Travel Journal#15.8: Ireland, UK, Holland, Belgium

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 15, No. 8 

By Krishna Kripa Das

(April 2019, part two) 

Ireland, UK, Holland, Belgium 

(Sent from West Midlands, UK, on May 3, 2019)

Where I Went and What I Did

I arrived in Dublin on Monday, April 15, where I did harinama for three days and gave the Monday Bhagavad-gita class and attended the Tuesday night kirtan. Thursday I chanted Hare Krishna in downtown Belfast with five devotees, and Friday I took three buses, two trains, and a boat to Newcastle, where I chanted with Prema Sankirtana Prabhu and his family and Cammy on Northumberland Street before giving the evening lecture on Bhagavad-gita. On Saturday, April 20, the third Saturday of the month, I participated in Newcastle’s Sacred Street Party, their big monthly outreach event. Sunday I chanted Hare Krishna in Newcastle with Bhakti Rasa and Kirtida Prabhus before giving the Sunday feast lecture. I chanted Hare Krishna by myself in Sunderland on Monday and Newcastle on Tuesday. Wednesday Prema Sankirtana and his family, along with myself, joined Atul Krishna Caitanya Prabhu in chanting Hare Krishna in his hometown of Chester-le-Street and then went to a picnic in Durham arranged by Kirtida Devi Dasi. Thursday I took a bus to Leeds and a train to Preston, where I chanted with Govardhan Devi Dasi and her husband, Nitaichand Prabhu, before giving the lecture in Accrington. Friday I chanted with Govardhan Devi Dasi and Nitaichand Prabhu in Liverpool, before giving the lecture there. Saturday I flew to Amsterdam for Kadamba Kanana Swami’s massive harinama on King’s Day. I stayed that night with Sivananda Sena Prabhu near Rotterdam, and traveled to Antwerp the next day to give the Sunday lecture. I ended this ecstatic month of April in Brussels, chanting Hare Krishna for two days with Janmastami Prabhu, who loves harinama, the final day being Ekadasi.

I share excerpts from classes by Srila Prabhupada and from the Free Write Journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on a class by Dina Dayal Prabhu in Dublin and by Nrsimha Palli Devi Dasi in Brussels. I share realizations by devotees in discussions in Accrington and Liverpool.

Many, many thanks to Satya Medha Gauranga Prabhu, disciple of Jayapataka Swami, for his very generous donation that will fund my trip to Simhachalam for the Nrsimha festival and onward to Paris. Thanks to Govardhan Devi Dasi for her donation of our harinama collections in Preston and Liverpool and for chanting three hours a day for two days. Thanks to Janmastami Prabhu for his kind donation and also for chanting three hours a day for two days. Thanks to Krishna of Hyderabad, who lives in Belfast, and Atul Krishna Caitanya Prabhu of Chester-le-Street for their kind donations. Thanks to the Dublin and Newcastle temples for their donations.

Thanks to Jude of Liverpool for the ride there, a place to stay, and meals. Thanks to Sivananda Sena Prabhu for accommodation, travel, food, and a new gamsha. Thanks to Aleks of Antwerp for the orange hat. Thanks to Bruno for driving us to harinama in Brussels.

Thanks to Saurabh Wadhawane for his video of his friends playing shakers with Manu Prabhu and me, as we were chanting Hare Krishna in Dublin. Thanks to Visnu Jana Prabhu of Harinama Ruci for his photos of King’s Day in Amsterdam.

Itinerary

May 3: Birmingham harinama and evening program

May 4–5: Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtan

May 6–10: Newcastle area harinamas and Friday program

May 11: Edinburgh harinama and program

May 12: Newcastle harinama and Sunday feast

May 13–14: harinamas in the North East of England

May 15: London harinama

May 16: Flight from London to Munich

May 17–18: Simhachalam Festival

May 19 – July 17: Paris [except BI seminar on evolution in FL: June 6–10]

July 18: London harinama

July 19: Nottingham harinama and program?
July 20: Sheffield Tramlines harinama

July 21: Birmingham Ratha-yatra

July 23: Sheffield harinama and program
July 25: Accrington program?
July 26: Liverpool harinama program?

July 30 – August 3: Pol’and’Rock Festival (formerly Polish Woodstock Festival)

August 6–12: Vaishnava Summer Festival (Lithuania)

August 13: Flights from Vilnius to Olso to Dublin to Montreal

August 14–18: Vaishnava Sanga Festival (Canada)
August 25: Leeds harinama and program?

August 27: Sheffield harinama and program

August 29: Accrington program?
August 30: Liverpool harinama program?

September 1: Liverpool Ratha-yatra
September 7: York harinama and program

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

September 9–10: Dublin

September 11: New York City

September 12: Krishna Club at UNF in Jacksonville

September 13 – mid or late October: Tallahassee

mid or late October – mid or late January 2020: NYC Yuga Dharma Harinama Party

Chanting Hare Krishna in Dublin

Govinda’s Restaurant, with the Hare Krishna temple above it, is just a few shops away from O’Connell Street, one of the busiest streets in Dublin. When we are singing on O’Connell Street and people ask us where our temple or restaurant is located, we can just walk a few steps to the corner and point to the red Govinda’s sign on the right side of Middle Abbey Street.

Monday, the day I arrived from America, I had to take extra rest to recover from my journey, so I chanted only two hours. One Indian couple and their daughter, who are regular temple attenders, helped me relocate to next to the Post Office to avoid the rain and then joined me in chanting Hare Krishna for twenty minutes.

Tuesday Manu Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna with me on Dublin’s O’Connell Street (https://youtu.be/xxwvf7-0yQk):

While Manu Prabhu was chanting Hare Krishna, some Indian passersby played shakers, as their friend, Saurabh Wadhawane, took this video (https://youtu.be/O97bnxeeZkE):

Later, while Manu Prabhu was chanting Hare Krishna, two girls delighted in playing the shakers and dancing, as their friends filmed them (https://youtu.be/KgASO8fTWjg):

The next day, Premarnava Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna, and Dina Dayal Prabhu, who serves on Indradyumna Swami’s festival team, performed on O’Connell Street in Dublin (https://youtu.be/RJJh0Etiq6Y):

Later as Premarnava Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna, an Indian man who attends the temple joined us, and a passerby played shakers (https://youtu.be/MdcmGVCFSKc):

Here Premarnava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/JeG-FsYOfdw):

Chanting Hare Krishna at the Dublin Tuesday Evening Kirtan

Dublin is a place where they like to do kirtan in dim light, so if you want see the following two videos nicely, turn up the brightness on your display and watch them in a dark room:

Orla chants Hare Krishna at Dublin Tuesday Kirtan (https://youtu.be/OIhOI-rOvvM):

Manu Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Dublin Tuesday Kirtan (https://youtu.be/m0UpyierWeQ):

The day I arrived in Dublin was Ekadasi, and when you travel you never know what sort of prasadam you will encounter on that day. 

I was so impressed that devotees made seven different items for lunch. 

Thanks to Amanda Vikrama Prabhu (formerly Alek) for doing most of the cooking.

Chanting Hare Krishna in Belfast

I was happy that five devotees joined me on harinama in Belfast as that is very unusual there.

Here Alex, who helps out with temple management, chants Hare Krishna in Belfast, accompanied by his wife on the drum and his daughter who dances (https://youtu.be/6sQVBqI0qFw):

Nitai Prabhu, playing the karatalas, has gone on harinama in Belfast semiweekly for decades. Silas, in the far left in the video, chanted with me the entire three hours and gave a £5 donation to the temple.

Chanting Hare Krishna En Route to Newcastle

For the first time I traveled by boat, bus, and train from Belfast to Newcastle via Scotland. I chanted for fifteen minutes on the deck of the ferry on the Irish Sea, and later I chanted for ten minutes at the Glasglow train station, prior to my train to Newcastle.

I was so happy that five devotees came out to chant with me that very afternoon on my first day back in Newcastle, Prema Sankirtana Prabhu and his family of four, and Cammy, a college student who has been living in our Newcastle temple and chanting Hare Krishna regularly since last August.

Chanting Hare Krishna at the Monthly Newcastle Sacred Street Party

The Newcastle Sacred Street party is on Northumberland Street on the third Saturday of each month from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Next to their kirtan party and book table, the devotees have this large Hare Krishna maha-mantra sign with contact information for the temple.

Dhananjaya Prabhu, devotee musician and longtime resident of Newcastle, began the chanting Hare Krishna at the Newcastle Sacred Street Party in April (https://youtu.be/eHg_UKVrqeU):

Jagannathesvari Devi Dasi, disciple of Bhakti Caitanya Swami and wife of the Newcastle temple president, Caitanya Vallabha Prabhu, chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/3yGxXq1nCy4):

Next Caitanya Vallabha Prabhu, the inspiration behind its Sacred Street Party, chanted Hare Krishna there on this rare warm April day (https://youtu.be/bvHZdXQu_1k):

Here Vishnu Priya Devi Dasi, mother of the two youthful dancing girls, chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/tGrFwHwHDoc):

Later a guy danced as his relative took photos (https://youtu.be/p0W9zPAVAog):

Prema Sankirtana Prabhu, disciple of Janananda Goswami, chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/cB0kSc06ITY):

After the Newcastle Sacred Street Party, I was short 21 minutes of my quota of 3 hours of harinama, so I decided to play the harmonium and chant and walk back to the temple instead of driving.

Several people were enjoying the sun on the grass by the Newcastle Town Wall, so I decided to go that way. One couple seemed to like the music so I told them about our temple programs. The girl said she was from Kashmir and had friends who enjoyed the meals at ISKCON Dacca. I told her that after singing downtown we were having a feast at our temple, if they wanted to follow me there. She was into it, and she played the shakers and chanted Hare Krishna the whole way.

They liked the prasadam and the devotees, and we hope to see them again.

During prasadam I asked them how they met as they did not work at the same job or study at the same school. They explained they met at the Newcastle Philosophy Meetup, and it makes me wonder if we could do a presentation of the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita there or at least make those who attend the meetup aware that we have classes on the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita on Fridays at our place, we might attract additional people since people interested in philosophy are rare.

Chanting Hare Krishna Subsequent Days in the Newcastle Area

I was very happy that Bhakti Rasa and Kirtida Prabhus, both also disciples of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, spontaneously joined me for harinama on Easter Sunday on Northumberland Street, before the Sunday feast program in Newcastle.

Here Kirtida Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna in Newcastle on Easter Sunday (https://youtu.be/JqiRztTmFms):

Bhakti Rasa Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Newcastle on Easter Sunday (https://youtu.be/r5aZabC1de0):

Bhakti Rasa Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Newcastle, and a man plays the shakers (https://youtu.be/WTAHojzQet4):

Prema Sankirtana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the beginning of the Newcastle Sunday program, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/JkjRjfAYnow):

I chanted Hare Krishna at Newcastle Sunday Feast, and many danced, including some Sikhs visiting from London (https://youtu.be/IZC_HTJlvSg):

Prema Sankirtana Prabhu, along with his family, chants Hare Krishna in Chester-le-Street, home of Atul Krishna Caitanya Prabhu, who is sitting down (https://youtu.be/nd8buSrSLIQ):

After singing in Chester-le-Street, we joined other Newcastle devotees in chanting Hare Krishna and having a prasadam picnic in a Durham park. Here Atul Krishna Caitanya Prabhu leads the chant (https://youtu.be/ypBXwff3jgo):

The devotees continued chanting Hare Krishna after taking prasadam with Prema Sankirtana Prabhu leading the chant (https://youtu.be/9jvtsh1n5a4):

Julian, who encountered devotees at the Sankirtana Society at Newcastle University, chants Hare Krishna in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, during an informal Wednesday kirtan program at the Hare Krishna temple (https://youtu.be/b8gMm6preY4):

Chanting Hare Krishna in Lancashire in North West England

I was thinking of chanting in Leeds before the Accrington program, but when I could not find anyone to join me and I learned that Govardhan and her husband were in Preston and planning to go to Accrington for the program, I decided to chant in Preston with them instead.

Here Govardhan Devi Dasi, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada who loves harinama, chants Hare Krishna in Preston, joined by her husband, Nitaichand Prabhu, and myself (https://youtu.be/iR8ISKPpZC8):

Just a few minutes after our kirtan started, it rained and we had to seek shelter and some of our equipment got wet. The wind and later the sun dried up the sidewalk and the cloth we displayed our books on, as we continued chanting.

One nice Indian lady, Vegavati Devi Dasi, who would come to the programs when we used to have them in Preston, happened to see us on harinama, although she did not know we were chanting there that day. She impressed me with her flawless tilaka, not often wore by devotees in public in the west, unless they are going to a devotional engagement. She was happy to see the devotees and to learn of the evening program in Accrington, which Govardhan offered her a ride to, and she came and was very happy she did so.

While returning to the car after our harinama in Preston, Govardhan noticed that an abandoned church had become a cafe and bar, a sign of the degraded times.

Here Govardhan Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna in Accrington at the monthly home program of another Srila Prabhupada disciple, Rasesvari Devi Dasi, who is performing the arati (https://youtu.be/pZXUg5ajUS0):

In the video, you can see there are two set of Gaura Nitai deities on Rasesvari’s altar. She told the story of how she recently saw the set on the left for sale in a Accrington market. She asked the man the price, and he said £6 (about $7.80), a very good deal. She asked the man where he had originally obtained them from, but he did not have a clue. Rasesvari was very happy to have Gaura Nitai appear again in her life, and her joy pervaded the program!

Chanting Hare Krishna in Liverpool

Govardhan and Nitaichand were very dedicated to come on harinama for three hours with me for two days in a row. The second day we were in Liverpool, the city of the Beatles and George Harrison.

Here Govardhan Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna in Liverpool, and a young man plays djembe and other percussion instruments, remaining with our party for two hours (https://youtu.be/zBdCOVjtRok):

Govardhan Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna, and a passerby from group of partying ladies plays shakers and dances (https://youtu.be/lTdZGlz_Rt0):

Govardhan Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna, and a little girl dances (https://youtu.be/-57Y6Ncnr2I):

Karsna Prabhu, who oversees Hare Krishna monthly programs and Ratha-yatras in Liverpool, chants Hare Krishna in Liverpool before the the April program (https://youtu.be/DpTT5tIaZz4):

Govardhan Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at the monthly Liverpool program in a meeting room in the library (https://youtu.be/PId8G3THuxw):

Chanting Hare Krishna on King’s Day in Amsterdam with Many Devotees

Kadamba Kanana Swami, originally from Holland, invites his friends and followers to join him for seven hours of harinama on King’s Day in Amsterdam. Here he leads the chanting of Hare Krishna in Dam Square, and many passersby dance with the devotees, some who had never met Hare Krishnas before and who had come from as far away as China and Argentina (https://youtu.be/PSgDlS_0TGY):

Kadamba Kanana Swami brings three busloads of devotees from Radhadesh so we have a large crowd of devotees for the harinama.

I was very happy to be chanting with the devotees at King’s Day (formerly Queen’s Day) for the twelfth consecutive year.

As usual many people enjoyed dancing with us as you can see in these videos.

I told a group of young people from Den Haag, who enjoyed dancing with us, about our programs in Amsterdam with chanting, dancing, and vegetarian food. They were happy to hear about them because they were vegetarian.

A girl from Amsterdam who enjoyed playing my shakers along with the kirtan was happy to hear of our program with chanting, dancing, and vegetarian food also because she was vegetarian.

Here Vraja Krishna Prabhu, a Bulgarian brahmacari, chants a lively tune of Hare Krishna, which Village of Peace used to sing, on King’s Day (https://youtu.be/vtk9wa211C4):

Nrsimha Caitanya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna by a canal (https://youtu.be/dg1ZzNSJGDw):

Parividha Prabhu, disciple of Srila Prabhupada and performer, chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/wZ7M4e7jblY):

Parividha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna under a bridge in Vondelpark, and many dance with the devotees (https://youtu.be/KSVJIdZ7Cgg):

Rati Manjari Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna under the same bridge, and many dance with the devotees (https://youtu.be/moq3garnlPY):

Here Syama Rasa Prabhu, our final kirtan leader, sings Hare Krishna through the rest of Vondelpark, ending on the sidewalk just outside the park, where the devotees waited for their buses back to Radhadesh (https://youtu.be/imeQJvXCxbI):

I went to Schiedam, just west of Rotterdam, with Sivananda Sena Prabhu, who facilitated harinama in Rotterdam and nearby cities for many years.

The next day I went to Antwerp, where I gave the Sunday feast lecture.

While walking from the metro to the temple, so much preparation was going on for the Antwerp 10-mile marathon. I remembered how enthusiastic the Newcastle devotees are to chant Hare Krishna for the benefit of the 57,000 people who run past them in the annual Great North Run, and perhaps in the future, the devotees in Antwerp might take advantage of this event in Antwerp in a similar way.

Chanting Hare Krishna in Brussels

Janmastami Prabhu, a disciple of Lokanath Swami, who played the accordion before he met the devotees, is always willing to do three hours of harinama with me, and thus I spent a couple days doing harinama with him and other devotees on my way back to the United Kingdom.

Here Janmastami Prabhu chants Hare Krishna near Brussels Central Station (https://youtu.be/-P7A2bpPOPg):

These Bengali tourists were happy to meet Janmastami Prabhu and his party chanting Hare Krishna in Brussels, and they played shakers, took video, and followed the devotees (https://youtu.be/WpcedQMOXOs):

Here Amitakrishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on a busy Brussels street (https://youtu.be/aNiMSExBS64):

A South African family enjoys playing shakers and dancing as Amitakrishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Brussels (https://youtu.be/Qvh3SiEqiA8):

When I found out the family was from South Africa, I asked which city, and the mother replied, “Pretoria.”

I told her how I had chanted Hare Krishna on the streets of Pretoria on my fiftieth birthday, and that I was very happy to chant on a new continent, in a new country, and in a new city on that day. I mentioned one Dutch swami had paid my ticket there so I could write about the outreach programs going on.

Here Janmastami Prabhu chants Hare Krishna near Brussels Central the next day with a couple enthusiastic young ladies (https://youtu.be/5nhW1RvDzFg):

For Judy, the taller lady, this was her second time on harinama.

Here Janmastami Prabhu chants Hare Krishna through the streets of Brussels (https://youtu.be/uk4t7P6GYi0):

It was Ekadasi, and so I decided to chant 64 rounds of japa. I uploaded 24 videos from the end of April the night before, so I could focus on the holy name, both the public chanting and the meditation on beads, on that sacred day.

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.23 in Honolulu on January 19, 1974:

“The nature’s arrangement is like that. Just like children, they’re allowed to play, but under certain condition. So we all, we are all children of God, Krishna. So we have come here to enjoy, to lord it over the material nature. That is the tendency. So Krishna has given us the facility. Just like in the beach there are many young men who are playing in the sea with surf, but still, the government has watch over it. Government’s duty is that they may not be drowned.”

“Krishna is taking care of us. He has allowed us, ‘All right, you have come here. Try to satisfy yourself. But there are certain rules and regulation.’ If you break those rules and regulation, for your interest Krishna takes the measures.”

“Kirtana. You’ll feel immediately refreshed. However burden you may feel, as soon as you perform krishna-kirtana, you’ll find immediately refreshed. So one who has got taste for this kirtana, he has no problem.”

“Sudama: Now, what is my position if I am chanting Hare Krishna mantra and I’m living in the association of the devotees, or I’m taking prasada, but I have no..., I lose a taste or I have no desire, but for lack of having anything else to do, I remain. So what is my position?

Prabhupada: That is Krishna’s grace, that you have no anything to do. You have to do it. [laughter] That’s a grace of Krishna. Yasyaham anugrhnami harisye tad-dhanam sanaih [Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.88.8]. Krishna has taken away everything. You have no other alternative than to remain here. [laughter] That is Krishna’s special grace. And those who are thinking that ‘We can do something else besides Krishna,’ they are foolish. They are lost. Yes. But Krishna is so kind upon you that He has placed in a certain circumstances that you cannot go out. That is very good fortune. Yes.”

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.25–30 in Honolulu on January 21, 1974:

“So it is a great science, how by tongue... Actually, our this Krishna consciousness movement is to teach people how to engage the tongue in the service of the Lord. This is Krishna consciousness. We are requesting everyone, ‘Chant Hare Krishna.’ That is beginning with tongue. ‘And take prasadam and go home.’ That’s all. Philosophy later on. Philosophy later on. Because, unless one has got clear brain, unless has actually the senses, purified, one cannot take the lessons of the Krishna consciousness movement. Just like this is philosophy. One cannot understand the lessons which are given in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita... Therefore in the beginning we do not ask anybody, outsider, that ‘Read Bhagavad-gita or...’ No. ‘Please come, chant with us Hare Krishna.’ That is required. Chant Hare Krishna and you will feel. You’ll feel. Because this method will cleanse your heart. The more you chant Hare Krishna maha-mantra, the more you become fit to understand the philosophy of Krishna consciousness. That is the process. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau [Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.2.234]. So anyone who will stop chanting, he will be a victim of maya. Always remember it. Therefore we insist, ‘Please do not forget to chant at least sixteen rounds.’ That is minimum.”

“Why this man is dead? They may explain, these rascals, in so many ways, but actual, any simple man can understand that there was something, either you call it soul or something else, that is now missing. That soul has now gone. So one minute before, the body was so important, and now, after one minute, the passing of the soul, it is useless; throw it away. Is it very difficult to understand? That’s all. That is realization. . . . So [for] people who do not want to realize, there is no realization. Otherwise, it is very simple. Very simple. One minute, one can understand, there was something.”

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

From Free Write Journal #35:

“He [Muktavandhya] also asked me what was the situation of devotees who served in ISKCON for a long time but never received initiation. I told him their spiritual situation was incomplete. They were acting as closet rtvik adherents, indirectly claiming that Prabhupada was their only guru. I said there are qualified initiating gurus in ISKCON, and these persons should listen to the different gurus and develop faith in one and take initiation.”

“Prabhupada (and his own spiritual master, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati) used to say that if he could make one pure devotee, he would consider his whole mission a success. Similarly, if Garuda, teaching within the restraints of the academic university, can attract one student to the science of Krishna and to become a pure devotee, his whole talk and his whole career will be successful.”

From Free Write Journal #36:

“At MIT in 1968, a person asked, “Why do you wear that white paint on your face?” Prabhupada retorted by asking the man a question: “Why do you wear your necktie?” The man sat down silently. Prabhupada went on to say that questions about dress were trivial.”

“One time his disciples residing in Hawaii, Govinda dasi and Gaurasundara, invited Prabhupada to come to Hawaii and told him it was mango season. Prabhupada obliged, but when he got to Hawaii it was not mango season. That was a duplicitous invitation. Prabhupada wrote in a letter, ‘When I arrived in Hawaii it was not mango season. It was rat season,’ with the rodents scurrying in the rafters of his house. In the back yard of the Hawaii ISKCON temple there is a huge banyan tree, very beautiful, like one in India. The devotees in Hawaii said that Prabhupada remarked, ‘Lord Siva is sitting under the banyan tree.’ He took it as a very auspicious presence.”

“The origin of tulasi worship in ISKCON began in Hawaii, where Govinda dasi grew tulasi from seeds. The climate was so favorable that they grew many tulasis, and some of them were extra-large, with big trunks. Govinda dasi mailed seeds to devotees in the United States and other places, and they raised the tulasis from the seeds, protecting them in cold weather with Grolights and keeping them outdoors in the summer. Prabhupada even wrote about Govinda dasi’s starting tulasi worship in a purport of Srimad-Bhagavatam.”

“I remember an African-American man remarking to me that he liked the fact that Lord Jagannatha was black.”

“I was Prabhupada’s servant in 1974 when he attended the Ratha-yatra in San Francisco. It was well attended by onlookers and devotees, and at the end of the procession Prabhupada led a kirtana and burst into dancing with his arms upraised, which caused his devotees to jump high in ecstasy. Riding on the cart with Prabhupada was a good position to be in. A few other sannyasis were on the cart with Prabhupada. We had a birds-eye view of all the participants strung out beside the cart and in front and behind it.”

“In 1975, as part of a world tour, Prabhupada visited Caracas, Venezuela, Miami and Atlanta. In each center, Gaura-Nitai were the presiding Deities, and Prabhupada was moved to see Them. In Atlanta Prabhupada gave an arrival address, but after a few moments of glorifying the mercy of Gaura-Nitai, his voice choked, tears flowed from his eyes and he had to end his talk, overwhelmed with ecstasy. Many devotees gathered in Atlanta to be with Srila Prabhupada. Tamal Krishna Goswami brought 40 devotees from his bus party, the Library Party was there, and Tripurari’s party. Tamal Krishna Maharaja arranged for each of the devotees on the bus party to be introduced to Prabhupada. Uddhava (who is ending his one-month visit to Viraha Bhavan today) told us about his exchange with Srila Prabhupada. TKG introduced him as Bhakta Dave and said he used to be a Buddhist. Prabhupada asked him what made him join Krishna consciousness? Dave (later Uddhava) answered that in Buddhism there was no goal, but in Krishna consciousness there was a goal. Prabhupada liked this and said, ‘Very good.’ Then he said, ‘From no hope, now you have hope.’ Uddhava was in bliss and felt very fortunate to be with Prabhupada and the devotees in Atlanta for the short visit. They had enthusiastic kirtanas.”

Dina Dayal Prabhu:

Plastic surgery is on the increase because of social media. Everyone wants to share the perfect selfie. Due to illusion we are so absorbed in our bodies!

Srila Prabhupada encourages us to give up our material aspirations and become determined to return to the spiritual world at the end of this very life.

Nrsimha Palli Devi Dasi:

From an evening Srimad-Bhagavatam lecture in Brussels:

Devotees are very ambitious. They want to develop a personal relationship with the Supreme Lord.

In Srimad-Bhagavatam, the Lord gives the key for developing a relationship with Him.

In kirtana our soul is singing, and we experience joy and cleanse ourselves.

If reading Srila Prabhupada’s books is difficult, you can read his biography.

Anthony Bate:

From a discussion in Accrington:

Most likely it was three or four things that happened to you about the same time, you get a book, you meet a devotee, etc., that inspired you to take to Krishna consciousness.

My story is that I was working in a store, and I got a call, “Some Hare Krishnas are selling books in the car park, disturbing all the customers.”

I said, “I will sort it out.”

I went out to the car park, and I came back with armload of books.

Aharada Devi Dasi:

From a discussion in Liverpool:

I like sharing Krishna consciousness on harinama. I find it includes everything. It includes association with other devotees. It makes everything very easy. You feel like reading more so you have more to share.

Retired gentleman who encountered Krishna consciousness in the 1970s but has now become a regular attender of our programs in Liverpool:

From a discussion in Liverpool:

I saw the Hare Krishna! film by myself at Liverpool One. I couldn’t speak to anybody afterward because I found it so moving. I decided to go to the meetings after that.

I went to the chariot festival. I wished I paid for more than two hours of parking, because I could have stayed the whole day.

Nitaichand Prabhu:

From a discussion in Liverpool:

I find when I remember Krishna things are good, and when I forget Krishna I start making mistakes like lust, greed, and anger.

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After hearing about the great value of love of Krishna (krishna prema), one may develop the eagerness to attain it and wonder, “What is the fastest way I can attain this krishna prema?” In His conversation with Sanatana Goswami, Sri Caitanya Mahaprbhu gives us some clue by revealing the five most powerful forms of devotional service. If we can become attracted to one of these, we can attain love of Krishna, considered the ultimate goal of life, very easily.

sadhu-sanga, nama-kirtana, bhagavata-sravaṇa

mathura-vasa, sri-murtira sraddhaya sevana

sakala-sadhana-srestha ei pañca anga

krishna-prema janmaya ei pancera alpa sanga

duruhadbhuta-virye ’smin

sraddha dure ’stu pañcake

yatra sv-alpo ’pi sambandhah
sad-dhiyam bhava-janmane

[Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued speaking to Sanatana Gosvami:] “One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside at Mathura and worship the Deity with faith and veneration. These five limbs of devotional service are the best of all. Even a slight performance of these five awakens love for Krishna.

“‘The power of these five principles is very wonderful and difficult to understand. Even without faith in them, a person who is offenseless can awaken his dormant love of Krishna simply by being a little connected with them.’” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.128–129, 133)