Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 16, No. 3
By Krishna Kripa Das
(February 2020, part one)
North and Central Florida
(Sent from Tallahassee on February 22, 2020)
Where
I Went and What I Did
I
spent the first weekend and the first week of February in
Tallahassee, chanting Hare Krishna at Lake Ella on the weekend and at
the Florida State University campus during the week. I celebrated the
first half of Lord Nityananda’s appearance day in Tallahassee and
the second in Alachua and Gainesville. Then the next weekend I
chanted in Ybor City, Tampa, before the Knights Parade with devotees
from Alachua and Tampa on Saturday, and I chanted on the FSU campus
on Sunday. The next week I spent the first three days chanting at
FSU, Thursday chanting in Gainesville and Tampa, Friday chanting at
three venues in Gainesville, and Saturday chanting in the afternoon
with both Gainesville and Tallahassee devotees at the Ocala Regional
Rainbow Gathering and at the JAX Krishnas event at
Memorial Park in Jacksonville in the evening. Sunday I chanted at
Kleman Plaza in Tallahassee as the rain made Lake Ella a less
attractive venue. We were blessed to have Gabriel and Parker, two
traveling book distributors from Krishna House, joining us for
several days in Tallahassee the second week of February. Gabriel had
an amazing day distributing in six hours 140 books at FAMU (Florida
A&M
[Agricultural
and Mechanical]
University).
I
share quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s books and the
Srimad-Bhagavatam,
Eleventh
Canto, written by his humble servants. I share excerpts from the
writing of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on
recorded
lectures
by Janananda Goswami speaking in Paris and Madhumati Devi Dasi
speaking in Alachua. I share notes on classes in Gainesville by
Madhumati and Tulasirani Devi Dasis and in Tallahassee by
Brajananda Prabhu, Gabriel, and Parker. I share an interesting
observation from Madhumangala Prabhu from a car conversation.
Thanks
to Krishna Lunch in Gainesville for their photo of me chanting on the
University of Florida campus. Thanks to Daniel for his photos of me
chanting on the Florida State University campus. Thanks to Andrew
Bourne for sharing with me the film he and his fellow students made
of Florida State University students talking about trees.
Itinerary
January–April
2020: North and Central Florida colleges, mostly Florida State
University
Special
events in Florida:
February 29: VegFest in Tallahassee
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: Manchester harinama
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
2–3: Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtan
mid
May–mid July: Paris harinama
July
28–August 1: Pol’and’Rock festival
August
7–8: Liverpool harinama
August
9: Liverpool Ratha-yatra
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 Tallahassee
Now
in Tallahassee each
day
after serving the Krishna Lunch at Florida State University, the
other
devotees
join
me in
chanting
for an hour at Landis Green, behind the university library.
Daniel, who took these photos, invites students to chant with us for at least five minutes.
Sometimes I take prasadam as it is past 2:30 p.m. when the others come, and I am hungry.
Daniel, who took these photos, invites students to chant with us for at least five minutes.
Here
Brajananda Prabhu, our
Tallahassee ISKCON temple president,
chants Hare Krishna on Landis Green, and a Florida State University
student dances with devotees (https://youtu.be/rcxsLlS25x4):
Next
Arjuna Abhimanyu Prabhu, who joined us recently in Tallahassee and
who is quite a musician, chanted
Hare Krishna at Landis Green (https://youtu.be/Q1dTmlg_6wQ):
Here
Parker,
a traveling book distributor from Gainesville Krishna House, chants
Hare Krishna on Landis Green (https://youtu.be/15fMwfVURbc):
Here
Brajananda
Prabhu leads the Hare Krishna chant at the Florida State University
Krishna Club meeting, and two new students participate
(https://youtu.be/hy1IgTQ298U):
Brajananda
Prabhu leads the Hare Krishna chant outside
after
the
Krishna Club meeting
(https://youtu.be/vtVAjpflAwM):
Lexi,
president of the Buddhist Student Association at Florida State
University, played
guitar
and chanted
Hare Krishna to the Prabhupada tune which I told her the chords to
(https://youtu.be/-CIXV1btrWE):
One
day we were joined by Skylar, a FSU student, Krishna Lunch attender,
and songwriter who learned the Hare Krishna mantra from Jorge and
played guitar and sang it to tune of her own, and Colin, who came to
our Krishna Club two weeks ago, having received a invitation from me
earlier in the day, who surprised me by playing harmonium. Arjuna
Abhimanyu Prabhu plays drum, and Daniel, our dancer, the karatalas
(https://youtu.be/8o7n7loljfU):
Here
Gabriel,
another
book
distributor
visiting from Krishna House,
leads a rocking mangala
arati
kirtan at ISKCON Tallahassee (https://youtu.be/x_o2hBIPM2Q):
Once
a
group of Florida State University students in a course on documentary
interviewed fellow students, including myself,
about what trees mean to them, and they got to hear some Krishna
philosophy, along with the Hare Krishna maha-mantra
(https://youtu.be/TyXbjH_9IeY):
Our
Tallahassee center was written up in an article by Madhava Smullen
for ISKCON News, and you can read it at this link:
https://iskconnews.org/tallahassee-krishna-house-rebuilds-community,7262/
Lord
Nityananda’s Appearance Day
As
I was encouraged by Ramiya Prabhu to preach in Tallahassee, and it
was my duty to perform mangala-arati,
I
had a class at the university, and I felt I should make sure we had
some kind of celebration for Lord Nityananda in Tallahassee, I spent
the first half of the day there, instead of spending the whole day in
Alachua as I might have.
I
did the mangala-arati,
contributed
to and organized the glorification of Nityananda during the morning
class, made peanut butter barfi
for
the midday feast, and chanted on the FSU campus for 1:45 hours on
Nityananda’s appearance day in Tallahassee. Then I had midday
prasadam
and
took a bus to Gainesville, going to Alachua for the evening kirtan
and feast, and returning
to Gainesville for the end of their Friday program and two harinamas
in
honor of Lord Nityananda. Thus I was fully engaged till midnight.
Chanting
Hare Krishna in Gainesville
Here
Krishna
House devotees chant Krishna House on Lord Nityananda Prabhu’s
appearance day at their Friday evening program
(https://youtu.be/-CRYu-HXdJc):
About
twenty-three Krishna House devotees chanted Hare Krishna by the bars
near
the
University
of Florida in Gainesville on Nityananda Trayodasi, and passersby
interacted with them (https://youtu.be/at5F4tRohko):
Haripriya,
younger daughter of Yadubara and Visakha Prabhus, chants Hare Krishna
in the Krishna House van en route to downtown Gainesville on
Nityananda Trayodasi for the second harinama
of the evening. Watch this one in a dark room for best visibility
(https://youtu.be/VQRDFrUPBlM):
Arianna,
a young, enthusiastic devotee lady who came in touch with Krishna
through Krishna Lunch, leads Krishna House devotees in the Hare
Krishna chant in downtown Gainesville on Nityananda Trayodasi
(https://youtu.be/R3P-usl5Zgo):
Krishna
House devotees chant in downtown Gainesville on Nityananda Trayodasi,
and many chant and dance (https://youtu.be/5EYjbVzwQLo):
Haripriya
chants Nitai Gauranga and Hare Krishna in the van back to Krishna
House as the blissful devotees return home after the second of two
harinamas
on Nityananda Trayodasi (https://youtu.be/V50LG2JcK7o):
Ananta
Vallabha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Krishna House late Saturday
night, the day after Nityananda Trayodasi
(https://youtu.be/oQJIzz1ug-8):
On Thursday, which happened to be the appearance day of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, I ended up leading the chanting at Krishna Lunch at the University of Florida for two of the two and a half hours. I reminded the devotees the next day during the mangala-arati announcements that Srila Prabhupada wanted us to go out on harinama every day for at least an hour, and the next day more devotees came out.
Since
before I moved to Alachua County in 1994, devotees have been chanting
Hare Krishna at the entrance to the University of Florida on the
corner of Thirteenth Street and University Avenue on Friday
afternoon.
Nagaraja
Prabhu, editor of Back
to Godhead
magazine, chants Hare Krishna at the University of Florida entrance
(https://youtu.be/R8E1PKusF2c):
Yash
Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the beginning of the Krishna House
Friday evening program (https://youtu.be/ykaKtn3Uyds):
Bhismadeva
Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the end of the Krishna House Friday
evening program (https://youtu.be/IGtIeLXt63Y):
About
twenty-one Krishna House devotees chanted
Hare Krishna in downtown Gainesville on a Friday night, and many
people
chanted,
danced,
smiled,
and took
photos
and videos (https://youtu.be/e3ZCkKKZQ1g):
Here
Sruti
Sagar Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Krishna House van after the
downtown Gainesville harinama
(https://youtu.be/KoeGRyUAh5I):
Chanting
Hare Krishna in Tampa
Here Vivasvan
Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with devotees from Tampa and Alachua
before the Knight Parade in Ybor City in Tampa on the Saturday after Nityananda Trayodasi (https://youtu.be/lJr8ziyh95w):
The next Thursday afternoon I went with Ramiya Prabhu to University of South Florida in Tampa, and I chanted for an hour before our program there, inviting more people to attend.
I also chanted during the program itself.
I was pleased that Ananta Dasi, the wife of Ramiya, said she really liked my lecture.
Hare
Krishna devotees from the Krishna Houses in Gainesville and
Tallahassee chant Hare Krishna and serve Krishna prasadam,
spiritual food, at the Ocala Regional Rainbow Gathering, where
they were well received as usual
(https://youtu.be/42wEaJhrmg0):
This
lady enjoyed dancing to our chanting.
Chanting
Hare Krishna in Jacksonville
Here
Adikarta Prabhu and friends chant Hare Krishna at the JAX Krishnas
event at Memorial Park in Jacksonville, Florida. Usually the
JAX Krishnas meet at the Bhakti House on the first and third Saturday
in the month, but occasionally, as on this day, they gather in
Memorial Park (https://youtu.be/TeiLoXuRLUE):
Insights
Srila
Prabhupada:
From
The
Nectar of Devotion, Chapter
30:
“In
another instance a devotee says, ‘I am always swimming in the
nectarean ocean of the pastimes of the Personality of Godhead, and as
such I have no more attraction for religious rituals, economic
development, sense gratification or even the ultimate salvation of
merging into the existence of Brahman.’ This is an instance of the
mind’s endurance due to achieving the best thing in the world. The
best thing in the world is absorption in Krishna consciousness.”
From
Sri
Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya
2.87:
“If
one does not understand in the beginning but continues to hear again
and again the wonderful effects of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes will
bring love for Krishna. Gradually one will come to understand the
loving affairs between Krishna and the gopis
and other associates of Vrindavan. Everyone is advised to continue to
hear over and over again in order to greatly benefit.”
From
Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.5.40,
purport:
“Sri
Naradaji advised Vyasadeva to describe the glories of the Lord just
to do good to all eight classes of men, both good and bad.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
is therefore not meant for any particular class of men or sect. It is
for the sincere soul who actually wants his own welfare and peace of
mind.”
From
Sri
Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya
4.77, purport:
“The
devotees understand Krishna through revelation. It is not possible
for a mundane scholar to understand Krishna and His pastimes through
research work on the nondevotional platform.”
From
Sri
Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya
4.79, purport:
“The
Krishna consciousness movement has spread all over the world within a
very short time (within five years), and mundane people are very much
astonished at this. However, by the grace of Lord Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu, we understand that everything is possible by the grace of
Krishna. Why does Krishna have to take five years? In five days He
can spread His name and fame all over the world like wildfire. Those
who have faith in and devotion to Krishna can understand that these
things happen so wonderfully by the grace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
We are simply the instruments. In the fierce Battle of Kuruksetra,
Arjuna was victorious within eighteen days simply because Krishna’s
grace was on his side.
“yatra
yogesvarah
krishno
yatra
partho dhanur-dharah
tatra
srir vijayo bhutir
dhruva
nitir matir mama
“‘Wherever
there is Krishna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is
Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence,
victory, extraordinary power and morality. That is my opinion.’
(Bg. 18.78)
“If
the preachers in our Krishna consciousness movement are sincere
devotees of Krishna, Krishna will always be with them because He is
very kind and favorable to all His devotees. Just as Arjuna and
Krishna were victorious in the Battle of Kurukshetra,
this Krishna consciousness movement will surely emerge victorious if
we but remain sincere devotees of the Lord and serve the Lord
according to the advice of the predecessors (the six Gosvamis and
other devotees of the Lord). As Narottama dasa Ṭhakura has stated:
tandera
carana sevi bhakta-sane vasa, janame janame haya ei abhilasa.
The Krishna consciousness devotees must always desire to remain in
the society of devotees. Bhakta-sane
vasa:
they cannot go outside the Krishna consciousness society or movement.
Within the society we must try to serve the predecessors by preaching
Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s cult and spreading His name and fame all over
the world. If we attempt this seriously within the society, it will
be successfully done. There is no question of estimating how this
will happen in the mundane sense. But without a doubt, it happens by
the grace of Krishna.”
From
Sri
Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya
81–82:
“By
personally tasting the mellows of love of Godhead, Caitanya
Mahaprabhu taught His direct disciples the process. Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu is a wealthy capitalist possessing the touchstone of love
of God. Not considering whether one is a proper or improper
recipient, He gives His treasure to anyone and everyone. Thus He is
the most munificent.”
From
Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.3.36, purport:
“The
Personality of Godhead has personally spoken Bhagavad-gita,
which is the blazing fire of perfect knowledge that burns to ashes
the insignificant speculations and theories of so-called philosophers
and scientists regarding the ultimate truth.”
From
Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.3.37, purport:
“The
material world is not false in the imaginary sense of the Buddhists
and Mayavadis, who state that in fact the material world does not
exist outside the mind of the observer. The material world, as the
potency of the Absolute, has real existence. But the living entity
becomes bewildered by the temporary manifestations, foolishly taking
them to be permanent. Thus the material world functions as an
illusory potency, causing the living entity to forget the spiritual
world, wherein life is eternal, full of bliss and knowledge. Because
the material world thus bewilders the conditioned soul, it is called
illusory. When a magician performs his tricks onstage, that which the
audience apparently sees is an illusion. But the magician actually
exists, and the hat and rabbit exist, although the appearance of a
rabbit coming out of a hat is an illusion.”
From
Krishna:
The
Supreme Personality of Godhead,
introduction:
“Maharaja
Pariksit expressed himself very frankly: ‘Hunger and thirst may
give trouble to ordinary persons or to me, but the topics of Krishna
are so nice that one can continue to hear them without feeling tired
because such hearing situates one in the transcendental position.’”
From
Krishna:
The
Supreme Personality of Godhead,
preface:
“Since
Krishna is all-attractive, one should know that all his desires
should be focused on Krishna. In the Bhagavad-gita
it is said that the individual person is the proprietor or master of
his own body but that Krishna, who is the Supersoul present in
everyone’s heart, is the supreme proprietor and supreme master of
each and every individual body. As such, if we concentrate our loving
propensities upon Krishna only, then immediately universal love,
unity and tranquillity will be automatically realized. When one
waters the root of a tree, he automatically waters the branches,
twigs, leaves and flowers; when one supplies food to the stomach
through the mouth, he satisfies all the various parts of the body.
“The
art of focusing one’s attention on the Supreme and giving one’s
love to Him is called Krishna consciousness. We have inaugurated the
Krishna consciousness movement so that everyone can satisfy his
propensity for loving others simply by directing his love toward
Krishna. The whole world is very eager to satisfy the dormant
propensity of love for others, but the various invented methods like
socialism, communism, altruism, humanitarianism and nationalism,
along with whatever else may be manufactured for the peace and
prosperity of the world, are all useless and frustrating because of
our gross ignorance of the art of loving Krishna. Generally people
think that by advancing the cause of moral principles and religious
rites they will be happy. Others may think that happiness can be
achieved by economic development, and yet others think that simply by
sense gratification they will be happy. But the real fact is that
people can be happy only by loving Krishna.
“Krishna
can perfectly reciprocate one’s loving propensities in different
relationships called mellows, or rasas.
Basically there are twelve loving relationships. One can love Krishna
as the supreme unknown, as the supreme master, the supreme friend,
the supreme child, the supreme lover. These are the five basic love
rasas.
One can also love Krishna indirectly in seven different
relationships, which are apparently different from the five primary
relationships. All in all, however, if one simply reposes his dormant
loving propensity in Krishna, then his life becomes successful. This
is not a fiction but is a fact that can be realized by practical
application. One can directly perceive the effects that love for
Krishna has on his life.”
From
Sri
Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya
4.133, purport:
“Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu encouraged the public chanting of the holy name
on a huge scale for as many hours as possible.”
The
humble servants of Srila Prabhupada:
From
Srimad-Bhagavatam
11.3.21,
purport:
“Sri
Prabuddha said: ‘Accepting the roles of male and female in human
society, the conditioned souls unite in sexual relationships. Thus
they constantly make material endeavors to eliminate their
unhappiness and unlimitedly increase their pleasure. But one should
see that they inevitably achieve exactly the opposite result. In
other words, their happiness inevitably vanishes, and as they grow
older their material discomfort increases.’”
“According
to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura,
one who has understood the futility of material existence can
approach a bona fide spiritual master.”
From
Srimad-Bhagavatam
11.3.22,
purport:
“Although
one may experience many seemingly wonderful or important events in a
dream, one’s real life begins when he wakes up. Similarly, since
the spiritual master gives birth to the disciple by awakening him to
spiritual life, a bona fide disciple understands that his spiritual
master is the very basis of his life.”
“Within
the International Society for Krishna Consciousness there are many
thousands of authorized engagements pertaining to the Society’s
missionary activities. And by hearing the Srimad-Bhagavatam
and performing such engagements the Society’s members feel relief
from soka
(lamentation), moha
(illusion) and bhaya
(fear).”
From
Srimad-Bhagavatam
11.3.23,
purport:
“In
the Garuda
Purana
it is stated:
visesatah
svottamesu
vina
sangam na mucyate
sva-nicesu
tu devesu
vina
sangam na puryate
‘One
cannot be liberated without association with a pure devotee of the
Lord. And unless one shows mercy to those in an inferior position,
one’s life will be superficial.’”
From
Srimad-Bhagavatam
11.3.26, purport:
“Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura mentions that one cannot develop
the godly qualities mentioned in the preceding verses unless one
accepts the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide Vaishnava
spiritual master. Tasmad
gurum prapadyeta jijñasuh sreya uttamam.
In this connection, he has quoted the following statement: arcayitva
tu govindam tadiyan narcayet tu yah na sa bhagavato jñeyah kevalam
dambhikah smritah ‘One
who performs worship of Lord Govinda but fails to worship His
devotees should be understood to be not a devotee of the Lord but
simply a victim of false pride.’ For one who has accepted shelter
at the lotus feet of a pure devotee of Krishna, it is very easy to
execute worship of the Lord Himself.”
From
Srimad-Bhagavatam
11.3.31:
“The
devotees of the Lord constantly discuss the glories of the
Personality of Godhead among themselves. Thus they constantly
remember the Lord and remind one another of His qualities and
pastimes. In this way, by their devotion to the principles of
bhakti-yoga,
the devotees please the Personality of Godhead, who takes away from
them everything inauspicious. Being purified of all impediments, the
devotees awaken to pure love of Godhead, and thus, even within this
world, their spiritualized bodies exhibit symptoms of transcendental
ecstasy, such as standing of the bodily hairs on end.”
From
Srimad-Bhagavatam
11.4.38, purport:
“In
this regard Srila Madhvacarya has quoted the following statement from
the Moksa-dharma section of the Mahabharata:
aham
hi jiva-samjño vai
mayi
jivah sanatanah
maivam
tvayanumantavyam
dristo
jivo mayeti ha
aham
sreyo vidhasyami
yathadhikaram
isvarah
“‘The
living entity, known as jiva,
is not different from Me, for he is My expansion. Thus the living
entity is eternal, as I am, and always exists within Me. But you
should not artificially think, “Now I have seen the soul.”
Rather, I, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, will bestow this
benediction upon you when you are actually qualified.’”
Satsvarupa
Dasa Goswami:
From
Free Write Journal #77:
“Of
course, if one chants loudly, the very utterances of the syllables of
the Hare Krishna mantra become a way to cry out and express emotion.
Just as with loud shouting you can chase away a bear, so you can
likewise try to banish inattention. But sometimes if one continues to
chant loudly, it becomes a vociferous bellowing without the delicate
feeling of serving and loving Krishna. So whether it’s yelling or
whispering, whether it’s attentive or inattentive—any kind of
utterance of the holy names is within Krishna consciousness. We can
think of it as many concentric circles drawn with a compass, a bull’s
eye. All utterances of the holy names are within some circle, but
usually they’re in the outer circles. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna,
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Who is chanting thoughtfully? Who is trying to hit closer to the
bullseye? Are we just haphazardly scattering mantras? Hare Krishna.
Hare Krishna.”
“We
won the game because we didn’t abandon our spiritual master.”
From
Japa
Walks, Japa Talks:
“Bhaktin
Sioban referred to trying to ‘win a losing battle’ when she tries
to control her mind during japa.
I think until we are liberated, it’s always going to feel like
that. It’s not realistic to expect to quiet the mind completely. We
have to learn to dovetail some of our mental flow. Or ignore it. Or
tolerate it (trnad
api sunicena).
Be tolerant. Tolerant means tolerating all the mind’s chatter. For
example, you can’t control the world and make everyone nice,
peaceful devotees. Rather, the nondevotees are always doing things to
disturb us. Similarly, our mind is filled with nondevotee sub-persons
and voices and lack of control and indulgence in nonsense, and we can
do nothing but tolerate them. Don’t take them so seriously. Don’t
invest energy in them. And don’t become disturbed or disheartened
by the fact that the mind is ‘running wild.’”
From
Free Write Journal #78:
“Once,
on a visit to Boston, Srila Prabhupada had a meeting with his ISKCON
Press workers. Satsvarupa dasa complained to Prabhupada that he had
so many duties in the temple that he was distracted in trying to do
all of them and at the same time do press work. Prabhupada said,
‘Real management means to delegate it to others. You have so many
responsible devotees there, so you can delegate it to them.’”
“Once,
in India, Prabhupada was joined in his room by his senior disciples
Bhagavan, Brahmananda and Giriraja.
“‘You
are the future hope of the world,’ said Srila Prabhupada, and he
began to instruct them about the importance of attentive management.
“‘Just
like your American Express corporation,’ he said. ‘What have they
done? They have simply taken pieces of paper, and for those pieces
of paper you pay good money. But what have they done? Actually they
have done nothing. It is simply management. You pay them some money
and they give you a piece of paper, and if you lose that piece of
paper, they say, “All right, we will give you another piece of
paper.” It is organization. Simply from that management they have
made millions of dollars.’”
“Tu
Fu said, ‘That poetry which lasts thousands of generations comes
from an unappreciated life.’”
“He
[Lord Caitanya] came back to Puri and wanted to stay in a secluded
place. They gave Him Kasi Misra’s house because it was near the
temple and yet secluded, ‘calm and quiet.’ Even a great sannyasi
and preacher like Lord Caitanya likes a quiet place for bhajana.”
“Lord
Caitanya’s arms upraised, imploring everyone to chant like Him,
surrender to Lord Krishna by chanting His holy names.”
Janananda
Goswami:
From
a recorded lecture on the disappearance day of Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura in Paris:
Krishna
says in Bhagavad-gita
knowledge
can relieve fear.
Theory
is great. But we have to act on it. It is like having a recipe. You’d
rather have the food itself.
When
we actually see things as they are, there are no problems.
This
whole
movement is based on the vision of Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura.
Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura
said, “Those who think they can change this world are in need of
change.”
The
only reform required is a reform of the way we
see
the world. It is not a change of politics or religion, etc., but
seeing things from the spiritual perspective.
By
the force of time, this world is always changing.
One
Polish devotee lady cooked the mangala-arati
sweets
every day for 30 years at Bhaktivedanta Manor. Although she passed
the recipes on, the taste was not the same because the same love was
not there.
Lust
is a perversion of love.
If
you want something, you have to go to someone who has it. It is the
same with spiritual knowledge. You go to the flower shop if you want
flowers . . .
If
you apply the knowledge you get the realization, and that realization
comes from Krishna.
For
me echinacea is the best immune system medicine. I have not had a
cold in years. It
may not be the same for everyone, but it works for me.
We
have to approach someone who knows the secret of
spiritual life.
Madhumati
Devi Dasi:
From
a class in Alachua on Lord Varaha’s appearance day:
We
can understand that Lord Varaha is Krishna Himself by seeing how He
interacts both with His devotees and with the demoniac. His action is
exactly the same.
That
the voice of the roaring Lord Varaha is described as gorgeous is
befitting because He is Krishna Himself.
Lord
Varaha puts on a good show. Accepting the prayers of the sages by
roaring, He pleases His devotees with His illuminating glance.
From
a class at Krishna House:
Unfortunately
people in India see Narada Muni as a comedian or an instigator. Srila
Prabhupada has done a great service by revealing his actual glory.
The
great thing about Narada Muni is that everybody respects him because
Narada is actually telling the truth.
Akrura
had never seen Krishna before, and now Kamsa was sending him to get
Krishna in Vrindavan. Imagine his mood on the way to see Krishna. His
horses were taking him to Vrindavan, but his mind had already taken
him to Vrindavan right away.
When
Kamsa took power, some people fled, some people were arrested, and
some people decided to serve Kamsa. Akrura decided to work for Kamsa
because he thought if he did so, then he would see Krishna.
Because
Kamsa gave him the mission of taking Krishna to Mathura to be killed
and Akrura was a devotee of Krishna, his mind was in turmoil until he
considered that Krishna would completely understand the situation and
would not think ill of him.
Akrura
is a government official and a spy and yet he is rolling around in
the dust of Vrindavan thinking of Krishna and Balarama. This means at
that point he did not care anymore what Kamsa thought.
The
gopis
were
stunned when Krishna left Vrindavan perhaps like the Prabhupada
disciples were stunned when Srila Prabhupada left the planet.
Although Krishna was not leaving the planet, he was leaving them
forever.
Tulasirani
Devi Dasi:
What
is not love is that intense infatuation with the body or personality
of another.
66%
of marriages end in divorce.
Because
we are conditioned to think that infatuation is real love, when that
dies after 9 months or so, we think, “we are out of love, so why
should we stay together?”
Most
people think of love in terms of romance, but there are so many other
manifestations of love, including desiring what is best for the other
person, even if it is inconvenient for oneself, and that is before we
even get to spiritual love.
Real
love starts with sacrifice.
If
you understand each soul has a connection with Krishna, you can begin
to think about spiritual love.
Real
love is a reciprocation.
If
a child has everything he needs, if his parents are not around, he
will be dissatisfied, because he is looking for that relationship.
Bhakti
is
not completely described by the word “devotion” because true
devotion is expressed in service.
Q:
If we understand someone is a soul what is best thing we can do for
him?
A:
Acquire knowledge of the needs of the soul and act to provide that.
We have been given knowledge of chanting God’s names. It is not
something you believe or do not believe, but something you can
experience.
Lust
in and of itself does not lead to love, but it can be transformed
into love.
There
is an amazing book called Transforming
Lust Into Love by
Bhakti Tirtha Swami, which I highly recommend.
There
are places in some parts of Africa where they are so impoverished
people eat clay because of being so hungry. Of course, eating clay
does not really satisfy or nourish them. If such people are taught
how to grow food and given the facility to do so, and they eat really
nourishing food, then if they are given clay to eat, they will not be
attracted to it. It is the same when people taste what is actual
love. Lust then seems disgusting.
Brajananda
Prabhu:
Agni,
the demigod of fire, is conscious wherever there is fire. Vayu, the
wind god, is conscious wherever there is wind. The demigods have a
certain jurisdiction, but the Supreme Lord is aware of everything.
Although
your devotional service is mixed in the beginning, if you keep
performing it, it will become more pure.
One
devotee said that you use a tongue scraper to keep your tongue clean
so Krishna can dance on it in the form of His holy name.
In
speaking if you get the people to say themselves “I am a spirit
soul” they are more likely to remember that.
I
did dramas and asked the participants how to be spiritual in
different situations. It was amazing to hear what the students said.
Some of them had some genuine spiritual realizations from whatever
Krishna consciousness they had assimilated from coming to the
programs.
Krishna
does not have to be personally present to reciprocate with us.
Duryodhana
did not realize that just to have Krishna on your side is sufficient
for victory.
Srila
Prabhupada considered that unemployment
or lack of good engagement would be a problem in America.
Kaunteya
has a presentation analyzing ten points why religious movements fail.
If we are thoughtful we can present Krishna consciousness in a way
that it is easy for people to accept.
People
study the lives of great personalities to get a widened perspective
on life.
Krishna
does not say, “Do what I say or go to hell.” Rather He persuades
Arjuna in the course of the Bhagavad-gita
to
choose the right path.
Intelligent
people like to hear that they can engage their individuality in
Krishna’s service.
Srila
Prabhupada wanted his disciples to become competent managers so he
could focus on writing his books and not have to worry about it.
Vyasadeva
was a very competent disciple, who approached his guru only for the
most important concern, why he was dissatisfied although he had
written the Vedas.
Comment
by me: I appreciate what you said about the importance of having an
ultimate goal. Srila Prabhupada writes, “If
one is not in Krishna consciousness, there cannot be a final goal for
the mind. Disturbance is due to want of an ultimate goal, and when
one is certain that Krishna is the enjoyer, proprietor and friend of
everyone and everything, then one can, with a steady mind, bring
about peace.” (Bhagavad-gita
2.66)
Comment
by Arjuna: Actually the Bhagavad-gita
helped
me to understand all religions a lot better because they all have
some truth in them.
Madhumangala
Prabhu:
from
a car conversation:
If
Jesus had preached in India, he
would have barely been noticed as
there
are so many pure personalities there
with
amazing powers.
Bhakta
Gabriel:
I
do the book distribution as duty. I could not imagine enjoying all
the opportunities Srila Prabhupada has given us without sharing them
with others.
One
of the best things I find I have learned on book distribution is the
ability to glorify practically anyone and show genuine appreciation
of them.
Comment
by Brajananda Prabhu: I found the seven years on traveling book
distribution I learned so many practical skills like interacting with
people, being self-satisfied, and accomplishing goals, that help me
in my service as a temple president.
Bhakta
Parker:
There
is a story of a therapist in San Diego who treated people with advanced
cancer by
forgiveness workshops and 54% of the people with a few weeks to live
ended up living five years or more.
Krishna
House ice breaker:
Q:
What
causes us to do sinful activities against our will as if engaged by
force?
A
(by different people): Social
pressure.
The
mind overruling
the intellect.
The
desire to
show off to others.
Boredom.
Lust.
Desire.
Greed.
“The
Supreme Personality of Godhead said: ‘It is lust only, Arjuna,
which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later
transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy
of this world.’” (Bhagavad-gita
3.37)
-----
I
learned
this mantra glorifying Lord Nityananda when I dressed the Gaura Nitai
deities in San Diego in the early 1990s. It describes three of His
exemplary transcendental characteristics, and I like to chant it for
the pleasure of the devotees on His appearance day.
nityanandam
aham naumi
sarvananda-karam
param
hari-nama-pradam
devam
avadhuta-siromanim
“I
bow
down to the Supreme Lord Nityananda Prabhu, who is the awarder of the
highest joy to all, the bestower of the holy name, and the
crest-jewel of all paramahamsa
mendicants.”