There was a crash of glass just ahead of us to break the silence, and even more than that - a human voice coming from an angry woman shouted, "And don't come back!"
With that emerged a man of good build, an Afro-American, as was she, telling by the voice. The door had slammed at this early hour of 4:30 am. The oncoming man noticed us and so I took the lead in conversing with him.
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, it's alright!"
"We're walking to San Francisco!" and so a friendship began. "Don't let that, whatever was going on back there, bother you!" I suggested.
"No, I won't, but I tell yah I've never met a monk before. You've made my day!" And he then ventured off happily to work, or so he said he was doing.
Another precious moment came when Uttamananda and I met a security person, Bonnie, outside a factory of sorts. She sent a message after our exchange via email.
"Good morning to the Walking Monk. I met you while on duty this morning."
Along the shale cliffs of the Erie shore, Jay Terrelli found fossils of a 'terrible fish' around 1867. It was some time ago, in the millions of years that the Dunkleosteus fish, with shearing jaws, was the dominant predator, appearing in sizes much larger than the Great White Shark.
There is great wonder in this area of the great lakes such as the 'Dunklie' fish of yore, but now, at 5 am, the police were also in great wonder. "Who are these people (three of us - two in robes) taking to the road at this un-godly hour?"
So we explained to the two officers and they were impressed; being who they are they must most certainly have a last word, "Please just walk on the side of the road against the traffic." They were nice about it.
The summer heat is on. It's Memorial Day weekend. Passions are at a peak with traffic. Streams of bikers make a presence as they - the bikers - rev up their engines and bomb away.
Some motorists take notice. I receive the occasional honk.
What becomes relieving is the scent of the honey suckles that are thrown out into the air in as much as the wild mustard plants. Unfortunately we cannot reciprocate and toss some fragrance back to them.
Our hosts Mike and Paurnamasi, from Cleveland, have been looking after our food and lodging needs.
The basketball play-offs are on and it is between two teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors. Even within the devotee community, everyone is rooting for their own team. For myself, more subtly, I would like to see the Canadian team win!
It is Route #6 that becomes the trail for the day. To join me, is Uttamananda from Bangladesh, who lived in our ashram in Toronto for five years. He's with our little party as an assistant. He became a walking companion for the day, from Avon Lake to Vermillion, a distance of 20 miles. Not bad for a first day.
Who did we meet along the way?
First of all, we met the lake, the big one, Lake Erie, several times. It has a square mileage of (I asked Google and it answered) 25,744 square kilometres.
When we gained access to it, it became a resting spot, especially at the end of the trek, when we took a dive and swim at Vermillion.
We met people as well, among them pedestrians and motorists. Our motorist who gave directions also gave a spankin' new hundred dollar bill - a donation. We didn't ask, he just let his heart speak.
A woman offered to take us to our destination. I told her, "We're going to San Francisco." She blushed, but also gave some fruit- as she had just bought groceries.
In Lorain, the town, we met a pedestrian with her small dog. She is a puritan Catholic who loves hearing and reciting the old mass in Latin. She declared a damnation on the all-pervading drug culture but she was keenly curious about Krishna Consciousness.
"I want to be educated," she said.
She was happy to know we denounce intoxication but don't condemn those who try to kick the habit. On our list of interactions was also a young man pushing his young daughter in a baby stroller.
"I'm an atheist but I respect what others believe in. My mother-in-law, who's Christian says I'm going to hell for my conviction."
It sounds like he's living with the issue. Tolerance is one of the greatest virtues.
This article appeared in 'The Vindicator' on Saturday, May 14th, 2016. The title above is as it appeared and the text is by Bruce Watson of Youngstown.
Sitting underneath a tree by the main library near the corner of Wick and Rayen avenues, a man known simply as 'The Walking Monk' enjoyed a quiet Friday afternoon. Arriving for the first time in the city on his pilgrimage across the US. His only supplies: a cellphone he rarely uses, prayer beads, a watch, some business cards and the bright orange robes and sandals he wears while he traverses the land. Bhaktimarga Swami, 63, is a Hare Krishna monk who started his pilgrimage just three days ago when he began in Butler, PA. He plans to walk entirely on foot to San Francisco, walking 20 miles a day. He left no timetable for his arrival on the West Coast. The monk arrived in Youngstown on Thursday night and had the opinion that people are easier to talk to in the city, finding them vocal and approachable.
"I'm here to encourage people more toward introspective walking," he said. "Just to get out of the car, give it a break, experience more of the car-free, care-free lifestyles. Take a little down-time for yourself and make a prayer for it."
The walk is to celebrate Bhaktimarga's guru or teacher, Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a spiritual teacher and founder of the Hare Krishna Movement in 1965 in New York City as well as a new form of yoga called Bhakti Yoga.
According to religious facts.com, Hare Krishna is the popular name for the International Society of Krishna Consciousness. It is based on Hinduism.
The Hare Krishnas worship the Hindu god Krishna as the one Supreme God. Their goal is "Krishna Consciousness" and their central practice is chanting the Hare Krishna mantra for which they are named.
Growing up Catholic in Ontario Canada, Bhaktimarga said he became interested in older civilizations and cultures and found his teacher through meeting monks in Toronto in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
"When I was Christian, I used to wonder, 'What does it mean: Our Father which are in heaven, hallowed be thy name?" he said. "And when I became a Krishna monk I said 'Oh there's the name, Hare Krishna.'"
He's been a monk for more than 30 years, traveling and spreading the message of inner peace, spirituality and the teachings he learned from his guru.
As he makes his way across the country, Bhaktimarga says he survives on the kindness of strangers for food, shelter, and hospitality.
In the 20 years he has performed his pilgrimages, he said he's rarely met dangerous people but he recalls some close-encounters with bears.
The nomadic monk also is accompanied by his assistant, Gopala Keller, 32, a follower of Hare Krishna from West Virginia who travels ahead of Bhaktimarga to ensure he's appropriately accommodated and protected, making preparations for his arrival into towns and cities.
After Youngstown, the monk plans to go in the direction of Cleveland and further west afterward.
This is my last full day in Canada, on a break-of-sorts, before I depart for America to reconvene the US Walk. It does get exciting knowing I'll be on the road again. It's when I'm on that road, that I'm the happiest and when I get the best rest. Yes, I had to say that insomnia hit again - now that I'm not in full regimen. I'm sure if a survey is done, you will find a good amount of people are not happy due to many reasons, one of them being economics- or lack of it. But many folks are unhappy with too much wealth, too!
I did do some research about happiness. It was interesting to find some stats about happiness. For instance, an article from a UK paper, 'The Huffington Post,' maintained by author, Kathyrn Snowdon, found that religious people from all different faiths are happier than those who have 'no religion.' Of all the faiths in the UK, Hindus are the happiest, scoring well above the average and just under the demographic of people who consider themselves to be 'in very good health' according to data compiled by the Office for National Statistics.
Christians of all denominations were the second happiest, followed by Sikhs and Buddhists.
In a TED Talk with Matt Killingsworth, it was revealed that if you want to be happier then you 'stay in the moment.'
Gallup had interviewed more than a million Americans since 2008, enough to map out happiness. And no surprise; on a state-wide level, Hawaii heads the top ten. But this isn't about good weather, because Wyoming, North Dakota, Alaska, and Colorado are next. No southern state made the list.
Our guru, Srila Prabhupada, never conducted a survey on the topic of happiness, but he had proved that those who gave up bad habits and took to chanting became quite satisfied.
"People usually consider walking on water or on thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child - our own two eyes. All is a miracle."
-Thich Nhat Hanh
The above quote was shared by Bob Soltys, photographer and writer, whom I met at John's Diner at Lakewood just west of Cleveland. We went on and on extolling the glories of moving feet through time and space.
It was today that I had the good fortune to visit a sixty hectare farm recently purchased by a family from our community. There, we had kirtan and had a look at the place - walking the fields, checking out the farmhouse, and barns. Vishal, proprietor of the place, said "our family is going off the grid with this place. We will incorporate solar panels, have our own water, plant fruit trees and gardens, along with bringing in a breed of cows from India."
I offered my congratulations for the move the family made. They are going in the direction of 'simple living and high thinking.'
What attracted me to this place in the Caledon area, north of Toronto, was the fact that the Trans Canada Trail runs right at the edge of the property, apart from all the other dazzling features of the farm. The place is clean and it's green.
TOVP: Cast Iron Grill Work.
Here is a finished ‘mock-up’ of the cast-iron grill design, made by our new CNC machine.
By hand, this would have taken more than a month to complete (without the precision), while by machine it only took 8 hours, (with perfect alignment).
So this machine is really a “God-sent”! It will be duplicated on the other side, so both sides will be exactly the same.
1 piece will weigh around 200 kgs. The next step is to make molds for casting.
A visit to New Godruma Dhama, Lanchang, Malaysia. (Album with photos)
Every year when the Sugam Karnatica organises their annual children farm retreat, I thank and appreciate the kids who have to be up early in morning and be on a one and a half hours 118KM ride. And as soon as they arrive at our farm they are to actively participate in bhajan, hearing Krishna pastimes, tree planting activities, farm walk, bathing cows, making dung patties etc. Seems tiring. Yet they come back every year. So I guess there must be some excitement. Otherwise why come back? But for most other city dwellers, farms and cows are simply not too exciting. Not important. Not urgent. For many parents and teachers, childhood and teenage times are simply too precious that to be spending time with mother nature and mother cows. In any case our city supermarkets are providing the necessary fruit, vegetables and milk. So what is the need to go see cows and be with nature? This selfishness is not uncommon nowadays. The Srimad Bhagavatam and all Vedic scriptures will never compromise stating the need to serve mother nature and cows. This is real knowledge.
Credit goes for the Sugam Karnatica group organisers, parents and teachers for not only encouraging their kids to come to the farm but to be also with them all through the day retreat. This year they even got the children to be dressed green, simply attractive. Without the teachers and responsible elders these children will be deprived of the exposure to farms and cows. These experiences actually build goodness in personalities. The number of video clips posted in the facebook depicting the loving affection between cows, animals and children are increasing. It is a sure sign that cows and nature have an important part in our lives, especially our children. In many countries it is becoming a trend that families and friends get out of the cities during holidays and spend their times with mother nature and ahimsa farms.
The Srimad- Bhagavatam describes in detail how Lord Krishna takes the cows and calves every morning to graze on the pastures of Govardhana Hill. There are hundreds of thousands of cows at the palace of Nanda Maharaja (Lord Krishna’s father), and each cow has her own name. Whenever Lord Krishna plays His flute and calls the cows by name, the cows, intelligent and affectionate, come running toward Him.
The Vedic literature enjoins us to satisfy the needs of the cows daily (with food, shelter, and so on) before we satisfy our own needs. This is how Aryans—civilized persons—should serve the cows.
Worshiping the cows: The Vedic scripture states that all the demigods and demigoddesses reside in the body of a cow. This explains why the body of a cow is divine and holy. If we worship Mother Cow, we attain the same material benefits we’d get by worshiping the demigods and demi-goddesses individually. The Garuda Purana says that anyone who has even once worshiped Mother Cow will be saved after death from the great suffering of hell (Naraka). Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, gave more importance to the worship of the cows than to the worship of the king of the demigods, Indra. Therefore in India even today many millions of pious Vedic followers worship Mother Cow at least once a year on Govardhana Puja day.
Protecting the cows: If we accept the cow as our mother, she deserves our veneration and love. And we should protect her from all dangers. In Vedic times it was the duty of everyone, especially kings, to protect the cows at all cost.
If you have some influence over children and youths, and more so parents, please take your time to talk to them and encourage them about farm activities during holidays. Please write to simheswara@zoho.com or just give me a call at 012-3798743 or to our farm manager Gopesa Govinda prabhu at 016-527 4001 to schedule farm visits. We will do our best to serve you. Thank you.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/0VwkTk
Just imagine the confusion, especially for our newcomers, well-wishers, younger devotees, and even for some senior devotees. Everybody who “loves” Srila Prabhupada, and is “loyal” to him, must be a bona-fide follower of his, or so it seems.
Out of the many thousands and millions of souls around the world who have been touched by Srila Prabhupada, either through his writings, recordings, inspirations, dreams and so on, can any of us define who are genuine followers or sympathisers, as opposed to those who claim to be? If so, is there a simple criterion for this, or does it stretch broadly to evade standard membership of Iskcon?
Being “loyal” to Srila Prabhupada can assume the guise of many shapes and forms. It can formulate procedures based upon slight pretexts, or continue decade’s long schemes that function against the wishes of our disclipic succession. There are some deviant groupings who vehemently claim that everybody else is also deviating from Srila Prabhupada’s express wishes. With everyone claiming to be right, and everybody else wrong, who is right?
For those whose faith in Srila Prabhupada is not yet fully established, these claims and counter claims of loyalty to him, can be bewildering, especially after being met by representatives of these groupings, or reading their productions. Their literature, web sites, preaching attempts (Yes, they want our membership) contain lots of photographs of him and words of praise. This all seems very nice.
But this is where the real test of authenticity should be applied. We should ask, “So, you are loyal to Srila Prabhupada…do you value his teachings, his aggregate teachings?” The obvious answer will be yes. Then probe further. “Do you value his followers who are members of ISKCON, who are cooperating together in spite of many challenges and difficulties?” At this point, though the representative appears to be meek and humble, he or she will probably engage in anti ISKCON rhetoric and aim personalised jibes at sincere devotees. It appears that Srila Prabhupada is used as a selling point after all.
One should try not to get lulled into something that uses our love and respect for Srila Prabhupada to possibly deviate us from his aggregate teachings. One certain way of attempting this is to speak ill of those we trust within Iskcon, make us lose our faith in them, then repose it into some system devised out of an inability to cooperate together, as Srila Prabhupada desired. This means getting lost somewhere.
There is a human behavioural phenomenon called – atmavan manyate jagat – “Everyone thinks of others according to his own position.” (Prabhupada quote) Because members of certain groupings accuse everybody else of being wrong and unfaithful to Srila Prabhupada, it can be a reflection of one’s own unfaithfulness. It is strange how loyalty to Srila Prabhupada can produce splinters of separated loyalty.
We should be mindful that there is a large swathe of devotees and well-wishers, sometimes called the “Silent Majority.” These are members or former members of Iskcon who at present have no active involvement in service. Some of them left for personal reasons, and others are waiting perhaps, for change, or favourable situations before getting involved again. Many of them feel they have outlived their usefulness for Iskcon which can be very disempowering. With proper affection they should be encouraged to come back with vigour and experience. This majority generally wants Iskcon to reach its full potential. Most of these do not fall into the deviancy bracket.
For those who are uncertain, or who are wondering who is truly loyal, some information is required. This information should help discern matters more clearly simply by covering one aspect of our preeminent siksa guru’s aggregate teachings – our parampara. It is known that all of our good fortune in receiving mercy needed for advancement in Krishna consciousness comes through our disclipic succession. Srila Prabhupada in his last days called this disclipic succession a law, or “…the law of disclipic succession.” Why is it a law? Because it is not a man-made succession.
“Lord Krishna said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god…” (BG 4.1) This science is – avyayam – or imperishable. Lord Krishna was genuinely concerned about keeping this law intact, otherwise how else will the mercy flow? “One who follows the disclipic succession of acaryas knows things as they are.” (Chandogya Upanisad 6.14.2)
There is a common argument given by certain deviant groups, who claim that because Srila Prabhupada is a Maha-Bhagavat pure devotee, he is able to do any unprecedented thing, which includes ending our disclipic succession with him, because there are supposedly no qualified souls to continue the succession. Those who are familiar with his way of debating with scientific arguments will know that he usually referred to “natural laws” that cannot be reversed, because they originate from Krishna Himself. This law of disclipic succession is not an exception to the rule. Yet the claim is made that Srila Prabhupada did this, as an exception to the rule.
If Lord Krishna was concerned enough to say, “But in course of time the succession was broken…and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost,” so why would Srila Prabhupada oppose this sacred law? If we refer again to the, “Everyone thinks of others according to his own position,” we can suspect that someone who cannot cooperate as desired by our founder acarya, and who generally criticises with outbreaks of bitterness and scorn, are thinking that Srila Prabhupada thinks like themselves.
If Srila Prabhupada thinks like them then one can make it appear that Srila Prabhupada can do anything, and violate the sacred law of our disclipic succession. One can also presume to justify any deviation and say, “It is Prabhupada’s desire.” By the way, if anyone has the power to revoke this sacred law, it has to be God Himself, but He would never do this, as Krishna already explained. Given a short amount of time, Srila Prabhupada could be raised to the status of God by such “loyal” followers.
This information is the necessary knowledge and forewarning needed to receive mercy, otherwise, “If one is not is not actually connected with a bona-fide disclipic succession, whatever mantras he chants will not bring the desired result.” (Padma Purana)
To cooperate together as devotees can be difficult at times. But this desire of Srila Prabhupada to work together contains the power of mercy. This desire or plea has inherent within it the command to enable us to tell right from wrong, even if our paths are strewn with thorns. Who ever said our paths in Krishna consciousness would be easy? To try to become part of the solution with true loyalty is better than getting lost in comfort.
Krishna is possessed of an unlimited intellect (84.22) Krishna is inaccessible to sensuous knowledge (16.46). Krishna is the Lord of the infinity of worlds (69.17). Krishna wields the power of creating the unlimited (87.28). Krishna carries the impress of limitless power (87.14). Krishna is possessed of inconceivable potency (10 .29). Krishna is unborn (59.28, 74.21). Krishna solves all heterogeneous views (74.24). Krishna is vanquished by exclusive devotion (14.3). Krishna is the Inner Guide (l.17)· Krishna is the Withholder of the energy of the wicked (60.19) . Krishna is the Giver of salvation to jivas that are free from vanity (86.48). Krishna ordains the worldly course of conceited jivas (86.48). Krishna is Primal God (Deva) (40.1). Krishna is Primal Person (Purusha) (63.38). Krishna is an overwhelming flood of bliss (83.4). Krishna possesses fulfilled desire (47.46). Krishna is self-delighted (60.20). Krishna is the opponent of the sensuous (60.35). Continue reading "Krishna is… → Dandavats"
Everybody has found their way to the Internet; practically every belief, interest, desire, and product has some representation on the Web. It is therefore not surprising that Gaudiya Vaishnavas have also made their way into the online village. After all, with a spiritual aspiration culminating in a bucolic life, one would expect us to gravitate towards village settings, and in this case—for better or for worse—we have. The prospect of Gaudiya Vedanta circulating throughout the global village and thereby reaching people of every background is wonderful. Such an opportunity would no doubt make Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati’s brhat-mrdunga reverberate with sounds of joy. But as with any medium one might employ in promoting spiritual life, the Internet is a double-edged sword, and unfortunately, many of those who have a hand on the hilt are swinging—and thinking—in the wrong direction. Fortunately, within the Gaudiya tradition one need not look hard for examples of how to properly conduct him or herself in a village (even a global one). Continue reading "Global Village Talk → Dandavats"
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, known for her devotion to Lord Krishna, welcomed India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the U.S Capitol. As part of a select committee of lawmakers that welcomed and escorted the Prime Minister to the House Floor, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard thanked the Prime Minister for his commitment to strengthening the U.S.-India friendship, which will help us grow our economies, strengthen our security partnership in the fight against terrorism, and pursue other areas of common ground. Following the Prime Minister’s address to Congress, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard released the following statement:
“Prime Minister Modi began his visit to the United States by meeting with President Obama, where they recommitted themselves to strengthening the U.S.-India partnership. President Obama said in 2014 that our friendship with India is the defining partnership of the 21st century. The Prime Minister’s fourth visit to the United States in just two years signifies just how important the burgeoning relationship between our countries is as we continue to address the many challenges that face our nations today—strengthening our economies, promoting renewable clean energy, protecting our planet, improving cyber security, and combating terrorism.
“As the world’s oldest and largest democracies, the United States and India have long shared many mutual goals of peace, stability, and economic growth. Prime Minister Modi highlighted the progress our countries have made by partnering in business, national security, and renewable energy. U.S. bilateral trade with India has grown to nearly $100 billion over 15 years—a nearly five-fold increase—and India trades more with the U.S. today than with any other country. Similarly, India remains one of our strongest partners in the region in the fight against terrorism. India conducts more security-related exercises with the U.S. than any other country.
“As we look to the potential that lies ahead, the commitment of our countries to grow and strengthen our ties is critical as we work together towards furthering our shared values and interests.“
Yesterday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard joined Members of Congress, U.S. Government Officials, Members of the Indian Government, and top U.S. and Indian business leaders to welcome Prime Minister Modi at the U.S. India Business Council’s (USIBC) 41st Annual Leadership Summit.
In December 2014, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard visited India at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi to promote U.S. and Hawaii interests. During her visit, the congresswoman travelled to seven major Indian cities, and met with the Prime Minister and other government and defense officials, business leaders, among others. During her visit, the congresswoman also advocated for the development of a sister-state partnership between Goa and Hawaiʻi, which was adopted by the Hawaiʻi State Legislature in April 2016.
Another “transcendental time bomb” explodes and generates its benevolent effects.
Vijaya Dasa: On my way to take prasada at a devotee’s house, I asked him how he joined. This is what he had to say:
“When I was seventeen, I started asking the big questions about life and reading books on philosophy. My father observed this and told me that he’d gotten a book ten years ago from the Hare Krsnas — it was in the attic. So I went up there and found the Bhagavad Gita, very dusty. I brought it down to my room, wiped off the dust, and started reading it. I was thinking it was from another dimension, the most amazing book I’d ever read. Then I moved to Czech Republic. While in Czech I met a devotee, and he distributed to me the abridged version of the Lilamrta. When I read that, that was it — I just wanted to be a devotee. So I found out where the temple was and joined. A year later I asked my father where he got the Gita. He said he had worked as a carpenter and the devotees hired him to build a stage for a festival. After the job was finished they gave him a Bhagavad Gita. He put it in the attic and it was collecting dust for ten years. Like a transcendental time bomb, it was ticking away waiting to explode when I picked it up.” When I went back to Ukraine to visit my father I told him about what I had read in the Bhagavad Gita. He liked what he heard and also started chanting 16 rounds.
Another devotee in Czech got a book somehow. His kitchen table was not properly balanced so he put the Science of Self Realization under the leg to make the table level. It was under a table leg for eleven years until he was moving to another place. When he picked up the book, he read the cover and thought that it sounded interesting. So he read it, and he is now a brahmacari in the temple in Brno.
The moral is: Just get the books out, because we don’t know how, when, or where Krsna’s mystic directions are going to change people’s heart and bring them to Krsna.
Your servant,
Vijaya Dasa
Highlights from a class and other notes from the diary of a travelling sadhaka.
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.”
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/hFzl2n
We’re starting the cladding of white marble (from Vietnam) underneath the chatris. In a few days we’ll show you some pictures with the trimmings (pillars).
New Govinda’s Restaurant in OSAKA (a large port city and commercial center on the Japanese island of Honshu) (Album with photos)
Kavicandra Swami: Ananda Murti dasi and her husband Siddartha Prabhu opened their 2nd restaurant today. Many happy customers came.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/CQlYcn
KSL TV and radio in Utah, USA: Eight Reasons People Move To Utah: “Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple & Festival of Colors” prominently mentioned: https://goo.gl/MpdHZV
“…Utah even hosts one of the biggest Holi festivals in the world at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple, where over 70,000 people join together to dance, hug and throw colors in the air during a weekend of pure joy.”
Here is a finished ‘mock-up’ of the cast-iron grill design, made by our new CNC machine.
By hand this would have taken more than a month to complete (without the precision), while by machine it only took 8 hours, (with perfect alignment).
So this machine is really a “God-sent”! It will be duplicated on the other side, so both sides will be exactly the same.
1 piece will weigh around 200 kg’s. The next step is to make molds for casting.
Thoughts about family, friends, country, nation while chanting?
Visnujana: How will it be possible, Prabhupada, for a man whose mind is clouded to constantly chant Hare Krsna? A man who’s always thinking thoughts about family, friends, country, nation?
Prabhupada: Yes. Think of. At the same time, chant. Two things will go on, and this will conquer. (chuckling) As maya is forcing you to drag you from this Krsna consciousness, you also force maya by chanting Hare Krsna. There is fight. And maya will go away.
This maya is very strong. She’ll force you to entice you to other path. But if you do not stop, if you chant loudly…
Just like Haridasa Thakura was chanting, and maya could not victimize him. You know that? What was his stand? Simply chanting Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Maya could not entice. Maya failed. Maya became his disciple. He did not become maya’s disciple.
This is tug of war. So don’t be afraid of maya. Simply enhance chanting and you’ll be conqueror. That’s all. Narayana-parah sarve na kutascana bibhyati [SB 6.17.28]. We are not afraid of maya because Krsna is there. Yes. Krsna says, kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati [Bg. 9.31]. You just declare, “My devotee will never be vanquished by maya.” Maya cannot do anything. Simply you have to become strong. And what is that strength? Chant Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, loudly.
Iskcon 50Th Anniversary Festival @ 26 Second Ave, New York
Sunday, June 5. (Album with photos)
In May of 1966, Srila Prabhupada, with the help of just two followers, rented a storefront in New York’s Lower East Side - at 26 Second Avenue. In July of 1966, Srila Prabhupada incorporated his beloved institution, ISKCON, with headquarters at this storefront.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/S5wLhq
June 9. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Satsvarupa Brahmacari, 1966 C.c. Notes Continued: Principal Incarnations.
Lord Caitanya is describing the principal incarnations. Swamiji said there is a list in Srimad-Bhagwatam. Lord Buddha is there: “Do not think Hindus have disregard for Lord Buddha or Lord Jesus Christ. They have all regard. Anyone who comes as a representative of God or powerful incarnation, they are welcome.” They speak differently from Vedic conclusions due to time, place, and persons. They are powerful incarnations.
So Krishna is on this list, and He is like the original candle. Swamiji said, “I have several times mentioned in this room” (he has said before that Krishna is like the original candle).
All incarnations are parts, or parts of the parts, but Krishna is the original. He protects Indra from his enemies. Indra is like the heavenly king. There is the concept of Satan. When there is Satanic influence over the devotees and the demigods, then Krishna comes. When religion is low, and the laws are disobeyed, He comes.
A layman can’t make up religion. God comes and He gives dharma. If people make it up nowadays, that is not real religion.
Days end with kirtan, dancing in a circle with other devotees before Swamiji. That cleanses me of all dirt accumulated during the day. Not just during the day, but for many lifetimes. I believe this because I can feel it.
I’ve got Swamiji’s manuscript to type. I’m fortunate! Ready to work for him at the welfare office on East 5th Street.
Swamiji has allowed me to convert my energy from material to spiritual. O creative spirit of devotional life, please let me serve the Lord and the Lord’s pure devotee. Swamiji, I don’t know anything but what you teach. You are kind to us. I am a fool of false ego. But you say I can learn Bhagwad-gita.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=9
For years, devotees have been struggling to hold on to 26 2nd Avenue, the small storefront in New York City where ISKCON was born. And a steep rent increase this year threatened to take it away from them, just as they were celebrating ISKCON’s 50th anniversary. But on Sunday June 5th, supporters banded together for a special ISKCON 50 fundraiser, and the historic storefront is safe – for now.
If you sense that someone is either very philosophically deep or has some moral issues about sex, then its not a good idea to describe Rādhā as “Krishna’s girlfriend.” In those cases it is better to describe her as the female manifestation of divinity, the goddess epitomizing divine beauty and love. Describe her as the “personified bliss of Krishna,” and explain that their relationship with one another allows divinity to experience and enhance the fullest extent of divine bliss, which would otherwise only be latent within it.
If some question arises whether Rādhā and Krishna are married, you can explain it like this: They are two aspects of one entity – the potent and potency – so they are “married” in the deepest, truest sense of the word. But they express their love for each other as through they are not married because that makes their experience much more thrilling, exciting, and dangerous, more precious and rare, and more selfless and primal.
If some question arises over what sort of “example” this sets for humanity, just point out that setting an example for humanity is the purpose of many other avatāra, but not the purpose of Vrajendra Nandana Shyamasundara Krishna. The purpose of his avatar is to attract us to the raw, wild, supreme beauty of the most primal and original ānanda.
If the person still finds Rādhā and Krishna to be immoral, point out again that Rādhā and Krishna are one being, more married to one another than any husband and wife could possibly hope to be. But they are *playing* out their love *as if* they were not. Adulterous people in our realm cannot very honestly make the same claim (that one is the potent and the other is the potency, and they are they are thus eternally two halves of the supreme whole). Therefore adulterous people cannot use Krishna’s behavior as license for their own. However, even adulterous people benefit by hearing about Rādhā and Krishna, for they *can* see that Krishna and Rādhā “do it better than anyone else possibly can,” and so even their adulterous or sexually adventurous spirit can attract them to want to know more about Rādhā and Krishna’s love and perhaps even develop a strong desire to play some role in it.
In all cases, everyone should be introduced to Śrīmatī Rādhārānī Devī – but with the proper sambandha, the proper conception of who and what she truly is.
Meditation is popular, but what are we choosing to meditate on? A video by Spirit Matters. (Please give the video a like and share it on your social media pages and also have a look at other videos made by Spirit Matters! You can find them on www.enoughmagazine.com or www.whyspiritmatters.com)
Hare Krishna! Please accept our humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!
By the divine blessings of Srila Prabhupada and the Vaishnavas, we are extremely pleased to announce the arrival of an opulent Altar for Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Radha Gopi Vallabha, Sri Jagannath, Sri Baladeva , Subhadra Maharani and Sri Lakshmi Narasimha dev.
The new Teak wood altar was brought in from Malaysia and from this Friday onward the Lordships will be offering their unlimited blessings from this new Altar.
The cost of this new Altar was $12,500 and more than half the cost has already been sponsored by various devotees.
Devotees who would like to donate towards the remaining cost of the altar will be provided with tax receipts.
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 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 SSRsso 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:
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 Teachingsof 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)
Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.17.
“A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he is vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere. A living being is constitutionally a spiritual spark of the complete whole, and his happiness can be perfectly perceived in spiritual activities. The Lord is the complete spirit whole, and His name, form, quality, pastimes, entourage and personality are all identical with Him. Once a person comes into contact with any one of the above-mentioned energies of the Lord through the proper channel of devotional service, the door to perfection is immediately opened.” (SB 2.3.17 purport)
“God or Krishna is perfect and complete. And, when we are established in our relationship with him we feel completeness. Without our eternal relationship with Krishna we feel incomplete so we try to overcome the feeling of incompleteness with so many things—’If I get this record I will feel complete. If I get this job I will feel complete. if I get this spouse I will feel complete. If I have a child I will feel complete’—whatever it is. But, we never feel complete with those things because we are only complete in relationship with the supreme complete whole, Krishna.”
The rhythm of the mridanga drum is in my bones. The harmonium is an extension of my hand. The Hare Krishna mantra runs through my veins.
In the morning I swim in a bikini. In the evening I dance in a sari. I pack for an international trip in two days, I stay with people I've never met before.
I have deep shallow friends all over the world. Within hours we've connected, like two plugs in the same wall socket, getting a jolt of electricity to be together, and then we've disconnected. Oftentimes, we're disconnected for months and years and years. But we always remember what it felt like to be jolted by the same electricity of connection. Maybe it was Krishna, or Prabhupad, or crazy good prasadam, or an electric kirtan.
We never forget.
I've traveled around the world and never paid for a hotel. I've lived on different continents with different communities with different cultures and friends and services. I have found found Home. I'm still searching for Home. Terminal wanderlust.
I want a competitive salary, to wear clothes from Ann Taylor, be LEGIT. I want to belong in the material world. I do. I want accolades, recognition, credibility. I want degrees. I do.
I want to live in the spiritual world. I don't want to GO there. I want joy, good food, music and dance all in praise of God. I want deep connection and love. I want to serve. I want to twirl in kirtan with a sea of ladies until our skirts all fan open like flowers. I want to throw my arms in the air and call out God's name among an ocean of voices. I don't want to go to the spiritual world.
I want to live there.
Bikinis and saris, degrees and initiation vows, traveling the world and finding home, belting out Beyonce and calling out to God. Sometimes it's all a traffic jam in my heart. Sometimes I'm lost, really lost.
When I look out and see other Krishna kids and Krishna devotees lost - sometimes painfully lost, sometimes joyfully lost - in the traffic jam of our desires and our lives, I don't feel so lost.
Family.
When you're leaving this world, I'll sing Krishna's name for you. You will be in my mind, in the temple of my heart. I may be across the world, I may have never met you, but I'll be there for you.
When I am leaving this world, I know you'll be there for me. You will sing for me, you will pray for me, I will be in the temple of your heart. Even though you're across the world, even though you may have never met me, you'll be there for me.
Harinama in Hungary (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In this age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting in order to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Krishna. Although his complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and His confidential companions. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 11.5.32)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/lUnc9e
For anyone interested in spiritual progress, gambling is more than just a harmless amusement. How does gambling erode truthfulness? I think back to one of my first psychotherapy clients. Joe, in his late thirties, had recently married for the first time and desperately wanted the marriage to work. But every time he got his paycheck, he'd secretly go to the Atlantic City casinos. Using an elaborate web of lies, he'd explain his absence to his wife. If he lost all his money, often the case, he'd have to lie about the money as well. He'd make up stories: Aunt Berla is dying and needs the money for a respirator; Uncle Martin borrowed the money for his rent. On and on it would go, until his wife no longer could or would believe him and was ready to leave the marriage. Finally, Joe confessed to the blatant truth: He was a compulsive gambler, an addict swallowed up by an insatiable desire to turn his quarters into dollars with a flick of his wrist. His eyes filled with desperate tears. He begged his wife to stay and promised to get help for his addiction. Continue reading "You Bet Your Life → Dandavats"
Every living being especially humans have two natures (1) spiritual nature (2) material nature. Spiritual nature and material nature are completely independent of each other yet co-exist. Material nature is time sensitive and is created from material elements. The human body for example is a combination of these time sensitive elements. A person’s character, way of speaking, dressing, walking, and general beliefs is primarily influenced by the society he or she lives. This society in turn is formed over time by human beings. There is a symbiotic relationship between man and his surroundings and both influence each other constantly. Therefore, we have to intellectually appreciate the difference between the true self and the externally influenced self. Typically, we merge the two.
The externally influenced self is constantly changing and we should learn to see ourselves separate from it. Whereas the internal true self which does not change is our real self or identity. This non-changing self is spiritual and the changing self is material. When we slow down our life and step back from our externally influenced changing self, we will realize the existence of a non-changing self. In order to step back from the changing self, we need to practice the art of careful dissociation from the changing external agents such as our physical body/mind, family, children, wealth, career and in that moment of dissociation meditate on the non-changing identity of our self.
This is our first step in our thousand-mile spiritual journey!
Krsna is wonderful, amazing inconceivably so but we have not touched on the most mysterious and inconceivable of all His qualities: His ability to express love. He is powerful, He is wise, He is strong and famous, but His inclination to love all living beings, and His expression of that love in a variety of ways, is His most attractive feature. And even more attractive than that is His special love for His devotees. Therefore, a devotee, while recognizing Krsna's mastership over his or her life, does not ever forget this greatest glory of Krsna's love. I recently heard Srila Prabhupada on tape speaking about suffering. A devotee asked Prabhupada how we should understand that even though we are devotees, we still have to suffer. Prabhupada took a strong position. He said it was not our right to question that we have to suffer. And we should never think that we would love Krsna more if we didn't suffer. Nor does Krsna have to explain to us why we are suffering. A devotee sees Krsna unquestionably as master. In the mood of a devotee, Lord Caitanya prays, "Whether You make me broken-hearted or You handle me roughly in Your embrace, You are always my worshipful Lord, birth after birth." A devotee never doubts Krsna's loving intention toward him. Continue reading "Wonderful Krsna → Dandavats"
We generally think that we're in control of our actions and that we're making our own decisions, but the supreme authority, Krsna, declares that this is not the case. He says that we are acting as puppets victims of the forces of nature. In Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna says, "All men are forced to act helplessly according to the impulses born of the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment." (Bg. 3.5) Not just you and I, but "no being existing, anywhere in the material world, is free from the three modes of material nature." Bg. 18.40 Continue reading "Who’s Pulling the Strings → Dandavats"
By Patita Pavana das 
By Nitaisundara dasa
By Arcana Siddhi Devi Dasi
By Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami
By Vishakha Devi Dasi