Diary
of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 20, No. 18
By
Krishna Kripa Das
(September 2024, part two)
Upstate
New York
and Philadelphia
(Sent
from Brooklyn, New York, on October 5, 2024)
Where I Went and What I Did
From September 16 to September 25, I lived at the house I grew up in and helped my sister sort through our mother’s property before selling the house. Mostly I would watch mangala-arati on YouTube in Brooklyn, and occasionally in Los Angeles. A few times I chanted the songs alone. I would make oatmeal for breakfast and a khichri-like preparation for lunch, using macaroni or orzo instead of rice. Once I tried making it with oatmeal, and I was surprised how good it was. While I cooked I listened to the Zoom reading of my guru, Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, and his disciples of Srimad-Bhagavatam. While I sorted the stuff, I would either play Aindra Prabhu Hare Krishna kirtans or listen to NYC Harinam live. From September 26 to 28 I did harinama in Philadelphia for two days to promote the Ratha-yatra, and then I attended that Ratha-yatra itself on the third day. September 29 I gave the Sunday lecture at ISKCON Schenectady.
On September 30, I celebrated my 65th birthday by going on harinama in Albany, where I was born, with ISKCON Schenectady devotees, including world traveler, Vicaru Prabhu.
For my birthday, I made pineapple-almond coconut burfi as well as some separate sweets without the pineapple and almonds so my guru could have some too.
I share many, many quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s books, lectures, conversations, and videos, many I found in the book on his mood and mission by Bhakti Vikasa Swami, which I am proofreading. I also share notes on classes by Mahavishnu Swami and Rajarsi Prabhu, and I share a quote from a remembrance of Nara Narayan Prabhu and quotes from Devaki Devi Dasi’s latest book. I also share a realization by Gaura Vani on Ratha-yatra.
Many, many thanks to Kelsie Rae for her very generous donation, prompted by this post I put on the Official Hare Krishna Humor Facebook conference: “‘If you accept knowledge, but you do not give a contribution to the provider, the knowledge will remain theoretical.’ (Janananda Goswami, Govindadvipa, Radhastami 2024) [I gave him 2 euros after the class because of hearing this.]”
Thanks to Karen, Victor, and Fern for giving me the foreign currency found in my mother’s house. Thanks to Isvara Govinda Prabhu and Victor Anderson for their very kind donations. Thanks to the caretakers of Satsvarupa dasa Goswami for letting me use their cars and ingredients and for providing facilities to make my sweets.
Itinerary
September
30–October 3: Albany area: Serve guru and sort mother’s stuff
October
4: Albany area: Sort mother’s stuff
October
5–January 2025: NYC Harinam
A Prabhupada Memory from a Great Soul
B. B. Govinda Swami once shared with us a memory of Srila Prabhupada’s sannyasa initiation he heard from Akincana Krishna Dasa Babaji Maharaja:
The pujaris preparing for the initiation ceremony felt that the loud chanting of Hare Krishna that Babaji Maharaja was doing was disturbing their concentration on their service, so they told him to chant softer. When Srila Prabhupada saw that, he turned to Babaji Maharaja and gestured with his hands to chant louder. Babaji Maharaja said that when he saw that, he understood that Srila Prabhupada would be successful in his mission.
Chanting Hare Krishna in Philadelphia
I went to Philadelphia two days before the Ratha-yatra to promote it.
The
first day I was joined by eight devotees. Here Meeta chants Hare Krishna at Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia (https://youtu.be/n3I5TUu6ea4):
The first two nights I stayed in the Philadelphia temple.
I was so happy to see Radha-Saradbihari, who I enjoyed dancing for when I was in my mid twenties back in the mid 1980s.
I figured I should do some temple service so I peeled 25 pounds of beets.
While enroute to harinama the next day, a black Muslim woman on the bus caught my attention and said, “I forgot what they call you guys.”
I said, “Hare Krishnas.”
She smiled, recognizing that. I mentioned we have a festival the next day. She asked the details. I told her, including the time and place of the vegetarian feast, and “I’ll be there or be square.”
I told her to bring her friends.
On harinama I found people in Philadelphia to be much nicer than people in New York or Paris.
Michael of Syracuse chants Hare Krishna at the Bhakti Garden Friday Kirtan in Philadelphia (https://youtu.be/llkS0svQNG4):
Rama Dasa Prabhu, the leader of ISKCON Syracuse, chants Hare Krishna at the Bhakti Garden Friday Kirtan (https://youtu.be/V52Jx8ldJyE):V52Jx8ldJyE
As we approached the Ratha-yatra site, I saw it was so foggy and misty that the tall city buildings seemed to disappear into the clouds.
Here devotees chant Hare Krishna before the Philadelphia Ratha-yatra procession begins (https://youtu.be/18xOacEyQzA):
Devotees chant Hare Krishna in Philadelphia Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/2WUgMDefKyo):
Here is another video of Ratha-yatra but in portrait orientation (https://youtu.be/6bf2vK2HMNI):
Kathy was happy to encounter Ratha-yatra while walking her dog. She asked about the significance of the two carts. I explained that Lord Caitanya and His associates who popularized the public chanting of Hare Krishna in 1500s were on the first cart. As I thought of how best to describe the personalities on the second cart, she said, “That’s Jagannatha!” “How do you know Jagannatha?” I asked with surprise.
“I was visiting India, and in Madurai I saw the cart festival,” she replied.
How completely amazing!
Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci chant Hare Krishna at the Philadelphia Art Museum after the Ratha-yatra, inducing people to chant and dance (https://youtu.be/8kTbcuRXCgo):
Mayuri chants Hare Krishna in Philadelphia Ratha-yatra kirtan tent (https://youtu.be/UMmyjm6xJyw):
Keshava chants Hare Krishna in Philadelphia Ratha-yatra kirtan tent (https://youtu.be/p78r-fZISdM):
Here is a portrait orientation video of Keshava chanting (https://youtu.be/nhT2QO2LkSo):
Gaura Vani chants the final Hare Krishna kirtan in Philadelphia Ratha-yatra kirtan tent (https://youtu.be/-yGzoZxiaIQ):
Chanting Hare Krishna in Albany
As I glance at photos from my life I am reminded of the phrase “changing bodies”:
On September 22, I spoke on “Bhagavad-gita and the Inner Light” at the Albany Friends Meeting, quoting verses 6.5–7, 10.10–11, and 15.15. About ten people attended and two bought Bhagavad-gitas. One of them was an interfaith minister, who bought a Gita from me last spring but had given it away. She was a friend of my mother who happened to meet me on NYC harinama in Union Square while pursuing her interfaith ministry degree. At that time, she said I was the only person she knew in New York City.
At the co-op in Albany a friendly African man asked about my dress. I said I was a Hare Krishna monk and that monks dress like this in India. He asked how our philosophy differed from others. I said the soul is present in animals and plants not just humans. He surprised me by confidently saying, “We all know that, that animals and even plants have feelings, but we ignore it.”
When I go to the Albany area to visit my relatives or to serve my guru, I don’t usually chant Hare Krishna in public, but on September 30, because I like to do harinama on my birthday, I invited ISKCON Schenectady devotees to chant with me in Albany, where I was born 65 years ago.
We found four people happy to play the shakers with us outside the Albany Public Library.
This one gave a dollar for a small book.
I distributed 2 small books, 1 pamphlet, and 3 pieces of pineapple coconut burfi and invited 2 people to the Sunday feast during our 70-minute harinama. It was great to do harinama with Vicaru Das Prabhu again.
Here Vicaru chants Hare Krishna outside the Albany Public Library with ISKCON Schenectady devotees (https://youtu.be/ICTNVJwrQd4):
Photos
As
I listened to Aindra kirtans and sort through my mother’s papers
and books, I found some that reminded me of Krishna . . .
While looking through my mother’s 22 shelves of books for ones on Quakerism, pacificism, and non-violence to give to the Albany Friends Meeting, I found some Hare Krishna ones, some I didn’t remember she had.
Srila Prabhupada:
From a class on Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 20.100–108 on November 29, 1966:
“A sadhu, a sage or a devotee, although he knows everything, still, he always places himself as he does not know anything. He never says that ‘I know everything.’ But actually, it is not possible to know everything. That is not possible. But one... Just like Sir Isaac Newton, he agrees that people say, ‘I am very much learned, but I do not know how much I have learned. I am simply collecting some pebbles on the sea shore.’ So that is the position. If a man who is actually learned, he’ll never say that ‘I am learned.’ He’ll simply say, ‘I am the fool number one. I do not know.’”
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.15 in Los Angeles August 18, 1972:
“People are trying to be happy. ‘We shall be happy by becoming materially advanced.’ That is called durasaya – hope against hope. They do not know that the proper destination of life is to attain Krishna consciousness. They think, ‘By increasing motorcars we shall be happy.’ This is called maya. That will not help.”
“The advertisement is ‘Come on, here is a cigarette, “Kool.” Make your brain cool by smoking.’ [Laughter.] Rascal. They are smoking. How can it be cool? But they purchase Kool. This is called maya. He’s smoking fire, and he’s becoming cool. But the advertisements are going on, and the rascals are captivated by them, and they smoke to become cool. Yes. This is called a knot. In so many ways they are tied up.”
“This ‘why’ question must be there. That is intelligence. There is an Upanisad called the Kena Upanisad. Kena means ‘why?’”
“The conclusion is that human life is meant for control. Not like the animal: ‘I want to eat,’ and immediately take it. A cat or a dog or a bull will rape. As soon as there is a female, the male immediately rapes. And there is no punishment. But if you do that on the street, raping, immediately you are a criminal. That is the difference. The inclination is there in both the animal and the human being. But a human being is supposed to be self-controlled. That is human life. The more you control your desire, the more you become perfect. And the more you become loose, the more you are an animal. That is the difference.”
“People do not know these things. They want freedom. In the name of freedom they are becoming animals. That’s all. This is their civilization.”
“This process has been approved by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You can remain in your position, but try to hear the transcendental message from realized souls. Then gradually you will be enlightened, and you will be free from this knot, this material bondage.”
From a morning walk in Chicago on July 8, 1975:
“Early morning till night, we are always thinking, ‘How people will be happy by Krishna consciousness?’”
From a letter to Giriraja on September 15, 1975:
“Our mission is to spread the instructions of Krishna so that people may become happy, hopeful, and peaceful.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.30.34, purport:
“A person who is overly affected materially may take advantage of this movement and become intimately associated with it. In this way the confused and frustrated inhabitants of this material world may find the highest happiness in association with devotees.”
From a conversation with Hayagriva about Freud:
“Anyone who accepts the Bhagavad-gita – the words of God, and the ways and means of life as defined by God – will be happy. That’s a fact.”
From Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita, Volume 2, Chapter 19:
“We have nothing to do with peace vigils. We simply want to spread this chanting of Hare Krishna, that’s all. If people take to this chanting, peace will automatically come. Then they won’t have to artificially try for peace.”
From The Peace Formula”:
“
“The great mistake of modern civilization is to encroach upon others’ property as though it were one’s own and to thereby create an unnecessary disturbance of the laws of nature. These laws are very strong. No living entity can violate them. Only one who is Krishna conscious can easily overcome the stringency of the laws of nature and thus become happy and peaceful in the world.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.2.36, purport:
“The Lord’s holy name must be heard, glorified, and remembered everywhere in the world. That will bring about the desired peace and prosperity so eagerly awaited by the people of the world.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 9.39, purport:
“With the good will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead there can be enough fruits, grain, and other foodstuffs produced so that all the people in the world could not finish them, even if they ate ten times their capacity. In this material world there is actually no scarcity of anything but Krishna consciousness. If people become Krishna conscious, by the transcendental will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead there will be enough foodstuffs produced so that people will have no economic problems at all.”
From a morning walk on May 28, 1974 in Rome, Italy:
“Make us in charge of the factory and see how we can deal. We shall introduce immediately kirtana and give them prasada, and give them lecture and philosophy. It will be solved. Or you follow our instruction. But that you will not do. You want to exploit these poor fellows, and you are coming to us for a solution. First of all give up the spirit of exploiting. Then it will be solved. You have come to take our advice how to exploit them.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.26.5, purport:
“Men do not understand that because they unrestrictedly kill so many animals, they also must be slaughtered like animals in big wars. This is very much evident in the Western countries. In the West, slaughterhouses are maintained without restriction, and therefore every fifth or tenth year there is a big war in which countless people are slaughtered even more cruelly than the animals. Sometimes during war, soldiers keep their enemies in concentration camps and kill them in very cruel ways. These are reactions brought about by unrestricted animal-killing in the slaughterhouse and by hunters in the forest.”
From letter to Makhanlal on June 22, 1973:
“We can preach all over the world that the only way to be saved from collective and individual devastation is to take to the chanting of Hare Krishna. In short, this material world is a very precarious place, therefore we should always chant Hare Krishna and seek Krishna’s protection.”
From a morning walk in Los Angeles on January 3, 1974:
“That is the only remedy. Anyone who takes to this chanting of Hare Krishna mantra, he’ll be cleansed of all sinful activities, and then everything will come out nice. And it is practical. It is not story. Just see, all our disciples in Europe, America, they were habituated to so many bad habits, and because they are chanting, they are now cleansed. So it is small-scale. If you propagate it large-scale, everyone will be cleansed.”
From a conversation with Shyamasundar about John Dewey:
“Any man who executes varnasrama-dharma satisfies Vishnu. Varnasrama-dharma is there, and the brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, and sudras. Accordingly, they are prescribed, how the brahmanas should live, how the ksatriyas should live, then there is no trouble. The whole problem is solved. But they have killed the varnasrama-dharma. They are now all sudras. The sudras, how they can make solutions? Sudras mean nonintelligent persons. So what can they do? They are running on democratic government voted by the sudras. What will these rascal sudras do? Sudras have no brain. They cannot make any solution. Now people are becoming sudras by so-called education. They cannot make any solution of the problems. If daiva-varnasrama is again established, then the whole problem will be solved.”
From a room conversation in Honolulu on June 14, 1975:
“People may say that this Krishna consciousness movement will not solve the problems for everyone. But that is not the fact. The fact is whoever will take it seriously, his problems will be solved. If everyone takes it seriously then everyone’s problems will be solved: tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so ’rjuna [Bg 4.9].”
From a conversation with Shyamasundar about William James:
“If we take the perfection made by God, that ‘This planet belongs to us, we human beings, and it is God’s property, so let us live peacefully.’ The whole solution of the problem is Krishna consciousness. If people will understand that ‘We are all sons of Krishna’s. This land belongs to Krishna, so let us enjoy our father’s property without fighting.’ That they will not do.”
From lecture on The Nectar of Devotion in Vrindavan on November 13, 1972:
“This Krishna consciousness society is made just to create some devotees so that people, by the association of the devotees and following the footprints of the Gosvamis, they’ll be automatically elevated to the transcendental platform. This is the meaning of Krishna consciousness society.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.24, purport:
“A pure devotee, who is preparing to transfer himself to the spiritual kingdom, is also freed from the association of the three modes of material nature. We have to seek the association of such devotees. For this reason we have begun the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. There are many mercantile, scientific, and other associations in human society to develop a particular type of education or consciousness, but there is no association which helps one to get free from all material association. If anyone has reached the stage where he must become free from this material contamination, then he has to seek the association of devotees, wherein Krishna consciousness is exclusively cultured. One can thereby become freed from all material association.”
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 a garden discussion in 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 5, 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 Y. G. Naik on August 7, 1975:
“In Jagannatha Puri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s only occupation was holding Sankirtana at least four hours every day and distributing prasadam to the devotees. It is stated in the Caitanya Caritamrta that the Lord was so liberal that He would give to every man prasadam quite sufficient for being eaten by two or three men. So we are trying to follow by distributing prasadam very liberally, and we invite everyone without any discrimination.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 9.50, purport:
“In every center of our institution, ISKCON, we have arranged for a love feast every Sunday, and when we actually see people come to our center, chant, dance, take prasadam, become jubilant and purchase books, we know that certainly Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is always present in such transcendental activities and He is very pleased and satisfied.”
Mahavishnu Swami:
From a class in ISKCON NYC on Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.1.25:
They say the universe was created by a big bang. There are so many big bangs in Gaza, and whole families are destroyed. Is it likely the universe was created by a big bang?
All this fighting, Ukraine and Russia, etc., is childish, like that of children playing in a playground. Why is this going on? Because we have no spiritual knowledge.
Conceptions like “I am Isaeli” and “I am Palestinian” are mental cages we are trapped in. Why aren’t we trying to become free?
Nara Narayana Prabhu:
From Prabhupada Remembrances, Chapter 3:
[Prabhupada said:] “If we can help one ant become Krishna conscious, then our whole movement is a glorious success.”
Rajarsi Prabhu of Trinidad:
My purpose is to inspire you do devotional service.
Being part of this sankirtana movement you are part of the unprecedented spreading of this message all over the world by the great powerful acarya Srila Prabhupada.
If one does not know sambandha, abhidheya, and prayojana, he is sure to be following fanatically.
I have been speaking on the five topics of Bhagavad-gita for years, highlighting the key verses dealing with each of them.
There are two kinds of people in this world, those who are wise and those who are otherwise.
In Chapter 10 of Bhagavad-gita, Krishna claims that He is the source of all spiritual and material worlds, and in Chapter 11 He demonstrates how.
In Bg. 10.9, Krishna is telling us what He expects His devotees to do: “The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me.”
If you stay in the hospital and they put you on a oxygen, when you get a bill, the oxygen is itemized on the bill. Yet we are breathing so much oxygen and taking it for granted. Acually we have some obligation to God for the oxygen.
What makes you human is not being vegetarian but Krishna arpanam, offering to Krishna.
By performing the sacrifice of chanting of the holy names, reciprocate with God for all his various benefits.
Bhagavad-gita is a manual for human life.
Devaki Devi Dasi:
From The Vanaprastha-Ashrama – Meeting Death With Joy:
“My mother lived in Germany and was fortunate enough to be wealthy; she hated the idea of going to an old-age home even when she was over 90 years of age; in her old age, she set up an efficient system of care, with all kinds of spiritually minded people and students of theology visiting her every day. She had to pay them good money by the hour – just so she could have people visit and drink a cup of tea with her; have a deeper conversation, read something to her, or take her out for a walk in nature. You need to pay 14 Euros per hour just for someone to visit you and talk to you while eating a piece of cake. That’s the situation in Germany or any other country with a high standard of life. Unless you pay, people won’t come. Everybody is selfishly focused on their own life and ambitions – people don’t have a mood of respectful service when it comes to the treatment of the elderly. My mother was an interesting and very open-minded personality – she was a good and versatile artist and liked to engage in discussions on spiritual and religious topics, up to the time of her departure. She visited Vṛindavan and Mayapur twice with me and travelled a lot – all over the world. But still, in her old age, she ceased to be interesting to people, unless of course she paid them to visit her. How sad…”
“We can compare people benefiting from associating with their elders to a child accepting an inheritance from his parents – a devotee inherits not only wisdom and guidance, but also facilities to develop his own spiritual life and preach.”
In the past, non-devotees performed some surveys analysing our ISKCON society. One of the statements in their feedback we received was, “You Hare Krishna people have the best food and the greatest philosophy; but the way you treat each other is not always so good.”
“Doctors have many patients. We will receive better care and attention if we can capture a doctor’s personal interest in us as a patient – if we become a special patient. But if we are merely a number amongst thousands of other patients, we will not receive the best treatment. Being a devotee, we stand out amongst non-devotees. Thus, it is best not to hide that we are devotees; we should rather visit a doctor in devotional attire with tilak on and distribute prasadam and Krishna conscious literature. The devotional appearance uplifts our consciousness and that of the medical staff. Then they will naturally develop a personal relationship with us and will endeavour to give us the best possible treatment.”
Gaura Vani Prabhu:
After a kirtan in the kirtan tent at Philadelphia Ratha-yatra:
Many of us have jobs, like dentists, etc., and we may feel shy to let people know of our love for Krishna, but Ratha-yatra day is special. We let the whole city know of our love for Krishna.
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This verse always meant a lot to me as it tied together Krishna, the speaker of the Bhagavad-gita, the Lord in the heart, and the entire Vedic literature as one divine voice speaking to us and revealing the path of enlightenment.
sarvasya caham hrdi sanniviṣṭo
mattah smṛtir jñanam apohanam ca
vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham
“I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.” (Bhagavad-gita 15.15)