Travel Journal#16.1: New York City and North Florida

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 16, No. 1 

By Krishna Kripa Das 

(January 2020, part one) 

New York City and North Florida 

(Sent from Tampa on January 24, 2020)

Where I Went and What I Did

I chanted Hare Krishna with the Yuga Dharma Ashram harinama party in New York City for the first three days of 2020. One day the devotees celebrated the Vyasa-puja of Bhakti Vikasa Swami, who has several disciples there. While in New York City I also brought some prasadam cookies and doughnuts to some relatives. Then on January 4, I flew to Jacksonville and spoke at the semimonthly program at the Bhakti House, which I am grateful to Lila Kishor and Amrita Keli Prabhus for maintaining. The next day I took the bus to Tallahassee and spoke at the Sunday feast. During the week I would chant Hare Krishna at Landis Green on the Florida State University (FSU) campus and advertise our Krishna Lunch, our Krishna Club, and our ISKCON Tallahassee Sunday feast program. On the weekends I was in Tallahassee I would chant at Lake Ella, except one day when it was sprinkling, and Melanie found us a new venue downtown at Kleman Plaza that was protected from the rain.

I share notes on the classes and books of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. I also share some notes on the Eleven Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam translated by the humble servants of Srila Prabhupada. I share many excerpts from the books of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on a recorded lecture by Niranjana Swami. I share notes on classes by Brajananda Prabhu, the new temple president of ISKCON Tallahassee. After these insights, I share notes on Vyasa-puja offerings made to Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

Many thanks to Lila Kishor Prabhu of Jacksonville for his kind donation. Thanks to Melanie for driving us to and attending two weekend harinamas in Tallahassee. Thanks to Daniel for joining me on all my weekend harinamas.

Thanks to Kaliya Krishna Prabhu for the photos of me at our book table in Times Square subway station and for the video of my last kirtan in New York City. Thanks to Brajananda Prabhu for his photos of the ISKCON Tallahassee temple.

Itinerary

January–April 2020: North and Central Florida colleges, mostly Florida State University

Special events in Florida:

   January 25: Tampa Gasparilla pirate parade Ratha-yatra

   February 8: Ocala Rainbow Gathering

   March 14: Daytona Beach Ratha-yatra

   March 21: St. Augustine Ratha-yatra

   March 28: Tallahassee Ratha-yatra

   April 10: FSU Kirtan Event

April 11–12: Albany

April 12–13: Yuga Dharma Ashram harinama party

April 14–16: harinama in Washington, D.C., with Sankarsana Prabhu

April 18: Newcastle Sacred Street Party

April 19: Newcastle Sunday feast

April 24: Liverpool harinama and program

April 26: harinama at Antwerp 10-Mile Race

April 27: King’s Day harinama in Amsterdam

May weekend: Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtan

mid May–mid July: Paris harinama

July 28–August 1: Pol’and’Rock festival

August 19–23: Canada Vaishnava Sanga Festival

August 24: Montreal harinama

September 15: Brighton harinama

September 16–December 31: Yuga Dharma Ashram harinama party

Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City

As usual, during my last three days on harinama in New York City, I spent much of my time at the book table.

When people gave a dollar, I would generally give them Bhakti-yoga: The Art of Eternal Love, because it contains the sweet section from The Nectar of Devotion where Srila Prabhupada advises us to engage our loving propensity in the service of the supreme beloved, Krishna, to find the ultimate happiness we are looking for.

Gokulendra Prabhu, visiting for three days from North Carolina, chants Hare Krishna on New Year’s Day in Times Square subway station, and passersby play shakers and dance (https://youtu.be/rt5vTMhdspY):

Ananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Times Square subway station, and two guests, who had previously come to the Sunday feast program at the Yuga Dharma Ashram, play shakers and chant (https://youtu.be/rh3ktGtQthw):

Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Times Square subway station while the two guests continue to participate (https://youtu.be/RO7ODbaklD8):

Those guests must have stayed at least two hours, which is very rare.

Krishna Prasad Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Penn Station subway station, and a man plays djembe (https://youtu.be/ABFh82O3XjQ):

I chanted Hare Krishna in Penn Station subway station for the last time before going to Florida to do outreach at the colleges during the spring semester, and Kaliya Krishna Prabhu took this video (https://youtu.be/WHMOkqT55Ds):

It was wonderful to be chanting with such enthusiastic devotees.

Chanting Hare Krishna in Tallahassee

Our new temple president in Tallahassee, Brajananda Prabhu, has made many improvements. The devotees repainted the temple room and illustrated it with some of Puskar Prabhu’s “Windows to the Spiritual World.”

The temple is cleaner, they have a weekly program on campus with regular attenders, and there is an increase of 20% in attendance at their Krishna Lunch on the campus.

It is nice to be chanting in the sunshine at FSU in Tallahassee and not underground in New York City. One young lady seemed to recognize me. I asked if I talked to her last year. She said, “You talked to me three years ago. I am a senior, and I double majored in politics and religion. Somehow I never took a Hindu Studies course. Could you tell me about Hinduism?” I talked to her for 45 minutes about Gaudiya Vaishnavism, varnasrama, the modes of material nature, attaining the spiritual world, etc., showing her passages in Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and I invited her to Krishna Lunch and Krishna Club to learn more. She told me her name was Caroline. In New York City recently the big questions I was getting were: “How do I get to Queens?”, “Where is Port Authority?”, and “How do I get to South Ferry?” so “Could you tell me about Hinduism?” was a refreshing change!

When I got back to the temple I looked at my email list for 2017 and found one Caroline, and I wrote her, “Are you the Caroline I talked to at Landis today?”

She replied, “Yes, I am. I am so grateful for our encounter earlier today. I could feel the presence of God the entire time. I look forward to seeing you around more and hopefully learning as much as possible before you leave town.”

Seeing my “ASK A MONK” sign, one guy expressed displeasure that he was already in college but he was still a virgin, and asked what he could do about it. I said it is recommended that one not have sex before marriage, so that was actually good. I suggested he take advantage of the fact he did not have a girlfriend to focus on his spiritual life, and then he would attract a woman of a higher consciousness. He liked the answer.

Here Daniel chants Hare Krishna, accompanied by Jorge on the mrdanga, during an evening kirtan in the Tallahassee temple (https://youtu.be/Dt36gSEfeJM):

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.26 in Vrindavan on September 2, 1976:

“Modern science has not reached to that point of subtle existence. Therefore they cannot understand how transmigration of the soul takes place. The modern science has no knowledge. Imperfect knowledge. They see the gross body, but they have no knowledge about the subtle body. But the subtle body is there. Just like we do not see your mind, but I know that you have got mind. You do not see my mind, but you know that I have got mind. Mind, intelligence and ego. My conception, identity, ‘I am,’ that conception is there. That is ego. And my intelligence and my mind, you cannot see. Neither I can see. Therefore how the mind, intelligence, and personal identity or egotism carries the soul to other body, they do not see it. They cannot see it. They see the gross body is stopped, everything is stopped.”

“We are human being. It is better than the uncivilized man. And the uncivilized man’s standard of life is better than the animal life.”

“The uncivilized man, they cannot produce food; therefore they kill animal. In the forest they live, and they kill some animals and eat. . . . They have no such knowledge that the forest can be cleared and we can till the ground and we can get very nice foodstuff, food grains, vegetables, so many things.”

“The animal killing is for the uncivilized man, one who cannot get the necessities of life by intelligence.”

“The whole material world is nothing but an imitation of the spiritual world by intermixture of earth, water, and fire – and nothing else.”

“Ordinary way to accumulate crores [tens of millions] of rupees, it may not be possible in your life. But if some friend or some rich man becomes kind upon you and delivers you, ‘Take it,’ you can get it immediately, without any hard labor. Similarly, Krishna, the supreme rich man, supreme rich being, is offering you, sarva-dharman parityajya mam... [Bg. 18.66]. ‘You haven’t got to do anything. Come on. You surrender unto Me, and I give you immediately liberation.’ Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah. There is no anxiety. So that is Krishna. He can give you immediately liberation. Simply you have to surrender.”

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.1 in Vrindavan on December 2, 1975:

“Real mukti means change of consciousness. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, “jivera svarupa haya nitya krishna dasa” [Cc. Madhya 20.108–109]. Actually, every living being is part and parcel of Krishna. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7]. So when we forget this position—I do not become the servant of Krishna but I become the servant of my society, my family, my nation, my dog, my cat—this kind of dharma is not mukti. When one understands aham brahmasmi, when one understands properly that ‘I am not this body. I do not belong to any particular nation, family or relationship,’ aham brahmasmi, this is called brahma-bhutah [the spiritual platform].”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 17.1, purport:

“Even Christian priests are greatly surprised that all these boys from Jewish and Christian families have joined this Krishna consciousness movement; before joining, they never regarded any principles of religion seriously, but now they have become sincere devotees of the Lord. Everywhere people express this astonishment, and we take great pride in the transcendental behavior of our students. Such wonders are possible, however, only by the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They are not ordinary or mundane.”

From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 1:

“So that was the position of the Pandavas; although Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the greatest among all greats, He remained with those royal brothers, being attracted by their devotion, by their friendship and by their love. That is the proof of how great this process of devotional service is. It can attract even the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God is great, but devotional service is greater than God because it attracts Him. People who are not in devotional service can never understand what great value there is in rendering service to the Lord.”

From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 3:

“Lord Krishna says in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Eleventh Canto, twentieth chapter, verse 8, ‘My dear Uddhava, only by exceptional fortune does someone become attracted to Me. And even if one is not completely detached from fruitive activities, or is not completely attached to devotional service, such service is quickly effective.’”

“The wise man is he who has thoroughly understood that he is spirit soul and not simply a body. Because he realizes that he is spirit and Krishna is the supreme spirit, he knows that his intimate relationship should be with Krishna, not with this body.”

“Anyone who has any desire or aspiration for satisfying his senses by becoming more and more important, either in the material sense or in the spiritual sense, cannot actually relish the really sweet taste of devotional service. . . . While these aspirations for material enjoyment or spiritual oneness with the Supreme remain, no one can relish the actual transcendental taste of devotional service.”

“Srila Rupa Gosvami remarks in this connection that one who is actually attracted by the beauty of the lotus feet of Sri Krishna or His service, and whose heart, by such attraction, is always full with transcendental bliss, will naturally never aspire after the liberation which is so valuable to the impersonalists.”

“In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Fourth Canto, ninth chapter, verse 10, King Dhruva says, ‘My dear Lord, the transcendental pleasure derived by meditation upon Your lotus feet, which is enjoyed by the pure devotees, cannot be approached by the transcendental pleasure derived by the impersonalists through self-realization. So how can the fruitive workers, who at most can aspire to promotion to the higher heavenly planets, understand You, and how can they be described as enjoying a happiness similar to the devotees’ happiness?’”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 17.78, purport:

“The members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness cannot even call themselves brahma-bandhus. Therefore our only means for satisfying Krishna is to pursue the injunctions of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who says:

yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krishna’-upadesa

amara ajñaya guru haña tara’ ei desa

‘Whomever you meet, instruct him on the teachings of Krishna. In this way, on My order, become a spiritual master and deliver the people of this country.’ (Cc. Madhya 7.128) Simply trying to follow the orders of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we speak to the people of the world about Bhagavad-gita As It Is. This will make us qualified to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna.”

From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 7:

“In the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, third chapter, verse 21, Prabuddha tells Maharaja Nimi, ‘My dear King, please know for certain that in the material world there is no happiness. It is simply a mistake to think that there is happiness here, because this place is full of nothing but miserable conditions. Any person who is seriously desirous of achieving real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of a spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and arguments and thus be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters. Everyone should try to find such a bona fide spiritual master in order to fulfill his mission of life, which is to transfer himself to the plane of spiritual bliss.’”

“Generally, we recommend our disciples to chant at least sixteen rounds on their japa beads daily, and this should be completed. But if one is not even able to chant sixteen rounds, then he must make it up the next day. He must be sure to keep his vow. If he does not strictly follow this out, then he is sure to be negligent. That is offensive in the service of the Lord. If we encourage offenses, we shall not be able to make progress in devotional service. It is better if one fixes up a regulative principle according to his own ability and then follows that vow without fail. That will make him advanced in spiritual life.”

“In accordance with the particular nature one has acquired in conditioned life, whatever one does with body, words, mind, senses, intelligence or purified consciousness one should offer to the Supreme, thinking, ‘This is for the pleasure of Lord Narayaṇa.’”

“This is the statement of Mahabharata: ‘A person who does not disturb or cause painful action in the mind of any living entity, who treats everyone just like a loving father does his children, whose heart is so pure, certainly very soon becomes favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.’”

From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 9:

“Arcana means worship of the Deity in the temple. By executing this process one confirms himself to be not the body but spirit soul.”

“One should learn how to cry for the Lord. One should learn this small technique, and he should be very eager and actually cry to become engaged in some particular type of service. This is called laulya, and such tears are the price for the highest perfection. If one develops this laulya, or excessive eagerness for meeting and serving the Lord in a particular way, that is the price to enter into the kingdom of God. Otherwise, there is no material calculation for the value of the ticket by which one can enter the kingdom of God. The only price for such entrance is this laulya-lalasa-mayi, or desire and great eagerness.”

From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 11:

“Sri Yamunacarya, in his prayers to the Lord, has expressed a similar idea in the following words: ‘My dear Lord, I may be living within some body as a human being or as a demigod, but whatever mode of life, I do not mind, because these bodies are simply by-products of the three modes of material nature, and I, who am in possession of these bodies, am surrendering myself unto You.’”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 17.141, purport:

“In the present day also, people all over the world may join together in the Krishna consciousness movement and protest against the present degraded governments of the world’s godless societies, which are based on all kinds of sinful activities. Srimad-Bhagavatam states that in the Age of Kali, thieves, rogues and fourth-class people who have neither education nor culture capture the seats of governments to exploit the citizens. This is a symptom of Kali-yuga that has already appeared. People cannot feel secure about their lives and property, yet the so-called governments continue, and government ministers get fat salaries, although they are unable to do anything good for society. The only remedy for such conditions is to enhance the sankirtana movement under the banner of Krishna consciousness and protest against the sinful activities of all the world’s governments.”

“The Krishna consciousness movement that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu started by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra still has its potency. Therefore people should understand it seriously and scientifically and spread it all over the world.”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 17.203, purport:

“Despite all the activities of these pasandis [atheists], however, the prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu will triumph: prithivite ache yata nagaradi grama/ sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama. ‘In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard.’ No one can check the spread of the Krishna consciousness movement because upon this movement is the benediction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”

The humble servants of Srila Prabhupada:

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.2.11:

“Sri Narada said: O best of the Satvatas, you have quite correctly asked about the eternal duty of the living entity toward the Supreme Lord. Such devotional service to the Lord is so potent that its performance can purify the entire universe.”

“Sri Kavi said: I consider that one whose intelligence is constantly disturbed by his falsely identifying himself with the temporary material world can achieve real freedom from fear only by worshiping the lotus feet of the infallible Supreme Lord. In such devotional service, all fear ceases entirely.” (SB 11.2.33)

“The four pillars of sinful life are illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. Such activities are never acceptable as offerings to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The example may be given that although in a free society each person is allowed to choose his own occupation, even a democratic government will not allow a citizen to choose the occupation of thief or murderer. In the same way, according to the laws of God one is invited to work according to his own nature in the varṇasrama system, but one is forbidden to adopt a criminal life of sinful activities violating the laws of God.” (SB 11.2.36, purport)

“Srila Jiva Gosvami has quoted several verses that very nicely show the development of love for Godhead. Anena durvasana-duhkha-darsanena sa karuna-mayah karunam karotu: “May the merciful Lord show mercy on me by demonstrating the misery created by sinful desires.” Ya pritir avivekanam visayesv anapayini / tvam anusmaratah sa me hridayan napasarpatu: “Unintelligent persons have unflinching affection for the objects of sense gratification. Similarly, may I always remember You, so that that same attachment, applied to You, never leaves my heart.” (Vishnu Purana 1.20.19) Yuvatinam yatha yuni yunam ca yuvatau yatha / mano ’bhiramate tadvan mano me ramatam tvayi: “As the minds of young girls take pleasure in thinking of a young boy and those of young boys take pleasure in thinking of a young girl, may my mind take pleasure in You.” Mama sukarmani duskarmani ca yad raga-samanyam, tad sarvato-bhavena bhagavad-visayam eva bhavatu: “Whatever attraction I have for pious or sinful activities, let that attraction be wholeheartedly invested in You.” (SB 11.2.36, purport)

“The illusory potency of the Supreme Lord is duratyaya; it is impossible to escape without the direct mercy of Krishna (mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te). The example may be given that when the sun is covered by clouds, no man-made apparatus can remove them from the sky, but the sun itself, which created the clouds, can immediately burn away the cloudy covering and reveal itself.” (SB 11.2.37, purport)

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

From Free Write Journal #72:

“Before I gave class I thought (and wanted to thank the devotees there): ‘I’m doing this for my purification. By speaking these things about audarya-dhama and madhurya-dhama, I’m being benefited. It’s a form of concentration for me that’s barely matched in my day—and it’s preaching.’ I began in a good state of mind, knowing I was probably getting more out of that class than everyone else. In a sense, I also need it as much as any of them.”

‘“O Lord who makes mercy in vraja- and gaura-lila, O Lord who stole the complexion and mood of Radha, O Lord who is above the petty squabbles of ISKCON members and the bloody fights of nations and tribes; O Lord who is involved in all these disputes in an inconceivable way by karma, yet who remains aloof . . .’”

From Every Day, Just Write, Volume 41:

“Krishna chanting solves London,

swallows sins, serious chanters

before assemblies of students

or on the street for anyone –

a person became a devotee that way,

hearing the harinama.”

“Wants mercy. They say the mercy

is in the books, sastras, and you have to

systematically study, no exceptions

nowhere to please God except

stern overviews, memorization

and passing exams. The God

of study. The science for

furrowed brows.

“Oh, my God dances and loves

us all. Can be found in any of

bhakti’s nine perfections, even by a child

offering a flower. But yes, you’ve

got to understand – but it’s not so hard –

the meaning of the Gita where

Acyuta steers the chariot for

His friend.”

“But He knows and you know this

is not pure devotional service. But you

thank Him and do some portraits of

Prabhupada and always sadhus with

beads and kirtana and meditation –

recognizable spiritual subjects as a

way to thank Lord Krishna for the freedom.”

“I fear but

feel He’s here.”

“Be original so they won’t think we are

brainwashed. I want to win

points for Sri Krishna, for Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu, for Prabhupada’s ISKCON.

That’s what all my scribbling is

about. I’m not like Jack Kerouac

trying to become a writer.”

“But so many religions. Which one is right?

Not just one, any person living the life

of devotion and obedience.”

“Being steady

being a devotee of the devotees

until death.”

“You wanted to be a devotee and then

honest person. Those two things form

an uneasy alliance. Admit

honestly you just want to relax

and you have to live with the

doubts. I can’t even explain

what they are because if I do

it comes out wrong.”

“Now, when the life has to be

settled and summed up, take the role

of a sadhu, devotee and chant

God’s names – you’ve been

doing it long enough so

you could forget all else

but God consciousness and ask

Him to take you and please

no more karma or

please never forget

to call Him.”

“Spin the Krishna top – every-

one wins. Remember His

classic lines, Bhagavatam,

Gita too, NoD, Cc.

See the Deity in your mind.

“Race home free

I didn’t want to be

alone and stranded here

in a samsara dread

please save me, Lord

from my enemy worst

make him your friend,

your servant.”

From Every Day, Just Write, Volume 42:

“And in several letters, I stopped short

thinking that’s all I can give. Judge

me not you who read this now

at least I wrote to you

and loved you. (True or not?)”

“I wanted to believe in God so

He sent me to the Swami. Now,

after thirty-four years where will He

send me? My desire is not

so great, I can hardly travel,

and I’m not leaving the Swami and the

society he started. But I do need

God, miss Him and don’t know

what to do.

“When you lecture that may help

your belief. Don’t get worse. Don’t

atrophy. Go through the motions at least

like a set of physical exercises I do each

morning – March in place, knee bends…

dedicate to God and your search.

Your poor ability to do more.”

“God is Krishna lovable, truthful

sweet to His Pure devotees, who

have paid the price / whom He favors.

Srila Prabhupada is surrendered to Him,

lives in his vani, in his books

one can be with him. I want to

I want to want. Don’t want

to diminish, cool off

or fall away. Please help me

master, doctor of my soul.”

“I read how important

is ‘association with devotees,’

but thought to myself, ‘Yes, but he

doesn’t say how many or where.’

It can be one or two, you

don’t have to be packed in with

people you don’t like.”

“The days are clicking off

you don’t know how many

left. It could be a surprise.

Write while you can,

chant hari-nama

be kind, give up

grip on matter and

stop hating – ”

“Oh, mighty Steve,

I dig you the most.

But please acknowledge

Lord Krishna is the host.

“It’s He who lets you live

here in this body and

make these poems.

His Goloka is your home.

“But you will learn it soon

or you will die to roam

seeking happiness in another

place of pain and horror?”

“God
is blessing, but I just hope

I’m not asking for ashes of

He who wants to give me

the best.”

From Every Day, Just Write, Volume 43:

“O Lord, this night

and always please give me

shelter at Your lotus feet.

“May I also cherish Srila Prabhupada’s note

to me, ‘May Krishna protect you

from calamities.’”

“Srila Prabhupada commented that he feels that he is crippled in many ways, but if one of his disciples becomes strong like Dhruva Maharaja, then he’d carry Srila Prabhupada with him.

“It’s not me, Srila Prabhupada. Most of us depend on you, and we are stumbling on our own. We don’t think that you are crippled, but your humility is touching. We would like to go with you. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati said it too – ‘One pure devotee is worth the effort of the whole mission.’”

From Every Day, Just Write, Volume 44:

“I want to

love God and that everyone feel His

love and guidance.

“I believe that He is the

One. We have to follow Him.

We suffer for lack of Him, for

disobeying Him.

He is the friend

hidden in the heart.

His pure

devotee should be our teacher.

Even while in this world you’ll be

better off chanting His names and

hearing His glories and teachings.”

“If you can’t brave it to meet

passersby on the street, ‘excuse me, sir’ –

then could you at least

pray for them, bless them?

Don’t be hung up only on

the self.”

“And I’m a disciple of Prabhupada

although I seem to be degrading

he won’t leave me, I won’t

leave him and KC,

the simple truth.”

“It has been twenty-two years

since Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance.

I knew him along with thousands

who knew him. We each know

something, not all of his character and

his closeness to Lord Krishna.

“Now, we are moving along toward

our own deaths, hoping to

keep linked to Srila Prabhupada like a person

in a well who holds onto the rope

lowered by his rescuer.

“Finish your days with your

prescribed duties. Remember

him, cherish some way

of personal service – puja to his

murti, hearing his words,

following the path of

the Hare Krishna movement.”

“Look at your watch and

remember – soon worship

Prabhupada and hear him lecture –

“The most important thing is God

and learning your relationship with Him,

but this they put aside.

Listen to Him, give faith,

it’s as easy as that.

“Tell these things, don’t

be ashamed.”

“Your

hill is behind and ahead

keep walking now

in this kind light

He provides.”

“Thank Lord Hari always.

He’s giving you so much nectar.

Be His servant like the

sadhus; show compassion

to others.

“Krishna please be my Lord always.”

“Faith, even if it goes away,

He’ll uphold my faith in Him.

I just have to ask Him.”

“God reveal Yourself to us

if You think we can take it

God is all good I

repeat what the guru says

“He’s so great but also

very sweet and intimate in

Vrindavan. Krishna is the best.”

“The days of yore when a man

thought ISKCON takes care

and all he had to do was wear

the saffron and preach and teach,

and God would pay the bill.

The society for Krishna all over

the world in union under

the pure devotee.”

“may my Lord see me and

see some good in me

“believe in God and your

master’s kind and stern guidance don’t

give bad lip to the

one who guides you.”

“the young woman smiling is now

an older woman, the men

have disappeared, some are

different. Everything is different, but

we still have Prabhupada and

chanting if you want it.

Krishna in Vrindavan

if you want Him.

Krishna in Vrindavan

in His home.”

“the cows poor cows

the green land of pastures

is their concentration camp”

“I say, ‘I’m faithful to one guru

and believe in myself capable

of serving and calling

on Krishna at the end.’”

“Atmarams take pleasure in

the self – means they are

attracted to Krishna

whose enigmatic smile

claims all Vrajavasis.

Believe it.”

“I am shaking off bugs / let them live

but not on me. God is Krishna,

and after we all die He remains

in His unmanifested world

“don’t be snide, don’t be a rebel

against the Vedic truths,

I want only service to Krishna

and a desire to do it

“work for Him / Lord of all

please forgive me for

scattering precious time

“I meant it all as

service to my masters

Prabhupada and Krishna.”

“You have to accumulate some

time and merit in service and

eliminate all material desire.

A tall order but Krishna can

do it in you if you’re

open.”

From Free Write Journal #74:

“The thing is falling apart. The body. You can hold it together for a certain amount of years. It’s a material machine and can’t endure forever. Life, or the soul, lives within, but when the body is too decrepit or gets diseased, then there comes a point where the soul can’t stay, so it moves on. It’s really good if you can realize this duality between body and soul. They are not one. The body is a machine and will be disentangled, but the self will move on. There is nothing to lament.

“In this limited time, let’s work at self-realization.”

Niranjana Swami:

From a recorded lecture at the Boston Sunday feast on December 19, 2010:

We cannot see the subtle. We cannot see the intelligence. We can see evidence of intelligence.

We can try to demand, we can try to pay Him, but Krishna is not obliged to reveal Himself.

Instead of demanding to see Him, first we have to hear Him.

When you chant Krishna’s name, He will act to cleanse your heart.

To the degree we chant with faith, we can experience the presence of Krishna in His name.

If we have an existence beyond the body, we have a necessity beyond the necessities of the body. That is to connect with the Supreme Lord by chanting Hare Krishna.

Brajananda Prabhu:

I was attracted by seeing that Srila Prabhupada offered an actual process by which one can advance spiritually.

We can do devotional service with a fruitive mentality, but that is not as desirable as pure devotional service.

We are trying to give everyone the opportunity to engage in devotional service. Thus in his lectures Srila Prabhupada is always encouraging the audience to please take advantage of these opportunities.

In making a strategic plan, first one must understand where he is. Satsvarupa Maharaja does that in his Japa Reform Notebook.

Krishna always keeps me humble. If I have a lot of success, I see that Krishna makes an arrangement for me to become humble.

If you want to be a millionaire, a doctor, a musician, etc., you associate with those similarly engaged, and it is also true if you want to be a pure devotee.

Srila Prabhupada dealt with many people who could not grasp what he was saying because of an ego problem.

If we invite people to serve, they will become purified and get a taste for service.

Offerings from a Vyasa-puja Ceremony for Bhakti Vikasa Swami

Vishnu-citta Prabhu:

Although I am not in your physical presence, these days I find often in my decision making I am thinking of how you would act in the situation I am facing.

I find that having the association of several of your disciples is holding me up to a standard of devotional service I would not even have dreamed of having come close to.

In my last phone call, you seemed to perfectly understand my situation immediately whereas I thought it would take me a long time to familiarize you with it, and I can see that is due to your empowerment as my spiritual master.

Mahotsaha Prabhu:

You have instructed me to bring book distribution up to the level it was during Srila Prabhupada’s time.

I want to report to you our success in this area. We started distributing a set of seven hardbound books in last year’s marathon, and it was so successful we kept distributing them throughout the year. As you want us to make Srila Prabhupada famous, we decided to also distributed the seven-book Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita. I was praying to you for inspiration and was given this idea.

In a lecture you spoke of distributing hundreds of Srimad-Bhagavatam sets, and we now have this challenge – to apply our intelligence to accomplish this.

Natabara Gauranga Prabhu:

In your lecture on kirtan, you said nothing about music. You stressed going to the whole morning program and doing full time service.

In your book, Speaking Strongly, although the title sounds really heavy, you tell about subtleties of speaking, giving examples from Srila Prabhupada.

Chanchal Prabhu:

Although I am not a book distributor, I find that by chanting your pranama mantra and that of Srila Prabhupada, I am able to distribute those saptarsi, seven-book sets. Sometimes people just come up to me and ask about the books.

You inspire me in kirtan so much by your own your pure kirtan, I find I can chant for hours.

Kalki Prabhu:

Srila Prabhupada often said there is no love in the material world, and I was reflecting how that has been true in my life and is true for the people in general.

How fortunate I am to have someone to really care for me in Guru Maharaja.

We have a goal, so we know where we are going, pure devotional service to Krishna. I have found this by hearing from Srila Prabhupada and Guru Maharaja.

Krishna has shown His mercy to me by giving me Guru Maharaja as my spiritual master. Now I just have to follow for eternity.

Krishna Kripa Das:

I was friends with Guru Krishna Prabhu, the editor of Bhakti Vikasa Swami’s Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava, and so he recommended to Maharaja that he engage me as a proofreader. Normally I just read Srila Prabhupada’s books and my guru’s books, so I probably would not have read Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava otherwise, although it was well worth reading.

I am deeply indebted to Bhakti Vikasa Swami for sharing in Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava the most inspiring quote on Sri Krishna-nama-sankirtana that I have ever heard since meeting the Hare Krishnas forty years ago:

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wrote, “Srinama-sankirtana is the best sadhana. If other sadhanas help us in Krishna-sankirtana, then they deserve to be called sadhana; otherwise they are simply impediments to sadhana. Sri Krishna-nama-sankirtana is the emperor of sadhanas. It is the only infallible sadhana capable of bringing us to siddhi.”

As we can see at the Yuga Dharma Ashram, the brahmacari followers of Bhakti Vikasa Swami are very dedicated to sharing Krishna consciousness with others. In the UK, I experience a similar dedication by his householder disciples. One couple, Karshna and Aharada Prabhus, were instrumental in starting and maintaining the Liverpool Ratha-yatra, which happened last year for the third time. They also doubled the harinamas in Manchester. Later I happened to go through Manchester on a Monday night, and they inspired eight or nine devotees to join me on harinama there. They were so inspired by that experience they decided to do a Monday night harinama every second week, on the weeks when they do not do a Saturday harinama. So now they have four harinamas a month in Manchester, instead of just one.

Rama Raya Prabhu:

Srila Prabhupada’s converting people all over the world, not just to Hinduism but to pure Gaudiya Vaishnavism, has sort of got revenge for the centuries of oppression of the British and the Muslims who considered India’s culture barbaric. When people in India would praise him for his accomplishment, Srila Prabhupada would say, “I am simply a representative of my spiritual master. That is all.”

Srila Prabhupada said his books would be the law books for the next ten thousand years. Bhakti Vikasa Swami is very faithful to Srila Prabhupada and his teachings, and therefore, he is empowered in so many ways.

Srila Prabhupada’s presence was so elevating he interested many people in trying for pure devotion. Unfortunately not everyone has been able to maintain that interest in his absence.

Comment by Vishnu-citta Prabhu: Practically the only physical association of Srila Prabhupada that Bhakti Vikasa Swami got, was getting second initiation from him.

Aindra Prabhu had Srila Prabhupada speak personally to him once. In Potomac after the devotees climbed the little hill outside the temple, one devotee thrust a mrdanga in Aindra’s hands and told him to lead kirtan. That was before he was known as a kirtan leader. He played and chanted enthusiastically, and Srila Prabhupada smiled and said, “Jaya!” But that one word sustained him for years.

Bhakti Vikasa Swami is concerned that Srila Prabhupada’s movement is healthy, and he considers our humble project is something worthy to support, and we are grateful.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava is an amazing contribution for the whole sampradaya revealing the glories of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.

We wish him good health and longevity.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura said there was not a single bona fide babaji at Radha Kunda. Why? They were not taking up the mission of Rupa Goswami, the mission of Lord Caitanya, to spread the holy name all over the world.

Aindra Prabhu said, “There is only one yuga dharma for the next 427,000 years. It is not going to change.”

The best thing we can do to honor Bhakti Vikasa Swami is to maintain the purity of this program.

Gopal Campu Prabhu:

Your presentation of Krishna consciousness reminds me of the line Srila Prabhupada offered to his own guru, “Absolute is sentient thou hast proved; impersonal calamity thou has moved.”

Your influence has greatly helped me in my devotional life. I listen to 50% your lectures and 50% Srila Prabhupada.

I hope to assist you in the spreading of varnasrama.

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Many people consider the desires that arise in their minds to be their own and think that happiness is obtained by satisfying them. In Bhagavad-gita, Krishna presents a completely different paradigm – happiness lies in ignoring such desires – a simpler strategy.

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.” (Bhagavad-gita 2.70)