Diary
of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 20, No. 10
By
Krishna Kripa Das
(May 2024, part two)
Mayapur,
Albany,
Schenectady
(Sent
from Syracuse,
New York,
on June 1, 2024)
Where I Went and What I Did
I continued staying in Mayapur from May 17 to May 25, attending two more ecstatic festivals: the nine-day Nrsimha Navaratri festival and the three-day Rajapur Jagannatha boat festival, which I didn’t even know existed before.
I also attended the two daily harinamas on our Mayapur campus. While in Mayapur I sometimes recalled that Prabhupada once said how nice the chanting of the devotees was in Mayapur and how he wanted all his disciples to come to Mayapur to hear it. I am so happy decided to come to Mayapur in May. It was an experience of boundless transcendental joy beyond my expectations.
On the evening of May 24, I learned from my mother’s nurse that she was rapidly declining, and he was not sure she would live another week. I booked a ticket to New York for the next day, and I arrived in Albany the day after that. I was able to give my mother some prasadam flowers from Radha Govinda to bless her last two days of life. She left this world on the incredibly auspicious disappearance day of Ramananda Raya at the auspicious hour of Abhijit. I blessed her body with many sacred substances, like Ganges water from Mayapur and sand from the birthplace of Lord Caitanya. Three of my friends from ISKCON Schenectady chanted for about an hour at the beginning of her cremation. Then in the evening we did harinama in Albany for over an hour. The next day I chanted Hare Krishna with the Schenectady devotees in the streets near their center for an hour and a half, thus ending an eventful May.
In a separate section I tell of my mother’s interesting life.
I share quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad-Bhagavatam, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and Sri Caitanya-caritamrita. I also include quotes from his lectures and letters, and also from Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita. I share quotes from Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya and from Gopiparanadhana Prabhu’s Brhad-bhagavatamrita. I share notes on lectures in Mayapur by Bhakti Prachar Parivrajak Swami, Jalangi Devi Dasi, Rasamaya Nityananda Prabhu, and Vraja Vinoda Shyam Prabhu. I share notes on Back to Godhead articles by Nagaraja Prabhu, Caitanya Carana Prabhu, Gauranga Darsana Prabhu, Jagannatha Gopala Prabhu, Brajanatha Prabhu, Rukmini Vallabha Prabhu, and Tanay Shah.
Unlimited thanks to Bhakta Jeff, who by the association of Rama Raya Prabhu, developed a taste for serving devotees who are committed to harinama-sankirtana. He repaired my old harmonium and bought me a new one, took me out to lunch several times, bought toothpaste and cough drops for me, paid for our rickshaw rides to Jagannath Mandir, bought bhoga to offer Jagannath, and finally paid for my cab to the airport. May he always be enthusiastic to promote harinama-sankirtana. Thanks to Abhaya Prabhu of the USA, who is now living in Mayapur, and who kindly gave me a donation. Thanks to Ekachakra Prabhu of Belarus, who told me about the festivals for the disappearance of Rajasekhara Prabhu and the appearance of Bhakti Purusottama Swami. Thanks to Rasamaya Nityananda Prabhu for scheduling me to give Bhagavatam class in Mayapur. Thanks to Caranti Devi Dasi for giving me some of Lord Nrsimha’s caranamrita.
Itinerary
June
1–5:
Syracuse
June 6,7: Albany
June 8,9: New York Ratha-yatra and harinamas
June 10–?: Albany
June
?–August 5: Paris harinamas
August
6–7: Montreal harinamas
August
7–11: Canadian Vaishnava Sanga Festival
August
12–13: Montreal harinamas
August
14–16: Paris harinamas
August
16–19: Balarama Festival (New Mayapur France)
August
22–25: Trutnov (Czech Woodstock)
August
29–30: Liverpool harinamas
August
31: Liverpool Ratha-yatra
September
7: Brighton Ratha-yatra
September
8: Great North Run harinama
(Newcastle,
UK)
September
9–11: Dublin harinama
September
12: NYC Harinam
Chanting Hare Krishna in Mayapur
Svarupa Damodara Prabhu of Ukraine and Ekachakra Prabhu of Belarus do harinama from 11:00 to 12:30 each day in Mayapur under the bridge from the Chakra Building to the TOVP. Here Svarupa Damodara Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and ISKCON Mayapur pilgrims enjoy playing the shakers and dancing (https://youtu.be/gcSh7jDTlYE):
Caitanya Candra Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Mayapur Harinam (https://youtu.be/j16ARgqmaaU):
Jiva-Natha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Mayapur Harinam (https://youtu.be/tVNShZuEiZo):
Saturday, May 18, I was invited to a program and feast in honor of Rajasekhara Prabhu who lived in Vrindavan for years and wrote many books.
I knew him only from proofreading his Prabhupada in South India. There he tells how Prabhupada came at least twice to Hyderabad during a drought, but by the power of his Krishna kirtan and katha the rains came and the drought ended. Even the media reported it. May Rajasekhara Prabhu attain the supreme destination by the mercy of all the Vaishnavas he inspired by his books.
As part of the Nrsimha Navaratri (nine-night) festival, some nights there would be a procession with a small Nrsimha deity on a cart accompanied by kirtan and other performances. The route was the same as the one for the elephant procession in the winter. One day our Mayapur Harinam Family was the kirtan group. Some of their usual kirtan leaders were not there, so I chanted for an hour in the procession.
As usual, the pathway was decorated with beautiful flower mandalas.
Daya Sindhu Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with the Mayapur Harinam Family during the evening procession (https://youtu.be/loOdpvhkQUw):
In the days leading up to the Nrsimha Caturdasi abhiseka (bathing ceremony), devotees would bring Ganges water from the river to pour over the body of the Lord.
Ekachakra Dhama Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Mayapur (https://youtu.be/FhXxxMhR3Jw):
Caitanya Candra Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Mayapur Harinam again (https://youtu.be/KNs5BhcHBfk):
Here is another video of him in portrait orientation (https://youtu.be/zG_SUNWK2RY):
Ishvari Priya Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna on Mayapur Harinam (https://youtu.be/9W3K0aWjYuE):
Jiva-Natha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Mayapur Harinam (https://youtu.be/fnelJczG3cM):
Jiva-Natha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Mayapur Harinam as seen from the veranda of the Chakra Building (https://youtu.be/JT7rEeaS1Ek):
Jiva-Natha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Mayapur Harinam even more intensely (https://youtu.be/hzEI2CQ0zgI):
I noticed in Mayapur devotees also put ribbons around books.
One day on harinama in Mayapur, Pañcatattva Prabhu of Lithuania, who I knew as a cook on the Polish festival tour, led the Hare Krishna chant (https://youtu.be/9DaeMrUWR_o):
So also did Deva Damodara Prabhu of Ukraine, who chanted on NYC Harinam (https://youtu.be/dR3yYzd2xIE):
It's great to see friends from all over the world in Mayapur!
Raja Sri Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna on Mayapur Harinam (https://youtu.be/Np78VfWz3Uc):
Here in Mayapur as Nrsimha Caturdasi approached, Nrsimhadeva was decorated with increased amounts of sandalwood pulp making Him appear beautifully lionlike in color.
I was impressed by the crowd in the courtyard of the Mayapur temple on Nrsimha Caturdasi. I hoped to record more of the kirtan for Nrsimha, but I forgot to push the record button till the end (https://youtu.be/gOmtC101Tc4):
When in Mayapur, I always view Nrsimhadeva from the courtyard, which is cooler than the temple and provides plenty of room to dance in his kirtan.
Kripanidhi Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Mayapur Harinam on Nrsimha Caturdasi (https://youtu.be/vPccSRcWPPI):
Jiva-Natha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Mayapur Harinam on Nrsimha Caturdasi (https://youtu.be/1gQeb5bxW2s):
Jiva-Natha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on Mayapur Harinam on Nrsimha Caturdasi [Landscape orientation.] (https://youtu.be/scW49znVGhM):
Jiva-Natha Prabhu also chanted the Nrsimha prayers on Mayapur Harinam on Nrsimha Caturdasi (https://youtu.be/jA0eoQ-Pk3I):
The two days after Nrsimha Caturdasi, Bhakta Jeff and I visited the Rajapur Jagannath boat festival. The first day Caranti Devi Dasi, who I did harinama with in Gainesville and New York, joined us.
Here Rajapur Jagannath is attractively dressed in a flower outfit and sandalwood pulp.
Devotees chant Hare Krishna during the boat festival of Rajapur Jagannath (https://youtu.be/cJ_5s1O8lKI):
I took several photos of the boat and the deities on it during the two days that Bhakta Jeff and I attended it.
Vishakha Priya Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna on Mayapur Harinam (https://youtu.be/pVpuMNmRaFM):
I bought a tripod on Amazon.in, and I first used it in taking this video of Caitanya Candra Prabhu chanting Hare Krishna on Mayapur Harinam, in which, I, along with many others (https://youtu.be/LlOK4Tpkj1s):
When I learned my mother was taking a turn for the worse, I had a Nrsimha puja done for her.
On my last morning in Mayapur, I took photos of the deities at mangala-arati.
With Svarupa Damodara Prabhu gone to Ukraine for 2 months I found myself alone on my last day on the midday harinama in Mayapur. Fortunately some pilgrims were happy to join in, and that really made my day (https://youtu.be/m3wToEnakoI):
Chanting Hare Krishna in the Capital District (Albany Area)
My mother was happy to see me, although surprised I had come all the way from Mayapur, India. She asked why I had come. I said, “To see you and to help take care of you.” She said, “I hope you do not get what I have.” I smiled to myself, thinking that we all will encounter what she was encountering, and also realizing that she didn’t understand the severity of her condition. My sister wanted to give me the night shift to take care of her. I felt hot and took my temperature which was 100ºF (37.8ºC). I took a COVID test and found it was positive. Having to isolate, I lost the chance to connect my mother with the chanting of the holy names. My relatives put some flowers from the garland of Radha-Govinda I brought on the altar near her bed, but I missed the chance to place the garland on her body myself, at least while she was alive. Two days later the nurse said she was in the final stages and would live one, two, or at most three days. He said I could come there and visit her. I packed up my stuff for the day, including my harmonium, so I could chant for her, and awaited my ride, which my sister said would come in an hour. In an hour, I got a text message saying it would be another hour. When I arrived at my mother’s place, I learned she had departed half an hour before. I chanted Hare Krishna without instruments looking at her lifeless body for fifteen minutes. I put tulasi mala and a Nrsimha pavitra around her neck. I put Vrindavan dust and sand from the Yoga Pitha on her head. I sprinkled Ganges water on her head and put a few drops of the water from the 1008 pilgrimage places in her mouth. I put Nrsimha oil on her head. The other relatives and I held a brief service of prayers and songs from Quaker, Catholic, Buddhist, Hare Krishna and native traditions to bless her journey. I chanted the Hare Krishna mantra three times responsively playing the harmonium myself and giving out three shakers to others. It was the first time I remember chanting Hare Krishna with the family. I was grateful for that.
I put more Ganges water on her head just before the crematorium staff took her body away.
I invited my ISKCON Schenectady harinama friends to chant at her cremation two days later and three of them came.
Here Rishi Isvara Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Vale Cemetery in Schenectady outside the crematorium (https://youtu.be/xBXBPZaWwCg):
Rishi Isvara Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the crematorium building before my mother’s cremation (https://youtu.be/-gkIbGFKbXE):
While they were singing, I approached the casket with the body of my mother in it. I felt inspired to bow down. In the Vedic culture one shows respect to senior people by bowing down to them, and on occasion Srila Prabhupada would tell his disciples to bow down to their parents. I do not remember ever doing it. Somehow at this last opportunity I remembered, and it felt right. We bow down to people we are indebted to, and we bow down if we feel we offended someone to ask for forgiveness. I placed a harinama chadar above her head, a deity cloth by her side, and more Ganges water on her head. I had the garland from Radha Govinda, but because my relatives were afraid to put it in the refrigerator with me having COVID, it looked really wilted, in part even rotten. It looked so bad I decided to put it next to her instead of around her neck, but the director of the cremation service, seeing me with the garland, offered to move her head so I could put it on her. I was touched by his offer and let him do it. Fortunately the spiritual potency of the garland is not diminished by its poor physical appearance. There was even a pleasing fragrance still present.
Later the cremation service director said that he had never seen anything like our kirtan before at a cremation in his 49 years in the business, and that it was very moving.
They give the relatives the option of pushing the button to start the cremation furnace once the body is placed inside. Because it is a tradition that the eldest son lights the cremation fire of his parents, I did that.
Here Haridas Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Vale Cemetery during my mother's cremation (https://youtu.be/ybZ1iLldch0):
During the kirtan, I saw one of the crematorium workers, and I told him that the man in charge was impressed with our chanting, and asked if he would accept some free literature from me about it and give it to him. He agreed, and I gave him “On Chanting Hare Krishna.” I mentioned that when the crematorium officer happened to call me. He was happy to hear it.
For the three previous nights I had only slept 1 to 2 hours, but the night after the cremation, I slept 5 hours. I think I felt a sense of completion.
After taking lunch and a nap with my ISKCON Schenectady friends, three of us did harinama in Albany for a little more than an hour. We met Pat, whose brother was a devotee named Ananda Gati Dasa, a disciple of Hridayananda Goswami, who unfortunately he said was dying of a brain tumor. Pat had been to ISKCON NYC many times, even for mangala-arati, and he was happy to spend ten minutes with us, taking this video (https://youtu.be/dmOhpDcQdF8):
He and three others during our harinama were happy to learn of our Sunday program at ISKCON Schenectady.
The next day I stayed in the area and went on harinama with Schenectady devotees in the evening near their temple.
Here Rishi Isvara Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Schenectady, and kids play shakers and dance (https://youtu.be/Go__jrptHsY):
As Rishi Isvara Prabhu continued to chant Hare Krishna, a woman happily played the shakers (https://youtu.be/eL6jvyexWR4):
I was pleased to learn that the devotees distributed 29 small books on the one and half hour harinama in the neighborhood of their temple.
Obituary
of My Mother
Patricia
Gibson Beetle
(September
14, 1924 – May 28, 2024)
Pat Beetle was born Anna Patricia Gibson on September 14, 1924, in Toronto. She was lovingly named by her two older sisters Kathryn and Jean. Her dad, John C. Gibson, was a salesman for Oneida Limited and traveled widely for the company. Pat spent her early years in Buffalo, New York then moved to Kenwood, New York, at age 12. Kenwood was the home of the Oneida Community – a utopian communal society. Although the original community had passed its heyday, the members were family friends and the elders of Pat’s childhood. The sense of community was strong and enduring. Pat’s mom, Minnie Gibson, trained as a nurse, traveled from her upstate New York home to work in Puerto Rico and then served as a nurse at Oneida’s knife plant and as a caregiver for the elderly.
Pat graduated from Sherrill High School in 1942 and Skidmore College in 1946. After teaching high school English for one year, she decided to pursue a degree in the newly emerging field of guidance and work placement. She graduated from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1948. She lived in Brooklyn and worked for Parsons School of Design before taking a job at Stephens College outside of Kansas City, Missouri. It was there that Pat had her first experience of racial segregation, and she was shaken. Pat moved back to Albany to be closer to her ailing father and took a job in career placement at the NYS Nursing Association in Albany. Later that year, she was picked up for a canoe trip by a fellow member of the Adirondack Mountain Club at her apartment on State Street and met David Beetle who was picked up at his apartment on Willett Street. She began dating the “elderly editor” as he was coined by her friends. At that point he was the editor of the editorial page for The Knickerbocker News.
Pat married David Beetle on January 2, 1958. They had hoped to be married in Europe, where Dave was traveling for the paper, but they couldn’t meet residency requirements. He returned to New York City, and they were married by a judge, swapping an Alpine honeymoon for Bermuda and hastily buying bathing suits in the city. Pat and Dave engaged in the political conversation of the hour, enjoyed theater, travel, and continued to hike and paddle together. Their son, Christopher Gibson, was born on September 30, 1959, followed by their daughter, Karen Ann on April 6, 1961. Pat stayed home during those years, volunteering on the school’s theater committee and with community organizations. Pat had left the Catholic Church to marry Dave as the church did not recognize his divorce. In 1965, Pat and Dave joined the Albany Friends Meeting and her weekly attendance and decades long involvement with Quakerism began. Yet the roots of her activism began much earlier.
When the radio report of the United States deployment of the atomic bomb on the people of Hiroshima was aired, 20-year-old Pat had just stepped in the door from attending Mass with her father. This news and the staggering loss of life that emerged over the weeks ahead deeply impacted Pat. Her young life had already been impacted by the many peers who left high school to fight in the war and the loss of family who were killed. Pat’s activism began to emerge in the late 60s as reporting of the war in Vietnam revealed the horror of the war, and the voting rights drives and lunch counter sit-ins were met with violence in the South. After Dave died of congestive heart failure in July 1972, Pat channeled her grief and life energy into fulltime activism for peace and social justice. She joined the Meeting’s weekly vigil against the Vietnam war which she attended for 7 years until it was laid down at the war’s end.
Pat’s first major organizing project was working with Augusta Beadonkopf and Elizabeth Pearson on a feeder walk from Albany to New York City as part of the 1976 Walk for Disarmament and Social Justice from San Francisco to Washington, DC. Augusta and Liz were catalysts for change and had been court-watching and running a small bail fund in Albany City Court. Seeing the incredible recidivism, they arranged for training to start a mediation program. With Pat’s help, the Albany Dispute Mediation Program was born and eventually received state funding in 1981. Around this time, Pat was introduced to the work of the Alternatives to Violence Program (AVP) which began in Green Haven Correctional Facility in 1979. Pat was trained and, along with beloved colleagues – Ellen Flanders and Al Brophe – began 25 years of providing AVP workshops in area prisons. This work was deeply important to Pat, and she agreed with a friend who said, Maybe we should drop everything and do AVP.”
And yet Pat identified herself as a world citizen. The American Friends Service Committee issued a call to end the nuclear arms race in 1979. Pat’s involvement with nuclear disarmament began and went on to include years of work with Upper Hudson Peace Action on the nuclear freeze campaign. During the height of this campaign, they organized 50 house parties to discuss nuclear disarmament and get signatures for the freeze campaign in one night. Pat traveled to the Soviet Union with Promoting Enduring Peace in 1980 and was moved by learning of the incredible loss of life and devastation there during World War II. Twice more she returned to the Soviet Union, promoting dialogue, and encouraging diplomacy. In 1993, Pat joined a Peace Brigades International delegation to support Guatemalan refugees fleeing violence in their homeland and accompanying their return. In 2001, Pat went to Israel and Palestine with a delegation and learned of the complex and painful conditions for the Palestinian people. Several years later, she travelled to Cuba with a solidarity delegation. On the home front, Pat volunteered for the International Center for over fifteen years as a coordinator of a weekly group for women from other countries living in the Capital Region.
In 1983, Pat joined the Women’s Encampment at the Seneca Army Depot which called for the end of long-range missile deployment on European soil. Pat took part in civil disobedience at Seneca, Rocky Flats, and the School of the Americas. She was jailed briefly. Pat went on to help organize Women Against War in response to the Iraq War and then Grannies for Peace – an organization of women speaking out against the dual threats of climate change and nuclear war. Her last vigil with Grannies for Peace, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, was on Mother’s Day 2024.
Pat died peacefully at her home on May 28, 2024 – four months short of her 100th birthday. Her family held a brief service of prayers and songs from Quaker, Catholic, Buddhist, Hare Krishna and Native traditions to bless her journey. Pat’s deep commitment and decades of activism are her legacy. She inspired several generations of activists – working simultaneous on multiple issues and providing a bridge between local organizations – quietly networking, listening and building connections. May we carry forth – uplifted and inspired by her activism, her dedication and her enduring vision of a better world.
Pat is survived by her daughter Karen Beetle (Victor Anderson), her son Christopher Beetle, her granddaughter Fern Beetle-Moorcroft (Oliver Goosen), the children of the late David Beetle, Jr – Gwen Beetle (Matthew Hudson), Kathy Sico (Vince Sico), Ben Beetle (Lily Beetle) and great-granddaughters Vianne Hudson, Violet Sico and Sophia Beetle, her nieces Mary Ann Balestreiri and Barbara Busch, her great nephew Tony Balistreiri (Nini Balestreiri) and children AJ and Sophia Balestreiri, her great niece Kellie Quint (Mark Quint) and children Jeff Bailey and Will Balistreiri, her great niece Lisa Balestreiri and children Luke Hackman, Chelsea Hackman (Stacy Watnick) and Jacob Hackman (Victoria Hackman) and his son Maverick Hackman, her great niece Alicia Cragin and her children Trevor Cragin and Vivica Cragin and her great nephew David Drellich. Extended family include Cindy Moorcroft (Cindi Clo) and Cindi’s daughter Victoria.
Calling hours will take place at the Albany Friends Meeting, 727 Madison Avenue, Albany on Thursday, June 6th, from 4 to 7 p.m. and on Friday, June 7th, from 4 to 7 p.m. A memorial service will be held under the care of the Albany Friends Meeting on what would have been Pat’s 100th birthday on Saturday, September 14th, at 4 p.m. at the Albany Unitarian Universalist (405 Washington Avenue, Albany). Please join with her family to honor and celebrate Pat and to hold each other in the light.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Albany Friends Meeting, earmarked for the Pat Beetle Memorial Fund. Funds will be split between the Alternatives to Violence Project and Young Peacemakers Week.
Photos
resting.jpg)
I am always amazed to see the dogs happily resting along the main path in India. Perhaps they realize that in India people will not give them trouble unnecessarily.
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 17:
“Lord Caitanya is described as follows: He is the only shelter for the forlorn, the most fallen, and He is the only hope for those who are completely devoid of spiritual knowledge. Let us try to discuss His great contribution of devotional service.”
“Out of the five diversities in the Absolute Truth, the form of Lord Caitanya is that of the original Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Lord Nityananda is the manifestation of the first expansion of the Supreme Lord. Similarly, Advaita Prabhu is an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. These three – Caitanya, Nityananda and Advaita – belong to the category of vishnu-tattva, or the Supreme Absolute Truth. Srivasa represents the pure devotee, and Gadadhara represents the internal energy of the Lord for the advancement of pure devotion. Therefore Gadadhara and Srivasa, although on the Vishnu platform, are dependent, diverse energies of the Supreme Lord. In other words, they are not different from the energetic, but they are manifested diversely for the sake of relishing transcendental relationships. The whole process of devotional service involves a transcendental reciprocation of the flavors of relationship between the worshiper and the worshiped. Without such a diverse exchange of transcendental flavors, devotional service has no meaning.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.2.18, purport:
“The transcendentalists desire to avoid everything godless, for they know that supreme situation in which everything is related with the Supreme Lord Vishnu.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.6.6, purport:
“Whatever a person may be in the estimation of the social order of things, if he tries to reciprocate a feeling of love towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is satisfied with the blessings of the Lord, he will at once feel the highest peace of mind, for which he is hankering life after life.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.24.32, purport:
“Lord Shiva advised the sons of the king to hear him attentively, for inattentive hearing is offensive.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 2.11:
“A pure devotee knows that when he chants the transcendental name ‘Krishna,’ Sri Krishna is present as transcendental sound. He therefore chants with full respect and veneration.”
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.3 in Montreal on June 16, 1968:
“You dance with Krishna, you eat with Krishna, you talk with Krishna, you enjoy with Krishna. Krishna will kiss you also. [laughter] Krishna is very kind to everyone, either you love Him as a lover, either you love Him as your son, either you love Him as your friend, or you love Him as your master. In whichever way you like you can love, and Krishna will respond.”
From “Achieving Our Ultimate Benefit” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 58, No. 5 (September/October 2024):
[An edited transcript of a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.23 in Vrindavan, on November 3, 1972.]
“A brahmana cannot worship any demigod. He must worship Vishnu because Vishnu is the in-charge of the sattva-guna, and the brahmana is in the sattva-guna.”
“Now vaisyas have got big, big factories. They can maintain big, big factories, but they cannot maintain a cow. That is the position.”
Letter to Sons and Daughters from Bombay on August 14, 1976:
“Our only business is to be fixed up in devotional service by pleasing the spiritual master.”
Quoted in Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita, Vol. 4, Chapter 32:
“I have been around the world and have found that happiness and peace cannot be established in this world by materialistic advancement. I have seen Japan, which is highly advanced in machines and technology. Yet there is no real happiness there. But the people of India, even if they do not understand the significance of sankirtana, they enjoy listening to it. My advice to the Indians is that if you advance only in science and technology, without paying attention to hari-nama, then you will remain forever backward. There is tremendous strength in hari-nama...”
“My advice is to chant Hare Krishna. This is the piece of advice to both the capitalists and the communists. All animosity between them will cease completely, and all their problems will be solved, if they take this advice.”
Bhaktivinoda Thakura Prabhu:
From Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya:
“Nityananda Prabhu answered, ‘At the end of Dvapara-yuga, Brahma undertook austerities here with a desire to achieve Gauranga’s mercy. Brahma had tried to deceive Govinda by stealing the cowherd boys and calves, but when he saw he was defeated by his own tricks, he became miserable and regretted his offense. He entreated Krsna with many prayers, and Krsna forgave him. But Later Brahma considered, “Thinking that I am the creator of the universe is useless. Simply because of this fault I have been deprived of Krishna-prema and enjoyment of the rasas of Vrindavan. If I could have taken birth as a cowherd boy, I could have easily served the master of the gopis. Although I was not able to achieve the nectar of those pastimes. now, when Gauranga appears, I will not fall prey to my wicked mind!”
“‘Thinking like this, Brahma began meditating and performing austerities in Antardvipa. After many days, Gauracandra mercifully came and said, “O Brahma, I am satisfied with your austerities. I have come to fulfill your desire.”
“‘When Brahma opened his eyes, he saw Gauranga and fell to the earth unconscious. The Lord put His foot on Brahma’s head, and Brahma was enlightened with transcendental knowledge and began to pray. ‘I am a low and worthless wretch, controlled by pride. Forgetting Your lotus feet, I have turned to material sense gratification. I myself, Lord Shiva, and the demigods headed by Indra are Your subjugated servants. This is written in scripture. But we are not so fortunate as Your pure servants, and thus maya covers us with the net of illusion. The first one hundred trillion years of my life have passed and I have been forced to realize this at last. How will I spend the second one hundred trillion years of my life? If I remain in illusion, I will simply suffer. My only prayer is that I may become Your associate when You manifest Your pastimes. Having given up the illusion that I am the creator, I want to take birth in Your association and sing Your glories.”
“‘Hearing Brahma’s prayers, Lord Gauranga benedicted him saying, ‘So be it. When My pastimes become visible on earth, you will take birth in a yavana’s house. Your name will be Haridasa Thakura, and you will be famous for your humility and completely free from all pride. You will chant three hundred thousand names a day, and when you pass from this world you will be seeing Me. And at the end of the second one hundred trillion years of your life, you will attain Navadvipa-dhama and be absorbed in eternal rasa.”’”
“On the Phalguna Purnima, one who fasts, takes bath in the Ganges here [at Ganga-nagara], and worships Gauranga will cross over the material ocean along with his ancestors. Along with one thousand ancestors, he attains Goloka after death no matter where he dies.”
“One time during Satya-yuga, Lord Shiva began madly dancing, while chanting the name of Gauranga. Parvati asked him, ‘Please tell me who is Gauranga. By seeing your astonishing dance and hearing the name of Gauranga, my heart is melting. All that I have heard in the way of mantra and tantra till now only leads to more entanglement for the living entities. Dear husband, please tell me something of this Gauranga. By worshipping Him will I receive actual life?’
“Hearing Parvati’s words, Shiva meditated on Gauranga and said, ‘Unto you, who are the primordial energy, one portion of Sri Radha, I will tell the crest-jewel of all truths. Accepting the spiritual emotions of Sri Radha, Krishna will descend in this Kali yuga at Mayapur in the womb of Saci. Lord Gauranga, intoxicated with pastimes of kirtana, will distribute the jewel of prema to everyone without discrimination. Whoever does not drown in that flood of prema is most unfortunate. O Devi, just by remembering the Lord's promise that He will come, I pass my life drowning in love of God. Being unable to control myself, I have given up my own city of Kasi. Within Mayapur, on the bank of the Ganges, I will live in a hut and worship Gauranga.’
“Hearing Shiva's words, beautiful Parvati quickly went to Simantadvipa. As she constantly meditated on the form of Gauranga and chanted His name, she became immersed in prema. After some time, Gauracandra appeared with His associates to bestow mercy on Parvati. His complexion was like molten gold. He had long arms, wavy hair, and beautiful limbs. He was wearing a long dhoti folded thrice, and from His neck swung a garland of flowers, which was very attractive to behold. In a voice choked with love, Gaura Raya said, ‘O Parvati, why have you come here?’
“Parvati fell at the lotus feet of the master of the universe and with an agitated mind explained her sorrow: ‘O Prabhu Jagannatha, life of the universe, though You are merciful to all, You have deceived me. O deliverer of the fallen, You have appointed me to bind up all the living entities in the material world who are averse to You. I have come into the material world to do this work, and have thus been cheated of Your unlimited prema. People say that wherever Krishna is there is no Maya. I am therefore forced to always remain outside Your spiritual realm, in the material world. So how will I ever see Your pastimes? If You do not offer a way, I am without hope.’
“Saying this, Parvati put Gauranga's foot dust on her simanta (part in the hair) in great distress. From that, the name of Simantadvipa came. Ignorant people call the place Simuliya.
“Gauracandra was pleased, and He said to Parvati, ‘O supreme goddess, listen carefully to My words. You are My energy, you are not separate or different from Me. My one energy has two forms. Within the spiritual kingdom, My original energy has one form as Sri Radha, but for carrying out activities in the material world She has expanded Herself as you. Without you, My lila could not be accomplished, for in the form of Yogamaya, you are necessary in My pastimes. In Vraja, you are eternally present as Paurnamasi, and in Navadvipa you are present as Praudha Maya along with Ksetrapala Siva, guardian of the dhama.’
“Saying this, Gauranga disappeared, and Parvati became overwhelmed with love. Parvati stays in one form as the goddess of Simantadvipa, and in another form as Praudha Maya in Mayapur.”
“Nityananda Prabhu took Jiva and quickly entered the Chand Kazi’s village, where He said, ‘O Jiva, hear My words. The Chand Kazi's village is none other than Mathura. After performing kirtana, Gauranga gave love of God to the Kazi and liberated him. Mathura’s King Kamsa of krishna-lila became Chand Kazi in Gaura-lila. For that reason Gauranga addressed the Kazi as His maternal uncle, and out of fear the Kazi took shelter of Gauranga’s lotus feet.
“Under orders from Hussain Shah, who was the king of the Bengal empire and Jarasandha in Krishna-lila the Kazi caused disturbance during kirtana performance by breaking the mrdangas. The Lord, appearing in the form of Nrsimha, put fear in the Kazi’s heart. Like Kamsa, the Kazi cowered in fear. Sri Caitanya, however, gave him prema and thus made the Kazi a great devotee. The very fortunate hear this story of the Kazi’s liberation.”
[Lord Nityananda continued:] “‘Just see the difference between Vraja-tattva and Navadvipa-tattva. Those who offend Krishna are liberated by merging into the Lord’s effulgence, whereas in Navadvipa the offenders receive the treasure of love of God. Therefore, Lord Gauranga’s pastimes are considered the highest. Gauranga’s abode, name, form, and qualities do not consider offense; rather, they expertly deliver one from any offense. If the devotee has some offense in his heart, then Krishna’s name and abode will deliver him only after a long time. But Gauranga’s name and abode immediately bestow prema on the devotee, for offenses create no obstacle and are easily overcome. O Jiva, see the Kazi’s samadhi. By seeing this samadhi the living entities’ old age and disease are vanquished."
“‘To the west of the Alakananda River see Kasi, where the followers of Shiva and his consort endeavor for liberation. This Navadvipa Kasi, however, is superior to the other Kasi. Here, Shiva is always dancing and chanting the name of Gaura, begging his followers to accept gaura-bhakti. The sannyasis who live for a thousand years in Kasi may attain liberation through the cultivation of jñana, but here the devotees kick away that liberation as they dance and chant the name of Gauranga. While leaving the body here, living entities are delivered by Lord Shiva, who chants the name of Gauranga in their ears. This dhama is thus called Maha-Varanasi, for here there is no fear of death.’”
[Lord Varaha said:] “By serving Navadvipa, all tirthas are served, and by living in Navadvipa, the fruit of living at all other tirthas is attained.”
Gopiparanadhana Prabhu:
From Brhad-bhagavatamrta 1.7.135, commentary:
“Krishna’s mercy leads to bhakti [devotional service], which develops into prema [love of God].”
From Brhad-bhagavatamrta 1.7.137–138, commentary:
“The other pure Vaishnavas acknowledge the supremacy of Srimati Radharani without envy, being satisfied with the unlimited happiness of serving Krishna in their own individual ways. The second part of Brhad-bhagavatamrita, ‘The Glories of Goloka,’ will conclusively demonstrate that every pure devotee of Krishna enjoys full satisfaction in his own loving exchanges with Krishna.”
From Brhad-bhagavatamrta 1.7.143, commentary:
“Krishna finds His delight in the hearts of His surrendered devotees, each heart a unique treasure house of manifold ecstasies and loving dedication.”
“Narada wants to serve Krishna as an exemplary parivrajakacarya, preaching the glories of hari-namamrita throughout the universe. By chanting Krishna’s names, Narada will enjoy the highest pleasure and also share that pleasure with everyone else. The bliss of hari-nama will inspire such joy in Narada and his followers in disciplic succession that they will become like intoxicated madmen, laughing, crying, dancing, singing, and sometimes showing all ecstatic symptoms at once. Thus these devotees will forget their bodily needs and worldly duties.”
From Brhad-bhagavatamrta 1.7.153, commentary:
“It is an axiomatic principle of devotional science that until one rejects everything insubstantial one cannot grasp the essence of reality.”
“The sages at Prayaga, graced by Narada with ultimate enlightenment, now obtained the total humility (dainya) required for entrance into the mysteries of prema-bhakti. By honestly thinking themselves unworthy of worshiping the Personality of Godhead’s lotus feet, they earned the priceless treasure of His favor.”
From Brhad-bhagavatamrta 1.7.154–155:
[Maharaja Pariksit said:] “Dear mother, you as well should always worship this young cowherd boy. He is the ocean that yields the nectar of the rasa dance, in which divine gopis fully surround Him, entranced by pure love. You should cherish the desire to be a servant of these gopis, you should constantly worship Him in pure love as they did, and you should dedicate yourself to the sankirtana of His names.”
From Brhad-bhagavatamrta 2.1.13:
“Even the devotees of the Personality of Godhead who still have material desires can enjoy the pleasures they wish and then become fully purified and go to the Lord’s abode.”
From Brhad-bhagavatamrta 2.1.16, commentary:
“Prema-bhaktas like Sri Hanuman are endowed with mature ecstatic love. They perpetually serve the Lord with full-hearted enthusiasm, being interested only in the loving affection, intimate association, and opportunities for service that they find at the lotus feet of their beloved supreme master.”
Nagaraja Prabhu:
From “The Highest Aspect of the Supreme” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 58, No. 5 (September/October 2024):
“Bhagavatam 1.2.11, therefore, has great relevance in understanding God, or reality in general. Because God is nondual, realization of any one of His three main aspects – His all-pervasiveness, His immanence, and His unlimited yet supremely lovable personality – is in fact God realization. But there is also a gradation, Bhagavan being the Absolute Truth’s highest aspect. And because of Bhagavan’s ultimacy, to realize Him is the superlative satisfaction of the soul.”
“While the Vedic scriptures report the transformation of self-realized impersonalists into devotees, no pure devotee ever gives up devotional service to the Lord to descend to a lower stage.”
Bhakti Prachar Parivrajak Swami:
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.8.17 in Mayapur on May 22, 2024 (Nrsimha Caturdasi):
We do not worship Lord Nrsimha to attain His planet in Vaikuntha but to become free from obstacles to attain Goloka Vrindavan.
Visvanatha Cakravarti says Prahlada Maharaja is a combination of two personalities, one a sadhana-siddha and the other a nitya-siddha.
Gadadhara would ask each day what Lord Caitanya wanted to hear from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Lord Caitanya would always either answer Dhruva or Prahlada.
Gadadhara is Radharani and Lord Caitanya is Krishna, so it was a Bhagavatam class between Radharani and Krishna. All people in general prefer to hear the five chapters of the rasa dance, those who performed the rasa dance prefer to hear about Dhruva and Prahlada.
There are two accounts of the previous life of Prahlada. In one he had a girlfriend and to make a suitable place for their activities, they cleaned one broken down building. That building happened to be an old Nrsimha temple and that day happened to be Nrsimha Caturdasi. In the other one he had a prostitute who he got into a fight with. Due to anger he did not eat, and he stayed up the whole night. That day happened to be Nrsimha Caturdasi.
One reason for the appearance of Nrsimha is Laksmi was saying to Narayana, I hear you sometimes like to fight but with your very soft body, how is that possible? He came to demonstrate.
Seeing the Lord is not important. So many demons saw the Lord. Service to the Lord is important.
We should come to the temple so the Lord can see us.
Hearing can be in ignorance, passion, goodness, or transcendental.
Hearing in ignorance is out of fear, hearing in passion goes in one ear and out the other, hearing in goodness is out of duty, and transcendental hearing is out of love.
Real initiation is when Krishna is transferred from the mind of the guru to the mind of the disciple.
Prahlada Maharaja became Prahlada Maharaja because of attentive hearing from Narada.
We should not think if we experience misery that something is wrong. This world is meant to give us misery.
The last program of torture of Prahlada by Hiranyakasipu was to throw him in the ocean. That was the day before Lord Nrsimha appeared. Prahlada was saying, “What does my father gain by causing trouble to me in this way?” Seeing the distress of Prahlada, Nrsimha decided to appear.
Jalangi Devi Dasi:
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam in Mayapur in May 2024:
One friend got pregnant when she was almost 50 years old. Her doctor detected that at three months, the embryo was alive but it wasn’t growing. He suggested she have an abortion, and try for another one. Because she was a devotee, she knew it was not good to kill unnecessarily, so she decided to do a Nrsimha puja every day for six months. From the day she started the puja, the embryo started growing properly. Now she has a six-year-old girl who is very intelligent.
Krishna and Caitanya are famous as bhakta-vatsala, but Nrsimhadeva is called krpana-vatsala, the friend of the miserly.
Even the demigods do not suffer from hunger and thirst because they do not identify themselves with the body.
Madhvacarya
analyzed how our identification causes different kinds of suffering.
Identification
– Suffering
Body
– tiredness, excessive sexual desire
prana
– hunger
mind
– panic, fear, and unlimited desires that end in disappointment
intelligence
– existential bitterness
ego
– feeling very lowly (but not genuine humility)
consciousness
– past memories haunting us
ruler
of everything – all six above sufferings to an increasing degree
We are all related as we were all once sleeping together in the body of Garbhodakasayi Vishnu.
Jayapataka Swami said in a class in February 2024, that Radharani created the nine kinds of devotional service and the nine islands of Navadvipa.
I recently learned that Narada’s ashram where the pregnant wife of Hiranyakasipu took shelter was in the region of Vrindavan at Govardhan.
Caitanya Carana Prabhu:
From “Q&A” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 58, No. 5 (September/October 2024):
“In contrast to the Abrahamic tradition, which depicts a jealous God who condemns the worship of other gods as infidelity, the Gita reveals God to be magnanimous, for He facilitates the worship of other gods as a transitional arrangement for the gradual elevation of estranged souls. Of course, for souls who are ready to rise from the transition to the summit, the Gita reveals the ultimate object of worship, the Supreme God, glorifying Him with epithets strikingly similar to those used for Yahweh in the Bible and Allah in the Koran.”
From “The Significance Universal Form” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 58, No. 5 (September/October 2024):
“Krishna’s revelation of the universal form to Arjuna was unprecedented because Krishna’s previous revelations hadn’t included His kala-rupa.”
Gauranga Darsana Prabhu:
From “The Seven Oceans of Lord Krishna” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 58, No. 5 (September/October 2024):
“Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead with all His powers, playing the role of a devotee with all benevolence.”
Jagannatha Gopala Prabhu:
From “Repaying an Unpayable Debt” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 58, No. 5 (September/October 2024):
“Why is bhakti described as being very rare? Because it can be bestowed only by a jiva one who already has it and by no other means. Therefore it is is said, “Bhakti comes only from bhakti” (bhaktya sañjataya bhaktya, Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.3.31).”
“During a lecture in Dallas (March 4, 1975), when asked how we can repay him, Prabhupada said: ‘You don't require to repay. [chuckles] I am not giving you anything. It is Krishna’s property. You repay to Krishna. Chant Hare Krishna and He will be repaid. [break] Nobody can repay. Therefore it is better to remain always obliged. That’s all. Is that all right? Chant Hare Krishna.”
Brajanatha Prabhu:
From “Strive to Become a Parantapa” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 58, No. 5 (September/October 2024):
“We should comprehend, however, that anxiety itself is not inherently negative. Rather, it serves as nature’s warning signal, indicating the need for adjustments in our mindset and consciousness. It can be likened to the warning light in a car, which signifies a need for maintenance to ensure the vehicle’s well-being. To tune up your car, visit a mechanic. To tune up your consciousness, seek a spiritual master.”
“When we take shelter of Krishna or His representative, our life journey changes into an adventure of ever greater wisdom. This was demonstrated by Arjuna in the Battle of Kurukshetra.”
“Though it was spoken in the context of war, it’s not about violence. Out of seven hundred verses, only a few are about preparing for battle. The rest of the Gita explains how to live in this world and eventually leave it in consciousness of Krishna.”
Rasamaya Nityananda Prabhu:
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.7.29 in Mayapur on May 20, 2024:
Although Chapter 7 of Canto 7 is entitled “What Prahlada Learned in the Womb” much of his teachings were related in the previous chapters.
Prahlada Maharaja was talking about the entanglement of family life although only a five-year-old without any real experience of it. Thus his friends were wondering where he got this knowledge.
The demigods were worried that the son of Hiranyakasipu would also be highly demoniac so they planned to kill him soon after birth. Narada Muni, however, informed Indra that the child in the womb of Hiranyakasipu’s wife was a great devotee of the Supreme Lord, and thus they would not be able to kill him. Indra accepted Narada’s words because he was considered to be an authority.
Rukmini gained the conviction to marry Lord Krishna simply by hearing about Him from Narada Muni.
If you follow nicely, people will be convinced by your words.
Because Prahlada heard so much from Narada about Krishna, he was full of Krishna consciousness.
Because Prahlada was the son of the king the other students naturally had some special respect for him, and he took advantage of that to preach to his classmates.
Just by meditating on the instructions the sadhus give, people would attain perfection.
The mother of Prahlada did not want to give birth to her child before her husband returned from his austerities, thus she requested that benediction from Narada Muni.
Rukmini Vallabha Prabhu:
From “Divine Shelter: The Need to Know It and Attain It” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 58, No. 5 (September/October 2024):
“The sources of pleasure in this world are constrained by various limitations – our ability to experience pleasure from any shelter is limited, the amount of pleasure derived from any shelter is limited, the ability of any shelter to offer pleasure is limited, even the life span of any shelter is limited.”
“Because the material paradigm is not based on the actual purpose of human life and the world, it can provide only a superficial explanation for the distress we go through.”
“Prahlada, amidst all reversals and rejections, found acceptance and assurance in his relationship with Krishna.”
“Divine shelter offers sustainable satisfaction.”
“We can access Krishna’s shelter anywhere, anytime through service to Him, dovetailing all types of engagements of body, mind, and words. Serving Krishna does not require any preconditions. There is no discrimination based on color, race, education, or social status. He values inner sincerity above external competence. If the required paraphernalia are not available, service can even be offered within the mind.”
“Krishna can simultaneously love everyone and make everyone feel loved.”
Vraja Vinoda Shyam Prabhu:
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.6.4 in Mayapur on May 23, 2024:
The demigods pray to the Lord that they cannot do anything without His help.
Srila Prabhupada describes the creation as a facility to purify ourselves and attain liberation.
Some followers of different religions have doubts that the deity can be God Himself, but if God is all powerful why can’t He manifest Himself in the deity.
The Lord is that person who loves without caring for the reciprocation of the other person.
People who tolerate their personal pain to make arrangements to spiritually benefit others are most dear to the Lord.
Often we worry about situations which may never occur, and thus we waste time that could be used for remembering Krishna.
If we spend time trying to change things that we cannot change we lose the opportunity to use that time for our sadhana.
If we do not depend on the programs that Srila Prabhupada created for us we will find ourselves creating other programs.
We like varieties and thus the Lord has manifested different forms and performs different pastimes.
The great glory of Srinivasa Acarya was that he retrieved the books of the Gosvamis which had been stolen by one king.
Tanay Shah:
From “Hidden Struggles: Unmasking the Untold Challenges of Existence” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 58, No. 5 (September/October 2024):
“Associating with materialistic people, who prioritize sensual pleasures and bodily comforts, jeopardizes one’s human form of life. It is advised, therefore, that an intelligent person should avoid such undesirable company and consistently engage with saintly persons for spiritual nourishment and growth. When one associates with saintly persons, all uncertainties about the spiritual dimensions of life are dispelled, leading to tangible progress on the path of spiritual understanding.”
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In this important verse Sukadeva Goswami advises his disciple, Maharaja Pariksit, a great devotee and a great king, to understand the importance of the sankirtana movement so that others will take it seriously. In doing so, he is also advising us. How important is it? It is “the most auspicious activity in the entire universe.”
tasmat
sankirtanam vishnor
jagan-mangalam
amhasam
mahatam
api kauravya
viddhy
aikantika-niskrtam
“Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore the chanting of the sankirtana movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe. Please try to understand this so that others will take it seriously.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.31)