The very good news we received is that Gopal Krishna Goswami, who was Covid 19 positive, is now safe, returned from the hospital, and is placed in a restful situation in Delhi. The collective prayers by devotees worldwide have had their effect. We are grateful to God!
Our staircase kirtan,over the past few days, have been dedicated to his recovery and today a few more participants came around, specifically for the experience of chanting; some of whom come for a meal at “Govinda's” as well as chances for chanting on the side. Pedestrians noticed. Neighbours are approving by their nods. Motorists who stop at the corner, where the kirtanis vibrantly alive next to them, become surprised that someone is out there singing. What for? That’s anyone’s guess.
Of those chanters, a third of them came to also accompany me on my japa walk to Christie Pits Park, including Chris from Hamilton. Rain descended, but in spurts. Actually the cool wetness was very much welcome and it was as if the gods from heaven were showering flowers upon us.
We met with Vishal at Christie Pits Park and we indulged in our usual topic of community development; especially in the rural areas. Being in the core of the big city, despite having green space, we are far removed from farmland. However, we concluded that it is a challenge for most people to take to the simple life, although it is possible to encourage practical connection between the urban and the rural. May divinity be at their centre.
It happens infrequently but there are times when I feel trite and dried-up. This life of bhaktiis very exhilarating, but there are moments when the fuel seems to run out. Such slump periods are only beckoning for a slight change in the grasp for fresh air.
I have found over the years that I sometimes have to shift gears and do something that excites. For me that is drama. Steven, Balarama and Savyasacin came over last night, masked, and we began to go over our lines on the latest production, “Rolling the Dice.”
Essentially it is a story of greed. I am reminded of the play, “The Little Foxes” by playwright, Lilian Hellman. Whether it is Duryodhana in the Mahabharata or Regina in “The Little Foxes”, the lust for power or position are at the heart of this “want.”
Our endeavour, theatrically, is a service and an offering to Krishna. I recall how fond our guru, Prabhupada, was of dramatical presentations. That then became an impetus for me to give some attention to this very special service.
Duryodhana has a blind father, who happens to be the king. Being blind, physically and spiritually, can be most overbearing. As the story goes, the whole population of the kingdom suffers for this. Whatever the leader does, in their behavior and decisions, impacts all the citizens. When Krishna reigned as king of the district of Dwarka the people were very content. They loved him.
Centralization, Decentralization and Dharma – The Monk’s Podcast with Govinda Prabhu
Summary from 2.00.08:
We were talking about how democracy represents humanity in the system of governance. And then you as you said that that’s what we had in India because there was knowledge at the top and at the bottom. Whether it is like epics like Rama being rendered in vernacular languages, or even knowledge base, working knowledge of astronomy, and other meteorology and other things, it was there with the experts and the common people. So, this democratization of knowledge which can say which one said represents power, this was there in various fields systems of governance, but also they were distributed. So, every village was self-sufficient, and every village had its even within the village, each community, they had their own hierarchy. They had their own hierarchy, and people could rise and succeed and get their own sense of identity there. So, the king there was capitalism in the sense that the Kings had power, but the King’s power was not making laws which apply for everyone but preserving laws which were defined by different people according to their particular local systems or local customs. So, we had, we could say almost the left values at the bottom level and right values at the top level.
And the idea of taking individual responsibility. The beautiful point, you said that our limitations are temporary, but our potentials are our own, they’re lasting, because at the core, we are souls. So, with this understanding, there is the assertion of the individual. the dignity of the individual was also part of not just something that came with Judeo Christian tradition, but it was there in our tradition also and that’s how we have been great saintly people were targeted, victimized, and they didn’t expect some rescuer to come but they withstood it and they themselves rose to glory. And whenever there was because power was decentralized, whenever there was a winner, there was abuse of power. Also, it was more of an individual abusing power, rather than a whole system, exploiting someone. And that’s why we have the works of the persecuted saints also available as a legacy today, it’s not wiped out.
We discuss elaborately about the caste system. So, the caste system is perceived as discriminatory, but within each caste also people had their dignity. And like you said that Guha was a king, although he was in one sense an outcast, and Nand Maharaj was a King. So, Manu says that everyone should be independent, and people had their respect. So, to some extent, the imposition of an external definition of success leads to the perception the caste system was very discriminatory, but the caste system gave autonomy for people to succeed along different channels. And to the extent there is discrimination we discussed especially against those who are handling, say human excreta. So that was unfortunate. But even that was not to that great extent, because the systems of sanitation were different in the past. And that is also exaggerated as far as then whatever his condition is there, that’s a universal human evil that every country and every civilization is prone to. So, we can’t label a civilization as bad, we can look at the bad in the civilization and see how it can be rectified. And there was a tradition of reform quite actively in India also whenever customs discrimination came up.
And then we compare, say with respect to the left and the right, so the left has become very influential. You said the left can be more violent than even terrorists because it’s very subtle and sophisticated. So they put family members against family members. The family in the system of tyranny or nation as a state system of tyranny, religion as a system of tyranny in replacing that they themselves centralize power. So quite often, the left starts with love for the poor, but it ends up with hatred for the wealthy. And something that is driven by hatred, that cannot really solve any problems that will only aggravate problems. Even if some people are virtuous within that, and they really redistribute wealth and redistribute things well, they’ll be replaced by someone else who will be tyrannical. So in that sense, distributing is evoking individuals to grow by taking responsibility. That’s the way forward.
We discuss why the left becomes so powerful. One major reason is they had a long term vision by which they penetrated the centres of influence, the universities, the media, and we as a dharmic traditions, we could say the right focused more on the visible centres of piety like temples. And there was also the separation of the priesthood from scholarship. And so that’s why when now the younger generation as they go into the education system, they may have some faith which they got from there, as you said, right wing, they are right to right wing faith, but they have left wing values or psychologically, they are like that. And that becomes very disruptive. So, the way ahead will be that we see that our internet Hindus who are coming up and there are people from the STEM fields, who are now awakening and trying to understand and share dharma. And, we as individuals, we understand that the battle between good and evil is eternal. And we must play our part in that. And if we keep playing our part, not with the goal of eliminating evil, we don’t we don’t know. It’s not like violence to destroy, but we want to have justice so that there is a fair representation of things. So, if we do our part, then Krishna has a plan and additional users in his plan the way that he sees fit.
And then the last one more important than charismatic gurus are, say, rational presentation of spirituality, from the top to the bottom systematically that rationality can be taught and that can lead to some overall change in society. Anything you’d like to add or conclude?
With a smile on His lotus face, Lord Krsna suddenly appeared before the gopis. Wearing a garland and a yellow garment, He looked as if He could bewilder the mind of Cupid, who himself bewilders the minds of ordinary people.
Staying true to ISKCON’s Founder Acharya, AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s, vision that peace and prosperity be brought to the world through the distribution of sanctified vegetarian meals prepared with love and devotion, ISKCON Melbourne has continued to reach wide and far taking part in the distribution of nutritious FREE vegetarian meals. Continue reading "Hare Krishna Melbourne Australia provides Food relief during the COVID-19 pandemic → Dandavats"
To glorify the reading of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada's transcendental books during the International Shravanam Week, we present the following. Please help spread the message and celebrate by organizing this festival in your zones. On how to celebrate it in Six simple steps and with just 15 minutes, everyone can participate. Continue reading "Day Four: International Shravanam Week → Dandavats"
My plan for the day was sweet and simple. But a phone call at 8.30am froze me in my tracks – Mataji, it looks like your neighbor has COVID-19. You’ll be in quarantine for some time – leaving your apartment right now is not an option.
My mind’s response was…KRISHNAAA! GIVE ME A BREAK!
Then I heard a loud and persistent buzz. It was my phone. A very dear friend had sent me a message... Continue reading "Krsnaaaa Give Me a Break!!! → Dandavats"
Arjuna was a warrior, a ksatriya. A warrior is so by intrinsic quality, not by external denomination. For him, to desert an important battle and take the path of a hermit in the forest would have been artificial. Artificial things don't match one's internal quality or genuine predisposition. So, they deprive one from the strength coming from within. Without this internal force, any goal, material or spiritual, would be hard to pursue in the long run. Continue reading "Choosing the real → Dandavats"
Jagannatha Kirtanananda Das is speaking to HG Acyutananda Das on the ‘Life with Srila Prabhupada’. Don’t miss the chance to hear from one of Srila Prabhupada’s early disciples!
During the day, when Krsna goes to the forest to herd the cows with His friends, the gopis in Vrndavana village sing of Him as follows: “Krsna moves about the forest in the company of His friends, who vividly chant the glories of His magnificent deeds.
During the recent GBC Annual General Meeting 2020 at Sridham Mayapur, the GBC considered a proposal from ISKCON’s Ministry of Education to include a week in ISKCON’s calendar, dedicated to promoting the regular reading of Srila Prabhupada books. GBC body resolved to celebrate this festival during the week leading up to Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in America, i.e. 3rd to 9th September 2020.
Jagattarini Mataji, Artistic Director at The Sacred India Gallery in Australia, joins us with an important message on gumnut puppets and the greatness of a simple mood of service!
प्रश्न: जब हम कुछ गलत होता देखते हैं तो क्या हमें विनम्रतापूर्वक सहन करना चाहिए या न्याय के लिए लड़ना चाहिए?
उत्तर: सामान्यतः हमारे जीवन में कोई भी निर्णय तीन बातों पर निर्भर करता है – पद, प्रकृति और परिस्थिति। अर्थात, हमें लड़ना चाहिए या नहीं यह इन तीनों बातों पर निर्भर करेगा (i) परिस्थिति में हमारी भूमिका क्या है (ii) हमारी प्रकृति अथवा हमारा स्वभाव कैसा है, और (iii) वह परिस्थिति क्या है।
आइए इन तीनों बातों पर एक-एक करके चर्चा करते हैं।
(i) परिस्थिति में हमारी भूमिका क्या है: कई बार फिल्मों में हम देखते हैं कि समाज में उपजी किसी बुराई से लड़ने के लिए समाज का एक व्यक्ति हथियार उठा लेता है और गलत काम करने वालों को न्याय करने के नाम पर मार देता है। किन्तु यह दुनिया ऐसे नहीं चल सकती। किसी विकसित संवेदनशील समाज में फैले अन्याय को ठीक करना ऐसे लोगों द्वारा होना चाहिए जिनके पास ऐसा करने का अधिकार हो, उदाहरणार्थ – सरकार अथवा पुलिस। यदि कोई व्यक्ति उपद्रव फैला रहा है, तो सामान्य नागरिक ऐसे ही किसी उपद्रवी को गोली नहीं मार सकता। हमें ऐसी घटनाओं की सूचना पुलिस को देनी चाहिए। यदि कोई उपद्रवी हमें मारने का प्रयास कर रहा हो और हम अपना बचाव करते हुए उसे मार देते हैं, तो यह एक पूर्णतया अलग स्थिति है।
सामान्यतः, व्यक्तिगत स्तर पर, सहन करना और क्षमा करना ही सर्वोत्तम है। भक्तों के समुदायों सहित इस जगत में हम बहुत कुछ गलत होता देखते रहते हैं, और यदि हर कोई हर किसी को उचित-अनुचित का पाठ पढ़ाना आरम्भ कर दे, तो इससे चारों ओर नकारात्मकता, क्रोध और असुरक्षा की भावना ही फैलेगी। कुल मिलाकर, हमें सम्मान की और एक दूसरे के दोषों को अनदेखा करने की संस्कृति को बढावा देना चाहिए। गीता १६.२ में, भगवान श्रीकृष्ण कहते हैं कि अपैशुनम् (दोषदर्शन अथवा छिद्रान्वेषण में अरुचि) दैवी स्वभाव वालों की विशेषता है।
किन्तु, यदि कोई गंभीर रूप से गलत कार्य कर रहा है, जैसे धन की हेराफेरी, तो अधिकारियों को सूचित करना सबसे उचित निर्णय होगा। यदि हम ही उस परिस्थिति में अधिकारी के पद पर हैं, तो हमें उचित कार्यवाही करनी चाहिए। यहाँ हमें सहनशीलता या अनदेखी नहीं करनी चाहिए। साथ ही, हमें यह समझने की आवश्यकता है कि किसी भी सुधार को क्रियान्वित करने के लिए आपस में स्नेह और विश्वास का सम्बन्ध होना चाहिए। कोई भी कार्यवाही इस प्रकार करना चाहिए कि दूसरा व्यक्ति अपमानित न अनुभव करे। हमें उनके सम्मान का ध्यान रखना चाहिए ताकि वे समुदाय एवं भक्ति में बने रहें।
हमें यह ध्यान रखना होगा कि आलोचना करने का अधिकार ऐसे ही नहीं मिलता, उसे अर्जित किया जाता है। यह अधिकार बहुत प्रयास के बाद ही प्राप्त होता है किन्तु मात्र छोटी सी भूल से खो दिया जाता है। कई बार समस्याएँ जब पैदा होती हैं जब हम यह मान बैठते हैं कि हमें वास्तव में आलोचना करने का अधिकार है, भले ही हम वह आलोचना रचनात्मक दृष्टिकोण से ही क्यों न कर रहे हों।
यदि कहीं अन्याय हो रहा है और हम कार्यवाही करने की शक्ति और अधिकार होने के बाद भी उसे अनदेखा कर देते हैं, तो यह कर्तव्य की अवहेलना होगी। द्रौपदी का अपमान होने पर भीष्म का चुप रहना एक ऐसा ही उदाहरण है। भीष्म को अपना कर्तव्य न निभाने के कारण मरना पड़ा। अतः, यदि हमारे पास अधिकार हैं, तो निश्चित रूप से हमें अन्याय को दूर करने के लिए कदम उठाने की आवश्यकता है।
गीता में हम देखते हैं कि अर्जुन एक क्षत्रिय है किन्तु वह एक ब्राह्मण की भाँति आचरण कर रहा है। एक ब्राह्मण की भाँति, वह उन लोगों को क्षमा करना चाहता है जो उसे ही चोट पहुँचा रहे हैं, यह जानते हुए भी कि एक क्षत्रिय होने के नाते, दुर्बलों की रक्षा करना उसका कर्तव्य है। इस कर्तव्य को निभाने में विफल होने पर उसके विरोधी न केवल अर्जुन को अपितु समाज के अन्य लोगों को भी हानि पहुँचाऐंगे।
गीता के पहले अध्याय में, श्रील प्रभुपाद कहते हैं – क्षमा एक व्यक्तिगत गुण है, यह किसी सरकार अथवा राज्य की नीति नहीं हो सकती। कोई व्यक्ति किसी ऐसे व्यक्ति को क्षमा कर सकता है जिसने उसे चोट पहुँचाई हो, किन्तु अदालतें सभी अपराधियों को क्षमा नहीं कर सकतीं। यदि चीन भारत पर हमला करे और भारत कहे कि हम आपको क्षमा करते हैं, तो चीन हमारे सारे क्षेत्र पर कब्जा कर लेगा। व्यक्तिगत स्तर पर सद्गुणों को विकसित करना अच्छा है किन्तु सभी सद्गुणों को कानूनी अथवा सरकारी नीति के रूप में नहीं अपनाया जा सकता।
(ii) हमारा स्वभाव कैसा है: हमारी भूमिका के अतिरिक्त, बहुत कुछ व्यक्तिगत स्वभाव पर भी निर्भर करता है। सभी पाँचों पाण्डव क्षत्रिय थे लेकिन उनमें से युधिष्ठिर के स्वभाव में ब्राह्मण के गुण अधिक थे जबकि भीम शुद्ध क्षत्रिय स्वभाव का था। छोटे से उकसावे पर भी, भीम लड़ने के लिए उतावला हो जाता, जबकि युधिष्ठिर शान्ति से समस्या का हल करने का प्रयास करते। कभी-कभी तो वे कुछ अधिक ही सहन करने का सुझाव दे देते थे। जब विराट के राज्य में, कीचक ने द्रौपदी से छेड़छाड़ करने का प्रयास किया, तो युधिष्ठिर ने द्रौपदी को इस दुर्व्यवहार को सहने का सुझाव दिया। द्रौपदी ने यह सुझाव नहीं माना, क्योंकि वह जानती थी कि कीचक सुधरने वाला नहीं। वह भीम के पास गई और भीम ने कीचक को उचित सबक सिखाया। यहाँ यह बात समझने वाली है कि हालाँकि धर्म के सिद्धांत सार्वभौमिक हैं, किन्तु धर्म का आचरण व्यक्तिगत है। ऐसा सम्भव है कि दो लोग धर्म का पालन कर रहे हों किन्तु उनका पालन करने की विधि भिन्न हो सकती है।
(iii) वह परिस्थिति क्या है: जब श्रील प्रभुपाद ने देखा कि गौड़ीय मठ (श्रील प्रभुपाद के गुरु द्वारा स्थापित संस्था) कृष्णभक्ति का प्रचार में अधिक प्रयास नहीं कर रहा है, तो उन्होंने अपने गुरु भाइयों को उकसाया कि वे प्रचार पर ध्यान दें। एक प्रकार से यह धृष्टता थी क्योंकि श्रील प्रभुपाद एक गृहस्थ थे और मठ के बाहरी व्यक्ति थे और उनके गुरुभाई सन्यासी थे और मठ में कार्यरत थे। श्रील प्रभुपाद उनकी आलोचना करते कि उनके गुरुभाई मात्र खा-पीकर संतुष्ट हैं, अपने-अपने मठों में चैन से जीवन बिता रहे हैं और मात्र गुरुदेव को व्यास-पूजा पर पुष्प चढ़ाकर अपने कर्तव्य की भरपाई कर रहे हैं, जबकि गुरुदेव का मिशन दम तोड़ रहा है। जब उन्होंने देखा कि इतना कहने पर भी उनके गुरु-भाइयों के कानों पर कोई जूँ नहीं रेंगी, तो उन्होंने अनुभव किया कि इस परिस्थिति को बदलना व्यर्थ होगा। अतः उन्होंने इस्कॉन संस्था आरम्भ की। एक अनुभवी व्यापारी होने के नाते वे अपनी एक स्वतंत्र संस्था आरम्भ कर सके। श्रील प्रभुपाद ने इस्कॉन की स्थापना स्वयं को सर्वेसर्वा स्थापित करने के लिए नहीं किन्तु कृष्णभक्ति के प्रचार के उद्देश्य को पूरा करने के लिए की थी। उन्होंने पूरी निष्ठा के साथ इस्कॉन की स्थापना की और हम सभी इस उत्कृष्ट संस्था के लाभार्थी हैं!
निश्चित रूप से, यदि कुछ गलत है, तो हमें इसे ठीक करने का दायित्व लेना चाहिए, किन्तु हमें देखना होगा कि क्या वास्तव में यह सीधे-सीधे हमारे अधिकार क्षेत्र में है। ऐसी परिस्थिति में हम वरिष्ठ भक्तों से अथवा अपने हृदय में स्थित परमात्मा से परामर्श कर सकते हैं, और फिर अपना निर्णय लें। यदि हम ऐसा करते हैं, तो हम श्रीकृष्ण की सेवा के भाव से कार्य कर रहे हैं और सुधार का हमारा प्रयास वास्तव में कुछ रचनात्मक परिणाम दे पाएगा। किन्तु यदि हम श्रीकृष्ण से नहीं जुड़े हुए हैं, पर अपनी अलगाववादी मानसिकता के कारण एक सुधारक के रूप में कार्य करते हैं, तो भले ही हम विशुद्ध रूप से प्रेरित क्यों न हों, हम परिस्थिति को मात्र अस्थायी रूप से ही ठीक कर पाऐंगे।
श्रील प्रभुपाद के गुरु, श्रील भक्तिसिद्धांत सरस्वती ठाकुर का एक उकसाने वाला उद्धरण है, जिसमें वे कहते हैं कि जगत को किसी सुधारक की आवश्यकता नहीं है और जो ऐसा सोचता है, यह उनकी अपनी मानसिकता है जिसे सुधार की आवश्यकता है। यहाँ उनका अर्थ यह नहीं है कि स्थिति को सुधारने की आवश्यकता नहीं है। उनका आशय यह है कि जगत पहले से ही एक सर्वश्रेष्ठ विशेषज्ञ के नियंत्रण में है; जगत को हमारे नियंत्रण की आवश्यकता नहीं है। हमें स्व-नियुक्त सुधारक नहीं बनना चाहिए। सर्वप्रथम, हमें सर्वोच्च सुधारक अर्थात भगवान का सेवक बनने का प्रयास करना चाहिए।
अंत में, परिस्थितियों को सुधारने की आवश्यकता है किन्तु सबसे पहले इस मानसिकता को सुधारना होगा कि “मैं परिस्थिति को सुधारूंगा”। हमें सबसे पहले श्रीकृष्ण से जुड़ना होगा और श्रीकृष्ण के एक सेवक के रूप में कार्य करना होगा। तभी हम परिस्थिति को इस प्रकार सुधार सकेंगे जो चिरस्थायी होगा।
The wonderful and enchanting history of the month of Purushottama is a long one that takes the personified adhik maas to the highest spiritual realm of Goloka Vrindaban, where she is blessed by Lord Krishna to have 1000 times more benefits to the observer of devotional vows than the month of Damodar.
Purushottama Maas comes every three years and is an extra month in the Vedic calendar that is inserted to keep the lunar and solar calendars aligned. It is during this time that devotional practices and vows are highly beneficial.
Lord Sri Krishna said (Padma Purana):
“All human beings should perform some devotional service in this Purushottama month by:
Worshipping Me, Sri Krishna, by chanting My holy name
Study of Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, particularly Chapter 15, Purushottama Yoga
Giving in charity
Offering ghee diya (lamp) daily
We encourage all devotees to consider using this auspicious time from September 18 – October 16 to make a donation towards the grand installation of the new Prabhupada murti in the TOVP or complete your pledge. Completing your pledge by December, 2020 will simultaneously also include your name in the TOVP Book of Devotion offering to Srila Prabhupada on his 125th Vyasa Puja Anniversary in August, 2021.
To sponsor an abhisheka for the historic grand installation of the new Prabhupada murti in the TOVP in February, 2021 go HERE.
An initiative of Ministry of Education, International Shravanam week is a week dedicated to enhancing the culture of reading Srila Prabhupada Books globally. In this Video, HH Jayapataka Swami speaks on importance of reading Srila Prabhupada’s books.
Srila Prabhupada: I planned that I must go to America. Generally they go to London, but I did not want to go to London. I was simply thinking how to go to New York. I was scheming, “Whether I shall go this way, through Tokyo, Japan, or that way? Which way is cheaper?” That was my proposal. And I was targeting to New York always. Sometimes I was dreaming that I have come to New York.
—Jaladuta diary September 10, 1965
The Jaladuta is a regular cargo carrier of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company, but there is a passenger cabin aboard. During the voyage from Calcutta to New York in August and September of 1965, the cabin was occupied by “Sri Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami,” whose age was listed as sixty-nine and who was taken on board bearing “a complimentary ticket with food.”
On the nineteenth of September the Jaladuta sailed into New York Harbour and docked at a Brooklyn pier, at Seventeenth Street. Srila Prabhupada saw the awesome Manhattan skyline, the Empire State Building, and, like millions of visitors and immigrants in the past, the Statue of Liberty.
Srila Prabhupada was dressed appropriately for a resident of Vrindavan. He wore kanthi-mala (neck beads) and a simple cotton dhoti, and he carried japa-mala (chanting beads) and an old chadar, or shawl. His complexion was golden, his head shaven, sikha in the back, his forehead decorated with the whitish Vaishnava tilaka.
He wore pointed white rubber slippers, not uncommon for sadhus in India. But who in New York had ever seen or dreamed of anyone appearing like this Vaishnava? He was possibly the first Vaishnava sannyasi to arrive in New York with uncompromised appearance. Of course, New Yorkers have an expertise in not giving much attention to any kind of strange new arrival.
However, Srila Prabhupada was no ordinary person. From there he started his world wide movement: The International Society for Krsna Consciousness.
Have you ever asked yourself: What keeps holding me back despite my best efforts to advance and break the chain of undesirable habits? The answer, more often than not, is our karma. To be more precise, it’s the part of our karma that must be experienced and cannot be mitigated even through various methods like austerities or sacrifices. Such unavoidable karma is called prarabdha karma.
If you click the above link from your desktop or laptop, you will be able to join directly
If you click this link from your cell phone or IPAD etc, you will have to download the Zoom application (less than a minute to download)
H.G. Dravida das
A disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Dravida dasa joined ISKCON in 1973 and has served as an editor and proofreader for the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust for over 45 years. From 1983 to 1989 he was part of the team that completed Srila Prabhupada’s magnum opus: a commentated English translation of India's jewel of Vedic wisdom, the 18,000-verse Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana). He also helped produce the revised editions of Srila Prabhupada’s Isopanisad, Krsna Book, Caitanya-Caritamrta, and Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and he is part of the team that produces Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja book every year. In addition to his editing work, he teaches Bhakti Yoga classes at ISKCON’s San Diego temple and other centres in North America.
Throughout all this immersion in transcendental literature, Dravida Dasa developed a love of the Sanskrit language, and especially the elaborate verses of the Bhagavatam and other works of bhakti literature.
His devotion and expertise in chanting form a marvellous combination. He has a been Brahmacari throughout his devotional career.
Ganga Devi Sheth a 32 year old (formerly) healthy woman & dancer who is on day 163 of having COVID-19. She has kindly agreed to share her experiences with Gopal Bhatta Das from the GBC STP, of what it means to live with COVID-19 for such a long time now.
Ganga Devi Sheth a 32 year old (formerly) healthy woman & dancer who is on day 163 of having COVID-19. She has kindly agreed to share her experiences with Gopal Bhatta Das from the GBC STP, of what it means to live with COVID-19 for such a long time now.
Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 16, No. 16 By Krishna Kripa Das (August 2020, part two) Tallahassee (Sent from Tallahassee on September 5, 2020)
Where I Went and What I Did
I left Orlando after five weeks of pujari service and daily chanting in a park near the ISKCON Orlando temple. I spent a day in Alachua, going through the belongings I had stashed in the shed of a friend, Sthita-dhi Muni Prabhu, throwing out about almost half of the stuff, leaving some, and taking the rest with me on to Tallahassee. When I left Tallahassee five weeks ago, the plan was to close the temple, but Ramiya Prabhu and I realized that neither of us wanted to do that. He volunteered to see how we could repair it for cheaper and helped finance that, and I said I would pay the mortgage through December with money I got from unemployment insurance and assist with the spiritual programs during the reconstruction. Janardana Prabhu offered to assist with the repairs, and Jahnudvipa Prabhu, who used to cook for 150–200 students at the Santa Fe Community College Krishna Lunch, offered to cook and do the deity worship. We decided to revive our FSU Krishna Lunch program, starting the first week of classes for the fall of 2020, on a pickup and delivery basis, as it had been from April 6 through July 10. I also maintained my three hours of public chanting each day, except for the first three days of Krishna Lunch, when I only chanted for two hours, as taking orders and serving them out took so much time out of my life. From April to July, I chanted on the porch of the temple each day, but in August I went to Lake Ella park on the weekends and the Florida State University campus during the week, once the fall semester classes started. I stayed six feet away from people, both in the park and on the campus, and on the campus I also wore a mask, as the University requires. Some days one, two, or even three devotees joined me.
I share wonderful quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s lectures and books, especially from Sri Caitanya-caritamrita and The Nectar of Devotion. I share great realizations about transcending the illusory suffering of this world by the Avanti brahmana in the “Uddhava Gita” section of Srimad-Bhagavatam. I also share lots of relishable excerpts from the books and journals of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on a class by Bhakti Charu Swami on Bhaktivinoda Thakura.
Thanks to Sri Govinda Bhasya for allowing us to use his phone to do the Facebook Live video of us chanting Hare Krishna at Lake Ella. Thanks to Janardana Prabhu for taking the photos of me serving Krishna Lunch. Thanks to Jorge for taking the video of Sri Govinda Bhasya chanting on the porch of the temple.
Itinerary
August 17–September 8: Tallahassee harinamas and Krishna Lunch at FSU service September 9: Atlanta, Georgia September 10: Sandy Ridge, North Carolina September 11–mid-to-late October: NYC Harinama mid-to-late October–: Tallahassee harinamas and Krishna Lunch at FSU service November 27–28: Alachua Festival of the Holy Name December 5: Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami Vyasa-puja December 24: Albany, Christmas Eve with relatives
Chanting Hare Krishna in Tallahassee
Weekdays I chant during breaks in serving Krishna Lunch.
Sri Govinda Bhasya Prabhu, who I had chanted with the previous weekend in Orlando, visited for three days, and he greatly pleased me by coming on harinama every day for three hours. We chanted on the temple porch the first day, at Lake Ella park the second day, and at Landis Green on the Florida State University campus the third day.
Most inspiring for me was when two passersby joined us in kirtan, one chanting and both dancing, while I was leading the Hare Krishna chant at Lake Ella, accompanied by Sri Govinda Bhasya Prabhu on drum and by Bharata Prabhu on karatalas (https://youtu.be/meYtQAmtQOk):
The previous day was rainy, and Sri Govinda Bhasya chanted Hare Krishna on the ISKCON Tallahassee porch (https://youtu.be/fPNFWRI_KD4):
I was worried about whether I would be allowed to chant at the campus of Florida State University, with all the COVID-19 restrictions, so I decided to call the FSU Police Department and ask if there were special regulations regarding free speech on the campus.
They said you just have to stay 6 feet away from people, and you have to wear a mask, the same rules that apply to everyone on the campus. Otherwise, there are no special rules. Thus I was happy to be free to chant there.
The first week I chanted on the Landis Green, where before the lock down there were often five or seven different groups tabling for different organizations, and I noticed there was just a single booth with one person distributing face masks and information packets. The next week, I was the only person sharing information. Practically everywhere I chant, whether on the campus or in the downtown, I always encounter Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, or fundamentalist Christian preachers, but in the two weeks I have been chanting at the FSU campus, I have not encountered any of these. Twice I saw the campus Christians, who usually give away free water at table, walking around and giving out something I could not identify from a basket, but that was all.
After the first day of our Krishna Lunch, I went to chant at the campus for another hour, and there I talked to two trombonists from the marching band about Bhagavad-gita philosophy for practically the whole hour. It seems like there are under 10% as many students as usual and most are freshmen, who have not yet heard of Krishna Lunch, and yet there are vegans, vegetarians, and a few inquisitive souls like the boys I talked to that day.
I would set up where two sidewalks met and sit six feet away from both.
I displayed our Krishna Lunch banner to attract attention. Books and a poster for Krishna Lunch were also there.
Every day when I chanted on the green behind the university library, I would meet students who used to attend our Krishna Lunch when it was on campus, and who did not know we were still serving for pickup and delivery from our residence just a couple of blocks from the university.
I would invite them to take a photo of my full page color advertisement for Krishna Lunch, and they would happily comply. Often I would meet people who would say things like “I am vegetarian, and my roommate is also vegetarian” or “my best friend is vegan,” and they would also take photos of my poster.
I found the students in general to be more open and more friendly than usual. Perhaps the challenges we share dealing with the COVID-19 restrictions have the effect of bringing us together.
Here is my harinama report for Tallahassee. I only record with Facebook Live kirtans with other singers besides mys. In September I made up for my short days of less than three hours of harinama in August.
Krishna Lunch at FSU
The week before we started our Krishna Lunch, we announced our intention on our Facebook page and on a couple of Tallahassee food pages, and we got very positive feedback:
Adina Michal: I am SO HAPPY about this!!
Ashley Ma: YESS
Nicole Zampieri: Yay!!!!!
Emma Masters: See you on the 26th!
Karen Ross Olenick: Yay!
Zoe Allaire: This brings me SO much joy.🙏🏻❤️
Luis Miguel Villamil: lets go sometime!
Reply by: Desirée Cáceres: yesssssss
Matthew MacNish: Look how yummy and cheap this is Alexia!
Sassafrass Mittleman: Yasssss!!!!!! This is the happiest news!
Our customers were very enthusiastic, and the first week we averaged 24 plates a day, twice what we averaged from April through July.
I described our first day to my Facebook friends:
“We had our first day at Krishna Lunch at FSU, still for pickup and delivery on the porch of ISKCON Tallahassee. We cooked for twenty. There are three of us, and customers ordered exactly seventeen plates! Our daily average in April, May, and June was 10½ to 12¼, so seventeen is really good! It is hard to chant, take orders, and serve out, so later I went to the campus to chant kirtan another hour.”
Previously one devotee would take the orders, another would make up the plates, and I would sing for three of the four hours that we served lunch. Now I do all three services.
I chant Hare Krishna and play the harmonium until a customer comes, and then I play a recording of someone else chanting.
Then I put on a mask and gloves and process the order.
Then I make up the plates.
And give them their lunch.
People are very happy to get the Krishna prasadam.
Radhastami in Alachua
I felt I should stay in Tallahassee on Radhastami and at least offer arati and bhoga to the deities on that most sacred day, but because we planned to start Krishna Lunch the following day, and Jahnudvipa Prabhu, our cook, was managing the gift shop in Alachua and had no ride back to Tallahassee, I had to drive Alachua on Radhastami to get him. Because people doubted our van would survive the journey, I had to rent a car. Thus I made khichri and sweet rice for the deities, put a hundred Krishna Lunch flyers on car windows, chanted three hours of Hare Krishna on the campus, ate the khichri and sweet rice, and then rented a car and drove to Alachua. I had actually wanted to go to Alachua for Radhastami, so I could see it was Krishna’s mercy. Radha-Shyamasundara were installed in Alachua twenty years before on Radhastami, and I was living in Alachua at that time and present for that auspicious ceremony. Thus not only was it Radhastami but also Their twentieth anniversary. The most striking thing from my visit was the beauty of Radharani’s smile, which stuck with me for a while. The feast was also wonderful, especially the amazing curd sabji. Of course, it was great for me to dance in the kirtan with many enthusiastic devotees who I have known for many years.
Here Krishna Kishora Prabhu chants the final Hare Krishna kirtan on Radhastami at New Raman Reti in Alachua, Florida (https://youtu.be/Eb7dZiMbWwQ):
Funny Photo
The Krishna Lunch salad dressing is so good that some customers put it on everything, even their halava [dessert].
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.2 in Vrindavan on March 17, 1974:
“Atma-tattvam. Tattvam means ‘in truth.’ Atma means this body also. Atma means the mind also. Atma means the soul also. So in the present material world they are interested in understanding atma the body. The medical science, physiology, biology, they are studying the science of the body. And some of them are studying the science of mind, psychology – thinking, feeling and willing. But nobody is studying the deepest meaning of atma: soul. There is no science. Throughout the whole world there are schools and colleges and universities to study the physiology, psychology, biology, sociology, so many things. But there is no university, school, college throughout the whole world to understand the soul.”
“Unless we have got krishna-prema, love for Krishna, how we can remain satisfied simply in the business of Krishna? That is not possible. Those who have not developed love for Krishna, they cannot be engaged twenty-four hours in the business of Krishna. . . . We should save time always to be absorbed in Krishna business.”
“Adhira, those who are ordinary men, you can also call them, give them prasadam, treat them very nicely – ‘Just hear Hare Krishna. You come here, chant Hare Krishna, take prasada.’ They’ll be your..., under your control. They’ll be under your control. And as soon as they become under your control, they make advance. Immediately. Because under the Vaishnava, if he agrees to abide by, he becomes... That is called ajñata-sukriti. Because he offers you... Just like when we walk, they say, ‘Hare Krishna. Jaya Radhe.’ That is the method of offering respect. So if these ordinary people offer respect to the Vaishnava, they becomes advanced. So you must be Vaishnava. Otherwise why they will offer you respect? Respect cannot be demanded. It must be commanded. By seeing you, they will give you respect. Then dhiradhira-jana-priyau. This is gosvami. Automatically they’ll offer respect. So unless you become perfectly clean and Vaishnava, pure Vaishnava... Automatically they’ll give you respect. You haven’t got to... Just like sometimes we see a person, by seeing us, they chant Hare Krishna. It is not that at the spot we are asking them to chant Hare Krishna, but automatically they are chanting. So that means we have to keep ourself so clean, nice Vaishnava, gosvami, that people will offer you respect.”
“The whole world is suffering from the material disease, and they are always unhappy. So let us preach this Krishna consciousness. They should try to save at least one man. That was the version of my Guru Maharaja, that ‘I have got so many temples and buildings. If by selling all these buildings, if I can save one man from this material disease, then my mission will be successful.’ He used to say like that. So that is gosvami. They are trying, always trying, how to save.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.5.47:
“Karmis are always anxious to accumulate wealth for their sense gratification, but for that purpose they must work very hard. Yet even though they work hard, the results are not satisfying. Indeed, sometimes their work results only in frustration. But devotees who have dedicated their lives to the service of the Lord can achieve substantial results without working very hard. These results exceed the devotee’s expectations.
“Purport: We can practically see how the devotees who have dedicated their lives for the service of the Lord in the Krishna consciousness movement are getting immense opportunities for the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without working very hard. The Krishna consciousness movement actually started with only forty rupees, but now it has more than forty crores worth of property, and all this opulence has been achieved within eight or ten years. No karmi can expect to improve his business so swiftly, and besides that, whatever a karmi acquires is temporary and sometimes frustrating. In Krishna consciousness, however, everything is encouraging and improving. The Krishna consciousness movement is not very popular with the karmis because this movement recommends that one refrain from illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. These are restrictions that karmis very much dislike. Nonetheless, in the presence of so many enemies, this movement is progressing, going forward without impediments. If the devotees continue to spread this movement, dedicating life and soul to the lotus feet of Krishna, no one will be able to check it. The movement will go forward without limits. Chant Hare Krishna!”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila 15.237, purport:
“In the Hare Krishna movement, the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, the dancing in ecstasy and the eating of the remnants of food offered to the Lord are very, very important. One may be illiterate or incapable of understanding the philosophy, but if he partakes of these three items, he will certainly be liberated without delay.”
From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila 15.263, purport:
“Sri Krishna assures the dvija-patnis [wives of the brahmanas] in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.23.3–32): ‘My dear dvija-patnis, rest assured that your husbands will not neglect you on your return, nor will your brothers, sons or fathers refuse to accept you. Because you are My pure devotees, not only your relatives but also people in general, as well as the demigods, will be satisfied with you. Transcendental love for Me does not depend upon bodily connection, but anyone whose mind is always absorbed in Me will surely, very soon, come to Me for My eternal association.’”
From The Nectar of Devotion, introduction:
“The author of Bhakti-rasamṛta-sindhu, Srila Rupa Gosvami, very humbly submits that he is just trying to spread Krishna consciousness all over the world, although he humbly thinks himself unfit for this work. That should be the attitude of all preachers of the Krishna consciousness movement, following in the footsteps of Srila Rupa Gosvami. We should never think of ourselves as great preachers, but should always consider that we are simply instrumental to the previous acaryas, and simply by following in their footsteps we may be able to do something for the benefit of suffering humanity.”
“Those who are cultivating spiritual life and executing devotional service are always engaged in activity. Such activity can be performed with the body or with the mind. Thinking, feeling and willing are all activities of the mind, and when we will to do something, the activity comes to be manifest by the gross bodily senses. Thus, in our mental activities we should always try to think of Krishna and try to plan how to please Him, following in the footsteps of the great acaryas and the personal spiritual master. There are activities of the body, activities of the mind and activities of speech. A Krishna conscious person engages his words in preaching the glories of the Lord. This is called kirtana. And by his mind a Krishna conscious person always thinks of the activities of the Lord – as He is speaking on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra or engaging in His various pastimes in Vrindavan with His devotees. In this way one can always think of the activities and pastimes of the Lord. This is the mental culture of Krishna consciousness.”
“From the date of initiation by the spiritual master, the connection between Krishna and a person cultivating Krishna consciousness is established. Without initiation by a bona fide spiritual master, the actual connection with Krishna consciousness is never performed.”
From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 1:
“As in the medical field, for precaution’s sake, the doctor injects a vaccination to prevent the growing of contamination, the practical injection to stop all the fructifications of the seeds of our sinful activities is simply engagement in Krishna consciousness.”
“It is stated that as the personal attendants and maidservants of a queen follow the queen with all respect and obeisances, similarly the joys of religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation follow the devotional service of the Lord. In other words, a pure devotee does not lack any kind of happiness derived from any source. He does not want anything but service to Krishna, but even if he should have another desire, the Lord fulfills this without the devotee’s asking.”
“It is confirmed in the Bhavartha-dipika, Sridhara Svami’s commentary on the Srimad-Bhagavatam, ‘My dear Lord, some of the fortunate persons who are swimming in the ocean of Your nectar of devotion, and who are relishing the nectar of the narration of Your pastimes, certainly know ecstasies that immediately minimize the value of the happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. Such a transcendental devotee regards any kind of happiness other than devotional service as no better than straw in the street.’”
“This fact is corroborated by Krishna in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, fourteenth chapter, verse 20, where He says, ‘My dear Uddhava, you may know it from Me that the attraction I feel for devotional service rendered by My devotees is not to be attained even by the performance of mystic yoga, philosophical speculation, ritualistic sacrifices, the study of Vedanta, the practice of severe austerities or the giving of everything in charity. These are, of course, very nice activities, but they are not as attractive to Me as the transcendental loving service rendered by My devotees.’”
“In Bhagavad-gita when Krishna appeared in His universal form Arjuna prayed, ‘My dear Krishna, I thought of You as my cousin-brother, and so I have shown disrespect to You in so many ways, calling You “Krishna” or “friend.” But You are so great that I could not understand.’ So that was the position of the Pandavas; although Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the greatest among all greats, He remained with those royal brothers, being attracted by their devotion, by their friendship and by their love. That is the proof of how great this process of devotional service is. It can attract even the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God is great, but devotional service is greater than God because it attracts Him. People who are not in devotional service can never understand what great value there is in rendering service to the Lord.”
From The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 2:
“For example, a child learns or practices to walk. This walking is not unnatural. The walking capacity is there originally in the child, and simply by a little practice he walks very nicely. Similarly, devotional service to the Supreme Lord is the natural instinct of every living entity. Even uncivilized men like the aborigines offer their respectful obeisances to something wonderful exhibited by nature’s law, and they appreciate that behind some wonderful exhibition or action there is something supreme. So this consciousness, though lying dormant in those who are materially contaminated, is found in every living entity. And, when purified, this is called Krishna consciousness.”
“When we wish to develop our innate capacity for devotional service, there are certain processes which, by our accepting and executing them, will cause that dormant capacity to be invoked. Such practice is called sadhana-bhakti [devotional service in practice].”
“Narada Muni mentions this sadhana-bhakti in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Seventh Canto, first chapter, verse 32. He says there to King Yudhisthira, ‘My dear King, one has to fix his mind on Krishna by any means.’ That is called Krishna consciousness. It is the duty of the acarya, the spiritual master, to find the ways and means for his disciple to fix his mind on Krishna. That is the beginning of sadhana-bhakti.
“Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us an authorized program for this purpose, centered around the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. This chanting has so much power that it immediately attaches one to Krishna. That is the beginning of sadhana-bhakti. Somehow or other, one has to fix his mind on Krishna.”
“The great saint Ambarisa Maharaja, although a responsible king, fixed his mind on Krishna, and similarly anyone who tries to fix his mind in this way will very rapidly make progress in successfully reviving his original Krishna consciousness.”
“If one can chant and hear Hare Krishna and always remember Lord Krishna, then he is sure to become fearless of death, which may come at any moment.”
From a lecture on the appearance day of Bhaktivinoda Thakura in London on September 3, 1971:
“Formerly, in India there was no necessity of hotel. Anyone goes anywhere, even in a village, he goes to a temple—prasada [spiritual food] is ready. There is no need of going to a hotel. You pay or don’t pay. If you say that, ‘I want little prasada,’ ‘Yes, take it.’ That is the system still. There is the Nathadvara temple in Rajasthan. You pay two annas only. Two annas means one cent. You get sumptuous prasada for two annas, all very nice prasada, still. So prasada distribution in temple is longstanding usage.”
“If God is everything, why wood, through wood and stone, God cannot manifest? If God is everything, according to Mayavada philosophy . . . that’s a fact. God, omnipotent. He can express Himself even through wood and stone. That is God’s omnipotency. That is called omnipotency. Not that God is unable to express Himself through wood and stone. Then how He’s omnipotent? Omnipotent means His potency can be expressed through anything. Because anything, everything is the expansion of God’s energy.”
“So on the trial day, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhakura, Kedaranatha Datta, when he came to the bench the man was presented, the so-called yogi, and he had big, big hairs. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhakura ordered that, ‘Bring one barber and cut his hair.’ So no barber dared. The barbers thought, ‘Oh, he’s a Lord Vishnu. If I offend, as he’s suffering from fever, so I shall also die.’ So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhakura ordered that, ‘Give me the scissor. I’ll cut.’ So he cut his hairs and ordered him to be put into jail for six months, and in the jail that ‘Vishnu incarnation’ managed to took some poison, and he died.
“So this is one of the incidents. There are many incidences. He was very strong man. He punished many pandas [priests] in the tirthas [holy places] who exploit visitors. So this is the position of devotee. In spite of his becoming a responsible magistrate, a householder, still, he was acarya. So we have to follow the acaryas.”
“If you want to enter into the spiritual world, you cannot get through simply by arguments. Because there is no limit of argument. I place my argument in one way; another man, who is better arguer, he places his argument in a different way. So if you simply go on arguing, it is not possible. Tarko ’pratisthaḥ. It will never help you, argument.”
“Lord Jesus Christ preached in the desert, Jerusalem. Or where it is? People who were not so advanced. Therefore his first instruction is, ‘Thou shall not kill.’ That means they were very much engaged in killing affairs, otherwise, why is this instruction? And actually, it so happened that they killed Jesus Christ. So that society was not very enlightened society. So a scripture for a society which is not very enlightened and a scripture for a society which is very enlightened must be different. Just like a dictionary. For the schoolboy, a pocket dictionary, and for a college student, international big dictionary. Both of them are dictionaries, but the small pocket dictionary is not equal to the big dictionary—because it is different made for different classes of men. So scriptures are made according to different classes of men.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.57:
[This verse is regularly recited by Vaishnava sannyasis. Although it is from the Eleventh Canto, the translation is one Srila Prabhupada gave when the verse was quoted in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila 3.6.]
“I shall cross over the insurmountable ocean of nescience by being firmly fixed in the service of the lotus feet of Krishna. This was approved by the previous acaryas, who were fixed in firm devotion to the Lord, Paramatma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
The humble servants of Srila Prabhupada:
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.40, purport:
“Many cruel persons harassed the brahmana, and his own body caused him suffering in the form of fever, hunger, thirst, fatigue, etc. The higher forces of nature are those that cause excessive heat, cold, wind and rain. The brahmana realized that his suffering was due to his false identification with his material body, and not to the interaction of his body with external phenomena. Rather than try to adjust his external situation, he tried to adjust his Krishna consciousness and thus realize his actual identity as eternal spirit soul.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.42:
“The brahmana said: These people are not the cause of my happiness and distress. Neither are the demigods, my own body, the planets, my past work, or time. Rather, it is the mind alone that causes happiness and distress and perpetuates the rotation of material life.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.44:
“Although present along with the struggling mind within the material body, the Supersoul is not endeavoring, because He is already endowed with transcendental enlightenment. Acting as my friend, He simply witnesses from His transcendental position. I, the infinitesimal spirit soul, on the other hand, have embraced this mind, which is the mirror reflecting the image of the material world. Thus I have become engaged in enjoying objects of desire and am entangled due to contact with the modes of nature.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.45:
“Charity, prescribed duties, observance of major and minor regulative principles, hearing from scripture, pious works and purifying vows all have as their final aim the subduing of the mind. Indeed, concentration of the mind on the Supreme is the highest yoga.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.46:
“If one’s mind is perfectly fixed and pacified, then tell me what need does one have to perform ritualistic charity and other pious rituals? And if one’s mind remains uncontrolled, lost in ignorance, then of what use are these engagements for him?”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.47–49:
“All the senses have been under the control of the mind since time immemorial, and the mind himself never comes under the sway of any other. He is stronger than the strongest, and his godlike power is fearsome. Therefore, anyone who can bring the mind under control becomes the master of all the senses. Failing to conquer this irrepressible enemy, the mind, whose urges are intolerable and who torments the heart, many people are completely bewildered and create useless quarrel with others. Thus they conclude that other people are either their friends, their enemies or parties indifferent to them. Persons who identify with this body, which is simply the product of the material mind, are blinded in their intelligence, thinking in terms of ‘I’ and ‘mine.’ Because of their illusion of ‘this is I, but that is someone else,’ they wander in endless darkness.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.51, purport:
“By cultivating bodily happiness we are forced to accept bodily pain. Foolish conditioned souls endeavor to eliminate distress and enjoy happiness, but material happiness and distress are two sides of the same coin. One cannot relish bodily happiness without identifying oneself as the body. But as soon as such identification occurs, one is harassed by the innumerable pains and sufferings also inevitably present within the same body.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.52, purport:
“On the spiritual platform there is neither material happiness nor distress because there the living consciousness is fully engaged, without personal desire, in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. This is the actual position of happiness, aloof from false bodily identification.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.55, purport:
“It is only when transcendental consciousness falsely identifies with dull matter that the living entity imagines he is enjoying and suffering in the material world. This illusory identification of consciousness with matter is called false ego and is the cause of material existence.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.56:
“The false ego gives shape to illusory material existence and thus experiences material happiness and distress. The spirit soul, however, is transcendental to material nature; he can never actually be affected by material happiness and distress in any place, under any circumstance or by the agency of any person. A person who understands this has nothing whatsoever to fear from the material creation.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.59:
“No other force besides his own mental confusion makes the soul experience happiness and distress. His perception of friends, neutral parties and enemies and the whole material life he builds around this perception are simply created out of ignorance.”
“Purport: Everyone is working hard to please their friends, defeat their enemies and maintain the status quo with neutral parties. These relations are certainly based on the material body and do not exist beyond the body’s inevitable demise.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.23.60:
“My dear Uddhava, fixing your intelligence on Me, you should thus completely control the mind. This is the essence of the science of yoga.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Free Write Journal #105:
“I received a video in the mail of Mahadyuti Swami speaking of his association with me in the beginning of the Library Party days. He spoke highly of me and said I was the most influential person for him in Krishna consciousness. I was very touched to hear him speak this way. We were close in those old days, and I was surprised to hear him remember it now that he’s a swami and a guru. I have not been in touch with him for years. Naturally he looked older, but handsome. He has matured well with the years. He thanked me for teaching him the simple melody for samsara-dava prayers at mangala-arati the way Prabhupada taught me. But it isn’t done that way hardly anywhere in ISKCON anymore. Mahadyuti Maharaja sings it the way I taught him every morning, and he thinks of me.”
[I shared the above quote with Mahadyuti Swami on Messenger as he is my Facebook friend, and he sent me a link to that video, https://youtu.be/hywv3wmu5b0. He jokingly commented, “First time anyone accused me of being handsome.”]
“Only a few days after Krishna’s birth, Nanda decided to go to Mathura to see Kamsa and pay the taxes. On the surface it seems a little odd that Nanda would leave his child so soon after His appearance. But the acaryas explain that Nanda Maharaja wanted to divert attention away from Vrindavan. He didn’t want Kamsa’s men coming to Vrindavan to collect the taxes or making any inspection. He didn’t want them laying their eyes on Krishna. So he went swiftly to Kamsa, paid the taxes and gave him gifts. Kamsa was pacified and didn’t go to Vrindavan.”
From Journal and Poems, Book Two (July–December 1985):
“(Srila Prabhupada: ‘There are three causes of disease: overeating, uncleanliness and anxiety.’)”
“Prayer for Better Japa
“My sixteen rounds must be done, my daily quota, before I rest at night.
“The chanting carries me beyond the illusion of Steve Kowit’s erotica, and from a grinding karmi’s workday and from death in my bones.
“Srila Prabhupada started me off by chanting the first round on these red wooden beads and he chanted so pure and strong the momentum continues though the beads wear down.
“As butter comes from milk that’s churned, and a rubbed match bursts into flames, I hope I practice to reach spontaneous love.
“Rejoice and proclaim the greatness of our spiritual master who kindly gave us the right to utter the Names of God!
“‘Sixteen rounds,’ he said, ‘and what are the four rules?’ No illicit sex, no intoxication No meat-eating and no gambling.
And we are rolling on in the protection of that order, blessed by his initial push and we will easily make it Home as long as we follow.
Even our mistakes will be overcome “Please, energy of the Lord, O Lord, forgive my mounting offenses to the merciful Names.
Please give me offenseless chanting; engage me in Your service.”
“A Godbrother has charged me for not being close to him. He wants to be my friend. Do I withhold it? No, but what can I give?
“Let’s read Bhagavatam together, then I’ll come alive. Let’s go out and preach together, then I’ll come alive.
But don’t be disappointed, friend, If I can’t give you a certain post, or if you don’t get from me exactly what you want. Be patient. It can’t be forced. Friendship/love comes gradually.”
“A brahmacari sits before you, Srila Prabhupada, chanting japa. He’s so young, I think, ‘I’m senior.’ What does that mean? Do I think it means I should be given honor and privilege? It means I should do more, I should know more and give more. I should freely tell your pastimes to others and assure them of their relationship with you. I should speak from my own experience and encourage them about the power of reading your books. That’s what being senior means. It means taking responsibility.”
From the Qualities of Sri Krishna:
“The Nectar of Devotion speaks of Krishna offering obeisances to Maharaja Yudhisthira before the Rajasuya sacrifice as an example of gentleness. But His most amazing act at the Rajasuya sacrifice was His volunteering to wash the feet of the arriving guests.
“How gentle Krishna is! What other great and powerful king would be willing to overcome his own arrogance to touch the feet of so many people? Krishna did not agree to bathe the guests’ feet out of political motivation; He bathed their feet as an exchange of love. Krishna is both father and mother to all living beings. He likes to care for them in a way that eases their hearts. Certainly, His washing the guests’ feet is an example of His quality of gentleness.”
From Wicklow Writing Sessions, Session #14:
“Someone wrote that the ocean has never fully recognized Ireland’s right to be a body of land. Pours rain on it constantly.”
From Free Write Journal #106:
“Inattentive chanting can be overcome by mental discipline and crying out to Krishna.”
From Imperfection, Purity Will Come About: Writing Sessions While Reading Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Saranagati:
“. . . Bhaktivinoda Thakura is knocking at the door of our self-esteem, so we prefer to admire his songs from a distance. We don’t want to get too involved. We’re positive thinkers. We only want to hear nectar. If requested, we are willing to go through a few songs of theoretical grief, but don’t expect us, full-grown men and women, to get down on our knees and cry. No sir, we don’t grovel, never.”
From Wicklow Writing Sessions, Session #15:
“I’m feeling fortunate for what I have, yet quietly aware it is very much falling short.”
From Wicklow Writing Sessions, Session #16:
“It is August here but cool as it has been ever since we arrived in June. Don’t expect a warm summer in Ireland. Don’t expect much of anything, just accept what comes.”
“Lord, when I die, I want to remember You. I see, however, that I don’t have a taste for it the way I have a taste for raspberries and blackberries and milk and honey. But Lord Caitanya’s pastimes are like sweet rice, and Lord Krishna’s lilas are like the addition of camphor. Also, the Srimad-Bhagavatam is nectarean juice made sweeter by Sukadeva Goswami. These are the metaphors, and they are true.”
From Here is Srila Prabhupada:
“In the old Boston temple, sometimes we played a game during prasadam. One day it was rainy outside, so I said, ‘Think of something Krishna conscious connected to rain.’
“Someone said, ‘When it rains, Krishna and His friends sit in a cave and have lunch there talking until the rain stops.’
“Another devotee said, ‘Krishna sends the rain at night so it won’t disturb the farmer’s day, but the ungrateful man wakes in the morning and complains that it didn’t rain enough. That’s in the Krishna book, “Description of Autumn.”’
“‘Isn’t there something about the demigods raining down the benefits that people want?’
“‘Demigods shower flowers from the sky.’
“‘Rain is one of the elements, water.’
“‘Rain comes from yajna [sacrifice] . . . .’
“Playing this game during prasadam always left us with a nice feeling for each other. It was better than fighting among ourselves or talking prajalpa [idle talk].”
From Prabhupada Nectar, Volume 3:
From Prabhupada Nectar, Volume 3:
“PRABHUPADA SAID
“On Christianity
“‘Regarding the Christian Trinity, I believe it is God, the holy ghost, and the son. A person in Krishna consciousness accepts this by the name Vishnu, Paramatma and jiva. God is a person, the Holy Spirit or Supersoul is a person, and the living entity is also a person. Also Mary is the representation of the energy of God, either as internal energy, Radharani, or as external energy, Durga, the energy of Godhead, can be considered the mother of the living entities. There is no clash between the Bible and the Vedas; simply some people formulate their personal ideas and cause quarreling.
“‘Nobody can say the Bible is meant for the same class of men as the Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita is the ABCs of spiritual knowledge. Beyond that is the Srimad-Bhagavatam. How great the Srimad-Bhagavatam is, nobody can imagine. And beyond that is Caitanya-caritamrta. But beginning from the Bible or Koran on up, the principle remains the same. Just like beginning from the pocket dictionary up to the unabridged dictionary.’ (Letter of April 19, 1968)”
From Japa Walks, Japa Talks:
“Devi-dasi asked me a personal question. She thinks I put a lot of effort into chanting—apparently because I make such a big fuss about it. ‘So I would like to ask you what inspires you.’
“I don’t know if I can call it inspiration, but I have a drive which comes from sastra itself that doesn’t let me forget the importance of chanting. I find chanting easy. I can’t do everything in Krishna consciousness—for example, I find it difficult to live in close association with other people, to manage their problems or their money. I also find it difficult to confront nondevotees in certain preaching situations. But chanting is easy. Even a child can chant.
“What inspires me? Lord Caitanya’s mercy inspires me. He has given us such easy access to Him through the holy names. I don’t want to turn down the opportunity, even though I don’t get immediate good results. I am inspired to put at least some effort into my chanting and remind myself of its prime importance.
“Also, chanting appeals to me in an aesthetic sense. Maybe I was a monk in my past life—at least I aspired to be a man of prayer. It’s so beautiful—Prabhupada and the acaryas have given us the chance to take our beads in hand and to repeat again and again the japa of the holy name. Similarly, the congregational singing of kirtana appeals to me. It’s so charming and wonderful of Krishna to think of such a process! This chanting movement is such a nice movement, and it’s so easily introduced. Therefore, although I don’t get the results I hanker for, whenever I think of chanting, it always appeals to me. It’s always available to me and easy enough to keep trying. No matter how many times I fail, I never think of abandoning the attempt. I am always ready to try again.”
From Wicklow Writing Sessions, Session #18:
“I know why SP wrote. His desire was to please his spiritual master by spreading KC. He personally felt compassion, wanted to fight against the ignorant, and to establish the KC movement. He had the most important literature to deliver in the translation with the Bhaktivedanta Purports.
“That’s why he wrote. And he said he loved to do it.”
Bhakti Charu Swami:
From a lecture on the appearance day of Bhaktivinoda Thakura on September 11, 2019:
There is no lacking in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but it can be said that there is one lacking, and that is the experience of love, and thus He expands into the living entities to experience love. Thus the only purpose of the living entities is to love Krishna.
This love is fully expressed in Srimati Radharani, and thus Krishna desired to experience Her love, and so He appeared as Lord Caitanya.
Lord Caitanya allowed His teachings to get lost for two reasons:
1. So people would come to appreciate their value. 2. To glorify Bhaktivinoda Thakura for restoring them.
The English poetry of Bhaktivinoda Thakura is excellent. His “Saragrahi Vaishnava” begins:
“Alas, for those who spend their days In festive mirth and joy. The dazzling, deadly liquid forms Their hearts fore’er employ.
“The shining bottles charm their eyes And draw their heart’s embrace; The slaves of wine can never rise From what we call disgrace.”
I shared some of Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s English poetry with different scholars who were so impressed that they shared it with others.
Q: Bhaktivinoda Thakura was a grhastha yet his son, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was a great brahmacari and sannyasi. Why is this?
A: All I can say is that if Bhaktivinoda Thakura was not a grhastha, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura could not have appeared as his son, so he had to be a grhastha.
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In this time of suffering, people seek freedom from the pain. Lord Kapila tells the secret to attaining that freedom in this very relevant verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam:
mad-asrayah katha mrstah
srnvanti kathayanti ca tapanti vividhas tapa naitan mad-gata-cetasah
“Engaged constantly in chanting and hearing about Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sadhus do not suffer from material miseries because they are always filled with thoughts of My pastimes and activities.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.23)
Srila Prabhupada writes in the Srimad Bhagavatam: "In Kali-yuga, the duration of life is shortened not so much because of insufficient food but because of irregular habits. By keeping regular habits and eating simple food, any man can maintain his health. Overeating, over-sense gratification, overdependence on anther's mercy, and artificial standards of living, sap the very vitality of human energy. Therefore the duration of life is shortened." (SB 1.1.10)
We are in receipt of your blessing and exceedingly humbled by your spirit of generosity. Thank you for exhibiting the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the contribution of the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta book set; the greatest literary gem of India.
By Bhakta dasa
By ISKCON Ministry of Education
By Srimati Dasi
By Krishna Ragini devi dasi
By Giriraj Swami
By the ISKCON GBC Strategic Planning Team
By The Monk's Podcast
