Travel Journal#15.17: North England, Dublin, New York City

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 15, No. 17 
By Krishna Kripa Das 
(September 2019, part one) 
The North of England, Dublin, New York City 
(Sent from New York City on September 15, 2019)

Where I Went and What I Did

The last two days of August I did harinama in Liverpool with several devotees to promote the third annual Liverpool Ratha-yatra on September 1. I returned to Newcastle the next day and did harinama there. Then I did harinama in Durham with Bhakti Rasa Prabhu the day after, and in York with Govardhana Devi Dasi and Ashis the day after that. The next day I chanted alone in North Shields, which is the town in the Newcastle area where I had gotten the biggest donations this year, and someone who got a Bhagavad-gita last time took a Science of Self-Realization. The following day was Radhastami and several devotees joined me in chanting in Newcastle on Northumberland Street to celebrate. The day after was the first Saturday in September, and we did harinama in York before the monthly evening program, which one girl who met us on that harinama attended. On September 8, many Newcastle devotees chanted along the route of the Great North Run, the largest half marathon in Europe, and 57,000 runners heard the holy name of Krishna, many very happy about the experience as you can see in the videos. I did harinama in Dublin the next three days with Ananta Nitai Prabhu, who came from England just to join me, since chanting in the streets of Dublin is something we did many times in the past when he lived there on a more permanent basis. On 9/11, I flew to New York to join the Yuga Dharma Ashram in chanting six hours of harinama each day in New York City for the fall. The first day we chanted in a Brooklyn subway station because of rain, but the next two we were at Union Square Park as usual. They changed the timing to 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. each day.

I share notes on a couple of lectures by Srila Prabhupada. I share notes on classes by Srila Prabhupada disciples, Ramesvara Prabhu, Sadaputa Prabhu, and Govardhana Devi Dasi. I also share notes on classes by Bhakta Vijnana Swami, Rama Raya Prabhu, Praghosa Prabhu (the GBC of the UK and Ireland), and Isa Prakasa Prabhu.

Thanks to the Manchester, Newcastle, and Dublin temples, and the Liverpool nama-hatta for their donations. Thanks to Karsna and Aharada Prabhus for their kind donation of foreign currency.

Thanks to Aharada Devi Dasi for the video of the street musician playing “My Sweet Lord” for us at the Liverpool Ratha-yatra stage show. Thanks to Kaliya Krishna Prabhu for the photo and video of me chanting in Union Square.

Itinerary

September 12–20: NYC Yuga Dharma harinamas

September 21–22: Boston Hemp Fest harinamas

September 23–25: NYC Yuga Dharma harinamas

September 26–28: Philadelphia harinamas and Ratha-yatra

September 29–30: Martha’s Vineyard (visiting relatives)

October 1 – December: NYC Yuga Dharma harinamas

January–April 2020: North Florida colleges

Chanting Hare Krishna in Liverpool

Alvyra, originally from Lithuania, chants Hare Krishna in Liverpool, as we promote the local Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/e1478P3m2L8):

The next day Alvyra chanted Hare Krishna, and passersby played instruments and danced, and one lady who danced gave a donation and took a Science of Self-Realization (https://youtu.be/verR2QMXsBw):

While promoting the next day’s Ratha-yatra, Karsna Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna in Liverpool, accompanied by his wife, Aharada Devi Dasi on harmonium, and many passersby danced (https://youtu.be/YT0pppGud3k):

Chanting Hare Krishna in the Liverpool Ratha-yatra

Here Parasurama Prabhu chants Hare Krishna before Liverpool Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/I5wTfuJvfh4):

Radhika Nagara Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna as the Liverpool Ratha-yatra procession began to move (https://youtu.be/ciL74W16rnA):

While Radhika Nagara Prabhu was chanting Hare Krishna, two girls played shakers and danced (https://youtu.be/b_zjQsqAyfU):

Other passersby danced with the devotee ladies (https://youtu.be/TQm2z-CQ2SM):

Here Sheetal chants Hare Krishna in the Liverpool Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/cjYs9-fqrmA):

Here Radha Mohan Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Liverpool Ratha-yatra, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/iHJg3QqABNw):

At the end of the Liverpool Ratha-yatra, Ananda Rupa Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna, and passersby and devotees danced. In the back, you can see two passersby spontaneously performing a dance they recently learned (https://youtu.be/-VeVewFFje8):

During the Ratha-yatra, I noticed our procession curtailed the performance of a one-man band guy. I thought he might be annoyed about that so I offered to bring him a plate of the vegetarian food we were serving. He was happy about that, but he said what he would really like is a copy of our book. I asked him if he meant Bhagavad-gita, and he said yes. 

After the procession, I brought him both a plate of prasadam and a Bhagavad-gita. He gave £5 from his collection for the book, and he was very satisfied with the prasadam.

He explained that David Lynch who started the famous American TV series, Twin Peaks, wrote a book about his experiments with meditation, in which he quotes Bhagavad-gita on practically every other page, and thus he developed an interest in it and was very happy to finally get one.

The day before, while chanting Hare Krishna in Liverpool to advertise the Ratha-yatra, we met a guitar player looking for a spot to play. We asked him if he knew “My Sweet Lord,” and when he said he did, we invited him to play at the Ratha-yatra stage show. Not only did he play, but he got prasadam, the garland of Lord Jagannatha from ISKCON London, japa beads and about two hours of association with devotees (https://youtu.be/sJ2Z02DkwrQ):

Thanks to Aharada Devi Dasi for the above video.

Devotee youths, mostly from Manchester, chant Hare Krishna at the Liverpool Ratha-yatra stage show (https://youtu.be/_UEuDM_GH54):

Parasurama Prabhu chants the final Hare Krishna kirtan at Liverpool Ratha-yatra stage show, and many dance (https://youtu.be/8nYTFIovLoI):

One dancer in that kirtan was Robert of Jersey, formerly known to the devotees as curly for the curly hair he had in his youth. He lived at Bhaktivedanta Manor and Caitanya College before getting separated from the devotees. We met him two days before the Ratha-yatra, and invited him to come, and he came for the final kirtan. At the request of his friend, Adi-Guru Prabhu, who I had written to about meeting him, he gave a donation which we used to go toward the cost of the festival.

Chanting Hare Krishna in the Newcastle Area

One day I went to Durham on the train which cost £6.50 round trip. I always wonder if it will be worth it because people do not give so many donations. Turns out people gave £28.60 and took four books, and several Indian students studying there learned about our local programs. One guy gave £10 and did not want a book. He just said, “I think the whole world would be better if they knew about sattva, rajas, and tamas.” Later I saw him at the train station, and he took me out for tea, and we discussed Bhagavad-gita philosophy for two hours.

Shyama Priya Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna on Radhastami in Newcastle (https://youtu.be/xYNb-XNe_aY):

Prema Sankirtana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Radhastami in Newcastle (https://youtu.be/o9KyUjdsOtQ):

Vishnu Priya Devi Dasi and family chant Hare Krishna on Radhastami in Newcastle (https://youtu.be/9aIHI9Tjftw):

Caitanya Vallabha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Radhastami in Newcastle (https://youtu.be/g8eg-AEFgWk):

Vrajendra Nandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Radhastami in Newcastle (https://youtu.be/cOXXBftSSuo):

Satya Medha Gauranga and Ramai Prabhus chant on Radhastami in Newcastle (https://youtu.be/v1TfPuSYBbI):

Chanting Hare Krishna in York

Govardhana Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna in York as we advertise our monthly evening program there (https://youtu.be/WK2XCMA_Jto):

In York I decided to stay out another 15 minutes to make sure I chanted my 3 hours that day, and Ashis kindly joined me. While we were chanting, one young lady from Rumania came by, took an invitation and actually came to the monthly program that evening, staying to the end. Afterwards I asked her what part of the program she liked best, and she said she liked the effect it had on her.

Here Govardhana Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at the beginning of the York monthly program (https://youtu.be/8Vc8UMptAkI):

Haridas Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the end of the York monthly program (https://youtu.be/9vaZQqrRxLs):

Mansa Mataji from Mauritius chants Hare Krishna at the very end of the York monthly program (https://youtu.be/42NZY0v5Iw4):

Chanting Hare Krishna at the Great North Run



Newcastle devotees chanted Hare Krishna for the fourth time at the annual Great North Run, giving the 57,000 participants in Europe’s biggest half marathon a chance to hear the holy name in Heworth, just south of Newcastle. In previous years, I had been in the USA at that time, but I scheduled my flight for the next week so I could make it this year. I was surprised to see the number of runners who expressed pleasure at seeing the devotees by saying “Hare Krishna,” “Gauranga,” or “Thank you!” by cheering, by raising their arms in the air, or by slapping the outstretched arms of the devotees.

Here Shyama Priya Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at the Great North Run (https://youtu.be/TFU2_l7DpF8):

Prema Sankirtana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Great North Run (https://youtu.be/_8idlFWX4hQ):

Kirtida Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at the Great North Run (https://youtu.be/773lfkvAQIs):

Jagannatheshvari Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at the Great North Run (https://youtu.be/C6nM4vIsGFE):

Caitanya Vallabha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Great North Run (https://youtu.be/dTGoV1FdXic):

Vishnu Priya Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at the Great North Run (https://youtu.be/fjqGgZQik7A):

Satya Medha Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Great North Run (https://youtu.be/w8kvbxkHndo):

Cammy chants Hare Krishna at the Great North Run (https://youtu.be/MwJUJbbzgbM):

Ramai Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Great North Run (https://youtu.be/Gd_nizlBzlw):

After the runners passed by, one guy wearing white and bearing a cross had some interaction with the devotees.

Here the devotees finish their Hare Krishna kirtan at the Great North Run (https://youtu.be/pXSy2mZEyiQ):

Chanting Hare Krishna at the Newcastle Sunday Feast

Keshavananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the ISKCON Newcastle temple Sunday feast (https://youtu.be/y-1mn-M4_Hc):

Bhakti Rasa Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the ISKCON Newcastle temple Sunday feast (https://youtu.be/vm_he77u7SU):

Chanting Hare Krishna on the Streets of Dublin

My flight to Dublin was delayed, the bus to downtown hit evening traffic, I ended up talking to devotees and customers in the restaurant, and someone showed up for the Gita class that used to be on Mondays so I did not start harinama till 7:48 p.m. I decided to chant two hours anyway and had wonderful experiences. Ananta Nitai Prabhu got a group of youthful Italian tourists to chant Hare Krishna one word at a time. They said they liked that kind of music and gave a donation. Two girls seemed happy to encounter Hare Krishna. I asked where they knew it from, and they said the Polish Woodstock, which they had gone to five times. One was Polish and the other Irish, and the Polish girl chanted a couple mantras and was happy to learn of our Dublin Tuesday night kirtans (https://youtu.be/k9fRUzxFuWY):

An Indian lady who lives at 58 Middle Abbey was happy to learn there is a Hare Krishna temple and restaurant at 83 Middle Abbey. A younger Indian lady asked if I was from ISKCON, and she said she was proud to see the Bhagavad-gita on display. Pravina, an Indian lady who regularly attends the temple and was passing by, played the shakers and chanted the response for almost half an hour. So, although I rarely do harinama so late, I was happy many people became more connected with Krishna as a result.

Chanting Hare Krishna in the Dublin Tuesday Evening Kirtan

Orla chants Hare Krishna at the Dublin Tuesday evening kirtan (https://youtu.be/J7mLWhwl1k8):

Manu Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Dublin Tuesday evening kirtan (https://youtu.be/v5JA3-M9OYU):

Chanting Hare Krishna with the Yuga Dharma Ashram Party in New York City

It is great to be back with the Yuga Dharma Ashram harinama party chanting six hours a day and six days a week in New York City! 

Here Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Atlantic Ave. / Barclays subway station in Brooklyn as it was a rainy day, and Savyasaci Prabhu dances (https://youtu.be/O-pTJHP2sTM):

Savyasaci Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Atlantic Ave. / Barclays subway station in Brooklyn (https://youtu.be/BNWZEyM72Xc):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Atlantic Ave. / Barclays subway station in Brooklyn (https://youtu.be/eeGCBnYwRQ0):

Krishna Kripa Das chants Hare Krishna in Union Square Park (https://youtu.be/7TqHo0-DTOU):

Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square Park (https://youtu.be/BwFq6nC7i5k):



Padmalaya Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna in Union Square Park (https://youtu.be/4YbPKLCwS_Q):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Union Square Park (https://youtu.be/Z_k1ulA22Lc):

Bhakta Mitchell chants Hare Krishna in Union Square (https://youtu.be/NEme2sBjaXU):

Chanting Hare Krishna at 26 Second Avenue

Bhakti Vijnana Goswami chants Hare Krishna at 26 Second Avenue in New York City (https://youtu.be/R6eKRv76JNE):

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.1 on April 6, 1973, in New York:

“We may not understand what is meaning of Hare Krishna, but still, because it is transcendental sound, it is auspicious. Wherever you chant Hare Krishna, they may hear or they may not hear, it is auspicious for them.

“So we are sending our men for street sankirtana. It doesn't matter whether people are eager to hear it or not, but it is auspicious. It will create an atmosphere which is very, very congenial to the human society. That should be our principle. Not that because we are chanting, nobody is taking care, we shall not be disappointed. Our this sankirtana movement is so nice that simply by chanting, the vibration will create an auspicious atmosphere, variyan esa te prasnah [SB 2.1.1].

“Now you can practically see, those who are old members. . . . So I began in this New York in that storefront simply by chanting. So I did not bribe you American boys and girls to come after me. This is the only asset was chanting. That Tompkinson, this Brahmananda Swami, he first came to dance with my chanting. [laughter] He and Acyutananda, that was the first dancing of our Krishna conscious movement. [laughter] . . . So I was chanting Hare Krishna from two to five, three hours, and so many boys and girls were coming and joining, and there was first photograph in the Times, New York Times, they appreciated, and people also appreciated. So this chanting, the beginning was only chanting. There was nothing more. At that time there was no program of prasada distribution.

“So we should always be confident that this chanting is not a vibration of this material world. This is not vibration of material world. Narottama dasa Ṭhakura says, golokera prema-dhana hari-nama-sankirtana. It is imported from the spiritual world. It is completely spiritual. Otherwise how it is possible? Sometimes the so-called yogis, they say that chanting . . .

“In Bombay there is a so-called rascal, he says, ‘The chanting of Hare Krishna mantra and chanting of Coca-Cola is the same.’ He is such a rascal. He does not know that this is not a vibration of this material world. But one who has no knowledge, they think that ‘What is the meaning of this chant, “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna”?’ But they can practically see that we can go on chanting day and night, still we shall not become tired, but any other material name you take, after chanting three times you will feel tired. That is the proof. You can go on chanting day and night, you will never feel tired. So these people, poor people, they have [no] brain to understand.

“Anyway, the chanting is so auspicious, Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given His benediction, ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. We are suffering in this material world because we are not cleansed of our understanding or of our heart. The heart is not cleansed. So this chanting will help us to cleanse the heart.

srnvataṁ sva-kathah krishnah

punya-sravana kirtanaḥ

hridy antah stho abhadrani

vidhunoti suhrt satam

[SB 1.2.17]

Chanting is so nice that as soon as you take to chanting, or hear about Krishna – the chanting is also hearing about Krishna – so immediately the cleansing process begins, ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. And as soon as our heart is cleansed, bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam, then we become freed from the blazing fire of this material existence.

“So chanting is so auspicious. . . . Suta Gosvami said, yat krtah krishna-samprasno yayatma suprasidati [SB 1.2.5]. When the great saintly persons in the Naimisaranya inquired about Krishna, he replied like that. Yat krtah krishna-samprasnah: ‘Because you have inquired about Krishna, it will cleanse your heart, yenatma samprasidati. You will feel a very transcendental bliss, comfort, within your heart.’”

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.1 on June 9, 1974, in Paris:

“You are thinking enjoying. But is there any guarantee that you will enjoy? Any moment, you'll be finished. Any moment. So there is no guarantee. That is not enjoyment. Real enjoyment is permanent enjoyment. Just like we construct some house, making the, what is called, foundation very strong. In your country, they make very strong foundation. But what is your foundation, sir? Is it very strong? You can be taken away at any moment. So before making the foundation strong, why don't you make your foundation strong that you shall be able to live here permanently? But that intelligence they haven't got. They'll waste time, making the house foundation very strong, not for himself. His foundation tiltering at any moment, any second.”

“Go on reading every day. . . . Both Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita. Every day, the more you'll become realized, atmavit, you see new meaning, new light. Srimad-Bhagavatam is so nice. Simply if you read Srimad-Bhagavatam. . . . One is learned . . . . What is the limit of learning? The limit, learning, is when you understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. That is the limit. Finished. There is no knowledge required any more.”

“We, we try to protect this body. We are very much fond of this body. Why? Because the soul is there. Everyone knows it. As soon as this body there is no soul, it is kicked out, throw it away in the street. Nobody cares for it. Suppose a beautiful man and beautiful girl, dead bodies lying on the street – who cares for it? But as so long the soul is there, ‘Oh, such a nice, beautiful . . . , such a nice, beautiful boy, girl.’ The soul is important. So actually, we do not love this body, because the same beautiful body’s there. Why do you not care? Because soul is not . . . Therefore I love the soul. This is the fact. This is atmavit, atma-tattva-vit. And why I love soul? Because I love Krishna. Soul is part and parcel of Krishna. So why I am so much fond of soul? Because it is part and parcel of Krishna. Therefore, ultimately, I love Krishna. This is the conclusion. And if I do not love Krishna, that is my abnormal stage. And the normal stage is I love Krishna. Therefore we are trying to awaken Krishna consciousness.”

Ramesvara Prabhu:

From a morning class at the Yuga Dharma Ashram in New York City:

Here Lord Caitanya begins to educate an assembly of the greatest Mayavadis.

Sankaracarya rejected the idea that God’s energy could transform and form the limited living entities.

The scientists cannot explain the cause of the original singularity or its explosion. Similarly the Mayavadis cannot explain the cause of the soul’s original separation from the supreme soul.

The Vaishnavas say we exist to be in a loving relationship to the supreme in which we feel unlimited pleasure by giving Krishna pleasure. It is oneness with Krishna through love.

For there to be a relationship of love, there has to be desire and choice in ourselves, the jivas, the parts of God.

The second we want to divert from Krishna being in the center to ourselves being in the center, we do not fit in the spiritual world, and Krishna has to create a place for people in that condition. That is the material world.

Sanatana Goswami asks, “Now that I am liberated, what is my duty?” For the Mayavadi, there is nothing to do after liberation. One just merges into Brahman, and that is that.

Vaishnavas have to pray for Krishna to remove His effulgence to see Him. We cannot do that on our own.

It took Lord Caitanya to appear 500 years ago to revive the true teaching of the Vedas and remove the Mayavadi understanding.

It is an insult to God to limit Him by saying He cannot do this or that.

Even comparing ourselves to God is an insult to Him.

Chapter Seven is our favorite chapter of Sri Caitanya-caritamrita. If we can be free from nirvesesa and sunyavadi, then we can have something to offer others. Our mission is to free people from this conception of impersonalism.

Lord Caitanya starts His presentation to the Mayavadis by showing them how the Brahman they seek emanates from Him.

We accept initially based on knowledge and faith and later by realization.

The more we use everything, which is Krishna’s property, for Krishna, at every moment, the more realization Krishna will give us. Vigilant prayer and practice is needed to remain in this consciousness. We are practicing the state of consciousness that everyone in the spiritual world has naturally.

Whether I am having a great day on sankirtana or not, if I am in the consciousness of seeing everything is Krishna’s and is meant for Krishna, I will progress.

Tests help us to become unconditional servants and uninterruptible servants.

The last sentence of the first letter I ever received from Srila Prabhupada says that more important than saving others is to save yourself. In this letter, after saying that by distributing books they were guaranteeing they would go back to Godhead, he ends, “But even more important is to save yourself.” My understanding of that is that to the degree I am saved, then I can save others. Thus I would chant japa every morning with great attention, desiring to please Srila Prabhupada by distributing his books.

Srila Prabhupada never thought of retirement but to keep translating.

I convinced Prabhupada to leave the Maha Kumbha Mela where he was getting sick from the cold to go to a warmer place to continue his translation which was his most important gift.

I was frustrated being pressured to sign checks for things I did not think were proper BBT expenses. I decided in that situation the best thing to do was resign, and so I submitted my resignation to Srila Prabhupada, who wrote back, saying things like “I hope you come back to a sane condition of mind. There is no such thing as resignation in spiritual life. Once one surrenders there is no going back.”

Such nectar I experienced when Srila Prabhupada would chastise me, lifting me out of the mode of ignorance!

Unfortunately chanting in secluded places does not work as the history of the Gaudiya Math shows.

We told Srila Prabhupada we would use lines like “this will free you from birth and death” to sell his Beyond Birth and Death.

“Yes,” Srila Prabhupada said, “The title sells itself.”

Hearing of the book distribution results, Srila Prabhupada said, “Surely my guru maharaja will bestow his mercy thousands of times more than me and that will be to my great satisfaction.”

The more you work for their spiritual benefit, the more you will see the people as spiritual souls, not according to race, gender, external appearance, etc.

Srila Prabhupada said because of the great sincerity of the book distributors people are inspired to take books from them.

Krishna never gets tired of all the abominable conditions He witnesses souls suffering through, but He still always give them spiritual opportunities.

Unlimited realizations are awaiting for those who go on sankirtana.

Chanting japa, reading the books, and taking prasadam are the fuel for book distribution.

Harinama made all the original devotees into devotees. I came from harinama. When I saw the devotees on harinama in Portland, I thought, “These are the greatest monks in the world giving a maha-mantra to benefit everyone.”

Harinama made Hare Krishna a household word.

That you can do both harinama and book distribution together is inconceivable perfection.

There are certain pictures that Srila Prabhupada wanted in all his temples Panca-tattva, Lord Caitanya on harinama, Radha Krishna and the gopis, Lord Vishnu, etc. Originally there were no books to paint illustrations for, and the artists made paintings for the different temples to practice their skills.

Sadaputa Prabhu:

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.31.41 in San Diego in 1993:

“You see, according to the theory of evolution, sex is basic to the process of the origin of species. Because basically what you have is sexual reproduction in which successive offspring that are produced have slight variations in form. They inherit their form from their ancestors but there will be very small variations that come up and these are called the mutations. And the Darwinian idea is that these are random. That is, they just occurred by chance. And then the concept is that by selection, certain variations will be favored in the struggle for survival. And as a result, the form of the species will gradually change over time. And in this way, all the different species that we know to come to being, that’s the theory. So it’s based on the idea of reproduction.

“Of course, one immediate impediment to that is that reproduction is not a simple thing. You need quite a bit of apparatus for that. Until you have that apparatus, how then can you have the process of evolution? And the Darwinists have never really answered this. It’s a bit of a problem.”

“Shiva makes his entrance on the stage as it were, of the material world by appearing from Brahma. For example, in the case where a Brahma was offended by the four Kumaras who refuse to create progeny. Then Rudra came forth from his forehead when he manifested anger. But that’s similar to an actor appearing on the stage at a certain point.”

Vedanta Prabhu:

I first saw Srila Prabhupada walking down Second Street. He asked me to walk him to the Chinese market so he could purchase some items. While walking with him, he invited me to his programs at 26 Second Avenue.

I went to Los Angeles and later to Honolulu.

In Los Angeles, Srila Prabhupada asked me to become the temple president there, but I had to return to work in New York on Monday to support my two children, so I had to decline.

Govardhana Devi Dasi:

The chanting has whatever you hope to find in it.

The chanting has accompanied me throughout all the ups and downs of life.

The chanting gets sweeter with time.

Being old, you do not have to worry about anyone fancying you, which is very liberating.

Sometimes old people become bitter because they have not found the ultimate fulfillment they have been looking for their whole lives. I found the that fulfillment in the these names.

The names are more sweet when chanted in the street.

No one can explain what a sweet tastes like it. You have to try it yourself. The mantra is like that.

Sometimes old people, when they feel they will not live much longer, say things like “I won’t be here next Christmas.”

This knowledge and the mantra are a steadying factor in my life.

I like Bhagavad-gita 2.70 and 2.22, both the sound of the Sanskrit as well as the meaning:

apuryamanam acala-pratistham

samudram apah pravisanti yadvat

tadvat kama yam pravisanti sarve

sa santim apnoti na kama-kami

“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.” (Bg. 2.70)

vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya

navani grhnati naro 'parani

tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany

anyani samyati navani dehi

“As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.” (Bg. 2.22)

[Govardhana invited those present to tell their experience of the chanting and of the transcendental knowledge of Bhagavad-gita, and the following through “***” are notes on their responses.]

New girl from Rumania, who came to the program, after hearing us on harinama:

[For her, we adjusted the question to be, “What was your experience of the chanting that attracted you to come here?”]

I felt they believed in it. I felt their devotion, that they gave a sense of connection that was missing from the other people on the street.

I could see they did not mind doing something outside what the society generally accepts.

Jaya Krishna Prabhu:

In the beginning I could see these people were attracted to something worthwhile.

When the chanting is present, everything improves.

I connect to it.

Nitaicand Prabhu:

Some devotees reported chanting in their dreams.

Kathryn:

As far as meditation is concerned, I had previously tried thinking of nothing, which was difficult because everything would come into your mind. I find that by having the mantra to focus the mind on, sometimes I find the mind attains a deeply peaceful state.

Haridas Prabhu:

I think you notice the chanting has an effect more when you don’t do it.

That it never fails to give you some peace is evidence that God exists.

Oriental guy:

I feel free from stress and depression. I like that liberated spirit.

Ashis:

I feel that chanting Hare Krishna on beads gives a happiness that cannot be beat and that it will continue to be that way.

It has given me a lot of confidence, motivation, inspiration, and freedom from anxiety. Beyond that it has give me a vision and purpose in life. It has given me conviction I am beyond my body and mind.

Kathyn:

I like Bhagavad-gita 2.48, “Perform your duty equipoised, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.” If you are not worried about success or failure, it is so liberating.

***

Bhakti Vijnana Goswami:

From a class at 26 Second Avenue:

Krishna is saying in Bhagavad-gita 18.56, “This is how you get My mercy.”

You think of Him always, while doing your usual activities. But you do not do anything that you know He does not like.

The main thing is that you constantly feel that you are under the umbrella of the Lord’s protection.

Mad-vyapasraya could be understood to mean “under my healing protection.”

Why do we do something? Because we like it. Why do we like it? That is because of our conditioning. The deciding factor in choosing an action is because I like it. When we become a devotee, the deciding factor is what is pleasing to God. What we do is not so important as the consideration of whether or not it is pleasing to God. When we act in this consciousness, we become happy automatically.

Our endeavor to bring our will in harmony with His will is pleasing to Him.

To create that internal harmony when our will is in harmony with His will gives great pleasure to our soul even in this life.

It is like when the orchestra plays without regard for the conductor the result is simply cacophony but when the conductor appears and directs the musicians the result is pleasing harmony.

Everyone secretly wishes that everyone would act in harmony with his will. For us to desire that or expect that is not reasonable, but for God it is natural.

Bhakti-yoga is technically the most simple process. The difficulty is to surrender the ego. Therefore, it is a gradual process.

In the beginning we say we surrender but within us there still exists a list of things we are not willing to do.

Saint Augustine in his confessions telling how he ultimately became a Christian, said that at one point he would pray, “O Lord, please free me from lust, but not right now.”

Once Tamal Krishna Goswami was reading a letter to Srila Prabhupada from a devotee who was describing his struggle to give up drugs, having some temporary success followed by repeated failures. Srila Prabhupada, hearing of his struggle, began to cry, appreciating what he was going through to try to please Krishna.

Q: How do we know how much to try when we encounter obstacles in our service to Krishna?

A: Krishna speaks of buddhi-yoga. In the course of our practice, we get more and more insight what is the will of God.

Yudhisthira accepted the idea of Draupadi being married to himself and his four brothers because it agreed with his heart. He had trained his heart so that it was tuned in to the will of the Lord. In addition, he offered examples from the revealed literature and consulted with Vyasadeva.

Comment by Vedanta Prabhu: Srila Prabhupada would always remind me that in this endeavor there is no loss or diminution.

Srila Prabhupada agreed that spiritual life is difficult but said that material life is impossible.

Q: When does meditation enter our process?

A: Even from the beginning there is meditation but it changes as we progress. In “Siksastaka” Lord Caitanya gives us ideas of the thoughts and emotions of the advancing devotee: “O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by chanting Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.” (Text 2)

Krishna says in effect, “Do whatever you like, but first think about it very thoroughly.”

Once Srila Prabhupada responded to the question of “what does surrender mean” by saying “use your intelligence.”

Rama Raya Prabhu:

The purport of the scholar and boatman story is that if you do not know how to get out of the clutches of maya, then 100% of your life is wasted.

The devotee knows that the Lord is always beyond the speculative power of human beings. Only when the Lord is pleased by one’s devotional service does He reveal Himself.

Prashant, son of our godbrothers, does a sit down harinama daily at Baltimore harbor.

Comment by me: In Montreal the devotees are chanting three or four hours every day. I was just there one day in August, and on that day we had sixteen people.

The Garga Samhita reveals that the resident of Ayodhya who criticized Lord Ramacandra as being henpecked in accepting back Sita after she was kidnapped by Ravana took his birth as the washerman of Mathura who refused to give Krishna and Balarama in charity the clothes of the king but instead instructed them on the importance of properly honoring the king and who was killed for his insulting behavior.

Not only should we serve the compassionate devotees of the Lord, but we should feel within ourselves compassion for the people in general.

Srila Prabhupada says that the Bhagavad-gita will give you definitive answers to solve any problem of the world.

If you really want to be in transcendental ecstasy read Prabodhananda Sarasvati’s literature like Caitanya Candramrita.

What to speak of all women, it is the business of all living entities to become shamelessly attracted to Krishna like the queens of Dvaraka and the gopis of Vrindavan.

Lord Caitanya has authorized this sentiment: “O son of Maharaja Nanda [Krishna], I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms of Your lotus feet.” (“Siksastaka,” Verse 5)

Praghosa Prabhu (GBC of the UK and Ireland):

From a Radhastami lecture:

We should consider how fortunate it is that we even know who Srimati Radharani is.

Because we are willing to chant Hare Krishna in harinama sankirtana, we are allowed to hear about the pastimes of Radha and Krishna, and we should never forget that. We need mercy to understand these pastimes, and by engaging in harinama sankirtana, we can get that mercy. Anyone can read the pastimes, but without such mercy, one cannot understand them.

Maya’s job is to keep the spiritual world pure.

Srila Prabhupada is not an ordinary spiritual master. No one has ever done what he did. The predictions of what he did are amazing. In the Padma Purana, Bhaktidevi says to Narada Muni, I will leave Vrindavan and travel to far away lands, and preach the glories of the Bhagavatam. No one did that before Srila Prabhupada.

Lord Caitanya says I have come with the sharp sword of harinama sankirtana to cut out all the anarthas from all living entities, however, if some escape I will send my senapati bhakta to rescue them.

Although at Vyasa-puja we have heard the same pastimes of Srila Prabhupada each year, we still appreciate them anew.

As long as you know about Krishna and you want to give other people Krishna that is your qualification. Nothing else is required.

The reason scientists present humans coming into being just one hundred thousand years ago is because they have an agenda of denying the existence of the sentient being who is the source of human beings. The reason they want to deny the existence of the supreme sentient being is that want to pursue an agenda of unrestricted sense gratification.

We also struggle with our minds, but we are armed with the weapon of knowledge.

Isa Prakasa Prabhu:

Jagannatha Ratha-yatra is when the Lord is feeling most magnanimous, and thus it is the best time to make an offering to him. Even if you do not know what to pray for, Lord Jagannatha knows what we need.

There are no rules. Anyone can offer.

Ratha-yatra is my favorite festival.

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Krishna advises practicing austerity of the body, speech, and mind. What austerity of speech is He explains in this verse. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone spoke in such a nice way?

anudvega-karam vakyam

satyam priya-hitam ca yat

svadhyayabhyasanam caiva

van-mayam tapa ucyate

“Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting Vedic literature” (Bhagavad-gita 17.15).