Travel Journal#10.22: New York City and Florida
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk


Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 10, No. 22
By Krishna-kripa das
(November 2014, part two)
New York City and Florida
(Sent from San Juan, Puerto Rico, on December 26, 2014)

Where I Went and What I Did

For the second half of November, after four more daysof chanting with the New York City harinama party, I went to Florida for eleven days to attend the Festival of the Holy Name and to chant at four universities, two football stadiums, and the Gainesville Farmers Market. Only the two Sundays and Thanksgiving Day did I not do harinama, the other eight I did.

It was nice to see the beautiful deities Radha-Shyamasundar in Alachua, who look gorgeous even in their simpler evening dress.

I have a powerful quote from a letter by Srila Prabhupada, wonderful realizations on varnasrama by Bhakti Raghava Swami, wisdom from Rtadhvaja Swami, notes on classes in Alachua County, Florida, by Kalakantha Prabhu, Nanda Devi, and Ranjit Prabhu, and in New York by Abhiram Prabhu and Rama Raya Prabhu.

I would like to thank Namamrita Prabhu, who is a pilot with Airtran, for the guest pass enabling me to fly to Florida for the Festival of the Holy Name and several harinamas and college outreach opportunities in the second half of November. Thanks to Mithuna Prabhu and another devotee from ISKCON Queens for their kind donations. Thanks to Lovelesh and the JAX Krishnas and Sudevi and the Bhakti Satsang of USF for their donations. Thanks to Badahari Prabhu of Krishna House, Alex, Raju, Lovelesh, Amrita Keli, and Kalki for driving me around in Florida, and Lovelesh, Amrita Keli, and Sundari Gopi for letting me stay at their place in Jacksonville and Sudhir for letting me stay at his place near Tampa. I am so dependent on the mercy of the devotees!

Thanks also to Courtney for her pictures of us chanting at University of North Florida, Dennis Sher of PhotoIsMyLife.comfor pictures of the evening kirtana at the house of Gaura Shakti Allin, and JR (Janaka Rsi) for the pictures of the Gainesville harinamaon the street corner. Thanks to Jiva Photos – NRR for the photos of the Alachua Festival of the Holy Name. 

Itinerary 

December 26 to 30: San Juan, Puerto Rico
December 31 to April 2015: Florida (Gainesville, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, and Tampa)


Chanting at the University of North Florida


After flying from New York, I chanted for four hours at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville on a beautiful sunny day. Eight devotees participated for some of the time! It was a pleasant change for me from the New York subways. Thanks all who participated.
 
Chad, sitting with his back to the camera, impressed me by joining our chanting party twice and allowing me to rest at his place before the program although he has only been coming to Krishna Club for a few weeks. The Krishna Club meeting was also very nice. As usual there were dedicated regulars and new people.

I planned to take the Chinese bus from Jacksonville to New York City on November 30, the Sunday evening of the Thanksgiving Weekend, but it was full. 
 

Thus I got to chant at the UNF campus again the next day, and Amrita Keli, Dorian, Mallory, and Chad joined me. Both the day I arrived from Florida and the day I returned to New York, we met people on the campus who were very interested to learn of our Krishna Club and its meetings. One lady came by both days and the second time gave us a donation for the book she had received from us eleven days before.

Chanting at the University of South Florida
  

The next day after flying to Jacksonville from New York for the programs at the campus there, I took a bus to Tampa, where Raju Manthena and I chanted for four hours at University of South Florida and at least three new people came to the evening program as a result. The staff let us chant right in front of the library door. Andrew, a brand new person, learned the karatalasin one sitting. 


Another student enjoyed talking with us. 

I used to chant just three hours at the universities but inspired by Rama Raya Dasa and Harinama NYC I increased to four the first two days in Florida!


The evening program at University of South Florida was well attended. That night attenders included an inter-faith group liking to experience and to learn about different spiritual practices and who had lots of questions.


We did a lively stand up kirtana briefly at the end of that program, and the student who enjoyed talking to us, a first-timer at the club meeting, brought his instrument to play along.

Chanting at the University of Florida Stadium

Devotees from Alachua have been chanting outside the stadium for two hours before the University of Florida home football games since before I moved to Alachua in 1994.


Here Kaliyaphani Prabhu, a Srila Prabhupada disciple originally from England, led the chanting.


A group of devotees ladies danced, with Nitai dd distributing Krishna: Reservoir of Pleasure. Tulasirani dd most perfectly wore the orange and blue of the Florida Gators.


One young devotee lady distributed prasadam cookies. 


Other devotees distributed literature.

One aging fan smilingly said, “I was with you guys 45 years ago.” Turns out he was in Gainesville when Prabhupada visited on July 29, 1971, and was friends with Amarendra and Gadi Prabhus of the Gainesville Hare Krishna temple. Someone else, probably at least in his late forties, came up and said, “I just want to thank you guys for being here!”

Festival of the Holy Name


For several years devotees in Alachua have had a twenty-four kirtana called “Festival of the Holy Name” the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday in November). The devotees chant twelve hours each day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. One devotee was telling me it is our best festival in Alachua, and I agree. Thus even when I am in New York City, I come back for it. Madhava Prabhu, originally from Mauritius, comes every year. This year and last Agnidev Prabhu from Trinidad came. One year Niranjana Swami came. He was very impressed with all the work the Hare Krishna devotee youth of Alachua did to put on the event and told me he would come again just to encourage them. Unfortunately it did not work out with his schedule the last two years.

Beginning the Saturday before, there are evening kirtanas for three hours or so at different devotees homes or at the temple each night.


The first one was Gaura Shakti Allin’s, and his place was packed full. It was ecstatic. He is dancing with upraised arms by the door.

His beautiful Gaura Nitai deities made it extra special.
 
Jagannath Kirtan sang.

And Madhava Naidoo sang.

Purushartha Prabhu played the bass.

I danced as did a number of others.

Ultimately I escaped to the kitchen in search of more room to dance.

The other evening kirtanas were wonderful as was the Festival of the Holy Name itself.

 
 Gaura-Nitai

and

Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Lady Subhadra 

increased our meditation and our devotion.



It made me so happy to see so many friends, acquaintances, and people I did not even know all together singing Hare Krishna heart and soul.


Events like this give the participants and onlookers a chance to experience that the holy name is a transcendental sound beyond our material experience and to increase their own commitment to chanting. Through chanting of the divine names all material miseries can be vanquished and all spiritual happiness can be attained. It is so nice. The ultimate attainment from chanting is described in this beautiful verse from Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 1.96: “The Absolute Truth is Sri Krishna, and loving devotion to Sri Krishna exhibited in pure love is achieved through congregational chanting of the holy name, which is the essence of all bliss.”

I did not take many pictures and just one video. Friday, the first day, the first kirtana that got a few people up dancing was lead by Mitra Sena Prabhu and lots of his friends, mostly from North Carolina. It was really upbeat and joyous (http://youtu.be/Y4MT1lr-APE): 





On Saturday, when I returned from Tallahassee, Dhanya was singing so beautifully I had to listen until she finished even though I needed to use the bathroom after the journey and was also attracted by the dinner being served out.


Madhava always tries to get the audience to completely absorb themselves in the holy name, and I appreciate his emphasis on that.

The final evening, when Madhava Prabhu sang, the tent was packed full. With great difficulty I found a place to dance behind the people sitting in chairs.

I personally want to thank all the Alachua youth and the New Raman Reti devotees who put so much time, energy, and money into the festival, and I hope it gets better and better every year.

Chanting in Gainesville Across from the University


It was inspiring to me to see that seventeen devotees took a break from the Festival of the Holy Name to maintain the weekly harinama across from the University of Florida in Gainesville.
 
One local joined in and danced with us.

Chanting at the Florida State University Stadium

Every second year the Gainesville Florida Gators play the Florida State University (FSU) Seminoles in Tallahassee, and devotees have been chanting outside that stadium for two hours before that game for several years. Now that event coincides with the second day of the Festival of the Holy Name, but still nine devotees took an eight and a half hour break from the festival to drive to Tallahassee and sing at that event. All the devotees involved in our student center by FSU were not there because of the holiday weekend, and Suresh, who has been involved in assisting Hare Krishnas in Tallahassee for over 20 years, helped facilitate our party in many different ways, and we were very grateful to him.


Nagaraja Prabhu, editor of Back to Godhead,came on almost all the harinamas for many years. Then for some time, being absorbed in other commitments, he did not come so much, but now I see him again almost every time, and we are happy to have him back.

One lady wearing Gator colors played the karatalaswhile she danced.
 
An older Gator fan tried beating the drum.

One Seminole fan danced with Krishna Keshava Prabhu in great delight for quite some time, and his friends took pictures of them.


Both men and women danced with upraised arms.



More fans than usual from both sides took pleasure dancing and sometimes even chanting with the devotees, and we felt it was worth the sacrifice to drive up there.

You can see how lively it was from these video clips (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGerEnGdI0xLYqwl-xYn4_NiUd1ELebWw):


It was great to take a break from winter for eleven days and chant with my Florida friends.

For photos I uploaded but did not include in this journal, click on the link below:
https://picasaweb.google.com/103872792410945983719/TravelJournal1022?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCMuivojqzPabcA&feat=directlink

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

from a letter to Gargamuni on September 15, 1967:

“Take sufficient rest and chant Hare Krishna; so long as we have got this material body we have to undergo these situations [diseases such as jaundice], if we increase our love for Krishna we shall be able to get out of this maya.People who therefore not exerting to improve Krishna Consciousness are simply wasting their valuable time and human life. Their human life is a chance to be out of the entanglements of material bodies. We get material bodies according to our activities, doggish men get the bodies of dogs in the next life, men in Krishna Consciousness get bodies like Krishna, so developed consciousness of human life is to concentrate of Krishna Consciousness so that we may be out of the clutches of material entanglement. These truths should be preached all over the world and those who are intelligent enough will take to Krishna Consciousness very seriously.”

Bhakti Raghava Swami:

The five processes, sadhu-sanga [the association of devotees], nama-kirtana [chanting the holy name], bhagavata-sravana [hearing the Srimad-Bhagavatam], mathura-vasa [living in the holy city of Mathura], and sri murti sraddhaya sevana [serving the deity with faith]are especially important because they can give Krishna-prema [love of God] very quickly.

Mathura vasameans we should live in spiritual communities.

There are two sva-dharmas [personal duties], spiritual and material, and most people in society know of neither.

Krishna has created a social system, varnasrama. We do not have to invent one. We just have to hear about it and implement it.

Cow that are protected protect the brahmanas who protect society.

We cannot be Krishna conscious without being cow conscious. This is important to understand even for devotees who live in the city.

There is a surabhi mantra glorifying the cows of the spiritual world which are the origin of all cows.

When people used to travel, they would bring their cows. They could not live without cows. If we find ourselves living without cows, we should examine our life.

Not only the vaisyas, but also the brahmanas and the ksatriyas had cows.

The human society has the responsibility of offering the products of the cow to the Lord for they cannot do it on their own.

Our goal for 2016 is to adopt 50 villages in India.

Every center and project should have a varnasrama college.

comment by lady devotee: I have been hearing Srila Prabhupada’s lectures from 1976 and 1977 about a new phase of encouraging devotees to act according to their own nature rather than creating a brahminical society.

Prabhupada spoke of four movements: sankirtana movement (harinama and books), establishing temples and deity worship, spiritual initiation movement (connecting people with Krishna’s family through initiation) [nama-hatta,youth, and college preaching are in this category], classless society movement [although we are one as Krishna devotees, we act as if in a drama in a role in varnasrama dharma]. We have focused on the first three but not the last which makes our movement seem churchy or ecclesiastical.

When the present prime minister of India was a leader in Gujarat he closed the slaughterhouses and also restricted drinking and gambling, and it is said that he told people if he became prime minister, he would do the same in the entire country.

Cow killing is not permitted in India by law, but people have gotten away with it through loopholes.

After one year in the house of Srivasa Thakura, Lord Caitanya took his sankirtana to the streets. Then he sent the Goswamis to write books in Vrindavan.

Also long as we are not pure devotees, we are dealing with the three modes of material nature, and as long as we dealing with the modes we need to act in varnasrama.

We need a foundational document on varnasrama just like we do on Prabhupada as founder-acarya,before we proceed.

How to get more involved with cows? We should make friends with people who have cows.

Sudras is a controversial term. We should think of sudras as servants, and as Vaishnavas, we glorify service to the Lord and His devotees.

comment: By not consuming food that destroys the earth and offering the deities natural produce, we indirectly support cow protection.

Rtadhvaja Swami:

“Who I am” is a big question because if I misidentify myself to be something other than I am, then the activities I am performing may not allow me to progress.

Arjuna because of his identification with his bodily relations became completely confused and surrendered to Krishna.

Our tendency is to adjust spiritual truth to satisfy our material desires.

Krishna explained to Arjuna, “Whether you engage in this battle or not, everyone will die.”

As the sunlight contains heat and light, one would expect that its source, the sun, must at the least have these qualities. In the same way, we can expect that God, who is the source of our existence must have qualities of individuality and personality which we find in ourselves.

We are like ants wandering across the universe, trying to figure it out.

Our attachment to material desires causes us to lose our inquisitiveness about spirit.

We are not independent. We are like Jim Morrison said, “riders on the storm.”

Because of the flickering nature of the mind, we cannot attain steady happiness until we attain the spiritual platform.

In the material world our attraction to sense gratification is so strong because it is a perversion of our strong attachment to Krishna, krishna-prema.

Those in the heavenly planets think our activities of enjoyment are foolish and disgusting just as we think that about activities of the hogs that happily eat stool.

The real problem is life is not “she loves me, she loves me not” but to conquer the conditions of birth and death.

Self realization not sense gratification is the goal of life.

Abhiram Prabhu:

Because he is a pure devotee, there is nothing about the life of Prahlada Maharaja that is only indirectly related to Krishna.

In our conditioned state, our pure consciousness is altered by our material coverings of ego so we cannot see things as they are.

Just as when learning music one plays the music of great composers before one begins to make his own compositions, devotees on the stage of vaidhi-bhakti (devotional service in practice) offer the prayers of the great devotees before composing their own prayers.

Lord Nrsimha Himself in this verse (Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.10.14) accepts Prahlada Maharaja as an acarya to be followed.

Kalakantha Prabhu:

By his mystic power, Durvasa Muni could understand that Ambarisa Maharaja drank water before serving him breakfast but could he not understand the king had been fasting and needed to break his fast?

For many people, religion means being in constant fear of a dictator-like God, and therefore they reject it.

When there is no love, how can you think about another person all the time?

In the four key verses of Bhagavad-gita 10.8–11, just half of the first verse deals with Krishna alone, and in the rest the Lord talks about His devotees and their relationship with Him.

If we do not have the knowledge of how to connect with God, we are like an orphaned child.

If we show Krishna just a little bit of desire to connect with Him, He will reciprocate in a dramatic way.

Why do we not reach out to Krishna? Because are afraid Krishna will take something away that we do not want to give up.

When we tell Krishna in all sincerity that He is the most important person in our life and we act like that, Krishna will provide whatever we need.

By understanding how we are incapable of dealing with the challenges in our lives, and how Krishna is willing and capable to help, we can let go of our material attachments.

Srila Prabhupada once said, “All we are asking you to give up is your miseries.”

Hearing from devotees who have experience of Krishna’s reciprocation to their surrender can give us the conviction we need to surrender ourselves.

Srila Prabhupada said that Krishna consciousness is all about training others.

comment by Babhru Prabhu: The real blessing of the guru is the knowledge he gives to attain Krishna.

Bhakti Tirtha Swami said to be careful about you how you deal with devotees for they may be the people you die with.

We do not have to try to be humble. We just have to try to please Krishna.

The origin of the word “relationship” is a Latin word meaning “carry back,” implying give and take.

We see this give and take in Bhagavad-gita verses 10.8–11. The devotees worship Him with all their hearts, and He gives them knowledge.

Remember: The relationships between devotees are always more important than points of philosophy or the task at hand.

Words are hard to retract. They are like arrows.

Four stages of learning:
unconscious incompetence
conscious incompetence
conscious competence
unconscious competence

comment by Dhamesvara Mahaprabhu: I think we can discriminate without saying inferior or superior.

Srila Prabhupada said, “Are you here to serve or disturb?”

Intimacy grows in time. When Srila Prabhupada left this world, I was just a devotee for a few years, and I did not cry. But when Tamal Krishna Goswami, who was a friend for many years, left suddenly, I cried for many days.

If you criticize someone, the laws of nature will not allow you to stay with that person. Pick who you want to criticize, and you will not hang out with him.

Peter Burwash as a young tennis professional, gave $1000 to a temple president who took it and left. When he met Srila Prabhupada and asked him about it, Srila Prabhupada said, “Do not blame the agent of your karma.” Peter Burwash made that understanding a pillar of his life.

“Nobody should criticize anyone. Because everyone is engaged in the service of the Lord, according to one’s capacity, and the thing is, Krishna wants to see how much one is sincere in rendering Him service.” (Srila Prabhupada, from a letter to Tamala Krishna written on August 19, 1968)

comment by Tulasirani Devi: Sivarama Swami said being bitten by a poisonous snake can end our body but offending a Vaishnava can harm our spiritual life for many births.

If we are offended, it is good to resolve it.

When you hear a devotee criticized. . . .
Say something positive about the person being criticized or leave.
Don’t gang up on the person being criticized and especially do not repeat what you heard (except in extreme cases, and then only to appropriate persons).

Three ways to appreciate Vaishnava:
Talk about Krishna’s names, pastimes, service, etc., with them.
Serve them.
Find the good in them.
  1. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
  2. Show respect for others’ opinions. Never tell someone they’re wrong.
  3. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
  4. Begin in a friendly way, and admit it quickly.
Do not condemn, criticize, or complain.

If we are thinking that we want to have better relationships with devotees, Krishna will see that and reciprocate.

comment by Babhru Prabhu: Avoid knee jerk reactions.

It never good to be angry at a devotee. Only if it is controlled and one is an acknowledged trainer, can one use anger with a devotee.

I once addressed my godsister, “Mother Yamuna.” Yamuna replied, “Yes, Father Kalakantha.”

When we start revealing our minds to persons of another gender, we cross the line of appropriate behavior, except in the case of a guru-disciple relationship.

We can respect all Vaishnavas, but we must choose who to reveal our mind to and who to respect from a distance.

If a grhastha asramais not financially independent then it is not agrhastha asrama.

It takes a lot of endeavor to find the right partner for a Krishna conscious marriage. [The three devotees present who had the experience of a broken marriage all agreed it was the worst experience of their lives.]

If you enter into a marriage thinking I am going to serve this person in this way, this way, and this way, then it works.

In the grhastha asrama, one advantage is that you naturally develop a service attitude for others.

Nanda Devi:

Upon hearing the verse “Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation.” [Srimad-Bhagavatam3.25.20], one can immediately understand there are not many learned men.

Sometimes we disparage liberation, but when seen in the right way, liberation is good.

Be good association so you emanate Krishna consciousness, and also take good association.

One who understands that Krishna is the goal of life and is attempting to reach Him is a sadhu [saint].

Ranjit Prabhu:

You could say that Arjuna had proven himself to be in the top of his class in society yet he was unfulfilled before the speaking of Bhagavad-gita. Krishna reveals his imperfection.

Rama Raya Prabhu:

After book distribution one day a friend and I recited all the phala srutis [benedictions given to one who hears the pastimes in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita], and it was a very profound experience.

-----

yatha yathatma parimrijyate ’sau
mat-puṇya-gatha-sravanabhidhanaih
tatha tatha pasyati vastu suksmam
caksur yathaivañjana-samprayuktam

“When a diseased eye is treated with medicinal ointment it gradually recovers its power to see. Similarly, as a conscious living entity cleanses himself of material contamination by hearing and chanting the pious narrations of My glories, he gains his ability to see Me, the Absolute Truth in my subtle spiritual form.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.14.26)

Join us with your family & friends for this Sunday, December 28th,2014 from 11:00am to 2:00pm. Hear and associate with His Grace Acarya Thakur Dasa for vedic discourse
→ ISKCON Brampton


Sunday Love Feast

When?
Sunday,Dec 28th,2014
Program starts at 11 am

Where?
6 George Street South
Brampton, Ontario
L6Y 1P3, Canada
Park underground(free) @ City Hall
Phone:416-648-3312

New! Listen
Click here to listen to previous class recordings on our blog
Make a Donation
Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.10
akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā
mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ
tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena
yajeta puruṣaṁ param
Translation
"A person who has broader intelligence, who may be full of all material desire or may be without any material desire, and who also desires liberation, by all means must worship the Supreme Whole Personality of Godhead."
 
Program Schedule
11.00- 11.15      Tulsi Puja                                           
11.15 - 11.30     Guru Puja                                            
11:30 –11:55     Aarti & Kirtan                                      
11.55 - 12.00    Sri Nrsingadeva Prayers                  
12.00 – 1:00     Vedic discourse
  1:00 –  1:30      Closing Kirtan

IB's Monthy Sankirtan Festival(MSF)
Today Dec 26th 2014 from 2pm-4pm @ Heartland Town Centre Mississauga.

We encourage everyone to come out and participate and make Srila Prabhupada happy as this service is highly recommended by His Divine Grace.

For more details please  call us @ # 416.648.3312.

"In this age, chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra is the prime business of the devotee, and preaching of this Hare Krishna Mantra by outdoor Sankirtana and propagation of literature is our more important business. Side by side, Deity worship is recommended, but when there is a question of accepting one of them, we shall prefer to accept chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra first."
Srila Prabhupada(Letter to Hamsaduta – Hamburg 5 September, 1969.)
 

COMING UP AHEAD

Putrada
Fasting.....................on Dec 31st,2014
Breakfast.................on Jan 1st,2014 

Every fortnight, we observe Ekadasi, a day of prayer and meditation. On this day we fast (or simplify our meals and abstain from grains and beans), and spend extra time reading the scriptures and chanting the auspicious Hare Krishna mantra.

New Year's Eve(Grand Kirtan Night)
 Celebration on Dec 31st from 7.30pm-12pm

**Let's welcome 2015 in a devotee way.....Details of the program will be posted shortly**


ON GOING EVERY SUNDAY
Indian Classical Dance Classes
For more info please do contact Syamesvari Devi Dasi at the temple or write to syamesvaridasi@yahoo.com.
The dance is performed mainly with the theme of Infinite love of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.

 
Sunday School

To register,contact us
Email:sundayschool108@gmail.com
Call:647.893.9363

The Sunday School provides fun filled strategies through the medium of music, drama, debates, quizzes and games that present Vedic Culture to children. However the syllabus is also designed to simultaneously teach them to always remember Krishna and never forget Him.
The Sunday School follows the curriculum provided by the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC).
 

Please note that ISKCON Brampton is a nut free environment in order to support those with allergies. Your cooperation is appreciated.

 
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Chant and Be happy

The Room Is Quiet
→ Japa Group

"The room is quiet and except for a dog barking and an early morning bird chirping, and except for the electric fan, I’m enclosed in quiet. It's so important to chant with atten­tion and without disturbance and without agitation of the mind. I've been able to do that pretty well so far here in Trinidad."

From Bhajan Kutir #389
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

New Vrindaban’s Gopisa das discusses Rotis and Spirituality in the land of Bharatavarsha
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Gopisa das recently went, for his first time, on a pilgrimage to India.  First, he traveled to Switzerland, and then on to India.

He wrote a daily journal back to his family, which he shared, below.

DAY 1

Dearest family,

Arrived in Delhi at 1am Sunday morning to an assault on the mind and senses that is hard to put into words. First impression was like walking into a Fellini film of gypsies with a mix of spirituality and subterfuge. There is a palpable air of wonder amidst the bustle of crushing third world humanity and mixed technology of BMWs and rattle-trap trucks with colorful paintings and hubcaps tied to the back. The air is thick and smoky with strange smells that are not necessarily displeasing but carry the awareness that one is not in Moundsville, WV any more.

We’re in the apartment of Kavita having just finished eating rohtis and cream cheese with herbal tea over discussions of identifying the self, giving up the false ego and anticipation of visiting Sri Bankey Bihari.

Coming from Switzerland with its immaculate towns, clean air and water and precision EVERYTHING, it is certainly an exercise in opposites. We leave tomorrow for Varsana and the first leg of our journey, the japa retreat. Till tomorrow!

Love and Krsna to you all!   g

DAY 2

Dearest family,

Today we took a taxi to Varsana. Now in the daylight the world is even more profound. Our tax driver spent as much time honking his horn as he did steering. We dodged everything from motorcycles and covered three wheeled people carriers to bullock carts, one elephant, the ever present trucks and Krsna’s cows that roam calmly through the streets, occasionally laying down in the medium amidst the traffic.

It is all so strange yet familiar. Somehow I feel very calm and undaunted by the filth and poverty. Everything is just as it should be. The insecurity of fathers, wives and children piled on a small motorcycle with no helmets, jousting with death, the electrical transformers close enough to the ground to electrocute the careless and women with machetes stripping branches to be bundled and carried on their heads for sale or fuel…all of it strikes a chord of destiny.

In the first evening of the japa retreat with Sacinandana Swami and Bhurijana Prabhu, we’ve begun our journey into the deeper realms of the Holy Names which are non-different than Krsna Himself. They challenge us with the prospect of revealing Their unlimited splendor of loving pastimes directly in our hearts if we will just call on Them with the kind of sincerity that begs reciprocity.

It is 9 pm, the accommodations are simple but adequate and I’m off to sleep with anticipation of the new day. May Srimati Radharani’s merciful glance watch over us and give us inspiration to call to Her beloved with heart deep prayers of japa.

Love and Krsna to you all! g

DAYS 3 AND ONWARD TO BE PUBLISHED SOON! STAY TUNED!

Gopisa das

Gopisa das

Reminder about New Year’s Bhakti Retreat in New Vrindaban
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

new years official poster

Here’s a reminder!

We would be honored to have your association at New Vrindaban’s New Year’s Bhakti Retreat starting the evening of Wed. Dec. 31, 2014 through Sun. Jan. 3, 2015.

Spend this New Year’s Eve along with your whole family in the scenic, rolling hills of West Virginia, getting spiritually re-charged.  Associate with experienced Prabhupada disciples and listen to their enlivening Krsna Katha and Prabhupada Katha.  Feel the purification of the New Year’s Eve Maha Yajna, and greet the new year in a most auspicious atmosphere.  Attend enlightening devotional workshops, soothing bhajans and ecstatic kirtans. Enjoy sumptuous, healthy Krsna prasad.  Does life get any better than this?

rvc.gold backdrop

Some of the highlights are (times subject to change):
Wed. Dec. 31,2014  –              8:30 to midnight – Kirtan
Thurs. Jan. 1, 2015-             8:00 to 9:00 AM – Special Srimad Bhagavatam Class
10:30 AM -New Year’s Fire Yajna for Auspiciousness

Special Afternoon Classes & Workshops

Afternoon to Evening – Kirtan
Fri. Jan. 2, 2015 –               11:00 AM to 12:30 PM –   Special Presentation in Anticipation of the 2015  50th Anniversary of Prabhupada’s Arrival in   America by HG Sankirtan das

4:30 PM to 6:00 PM – HG Gopal Hari das speaks

Evening Kirtan

Sat. Jan. 3, 2015 –               8:00 to 9:00 AM – Srimad Bhagavatam Class by H G Gopal Hari das

11:00 AM to 12:30 PM – Her Grace Malati dasi speaks Prabhupada Katha

How movies embraced Hinduism (without you even noticing)…
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How movies embraced Hinduism (without you even noticing) (theguardian.com)
“Look at the first Matrix movie,” says producer Peter Rader. “It’s a yogic movie. It says that this world is an illusion. It’s about maya – that if we can cut through the illusions and connect with something larger we can do all sorts of things.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/TnXQhO

New York City Harinam celebrating 33 months!! (Album 9…
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New York City Harinam celebrating 33 months!! (Album 9 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If one wants success in practical yoga practice, it is advised that he take to the chanting of Hare Krishna and he will actually feel himself making progress. In Bhagavad-gita this practice of Krishna consciousness is prescribed as raja-vidya, or the king of all erudition.
(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.15.45 Purport)
See them here: http://goo.gl/bMFVVT

Symptom of a false ego – Radhanath Swami (4 min video) Srila…
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Symptom of a false ego – Radhanath Swami (4 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: A devotee is not afraid of going to hell if he has the opportunity to hear the glories of the Lord constantly. This is the advantage of chanting Hare Krishna. One may be put in any condition, but God gives him the prerogative to chant Hare Krishna. In any condition of life, if one goes on chanting he will never be unhappy. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.15.50 Purport)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/kgdbDU

School children on a visit to the Radha Krishna Temple in Soho,…
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School children on a visit to the Radha Krishna Temple in Soho, London (1 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: If a person does not cry or exhibit bodily changes after chanting Hare Krishna without offense, it is to be understood that he is hardhearted and that therefore his heart does not change even after he chants the holy name of God. These bodily changes can take place due to ecstasy when we offenselessly chant the holy names of God. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.15.25 Purport)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/o14aXD

The householder life is an equal opportunity to go back to…
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The householder life is an equal opportunity to go back to Godhead (3 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: The demigods are pleased when sacrifices are performed, just as prison officers are satisfied when the prisoners are turned into obedient subjects. Lord Caitanya, however, has recommended only one yajna, or sacrifice, called the sankirtana-yajna, the chanting of Hare Krishna, in which everyone can take part. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 1.6.20 Purport)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/dH2Vkn

‘Christmas packages’for all in Budapest, Hungary (Album 48…
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‘Christmas packages’for all in Budapest, Hungary (Album 48 photos)
One eye crying, the other laughing after another one of these large-scale prasad distribution. Crying to see how many people are living in poverty and unhappiness and laughing because we can help them at least a little bit. The pictures reflect this duality. Thank you to everyone who has contributed the least amount of effort in the program!
See them here: http://goo.gl/3lRSm7

Brahmā Describes Vṛndāvana (“Vaikuṇṭha”)
→ The Enquirer

Vaikuṇṭha is the most desirable abode. Everything there is absolute unity in tangible form. The All-Attractive Original Person, whom words yearn to describe, personally resides there, exhibiting radiantly pure existence and showering his companions with ever-increasing joy.

Everyone there has a body free from limitation or trouble. They have no duty except to follow their constant inspiration to adore Hari.

The trees of that wonderful realm fulfill all wishes in response to the sound of Hari’s all-auspicious name…

I was not aware of this detail before, “in response to the sound of Hari’s all-auspicious name.” I always knew that Vṛndāvana trees are kalpa-vṛkṣa (wishing-trees), but I didn’t know how to “rub the genie-bottle.” The gist of this detail is that we have to chant Krishna’s name to have our wishes fulfilled. One who chants for a devotee attains every blessing.

…In the forests of that realm, all of nature’s seasons are resplendently beautiful and opulent.

This is pramāṇa for the Goswāmī’s description of Vṛndāvana having six seasonal forests.

The place abounds with delightful fragrances of so many exotic flowers, but all of them respectfully worship Tulasī, because, after great effort, she gained the honor of always being worn as Hari’s necklace.

Their fragrance of the residents of that realm makes even the honey of blossoming lotus flowers feel envious. They wander in splendid vehicles, constantly singing amongst friends about Hari’s deeds, glorifying him as their faultless husband.

Aindra prabhu’s activities in New York city prior to coming to Vṛndāvana mirror these. He created a splendid vehicle and traveled about glorifying Krishna in madhurya-kīrtan amongst his friends. 

Everyone in that abode sings together in kīrtan ~ even the turtle-doves, cuckoos, swans, cakravāka, cranes, partridges, and peacocks. But they all stop to listen when the foremost of all bumblebees begins very loudly singing Hari Kathā!

Perhaps the “foremost of bumblebees” is the supreme bhakti-rasa-āśrayī, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī?

Everyone there is exclusively devoted to Hari’s feet. They cannot be stimulated by any selfish lust because their entire existence is enrapt in Krishna.

This is pramāṇa that we who are currently enrapt in selfish lust did not literally have a former position directly active in Vaikuṇṭha.

Thus, with voluptuous hips in delightful postures and coy smiles decorating their beautiful faces, they laugh intimately with Hari as they travel together in vehicles made of gold, emerald, and opal.

This is very special. First Brahmā stipulates that there is no scope for lust, then he describes how the Lakṣmīs/gopīs therefore can fully utilize sensual, romantic beauty for the delight of Śrī Hari. It is fundamentally different in character from the sensuality we are familiar with, which is fully scoped within lust. The primary trait evidencing this distinction is that it is very carefree.

The Goddess of Personified Beauty, whose blessing everyone works hard to attain, wanders amidst the crystal golden hallways of Hari’s house, creating beautiful music with the bells on her lotus feet, and holding a lotus in her hand.

Everyone is looking for beauty and love, but beauty and love (personified as Śrī Rādhā) is looking for (and eternally finding) All-Attractive Hari. Therefore if we look for All-Attractive Hari, we will automatically find beauty and love.

We have to endeavor with concentration to create musical beauty, but musical beauty which surpasses the compositions of history’s greatest virtuosos effortlessly emanates from Śrī Rādhā’s ankle bells.

When she sees herself reflected in the sparkling walls, she sees a maidservant sweeping the halls, because her humble heart is so faultless and pure.

Isn’t this so nice? Rādhārāṇī is the origin of all virtues. The essence of beauty is the service of the all attractive. Śrī Rādhā sees her most beautiful quality as her desire to serve him in any way. Thus she sees a broom in her hand, rather than a lotus.

The friends who surround her worship Hari with Tulasī garlands in their own forest gardens.

This is pramāṇa against the notion that Śrī Rādhā’s friends and servants never have any personal association with Hari directly.

On coral sands bordering ponds of pristine, nectarean water, they glance at the reflection of their faces. When they see their incredibly beautiful hair and faultlessly refined nose, they think, “Hari’s kisses are the elixir of our beauty!”

The ultimate cosmetic is kṛṣṇādharāmṛta – the nectar from Krishna’s kisses.

This is from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Canto Three, Chapter 15, Texts 13 ~ 22


December 25, Bhaktivedanta Manor, London
Giriraj Swami

12.25-14_LondonGiriraj Swami read and spoke from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 15 text 158.

“Srila Vasudeva Datta knew very well that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was the original Personality of Godhead, Transcendence itself, above the material conception of illusion and maya. Lord Jesus Christ certainly finished the sinful reactions of his followers by his mercy, but that does not mean he completely delivered them from the pangs of material existence. A person may be relieved from sins once, but it is a practice among Christians to confess sins and yet commit them again. By getting freed from sins and again engaging in them, one cannot attain freedom from the pangs of material existence. A diseased person may go to a physician for relief, but after he leaves the hospital he may again be infected due to his unclean habits. Thus material existence continues.” — CC Madhya 15.163 purport.

“Giriraj Swami: We have the same tendency: to abuse the provisions of the scripture — and that is offensive — to commit sin on the strength of the chanting of the Holy Name. We make a transgression on either the subtle or gross level and think that because we are devotees and are chanting the Holy Names we won’t have to suffer the reaction. We take to the process of Krishna consciousness, we surrender to the spiritual master, we become free from sinful reactions but we have to be very careful not to engage again. The best protection is to keep association with devotees. Otherwise if we start straying from the association and get influenced by other people — man is a social animal, they will have different ideas and we can fall away. We have to cling very closely to the association of devotees. And from that position of strength we can go out and help others.”

CC Madhya 15, 158

Predictions vs. protection
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 10 October 2014, Melbourne, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 3.3.18)

Sunday Deity Darshan 180_eThere was a pujari in Mayapur, in the early days, worshipping Radha Madhava. He was a grhasta; he had a family and a few children.

One day, he went to an astrologer and an astrologer who looked at his chart and his palm and he said, “Oh, within three months from now, you will leave your family and you will start a new family.”

He said, “Ah, come on, you know. Nah, that is too much!” Time went by. Six months went by. Nothing happened. “He is a useless astrologer.”

One day, he was again in Calcutta and he walked passed the astrologer and he thought, “Let me drop in and let me tell him that his prediction did not come true.”
So he said, “You know, you made that prediction within three months, I shall leave my family etc. etc. Nothing happened. Six months passed. Nothing happened.”
The astrologer said, “Okay. Let me do a calculation and see why.”
So, he did a calculation and he said, “According the calculation, it shows that the deity that you are worshipping has protected you.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I could have said that also.” So he did not immediately believe it.

But then, then shortly after that he got a business offer and the business offer meant that he had to move to Calcutta. He gave up his service to the deity that he had been worshipping for many years, Radha Madhava in Mayapur. He went to do business and then it happened! Within two months, this lady appeared and somehow or other, it was Kamadeva, Cupid and this and that and you know, and he left his family and he left everything and started a new life, somewhere else. Okay, that may happen and I mean, I hope that everything is going well for him and for everyone else. The reason why I am telling this story is to show that the deity actually did protect. The deity did protect all along.

3436003717_0e0779d823_b (1)So Radha Vallabha is protecting us here (in Melbourne). Radha-Vallabha knows very well who comes for mangal-arati. Oh yes, they come every day for mangal-arati and that one never comes. The one who comes every day, I will give some special protection. Yes, the other one, a little less.

ye yatha mam prapadyante 
tams tathaiva bhajamy aham (Bhagavad-gita 4.11)

As you surrender unto me, I reward you accordingly. That is Radha Vallabha, very personal…yes. Hmmm (laughing). Anyway Gaura-Nitai are very merciful… very merciful and because Gaura-Nitai are the presiding deities of the yuga, their influence touches all the others also. Radha-Krsna are especially merciful now. Radha Vallabha especially merciful at the moment and Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra also. So there is a lot of mercy to get and that protects us. That protects us. It is like that.

Friendship of the Devotees
→ simple thoughts

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About this time here on my blog I write a small summery of the year and my thoughts, this year I was going to give it a miss however whilst reflecting the highs and lows the one thing that has sustained me in devotional life is very caring friendship’s.
Reflecting on how if I want to understand were I’m at in devotional life it is simply a deep look at whom I associate with the most; and I have many truly amazing devotee friends for if I didn’t have their association no spiritual progress could be made.
Those who’s vision simply sees good even if their is non, and who lovingly smile when mistakes are made, who by their simple smile brings more encouragement than words to those whose words of correction is timed and given with great compassion.
Were would I be without each and everyone of them?
Staring into an empty glass lamenting what was and what could have been, opportunities lost and a love that never was?
But somehow or other in this lifetime I had a gift given to me directly from Sri Krishna that of association with the devotees of the lord a fact many many times I have neglected; ow what fool I am.
So as I simply reflect on a year that has had more downs than up, great disappointments and the false ego kicked rather than massaged; the greatest friends one could every wish for were their picking me up, brushing me down and keeping me focused on my own spiritual progress.
My pray them is simply this may I never loose the association and friendships of the devotees for without them my heart and mind will be more of a plaything for maya.
Hare Krishna

Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Dome is Rising (Album 8 photos) The design of…
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Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Dome is Rising (Album 8 photos)
The design of the TOVP is such that it will have three domes; one main dome in the center, flanked by two smaller domes on either side. The main dome is 58 meters (198 feet) in height and the two side domes are 30 meters (98 feet) and will be taller than Srila Prabhupada’s samadhi. Under the main dome will reside the Deities on Their altar along with the Vedic chandelier/planetarium. Under the left smaller dome will be the Exhibits Wing. And under the right dome, Lord Nrsimhadeva on His beautiful marble and gold altar will reside.
Each small dome will be composed of four stainless steel rings, and each ring will consist of eight segments. We are planning to build both of the small domes at the same time. When the first two segments of Lord Nrsimhadeva’s dome will be in place we will start work on the left dome over the Exhibits Wing.
Work has now begun on the dome above Lord Nrsinghadeva’s altar and the first segment has just been lifted into place. Two cranes are involved in this procedure, one outside and one inside the TOVP structure.
It’s so exciting to see how the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium is coming up! We are blessed to be able to witness the daily progress of this historic project taking place.
See them here: http://goo.gl/nN7fA7