Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 18, No. 19
By Krishna Kripa Das
(October 2022, part one)
(Sent from Brooklyn, New York, on October 23, 2022)
Where I Went and What I Did
I remained in New York City, living at the Radha Govinda temple in Brooklyn, and assisting Rama Raya Prabhu with his NYC Harinam party, chanting Hare Krishna for four hours a day, Monday to Saturday, through October 15. The first Sunday I chanted Hare Krishna for three hours myself at Atlantic / Barclays subway station, and I distributed a few books. The second Sunday I chanted Hare Krishna with devotees from ISKCON NYC and the Bhakti Center at Tompkins Square Park on the anniversary of the first kirtan there on October 9. On October 16, I traveled with some devotees to Boston, to see and hear from Niranjana Swami, who I have known since he invited me to live at our New York temple 43 years ago. I did harinama one day there, chanting for three hours at Copley Square with a young Indian man named Rishikesh, who was very helpful.
I share quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Krishna book, which I am reading for the month of Karttika, Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, which my guru and his friends and followers are reading during breakfast and lunch, and Srimad-Bhagavatam, which we are studying in Brooklyn in the morning class. I share notes on Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami’s Nimai’s Detour, Gurudeva and Nimai, and Free Write Journal, all of which I was proofreading. I share notes from a compilation of sastric references on Govardhana Hill I was also proofreading. I share notes on classes by Candrasekhara, Niranjana, Radhanath, and Vedavyasapriya Swamis, as well as Drutakarma, Hansarupa, Pancharatna, Rama Raya, Gauranga, Radhe Shyam, Yugala Kisora, Bhutabhavana, Devavrata, Prabhavishnu, and Hadai Prana Prabhus. I share a realization by Bhakta Jimmy.
Many, many thanks both to Atmanivedana Prabhu and Bhakti Sergey for their very generous donations. Thanks to Gaurav for his kind donations and ride to Boston. Thanks to my mother for her birthday donation. Thanks to Edita Jiminez and Yugala Piriti Devi Dasi for their kind donations. Thanks to Rama Raya Prabhu and Divyangi Devi Dasi for their videos of harinama in New York City. Thanks to all the devotees who assisted in my attempt to celebrate the anniversary of the first Tompkins Square Park kirtan on October 9, 1966. Thanks to Rishikesh for joining me on harinama in Boston, and to Vanamali Prabhu for giving me a ride to the home program of Niranjana Swami. As always I get by with a little help from my friends.
Itinerary
September 26–November 22: NYC Harinam
November 23–December 14: three weeks of service to Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami
December 14–January ?, 2023: NYC Harinam
January 3: Jury duty, Kings County, New York
Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City
Pancharatna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Tulasi Kirtan at ISKCON NYC in Brooklyn (https://youtu.be/8FNxQvIq6Lo):
Divyangi Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/a3SP2hzTHvs):
Alex chants Hare Krishna there also (https://youtu.be/uOh5St7MKr0):
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna there as well (https://youtu.be/Bcdqy05FaQw):
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the ISKCON NYC Sunday program (https://youtu.be/svV1Xsxe468):
Jayananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Sunday program (https://youtu.be/NOv3asOabgQ):
Shobhamayi Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Sunday program (https://youtu.be/oqbgb9KwQqQ):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Sunday program (https://youtu.be/6UIiwWPwrHQ):
Pancharatna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at mangala-arati at ISKCON NYC (https://youtu.be/wuZUIdUNwdg):
Divyangi Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at 34th Street / Penn Station subway station (https://youtu.be/-Cc5a-DEBuU):
Alex chanted Hare Krishna there too (https://youtu.be/ltdc8fAygiU):
At outreach programs for new people I like to have half an hour of Hare Krishna kirtan before and after the lecture as I heard that Srila Prabhupada did at 26 2nd Avenue back in 1966. I was pleased by the enthusiasm of the attendees to participate in this at the Tuesday evening program at ISKCON NYC. The new people who came that night were those whose friends had invited them to come, a good sign. Thanks to Matanga and Divyangi Prabhus for their videos which I edited together into one (https://youtu.be/eqHi38LADIc):
Alex chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station above the 7 train (https://youtu.be/Vjl5M-oMBYs):
Hadai Prana Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna there also (https://youtu.be/GLcTHpvS8VA):
Tulasirani Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Columbus Circle (https://youtu.be/saQyhiHOOZY):
I said we have a temple in Spanish Fork. He said they were from Spanish Fork. I was surprised. I have never met anyone from Spanish Fork, Utah, in my life! I shared the temple address and said our festivals there are so nice the Mormons attend them. Then the guy on the left said he ate at Govinda’s on 55th Street, which was not far from Columbus Circle, in the 1970s.
Jayananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park and kids, both big and small, play shakers (https://youtu.be/Td1_WUXMMjQ):
Gopal chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and Bhakti Center girls dance (https://youtu.be/h-jCkFdFFa0):
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and passersby dance with devotees (https://youtu.be/cGasx_FkOS4):
Commenting on the above video of Hadai Prana Prabhu singing in Washington Square Park on October 7 with many people playing shakers and dancing, Kurma Prabhu the famous Hare Krishna cook from Australia said, “Sweet! Saving New York, one kirtan at a time.”
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and many dance (https://youtu.be/ahQqtyUkyP0):
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and a family plays shakers, gives a donation, and takes books (https://youtu.be/0ZkV3Fwos4s):
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and a lady appareled in a rainbow colored dress dances, as she did for about an hour and a half that day (https://youtu.be/q6TBnh8E4WY):
Devotees from the Brooklyn temple and the from Bhakti Center chanted Hare Krishna to, from, and at Tompkins Square Park on the 56th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s first kirtan there on October 9, 1966. While there we read about that original kirtan from Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita.
David, now at 57, who has lived in the area his whole life, remembers hearing the Hare Krishna chanting parties pass his home throughout his youth.
Here Kishan chants Hare Krishna on the way to Tompkins Square Park from 26 2nd Avenue 56 years after the first kirtan there (https://youtu.be/5qoUTquLTlY):
Initially we could not chant by the Hare Krishna tree because a band had a permit to do amplified music until 4 p.m. As it was only 3:20 p.m., we did kirtan and read Lilamrita at another part of the park.
Sevika Devi Dasi and a group of youthful attenders of Radha Govinda Mandir chant Hare Krishna at the Hare Krishna Tree in Tompkins Square Park (https://youtu.be/2mJjrX9-JYc):
Before leaving, the devotees from the Brooklyn temple youth group embraced the sacred tree that heard Srila Prabhupada’s pure chanting of Hare Krishna many years ago.
When I go there, I always think of how Srila Prabhupada was envisioning a worldwide movement with chanting parties in every town, as he was chanting at that tree back in 1966.
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and a lady dressed in rainbow colors dances to the sound as she did two days before (https://youtu.be/GEKz7Ee2tkw):
Nate chants Hare Krishna in Washington Square Park, and a family plays shakers and dances (https://youtu.be/bIrOYUgjGJU):
Rama Raya Prabhu leads the chanting, and an old man does a few dance steps with his walker (https://youtu.be/ctUVI0YOfec):
Keshav chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and many dance (https://youtu.be/caU1Dgq8sAk):
Siddharth chants Hare Krishna at Atlantic Terminal (https://youtu.be/FIYvdrHySRg):
Jagaddhatri Devi Dasi chanted Hare Krishna there too (https://youtu.be/mhLjoFjcV4Q):
So did I (https://youtu.be/8zBqodjzBV8):
Jayananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Columbus Circle, and passersby play shakers and dance (https://youtu.be/hNz4J2IcZVo):
I also chanted there (https://youtu.be/7XfNo3uVi3I):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Tulasi Puja in ISKCON NYC (https://youtu.be/8IYKswIBGps):
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station above the 7 train, and Bhakti Center ladies dance (https://youtu.be/0Yby59Riu0g):
Tricia, who I know from Krishna House in Gainesville and who became interested in Krishna consciousness because of having devotee kids as friends at her public high school in Alachua, chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/9XcsYn1zVkc):
Her friend from Ukraine, Radhastami Devi Dasi, also staying at the Bhakti Center also chanted (https://youtu.be/LSRdPw8yR5c):
Nate chants Hare Krishna, and Bhakti Center ladies dance (https://youtu.be/-PpJ5LqtLRY):
Here is that kirtan in portrait orientation as recorded by Rama Raya Prabhu (https://youtu.be/N_ACgR2kK7k):
I also chanted in Times Square subway station that day (https://youtu.be/zU-Q_LB1TDU):
Radhika chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/ZnvDUHfxIS4):
Braja Sakhi Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/P1x0ccmcnwg):
While Krishna Kumar Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, we got to see that Krishna consciousness is attractive to young and old alike. Here two young ladies blissfully play shakers (https://youtu.be/t-OJfzLzJjI):
And here an old lady dances (https://youtu.be/WyEvHY5vhdQ):
Prabhupada disciple, Sunanda Prabhu, chants at Washington Square Park, and passersby play shakers and dance (https://youtu.be/A4kRzMoZFVc):
Godruma Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and a guy plays shakers and dances (https://youtu.be/GHExn1y4DRU):
Divyangi Devi Dasi engages passersby in offering lamps to Lord Krishna in the form of Damodara during the month of Karttika, thus freeing them from their karma and making them eligible to attain the spiritual realm at the end of life (https://youtu.be/xoT60OAMpE0):
Niranjana Swami chants Hare Krishna at Boston Sunday feast program (https://youtu.be/m1xpgjo41Uc):
Niranjana Swami chants “Haribol!” as kirtan ends, and attendees, including a group from Boston College, dance in a chain (https://youtu.be/hZIAqRns110):
I was amazed to see how Niranjana Swami was fully engaged from 5 to 10 p.m. on Sunday night in giving a lecture, leading two Hare Krishna kirtans and talking with devotees and guests. The 8:30 p.m. kirtan was one of the most lively I have ever seen at that time of day (https://youtu.be/L6OdPFL5_Qg):
By the end of Niranjana Swami’s second kirtan, many devotees were dancing (https://youtu.be/CB7NQsTDWR0):
Prabhupada disciple, Muktavandya Prabhu, kindly arranged a nice accommodation for me for which I am grateful. Unfortunately he was not feeling well enough to go on harinama with me the next day at Copley Square, but a young Indian man, Rishikesh, was able to join me.
It rained in the middle, and we had to take shelter of subway entrance to stay dry. People gave us $6, and they took at least two books and many pamphlets, and two people chanted a couple of mantras with us. A couple of people also recalled the days when you would see Hare Krishnas chanting on the streets as a regular daily function.
I assumed some of the unmarried men in the ashram would attend Niranjana Swami’s program that night, and I asked one to find a ride for me and not leave without me, but that did not happen. I caught a ride later with a devotee who had to complete some deity service before he could go, thus I arrived 1:15 hours late for the program, which I was not very happy about.
On Monday Muktavandya Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna at the evening arati at ISKCON Boston (https://youtu.be/0GKlXtrlKd0):
Although it was absolutely wonderful to see Niranjana Swami and attend his programs, because of not being able to have a private meeting with him, because only one person joined me on harinama, and because I missed so much of the final program, I was bit dissatisfied when I left Boston.
On the bus to New York, my metal water bottle slid off my bag onto the floor making a loud clang and waking up the guy behind me. He handed it to me with a smile, saying, “Radhe! Radhe!”
Turns out he was from Kurukshetra, the place where Krishna spoke Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna. Now he works in Boston, so I gave him cards for our temples in New York and Boston and some prasadam from Radha Gopivallabha. Although I had been in a bad mood, that cheered me up.
Special Photos
The idea of setting up a chair and a table in public and displaying an “Ask a Monk” sign is not a new one, but I think a sign of this magnitude may be unique.
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From a class in Los Angeles on November 15, 1968:
“So if you go to Vrindavan and if you like to dance with Krishna, the facility is for you. That is the ultimate goal of our life. If you want to love Krishna similarly as the gopis loved, you can have the chance.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 17.272, purport:
“Candrasekhara Acarya assisted in the routine ceremonial work of the Lord’s acceptance of sannyasa. By the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, kirtana was performed for the entire day, and at the end of the day the Lord shaved off His hair.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 17.276:
“To taste the mellows of Srimati Radharani’s loving affairs in Her relationship with Krishna, and to understand the reservoir of pleasure in Krishna, Krishna Himself, as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, accepted the mood of Radharani.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 17.278–279:
“It is firmly concluded that the ecstatic mood of the gopis is possible only before Krishna, and no one else. He has a bluish complexion, a peacock feather on His head, a guñja garland and the decorations of a cowherd boy. His body is curved in three places, and He holds a flute to His mouth.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.15.45, purport:
“The highest yoga-marga process is to concentrate the mind twenty-four hours a day on Krishna. This is called Krishna consciousness.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.15.48, purport:
“The transcendental bliss enjoyed by the devotees of the Lord is completely different from the material happiness enjoyed by less intelligent persons.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, preface:
“When one waters the root of a tree, he automatically waters the branches, twigs, leaves and flowers; when one supplies food to the stomach through the mouth, he satisfies all the various parts of the body. The art of focusing one’s attention on the Supreme and giving one’s love to Him is called Krishna consciousness. We have inaugurated the Krishna consciousness movement so that everyone can satisfy his propensity for loving others simply by directing his love toward Krishna. The whole world is very eager to satisfy the dormant propensity of love for others, but the various invented methods like socialism, communism, altruism, humanitarianism and nationalism, along with whatever else may be manufactured for the peace and prosperity of the world, are all useless and frustrating because of our gross ignorance of the art of loving Krishna. Generally people think that by advancing the cause of moral principles and religious rites they will be happy. Others may think that happiness can be achieved by economic development, and yet others think that simply by sense gratification they will be happy. But the real fact is that people can be happy only by loving Krishna.”
“Krishna can perfectly reciprocate one’s loving propensities in different relationships called mellows, or rasas. Basically there are twelve loving relationships. One can love Krishna as the supreme unknown, as the supreme master, the supreme friend, the supreme child, the supreme lover. These are the five basic love rasas. One can also love Krishna indirectly in seven different relationships, which are apparently different from the five primary relationships. All in all, however, if one simply reposes his dormant loving propensity in Krishna, then his life becomes successful. This is not a fiction but is a fact that can be realized by practical application. One can directly perceive the effects that love for Krishna has on his life.”
“It has now been actually proved that today’s confused and frustrated younger generation in the Western countries can directly perceive the results of channeling the loving propensity toward Krishna alone.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Introduction:
“This krishna-katha will also be very much appealing to the most materialistic persons because Krishna’s pastimes with the gopis (cowherd girls) are exactly like the loving affairs between young girls and boys within this material world. Actually, the sex feeling found in human society is not unnatural because this same sex feeling is there in the original Personality of Godhead. The pleasure potency is called Srimati Radharani. The attraction of loving affairs on the basis of sex feeling is the original feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we, the conditioned souls, being part and parcel of the Supreme, have such feelings also, but they are experienced within a perverted, minute condition. Therefore, when those who are after sex life in this material world hear about Krishna’s pastimes with the gopis, they will relish transcendental pleasure, although it appears to be materialistic. The advantage will be that they will gradually be elevated to the spiritual platform. In the Bhagavatam it is stated that if one hears the pastimes of Lord Krishna with the gopis, from authorities, with submission, then he will be promoted to the platform of transcendental loving service to the Lord, and the material disease of lust within his heart will be completely vanquished. In other words, such hearing will counteract material sex life.”
“Maharaja Pariksit expressed himself very frankly: ‘Hunger and thirst may give trouble to ordinary persons or to me, but the topics of Krishna are so nice that one can continue to hear them without feeling tired because such hearing situates one in the transcendental position.’”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 6:
“Devotees therefore pray that if simply by offering something as an enemy Putana got so much benefit, then who can measure the benefit of worshiping Krishna in love and affection? Therefore only Krishna should be worshiped, for so much benefit awaits the worshiper.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 7:
“The conditioned soul has a natural aptitude to hear something about other conditioned souls in the form of fiction, drama and novel. That inclination to hear something about others may be utilized in hearing the pastimes of the Lord. Then one can immediately evolve his transcendental nature. Krishna’s pastimes are not only beautiful; they are also very pleasing to the mind.”
“Lord Caitanya also instructed that simply by hearing the transcendental name of Lord Krishna one can cleanse the heart of all material contamination.
“And because in this Age of Kali such qualified brahmanas are not available, all Vedic ritualistic sacrifices are forbidden. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has therefore recommended only one kind of sacrifice in this age – namely the sankirtana-yajña, or chanting the maha-mantra, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 8:
“Generally householders think that engaging in family affairs is their prime duty and that self-realization or enlightenment in spiritual knowledge is secondary. Out of compassion only, saintly persons and brahmanas go to householders’ homes.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 11:
“All the cowherd men, including Nanda Maharaja, used to talk of the wonderful activities of Lord Krishna and Balarama, and they were always so much absorbed in those talks that they forgot the threefold miseries of this material existence. This is the effect of Krishna consciousness. What was enjoyed five thousand years ago by Nanda Maharaja can still be enjoyed by Krishna conscious persons simply by talking about the transcendental pastimes of Krishna and His associates.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 13:
“As a puppet has no independent power to dance but dances according to the direction of the puppet master, so the demigods and living entities are all subordinate to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrita, the only master is Krishna, and all others are His servants. The whole world is under the waves of the material spell, and beings are floating like straws in water. So their struggle for existence is continuing. But as soon as one becomes conscious that he is the eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this maya, or illusory struggle for existence, is immediately stopped.”
“He [Lord Brahma] saw all around him the superexcellent view of Vrindavan – full with trees – which is the source of life for all living entities. He could appreciate the transcendental land of Vrindavan, where all the living entities are transcendental to ordinary nature. In the forest of Vrindavan, even ferocious animals like tigers live peacefully along with the deer and human beings. He could understand that because of the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vrindavan is transcendental to all other places and is free of lust and greed.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 14:
“The all-pervasive nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can never be within the limited knowledge of a living entity; therefore, a person who has attained steadiness of the mind by fixing the mind on the lotus feet of the Lord is able to understand the Supreme Lord to some extent. It is the business of the mind to wander over varied subject matter for sense gratification. Therefore only a person who always engages the senses in the service of the Lord can control the mind and be fixed at the lotus feet of the Lord. This concentration of the mind upon the lotus feet of the Lord is called samadhi. Until one reaches the stage of samadhi, or trance, he cannot understand the nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
“Actually, every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and a son of the Godhead. Each has the natural right to inherit and share the transcendental pleasures of the Lord, but due to the contact of matter, conditioned living entities have been practically disinherited. If one adopts the simple method of engaging himself in devotional service, automatically he becomes eligible to be freed from material contamination and elevated to the transcendental position of associating with the Supreme Lord.”
“Wherever I may be, I pray that I may be engaged in Your devotional service. I do not even care what form of life I get in the future, because I can see that even in the form of cows and calves or cowherd boys, the devotees are so fortunate to be always engaged in Your transcendental loving service and association. Therefore I wish to be one of them instead of such an exalted person as I am now, for I am full of ignorance.
“I am simply surprised, therefore, with the fortunate position of Maharaja Nanda, Mother Yashoda and the cowherd men and gopis, because You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, are existing here as their most intimate lovable object. My dear Lord, no one can actually appreciate the good fortune of these residents of Vrindavan.
“We may be proud of being controllers of the senses, but here the residents of Vrindavan are so transcendental that they are not under our control. Actually they are enjoying their senses through service to You. I shall therefore consider myself fortunate to be given a chance to take birth in this land of Vrindavan in any of my future lives.
“My Lord, I can understand that the superexcellent quality of the service rendered by the residents of Vrindavan is due to their spontaneously engaging all natural instincts in Your loving service. It is said that attachment for material objects and home is due to illusion, which makes a living entity conditioned in the material world. But this is only the case for persons who are not Krishna conscious. In the case of the residents of Vrindavan, such obstructions as attachment to hearth and home are nonexistent. Because their attachment has been directed unto You and their homes have been converted into temples by Your constant presence there, and because they have forgotten everything for Your sake, there is no impediment. For a Krishna conscious person, there is no such thing as impediments due to attachment for hearth and home. Nor is there illusion.
“Therefore it is my deliberate conclusion that You are the only worshipable Deity within the creation. Accept my humble obeisances until the annihilation of this material world. As long as there is sunshine within this material world, kindly accept my humble obeisances.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 15:
“Actually, the trees born in the land of Vrindavan are not ordinary living entities. Having held the impersonal point of view in their past lives, they have been put into this stationary condition of life, but now they have the opportunity of seeing You in Vrindavan, and they are praying for further advancement in spiritual life through Your personal association.”
“Above all, the damsels of Vraja, the gopis, are the most glorious because You embrace them with Your strong arms, being attracted by their beauty.”
“When Krishna entered the village, the young gopis smiled and laughed. Krishna, while playing the flute, enjoyed the beautiful smiling faces of the gopis.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 16:
“Our dear Lord, although You have expanded into the three principal deities of this universe – namely Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva – for creation, maintenance and destruction, Your appearance as Lord Vishnu is actually for the benediction of living creatures. Therefore, for those who are actually peaceful and who are aspiring after the supreme peace, worship of Your peaceful appearance as Lord Vishnu is recommended.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 18:
“Dear Krishna! Dear Krishna! You and Balarama are very powerful. We are now burning from the heat of this blazing fire. Let us take shelter of Your lotus feet. We know You can protect us from this great danger. Our dear friend Krishna, we are Your intimate friends. It is not right that we should suffer in this way. We are all completely dependent on You, and You are the knower of all religious life. We do not know anyone except You.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 20:
“Students are generally supposed to rise early in the morning. They do not usually arise of their own accord, however, but only when there is a bell sounded in the temple or other spiritual institution. By the order of the spiritual master they immediately rise, and after finishing their morning duties they sit down to study the Vedas or chant Vedic mantras. Everyone is sleeping in the darkness of Kali-yuga, but when there is a great acarya, by his calling only, everyone takes to the study of the Vedas to acquire actual knowledge.”
“The poet Vidyapati said that in the society of friends, family, children, wife, etc., there is certainly some pleasure, but that pleasure is compared to a drop of water in the desert. Everyone is hankering after happiness, just as in the desert everyone is hankering after water. If in the desert there is a drop of water, it may of course be said that water is there, but the benefit from that drop of water is very insignificant. In our materialistic way of life, which is just like a desert, we are hankering after an ocean of happiness, but in the form of society, friends and mundane love we are getting no more than a drop of water. Our satisfaction is never achieved, as the small rivulets, lakes and ponds are never filled with water in the dry season.”
“During the rainy season, all living entities in the land, sky and water become very much refreshed, exactly like one who engages in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. We have practical experience of this with our students in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Before becoming students, they were dirty-looking, although they had naturally beautiful personal features; due to having no information of Krishna consciousness they appeared very dirty and wretched. Since they have taken to Krishna consciousness, their health has improved, and by their following the rules and regulations, their bodily luster has increased. When they are dressed with saffron-colored cloth, with tilaka on their foreheads and beads in their hands and on their necks, they look exactly as if they have come directly from Vaikuntha.”
“It is advised that after the age of fifty one should retire from family life and conserve the energy of the body for utilization in the advancement of Krishna consciousness. Unless one is able to control the senses and engage them in the transcendental loving service of Mukunda, there is no possibility of salvation.”
“When there are ample blooming flowers in the gardens in the forest, the fresh, aromatic breeze gives great relief to the persons who have suffered during the summer and rainy seasons. Unfortunately, such breezes could not give any relief to the gopis because of their hearts’ dedication to Krishna. People in general might have taken pleasure in that nice autumn breeze, but the gopis, not being embraced by Krishna, were not very much satisfied.”
“In the case of the transcendentalist, be he a jñani, a yogi or a devotee, because of the material body he cannot actually enjoy spiritual achievement. But as soon as he gives up the body, or after death, the jñani merges into the spiritual effulgence of the Supreme Lord, the yogi transfers himself to the various higher planets, and the devotee goes to the planet of the Supreme Lord, Goloka Vrindavan or one of the Vaikunthas, and thus enjoys his eternal spiritual life.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 23:
“This complete surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the most auspicious path for the conditioned soul because the Supreme Lord is the supreme objective of love. Everyone is loving his self according to the advancement of his knowledge. Ultimately, when a person comes to understand that his self is the spirit soul and that the spirit soul is nothing but a part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, he recognizes the Supreme Lord as the ultimate goal of love and then surrenders unto Him. This surrender is considered auspicious for the conditioned soul. Our life, property, home, wife, children, house, country, society and all paraphernalia which are very dear to us are expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the central object of love because He gives us all bliss, expanding Himself in so many ways according to our different situations, namely bodily, mental or spiritual.”
“Transcendental love for Me does not depend upon bodily connection,” Krishna said further, “but anyone whose mind is always absorbed in Me will surely, very soon, come to Me for My eternal association.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Nimai’s Detour:
“Anu was so friendly with the creatures in the garden that even animals that normally killed each other did not do so by his influence.”
From Gurudeva and Nimai:
“When Arjuna was afraid,” said Gurudeva, “Krishna didn’t exactly tell him his tears or fears were forbidden. But what was forbidden was the giving up of duty. Krishna told Arjuna to tolerate. In other words, because we’re not liberated we’re afraid. Otherwise, Krishna wouldn’t have to tell us to tolerate, would He? But He knows that we’re weak and conditioned, and so He reminds us that everything in this world is temporary and we should tolerate it.”
“And as long as we’re conditioned, we’ll have some kind of doubts, big or small. I do also. So let’s accept that it’s not unusual to have some doubts. And accept also that they’re not magically going to go away all at once. It’s like the bears. We can’t wish them away. But we don’t have to be so petrified that we can’t live our own life.”
“Gurudeva said that the jays were ‘stout and strong,’ and not because of the extra handouts that we were giving them. Their food was supplied by nature, and nature, he said, is under the control of God. Every creature in nature has its own food supply, with no question of shortage or starvation. ‘But the human being,’ said Gurudeva, ‘has developed such bizarre and demoniac tastes that he needs to have his food imported by planes and trucks from all over the world, or else he thinks he’ll starve to death.’”
“‘if we want to see how good Krishna is, let’s go to Him with these basic questions. Let’s approach Krishna as jagad-guru. Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita. In His book He teaches everything about the science of God in a way similar to other scriptures, but He also gives information that is not found in the others.’”
From My Dear Lord Krishna:
“Not forgiving comes close to the offense of offending Vaisnavas.”
“And I do ask You to forgive me. I do not mean to act against You or Your devotees. I do so blindly, foolishly. Please see my good intentions and forgive me for my wrongs. It may be presumptuous or cheap begging to ask forgiveness, but I cannot help but do it. I so much want to be seen kindly in Your eyes and allowed entrance into Your pastimes. But I have done wrongs. Unless You forgive me, I have no hope. I will try my best to be forgiving of others and remain petitioning You for forgiveness upon myself.”
From Prabhupada Meditations, Volume 3:
“Just as Prahlada Maharaja was blessed by the touch of Lord Nrsimhadeva, so today we can have the same facility. How? Is Lord Nrsimhadeva here? Prabhupada said He was here as nama-rupa-avatara: Krishna is present in His name. Pacing his words slowly and with the right emphasis, Prabhupada said, ‘We should stick to the chanting of Hare Krishna. Do it with full faith and know that this is Krishna in His sound vibration. When we chant, we are touching Krishna with our tongues. So always go on chanting Hare Krishna and be with Krishna in this way. Thank you very much.’ These words were met with another big cheer form the assembled devotees.”
From Prabhupada Meditations, Volume 4:
“Prabhupada was receiving two panditas who were wearing big turbans. In Hindi he asked them, ‘Who is God?’
“One of the panditas replied, ‘Oh Swamiji, how can you ask a question like that. You just can’t ask it so abruptly, ‘Who is God?’ He is so many things.’
“Prabhupada replied in a heavy tone, ‘You say He is so many things but you tell me one thing that He is.’
“That pandita had nothing to say. Then Prabhupada turned to the other pandita and asked, ‘Who is God?’ The pandita responded by saying that it was a very big topic that cannot be discussed.
“Then Prabhupada called in a gurukula boy named Lila-smaranam. Prabhupada often called this boy forward to give him a sweet, so Lila-smaranam went up to Prabhupada and stuck out his right hand. Prabhupada took a piece of burfi out of a bowl on his desk, but before giving it to the boy he asked, ‘Who is God?’ According to Atma-tattva, Lila-smaranam was thinking, ‘Who is this God who is coming between me and the burfi?’ But Prabhupada wouldn’t give the burfi until the boy gave the answer. Reluctantly, Lila-smaranam answered, ‘Krishna.’
“Prabhupada gave him the burfi, then reached into the bowl and took out another one. Lila-smaranam immediately stuck out his left hand. Prabhupada asked, ‘Who is Krishna?’
“Lila-smaranam replied, ‘Krishna is God.’ Prabhupada then turned to the panditas and said, ‘Just see, even a child can tell you who is God.’
“‘Swamiji,’ one of the panditas said, ‘the boy says Krishna is God, but he doesn’t realize it.’
“Prabhupada rose to the occasion and in a voice filled with transcendental anger said, ‘Even God does not know He is God.’”
From May Apples: Stroudsburg, PA – Queens, NY – Philadelphia, PA – Baltimore, MD (May 5–13, 1996), Writing Session 3:
“The fact that time flows and can’t be stopped, not this day or hour, is symbolic and factual evidence that we will all die. But the Gita teaches us that the soul will live on.”
From Calling Out to Srila Prabhupada: Poems and Prayers:
“#1
“O Srila Prabhupada, who left this world, but who taught us how to survive and how to join with him and Krishna in the eternal spiritual world, please protect me;
“O Prabhupada, whose purports are wonderfully clear, having been gathered from what was taught by the previous acaryas and made all new;
“O Prabhupada, who is always sober to expose the material illusion and blissful in knowledge of Krishna, may we carefully read your Bhaktivedanta purports;
“O Prabhupada, whose thousands of spiritual sons and daughters sometimes leave your house yet continue to remember you wherever they are. Please teach us to be compassionate and to be a devotee;
“O Prabhupada, whose sincere followers do not serve the Lord out of force or for fame but who are convinced and satisfied by the name, fame, form, and teachings of Govinda;
“O Prabhupada, whose followers know that Krishna cannot be seen by these material eyes or by blunt senses or even by the most powerful mind’s scrutiny, and certainly He cannot be known by scientific investigation;
“O Prabhupada, please help us understand, as you do, and be faithful, as you are, to the descending process of sabda-brahma;
“O Prabhupada, who dressed always in saffron, who wrote affectionate letters to his disciples signed ‘Your ever well-wisher,’ who wrote to his leaders, ‘Never be a moment without thinking how to improve ISKCON,’ who encouraged each department of workers without discouraging another, who gave all of his life’s energy for spreading Krishna consciousness, who was empowered with success never achieved by previous acaryas, and who opened the door for the entire world to appreciate Gaudiya Vaisnavism as the eternal teachings of topmost love of God, we pray to always retain utmost respect for you and your teachings.”
“#2
“O Prabhupada, whose upraised arms caused hundreds of devotees to jump and dance, whose feet walked over the countless enemies against worldwide sankirtana;
“O Prabhupada, who sat submissively for his massage yet directed his disciples like a general, ‘Once a temple is opened it can never be closed, somehow stick on’;
“O Prabhupada, who has rejoined the nitya-lila of Lord Krishna, who has left us behind to test our sincerity, but who stays in his murti accepting our obeisances, please allow us to focus on you and serve you always;
“O Prabhupada, may we purify our words and thoughts by composing prayers to you, may we please your Lord Krishna by serving His servant, may we obtain direction and courage from Supersoul how to distribute your books, may we live to see harmony and revival among your disciples, may we remember your instructions not to fear demons but to trust in Krishna, may we read your books because you wrote them for our benefit, and by reading them may we conquer all atheistic doubts and come to the clear stage wherein Lord Krishna reveals Himself;
“O Prabhupada, Krishna is on the cover of all your books and on every page and purport, and Krishna is always in your thoughts;
“O Prabhupada, your International Society for Krishna Consciousness is a house built for the entire world, and Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the Lord of your house;
“O Prabhupada, you are our link to the Six Gosvamis and to Lord Krishna and to Radha-Krishna. We are lost without you.”
“#3
“O Prabhupada, O lord, whose praises will always be sung by worthy devotees; O lord, who walked Manhattan’s streets and who brought Radha-Krishna to the West;
“O lord of the devotees, whose lectures are now preserved and listened to carefully as the best standard of Krishna conscious public speech; O Prabhupada, whose words can be appreciated only by those who will hear the truth of Krishna in parampara;
“O Prabhupada, whose words bring transcendental light into any darkness within the material world;
“O Prabhupada, whose disappearance from the world continues year after year, forcing his followers to find him in his vani and to consult among themselves and to listen to the Lord in the heart;
“O Prabhupada, who jumped and danced and sang with ecstasy at an old age when most men are sitting down nursing their rheumatism, and who walked and skipped and leaped for hours at London Ratha-yatra, sometimes turning to look up at Lord Jagannatha;
“O Prabhupada, who always led his disciples in whatever austerity he asked them to perform, who sold his books on the street and at universities and bookstores and who sold Back to Godhead by sitting down to talk with the tea stall customers; O Prabhupada, who traveled wherever there was an opportunity to spread Krishna consciousness—into Africa, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Caracas, Tokyo, Gainesville, Portland, Allahabad, Hyderabad, Los Angeles, and the Kumbha-mela . . .”
“O Prabhupada, who faced the hippies and acidheads and speed freaks, and tamed them by answering their questions and by demonstrating peace and fearlessness, who tolerated the Bowery bums and showed concern always for all beings, who was like a lily in the water, neither scorched by the hot sun of passion nor wetted by the lake of material desires;
“O Prabhupada, who cut an apple into many slices and distributed it with his own hand in New York City, who with his hand took deft portions from a big mound of halava and distributed it to dozens of young urchins after kirtanas in Bombay, who honored prasadam alone, eating at a low table from a silver plate, accepting whatever his disciples offered;
“O Prabhupada, may our remembrance of you fructify into good deeds on your behalf, or what good is our life? May we dance to your kirtana tunes, may we play the karatalas as you taught us, may we recognize that we are always fools before our spiritual master, yet may we act as intelligent representatives in the science of God as taught in the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and may our love repose always in you.”
From Prabhupada Meditations, #3:
“#13 Coaching Us in Krishna Consciousness
“ . . . The Swami was like our spiritual coach, and we were his team. The coach accepts his boys as they are, but he trains them. They come to him as juvenile delinquents, but as they work out on the basketball court, they become something better. Similarly, Swamiji let us work out our unruly feelings without inhibition, as he brought us together in the maha-mantra.
“After the game is over, the boys are shiny with sweat, drinking Cokes in the locker room, joking adolescents. The coach allows it, but he is in control. We too were sweating and excited after the kirtana performance. We were wild, and Prabhupada allowed it. He let Gargamuni say, ‘Swamiji, I was in so much ecstasy I thought I would cry!’ He watched as Umapati cracked a joke to Hayagriva, but then spoke things that quieted us. We listened to him and relaxed.
“We never expected Swamiji to act like a hippie-guru. He never spoke our jargon, and yet he was hip in his own way. He was totally present with us, and we gave ourselves to him.
“The coach-and-team analogy gets left far behind when we study the heart of our relationship with Prabhupada. He was taking us to the eternal spiritual world, telling us of the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Swamiji revealed the Vedas to us, and told us how to center our lives around them. All we had to do was listen submissively. He was cleaning our hearts in a way that was not perceivable to us, and yet he was perceivable, healthy and strong, our vibrant spiritual master.”
Candrasekhara Swami:
The nine stages of devotion are psychological states, and you have to go through one stage to go to the next. You can’t just skip over them.
Comment on a class by me: Sometimes when you feel offended you become the person that commits a bigger offense. I just noticed this from reflecting on the many cases of cursing in the Bhagavatam.
Getting the darsana of the Supreme Lord in person is not an ordinary event. It means one has ended his time in the material world.
Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan are three aspects of the Lord, and one generally does not see them all at once.
Brahman is considered hellish to the devotees for there is no service, no servant, and no person to be served.
The Kumaras moved from seeing the Lord in ecstatic trance to seeing the Lord in front of them in person.
That the holy name is a person is easy to say, but ultimately it must be revealed to us through our chanting.
Why don’t we invite Gaudiya Math devotees to speak in our temples? I want to speak on this topic as recently there has been one Bengali devotee preaching against Srila Prabhupada’s commentary on Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, saying the book is so straightforward it does not need a commentary.
Srila Prabhupada’s position on his followers interacting with the Gaudiya Math is clear from this letter to Rupanuga on April 28, 1974:
[I deleted the names mentioned as it was not a practice of Srila Prabhupada to publish in writing the names of the people involved. - KKD]
“I do not wish to discuss about activities of my Godbrothers but it is a fact they have no life for preaching work. . . . They have no idea or brain how to broadcast the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. My Guru Maharaja used to lament many times for this reason and he thought if one man at least had understood the principle of preaching then his mission would achieve success. In the latter days of my Guru Maharaja he was very disgusted. Actually, he left this world earlier, otherwise he would have continued to live for more years. Still he requested his disciples to form a strong Governing body for preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He never recommended anyone to be acarya of the Gaudiya Math. But <name deleted> is responsible for disobeying this order of Guru Maharaja, and he and others who are already dead unnecessarily thought that there must be one acarya. If Guru Maharaja could have seen someone who was qualified at that time to be acarya he would have mentioned. Because on the night before he passed away he talked of so many things, but never mentioned an acarya. His idea was acarya was not to be nominated amongst the governing body. He said openly you make a GBC and conduct the mission. So his idea was amongst the members of GBC who would come out successful and self effulgent acarya would be automatically selected. So <name deleted> and his two associate gentlemen unauthorizedly selected one acarya and later it proved a failure. The result is now everyone is claiming to be acarya even though they may be kanistha adhikari with no ability to preach. In some of the camps the acarya is being changed three times a year. Therefore we may not commit the same mistake in our ISKCON camp. . . . So it is better not to mix with my Godbrothers very intimately because instead of inspiring our students and disciples they may sometimes pollute them. This attempt was made previously by them, especially <three names deleted> but somehow or other I saved the situation. This is going on. We shall be very careful about them and not mix with them. This is my instruction to you all. They cannot help us in our movement, but they are very competent to harm our natural progress. So we must be very careful about them.”
As for hearing lectures from outside ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada wrote this letter to Nitai on July 14, 1976:
“Please accept my blessings. I have received reports that you have been developing the habit of going outside the temple to hear lectures by others outside like <name deleted>. Also, I have heard now that even some of the Indian devotees are doing likewise.
Strictly nobody should go outside to hear lectures by others. If you are not satisfied by the calibre of the classes at the Krishna Balarama Mandir, then you should give another class, but you cannot go outside for hearing others’ lectures. Kindly stop this habit immediately.”
The Gaudiya Math people generally preach something like you should hear elevated katha from a rasika bhakta who can see your relationship with Krishna. This was not the teaching of Srila Prabhupada nor of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.
Once at Radha Kunda Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura gave a lecture that was attended my many Radha Kunda babajis. When he started speaking on Isopanisad, they all left.
Comment by me: Apparently Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura gave only four lectures on Radharani although he was an eternal associate of Radharani, and he gave many classes on the Upanisads.
Lord Caitanya also spoke on the highest topics to just two or three intimate devotees.
The goal of many of these Gaudiya Math people is to convince us that ISKCON has just one of many understandings, and there is a higher understanding that ISKCON is not teaching. In the beginning they mention the similarities between ISKCON and the Gaudiya Math to attract ISKCON devotees, and once they have attracted them they start taking about the differences, because there is no reason to join them if they are identical.
I am sharing with you my understanding about why not to hear from the Gaudiya Math people. Other people may have their own understandings, and they are entitled to.
We do not hear of people who have experienced the Bhagavan feature of the Lord to then revert to focusing on His features of Brahman and Paramatma.
The Kumaras could appreciate that the form of the Lord was made of complete goodness.
If you experience the presence of the Lord, no one can tell you that you did not experience it. People can say such things, but you will not take them seriously.
The Kumaras had heard about the form of the Lord from their father Brahma, but they had never actually experienced it. When they did experience it, they realized that it was superior to their previous situation in Brahman realization.
Jiva Goswami says that previously the Kumaras were in a kind of sthayi-bhava in relationship with the Brahman.
Both sincerity and mercy are required to realize the Lord. Our sincerity attracts the mercy of the Lord.
Seeing the form of the Lord permanently changed the Kumaras as it will change anyone permanently.
Q (By Hadai Prana Prabhu): Since mercy may or may not descend, so how can we depend on it?
A: We will not get the mercy of the Lord if we have no interest in getting it. We act with sincerity and do as much as we can, and at some point, the Lord will bestow His mercy. Bhurijana Prabhu says that love of God is the fruit of sadhana.
Q (By Hadai Prana Prabhu): It seems to be that the Bhagavatam is highlighting cases of exceptional mercy. For example, Ajamila.
A: It is not exactly true that Ajamila had no sadhana. He originally had sadhana but fell away from it, and once he was saved from death by the mercy of the Vishnudutas, he practiced some sadhana to attain perfection.
Most people are not aware of or do not care about love of God, and Krishna respects people’s free will, therefore few would be expected to get love of God. But because the devotees try to inform and inspire people, some people develop awareness and interest in attaining love of God, and Krishna reciprocates with their desire.
Niranjana Swami:
Prahlada makes the point that if your plan for happiness doesn’t include freeing yourself from karma you’ll be creating future distress.
I was interested in yoga and in a DC bookstore I saw a book on yoga with a picture of a yogi, with his soul going through his different chakras and then going to Radha and Krishna. It was Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
I was attracted to learn I didn’t have to meditate on the tip of my nose with my eyes half closed, which I tried and found difficult.
The dualities seem real because of our conditioned intelligence.
The happiness we feel waking up from a bad dream and the unhappiness we feel waking up from a good dream are not based on reality.
Our day dreams and our night dreams are both temporary. When we fix our mind on Krishna, understanding that Krishna is all good, we become peaceful.
Ultimately Krishna consciousness is to see that Krishna is behind everything.
If you cannot control your mind, it becomes your worst enemy. Imagine having an enemy in your own body!
We make so many arrangements to be happy, but we do not even know who we are.
The self needs to be nourished. Krishna knows how to satisfy the self better than we do.
Thoughtful people come to realize that the pleasures most people value are temporary and not ultimately satisfying.
For years I would lecture at college classes on theology, psychology, etc.
My becoming a hippie was hard on my parents, but my becoming a monk was harder. My mom came to the temple and said, “Don’t you want to come home and be a hippie again.”
To go from anisthita to nisthita bhakti, hear Bhagavatam and serve the pure devotees as recommended in Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.18.
I was invited to speak at a teacher’s college in a class on cults, so I went there. I found some people were doing a presentation on the danger of cults, and I was expected to sit silently, and at a certain point, they would ask me questions as a cult member. When it came time for them to question me, I said that I would not answer any questions, until I first explained to them the difference between a cult and a religion because it seemed clear to me that they did not know, and so I began to speak on that topic. The professor was upset and tried to stop me, but then a student protested, saying, “Let him speak.” Other students also demanded, “Let him speak.” Thus I got to continue. Many students liked what I had to say, and hearing my presentation another professor at the college was impressed, and I got a speaking engagement at that professor’s class.
My parents were ready to mortgage the house to have me kidnapped. I was tipped off to that, so it never happened.
Pyari Mohan’s children were homeschooled and when they finally went to public school they were far ahead of their classmates, although their parents did not spend that much time teaching them.
Until we develop the good qualities as a by-product of our devotional service we have to practice them.
Developing tolerance is a deep topic. You need to have the internal conviction that the things are not worth being disturbed by.
Krishna’s name is purifying everyone. We just have to invite Him as much as possible.
When Narada showed the hunter how he would suffer in his future lives for cruelly killing many animals, the hunter naturally asked how he could be freed from all that suffering. Because the hunter had become submissive, Narada instructed him.
Initiation means when one realizes that he must give up his bodily conception of himself and act for the benefit of his soul.
In Caitanya-Bhagavata Lord Caitanya declares, “Anyone who does not criticize anyone and chants My holy name certainly will be delivered.”
The best way to have good relationships among Vaishnavas is to act according to The Nectar of Instruction, verse 4: “Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one’s mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasada and offering prasada are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another.”
If loving friendship is not there, it is difficult to survive in the society of devotees.
It is difficult to reveal our minds in confidence because we are afraid that if what we say leaks out we will be in trouble, but if we do not reveal our minds in confidence we cannot have loving relationships.
We have a propensity to talk about other people, and if we do not use it to talk about Krishna, we will end up talking prajalpa [gossip].
Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that talking about others without reason is extremely adverse to advancement in devotional service.
Sometimes people become friends because they have a common enemy, but Vaishnavas do not behave like that.
In Vaikuntha everyone appreciates the service of the others and is not proud of his own service.
There may be rivalry in the spiritual world, but there is no malice. No one wants to cause pain to anyone else.
Because everyone is acting for the Lord’s pleasure in the spiritual world, if I impede someone else’s service then I am acting to cause pain to the Lord.
In Brhad-bhagavatamrita each Vaishnava thinks another Vaishnava is superior to him.
If we are strict with ourselves, we are teaching by our example.
To decrease negativity, we focus on the positive. Krishna is like the sun, illusion is like darkness. Where there is Krishna, there is no illusion.
Patience is an important word. We are not going to become Vaishnavas overnight.
The more we talk about Krishna together, at least at a designated time every day as a practice, we will see that we progress.
Every time we open our mouth to speak we should think, “Do I really need to say this? What am I accomplishing by saying this? Am I bolstering my pride?”
Every time we hear something, we should think, “Do I really need to hear this?”
Bhaktivinoda Thakura says if speech is not regulated we will create enemies by talking about others.
Radhanath Swami:
In 1922 Srila Prabhupada heard his guru tell him to share this message of Krishna consciousness in the West, and he resolved to dedicate his life to this.
When he lived at the Radha Damodara temple, he spent a lot of time praying to Rupa Goswami to bring people from all over the world to Vrindavan. Then in 1972, fifty years ago, he brought devotees from all over the world to Vrindavan for the month of Karttika, and he gave a series of lectures on The Nectar of Devotion [his summary study of a most celebrated book of Rupa Goswami].
I researched and found the Bhakti Center was originally incorporated on Sarad Purnima [the full moon day after which begins the month of Karttika].
Not only is Krishna calling for the gopis, but He is calling for all of us, and He has been calling us from time immemorial. Some are just beginning to hear His call.
Krishna can simultaneously make everyone feel that she is the only one with Him.
It is not just the body we love, because after death we throw the body away. It is the soul we love. When the soul leaves the body we feel such separation from the person, but that soul is just an insignificant part of God. How much separation we must feel when separated from God!
I saw many full moons in my life, but in Vrindavan on the first day of Karttika, hearing the chanting of Hare Krishna and seeing the moon rise was special.
Srila Prabhupada was proud of the simple pictures painted by his early artists at 26 2nd Avenue.
Indra Sharma, one of India’s most famous artists, gave lessons to some ISKCON artists and saw them develop over the years. He said they were the best artists because their paintings were purely an expression of their devotion to their guru and Krishna.
Vedavyasapriya Swami:
Rememberance of the Supreme Lord is the cardinal principle in all the nine types of devotional service. Everything is subservient to make you remember. All is for mindfulness of Lord Sri Krishna.
If one forgets one’s own spiritual identity, it is obvious one will be forgetful of Krishna.
Self-realization and God realization are the same. Drsta evatmanisvare. [SB 1.2.21]
All of our engagements with our five senses are meant to help us remember Krishna.
Determination is required to fix the mind on Krishna.
Information technology does not increase your buddhi (intelligence). Having information does not increase your discrimination.
We have consciousness by the mercy paramatma, the Supersoul.
This is a science of self-realization, but we have to practice, and we have to realize.
Krishna liberated Jaya and Vijaya only after their third birth.
The demigods were worried when Varaha dropped His mace during His fight with Hiranyaksa because even they were forgetful of the Lord. Brahma had to remind them.
As devotees we should never forget Krishna.
Krishnadasa Kaviraja says that nistha differs from sraddha in that faith in nistha does not allow one to forget Krishna.
Like a diamond may have 64 facets, all beautiful. Krishna has 64 transcendental qualities.
We may forget Krishna, but forgetfulness does not mean separation. Forgetfulness is only temporary.
We must be afraid of circumstances or activities that will make us forget Krishna.
Q: How to bring our Krishna consciousness knowledge into a situation where people have mundane ideas of intelligence and knowledge?
A: “Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent [the material body] there is no endurance and of the eternal [the soul] there is no change. This they have concluded by studying the nature of both.” We should teach people to discriminate between the eternal and the temporary. When that is understood, by our practice we can have realization.
The Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam are celebrated among scriptures because of the clear distinction between the temporary and the eternal.
The holy name is potent and can induce spiritual inclinations in those it touches.
Q (by Divyangi Devi Dasi): I meet people who are interested in self-realization but not God realization. What can I do?
A: Chanting can benefit everyone, even atheists. Even Buddhists chant the name of Buddha.
Entry of enviousness interrupts our memory of Krishna.
Love gives pleasure. But in the material world, love gives pain. Not in the spiritual world.
We have forgotten the Lord, and we are made to forget the Lord.
Drutakarma Prabhu:
From “Fifth Canto Cosmology as a Vision of the Virat Rupa” presented at the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium BIHS Cosmology Workshop 1: Taking the Fifth…Canto! November 1–3, 2019, in Gainesville, Florida:
“Most people do not see God. They see the world of matter. But if they learn to see the world of matter as a form of God, this will eventually bring their minds to the stage of pure goodness, in which it is possible to see and understand God.”
“According to Vedic epistemological principles, the sabda-pramana, evidence from sastra, is superior to experimental knowledge gained by inference from sense perception. Therefore the statements of Srimad-Bhagavatam do not need to be proved by lesser types of evidence.”
Hansarupa Prabhu:
As followers of Prabhupada, we should not restrict innocent people like the Kumaras who were trying to enter Vaikuntha, but we do have to be careful about devious people who want to cheat us.
Living in the temple we are supremely sheltered, and we who have lived here for any length of time can appreciate this. The dhama [a holy place where the Lord performed His pastimes] is also like that, but you have to be very serious in your practice to appreciate this.
The Hare Krishna movement means we chant Hare Krishna in public every day if possible to bring people closer to Krishna.
One reason Srila Prabhupada wanted us to repeat the Sanskrit verses was that it is purifying to hear them. He would have devotees chant the verses up to ten times.
In one lecture, Srila Prabhupada explains that we never left the spiritual world. Simply we are dreaming until we wake up in Krishna consciousness.
One reason sannyasis leave their homes is that people would still think of them in terms of their previous material situation and thus would not take their spiritual position seriously and commit offenses.
Good karma means you have to come back to enjoy it so it is not that good.
Because we get a form in our next life based on our contemplation we should always meditate on transcendental forms.
The knowledge is there, but when we cleanse the heart, it becomes revealed.
Pancharatna Prabhu:
Visitors are rare in Vaikuntha, the spiritual world, as most people are residents.
This is a theme in the writing of the Vaishnavas: “Let me take whatever birth, but let me remember Krishna.”
Krishna is so eager to bring us back to the spiritual world that He takes seriously even one act of devotion, even the chanting one holy name.
Many will chant Hare Krishna, especially if we ask them, and we should always ask them.
Devotees value the remembrance of Krishna so much so that Kunti even prays for difficulties so she will remember Krishna.
When Krishna says His devotee is never vanquished He means that the devotees’ devotion is never vanquished.
Pleasure and pain, gain and loss, are all opportunities to remember Krishna. When we see this, we are advancing in our understanding of Krishna.
Rama Raya Prabhu:
We can pray to increase our devotional service, and Krishna will be very enthusiastic to answer that prayer, much more than if we ask for so many material things.
I once asked Aindra Prabhu a question, and he replied, “To receive an answer to that, I would recommend that you increase your chanting of Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.”
We have to be careful that our innovation is not deviation.
The most important service we can offer the deity, especially in New York, is protection.
Srila Prabhupada recommended we use our 24 hours a day to think of how to benefit fallen souls.
Gauranga Prabhu:
Suffering is built into the material world. What is advertised is the pleasure. The pain is a free gift.
Because the avadhuta brahmana had a hunger to know, he could learn from so many gurus. He had a desire to learn and be transformed.
There is no shortage of transcendental knowledge. There is just a shortage of people interested in applying it.
Srila Prabhupada said Krishna consciousness knowledge is simple, but the application is difficult.
One devotee left the ashram after several years. I interviewed him before he left. He had no problem with the devotees or the prasadam. He just wished that mangala-arati could be moved to 10 a.m.
Sadhana-bhakti means gradually aligning our desires with those of Krishna’s.
The demigods are always enjoying, the animals are always in fear, and the humans are always in lamentation.
Even when the animals are eating, they are afraid of attack. We have fear but not to that extent.
When we are frustrated by not attaining happiness through so many endeavors, and in that state we encounter a devotee, we can decide to pursue the Supreme.
When a conditioned soul gets doubts in the process of sense gratification, he can seek an alternative.
Who is fallen? One who knows what is to be done and what is not to be done but cannot apply it, he is fallen. In that state if he contacts a devotee and applies the knowledge he becomes transformed.
Dasa is one who follows the swami.
Service is always performed in uncertainty because we do not know what the master wants us to do.
If we do not like uncertainty, then we will not like the spiritual world because we will have to respond instantly without delay.
An unspoken comment by me: Although there is the above mentioned uncertainty in the spiritual world, there is the certainty that the Lord will reciprocate our love, which is not the case in serving people in this material world, and therefore, even people who do not like uncertainty in general, like myself, can be inspired to go there.
By Srila Prabhupada’s grace, bhakti has become more accessible. But the final exam is still the same.
More difficult than following the will of God is following the will of the Vaishnavas, because it is more dynamic. Harder than that is following the whim of Krishna. Thus the Bhagavatam begins with Maharaja Pariksit being cursed.
The standard for the servant is anytime, anything, anywhere, but we cannot expect people to come up to that level immediately. During our practice, we should keep in mind that we are training ourselves to be prepared to act in an emergency.
Ayodhya means that place that cannot be conquered.
Dasaratha Prabhu although he had a glorious kingdom and wives, he had no progeny.
We can never fulfill all our desires, and sometimes these desires haunt us.
Lord Rama represents dharma, Bharata represents moksa [liberation], Laksmana represents wealth, but the wealth of service to Lord Rama.
Seva, service should never be considered to be a burden but always an opportunity. It should be done without selfish consideration, and that is called love.
If we keep our goal in mind, we can be inspired to do service.
Laksmana had confidence that Lord Rama would take care of Him, so He could just serve without worry.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura equally accepted happiness and distress in his service because the service is the key thing.
For 60,000 years no army could destroy Ayodhya, but Manthara’s rumors could destroy Ayodhya. That is the power of rumor.
Laksmana was reprimanded by Sita who doubted his character for not heeding Rama’s call, accusing him of wanting to enjoy with her, and by Rama, who challenged his competence for leaving Sita, but He remained faithful to Them.
One student who refused maha-prasadam said, “I am afraid if I take the maha-prasadam my hairstyle will become like yours.”
We may encounter opportunities that seem more valuable than the association of the devotees, but we should be careful not to be allured by them.
Everyone thought Bharata was part of the conspiracy to send Rama to the forest and to become king himself, so everyone hated him, including his father, Dasaratha, who said that he should not be allowed to perform the last rites.
Although he was so unpopular, Rama wanted him to rule people who hated him for fourteen years. Thus Bharata was a model of tolerance.
Satrughna means he who conquers the enemy. He had conquered the enemy within, the ego. Satrughna continued to serve Bharata although he was so unpopular because he was humble, and represents humility.
Thus the three brothers serve Lord Rama, with service attitude, tolerance, and humility.
Radhe Shyam Prabhu:
There is one devotee who sees important people and billionaires. Instead of asking them for money, He offers to teach them Bhagavad-gita, saying according to the Gita itself it is meant for the leaders of society. He proposes to teach them one hour a month at their offices. After hearing the Gita for some time, they offer to give some donation. He says, “I do not want any donation but just that you become spiritually advanced.” Ultimately they become devotees and get initiated, and then they are happy to engage their resources in Krishna’s service.
One person with direction is more powerful than a mass of people with no direction.
We should not be cheated by Krishna, accepting material benedictions from Him, instead of attaining Krishna Himself.
Some people have self-confidence. Others have confidence in God.
Although we make plans, we ultimately depend upon Krishna because He may have a better plan.
Devotees pray to the Lord to control the mind rather than trying to control it on their own.
The Lord was more impressed with the Precetas’ cooperation than their meditation underwater for 10,000 years.
According to our identification, we engage our energy. Thus if we accept that we are part of Krishna, then we will serve Krishna.
You cannot practice sincerely unless your heart is touched.
By observing our faults, we can gradually give them up.
Yugala Kisora Prabhu:
Everyone loved the Six Goswamis because the Six Goswamis loved everyone.
As a new devotee I asked Janananda Goswami how I can chant for 30 years, and he replied, “No Vaishnava aparadha.”
I have realized through my many years of practice that the Hare Krishna mantra is very powerful. If we hold on to the process of chanting Hare Krishna we will definitely go back to Godhead.
If you offend devotees constantly you cannot stay in their association.
We offend devotees because of pride and because of envy.
In bhakti material positions have no value.
Our goal should be to go back to Godhead.
If we are humble we will make no offenses.
A strong sense of respect for devotees will keep us from offending them.
How much sense enjoyment we have does not matter. At the end of life our body is just a bunch of ashes to be thrown in the Ganges.
Srila Prabhupada told Bhakti Charu Swami, “You have had families and children in many previous lives. Just give this life to Krishna.”
When we have an impersonal conception of God there is no reciprocation like we experience when we worship the personal feature of Krishna.
Bhutabhavana Prabhu:
Why don’t other traditions have elaborate descriptions of the form of the Lord with certain dress, decorations, and characteristic movements?
Because the people do not have the desire for that level of realization they are given a process that offers less.
How someone moves indicates some things about his consciousness.
The way someone lives affects their meditation, their meditation affects their consciousness, and their consciousness affects their body.
We need to be introduced to Krishna. This is the role of the guru and the sastra.
By hearing of the Personality of Godhead we will become attracted to Him.
The power of the attraction of the speaker for Krishna and the receptivity of the hearer allows for transformation.
The meaning of a statement becomes clear when you see the context as well. Too often people present opposing statements out of context and uselessly argue.
In one Purana a queen asks her king what are two needs that are required for the living being to be happy. He went into meditation and replied, “To give and to receive love.”
One Prabhupada disciple who wrote a commentary on the Yogasutras mentioned that no one can be angry in the presence of a person who has perfected ahimsa [nonviolence].
Once it was very cold in Chicago, and Srila Prabhupada said that if they closed the slaughterhouses the weather would immediately improve.
It is important that both an action and an attitude are prescribed in Siksastaka 3: “One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.”
There are studies showing that people having the attitude of giving in relationships are a lot happier.
If you give more, you will find you have more to give. It is like a virtuous cycle as opposed to a vicious cycle.
If we make it all about us, we do not achieve satisfaction. If we admit defeat in this, and put Krishna in the center, we find satisfaction.
According to Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6, if our devotional service is not unmotivated or not uninterrupted we will not be happy.
Try to perform your devotional service more purely, not by force, but by inspiration.
Srila Prabhupada once said that our goal is to join Krishna’s dancing party.
Bhaktitirtha Swami said that we are above the influence of material nature to the extent that we are surrendered to Krishna.
If you take to this process, you have to take it all the way, or you will not be satisfied.
One study shows that when people expressed in writing sessions over several days a negative experience that they had never told anyone, their immune system improved and they became more sociable.
If we do not see things through the sastras [revealed literature] we will see everything in terms of our material conditioning and be misled.
The Gosvamis say that Bharata became attached to a deer, although he was on the level of bhava, because of offenses. Otherwise attraction to a deer would not be expected to deviate a king who had easily renounced his kingdom and his family.
From a conversation at breakfast:
Once during the Saturday night harinama in London, a psychic viewed our chanting party and said that it was surrounded by glowing light.
Devavrata Prabhu:
Jagadananda Pandit explains that our desire to enjoy separately from Krishna causes us to be tackled by maya.
Krishna, through His material energy, reciprocates with the way the living entity wants to enjoy in this material world by giving him a suitable body.
There is an analogy of a deer who is enjoying with a she-deer in a garden, oblivious to a tiger in front of him and a hunter behind him. That is our situation in this material world.
What is the philosophy of Lord Caitanya? Lord Caitanya says:
aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrindavanam
ramya kascid upasana vraja-vadhu-varga-virya kalpita,
srimad-bhagavatam amalam puranam prema pum-artho mahan
sri-caitanya mahaprabhor matam idam tatradarah na parah.
(1) Krishna is the only object of worship.
(2) And as Krishna is object of worship, similarly, His place, Vrindavan, is also worshipable.
(3) The damsels of Vrindavan offered the topmost grade of worship, pure love, to Krishna, not desiring any return.
(4) Srimad-Bhagavatam is the spotless Vedic literature.
(5) Our real interest is to invoke our dormant love of Krishna.
We must find pure devotees to attain Krishna prema by gaining faith in their association.
In my experience, those communities that are centered around krishna-katha performed with the purpose of developing love of Krishna are best.
We should pray every day that Krishna give us the best type of association.
Q: Over the years, I have seen that even people who practice strictly fall away. Why is that?
A: One acarya (ask which) lists four: Weakness of heart, association of sense objects, [ask for the others] offenses
Not appreciating how exalted the devotees are leaves us open to make offenses.
Comment by Candrasekhara Swami: If the white light is the highest thing then how did we get separated from it, and if it is not the highest thing, then why aspire for it?
It is important to associate with people who have faith in pure devotional service otherwise we will not get beyond mixed devotional service.
Compilation on Govardhan-lila:
“Indra listened submissively to Krishna’s compassionate words and accepted His admonishment. Understanding that Krishna had forgiven him, he gathered sufficient confidence to request a special benediction: ‘O Krishna, from Your father’s sister Kunti, a portion of my energy was born as a son by the name Arjuna. Please allow him to be Your friend and always protect him. Favor him so that, acting on Your advice and following You, he may acquire great fame. O Krishna, I have spoken to the gods and rishis, who informed me that this son begotten by me in Kunti will be the foremost of archers, adept in the use of weapons, and the greatest of the Kurus. All warrior-kings will laud his learning and abilities. Ever fulfilling the duties of a ksatriya, he alone will be able to kill an akshauhini of kings who are skilled soldiers. He will be the foremost of bowmen among the descendants of Bharata. Except for You, there is none among the kings or gods who will be able to weaken the power of his bow or follow the path of his weapons. When Kamsa is slain by You, who are ever cognizant of the real purpose of events, a tremendous war of kings will ensue. That future war of Bharata depends on You and him, the foremost of men. When you two are united in battle, all of the kings will be slain. Arjuna will vanquish those heroes of superhuman deeds, and You shall adorn him with glory. But, my Lord, without Your help, he alone could never be satisfied from his work or achieve any success. O Govinda, he will be Your friend and will help in battle. So this is my request: please instruct him in spiritual knowledge! You perfectly know Arjuna and all creation. Always regard and take care of him as you would me. Protect him in that great battle so that death cannot extend its influence upon him. O Krishna, know Arjuna to be equivalent to my own self. As I am eternally related with You, so is Arjuna. I am Your elder brother, and in the days of yore, after acquiring the three worlds from Bali with Your three footsteps, You again install me in sovereignty over the gods. O Krishna, the son of Kunti is my son. He will become Your companion and true friend. O Madhava, as a bull carries a burden, please always take care of him. O Keshava, kindly fulfill my desire!’
“Delighted to hear those words, Krishna replied:
‘O lord of Saci, I know your heart. It is not unknown to me that my father’s sister was given away to the great soul Pandu and birthed Arjuna. I also know that Prince Yudhisthira was begotten by Dharma, I know Bhimasena, the multiplier of Vayu’s race, I know that Nakula and Sahadeva were conceived in Madri by the two Asvinis, and I know that Karna, now the son of charioteer, was conceived by the sun-god in my father’s sister during her maidenhood. Also known to Me are that Pandu is deceased because of the thunderous imprecation and that the sons of Dhritarashtra are desirous of war. O Sakra, rejoice! No enemy will be able to trouble Arjuna when he is with Me. When the great war of Bharata has ended, I shall bring back to Kunti her five sons unharmed. You should know that, bound by affection, I shall accomplish like a servant whatever your son Arjuna commands of Me. Indra, you may go now. Execute My order and remain the king of heaven. Return to Svarga and enjoy your position. Rule the graceful race of celestials and increase their delight. But be sober, without false pride. Do not again become carried away by your wealth and lose your intelligence!’”
“The celestial Ganga water that had bathed Krishna on Govardhana Hill became the Manasa-ganga lake, which destroys all sins. And the streams of the surabhis’ milk that had bathed the Lord became Govinda-kunda; indeed, sometimes the water of that lake tastes like delicious milk. One who bathes there attains to Krishna’s lotus feet.
From “O Govardhana, Grant My Heart’s Desire!”
“While being held above the Earth, He was so happy to be touched by His beloved Krishna’s soft lotus-hand. He did not even know that he was being struck by Indra’s thunderbolt. O Govardhana, kindly grant my heart’s desire!”
Prabhavishnu Prabhu:
According to the Mahabharata, one may get the results of his karma immediately, next life, or many lives in the future.
The more our lives are protected by hearing and chanting about Krishna, the more the dualities of the world will not disturb us.
We should cherish the moments we spend with the devotees because the time factor is very powerful.
Hadai Prana Prabhu:
Sadhu-sanga is the most important item of the devotional service because where there is a sadhu the other four most important items of devotional service automatically become manifest.
The knowledge in the scripture is transcendental and not contaminated by the modes of material nature.
Lord Caitanya wanted his followers beginning with the Goswamis to promote bhakti and the worship of Krishna.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says the songs of Narottama Dasa Thakura are as good as Vedic mantras.
When devotees recall Srila Prabhupada’s life often they focus on the way he did things with so much care and attention.
As an infant Narottama Dasa Thakura did not eat the rice at his grain ceremony because it was not offered to Krishna.
Jimmy:
I used Bhagavad-gita 16.19 about being cast into abominable species to sell a book once.
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Among other things, I decided to recite the Fourth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita each day during the month of Karttika. Thus I share a couple of verses about transcendental knowledge from it which tell how we can quickly attain “the supreme spiritual peace.”
na hi jñanena sadrisham
tat svayam yoga-samsiddhah
kalenatmani vindati
shraddhaval labhate jñanam
jñanam labdhva param shantim
acirenadhigacchati
“In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has become accomplished in the practice of devotional service enjoys this knowledge within himself in due course of time. A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is eligible to achieve such knowledge, and having achieved it he quickly attains the supreme spiritual peace.” (Bhagavad-gita 4.38–39)
