Travel Journal#14.23: New York City, SDG Vyasa-puja, and Hartford

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 14, No. 23 

By Krishna-kripa das 

(December 2018, part one) 

New York City, SDG Vyasa-puja, Hartford 

(Sent from Yuga Dharma Ashram in New York City on December 26, 2018)

Where I Went and What I Did

I remained with the Yuga Dharma Ashram assisting them in chanting Hare Krishna in different New York City subway stations, except for the first two weekends in December, the first when several of us went to Stuyvesant Falls to observe the Vyasa-puja of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami on Saturday, and the second when I went to Hartford to attend a couple of programs with Niranjana Swami.

I share a quote by Srila Prabhupada from Srimad-Bhagavatam and a couple quotes by his disciples from a later canto. I share notes on classes by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami and Prahladananda and Niranjana Swamis. I share notes on classes by Srila Prabhupada disciples Pyari Mohan and Yogesvara Prabhus. I share notes on classes at our Yuga Dharma Ashram by Rama Raya, Gurudas, Vishnu-citta, Kalki, Mahotsaha, and Gopal Campu Prabhus.

Many thanks to Malati Priya Devi Dasi for the eye exam, the new glasses, and the kind donation. Thanks to Naman Mehta for his hospitality in Hartford and his kind donation. Thanks to Syama Gopa Rupa Devi Dasi for her photos of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami’s Vyasa-puja. Thanks to Sasha Prabhu for the video of Prahladananda Swami chanting Hare Krishna in Union Square subway station. Thanks to Divyangi Devi Dasi for the video of the young Oriental lady playing shakers and dancing in Penn Station subway station during harinama and for her many photos of our Yuga Dharma Ashram harinama party. Thanks to Adi Shyam Prabhu for sharing his video of Niranjana Swami’s class on book distribution at the Radha Govinda Gita Jayanti festival in Brooklyn.

Itinerary

October 1, 2018–January 4, 2019: New York City Yuga Dharma Harinama Party

December 29: Bhagavad-gita class at 26 Second Avenue

December 31: New Year’s Eve harinama in Lower East Side

January 5, 2019: Bhakti House program in Jacksonville

January 6–16: Tallahassee, Florida State University

January 17: Tampa, Florida, University of South Florida program

January 18–20: BI Gainesville Consciousness Conference

January 21: Gainesville Martin Luther King Day parade

January 22, 23, and 25: Krishna House in Gainesville

January 24: Tampa, Florida, University of South Florida program

January 26: Tampa Gasparilla Pirate Parade Ratha-yatra and harinama

January 27–: Tallahassee, Florida State University

April 8: Albany

April 9: Philadelphia

April 10–12: Washington, D.C., harinama with Sankarsana Prabhu by the museums

April 14–18: Dublin

April 19–24: Newcastle-upon-Tyne

April 27: Amsterdam King’s Day harinama

Chanting Hare Krishna with the NYC Yuga Dharma Ashram Party

I continued assisting the Yuga Dharma Ashram harinama party by leading the chanting of Hare Krishna each day for half an hour or an hour at different New York City subway stations like . . .

Grand Central

Times Square

and Union Square.

When not leading the chant, I mostly sat by the book table.

In addition to books, on that table we have invitations to the Saturday Bhagavad-gita class at 26 Second Avenue, a bookmark advertising a site on chanting called CHANTNOW (https://www.chantnow.com/), and the card for our party, NYC Harinam Sankirtan (https://www.nycharinam.org/).

Surpassing their original five-book set (the Pañca-tattva), our book distributors came up with another strategy, selling the saptarsi (named after the famous seven sages), a seven-book set, for the same $50 donation.

Here Gopal Campu Prabhu meets success with two fortunate souls.

Sometimes the book distributors encountered people dressed up for the holidays. 

Sometimes people wonder if our party is successful in getting people to become devotees of Krishna. Actually several people have become devotees, including Jeremy, who I mentioned in my last journal.

Ari, the lady in the middle of this photo, is another new devotee. She got a book from Mahotsaha Prabhu in this very same Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station two years ago. Now she chants sixteen rounds every day and attends devotional programs in New York City. When she joins us for harinama, she will often stay a good three hours because she loves the chanting.

We thank this new devotee lady, who regularly buys books from us, for displaying Srimad-Bhagavatam, Part I, on her baby's carriage – a little free advertising. She explained to me that she reads the book on the train.

During the first half of December, we had several guests join us briefly, and a couple old friends rejoined our party for some time.

The most prominent guest was Prahladananda Swami, who in addition to chanting with us one day, gave three morning lectures at our ashram in uptown Manhattan, a long way from his residence in Brooklyn. Sasha took a video of practically his entire Hare Krishna kirtan at Union Square subway station (https://youtu.be/5ZT0JhG0cZM):

Prahladananda Swami chanted Hare Krishna in Union Square subway station more blissfully than any devotee I have ever seen at that venue, manifesting for a few minutes that spiritual realm devoid of anxiety. I actually did not believe it was possible that I could be that peaceful in that subway station! Just a couple hours earlier I was lamenting about how hard it was to focus because of the noise. Here are a couple of clips I took of his kirtan (https://youtu.be/0uItnhvLZ5M):

Gurudas Prabhu, a disciple of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami from Washington, D.C. on his way home from our Vyasa-puja the previous day, chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station, and passersby dance, one also playing the shakers (https://youtu.be/W0XW__uur-0):

Here Deva Krishna Prabhu’s wife, accompanied by her husband on the drum, chants a lively Hare Krishna tune in Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/5J8F7xuoySU). The couple stopped by briefly during their New York City visit:

Here Chanchal Prabhu of Australia, who just returned to the Yuga Dharma Ashram for another three months, chants Hare Krishna at Union Square subway station, and a man dances briefly (https://youtu.be/uEtTk_CbG4A):

Ishvari Jahnava Dasi, who leads a daily harinama program in Vancouver, Canada, from February through November each year, came to join our party for the month of December to become inspired, to offer services of chanting and cooking, and to learn book distribution. Here she chants Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/uE-6p8iB91s):

Murli Krishna Prabhu, who originally chanted with Aindra Prabhu on the streets of New York City over thirty-five years ago and who has attended our recent harinamas periodically for several years, after a brief respite once again chants Hare Krishna with us in Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station (https://youtu.be/uBLVjsNy1UI):

Here Jaya Jagannath Prabhu, based at the Bhakti Center, who came more often last year, made a rare appearance and joyfully chanted Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station, inspiring everyone by his devotion, and an MTA employee danced (https://youtu.be/D087EbHTrkU):

As usual Rama Raya Prabhu led many kirtans inspiring the devotees and passersby alike.

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square subway station, and a lady moves to the music (https://youtu.be/GaxzO8-yTQM):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Grand Central subway station, and Govind plays trumpet (https://youtu.be/g8M20GC1UTI):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Grand Central subway station, Govind plays trumpet, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/U9Pc6PyTL9E):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square subway station, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/s3gyI_a6bkc):

Once while Kaliya Krishna Prabhu was chanting Hare Krishna in Penn Station subway station, the lady in the red in this video was off to the side with a friend, smiling, looking at the kirtan party, and moving with the music, but when I gave her the shakers, she came up right in front of our party and got into dancing, and then lots of devotees got into dancing. I told her we sing there at Penn Station every Monday. We will see if she comes back for more! Video by Divyangi Devi Dasi (https://youtu.be/SkQhhdcPnfM):

Bhagavata Purana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square subway station, and a young black lady dances with increasing enthusiasm and plays the shakers (https://youtu.be/lAEOxcks-8E):

Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Penn Station subway station, and a man plays shakers and dances with the devotees (https://youtu.be/aZGf-TeqdsM):

Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station, and a passerby and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/IePjkYma01U):

Bhakta Marcel chants Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station, and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/4LxZ0q9AbYs):

Bhagavata Purana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Atlantic Avenue / Barclay’s Center subway station, and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/gZHDdH4Z5Ec):

Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Atlantic Avenue / Barclay’s Center subway station, and a man dances with devotees (https://youtu.be/xaMX-_EZ8UY):

This was the first time we chanted at Atlantic Avenue / Barclay’s Center this year, and the book distributors sold almost 300 books that day. One lady who bought the set of seven books said that she was always happy to see us chanting there.

Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Penn Station subway station, and devotee ladies dance (https://youtu.be/ZQFIkDf7Nqs):

Kishor Gopal Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square subway station, and Govind plays trumpet (https://youtu.be/bhBoW1Uj8yQ):

Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/M-MMjZqhf74):

New York lawyer Robert Steinberg gave us $20 and took a Bhakti book and prasadam candy, happy that I got him in touch with his childhood basketball coach, who had become a Hare Krishna devotee in the 1970s and who I have known for decades!

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami Vyasa-puja 2018

Here are a couple kirtans from the Vyasa-puja of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. In the following section, I share notes on the offerings, and under “Insights” I have notes on the lecture by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami.

Madan Gopal Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at beginning of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami Vyasa-puja (https://youtu.be/G-lmQpkSMgM):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at end of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami Vyasa-puja (https://youtu.be/l2mMg4aJwD4):

Vyasa-puja Offerings

Sandamini Devi Dasi [Srila Prabhupada disciple and wife of Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu]:

Thank you for taking care of the gurukulis, and thank you for paying for my son’s classes and my husband’s winter coat.

Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu [Srila Prabhupada disciple and guru]:

I second what my wife said. Thank you for taking care of us when we were under your shelter. I am happy to see that through the perturbations of time you are still practicing strictly and taking care of so many people.

Yadunandana Swami:

You are like a moon reflecting the sun of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings and personality, through your books, through your dealings, through your simplicity, etc. Your expression is creative and inspires people to serve Krishna according their individuality.

Sacisuta Prabhu:

Thank you being in Stuyvesant Falls another year and giving me a chance to serve you.

Keli-lalita Devi Dasi:

As a new devotee I read in the Narada Bhakti Sutra that a saint creates a holy place. Now I see you have come here and made this place holy. Thank you.

Rama Raya Prabhu:

You deeply appreciated Srila Prabhupada and expressed the glories of Srila Prabhupada in so many ways.

Like Srila Prabhupada’s books, your books present essential truths and will withstand the effects of time.

Janmastami Prabhu:

I felt so much brought into Srila Prabhupada’s presence from Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita that I could dedicate myself to his mood and mission.

My experience from the beginning of my devotional service is that you have emphasized japa. Thus japa has become an essential part of my spiritual life.

Thanks for these two gifts.

Bhagavata Purana Prabhu:

I wish to not remain a bad boy by not reading your writings.

Haryasva Prabhu:

I am nervous but saying that helps me get through it.

When I chant “Guruvastakam” and when I worship the deity I think of you.

Thank you for giving us Srila Prabhupada, like I could not otherwise get Srila Prabhupada, with such affection.

Sometimes I hear from your godbrothers, and I realize you have been teaching the same things, but somehow I had missed it.

I like to hear from my godbrothers and godsisters about how you inspire them.

I am so busy reading your old books, I have no time to read your newer writings.

Thank you for being the most wonderful person I have ever met.

Krishna Dasi:

Hearing the scriptures in your association has been the most amazing experience for me.

I am aboard a ship that has a rudder.

Sudevi Dasi:

People ask me how is Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I say, “Just go to his web site.”

Aditi Devi Dasi:

Thank you allowing me to get here without getting lost.

You are a pure devotee. No one can contest that.

Thank you for accepting me.

Tulasi-priya Dasi:

We read Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita, the abriged version, at a preaching program in Jacksonville. The new people could relate your description of 26 Second Avenue and all the young people being attracted to Krishna consciousness.

If someone wants to become a devotee of Krishna, they should read Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita.

You read a book to know the author.

When I was reading Srila Prabhupada’s books it went over my head. Then I read Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita. I thought, “Who has written such a book?”

You have the best disciples.

Thank you for showing me that whatever I wanted in the world I could find in Krishna consciousness.

Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu:

I was here when Prabhupada was present. I thought he would be my guru. Then he left. You were the first sannyasi I met. You represented Prabhupada. You gave Srila Prabhupada and didn’t give anything else – Bhaktvedantasiksitam.

Baladeva Prabhu from Trinidad:

Your schedule is amazing. Try to follow such a schedule at that age.

Leaving the room, you would say, “See you later, Prabhus.”

Everyone praises Guru Maharaja nicely on this day, but taking care of the guru is something that is more than the job of just two or three of us.

Sastra Prabhu:

You show how to follow the guru and to serve Krishna.

You give us a chance to share in your faith in Srila Prabhupada and his teachings.

Your Prabhupada smaranam which you share we should all remember.

One godbrother just said of you, “Maharaja is not just giving us information about Srila Prabhupada. He is giving us love of Srila Prabhupada.”

How can we imagine your great dedication at age 79, to Radha-Govinda worship and to chanting the holy name?

Sthita-dhi Muni Prabhu:

The devotees kinda scared me, but the books I got from my dad really impressed me.

I could not make the connection between the lives of the devotees and the books.

Satsvarupa Maharaja seemed to sincerely follow the teachings in the books and helped me to bridge the gap.

Madana Gopal Prabhu:

You predigested Srila Prabhupada’s books for us so we could come to digest them.

You are a poineer in looking within our hearts through your writings.

The final frontier is not without. The final frontier is within.

Gurudas Prabhu:

You are Krishna to me for I know Him only through you.

You give us gifts of new books every year.

Fortunately more and more people are appreciating both your art and your books.

Many disciples glorify you as the perfect follower of Srila Prabhupada.

You are a bona fide spiritual master, empowered to take people back to Krishna.

Krishna-kripa Das:

[I did not read this entire offering below because of limited time but summarized it.]

Thank you for allowing me to assist in your book production. I was very impressed in particular with a beautiful piece of writing of yours where you comment on the Gayatri mantra about the guru being enthused:

“‘Let us meditate,’ the Gayatri mantra advises, and so one can continue on his own, or in the association of devotees, to think about and discuss the enthusiastic moods and activities of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada’s translation contains a particularly interesting phrase, ‘Let us meditate on him being enthused as he enthused us.’ A genuine disciple has become enthusiastic in devotional service, and he knows that this is due to the enthusiasm of his spiritual master.

“We may meditate on how our enthusiastic spiritual master has transferred this shakti of utsaha to us. Prabhupada said that the mother of one of his disciples, Acyutananda, complained that her son used to lounge around the house all the time and was unwilling to go on errands. But since he had come to live with Swamiji, he was always enthusiastic to cook and run any errands asked by his spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada was also fond of a pamphlet produced by a Christian minister in Boston which made reference to Srila Prabhupada’s enthusiastic disciples. This minister wrote that he met a Hare Krishna devotee giving out literature in the neighborhood of the church. The priest said, ‘These are actually our boys, but previously they were never interested in going to church. Now they have become mad after God.’ Srila Prabhupada also said that it was only by the enthusiasm of his disciples that the Krishna Consciousness Movement was spreading around the world.

“When we do not feel enthusiastic, let us meditate on the enthusiasm of Srila Prabhupada. Let it ignite within us our natural enthusiasm to serve Krishna. This is krishna-ananda, which motivates all the thoughts and activities of a pure devotee of the Lord. Whether he is grave and silent, or dancing in the kirtana of Lord Caitanya, whether he is being honored by many followers, or treated as an outcast, the pure Vaishnava is always merged in enthusiasm and bliss. Let us meditate upon him being enthused, just as he enthused us.”

So let me glorify you for being enthused.

People who know I am your disciple ask me how you are. I happily tell them that although you are harassed by disease and old age, you still daily get up early to chant japa at 2:30 a.m. Every day you hear from Srila Prabhupada's books during meals. Every day you do some writing, and you come out with a new book every year, in addition to posting online. You live in a small community of devotees about two hours north of New York City. Thank you for teaching by your example to remain enthusiastically engaged in devotional service to Krishna under the direction of your guru in the association of devotees, even as your body ages and makes even simple things difficult. Thank you also for blessing me with the enthusiasm to get up every morning and chant japa and hear from Srila Prabhupada's books and for the ability to do from three to six hours of harinama every day.

I encountered some appreciation of your Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta recently which I would like to share with you. You said in Free Write Journal#15, “I spent five years laboring over Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta, a seven-volume opus. And I had researchers doing interviews, excerpts of which I used in the narrative. It was bliss writing an authorized biography of Srila Prabhupada, the pure devotee.” This was an important accomplishment in your life and will win you centuries of fame.

There is one young Indian man who comes on our New York City harinamas every day after work, and distributes Srila Prabhupada's books for an hour or two. After praising his dedication, I asked him the reason for his enthusiasm. He explained that he read Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta, and by seeing how much Srila Prabhupada was willing to sacrifice to benefit humanity spiritually, he concluded that he must do something to assist him. He told me that many of his friends went from being nominal devotees to dedicated followers of Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON as a result of reading the accounts of Srila Prabhupada's life in your Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta.

Hearing his story, I told our book distributors who reach out to the Indian community to focus on selling your Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta sets.

Another glory of your writing is it is appreciable to people outside the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. I have enjoyed seeing the enthusiasm Rev. John for your writing, personally appreciating it for himself and sharing your realizations with his congregation. A truly spiritually advanced person can present the truth to make it universally acceptable. I appreciate this quality of your writing.

Thank you for inspiring myself and others to follow the teachings of Srila Prabhupada and to dedicate ourselves to his mission.

Chanting Hare Krishna in the Hudson Winter Walk

In addition to the first Saturday in December being the date of the celebration of the Vyasa-puja of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, it is also the date of the Hudson Winter Walk, which occurs less than half an hour away by car. I tried to organize a harinama there last year, but I failed miserably, so this year I did not even bring my winter shoes because I was sure no one would want to go chanting in the streets of Hudson. Krishna Kumari Devi Dasi, however, was very enthusiastic to organize a harinama there, and she announced it at least a twice during the Vyasa-puja ceremony. Although five other members of Yuga Dharma Ashram harinama party had come to the Vyasa-puja, I was only one interested in the Hudson harinama, which surprised me. Fortunately, my godbrother from Washington, D.C., Gurudas Prabhu, was also eager to go out, as were four others from the Vyasa-puja, plus a friend of one of them, wearing a garland in the video below, who had never been on a harinama but who really liked it. Thus we had a party of seven devotees. We chanted for almost an hour and a half, down the main street and back. Some people were happy to see us, and no one objected to our presence. One youthful vendor was glad to see us and chanted the Hare Krishna mantra as we passed by. I asked her how she knew the words to the mantra, and she said from the musical Hair. She looked to be in her twenties, so I exclaimed incredulously, “You do not look old enough to have seen the musical Hair!” She explained that she worked in the entertainment industry, specializing in musicals, and thus it was perfectly natural for her to know about Hair and its Hare Krishna chorus. She offered us some chai, but it had caffeine in it, so we had to turn down the offer.

I look forward to singing with that party of devotees at that event next year. I may even bring my winter shoes, although wearing wool socks with my sandals sufficiently protected me from the cold. Halfway through the harinama my hands were really cold, and Krishna Kumari invited me to play the drum. She said the drum was so dead, it was OK to play it while wearing gloves. I found to my great surprise that playing the drum with gloves removed all the coldness from my hands, and they were nice and warm by the end of the harinama!

Here Gurudas Prabhu, disciple of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, chants Hare Krishna at the Hudson Winter Walk as Krishna Kumari Dasi, who organized this harinama party, plays the drum (https://youtu.be/K45L8wPGPfM):

Amit from Albany took a brief video of me chanting on the way back toward the car (https://youtu.be/105x2qd9lZY):

Chanting Hare Krishna with Niranjana Swami Near Hartford, Connecticut

As in previous years, Niranjana Swami came to Hartford in December, and I took the bus up to attend his programs. Naman Mehta, who I knew from when he was in charge of the Bhakti Yoga Club at University of Central Florida in Orlando three years ago, put me up in his apartment and had his friends drive me to the programs or else drove me himself. His friend and roommate, Gauri Shankar Prabhu, is a real South Indian brahmana and cooked a nice lunch for us all the first day. Tanmay drove me to Malati Priya Devi Dasi’s eye care center, and she volunteered to make me some new glasses. Apparently she does glasses for Niranjana Swami, Candrasekhara Swami, and Jayadvaita Swami, so I am in good company.

As usual, Niranjana Swami chanted nicely and spoke nicely, and it was great to have the chance to hear and take notes. One theme in his lectures which I was happy to be reminded of is that pure devotional service to Lord Krishna is so spiritually purifying that even people with serious spiritual disqualifications are greatly uplifted simply by hearing about it, such is its power. If we can stay in the society of faithful devotees and hear the glories of pure devotional service to Krishna, we can easily obtain perfection.

Here Niranjana Swami chants Hare Krishna at a program in the home of Deepak Prabhuji and Trupti Mataji in South Windsor, Connecticut (https://youtu.be/vHJel6HE1c0):

Here Niranjana Swami chants Hare Krishna during mangala arati at the Hare Krishna temple in East Hartford, Connecticut (https://youtu.be/C6PIJWZrivU):

Here Niranjana Swami chants Hare Krishna at the ISKCON Hartford Sunday feast program (https://youtu.be/rK_2YXU_4Ds):

Prema, daughter of Prabhupada disciple, Ranjit Prabhu, visiting from Brooklyn, chants Hare Krishna at the ISKCON Hartford Sunday feast program, accompanied by her husband, Narayana, on the drum (https://youtu.be/WQrL3K_8aVw):

Chanting Hare Krishna with Niranjana Swami in New York City

The last time I recorded video of a Bhakti Center kirtan it came out very poor because I was so far in the back of the dimly lit, crowded room, so when Niranjana Swami chanted Hare Krishna at the Bhakti Center Thursday Night Kirtan, I just recorded audio, which you can hear here:

https://soundcloud.com/krishna-kripa-das/sets/niranjana-swami-bhakti-center

Here Niranjana Swami chants Hare Krishna at 26 Second Avenue at the Friday night program of the Russian devotees (https://youtu.be/4IxXclmbILk):

Here Niranjana Swami chants Hare Krishna in Radha Govinda Mandir in Brooklyn (https://youtu.be/YY0zEkWEc2c):

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.2.15, purport:

“The cutting of trees is generally prohibited. In particular, trees that produce nice fruit for the maintenance of human society should not be cut. In different countries there are different types of fruit trees. In India the mango and jackfruit trees are prominent, and in other places there are mango trees, jackfruit trees, coconut trees and berry trees. Any tree that produces nice fruit for the maintenance of the people should not be cut at all. This is a sastric [scriptural] injunction.”

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

Srila Prabhupada described ISKCON as a branch of the Caitanya tree.

I have initiated 900 devotees.

I like to think of me and my disciples as a family. We have our meetings at Stuyvesant Falls. In addition to my writing, I am open to personal meetings, instruction, and counseling.

We do not think of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura as humorous. I do not think I have seen a picture of him smile, but his introduction to one Vyasa-puja is very humorous. He describes in a very humorous way how others may see him as audacious and may ridicule him for sitting on a grand seat and accepting praise from a whole assembly. He justifies his acts because he has accepted the position of guru only according to the order of his guru and Lord Caitanya, despite appearing to be proud to some for having done so, and part of being a guru is to instruct the disciples that the scriptures teach to honor the guru as much as God because he is representing God.

Srila Prabhupada once explained to guests at his Vyasa-puja: One day on the birthday of the guru we give him all praise because he is representing the line of disciplic succession, and he accepts all honor and contribution not for himself but for the Lord’s service. He explained that during British rule the viceroy would be given jewels and contributions on behalf of the king. These did not become the viceroy’s personal property but the property of the king. Srila Prabhupada further explained that the honor goes up through the gurus to Krishna. Vyasa-puja is needed to teach the followers how to accept the representative of God.

Then Guru Maharaja reads the Vyasa-puja offering of Srila Prabhupada to his own guru, Paramahamsa Sree Sreemad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaja, which most pleased his guru:

Adore adore ye all,

The happy day.

Blessed than Heaven,

Sweeter than May.

When He appeared at Puri,

The holy place,

My Lord and Master

His Divine Grace.

Oh! my Master

The evangelic angel.

Give us thy light,

Light up thy candle.

Struggle for existence

A Human race,

The only hope

His Divine Grace.

Misled we are

All going astray,

Save us Lord

Our fervent pray,

Wonder thy ways

To turn our face

Adore thy feet

Your Divine Grace.

Forgotten Krishna

We fallen soul.

Paying most heavy

The illusion’s toll.

Darkness around

All untrace,

The only hope

His Divine Grace.

Message of service

Thou has brought.

A healthful life

As Chaitanya wrought.

Unknown to all

It’s full of brace.

That’s your gift

Your Divine Grace.

Absolute is sentient

Thou hast proved.

Impersonal calamity

Thou hast moved.

This gives us a life

Anew and fresh.

Worship thy feet

Your Divine Grace.

Had you not come

Who had told,

The message of Krishna

Forceful and bold,

That’s your right

You have the mace.

Save me a fallen

Your Divine Grace.

The line of service

As drawn by you,

Is pleasing and healthy

Like morning dew.

The oldest of all

But in new dress

Miracle done

Your Divine Grace

From Free Writing Journal#16:

“Prabhupada was once asked by an Indian guest, ‘What is your siddha-deha (his eternal identity)?’ Prabhupada replied, ‘We can chant the holy name in a humble state of mind, lower than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, and ready to offer respects to others without expecting any respect for oneself. In such a state of mind, one can chant the holy names constantly – this is our siddha-deha.’”

“He [Prabhupada] started modestly, chanting with loving followers at 26 Second Avenue and then with the hippies in San Francisco, then the explosion – centers in Los Angeles, Montreal, Boston, England, Hamburg. He found boys and girls willing to travel to foreign cities and face the austerities that he himself went through in New Delhi. He had entered the tea stalls and approached strangers with his Back to Godhead magazine. Now his disciples were doing the same. He traveled to his new centers, and found they were mostly storefronts – the devotees didn’t have much money, but they were enthusiastic, and Prabhupada encouraged them, especially when they went out singing in public and distributed literature.”

“He had bundles of thousands of pages that he had typed, wrapped up in saffron and lying on the floor in his closet. When he first took some typing out of this mass of material and gave it to me, I remarked, ‘I think you have enough work to last me a whole winter.’

Swamiji laughed and said, ‘I have many lifetimes of work for you.’”

“Swamiji said, ‘Never be idle.’ He had written an announcement and posted it on the wall: ‘Always be engaged, and if you don’t have any work, then chant Hare Krishna.’ This is how we worked for the Swami; different boys did different things.”

Prahladananda Swami:

We have to remind ourselves again and again who we are and who we are not.

Most people seek only to increase their sense gratification rather than to understand who they are.

Everyone is in a rush going nowhere.

If people can understand their bodies are changing but they are not changing, that is a second birth.

If we cannot give up hankering and lamenting and see all people on the spiritual plane, we cannot begin devotional service. [Bhagavad-gita 18.54]

Neither Brahma nor the insignificant ant is satisfied with his standard of sense gratification.

Everyone is seen, either as a friend or an enemy, in terms of whether they can help us in our God project.

Loving the holy name begins with paying attention.

Paying attention to Krishna also means paying attention to what Krishna wants.

A relationship means surrender. Without surrender there is no relationship.

We cannot live in the association of devotees and not like any of them.

We please the devotees who are trying to please Krishna in disciplic succession.

If we are in the mood of wanting to help others to become Krishna consciousness we are properly situated.

We are simply the servant of the servant, and we trying to help others to become Krishna conscious.

We are thinking of ourselves as controllers, but we are always frustrated because it is difficult to control anything in this world.

We should not think, “I have made so many devotees, I have distributed so many books, I am such a great devotee, I do not know how Krishna will ever repay me.”

Everyone is thinking they are saving some part of the universe. The parents think they are saving their children. The guru is thinking he is saving his disciples.

We have to give up the conception being controllers, enjoyers, and saviors, in order to engage in pure devotional service.

We have to see if the symptoms of the disease of material existence are decreasing and that we are not just doing sense gratification in the name of devotional service.

Whatever maya we are in, we should regulate it and reduce it.

Varnasrama is meant to bring us to the point of understanding the value of performing devotional service.

If you follow varnasrama, but you do not ultimately accept devotional service you could end up becoming the biggest demon in the universe, like Hiranyakasipu, Hiranyaksa, or Ravana.

Some elements of varnasrama can be accepted to make our minds peaceful so we can focus on hearing and chanting about Krishna.

Niranjana Swami:

From a home program near Hartford:

Srila Prabhupada explains in many places that the human form of life is a juncture at which one can elevate or degrade himself.

What is the value of atonement if the propensity to commit sin is still there?

One reaction for sinful activities is the continued tendency to commit sinful activities.

One cannot counteract one fruitive activity with another fruitive activity. The analogy given is counteracting a bad dream with a hallucination.

An intelligent person does not endeavor for happiness because it will come without asking just like misery comes without our asking for it. Rather he endeavors to satisfy the Lord and thus transcend his sinful life. [Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.18]

The story of Ajamila is an important example of the potency of the holy name.

Because Ajamila was not intentionally calling out the name of Narayana to become free from sins he did not commit the offense of commiting sins on the strength of chanting.

Conversing with the Yamadutas, the Vishnudutas argued, “What is the point of punishing Ajamila since he has already purified himself from his sinful tendencies by chanting the holy name of the Lord?”

Usually Srila Prabhupada would just print 20,000 copies of each volume of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, but Srila Prabhupada initially printed 100,000 copies of the Sixth Canto, Part One, then another 100,000 copies later. This is because he felt the story of Ajamila’s becoming free from his sinful life by the power of the holy name was so relevant to the people he was reaching out to.

Having once heard the holy name, we should stay in the association of devotees and look for opportunities to increase our taste for the chanting.

Srila Prabhupada, as Lord Caitanya’s representative, came to give us this chanting process which is the most powerful way of purifying our hearts, and we should remain faithful to it.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura would emphasize that Siksastaka 3 is the siddha-pranali verse, the verse by which one can attain spiritual perfection: “One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor but is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.”

In applying Siksastaka 3, it is very important not to wish ill on those who cause us distress.

Comment by Narayana: I heard in a class that Krishna is not concerned with a person’s past activities or present thoughts but one’s present intentions. Could you elaborate?

Answer: Krishna is bhava-grahi. He accepts the essence, which is the devotion in the heart. If one has developed his love and attachment for Krishna, then Krishna will not consider the rest. It is not just one’s intentions but one’s genuine devotion to Him. There is a verse stating that one who is a pure devotee has no obligations to others, but we have to be careful to avoid not caring what others think when we are not yet on the platform of pure devotion.

If we are always endeavoring to please the Supreme Lord, it is like we are always facing the sun, and thus we will always be in light.

Until it becomes natural to be humble, we have to practice being humble.

We cannot become humble by our own efforts. There is not a humble switch we can press. We need the Lord’s mercy. We know what to pray for, “Please help me to be humble in this situation.”

If something keeps on happening again and again, we should try to learn from it. We can pray for help in dealing with it.

Srila Prabhupada would say if there is a quality we lack but someone else has, if we serve that person, we will acquire that quality.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says, “It is proper to show anger toward those envious of Krishna, however, I should look within myself and first be angry with myself for being envious of Krishna. Only after eliminating the envy of Krishna in myself can I succeed in freeing others from such envy.”

From a morning class in Hartford temple:

Vyasadeva advised his son, “You are causing your mother so much pain. Please come out of the womb.” Sukadeva was not inclined because he did not want to be affected by maya. Vyasadeva promised Suka he would not be affected by maya, but Suka, seeing Vyasadeva himself was attached to wife and son, did not believe him. Suka said he would only believe the controller of maya, the Lord Himself. Thus Vyasadeva went to Dvaraka and explained the situation to Krishna, and Krishna came and assured him.

After assuring Sukadeva that he would not be affected by maya when he came out of the womb, Lord Krishna told Vyasadeva, “Your son speaks attractively like a parrot. Let his name be Suka.”

Vyasadeva attracted Sukadeva Goswami to return home to study Srimad-Bhagavatam with him by having his disciples speak verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam where Sukadeva could hear them. According to Baladeva Vidyabhusana those verses praised Krishna for elevating Putana to the position of mother in the spiritual world and for humbly acting as servant of the Pandavas. The verse about Putana is “Alas, how shall I take shelter of one more merciful than He who granted the position of mother to a she-demon [Putana] although she was unfaithful and she prepared deadly poison to be sucked from her breast?” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.2.23)

In Laghu-bhagavatamrita, Rupa Goswami shows how Krishna is most worshipable because of being superior in qualities to the other incarnations of the Lord. Rama and Nrsimha are just below Krishna in the heirarchy of incarnations, also being especially worshipable (para-avasta avatars), but not quite as much so as Krishna Himself. In particular, when Krishna kills demons, they get salvation because He situates Himself in their hearts and establishes a relationship with them.

Another reason Jaya and Vijaya chose to take birth as demons [besides taking just three births in the material world instead of seven] is they heard the bards of Vaikuntha chant the glories of Lord Narayana for coming to the material world to kill the demons, and thus they developed the desire to assist Him those pastimes.

Hiranyakasipu took his birth again because he was not aware of the divinity of Lord Nrsimha who killed him. Ravana also was not aware of the divinity of Lord Ramacandra and so took birth again as Sisupala. Sisupala was aware of the divinity of Lord Krishna, but because of he was envious of Him as the Supreme Lord, by continually vibrating His holy name in criticism he developed a personal relationship with Him.

There were 60,000 sages assembled in Naimisaranya.

Pariksit Maharaja summarizes the Srimad-Bhagavatam to his mother, Uttara, in what Sanatana Goswami presents as Brhad-bhagavatamrita, which establishes Krishna as supreme of all incarnations. Laghu-bhagavatamrita is a smaller work with the same theme by Rupa Goswami, who did not want to surpass his brother, Sanatana.

Jaya and Vijaya only came once. In other kalpas, real demons play those roles of Hiranyakasipu, Ravana, and Sisupala, and only Sisupala attains liberation because of being killed by Krishna, the original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Krishna, as time is killing everyone, and those who are conscious that Krishna is killing them at the time of death, go back to the spiritual world.

Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains that the first half of Bhagavad-gita 9.29, “I am equal to everyone” refers to the Supersoul while the second half, “I am a friend to the devotees,” refers to Krishna Himself as Bhagavan.

From a Sunday feast lecture in Hartford on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.9.16:

Bhisma’s instruction indicates that Krishna does have a plan although we cannot completely understand it.

Krishna demonstrated that he values the keeping the promise of his devotee, in this case Bhisma, who promised to force Krishna to fight in order to save Arjuna’s life, at the expense of his own promise not to take up weapons.

Prahlada Maharaja’s good qualities are described to be a result of his previous activities. Narada could understand he was a great devotee, even when in the womb, and thus Narada advised Indra not to try to kill him. After hearing from Narada in the womb, Prahlada became even a greater devotee.

Draupadi asked why Krishna took so long to rescue her. Krishna explained to Draupadi that she first appealed to Bhisma, then she appealed to her husbands, then she tried to protect herself, and finally she depended completely on Him, and at that point He immediately came to her rescue.

Because Krishna knows in detail about a person’s previous lives, present activities, and internal situation, he can determine the person’s next life.

Krishna says in effect, “Those who know Me know enough about Me to know that I am all good.”

Krishna may seem extreme in his treatment of a particular devotee, but He may be treating that devotee to finish up everything for him in just one life.

Srila Prabhupada said that one can act under the protection of Krishna by following Krishna’s instructions in the same spirit that Arjuna followed them.

Although we cannot fully understand Krishna’s plan, we should understand Krishna’s order and be obedient to it.

If we always make plans for the Lord’s service that are blessed by our guru and the Vaishnavas, although there may be obstacles, we can continue to be enthusiastic. If we are successful, we should give credit to those who gave their blessings.

It is sometimes difficult to keep on going if we are not convinced that what we are doing is Krishna’s plan.

If we try to overcome material nature by our own efforts, at some point will realize what we are up against, and then surrender to Krishna.

From a Sunday feast lecture in Brooklyn:

Srila Prabhupada would sometimes inspire competition among the devotees, knowing that it could bring out the best in us and also bring out the worst in us.

Srila Prabhupada said many times “these books are my life and soul.” He would say it again and again with tears in his eyes.

“This, our book distribution is the most important task in our society. Therefore I am giving so much stress, and I am working so hard on this. Because this is my life and soul according to the order of my Guru Maharaja. And by his grace it is to some extent successful. And I took it seriously. I take it seriously still now. That is my life and soul. I never tried in India to construct big temples or even in your country we didn’t. I never tried. But I was selling personally books. That is the history.” (Srila Prabhupada, Room Conversation, December 31, 1976)

In Ukraine we showed the video of Vaisesika Prabhu called “Be a Giver” to two hundred devotee counselors. The theme is the more you give the more you grow.

Although we do many things to take care of devotees, an important way of taking care of devotees is instilling in them faith in pure devotional service.

“Pure devotional service rendered to the Supreme Lord is spiritually so potent that simply by hearing about such transcendental service, by chanting its glories in response, by meditating on it, by respectfully and faithfully accepting it, or by praising the devotional service of others, even persons who hate the demigods and all other living beings can be immediately purified.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.2.12)

Without pure devotional service, everything else is a show, Prahlada Maharaja told his friends.

Our qualification is to hear about pure devotional service.

Srila Prabhupada was very expert in encouraging us to do something wonderful for Krishna.

Although Srila Prabhupada warned us about being fanatical, we were still fanatical.

During the marathon, we would distribute books from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Then on Saturday night we began to stay out later, sometimes to 2:00 a.m. After that we began to fast on Saturday so we would have more time to distribute books. Then we would simplify the Sunday feast, so we could go out on Sundays and distribute books.

As soon as we become complacent thinking we are doing enough, we stop growing.

Doing more does not necessarily mean doing more physically. We can use our body, our mind, or our words. You can always speak to others more, like on the subway, and keep a book with you.

One hour after my lecture on being a giver in Ukraine, devotees bought 7,800 books, and 2,600 were maha big books.

We were the first to capitalize on advertising after communism in Russia, and we had Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita ad on all the buses and subways in Moscow.

At that time in Moscow, the most difficult thing about selling books was to keep the people waiting in lines before our book tables.

Srila Prabhupada to the Radha Damodara devotees in Atlanta, “Those who go out and distribute books in vans get my extra special mercy.” We talked about it. That is what we were all eager for for.

If you find the notes on this class inspiring and would like to see a video of the entire class, here it is (https://youtu.be/-s4a4CSz0nU):

Radhanath Swami:

From a lecture at Brooklyn temple on November 25:

Our spiritual advancement depends on our being grateful for the opportunity to take shelter of Radha Govinda, Their names, forms, etc.

Kali is so challenging in so many ways we need to cry out to Radha Govinda for Their mercy.

The Humble Servants of Srila Prabhupada:

“Lord Krishna states in Bhagavad-gita, ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham: ‘As people approach Me, I reciprocate with them accordingly.’ Yet even if the Lord is approached by someone with devotion, to intensify the devotee’s love the Lord may not immediately reciprocate fully. In fact, the Lord is truly reciprocating. After all, a sincere devotee always prays to the Lord, ‘Please help me to love You purely.’ Therefore the Lord’s so-called neglect is actually the fulfillment of the devotee’s prayer. Lord Krishna intensifies our love for Him by apparently separating Himself from us, and the result is that we achieve what we really wanted and prayed for: intense love for the Absolute Truth, Krishna. Thus Lord Krishna’s apparent negligence is actually His thoughtful reciprocation and the fulfillment of our deepest and purest desire.

“According to the acaryas, as Lord Krishna began to speak this verse the gopis looked at one another with squinting eyes, trying to hide the smiles breaking out on their faces. Even as Lord Krishna was speaking, the gopis had begun to realize that He was bringing them to the highest perfection of loving service.”

From the chapter summary of Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.33:

“The Supreme Absolute Truth, Sri Krishna, is present within the hearts of all living entities as their indwelling witness. When out of His mercy He exhibits His intimate pastimes to His devotees, these activities are never besmirched by mundane imperfection. Any living being who hears of the spontaneous loving attraction the gopis felt for Lord Krishna will have his desires for material sense gratification destroyed at the root and will develop his natural propensity for serving the Supreme Lord, the spiritual master, and the Lord’s devotees.”

Pyari Mohan Prabhu:

Bhisma saw his father was depressed, so he asked his father’s charioteer if he could understand why because he did not want ask his father directly. The charioteer explained that his father wanted to marry Satyavati, but she would only marry him if her son could become king.

Srila Prabhupada explains that Krishna would rather be known as a protector of His devotees rather than a great moralist who never breaks His solemn vow.

Q: What is the purpose of the long lists of names in the Bhagavatam?

A: Because King Pariksit was brought up in that culture, the different people listed are people he was aware of and had some interest in, so for him it was not like it is for us, a list of names we have difficulty pronouncing of people we know nothing about. Also just hearing the Bhagavatam is purifying because it is Krishna Himself in the form of sound.

Yogesvara Prabhu:

From a morning class at the Bhakti Center:

The Bhakti Center is transcendental once you walk in the door, but the further you go up the more transcendental it is.

In the Vedic times, if you passed through a farm and you were hungry it was acceptable to take some fruit from a tree there. You could not take a basket and stock up, but you could eat what you needed.

Nature is bountiful naturally, but irregularities in human society cause shortages.

Scientists used to be called natural philosophers and used their abilities to glorify God. There was no separation between science and religion.

When scientists became more reductionistic, they delighted in finding things out for themselves and prided themselves on not taking help from some divine source.

When Srila Prabhupada heard a senior disciple criticizing religious leaders in Paris for being all wrong, Prabhupada said they were not all wrong, but their understanding was incomplete.

At a talk on consciousness attended by a prominent brain scientist at Columbia University, the scientists were saying we used to think we had a brain but now we know we are the brain. One philosopher present was visibly troubled by this and asked the question, “Would it be too much to say that after so many years of study we have not completely understood consciousness?” and the scientists responded by completely ignoring him.

To find how a devotee should respond to social issues I had an idea to investigate how the previous acaryas [spiritual masters] said devotees should deal with the important social issues of the world. I found absolute nothing in the writings of the previous acaryas, but Srila Prabhupada in his early issues of Back to Godhead magazine addressed contemporary topics and showed in each case how Krishna consciousness could solve the problem.

Sadaputa Prabhu, when he heard of Stephen Jay Gould’s theory of punctuated equilibrium, looked at the theory mathematically and concluded it was a nice idea but the math did not support it. That was a unique contribution he could make using his mathematical abilities.

We each have to find some thing that we uniquely have to contribute to bring Krishna consciousness out to the people in general.

Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Goswami’s technique was to ask prominent scientists questions and publish the conclusions of the conversations in books.

Srila Prabhupada did not have a problem with science but with those scientists who claimed to explain everything without God.

Generally people are won over by devotees’ character.

All people who did meet Srila Prabhupada, no matter what their philosophy was, would conclude, “He is a very spiritual person.”

Comment by me: Srila Prabhupada had two famous enemies, the scientists and the Mayavadis. The scientists promote a worldview where all that exists is matter. Because there is no individual soul and no supreme soul in their conception, there is no impetus for self-realization, and there is no question of bhakti, devotional service by the individual soul to the supreme soul. Similarly the Mayavadis propagate the view that the supreme soul and the individual soul are one. In this worldview, the idea of bhakti also will never arise for there is no God to be served other than oneself. Because these two kinds of philosophers cheat people out of bhakti, devotional service to the Supreme Lord, they greatly angered Srila Prabhupada, whose mission was to propagate bhakti all over the world, and thus he used strong language when speaking about them.

From a Friday evening talk to Russian devotees at 26 Second Avenue:

My grandparents lived across the street from 26 Second Avenue, and as a kid I looked into what became this temple.

For work I came to Moscow twenty times between 1989 and 1995, during that transitional period.

We say chanting is important but without association of devotees we will stop chanting, so association is very important.

My memories of my times with Srila Prabhupada have kept me going. Otherwise I am sure I would have perished.

Every fraction of a second with Srila Prabhupada is a new story.

“Don’t disturb more than necessary,” Srila Prabhupada said to Nanda Kumar, when he reached up to break off a third willow twig off a tree in Regents Park for Srila Prabhupada to use as a toothbrush. Despite so many important projects going on in his ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada had concern for a plant.

I have issues with sentimentalizing Srila Prabhupada.

It is best to tell Srila Prabhupada stories and show how they fit into his mission.

Comment by Kate: It is wonderful that so many skills I have acquired in this life I can use in Krishna’s service. A friend told me, “It is like Krishna was training you up all along.”

Epigenetics deals with idea that trauma can alter your genetics in such a way that it can be passed to the next generation. The question comes up in the lives of the descendants of holocaust victims.

Once I asked Srila Prabhupada, “What do you think of psychiatry?” He said it had some benefit and that he sent his son to British psychiatrist after he came back from college with some psychological difficulties. He said it helped for some time but then suddenly the son left home never to return. Later we learned that the son died in a homeless condition.

Q: I heard that Srila Prabhupada defined humility as being brave for Krishna. I do not understand that. Can you explain?

A: I have not heard that personally, but let’s assume it is true. Humility means not being concerned with yourself, so if you are brave for Krishna you are not thinking of yourself. Instead you are thinking of Krishna. So in that way it makes sense.

Comment by Niranjana Swami: Srila Prabhupada said, “A devotee should be a lamb at home and a lion in the chase.”

I was reading the Sri Caitanya-caritamrita during Srila Prabhupada’s massage. The passage was telling all the details how to get to a certain holy place like what train to take to what station. I asked how Srila Prabhupada why he made it so detailed. Srila Prabhupada said he wanted people to understand Krishna consciousness was substantial. I praised Srila Prabhupada for doing this, but he lowered and shook his head from side to side, feeling embarrassed out of humility. Thus I learned it was a mistake to praise Srila Prabhupada as it made him feel uncomfortable.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura approached his father, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, three times asking if he could publish the poems of Vidyapati and Candidas which describe the intimate pastimes of Krishna, but Bhaktivinoda Thakura objected that everyone would misunderstand. The final time he relented saying, “You can publish one copy for yourself.” I said to Srila Prabhupada, “You would have understood them.” Again Srila Prabhupada shook his head in humility.

I was involved with book production for Srila Prabhupada. Once Prabhupada liked the result and asked me, “Are you the main man on this?”

I said, “I am the last man on this.”

He said, “This is Vaishnava.”

I studied the holocaust extensively and sometimes speak as an expert in that field. When people ask if there is anything we can learn from the war crimes trials after World War II that could affect justice today, I say, “That depends on if you think humans are just chemicals acting according to physical laws or if you think we have a sacred aspect.” That comment gets me more applause than anything else I say.

Every day was an amazing adventure when Srila Prabhupada was present. If we find something special that we have to offer in his service that we are excited about, it can still be that way.

Q: How can you be so enthusiastic?

A: Think about what Srila Prabhupada has taught us. You are a soul, brighter than ten thousand suns. God is in every atom. Through the scripture, we have been given such a vision. Look more closely, and see Krishna peeking up at you. You do not have to add anything else to your life, but within your very life look for Krishna.

Q: Of all Srila Prabhupada’s amazing qualities are there any special ones that inspire you?

A: His magnanimity in picking me up. Having lots of association with him, I saw he loved people. He cared about everybody.

In Paris one guy who knew some of Bhagavad-gita went on and on speaking a lot of speculation, even saying that we are all Krishna. It was embarrassing to hear, but Srila Prabhupada endured listening to it. Finally the man quoted a Bhagavad-gita verse, and Srila Prabhupada complimented him for speaking so nicely, which greatly pleased him. Then Srila Prabhupada turned the whole conversation based on that verse, teaching the qualification for seeing Krishna.

One scholar had written a commentary on Bhagavad-gita. He proudly said he had spent twenty-five years on it. Srila Prabhupada, looking at it said, “And there are still mistakes.” Then he added, “If you want to learn Bhagavad-gita, you should follow the example of these students [pointing to his disciples] who even in their youth gave up sense enjoyment.” The man had interpreted everything as analogies having gone to India and been influenced by Mayavadis, so his misunderstanding was natural. Rather than responding with anger and defeating him, Srila Prabhupada compassionately gave the man a copy of Nectar of Devotion, so he would get the proper understanding.

Srila Prabhupada had something nice to say about everybody, he was patient, and he wanted to benefit everyone spiritually. That is the Prabhupada I remember.

Rama Raya Prabhu:

Krishna divides distressed people in two, those who are in need of money and those who are otherwise distressed.

Krishna is an equal opportunity employer. Everyone has the opportunity to have an eternal, intimate relationship with Krishna.

You do not have to be a renouncer to become a devotee because from devotional service renunciation follows automatically.

Freedom from material desires is evidence of advancement in devotional service.

The state has to make so much endeavor to build prisons that are difficult to escape from, but Krishna is so expert that he has created a prison, this material world, in which no one wants to leave.

There is always someone who wants to be cheated, and so there is a cheater there to assist him.

What to speak of in our society, Krishna, in his pure society of cowherd boys and cowherd girls had to contend with so many disturbing elements in His pastimes. Even Lord Brahma stole his friends and calves, and Lord Indra tried to drown all the inhabitants of Vrindavan.

Srila Prabhupada once said that you cannot expect everyone to engage in devotional service, but those who do will be benefited.

The unfortunate conditioned souls do not have even one moment in their entire lives to hear about their ultimate spiritual benefit.

In modern society, Thanksgiving means thanking God for giving us our sense gratification.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura tells a story about a man trapped in a well who is thrown a rope by a well-wisher. The man in the well asked for help in grabbing the rope. He compares that to the guru giving the path to perfection to a disciple, who then begs him for additional mercy.

Tis folly to be wise

Where ignorance is bliss.

Hardly a man in a thousand

Realizes this. [Bhagavad-gita 7.3]

Those who accept the guru as the captain of their ship and accept the directions of the revealed literature are very dear to Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada said if he had a third heart attack on the boat he would have died, and that he was destined to have a third heart attack, but Krishna protected him by delaying it till May of 1967.

Srila Prabhupada said to Govinda Dasi and Gaurasundara Prabhu at their first meeting with him, “Simply come to my classes morning and evening, and everything will be alright.”

Srila Prabhupada said everyone who gets a book becomes a devotee.

Gurudas Prabhu:

From a class at the Yuga Dharma Ashram:

We think that a child has a future, but we learn from Bhagavad-gita that an old man also has a future.

Even in the most elevated bastions of education, knowledge of the transmigration of the self is missing.

That we follow what we preach is a sign of the devotees’ purity.

The people in general do not know the importance of spiritual inquiry.

We may not be so pure, but we have a message that is important for each and every individual passing by.

We have a relationship with the Lord who is always there with us, begging us to come back to Him, inviting us with His flute to join His spiritual lila [pastimes].

Srila Prabhupada brought with him to America the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam because he knew it had the power to transform people’s lives.

We learn unmotivated devotional service from the devotee who acts without material motivations.

We daily remember: My spiritual master asked me to chant sixteen rounds, and not sixteen rounds, but sixteen good rounds not distracted rounds.

The spiritual master is empowered to give this message.

We serve our personal spiritual master, in addition to carrying out the instructions of Srila Prabhupada. We think, “My spiritual master is giving me a personal invitation to take part in this mission.” If we are fortunate, we can get personal instructions from our spiritual master. We can also try to assist our spiritual master in his particular part of Srila Prabhupada’s mission.

“This relation of servant and the served is the most congenial form of intimacy” [Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6, purport] is a powerful line.

Sometimes people think “I will wait until I become more pure and then I will engage in devotional service.” That is a misunderstanding. We should engage in devotional service in any case, and by that service we will become purified.

Comment by me: Sometimes we may feel dissatisfaction. In that case, according to this verse, our service must be motivated or interrupted because unmotivated, uninterrupted service completely satisfies the soul. Thus we can look within and see what motivations and interruptions are there and eliminate them.

Response: It is important we have the faith in the truth of these statements in the scriptures. In the beginning our faith may not be so great, and thus if we are dissatisfied, we may try something else other than Krishna consciousness.

Q: How to find a guru?

A: Hear from or read the writings of different gurus and see if one especially speaks to you. Also pray to Krishna.

Comment by Vishnu-citta Prabhu: Reading Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita I learned who Srila Prabhupada was and what he expected of his followers, thus it was easy for me to choose my guru. He had to be someone who perfectly represented Srila Prabhupada.

In addition to lifting people up, we are also inviting them to enjoy with us on the spiritual plane.

The end of jnana [knowledge] is bhakti [devotional service].

Comments by me:

That reminds me of two Bhagavad-gita verses:

“I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.” (Bhagavad-gita 10.8)

“Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me – and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me.” (Bhagavad-gita 4.10)

Both these verses indicate that by acquiring knowledge of Krishna we ultimately come to attain love for Krishna.

Vishnu-citta Prabhu:

Srila Prabhupada stresses an advanced Vaishnava can convert others to Vaishnavism.

Some say God is all energy, like those in Islam. They consider it is abominable the idea that God has a form.

Others, like the Christians, consider God as a controller and a judge.

Srila Prabhupada would say, “You have a form. Your father has a form. Your grandfather has a form. How is it that God does not have a form?”

Ayurveda considers the body to be a temple of diseases. Thus material forms are considered disadvantageous. Therefore some transcendentalists think that God cannot have such a form. And if God has no form, then He can have no activities.

The conception of God as a controller is incomplete because it denies the other features of His personality, like His relationships with others.

Even if one possesses to a great degree even just one of the six kinds of opulence which Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord, possesses in full, such a person becomes very prominent. These six kinds of opulence are knowledge, renunciation, strength, wealth, beauty, and fame.

Some people say if you do not know about Jesus, you will go to hell. Why then would God put some people in places where they would never hear about Jesus and then send them to hell? God is not whimsical.

In the initial understanding of God, you do not see His form or activities. You just see light.

Comment by Mahotsaha Prabhu: When we went to the Udupi temple in New Jersey we noticed that they do not speak against Advaitavadis although that was a key feature of Madhvacarya’s presentation.

Kalki Prabhu:

By hearing about Krishna, one gains faith.

We can still learn even from new devotees because the spiritual principles they are realizing are universal.

Srila Prabhupada says that if we are not meek and humble, spiritual life will be difficult.

You can learn humility by interacting with the people in general on book distribution because they say so many things to you like “you belong to a cult,” etc.

Some people there is no point arguing with because they are beyond reason.

Lord Caitanya says we can chant Hare Krishna unceasingly with taste if we are humble.

If we are doing different things with the idea that because of them we are entitled to receive Krishna’s mercy, Krishna may choose not to reciprocate because of that fruitive attitude. Better to perform the recommended activities desiring purification.

There is nothing intrinsically spiritual about getting married although it can be done in a spiritual way.

Attachment to the opposite sex can distract one from spiritual life. Even materially one can become degraded by such an attachment. President Clinton suffered loss of reputation because of illicit connection with some lady he was not married to.

Srila Prabhupada says here [Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.17, purport] that most people do not want go back to Godhead. We may think that we want to back to Godhead, but when we introspect, we may notice that we are still attached to different things that are impediments to going back to Godhead. So how much do we really want to go back to Godhead?

Comment by Bhagavata Purana Prabhu: If we meet someone from another religion, we can always say, “This book will make you a better Christian, Jew or whatever.”

Comment: [Regarding the illusion of wealth bringing happiness:] One friend who has a Lamborghini says if one tire gets punctured you have to replace the whole set of four for $5,000.

Mahotsaha Prabhu:

Bhaktivinoda Thakura says in the marketplace of the holy name, we can act as brokers by bringing the jiva souls to the acaryas [spiritual masters], and if we do so we will get a commission.

Our modern society is run by the vaisyas [businessman] who are only concerned with making a profit and unconcerned with destruction of the environment, useless labor, or waste.

These vaisyas accept direction only from materialistic scientists with no understanding of God.

The body is beautiful and amazing as long as the spirit soul is in the body.

The vaisyas do not understand that all the distress they cause to others will cause them to suffer in the future themselves.

Formerly character was the most important quality in a teacher. Now if you can pass some courses and get good grades, you can teach. In my university someone was failing so she had sex with the professor and ended up getting a ‘B’. She complained to other students, “Was I that bad? I should have gotten an ‘A’!”

In this society so much glorification is there for rock stars. Why are we concerned about this? We are representatives of Krishna, and He recommends people glorify Him and not others.

People have no goal. If we do not tell them, how will they come to know. How can one love God if one does not know who God is? We know “in a temple of jewels in Vrindavan, underneath a desire tree, Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, served by Their most confidential associates, sit upon an effulgent throne.” Therefore we have to spread this knowledge.

If we serve Krishna we will be saved from serving so many bad masters.

The Bhagavad-gita was spoken five thousand years ago, but it is still studied and people experience it to be ever fresh. I heard a Prabhupada lecture three times yesterday, and it remained ecstatic and I am eager to hear it three more times. That is the spiritual nature.

Comment by Isvari Jahnava Dasi: I feel that Krishna protects at every step, from even when I just started the path of devotional service. You are very fortunate to be fully engaged in chanting harinama and distributing books. I hope each of you can go out and create such an ashram elsewhere.

Gopal Campu Prabhu:

Our natural position is to be satisfied in spiritual bliss.

Imagine being in deer’s body and remembering you were formerly a king who went to the forest to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead!

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The Sunday before Gita Jayanti, devotees celebrated the event at the Brooklyn temple. The priest, who performed a fire sacrifice in honor of the Gita, engaged us in chanting thirty important verses from Bhagavad-gita and the Gita-mahatmya. Here is one of the several sweet verses from that Gita-mahatmya:

gita su-gita kartavya

kim anyaih sastra-vistaraih

ya svayam padmanabhasya

mukha-padmad vinihsrta

“Because Bhagavad-gita is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one need not read any other Vedic literature. One need only attentively and regularly hear and read Bhagavad-gita. In the present age, people are so absorbed in mundane activities that it is not possible for them to read all the Vedic literatures. But this is not necessary. This one book, Bhagavad-gita, will suffice, because it is the essence of all Vedic literatures and especially because it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Gita-mahatmya 4)