Where I Went and What I Did
The thirty-ninth week of 2025, I lived at Viraha Bhavan, the ashram of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami in Stuyvesant Falls for three days, Wednesday, Monday and Tuesday. I helped his care takers with different services like cleaning the kitchen, and I did some personal service for him. Wednesday evening I attended a kirtan, lecture, and prasadam program in nearby Chatham.
On Thursday I went to Philadelphia to promote the Ratha-yatra on Saturday by chanting for three hours Thursday and Friday at Rittenhouse Square. Friday evening I attended the Bhakti Garden kirtan program. Saturday I attended the Ratha-yatra, and then I took a mid-afternoon train to New York to catch the last two hours of the Times Square Kirtan Festival by the NYC Harinam party I serve on in the autumn. Sunday I attended the feast program at ISKCON Schenectady, giving the lecture and leading the kirtan for the arati before returning to Stuyvesant Falls in the evening.
I share quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, and quotes from his letters. I share quotes from a new collection of writings by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, called Among Friends, Journal and Poems, volume 1, and I share a poem he wrote for my birthday. I share notes on a class by Kaustubha Prabhu at Philadelphia’s Bhakti Garden. I share a realization by a friend at Philadelphia Ratha-yatra.
Many thanks to Shreyakari Devi Dasi and ISKCON Schenectady for their kind donation. Thanks to the woman in Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia for giving me a donation toward my expenses.
Itinerary
September 12–October ?31: serve Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami
October 31–December 31: NYC Harinam
Krishna Kumari Devi Dasi invited me to a Wednesday evening kirtan, Bhagavad-gita class, prasadam program which she helps organize.
Here Jody Brookes, who attends several regular kirtan events in Upstate New York, chants “Govinda Jaya Jaya” at the Wednesday program in Chatham, New York (https://youtu.be/f9YtzFg2lZI):
I thought the people would be mostly eclectic, but there were some serious sadhakas there:
Stefan was especially impressive. He surprised me by bringing a salad with Krishna Lunch dressing for the potluck. It was funny to me that Baladeva, my guru’s assistant, had made Krishna Lunch salad dressing for the lunch salad, so mysteriously I had Krishna Lunch salad dressing at two venues in Upstate New York in one day! Stefan said that when he recently visited his folks in Gainesville, where he grew up and originally met the devotees, he saw the deities at New Raman Reti and became inspired to look up Hare Krishna programs in Upstate New York where he’s lived the last 7 years. I invited Stefan to the Times Square Kirtan Festival in New York City the following Saturday, a good two or three hours away, and I was enlivened to see that he came, and he stayed the whole four hours! At the end he expressed interest in the “Be a Monk for the Weekend” program, and he talked to Vraja Mohan Prabhu about taking the Deity Worship course!
Tommy, who I also talked to, had seen me before at Supersoul Farm and said he reads my journal. On Saturday I saw him at the Philadelphia Ratha-yatra.
Tony, who really liked the kirtan, I saw on Sunday at the ISKCON Schenectady program, and he offered to drive me home as he also lives in Columbia County.
Thus I was glad I went to the Chatham program as I connected with a lot of people.
Here I chant Hare Krishna at ISKCON Schenectady Sunday feast program (https://youtube.com/shorts/sDHTyEzpRpQ?feature=share):
Chanting Hare Krishna in Philadelphia
I chanted Thursday and Friday evening for three hours each day at Rittenhouse Square and told interested people about the Philadelphia Ratha-yatra. Unfortunately none of the 62 people on their harinama WhatsApp group were able to join me. One passerby wanted to take a video of me, so I asked her to take one for me too (https://youtu.be/vFqYd_MHMKw):
At least three people I invited actually came, including this couple, who enjoyed playing shakers with me in the procession (https://youtube.com/shorts/FQHtaWNQGY8):
It was nice to dance for Sri Sri Radha-Saradbihari in the mornings like I did when I lived in the Philly temple forty years ago. In that temple, my guru told me after Srila Prabhupada’s guru puja one day that I should dance more in the kirtan. I try to remember to do that.
Here Abhay of Toronto chants Hare Krishna at Bhakti Garden Friday Kirtan (https://youtube.com/shorts/I0wtuv5Z2J4):
And one point in the kirtan, many devotees started dancing (https://youtube.com/shorts/K96ce6gKGYc?feature=share):
Vishnugada Prabhu chants before the Pancha Tattva at the Philadelphia Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/bcVpdDLYuQs):
I was amazed to Janananda Goswami, who I serve in France, at the Philly Ratha-yatra. Here he dances to Hare Krishna and other chants (https://youtu.be/bVooRIIjeIQ):
Caitanyananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Philadelphia Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/b8INuoyNJnU):
Here people of different ages enjoy dancing to the Hare Krishna chant in Philadelphia Ratha-yatra (https://youtube.com/shorts/s_ZGXiMGRUc?feature=share):
After Philly Ratha-yatra I took the train to New York City to catch the last two hours of the Times Square Kirtan Festival.
Srikar Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival (https://youtu.be/gvv9M8LA7pM):
As Srikar Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna there, three guys danced, and many others as well (https://youtu.be/1i9qcGHOnqc):
Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival (https://youtu.be/KssyCNmepzQ):
Vraja Mohan Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival, and woman plays shakers (https://youtu.be/Ja979k4JViA):
Vraja Mohan Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival, and a woman plays shakers and dances (https://youtu.be/wlbe7MRbk8o):
Ananta Govinda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival, and a couple plays shakers (https://youtu.be/81TNp9217kA):
Ananta Govinda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival, and many dance (https://youtu.be/CEnZhMkr9-U):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival, and many dance, in particular, a group of girls who attended the same summer camp, according to one of them from Queens (https://youtu.be/Hhbeej1zcug):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/UH7Q6YvUqcE):
I was happy to see Radha-Govinda again before returning upstate.
Jayasri Devi Dasi, wife of Hansarupa Prabhu, who I met 31 years ago when I moved to Alachua, impressed me by taking the train from NYC two hours each way to make pizza and apple pie for our guru’s lunch.
I took some with me for lunch on my trip to Philly the next day, and it still tasted great!
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 30:
“Expecting that Krishna must return to them, they [the gopis] simply engaged in chanting the glories of Sri Krishna—Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.”
From Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 90:
“The transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, are so powerful that simply by hearing, reading and memorizing this book, Krishna, one is sure to be transferred to the spiritual world, which is ordinarily very difficult to achieve. The description of the pastimes of Lord Krishna is so attractive that it automatically gives us an impetus to study repeatedly, and the more we study the pastimes of the Lord, the more we become attached to Him. This very attachment to Krishna makes one eligible to be transferred to His abode, Goloka Vrindavana.”
From a letter to Brahmananda on November 18, 1967:
“Please therefore try to be sympathetic with any person even if they differ. The real qualification we have to scrutinize is if one is acting in Krishna consciousness as far as one is able to do it.”
From a letter to Mandali Bhadra on July 28, 1969:
“There may be some controversy, but the essential point is how to preach the mission of His Divine Grace … every individual must have his opinion; that is the significance of individuality, but all such different opinions must coincide in Krishna …so you do not be disturbed by such controversial points. Better you engage your mind very seriously in the matter of services entrusted.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From a poem he wrote for my birthday:
A Servant of One Who Has the Mercy of Krishna
By Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami
Today is Krishna Kripa’s birthday.
He is 66 years old.
He’s remarkably youthful,
and it’s due to good clean
living; he is a stainless brahmachari.
He goes out dancing and singing
on harinama almost every day.
He always dresses in celibate saffron.
His Quaker mother lived to 99 years,
and from her, he learned nonviolence
and that God is within each person.
KK is not only a Quaker but
a pure bred Hare Krishna
in the line of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
As his mom protested against
the infamy of the warmongers.
Krishna Kripa, as a Hare Krishna,
is also against cow slaughter,
as his mother should have been,
because that is necessary as well
to be effective in
stopping the wars.
A Hare Krishna, person takes a vow not to engage
in meat eating (cow slaughter),
illicit sex, gambling and intoxication
and all that is necessary
for freedom from vices
and most important for pleasing
Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
From Among Friends, Journal and Poems, Volume 1:
“One of the chapters is called ‘Bali Maharaja Surrenders the Universe.’ A further chapter is called ‘Bali Maharaja Surrenders His Life.’ In other words, we shouldn’t think we’ve accomplished everything when we’ve only done the externals.”
“Let us not be puffed-up just because we chant and read, or because we speak lectures, or because we give money to the Krishna consciousness movement. Have we willingly surrendered our life? Or are we serving Krishna only as long as it fits conveniently into our own scheme?”
“It’s a responsibility of every Prabhupada follower to read the books carefully throughout his or her lifetime. Therefore it’s a great misconception if, when we see a devotee reading, we think, ‘Why aren’t you doing some service?’”
“But a sannyasi does not need
to carry a Deity.
His chanting on his beads,
(Prabhupada said)
and his travel and preaching
are his way of worship.”
“I take stumbling refuge
in the Names and form of Krishna.
My pleasure is His darsana.”
“I want to see Krishna in His form in the only way I can see Him, in the murti.”
“We cling to this life as all we’ve got,
but better make your choice and
worship Govinda,
before it’s too late.”
“Inspiration
“After fasting all morning
we honored an Ekadasi meal
of broccoli with cream cheese, potatoes, tomato sauce.
And as I ate, the inspiration came
which I had sought in vain—
to write Chapter Nine.
How my characters would meet on a boat
and what they would say—
it was just what I wanted!
The connection between the carrot halava
and the plot of my book,
and how the sweet tapioca produced inspiration
left no doubt.
I wish to record it here
as Krishna’s mercy.”
“Twelve chapters complete, but I’m at a stuck point. It’s good to be stuck in that it forces me to see I cannot write on my own power, and I do not want to write until I have that deeper desire. I want to love it, and so I await release.”
“We’ve just received word that we have to leave this cottage in five days. Someone who saw us here called the police, who called the health department who informed the landlord. Apparently there’s a law against living here without running water. At present, we don’t know where to go. The complaining citizen didn’t inquire from us whether our reading and writing might be harmless. He saw us as intruders to his familiar scene, and the police, and the health department just looked for a fault. With an attitude like that, yogis, babajis and mendicant-devotees would be rounded up and put in jail as vagrants, or forced to become respectable office workers in New Delhi or Bombay.”
“Practical advantage of solitude: It’s best (and necessary) for productive work like writing, reading, praying. So there is no mystique about it. It’s just the way you go when you really want to get something done.”
“In a time when Kali is expanding and many soldiers are falling, maybe I need more time alone to stay well.”
“Doing exercise in the park this morning I told Madhu how I’m feeling happy in my life. I’m doing what I want with my life, and I wish that others could also find this for themselves. I admitted this to Madhu in private, but it’s the kind of thing I wouldn’t want to say ‘out loud.’ Somehow I feel guilty for ‘doing what I want’ when I know many people are doing things they don’t want to do. On the other hand I shouldn’t be intimidated or ashamed at the fact that Krishna is being so kind to me.”
“Prayer Before Lecture
“My dear Lord Krishna, dear Srila Prabhupada,
let me speak nicely, neither dry nor sahajiya,
from the KRISHNA book.
Let everyone stay awake and fixed on Him.
Let’s be interested in Krishna,
in Kamsa’s prison.
Let me serve as transparent via medium
so Krishna comes through,
whirling a demon around until it’s dead—
no joke, but not glum,
faithfully rendered in simple words.
That’s what my brain and ego are for,
so Krishna can come dancing through.”
“Premañjana
“When the boys told the wives of the yajñic brahmanas
that Krishna and Balarama were very hungry,
the wives became anxious.
They started putting a feast into pots.
Their husbands tried to stop them.
They kept on going, except one who gave up her body.
Then the wives saw Krishna in the forest.
He was wearing a forest garland,
a peacock feather in His hair,
He had His hand on the shoulder of a friend,
His hair was curling nicely around His ears,
and He was smiling.
When the wives saw Krishna, He entered
into their hearts through their eyes.
“Kaliya-Krishna—
Who dove into the Yamuna
causing the banks to spill over
as if a great weight had fallen in;
Whose breast stroking created wonderful music.
Even the snake with eyes of malice
saw Him blue-hued and delicate,
as they fought.
“Who allowed Himself to be enveloped
in the coils of the serpent;
Whose followers were stunned with grief;
Whose mother tried to enter the river and then fainted;
Whose friends and cows fell to the ground
because He was dearer to them than their own lives.
No one can understand this
without tasting at least a drop
of transcendental grief.
“Who empowered Vyasa to tell this;
Who finally broke the bonds of Kaliya;
Who danced on the serpent’s head,
reddening His feet,
causing a festival for the demigods
who came to play music and drums.
“After He’s chased the serpent away
the residents of Vrndavana
got back their life.
He hugged them chest to chest.
It took all day to happen,
and everyone was exhausted.
But during the night a fire started,
and He saved them again.
“Yogesvara, creator of unlimited pastimes;
You who are inclined to Your bhaktas;
Subduer of the poisonous demons;
You are kind to the wives of Kaliya,
and You are my Friend too.
In this dangerous world,
You bless us
with desire to hear from You.
Let us die and live eternally
with You and Your followers in Goloka.
“How little we’re aware of! How little we feel! Therefore it’s important to engage in chanting the Hare Krishna mantra and reading Srimad-Bhagavatam. Even if we only touch the surface of it, it’s the real substance.”
“Dear Lord, I already am Your man. If You wish to move me differently in a radical way, You will do it. But for myself, I can’t be more ambitious right now.”
“Dear Lord Krishna, best dancer of Vrindavan, please go on dancing and creating pastimes, and please draw us to You.”
“I can only plead like Akrura did, ‘Surely Krishna knows my heart. Although I appear to be a messenger of Kamsa, I’m actually the Lord’s devotee.’”
“Marriage on the Rocks
“So many marriages are breaking up
in the Krishna Consciousness Movement.
I’m glad I’m not part of it.
But I’m a counselor:
‘Don’t join the cynics,’ I say.
‘Keep hearing Krishna’s pastimes.
Yes, even if she calls the police
and you can’t see your own children.’”
“It’s been an hour delay for the American Eagle flight from Santo Domingo to Puerto Rico. Now we’re on the plane, mixing with ‘them.’ Of course, we are one of them, all souls, all suffering, anxious about the delay but hopeful now.”
“In a crisis I may prove weak and fail, but prayer is the way.”
“Never disturbed. Free of all pains.
The next time your tooth hurts or you
can’t sleep because mosquitoes are chewing at you,
remember it, and sit up and chant.”
“The Servant Doing His Bit
“My service in Berbice
is two classes a day and at least
two meetings a day with devotees
who express their troubles.
In the class I feel strong.
impartial and conclusive.
I say, ‘The path of devotional service
is like a razor’s edge.’
But in the private meetings it’s harder.
“What if the roles were switched,
and I were stuck in Guyana
and couldn’t get along with my temple president?
What if I needed money, a wife and was quarrelsome?
If a sannyasi told me to depend on Krishna,
and to chant the holy names, would I be inspired?
After he left would I forget him
and fall back into back-biting, lamenting and selling
cassettes and paintings to support my family?
Could I hope for a better next life?
“And what will I do now with my own karma,
guarding my money and plane tickets and advising everyone
to chant the holy names?
At this rate how will I enter
the inner life of a Prabhupada follower?”
“I have received the privilege of a cup of milk from the Hare Krishna cow who lives in the backyard with her calf. In return, I’m expected to give the milk of transcendental knowledge.”
Kaustubha Prabhu:
From a class at the Bhakti Garden in Philadelphia:
When we surrender, we are giving up our attempts to avoid the truth. We are surrendering to the truth, and that is a good thing.
If you read the Bhagavad-gita every day, it will change your life. That is what we learned from Wisdom of the Sages. Reading the Bhagavatam every day changed the lives of our audience, and it changed our lives.
We have started Gita Collective for those want to study the Gita every day.
Jaya Sita Devi Dasi:
From a conversation at Philadelphia Ratha-yatra:
I have to give up consistently being inconsistent.
-----
This verse, which appears twice in Bhagavad-gita almost verbatim, list important elements of bhakti, the devotional service of the Lord. Sometimes Srila Prabhupada, commenting on the verse, said we just have to do these four things.
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mam evaisyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo ’si me
“Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.” (Bhagavad-gita 18.65, the first lines also in appear in Bhagavad-gita 9.34)
