Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 18, No. 13
By Krishna Kripa Das
(July 2022, part one)
(Sent from Paris, France, on July 16, 2022)
Where I Went and What I Did
The first half of July was special for me as I attended festivals in different European countries each weekend.
The first weekend I did harinama in Berlin, and I attended the Ratha-yatras in Wroclaw, Poland, and Prague, Czech Republic. On my return to Paris on Monday I chanted Hare Krishna in the German city of Stuttgart for almost an hour. The second weekend I attended the Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtan in the United Kingdom. On my return to Paris that Monday I chanted in Birmingham for about fifteen minutes, outside Manchester Airport for 2:15 hours, and at Beauvais Airport near Paris for ten minutes. Otherwise I was in Paris doing harinama for three hours a day with Gaura Nataraja Prabhu and a few other devotees, and with more on the Thursdays, one of their two main harinama days here. Sometimes Janananda Goswami would join us, making it extra special. The day of my evening flight to the UK differed from the usual, and I chanted alone midday at Garges Sarcelles, a local train station.
I share just one quote from Srila Prabhupada this time as my reading focused on the section of Caitanya-Bhagavata on Haridasa Thakura, which was so fascinating I tended to spend all my reading time on that. I share notes on that book by Vrindavan Dasa Thakura with commentary by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. I share notes on the writings of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami from his Free Write Journal, which I proofread each week. I share notes on classes by Jayadvaita, Candramauli, and Dayananda Swamis, speaking in Birmingham, Mahavishnu Swami speaking in Prague, and Paris temple president Gaudamandala Prabhu and Rasananda Prabhu of Mayapur, both speaking in Paris. I share notes on The Living Name, by Sacinandana Swami, which devotees read from at the Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtan.
Thanks to Atmarama Rasa Prabhu and Jagattarini Devi Dasi of Paris for their very kind donation. Many thanks to Tara Prabhu for his kind donation and his association in Wroclaw. Thanks to Nayan Prabhu of London for his donation of British currency for my journey. Thanks to Janananda Goswami and Gaura Nataraja Prabhu for their gifts of harinama donations. Thanks to Paul of Berlin for his accommodation there, to Prema Bhakti Prada Prabhu for letting me stay at Nowe Santipur farm in Poland, to Nila Madhava Prabhu for letting me stay at the Harinama Ashram in Prague, to Mayapur Madhava Prabhu for getting me a hotel room in Birmingham, and to Vidura Prabhu of Birmingham for helping me with so many errands and letting me stay a night at his place. Thanks to Vaisnava-Krpa Prabhu for the photo of me at Wroclaw Ratha-yatra. I get by with a little help from my friends.
Itinerary
June 15–August 3: Paris harinamas
August 4–6: Lyon harinamas?
August 8–12: Balarama Festival
August 13–16: Paris harinamas
August 17–18: Flight to USA and travel to Florida
August 19–20: Observe Janmastami and Vyasa-puja
August 21–September ?: Tallahassee, Gainesville, Tampa harinamas and outreach
September ?–21: Syracuse harinama
September 22?–September 25: Philadelphia harinamas and Ratha-yatra
September 26–November 22: NYC Harinam
November 23–December 14: three weeks of service to Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami
December 14–January ?, 2023: NYC Harinam
Chanting Hare Krishna in Berlin
I was very happy to chant Hare Krishna with Madhupati Prabhu, who I know from the Polish festival tour, at Alexanderplatz in Berlin on the way from Paris to Wroclaw for Ratha-yatra next day. Two other devotees joined us, one named Nila, who danced with the kids and got there earlier than the others and Natalia from Estonia, who was visiting for the weekend.
I took this Facebook Live video during the time several kids were participating with us (https://youtu.be/nrd1n3SlLR8):
Later I took this more high resolution video, when a lady was filming her daughters interacting with our party (https://youtu.be/vk1bzWBO9w4):
When we stopped our kirtan for the day, the mother in the video above asked us to continue as she had not finished filming her daughters’ participating in it!
As we were packing up, the boy who was most enthusiastic to play the shakers in the first video came by, and asked us to sing so he could play some more, and so we did!
It is rare to have two people ask you to sing some more during a harinama. Usually people want you to sing less!
Chanting Hare Krishna at Wroclaw Ratha-yatra
Originally the Berlin and Wroclaw Ratha-yatras were both scheduled for July 2. I have been to both of them in years past and was attracted to see them again. I decided to go to the Berlin Ratha-yatra as I attended the Wroclaw Ratha-yatra last year, and I planned to do harinama in Berlin the night before. However, the Berlin Ratha-yatra was canceled, but because I had already booked my ticket, I decided to do the harinama anyway, and then continue on the next day to Wroclaw, about four and a half hours by train, for the Ratha-yatra there.
I was happy to learn that Deutsche Bahn, the German train company, has a special train to Wroclaw on weekends in the summer to facilitate cultural exchange, and they charge just 19 euros for the journey.
One of the stops on the journey was Zary, where the Polish Woodstock festival was held the first three years I attended it, back in 2001, 2002 and 2003, and I was happy to remember that experience. I liked the festival so much I returned every year through 2019. In recent years its venue has been Kostrzyn, just across the German border near Berlin.
I talked to a young German man who had never been to Poland before and who got on the train at Zary. Since I have been coming to Poland for twenty years, I felt very comfortable returning, but he felt some uncertainty coming to Wroclaw for the first time. Thus he asked if he could accompany me to the Wroclaw Ratha-yatra which I had invited him to. He informed me that the special ticket we had purchased for the Berlin to Wroclaw train includes local travel in Wroclaw, which I was happy to learn.
The Ratha-yatra procession was just about to start when we arrived, and I got some papadam for him as he was hungry, and they weren’t serving the feast out yet. He was not fortunate enough to stay for the festival, but he got to hear a little kirtan, take some prasadam, and see Lord Jagannath on his cart, so by Vedic calculation he made a lot of spiritual advancement.
Here Trivikrama Swami, who I have seen in Orlando in recent years although he has disciples in Poland, chants Hare Krishna at Wroclaw Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/MNp25jrUWTY):
Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Wroclaw Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/z5FaNQSsXqM):
In this video you can see the entire Ratha-yatra procession from the dancers in front to the Jagannath cart (https://youtu.be/O9FYyP_lJGE):
Here you can see that many passersby were attracted by the Wroclaw Ratha-yatra procession at Rynek Square (https://youtu.be/PjDJsQon0G4):
I am always impressed by the high percentage of passersby in Wroclaw who turn their faces toward the Jagannath cart with spontaneous interest, which seems greater to me there than many places.
Vrajaduta Gopal Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the end of the Wroclaw Ratha-yatra procession (https://youtu.be/I9QWdq3aw3I):
Kaveri Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at the Wroclaw Ratha-yatra stage show (https://youtu.be/g-PwhKFKeGY):
Viryavan Prabhu chants Hare Krishna and “Govinda Jaya Jaya” at Wroclaw Ratha-yatra stage show (https://youtu.be/XL9cF2HSIO4):
A group of Czech and Polish devotees, led by Nitai Pada Kamala Prabhu of Czech Republic, chants Hare Krishna at the Wroclaw Ratha-yatra stage show (https://youtu.be/GxZcC0h3Q-w):
That group did another tune with Viryavan Prabhu of Poland leading (https://youtu.be/I4u5PDBF2io):
Kavicandra Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in an electric kirtan at the end of the stage show (https://youtu.be/pTKtxMviTRM):
Chanting Hare Krishna in Prague Ratha-yatra
Karuna Haladhara Prabhu, who drove me to the Polish farm called Nowe Santipur after Wroclaw Ratha-yatra, was inspired hearing of my plan to attend the Prague Ratha-yatra the next day, and he decided to drive me there along with another devotee.
That morning they had a very nice curd sabji for breakfast at Nowe Santipur which I was inspired to take a photo of.
After a two and a half hour drive, we arrived in Prague as the Ratha-yatra was starting, and by Krishna’s grace, we found a parking spot in view of Lord Jagannath’s cart.
One thing I like about the Prague Ratha-yatra is the devotees have lots of invitations to the Ratha-yatra and the stage show afterward with one side in the Czech language for the locals and the other in English for the many tourists, which they hand out, along with prasadam sweets, to persons watching the procession, and I was very happy to assist in this.
I took a little Facebook Live video toward the beginning of Prague Ratha-yatra to share with my friends (https://youtu.be/ytbA5uNr_hY):
Then I took higher resolution videos from the rest of the procession:
Bhadra Prabhu, who organizes six Ratha-yatras in Florida each year, chants Hare Krishna in the Prague Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/4ES9FvsZXG8):
During the Prague Ratha-yatra when I saw onlookers who seemed really captivated by the procession, I would give them shakers and mantra cards and encourage them to chant.
Among the tourists, those from Spain were most attracted to chant, dance, and play the shakers with us, and at least three or four groups I talked to were Spanish.
Here Jaya Gurudeva Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Prague Ratha-yatra, and Spanish girls play shakers and dance (https://youtu.be/XyCz0pMDSXg):
These girls told me they were touring Europe by rail with a Eurorail pass, and they would sleep in the bicycle section of the trains.
In addition to Spain, I talked to people from Finland, Bulgaria, Rumania, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Morocco, and a number of other places.
Here a couple enjoys chanting Hare Krishna and playing shakers during Prague Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/w83ablQ-hLM):
The young man in the video above told me that his mother, although not a devotee, attends Ratha-yatra in Prague every year!
Two British girls enjoy chanting Hare Krishna, playing shakers, and taking videos during the Prague Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/BG4DaYs5IjU):
I told them about hkfest.org, which tells of about twenty Ratha-yatras we have in the UK each summer, in case they wanted to experience another. One of the British girls I met in Prague told me she just recently attended our Govinda’s Restaurant on Soho Street, and she really liked it.
Nrsimha Caitanya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna as the Prague Ratha-yatra kirtan party moves from the Jagannath cart to the stage (https://youtu.be/duezXp7pKMg):
Acarya Prabhu and Harinama Ruci chant Hare Krishna around town after the Prague Ratha-yatra procession, and at least twelve groups of passersby enjoying chanting Hare Krishna and dancing with them (https://youtu.be/PCvAOjjbGb0):
Here they get a man to chant Hare Krishna and dance while holding his burning cigarette (https://youtu.be/Uzz5OFWXnEw):
Acarya Prabhu and Harinama Ruci chant Hare Krishna as Lord Jagannath leaves the festival site by car (https://youtu.be/TgZaBDIMiUU):
They continued chanting Hare Krishna as the Prague Ratha-yatra festival came to an end, and onlookers danced with the devotee ladies and one final guy tried chanting the mantra (https://youtu.be/U0NqWtajeoA):
Some more girls danced with the devotee ladies, during the prayers to Nrsimha at the end (https://youtu.be/TN8rkDmM6bg):
I traveled by train for over eleven and a half hours in the course of returning to Paris, and I chanted played my harmonium and chanted Hare Krishna for 25 minutes in the main Prague train station, for 50 minutes at Stuttgart in Germany, in front of the train station there, and finally in Paris by Canal Saint-Martin for an hour.
While chanting at Stuttgart, I spotted a man in Western clothes with his hand in a Hare Krishna bead bag. He was named Gaura Gadadhara, and he recognized me and came up to greet me. He was chanting japa on his way to work.
I was worried because two of my train connections were only ten minutes, but I made them both.
Syama Kishore Prabhu, originally from France, has been living in the UK for about 10 years. He came for the Paris Ratha-yatra and stayed for a week. Janananda Goswami advised him to stay more permanently in France because he is an excellent book distributor and he knows the language, and so we are happy to have him to join us on harinama.
Here Syama Kishore Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Porte Rambuteau (https://youtu.be/mT2OmnWjg6U):
Later his kirtan got Harini to dance (https://youtu.be/lBOFfE4cV44):
Syama Kishore Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at a yoga studio in Paris on a Wednesday evening (https://youtu.be/mdbpVY2Z-Qg):
Syama Kishore Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Bastille in Paris, Harini dances and a lady with a baby appreciates and donates (https://youtu.be/R_hI3Fv8HiE):
Harini chants Hare Krishna at Canal Saint-Martin in Paris (https://youtu.be/EQQ60qoCoCc):
Patita Pavana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at a yoga studio in Paris on a Wednesday evening (https://youtu.be/UyZEv7H92vI):
Later Gaura Natabara Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna there (https://youtu.be/K2f70w2BQyQ):
Rohininandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Bastille Day at Hotel de Ville in Paris (https://youtu.be/EEqiHJMuH2g):
While he was singing a mother and daughter were inspired to dance with Harini (https://youtu.be/5lhvmB_60ZY):
Later a guy who bought an English book from Harini danced for several minutes (https://youtu.be/Bk_zfqpdcZ4):
Marat of Russia, who emigrated to France decades ago, chants Hare Krishna at Stalingrad in Paris, and a guy tries chanting the mantra and dances (https://youtu.be/DhQIgBE2nAQ):
I have been coming to the Birmingham 24-Hour each year since 2010, but because of COVID restrictions, the event did not happen in 2020 and 2021. Except for a one-day visit to London in June, I have not been to the UK since 2019. Thus to attend an event I like and to see all my UK friends, I decided to go to the Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtan this year. Almost every year, Sacinandana Swami and Madhava Prabhu would attend this event, and Madhava Prabhu told me that he was coming when I saw him in New York City for the Ratha-yatra there. Sacinandana Swami, however, could not make it this year.
Here Dayananda Swami chants Hare Krishna at Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtan on Saturday morning, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/bxJsomK-B70):
Anky chants Hare Krishna, and swamis and other devotees dance (https://youtu.be/z3BG3-Na0ro):
Keli Kanana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/ErO0N9v--70):
Nadiya and friends chant Hare Krishna, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/hgxQk1Ip41c):
Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtan on Saturday night (https://youtu.be/BvSkOLsciPk):
Toward the end of Madhava’s kirtan, many devotees danced (https://youtu.be/HjWUw12cKMQ):
Amala Harinama Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtan (https://youtu.be/6R7fISrT82U):
While Amala Harinama Prabhu was singing, many devotees began to dance (https://youtu.be/r8rG9UXGoM0):
Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtan on Sunday night (https://youtu.be/OAklxnM-8xw):
I did not take so many videos this year, as I was burned out from taking and uploading so many videos from New York City and Paris recently. You can see their very professional recording of the entire event on their YouTube channel:
Kirtans on Saturday, July 9, 2022 (https://youtu.be/nf3kGHm-USk):
Kirtans on Sunday, July 10, 2022 (https://youtu.be/4z4vQf9R-Go):
Sunday begins with a lecture by Jayadvaita Swami.
While traveling in Wroclaw, I learned they have compact tents for one person that assemble in 2 seconds.
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From “Vrindavana Bhajana,” verse 27:
“Everything belongs to Sri Hari and Sri Hari belongs to everyone.
Chant the Hare Krishna mantra loudly
By the performance of such sankirtana there will come remembrance automatically
Then there will be nirjana bhajana manifested in the heart spontaneously.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Here Is Srila Prabhupada:
“Just before I wrote this, Madhu and I were reading and discussing Krishna book. We talked of feeling separated from Krishna. Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door. Madhu went to answer while I sat there blinking, trying to keep a wisp of a hold on Krishna in Vrindavana.
“It was a member of the Irish Army. He wanted to know if the owner of the cottage had any objections to the Irish Army performing maneuvers on his land.
“The demanding world appears to be so real. It comes right up to your door and bangs the big brass knocker. Talks of Krishna sometimes seem evanescent, like mist after the sun comes out. But the material world is temporary, no matter how real it seems now. Krishna is eternal, even if it is difficult to concentrate on Him.”
“Prabhupada wants us to understand the difference between the temporary, material world and the eternal, blissful world of Goloka Vrndavana. This is the life work that Prabhupada wants from us, to somehow fill our minds with more and more Krishna and less and less maya. And Prabhupada is with us in our attempts to hear about Krishna. It is the basis of our relationship with him. Srila Prabhupada spoke specifically of Krishna. He described His flute and the feelings of separation the gopis experienced. Prabhupada was fully absorbed in Krishna-lila. He wrote in Krishna book, ‘The spiritual masters should enrich the devotees to the highest devotional perfection. Feeling constant separation while engaged in the service of the Lord is the perfection of Krishna consciousness’ (Krishna, Vol. 1, p. 231).”
“Prabhupada, you are not a play thing. You are the solemn director of my life, the boss I report to. More than that, you are my angel-guide, the representative of Supersoul—my only access to inconceivable Krishna.
“You are the one who will meet me at the end. I am trying to limit my baggage so that I can rush to your lotus feet unencumbered.”
“I have heard devotees who reject their discipleship say they feel release by letting go of Prabhupada. I want to feel release in my obedience to him. I want to sigh with relief as I discover my surrender is well-founded.”
“Whatever doubts I may still have in Krishna consciousness are not about Prabhupada’s spiritual caliber or about his disposition toward me. I doubt only my ability to respond to him. I doubt myself. Srila Prabhupada once said that even if we have the most expert guru, we may still fail unless we help ourselves.”
“Don’t confuse the gem of humility with the hang-up of low self-worth.”
“I am trying to compensate with words what I lack in valiant action.”
“The pure devotee loves us in a much greater proportion than we can love him. We are simply beggars. All he is asking in return for his gift of Krishna consciousness is our sincerity.”
“Prabhupada himself told us that tolerating problematic devotees was our austerity. The way of spiritual life is never easy. Easy-going life and Krishna consciousness don’t go well together.”
“If people could only understand that everything comes from Him and thus accept their God-given quota ‘knowing well to whom it belongs,’ there could be peace. It sounds so utopian, but everything sounds impossible in the effort to stop world suffering.”
From One Hundred Prabhupada Poems, #94:
“As Professor Rochford wrote, ‘It is nothing short of miraculous that one man could inspire so many people throughout the world to become God-conscious.’”
From One Hundred Prabhupada Poems, #100:
“O Prabhupada who kicked out TV and cosmetic makeup and donuts and Ravi Shankar records and the comic section of the newspaper and the whole newspaper and boring jobs and illicit sex and put in their place, kirtana, prasadam, the dressing and worship of Radha-Krishna, and the challenge to read and distribute your books, to lecture in the college.”
From The Story of My Life, Volume 3:
“I once asked Prabhupada a question. I said, ‘I feel I can be many selves. Which self would Krishna want me to be?’ I was thinking how in relating to different acquaintances I would play different roles, and one didn’t know who one truly was. What kind of a person would Krishna like me to be? I was thinking of the hip person, the boyfriend, the comrade, the writer, the reader. These were the different selves I was thinking of. The person who’s subordinate, the person who’s dominant. What do you want me to be, Krishna? What will be pleasing to you? And Prabhupada answered by saying, ‘This boy Steve is nice. He types and gives money. You all should do like that.’ He went right to the core of the services I was rendering rather than addressing my question of masks before society. He told me what he perceived in me in plain language. My services. You are your services to Krishna. That’s your eternal identity, servant of Krishna. And in the spiritual world we have our svarupa siddhi, sthayi-bhava, one main function that we do for Krishna, siddha-deha, in our eternal form. That will be revealed to us one day, what kind of a self we will be for Krishna, and we will offer him that service in Goloka. Now we serve as sadhakas, chanting and hearing and preaching.
“When Prabhupada said that answer, I was completely delighted and in love with it. I went downstairs and strummed on the double bass that I had given to the temple, and I was just happy that he had answered in that way. He showed me his love, his recognition of me.”
From Prabhupada Meditations, Volume 3:
“Prabhupada’s followers contain some of his qualities. They tell us about Prabhupada. They help us to serve him. Sometimes Lord Caitanya even appeared to reject a devotee, but His followers rallied around that devotee and encouraged him. They did this with Kala Krishnadasa, who misbehaved when the Lord was touring South India. Lord Caitanya brought Kala Krishnadasa back to Jagannatha Puri and said, ‘Now he can go wherever he wants. I am no longer responsible for him.’ However, the devotees, led by Lord Nityananda, gave the rejected servant a new service, and sent him to Bengal to inform the devotees that Lord Caitanya had returned to Jagannatha Puri. Similarly, the devotees of Prabhupada will help us in our connection with him. Even if we think we have failed and lost our connection, Prabhupada’s devotees are kind and they will pick us up. They are part of our meditation of His Divine Grace.”
From Prabhupada Meditations, Volume 2:
1969, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
“He told the passersby
we are attracted to country places
because our original home is Goloka Vrindavan.”
“Prabhupada taught us that all souls have an intimacy with Krishna, and any feelings we had of alienation were not based on fact. They were illusion, based on false designation. Thus he gave a new consciousness and a new way to see reality.”
“When you think about the fact that within a few months a new devotee feels familiar with the philosophy and with Prabhupada, it makes you think that maybe it really won’t take so long to feel at home in Krishna consciousness and to develop a desire to go back to Godhead.”
From The Wild Garden: Collected Writings 1990–1993:
“Once on a morning walk in San Francisco, I think Upendra dasa asked Prabhupada, ‘Does the pure devotee see Krishna everywhere? Does he look at wall and see Krishna on the wall playing His flute?’ Prabhupada replied that it’s more a vision of love. It’s like a mother who sees the small shoe of her child and feels love. If we love Krishna, then anything we see will remind us of Krishna. That was a wonderful reply.”
From The Twenty-six Qualities of a Devotee:
“The greatest surrender of all was that of the gopis, who risked social ruin and the dangers of the forest at night, and who gave Krishna all their love and affection. They gave Krishna their minds and always thought of Him, even after He had left Vrindavan. (Krishna, Vol. I, ‘Krishna’s Hiding from the Gopis.’)”
Vrindavan Dasa Thakura:
From Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 16.273:
“If one chants loudly, he gets one hundred times more benefit. The scriptures never condemn loud chanting, rather they glorify it.
From Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 16.278:
“Listen, dear brahmana. If even animals, birds, or insects hear the holy names from the mouth of a pure devotee, they will go to Vaikuntha.”
From Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 16.283:
“‘One who loudly chants the holy names of the Lord is a hundred times greater than one who silently chants, because those who chant silently purify only themselves, while those who chant loudly purify themselves as well as those who hear them.’
[Commentary: This verse was spoken by Prahlada Maharaja in the Naradiya Purana.]
From Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 16.301:
“In Kali-yuga, demons will take birth in the families of brahmanas to harass brahmanas, those rare persons who are conversant with the Vedic way of life.
[Commentary: This verse was spoken by Lord Shiva in the Varaha Purana.]
From Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 16.308:
“Aggrieved to see the entire world absorbed in sense gratification, Haridasa would sigh deeply as he chanted the name of Krishna.”
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:
From Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 16.157, commentary:
“Oh, how wonderful are the uncommon glories of the maha-bhagavata, paramahamsa, Vaishnava Thakuras! By seeing the extraordinary shining example of Thakura Haridasa’s forgiveness and tolerance, that same king who was previously envious of the Thakura, who had angrily arrested him in order to severely punish him, who hated Lord Vishnu and the Vaishnavas, and who was most sinful now accepts Thakura Haridasa as a worshipable, uncommon, great personality sent by God. Not only that, being purified by the fire of repentance, that most sinful, atheistic, offensive king begged forgiveness for all his offenses and was obliged to offer obeisances at the Thakura’s lotus feet.”
From Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 16.288, commentary:
“Although all living entities are not able to chant the spiritual names, they can certainly hear the spiritual names chanted by devotees of the Lord. The lives of those who are not qualified to hear the spiritual names are certainly most useless. Since by hearing the chanting of the spiritual names, all living entities can be eligible for liberation in this lifetime, such loud chanting of Hari’s names can never be the subject of argument, fault, or criticism.”
From Caitanya-Bhagavata, Adi 17.23, commentary:
“In the ideal God conscious moral character of Sri Gaurasundara one can find enactment of the following injunction mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam (11.20.9): tavat karmani kurvita na nirvidyeta yavatamat-katha-sravanadau va sraddha yavan na jayate ‘As long as one is not satiated by fruitive activity and has not awakened his taste for devotional service by sravanam kirtanam vishnoh one has to act according to the regulative principles of the Vedic injunctions.’ Then such a person is constantly guided by the pure, spiritual, transcendental consideration mentioned in the Narada Pañcaratra as follows: laukiki vaidiki vapi ya kriya kriyate munehari-sevanukulaiva sa karya bhaktim icchata “One should perform only those activities—either worldly or prescribed byVedic rules and regulations—which are favorable for the cultivation of Krishna consciousness.”
Jayadvaita Swami:
In the 1970s, in Back to Godhead they once printed testimonials of how chanting benefited people’s lives in different ways such as “When I chant I feel better.” or “When I chant, I sleep better at night.” Seeing them, Srila Prabhupada said, “What is this?” Devotees explained that they were just trying to get people to chant. Srila Prabhupada said, “They must come to the process.” Devotees continued talking about getting the people to chant. Srila Prabhupada made the point that if they do not take to the process it will become nama-aparadha.
Unless we take to the process, we will not be successful. It is like building a building with inferior materials. It looks very good, but then it suddenly collapses.
Srila Prabhupada often made the point, “Everything is tested at the time of death.” So our chanting will also be tested at the time of death.
In Montreal in 1968 there was a very wonderful kirtan.
One disciple said, “That was such an enjoyable kirtan.”
Srila Prabhupada immediately replied, “Kirtan is for Krishna’s enjoyment.”
Some people came to the kirtan yesterday while more attended the cricket match. Of those who came, some thought it was a pious deed, some thought they would see friends, some thought the girl they were interested in would be there, some came for purification.
If we chant in the process it will be more effective.
Candramauli Swami:
The congregational chanting of the holy name is undoubtedly the best activity to perform in the world.
Krishna has come in the form of the holy name to bless us and elevate us to His association.
The “Siksastaka” prayers are nondifferent from the chanting of the holy name.
Srila Prabhupada said that the Six Goswamis wrote all their books based on the “Siksastaka.”
The maha-mantra is so named because it is solely composed of the transcendental sound of the holy names of the Lord.
The holy name removes our subjective understanding of reality. We come to see that there is nothing but Krishna’s energy and that Krishna and Krishna’s energy are nondifferent.
The first verse of “Siksastaka” mentions seven benedictions from the chanting of the holy name:
1. Blesses us with spiritual vision.
2. Pushes back suffering.
3. It awakens our good fortune.
4. The holy name is like a bridegroom who enlivens the bride who is compared to knowledge.
5. It is an ocean of happiness. To access it we must be attentive. In kirtan, we hear both the holy name and the devotion of the person who is chanting it. Chanting loudly and chanting from the heart are important because they enhance the effect.
6. Although we are limited, by connecting with the unlimited holy name, we can attain unlimited happiness.
Although we have our favorite kirtan leaders, anyone can awaken our spiritual happiness.
7.
Mahavishnu Swami:
By developing the electric light, have we conquered birth, death, disease, and old age?
Sacinandana Swami:
From The Living Name:
Sambandha is the understanding that binds us to Krishna.
Dayananda Swami:
Yama is things not to do. Niyama is things to do. Pratyahara is closing the doors of the senses as mentioned in Bhagavad-gita
Astanga-yoga involves eight different steps, but we can accomplish all of these just by chanting Hare Krishna.
If we do several hours of kirtana one day, we will notice our japa is much better the next day.
We serve the holy name in three ways:
1. japa
2. kirtana
3. sankirtana
If we chant the holy name as recommended in the third verse of “Siksastaka” we can experience the pleasure of the holy name and get the full benefit of the holy name.
Money is the root of all evil, and is one of the biggest distractions from devotional service.
The more realization of the holy name we have, the more conviction we will have about the process.
Gaudamandala Prabhu:
Vanaprastha is rare in our movement. No one wants to go through the austerities.
Comment by one devotee: “My godbrother left our guru [Bhakti Charu Swami], becoming bewildered and saying, ‘A real sannyasi sleeps on the floor. What kind of sannyasi are you?’”
A vipra deals with all the angas of the Vedas, astrology, military art, etc., but is not a brahmana who focuses on the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna.
Lord Caitanya stresses being the servant of the servant of Krishna. This is hard for us because we want to be the servant of Krishna directly. We are willing to serve Krishna, but we are not willing to serve this devotee or that devotee, this authority or that authority.
The grhastha multiplies his anxiety by two when he gets married, and then when he has a child, by three.
The grhastha does not ignore the goal of life. That differentiates him from the grhamedhi.
Often the wife helps you become detached. That is her service.
The mouth is meant for chanting Hare Krishna, taking prasadam, and preaching.
Within ISKCON, we have two main responsibilities: deity worship and preaching. Ideally we should do one of these or else assist those who do.
Actually to have brahmacaris collect money to maintain temples is artificial. Generally it is the duty of the grhasthas, the householders, to maintain the temple.
At New Mayapur once Srila Prabhupada said that there will be a time that because of war thousands of people will come to us. Thus I suggested to the leaders there that they invest in many tools so we can engage people who come in practical service.
By their work and charity the householders maintain the whole society.
In the history of ISKCON in Paris, they had 100 to 150 devotees living in the temple in the city, and people were sleeping in the temple room and in the corridors. Srila Prabhupada advised to purchase land and create a rural community.
Human life is not guaranteed even if one has bhava as the case of Bharata Maharaja demonstrates.
Even if you have good sadhana if you do not act according to your nature, life will be difficult for you because it will be hard for you to control your mind.
Comment by me:
Regarding sannyasa, it is taken by brahmanas, who are in the mode of goodness. Because in the age of Kali the mode of ignorance predominates, sannyasa is not recommended. But if one is situated in the mode of goodness, there is no difficulty in accepting sannyasa.
Rasananda Prabhu:
Daily Lord Caitanya would visit Gadadhara Pandit and hear from him Srimad-Bhagavatam, and thus he heard the pastimes of Prahlada Maharaja and Dhruva Maharaja over a hundred times.
The first eight verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 7, Chapter 14 are all about how a grhastha should earn and spend his wealth.
Krishna says the three qualities of a grhastha are charity, sense control, and performance of sacrifice.
Why is charity important for the grhastha? Because they are the only ones with an income.
Srila Prabhupada says that it is the duty of the grhasthas to take care of the other three ashrams.
Rupa Goswami advises to spend half one’s income on the service of the Lord. Srila Prabhupada says in one purport in the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam that if one cannot spend half of one’s income on the service of the Lord, he should spend half of one’s accumulated wealth in that way.
Srila Prabhupada pointed out the hypocrisy in the Americans restricting his entry into their country, which was not actually theirs, but which they had stolen from the Native Americans.
The town Krishnanagara was named after the king named Krishna Chandra. Once King Krishna Chandra offered to maintain a brahmana, but he declined to accept more than what he required for a single day, saying that Krishna would send someone to feed him the next day. The king was so impressed that he gave up his kingdom and became a sadhu.
Srila Prabhupada said there is no peace in this world although they try for it in different ways because of cow slaughter and abortion.
What is the problem with meat eating? If one kills his brother, how can he please his father?
The British destroyed Indian culture by replacing the gurukula system of education with missionary schools and introducing slaughterhouses to destroy the spirit of cow protection.
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“What value is there in becoming conscious of Krishna?” one may ask.
That can be answered in many ways. Here is one way Krishna answers that in Bhagavad-gita:
mac-cittah sarva-durgani
atha cet tvam ahankaran
na srosyasi vinanksyasi
“If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditioned life by My grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act through false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost.” (Bhagavad-gita 18.58)
That sounds like a good deal: “You will pass over all the obstacles of conditioned life” by Krishna’s grace.