Diary
of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 15, No. 5
By
Krishna-kripa das
(March 2019, part one)
(March 2019, part one)
Tallahassee
(Sent
from Gainesville on March 18,
2019)
Where
I Went and What I Did
I
stayed in the Hare Krishna temple in Tallahassee for the first half
of March and chanted Hare Krishna at eight different venues, which I
list and will describe in chronological order: First Friday, Lake
Ella, the Tallahassee Hare Krishna temple itself, Florida State
University (FSU), the VegFest, a home program at Umesh Prabhu’s
home, Florida A & M University (FAMU), and the A-cola Rainbow
Gathering. Several new people chanted Hare Krishna with us for the
first time at the different venues, and several new people also
played instruments. I became inspired by seeing people connecting
with Krishna more and more, and I decided to spend time in
Tallahassee during the fall semester in addition to the the spring
semester, when I usually come. I recall Srila Prabhupada advised the
devotees in Gainesville to do something wonderful there and indicated
that would be possible by emphasizing just two things, prasadam
distribution
and loud chanting of the holy name. I notice the Gainesville center
really expanded when they took daily public chanting seriously in
addition to distributing prasadam,
and
I am hoping the same can happen in Tallahassee.
I
share several quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Sri
Caitanya-caritamrita and
notes on one of his lectures. I share a quote by Bhaktivinoda
Thakura. I share many creatively expressed Krishna consciousness
realizations from the poems and prose of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami
found in Every
Day, Just Write and
his Free
Write Journal. I
share notes on recorded lectures by Hridayananda Goswami and
Radhanath Swami which we played for morning classes in Tallahassee,
and notes on Sunday feast lectures by Yogi Garuda Prabhu and Jorge. I share advice on college outreach by Devamrita Swami.
Unlimited
thanks to Caitanya Bhava Prabhu of
Dallas who
kindly paid
for the
purchase of new laptop for me that is half
the weight of my present one, has a backlit keyboard, which is very
handy, and has a battery with a much longer life. My present laptop
also has a flaky keyboard and difficulty copying videos from my
iPhone, so the new one will help me greatly. Thanks to Jaya Caitanya
Prabhu, formerly known as Bhakta Jeff, who kindly copied all the data
off my external hard drive, formatted the drive to its full capacity
and restored the data. Thus I am reminded, as the Beatles say, “I
get by with a little help from my friends.”
Thanks
to Tess for the photo of Jorge and me at First Friday. Thanks to
Sarah for the video of Skylar, Jorge, and me at FSU.
Itinerary
March
18–22, 24:
Krishna House in
Gainesville
March
23: St. Augustine Ratha-yatra
March
25:
University
of North Florida harinama
in
Jacksonville
March
26–April
5: Tallahassee, Florida State University (weekdays), Lake Ella
(weekends) [March 30: Ratha-yatra]
April
6: Jacksonville Bhakti House program
April
7: Philadelphia harinama
and
Sunday Feast
April
8–9: New York City Yuga Dharma Harinama Party
April
10–12: Washington, D.C., harinama
with Sankarsana Prabhu by the museums
April
13–14: Albany
April
15–17:
Dublin
April
18: Belfast
April
19–24: Newcastle-upon-Tyne
April
25: Leeds harinama
and
Accrington program
April
26: Liverpool harinama
and
program
April
27: Amsterdam King’s Day harinama
April
28: Rotterdam
and Antwerp Sunday Feast?
April
29–30:
Brussels harinama
May
1–3:
London harinama
May
4–5: Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtan
May
12: Edinburgh program?
May
14: Sheffield program
May
17–19: Simhachalam Festival?
May
20
–
July 17:
Paris ?
July
30 – August 3: Pol’and’Rock Festival (formerly Polish Woodstock
Festival)
August
6–12: Vaishnava Summer Festival (Lithuania)
August
14–18: Vaishnava Sanga Festival (Canada)
September
1: Liverpool Ratha-yatra
September
8: Great North Run harinama
(Newcastle-upon-Tyne)
September
9–10: Dublin
September
11: New York City
September
12 – mid October: Tallahassee
mid
October – mid January 2020: NYC Yuga Dharma Harinama Party
Chanting
Hare Krishna at First Friday in Tallahassee
We
had an unexpected surprise at First Friday in Tallahassee this month.
Tess (the photographer of the above picture), who I knew from when
she lived in Krishna House, drove two hours from Alachua to
Tallahassee just to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books at First
Friday. She helped out by playing the drum in our kirtan and
inserting Tallahassee temple flyers in the books she was
distributing. Also by talking with Tallahassee temple president, Nama
Kirtan Prabhu, who used to distribute books at the Los Angeles
airport, Tess gained the courage to ask people to give a donation for
the books instead of just passing them out, and she found that it was
not so difficult after all and got several donations.
Here
Tess plays the drum as Jorge
chants Hare Krishna at
First Friday in
the Railroad Square Art Park in Tallahassee
(https://youtu.be/34Qrd6sRipg):
We
were also blessed to have longtime Tallahassee resident and
interfaith outreach specialist, Yogi
Garuda Prabhu, join
us and
chant Hare Krishna at First Friday (https://youtu.be/jX7DgrPk4rQ):
Chanting
Hare Krishna at Lake Ella in Tallahassee
At
Lake Ella I offered the shakers to one young man who seemed attracted
to our music, so he could play along, and his face lit up. He joined
our band, playing sometimes the shakers and sometimes the djembe,
for
the next forty-five minutes. Most of that time Jorge led the chanting
of Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/0x4Ne5Rh_u4):
I
praised the boy’s rhythm, and he explained that his father was a
drummer. He said because of that he wanted to do something else, yet
he found drumming to be so natural for him. His name is Isaac, and he
came from a Jewish background. Hearing that I refrained from saying, “A lot of the leaders in the Hare Krishna movement are Jewish,” although the thought occurred to me. He said, “I don’t
know about Hare Krishna, but whenever you guys want to jam, I’ll be
happy to play with you.” Jorge got his phone number so as to let
him know.
The
next week Isaac stopped by as I was singing by myself, and he amazed
me by playing djembe
for an hour and forty-five minutes straight!
When
Isaac was playing with me and Jorge, some members of the congregation
of Rev. Gonzales of Peru came by. The kids had signs in English and
Spanish saying to find peace through Jesus. They looked so cute. It
was like a Christian harinama
party
without music (https://youtu.be/zJRyA2TcAOs):
When
Rev. Gonzales introduced himself to me, I told him that my favorite
teaching of Lord Jesus Christ is that one should love the Lord with
one’s body, mind, and soul, and one should love one’s neighbor as
oneself. In our conversation the reverend briefly explained that
Christ was going to come back again. After
his speech I told him that our teacher, pointing to Srila
Prabhupada’s photo on the back of the “On Chanting Hare Krishna”
pamphlet, was asked about the prediction of Christ’s return.
Srila
Prabhupada had replied, “I think it would be very good if he would
come back.”
I
always thought that was the perfect response.
I
could see Rev. Gonzales would be happier if we wanted to accept
Christ as our personal savior then and there, but he was not going to
push it. He did have a brief conversation in Spanish with Jorge, who
is from Columbia, and he insisted Jorge take a Spanish tract,
although I had showed him that his followers had already given us an
Engish one. On the whole, he was a friendly sort, not a hell, fire,
and brimstone preacher.
Another
week Jorge chanted Hare Krishna at Lake Ella, and Lauren of Tampa,
who
was visiting
for the day, played djembe
(https://youtu.be/sok77S8DQW0):
Lauren
graduated from University of South Florida and practices Siddha Yoga,
a practice which includes vegetarianism and the chanting of Vedic
mantras including Hare Krishna.
Chanting
Hare Krishna at Florida State University in Tallahassee
From
early January to early April I am in Tallahassee, and during
weekdays, I chant on Landis Green behind the main library at Florida
State University. Most of the time (80%) I am alone, but twice a week
Jorge, who often plays the drum, joins me for an hour and a half
after serving Krishna Lunch. We advertise Krishna Lunch and temple
programs and talk about Bhagavad-gita
with students, and we offer them vegan peanut butter or coconut
burfi. Sometimes students join us and sing and/or play instruments.
One
day three students joined Jorge and me as we were chanting Hare
Krishna on Landis Green. Whitney came first. She became vegetarian
from a conversation with Adikarta Prabhu a year ago, and she visited
the local temple with a friend during Adikarta’s last visit.
Here
Jorge chants Hare Krishna on Landis Green at Florida State
University, and Whitney plays shakers (https://youtu.be/AFNvUt8hjz8):
Then
I chanted and encouraged by Jorge, Whitney also began to chant the
response (https://youtu.be/2tqlYJ9Hk0I):
Next
came Anthony, who had played the djembe
with us two weeks ago and said the experience had opened up his mind.
Then a completely new guy, seeing the growing band, came and played
the shakers because he just loved music. By the end, everyone was
chanting and being happy (https://youtu.be/aDahSn5lcts):
I
asked the new guy what he was majoring in, and he replied, “Marketing.”
I
then suggested, “Maybe you can help us market our ideas.”
He
mentioned, “Chalk signs are remarkably effective.”
Whitney
exclaimed, “I have a big piece of chalk with me!”
Thus
Whitney gave Jorge the chalk, and he wrote an ad for Krishna Lunch on
the sidewalk:
Another
day Skylar, who is interested in social justice and who likes music,
played djembe
as Jorge and I chanted Hare Krishna also on Landis Green. Video by
Skylar’s friend Sarah (https://youtu.be/qVNXb2DWeUY):
Another
day I talked to one nice young boy who wanted to study international
relations and Chinese. He was really into linguistics, and I ended up
showing him the Devanagari script in the Bhagavad-gita
and
telling how I learned it. I explained the prefix “a” meaning “not” came from Sanskrit, and that “sura”
means “theist” while “asura”
means “atheist.” He told me he was a Catholic and showed me his
rosary. He said that the cross on the bottom of it had been touched
to the tomb for Jesus Christ. I mentioned that I had been to the tomb
of Mother Teresa in Calcutta when my mom visited me in India, and I
praised her dedication. I said I was in a high school in Poland, and
there was a quote by Mother Teresa on the wall written in Polish.
Amazingly enough I knew enough Polish to actually understand it,
although the language was so difficult I gave up trying to learn it.
Mother Teresa said, “The greatest joy is to give to others.” I
told him I liked St. Francis the
best
of the Catholic
saints
because he had affection for the animals too, and I asked if he knew
about the story of St. Francis and the wolf. He had not, and I
described briefly how Francis had preached in the name of Lord Jesus
Christ to a wolf who was terrorizing a village, and how the wolf
became as unthreatening as a puppy as a result. I advised him to find
the whole story on the internet as I had done the first time I heard
of it.
He
asked if he could pray for me, and I said yes. He asked what he
should pray for, and I said, “Pray that my devotion for God might
forever increase.” He liked that. We talked a bit more and as he
was leaving, I offered to pray for him, asking for the same thing, or
asking for something else if he would rather. He thought briefly and
said that I should pray for the same thing for him.
Chanting
Hare Krishna at the Tallahassee ISKCON Temple
Yogi
Garuda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and everyone dances at the
Tallahassee Sunday feast program. Several students came that night.
Taproot painted tilaka
on guests who were willing, so it is hard to tell them apart from the
regulars (https://youtu.be/L_9V5Dtqysc):
Later
Yogi Garuda led a more mellow Hare Krishna tune with attendees
sitting (https://youtu.be/tepB2ep6VU8):
Once
after
the Tuesday Bhagavad-gita
class at ISKCON Tallahassee, Gage and Kaitlyn, a youthful couple who
have come to three programs, joined residents Michael, Jorge, and me,
in playing instruments and chanting Hare Krishna
(https://youtu.be/_nC8Dv7iYI8):
Kaitlyn
wants to work at a midwife, and I suggested she could play spiritual
music upon the birth of a child, giving the child a spiritual boost
from the very beginning of life. She had studied music therapy, and
that idea really appealed to her.
The
next Sunday, Ayusha, whose
parents are familiar with Krishna worship from India, chanted
Hare Krishna after the ISKCON Tallahassee Sunday feast program
(https://youtu.be/4Z_nIN0q4qc):
Chanting
Hare Krishna at the VegFest at Tim Brown Park in Tallahassee
Nama
Kirtan Prabhu decided to distribute Krishna prasadam
at
the VegFest in Tallahassee almost at the last minute. Both the price
and food were great, and he had almost completely sold out by 2:00
p.m., although the event lasted till 4:00 p.m.
We
decided to chant kirtan at that event instead of at Lake Ella. We also decided to mass distribute invitations to temple events, all of which include
free vegetarian food.
Here
Jorge
chants Hare Krishna, Kevin plays trumpet, Brahma Haridas Prabhu plays
mrdanga,
Michael plays djembe,
and two kids play shakers at the VegFest in Tim Brown Park in
Tallahassee (https://youtu.be/vhuEBBK3lkA):
Another
time I chanted Hare Krishna, Kevin played trumpet, Brahma Haridas
Prabhu played mrdanga,
and Michael played djembe
(https://youtu.be/w0gwFBuaDjk):
Chanting
Hare Krishna at a Home Program in Tallahassee
Yogi
Garuda Prabhu plays guitar and chants Hare Krishna at program at
Umesh Prabhu’s home in
Tallahassee (https://youtu.be/MbHzUxgOrcs):
Chanting
Hare Krishna at Florida A & M University in Tallahassee
On
March 15, 2019, we chanted at FAMU, the largely black university in
Tallahassee, for the first time. Although we encountered fewer
students than at FSU, partly because it was the day before spring
break,
a higher percentage of them interacted with us.
Here
Jorge chants Hare Krishna on the Florida A & M University quad, and two students take turns playing instruments and taking photos of each
other (https://youtu.be/BHUJLObKlYw):
Later
one jovial gentleman who liked the music asked where the hat was for
donations.
I took off my hat, inverted it and set it down, and he put
$6 in it.
We
then gave him a Bhagavad-gita
and some prasadam.
Later
he returned and said that adminstration was upset that we were
collecting donations. He explained to them that it was his idea and
that he would tell us to stop. I know that the campus administrations
do not like people collecting donations on campuses, so I had already
planned to stop anyway. I also did not want to get sunburned because
my hat was being used to collect donations, so it did not bother me.
It was just so rare that someone would give a donation on a campus
because the students generally are poor and want to spend whatever
money they have in other ways.
One
young lady majoring in theater told us that half of the entire
theater department at FAMU is vegan. That prompted me to think that on the first
Friday of next month, because we do not serve Krishna Lunch at FSU that
day, we should chant at FAMU and give our invitations to our Krishna
dinner at First Friday because the event is a short walk from the
FAMU campus.
Chanting
Hare Krishna at the A-cola Rainbow Gathering Near Tallahassee
Although
the Ocala Rainbow Gathering in February is at least an hour and a
half from our Gainesville center, the A-cola Rainbow Gathering in
Apalachicola National Forest in March is just half an hour from our
Tallahassee center. We decided to heat up and distribute the food
leftover from the week’s Krishna Lunch at that gathering one Saturday.
We
brought our instruments to chant. Some people knew the mantra and
chanted along. Others played djembes and guitars.
We
were greeted by a super friendly older gentleman who has set up a
tent of medical supplies called “Calm” for the last five years.
He said we could serve food at his tent, where several people were
hanging out already.
One
guy showed me the Hare Krishna invitation he got from my friends in
Manhattan several years ago.
Another
guy asked me if I knew Soaring Turkey, the Rainbow name of Yogi
Garuda Prabhu. I said I sure did and mentioned he had farm half an
hour to the east of Tallahassee. The guy said that Soaring Turkey was
one of the coolest people he had ever met, which was a real
compliment. He told me his name was Freestyle Mike, and I promised I
would tell Garuda that I met him.
We
stayed about three hours and distributed all the black beans, rice,
and halava that we had brought and probably chanted about two
hours altogether.
Here
Jorge
chants Hare Krishna at the A-cola Rainbow Gathering in Apalachicola
National Forest near Tallahassee, and three Rainbows play djembes
(https://youtu.be/qcmcYmxW64g):
Curious
Photo
We
live in an age where people are addicted to sensual enjoyment and
tend to deal very impersonally with others. People say that nowadays
we love things and use people instead of loving people and using
things. Thus I saw this T-shirt message as a sign of these degraded
times.
Insights
Srila
Prabhupada:
From
Sri
Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi
5.51,
purport:
“To
think of material nature as all in all, not knowing the original
cause, is ignorance. Lord Caitanya appeared in order to dissipate
this darkness of ignorance by igniting the spark of spiritual life
that can, by His causeless mercy, enlighten the entire world.”
“When
a potter manufactures a pot from clay, the potter’s wheel, his
tools and the clay are the immediate causes of the pot, but the
potter is the chief cause. Similarly, Narayana is the chief cause of
all material creations, and the material energy supplies the
ingredients of matter. Therefore without Narayana, all other causes
are useless, just as the potter’s wheel and tools are useless
without the potter himself. Since materialistic scientists ignore the
Personality of Godhead, it is as if they were concerned with the
potter’s wheel and its rotation, the potter’s tools and the
ingredients for the pots, but had no knowledge of the potter himself.
Therefore modern science has created an imperfect, godless
civilization that is in gross ignorance of the ultimate cause.
Scientific advancement should have a great goal to attain, and that
great goal should be the Personality of Godhead. In the Bhagavad-gita
[7.19] it is said that after conducting research for many, many
births, great men of knowledge who stress the importance of
experimental thought can know the Personality of Godhead, who is the
cause of all causes. When one knows Him perfectly, one surrenders
unto Him and then becomes a mahatma.”
From
Sri
Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi
6.28,
purport:
“The
real qualification of an acarya
is that he presents himself as a servant of the Supreme. Such a bona
fide acarya
can never support the demoniac activities of atheistic men who
present themselves as God. It is the main business of an acarya
to defy such imposters posing as God before the innocent public.”
“The
transcendental devotional service of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is so ecstatic that even the Lord Himself plays the part of a
devotee. Forgetting Himself to be the Supreme, He personally teaches
the whole world how to render service to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.”
From
Sri
Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi
6.44:
“The
conception of servitude to Sri Krishna generates such an ocean of joy
in the soul that even the joy of oneness with the Absolute, if
multiplied ten million times, could not compare to a drop of it.”
From
a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.16.21 in Honolulu on January 17, 1974:
The
higher classes in India did not generally eat meat, and even those in
the lower classes who did eat meat, did so under regulation.
Instructions
in the scriptures to regulate meat eating, drinking, and sex are not
meant to encourage them but to restrict them.
When
human life is unregulated it becomes like animal life.
The
more you restrict your material sense gratification, the more you are
advanced spiritually. That is the standard.
“But
remaining primitive, you are more happy than becoming so-called
civilized, creating so many problems.”
The
real problems are the repetition of birth, death, old age and
disease. The whole Vedic civilization is meant for stopping these
problems.
“Professor
Kotovsky, I asked him that ‘Where is the difference of philosophy
between your Communist philosophy and our Krishna consciousness
philosophy? You have to accept one chief man, that Lenin or Stalin,
and we have also selected one chief man, or God, Krishna. So you are
following the dictates of Lenin or Stalin or Molotov or this or that;
we are following the philosophy or the instruction of Krishna. So on
principle, where is the difference? There is no difference.’ So the
professor could not answer that. You cannot conduct your daily
affairs without being dictated by somebody else. That is to be
accepted. So that is the law of nature. So nityo
nityanam cetanas cetananam
[Katha
Upanisad
2.2.13]. Then why don’t you accept the supreme authority? . . . We
have to accept somebody as our leader. It is not possible that we can
live without leadership. That is not possible. Is there any party, is
there any school, or is there any institution that they’re
conducting without any chief leader or director? Can you show me any
instance throughout the whole world? Is there any instance?”
“That
one Krishna, although He’s similar in so many ways with you . . . ,
but one difference is there – He is maintaining every one of us,
and we are being maintained. He’s the leader.”
“If
you analyze that everything is being maintained by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, that is real understanding of Krishna
consciousness, how Krishna is great, or God is great. So that is a
real civilization of life, to understand, to appreciate, to
appreciate the greatness of God. That is real civilization. So, there
is a process how to appreciate, how to become qualified to
appreciate, and that system is called varnasrama-dharma—to
divide the whole human society into four classes of men: the
brahmana,
ksatriya, vaisya
and sudra.
And those who are not regulated, they are pañcamas,
below the sudras.”
“You
should tackle with the main problem, not the insignificant or
temporary problem. That is the instruction of Bhagavad-gita.
The main problem is janma-mrityu-jara-vyadhi
[birth, death, old age and disease] [Bg. 13.9]. That is main
problem. So our cultivation of knowledge, advancement of
civilization, should be on the basis of solving the main problems,
janma-mrityu-jara-vyadhi,
not the temporary problem. . . . It is advised that the temporary
problems, they come and go. . . . So don’t be bothered about them.
If you feel botheration, just try to suffer or tolerate. That is not
your real problem. Real problem is how to stop the birth, death, old
age and disease, and that is Vedic civilization, and that is
depending on the brahminical culture.”
“Our
program is not to become pious, not to become sinful: to become
Krishna conscious. That will save us.”
“The
human life is meant for realizing God. So every religious system is
meant for giving education about God. That is the system. Either you
take Christian religion or Hindu religion or Muslim religion, the
idea is to understand God. So therefore, any religion you take, it
doesn’t matter. If you understand what is God and if you know what
is your relationship with God, then you are perfect.”
“As
soon as you fail to keep your promise, then you’re fallen. You have
to rectify yourself.”
Bhaktivinoda
Thakura:
From “A Superior Life with Mahaprasada”
in Sri
Krishna Kathamrita Bindu#444:
“We
must love God for God’s sake even if our actions appear
unreasonable. Our love must be without any goal concerning ourselves.
This love must be a natural emotion to the deity as our wellwisher,
without inference or experience. Salvation, dear as it is, should not
be the object of this love. What, then, about other forms of
happiness? Love of God is its own reward.”
Satsvarupa
Dasa Goswami:
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
23, Part One:
“Everything
was anticipated and they
thought
they were improvising but were
wind-up
toys of material modes”
“happy
Lord Nityananda’s appearance
day
– He’s crazy in love
of
God and is God Himself
creates
all universes – blow
your
tiny mind.”
“Now,
I’m going to pause in the wings and get this
together
in a Krishna
conscious
way, you and me can make a team for
sravanam
kirtanam.”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
23, Part Two:
“O
Vaishnavas,
O
servants of Vraja,
Hare
Krishna keeps me
awake,
and I mean that in
deepest
sense. Awake to
love
of God;
don’t
be fooled.”
“If
pain comes we can counter it but always we want to please the Lord,
if not with full price, please take whatever we give You and give us
more bhakti.”
“When
I face God – I cannot
but
I think about Him, I resolve
never
to leave this camp,
that
much
and
recovering from an ache I
go
happily quiet to the woodshed
and
sing, ‘The Creator has a master plan.’”
“wives
of brahmanas took Krishna in
their
hearts, He ‘couldn’t’ stop
them,
you are free to do that socially,
take
Him in your heart.”
“I’ll
meet with my secretary. He’ll tell me he wants to go tomorrow in
the van to work on our cottage in the South. There are so many good
things, it’s only offset by the fact that we have to leave the
whole thing and we shouldn’t be attached.
Lord
gives and takes
it’s
all Him.”
“While
the man plays his
horn
blues too before
God,
it’s called kirtana
in
the temple because he
likes
it and has faith in his
Govinda
and Radha.”
“See
how they are suffering in illusion like
the
books say. Oh,
do
what you can
and
don’t complain”
“A
fellow is tired but writes anyway.
Song
flute is Krishna / we are happy to do
the
simple duties given us by our spiritual
master”
“so,
I answered them it’s all Krishna conscious if
we
connect the flowers in a garland
and
give them to Krishna.”
“God
is the most important one and most attractive tricky friend, Supreme
ruler. Those who make various library arts get the direction and
strength from Him. They are reaching for Him whether they know it or
not.”
“Hare
Krishna for the masses, philosophy
for
scholars and talks of Radha and Krishna with
Ramananda
Raya. You can tune into
all
those or none.”
“And
so dear friends, brothers
and
sisters…Let us get out
there
and not persecute the
demons
but
let them know
Who
is Boss.”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
24, Part One:
“some
guys got charmed, and changed
their
bad ways to become
servants
of Krishna and humanity.”
“Be
careful – ahimsa is
the
para-dharma so don’t
kill
me spiritual drive
that’s
ahimsa.”
“Hare
Krishna is on the skids
in
many countries
such
as France
but
give it a chance
it
will rise again.”
“I
know I’ll be dead
before
Hare Krishna fulfills its weight
temples
in Kuwait”
“O, Hari!
You’re
the one who lifted
Govardhana
and
lifted the earth
on
Your tusks and
sent
Srila Prabhupada to lift me
and
my generation.”
“Keep
the ruffians contained. It’s a wild age!
Give
them a kirtana that
cuts
through and no compromise
Hare
Krishna.”
“If
I met a man, I’d say
‘Don’t
take anything for granted
whatever
we have is coming from
Krishna.’”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
24, Part Two:
“Admit
a quiet life is good
to
mine gems can help
busy
people in jam.”
“Sketch,
ruminate, keep on top
of
the little bird called attention –
let
him fly but lure him back
with
nicest feed to your
bird
stand.”
“We
really ought to hear from
sages
who sort it out. They say the body
is
given by wrong desires. God really
wants
us to come back to a spiritual body as
the
servant of God. And we better dance to
that.
Don’t ask why does He make
it
so when we don’t serve we ache?
I
said whatever helps
we’ll
accept. And that’s the
key”
“I
want to be serious and God
conscious
and be Krishna centered –
the
one God imminent and
tell
you so you get surprised I’m
so
right on.”
“Krishna
is the residence,
country
we live in,
and
He meets us at death –
sustains
us until then.”
“no
man come in and act as he
is
boss, he can play like that, but
we
know he’s another puppet
and
God as Time really rules.”
“But
buddy, we need to be Krishna conscious
this
tune doesn’t suit us
yukta-vairagya
doesn’t compromise
pure
bhakti.”
“Please
release us from the bonds of
sleep
if we don’t need it.
I
want to sing in my own
God-given
tone, Krishna is the
one
and only.”
“I
sing
Krishna
is fun
Don’t
run away from Him
Become
a happy
fellow
of chant and dance”
“God
is brass and mind
and
jewel and sand
No
atheists need apply
Love
required.”
“Krishna
conscious melody kirtana
in
shout or alone on
beads
make clear
your
intention
while
alive.”
“Krishna
name private and personal
as
well as shared by brave
soldiers
sing Them
on
the street.”
“It’s
the solitary lover of
Lord
Krishna I aspire to know
from
Him my own strength
and
comfort – so I can
give
the same to others.”
“Krishna,
You sure spin us around
but
an earnest devotee gives his
very
best for Your service.”
“But
sweet Lord Krishna guaranteed
as
His word in Gita
and
guru backs Him up
you
can’t lose.”
“On
Gaura-purnima do your thing
for
Lord Krishna don’t mind how
crazy
the world sounds.”
“Well,
at least I’m with devotees
on
this day [Gaura Purnima] and walking into an
ISKCON
temple to give an authorized
initiation
Name:
‘You are now
Gauri-Hari
dasa.’”
“Looking
ahead today I ask
not
for extreme originality or
genius.
We are meant to act
to
please and that’s by sincere
and
simple chanting and serving.”
“Give
’em hell and Goloka.”
“The
body has its own endorphins, but they don’t work on call.”
“Krishna,
I remember You in the
temple
beside Radha, I
remember
my days and night
and
fears. Krishna, please let
me
remember You as I go
down,
You wearing Your
outfit
of the day and me
serving
You – new
and
next.”
“I…bought
a preacher’s kit
and
lived with them
learned
a lot and now
I
say one preacher is worth
a
birth, he’ll save the world
and
I’m just saying he ought to
be
the best and full of love
to
which our master replied
Miss
Lynn Ludwig, they’re trying
their
best and what about you?”
“‘You
were hypnotized by Krishna’
Srila
Prabhupada chuckled and thought it over and
chuckled
again, ‘Yes.’ Hypnotized
by
Krishna so instead of earning bucks
they
worked for Krishna in New
Vrindavan
or Boston.”
“Krishna
consciousness lyrics we need if
all
songs on radio were like that, if
everyone
carried bead bags like people
wear
shoes and carry wallets and
purses,
it would be a different world.”
“So,
was He pleased?
I
never know, but at least
I
kept His name on my lips,
and
the devotees I live with
are
stalwarts.”
“Krishna
said I never forget but you do and
know
why I come to this world
and
you’ll come to Me.
I’m
topmost, your soul
is
My eternal part and parcel.
The
bhakta is the best of all,
have
a ball.”
“Yeah,
I was hoarse and happy
from
singing Hare Krishna in the
parade,
just a happy day
to
tell you Lord
Krishna
loves His best devotees
and
gives love even to the neophyte tigers.
We
do wish them the best,
tell
people, cows, camels, dogs, and asses
to
take to Krishna consciousness a.s.a.p. and
be
relieved of gallbladders
and
stones in next life
or
think of Krishna when it happens
and
say, Lord Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
you
do this
I
don’t know why.”
“Oh,
I’m dovetailing it.
Tailgating
it, hitching my
writer’s
thumb onto the back
of
Swamiji’s speeding truck.
But
how is my bicycle?
Where
is my wild patience and
fearlessness
compassion
love
of fellows and so on?”
“Preaching
is reaching
for
the man’s heart and mind
if
you find it hard I
say
don’t quit keep it up
in
good company of
fellows
preachers,
reachers, teachers
rockers
and sockers.”
“Listen,
I’ll be
glad
enough if we get one from
all
this to be a devotee. That’s all he asked.
Just
one person.”
“Sometimes,
you have to speak
when
someone else
is
speaking his heavy thing
telling
of how ‘we’ were murdered.
And
he’s gonna get revenge.”
“The
Lord is the master. Krishna
You
are promise
You
promise You’ll take us
to
You
and
that is the promise I live
for
in the back of my mind
the
bet is staked
the
ground is sure
Krishna
will take to Him
the
best devotees.”
“sing
freedom and love of God, which is
waiting
for us to reach.
Yeah,
the Lord won’t renege
neither
will His servant
pure
sky, rainy sky, doesn’t matter
the
chant will break the bones of
death
/ the Lord won’t fail
singing
it for those who take it…”
“O
Krishna, lover of my soul
bring
me to Your chest.
While
the tempest rages of
mad
modes. Please bring me close,
I’ll
be fearless in the storm.
You
can do it, and not just me
receive
my soul at last
let
me give relief to all
let
Your healing stream of love
enter
all with purity and strength.”
“When
I die it will be likely
I’ll
have some kind of Krishna conscious
thought
and can
go
on to be with Him, I don’t
say
back to Goloka right away (I
realize
it takes tremendous laulyam [spiritual
greed])
but
next a life where I can
yearn
intimately for it.
“At
least serve again in Krishna consciousness in
some
capacity and be open to Mahabharata,
Ramayana,
Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita
maybe
born into that culture, but
Kali-yuga
is getting so bad. Lord, what
will
You do to protect Your
servant
of servants? I’m
sure
You know and will do it all right.”
“Ah,
you have to take responsibility, it’s your
show
human being.
He
said to Arjuna, “Now do as you
like.”
Go to hell or Goloka,
it’s
up to you.
I
choose Swami Bhaktivedanta’s way.”
“God
gives ability. If you are interested
there’s
a process to reach Him. If not, sad
shmoo,
you’ll die and not know
how
you may fall and waste.”
From
Every
Day, Just Write, Volume
25, Part Two:
“A
conscious man seeks to advance
by
constant ardent efforts
which
he hopes will attract
Krishna’s
mercy.”
“hello
God is love you
ought
to pray to Him and give your money
you
can give it to me and
I’ll
give it to Him.”
“I
live on
friends’
donations. And, that’s another
reason
you got to sweat it out
and
be careful how you spend
money
and time – you belong to
others.”
“I’m
worn out and hurt.
Be
true to your Swami sing a
song
to hear later I’m giving
up
to preaching…take a rest and come back
strong
enough later.”
“Swami,
you rush so thoughtlessly
when
you pray gayatris
you’ll
be
asked about that at death.”
“My
eyeglasses falling down the front of
the
nose herald old age shrinking.”
“‘Golden
Nuggets’ the
top
band in Ghana (with congas) allowed
Hare
Krishna to share the stage with them and this is
what
we do, jam ‘Hare Krishna’
whenever
we can.”
“But
to do that you have to be very
strict
and rigid and stalwart.
You
need to be so centered on
Krishna
that you can’t think of
something
else
you
need a Krishna guide
to
inspire you to kick out all else.”
“We
have to die, and life is a tiny moment in
eternity.
Please help yourself to a better
next
life. Please.”
“Go
dive for the eternal
Bhaktivedanta
accepted you
and
gave you your name
that
means you will be saved at
death.
At least good next life
for
pursuing Krishna”
“Swami,
control senses
women
keep afar
and
don’t read nondevotee books
make
your life striving
in
earnest for service
to
Krishna, and your master
will
be pleased.”
“Krishna
devotees are real
people
too happy saints who pray
absolute
science sounds to God Krishna
cowherd
boy of great beauty
gopis
know
be
careful
hoist
up the flag.”
“So,
to the Hall inmates, I say adieu now
in
case there’s no time later. May you
each
discover happiness in God, serve
Him
and know the soul’s eternal dharma.”
“And
one act for Krishna is worth
a
million not.”
“Don’t
imitate
or
pollute
be
who you are, follow your
guru
and your own way and serve Krishna
purify
what you’ve got. I love
Krishna
and ask His help.”
“Wherever
you go,
may
God’s name come to you at the end.”
“I
become
restless
any place where there are not
devotees
of Krishna and even with them I
become
restless and want to be alone
in
a room with devotees nearby.”
“I
offer this to
Krishna,
not Hitler, Roosevelt, Clinton,
be
wise, the year 2000, the club for
the
rich, or poor, America, enslavement,
poetic
art”
“Please
the Lord by your work
praise
His greatness. Krishna teaches
what
is not in other scriptures –
transmigration
science did you
know
a human who misbehaves becomes
an
animal in next life?
No?
Better learn it.”
“Swami.
You don’t deserve that title.
Worship
God, surrender, brave –
a
Swami is like that.
My,
oh my, you gonna disown
the
supertitle? No?
Then
you are what, a little Swami, a Swami-ette?”
“now
tell me Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, the
drummer
in the kirtana
doesn’t do a solo but
accompanies
always the holy names –
they
are predominant and the concentration
on
loving service, God is in
His
names.”
“I
want you to flow
to
God your Maker – Lord of all
religions.
He’s the one,
two,
and all.”
“Reading
poets you blink and realize they let
you
go and you are on your own like you
hitchhiked,
enjoyed the ride and talk
but
now you get you dropped out of town”
“O
Lord, you are never lazy on my
account
trying to save me and
take
me back to You.
I
have refused You, but nonetheless
You
do not become angry.
You
are always incessantly trying
to
get me back.”
“The
atheist Wren
doesn’t
believe, I grieve for that says
Prahlada
and even the Supreme Lord
constantly
desires
them
to end their suffering but won’t
take
away their free will.”
“Gajendra’s
prayers coming
to
climax – he asks simultaneously for
liberation
from body pain and from materialistic
life.
He got both because the Lord is
kind
– you simply have to ask.”
“Yeah,
well I like it, but I don’t
want
to miss out on eternal paradise for
something
the pure devotee deems as
rubbish.”
“We
can’t promise you your way. Just
chant
Hare Krishna and remember Lord Caitanya
and
be absorbed
in
preaching and then whatever happens
you’ll
get through in the right
consciousness.
Easier
said than done. You quote
the
perfect scripture, and I’ve seen it in you,
but
how do I?”
“We
are suffering in these bodies and
seek
release in joke or food and rest,
but
when we learn to turn always to
Lord
Krishna in times of distress
we
will be well off, and be sure
there
will be such times
as
car accidents
death
of dear ones
wrenching
of world order we
can’t
even imagine. Now, while we
feel
some ease let’s use it
to
impress layers onto the psyche
that
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna is the way I
live,
the prayer I make…
then
when it’s too difficult
to
even think straight I’ll turn by
habit
to the chant”
“but
we know better. Keep our
nose
in Srimad-Bhagavatam
and hand in bead
bag
and obey the rules and sing
hymns
to the Lord
let
me be happy in His service
that
I’d like to do.”
“Be
on guard. For Krishna may
enter
your door as
death
at any moment.
Keep
showing the pictures of His lila
with
words of sastra,
and
stray thoughts we want
you
all to be Krishna conscious in
ease,
and don’t forget
sorrow
too but lighten
your
burden and bring you to
His
lotus feet
at
His house for
His
pleasure,
the
Lord of all play,
Hara
and Hari.”
“7
days in
a
row without a headache – it was Holy
Week.
Krishna sends and takes away
pain
and painless and pain
remember
Him, His mercy and bow down.”
“People
don’t get along even
in
their own family, but
revere
a guru as long as he
minds
his
own
business,
which I intend to.”
“And
so, I agreed to write educational notes
and
author’s intro: Dear reader, in the
section
called ‘Active Imagination’ you’ll find some
free
expressions. Take them as you like
and
also, just be permissive and read them not
so
much for sense. And please chant
sixteen
rounds if you have been initiated, after
which
you can read these for
fun
and profit.”
“we
go out
and
tell people there is a soul
we
are not a cult
take
a book / look at me,
I’m
normal, but we have transcendental knowledge
you
can use it
in
your own religion.”
“Now,
don’t you mind me. They
are
sawing with electric power I have
to
become worthy to use this shelf
he
makes and the bed they assemble
I
have to lie there with intent
to
know and serve and love God.”
“But
some devotees come and
help
you, give you pieces of
bread
so you can live and
prove
api cet su-duracaro
is
true in your case
you
don’t give up”
“It
seems I have gained something over
all
these years or why am
I
so different than one just
considering
whether to begin
bhakti…”
“They
played but couldn’t get it
much
together. Trying new things
didn’t
necessarily bring him closer
to
God who simply wants
devotion
old or modern –
a
work for Him guided
by
guru.”
“Hare
Krishna Hare Krishna just
playing
away at a piano isn’t
going
to do it. You must be
linked
to the Lord in a
bona
fide practice, His name, His fame
guided
by the book He wrote,
guided
by those He trusts
“yeah,
I got it and will do
as
Petty Officer
asking
his orders and obey.”
“You
a spirit and me a spirit,
all
spirit souls, and Krishna
is
Supreme”
“Your
master said give this one life
to
Krishna. Are you doing that?”
“what
are you carrying? In my pockets, black
gloves.
In my silence, empty waiting,
in
the dogma, routine, polite
sober.
He says, ‘I just need ten minutes to
hammer
on the legs.’ Sober as drinking water.”
“We will straighten out the
confusion
and bring Krishna consciousness
to
the new cousins we
never
met, in festivals in Galway
we
will give them prasadam
a
song a skit a book
oh,
someone will be
serious
and a devotee, haribol.”
“My
Krishna is Syama, in India
well
known but mistakenly.
They
think He’s material or impersonal
or
Hindu.”
“You
are ignorant, you are secular,
your
Christian religion can’t teach you this.
And
so, we go on crying in the wilderness
catch
the stray citizen into our
nama-hattas
and congregations and
restaurants,
and even rarer stray
young
boy and girl who joins for a
few
years or twenty, for life.”
“O
tree, you are out there
stronger
and longer lasting than
me
but we’re both vrksa,
easily
cut down.”
“Be
glad for anything
be
glad you’re alive and that
you
will die in His arms.”
“Thanks
for Krishna’s Gita
and Prabhu-
pada’s
coming and conquering
us
in America
Don’t
resent what it’s
come
down to – a life-
long
struggle.”
“I
was being saved by God. Not to be so utterly destroyed and corrupted
so I would miss the call of the Swami. Or if I had been madly in
love, intoxicated by a beautiful girl thinking I’d won her! So that
I didn’t have eyes for my need to take an eternal guru.”
“It
was like that and we want to be with them again, the master and
eternal parampara.
We have to forget all this relative stuff –
it
will wash away
but
I’d better help it
go
away
as
I enter Vrindavan dhama
meditation
in spiritual body
washed
of
my servitude and taking with
me
whoever I can.”
“But
each soul is alone
to
turn in eternal true moment
to
his worshipable God
a
few are very fortunate to
meet
the sad-guru.”
“We
are solid about what has to be
done
in our remaining days.”
“We
just want to do
something
real nice for Krishna
to
wow the world
by
genuine
something
come by shakti of the Lord
not
us. Srila Prabhupada: It’s not my
movement,
my movement is to teach that
Krishna
is God.”
“I
am a link train man taking
karmis
to Vaikuntha if they
agree
to listen”
“Do
people really change from
attending
a seminar? I don’t think they
do,
but if they hear of Krishna that could
save
them at the time of death.”
“I
want the Church to be nonviolent and
Jesus
a son of Krishna, but they don’t
want
it that way.”
From
Free
Write Journal #30:
“For
many years now the condensed version of the Lilamrita,
in one 300-page book, has been a main weapon in the arsenal of ISKCON book distribution. It is good that the condensed version has
brought many people to appreciation of Prabhupada and ultimately to
practice Krishna
consciousness. But the condensed book is very incomplete. It has 300
pages, whereas the unabridged edition has over 2,000 pages! And what
is missing in the abridged edition? What’s missing is the sweetness
of Prabhupada. Mere details are given in the abridged edition. It is
not at all fluffed out to give a full portrait of Srila Prabhupada
and what he went through in his lifetime.”
“Now
that the full seven-volume set [of Srila
Prabhupada-lilamrita]
from Mumbai is available again, it should be required reading by
devotees before they receive initiation. They should get to know as
much as possible about the Founder-Acarya of the Movement. As
Caitanya-caritamrita
was based on the notebooks and diaries of Svarupa Damodara and
Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and others, we had the memoirs of
Prabhupada’s long-term servant Srutakirti
and interviews with Tamal Krishna Goswami. (The valuable diaries of
Hari Sauri and others were written after the publishing of
Prabhupada-lilamrita
and were not available when we were writing it, but we interviewed
those people and got much good material.) The Srila
Prabhupada-lilamrita is read daily in many temples of ISKCON. An
outstanding example is Radhanath Swami’s temple in Chowpatty,
Mumbai. For many years he has had a devotee read out loud from the
Lilamrita
while everyone else is quiet, during lunchtime. They have read
through the entire Lilamrita
many times and have no intentions of stopping.”
Hridayananda
Goswami:
From
Mahabharata
Katha #1 at Sivananda Yoga Retreat Center on April 25, 2010:
Practically
all spiritual paths agree that the world that an ordinary person
perceives in ordinary consciousness is not the highest truth.
Tirtha
comes
from the same root as tara
in
avatara,
and
thus where an avatara
appears
is called a tirtha.
The
events during Krishna’s appearance in this world were considered so
important that the Lord descended as Vyasadeva to record them. Not
only did he record them, he participated in them.
Itihasa,
which
we usually translate as history, comes from three Sanskrit words iti
ha asa
meaning “thus it so happened in the past.”
In
all works of scholarship in India, it is assumed that the readers
know Mahabharata
and
the characters in it.
Of
the Mahabharata
the
editor of its critical edition said the reason for that edition was
that “the preeminent importance of the epic is universally
acknowledged.”
Scholars
date the text at the earliest at 3,000 years ago.
Aryabhata,
an astronomer and inventor of trigonometry, looked at the Mahabharata
in
terms of astronomy, and based on the many astrological statements
within it, said the events took place about 5,100 years old.
Originally
improved astronomy was used to get better data to do astrology. The
Western astronomers do not tell you that as it is an embarrassment.
Western
scholars did not want Vedic culture to be so old. Originally this was
because the first Indologists were Christians, and they did not want
it to interfere with their dating of the Garden of Eden. The next
group of Indologists were agnostics who did not like the idea that
India was origin of human civilization.
The
Vedic culture has the most sophisticated view of the universe.
Aristotle
also considered, as this ancient Indian civilization did, that time
is cyclical.
Homer
talks about the same cosmic seasons or
yugas.
The
very moment Krishna left is considered to be the day Dvarapa-yuga
ended
and Kali-yuga began.
The
soul is not considered to exist merely in endless material time but
beyond material time.
Samsara
and karma are key principles in the Vedic culture as is dharma.
Dharana,
the
sixth step of astanga-yoga,
means
holding on, and it comes from the same root as dharma.
You
can have an unjust law but not unjust dharma as justice is a
manifestation of dharma. Thus dharma is sacred law.
Indra,
when advising one Vasu to remain in his position, explained that when
dharma is protected, dharma protects, but if you injure dharma, then
dharma will injure you.
When
you observe dharma you contribute to the peace of the universe and of
course, to your own well being.
You
have to understand the importance which people gave to dharma to
understand Mahabharata.
[If
you want to hear the whole lecture, click here:
https://www.hdgoswami.com/lecture/mahabharata-katha-2010-01]/
From
Mahabharata
Katha #13, at Sivananda Yoga Retreat Center on May 1, 2010:
One
writer, Ananda Vardhana, wrote a book describing qualities of great
literature, and he cited Mahabharata
as
an ideal example. Interestingly enough, he says the principal rasa
experienced
in the Mahabharata
is
shanti
(peace),
despite
all the politics and war.
There
are three levels of viewing Mahabharata:
It
is a story of the history of the world.
It
is a cosmic story, because it involves higher beings.
It
is a spiritual narrative because it contains Bhagavad-gita
within
it.
The
real purpose of life is to discover or uncover our spiritual nature.
The
material is always transforming and changing, while you never really
lose your self.
There
is a conscious attempt in Mahabharata
to
draw us in by telling a good story, and to then engage us
spiritually, to bring us up and out, to our real position in the
spiritual world.
Even
if you get to participate in the Lord’s pastimes in this world, the
ultimate lesson is that no one can really be happy here in this
world.
The
more enlightened personalities in the Mahabharata
realized that after their mission here, they had to return home.
Bhisma
wanted to break Krishna’s promise not to fight in the battle to
show that Krishna’s great concern to protect to His devotee,
Arjuna, was more important to Him.
There
are different relationships with God. Bhisma’s was chivilry. You
can have a relationship of conjugal love with God, which is also
there in Christianity in bridal mysticism and in mystic Judiasm one
thousand years ago in Spain.
Bhisma
must have known when killed by Shikandhi that “because I destroyed
this person’s life in his previous birth as Amba, this is justice
being done.”
Formerly
Bhisma was interested in keeping his vow regardless of the
consequences, but by the end of his life he realized there is a
higher truth.
Although
in Bhagavad-gita
Krishna
is encouraging Arjuna to fight, beforehand Krishna tried everything
possible to stop the war without violating the free will of the
living entities.
After
the battle, the government was bankrupt, and the Pandavas used the
gold in the Himalayas left by a great king in a previous age to
rebuild and maintain the kingdom.
In
the Sind province, Duhsala, the sister of Duryodhana and wife of
Jayadratha, entered the battlefield where her sons and grandsons were
fighting with Arjuna, and in effect, told them to stop. Seeing her,
who was his cousin, Arjuna put down his weapons and offered her
respect. Duhsala then advised her descendents to cooperate with the
Pandavas without a fight, thus showing herself to be a great
personality.
Had
Krishna not come, the world would be a different place, and a much
worse place.
In
the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, no one was killed or seriously
injured, although of course, many were killed in Krishna’s
pastimes.
Radharani
came with Krishna as Lord Caitanya because only with Their combined
compassion could the residents of this age be benefited.
[If
you want to hear the whole lecture, click here:
https://www.hdgoswami.com/lecture/mahabharata-katha-2010-13/]
Radhanath
Swami:
From
a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam
2.8.2
in Mumbai on Februrary 23, 1997:
Maharaja
Pariksit considered, “If the Lord has no use for this body, then I
have no use for this body.” Thus he was happy to prepare for death,
considering it was Krishna’s will.
There
is only one purpose in life and that is self-realization, and there
is only one way of attaining that, hearing and chanting about the
Lord in the association of devotees.
Everything
else we do, including our social and occupational duties, is to
create a situation whereby we can hear and chant about Krishna in the
association of devotees.
In
Bhagavatam
class,
understanding the great value in hearing and chanting this
literature, we should be eager to hear like Maharaja Pariksit, and
the speaker should be eager to speak like Sukadeva Goswami.
Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard a brahmana
very
enthusiastically reading Srimad-Bhagavatam.
He
encouraged the brahmana
more
and more, and Lord Caitanya became more and more filled with ecstasy
hearing him and began to dance. This went on for 9 hours. Then Lord
Caitanya came back to external consciousness and embraced him.
Saying, “I have never heard anyone recite Srimad-Bhagavatam
as
beautifully as you,” He gave him the name Bhagavata Acarya and told
him to recite the Bhagavatam
the
rest of his life and do nothing else.
[If
you want to hear the whole lecture, click here:
http://audio.iskcondesiretree.com/02_-_ISKCON_Swamis/ISKCON_Swamis_-_R_to_Y/His_Holiness_Radhanath_Swami/Lectures/01_-_Theme_wise/Srimad_Bhagavatham/1997-049_Glories_of_Srimad_Bhagavatam_SB_02-08-02_-_Radhanath_Swami_Mumbai_1997-02-23_IdesireTree.mp3]
From
a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.19.24
in Mumbai on October 29, 1991:
The
prime duty of a parent is to be a good example so the children will
follow and become devotees of the Lord.
Better
a moment of truth than a long life dreaming in illusion.
A
wise person will understand the relevance of Srimad-Bhagavatam
to
the life of everyone including himself.
A
materialist will always see one who shuns material pleasure to attain
an eternal situation as mad.
When
people accused the devotees of being crazy, Srila Prabhupada
explained that everyone is crazy. We see a man is crazy after a
woman, a woman is crazy about a man, people are crazy after money, etc.
Similarly some people are crazy to taste the sweetness of love of
God.
Sense
gratification reinforces the illusion of identification with the
body, and thus it is what divides us.
Understanding
our essential nature beyond the dualities based on bodily
identification is true dharma.
Narottama
Dasa Thakura was born in a kayastha
family.
The kayasthas
although
rich were considered sudras.
He
was so advanced in love of God, all kinds people accepted him as a
guru, even those in higher classes. Some caste brahmanas
would blasphemy and even attempt to kill him, but they failed in
their attempts to stop him. They finally decided to convince the king
to imprison him for destroying their religion by initiating high
class people. The king questioned Narottama Dasa Thakura, and he
simply explained he was executing the dharma, “Sarva
dharma parityaja.” The king decided a debate should be arranged between the caste brahmanas and Narottama Dasa Thakura. On the way to debate, the king and the caste brahmanas went came to a village where two of Narottama Dasa Thakura’s disciples were who had come from brahmana families. They disguised themselves as food vendors, and impressed the guests by speaking fluent Sanskrit with them and speaking conclusive truths from the scriptures. They then informed the amazed guests that they were just disciples of Narottama Dasa Thakura’s. The king and the caste brahmanas considered, “these disciples know so much we do not stand a chance against Narottama Dasa Thakura himself,” and thus they voluntarily surrendered to Narottama Dasa Thakura without a debate.
[If
you want to hear the whole lecture, click here:
http://audio.iskcondesiretree.com/02_-_ISKCON_Swamis/ISKCON_Swamis_-_R_to_Y/His_Holiness_Radhanath_Swami/Lectures/01_-_Theme_wise/Death/1991-107_Parikshit%27s_Enquiry_Before_Death_SB_01-19-24_-_Radhanath_Swami_Mumbai_1991-10-29_IDesireTree.mp3]
Devamrita
Swami:
From
a letter giving advice about college outreach:
“Getting
students to visit an actual temple can be very difficult. Better,
often, to have another ‘nonreligious’ location for them to gather
at, or make your current place more suitably accommodating in the way
it positions and presents itself, according to the mindset of the
intended clientele.”
“And
what brings them back again and again is the prasada—the
more devastating the prasada,
and the more lively the camaraderie, the more often they come.”
“Don’t
give up.”
Yogi
Garuda Prabhu:
People
are blown away by all the new knowledge in even one purport of Srila
Prabhupada.
Sacrifice
means what we can do to please the Supreme Spirit, Krishna.
When
you cut a branch off a tree, for a while it looks good, but then it
dries up. That is what is happening to our civilization now because
of being cut off from God.
Many
swamis came to the USA in the 1960s and 1970s, but the movements of
none of them took off and expanded like Srila Prabhupada’s Hare
Krishna movement.
Time
magazine did a story on people who accomplished a lot in their old
age, and they listed Srila Prabhupada ahead of Gandhi.
When
people ask me, “What is your sign?” I tell them, “Scorpio
transcending.”
By
sticking with this path, we will get a clear vision of the body.
On
the scale of eternity, this life is like a flash.
If
we spiritualize our home by putting an altar in the center and
chanting our favorite holy names, we will not have to renounce our
home.
I
find this Vedic path provides so many spiritual engagements.
Perhaps
70 to 90% of my punk rock friends gave up their association with me
when I started to take spiritual life seriously. I did not let it
disturb me. I considered that now I knew who my real friends were.
Jorge:
In
Sweden they found teaching about Sanskrit helped students advance in
math and science.
We
are searching for eternal happiness, and deep within us we will not
settle anything less.
We
seek wisdom from scriptures and saints to attain that eternal
happiness.
God
wants to bless everyone, but how much are we willing to accept?
I
had a near death experience, and it really taught me I should always
keep myself in a pure state of mind.
When
you purify yourself more, God is able to give you more knowledge.
Through
understanding Bhagavad-gita I find I can better appreciate the
other scriptures of the world.
A
Tallahassee Baptist Church:
From
the sign outside the church:
“Prayer
reminds you that you are not in control and keeps you close to God.”
-----
The following verse enlightens us to the fact that love of God is already existing
deep in the heart of every living being and also tells us how we can
access it by engaging in devotional service beginning with hearing.
It is spoken by Lord Caitanya to Sanatana Gosvami as He is explaining
devotional service in practice, which is required to purify the heart
so one’s spontaneous love for God will manifest. I find it very
encouraging to know that love of God already exists within everyone,
and also to know how to access it, and thus I share this important verse
with you.
nitya-siddha
krishna-prema ‘sadhya’ kabhu naya
sravanadi-suddha-citte
karaye udaya
“Pure
love for Krishna is eternally established in the hearts of the living
entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When
the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally
awakens.” (Sri
Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.107)