Planet ISKCON

Where I Went and What I Did

For week 43 of 2026 I was based at ISKCON NYC in Brooklyn, and I chanted Hare Krishna with Rama Raya Prabhu’s NYC Harinama party every day, except Sunday.

I share quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, and The Teachings of Queen Kunti. I share quotes from Improvisations to Music, Books 2 and 3 by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami and notes on classes by Arcita Prabhu, Chatamayi Devi Dasi, Sri Gopal Pran Prabhu, and Surabhi Kunja Devi Dasi. I share a nice point made by Nandamukhi Devi Dasi during a Zoom meeting discussing Sadaputa Prabhu’s book God and Science. I share remembrances and glorification of Drutakarma Prabhu, from a memorial service at New Dvaraka in Los Angeles on Zoom and YouTube on October 24, by Mukunda Goswami, Jayapataka Swami (represented by his followers), Hridayananda Dasa Goswami, Devamrita Swami, Yogesvara Prabhu, Nrsimhananda Prabhu, Dravida Prabhu, Akhandadhi Prabhu, Anuttama Prabhu, Brahmatirtha Prabhu, and Arjun Gopal Prabhu. I also have some notes on a video of Drutakarma Prabhu showed at that memorial service.

Thanks to Sarabha Prabhu of ISKCON DC for his kind donation. 

Thanks to Sankarsana Prabhu for the maha-prasadam burfi and to his wife for the tasty chickpea, rice, and vegetable dish. Thanks to Subhadra Prabhu of Kadamba Kafe for the spinach pies and granola that nourished me for at least three meals on my journey to Washington and back.

Itinerary

September 23–December 31: NYC Harinam 
– November 1–???: serve Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami at Stuyvesant Falls

Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City

One older man was smiling as he filmed our party at Washington Square Park. After he finished, I went up to him and asked him if he knew about Hare Krishna from the ’70s. He said he moved to New York in 1961 at age 15, and in the late 1960s he saw many little groups of people doing music in Washington Square Park and the Hare Krishnas were prominent among them. He said he had seen many protests and many groups advocating their message, but none were as peaceful as the Hare Krishnas and that truly impressed him. He later returned to Norway, where he lives now with his family. I told him I had a 6-hour layover in Oslo last spring while flying Norwegian to Brussels, and I showed him a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3xQq7KdQLw) of myself chanting with two devotees in front the Oslo central train station, a venue he immediately recognized. It was a friendly conversation, and his appreciation of the devotees was rewarding.

I met a woman who was planning a trip to India. She asked about places to visit. I mentioned that the childhood home of Krishna, Vrindavan, was just 90 miles southeast of Delhi. It is near Agra, where the famed Taj Mahal is. To give her faith that it was worth seeing I told her a story. A young black lady at the Quaker Meeting my mother attended in Albany, seeing my brahmacari dress said, “The last time I saw someone dressed like you was in Vrindavan!” I asked how she ended up going to Vrindavan. She was going to India and had some Hare Krishna friends who told her that Vrindavan was a sacred place and she should visit it. Although she did not believe in sacred places, she rented an apartment for a month next to our temple there. When she left, she said she realized that there really are sacred places and that Vrindavan is a sacred place. 

Sevika Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna in Manhattan (https://youtube.com/shorts/R9tTRY_C1IQ?feature=share):

Chanting Hare Krishna in Washington, D.C.

I was amazed that Sankarsana Prabhu brought all that equipment on a bus and a metro from Potomac!

That was the first day of the month of Karttika, and I was happy to go to the evening program at ISKCON DC in Potomac, and participate in “Damodarastakam” and the offering of lamps. On Monday morning I got to lead the kirtan at mangala-arati and to lead “Damodarastakam” later in the morning. 

Notes on a Memorial Service for Drutakarma Prabhu
At New Dvaraka in Los Angeles on October 24, 2026

Drutakarma Prabhu:

From a video played at the memorial service:

Srila Prabhupada’s life could be summarized as hearing his guru tell him to spread the message of Krishna consciousness in the west and then executing that order without any retirement.

Mukunda Goswami:

I knew him in San Diego. We would walk and chant japa together and became good friends. We published Divine Nature. Drutakarma did most of the writing. We will publishing an updated version, and Kalachandji will do the writing. Drutakarma allowed me to have my name mentioned on that book.

Jayapataka Swami (represented by his followers):

He was a pillar of ISKCON. I will miss him very much.

Hridayananda Dasa Goswami:

He was exemplary as a Vaishnava.

He was uncompromisingly rigorous, both spiritually and scientifically.

Drutakarma understood that there is nothing that science actually knows that is against Krishna consciousness.

A lot of people have said that what goes on as science is just materialism.

Acheology means the science of very old things.

The saddest thing is that he is practically irreplacable.

Many of us are alive today because of science.

If we bash aspects of science that are not inconsistent with Krishna consciousness that may not be helpful to Prabhupada’s mission.

Devamrita Swami:

I met Drutakarma during our BBT days in Los Angeles in the 1970s when he was with Back to Godhead (BTG).

He demonstrated integrity and commitment to becoming Krishna consciousness.

He was a calm, quiet, and lucid genius.

He had great courage and determination.

Yogesvara Prabhu:

My connection was through the Mayapur planetarium exhibits.

He was an intelligent, insightful, and calming influence. He had ideal dispute resolution skills.

At a program in Long Island for about sixty wealthy people he did an amazing powerpoint showing calmly and logically how humans have been around a lot longer than scientists think, and everyone’s jaw dropped.

Nrsimhananda Prabhu:

We were friends from the 1970s. He was a confidant of mine, and I hope vice versa.

He encouraged me to belong the Sabha, the Sastric Advisory Committee to the GBC,

although we had not much contact for years, and he even promoted me to become chairman.

His passing was sad because I lost a friend.

Dravida Prabhu:

He immediately became a main writer for BTG.

He wrote intros to Science of Self-Realization and Journey of Self-Discovery.

[Dravida Prabhu read first paragraph of the one for Science of Self-Realization which follows:]

“‘Who is Srila Prabhupada?’ people often ask, and it is always a hard question to answer. For Srila Prabhupada always eclipsed conventional designations. At various times people have called him a scholar, a philosopher, a cultural ambassador, a prolific author, a religious leader, a spiritual teacher, a social critic, and a holy man. In truth, he was all these things and more. Certainly no one could ever have confused him with the modern entrepreneurial ‘gurus’ who come to the West with slickly packaged, watered-down versions of Eastern spirituality (to satisfy our urge for instant well-being and exploit our well-documented spiritual naivete). Srila Prabhupada was, rather, a true holy man (sadhu) of deep intellectual and spiritual sensitivity—he had deep concern and compassion for a society which, to such a large degree, lacks real spiritual dimension.”

He was a Prabhupada man, an ISKCON man.

Akhandadhi Prabhu:

His Origins is a great contribution still.

He was a great writer.

He didn’t have special feeling for science. He jokingly considered himself a hired gun for the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT).

He was humorous.

He enjoyed prasadam.

Anuttama Prabhu:

[He read great quotes reviews of The Hidden History of the Human Race from Midwest Book Review and the Journal of Field Archeology.]

He encouraged all devotees to read The Hidden History of the Human Race.

Brahmatirtha Prabhu:

Drutakarma combined the best of Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami, with his skills at dealing with people and making them favorable, and Sadaputa Prabhu, with his skills of research and writing in the field of science.

Arjun Gopal Prabhu:

We cooked dinner for him for several months.

He was always humble and grateful.

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.54, purport:

“In Caitanya-caritamrta Lord Caitanya says that sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83], the association of a great saintly person, is very important, because even if one is not advanced in knowledge, simply by association with a great saintly person one can immediately make considerable advancement in spiritual life.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.55:

“Association for sense gratification is certainly the path of bondage. But the same type of association, performed with a saintly person, leads to the path of liberation, even if performed without knowledge.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.55, purport:

“It is generally said that the gopis were attached to Krishna for sense attractions, and yet they became first-class devotees of the Lord. Kamsa, Sisupala, Dantavakra and other demons, however, were related to Krishna as enemies. But whether they associated with Krishna as enemies or for sense gratification, out of fear or as pure devotees, they all got liberation. That is the result of association with the Lord. Even if one does not understand who He is, the results have the same efficacy.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.56:

“Anyone whose work is not meant to elevate him to religious life, anyone whose religious ritualistic performances do not raise him to renunciation, and anyone situated in renunciation that does not lead him to devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, must be considered dead, although he is breathing.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.56, purport:

“Everyone is by nature inclined to some sort of work, and when that work leads one to religious life and religious life leads one to renunciation and renunciation leads one to devotional service, one attains the perfection of work.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.24.4, purport:

“It is explained here that spiritual knowledge vanquishes the knot of the heart. Matter and spirit are knotted by false ego.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.24.5, purport:

“It is also stated that the Lord is situated in everyone’s heart. One does not have to seek the Lord outside; He is already there. One simply has to concentrate on one’s worship in good faith, as instructed by the bona fide spiritual master, and one’s efforts will come out successfully.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.21.42, purport:

“A perfect Vaishnava, or Krishna conscious person, is always in this transcendental position because he speaks according to Krishna and His representative. Because Vaishnavas speak exactly according to the tune of Krishna, whatever they say is free from these four defects.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.30.20, purport:

“Always engaging in the activities of devotional service, devotees feel ever-increasingly fresh and new in all their activities. The all-knower, the Supersoul within the heart of the devotee, makes everything increasingly fresh. This is known as the Brahman position by the advocates of the Absolute Truth. In such a liberated stage [brahma-bhuta], one is never bewildered. Nor does one lament or become unnecessarily jubilant. This is due to the brahma-bhuta situation.”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 5.104, purport:

“Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana says that although Vishnu is the predominating Deity of the quality of goodness in the material world, He is never affected by the quality of goodness, for He directs that quality simply by His supreme will.”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 5.112, purport:

“[Lord Krishna said:] ‘My dear Uddhava, you may know that My transcendental form of Vishnu in Svetadvipa is identical with Me in divinity. Anyone who places this Lord of Svetadvipa within his heart can surpass the pangs of the six material tribulations: hunger, thirst, birth, death, lamentation and illusion. Thus one can attain one’s original, transcendental form.’ [Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.15.18]”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 5.120, purport:

“This quotation indicates that the Sankarsana of the quadruple form descends with Lord Rama as Laksmana. When Lord Rama disappears, Sesa again separates Himself from the personality of Laksmana. Sesa then returns to His own abode in the Patala regions, and Laksmana returns to His abode in Vaikuntha.”

From The Teachings of Queen Kunti, Text 3, purport:

“If one takes to Krishna consciousness, in the beginning there will be many disturbances caused by Maya, the material energy of illusion. Maya will test us to see how firmly we are fixed in Krishna consciousness. Because she is also an agent of Krishna, she does not allow anyone the freedom to disturb Krishna. Therefore she tests very rigidly to see whether we have taken to Krishna consciousness to disturb Krishna or are actually serious. That is Maya's business. So in the beginning there will be tests by Maya, and we shall feel so many disturbances while making progress in Krishna consciousness. But if we follow the rules and regulations and chant regularly as prescribed, then we shall remain steady. If we neglect these principles, Maya will capture us immediately. Maya is always ready. We are in the ocean, and at any moment we may be disturbed. Therefore one who is not disturbed at all is called paramahamsa.”

“This is the test—when one is free from lusty desires and greed, then he is situated in bhakti-yoga and is actually a paramahamsa.”

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

From Improvisations to Music, Book 2:

“I tell you this life has had
fascinatin’ rhythm
but don’t tap your foot.
Piece by piece it has been built
like boards creating an altar,
and I have been happy
most of the time
to wait for it to be completed.”

“May I dive for the eternal
because my Swami accepted me
gave me a name
so I could be saved
at death. He will take me
forward for my next life,
and I will pursue Krishna
like the Lord’s servant.”

“You need a Krishna-guide
to inspire you and
to kick out all else.”

“Simply be who you are and follow your
guru. Serve Krishna with heart
and purify whatever you have
through love and
His help.”

“I write this for relief,
but it is for Him and
no one else.”

“O Lord You are never lazy on my
account trying to save me and
take me back to You.
I have refused You, but nonetheless
You do not become angry.
You try incessantly to take me back.”

“I talk and plead my case,
and Krishna and Prabhupada for
the time being refrain from crushing
my arguments to pieces.
I assume they love me.
Krishna gives me a measure of time to
see what I will do with this gift of
human life, the double gift (triple—more)
of association with Krishna’s dearmost
servant, Prabhupada.”

“I’m sorry I am not giving you
the whole Mahabharata
or esoteric Vraja secrets
although I wish I was
but chant Krishna’s names direct
and keep your ear holes filled
with that right sound and
live in grace.”

“We can’t promise that you’ll get your way. Just
chant Hare Krishna and remember
Lord Caitanya, be absorbed
in preaching. Then whatever happens
you’ll get through in good consciousness.
(Easier said than done.) We quote
perfect scripture and have seen it in others
but how do we do it?”

“I
sing these ditties although
they may not befit
the Supreme Majesty.
But we worship a Vraja prince
who teases gopis and
who pleases His neighbors
by stealing their butter.”

“We were happy to work on the journey
to Krishna consciousness and get corrected
by a cowherder of
erring calves and cows. Get into the
camp with all your brothers and sisters on the
KC way.”

“We’re on the right track when we converse with
devotee friends of Krishna
on preaching tactics and falling quiet.
When prajalpa enters
plan an attack on maya.”

“Krishna, I see this page and bow
to You, my Lord
although secular states
declare no God allowed.
I repeat only what
my master taught.”

“We suffer in these bodies and
seek release in joke or food or rest,
but when we learn to turn instead to Krishna
in our distress, we will do better.
There will be pain for each to endure
car accidents
death of friends
and a wrenching of the world order—we
can’t even imagine it all. So now while we
feel ease, use it to build layer upon layer
of Krishna-thought onto the psyche to
pray.”

“O Govinda
I won’t be afraid
when I have to give up everything
to rest my mind in Your names.”

“Similarly, we can make our own songs
even though so many have already composed
such songs in one tradition or another.”

“Prabhupada said, ‘Do not say, “I am ill and therefore I cannot live
with devotees.” Because no matter where you go for health,
you cannot leave the universe. So why
leave the devotees?’”

“We want to think of Krishna
we want to live peacefully in this world
but we don’t receive both
because we aren’t sincere or greedy
enough
for either.”

“We want to go to Krishna
and don’t mind whatever ordeal is required
for us to reach our goal.”

“O Krishna, You want us to report
for duty to the best devotees and
to serve them and
gradually learn their secrets.
How else will we develop the Gaudiya mood?
We don’t want to be Westerners forever, do we?”

“O Krishna, I’m here for You
if You will just reveal Yourself
to me and even
if You don’t.”

“Someone sings of a woman, but we
devotees want to hear Krishna’s flute.
We are besmirched but feel cleansed
by hari-nama.”

“I liked the taste of cleaning my soul
in the days when I scrubbed floors.”

From Improvisations to Music, Book 3:

“I am tiny, so I live
joyful in the Krishna conscious times
that are with me
serving my master
and knowing that each devotee
has his own mission, his solo
to perform according to his own scale
and desire
to please Lord Krishna.”

“Illusion is apart from Him
so we must see Krishna
in this scene.”

“O tree, you are stronger and
more long-lived than
me, but we’re both vrksa—
easily cut down.”

“Krishna is the tree that doesn’t
die. He’s the people and air
and music and sun and rain and
He leaves the judging to
maya while He plays.”

“Krishna is best
and Radha is better.”

“Promise to follow the master
and don’t give up
ever.”

“Then I promise starting now.
Oh forget it. Just be who you are,
and you ain’t no Arjuna no
Bhisma who could promise and then knock out
the world before reneging.
You are just a small fella
who can’t stand pain.”

“Off alone—I would always leave the gang.
One of them usually turned and mocked me
a joke aimed at a loner, but I didn’t care and
still don’t. I’m bent on being alone. I would go
back to my apartment or to the streets
all the time being saved by God. I was never so utterly
destroyed and corrupted that I missed the Swami’s call. If I
had been madly in love, intoxicated by a beautiful woman,
thinking I’d won her!—I wouldn’t have had the eyes to see
my eternal guru.”

“I was waiting to grow up
just to discover I was no ordinary Joe.
I could take the Swami’s offer
and love him.
O Vrindavan-dhama, holy land
my Swami has washed me clean.”

“You are my Lord, and I don’t
forget that much.
Please retain me a
little life to make songs in
this world
Hari Om
Hare Krishna.”

“If only I could get that
one thing I want—love of God
love of God
then all I did and do
may come alive before it’s too late
and Krishna will
save me.”

“I want to be something of a true person.
An artist has to be content with
every moment as inspired by God
and can’t be the best at all
times.”

“But each soul is alone
to turn in eternal true moment
to his worshipable God,
and a few are fortunate to
meet the sad-guru.”

“We can’t change our past, even ISKCON’s years—
they also we can’t improve once they are gone.
Although we can learn from our mistakes
as long as we remain in the present.”

“We want Krishna to accept this sincere prayer: ‘I’m lonely in this world, and it’s because I’m not with You. Please lift me up. Let me know You accept me. Especially, make me aware that my purpose is to serve You in love.’”

“Krishna, I’m fighting the forces of opposition and doubt—this age of doubt, disbelief, materialistic science. May You accept my fighting
as seva.”

“Tell them Krishna is sweet and savory,
and we can eat to be His
devotees. Easy, isn’t it?”

“I want the Church to be
nonviolent and Jesus a son
of Krishna but they don’t
want it that way.”

Arcita Prabhu:

We see our body disintegrating before our eyes, but we do not take our impending death seriously.

When Dravida taught how to learn a verse, he would say, “Learn the translation first, then the word meanings, and then the Sanskrit verse.”

If you have no desire, then how can Krishna fulfill your desire?

This is my 74^th birthday. Please pray that this year I finally surrender to Krishna.

Everyone wants to be 100% healthy. No one will settle for being 50% healthy. In the same way, we should desire to be 100% Krishna consciousness.

Comment by me:

You mentioned that it is valuable to dress as a devotee. Because I was dressed as a brahmacari when I moved from Pennsylvania to San Diego, I was able to sell some of my personal books of Srila Prabhupada to someone at the airport, who came up to me asking if I had any.

Nandamukhi Devi Dasi:

From a Zoom meeting discussing Sadaputa Prabhu’s God and Science:

I do not know that we will be able to understand what Sukadeva was seeing when he was describing the universe or what Maharaja Pariksit was understanding when he was hearing it.

Chatamayi Devi Dasi:

We have been given the opportunity to get off the train of sense gratification and get on the train back to Godhead. We should bow down and thank Srila Prabhupada every day for this.

Srila Prabhupada could see Krishna face-to-face 24/7, and that was the cause of his superhuman abilities.

Comments by me:

Different verses highlight different qualities of the brahmanas:

“My dear son, we are all brahmanas and have become worshipable for the people in general because of our quality of forgiveness. It is because of this quality that Lord Brahma, the supreme spiritual master of this universe, has achieved his post. The duty of a brahmana is to culture the quality of forgiveness, which is illuminating like the sun. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is pleased with those who are forgiving.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.15.39–40)

“O chief of the Kuru dynasty, the Vedic wisdom became manifested from the mouth of the virat, the universal form. Those who are inclined to this Vedic knowledge are called brahmanas, and they are the natural teachers and spiritual masters of all the orders of society.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.6.30)

“The main qualification of a brahmana is to be inclined to the Vedic wisdom.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.6.30, purport)

Srila Prabhupada was talking in the purport to today’s verse (SB 4.21.42) about mangala (auspicious). That reminded me of this verse:

tasmat sankirtanam vishnor 
jagan-mangalam amhasam 
mahatam api kauravya 
viddhy aikantika-niskrtam

“Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore the chanting of the sankirtana movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe. Please try to understand this so that others will take it seriously.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.31)

Sri Gopal Pran Prabhu:

Raghunath Das Goswami shows how to spend one’s life completely engaged in the service of the Lord.

I personally experienced smasana-vairagya. One relative after a funeral of another relative said he felt like renouncing his family and going to Hardwar. After a few days when I mentioned this, he just spoke of visiting visiting Hardwar for a day.

Lord Caitanya advised Raghunatha to do his material duties but to internally hanker for the service of the Lord.

In Ananda Bazaar they distribute the prasadam of Jagannatha. That is why it is called Ananda Bazaar.

Raghunath Das Goswami was so renounced that he ate the old food that wasn’t sold and was thrown to the cows but which the cows themselves rejected.

As a kid, Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, when Lord Caitanya stayed at his father Tapan Misra’s home, would dance in Mahaprabhu’s kirtanas.

Lord Caitanya encouraged Raghunath Das Goswami to leave his parents, who were materialists, but He encouraged Raghumath Bhatta to serve His parents, who were elevated devotees.

We can pray to these acaryas to be able to serve the Lord nicely in our old age as they did.

Comment by me:

Kaviraja Goswami mentions Raghunath Das Goswami at the end every chapter of Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, along with Rupa Goswami:

sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa

“Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krishnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, following in their footsteps.”

I did madhukari once. I was on parikrama with Indradyumna Swami and B. B. Govinda Swami. The leaders instructed us to bring our own breakfast the next day. I was too lazy to get it together to do this. At the time of breakfast, when the swamis saw I did not have anything, they suggested I do madhukari. I did and received roti and sabji, but I felt guilty as I had 50 euros in my money belt that Sri Prahlada had given me on the Polish tour, and yet I was begging for food.

Surabhi Kunja Devi Dasi:

It rare to meet a pure devotee, and even rarer to get the seed of bhakti from such a person.

Commiting offenses to Vaishnava is like having your bank account frozen. You may have some devotional assets, but you cannot access them until your become free from your offenses to Vaishnavas.

The association of devotees is stressed because with it we get so many other devotional opportunities.

-----

This verse spoken by Sukadeva Goswami to Maharaja Pariksit at the end of the Ajamila pastime cannot be emphasized enough.

tasmat sankirtanam vishnor

“Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore the chanting of the sankirtana movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe. Please try to understand this so that others will take it seriously.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.31)

Thus the NYC Harinam party chants the Hare Krishna mantra in public congregationally for four hours a day and six days a week, to benefit many hundreds of people every day by freeing them from their karma and plantng a seed of bhakti in their hearts.