Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 16, No. 22
By Krishna Kripa Das
(November 2020, part two)
New York City
(Sent from Brooklyn on December 5, 2020)
Where I Went and What I Did
I continued staying at Radha Govinda Temple in New York City and assisting Rama Raya Prabhu with his NYC Harinam party, chanting four hours of Hare Krishna in public almost every day. On festival days or cold or rainy days when the party chanted at the temple, I would chant somewhere in public wearing a mask, and on Thanksgiving two other devotees joined me. I would also attend the three-hour Bhakti Center Sunday harinama in Washington Square Park, and once I joined the Radha Govinda Temple devotees on a Friday night doing harinama for half an hour to Atlantic terminal and back to the temple. During the second half of November, we celebrated both Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day and Thanksgiving at Radha Govinda Temple, and for the feasts we gave guests prasadam packaged in containers to take home.
I share notes on lectures at ISKCON NYC by Candrasekhara Swami, Hansarupa Prabhu. Nikunjabihari Prabhu, Rama Raya Prabhu, Hari Vilasa Prabhu, Ananda-bihari Prabhu, Vraja Mohana Prabhu, and Divyangi Devi Dasi. I share quotes from Back to Godhead magazine articles by Satyaraja Prabhu, Visakha Devi Dasi, Karuna Dharini Devi Dasi, Gauranga Darsana Prabhu, Caitanya Carana Prabhu, Rukmini Vallabha Prabhu, and Soumya Gupta. I have a special section just before “Insights” on offerings for Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day, where I share notes on offerings made by Jayapataka Swami, Devamrita Swami, Prabhupada Vrata Damodara Swami, Ramesvara Prabhu, Malati Devi Dasi, Deva Deva Prabhu, and Kadamba Kanana Swami.
Thanks to a congregational member for his kind donations to several brahmacaris including me. Thanks to Rupacandra Prabhu for his kind donation. Thanks to Kaliya Krishna Prabhu for his photos and videos of our NYC Harinam party.
Itinerary
September 12–January 2: NYC Harinam
December 5: Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami Vyasa-puja (via zoom)
December 13: ISKCON Orlando Sunday feast lecture (via zoom)
December 20: ISKCON NYC Sunday feast lecture (via zoom)
December 24: Albany, Christmas Eve with relatives (via zoom)
January 3–April 5: Orlando and Tallahassee harinama and college outreach
April 6: New York
Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City
Once one young man accepted the Spanish version of “On Chanting Hare Krishna,” and then he stood off to the side of our chanting party reading it for fifteen minutes. I explained to him that we had two Spanish books, and he purchased both of them!
On Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day I sang in public in the morning by myself, so I could sing with the rest of the devotees at the temple in the afternoon and evening for the festival. While I was chanting, a man gave a dollar. He said he was really into The Beatles, so I offered him Chant and Be Happy, which describes the conversation between George Harrison and John Lennon and Srila Prabhupada, and he happily accepted it.
As it turned out, our whole party chanted in that same location the next day, and that man, who is talking with Rama Raya Prabhu in this photo, bought Bhagavad-gita from Acarya-nistha Prabhu. Thus he definitely got lots of mercy from Srila Prabhupada.
Here Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Union Square, and a man who would attend occasionally plays shakers enthusiastically, happy that our party is back in New York City after so many months away (https://youtu.be/2bkjgLrF9-g):
Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Union Square, and Murali Gopal Prabhu dances (https://youtu.be/VUpHRQ-EYHQ):
A passerby then joins the dance and a mom and daughter watch, while the guy with a real taste for playing the shakers gets into it (https://youtu.be/WxsOt7CDyIw):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in New York City (https://youtu.be/og0mVt4CriE):
Krishna Kripa Das chants Hare Krishna in New York City [video by Kaliya Krishna Prabhu] (https://youtu.be/62Gk5qczyCU):
Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants in New York City, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/K1UUDB7t544):
Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and Krishna Kripa Das dances in Washington Square Park [video by Kaliya Krishna Prabhu] (https://youtu.be/JrJ_fPmMyIQ):
Vraja Mohana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in New York City, and a man dances (https://youtu.be/fR7RlG2KO3Y):
Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Radha Govinda Temple, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/mjQ3KWmPvR4):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna during the final kirtan at Radha Govinda Temple
on the evening of Srila Prabhupada's Disappearance Day (https://youtu.be/3Mq-VIde-iE):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Washington Square Park, and bicyclists dance (https://youtu.be/0bRtFWRhUMY):
Later two guys and girls danced with impressive enthusiasm. The girl in the white skirt was vegetarian, and she was happy to learn of Govinda’s Restaurant in Brooklyn (https://youtu.be/H3_V68kk98A):
After that a group of friends danced, one playing the shakers (https://youtu.be/WmqRsp14ZeA):
One of the ladies was happy to hear about our Govinda’s Restaurant.
Acarya-nistha Prabhu chants a very sweet Hare Krishna tune in New York City (https://youtu.be/OyOTaIIhEHs):
Vraja Mohana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in New York City (https://youtu.be/iN--djXf-70):
Balarama Prabhu, whose brother, Krishna Prabhu, is with the 24-hour kirtan party in Vrindavan, chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/WJCEDry1x2M):
Braja Sakhi Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/TgxswmIXX_U):
Priya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/nbq2UgMTvkU):
One day after harinama, Rama Raya Prabhu shared realizations about the importance of chanting Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/EvNvbHrTLgM):
Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Radha Govinda Temple on Thanksgiving Day, and one young man and one young lady dance (https://youtu.be/4j29SeBKu54):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Radha Govinda Temple on Thanksgiving, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/hUOa9JXmYDA):
At Krishna House in Gainesville we used to have Thanksgiving dinners, and before the meal we would go around the room and ask everyone to share something they were thankful for. I am thankful that Niranjana Swami invited me to spend my time off from college in 1979 in Radha Govinda temple. I am thankful I encountered Srila Prabhupada’s books which provide so much detailed knowledge about the soul, God, their relationship, and how to perfect it, that it is simply astounding! I am thankful George Harrison produced the Radha Krishna Temple album, which was my first encounter with joyful Hare Krishna chants. I am thankful to again be living in the Radha Govinda temple, and to be chanting Hare Krishna everyday with Rama Raya Prabhu’s ecstatic NYC Harinam party. I am thankful to have many friends and well-wishers all over the world by Krishna’s grace. I am thankful to have so many things to be thankful for that I had to force myself to stop thinking of them so I would not be tired at mangala-arati.
Another thing to be thankful for: My YouTube channel (youtube.com/user/Krishnakripadas) broke 50,000 subscribers this week! The most popular video with over 2 million views and over 50,000 likes is https://youtu.be/cC-iJZ02Ef0, thanks to H.H. Mahavishnu Swami, Govinda Prabhu, and Harinama Ruci:
All my videos are just kirtans and harinama, and people listen to 6,000 hours a week. “All glories to the Sri Krishna sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.” (“Siksastaka”)
I uploaded our hour and twenty minute contribution to the Festival of the Holy Name, and you can watch it here (https://youtu.be/YSX1cUKyTzA):
When I was in Alachua I would always attend that festival and dance during almost all of the kirtans. I wanted to go this year, but organizers were not letting people from out of town come because of COVID-19. Krishna fulfilled my desire to dance in that kirtan even while I was in New York City, and I even got to lead the singing, which I never got to do when I was in Alachua, so in one sense, I came out ahead!
Acarya-nistha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Columbus Circle, and a woman dances wildly until her male companion drags her away (https://youtu.be/0Xy_gns_3E8):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Columbus Circle, and a father with his kid plays shakers and tambourine, encouraged by Caranti Devi Dasi (https://youtu.be/0BLxQ_AkfkM):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Washington Square Park, and a variety of passersby play shakers and dance, some with transcendental literature in their other hands (https://youtu.be/x_oe73OH974):
Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna for Radha Govinda on the next to last day of Karttika (https://youtu.be/WOkATlwEg_A):
Minna of The Bhakti Center chants Hare Krishna on a Sunday afternoon at Washington Square (https://youtu.be/EpdQ80NWKrc):
Jai Giridhari Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/Y9l0e20vsmo):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna for Radha Govinda on the last day of Karttika (https://youtu.be/H5UzK-Oqmig):
Jayapataka Swami:
We are permanently incredibly indebted to Srila Prabhupada.
Whatever he taught, he would do.
We were fortunate in Mayapur as he would come twice a year every year.
He taught that the top leader should not be in charge of anything but should see that everyone else is doing his service.
Devamrita Swami:
I did not consider that Srila Prabhupada would ever depart until three days before he left when I received Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 13, to copyedit. As I read it I cried as I realized it would be the last one.
I looked at the letters people wrote to Srila Prabhupada asking, “What if we cannot maintain our vows, will you come back for us?” In the 60s he would say, “Yes, so do not break your vows.” Later in the 1970s, He would say, “I am still thinking about that,” thus indicating we should not make him come back.
Prabhupada Vrata Damodara Swami:
Lord Caitanya was upset about the condition of the yavanas [the most materialistic people], and Srila Prabhupada was equally upset. In his interaction with me, I could see that.
I had this interaction with him in 1966:
Srila Prabhupada: Simply join us. We will solve all your problems.
Me: I am not ready.
As I left, with tears in his eyes, he said, “Please come back!”
I was very fragile and not ready to be smashed. He dealt with me very tactfully and very lovingly
Ramesvara Prabhu:
It was wonderful to have someone who could lovingly correct us.
I pray that all my godbrothers and godsisters return to his lotus feet.
Malati Devi Dasi:
Srila Prabhupada’s purports to the First Canto, although he had never been out of India, were remarkably accurate. That is because Krishna was directly speaking to him.
Srila Prabhupada never disappointed us.
As Ramesvara Prabhu was saying, smashes by Srila Prabhupada were ecstatic, although they were painful, because they were delivered with love.
Deva Deva Prabhu:
Our goals are to systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to cooperate to do what we can do best to serve Srila Prabhupada.
We have turned inward and forgotten society at large. We must look out and see how people are suffering more than ourselves.
For many of us, our happiest days were sharing that knowledge with others.
I was part of the hippie love generation, and Srila Prabhupada taught us what real love is.
Kadamba Kanana Swami:
New York City is still meant to inspire the world in Krishna consciousness, and if we can do that, Srila Prabhupada will be pleased with us.
See the four-hour video of all the offerings at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YFezvS6tO8
Special Photos
Usually the Govardhan Hill used for the Govardhan puja festival disappears after the festival is over, but ISKCON NYC temple president, Hansarupa Prabhu, decided to keep it in the temple room for seven days in honor of Krishna holding the hill aloft for that length of time.
The day after Govardhan Puja, the deities looked especially beautiful. Perhaps They were very pleased with the festival.
On Thanksgiving, an American holiday traditionally celebrated with a turkey dinner, Kaliya Krishna Prabhu, shared with me this humorous photo:
Here is our menu at Radha Govinda Temple that day:
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.9.29–32:
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead then said: O Brahma, O depth of Vedic wisdom, be neither depressed nor anxious about the execution of creation. What you are begging from Me has already been granted before. O Brahma, situate yourself in penance and meditation and follow the principles of knowledge to receive My favor. By these actions you will be able to understand everything from within your heart. O Brahma, when you are absorbed in devotional service, in the course of your creative activities, you will see Me in you and throughout the universe, and you will see that you yourself, the universe and the living entities are all in Me. You will see Me in all living entities as well as all over the universe, just as fire is situated in wood. Only in that state of transcendental vision will you be able to be free from all kinds of illusion.”
“The sound representation of the Lord is nondifferent from the Lord Himself because the Lord and His representation in sound are absolute knowledge. Lord Caitanya has instructed us that in the holy name of the Lord, as sound representation of the Lord, all the potencies of the Lord are invested. Thus one can immediately enjoy the association of the Lord by the pure vibration of the sound representation of His holy name, and the concept of the Lord is immediately manifested before the pure devotee. A pure devotee, therefore, is not aloof from the Lord even for a moment. The holy name of the Lord, as recommended in the sastras — Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare — may therefore be constantly chanted by the devotee aspiring to be constantly in touch with the Supreme Lord. One who is thus able to associate with the Lord is sure to be delivered from the darkness of the created world, which is a product of false ego (tamasi ma jyotir gama).”
From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.9.1:
“Without Krishna consciousness, the philosophy of equality and fraternity as they profess in your country is not possible. Artificial. Without people coming to Krishna consciousness and understanding that every living entity is part and parcel of Krishna, or God, then equality, fraternity, universal brotherhood – big, big words – these are impossible. Therefore one has to become a learned scholar, panditah sama-darsinah. Then he will be able to see equally.”
Quoted in Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita, Volume 6, Chapter 49:
“If you all leaders cannot work together, then how can you expect the others to cooperate with you? Differences may be there, but still you have to cooperate together, otherwise where is the question of my being relieved of so many problems and decisions?”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.4.1, purport:
“One must have full confidence in the previous acarya, and at the same time one must realize the subject matter so nicely that he can present the matter for the particular circumstances in a suitable manner. The original purpose of the text must be maintained. No obscure meaning should be screwed out of it, yet it should be presented in an interesting manner for the understanding of the audience. This is called realization.”
From a letter to Jadurani from San Francisco on April 8, 1968:
“We are meant for satisfying Krishna, not anybody’s senses. That should be the principle of our life.”
From a conversation with disciples in New Vrindaban on June 26, 1976 as edited in Back to Godhead:
“Disciple: ‘Srila Prabhupada, in the Catholic Church the early fathers upheld the principle of no flesh-eating. That’s part of the historical record. In time, though, the leaders became lax and changed the restriction to no flesh-eating on Fridays. Within our lifetime, they’ve changed their standard again.’”
“Disciple: ‘Srila Prabhupada, if we all naturally desire to live, why do people perform so many horrible acts that will destroy both others and themselves?’
Srila Prabhupada: ‘They are thinking that they can go on existing by putting others out of existence. In this material world, everyone has to struggle for existence. But they do not know how to exist. That is their foolishness. Everyone wants to go on existing, because actually he is eternal. He doesn’t want to be destroyed. That is his natural inclination. But he does not know how to go on existing eternally. So we are giving the formula: if you want to exist eternally, come to Krishna consciousness. We are giving the right information. But people want to go on existing in the wrong way. That is not possible.’
Disciple: ‘Srila Prabhupada, why does a demoniac person seem to want to exist by putting others out of existence?’
Srila Prabhupada: ‘That is simply the demoniac mentality. They are happy when others are unhappy. And when others are happy, they are unhappy. But the devotee of the Lord is para-duhkha-duhkhi – he’s happy only in seeing the happiness of others, and unhappy only in seeing the unhappiness of others. That is Krishna consciousness. That is natural.’”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.83:
“The root cause of devotional service to Lord Krishna is association with advanced devotees. Even when one’s dormant love for Krishna awakens, association with devotees is still most essential.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.84:
“‘O my Lord! O infallible Supreme Person! When a person wandering throughout the universes becomes eligible for liberation from material existence, he gets an opportunity to associate with devotees. When he associates with devotees, his attraction for You is awakened. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead — the highest goal of the topmost devotees, and the Lord of the universe.’” [Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.51.53]
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.96:
“‘My dear Lord, You are very affectionate to Your devotees. You are also a truthful and grateful friend. Where is that learned man who would give You up and surrender to someone else? You fulfill all the desires of Your devotees, so much so that sometimes You even give Yourself to them. Still, You neither increase nor decrease by such activity.’”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.97:
“Whenever an experienced person develops real knowledge of Krishna and His transcendental qualities, he naturally gives up all other engagements and renders service to the Lord. Uddhava gives evidence concerning this.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.98:
“‘Oh, how wonderful it is! Putana, the sister of Bakasura, wanted to kill Krishna by smearing deadly poison on her breasts and having Krishna take it. Nonetheless, Lord Krishna accepted her as His mother, and thus she attained the destination befitting Krishna’s mother. Of whom should I take shelter but Krishna, who is most merciful?’” [Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.2.23]
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.100:
“‘The six divisions of surrender are the acceptance of those things favorable to devotional service, the rejection of unfavorable things, the conviction that Krishna will give protection, the acceptance of the Lord as one’s guardian or master, full self-surrender, and humility. One whose body is fully surrendered takes shelter at the holy place where Krishna had His pastimes, and he prays to the Lord, “My Lord, I am Yours.” Understanding this with his mind, he enjoys spiritual bliss.’ [Hari-bhakti-vilasa 11.417–418]
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.100, purport:
“Self-surrender means remembering that one’s activities and desires are not independent. The devotee is completely dependent on Krishna, and he acts and thinks as Krishna desires.”
“Sometimes it is asked how Krishna causes one to forget. Krishna personally causes His devotee to forget material activities, and through the agency of maya Krishna causes the nondevotee to forget his devotional service to the Lord. This is called apohana.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.105:
“‘When transcendental devotional service, by which love for Krishna is attained, is executed by the senses, it is called sadhana-bhakti, or the regulative discharge of devotional service. Such devotion eternally exists within the heart of every living entity. The awakening of this eternal devotion is the potentiality of devotional service in practice.’”
“Purport: This verse is found in the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.2.2). Because living entities are minute, atomic parts and parcels of the Lord, devotional service is already present within them in a dormant condition. Devotional service begins with sravanam kirtanam, hearing and chanting. When a man is sleeping, he can be awakened by sound vibration; therefore every conditioned soul should be given the chance to hear the Hare Krishna mantra chanted by a pure Vaishnava. One who hears the Hare Krishna mantra thus vibrated is awakened to spiritual consciousness, or Krishna consciousness. In this way one’s mind gradually becomes purified, as stated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (ceto-darpana-marjanam). When the mind is purified, the senses are also purified. Instead of using the senses for sense gratification, the awakened devotee employs the senses in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. This is the process by which dormant love for Krishna is awakened.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.103:
“‘The living entity who is subjected to birth and death attains immortality when he gives up all material activities, dedicates his life to the execution of My order, and acts according to My directions. In this way he becomes fit to enjoy the spiritual bliss derived from exchanging loving mellows with Me.’” [Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.29.34]
The humble servants of Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.2.55:
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is so kind to the conditioned souls that if they call upon Him by speaking His holy name, even unintentionally or unwillingly, the Lord is inclined to destroy innumerable sinful reactions in their hearts. Therefore, when a devotee who has taken shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet chants the holy name of Krishna with genuine love, the Supreme Personality of Godhead can never give up the heart of such a devotee. One who has thus captured the Supreme Lord within his heart is to be known as bhagavata-pradhana, the most exalted devotee of the Lord.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.10.28–30:
“Sri Markandeya said: It is indeed most difficult for embodied souls to understand the pastimes of the universal controllers, for such lords bow down to and offer praise to the very living beings they rule. Generally it is to induce embodied souls to accept religious principles that the authorized teachers of religion exhibit ideal behavior while encouraging and praising the proper behavior of others. This apparent humility is simply a show of mercy. Such behavior of the Supreme Lord and His personal associates, which the Lord effects by His own bewildering potency, does not spoil His power any more than a magician’s powers are diminished by his exhibition of tricks.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.10.31–32, purport:
“People thus imagine that God is the direct builder of this world, although He remains aloof, creating through the manipulation of His multifarious potencies.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.10.34, purport:
“Pure desire to engage in the loving service of the Lord brings one to the most exalted platform of consciousness, and such a perfect understanding of life is available only by the special mercy of the Lord’s devotees.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.12.50:
“Those words describing the glories of the all-famous Personality of Godhead are attractive, relishable and ever fresh. Indeed, such words are a perpetual festival for the mind, and they dry up the ocean of misery.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.12.55:
“Remembrance of Lord Krishna’s lotus feet destroys everything inauspicious and awards the greatest good fortune. It purifies the heart and bestows devotion for the Supreme Soul, along with knowledge enriched with realization and renunciation.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.12.59:
“One who with undeviating attention constantly recites this literature at every moment of every hour, as well as one who faithfully hears even one verse or half a verse or a single line or even half a line, certainly purifies his very self.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.12.69:
“Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, the son of Vyasadeva, Sukadeva Gosvami. It is he who defeats all inauspicious things within this universe. Although in the beginning he was absorbed in the happiness of Brahman realization and was living in a secluded place, giving up all other types of consciousness, he became attracted by the pleasing, most melodious pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna. He therefore mercifully spoke this supreme Purana, Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is the bright light of the Absolute Truth and which describes the activities of the Lord.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Free Write Journal #118:
[Summarizing a Caitanya Bhagavata reading:] “Nevertheless, although Nimai loved His mother and spent His time in scholastic studies, He continued His bad habits of making havoc in the home. He would destroy all the foodstuffs and pots and even tried to break down the walls and doors of their dwelling. Sacidevi pleaded with Him, ‘You have destroyed all our food and cooking paraphernalia. How will you eat tomorrow?’ Nimai went off to school, and when He came back He met with Sacidevi in a secluded place. He gave her sufficient gold to make up for all the damage He had done. Sacidevi was amazed, but she didn’t know where the gold had come from. She asked five or ten people about the gold, whether it was genuine variety, of where it had come from. They assured her that it was top quality gold. So whenever there was damage by Nimai in the house, He would present gold to her to make up for the debt. This was their rasa as son and mother.”
From Prabhupada Meditations, Volume 4:
“Devotees who are preaching especially in countries where ISKCON is just beginning, such as in Eastern Europe, can feel safe to keep things simple by Prabhupada’s example. They are eternal beginning principles—how to emphasize preaching without getting bogged down by the rules and regulations? Rules and regulations can be added later, but the beginning foundation was stressing devotion. That’s how Prabhupada taught us.”
“Our only purpose in remembering the old days is to share them with others. You were there with us, Swamiji, and we loved you. Please allow me to serve you by making your teachings, even your 1966 teachings, available to everyone everywhere. Let us never forget those days.”
“In general, I think we can safely say that Prabhupada was very open and willing to discuss almost any subject from the Krishna conscious point of view. He might point out an impertinent or illogical question, but he would answer it anyway. He considered questions that did not relate to the points he raised in his lecture as improper. Questions after the lecture should be asked to clear up doubts. So many topics can be discussed and questioned, but Prabhupada chose one area of the philosophy to discuss in his lectures, and he preferred the questions to be relevant to that. Even if someone asked something off the topic, though, Prabhupada would answer it.”
“Some people asked Prabhupada questions that were too hair-splitting. He considered these unnecessary for those who were seriously trying to practice Krishna consciousness. Other inquiries were too esoteric. I once asked Prabhupada, ‘In your Teachings of Lord Caitanya, I read that one should follow an eternal resident of Vrndavana. Could you tell me more about that?’ Prabhupada replied, ‘Don't try for this. That is a very advanced topic. It will automatically be revealed to you. Just go on serving.’ Similarly, when Prabhupada was asked about the origin of the living entity he said, ‘It is not important. There is a history to it, but right now you may not be able to understand it. The important thing is that you are now in a fallen condition and you need to go back to Godhead. It does not matter how you came here.’ Prabhupada did not evade questions, but like the acarya he himself described in Krishna book, he sometimes gave information and sometimes withheld it. Prabhupada knew what the important inquiries were.”
“Although he knew it was important to spend as much time as possible producing Srimad-Bhagavatam—and it also gave him personal peace and satisfaction to produce Bhagavatam—yet he often had to forego his writing time in order to manage ISKCON. Sometimes, days would go by where he would not touch the Dictaphone. We would gently remind Prabhupada that we hoped he would continue working on his translations. He didn't need our reminders. He loved the Srimad-Bhagavatam, but he also saw that he couldn't always work under all circumstances. He sometimes spoke of giving up other activities in favor of his translation, but he was never really able to do that.
“ . . . Maybe Prabhupada could have lived another ten years or more if he had given more attention to his own health and relaxed his elderly body. He certainly could have translated more if he had stopped traveling and if he had withdrawn from interaction with his thousands of disciples in hundreds of temples. But he didn't do those things. We have to pay attention to what he did. Certainly Lord Krishna, whom Prabhupada says keeps accounts of his devotees’ activities, is very pleased with Prabhupada’s priorities. Krishna doesn’t consider that Prabhupada neglected his duties. Therefore, Prabhupada’s work was not left unfinished. It was complete in the eyes of Krishna.”
From Prabhupada Meditations, Volume 3:
“We get a little hint of how Prabhupada saw things from some of his expressions. He said that working with the broken youth in America was similar to picking up a discarded wire and an old gourd and making a vina out of it. Prabhupada said that his work was similar to Lord Ramacandra's task of creating an army of monkeys.”
“It was nice to be able to base the whole day's routine around Prabhupada. At dawn (around 5 A.M.) I came out of the kitchen and indicated that it was time for Prabhupada's walk. I had the tape recorder ready over my shoulder; then through the dark streets to the beach as the sun rose. A full walk, with Prabhupada in his most glorious aspect of preaching the philosophy to the devotees! We felt protected and loved by him! As the morning sunlight brightened the sky, we walked back along Juhu Beach to the temple and attended guru-puja, then went back to the apartment for his breakfast of ginger and fruits.”
“It is also unusual to find Westerners accepting pure devotional service. When Prabhupada came to America, we were groping for consciousness expansion. We did not find what we wanted in LSD or in friendship, in art, or in music. We were being dragged toward a cliff to be plunged into death and rebirth. We are very fortunate to have met the pure devotee.
“Although we were not qualified, Krishna within our hearts told us, ‘Go ahead and follow the Swami. Do as he says, chant Hare Krishna.’ It was Krishna who allowed us to take that opportunity in the summer of 1966.
“By the arrangement of Providence, it appeared quite easy to take to Krishna consciousness. It was as easy as entering the front door that Prabhupada always kept open. My workplace was only a few blocks away from Swamiji’s place. My apartment was also nearby. I discovered the storefront on my lunch hour. If it had been something more difficult, I do not know how I could have taken to it. Therefore, I am very thankful to Prabhupada and Krishna that they brought me to Krishna consciousness by such an easy and convenient path.
“Krishna consciousness was right up my alley. It was consciousness expansion on the Lower East Side of New York City, as taught by an exotic swami. It fit into my desires to turn away from my parents’ way of life and to reject the ethics of the middle-class karmi. It was something different from the mundane, far beyond the influence of government power. It fit in with all I wanted to do, so Prabhupada and Krishna led me.
“I thank Srila Prabhupada for being who he was. I was not expecting an elderly person to come into my life; I was not expecting a guru. Prabhupada, however, satisfied me because he was who he was. He was better than anyone I could imagine—golden in complexion, elderly, dressed in sannyasi robes. Everything about him was attractive to us, and, by Krishna’s grace, his path was easy to take to.”
“Do not forget that Prabhupada is your master. Never be condescending in your praise or estimation of him. As disciples, we worship our guru with affection as well as with objective evidence of his greatness. We also have to be regularly touched by his greatness. I say this having been touched by listening to Prabhupada’s lecture at the 1977 Mayapur festival, on Prahlada Maharaja's prayers to Lord Nrsimhadeva.
“Prabhupada said that Prahlada was able to please Lord Nrsimhadeva even though others—great demigods and even Laksmidevi herself—could not. What was Prahlada’s quality that so attracted the Lord? Prabhupada went right to the heart of it. He spoke sweetly and simply, entering the mentality of Prahlada Maharaja and explaining it to us. A great teacher is one who can convey tremendous thoughts and experiences to the students. It is one thing to feel something, and it is an added empowerment to convey it to others. That teaching ability arises from compassion and empathy. Prabhupada was able to grasp the whole relationship of Prahlada Maharaja and Nrsimhadeva and give it to an audience—not of great scholars or longtime practicing sadhus—but to us ISKCON folk in 1977. He stressed the simplicity of Prahlada Maharaja's approach: in a childlike way, he prostrated himself before Nrsimhadeva.
“ . . . According to Prabhupada, Nrsimhadeva said to Prahlada, ‘It must have been very difficult for you to be tortured by your father, and then to witness his killing. Do not worry, do not be afraid. Now be pacified. I am here and you are all right, everything is all right.’ When Prabhupada said, ‘Everything is all right,’ I remembered how he had said that to me and to others at different times. He is our Lord Nrsimhadeva-protector.”
From Reading Reform: Srila Prabhupada's Plan for the Daily Reading of His Books:
“One Dr. Kumar, a professor at McMaster University in Ontario, wrote asking about the claims of some to be incarnations of God. Prabhupada referred him to the books as well, saying, ‘The words of the Lord have been recorded in Bhagavad-gita, so if someone claims to be an incarnation but also contradicts the Bhagavad-gita, you can be sure he is a phony. Please try to read our books.”
From Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name:
“And Westerners coming to India to worship and to serve. Prabhupada has to defend them from critics and from their own minds and fratricidal quarrels.”
From My Purpose at Isola di Albarella:
“A javelin is piercing me,
it’s my forgetfulness of Krishna,
a misery I suffer from sense grat.
O Radha and Krishna, ‘please accept me.’”
From Truthfulness, the Last Leg of Religion:
“It is not easy to be a devotee in Kali-yuga, but it is certainly possible. Prabhupada used to say, ‘It is easy for those who are simple, and difficult for those who are crooked or unsubmissive.’ We should not be discouraged by the fact that we have bad habits and a tendency to cheat. Even persons who were considered great criminals in society, such as the hunter Mrgari, became pure Vaisnavas when they submitted to the teachings of the spiritual master, Narada Muni. Another disciple of Narada Muni’s was formerly a robber and murderer but became converted into Valmiki, the spotless author of the Ramayana. The path of success is to surrender to the order of the spiritual master and give up our cheating.”
From The Wild Garden:
“The successful Krishna conscious artist attains krishna-prema sooner or later, not by renouncing his work, but by discovering how to eliminate the material energy from it. Perhaps he will finally drop all art as pretense. Perhaps he will find a way to speak that suits him and that is natural to him, and he will proceed to speak like that. Perhaps others will think he is eccentric.”
From Copper to Touchstone: Favorite Selections from Caitanya-caritamrta:
“Sanatana’s plan was to make the Nawab so angry he would release Sanatana from his government activities. Because of their relationship, Sanatana did not expect the Nawab to have him arrested, but that is what the Nawab did.
“At that time Rupa Gosvami had successfully set out to meet Lord Caitanya. Later, Sanatana received an enigmatic letter from him: ‘Where has the northern Kosala of Raghupati gone? By reflection, make the mind steady, thinking: “This universe is not eternal.”’
“‘The holy dhamas are the most permanent places in the material world but they are eternal. But in time even the dhamas are obscured from vision.’ Rupa Gosvami thus told his brother to remember the temporality of everything in the universe, and to steady his mind by that remembrance.
“All of us have had the experience of becoming overwhelmed by physical or mental pain or misfortune. Although theoretically we know that we are spiritual by nature and therefore not really affected by the misery, we choose to be absorbed in it, and then we lose our Krishna consciousness. We fall into the illusion that we’ll be suffering forever. Then we lose our gravity.
“This is the essence of Rupa Gosvami’s encouragement to his brother: ‘The situation you are in is temporary because the entire universe is temporary. Think about that which is eternal and become steady and fixed.’
“Sanatana was joyful upon receiving this letter. He immediately called for the jailer and bribed him into letting him go free.
“We could also use such an encouraging letter to help us through our own troubles—a letter from a dear, wise brother. Actually, Rupa Gosvami and Srila Prabhupada are just like our brothers. They write to us or for us, in our desperation, and save us from despair. They remind us of our deeper purpose, and encourage us to act on the transcendental platform.”
From Vandanam: A Krishna Conscious Handbook on Prayer:
“The Time of Death
“‘Let this temporary body be burnt to ashes, and let the air of life be merged with the totality of air. Now, O my Lord, please remember all my sacrifices, and because You are the ultimate beneficiary, please remember all that I have done for You.
“‘O my Lord, as powerful as fire, O omnipotent one, now I offer You all obeisances, falling to the ground at Your feet. O my Lord, please lead me on the right path to reach You, and since You know all that I have done in the past, please free me from the reactions to my past sins so that there will be no hindrance to my progress.’” (Isopanisad, verses 17–18)
“Prabhupada writes, ‘This prayer is made at the time of death in full consciousness of one’s past deeds and of the ultimate goal.’ This is one particular devotee’s prayer, and yet it is everyone’s prayer.
“The devotee is reminding Krishna, ‘Now that I am about to die, please remember my devotional service.’ I take it that this is said not in a demanding way, but in a friendly spirit between servant and master. And after all, death is a fearful moment. The devotee knows that he has done heaps of sinful acts in the past, so he hopes his service will be recalled. Prabhupada says that even if a devotee does not remind Krishna, ‘The Lord does not forget the devotional service of His devotee.’”
Candrasekhara Swami:
What we are seeing is a dance of the energy of the Lord. It appears solid and unchanging, but it is not solid and it is ever changing. Why does the Lord create this place that seems real but is not? It is so that living beings can execute their free will.
As children are given little houses and little cars so they can play, similarly the Lord creates this material world for us. At the end of our life, if we are not finished playing, we get another body and another situation to play in. Just as when a child grows up, he finds that playing with toys is no longer so fulfilling, a person advancing spiritually loses attractions for the offerings available from the material energy. Then he seeks fulfillment in serving the Lord.
Scientists explain that different parts of the brain process different features of what we see, but how our experience of sight happens is not known. It is like an eight-lane highway that dead ends into a forest.
If we can simply hear the holy name, we have connected with the Lord and have solved all our problems.
The reality around us is actually a virtual reality, and it is generated with sound.
Om is said to be the source of creation.
The creation of the universe is described in different ways because different aspects of it are being described.
Hansarupa Prabhu:
One cannot help but become thoughtful about what is actually important in life as a result of reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. All one has to do is read and seriously consider.
Srila Prabhupada once said in Mayapur, “I think this is the first time some of these things have been said in the West.”
No one could present the philosophy in such sublime and simple terms as Srila Prabhupada.
In just ten years Srila Prabhupada spread Krishna consciousness all over the world. What other religion spread so rapidly? There is nothing like this that has happened in such a short amount of time.
They spend billions of dollars on particle accelerators to smash particles together to get some insignificant knowledge of the material world just like children playing, but Krishna is creating galaxies with no effort.
Whatever realization we have is just from staying near the lotus feet of the spiritual master.
The essence of knowledge is: I am part of the Lord. The guru is His representative. Thus I should surrender to him.
I may have been chanting Hare Krishna five years, but I have been wandering in the material world for millions of years.
We are fortunate to be here where there is concentrated attention on hearing and chanting about Krishna and propagating Krishna consciousness.
When Srila Prabhupada had his stroke in 1967, he was thinking he would not live long, so he wrote very important books so his disciples would have them: The Nectar of Devotion, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Sri Isopanisad.
Srila Prabhupada’s kindness was manifested on every page, every purport, and every word of his books.
As Srila Prabhupada’s books are distributed the odds that people will contact them is increasing.
At one point Srila Prabhupada said, “We have enough temples. We should open reading rooms and restaurants.”
In the building next door, we hope to create a cultural center with a library, restaurant, art gallery, and theater, whatever we had at 55th Street.
Srila Prabhupada put everything together in such a flowing way in Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and thus it is valuable to read that in addition to Sri Caitanya-caritamrita.
Satyaraja Prabhu:
From “Srimad-Bhagavatam: The Postgraduate Study of Religion” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 55, No. 2 (March/April 2021):
“The Bhagavatam (1.2.6) encourages adherence to universal religious principles that lead to love of God: ‘The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which one can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.’ Clearly, it is purity of purpose that undergirds the Bhagavatam’s system of religion. In addition, it offers unparalleled, detailed knowledge of just who God is and how He interacts with the inhabitants of the spiritual world.”
“The Bhagavatam’s uniqueness can be narrowed down to two points: It is pure, promoting selfless intentions, and it conveys the inner life of God as no other scripture does.”
Visakha Devi Dasi:
From “The Boundaries of Creativity” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 55, No. 2 (March/April 2021):
“Krishna creates, and we jivas, as integral parts of Krishna, also have the desire to create, to express our heart in an aesthetically pleasing way. As Krishna’s creation has its purposes and is finely suited to fulfilling those, our creations should be attuned to Krishna’s purposes to be fulfilling to ourselves and pleasing to guru and Krishna. It’s not that anything goes.”
Nikunjabihari Prabhu:
Reading the word meanings helps to get a more complete understanding of the translation.
As devotees we are always seeing that God is the ultimate cause of everything, and we can mention that in our conversations from time to time to remind people.
There are ten airs in the body, and at death, nine airs leave the body, but the prana-vayu called dhananjaya remains.
A rich man does not have to do anything. He has a whole staff to cook, look after his vehicles, and manage his money. Similarly Krishna is just enjoying in Goloka Vrindavan, and His energies expand and take care of the whole universe.
Some people say if one is not rich his life is wasted or if one has no good qualities his life is wasted, but the conclusion is that if one does not remember Lord Narayana, the Supreme Lord, then his life is wasted.
If you get a chance, read the four prayers of Vrtrasura. Although he is superficially a demon, those are the prayers of a very great devotee, and thus he is mentioned in the glorification of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Rama Raya Prabhu:
Unlike materialists who are proud of their capabilities, Brahma was eager to dispel the illusion that he is an independent creator.
Knowledge of how Krishna is controlling everything in this world helps us come to the platform of renunciation.
When challenged to show his mystic power, Srila Prabhupada would point to his disciples, “This is my mystic power.”
Srila Prabhupada said that Vishnujana Swami attained perfection through arcana-siddhi, taking Radha-Damodara all over the country and setting them up on college campuses.
Q: What hope is there for the impersonalist?
A: Prasadam, and the holy name. People have to buy a book, but anyone can hear the holy name.
Only a very small percentage of people react negatively upon hearing the harinama-sankirtana.
Some people are so negative the best thing they can do is to stay away from the devotees.
Srila Prabhupada advised that the disciple should assist the spiritual master in his work.
No one can understand how fortunate New York is that Srila Prabhupada chose to start his Krishna consciousness movement there.
Karuna Dharini Devi Dasi:
From “Removing the Vice from Device” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 55, No. 2 (March/April 2021):
“Lord Krishna, who alone can award us the opportunity of transcendence, is realized by pure devotees who use His energies to serve Him.”
Gauranga Darsana Prabhu:
From “Which is Greater: Ninety-Nine or a Hundred?” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 55, No. 2 (March/April 2021):
“When two people desire the same thing and only one of them has it, the bereft person often becomes envious. That is due to the natural scarcity in this limited world, and more accurately the scarcity mentality of the people here. But in the spiritual world there is enough for everyone. There is no scarcity and no reason to be envious. Further, everyone there is satisfied with what they have and who they are. We can bring such an atmosphere into this world by cultivating spiritual satisfaction and genuinely appreciating others for what they have and are.”
“A mature leader tries resolving conflicts without rejecting anyone. Excluding someone may be easy, but accommodating and uplifting someone requires expertise and a good heart.”
“When conflict arises between two leaders, their superior shouldn’t necessarily think in terms of who is right and who is wrong, accepting one and rejecting the other. A superior needs to determine how to positively motivate both leaders, considering what best serves everyone’s welfare.”
“One’s glory depends not on the size of one’s accomplishments, but on the quality of one’s consciousness and character.”
Caitanya Carana Prabhu:
From “Be Good – and Shrewd” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 55, No. 2 (March/April 2021):
“We can compare the protective circle drawn around the hermitage to the regulatory guidelines given in scripture. Laksmana can be compared to the guru who provides us scriptural guidelines that can best protect us. Sita can be compared to the soul prone to be overpowered by demonic forces, represented by Ravana. If we respect the boundaries that are meant to protect us, we are more likely to be safe.”
“If we respect the rules meant to protect us, we stay protected. The same applies to ethical and spiritual guidelines. Indeed, this is the mood of a celebrated aphorism from the Mahabharata: dharmo raksati raksitah, ‘Those who protect dharma are protected by dharma.’ Echoing this theme, Lord Krishna states in the Bhagavad-gita (16.24) that if we mold our lives according to the guidance of scripture, we can create a better future for ourselves.”
“Various ethical and spirtual guidelines are ultimately meant to help us become better connected with the Lord. As He is the source of all pleasure, connecting with Him devotionally enables us to access the supreme pleasure. When we thus find inner fulfillment in our connection with the Lord, we don’t feel inclined to transgress any protective boundaries, for we no longer crave the things that lie outside them.”
Rukmini Vallabha Prabhu:
From “Clearing Our Way Back to Godhead” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 55, No. 2 (March/April 2021):
“The money spent to promote products through advertisements in various media is often greater than that spent on their production.”
“The modern education system, being influenced by capitalism, aims to produce people who are expert in making and marketing goods on the one hand and becoming expert consumers of goods on the other.”
“‘Things’ are unconscious, dead, and unable to respond or reciprocate, but people are conscious and can reciprocate and respond to stimuli. We have an innate need to love and be loved, to exchange emotions and share knowledge. The things of this world can at most satisfy our gross physical needs. They are not at all equipped to satisfy our inner needs. To fulfill these vital needs that make us happy, we need to relate with other people. At most, the things of this world can serve as means to express love, communicating our emotions to others.”
“The path of devotional service involves two aspects – disconnecting from matter and reconnecting with Krishna. They are carried out in parallel, not one after the other. For example, a patient has to accept a restricted diet (to prevent further infection) along with medicine and other treatment (for healing).”
Hari Vilasa Prabhu:
In this world there is a war between the force of consciousness and the force of entropy. If you do not give attention to things, they break down.
We have to perform austerity, even just to exist in this world.
One of the most frustrating things is to perform immense austerity and then discover that it was in vain. If we make Krishna the goal of our austerities, when we attain Krishna we will be fully satisfied.
Many people think they have so many problems, but their main problem is they are unable to distinguish between what is significant and what is insignificant, and thus they worry about too many things that are not really worth worrying about.
Some people think that if your aim is to go to the spiritual world that you will be ineffectual in this world, being too otherworldly. Actually that is not true. Because of having such an exalted goal, you will have to organize your life very carefully so all aspects of it support attaining that goal.
If Krishna is in control and if Krishna is friendly, then we can be at peace. As devotees we may accept that Krishna is in control, but if we are not convinced that Krishna is friendly, we will still be in anxiety.
Comment by Candrasekhara Swami: The whole Vedic message is that everything comes from the supreme. We get it from the supreme, and we have to return it to the supreme, and if we do, then everything is alright.
The Vedic process of creation is from subtle to gross whereas in the modern scientists consider explaining development from gross to subtle, from the gross material body, comes the subtle mind, and then the even more subtle consciousness. In the Vedic process, everything begins with consciousness.
The element air is present wherever there is movement.
As we age, the body dries up. Just as the wind has a drying effect, our breathing dries out our body.
Srila Prabhupada said three things helped extend his life, his daily walk, his daily massage, and his Ayurvedic medicine.
Too much mental anxiety overwhelms the nervous system.
Yoga exercises eliminate stagnation of the air and blood in the body, and calmness of mind results.
Srila Prabhupada explains that the goal of the spiritual master is to induce in the disciple the service attitude.
Devotional service removes the ignorance and passion in the heart and that saves us from so much disruption in life.
Yoga allows you to cure what you cannot endure and to endure what cannot be cured.
Comment by Candrasekhara Prabhu: The bhaktas are not expecting the material world to be in a certain configuration. They are just happy trying to serve Krishna. Others however want the material world to be in a certain configuration, and thus they are juggling all kinds of things to achieve that, and they are stressed out. By their passionate activity they fulfill some desires but they also get more desires, so they do not come out ahead.
Devotees learn to accept what is going on, and serve Krishna in any circumstance so they are more peaceful.
Q (By Divyangi Devi Dasi): Why does Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.18 say all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed by regular devotional service?
A: One thing that is not eliminated is pride. One must voluntarily give it up. Pride causes one to be unable to see the glories of others. If you are able to appreciate others, your pride is not out of control. We have to remember that our service is given by Krishna, and that ability can be taken away by Krishna.
Our eternal shelter is being a servant of Krishna and His devotees.
Even though Srila Prabhupada was doing more than everyone else, he was still able to appreciate others.
One of Srila Prabhupada’s godbrothers wrote a book about the heart of Krishna. He explained that although Krishna is very powerful, His heart is very simple. He is always simply appreciating the services of His devotees.
When we act, the action has an internal result and an external result. If we act in the proper mentality, the internal result is that our consciousness improves.
Brahma began creation by performing austerities.
In goodness one is motivated by the goal of purification. That is not bhakti, but it is better than acting in ignorance or passion.
Some people’s lives are ruined by too much pressure, and others’ lives are ruined by comfort or too little pressure.
In the temple, you are freed from financial pressure, but you are supposed you use that freedom to focus on the Lord’s mission. If you do not, your free time will become a burden.
Lord Brahma has to organize the entire universe, and we have to organize our own life, our little universe. He prays to Krishna for protection from the effects of his passion in that endeavor.
Srila Prabhupada said the purpose of varnasrama is to eliminate the competitive spirit in society.
In Vedic culture the vaisyas were controlled by the king but in our capitalist society sometimes the mercantile class supersedes governmental control.
Sincerity of purpose is all that is required for success in spiritual life.
If you can see Krishna is in the hearts of others, then you can be compassionate.
We are selfish by nature, and that cannot be changed. We can become compassionate when we see it is truly in our self interest.
Comment by Candrasekhara Swami: A Russian author, Pitirim Sorokin, wrote a book, “The Crisis of Our Age,” which Devamrita Swami recommended to me. In the beginning there are just some ideals but little material facility. Later material facility comes and is used to manifest the ideals, but the people are more disconnected from the foundational philosophy. In the third phase, you have material facility with no connection to the original philosophy. Individually we also have karmic cycles. We start at the bottom. We get some facility. We benefit and help those on the bottom because we remember what it was like to be there. We become more successful, and we lose touch with our past and think we are somehow better than others. Then we are reduced again.
It is interesting that happiness is also a considered a disturbance in addition to distress.
Ananda-bihari Prabhu:
Narada did not inquire because of his own bewilderment but so others would be able to benefit from the answer of Brahma.
Srila Prabhupada indicated that Bhaktivinoda Thakura could have spread Krishna consciousness all over the world, but he left it for us.
It is our choice to choose the spiritual or material nature.
The more you engage with the material energy, the more you get entangled.
We are here to engage our svabhava (nature) in Krishna’s service.
Every day we have to choose to engage in our sadhana.
Krishna sees what you are doing. You do not have to prove anything to anyone.
Krishna consciousness is about cutting the knot, not making the knot tighter.
The Lord in the heart is like a GPS taking you where you are going. Bhagavan is like a personal friend accompanying you on your journey.
In this material world, most of the stuff that is advertised is actually completely unnecessary. Adi Purusa tells a story of the New Vrindaban devotee ladies laughing while reading an ad in a newspaper that was used as packaging material for something they purchased. Baby crib - $2200. In the corner of the room, one of the women had her baby resting in a cauliflower box, which was perfectly sufficient, but in the newspaper someone was selling a crib for $2200.
Comment by Rama Raya Prabhu: Srila Prabhupada tells a simple story to make the point that one should not disparage one’s own nature. It involves a story about a monkey who came upon a forest that was partially cut by wood cutters. There was one tree that was partially cut and which had a wedge holding it in place. The monkey was intrigued by the scene but while investigating it he knocked out the wedge, and the tree fell, cutting off his tail. The moral is mind your own business. Concentrate on what you are good at, and do not worry about what the other people are doing.
Vraja Mohana Prabhu:
There is a story that Hanuman was appointed to guard either Dvaraka or Puri to protect the city from the ocean’s attempts to touch the lotus feet of the Lord, and thus flood it. He was just being fed khichri every day, and after awhile he became tired of it. He was invited by Lord Rama to a festival in Ayodhya with an elaborate feast, so he took a break. The city was flooded in his absence. Prabhupada said he was not to blame as a brahmacari was not expected to live on such an austere diet.
You may be chopping vegetables in the kitchen, and it may seem really mundane compared to harinama or book distribution. If you meditate that Yasoda and Radha are cooking for Krishna in the spiritual world, and you are assisting in this service, you will be more inspired.
Vratas are to decrease the propensity for sense gratification.
If your motive is to please Krishna that is better than considering your motive is to become an advanced devotee.
Divyangi Devi Dasi:
We can see the relative realization given by jnana-yoga and bhakti-yoga in the pastime of the Kumaras going to Vaikuntha. When they were stopped at the seventh gate by Jaya and Vijaya, they became angry, and they cursed Jaya and Vijaya. Jaya and Vijaya, however, were very apologetic. That is the nature of the devotees, even if they did not do anything wrong, they will apologize.
When someone offends us, generally it is not that they are really offending us, rather they are just offending our false ego, and we have to tolerate that.
Soumya Gupta:
From “Knower of the Field: A Perspective on Consciousness” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 55, No. 2 (March/April 2021):
“That our experiences are fully known to Krishna implies there is nothing we have that is hidden from Him. Does that not sound like a breach of privacy? Contrary to being a breach, it tells us something very significant about our relationship with Krishna. If Krishna is aware of all our experiences, then He is the only person who knows us fully, inside out. Literally. He knows our experiences, likes, dislikes, preferences. He knows how we feel in love, pain, hunger, and thirst. He is fully cognizant of our thoughts and desires. How does that make you feel? Each one of us has been looking everywhere for a friend with whom we can share everything. Only Krishna can be that best and dearmost friend. And we each have a unique, private, and confidential relationship with Him.”
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Sometimes when we see the bad qualities of Kali-yuga all around us, we become despondent. This verse, however, indicates that enlightened people actually worship the Kali-yuga. How is it that they worship this degraded age? They know that the recommended process of worship in this age, the sankirtana [congregational chanting] of the holy name of the Lord, is so powerful it nullifies all the bad effects of the age, and beyond that makes this age very auspicious. This verse appears just four verses after the verse revealing Lord Caitanya is the yuga avatar and that he is worshiped chiefly by this nama-sankirtana [congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord].
kalim sabhajayanty arya
yatra sankirtanenaiva
sarva-svartho ’bhilabhyate
“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.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.36)
