy of chanting. This is not some sectarian religion. The process is scientific.

Just as a train runs on two tracks, not one, we have to take of our spiritual life in addition to our material life.

Frustration comes in the life when we are not balancing, and instead, are going more in the material direction.

On one side we keep a dog and a cat very nicely, but we eat the chicken and the calf for dinner. What kind of civilization is that? The worst thing you can do is eat meat.

This is not mythology. Who at the age of 70 comes from India to America to each some mythology?

If Krishna did not provide earth, water, air, fire, etc., Lord Brahma as the secondary creator could not create.

It is easy to create, but maintaining is difficult. It is easy to create children but to maintain them is a big endeavor. Thus Lord Vishnu is in charge of maintanance.

From a Sunday feast lecture in Alachua:

Lord Shiva is unique. He is above Lord Brahma as Lord Brahma himself says.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura says Lord Shiva is touched by the mode of ignorance, he is touched by the marginal energy, and he is touched by the junction of samvit, cit, and hladini potencies.

Lord Shiva is not bound to the extent that the jiva or marginal potency is.

When Bhrgu kicked Lord Vishnu, Lord Vishnu apologized both for the hardness of His chest and also for not properly greeting him.

Lord Caitanya told the story of Bhrgu Muni testing the guna-avataras to show that Lord Vishnu is supreme.

Lord Shiva is one of the mahajanas [great personalities who know the ultimate religious principle of pure devotion to God], and he is the leader of a Vaishnava sampradaya, and thus he is the greatest of Vaishnavas.

In India people go to Dvaraka in the West, Jagannatha Puri in the East, Ramesvaram in the South, and Badrinath and Kedarnath in the North. All these are situated in Vraja [Vrindavan], so if one does Vraja-mandala parikrama, he does not need to go to these places separately.

In Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Radha asks Krishna, “Shiva is your great devotee. Why does Shiva wear ashes, have matted hair, wear snakes in his hair, and wear the skull garland?”
Krishna answered Radha’s question by saying, “The ashes are from when Sati burned herself to ashes. Because Garuda always chases the snakes, they take shelter of Lord Shiva. The skull is also from Sati. Shiva is unconcerned with externals so he has matted hair.”

Prahlad Maharaja is not able to enter into Lord Krishna’s pastimes in Vraja, but Lord Shiva is. Thus Narada glorified Shiva for his greatness.

Lord Shiva thinks he is not dear to Krishna because Krishna tells him to preach impersonalist philosophy as Sankaracarya, although he did not want to do it.

There are so many Lord Shiva temples in Vraja because he is relishing the pastimes of Lord Krishna.

One great soul named Asuri Muni performed austerity for thousands of years and could see Radha and Krishna in his heart. Once however he was unable to have his usual darsana in the heart. Frustrated he looked everywhere for Radha and Krishna. He came across Lord Shiva in Kailasa, and he asked Lord Shiva, where is the Lord? Lord Shiva was very happy because usually people just ask him for material benefit or liberation. They never ask to see the Lord. Lord Shiva said, “I was also thinking of going to see the Lord. Let us go together.” They came to the arena of the rasa dance, and the gopis welcomed them as brahmanas, but told them they could not be part of the dance. Paurnamasi arranged that they dip in a lake and come out as gopis. Thus Lord Shiva and Asuri Muni both became gopis. The other gopis were suspicious of them, however, Lord Krishna was happy to see his great devotee Lord Shiva in the form of a gopi and asked him to request any benediction. Shiva asked to reside in Vraja to witness His pastimes. Thus Krishna blessed him to become Gopisvara Mahadeva, the protector of Vraja.

At Nanda Maharaja’s place, even now, after the offering is made to Nanda, Yashoda, and Krishna, it is then brought to Nandesvar Mahadeva.

Sanatana Goswami was bothered by the mosquitos at Manasa Ganga. Cakresvar Mahadeva, located there, appeared as a brahmana and asked him not to leave because he valued his association. When Sanatana Goswami said the mosquitos were disturbing him, the brahmana said he would solve that problem, and so he did. There are not mosquitos there to this day.

Shastrakrit Prabhu:

There is a purport behind the Vedas, and we need a guru to understand the essence.

Blindly following rituals does not satisfy oneself. Krishna advises his father, Nanda Maharaja, on the occasion of Govardhan Puja, if we do not act in knowledge, we will not get the full result.

One man was digging a hole, and another man was filling it in. This went on all day. An onlooker inquired why. One of the men explained they were supposed to be planting trees, but the man with the trees did not show up, so the others were just doing their part.

Krishna advises, “Do not try to adjust things. This world is meant to be a miserable place.”

People have all kinds of misunderstandings. People thought black people have no souls. People thought women have no souls.

Devamrita Swami always says this world is a correctional facility not an educational facility.

We are in anxiety about what will happen to us, but we are part of God, something so great, what can possible happen to us? Our situation is that we are like someone watching a horror movie who is terrified because of identifying with it when otherwise his situation is quite pleasant.

Srila Prabhupada said if all his temples closed and all his followers left, so many of his books had been distributed that someone would read one and start it all over again.

Scientists say for everyone on earth to live like the North Americans we would need five earth planets.

Prahladananda Swami said America is like one giant shopping mall.

Caitanya Bhagavata says to please Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu you must please Lord Nityananda Prabhu and to please Lord Nityananda Prabhu you must please Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but you can please both of them by chanting Hare Krishna.

Indians seek the wealth of the west, but they end up getting beef eating, abortion, etc., along with it.

If you take to the sankirtana movement, Kali-yuga will not stop, but you will not be affected, just as a person with an umbrella is not affected by the rain.

Devamrita Swami says compared to now the 70s was like Satya-yuga [the golden age of truth]. Now he has to have a doctor and a psychologist to patch the new people up just so they can practice bhakti-yoga.

Devamrita Swami says we should pray to Krishna to become expert doctors in administering the medicine of Krishna consciousness.

Tulasirani Devi Dasi:

From a discussion of the recent mass shooting at a high school in Florida:

Comment by Rupachandra Prabhu: There is a video of a gun owner in which he says that if by giving up his right to own a gun, people feel more safe, he is willing to do it, and then he saws his gun in half.

Q: Why does America have so many shootings?
A (by a student): We focus more on the individual than on the society, and you can get in a space where you are alone and feel isolated and think others are against you, and you want to lash out.
A (by Gopal and Tulasirani): It reminds me that Bhakti Tirtha Swami says that acts of hate come from frustrated desires to either give or receive love.
A (by others): People become desensitized to violence because of video games.
A (by Josh): People take so many psychotropic drugs in America it is no wonder people do crazy things.

Comment by Rupachandra Prabhu: Most people in America do not want people to have guns, but a small minority influences politicians to keep guns legal. I am from Singapore, and only one person in fifty years has been shot and killed with a gun.

Comment by two other students: Addressing mental illness is important.

Comment by Jeff: Social media has contributed to feelings of isolation.

Comment by Shruti: Kalakantha Prabhu said a group did a study at University of Florida and found social media was a cause of depression.

Comment by Lavanga Devi Dasi: Studies of the backgrounds of these killers shows they were bullied, and they found they can get prominence, although negative, by these acts of violence.

Comment by Cayman: Most killers are male. The culture of masculinity is a cause as men are discouraged from showing their feelings.

Americans own 42% of civil guns although just 4.4% of the world’s people.

In the USA and in London crime rates are about the same, but in the USA, 54 times as many people die as a result of crime.

The National Rifle Association has donated 4.2 million dollars to Congress members.

Comment by person who works as correction officer in the local jail: 40% of the people in jail have mental illness or drug dependencies. There should be mental tests and capability tests to purchase guns.

By caring for others we can help reduce people’s feelings of isolation.

If one feels happiness within, as from chanting Hare Krishna, one will not be inclined to act in violence.

Some people protest Trump’s suggestion to pray for the victims of the shootings, but prayer is powerful, and if you like you can offer a candle and say a prayer. I am happy to find there is something that Trump and I actually agree on!

While you eat your tacos, you can meet people face to face, off of Facebook.

[After the discussion, Ramai Prabhu, a second-generation devotee, led Hare Krishna kirtan to one of my favorite tunes, and I recorded it:

Four or five new people came to that program and most of them stayed quite awhile, enjoying the taco prasadam and taking with the devotees.]

Nanda Kumar Prabhu:

Vidura came back to deliver his elder brother out of compassion, although he had previously left because of being insulted by those he wanted to help.

If we do not have a guru, the ocean of material existence seems immeasurable, but with a guru, crossing that ocean is possible.

As you cannot get a PhD unless you have some new insight in your field of study, similarly the Vedic munis each had their own unique opinions.

We should not approach a guru as a fashion or to improve our business but to cross the material ocean.

Complete dedication to Krishna is the main qualification of the guru.

The greatest miracle is to change someone’s heart and situate them on the spiritual path.

Comment by Rupachandra Prabhu: We should not imitate the guru’s gait, speech, mannerisms, etc., but try to follow the guru’s instructions.

Radhanath Swami told his disciples to count the trees on their property to be used for their eco farm. They wondered about this but did it anyway. When the government officer giving permits for construction asked different details about the property, he said, “Do you even know how many trees are on the property?” They told him. They knew because they had followed their guru’s instruction.

Caitya-guru is always there in the heart, life after life, as our constant guru.

Q: Does the guru know everything?
A: The guru knows everything worth knowing. It is not that the guru is an encyclopedia of everything. If there is something specific he needs to know, the Lord within will tell him.

Hanan Prabhu:

In the Vedas anna does not refer just to food, but anything enjoyed by any sense. The mind digests that food.

If we chant the holy name without the proper understanding we get the shadow of the holy name. Suppose instead of eating a meal, I try to eat the shadow of a meal. Will I get nourished?

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Encountering this verse from Bhagavad-gita was important on my personal journey. I was brought up as a Quaker, and the Quakers often speak of God as the Inner Light, who gives divine inspiration from within. In fact, in their meetings, anyone is allowed to speak because it is understood that God can inspire anyone from within to speak the Truth, not just some priest or pastor. Here I learned that the inner guide, Lord Krishna (the speaker of the Bhagavad-gita), and the Vedas (the revealed literature of India, summarized in Bhagavad-gita) are all one voice, and thus I should take the instructions of Bhagavad-gita spoken by Krishna to be the same as the divine wisdom from within.

sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto
mattah smrtir jñanam apohanam
ca vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham


[Lord Krishna said:] “I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.” (Bhagavad-gita 15.15)