Travel Journal#14.24: New York City and Albany

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 14, No. 24 

By Krishna-kripa das 

(December 2018, part two) 

New York City and Albany 

(Sent from Tallahassee, Florida, on January 12, 2019)

Where I Went and What I Did

I continued staying in the Yuga Dharma Ashram and chanting in New York City subway stations six hours a day throughout the second half of December. We were very happy to have Niranjana Swami visit toward the end of the month. He gave a class at our ashram one day and chanted with us at Grand Central subway station another. He also chanted at the Bhakti Center Thursday Kirtan again and chanted and spoke at the Russian devotees’ program at 26 Second Avenue on Friday. For Christmas Eve I visited my family in Albany, New York, and distributed prasadam as usual. The last Saturday in December, I gave the Bhagavad-gita class at 26 Second Avenue, and on New Year’s Eve, we did an extra harinama to celebrate the coming New Year.

I share notes on classes by Srila Prabhupada and excerpts from the Free Write Journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on the classes of visiting sannyasi, Niranjana Swami, at different New York City venues. I share notes on the Yuga Dharma Ashram morning classes of Rama Raya, Vishnu-citta, Natabara Gauranga, Kalki, and Mahotsaha Prabhus. I share points during a class from Gopal Campu Prabhu, from an email by Gaurav, and from a conversation with Victor Anderson, a Buddhist practitioner.

Thanks to Kaliya Krishna Prabhu for his donation from the congregation of the Saturday Bhagavad-gita class program at 26 Second Avenue and his personal donation. Thanks to Victor Anderson of Albany for his kind donation. Many thanks to Prabhupada disciple, Lalita Manjari Devi Dasi, who facilitated Ishvari Jahnava Dasi’s visit to the Yuga Dharma Ashram, for her generous donation.

Thanks to Divyangi Devi Dasi for her many harinama photos. Thanks to Kaliya Krishna Prabhu for his photo of Niranjana Swami on harinama. Thanks to Adi Shyam Prabhu and Mangala Gita for the videos of Niranjana Swami on harinama. Thanks to Sasha Prabhu for his video of our extra New Year’s Eve harinama in the Grand Central subway station and on the subway. 

Itinerary

January 6–16: Tallahassee, Florida State University (weekdays), Lake Ella (weekends)

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 (USF) or Jacksonville (UNF), Florida

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

January 27–: Tallahassee, Florida State University (weekdays), Lake Ella (weekends)

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

September 8: Great North Run harinama (Newcastle-upon-Tyne)

Chanting Hare Krishna with the NYC Yuga Dharma Ashram

I lived with the Yuga Dharma Ashram devotees, attending their six-hour harinamas each day, chanting Hare Krishna in different New York City subway stations, such as Penn Station as you see here.

I sometimes led the chanting,

sometimes watched the book table,

sometimes distributed “On Chanting Hare Krishna,”

and sometimes danced.

The book distributors continued their marathon, ultimately distributing over 10,000 books in forty-one days, ending on New Year’s Day in 2019.

They continued selling several saptarsis (sets of seven books) each day.

Special mention goes this time to Kalki Prabhu,
who en route to harinama, sold a saptarsi to a man on the subway!

As usual different devotee guests passed through New York City and joined our harinama for some time.

We were exceedingly happy to be visited by Niranjana Swami, who chanted Hare Krishna with us in Grand Central subway station, while Murali Gopal Prabhu danced. Devala Prabhu played the drum. (https://youtu.be/3wjnI7PX5S4):

Mangala Gita also posted a video of Niranjana Swami chanting on this harinama (https://youtu.be/qvJmO0pQID0):

This is the entire kirtan from Niranjana Swami’s official web site (https://youtu.be/mQGksEgFEMQ):

After Niranjana Swami’s kirtan, Rama Raya Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna and Murali Gopal Prabhu danced (https://youtu.be/RwPotUX92Eg):

Besides Niranjana Swami, we had other visiting devotees join our sankirtana party during the end of December. Here Devala Prabhu, son of Janmastami Prabhu, visiting from Florida, chants Hare Krishna in Grand Central subway station. Liza of Brooklyn, home from college for the the winter break, who is playing the karatalas next to him, first came in touch with Hare Krishna through this NYC Harinama party. Kishor Gopal Prabhu plays the drum, and his mother, Ekadasi Vrata Devi Dasi, visiting from Alachua, sits next to him. At the end of this clip, Niranjana Swami enters and people bow down to him (https://youtu.be/akqjQJNABm8):

Here Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna to the tune of the famous New Year’s song, “Auld Lang Syne,” in Grand Central subway station. Whenever I hear it, I always lament another year has passed, and I have not attained Krishna! (https://youtu.be/KLjVdAxEbPs):

As usual Rama Raya Prabhu’s lively devotional chanting inspired devotees and passersby to participate in different ways.

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Penn Station subway station on New Year’s Eve and several passersby enjoy dancing and playing instruments (https://youtu.be/Is-sF4I9hOE):

Here Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station, and a performer dances with the devotees, including Murali Gopal Prabhu, who is somewhat of a performer himself (https://youtu.be/jsLA4ZF0RXQ):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Atlantic Avenue / Barclays Center subway station in Brooklyn, and several passersby dance (https://youtu.be/Uo_rqcDMi3Y):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Grand Central subway station, and Chanchal dances with an eccentric dresser (https://youtu.be/_NClDSPpmiA):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Union Square subway station, and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/ZCSuJVyh850):

Rama Raya chants Hare Krishna in Times Square subway station and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/y0mVTYBEbzA):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Times Square subway station, and a lady dances and kids play shakers (https://youtu.be/RLph6UQjk-o):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station, and Murali Gopal Prabhu dances enthusiastically (https://youtu.be/dudj1WYASsw):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna to “Jingle Bells” tune at Penn Station subway station (https://youtu.be/5n1tsa7V8-E):

Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station, and some girls dance as well as three devotees (https://youtu.be/3VeUOhmbO1E):

Bhagavata Purana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station, and an elderly Indian lady dances enthusiastically while playing the shakers (https://youtu.be/VUzUrsCKZS0):

Krishna Prasad Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Penn Station subway station on New Year’s Eve, and two bros enjoy dancing and playing instruments (https://youtu.be/CTWSjVa8dwI):

Ishvari Jahnava Dasi chants Hare Krishna as a passerby plays saxophone at Union Square subway station (https://youtu.be/bEYS4qRVZ9o):

A young lady, just about to board the New York City subway at Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue, shares her experience of being attracted by the chanting of Hare Krishna with Mahotsaha Prabhu, who sold her a CD of Hare Krishna chants and several of Srila Prabhupada’s books (https://youtu.be/qc2aXxpqnTg):

Niranjana Swami Chants Hare Krishna at 26 Second Avenue

Niranjana Swami chants Hare Krishna at 26 Second Avenue during the Friday night program organized by the Russian-speaking devotees (https://youtu.be/wK9CRQ8Vxd4):

My Mini Marathon

For the Prabhupada Marathon in December during the week before Christmas Eve I decided to go out for two more hours of chanting Hare Krishna before joining our regular party and chanting another six hours with them. I displayed books and had a donation bowl, and if people gave me money I offered them books.

The first day I chanted Hare Krishna at Columbus Circle on the downtown platform of the 1 train. Our harinama party used to chant there several years back. One guy gave a dollar and accepted the Spanish book called Karma. An Indian man gave a dollar but did not want a book. One young yoga instructor gave me a dollar. I offered him a small book, and he declined saying he had Bhagavad-gita. He returned a few moments later and gave me five dollars saying that the devotees had given him the Bhagavad-gita for free, and he had said he would give them a donation later. One middle-aged lady said she often bought books from us, saying she had Bhagavad-gita, Nectar of Instruction, and Sri Isopanisad. She wanted Science of Self-Realization but did not have enough money for it. One young lady looked very happy to hear me chanting. She had Bhagavad-gita and Bhakti already. She also wanted Science of Self-Realization but did not have enough money for it. Altogether I collected $9.04 but only distributed a single book. One thing I learned from the experience is there are people out there who already have Srila Prabhupada’s books, and they like them so much they want more, and that was nice to see.

One day a Hispanic guy bought a Spanish Bhagavad-gita. Another day a young Oriental lady who loved the sound of the kirtan gave a donation and accepted a book. Once a devotee couple came by and chanted a few mantra with us before continuing on their way. Once an Indian man donated twenty dollars.

I noticed I was a lot more tired at the end of our six-hour harinama as a result of going our earlier and chanting that additional two hours. One day while sitting at the book table and leaning against the pillar, I was so tired I dropped the “On Chanting Hare Krishna” pamphlet I was holding ten times during a span of half an hour!

The week after Christmas on two different days Ananda Sankirtana Prabhu joined me for one hour extra of harinama and on a rainy New Year’s Eve six devotees joined me in a harinama lasting for an hour and a half in three subway stations and on four trains. Here is a summary of my marathon:

New Year’s Eve Harinama in the Subway Stations and on the Trains

Unfortunately, despite the beautiful graphics by Rukmini and the Facebook event by Sasha, because of rain and cold weather I got a group of just seven devotees to chant on New Year’s Eve, after our daily six hours of chanting was finished. We did not have enough drum players to bring the harmonium, so I left that back at the Bhakti Center along with my computer. Kishor Gopal Prabhu, because of his musical talent and his devotion, was a great asset on our party, and so I decided to end the harinama at his final destination, the Brooklyn Radha-Govinda temple where there was kirtana from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on New Year’s Eve. We planned to chant from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., but by the time we gathered devotees together and decided where we would chant on that rainy evening it was 8:30 p.m. We decided to chant at the Union Square subway station because it was nearby and often crowded. To save time we decided to also chant on the F train and the 6 train which bought us there. We probably chanted at Union Square for fifteen or twenty minutes. While we were there one man learned the mantra and sang a few mantras with us. Gaurav distributed some prasadam and collected some donations. Some passersby danced to the music. Some devotees thought 42^nd St. would be busier, so we chanted on the 4 train for one stop up to Grand Central subway station, where there is a shuttle to Times Square, the center of attention on New Year’s Eve. We chanted through the passage to the shuttle, but we found that Grand Central was really dead. Perhaps it was because there was no street access to the subway at Times Square, a detail I forgot about. Kishor Gopal Prabhu was tired of playing the drum, so I played the drum and sang from Grand Central to Union Square on the 6 train, changing subways cars after each stop so as not to disturb the subway riders too much and to give a new set of people the chance to hear the holy names (https://youtu.be/9a8WkV6aEFE):

At Union Square, at about 9:30 p.m., different devotees in our party went their separate ways. Kishor Gopal, Sasha, and I kept chanting Hare Krishna together, taking the 5 train toward Brooklyn as far as Bowling Green, its final destination that day. There we had to wait eight minutes for the 4 train to get all the way to Brooklyn, and I gave the drum and the lead back to Kishor Gopal for the rest of the journey. When we got to the Nevins station one nice devotee lady held her umbrella over our chanting party to protect us from the rain as we walked the two and a half blocks toward the temple chanting. Amazingly enough, we made it to the Brooklyn temple at 10:00 p.m., the time I planned to end the harinama. It turned out they were serving an elaborate feast, bigger than the Sunday feast the day before, and we joined several regular attenders on our NYC harinamas, who were taking prasadam, along with Candrasekhara Swami.

Many, many thanks to Kishor Gopal Prabhu, Yugala Piriti Devi Dasi, Natasha, Dixon, Gaurav, and Sasha for coming on New Year’s Eve harinama. We hope for better weather and attendance this coming New Year’s Eve.

Visiting Albany for Christmas Eve

For Christmas I distributed prasadam to my family members and attenders at the Albany Friends Meeting (Quakers) as usual. I made carrot-coconut rice and mint coconut burfi for the Quakers and gave my family members Bhakta Ken’s cookies and the YumEarth organic hard candies we distribute on harinama. Both groups got doughnuts from the Doughnut Plant.

Victor showed me a box he constructed outside the Quaker Meetinghouse. It contained literature for those who stopped by when no one was home. Sounds like an idea the Hare Krishnas could use!

For Christmas my family gave me a hat and wool socks, figs, date coconut sweets, YumEarth lollipops, and an organic candy bar.

This year for the first time they spontaneously sang Christmas carols which is very auspicious because the congregational glorification of God is the best way to spend one’s time in this age from the spiritual point of view.

After we sang the Christmas carols I noticed on my sister’s piano a photo of me and devotees from the UK. She saw it in my blog and had a print made of it. It was a photo of a harinama in Liverpool after the devotees had watched the Hare Krishna! film at a theater there. We were descending from Liverpool One on an escalator. Thanks to Jude for the original photo!

Christmas morning before my bus back to New York City I borrowed a car and drove to my mother’s place and installed her new printer, just to make her life easier as a gift on Christmas.

Christmas afternoon and evening I chanted with the Yuga Dharma Ashram in Times Square subway station, the most crowded of the stations in the city, especially on holidays.

Income and Expenses for 2018

Because I receive donations from people, I feel I should account for how the money is spent, thus I share the summary of my income and expenses for 2018. 

It is all rather straightforward. Food expenses are so low as I eat in the temples and at the houses of devotees. This was a bad year for waste as two programs were canceled after I booked travel to them, I dropped a £10 note, and I booked a bus for the wrong date by accident. If anyone wants more details, I can supply, but for now I share this summary.

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.4:

Even Prahlada Maharaja, who was a maha-bhagavata in the womb of his mother, had to accept a guru.

It is not that a maha-bhagavata does not experience trials. That is the nature of the material world that there is difficulty, but although in difficulty, neither Prahlada Maharaja nor Lord Jesus Christ forgot Krishna [the Supreme Lord].

Everyone has the potency to become a maha-bhagavata if he tries. How? By following a maha-bhagavata seriously.

A nitya siddha is one who does not fall down but remains in the spiritual world, Vaikunthaloka.

As the prison house is an insignificant part of the state, the material world is an insignificant part of God’s total creation.

The nitya siddha maha-bhagavata comes from the spiritual world to teach by his example.

You cannot become a maha-bhagavata all of a sudden.

The second stage is becoming a preacher. When you become advanced, the desire for preaching will manifest.

Comments by Vishnu-citta Prabhu: The points I liked from this lecture by Srila Prabhupada were:

(1) Once you go back to the spiritual world there is no difference between you and the nitya siddhas already there.

(2) Even a kid can be a maha-bhagavata.

When we distribute books, Srila Prabhupada is doing the preaching.

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.1 in Los Angeles on December 29, 1973:

If you want good government, become a bhagavata [a devotee] and elect a maha-bhagavata [a pure devotee of the highest degree].

All the leaders should be maha-bhagavatas. Then everyone will be happy because maha-bhagavatas’ only business is to work for the benefit of others.

The government should make arrangements that the opportunity of human life, to go back to Godhead, should not be missed. That is the idea of Vedic civilization.

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

From Free Writing Journal#20:

“All-out nuclear war would be horrendous for all people. But how to stop it? During the Cold War between Russia and the U.S.A., Prabhupada said we could not take political or military action. He quoted the verse from the Puranas: harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam . . . ‘Chant the holy names, chant the holy names, chant the holy names. In the age of Kali, there is no other way to peace and God consciousness but the chanting of the holy names.’ The harinama party is stopping the missiles from falling by congregational sankirtana.”

“Krishna is the light in the sun,
the taste in water,
the ability in man.
‘The impersonalist perceives the presence
of the Lord in water by its taste, and the
personalist also glorifies the Lord for
His kindly supplying tasty water to
quench man’s thirst.’ I want to
be active in thanking Krishna for
His graces and not begrudge
or blame Him for obstacles
in my life. I want to see Him everywhere
and see everything in Him. Thus
He will never be lost to me.”

Niranjana Swami:

From a class at a Russian program at 26 Second Avenue:

I have observed in my travels both in America and Germany that usually the Russian speaking devotees have their own programs. Sometimes I speak in such a way to break down such barriers, but as we have a mixed group here, that will not be necessary.

Inspiration is the best way for communities to develop. You cannot legislate.

Srila Prabhupada says fire is in wood but in association with another fire it comes out. Similarly, our spiritual tendencies are awakened in the association of devotees.

The symptom of nonenviousness is that a devotee is liberal in his social dealings with others.

Devotees from the early days will all say they came because Srila Prabhupada walked his talk. He was so genuine they were inspired.

Prabhupada would emphasize “somehow or other remember Krishna” so people would not put rules and regulations first.

Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura argues that satatam in smartavyah satatam vishnur means not ‘always’ but ‘every day’ and stresses that the sadhaka must do something every day to remember Krishna.

“One should learn how to associate with the devotees of the Lord by gathering with them to chant the glories of the Lord. This process is most purifying. As devotees thus develop their loving friendship, they feel mutual happiness and satisfaction. And by thus encouraging one another they are able to give up material sense gratification, which is the cause of all suffering.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.3.30)

Devotees sometimes fall into a “all or nothing” mentality which causes them to give up devotional service. Maya gives us so many excuses to accept an "all or nothing" mentality.

Ultimately we want to love everyone, but in the beginning we cannot even love the devotees.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura says unless there is priti [love] there is no association.

When people love us without desiring anything in return we are inspired to love them in the same way, without desiring anything in return.

Krishna gives His heart and mind to His devotees. This comes out in the pastime of Durvasa Muni asking the Lord to call off His sudarsana chakra. The Lord advises Durvasa to approach Maharaja Ambarisa, His devotee, for He had given Himself to His devotee.

If you relish each other’s association you will get unlimited inspiration for community development.

As soon as we fall into the mentality of thinking we do not need association we are in trouble.

If we really want good association and we pray for it, Krishna will make the arrangement.

Sometimes we think friends means being equal, but do not be afraid to serve. A real friend you can take a subordinate role with and not be exploited.

You are thinking that the American devotees are in a bubble, but I know many American devotees think the Russian devotees are in a bubble.

I try to get the American leaders to understand the mentality of the Russian devotees. That is my contribution.

By appreciating and serving devotees we can develop relationships with them.

If we associate by hearing and speaking about Krishna it will be universally relishable, and new people will be attracted.

Out of compassion and out of duty, we can hear people who have problems and try to help them, but we must avoid becoming too absorbed in their problems ourselves.

Comment by me which I just thought of but did not say:
Another relevant verse is:
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear sons of the King, I am very much pleased by the friendly relationships among you. All of you are engaged in one occupation — devotional service. I am so pleased with your mutual friendship that I wish you all good fortune. Now you may ask a benediction of Me.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.30.8)

From a class at the Yuga Dharma Ashram:

I have seen a lot of people flourish outside the ashram. It is austere living in the ashram. It is not for everybody.

Krishna is always manifest in His holy name. Wherever you go, you will have His association. He will make the arrangements. He will pull the strings.

You have to have prasadam on harinama. In 55^th Street we switched from lugloos to popcorn at a certain point.

In Boston we would distribute prasadam to people, and they would become favorable. Once when some guy was giving us trouble, one supporter, a really big guy who received prasadam regularly from us, came up to him and said, “If you mess with these people you’re messing with me.”

I feel guilty I left New York City. It is the most amazing place for preaching. Everything is there. All species. You never know who you will meet.

When I got Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita, I would read it after work. The first time I came to visit the temple, I found the wrong Beacon Street. The second time I found the building, but I was afraid to go in thinking I might never come out, and I was not ready for that, so I returned home. Finally toward the end of 1972 I came to the temple in Boston.

After Srila Prabhupada departed I had to deal with all these bhaktas. In 1977 we did the biggest marathon ever. Srila Prabhupada had left, and we all thought, “What can we do to please him?”

Praghosa Prabhu would do hundreds of books a day during the marathon. I was amazed to watch him. He was like poetry in motion. People would say, “I do not know why I am getting this book, but I feel I have to get it.”

Praghosa and Bhakta Jake [later Jada Bharata] were the only people who could win the competition. Praghosa came in late, and seeing he beat Bhakta Jake, he thought he had won and took rest. I called Adi Kesava and asked when the marathon ended, and he said, “Mangala-arati.” I woke Bhakta Jake and explained the situation. He immediately jumped up, and said repeatedly, “I hear you.” He jumped in the van as he was dressing. We stopped at anyone who moved. And before mangala-arati he beat Praghosa Prabhu.

From my brief time in New York City, I experienced that the modes are so thick, you can feel it constantly on your head.

Since 55^th Street we have not had a presence in New York City, except for awhile with Aindra Prabhu and his harinama truck to 1986. So I have to thank you Rama Raya Prabhu, for once again giving Krishna consciousness a presence in New York City.

[Note: Murli Krishna Prabhu, who heard this class online, mentioned to me later that he, Subal Prabhu, and Vishnurata Prabhu used Aindra Prabhu’s truck and kept harinama going in New York City from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. Murli Krishna explained, “I had learned the harinama locations around the city directly from Aindra Prabhu, after he asked me to join him in the truck before he went to India when I was a new bhakta. So, basically he was training me, how to get the permits from the city, fees and forms and to make sure those permits were renewed every year. He also, asked me to learn harmonium and the raga scales. We had deities and made fruit and nut offerings and arati to the truck deities. At the time devotees were using stickers for sankirtana and would go out in street clothes and wigs and even Santa Claus outfits. I did not agree with that and wanted to do what Aindra Prabhu was doing, so eventually the temple authorities decided to start the Harinam Truck with me, Subal and Vishnu. It was a small group but we were able to maintain it especially because it was in line with Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. Traveling devotees, sannyasis, new bhaktas would join us but the core was always the three of us. We also went in the subways, mainly Times Square by the Shuttle train.”]

My connection with the Yuga Dharma Ashram has been through Rama Raya, but I wanted to meet the rest of you.

This ashram should be preserved, and its spirit should also be preserved. But do not become proud. We should be proud of those who have inspired us to make the sacrifice. I am not here to boost your pride but remind you of how much Srila Prabhupada appreciated harinama sankirtana and book distribution.

On Saturdays, after the malls closed, we would go to the restaurants and approach people at the tables.

I never regret the austerities. It is bitter, but it is sweet. There is nothing more convincing in the heart, when Srila Prabhupada is pleased by one’s sacrifice in service.

If you keep yourself free from profit, recognition, and prestige, you can make the long haul to go back to Godhead.

The bhaktas [devotees] just want Krishna’s pleasure. I will get Krishna’s pleasure, if I serve for ten years, twenty years, ten lifetimes, twenty lifetimes. That is the determination of the devotee.

Haridas Thakura exemplified having determination, never giving up chanting the holy name, and always having compassion for others. If we never forget these three qualities in our own lives, we will get Srila Prabhupada’s mercy.

An advanced Vaishnava inspires others by being strict with himself but liberal in dealing with others.

When you learn the hard way, you feel compassion for others and share with others so they will not have to learn the hard way.

When Adi-kesava made me temple president in Boston, he gave me a copy of the December 22, 1972, letter from Srila Prabhupada to Karandhara, saying “Everything you need to know is in that letter.”

Here is part of that letter:

“Krishna Consciousness Movement is for training men to be independently thoughtful and competent in all types of departments of knowledge and action, not for making bureaucracy. Once there is bureaucracy the whole thing will be spoiled. There must be always individual striving and work and responsibility, competitive spirit, not that one shall dominate and distribute benefits to the others and they do nothing but beg from you and you provide. No. Never mind there may be botheration to register each centre, take tax certificate each, become separate corporations in each state. That will train men how to do these things, and they shall develop reliability and responsibility, that is the point. I am little observing now, especially in your country, that our men are losing their enthusiasm for spreading on our programmes of Krishna Consciousness movement. Otherwise, why so many letters of problems are coming, dissatisfied? That is not a very good sign. The whole problem is they are not following the regulative principles, that I can detect. Without this, enthusiasm will be lacking. Even mechanically following, and if he gets gradually understanding from the class, he will come to the point of spontaneous enthusiasm. This spontaneous loving devotional service is not so easy matter, but if one simply sticks strictly to the rules and regulations, like rising early, chanting 16 rounds, chanting gayatri, keeping always clean—then his enthusiasm will grow more and more, and if there is also patience and determination, one day he will come to the platform of spontaneous devotion, then his life will be perfect. All of this I have told you in Nectar of Devotion. So I do not think the leaders are themselves following, nor they are seeing the others are following strictly. That must be rectified at once. Each centre remain independent, that’s all right, but the president and other officers must themselves follow and see the others are following the regulative principles carefully, and giving them good instruction so they may understand nicely why this tapasya is necessary. And GBC and Sannyasis will travel and see the officers are doing this, and if they observe anything lowering of the standard, they must reform and advise, or if there is some discrepancy I shall remove it. Of course, if new men are coming, they may not be expected immediately to take to our regulative principles cent per cent. Therefore we should not be so anxious to induce them to live in the temple. Anyone who lives in the temple must agree to follow the rules and regulations without fail. So if some new man moves in with us he may become discouraged if he is forced in this way. Therefore let them live outside and become gradually convinced in the class why they should accept some austerity, then they will live with us out of their own accord and follow nicely everything. It is very difficult to give up very quickly so many bad habits as you have got in your country, so educate them gradually, first with chanting, and do not be so much anxious to count up so many numbers of new devotees, if such devotees go away later being too early forced. I want to see a few sincere devotees, not many false devotees or pretenders.

So my point is that the regulative principles must be followed by everyone. Otherwise their enthusiasm dwindles and they again think of sex and become restless, and so many problems are there. There is some symptom of missing the point. The point is to be engaged in doing something for Krishna, never mind what is that job, but being so engaged in doing something very much satisfying to the devotee that he remains always enthusiastic. He will automatically follow the regulative principles because they are part of his occupational duty—by applying them practically as his occupational duty, he realizes the happy result of regulative principles. So the future of this Krishna Consciousness movement is very bright, so long the managers remain vigilant that 16 rounds are being chanted by everyone without fail, that they are all rising before four morning, attending mangal arotik—our leaders shall be careful not to kill the spirit of enthusiastic service, which is individual and spontaneous and voluntary. They should try always to generate some atmosphere of fresh challenge to the devotees, so that they will agree enthusiastically to rise and meet it. That is the art of management: to draw out spontaneous loving spirit of sacrificing some energy for Krishna. But where are so many expert managers? All of us should become expert managers and preachers. We should not be very much after comforts and become complacent or self-contented. There must be always some tapasya, strictly observing the regulative principles—Krishna Consciousness movement must be always a challenge, a great achievement to be gained by voluntary desire to do it, and that will keep it healthy. So you big managers now try to train up more and more some competent preachers and managers like yourselves.”

Rama Raya is a great source of inspiration to me.

Rama Raya Prabhu:

It is absolutely necessary to understand that Krishna is the friend of everyone if we want to ultimately benefit others.

This is especially true in this degraded age of Kali when we need a really good friend to benefit us.

No one can liberate people from the ocean of birth and death other than Krishna.

This verse states: “Certainly, therefore, since time immemorial, all transcendentalists have been rendering devotional service to Lord Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, with great delight, because such devotional service is enlivening to the self.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.22) “With great delight” means no one has to force you do it, no one has to drag you to do it.

Here Prabhupada (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.22, purport) in refers to the residents of Vrindavan as “higher transcendentalists” because of their intimate relationships with Krishna.

Prabodhananda Sarasvati in his Vrindavan-mahimamrita says he would rather be an insect in Vrindavan than a Lord Brahma or a queen in Dvaraka.

Bhakti must be kevala, not mixed with karma, jnana, or yoga, to guarantee freedom from repeated birth and death.

Comment by Bhagavata Purana Prabhu: Lord Narayana also plays the flute but only occasionally.

Srila Prabhupada says the purpose of this Krishna consciousness is to enable people to enter the dancing party of Radha and Krishna.

King Ambarisa effortlessly defeated Durvasa Muni, although he was a great yogi, simply by depending on Krishna.

Raghunatha Dasa Goswami is the perfect example of someone who has attained an intimate relationship with Radha and Krishna by the mercy of Lord Nityananda.

Srila Prabhupada’s only desire was to spread Krishna consciousness, and thus Krishna fulfilled that desire, in a very unprecedented way that had never before been seen.

When Balavanta Prabhu was starting his “In God We Trust” political party, he asked Srila Prabhupada what they should tell the people. Srila Prabhupada answered by saying, “Whatever you say or do, if you get them to chant Hare Krishna, then what you did was perfect.”

Srila Prabhupada recommended that serious spiritual aspirants should live in the temple because regular association with devotees is very important.

More importantly than the temple providing a facility for people to come and hear about Krishna, it provides regular association with devotees.

Srila Prabhupada created farm communities so people would not become implicated in the present demoniac society.

Although Krishna says one who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities and is not disturbed by the material dualities is very dear to Him, we should provide a nice situation for devotees to come to that level of realization.

Not only do we have to get the books into people’s hands, we have to inspire them to read them.

Jayadvaita Swami, instructing people how to give a Srimad-Bhagavatam class, told them to practice the Sanskrit beforehand.

The books of Narottama Dasa Thakura, like Prema-bhakti-candrika, make it unnecessary to study psychology.

If one cries out the name of Lord Gauranga, there is no more fear of this age of Kali.

Jiva Goswami says the Lord is ten million times more dear to the devotee than life itself.

Lord Krishna says to Uddhava in the “Bhakti Yoga” chapter of Canto Eleven of Srimad-Bhagavatam:

SB 11.29.26 — One who liberally disseminates this knowledge among My devotees is the bestower of the Absolute Truth, and to him I give My very own self.

SB 11.29.27 — He who loudly recites this supreme knowledge, which is the most lucid and purifying, becomes purified day by day, for he reveals Me to others with the lamp of transcendental knowledge.

SB 11.29.28 — Anyone who regularly listens to this knowledge with faith and attention, all the while engaging in My pure devotional service, will never become bound by the reactions of material work.

SB 11.29.29 — My dear friend Uddhava, have you now completely understood this transcendental knowledge? Are the confusion and lamentation that arose in your mind now dispelled?

SB 11.29.30 — You should not share this instruction with anyone who is hypocritical, atheistic or dishonest, or with anyone who will not listen faithfully, who is not a devotee, or who is simply not humble.

SB 11.29.31 — This knowledge should be taught to one who is free from these bad qualities, who is dedicated to the welfare of the brahmanas, and who is kindly disposed, saintly and pure. And if common workers and women are found to have devotion for the Supreme Lord, they are also to be accepted as qualified hearers.

SB 11.29.32 — When an inquisitive person comes to understand this knowledge, he has nothing further to know. After all, one who has drunk the most palatable nectar cannot remain thirsty.

SB 11.29.33 — Through analytic knowledge, ritualistic work, mystic yoga, mundane business and political rule, people seek to advance in religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. But because you are My devotee, whatever men can accomplish in these multifarious ways you will very easily find within Me.

SB 11.29.34 — A person who gives up all fruitive activities and offers himself entirely unto Me, eagerly desiring to render service unto Me, achieves liberation from birth and death and is promoted to the status of sharing My own opulences.

Vishnu-citta Prabhu was sent here by his guru, Bhakti Vikasa Swami, in response to my request for capable help.

Isvari Jahnava Devi Dasi outfitted our kitchen with a lot of good equipment.

Krishna-kripa Das:

From a class on Bhagavad-gita 17.24 at 26 2nd Ave. in New York on December 29, 2018:

Of course, I do not take notes on my own classes, but Glykeria of the 26 2nd Ave. Gita class congregation posted the following video of me speaking. In it, I talk a lot about om, including the personal interpretation of it given by the Goswamis:

Vishnu-citta Prabhu:

Srila Prabhupada wrote this purport promoting book distribution after he had established a hundred temples and different farm projects. Book distribution was not something useful in the beginning just to get the movement off the ground.

Without reading the books, one’s understanding will not be pure, and thus one’s motivations will not be pure, and one will not be successful.

Srila Prabhupada never retired from preaching.

The entire materialistic civilization is based on the hope one will attain happiness. It is not based on actually attaining happiness.

They invent holidays like New Year’s Day, Santa Claus Day, and No Pants Day in hopes of achieving greater happiness.

The gates of the body being illuminated with knowledge means we perceive things as they are.

A brahmana has to go beyond his brahminical knowledge by surrendering to a bona fide spiritual master to be self-realized.

If you feel you have no determination to carry out your spiritual master’s instructions, you can always inquire from him what to do to gain that determination.

Sankaracarya does not accept all the Vedas as being equally authoritative. He does not accept the smriti but only the sruti, yet he makes an exception with Bhagavad-gita, which is part of the Mahabharata, because Bhagavad-gita, though smriti, is spoken by Krishna Himself.

The Vedas say that you cannot read all the Vedas in one life. Srila Prabhupada says, “Bhagavad-gita is the summary of Vedic literature. You cannot read all the Vedas at the present moment, neither you have time, nor you have got the capacity. In this Kali-yuga, mandah sumanda-matayo [SB 1.1.10], everyone is fallen, manda-bhagya.” (Initiation Lecture, June 18, 1976, Toronto)

Sankaracarya gave special importance to eleven Upanisads. Why these eleven? Because it is easiest to prove impersonalism using these eleven Upanisads.

If you say something has no qualities that is also a quality so you are contradicting yourself.

I accidentally heard a Mayavadi on television. He was saying, “I am brahman. This microphone is brahman. There is no difference between me and this microphone.”

In our temple in Salem in India, there was a man who was arguing that everything was God and thus there was no need to worship the deity. The devotees said, “You mean to say there is no difference between the Deity and the toilet?” The man agreed, so they invited him to come into the bathroom and bow down to the toilet. The man became very angry, and spoke all kinds of nonsense, and the devotees had to throw him out of the temple.

Natabara Gauranga Prabhu:

We should not worship the demigods thinking them to be separate from or independent of Lord Vishnu.

People worship Sani (Saturn) to gain a long life.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says, “Those who conceive of the other four deities worshiped in panca upasana as different names of Vishnu rather than servitors of Vishnu will never attain liberation.”

Ganesa is worshiped to surpass obstacles, but he gets the power to do that from Vishnu.

How much pleasure can your finger give you, but if you cut even a little piece of it off, it can give you pain for days.

You can be a Rudra if you do one hundred lifetimes as Brahma.

The Gandharvas enjoy a hundred times more than humans, Pitrs enjoy a hundred times more than the Gandharvas, and demigods who attain their posts by perfectly executing varnasrama duties enjoy hundred times more than the Pitrs. Pleasure a hundred times more than that is enjoyed by demigods who achieve their positions by fire sacrifices. Indra enjoys a hundred times more than that. His priest Brhaspati enjoys a hundred times more than he does. The Prajapatis enjoy a hundred times more than that. Brahmananda, the spiritual bliss of brahman, is a hundred times greater than that. This pleasure is compared to a puddle created by a calf’s hoof print compared to the ocean of pleasure derived from devotional service to Lord Krishna.

It has been shown that homeless people who win the lottery become homeless after a few years because that is their karma.

Kalki Prabhu:

We see the manifestation of ignorance in people who destroy anything they touch.

Smoking cigarettes is a good example of the mode of ignorance. On the package of the cigarettes it says smoking is hazardous to one’s health, but people go on smoking anyway.

In the mode of ignorance, there is not much thought about anything but eating, sleeping, mating, and defending.

Comment by me: Gauridas Pandit Prabhu of Nepal who lives in the UK said that in the UK there is more facility for enjoyment, but there is no time to enjoy.

Srila Prabhupada once made the point that if you eat too little, that is not much of a problem, because you can always eat more, but if you eat too much then you are in trouble.

It is not that we have to go outside the realm of Krishna consciousness to solve our problems.

Krishna gives the devotee some suffering to encourage him to become detached.

Mahotsaha Prabhu:

Because people identify with the body rather than the soul, so much nonsense is going on in the name of philanthropy.

Investing in your body is like investing in a company which is going bankrupt very soon.

Krishna is like God at home whereas Vishnu is like God in the office.

Hiranyakasipu became the greatest materialist by worshiping Brahma, and he made everyone in the universe except Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva bow down to him.

Worshiping demigods for material benefits is like a prisoner developing friendships with the prison administrators to attain a more comfortable situation in the prison.

On book distribution we can tell people we have tickets to the spiritual world, and even for a single dollar, they can get one.

We distribute Srila Prabhupada’s fame all over the three worlds one book at a time.

Acaryas like Srila Prabhupada and his guru Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati performed so many austerities to preach pure devotional service.

If we do not cut off the weeds of unwanted activities they will choke our creeper of devotional service.

Srila Prabhupada was there in Dr. Mishra’s yoga ashram in beginning, and if he thought yoga would be a good way of introducing devotional service to Krishna then he would have pursued it. Instead he pursued harinama and book distribution.

We should admit we are Kali-yuga rejects and engage in the yuga-dharma of harinama-sankirtana.

In serving the previous acaryas, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

When we preach with the desire to please Gopinatha we will be successful.

Gopala Campu Prabhu:

After coming to the harinama one day a week for nine months I moved into the ashram. For Karttika I heard Aindra Prabhu’s kirtan for two hours a day, to and from work, and that is when I was inspired to quit my job and move in the ashram.

Gaurav Prabhu [a young Indian man who distributes Srila Prabhupada’s books after work for an hour or so each day at our NYC harinamas]:

From a comment after a Bhagavad-gita class at 26 Second Avenue:

If you rotate the Sanskrit om by 90 degrees you get the Arabic Allah. A Muslim man told me that.

From an email:

“Satsvarupa Maharaj’s Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita is transparent access to Srila Prabhupada. Of all the methods of acquiring any knowledge, shabda is the best. So reading Lilamrita is as good as Srila Prabhupada’s personal association. My sincere thanks to Maharaj for giving us that access to Srila Prabhupada and his sacrifices for us.”

Victor Anderson (Buddhist practitioner):

“A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires – that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still – can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires.” (Bhagavad-gita 2.70) This is a perfect description of the awakened soul in the Buddhist tradition.

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Everyone is looking for happiness. Most people imagine they will achieve it by satisfying the senses of their bodies or titillating their minds or intellects. The Bhagavatam teaches another path. This is a favorite verse of mine for over thirty years. May we always remain situated in such transcendental happiness!

ato vai kavayo nityam

bhaktim paramaya muda

vasudeve bhagavati

kurvanty atma-prasadanim

“Certainly, therefore, since time immemorial, all transcendentalists have been rendering devotional service to Lord Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, with great delight, because such devotional service is enlivening to the self.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.22)