Author Archives: Krishna-kripa das, Mayapura

Travel Journal#13.22: New York City
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 13, No. 22 
By Krishna-kripa das 
(November 2017, part two) 
New York City 
(Sent from Hartford on December 11, 2017)

Where I Went and What I Did
I chanted with the Yuga Dharma New York City harinama party for the second half of November, without going anywhere else. One day Ramesvara Prabhu, who is famous for his service with the BBT, came by and chanted and danced with us for an hour. We were happy our leader, Rama Raya Prabhu, returned from six weeks in Vrindavan. Satya Dasi of Radha Govinda Mandir let our harinama party have their Thanksgiving feast for free, and it was very good.
I share notes on and quotes from recorded classes by Srila Prabhupada. I share notes on Radhanath Swami speaking at The Bhakti Center on Gita Jayanti. I share notes on the morning classes at The Bhakti Center by Rama Raya, Shyamananda, Shubha Vilas, Gaura Sarana, Karuna Gauranga, Virabhadra Rama, and Mahotsaha Prabhus. I share excerpts from Back to Godhead articles by Nagaraja and Caitanya Carana Prabhus. I share an interesting point from a conversation with Jaya Jagannatha Prabhu, and two Radhanath Swami quotes from Jai Giridhari Prabhu.
Thanks to Atmanivedana Prabhu, who runs the Saturday night Bhagavad-gita class at 26 Second Avenue, for his very generous donation. This time at that program, while I led the kirtan, I prayed to Srila Prabhupada to be able to chant the same pure holy name of Krishna that he chanted there in 1966 and which he spread all over the world, and thus that kirtan became an especially ecstatic experience for me. Thanks to Dina Bandhu Prabhu and his family, Larry, and all the other devotees at the Gaura Nitai temple in Queens for their kind donations. Thanks to Sunanda Prabhu and Bhakta Bob of the Krishna Balarama temple in Queens for their kind donations.
Thanks to Bhaktin Diana for the photos of me on harinama in Jackson Heights.
Itinerary
November 11, 2017–January ?, 2018: Yuga Dharma New York City harinama party
except:
December 24 : Christmas Eve with my relatives in Albany
lectures in New York City:
December 23: ISKCON Queens
December 30: 26 Second Avenue
Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City
I continued chanting with the Yuga Dharma New York City harinama party six hours a day, except on the days I had evening lectures.

I mostly watched the book table, sometimes playing shakers and sometimes dancing, as here in Jackson Heights. Besides that I would lead the chanting usually for half an hour or an hour.
Rama Raya Prabhu’s kirtan attracts the most participation by both the devotees and the passersby, and the devotees on the party were happy he returned from Vrindavan.
Here Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Times Square subway station, and three passersby play instruments (https://youtu.be/OoJGRybbSW4):
Here Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Atlantic Avenue / Barclays Center subway station, and a man dances (https://youtu.be/RsGqCM2ncdA):
Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/1RXTTQF2x_8):
We like to give visiting devotees the chance to lead kirtan. Here little Radha, whose family joins our Yuga Dharma NYC chanting party from time to time when we are in Jackson Heights, plays the harmonium and leads the chanting of Hare Krishna although she is only nine years old (https://youtu.be/mvrQiG7O-sk):
Once time Krishna Prasada Prabhu chantedHare Krishna in Jackson Heights, and some youths playedshakers and danced.

I personally encouraged them by handing them the shakers and dancing myself.
They had such a good time participating in our harinamathat although they tried to leave twice, they could not go. Finally Mahotsaha Prabhu brought their dancing to another level (https://youtu.be/3QEqthgZWn0):
Krishna Prasad Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and Ramesvara Prabhu, who did a lot for Srila Prabhupada’s BBT and presently gives occasional lectures at The Bhakti Center, dances at Penn Station subway station (https://youtu.be/PJLgrzPjzm8):
Kalpavrksa Prabhu of New Jersey chants Hare Krishna at Atlantic Avenue / Barclays Center subway station, and some boys dance (https://youtu.be/00tYeQZZSsk):
Kalpavrksa Prabhu of New Jersey chants Hare Krishna at Atlantic Avenue / Barclays Center subway station, and two kids play shakers (https://youtu.be/TsNwriivCQ0):
Kanai Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Jackson Heights, and a young girl plays shakers as her mom watches (https://youtu.be/olw6zaLxSKA):
Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and a mom and daughter play shakers in Grand Central subway station (https://youtu.be/MD_fN0wWbqw):
Kanai Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, and two kids play shakers and dance at Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Ave. subway station (https://youtu.be/CRWRHkstcfo):
Mahotsaha Prabhu chants, and two Ukrainian tourists who attend Hare Krishna programs in their country play shakers and dance (https://youtu.be/wTZ-ngTcPFU):
Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Times Square subway station, and a man dances (https://youtu.be/iDSeT4Qlvww):
Kaliya Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station, and Mikey and Richard dance (https://youtu.be/CQne9XtpLMM):
Kanai Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Penn Station (https://youtu.be/-sFLAcO1f5E):
Tota Gopinath Prabhu, originally a full time member of our New York City harinamaparty, chants Hare Krishna in Penn Station after work (https://youtu.be/vB3TQ8JyYmk):
Natabara Gauranga Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/ffbkCTeGmew):
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.2 in Bombay on November 2, 1974:
Krishna is maintaining all the large elephants, all the small ants, all the 8,400,000 different species. Why are we worried about Him maintaining us?

“Therefore the conclusion is that ‘Don’t try for your so-called happiness or so-called distress. Try to achieve that position where you can understand Krishna and get shelter at His lotus feet.’”

“President Nixon was thinking, ‘I am very fortunate. I have become the President of United States.’ But now he’s realizing, ‘I am the most unfortunate.’”
Sometimes a yogi may show a little mystic power by manufacturing some gold, and we are so foolish that we accept him as God. However, we forget that the real yogi, the Supreme Lord Himself, has created millions of gold mines and is floating them in space.
What is the difficulty? God personally explains Himself as He is, and if we accept the Bhagavad-gitaas it is, we shall no longer have to transmigrate. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti. We shall no longer have to endure birth and death, for we can attain our spiritual bodies (sac-cid-ananda vigraha) and live happily in Krishna’s family. Krishna is providing for us here, and He will also provide for us there. So we should know that our happiness is in returning home, back to Godhead, where we can eat, drink, and be merry in Krishna’s company.
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam1.13.12 given in Geneva on June 3, 1974:
A lesson to be learned from the destruction of the Yadu dynasty is that “if we fight amongst ourselves, even we belong to the family of Krishna, we are ruined.”
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.1 in New York on November 29, 1973:
“Actually, he [Arjuna] was unhappy on account of being separated from Krishna. Similarly, not only Arjuna, all of us. . . . he is also a living entity, we are also living entity. So we are also unhappy, because we are separated from Krishna. These modern philosophers or scientists, they may suggest . . . that they can improve the world situation in their own way, but that is not possible. We are unhappy on account of being separated from Krishna. They do not know that. Just like a child, a child is crying, nobody can say why he is crying, but actually a child is generally in crying condition being separated from the mother.”
“Everyone of us [is] very intimately connected with Krishna, and Krishna is sitting in everyone’s heart. Krishna is so kind, that He is simply waiting, ‘When this rascal will turn his face towards Me.’ . . . He is so kind. But we living entities, we are so rascal, we shall turn our face to everything except Krishna. This is our position.”
“There are also living entities [in the spiritual world], but they know perfectly well that real enjoyer, proprietor, is Krishna. That is spiritual kingdom. Similarly, even in this material world, if we understand perfectly well that we are not enjoyer, Krishna is enjoyer, then that is spiritual world. This Krishna consciousness movement is trying to convince everyone that . . . we are not enjoyer. Enjoyer is Krishna. Just like, this whole body, the enjoyer is the stomach, and the hands and legs and eyes and ears and brains and everything, these should be engaged to find out the enjoyable things and put it in the stomach. This is natural. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God, or Krishna. We are not enjoyer.”
“We living entities, we are eternally servant of Krishna. That is our position. But if we deny this position, ‘Now why shall I become servant of Krishna? I am independent,’ then suffering begins, immediate. Krishna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare, as soon as you desire to enjoy independently, immediately that means immediately he is captured by maya. Krishna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare pasate maya tare japatiya dhare. It is very easy to understand. Just like if you don’t care for the government laws, if you want to live independently, that means immediately you are in the clutches of the police force. . . . So our position is always dependent on God. We should understand this. This is Krishna consciousness.”
You Americans consider you can take by force the Arabian oil which is Krishna’s property, but you should let the Arabs freely live on your land which is also Krishna’s property.
Radhanath Swami:

From a lecture at The Bhakti Center on Gita Jayanti:
Arjuna was thinking “I can’t not fight yet I can’t fight.”
“This bewilderment is beyond my control.”

From the very beginning of the GitaKrishna tells Arjuna that each of is eternal and individual. Our nature is to serve the Lord and to love the Lord.
That question philosophers have been asking for centuries “Who am I?” Krishna answers in chapter 2. Who is seeing through these eyes?

Love for God and all living beings is what we are and what we have always been. When we do not find that love within us, we look for it outside of us.


To awaken the dormant love of God in our hearts is the perfection of yoga.

The sun ray is not the cause of the sun, but the sun is the cause of the sun ray.

Prabhupada defined bhaktias devotional service because when we love we want to serve.

God’s happiness is my happiness. God’s will is my will.

Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita 18.66 “live in the spirit of love.”

When the leaves falls from the trees we see it is beautiful. Death can also be seen as beautiful.
My mind is my underwear, and my body is my clothes. No one laments the change of clothing.

Bhagavad-gitawas spoken to activate Arjuna to act in this world but not be of this world.

A warrior is the last person you would think to talk to about peace and love.

When our mind is acting in harmony with our soul it is our friend.

According to our association and activities we are controlled by the ropes of material nature. Bhagavad-gitatells us how we can become free.
The nonsectarian nature of knowledge in Bhagavad-gita has made it loved by people of every religion.

Bhagavad-gita4.7 tells how the Lord is always coming to deliver us.

Srila Prabhupada said that to awaken the innate love for the Supreme in our hearts is religion.

Krishna says one who is advanced in love for Him sees all living beings equally (Gita 5.18).


The illiterate brahmanawho daily read Bhagavad-gita according to his guru’s order had so much love for his guru he didn’t mind being ridiculed for his mispronunciation. He would visualize Krishna acting as the driver Arjuna’s chariot as he read, and he told Lord Caitanya, “When I think of how much love Krishna has for His devotee it makes me cry.”

By applying the basic principles of the Gitain our lives we attain perfection.

The Gitateaches us how we can live in this world and remain pure like a lotus and really make a difference.

Haridasa Thakura said the goal of kirtan is prema,unconditional ecstatic love for God and all living entities.

We should pray to be free from false ego and situated in love of God. We should desire to be an instrument of God’s love.

Nagaraja Prabhu:

From “Being with God to be with God” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 52, No. 2 (March / April 2018):
“Once we’re convinced that we must revive our relationship with Krishna, how do we go about it? . . . We do everything we can to keep ourselves in Krishna’s company right now.
“Fortunately for us, that’s easy to do, in theory at least, because everything about Krishna is Krishna. When we chant Krishna’s name, read books about Krishna, hear classes about Krishna, and so on, we’re with Krishna directly because, being absolute, He’s identical to everything related to Him. We’re trying to live with God – Krishna – constantly so that we become qualified to be with Him eternally. That’s what Hare Krishna is all about.”
Rama Raya Prabhu:
Niksepa(regret) is one category of Vaishnava expression, and many songs of Narottama Dasa Thakura are in that category.
Illicit sex is the worst offense in Vrindavan, where everyone is meant for Krishna’s enjoyment.
We should always be on guard against becoming proud of whatever little respect we have achieved within the Krishna consciousness movement. There are still many ways we can serve Krishna which have not yet been revealed to us.
Except for sincere devotional service, everything else is simply a show.
Hellish punishment is meant for people who have so misused their human form of life that nothing but such punishment could wake them up.
When Srila Prabhupada was informed about the rock bank “Kiss” who some say consider themselves servants of Satan, he said, “They have been sent from the hellish planets to bring people back there.”
The potency of the Krishna consciousness movement is very great because it is the movement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Having a material body is like having a prison uniform, and we can easily understand our fallen position if we possess one.
By giving our utmost to this Krishna consciousness movement, we will become qualified to go back to Godhead.
The problem of Arjuna was an acute bodily conception of life which is the problem of all of us.
The Bhagavad-gita can solve all mental agonies – we do not have to go to a psychologist.
Those merely engaged in temple worship should be respectful toward and offer all facility to those in spreading Krishna consciousness.
Because Krishna chastised Kaliya in the cold December water of the Yamuna, Radharani was concerned He would catch cold. Thus Aditya, the sun god, manifested twelve suns on the hill, therefore known as Dvadasaditya, to warm Him.
Bankibihari is the form of the Lord who killed Kamsa.
Mayakeeps people in illusion until they give up the idea of trying to imitate Krishna by being the enjoyer.
2042 is the 500thanniversary of the Radha-Ramana deity of Vrindavana.
In Bhagavad-gita Krishna tells people what they need to know, what they need to hear, and what they need to blessed with.
It is wonderful that forty years after Srila Prabhupada’s departure book distribution is still going on in America.
When a maha-bhagavata like Srila Prabhupada was present, people could go far beyond their realizations in rendering service.
In 1975, there was a book distribution marathon between the Chicago and the Los Angeles temples the day before Thanksgiving, 2,042 hardbound books were distributed by Chicago and 1,800 by Los Angeles. One devotee distributed 210.
When I was doing books in New York City as a young man your age, it was a privilege to be in Manhattan, what to speak of on 5thAvenue.
What are good places to distribute books in New York City?
Fifth Avenue from 34thStreet to Central Park, 34thStreet itself, and Astor Place and St. Marks Place at night.
Shyamananda Prabhu:
Srila Prabhupada came to America with a pamphlet “India’s Message of Peace and Goodwill.”
When someone said to Srila Prabhupada before his transcontinental ocean voyage, “So you are going to America?” Srila Prabhupada humbly replied, “Srimad Bhagavata is going to America.”
One man asked an abbott, “What do you do in the monastery, in one sentence?”
He thought for awhile and replied, “We fall, and we get up, we fall, and we get up, we fall, and we get up.”
Arjuna has hatred for the sons of Dhrtarastra, affection for his grandfather and teacher, and pity for the others who would be killed.
Duryodhana just wanted the kingdom.
Dhrtarastra wanted his sons to get the kingdom and was worried about the influence of the holy place.
There is no one who says, “Everything belongs to me.” Only Krishna says that. He is either a lunatic, or it is true. You have to decide.
We see that Krishna’s devotees are enjoying. The gopis are enjoying, the cowherd boys are enjoying, Mother Yashoda is enjoying, Lord Caitanya’s associates are enjoying, and they are inviting us to join them.

Caitanya Carana Prabhu:
From “See Criticism with a Critical Eye” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 52, No. 2 (March / April 2018):
“Returning to our discussion about outer cynics, neglecting them entirely is difficult because we are social beings. We need a supportive circle that encourages and appreciates us. Our social needs remain even when we start practicing spiritual life. Materialists are usually critical of spiritualists. So, if we are to persevere on the devotional path, we need the association of devotees. When we get a sense of belonging in devotee circles, we can develop the necessary thick skin to endure the inevitable criticisms of materialists.”
“Ultimately, to sustain our devotion amidst criticism, we need to connect spiritually with the one who has given us our gifts and for whom we are striving to develop them. Our relationship with Krishna established through prayer, meditation, and worship provides us an inner sanctuary beyond the reach of critics. By finding affirmation and inspiration in His loving remembrance, we access inexhaustible inner empowerment for persevering despite the world’s criticism.”
Shubha Vilas Prabhu:
After reading the final chapter of the Fifth Canto, you can get very depressed hearing all the different hells you can suffer in for making different mistakes, and thus in the first chapter of the Sixth Canto, Sukadeva Goswami tells how by chanting the holy name you can easily escape all the hells.
The Ajamila story is the story of all of us because were destined to go to hell, but by the mercy of the devotees, we received a change of destination.
Ajamila was kind to one sadhu who advised him to name one of his sons Narayana.
The guru gives direct instructions, and when that is not possible, he gives indirect instructions.
King Uttanapada had two wives, Suruci and Suniti. Suruci means a taste for material things. Suniti means attraction for higher principals. Actually we often have these two choices.
Bhaktimeans engaging what you have in Krishna consciousness. Do not worry about what you do not have. If you can’t sing, if you can’t cook, if you can’t dress the deities, do not worry. Just engage what you have in Krishna’s service.
The monkeys fighting for Lord Rama would engage what they had in the fight.
The spiritual master is like a vessel. If you want to heat water, you need a vessel. You are like the water, Krishna is like the fire, and the spiritual master is the vessel. Without the vessel it is not possible to heat the water.
Lanka is symbolic of temptation, and Hanuman’s burning Lanka was his response to the situation of temptation.
If you do not check temptation, it can grow out of hand.
Some people think the proper way to deal with desires is to fulfill them, but the Bhagavad-gita says something else. If you fulfill your desires, they will just become more and more uncontrollable.
If we succumb to tempations, we become unable to follow the spiritual master.
The role of the Paramatma is to give us warnings if we go in the wrong direction.
Ajamila repented after the fact, but it is better to hear the guidance of Paramatma beforehand.
Our heart beating fast before we did some mischief as a child is an indication from Paramatma. We have to learn to listen for such indications.
Gaura Sarana Prabhu:
Comment by Adi Purusha Prabhu: It takes two years for a bamboo seed to sprout, but when it does so it grows three feet a day for thirty days. In the same way, there will be effect from the chanting of the holy name, but we must wait to see it.
Comment by Natabara Gauranga Prabhu: Visvanatha Cakravarti says that the effect of chanting the holy name is not immediate and dramatic by the arrangement of Krishna so as to allow people to still have faith in karma and jnana [knowledge].
It can just take a moment to regret our past misdeeds and turn toward Krishna.
In this age of Kali, even in India people, may think they are pious, but in reality they engage in so many materialistic activities that is just their mental conception.
Karuna Gauranga Prabhu:
Not only the holy name, but also the deity and the prasadam purify if received jokingly or critically.
Even though we loved to play with dolls and toys as a child, we have absolutely no interest in them now. Similarly the material things that allure us now will not disturb us in the least when we advance in devotional service.
One devotee asked Srila Prabhupada why he had to suffer so much although he was a pure devotee. Srila Prabhupada explained that the material world spares no one. Even Krishna encountered so much difficulty in the material world.
Jaya Jagannatha Prabhu:
From a conversation:
I find if I speak tattva(spiritual truth) to people, they feel I am caring for them.
Virabhadra Rama Prabhu:
I was born in a devotee family so I knew all the practices, but when I was a teenager they were not a part of my life. I had other interests. I worked with Arjuna Prabhu doing land surveying, and after work he would suggest, “Why not stop at the temple?”, and after we got there, “Why not offer obeisances? Why not honor the caranamrita?”And then in time he would gradually include other ideas. “Why not offer a donation? Why not stay here and chant a round? Why not read a verse?” In this way because of his compassion, he gradually created a taste for all these devotional activities within me.
Comment by Gopal Campu Prabhu: One lady who talked to us on book distribution came back an hour later accusing us of stealing her wallet. The police listened to her story, and said to us, “We have seen you coming here for seven years without any incidents, so it is difficult for us to believe her story.” Two of the policeman asked for books before they left.
Comment by Jaya Jagannatha Prabhu: Gaura Govinda Swami explains that sin is like a layer of dust that can easily we wiped out, but aparadha[offense to the devotees, the scriptures, the guru, the Lord, etc.] is like a thunderbolt that cannot be destroyed. Our scriptures do not emphasize sins because the fire of bhaktican easily destroy them all, but aparadha is greatly warned against.
Yashoda Dulal Prabhu in New Jersey told me there was one person who would regularly come to The Bhakti Center Thursday kirtana with alcohol on his breath. He kept coming and gradually progressed to chanting sixteen rounds a day and becoming an initiated devotee.
Jai Giridhari:


From The Bhakti Center Gita Jayanti festival:

Radhanath Swami says:

“The sirens remind us there is suffering in this world.”

“What good is there in being eternal and full of knowledge if you are not happy?”

Mahotsaha Prabhu:
Everyone is walking around with God in their hearts, but the saints are always realizing this.
If you become humble, then you can surrender to a guru.
If you aware of abhidheya [the practice of devotional service] and prayojana [love of God] but you do not know sambandha [your position as God’s servant]you will become a prakritya sahajiya, one who does sense gratification in the name of devotional service.
Narada advises Yudhisthira that householders can advance by hearing sadhus.
Comments by Adi Purusa Prabhu:
In the story of Ajamila we see how one can be dragged down by association with a sinful person, but there are examples how a sinful person can be lifted up by good association, like the pastime of Haridasa Thakura delivering the prostitute.
At a devotee marriage, the priest asked the couple if they wanted their love to grow and grow. They said yes. He advised them to encourage each other in acts of Krishna consciousness. Otherwise he said that if they simply engaged in acts of sense gratification it would soon come to an end.
Comment by Vasudeva Prabhu: Bhurijana Prabhu, who has been married practically longer than anyone in ISKCON, says that in marriage in the West there is love and then commitment, but in the East there is commitment and then love.
—–
There are many verses describing the great potency of chanting the holy name of the Lord. This is one of three I memorized from the Ajamila pastime in the beginning of the Sixth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Why does the holy name have such potency? Because it is not different from the Lord Himself. It is the incarnation of God in the form of transcendental sound! People may joke about or ridicule our chanting parties on the street, but by saying “Hare Krishna” the rascals advance spiritually despite their negative intentions. One devotee tells how one man in Johannesburg, South Africa, criticized the chanting party every day when it passed his apartment, yet ultimately he became a devotee.
sanketyam parihasyam va
stobham helanam eva va
vaikuntha-nama-grahanam
asesagha-haram viduh

 “One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly [to indicate something else], jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully. This is accepted by all the learned scholars of the scriptures.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.14)

Travel Journal#13.10: Paris
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 13, No. 10
By Krishna-kripa das 
(May 2017, part two) 
Paris 
(Sent from Paris on June 12, 2017)

Where I Went and What I Did
I spent the entire second half of May chanting Hare Krishna for three hours each day in different venues in Paris. It was nice for me to stay in the Paris temple, with a morning program and beautiful deities of Radha and Krishna (Parisisvara), which was an increase for me over The North of England. Also by the grace of Krishna, every day devotees joined me on harinama:
  Date       Place         # of Devotees
05/17/17 Republique               9
05/18/17 Caumartin                8
05/19/17 Republique               6
05/20/17 Caumartin               15
05/21/17 Gare du Nord             5
05/22/17 Garges Sarcelles         4
05/23/17 Montmartre               3
05/24/17 Republique               3
05/25/17 Republique               9
05/26/17 Republique               7
05/27/17 Republique               15–20
05/28/17 Gare du Nord             11
05/29/17 Garges Sarcelles         3
05/30/17 Bastille                 3
05/31/17 Republique               8
In recent years, devotees only did harinamas in Paris on Thursday and Saturday, and to get so many people coming out on a daily basis was impressive. Thanks to Pranesvara Prabhu (Ram Das) for coming out almost every day and Kalavati Devi Dasi for coming out several days a week and talking to people and distributing books and prasadam and collecting emails of favorable people.
I share excerpts from the books and online journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on classes by Janananda Goswami, Pitavasa Prabhu, Bhavasindhu Prabhu, Nitai Gaurasundara Prabhu, Vicaru Prabhu, Aksayananda Prabhu, and Gauranga Prema Prabhu. I share some realizations of Yasoda Dulal Prabhu from a conversation and of Murali Gopal Prabhu from a seminar on Vedic cosmology.
Many thanks to Pranesvara Prabhu, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, who volunteered to pay travel expenses for devotees to go on harinama in Paris. Thanks to Mantrini Devi Dasi for her photo of a sign in front of a Baptist Church with a quote from God. Thanks to the Paris ISKCON Facebook people for their photos of harinama in Paris. Thanks to Bianka of Hungary for her photos of me on harinama and at kirtan programs. Thanks to Atmarama Rasa Prabhu for his photo of devotees at Bhakti Loka. Thanks to Jean-Baptiste, a Paris photographer, for his photo of me singing by the Indian shops near Gare du Nord.
Itinerary
June 4–July 14: Paris
July 15–18: Leicester Ratha-yatra and harinamas
July 19: Newcastle harinama and kirtan
July 20: Chester harinama and program
July 22: Oxford Ratha-yatra
July 23: Birmingham Ratha-yatra
July 24–25: Scarborough area harinamas
July 26–27: Preston area harinamas
July 27: Accrington program
July 28: London
July 29–July 31: Berlin Ratha-yatra and harinamas
August 1–6: Polish Woodstock
August 7: Dublin
August 8: Boston
August 9–16: Ottawa Vaishnava Sanga Retreat / Janmastami and Vyasa-puja
August 17–27: North UK Ratha-yatra Tour
August 28–September 5: UK and Ireland
September 5–November ?: New York City (ex. Sept. 19–23: Philadelphia)
November ?– November 30: Florida
December: New York City
Chanting Hare Krishna in Paris

On the days when we had lots of people on the party, I was free to take some videos.
Here Vicaru Prabhu chants Hare Krishna outside Printemps, a massive high-end shop in Paris, on a very rainy Thursday. Refugee kids dance and otherwise interact with devotees (https://youtu.be/qb1OU-rdgdo):

A lively group of Paris devotees chants Hare Krishna with enthusiasm every Saturday for two or three hours, this time outside Printemps. Passersby often take photos and/or dance, and a few brave souls accept spiritual food and literature (https://youtu.be/xaBcr1V8bCk):
Usually I danced and distributed literature.

Although sometimes I sang.

Here Gaura Bhakta, Gauranga Prema, and Jagattarini Prabhus along with myself, led the chanting of Hare Krishna at Republique in Paris and passersby danced and learned the karatalas (https://youtu.be/At8hYPTTtSw):
Anotherday at Republique, a young girl played with the karatalasas Pranesvara Prabhu and I chanted Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/yFgXWGIMkcM):
Later that day, a devotee boy played harmonium and chanted Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/j-rsLnSLpXY):
Here Gauranga Prema Prabhu chants Hare Krishna, Anton plays clarinet, a devotee couple from Chile dances and Kalavati Devi Dasi distributes books at Republique (https://youtu.be/mUNWVpjIMhw):
Later that day, Raghava Pandit Prabhu of Chile chantedHare Krishna and a friend playedaccordion and Kalavati Devi Dasi danced(https://youtu.be/j_xnmEgcGcc):
One Saturday when there was too much competition with other musicians at Republique, the devotees did harinama along a canal. Yasoda Dulal Prabhu led the chanting (https://youtu.be/FIziEvNnGGs):

I distributed prasadam burfi along the canal and many people tried it.
On Sunday’s I would chant on the street between Gare du Nord and Place de la Chapelle where there are lots of Indian shops. Many people would give donations, and I could fund my weekly transit pass in this way. Once a local photographer named Jean-Baptiste took a photo of me singing there before others joined me, and he sent it to me by email:

Here Yasoda Dulal Prabhu leads the chanting by the Indian shops near Gare du Nord (https://youtu.be/68Kmi3s4Z0c):
Wednesday Evening Kirtan

Every Wednesday evening Atmarama Rasa (center) and Jagattarini (playing clarinet) have kirtan at their apartment for an hour, followed by tea. Many new devotees come. All are encouraged to lead the kirtan sometimes and to learn to play the different instruments.

While going to attend that program, one dayon a crowded bus in a Paris traffic jam, two guys had a heated argument which disturbed my mind and those of others. Some people tried unsuccessfully to stop them. After a while I picked up my harmonium and chanted Hare Krishna kirtan softly for two minutes, and they quieted down. A couple of people smiled broadly in appreciation. The guys rekindled their argument after a few minutes, and I chanted again. This time they quieted down after half a minute. Chanting Hare Krishna is the solution in this age of quarrel.
Sunday Morning Program at Bhakti Loka

Aksayananda Prabhu has a program at his apartment on Sunday morning with kirtan, Srimad-Bhagavatam class, prasadam, and more kirtan.
Here Yasoda Dulal Prabhu chants during the kirtan at the end of the Bhakti Loka program (https://youtu.be/keDLG10bgyI):
Here Jagattarini Devi Dasi chants during the kirtan at the end of the Bhakti Loka program (https://youtu.be/pMSltY-7bvQ):
Here Olivier, a musician who has only been coming around for a few weeks, chants a tune of his own during the kirtan at the end of the Bhakti Loka program (https://youtu.be/iAWdvtPrpwI):
Advice from God
Last issue I mentioned that a Baptist preacher told us in Newcastle that God was more concerned that we love each other than that we agree with each other. When I shared that quote on Facebook, Mantrini Devi Dasi shared a Baptist quote of her own with me:

Insights
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From a “Japa Poem”:
“When Prabhupada was in Tehran
he told a group of Muslims
that the sound vibration ‘Allah’ was non-different
from Allah Himself. They could not accept
it. But it
is an absolute fact.”
From another “Japa Poem”:

“I wrote of preparing for a Bhagavatam class.
I picked verses from the First Canto
where Vyasadeva expresses
his despondency after compiling
the Vedas. He thinks,
‘This may be because
I did not specifically
point out the devotional service
of the Lord.’
In my diary I comment,
‘This is the story
of my japaretreat’ –
indicating I am
dissatisfied with my
japabecause I
didn’t chant with love.”
From Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name:

“I want to really understand how important it is to beseech the mind to cooperate with our attempts to chant japa. In a sense, the mind is responsible for our japa. When the mind is under control, we can actually hear the holy names without being attentive to other ‘noises.’ It requires the cooperation of the mind. 

“Of course, we also know that it is not just the ‘badness’ of our minds, but the material world is filled with distraction. However, the mind has become so implicated in past activities and impressions that he has become part of the problem. 

“Krishna’s power and attraction is greater than maya’s, so although it is not easy for the mind, we have to coax him, sometimes sternly, and preach to him about the wonderful effects that will come from hearing the holy name in faith. So manah-siksa, to instruct and pray to the mind, is a central part of japa.”

“One way to practice manah-siksa is to talk to the mind during japa (or at other times) and ask for his full cooperation. We also have to ensure that the mind does not become absorbed in other things, either during the japa hour or during the day. We have to protect our minds from mundane engagement. Then, if we become enough of a friend of our mind, we can become aware of our mental activity. We can become conscious. The mind will begin to signal to us: ‘Now I am thinking nonsense, now I am chewing the chewed. What are you going to do about it?’ When the mind gives that signal, then we can immediately preach to our minds: ‘Wake up! Hear the holy names!’ Therefore, dear friends, let’s follow the previous acaryas and instruct our minds in a friendly way, always conscious of the goal we want to attain—attentive, devotional chanting.”
From Prabhupada Nectar:

Once in the middle of the night, Srila Prabhupada awoke his servant, and announced his decision, “I want to go back to Godhead. I want go to Mayapur.”
[Regarding Srila Prabhupada:] “His purity created an aloofness from those who were impure.”
Srila Prabhupada said, “It is my responsibility to make sure all the aratis are going on and all the floors are swept in our temples all over the world. By your cleaning the floor in a particular temple, you are assisting me. Just like if I was offering a arati and you hand me the fan, in the same way, you are assisting me.”
Comment by Vicaru Prabhu: Srila Prabhupada likened Westerners to people who were asleep and Indians to people who were pretending to be asleep. It is easy to wake up a person who is asleep, but it is difficult to wake up someone pretending to be asleep. The Westerners did not know about Krishna, and so they could easily accept the knowledge that Srila Prabhupada gave, while the Indians, often thinking they already knew Krishna, could not hear what he was saying.
Janananda Goswami:
One may think the incarnations of God in different forms are fantastic and inconceivable, but there are lots of amazing things in the universe. Consider a tiny insect: within that small body there is a brain, a digestive system, etc. So many things are going on! No scientist has designed it or built it, but there it is.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura explained that you cannot understand how God can be all-pervading throughout the universe and also localized in the spiritual world until you come to the level of Brahman realization.
On the platform of material identification we cannot understand the situation of Personality of Godhead.
Surrender to or acceptance of the fact that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not affected by the material energy is an important step in understanding Him in truth.
People dress differently for different purposes although they remain the same internally. One wears a wetsuit when going scuba diving but not to the office. Similarly the Lord takes on different forms to accomplish His purposes although remaining the same person.
Remembering the presiding deity of each of the elements purifies us of attachment to these elements and is another facility given by the Lord for our purification.
The name of the English town Swindon [where Janananda Goswami comes from] derives from “Swine Down” and historically was a region of pig farmers.
If there is a cockroach incarnation of the Lord, He would not be affected by the different poisons one uses to get rid of them.
Some Puranas describe things in one way, but other Puranas describe them differently for persons who are not yet able to assimilate the actual understanding.
Pitavasa Prabhu:
People in general do not have a clear idea of the soul. Some speak of animals as having a different kind of soul. Others speak of a Jewish soul.
We may feel unqualified to distribute Krishna consciousness, but if we try to distribute Krishna consciousness, the Lord, being pleased with us, will give us the necessary qualifications.
There was a blind man who would chant the glories of the Lord outside a certain temple in India always. The ritualistic smartabrahmanas would tease him. One day in dressing the deity, the brahmanas neglected to give Krishna His flute, but the blind man noticed that in his meditation, and he corrected them to their surprise.
There are songs that become famous for just some few weeks on the top ten, but I have been chanting Hare Krishna for several decades, and I never get tired of it.
There are billions of living entities that are waiting for this human form of life, so we must be careful to use our human life for spiritual realization. The chanting of the holy name is so powerful that it can benefit all kinds of living entities.
There are so many rites of purification in the Vedic literature but none compares to the chanting of the holy name.
Bhavasindhu Prabhu:
For a devotee, every place should be a temple.
As soon as a traveler gets to his hotel room, he should get out his Bhagavad-gita and install it, making the place a temple.
Krishna says, “He who meditates on Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his mind constantly engaged in remembering Me, undeviated from the path, he, O Partha, is sure to reach Me.” The key is to be “undeviated from the path.” We may have difficulties, but we will be successful if we are “undeviated from the path.”
Comment by Raja Dharma Prabhu: My Guru Maharaja, Bhakti Caru Swami, would say, “Whether you are a pot washer or the temple president, if you want to control, everyone will hate you, but if you want to serve, everyone will love you.”
Nitai Gaurasundara Prabhu:
The Lord reveals Himself through His devotees. He gives intelligence to devotees who are preaching His glories.
The devotees do not chant mantras for liberation but to glorify the Lord because they take pleasure in doing so.
Laksmi’s prayer is full of knowledge of the Lord and is very condensed.
It is great mercy to see God everywhere as most people see God nowhere. They see God’s energy but have no idea where it came from.
The impersonalists consider God does not exist but is merely a conception.
In sadhana-bhakti we are trained to understand the energies of the Lord working.
One who is not determined on the spiritual path cannot control the mind.
When one writes a biography he puts his own opinion in it, depending on whether he likes or hates the person. The biography of God that Vrindavan Das Thakur wrote, however, is based on facts that were revealed to him by persons who knew.
Vrindavan das Thakur was a cowherd boy in Krishna’s pastimes and thus was very absorbed in the pastimes of Lord Nityananda. He knew others would also write about Lord Caitanya, and he left lots out for them to tell.
Vrindavan das Thakur greatly warns about the destructive influence of criticizing devotees.
In Lord Caitanya’s childhood pastimes He shows how much he likes food cooked by His devotees in love by crawling on the altar three times to eat the food a brahmana offered. He also demonstrates this by requesting the food that Jagadish and his brother offered to Lord Vishnu on the Ekadasi day.
Nimai demonstrates that He wants to hear from His mother about defeating Mayavadi philosophy.
Comment by Raja Dharma Prabhu: When Nimai would be chastised by His mother, He would run outside because His mother would not leave home because it was the custom that the chaste ladies stay at home.
Comment by Pitavasa Prabhu: Devotees relish when the Lord shows symptoms of a normal child yet in the course of such play He also demonstrates His supernatural power, as Krishna did by killing the demoniac.
Parents nowadays become frustrated trying to control their kids, but when Nimai would act in a naughty way, Sacimata became more loving toward Him.
Comment by Pitavasa Prabhu: The Vedic understanding was that children under five would be corrected but not punished, children between five and fourteen are punished if they misbehave, but after fifteen they are treated as friends, otherwise they will revolt and leave the parents.
Comment by Pitavasa Prabhu: When Krishna steals, it is not like ordinary stealing because Krishna is reminding us that everything in reality belongs to Him.
Laksmi knows the Lord in detail. We are here to increase our knowledge and appreciation of the Lord, and we can learn from her.
She glorifies the Lord as the only beneficiary. We tend to glorify so many people with gold medals, but actually all glory goes to the Lord, the source of their sensory abilities. The devotee, knowing this, gives all credit to Krishna.
Krishna understands all the needs of everyone and meets them as well.
Laksmi is nonenvious. She sees that although Krishna is her husband, Krishna is husband of everyone.
The Lord is the only husband because His protection is not limited by time or by ability.
Although fulfilling people’s material desires, Krishna gradually reveals that the desired things are useless and pure devotion to the Lord is the real cause of satisfaction.
Material benedictions received by the people in general are received from Durga Devi not Laksmidevi.
Radharani’s benedictory hand can bless everyone with devotional service to the Lord.
Although present on the chest of the Lord, Laksmi wants to receive the blessing of the touch of His hand on her head.
Comment by Raja Dharma Prabhu: Laksmi could not enter the rasa dance because she was unwilling to bow down to the gopis who she considered village girls while she was the goddess of fortune.
Comment by Pitavasa Prabhu: I went to the temple of Vyenkata Bhatta. There is a altar with Jagannatha Deities that were personally made by Lord Caitanya. The devotees there are very respectful to the Gaudiya Vaishnavas, and they gave me a whole plate of maha-prasadamtulasi leaves.Lord Caitanya came to make one sampradaya. He did not come to start a fifth sampradaya.
Srila Prabhupada told us about the Ratha-yatra from Puri to Gundica but not from Gundica to Puri.
Aksayananda Prabhu:
Mayavadis see personality is the cause of conflict. Thus personality which is a cause of misery cannot be in the Absolute Truth.
Actually conflict arises when a person wants to control someone who does not want to be controlled.
The biggest fault with impersonalism is that it cannot explain the cause of the material world.

Astanga yogic perfections easily distract one from attaining perfection.

While in the material world you cannot really enjoy the impersonal Brahman.

We cannot manifest our personal qualities when we are isolated from others.

Bhaktiis completely different from any other activity because the theory, the practice, and the goal are the same.

There are “believers” who we do not consider transcendentalists. Even there are demons who believe in God.Those who attend church weekly and feel themselves purified so they can begin another week of sinful activities we cannot consider transcendentalists.
To be transcendental we have to fix the mind on Krishna.

When we are in front of a plate we should consider that Krishna has given us this prasadam.

Our effort to please Krishna and how much we want to please Krishna are more important than the results of our activities.

We cannot cheat Krishna.

Transcendental knowledge is not the goal but the satisfaction of Krishna is.

Union of the soul with God is yoga, but union of man and woman is not called yoga, yet both theman and woman can be yogis if they are individually linked with God.


When we are not linked with God, we suffer, and thus we seek God. The scripture says our spiritual life does not begin until then.

Krishna is the center of everything. In our conditional life we put things other than Krishna in the center of our lives. Krishna wants to enter, but there is no room.

Surrender means considering “I am yours.” The soul must come to take pleasure in being dependent.

Radha feels She has no love for Krishna because She did not die when separated from Him.

Our sense data is inaccurate, and so we are in illusion.

If you have people in the three different modes together they will not be able to work together because of different interests.

Krishna disappears when the love of the devotee reaches its climax in order to increase that love. Then he reappears when the feeling of separation becomes unbearable.

When we take birth in an animal form our consciousness is restricted by the form. That is not the case when Krishna incarnates as an animal.

We should know whatever we put on the plate to offer already belongs to Krishna.

A nondevotee could never accept the idea of serving the Lord no matter how the Lord chooses to reciprocate.

When Krishna sees one has an attachment that he cannot give up, He arranges that the devotee can engage it in His service.

Jesus would be less glorified had the Lord not allowed him to be crucified.

Christ said many things, and the Lord had to allow the crucifixion to happen for those words to come true.

Krishna is amazed by the activities of His devotees, and we are also.


Suffering is caused by attachment. If we see something as the property of Krishna and not ourselves, it will cause us to suffer less.

Judas is seen as evil, but he was a faithful follower of Christ, and it was his service to betray Christ.

Comment by Mandakini Devi Dasi: The Russian devotee Ananta Shanti told me he was imprisoned in such an extreme way he prayed to Krishna that he did not see how he could tolerate it. A Bhagavad-gitaverse came clearly to him about how the soul is indestructible, and he became peaceful, realizing that they could not harm his soul.

Yasoda Dulal Prabhu:
Sivarama Swami says our preaching is on three levels:
1. to make common people devotees
2. to make devotees pure devotees
3. to make pure devotees perfect devotees.
I like the daily harinama program because it has the power to do all three.
Gopinathesvari Devi Dasi:
The tendency of one in grhasthalife to become absorbed in one’s family and business and forget about his relationship with the Supreme Lord.
The analogy of the crocodile being weakened on land but regaining strength by reentering the water implies when the grhasthaagain remembers his relationship with the Supreme Lord he is happily and naturally spiritually situated.
We must always remember that the material world is a place of transit. It is not our eternal place.
Because everyone has a spiritual body in the spiritual world, the love there is not the same as loving the flesh of a material body.
At the age of fifty, one should analyze his life and conclude that it is incomplete without perfection in spiritual realization.
If we offer to Krishna our profit, we do not lose, but our profit is multiplied.
Comment by J.P.: I have tried to enjoy in the material world but in the end I realized I always paid the bill. While living here [at the temple], I tasted something I never tasted before, happiness. I see so many people out there have attained nice cars and nice families, but they are not happy without Krishna.
We have to be careful because often we think we are Krishna conscious, but when we leave class we can easily take a direction which has nothing to do with our spiritual realization.
Comments by Pitavasa Prabhu:
Once Srila Prabhupada was talking with Muslims in Iran. They were saying the prophet taught them to offer prayers five times a day, but that was too much so they do prayers three times day but they double them up to make them count as five. Srila Prabhupada reprimanded them for speculating and not following their guru.
There are different teachers sent by Krishna that come from time to time, but we should follow whichever one we choose strictly if we want to make advancement.
Murali Gopal Prabhu:
There is no place where Srila Prabhupada says the earth is flat, and there are many places where Srila Prabhupada says the earth is round. Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur also uses gola or sphere to refer to the earth.
The opinion of the scientists is that the climate change is a reality, it is manmade, and it is irreversible.
Gauranga Prema Prabhu:
All the modern medical technology is simply to keep the body working longer so people can enjoy sense gratification.
If people come to the mode of goodness, they will automatically live longer, but they will not be so inclined to sense gratification. Because of performing austerities to attain the state of goodness, they realize the limitations of sense gratification and lose interest in it.
Radhanath Swami likened a person who tries to correct individual societal anomalies one at time to a person with boils who tries to treat each boil individually without treating the blood disorder which is the cause of them. The sadhu, the saintly person, treats the cause of all social anomalies by purifying the hearts of the people.
I learned working with Greenpeace that if we stopped our activities that cause environmental damage right now, we would not experience the beneficial effect for twenty years. In the same way, good effects of adopting a spiritual practice may take years to manifest in our lives.
It is guaranteed that our material situation will change, but it is also guaranteed that our bhaktiwill never be taken away.
We should not be attached to a material situation because that will cause us suffering.
We are connected with all devotees, even those in a distant place, because we are all serving Krishna.
Janananda Goswami tells that Srila Prabhupada once said that after the ten thousand year golden age of Lord Caitanya still Krishna will make sure there is always a pure devotee on the planet.
—–
My favorite reading program is to read fifteen minutes each day from Bhagavad-gita, from Srimad-Bhagavatam, from Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, and from one other book, either The Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, or Sri Isopanishad. Now, having read the two other alternatives, I am reading Sri Isopanishad and trying to memorize the Sanskrit for the mantras as well. As I have not read it for years, I had forgotten how wonderful and how essential the mantras are. This is a recent one that I particularly liked:
yasmin sarvani bhutany
atmaivabhud vijanatah
tatra ko mohah kah soka
ekatvam anupasyatah

“One who always sees all living entities as spiritual sparks, in quality one with the Lord, becomes a true knower of things. What, then, can be illusion or anxiety for him?” (Sri Isopanshad, Mantra 7)

Travel Journal#13.5: North Florida
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 13, No. 5

By Krishna-kripa das
(March 2017, part one)

North Florida

(Sent from Gainesville, Florida, on March 19, 2017)

Where I Went and What I Did

March got off to a great start with two harinamas the first day, one at Krishna Lunch in Gainesville during the day and the other at the Jacksonville Art Walk in the evening. The next day I chanted at Krishna Lunch, and the following day I went to Tallahassee to chant at First Friday. I stayed there, chanting at Lake Ella on the weekends and Florida State University during the week until Gaura Purnima, when I went to our festival in Alachua. That evening I went to Jacksonville to chant at University of North Florida through the middle of the March.

I share notes on classes by Mother Nanda, Sesa Prabhu, Madhava Prabhu, and Hanan Prabhu. I share notes on a group reading of Radhanath Swami’s The Journey Within, along with comments by the other listeners. I include wisdom from a conversation with Nama Kirtan Prabhu, from an introduction to a kirtana by Tulasirani Devi Dasi, and from a sign in front of a Tallahassee church.

I would like to thank Navina Shyam Prabhu for his kind donation. Thanks to Britt and all the other people who kindly gave donations on harinama in Tallahassee. Thanks to Race Smith of Florida State University for the photo of himself and me on Landis Green.

Itinerary

March 12–April 8: North and Central Florida campuses

April 8: St. Augustine Ratha-yatra

April 9–11: Washington, D.C., harinama

April 11: Philadelphia Bhakti Garden Tuesday program

April 12: Albany

April 13: New York City

April 14–19: Ireland

April 20–24: Newcastle

April 26: Radhadesh

April 27: King’s Day

April 28: Rotterdam

April 29–30: Birmingham 24-Hour Kirtana

May 1–5: Newcastle

May 6: York

May 7–August 7: Europe

August 8­–16: Ottawa Sanga Retreat and Janmastami and Vyasa-puja

August 17–September 5: Europe

September 5–November ?: New York City

November ?– December 1: Florida

December: New York City

Chanting Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch

We were fortunate that our Gainesville Krishna House temple president, Kalakantha Prabhu, led the Hare Krishna chant at Krishna Lunch one day. Hari Priya played the drum for him (https://youtu.be/i3qsvnuMWJw):

Then Hari Priya led the Hare Krishna chant at Krishna Lunch, and Kalakantha Prabhu played the drum for her (https://youtu.be/dC8z9BOUtPw):

When it rains, Krishna Lunch moves to a walkway in front of University of Florida’s Library West, which is protected from the precipitation. When our chanting party is too loud there, we get in trouble with the library staff, thus we used the tambourine instead of the karatalas, which can easily become too loud.

Krishna Nama Prabhu leads the Hare Krishna chant at Krishna Lunch at our rainy day venue, and Abhimanyu Prabhu plays the drum for him (https://youtu.be/YG4cVOLDpqA):

Kishor Prabhu leads the Hare Krishna chant at Krishna Lunch, and Dhameshvar Mahaprabhu das Prabhu plays the drum for him (https://youtu.be/OdRx6FtZr0Y):

Tulasirani Devi Dasi leads the chanting of Hare Krishna, Ekayani Devi Dasi plays drum for her, and Bhakta Jorge dances with alacrity (https://youtu.be/JG9HWlvPHUI):

Chanting Hare Krishna at the Jacksonville Art Walk

After getting kicked out of the Jacksonville Art Walk several times in previous months, we become proactive and asked for a place where we could perform our group chanting of Hare Krishna. The staff granted us a place in the park, not on the street, but still a place getting significant pedestrian traffic.

Here Hare Krishna devotees from Gainesville’s Krishna House chanted for 2½ hours at the monthly Jacksonville Art Walk and different passersby,including some dressed as animals, interacted with the party (https://youtu.be/wlASiVKPi5Y):

Savanah, who happened to see me and Dorian chanting at the Art Walk back in January, was happy to sing and dance with us again. Turns out she will be moving to Gainesville for massage school in a couple of months, so she can meet the Krishna House devotees again there.

Bay talked to some really sweet people and got their contact information.

Chanting Hare Krishna at Florida State University

This Florida State University student wanted to play my harmonium as he is an accordion player. After he did that we talked and then chanted a few Hare Krishna mantras responsively as I played harmonium. He concluded he and his girlfriend have not been meditating enough lately and he is going to read her Bhagavad-gita over spring break.

One girl from Tampa named Christina, who got books from Adikarta Prabhu the last week in February, came by and talked to me for an hour. Adikarta told her about the Hare Krishna mantra and gave her some beads. She said she was chanting the mantra every day. I invited her to a mantra meditation class I was doing the next day, and she and a friend of hers came and chanted ten minutes of kirtana and ten minutes of japa with me. Nama Kirtan talked to Christina at Krishna Lunch and invited her to the Gaura Purnima festival in Alachua. I told her I had friends from our club at University of South Florida coming from Tampa for Gaura Purnima in Alachua, and I could find her a ride to Tampa with them after the festival for the upcoming spring break. She decided to go to Gaura Purnima with us and had a great time. Alex, who rents the room behind the temple, also came to Gaura Purnima, as did Melanie’s son, John, and his girlfriend. It was great seeing all these people getting Lord Caitanya’s mercy on His appearance day. Another fortunate soul was the roommate of a regular attender of our University of South Florida program, who had come to our Sacred Sounds event in February and liked it so much she decide to come to Gaura Purnima. Thus by Lord Caitanya’s mercy we see His mission is continuing to expand in America and in the West in general.


Chanting Hare Krishna at Lake Ella in Tallahassee

On the weekends I am in Tallahassee, I chant at Lake Ella. One black girl, perhaps age 9, asked if she could play an instrument. I showed her some karatalas and demonstrated the standard one-two-three beat, and she got it right the first time. Two of her sisters came, and I showed them the beat. For a while, all three would play the karatalas in perfect time, and then someone would go off, and I would stop singing, and we would start again, and then they would all be in time for a while once again. I wished I brought my video camera to film it, but as I had too few people to sing with me that day I did not bring it. Because of that incident, I decided to always bring my camera, even when I go chanting alone. The next time I went out to Lake Ella I met a little girl who was also willing to learn the standard karatala beat (https://youtu.be/e9_vio38UgI):

I also met a guy who liked playing on the drum (https://youtu.be/7GpanoBKON8):

On the Saturday which was the day before Gaura Purnima, I spent almost eight hours at Lake Ella. Half the time I chanted japa and read Srila Prabhupada’s books on my blanket with the books, invitations, and vegan cookies on display. The other four hours I did the congregational chanting of Hare Krishna with Brahma Haridas Prabhu joining me for a little over an hour and a half and Melanie joining me for a little over an hour. At least four people gave donations just because they liked the chanting or liked what we were doing.

One young lady, who was in Tallahassee briefly to visit relatives, chanted the entire Hare Krishna mantra perfectly as she passed by me. Turns out she lives in Oakland and attends our Berkeley temple. Her father, she herself, and also her brothers and sisters are devotees. I encouraged her to sing with us, and she did (https://youtu.be/zjljDUMBCxs):

We also encouraged her relatives to take part, and while we sang a little girl, hearing the music, danced in the background (https://youtu.be/EAA0xwM9dPU):

I reminded the young devotee lady that tomorrow was Gaura Purnima, and I recommended she attend the temple when she returns to the San Francisco area the next day.

One young man whose father was a Prabhupada disciple came by. He had lived in New Vrindaban for a couple years, and he had lived in Tallahassee when Rupa Vilasa Prabhu was around, and he befriended Rupa Vilasa Prabhu’s son. He got an Isopanisad and a Higher Taste, and he wanted to get some japa beads for the girl who was with him. I invited them to the temple on Gaura Purnima.

One middle-aged lady named Britt, with a jolly mood, was very happy to encounter me chanting there. She asked, “Is it true that the master appears when the disciple is ready?” I said yes, because Srila Prabhupada indicated that to be the case. She said she actually wanted to get a Bhagavad-gita and was worried she’d have to go to India to find one. I taught her the Hare Krishna mantra, and she chanted it along with me several times as I played the harmonium. She was very grateful that she was healing from cancer with chemotherapy and said she had not expected to be alive. I told her about our temple in Tallahassee, and I explained briefly who Lord Caitanya was and that many of us were going to Alachua for a big festival in honor of His appearance day the next day, and she expressed some interest in going. Wanting the Bhagavad-gita, she placed a folded bill in my hand as a donation. I looked at it, and it was a $100 bill. I gave her one copy of each of the books I had on display, a hardbound Bhagavad-gita, a Science of Self-Realization, and The Nectar of Instruction. I gave her my card, and told her to write if she had questions about the books. That is only the third time in thirty years someone donated $100 on harinama. I hope she reads the books and visits the temple and finds the joy of the soul she is seeking.

Gaura Purnima at New Raman Reti

On Gaura Purnima in Alachua, there was fire sacrifice involving the small Gaura Nitai deities outside the temple and a kirtana by Godruma Prabhu of Jacksonville going on in the temple when we arrived from Tallahassee.

Bhadra Prabhu led Hare Krishna chanting on Gaura Purnima in Alachua for almost two hours and devotees chanted, danced, and played musical instruments in a festive spirit (https://youtu.be/wEYQlD8BJM4):

Having the spinach paneer at the feast on Gaura Purnima is a favorite part of the festival for me. So is going to the Gaura Arati, the evening service, with an amazing kirtana of chanting the holy names after which the feast is usually served. I decided to cut out of Bhadra Prabhu’s ecstatic kirtanaafter an hour to get the feast, and I was amazed to find that except for the chutney, a little sauce from the Gauranga potatoes that was stuck to the container, and a couple of trays of scraps from the laddus, the entire feast was finished. I had lived in Alachua since 1994 and attended all the Gaura Purnimas except a handful of years when I was in India, and I would always get the feast after the final kirtana, but I do not ever recall ever missing out like this. I subsisted on a couple of cups of tomato chutney and a plate each of Gauranga sauce and laddu scraps. My friend, Nama Kirtan Prabhu, had intellligently brought some khichri from Tallahassee in case there was not enough prasadam. Next time I will have a friend save me a plate, so I can participate in the kirtana without disappointment.

In addition to the local Alachua Hare Krishnas, devotees from Gainesville, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, and Tampa stayed for the Hare Krishna bhajans after the feast on Gaura Purnima at New Raman Reti (https://youtu.be/8vZ4s4efXuk):

Regarding the bhajans,Feren of our Bhakti Yoga Club at the University of South Florida remarked, “Such bliss, it was unreal.”

Chanting at the Jacksonville Bhakti House

The day after Gaura Purnima, we had a record number of devotees at the Jacksonville Bhakti House morning program. In addition to Amrita Keli, Lovelesh, Youssef, Richie, Kira, and myself, there were two Lauras, both regulars at the University of North Florida Krishna Club. Laura, our first Krishna Club president, on spring break from teaching high school science, plays guitar and leads the chanting, while Laura, in the blue sari, who was celebrating her birthday, dances (https://youtu.be/MFfFr0y21rY):

At the end of Monday’s evening program at the Jacksonville Bhakti House, after everyone in the room got a chance to sing each of the three parts of a lively Village of Peace Hare Krishna tune, they all got up and danced ecstatically (https://youtu.be/ZME69idb5Z8):

Here Richie leads another morning kirtana at Krishna House and the devotees dance (https://youtu.be/PONJZ7eEoMc):

Chanting at University of North Florida

Dorian has a catchy Hare Krishna tune he likes to sing, and he took a break from his studies to chant with Hare Krishna chaplain, Amrita Keli Devi Dasi, myself and four other students from the University of North Florida Krishna Club in front of the UNF Bookstore on a rainy Monday (https://youtu.be/v_T0kHw_xw4):

I was very happy that three new students came to the University of North Florida Krishna Club weekly meeting from seeing us chanting on the campus during the week. One, a nice chap with an Irish background named Patrick who had seen me chanting on campus twice, also invited a friend. Another, a girl named McKayla, began dancing as soon as the kirtana started. It was a very joyful evening.

Here you can see Tulasirani Devi Dasi leading the Hare Krishna chanting at the Krishna Club meeting (https://youtu.be/W9P1i9JpQNg):

Chanting Hare Krishna at the Jacksonville Beach Art Walk

On a very chilly evening Laura, who is singing, and Richie, who is playing the harmonium, joined me in chanting Hare Krishna at the Jacksonville Beach Art Walk (https://youtu.be/l2yyAWPxjvg):

During the hour we chanted Hare Krishna, two people took “On Chanting Hare Krishna” pamphlets, one man gave a dollar, and his daughter took a cookie. A few people took photos and videos, and a girl danced, as her friends took pictures of her.

Insights

Radhanath Swami:

From a group recitation of his book, The Journey Within:

Just prior to a temple opening festival in the Gaudiya Math, temple leaders banished one monk, who had become attached to a woman. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was so upset by their action, he refused to conduct the festival until that monk had been found and reinstated. After great difficulty, the devotees found the monk working in a watch maker’s shop. When he heard of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarsvati Thakura’s compassion upon him, he returned, and he later became an important preacher in the Gaudiya Math.

When each member of the family is seen as a beloved child of God, taking care of them becomes a joy.

One should have good spiritually minded friends and invite them to one’s home and accept their invitations.

Focus on our higher purpose.

Even the most degraded person can become a world spiritual teacher by the power of the chanting of the holy name.

Chanting the holy names transcends all sectarian boundaries.

Everything in the material world is made of sound.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura would have monks that fought sit down facing each other and enumerate the good qualities of each other so they would realize that their good qualities outnumber their supposed faults.

Comments by Amrita Keli Devi Dasi:

I saw a sign that said, “We tend to judge ourselves by our ideals and others by their acts.”

Just being a soul in a material body is very disorienting. We are all in a hospital or in a clinic.

In a spiritual community, we are focusing on the good aspirations of the other people.

Resentment is disempowering. Radhanath Swami says it is like holding a burning coal and waiting to throw it at the person you hate, while in the meantime it is burning you.

I had ideals to benefit others, but I knew that I did not have the potency myself to become the ideal person I wanted to be. I see by the power of the holy name it is possible.

Comment by Misti:

I was interacting with someone, and it was unusually tense. I decided to be grateful and thank the person for all the things I liked about her. The interaction changed dramatically for the positive, and the tension never reappeared.

We have to really practice honesty as this society conditions us in so many ways to present a false image of ourselves.

Comment by Youssef:

I like to share even little things I have issues with. Just to be able to laugh at insignificant things I have difficulties with helps to get past them.

Comment by Laura:

I can trace dissatisfication to my lack of attention to my spiritual practice. But is miraculous just coming to the morning program once so many dissatisfactions are eliminated.

If the relationship is more important, it may be worth it to give up having your way in particular instance. 

Comment by Lovelesh:

The mind needs to be heard. If you can keep a journal where you note down the mind’s voice so it is heard, it will stop annoying you.

There are four kinds of people:

1.    Those who only see the good in others.

2.    Those who only see the bad in others.

3.    Those who see both good and bad in others but who magnify the good. 

4.    Those who see both good and bad in others but who magnify the bad. 

Mother Nanda:

Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that Dhenukasura is the example of material intelligence rooted in the bodily concept of life. Balarama, as the original guru, can shake us up out of the bodily concept of life.

Mother Narayani explains that Bhaktivinoda Thakura indicates that by repeatedly hearing a particular pastime one overcomes the anartha exemplified by the demon in that pastime.

Radhanath Swami explains the fruits from the tal trees symbolize the fruits that we are unable to offer to Krishna because of our bodily concept of life.

Dhenukasura’s plan to was send the tal fruits to Kamsa because he was an associate of Kamsa. 

People in the bodily concept of life carry the burden of their karmic reactions life after life.

Comment by Kalakantha Prabhu:

The Dhenukasura pastime has three special features:

1.    Dhenukasura is killed by Lord Balarama not Lord Krishna.

2.    Dhenukasura is killed outside Vrindavan.

3.    Dhenukasura did not first approach Krishna and Balarama to attack Them.

Comment by me:

Your point that materialists are never satisfied no matter what they attain reminds me of one Bhagavad-gita purport where Srila Prabhupada writes, “In the mode of passion, people become greedy, and their hankering for sense enjoyment has no limit. One can see that even if one has enough money and adequate arrangements for sense gratification, there is neither happiness nor peace of mind. That is not possible, because one is situated in the mode of passion. If one wants happiness at all, his money will not help him; he has to elevate himself to the mode of goodness by practicing Krishna consciousness.” (Bhagavad-gita 14.17, purport)

Sesa Prabhu:

That the Supreme Personality of Godhead is all-lovable is the real glory of Krishna not His majesty.

Krishna is not God because He can kill you but because He loves you.

Krishna uses His supreme power to deliver Kaliya and not to kill him.

The different sportive activities which Krishna’s friends performed with Him are called anubhava in The Nectar of Devotion. Dancing is an important one of these.

Kaliya, rather than being a disturbance, actually increased the ecstasy of Krishna’s friends, who observed His sportive activities in play with the serpent.

Krishna was held by Kaliya in his coils for two hours. The fear for Krishna’s safety experienced by the residents of Vrindavana increased their attachment for Him.

Anugraha or compassion is the mood of the devotees in the parental rasa or relationship. The natural reaction of Mother Yashoda was to enter the water to protect Krishna.

By doing the same activities, the one person Krishna was nourishing a variety a different relationships with His different devotees.

If you only want shanti, shanti, shanti [peace, peace, peace], do not come to Krishna consciousness. Krishna likes to churn our emotions.

Krishna’s dancing on the hoods of serpent was also meant to please the young damsels of Vrindavan, who were beginning to develop love for Him, purva-raga. 

Madhava Prabhu:

The Brahma-vimohana-lilapastime not only has some sweet descriptions of Krishna and His devotees, but there are many very important philosophical points, especially in Brahma’s prayers.

In a lecture Srila Prabhupada praises the poetic genius in Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.58:

samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam
 mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh
bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam
 padam padam yad vipadam na tesam

So much beautiful alliteration is there!

You can say that vipadam meaning ‘miseries’ literally means ‘misstep.’

Our real danger is forgetfulness of Krishna.

Nama Kirtan Prabhu:

From a conversation:

In Los Angeles, a book distributor friend would tell me, “Every day is a good day in Krishna consciousness, even it seems like a bad day.”

Tulasirani Devi Dasi:

From an introduction to a kirtana at the University of North Florida Krishna Club:

Mantra meditation is easy and has great potency. It makes your heart lighter and more full. Even if you do not know what the words mean, it will have a powerful effect. Very easily the mind can be be controlled by listening to a sound vibration.

Hanan:

From a class on Sri Caitanya-caritamrita at the Gainesville Krishna House:

Although Raghunath das Goswami was the most renounced of the Goswamis, eating practically nothing, he took on the enormous task of renovating Radha Kund.

I went to Radha Kund with a group of devotees who were cleaning Radha Kund. I felt very satisfied just doing the cleaning work. When we finished, the time had come when no one bathes in Radha Kund, so we could not take bath, but I was so happy from cleaning Radha Kund I did not mind not bathing there.

Jayadvaita Swami said that doing service is the visa for entering a holy place.

People, especially at holy places, will tell us so many things about Krishna, but we can ask them, “Where is that described in the revealed literature?”

Maya is working with Krishna, not against Krishna. She wants to make sure we are making spiritual progress.

The reason we are here in the material world is not Maya and is not Krishna, but fully our use of our free will.

Comments by Tulasirani Devi Dasi:

We can’t blame mayafor us being in maya. We are choosing not to be so Krishna conscousness at that time.

Much, much worse than being in maya and thinking you are in mayais being in maya and thinking you are really Krishna conscious.

On harinama at a football game, even though surrounded by drunken fans, when I am seeing all the Jagais and Madhais chanting and dancing in the kirtana of Lord Caitanya’s devotees, I feel as if I am in the holy dhama.

Comment by Ekayani Devi Dasi: When I was in school, I had one teacher who made us pray before class. That prayer changed the whole atmosphere.

Lakeview Baptist Church pastor:

The lesson you teach is the life you live.

—–

With the recent holidays of Nityananda Tryodasi and Gaura Purnima, seeing the special mercy newcomers to Krishna bhakti have received on these auspicious appearance days of Lord Nityananda and Lord Caitanya, when I see Their deity forms I think of this first stanza of Locan das Thakura’s song “Sri Sri Gaura Nityanander Daya” and I feel gratitude to Them for Their mercy and Their joyful process of self-realization:

parama koruna, pahu dui jana

nitai gauracandra

saba avatara-sara siromani

kevala ananda-kanda

“Lord Nitai and Lord Gauracandra are very merciful. They are the essence of all incarnations. The specific significance of these incarnations is that They introduced a process of chanting and dancing that is simply joyful.”

Travel Journal#13.3: North Florida
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 13, No. 3

By Krishna-kripa das
(February 2017, part one)

North and Central Florida

(Sent from Gainesville, Florida, on February 25, 2017)

Where I Went and What I Did

I spent the first week of February in Tallahassee, chanting at Florida State University during the week and at Lake Ella on the weekend. About nine devotees from Gainesville’s Krishna House came up to Tallahassee for First Friday, an art walk where Nama Kirtan Prabhu distributes a Krishna Dinner, and it was great to be chanting with a lot of devotees again. February 8 was Nityananda Prabhu’s Appearance Day, and my sister, Karen, and her partner, Victor, came to visit me in Gainesville and Alachua, and they got lots of prasadam and met some nice devotees. We went to Ichetucknee Springs the next day as they like the outdoors. Friday I chanted at Krishna Lunch midday and with the Alachua devotees in the afternoon.

Then I gave a talk called “Blissful Traveling” for the Friday night program at Krishna House, showing harinama videos from different parts of the world. 
On Sunday, devotees from Gainesville’s Krishna House and Jacksonville’s Bhakti House chanted in Ocala National Forest at the Ocala Regional Rainbow Gathering for six hours, also distributing prasadam and books. The next three days I chanted with Krishna Club students at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. I also attended the Monday evening program at the Jacksonville Bhakti House, and I chanted with Youssef and Richie at the Jacksonville Beach Art Walk on Tuesday.

I have a nice quote by Srila Prabhupada about the importance of the association of spiritually minded people. I share an excerpt from Satsvarupa dasa Goswami’s Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name. I share notes on lectures by Mother Madhumati, Caitanya Carana Prabhu, Ekayani Devi Dasi, Abhimanyu Prabhu, and Bhakta Hanan.

Thanks to Nama Kirtan Prabhu of ISKCON Tallahassee for donating to my travel expenses there. Thanks to Lovelesh Prabhu of Jacksonville for his kind donation.

Thanks to Victor for the nice picture of Karen with Radharani’s garland. Appreciating Radharani’s mercy on my sister, over ninety of my Facebook friends liked that picture. My posts are rarely so popular!

Itinerary

February 25: Sacred Sounds @ USF, Tampa

February 26–28: Gainesville Krishna House

March 1: Jacksonville Art Walk

March 2: USF, Tampa

March 3: First Friday, Tallahassee

March 4–April 8: North and Central Florida campuses

April 9–11: Washington, D.C.

April 12: Albany

April 13: New York City

April 14–September 5: Europe

Harinamas at Florida State University

I chanted on the Landis Green behind the main Florida State University library for three hours each day, distributing free vegan, gluten-free cookies, and trying to interest people in Srila Prabhupada’s books, our Krishna Lunch program at FSU, and our local temple programs.

One young lady said she really enjoyed hearing my singing whenever she passes by Landis Green, and she said that she should stop and ask what it is about when she has free time. I gave her a flyer for the Krishna Lunch and the Sunday Feast. Although I almost never do so, I said, “My name is Krishna-kripa. What is yours?”

She said, “My name is Reema. I teach Arabic here.”


After taking a gluten-free vegan oatmeal cookie from my table, one young lady returned three minutes later saying, “I just had to come back and tell you how good that cookie was!” 


I always try to use the best ingredients, and I pray to Radharani to empower me to make cookies that please Her beloved Krishna. Another person said the cookies were “awesome!”


A couple ladies stopped by at different times and said they had often seen me singing on the green and they wondered what it was all about. That just reminded me about how important it is that devotees go out in public and represent Krishna in order to create an interest in Him.

Lord Nityananda’s Appearance Day

Several devotees who do not sing every day at Krishna Lunch, came out especially to sing in celebratation of Lord Nityananda’s Appearance Day:

Here Purusartha Prabhu chants (https://youtu.be/dKgi5G7aIvI):

Here Radha Govinda Prabhu chants (https://youtu.be/qmtdmXSgd-Q):

Here Tulasirani Devi Dasi chants (https://youtu.be/3mVxT6_5ZT0):

My sister, Karen, and her partner, Victor, on a Florida vacation from the New York winter came to visit on Nityananda’s Appearance Day. I suggested that would be a good day because it always seems there is extra mercy for everyone on the festival days. While eating Krishna Lunch spaghetti with the devotees, they got to hear Tulasirani Devi Dasi tell the amazing story of Lord Nityananda’s delivering Jagai and Madhai from their lives as debauchees. Victor was reading a novel about a Jewish saint, and as Tulasirani was from a Jewish background she was interested to hear about it. Tulasirani gave Victor a copy of The Journey Home by her guru, Radhanath Swami, and before Victor left the next day he gave Tulasirani the book about the Jewish saint, although he hadn’t finished reading it. Karen and Victor also visited our harinama at the Farmers Market and attended the festival for Lord Nityananda in Alachua. They met lots of nice devotees, including Sukhada Devi, who had met Karen when she visited seventeen years ago. 

Sukhada gave her the garland worn by Radharani on Nityananda’s Appearance Day.

Here Tulasirani Devi Dasi leads the Krishna House devotees in chanting Hare Krishna at the Gainesville Farmers Market on Lord Nityananda’s Appearance Day (https://youtu.be/vCOPirHWzeI):

The Nityananda feast was wonderful, and Karen, Victor, and I all liked it. I was happy there was plenty of sweet rice.

Ichetucknee Springs


Ichetucknee Springs is a popular spring to visit for the Hare Krishna devotees in Alachua. I had thought of visiting Payne’s Prairie State Park, which was more on our way, as Karen and Victor, as well as myself, were southbound the day after the Nityananda festival, but when Karen and Victor had heard from Sukhada Devi that her son had seen manatees at Ichetucknee, they developed a desire to go there. Sukhada’s son, Ramananda Raya, was our guide, and he was very knowledgable about the springs and he got on well with Victor. They went for a swim together, while Karen and I floated down the river in our kayaks, wondering where they were. I had hoped to visit the springs in the morning and go to Tampa with Ramiya Prabhu in the afternoon, but I realized at the pace we were moving that would be impossible, and the frustration of my desire to chant at University of South Florida colored the rest of the day for me. 


Still the springs was very beautiful and peaceful. 

We used Ramananda Raya’s three inflatable kayaks and rented one more. 

I saw more turtles than I ever have had before. They apparently take great pleasure in sunning themselves on the logs that fall into the river. Everybody besides me enjoyed a swim.

Here Karen swims at one of the deeper springs that feed the Ichetucknee River, which is said to be 72° F (about 22° C) all year.

Govinda’s in Gainesville

Karen, Victor, and I all went to Govinda’s in Gainesville for dinner. We all got the buffet, and we were satisfied with it. There was plenty of variety, and everything was good, especially the soup. Thus my relatives got plenty of prasadam during their visit, something that Srila Prabhupada considered essential.

Chanting at the Ocala Regional Rainbow Gathering

Devotees from Alachua and Gainesville have been visiting the Ocala Regional Rainbow Gathering in Ocala National Forest for decades. At least once in the mid-1990s, New Vrindavan devotees also came. At least a couple of people from that Rainbow Gathering have become Hare Krishna devotees. Now there are more alcholics and druggies than spiritual seekers, and some people do not go there anymore for that reason. Still we find people happy to encounter Krishna music, Krishna food, and Krishna literature both for the first time and once again. This year was better than last as we had more devotees, and we had more positive interactions. Altogether, we had nine devotees from Krishna House, six devotees from Jacksonville, and one former Krishna House resident who was traveling through.


Coconut, here talking with Tulasirani Devi Dasi, participated in the chanting for over 3½ hours, though never having encountered it before!

 

Tulasirani Devi Dasi really has a taste for talking with people.


 

We served sabji, halava, and salad.

This person, after having gotten some prasadam, chose some spiritual literature.

Megan, holding her son, was happy to encounter the devotees again. She told me that once Adikarta Prabhu did a program at her house, and she said, “I owe that man my life!”

One girl wanted to take a picture of her stuffed monkey, so Abhimanyu put it on our drum, and we posed for this picture.

One vehicle we passed on harinama had many slogans on its rear door. One my mother used to always say prompted me to take the photo, “We’re all in this together.” Many are consistent with Hare Krishna philosophy or practice like “LOVE>FEAR” and “PLANT SEEDS & SING SONGS.” 
See Krishna House devotees chanting Hare Krishna and distributing spiritual literature and food at the Ocala Regional Rainbow Gathering (https://youtu.be/tiTPlKMlIMQ):

Armed with musical instruments, a box of books, and a bucket of halava, Hare Krishna devotees from Gainesville’s Krishna House walk through the woods and by a lake sharing Krishna music, literature, and food with attendees (https://youtu.be/aN0Sdngs5K0):

Here Amrita Keli Devi Dasi, Hare Krishna chaplain at the University of North Florida, leads the chanting of Hare Krishna, as devotees from Gainesville and Jacksonville share Krishna consciousness with Ocala Regional Rainbow Gathering (https://youtu.be/n8kRrituYcs):

Jacksonville Bhakti House Monday Evening Program

Every Monday at the Jacksonville Bhakti House is a evening program with prasadam, kirtana, and a spiritual discussion.

Realizations of attendees on prayer and deity worship:

Laura: Prayer even works if you do not believe in it.

Kira: Through prayer I find I refine my desires until I focus on what I really want.

Amrita Keli Devi Dasi: When I was first attending Krishna House in Gainesville, for six months I did not even notice the altar. As I began chanting and developed devotion, it became noticeable to me.

I worried when I began the Deity bathing, “Oh, this is going to take hours!” But when I am done, I feel blissful, and if I was feeling sick, I feel better.

In junior high school, I was a vehement atheist, but I wanted to find the truth. I prayed to God, “If you exist, I am willing to admit I am wrong. If you exist, I want you to come into my life.” After that I immediately felt there was a presence around me as I was walking down the street.

Richie: I realize the Deities set the atmosphere for the whole house. People like the atmosphere here, and I tell them, “It’s the Deities.”

Youssef: I agree you do not have to believe in God to start making prayers. I started making prayers before I really believed in God. Can you really improve yourself the way you want by yourself? Prayer is really special, whether you believe in God or not. It can really help your self-improvement.

Jarel: Although I consider myself an agnostic, I enjoyed making the halava, and I liked to participate in the ritual of making the offering.

Krishna-kripa das: I found although I had no attraction to deity worship, when I did it out of a sense of duty, I noticed when I went on vacation and left it behind, when I returned, I was eager to get back on the altar with the deities. Just as we all have become attached to kirtana and prasadam, the spiritual chanting and food, although we formerly knew nothing about them, in the same way you can find yourself becoming attached to deity worship because all these devotional activities are natural for the soul, and we are all souls.

My favorite prayer, which I have offered regularly every day for some segments of my life and which I still offer frequently is: “My Lord, I know that young girls have natural affection for young boys, and that young boys have natural affection for young girls. I am praying at Your lotus feet that my mind may become attracted unto You in the same spontaneous way.” (Padma Purana, quoted in The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 9)

Although we had two kirtanas before discussing prayer and deity worship and having prasadam, the youthful attendees were excited to have two more afterward, and most of the people stayed for them. What was striking for me is to see the expressions of absorption on the faces of the chanters.

Here Laura chants Hare Krishna at the Jacksonville Bhakti House Monday evening program (https://youtu.be/bznFrNk3SII):

Here Amrita Keli Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at the Jacksonville Bhakti House Monday evening program (https://youtu.be/TbSvmB97l5c):

I am sorry the video is so dark. My camera does not work well in the dim light, and many places, unfortunately for me, devotees like to chant kirtana in dim light, and I did not want to disturb them by turning on the light.

Harinamas at University of North Florida in Jacksonville

I felt grateful that Youssef was willing to chant with me the whole three hours on Monday, Amrita Keli chanted with me on Tuesday, and Kira on Wednesday, so I had someone to chant with each day at University of North Florida in the grassy area between the Student Union and the lake. In addition, Richie came part of the time on Monday, and Youssef came part of the time on Tuesday and Wednesday. As usual we saw old friends and made new ones.

Here is some video of Youssef chanting Hare Krishna with Amrita Keli on Tuesday and with Kira on Wednesday (https://youtu.be/LvqapbamXs8):


While waiting at the campus bus stop near the library, I saw a man, perhaps forty or fifty years old, wearing a spotlessly white dhoti and a blue kurta. He looked just like a Hare Krishna devotee. He saw me wearing yogi pants and a kurta, and he saw my harmonium, but he did not say anything to me. I figured he was from another group, and I thought of a question I could ask him to find out. I decided to say, “Are you some kind of spiritual practitioner?” He explained that he was a Buddhist and that he was a student. I mentioned I had a friend at the Interfaith Center and asked if dealt with that organization, but he said he was too busy studying. I told him that my sister taught mindfulness, a Buddhist practice, but that I was a Hare Krishna. I could see he was not interested in talking so I left it at that. I never saw a Buddhist student wearing a dhoti before.    
Jacksonville Beach Art Walk

In January when I learned from the Jacksonville devotees about the Jacksonville Beach Art Walk, a new event they chanted at, I immediately developed a desire to attend and tentatively added it to my schedule. That happens the second Tuesday of each month.

One man we met remembered eating prasadam on the University of Florida campus in 1971, the year the Krishna Lunch program began. He recalled that they served a potato salad dish on Monday and that they distributed Bhagavad-gitas. His pleasant Krishna memories inspired him to donate two dollars, but he did not take a book, thinking he already knew about Krishna.

One rather drunk lady who was paired with a fairly sober guy was attracted to interact with the devotees. Richie went through the mantra two words at a time with her, and she tried chanting it for a while. She also did quite a bit of dancing. She wanted us to play while she sang some mundane love songs, but I was not into it. She had a nice voice, and I recommended that she sing devotional songs about God. At one point she was fascinated with the harmonium, leaning too close to the poor brahmacari, who was playing it and who had to smell the alcohol on her breath. Youssef encouraged her to dance, and she left the harmonium player alone. The guy she was with read the entire “On Chanting Hare Krishna” while she was interacting with the kirtana party, and according to Richie, he seemed to understand it. As he goes to University of North Florida, he may well come to the Krishna Club meetings there.

One friendly lady donated a candle for Youssef to use to heat the mrdanga head to improve its sound.

Youssef distributed some books and pamphets while we chanted.

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.9.11:

“Transcendental devotional service cannot be complete and cannot be relishable without the association of devotees. We have therefore established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Anyone who is trying to be aloof from this Krishna Consciousness Society and yet engage in Krishna consciousness is living in a great hallucination, for this is not possible.”

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami:

From Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name:

“How will it take place that the ordinary, struggling japa will evolve into awareness of Krishna’s presence in His form, qualities, and names? What does Srila Prabhupada say? He says it will happen. There is no doubt about it. Krishna will reveal Himself; Krishna will teach us if we follow the guru’s order with full faith.

“Srila Prabhupada should be confidently accepted as a great authority for faith and realization of the holy name. He did what no one else dared, and what many Vaisnavas hardly dreamed of—brought the chanting of Hare Krishna mantra to mlecchas and yavanas who had never even heard of Krishna before. And Srila Prabhupada convinced us to chant with love, to enjoy kirtana, and to join and work with him in founding the Hare Krishna movement. No one could spread the chanting of the holy name so widely and deeply unless he was empowered by Krishna (krishna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana).

“So let me chant because he told me to. Never doubt. And wait for the day to come when Krishna will appear and say, ‘I am like this.’”

Mother Madhumati:

The yogis sit with half-closed eyes but not completely closed, as we sometimes see in Bhagavatam class.

The Indian answer is yes and no, moving the head sort of like this. [She moves her head in such a way that she indicates neither clearly yes or no.]

All Nityananda is saying is, “Have faith in the holy name and all perfection will be achieved.”

Nityananda is freely giving the holy name. Sometimes when someone gives us something for free, we do not value it.

Just by hearing of the activities of Lord Caitanya’s associates we become purified, what to speak of if we actually follow them.

Next time you clean the temple room at Krishna House, you can meditate on the pastime of Lord Caitanya cleansing the Gundica temple. Actually we should always meditate on Krishna’s pastimes when we do our services.

“Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu washed and cleansed the temple in great jubilation, chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna all the time.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila 12.85) We should also follow Lord Caitanya in always chanting Hare Krishna as we serve.

When you are chanting Hare Krishna and doing service, there is no grudge.

Caitanya Carana Prabhu:

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura said:

1.    One who thinks this world is in need of reformation is himself in need of reformation.

2.    We see faults in others because we are honeycombed with faults ourselves.

Seeing the suffering in the material world people conclude God does not exist or God does not care. Because God is omnipotent, if He has not reduced the suffering, they think it means He does not care.

Walking away from a situation is different than running away from a situation.

Ekayani Devi Devi:

We see people in society who appear to have good qualities but they are not steady in these qualities, and when their senses go out of control, they can do things that are not good. Thus, it is said one that who is not devoted to God has no good qualities because he cannot act steadily in a good way.

Krishna steals the butter and the clothes of the gopis. He also stole the parijata tree for Satyabhama.

Krishna is always making arrangements to fulfill everyone’s desires. Kishor was serving Krishna Lunch, and he said he was so bored just lifting the prasadam and putting it on the plates and that he was a more active person. Not more than ten minutes later, a thief ran off with the cash box, and Kishor ran after him.

The brahmanas work best without an authority structure or under anarchy, the ksatriyas thrive in monarchy, the vaisyas work best with capitalism, and sudras prefer communism, where they work and get their necessities. If anyone of these four social structures predominates, some people will not be happy, because all four classes of people exist in society.

Lord Caitanya’s pastimes are the sweetest because they are of Krishna who has come to experience the joy of devotion to Krishna.

Abhimanyu Prabhu:

Even though Suruci, Dhruva’s stepmother, offended Dhruva before he became a pure devotee, she still had to die untimely as a reaction to the offense. Thus we have to take care not to offend someone who may become a pure devotee of God in the future.

The ksatriyas would appreciate the prowess of fighters on the opposing side.

The weapon Lord Narayana has made for us is the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, and it can dissipate so many illusory distractions to our spiritual life.

Q: If the holy name is completely pure why does it matter who is chanting it?

Comment by me: Although the holy name is pure, because the holy name is Krishna Himself, He reciprocates with the surrender of the chanter, and so the demoniac may attain liberation from the holy name, but they do not attain the perfection of love of God that a pure devotee would.

Hanan Prabhu:

The madhya-lila of Lord Caitanya is known as the acarya-lila because He is teaching religious principles by His example especially at this time in His life.

At Krishna Lunch there was a controversy between devotees in which different devotees were criticizing each other. I told them they were ruining their spiritual lives by criticizing each other and they should stop, and I said I would be happy to discuss with them the details later.

It is said that Krishna’s mercy is especially present in Vrindavan in its dust and in the Yamuna River, His mercy is present in Mayapur in the kirtana, and in Jagannatha Puri in the prasada of Lord Jagannatha.

Even if a field is full of stool and there is only one flower, a bumblebee will seek the flower.

I went to take the Bhaktisastri course in New Vrindaban, and it was advertised that Radhanath Swami was going to teach. As it turned out, he was present, but he did not teach. Once Radhanath Swami was coming down the path opposite to us, and he spoke to my wife, who had sometimes cooked for him. He asked how we were doing. I expressed how the flyer had said he was going to be teaching Bhaktisastri, and he said that he was not planning to do that. I said that I was going to tell the devotee lady who had organized it.

Radhanath Swami interjected, “You are not going to tell her anything because she is doing her best.”

I replied, “Yes, Maharaja.”

—–

This is the third verse of the “Siksastaka” of Lord Caitanya in which he reveals the proper mentality in which to chant Hare Krishna. Reflecting on my lack of humility and tolerance, it is no wonder it is not easy for me to chant always. This verse is a reminder of what work I have left to do. Srila Prabhupada said this verse is the formula for attaining krishna-prema, love of God.

trṇad api su-nicena

taror iva sahisnuna

amanina mana-dena

kirtaniyah sada harih

 “[Lord Caitanya said:] ‘One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor but is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.’” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya 20.21)

Travel Journal#13.2: North and Central Florida
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 13, No. 2

By Krishna-kripa das
(January 2017, part two)

North and Central Florida

(Sent from Gainesville, Florida, on February 18, 2017)

Where I Went and What I Did

I continued staying in Tallahassee for eight days, chanting at Florida State University for three hours each weekday, distributing vegan oatmeal cookies and invitations to our campus Krishna Lunch program and to the temple Sunday Feast and Tuesday Bhagavad-gita class, and trying to interest people in the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita. I also taught a class on mantra meditation there. Then I spent a Wednesday chanting at the Gainesville Krishna Lunch and the Farmers Market and attending a University of Florida interfaith event, a progressive dinner. Then I joined Ramiya Prabhu and his wife, Ananta Dasi, in chanting at and attending our campus Bhakti Yoga Society program at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Friday I chanted at Krishna Lunch and with the Alachua devotees at the University of Florida entrance. Saturday devotees from Alachua, Gainesville, and Tampa chanted for three hours at the yearly Gasparilla pirate festival in Tampa and had a picnic in a park. After attending the Sunday feast in Alachua, I went to Jacksonville to chant with the University of North Florida Krishna Club devotees on that campus and attend the evening program at the Jacksonville Bhakti House. Then I returned to Tallahassee for the final day of January.

I share insights from Srila Prabhupada’s books and lectures. I share excerpts from Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami. I include notes on lectures by Srila Prabhupada disciples from Alachua, namely Mother Nanda, Ramiya Prabhu, and Mother Sukhada. I present notes on a class by Kaliya Damona Prabhu about japa, and quotes from “A Succession Conflict Caused by Selflessness,” a Back to Godhead article by Caitanya Candra Prabhu. I share notes on a class by Hanan of Krishna House, and interesting quotes from a Christian preacher and people from different faiths who attended the University of Florida interfaith progressive dinner.

Thanks to the lady who gave me a donation on harinama at Tallahassee’s Lake Ella.

Itinerary

February 18: Jacksonville Monster Truck Jam harinama
February 19–24: Tallahassee, FSU campus

February 25: Sacred Sounds @ USF, Tampa

February 26–April 8: North and Central Florida campuses

April 9–11: Washington, D.C.

April 12: Albany

April 13: New York City

April 14–September 5: Europe

Harinama at University of North Florida

University of North Florida in Jacksonville is my favorite college to chant Hare Krishna at because so many students from their Krishna Club are willing to join us and so many students passing by are open to taking cookies and invitations.

Special thanks to Amrita Keli Devi Dasi, Hare Krishna chaplain at UNF and organizer of the party, who is playing the drum in the beginning of the video, and thanks to lead singers, Richie, Youssef, and Dorian, respectively (https://youtu.be/tCwwGnW_7UA):

All the devotees had led kirtana except Courtney (on the far right at the end of the above video), who had never led before and who was celebrating her birthday that day. I suggested she lead, but she said she preferred to follow. Amrita had suggested she could sing the Prabhupada tune because it is very easy. So I offered to I play the Prabhupada tune for her while she sang it. She decided to try. Afterwards I complimented her for going beyond her limits, and she replied, “That was awesome! I really loved doing that!” It is nice to be an instrument in people taking another step toward Krishna. If you have a Facebook account, by clicking on this link, you can see Courtney sing in this video taken by Amrita Keli Devi Dasi (https://www.facebook.com/2040949/videos/vb.2040949/10110281001766861/?type=2&theater). Amrita also took a video of me singing (https://www.facebook.com/2040949/videos/vb.2040949/10110281005304771/?type=2&theater). It is nice to see the enthusiasm of the students for the chanting.


Chanting Hare Krishna in Tallahassee

I chanted at Florida State University in Tallahassee for three hours each weekday, distributing vegan oatmeal cookies and invitations to our campus Krishna Lunch program and to the temple Sunday Feast and Tuesday Bhagavad-gita class, and trying to interest people in the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita.

One day a young lady named Isabella stopped by my table, and in the course of our conversation, she mentioned that her mother did meditation and had compiled research showing how meditation actually changes the structure of the brain. I invited her to the Krishna Lunch and the mantra meditation class I was going to do that evening behind the library. She looked at her watch, and realized she had better leave soon if she wanted to make it in time for lunch. As it turns out, she was the only one to show up for mantra meditation. I explained how we have an existence beyond the body and mind and that the mantra nourishes our transcendental self. We chanted twice for ten minutes each, with some discussion in between, and I encouraged her to chant ten minutes each day. She has been doing it for three weeks now and writes, “It is wonderful. I am so happy to have stumbled upon the practice. It has impacted my life very positively.” She also became a regular attender at Krishna Lunch and enjoyed the one Sunday Feast program she came to.

On Inauguration Day, as I was chanting at FSU’s Landis Green I could heard students protesting that event behind me. Of course that made it harder for me to focus on my chanting. Some students seeing me chanting with the protesters behind, expressed to their friends that my contribution was the real solution, and I appreciated that.


One day I made oatmeal with slivered almonds roasted in coconut oil, cinnamon, and turbinado sugar, and offered it to our Gaura-Nitai deities at the Tallahassee temple. It was just awesome. I really think it was the best oatmeal I had this life. Maybe Gaura-Nitai were pleased I decided to cook Them something instead of just having Krishna Lunch leftovers for breakfast.
The last day of the month I returned to Tallahassee. While I was singing, a woman named Suzette came up to me who appreciated the chant. She told me she lived for two months in a Hare Krishna ashram in Chapel Hill.


Looking at her graying hair, I asked, “In the 1970s?”

She replied, “Yes.”

She told me that the Hare Krishnas had the best food in the world, and I smiled and told her of the Krishna Lunch on the FSU campus. Every Tuesday, she takes a class in teaching French, so she promised to check out the Krishna Lunch the next week, and sure enough she did. She was very happy to see the Hare Krishnas still have the best food in the world. She wanted to learn how to cook it, and I told her about Yamuna Devi’s amazing cookbook, Lord Krishna’s Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking, that won awards for being the best Indian and the best vegetarian cookbook the year it came out.

Chanting at the Gainesville Farmers Market

The devotees canceled the weekly harinama at the Gainesville Farmers Market because the yearly interfaith dinner was Wednesday night, and they felt there was not enough time to do both. I had returned from Tallahassee on Wednesday just to participate in it, and so I encouraged them to chant at the Farmers Market for an hour so they would have time to do the other event. Later the devotees expressed gratitude that I resurrected the program that week.

Here Bhaktin Christiana chants Hare Krishna at the Gainesville Farmers Market (https://youtu.be/9XBDG5XTHYo):

Here Krishna Prasada Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Gainesville Farmers Market (https://youtu.be/SEzem0rHa9A):

  

The University of Florida Interfaith Progressive Dinner

For the last four years or so, the chaplains at University of Florida have organized what they call an interfaith “progressive” dinner. The initial snacks are always at the Hillel House far to the west on University Avenue. The main course is always the Hare Krishna spaghetti which this year was served along with the Lutheran’s salad at their place to the east of Hillel. The Episcopal church serves the hot drinks, usually tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. This year they had Bengal Spice, my favorite of the herb teas.

At that church some artistic types had made a nice sign welcoming the people from the different traditions and thanking Christ and Krishnas:

Other signs in that church had progressive messages:


Standing up for truth is important. Truthfulness is sometimes said to be the distinguishing quality of a brahmana.

What does Krishna say about kind words? “Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting Vedic literature.” (Bhagavad-gita 17.15)

I had never heard of Gandhi’s seven deadly social sins. Have you?

This year I decided to talk with some of the older people who encourage the students in their faith instead of the students themselves. I asked one Christian gentleman in charge of a spiritual program for his group what motivates the students the most in a spiritual direction. He explained retreats, where you get away from your daily life and just focus on spiritual activities, either in town or at some remote retreat center, are the most powerful way of motivating the students.

The Wesleyans have the dessert at the end, along with the entertainment.

Chanting with Alachua Devotees at the University of Florida Entrance

Almost every Friday since I moved to Alachua in 1994, I would chant with the Alachua devotees at the corner of University Avenue and Thirteenth Street in Gainesville, on the northeast corner of the University of Florida campus, where the entrance gate stands.

Here Nagaraja Prabhu, editor of Back to Godhead magazine, chants Hare Krishna at University of Florida entrance (https://youtu.be/nA7XcFxv39M):

Here Shankha Prabhu, the famous cook, chants Hare Krishna at the University of Florida entrance (https://youtu.be/ogQ81m7ieLI):

Here Hari Priya chants Hare Krishna at the University of Florida entrance (https://youtu.be/aRq48CTK4zA):

Here Bhaktin Christiana chants Hare Krishna at the University of Florida entrance (https://youtu.be/bvD5CbiH8ks):

Chanting at the Krishna House Friday Evening Program

Every Friday we have a program at Krishna House which begins with twenty minutes of kirtana.

Here Bhaktin Tsurit chants Hare Krishna at Krishna House Friday program (https://youtu.be/R6dJgQjoXfs):

Chanting After the Alachua Sunday Feast

After the Sunday feast devotees who love kirtana, young and old alike, stay and chant in the temple room until the deities are put to rest for the evening, just after 9 p.m.

Here Lilananda Prabhu, disciple of Srila Prabhupada, chants Hare Krishna after the Alachua Sunday Feast (https://youtu.be/4gKEf2MuLiM):

Here Dhanya, wife of Bali Prabhu and daughter of Havi Prabhu, chants Hare Krishna after the Alachua Sunday Feast (https://youtu.be/yo_y9TfM8Nk):

Anasuya, a third-generation devotee girl, chants Hare Krishna after Alachua Sunday Feast (https://youtu.be/2kOtP4esZtY):

Conversation with a Nurse

A nurse asked me what I did as a monk, and I told her that I taught classes on Bhagavad-gita. She surprised me by saying, “I am studying Bhagavad-gita.” I asked her where she was studying the Gita, and she explained that the hospital she was working in had a course on holistic medicine, and that was part of the course.

Later as she reviewed my chart, seeing the date of my birth she exclaimed, “September 30! That is the same day my dog, Bhakti, was born!”

“You have a dog named Bhakti?” I inquired incredulously.

“Yes,” she replied. “I have three of them, Jai Ram, Kali, and Bhakti.”

I asked her how she came up with such spiritual names for her dogs, and she told how a very devout Muslim patient, who gave a her Koran out of gratitude, started her on a spiritual search.

She said that she thought that our meeting was providential.

I had explained I was doing a meditation on my beads, and when I left, I gave her a copy of the new On Chanting Hare Krishna, with the text of Srila Prabhupada’s description of the Hare Krishna mantra from the record album, and I told her about Dhira Govinda Prabhu’s research showing the Hare Krishna mantra decreased stress and depression to a statistically significant degree while a bogus mantra of Sanskrit words in the same pattern was ineffectual from the statistical point of view.

It was striking to me that a Western lady about forty, with a perceptable English accent, would be studying Bhagavad-gita and have dogs named after an incarnation of Krishna, a pure devotee of Krishna, and the process for attaining Him.

Harinama at Gasparilla

The last Saturday in January, devotees from Alachua, Gainesville, and Tampa chanted for three hours at the yearly Gasparilla pirate festival in Tampa and had a picnic in a park.

On college-aged lady told her friend, “They are the Hare Krishnas. They are on all the campuses. I see them at the stadium in Gainesville.”

Cloe, who attends Krishna Lunch at Florida State University in Tallahassee, and who has stopped by my book table behind the library two or three times during the last couple of weeks, greeted me in Tampa, as surprised to see me as I was to see her. She apparently drove at least four and a half hours by herself from Tallahassee to Tampa to attend Gasparilla for the first time. She was amazed to see the large group of devotees, and I explained we have a large community in the Gainesville / Alachua area, and we came down for the event.

One couple, who enjoyed dancing with us, especially the girl, said they had moved here just recently from Colorado, and were happy to encounter us. They wanted to know if we had a Tampa temple, and I made sure they had an invitation card for the local nama-hatta programs. She had graduated from University of South Florida in Tampa, and I gave her a card for the programs we have at that university.

Here are just some of the highlights, including the dancing dinosaur [6 minutes] (https://youtu.be/k7M4s2WN3G0):

If you want more, here is all the video I took [32 minutes] (https://youtu.be/N8Jf2HPsNCY):

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Srimad-Bhagavatam4.19.2, purport:

“Since no one in this material world can tolerate another’s advancement, everyone in the material world is called matsara, envious. In the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is therefore said that Srimad-Bhagavatam is meant for those who are completely nirmatsara(nonenvious). In other words, one who is not free from the contamination of envy cannot advance in Krishna consciousness. In Krishna consciousness, however, if someone excels another person, the devotee who is excelled thinks how fortunate the other person is to be advancing in devotional service. Such nonenvy is typical of Vaikuntha. However, when one is envious of his competitor, that is material.”

From a class on Bhagavad-gita 13.26 in New Delhi on September 22, 1974

“When this body, this old body, will not be workable, when the machine will not act, then I – or you, every one of us – will have to change. Suppose your car is going on then somehow or other it stops. Then you take another car and continue your journey. The car’s stopping to work does not mean that the man who is in the car also stops. No. He continues.”

“There are so many different types of next life, beginning from Brahmaloka, the highest planet, down to the smallest insect. So why should we try to make a better position within this material world? Why should we waste our time like that? We have seen that to occupy the post of president, Mr. Nixon had to work so much in the beginning. I was in America at that time. He was advertising, ‘America needs Nixon now.’ He had to spend millions and millions of dollars, and there were so many cliques and there was so much political intrigue. But now, somehow or other, his presidency is gone. He has been dragged down.”

“Krishna’s name, Krishna’s form, Krishna’s qualities, Krishna’s pastimes – everything about Krishna is absolute. You’re chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. It is not only a sound; it is Krishna personally. You are in direct touch with Krishna when you chant Hare Krishna. This realization is Krishna consciousness.”

“So how can one learn about Krishna consciousness? Those who do not know can come to this Krishna conscious center, and they will understand by hearing from the members. We are opening so many centers. Why? Because people do not know about Krishna, and it is our duty to give them the chance to know. They’ll inquire. They’ll see how we are worshiping Krishna, how we are offering prasadam, how we are serving. They also can go back home, back to Godhead by learning from us. It is a school. We are teaching others.”

“We are all eternally the servants of Krishna. That we have forgotten. Now, in this life, we have surrendered to Krishna and accepted His service. ‘Krishna, for so long I forgot You. I am Your eternal servant, but I forgot. Now, in this life, I can understand. Therefore I surrender unto You.’ This is our life. Krishna consciousness means, ‘Krishna, I forgot You. I forgot my relationship with You. But now I have come to know that I am Your eternal servant. Therefore engage me.”’

“Consider Mahatma Gandhi. He was serving his country, but his countrymen killed him. It is a fact. So you cannot satisfy anyone. Who can give more service to his country than Mahatma Gandhi? But what was the return? His countrymen killed him. This is the return. You go on serving your senses in the name of your country, society, and family, and they’ll never be satisfied. So why should you be so serious about serving someone other than Krishna? That is sensible.

“Better to serve Krishna. Then you surpass the jurisdiction of birth and death. You conquer the repetition of birth and death simply by this process of hearing. If you simply hear Bhagavad-gita from realized souls regularly, by hearing alone you will be able to conquer birth, death, old age, and disease. This is the result.”

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami:

From Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name:

“You want to be a part of the spiritual world, of Krishna’s pastimes in Vraja. It is beginning to happen. But so far, it is not that real to you. You have only been hearing it for a few years, and it has only been a few months since you gained the focus that this should be the goal of your life. For many years and lifetimes, a file has accumulated, filled with so many real and imagined adventures (they are all actually mayic misadventures). So you cannot be part of any world right now. You cannot sink roots into this earth, and neither can you fly to Goloka. You cannot entirely give up your sense of self in this world, and you are tired of playing the center of existence. The condition of your japareflects this confused state of being.

“I am not confused, but between worlds is a more accurate wording. Arjuna also felt this and expressed it to Sri Krishna: ‘But for Yourself, there is no one who can remove this doubt.’ Arjuna thought that if he followed Krishna’s instructions for self-realization, then he would have to give up his hopes for happiness in this world. But what if he failed to attain the transcendental goal? Then he would be neither here nor there, but be like a small cloud torn apart from a big cloud and floating loose in the big sky. Lord Krishna assured His friend that one who does good never meets with evil. Even if Arjuna could not completely succeed on the path of bhakti, there would be no loss. Whatever gains he had made would be continued in the next life. As a result of his spiritual efforts in this life he would be born in the family of yogis or devotees, or pious wealthy people. From there he would be automatically attracted to spiritual life again, and as soon as possible, complete the course for going back to Godhead.

“Therefore, if we cannot chant with attention right now, chant anyway and chant more. Make efforts to control the mind. Discuss the aparadhas in chanting and be alert to when you may be about to commit them. Be glad if you don’t feel part of this world. Go on hearing the pastimes of Radha and Krishna. Associate with devotees and avoid those who would destroy your faith and enthusiasm. Your devotional activities are all gains. They often seem comical because of the awkward place you are in, so there is no harm in having a laugh at yourself. At least you won’t become proud that you are an accomplished taster of rasa.”

Radhanath Swami:

Quoted by a disciple:

There is no such thing as a mistake, if we are always learning.

Mother Nanda:

The primary characteristic of pure devotional service is favorable and in relationship to Krishna.

Such pure devotional service begins by developing faith in the spiritual master.

If we only look forward we may be discouraged because the distance we have to go is so vast, so it is good to look back sometimes to see how far we have progressed, but it is not good to always look back.

Comment by Gopal: A sign we are advancing is that, although we may still have material desires, our tendency to act on them is no longer present.  

Sometimes you realize you are not as advanced as you thought. That realization, although it seems like a step down, is actually a step up.

Ramiya Prabhu:

If we become Krishna’s devotee, we enter Krishna’s inner circle and He takes special care of us.

Our material life is like a quarter. You do not get just the heads, but you get the tails too. You want just happiness, but you get distress as well.

When we see Krishna has helped us, we should feel grateful and do something for Him to express our gratitude.

If we chant the glories of the Lord, He will take seriously our claim to be His devotee.

Like parents, what do they want from the child? Just love. Krishna is the same way.

Bandhu means you are my friend, like on Facebook, but not outside, but suhrt means someone who is always my friend.

Krishna is waiting for everyone in Tallahassee to turn to Him, but most of them are not inclined.

Srila Prabhupada explained that if we offer something to Krishna with the mood, “I have no good qualification to be Your friend, but please accept this gift,” Krishna will happily accept it.

Q: If someone is a great devotee his whole life and then does something wrong, what will happen to him?

A: That is up to Krishna. Bharata was a great devotee, but he become absorbed in taking care of a deer and forgot his devotional practice, and Krishna punished him giving him the body of a deer in the next life. Usually that does not happen to a devotee [that he takes an animal birth], but Krishna wanted to teach him a lesson.

Mother Sukhada:

Formerly kings were so powerful they could end drought and famine.

Srila Prabhupada would make the point there is no scarity only mismanagement.

Srila Prabhupada tried to connect with anyone he could. He would talk to famous amd important people in hopes of convincing them of his message.

Srila Prabhupada made an analogy in a conversation with Toynbee that the situation of the people in general is like children who have a father who has given them a great inheritance but whose dependents are unable to access it and thus benefit by it. God wants everyone to have the joy of Krishna-prema, but the people do not have the knowledge of how to attain it.

The drug problem is so bad that every 19 minutes someone dies of an overdose of drugs.

Srila Prabhupada, while talking with George Harrison and Yoko Ono, praised them for becoming successful in the music industry, and he urged them to take advantage of that popularity by sharing spiritual knowledge through their music. George Harrison took it seriously and thus inspired many in a spiritual way.

Kirtana is so popular that they even have rabbi kirtana in the synagogues.

One lady in Hawaii got a book from the devotees and put it on her shelf. She did not read it for years, but once she was a little depressed, and she took the book off the shelf, and read it. She read it a little bit more, and she moved in the temple in Hawaii.

There is a celebrated story of a man who was so disturbed by a lady distributing books on a bus, he ripped the book in half and stepped on it, and rudely pushed the lady off the bus. So as not to litter, he put the ripped up book in his bag. His maid found the book, repaired it, and put it on the shelf. Years later, the man’s wife died, then he got cancer, and he was depressed and he saw the book on the shelf and read it. He realized it really did tell about ultimate goal of life. He felt so bad about how he treated the lady who was distributing it, he went to the temple, and explained what had happened. He had one desire: to meet that lady and apologize. And the devotees made that arrangment.

Comment by Yugala: I distributed a book to one lady on a bus who wrote me back really grateful she got the book. She said she had decided to kill herself, but on reading the book she changed her mind.

Kaliya Damana Prabhu:

From a japa class:

Srila Prabhupada said that Jayananda was the first pure devotee to come out of ISKCON. Jayananda Prabhu would say, “Always encourage and never discourage.” He would always leave the room when he heard criticism of devotees.

Everything we do is to chant better.

Japa is like the password that unlocks your computer. Everything becomes available if you have the password.

In Denver as an experiment, we had the whole congregation chant one round of japa together at the Sunday feast. We happened to have 500 sets of japa beads on hand, and we engaged in the whole mostly Indian congregation in chanting one round together. We ended up selling 250 sets of japa beads that day and making japa a weekly event.

I find it hard to focus on the holy name on a japa walk. Prabhupada did it, but I know he wasn’t window shopping.

Comment by Abhi: In Jaiva Dharma, Bhaktivinoda Thakura said, “A Vaishnava has no taste for arguments.”

The Bible indicates that Jesus was a vegetarian:

Isaiah 7: 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

Comment by Tulasirani Devi Dasi: I beg Srimati Tulasi Devi to help me when I chant japa, and I find very soon she helps me.

Krishna wants us to offer everything to Him, not just the good things. When we offer the bad things into the fire of Krishna consciousness, we become purified.

If thoughts come to mind during japa if you write them down, then they will be off your mind and you can chant peacefully.

Caitanya Candra Prabhu:

From “A Succession Conflict Caused by Selflessness” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 51, No. 3 (May / June, 2017):

“Valuing relations over possessions is foundational for the sustenance of family, society, and humanity. Bharata considered the affection he relished in his relationship with Rama far more meaningful and fulfilling than the gratification of ruling the kingdom. Even if we can’t be as selfless as Bharata, still a slight increase in selflessness in our relationships can significantly improve them and substantially decrease conflicts.”

Hanan:

The difference between the university and life is that in the university you learn first and then you take a test and in life you get a test first and then you learn from the test.

The first six chapters of the Bhagavad-gita deal withkarma-yoga, the next middle six chapters deal with bhakti-yoga, and the final six deal with jnana-yoga.

Bhakti is in the middle because it is confidential and to protect it.

Comment by Dhamesvara Mahaprabhu dasa Prabhu: Without the touch of bhakti, karma and jnana are not fruitful. Thus bhakti is in the middle in order to touch both.

When we hear if we remember Krishna at the end of life that we will attain Krishna, we might conclude, “I will do what I like and then just remember Krishna at the end.” That however is not practical because the time of death is a critical time and it not easy to just remember something that we have no deeply routed attachment for at that time. Therefore, Krishna recommends to practice to remember him.

Patanjali says that attachment is a moment of pleasure we become attached to so we want to do it over and over again.

Shabari was a goat herd girl, who was upset when she told she would be married and some of the her goats would be killed for the marriage feast. She did not want the goats to be killed, so she left home for the forest. She took shelter of the ashram of Matanga Rsi, and she rendered all kinds of services to him. Then the monks left, having attained perfection, and before going they instructed Shabari to continue worshiping Rama with devotion. Rama came by her place when He was in the forest. She would pick fruits, taste them to make sure they were sweet, and then offer them to Rama. Although it was nonstandard to taste fruits before offering them, Rama accepted her devotion, and blessed her she would attain perfection. After Rama left, she sat in trance, meditating on Lord Rama, and attained perfection. We can learn from this that bhakti is so easy that no qualification is needed to execute it.

The whole story of Shabari as told by Radha Govinda Swami in detail, I found online at:

Comment by me during prasadam to guests: We can also learn from the story of Shabari, about the power of associating with devotees in attaining bhakti.

Interfaith Progressive Dinner participants:

A Quaker lady: If you have 2 Quakers, you will have 3 opinions.

A Christian boy: If God leads you to it, He will lead you through it.

A young Mormon preacher: When God gives you a test, you are either strong enough to pass it or about to become strong enough to pass it.

Christian TV preacher:

God loves it when we trust Him. He loves it when we trust Him in all aspects of our life.

—–

In the Hare Krishna movement, we advise everyone to engage in the congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord (sankirtana) and to encourage others also to perform this chanting for their ultimate deliverance from material existence and attainment of spiritual perfection. Lord Caitanya was so advised by His guru, Sri Isvara Puri, who said:

naca, gao, bhakta-sange kara sankirtana

krishna-nama upadesi’ tara’ sarva-jana

“‘My dear child, continue dancing, chanting and performing sankirtana in association with devotees. Furthermore, go out and preach the value of chanting krishna-nama,for by this process You will be able to deliver all fallen souls.’” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 7.92)

Travel Journal#12.17: North UK, Ireland, and New York City
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 12, No. 17

By Krishna-kripa das
(September 2016, part one)

Hull, Sheffield, York, Scarborough, Newcastle

Belfast, Dublin, Kilkenny, New York City Harinam  

(Sent from Manhattan, New York, on October 1, 2016)

Where I Went and What I Did

Govardhan Dasi, a Prabhupada disciple who loves harinama, and her husband John joined me for harinama in Hull, a city none of us had chanted in before. Then I went to Sheffield for the last time this year, and did two evening programs with a harinama in between, which was attended by three other devotees, more than usual in Sheffield. Then I chanted with Govardhan and John in York and Govardhan’s place of residence, Scarborough. In York, we were joined by three devotees from the Preston area, a pleasant surprise. After the Scarborough harinama I returned to Newcastle to give the Sunday feast lecture, I went to Ireland the next day, and did harinama with Bhagavati Dasi and Ananta Nitai Prabhu in Belfast for five days and gave the evening Radhastami lecture. The next day we had six devotees on a six-hour harinama in Dublin. Instead of going to Govindadvipa for Radhastami, Ananta Nitai Prabhu stayed in Dublin and did three hours of harinama and made sure we had a Sunday feast program as usual. The next day, invited by Eleanora, Ananta Nitai Prabhu and I chanted in Kilkenny. The day after that, I flew to New York City, my base for the autumn season, where I joined the New York City Harinama party, doing harinama for the last three days of the first half of September.

I share a great quote from Srila Prabhupada’s Sri Caitanya-caritamrita. I include lots of nice realizations from Janananda Goswami. I have notes on a Radhastami lecture by Bhagavati Dasi, with some descriptions from Ananda Vrindavan Campu in it. I have notes from an amazing lecture on cooperation by Adi Purusha Prabhu, who does Food for Life in Manhattan.

Thanks to Angela for her kind donation to top up my British SIM card and other expenses. Thanks to the Newcastle and Dublin temples for supporting my harinama program. Thanks to Eleanora of Kilkenny for paying our bus fare to chant in her city and for giving us an additional donation. Thanks to Govardhan Dasi for paying for my unexpected harinama in Malton and allowing me to keep our harinama collections in Hull and Scarborough. Thanks to Krishna Katha Prabhu of Belfast for his kind donation. Thanks to Valeri of Latvia for his kind donation. Thanks to Ananta Nitai Prabhu for giving me half of our net harinama collection in Kilkenny and the U.S. currency he collected previously. Thanks to Dennis and the York nama-hatta for their donation toward the cost of my travel to York. Thanks to tall John of Leeds for his donation. Thanks to Madhavi Rani Dasi of Ukraine for her donation. Thanks to Anya, the daughter of two Polish Indradyumna Swami disciples in York, for her kind donation. Thanks also to the old lady who gave me a donation in Malton.



Thanks to Govardhan Dasi for her photos of our harinamas in Hull and Scarborough. Thanks to Joe Kenny for his photos of our Sheffield harinama. Thanks to Narinder Singh for his photo of us chanting in Belfast. Thanks to Stella Montoya for her photos of New York City Harinam in Grand Central Station. 

Itinerary

October 1–November 7: New York City Harinam

November 8: Philadelphia Harinama and Bhakti Garden Tuesday Program

November 9–11: Washington, D.C., Harinama

November 12–27: North Florida

November 28–January 2, 2017: New York City Harinam

January 3, 2017: Atlanta Harinama

January 4, 2017–April 2017: Krishna House (Gainesville) and Florida colleges

Unexpected Harinama in Malton

I took a train from Newcastle to York, which arrived at 8:40 a.m. The train to Scarborough left at 8:40 a.m., so I did not book a ticket for it, but for the 9:40 a.m. train instead. Turns out the 8:40 left at 8:45, so I was able to catch it. I thought if they did not want to honor my ticket, I would just get off at the next stop and wait for the next train, and thus I had nothing to lose. It turned out that they did not honor my ticket because the time was wrong, and they forced me to buy a ticket to Malton, the next stop, which cost £10 (about $13), which is something I never expected and made me really angry. I decided as long as I wasted £10 going to Malton, I might as well chant there, and then I could consider the £10 a preaching expense and feel better about it, and so I chanted for about an hour in Malton.

I walked to the main street, and I set up outside a vacant shop and chanted the Hare Krishna mantra with my harmonium and an amplifier. After perhaps 20 minutes, an older lady threw 47 pence in my basket, saying that would start me off. Then a older man came out of an adjacent eating establishment and complained about my chanting, saying I was following a false religion, and it was cruel to amplify the chanting and force people to listen to it. I said I was just there for 10 more minutes, between trains, and went back to my chanting. Then a lady from the same place complained to me on her way out, and said that no one liked my singing. I pointed to my donation box, and said some people must have liked it, or they would not have given me any money. She said that they probably just felt sorry for me. I continued chanting until it was time to go back to the train station, chanting through the streets of the town, and I continued chanting softly at the train station platform without amplification, waiting for the delayed train to Scarborough. When I told Govardhan Dasi my story, she was happy that I tried to share the holy name in Malton, she told me the poor response simply meant we had not chanted there enough and that we should go back in the future, and she gave me £10 to cover the cost of the train, all of which made me feel a lot better about the whole thing.    

Harinama in Hull



Janananda Goswami once remarked that there are many cities in the UK that have a significant population, but which we never go to for harinama, like Hull, for instance. Thus I suggested to Govardhan Dasi that we might do harinama in Hull sometime. She liked the idea, and she, John, and I drove to Hull on September 1, and chanted for three hours. The whole downtown was under construction for a celebration of Hull as a city of culture the following year, and it was hard to find a quiet place. We encountered people who were curious, people who danced to our music, and people who gave donations. There really was no negativity at all. We decided to return again next year.

As we got back to the car, a young man from a tattoo shop said “Hare Krishna” to us. As we do no regular programs in Hull, I asked him how he knew about Hare Krishna. He said they had one employee who was into Krishna consciousness, and so they were aware of it. They invited us into their shop, and happily participated in our harinama, chanting and dancing in the shop along with us. That was one of the high points of our visit to Hull.

Last Visit to Sheffield for 2016

I took an evening train from Hull to Sheffield, and then traveled to Barnsley, by car with three devotees who had been distributing books in Sheffield. Those devotees try one day each week to distribute books in Sheffield, an increase over past years. At the home of a Latvian couple, Valeri and Alexandria, who are enthusiastic about Krishna consciousness, we had kirtana and wonderful prasadam. I was grateful to Joe for arranging the program and the couple for providing the place and the prasadam.



The next day we did harinama in Sheffield, and Madhavi Rani Devi Dasi, recently initiated by Indradyumna Swami joined us for the first time. Indradyumna Swami is such a supporter of harinama it was beautiful to see his new disciple embracing it. Alex (right) was there most of the time, and Joe came by and tried distributing a few books. Actually I think it was the best-attended harinama I went on in Sheffield this year.

An Indian saxophonist even played with us at one point.


That evening we had a program. Some devotees were at a seminar with Bhakti Vikasa Swami in Manchester and one was sick, so it was just Joe, Alex, and Geoffrey, who came after work, just in time for prasadam as usual.



I made strawberry sweet rice for prasadam.
York Harinama and Program

It was raining lightly for practically the entire three hours on our York harinama. As we looked for an area protected from the rain to chant in, we passed an abandoned shop with an overhang. One apparently homeless man was sitting there with a cup in front of him for donations. Using gestures I asked if we could chant there, and he said he was working there. I had to smile. For me, sitting in front of a bowl and collecting money does not constitute working. You have to be offering a service for the benefit of society. 

We continued and finally found a place where we chanted for two hours, until a nearby vendor complained. 

Then we walked around in the rain again following our usual route. It brought back memories of other rainy harinamas in York. Here is a little video of the part of it before we started walking (https://youtu.be/PTJSqpPXorM):

The most striking thing for me was that Rasesvari Dasi, a Prabhupada disciple from Accrington in Lancashire, on the other side of England, came with two others, an older lady, who is a close friend of hers, and Doug, who has been involved in the Preston nama-hatta for years. Even more amazing than their coming so far to do harinama on a rainy day, was that Rasesvari was very happy she had come and found the harinama to be very ecstatic. She must be a very elevated soul!

A nice feature of the evening program was that several devotees came up from Leeds. The monthly Leeds program the previous week was canceled, and I was thinking I would not see my Leeds friends till next year, but Krishna kindly arranged to bring a bunch of them to York.

Also one devotee was visiting from Glasgow. Thus we had a wonderful program attended by devotees from all over the North UK, my base in the summer.

Somehow during the last ten days I was in the UK I saw friends from Chester, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Preston, Leeds, and York, and it was all Krishna’s mercy I was able see them again before returning to America for the winter.



One young lady who called herself Anya, was fascinated by the harinama. Her parents were both disciples of Indradyumna Swami, and she was born in Kolobrzeg, the city nearest our base of the Festival of India in Poland tour. It was coincidental that both Rasesvari Dasi and I had just been in Kolobrzeg a month ago. Anya’s mom makes prasadam to sell in York on the weekends, and she is one of the salespersons. She had a friend, also a daughter of a devotee parent, and both the young ladies came to the program, along with one mom and one dog, and they had a good time, especially participating in the kirtana and relishing the prasadam. Anya even gave me a donation, which is rare for devotee kids and rare in general. I told her about our Newcastle eight-hour kirtanas, which are organized by some young and enthusiastic devotees and which she and her friend would definitely like.

Harinama in Scarborough



I had hoped to chant in Scarborough for a full three hours, but it took us longer to recover from the trip to York than planned. Still we chanted over an hour before I had to leave to Newcastle for the Sunday feast. The sky was threatening to rain, and there were a few sprinkles from time to time. One lady felt happier about life from hearing us and expressed her gratitude, and that alone made the harinama feel worth it. In reality, just our going out on harinama gives great pleasure to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and thus harinama is always a success, whether we perceive it or not.

Harinamas in Belfast



Thanks to Bhagavati Dasi, who is always ready to go on harinama for three hours every day when I visit Belfast, and thus makes going to Belfast a pleasant experience.

Janananda Goswami came out with us one day in Belfast, and as always, more devotees came out and more people interacted with our party than usual, as you can see in this video (https://youtu.be/M4xXdR8pMmg):



One little girl danced to our music.



Then forgetting her mom for a moment, she followed our party.

Thursday is one of two weekly harinama days in Belfast, and we had seven devotees in our party that day.

Narinder Singh, a devotee of Krishna who passed by and was happy to see us, took a photo of his son with our party, and sent it to us.

We chanted in Belfast on a rainy Radhastami. Four devotees chanted three hours in a sheltered place, distributing eight books to those who helped donate a total of £9.20 and €2.00.

Harinamas in Dublin



We planned a six-hour harinama in Dublin on Saturday. Bhagavati Dasi, Ananta Nitai Prabhu, Bhakta Alec, and I, who had been doing harinama in Belfast during the week, all took the coach to Dublin, where we were joined by Pat of Wexford, for the entire time, and Dina Dayal Prabhu, who came for the end, after his day of book distribution. Dina Dayal Prabhu greatly pleased me by fixing the straps on my harmonium, increasing its utility.

Dublin is my favorite place to do harinama. I always have one or two core people I can count on to chant with me the whole time, and our venue is on one of the busiest streets, just a block from our temple and restaurant. There are people from all over the world, but they are less rushed than in London or New York. They take pictures, chant, dance, buy books, and give donations.

You can see some of these nice features in these video clips (https://youtu.be/jlpJDBLZRmk):





At one point an old man danced to our music.

Finishing her ice cream cone, a young lady danced.

One young man played a box drum, a cubical box on which the drummer sits and plays.

People were so generous we covered the cost of our coach to Dublin, paid for the books we distributed, and gave a donation to the temple as well.

Harinama in Kilkenny

Eleanora externally appears to be a retired lady with a heart condition, but she is incredibly enthusiastic to share the Hare Krishna mantra with the residents of the nearest city to her, Kilkenny. She paid the coach tickets for Ananta Nitai Prabhu and I to come down from Dublin and chant for three hours in Kilkenny, and then she cooked a wonderful Ekadasi meal for us to have afterward. Her health permitted her to join us for just an hour, but she was very happy to participate. It was a little awkward to do a day trip from Dublin the day before my transatlantic flight to New York, and Kilkenny pales when compared to Dublin as a harinama spot, but it was worth it to please a devotee and to do outreach in a neglected area. We were happy to see that we were more favorably received than during our first visit to Kilkenny last year, and we distributed more books and collected more donations as well.
New York City Harinam



I was very happy to rejoin Rama Raya Prabhu’s amazing six-hour a day harinama program in New York City.

The very day I arrived from Dublin, I was able to participate for the last three hours of the harinama, and it was wonderful to see Rama Raya Prabhu’s wonderful enthusiasm for chanting Hare Krishna, and the inspirational effect it had the devotees, and on the onlookers. You can get a glimpse of it from this video (https://youtu.be/BQU7gk8typ8):



The next day the weather was not so nice, so we had to chant in Grand Central station.

The intelligence, technology and human expertise you need to find trusted answers all comes from chanting Hare Krishna. When the heart is purified by chanting, you can hear the Lord speak from within:

 Stella (right), of Montreal, a regular member of our party, took some pictures there, and engaged a friend in taking others.




One day Binky, who originally became interested in Hare Krishna from encountering the New York City Harinam party, sang my favorite tune, while Yasoda Dulal Prabhu, accompanied her on the harmonium (https://youtu.be/zq88lhAQ3To):

While Kaliya Krishna Prabhu was singing and I was dancing off to the side, I saw one blond lady who seemed ever so happy to see the chanting and dancing, so I approached her and gave her a pamphlet. Because of her joyful demeanor, I told her that she should not be shy but should also dance if she felt like it. She did not immediately take me up on that proposal, but that did not surprise me, and I just went back to dancing to the side. Later, however, I noticed she and one guy had begun to dance. I assumed it was the person she was planning to meet at Union Square, but I later learned it was just another guy who had come by, and who wanted to dance. You can see their enthusiasm for dancing to the Hare Krishna chant in this video (https://youtu.be/HEae1bbVOoM): 

I am happy to be back on the New York City Harinam party again.



To see other photos I took but did not include, click on the link below:
Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya 20.14:

“The result of chanting is that one awakens his love for Krishna and tastes transcendental bliss. Ultimately, one attains the association of Krishna and engages in His devotional service, as if immersing himself in a great ocean of love.

”

Janananda Goswami:

The wreath that garlands the world has flowers of Krishna prema intertwined with the holy name.

Lord Caitanya appeared to Narada and declared, “With the chopper of nama-sankirtana I will deliver people from the sinful activities of this age, and for those who flee to distant corners of the world I will send my senapati bhakta [commander-in-chief devotee] to deliver them.” This refers to our Srila Prabhupada.

In 1886, Bhaktivinoda Thakura made this prediction: “Oh for that day when the fortunate English, French, Russian, German, and American people will take up banners, mridangas, and karatalas and raise kirtanathrough their streets and towns. When will that day come? Oh for the day when the fair skinned men from their side will raise up the chanting of ‘Jaya Sacinandana, Jaya Sacinandana, ki jaya’ and join with the Bengali devotees. When will that day be? On such a day they will say, “Our dear Brothers, we have taken shelter of the ocean of Lord Caitanya’s Love; kindly embrace us” that day will witness the holy transcendental ecstasy of the Vaishnava dharma to be the only dharma, and all sects and religions will flow like rivers into the ocean of Vaishnava dharma. Oh when will that day come?”

Between 1886 and 1896 Bhaktivinoda Thakura predicted very soon someone will appear who will move unrestrictedly throughout the world with Lord Caitanya’s message.

In the history of the Irish yatra about 10% of the people driving the vehicles had licenses. Whenever they got into accident, they would just say that the driver was the one devotee who had a license.

Srila Prabhupada’s song “Krishna Taba Punya Habe Bhai” reveals his mood.
I am sure there is a Jaladuta in the spiritual world going down the river Yamuna.

The mission of Srila Prabhupada was not to tear down physically the Western civilization but to destroy the consciousness that produced it.

Most of the acaryas in our line are followers of Radharani and followers of Lalita Devi because Rupa Goswami is a follower of Lalita Devi.

“Markine Bhagavata-dharma” is very much a mission statement for Srila Prabhupada and us, his followers.

Srila Prabhupada was not a philosophical machine, but rather he had great affection for people.

Srila Prabhupada, when he was in India before coming to America, had plans to send thousands of Back to Godheads to different countries in different continents.

 

When he was developing the League of Devotees in India, he was planning to have a Sanskrit college as an important part of it.

Old people, who have not lost their youthful desires, suffer greatly.

Old age is created as a warning to all human beings that death is near and to prepare ourselves for it.

When people become old they tend to become fearful and less happy, but Srila Prabhupada said a devotee becomes fearless and happier with age.

Our arguments, our attachments, and our quarrels seem insignificant at the time of death. 

Sincerity of purpose is a key factor in our going back to Godhead. Srila Prabhupada would stress that sincerity is all that is necessary. Sincere means without material motives.

Surrendering to the lotus feet of the Lord means surrendering to His instructions.

Srila Prabhupada that his success was due to his faithful following of his guru’s instructions.

Srila Prabhupada said that no one can follow properly, neither the brahmacaris, nor the grhasthas, the vanaprasthas, or the sannyasis. If I criticize you and you criticize me, we will all go away and no one will go back to Godhead.

Surrender to Krishna is the only way of escaping bondage to sex life and the conception of ourselves as the enjoyer.

By engaging in the service of the Lord one’s consciousness is purified.

St. Francis was traveling with another brother, and they arrived at a monastery too late. The abbot spoke sharply, accused him of being an imposter, hit him with a stick, and knocked him into a ditch. St. Francis took it happily with a smile, seeing it as destroying his material illusions and leaving him to depend on God alone. This was amazing to the brother traveling with him.

People are trying to use Krishna’s property for their own enjoyment, and thus they are subject to punishment, which is meant to rectify their consciousness.

Q (Bhagavati dd) The Bhagavatam speaks even of respectable family life as being a dark well, but in this age people cannot even act properly in their family relationships so I am doubtful about the relevance of those instructions to renounce family life.

A: This age is an ocean of faults. We should give instructions according to peoples’ ability to benefit by them. In the age of Kali, people as described as sudras, and sudras are not allowed to take sannyasa. Those instructions to renounce family life were given to mature people who could understand their purpose. We just encourage people to chant Hare Krishna, which is recommended in this age, to take prasadam, and to do some service and gradually they can understand other things. The program for sudras is to get married and stick with one person. If people can do that in this age, they are doing well.

Bhagavati Dasi:

Srila Prabhupada said that Radharani is the best servant of Krishna.

When you cook in the Deity kitchen, you are acting as the servant of Radharani.

When you become conditioned by the material energy, you forget there is a spiritual energy, and you imagine that you are nicely situated in the material energy.

You can have some realization there is a spiritual energy that is superior to the material energy, but to actual realize Srimati Radharani is more difficult.

To have any potency in convince people to get out of the material energy we must be enthusiastic to do so ourselves.

From Ananta Vrindavana Campu:

The night of the rasa dance surpassed the best of the nights of the spring, summer, and autumn seasons combined, having flowers of all the seasons.

If you chant the gayatri mantra perfectly it is said you can hear Krishna’s flute.

The flute of Krishna had an intoxicating effect on Sri Radha.

Krishna’s flute’s sound is the joy of all joys, the sweetest of all sweet things.

The instrumentalists played according to the rhythm of the dancing of the gopis.

The other gopis could not keep up with Radha’s singing and dancing. And other beings, like the Gandharvas and Apsaras, of course, could not compare in the least.

Adi Purusa Prabhu [who does Food For Life in NYC]:

Before class, let us all pray that we will only speak what we have heard from guru, sadhu, and sastra [the revealed scriptures].

The pastimes of the Lord are decorated with the sweet dealings between the Lord and His devotees.

Our own pride and ambition, our desires for profit, love, and distinction, all distort our ability to have loving dealings with others.

There is a story in the Hassidic tradition about a great doubter named Simon. He attended a festival at which they reserve a seat for Elijah, a great prophet of the past. Simon wondered if Elijah actually could come there. Then he saw a hand reach down from the ceiling. He had doubts about grabbing it, but he decided to. Elijah brought him up to the kingdom of God. He saw how everyone was living in harmony. Then Elijah brought him back. He saw the trivial quarrels and bickering between nations and families due to selfishness.

Srila Prabhupada said to the GBC at their first meeting, “When you all agree, I will be there in the decision.”

The Native Americans have games in which everyone wins or no one wins. Such games teach that you have to work together.

The Quakers make decisions by consensus. If 299 agree, but one doesn’t, the 299 think, “What does he see that we do not see?”

We think democracy is really great, but in reality, it generates power politics where people form alliances to exclude others.

Krishna expertly and mercifully gives us situations where we cannot proceed until we consider everyone in our decision.

If the brahmacaris form their own clique and are unconcerned with everyone else that is not good.

The brahmanas must go out and encourage others to take part Lord Caitanya’s mission.

When met with a challenge, some people leave the movement, some people go to another temple, etc., but the actual solution is to turn to Krishna. Until we learn to turn to Krishna, we will meet with the same challenges wherever we go.

If we have attachment and aversion, even if Krishna speaks to us, we cannot hear Him.

—–

This verse is another reminder about the amazing potency of chanting the holy name of Krishna. How auspicious is this chanting!

apannah samsritim ghoram

yan-nama vivaso grinan

tatah sadyo vimucyeta

yad bibheti svayam

“Living beings who are entangled in the complicated meshes of birth and death can be freed immediately by even unconsciously chanting the holy name of Krishna, which is feared by fear personified.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.14)

Travel Journal#12.16: Czech Woodstock, Prague, Newcastle, Chester, Edinburgh
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Dairy of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 12, No. 16

By Krishna-kripa das
(August 2016, part two)

Czech Woodstock, Prague, Newcastle, Chester, Edinburgh

(Sent from Brooklyn, New York, on September 21, 2016)

Where I Went and What I Did

I traveled from the Baltic Coast to northern Czech Republic for the Trutnov Open Air Music Festival (Czech Woodstock), where Hare Krishna devotees share Krishna food, music, and wisdom with hundreds of people at a rock concert for three and a half days. Then I did harinama in Prague for one day. The next day I was held up uselessly at Gatwick Airport by immigration officials and missed the London harinama. I did salvage the day by going to Southall and getting my harmonium repaired for just the cost of the new reeds. The next three days I did harinama in Newcastle by myself, as well as attending the Wednesday evening kirtana and the Janmastami, and Vyasa-puja ceremonies. I include inspiring notes on the Vyasa-puja offerings of the Newcastle devotees as well as some we read that day from the international Vyasa-puja book. I spent the weekend with Karsna Prabhu, Mother Aharada, and their son, Mark, doing harinama in Chester and attending their semimonthly program, which was also attended by two new people who came because of the harinama. The next week I finished out August, chanting in Newcastle on Monday and Wednesday, and going to Edinburgh Tuesday for harinama and our Tuesday evening program there.

The last half of August I was staying at many venues with no regular Bhagavatam classes, so I have notes on a recorded lecture by Srila Prabhupada and Bhakti Charu Swami. I have also an excerpt from the online journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, and a couple quotes from Sadaputa Prabhu from his Mysteries of the Sacred Universe, which I proofread recently for its reprinting and which will soon be available from Amazon.com.

I would like the Newcastle temple for their generous donation. Thanks to Karsna Prabhu and the Chester nama-hatta for their donation to cover my travel expenses from Newcastle to Chester and Lukas and the Gauranga Mantra Centre for their donation to cover my travel expenses from Newcastle to Edinburgh. Thanks to Rama Prasada Prabhu, Lotus, and Malini Devi Dasi of the Edinburgh congregation for their donations and Emma of the Chester nama-hatta for her donation. Thanks to Punya Palaka Prabhu for contributing to my travel to Trutnov for the Czech Woodstock. Thanks to the Indian tourist for his donation on Prague harinama. Thanks to JAS Musicals of Southall, who repaired my harmonium for only the cost of the three reeds that needed to be replaced. Thanks to Chand, Mark, and other devotees of the Chester nama-hatta for their pictures of our harinama there.

Itinerary

September 13–21: New York City Harinam

September 22–25: Philadelphia Harinamas and Ratha-yatra

September 25–mid November: New York City Harinama

Three days in mid November: Washington, D.C., Harinama

last two weeks November: North Florida

December: New York City Harinam

Trutnov Open Air Music Festival (Czech Woodstock) 2016

Like at the Polish Woodstock, Hare Krishna devotees are friends with the organizer of the Trutnov Open Air Music Festival (Czech Woodstock), and we have our own camp and our own stage, where we distribute Krishna prasadam (spiritual food) and Krishna kirtana (spiritual music). 

On our first harinama, we passed a vendor of flower crowns, and the devotees tried them on.



Here is our kirtana leader Nrsimha Caitanya Prabhu so decorated.
Also on our harinama was Ananta Gauranga Prabhu, who I know from his childhood in Alachua, his youth at Krishna House, and most recently from New York City Harinam, where he sang beautifully and played mrdanga for Rama Raya Prabhu’s harinama party.

The first night I was surprised to see one girl chanting and dancing in our tent named Eliska (in the center of the above picture), who I remembered from 2009. She and some high school friends really enjoyed chanting and dancing in the kirtana so much back then (https://youtu.be/bWcHj6U9ijM):

She had traveled to different parts of the world, attending the festival only once since then. She is a regular attender at Baladeva’s, Trutnov’s Hare Krishna restaurant. I told her to look out for the kirtana programs we have there during the year.



These two girls appeared so joyful to be chanting and dancing to the Hare Krishna kirtana.

The prasadam was wonderful as usual.

The samosas were very tasty.

They also had rice and sabji, raita, pasta salad, halava,and coconuts balls in three flavors.

As part of our scheduled program there was a question and answer session with a senior devotee who could not make it that day. I had figured they would just ask another senior devotee to do it, but they announced they would just continue chanting. I had already left the stage, thinking the chanting was over, so I decided to use the bathroom before returning for more kirtana. Before I could return to the stage one couple asked if I would answer some questions for them. They asked the meaning of Hare, Rama, and Krishna, and about the relationship between Hinduism and Hare Krishna. I explained the three names mean the spiritual energy of God, God, who is the source of all pleasure, and God, who is all-attractive, respectively. I explained we are a group within Hinduism that stresses the worship of Krishna. Although many gods are worshiped within Hinduism, the Bhagavad-gita stresses the worship of the Supreme Lord, Krishna, alone. I explained Srila Prabhupada’s analogy that you do not have to give money to the different ministers in the government for defense, education, health, etc. You simply pay your tax to the central government, and it is all distributed. In the same way, we do not need to worship the sun god, the moon god, the rain god, etc. We just have to worship the Supreme Lord. They recognized I had been coming for many years. I explained there is a lot of joy in the chanting, and we like to share it with others. As they were from Prague, I gave them an invitation to our temple and restaurant there, which they were happy to receive. I was glad to answer their questions, especially as I thought the question and answers session was a good idea, and it should not have been skipped. 

I talked to a lady who had an interest in meditation. She has taught local Czech politics at a university in Prague for nine years. I explained that the chanting we do is a kind of meditation, and that if she liked it, she could attend our Wednesday programs at our Govinda’s restaurant in Prague. She danced to our kirtanas on at least a couple of occasions, looking very joyful.

I have many video clips of people chanting Hare Krishna and dancing with the devotees. Although these people are not yet serious about completely dedicating their lives to spiritual advancement, whatever chanting and hearing of the holy name of the Lord they do is very good for them. While viewing these videos keep in mind that Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.2.14) states, “One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly [to indicate something else], jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully. This is accepted by all the learned scholars of the scriptures.” So these people are becoming more and more pious and gradually becoming eligible to perform devotional service to the Supreme Lord with determination in the future and attain love for God, the goal of life. 

The first two days of the four-day festival, the Harinama Ruci traveling sankirtana party chanted in town of Trutnov (both on the streets and outside, and even inside, the bars and restaurants), from the town on the way to the festival site, and at the festival site itself. We often tried to encourage the people we met to chant the Hare Krishna one word at a time, and sometimes we were very successful and sometimes less so

Because of a change in the price structure, fewer people came to the festival this year, about 6,000 instead of 18,000. Thus Harinama Ruci left early to chant in Prague on the final day. Although it would have been fun to go with them, I wanted to participate in our program at Trutnov.

There are many people who visit our Krishna tent to Trutnov every day to experience our Krishna food and Krishna music. For most of them, it is their only contact with Krishna consciousness the whole year, and it is an important part of the festival for them. Although their level of commitment is not comparable to those who adopt more of the spiritual practices we follow, still they need to be encouraged in whatever they can do, and we play a role there in encouraging them.

In different parts of the world we have festivals where devotees can go like the Sadhu Sanga festival in America or the Bhakti Sangam festival in Ukraine and become inspired. Our Krishna Camp at Trutnov is for these people with a just little initial attraction to Krishna, their Sadhu Sanga festival, and it is important we provide it to give them an opportunity for spiritual association. Otherwise all there is at these concerts is sex, drugs, and rock and roll, from which even those successful at them say, you “can’t get no satisfaction.”

In the afternoon, persons willing to hear and dance with our chanting were fewer but far between, but the devotees were still enthusiastic (https://youtu.be/1NfxORBnIrY):

Our special guest this year was Bhakti Gauravani Goswami, originally Vedavyasa Prabhu, a German BBT translator, who has taken sannyasa and is preaching in Spain recently. Here he led kirtana the first evening (https://youtu.be/Kk6pllXTAhs):

Evening kirtanas with Nrsimha Caitanya Prabhu (https://youtu.be/N9ItPdD-nr4):

Evening kirtanas with Dhruva Maharaja Prabhu from Slovakia (https://youtu.be/q6AO_rjzrcQ):

I took some pictures in the evenings with my phone, which has a light, to illuminate some of the enthusiastic dancers to our kirtanas.

Nrsimha Caitanya Prabhu began leading our first evening kirtanas on the first day of the Czech Woodstock (https://youtu.be/tYRqrw6ww9M):

The second evening we had the most participants dancing to our kirtana (https://youtu.be/8ECDfxVsQXQ):

Here is a kirtana on the final evening, to a smaller, but still enthusiastic crowd (https://youtu.be/CcLDVm5Q0Ag):

Thanks to all the devotees whose cooperation made it possible to share Krishna music and Krishna food with hundreds of people at Trutnov, the Czech Woodstock.

Janmastami in Newcastle

Janmastami I was not doing so well because of the fast, and tiredness from travel, and thus it was hard to appreciate. I was also frustrated that no one wanted to chant with me in public due to unfortunate circumstances. There was dance, drama, and kirtana as usual. Bhakti Rasa Prabhu spoke nicely.

Vasheel led a lively late night Janmastami kirtana at ISKCON Newcastle, getting the devotees dancing (https://youtu.be/wzq4pIemgLU):

I was satisfied with the feast.

Notes on the Vyasa Puja Offerings in the Vyasa-puja Book

In our Newcastle Vyasa-puja service we read a few offerings from favorite senior devotees from the international Vyasa-puja book.

Bhakti Caitanya Swami:

Srila Prabhupada taught that association with the pure devotee is not as valuable as service to the pure devotee. By serving Srila Prabhupada we attain love for Krishna.

Jayapataka Swami:

Lord Caitanya delivered people in India but engaged His commander-in-chief devotee, Srila Prabhupada, in delivering people in remote places.

Notes on Vyasa Puja Offerings in Newcastle

Several devotees mentioned they especially like Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja because they get to hear the inspiring realizations of their friends about Srila Prabhupada’s mercy.

Kirtida Devi Dasi:

I am glad to be here and reflect on my relationship with you and to hear the appreciations of the other devotees.

ISKCON is a vehicle through which you expressed your devotion to your guru, the line of teachers, and Krishna.

ISKCON is the people who make it up.

Please help me to be a solution to any problems I may find in ISKCON and not add to them.

Bhakti Rasa Prabhu:

ISKCON is your Krishna’s mercy distribution network.

Markandeya Prabhu spoke at a program attended by Mahakrama Prabhu, who suffering from throat cancer. Turns out Markandeya Prabhu had recovered from that kind of cancer and was very sympathetic to Mahakrama Prabhu’s condition. Although the odds were against it, in your ISKCON society, such a meeting was possible.

Vrinda Devi Dasi:

I think by your mercy, everything that is not possible will become possible for us.

When I thought of all you have done for us, I tried again to distribute a book on sankirtana although previously I was unsuccessful, and I succeeded.

Vasheel:

Thank you for being there for all us fallen souls.

I appreciate your simplicity. To someone who said, “I am God,” you once said, “You are dog.” Later the man thanked you.

Madhuri Devi Dasi:

Just because I have not met you personally does not mean I cannot have a personal relationship with you, so I decided to start with this offering.

Traveling in American recently, I was away from home, and I was thinking about how you were away from home all alone there in New York City.

In that foreign place what was most familiar to me was the devotees, who I am connected with because of you.

Let this movement of Krishna bhakti spread through my heart.

Gauridas Pandit Prabhu:

I visited Sweden. In a country with a different culture I felt out of place until entered the Stockholm temple. There everything was familiar to me. The devotees were so kind. It was like I was going from one home to another.

Radha Shyam Prabhu:

Your conversation with Bob Cohen [in Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers] struck many chords with me.

Although I am not reading your books at present, they have permanently changed my life.

It is rare to find anyone with a passion for anything, what to speak of a passion for benefiting humanity with spiritual enlightenment.

Varsha:

Hearing from your disciples about their interactions with you, I felt bad I missed your association, but then I considered at least I had the association of those who had your association.

Vrishni:

You came on a boat to America with nothing but your own love for Krishna and your desire to spread Lord Caitanya’s message.

Jagannathesvari Devi Dasi:

“All glories to the moons, who are devotees of the principal moon, Lord Caitanyacandra! Their bright moonshine illuminates the entire universe.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 13.5) This verse always reminds me of you. 

Ramai Prabhu:

The whole world is indebted to you for teaching the purpose to life.

Those who have taken up the chanting can realize the depth of it.

It is a miracle that you have spread this chanting to so many parts of this world.

You have freely given a way of life so that everyone can be happy.

Ram Rao’s wife, Indira:

Everything you have given is for my heart’s content. Please accept my gratitude.

Anu:

Thank you for giving us ISKCON. I think this is my real family.

Gopal:

In 1973 or 1974 was in Gujarat and looking for a job at the time. I saw devotees setting up for a program. I helped Srila Prabhupada spread a carpet on the stage for it. More devotees came. I chanted with them. Soon after that my life improved. I got good employment. Whenever I feel lonely, I think of the experience with Srila Prabhupada, and I feel ananda [spiritual pleasure]. Ananda has no opposite.

Krishna-kripa Das:

Srila Prabhupada wrote in a letter to Sudama, December 23, 1972:

“Yes, from the very beginning I went to New York because I thought that Krishna Consciousness is the most important idea in the world, so let me go to that place, New York, which is the most important city in the world, and if I am able to do anything for Krishna and my Spiritual Master, even I am at the fag-end of my life, at least let me try for it there. So my dreams have all come true, and all of you nice boys and girls are getting the credit. When I was alone in your New York, I was thinking, who will listen to me in this horrible, sinful place? All right, I shall stay little longer, at least I can distribute a few of my books, that is something. But Krishna was all along preparing something I could not see, and He brought you to me one by one, sincere American boys and girls, to be trained-up for doing the work of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Now I can see that it is a miracle. Otherwise, your city of New York, one single old man, with only a few books to sell for barely getting eatables, how he can survive, what to speak of introducing God-consciousness movement for saving the humankind? That is Krishna’s miracle. Now I can see it.”

Srila Prabhupada was successful because of his amazing faith, and what was that faith?

Faith in his guru and his guru’s order:

(1) preach in the West

(2) if you get money, print books

(3) cooperate

Faith in parampara, the lineage of spiritual teachers:
(1) faith in their message
(2) faith in their desire to spread the chanting all over the world

Faith in the holy name:

(1) Simply by chanting 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra on beads and giving up the four sinful acts in one life anyone, no matter their background, can become pure enough to go back to the spiritual world.

Newcastle Harinamas

I saw two women of the same age walking together, one pushing an old lady in a wheelchair and the other pushing a young kid in a stroller. It reminded me of how at both the beginning and the end of our lives, we are helpless and have to take the help of others. Such are the limitations of our temporary material bodies. If I was not busy chanting, I would have taken a picture of that striking image.

After our Vyasa-puja program in Newcastle I took a nap and went on harinama from 8–10 p.m. Following the advice of a sanitation worker I encountered on the way downtown, I sat on the sidewalk between the parking lots and The Gate, which claims to be “Newcastle’s premier leisure and entertainment centre.” As I watched the people walk past, it occurred to me that the difference between me and them was Srila Prabhupada’s mercy. Over seven people said Hare Krishna to me, four danced, one had a picture taken with me, an Indian couple who went to our Juhu temple I encouraged to visit our place in Newcastle, one guy, who gave a donation, chose Beyond Birth and Death when I offered him a book, and another guy happily told me he was already up to page 70 in Nectar of Instruction. Pointing to his beer can, he said was not fully enlightened yet, but he was on the path. I told him to read every day and his life would be transformed. He believed it. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Harinama in Chester

On my way to Chester, I stopped at the ticket office at Manchester Piccadilly. I did not have the debit card I used to book my ticket from Edinburgh to Newcastle, so I could not pick up my ticket from the automatic ticket machines but had to go to the counter. In the course of my conversation with the man behind the counter, he asked if I was a Hare Krishna. Then he said, “Gaur . . . and be happy.” I said, “Oh, Gauranga!” “What does that mean?” he asked, “Something about being happy?” “Oh, Gauranga is a name of God,” I replied. “He is a special incarnation of God who came to give the highest spiritual ecstasy to the most unqualified people, and that is a cause of happiness!” I asked how he knew about the name Gauranga, and he explained that when he was in high school many years ago a Hare Krishna devotee sold him some books.



Karsna Prabhu, Aharada Devi Dasi, and Mark of Chester are my favorite harinama family. It is not so often that both parents and the kids go on harinama. 


In Chester there are many people on the streets, and although there is often too much competition with other musicians, it was not so bad this time.

We chanted on Saturday for three hours in downtown Chester, accompanied by Alan, the main leader of our Liverpool nama-hatta and Kamalaksi Devi Dasi, the nice Indian lady who cooks for that program. 

The next day we chanted for two and a half hours with Chand and his wife (not in picture), daughter, and son. The second day two older ladies came by independently of each other, and both were attracted enough to attend our semiweekly program that night. One had a serious interest in yoga and different religions, and I would not be surprised if we see her again.   

After the Chester program, on my way home to Newcastle I chanted outside Liverpool Lime Street train station for half an hour. While there a guy came up to me and showed me a 20 pence coin saying, “I will give you this if you promise to be quiet for 30 seconds while I walk past.” I smiled, said “OK,” and accepted the coin. It seemed inauspicious to abandon chanting altogether just to please a demonic living entity, so I chanted my mind for 30 seconds before continuing out loud with my harmonium and amplifier after the man had passed. That had never happened before.

Harinama in Edinburgh

Although I had done five times as many books and collected five times as much in Newcastle the previous day, in Edinburgh my presence made a difference in the life of one high school graduate, who was half way through reading Easy Journey to Other Planets. He wanted another book. I recommended Sri Isopanisad as two days before Alan of Liverpool had told me he had become convinced by reading it, and therefore, I was reminded of how nice it was. The young man decided to choose Chant and Be Happy instead because he was a musician and he had a love for George Harrison. He took down the details of our Edinburgh Gauranga Mantra Centre and said he would try to come next Tuesday.

The Edinburgh nama-hatta attenders are participatory, cooperative, and charitable, and there are often some new people at the meetings. I am always encouraged to go there, and I look forward to returning next year, God willing.

An Odd Picture

After chanting downtown for 2 hours in the evening on Vyasa-puja day, I was walking up the hill to the Newcastle temple, and I saw this sign. I felt I had to take a picture of it.

Balaji in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, is one of the most famous and popular deities of Lord Krishna in India, and certainly one of those receiving the greatest contributions.


Here in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, however, the glorious transcendental name of Balaji is associated with beers and spirits, and “off-licence.” 


If you are non-British, you may wonder, as I did, what does “off-licence” mean? Apple’s dictionary says, “A store selling alcoholic beverages for consumption elsewhere.” Such is the degradation of this age!

To see pictures I did not include, click on the link below:

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam  1.8.41 in Mayapur on October 21, 1974:

Traditionally sannyasa is meant for the brahmanas. We agree, but for those who are brahmana by qualities, not by birth.

We do not claim the position of Vaishnava but rather we wish to remain the servant of the Vaishnava.

There are four divisions of sannyasa, kuticaka, when one lives outside the village but receives food from home, bahudaka, when one begs door to door, parivrajakacarya, when one preaches from country to country, and paramahamsa, when one sits in one place absorbed in Krishna consciousness.

The whole process is detachment from family, community, etc.

We do not approve of nationalism, but instead we are creating internationalism.

Just as we cannot create our own laws but have to follow the laws given by the state, we have to follow the laws given by God and not act according to our own whims. Dharma is that law given by God, but we have created so many dharmas.

Gold is gold. There are not different kinds of gold. There is 14-karat gold, and 20-karat gold, but pure gold is one. In the same way, we are preaching pure religion, not religion adulterated by so many other things.

We have no other business than to follow the laws of God.

God is real, and anything in connection with God is real, otherwise it is all imitation.

We killing the demons by giving them the Hare Krishna mantra, which purifies them, so their demonic activities are stopped.

Whatever is done is done, but we must stop our demonic activities.

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami:

From a “Poem to Radha-Govinda” posted on Facebook on August 24, 2016:

“Radha-Govinda reciprocate with me.

Radha-Govinda taste the sweetness

of conjugal love.  They exchange it in

sidelong glances.

They taste it in

kisses and embraces.

And share it

with Their innumerable devotees.

Anyone can become

Their associate by following

in the footsteps of

the gopis, or accepting

a pure devotee

in disciplic succession

as the spiritual master. 

The spiritual master initiates one

into the Hare Krishna mantra,

which is made up of the names

of Radha and Krishna.

He teaches Bhagavad-gita

and Srimad-Bhagavatam,

and instructs

the disciple on how

to worship the Deity.

Vande guroh sri-

caranaravindam.”

From Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name:

“Srila Rupa Gosvami says in Upadesamrta that although at present we don’t taste the sweetness of the holy name due to jaundice (avidya), the holy names are so wonderful that by repeatedly chanting them, the taste will return. This statement is not Rupa Gosvami’s imagination. The chanting is very wonderful, it does have a sweet taste, and we will attain it. Therefore, we will show our belief in the statement by acting on the basis of it. We will go on chanting.”

  

Bhakti Charu Swami:

From a lecture at Croatia Seminar 2016:

“Why did Krishna create this universe?” In that respect we can consider two explanations. One is a prison house, where the criminals are being corrected. A prison house is actually a reform house, meant for correcting our perverted mentality. Our mentality has become perverted, so there is a need to create this prison house. So Krishna has created this prison house, where the criminals are being punished to eventually understand what they should do. Now, sometimes some people find this quite shocking, “This material nature is a prison house? I am a prisoner? What’s wrong with you! I think I am the most decent and honest person.” So if we have some reservation or reluctance in accepting that concept, then let’s consider the other explanation. The child wants to play with his friends in the park. So the child says, “Daddy! Daddy! I want to go to the park.” The father says, “Okay, come”, and he takes the child to the park. And coming to the park, the child is completely lost in the games with his friends. When he is winning in the game, he is happy. When he is losing, he is sad. That’s the game. And he completely forgot about the father. While the child is playing in the park, the father is sitting there on a bench and watching the child. Then the child becomes afraid. All his friends have left, it became dark, so the child calls out, “Daddy, where are you?” So then the father comes, picks him up and says, “Come, let’s go.” So, in a way, our situation is like that. We are a bunch of kids who wanted to play, and coming to the playground, meeting our friends, we are completely immersed in play. In the course of our game some are our friends and some are our enemies. Those who are playing in my favor, they are my friends. Those who are opposing me, they are my enemies. In this way, in this field, we are creating duality. We are so lost that we have no time to think about the Father. But then, at some point, when we turn to the Father and say, “Daddy, where are you?”, then He comes and picks us up and says, “Come, let’s go home.”

Sadaputa Prabhu:

From Mysteries of the Sacred Universe (p. 170):

“According to the Bhagavatam, God simultaneously spans all scales of size from largest to smallest. God also defines space rather than existing within it as an object among other objects. The space thus defined involves unlimited scales and dimensions, and it is not limited to the three-dimensional Euclidian continuum. However, it does include this continuum. Indeed, it contains many three-dimensional continua.”

“This system of thought rules out the kind of comprehensive model of reality that we are familiar with in the West. Rather, it lends itself to multiple models that represent different aspects of an inconceivable total reality.”

—–

The verse reassures us that even if people chant without proper understanding they still benefit greatly from it.

yathagadam viryatamam
 upayuktam yadrcchaya
ajanato ’py atma-guṇam
 kuryan mantro ’py udahrtah

“If a person unaware of the effective potency of a certain medicine takes that medicine or is forced to take it, it will act even without his knowledge because its potency does not depend on the patient’s understanding. Similarly, even though one does not know the value of chanting the holy name of the Lord, if one chants knowingly or unknowingly, the chanting will be very effective.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.19)

Travel Journal#12.11: From Newcastle to London
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 12, No. 11

By Krishna-kripa das
(June 2016, part one)

Newcastle, York, Sheffield, Leicester
Northampton Ratha-yatra, Chester, London
(Sent from London on June 17, 2016)

Where I Went and What I Did

In the beginning of June I chanted in Newcastle for three days, and then I chanted harinama in York with a party led by Govardhan Devi Dasi and went to the York nama-hatta. I traveled with four York devotees to hear Janananda Goswami speak the next day at the Leicester Sunday feast program. The next week I chanted in Chester-le-Street and Durham on Monday, and then Sunderland, Newcastle, Sheffield, and Leicester the rest of the week. Sacinandana Karuna Prabhu, whose Weekend Warrior programs I would attend in the London area, invited me to the first ever Northampton Ratha-yatra, where he is now based. Later that day I went on a late-night Saturday harinama with the Leicester devotees, and many people danced with our party. I did harinama with devotees in Chester and spoke at the Chester nama-hatta on Sunday, and then went to London for a week to do harinama with the Harinama Ruci traveling harinama party and my friends at our Soho Street temple.

I share insights from many Srila Prabhupada lectures, mostly on the prayers of Queen Kunti. I share notes on Janananda Goswami’s Sunday feast lecture in Leicester. I share excerpts from Back to Godhead articles by Suresvara Prabhu about cooperating to please Srila Prabhupada and Caitanya-carana Prabhu about “Damodarastaka.” I share realizations on chanting Hare Krishna by Govardhan Devi Dasi and Gauridas Pandit Prabhu, who facilitate the York nama-hatta. I also share notes on Dayananda Swami’s lectures in Newcastle.

Thanks to Ramai and Vrinda Prabhus for their kind donation toward my travel from Newcastle to Sunderland and back. Thanks to Barbara of Liverpool for her kind donation, and Karsna Prabhu of Chester for contributing to my travel there. I would like to thank Dennis and the York nama-hatta for their kind donation to my travel between York and Newcastle and Bass for giving me a ride from Newcastle to York. I thank Govardhan Devi Dasi and Ashish for donating to me the harinama collections in York from Saturday and Sunday. Thanks to Aayush and Reena for letting me stay with them in Sheffield, and to Bali Mardan and his son for letting me stay with them in Leicester and driving me to the Northampton Ratha-yatra and to the Megabus stop. Thanks to Gauridas Pandit Prabhu for driving us from York to Leicester to see Janananda Goswami. Thanks to Joe Kenny for his picture of the Sheffield nama-hatta, and to Mark for his picture of the Chester harinama.

Itinerary

June 13–20: London

June 20–21: Stonehenge Solstice Festival

June 21–June 24: New Mayapur, France, with Janananda Goswami

June 25–30: Paris, France, with Janananda Goswami [June 26 – Ratha-yatra]

July 1: Newcastle

July 2: York harinamaand nama-hatta

July 3: Scarborough with Govardhan Devi Dasi and John

July 4–5: Preston and Blackpool, with Govardhan Devi Dasi and John

July 6: Newcastle

July 7–9: Polish Padayatra

July 10: Prague Ratha-yatra

July 12–16: Polish Woodstock

July 17–26: Polish Summer Festival Tour

July 27–29: Berlin harinama?

July 30: Berlin Ratha-yatra

July 31–August 4: Czech Padayatra

August 5–11: Baltic Summer Festival

August 12–14: Ancient Trance Festival?

August 15–17: Bratislava?

August 17: Prague?

August 18–21: Trutnoff (Czech Woodstock)

August 22: Prague

August 23: London

August 24–27: Newcastle [including Janmastami and Vyasa Puja]

August 28: Leeds

August 29: Newcastle

August 30: Edinburgh

August 31–September 1: Newcastle

September 2: Sheffield

September 3: York

September 4: Newcastle

September 5–12: Ireland

September 13–: New York City Harinam

Chanting in Chester-le-Street

All my Newcastle friends were busy, so I chanted with Atul Krishna Caitanya Prabhu for an hour and almost a half in Chester-le-Street, his hometown, and felt happy to brighten up his day, as with his health it is hard for him to go to the temple regularly.



He told me how his town has a spiritual history and showed me the Parish Church of St. Mary’s and St. Cuthbert’s, dated back to A.D. 883, where monks called anchorites lived, walled up for years in a sealed off room to focus on prayer and contemplation.

Atul wrote of our time together, “Lovely afternoon with Krishna-kripa Das. We visited the Anker’s House Museum attached to the Parish Church where the Anker (Hermit) would be walled in for a life of solitude and prayer. We were also invited to see the Church’s copy of The Lindisfarne Gospels, which contain the first Gospel to be written in Anglo-Saxon English. We also were invited to ring Cuthbert’s Bell in the Church tower. Then on to Front Street for a beautiful harinama, thank you Krishna-kripa Das for blessing my hometown with your company.”
Chanting in Durham

As soon as I got to Durham, set up my book display and began chanting, an Indian woman, who attends our temple in Leicester, where I happened to be the day before, stopped by, buying a Bhagavad-gita, and making for a good day.

Chanting in Sunderland

While chanting in Sunderland, I was challenged by a guy who had been imprisoned for ten years for stabbing someone. He claimed he prayed to God in prison for three or four years and got absolutely no response, and so he became an atheist. He said came to feel sorry to the person he hurt but not that he felt sorry to God. I argued that feeling compassion for someone is a quality that comes from associating with God, trying to show him that his years of prayer had some tangible result, but he claimed compassion was purely a human emotion with no spiritual basis. It was humbling for me not to have a convincing argument. I know many stories of people becoming devotees as a result of witnessing God answering their prayers, so I think of that as a reality, but it was a reality that former convict had no faith in.

Chanting in Newcastle

I chanted in Newcastle by myself three days in a row. I do not remember any striking experiences, although I see that many more people say “Hare Krishna” to you in Newcastle than a lot of British towns as we have had a continuing presence there for many years and this particular week people were more charitable than usual.



Dayananda Swami chanted at our Wednesday night kirtana, and I share this video of that  (https://youtu.be/CLeRWZwFgPA): 

The last day I was in Newcastle told my Facebook friends, “I had a mixed day on harinama. A bird crapped on my harmonium, and I had to wash it off. The ends of my fingers went numb from the continuous north wind in Newcastle, even though it is June. But a Newcastle University student bought a Science of Self-Realization, and a smiling man shook my hand, saying he is most of the way through the book he bought from me and he really likes it.”

Chanting in Sheffield

In Sheffield I talked to an Indian lady who had lived in Sheffield for years and not known about the ISKCON nama-hatta programs, which have been going on for three decades. That just underscores the importance of having devotees visibly out in the streets to connect people with local Hare Krishna activities. One fortyish man gave £2, declining a book because he already had one. Apparently from reading it, he felt we were worth contributing to. On the whole, I felt happy to be singing in Sheffield.

Three Latvians who are becoming devotees, Valeri, Alexandra, and Marita, regularly drive an hour from Barnsley to attend the Sheffield nama-hatta. They were the cooks this week.



Our attendees this week, from left to right and top to bottom were: Geoffrey, Valeri, myself, Aayush, Harisuta Devi Dasi, Alexandra, Reena, and Marita. Adam had to leave early, and Joe took the picture.




Speaking of Sheffield, we take this opportunity to congratulate Mariana of Ukraine, who has been regularly active in the Sheffield nama-hatta for several years, and who was just initiated by Indradyumna Swami this month as Madhavi-rani dasi. We hope she is steady in her service to her guru and she attains spiritual perfection as a result.

Northampton Ratha-yatra

As at some other places in England, the Northampton Ratha-yatra is the contribution of local Hare Krishna devotees to that city’s yearly carnival, which involved a parade for two and a half hours through the streets of the city, both the business and residential areas, and a festival in a park. As the entries in the parade were lining up, we began our kirtana, and thus I led for forty minutes, even before the parade left the park. Many people, both watching the parade and part of the parade, were attracted by the devotees.

I took some video clips of it (https://youtu.be/-d76THyaaf0):

One devotee, Nikhil Gohil, shared on YouTube his video of the procession (https://youtu.be/_Ip7Pu8v4kA):

Devotees also got to sing for 5 minutes on the single festival stage.

ISKCON PandavaSena shared this video on Facebook:

If you do not have Facebook, see this lower resolution one produced from downloading the other one and uploading it to YouTube (https://youtu.be/-nDvEQ9oW8o):

From the stage, I noted those who participated most enthusiastically and gave them “Krishna Wisdom” pamphlets after. Someone seeing me give out those pamphlets asked me for one.

The devotees were happy about participating in the event and discussed how they could increase next year.

Leicester Harinamas

I attempted to add two additional harinamas on Friday to the harinama schedule in Leicester, but only one person joined me for ten minutes for the first one and the second one got rained out. In Leicester, there are many Indian people who are willing to give donations but who say they already have the books.

Saturday is the usual harinama day in Leicester, and devotees go out twice, from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. We missed the first one because of attending the Northampton Ratha-yatra, but I did not want to miss the second one. Seeing all the partiers dancing with the devotees reminded me of the late-night harinamas we used to have in Gainesville, after the Friday evening program. Maybe I will start that up again when I return to Florida.

One girl, who was playing guitar as a street musician, stopped playing her guitar for money and sang with us. She had been to Hare Krishna free prasadam events in her native Latvia. I encouraged her to play her instrument along with us, if she wanted to, and she did. She also chanted and danced much of the time as well. I gave her the details of our Sunday feast, temporarily located at the Krishna Avanti Primary School, and she said she and some Latvian friends who like Hare Krishna would come. I thought of other Hare Krishna events in the UK she might like, and I mentioned the Stonehenge Solstice festival, and how the devotees sing for six hours and distribute vegetarian food. She was excited, saying that she had wanted to go to Stonehenge, especially at the solstice, and I explained to her briefly how to get there.

A group of five girls danced with us twice. The blond girl playing the drum was not a devotee or a drummer but joined our party because she liked to dance. Here are some highlights (https://youtu.be/PbM5FZuv_KY):

Chester Harinama

Eight devotees participated in harinama in Chester. The city was extra crowded with people observing a ceremony for the Queen’s 90th birthday and participating in and watching a triathlon. We felt grateful that we were not told to abandon our spot and to move on until it was time to pack up and go to the nama-hatta program anyway. One nice Indian couple with a young boy learned of our program by seeing our harinama and attended it that very day.

Here Bhanu, the young Indian girl, is singing. I am playing a harmonium, which is covered with a harinama cadar, because it is raining. Karsna Prabhu is playing the drum, and Āhāradā Devi Dasi is playing karatalas. The guy in shorts is smiling and moving with the music.

That we had lots of people on harinama, that two or three people really liked my lecture, that the new couple came, and that a couple of people contributed to my travel made it feel like a successful day.

London Harinama with Harinama Ruci

As often I have been chanting in public by myself in recent days, it was extra special going out with Harinama Ruci and my Soho Street friends. This time the main singer for Harinama Ruci was Syamarasa Prabhu, an Indradyumna Swami disciple from Croatia, who sings attractive melodies.

We would begin in front of Radha-Londonisvara Mandir on Soho Street in Central London. Sometimes people would even begin dancing with us there.

Devotees would swing passersby.

Sometimes people would imitate the dancing devotees.

Some people wanted photos of themselves with the devotees.

I suggested to this lady (above) to dance with the devotee ladies, but she said she did not know the steps. I encouraged her anyway, and she finally did and had a great time. She even said she would join us the next day.

The first day children from France, primary schoolers from Hartlepool (England), ladies from Holland, and young people from Spain delighted in chanting and dancing with Harinama Ruci and the Soho Street devotees at Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus (https://youtu.be/ViwDLJHvtNQ):


Two young Italian ladies (above, in black), one based in London and the other visiting her, danced with the female devotees for half an hour as our chanting party proceeded through Covent Garden on our second day of chanting Hare Krishna in London with Harinama Ruci and the Soho devotees. In one bar, the staff behind the counter enjoyed dancing until the boss lady came upstairs and made us stop and leave. Glasgow students delighted in chanting and dancing with us at Leicester Square. It was a lively day as you can see (https://youtu.be/Rd7ytH1E6Y8):

Visnu Jana Prabhu and another devotee took lots more video of the Glasgow students (https://youtu.be/ucQobuUnChY):


The girl on the left, who is swinging with Mangala-vati Devi Dasi, is the girl I asked where the kids came from and who told me Glasgow. I told her that we had a farm in Lesmahagow and programs in Edinburgh. She said she knew of Lesmahagow but that she lived nearer Edinburgh. I gave her my card, and said I could tell her the addresses of our places.

We were more successful entering a clothing shop than we were at the bar. This time four employees chanted and danced with us and later accepted invitations to our temple open day and the London Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/4sLqr1z9gUU):

To see photos I took and did not include, click on the link below:

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From a letter to devotees, San Francisco, March 30, 1967:

“If you always chant Hare Krishna, read my books, and preach this philosophy sincerely, then Krishna will provide you with all facility, and you will not fall down into material entanglement.”

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.29 on April 21, 1973 in Los Angeles:

Regarding Putana, the witch who tried to kill Krishna, Krishna considered, “Somehow or other I have sucked her milk, thus she is My mother.” Thus He blessed her with the position of mother eternally.

No one can do harm to Krishna nor can anyone give anything to Krishna. So why are we giving so many things to Krishna? Because if we give to Krishna, then we become benefited.

“If you try to satisfy Krishna in all respects, you will be satisfied in all respects.”

“I receive so many letters daily how they [my disciples] are hopeful in Krishna consciousness.”

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.29 on October 9, 1974 in Mayapur:

[Commenting on Krishna’s dealing with Putana] “The service side Krishna always accepts . . . a little service.”

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.30 on April 22, 1973 in Los Angeles:

As our body is working because of the vital force, the universe is working because of the supreme vital force, Krishna.

Krishna is within the heart and also without as the visva-rupa, the universal form of the Lord.

Those who cannot see God have been advised in the Vedic literature to see God in so many ways: The highest planet is the skull of God. The mountains are the bones of God. The sole of God is the lowest planet.

Because God is great he can create an immense manifestation such as this cosmic creation but he also can create microscopic living entities. His greatness is not just one-sided. You can produce a 747 airplane, but can you produce a fly-sized flying machine? No, that is not possible.

If you can keep yourself always in the company of Krishna, all perfection will be there.

We are requesting everyone “chant, chant, chant,” and they are replying “can’t, can’t, can’t.” This is their misfortune.

If we put literature in his hand, he is becoming fortunate. He would have squandered his hard earned money in so many sinful ways, but if he purchases some book, no matter what the price, his money is properly utilized.

Somehow or other, bring everyone in this Krishna consciousness movement, and he will be profited.

The Lord is the source of the bliss that the impersonalists meditate on.

A devotee is always prepared to render service to the Lord.

Human life does not begin unless there is a conception of religion.

In Kali-yuga is practically 80% is sinful. The four pillars of sinful life are meat eating, illicit sex, intoxication and gambling. We request our students to break these pillars, so their sinful life will collapse. And then chant Hare Krishna.

If one has no good engagement, sinful engagements cannot be stopped. You must give people good engagement. The government has failed in this, but we have succeeded.

So-called yoga and meditation are all rascaldom because there is no engagement. There is engagement here with deity worship, sankirtana, etc.

We are forced to take birth, but Krishna voluntary comes to this world. Krishna has a great plan to take people back to home, back to Godhead, and therefore, He comes here.

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.30 on October 10, 1974 in Mayapur:

It appears that the living entity loses his individuality when it is merged with the Brahman effulgence just as a green bird appears to lose its identity when it enters a green tree, but actually that is not the case.

The Lord comes to show us how to work and be happy, not that things come automatically. If you work, things come automatically, but not otherwise.

We are forced to accept happiness and distress because of destiny, but that is not so with Krishna. 

If you simply try to understand the constitution of Krishna, you become liberated.

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.6 in 1974:

If one has to remember Narayana at the time of death, then why not directly practice?

The sankhya-yogasystem of philosophy is very much liked in Europe and Western countries because it is a system of metaphysics analyzing the whole cosmic manifestation.

You may analyze the creation very nicely but that does not mean you understand the source of creation. You may be a big scientist and analyze the material creation, but at the time of death, if you do not remember Narayana, you could end up as a cat or dog in your next life.

Just by analyzing the blood of a patient, you do not cure his condition.

In every birth you get a father or mother, but only in a human birth can you get a guru and Krishna.

If you do not take advantage of the second birth, initiation into spiritual knowledge, what is the difference between you and a cat or a dog?

You must make a cultural institution where people get the education to remember Narayana at the time of death.

I change my body after this body is no longer useful.

We do not give any stress on the bodily dress but on the soul within.

One movement is to revive a person’s consciousness and take him back to Godhead.

We want to help people to be Krishna consciousness, not cat conscious nor dog conscious.

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.31 on April 23, 1973 in Los Angeles:

There is no one who is not afraid of Krishna, yet Krishna is afraid of Yashoda.

Even though Krishna is so beautiful He can enchant Cupid, Radharani can even enchant Krishna.

Every devotee can have such a privilege as Yashoda or Radharani if the devotee becomes sufficiently advanced.

Not I love You, Krishna, and You give me this. There is no such mercantile exchange. Krishna wants that kind of love.

When Krishna was a child, Krishna played perfectly as a child. When he played as the lover of the gopis, he played perfectly as lover.

The residents of Vrindavan do not know that Krishna is God, they just know that Krishna is wonderful. As they see His wonderful activities, that wonder increases more and more. They want Krishna and love Krishna.

Krishna is simply waiting for us to turn our face toward Him, but unfortunately, we are not looking for Krishna. We are looking for something else.

From a lecture given on  March 29, 1977, in Bombay:

When human society becomes devoid of dharma it becomes animal society. Dharma is given by the Supreme Lord – what Krishna says. “Always think of Me.” It is a very simple thing. Even a child can do it.

If you are thinking of Krishna within and without, what need is there to perform austerities? If you do not come to the point of thinking of Krishna within and without, what is the value of your austerities?

Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita, “Matra sparsas tu kaunteya . . . tams titiksava bharata. We have to tolerate. Lord Caitanya says the same thing. Trnad api sunicena taror iva sahisnuna.

There must be an institution in India for teaching Krishna consciousness to the Indians and to those who come to India.

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.21 in Los Angeles on June 18, 1972: 

We can have riches if we bow down to the Lord, otherwise they will be a great burden.

If you misuse the power and do not feel obliged to the Supreme Lord, who has given you the power, then you’ll be finished very soon. Ravana is an example.

Krishna is purusa, the enjoyer. All else is prakrti.

In the material world, the purusa is artificial, just prakrti imitating purusa, like a woman in man’s dress.
Everyone is trying enjoy. But they cannot. It is a false conception to think oneself the enjoyer. This disease can be cured only by surrender to Krishna.

When the kings became puffed up and defied the authority of God, monarchy was finished.

Everyone should know his power is given by Lord for His enjoyment.

We should always engage everything in Krishna’s service.

If you have good engagement, there is no scope for wrong engagement.

Engage yourself always in Krishna’s service, then maya [illusion] will not be able to touch you.

Mayavadis try to stop senses by force. This is like plucking out the eyeballs.

The scientists think the dead stone and the living entity is the same, but the living entities is a different energy, superior energy.

The big scientists are called fools and rascals because they consider this body as self.

A dead man cannot use his senses. One without spiritual vision cannot use his senses in the Lord’s service, and thus he is considered spiritually dead.

Rich men must regularly see the Lord in the temple to become free from their false pride.

Seriousness or no seriousness, if one bows down to the Lord, he gets the result.

The temple is meant to give chances to the nondevotees to engage in devotional service.

Hearing is essential. By hearing we can realize the value of the deity.

However important a man may be, he must accept the supremacy of the Lord.

Because of the subordination of Maharaja Prataparuda to Lord Jagannath, the Pathans (Moslem) warriors could not conquer him.

Devotion to the Lord will even help you in your material life. The devotee does not want to enjoy, but Krishna makes all arrangements for the devotee’s enjoyment.

Your American standard of living is maintained, even if you move to another country. Just as a hog, even if he goes to heaven, will look for stool. Similarly, an Indian, even in America, pursues the spiritual.

If we are intelligent, we will understand our happiness and distress is fixed up by our destiny. Therefore, we should not worry about it. Use your energy to develop Krishna consciousness. Endeavoring for material happiness is a mistake.

This is a foolish civilization that is unaware of these truths.

Lord Krishna:

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.80.43:

“Simply by the grace of the spiritual master a person can fulfill life’s purpose and attain eternal peace.”

Janananda Goswami:

Because Krishna is complete, both all-knowing and absence of knowledge are there in Krishna. And yet Krishna’s knowledge is always increasing.

By dancing and singing together, the members of the Panca-tattva relish the ecstasy the gopisfeel in relationship with Krishna and make it available to others.

Everything in someone we love is lovable to us.

Because everything is a expansion of Krishna, if we hate something, indirectly we are hating Krishna.

People like to spread their name and fame, and Krishna does too.

When we look at Krishna’s beautiful form, our attraction to Him increases more and more.

Maya is the director of the drama of the material world. When you are in a drama, you have to identify with the part to be effective. Maya makes us completely forget our real identity and completely identify with our role in this world.

The more love you have, the more you are concerned with the pleasing the other person, and so it is true with loving God.

The first book I got was the Krishna book. I got it in a secondhand bookstore.

It may seem inconceivable that the pastimes are repeated and yet they are ever fresh. Even in this world, we experience that kids do the same thing every day, but it seems ever fresh to them.

The material energy seems so distant from Krishna, but actually it is not. Everything is connected to Krishna. We just need to see how to connect it.

Parasurama Prabhu has an almost unlimited ability for expansion of service.

Mahavishnu Swami is so serious about Srila Prabhupada’s instructions he practically never misses mangala-arati, and he even attends the Bhagavatam class, when it is given by Bhakta Ben. He goes on harinama for four to six hours a day, and he distributes books every other day.

The incorporation of ISKCON on July 13, 1966 did not make the news yet it was the most important of such events.

Govardhan Devi Dasi:

After chanting for three hours in the street nothing much bothers you.

Chanting the Hare Krishna mantra gives you the spiritual vision to see you are not your body.

When you chant in public, Krishna gives you special mercy.

Suresvara Prabhu:

From “To Cooperate is To Love” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 50, No. 5, September / October 2016:

When another GBC man wrote to inform Prabhupada of more dissension

in the ranks, Prabhupada was philosophical:

Material nature means dissension and disagreement. . . . But, for this Krishna consciousness movement its success will depend on agreement, even though there are varieties of engagements. In the material world there are varieties, but there is no agreement. In the spiritual world there are varieties, but there is agreement.

Different individuals have different ways of engaging material nature in devotional service. The agreement that harmonizes the “varieties of engagements” is their shared purpose, to please Kṛṣṇa.

The materialist . . . cannot come into agreement with varieties, but if we keep Krishna in the center, then there will be agreement in varieties. This is called unity in diversity.

To illustrate, Prabhupada sometimes gave the example of concentric circles.

No matter how many circles we draw, if they all share the same center, they never clash. In the same way, if pleasing Krishna is at the center of our intentions, we’ll be able to “agree to disagree” and continue working cooperatively to serve the Lord even when differences arise.

Prabhupada knew this would be an ongoing challenge:

I am therefore suggesting that all our men meet in Mayapur every year during the birth anniversary of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. With all GBC and senior men present we should discuss how to make unity in diversity. But, if we fight on account of diversity, then it is simply the material platform. Please try to maintain the philosophy of unity in diversity. That will make our movement successful. (Letter, October 18, 1973)

On March 16, 1976, in the holy land of Sridham Mayapur, along the Ganges’s green expanse, dozens of young Americans have crowded into Prabhupāda’s room at ISKCON’s international headquarters. He thanks them for cooperating to profusely distribute his books for the benefit of suffering humanity.

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu – He is God Himself, Krishna Himself – He felt, alone, unable to do this task. He felt. So this is the position. You are cooperating; therefore I am getting the credit. Otherwise, alone what could I do? Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself wanted our cooperation. He is God, Krishna. And therefore cooperation is a very important thing . . . Nobody should think that, “I have got so great ability. I can do.” No. It is simply by cooperation we can do a very big thing. “United we stand, divided we fall.” Sankirtana. Sankirtana means many men combined together, chanting. That is sankirtana. Otherwise kirtana. Sankirtana means many, many combined together. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission.

Urmila Devi:

Krishna is not the cause, in one sense, because he is aloof, enjoying his pastimes, as Krishna, while as His expansions as the purusa incarnations, He is the cause.

We are all looking for happiness. In the U.S. Declaration of Independence it is said we have the right to pursue happiness, but it does not say we have the right to find it.

Something false cannot give you happiness.

Absolute Truth is noncontextual truth.

Contextual truth is relative. Krishna advises Arjuna that dishonor is worse than death and later He advises do not be attached to honor or dishonor.

My father asked Prabhupada if he could come to the temple if he was not a devotee of Krishna. Prabhupada replied, “It does not matter what your religion is. What is important is to know God and love Him.”

A study showed that those companies which remained successful, had plans for a succession and had leaders who took the blame themselves for what went wrong and gave credit to others for success.

Some religions say that God is not in charge of destruction, and they have another being in competition with God that takes charge of destruction.

On explanation is that there is death because we cannot fulfill all our desires in one life.

Thomas Kuhn says in his book on scientific revolutions that the paradigm only shifts with the death of the older people who are invested in it.

Krishna is not the cause in that he is busy enjoying with His associates in Goloka Vrindavan.

Krishna does not want there to be an illusory energy just as the government does not want to have to create a prison and parents do not want to have to punish their kids.

Hypnotism works because when the mind is asleep its functions of acceptance and rejection are not present. Thus the patient is open to the suggestions of the hypnotist.

Generally in different religions one seeks the truth to enjoy the material world or to liberate oneself from this world.

When we are in love with something, even our latest phone, which is a sort of perverted santa-rasa [relationship of adoration], we feel pleasure. Imagine how much joy there is in loving the source of everything!

We seek a total consuming love for the cause of all causes.

Srila Prabhupada did not demand that people change their faith. I know initiated devotees who live in Catholic monasteries.

Srila Prabhupada sometimes said that not blaspheming devotees who have dedicated their lives to propagation of his holy name includes blaspheming Christ and Muhammad.

Because we are talking about things that are beyond time, some things are not understandable to us, like how we came to the material world.

If you chant and do not offend devotees, you will realize that you are a fool, in so many ways, for neglecting Krishna, even now.

Dayananda Swami:

From lectures at the North UK Retreat the previous month:

In 1978 one young man was second in line in command on a cargo ship and making loads of money, but he realized that wasn’t what life about. So he and his girlfriend traveled to all the places the hippies would go, but he realized they also did not have the ultimate truth. He got back to Southampton and started hitchhiking to London. A van stopped and picked them up. After a while, the van driver started preaching Krishna consciousness. The guy really got into the philosophy. Then the van driver asked him for a joint, and he was confused that the driver was preaching this pure philosophy but wanted to smoke pot. At any rate, he gave him a joint, and driver lit it. The van driver took him to the Bhaktivedanta Manor and introduced him to the leader of new devotees, and he never left. We can learn from this that even if we are not following perfectly, we can still preach.”

There is a story about a guru would give a class, and one bull would faithfully attend it. Somehow the guru was unable to continue giving class, and the question of who the disciples would hear from came up. The guru recommended the bull, and the other disciples were incredulous. Then the guru explained, “The bull would faithfully come every day to hear class, and when I would get to an important point, he would stop chewing his cud, so I can tell he was attentively hearing.”

From classes in Newcastle:

Just as in a conversation you tell the main point first and then fill in the details, Krishna summarizes his message in the Second Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, and then explains the details.

Until we get the association of devotee, we cannot be introduced to Krishna.

To remember Krishna in every situation is Krishna consciousness. Without Krishna consciousness, we are just playing in the shadows.

Krishna is always there, but if we do not see Him, how can He help us?

Krishna gives us the consciousness to be happy in every situation.

We are either serving Paramatma (the Lord in the heart) or the material energy.

I was on sankirtana and visited many shops on seven or eight streets. At five o’clock, I went to the car. I felt around my pocket for the keys, but they were not there. I went to all the shops again but no keys. Then as I was walking, I felt my head slow turnly and focus on the ground, and there were the keys. Without Krishna giving me some special mercy, I never would have found them.

We must regularly hear from the revealed literature, so we can see the path. Not many people last the whole life in devotional service. That is because they do not regularly hear and see the world in terms of what they hear.

Our bodies are changing so slowly we do not notice it, yet we are foolishly becoming attached to them.

This is not a practice run. It is the real thing. The clock is ticking. We have limited time to attain perfection.

Q: How to get a strong desire to go back to Godhead?

A: Associate with people who have a strong desire. Pray to Krishna for that desire.

Impersonal realization gives some satisfaction to the mind, but it does not satisfy the senses.

Once one of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples went to hear from once of Prabhupada’s godbrothers in Calcutta. When he returned, Srila Prabhupada asked what the godbrother had been saying. After hearing what was said, Srila Prabhupada replied, “You have been scarred for life.”

If we have a desire to hear about genuine spiritual life, Krishna will send a suitable person to hear from.

Mukti means liberation whereas vimukti means devotional service.

The neophyte devotee just thinks of “me and Krishna” and does not appreciate the other devotees or their service.

Devotees on the middle level avoid envious people because when encountered they will blaspheme the Lord or His devotees.

Srila Prabhupada could speak the philosophy to all kinds of persons and make it suitable for their understanding.

The pure devotee puts the vani (instructions) in practice and thus we can learn greatly from him.

Although in this age we may not have so much personal association with our guru, we can download thousands of lectures of advanced devotees and be inspired by listening to them.

Without the association of devotees, we cannot be sure our realizations are actually valid. There is a story about a prisoner who got Bhagavad-gita in prison but did not have the association of the devotees. Later when the devotees got the clearance to go into the prison, they met the man. The devotees praised his fortune in reading the Gita, and ask him the conclusion. He said, “When I get out of prison, there are six kinds of people I can immediately kill.”

Our insurance for remaining a devotee for life is to follow the program Srila Prabhupada gave us.

We need knowledge to start devotional service and also to maintain devotional service. Knowledge means that we enjoy association with Krishna more than material activities.

The more we sacrifice for Krishna, especially by serving the devotees and by serving the people in general by giving them opportunities for devotional service, we come from the third-class to the second-class platform quicker.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura stressed attentively chanting the holy name, association with devotees, and giving mercy to others.

Caitanya-carana Prabhu:

From “Meditating on the Damodarastaka” in Back to Godhead, Vol. 50, No. 5, September / October 2016:

“God is both great and sweet. Awareness of His greatness evokes submission, whereas awareness of His sweetness evokes affection. Devotee seekers need to be aware of both features, for submission and affection symbiotically reinforce devotion. For exalted devotees such as Yasoda, however, their awareness of Krishna’s greatness is almost entirely eclipsed by their absorption in His sweetness.”

Caitanya Vallabha Prabhu:

From his announcements at the Newcastle temple:

As Maya has her trident of (1) miseries caused by the mind and body, (2) miseries caused by other living beings, and (3) miseries caused by the forces of nature, we have our trident of (1) distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books, (2) harinama-sankirtana, and (3) distribution of prasadam.

Gauridas Pandit Das:

We are spiritual, and the Hare Krishna mantra is spiritual, coming from the spiritual world, and when these two meet, the result is wonderful.

—–

kathancana smrte yasmin

duskaram sukaram bhavet

vismrte viparitam syat

sri-caitanyam namami tam

“Things that are very difficult to do become easy to execute if one somehow or other simply remembers Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But if one does not remember Him, even easy things become very difficult. To this Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu I offer my respectful obeisances.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 14.1)

Travel Journal#12.10: The North UK
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 12, No. 10

By Krishna-kripa das
(May 2016, part two)

Newcastle, Sheffield, Manchester, Preston, Accrington
Liverpool, Karuna Bhavan, Glasgow, Edinburgh
(Sent from Newcastle-upon-Tyne on June 8, 2016)

Where I Went and What I Did

As the second half of May began, I finished my stay in Newcastle, chanting there and in nearby North Shields. Then I spent three days in Sheffield advertising their Ratha-yatra, returning to Newcastle for half a day for their Nrsimha Caturdasi harinama and evening program. After Sheffield Ratha-yatra I stayed in Manchester for five days, chanting there for three days and in one day each in Preston and in Liverpool, and speaking at nama-hatta programs in Accrington and Liverpool. Janananda Goswami recommended I go to the North UK Retreat, this year at Karuna Bhavan in Scotland, as we had attended it in previous years, however, I like to attend the Newcastle Eight-Hour Kirtana so much, I skipped the first day of the retreat. The retreat included lots of valuable realizations from senior devotees like Kripamoya Prabhu, Sri Guru Carana Padma Devi Dasi, Dayananda Swami, and Bhakti Prabhava Swami, which I share in the “Insights” section, and included a harinama as well. After the retreat I did harinama in Glasgow and Edinburgh on the last two days of the month of May.

In addition to insights from the senior devotees on the retreat, I have notes on several Srila Prabhupada lectures, a quote from Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Harinama Cintamani, and a poem by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami to his deities, Radha-Govinda.

I would like to thank the Newcastle and Manchester temples for their kind donations. I would also like to thank Anthony Bate of the Preston nama-hatta, Alan Miles of the Liverpool nama-hatta, and Rima of the Edinburgh nama-hatta for their kind donations. Thanks to Balesvara Raman Prabhu, of Odisha, now based in Glasgow, for letting me stay at his place and contributing to my travels. Thanks to Aayush of Sheffield for letting me stay at his place twice and giving me a donation. Thanks to Lotus of Edinburgh for letting me stay at his place twice and for his donation to my travels. Thanks to Malini Devi Dasi, her Italian friend, and an Indian man from Edinburgh, whose name I do not know, for their kind donations. Thanks to the lady who attends the Manchester temple and who gave a donation when I met her in the city center.

Itinerary

June 1–8: Newcastle

June 9: Sheffield

June 10: Leicester

June 11: Northampton Ratha-yatra

June 12: Chester

June 13–20: London [June 17 trip to Northampton nama-hatta]

June 20–21: Stonehenge Solstice Festival

June 21–June 30: France with Janananda Goswami [June 26 – Paris Ratha-yatra]

July 1: Newcastle
July 2: York harinamaand nama-hatta

July 3: Scarborough
July 4–5: Preston, Blackpool, and more
July 6: Newcastle
July 7–9: Polish Padayatra

July 10: Prague Ratha-yatra

July 12–16: Polish Woodstock

July 17–26: Polish Summer Festival Tour

July 27–29: Berlin harinama?

July 30: Berlin Ratha-yatra

July 31–August 4: Czech Padayatra

August 5–11: Baltic Summer Festival

August 12–14: Ancient Trance Festival?

August 15–17: Bratislava?

August 17: Prague?

August 18–21: Trutnoff (Czech Woodstock)

August 22: Prague

August 23: London

August 24–29: Newcastle [August 28: Leeds?]

August 30: Edinburgh

August 31–September 1: Newcastle

September 2: Sheffield

September 3: York

September 4: Newcastle

September 5–12: Ireland

September 13–: New York City Harinam

Harinama in North Shields

I chanted in North Shields, one of those small towns around Newcastle that Janananda Goswami likes us not to forget. The people were grateful and gave double of what I spent on the metro to get there and back, but none took any books.

Harinamas in Sheffield

I chanted Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in downtown Sheffield to promote the Ratha-yatra on Sunday. The first day was the best because Harisuta Devi Dasi chanted with me for the first hour and a half and Adam chanted with me the second hour and a half. All the other days I chanted alone. Friday was Nrsimhadeva’s Appearance Day, and I chanted two hours in Sheffield, and then I went to Newcastle and chanted there for two hours more.



Before chanting on the streets of Sheffield on the special festival day, I chanted japa in Sheffield’s Winter Garden, which includes tropical plants like palm trees and which reminded me of Florida.

Newcastle Nrsimha Harinama

Bhakti Rasa Prabhu and his wife, Kirtida Devi, as well as Prema Sankirtana Prabhu, all like the idea of celebrating the festival days with harinama. Therefore, I knew I would have a good group of devotees to chant on Nrsimha Caturdasi there, and I did – eleven devotees.  Thus I took a break from advertising the Sheffield Ratha-yatra, and made the three-hour bus ride to Newcastle midday and back the next morning to celebrate with the devotees there. Often the devotees dance off to the side of the pathway, so some people can avoid the ecstasy, but in Newcastle, they danced right in the middle so people could not help but notice. One group of young people looked at our party and danced a little bit among themselves for over half an hour, but they were too shy to join us. We tried to sneak up on them, but they ran away. Finally, when they went on their way, they did a few dance steps as they passed our party (https://youtu.be/PldpDLV8_hE):

I gave a lecture on what we can learn from the Nrsimha pastime, which turned out to be a lot of the teachings of His pure devotee, Prahlada Maharaja.

Sheffield Nrsimha Festival

As we did with Janmastami last year, we celebrated Nrsimha Caturdasi in Sheffield at the Burngreave Ashram, an interfaith ashram a short walk from the city center. We did not get as many people as we had for Janmastami, but there were a few people to hear Dayananda Swami’s lecture. It is a challenge to present the pastime to an audience including very new people, and I think he did a good job. We had a couple kirtanas, which is always a good way to celebrate a festival. Then there was a feast of khichri, pakoras, and halava.

Sheffield Ratha-yatra

Rain was predicted for the day of the Ratha-yatra, and I asked several friends, including Calib, a very individualistic Christian preacher, who attends our Sheffield kirtanas, to pray for sun. I do not know whose prayers were most effective, but it was a party sunny day, and it did not rain at all.

Lara, a law student at Sheffield University from Italy, came to the Sheffield Ratha-yatra from seeing Harisuta Devi Dasi and I doing harinama in the city center ten days before. She had encountered Hare Krishna kirtana before at an ashram near St. Francis’s place in Italy, where she had spent time on retreats. While we were waiting for the procession to start, I showed Lara the article on Villa Vrindavan from the last Back to Godhead that I had proofread on my computer. I offered to send it to her, and she was into was happy to receive it.



Lara (in white scarf) also invited a fellow student from France named Louisa (wearing glasses), who was majoring in philosophy, to come to Ratha-yatra. They took prasadam and helped push, rather than pull, the Ratha-yatra cart. Lara was so pleased with the festival she gave Parasuram Prabhu a £10 donation. They both participated in the henna, and showed me their nicely decorated hands afterwards.

A group of kids danced with us during the procession. A couple of girls were especially into it.

Later, during the final kirtana, a couple groups of kids danced with the devotees. Behnam and Erzsebet were both competent in engaging the local kids in dancing.

I took some video of it (https://youtu.be/0_IzKTb3mM4):

Harinama in Manchester

I can see Krishna was encouraging me in my decision to chant in Manchester from the very beginning because the very first day I collected enough to cover the £13.50 weekly bus pass. One Indian man and an American Airlines pilot from near Boston both donated £10. The pilot was also a yoga teacher and knew about kirtana. I told him about our programs at 72 Commonwealth Avenue and the festival we have in September, and I gave him my card and said I would tell him the details about this years’ festival if he emailed me. He took a Chant and Be Happy and Krishna Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System. The Indian man took Beyond Birth and Death.

The second day was crazy because one wild young man started to grab five books with no intention of paying for them, saying he wanted to learn about it. I said he could have one book for free and handed him a Krishna Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System, but he grabbed a hardbound Science of Self-Realization instead.  In one sense that was better as my friend Tara gave me money to buy the SSRs so I did not lose anything on it. In the course of the afternoon, that crazy guy came by three or four times and ripped off two books. Once when he took one more, I challenged him asking if he knew about the law of karma. He said, “You mean good karma?” I replied, “If you steal, there is only bad karma!” He returned, and threw the book at me, but at least I got it back.

One day a friendly Muslim man from Bangladesh talked to me briefly. He mentioned that the Hindus he grew up with were all good people. I said I had friend from Bangladesh where I live in Newcastle. As he left, he gave me a 1.5 liter bottle of water as a gift.

Harinama in Preston

During the week I spent in Manchester, of Manchester, Preston, and Liverpool, Preston turned out to be the place where I distributed the most books and received the most donations. One young lady took three books, and an Indian mother took at Gita for £10. As I was walking from the Travelodge toward my harinama spot, I met a young couple, and the lady was very glad to see a devotee. She said she had been to Karuna Bhavan, our farm in Scotland, a few hours north. She wondered what programs we had in Preston, but I had to inform her we just had programs in Accrington but not Preston. She was not free on Thursdays, the night of the Accrington program. I gave her a card for Manchester temple, so she could at least go to some of the special festivals there. I met an amazing, well educated gentleman in seventies or perhaps eighties, originally from American, who had taken his kids to the Ratha-yatra in San Francisco in 1970 and who had been to Krishna Lunch in Gainesville. He had a lot of knowledge about many subjects. He mentioned he had his own spiritual practice but did not volunteer it, and I did not ask.

Harinama in Liverpool

A guy dabbling in Buddhism took a Beyond Birth and Death after donating £1. Two Sikh friends donated about £2 and took two books. I asked if they were vegetarian, because the Sikhs are supposed to be. One was, and one was not. Later they came back, donating three bottles of a yogurt drink that some people were distributing for free. One friendly older man told me he has been doing street photography in Liverpool for years, and he has taken many pictures of Hare Krishnas, and he would sent them to the devotees. I said he could take a picture of me if he wanted. He did, and I gave him my card so he could send it to me.

A new lady named Joanna came to the Liverpool program. She encountered the Hare Krishna chant at the evening Ganga Puja at Parmarth, an ashram in Rishikesh. She looked up Hare Krishna Liverpool on the internet and found out about our program. I told her how I was in Rishikesh in March, and that we chanted there. I gave her my card, and said if she looked at my blog, she could see videos of us chanting in Rishikesh. She seemed to have a good time at the Liverpool program, and she helped vacuum the floor afterwards.

Newcastle Eight-Hour Kirtana

Devotees new and old, playing Eastern and Western instruments, and wearing Eastern and Western dress, sang and danced with affection for the holy name of Krishna, prasadam, and each other at the Newcastle Eight-Hour Kirtana. One young Indian-bodied man came from Carlisle. Here are some video clips of the event (https://youtu.be/3GZwPCF4ZVA):

On the Train to Edinburgh

The train was so hot I took off my coat and set it on top of my pack on the rack above my seat, as there was no other free place to put it. While I was using my computer, all of a sudden, my coat fell on top of both me and my computer. I was a little surprised, and I exclaimed in relief, “At least it fell on me and not someone else.” People laughed. Then I added, “It must be my karma.” And they laughed again. I was dressed as a brahmacari as usual.

The 20th Anniversary of the Karuna Bhavan Deities’ Installation

Prabhupada Pran Prabhu [temple president of Karuna Bhavan]:

We had contracts to put “Say Gauranga and be happy!” on the buses in Scotland. The contracts were for only a year, but one company liked them so much they kept them for five or six years.

I heard some people saw Gauranga buses in Africa. I said that was impossible because we did not do it there. But then I learned that Stagecoach sold their old buses to Africa.

The idea behind the Gauranga campaign was that if people chanted Gauranga it would be easier for them to chant Hare Krishna.

After the Gauranga campaign had going on for years, the GBC was looking for a home for some Gaura Nitai Deities, and they ultimately approved giving them to Karuna Bhavan. They arrived on Rama Navami. Their boxes would not fit in the car, so They came out, sat on the seats, and on their way to the temple, they saw Scotland, the land where people had been chanting Gauranga for years.

Because it was the twentieth anniversary of the Gaura Nitai deities’ installation, we took them in a parikrama around the temple property. They are known as Mayapur Sashi (The Moon of Mayapur) and Khoda Nitai (Nitai in Person).

Also a devotee made an awesome cake!



Thanks to my friend, Raghuantha Bhatta Prabhu, who greatly assisted me in my travels in Scotland, as he had previously, in attending the nama-hattas around Manchester.
Harinama at a Scottish Park with the North UK Devotees

Devotees at the North UK Retreat took advantage of a rare, warm, sunny day in Scotland to chant Hare Krishna at a park near Karuna Bhavan. They attracted interest, with some young girls delighting in dancing with the devotee ladies (https://youtu.be/Enox-UGbaAo):

Harinama in Glasgow

Although only sleeping 4 hours the last night, after the North UK Retreat was over, I chanted on Glasgow’s Sauchiehall St. from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. One Nepali couple and a group of three Andhra Pradeshi guys working for a year in Scotland bought Bhagavad-gitas and were happy to learn of Karuna Bhavan. Thanks to all the inspiring speakers at the North UK Retreat, especially Kripamoya Prabhu, who motivated me to share Krishna with others. Three Scottish girls also chanted the entire mantra with me and were happy doing it.

Harinama in Edinburgh

One Indian student, originally from Jaipur, came by my Edinburgh harinama. He was studying at the university for his MBA. He wondered if we had extra neck beads since his had broken the day before. I told him about our Tuesday and Sunday programs at our Gouranga Mantra Centre. He was happy to come in touch with Krishna in Edinburgh.

At the Edinburgh nama-hatta program, in addition to the dedicated regulars, I was inspired to see some new attendees, who have been coming for just a few weeks but are quite committed.

After the devotees cleaned up after the nama-hatta program, about four or five new devotees had their own kirtana for ten or fifteen minutes. It was beautiful to witness their spontaneous enthusiasm to perform an additional kirtana of their own accord.

To see the pictures I took but did not include in this blog, please click on the link below:

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.25 in Los Angeles on April 17, 1973:

Danger is very good if such calamities remind us of Krishna.

Danger must be there because the material world is full of danger. These foolish people do not realize this.

Birth and death must be stopped, not these so-called dangers.

Do not be disturbed by the sea waves. Just try to cross to the other side of the ocean.

Tapasya means we must proceed with our Krishna consciousness business in spite of all the dangerous and calamitous conditions of this world.

The devotee thinks, “God has appeared to me as this danger.” He’s confident that the danger is another feature of God. He thinks, “So why shall I be afraid? I am surrendered to Him.”

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.30 in Mauritius on October 2, 1975:

It is a defect of Kali-yuga that those who do not know the goal of life become leaders.

It is good we are self-interested, but we do not know what is our real self-interest.

If the leaders do not know the goal of life, what is the hope for the common man?

If your only aim is to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you can transform this material world into the spiritual world.

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.25 in Vrindavan on October 5, 1974:

We have to be a little intelligent. Hearing that the soul has no birth or death, we have to consider “Why I am subject to these conditions of birth and death?”

From a lecture given in Seattle on September 30, 1968:

“So study Bhagavad-gita to understand the real nature or identity of God and yourself and your relationship with God, and then, when you are a little conversant – when you are prepared to say, “Yes, Krishna is the only lovable object” – then the next book you take is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bhagavad-gita As It Isis the entrance. Students pass their school examinations and then enter the college. So you pass your school examination – how to love God – by studying Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Then study Srimad-Bhagavatam. That is the graduate study. And when you are still further advanced, post-graduate, then study Teachings of Lord Caitanya.”
Bhaktivinoda Thakura:

“The purity of a Vaishnava is judged by how much attraction or rati he has for the holy name. It has nothing whatsoever to do with his official status as a Vaishnava, or his wealth, erudition, youth, pleasing appearance, strength or following.” (Harinama Cintamani, pp. 34–35)
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami:

From One Hundred and Eight Poems to Radha-Govinda:

“Radha-Govinda reciprocate with us…

You live in a timeless land,
sac-cid-ananda-vigraha
where speech is song,
walking is dancing and
the flute is the constant
companion. There are
numberless Surabhi cows
who moisten the ground
with their nectarean milk,
and Krishna is served by
millions of gopis or
goddesses of fortune.
But there is one who is
His favorite
who captivates Him and is
superior in everything and
controls Him completely.
That is Radha.
The residents of Vrindavana take shelter of
Her and cry out
‘Jaya Radhe!’ because they know if they get the
favor of Radharani She rewards them and
Krishna is obliged
to give them His mercy. We should know the blessings
of Radharani come through Lord Caitanya
who is a combination of Radha and Krishna.
He is Krishna
in the complexion and mood of Radharani in separation.
Follow Lord Caitanya’s sankirtana and receive the blessings of Radha and Krishna.
I am grateful Radha-Govinda reside with us in Viraha Bhavan.”

Kripamoya Prabhu:

One disciple asked Srila Prabhupada, “I am right in assuming that although your first organization was called ‘League of Devotees’ that you in fact were the only member?”

Srila Prabhupada laughed, and said, “You are right. I was the only one.”

If I fainted from the heat in Delhi, if I were gored by a bull, and if no one joined the institution I created, I would have given up, but not Srila Prabhupada. If I got two heart attacks on the ship, I would have given up.

It is not that Srila Prabhupada did not suffer. The glory of Srila Prabhupada that he did what he did despite the difficulties.

No one really came to Krishna consciousness because they like institutions.
Many people like Srila Prabhupada, but fewer like Srila Prabhupada’s organization.

The village, the company, and the extended family are natural divisions. Cities are an invention by wealthy capitalists.

When I joined ISKCON there were about forty people. Yet for six years, my world was four people traveling in a van and selling books.

I was at a meeting of about eighteen people, and Prabhupada was talking about book distribution. He began by looking at everyone in the room and then said, “Thank you very much for helping me spread my mission.”

I would say that 95% of our members are nice devotees, and let us say, the multi-colored patchwork history we have had, are due to other 5%.

Prabhupada made Kirtanananda a swami and sent him to preach in London, and instead of going to London, he went to New York and preached his own brand of Krishna consciousness without sikhas and without robes.

Srila Prabhupada considered, “If ISKCON fails, I want my books always in print, so that it can be recreated by those who read my books.” Thus Bhaktivedanta Book Trust was separately incorporated.

The British aristocracy was the object of the preaching of the Gaudiya Matha whereas Srila Prabhupada preached to confused young people.

Srila Prabhupada encouraged everyone to practice bhakti – men, women, everyone.

Iggy Pop was one of the first people to buy a set of Srimad-Bhagavatams directly from Srila Prabhupada’s hands.

Srila Prabhupada was attractive to all kinds of people, although he remained unchanged. [He did not have to present himself differently to attract a variety of people.]

Many devotees say that they felt that Srila Prabhupada had all the time in the world for them. We should at least try to make people feel we have all the time in the world for them. One reason is Srila Prabhupada realized we should not lose people.

If Prabhupada was angry with someone, when he was finished dealing with that person, and he dealt with someone else, he was free from anger and dealt with that next person according to his relationship with him.



When Srila Prabhupada came to the Manor for the last time, he treated his disciples with great affection instead of being the stern founder-acarya.

In 1992 we set up a Sannyasa Ministry to analyze the chance of devotees remaining celibate for life. Since then we have had only one or two minor issues with sannyasis.

In communist times about 28 devotees were lost to the communists, who tortured and killed them.

The devotees have the land permissions and the money to build a temple in Moscow, but the Church and Mafia are in cahoots to keep them from building a temple for twenty years. Still, in Russia we have festivals with 14,000 people.

We have our first Eskimo devotee now in Yellowknife in Northern Canada from getting a book and reading it.

In the early days in Dublin, the magistrate charged the devotees with two things:

1. Making noise in public.

2. Being dressed in such a way as to frighten the public.

In Australia someone from Time-Life joined ISKCON. He said, “I can change your image overnight.” He created a magazine showing the best of Hare Krishna with happy children and kangaroos, and we printed 1.5 million and we inserted them into Sunday papers, etc. And it did change our image overnight. We ended up having a preaching center for every million people, fourteen million people and fourteen preaching centers.

In ISKCON, there has been a great influx of people but there is also an outflux of people. Why? We have not done two things that Srila Prabhupada wanted us to do:

1. Look after people.

2. Develop living situations where people can live.

Our success depends on how we can retain our members.

Be real. Keep track of the people you meet. One vicar told me that he spends most of his time looking after his members. There is one lady I looked after for twenty-two years before she took initiation.

I have left ISKCON many times. But then I would wake up the next morning and decide to carry on. The reasons I am staying now are different from those when I was seventeen.

You will be judged by how many people you looked after in your life.

Try and look after people, about twenty. Have a few friends. Do not tell them what to do. Just be their friends. Have two or three people looking after you.

From a lecture called “The Reluctant Preacher”:

If no one speaks to strangers, then the movement will not move.

I was absolutely convinced that the world would be saved by 1979. But it did not happen, so I postponed it to 1985.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses would predict the end of the world, and then, when it would not come, without any embarrassment, they would update it.

We are good at broadcasting our message through book distribution and harinama.  

A farmer has to cultivate and have scarecrows to scare away those who nibble away the seedlings. We are lacking in these.

Many a slip twixt cup and lip.

We have remote gurus and disciples, and people are lacking in systematic education.

Often we lose devotees three or four years after initiation. We are so used to people coming and going, we are not too concerned about it.

Anyone committed to this movement should take a vow to let no one drift away.

One follower of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura drifted away. Bhaktisiddhanta inquired about that devotee. The other devotees said he had disappeared. They were planning to open a temple, but Bhaktisiddhanta refused to open the temple until they found that devotee. They looked all over Madras and found him in the back of a watchmaker’s shop. They explained that Bhaktisiddhanta did not want to open the temple until he returned. The devotee was so touched by his guru’s concern that he never again left.

Preaching is to exhort someone to a higher level of spiritual and moral behavior.

The ritualization of spiritual emotion should keep pace with our actual development of real spiritual emotions, otherwise it seems artificial and people are only willing to do it for so long.

One lady wrote a book about compassion and how to develop it because it is there in all religions and this society does not teach it but just the opposite.

The sannyasa danda is an emblem of compassion and is just the opposite of the selfie stick, which increases ego.

The glue that keeps society together is compassion.

I did not join the Hare Krishna movement but began living with some ex-hippies on a Beatles estate.

Even if we are “faking it till we make it,” if we allow ourselves to used as instruments of compassion, the Lord will work through us.

We are a religion that requires a high commitment of faith. This has to be developed gradually.

Krishna consciousness is beyond all religious designations. We are coming with a transcendental message, that we are transcendental and our transcendental nature can be experienced through transcendental sound vibration.

I had a friend who had a Ph.D. in physics and a spiritual urge. He took the train from England to Japan, and spent months in three Buddhists monasteries which all left him dissatisfied. He returned to London, but despondent. He prayed to God, “You know that I do not think you exist, but if do you exist, give me a sign.” The next day, he met the devotees, and he was attracted. They said he could come stay in their temple. He had great conviction because the Lord fulfilled his prayer, and he convinced many people to become devotees.
Whether you feel it or not, you do it because it is the guru’s order.

It takes a long time to bring one to Krishna consciousness.

One person encountered Hare Krishna when she was working at “Top of the Pops” when the devotees were on the show in 1969. Just recently she became a devotee.

We must become willing to extend ourselves to at least ten people. Write their names down and never forget them.

The individual reaching out with compassion is the Krishna consciousness movement.

We have to establish connection with people so they become new members.

We have to care for the people who become new members.

Q (by Radhika Nagara Prabhu): So many of our members have left. Should we do something to help them?

A: Srila Prabhupada would always want us to make some endeavor to bring them back. There is an attrition rate because people have different needs, and we are not always expert in meeting people’s needs as they go through their stages of life. Krishna recognizes the changing needs and created varnasrama. Prabhupada found that people would come and eat in our restaurants, but not our temples. Then we had 100 temples, and he said we had enough temples, and he said we should start doing more restaurants.

About 50% of interested people actually come to meetings. Some people just do not like meetings, but they like the practice.

In 1934, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura set up a system with 18 sannyasis, then some maha-upadesikas, looking after upadesikas, and each of those looking after group of devotees.

The real question is “Who is helping you in your spiritual life?” It is not “Who is your guru?” Everyone should have someone looking after his spiritual welfare. Without guidance, there is no impetus for movement.

People join groups because they get something they need, and they leave groups because do not get what they need.

When ISKCON meets the needs of a family man, such as residence and education for children, we will retain many more people.

Srila Prabhupada said in a purport in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, “Right now the future devotees of the Krishna consciousness movement are living in every town and village, and it is up to the present members to find them.”

Sri Guru Carana Padma Devi Dasi:

Previously there was a tendency to speak of grhastha life or sannyasa life, so I find it encouraging that people like Jayadvaita Swami are speaking about the transitional vanaprastha ashram and are advising people in that way.

It is important to go on pilgrimage to see people in other places also practicing Krishna consciousness.

Dayananda Swami:

The Lord does not think “let’s get rid of the demons because they cause such a hassle for the demigods,” but rather He creates a situation where everyone, both demons and demigods, benefits spiritually.

Although Krishna is the Lord of all planets and the enjoyer of all sacrifices, at first these may not seem so relevant to us, but the fact that Krishna is the well-wisher of all living entities may attract us to Him. When people understand that Krishna is the well-wisher of all living entities, then they can really begin to surrender to Him.

The Lord is the well-wisher of Hiranyakasipu. It does not look like that when you see the picture. Actually when I was in Manchester, the temple president took that picture off the altar for the sake of preaching.
Even though sky is cloudy, like here in Sheffield, and we cannot see the sun, we know it is present because it is light, and we know the sun has set when it becomes dark. In the same way, although we cannot see the spirit in the body, we can tell it is present by the symptoms of life and that it has left from the absence of these symptoms.

There is no difference between any of us because we are all spiritual and we all have a relationship with the supreme spirit.

The Lord has arranged everything for our purification, and if we understand that and act accordingly, then very quickly we can progress spiritually, but we if act against it, that will catch up with us, and there will be a heavy reaction.

Although in the beginning we may serve God in fear, eventually we should be doing things for God because we want to.

Selflessness becomes spiritual when it is meant for the Supreme Person.

Q (by me): How to attain devotion like Prahlada?

A: Follow the dos and don’t in the scriptures. Then your consciousness will be elevated. Glorify God, especially by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Then the heart will become clean, and we will make progress.

We should have courses training grhasthas how to take sannyasa.

If we change our situation whenever we feel like it, we may just be guilty of indulging the restless mind. One place is as good as another if we are in Krishna consciousness.

We often think, “I live in this community or this city, and there are so few devotees.” But actually, like Devahuti, one can attain perfection from the association of a single devotee.

In devotional service, the most important thing is to never leave the association of devotees.
We can read the books and listen to the lectures, but unless we have the association of a devotee, the equation is not complete.

What will keep us going in devotional service is the taste from sharing it with others, either directly or by helping those who are directly doing it.

Bhakti Prabhava Swami:

Jayadvaita Swami advises that grhastha couples should set aside funds when they are younger, so they can take vanaprastha (retire) later.

As a traveling preacher it is good to go to different places, but it is also good to stay for some time in one place. Thus now I spend half my time in Leicester and the rest of the time traveling.

It is inspiring to go to India on pilgrimage from time to time.

When I go from temple to temple, in each temple the temple president comes to me and tells me all his problems. One thing I can learn from this is that no situation is ideal.

The more we are focused on the goal of pleasing Krishna, the less chance there is of conflict.

The avadhuta learned from the arrow maker to be one-pointed. We must chant with attention and concentrate on the order of the spiritual master.

The avadhuta saw the snake use the holes that were created by others and learned to live simply with what is provided.

Once Srila Prabhupada was asked what he thought of an important politician, and Srila Prabhupada replied that he did not think of him.

Doug Rowlings of Blackpool:

From a car conversation:

For many years, devotees from Scotland would put large “GOURANGA” stickers on the bridges in the Scotland and The North of England. Even now, on the radio, when the announcer reports the traffic conditions on the M65 motorway to Blackburn, in The North of England, he will mention how the traffic is backed up to the “Gouranga” bridge.

—-

Lord Caitanya is so liberal he gives people the chance to experience the topmost spiritual ecstasy, through the chanting of the holy names, regardless of their social position:

sei dvare acandale kirtana sancare

nama-prema-mala ganthi’ paraila samsara

“Thus He [Lord Caitanya] spread kirtana [the chanting of the holy names] even among the untouchables [uncivilized people who eat dogs]. He wove a wreath of the holy name and prema [love of God] with which He garlanded the entire material world.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita,Adi-lila 4.40)

Travel Journal#12.5: Mumbai, Mayapur, Rishikesh
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 12, No. 5

By Krishna-kripa das
(March 2016, part one)

Mumbai, Mayapur, Rishikesh
(Sent from Vrindavan on March 22, 2016)

Where I Went and What I Did

I flew into Mumbai, where I stayed a couple days to arrange my travel, then I took the train to Howrah, and onward to Nabadwip Dham for the Mayapur Kirtan Mela. At Mayapur I went on a tour of the Vedic Temple of the Planetarium the first day, and the remaining days I spent some hours in the Mayapur Kirtan Mela each day and in the late afternoon, I went on harinama with the Harinam Ruci worldwide traveling party for three hours, who I chanted with in Europe in the summer and the United States in the fall. One day while in Mayapur I attended the beginning of a vanaprastha initiation and the end of the marriage ceremony. The day after Kirtan Mela, I traveled with two friends to join Navina Nirada Prabhu and his party of harinama and book distributing devotees in Rishikesh to share Krishna music, food, and literature with the many people, both Western and Indian, who visit for study and pilgrimage.

I share notes on a lecture by Srila Prabhupada and excerpts from the books and journal of Satsvarupa dasa Goswami. I share notes on the many classes given by swamis in Mayapur, including Bhakti Charu Swami, who spoke on Tamal Krishna Goswami’s disappearance day, Jayadvaita Swami, who spoke at a vanaprastha initiation, and Lokanath Swami, Niranjana Swami, and Sivaram Swami, who glorified the holy name. I have notes on talks on book distribution by Bhakti Purusottama Swami and Vijaya Prabhu. I share inspirational words about the holy name from Agnidev and Rajendranandana Prabhus. I share notes on the classes we had in Rishikesh by Dharmatma and Mahabhavi Prabhus. I share notes from conversations with Amita Krishna and Hanuman Prabhus, and a quote from Maitreya Prabhu’s autobiography.

I would like to thank Tara Prabhu, who gave me a sizeable donation toward the purchase of his favorite book for distribution, Science of Self-Realization, so I can provide them to interested people I meet on harinama. Thanks to Navina Nirada Prabhu, who kindly paid for my train from Howrah to Haridvar and on to Mathura, so I could attend his wonderful program of distributing Krishna music, food, and literature in Rishikesh. Thanks to my friend, Pancatattva Prabhu, I knew from Alachua, for his contribution to my expenses. Thanks to the nice Indian devotee from Abu Dhabi, who paid for my trip from Howrah to Mayapur and who gave me a donation in addition. Thanks to Jaya Gaurasundar Prabhu and Kaumodaki Devi Dasi for the photos of their vanaprastha ceremony.

Itinerary

March 21–April 9: Vrindavan 24-Hour Kirtan

April 10–13: Mumbai

April 14–20: Ireland

April 21–24: Newcastle, England

April 26: Radhadesh (Kadamba Kanana Swami’s Vyasa Puja)

April 27: King’s Day in Amsterdam

April 28–29: Rotterdam

April 30–May 1: Birmingham 24-hour kirtana

May 2–July 9: The North of England and Scotland

July 10: Prague Ratha-yatra

July 12–16: Polish Woodstock

July 30: Berlin Ratha-yatra

August 5–11: Baltic Summer Festival

August 18–21: Trutnoff (Czech Woodstock)

September 13–: New York City Harinam

Impressions of Mumbai

I found out from the locals you can get to ISKCON Juhu from the international airport by taking a bus for 14 rupees to Vile Parle East Station and walking across the bridge at the station and taking an auto rickshaw for 40 rupees. I later learned from a Juhu devotee who works at the airport you can get to ISKCON Juhu by auto rickshaw from the international airport for 80 or 90 rupees.

The Western Union, not a long walk to the left, on the left side, as you leave ISKCON Juhu Main Gate, gives a good rate for changing money and does not charge commission. If you save enough rupees from your previous trip to reach the temple, you can avoid the exorbitant exchange prices at the airport.

I realized I never really appreciated the beauty of Sri Sri Radha-Rasavihari before. It was so wonderful to meditate Them as I chanted in the Hare Krishna kirtana.

Once a week, the devotees play a tape of Srila Prabhupada giving Srimad-Bhagavatam class, upstairs in Srila Prabhupada’s quarters. They give out the transcript for those who have difficulty with his accent. I found it pleasing to connect with Srila Prabhupada there in his quarters in that way.

Chanting on the Train from Mumbai to Howrah

Although I could not find a group of devotees to travel with from Mumbai to Howrah en route to the Mayapur Kirtan Mela, on the train I found devotees in my carriage, S2, and also in S10, S12, and S13. A group of devotees in S12 were very hospitable, and gave me prasadam, a seat, and let me charge up my computer (as in S2, we had only 2 outlets for 72 people). We chanted kirtana the second evening for about an hour, with several devotees taking turns. One devotee in this party showed me pictures of me chanting on the same train with his friends last time I came to Kirtan Mela two years ago. What a surprise! On my own, I chanted on the platform at two of the stations where we had a longer stop. I would walk along the length of the train, always careful to notice if it had started moving, so I could hop back on. I chanted on the platforms at Nagpur and Raipur, as those stops were longer than most.

A very nice Indian man from Abu Dhabi paid for my travel from Howrah to Mayapur, and I gave him some clues how to go so we got there before the other devotees. We took the Bardhaman train to Bandel and then the Katwa Local to Nabadwip Dham. We sang in the rickshaw to and from the boat ghats and on the boat as well.

Temple of the Vedic Planetarium Tour

Prishni Devi Dasi arranged for Antardvip Prabhu, who is in charge of the cosmology exhibits for the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, to give a few of us a tour of the temple in its partially constructed state. 


It will have a dome with a volume greater than any other dome in the world. 


The view is wonderful of the Prabhupada Samadhi and the Ganges River in the distance. 


Apparently they have to collect 1.5 million dollars a month to finish it at the desired time. All the different levels of planetary systems, spiritual and material, will be depicted.

Vanaprastha Ceremony and Wedding in Mayapur

My friend, Radhika Nagara Prabhu, who assisted me greatly when I visited his native Spain and who I see in Manchester, England, each year invited me to his marriage with Vrajananda Devi Dasi, a disciple of Niranjana Swami and flute player in kirtanas at the Baltic Summer Festival. I was hoping that Niranjana Swami, who initially invited me to live in the 55th Street temple in New York City back in 1979, would give a lecture, but as a sannyasi, that is such a desirable opportunity for. I decided I would come at the end for the kirtana and the prasadam, especially because it was at the Jagannath Mandir in Rajapur, and I wanted to see Lord Jagannath.


That morning my friends told me that Jayadvaita Swami would speak at 10:30 a.m. at the old gurukula, and I decided to go hear him first and catch the end of the marriage. 


Turns out I knew the couple taking vanaprastha, two disciples of my Guru Maharaja, Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, named Jaya Gaurasundar and Kaumodaki Devi Dasi from Baltimore, so it was especially nice I was able to attend. By notes on his very nice lecture are included in the “Insights” section before. As it turned out, the lecture did not happen until 12:20 p.m., and I missed Jagannath’s darsana, but fortunately not the wedding prasadam, which was very nice, and the opportunity to sit with my friend from the UK, Gaura Krishna Prabhu, who was leaving the next day. I also gave the couple a small gift and wished them well. Jayadvaita Swami considered it Krishna’s mercy that I missed all of the wedding but the prasadam.  

Chanting with Harinam Ruci in Mayapur

Last year I chanted with the Harinam Ruci traveling chanting party in Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Germany, London, Prague, New York and Boston, and it was great to be singing with them again in Mayapur. It was nice to see Syama Rasa and Nrsimha Caitanya Prabhus again, as they did not make to New York City in the fall. Gopinatha Prabhu, from Finland but based in Mayapur, joined us and played the bass, which added another dimension. Sometimes, as on the last day I was there, they would join with the daily Mayapur harinama group along with their deities and sound system, and it was very powerful. So many people, old and new, were happy to sing and dance with the Harinam Ruci party. Here is some video I took on March 6 (https://youtu.be/FigstpI58_Y):

On March 9, Nrsimha Caitanya Prabhu, who assists his father, Muni Priya Prabhu, in managing the Czech Padayatra, led the Harinam Ruci worldwide harinama party chanting around the ISKCON property in Mayapur with unbounded enthusiasm and many people reciprocated by lively chanting and dancing (https://youtu.be/nt6Y2IgQ6C4):

On March 10, Syama-rasa Prabhu of Croatia led the Harinam Ruci party around the ISKCON Mayapur compound, and as you can see in this video, lots of people got into the chanting and dancing (https://youtu.be/vAtyyjIsJ0M):

Chanting in Rishikesh with Navina Nirada Prabhu’s Party

Navina Nirada Prabhu (dancing in the above picture), a famous Hare Krishna book distributor, has been coming to Rishikesh for seven years. Janardana Prabhu (distributing a book), based in Denmark, has joined him for several of those years. They and a group of about fifteen devotees chant Hare Krishna in the streets, distribute books, and distribute prasadam for one or two weeks in Rishikesh each March. There we would do harinama and book distribution from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Sometimes we would distribute a bucket of halava during the morning session.

Both devotees who happened to be visiting Rishikesh at the same time and new people just attracted would join our party.

The lady with the child on her lap is a Ukrainian devotee, who joined us a couple of times. The lady next to her is a devotee from Germany, who joined us almost every day, sometimes twice. The guy playing the shakers gave Navina Nirada nice donation and accepted several books including Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Mahabhavi Prabhu from Norway is leading the chanting and playing the drum. Pavitra Nityanand Prabhu plays the karatalas. I dance and give out mantra cards to interested people, briefly talking to them about their previous contact with Hare Krishna and telling them of Hare Krishna temples, restaurants, and festivals in their countries.

During the first session of the first day, a book distributor took a break for 3 minutes, handing me his books, and I distributed one to a young lady from Manitoba, Canada, who was studying to be a yoga teacher.

During the second session of the first day, so many people participated. One young lady, who met the devotees in Ukraine, played the karatalas and chanted Hare Krishna intently with great joy. A Russian lady with neck beads chanted, smiled, and danced with us for a while. Three students at a college two hours away, who knew the devotees from Chowpatty, sang and danced for what seemed like an hour. They also induced others to dance, and they successfully dealt with vendors who complained about us being there. Many others chanted, danced, and took pictures of us. Janardana Prabhu met one young lady from Denmark, who remembered he had spoken to her before, while distributing books in Copenhagen, his place of residence. On the whole, it was a very enlivening day. The other days were similar.

Here is some video from the event (https://youtu.be/EeuUvttRb1I):

To see photos I did not include in this blog, click on the link below:

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

We can gain some material knowledge through our material senses, but spiritual knowledge cannot be acquired through our material senses. Therefore, we must hear from spiritual authority to acquire spiritual knowledge.

No one says, “I want to see knowledge.” No, we want to hear knowledge.

When we are asleep, our other senses are also asleep, but our ears are still alert and can protect us.

Dharma is what is enunciated in the Vedas.

Dharma means constitutional position. We are eternal servant of God.

Our nature is to serve, but because we are serving wrongly, because our service is misplaced, we are not satisfied.

Our only duty is to serve Krishna, and because we are not doing that, we are not happy.

There is no difference between the Vedas and Narayana, or God. There is no difference between God and His instructions.

Now people say, “I can manufacture my religion and you can manufacture your religion” but that is not real religion.  

If you do not accept Krishna is God, that is your mistake. The authorities say that Krishna is God. If you do not accept Krishna as God, you have to present an alternative. If you have no alternative, why do you not accept Krishna?

The guru distributes knowledge coming from the Lord just as a cloud distributes water coming from the ocean.

Those who are religious, regardless of their religion, know that God created.

To paint a flower, the artist requires so much concentration and skill. Do you think that the person who created the original flower was without skill? Actually the Lord is so expert, He makes the flower develop as if automatically, although He is behind it in every detail.

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami:

“An example of a true scholar of scripture is the South Indian brahmana whom Lord Caitanya embraced. Although the brahmana was illiterate, he had a deep love for Krishna as Partha-sarathi [the chariot driver of Arjuna]. In his appreciation, he became overwhelmed with ecstasy. Lord Caitanya told him that his reading of the Gita was perfect. We are not looking for information or any other kind of learning when we approach scripture, but to understand Krishna as He is and to experience love for Him. To study with any other motive leads ultimately to dissatisfaction.”

From “Poem for February 27” in Viraha Bhavan:

“Thoughts about practical service should not
intrude when you
are chanting japa. That’s
the peak performance
of the day. So it should not be
a discussion of “Things to Do.”
That’s why it’s important
to rise early in the morning after sufficient rest
before the day increases in the modes of passion.”

“Normally they [the chanters in the city] sing six hours
a day, which is a strenuous
yajna. But they enjoy
every minute of it
glorifying the Lord.
The people who pass
by are interested in the phenomena, and
the regulars have memorized the mantra. What they
don’t know is that they are having
their sinful reactions removed and
seeds of love of Godhead
planted in their hearts
by hearing. It is a secret
revolution going on in
the City. The chanters
are the instruments, and Krishna is in control.”

From “Poem for March 3” in Viraha Bhavan:

“The harinama chanters in the City have a great
responsibility. They
are carrying out the
legacy of Lord Caitanya to
deliver congregational chanting
in the Age of Kali.
If they did not
report for duty
the City would be
void of auspiciousness.
If they did not come
out and hold kirtana,
the rogues and thieves
would take over the
square. By singing
in their sacred spot,
they are staving
off maya’s influence.

They owe it to the Lord and the people
to keep themselves fit
and keep going out on sankirtana.”

From “Poem for March 6” in Viraha Bhavan:

“They are blissful with Krishna Nama.
Today I read the verse
spoken by the Supreme Lord
to Narada where He says,
‘I am not in My abode
in Vaikuntha, or in the
heart of the mystic yogis.
I am wherever My
pure devotees chant
My names and discuss
My pastimes.’ This is
very encouraging for the
Hare Krishna chanters in the City.
The Lord says He is with His
‘pure devotees,’ and the
kirtaneers are certainly
pure devotees. Their lives
are completely dedicated
to chanting the holy names.
They are compassionate, because
they chant publicly for
the benefit of the conditioned souls.
They can be aware and assured
that Krishna is personally present with them
as they perform kirtana of the Hare Krishna mantra.
The Lord says He is there wherever
devotees gather to chant, so it
is not restricted to the temple.
He is there with them in the city streets all day long.”

From Japa Walks, Japa Talks:

“I can’t think of anything more pleasant and spiritual to do than to take a walk just before dawn and to chant the holy names. I may fail to enter the potential of that rendezvous with the holy names, but I can’t fail to understand the holy name’s mercy. Just because I have a lot of work to do, I’m not going to forget my japa before the altar and – if I’m lucky enough to be in the right time and place – my morning japa walk. We who are workaholics, and who mostly associate with others who are similarly immersed in a vocation, might try to get association with devotees who have made chanting the purpose of their lives. Take a walk with one of them, or sit beside them in the temple room while you chant. Don’t neglect it. That’s my humble advice on a drizzly morning, advice I give to myself and to others.”

From “Poem for March 12” in Viraha Bhavan:

“The City workers pass
by, and the tourists keep coming,
hearing the harinama chanting.
But they should be aware
that time is precious. The
passing away of the great
sankirtana devotee, Jada Bharata,
reminds us that we all must
die one day. So seize the
opportunity while health
is with you, to serve
in the kirtana party
and go out every day to
distribute harinama
to the conditioned souls.
Don’t waste a minute. Time is
passing, and you can’t get a minute
back if you paid a million dollars.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy.”

Bhakti Charu Swami:

A few days before he left his body Tamal Krishna Goswami told me, while I was chanting japa: “Please take of these boys from Calcutta. They are your children.” He was referring to a few bright boys from Calcutta who took initiation from him.

Tamal Krishna Goswami told Visvambhara Prabhu, “I am leaving tomorrow.” Visvambhara replied, “Yes, you are leaving tomorrow morning.” Tamal Krishna Goswami said, “No, I am leaving.” Only later did he understand the significance of it.

The postmortem said Tamal Krishna Goswami left his body before the accident.

Tamal Krishna Goswami was dear to Prabhupada, and Prabhupada was dear to him.

Srila Prabhupada had incredible confidence in him. Prabhupada made him president of the new Los Angeles temple. He helped out in Paris. He started the Radha-Damodara party which ultimately expanded to five buses and spread Krishna consciousness all over America. When Prabhupada started focusing on preaching in India, Prabhupada made him a leader there. He helped Prabhupada by getting the land for Mayapur.

I got Prabhupada’s association doing Bengali translations and answering Bengali letters. Thus I saw Srila Prabhupada’s interactions with Tamal Krishna Goswami. The topic was the court case in New York regarding brainwashing. Srila Prabhupada was practically shouting, “Brain washing? They have no brains. I am giving them brains.” Adi Kesava Maharaja was leading the charge, and Tamal Krishna Goswami was overseeing the battle.

Srila Prabhupada asked me if I could write Hindi. I said yes, but my Hindi handwriting is not very nice. He said not to worry, “No one’s Hindi handwriting is nice.”

Prabhupada shifted the secretary to the room next to the room next his as the manual typewriters made such a racket. Tamal Krishna Goswami invited me to share the room with him. He was extremely regulated, rising at 3:00 a.m., and he would play Srila Prabhupada’s tapes as he used the bathroom. He made it a point to chant his rounds before the day began, and that is one thing I learned from him. When we traveled with Srila Prabhupada, we would continue to share a room.

Srila Prabhupada went to Rishikesh. He was excited to go as he had never been before and looked forward to drinking Ganges water.

Tamal Krishna Goswami gave up all his responsibilities at the end of Srila Prabhupada’s life just to care of Srila Prabhupada, because he felt that was his responsibility.

In Rishikesh, Palika was sick, and the lady who replaced her did not cook so nicely. I volunteered to cook. One day I cooked nicely, but the next day, it was not so nice. Srila Prabhupada exclaimed, “You have no standard.” The next day I cooked, but I was more careful. Srila Prabhupada liked it. I told him, “I was in anxiety the whole time I was cooking.” Srila Prabhupada said, “That is good. You should be in anxiety when you are serving the spiritual master.”

At 3:00 p.m. Srila Prabhupada would dictate the main points in letters to Tamal Krishna Goswami and he would write them.

Tamal Krishna Goswami told me, “You are so fortunate to have taken birth in India.”

I told him, “I may have taken birth in India, but I was brought up with the understanding that the West is best.”

Later I made the point that he and the other Western devotees assisting Srila Prabhupada were not ordinary souls but special people sent to help his mission.

At the time, one of us would be awake at night, in case Srila Prabhupada needed something. My shift was from midnight to 2:00 a.m., and at 1:00 a.m. Srila Prabhupada rang his bell, and said, “Make arrangements for me to go to Vrindavan immediately. It is time for me to leave my body.”

Very intimately Tamal Krishna Goswami and Srila Prabhupada would discuss. Tamal Krishna Goswami always had such penetrating questions. Prabhupada began making his wills, and he would consult Tamal Krishna Goswami about who should be there.

Tamal Krishna Goswami’s sudden departure was a great loss to our society. He was not so active in the society’s leadership at that point, as he was focusing on his academic studies, but he was just about to return when he left.

I feel he is still serving Srila Prabhupada somewhere where Srila Prabhupada needs him.

Jayadvaita Swami:

The stations of varnasrama are external and have nothing to do with our eternal identities. Thus Lord Caitanya said, “I am not a brahmana, I am not a ksatriya, I am not a vaisya or a sudra. Nor am I a brahmacari, a householder, a vanaprasthaor a sannyasi. I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna . . . ” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 13.80) Our goal is to be reinstated in our eternal service.

Varnasrama may be used to facilitate our attaining that eternal service.

Krishna consciousness is always the primary thing, and varnasrama is very much secondary.

For entering brahmacarya or vanaprastha no formalities are required.

Srila Prabhupada writes on a book flap he accepted vanaprastha in such and such a year, but as far as I know there was no ceremony.

Changing ashram is mainly a chance of consciousness.

The Bhagavatam details the entanglement of family life: “The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence. On the basis of this misconception, which ties together the hearts of the male and female, one becomes attracted to his body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth. In this way one increases life’s illusions and thinks in terms of ‘I and mine.’” (Bhag. 5.5.8) Of course, the devotee can advance in that position as Lord Brahma advises: “Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.” (Bhag. 10.14.3)

Grhastha life meets building up, and vanaprastha life means winding down. It means winding down the business of family life, because I am not this body, and in any case, this body will be finished. Before this body is finished, we want to be detached from things in relationship to the body.

Srila Prabhupada described vanaprastha life as midway between grhastha life and sannyasa life. It provides the space for gradually detaching people from family affairs.

This change of consciousness is the significant point in the vanaprastha ashram – thinking in terms of winding down one’s family life.

Vanaprastha is the invisible ashram, a rare species, hardly identified.

Grhastha life is not eternal but for some years only. It is not recommended one stay in household life forever. It is enjoyable for a few years only, and sometimes just a few days.

We are having this ceremony to a make an impression in the minds of the candidates and to remind the society of grhasthas that grhastha life is not eternal.

Because people have no direction, we see people having children when they are forty-five or getting married in their fifties.

Jaya Gourasundara said he entered grhamedi life at 23 and grhashta life at 42.

His guru, Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, advised him be an ideal grhastha, and he was.

He and his wife have been vanaprastha for years. This is just recognition of that.

Lokanath Swami:

namo maha-vadanyaya

   krishna-prema-pradaya te

krishnaya krishna-caitanya-

   namne gaura-tvise namah

This verse by Rupa Goswami glorifying Lord Caitanya mentions His name, form, quality, and pastimes. He is named Krishna Caitanya. His form is golden in complexion. His quality is His magnanimity, and He is giving Krishna-prema, love for Krishna.

The demoniac were conquered by the arrows of his beauty and the power of His holy name. Other weapons include His prasadam, ISKCON bullets.

Srila Prabhupada made his destination New York City, the capital of the age of Kali.

Niranjana Swami:

From a conversation after class in Mayapur:

Once a young man, who was just married, asked for me to bless him that he have a happy marriage. I replied, “I am a sannyasi. I cannot understand what a happy marriage could possibly be. I could bless you that you could have a successful marriage.”

From a vanaprastha seminar:

The important contribution of the vanaprasthas is they can give invaluable instructions on grhastha life based on their personal experience, which the sannyasis and brahmacaris do not have.

Two quotes from Caitanya Siksamrita on service to elders:

“There are three types of service to elders: protection of parents, protection of teachers, and protection of other elders. One must follow the instructions of parents and serve them as much as is possible. A person should serve those who have protected him as a helpless child; he should also service those who have given knowledge, especially those who have given spiritual knowledge and mantra. Those are considered superior who are bigger in body, greater in age or more experienced in knowledge. One must respect and serve them all. One cannot follow incorrect orders of a superior but one should not show hostility towards him, using disrespectful or harsh words. One should put a stop to their improper behavior or instructions by using sweet words, humility, and gentle reasoning at the proper time.”

“Disrespect to elders has three objects: parents, teachers, and other superiors. Even if the superior makes a mistake, he should not be disrespected. A person should be careful to please superiors with polite and gracious conduct. To disobey the orders of superiors is also disrespect.”

From a class on janmaisvarya sruta sribhir:

Those who are materially satisfied or who are aspiring for material improvement cannot call out the holy name of the Lord feelingly.

Lord Shiva explained to Sati that those who are proud of material acquisitions lose all good sense and cannot appreciate spiritual advanced people.

This does not mean that merely not having material acquisitions necessary means that one is spiritual advanced.

The qualification is to be satisfied with only devotional service.

Those proud people cannot recognize those who are chanting with pure feeling.

The Six Goswami did not feel they had found Krishna, but they were always looking for Him.

Lord Caitanya felt he had no love for Krishna. If He had love, how could He live in this world in Krishna’s absence.

Haridas Thakura explained to the assembly of brahmanas that the true glory of holy name is by chanting the holy name one gets love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Liberation and freedom from sinful reactions are secondary results attained by namabhasa, a glimpse of the holy name.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains that the devotee only wants Krishna’s pleasure. He thinks, “I will someday get Krishna’s mercy, in one day, in one year, or in millions of years.”

A devotee never thinks, “Just see how ecstatic I am.”

The devotees know there is nothing of value to be attained in this world, and thus they only aspire for devotional service, and relish hearing the glories of devotional service.

By hearing the glories of pure devotional service, the devotee becomes inspired to pursue it.

Narada says that by hearing the glories of pure devotional service, by chanting the glories of pure devotional service, or by even accepting the existence of pure devotional service, even one who hates the demigods and all living beings, can progress.

In conclusion, our aspiration in kirtana with others, should be to chant with feeling.

Sivarama Swami:

From a class Brhad-bhagavamrita 2.3.184

Brhad-Bhagavatamrita is highly recommended for one who wants to advance in bhakti. If you do not have it, get it. If you have not read it, read it.

Gopa Kumara represents the seeker who attains the path of perfection, or in other words, ourselves. He advances spiritually and passes though different level of attainment by practicing chanting the mantra that his guru has given him.

“Dearer to the Lord than even His own beautiful form, His easily worshiped holy name benefits the entire world. Indeed, nothing is as full of nectar as the holy name of the Lord.”

This is the first of sixty or seventy verses glorifying the holy name.

Although it takes time, the holy name of the Lord forgives offenses to both the name and form of the Lord.

The Vaikuntha-dutas tell Gopa Kumara that his chanting of his mantra out of duty can only bring him to the platform of liberation. He must give up everything and engage in the nine items of devotional service. The Gopal mantra he has been given must be chanted not only out of duty, but with ecstatic devotion to please Madan Gopal, the deity of the mantra, as an act of devotional service. They also explain that understanding the sambhanda-jnana from books like the Bhagavatam is necessary to accelerate his progress.

Sanatana Goswami gives nine meanings for “sa-rasa:

“Sa-rasacan mean ‘very gentle,’ since the holy names consist of sweet-sounding syllables. It can also mean ‘composed of pure spiritual substance, sac-cid-ananda.’ Or it can mean that the holy names are accompanied by all the various devotional relationships, the nine rasas, headed by srngara (madhurya-rasa). In the pure chanting of the holy names, all these

varieties of prema-rasa are manifest, in the moods of both separation (viraha) and meeting (sanga). Rasa also means ‘attraction to Krishna’ (raga), which devotees performing sankirtana unavoidably experience as their krishna-prema is rapidly evoked by the holy names. In other words, the Lord’s sankirtana inspires His servants and everyone else to become attracted to the Lord.

“Rasaalso means ‘special potency’ (virya–visesa); the chanting of the holy

names is extremely powerful. And rasa can mean ‘exceptional quality’

(guna–visesa), indicating in the present context that nama–sankirtana has the

power to deliver the most fallen persons in the world. Rasa also means

‘exceptional happiness’ (sukha–visesa); hari-nama is the most concentrated

essence of happiness. And it also means ‘exceptional sweetness’ (madhurya–visesa). Nama–sankirtana is often glorified for its sweetness, as in this famous verse from the Prabhasa-khanda of the Skanda Purana:

‘O best of the Bhrigu dynasty, the holy name of Krishna is the sweetest of the sweet, the most auspicious of the auspicious. This transcendental fruit of all the Vedas is purely spiritual. Whoever chants it but once, whether with faith or with contempt, is liberated.’”

Chanting aloud and serving the Lord with one’s senses, according to the residents of Vaikuntha, are superior to meditation, and of all devotional acts, nama-sankirtana is the best. They said seeing Krishna is the result of chanting the names of Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada gave so much emphasis on chanting Hare Krishna, and thus we are all here in Mayapur chanting Hare Krishna.

The result of sadhana is bhava for Krishna, which develops into prema, and seeing Krishna in person.

Nama-sankirtana, as opposed to other kinds of glorification of the Lord, is best because it can evoke at once the treasure of pure love for the Lord. The holy name brings sweetness to all our senses, although appearing originally through the sense of speech.

One who has attained perfection has the symptom of not wanting to stop chanting.

Nama-sankirtana is also described as the fruit of bhakti.

Prataparuda Maharaja was astonished to hear the sankirtana of Lord’s associates. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya explained that was prema sankirtana, sankirtana of those endowed with love of God.

The holy name is a mantra that can draw Krishna near.

To get love of God, it is not enough to be without bad qualities and to chant out of duty.

If all you had to do is chant Hare Krishna, Srila Prabhupada would not have to write so many books. By reading these books, we will be able to chant with the proper mentality to achieve pure devotion and actually attain Krishna.

Agnidev Prabhu:

In “Gay Gora Madhu Svare”, Lord Caitanya sings the maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.”

The sannyasis, those in the renounced order, and the grhasthas, those in household life have the same duty, to chant the holy name.

Dharmatma Prabhu:

There was one mentally challenged man who really absorbed himself in our Mayapur harinama. You could see he had no real qualification except being willing to receive the mercy.

When I was in prison, I saw so many prisoners were saved by Jesus because they had to take shelter of something. But how many remember him when they leave the prison?

Daily I see on harinama with the Harinama Ruci party, so many people, regardless of qualification, have the opportunity to get mercy.

Comment by Navina Nirada Prabhu: Sometimes people cannot chant, but they can clap or they can smile.

Rajendrananda Prabhu:

In chanting Hare Krishna, we are pleading, “Krishna please accept me.”

In Los Angeles once while chanting “Jaya Radha Madhava”, tears shot from Srila Prabhupada’s eyes like a syringe, reaching even the camera man.

Bhakti Purusottama Swami:

Formerly book distribution was our main service and even the pujaris and temple presidents would distribute books. Now there are so many nama-hatta, bhakti-vrksa, ISKCON Youth Forum programs, but if we do not engage the people coming from these programs in book distribution we will not achieve the perfection.

Vijaya Prabhu:

This is a war on maya. Who likes war? Nobody likes war. But this is a friendly war. Have you ever heard of a friendly war? We gently, in a friendly way, encourage them to take Srila Prabhupada’s books, and the books kill their ignorance.

One person in 1976 encountered a devotee who spoke to him in a very friendly way about Srila Prabhupada’s books. He was not interested in the books but he was impressed with the polite presentation. At a rest area in Florida two years later, the man met another devotee, who also presented the books in a very gentle, friendly way. This time he wanted a book, but he had no money. He asked the distributor if they had a temple nearby. They did it, and he got the address, and went to the temple. He liked the devotees so much, he never left, and he has been a devotee ever since.

By our spiritual practice we develop qualities that attract the people when we present the books.

Amita Krishna Prabhu:

If a sannyasi been practicing to love Krishna and his guru for decades, why can he not speak about marriage? He has great experience keeping commitments in these relationships and keeping commitments in relationships is an important part of marriage.

Maha-bhavi Prabhu [from Norway]:

Sometimes we are struggling in devotional service, and we are thinking that Krishna is not pleased with us. But that is not the case. We are thinking that because Krishna is not fulfilling our material desires, He is displeased with us. But actually, Krishna is pleased that we are trying to perform devotional service.

To please one’s wife is not possible. I speak from experience. Similarly it is not possible to please all our friends or to please society.

Actually our intimate relationship is with Krishna, and that is what people are looking for, but they think that they will find that with the things of the material world.

If we are very attached to the material world, we are afraid of Krishna, because He is called Hari, one who takes away. Thus we tend to see Him as an enemy. By performing devotional service, we can become cured of this faulty vision.

We can be completely happy just chanting Krishna’s name on harinama.

Everyone is attracted to Krishna. We can see this when we are chanting on harinama. Sometimes they pretend to not be attracted as they walk by, and later we see them look with curiosity, “What was that?”

Lord Caitanya’s army is the most amazing army. What are the weapons? The karatalas, the mrdanga. No one is killed.

What is humility? Chanting Hare Krishna. Assisting in Lord Caitanya’s army.

Prahlad Maharaja could have such effect on his classmates because of the purity of his devotion.

Because Prahlada Maharaja was living in demoniac society, it makes sense he attained perfection by smaranam (remembrance), since hearing and chanting about Vishnu, who was considered an enemy, would be restricted.

Hanuman Prabhu:

From a conversation:

Mayapur has all the features I generally hate like cold water only, sleeping on hard floors, and crowds of people, and yet I am in complete bliss.

In the West I struggle to chant 16 rounds, but as an undercover security guard in Mayapur, I chant 32 or 64. I do not even count anymore.

Maitreya Prabhu [from England]:

From his autobiography:

“My aversion [to the Sunday religious service I was expected to attend in my youth] had nothing to do with form and substance but it was the lack of it that made the ordeal so unbearable and made escape the only remedy.”

—–

Sometimes we have difficulty fixing our minds on the sound of the holy name when we chant. If we internalize the understanding expressed in this stanza by Bhaktivinoda Thakura, that there is nothing but the holy name to be found in this material world, then it is easier to keep the mind focused.

krishna-nama-sudha koriya pan,

jurao bhakativinoda-pran,

nama bina kichu nahiko aro,

caudda-bhuvana-majhe

“Drink the pure nectar of the holy name of Krishna and thus satisfy the soul of Bhaktivinoda. There is nothing but the holy name within all the fourteen worlds.” (“Arunadaya Kirtan”, Song 1, by Bhaktivinoda Thakura)

Travel Journal#12.4: North Florida, New York City Harinam, Dublin
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 12, No. 4

By Krishna-kripa das
(February 2016, part two)

North Florida, New York City Harinam, Dublin
(Sent from Rishikesh on March 15, 2016)

Where I Went and What I Did

The beginning of the second half of February I spent based at Krishna House, chanting at Krishna Lunch each weekday and at the Farmers Market in Gainesville on Wednesday afternoons. I made a couple trips to Jacksonville, one to chant on the campus of the University of North Florida and at their Krishna Club meeting, where I talked about Lord Nityananda Prabhu, whose appearance day was the day after, and the next day to chant with the Alachua devotees at a special event, the Jacksonville Monster Truck Jam. On the way to Dublin I stopped in New York City for about three hours to sing with the New York City Harinam party in the Times Square Subway Station. I spent three days in Dublin during which we chanted harinama for thirteen hours, much of it with Premarnava Prabhu, who sings wonderfully and is a great friend. As we sang people donated almost 100 euros and accepted 33 of Srila Prabhupada’s books, which is big for a small timer like myself. The last day of February, this year the 29th, I flew to Mumbai via Istanbul on Turkish Airlines. Unfortunately, my bag spent an extra day in Instanbul as our flight arrived ten minutes before the subsequent one was scheduled to leave.

I share an excerpt from Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita 5.29, purport, and excerpts from the books and journal of Satsvarupa dasa Goswami. I have notes on a wonderful class by His Holiness Varshana Swami on Lord Nityananda’s Appearance Day in Alachua. I also share notes on classes by Srila Prabhupada disciples, Kalakantha Prabhu and Mother Nanda in Gainesville, Kurma Prabhu in Dublin, and Narayani Devi from a recording. Also I share notes on classes by younger devotees at Krishna House and a list of recent realizations of the devotees there from an istagosthi.

I would like to thank very much Sankarsan Lila Prabhu and his wife, who kindly gave me a nice donation so I can survive on my India trip and also a great meal of dosas, idlis, and that awesome coconut chutney. I would like to thank the Dublin devotees for kindly letting me keep the profit from the harinama collection, so I can come back to Dublin and do more harinamas. Thanks to Sasha and Kaliya Krishna Prabhu of the New York City Harinam party for their donations. Thanks also to my friend, Michael, from New Vrindavan, for supporting my traveling and sharing harinama by his donation. Thanks to the Hollybolly Cafe in Rishikesh for letting me use their internet without buying anything and for accepting the maha-prasadam and literature I gave them in reciprocation.

Itinerary

March 12–20: Rishikesh Harinama

March 21–April 9: Vrindavan

April 10–13: Mumbai

April 14–21: Ireland

April 22–24: Newcastle, England

April 26: Radhadesh (Kadamba Kanana Swami’s Vyasa Puja)

April 27–29: Holland (including King’s Day in Amsterdam on April 27)

April 30–May 1: Birmingham 24-hour kirtana

May 2–July 9: The North of England and Scotland

July 10: Prague Ratha-yatra

July 12–16: Polish Woodstock

July 30: Berlin Ratha-yatra

August 5–11: Baltic Summer Festival

August 18–21: Trutnoff (Czech Woodstock)

September 13–: New York City Harinam

Krishna House Chants at the Gainesville Farmers Market

We chanted at the Gainesville Farmers Market a couple of Wednesdays in the second half of February. We have been chanting at that event for several years and at least two people have began practicing devotional service to Krishna having encountered us there, Anna and Christiana. Every year I leave, and the program becomes intermittent or nonexistence. This time I am hoping that Bali, Audrey, and Ekayani, who are the most enthusiastic attenders of it, can keep it going.



One young girl, Natalie, joined us both weeks, playing around with the instruments the first time and letting Audrey swing her around the second time.


She as been coming for three or four weeks and is very regular, despite being so young. 


The first week one guy also joined us, listening for over an hour and sometimes playing the tamborine (https://youtu.be/QkdYtlatGpY):

Later another little girl joined us for a while, while her mother watched (https://youtu.be/lydgC0ha6IM):

The second week, Kalki and Carlos, the biggest of the Krishna House book distributors, got into dancing, and so did Nickole (https://youtu.be/j8dXuAIyj8w):



At the end, three of the Krishna House ladies danced like anything, including Madhava Devi Dasi, who met us while shopping (https://youtu.be/2e-m57DXZzA):

Because of the harinama, all who hear advance spiritually by the influence of the holy name. Those who see us notice that there is another way of enjoying life, by acting in relationship with Krishna, and perhaps they will learn more about it in the future, when their materialistic sources of happiness inevitably fail them.

Krishna House Evening Kirtanas

The Krishna House devotees are so enthusiastic during the evening kirtana, I can’t help taking videos of them.

Here Dhameshvar Mahaprabhu das Prabhu leads (https://youtu.be/SdfGfFNaZM8):

Here Audrey leads (https://youtu.be/Of352vm-rOs):

University of North Florida Krishna Club

The Krishna Lunch devotees let me take one person from their staff to chant with me in Jacksonville at University of North Florida. 


That was Bali, who may just be the most enthusiastic in kirtana in Krishna House. We chanted for two and a half hours or so on the campus of the University of North Florida, and then attended the Krishna Club program. Bali liked Krishna Club very much. I described some of the glories of Lord Nityananda as the next day was His appearance day. Youssef led a lively final kirtana that got a few of the students dancing, and that was beautiful to see (https://youtu.be/w8IU1gEgFik):

Kyra, a new attendee who teaches yoga at the beginning of the meetings, seemed very much into the kirtana which was notable.

From a Krishna Club Ice Breaker:

What would you tell your five-year old self?

Bali: Study harmonium.

Youssef: Never stop questioning.

Nityananda Tryodasi Harinama at the Monster Truck Jam

Lord Nityananda Prabhu is famous for saving the most fallen persons, and so I am sure he was appreciative of the attempt of the twenty-five devotees from Alachua, Gainesville, and Jacksonville to share the holy name of Krishna with the thousands of fans entering the Jacksonville stadium for the Monster Truck Jam.

I was very impressed that we had twelve devotees from Krishna House who skipped the Alachua temple program for Lord Nityananda, along with its kirtana and feast, to travel one and a half hours each way to chant in Jacksonville.

Godruma and his wife, Mother Vishupriya, arranged packages of prasadam for us to take on the way home.

During the harinama, more people danced with us than they usually do at that event or at that stadium, and it was wonderful to see.


This family was attracted to the chanting, and one kid holds a Krishna pamphlet.

Here are some highlights I recorded on video (https://youtu.be/xWJ9Teeua3g):

Realizations Shared at a Krishna House Istagosthi

Ekayani: Whatever we desire, we will do.

Badahari Prabhu: How small I am.

Gopal Prabhu: There must be something in this chanting or I could not do it for so many [almost forty] years. The books are right!

Krishna-kripa das: Because we are Krishna’s marginal energy, if we do not take shelter of His spiritual energy by engaging in devotional service to Him, we will be forced to serve His material energy. If our devotional service is materially motivated or interrupted, we will not be completely satisfied.

Madhava Prabhu: Although I had an intense week at work, because I had a lot of association with devotees, it was one of the best weeks in my recent memory.

Hari Priya: Everything I am looking for is within the heart. I am not this body, and it is useless to seek happiness externally. Through the holy name and the association of the devotees, everything can be revealed in the heart.

Dhameshvar Mahaprabhu das Prabhu: I do not know anyone happier or more lovable than my spiritual master [Vaisesika Prabhu].

Vanna: When we are chastised by the devotees, it is most purifying because it is done out of love. I was always very independent, but Krishna broke me down, and I am now very dependent on the devotees.

Rasaraja Prabhu: It is important to have one or two devotees you can reveal your mind to. Chanting your 16 rounds every day, no matter what was going on, has kept me in Krishna consciousness.

Nickole: I am inspired by the realizations of the Vaisnavas. My grandmother used to say, “All I know is that I know nothing.”

Michael: Understanding that my mind and soul are different helps me accepting what is happening that I cannot change.

Nick: The more I read and chant, the more I feel the presence of God around me and inside me.

Jonathon: I saw a ghost at age 15, and I realized life was eternal.

Amrita: The only thing I truly have is the maha-mantra.

Dhrstadyumna Prabhu:

We cannot do anything without the sanction of the Supersoul, which is pretty profound when you think about it.

It is special in the innumerable universes that we are connected with Srila Prabhupada and through him to Lord Caitanya. We cannot glorify Srila Prabhupada enough.

Rangi: Krishna is always looking after me and everyone else on this planet. I see with my friends, sometimes they do not get what they want, but it turns out for their betterment.

Bali: It is important to appreciate devotees and take guidance and shelter. This world is not our home, and everything is so temporary. It is hard in spiritual life because we are so attached to this world. It takes great humility. The mind makes it difficult.

Cayman: Devotees association is very important. I cannot conjure up enthusiasm to serve Krishna alone. We must stay positive, although not able to immediately realize our devotional goals.

Sri Nama: It is difficult going to this devotional program and then going to school. Then I heard Sacinandana Swami say before every endeavor to say to Krishna “I am doing this for you,” and after you have done it, “Thank you for allowing me to do this.”

Mother Caitanya: Recently I have been rendering service to advanced devotees, and I am getting a lot of mercy from their realizations, and I am seeing how it very valuable to serve the advanced.

Audrey: We are always connected to Krishna, as if through spiritual umbilical cords, but he lets us go out on our own, so far we do not even see him, and we see others and think they are our shelter.

Kalakantha Prabhu: If husband and wife both put Krishna in the center of their lives, they can have a fulfilling marriage, otherwise they tend to exploit each other for sense gratification.

Nickole: Mother Caitanya was reminding us that the devotees are more merciful than Krishna because Krishna will let us get into maya but the devotees will not.

Chanting with New York City Harinam

It was just wonderful not to miss a day of harinama while traveling from Florida to Ireland because I could arrange a seven and a half hour stop in New York City where I could count on having friends to sing with. That New York City Harinam party led by Rama Raya Prabhu, and inspired by Aindra Prabhu, sings six hours each day in Union Square, in good weather, and in one of several subway stations in cold or wet weather. I sang with them for two and a half hours at Times Square Subway Station, and it was just wonderful to have their association again.

Chanting Hare Krishna in Dublin

I have wonderful experiences doing harinama in Dublin because of two friends who have great taste for chanting the holy names in public and who are willing to singing with me for hours. They are Ananta Nitai and Premarnava Prabhus. This time Ananta Nitai Prabhu was in Vrindavan, but Premarnava Prabhu increased his participation on our Dublin harinamas to make up for it.

We chanted three hours on Friday. All three days the temperatures must have been in the mid 40s to low 50s (7–12° C) and it was often windy, but fortunately it did not rain.

We did a seven and a half hour harinama on Saturday, February 27, the appearance day of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and both Premarnava Prabhu and I chanted seven hours, taking a half hour break or two fifteen-minute ones. When I saw people glance at our party, I would pray to Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura that they might become attracted to Krishna by hearing the chanting of His holy names. More people gave us donations than I ever recall in Dublin. Several people danced with us and took photos and videos of us as usual. I told a few Indian people who lived in Dublin, about our temple and its Sunday program. Mayesvara Prabhu joined us for an hour and a half that day, and Dina Daya Prabhu for an hour, but all the rest of the time it was me and Premarnava. Because of the increasing coldness, the last hour I had to restrain myself from watching the clock. It was wonderful seeing more appeciation than usual, and I took it that was some special mercy from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura upon us.

On Sunday, before our midday feast program, I chanted with Kurma Prabhu and his wife for an hour and half. Dina Dayal Prabhu and an Indian congregational member joined us for some of the time. Then I chanted alone for almost half and hour. One lady said she had not seen Hare Krishnas chanting in Dublin since the 1980s, so I can see we really have to increase.

I felt victorious in that three devotees joined me after the Sunday feast program to chant more kirtana in the temple, and they all chanted with so much devotion it was inspiring. I encouraged all of them to have a post–Sunday feast kirtana every week, as they all seemed to have a taste for it, and it has sometimes been a regular part of the program in the past.

I like do three hours of harinama each day, and even liberally including our post-feast kirtana in the temple room, I was shy of three hours by just over half an hour. I encouraged Premarnava Prabhu to join me in the streets, and he was so fired-up we stayed out for an hour. Almost half an hour into it a devotee named Silavati, came by on her way home from work and chanted with us until we finished just over half an hour later. I was completely amazed to see her enthusiasm. Many people appreciated and contributed over 15 euros, taking several Chant and Be Happys and Beyond Birth and Deaths. It was a beautiful way to end my stay in Dublin.

In the three days in Dublin, we chanted thirteen hours of harinama, with eight devotees participating at least part of the time. People donated almost one hundred euros, and took one maha-big, eight medium, and twenty-four small books. All glories to Sri Krishna Sankirtana!

Special Pictures

Devotees of the Supreme Lord have an understanding that He creates difficult situations to help us advance spiritually. The most surrendered devotees even pray for them. Here is a poster commenting on such challenges from a bulletin board at the University of North Florida:



Sometimes you see something in life that you have never seen before, like a dishwasher with a lock on it.



We are starting a restaurant in Gainesville, and Badahari Prabhu, Krishna House maintenance specialist, was determined that the plates he was washing for it would not disappear.

To see photos I took but did not include in this journal, click on the link below:

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 5.29, purport:

“Krishna consciousness means to work in full knowledge of one’s relationship with the Supreme Absolute, and the perfection of this consciousness is full knowledge of Krishna, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A pure soul is the eternal servant of God as His fragmental part and parcel. He comes into contact with maya (illusion) due to the desire to lord it over maya, and that is the cause of his many sufferings. As long as he is in contact with matter, he has to execute work in terms of material necessities. Krishna consciousness, however, brings one into spiritual life even while one is within the jurisdiction of matter, for it is an arousing of spiritual existence by practice in the material world. The more one is advanced, the more he is freed from the clutches of matter. The Lord is not partial toward anyone. Everything depends on one’s practical performance of duties in Krishna consciousness, which helps one control the senses in every respect and conquer the influence of desire and anger. And one who stands fast in Krishna consciousness, controlling the abovementioned passions, remains factually in the transcendental stage, or brahma-nirvana.”

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

From Entering a Life of Prayer:


“There are many things I will have to sacrifice when I leave this solitary base for preaching tours. However, the one thing I hope I can keep with me is turning to Krishna as much as possible. It doesn’t take extra time, it takes quality. This is something I can learn to do here and do wherever I go, because Krishna is everywhere. He is always in our heart. In fact, there may be even more impetus for talking to Krishna and praying to Him in stressful situations. My dear Lord Krishna, please have mercy on this sinner. Dear Srila Prabhupada, please help me to be a devotee of Krishna by your grace. My dear Lord Krishna, please help me to be a sincere and faithful disciple of Prabhupada.”

From “Poem for February 16” in Viraha Bhavan:

“I want to beseech You as in the
prayer, Jagannatha Swami nayana-
patha-gami bhavatu me:
“O Lord of the universe, kindly
be visible unto me.” You
see the statue, but if you
want to see the Lord, He has to reveal
Himself to your eyes.
Lord Krishna says, ‘I am
not manifest to the nondevotees.
I cover Myself with My curtain of maya.’
You want me to see You
with Radha beside You,
I just have to become submissive.
The praying is what will work.
Please help me to be pure.”

From Japa Walks, Japa Talks:

“Very, very few of us can spend our full time chanting. Prabhupada says that constant chanting is the activity of a very mature – in fact, liberated – devotee. But we may feel that we’re not doing enough with only sixteen or twenty-five rounds. One way to feel better about this is to realize that all our activities can contribute to good japa. Be conscious of it, be deliberate. Understand that if you are cruel to someone, or if you find fault, or overeat, or are a nonsense in one way or another, it’s going to affect your japa. Everything you do either contributes to or works against your chanting. It makes me think of the athletes who train for years to perform in the Olympics. Their actual performance is over in a few hours, but they train for it and protect themselves from injury twenty-four hours a day. They make sure they get sufficient rest, eat the best foods, and don’t do anything that could damage their chances of success. And they think positively.”

From “Poem for February 24” in Viraha Bhavan:

“The Hare Krishna chanters in the
City are not of this
material world. They
are followers of Lord Caitanya
and Srila Prabhupada who had
spiritual forms. The sound vibration
made by the chanters
is transcendental, and they are
also transcendental. Srila Prabhupada used
to say the ISKCON temples
were not situated in
Los Angeles or London, but
they were part of the
spiritual world. The
City chanters are not
in a temple, but they
have transformed their
sacred spot into the
consciousness of Vrndavana. The passersby
are aware the chanters have created
a peaceful oasis amidst the urban
world of passion and ignorance. As
they appreciate the singing, their lives
are transformed.”

Varsana Maharaja:

What is an avadhuta? Someone so intoxicated with vraja-prema [the love of God found in Krishna’s supreme abode, Vrindavan] that he loses the discrimination about where to distribute it. Nityananda, as an avadhuta, simply wanted to fulfill the inner desire of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and thus They acted as a team to benefit the fallen souls.

We glorify Srila Prabhupada as uprooting impersonalism yet we do not realize there is so much impersonalism within us.

As Paramatma, the Lord of the heart, the Lord is impartial, but as Bhagavan [the Supreme Person] He is very partial.

The Lord shows his partiality by taking the side of His devotees.

Without Gauranga [Lord Caitanya] we cannot progress beyond reverential worship and enter the groves of Vraja.

Lord Gauranga does not give the reverential prema given by perfect worship of the other Kali-yuga avatars.

Until we surpass anartha-nivritta and attain nistha we cannot even contemplate vraja-prema.

We are dependent on the mercy of Nityananda, who gives His vraja-prema to anyone who is willing to accept His gift.

Lord Caitanya came for his own internal purpose. Lord Nityananda and Advaita Acarya were mostly the saviors of the fallen souls of Kali.

Previously in Kali-yuga one had to be highly qualified and perform the yuga-dharma for many births to merely attain reverential devotion, which does not satisfy the soul’s desire for sweetness.

Vraja can be a verb meaning to go, and also the destination, Vraja [Vrindavan].

By worship Lord Gaura by vaidhi-bhakti [the rules and regulations meant to awaken devotional service] we are in fact, following in the footsteps of Radharani, and at some point in our advancement, Lord Caitanya reveals His form as Radha-Krishna.

In Canto 11, this age of Kali is glorified because by chanting the holy name one attains everything, but Canto 12 says Kali is worst because practically no one chants the holy name. This contradiction is an invitation for one to go deeper, and no one goes deeper than the Gaudiya Vaishnavas [the followers of Lord Caitanya]. In Canto 11, this particular Kali-yuga is being described, which is special by the mercy of Gaura and Nityananda, who give the holy name to everyone.

Since in every age one can attain success through chanting the holy name, then one might ask “why are more difficult processes recommended?” The answer is that because people are so qualified to do the other things, they cannot place their faith in the holy name.

Krishna describes to Mother Ganga in 5,000 years, His mantra-upasaka [the representative who will teach the Lord’s own mantra] will travel all over the world, creating devotees, and bringing them to the Ganges to bathe in the river, thus purifying it. This will go on for 10,000 years. After that the Ganges will disappear.

This time is fearful as Kali is making plans for the degradation to come after the golden age, and the golden age is not fully manifest yet.

Lord Rama was always sober and tolerant not playful like Krishna and Balarama.

Sita was happy to go to Valmiki’s ashram because she wanted to celebrate her pregnancy by distributing charity to those who had benefitted her in the past.

Lord Nityananda altered Lord Caitanya’s instruction for the purpose fulfilling Lord Caitanya’s internal desire. Lord Caitanya wanted Nityananda to tell people to chant Krishna, to worship Krishna, and to carry out the orders of Krishna. Lord Nityananda told people to chant Gauranga, worship Gauranga, and to carry out the orders of Gauranga.

After the Khetari festival, which even mesmerized snakes, and in which Lord Caitanya and His associates reappeared to take part, Jahnava Devi took her party to Ekacakra on pilgrimage, and they found it in ruins.

When the Pandavas resided in Ekacakra, Nityananda appeared to Yudhisthira in a dream and told him, “This is not the supreme abode. Go to Navadvipa.” And so Yudhisthira and the Pandavas did.

Hadai Pandit wanted take birth after birth in Ekacakra waiting for his son Nitai, who had gone off with a sannyasi, to return.

The devotees despite great endeavor could not find Nityananda because Lord Caitanya wanted to teach that Nitai was very confidential personality.

Nitai, despite His external appearance, did not want to do anything independently of Lord Caitanya.

After much travel to different pilgrimage places, Nityananda came to Navadvipa and considered he attained the ultimate destination.

When Lord Caitanya told Narayani, future mother of Vrindavan das Thakura, to chant “Krishna, Krishna,” she immediately attained the supreme devotional ecstasy.

All we know about Lord Caitanya is the mercy of Lord Nityananda, whose devotees Vrindavan das Thakura and Krishnadasa Kaviraja are His principal biographers.

In his nineties, Krishnadasa Kaviraja, ordered by Lord Nityananda, began walking to Vrindavana from Bengal.

Kalakantha Prabhu:

What did Krishna fight Jambavan for twenty-eight days?

Comment by Cayman: To fulfill Jambavan’s desire to have a combatant.

Srila Prabhupada said once that Krishna fights to keep the body fit.

The Syamantaka jewel story shows how money can ruin good people. When there is an accumulation of wealth, it is difficult to resist the temptation to control it.

Comment by Dhrstadyumna Prabhu: Isn’t gold one of the places Kali is allowed to reside.

Response: Yes. Very good.

You can have bad habits or character flaws, but in Kali-yuga, you will be respected if you have money.

Q (by Amy): Money is such a part of life. Anything we can do if we have money to not be degraded by it?

A: Use it for sacrifice.

From an istagosthi:

If you are flirting, you’ll be hurting.

Kurma Prabhu:

It is good to learn verses. I first learned the Siksastakam. The rule is to always to remember Krishna, and learning verses can help this.

When he was being killed by a crocodile, Gajendra, the king of the elephants, chanted a prayer he learned in his previous life as King Indradyumna. Pleased by hearing the prayer, the Lord appear and protected him by killing the crocodile.

Srila Prabhupada tells the story of a person who had never tasted sugar cane. His friend was saying it looks like a rod, and you break it and chew on it, and it tastes very sweet. The man looked for something that fit that description and ended up chewing different types of bamboo and found only frustration.

The chanting of Hare Krishna was spread throughout South India because anyone who saw Lord Caitanya began chanting Hare Krishna, and those who saw those persons also began chanting Hare Krishna. And so on, and so on.

One devotee said to Srila Prabhupada, “I am the most fallen.” Srila Prabhupada replied, “You are not the most anything.” He said this because he detected that the disciple was artificially presenting himself as if he was an advanced soul, who actually feels himself to be the most fallen.

There are a thousand names of Radharani and Lord Balarama.

You cannot go a hot sticky yoga studio and sit on a hot sticky mat in your leotards and expect to attain God realization.

Your first thoughts when you wake up set the whole course for your day.

There is a mantra you can chant before you even step out of bed, asking Mother Bhumi (the earth goddess) for forgiveness for stepping on her.

It takes great practice to become more tolerant than a tree and more humble than a blade of grass.

Wealth is not a source of pleasure but a source of entanglement and anxiety.

One of the King Louis’s of France, was so completely disgusted with the falsity of palace life, he and some of his intimate friends would sometimes leave the palace and dress themselves as cow herds, and milk the cows and sport in the fields.

There is one song where Bhaktivinoda Thakura prays he would rather take birth as an insect in the house of a devotee than Lord Brahma. Why? If you take birth as an insect in the home of a devotee, that devotee will give you protection. He will not call the exterminator.

Lord Caitanya describes world of birth and death to be like an ocean because if you are drowning in a ocean, you have to be pulled out by someone. Similarly, we need Krishna to pull us out of samsara [the ocean of birth and death].

Srila Prabhupada said the love of a mother for her child is the closest thing to the unconditional love of the pure soul for God.

Srila Prabhupada said we should call out when we chant like a baby calling out for its mother.

Comments by Kurma Prabhu’s wife:

Although there is no phala-sruti [benediction for its recitation] given by Lord Caitanya for the “Siksastakam,” Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami offers this blessing after describing the “Siksastakam”: “If anyone recites or hears these eight verses of instruction by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, his ecstatic love and devotion for Krishna increase day by day.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya 10.65)

Mother Nanda:

Krishna does not like mediocrity. He likes intensity.

Mother Yasoda has so much affection that her breasts would fill milk for her beloved Krishna, even when He was an adult.

Krishna sent Uddhava to Vrindavan because he was advanced in devotion, and he would be able to appreciate the great devotion of its residents.

The Absolute Truth is described as Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan, but the realization of the residents of Vrndavana is beyond that because they just see Krishna is everything.

Advancement in devotional service happens automatically, but it does not happen mechanically.

Comment by Dhameshvar Prabhu: Take a chance on the dance of Krishna.

Comment by Kalakantha Prabhu: Uddhava means “festival.”

You can never be satisfied with a mundane life once you have had your eyes opened by the torchlight of transcendental knowledge. How can I repay the debt to my spiritual master, who has delivered me from ignorance that I did not even realize I was in.

We would have this experience that in Srila Prabhupada’s presence all our problems would disappear. They would be revealed to be truly insignificant.

Bhurijana Prabhu made the point that our determination to go back to Godhead must be so great that if we do not succeed this life, we will continue our endeavor in the next life.

The more we reciprocate with the voice of the Lord within our heart, the more advice He will give us in that way.

The acaryas explain that the Lord promised Bhumi that he would not kill her son, Bhauma, despite his demonic qualities, without her permission. Satyabhauma, Krishna’s wife, is a partial expansion of Bhumi, and she came with Krishna, to the battle with Bhauma, and at the end of the vicious fight, she gave her blessings to kill him.

The more you look for God in your life, the more you will see Him, and so practice looking. We can pray to the Lord to be able to see His loving hand in our life.

Narayani Devi:

From a recorded lecture:

Lord Caitanya explained that “satyam param” [the Supreme Truth] is sambandha [that with which we have a relationship] and “dhimahi” [meditation] is abhidheya [the path] and prayojana [the goal].

An honest person knows he must change. A dishonest person thinks everything is OK, and he does not have to change.

Srusrusubhih means intensely eager to hear. We have to be so eager to hear about Krishna.

Madhumati Devi:

Our purpose in the Krishna consciousness movement is to fall in love with Krishna as Rukmini did.

Can you imagine writing a letter to someone telling them that you fell in love with them but your parents arranged a marriage to someone else and asking them if they could please come and take you away. Rukmini was very bold.

We are attracted to people because of their qualities, and Krishna has all qualities in full.

This story shows an attractive quality I appreciate in my husband, Sesa Prabhu:

Once I tried to put a flyer advertising my vegetarian cooking class in the Potomac library. I saw there were all kinds of other ads there, but they would not accept mine. I was upset and explained what happened to my husband, Sesa Prabhu. He asked if I wanted to do something about it. I said yes. He went to the manager of the library with me by his side and put his lawyer card on the table. The librarian knew what it was about and was very nervous. I cannot tell you all the details, but the end result was that I was allowed to advertise our program, and the library had an exhibition of Lord Jagannath for a whole month. We did did a program in the library and when the librarian bit into a samosa, she said, “This is really good.” I wish I had a picture of it.

What are some qualities we like in others and which find their perfection in Krishna?

Being a good speaker.

Intelligence.

Being reciprocal in love.

Honesty.

Humor.

Willing to fight for the right reason.

Dina Bandhu Prabhu:

In school you have to know what your teacher wants you to know and be able to communicate that.

My initial religious experience was a fundamentalist background, but my blind faith was not sufficient to get me through different challenges in life, and I became an agnostic.

Later I read different spiritual books and created my own philosophy based on these.

People are willing to accept so many educational authorities, but at the same time, they are unwilling to accept any spiritual authority.

I feel my generation was the last one to offer their teachers apples out of gratitude.

To be purely good we have know what is purity.

Even the phrase “passing away” hints that the soul continues.

No one refers to the body as the person after death.

Comment by Robert Wilson: Cemeteries are more for the living than the dead.

The body without the soul is not desirable. By the influence of soul the body can even appear beautiful.

Shymala Kishori Devi Dasi:

When Jarasandha attacked Krishna in Mathura, Krishna had about 100 soldiers in his army, and Jarasandha had 4,000 soldiers for each one of Krishna’s.

The scene of the gruesome battle had a beautiful element to it because Krishna was present. 

The Dvaraka fort was 96,000 square miles.

By the time people see Krishna, they do not need see anything else, for seeing Krishna satisfies the soul.

After seeing Krishna, although Mucukunda had been awakened untimely, he did not pray to Krishna to continue his sleep because he was transcendentally satisfied by Krishna’s presence.

Prahlada prays, “I have no material desires, but if you really want to bless me, then bless me that I do not get any material desires.”

One hope animates my soul: To spend day and night singing Your holy name while living in Your divine abode.

Three important things about prayers:

They involve glorification of the Lord.

They are personal.

They are specific.

Just remember “GPS”, glorification, personal, specific.

As a kid we had a Christian prayer book, and as an experiment, we decided to pray to Jesus to help us find our coloring book. We found the book, and thus I concluded that Jesus was for real.

Comment by me:

Commenting on this pastime, speakers often say because Kalayavana was untouchable [because of his degraded habits], Krishna did not want to touch him in the processing of killing him, thus he arranged Mucukunda to incinerate him.

Sometimes I pray for uninterrupted sleep because I find my sadhana is so much better when I am well rested. Is that a bona fide prayer?

In The Nectar of Devotion, Rupa Goswami advises we pray to the deity for His mercy.

It is more pleasing to pray to Krishna about our actual situation than just robotically offer prayers we know.

Comment by Kalakantha Prabhu: One reason Mucukunda prayed for uninterrupted sleep and the ability to burn anyone who woke him, is that he was tired of fighting for the demigods and did not want them to ask him to fight for them again.

Comments after class by me:

In case you want to know my prayers for sleep, I have two:

My dear Lord Krishna, I desire to awaken my love for you by practicing the yoga you describe in Bhagavad-gita. You mention that one cannot be a yogi if he sleeps too much or too little. I am having great difficulty following that instruction to not sleep too little. Please help me.

May dear Krishna, if you think that additional rest will increase the quality of my service to you, then please allow it to happen.

Dhameshvar Mahaprabhu das Prabhu:

If I give my complete attention to you, I cannot give my complete attention to someone else. But Krishna can give his complete attention to all of us at once.

Spiritual life is not about conversion but about connection.

The universe is within Krishna, yet Krishna appears to be in the universe.

Comment by Abhimanyu Prabhu: Krishna “stole” butter from the older gopis  because they were all his confidential devotees and He wanted to fulfill their desires to personally serve Him.

Abhimanyu Prabhu:

I witnessed how Krishna provides remembrance of Himself for those who spread His message this morning accompanying my friend Dhameshvar Prabhu at the hospital. Although he was not in control of his body, he was able to remember all the prayers of Queen Kunti he was teaching us last semester. The others at the emergency room were left to listen to whatever was on the TV there.

Srila Prabhupada said that if a disciple desires from something material from the spiritual master, he may get that thing, but he will not get the empowerment to spread Lord Caitanya’s message.

Birth is one misery of the body. No baby comes out of the womb laughing.

Comment by Dhrstadyumna: The word “sincere” is derived from a Latin word that means “without cracks”.

Kalki Prabhu:

Maybe three times I would feel in the morning that I was empowered by Srila Prabhupada and the previous acaryas [spiritual teachers] and that I would do really big on book distribution that day, and I did do really big on sankirtana that day.

Carlos:

To understand that by chanting this transcendental sound vibration one can attain the spiritual world is the greatest gift.

To anyone I stop on book distribution, I try to get them to chant the entire maha-mantra, and I find that it changes the whole atmosphere. If they were not originally inclined to get a book, sometimes they change their mind.

A thirteen or fourteen year old boy who got a book from me came running up to me at hour later profusely thanking me for the book, saying, “You cannot get this knowledge in these books anyplace else. It is sacred knowledge.”

One girl I distributed a book to came up to me a few days later and said, “I had the best experience in my life chanting this maha-mantra. Just reading the Science of Self-Realization I am thinking of redirecting my life.”

If people get the books and come to the temple, and there is not harinama sankirtana performed there, they will not get the full benefit, because harinama sankirtana [congregational chanting of the holy name] is the yuga-dharma [practice for this age].

Srila Prabhupada said the secret of success in book distribution is to desire to please the previous spiritual masters.

—–

Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda are more on our minds than usual as Their appearance days are this time of year. Thus I share a verse about Them:

vande sri-kirshna-caitanya-

nityanandau sahoditau

gaudodaye pushpavantau

citrau san-dau tamo-nudau

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Krishna Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauda [Bengal] to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 1.2)

Travel Journal#12.3: North Florida
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 12, No. 3
By Krishna-kripa das
(February 2016, part one)

North Florida
(Sent from Mayapur on March 10, 2016)

Where I Went and What I Did

The first half of February I was based mostly in Gainesville, singing at Krishna Lunch, but I made one final trip to Tallahassee to chant at Lake Ella and behind the Florida State University library and to talk to students. With youthful, enthusiastic devotees from Krishna House who pleased me by their cooperation, I sang at three special events in North Florida: the Jacksonville Art Walk, First Friday in Tallahassee, and the Ocala Regional Rainbow Gathering in Ocala National Forest. While at Krishna House, I attended their Tuesday night program for new people, and I tell briefly about that.

I share insights from Srila Prabhupada’s conversations and from his books. I share a quote from Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Jaiva Dharma. I share excerpts from Viraha Bhavan, the online journal of Satsvarupa dasa  Goswami. I had the good fortune to hear more from Giriraja Swami, and I share useful realizations from that. I share notes on lectures by Prabhupada disciples Akuti Devi, Adi Karta Prabhu, Brahmatirtha Prabhu, Kalakantha Prabhu, Mother Nanda, Ramiya Prabhu, and Sesa Prabhu. I also share insights from Madhava Prabhu from New Raman Reti, Pran Govinda Prabhu, Kalki, and Audrey.

I would like to thank Krishna Keshava Prabhu from Alachua, Nama Kirtan Prabhu from Tallahassee, Adi Karta Prabhu from Alachua, and Sravan Ananda Prabhu from Orlando for their kind donations toward my traveling expenses. I would like to thank Dhruva Prabhu from Kansas City for kindly loaning me the entire cost of my ticket from Dublin to Mumbai, almost $500, so I could go to India this year. I would like to thank Prishni Devi Dasi for paying my expenses so I could attend the Bhaktivedanta Institute meeting in Gainesville when I was in Orlando doing college outreach. Thanks to Vanna for her picture of the Ocala Rainbow Gathering and to Ekayani for her picture of First Friday.

Itinerary

March 5–10: Mayapur Kirtan Mela

March 12–21: Rishikesh Harinama

March 22–April 9: Vrindavan

April 10–13: Mumbai

April 14–21: Ireland

April 22–24: Newcastle, England

April 26: Radhadesh (Kadamba Kanana Swami’s Vyasa Puja)

April 27–29: Holland (including King’s Day in Amsterdam on April 27)

April 30–May 1: Birmingham 24-hour kirtana

May 2–July 9: The North of England and Scotland

July 10: Prague Ratha-yatra

July 12–16: Polish Woodstock

July 30: Berlin Ratha-yatra

August 5–11: Baltic Summer Festival

August 18–21: Trutnoff (Czech Woodstock)

September 13–: New York City Harinam

Krishna House Tuesday Night Program

There is a program every Tuesday to introduce students to the Hare Krishna philosophy and practice at the Bhakti House, one of the Krishna House buildings. Different devotees give the lecture each week. Recently the programs have become quite lively with people who are inquisitive and people who like kirtana participating. Here is some video of Adi Karta Prabhu and his wife, Rucira Devi, doing kirtana the first Tuesday in February (https://youtu.be/sIrk334EuH8):

Jacksonville Art Walk

The first Wednesday of the month, devotees from Krishna House do harinama and book distribution at the Jacksonville Art Walk. This month it was just me, Bali, Ekayani, Christiana, Audrey, and Vanna. Bali later said he came so I would not be the only guy. Although we were a small party, the devotees were very cooperative and participatory. We did not have a single book distributor but encouraged everyone to distribute books at least part of the time, and four out of the six of us did. I just talked to people who were obviously attracted by our small but enthusiastic chanting party, and relatively easily distributed a Bhagavad-gita, a Science of Self-Realization, and four small books. We met interesting people. One young lady knew Christiana from Gainesville and Vanna from Ann Arbor.



Several people danced with us.


One older man danced for a while, his arms raised in the air. I asked his wife, while he was dancing, if he had some connection with Hare Krishna earlier in his life, but she was not sure of the extent of it. They lived in West Virginia and had been to New Vrindavan. She had read the abridged biography of our founder, Srila Prabhupada, and told me, “I love that Prabhupada.”

Another older man wearing a National Park ranger’s uniform, expressed some interest, bought a small book, and offered to give us a tour of the National Park, with its Fort Caroline, which is near the beach in Jacksonville, and which includes the highest point in Florida, with a ten-mile view. 

One young lady, who delighted in dancing with us, told me she had danced with us at a previous Art Walk.

Vanna got one guy to chant. 


I wrote down the details of our University of North Florida Krishna Club for at least five people who were attracted by the chanting and the literature. I was happy how everything worked out well and everyone had a great time, although I was the leader and our party was smaller than usual. We were blessed with excellent weather. Although the first week in February, even at 9 p.m. when we ended, I was warm enough wearing a short-sleeved kurta.

In this video you will see how Christiana’s singing attracted lots of people to take part by dancing with us in Jacksonville and how Audrey was so enthusiastic she kept the chanting going at the van for a while before we left. (https://youtu.be/WaF_tpRCtYE):

Chanting Hare Krishna at First Friday in Tallahassee

I was happy we had a party of eight devotees to chant at Tallassassee’s First Friday this month, including Gauranga Prasad Prabhu, who is full of positive energy. At first I was annoyed that the people across from us were playing recorded music at too loud a volume, but I recalled I had my amplifier with me, and that helped to combat it a lot. I was impressed that we had more people listen to us for a longer time than before. 

One guy listened to us for half an hour. He told me he first became interested in Hare Krishna in New York City, hearing and getting a book from the devotees who chant in Union Square, but he had recently moved to Tallahassee. He remembered some of the names of the devotees on that Union Square harinama party. He said he was planning to look up our temple in Tallahassee but was too busy getting settled to do that. He came to First Friday and some people told him that the Hare Krishnas were serving food and explained where, and so he joined us. I invited him to the Tallahassee temple and he came for two Gita classes and developed friendly relationships with Nama Kirtan Prabhu and Elias. I found out he worked for a company that collected food that was past the expiration date and arranged to give it to charities, and I invited him bring some of the food to the temple. He brought 15 avocadoes on his next visit. 

Audrey (on right) and Nickole talked to some of the young people who enjoyed listening to us. In conversation, Nickole discovered that one of them had gone to the same high school as she did in Miami. 

At the end, Gauranga Prasad Prabhu led harinama not just once, but twice, around the Railroad Square. The organizers of an art and music festival to be held at the Square later in the month, upon hearing us sing, invited us to perform at it. Again I was so happy my friends at Krishna House came and shared their enthusiasm for devotion to Krishna with others.

Here is a rather fuzzy video clip with Gauranga Prasad Prabhu singing and showing Audrey dancing with one girl (https://youtu.be/5tdqwBnmmOQ):

Chanting Hare Krishna Elsewhere in Tallahassee

Because a wedding was going on near where I usually chant at Lake Ella in Tallahassee, I chanted by the playground. 


At least seven kids were excited to play my instruments as I sang for three hours on a sunny but brisk North Florida winter day. I would show the kids the standard one-two-three karatala beat and the four different sounds you can make with the drum, open and closed on the big and small ends. Then I would let them play as best they could, without additional instruction, as my mission was to allow people to hear the chanting of Hare Krishna and not teach the playing of musical instruments. 


They were happy playing with me and stayed longer than I would have expected. The parents did not object much to the kids associating with me.

I was happy that Ramiya Prabhu and his wife joined me for the final day of chanting at the Florida State University campus. Kirtana is so much more powerful with even one or two more people.

Chanting at the Rainbow Gathering in Ocala National Forest



We had a small but enthusiastic party of three guys and three girls chanting and distributing prasadam and literature one Saturday afternoon to those attending the Rainbow Gathering at the Ocala National Forest. I was happy Vanna chanted her mind and decided to go the last minute. As the previous year, we put our prasadam buckets in a cart which we pulled from one group of people to the next. 


People were very happy to get the prasadam.


Bali and Abhi were great in chanting and playing the instruments.
Audrey helped out in different ways.

Vanna pulled the cart and served out.

Amrita encouraged people to take mantra cards and books. 

Here Amrita teaches a guy the Hare Krishna mantra.


We met one guy who very, very happy to get Bhagavad-gita. One young mother told us that she read Bhagavad-gita every night to her child as the kid was taking rest. While serving prasadam and while people were eating it, we would chant. Then we would move on to the next group of people. Usually we go into the forest looking for people, but this year we found enough people parked and camped along the road that we were fully engaged. We had brought five buckets of halava, each a different flavor, from the five days of Krishna Lunch that week. The mint carob was especially tasty. The peach was pretty good too. At the end, I went to each of the different Rainbow kitchens to donation the rest of the halava. The lady, who was in charge of the first kitchen where we played earlier in the day, was very happy to take a bucket of halava. She said that for the moment she is living in the Gainesville area, and I invited her to come visit us sometime. The Jesus Kitchen took the last two buckets of halava. Some people sang with us or played their instruments. One young guy who sang with us a while helped pull our cart of prasadam. Thanks to all the devotees who came and made it possible to share Krishna music, food, and books at that event.

Here is some video showing the first kitchen we stopped at to give you a feel for what it was like (https://youtu.be/CxRzzKr38HI):

Funny Pictures



This sign on the Krishna House men’s ashram box of communal health and body care products reminds me of this Sri Isopanisad verse (1): “Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.”



Giriraja Swami’s servant carried the Swami’s books for sale in a bag from All Souls Chapel and Crematory at St. Michael’s Cemetery. One of the books was entitled Life’s Final Exam. I thought that was so funny I had to take a picture of it!

For photos I took but did not include, click on the link below:

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From a conversation New Vrindaban, West Virginia, on June 24, 1976:

“People see, with their own eyes, how the soul is transmigrating from one body to another body to still another body. Nevertheless, with their dull brains they cannot understand that at death, when the aged body is finished, the soul goes on to yet another body, material or spiritual. But people cannot understand this. They are so dull-brained. They cannot make the simple distinction between the body and the soul. It will take five hundred years to teach them this simple truth – their education is so advanced.”

From Srimad-Bhagatavam 8.5.48, purport:

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually the only object of our love. As long as we are in this material world we have so many desires to fulfill, but when we come in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we immediately become perfect and fully satisfied, just as a child is fully satisfied when he comes to the lap of his mother. Dhruva Maharaja went to the forest to achieve some material result by austerity and penance, but when he actually saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead he said, ‘I do not want any material benediction. I am completely satisfied.’”

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura:

From Jaiva Dharma:

“A natural human sentiment, compassion finds its highest expression in the works of devotees of the Lord. The tenderness of the heart experienced toward Krishna is known as bhakti. All other jivas are servants of Krishna. When one experiences tenderness of heart toward them, it is known as daya, compassion. Therefore, compassion is included within bhakti.”

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami:

“All creative work
comes from Krishna in the heart.
A devotee shouldn’t
chant hoping to
get personal, creative
ideas. He should pray to serve
Krishna nicely. We are
not egoistic creators
but ‘subordinate lovers of the Supreme.’”

“Today’s drawing shows four
devotees dancing and chanting
with upraised arms.
They are happy and jumping.
Even if harinama devotees
are chanting sitting down,
they are dancing
in their hearts. The
more enthusiastic and
physically nimble among
them will actually get
up and dance. This
adds to the ecstasy.
Lord Caitanya and His associates
used to chant and dance.
The people were so amazed
at Mahaprabhu’s
physical manifestations.
He used to leap high, and
Lord Nityananda would run beside
Him to catch Him if He fell. We
may not be so empowered and
we may be growing old and
not inclined to dance, but
on occasion, we may rise to our feet
and fill our spirit
and the spirit of the group
and what to speak of the onlookers!”

 “The Hare Krishna chanters in
the City go out every day
and situate themselves
in public in a sacred spot.
They sing kirtana for long
hours and purify the
atmosphere. They do
congregational chanting
of the Hare Krishna mantra, which is
the only sacrifice recommended
for the Age of Kali.
They are doing the
most important
welfare work for
humanity because
the chanting removes
sinful reactions and
awakens love of Godhead
in the hearts of those who hear.
No other philanthropic or altruistic
work is as important
because all other endeavors cannot
break the cycle of repeated birth and death.
Harinama can do that, and that is why
its servants are the best friends and rescuers.”

From a letter to a disciple:

“The simple explanation of the fight between the Kauravas and the Pandavas was that Dhrtarastra was favoring his own sons over the Pandavas, but in a way which was contrary to dharma. And since Krishna’s mission is to reestablish dharma for humanity at large, and since the Kauravas were not willing to act according to dharma in a peaceful way, Krishna used such a major fight to catch the attention of the whole world to His personal teachings about the ultimate dharma: surrender unto Him in loving devotion. This is the heart of the Mahabharata, as can be read in the Bhagavad-gita.”

Bhakti Tirtha Swami:

From a recorded lecture:

My mother said, “Give me my flowers while I can see them.” As a kid I could not understand, but as an adult I appreciate her love for life.

Giriraja Swami:

The cowherd boys asking Krishna for food are under the influence of the spiritual energy (yogamaya), while ordinary people asking God for food are under the influence of the material energy.

The yogamaya energy causes the devotees to forget that Krishna is God and also causes Krishna to forget that He is God, so they can act in an intimate relationship.

Krishna did not want to his friends to tell the wives of the brahmanas performing sacrifice that He and Balarama were hungry because that would cause them too much pain. Rather they should say Krishna and Balarama are nearby.

Krishna is atma-priya, the most beloved of the soul.

We are naturally attracted to Krishna, as iron is attracted to a magnet, but as rusty iron is not attracted to magnet, when we are covered by material contamination that attraction is not manifest.

Krishna gave the wives of the brahmanas’ suggestions how they could advance in devotion to Him while remaining at home: “It is by hearing about Me, seeing My Deity form, meditating upon Me and chanting My names and glories that love for Me develops, not by physical proximity. Therefore please go back to your homes.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.23.33)

We also have not met Krishna this life, but we are attracted to Him by hearing about Him.

Anu means both “continuously” and “following.”

These pastimes of Krishna’s kindness to His devotees should awaken in our hearts a desire to have such a relationship with Krishna.

When the brahmanas’ wives returned home and their husbands saw their advanced devotion to Krishna, they accepted them as gurus who knew how to transcend the path of birth and death whereas they were actually ignorant of it.

Adi Karta Prabhu:

Our civilization is not very advanced because people are simply trying to benefit their own bodies and those of others without considering the soul within the body and its needs.

The body ages, but the person within the body remains the same.

According to the Vedas there are multiple universes. Now even the scientists have decided there is more than one universe.

Practically everyone in India has a name that has some relationship with Krishna.

Just outside of London we have a temple and 70,000 people come each year to celebrate Krishna’s birthday. You will not find such attendance at Anglican Churches to celebrate Christmas.

Krishna never likes to be worshiped as God because it takes the intimacy out of the relationship.

Akuti Devi:

The cure for our egoistic protest about hearing extensive glorification of Krishna is to continue to hear such glorification.

Krishna is for everyone, those who like the sweetness of His childhood pastimes and those who like to see his amazing opulence.

Srila Prabhupada could glorify both the opulence and the sweetness of Krishna.

We can feel we are reeled into Krishna’s shelter, away from the craziness of materialistic life.

A lot of us are on a marathon, as we do not have so much time left, we who are more than 50 years old.

Prabhupada’s essay on the ideal varnasrama community includes morning and evening kirtana.

It costs no money to realize the soul, but it takes a lot of time and energy.

We cannot imagine we will have a great spiritual life if we cheat on our sadhana.

Comments by Pran Govinda Prabhu: Giriraja Swami was telling us if we can eliminate the offenses to Vaishnavas and inattention that the other offenses will be reduced. Giriraja Swami also said if someone is going to criticize someone to him, he asks the person why he think he needs to hear the criticism, to make the devotee consider what he is doing. Radhanath Swami said if we focus on the good qualities of the devotees, we will not be disturbed by things we may not like about them.

Brahmatirtha Prabhu:

As a cat playing with a rat and a cat playing with its kitten may seem from a distance to be the same thing, the love between the gopis and Krishna may seem like the relationship between girls and boys of the material world, although they are completely different.

To achieve higher consciousness, we must be willing to give up those things that keep us in lower consciousness.

Sacinandana Swami decided to pervade all his regular spiritual practices with gratitude to improve his devotional consciousness.

Sacinandana Swami expresses realization that there is a lover of God within his heart, and through prayers to the Lord, he found hope that he could be uncovered.

Comment by Shyamala Kishori Devi Dasi: Prabhupada was once asked about how one who could not hear or see or even touch could become Krishna consciousness. Prabhupada replied, “Well, he can bow down.”

Once Srila Prabhupada said, “When my disciples are hungry, they will eat any damn thing.”

If we really believe that as part of Krishna that we have something lovable about us, that belief will help us conquer lust. That will help us develop humility and confidence.

Comment by Bali: You cannot lie to Krishna. Why lie to everyone else?

Comment by Naomi: As far as bumps on the road, you can go around them. If you hit them, you may have to change a tire, which is something we could use help with. You can use them to humble yourself.

When I had a conversation with Srila Prabhupada about advancing in spiritual life, he began and ended the conversation with the very same verse, which was the only verse I knew: “Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination.” (Bhagavad-gita 9.30)

Srila Prabhupada explained that if accidentally one makes some mistake due to conditioning it is forgiven but not if one intentionally does something wrong.

We have trouble accepting that the real self we are hearing about is really us.

Kalakantha Prabhu:

Srila Prabhupada asked the devotees, “Who is stronger Krishna or Balarama?” Seeing their bewilderment, he explained that all the planetary systems rest on Lord Balarama, but as in our deities in Vrindavan, Balarama rests on Krishna.

Pralambasura is the first demon who was killed without having first attacked and the first killed outside the immediate precincts of Vrindavana.

Balarama is the original spiritual master. He takes care of those who have rejected Krishna and tries to elevate them. Thus He is very important to us.

Laksmana was upset that as the younger brother of Lord Rama He could not prevent Him from suffering exile in the forest, thus He came as the elder brother, Balarama, of Krishna, in Their next appearance. He found even as the elder brother, Krishna would not listen to Him, thus in frustration He appeared as the avadhuta Nityananda, and He did as He pleased.

A friend had this exchange with his college professor:

Student: “I am not sure that what you are teaching us is true.”

Professor of Psychology: “Where in the contract does it say it has to be true? We are just teaching you what you need to get ahead in this field.”

Thus disillusioned, my student friend dropped out of school.

The distress of the householders is they work hard for success, but after attaining what society taught them would satisfy them, they find they are still dissatisfied.

Comment by Dhrstadyumna Prabhu: When there was a terrible blizzard in Denver, it was one of my most memorable and ecstatic experiences as we read Srila Prabhupada’s books ten hours a day. Previously, before I was a devotee, when we were shut in it was just suffering.

Almost all medicines are toxic, and therefore they have to be taken in very regulated doses. Krishna consciousness is not like that. With Krishna consciousness, it is the more the better.

Because we have no taste for devotional service in the beginning, our regulated devotional service is our greatest investment. If we can take it seriously, the rest of our life will be an experience of deep fulfillment.

Although driving Krishna and Balarama to Mathura, as a pacca [first-class] brahmana, Akrura stopped part way to take his midday bath.

Some parents see Krishna House as the termination of their kids’ lives. Other people find it to be an oasis from the madness of society. Others think, “Why are these people wasting their time? They could be earning money.” Similarly people misunderstand the pastimes of Krishna and their value.

Mother Nanda:

Even with the cows, Krishna has a personal relationship with each. It is not just a few great personalities in the Bhagavatam, but actually every living entity, including ourselves, has a intimate relationship with Him.

The blazing fire that Krishna swallowed can be compared to the blazing fire of material existence.

Our saga in the material world did not just start 18 or 23 years ago [with the beginning of this life], it has been going on for thousands of years.

The cowherd boys did not call out, “Father”, “Mother”, “Indra”; they only took shelter of Krishna.

We may not solely take shelter of Krishna. We may find we are taking shelter of our credit or debit card. But we can pray to able to full take shelter of Krishna soon.

Kunti prayed for calamities because calamities force you to take shelter of Krishna.

Comment by Bali: Sometimes when things are going well with our devotional service, we think that we are perfect, and then we start accepting things that are unfavorable, and then we get into trouble, and that is not a good thing.

Chanting your rounds with concentration, associating with devotees, and having a friend in devotional service are all helpful if we get distracted and can help us get back to normal.

One acarya said that Krishna advised His friends to close their eyes before He swallowed the forest fire because He got into so much trouble when His friends saw Him eating dirt He was worried what would happen if they saw Him swallowing fire.

Comment by Naomi: We can see from this pastime that surrendering to Krishna makes one fearless because the cowherd boys were in such anxiety, but they became completely fearless by taking shelter of Krishna.

Ramiya Prabhu:

If your professor told you that you are speaking like a learned person, but actually you are a fool, you might walk out of the class, but when Krishna spoke that way to Arjuna, Arjuna stayed to hear Krishna’s wise words.

Regarding being in his seventies, my father there is nothing “golden” about it.

Like a car gets old, breaks down, and needs to be repaired, so it is true with the body.

Yoga is to get your body and mind in a peaceful state, so you can consider what is beyond the body. After you practice yoga, when you walk out of this room, if you get caught up in the external world, you will lose your peace.

A proper teacher does not just speak. You can see in his life examples of what he is teaching.

Do you know anyone who is sometimes a friend and sometimes an enemy? One moment they are friends, and then next moment they are enemies. It is very scary. The mind is like that.

As far as enjoyment, it is beyond our control. Sometime it is there and sometimes it is absent, but we cannot let ourselves be disturbed in either case.

We struggle internally, I want it, I don’t want it, but when we give it to Krishna, we are freed of the struggle.

Radha makes a special manohara-laddu that is most attractive to Krishna. Once when Krishna received one and put it in his mouth, he made a terrible face as it if it was disgusting, and then He distributed them to His friends, including Radha to please them, because they all love His remnants. She understood this and was not disturbed by his behavior.

Comment by Zoe: The Latin word humus means soil, and this word humble is related, as soil is lowly.

Sesa Prabhu:

Q: One may ask, “Why did Krishna create an arrangement to punish Indra which involved His devotees getting so much distress in terms of the heavy rainfall?”

A: One answer is that is arrangement not of Krishna but of His pastime potency (lila-shakti). Because this pastime potency can act independently from Krishna, it can be said that it is not the doing of Krishna.

na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate

na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca dṛsyate

parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate

svabhaviki jñana-bala-kriya ca

“The Supreme Lord has nothing to do, and no one is found to be equal to or greater than Him, for everything is done naturally and systematically by His multifarious energies.” (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8)

The real glory of the Govardhan-lila is that Krishna very wonderfully reciprocated with all of His different devotees simultaneously. His lila-shakti made this amazing arrangement.

If we see meaning in everything that happens to us, then we can get an understanding of how Krishna is acting for us.

There are activities and relationships both in this world and in the spiritual world.

The name Vaikuntha, which means without anxiety, contrasts with our experience of this world, which is full of anxiety.

Comte de Mirabeau said, “Short absence quickens love, long absence kills it.”

Bhaktimarga Swami said in a class, “In the material world, love is accompanied by fear, according to Srimad-Bhagavatam.”

Because of the [absolute] nature of Krishna, love of Krishna is different than the love of the material world. Being with Krishna, desiring to be with Krishna, and lamenting the absence of Krishna, are all ways of associating with Krishna and experiencing His presence.

Understanding the difference between love in the spiritual and the material world can help us move toward spiritual love.

Comment by Kalakantha:  The gopis address Krishna as Govinda because He has stolen their senses, Damodara because his absence will kill Mother Yashoda who addresses him by that name, and Madhava, indicating that He is the husband of the goddess of fortune and not them, and thus He is guilty of harming other men’s wives.

When ordinary people criticize God, it brings condemnation upon themselves, but those in love with Krishna can criticize Him like anything without being degraded, and still Krishna does as He wishes.

Madhava Prabhu [from New Raman Reti]:

Srila Prabhupada explains that because this world is a reflection of the spiritual world the highest thing, the relationship between the gopis and Krishna, when reflected in the material world in the relationships of unmarried girls and boys, becomes the lowest thing.

If we cannot see the pastimes between Krishna and the gopis in a pure way, it is better to leave them aside and focus on other pastimes.

We may be hiding things, but when we come to Krishna to surrender, we cannot, for He knows all.

From a talk on “Building Strong Relationships”:

There are three features of relationship:

1.             Understanding our relationship.

2.             Acting according to that relationship.

3.             Reaching the ultimate goal of that relationship – love.

When the soul looks toward Krishna, the material influence slackens.

Pran Govinda Prabhu:

Advaita Acarya Prabhu asked Lord Caitanya to see the same universal form that He had shown Arjuna. And so Lord Caitanya showed him Arjuna, his chariot, and the same universal form that Krishna had shown. Advaita did this not for Himself, but to establish that Lord Caitanya was Krishna Himself.

The spiritual world is centralized [in the sense that it has a center, Krishna] while the material is decentralized.

Advaita Acarya was so attractive as a child, when he came with His father to a Durga Puja festival, which His father, as a minister, was invited to, people looked at Him instead of Durga. He did not bow to Durga, which bewildered the brahmanas. He said that he did not have to as Durga was His maidservant. He further said if He bowed to the deity, she would shatter. They pushed him to bow to her anyway, and the deity shattered.

Kalki Prabhu:

Srila Prabhupada makes the point that an acarya must propagate devotional service to Krishna and that Lord Caitanya is the original acarya.

In a caption to a picture of his guru in Bhagavad-gita, Srila Prabhupada glorifies his guru for spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world. He does not use that glorification as the caption for his own picture.

Serving the guru is the means of pleasing the Krishna.

Comment by Abhimanyu Prabhu: The determination of Advaita Acarya was, “Either I will bring Lord Krishna to this world, or I will destroy it by My Sudarshan cakra.”

Audrey:

From a dinner conversation:

I prayed that I did not want to have to worry about school or a job but that I would have hours to read Srila Prabhupada’s books every day. I find here at Krishna House, that Krishna gave me exactly what I wanted. I did not even know this place existed before!

—–

We may be frustrated by all the bad qualities of this age, but the situation is not hopeless. If we chant Hare Krishna it can be the best age, because we can awaken our love for God and attain the spiritual kingdom. We can also offer this solution to others. This verse explains that:

kaler dosa-nidhe rajan

asti hy eko mahan gunah

kirtanad eva krishnasya

mukta sangah param vrajet

“My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Krishna maha–mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.3.51)

Travel Journal#12.1: New York City Harinam, Atlanta, and North Florida
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 12, No. 1
By Krishna-kripa das
(January 2016, part one)

North Florida
(Sent from USF, Tampa, Florida, on, February 18, 2016)

The first four days of 2016, I continued chanting with the New York City Harinam party in the subway stations. The next day I chanted in Atlanta for almost two hours between my flight from LaGuardia and my Megabus to Gainesville. The next day I chanted at Krishna Lunch and with my Krishna House friends at the Farmers Market. The next two days I chanted at University of North Florida in Jacksonville, and I attended their Friday Krishna Club meeting. Then I went to Orlando at the request of Trivikrama Swami, who wanted me to keep the Hare Krishna presence on the University of Central Florida campus alive while he was in Eastern Europe for two weeks at the beginning of the spring semester. The first day in Orlando, a Saturday, I chantedin public for two hours with devotees in Winter Park. The following week I took a day off my daily UCF campus chanting to attend a meeting of Bhaktivedanta Institute devotees in Gainesville, and I chanted at Krishna Lunch in Gainesville instead. The next Saturday, three other Orlando devotees joined me chanting for two hours in front the Patel Brothers, a popular Indian store.

I share many insights from Srila Prabhupada’s books and lectures. I include a beautiful poem about the holy name by Bhaktivinoda Thakura called Sri Nama Mahatmya. I share an excerpt about the public chanting of the holy name from the daily journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I include notes on interesting lectures by Amala Bhakti Swami. There are notes on a recorded lecture by Radhanath Swami. Many nice realizations from Madhava Prabhu from New Raman Reti, speaking in Gainesville and Deva Madhava Prabhu, who runs a Krishna House near Ann Arbor, speaking at the Harinam Ashram in New York City. I also include realizations from newer devotees in Gainesville and Jacksonville.

Itinerary

February 18–24: Gainesville area (and UNF and USF campuses)

February 25: New York City

February 26–28: Dublin, Ireland

March 1–3: Mumbai

March 5–10: Mayapur Kirtan Mela

March 12–21: Rishikesh Harinama

March 22–April 11: Vrindavan

April 13: Mumbai

April 14–: Dublin, Ireland

April 27: King’s Day, Amsterdam

April 28–29: Holland

April 30–May 1: Birmingham 24-hour kirtana

May 2–: The North of England and Scotland

July 12–16: Polish Woodstock

September 13–: New York City Harinam

New York City Harinam

As I mentioned in the previous journal we chanted in Bryant Park on New Years Eve. I forgot to include the above pictures Stella took of us there.



The Times Square subway station is one of the busiest in New York City, although perhaps the coldest of the ones we regularly perform in.


Not only did we chant there on New Years Eve, but on New Years Day as well (https://youtu.be/SJspozyyDjQ):

Grand Central subway station is one of the warmer ones but the weather was so cold that even the subway station was too cold for me. 

Still Deva Madhava Prabhu chanted a very fired-up kirtana getting the devotees dancing (https://youtu.be/7m91FGuzDik):

Nihal was among the best dancers.

Chanting in Atlanta

After my direct flight from Laguardia in New York to Atlanta, I chanted for almost two hours across the street from the Megabus stop in Atlanta, the Civic Center stop on the MARTA train. It was sunny, but windy and in the 40s (between 5 and 10 degrees C). One guy who passed by, stopped and sat cross-legged in front of me and listened for 5 or 10 minutes. That does not happen every day!

Krishna House Evening Kirtana

Ever since I moved into the temple on 55th Street in Manhattan back in 1979, I have loved the evening kirtana. After serving Krishna all day, it is wonderful to come back to the temple, and sing and dance for Him in the evening. Every time I return to Gainesville’s Krishna House, the evening kirtana is more ecstatic, and that makes me so happy. You can see some of the excitement in this video (https://youtu.be/LMLo-TfIV78):

Thanks to Vanna for her enthusiastic singing!

Farmers Market Harinama



Ecstatic Krishna House devotees chanted at the Gainesville Farmers Market the first Wednesday in January.


It was wonderful how many devotees came out.

One young couple donated some organic carrots, and accepted a Beyond Birth and Death book and my invitation to chant with us. They ended up chanting until we left an hour later, and there faces were smiling!

Audrey took this video you can see if you are her Facebook friend, or perhaps, mine:
https://www.facebook.com/audrey.hunsicker.77/videos/vb.100006459198285/1948113685413919/?type=2&theater

All glories to the congregational chanting of the holy name!

University of North Florida

One day I chanted my last 12 rounds in a study carrel on the topmost of the quiet floors in the University of North Florida library, looking at this picture of Radha and Krishna, and meditating on how They are nondifferent from Their names and that the mantra awakens love for Them. It was one of my better japa sessions recently. Certainly a lot better than chanting on the New York City subway!

Youssef Benbrahim led a great kirtana at Krishna Club on Friday night, with Richie on the harmonium. Madison, playing the karatalas, Tyrell, playing the drum, and Marie, on Tyrell’s right all came for the first time, having met us singing on the green in the afternoon. They all stayed to the end and had a great time. Laura Jayne and Amrita Keli danced. I love University of North Florida Krishna Club. Thanks to Amrita Keli and Lovelesh Chawla for maintaining this ecstatic program! (https://youtu.be/AkhVwRHuYJE):

Winter Park Harinama in Orlando



I was happy to learn that the one day a month when the devotees do harinama, public congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord, in Orlando, was the day I arrived. Unfortunately, most of the congregation lives away from the temple, so Dorian and I could not get a ride, and we had to ride the bus for almost two hours to get to Winter Park, the site of the harinama.Although we arrived twenty minutes late, still we were the second and third person to arrive. I started singing the lead, and then Dorian. Later on Rasikananda Prabhu arrived, and also took a turn leading. He has lots of musical talent and some natural devotion from being raised in a Hare Krishna family. You can see a little of our joy in this video (https://youtu.be/TSk8nqJjuhI):

We had a small book table between the sidewalk and the park behind us.

Chanting at the University of Central Florida in Orlando

The University of Central Florida has the largest undergraduate enrollment of all the colleges in the United States (52,539 students). The Hare Krishna temple is just two miles from the campus, and they say a fifteen-minute walk from the college’s free shuttle bus.

When I was in Orlando I chanted there for three hours every day classes were in session. Often I had a book table in front of the student union. When I did not have that, I would chant in the free speech area behind the library with the books spread out on a cloth. 

I was so pleased that two devotees who are students joined me for some time almost every day, and they also helped set up the table and carry the books and instruments. 


They were Dorian (left), who I knew from when he attended the University of North Florida and later lived in Krishna House, and Naman (right), a Ph.D. in optics who is the president of our club on the UCF campus.  

Harinama at Patel Brothers in Orlando

I hoped to convince the leaders of the Winter Park harinama to come out again the next Saturday, but I was unsuccessful.




Sravan Ananda Prabhu saw my enthusiasm for more harinama, and he decided we could go to an Indian store named Patel Brothers and chant, collect donations and sell books. 


He came out, along with his wife, and Naman, and myself.

He was very happy we distributed some books and collected $60.


During the evening, a couple Indian girls delighted in playing the tambourine and even chanting while the rest of their families shopped. The manager of the store donated ingredients so I could make coconut burfi for the Orlando temple’s Sunday Feast.

To see pictures I took but did not include click on the link below:

Notes on a Bhaktivedanta Institute Meeting in Gainesville

Prishni Devi Dasi:

Janaki Ram Prabhu’s Hindu Theology and Biology elevates the Srimad-Bhagavatam to the level of the best literature that deals with the question of biology and religion.

Brahma Tirtha Prabhu:

A serious problem in our movement is that a lot of people know the philosophy but they do not know philosophy.

Janaki Ram Prabhu:

Pradyumna Prabhu is a real untapped resource in our movement having knowledge about practically everything.

Murli Gopala Prabhu:

In Quantum Mechanics the math works perfectly, but the interpretation runs into difficulties such as Schrödinger’s cat paradox.

When the system is observed and measurement is taken, only the one of the many possibilities happens, and the equations cannot tell you which one. Wigner and Von Neumann argue that the consciousness of observer is the cause of the collapse of the wave function and the selection of a single possibility. Multiple observers are hard to deal with in this interpretation.

Rasaraja Prabhu interprets it in different way. He made the point that we are not here so matter can become actualized. Matter is a conduit is for one to exchange information with others. He argues that there is a universal observer and multiple observers.

Comment by Sthita-muni Prabhu: Rasaraja got published in Philosophy of Science and that means that among those people his ideas were worth considering.

Insights

Prabhupada:

From a lecture on The Nectar of Devotion,in Vrindavan, on November 4, 1972:

“Krodha, anger, is not good, but anger also can be utilized for Krishna’s service. Just like Hanuman, he became angry upon Ravana for the sake of Lord Ramacandra, and he set fire in the golden city of Ravana, Lanka. So that anger was utilized for Lord Ramacandra’s service. He never utilized anger for his personal sense gratification. In this way, everything can be dovetailed in the service of the Lord.”

“We can know also from the direction of the spiritual master how Krishna will be pleased.”

“You cannot avoid the miserable condition of this body. That is not possible. So we have to tolerate. There is no other excuse. But do not create another body. That is devotional service. . . . That is the aim of human life. . . . As soon as you get a material body, you are put into the miserable condition of material nature. So we should not create another body so that we shall be put into, under tribulation again. That is intelligence. So if we put ourself in the activities of devotional service, we save that risk. Not to create another body.”

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.47, January 22, 1975, in Bombay:

There is spiritual sound, and therefore, there is spiritual sky. There cannot be sound without sky.

This sky is temporary, but the spiritual sky is eternal.

Omkara and Hare Krishna are sound vibrations from the spiritual sky.

If you chant material sound more and more, you will feel is disgusted, but if you chant spiritual sound you will feel transcendental bliss.

How to transfer to the spiritual world, the eternal world, is our only business in our human life.

You can be immediately in touch with Krishna by vibrating Hare Krishna.

“If you want water, if you chant only ‘water, water, water, water,’ you will not get water, because it is material sound. The water substance is different from the word water. Therefore, simply by chanting ‘water, water,’ you cannot quench your thirst.”

“But in the spiritual world, the name and the person or the substance is the same. There is no difference. Krishna and Krishna’s name is the same. There is no difference. Therefore, those who are chanting ‘Krishna, Krishna, Krishna,’ they are becoming more and more engladdened, enthusiastic to chant.”

“By chanting Hare Krishna vibration, the sound, you gradually become cleansed.”

“As soon as you begin chanting Hare Krishna maha-mantra,you gradually become self-realized, aham brahmasmi, simply by chanting. Aham brahmasmi [I am spirit], you can understand.”

“So ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya 20.12) means you’ll be freed from this ignorance that ‘I am something of this material world.’ This is wanted. So long we are not realized, self-realized, then we are no better than these cats and dogs, because they do not know that they are not the body.”

“If you are embarrassed with these four things, ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca [eating, sleeping, fearing and mating], then you are not making progress in spiritual life.”

“Some actress, some cinema artist, singing, and people are so fond of hearing that singing that the artist is paid fifteen thousand rupees for one song. There are many here in Bombay. So just see how much attraction we have got for the material sound vibration. Similarly, the same attachment, if we turn to hear about Hare Krishna maha-mantra, then we become liberated. The same sound. One is material; one is spiritual. So you practice to be attached by this spiritual sound vibration, then your life will be successful.”

“So this Krishna consciousness movement is meant for this purpose, that you have already attachment for sound. Now just transfer this attachment for spiritual sound. Then your life will be successful.”

“Don’t be very much happy when you are in [a] happy condition of life; neither you become mad in [a] miserable condition of life. Chant Hare Krishna and make your life [a] success. That is required. This is the propaganda of this Hare Krishna movement, or Krishna consciousness.”

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.28.17 in Nairobi, Kenya, on Oct. 26, 1975:

“Just like the father wants to favor the son always. Father wants that ‘My son may become very fit, competent, to take all my favors.’ This is father’s wish. Every father, even in this material world, if father is very big man, great man, he wants that ‘My son also, let him become bigger than me.’ Is it not, practical?”

“[Krishna says:] ‘I am the seed-giving father of all living entities.’ It doesn’t matter in different forms. He does not say that ‘I am the father only of the white, not of the black.’ He never says. He has no such distinction: white, black, European, American, or poor, rich, bird, beast, human being. No. He does not make any discrimination. He is always ready to bestow favor as the original father. That is God.”

“You have to give up this designation that ‘I am Hindu,’ ‘I am Muslim,’ ‘I am Christian,’ ‘I am African.’ No. No designation. Simply become pure Brahman. Then aham brahmasmi. That is called ahambrahmasmi, not that ‘I remain a Christian,’ ‘I remain a Hindu,’ ‘I remain black,’ ‘I am white,’ and ‘I am Brahman.’ No, not that. You have to give up your designation. That requires practice. And that practice means this param vijayate sri-krishna-sankirtanam [the supremely victorious congregational chanting of the holy name of Krishna].Simply by chanting, you’ll be purified.”

“When you think like that, that ‘I am eternal servant of Krishna,’ then all these dirty things will automatically vanish.”

“Why you are trying to preach Krishna consciousness all over the world? Because we have accepted this principle, that ‘I am Krishna’s servant. Krishna wants to deliver these rascals from this misconception of life, so let me do something for Krishna.’ This is Krishna consciousness.”

“Whole world is servant of somebody, but he declines to become servant of Krishna. This is the disease, material disease. He will remain servant of thousands and millions of establishment and person, but he will disagree. As soon as Krishna says that ‘You give up. You become My servant,’ ‘No, no. Why can I? Why shall I do it?’ This is materialist.”

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.31 in Honolulu on May 30, 1976:

We learn from the Vedic literature, the soul resides in the heart of the body.

The Vedas say we have to see through the revealed literature as our senses are imperfect.

We cannot see the closest thing, the eyelid, nor can we see what is most far away. Neither can we see at night. Our vision is subjected to so many conditions.

We cannot create earth, water, fire, air, and ether, only Krishna can. Thus our body composed of these elements is Krishna’s creation.

The yogis think “God is sitting with me, let me see.” Thus they engage in meditation to see God.

The devotee knows that everything belongs to Krishna and thus it must be used for Krishna. That is Krishna consciousness.

Everything is a fact, not mithya, false, as the Mayavadis say.

The princesses imprisoned by Bhaumasura could not find husbands because they had been taken by another man and had lost their respectability, thus they feelingly appealed to Krishna, who kindly agreed to marry all of them. We can learn from this if we take shelter of Krishna, whatever our position in society, He will take care of us. Therefore, we should be eager to take shelter of Him.

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.32 in San Francisco on July 17, 1975:

“Here you can understand that in the Vaikuntha planets, as the Lord Vishnu is four-handed, similarly, all the inhabitants there, they are also four-handed and equally dressed. Just like here, if your President Ford comes, he also dressed like a nice gentleman. And there are many others also, equally nicely dressed. You cannot distinguish who is president and who is ordinary man.”

“But the Vishnudutas [servants of the Supreme Lord] have come there because although he was sinful, although he was most impious, although he was a prostitute-hunter and cheater and so many good qualities, still, he has chanted the holy name of Narayana at the end of his life. . . . Whole life sinful—ante narayana-smritih [Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.6], but he has remembered Narayana at the end of his life.”

Bhaktivinoda Thakura:



From Sri Nama Mahatmya [The Glories of the Holy Name]:


Verse 1


What power does the Name
of Krishna possess?
My heart constantly burns
in the fire of worldly desires
just like a desert scorched
by the rays of the sun.
The holy name, entering the core
of my heart through
the holes of my ears
showers unparalleled nectar upon my soul


Verse 2


The holy name speaks from
within my heart,
moves onto the tip of my tongue
and constantly dances
on it in the form of transcendental sound. 
My throat becomes choked up
my body shivers again
and again and my feet cannot remain still.


Verse 3


Rivers of tears flow through my eyes;
perspiration completely soaks
my body. All my skin thrills with rapture,
my hairs stand on end
and my complexion turns pale
and discolored. My mind grows faint.
I begin to experience devastation
and my entire body is shattered in
a flood of ecstatic emotions.


Verse 4


While causing such an ecstatic disturbance,
the holy name showers
nectar on my heart
and drowns me in the ocean
of divine love of Godhead.
He does not allow me to understand anything
for He has made me truly mad
by having stolen away my mind and all my resources.


Verse 5:


Such is the behavior of Him
in whom I have taken shelter.
I am not capable of describing all of this
the Holy Name is independent
and thus acts on its own sweet will.
In whatever way He becomes
happy that is also my
way of happiness.


Verse 6:


The Holy Name is the bud
of the flower of Divine Love
and is the very abode of the
astonishing mellows.
Such is the power He manifests
that when the Holy Name starts
to blossom a little further
that reveals its own divine form
and qualities. Thus my heart is abducted
and taken directly to Krishna.


Verse 7:


Blossoming fully the flower
of the Holy Name takes
me to Braja and reveals to me His own love-dalliance.
This Name gives to me my
own eternal spiritual body, keeps me right by Krishna’s side,
and completely destroys
everything related to this mortal frame of mine.


Verse 8:


The name of Krishna
is a transcendental touchstone, a mine of all devotional mellows
is eternally liberated
and the embodiment of pure rasa.
When all impediments in pure chanting
of the Holy Name are taken away
and destroyed then my happiness will know its true
awakening.


Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

From “Poem for January 16” in Vihara Bhavan:


“Harinama devotees
bring relief to people
with disturbed minds.
They have appeared at
scenes of recent disasters
or riots and spread
a calming influence.
The positive-mindedness
of the chanters offsets
the gloom and depression
present in intense situations.
God’s holy names have
the power to calm
agitated minds. Even in intense scenes
of material enjoyment,
at gatherings before
rock concerts or
sporting events, it
is good to share
harinama to bring
a level of sanity
and spiritual presence.”


Amala Bhakta Swami:

If we really desire something from the heart, Krishna will reciprocate by sending whatever is required.

Bhagavad-gita 2.66 is a very important verse because it talks about peace of mind, something universally sought, but rarely found.

Everything is connected with Krishna but not everyone is in consciousness of this connection.

Lord Krishna’s maya makes us think we are making things happen when in reality Krishna is behind the scenes making everything happen.

If we do not think of Krishna, we will not fall in love with Him.

Srila Prabhupada wrote the Krishna book because he wanted to make sure that we had the Tenth Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam in an authorized way, in a sober way, according to the line of spiritual teachers.

When you are ready for Lord Krishna’s rasa dance, you will be invited. You do not have to invite yourself. It is like in this world, if you crash a party you are not invited to, you will not be appreciated.

In Ratha-yatra, we are pulling Krishna back to Vrindavan.

We must desire to go back to Godhead, while at the same time being aware that we may not be yet qualified to go there.

By reading about Krishna’s pastimes, you will become attached to Him.

The spiritual sex of the Tenth Canto takes place in the heart region not the genital region. It is a completely different experience from the material experience.

I try to listen to Krishna book and Sri Caitanya–caritamrita every day to increase my attachment for Krishna.

Reading Krishna’s pastimes to the devotees in New Dvaraka for 23 years during meals helped me to develop whatever attachment I do have for Him.

When I die, I lose everything, so why should I envy those who have more than I do.

Freedom from sin is not the end, but it is just the beginning [love of God is the goal].

If we give the best to Krishna, He will give the best to us.

Q: How do deal with the gopis?

A: We try to understand they are the perfection of devotion. We aspire for such devotion. We pray for their mercy.

Rather than cause to distress to others, a humble devotee desires to tolerate distress himself. This is the example of Sanatana Goswami who tolerated the pain of the hot sand to avoid paining the brahmanas by possibly contaminating them.

Radhanath Swami:

From a recorded lecture:

It appears that the intimate talks between Krishna and the gopis are imitations of the romantic talks between boys and girls of this world, but actually just the opposite is true. The romantic relationships of this world are perverted intimations of the pristine pastimes of Lord Krishna and His pure devotees.

People say we assign human qualities to God to make Him appear more human, when in reality it is the opposite. We have different emotions because God Himself has emotions.

The impersonalist philosophers want us to annihilate our desires, but the devotees want to infinitely increase their desires to serve Krishna.

Madhava Prabhu [from New Raman Reti]:

The Ninth Canto has a lot of bewildering stories of how different people are allured by material distractions. The purpose of this to keep materially motivated people from reaching the Tenth Canto, the essence of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Also in the Ninth Canto you see lists of names spanning millennia.

“To show causeless mercy to the devotees who would take birth in the future in this Age of Kali, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, acted in such a way that simply by remembering Him one will be freed from all the lamentation and unhappiness of material existence.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.24.61)

This especially appropriate because there is a lot of suffering in the Ninth Canto.

“Simply by receiving the glories of the Lord through purified transcendental ears, the devotees of the Lord are immediately freed from strong material desires and engagement in fruitive activities.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.24.62)

At the end of the Ninth Canto, it is as if Sukadeva is asking King Pariksit, “What do you really want to hear about Urvasi or Krishna?”

The sands of Vrindavan are special because Krishna goes barefoot there.

It is described the different notes that Krishna plays have special effects:

1st  note: bewilders the Demigods and Anantasesa sways to the melody
2nd note: Yamuna flows backwards

3rdnote: Makes the moon stop in orbit

4thnote: Makes the cows run to Krishna. Krishna calls the cows on the 4th note.

5thnote: Attracts the gopis and makes them come running to Him.

6thnote: Melts stones and manifests the Autumn Season

7thnote: Manifests all seasons

8thnote: Exclusively for Srimati Radharani. The flute takes Her name and calls for Her directly.

Seeing Krishna steals our sight away from all other attractions.

“Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the reservoir of all beauty. All beautiful things emanate from Him, and His personal form is so attractive that it steals the eyes away from all other objects, which then seem devoid of beauty in comparison to Him. When Lord Krishna was on the earth, He attracted the eyes of all people. When Krishna spoke, His words attracted the minds of all who remembered them. By seeing the footsteps of Lord Krishna, people became attracted to Him, and thus they wanted to offer their bodily activities to the Lord as His followers. In this way Krishna very easily spread His glories, which are sung throughout the world by the most sublime and essential Vedic verses. Lord Krishna considered that simply by hearing and chanting those glories, conditioned souls born in the future would cross beyond the darkness of ignorance. Being satisfied with this arrangement, He left for His desired destination.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam11.1.6–7)

Bhagavat Purana Prabhu:

If you sing from the diaphragm then you can sing louder and longer and not destroy your voice.

Deva Madhava Prabhu:

If you can take one soul back to Godhead, you are actually the best doctor. Otherwise the poor soul will take many births and suffer AIDS, cancer, heart disease, etc., in many lives.

Advaita Acarya is the incarnation of Maha-Vishnu and Sadashiva. He is a combination of multiple personalities like many persons in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes, including Lord Caitanya Himself.

Srila Prabhupada went to Shantipur to call out for Advaita Acarya’s mercy to distribute Krishna consciousness in the West, even as Advaita Acarya called out for Krishna to descend.

Lord Vishnu said he could not protect Durvasa from the Sudarsana cakra because that cakra was meant to protect His devotees.

In our college days, when we heard there was a party, our first question would be “Who is going to be there?” If our friends were not going to be there, it would not be worth going to. Krishna has a similar psychology. Krishna sends his associates to the material world before coming.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrita is the living manual for Vaishnava etiquette.

The practice that we are following is the process that Lord Caitanya taught to realize the highest truths about Himself.

Jayapataka Swami tells how Srila Prabhupada was paralyzed from the neck down from a stroke and yet was still preaching to the nurses and doctors in the hospital.

Jayapataka Swami says that amanina manadena, expecting not respect for oneself but willing to respect others, is the essence of all advice for self-improvement.

If we remember that all our abilities were given to us by others, then we can remain humble.

Lord Caitanya send His associates first so He would have others to serve with.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that sacrificing one life in the fire of the sacrifice of the congregational chanting of the holy name yields one two spiritual bodies, one in the Goloka Vrindavan and one in the Navadvipa section of the same.

On harinama we are not trying to sing beautifully or collect money, but we are trying to engage the people we encounter in a loving exchange. If we treat people as their external designations, we may sell some literature, as professional salesmen do, but that exchange will not change their hearts.

To think that Krishna does not want us to be with those devotees who are presently around us is to doubt His love for us.

It is not what they can do for you but what you can do for them that will help you advance.

Comment by me: In Bhagavad-gita 2.44, the word prasaktanam means “too much attached.” It is natural that we may have some attachment for sense enjoyment and material opulence, but when we are too much attached then we cannot attain samadhi, the perfection of yoga.

Natabara Gauranga Prabhu:

Chanting six hours a day increases vata, and if you do not have a program for balancing that, in the course of time, it will adversely affect your health.

Amrita Keli Devi Dasi:

From a University of North Florida Krishna Club meeting:

Along with chanting, we are advised to associate with devotees. We are not meant to practice spiritual life alone.

Laura:

From a University of North Florida Krishna Club meeting:

I find my spiritual practice has really helped me in relationships with people. I analyze how I react and try to understand it.  I do not know how I could do marriage if I was not Krishna conscious.

Abhimanyu Prabhu:

Aham brahmasmi [I am spirit] is just half it. The rest of it is jivera svarupa haya krishnera dasa [I am by constitution a servant of Krishna].

Seeing the happiness of the people engaged in devotional service inspired me to take it seriously.

It is a science of self-realization, so if you practice it you will get some experience of it.

My father [Dhira Govinda Prabhu] said regarding his mantra study, “I am sure I am going to be punished terribly for creating a bogus mantra, but it was for science.”

—–

What is the value of all this public chanting of Hare Krishna?
People advance spiritually, even without their knowledge!

ajnanad athava jnanad

uttamasloka-nama yat

sankirtitam agham pumso

dahed edho yathanalah

yathagadam viryatamam

upayuktam yadricchaya

ajanato ’py atma-gunam

kuryan mantro ’py udahrtah

“Fire will act, regardless of whether handled by an innocent child or by someone well aware of its power. For example, if a field of straw or dry grass is set afire, either by an elderly man who knows the power of fire or by a child who does not, the grass will be burned to ashes. Similarly, one may or may not know the power of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, but if one chants the holy name he will become free from all sinful reactions.

“If a person unaware of the effective potency of a certain medicine takes that medicine or is forced to take it, it will act even without his knowledge because its potency does not depend on the patient’s understanding. Similarly, even though one does not know the value of chanting the holy name of the Lord, if one chants knowingly or unknowingly, the chanting will be very effective.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.18–19)

Travel Journal#11.24: New York City Harinam and Albany
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 24
By Krishna-kripa das
(December 2015, part two)

New York City Harinam, Albany
(Sent from Gainesville, Florida, on February 12, 2016)

I rejoined the New York City Harinam party for the second half of December, except for a one-day excursion to see my family in Albany for Christmas Eve. Because of the cold, our NYC Harinam party sang in the subway stations except for a couple days in Union Square and one night in Times Square. New Years Eve was special in that I did harinama with the NYC Harinam party at the subway stations at Times Square and Grand Central, and outside at Bryant Park, and with the Bhakti Center devotees all the way from the Bhakti Center, in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, over the Manhattan Bridge, to Radha-Govinda Mandir in Brooklyn.

I share notes on Srila Prabhupada’s lectures and books. I share a quote of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. I share excerpts from the online journal of Satsvarupa dasa Goswami. I share notes on a Prabhupada remembrance video wherein devotees talk about Prabhupada coming to the London Ratha-yatra. I also share notes from devotees speaking at the Harinam Ashram, including full-time residents like Abhiram Prabhu and Rama Raya Prabhu, and visitors such Bhagavat Purana from the 24-hour kirtana in Vrindavan, Yashoda-dulal Prabhu, a brahmacari doing outreach in Montreal, Deva Madhava Prabhu, who does harinama in Michigan, Isvari Jahnava Devi who does harinama in Vancover, and Bhima-Karma Prabhu, who teaches mrdanga. I also have notes on a recorded lecture by Kadamba Kanana Swami.

As it is the end of the year I provide my accounting report so people who give me money know how I spend it.


Income and Expenses for 2015 

Category              Amount
Book Sales             67.31
Donations           3,796.15
Loans                   8.16
Total Income       $3,871.62 

Category              Amount
Book Purchases         13.60
Festival Fees          54.21
Gifts                 377.09
Health                 74.22
Electronics             3.64
Maintenance            49.07
Prasadam (Food)        53.67
Travel              3,347.22
Total Expenses     $3,972.72   

Balance             -$101.10

I would like to thank all the people who kindly contributed in 2015 to make my extensive travel possible. These include, in descending order by amount: Sivam of Maryland, Kaliya Krishna Prabhu of New York City, Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu of Gitanagari Press, Vishnu-priya Devi Dasi of Jacksonville, Nanda Kumar Prabhu (IDS), Sivananda Sena Prabhu of Rotterdam, Janananda Goswami, who covered my trip to Paris for Ratha-yatra and harinama, the Newcastle-upon-Tyne temple, Atmanivedana Prabhu, who runs the Saturday evening program at 26 Second Ave., Sankarsan Lila Prabhu of Gainesville, Sankarsana Prabhu of Potomac, Mother Sukhada of Alachua, Prahladananda Swami, for my doing proofreading for him, Alan Miles and the Liverpool Nama-hatta, Janardana Prabhu and the Leeds Nama-hatta, Anthony Bate and the Preston Nama-hatta, my sister Karen, the Bhakti Yoga Club of UNF, Nama Kirtan Prabhu of Tallahassee, Todd of Tampa, Dhruva Prabhu of Kansas City, my sister’s partner Victor, Gaura Karuna Prabhu of the Harinama Ruci traveling party, Janardana Prabhu & Amy, Lukas of Edinburgh, Kishor of Orlando and Tampa, my mother, Kalki Prabhu of Newcastle, Lovelesh of Jacksonville, Sthita-dhi Muni Prabhu (SDG), Jagannath Kirtan Prabhu (Havi’s son), Ali Krishna Devi Dasi, Malini Devi Dasi of Edinburgh, Bhakta Larry of Brooklyn, Martin from Leipzig, Clive of Chester, Eleanora of Ireland, Punya Palaka Prabhu from Czech Republic, Ananta Nitai Prabhu of Dublin, Govinda Prabhu from Scotland, Doug Rowling of Preston, ISKCON South London, Haladhara Baladeva Prabhu of Leeds, Joe of Sheffield, John of Leeds, Locan Das Thakura Prabhu of Brighton, Rima of Edinburgh, other devotees from the Leeds congregation, my niece Fern and her friend Oliver, Kanwar of Sheffield, Vishnujana Prabhu also of Harinama Ruci, Mariana of Sheffield, Caitanya Candrodaya Prabhu from Ukraine, a lady on Dublin harinama, Govardhan Dasi, the Munich public, a Warsaw devotee, Srinivas Prabhu of France, a man in Ybor City, an Oriental man at Lake Ella, a student at FSU, and Krishna Kirtana Prabhu of Warsaw.

Thanks also to my many drivers and those who gave me a place stay for the night. Thanks again to Jagannath Kirtan Prabhu for the Macbook he gave me so I can work on this blog.

Thanks to the many people who were willing to chant Hare Krishna with me in public and those who allowed me to chant with them. Striking among them was Rama Raya Prabhu and his amazing New York City Harinam party with dedicated souls doing harinama in New York City six hours a day.

Itinerary

February 10–February 24: Gainesville area (and UNF and USF campuses)

February 25: New York City

February 26–28: Dublin, Ireland

March 1–3: Mumbai

March 5–10: Mayapur Kirtan Mela

March 12–21: Rishikesh Harinama

March 22–April 11: Vrindavan?

April 13: Mumbai

April 14–: Dublin, Ireland

April 27: King’s Day, Amsterdam

April 30–May 1: Birmingham 24-hour kirtana

May 2–: The North of England and Scotland

July 12–16: Polish Woodstock

September 13–: New York City Harinam

New York City Harinam

We chanted Hare Krishna in the Times Square subway station the first Saturday I was there, and people interacted with us in different ways (https://www.youtu.be/v5J-ENYbmVw):

Once as we were chanting Hare Krishna in the Times Square subway station, a friendly Afro-American guy eagerly asked me, “What do you guys believe?” I explained we come in the Hindu tradition, but we worship “the one God,” as many religions do. According to the ancient Vedas of India, the most powerfully transformational spiritual practice is to sing the names and glories of God with others.” He replied, “That is the best thing I have ever heard!” I think he found it refreshing that we were not just another group claiming we were better than the others, but that we gave him universal knowledge.

I offered one young man who glanced favorably at our Times Square subway station chanting party a Bhagavad-gita. He said he already had it and that it was the best book ever written! I encouraged him to take a Science of Self-Realization, but he declined saying he already had the Gita. I offered to give him an invitation to our weekly Bhagavad-gita classes, but he said he would not come, because he was “a free thinker.” Such a mixture of fortune and misfortune!

One Sunday we had an especially lively harinama in the Union Square subway station. Nikunja Bihari, Rama Raya, and Kishor Prabhus all led some lively chanting of Hare Krishna inspiring people to dance and take photographs and videos. Devotees distributed books and sweets. Here are some highlights (https://youtu.be/CqyNYoLx71k):

One smiling Muslim lady watched our chanting party briefly in the subway station at Union Square, and I offered her an “On Chanting Hare Krishna.” She asked what this was about, and I explained it was a practice of worship of the Supreme Being, Allah, Jehovah, etc. She asked what we were singing, and I said, “As you have one hundred names of Allah in your tradition, in India they have a thousand names of Krishna, and we are singing some of these names.” She danced to the music, and swung around, smiling the whole while. The devotee ladies offered her shakers, and she happily played them with the music.

Here Rama Raya Prabhu sings at the Union Square subway station (https://www.youtu.be/UQDTxdFpR28)

Sometimes Rama Raya Prabhu sings Hare Krishna to seasonal melodies, such as the tune of “Auld Lang Syne” (https://www.youtu.be/souv1-FQEsc):

Some kids delighted in playing with the shakers on NYC Harinam at Union Square subway station later in the week (https://www.youtu.be/IE-IgR_S6vI):

Once Rama Raya Prabhu sang at Union Square, inspiring Murali Gopal Prabhu to dance, who in turn inspired others to dance (https://www.youtu.be/d2dJNq-pMbc):

Another place we chanted each week was Atlantic Avenue / Barclays Center subway station. On December 22, several devotees chanted very nicely and people were attracted to participate in different ways (https://www.youtu.be/oHRl4d3e7_g):


Even though the month of Karttika had ended, we still gave people a chance to offer lamps to a picture of Krishna for an hour in the evening, and some people participate, sometimes along with their kids.

Christmas Eve

I brought one of the Doughnut Plant’s seasonal doughnuts, the Christmas Tree doughnut, to show to and share with my family. Unfortunately, it lost some of its decoration in transit.

A week earlier, I had met by sister Karen and niece Fern at Penn Station, and shared with them a cocout crème doughnut and a Christmas Tree doughnut, but I wanted the others to see the Christmas Tree doughnut so I brought one home at Christmastime.



I went to the Quaker Christmas Eve program with my family. As usual there was a nice spiritual feeling when singing the songs about the appearance of Jesus in this world.

There was a little nativity drama depicting the story of the appearance of Jesus Christ. I volunteered to be a “wise man from the East” as there were too few volunteers.



While at the Quaker meeting, I read an interesting quote by E. B. White expressing difficulty in trying to improve the world without being seduced by the world. Ideally by working to enlighten people about their spiritual potential and how to achieve it, we can be so much engaged we will not have a chance to be seduced by the material world, and we will purify ourselves and others so much so that the world will benefit both spiritually and materially from our actions.

I made carrot coconut rice and coconut burfi for the Quaker potluck, but I did not stay as my family likes to eat at Indian restaurants on Christmas Eve. My Quaker friends encouraged me to stay, and I promised next year I would come in another vehicle so I could spend half an hour with them before going off with my family.

Christmas Eve was special as my family went to new Indian restaurant this year, and it turned out that the proprietor had visited Gitanagari, the Hare Krishna farm in Pennsylanvia that my mother had also visited at the time of my initiation. He had attended the Chicago Ratha-yatra as well. Because I was a devotee, he gave us all free galubjamuns, and he gave my friend Victor, a free mango lassi, as I let him try mine and he liked it.

Christmas

Christmas was warm enough for us to chant outside in the fresh air at Union Square during the day, a pleasant change from the subway station.

We were also able to sing at Times Square, which was Abhiram Prabhu’s inspiration, in the evening (https://www.youtu.be/VMQqg8KSy8Q):

A Hispanic mother and daughter delighted in watching and listening to the chanting at Times Square, taking pictures, and trying to sing along, reading the mantra from a card.

Some people took great pleasure dancing with the devotees, as did these girls. One of them told me she was from Wisconsin and seeing the Hare Krishnas chanting was a new experience for her.

After Christmas and Before New Years Eve

A young lady who learned of the 26 2nd Avenue program from our harinama came to visit it the day after Christmas. She joined us again on NYC Harinam, this time in the Times Square subway station soon after that.

December 27 was warm enough to chant outside at Union Square.

Some passersby played our instruments.

They also took pictures of each other with us.

Some kids also participated with us.

The next day at Grand Central subway station Rama Raya Prabhu ended Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s disappearance day with a fired-up kirtana getting the devotees dancing. Stella, visiting from Montreal, was delighted to record and share it (https://youtu.be/YkiulL-U9EU):

I also took some video of it (https://www.youtu.be/PYS_sHw2MGo):

New Years Eve

We began chanting at the Times Square Subway Station on New Years Eve at our usual spot just above the 7 train on the long corridor to Port Authority.

It was great chanting with Bhagavat Purana Prabhu as he is so enthusiastic and interactive, and he helped me sing the lead. Deva Madhava Prabhu was also a great asset, playing the drum and loudly singing the response. It was sufficiently fired up passersby took photos and movies. Stella, visiting from Montreal, took a video of me chanting, which you can see if you are my friend on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/krishnakripa.das/posts/10153896073293665).

Then a large group of Christians came. One would pace back and forth and evangelize into an amplifier directly in front of our party. He was so rude. The police solved the problem by telling both of us that the corridor was not wide enough for either of us and we would have to move. Although the police said we could go the subway station at Eighth Avenue, Rama Raya Prabhu thought it would be too chaotic there, and relocated us to Grand Center Subway Station. Around 5 p.m. Abhirama Prabhu took half of our party on a walking harinama from Grand Central up to Bryant Park. People from different parts of the world appreciated the devotees singing on the sidewalks there. Because I like walking harinamas, I went with Abhirama Prabhu and distribute Krishna: Reservoir of Pleasure. After what seemed to be a couple of hours I was so cold that when we passed the Bryant Park subway station I left the party to return to Grand Central only to find that rather than staying out extra late for New Years, our harinama party had finished at 7:30 p.m. as usual. At first we were told that Abhiram Prabhu’s party would be continuing, and so I grabbed another stack of Krishna: Reservoir of Pleasures and planned to rejoin them. Then we learned that party had also finished for the evening. Hladini, of the Bhakti Center, who I knew from doing harinamas in Florida, invited me to their Thursday evening kirtana which was to be followed by a harinama across the Manhattan bridge to Brooklyn, and then kirtana at Radha-Govinda Mandir till midnight. I was not enthusiastic enough to chant till midnight for Radha-Govinda, as I would still be woken up between 3:30 and 4:00 a.m. for our morning service, but I was up for the Bhakti Center kirtana and the harinama. I told my friend Deva Madhava Prabhu about the opportunity, and I was happy that he was eager to come along. He was a great asset on the harinama across the Manhattan Bridge as he has a loud melodious voice and a lot of enthusiasm.

Little Italy was the liveliest spot we passed through.

I found that in each group of people that liked our chanting party at least one was willing to take the Krishna: Reservoir of Pleasure.

My camera does not do videos in dim light, so I waited till we reached a well lit area of Brooklyn to take a little video (https://www.youtu.be/T9aHGfl3sE8):

To see photos I took but did not include above, please click on this link:

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From a class on Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 1.5, in Mayapur, on March 29, 1975:

Bhagavan means full of six kinds of opulence. Not as nowadays there are so many Bhagavans, they have no aisvarya[opulence].

“We should know this, that in the spiritual world, to remain as girlfriend and boyfriend, that is the topmost pleasure, and in the material world, the same thing is the most abominable thing.”

“So when Krishna wants to enjoy—the enjoyment means these loving affairs between man and woman—that is a fact. That is not an artificial thing. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has explained Vedanta-sutra, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. He has said, adi rasasya janma yatra. Adi-rasa. There are twelve kinds of rasas, mellow. Of all of them, the adi-rasa… Adi-rasameans the loving affair between man and woman. This is called adi-rasa. So, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains, janmady asya means the adi-rasa, loving affairs between man and woman, that is from the Supreme Person. That’s a fact. Unless the loving propensity is there in the Supreme, how it can be reflected? Because this is perverted reflection only, so there must be the origin.”

“Our Kaviraja Gosvami says that this Radha-Krishna prema, loving affairs between Radha Krishna, it is a fact. It is not imagination. It is a fact. But this fact is different from the fact we have got experience in this world. That is to be understood. Don’t take… Just like sahajiyas. They take the Radha-Krishna premajust like ordinary lusty affairs in this material world. But that is not the fact. In the Srimad–Bhagavatam there is a verse that the loving affairs of gopis and Krishna, Vishnu, it is not ordinary thing. If one can hear from the proper source, and if he understands the real fact of rasa-lila, then the result will be that his heart, which is full with lusty desire, that will vanish. There will be no more lusty desires.”

“Sannyasa means giving up everything for the Supreme. So for simply to relish a little bit of brahma–sukha [spiritual pleasure], these saintly persons, great, great saintly persons, they are giving up everything. . . . This is very important point. If for understanding little bit of brahma-sukhawe are giving up all material enjoyment, how Krishna can enjoy materially? He is Param Brahman. Therefore those sahajiyas, those who are taking that Krishna is enjoying with ordinary girls, they are very, very, much misled. That is not the fact. Therefore it is said, hladini shakti. This is different. This is in the spiritual world the topmost mellow, hladini shakti.”

Comments by Abhirama Prabhu:

Srila Prabhupada is always reminding us that the loving affairs of Radha and Krishna are completely different from the loving affairs of the material world.

It is like there are two parties going on. One, with Krishna in the spiritual world, where everyone is loving Him and He is perfectly reciprocating everyone’s love, and everyone is feeling spiritual ecstasy. Another one in the material world, where Krishna is not present and everyone is trying to take His position. There everyone is pretending to have a good time, but no one really is.

Prabhupada once explained that the devotee is always looking at Krishna’s feet, and then after some time, when Krishna is satisfied, He bends down to the level of His feet, and smiles at the devotee, and says, “Here I am!”

Our materialistic society, through the media, creates all kinds of illusory stereotypes that people become frustrated trying to live up to because they have no basis in reality.

In America, we are living on land that we obtained by murdering the previous residents, and which we stole. We cannot expect positive cultural stereotypes to come from such a background.

If one has a bias to the truth, he will be the best scientist, because he will lean in the right direction.

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 7.171, purport:

“Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to preach the sankirtana movement of love of Krishna throughout the entire world, and therefore during His presence He inspired the sankirtana movement. Specifically, He sent Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami to Vrindavan and Nityananda to Bengal and personally went to South India. In this way He kindly left the task of preaching His cult in the rest of the world to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The members of this Society must always remember that if they stick to the regulative principles and preach sincerely according to the instructions of the acaryas, surely they will have the profound blessings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and their preaching work will be successful everywhere throughout the world.”

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita,Madhya-lila 19.159, purport:

“Kutinati, or diplomatic behavior, cannot satisfy the atma,the soul. It cannot even satisfy the body or the mind. The culprit mind is always suspicious; therefore our dealings should always be straightforward and approved by Vedic authorities. If we treat people diplomatically or duplicitously, our spiritual advancement is obstructed.”

From a room conversation with Allen Ginsberg, May 12, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio:

“If one loves Krishna, he must love Lord Jesus also. And if one perfectly loves Jesus he must love Krishna too. If he says, ‘Why shall I love Krishna? I shall love Jesus,’ then he has no knowledge. And if one says, ‘Why shall I love Jesus? I shall love Krishna,’ then he has no knowledge either. If one understands Krishna, then he will understand Jesus. If one understands Jesus, you’ll understand Krishna too.”

From Path of Perfection, Chapter 3: Learning How to See God:

“As Lord Jesus Christ said, we should hate the sin, not the sinner. That is a very nice statement, because the sinner is under illusion. He is mad. If we hate him, how can we deliver him? Therefore, those who are advanced devotees, who are really servants of God, do not hate anyone. When Lord Jesus Christ was being crucified, he said, ‘My God, forgive them. They know not what they do.’ This is the proper attitude of an advanced devotee. He understands that the conditioned souls cannot be hated, because they have become mad due to their materialistic way of thinking. In this Krishna consciousness movement, there is no question of hating anyone. Everyone is welcomed to come and chant Hare Krishna, take krishna-prasada, listen to the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita, and try to rectify material, conditioned life. This is the essential program of Krishna consciousness.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam5.18.11, purport:

“Simply by hearing of the powerful activities of the Lord, the devotee’s heart becomes almost completely cleansed of material contamination, and thus his original position as an eternal servant who is part and parcel of the Lord becomes manifest. While the devotee engages in devotional service, the passionate and ignorant modes of material nature are gradually vanquished, and then he acts only in the mode of goodness. At that time he becomes happy and gradually advances in Krishna consciousness. All the great acaryas strongly recommend that people be given a chance to hear about the Supreme Lord. Then success is assured. The more we cleanse the dirt of material attachment from our hearts, the more we will be attracted by Krishna’s name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and activities. This is the sum and substance of the Krishna consciousness movement.”

From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 30:

“It is stated in the Tenth Canto, Thirty-third Chapter, verse 11, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, ‘Upon seeing that Krishna’s arm was placed on her shoulder, one of the gopis engaged in the rasadance became so ecstatically happy that she kissed Krishna on His cheek.’ This is an instance of feeling happiness because of achieving a desired goal.”

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

From his commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam11.17.53:

“Unless a householder worships child Krishna, his attachment for his children will remain strong. As long as the Lord’s pastimes in madhurya rasa do not become the subject of one’s meditation, one will continue to think of his wife as the reservoir of all pleasure. Unless one becomes a pure devotee of the Lord, accepting Lord Krishna as one’s only friend, just like Sridama, one will not be able to give up the hankering for temporary and superficial material relationships. Until one’s propensity for rendering devotional service to Lord Krishna is awakened, one will continue to foolishly demand service from others. One who is actually intelligent should understand that there can be no satisfaction for the self on any planet within the material world. Therefore, like a traveler who has become very tired while traveling, one should go back home, back to Godhead. Eternal peace is the condition of the faithful servant of Sri Krishna.”

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami:

From My Search Through Books:

One time, some of us told Srila Prabhupada that Camus and Sartre saw life as absurd. Srila Prabhupada replied, “It is absurd for him.”

“Today’s drawing shows three
bhaktas dancing and chanting
with upraised arms.
They are dressed very
colorfully and are dancing
with abandon. The
harinama movement brings
out the spontaneous spirit
of a person. It
is the original nature
and is evoked by
chanting. It breaks
up the material modes
of nature and brings
one to the transcendental platform.
While these men are
chanting Hare Krishna
they forget their material problems
and come directly
in touch with Krishna consciousness.
They even forget
their material bodies
and live as spirit souls.”

From a Prabhupada Remembrance Video about Prabhupada at London Ratha-yatra:

———————–
Shyamasundara Prabhu:

I picked up Srila Prabhupada up in a helicopter when he came for the London Ratha-yatra.

Prabhupada did not sit on his vyasasana[seat of honor] on the Ratha-yatra cart, but danced and walked the whole parade. We were all surprised because Prabhupada was sick.

Devotee lady:

After the helicopter ride, I heard Srila Prabhupada say, “I never want to travel this way again.”

Mahavishnu Swami:

I inherited £10,000 from my aunt. I was made in charge of London Ratha-yatra, and I spent the money for the festival.

Devotee lady:

The hairs of my body stood on end. Then I turned around and saw Prabhupada dancing. I felt Prabhupada before I saw him.

Srutakirti Prabhu:

The police wanted Prabhupada to stop dancing because it made the devotees go wild. I ignored their request the first time. The next time I tapped Srila Prabhupada’s shoulder, and said, “They want you to stop.” He turned and looked at me, and then swung around and went back to dancing. I told the police, “If you want him to stop, you will have to tell him yourself because he will not listen to me.” They didn’t, and Prabhupada kept dancing.

Devotee lady:

The way Prabhupada looked at Jagannath was the face of a man in love.

———————–

Abhiram Prabhu:

From a lecture on the disappearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

Srila Prabhupada is an emissary from Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, empowered to expand his mission.

Srila Prabhupada spoke on this day in the last year he was present (1977) and made some important points:

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s appearance and disappearance was like that of Krishna in that he came to this world from the spiritual world to execute a certain mission.

This human form of life is a rare chance to attain spiritual perfection.

We are called vimudhan (foolish) because although Krishna has come to invite us back to the spiritual world, in this rarely attained life, we are not interested.

To convert us from vimudhan to intelligent, Krishna sends His representative into this world. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura is such a representative.

The Vaishnava is unconcerned with mundane profit, adoration, and distinction. He is busy doing good to others by enlightening the people with spiritual knowledge.

Mundane people do not know how to do good for humanity because they do not how to elevate them out of this cycle of birth and death.

The human being can take instruction from the scripture that he is a spiritual being and should endeavor for spiritual perfection.

If we do not think of Krishna, we remain in this cycle of birth and death.

The Vaishnava has the great responsibility to share this great knowledge.

The real business of the Vaishnava is not for himself. But to help others.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s spiritual gift is that he wanted every one of his disciples to go out and spread this knowledge.

Lord Caitanya advised everyone to become guru. How to become guru? Just repeat what Krishna has said.

This Mayapur is meant for this purpose to preach Krishna consciousness all over this world.

Take Western money and Indian culture and make the whole world happy.

Notes from a summary of the life of Bhaktisiddhanta Saravati Thakura’s life:

Acyutananda, brother of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, became deathly sick, and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati took karatalas and chanted Hare Krishna for six days without eating. After that time his brother said that in a previous life he was a Sri Vaishnava and he committed an offense against a Gaudiya Vaishnava. By the pure chanting of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura the offense was destroyed, and Acyutananda left this world.

At age seven, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati saw Bipin Bihari, the guru of his father, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, placed his foot on Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s head. When his father left the room, he questioned that action. He said, “Do you know that my father is a nitya-siddha [eternally perfect] devotee of the Lord. Are you really qualified to place your foot on his head?”

Because of the degraded Vaishnava sampradayas, the shaktas and the followers of Vivekananda and Ramakrishna became prominent.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura would take on and defeat anyone and everyone to establish unalloyed Krishna consciousness.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura knew the philosophies of all the Vaishnavas.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura considered that to awaken the dormant attitude of service to the Supreme Lord is more important than any other activity.

Whatever Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura asked others to do, he followed himself.

He cited Mundaka Upanisad verse 1.2.12: “Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistam – To understand these things properly, one must humbly approach, with firewood in hand, a spiritual master who is learned in the Vedas and firmly devoted to the Absolute Truth”] as describing the qualities of a guru.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s presence was so impressive that people were humbled by it.

Of Hari-katha, he especially liked to glorify Govardhan Hill.

Kadamba Kanana Swami:

From a recorded lecture:

Keshava Bharati Maharaja, the guru who initiated Lord Caitanya into the renounced order of life, sannyasa, told him at that time: “I am calling you Krishna because You will make the whole world chant Hare Krishna. I am calling you Caitanya because You will bring life to the hearts of all people.”


Yasoda Dulal Prabhu [brahmacari preaching in Montreal, Canada]:

Even an insignificant living entity can speak nicely by the mercy of the Vaishnavas.

Unfortunately we have been raised in such away as to develop our attachment to our bodies.

You can say Krishna arranged the shop be named Matchless Gifts to remind the devotees of the value of what Krishna is giving. His first gift is the association of his confidential devotee Srila Prabhupada. Then Srila Prabhupada gave us the holy names of Radha and Krishna.

Pure chanting is for the pleasure of the Lord.

The material world is controlled by the Lord, but everyone in the spiritual world is controlled by love [prema], including Krishna Himself.

Even as devotees, our experience of the unlimited is limited.

If we make the holy name the center of our life we can come to experience the matchless gift.

Sincerity has no limit. If we think we are sincere, we are not sincere.

The inner experience of great souls like Srila Prabhupada and the Six Goswamis is only love.

Rupa Goswami’s definition of raganuga-bhakti is to follow an associate of Radha Krishna.

Comment by Bhakta Avatar Prabhu: The Radharani and Lalita deities at the Tota-Gopinath temple are black instead of their usual golden color, and their pujari says the reason for this is that they are absorbed in thinking of Krishna.

Like the fans of Brad Pitt, while watching his different movies, see only Brad Pitt acting, although he is playing different roles, the Gaudiya Vaishnavas see the incarnations of God as Krishna appearing as Nrsimha or Krishna appearing as Lord Rama, etc.

We are already in Gaura-lila. If we are going on harinama every day or distributing books every day, or if we are worshiping the deity every day under Srila Prabhupada’s direction, we are already in Gaura-lila. It is just a question of realizing it.

Gopala Bhatta, as a nine-year-old boy, for four months massaged the feet of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, cooked for Him, and ate His remnants. As a result Gopala Bhatta’s eyes were always filled with tears of love of God, and he was victorious in all scholarly debates because Lord Caitanya was present in his heart.

The Gaudiya Vaishnavas prefer to see Lord Caitanya standing by the side of the Garuda stambha rather than to see Lord Vishnu riding on Garuda, His carrier.

Prabodhananda Sarasvati Goswami says that worshiping the feet of Lord Caitanya leads to the supreme realization.

In Krishna book Srila Prabhupada describes in one chapter about the gopis feelings of separation. There Srila Prabhupada indicates that we are advanced to the extent that we feel separation for Krishna.

As the gopis felt separation from Krishna, Krishna felt separation from the gopis. However the gopis, because they were many, could console each other, while Krishna had to suffer separation alone in Dvaraka.

Sivaram Swami says that the holy name of Krishna is more reliable than Krishna Himself, because you can count on Krishna being present in His holy name, while otherwise Krishna is sometimes here and sometimes not.

Prabhupada disciple Mandakini said when Prabhupada was present they would feel that love of God was even emanating from the walls.

Verses that came to my mind during the class:

“O Brahma, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness. (Srimad-Bhagavatam  2.9.34)


“Whatever you desire to describe that is separate in vision from the Lord simply reacts, with different forms, names and results, to agitate the mind, as the wind agitates a boat, which has no resting place.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.1)


“One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.” (Bhagavad-gita 14.26)

Rama Raya Prabhu:

Srila Prabhupada wanted 24-hour kirtana in all our temples.

When Lord Caitanya went on harinama everyone went—the scholar Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, the king Prataparudra. Also during Srila Prabhupada’s time, everyone wanted to go on the Saturday night harinama in Times Square. Some two or three people had to stay back to take care of the deities. They would take turns so they all could go on harinama sometimes.

Offering all respects to others in the ultimate issue means to respect them as spiritual souls by engaging them in Lord Caitanya’s sankirtana movement.

Either we are going to give our life to maya or we are going to give our life to Krishna.

Comment by Nihal: I met one person while distributing books who remembered the Saturday night harinamas. There were 60 to 80 persons chanting with such enthusiasm that the traffic would stop. The man telling me the story still felt the wonder of it after so many years.

There are people out there who are suffering and praying for God to help them. Srila Prabhupada said that we have many customers out there.

Seeing prema-bhaktas chanting the holy name is the ultimate coolness.

Lord Caitanya is the supreme revolutionary.

Srila Prabhupada’s prayer in “Markine Bhagavata Dharma” to Krishna “I wish that you may deliver them” was backed up by forty years of service.

“I just tried to blindly follow the order of my spiritual master” – look at how far it got Srila Prabhupada.

Jhansi was a failure, but he got the whole world.

Abhiram Prabhu tells that Stanley Kubrick said in an interview, just before his death from terminal cancer, that he was approached by NASA to make a moon-landing film.

Bhagavat Purana Prabhu:

From an after dinner conversation:

Q (from new devotee): What are salagram-silas?

A: You could describe them as anti-material pet rocks.

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam8.5.32:

Scientists, by doing things like cloning, try to imitate the original creator while at the same time they deny the existence of that original creator. They are not humble enough to understand the existence of the original creator.

Although the scientists have advanced intelligence from their past pious activities, they still are subjected to the four material defects of imperfect senses, the tendency toward illusion, the tendency to make mistakes, and the propensity to cheat.

Although people try to insure their friends will be happy by giving them gift cards so they can purchase their own gifts, their friends still purchase items which are temporary sources of satisfaction and incapable of giving them the ultimate happiness they desire, and so they are ultimately frustrated.

As I recall, Srila Prabhupada advised to make harinama banners having gold letters on a light blue background.

Comment by Isvari Jahnava Devi: When I was young in Russia, America seemed to us like a heavenly planet. We somehow got a Sears catalog, advertising things we never had in Russia, and it was like a Bible to us. Krishna arranged that now I came to Times Square, when I had no more material desires. Times Square was hell for me, and I vowed to never come there again, unless I am on a harinama party.

Isvari Jahnava Devi:

One reason Krishna consciousness has become popular in Russia is that the Russian people in Soviet times were brought up with ideals and people who lived for ideals, and they understood value of community.

The communist goal was that people would work and would receive whatever they needed. That is not possible in materialistic consciousness, but it is possible in Krishna consciousness.

Deva Madhava Prabhu:

The demigods teach by their example to first glorify the Lord before asking Him for a benediction, even when they are experiencing supreme distress and want relief.

Arjuna also, before asking Krishna to counteract the weapon fired by Asvatthama, offered prayers to the Lord.

If we understand that Krishna is present everywhere, then we should not feel anything is lacking anywhere at anytime. If we feel such a lack, our realization of Krishna is not complete.

We should not think that seeing Krishna and hearing from Krishna is different.

If we are not thoughtful, we will miss out on the fruit of the experience.

Saying the prasadam prayers helps us to take the prasadam in a devotional consciousness and to get the full benefit of it.

After Christmas and New Years people are down because their expectations are never met by their material enjoyments.

In the beginning of our devotional service, we are more running away from maya, and at the stage of ruci, we are more running toward Krishna.

Bhima-Karma Prabhu:

From a class on kirtana:

The mrdanga is a primary instrument in the sankirtana.

Whenever the question of instruments in kirtana came up, Srila Prabhupada was firm in insisting that mrdanga and karatalas were essential for kirtana. For some temporary preaching purposes, other instruments can be used, but whenever we present kirtana, mrdanga and karatalas should be the main instruments.

In India, among classical musicians, the mrdanga is considered a simple folk instrument.

The natya-sastra covers the art of performance and is a commentary by Bharata Muni on the section of the Sama Veda dealing with that topic.

Kirtana has musical aspects, but primarily it is a spiritual activity.

Srila Prabhupada defines rasa in two ways. One is relationship, such as the mother-child relationship Yasoda has with Krishna.

The ratio of the distance between the big head and the widest part of the drum and the distance between the small end and the widest part of the drum is the golden ratio (0.618).

The difference between a classical musician and a kirtaniya is the classical musician tries to please the audience and the kirtaniya tries to please the Krishna.

                                                       

Rasa is expressed in terms of kriya or activities.

Before we even touch the mrdanga, we offer respect:

mrdanga- brahma – rupaya lavanya – rasa-madhuri

sahasra-guna samyuktam mrdangaya namo namah

[Unto the mrdanga, that supreme Brahman formed as a clay drum which is infused with the sweet mellows of graceful enchantment, and endowed with thousands of transcendental qualities, I bow down again and again.]

Just as Krishna is the ocean among bodies of water and Krishna is the sun among the luminaries, Krishna is mrdangaamong the drums.

The mrdanga mantra te, re, ke, ta is used to help develop rhythm.

Visakha [the intimate associate of Radha and Krishna] plays the mrdanga.

The example that we can learn from Srila Prabhupada’s mrdanga practice is that he went to a mrdanga guru in the tradition and he remained chaste to his guru, not inventing beats of his own.

—–

This verse reminds us of the fact that if the holy name of the Lord is chanted, despite many different discrepancies, the function is a complete success:

mantratas tantratas chidram

desha-kalarha-vastutah

sarvam karoti nishchidram

anusankirtanam tava

[Sukracarya, the spiritual master of the demons, said to Lord Vamana, the incarnation of Krishna, regarding sacrifice:] “There may be discrepancies in pronouncing the mantras and observing the regulative principles, and, moreover, there may be discrepancies in regard to time, place, person and paraphernalia. But when Your Lordship’s holy name is chanted, everything becomes faultless.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam8.23.16)

Travel Journal#11.21: New York City Harinam, Philadelphia, and Maryland
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 21
By Krishna-kripa das
(November 2015, part one)
New York City Harinam
(Sent from Gainesville, Florida, on November 26, 2015)

 

Where I Went and What I Did

I continued participating in New York City Harinam for the first twelve days of November. We continued engaging the public in offering candles to a picture of Krishna in his childhood feature as Damodara. During that time, we were visited by Bhaktimarga Swami. On Thursday, November 12, we celebrated Govardhan Puja in our Harinam Ashram in the morning and the Brooklyn temple in the evening. The next day I chanted in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square and took my niece, Fern, to Govinda’s Gourmet to Go. Saturday and Sunday I chanted with my friends Sankarasan Prabhu and Sivam and the Potomac ISKCON devotees in Silver Spring, Maryland. Sunday was Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day, and I attended the program in our Potomac Hare Krishna temple, and I share realizations of the several Prabhupada disciples who spoke on that occasion.
 
I foolishly left my computer bag on a New York City bus on November 10, so I lost all my lectures notes from the first ten days of November. Still I share insights from Bhaktimarga Swami, Jayadvaita Swami, and Romapada Swami, who were visiting New York City, Sikhi Mahiti Prabhu (temple president of Philadelphia), and an Indian devotee who speaks in Potomac.
 
Thanks to Abhimanyu Prabhu of Gainesville for the use of his computer to complete this journal issue. Thanks to Natabara Gauranga Prabhu for his photo of the Harinam Ashram Govardhana Hill, and to the servants of Bhaktimarga Swami for their pictures of him chanting in the streets of New York City.
 
Itinerary
 
November 21–December 15: Gainesville area (except 5 days in Tallahassee)
December 16–January 4, 2016: New York City Harinam
January 5, 2016–February 25?, 2016: Gainesville area (and Florida campuses)
 
New York City Harinam
 
As usual many people were engaged in the unlimited auspicious activity of devotional service to Lord Krishna by interacting with our chanting party.
 
One Malaysian NYU student, whose university is on one side of Union Square and whose dorm was on another, would see the devotees chanting as she passed by every day. She is interested in religion and the effect it has on people’s lives, and she decided to do her final audio/visual project on our New York City Harinam party.
 
One young college student said he had only enough money for lunch but none for a book. I suggested if I gave him lunch then he would have money for the book. He said that would work. Thus he gave two dollars for a medium book, and I gave him some khichri, which he liked.
 
A young man was begging for money for food on the subway, and I gave him half a piece of banana bread. He really liked it. Two weeks later he happened to come by Union Square. He recognized me and stopped, and he asked for a pamphlet. While visiting us, he chanted, played the shakers, and danced. I offered him a piece of banana bread out of gratitude. I was happy to see his devotional service to Krishna increasing.
 
 Once, three young ladies sat with our party, one singing and playing the shakers.
 
Another time a lady came up to photograph us, but I showed her a Science of Self-Realization, and photographed her.

 
Photographers would take photos of their friends dancing with Kalyani Devi Dasi.


Inspired by their young daughter,

 
these parents also played the shakers,
 
Once two Oriental kids played the shakers.
 

One lady who met the devotees the previous year and who remembered that joy, bought a Bhagavad-gita and delighted in dancing with Kalyani when I invited her to.
 
A guy also danced with us.
 
Another guy played shakers and danced, with his guitar on his back.
 
Harinama leader of ISKCON Denver, Ananda Murari Prabhu, led a delightful kirtana inspiring some dancing (https://youtu.be/j-YpZd7-ruY):
 
 
Rama Raya Prabhu usually led the evening kirtana.
 
It was often very lively as on this night (https://youtu.be/CbypuKNW_BI):
 
 
Here is another ecstatic night (https://youtu.be/6ZK70VONDv0):

 

We continued encouraging people to offer lamps to our picture of Damodara from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. each evening.

 Some new people really delighted in offering lamps to Damodara.
 

Kids also participated.

 So did a group of friends.

 One lady dressed in striking black offered a lamp.

One evening after offering lamps a young lady played the shakers with us.
 
Later a guy played the shakers with us.
 

One evening lots of wild dancing went on.
 
Previously we did not do the offering of lamps to Damodara in the subway because we knew authorities would object to the open flames, but now that we were using electric candles in Union Square because the park police had complained, we had them to use in the subway station.

Here Jake guides a happy lady in offering a lamp.

One man offered a lamp while holding his son.
 
Then he held the boy and helped him offer a lamp himself.
 

One day a young lady named Amanda was attracted by the chanting and the peaceful effect it had on her mind. She sat down on our rug next to the harmonium player, listening and smiling for two hours. She was surprised how much time had passed. I invited her to that nights’ program with Bhaktimarga Swami, who had walked and chanted across Canada four times.

 She came and delighted in the Bhaktimarga Swami’s kirtana, which I share the culmination of here (https://youtu.be/ZYw-uEOk0bI):
 

She and another young lady, who also learned of the program from our Union Square harinama, stayed to the end of the program.

 Amanda even joined us on harinama the next day.
 
One day when Tulasi Das Prabhu was leading kirtana in the Union Square subway station, one Afro-American guy really got into dancing to our Hare Krishna chant. After dancing for a while, he would go to leave, but he liked it so much, he kept coming back. Ultimately he gave a donation and got some literature. You can see for yourself (https://youtu.be/N1ceWgdDIkg):
 
 
I share videos of different devotees chanting, sometimes by day and other times by night, and inspiring the passersby to dance:
 
Kaliya Krishna Prabhu (https://youtu.be/FDzrLSkU_3Q):
 
 
Deva Madhava Prabhu (https://youtu.be/aqG3aHy8eW0):
 
 
Ananta Gauranga Prabhu (https://youtu.be/yHmgquDxlKc):
 
 
 
 
 
 
One day I came out of the Burlington department store bathroom to return to our Union Square harinama, and I was surprised to see a man standing there reading a Bhagavad-gita he must have purchased from us.
 
Bhaktimarga Swami in New York City

One day Bhaktimarga Swami joined us on New York City Harinam. He chanted the “Damodarastakam” followed by the Hare Krishna mantra. Nihal continued inviting passersby to offer lamps to Damodara. After they made their offerings, devotees gave them spiritual food and literature. You can see all this in the video (https://youtu.be/ctVrjl-PkNs):
 
 
Bhaktimarga Swami wrote about his experience, “In the evening we went to chant at Union Square in Manhattan.  It was outstanding to see how many people came forward to offer a small light to the image of Krishna and His mother, Yasoda, which was placed upon a small table, after being welcomed to do so as we chanted away.”

Once day Bhaktimarga Swami and some followers and devotees on the New York City Harinam team chanted from Union Square Park to Tompkins Square Park. There we chanted around the famous Hare Krishna tree.
 

Bhaktimarga Swami and those who walked with him, even part of the way, from Boston to Butler, Pennsylvania, and then finally to Manhattan, shared realizations, and Abhiram Prabhu and I told stories about the supernatural events that take place at the Hare Krishna tree.
 
Govardhan Puja
 
At our Harinam Ashram many devotees contributed sweets to our Govardhan Hill, which had the Govardhan-silas of Jayadvaita Swami and Rama Raya Prabhu seated atop it.
 
On Govardhan Puja day we chanted at Atlantic Avenue / Barclays Center subway station so it was easy for us to attend the evening program at Radha Govinda Mandir in the evening.
 
One young lady stepped forward with a smile and watched our kirtana party for some time. I spoke to her. She asked if it was intentional that our singer was playing in the same key as the competing musician nearby. I said yes, because he told us he was going to do that to make the best of the situation. She said she was a musician and that she played piano.
 

I invited her to sit and play the shakers with us, but she said she would rather dance, and so she took off her sweater and did just that. Here is a brief video of her dance (https://youtu.be/oHGbs2Xsae4):

 
She had Bhagavad-gita and knew about the Bhakti Center, and I told her about our Brooklyn temple, just one stop away on the subway, and our special festival that night. She said she would try to convince her boyfriend to go.

Later, when we did the offering of lamps to Damodara, Sasha gave remnants of our Harinam Ashram Govardhan Hill to the people after they offered their lamps.
 
The Govardhan Hill at Radha Govinda Mandir was very opulent.
 

It was covered with varieties of doughnuts from the Doughnut Plant.
 
Chant at Philly’s Rittenhouse Square
 
After taking my niece, Fern, to Govinda’s Gourmet to Go, in Philadelphia, I chanted by myself for three hours at Rittenhouse Square.
 
I met a nice young lady who was doing a documentary on spiritual sound and was happy to hear of the 24-hour kirtana at the Philadelphia temple starting at 6 p.m. that night. She asked if she could come and video it.
 
I met friends of the devotees who were also happy to learn of the kirtana program.
 
I met devotees I knew from England, New York, San Diego, and Florida when I visited the Philadelphia temple’s 24-hour kirtana program. It was truly amazing. Even though I could not participate the whole time, it was so inspiring to hear the constant kirtana.
 
Silver Spring Harinama
 
Both on Saturday, and Sunday, which was Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day, we did harinama for about three hours in Silver Spring, Maryland, a Washington, D.C. suburb.
 
Gaura Vani Prabhu, a popular Hare Krishna kirtaneer, joined us on Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day, after he chanted a couple hours at the temple. He told me, “I had work I had promised a friend I would do, so I was not planning on coming out. It’s my kids who got me on harinamatonight. They wanted to go. How could I tell them no?”
 
Devotee children distributed lollipops and pamphlets.
 

A lady onlooker played the djembe.
 
One lady heard our kirtana as she left an ice cream shop, and followed the sound to our party, listening to us as she finished her ice cream.

 
She remembered the Hare Krishnas from when she was a Moonie and also distributed in Miami airport. Since then she became involved in following an Indian teacher who also does kirtana, and thus she was attracted to our chanting.
 
Here is some of Gaura Vani’s kirtana on the streets of Silver Spring (https://youtu.be/LhSI_vUbFqw):
 
 
Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja in Potomac
 
Laksmivan Prabhu:
 
Srila Prabhupada didn’t like us singing songs without knowing their meaning.
 
The spiritual master is never touched by the three modes of material nature.
 
In the brief time Srila Prabhupada was present, his encouragement and the youthfulness of his followers combined to spread make Krishna consciousness dramatically.
 
Everyone was aware anyone could please him by distributing his books.
 
Even now, by distributing books and doing harinama,we can feel Prabhupada’s presence.
 
Palaka Prabhu:
 
Srila Prabhupada explains the situation of the pure devotee, and thus his own situation, in his purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.55:
 
“A pure devotee of the Lord does not live on any planet of the material sky, nor does he feel any contact with material elements. His so-called material body does not exist, being surcharged with the spiritual current of the Lord’s identical interest, and thus he is permanently freed from all contaminations of the sum total of the mahat-tattva. He is always in the spiritual sky, which he attains by being transcendental to the sevenfold material coverings by the effect of his devotional service. The conditioned souls are within the coverings, whereas the liberated soul is far beyond the cover.”
 
Do not let Prabhupada disappear from your life. Keep him present by hearing from him.
 
Kalindi Devi Dasi:
 
Although living in Vrindavan, I was visiting Delhi the day Srila Prabhupada left this world, and I returned in the evening. I recall one godbrother, insufficiently dressed for the cold November evening, chanted bhajans all night before Srila Prabhupada’s body, before it was interred.
 
Dinanatha Prabhu:
 
Prabhupada said even if you do not understand, continue hearing and someday you will understand.
 
We would hear him speak in Hindi and would somehow understand.
 
The ear processes information 1000 times faster than the eye.
 
The devotees loved to please Srila Prabhupada, and he loved to please them.
 
He stressed “you are not the body” and “life is meant for self-realization.”
 
Sugata Prabhu:
 
When I first saw Srila Prabhupada step out of a car in Vrindavan in 1974, I realized he really was a pure devotee and I also realized, in shock, that I would have to surrender to him.  I am still trying to do that.
 
To see the photos I did not include in this blog, click on the link below:
 
Insights
 
Bhaktimarga Swami:
 
From a talk on walking at the Bhakti Center:
 
Walking is a chance to make friends. It is a friend raiser rather than a fund raiser.
 
I find the media is favorable and willing to learn.
 
Walking helps you focus on the present.
 
Devotional clothes make a difference. I have been called Buddha, Jesus, and Gandhi.
 
Walking is a chance for communication. It gives people a chance to perform service to the sankirtana movement. It shows people we are there. It can make you more sensitive.
 
We get into elementary schools and yoga centers.
 
When walking, you cannot help but wonder what it was like before the Europeans came to the West.
 
We have had incredible Hindu hosts, though usually we camp and bath in rivers and camp sites.
 
People from the Film Board of Canada traveled with me for a month, and we are part of their documentary, The Longest Road.
 
Srila Prabhupada said the GBCs (Governing Board Commissioners) should travel with brahmacaris throughout their zones.
 
I started walking in 1996 as an offering to Srila Prabhupada for the centennial of his birth.
 
My mantra for new devotees is “you are taking over.”
 
Every time you do a long walk, it gets better and better.
 
Now there is more security than when I started in 1996, but there is also more acceptance by the people I meet.
 
I told Ambarish (Alfred Ford) that I do not like cars. I do not like what they have done to the world. Ambarish said, “I don’t like cars either.”
 
In 2016 I plan to walk from New York City to San Francisco to encourage Americans in a more car-free, care-free life.
 
The food we eat is garbage. The wild food is heavenly.
 
We found a deity of Ganesh in a lake we went swimming in.
 
I would be happy if I could walk until I am 108.
 
Many people who do long distance walking end up believing in God after.
 
Jayadvaita Swami:
 
From a lecture on Govardhan Puja on this verse spoken by the gopis (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.18): “Of all the devotees, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends, this hill supplies Krishna and Balarama, along with Their calves, cows and cowherd friends, with all kinds of necessities — water for drinking, very soft grass, caves, fruits, flowers and vegetables. In this way the hill offers respects to the Lord. Being touched by the lotus feet of Krishna and Balarama, Govardhana Hill appears very jubilant.”
 
The gopis praise Govardhana Hill for the variety of services it renders to Krishna, while they feel they themselves are unable to do so much. This is the attitude of the advanced devotee.
 
Annakuta comes from two words, anna meaning rice, more generally grains, or even food, and kuta which means mountain.
 
Everyone was pleased by Govardhan Puja except Indra.
 
As you [the New York Harinam devotees] seek shelter in the subway station from the rain, the residents of Vrindavan sought shelter from the rains sent by Indra. They did not have subways, so Krishna lifted up Govardhan Hill to protect them.
 
Govardhan Puja has all the elements to attract people all over the world, just as does the Jagannath Ratha-yatra. I envision someday a massive Govardhan Puja festival in Madison Square Garden.
 
Q: What is your favorite sweet?
A: Pure devotional service. The only problem is I cannot get enough of it. In Nectar of Devotion it is said that it is rarely attained.
 
Keshava Bharati Maharaja renovated a broken down old palace to create our present Govardhana facility. Vasesika Prabhu and others take shelter of our Govardhana ashram and read Srila Prabhupada’s books there hours a day during Karttika (October-November).
 
Rupa Goswami exalts Govardhana above Vaikuntha [the kingdom of God] and even Vrindavan [Lord Krishna’s personal abode].
 
Sridhara Maharaja said that Bhaktisiddhanta Saravati Thakura did not stay at Radha Kund. He considered Radha Kund the place of residence of his superiors.
 
Srila Prabhupada wanted us to strictly follow so we could ultimately attain the highest state.
 
We are dancing into the pastimes of Radha and Krishna by our sankirtana and our preaching, not being babajis or dressing in saris in Radha Kund.
 
Srila Prabhupada said the entire spiritual world is contained within the four walls of our Krishna Balaram temple compound in Vrindavan.
 
Comment by Abhiram Prabhu: When the sun shines from different angles at Govardhana, the rocks reflect different colors.
 
If you do not observe Govardhana Puja you will be bitten by snakes of Govardhana Hill.
 
Comment by Rama Raya Prabhu: Or the snakes of material desire.
 
Romapada Swami:
 
The Lord, having just encountered the brahmanas performing sacrifices in the forest, returned to Vrindavan to find its residents performing a similar sacrifice.
 
The Govardhan pastime is meant to teach us that there is one Supreme Lord, who is the recipient of all sacrifices, and that is Krishna, and also that Krishna and Govardhan are nondifferent.
 
Children who hear Krishna book when they go to sleep when they are young become so attached to it they will not go to sleep without hearing it, even though they can explain it themselves.
 
George Harrison donated $19,000 for the printing of the Krishna book. Srila Prabhupada never forgot George, and a few months before Srila Prabhupada left this world, he gave Tamal Krishna Goswami his sapphire ring to give to George as a gift.
 
Palaka Prabhu:
 
From a conversation over prasadam:
 
Kalindi Devi Dasi, former wife of Rupanuga Prabhu, says that in the sixties, she asked Rupanuga before he had met the devotees, where he wanted her to take him for his birthday. He had just seen in the local newspaper the picture of Srila Prabhupada singing with his disciples in Tompkins Square Park, so he told her he wanted to go to the park and chant with the Swami.  So they did. She took care of their kid, and he listened to Prabhupada sing.
 
Sikhi Mahiti Prabhu (Philadelphia temple president):
 
The Padma Purana states that chanting Rama once has the same potency as chanting Narayana one thousand times, and chanting Krishna once has the same potency as chanting Rama three times.
 
The holy name is so powerful people do not have to agree with it, they just have to hear it.
 
Anyone who hears the devotees chanting Hare Krishna is a mahatma, a great soul. It is so rare.
 
In the initiation letters throughout the 1970s, Srila Prabhupada would regularly list street sankirtana [congregational chanting of the holy name] as a duty of the newly initiated disciple.
 
Comment by Vishnu Gada Prabhu:
 
In New York City, when Srila Prabhupada visited in 1971 or 1972, he spoke on the first three chapters of Canto 6 of Srimad-Bhagavatam. He said that Maharaja Pariksit inquired about how the living entities could be delivered from the hells described at the end of Canto 5 because that is the kind nature of the devotee of the Lord. He quoted the verse “kecit kevalaya bhaktya / vasudeva-parayanah / agham dhunvanti kartsnyena / niharam iva bhaskarah: Only a rare person who has adopted complete, unalloyed devotional service to Krishna can uproot the weeds of sinful actions with no possibility that they will revive. He can do this simply by discharging devotional service, just as the sun can immediately dissipate fog by its rays.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.15) He said the Ajamila story is an explanation of this verse. The Hare Krishna mantra is an explanation of this verse: “aho bata sva-paco ’to gariyan / yaj-jihvagre vartate nama tubhyam / tepus tapas te juhuvu? sasnur arya / brahmanucur nama grinanti ye te: Oh, how glorious are they whose tongues are chanting Your holy name! Even if born in the families of dog-eaters, such persons are worshipable. Persons who chant the holy name of Your Lordship must have executed all kinds of austerities and fire sacrifices and achieved all the good manners of the Aryans. To be chanting the holy name of Your Lordship, they must have bathed at holy places of pilgrimage, studied the Vedas and fulfilled everything required.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.33.7)
 
An Indian devotee, who gives classes in Potomac on Sunday mornings:
 
Underneath Govardhana Hill, although you would expect to find a lot of dirt, there were grass and streams. Stones fell from the Hill and surrounded the perimeter thus keeping the water out. The light of Krishna’s toe nails illuminated everything.
 
Indra, the boys, and Yasoda were in anxiety. Indra was in anxiety because he offended Krishna, the boys were scared that Krishna’s flute playing would melt the stones of Govardhana Hill, and Yasoda was worried that Krishna was hungry. Krishna reassured the boys.
 
Krishna will deliver us if we take shelter of Him as did the residents of Vrindavan.
 
Indra’s mother advised him to approach his guru, Brhaspati, who advised him to approach Brahma, who told him to surrender to Krishna. This shows the value of devotee association.
 
Krishna corrected Indra in a secluded place, demonstrating his ideal leadership.
 
Engaging everything we have in devotional service to Krishna will protect us.
 
—–
 

Travel Journal#11:20: New York City Harinam
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 20
By Krishna-kripa das
(October 2015, part two)
New York City Harinama
(Sent from Brooklyn, New York, on November 1, 2015)
Where I Went and What I Did
I stayed with the New York City Harinam devotees for the rest of October. Special features of this time were our inviting passersby to offer lamps to our picture of Krishna as Damodara and also the festival of Halloween, which engaged many costumed persons in interacting with our chanting party and having some transcendental experiences.
I share insights from Srila Prabhupada’s lectures and books, Prabhupada memories from Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, notes on a lecture by Jayadvaita Swami at the Bhakti Center and a lecture by Niranjana Swami at the Russian festival. I share notes on lectures at the Harinama Ashram by Abhiram Prabhu and Rama Raya Prabhu and by visiting devotees, Bhakta Avatar and Vicaru Prabhus.
Thanks to Kaliya Krishna Prabhu for kindly paying my subway fare to attend New York City Harinam. Thanks to Atmanivedana Prabhu for his kind donation.
Thanks to Mathuraprana Krishna Dasa Prabhu for letting me use his camera to take the picture of Clarissa and Sanya, and for enhancing the photo.
Itinerary
September 28–November 12: New York City Harinam
November 13: Philadelphia
November 14–17: Washington, D.C., Harinama
November 18: Jacksonville, FL
November 19: Tampa
November 20: Orlando with Trivikrama Swami
November 21–December 15: Krishna House (except 5 days in Tallahassee)
December 16–January 4, 2016: New York City Harinama
Union Square Harinama

Once at the book table in Union Square, a friendly lady, perhaps in her thirties, came by, glanced at the books, and smiled at seeing the Bhagavad-gita. “I have that one,” she said. I think of the Srimad-Bhagavaam as the sequel to the Gita, so I told her that, and proceeded to open up the book and read her my favorite verse: “The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.” (1.2.6) “This is the essence of what religion is all about,” I said. “Practically any monotheistic tradition could accept that idea.” She seemed a little doubtful about getting it, so thinking it was too large a book, I showed her Sri Isopanisad. I quoted verses 1 and 2: “Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong. One may aspire to live for hundreds of years if he continuously goes on working in that way, for that sort of work will not bind him to the law of karma. There is no alternative to this way for man.” I told her if people acted according to this verse we would have peace in the world. She agreed but did not seem to be ready to buy the book. I thought that perhaps all the Sanskrit was intimidating for her, so I showed her the table of contents of Science of Self-Realization, and pointed out there are different categories, and in each, articles, essays, and interviews that can easily be read in one sitting. After a little consideration, she “OK, I will take all three.” She gave $20, saying to keep the change, but as we only try to get $18 for the three books, I gave her Bhakti-yoga, as well.

 

 Several days a week Clarissa of Brooklyn, dressed in an Indian sari, comes after high school and Sanya of New Delhi, dressed in a Western suit, comes after work to share with passersby jewels of transcendental wisdom in the form of Srila Prabhupada’s books during New York City Harinama.
I admire the bravery of theseyouthful book distributors, and also Nihal, who comes after college and sells many books. Due to fear, I usually limit myself to selling books at the table. One day, however, because there were no other book distributors, because Babhru Prabhu had criticized me for distributing free pamphlet and not books which he said were just as easy, and also because I felt bad because the two ladies a third and half my age were brave enough to do it when I wasn’t, I spent about 3 hours distributing books to people who were stopped, listening to the harinama party. I was able to distribute one hardbound Science of Self-Realization and one softbound one, a softbound Bhagavad-gita, and four Chant and Be Happy books, collecting $29. I had nice conversations with a few of the people. One had regularly attended the Sunday Feast in New Orleans, so I told himabout the one in Brooklyn. I hope I can regular sell books to those who stop and listen, at least when we have no other book distributors.
Janananda Goswami is my authority in England and the reason I promised to make my base in Newcastle in the summer. His disciples, Janardana and Priya Sundari Prabhus, are always ready to join me for harinama, and I have chanted with them in Leeds (their home), York, Newcastle, and other places in England. Visiting relatives and Hare Krishna temples in America, they stopped by for an hour or so before returning to England. Priya Sundari’s mother, who is a devotee, also came.
They fully participated, 
 

with Janardana Prabhu playing the drum, 

 

Priya Sundari Devi Dasi distributing invitations, literature, and a CD,

and her mom clapping and dancing,
and they all sang the response as well. It was beautiful to see their enthusiasm and have them visit our party. They were thinking they did not have enough time to come, but words of encouragement from Janananda Goswami adjusted their priorities, and they were very happy they came. Janardana Prabhu liked New York, saying he felt it was less passionate that London.
I took videos of different devotees singing different days:
Kaliya Krishna Prabhu sings (https://youtu.be/I6S63buKHXc):
Tulasi Das Prabhu sings (https://youtu.be/_wMeRkFlAnI):
Phalguni Radhika sings (https://youtu.be/58XGqikPO7o):
Ananta Gauranga Prabhu sings and gets people dancing (https://youtu.be/5t55zxlaeZw):
Rama Raya Prabhu sings (https://youtu.be/A_q1hf5v0nY):
Offering Lamps to Damodara at Union Square

During the month of Karttika (October-November) Hare Krishna devotees offer lamps to Krishna in His childhood feature of Damodara. On New York City Harinam we took this to the streets and invited everyone to participate. The offering of lamps to Damodara is so auspicious the revealed literature states one can attain the spiritual world by that act alone. Many passersby who did this found it a joyous experience.
    
One man on a skate board offered a lamp.
 
One man with a cat on his back offered a lamp.

Offering lamps to Damodara transcended race and gender.

Three young ladies offered lamps.
 
Then they sat down with us for most of the rest of the “Damodarastaka.” Then two of them came by the next day and greeted us.
Commenting on our inviting of the public to offer lamps to Damodara, Tulasi-priya dasi wrote, “This is what is called ‘a cultural presentation for the re-spiritualization of society.’ It’s a misconception to think that we have to become mainstream to reach people by becoming more like the dominant society in which we live. Rather, outreach is the natural fruit of the knowledge that what we have is so beneficial and pleasurable, so right, that our joy in the life we live exceeds our own immediate circle, and we cannot help but share it with others, just as friends share their favorite places and pastimes. A group does not become mainstream by transforming itself to fit into the larger society in which it finds itself. That’s more like the group losing itself. A group becomes mainstream when the dominant society is transformed as a result of the powerful, positive, and persistent influence the minority has exerted on the majority.”
Halloween Harinama at Union Square
Halloween is a day in the United States of America when many people dress up in costumes. Many people are in a festival mood and being disguised, they are less fearful of being see interacting with the “Hare Krishnas”!

 Some costumed persons sat with us.
Some danced, like this young lady with Kalyani Devi Dasi.
 
Once a group of kids danced with devotee ladies.
 

Costumed kids played shakers.

Mostly the devotees wore their usual costumes,

except Paul, who dressed as a grasshopper.
 
and Lee, who colored his face, and played a giant conch shell.
  
Natabara Gauranga Prabhu made 150 laddus and many cookies to distribute. Sweet distribution is traditionally a part of Halloween, and it is good to take advantage of the opportunity.
   
We were set up near the Occupy Wall Street man.

Some costumed people posed with our chanting party.
  

Nihal Prabhu distributed books to costumed characters. 

One attender of Krishna Lunch in Tallahassee remembered me and introduced himself.
 

Later in the day, an attendee of Krishna Lunch in Gainesville also recalled me from University of Florida there. I told him about Govindas in Brooklyn and the Bhakti Cafe so he can connect with more Krishna food now that he lives in New York City.

 
Many costumed people offered lamps to Damodara. I took pictures of twenty-five!

To see the others, try the slideshow above, and if that fails, click on this link:
https://picasaweb.google.com/103872792410945983719/CostumedPeopleOfferLamps?authuser=0&feat=directlink

I took three videos on Halloween, one during the day, one at dusk, and one at night:

Clarissa chanted during the day at Union Square (https://youtu.be/T7lP2qT6UUM):
Ananta Gauranga Prabhu chanted at dusk (https://youtu.be/nSWDTKnhHmE):
Rama Raya Prabhu led an extra long and extra lively Halloween night harinama(https://youtu.be/CJ_LbZPYLRU):
Times Square Subway Station Harinama
When it is rainy or cold, we chant in the subway stations. One time in the Times Square subway station a group of friends took pleasure dancing with the devotees. I caught the end of it on video (https://youtu.be/U4DP5qQvleE):

Another day I was doing the book table and one young black man from Austin, Texas, came by. He show me his well read Science of Self-Realization, which he said changed his life, and told me the interesting story of how he obtained that book. He signed up for time on the computer in the library and was waiting for his slot, when a voice from within told him not to go back into the library just yet but to walk down the sidewalk. While walking down the sidewalk, he found the Science of Self-Realization, wrapped nicely in a bag, sitting on the bench. Reading the book, he could understand it was meant to lead him on a spiritual path. After telling his story, he donated two dollars, and I gave him an Isopanisad. I had explained all the books were based on the Bhagavad-gita, and it was the main book. He asked the price of the Gita, and I told him five, so he returned the Isopanisad, gave three more dollars and took the Gita. He said he has moved to New York City, and we made sure he knew about the weekly Gita classes on Saturday at 26 2ndAve.

Another man shouted “Hare Krishna” jubilantly as he passed our party. Approaching the book table, he asked the price of the books and told how he had lived in our temple in Gainesville, where I stay in the winter, for two weeks in 1996. He explained that he had been expelled from the ashram when it was found he had a hamburger and a Playboy magazine. I smiled. I will ask my friends running the temple then if they remember him.

To see pictures I took but did not include, click on this link:
https://picasaweb.google.com/103872792410945983719/TravelJournal1120?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCMPyxI-cjr2BEg&feat=directlink 

Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From a lecture on Nectar of Devotion in Vrindavan on October 20, 1972:
Everyone is enjoying a particular type of rasa [taste] and nature is giving him a suitable body.
As in a dream we are covered with a subtle covering, in our waking state we are covered with a particular body.
One’s aim of life should be serve the acaryas [the spiritual masters who taught by example]. In our Gaudiya sampradaya [spiritual lineage], the Six Goswamis are our acaryas. By reading Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu [The Nectar of Devotion] we are directly associating with Rupa Goswami.
People do not know the siddhanta [the conclusion] generally.
If we neglect the words of the acaryas, we will misunderstand Krishna.
Srila Rupa Goswami does not tell about Radha Krishna in the beginning but trains his readers in pure devotional service.
We must be very enthusiastic, “I shall engage in the activities of the Hare Krishna movement. . . . I shall preach the glories of the Lord to my full capacity.”
If you are on bhaki-marga [the path of devotional service] your success is assured provided you are enthusiastic and patient. . . . Rest assured success is guaranteed. If we have enthusiasm and patience, we will not fall down.
The nondevotees accounts are kept by Yamaraja, and the devotees accounts are kept personally by Krishna.
If we surrender cent per cent immediately, Krishna will reciprocate immediately.
We see many sannyasis who renounce the material world as temporary in search of Brahman but who later come back to the material plane to open hospitals.
The Goswami were merged in the ocean of the loving affairs between Krishna and the gopis, thus they did not have to engage in illicit sex and intoxication to keep themselves fit for bhajana.
The more you preach, the more you get strength. This is because Krishna says in Bg. 18.68: “For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.”
Krishna is speaking to everyone through Arjuna.
The message of the Goswamis is “Somehow or other get people to become Krishna conscious.”
You become convinced that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and you preach it.
People think the goal is liberation, but liberation is a very insignificant thing in comparison to pure devotional service.
Lord Caitanya has confirmed that prema [love of Krishna] is the supreme goal.
Every is trying to satisfy his senses to his fullest extent but maya will not let him.
Even seventy- or eighty-year-old man will go to the club seeking to satisfy his senses.
Sex life is so strong, if you remain in material existence, it will never be sastified. You have to come to Krishna consciousness.
If we are actually attached to seeing the beauty of Krishna then we shall never be enamored by the arrows of Cupid.
“As soon as you are engaged in the service, loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, immediately you feel liberation. This is practically. When you are fully engaged in Krsna consciousness, even if you walk on the street, you’ll feel that ‘I am separate from these persons. . . . I am walking on a different path.’ This is the feeling. Bhaktih paresanubhavah. This is bhakti. Paresanubhava.. . . You will experience yourself. That is the test. If you experience yourself that ‘I am different from these persons,’ then where is the attachment for material things? ”
The Goswamis found something better in Krishna consciousness so they gave up
lucrative service as ministers. . . . They are the best examples.
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.12.24, purport:
“To follow the instructions of the Lord is to associate with the Lord. The Lord is not a material object whose presence one has to feel for such association. The Lord is present everywhere and at all times. It is quite possible to have His association simply by following His instruction because the Lord and His instruction and the Lord and His name, fame, attributes and paraphernalia are all identical with Him, being absolute knowledge.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Prabhupada Remembrance video#46:
Srila Prabhupada said on gurukula, “Tell them Krishna stories and engage them in acting out Krishna pastimes. That will keep them engaged so they do not cause much disturbance.”
“The teachers should never hit the children. If they do, they should be hit.”
Srila Prabhupada considered a boarding school is better because the kids would go through the temple program and that they would learn from the good example from the teachers.
It could have worked out if the teachers were properly trained and acted properly.
It was said of Ram Das’ guru that he made you feel love for people, but our Srila Prabhupada made us feel love for God.
Srila Prabhupada’s most meaningful quality was his love. He did not always show it because he was a general on the battlefield. He had love for the cow, and other living entities, and most of all for his disciples.
He was an empowered agent to take people back to Godhead.
Prabhupada was asked what do you feel when you chant. He said, “You feel no fear.”
I need to be forgiven by his love, his charity, and his leniency. We need his empowerment to release us from this material world.
Niranjana Swami:
From a class on September 13, 2015 on Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 2.2 at the Russian Festival:
There is some doubt that you can attain perfection by service to the Supreme Lord but there is no doubt that you can attain perfection by serving the pure devotee of the Lord.
Vakresvara Pandit enlightened Devananda Pandit by telling him, “Srimad-Bhagavatam,wherever you open it, only glorifies pure devotional service. If you understand this, then you can speak on Srimad-Bhagavatam.”
No topic but pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord can satisfy the hankering soul.
One must be very careful never to contribute to the lack of pure devotional service in human society.
Jayadvaita Swami:
Yudhisthira Maharaja was concerned that Pariksit be a great king and a great devotee like those previously in his dynasty.
It was important especially for the brahmanas (intellectuals), ksatriyas (administrators), and vaishyas (businessman and farmers) that their children are qualified to carry on the family tradition.
It is the qualities of a person that determine a person’s social position, but when the families were very pure in their behavior most often the children would be qualified, though not in every case.
Not all power to the people. Some power to the animals. Some power to the plants.
We have the environmentalists today. That was also formerly the responsibility of the king, to protect the environment.
Keeping one’s word is valuable for the brahmanas and the ksatriyas. With leaders of the modern day, their word is good for nothing, and therefore they are good for nothing.
The ksatriyas protect the brahmanas and uphold the brahminical culture.
The brahmanas are like the eyes and the ksatriyas are like the arms. When the eyes and arms cooperate, great good can be done.
Just as now one might speak of a fighter as being like Muhammed Ali, Pariksit is compared to many high qualified persons of the past.
Q (Ghanashyam): Sibi was willing to give his life for the pigeon, but then he could not longer protect human society as a king. So was that really the best thing?
A: No one is indispensible. Not even me. No one should think “without me nothing will go on.” If the leader does not honor his word, then it will inspire the same in others, and society will become more and more degraded.
Better men of principle not men of convenience and creative pragmatism. If you go back on your word, your respectability is trashed.
Q: I scared a cat who had pounced on a bird so the bird could get away, but then I wondered if I did right?
A: It is a good question. Generally, we do not interfere in these things.
Comment by other devotees: In the case of cats and birds, the cats do not actually eat the birds, thus you are not depriving them of food by scaring them so they drop the bird.
These days everyone is overintelligent. Intelligence is meant to be used to execute our duty.
In rare cases one may abandon his superior, such the case where he goes against the supreme superior Krishna. Bali did with his guru, Prahlada did with his father, and Arjuna did with Bhisma and Drona.
Abhirama Prabhu:
Gajendra and elephants on the celestial planets are more aware than we are.
No one can be defeated on the path of bhakti except by bad association. When we become uninterested in the path charted out by the great acaryas [spiritual teachers] and become interested in other things, then we can know we are bitten by the crocodile of bad association.
Sridhara Swami says that one should not read devotional books other than what one’s guru has proscribed.
Srila Prabhupada has made the shortcut back to Godhead. If we try to make another shortcut, we will fall off the path.
Krishna is right before our eyes but we are not seeing because we are not surrendering.
Comment by Rama Raya Prabhu:
Yamuna Devi said that just before Srila Prabhupada left London after installing the Deities and spending three months with the devotees, he told the devotees: “If you just follow the instructions I have given, and you read the books that have already been translated, you will go back to Godhead at the end of life.”
When a devotee asked Srila Prabhupada, “What is meant spiritual technology?” even before he completed saying the word “technology” Srila Prabhupada replied by saying, “The guru-parampara [the spiritual lineage].”
Sivarama Swami wrote his book on the intimate details of Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavana only with the consultation of many godbrothers.
Narottama Dasa Thakura’s life is very tragic in that several associates of Lord Caitanya who Narottama had hoped to meet, left this world while Narottama was traveling to see them.
By the time Narottama Dasa Thakura had appeared, kirtana had greatly reduced. Jahnava Mata, the consort of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, complained that now the mrdangas had become silent. Narottama revived the kirtana.
Rama Raya Prabhu:
Srila Prabhupada says that chanting the holy name under the direction of the spiritual master is pure chanting.
Following the regulative principles drys the wood so the fire of bhakti can ignite.
Srutakirti Prabhu says that Srila Prabhupada considered the successful Ratha-yatra in London with its festival in Trafalgar Square was as significant as the opening of the Krishna-Balaram Mandir in Vrindavan or Mayapur temple because it showed that in Great Britain, which had tried to subjugate India for decades, Britishers were now appreciating and following India’s Vedic culture.
Personally serving the physical form of the spiritual master one gets longevity.
Bhakti Pramod Puri Maharaja would not even eat maha-prasadam if it was cooked by someone not born in a brahmana family. Srila Prabhupada told him he wanted to give him a gift and asked if he would accept it. He said yes. Srila Prabhupada then gave him some maha-prasadam from Krishna Balaram that was cooked by his Western disciples. He accepted it because Srila Prabhupada, his godbrother, had personally given it to him. The next time the devotees saw him he had become completely transformed. He said by giving me that maha-prasadam your Srila Prabhupada taught me that all people, regardless of their birth, are eligible for Krishna consciousness, and that was a far greater gift than just the maha-prasadam.
One snappy British reporter was criticizing the devotees for not working.
Srila Prabhupada said, “We have the richest father. Why should we work? This mansion. How much did it cost? Do you think that by working your whole life you could make that much money?”
“No sir,” replied the reporter.
“Well this mansion was just given to us. Why then should we work?” said Srila Prabhupada.
The transformations of a devotee’s emotions in ecstatic love can be understood if we contribute to the transformation of this planet from its current Kali-yuga situation to Lord Caitanya age of prema-nama-sankirtana.
We are like Johnny Appleseed, sowing seeds of Krishna-prema, by doing harinama sankirtana.
Srila Prabhupada would make the point, “If you say you are good and we are good, we must disagree and say only we are good. That is not our arrogance or pride but the vision of the sastra [the revealed literature].”
Srila Prabhupada told Hari Vilas that true humility is to know that our money, reputation, etc., cannot protect us, and only Krishna can (Follow Prabhupada,#5, DVD).
Krishna and Balarama are expert in killing many demons, so we can call the names of Krishna and Balarama, appealing to Them to throw our ass-like material desires into the trees.
We can glorify the great teachers in our line by serving them by helping to fulfill their mission of Lord Caitanya.
Srila Prabhupada said to disciples, “All of you have had previous connection with devotional service, so Krishna as arranged for you to take birth in the West, so you can help spread Lord Caitanya’s mission.”
Srila Prabhupada considered the Christians, Jews, and Moslems more advanced than the Mayavadis, who twist the Vedas literatures to support their impersonal philosophy and deviate people away from worshiping the Supreme Lord in His original personal form.
Our focus on harinama is giving out the mercy of Lord Caitanya. We should experience that we are giving mercy, and in this way, we will always be enthused.
We are conscious of the pains and pleasures of this body, but the Supersoul is conscious of the pains and pleasures of all bodies.
If you live in an apartment, you have to make sure you do not anything that will upset the landlord. In the same way, we must do not use anything against the will of the Lord.
The living entities are varieties of forgetfulness of Krishna.
For a devotee, living without Krishna even in heaven is hellish, while living with Krishna, even in hell, is heavenly. We can apply the second part to living in New York City.
There is ten million times the benefit of offering a lamp to Damodara if the lamp is lit with a tulasi twig.
The Karttika month is so glorious that even if minimally observed great benefit is achieved.
By singing and dancing before Lord Hari during the month of Karttika one attains the eternal abode.
Be all you can be – for Krishna!
Once a devotee left the milk on the stove to boil over. Srila Prabhupada discovered it and asked, “Who is going to hell?” He considered it such an offense to waste the milk.
We see on harinama there is one Indian man who reads the entire New York Times at a distance and then throws a dollar in our donation box.
Being bound by our material desires and mental speculations we are blocked from getting to Krishna, like the gopis who were locked in their houses by their relatives and kept from running to Krishna.
By offering a lamp to Damodara in Karttika one can become freed from all sins and attain the spiritual kingdom.
Krishna consciousness is not artificially produced. It is in the heart and just needs to be resurrected.
Devotional service automatically gives all knowledge and enlightenment. One stumbling block is to think one has to acquire knowledge separately.
My godbrother, Jada Bharat told me 37 years ago. “Don’t think. Just do.” I still regularly recall this and am inspired by it.
Doing our harinama service increases our love of God, and whatever love of God we have attained increases our harinama service.
We are not supposed to be attracted to material things because they are manifestation of envy or hatred of God.
If we can come to the platform of prema-nama or suddha-nama-sankirtana, then people will be completely captivated. We will not have to endeavor to get people to stop and listen to the kirtana.
Narottama Dasa Thakura appeared in 1531, just three years before the disappearance of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Ganga Narayana Cakravarti was the chief disciple of Narottama Dasa Thakura.
In Narottama Dasa Thakura’s Prathana, the prayers or songs are divided in to different categoies like “Longing for Direct Service to the Lord,” “Prayers for Awakening Attachment to the Lord,” “Feeling Oneself Unworthy,” “Intense Hankering” “Repeated Intense Hankering,” “Feeling Separation from the Lord and His Associates,” etc.
Narottama Dasa Thakura glorifies Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis for having many jewels of love for the Divine Couple, Radha and Krishna, and begs for a few such jewels of ecstatic love in charity.
Points from songs of Narottama Dasa Thakura:
Bewilderment will be there when I cannot immediately attain my beautiful Lord.
When lust and his friends hear the sound Govinda, they flee.
This love of Radha and Krishna is the most valuable object in the three worlds.
O Lord, this Narottama is very unhappy, please engage me in Your sankirtana and make me happy.
Sadhana and prema bhakti are the same. Sadhana bhakti is just prema bhakti in the unripened stage.
The holy name and pastimes of Radha and Krishna are both the goal and the means to attain the goal.
Madhavendra Puri Prabhu:
From a room conversation:
It is the percentage of your powers you use that Krishna is looking for not the amount of your power.
Bhakta Avatar Prabhu:
Although there are signs of degradation like an increase in pornography there are signs of progressive consciousness. People are more aware that animals have feelings than they used to be.
It should be the goal of every devotee do to what he can to make the world Krishna consciousness.
We are at the root of everything, so we have to set a good example by chanting and dancing and spreading the love to others.
The demonic who are killed by the Lord attain liberation but those who serve him with devotion, attain the supreme liberation.
Imagine chanting and dancing with the whole Panca-tattva? How ecstatic that would be! That is possible when we return to the spiritual world.
Vicara Prabhu:
Srila Prabhupada says that human life is only meant for austerity, to find out what we are, and for taxing the brain, considering how to fully engage in devotional service.
Comment by Rama Raya Prabhu:
Srila Prabhupada’s books contains wisdom to benefit everyone, from the rank materialist to the topmost devotee.
The best talking we can do is to chant the holy name. No one can argue with that. [If you present some philosophy, people may argue, but not if you chant.]
During Srila Prabhupada’s time, the focus was compassion for the people suffering due to lack of devotional service. This should not be minimized, or worse, forgotten.
We are benefiting greatly from the devotees’ sacrifices in the 1970s. Things are so much easier now than they used to be. Similarly in the future, the devotees will benefit from the sacrifices we make now.
What Lord Caitanya is going to arrange in future decades is going to be super extraordinary.
I talked to two different people yesterday who both had been listening to our chanting party in Union Square for years. Both talked about starting to practice what we were doing.
—–
One day Abhiram Prabhu sang Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s song popularly known as “Udilo Aruna” before the morning class. This verse echoed in my mind for days afterward:
jivana anitya janaha sar,
tahe nana-vidha vipada-bhar,
namasraya kori’ jatane tumi,
thakaha apana kaje
“This temporary life is full of various miseries. Take shelter of the holy name as your only business.” (“Arunodaya Kirtana Song 1,” Verse 6)

Travel Journal#11.19: New York City Harinam
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 19
By Krishna-kripa das
(October 2015, part one)
New York City
(Sent from Brooklyn, New York, on October 17, 2015)
Where I Went and What I Did
In the first half of October, I stayed with the Brooklyn Harinama Ashram, run by Abhiram and Rama Raya Prabhus, and I chanted six hours a day, seven days a week, mostly in Union Square, sometimes leading the chanting, sometimes dancing and distributing invitations and pamphlets, and sometimes working the book table.During this period we were visited by Jayadvaita Swami and Janananda Goswami. I also gave lectures at Atmanivedana Prabhu’s program one Saturday evening at 26 Second Avenue, and the next Saturday at the ISKCON program in Queens. I am rememorizing chapter one of Bhagavad-gita this monthand learning a new beat on the drum from Ananta Gauranga Prabhu. After a virtual absence of about six months, I am back to answering questions on Krishna.com Live Help again. I am very happy to have caught up on this journal, so I canwriteabout the present instead of the past.
I share excerpts from the online journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on lectures at the Harinama Ashram by Jayadvaita Swami, Abhiram Prabhu, Rama Raya Prabhu, Madhavendra Puri Prabhu, Bhakta Avatar Prabhu, Babhru Prabhu, and Acarya-nistha Prabhu. I share notes on a Srila Prabhupada remembrances videos featuring Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, Jayapataka Swami, Gargamuni Prabhu, Guru-kripa Prabhu, Narayani Devi Dasi, and Rupa Vilas Prabhu.
I would like to thank Atmanivedana Prabhu for his kind donation and also the elder bhakta who regular serves at the Brooklyn temple and attends the program in Queens.
Itinerary
September 28–November 12: New York City Harinama
November 13: Philadelphia
November 14–17: Washington, D.C., Harinama
November 18: Jacksonville, FL
November 19: Tampa
November 20: Orlando
November 21–December 15: Krishna House (except 5 days in Tallahassee)
December 16–January 3: New York City Harinama
Mostly we chanted in Union Square Park, except for a few rainy days where we went underground.

At Union Square, we were visited by Janananda Goswami, who is originally from the UK, and my authority there in The North of England in the summer.

Janananda Goswami greatly praised the work of Rama Raya Prabhu in establishing this six-hour daily harinama program in New York City. He reminded us that in the 1970s, before book distribution became popular, Hare Krishna devotees often chanted eight or ten hours a day in the streets. Now this harinama program in New York City is unique. Janananda Goswami promised to join us for a week next year as next October is the fiftieth anniversary of the public chanting of Hare Krishna in the West, which was established at Tompkins Square Park on October 9, 1966.
This time he stayed with us about two hours, leading the chanting for about forty minutes and listening to Garrison sing and talking with devotees the rest of the time. His visit, although brief was an inspiration for me. Here he is leading the chanting (https://youtu.be/-VR2sEcHU_4):
One little girl, who played the shakers briefly with us, wanted to have her picture taken with the party.
Later we were visited by Jayadvaita Swami, who sang the tune popularly known as “The Prabhupada Tune” for about an hour. 

In this picture, he is a responding singer. 
 
Kalyani Devi Dasi danced with one girl while her friend took photos.
  
The other girl then danced while the first girl took photos. 
 
Finally they both danced.
    
A couple danced, the guy with his guitar.

A lady danced with her daughter,
even swinging her around.

And older lady took pictures for a while.

And then burst into an ecstatic dance.

 
This boy came last October to celebrate his third birthday.


And he came back this October to celebrate his fourth.

Martin from Krakow took pictures of us. He heard that we had Krishna food at the Polish Woodstock but never went. To my surprise, he told me he had been to Mathura and Vrindavan, on his honeymoon, no less. He and his wife were visiting Agra and spent a day in Mathura and Vrindavan on their way back to Delhi.

Recently many book distributors have been joining our party for some days at Union Square. Babhru Prabhu, a brahmacari who you see ecstatically dancing with us in some of the videos, has been with us several weeks.

Here Brajananda Prabhu sold a young lady both a Srimad-Bhagavatam volume 1 and a Science of Self-Realization. Initially she was not interested in getting a book, but somehow he convinced her to take Science of Self-Realization, and she gave five dollars. He told her if she threw in another five, he would give her the Bhagavatam, and so she did.

Here Acarya-nistha Prabhu, holding several books under his arm, plays the drum of a passerby.
The evening kirtanas at Union Square are generally the most lively. Here is one with Ananta Gauranga Prabhu leading (https://youtu.be/FXHSWo6gHm8):
Here are two with lead singer Rama Raya Prabhu, whose intensity in kirtana is reminiscent of his inspiration, Aindra Prabhu (https://youtu.be/p-r0NkaC0XEand https://youtu.be/6klshrRQXY8):
You can watch the New York City Harinama live every day online at www.mayapur.tv.
Chanting in Union Square Subway Station
When rain would occur in the middle of our session, we would descend into the Union Square subway station. Sometimes the chanting there would be quite lively. Here is a video of Rama Raya Prabhu chanting there (https://youtu.be/qifXFX-ufws):
Chanting in Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue Subway Station
On completely rainy days we would sing in different subway stations such as Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue. There are many Indian people and many Hispanic people who use the Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Avenue subway station, and a higher percentage of them than average appreciates our activities. Also compared to the other subway stations, more devotees and onlookers participate in the dancing there.
Here is a video of Tulasi Das Prabhu singing there (https://youtu.be/3p-tfNO7mJk):
And here is one of Brajaraja Prabhu singing there (https://youtu.be/Z1OKsi9Tpik):
To see the pictures I did not include in this journal, click on the link below:
Insights
Jayapataka Swami:
From a Srila Prabhupada remembrance video:
Srila Prabhupada’s guru told him to preach in the West and he did that successfully, but he saw how India was becoming degraded and losing its culture, and thought, “How can I stand by and let this happen?”
Comment by Brahmananda Prabhu: The Deity Dvarakadhisa in Los Angeles spoke to Prabhupada told him to go back to India.
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From “Poem for October 5”:
Prabhupada said haribol was “a shortcut for the Hare Krishna mantra.”
From Prabhupada Remembrances #46:
He impressed me like the Buddha, sitting cross-legged and his chest bare. I was interested in Eastern thought.
They had straw mats. Prabhupada also had a straw mat.
He started the kirtana very slowly.
I was impressed with the kirtana and with him.
He was the first Indian teacher I met.
His gravity and grandfatherlyness I liked very much.
My first question was “Is there freedom from miseries?”
He said, “No, you can break your arm, go to the hospital, and get it fixed, and then you can break another bone. Then it continues next life. Only by getting liberation does misery end.”
I asked in his room alone with him “Is there a level of advancement which you do not fall down from?”
He answered, “Yes.”
From the first night I met him all my bad habits went away by themselves.
I did not go to the first initiation but I did do some typing for him which I brought the next day. He asked why I missed the initiation. I said I did some typing and gave it to him.
He said, “I will love you if you love me.” I looked within my self for reasons that I might not love him and I kicked it all out.
Srila Prabhupada had Dr. Radhakrishnan’s Bhagavad-gita and some of the other boys also got them. He said, “Don’t read the purport at all. It is contaminating.”
I asked about if at initiation is the karma removed. He answered with the fan analogy. Initiation is like unplugging the fan on your karma, which gradually stops.
I did not have a problem that my parents rejected me. I accepted Srila Prabhupada was my father.
Tamal Krishna Goswami wondered if it was alright to write his mother regularly when he took sannyasa. Srila Prabhupada asked, “Do you wish to make your mother a special object of your mercy?” Tamal Krishna Goswam decided that he should not write his mother quite so often but to occasionally write her.
Prabhupada would make the point that everyone has to bow down. You have to bow down to “old age.”
Once he wanted me to go to a bank in Calcutta and get something done. They would not do it. I returned. Prabhupada said I should have got in writing the reason for the refusal, and that would have been progressive, but that I had failed to accomplish anything.
He said I was a perfect gentlemen but I could not manage.
Jayadvaita Swami:
Kirtanais chanting the names or the glories ofKrishna. Both are krishna-kirtana.
Anything short of pure devotional service has some sin mixed in with it.
People are attracted by the bright faces of the devotees chanting on sankirtana. Their bright faces are the mercy of Lord Caitanya. Imagine how people would be attracted by seeing Lord Caitanya’s own wonderful form!
Anga can mean “limb”. We refer to someone’s “right-hand man”. Thus “anga” can refer to the devotees with whom Lord Caitanya performs His pastimes.
Speculative knowledge is knowledge that does not lead to devotional service.
If we become proud of our devotional knowledge that becomes an impediment to our devotional service.
If you are devotee, but you are not learned, better to say you do not know rather than make something up, and then consult someone who actually knows.
Srila Prabhupada explained that realized knowledge means you can apply it.
Even those who do not believe in a divinity must accept the existence of a superior power.
Maya does not just have one arrow in her quiver.
We cannot overcome maya, unless we surrender to Krishna.
The more we try to conquer maya the more we are defeated. Nuclear power was originally advertised as clean power. Now even to analyze the options for dealing with the waste from these power plants is a multi-million dollar, multi-year task.
Q: With the sankirtana going on how is it there is a five-year drought in California?
A: How much sankirtana is going on and how much sinful activity is going on? San Francisco alone is enough to sink California.
There is a kirtana rabbi in New York City with a harmonium who sings Jewish prayers.
From a talk on his book, Vanity Karma, at the Bhakti Center:
Q: Cynics decry religions promising a better after life if you renounce sense enjoyment.
A: Even in this life, if you go all out to experience sense enjoyment, you will find yourself in misery.
Koheleth takes a very empirical approach to life yet he accepts God without question. He wonders why the good appear to be punished and the evil to be rewarded, and thus he doubts.
Q: What is your personal take away from the experience of writing this book?
A: I have a deeper appreciation of Ecclesiastes from reading the scholars commentaries on it. I also have a deeper appreciation of Srila Prabhupada, and his Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the knowledge they give. Even just to explain what we see, the Vedic literature is valuable, what to speak of explaining what is beyond.
Abhiram Prabhu:
It took centuries of fighting to convince Gajendra that his situation was hopeless and death was near and take he should take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
There are people who feel their lives are so empty they play their television 24 hours a day so they feel that something is happening. But what is a television show but patterns of light on a screen?
People are waiting for the apocalypse to take Srila Prabhupada’s instructions to take varnasrama seriously, but the apocalypse is now. One in three people will die of cancer. The embryo is not even safe in the womb of his mother. Worst of all there is no spiritual knowledge, so in frustration one cannot even turn to God.
The purpose of Srila Prabhupada coming on the boat across the ocean was to present this knowledge in a variety of ways for our enlightenment.
I was sitting with Srila Prabhupada in his last days. As I was massaging Srila Prabhupada I heard this conversation.
Srila Prabhupada: I do have one lamentation.
Brahmananda: Because you did not finish Srimad-Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada?
Srila Prabhupada: No, that I did not establish varnasrama.
Another time I recall this conversation:
Srila Prabhupada: I will teach you varnasrama.
Abhiram Prabhu: How will you do that?
Srila Prabhupada: I will go to Gitanagari, I will sit down, and I will show you how to live off the land.
In India you will see the mother cow will be lying down and even monkeys and dogs will take milk from her, and she does not complain.
Srila Prabhupada felt the suffering of the people in general, and he wanted to help them.
Death never announces itself. It just comes and takes us.
Q: What is the importance of going to Vrindavan?
A: It is part of Srila Prabhupada proscription for us, to come yearly, if possible to Vrindavan and see where Krishna performed his pastimes.
We can be more in Vrindavan by chanting in Union Square than wondering around Vrindavan looking for a pizza.
In New York Cityif you are not Krishna consciousness, you will be seriously in maya, and that can motivate you to be very serious. But in the holy dhama, if you are not careful, you can drift along without getting serious about Krishna consciousness.
Unfortunately egalitarianism does not bring us to respect everyone but to respect no one.
Gargamuni Prabhu:
From a Srila Prabhupada remembrance video:
Srila Prabhupada wanted three cars, one each for his main ISKCON centers in India. The foreign cars could not handle the India roads, so he wanted me to get cars from Birla. At that time, there was a waiting list of 7,000 people to get a car, but Prabhupada wanted the cars immediately, so I talked to Mr. Birla personally and obtained them.
In those days there was no quality control, and we took the cars apart and rebuilt them to make sure they were in order.
Srila Prabhupada was doing everything through us and thus he deserves the credit, but he would give us the credit. When I got the LA temple, in the prema dhvani, he said, “Jaya Gargamuni!” but I knew it was his doing.
Srila Prabhupada never made you feel bad. If he had to correct someone, he would say something positive to you after.
Srila Prabhupada would make you feel important as a servant of Krishna.
Guru-kripa Prabhu:
From a Srila Prabhupada remembrance video:
A devotee appreciates Krishna in everything whereas the demon cannot.
Narayani Devi Dasi:
From a Srila Prabhupada remembrance video:
In my initation letter, Srila Prabhupada told me to do six things. These included:
chant 16 rounds
study all our books
go on sankirtana
do deity worship
engage 24 hours in devotional service
In another letter, Prabhupada stressed being enthusiastic, sincere and cooperating with the devotees.
In Calcutta, literally I was in rags. I tried to cover up the holes in my sari when I offered obeisances to Srila Prabhupada but he must have noticed because four days later one of our richest life members took me shoppingto three or four sari shops for saris. And I never had any lack of saris the rest of my life.
Rupa Vilasa Prabhu:
From a Srila Prabhupada remembrance video:
I asked Srila Prabhupada, “It is so difficult for us to get the gurukula kids to do what we want. How can we do it?”
He replied, “Point to a student who is doing nicely and tell the others to act like him and that they will be happy if they do so.”
Rama Raya Prabhu:
Attachment to our own mental speculation is a great impediment to attaining pure Krishna consciousness.
It is our mission to facilitate everyone achieving ecstatic love of Krishna.
Mirabhai decided that no mortal man would touch her body. In other words, she was meant for Krishna alone. Her family was greatly opposed to her devotion to Krishna. Her envious brother sent her a basket with a cobra in it telling her it was a beautiful salagram-sila form of Krishna for her to worship. His plan was she would open the basket and be killed by thecobra. When she opened the basket, however, she found a beautiful salagram-sila. That salagram-sila exists in a temple in Vrindavan.
Our mission is to bring people back to Godhead, and the mission of the MTA [the New York City transit company] is to bring people from point A to point B. They are sympathetic to our mission as long as we do not impede their mission.
“I will be true to you forever.” Sounds like a mundane love song. It is a nice sentiment, but terribly misplaced.
Srila Prabhupada showed how by remaining true to the disciplic succession one can do amazing service to the Lord.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura says a Vaishnava can be gauged by how many devotees he has made in his life.
Srila Prabhupada said that when kirtana is performed before Gaura Nitai, the center becomes all perfect.
Lord Caitanya takes great pleasure in the distribution of love of God with His associates.
When you see the lila of the Lord you come to realize there is a vacancy in the lila and that is your part to fill.
None of the other demigods came to rescue Gajendra because they could tell his prayers were meant for the Supreme Lord Himself.
The cheating religionists say things like, “You just believe in this and do this little ritual, and you are good to go.”
There is no greater leader of the Hare Krishna movement than Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He personally went out onnagara-sankirtana with His followers every day. He did not stay back, pushing pencils, and send other people out. He had a real taste for it.
If someone congratulates you for stopping your car at a red light, what is that? You are just doing what you are supposed to. So if someone glorifies us for doing the congregational chanting of the holy name in public, what is that? It is the dharma. It is what we are supposed to do.
Rather than worrying about entering our rasa with Krishna better aspire to enter Srila Prabhupada’s mood in “Markine Bhagavat Dharma”, feeling sorry seeing the suffering of the people and praying “I wish that You may deliver them.”
If Srila Prabhupada had not been committed to following the order of his spiritual master, where would we be now?
Abhirama Prabhu, who is a scholar of history, says that no religious movement that has radically changed society has started in the parlors but in the streets.
Srila Prabhupada wants to empower us. Sometimes his disciples would do offensive things, but he still would not want them to leave.
Gajendra has come to the point of realizing that he has no alternative but to surrender Krishna.
There was one devotee who cried for Krishna for years in Vrindavan. He cried so much he went blind, but he did not care because he considered eyes that could not see the Divine Couple to be useless. Radha and Krishna decided to be merciful to him. Radha touched one eye and Krishna touched the other eye, thus restoring his sight, and his first object of vision was the Divine Couple Themselves.
We can only be happy in relationship with that person who is beyond everything.
The more we can give our heart to Krishna, the more we can understand Krishna.
Because Krishna never leaves Vrindavan, you cannot describe Krishna’s activities in and out of Vrindavan in one volume. Thus Rupa Goswami was requested to divide his drama into two parts.
Q: Is is alright to become a doctor and help people?
A: What about becoming doctors of the soul that can give Krishna prema to people?
Q: What about doing both?
A: The track record for doing both is not very good.
Madhavendra Puri Prabhu:
The impersonalists and materialists fail to understand the Lord has His own primordial personality beyond this cosmic manifestation which He is the source of.
The devotees in England noticed that when walking around Titttenhurst Srila Prabhupada, in his Wellington boots, was not pushing down the grass as the other devotees were.
Comment by Rama Raya Prabhu:
The devotees in England asked, “How is it that your feet are not making any impression in the ground?”
And Srila Prabhupada replied, “For that you will have to advance in devotional service.”
Although Krishna has a spiritual body, when Bhimsa shot Him with arrows Krishna manifested blood on this body for the pleasure of Bhimsa who had a chivalrous relationship with Him. Similarly when Lord Caitanya experienced transcendental ecstasy, blood came through his pores, although His body is also spiritual.
When Lord Caitanya saw anything even remotely related to Vrindavan, he at once remembered Vrindavan and Krishna..
Acinya-bheda-abheda tattvais Lord Caitanya unification of the philosophy of the four Vaishnava sampradayas(spiritual lineages).
Krishna is so absorbed in His emotional relationships with His devotees, He actually forgets Himself.
Comment by Rama Raya Prabhu:
Srila Prabhupada told Govinda Dasi, “Just come to my classes, and all your problems will be solved.”
She found that hard to believe, but she came to the classes, and found her problems were solved, and she developed a great taste for hearing his classes.
Bhakta Avatar Prabhu:
Lord Caitanya was always seeking Radha Krishna and Their associates, and Srila Prabhupada, by arranging for Radha-Madhava asta-sakhi-vrinda to appear on the altar in Mayapur, fulfilled His desire.
If all the gods were equal then why would Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva worship Lord Vishnu?
Srila Prabhupada did not take a day off and play volleyball or go to the movies.
In Krishna consciousness eating, sleeping, and mating are all spiritualized.
We see that the kids brought up in Krishna consciousness are special.
Krishna consciousness is always increasing. Srila Prabhupada started alone with no money and a box of cereal and a few books.
I was talking to someone on harinama who stops by every day and listens to the harinama.
Comment by me: That is his sadhana [daily spiritual practice].
People have never heard anything like the chanting.
Comments by Rama Raya:
We are serving Krishna directly by serving the holy name. Instead of trying to see Krishna in a bush in Vrindavan, see Krishna in the spreading of the holy name.
Eight million people come to Manhattan every day to work for Maya. Why can’t 10,000 people come to Manhattan to chant Hare Krishna?
By thinking big for our spiritual master, we conquer over petty material desires.
Q: How did your son Vrindavan become such a nice devotee?
A: I just kept my son Vrindavan away from bad association. I took him to all the temples and all the festivals. Only for one year did he go to a karmi school. He was living with my father. The school was just across the street. My father would take him to school in the morning, pick him up for lunch, give him some vegetarian food, and take him back and pick him up at the end of the day, and thus he could not pick up the materialistic habits of the other kids.
One’s peer group is very important for kids. It is important to have other devotee kids to associate with.
More important than giving up bad association is attaining good association. My son spent nine years with Aindra Prabhu, beginning when he was thirteen.
Comment by Rama Raya Prabhu:
Aindra Prabhu told one gurukula kid, whatever you do, do not stop doing kirtana.
Yamuna Devi was very concerned that the youth understand Srila Prabhupada’s love.
Only two things are going on on harinama: inclination toward Krishna and disinclination toward Krishna.
Since harinama sankirtana is very dear to the devotees of the Lord, we are pleasing countless devotees past, present, and future by our chanting.
Within eight miles of salagrama-sila is considered a place of pilgrimage.
Mathuraprana Krishna Das Prabhu:
The devotees were asking Srila Prabhupada about whether it was alright to chant this mantra or that mantra. Because they were all bona fide mantras, Srila Prabhupada accepted them, but after each he said mostly to chant the Hare Krishna mantra.
Comment by Rama Raya Prabhu:
Devotees do not think they are doing anything special because they are just doing what they are supposed to be doing, serving the mission of Lord Caitanya.
In Srila Prabhupada’s books the most quoted verse is “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna . . . ” The second most is “Harer nama harer mana harinamaiva kelavam . . . ”
Why should we make Krishna wait? He wants us to go back home back to Godhead now.”
Babhru Prabhu:
God reveals Himself to His devotee.
Madhavendra Puri Prabhu says it is practically impossible to understand God through science because Krishna has made it that way.
One should accept a guru who has the qualities of an advanced devotee that are described in the revealed literatures.
It is important to understand where we are at spiritually. Five people told me yesterday while distributing books on harinama that they had pure love for God.
Spiritual advancement can be gradual or fast. It is up to us.
If we are in the mood of giving up everything to understand Krishna, then it will be possible to understand Him.
I feel Krishnabook is the most important book Srila Prabhupada gave us. Krishnabook is full of Srila Prabhupada’s mercy.
Reading the biographies of the great spiritual masters in our line can give us faith that there is a state of love of God, and that it can be attained by following them.
We should pray for the mercy of the spiritual masters in our line. We should cry for such mercy.
By reading Srila Prabhupada’s writings and those of others in the line we can be more and more inspired.
Everything is revealed by the holy name. If we do not have a taste for the holy name, we should serve more.
If we offend a devotee, we should surrender to that devotee, be forgiven and make up for it.
Comment by Bhakta Avatar Prabhu:
As a new devotee I was asked to clean the bathroom. I thought, “I am a great personality. I have not cleaned a bathroom since I was a kid.” But I surrendered to it, and it was the most ecstatic experience.
Acarya-nistha Prabhu:
When we give in to the whims of the mind and the senses we lose the chance to remember to Krishna.
We have to practice seeing that people are not their bodies.
We have to staunchly execute devotional service in order to not be affected by the material influences and to please Krishna by our service.
If we are on the platform of the soul, we will not be disturbed by the material dualities.
To follow the injunctions of the revealed scriptures will always be a challenge for one attached to sense gratification.
It is a special opportunity to act on behalf of the Lord. Not every one has this opportunity. One who takes the opportunity comes to realize how Krishna reciprocates with his devotees.
Comment by Rama Raya Prabhu:
Sometimes people get attracted to reading the books of the previous acaryas [the spiritual teachers] and lose track of the task at hand, the preaching mission. It can actually be a trick of maya to distract us from the preaching.
The main lack in society is a lack of Krishna prema, love of God.
Unless we control our minds and senses, we will equate advance rasas[intimate spiritual relationships with the Lord] with mundane experience.
The more we enjoy in youth, the more we suffer in old age and in the next life.
We do not know what to desire, and if we do not desire to assist our spiritual master, you can be sure that maya will give us something to desire.
If you are preaching Krishna consciousness in a committed way, you are already back to Godhead.
Comment by John:
Abhirama Prabhu always quotes Srila Prabhupada as saying, “Take some trouble for Krishna. You will not be the loser.”
Natabara Gauranga Prabhu:
From a kitchen conversation:
Prasadam does not really go bad. Our consciousness goes bad.
Brajananda Prabhu:
From a dinner conversation:
Get out of the drama, and into the Rama.
—–
Can one attain perfection in this life? The answer is YES!
iha yasya harer dasye
karmana manasa gira
nikhilasv apy avasthasu
jivan-muktah sa ucyate
“A person acting in Krishna consciousness (or, in other words, in the service of Krishna) with his body, mind, intelligence and words is a liberated person even within the material world, although he may be engaged in many so-called material activities.” (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu1.2.187, quoted in Bhagavad-gita As It Is, verse5.11, purport)

Travel Journal#11.18: Boston, New York City, Albany
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 18
By Krishna-kripa das
(September 2015, part two)
Boston, New York City, Albany
(Sent from Brooklyn, New York, on October 11, 2015)

Where I Went and What I Did
I went with the Harinama Ruci world harinama sankirtana party to Boston to do harinama at the festival honoring the 50thanniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in Boston. We stayed through Radhastami, the day after the festival weekend. Then I returned and chanted, danced, and distributed literature and invitations with the New York City Harinama party of Rama Raya Prabhu, taking a trip to Albany the next weekend to celebrate my mother’s 91stbirthday.
I share many realizations from the senior devotees attending the festival for the 50thanniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in Boston. These include Bhaktimarga Swami, Candramauli Swami, Giriraja Swami, Navayogena Swami, Niranjana Swami, Romapada Swami, and Malati Devi Dasi. I share wisdom from senior devotees at the Harinama Ashram in New York City, namely Abhirama and Rama Raya Prabhus and their guest sannyasi speakers, Jayadvaita Swami and Candrasekhara Swami. In particular I have notes on Radhastami lectures by Candramauli, Giriraja, Navayogendra, and Radhanath Swamis.
Many thanks to Kaliya Krishna Prabhu for paying for my subway expenses in New York City. Thanks to Kesihanta Prabhu of Alachua for his kind donation. Thanks to the Brazilian lady living in Boston who likes Hare Krishna and gave me a donation at Penn Station. Many, many thanks to Caitanya Mangala Prabhu of Boston for arranging our accommodation and travel for the Prabhupada festival there.
Thanks to Mahavishnu Swami for posting the pictures of us doing harinama on the Boston streets. Thanks to the Hare Krishna Festival devotees for their picture of me on harinama in Boston. Thanks to Dharmatma Prabhu and Mother Dvijapriya for their pictures of our Union Square harinama.
Itinerary
September 28–November 12: New York City Harinama
November 13: Philadelphia?
November 14–17: Washington, D.C., Harinama
November 18: Jacksonville, FL
November 19: Tampa
November 20: Orlando
November 21–December 15: Krishna House (except 5 days in Tallahassee)
December 16–January 3: New York City Harinama
Srila Prabhupada Festival in Boston
I found the festival for the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in Boston to be deeply uplifting and inspiring. The many senior devotees and their realizations contributed a lot. I think that accepting our celebration, Srila Prabhupada must have blessed us with some special mercy.

I stayed with the Harinama Ruci traveling harinama sankirtana party in Boston. We traveled from our hotel to Boston Common via bus and train, and we did harinama on both, inspiring one or two travelers to join with us (https://youtu.be/CGyeOJ-tL-o):

Part of the festival was offerings to Srila Prabhupada on a boat which sailed around the Boston harbor for a couple hours.
Jayadvaita Swami:
Srila Prabhupada told Abhirama Prabhu it was very difficult for him to give up his family life. But he did that. Then he went to Vrindavan. Then he gave up Vrindavan. Why? Because he had a duty to his spiritual master.
Srila Prabhupada told one disciple, “If I did not preach, where would you be?”
There will be difficulties, but we have to think, “How can I do this duty despite the difficulties?” We must carry on the legacy given us by Srila Prabhupada and make our lives glorious.
Romapada Swami:
Complete humility, complete dependence on his guru, and complete confidence were the cause of Srila Prabhupada’s success.
Seeing Srila Prabhupada completely transformed my life.
Out of gratitude for his sacrifice, make sacrifice for him.
Trivikrama Swami:
I am convinced that within 50 years from now, Srila Prabhupada will be the most prominent spiritual teacher in this world.
Jagat-purusa Prabhu:
Srila Prabhupada embodies the understanding of being an instrument in the Lord’s service and showsthat in that position nothing is impossible.
Bhaktimarga Swami:
Srila Prabhupada did not come to America to elevate himself financially but to elevate everyone spiritually. Srila Prabhupada was at the cutting edge of everything, animal rights, reincarnation, etc. He came to change the world.
Radhanath Swami:
As far as we know, the first American Srila Prabhupada met in his life was the immigration agent.
Srila Prabhupada boarded the boat with his son and three employees of the cargo ship company. Now 50 years later, 15,000 people gathered in Kolkata to celebrate it.
Guru Gouranga Prabhu:
I was aimless before meeting Srila Prabhupada, but now I have a direction.
Srila Prabhupada came for me. We can each say that because he come for everyone. We all know what to do to pay our debt to him. Everyday we should wake up remembering that.
Niranjana Swami:
Fortunate is the person who is blessed with responsible work, and if one is conscious of his subordinate position, he will be able to act nicely.
“Markine Bhagavata Dharma” shows Srila Prabhupada’s conscious dependence on Krishna. Srila Prabhupadataught that from when he appeared in the West until he left this world.
If I forget that I am Srila Prabhupada’s servant, whatever I do is not done very nicely.
Anuttama Prabhu:
Srila Prabhupada explained, “Because of my enthusiasm, this movement is going on and you have had a chance take part.”
Our goal is simply to assist Srila Prabhupada in his mission.
Visakha Devi Dasi:
While researching Srila Prabhupada’s statements for a documentary, Srila Prabhupada’s Legacy and Life, wefound that he only rarely mentioned his heart attacks on his journey, but many times he spoke of his meeting with his guru. He was not interested in telling us how much he sacrificed for us. Rather he wanted to share the divine knowledge of his guru.
He was here to give, and he gave all the time.
Malati Devi Dasi:
In his letters to India soon after he arrived in America, he explained how the Americans were getting new knowledge from him. Although their English was different from his, they were understanding.
The captain got Srila Prabhupada a hot plate so he could cook for himself. He thought that if the captain had not done that he might not have survived.
He said he spoke in a church for the first time and the people liked it.
He described the place to people in India: “You cannot imagine. Here people impregnate women and take them to a doctor and abort the child.”
He told how some of the people began to follow him and gave up intoxication and illicit sex, and that he was surprised by their great reverence for him.
He predicted, “In the future, there will be preaching all over the world by these young people.”
Subhashcandra [What is his initiated name?]:
Srila Prabhupada would say to me, “You do not know how much I went through to go to the West.”
You have brought us to the doorway to the spiritual world. We just have to walk through it.
Lady:
Because of your austerity, humility, and determination Krishna gave you the force to spread Krishna.
I had the desire to touch the feet of the saint who had given Krishna consciousness to hundreds of Westerners. I came from Toronto to Chicago. My husband mentioned my desire in conversation to Srila Prabhupada, and he pulled up the end of his dhoticovering his feet and let me touch them.
Navayogendra Swami:
When I met Srila Prabhupada, he asked my name, and I repled, “Yogendra Kumara Sharma.” He replied, “Your name is Navayogendra Dasa.”

What is the gift of Srila Prabhupada to the whole world? Bhakti, unmotivated and uninterrupted.
Srila Prabhupada told some Britishers, “You have taken everything from India, but you have forgotten one thing, her culture, and I have come to give you that.”
Srila Prabhupada said about the Westerners, “I did not come to follow them, I came to make them follow me.”
Cintamani Devi Dasi:
Srila Prabhupada told me, “Cintamani is the place Krishna stays. Make in your heart a place for Krishna to stay.”

I was praying to Jesus for a year to find God, to find the truth. I became vegetarian. A devotee suggested I write Srila Prabhupada. I did and he replied, “We are followers of Jesus, just add the chanting of Hare Krishna.” I did. Within a month I got initiated.

How has my life changed? I really had no life. Without the holy name, there is no life.
My request is: “Just keep this Krishna consciousness going.”

Mahavishnu Swami:

Seeing that Piccadilly in London is just like a village compared to Time Square and seeing all of the tall buildings, I realized that New York City is center of Kali-yuga.
Everyone is suffering because we have no relationship with Krishna. Prabhupada taught this simple and joyful practice whereby we can awaken our love for Him.
Anuttama Prabhu [ISKCON Communications]:
Srila Prabhupada had a vision, and he fulfilled that mission.
His vision was that Krishna’s holy name and His instructions could purify the world.
After the Vrindavan temple opening, Srila Prabhupada was thinking about what next.
The flag of India was flown over City Hall in Boston on Thursday [September 17, 2015] to commemorate Srila Prabhupada’s arrival 50thyears ago. The mayor declared that day His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Day in Boston.
What about all those people who think intoxication, meat-eating, illicit sex, and gambling will really make them happy? We have more to do.
Ambarisa Prabhu [Alfred Ford]:
Fifty years ago they were grooming me for a corporate career, then there was the hippie scene. I do not think I would be alive today without Srila Prabhupada. I was without direction.

I wondered about how the Mayapur temple would happen, but I kept Srila Prabhupada’s order to me in the center, and it is progressing.
I would like to thank the ISKCON management for keeping things together the almost 40 years since Srila Prabhupada left this world. After being attacked in so many ways, from so many different directions, ISKCON is still going forward with the main teachings still intact.

Gopal Swami Prabhu [from France]:

Who does not feel alone sometimes? We can take heart seeing Srila Prabhupada’s courage in the face of his lonely journey.
From him we can learn nama-ruci, taste for the holy name of Krishna.
He showed the example of Vaishnava-seva (service of the Vaishnava).

Sumati Devi Dasi: 
Krishna arranged that Srila Prabhupada do it alone.

He sailed into the Boston harbor and into so many of our hearts.
He turned hippies into happies.
I heard the chant from the musical, Hair, and sang it for two years, thinking it was just a cinema song.
 
In Boston we would do a radio show of theKrishna book. Satsvarupa would write the script. He played Krishna. I played Mother Yasoda. Satsvarupa played tapes of the shows for Prabhupada, and when Prabhupada heard Mother Yasoda screaming “Krishna!” in the Kaliya pastime, Prabhupada had them stop the tape. He asked who that was playing Yasoda. “Sumati,” Satsvarupa said. Prabhupada replied, “She should always cry to Krishna like that.”
Rukmini Devi Dasi:
Bhaktifollows the prayers of the pure devotee, and so it did from Prabhupada’s Boston prayers.
Srila Prabhupada said, “We hear ‘Preach, preach, preach,’ but they do not know you have to be empowered to preach.”

Rangavati Devi Dasi:
I was going through difficulties. I found my father could not help me.
I prayed for the truth without any conditions, in a field of flowers. Two days later I was in the Detroit temple.
Sarva Siddhi Prabhu:
I am convinced everything in my life has been due to Srila Prabhupada since I met the devotees.
We were at the furthest table from Srila Prabhupada. He was tossing prasadam. I had my head down, and when I looked up there was one almond in front of me, and two in front of my wife, who was pregnant.
Giriraja Swami:
Fifty years ago I was in Brandeis University in Boston. I was looking for a guru. I looked in different places. Each time I was disappointed. I had given up thinking I would find one. I heard of Srila Prabhupada’s lecture. I was doubtful but something within pulled me to go. I think it was Srila Prabhupada’s prayers. I went, and then I would go every evening.
I felt that the disciple should go to the guru, but Prabhupada was coming to us. Actually he was always coming to us.
We were really struggling in Boston. Prabhupada met with the devotees and patiently heard everyone out and suggested we meet collectively and discuss things and make solutions. My policy was always everything for Krishna, nothing for myself, and therefore I never complained. I learned from this that we have to take care of devotees because Srila Prabhupada was so concerned for devotees.
Srila Prabhupada was like Krishna in that he was there for everyone.
I could not exist without the association of Srila Prabhupada’s followers.
Harinama from Commonwealth Pier to the Boston Common

After the Boston boat ride, we did harinama from Commonwealth Pier to the Boston Common. It was wonderful to have a chanting party with so many devotees.

Many people were happy to see us.

And to dance with us.
One devotee lady swung onlookers around.
 
Once Malati Devi borrowed my friend’s trumpet to play.
I took a little video of part of it (https://youtu.be/2e8f-jZ4_f0):
At the festival site, the some of the Festival of India tents were set up.
  
Several devotees taught chanting Hare Krishna on beads as a personal meditation and distributed meditation kits to those they taught.
After lunch prasadam, we chanted Hare Krishna from the Boston Common to Faneuil Hall, carryinga full-size murti [statue] of Srila Prabhupada. Several curious onlookers asked about Srila Prabhupada. I was thinking how in 1965 practically no one was aware of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in Boston, but now because of this festival in 2015, hundreds and perhaps thousands of people became aware of it.

A couple girls from Switzerland (above) and a boy from Austria, who had lunch prasadam with Sundar Nitai Prabhu and the devotees, came on that procession and danced nicely in the kirtana. Here is some video of it (https://youtu.be/wselo-RxEj8):
One man I talked to even gave me $5 for a Perfection of Yogawhich Gaura Karuna Prabhu gave me to distribute.
There was a program with chanting and talking about Srila Prabhupada at Faneuil Hall in the evening which was scheduled to be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Because myself and my Harinama Ruci friends had not done our daily quota of chanting in the streets, we did not attend this but continued chanting.  

On harinama I distributed temple invitations and danced as usual..

We had many nice experiences.
Some people danced with us.
Boston Ratha-yatra
Boston Ratha-yatra was the second day of the weekend festival. I was busy dancing and distributing so I did not take pictures of it. We pulled Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Lady Subhadra clockwise in a circularroute around the perimeter of Boston Common. Several devotees distributed books, invitations, and prasadam to the people. Many people were attracted by the procession.
After the Ratha-yatra, we did harinama downtown. Some other street performers participated with us at one point (https://youtu.be/iylbw3_p2GM):
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One Russian speaking devotee had rendered a sculpture of Srila Prabhupada walking down the gangway of the Jaladutain Boston. This was situated next to Srila Prabhupada’s vyasasana in the Boston temple at the end of the festival.

Sunday evening after the festivities,I was there with Niranjana Swami and Jayadvaita Swami, both of whom I knew from 1979 when I first joined the temple in New York City on 55thStreet. I mentioned how one of the speakers told how Srila Prabhupada had sailed into Boston harbor and that he had also sailed into our lives. I thanked the two of them for sailing into my life, as Srila Prabhupada’s representatives.
More Boston Harinamas
The Harinama Ruci Party chanted every day for at least three hours in Boston. In fact, they found Boston so favorable for harinama and bookdistribution they decided to stay two more days in Boston before returning to New York City. I did not stay as I am part of the New York City Harinama party, and I did not want to disappoint Rama Raya Prabhu, our leader.

Mahavishnu Swami was a great inspiration on harinama.
He would get people dancing.


Costumed people would dance with us.

Kids would dance.

Devotees would swing the onlookers.
 
One performer, a lady dressed in silver, wore a garland the devotees gave her.
One Boston policeman originally from Trinidad was captivated by the harinama. Because there are many Indians in Trinidad, although African himself, the policeman was aware of the existence of Hare Krishna, but he did not know much about it. I told him some additional details, and he spent some time with our party the next day.

Travel Journal#11.17: Newcastle, Sheffield, Ireland, New York City
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 17
By Krishna-kripa das
(September 2015, part one)
Newcastle, Sheffield, Ireland, New York City
(Sent from Brooklyn, New York, on September 30, 2015)

Where I Went and What I Did
September began with a final harinama in Newcastle, followed by the regular Sheffield nama-hatta program and a harinama and evening Janmastami program the next day, an increase for the devotees there. Then I went on to Dublin for harinama the day before Janmastami and a seven-hour harinama on Janmastami day, by the mercy of Ananta Nitai Prabhu, who pushed me past my limits. I observed the rest of Janmastami and Vyasa-puja on Govindadvipa, (Inis Rath Island) in Northern Ireland, and four of us chanted in Cavan, Ireland, on Vyasa-puja evening. My last day in Europe was in Belfast, where seven of us chanted in Victoria Square for three hours. Then I joined Rama Raya Prabhu and his New York City Harinama, helping out by leading, singing the response, dancing, distributing the Krishna: Reservoir of Pleasure, and manning the book table.
I share insights from Srila Prabhupada’s lectures. I share notes on the lectures of Jayadvaita Swami, Rama Raya, and Madhavendra Puri Prabhu in New York City, and notes on the lectures of Tulasi Priya Das and Gopalacarya Prabhu in Northern Ireland. I share notes from Srila Prabhupada remembrances by Mula Prakrita dd. I also share Srila Prabhupada Vyasa-puja offerings from the devotees at Govindadvipa in Northern Ireland.
Thanks to the Newcastle temple for helping with my expenses in England. Thanks to Shelina, who picked us up at Derrylin on Janmastami and Bhakta Tom, who drove us to Cavan for harinama on Vyasa-puja Day. I am very, very indebted to Kaliya Krishna Prabhu, disciple of Romapada Swami, who kindly pays for my subway expenses so I can attend the New York City Harinam. All thanks to him.
Thanks to Joe Kenny for all the pictures of the harinama and Janmastami program in Sheffield. Thanks to Ravi Chambers for his video of us chanting in Dublin.
Itinerary
September 28–November 12: New York City Harinama
November 13: Philadelphia?
November 14–17: Washington, D.C., Harinama
November 18: Jacksonville, FL
November 19: Tampa
November 20: Orlando
November 21–December 15: Krishna House (except 5 days in Tallahassee)
December 16–January 3: New York City Harinama
Harinama in Sheffield
 

I was happy we had eight people on harinama in Sheffield, including a new person who played guitar.

Sometimes I sang. 
 
When Geoffrey sang, I distributed.
Sheffield Janmastami Program

We had a Janmastami program on Thursday, because we were going other places on the actual Janmastami day (Saturday).

 

 The venue was the Burngreave Ashram, where we have prasadam and kirtana on every Thursday. 

The organizer of the ashram, Rev. John Vincent, came to the program, and I had a nice chat with him about religion before the program started. Both he and his wife, Grace, participated by chanting Hare Krishna and honoring prasadam. He gave me a copy of his book on discipleship.
 
I sang the first kirtana, and Harisuta dd did arati.
I spoke briefly about the universality of Lord Krishna’s instructions to remember Him, become His devotee, to worship Him, and to bow down to Him, and the importance of understanding the transcendental nature of His appearance and activities.
I also read the beautiful description of the evening that Krishna appeared, when everything was adjusted for supreme auspiciousness.
We had a second kirtana sang by one brand new person, a lady who was a friend of Geoff, a soprano who taught music to children. She ended up leading for almost an hour. She really got into the kirtana, and it was beautiful to see.
Thanks to Joe, Geoff, and Harisuta dd, for their organization work, and to the nice Indian lady, Manju, who along with help from her husband, a distinguished teacher of cardiology, made a wonderful feast.
Harinama in Dublin the Day Before Janmastami
The advantage of doing harinama the day before Janmastami is that you can invite people to the festival the next day. Both the Indians and the Westerners who like Hare Krishna and Hare Krishna festivals are likely candidates.
Amazingly I met one Indian man living in Dubai who I had seen back in April when I chanted in Dublin with my friends. He had taken a book, given a donation, gone to Govinda’s Restaurant, and come back to see us the next day. Now he was in Dublin with his whole family as his daughter enrolled in Trinity College. They knew it was Janmastami the next day and were planning to fast, and they were very happy to hear of our Janmastami festival at our Dublin temple, above the restaurant.
Ravi Chambers, who is originally from Ireland, was well known to Premarnava Prabhu, also from Ireland, and Ananta Nitai Prabhu and I knew him from his later life in the UK, where he is the MC of our 24-hour kirtana in Birmingham each year. We were all surprised to see him in Dublin as we were chanting on the steps of the Bank of Ireland. He took this little video of our meeting (https://youtu.be/Dv4cS2A1Ptw):
Harinama in Dublin on Janmastami
We planned to chant from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Janmastami. I thought we should do a little longer, because I always do three hours, but I wanted to go to the Janmastami celebration on the island, and it takes three hours to get there. After some time, Ananta Nitai Prabhu said he was thinking of chanting until midnight. I was already noticing I was more tired than usual after 2:00 p.m., and I knew midnight would be too much. Thus I said I could chant for five or seven hours instead of three. That way I could still catch the end of the festival on the island. In this way, we chanted for seven hours!

Ananta Nitai Prabhu and I began the harinama.

  

 Premarnava Prabhu, and later Manu Prabhu, joined us.
We chanted on O’Connell Street near Govinda’s for a while, then we chanted through Temple Bar and down Grafton Street.
Manu Prabhu played his accordion and sang at the top of Grafton Street, a very busy area (https://youtu.be/L-qotxL_u8k):
Later, back on O’Connell Street, when it was just myself and Ananta Nitai Prabhu, one group of young guys enjoyed chanting and dancing with us (https://youtu.be/h-ImHWyV4o0).
They liked it so much that they came back to visit us again, this time wearing Burger King crowns (https://youtu.be/dk-FYUYwdyg):

After chanting from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m., we dashed o

Travel Journal#11.16: Trutnov (Czech Woodstock), Prague, and The North of England
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 16
By Krishna-kripa das
(August 2015, part two)
Trutnov (Czech Woodstock), Prague & The North of England
(Sent from Manhattan, New York, on September 22, 2015)
Where I Went and What I Did
After almost ten days with the Festival of India on Poland’s Baltic coast, I traveled to Wroclaw in the south of Poland, and the next dayacrossthe Czech border to Trutnov, for the Trutnoff Open Air Festival, also known as the Czech Woodstock. The Czech devotees are friends with Martin, the organizer, and we have a Krishna camp with Krishna music and Krishna food there. After the Trutnov festival, I chanted for a day with Harinama Ruci in Prague. Then I chanted in Newcastle a couple of days, and then Blackpool, Preston, Southport, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, and back to Newcastle, doing evening programs in Preston, Liverpool, and Leeds and a kirtana program in Manchester, thus ending the very busy month of August.
I share quotes from Srila Prabhupada lectures and notes on the books and journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on lectures by two Manchester devotees, Jagadatma Prabhu, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, and Radha Mohan Prabhu, a disciple of Radhanath Swami, on Lord Balarama’s appearance day.
Thanks to Harinama Ruci for their pictures of the Trutnov festival and Prague harinama. Thanks to Ananga Sevika Devi Dasi for her video of our final kirtana at Trutnov. Thanks to Aharada Devi Dasi for the picture of our bhajana team in Manchester.
Thanks to the Newcastle temple for their kind contribution. Thanks to Tony and the Preston nama-hatta for their kind donation toward my travels. Thanks to Alan and the Liverpool nama-hatta for their kind donation toward my travels. Thanks to Janardana Prabhu and the Leeds nama-hatta for their kind donation, as well as to one of their congregation who also contributed. Thanks to Punya Palaka Prabhu, who also contributed to my travel fund. Thanks to Gaura Karuna Prabhu for always being willing to convert currencies for me.
Itinerary
September 22–25: New York City Harinama
September 26–27: Albany
September 28–November 13: New York City Harinama
November 14–17: Washington, D.C., Harinama
November 18–19: Jacksonville
November 20–December 16: Krishna House (except 5 days in Tallahassee)
December 16–January 3: New York City Harinama
Adventures on the Way to Trutnov
On the train from Wroclaw to the southern border of Poland, two boys in my compartment asked to hear me play my harmonium. Since the conductor was in the next compartment we closed the door and window, so as not to get in trouble. One of the boys had studied the piano for four years. They were really impressed, although it was not really impressive. I was impressed with them, for when they made a video of me chanting, they recorded at least five mantras. Usually people get bored after two or three. I gave them my card, and invited them to send it to me, if they were inspired.
I tried a new border crossing from Poland to Czech Republic this year, one that supposedly had a bus across it, because I was tired of walking across the border between Lubawka, PL, and Kralovac, CZ, but as it t

Travel Journal#11.15: Czech Padayatra, Wroclaw Food for Life, Polish Festival Tour
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 15
By Krishna-kripa das
(August 2015, part one)
Czech Padayatra, Wroclaw Food for Life, and Festival of India in Poland
(Sent from Sheffield on September 3, 2015)
Where I Went and What I Did
After leaving the Polish Woodstock, I joined the Czech Padayatra for four days. I then spent an afternoon chanting during Wroclaw Food for Life with some friends. Finally, being invited by Indradyumna Swami, I went to the Baltic coast to join his Festival of India in Poland. Then I took the train to Wroclaw, en route to Czech Republic for a rock concert where the devotees share spiritual food and music, meeting on the way three people who were attracted to Hare Krishna, and who wanted more Krishna opportunities.
I share insights from several lectures by Srila Prabhupada and some quotes from his books. I have some nectar from Bhaktivinoda Thakura. I include an excerpt each from both a book of and the journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I have lots of notes on classes by Indradyumna Swami and Bada Haridas Prabhu, the two main speakers on the Polish festival tour. I also have a realization from Bhagavat Asraya Prabhu, and some wisdom from Muni Priya Prabhu, the leader of the Czech Padayatra and from one Czech brahmacari.I also include a few points I made in a lecture on the Polish tour about how we can attain complete absorption in Krishna.
I would like to thank Caitanya Candrodaya Prabhu, for giving me his extra Polish and Czech money, and the people who gave me donations on harinama in Wroclaw.
I would like to thank Indradyumna Swami for his pictures of me on harinama at Miedzyzdroje. I would like to thank Vishnu Patni Devi Dasi for her many pictures of Food for Life in Wroclaw. Thanks to the unknown person in Wroclaw, who took pictures of Bartek and myself chanting before the train station.
Itinerary

September 2–3: Sheffield

September 4–7: Ireland
September 8–18: New York City Harinama
September 19–21?: Boston
September 22–25: New York City Harinama
September 26–27: Albany
September 28–November 15: New York City Harinama
November 16–18: Washington, D.C., Harinama
November 18–19: Jacksonville
November 20–December 16: Krishna House (except 5 days in Tallahassee)
December 16–January 3: New York City Harinama
Czech Padayatra
After chanting at the Kostrzyn train station to the Woodstock goers waiting for their trains, I took 11 hours of trains costing just $22, split evenly over two days with the night at our Wroclaw temple, to reach Tynec nad Labem, at that time the location of the Czech padayatra.
Padayatra really captures the spirit of Lord Caitanya’s desire that His name be heard in every town and village. Lord Caitanya did not care just to deliver the masses in the cities, but he wants His followers to go out, and make Krishna consciousness available to everyone. That we have a full-size murti [form] of Srila Prabhupada and large Gaura-Nitai deities on the Czech padayatra reminds us even more that we are executing the mission of Lord Caitanya according to the direction of His surrendered devotee, Srila Prabhupada.
I arrived for the last half of the day’s walking and singing. I was amazed we passed through two towns with about twenty houses in each, but at our evening program in Tetov I counted at least 80 people and some devotees said there were 120. That is even more amazing when we consider that Tetov, according to the 2015 census has only 158 people. Also striking was that at least 75% of the people stayed for the entire two-hour show of chanting bharat-natyam dance, drama, spiritual food, and devotional prizes.
It was inspiring to see the enthusiasm of a handful of the attendees who really seemed to have some spontaneous appreciation for the chanting.
Kids liked to dance, which is a fairly common phenomenon.
 
They even danced with the devotees on the stage.

Here two ladies danced with upraised arms.

One guy also delighted in dancing.

He even let a devotee swing him around.
Here is a video clip of the kirtana in Tetov (https://youtu.be/ibMhTeyiNfU): 

Tuesday in the town of Řečany nad Labem, CZ, with a population of 1,364, over 110 people (8%) came to our program of spiritual culture.

Here is a video clip of the kirtana in Řečany nad Labem (https://youtu.be/cSegumksveA):

After the program, we chanted with the ox cart and our Deities back to the school that was our base.

Three villagers followed us the whole way and talked with the devotees afterwards.

 
One lady who followed us was a photographer, and she came the next morning to take photos of our procession as we left the town.
 

Wednesday, in the larger town of Premouc, only 70 people came to the evening program. Perhaps that was because it started at 5:00 p.m. instead of 6:00 p.m., perhaps because in larger places they people are more sophisticated, or perhaps because there was a musical event in town that night.

 
One young man was happy to get books.

Here is a video clip of the kirtana in Prelouc (https://youtu.be/HMvY3r7JrCU): 
Thursday was another small village, namely Lany na Dulku, population 330, and not surprisingly a small attendance at the evening program. Still each program is special, and the amazing thing there was that twelve villagers, or about half the people who had come, danced in the kirtana near the end, when the devotees give out prizes, such as books and pictures related to Krishna and incense, for the best performance in several categories.

Here is a video clip of that amazing final kirtana in Lany na Dulku (https://youtu.be/B4I_LStdPQk):


In past years, I recall 50 to 60 people was a very good evening, but this year they often had twice that. Devotees say one reason more people may be coming to the evening programs this year is the invitations. They listed the time and place of all twelve of the evening programs throughout the two and a half week long padayatra. They also advertise a contest which involves the chance of winning a prize. They ask the people getting the invitations if our program is for kids, youth, adults, senior citizens, or everybody. The correct answer, of course, is that it is for everybody. They ask the people send a text message with their answer to the phone numbers of the organizers, and say they must attend the program to win the prize. There are two winners, picked randomly from the contestants, by the youngest of the bharat-natyam dancers. The two prizes are Bhagavad-gita and Krishna book. Another selling point advertised on the flyer is the “flying bananas.” 

At the end of the show, they throw bananas offered to the Deities from the Their cart to an eager audience.

The play is a more dramatic and humorous version of “Liquid Beauty.” Muni Priya Prabhu, the devotee who organizes the padayatra,plays the prince, and his son, decked out with make up and wearing a sari, is the lady he is attracted to. There is no formal lecture, but rather a commentary on the drama.
There are a couple of bharat-natyam dancers.
One small.

One larger.

In the middle of the program, a snack of pakoras,raita, and cherry tomatoes is served to the attendees in their seats.

One devotee lady, Ananga Sevika Devi Dasi, does face painting for a donation.

 She has pictures of many styles to choose from.

She also has a variety of Czech chips, referred to as chipsy.that the devotees make themselves and market, and which are very tasty.
And of course, there are Srila Prabhupada’s books.

Before the kirtanas, the smaller bharat-natyam girl passes out instruments, which are rattles in the shape of various fruits, from the basket sitting on the harmonium.
Gaura Karuna Prabhu, while riding his small portable bicycle, has distributed books on five continents. When I asked him the best place, he replied, “Czech padayatra.” The oxen, the cart, the Deities, and the happy devotees chanting awaken curiosity in the people, and they are happy to buy books explaining what it is all about.
Friday the program was in the city of Pardubice, a place where I had once done harinama before a home program with Janananda Goswami. I did not go, but left the padayatra, as I was invited by the Food for Life coordinator in Wroclaw to chant at their weekly Food for Life event there, something I had done once before.
Chanting at the Wroclaw Food for Life

  

I tend to travel through Wroclaw to other places and not contribute much there, so I thought I should help out this time. 
 
The Food for Life person, Vishnu Patni Devi Dasi, is an initiated disciple of Indradyumna Swami, who grew up on the Baltic Coast and fell in love with the Festival of India, coming when the devotees performed in the towns nearby her home. Gradually she took Krishna consciousness more and more seriously. Now she is one of the main pujaris in Wroclaw, but once a year she takes a break for five days to sell books at the Polish Woodstock festival. Once a week she does Food for Life in Wroclaw as well. I thought I should encourage her by chanting at her program as I have known her for many years from the festivals.
After spending a few weeks on the Polish Tour and Woodstock, Caitanya Candrodaya Prabhu, who I chanted harinama with in Bavaria and in Newcastle this year, visited the Prague temple, and then stopped by Wroclaw on his way to Ukraine to see his parents, so he joined our harinama party, along with a local devotee lady. Usually Vishnu Patni has to do Food for Life alone, but she had three helpers that day.
Caitanya Candrodaya Prabhu and I chanted for an hour or so where Vishnu Patni and the other devotee lady were serving papadam

Travel Journal#11.14: Munich & Prague Ratha-yatras, Polish Woodstock & More
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 14
By Krishna-kripa das
(July 2015, part two)
Prague, Munich, Warsaw, Stuyvesant Falls, Polish Woodstock
(Sent from Newcastle upon Tyne on August 25, 2015)
Where I Went and What I Did
On Thursday, July 16, I flew to Prague to go to the Ratha-yatra the following Sunday. Friday I did harinama in Prague with both the Harinama Ruci party and the Prague devotees.AfterI had purchased the ticket to Prague, I found that on Saturday there was Ratha-yatra in Munich, so I took the train to and from Munich that day to attend the Munich Ratha-yatra, although I had no time to stay for the stage show. That day I learned that my guru, Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, wanted me to come to Stuyvesant Falls, New York, and proofread his yearly book, and so on Monday after the Prague Ratha-yatra and after taking an overnight bus to Warsaw, I flew to New York, instead of taking a bus to Lithuania for the Baltic Summer Festival as I was planning to do. In Stuyvesant Falls, all I did for six days was eat, sleep, chant japa, and proofread the book, Looking Back, Volume 1. I did not finish, and I had to continue on the train to New York, on the plane to Warsaw, and on the train to Kostrzyn, Poland, home of the Polish Woodstock festival since 2004. I took a 75-minute break from my proofreading marathon to chant with about ten devotees during their Food for Life program in downtown Warsaw and found it inspiring. Then for the next five days I participated in Ratha-yatras and kirtanas at the Polish Woodstock festival.
I share notes on a Srila Prabhupada lecture, and an excerpt from a book of and from the online journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, and I share notes on a lecture by Bhaktivaibhava Swami in Prague and a lecture of Trivikrama Swami in Warsaw. I share a comment by Indradyumna Swami to the young people of Poland and a comment of a Russian disciple on Krishna consciousness in his region of Russia.
Thanks to Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu and GN Press for their kind donation for my proofreading Looking Back, Volume 1. Thanks to Martin of Leipzig for his kind donation. Thanks to Krishna Kirtan Prabhu and another Warsaw devotee for change to take the bus to the airport and to the train station.I would like to thank the person who dropped 200 Czech koruns(about $8) on the street in Prague and which I donated to the Czech farm devotees, in exchange for Czech chips and cookies for my travels, and to the Prague Ratha-yatra.
Thanks to Food for Life Warszawa – ISKCON for their photos.
Itinerary
August 25–26: Newcastle
August 27: Blackpool and Preston
August 28: Southport and Liverpool
August 29: Manchester
August 30: Leeds
August 31–September 1: Newcastle
September 2–3: Sheffield
September 4–7: Ireland
September 8–18: New York City Harinama
September 19–21?: Boston
September 22–25: New York City Harinama
September 26–27: Albany
September 28–November 15: New York City Harinama
November 16–18: Washington, D.C., Harinama
November 19: Jacksonville
November 20–December 16: Krishna House (except 5 days in Tallahassee)
December 17: Jacksonville?
December 18–January 3: New York City Harinama
Chanting Hare Krishna in Prague
As I was taking Lokanath Swami on a tour of the grounds at the Polish Woodstock in 2004, I asked him where was the best place in the world to do harinama, and he replied, “Prague.” Although I had no prior plan, I ended up doing harinama in Prague that very summer, after the Polish Festival tour. Now I go there almost every year.
I was happy to join Harinama Ruci for their harinama the Friday before the Ratha-yatra. Here are some highlights (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGerEnGdI0xKWWOOVi1yjrinxrgayPape):
After an hour and a half we joined the weekly Friday night Prague harinama party led by Vidya Vacaspati Prabhu. Here are some high points, including the participation of some street performers (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGerEnGdI0xKKgkCdqWtyXPztvfOr5_7z):
Chanting at the Munich Ratha-yatra

I discovered that I could take the train from Prague to Munich and back the same day for under 40 euros, and thus attend the Munich Ratha-yatra. Because I love Ratha-yatra, dancing before Lord Jagannatha, and attempting to inspire others to take an interest in Krishna consciousness and because I have many friends in the German yatra,it was worth it to me. Some of my friends who were also in Prague made the same journey by car, but they had no space, and another friend took the bus.
As I climbed the stairs at Karlsplatz U-bahn station, after seven hours of travel, and I heard the Hare Krishna kirtana, I felt joy within my heart. They had just broken the coconuts, and it was time for the procession to begin.
Munich Ratha-yatra is one of the longest in Europe, and I am sure it was a good four hours. I just had time to hear half of Kadamba Kanana Swami’s kirtana at the beginning of stage show as I waited in line for prasadam, before my return journey to Prague.
Krishna Ksetra Swami and Kadamba Kanana Swami were special guests. Sometimes the procession passed through crowded areas and sometimes more vacant ones.

Nice features I recall about the Munich Ratha-yatra were many people took photos of it.
We would pass outdoor cafes, and almost everyone would be attracted by the procession.
Devotees offered fruit to Lord Jagannatha and distributed it to people in the crowd, and onlookers and devotees both appreciated that.

Some people danced with us.

One couple took great pleasure dancing to our Hare Krishna music

 
Then the husband took a picture of his wife dancing with a devotee lady.

Others also enjoyed dancing.
At the end of my playlist of video clips you can see different people at Karlsplatz joined in the dancing at the end of the procession (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGerEnGdI0xKOzgvsV1jOqAJ6HCPrHUNS):
The first class compartment on the train home had WiFi, but the signal extended to the area between the first and second class carriages, and I would sit on on the floor and connect. In my email, I got an urgent letter from my guru telling me to come to his place in New York and proofread his lastest book. I checked prices on roundtrip tickets from Prague, Warsaw, and Berlin, to New York City, and found it was $200 cheaper to travel from Warsaw, where I was traveling to by bus the next evening after the Prague Ratha-yatra. I sent his servant the details, and I learned the next day I had a midday flight on Monday to NYC.
Prague Ratha-yatra
By contrast to Munich, the Prague Ratha-yatra is very short, about an hour and a half. It is in a busy tourist section, but the stage show was a bit off to the side.
Bhaktivaibhava Swami, Danavira Goswami, and Kadamba Kanana Swami were special guests. Titiksu Prabhu and the London cart came to Prague, as well as to Paris and Budapest for their Ratha-yatras.
Harinama Ruci posted a wonderful movie of the Prague Ratha-yatra on Facebook, and it got over 135,000 views:

I was amazed by the fascination of some Oriental girls, who smilingly took all kinds of pictures of the event.
We also distributed fruit offered to Lord Jagannatha in that Ratha-yatra.
One photographer even continued taking photos while holding the fruit in this hand!
Harinama Ruci likesthe chanting in the streets so much that during the stage show, usually during the Indian dance, we go chanting around the tourist section of the city. This time, probably because Janananda Goswami came with us, we had thirty devotees instead of just ten. A lot of onlookersparticipated in dancing with us.

Devotee ladies would dance, swinging ladies from the crowd.
 

Also both the devotees and newcomers would enjoy dancing in a circle together.
You can see some of the dancing in this series of video clips (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGerEnGdI0xKIfdoP2NNtAfCKjDeCZN0h):

Flying to New York City
I forgot to book a fruit plate as my meal on my Air France flight from Warsaw to New York City via Paris. So in flight, I asked the steward if he had any fruit. 
 

Later he brought me some cut fruit consisting of blueberries, kiwi fruit, mango, and more. I offered it to Krishna by chanting the mantras, and it tasted so good. When the stewards saw I liked it they brought me another bowl of it. As I deplaned I thanked the man who got me the fruit telling it was the best food I ever had on a plane, and he replied, “That is because it is our food.”
Stuyvesant Falls
It was a real marathon for me proofreading my guru‘s, Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami’s, latest book, Looking Back, Volume 1, in which he revisits some of the books he wrote and tells what was going on in his life when he wrote them, what inspired him to write them and to include certain things in them, and what parts were especially important to him. The excerpts were dictated and the typists generally did not check their typing with the books the excerpts were taken from so there were many discrepancies. I initially began, for the sake of strictness, to compare the text of the newbook with original sources in every case, but I could see by doing that I would not finish in the six days I had allotted, even if I worked twelve hours a day at it, which I tried to do. Then I just decided that I would check the originals only when I encountered something that did not make sense. That difficulty with that came with some parts that were really stream of consciousness stuff, and it was hard to understand whether it was supposed to sound like that or if it indicated a mistake, so you had to check it anyway. For some of the typists, English was a second language, and sometimes they would miss idioms, or type something that sounds right but had no meaning. I wanted to finish up so I could go to the Polish Woodstock festival, and share kirtana with thousands of people, and so it was a big challenge for me, a challenge I rarely have.
Food for Life in Warsaw

For the last six months or so, devotees in Warsaw, headed by Sasabindu Prabhu, have been distributing prasadam every Monday afternoon for an hour and a half in a busy region between the metro and the central train station. They invited me to chant with them the day I flew to New York City, but it was not possible, so I decided to go out with them the day I returned. Behind our chanting party, you can see people lined up for prasadam.

The devotee playing the drum, Sasabindu Prabhu, is the organizer of the party. 

After just proofreading and no harinama for a week, you can see I was happy to be dancing in the kirtana again.

Altogether, there were about ten devotees chanting, serving food, distributing books, and giving out invitations to the temple. It was nice to see a cooperative team working on an outreach program.
While in the Warsaw temple, I met a Polish lady who became a Muslim while working in the Middle East, not being satisfied with the Christianity she was presented with as she grew up in Poland. Somehow or other, her twelve-year-old daughter developed an interest in Hare Krishna, so lady herself has been studying our philosophy and appreciating the universal truths. She wants to encourage her daughter’s spiritual exploration. The young girl, who is named Myriem (in the green dress in the first picture above), very enthusiastically played the kalatalas and helped out in different ways on the food distribution outing, and it was very inspiring. What a remarkable story!
Food for Life Warsaw posted a video on their YouTube channel on the Food for Life event (https://youtu.be/8Gh_v2FkopY):
The Polish Woodstock
For the fifteenth year in a row, I attended the Polish Woodstock festival. It is really an amazing opportunity to share kirtana and prasadam with tens of thousands of people.
One guy, who talked to me twoor threeyears ago, commenting our kirtanayoga tent one night, said, “Most of these people are not Hare Krishnas, but they are singing, dancing, and smiling, and are completely happy. In the ordinary world, that would never happen!” I smiled, and said, “Yes I know. That is why I have been coming here for fifteen years. Anyone can be happy by chanting Hare Krishna, but at the Polish Woodstock, they are willing to try it, and so they get that experience.”
Originally this event was attended only by Polish people, and gradually more and more Germans would come. In recent years it has become more international. This year I talked to people from France, Norway, Estonia, Bulgaria, Mozambique, Mexico, Brazil, and Bolivia as well!
Gabriel from Brazil came up to me in the kirtana tent and reminded me that I talked to him last month at the Stonehenge Solstice Festival. At Woodstock he danced with with us every day, sometimes more than one, and he brought his friends as well. In one of the videosI took, you can see he really got into it.
I met people from all over Poland, from Gdansk, from near the border with Belarus, from near Wroclaw and near Katowice near Krakow, and of course, Warsaw. I gave out at least a couple invitation to our Wroclaw temple and several to our Warsaw temple.
Martin, the organizer of the Trutnoff Open Air Music Festival, also called the Czech Woodstock, came there to promote his event. I know him from a kirtana program we did in Trutnov’s Balaram restaurant one year.
At the Polish Woodstock, we do Ratha-yatra every day for about three hours.
 
We had a saxophonist on Ratha-yatra, which does not happen every year.
I, along with others, distribute flyers. 
 
Sometimes people have their hands full.

  
Many of the young people there joyfully participate by pulling the cart.

Others participate by dancing.

Some continue dancing after our procession ends.

Some read the mantra from our cards.
As at the Munich and Prague Ratha-yatra, at Woodstock we distribute prasadam from the cart.
Here Indradyumna Swami tastes the nectar of distribution.
Here is a video clip when Indradyumna Swami was leading the kirtana (https://youtu.be/2ebx0HYgiTw):
Here a segment with Mahatma Prabhu, who came for the first time this year, leading the singing (https://youtu.be/mq3sl9BVXbI):
One time he kept the kirtana going for quite a while after the Ratha-yatra, and many people danced (https://youtu.be/OTobXxUkRv8):
Mahatma Prabhu, who loves kirtana and sharing it with others, was very happy he came this year for the first time.
Bhagavat Asraya Prabhu, a Prabhupada disciple from the UK, also came for the first time. He also loved the event and wants to come on the whole tour next year. He spent a lot of time in questions and answers, and his interpreter was impressed with the expert way he answered the questions.
It is always a pleasure for me when devotees I know from other places come to the Polish Woodstock and have a wonderful time.
Arjuna Krishna Prabhu from Russia also led a lot of kirtana on Ratha-yata, and this kirtana at the end of one Ratha-yatra was particularly festive with lots of dancing (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGerEnGdI0xKnG0RrelYPsft3x0p7D-TO):
After one Ratha-yatra, I talked briefly to one college student from Mexico. I mentioned we had a couple of Mexican girls on our staff, and I went to get one of the them for her to talk to. Apparently this student had been attending our temple in Mexico City and was studying now in Leipzig. She had come to the Polish Woodstock by chance, not knowing of the great Hare Krishna presence there. I took her card, and promised to tell her the details of the Leipzig Ratha-yatra on August 29. She wrote me after I did so saying she would definitely go.
At the end of the Ratha-yatra kirtanathe last two days, I grabbed the microphone and toldthe people of other Krishna musicopportunities. The first day I told them we also had this Ratha-yatra the next day from 11:00 to 14:00 and that we had more Krishna music in the Kirtan Yoga tent from 17:00 to 2:00. The final day I told them that this was the final Ratha-yatra but we did have music in our Kirtan Yoga tent from 17:00 to 4:00. I translated each phrase in Polish as I made the announcements, since I had learned the words for everything I wanted to say by coming for so many years. Dominik (now initiated as Dvija Vara Prabhu), who has done lots of organization and practical work for the Krishna village at Woodstock for years, heard my announcement. He came up to me afterward, thanking me very much, and complimenting me on my Polish translation. I was happy to please such an important leader in Indradyumna Swami’s organization. I told him how it is important that when we have a favorable crowd gathered, that we take advantage of it and tell them of our events. One of the things that inspires me about Indradyumna Swami is his realization of the importance of promotion. He will will have devotees do three hours of harinama and distribute7,000 flyers for three days to advertise his festivals.
Standing at the opening of the mantra yoga tent, I offer mantra cards to those who show some attraction to the kirtana. In Polish, the short “i” is spelled with “y”, the sound “sh” is spelled “sz”, and the “y” sounds is spelled with “j”.
One lady took two mantra cards and gave one to her husband. At first he did not understand what it was, and she explained, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare . . .” He smiled, and kissed the card, and said, “I love you.”
I gave one young lady a mantra card, and she was going to embrace me. I showed her the pranammudra and she did that back to me. I explained as a monk, I am not supposed to embrace the girls, but that I appreciated her affection. She replied with a smile, saying of her experience in kirtanayoga, “I love it!”
One guy embraced me, happy to get the mantra card, and several girls tried to embrace me. I was a bit put off by it at first. Then I reflected that I enjoyed the first Woodstock festival I went to in 2001 so much that afterward I embraced Sri Prahlada, one of our main singers. I am not one who ever embraces anyone, but I was so happy with the joyous kirtanas that touched people’s hearts, that I spontaneously embraced him. Similarly a lot of people who came to our Krishna kirtana tent felt a lot of joy, and they wanted to express their gratitude to someone who was part of team making it happen by embracing him.
I met a lady from the UK who lives near York, and I gave her my card and promised to tell her of the programs there.
I saw one guy who originally met me in Zary at the Woodstock in 2003 and comes by to say “hello” every year.
Trisama Prabhu introduced me to a German man who was seriously curious about the philosophy, which I described in brief to him. I gave him a booklet listing all the German temples as he spends half the time in Berlin and Munich, and I gave him my card, in case he had questions.
I recall giving out contact information for our Berlin and Munich temples. I had talked to the lady from Berlin a previous year, and she seemed more serious now.
One lady from Gdynia, 400 km away, said she comes to the Woodstock festival to see us Hare Krishnas only.
One man had come to Woodstock ten years before and recalled that Hare Krishna was the most memorable part.
So many people felt positive energy in the kirtana tent.
One young lady said she could not relate to anything that was going on at the Woodstock, and she was so grateful she could come to our Krishna village and escape the craziness of it.
I share some videos of the devotees and onlookers dancing to several kirtanas, including those by Indradyumna Swami, Badahari Prabhu and Mahatma Prabhu (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGerEnGdI0xL4CQyHya_bUISZlzZDYi1L):
[Acyuta Gopi and Madhava also led wonderful kirtanas but so late at night my poor camera could not record it because of the darkness.]
Harinama at the Train Station
I was a little disappointed that I could not get a harinama party together to the train station the day after Woodstock, but it is such a great opportunity to share the holy name that I chanted by myself there for an hour. I had to buy a ticket anyway, so I brought my harmonium, my amplifier, mantra cards, and invitations to our centers in Warsaw and Wroclaw to the train station and chanted while waiting in line for a ticket and 45 minutes afterward.
One young lady enthusiastically chanted Hare Krishna as soon as I came near her. She was from near Warsaw and happy to get an invitation to our center there where she could continue her interest in Hare Krishna.
I continued walking through the crowd of hundreds of people at the train station, giving mantra cards to anyone who smiled or said “Hare Krishna.”
Another girl from near Warsaw was happy to hear my brief description of Krishna consciousness, finding it to be interesting, and she also took an invitation to the temple.
One guy who was familiar with a tradition where they vibrate sounds of certain pitches for their beneficial effects, suggested that we chant a Hare Krishna melody incorporating these sounds. I suggested he making a recording of himself chanting Hare Krishna in that way and send it to me, and that I would share it with my friends. 

To see the photos I did not include in the blog, click on this link below:



Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
from a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam5.5.1 in Bombay on December 25, 1976:
This is the difficulty: we take leadership of human society although we remain in the bodily conception of life. Because they also have that conception, the leaders are no better than us, and in that conception we are no better than animals.
God is always God. He neither becomes God nor does He fall down.
There is no question of overpopulation. Because the people are godless, God is restricting the supply.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami:
“By the time
I wrote Japa Transformations, things were improving.
When I moved to Stuyvesant Falls
my japa gradually came
under control. Starting at
midnight in the sanctity of
my bhajana kutiraI began
to report: ‘I was not troubled
by outside thoughts.’ The
remaining distraction is
that I think of what to
write in my Japa Report
while I’m chanting.”
From Prabhupada Meditations, Volume 2, Part 3, Number 7:
“Srila Prabhupada removed the awkwardness by convincing us that we did not belong to a different religion than he. He referred to the transcendental level at which all things come together. He used to say, ‘No one should object and say that they can’t chant Hare Krishna because it is a foreign name and it is not one’s own religion. This is transcendental sound vibration. We are all spirit souls, parts and parcels of Krishna.’ In this way, he established spiritual intimacy.”
Bhaktivaibhava Swami:
Without the mercy of a pure devotee, one cannot attain the Absolute Truth, Sri Krishna.
The many useless commentaries on the Bhagavad-gita are the proof that without the mercy of a pure devotee of Krishna one cannot understand the Absolute Truth.
One should take shelter of a pure devotee and ask for his mercy.
Someone asked Vamsidasa dasa Babaji how one could attain perfection in devotion to Krishna, and he indicated the answer with a single word, “Begging.”
Prahlad Maharaja said, “Unless human society accepts the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee of the Lord, mankind cannot turn his attention to the lotus feet of Krishna which alone vanquish the miseries of material life.”
There is no greater embarrassment to a materialist than for his child to become a Vaishnava.
Brahma wanted to take birth as a blade of grass in the Vrindavan area to get such dust of the lotus feet of those so dear to Krishna.
Q: How can you recognize a pure devotee?
A: By his teachings. But, of course, a pure devotee never says “That’s me.”
Srila Prabhupada says in a letter, “One who claims he is a advanced Vaishnava is not advanced.”
Getting the mercy of the pure devotee means pleasing the devotee.
Srila Prabhupada is giving his mercy through his teachings, his books, his disciples, etc., but one has to take the mercy.
Trivikrama Swami:
When it is said women are less intelligent, it means they are more given to being carried away by their emotions.
With our intelligence, we are supposed to do everything for the satisifaction Krishna, but we are conditioned by years of acting for ourselves.
If we make a vow, “With this one life I will simply endeavor to make Krishna happy,” we will have wonderful success.
Although Srila Prabhupada is just one person, he was able to convince thousands of people of Krishna consciousness.
There is urgency because we have this advantage of this human form of life.
The problem is we are attached to material things, so we have to get a higher taste. That is why we advocate the kirtana, because it is the easiest way to get a higher taste.
As long as you have material desires, you will have to remain in the material world. The best thing is to pray to Lord Nrsimha to rip out your material desires with His nails.
Indradyumna Swami:
From an address during a Ratha-yatra kirtana:
By chanting Hare Krishna you are becoming happy as you have experienced. Narottama Dasa Thakura has explained why. This chanting of Hare Krishna is imported from the spiritual world.
Arjuna Krishna Prabhu:
From a conversation at the Polish Woodstock festival:
For seven years after Harikesa Swami left, only about ten devotees maintained book distribution, harinama, and prasadam distribution in the Ural region of Russia. Otherwise the whole yatrathere was spaced out. But because those enthusiastic devotees maintained those programs, beginning in about 2008, so many new people have begun to join. Now every month there are new devotees joining.
—–
ye lila-amrita vine, khaya yadi anna-pane,
tabe bhaktera durbala jivana
yara eka-bindu-pane, utphullita tanu-mane,
hase, gaya, karaye nartana
“Men become strong and stout by eating sufficient grains, but the devotee who simply eats ordinary grains but does not taste the transcendental pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Krishna gradually becomes weak and falls down from the transcendental position. However, if one drinks but a drop of the nectar of Krishna’s pastimes, his body and mind begin to bloom, and he begins to laugh, sing and dance.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita 25.278)

Travel Journal#11.13: Paris, The North of England, and London
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 13
By Krishna-kripa das
(July 2015, part one)
Paris, The North of England, London
(Sent from Siemyśl, Poland, on August 15, 2015)
Where I Went and What I Did
As July began, I continued doing harinama in Paris, sometimes with Janananda Goswami. Despite threats by the Gatwick UK Border Force on May 5 that if I left the UK I could not get back it, I made it back from Paris on July 4 (Saturday). That afternoon I attended our harinama in York which precedes our monthly program there, and in the evening, I went to the last hour or so of a six-hour kirtana with Madhava Prabhu in Manchester. Then I returned to Newcastle for several days of harinama there and in the neighboring regions of North Shields and Byker, and for a day-trip to Edinburgh. Then on Friday I did harinama in Leeds and went to their weekly evening program. Saturday I chanted and did harinama and a program in Chester. Sunday I joined the Manchester devotees for their monthly harinama. One Monday and Tuesday I went to London to see my niece play in an international Ultimate Frisbee tournament in St. Albans, invited by my sister. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I went on harinama with the London devotees, and on Thursday I flew to Prague for their Ratha-yatra on Sunday.
I share insights from several lectures by Srila Prabhupada and a quote from one of his Srimad-Bhagavatam purports. I share an excerpt from the daily journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, and notes on lectures by a couple swamis, Janananda Goswami and Mahavishnu Swami, and Prabhupada disciple, Pitavasa Prabhu, from Paris. I include an excerpt from a essay in Back to Godhead magazine by Nagaraja Prabhu. I also havenotes on a lecture by Bhakti-sastri teacher, Radhika Nagara Prabhu, who visits Manchester in the summers. I share a interesting quote from my sister about a study revealing the U.S. lifestyle is detrimental to mental health.
I would like to thank Janananda Goswami, who kindly contributed for my travel expenses to Paris. Thanks to my sister Karen, for her contribution to my travel to St. Albans. Thanks to the Newcastle temple for their donation to my harinama program. Thanks also to Lucas and Malini of Edinburgh for their kind donations. Thanks to Janardana, John, John, and an nice Indian lady for their contributions in Leeds. Thanks to Gopijanavallabha Prabhu for bringing my sister and I prasadam from Bhaktivedanta Manor. Thanks to the people in Paris who gave me a few coins on harinama.
Thanks to Clive Holland for his picture of our Chester harinama.
Itinerary
August 9–19: Festival of India on Poland’s Baltic Coast
August 20–23: Trutnov (Czech Woodstock)
August 24: Prague / London
August 25–26: Newcastle
August 27: Preston
August 28: Liverpool
August 29: Manchester
August 30: Leeds
August 31–September 1: Newcastle
September 2–3: Sheffield
September 4–7: Ireland
September 8: New York City
September ?: Boston
September ?: Albany
September ?–November 15: New York City Harinama
November 16–18: Washington, D.C., Harinama
November 19: Jacksonville
November 20–December 16: Krishna House, Gainesville
December 17: Jacksonville?
December 18–January 3: New York City Harinama
Paris Harinama

After the Harinama Ruci party left Paris, we continued to do harinama there. One day we planned to chant downtown, but when we got to the train station we found that because of people on the tracks, they could not guarantee that the trains would make it all the way to Paris. We chanted at the St. Brice train station for a while, and because it was rush hour, many people heard us. Then we chanted in the local village for a while on the way back to the temple.  
The next day I could find no one to go out with, so I played my little harmonium and chanted in downtown Paris myself. I did a sitting harinama in two different places, totaling three hours. People donated a total of only 31 Euro cents, and thus I could not distribute any books. It was very humbling. While walking to the place where I chanted I met people from Indian backgrounds who did not know there was a Hare Krishna temple in Paris, and who were very happy to receive invitations. That was the high point of the experience.  
The next day Janananda Goswami was able to join us on harinama. We went to the village of Sarcelles, a short bus ride from the temple. The place was largely populated by Muslims, and at least two devotees discouraged us from going there. We found the Muslims were very receptive and many watched happily and took pictures. One Indian vendor donated bottles of water to each devotee in our party. It was refreshing to be chanting with Janananda Goswami, who has such faith in the universality of the chant that he is willing to go everywhere, and it was wonderful to see how the people appreciated. It was a nice ending for my trip to Paris.

Attaining the UK

They took so long at UK immigration with their paperwork, because of my previous issues, that the bus driver had to send someone in looking for me. The UK officials really harassed that young man for coming in the wrong door and were unnecessarily abusive. The bus driver went on anyway, and a UK border official had to give me a ride to the bus, which had not yet boarded the ferry, having missed the previous one. I thanked the guy who came in to look for me and who had to take such abuse. He said he was used to it. I said my spiritual teacher likened the immigration people to barking dogs. He smiled, and said, “I like that.”
The UK Border people like to see travelers have proof of health insurance, enough money, and a ticket home.From now on, I will have to be very careful to make sure I have all these things.
York Harinama
My eight Newcastle friends did not come to York this month, so and our kirtana was not quite as lively. We were fortunate to have Smara Hari Prabhu, a Prabhupada disciple from Bhaktivedanta Manor, who came to speak at the monthly evening program, and Rupa Manjari, who I have chanted on harinama with in New York City, Gainesville, and London.

At one point an onlooker felt inspired to hold our mantra sign, which he did with great pleasure.
Harinama in North Shields

Prema Sankirtana, Radhe Shyama, and Madhuri Prabhus joined me to chant in North Shields and later Byker. It was Madhuri’s first time in both places. In North Shields a number of people listened for a while, and a few gave donations and took books. In the beginning, it was a little austere because you could see our chanting party was completely different thing for so many of the people there, but after you chant for a while it does not bother you anymore.
 
We set up outside a mall, and there were always people coming and going.

One boy covered his ears, trying to avoid the holy name. This sometimes happens, but it was too late! The holy name already purified him before he could cover his ears, the rascal!
Harinama in Byker
In Byker, a region within Newcastle, we did a walking harinama for an hour. Radhe Shyam Prabhu played harmonium and sang, Prema Sankirtana Prabhu played drum, Madhuri Devi Dasi played karatalas, and I took pictures and videos.

Some people danced.
 

Some played with the drum.

One lady offered pranams.

The barbers were the best of all.
See how these two Byker barbers delighted in dancing to our Hare Krishna chanting (https://youtu.be/CE_u1Up61YU):

When we left, they invited us to come whenever we want for a free haircut.

When I posted this on Facebook, Anna Rozario commented, “Wow! You made a Muslim chant and dance! Amazing! The dance he was doing is a traditional Arab dance in Palestine and also Lebanon. It is preformed mainly on big occasions. All glories to Lord Gauranga!!”

A day on harinama is not complete without prasadam. Thanks to Madhuri and her friends for making great sweets.
Harinama in Edinburgh
I was happy we had three devotees singing this time, instead of just two. Malini and Rima joined me for half of the three hours. We found a good spot to chant, where we were protected from the rain that greeted us toward the end and which is not uncommon in Scotland.
Harinama in Newcastle
One day I chanted by myself, except for the walk up the hill back to the temple when Madhuri joined me. One young man with an Eastern European accent listened to the chanting for a while, and then later came by and gave a £5 donation. I offered him a book, and he took King of Knowledge as he had Bhagavad-gita.

On my last day singing in Newcastle for this trip, we had seven devotees at least for some of the time. These included (from left to right) Prema Sankirtana Prabhu, Radhe Shyama Prabhu, Satya Medha Gauranga Prabhu, Madhuri dd, Veera, and Priyanka.
Satya Medha Gauranga Prabhu, in suit and tie, used his hour lunch break from work to join us. Here is a video clip of him singing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u9a61qfjbo):
The young man to the left of the bicycle in the video listened to our harinamafor over half an hour. Seeing his interest, I explained how we Hare Krishnas promote unmotivated, uninterrupted service to God as the ultimate truth. I said the chant had the effect of awakening our dormant love, and he said he could see that. That was impressive to me. Because he seemed genuinely interested, I suggested he get a book and he gave £2.50 for Krishna Consciousness, the Topmost Yoga System. He listened a while longer and then offered £5 more to get all the rest of the books, so I gave him two more small books plus a small softbound Bhagavad-gita that someone had given me . We gave him an invitation to the temple, and I hope he comes by sometime.
Prema Sankirtana Prabhu later led a very lively kirtana (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGOnTzaLI9A):

I am greatly fortunate to have such nice friends to sing with in Newcastle.
Harinama in Leeds
Janardana Prabhu, now based in Leeds, chanted with me for an hour and a half or so, with John joining us midway. It was mostly sunny and the hottest weather I ever experienced in Leeds. One man, who could recall the Hare Krishna mantra from memory and who previously had a copy of Bhagavad-gita which he was separated from in the course of time, considered it providential that he met us, and purchased a new hardbound Gita for £10, promising to spend the evening reading it. He mentioned that it contained the truth. One African lady stood in front of us for a while, really delighting in moving with the music.
Chanting in Chester on Racing Day

There were many more people than usual in Chester because it was horse racing day. Seeing their attire, you would think an award were being given for the best outfit. Apparently the Chester races are famous for overindulgence in alcohol. Thus our audience was not of candidates likely to consciously take up bhakti-yoga, but degraded people of the age needing special mercy. Sakhya Prema Prabhu and his wife, and Barbara of Liverpool, joined Clive, Agi, and Mark, and Chand’s family on harinama. We ended up chanting a full three hours.
Sakhya Prema Prabhu sang at the program in Chester, and I spoke. There were several new people there. One middle-aged lady thanked me for explaining everything so clearly that a new person could understand it. That made me feel victorious. There were not many people, but everyone had a good time, and many, perhaps even all, took books.
Harinama in Manchester
After the harinama the devotees do in Manchester on the second Sunday of the month for an hour and a half or two hours, I decided to stay out and complete my personal quota of three hours on harinama. I can see Krishna really reciprocated with my decision as in the first fifteen minutes a young man who was interested in kundalini yoga came by and bought Bhagavad-gita and The King of Knowledge. In the hour and fifteen minutes I was out, I distributed five books and collected £13.99 (almost $22), just by singing and talking to the people who came by. It was all Krishna’s mercy.
International Ultimate Frisbee Tournament for 23 Years Old and Under

I am not a very sociable person, but I keep in touch with my closest relatives, my mother, my sister, Karen, and my niece, Fern. Karen suggested I watch Fern play in the Ultimate Frisbee tournament she was playing in as it was in UK during the time I would be there. While studying abroad in South Africa, Fern got involved in playing Ultimate Frisbee there and was a valuable enough person to make the South African team at the event along with Oliver, a South African boy, she met there. I was planning to fly to Prague from London for the Prague Ratha-yatra in mid-July anyway, so I came to London a little earlier so I could see the games. Turns out they played just 6 miles from Bhaktivedanta Manor. I hoped Fern or Karen would have enough free time to visit the Manor, at least for prasadam, but the schedule was very tight. 
 
I arranged for an old friend of mine from San Diego, Gopijanavallabha Prabhu (previously known as Jagannatha Krishna), who had since moved to near the Manor to bring some prasadam for my sister and I. 
 
It turns out that day there was not a vegetarian option at the event, and Karen, and another vegetarian fan she was friends with, were very happy to get the prasadam. 

The prasadamcame from the Manor gurukula, as it was before their regular lunch time.

It was interesting that Ultimate Frisbee is one of the least competitive sports in that they appreciate the best players on opposite team after the game is over. Oliver was appreciated by the Japanese team in this way.
 
Here are the Japanese and South African teams, who had just played, with the favored Japanese team winning, just barely in overtime. Oliver is the one holding the frisbee.

This is my niece Fern, in her Republic of South Africa Wild Dogs uniform. Apparently the team is named after a type of dog that achieves victory over its prey by running it to the point of exhaustion.
Over two days I saw the end of one game, a full game, and the beginning of another. In the first two games, South Africa was defeated by Japan anad Canada, teams who were expected to win, but they did score many goals against their opponents, showing their abilities. Fern and Oliver both made some nice plays. The most amazing for me is when they caught the Frisbee with outstretched arms and fell to the ground still clutching the Frisbee so the catch would still count. I do not think I could do that.
For pictures not included, click on the link below:

Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam1.2.6 on October 5, 1975, in Mauritius:
Suprasidati means not just satisfied but completely satisfied. Atma means the body, the mind, the soul, and the Supersoul. So this verse explains that pure devotional service will completely satisfy the body, mind, soul, and Supersoul.
From a lecture in New York City on November 26, 1966, on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta,
Madhya-līlā 20.124:
If you learn how to obey the Personality of Godhead, Krishna, you will be happy.

“My relationship with the Supreme is eternal, but I have forgotten it. Now, that relationship is that He is the original father of everything and we are all sons. For so long we have been disobedient. Now we have to become obedient. That’s all. ‘Obedience is the first law of discipline.’ As soon as the people of this so-called advanced world become obedient to God, then there will be discipline and there will be peace.  There is no discipline now. They are not agreeable to follow any rules and regulations. Everyone is acting as if he is God. But everyone is a dog, thinking he can do anything, whatever he likes. There is no discipline.”     

“You are after peace and prosperity. What is the basis of peace? The basis of peace is love. Do you think that without loving anyone you can become peaceful? No. How it is possible? Therefore, if you love God, then you can love everyone. And if you don’t love God, then you cannot love anyone. ”

“The central point must be there.  So if you can love God, then you can love everything in relationship with God. You can love every man, you can love your country, you can love your society, you can love your friend. Everyone. That is the point.”

“If you follow the rules and regulations systematically, then all these qualities will develop. You’ll see it practically. And as soon as these qualities are there, then you actually become a lover of your country; you become a lover of your fellow man.  It is not expected that everyone will become like that. But if at least ten percent of the population become Krishna consciousness, then peace in the world is guaranteed.” 



From Srimad-Bhagavatam4.16.19, purport:




“We should remember that the embodiment of the conditioned soul is considered to be like a dress. One may dress in different ways, but a really learned man does not take dresses into consideration.”




From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.23 in Los Angeles on April 15, 1973:




In this material world, even if you become Krishna’s mother you will suffer, what to speak of others.




“If I think, ‘I am American. Why shall I take Krishna consciousness? It is Hindu God,’ that is foolishness. . . . But if we purify the senses that ‘I am spirit soul. The Supreme Spirit Soul is Krishna. I am part and parcel of Krishna; therefore it is my duty to serve Krishna,’ then you become free immediately. Immediately. 




From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.24 in Mayapur on October 4, 1974:




As I soon as I think I am comfortably situated, I am in maya [illusion].




A Vaishnava is so tolerant that although he suffers himself, he does not want others to suffer.




We should expect always danger, but if we expect help from Krishna, He will save us.




Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:







“When I wrote Japa Reform NotebookI chanted
thirty-two rounds for three months.
With the increase in numerical
strength came quality and
reverence for the holy names.
I honestly told of my
struggles. Some ISKCON leaders
objected to the book and banned
it in their zones. They did not think
it was appropriate for a guru
to admit that he was challenged
by japa.They misunderstood me.
I was celebrating nama-bhajana 
despite the obstacles.”




“Today’s drawing shows four
devotees dancing and chanting
with upraised arms.
They are a mixed group
but in union by kirtana. 
Today harinama parties
are made up of devotees
of different races, sexes
nationalities, ages, and even attitudes.
But when they go
out in public and
perform congregational chanting
they form a tight
and cooperative team
to present harinama
to the conditioned souls.
Putting disagreements aside
they rise to the occasion
of preaching Lord Caitanya’s
mission. The bliss
they feel and the seriousness of their
purpose creates
a sublime harmony. This is not
insignificant cooperation but a deep
linking of like-minded souls.”




Janananda Goswami:




When Jayapataka Maharaja was learning Bengali, he was practicing by conversing with a farmer. He asked the farmer if he had ever been to Calcutta. The farmer replied that he had been to Calcutta once, but he would never go again. Jayapataka inquired why, and the farmer explained that in Calcutta he had seen a man holding hands with a woman, and therefore, he would never go to that sinful city again.




With sex attraction, the problem is not the woman or the man, but the problem is in one’s own mind.




A sannyasiin Srngeri Matha told Bhakti Vikasa Swami, “If we had to preach in the places you do, I do not know if we would be able to do it.”




The danger with attraction to sense objects is that they distract one from devotional service to the Lord.




Full engagement in devotional service with no time to do anything else is the path of success – making our service, whatever it is, our life and soul.




I was wearing Western clothes and distributing Back to Godhead magazines in Newcastle. At one point I was looking in a electronics shop at the latest tape recorder. I did not have money, I was just looking. Then someone tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Maya,” and then disappeared. I never found out who it was.




Only the Lord’s mercy can protect us from the temptations.




We need a teacher to inform us about which instructions of the scriptures to follow.




In 1977, Srila Prabhupada said we have enough temples in West, we need preaching centers.




Brahmanananda Prabhu told me in Vrindavan, when I visited him two months ago, Srila Prabhupada said to him when he was in Africa, “Do not invite the Indian people to the temple. They will come anyway.”




We did a survey about the Sunday feast in Newcastle. People liked the chanting, the class depended on who gave it, but the arati they could not relate to.




Devamrita Swami has a very successful program in Australia where they have centers  where they do not introduce have all kinds of aspects of temple worship that would be hard for new people to relate to.




In the beginning of the Hare Krishna movement, we would all chant japa for an hour and a half before the deities, and then they would spend 30 minutes dressing the deities.




In England, for at least six months, we were worshiping a basil plant, instead of a tulasi, by accident.




Young people are not so much into revolution these days, but rather they are looking for a lifestyle they feel comfortable with.




Paris is the biggest tourist city in the world, and many of tourists are young people.




A woman’s eyes have the power to enter into a man’s heart and capture him. The only hope is that we may be attracted to the beautiful eyes of Lord Krishna. Unknowingly, practically speaking, the living entity in the female body is meant to capture the living entities in the male body, by providing many varieties of sensual enjoyment.




In this age, it is very hard because the woman are dressed, or undressed as the case may be, to attract the men.




Consider the nature of the material body. You put a nice samosain it, and stool comes out.




It is the clever arrangement of maya that the material body seems attractive. 




The prostitute sent to tempt Haridas Thakura was called Lakha Hira because she was a very expensive prostitute, costing 100,000 rupees.




Sometimes people renounce the world and go to the holy dhama, but then they again become attached to sensual relationships there.




A seed may be there, but if you do not cultivate it, it will not grow. Similarly we may have a tendency for sensual enjoyment, but if we do not contemplate it, we will not become victimized by it.




If we find ourselves becoming captivated, we can pray to Krishna, chant his names, focus on Bhagavad-gita, etc.




Q (by a older brahmacari): What about older men getting married?


A: It is not recommended. It is not unusual, but it is not the end of the world. You may be criticized for it, but that criticism is good for your spiritual life. There are various reasons for it, such as weak association. Krishna allows it to happen as He is concerned that we do what we have to do to go back to Godhead, not that we look respectable from the material point of view.




Living in the temples is meant for those serious about spiritual life. Similarly the gurukula was originally meant for people who were 100% submissive to the education.




Children become disturbed if they are forced by the parents or the society to learn something that is not their nature. They should be given facility to learn according to their natural inclination.




Comment by a devotee: There is one Jayapataka Swami disciple who teaches music and his students live with him and help him out in different ways, cooking for him, cleaning, etc.


Response: That is the culture there. It is very natural.




Mahavishnu Swami:




In Radha-Londonisvara Mandir, all we are doing is serving a pure devotee [Srila Prabhupada] and therefore there is hope for our attaining spiritual perfection.




This is a festival movement. Everyone is attracted by a festival, especially the Chinese people in Scandinavia.




We seek the highest standard of living. That is to be found in the spiritual world. In this material world, we have the highest standard of dying.




Any place a thirsty cow drinks is not different from the Ganges River according to the scripture.




Tulasiis called puspa-sara, the essence of all flowers.




In a purport, Srila Prabhupada says the bhakti-lata-bija [the seed of the creeper of devotion] is the instructions of the spiritual master.




When have sung many songs, but when we chanted Hare Krishna we experienced something difference, some purification of the heart, some reciprocation from Krishna.




The original love of God has become love of money, love of nation, love of so many things.




Q: How do I love Krishna like you?


A: I could ask you the same question. Actually we want to love Krishna like Srila Prabhupada does, and we can do that by following his instructions.




Nagaraja Prabhu:




From “Village Talk” in Back to Godhead, Nov / Dec 2015, Vol. 49, No. 6:




“Life is too valuable to waste in succumbing to the allure of village talk packaged by masters at grabbing our attention.We don’t have to accept maya’s soul-killing propaganda in its current forms. By the mercy ofSrila Prabhupada and his predecessors, we canturn off the village talk of this world and turn on the village talk of Goloka Vrindavana, Lord Krishna’s eternal home.”




Pitavasa Prabhu:




In Srila Prabhupada’s purports we see his compassion and his desire to help others.




To fight maya, we have to understand what maya it.




I was talking to someone who asserted Krishna is not God. I then asked him what is God. He repeated that Krishna is not God. I said OK, then could you tell me what is God. He did not have any answer other than to say that he was sure Krishna was not God.




We study the books not to just to become jnanis [intellectuals] but to realize Vishnu.




If there is some doubt about the knowledge, then we cannot act on the knowledge.




The saying “if we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem” is true for us as devotees.




By our preaching we attract Krishna’s mercy.




The name of Govinda is beyond pious activities. It is transcendental.




Abraham sacrificing his son, that which was most dear to him, at God’s request, is pure bhakti yoga. Now they sacrifice sheep to commemorate this, but that is not God’s desire. The Lord is not satisfied by this great sacrifice of sheep, but He was satisfied by Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice what was most dear, his son.




Radhika Nagara Prabhu:




Srila Prabhupada explains that the ticket to back to Godhead is one’s intense desire for it. The purpose of human life is cultivate this desire.




That relationship which is eternal and in which we are completely understood is our relationship with Krishna.




By reconnecting with God we fill the vacuum in our lives. 




The sister of the Queen of Spain engaged in corruption to accumulate more wealth because she was not satisfied by her situation.




They say life is tough and then you die. You spent your whole life chasing the end of the rainbow.




You do not have to give up your friends and family. Do things in Krishna consciousness with your friends and your family.




The trick of maya is to think that happiness is found in something other than devotional service to the Lord.




Our counseling is to assist us in our chanting of the whole name.




Narada Muni told Narayana, “You can liberate anyone you want. Why do you not take them back to Godhead?” Narayana said to Narada, “You go and find someone who wants to go back to Godhead.” Narada approached one person and offered to take him back to Godhead, and the man offered some excuse, “My children are not grown.” Narada came back later, and the man offered another excuse, “I must help take care of the grandchildren,” and it went on and on like that. Then Narada could understand what Narayana meant.




When I was a new devotee they engaged me in washing pots. The pots kept coming. I  was washing pots for three and a half hours, but I felt more blissful than I ever had been. I thought, “I am so blissful, and I am just doing the pots, what to speak of the singers and those who study the scripture!”




The second time I was distributing books, I was in Chorley (in The North of England), and it was at Christmas time and it was snowing. I am from Spain and there it is just the opposite. I had a donation bucket and every few minutes someone would give me a donation, and I would give them a book. Yet I was amazed by how blissful I was.




Q: I fall asleep while reading Bhagavad-gita. What can I do?


A: Stand up. Read it aloud at a good volume.




When the mind proposes sense gratification, just tell it, “Later, just as soon I finish this devotional service.”




Enjoyment is from relationships.




“My dear Arjuna, O winner of wealth, if you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation, then follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga.In this way develop a desire to attain Me.” (Bhagavad-gita 12.9)




Karen Beetle, counselor and mindfulness teacher:




From a conversation:




“One study shows that in the U.S. the most effective treatment for a major mental illness is to get the patient out of the U.S. to a less developed country. Neither meditation nor counseling is as effective as that.”




—–




Here is a favorite quote about the spiritual world and spiritual consciousness:




yatra naisarga-durvairah


sahasan nr-mrgadayah


mitranivajitavasa-


druta-rut-tarsakadikam




“Vrindavana is the transcendental abode of the Lord, where there is no hunger, anger or thirst. Though naturally inimical, both human beings and fierce animals live there together in transcendental friendship.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.13.60)



	


	





	

		
Travel Journal#11.12: Chanting at a London Rally, Stonehenge, Paris Ratha-yatra and More 
 → Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk
	


	
	

		


Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 12
By Krishna-kripa das
(June 2015, part two)


The North of England, London, Stonehenge, Oxford, and Paris
(Sent from Siemyśl, Poland, on August 10, 2015)




Where I Went and What I Did




After the London Ratha-yatra on Tuesday and Wednesday, I traveled with the Sutapa Prabhu, devotees from Bhaktivedanta Manor and the Harinama Ruci world harinama party to different cities in the Manchester area and did harinama and book distribution.I went on my own trip on Thursday to do harinama with Joe, Geoffrey, and three others in Sheffield, and Friday I went on the usual afternoon harinama on Oxford Street in London. Saturday we went with Parasurama Prabhu to a demonstration in London protesting inappropriate government spending and did harinama there. That evening some of us went to Stonehenge to chant all night at the Solstice Festival there. Later Sunday morning I went to Oxford for their 8-hour summer kirtana, a new event for me. I spent half a day in Newcastle recovering partially from two sleepless nights, and went to Edinburgh to do harinama and their Tuesday evening program, returning to Newcastle for harinama and our Wednesday evening kirtana program.Thursday I chanted with Govardhana Devi Dasi, John, and Doug in Blackpool and then in Preston, where Tony joined us, and Friday I chanted with Govardhana and John in Southport and Liverpool. Friday night I returned to Newcastle for the eight-hour kirtana on Saturday. Saturday night I took the train to London and the bus to Paris for Sunday’s very festive and enjoyable Ratha-yatra, followed by a stage show, and a very lively harinama. Finally, I chanted with the Harinama Ruci traveling harinama party in France for the last two days of June and enjoyed the association of Janananda Goswami in Paris.




I share a lecture quote from Srila Prabhupada, a couple quotes from Sanatana Goswami’s Brhad-Bhagavatamrita, an excerpt fromBhaktivinoda Thakura’s Sri Navadvipa Bhava-taranga, quotes from a book of and the online journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, notes from a recorded lecture by Tamal Krishna Goswami, and notes on lectures I heard by Janananda Goswami, Jagadatma Prabhu, Rasesvari dd, Murli Manohara Prabhu, and Sadbhuja Prabhu.




Thanks for Dvijapriya dd for many great pictures of the harinama at the End Austerity Now rally and one from Stonehenge. Thanks to Govardhan dd for her pictures of Blackpool and Preston. Thanks to Harinama Ruci for their pictures of the Paris Ratha-yatra. Thanks to Janardana Prabhu for his picture of the Leeds harinama.




Thanks to whoever put £20 in my money belt while I was sleeping in the van after Stonehenge. Thanks to Lucas and Malini of Edinburgh for their kind donations. Thanks to Alan Miles and the Liverpool Nama-Hatta for their kind donation to my travels. Thanks to Vishnujana Prabhu for contributing to my travel in Paris.




Itinerary




August 9–19: Festival of India on Poland’s Baltic Coast


August 20–23: Trutnov (Czech Woodstock)


August 24: Prague / London


August 25–26: Newcastle


August 27: Preston


August 28: Liverpool


August 29: Manchester


August 30: Leeds


August 31–September 1: Newcastle


September 2–3: Sheffield


September 4–7: Ireland


September 8: New York City


September ?: Boston


September ?: Albany 


September ?–November 15: New York City Harinama


November 16–18: Washington, D.C., Harinama


November 19: Jacksonville


November 20–December 16: Krishna House, Gainesville


December 17: Jacksonville?


December 18–January 3: New York City Harinama




Harinama in Liverpool and Manchester




The first day, our party consisting of Sutapa Prabhu, devotees from the Manor, Sadbhuja Prabhu and another devotee from Germany, and the Harinama Ruci traveling world harinama party chanted at two cities in The North of England, Liverpool and Manchester, our base. 




I was impressed that at least three devotees from the congregation joined our harinama in Liverpool.








In Manchester a family danced with us













 So did a three-person street music act from Costa Rica













 A local boy also danced.








And more as well.




Harinama in Leeds and Bradford








The second day, three devotees from our Leeds congregation joined our party while we chanted for two and a half hours in Leeds. 
 








One older man, who had positive memories of the Hare Krishna, danced and bought a book.
  








One lady enjoyed dancing with the devotees immensely.



One guy in a bar encouraged us to come in and play









Priya Sundari Devi made a nice lunch for our party which we ate in the Cardigan Centre, the venue for our weekly and monthly programs.




We planned to go to York, but we were delayed and decided it was more practical that Bradford be our second city. Apparently, Bradford has the highest percentage of Muslims of any English city. Gaura Karuna Prabhu was very happy as he was able to distribute many books to the Muslims. I even distributed three books in Bradford, though mostly not to the Muslims, and one book in Leeds. While dancing I would watch for persons who were obviously interested but who the several book distributors had somehow missed, being engaged with others.
  








While in Bradford, one older guy took pleasure in playing the flute with us.








Muslim kids were attracted and sometimes danced.




Harinama in Sheffield




While Sutapa Prabhu and his party chanted in Blackpool and Preston, I went to Sheffield to support my friend Joe, who had organized a harinama there. I was happy to see that we had six people chanting for a good part of the two hours we were there. Joe and Geoffrey who are the most regular attenders at our Sheffield programs chanted as did Jackie, who has come on and off for many years join us, as well as Nigel, who used to come regularly many years ago, and Chris, who is a new devotee of Hare Krishna chanting who came from the kirtana programs at the multi-faith Burngreave Ashram. I hope that Joe can make that a regular program and that people keep coming.




Harinama in London




I returned to central London where Harinama Ruci and Sadbhuja Prabhu did harinama for a couple days, the first day beginning on Oxford Street as usual and the second at a rally.




One guy really enjoyed swinging around with Harinamananda Prabhu, and his female associate enjoyed photographing it.




Mr. Britannia always delights in doing a little dance with the Hare Krishnas whenever they come by (https://youtu.be/mt2gfFC-ivk):








In Leicester Square a group of youthful tourists delighted in dancing with us (https://youtu.be/c1NuW5httx8):








Two other groups and some guys also danced with us (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGerEnGdI0xK4uq7KJGdrceXGtLbDMX9F):
















 One Oriental lady really enjoyed dancing with us.




Some ladies danced with the devotee ladies:
  








First in a circle.
  








And then in a line.




One worker in shoe shop played karatalas briefly with us (https://youtu.be/_A9NfNfbrQI):








Shoppers in front of a Lush Cosmetics shop enjoyed listening and moving with the music as did at least one shop worker (https://youtu.be/TpA9BEh1l7I):
















Once in front of the temple a couple danced with us.
  








They continued dancing in a circle with the other devotees.




Harinama at the End Austerity Now Rally in London
  








Parasurama Prabhu invited devotees to join him in chanting Hare Krishna at the End Austerity Now Rally in London which was protesting government spending cuts for humanitarian programs while military spending continues.
  








Parasurama Prabhu played the ukulele.
  








Gopinath played the bass.
  








Harinamananda Prabhu danced as usual.
  








Prabhupada disciples, Dharmatma Prabhu (in the white dhoti) and Dviyapriya Devi Dasi (in a sari), joined us and took many nice pictures.












In the beginning just a few individuals, like this young lady would dance.




I took a video when several protesters danced with us









Young ladies even chanted with us
(https://youtu.be/gJkPOOIUd64):













There were many peace signs and signs with humanitarian slogans. 










It reminded me of when I used to join my mother at demonstrations, including the climate change rally in New York City last September.
  








Rather than remaining with Parasurama Prabhu within the procession, we decided to chant alongside, so that all the protesters would hearing the chanting as they marched by.
  








Two guys enjoyed dancing with us and Erzsebet gave them garlands. Later they encountered us again, dancing with their garlands on.




We continued chanting on the underground to Oxford Circle (https://youtu.be/1KAoyrb9gl8):








Then we chanted down Oxford Street back to the temple.




The London Temple Open Day




While we were chanting at the rally, the devotees at the Soho Street had an Open Day, encouraging the public to visit. Guests would get a tour of the temple, hear a little philosophy, do some meditation, and get some spiritual food.
  












The devotees set up a kirtana party right on the sidewalk to attract attention. 


 








A couple of devotee ladies chanted.








Later Sakhya Prema Prabhu joined.
  








One devotee passed out free lassi.




Chanting at the Stonehenge Summer Solstice Festival




Parasurama Prabhu brings enough food to serve 1,000 people and along with his Ratha-yatra cart each year to the Stonehenge Summer Solstice festival, attended by about 30,000 people. Other devotees join from Bhaktivedanta Manor and the Soho Street temple. 




 Mahavishnu Swami, who loves sharing the chanting the holy name with others, was the life of our party. 
 




 As usual when there is good weather, we had Ratha-yatra around 1:00 a.m.
 








Festival goers take pleasure pull

	


	





	

		
Travel Journal#11.11: Harinama All Over the UK 
 → Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk
	


	
	

		


Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 11
By Krishna-kripa das
(June 2015, part one)


The North of England, Edinburgh, Brighton, London and Birmingham
(Sent from Newcastle-upon Tyne on July 6, 2015)




Where I Went and What I Did




After so much traveling around The North of England in May, and even visiting London, I finally settled down in Newcastle for a week, except for two one-day trips, one on Tuesday to Edinburgh to do harinama and speak at their weekly Tuesday evening program,and one on Saturday to York, to do harinama and speak at their monthly evening program. While in Newcastle I did harinama there and in the nearby cities of Chester-le-Street, Durham, and Sunderland. The following week I did harinama and an evening program in Chester.Then to Sheffield for their Wednesday evening program and Thursday afternoon kirtana, and to Brighton to do harinama and spend time with Janananda Goswami on Friday and Saturday. Back to London for the Ratha-yatra on Sunday. Monday I chanted in Birmingham with Sutapa Prabhu and devotees from the Manor and the world harinama party, Harinam Ruci, on our way to chant in the cities around Manchester for the next several days.




I share a quote by Srila Prabhupada from Srimad-Bhagavatam, a quote by Sanatana Goswami from Brihad-bhagavatamrita, quotes from the books and journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, a story by Jayadvaita Swami, and notes on lectures by Janananda Goswami, Jagadatma Prabhu, Parividha Prabhu, and Sadbhuja Prabhu. 




Thanks to Agi for the pictures of Chester harinama and evening program, Dharmatma Prabhu for the picture of Parividha Prabhu and me at the London Ratha-yatra, the Hare Krishna Festivals devotees for two pictures of the London Ratha-yatra stage show, Martine for two pictures of Brighton, and Harinama Ruci for two pictures of Birmingham.




I would like to thank Janananda Goswami, Clive of Chester, Lochan Das Thakura Prabhu of Brighton, Rima of Edinburgh, and Gaura Karuna and Vishnujana Prabhus of the Harinama Ruci world traveling harinama party for their kind donations. 




Itinerary




July 5–6: Newcastle


July 7: Edinburgh


July 8–9: Newcastle


July 10: Leeds


July 11: Chester


July 12: Manchester


July 13–15: London


July 16–17: Prague


July 18: Munich Ratha-yatra


July 19: Prague Ratha-yatra


July 20–26: Baltic Summer Festival


July 28–August 2: Polish Woodstock


August 3–15: Czech Padayatra?


August 16–18: Bratislava?


August 19: Prague?


August 20–23: Trutnov (Czech Woodstock)


August 24: London


August 25: Edinburgh?


August 26: Newcastle


August 27: Preston


August 28: Liverpool


August 29: Manchester


August 30: Leeds


August 31–September 1


September 2–3: Sheffield


September 4–7: Ireland


September 8: New York City






Harinama in Chester-le-Street








I was simply amazed by the positive response we received in Chester-le-Street, a city of 37,000 near Newcastle. One devotee named Atula Krishna Caitanya Prabhu lives there. His health is not good, and it is hard for him to come to the temple regularly. It means a lot to him for us to chant in his town, and he always joins us.








Prema Sankirtana Prabhu, Radhe Shyam Prabhu, Madhuri Devi Dasi, who are all young and enthusiastic, came from Newcastle. We chanted for ten minutes to and from our car to the front of a shopping center where there was a steady flow of people.




One lady, who gave us a donation, passed by our party a second time telling Madhuri, “It is nice to hear some music that makes you happy for a change.” A few school children, dressed in their uniforms, moved with the music and joked with us. 


Considering the smallness of the place, the sorts of people you find there, and that we stayed barely an hour, I was surprised that people donated £10.96 and took four or five books! 




Harinama in Durham 









After Chester-le-Street, Prema Sankirtana Prabhu, Radhe Shyam Prabhu, Madhuri Devi Dasi, and I went to Durham. They are so enthusiastic, it was great to be chanting with them.
  








I thought it was humorous we stood near a Marks and Spencer display entitled “Tastes of the British Isles.”
  








One favorable young man from Singapore, who had come to one of the Durham programs, was happy to see the devotees again. 




Still it was striking to me that although people are more sophisticated in Durham, a university town, much fewer people gave donations and took books than in Chester-le-Street.




Harinama in Edinburgh








In Edinburgh we have a new storefront called Gauranga Mantra Centre, which is run by a Lithuanian couple, Lucas and Rima, who have three programs a week there, Tuesday,  Friday, and Sunday.




I chanted in Edinburgh for three hours the day of our Tuesday program and an hour the next day. Yamuna Devi Dasi, a devotee who lived in Scotland for many years, and who was up from London visiting her daughters that go to the university there, joined me most of the time. We had a busy location and amazing weather for Scotland. We met a couple of Indian families and a couple of local musicians who were interested in hearing of our programs in Edinburgh, but otherwise not so many people interacted with us.
  








There were a few Scottish people at the program and many Bengali speaking people who had emigrated there. The final kirtana was very lively.




Harinama in Newcastle
  








I decided to encourage the devotees in Newcastle to do harinama before our two-hourevening kirtana on Wednesday, and I was very happy that six of them came out. 








One kid played the karatalaswith us.
  








Some Muslim kids enjoyed dancing with us.
  








Their mom enjoyed taking a video of the kids.




The Muslim familygave a £5 donation, and I gave them a Higher Taste cookbook.








On the way back to the temple, we met some partying young people who got into dancing to our music. 








One young lady delighted in playing the karatalas.




I took a video of the end of it (https://youtu.be/BlL9phSedNw):












As I was doing harinamaone day, an Indian student stopped to purchase Bhagavad-gita.He was from Iowa but getting his masters in organic farming at Newcastle University. He attended Hare Krishna programs in New York’s Lower East Side but had not met devotees in Newcastle yet. 
 








He chanted with me for half an hour.




Later that daya young lady majoring in psychology at the same school and interested in Hinduism’s oneness and altered states of consciousness also bought a Gita.




Harinama in York




Harinama in York was amazing. We had nine devotees coming from Newcastle and a couple from Leeds. Many groups of people danced with us, mostly ladies. Govardhan Dasi of Scarborough,is the inspiration behind the York harinama, and she sings in this video and many people dance (https://youtu.be/6BecU_ZP9KU): 








One man holding a tray of pizza samples really enjoyed dancing with us, but because I was playing karatalas I could not take a photo of it.
  








A married couple danced in front of our kirtana, and if you have Facebook, you can see Govardhan Dasi’s video of it: https://www.facebook.com/jackie.parcellgovardhana/videos/vb.100007077215749/1638889076356984/?type=2&theater




We also chanted in a fast food place, where all the employees were delighted to take part (https://youtu.be/96nd-H82aPE):












 A lady delighted in dancing in front of a cafe with us for several minutes, while her dining partners watched and took photos.








Another lady tried playing our instruments, both drum and gong.


 








Priya Sundari Devi Dasi swung one lady around.








Later when Radhe Shyam Prabhu was singing, another group of ladies danced with us (https://youtu.be/hIRIo-0vJ-g): 








Two young men who were friends stayed with u

	


	





	

		
Travel Journal#11.10: Manchester Ratha-yatra and Harinamas in The North of England 
 → Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk
	


	
	

		




Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 11, No. 10
By Krishna-kripa das
(May 2015, part two)


The North of England and London
(Sent from Newcastle-upon-Tyne on June 22, 2015)




Where I Went and What I Did




The second half of May I began by staying in Manchester for a week to do harinama to promote their Ratha-yatra on Saturday, May 23. Midweek I just took a brief trip to Sheffield to go to their Wednesday evening program and Thursday afternoon kirtana at the Burngreave Ashram as it was worth the trip to attend the two programs. After Ratha-yatra I went to London because Sthita-dhi Muni Prabhu, my friend, godbrother, and fellow assistant of Sadaputa Prabhu, was visiting after doing two presentations in Radhadesh at a devotee academic conference. I learned that the South London ISKCON devotees had organized a 24-hour kirtana the same weekend as the Manchester Ratha-yatra, and I sang in about 10 hours of it. After spending Monday and Tuesday in London, I returned to The North to attend the nama-hattas and do harinamas in Sheffield, Preston, Liverpool, and Leeds, and to attend the Newcastle monthly 8-hour kirtana on the last Saturday in May.




I share an excerpt from a lecture by Srila Prabhupada, quotes from Brhad-bhagavamrita by Sanatana Goswami, quotes from Navadvipa-dhama Mahatmya by Bhaktivinoda Thakura, excerpts from the daily journal and books of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, and notes on lectures by Bhakti Charu Swami, Dhirashanta Swami, Dayananda Swami, and Sthita-dhi Muni Prabhu. Dayananda Swami collected some interesting quotes on forgiveness, some of which are included.


Thanks to Hassan Mahmood for the pictures of his friend playing karatalas with me, thanks to Manchester ISKCON for pictures of the Ratha-yatra, and thanks to Govardhan Devi Dasi for the pictures of us chanting in Leeds. We credit Caitanya-candrodaya Prabhu for the picture of me and the hot dog shop. 




I would like to thank Sthita-dhi Muni Prabhu, Anthony Bate and the Preston nama-hatta, Alan Miles and the Liverpool nama-hatta, ISKCON South London, and Janardana Prabhu and the Leeds nama-hatta for their kind donations.




Itinerary




June 22: Newcastle


June 23: Edinburgh Tuesday night program


June 24: Newcastle


June 25: Blackpool and Preston nama-hatta


June 26: Southport and Liverpool nama-hatta


June 27: Newcastle 8-hour kirtana


June 28: Paris Ratha-yatra


June 29–July 3: Paris harinamas with Janananda Goswami and Harinama Ruci


July 4: York harinama and Manchester kirtana with Madhava Prabhu
July 5–9: Newcastle


July 10: Leeds


July 11: Chester


July 12: Manchester


July 13–15: London


July 16–19: Prague


July 20–26: Baltic Summer Festival


July 28–August 2: Polish Woodstock


August 3–15: Czech Padayatra?


August 16–18: Bratislava?


August 19: Prague?


August 20–23: Trutnov (Czech Woodstock)


August 24: London


August 25: Edinburgh?


August 26: Newcastle


August 27–30: Newcastle retreat?


September 2–3: Sheffield


September 4–7: Ireland


September 8: New York City






Harinama in Manchester




One day I chanted 4½ hours in Manchester’s city center to promote our Ratha-yatra. An English lady chanted a few mantras with me, an Indian man gave me a vegetarian pastry. 
 










A young Asian guy played the karatalas a little while and his friend sent a picture of us.




I met an Indian lady who knew the Scottish devotees and had just moved to Manchester. She was very happy to learn of our Ratha-yatra and local temple. People got a couple books and donated enough to cover my weekly bus ticket.




On the way to Sheffield, I chanted through the Manchester Piccadilly train station till where they check your tickets. After I showed my ticket, a policeman came up to me and said a couple people said I was speaking negatively to them. I said I was a Hare Krishna and was just chanting “Hare Krishna.” He was aware that is what Hare Krishnas do and advised me just to be more sensitive toward other people. I asked if it was OK I chanted in the train station. He said it was. I invited him to Saturday’s Ratha-yatra. He said he had the day off and would be downtown with his daughter and he might come.




A curious Muslim girl asked if she could play my harmonium when I was chanting downtown. I reluctantly agreed, as you never know what will happen in those cases. Usually the people just play the keys, but she just pumped the bellows, so I played the keys and chanted Hare Krishna for three or four mantras as her friends watched amused. It must have been a funny sight.




One young Indian couple stopped by as I was chanting Hare Krishna. The girl, Priyanka, had been attending the ISKCON temple in Tirupati since she was very young. She and her partner, named Krishna, were happy to learn of the next day’s Ratha-yatra and the details about the Manchester ISKCON temple.




One English guy in his thirties or forties stopped by and bought a Gita because he just wanted to know what it was all about. That was the last of the four days I had been chanting in Manchester, and the first Gita sold.




Harinama in Sheffield




One Indian lady gave donations and took a small book from me two days in a row.




Manchester Ratha-yatra










Krishna blessed us with sunny and warm weather for the Manchester Ratha-yatra, which was held in Cathedral Gardens, where some people enjoy themselves and others pass by when going between city center to Victoria Station and the nearby parking lots.




Devotees attended from Newcastle, York, Leeds, Sheffield, Preston, Liverpool, Chester, and London, as well as from Manchester itself. 




Because Janananda Goswami has many disciples in Newcastle, more of my friends from there came than usual. 








Before the Ratha-yatra, about ten or fifteen devotees did a harinama for about 45 minutes down Market Street and gave out invitations and told people about our festival in Cathedral Gardens.
  


 






One mother and daughter from Portugal were very attracted by the Ratha-yatra procession, the mother videoing it while the teenage daughter beamed with happiness. I told them we had Hare Krishna centers in Lisbon and Porto, and they could find them on the internet.




 A group of ladies delighted in dancing at the front of the procession briefly.






At the end, some onlookers also joined the dancing.






Janananda Goswami’s lively singing and dancing really boosted the enthusiasm during the cart procession. Purusurama Prabhu later commented on how all the kirtanas that day were very good.






At one point Janananda Goswami danced with a brahmacari from the Manor, swinging him around.








The devotee ladies also swung each other in dance.




Except for one young British man who complained the prasadam was so cold he could not eat it, everyone said the prasadam was very good, with one young man describing it as fantastic. I especially liked the cabbage pakoras and the cake, but I found the vegetable dish a bit spicy for my taste.
  








  
One young Oriental lady was attracted by my garland. I gave it to her boyfriend to place it on her, and she was happy to receive it.




One young British lady moved with the music during the final kirtana, raising her hands in the air from time to time. As the chanting ended I gave her an invitation to the Manchester temple with the mantra on the reverse side, telling her these were the words to the song and our invitation to our Manchester center where we had weekly programs with the chanting and the Indian vegetarian food that she had experienced that day. Later I saw she went to the book tent with the mantra card, and an Indian devotee lady taught her how to chant japa and gave her beads.




Several onlookers joined in the dancing at the final kirtana. 




South London 24-Hour Kirtana




  
Normally I would not go to London for the South London 24-hour kirtana because I consider that my field is The North of England, but since I was going to London to see my friend, I decided to go early for the South London 24-hour kirtana.I rode back to Bhaktivedanta Manor with Parasurama Prabhu after the Manchester Ratha-yatra. By the time I took the underground and the overground and walked to the South London temple in Croydon it was 12:30 a.m. A young man who helped me navigate the overground said “Gauranga” to me as we parted. I asked if he would like a Gauranga wrist band, and he said he followed another path but that he would wear the wristband, so I gave one to him.  I was thinking of chanting till 2:30 a.m. and then taking a 2-hour nap like I did at Birmingham, but the organizer asked me to sing during his own slot at 3:00 a.m., which was generous of him. By then it was the brahma-muhurta time and then mangala-arati, so I decided to chant till 5:30 a.m. Then I chanted from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., so I got a good ten hours in altogether. The organizer, who had invited me to come to their South London kirtana at the Birmingham 24-hour kirtana earlier in the month, thanked me for coming and even gave me a donation.








Radha Londonisvara Das Prabhu was one of the big kirtana leaders, and he did a good job.




Dhirashanta Maharaja shared some nice realizations about the holy name with us. I shared a room with him and got to know him better which was nice. I usually just see him briefly at festivals in Eastern Europe.




London Visit




I took my friend, Sthita-dhi Muni Prabhu, to see different sites important in the history of ISKCON London. In addition to our present temple of Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara at 10 Soho Street, we visited 7 Bury Place, the site of the first temple, Russell Square, where Srila Prabhupada would take morning walks, and Conway Hall, where Srila Prabhupada did a series of lectures.
  








We also visited Trafalgar Square, the site of the festival after the London Ratha-yatra. 




I went on harinama each day. One day the dancing was so lively I videoed it. Gopinath Prabhu led a great kirtana, playing my funky harmonium, and several onlookers joined us and played instruments and danced for a while (https://youtu.be/ykRU2aivtVo):












While waiting in line for prasadam at Govinda’s Restaurant, I got talking to a young American lady who first learned about Hare Krishna from buying a book in Union Square. Later she became attached to a British guy and moved to London, and she now participates in different devotional activities in the Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara community.




Chanting in Preston




I chanted for a while along the streets in Preston with Tony, the organizer of our Preston programs, and then I chanted on my own. One young gentle couple with pleasant smiles was walking by, and I gave them an invitation to the program that night. They asked how to get there, and I tried to describe it the best I could. They actually came to the program and had a good time. I encouraged them to invite their friends. They said because just moved to Preston they had no friends. I smiled and said, “’We can be your friends.” The lady was vegetarian her whole life, being raised that way by her parents. They gave their email for the mailing list. I hope we see them again.




Chanting in Liverpool




I had the best day I ever had chanting by myself in Liverpool. We previously would begin our harinamas at Marks and Spencer, but the last time I chanted there, a Gaudiya Math person was annoyed that I chanted so close to his Gaudiya Math book table, so I asked the devotees to suggest another venue, which they did, St. John’s Shopping Center. An Indian man who had his own guru wanted to donate something to Bhagavan, so he bought some nuts that the devotees later used in the dessert for the program that night. A young Englishman donated bananas. Many people tossed some coins in my bowl, and they amounted to over £20 (over $30). One lady described the singing as beautiful. Another said she had not seen the Hare Krishnas for years and said it was lovely I had come out to sing.




One family from Southport ate their lunch no more than three yards (three meters) from where I was singing and gave me £2 as they were leaving. The husband said that they never see Hare Krishnas in Southport and that if I chanted there I would be a hit. That was striking to me because the bus I had taken from Preston to Liverpool that day had passed through Southport, and since I had a day ticket, I seriously considered getting off and chanting in Southport for some time. I think the next time I make the journey I will get off in Southport and chant for a while there.




Newcastle Eight-Hour Kirtan




I am always inspired by the enthusiasm of the Newcastle devotees for their monthly 8-hour kirtana. There is always lively singing and dancing and an amazing feast.








 Dhananjaya Prabhu often plays the bass.










The guys dance.
  








They even lifted Prema Sankirtana Prabhu off the ground!


The ladies dance too, but my pictures of them were blurry.
  








The prasadam seems more opulent each time.








Here are just the sweets and savories.




Chanting in Leeds








I was so happy ten devotees chanted together in Leeds before their monthly program on the last Sunday in May. I get the best turnouts there. Govardhan dd and her husband, John, now come all way from Scarborough regularly to participate in it. 




Later one of the Johns from Leeds chanted with me after the program for an hour on Briggate Street. We met an Indian man who had been in our Krishna-Balaram temple in Vrindavan the previous week. He was happy to learn of ISKCON programs in Leeds. 




Uncommon Photos








Some devotees are creative with their sikhas.
  








Would you eat at a restaurant named Samsara?








Sometimes people take misleading shots of you. 
Just for the record,
I have nothing to do with traditional British sausage hotdogs.




For more photos taken but not included, click on the link below:





Insights




Srila Prabhupada:




From a lecture on August 17, 1973:




Prabhupada: This morning when I was walking, some of our students inquired that “If somebody says that ‘I do not believe in God,’ what is the immediate answer?” The immediate answer is that you come to the street; instead of going to the right you go to the left, and here is a constable, he is your God. Immediately he will arrest you and harass you. So how you can say that you are independent of God? There is God for everyone, but the status of God may be different. One may be worshiping a police constable as God; [laughter] one may be worshiping his boss as God; one may be worshiping his leader as God. So in this way, everyone is worshiping some sort of God. But we are worshiping the Supreme God. That is the difference. 


Devotees: [applause] Jaya Prabhupada! 


Prabhupada: That is the difference. You cannot live without God, but your God may be of different quality and my God may be of different quality. Now what is that different . . . quality? We are selecting God: the richest, the most reputed, the most beautiful, the most wise. That is our  God. You are selecting a God who is less intelligent, no knowledge, not beautiful, not so strong—a false God. That is the difference. Everyone has to accept some God, because it is the nature of every living entity to serve under somebody superior. That is the definition given by Lord Caitanya: jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—’nitya krishna-dasa‘ [Cc. Madhya 20.108]. Every living entity is by nature, by his constitutional position, is a servant; but he is originally servant of Krishna. But because he has forgotten Krishna he has to become servant of so many people. Generally, so long we are not servant of God, we are servant of our senses. That is our position. We have to become servant. But our present position is that we are servant of our senses. I accept to serve somebody, not to that person, but that somebody gives me some money, and with that money I satisfy my senses. So because I am servant of my sense, I agree to serve somebody, even though I do not like it. [applause] 




Sanatana Goswami:




From Brhad-bhagavatamrita:




[Narada Muni said:] “It is quite fitting that your devotees care only for prema-bhakti,pure devotional service to the Lord’s lotus feet. Such prema-bhaktifor the Lord, who is very affectionate to His devotees, fulfills all their ambitions and is alone their final goal.”




Bhaktivinoda Thakura:




From Navadvipa-dhama Mahatmya:




“In the Vayu Puranaas well, the Lord Himself speaks of His appearance, ‘In Kali-yuga I will appear in populated Navadvipa on the bank of the Ganges as the son of Sacidevi to begin the sankirtanamovement. I will appear in a brahmana’shouse in the best of brahmana’sfamily.’”




“In the Agni Purana, the following is said: ‘He will appear as Gauranga and will be very peaceful with a long neck, and surrounded by devatas,or devotees.’ In the Garuda Puranait is said: ‘In Kali-yuga, the devotees will give up all other holy places and reside in either Vrndavana or Navadvipa.’”




The Skanda Puranasays: “In Kali-yuga, anyone who takes shelter of Mayapur
and worships Me will be freed of all sins and attain the highest goal. The glories of whatever tirthas are present throughout Navadvipa increase a million times in Kali-yuga. The glories of all tirthasincrease by association with Gauranga just as the value of metal increases by association with a touchstone. Mayapur is none other than the spiritual energy of the Lord, Yogamaya, which increases everyone’s bliss.”




Bhakti Charu Swami:




It is still a custom to go to Kurukshetra during a solar eclipse to take bath in Simanta-panca.




Nothing other than pure devotional service to the Lord is the goal. The great sages aspire for this only. Other practices are means, but devotional service is the goal.




Is samadhi perfection? What do you do when you see the Lord in the heart? In santa-rasa, they are just happy with that, but others will not be satisfied with that. Thus the sages who are perfect in meditation are aspiring for devotion like the devotees, because they have only santa-rasa or meditation on the Lord. Love is manifest in the form of service which is the actual engagement of the living entity.




Dhirashanta Maharaja:




The challenge is to be a proper receptacle for the spiritual sound.




We may think that chanting Hare Krishna is difficult, but try standing on your toes with your arms in the air or standing on one leg with your arms in the air. In comparison to these austerities, chanting Hare Krishna is very easy.




If we try to accomplish our other responsibilities before chanting 16 rounds, then we  will find we have no time to chant Hare Krishna at the end of the day, but if we chant Hare Krishna first, we will find we have more energy to do our other duties properly.




Srila Prabhupada said, “If you chant your 16 rounds of Hare Krishna by ten in the morning, you will not have any anxiety during the day.”




It is said that each hour of your sleep between 8:00 and midnight counts as two hours, from midnight to 3:00, each hour counts as an hour and a half, from 3:00 to 6:00, each hour counts as one hour, and sleep after 6:00 has no value.
  


Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:




From Japa Transformations:




“Japashould be chanted from the heart, the seat of affections. It is an act of love toward Radha and Krishna. Short of love, it is a pleading. Anything less than that is just reciting the outer covering of the mantras, the syllables without the heart. I should not be satisfied with my little speed rituals in the morning. It is a desperate act, with time running out. When will you love Radha-Krishna while reciting Their names? When will you dare to ask for service? There is a legion of lackadaisical chanters, and they are not appreciating suddha-nama.I have far to go, but seem stuck in namabhasa.Chanting more is one remedy. Praying at other times for improvement in nama-bhajana.Even writing, asking for it.”




From “Poem for May 20” in Viraha Bhavan:




“All harinamadevotees should
know the ‘Siksastakam’ and take
its lessons to heart.”




From “Poem for May 21” in Viraha Bhavan:




“Prabhupada said, ‘Just hear,’
and there is a lot of wisdom
and practical advice packed in
those words. Because the name
of Krishna is more merciful than
His form, all you have to do
is chant it with submission
and love and you are
vaulted to the front
ranks of advancement
in nama-bhajana.No
need for complicated
meditation or discursive
thought. Just call out
to Radha-Krishna, ‘Please let
me chant Your names,
please let me serve You!’”




From “Poem for May 25” in Viraha Bhavan:




“Today’s drawing shows four devotees
dancing and chanting
with upraised arms.
They look like they
are having fun but seriously
engaged. Harinama
is like that. It is
simultaneously a happy
and a heavyvrata(vow).
To sing Hare Krishna
brings waves of bliss.
The devotees are attached
to go out into the streets
and express their
joy and share it with the nondevotees.
But the obligation to
do it every day,
and in the pressure of
the materialistic atmosphere
of the city, can be daunting.
The harinamadevotees
are spiritual warriors
and connoisseurs of spiritual happiness.”




From Wild Garden:




“O Prabhupada,
I play my part,
an actor on the stage,
in the start of old age,
please touch me again
tell me when.
Let me be your son
as I am, happy serving you
in a way that makes you
smile,
and claim me as a worker
for your cause.”




From “Poem for May 26” in Viraha Bhavan:




“Harinama devotees are expansive,
and they embrace the world
with a performance of congregational
chanting. With open hearts,


they guide everyone to
hear Radha and Krishna’s
names, and better yet,
ask them to join in the singing.
They are making the greatest
act of charity by
distributing the holy names.
How? Because singing
God’s names
cleanses the mirror of the mind
and lets one see he
or she is a spirit-
soul, an eternal servant of Krishna.
Chanting Hare Krishna relieves a person
of birth and death and promotes
one to the eternal spiritual world.
So there is no higher welfare
work than promoting harinama.”




From “Poem for May 27” in Viraha Bhavan:




“Harinamadevotees are motivated
by love. They don’t
go out mechanically or
merely by a sense of duty.
They love to sing the
holy names, and they love to attract people
to the bliss of congregational chanting.
They love Lord Caitanya and
Srila Prabhupada and desire
to please them by carrying out their requests
and mission. The
whole endeavor is
motivated by love,
and by acting in this way. Krishna,
who isbhakta-vatsala,
is inclined to the devotee
because He is conquered by the bhakta.”




From “Poem for May 28” in Viraha Bhavan:




“I remember chanting japain the
street and feeling dissatisfied
that I was ‘chanting to the
air’ with no counting of the
numbers. I expressed this to
Prabhupada, and he informed me how to
use the small counter beads tied
to the bead bag. Quotas give
us a proof, a tangible recording
of the substantial accumulation of
beads we have accomplished.”




“At the Krishna-Balarama Mandira
the twenty-four hour kirtanainspired
by Aindra Prabhu has
been going on for many
years. But Prabhupada said,
‘Vrndavana is inspiration only.
Our real mission is worldwide.’
Devotees have to come out
of Vrndavana and present
congregational chanting in the
big cities of the West.
This is the compassion Prahlada Maharaja
spoke of when he said he
didn’t want to go back to go back to Godhead
unless he could take the fools
and rascals with him. Devotees
who have left Vrndavana to chant
in the city are making a great
sacrifice. Krishna is pleased
with them and is making
Vrndavana in their hearts.”
  


Dayananda Swami: 




“If we cannot forgive, it means we are in maya [illusion], because we do not understand that by the law of karma we are getting distress because a bad misdeed of our own.”




We have to forgive ourselves first, not beat ourselves over the head for some mistake we made. If we cannot forgive ourselves, it will be more difficult to forgive others.




Our Krishna consciousness is demonstrated by how quickly we can pacify mental agitation and go on with life.




Haridas Thakura shows an amazing example by forgiving the people who beat him twenty-two marketplaces, and Jesus Christ also did so by forgiving those who nailed him to the cross. With such good examples, why do we refuse to forgive people? Maybe we think we are not on that level as those great saints or think that our chanting alone will bring us to a higher level.




Forgiving is not about the other person so much as it is about our relationship with Krishna. Krishna is looking to see if we are willing to forgive and move on.




Quotes about Forgiveness from Different Sources:




“Forgiveness is the release of all hope for a better past.”(Alexa Young) 




“If we apply an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, most of the world will be blind and toothless.” (Mahatma Gandhi)




“Deal with the faults of others as gently as with your own.” (Chinese proverb)




“Forget the past that sleeps and ne’er
The future dream at all,
But act in times that are with thee
And progress thee shall call.” (Bhaktivinoda Thakura)




“Forgiveness is the only medicine that can cure the hurting soul.” (David Bruce Linn)




On the platform of tolerance and humility, we will not become offended and feel the need to forgive an offender.




We should be able to act to protect innocent people without hating the offender.




There was a case of a boy stabbing a girl to death in the presence of her mother, in which the mother had the sentiment of wanting to help the boy. The boy had anger on his face throughout the whole trial. The mom said to the boy at the end of the trial, “I do not feel angry with you, but I am very hurt. I pray that God may act so you may lead a better life.” And the anger disappeared from the boy’s face.




There is a case of a six-year-old black girl who was being escorted to a white school the day after segregation ended in the United States. The white people were saying nasty things to her the whole time. The people escorting saw she was saying something to herself the whole time, and they asked her about it afterward. She said she was praying to God for the people who were speaking harshly to her. And she was only six years old.




Those things we think we cannot forgive, we have to examine philosophically and ask why. The main philosophy is to consider thus, “My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and offering You respectful obeisances with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.8)




Whatever happens, if I take shelter of Krishna, I will come out smelling like roses.




If we start complicating things, such as our observance of Ekadasi, we may find our outreach activities get minimized.




In 1970 my father to me yelled from another room to see a program on the TV. It was a newscast of the Ratha-yatra in London. I recall seeing the devotees happily dancing with upraised arms. My father said, “This is real religion!”




By rendering devotional service, we get piety, and become qualified to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam. One who has a taste for hearing is qualified and fortunate, and by such hearing one becomes motivated to engage in devotional service.




Srila Prabhupada was noted by his guru as one who likes to hear.




Whether we can understand it or not, it auspicious to hear.




To see Krishna in the sphere of our activities is a very auspicious thing.




A child sees, but without knowledge, what does he actually see? Those without factual knowledge will just speculate on what they see and not see the reality.




When one new devotee heard the Bhagavatam class, he was amazed that the speaker always spoke on things that were on his own mind.




Comment by Sakhya Rasa Prema Prabhu: Bilvamangala Thakura felt that his eyes were going to all the wrong places, and so he took them out, but then he saw Krishna. So that is evidence that Krishna is not seen with our ordinary eyes.




Sthita-dhi Muni Prabhu:




The reason we feel a sense of separateness from God is that we have the freedom to love to God. If there was only one choice, there would be no love. Krishna likes relationships of love, and so there has to be the choice. 




If we have some natural piety, we will admit that we should offer the fruits of our work to the Lord, but we may not be so enthusiastic, because we are still in an unnatural condition.




The rules are meant to draw out the joy in our hearts. If we are too upset about them, we have to recalibrate.




The point of physical therapy is not to do the physical therapy well but to be able to move naturally. Similarly the goal of bhakti is not to do the activities of the practice perfectly but to purify the heart so we are in a healthy condition.




Krishna has our best interest in mind. He wants to party with us.




It unfolds now, not like a pie in the sky at the end. 




As time goes by, we work through our tests, and go on to the next level.




By doing the bhaktinow, the renunciation comes naturally.




The experience of bhakti as no limits.




Q (by me): Have you see from your practice evidence of Krishna’s protection and His providing for you?


A: I have a sense that Krishna puts me into different situations that I would not have voluntary put myself in which have made me grow in ways I needed to grow. 




I see there is something beneficial to be gained from any situation.




In the history of ISKCON there was a devotee that did a lot of good things and a lot of crazy things, but Srila Prabhupada would always encouraging him, sometimes being very heavy, but all to keep him moving forward.




If you crack the whip or lavish them with praise, that is all for the same purpose, to encourage them to move forward spiritually.




Through the difficult times I realized that the knowledge alone was not enough to completely deal with the situation, but it gave me a construct that could keep me going through the difficulties.




Radha Londonisvara Das Prabhu:




When you act for Krishna’s pleasure, you can get so absorbed you do not notice the passage of time.




Ralph Waldo Emerson:




Quoted on a “MHK: Meditation the Hare Krishna Way” brochure:




“What lies before us, and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us.”




—–




I like verses describing the superexcellence of Krishna’s beauty such as:




krishna-madhuryera eka svabhavika bala  


krishna-adi nara-nari karaye cancala




“The beauty of Krishna has one natural strength: it thrills the hearts of all men and women, beginning with Lord Krishna Himself.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita,Adi 4.147)