Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 20, No. 19
By Krishna Kripa Das
(October 2024, part one)
Albany and New York City
(Sent from Brooklyn, New York, on October 19, 2024)
Where I Went and What I Did
For the first four days of October I helped my sister, Karen, and her partner, Victor, clean out my mother’s place so her house could be sold. For the first three of those days I stayed at Viraha Bhavan, Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami’s ashram, helping his caretakers in their services to him. I found and photographed about 60 letters I had written to my mother. I was impressed that she had saved them all. On October 4 I drove two hours to Hamilton College, which my father had attended, and I delivered the last of my father’s papers to the archivist at the library there.
On October 5 I was happy to return to ISKCON NYC and NYC Harinam, my place of residence and my service for the rest of the year. We have many serious devotees dedicated to their services to Radha Govinda at that temple, and it is inspiring to live there. I would chant with Rama Raya Prabhu’s NYC Harinam party from Monday through Saturday for three or four hours in the afternoons, and on Sundays I would do a walking harinama with ISKCON NYC devotees around Brooklyn for an hour and then chant with the Bhakti Center Soul Spot group in Washington Square Park for two hours in the afternoon.
I share many quotes from the books, lectures, conversations, and letters of Srila Prabhupada. I share notes on classes by Srila Prabhupada disciples, Bhakti Caitanya Swami, speaking at 26 Second Avenue, and Hansarupa, Smara Hari, and Sunanda Prabhus, speaking at ISKCON NYC in Brooklyn. I also share notes on ISKCON NYC classes by Rama Raya, Hari Vilasa, Acyuta Mohan, Balarama Das, Gopala Prana, Arjunananda, Surabhi Kunja, and Narada Muni Prabhus. I also share a quote from Keshava Bharati Goswami and from an Italian Bhaktivedanta Institute devotee, Giridhari Prabhu.
Itinerary
October 5–January 4, 2025: NYC Harinam
–October 20: Sunday feast lecture at ISKCON Freeport, Long Island.|
–October 26: Bhagavad-gita class at 26 Second Avenue
–December 7: Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami Vyasa-puja & Hudson Winter Walk harinama
Chanting Hare Krishna in New York
Here, I, happy to be back in New York City, chant my favorite Hare Krishna tune in Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/P70L8B73rqs):
Narada Muni Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and an old man dances (https://youtu.be/Xzu4R8KJsv4):
Then Robert, an old man who occasionally comes, and Conner began dancing as well (https://youtu.be/axVUApfKjqc):
Narada Muni Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and a family of three plays shakers (https://youtu.be/qfAFrcYTa90):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/2NyzF_oyAGQ):
Gopal Goel chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and performer balances a tire and then a bicycle on his head (https://youtu.be/zPmgEXvlKVQ):
Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and a performer balances one bicycle on his head while riding another (https://youtube.com/shorts/sAoD4FlGaVQ?feature=share):
When Natabara was singing, a man took several photos of his dog, who was happy to pose with our party.
Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/3qvvWpxDSxo):
As he was chanting, some passersby danced (https://youtu.be/x8u1G-9Iisg):
I went to 26 Second Avenue after harinama to catch the end of the Saturday evening program there. Here Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at 26 Second Avenue (https://youtu.be/3RD_wd2Z6yU):
Gopala Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Downtown Brooklyn with devotees from ISKCON NYC and Gita Life (https://youtu.be/kNfKxCYALaE):
Devotees chant the Nrsimha Prayers, and a woman from West Virginia dances enthusiastically in a car park next to ISKCON NYC in Brooklyn (https://youtu.be/ZBS7IZTwOsA):
Gopala Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in front of ISKCON NYC, and Prabhupada disciple Sunanda Prabhu of TOVP dances (https://youtu.be/NtRQ2HhbgPg):
Hari Kirtan Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Soul Spot Washington Square Park Sunday Kirtan (https://youtu.be/Bw5I8WplbdY):
Mani Manjari Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/GLMbipt-6sI):
Srikar chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/rbHB9PCvR4Q):
Premamani Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/HzDPhfo6YZE):
Narada Muni Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Battery Park in New York City (https://youtu.be/I1vVc_svwec):
Hari Kirtan Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/Rp3DQv0TiGI):
Balaram Das Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/pQ6vM02hjd0):
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/qjufJQMZCK4):
Srikar chants Hare Krishna at Battery Park (https://youtu.be/YYWm26e18vg):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/ORZy5j1yfMI):
This woman, who graduated from University of Maryland in 1982, credits her survival to Hare Krishnas distributing food on her campus. She was happy see us and to learn of ISKCON DC’s Sunday Feast.
I was impressed about 50 devotees joined our 58th anniversary celebration of the first Tompkins Square Park kirtan at the Hare Krishna Tree. Jayananda gave out about 50 plates of prasadam.
Ananta Govinda and friends chant Hare Krishna at Tompkins Square Park (https://youtu.be/78HKivOoB54):
Keshava Madhava chants Hare Krishna at Tompkins Square Park (https://youtu.be/puDRPHhs4vw):
Tired of offering cookies to people who didn’t want them, I decided to just approach those moving to the kirtan beat. One young woman, who works as a DJ, told me she just got Bhakti Yoga: The Art of Eternal Love, and that she really liked it. I said it was based on the Introduction to The Nectar of Devotion. She said she really wanted to get that book. I told her it was on our table. Ryan encouraged her to give a donation, and she gave $20. I told her it described ecstasies unknown to us. I invited her to the Sunday feast, and she said she walks past our place 5 times a week. The incident reminded me that Kadamba Kanana Swami told us that the Hare Krishna Tree is a desire tree.
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Tulasi Kirtan at ISKCON NYC (https://youtu.be/SFP4zoAgVkg):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Union Square (https://youtu.be/2vrDq65-CKQ):
Damodhara Mowla chants Hare Krishna at Columbus Circle (https://youtu.be/nH94DAg6R3Y):
Srikar chants Hare Krishna at Columbus Circle (https://youtu.be/tPeg55LWpi8):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Columbus Circle (https://youtu.be/oN-ybAnzYBI):
Ananta Govinda chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and a performer plays instruments while balancing bike and then a tire (https://youtu.be/Kcqrvl989Qk):
Bhakta Ryan chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Subway Station (https://youtu.be/-x_N4IpFLpo):
Arjunananda Prabhu and the Gita Life devotees chant Hare Krishna on Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn (https://youtu.be/9Ov05VMtuJE):
This friendly Brooklyn man we met on that walking harinama on Fulton Street recalls visiting the Henry Street temple as an 8 or 9-year-old kid. Later he visited the Dallas temple and saw Prabhupada in person.
Thanks to Bhava Bhakti Devi Dasi for the video.
Acarya-nistha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna during the ISKCON NYC Sunday Feast arati (https://youtu.be/D2LyRTRvqUE):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Guru Puja Kirtan at ISKCON NYC (https://youtu.be/oiDy3EqBD3U):
I chanted Hare Krishna in Atlantic Avenue / Barclays Center subway station (https://youtu.be/lZ_C4yNqinw):
So did Arjunananda Prabhu (https://youtu.be/CUW3ZpRKhHk):
Maya Cabrinha also chanted Hare Krishna there (https://youtu.be/m--BlFP331k):
Photos
Warning about wasting prasadam.
Here my sister, Karen, and I, stand in front of the house in which we both grew up and where we lived until going away for college and the house our mother lived in for sixty-six years. The closing of the sale of the house was on October 8, 2024, and thus that chapter in our present lives has ended.
Here is a map on the wall of the archives showing the campus as it was in 1933, shortly after.
Here the archivist stands next to the thirty boxes of material that we donated from my mother’s house.
Apparently 14 years after he graduated, my father wrote a periodical about Hamilton College’s involvement with World War II.
Srila Prabhupada:
From Krishna introduction:
“Every one of us should be conscious of death at every moment. This life is not at all assured; at any time one can die. It does not matter whether one is a young man or an old man. So before death takes place, we must be fully Krishna conscious.”
From Krishna preface:
“Since Krishna is all-attractive, one should know that all his desires should be focused on Krishna. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that the individual person is the proprietor or master of his own body but that Krishna, who is the Supersoul present in everyone’s heart, is the supreme proprietor and supreme master of each and every individual body. As such, if we concentrate our loving propensities upon Krishna only, then immediately universal love, unity and tranquility will be automatically realized. When one waters the root of a tree, he automatically waters the branches, twigs, leaves and flowers; when one supplies food to the stomach through the mouth, he satisfies all the various parts of the body.
“The art of focusing one’s attention on the Supreme and giving one’s love to Him is called Krishna consciousness. We have inaugurated the Krishna consciousness movement so that everyone can satisfy his propensity for loving others simply by directing his love toward Krishna. The whole world is very eager to satisfy the dormant propensity of love for others, but the various invented methods like socialism, communism, altruism, humanitarianism and nationalism, along with whatever else may be manufactured for the peace and prosperity of the world, are all useless and frustrating because of our gross ignorance of the art of loving Krishna. Generally people think that by advancing the cause of moral principles and religious rites they will be happy. Others may think that happiness can be achieved by economic development, and yet others think that simply by sense gratification they will be happy. But the real fact is that people can be happy only by loving Krishna.
“Krishna can perfectly reciprocate one’s loving propensities in different relationships called mellows, or rasas. Basically there are twelve loving relationships. One can love Krishna as the supreme unknown, as the supreme master, the supreme friend, the supreme child, the supreme lover. These are the five basic love rasas. One can also love Krishna indirectly in seven different relationships, which are apparently different from the five primary relationships. All in all, however, if one simply reposes his dormant loving propensity in Krishna, then his life becomes successful. This is not a fiction but is a fact that can be realized by practical application. One can directly perceive the effects that love for Krishna has on his life.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.4:
“Therefore, O great sage, please give me instruction on the transcendental devotional service of the Lord, so that He, who is situated in the heart of everyone, will be pleased to impart, from within, knowledge of the Absolute Truth in terms of the ancient Vedic principles delivered only to those who are purified by the process of devotional service.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.4, purport:
“The bhakti process, as performed under the regulative principles of vaidhi-bhakti, or devotional service following the prescribed rules and regulations, is defined by the revealed scriptures and confirmed by great acaryas. This practice can help the neophyte devotee to rise to the stage of raga-bhakti, in which the Lord responds from within as the caitya-guru, or the spiritual master as Superconsciousness.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.11, purport:
“Krishna-katha is the only remedy for all people of the world because it can situate one in pure consciousness of the self and liberate one from material bondage. To preach krishna-katha all over the world, as recommended by Lord Caitanya, is the greatest missionary activity, and all sensible men and women of the world may join in this great movement started by Lord Caitanya.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.5, purport:
“If there is any scarcity in the world, it is the scarcity of God consciousness; otherwise, by the grace of the Lord, there is no scarcity of anything.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.28.3, purport:
“Krishna-prema, Krishna consciousness, is the highest gift which can be bestowed on anyone whom we presume to love.”
From Krishna Consciousness: The Matchless Gift, Chapter 1:
“When I spoke before students and some faculty members at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the first question raised was: ‘Where is the technological department which is investigating the difference between a dead man and a living man?’ When a man dies, something is lost. Where is the technology to replace it? Why don’t scientists try to solve this problem? Because this is a very difficult subject matter, they set it aside and busily engage in the technology of eating, sleeping, mating and defending. However, Vedic literatures inform us that this is animal technology. Animals are also trying their best to eat well, to have an enjoyable sex life, to sleep peacefully, and to defend themselves. What then is the difference between man’s knowledge and animal’s knowledge? The fact is that man’s knowledge should be developed to explore that difference between a living man and a dead man, a living body and a dead body. That spiritual knowledge was imparted by Krishna to Arjuna in the beginning of Bhagavad-gita.”
From a letter by Tamal Krishna Goswami to Mrs. Polly C. Perlmutter on June 10, 1977:
“I am struggling against so many odds. But my mission is to save the human society. That is my only aim and there are no personal motives. If I can save one person, I shall think my mission successful.”
From Teachings of Lord Kapila, verse 21:
“At the present moment it is very difficult to avoid the company of asadhus, those who are not sadhus. It is very difficult to find a sadhu for association. We have therefore started this Krishna consciousness movement to create an association of sadhus so that people may take advantage and become liberated. There is no other purpose for this society.”
From garden discussion on Bhagavad-gita 16.1–16 at New Vrindaban on June 26, 1976:
“We are attempting to qualify the man in transcendental qualities. This is the only institution. Otherwise, where is it? I don’t think there is any institution throughout the whole world to train the students in transcendental qualities.”
From a room conversation in Montreal on July 16, 1968:
“My guru maharaja explained that you haven’t got to learn anything extra for Krishna’s service. Whatever you know, just apply it in Krishna’s service. Then you become successful. Because our time is very short. We do not know when I am going to die.”
From an arrival lecture in Los Angeles on May 18, 1972:
“I came to your country single-handed, with a pair of cymbals. Now you are so many chanting Hare Krishna. That is my success.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.14.43, purport:
“Even people who do not like us and want to suppress the movement are also somehow or other chanting Hare Krishna. They say, ‘The Hare Krishna people should be chastised.’ Such foolish people do not realize the true value of this movement, but the mere fact that they want to criticize it gives them a chance to chant Hare Krishna, and this is its success.”
From a letter to Satyabhama on March 14, 1970:
“Regarding the condensation of Krishna Book, I have read it and it is very nice. Try to work on it as time permits; in the meantime, you can have some xerox copies made, then later on we shall find an opportunity to print it.”
From a letter to Hayagriva on February 13, 1972:
“I am especially pleased that you are compiling booklets for ISKCON Press. Yes, that is their best work: small booklets and pamphlets. Leave the big books to Dai Nippon. Meanwhile, Syamasundara has collected many tapes of me lecturing in Africa and India, and he is sending them to Jayadvaita for transcribing.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.2.38, purport:
“In our Krishna consciousness movement, all our activities are concentrated upon distributing Krishna literature. . . . By fully concentrating on distributing books for Krishna, one is fully absorbed in Krishna. This is samadhi.”
From a letter to Lalit Kumar on November 15, 1971:
“If you simply push on this one activity of distributing my books, your all success will be there.”
From a letter to Srivatsa on December 6, 1971:
“These books are the key to our preaching success. When the citizens see that we have real substantial philosophy, then they become convinced. They must see that we have solid authority for what we preach.”
From a letter to Jadurani on September 4, 1972:
“Distribute all of our books profusely, as many as possible to all classes of men.”
From Science of Self-Realization, Chapter 1:
“Srila Prabhupada: This literature is meant to convince people about the need for spiritual life.
“Mike Robinson: And you’re really not concerned whether or not they join the Hare Krishna movement?
“Srila Prabhupada: It doesn’t matter. Our mission is to educate them. People are in ignorance; they are living in a fool’s paradise, thinking that when their body is finished, everything is finished. That is foolishness.”
From a letter to German disciples on May 6, 1977:
“Be assured that there is no more direct way to preach than to distribute Krishna conscious books. Whoever gets a book is benefited. If he reads the book he is benefited still more, or if he gives the book to someone else for reading, both he and the other person are benefited. Even if one does not read the book but simply holds it and sees it, he is benefited. If he simply gives small donation toward the work of Krishna consciousness, he is benefited. And anyone who distributes these transcendental literatures, he is also benefited. Therefore sankirtana is the prime benediction for the age.”
From a letter to Nayanabhirama on December 1, 1970:
“If these books are introduced in the schools and colleges, so many beautiful souls will be saved.”
From a letter to Hansadutta on November 24, 1968:
“We work so that men of all languages and cultures may join us in chanting Hare Krishna, and for this we need so many literatures in so many different languages.”
From an arrival address in Los Angeles on June 20, 1975:
“Print as many books in as many languages and distribute throughout the whole world. Then the Krishna consciousness movement will automatically increase.”
From a letter to Madira in August 1971:
“Actually that is our most important business – to distribute our Back to Godhead magazine. If you go on in this way with enthusiasm and determination for distributing BTG to everyone you meet, then Krishna will surely bless you more and more.”
From a letter to Hansadutta on February 17, 1973:
“I cannot stress this point enough that we must handle this publication of Back to Godhead very nicely, for it is one of the most important aspects of our Society.”
“Our Back to Godhead is the backbone of our movement so we should always be thinking of how to increase it, increase it, increase it.”
From a letter to Yasomatinandana on July 11, 1976:
“If you can publish these magazines you will get many supporters and sympathizers.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.14.29, purport:
“In this age, since it is impossible to go to the forest for spiritual culture, one is recommended to live in the temple community as a devotee, regularly worship the deity, follow the regulative principles, and thus make the place like Vaikuntha. When one lives in the temple community he lives in Vaikuntha.”
From a letter to Ksirodakasayi on January 29, 1973:
“These temples are just like oases in the desert for the conditioned souls to quench the thirst of their desire for real happiness.”
From a letter to Bhagavan on December 18, 1970:
“Our ISKCON centers are meant to give relief to the dried-up conditioned souls who are searching after the nectar of joyful life.”
From a morning walk in Mayapur on January 20, 1976:
“So many rascals are there. And this is the only shelter to be protected from all these rascals. These ISKCON centers are the only shelter.”
From a letter to Jagadisa on July 9, 1970:
“You have written that your temple is like an oasis in a desert. It is a fact that our temples are providing shelter from the burning forest fires of material existence. It does not matter poor quarter or richer quarter, our temples are nothing to do with any material situation. They are situated in the spiritual sky and as such they are the only alternative offering relief from the miseries of all kinds of material conditions of life. So encourage people to come and spend time with us in the temple and become purified from all contaminations and anxieties. Everyone is suffering from thirst for spiritual life or Krishna consciousness, and it is the temple which can offer them Krishna consciousness to satisfy their thirst.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 4.93, purport:
“The Krishna consciousness movement vigorously approves this practice of preparing food, offering it to the Deity and distributing it to the general population. This activity should be extended universally to stop sinful eating habits as well as other behavior befitting only demons. A demoniac civilization will never bring peace within the world. Since eating is the first necessity in human society, those engaged in solving the problems of preparing and distributing food should take lessons from Madhavendra Puri and execute the Annakuta ceremony. When the people take to eating only prasadam offered to the Deity, all the demons will be turned into Vaishnavas. When the people are Krishna conscious, naturally the government will be so also. A Krishna conscious man is always a very liberal well-wisher of everyone. When such men head the government, the people will certainly be sinless. They will no longer be disturbing demons. It is then and then only that a peaceful condition can prevail in society.”
Bhakti Caitanya Swami:
I read Bhagavad-gita in 1973. When I got toward the end, I learned that I had to surrender to Krishna, and so I thought, “Ok, I’ll just surrender Krishna then.”
In South Africa many devotees are doctors, and they treat other devotees for free.
There was a devotee who was a nuclear scientist who worked in a nuclear plant. He considered when he became a devotee that job was inconsistent with his values, so he became temple president of Gitanagari.
Kesava Bharati Goswami:
“In accomplishing the [seemingly] impossible, Srila Prabhupada consistently displayed inconceivable qualities: he was simultaneously strict and liberal, gentle and stern, highly organized and spontaneous, childlike and venerable, simple and regal, peaceful and vigorous.”
Smara Hari Prabhu:
There are so many ways Krishna could have decided for us to live in the material world. He set it up so we have relatively short lives, we do not remember our previous lives, but we get karma that goes with us to our next life.
Katyayani, a form of Durga, has the function of removing obstacles like Ganesh.
Srila Prabhupada did amazing things, but for me, his creation of this ISKCON society so we can benefit from the association of devotees is more important.
There is a deity that is half Shiva and half Parvati.
The neophyte devotees in the Krishna consciousness movement, like the members of other religions, tend to have materialistic aspirations.
We should associate with devotees who do not have materialistic aspirations but simply want to assist Srila Prabhupada in his mission.
Sunanda Prabhu:
If we do not have enough devotional credits these descriptions of Krishna and His abode will just seem like mythology. But as we serve with devotion, these books and their descriptions will speak to us.
Lord Brahma is recording in Brahma-samhita what he is seeing in trance.
A drop of water from the ocean can be said to be the ocean, but it also can be said to not be the ocean.
“The unwholesomeness of matter is its defect.” What is that defect? It’s temporary.
We are in a diseased condition of life, and unfortunately we do not know how diseased we are.
Prema is given by Krishna, and when given, the fifty transcendental qualities of our pure soul become uncovered.
Hansarupa Prabhu:
Daksa’s words are given here so we can understand how an envious person speaks and watch out for it.
The temple is like a hospital. Some of us are patients and some of us are doctors. We may even take help from the nurses.
If you do not take advantage of the association of devotees, you will lose it.
Srila Prabhupada was disappointed a year after the new Vrindavan temple was constructed. He chastised the devotees for offering old flowers to the deities and for thinking, “Whatever little money we get, at least let us eat.”
If this is my house, I can ignore broken things, but this is our spiritual master’s place so we cannot ignore these things.
The state insures when a building is sold by a nonprofit that the money can only be used to purchase another building for that same organization, and thus, this building at 305 Schermerhorn was bought from money from the sale of 340 West 55th Street.
By chanting Hare Krishna every day we are realigning ourselves.
Comment by Rama Raya Prabhu: If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.
Rama Raya Prabhu:
Lord Shiva remained silent in the face of Daksa’s insult, but when Daksa treated Lord Shiva’s wife, Sati, so neglectfully because of her relationship with Shiva, that she decided to commit suicide and when Daksa did not try to stop her, Shiva became extremely angry.
At an airport arrival someone asked about the dress of the devotees. Srila Prabhupada pointed to the police, and said just as these policemen wear a uniform so you can understand they are representatives of the government in case you need their assistance, the devotees dress in a way you can understand they are representatives of God.
Srila Prabhupada wanted 24-hour kirtan in New York City. I envision doing 16 hours in the streets and 8 hours in the temple.
These gopis panels on the altar here at ISKCON NYC in Brooklyn were constructed by Aindra Prabhu. He was not just a kirtaneer but an also artist with many construction skills.
Bali Maharaja’s offering of his head for the third step of Vamanadeva was a far greater offering than his offering of the entire universe for his first two steps. For that offering he is famous as the acarya exemplifying atma-nivedana, complete surrender.
Srila Prabhupada carefully chose each painting illustrating the pastimes in his books. One of these was Krishna dasa Kaviraja Goswami having the vision of Lord Nityananda and His associates.
There was a tin-goswami-samadhi mandir established at Shyama Kunda for these three gosvamis who disappeared on the dvadasi before Karttika: Raghunath Dasa Goswami, Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, and Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Goswami.
Hari Vilasa Prabhu:
The verse “May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of Śrimati Śaci-devi be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 1.4) is not just glorification of Lord Caitanya but also a benediction that Lord Caitanya will be situated in the core of your heart.
We should not see either Lord Caitanya’s internal or external reason for appearing to be more important.
Not many religions discuss the inner experience of God.
It is the Lord’s desire that the living entities experience the nectar of devotional service that He Himself comes to experience.
A large part of the Sri Caitanya-caritamrita is significant because of the elevated spiritual personalities involved.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that Vaishnava aparadha begins with jiva aparadha.
Srila Prabhupada had faith that people could actually change if they hear the holy name, and that was an important cause of his success.
Bhakti is more powerful than karma.
To distribute books and to go on harinama, you have to faith that people are benefiting far more than you can see.
Initiation is just the beginning. So many people may be initiated, but not all act in exemplary ways.
Krishna consciousness always has to be the first priority. We may get married and have kids and do so many things, but Krishna always has to be the first priority.
As there is no material qualification to become a devotee, there is no material disqualification that can keep you from becoming a devotee.
Q (by Divyangi Devi Dasi): How to increase faith and taste?
A: Fill up your life with the five most important items of devotional service as far as possible, and be patient. Make sure you always practically take care of your health, your sadhana, and your service, and stick with your practice, somehow or other.
Loyalty is cause of faith.
The greatest gift you can give to your spiritual master is a long commitment of loyalty.
Comments by me not made in class:
As far as it taking a lot of good association to bring one to the point of becoming a devotee, I am reminded of a conversation I had with Indradyumna Swami in the Alachua temple. I asked Maharaja, “I have some attraction to hearing and chanting about Krishna, but I cannot seem to inspire other people.”
Indradyumna Swami replied, “I have the same problem.”
I said, “That must be your humility. You seem to be doing pretty well to me.”
Not responding to my praise, he replied, “Continual association works for both new people and those coming around for a while. We just have to be very patient.”
When he said that I thought about how patient Srila Prabhupada was with the early devotees, waiting in line to use the bathroom and cleaning up after the weekly Love Feast which he had personally cooked.
Regarding the Lord protecting us, Kadamba Kanana Swami said we would fall down many times a day if Lord Caitanya wasn’t personally protecting us.
Regarding how the Hare Krishna mantra protects us, Laura, the first student who was president of our Krishna Club at the University of North Florida, chanted eight rounds a day. When finals came in December, she eliminated her chanting to save time to study. She found herself experiencing a lot of anxiety which she didn’t realize that the chanting had been protecting her from. After finals, she was eager to resume her chanting.
This excerpt from a letter to Raja Laksmi on February 17, 1976, reveals Srila Prabhupada’s faith in the Hare Krishna mantra.
“My advice is to always chant 16 rounds minimum and follow the four regulative principles. All of my disciples must agree on this point otherwise they are not my disciples. Let one live anywhere, but stick to the principles. Disagreements will continue in this material world. So one may live in a suitable place, but one must follow these five principles. My disciples must follow these principles living either in heaven or hell.”
Acyuta Mohan Prabhu:
Bhakti Charu Swami commented that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta told his followers to manage his institution collectively and to focus on preaching, but they did just the opposite and thus many of the Gaudiya Matha properties were sold to pay lawyers’ fees for the disputes over leadership of the institution.
Even people in exalted positions have to worry about committing offenses. Yamaraja offended Manduka Muni and had to take birth as a sudra.
Overestimation of oneself leads to offenses.
Getting free from offenses requires humility. You have to be humble enough to realize you made an offense.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura recommends a three-step process for becoming free from offenses:
1. Beg forgiveness from the devotee you offended.
2. If the devotee does not accept your apology, offer service to that devotee.
3. If the devotee still does not forgive you, take shelter of Krishna by chanting His holy name.
If we glorify the Lord and His pure devotees, we can attain humility.
If we focus on commonality, that can keep us from the offensive mentality.
We are already battling with lust, greed, and anger, why battle with the devotees in addition?
Seeing the Krishna consciousness of other devotees purifies our consciousness and frees us from the offensive mentality.
Giridhari Prabhu of Italy:
From Pre-creation, Entropy, and the Arrow of Time in the Puranas:
“The fear manifests from ahankara [false ego], and when ahankara is replaced by saranagati (surrender) then there is no fear.
Balarama Das Prabhu:
If someone came to the temple covered with ashes and having a garland of skulls you may ask him to leave. In the same way Daksa did not appreciate Lord Shiva.
Daksa criticized Shiva, who was his son-in-law. Thus we see there are also family problems in the Bhagavatam.
Gopala Prana Prabhu:
We may be a peaceful personality, but when we become devotees we may find that we become more agitated. That is just temporary and is a result of some anartha that came up in the course of purification.
In 1966, when Srila Prabhupada lived in the Bowery, every day three or four people would be lying dead due to alcoholism.
Lord Shiva gives those who do not approach him for material benedictions the benediction of devotion to Lord Vishnu.
Lord Shiva resides in all the dhamas [sacred places] protecting them.
Arjunananda Prabhu:
When one is angry, it is difficult to immediately give up the anger, but Dhruva was able to do that when requested by Syavambhuva Manu, and thus he was glorified and Kuvera blessed him.
Surabhi Kunja Devi Dasi:
According to Bhagavad-gita 2.62–63 when one becomes angry one loses his intelligence, and we see here that Daksa became so angry that he blasphemed Lord Shiva.
Jiva Goswami says the smrtis are more merciful than the srutis because they allow sudras to study them.
Daksa acted just the opposite of the way that Lord Caitanya recommends. He demanded respect from Lord Shiva, yet he did not offer him any respect at all.
Sometimes social media becomes like a Dakṣa yajña, with everyone criticizing one another.
If we are proud, we cannot progress because we already think we have attained our goal.
Our spiritual growth is directly proportional to our willingness to accept feedback.
One scripture says: One may rise to great heights and one may hold the Lord close to one’s heart, but one will fall if he harms devotees who are surrendered to the Lord.
The reaction to offending devotees causes us to lose access to our spiritual assets, and we become like one having a bank account that is frozen.
The lesson [of the Dakṣa yajña] is not to wait until our head is cut off to become humble and to serve the Vaishnavas.
Narada Muni Prabhu:
My mother taught me that people are not going to remember what you do and what you say. They are going to remember how you made them feel.
Researchers calculate that if you paid a mother for all the selfless service she does for her husband and kids, she should get $150,000 per year. Yet all she does is not her real glory but her selfless consciousness.
Krishna consciousness challenges us to think of a world where we are not the center.
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This Bhagavad-gita verse reveals why many people do not attain perfection, happiness, or the supreme destination. If you value any of these three, take this verse to heart:
yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya
vartate kama-karatah
na sa siddhim avapnoti
na sukham na param gatim
“He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.” (Bhagavad-gita 16.23)
An especially important scriptural injunction is “For spiritual progress in this Age of Kali, there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative to the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord” (Brhan-naradiya Purana 38.126), a verse that Lord Caitanya personally quoted in his discussion with the Mayavadi sannyasis.
