Saturday, March 21, 2020

Travel Journal#16.5: Tallahassee and Alachua


Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 16, No. 5 
By Krishna Kripa Das 
(March 2020, part one) 
Tallahassee and Alachua 
(Sent from Tallahassee on March 21, 2020)

Where I Went and What I Did

I stayed in Tallahassee for the first half of March, chanting Hare Krishna three hours a day on Landis Green, behind the main Florida State University library, during the weekdays and at Lake Ella and by the downtown bars on the weekends. Fortunately the coronavirus epidemic did not limit my service in any way, at least yet. On Monday March 9 in the afternoon we went to Alachua for the Gaura Purnima festival, where we heard some wonderful kirtans, and we ended up staying overnight as it got late. Thus I got to sing mangala-arati for the deities who I adored worshiping when I lived there from 1994 to 2005.

I share notes on the books of Srila Prabhupada and the Srimad-Bhagavatam Eleventh Canto by his humble servants. also share notes on the books of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share many, many amazing realizations and book distribution stories from Vijaya Prabhu and other book distributors from Vijaya’s soon-to-be-published book, Treasures of the Bhagavat Mrdanga, which I have the extremely good fortune of proofreading. I share notes on a recorded lecture by Janananda Goswami in Paris and classes in Tallahassee by Brajananda, Kumari Sakhi, and Daniel Prabhus.

Thanks to Daniel for the videos of us on harinama in Tallahassee. Thanks to Janardana (John Oleksy) Prabhu of Alachua for the kalatalas he gave me on Nityananda Trayodasi last month and which have been very useful.

Itinerary

March–April 2020: Tallahassee harinamas
Note: April and May are all subject to likely cancellation because of the coronavirus:
   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
   May 4–6: Newcastle area harinamas and Nrsimha Caturdasi (May 6) 
   May 7–9: Manchester harinamas and Ratha-yatra (May 9) 
   May 12: Sheffield harinama and program   
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

Weekdays I chant Hare Krishna at Landis Green at FSU.
Sometimes others join me as above.

While chanting Hare Krishna with three devotees at Lake Ella one weekend, five passersby chanted, danced, and played instruments all at once. The girl playing the gong, who seemed the happiest to be chanting with us, remembered getting a lollipop from us at the harinama on St. George Street after the St. Augustine Ratha-yatra last year, and we told her the details about this year’s Ratha-yatra there, now canceled. The boy with the white shirt studies at FSU, and we gave him a card for our Krishna Lunch program there. It was awesome to have four new people chanting with us at once as well as a very enthusiastic dancer! Thanks to Daniel for the video! (https://youtu.be/p74hWYc9gIs):


Arjuna Abhimanyu Prabhu and Daniel chant Hare Krishna at Lake Ella, and people interact favorably (https://youtu.be/AB9lxBSgZVE):


Garuda Prabhu plays guitar and chants Hare Krishna at the Tallahassee Sunday feast (https://youtu.be/15VOzX2jNnI):


Kumari Sakhi Devi Dasi leads the chanting of Hare Krishna at Landis Green at Florida State University in Tallahassee (https://youtu.be/PYTt81X1qr8):


Brajananda Prabhu also leads the chanting of Hare Krishna at Landis (https://youtu.be/iI23PqMJs4s):


As three friends were passing by I offered the one who seemed most interested a card for Krishna Lunch. One of the others said, “Thank you for sharing your love through your singing.” Later I thought about it and considered that it is Srila Prabhupada’s love for Krishna that inspired him to ask his followers to chant Hare Krishna in public all over the world, and it is his love that we are sharing.

Here Jorge chants Hare Krishna on Landis Green, outside the main library at Florida State University in Tallahassee (https://youtu.be/NOK0d-B1LYA):


Daniel also took some video of this kirtan (https://youtu.be/h70_ldD_sbI):


Parvathy, an FSU grad student, then chanted Hare Krishna at Landis (https://youtu.be/Atd19JyF7SQ):


Here a Ram Dass follower campaigning for Bernie Sanders chants Hare Krishna with devotees at ISKCON Tallahassee (https://youtu.be/mw8FMWKssUk):


Arjuna Abhimanyu Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at First Friday in Tallahassee, and Daniel distributes books (https://youtu.be/7Vpe9EV7WVo):


While Arjuna Abhimanyu Prabhu was chanting Hare Krishna there at First Friday two young people danced (https://youtu.be/9uQqcpl3lBA):


And one young drummer played the mrdanga (https://youtu.be/NVN7zGUciM8):


Here Arjuna Abhimanyu Prabhu shares a Krishna rap with youths as they eat halava at First Friday (https://youtu.be/B29mLVJLslY):


At First Friday I would pass out halava and “On Chanting Hare Krishna” pamphlets to people who seemed attracted to our chanting.

This girl was sitting in a red wagon, along with her pet pig, and was being pulled around by a friend. Now that is an odd site you do not see every day! Of course, being a lover of animals, she was more attracted than most people to hearing about our message of universal brotherhood which extends beyond merely the human species.

The next weekend, Daniel chanted Hare Krishna at Lake Ella, and at one point four high school girls chanted, danced, and played instruments, and a little boy did an amazing dance (https://youtu.be/9FBi6ethRb4):


Here Daniel chants Hare Krishna amidst partying college students near Potbelly’s on College Avenue in Tallahassee on a Saturday night (https://youtu.be/R391SOuLEJc):



Next Arjuna Abhimanyu Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna amidst the partying crowd (https://youtu.be/byvyhTBpPYY):


Here Daniel chants Hare Krishna at Lake Ella (https://youtu.be/5yKUMWYPeIM):


Then Chris chanted Hare Krishna at Lake Ella (https://youtu.be/b2CW0b7VDQA):


Jorge chants Hare Krishna at Landis Green as one of many groups of visitors to the campus pass by (https://youtu.be/AW4LXLln39o):


We chanted on the Friday night that spring break started as we knew that Saturday would be less crowded in Tallahassee with all the students out of town. Friday the Thirteenth is considered unlucky, but for all those who heard the holy name of the Lord chanted by His faithful devotees and who participated in the congregational chanting by playing instruments, dancing, and occasionally singing along, it was very auspicious.

Here Jorge chants Hare Krishna outside Potbelly’s, and many youths dance (https://youtu.be/JaBd-KY0kAA):


One enthusiastic young couple also got into playing the instruments as well as dancing (https://youtu.be/cAV0JEXNFRs):


Next Daniel chanted Hare Krishna, and people from Andrew’s danced (https://youtu.be/gG6qHJg25pg):


On the way back to our vehicle, Arjuna Abhimanyu Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna at the Brick House Bar and Restaurant, a couple danced and played instruments, and others participated as well (https://youtu.be/umqRBnyg7QU):


Jorge chants Hare Krishna at Lake Ella in Tallahassee (https://youtu.be/vS-cZP1OT20):


While Jorge chanted Hare Krishna, I would dance, play the shakers, and distribute pamphlets (https://youtu.be/b4hVobnohEQ):


Later Arjuna Abhimanyu Prabhu also chanted Hare Krishna at Lake Ella (https://youtu.be/TMWnnLJfXQk):


Here I chant Hare Krishna on Landis Green on the first weekday of spring break on a very empty Florida State University campus. The video is by Daniel, who has learned the art of playing karatalas with one hand so he can take video with the other (https://youtu.be/vvmFDxf7foE):


Although the campus was almost empty, one staff or faculty member passing by said with a smile, “Thank you for bringing happiness to Florida State.”

I thanked him for his appreciation.

Arjuna Abhimanyu Prabhu decided to have a pizza party that night, and two students from the campus came, including Jessie, who brought her guitar.

Here Jessie plays guitar and chants Hare Krishna at that pizza party (https://youtu.be/6BEQN5hrM2c):


Then Arjuna Abhimanyu Prabhu played guitar and chanted Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/vPsNbd2hNC4):


Chanting Hare Krishna During Gaura Purnima in Alachua

I do not like to miss Gaura Purnima in Alachua when I am in nearby parts of Florida as I have so many pleasant memories of the Alachua festivals from the eleven years I lived there.

Bhadra Prabhu chanted an ecstatic Hare Krishna kirtan in Alachua on Gaura Purnima, beginning and ending in the temple room, but visiting the kitchen, the prasadam queue, and the prasadam pavilion in the interim, and many devotees chanted and danced with enthusiasm (https://youtu.be/sbAE7OmIPuQ):


Arjuna Abhimanyu Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna after Gaura Purnima feast in Alachua, just before the final arati (https://youtu.be/Y_MYFEqz-N4):


Then Anasuya chanted Hare Krishna during the final arati (https://youtu.be/ux6Zpx_i6ck):


While in Alachua for Gaura Purnima I was pleased to notice on the lawn as you enter the temple, displays with different important spiritual messages, and so I share some photos with you:


Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 6.145–146:

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, ‘When the Supreme Personality of Godhead wished to become many, He glanced over the material energy. Before the creation there were no mundane eyes or mind; therefore the transcendental nature of the Absolute Truth’s mind and eyes is confirmed.’”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 6.147, purport:

The Brahma-sutra (1.1.3) confirms this fact also: sastra-yonitvat. Commenting upon this Brahma-sutra aphorism, Sri Madhvacarya says, ‘The Rg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda, Mahabharata, Pañcaratra and the original Valmiki Ramayana are all Vedic literatures. Any literature following the conclusive statements of these Vedic literatures is also to be considered Vedic literature. That literature which does not conform to Vedic literature is simply misleading.’”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 6.152, purport:

However, in the Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8) it is clearly said, parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate: ‘The Absolute Truth has multipotencies.’”

From Krishna, Chapter 12:

Although the denizens of heaven drank nectar daily to prolong their lives, they were afraid of this Aghasura and were wondering, ‘When will the demon be killed?’ The denizens used to drink nectar to become immortal, but actually they were not confident of their immortality. On the other hand, the boys who were playing with Krishna had no fear of the demons. They were free of fear. Any material arrangement for protecting oneself from death is always unsure, but if one is in Krishna consciousness, then immortality is confidently assured.”

Aghasura was certainly the most sinful living entity, and it is not possible for the sinful to merge into the existence of the Absolute Truth. But in this particular case, because Krishna entered into Aghasura’s body, the demon became fully cleansed of all sinful reactions. Persons constantly thinking of the eternal form of the Lord in the shape of the Deity or in the shape of a mental form are awarded the transcendental benediction of entering into the kingdom of God and associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So we can just imagine the elevated position of someone like Aghasura, into whose body the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, personally entered. Great sages, meditators and devotees constantly keep the form of the Lord within their hearts, or they see the Deity form of the Lord in the temples; in that way they become liberated from all material contamination and at the end of the body enter into the kingdom of God. This perfection is possible simply by keeping the form of the Lord within the mind. But in the case of Aghasura, the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally entered. Aghasura’s position was therefore greater than the ordinary devotee’s or the greatest yogi’s.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.29.46, purport:

A pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always thinking of how the fallen, conditioned souls can be delivered. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, influenced by the merciful devotees’ attempt to deliver fallen souls, enlightens the people in general from within by His causeless mercy.”

The humble servants of Srila Prabhupada:

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.36–37:

Those who are actually advanced in knowledge are able to appreciate the essential value of this Age of Kali. Such enlightened persons worship Kali-yuga because in this fallen age all perfection of life can easily be achieved by the performance of sankirtana. Indeed, there is no higher possible gain for embodied souls forced to wander throughout the material world than the Supreme Lord’s sankirtana movement, by which one can attain the supreme peace and free oneself from the cycle of repeated birth and death.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.36, purport:

Although Kali-yuga is considered to be an ocean of contamination, there is also an ocean of good fortune in Kali-yuga, namely the sankirtana movement. In other words, all of the degraded qualities of this age are completely counteracted by the process of chanting the holy names of the Lord.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.37, purport:

In Kali-yuga living conditions are so unbearable, modern governments are so obnoxious, our bodies are so ridden by physical and mental disease, and even self-preservation is so troublesome, that the conditioned souls intensely cry out the holy name of Krishna, begging for relief from the onslaught of this age. The members of the Krishna consciousness movement have vivid and unforgettable experiences of the terrible contradictions inherent in human society in this age, and thus they are firmly convinced that there is nothing to be achieved except the mercy of the Supreme Lord. In ISKCON centers throughout the world we observe wonderfully ecstatic kirtana performances in which men, women and children from all walks of life chant with startling enthusiasm the holy names of Krishna and dance in ecstasy, becoming completely indifferent to so-called public opinion. In America a prominent professor from Oberlin College visited a Hare Krishna center in California and was astonished by the enthusiasm with which the devotees chant the holy name of Krishna in their congregational performances.

Thus, due to their helpless and pathetic condition, the living entities in Kali-yuga have great impetus to surrender fully to the holy name of Krishna, putting all of their hope and faith in the Lord’s holy name. Kali-yuga is therefore the best age because in this age, more than in Satya-yuga or other ages, the conditioned souls become disgusted with the kingdom of illusion and surrender fully to the Lord’s holy name. This status of full surrender is called paramam santim, or supreme peace.”

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

From ISKCON in the 1970s:

[from a prayer] “‘At the most primitive level if necessary, let me approach the nondevotee regularly and tell him about Krishna (‘door to door’) so that the mercy of Krishna consciousness can be extended and spread and I can be saved by my own absorption in even the tiniest part of the sankirtana effort.’”

From The Wild Garden: Collected Writings 1990–1993:

Everything in Vrindavan is sweet and meaningful. I would like to write down at least one millionth of what is going on here. The earthiness of the parikrama trail, the people who say, ‘Radhe! Radhe!’ One millionth. Keep at it.”

From Geaglum Free Write Diary:

If Krishna is really pleased with me, He will reveal to me the most direct surrender. He is sometimes described as the passive witness, as in the two birds in the heart. That’s when we ignore Him and show Him that we want to be the Lord of all we survey. Then what can He do for us? But He is interested in us when we show some interest in Him. He wants us to come and play with Him in the spiritual world, which is free of anxiety. But we still want to play out some scenario here, where we are the master. I hope my writing is not an act like that.

May Krishna agree to come through these writings with His immortal teachings. I am the transparent medium. Let them shine through (His teachings) in various splendid colors as He likes, and catch the attention of the materialists. I would like that, catch their interest. Be a big famous preacher? No, I don’t mean that. But make an art, something nice at least, some persons will get caught up in it.”

Janananda Goswami:

[Commenting on “Markine Bhagavata Dharma” by Srila Prabhupada:]
Not many Indians, upon arriving in America, say to God, “Why have You brought me to this terrible place?”

Vijaya Prabhu:

Srila Prabhupada once said this period in history would be remembered as the time when the Krishna consciousness movement saved the world in its darkest hour. It’s hard to see that now, because there is still relatively little interest in Krishna consciousness. We don’t know what the future holds. But Prabhupada, who is totally connected to Krishna, knows. Christianity was not a significant religion until two hundred years after Christ departed. Now by some estimates there are more than two billion Christians on the planet. We may see Krishna consciousness bring about a revolution in society in our lifetimes, or we may not, but when Srila Prabhupada says something it must be taken very seriously. After all, we are just in the beginning of the ten thousand year Golden Era of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When we consider how much Krishna consciousness has spread in less than fifty years since Prabhupada founded ISKCON, we should have great hope.”

Any thoughtful person can see how increasing transcendental book distribution has a systemic, uplifting effect on the world — leading to the ‘respiritualization of the entire human society’ that Srila Prabhupada evokes in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Worldwide trends start with individuals. Marketing experts document how trends start with a person who derives the benefit from a product and then tells others about it. The Krishna consciousness movement has taken root through such personal interactions. And it will continue growing as devotees personally give others the gift of transcendental knowledge. The effectiveness of such personal meetings are wonderfully documented in Treasures of the Brhat Mrdanga. Of course, advocates of various religious systems have for centuries distributed their literature about God as a means of bringing people into their folds. Every year, around the world, advocates distribute millions of Bibles, Korans, and a myriad of scripturally-based books and pamphlets. ‘Well,’ an atheistic naysayer might comment, ‘religious zealots always disturb others with such useless matters.’ But let’s hear from a secular scholar, Camille Paglia, herself an atheist, who thoughtfully expresses her view of the benefits of distributing transcendental literature: ‘Comparative religion is the true multiculturalism and should be installed as the core curriculum in every undergraduate program. From my perspective as an atheist as well as a career college teacher, secular humanism has been a disastrous failure. Too many young people raised in affluent liberal homes are arriving at elite colleges and universities with skittish, unformed personalities and shockingly narrow views of human existence, confined to inflammatory and divisive identity politics. Interest in Hinduism and Buddhism was everywhere in the 1960s counterculture, but it gradually dissipated partly because those most drawn to “cosmic consciousness” either disabled themselves by excess drug use or shunned the academic ladder of graduate school. I contend that every educated person should be conversant with the sacred texts, rituals, and symbol systems of the great world religions — Hinduism, Buddhism, Judeo-Christianity, and Islam — and that true global understanding is impossible without such knowledge. Not least, the juxtaposition of historically evolving spiritual codes tutors the young in ethical
reasoning and the creation of meaning.’”

Imagine a father with many children. One of them leaves the family and takes to the life of a degraded rogue—drinking, carousing, taking drugs, committing crimes. Then one of the boy’s brothers goes out of his way to help him. He seeks him out in the seedy part of town, and gradually he helps the wayward boy clean up his life and again become a good man and a good son. How pleased the father would be seeing his son’s compassion! This is how Krishna feels toward devotees who take the trouble to help the degraded conditioned souls who have given up their relationship with their eternal father, Krishna.”

Lord Caitanya went out on harinama Himself. He also instructed the Six Gosvamis to write books. Why? Because He knew this information would be distributed all over the world by Srila Prabhupada.”

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta wrote: ‘I wish that every selfless, tender-hearted person of the Gaudiya Matha will be prepared to shed two hundred gallons of blood for the nourishment of the spiritual corpus of every individual of this world.’ He also said, in the same compassionate mood, ‘Every single door must be knocked on at least once.’”

Srila Prabhupada was once asked what the criterion was for his choosing GBC members. He said, “Whoever I saw took the most risk for Krishna I chose to be GBC.”

From the example of Bhakti Tirtha Swami I learned how to chant more attentively. When he would chant and find that he was inattentive, he would back up on those beads and chant again. He said that though it took him longer to chant his rounds the quality was better. When I heard that, I started following his example, and it has helped me immensely in improving the quality of my japa. When the quality of our japa improves, the overall quality of our service improves.”

There is one verse in Srimad-Bhagavatam that expresses the proper consciousness of a sankirtana devotee better than any other verse I’ve found. Svayambhuva Manu speaks it to Dhruva Maharaja:

titiksaya karunaya
maitrya cakhila-jantusu
samatvena ca sarvatma
bhagavan samprasidati

The Lord is very satisfied with His devotee when the devotee greets other people with tolerance, compassion, friendship and equality.’ (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.11.13)”

Anakadundubhi Dasa

It is quite normal for a devotee to be compassionate. He just has to remember how his life was before he joined. If we do not feel compassion, we should pray to Lord Krishna to give us some of His unlimited compassion so that we can share it with the conditioned souls. This always works for me. Krishna never lets you down.”

Gokula-lila Devi Dasi

I was distributing books on Lincoln Road in Auckland, New Zealand. Many people were taking books. As I saw two young boys approach, before stopping them I concluded that they were either on drugs or depressed. It was obvious from their morbid, expressionless faces. As we talked I discovered they were brothers, fifteen and sixteen years old, and due to circumstances they were also best friends; they didn’t really have much shelter other than each other. They were simple, gentle boys. Just remembering them makes me realize how lucky I am to have the protection of Krishna and His devotees; any struggle in Krishna consciousness is a sweet struggle not worthy of complaints. They explained to me that they lived with their grandmother, who because of old age had just recently broken both her feet. Now these two teenage boys had to do everything for themselves and their elderly grandmother. I asked about their parents. Brace yourself—this is the reality of Kali-yuga. Their mother had left one day and never came home. The boys had no idea where she was. And their father? After repeated heart attacks, depression, and anxiety—at this point the younger brother stopped speaking and turned to the older boy, who completed the sentence: ‘he took his own life.’

Somehow, by the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and my showing a little interest in these boys, they gave $15 and took a Bhagavad-gita. How else was I to help them get out of such a terribly lonely, empty life? Showing pity is not enough. The only possible way to help anyone is to give them the mercy of Lord Caitanya, just as we’ve received it.”

Daru-brahma Dasa

I was at the Los Angeles temple gift shop when a mataji working in the store came up to me and asked, ‘Did you ever distribute books in the Miami airport?’
I said, ‘Yes, at different times.’
She exclaimed, ‘It was you! Do you remember giving me a big book in the airport a few years ago and asking for a donation? I gave you a dollar and you said, “Well, we really try to get around $5 to cover the cost of these big books. Do you mind if I give you a smaller book instead?” Then you started to gently replace the big book with a smaller one.
But I got upset and said, “No, you gave me the big book and I want that one!” And I forcibly grabbed the big book back. You then pleaded with me for a bigger donation, but I got so angry that I grabbed even the dollar I’d already given you and stormed off with both the book and my money.’
By now my memory had been jogged sufficiently to remember the incident. I remembered distinctly thinking at the time, ‘That !%@#&%#!! I bet someone who takes a book like that will go to hell for quite awhile.’
She continued her story, saying, ‘Well, Prabhu, I read that book and within a short time became a devotee. And for many years I myself went out and distributed Srila Prabhupada’s books in the Los Angeles airport.’ It turns out that she was very good at it, too.
So the lesson is that not only may someone who doesn’t take a book from a book distributor become one, but even someone who steals a book from a distributor may become one, too. You never know with Krishna.”

Krishna Dasa (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)

In one of the Far East countries the police were on the lookout for a very notorious criminal. He decided to hide out in the local Hare Krishna temple. After he’d stayed in the temple for a few months, his heart became purified and he became a genuine devotee. He had heard of the importance of book distribution and thought he would be good at it since he had a bold nature. He figured the police wouldn’t notice him because of his shaven head.

Once while distributing books he was recognized by the police, and they arrested him and took him to jail. Because of the severity of his crimes, the judge sentenced him to serve his sentence in a torturous island prison. Many hard-core criminals had been sent there. To make it even harder for them to escape, the authorities would inject them with tranquilizers. After a while they would forget even who they were and become almost like vegetables.

The devotees from the temple pleaded with the judge to release the devotee, since he’d completely changed his way of life. But the judge said that was impossible because of the seriousness and extent of his crimes. He had to undergo the punishment, and there was no escape from that.”

The prisoners in the camp were very badly treated. At meal time the police would throw loaves of bread on the ground so the criminals would have to fight among themselves like dogs to get a morsel. At the temple devotees’ request, however, the authorities agreed not to inject the devotee with tranquilizers, since he had obviously undergone a change of heart.”

After a few months the prison commissioner went to the island prison to see the status of the criminals there. To his astonishment, there was no more throwing of bread to the prisoners. Each prisoner would get his loaf of bread and would then offer it to the Radha-Krishna Deity the devotee prisoner had made out of sand. Only then would the prisoners take prasadam. All the prisoners were chanting the maha-mantra and had been completely transformed into devotees by associating with the criminal-turned-devotee.”

After visiting the island prison, the prison commissioner informed the temple devotees of what he had seen. He was quite happy about how such notorious criminals had undergone such an extraordinary transformation of character. He was completely stunned by the whole episode and decided to reduce the sentence of the devotee criminal on the island.”

Trnakarta Dasa

I was walking my dog in a forest when he smelled something. I went over to see what it was, and after I’d moved some leaves I found a book — a Krishna book. I picked it up and said to myself, ‘What’s this?’ I started reading it and became fascinated by the contents. Soon I joined the temple. This was in the early 70s. This may be the first time a dog became a vartma-pradarsaka-guru.

Visvambhara Dasa

In 1982, during my brahmacari period, one day I was distributing books door-to-door in Italy, in the region where I grew up. A man came out of his house, and I tried very hard to give him a Bhagavad-gita, but he refused to take it. I was just about to go when his seven-year-old girl came out and said, ‘Papa, I want it. Please take it,’ and with great reluctance the man purchased it. The book (I learned later) was then abandoned on their bookshelf. In those days I would always write my name and the temple phone number at the end of every book I would distribute. If the purchaser would want some more literature or have any questions, they could contact me personally at the temple.

After twelve years or so the girl took the book off the shelf and asked her father what it was about and where it came from. The father told her that about twelve years earlier a young monk had come to their door and she had persuaded the father to get it, but the girl could not remember the incident. She embarked upon reading the Gita, and at the end of the book she came across my name, Bhakta Raffaele, and the phone number of the temple where I had resided twelve years earlier. She then visited the temple for the Sunday feast. She enjoyed the lecture and kirtana and had a good first impression of the devotees. In fact, she later related, it was the most wonderful experience of her life. The smell of the incense and the soft sound of the karatalas seemed very familiar to her. Before she left she asked about Bhakta Raffaele, and the devotees told her that in 1985 I had moved to the UK and that my name was now Visvambhara Dasa.

She then came all the way to the UK to search me out at Bhaktivedanta Manor! One day, after I had given a class, she approached me and asked, ‘Is your name Visvambhara Dasa, and did you grow up in Italy?’
Yes,’ I replied to both questions.
She said, ‘My name is Cinzia, and I am also from Italy.’
Then she said, ‘Thank you,’ with tears in her eyes. She told me about the incident twelve years earlier, and I also started to shed tears. I remembered what Srila Prabhupada had once said, namely, that if we can make one devotee with this Bhagavad-gita, then our life will be successful. I was so happy that this girl had reached the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Gokulananda. Cinzia stayed at Bhaktivedanta Manor and became an initiated disciple of Indradyumna Swami. Her name is now Kaumadaki Devi Dasi, and she is currently serving in the festival programs with Indradyumna Maharaja. This incident has given me so much faith in the activity of book distribution.”

Haraprana Devi Dasi

Once as I was distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books in a small city in Belgium, I met a woman who listened very emotionally as I showed her a book. ‘I don’t need the book. I’ve just bought some pills in the pharmacy [she showed them to me] and am going home to commit suicide.’

Why?!’ I asked her, shocked.

My husband has died, and I can’t live without him.’

I told her about reincarnation and explained that committing suicide would not solve her problems. ‘This knowledge is all in these books,’ I explained. ‘They can be a great help and shelter for you.’

She agreed to read one of the books before taking the pills and asked me to come to her house so she could pay for it. After she had invited me to sit down, we started a conversation. She showed me photos of her husband, and to my amazement I came across some pictures of her and her husband visiting Radhadesh, the main Hare Krishna center in Belgium, during a marriage ceremony.

I said, ‘Hey! That’s where I live! And the girl getting married is my friend; she’s also here in town right now.’

I went to get my devotee friend. As we spoke with the woman, she gradually became more and more enthusiastic and bought all five books we had with us. She promised us she was going to throw the pills away, read the books thoroughly, and keep in contact with the devotees.

She kept her promise. Now she often visits the temple, and she opens her house to any devotee who wants to stay overnight or distribute books from there.”

Mahatma Dasa (Greece)

As I distributed books on one of the Greek islands, I met a lady who had gotten an Isopanisad from me on a different island a couple of years earlier. She told me she was convinced it was a very special book, and it had stolen her heart. Here’s why:

Just before meeting me and getting the Iso, she had split up with her husband and was heading for divorce. But after buying that fateful Iso and again meeting her almost ex-husband, she suddenly found they had something in common. Earlier he had also bought an Isopanisad from me and, like her, had found it fascinating. Because of that connection, they got back together and are still living happily as I write—putting Krishna in the center.”

Nityananda-Rama Dasa

In Siberia there was a burglar who belonged to a gang of thieves. One day he was in an apartment searching for valuables when he heard a noise at the door. Frightened, he began climbing out the window, and out of frustration that all his trouble had come to naught, he quickly grabbed whatever was at hand—a book lying on the kitchen table—and then ran off.”

When the burglar arrived home and looked at the book, he saw that the title read Bhagavad-gita As It Is. He didn’t have the slightest interest in such a book, but since he had stolen it he figured he might as well read it, so he opened it and began.

Soon he was becoming more and more interested in philosophy and spiritual life. He started visiting the local temple and gradually began chanting Hare Krishna. After some time he brought his gang members to the temple and introduced them to Krishna consciousness. Before long they were all regularly visiting the temple to render services like cleaning and driving. When devotees asked them what they did for a living, they simply answered, ‘God allows everyone to survive.’”

But there was a problem. The burglar’s wife became disturbed to see the great change in his character. He was losing interest in his occupation. She worried about their income. To make matters worse, her father was one of the biggest gangsters in town. Infuriated to find his son-in-law breaking with their tradition of thievery, the father-in-law even threatened to kill him if he didn’t stop his spiritual practices, which his father-in-law considered an insult to their great heritage.

So the burglar was caught in a real bind. But one day his wife went to visit some relatives in Moscow, and while shopping in a big marketplace she saw a young man carrying a stack of books. He was walking around without approaching anyone. After he had walked past many people, he went straight up to her, gave her a book, and said, “This is the best book in the world. You should read it because you’ll really like it.” The devotee didn’t know her and had no idea her husband was already chanting Hare Krishna.

The burglar’s wife was intrigued that out of hundreds of people in the marketplace she had been the one the devotee approached. She bought the book, Teachings of Lord Caitanya. Then she went home and read it cover to cover. Now convinced about the philosophy of Krishna consciousness, she joined forces with her husband and threw her father out of the house.

The couple started to visit the temple together, and soon the man began going out with the devotees to distribute books. As he became more and more keen to do that service, he realized, ‘Formerly I would walk by so many mansions thinking how I could enter them and steal something. Now I think, “Let me go to that house and give the occupants Krishna’s mercy in the form of Prabhupada’s books.”’”

In Lithuania I went to sell sets of books at a factory where the director was feared by all the employees. The director was like a gangster and would beat people and throw them out of the company. When I came in with the books, the workers told me not to go anywhere near the director. But I wasn’t deterred. I went in, showed the director the books, and fearlessly preached to him with determination.

The man looked at the books and read a little. He appreciated that I was taking time to explain the books and talk to him. As the saying goes, “It’s lonely at the top.” No one would ever talk with him. He was so lonely.

The director called all the department heads to his office and told them, ‘Everyone is going to buy a set of these books.’

No one dared say no. The director let me go through the company selling books, with his recommendation. I collected many signatures authorizing payment, and a few days later returned to deliver the books. The director had assembled all the workers and department heads in a large hall. He then gave a speech.”

“‘Today is a very important day, because you all have a chance to get these wonderful books. You may ask yourself why I’m doing this, since you all know I’ve been an atheist all my life. But since I’ve met this interesting person and read these books, I’m convinced there’s something more than just material life. And I want God—up there—to know that I, Valdimier Zuchenkof, have given His books to the workers of my factory.’

Everyone applauded, and he started handing out the books.”

Sankirtana Devi Dasi

I was in a Walmart parking lot and approached a young man with a Coming Back. I asked, ‘Do you have any opinions on reincarnation?’
Yes,’ he replied, as he eyed the book suspiciously. ‘Wait a minute. What religion is this?’
We’re the Hare Krishnas.’
At once he put his hands out in front of him and said with firm conviction: ‘I don’t want any cookies!’
Good,’ I said, ‘because I don’t have any. But what’s wrong with Hare Krishna cookies? I’ve been eating them for over twenty-five years.’
All I know is that whenever any of my friends eat your cookies, their lives change. I don’t need that.’
What do you mean by “change”?’
I don’t know . . . they’re just never the same.’
I just had to put my arms in the air and say, ‘Yes! They change in a good way.’ He laughed and agreed, and then he took a book and gave a nice donation.

I was high all day thinking of all the little cookie bombs that have been detonated in so many of the conditioned souls’ hearts around the world, and how those souls are now waiting for the next step. We have to give them these books come hell or high water.”

Bhakta Mick

In Galway, a town in western Ireland, I presented a book to a girl who seemed interested. But after I had talked for a couple of minutes she said, ‘I’m not really convinced. Why should I take this book?’

“‘Well,’ I said, ‘this book is just like a cake. I may say “This is a nice cake” and you may say “No, I don’t think so,” but how will you know unless you taste it? So unless you take the book and read it, you’ll never know how good it is.’

She replied, ‘You don’t know how relevant that example is. I work in a bakery. Every day people come in and ask, “Is this one nice? Is this one nice?” and it drives me crazy. How much is the book? I’ll take it.’

Bhakta Dasa

In the middle of 1972 Srila Prabhupada wrote me a letter. At that time, there was no ‘plainclothes’ sankirtana. Everyone wore dhotis, saris, and tilaka and told people, ‘We’re from Hare Krishna. Please read a book about Krishna.’

In the letter Srila Prabhupada told me, ‘Make sure you sell books by preaching, not by cheating.’

I was taken aback. I thought, ‘What does he mean by this word “cheating”?’ I wrote and asked him, ‘Srila Prabhupada, in your letter to me you wrote, “Make sure you sell books by preaching, not by cheating.” What exactly do you mean?’

His reply came on May 2, 1972:

“‘So far the meaning of the word “cheating,” there are only three things to be known: that Krishna is the Supreme Enjoyer, the Supreme Proprietor of everything, and the Supreme Friend of everyone, and we say that honesty is acting upon the knowledge of these three facts. So if one is always acting under these three facts, knowing Krishna to be the Supreme Proprietor, Enjoyer, and Friend, then he is truly honest, and if one is not acting in this knowledge, then he is always cheating or being dishonest. So if you apply this to your techniques for selling literature to persons in the Sankirtana party, then you will understand what is the meaning of the word “cheating.”’”

Chowpatty Temple Book Distribution

Often a book distributor develops a sixth sense by which to judge a prospective customer. The way a person listens to the announcement, the way he looks at the devotee and books, his body language—all contain subtle signals an expert book
distributor can perceive and pursue to distribute a book. Often how a person looks speaks volumes—whether he’s intelligent, worried, spaced out, jolly, curious, suffering, etc. But sometimes looks can be deceiving.

One day Pañca Pandava Prabhu was distributing books on the local trains in Mumbai. He made his announcement and showed the books to the commuters, and a few of them took books. Then he stood by the exit door, preparing to disembark at the next station. Suddenly a man entered the car and almost stumbled into him. His clothes were disheveled and dirty, his hair was unkempt, his face was unshaven, and his breath reeked of alcohol. Nearby passengers cursed and moved away. Pañca Pandava cringed at his sight and tried to move around him, but the man blocked the way.

“‘Hey, show me that book you have!’ he demanded.

Pañca Pandava thought, ‘Should I show a book to this drunkard? Is he sober enough to recognize the importance of these sacred books? Will he respect them? What will the other passengers think if I speak to him?” Not sure what to do, Pañca Pandava stood still.

“‘Don’t you hear me, man? I’m interested in these books of God. Show me one.’

Pañca Pandava still had doubts: ‘Does he have any money to pay for the books?’ he thought. ‘What if he takes the book and runs away? What will I do, fight with this low-class man in a public place?’

The man seemed to read Pañca Pandava’s mind. ‘You think I have no money? Look!’ And he pulled out a wad of notes and shook them in the air. ‘How much does your book cost?’

Taken aback, Pañca Pandava could only mutter, ‘Twenty rupees.’

“‘That’s all?’ the man said as he pulled out a twenty-rupee note and thumped it into Pañca Pandava’s palm. ‘Give me my book,’ the man demanded.
Pañca Pandava handed him a small book. The man raised the book close to his eyes and then touched it to his forehead.

“‘I told you I like books of God. See how beautiful Lord Krishna looks! OK.’

Holding the prized possession close to his heart, the man fumbled his way out of the train at the next station. The entire incident proved to Pañca Pandava that he should never judge a person by his looks. As the saying goes, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover.’ Lord Caitanya’s mercy flows freely to both the materially qualified and the materially unqualified. So you never know who may be the next recipient of His causeless mercy. But one thing’s for sure: looks are definitely not the criterion for receiving it.”

Brajananda Prabhu:

Sociologist of Rodney Stark of Baylor University found that only one in a thousand religions will last 100 years and get 100,000 adherents.

Ten reasons why religions fails:

1. If they are too different in too many ways from the society in which they arise.

2. If their doctrines are not empirical.

3. If they have standards that are too strict or too loose compared with the outer environment.

4. If the leaders have no legitimate authority or the scriptures have no legitimate authority.

Srila Prabhupada was a moral authority, and being attracted by his personal qualities, many people wanted to help him.

5. If they cannot attract people to do voluntary service, especially that of propagation.

6. If they cannot produce enough offspring to compensate for member mortality.

7. If their group is not stronger than others in their area.

8. If members cannot maintain strong relationships with each other and at the same time be able to be open to networking with others.

9. If they are unable to maintain spiritual standards.

10. If they are unable to inspire their youth to follow with enough strictness.

Srila Prabhupada wanted children to attend gurukula from five to ten years of age, and then at ten years to enter a varnashrama college and learn a particular trade.

Kaunteya Prabhu says we do worst in this item.

Kumari Sakhi Devi Dasi:

We can analyze our senses one by one and see how much we have engaged them in Krishna’s service.

Lord Caitanya is the original spiritual rebel.

When we connect with Krishna we can experience glimpses of our soul’s qualities of eternity, knowledge, and bliss.

Comment by Arjuna: When chanting japa in a group, it feels like everyone is getting cleaned out at the same time.

Comment by Parvarthy: I felt a lot lighter from the group chanting. I had a day filled with a lot of intense thinking, so this prayer was a blessing. Thanks.

Daniel:

People are looking for permanence and happiness in this world where everything is temporary and miserable. This is maya – that which is not.

Animals are not polluting the world.

[I went to a meeting of the Interfaith Council at FSU for the first time. They had two presenters from other FSU organizations, one was a lady from a group called Green Dot, and the other a guy from The Center for Leadership and Social Change. Green Dot is committed to promoting acts, words, or choices that oppose the culture of power based personal violence. The Center for Leadership and Social Change has a four-day personal leadership seminar in May, and they sought sponsorship from the Interfaith Council.]

Green Dot:

6.5% of students experience sexual violence.

Cultural changes in recent years have made negative impact.

Facebook started with one guy wanting to share with his friends, then spread to the Ivy Leagues, then the “.edu” email addresses, and then the world.

Green Dots are places where people behave in ways that reduce violence in the community.

Behavioral changes in students may indicate they are victims of violence.

There is a bystander effect whereby if several people witness an incident they are less likely do to something to help the situation than if a single person sees it.

If you are not comfortable inquiring about the welfare of people involved in a conflict, you can ask a friend who does not mind.

One way of dealing with conflict is to distract people from it by asking them for directions or to help you find your dog.

By confronting people, you make them aware that:
1. You see them.
2. You care about them.

The Center for Leadership and Social Change:

Leadershape Institute is four-day retreat where students examine their values.

Faith is often an important value for students.

We seek to gain sponsorship from other campus and off-campus organizations.

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Krishna assures us in Bhagavad-gita that if we take full shelter of Him, we will not have to worry. This is especially important during this unsettling time of the coronavirus epidemic. Srila Prabhupada recalled a famine in India when the price of rice suddenly shot up to many, many times the previous value, and many could not afford it. His experience was that all his friends who were Vaishnavas (devotees of the Supreme Lord) somehow or other always had enough to survive.

ananyas cintayanto mam
ye janah paryupasate
tesam nityabhiyuktanam
yoga-ksemam vahamy aham

But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form – to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.” (Bhagavad-gita 9.22)