Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 19, No. 9
By Krishna Kripa Das
(May 2023, part one)
Germany, England, Ireland
(Sent from Brooklyn, New York, on May 20, 2023)
Where I Went and What I Did
On May 1 I chanted Hare Krishna in Cologne, Germany, for an hour at the main station, having arrived too late for the scheduled harinama with Harinamananda Prabhu. The next morning I took five trains to Nuremburg, where I chanted for two days with Mahavishnu Swami, Harinama Ruci and a party organized by Valmiki Prabhu of Russia. On the afternoon of May 3 we traveled to Simhachalam, our Nrsimha temple in Bavaria, where we did harinama around the temple property and participated in the adhivasa ceremony.
Nrsimha Caturdasi is always a lively event there at Simhachalam. Jayadvaita Swami, Kavicandra Swami, Krishna Kshetra Swami and Sacinandana Swami were the guests of honor. In addition to chanting inside and around the temple on that holy day, we did a harinama with three cars full of devotees at Waldkirchen, the largest town nearby. The next morning I flew to London, where I did harinama with Ananta Nitai Prabhu for three hours. The following morning I took a train to Manchester, where devotees kindly extended their weekly Saturday harinama from two to three hours to accommodate my preference. After that harinama I took a train to Leicester, where they have more established deity worship and a morning program. After two days of harinama in Leicester, including an extra one Bali Mardan Prabhu organized in the evening, I took an afternoon train to Leeds. In Leeds, Dayananda Swami and two devotees from Manchester joined three local devotees, and me to chant together for three hours. Afterwards I took an evening train to York, where I had dinner, rested, and did a morning program with Gauridas Pandita Prabhu, before taking a morning train to Newcastle. I did harinama in Newcastle for three days and in Dublin for three days before returning to New York City on May 16. While in Newcastle, I chanted for an hour and a half in Sunderland.
I share notes from Srila Prabhupada’s books and from the continuation of the Srimad-Bhagavatam by his humble servants. I share notes on the writings from Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on classes by Jayadvaita Swami, Krishna Kshetra Swami, and Sacinandana Swami. I share notes on a class by Valmiki Prabhu of Russia in Nuremburg. I share notes on talks in Leicester by Mother Jahnavi, Janardana Prabhu, and Manu Prabhu.
Many, many thanks to devotees who generously gave me donations in early May including Venu Madhuri Devi Dasi from the Netherlands, who gave me a donation in Newcastle, Vrajendral Prabhu, Sarah Owens, and Prema Bhakti Prabhu, who gave me donations in Manchester, and Haladhara Prabhu, who gave me a donation in Cologne. Thanks to the followers of Kadamba Kanana Swami for sponsoring my stay at Radhadesh so I could attend his Vyasa Puja festival. Thanks to Alalanatha Prabhu of Prague and his friends from Simhachalam for upgrading my accommodation at the Nrsimha festival there. Thanks to Satya Medha Gauranga Prabhu and Vasu Shrestha Prabhu for sponsoring and booking my cab to the Newcastle airport. Thanks to ISKCON Newcastle and ISKCON Dublin for allowing me to keep half the harinama donations for my travels. Thanks to the two people who gave me donations at the main Cologne train station. Thanks to Dayananda Swami for bringing two devotees 70 minutes from the Manchester temple to Leeds to do harinama with me for three hours. That is a serious sacrifice. Thanks to Tripti, who took a nice video of a girl walking off with the shakers in Leeds, and also a video of a guy who played shakers for at least fifteen minutes.
Itinerary
May 17–23: NYC Harinam
May 24–25: DC harinamas with Sankarsana Prabhu
May 26: Baltimore harinama
May 27: Baltimore Ratha-yatra
May 28–June 9: NYC Harinam
June 10: New York Ratha-yatra
June 12–17: take care of mother in Albany
June 18: Hartford Ratha-yatra
June 19: NYC Harinam
June 20: London harinama
June 21–August 14: Paris harinama [June 25 Paris Ratha-yatra]
June 30: Berlin harinama
July 1: Wroclaw Ratha-yatra
July 2: Prague Ratha-yatra
August 15: NYC Harinam
August 16: Montreal harinama
August 16–20: Vaishnava Sanga Festival in Canada
August 21–23: Montreal harinamas
Chanting Hare Krishna in Germany
On May 1 I left Radhadesh. My plan was to do harinama with Harinamananda Prabhu in Cologne that day, but the car I was riding in got in an accident, and because I had to continue the rest of the way by train, I got there too late. Thus I chanted by myself at the train station for an hour or so, and then went to the temple.
As I entered the building, I heard the conch shell blow, marking the beginning of the Gaura Arati. One devotee led a lively kirtan, and devotees danced (https://youtu.be/whqgLqeU5Bo):
Harinamananda Prabhu decided to go to Simhachalam that very night, so I decided to leave the next morning for Nuremburg, where Harinama Ruci was going to do harinama for two days.
Harinama Ruci was joined by a traveling harinama and book distribution party of a senior Russian brahmacari, Valmiki Prabhu, so we had a very lively group. Prabhupada disciple, Mandakini Devi Dasi, of France, was traveling with Valmiki’s party as she has for several years, and she finds it very enlivening to be sharing the books and the holy name in a very concentrated way in many cities each year.
The harinama started in front of a devotee’s office. Even before we left the meeting point, Mahavishnu Swami engaged a couple of people in chanting Hare Krishna and dancing (https://youtu.be/W044Szz2qo8):
Our party walked around the downtown (https://youtu.be/3-cAC4swdHU):
Once I gave some girls some shakers to play, later Mahavishnu Swami taught them the mantra, and finally the devotee ladies danced with them (https://youtu.be/L0fSZZkMPKY):
We stopped to interact with those open to it, as you can see in these video clips from the first day (https://youtu.be/5taghcFZH-I):
Here Valmiki Prabhu of Russia, organizer of a worldwide harinama and book distribution party, chants Hare Krishna in Nuremburg at a morning program they had in a temple room at a devotee’s office (https://youtu.be/f2RHjJM7Qr0):
including Russian cheese cake!
Here is some video from our second day of harinama in Nuremburg (https://youtu.be/sqWPT72ELsI):
In the afternoon we traveled to Simhachalam, about three hours away. We stopped at the home of Namamrita Prabhu of Nuremburg on the way, and saw his amazing array of deities, many of Lord Jagannatha:
At Simhachalam Mahavishnu Swami chanted Hare Krishna around the grounds the evening before Nrsimha Caturdasi (https://youtu.be/rqOtFozP7-k):
At one point, devotees chanted Hare Krishna and accompanied the small Nrsimha deity on a lightning fast parikrama around His Simhachalam temple. (https://youtu.be/abiawjHkwQs):
Early in the morning on Nrsimha Caturdasi, the Prahlada-Nrsimha deity was bathed in oil (https://youtube.com/shorts/9CC0ruFbCbQ):
Heree Parividha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Nrsimha Caturdasi morning at Simhachalam in Germany (https://youtu.be/Kfti0OFKXXE):
See the Prahlada Nrsimha Deity bathed in water at the end of the bathing ceremony on Nrsimha Caturdasi (https://youtu.be/P_Vz5WvZVwI):
After the bathing ceremony, I chanted Hare Krishna with Harinama Ruci and devotees from the festival in the local town of Waldkirchen on Nrsimha Caturdasi, which was the fortieth anniversary of my initiation (https://youtu.be/7M0pnx01aIk):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna around the Simhachalam temple in Germany on Nrsimha Caturdasi, encouraging those he met to chant the maha-mantra, beginning with Krishna Kshetra Swami (https://youtu.be/l6bAi3t-x9c):
Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna around Simhachalam temple in Germany on Nrsimha Caturdasi (https://youtu.be/cbRr2nBMz2E):
Sacinandana Swami chants Hare Krishna around Simhachalam temple in Germany on Nrsimha Caturdasi (https://youtu.be/WPDTIR1HZnA):
Mahavishnu Swami chants “Jaya Prahlada Nrsimha” on Parikrama at Simhachalam in Germany on Nrsimha Caturdasi (https://youtu.be/hnvnArOS0AM):
See the Prahlada Nrsimha Deity bathed in water at the end of the bathing ceremony on Nrsimha Caturdasi at Simhachalam in Germany (https://youtu.be/P_Vz5WvZVwI):
The day after Nrsimha Caturdasi, I flew to London. I was happy to find Ananta Nitai Prabhu there, as I can count on him to go out on harinama for at least three hours.
You can see lots of British flags in the background hanging over Oxford Street, as it was the day before the coronation of King Charles III.
Dayananda Swami chants Hare Krishna in Manchester on their Saturday harinama (https://youtu.be/rq8e1ZCG5C4):
While he was chanting, some kids played shakers (https://youtu.be/FQR-qhE6PQc):
Later a whole family played the shakers (https://youtu.be/MgwT6A7OU94):
I was happy the devotees extended their two-hour harinama to three hours because I was there. I like to be instrumental in the increase of sri-krishna-nama-sankirtana.
Prabhupada disciple, Aniha Prabhu, chants Hare Krishna at the clock tower in Leicester on a Sunday morning (https://youtu.be/WogaCMG6c9Q):
Raghunatha Bhatta Prabhu, who kindly organized two harinamas for me in Leicester, found there are fewer people on the streets in Leicester on Sunday morning to distributee books to, but the people are much nicer, and thus he had his best day on books in Leicester!
Several years ago, I had done harinama with Bali Mardan Prabhu in Leicester on a Saturday night. This year the Leicester devotees told me he was not still doing that, but when he came for the end of my Sunday morning harinama by the Leicester clock tower, he suggested that we might in chant downtown on Sunday evening as Monday was a bank holiday. I like to encourage people in their attempts to schedule harinamas, so I went although I had already chanted for three hours. We did encounter a good number of people.
When I was not leading, I would spend my time chanting the response, dancing, and passing out as many flyers for the Leicester Ratha-yatra as possible.
Devotees, inspired by Bali Mardan Prabhu on the right, chant Hare Krishna in Leicester on a Sunday night (https://youtu.be/HiCqJZeLU0o):
Rain was predicted for Monday, so we chanted on the porch of the temple which was enclosed. Thus some passersby, who learned about the temple from us, came for darsana that very day.
Here Gaura Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on the steps of ISKCON Leicester when rain was predicted (https://youtu.be/K1huNeCwJgE):
Devarsi Prabhu chants Hare Krishna there too (https://youtu.be/T23ZKhrrAg0):
His father, Bali Mardana Prabhu chanted the final kirtan there (https://youtu.be/qvb1hlshBcg):
I was happy Dayananda Swami came to Leeds from Manchester, bringing two devotees, thus we had seven altogether at Leeds.
Dayananda Swami chants Hare Krishna in Leeds on Briggate Street, on an amazing sunny and warm day for Leeds (https://youtu.be/LcmYHg6pvis):
While Dayananda Swami was chanting Hare Krishna, some kids played shakers and danced (https://youtu.be/1FmuCdBAkSg):
One girl even walked off with the shakers, and I hope to have the Leeds police track her down from the video we have of it.
I stayed overnight with Gauridasa Pandita Prabhu of York and had an amazing six-bean vegetable dish for dinner.
While I singing in Newcastle before my friends joined me after school and after work, a lady passing by asked if I could use a neck pillow, and I said yes, and so she gave it to me.
Satya Medha Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Northumberland Street in Newcastle (https://youtu.be/sduA-qv3h1E):
While Satya Medha Gauranga Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna, gypsy kids from Slovakia danced (https://youtu.be/PbnTrG5dEw0):
Later a masked kid played shakers (https://youtu.be/YDEXwXlTryU):
Vasu Shrestha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Northumberland Street in Newcastle on a Thursday evening (https://youtu.be/ZggxrQLN7ow):
An amazing thing happened in Newcastle on harinama that evening. I let three girls play my shakers in the kirtan, as I often do, and they all ran off with them!
I was so upset! I came to Europe with six shakers, and now I had zero! A girl ran off with one in Amsterdam, and another girl walked away with one in Leeds. I am not sure what happened to the third one, which disappeared in Manchester or Leicester. I used to think that boys did rascal things like that, but now apparently the girls are copying that behavior.
I tried to chase the girls down, but I realized I could not catch them. I appealed to them to return the shakers, and they wouldn’t and ran off again. They went around a corner, and by the time I got there, they were gone. I walked down that street for awhile. I saw a police car coming toward me. I waved it down and told the policeman that three teenaged girls carrying basketballs had stolen my shakers. He said they had cameras on Northumberland Street, and he would have people check the cameras. He asked where I would be in 15 minutes. I told him where we were singing and went back to the kirtan.
I saw the girls again, and I went up toward them, explaining that it was bad karma to take the shakers. I said that I let them play the shakers to give them happiness, but then they stole them to give me pain. How was that fair? They would not budge and started running away again. Then I heard the siren of that police car, which drove up, and the policeman started chasing them. I followed briefly, but they were running too fast, and I returned to the kirtan.
The policeman caught the girls and returned with the shakers and one girl, who he made apologize, but she was not very contrite and blamed her friends. I told her not to steal people’s stuff in the future. How would she like it if I took her basketball? The policeman mentioned to her that we were good people.
This age is so degraded. People have no remorse for their misbehavior.
I was impressed with the police, who are often ineffectual in such matters, and I said to the cop, “You are awesome!”
I am happy to still have three sets of shakers, at least for a while!
Vasu Shrestha Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna there on a Friday as well, and several passersby played shakers and danced (https://youtu.be/302FtxxdBW0):
Visnu Priya Devi Dasi chanted Hare Krishna, and a lady tried chanting the mantra but was unable to convince her friends to also participate (https://youtu.be/jmyQ2icpNeI):
While Visnu Priya Devi Dasi chanted Hare Krishna, more passersby interacted with the devotees (https://youtu.be/22f_VNE0xR4):
Once some Muslim kids enjoyed playing instruments (https://youtu.be/PjNrs_HIPHU):
Here Satya Medha Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Newcastle, and passersby play shakers and dance (https://youtu.be/6ELqv7jVNmA):
Prema Sankirtana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Newcastle, and two girls play shakers and dance (https://youtu.be/cAaBlxzeWOI):
Prema Sankirtana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Newcastle (https://youtu.be/wTfmz9KY9rs):
Premarnava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Dublin on a Saturday afternoon (https://youtu.be/jFotaEEVuWg):
I was happy to encounter some very nice Gauranga potatoes at our Dublin restaurant.
Dasha of Ukraine chants Hare Krishna in Dublin before the Sunday Feast, and Spanish tourists dance (https://youtu.be/Z_kIO3tyJt0):
A devotee who distributed books during that harinama said that two people he talked to ended up coming to the feast for the first time.
Gadadhara Krsna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Dublin after the Sunday feast (https://youtu.be/LRPRwD4naBg):
While Gadadhara Krsna Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna, a Wicklow lady who was captivated by the music as soon as she got off the bus, played shakers and danced (https://youtu.be/XGTPRElLZ9E):
The lady said the music was good to dance to, and so I invited her to demonstrate.
Premarnava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Dublin on a Monday afternoon (https://youtu.be/y12NsylniZI):
Next Gadadhara Krsna Prabhu led the Hare Krishna chant there (https://youtu.be/K4fH6sjETY8):
While Gadadhara was singing, two Indian ladies took turns filming themselves playing shakers with us, and then I filmed both of them at once (https://youtu.be/yj97YYHKqtA):
As one who aspires to transcend the cycle of birth and death, I found it humorous that our harinama party ended up next to a restaurant called samsara.
I never met someone who found jewelry in their soup before.
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.32:
“One who constantly hears and chants the holy name of the Lord and hears and chants about His activities can very easily attain the platform of pure devotional service, which can cleanse the dirt from one’s heart. One cannot achieve such purification merely by observing vows and performing Vedic ritualistic ceremonies.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.3:
“Prahlada certainly heard and recited the topics of politics and economics taught by the teachers, but he understood that political philosophy involves considering someone a friend and someone else an enemy, and thus he did not like it.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.9:
“Prahlada Maharaja continued: ‘My dear father, please give up your demoniac mentality. Do not discriminate in your heart between enemies and friends; make your mind equipoised toward everyone. Except for the uncontrolled and misguided mind, there is no enemy within this world. When one sees everyone on the platform of equality, one then comes to the position of worshiping the Lord perfectly.’”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.10.12:
“It does not matter that you are in the material world. You should always, continuously, hear the instructions and messages given by Me and always be absorbed in thought of Me, for I am the Supersoul existing in the core of everyone's heart. Therefore, give up fruitive activities and worship Me.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 5.22, purport:
“This transcendental vision is like the reception of television from the moon via a mechanical system for receiving modulated waves, but it is achieved by penance and meditation within oneself.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 16.238:
“In the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.2.108), it is said:
yavata syat sva-nirvahah svi-kuryat tavad artha-vit
adhikye nyunatayam ca cyavate paramarthatah
‘The bare necessities of life must be accepted, but one should not superfluously increase his necessities. Nor should they be unnecessarily decreased. One should simply accept what is necessary to help one advance spiritually.’”
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita 3.18–30 in Los Angeles on December 30, 1968:
“So we have to disturb them. That is our duty. [laughter] We have to disturb these envious persons, ‘Hare Krishna!’ [laughter] That is our duty, to disturb them. And that is the greatest service. Just like a man is sleeping, and somebody is coming to kill him, and other friend, ‘Mr. Such-and-such, wake up! Wake up! Wake up!’
So he may say, ‘Why you are disturbing me?’ But that is the greatest service. He'll be saved. Maya is coming to kill him, to send him to the darkest region of hell, and you are saving him: ‘Chant Hare Krishna and be saved.’”
From the humble servants of Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.3.30–31:
“One should learn how to associate with the devotees of the Lord by gathering with them to chant the glories of the Lord. This process is most purifying. As devotees thus develop their loving friendship, they feel mutual happiness and satisfaction. And by thus encouraging one another they are able to give up material sense gratification, which is the cause of all suffering. The devotees of the Lord constantly discuss the glories of the Personality of Godhead among themselves. Thus they constantly remember the Lord and remind one another of His qualities and pastimes. In this way, by their devotion to the principles of bhakti-yoga, the devotees please the Personality of Godhead, who takes away from them everything inauspicious. Being purified of all impediments, the devotees awaken to pure love of Godhead, and thus, even within this world, their spiritualized bodies exhibit symptoms of transcendental ecstasy, such as standing of the bodily hairs on end.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.25.27:
“Faith directed toward spiritual life is in the mode of goodness, faith rooted in fruitive work is in the mode of passion, faith residing in irreligious activities is in the mode of ignorance, but faith in My devotional service is purely transcendental.”
Bhaktivinoda Thakura:
[Prabandhavali is a book to be published by Touchstone Media consisting of translations of the Bengali articles that Bhaktivinoda Thakura published in the Gaudiya magazine and which I am proofreading.]
From “Committing Offenses on the Strength of Chanting the Holy Name” in Prabandhavali:
“When he became engaged in unalloyed devotional service, his sinful propensities almost vanished, but a long-cherished desire to commit a particular sin takes a little time to disappear from the heart. Although one may be engaged in unalloyed devotional service by taking shelter of the holy name of Krishna while disregarding all other methods of advancement, a long-cherished desire to commit a particular sin may remain within the heart. It continues for some time. Until that desire is completely uprooted, one should not criticize a devotee for his occasional relapse into sinful behavior.”
“One should know that if he maintains material attachments, then his attachment to the holy name will not take place.”
From “Renunciation” in Prabandhavali:
“Many of the Vaisnavas from the four authorized sampradayas— suddhadvaita (purified monism), suddha-dvaita (purified dualism), visistadvaita (specific monism), dvaitadvaita (monism and dualism)— wander about decorated with the symbols of renunciation. Like the followers of the jñana path, they are also have mathas, gather disciples, and follow rules and regulations. Being in charge of mathas, many of them have secured a huge amount of wealth. They travel in vehicles like an opulent king, have many disciples, and increase their reputation by distributing food and performing other services to the people in general. In many cases, although they do not possess genuine detachment, they are respected as being renounced, and are offered obeisances by many people. If they do not live with wife and family and if they strictly observe religious principles, they are worshiped as a vairagi. Their main sign of dharma is their kaupina, which is their replacement for a married wife. To maintain their position, they do not fall down from the platform of renunciation by maintaining attachments for material enjoyment, engaging in court cases, bearing grudges against others, accumulating wealth, and so on.”
“The qualifications for accepting the path of renunciation for those with no fixed residence is described in a literature known as Samskaradipika, composed by Srimad Gopala Bhatta Gosvami: vijita sadguno yastu dambha himsadi varjitah maitra karunya silasca vigateccha jitendriyah grhita visnu diksako vishnu bhaktyadi sadhakah tasmai deyam prayatnena yacite yati sadhubhih dambhaya bhaktihinaya sathaya parahimsake na datavyam na datavyam datte tu dharma nasanam – “Those who award the garb of the renounced order should first of all see that the aspiring candidate has cultivated devotional service by following all the rules and regulations and has accepted mantra initiation in his sampradaya. As a result of his sadhana, he should have been able to give up the six faults, headed by pride and envy. He should be friendly, compassionate, free from material desires, and self-controlled. One who is proud, a hypocrite, a cheater, and one who does not engage in pure devotional service should never be awarded the symbols of the renounced order of life. If such a person is awarded the dress of the renounced order of life, then both the guru and disciple will spoil their religious principles. Without considering these qualifications, if one accepts the renounced order, one does not become a genuine renunciate. Such a show will simply increase one’s duplicity and pride and will not make one eligible to command respect and receive service befitting that order. At the same time, the candidate should see that the spiritual master who is going to award him the renounced order of life, sannyasa, is qualified and has also accepted the renounced order of life from a qualified person. Unless one considers all this, it is not possible to achieve auspiciousness.”
“What is vairagya, or renunciation? The word raga refers to the conditioned soul’s attachment to material enjoyment. And the word viraga means “devoid of attachment.” The liberated souls who are free from maya are spontaneously attached to Krishna. The more one’s attachment for Krishna becomes strong, the more his attachment for sense gratification reduces. When knowledge of one’s relationship with the Supreme Lord is awakened, detachment arises.”
“Vairagya can never be accomplished by mere practice. In Srimad Bhagavad-gita (2.59) it is stated: visaya vinivartante niraharasya dehinah rasa-varjam raso ’py asya param drstva nivartate – ‘Though the embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.’”
“The purport is that the conditioned soul has developed an attachment for sense enjoyment because his attachment for Krishna is now covered. Simply by giving up sense enjoyment, the attachment does not go away, because desire for material enjoyment remains in the heart so that one’s conditional life continues. But when one relishes the transcendental mellows of relationship with the Supreme Lord, Krishna, then his thirst for material sense pleasure automatically becomes insignificant so that he naturally feels detachment from material enjoyment.”
“To understand the relationship between Krishna, the living entities, and the material world is known as sambandha-jñana. Krishna is the worshipable object, the living entities are His eternal servants, and the material world is the place where the conditioned souls are forgetful of Krishna. In this world, the living entities are entangled in fruitive work on account of being averse to Krishna, and thus they undergo threefold miseries. In order to deliver the fallen, conditioned souls, Krishna descends and mercifully manifests transcendental pastimes in the association of His devotees. This knowledge is the essence of sambandha-jñana.”
“Vairagya, or detachment, refers to the natural disinterest in this material world which is awakened by the practice of devotional service.”
“Rati, or spontaneous attraction, for the Supreme Lord is the constitutional nature of the spirit soul. But when one is bewildered by material attachment, rati remains dormant within the heart. By the association of devotees, when rati first appears in a small portion as sraddha in relation to Sri Krishna, who is the life and soul of all living entities, the all-powerful master of maya, and the supreme controller, whose form is eternal, and full of knowledge and bliss, one desires to purify his existence by following in the footsteps of the devotees.”
“Among all kinds of inauspiciousness, attachment to material enjoyment is considered the chief. While engaging in devotional service, as attachment to objects not related to Krishna’s service gradually diminishes, vairagya increases. There is no need to practice vairagya separately. By observing the vow of Ekadasi, and so on, while engaging in devotional service, bad habits automatically lose strength and good habits strengthen. The more the intensity of one’s devotional service increases, the more vairagya will manifest and the understanding of sambandha-jñana will be enhanced. As a result, the influence of passion and ignorance, and the concomitant pressure of lust and anger will vanish from the heart.
“The more the heart is freed from the influence of the modes of passion and ignorance, and therefore from lust and anger, the more one will be established on the platform of goodness and thus feel joyful. Thus, when one is free from the lower modes of nature, he is qualified to engage in pure loving devotional service unto the Supreme Lord. At this stage, one is qualified to accept the garb of the renounced order of life, because the knot of material bondage has been cut. All doubts have been cleared and all the reactions of karma nullified.
“Unless this gradual process is accepted, nothing tangible will be attained. If an unqualified person accepts the garb of a renunciate and thinks that he has become very advanced, it is simply self-deceit and nothing else. In our sadhaka stage, we should consider this very carefully.”
“Although vairagya does not enter the subject of prayojana, it is a necessary qualification for devotees. A devoted person must become a vairagi, or renounced soul, because attachment for sense gratification and attachment for the Lord cannot co-exist.”
“Wherever engagement in devotional service is found, yet there is no vairagya, there must be some doubt about the nature of that so-called devotion.”
“The conclusion is that one’s propensity for loving devotional service should be directed towards Krishna, one should treat all living entities as being subordinate servants of Krishna and therefore on an equal level as one’s self, one should practice detachment from objects not related to Krishna, and one should insure that all endeavors are performed with a desire to please Krishna.”
“‘Devotional service to Krishna is my constitutional position and other than that, I have nothing to gain by doing anything else.’ This firm conviction is called sraddha.”
“By performing bhajana with undivided attention, all anarthas, or unwanted things, are soon vanquished.”
“Sva-tattva bhrama (illusion about one’s own identity), paratattva-bhrama (illusion about the Supreme Personality of Godhead), sadhya-sadhana-bhrama (illusion about the processes of sadhana and prema-bhakti), and virodhi-visaya-bhrama (illusion regarding subjects unfavorable to Krishna consciousness) are the four kinds of illusion found in conditioned souls.” (Sri Bhajana-rahasya 2.8)
“Desire for material objects, desire for heavenly comforts, desire for mystic powers, and desire for liberation are the four types of material desires.” (Sri Bhajana Rahasya 2.9)
“Offenses towards the name, offenses toward the form of the Lord, offenses towards the devotees, and offenses towards other living entities are the four kinds of offenses.” (Sri Bhajana-rahasya 2.10)
“Intelligent persons know the four kinds of weakness of the heart as follows: attachment to objects not related to Krishna, deceitfulness or fault-finding, enviousness, and desire for fame.” (Sri Bhajana-rahasya 2.11)
“Of all these anarthas, forgetfulness of one’s constitutional position is the main function of nescience.”
“In one’s gradual advancement on the path, first comes renunciation and at the end comes liberation. Only a liberated soul can achieve loving devotional service to the Lord.”
“It is very difficult to sever all the ties of material bondage in a moment’s time. Therefore, unless one applies yukta-vairagya so that all objects are related to the Lord’s service, it is not possible to perform bhajana, and if bhajana is not performed, the achievement of life’s ultimate goal is impossible. Those who try to immediately get release from material bondage by becoming inactive take shelter of false renunciation and ultimately meet with disappointment.”
“Unless one adopts such a serious sadhana, one cannot revive his transcendental nature.”
“To be successful in one’s sadhana, one must engage everything at his disposal, including his house, family members, body, food, clothing, property, time, and everything else in the service of the Lord under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master. By engaging in this way, one will become freed from material possessiveness and in full surrender, one should pray to the lotus feet of Krishna, regretting his miserable condition of life and beg to be reinstated in His service. Krishna will certainly mercifully reveal the transcendental truth to such a sincere person.”
“When one becomes the recipient of the Lord’s mercy, one’s bhajana continues and spiritual advancement becomes effortless.”
“Useless endeavors, thirst for material enjoyment, idleness, slackness, and bad association are all impediments on the path of spiritual advancement. As long as mundane attachment remains, transcendence cannot be achieved.”
“Talk first about the soul. Even that they don’t want to know. They’re interested in working to research God’s laws, but not God Himself. They discredit the science of God and the method of approaching Him. Part with them, we are told.”
“As stated in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.114): ‘Even if a devotee is frustrated in his attempt to eat properly or clothe himself properly, he should not allow this material failure to disturb his mind; rather, he should use his intelligence to remember his master, Lord Krishna, and thus remain undisturbed.’”
From “The Science of the Ultimate Goal of Life” in Prabandhavali:
“The difference between the cultivation of vaidhi-bhakti and raganuga-bhakti is that when one practices vaidhi-bhakti, it takes some time to attain the stage of bhava, whereas when one practices raganuga-bhakti, he attains the stage of bhava within a very short time.”
“The simple life of a devotee taking shelter of the holy name of Krishna is the best form of sadhana.”
“One should reside in a solitary place and maintain himself without much endeavor and hardship. If one cannot live in a solitary place, one should live in a society that is not unfavorable for his execution of devotional service to Krishna, and he should preach to those he encounters. It is preferable that one perform his bhajana with determination and without any anxiety in a solitary place. One should give up the association of women and those who are addicted to women. One should carefully avoid the association of non-devotees. One should refrain from criticizing others. One should consider his own self as being most fallen and should act without duplicity. One should tolerate all opposing elements and act for the benefit of others. One should not be proud of his caste, wealth, number of followers, personal beauty, strength, mundane education, or position in society. One should offer due respect to all living entities. While living in this way, one should constantly chant the holy name of Hari in ecstasy. Simply by this, one will obtain love of God by Krishna’s mercy.”
“If you have some lust in your heart, accept it while condemning it with humility and engage in performing your bhajana sincerely.”
“In the teachings of Sriman Mahaprabhu, there are two things—name ruci and jive daya, or taste for the holy name and compassion for all living entities. To the extent that one has imbibed this dharma, to that extent he is a Vaishnava. There is no need to acquire other good qualities. All good qualities automatically manifest in the devotees. The devotees naturally feel joy while benefiting others.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Geaglum Free Write Diary:
“Lord Krishna says the fools don’t recognize Him because He appears to be a human being. Were you feeling unappreciated? Even Lord Krishna is unappreciated.”
“A monk may be sad that he restrains himself from sex (although he knows it’s an illusion) but hasn’t yet entered the bliss of Narada. Well, then let him be patient, dhairya, and go on with confidence and determination.”
“Yes, you could take a siksa-guru, but I see it diminishes the position of Srila Prabhupada to do so. The new guru takes an upper position and whatever you learned from Srila Prabhupada has to be filtered through the siksa-guru. I need the full embrace of Srila Prabhupada and need to be fully dependent on him. Declare it.”
“Think of loyalty to the spiritual master, carrying out his desires. They are not a secret. Yet, each person may have his own particular service to offer. The general order may be ‘form an army and fight the forces of maya.’ But then what part you play in obedience to that order may vary. Rifleman, pilot, medic, writer…but serve the cause. Become yourself a genuine devotee and then when people meet you they will be favorably affected.”
“The Christians want to simply convert people to their religion. Do we want to do the same? No, we want to teach the science of God. We need to be aware of that. This is a fine point —how Prabhupada himself never thought that he was a Hindu but that Krishna consciousness was a nonsectarian teaching. In the ordinary sense it appears to be the claim others make, that only our religion should be followed. At least we don’t condemn anyone else’s bhakti practices, but we approve those practices in their own religion. We do claim that there is more bhakti in Lord Caitanya’s flow than anywhere else.
“These thoughts in the early morning before you go on your walk. Be convinced in the religion of sanatana-dharma, Krishna consciousness. It contains all that is taught in others. Krishna is the most relishable form of God.”
“The greatest difficulty in spiritual life is to change from self-centered to serving Krishna as the center of your life.
“If Krishna is really pleased with me, He will reveal Himself to me for the most direct surrender. He is sometimes described as the passive witness, as in the two birds in the heart. That’s when we ignore Him and show Him that we want to be the Lord of all we survey. Then what can He do for us? But He is interested in us when we show some interest in Him. He wants us to come and play with Him in the spiritual world, which is free of anxiety. But we still want to play out some scenario here where we are the master.”
“Don’t be enamored by the beauty of this world or you’ll have to taste ugliness.”
From Free Write Journal #245:
“In today’s “Srila Prabhupada-lila” (an Internet posting which comes once a week), Hari Sauri gave the memory of the day. He said Prabhupada explained that one of his strategies for making people Krishna conscious was distributing profuse amounts of prasadam. He quoted Srila Prabhupada as saying, ‘At least let them eat prasadam, for that’s also Krishna.’ He also quoted Prabhupada as saying, ‘Our program is to help people gradually become Krishna conscious. Simply by eating prasadam, they’ll gradually develop an attachment to Krishna, and when that develops, they will be able to understand the philosophy—simply by eating prasadam.’”
Jayadvaita Swami:
Once Srila Prabhupada gave a disciple a service to do, but he did not want to do it. He did something else. He told me, “Srila Prabhupada should have seen I had a more brahminical nature.”
Eventually he went away. My take on it is that Srila Prabhupada knew he would get distracted if he did brahminical work, and so he gave him some practical work so he would advance, but he didn’t accept it.
If the spiritual master gives us a service, we should do it. We should not reject it saying, “It’s not my nature.”
Although the modes are always mixing, still there is a predominate mode that we are situated in that is our varna.
One reason we should act according to our nature and stick to our duty is that it makes society run well.
Because we are always willing to do what our guru advises, we are transcendental to the varna-asrama system but still we have a certain nature to engage in Krishna’s service.
Grhastha life means that you have so many duties other than your own self-realization.
A grhastha should not live like renounced brahmacari. Neither should a brahmacari live like a grhastha.
Selling books appears to be the activity of a vaishya, but if we are selling Krishna’s books, it is transcendental.
I am writing a book called the Vanaprastha Adventure.
The grhastha considers his wife and children as servants of Krishna and considers that it his duty to maintain them.
The devotional service is counted when the children become Krishna consciousness.
One time Srila Prabhupada was very sick, but he had promised to give a lecture, so he came anyway although he was practically slumped over. He had a devotee read, and then he would say a few words. By the end, he had become very enlivened, and was speaking very forcefully, and he even asked for questions.
Comment by Bhakti Bhusana Swami: If one has doubts about his asrama, he should get guidance, and he should continue his spiritual practice, and Krishna will help him find out what to do.
The most important thing is to get free from birth and death, and thus our spiritual activities are most important but our other activities should not be neglected.
Many times Krishna says not to consider success or failure. Srila Prabhupada said our effort is our success.
Q: What about ksatriyas eating meat?
A: If you fight a tiger in hand-to-hand combat, and if you win, you can eat the meat.
Q: How soon should a grhastha start thinking about the vanaprastha ashram?
A: From his marriage day. Like in business they think where they will be in 5 years, 10 years, like that. You should have a plan, in so many years, to accept vanaprastha life.
Srila Prabhupada himself accepted the vanaprastha ashram.
Although we were doing the most importance service of producing his books, Srila Prabhupada said every day we should do kirtan in public for an hour. Our experience was that so many problems we might have had were avoided. We doubled our work.
From a lecture on Lord Nrsimhadeva’s appearance day:
Prahlada was doubtful about offering prayers, as the demigods had failed to pacify the Lord and as he was born in a family of demons and still child, but then he remembered an elephant once pleased the Lord, and thus he decided to try.
The devotee is like the pet child of the Lord.
Sridhara Swami, the original commentator on the Bhagavatam, is a devotee of Lord Nrsimha.
As with Dhruva, who was touched by the Lord, and thus inspired to offer prayers to the Lord, Prahlada was similarly blessed by the touch of Nrsimhadeva.
The body is considered unreal because it does not always exist whereas the soul is real because it exists forever. Because we exist eternally it is foolish to seek pleasure in that which will cease to exist.
All our fears will be realized at the time of death when everything is ripped away from us.
Kadamba Kanana Swami said death means change of service.
Prahlada means exceedingly happy.
Krishna Kshetra Swami:
It is nice to be in the junior position, and this is how Prahlada felt when offering prayers after Nrsimhadeva appeared.
The question of who is an advanced Vaishnava came up, and Srila Prabhupada replied, “Narada Muni is an advanced Vaishnava.”
Because Prahlada remembered all of Narada’s instructions he has become as great as he had become.
Prahlada is thinking big in Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.18.9, desiring that all envious persons will be pacified. Srila Prabhupada also thought big.
Kadamba Kanana Swami said the Hare Krishna movement has three floors, (1) the temple property and organization, (2) our personal spiritual practice we do with other devotees, and (3) the spreading of Krishna consciousness all over the universe by Lord Caitanya, whether or not we participate in it.
When the devotees in Germany got a new van, they showed it to Srila Prabhupada, who said, “Take care of it like you would take care of a newborn baby.”
On this day we remember that with His sharp nails, the Lord is able to remove all impediments to our service to Radha-Krishna.
Prahlada reminds us that we should think of other’s welfare, not just those near us, but everyone in the universe.
Sacinandana Swami:
It is nice if you can really think of the benefit of others. It is very purifying.
The Lord descended to relieve the suffering of the three worlds.
Krishna first enters the Bhagavatam on a chariot to protect His devotee, Arjuna, as bhakta-vatsala. Asvatthama had thrown his ultimate weapon, and Arjuna wondered what to do. Arjuna appeals, “O my Lord Sri Krishna, You are the almighty Personality of Godhead. There is no limit to Your different energies. Therefore only You are competent to instill fearlessness in the hearts of Your devotees. Everyone in the flames of material miseries can find the path of liberation in You only.”
I organized a global puja for Lord Nrsimha because of the Ukraine situation. Some devotees from Mariupol, who had relocated to Austria, told me that their city was being continually bombed by the Russians, and there was no corridor for escape. When we did that puja, however, a corridor for escape opened up, and thousands of people who saw the opportunity, both devotees and others, were able to leave safely.
When you fall into an ocean you will get wet, and when you fall into the material world you will experience misery. In your distress, turn to the Lord. Do not look for help from this world.
Mother Janaki of Leicester:
Although we are all very busy, if we can read the Bhagavatam every day, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or half an hour, our lives will definitely change for the better.
Valmiki Prabhu of Russia:
We only sometimes get a human body.
In our conditioned state we are very much dependent on the material nature, practically like slaves.
As souls, however, we are completely independent of material nature.
The upheavels in the world do not affect our soul.
In our conditioned state we have so many worries about the future, but the soul is happy acting in the present in spiritual consciousness.
To get material things, you have to work so hard. In Dubai, to be in a prestigious social position you have to have a first class apartment, with first class decoration. And you have to spend so much time in traffic jams. Thus Srila Prabhupada considered this civilization very foolish.
If we have a human body, we should take advantage of it by inquirying about the reason for our existence.
When you are asleep, only one who is awake can wake you up.
If we do not take the trouble to wake up people, they will continue sleeping.
The words of Srila Prabhupada are like an alarm to wake people up.
If we do not do something human, we will not get a human body.
Sometimes people visit the Himalayas and bring some big baggage. They do not even use most of it. They are just used to thinking they need it.
Some people conceive of God as issuing all kinds of rules, and because we are worried about being restricted, we decide we would rather not deal with Him.
If we change our wishes, Krishna will fulfill our new wishes, and we will go out of this restricted world.
If we surrender to Krishna, He will take care of our needs.
I had some difficulty with some unpaid debts that were keeping me from being able to get the documents I needed go to India, so I prayed to Krishna, and I found I got the documents without any endeavor. I told that to a friend who is not a devotee but had a lot of credit card debts. He decided to pray to Krishna, “I am your devotee please help me deal with these debts. Actually I am not your devotee, but I want to be your devotee.” He was very serious. The next day he got a message on his phone saying that he had no more debts.
If a devotee does not communicate with other devotees, his sadhana will decrease to zero, and he will go back to sleep.
In Omsk we distribute sweets to the neighbors and tell them we will be having a program with some loud music. Thus we have not had any problem with the neighbors for thirty years.
We are used to varieties of enjoyment so to make the mind stop is difficult. Arjuna told Krishna it was harder to control the mind than the wind. Krishna accepted it was difficult but said it was possible by practice and detachment.
The words of our guru clean our consciousness as is mentioned, guru mukha padma vakya.
If we see Krishna in the hearts of inimical people we can treat them in a friendly way, and they will become more friendly.
A parent shows his love to his good children and bad children differently. Similarly with Krishna.
If you have no regular spiritual practice that gives you a spiritual taste you will find it difficult give up material tastes.
Our consciousness focuses on the object of our love and goes away from other things.
The gopis were so attached to Krishna they practically went crazy in His absence.
By our activities of sharing Krishna we have Krishna on our mind, and we will feel separation when that is lacking.
People were amazed by Srila Prabhupada’s speech and intelligence, and thus they would accept him as an authority, and when he would tell them to chant Hare Krishna they would take it seriously.
Some officials were making difficulty for me. I listened to what they had to say. Then they stopped, and gave me a chance to speak. I just asked if I could make a phone call. They said yes. I talked to my lawyer. They realized I was part of a large organization and was not just some trouble maker, and they became very apologetic.
Our power is the beauty of our behavior, our intelligence, and our culture.
At the end we should think of Krishna like Arjuna.
We should not be sorry that everyone does not take Krishna consciousness.
For our family, we preach by serving very nicely.
It is unusual piety to be the relative of a devotee.
If people just listen to the holy name that is very powerful preaching. Even if they are intoxicated, they will still greatly benefit.
Serious people should preach to serious people.
It is rare that people immediately come. For most it is a gradual process.
Someone asked Ramevara Prabhu, “We distributed so many books. Where are the devotees?”
Ramesvara Prabhu replied, “Ask me that question in a hundred years!”
One devotee told a man that this book would make him happy.
The man replied that he was already happy.
The devotee asked where he was going.
The man explained.
The devotee said because you are going some place to find happiness, that means you are not happy now. But if you take this book, you will find happiness.
The man accepted that argument and got the book.
By preaching we save ourselves.
Comments by Mandakini Devi Dasi:
Your description of how to deal with inimical people is very much how Srila Prabhupada dealt with them. In Paris there was a boy who was often intoxicated and unclean, and thus the devotees would not let him enter the temple room. Once they were lax in their vigilance, and he came in and was looking at the deities, and the devotees came to kick him out, and he grabbed Srila Prabhupada’s feet, and Srila Prabhupada patted his head, and said, “It is alright.”
Krishna is listening to us. Krishna is enjoying the lectures.
Amalatma Prabhu of Leicester:
Yudhisthira thought when Vidura returned to Hastinapura after so long, he was coming to visit with them again after many years. Thus he was surprised that Vidura suddenly left with Dhrstarastra because of a desire to liberate him.
Although Vidura was a younger brother of Dhrstarastra, he was qualified to instruct him as a guru because he was advanced in Krishna consciousness having heard from Maitreya Muni.
We are not preaching because of our own qualification, but by the order of Srila Prabhupada.
Speaking strongly is necessary for sadhus to awaken people to spiritual consciousness. As an alarm clock has to have the necessary volume to wake you up, similarly the sadhus have to speak strongly enough to awaken people spiritually.
Narada defeated Yudhisthira’s concerns over Dhrtarastra one by one with logical explanations.
Janardana Prabhu of Leicester:
If our main worshipful deities are Radha-Krishna, why is Lord Nrsimha so important that we chant his song four times a day? Kali is a fearful age, and we need to take shelter of the most fearful form of the Lord to protect us. Actually there are not so many great demons as in previously ages, but mostly our enemy is the material contamination in the heart. We need Lord Nrsimha to protect us from this.
Manu Prabhu of Leicester:
The difference between the devotee and the demons is simply the mentality and nothing more.
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Lord Caitanya, while explaining to the Mayavadis why He chants and dances instead of studying Vedanta, speaks this verse of instruction which He heard from his guru, which He embodied in His whole life, and which is relevant to ourselves, who are trying to assist Him in executing His mission:
naca, gao, bhakta-saṅge kara sankirtana
“My dear child, continue dancing, chanting and performing sankirtana in association with devotees. Furthermore, go out and preach the value of chanting krishna-nama, for by this process You will be able to deliver all fallen souls.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 7.92)
