Where I Went and What I Did
The twenty-sixth week of 2025, I lived at ISKCON Paris in Sarcelles, eighteen minutes by train north of Paris itself.
The sankirtana devotees were in the midst of a book distribution marathon from June 22 to July 6, and I would join them and chant Hare Krishna for three hours each afternoon, usually from 3 to 6 p.m., except Thursday when we chanted from 5 to 8 p.m. with a group of devotees who do harinama after work. Janananda Goswami would often participate in the harinamas, and Yashomatinandana Prabhu came out every day. Premamoya Narottama Prabhu, a Bangladeshi student who teaches mrdanga, came several times, and some devotees, like Vedasara Prabhu from Simhachalam in Germany, would distribute books and also lead on harinama. On Sunday I chanted an hour and half with the sankirtana devotees at Sarcelles Market midday and near Montmartre downtown for another hour and half after lunch.
I share quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad-Bhagavatam, diary, classes, and letters. I share quotes from Sri Caitanya-bhagavata by Vrindavana Dasa Thakura and its commentary by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and from Prabhupada Nectar by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on classes by Janananda Goswami, Srutakirti Prabhu, and Vrajarenu Prabhu.
Many, many thanks to Patita Pavana Prabhu, for lending me his harmonium to play on harinama, when the devotee who had previously lent me his harmonum unexpectedly left, along with his instrument, for several days.
Itinerary
June 19–August 19: Paris
– July 6: Luxembourg park kirtan
– July 11: Amsterdam harinama
– July 12: Amsterdam Ratha-yatra
– July 13: Holland harinama
August 20: London harinama
August 21–22: Liverpool harinamas
August 23: Liverpool Ratha-yatra
August 24: Manchester harinama
August 25: London harinama and flight to New York
Chanting Hare Krishna in Paris
Vrajarenu Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles, and three passersby spontaneously dance and play the shakers (https://youtu.be/kyTrZ7UqtFs):
Janananda Goswami chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles, and a young woman, who had just purchased a Spanish Gita, plays shakers and moves to the music (https://youtube.com/shorts/nIhx1mRTnbg):
Later a man came by and also played the shakers along with the kirtan (https://youtube.com/shorts/j5bm3l3T40s?feature=share):
Then the woman got more into dancing and another guy came by, attracted by the kirtan and he played the shakers too (https://youtu.be/_lKvn0vei4k):
As it turned out the woman who liked dancing came to the very next Sunday feast and stayed for the whole program.
Harini Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/LIu9Fc1hj70):
We changed our location in the late afternoon, as there was what they call here a “manifestion,” or what we would call a “demonstation” in America, in support of Palestine.
Rohininandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/R_9rWrKaHu8):
Rohininandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles, and passersby dance (https://youtube.com/shorts/UAy7D5ouejE?feature=share):
Marat chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/XuQZseSmO6s):
While Marat was chanting, a group of friends played shakers and danced (https://youtu.be/ebiY8AXFJfA):
A passerby also danced with Priyarani Devi Dasi (https://youtube.com/shorts/WRJmyA69UfA):
Here Janananda Goswami chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/SsNUpEgQmiA):
While Janananda Goswami chanted, an older woman, who had purchased Bhagavad-gita before, plays shakers and dances (https://youtu.be/CezCLmildZw):
Yashomatinandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles, and a family plays shakers and dances (https://youtu.be/FmZaVFW73_U):
Premamoya Narottama Prabhu chants at Les Halles (https://youtu.be/yhlHHzsA6Lo):
While Narottama was chanting, a guy played the shakers and danced (https://youtu.be/7CA31OMLW40):
Later several people played shakers and danced (https://youtube.com/shorts/7yj5qlAtrKA?feature=share):
Then their dancing came to a higher level (https://youtube.com/shorts/7CSHUMgeIp0?feature=share):
Two young women happily play shakers and dance at Les Halles (https://youtube.com/shorts/qwP0IGDEIXg):
On the train back the temple that evening, I saw some rain clouds which were dark on the bottom and was inspired to write this haiku poem:
After harinam
I see blackish rain clouds and
think ‘Shyamsundar!’
Vidjai chants Hare Krishna at Pompidou Center (https://youtu.be/glaOTY17N5o):
Vidjai, who led the Hare Krishna chant in the above video, is a congregational devotee who greatly impressed me by taking two weeks off from work to participate in the Paris two-week summer book distribution marathon. Who does that? He was almost always among the top three distributors each day. One day he started at Gare du Nord, one of the biggest train stations in the city, and walked about fifteen kilometers, approaching everyone he met. He sold 50 Bhagavad-gitas that day. Another day, without planning it, his path crossed the harinama party, and he sold an Arabic Gita and two small Arabic books to a guy who was dancing with the devotees.
Rohininandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Pompidou Center (https://youtu.be/yOGsAhnLgRc):
Here is another video of Rohini’s kirtan, from the Paris harinama Instagram (harinam.paris), with me distributing the French “On Chanting Hare Krishna” in the background (https://youtube.com/shorts/4laywz_Ou98?feature=share):
Premamoya Narottama Prabhu chants at Pompidou Center (https://youtu.be/IwjDwrpPlCI):
Rasa Parayana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Pompidou Center, and women dance with Vasumati Mañjari Devi Dasi, the wife of Jiva Prana Prabhu, the president of ISKCON Paris (https://youtube.com/shorts/CCkLUlwv4bo?feature=share):
Annapurna Devi Dasi chants at Pompidou Center (https://youtu.be/NrviWsOkKDw):
Vishnujanananda Prabhu chants at Pompidou Center (https://youtu.be/hQmSraqmqlM):
Three days a week there is a market near the train station, Garges Sarcelles, in the community of Sarcelles where our temple is located. I was impressed that the devotees were able to do a walking harinama for two and a half hours inside the market without being restricted by security or by the police. We usually just chant there for an hour or so. Both Jivananda and Yashomatinandana Prabhus like chanting Hare Krishna at the market very much. Several of the book distributors also did very well there. I had chanted there on Tuesdays and Fridays before, but this time it was Sunday, and I found it is much more crowded then.
Because I only chanted an hour and a half at the market, I chanted another hour and half in downtown Paris after lunch.
These days I have just been taking sabji and a little dal for lunch because I do not have time to take a nap after lunch and eating a lot of grains would make me too tired on the afternoon harinamas.
Yashomatinandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Les Halles on the last day of the month (https://youtube.com/shorts/RX8pL8v4_QU?feature=share):
Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.8.2:
“Let me now begin speaking on the Bhagavata Purana, which was directly spoken to the great sages by the Personality of Godhead for the benefit of those who are entangled in extreme miseries for the sake of very little pleasure.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.8.6, purport:
“Without the development of fine affection and love, one cannot offer prayers to the Lord very suitably.”
From Srila Prabhupada’s diary:
“How to Open a Center
1. At least three devotees will form a party to open a center.
2. They will go on the streets to perform kirtana twice in a day—morning and evening.
3. Will hold classes thrice a week where classes will be taken, B.G. etc., preceded and followed by kirtana.
4. On every Sunday there must be a love feast festival.
5. As the members increase, the sankirtana party for street increases and the strength for selling BTG and other books.”
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.1 in Hawaii on June 8, 1975:
“Don’t think that if one is engaged in the Deity worship, and if one is engaged in the gardening work there is a distinction. No. The one who is working as a gardener, he is as good as the one who is dressing the Deity. Because it is the absolute plane, there is no difference between them, just like in the material world if one is working as a manager and another is working as a menial servant, there is a difference of pay, or a difference of service. No, in the spiritual world there is no such thing. In the spiritual world even a small ant is serving Krishna. If by chance there is an ant and a flower is thrown onto the lotus feet of Krishna, and if the ant kisses the lotus feet of Krishna, he is as good as the pujari. This is the spiritual world.”
From a lecture on Ratha-yatra in San Francisco on July 5, 1970:
The Ratha-yatra is one of the items of this Krishna consciousness movement.
Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra have come to reclaim you all from your miserable condition of life.
“If anyone sees on the car Jagannatha, Subhadra and Baladeva, then he does not take birth again in this material world.”
“This Krishna consciousness movement is not a religious type; it is a great culture. It is a great culture for spiritual emancipation.”
“Every individual living entity is a combination of matter and spirit.”
“This human form of life is meant for spiritual realization.”
“The younger generation are not very satisfied. In your country, they say that the frustrated community, the confused community, the hippies. But I have got all sympathy for these frustrated community, everywhere. They should be frustrated. In the Vedanta-sutra it is said that athato brahma jijñasa. This human form of life should feel frustration. If he does not feel frustration, then it is animal life.”
“So my request to you, those who are feeling frustration, confused: this is a good qualification. Good qualification in this sense: that those who are feeling frustration and confused, they are disgusted with this materialistic way of life. That is a good qualification for spiritual advancement. But if you are not properly guided, then that will be another frustration. That will be another frustration.
“To save you from that frustration, this Krishna consciousness movement has come to your country, Lord Caitanya’s movement.”
“Fallen soul means anyone who has taken birth in this material world, he is a fallen soul, never mind what he is—he may be Brahma or he may be an insignificant ant. Anyone who is within this material world... Because our constitutional position is spirit soul. Spirit means anandamayo 'bhyasat, by nature joyful.”
“In this material world, because we have been encaged with this material body, although our endeavor is to become joyful, on account of this encagement of this material body, we are not joyful.”
“This Krishna consciousness movement is the essence, or cream, of all these Vedic literature.”
“Lord Caitanya, is so kind that He is giving you Krishna in the form of His name.”
“If you simply chant this Hare Krishna mantra, then you are associating constantly with Krishna.”
“When I was coming, I was waiting there to see the procession, so many boys and girls, they are not within our Krishna conscious group, they are outsiders, but they are also chanting this Hare Krishna mantra very feelingly. I was very much satisfied.”
“So this Ratha-yatra Festival is a mass movement for enlightening people to this Krishna consciousness movement.”
“Wherever you may be, in whatever position, in whatever condition, you kindly chant these sixteen names [everyone chants], Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.”
Comment by me:
Jagat, usually translated as universe, comes from two words, ja meaning janma (birth) and gam (go). In the material universe, everyone is taking birth and staying for sometime and then going away.
That Srila Prabhupada has everyone repeat the maha-mantra three times shows his great conviction in the value of chanting the mantra. It is significant that although Srila Prabhupada could have told his disciples to do any of the 64 items of devotional service at initiation, he told them to chant Hare Krishna.
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.27 in Vrindavan on September 24, 1976:
“This Srimad-Bhagavatam, maha-muni-krte. It is not written by ordinary person. In the beginning it is said, srimad-bhagavate maha-muni-krte. Not only muni, but maha-muni.”
“He was not feeling satisfied even after writing the Vedanta-sutra. So at that time Narada Muni happened to come to him, and he chastised him, that ‘You have written so many books, but they’re not very useful.’”
“Those who are civilized men, they are attracted with some sort of religion, system. It doesn’t matter whether he’s Hindu or Muslim or Christian; they have some sort of religious practice. That is the beginning of human civilization.”
“How long you can falsely worship Deity and make show of arati? You cannot go on very long time. That is not possible. You’ll be disgusted—unless there is feeling, bhava, that ‘Here is Krishna. Krishna has very kindly come here to receive, to take, accept my humble service. He's so great that He cannot be approached by a person like me.’”
“So it is very difficult. . . . If we have lost that feeling that ‘Here is Krishna. Here is a chance to serve Him.’”
“As soon as you will lose the spirit of service, this temple will become a big go-down, that’s all.”
So this sraddha is defined by Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami,
'sraddha'-sabde visvasa sudrdha niscaya
krishne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya
[Cc. Madhya 22.62]
“Sraddha is confident, firm faith that by rendering transcendental loving service to Krishna one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. Such faith is favorable to the discharge of devotional service.”
“So when we have faith in the words of Krishna: ‘Yes, Krishna says sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam. Yes, I shall do,’ then sraddha begins. Otherwise, there is no sraddha. That is the beginning of sraddha.”
“For our spiritual advancement of life we must have the sense that ‘Why we should accept unnecessary things which is not at all important?’ The four things are restricted: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. Nobody dies [by giving this up]. But it is a habit.”
“If you stick to the principle of bhakti-yogam, then ahaituky apratihata. Nobody can check you. You’ll make progress.”
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.1 in Hawaii on June 8, 1975:
“Don’t think that if one is engaged in the Deity worship, and if one is engaged in the gardening work there is a distinction. No. The one who is working as a gardener, he is as good as the one who is dressing the Deity. Because it is the absolute plane, there is no difference between them, just like in the material world if one is working as a manager and another is working as a menial servant, there is a difference of pay, or a difference of service. No, in the spiritual world there is no such thing. In the spiritual world even a small ant is serving Krishna. If by chance there is an ant and a flower is thrown onto the lotus feet of Krishna, and if the ant kisses the lotus feet of Krishna, he is as good as the pujari. This is the spiritual world.”
From a letter to Jadurani on February 15, 1968:
“If, in the cooking process, food falls on the floor, if it is raw and can be washed nicely, then it can be offered. But if it is prepared and cannot be washed, then it is not to be offered, but can be eaten rather than wasted.”
From a letter to Ravindra-svarupa dasa on January 5, 1973
“In this way, try to recruit some men from the student class for joining us as future leaders of our Society. If we go on expanding and there are no qualified men to lead, then everything will be spoiled eventually.”
From a letter to Hamsaduta dasa and Himavati-devi dasi on March 3, 1968:
“Please continue your very good service, and do not feel any feeling of uselessness. It is true that Krsna has given some the opportunity to serve Him by nice writing, some by good business ability, some by nice cooking, and so on, but these various services are all accepted equally by Krsna. On the transcendental plane, one service is as good as another. There is no question of higher or lower. We are very tiny, and so we cannot really do very much. Simply we can engage our time and energy, and that is all Krsna sees. He sees this boy or girl is spending his time in My service and He is pleased. I hope you are both well.”
From a letter to Prajapati on June 16, 1976:
“So there is no question that one activity is more important than another or that Deity worship is more important than sankirtana. But one individual may be able to perform one activity more satisfactorily than another, so to him that activity will be more important. But in general we cannot say that any of the nine processes is more important than the others, except that if hearing, chanting, and remembering are there, that is the most vital consideration for the general class of men in this age. Service to the Deities, as you are asking me, begins whenever you remember Them and offer all your services by remembering Them at the same time. All activities, words, everything should be offered as service to the Deities, and this offering with remembering will gradually increase as you practice it.”
From a letter to Vedavyasa dasa on August 4, 1975:
“The karmis should not be given so much that there is waste. You can give them a little, and then if they like you can give them more. This system should be introduced everywhere. I have seen myself that so much prasada is being left. This is not good.”
From letter to Jayapataka Swami on December 26, 1971:
“The schedule to be followed in worshiping the Deity is as follows. Morning arati may be performed at 4:30 until 5:00 A.M. Then immediately following, the Deity room should be washed clean and the dirty utensils removed. Then everyone can chant before the Deity until 6:30. The Deity should then be bathed and dressed and fresh flowers put. It should not take longer than one hour to bathe and dress the Deity if one actually knows how it is done. But it may take longer, so you may offer the bhoga at 8:00. The idea of bathing the Deity after offering bhoga is not correct. So please follow this schedule as I have advised.”
From a letter to Sivananda dasa on August 24, 1968:
“You write to say, ‘I really miss Swamiji and my Godbrothers’ association so much.’ But I may remind you that I am always with you. And so wherever I am, and you are there, all your Godbrothers are there. Please remember always the humble teachings you have received from me, and that will make you always associated with me and with your Godbrothers.”
From a letter to Puru on April 6, 1976:
“Concerning the use of sour cream in the temple, it should be stopped immediately. Nothing should be offered to the Deities which is purchased in stores. Things produced by the karmis should not be offered to Radha-Krsna. Ice cream, if you can prepare, is OK, but not otherwise. Now, you have such a big stock of this sour cream, so sell the stock at any cost. Who is the rascal who has purchased without permission?”
Vrindavana Dasa Thakura:
From Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 19.28–30:
“One day the Lord was joyfully wandering about the city looking at His creation with Nityananda. Brahma considered himself fortunate, ‘The Lord is mercifully looking at my artistic work.’ It appeared that two moons were wandering about, and everyone appreciated Their presence according to their surrender.”
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:
From Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 19.30, commentary:
“The phrase nati-anurupa is explained as follows: Everyone saw Gaura and Nitai differently according to their service propensity; in other words, they saw Gaurasundara according to the degree of their devotional service.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Prabhupada Nectar:
From Chapter 5, Number 1:
“When Prabhupada first arrived in San Francisco in 1967, Mukunda dasa had a beard. The beard was very full, but it was not very long, and Mukunda kept it trimmed. Shortly after his arrival, Prabhupada said, ‘You look just like a sage.’ This left Mukunda feeling satisfied, and he did not think it necessary to shave his beard or his hair. Later, however, as more and more disciples shaved their heads, Mukunda felt unsure of himself. One day he approached Prabhupada. ‘Prabhupada,’ he said, ‘do you like this?’ and he gestured to his beard. Prabhupada stroked his own clean face and said, ‘I like this.’ Then he smiled. Mukunda understood that the beard was not in order, and he shaved it off the next day.”
“Once in India, a mailman brought a letter addressed to Prabhupada which required a signature upon delivery. Tejiyas dasa told the mailman that he would sign on Prabhupada’s behalf, but the mailman said that he could not allow this. Tejiyas told the mailman that he was Prabhupada’s secretary and that he could sign, but the mailman was adamant. Then Tejas said that he would take the letter to Prabhupada and return with the signed carbon copy. Again the mailman refused, saying he would not know if Prabhupada had actually signed it. Tejiyas then told the man that Prabhupada was a great saint and that he was very busy, and again he asked the mailman to give him the letter. The mailman refused. Finally Tejiyas went to Prabhupada and explained the situation. Prabhupada agreed to see the man and Tejiyas then showed him into Prabhupada’s room. The man was there for ten minutes, and when he came out, he was smiling broadly. ‘I have seen Swamiji,’ he said.”
From Chapter 5, Number 5:
“Prabhupada said a guitar played expertly is better than a sitar played poorly.”
From Chapter 5, Number 7:
“Prabhupada said that the people of Russia are always under suspicion and that it is a poor, fearful, and wretched country because they deny the authority of God.”
From Chapter 5, Number 11:
“‘Well, Prabhupada,’ Dayananda said, ‘I don’t know what your desire is.’
Like an arrow, Prabhupada answered back, ‘My desire is to spread this sankirtana movement all over the world.’”
From Chapter 5, Number 13:
“Once, Satyabhama dasi was sick and asked Prabhupada if she should go to the doctor. Prabhupada said yes, since we do not know very much about this body, if we are sick, we have to go to the doctor. He also said that if the doctor wants to learn about spiritual life, he has to come to us.”
From Chapter 5, Number 14:
“Prabhupada said, ‘If Radharaṇi were to stop dancing, the whole business would be finished.’ He then explained that in Vrndavana, Radharaṇi never stops dancing, and that of all Her superexcellent qualities, Radharaṇi’s cooking and Her dancing are particularly outstanding. Prabhupada said that no one can excel Radharaṇi in Her ability to please Krishna by cooking and that She cooks for Him eternally without ever making the same preparation twice. In this way, Prabhupada explained, She keeps Krishna under Her control. Then he said that even above Her cooking skill is Her dancing skill.”
From Chapter 5, Number 18:
“Prabhupada was such a saint that anyone who would be exposed to him—even if they were at first inimical—would actually develop some faith that he was at least a great man.
—Bahudak dasa”
From Chapter 5, Number 19:
“Prabhupada was the first preacher of Krishna consciousness in the modern age to travel around the world engaging the material energy in Krishna’s service. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati said that only a Vaiṣṇava is ideally suited to ride in cars and to use large buildings for spreading Krishna consciousness, and Srila Prabhupada set a perfect example of using such things without attachment. Prabhupada wanted the Vaishnavas to be appreciated, and in his own sweet and innocent way, he was proud of the material facility which came to him for spreading Krishna consciousness.
“Srila Prabhupada would sometimes speak with great pride over the fact that as an author, publisher, and businessman, he had received $50,000 credit with the Dai Nippon printing company of Japan after making a down payment of only $5,000. He also expressed transcendental pride in his Bank of America credit card, which enabled him to withdraw $100 from banks and other businesses simply by showing the card.
“Prabhupada was also proud of his ‘green card’ which allowed him to remain in the United States for as long as he wanted.
“Prabhupada would sometimes show his Bank of America credit card and his ‘green card’ to life members in India. He took pride in these preaching facilities, which he received on the merit of his good character and his established position.” (Tamal Krishna Goswami, interview)
From Chapter 5, Number 24:
“Navina Krishna dasa was a grhastha with many family responsibilities. He once asked Prabhupada how it would be possible for him to think of Krishna twenty-four hours a day, since he had so many family duties.
“Prabhupada looked at Navina Krishna dasa and asked if he had twenty-four hours in a day. Navina Krishna said yes. Prabhupada then said that out of those twenty-four hours, he worked eight or ten hours, spent six or seven hours sleeping, and used two hours for eating. This left five or six hours free. Navina Krishna dasa agreed that this was a true picture of his schedule. Prabhupada then asked him if he was using all of that extra time to serve Krishna. Navina Krishna dasa couldn’t reply. Prabhupada then said that if he used all his time in Krishna’s service, then Krishna would show him how to serve Him more. On hearing this, Navina Krishna dasa became very enlivened.”
From Chapter 5, Number 29:
“Srila Prabhupada was a wonderful person and everyone who met him immediately fell in love with him. The entire city of Bombay is completely infused and permeated by Srila Prabhupada’s personal presence. Wherever we go, we meet people who say they had met Srila Prabhupada—They heard him lecture or they met him on a walk or perhaps they met him at a friend’s house. Invariably they were very impressed with Srila Prabhupada and feel they have some relationship with him. Actually our entire preaching in Bombay is simply encouraging the relationships so many people had with Srila Prabhupada. Wherever we go people welcome us and say, “You are disciples of Swami Bhaktivedanta?” It seems that his significance is being recognized more and more since his disappearance. While we develop our own individual identities as devotees of Krishna and as preachers, still people tend to see us as Swami Bhaktivedanta’s disciples. Unlike other famous gurus who are known in name only, with Prabhupada they also know his philosophy. They know that he was preaching bhakti, surrender to Krishna. They know that he was condemning everything else besides surrender to Krishna. They know he was preaching the regulative principles. And many of them are understanding his preaching about Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
—Giriraja Swami”
“Prabhupada said that urad dal is the best, then mung, then lentils, but that soybeans are not needed.”
“Hari-vilasa dasa once accompanied Prabhupada on a morning walk in downtown Paris. While walking along the bustling city streets, Prabhupada stopped suddenly and stood silently for thirty seconds. Then he said, “This is such a nice breeze, just like Vrndavana.” Hari-vilasa then realized that Prabhupada’s senses and consciousness were completely transcendental to the material world.”
“Our treatment is genuine. If they take it, they will be cured. But because they are all lunatics it is very difficult to induce them to take the treatment. Otherwise this is the correct remedy but they won’t take this because they are lunatics. . . . Don’t become angry by this lunatic asylum; otherwise the preaching will be finished.”
From Chapter 5, Number 34:
“Prabhupada explained, materialists are trying to find happiness and pleasure by enjoying the material body, but they find no real happiness or pleasure. The temporary experience of material happiness is like a little spark of lightning in the night sky, whereas real happiness is like the sun which blazes in the sky and illuminates everything.”
From Chapter 5, Number 35:
“Upon arriving at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, Prabhupada asked, ‘Where is Revatinandana Swami?’
“Revatinandana Swami came out of the kitchen. ‘I’m in the kitchen, Prabhupada, cooking,’ he said. ‘I’m a kitchen swami.’
“‘Ah,’ Prabhupada answered, ‘that’s Radharaṇi’s department.’
Then Srila Prabhupada said that Krishna would leave Radharaṇi if He were not so attached to Her cooking.”
From Chapter 5, Number 36:
“In Dallas, Garuda hoped to hear Prabhupada give the Bhagavatam class. Before class Prabhupada chanted Hare Krishna. On this occasion, Srila Prabhupada kept chanting and chanting Hare Krishna from the vyasasana. Instead of giving the class, Prabhupada kept chanting and chanting on and on. Garuda then realized that the sole purpose of Prabhupada’s mission was to spread the chanting of Hare Krishna. He realized that the chanting permeated Prabhupada’s whole life, and that the only reason Prabhupada traveled was for the chanting of Hare Krishna.”
From Chapter 5, Number 38:
“Prabhupada visited San Francisco in July of 1974. After his arrival, the devotees accompanied Prabhupada to his apartment near the temple. Prabhupada sat in a rocking chair, and his leading disciples sat at his lotus feet. Prabhupada began speaking about a song by Bhaktivinoda Thakura in which Bhaktivinoda says he simply wants to be the dog of the Vaishnavas. These words entered Hridayananda Goswami’s heart, and he felt a deep desire to serve Srila Prabhupada. As Prabhupada spoke, Hridayananda Goswami’s desire to serve became even more intense. In his mind he began praying to Krishna to allow him to do some service for Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada then handed Hridayananda Goswami a pile of checks and said, ‘Write down the numbers of these checks.’ Prabhupada then handed him his pen and a sheet of paper. Hridayananda Goswami became ecstatic and realized that his prayer had been answered. He wrote down the numbers, trying very hard to do it properly. Then the meeting ended, and Prabhupada left the room.”
From Chapter 5, Number 39:
“Srila Prabhupada made a sour face, shook his head, and said that even if they slept fourteen hours a night, they would still sleep in class. He said their excuses were no answers, and that they would only stay awake when they had the conviction that their work in Krishna consciousness was so important that they had no time to sleep. Prabhupada spoke so forcefully that everyone’s attention became riveted.”
From Chapter 5, Number 43:
“Once Prabhupada was leaving Paris. The devotees accompanied him to the airport and sat with him in the departure lounge, waiting with him until the time he could board the airplane. At one point, Prabhupada took off his flower garland and instructed the devotees to distribute it to nondevotees. Hari-vilasa dasa got up and began handing out flowers. Hari-vilasa was struck by Prabhupada’s magnanimous nature; Prabhupada was not only engaging them in service, but also teaching them how to preach. He realized that Prabhupada wanted his devotees to use every minute to spread Krishna consciousness to the conditioned living entities.
“Prabhupada watched them distributing the flowers and he seemed very pleased. When they returned to their seats beside Prabhupada, he expressed his pleasure that they had done this, and they too became pleased.”
Janananda Goswami:
From a class at ISKCON Paris on June 25, 2025 on the disappearance day of Bhaktivinoda Thakura:
There is a progression. Bhaktivinoda Thakura sent his books to the West. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura sent his disciples to the West. Srila Prabhupada personally came to the West.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura said although a grhastha has a life of many responsibilities, in every free moment, he should chant Hare Krishna.
In 1910 Bhaktivinoda Thakura shut himself up to focus on his service to Radha Krishna for the last four years of his life.
On Ratha-yatra we distributed 400 Gitas.
Of all the personal servants of Srila Prabhupada, Srutakirti is my favorite. His Prabhupada memories are devoid of false ego. Srila Prabhupada is always in the center.
If you have uncontrollable itching in your hands, if you wash your hands with soap and leave the lather on your hands for some time, amazingly the itching goes away.
From a class on Cc. Adi 10:
We are conditioned souls who are trying develop the mood of the liberated souls by following in their footsteps.
The eternal associates of the Lord have no other reason to come into this world other than to assist the Lord in His pastimes.
The eternal associates are not ordinary and can expand in different forms to assist the Lord in His pastimes.
Preaching is to assist the Lord in His mission.
Everyone who sees the harinama-sankirtana, no matter the reaction, is eternally benefited.
The movement is to spread the holy name.
By hearing from the great souls, we change our conception of life.
It is very embarrassing that when Srutakirti Prabhu had come to take breakfast after giving class that there was practically nothing left. That means you gained practically nothing by his class. Everyone was only concerned to fill his own belly.
On the buses and trains, the young people push others out of the way to grab a seat. They have no respect for older people.
There were some devotees who would get up at 2:00 a.m. and chant their rounds outside of Srila Prabhupada’s room. After a while, Srila Prabhupada came out, and asked them what they were doing. They said they were chanting their japa. Srila Prabhupada said they were disturbing him, and told them to go back to bed.
From a Sunday feast lecture in Sarcelles:
The coming of the great personalities in the different religious traditions is meant to help us understand our spiritual identity.
Spiritual knowledge is of no use if you do not use it. It is like having a recipe but not having a meal.
This knowledge is meant to be realized.
The different traditions are meant to get people started on the path of self-realization, to get them to take an initial step.
Sometimes people say, “I have a soul.” But that is not correct. People are souls with human bodies. Generally only in the human form of life, is spiritual knowledge attainable.
In science we put theories into practice in order to prove them.
It is interesting that immediately after Krishna gives Arjuna this knowledge that he is not his body, he advises him to act according to the nature of his body.
In chapter 3, Krishna gets more into how to act to realize this knowledge.
From a Tuesday evening lecture at Yoga Lyrique on July 1, 2025:
You may not see the thread in a necklace but the pearls are situated together because of its presence.
Although the problems of the material world may still be present, the devotee is not disturbed.
The devotee has realized that is better to adjust the way we see the situation than to try to adjust the situation itself.
Why do bad things happen to good people? My mother said that when I joined the temple.
People say, “What is this happening to me?” but actually it is not happening to them. They are just identifying with it.
Our goal is not to transcend but to connect.
Instead of seeing everything with ourselves in the center, we see everything with Krishna in the center.
If your motives are mixed, you will have to accept the conditions of birth and death.
We have to come to the point of seeing even disturbing situations in relationship with Krishna.
Everything is going on by the grace of the Lord, and He is trying to help us.
By the purifying effect of the chanting we begin to see the same situation differently.
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.6.?? at ISKCON Paris on July 2, 2025:
The spiritual master protects us by reminding us to take shelter of Lord Caitanya.
There was more of a team spirit in the beginning. There were no cleaners. Every devotee was in charge of cleaning some part of the temple. Also every devotee would go on sankirtana. Going out on the street was what the movement was. If you did not like it, you did not join.
Preaching wasn’t online, with devotees sitting at their computer, with a noncaffeinated coffee on one side and chocolate on the other.
Once a Starbucks refused to let a noncustomer use their bathroom. The person who was refused took the company to court, and the judge ruled that the establishments have to let people use their bathrooms.
Srutakirti Prabhu:
In two and half months in 1975, Srila Prabhupada went all over the world.
Wherever Srila Prabhupada put his lotus feet, there is now a temple.
When the question of how things would go on would arise, Srila Prabhupada would say, “I have established this branch of the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya.”
In many places in Australia, we have many devotees, but mostly they are Indians who have joined from family relationships and from friendships. They ask, “How can we attract the local people?” I tell them, “We came by harinama. That is how we all became devotees back in the 1960s and the 1970s.”
It is only this chanting of the holy name that keeps things moving in a progressive way.
Srila Prabhupada was disgusted with India because the government did not facilitate him or his followers to the extent that he felt they should.
To have deities installed by Srila Prabhupada is special. Nrsimha Kavaca calls them “legacy deities.”
In Caracas, Venezuela, Srila Prabhupada told the people that Lord Caitanya has come very far to be with you.
Anyone who thinks that Srila Prabhupada has not given us everything we need is a fool and rascal.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura had a very regulated schedule through which he was able to accomplish much. Srila Prabhupada also had a regulated schedule. The difference is he maintained it while traveling all over the world.
When we traveled with Srila Prabhupada, he was the temple president, the temple commander, the treasurer, and the secretary.
I was amazed to see him reading his own books.
These two activities of harinama and book distribution will make you noticed by Srila Prabhupada.
In the two and a half years I was with him, he traveled around the world four times.
We can never offer obeisances to Srila Prabhupada enough times. Just to acknowledge Krishna’s representative from the spiritual world, who has come to give Krishna consciousness to everyone, is so beneficial.
Once in the afternoon, he called me in just to tell me that this Bhagavad-gita As It Is so nice, that just reading it, anyone could become Krishna consciousness. You do not have read hundreds of books. No other book is required.
There are so many retreats now. Our only retreat was to go on the streets.
In the afternoon was his bhajana time. He would play the harmonium and chant Vaishnava bhajanas or read his books.
He said the sky is blue because it is reflecting Krishna’s bodily effulgence.
Once in the afternoon, he called me in just to tell me that The Nectar of Devotion so nice, that just reading it, anyone could become Krishna consciousness. You do not have read hundreds of books. No other book is required.
The first time ever he rang the bell, I came as a brand new servant and offered obeisances. I asked what I could do for him. He said, “Nothing. I just wanted to see how fast you were.” By dealing with me in this way, he at once put me at ease.
One afternoon, two years later, he called me in just to tell me that this Krishna book so nice, that just reading it, anyone could become Krishna consciousness. You do not have read hundreds of books. No other book is required. You do not even have to read the whole book. Just one chapter. If you read one chapter, you can be Krishna conscious. Even if you read one page you can be Krishna conscious. You do not even have to read the whole page, you can just read one line. You do not even have to read the whole line. Just one word. This is because Krishna is in every word.
If you are here, you have the permission of Srila Prabhupada to do service here, to these wonderful deities.
Srila Prabhupada made us think that we could become Krishna conscious right now. He made us feel that we could be just like him.
He came to America with faith in the Hare Krishna mantra and in the instructions of his spiritual master.
Do something to help Srila Prabhupada in his mission, and he will secure a place for you.
Srila Prabhupada always wore his shoes. In Vrindavan he wore shoes. We hear sometimes the Vrajavasis say we should not wear shoes in Vrindavan. I know a devotee who went barefoot in Vrindavan and got an infection so bad that in three weeks he was dead.
Kirtans that were too loud he would call Raksasa kirtans.
Srila Prabhupada would stop telling you things if you did not get them after two or three times. It offensive if the guru tells you something and you do not do it, so he would just tell you two or three times, but that does not mean that the instruction was no longer important.
When you were with Srila Prabhupada, you knew what it was like to be a servant for 24 hours a day.
If you see something dirty, you should clean it. This is a devotee.
In India after they wash the floor, they turn the fans on to dry it. Srila Prabhupada did not like that. He considered it wasteful.
Look at Maharaja [Janananda] here. Fifty years serving Srila Prabhupada. This is Krishna consciousness.
All Srila Prabhupada wanted from us was loyalty and chastity.
One devotee asked Srila Prabhupada for his blessings to find a guru to give him higher knowledge. Prabhupada said of him, “It will be kalpas before he gets Krishna consciousness.”
Srila Prabhupada said, “I put all the tirthas here in Krishna Balaram Mandir courtyard.” I have lived in Vrindavan for five years, but I only went to one temple, Krishna Balaram.
Srila Prabhupada didn’t say next week we would see the form of Krishna but that we would go back to Godhead at the end of life.
In India I see only the men as pujaris on the altar. It is Srila Prabhupada’s mercy on the women that in ISKCON in the west, they can serve as pujaris.
Prabhupada liked crowns for Krishna on the altar. He said anyone can wear a turban, but only a king wears a crown. He said that a turban has to be very opulent to be good.
Vrajarenu Prabhu:
Because we have high expections of the Vaishnavas we tend to find fault with them not living up.
You can see the greatness of a Vaishnava in provoking situations.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura analyzes that Saubhari Muni committed three offenses against Garuda:
1. He ordered a superior person.
2. He obstructed the enjoyment or plan of action of a superior person.
3. He cursed a superior person.
The root cause was that Saubhari’s compassion was not in line with the Lord’s will.
We do not want to solve others’ problems because we do not see their connection with us.
Progress is seeing Krishna’s will everywhere.
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.6.53 at ISKCON Paris on July 3, 2025:
Abhidheya comes from the word Sanskrit word abhida means definition. In our practice we are always defining different terms related to our spiritual lives.
Yoga is when we approach Krishna, but in bhakti we call out to Krishna, and Krishna approaches us.
The kanistha mentality is to not to acknowledge the people around us and to see everything in terms of ourselves.
Saubhari Muni reviewed his activities but not his mentality.
Saubhari Muni was considering sadhu-sanga is optional when it reality it is required.
It is said that when Maharaja Bharat ended his life as a deer, he chanted the names of Hari and Narayana. He was given the choice of immediately going to Vaikuntha, but decided to stay perfect his sadhu-sanga.
Q: If we are serving but not acquiring a taste for chanting and feeling satisfied, what should we do?
A: Review our mentality in our service to make sure it is proper.
Comment by me: Jayananda Prabhu was asked how to make advancement. He said he was too busy serving to think about it.
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Krishna consciousness is for everybody, but many people think it is not for them, and thus they miss out. Still the followers of Lord Caitanya try to give everyone without discrimination the opportunity to engage in the blissful activities of Krishna consciousness. This is described in this verse from Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, Chapter 7:
patrapatra-vicara nahi, nahi sthanasthana
yei yanha paya, tanha kare prema-dana
“In distributing love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not, nor where such distribution should or should not take place. They made no conditions. Wherever they got the opportunity, the members of the Pañca-tattva distributed love of Godhead.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 7.23)
