Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 17, No. 13
By Krishna Kripa Das
(July 2021, part one)
Paris, Tours, New Mayapur, Sarcelles
(Sent from Paris on August 7, 2021)
Where I Went and What I Did
Janananda Goswami, who I knew from Newcastle, England, and who has been helping to develop ISKCON in France in recent years, invited me to do harinama in Paris, so I came for two months in the summers of 2017, 2018, and 2019. I couldn’t come because of the COVID restrictions in 2020, but on July 1, 2021, I arrived in Paris to do harinama for seven weeks. Chandrashekhara Acharya Prabhu promised to join me for an hour a day, as he had done for a couple months in Tallahassee in the spring.
The most joyful part of my visit to France this year without a doubt was New Mayapur Mellows, the kirtan mela event at New Mayapur, our castle in rural France, south of Paris about three hours. Janananda Goswami, Sacinandana Swami, Agnideva Prabhu, Kadamba Kanana Swami, and many local devotees led us in the ecstatic chanting of the holy names for twelve hours a day for two days on the second weekend in July. Hopefully by playing the videos you can enter into the ecstatic experience. This was the first time for this event, and everyone was so inspired they want to do it every year!
On our way to New Mayapur, we stopped at the Gopal restaurant in Tours, where we had a pleasant experience of prasadam and kirtan before continuing on our journey.
Another blissful event was the Sarcelles Ratha-yatra, which I have several photos and videos of.
I share notes on the books of Srila Prabhupada, especially Srimad-Bhagavatam and The Nectar of Devotion. I share notes on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s commentary on Caitanya-Bhagavata. I share excerpts from the writing of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on the classes of Janananda Goswami, Sacinandana Swami, Agnideva Prabhu, and Kadamba Kanana Swami in New Mayapur and of Gaudamandala, Devarsi, and Dayal Nitai Prabhus in Paris. The New Mayapur Mellows devotees speaking on the holy name was especially powerful.
Thanks to Rajesh and his wife for allowing me to stay at their place while finishing the proofreading of Srila Prabhupada Tributes. Thanks to Gaudamandala Prabhu for allowing me to stay at the ISKCON Paris temple in Sarcelles. Thanks to Chandrasekhara Acharya Prabhu for the photos of us on harinama in Paris.
Itinerary
July 1–August 18: Paris harinamas
August 19: Prague harinama
August 20–22: Czech Woodstock (Brno)
August 23: flights from Prague to Tallahassee
August 24–September ?: Tallahassee harinamas and college outreach
September ?–December 31: NYC Harinam
Chanting Hare Krishna in Paris
I arrived from Wrocław into Beauvais airport, and I took trains to Sarcelles, just north of Paris, where I arrived at our temple just in time for lunch prasadam, and I was impressed by the variety of items.
That night was the Thursday night harinama, and I was pleased to see we had several devotees participating and also some nice interactions with the public.
Rohininandana Prabhu, who maintains a program of Saturday afternoon and Thursday evening harinamas in Paris, leads the Hare Krishna chant, and a mom and a couple kids play shakers and dance at Les Halles, one of the busiest places in the city (https://youtu.be/8Kcxmi8JwJQ):
Ramanaji, a popular mrdanga player and kirtan leader in the Paris area, chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles, and a mom and kid play shakers (https://youtu.be/OKyJKev0OQ0):
Paul, a visiting devotee, chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles, and a yogi lady, who bought a Bhagavad-gita for ten euros, plays shakers (https://youtu.be/2h-mVb9RdCA):
One guy, who gave a donation and accepted a book, played the shakers for a while.
Patita Pavana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/Ph8mOOlGfvE):
Marat chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/xxe6cM_0d2o):
Patita Pavana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Hôtel de Ville, the Paris City Hall, and devotees dance and distribute books (https://youtu.be/zuTzSEdYJf0):
Nitai Charan Prabhu chants Hare Krishna there (https://youtu.be/0VXoXTuZSIY):
Marat chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/bdDFeXMysAY):
Rohininandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/mLT8oUrSBPk):
Revatinandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/VGAwBJUsy5Y):
Gopal Prabhu chants Hare Krishna by the Indian shops in Paris, and a passerby dances (https://youtu.be/JlZRZKr7ksQ):
Mukunda Rama Candra Prabhu chants Hare Krishna by the Indian shops (https://youtu.be/0pcFMfXue5Y):
Jagattarini Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna in the Paris Wednesday evening kirtan, this week at her apartment as the renovation of Yoga Lyrique was not quite complete (https://youtu.be/FFje0dVQc00):
Jivaprana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/iX89v5u5mG8):
Jivaprana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna and devotee ladies dance (https://youtu.be/TVosWCAzndY):
Prativa chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles in Paris (https://youtu.be/pdHnf0foZ-A):
Rohininandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/vmvGfGSjmd8):
Chandrashekhara Acharya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at two venues at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/LmVvhZS-Zi4):
Chanting Hare Krishna in Tours
We visited the rather new Gopal restaurant in Tours on our way to New Mayapur.
I took some photos of the entrance, the food, and the menu there.
The prasadam was tasty, nourishing, and not too spicy. The devotees were friendly. They have a kirtan room above the restaurant with a weekly Friday evening kirtan.
Here Patita Pavana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in kirtan room above Gopal restaurant in Tours, France (https://youtu.be/bTOuVfuGUn8):
Patita Pavana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and devotee ladies dance (https://youtu.be/lN_dtnrqtVc):
Day 1
Sacinandana Swami chants Hare Krishna at New Mayapur Mellows 2021 on day 1, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/Y34--ceIAok):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/73LklQ4D1s8):
Kadamba Kanana Swami chants Hare Krishna at the end of the day with characteristic intensity, and the two swamis dance with the other devotees (https://youtu.be/kj1-_Zefq7I):
Day 2
Janananda Goswami chants Hare Krishna after Tulasi Puja at New Mayapur, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/qjLngYVWt-Q):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna after Guru Puja at New Mayapur (https://youtu.be/RWBPCfXstbg):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at New Mayapur Mellows 2021 on day 2, both morning and evening (https://youtu.be/rkVw5P1fyqk):
Sundar Gopal Prabhu, the manager of Gopal restaurant in Tours, France, chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/SueACP69Ozc):
Janananda Goswami chants Hare Krishna, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/kxCBNyKDc6I):
Sacinandana Swami chants Hare Krishna at the end of the day, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/0cJ2uEkqJpo):
Day 3
Sacinandana Swami chants Hare Krishna after Guru Puja at New Mayapur, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/vgVM-gYIYlc):
Sacinandana Swami continues chanting Hare Krishna after Guru Puja at New Mayapur, and devotees dance even more (https://youtu.be/LaYV_gf576I):
Patita Pavana Prabhu of Yoga Lyrique chants Hare Krishna at New Mayapur Mellows (https://youtu.be/42QpHV1TpQU):
Jagattarini Devi Dasi of Yoga Lyrique chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/j6FJxjgROxY):
Rohininandana Prabhu of Yoga Lyrique chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/LMkOkMdXwaM):
Chandrashekhara Acharya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/OBdNK-C5xJk):
Kadamba Kanana Swami chants Hare Krishna in the early afternoon (https://youtu.be/mzc8Tu0qMTw):
Kadamba Kanana Swami continued chanting Hare Krishna and devotees danced (https://youtu.be/eHM2-A5jsVA):
Sacinandana Swami chants Hare Krishna, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/e0r2jG3KB0A):
Kadamba Kanana Swami chants the final Hare Krishna kirtan at New Mayapur Mellows 2021 on day 3, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/pO0ANJpryG0):
Agnideva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna after Guru Puja at New Mayapur the morning after the festival, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/u13B9DSLP20):
Sarcelles, about eighteen minutes north of Paris on the train, has been the home of the ISKCON Paris temple for about a decade. The mayor, who is a Jew, gave permission for us to do Ratha-yatra in Sarcelles on July 14, a holiday in France much like July 4 in the United States. Our route passed by the largest shopping complex in the area, known as My Place.
Rajadharma Prabhu recalled the devotees have had difficulties with their neighbors in all our previous locations in the Paris area, but Sarcelles is so diverse that the Hare Krishnas do not seem particularly foreign. There are many Jews, Muslims, blacks, and Asians, among the varied population here.
Many people were attracted to take photos of the procession.
Some were pedestrians.
Others were in their cars.
Still others were in their apartments.
He also took a photo with his camera.
Devotees offered Jagannatha prasadam to passersby.
This devotee gave prasadam to a whole family.
Devotees also distributed water from the Jagannatha cart.
City police guarded the procession.
Here are some videos of the event:
Prabhu chants Hare Krishna as Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladeva, and Lady Subhadra leave the temple and ascend the Sarcelles Ratha-yatra cart (https://youtu.be/XpHOyZlrhA8):
Devotees chant Hare Krishna at Sarcelles Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/6CLACPCgPIM):
A passing mother takes a video of her kid dancing a few steps during Sarcelles Ratha-yatra, and both hear the blissful Hare Krishna chant (https://youtu.be/wNSLp8rlKXQ):
Rohininandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Sarcelles Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/2Gf7jMXIlmM):
Gopal Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Sarcelles Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/_wByDmY1rOQ):
Rohininanana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna after the Sarcelles Ratha-yatra on the temple grounds, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/ec5t8jxtpC0):
Gopal Prabhu chants Hare Krishna after Sarcelles Ratha-yatra as deities circumambulate temple before entering (https://youtu.be/w0ljSUGqHv0):
Gopal Prabhu chants Hare Krishna after Sarcelles Ratha-yatra in front of the temple there (https://youtu.be/SxAvtl1lBFw):
Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.1.42, purport:
“In conclusion, the Krishna consciousness movement offers the topmost welfare activity for human society. The saner section of human society must therefore take this movement very seriously for the benefit of all humanity. To save oneself from the repetition of birth and death, one must purify his consciousness. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam. One must be freed from all designations — ‘I am American,’ ‘I am Indian,’ ‘I am this,’ ‘I am that’ — and come to the platform of understanding that Krishna is the original master and we are His eternal servants. When the senses are purified and engaged in Krishna’s service, one achieves the highest perfection. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. The Krishna consciousness movement is a movement of bhakti-yoga. Vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga. By following the principles of this movement, one becomes disassociated from material mental concoctions and is established on the original platform of the eternal relationship between the living entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead as servant and master. This, in summary, is the purpose of the Krishna consciousness movement.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.1.55, purport:
“The character of a pure devotee like Vasudeva is such that even so great a demon as Kamsa firmly believed in his words and was satisfied.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.25, purport:
“This material world is certified by the Lord in the Bhagavad-gita as a dangerous place full of calamities. Less intelligent persons prepare plans to adjust to those calamities without knowing that the nature of this place is itself full of calamities. They have no information of the abode of the Lord, which is full of bliss and without trace of calamity. The duty of the sane person, therefore, is to be undisturbed by worldly calamities, which are sure to happen in all circumstances. Suffering all sorts of unavoidable misfortunes, one should make progress in spiritual realization because that is the mission of human life. The spirit soul is transcendental to all material calamities; therefore, the so-called calamities are called false. A man may see a tiger swallowing him in a dream, and he may cry for this calamity. Actually there is no tiger and there is no suffering; it is simply a case of dreams. In the same way, all calamities of life are said to be dreams. If someone is lucky enough to get in contact with the Lord by devotional service, it is all gain. Contact with the Lord by any one of the nine devotional services is always a forward step on the path going back to Godhead.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 21.119:
“The transcendental mellows generated from the dealings between the gopis and Krishna cannot be tasted by means of fruitive activity, yogic austerities, speculative knowledge, regulative devotional service, mantra-yoga or meditation. This sweetness can be tasted only through the spontaneous love of liberated persons who chant the holy names with great ecstatic love.”
From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 16:
“Spontaneous love of Krishna as exhibited by the Vrsnis and the denizens of Vrndavana is eternally existing in them. In the stage of devotional service where regulative principles are followed, there is no necessity of discussing this love, for it must develop of itself at a more advanced stage.”
“We must always remember, however, that such eagerness to follow in the footsteps of the denizens of Vraja (Vrindavan) is not possible unless one is freed from material contamination. In following the regulative principles of devotional service, there is a stage called anartha-nivrtti, which means the disappearance of all material contamination. Sometimes someone is found imitating such devotional love, but factually he is not freed from anarthas, or unwanted habits. It has been seen that a so-called devotee proclaims himself a follower of Nanda, Yasoda or the gopis, while at the same time his abominable attraction for mundane sex life is visible. Such a manifestation of divine love is mere imitation and has no value. When one is actually spontaneously attracted to the loving principles of the gopis, there will be found no trace of any mundane contamination in his character.
“Therefore, in the beginning, everyone should strictly follow the regulative principles of devotional service, according to the injunctions of the scriptures and the spiritual master. Only after the stage of liberation from material contamination can one actually aspire to follow in the footsteps of the devotees in Vrindavan.”
“A devotee who is actually advanced in Krishna consciousness, who is constantly engaged in devotional service, should not manifest himself, even though he has attained perfection. The idea is that he should always continue to act as a neophyte devotee as long as his material body is there. Activities in devotional service under regulative principles must be followed even by the pure devotee. But when he realizes his actual position in relationship with the Lord, he can, along with the discharging of regulative service, think within himself of the Lord, under the guidance of a particular associate of the Lord, and develop his transcendental sentiments in following that associate.
“Sri Rupa Gosvami says that learned acaryas recommend that we follow the regulative principles even after the development of spontaneous love for Krishna. According to the regulative principles, there are nine departmental activities, as described above, and one should specifically engage himself in the type of devotional service for which he has a natural aptitude. For example, one person may have a particular interest in hearing, another may have a particular interest in chanting, and another may have a particular interest in serving in the temple. So these, or any of the other six different types of devotional service (remembering, serving, praying, engaging in some particular service, being in a friendly relationship or offering everything in one’s possession), should be executed in full earnestness. In this way, everyone should act according to his particular taste.”
“This development of conjugal love for Krishna is not manifested in women only. The material body has nothing to do with spiritual loving affairs. A woman may develop an attitude for becoming a friend of Krishna, and, similarly, a man may develop the feature of becoming a gopi in Vrindavan. How a devotee in the form of a man can desire to become a gopi is stated in the Padma Purana as follows: In days gone by there were many sages in Dandakaranya. Dandakaranya is the name of the forest where Lord Ramacandra lived after being banished by His father for fourteen years. At that time there were many advanced sages who were captivated by the beauty of Lord Ramacandra and who desired to become women in order to embrace the Lord. Later on, these sages appeared in Gokula Vrndavana when Krishna advented Himself there, and they were born as gopis, or girl friends of Krishna. In this way they attained the perfection of spiritual life.
“The story of the sages of Dandakaranya can be explained as follows. When Lord Ramacandra was residing in Dandakaranya, the sages who were engaged in devotional service there became attracted by His beauty and immediately thought of the gopis at Vrndavana, who enjoyed conjugal loving affection with Krishna. In this instance it is clear that the sages of Dandakaranya desired conjugal love in the manner of the gopis, although they were well aware of the Supreme Lord as both Krishna and Lord Ramacandra. They knew that although Ramacandra was an ideal king and could not accept more than one wife, Lord Krishna, being the full-fledged Personality of Godhead, could fulfill the desires of all of them in Vrindavan. These sages also concluded that the form of Lord Krishna is more attractive than that of Lord Ramacandra, and so they prayed to become gopis in their future lives to be associated with Krishna.
“Lord Ramacandra remained silent, and His silence shows that He accepted the prayers of the sages. Thus they were blessed by Lord Ramacandra to have association with Lord Krishna in their future lives. As a result of this benediction, they all took birth as women in the wombs of gopis at Gokula, and as they had desired in their previous lives, they enjoyed the company of Lord Krishna, who was present at that time in Gokula Vrndavana. The perfection of their human form of life was thus achieved by their generating a transcendental sentiment to share conjugal love with Lord Krishna.”
From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 17:
“By the process of executing regulated devotional service, one is actually elevated onto the transcendental stage, beyond the material modes of nature. At that time one’s heart becomes illuminated like the sun. The sun is far above the planetary systems, and there is no possibility of its being covered by any kind of cloud; similarly, when a devotee is purified like the sun, from his pure heart there is a diffusion of ecstatic love which is more glorious than the sunshine. Only at that time is the attachment to Krishna perfect. Spontaneously, the devotee becomes eager to serve the Lord in his ecstatic love. At this stage the devotee is on the platform of uttama-adhikari, perfect devotion. Such a devotee has no agitation from material affections and is interested only in the service of Radha and Krishna.”
“It is essential, therefore, that one constantly associate with pure devotees who are engaged morning and evening in chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. In this way one will get the chance to purify his heart and develop this ecstatic pure love for Krishna.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.4.1, purport:
“Personal realization does not mean that one should, out of vanity, attempt to show one’s own learning by trying to surpass the previous acarya. He must have full confidence in the previous acarya, and at the same time he 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 The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 18:
“The strong conviction that one will certainly receive the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is called in Sanskrit asa-bandha. Asa-bandha means to continue to think, ‘Because I’m trying my best to follow the routine principles of devotional service, I am sure that I will go back to Godhead, back to home.’”
“When one is sufficiently eager to achieve success in devotional service, that eagerness is called samutkantha. This means ‘complete eagerness.’ Actually this eagerness is the price for achieving success in Krishna consciousness. Everything has some value, and one has to pay the value before obtaining or possessing it. It is stated in the Vedic literature that to purchase the most valuable thing, Krishna consciousness, one has to develop intense eagerness for achieving success.”
“The conclusion is that steady progress in devotional service can be attained only in the association of pure devotees.”
From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 19:
“When one’s desire to love Krishna in one’s particular relationship becomes intensified, this is known as pure love of Godhead.”
“In the Narada Pañcaratra it is clearly stated that when lust is completely transferred to the Supreme Godhead and the concept of kinship is completely reposed in Him, such is accepted as pure love of God by great authorities like Bhisma, Prahlada, Uddhava and Narada.”
“Great authorities like Bhisma have explained that love of Godhead means completely giving up all so-called love for any other person. According to Bhisma, love means reposing one’s affection completely upon one person, withdrawing all affinities for any other person. This pure love can be transferred to the Supreme Personality of Godhead under two conditions—out of ecstasy and out of the causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.”
“When a devotee is found to be always associated with the Lord in ecstatic love, it is to be understood that such a position has been awarded by the Lord Himself out of His causeless extraordinary mercy. An example of such extraordinary mercy is given in the Eleventh Canto, Twelfth Chapter, verse 7, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, wherein Lord Krishna tells Uddhava, ‘The gopis in Vrndavana did not study the Vedas to achieve Me. Nor had they ever been in holy places of pilgrimage. Nor did they devoutly execute any regulative principle. Nor did they undergo any kind of austerity. It is simply by My association that they have attained the highest perfection of devotional service.’”
Quoted in Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita, Chapter 32:
“My advice is to chant Hare Krishna. This is the piece of advice to both the capitalists and the communists. All animosity between them will cease completely, and all their problems will be solved, if they take this advice.”
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:
From Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi 2.17, purport:
“It is not that I appear only in the land of Bharata-varsa, but according to the need I also appear amongst the demigods and lower species. So do not think that I do not appear amongst the mlecchas and other low-born human beings. I also appear among them as a saktyavesa-avatara, or empowered incarnation, to protect them and whatever little religious principles those impure persons follow. Yet I am more anxious to appear amongst My dependents in India, because varnasrama-dharma is followed there without obstruction. Therefore all the pleasing yuga-avataras and amsa-avataras are found only in the land of Bharata-varsa. Activities performed without fruitive desire (niskama-karma-yoga), philosophical speculation (jñana-yoga), and the ultimate process of devotional service (bhakti-yoga) are not properly practiced where there is no practice of varnasrama-dharma. But know for certain that the traces of devotion found amongst the low-born humans are due to the mercy of the devotees. (Srila Bhaktivinoda’s Vidvad-rañjana commentary)”
From Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi 2.18, purport:
“I establish varnasrama-dharma by appearing as an empowered incarnation amongst My devotees, who are sages amongst the brahmanas and kings, but actually I appear to deliver My great devotees who are afflicted by the distress born of intense longing to see Me. Thus, in the form of a yuga-avatara, I deliver My devotees from this distress and I deliver demons like Ravana and Kamsa by killing them. I reestablish the living entities’ eternal religious principles by preaching the devotional processes like hearing and chanting. When I say, ‘I appear in every millenium,’ it is to be accepted that I also appear in the age of Kali. The incarnation for Kali-yuga will distribute the rarely attained benediction of love of God through the process of chanting. Although this incarnation is the best of all, He is hidden to the common person. My great devotees will naturally be attracted by this incarnation. You also (O Arjuna) can see this incarnation when you appear as His assistant. The great mystery of this confidential incarnation for Kali-yuga is that He will destroy only the sinful mentality of the demons, not the demons themselves. (Srimad Bhaktivinoda Thakura)”
From Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi 2.25, purport:
“The use of the adjective sankirtana-prayair is a confirmation of accepting this sacrifice as the means of attaining perfection. The word sankirtana refers to a large gathering of people chanting the holy names of Krishna. The process of sankirtana-yajña, or congregational glorification of Lord Krishna, which is prominently displayed by devotees of the Lord, is thus concluded to be the process of attaining perfection.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Free Write Journal #151:
“A disciple asked me what was my relationship with death. Has it changed over the years? What is it now that I’m in my 80s? I replied that I’m really not ready for it, but I think about it every day. Every day I pray to Krishna that He take me wherever He wills, and that I accept it. I reminded him of what I said in my July 3rd speech: even after I pass away, the best part of me will remain—my books. So in a sense, ‘my relationship with death’ hasn’t changed over the years.
“I am so grateful that we distributed four hundred books on July 3rd. As Brahmananda said when his autobiographical book had been published, ‘Now I can die in peace.’
“Srila Prabhupada showed us the stark reality of death by his own passing away. He told one of his disciples, ‘Don’t think that this won’t happen to you.’ He fasted at the end and said his condition was like Hiranyakasipu when he fasted and performed severe austerities: life remained in his body, although his body reduced to skin and bones. Prabhupada demonstrated to us a noble passing away, giving instructions until the end, and then silently withdrawing into himself. As his disciple, I pray that I may follow in his footsteps.”
From A Poor Man Reads the Bhagavatam, Volume 1:
“May we live to pen many volumes and in the process surrender and become
pure devotees who only speak the truth.”
From Morning Songs:
“He prayed for a long
life and true allegiance
to the Divine Couple
and Srila Prabhupada.”
From Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name:
“Tonight I gave a warm-up lecture on Prabhupada in 1966. I told the devotees it was my favorite time. Raindrops spattered on the windowpane as I spoke. I thought, ‘I never want to abuse Prabhupada’s authority. Wherever he is, he is always concerned for his Krishna consciousness movement. Make this chanting reform your contribution. Tell everyone you meet to chant Hare Krishna as you are doing yourself. That way you will be like Prabhupada, a harer nama preacher, and he will be pleased.”
From Songs from Stuyvesant Falls:
“I call our house Viraha Bhavan because I cultivate the
separation of Radha and Krishna. On a daily basis
Radha misses Krishna when
He enters the forest pasturing the cows.
Then She has to endure long-term
separation when He goes to Mathura and Dvaraka. He
breaks Her heart but is true to
Her in His own way. He never
leaves Vrndavana but remains
in His bhava manifestation.
“These emotions can be tasted only by the pure devotees
immersed in the madhurya-bhava of the Lord. I hear them
and appreciate that they are topmost although I have
no access to the inner realm.
My daily song is an offering made in melody to
celebrate viraha and bring
it forth for viewing
‘from afar.’”
From Dublin Pieces:
“I admit I fall short, but I don’t want to get worse. I don’t want to glorify my mediocrity.”
“Now end this piece #1, and enter the peace of japa, chanted softly in those sacred hours. Pray to Krishna to allow you to say His name with faith and attention and yearning to get the mercy whereby one can understand His name as nondifferent than Himself. I want to at least pray to help others. People in this congregation will hear from me. I pray to be effective.”
“One devotee said, ‘I see myself and many ISKCONites as like the persons in the story of the wedding party who rowed in a boat that was anchored. We shout righteously at those who are not in boats, but we ourselves go nowhere.’ It does seem that many of us don’t advance in attraction for hearing about Krishna and making Him the center of our lives. So, if I can improve in japa and be peaceful and come out with a few good books a year, then it is okay.”
From Free Write Journal #152:
“I received a letter from a devotee who wanted to involve me in a controversy about vaccines. I told him I don’t want to get involved in a discussion about vaccines or any other controversy. Let us peacefully coexist in Krishna consciousness.”
From Entering a Life of Prayer:
“I have probably repeated the same things, but here again on another walk up on the hill at Gita-nagari woods, I am asking the Lord and Prabhupada to please let me see the falsity of my position: how I am apart from being Your eternal servant, the things I have done wrong as a devotee and before becoming a devotee. Let me feel the wrongs and take my actual position, which is not that of an advanced devotee, big guru, pure soul, humble soul, etc., but a very fallen soul who needs the Lord desperately and who loves the Lord very much as a child loves a father. That is hidden. I don’t feel that love, I don’t feel that need, I don’t feel that wrong. This is what prayer is for—to bring out those feelings of love, of need, of repentance, and to pray to enter them. So as long as these are far from me, I just walk around and chant and write and pray, but I am like a person licking the outside of the bottle of honey.”
From Morning Songs:
“I like my rounded life
and pray to be able to
write a personal episode
from my experience
in the ISKCON ranks.”
Janananda Goswami:
Haridasa Thakura prays to Mahaprabhu let me never commit the ten offenses so I can continue relishing the nectar of the holy name.
“Blossoming fully, the flower of the holy name takes me to Vraja and reveals to me His own love-dalliance. This name gives to me my own eternal spiritual body, keeps me right by Krishna’s side, and completely destroys everything related to this mortal frame of mine.” (“Sri Nama-Mahatmya” [The Glories of the Holy Name] from Saranagati by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura)
The festival of the Panca-tattva installation in Mayapur in 2004 was so amazing that it reminded devotees of the festival that Narottama Dasa Thakura organized in Kheturi soon after Lord Caitanya’s disappearance. I was at the reception tent much of the time, and I was so impressed how nicely the devotees from Radha-Gopinatha greeted and served the guests.
Diversity is not difficult, but unity is a challenge.
Unity is achieved through the sankirtana-yajna.
Whatever devotional service we do, should be accompanied by chanting.
My early days on sankirtana have sustained me through so many ups and downs. The idea of doing service to God from sunrise to sunset we were doing.
Devotees in New Mayapur told Srila Prabhupada they went on sankirtana once a week. Srila Prabhupada asked, “Why only once a week?”
They replied, “It is so far to the city.”
Srila Prabhupada responded, “Kirtan should be going on every day, in the temple, in the garden.”
“Markine Bhagavata Dharma” is like a mission statement for the movement.
Question by Chandrashekhara Acharya Prabhu: How can the pure holy name manifest from us who are still imperfect?
Answers by . . .
Janananda Goswami: By the calling of the pure souls, the holy name manifests.
Sacinandana Swami: Krishna appears according to the level of devotion (Bg. 4.11). Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says when the chanting is done in the service attitude the holy name manifests its divinity. Srila Prabhupada indicated that if we are chanting under the direction of our guru then our chanting is pure.
Kadamba Kanana Swami: Lord Caitanya wanted to spread love of Godhead through the medium of the holy name. Krishna is fully present in the form of His name, but we, due to our conditioning, can only partially appreciate it. You cannot have an ecstatic kirtan on demand. Even if you have a great singer and many amazing melodies, sometimes it happens and sometimes it does not happen, thus it is the mercy of the Lord. As sometimes there is a hole in the clouds and the sunlight pours through, sometimes in the middle of the kirtan, we experience some divine mercy.
Sacinandana Swami:
One king would always have a yajna going on in some part of his kingdom to protect his people from the material influence.
We can only be happy when the darkness in our heart is dissipated.
Give chanting your absolute priority for these three days.
Jiva Goswami says if you doubt that Krishna is not different from His name that breaks your bhakti, but you can repair your bhakti.
Chanting means you invest in your relationship with Krishna.
You can pray to Krishna to be absorbed in his devotional service.
When associating with devotees, ask them, “How did you overcome your obstacles in your devotional service?”
When I was a brahmacari in Germany if you got first prize in book distribution you would get a tape of an Agnideva kirtan.
It is said that a neighbor of Bhaktivinoda Thakura heard him chanting and described that it sounded like he was calling someone.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains about the process of chanting. The devotee feels, “My life is empty without you, Krishna. I am suffering in material life.” Then he explains, “Your holy name comes from the spiritual world on our tongue. It enters the heart and makes me very ecstatic. Then it brings me to the spiritual world and reveals my form and activity.” He ends by praying, “Let all the obstacles be removed from my chanting.”
We avoid the aparadhas so Krishna will be attracted by our chanting.
We can pray to Krishna, “I have been away from you for a long time. Today I am turning to you and wish to become your eternal servant, please accept me.”
Lord Caitanya found he had substantially changed as a result of chanting the holy name.
The madness that is referred to is a focus on Krishna to the degree that one loses all other focus.
Even if someone is dear to us, we like to praise his name.
For the pure devotee that Krishna is identical with His name is not just a theoretical idea but a reality, and he laughs because of seeing Krishna’s humorous pastimes like stealing butter.
The great devotees like it when people blaspheme them. It is a completely different mindset. The neophyte is inclined to criticize the blasphemer.
In Bhakti Ratnakara sankirtana (chanting with many people) is described as superior to kirtana (chanting alone) because it produces extraordinary feelings. We blissfully meet with many people and glorify Krishna for the people in general.
From the neuroscience point of view if you sing mantras, unlike other activities, not just one side of the brain is stimulated but both.
The gopis would sing different ragas that would resonate with each of the different species of life.
To capture the spiritual reality we have to be a little bit devotional.
The Zurich temple was not doing well. There were few devotees, and we were thinking we might have to sell it. We decided we would have a kirtan every Sunday night. It became popular, and even people in the city learned that there was something worth attending at the Hare Krishna temple on Bergstrasse. After several months of this weekly kirtan we found all our temple problems were solved.
This is the best place in Europe [New Mayapur in France]. People who come here know it. You might consider a group kirtan weekly before the deities, and develop it.
In the material rasa there is always the intrusion of material sorrow. This defect is absent in our spiritual rasa with Krishna.
There is the phenomenon of a shared group experience that results from sankirtana.
Tips on making the most of a kirtana event.
1. Learn to listen.
2. Bomb the ego.
What do we find in a good kirtan?
absorption
forgetfulness
surrender
unity
gratitude
ecstasy
depth
protection
the feeling of being engulfed in a wave with other people
soulful chanting
A New York City yoga center leader liked Acyuta Gopi and Ananta Govinda’s kirtan, saying, “They have soul.”
The yajna pit is the ear, the ghee is the holy name, the bhakti is the fire, and the yajna purusa is the Lord, who will appear when he is satisfied and fulfill our desires.
Srila Prabhupada makes the point that we just have to stay alive in bhakti, and we will inherit the kingdom of God.
There is no better program than kirtan to bring all the devotees together. You can disagree with the lecture but not the kirtan.
We should be longing for that day of being more connected with Krishna. When we stop that longing, then we are in trouble. Then we will have to receive a lesson from maya.
When will that day be mine when my offenses end and a taste for the holy name becomes infused within my heart by divine grace.
When will I become from free from desire for wealth, fame, likes on Facebook . . .
There is another bazaar, not Loi Bazaar, but Nama Bazaar.
Showing compassion by sharing the nectar of Krishna consciousness is the essence of Vaishnavism.
Love of Godhead is hard to understand because we have distributed our love to so many material things.
Love of Godhead may be difficult to conceive of, however, it is easy to feel gratitude for the different blessings the Lord has given us.
I was so pleased to come here where we can easily perceive Srila Prabhupada’s presence.
As we chant the holy name, Krishna becomes personally present to each devotee.
In Mithila there were two devotees who were so absorbed in their personal deity worship that they could never go to see Krishna personally. Krishna decided to go there and see them both. Krishna expanded both Himself and the sages who accompanied Him and visited both. They worshiped Krishna, and Krishna advised them to also worship the sages. From this pastime, we learn that the Lord is capable of reciprocating with each devotee at the same time.
Agnideva Prabhu:
In India even the spiritually minded did not think it was possible to spread the holy name all over the world, but Srila Prabhupada had the faith that it was possible.
You have come from a long way, many of you. Make it worthwhile. Try to chant eight hours a day as Sacinandana Swami recommended. Mend yourself.
Srila Prabhupada was asked by a reporter, “What do you do for recreation?”
Srila Prabhupada replied, “Everything we do is recreation. Kevala ananda kanda.”
Srila Prabhupada said that the chanting is for a child or a professor. The same thing.
So many mantras are there, but the Hare Krishna mantra is designated as the maha-mantra, the best mantra. When you have the best, you do not have to do anything else.
Srila Prabhupada explains that this is a song for developing love of God, krishna-prema.
Lord Caitanya would give this love of God to anyone who wanted it, and Lord Nityananda Prabhu would give it to those who did not want it.
These Vaishnava songs are among the matchless gifts of Srila Prabhupada.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura is considered the pioneer of this Krishna consciousness movement in the West. Even Srila Prabhupada would say this is Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s movement.
Krishna is rasa-raja, the king of love. He thought, “I know all about love, but Radharani’s love, I do not know.”
Krishna says in effect, “I run away from Vaikuntha. I run away from the hearts of the yogis. I go to the place where the devotees are chanting my glories.”
Kadamba Kanana Swami:
Such festivals are an opportunity to focus.
The concept of love awakening is something we can remember.
Hearing helps us in chanting.
Hearing and chanting are core activities that rejuvenate our connection with Krishna.
Dealing with the material energy we become perplexed.
Before I met the devotees, I had a friend who was a piano player. I would play guitar. Once he suggested we play ragas. I had been to India, and I learned two ragas, so I played them. Then he suggested we chant mantras, and he began chanting Hare Krishna. Thus I was connected with spiritual sound before becoming acquainted with anything else about Krishna.
Of all the sixty-four aspects of devotional service the chanting of the holy name is topmost.
Krishna is attracted by hearing His holy name because of the love behind the chanting.
Krishna is always associated with love.
In the ocean, there is water in all directions. Prema is described to be like an ocean. There are waves of different moods being tasted.
Gopal Kumar sees the residents of Goloka appearing absent-minded and looking all in one direction, the direction in which Krishna had left early in the day.
Each devotee has his individual idea how he wants to please Krishna.
Our deity dresser in Vrindavana was from France, Omkara Prabhu. He would dress all the deities himself, and every day was completely different. You never knew what to expect. Once Radharani had both a bouquet for Krishna and a basket of flowers for Krishna, and why not? She is just overflowing with the desire to please Krishna.
The wood in the fire may have some cracks, but who cares because it is burning in the fire.
That is the love. It is voluntary. There is no payment.
There is a word akhanditotsavam which means an uninterrupted festival.
In the beginning how much we follow the regulative principles is an expression of our love.
How can we chant more attentively? By love! How else!
We can be empowered by knowledge and bliss.
Time exists in the spiritual world in that there is a sequence. In the spiritual world things last as long as the taste is present.
Not “Sixteen rounds again! I just finished them!”
Do you see how much Srila Prabhupada is present in New Mayapur. This is a real Prabhupada temple.
Switch off that analytic part of yourself. Do not think, “What am I doing here?” Just forget it, and go wild.
The holy name remained in the center. Krishna remained in the center, and we connected.
These festivals are not just temporary events and then we go home to a vacuum. There is eternal benefit. One benefit is we get the desire to do it again. It gets to be a very strong attachment, and that attachment will sustain us.
All activities related to Krishna are a festival. Let us see all our spiritual activities are a festival.
Gaudamandala Prabhu:
Even one of the challenges that Prahlada had to face would completely distract our minds.
We see the quality of our devotional service when we encounter obstacles.
One devotee told me in the beginning of my spiritual life we should take advantage of the opportunity to engage in devotional service because we do not know what the future holds. I saw in the course of time how many people left.
Trying to see the details of how the deity is dressed can help us be absorbed in the Lord.
It is the gift of Krishna that after many years of practice, we are able to concentrate our attention on the Lord.
All kinds of challenges in devotional service can be overcome by the association of pure devotees.
Devarsi Prabhu:
It is said that Krishna manifests His full potency in five forms, Krishna, Caitanya, Balarama, Ramacandra, and Nrsimha.
We are so conditioned that is difficult to completely surrender to the Lord, but when we hear the realizations of other devotees, we can become inspired to be more surrendered.
It is said the first six cantos are more for devotees with material desires and the latter six cantos are for pure devotees.
Srila Prabhupada wanted the different deities, Gaura-Nitai, Radha-Krishna, and Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra in all the temples because the moods of worship are different but all are important.
The Lord can give many scriptures.
In the West we do not have respect for authority, and the Vedas are centered around respect for authority. In fact, if you have no respect for authority, you are not allowed to study.
Dayal Nitai Prabhu:
The Kimpurusas live in the Himalayas and have mystic powers. They have a sense of service to the Lord unlike the demons who use their mystic power for evil.
The Yaksas because of their pride were engaged in the service of Hiranyakasipu whereas the Kimpurusas because they were most humble were not misdirected in this way.
We can learn from this that humility can preserve our service to the Lord in all situations.
We cannot even control what is going on in our body. Thus we should never become proud in any situation.
Our japa helps us fight with our mind and thus conquer our anarthas.
The association of devotees also help us conquer over our anarthas.
All other aspects of our spiritual life are meant to assist us in the congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord.
Lord Caitanya was not trying convert Muslims into Hindus but to get people to chant the holy name of the Lord and develop their love for Him.
Lord Caitanya teaches how we should behave when someone admits his mistake and changes his attitude.
When we do the harinama through the market, we see that some people are very much agitated while others are pleased.
You (Nitai Charan) and me went to the worst place, the Sarcelles Market, during the winter, and we did not get the virus, yet so many people in the temple got the virus, even though they did not go out. So we practically can appreciate the protection of Lord Caitanya.
Comments by me:
Literally the “kim” in “Kimpurusa” means “what?” Thus seeing the Kimpurusas who are humanlike but distinctly not human, the question “what kind of human is this?” may arise.
The most famous Kimpurusa is Hanuman.
“This chapter describes the glories of Bharata-varsa, and it also describes how Lord Ramacandra is being worshiped in the tract of land known as Kimpurusa-varsa. The inhabitants of Kimpurusa-varsa are fortunate because they worship Lord Ramacandra with His faithful servant Hanuman.” (SB 5.19, Chapter Summary)
It is impressive to me that although a Muslim government was in control, Lord Caitanya was not disturbed by it. He did not protest until they tried to stop His congregational chanting. Then by His influence He was able to convince the government to permit it.
I felt protected by Lord Caitanya at University of South Florida this winter. As far as COVID restrictions at Florida campuses, USF was the most conservative. No campus groups were allowed to set up tables or distribute literature. I did not go there for the first half of the semester because of fear, and then Ramiya Prabhu, who originally told me about the severity of the rules, encouraged me to try. I chanted for three hours a day for ten days altogether, and I collected 82 students’ contact details for the Bhakti Yoga club mailing and give out about 75 sponsored Bhagavad-gitas. Police, faculty, and staff members passed by me on the campus green, dressed in my orange robes and chanting Hare Krishna, but no one restricted me in any way! No other groups were displaying or distributing anything, nor even making their presence known, and I was so obvious in every way and yet I was not stopped. I see that as the protection of Lord Caitanya.
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This verse reminds us that Lord Caitanya wanted the chanting of Hare Krishna distributed everywhere to give everyone a chance to attain the happiness of love of Godhead.
patrapatra-vicara nahi, nahi sthanasthana
“In distributing love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not, nor where such distribution should or should not take place. They made no conditions. Wherever they got the opportunity, the members of the Pañca-tattva distributed love of Godhead.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 7.23)