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Which is the path to perfection Kripa Siddhi or Sadhana Siddhi in the Gaudiya tradition?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Question: In our Gaudiya tradition, is perfection attained by Sadhana Siddhi or Kripa Siddhi?

When it comes to technical questions like this, opinions often become strongly polarized, depending on which particular scriptural references are prioritized by which devotees. Broadly speaking, if a system of classification has not been repeatedly emphasized by our Acharyas, then—according to my understanding—we should avoid becoming too fixated on it. Especially, we should not make such classifications central to either our philosophy or our practice.

If we examine the broader body of writings by Srila Prabhupada, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, or Bhaktivinoda Thakur, this particular categorization (Sadhana Siddhi vs. Kripa Siddhi) is not a major theme in their teachings.

That said, we can analyze this topic from four perspectives:

As involving two different processes,
As referring to two different sets of individuals,
As reflecting two different emphases, and
As corresponding to two different stages of spiritual growth.

Let me explain these one by one.

1. Two Different Processes?

Are Sadhana Siddhi and Kripa Siddhi referring to two entirely different processes? I don’t think that is stated anywhere in our tradition. It’s not that if you follow a particular guru or chant a certain mantra or perform a specific puja, then you’re on the path of Sadhana Siddhi, whereas another practice would put you on the path of Kripa Siddhi.

2. Two Different Categories of Individuals?

Do these terms refer to two different kinds of people—some who attain perfection through sadhana and others purely through mercy? That seems more plausible and does align with some scriptural references. However, there is no clear description suggesting that one can shift from one category to the other.

If this classification is meant to describe people who are already liberated, then it serves more as historical information for us and carries little practical relevance. Moreover, this view raises philosophical questions: Is God partial in bestowing mercy on some without any effort on their part, while requiring great endeavor from others? And are those who receive mercy without effort completely devoid of any personal initiative?

We might consider Mahaprabhu’s pastimes, such as with Jagai and Madhai. One could argue they received mercy without effort. Yet, they engaged in sincere endeavor after receiving that mercy, demonstrating their gratitude. This suggests that effort and mercy are interconnected rather than mutually exclusive.

3. Two Different Emphases?

Rather than seeing Siddhi as some mystical state, we can understand it as the culmination of a pure and deep relationship with Krishna. All of us have an eternal relationship with Him, and perfection lies in restoring that relationship. As with any genuine relationship, reciprocity is essential. We strive to serve Krishna, He is pleased, and He reciprocates by revealing more of Himself.

This reciprocity can be:

Transactional: Like with devata worship, where we give something and get something in return.
Transformational: As seen in loving exchanges (dadāti pratigṛhṇāti etc.), where mutual giving leads to deeper love.

In either case, effort and mercy are both involved. The onus in a relationship cannot rest solely on one party. While no one denies the role of endeavor or mercy, some scriptural stories highlight extraordinary mercy without prior effort—but such cases are rare and not meant to be normative.

4. Two Different Stages?

Could it be that Sadhana Siddhi and Kripa Siddhi refer to different stages of spiritual growth? During our purification stage, sadhana is certainly essential, though grace (kripa) also plays a part. Then, perhaps at the stage of spiritual revelation—when our eternal svarupa is manifest—only kripa operates.

In our Gaudiya tradition, especially post Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, the system of Siddha-pranali, where a practitioner meditates on a specific associate’s form and service in a particular rasa, is not emphasized. So, how exactly one’s svarupa is revealed is not extensively discussed in the writings of Srila Prabhupada or Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.

In fact, when Prabhupada was asked about the meaning of “nikunja-yuno rati-keli-siddhyai”, he humbly replied, “That is none of your business.” He didn’t speak much even about his own svarupa. At the same time, he did affirm, “I have given you everything to go back to Godhead,” indicating that revelation will come by mercy and we don’t need to perform specific sadhana for that stage.

Concluding Thoughts:

So finally, while both sadhana and kripa are important, their relative emphasis may vary depending on the context. In the Damodar Lila, the two fingers—endeavor and mercy—both had to come together for the rope to bind Krishna. Similarly, when Kala Krishnadas fell away despite being in Mahaprabhu’s association, Srila Prabhupada commented that even the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot help us if we are not determined. Mercy cannot substitute for free will or determined effort.

Yet, in other cases—like Putana—where the effort was minimal or even malicious, mercy still prevailed. She could have come to kill Krishna in many ways, but came disguised as a motherly figure—and for that, she was elevated.

Hence, Kripa Siddhi and Sadhana Siddhi may reflect different emphases rather than rigid categories. If such categorizations are not central to our acharyas’ teachings, we should avoid making them central to our own philosophy or practice. If others strongly adhere to specific views based on certain scriptural references, it may be difficult—if not impossible—to challenge or change their perspective.

Therefore, it is often wiser to adopt the understanding that is most reasonable for us, while recognizing that others may operate with different conceptions. As long as those conceptions are aligned toward Krishna and spiritual progress, sometimes the best way to co-operate is to co-operate—that is, to operate differently but in the same direction.

Thank you.

The post Which is the path to perfection Kripa Siddhi or Sadhana Siddhi in the Gaudiya tradition? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Temple of the Vedic Planetarium – The Next Matchless Gift
- TOVP.org

Recently, I was in New York for the 50th annual Rathayatra down the city’s grand 5th Avenue, while on our TOVP fundraising tour. During my visit I also attended the welcome ceremony of Srila Prabhupada’s life-sized murti to the first temple in New York at 26 Second Avenue, now a museum and sacred tirtha for devotees to visit. For those who don’t know, in 1966 this storefront came with a prophetic sign above its front window that read, ‘Matchless Gifts’.

The kirtan was blissful, and speeches by Radhanath Swami and other Prabhupada disciples were inspiring. Many spoke about their realizations of the early ISKCON days and Srila Prabhupada’s mood. I was also asked to speak about Srila Prabhupada, and one of the things I mentioned is that the TOVP is actually the Greater Matchless Gifts.

The smaller Matchless Gifts was a tiny, insignificant storefront on the lower East side of Manhattan, but the Greater Matchless Gift that was born from this will be the largest temple in modern India, and the epicenter of kirtan and spiritual education and practice for the universe. This Matchless Gifts is the expansion of the smaller version, and is poised to bring the gift of Krishna prema to every soul in the entire world.

As the new devotees in 1966 could not recognize the significance of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the western world, and how the Hare Krishna explosion would reach every country within the next twelve years producing over 5000 initiated disciples and more than one hundred temples worldwide, we are also limited in our understanding and realization of the significance of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. Srila Prabhupada, however, had this universal vision, and carrying out his order with faith to manifest this project is our bounden duty.

The TOVP will deliver the matchless gift of Krishna consciousness to millions of souls, directly and indirectly, influencing the masses of people to take up the yuga dharma and go back to Godhead for an eternal life of knowledge and bliss in the pastimes of Sri Krishna.

Please do your part to help complete the construction of this historic project. It’s scheduled to open in 2027, the 50th Disappearance Anniversary year of Srila Prabhupada during a three-month-long celebration that will astound the world.

You can help by visiting the TOVP website Seva Opportunities Page and selecting an option within your reach. If you have already given, please make an offering again into this transcendental yajna of service.

You can also view our Campaigns-At-A-Glance brochure and select your seva option from there.

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Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Disappearance Day
Giriraj Swami

Today we are observing the disappearance day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Sri Gadadhara Pandita. I first learned of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura when I visited the Boston temple. At that time there were only two published books in ISKCON: the abridged edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, published by Macmillan, and Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, published by ISKCON. And at the front of Teachings of Lord Chaitanya was a series of very dignified black-and-white photographs of Srila Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji, and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Under the photograph of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was a caption: “The pioneer of the program for benedicting the entire world with Krishna consciousness by the instructions of Lord Chaitanya.” I understood from the caption that Srila Prabhupada was continuing the work of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and that we were able to come in touch with Krishna consciousness in part because of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

As the years passed and I came to learn more about Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, I began to see more and more how the Krishna consciousness movement brought by Srila Prabhupada to the West and expanded throughout the world was a continuation of the work of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and the result of his desire. We are all indebted to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and we are intimately connected with him through parampara.

Lord Chaitanya predicted, prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama / sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama: “In every town and village of every country of the world, My name [Krishna’s name] will be preached.” Although Lord Chaitanya made this prediction more than five hundred years ago, even His followers have sometimes been bewildered about how it would be fulfilled. Some of them have even thought the prediction was metaphorical or abstract. But Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had faith in the order and in the desire of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and through his books he began the work of spreading Krishna consciousness and the holy name of Krishna throughout the world. In particular, in 1896, the year of Srila Prabhupada’s birth, he wrote a book called Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: His Life and Precepts and distributed it to libraries worldwide.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura passed on his desire, which was Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s desire, to his son Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, though he never left India, passed on the same desire to his disciples. In particular, he gave Srila Prabhupada the order to preach Krishna consciousness in the English language, which even then was the universal language in the Western world, and in the whole world.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura predicted, “Very soon the unparalleled path of hari-nama-sankirtana will be propagated all over the world.” He foresaw the day when Vaishnavas from all over the world would come to Mayapur and chant, “Jaya Sacinandana” together with the Bengali Vaishnavas, Gaudiya Vaishnavas. And Srila Prabhupada was the one who acted to fulfill the desire and prediction of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura:

“Oh, for that day when the fortunate English, French, Russian, German, and American people will take up banners, mridangas, and karatalas and raise kirtan through their streets and towns. When will that day come? Oh, for the day when the fair-skinned men from their side, chanting, ‘Jaya Sacinandana ki jaya,’ will extend their arms and, embracing devotees of our country coming from our side, treat us with brotherly feelings. When will that day be?” (Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, in Sajjana-tosani)

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had a house in Godrumadvipa, across the Jalangi River from Mayapur, and he used to chant on his balcony there. One day he looked across the river and had a vision of an effulgent city with a wonderful temple, an adbhuta mandira, at its center. He desired that this wonderful temple and splendorous city should come into existence, and here too Srila Prabhupada has engaged his followers to fulfill the prediction and desire of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Sri Nityananda Prabhu:

eka adbhuta mandira ei haibe prakasa
gaurangera nitya-seva haibe vikasa

“An astounding temple will appear and will engage the entire world in the eternal service of Lord Chaitanya.” (Sri Navadvipa-Mahatmya, Parikrama Khanda, Ch. 4)

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura also discovered the actual birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Mayapur. Over centuries of the Ganges flooding and changing course, the location of Mayapur, the birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, was lost. Bhaktivinoda Thakura studied old maps and consulted different local people, and ultimately he determined the actual location.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura carried forward the idea of the Vedic city in Mayapur, and he had some of his householder disciples build small houses there. But again, it was really Srila Prabhupada who carried the desire of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura forward to the point where there is now a budding metropolis in Mayapur. He was very enthusiastic about the project, and now his disciples are working to make this magnificent vision a physical reality.

Srila Prabhupada had to struggle to get some land in Mayapur. Eventually it was Tamal Krishna Goswami who was able to secure the purchase of the land. Then Srila Prabhupada designed, or gave the basic idea for, the first building to be constructed and brought the drawings with him from London to Calcutta.

But there had been flooding in Mayapur, and sometimes the flooding there is very severe. Therefore, although Srila Prabhupada was so enthusiastic about the project and had struggled so hard to get the land in Mayapur and had personally brought the plans for the first building there, still, right when we were at the peak of our enthusiasm, he raised the question: “What will happen if the Ganges floods? What will happen to the temple, to the project?”

He suggested that we not build the temple in Mayapur and discussed different arguments for and against his suggestion. Then he presented the idea that we should build the temple at Birnagar, the birthplace of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. We were completely bewildered, and when Srila Prabhupada argued so strongly that we should build the temple at Birnagar because it would be safe from the floods there, we were swayed by His Divine Grace’s argument. But in the end he brought us back to the conclusion that we should go ahead with the project in Mayapur. “If you all build this temple,” he said, “Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura will personally come and take you all back to Godhead.”

So, that is both Srila Prabhupada’s and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s desire—that we build a wonderful temple and go back to Godhead. And by following in Srila Prabhupada’s footsteps, we are also following in the footsteps of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

Another important program of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was nama-hatta. In fact, before Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura built his house in Godrumadvipa, he built a bhajana-kutira near the site of the house, in Surabhi-kunja, which is the original place where the nama-hatta was started by Nityananda Prabhu. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura got his inspiration for the nama-hatta there.

The basic idea of the nama-hatta is that grihastha Vaishnavas, householder devotees, preach. By definition, householders will usually have a spouse, children, work, and a home. But they should still preach; they should use all of their spare time to preach. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura himself was a householder for many years, and he would lead his householder devotees through the streets, performing sankirtana, and then they would hold festivals, large gatherings where Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura would preach bhagavata-dharma and the glories of the holy name. He published a book, Sri Godruma Kalpatavi, about his nama-hatta program, which included reports of some of his preaching events. The harinama-sankirtana and bhagavata-dharma discourses were ecstatic, and the nama-hatta was spreading very nicely. During Srila Prabhupada’s presence His Holiness Jayapataka Swami and other ISKCON devotees revived the nama-hatta in Bengal and Orissa, and now it has spread all over the world.

So, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura set a great example for us all. Although he had so many responsibilities—as a magistrate, as the superintendent of the Jagannatha temple, as a husband, as the father of ten children—still he did so much service. He was expert at utilizing his time so that he could serve Krishna more. He would generally take rest at eight o’clock at night and get up at midnight to write. He wrote approximately one hundred books. He was expert in many things, including fulfilling his duties as magistrate. He would dispose of his cases very quickly. Judges are also judged—by how quickly they dispose of their cases and by how many of their judgments are appealed and overturned. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura disposed of his cases quickly and expertly.

Somehow, with so many duties and responsibilities and so many children, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was able to write many, many books and spread Krishna consciousness widely. We can take inspiration from him and keep in our minds and hearts his glorious example: that even in our various, demanding positions, we can do more and more for Krishna and for the disciplic succession, for Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and for our spiritual master.

One of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s books, Sri Harinama-cintamani, has as its subject, as the title suggests, the touchstone of the holy name. The book is a dialogue between Lord Chaitanya and Haridasa Thakura. They begin by discussing the holy name in general. Then they consider the ten offenses against the holy name, because the efficacy of the name depends on the quality of the chanting. In her prayers to Lord Krishna, Queen Kunti says:

janmaisvarya-sruta-sribhir
edhamana-madah puman
naivarhaty abhidhatum vai
tvam akincana-gocaram

“My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who are materially exhausted. One who is on the path of [material] progress, trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high education and bodily beauty, cannot approach You with sincere feeling.” (SB 1.8.26) In the purport, Srila Prabhupada remarks that the scriptures state that “by once uttering the holy name of the Lord, the sinner gets rid of a quantity of sins that he is unable to commit. Such is the power of uttering the holy name of the Lord. There is not the least exaggeration in this statement. . . . But there is a quality to such utterances also. It depends on the quality of feeling. A helpless man can feelingly utter the holy name of the Lord.”

Ordinary devotees like us have to practice to come to the stage of such chanting, and in particular we must be aware of the ten offenses and try to avoid them. In Harinama-cintamani Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura discusses each of the ten offenses one by one in depth and in detail. First he defines and describes what constitutes each offense; then he explains how to avoid each offense; and then, in case somehow we have fallen into the offense, he discusses how to become free from it and from its damaging effects.

The first offense is sadhu-ninda: blaspheming the devotees who have dedicated their lives to the propagation of the holy name. Ninda means to criticize or to blaspheme. But what is the meaning of sadhu? How do we recognize a sadhu? Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains that in essence a sadhu is one who has taken shelter of Krishna, or of the holy name of Krishna, which is non-different from Krishna. He lists twenty-six qualities of a sadhu, as stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Then he says that of all the qualities, one is the primary characteristic (svarupa-laksana) and the others are marginal (tatastha). The essential quality of the devotee is that he or she has taken shelter of Krishna (mat-sarana), or the holy name of Krishna. Even if a devotee is lacking in the other qualifications, if he or she has the single qualification of having taken exclusive shelter of Krishna, then that devotee is considered a sadhu. On the other hand, if someone has the other qualifications but lacks the one qualification of complete surrender to Krishna, then the other qualities have no particular value.

Now that we know who a sadhu is, we can avoid criticizing or blaspheming him or her. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura discusses different grounds that people may think are justification for criticizing a sadhu. One is the sadhu’s caste or low birth, but Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that this is not ground for criticizing a sadhu. If one criticizes a sadhu because of his or her low birth or caste, then that critic is involved in sadhu-ninda. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura also mentions past sinful activities. If one criticizes a sadhu for past sinful activities, one is involved in sadhu-ninda. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura also mentions present traces of sinful activities. In other words, a sadhu may have engaged in sinful activities before he or she got the association of devotees but even after coming to the association of devotees may maintain some last traces of previous bad habits or by accident may fall down. Even then we do not have grounds to criticize. If we criticize a sadhu for an accidental falldown or for traces of past sinful activities, we are involved in sadhu-ninda.

Then he discusses different categories of asadhus, or nondevotees, so that we can clearly identify them too. In other words, as preachers, do we hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil? Do we not speak the truth if we see something is wrong and we want to correct it or protect others from it? No—as preachers we must be able to recognize nondevotees, especially if they are posing as devotees, and help neophyte devotees avoid them. Thus, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura lists three categories of persons who are not sadhus but who may be mistaken for sadhus. One is the Mayavadi impersonalist, who thinks that Krishna’s eternal form and holy name are illusory, or maya. Another is the pretender, or dharma-dhvaji, who waves the flag of religion; he is not actually a devotee, but he makes a show of being a sadhu for materialistic ends. And one is the atheist. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that when one preaches, one has to criticize nondevotees and advise innocent devotees to avoid their association and influence. Such criticism does not constitute sadhu-ninda. If ignorant or envious people argue that such criticism is sadhu-ninda, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, we should avoid their association. Because they are wrongly accusing or criticizing the preacher, they themselves are implicated in sadhu-ninda.

I will give an example. When I was in Madras on Srila Prabhupada’s behalf, I preached more or less the way I had heard him preach, criticizing demigod worshippers and impersonalists. In Madras there were many impersonalists and demigod worshippers, and when I repeated what the Bhagavad-gita said about them, some people began to criticize me for criticizing others. Some said, “You shouldn’t criticize others; you should just state positively what you want to say about your philosophy and activities, but you shouldn’t criticize others.” The criticism of my criticism reached such a point that I actually began to have doubts. I thought, “So many people are saying the same thing; maybe I am doing something wrong.” They even gave the example of the Gaudiya Matha: “They don’t criticize others like you do; they have a nice temple, and every year they have a big celebration of Janmashtami and thousands of people come. Why can’t you be like them?”

So, I thought about what they said. I wasn’t really convinced that Srila Prabhupada would want us to be like the Gaudiya Matha, but then again, even people who were our friends, who were sympathetic to us, were saying the same thing: “Don’t criticize others. Just say what you want in a positive way about your own philosophy and activities.” So I wrote to Srila Prabhupada, and he wrote back, “The fact is that I am the only one in India who is openly criticizing not only demigod worship and impersonalism, but everything that falls short of complete surrender to Krishna.” And he continued, “My guru maharaja never compromised in his preaching, nor will I, nor should any of my students. We are firmly convinced that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that all others are His part-and-parcel servants. This we must declare boldly to the whole world, that they should not foolishly dream of world peace unless they are prepared to surrender fully to Krishna as Supreme Lord.”

So, that is the mood of the preacher: he or she has to criticize the nondevotees. In the course of criticizing the nondevotees, a preacher may offend people who have sentiments for such nondevotees because they think that such nondevotees are devotees. But what else can we do? This, as Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura discusses, is not sadhu-ninda; it is in the category of those things that might appear to be offenses but really are not.

There was a vivid example of this once, when Srila Prabhupada was walking one morning with Dr. Patel on Juhu Beach. Dr. Patel was praising someone who was definitely not a devotee but who was revered in India as a spiritual leader and teacher, and Srila Prabhupada began to criticize the person and point out the defects in his philosophy and his procedures. Dr. Patel became very offended and agitated—incensed. He began to argue with Srila Prabhupada and was practically shouting at him. And Srila Prabhupada was shouting at Dr. Patel. Srila Prabhupada roared, “I am not saying! Krishna is saying!—na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah: anyone who does not surrender to Krishna is a mudha [fool], naradhama [lowest of mankind!]” It became a fierce argument, and Dr. Patel’s friends tried to restrain him. “Swamiji is an old man,” they said. “He has a heart condition; you shouldn’t excite him.” It was like an explosion. Finally, Dr. Patel’s friends pulled him away and we reached the spot where we would leave the beach for the temple, and the argument ended.

After that, Srila Prabhupada said, “All right—no more discussion. We will just read from the Krsna book on the morning walks.” So we started to read from the Krsna book. Before this, Dr. Patel would come faithfully every morning and walk with Srila Prabhupada. Often, he would drive Srila Prabhupada to the beach in his car and then they would walk and talk on the beach, or they would walk from the temple to the beach and talk. Now, for the first time, Dr. Patel avoided the morning walks with Srila Prabhupada—because of that big argument. But some days later, he was drawn back to Srila Prabhupada. He said to Srila Prabhupada, “We are trained to respect all the accredited saints of India.” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “Our business is to point out who is not a saint.”

So, that is the mood of a preacher. If a preacher criticizes nondevotees who may be revered as saints by many people, he or she is not involved in sadhu-ninda. But if people criticize the preacher for criticizing such nondevotees, those critics may be involved in sadhu-ninda and we should avoid their association—unless we can change them or engage them, like Srila Prabhupada did with Dr. Patel.

Next, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, “All right, if one has committed the offense, what does one do then? What is the remedy?” The specific way to counteract the offense of sadhu-ninda, or vaisnava-aparadha, is to go to the person we have offended and beg the person to forgive us. Generally, the Vaishnava is softhearted and will forgive the offender if he has realized his mistake and is sincerely repenting and earnestly trying to improve.

One may also commit an offense that is not directly against another person. To counteract such an offense, one may confess to other Vaishnavas. There is value to opening one’s heart to other Vaishnavas and admitting one’s offenses.

What Srila Prabhupada criticized about the Christians’ practice of confession was that after they had sinned and confessed, they would often go and commit the same sin again. In other words, the process of confession alone was not sufficient to remove the heart’s desire to sin. But here, if a devotee sincerely repents his or her mistake and confesses and begs for the mercy of the Vaishnavas and then really tries his or her best not to commit the offense again—and continues with the real process of purification, hearing and chanting the holy name—then such confession or admission becomes a part of the process of purification and rectification.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura instructs us that the best way to avoid offense, which is negative, is to go to the other side and be positive. The best way to protect ourselves from sadhu-ninda, for example—from blaspheming or criticizing devotees—is to glorify the devotees, to appreciate and praise them.

So, we can benefit greatly from reading Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s books. Once, a disciple asked Srila Prabhupada about reading books of the previous acharyas: “Srila Prabhupada, I remember once I heard a tape where you told us that we should not try to read . . . Bhaktivinoda’s books or earlier books of other, all acharyas.” Srila Prabhupada clarified, “No, you should read. . . . We are following previous acharyas.”

Of course, for ISKCON devotees, Srila Prabhupada’s books are the basis. And if we are well versed in Srila Prabhupada’s books and faithful to Srila Prabhupada, then when we read the previous acharyas we will see how Srila Prabhupada is representing them, as we do with Sri Brhad-bhagavatamrta. So much of what Brhad-bhagavatamrta says about the holy name is exactly what Srila Prabhupada taught us. Thus, reading the book strengthens our faith in Srila Prabhupada. It also clarifies for us the philosophy and principles of devotional service so that we can practice better in the line of Srila Prabhupada. At the same time, the reading makes us more knowledgeable in the scriptures so that we are better equipped to preach.

So, we are gathered here at the feet of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. I believe he is pleased with our efforts to serve him through his representatives, and we can pray to him to bless us with a drop of faith in the holy name and with a fraction of a drop of his enthusiasm for preaching, so that even amidst our heavy duties and responsibilities we can also find time, as he did, to chant the holy name in the association of other devotees and to spread the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura ki jaya! Srila Prabhupada ki jaya! Nitai-Gaura premanande hari-haribol!

I have only touched a few drops of the nectarean ocean of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Would any other devotee like to speak something in his glorification?

Kesava Bharati Dasa: One of the prominent characteristics of Bhaktivinoda Thakura was that throughout his life he had recurring diseases. He suffered from rheumatic fever, and he was born in a town that was wiped out by a plague—his whole family. Over time, he underwent many traumas, and so one of the important aspects of his life was how he dealt with difficulties. His life wasn’t laid out on a silver platter. He was born in a very exalted family—descendants of kings, devotional kings—but at the same time, he had to face so many obstacles and difficulties, and in an exemplary way he showed how to take shelter in devotional service, in the holy name, in the lotus feet of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai, Sri Sri Gaura-Gadadhara, and guru. He confronted and overcame many obstacles. For instance, there was a yogi in Jagannatha Puri who was doing all kinds of nonsense and had the power to make people sick and cause problems for their family members—so many things. Bhaktivinoda Thakura confronted him and put him in jail. He himself went and physically arrested the yogi. Then the yogi cursed him, and in fact Bhaktivinoda Thakura and his family members did become sick. In jail the yogi was saying all sorts of blasphemous things—“Everyone’s going to die; you’re going to die; your family is going to die!” At one point, as he was fighting the yogi within the court, the Thakura realized that the man was carrying his power in his hair—he had all these matted locks. As the judge, Bhaktivinoda Thakura instructed the constables to cut the yogi’s hair, so they cut his hair and the yogi lost his power, and soon thereafter he died in jail. And Bhaktivinoda Thakura, along with everyone in his family, got well.

Also, at that time there was a powerful dacoit movement in Vrindavan—there is always a dacoit movement there—and Bhaktivinoda Thakura went there, and just by his tremendous spiritual power and strength, he cleaned up those dacoits. Anybody who has ever been in Vrindavan knows what that means. Cleaning up the dacoits there is practically impossible. His spiritual strength was just extraordinary.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura attained a prominent position under the British rule when the British were systematically and powerfully convincing people in India that their culture and philosophy were inferior to Western culture and philosophies. Indians weren’t appointed to key positions very often, but Bhaktivinoda Thakura was so good—so pious and so popular wherever he went—that they wouldn’t dare pass him over. And they trusted him. He was so honest, so forthright, and such a wonderful servant that they put him in important positions of authority, and wherever he was posted they wanted him to stay. Throughout, he kept wanting to go to Navadvipa, but his administrative authorities always tried to get him to stay. Even at a time when the ruling government did not favor people like him, Bhaktivinoda Thakura was granted high material status, placed in very responsible positions.

So, we can be in any ashrama—grihastha or any other—any position in life, and still develop devotional qualities if we follow the instructions that Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave in Harinama-cintamani—to stop criticizing one another, playing politics with one another, and backbiting one another, and instead to glorify one another, even if the other person is not present. Then we will get the power to serve the cause of Krishna consciousness to our full capacity.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave us all these different standards and all these priceless examples. Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Jaya! Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura ki jaya!

[A talk by Giriraj Swami on Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s disappearance day, June 29, 2003, Dallas, Texas]

Tapasa Prabhu (1956-2025)
→ Dandavats

On June 15 at 10:45 PM Tapasa Prabhu, leader and TP of ISKCON Stockholm, Sweden, and a veteran Scandinavian devotee, left his body surrounded by devotees chanting the Hare Krishna-mantra. His departure is truly a loss to ISKCON devotees in Sweden and Scandinavia who had his association for close to 45 years. Tapasa Prabhu was
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TOVP Presents: Biodiversity in Bhakti Yoga – A Devotional Offering
- TOVP.org

The ISKCON Mayapur Master Plan office joyfully offers the free, online flipbook “Biodiversity in Bhakti Yoga” — a heartfelt visual and meditative offering designed to reconnect hearts with the sacred natural world of Sri Mayapur Dhama.

Featuring over 500 breathtaking images of local flora and fauna, accompanied by spiritual insights from Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, this offering invites viewers to see nature through the lens of Krishna consciousness. As part of the ‘CONNECT with Sri Mayapur-dhama’ project, it encourages us to perceive and remember the Lord in every aspect of creation—promoting mindful devotion, compassionate living, and a deep spiritual bond with Mother Earth as an expression of our bhakti.

READ FLIPBOOK

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

Gadadhara Pandita Disappearance
→ Ramai Swami

Sri Gadadhara was the consant companion of Mahaprabhu from the time of their childhood. His father’s name was Sri Madhva Misra and his mother’s name Sri Ratnavati-devi. They lived very near the house of Sri Jagannatha Misra in Mayapura. Ratnavati-devi thought of Saci-devi as her own sister, and always used to visit her.

During their childhood, Sri Gaura Hari and Gadadhara would play together, sometimes at Mahaprabhu’s house and sometimes at Gadadhara’s house. They both studied together at the same school. Gadadhara was a few years younger then Nimai. Nimai couldn’t remain without Gadadhara even for a moment and Gadadhara likewise couldn’t stand to be separated from Nimai.

In the Gaur-ganoddesa-dipika, it is described that that person who in Vraja was the daughter of Sri Vrsabhanu Raja, namely Srimati Radharani, is now celebrated as Sri Gadadhara Pandita.

Gadadhara was from his very childhood very serene, patient, calm, quiet, fond of solitude and very renounced. Nimai Pandit during the time of His precocious youth would ask his fellow studentsmeaningless, fallacious questions in logic.

Gadadhara however, was not especially fond of this pastime, and therefore he sometimes used to remain at some distance from Nimai. But Nimai wouldn’t allow him to get away. He would tell him – “Gadadhara! In a very short time I’ll become such a Vaisnava that Lord Brahma and Lord Siva themselves will come to My door.”

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, upon going to Gaya Dham, first began to manifest Krsna-prema. There he enacted the pastime of accepting the shelter of Sri Isvara Puri. After returning to His house He began to exhibit a new life.

Day and night He floated in the ocean of love of Krsna. Gadadhara, upon seeing the Lord showering of tears in love for Krsna, also began to cry in ecstatic love. From this time, Gadadhara Pandita was always at Mahaprabhu’s side.

One might ask a question, if Lord Chaitanya is Radha and Krsna combined, where is the necessity for the appearance of Gadadhara Pandit?

The answer to this is that it has been explained that Mahaprabhu is Krsna in search of the loving sentiment of Radha for Krsna. Sri Gadadhara Pandita represents that bhava personified, and thus he has appeared to be at the side of Mahaprabhu to assist him in his search. In this explanation, Gadadhara gives his unalloyed love to Lord Gauranga willingly.

It has also been explained that Krsna has stolen the bhava of Radha and appears as Mahaprabhu, Radha Krsna combined. Gadadhara represents that which is left of Radha after Krsna steals her bhava.

There’s a story in connection with Sri Gadadhara Pandit that when He was very old and trying to render service to Tota-Gopinath, He couldn’t reach to put the garland around the neck of the Deity.

To reciprocate with His loving service, the Deity knelt down to accept the flower garlands of His beloved Gadadhar, who is none other than His beloved Srimati Radharani incarnate as mentioned previously.

To this day the Deity of Tota-Gopinath in the temple remains in a kneeling position to accept the eternal service of His beloved Gadadhara. A slight crack which is still to be found near the right knee of Sri Gopinathji is the spot where Mahaprabhu is said to have entered the Deity.

Travel Journal#21.24: New York City
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 21, No. 24
By Krishna Kripa Das
(Week 24: June 11–17, 2025)
New York City
(Sent from Sarcelles, France, on June 21, 2025)

Where I Went and What I Did

The twenty-fourth week of 2025, I spent at ISKCON NYC in Brooklyn, serving Rama Raya Prabhu’s NYC Harinam program by chanting Hare Krishna and by distributing Ratha-yatra flyers for three or four hours each day before the event. On Friday the Bhakti Center devotees arranged a special program in Tompkins Square Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and NYC Harinama arranged another Times Square Kirtan Festival from 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday was the long awaited New York Ratha-yatra, attended by devotees from all over America, and also Europe, Australia, and India. Despite the drizzle of rain until 4:30 p.m. or so, it was a wonderful event. On Sunday I did a walking harinama with Mahavishnu Swami and Harinama Ruci to 26 Second Avenue, which is now blessed by the recent appearance of Srila Prabhupada in his murti form and transformed into a Hare Krishna Museum, and then to Tompkins Square Park. On Monday I did a midday harinama with the famed ISKCON dancer, Bhakta Avatara Prabhu, who must have distributed at least thirty invitations to the ISKCON NYC Sunday and Tuesday program. Another devotee also joined us. I missed my evening flight to Paris by 7 minutes.

Thus I got to spend Tuesday on NYC Harinam, since the next available flight was not till Wednesday, via Charlotte, NC, no less.

I share a quote from Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad-Bhagavatam. I share many quotes from Prabhupada Nectar by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on classes by Mahavishnu and Guru Prasada Swamis and by Vaisesika, Rama Raya, and Navina Nirada Prabhus.

Many, many thanks to Bhakta Henry of Washington, D.C., for his very generous donation. Thanks to Lila Jagannath Ratha-yatra Prabhu of the UK for his donation of British currency. Thanks to Bhaktan Deva for the nice lunch at Divya’s kitchen and the gift of his iPhone case. Thanks Ahaituka Prema Prabhu, Meru, and Bhaktan Deva for the videos and photos of NYC Harinam and different devotees. Thanks to Prabhavishnu Prabhu for the gift of his iPhone cable.

Itinerary

June 19–August 19: Paris
– June 22: Paris Ratha-yatra
– July 6: Luxembourg park kirtan
– July 11: Amsterdam harinama
– July 12: Amsterdam Ratha-yatra
– July 13: Holland harinama
August 20: London harinama
August 21–22: Liverpool harinamas
August 23: Liverpool Ratha-yatra
August 24: Manchester harinama
August 25: London harinama and flight to New York

Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City

Devotee chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/2jrGhb5P8QQ):

Another devotee chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/cpzKxQBHDhU):

Gopinath of New Vrindaban chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/g177AcpOlaQ):

Vraja Mohan Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/bWUvOc0FFQU):

Shyam Manohar Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/GkrNIZVCZn8):

Jaya Goracand Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and a young woman plays shakers (https://youtu.be/WMFP_O_JN6w):

Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Washington Square Park (https://youtu.be/GtX-94ffHuQ):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Washington Square Park, and two young women play shakers (https://youtu.be/LcW9aF21ys0):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at ISKCON NYC Tulasi Kirtan (https://youtu.be/6TnV7r7oOww):

Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna on Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn, and passersby participate (https://youtu.be/UyoyU-Vek10):

The program organized by the Bhakti Center at Tompkins Square Park was scheduled to be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. I had to catch up on my sleep so I arrived just before 1 p.m. I would pass out Ratha-yatra invitations to people walking by, and I found a higher percentage of New Yorkers there accepted the invitations, more than anywhere in the city except the Bronx.

Here Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Tompkins Square Park, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/mf7GoHNQ9W4):

Here is another video of Madhava in portrait orientation (https://youtube.com/shorts/6kLdpsFOtX4?feature=share):

Here is a video composed of clips taken by Meru of Madhava’s kirtan (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iI0ObN1k2_8):

Meru likes to take photos, especially selfies, and he borrowed my phone to take these photos of the program at Tompkins Square Park.

Here are photos of Jaya Sri Devi Dasi, a leading Prabhupada disciple at New Vrindaban, who remembered me from her winter vacations in Alachua.

Meru got a nice shot of Candramauli Swami and others dancing to Madhava’s kirtan.

Premamani Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at the Times Square Kirtan Festival (https://youtu.be/fW7zQ3hqvg0):

While Premamani was chanting, a woman danced with the devotees (https://youtube.com/shorts/QkqDUliwn-A?feature=share):

Gopinath Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival (https://youtu.be/CTHNfYNvEjY):

During our Times Square Kirtan Festival, the Harinama Ruci traveling party, which was doing a walking harinama at Times Square, stopped by. Here Harinamananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square, and young women dance with devotees (https://youtu.be/mFVjrrajfag):

Radhanath Swami chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival (https://youtu.be/v0elNZUEeZo):

Madhava Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival (https://youtu.be/j-JXrsZkPT0):

Here several passersby dance with the devotees as they chant Hare Krishna at the Times Square Kirtan Festival (https://youtube.com/shorts/Ghk6rbwTszA?feature=share):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at the Times Square Kirtan Festival (https://youtu.be/yjHBJdQXTeE):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival, and devotees and passersby dance (https://youtu.be/gX174d0ZFHw):

After arranging to distribute the books of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami at the Ratha-yatra, I had to take a nap before the procession itself. I arrived about an hour late, but Lord Jagannath had only progressed from 45^th Street and Fifth Avenue down to 42^nd Street, so I did not miss much of the parade.

It was raining lightly the whole time, and it was frustrating to have my vision of Lord Jagannath eclipsed by a myriad of umbrellas. I did not take photos or videos of the procession. I prefer to dance for Lord Jagannath and to give interested people invitations to the festival at the park and the temple and also free literature, such as “On Chanting Hare Krishna.” To stay dry, I would stop at positions along the sidewalk that were protected from the rain, and dance for Lord Jagannath there, until He caught up to me, and then I would move ahead to the next position on the sidewalk where rain could not touch me.

One woman from Atlanta, who was accompanied by her daughter, was very attracted by the procession. I mentioned that we had different centers in Atlanta and a vegetarian restaurant. She said before COVID her boss used to sent out for lunch from Govinda’s every day, and she really loved the food. Unfortunately, with the COVID, fewer people worked in the office, and the program was discontinued. I told her about Krishna food options in New York during her visit. In her case, you could really see how prasadam makes people very favorable toward Krishna consciousness.

Setting up the GN Press book table in the rain, using the table, racks, and books which I had someone leave at the gift shop, took longer than I thought, and I missed some of my favorite kirtan singers in the NYC Harinam Kirtan Tent.

Here Ananta Govinda and friends chant Hare Krishna in NYC Ratha-yatra kirtan tent (https://youtu.be/owyRe77w4Co):

Braja Sakhi Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna in NYC Ratha-yatra Kirtan Tent (https://youtu.be/5mfbHtsE-0o):

As Braja Sakhi Devi Dasi continued to chant Hare Krishna, more devotees and passersby danced (https://youtu.be/UIvaZAwJZmo):

Harinarayana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at NYC Ratha-yatra Kirtan Tent and people play shakers and dance (https://youtu.be/UQoeib2S7ec):

This woman from Tennessee, appearing in the above video, obviously really loved playing the shakers and dancing. She remembered the Hare Krishnas from when she used to live in New York. I told her that we have this festival the second Saturday in June every year, and she should put it on her calendar. She replied enthusiastically, “I will!”

Acyuta Gopi chants Hare Krishna at NYC Ratha-yatra Kirtan Tent, and passersby play shakers and dance (https://youtube.com/shorts/izUAq-Kd4dY?feature=share):

The day after Ratha-yatra, Mahavishnu Swami decided to go on pilgrimage to 26 Second Avenue and Tompkins Square Park.

Here Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna in the Hoyt / Schermerhorn subway station (https://youtu.be/UMIxvBH44dA):

As we reached the turnstiles, an MTA employee took a video of our party, and at the same time, he held the door open for us so we did not have to pay. Now that does not happen every day!

Later Mahavishnu Swami chanted Hare Krishna on the F train, en route to 26 Second Avenue, and people chanted and danced (https://youtube.com/shorts/AMf54CYClQI?feature=share):

Mahavishnu Swami chants Hare Krishna on Second Avenue, and people chant and dance (https://youtube.com/shorts/rOlDViNA17o?feature=share):

Matchless Gifts at 26 Second Avenue has been remodeled to be a Hare Krishna Museum of sorts.

Now there is a full-size murti of Srila Prabhupada there.

The Happening album appears next to a phonograph from that time in history.

There are shirts and bags that are souvenirs of Matchless Gifts.

After seeing 26 Second Avenue, we did a harinama to Tompkins Square Park. During that harinama, a young woman danced with a devotee (https://youtube.com/shorts/iawjl7m2vwE?feature=share):

Devotees chant Hare Krishna and circumambulate the Hare Krishna Tree in Tompkins Square Park (https://youtu.be/a0N1P-xChbQ):

Param Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Sundara Arati at ISKCON NYC the day after Ratha-yatra, and devotees chant and dance enthusiastically (https://youtu.be/pBx3aYNgLYQ):

Vishnugada Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at guru puja at ISKCON NYC (https://youtu.be/bQALaa9kAKI):

Vaisesika Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Guru Puja at ISKCON NYC (https://youtu.be/z-Q5xSEDMi0):

There were many gulab jamuns left over from the Sunday feast, and Hansarupa Prabhu left them by the door for devotees to take as they were leaving.

That reminded me of how in the early days of 26 Second Avenue, Srila Prabhupada would keep a jar of gulab jamuns by the door.

Here is a selfie from Meru of me and Janmastami Prabhu, who I have known for 45 years and who was the senior disciple of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami volunteering to man the Ratha-yatra book table for him.

Monday I was to fly to Paris. As I was leaving to catch the subway to the airport, there were two devotees on later flights who were not familiar with getting to the airport by public transportation, so I decided to assist them. One devotee was doing the online check-in for one, but I advised to skip it as I was late, and because that devotee was getting to the airport five hours before his flight and online checking was not necessary. Thus I was detained for several minutes. I was also detained because I could not book my checked bag online and had to do it at the airport, and I forgot to note down my confirmation code to look up the flight at the kiosk. The line to drop off bags was also ten minutes long. By the time all that was done, I had 52 minutes before my flight, but I had to get there in 37 minutes because they close the flight 15 minutes before take off. Unfortunately, the line for security was so long I missed getting my flight by 7 minutes, and had to accept the next available flight, one through Charlotte, North Carolina, two days later.

On Tuesday our harinama started in Union Square Park, but it proved too rainy, so we moved to Times Square subway station above the 7 train.

Here I chant Hare Krishna in the Times Square subway station (https://youtube.com/shorts/DdqQ3LZER-s?feature=share):

I had not sung for a while because of all of the visiting kirtan leaders, I was happy to sing one last time before going to Europe.

Harinarayana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/fl61Uht3UBI):

Shyam Manohar Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/0cfqHe1qqyg):

Narayana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/ONG-vT6hXeI):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Times Square subway station (https://youtu.be/4WSbAl4S_3w):

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.8.59–60:

“Anyone who thus engages in the devotional service of the Lord, seriously and sincerely, with his mind, words and body, and who is fixed in the activities of the prescribed devotional methods, is blessed by the Lord according to his desire. If a devotee desires material religiosity, economic development, sense gratification or liberation from the material world, he is awarded these results.”

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

From Prabhupada Nectar:

From Chapter 3, Number 7:

“Srila Prabhupada was always a true sadhu. He once defined sadhu by saying that he’s not a person who complains, ‘I cannot see you today because I am not feeling well.’ A sadhu tolerates; therefore he is know as titiksavah karunikah—tolerant and merciful. During Prabhupada’s difficult times he remained calm, in control of his senses, and preached continually.”

From Chapter 3, Number 8:

“Even if someone had never been personally in the room with Prabhupada or been on a walk with him, it didn’t matter. He could also know Prabhupada through serving him. By service, disciples have direct spiritual realization; they have direct spiritual experience. When someone goes on sankirtana and distributes books, he experiences a higher taste from the book distribution and that’s Prabhupada’s presence. Otherwise, he couldn’t go out. It is not just another activity like any other in the material world. No, he is experiencing something, and that experience goes beyond the bodily coverings into the spirit soul. The spirit soul tastes that relationship. By distributing Prabhupada’s books or rendering any service personally he is tasting his relationship with Prabhupada. —Balavanta dasa Adhikari”

From Chapter 3, Number 10:

“The intelligent disciple learns how to follow the spiritual master in a way that will please him. We should not be like foolish Asvatthama who thought he would please his guru Drona by presenting him with the dead bodies of Draupadi’s sons.”

From Chapter 3, Number 13:

“You accept these principles of life, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex, and there will be no cancer. Those who are strictly on this line, they never suffer from cancer or any such disease. Now take for example me. I’ve come here in this country for the last eight years. How many times have I gone to the doctor? That one heart attack. That is serious, that is another thing. Otherwise, generally how many times have I gone? I don’t pay any bill of doctor.

“So if we live a very hygienic life, regulated life, there is no question of cancer or any disease. The disease is created by violating nature’s law.”

From Chapter 3, Number 14:

“In nyaya-sastra it is said, kupa-manduka-nyaya. Kupa means ‘well’ and manduka means ‘frog.’ The frog in the well. Dr. Frog is never visible in the ocean. He has never seen what is the ocean; therefore all these scientists are compared to frogs. They have never seen what is the kingdom of God.”

“Prabhupada explained aja-gala-stana. ‘You have seen in the goats, in the necks—it is just like nipples,’ said Prabhupada. ‘So if one is expecting milk from that nipple, he is also a fool. It is not a nipple, but it looks like one. These are illusions. Aja-gala-stana applies to those rascals who think that from matter, life is coming. Exactly the same, they are thinking that here is a nipple and some milk will come. “Let us milk here. Maybe in the future.”’”

From Chapter 3, Number 15:

“Srila Prabhupada related the story of a rat who became liberated by offering service to Vishnu. The rat was running on the altar of the Deity, just at a time when one of the ghee lamps was about to go out. The rat thought that the flame might be some foodstuffs, so he stuck his whiskers in it. The dying flame caught on to the rat’s whiskers, and the fire flared up, catching on to the unused portion of the wick. In this way, by the rat’s foolish sacrifice, the flame on Vishnu’s altar continued to burn nicely. And for his service to Krishna, the rat went to Vaikuntha. This is the potency of devotional service to Krishna, even performed unknowingly.”

From Chapter 3, Number 18:

“I’ll never forget what Satsvarupa Maharaja once wrote in his Back to Godhead editorial on charisma. A police captain in New York City said, ‘Do you know why this New York Ratha-yatra is a success? Because the Swamiji wanted it so. Because he wanted it.’” (Harikesa Swami lecture).

From Chapter 3, Number 28:

“I do not think that separation from Srila Prabhupada is possible at any moment, provided that we want to keep his association. He is ready and waiting. Any time we turn to him, he is there—there to guide us and help us in any way. Mainly he is there to give us instruction in service and to chastise us if we disobey. But we should never go away.

He always gives us the chance to leave him—if we want—if the chastisement is too heavy. But leaving him is the greatest loss, complete disaster. It is better to accept the chastisement and try to improve, difficult as it may seem, and win his favor again, rather than try to run and hide, avoiding or, still worse, trying to forget.

“Of course, Srila Prabhupada loves us even when he chastises us. In fact, his chastisement is proof that he loves us, that he cares for us, that he wants us to improve and become good devotees of Krishna.

“And if we follow his instructions, he is very pleased, very easily pleased, and he reciprocally blesses us, encouraging us and giving us further direction.

“We should never become puffed up or complacent, however, thinking that because Srila Prabhupada is reciprocating with us he is favoring us or that we are perfect. Far from it. Srila Prabhupada is helping us out of his causeless mercy. We have no other qualification whatsoever. Our only qualification or hope is Srila Prabhupada’s causeless mercy. That’s all. So if we become proud, thinking that we are special or Prabhupada’s favorite, Prabhupada is not pleased. He may by his causeless mercy arrange some difficulty to humble us, so we come crawling back to his shelter.

“Overall, Srila Prabhupada is a perfect person. He is wonderful. As we approach him, he reciprocates. And he is very personal—even humorous at times—as well as very kind and compassionate. If we make mistakes, he forgives us. He is always ready to forgive and give us another chance to serve him. When we follow his instructions, he is pleased. He reciprocates by giving us more service.

My advice to everyone is—and this advice is directed more toward my mind than toward anyone else—always remember Srila Prabhupada and never forget him. He is always there. He is our father, our best friend, and our very life itself.”

—Giriraja Swami

Giriraja Swami, interview.

From Chapter 3, Number 30:

“One time when Prabhupada was at Bhaktivedanta Manor, a Mayavadi sannyasi came to visit. Srila Prabhupada received him graciously, and they had some discussion. When the man departed, he deliberately left behind a big stack of his pamphlets. The pamphlets contained a little essay on the monistic doctrine that ‘all is one,’ defying the direct meaning of the Vedic scriptures and completely omitting Lord Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

“The next afternoon, Prabhupada met with the devotees as usual. His practice was to receive a very big plate of fruit and nuts, take some himself, and then ask a disciple to distribute the maha-prasadam to all the devotees. On this particular day, Prabhupada called for the pamphlets. The devotees were surprised—‘Why is Prabhupada calling for these pamphlets?’ When they were brought in, Srila Prabhupada said, ‘Distribute one to each of the devotees.’ The devotees were bewildered as the Mayavadi pamphlets were distributed to one and all.

“Then Prabhupada said, ‘Everyone take a pamphlet, open it up, and put it in your hand.’ “He took a few fruits from the plate, began eating them, and then indicated that the rest should be distributed. He said the devotees should use the pamphlets as plates.

“One of the devotees mentioned later that Prabhupada was practicing yukta-vairagya by this simple act. He had found a useful purpose for the atheistic tracts, simultaneously ridiculing their author and yet engaging him in devotional service.”

From Chapter 3, Number 32:

“‘Srila Prabhupada,’ Nava-yogendra asked, ‘how should we feel if you are angry with one of us?’

“Srila Prabhupada replied, ‘If the spiritual master is angry, you should be pleased. It means that he’s paying attention to you.’ Prabhupada went on to say that there are so many hundreds and thousands of people in the streets, but no one is looking after them. But if the spiritual master becomes angry with a particular disciple, that is his loving mercy on that person.”

From Chapter 3, Number 33:

“Regarding the Christian Trinity, I believe it is God, the Holy Ghost, and the Son. A person in Krsna consciousness accepts this by the name Visnu, 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.”

From Chapter 3, Number 39:

“The thing is if you give more stress on the scholarly line, other devotees will try to imitate you. Already your wife has expressed such intention, and as soon as we try to be scholars, our devotional line will be slackened. These points are to be kept in view always.”

From Chapter 3, Number 40:

“During a short visit to Boston in 1971, Prabhupada gave the devotees a gift for their altar.

“Brahmananda had asked Prabhupada why he always applied his Vaisnava tilaka by using water from an old jar.

“Prabhupada replied, ‘I will give it to you. It is Ganga water and never decomposes.’

Brahmananda thankfully accepted the jar of water. ‘Thank you, Srila Prabhupada. We will get a silver container for it.’

“‘No,’ said Prabhupada. ‘Put it on the altar as it is.’

“So the devotees placed the jar, which was clearly labeled ‘Maxwell House Coffee,’ on the altar alongside the Radha-Krishna Deities and all the other standard paraphernalia. “Sometimes visitors to the temple would ask about the significance of the Maxwell House jar on the worshipable altar, and the devotees would proudly and gladly explain that it was a gift from Srila Prabhupada.”

From a letter to Markandeya Rsi dasa on May 1, 1974:

“You have asked what is the origin of the black race. This is not an important question. Why should you be curious about the temporary body? If I am very interested in knowing about my clothing that I am wearing only temporarily, it is not a very important thing. We have had many bodies, which we change like sets of clothes. To be very absorbed in the present body one has, whether it is black or white or yellow, is not a sign of a wise person or a Krsna conscious devotee.”

From Chapter 3, Number 43:

“Everyone knew that pushing on Krishna consciousness was great trouble for Prabhupada—his travel, his anxiety, his hard work—and yet his glancing, smiling eyes showed that he was above the struggle.”

From Chapter 3, Number 44:

“My realization from my personal meetings with Srila Prabhupada was that he related to me as I related to him. When I was humble, he was very merciful to me, but when I was proud, Prabhupada smashed my pride.

“When I first met Prabhupada in the Calcutta temple in 1971, I went in and just sat down. He asked me who I was and if I had any questions. I said to him, ‘Well, why not Buddhism?’ I was a wise guy.

“Prabhupada answered, ‘What does a Buddhist believe?’

“I tried to recall my college course, Philosophy 101. I said something about the eight-fold noble path and the four-fold. I kind of mumbled what I could about what the Buddha had said, but I was already defeated, because I couldn’t even think what the Buddha had said.

“The next time I met Prabhupada was at the Mayapur festival in 1972. After first meeting Prabhupada, I’d begun chanting Hare Krishna and I’d become a vegetarian. This time I wasn’t so proud. I was thinking, ‘Actually, Prabhupada may know the answers to all the secrets of life.’ I went in to see him with the mood that he was a perfect spiritual master. Although my surrender was only on a theoretical basis, I approached him submissively, the way it says in the Bhagavad-gita, and I was also rendering service while I was staying in Mayapur. Without knowing it, I was following the injunction of the Gita. Therefore, naturally Prabhupada reciprocated by rendering to me the Absolute Truth. Those conversations are all published in the book, Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers. Prabhupada was very, very merciful to me. He even said to me, ‘You are a very good boy.’

“The next time I saw Prabhupada was again in Calcutta. By now I was much more respectful. When I went in to see him, he was drinking coconut juice. The first thing he did was give me some. I entered his room feeling myself very insignificant. Then Prabhupada immediately gave me his own coconut juice to drink. It was just a little thing, but it really touched me.

“Another time I met him in 1973 I was also feeling very insignificant. This was when Prabhupada was in New York at the Brooklyn temple. He was walking from his quarters to the temple room, and I was standing in the hallway packed with devotees. I was thinking, ‘I hope he doesn’t even see me.’ When Prabhupada walked by, we all offered obeisances. I kept my head all the way down, saying the prayers slowly to make sure that he would be past me by the time I would stand up, but what I didn’t know was that Prabhupada had stopped and was waiting for me. I slowly finished the prayers and sat up, and there was Prabhupada right in front of me. He said, ‘Oh! You’re here!’ He put his arms around me and gave me a hug.

“Another time, however, Prabhupada smashed my false ego. He was on a walk in Denver and I joined him. Yadubara said, ‘Prabhupada, here’s that Peace Corps worker. He’s here to see you again.’ On this occasion I was feeling very proud, thinking, ‘Yes, Prabhupada will be very glad to see me.’ But Prabhupada only said, ‘Oh.’ That was all he said.

“One time I also met Prabhupada in his room in New Orleans. On this occasion, I walked in insignificantly and sat in the back of the room. I didn’t want Prabhupada to see me. The room was full of devotees, including many leaders, so I hid in the back. But Prabhupada saw me and he paused in the middle of his darsana. He said, ‘Come here.’ I moved up about a foot. Again he said, ‘No, come here.’ I inched forward a little more. Then Brahmananda Swami turned and said, ‘Come here!’ I wound up sitting right next to Prabhupada, at his feet. He wanted me to sit there.

“The time I was ready to get initiated, I was proud again. This was in 1976 and I was thinking, ‘Now Prabhupada will be so pleased with me. This is wonderful.’ Prabhupada did not personally perform the initiation ceremony. He was feeling ill, but he was sitting on the vyasasana and then was giving out cookies. I was not very far away from Prabhupada, and I looked at him directly, thinking, ‘Now I’m here. I’m going to be initiated. Prabhupada will be glad to see me.’ I looked right at Prabhupada because before, he had recognized me in New Orleans and in the hallway at Henry Street in Brooklyn. I was thinking, ‘Now I will be recognized again.’ I was actually thinking like that. I can remember. When I looked straight at Srila Prabhupada, he looked right through me. He didn’t even see me. He looked directly through me. It was the most eerie feeling, Prabhupada looking at me and not seeing me. It was the most severe chastisement he could give me for being proud.

“So I am convinced that Prabhupada related to me as I related to him. If I was humble, he was kind. When I was puffed up, he practically ignored me.

“—Brahmatirtha dasa Adhikari”

From Chapter 3, Number 50:

“‘Do as I am doing,’ said Prabhupada. It’s not that he wanted a cult of personal worship of himself, but because he set the standard for his GBC leaders and others, he wanted his followers to do as he was doing. His intention was that his followers should work together to keep what he gave. He had received the blessings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he wanted that success to be carried out by his followers. He also gave his own example when he said that any one person can go and open a center as he had done, one man alone lecturing, cooking, playing the mrdanga, etc. He also gave his own life as an example when he encouraged his disciples to go to foreign countries and endure difficulties. He encouraged them by saying he had done the same thing when he had come alone to America.”

Mahavishnu Swami:

We have sciences like biology, chemistry, and physics, which are known all over the world. Srila Prabhupada wanted a science of God.

Nothing happens by spontaneous development of matter.

A motor car will sit for millions of years unless someone gets in the driver’s seat.

Life arises from a combination of matter and spirit. When the combination occurs, development beings.

Jagannath is attractive. My brother was attracted to Him, among the deities at ISKCON London. He is like a smiley on the WhatsApp.

Trump said he believes in God. Many people in God, but do they know how to overcome the ocean of birth and death?

Trump wants to make America great. We can tell Trump how to make America great.

We do not want to just make America great. We want to make the world great. Srila Prabhupada told us how. Through kirtan and prasadam – spiritual music and food. These Ratha-yatra festivals are saving the planet.

Do not think there has to be a third world war. We have the Hare Krishna mantra which is all powerful.

For the first Ratha-yatra in New York, the devotees were looking for a place to build their carts. Different people rejected us for different reasons. The secretary of one property owner said she would check with the boss. We heard back from her that she had a letter of permission from the boss. It was signed Donald Trump.

Guru Prasada Swami:

We should think that Krishna is just giving us enough misery so that we can remember this world is a miserable place.

Krishna considered that Sudama Brahmana had given him more than he had, and by doing that he had defeated Him, because Krishna cannot do that because He has everything.

Krishna delivers the sadhus by bringing them to a higher level of devotional service with more surrender.

We should desire to be pure devotees to offer the best to Krishna.

Raghava Pandit did not want to offer the cheapest to Krishna but the best.

Raghava Pandit was happy when after offering the coconut water to Krishna he found that the glass was completely empty.

You cannot preach Krishna consciousness unless you are happy being engaged in devotional service.

When Krishna sees you are not holding anything back, He will be pleased.

Sincerity in hearing and in putting it into practice both have to be there.

We have to be careful to not stick to the minimum.

When we see someone engaged enthusiastically in devotional service, no matter who that person is, we become inspired.

Vaisesika Prabhu:

Krishna is inviting us to remember Him. Everyone in New York is advocating we remember this person or that thing.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate objective of meditation. At initiation we begin to give up less important objectives of meditation.

If we do not accept the beauty in the reality, we have to accept the reflection of that beauty in this material world.

Lord Caitanya describes the happiness of the material world as flickering happiness. It has a beginning and an end, and thus it is always frustrating.

Lord Caitanya introduced kevalya-ananda-kanda, pure happiness.

Initiation means we are opting out of the material world. We are now going to follow in the footsteps of the great souls.

As the salmon identify the pond of their birth after traveling thousands of miles to the ocean and back by their sense of smell, we return to the spiritual world, though so far away, by our sense of hearing.

Srila Prabhupada recommends that the charity to given in this age is prasadam.

We should have a goal that everyone in New York City gets prasadam.

My economics professor said that the lottery is referred to in economics as a tax on the stupid.

Illicit sex is the biggest trap there is. It is very entangling, and takes a long time to get out of.

It is difficult for meat eaters to overcome anger and other base qualities.

You are going to get a sadhana-deha today, the body of a spiritual practitioner. Most people in New York do not have one.

Yuli:

Madhurya Rasa Devi Dasi: She goes on harinama and distributes books. She has helped out with the Monthly Sankirtan Festival.

Initiated name: Jhulan Yatra Dasi

Jenny:

Mangala-citra Devi Dasi: We were trying to meet an hour a month, but she was eager to meet more. You will not find a more loving guru and guru ma. We are happy to invite you into our family.

Initiated name: Gandharika Vilasini Devi Dasi

Conner:

Hadai Prana: Congratulations. He came to Krishna consciousness through reading Bhagavad-gita As It Is. He was studying dance at Juilliard, a very prestigious dance school, and found that the Hare Krishnas have the best dancing. He is always a team player. He has strict sadhana. He is goes on harinama every day. He helps organize the monthly sankirtana festival. He helps with Bhakti School.

Initiated name: Kana Gopala Dasa.

Rama Raya Prabhu:

People in general want to do as everyone else is doing because they do not want to stand out.

Srila Prabhupada said if we induce people to buy Krishna literature one day they will become devotees.

In our spiritual life there is a real struggle, but the result is guaranteed.

Srila Prabhupada said after the first San Francisco Ratha-yatra, “Why do we work so hard to put on such a festival? This is the compassion of a Vaishnava.”

Srila Prabhupada explained that his guru arranged his disciples take birth in the west to assist him.

If you are overwhelmed in your service, if you take advantage of the association of advanced devotees, that can give you strength.

Navina Nirada Prabhu:

Ksatriyas, like Dhruva Maharaja here, are all about justice.

If we can think of nothing to say to inspire a particular person to take a book, we can sincerely pray to Krishna, and I have seen some amazing successes by doing this.

One devotee sincerely desired that her relatives become devotees although they had no interest in Krishna consciousness. She bathed photos of them in sacred rivers, and one by one they gradually became devotees.

-----

After speaking the whole Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, Krishna advises him in this verse to think it over and choose his course of action. Of course, because Krishna is all-knowing and all-merciful, the best course of action and that which Arjuna chooses, is to follow Krishna’s advice. We will also come out ahead if we follow the example of Arjuna.

iti te jñanam akhyatam

guhyad guhya-taram maya

vimrsyaitad asesena

yathecchasi tatha kuru

“Thus I have explained to you knowledge still more confidential. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.” (Bhagavad-gita 18.63)

Sri Srivasa Pandita’s Disappearance Day
Giriraj Swami

Srivasa Pandita is one of the members of the Pancha-tattva:sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasa. Vedic authorities state that in the current Age of Kali, Krishna came as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Balarama came as Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Similarly, Maha-vishnu appeared as Advaita Acharya, Srimati Radharani as Gadadhara Pandita, and Narada Muni as Srivasa Pandita.

panca-tattvatmakam krsnam
bhakta-rupa-svarupakam
bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam
namami bhakta-saktikam

“I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Krsna, who is nondifferent from His features as a devotee, devotional incarnation, devotional manifestation, pure devotee, and devotional energy.” (Cc Adi 1.14)

Panca-tattvatmakam: The Pancha-tattva comprise one truth on the absolute platform. Lord Chaitanya is bhakta-rupa, Krishna in the form of a devotee. Lord Nityananda is svarupakam, the expansion of a devotee. Advaita Acharya is bhaktavataram, the avatar of a devotee. Srivasa Thakura is bhakta, a devotee. And Gadadhara Pandita is bhakta-saktikam, the energy of the Supreme Lord who supplies energy to the devotees—the devotional energy, Srimati Radharani.

In the Adi-lila of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami describes the tree of Lord Chaitanya. The tree itself is Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and at the same time Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the gardener who tends to the tree. This tree, like any tree, has a trunk, limbs, and branches. The limbs and branches and leaves are devotees—the devotees of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami says that he is listing such devotees for his own purification, just to glorify them, and that he cannot distinguish between who is higher and who is lower; he wants to glorify them all. And Srila Prabhupada remarks that this is the attitude of a pure devotee. A pure devotee respects all devotees. He does not distinguish that some should be respected and some not; he respects all of them.

Srila Prabhupada also mentions that ISKCON is a branch of the Chaitanya tree. In reality, Prabhupada himself is a most important branch of the Chaitanya tree, but in his humility he says that ISKCON is a branch. So, all the devotees in ISKCON, who are attached to ISKCON, are leaves on the Chaitanya tree. And we should respect and honor them all.

After introducing the Chaitanya tree, Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami begins to describe specific devotees, and the first he describes is Srivasa Thakura. For our purification, we shall read now the first verses of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter Ten, “The Trunk, Branches, and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree.” And then we shall discuss more about Srivasa Thakura.

TEXT 1

sri-caitanya-padambhoja-
madhupebhyo namo namah
kathancid asrayad yesam
svapi tad-gandha-bhag bhavet

TRANSLATION

Let me repeatedly offer my respectful obeisances unto the beelike devotees who always taste the honey of the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If even a doggish nondevotee somehow takes shelter of such devotees, he enjoys the aroma of the lotus flower.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

The example of a dog is very significant in this connection. A dog naturally does not become a devotee at any time, but still it is sometimes found that a dog of a devotee gradually becomes a devotee also. We have actually seen that a dog has no respect even for the tulasi plant. Indeed, a dog is especially inclined to pass urine on the tulasi plant. Therefore the dog is the number one nondevotee. But Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s sankirtana movement is so strong that even a doglike nondevotee can gradually become a devotee by the association of a devotee of Lord Caitanya. Srila Sivananda Sena, a great householder devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, attracted a dog on the street while going to Jagannatha Puri. The dog began to follow him and ultimately went to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu and was liberated. Similarly, cats and dogs in the household of Srivasa Thakura were also liberated. Cats and dogs and other animals are not expected to become devotees, but in the association of a pure devotee they are also delivered.

COMMENT by Giriraj Swami

This is an important verse to begin the description of the Chaitanya tree. The tree describes the devotees, and here Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami glorifies the power of the devotees: by their power, even a doglike nondevotee can become a devotee and taste the nectar at the lotus feet of the Lord.

In six days we shall observe Jagannatha Ratha-yatra, and that date is also the disappearance day of Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami and Srila Sivananda Sena. Every year, Sivananda Sena would take a party of devotees from Bengal to Orissa for the Ratha-yatra, and one year a dog joined them. Sivananda Sena was so merciful that he accepted the dog as part of his party, so much so that when they had to cross a river by boat, he paid the boatman extra to take the dog.

One day, when Sivananda Sena had to attend to some work, his servant forgot to feed the dog. And when Sivananda came and inquired, “Did you feed the dog?” he discovered that it had not been given its meals. Sivananda Sena immediately sent ten men to find the dog, but they could not find it. And Sivananda Sena felt so sorry, he fasted.

The next day too they did not see the dog, but when they reached Puri they saw it sitting a little distance from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who was throwing it remnants of green coconut pulp and requesting it to chant the holy names “Hari,” “Krishna,” and “Rama.” Sivananda Sena, out of his humility, offered obeisances to the dog, feeling that he had been an offender, because he had neglected to serve it properly. The following day, however, no one saw the dog, for it had been liberated and gone back home, back to Godhead, by the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the holy names.

This is the strength of the mercy of a pure devotee. By the mercy of such a devotee, one gets the association of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu—the opportunity to chant the holy names of Krishna—and in the end goes back home, back to Godhead.

TEXT 2

jaya jaya sri-krsna-caitanya-nityananda
jayadvaitacandra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda

TRANSLATION

All glories to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda! All glories to Advaita Prabhu, and all glories to the devotees of Lord Caitanya, headed by Srivasa!

TEXTS 3–6

The description of Lord Caitanya as the gardener and the tree is inconceivable. Now hear with attention about the branches of this tree.

The associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu were many, but none of them should be considered lower or higher. This cannot be ascertained.

All the great personalities in the line of Lord Caitanya enumerated these devotees, but they could not distinguish between the greater and the lesser.

I offer my obeisances unto them as a token of respect. I request them not to consider my offenses.

TEXT 7

vande sri-krsna-caitanya-
premamara-taroh priyan
sakha-rupan bhakta-ganan
krsna-prema-phala-pradan

TRANSLATION

I offer my obeisances to all the dear devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the eternal tree of love of Godhead. I offer my respects to all the branches of the tree, the devotees of the Lord who distribute the fruit of love of Godhead.

TEXT 8

srivasa pandita, ara sri-rama pandita
dui bhai—dui sakha, jagate vidita

TRANSLATION

The two brothers Srivasa Pandita and Sri Rama Pandita started two branches that are well known in the world.

PURPORT

In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (90), Srivasa Pandita (Srivasa Thakura) is described as an incarnation of Narada Muni, and Sri Rama Pandita, his younger brother, is said to be an incarnation of Parvata Muni, a great friend of Narada’s. Srivasa Pandita’s wife, Malini, is celebrated as an incarnation of the nurse Ambika, who fed Lord Krsna with her breast milk, and as already noted, his niece Narayani, the mother of Thakura Vrndavana dasa, the author of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, was the sister of Ambika in krsna-lila. We also understand from the description of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata that after Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s acceptance of the sannyasa order, Srivasa Pandita left Navadvipa, possibly because of feelings of separation, and domiciled at Kumarahatta.

COMMENT

Sivananda Sena resided at Kumarahatta, and Srivasa Thakura came to live near him. Later, Vasudeva Datta also took up residence there.

Kumarahatta is a very important place. It is the birthplace of Isvara Puri, whom Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepted as His guru. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went there on pilgrimage and visited His guru’s birthplace, and He took dirt from the ground there and kept it in His cloth, and every day He would eat a little bit of the dirt. Sri Caitanya-bhagavata (Adi-khanda 17.98–103) describes:

“The Supreme Lord, Sri Caitanya, personally visited the birthplace of Isvara Puri. The Lord said, ‘I offer My obeisances to the village of Kumarahatta, where Sri Isvara Puri appeared.’ He cried profusely at that place and spoke nothing other than the name of Isvara Puri. He took some dust from the birthplace of Isvara Puri and tied it in His cloth. The Lord said, ‘The dust from the birthplace of Isvara Puri is My life, wealth, and living force.’ The Lord exhibited such affection for Isvara Puri, because He takes pleasure in increasing the glories of His devotees.” Even today, devotees take dirt from the same place.

It is said that, following the example of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, every disciple should visit the birthplace of his spiritual master. Last November, His Holiness Radhanath Swami and I visited Srila Prabhupada’s birthplace in Calcutta. Srila Prabhupada took birth under a jackfruit tree, and we visited the tree. We also saw the Deities and temple that his mother would visit. I imagined how she would pray to that Deity of Krishna for the child in her womb and how after the child’s birth she and all the relatives would pray for his well-being.

TEXT 9

sripati, srinidhi—tanra dui sahodara
cari bhaira dasa-dasi, grha-parikara

TRANSLATION

Their two brothers were named Sripati and Srinidhi. These four brothers and their servants and maidservants are considered one big branch.

TEXT 10

dui sakhara upasakhaya tan-sabara ganana
yanra grhe mahaprabhura sada sankirtana

TRANSLATION

There is no counting the subbranches of these two branches. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu held congregational chanting daily at the house of Srivasa Pandita.

COMMENT

This sankirtana that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu performed at Srivasa-angana is significant. There is a parallel between the pastimes of Sri Krishna Chaitanya and the pastimes of Krishna, and the nocturnal kirtan at Srivasa-angana in gaura-lila corresponds to the rasa-lila in Krishna’s pastimes. It was the highest ecstasy. To enable Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His confidential devotees to enter deeply into the kirtan and relish its mellows without disturbance, Srivasa Thakura would lock the door to his house. Only the most confidential devotees were allowed.

Srila Prabhupada comments that to spread Krishna consciousness, when we have large-scale congregational chanting of the holy name, we keep our doors open for everyone to participate, and that by the grace of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu this policy has brought good results. But the special kirtans held at Srivasa Thakura’s residence at night were reserved for only the most intimate devotees, so that they could freely experience and manifest their ecstasy, which they could do only in the association of devotees. A pure devotee will not do that if there are outsiders.

Srila Prabhupada’s disciple Gargamuni dasa once told Prabhupada that sometimes he felt like crying in the kirtan. Prabhupada replied, “That’s all right, because you are chanting with devotees and they will understand.” Otherwise, devotees don’t manifest such symptoms of ecstasy.

TEXT 11

cari bhai sa-vamse kare caitanyera seva
gauracandra vina nahi jane devi-deva

TRANSLATION

These four brothers and their family members fully engaged in the service of Lord Caitanya. They knew no other god or goddess.

PURPORT

Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has said, anya-devasraya nai, tomare kahinu bhai, ei bhakti parama-karana: if one wants to become a pure, staunch devotee, one should not take shelter of any of the demigods or -goddesses. . . .

COMMENT

This is an important point, especially for Hindus who are used to worshipping gods and goddesses. Sometimes even after such people come to the association of devotees and hear the philosophy of Krishna consciousness and to some extent understand it, they are reluctant to give up their worship of demigods. They may think, “Our ancestors worshipped demigods, so how can we stop?” Sometimes their deities have been passed down through generations in their family and they are afraid that they will displease their ancestors or deities if they stop the worship—that Lord Shiva or Durga or whoever will be displeased. But according to the Bhagavad-gita, one should not worship gods and goddesses. Rather, one should take full shelter of the Supreme Lord Krishna, and if one does so, the demigods too will be pleased. Lord Krishna states,

ye ’py anya-devata-bhakta
yajante sraddhayanvitah
te ’pi mam eva kaunteya
yajanty avidhi-purvakam

“Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only Me, O son of Kunti, but they do so in a wrong way.” (Gita 9.23)

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” (Gita 18.66)

To engage fully in the service of Krishna or Krishna Chaitanya and to know no other god or goddess is an important qualification. Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami could have mentioned many other qualities of Srivasa Thakura and his family, but he specifically mentioned that they had full faith in Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and did not worship any devas or devis.

Five thousand years ago, Lord Krishna exhibited the pastime of lifting Govardhana Hill. The residents of Vrindavan were used to worshipping Indra, who is the king of heaven and demigod in charge of rainfall. Lord Krishna told them to take the paraphernalia that they had gathered for the indra-yajna and use it instead to worship Govardhana Hill, the cows, and the brahmans. And because the Vraja-vasis had simple faith in Lord Krishna, they did what He said.

Due to some false pride and illusion, Indra became angry when his worship was stopped. But what was the result? Although Indra became angry and sent torrents of rain to inundate Vrindavan, Lord Krishna lifted Govardhana Hill and held it up as an umbrella to give shelter to all the residents of Vrindavan. And the result was that they were able to be with Krishna continuously for one week, 24/7. Every day, under ordinary circumstances, they would be with Him for some time but then they would be separated. In the early morning, for example, Krishna and Balarama would be with Their mother and father, but then They would go out to the fields to tend to the cows and Their parents would be separated from Them. Almost all of the residents of the Vrindavan village would be separated from Them during the day; only the cowherd boys would be with Them. But in the late afternoon, when Krishna came back from the pasturing grounds, He would again enter His home and be with Nanda and Yashoda and others there, and He would be separated from the cowherd boys. Then in the middle of the night He would sneak out to meet the gopis, and then He would sneak back before His mother came to wake Him up in the morning. And then he would be separated from the young gopis.

When the gopis gazed at Krishna as He returned from the pasturing grounds in the late afternoon, they would curse the creator, Brahma, for creating eyelids. Even the momentary blinking of their eyes, that momentary separation from the sight of Krishna, felt like yugas, like many thousands of years, because they had such intense attachment (anuraga) for Him. And so the gopis prayed to Krishna,

atati yad bhavan ahni kananam
truti yugayate tvam apasyatam
kutila-kuntalam sri-mukham ca te
jada udiksatam paksma-krd drsam

“When You go off to the forest during the day, a tiny fraction of a second becomes like a millennium for us because we cannot see You. And even when we can eagerly look upon Your beautiful face, so lovely with its adornment of curly locks, our pleasure is hindered by our eyelids, which were fashioned by the foolish creator.” (SB 10.31.15)

So, there was constant meeting and separation, and the separation was terrible for the Vraja-vasis, because they had such deep love for Krishna. But during the govardhana-lila the Vraja-vasis could be with Krishna continuously. The gopis, the elder cowherd men and ladies, the cowherd boys, the servants, and the animals all got to be with Krishna continuously. So, by giving up their worship of Indra and following Krishna’s instruction to worship Govardhana Hill (which is nondifferent from Krishna), they did not lose. Rather, they gained continuous, close association with Krishna. So, if we give up the worship of demigods or goddesses and take fully to the service of Krishna, we will not lose. Rather, we will gain in the most wonderful way.

Because Srivasa Thakura would lock the doors of his house during the kirtans, some people became angry. The Caitanya-caritamrta describes that, being excluded, some of these nonbelievers (pasandis) burned with envy and plotted against Srivasa Thakura. The leader of the nonbelievers was a brahman named Gopala Chapala, and he assembled paraphernalia for the worship of the goddess Bhavani (Durga) and placed it outside Srivasa Thakura’s door to defame him, because generally the worshippers of the goddess Bhavani, Durga, or Kali, are considered lower class. They drink wine and eat meat. For a Vaishnava, such things are anathema. So, Gopala Chapala wanted to defame Srivasa Thakura, and alongside the paraphernalia for the worship he placed a pot of wine.

In the morning, when Srivasa Thakura opened the door and saw all the paraphernalia, he immediately called for the respectable gentlemen of the neighborhood. He told them, “Just see, here is the paraphernalia for the worship of Bhavani.” There was a banana leaf and some rice and red sandalwood paste—and the jug of wine. He said, “Every night I worship the goddess Bhavani. Now all you respectable gentlemen can understand my actual position—who I really am—and you can take whatever action you deem fit.”

Of course, the respectable brahmans and other members of the higher castes could understand what had happened, that some envious person had wanted to defame Srivasa Thakura and desecrate his house. So they called for a sweeper, a hadi, to dispose of all those untouchable things and purify the place by mopping it with a mixture of water and cow dung.

Three day later, Gopala Chapala was afflicted with leprosy. Blood oozed from sores all over his body, and he was attacked by germs and insects. The position of a devotee is such that anyone who offends any devotee suffers. And that is also the Lord’s mercy. By punishing the offender, He simultaneously protects His devotees from being offended further and prevents the offender from committing more offenses. He helps the offender realize his mistake and make progress in spiritual life. So Gopala Chapala was burning with leprosy, suffering unbearable pain.

One day when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu passed nearby, Gopala Chapala appealed to Him, “You are an incarnation of God. You have come to deliver the fallen souls. I am very fallen and wretched. So please deliver me.” Of course, it is true that Lord Chaitanya came to deliver the fallen souls, but He really came to deliver them from material existence altogether—not from any particular condition—by distributing the holy name and krsna-prema. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura prayed,

golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana,
rati na janmilo kene taya
samsara-visanale, diva-nisi hiya jvale
judaite na koinu upaya

“The treasure of divine love in Goloka Vrindavan has descended as the congregational chanting of Lord Hari’s holy names. Why did my attraction for that chanting never come about? Day and night my heart burns in the fire of the poison of worldliness, and I have not accepted the means for relieving it.”

vrajendra-nandana yei, saci-suta hoilo sei,
balarama hoilo nitai
dina-hina yata chilo, hari-name uddharilo,
tara saksi jagai-madhai

“Lord Krishna, the son of the King of Vraja, became the son of Saci, and Balarama became Nitai. The holy name delivered all those souls who were lowly and wretched. The two sinners Jagai and Madhai are evidence of this.”

Lord Chaitanya brought the practice of chanting the holy name—the treasure of krsna-prema—and delivered all who were sinful and fallen, even Jagai and Madhai. Although this Gopala Chapala was very sinful and insulting, he had one good quality: he was simple. He accepted Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and had faith that Mahaprabhu could deliver him. So he appealed to Him, and Mahaprabhu called him a sinner and told him, “Because of your sins, you are suffering.” And that is a fact: whatever suffering we experience in this world is due to our sins. The Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu explains that suffering is due to sin and that sin is due to ignorance. Thus the only way to really become free from suffering is to become free from sin and ignorance—in other words, to become enlightened in transcendental knowledge, engage in devotional service, and ultimately go back to Godhead.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told him, “You are envious of pure devotees. That is the worst sin. I shall not deliver you. Rather, I shall see you bitten by these germs for millions of years. Srivasa Thakura is My pure devotee, and for your offense against him, you will fall into hellish conditions for millions of lifetimes.” After some time, Gopala Chapala actually took shelter of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and the Lord mercifully instructed him, “If you approach Srivasa Thakura and get his mercy—and if you do not commit such sins again—you will be freed from the effects of your offenses.”

That is the only way to be relieved from vaisnava-aparadha—to go to the Vaishnava you have offended, throw yourself at his feet, and beg for forgiveness. Gopala Chapala did that. He took shelter of the lotus feet of Srivasa Thakura, and by Srivasa’s mercy he was freed from all sinful reactions.

Then there was another person, a brahmachari who practiced austerities and ate only milk and fruits. Repeatedly, daily, he begged Srivasa Pandita, “Please allow me to witness the sankirtana in your house at night. I will be ever grateful to you.” He begged and pleaded, and finally Srivasa Pandita relented: “I know you are a good soul. You are a strict brahmachari and eat only fruit and milk. I think you are eligible to see the Lord’s dancing, but you will have to remain hidden, because the Lord has ordered that no one be allowed in the house.”

Srivasa Pandita secretly brought the brahmachari inside the house and hid him. During the kirtan, Lord Chaitanya and His other associates chanted and danced, but they did not experience their usual ecstasy. After a while, the Lord remarked, “Today I do not feel the same ecstasy while dancing. Perhaps someone is hiding inside the house. Please tell the truth.”

Srivasa Pandita became afraid and said, “My Lord, I assure you that there are no nonbelievers in the house—only a brahmachari, a qualified, sinless brahman who eats only milk and fruits. He had a strong desire to see You dance. Still, You are right, my Lord. He is hiding here.”

The Lord became furious and said, “Take him out of this house immediately. What is his qualification to see My dancing? How can one develop devotion to Me simply by drinking milk?”

“Just by drinking milk no one can attain Me,” the Lord declared. “A person may be a renunciant without mundane attachment, but if he does not surrender to Me I do not accept him. On the other hand, even a low-caste dog-eater who takes full shelter of Me I accept.”

Hearing all this, the brahmachari was trembling with fear, and he came out of hiding. Still, he thought, “I was so fortunate to see the Lord dance. And now I am receiving the appropriate punishment.” He accepted the Lord’s chastisement as mercy. And the Lord, understanding the brahmachari’s heart, blessed him. He told him, “Do not try to attain power through penances and austerities. Rather, render loving service unto the Supreme Lord Krishna. That is the highest activity.” And the Lord placed His lotus feet on the brahmachari’s head.

Another brahman came to witness the kirtan at Srivasa-angana, but because the door was locked, he could not enter, and he returned home disappointed. The next day, he met Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, broke his brahman thread, and cursed Him: “You will never enjoy material happiness.” When Lord Chaitanya heard this curse, He felt great jubilation. He took it as a blessing: “I will be free of material enjoyment.”

Even the cats and dogs in Srivasa Thakura’s house were delivered. In Caitanya-bhagavata, after Chaitanya Mahaprabhu heard Srivasa Thakura speak with great faith and love for Nityananda Prabhu, He blessed him, “Everyone in your household, including your pet dogs and cats, will find complete shelter in My devotional service.”

Srivasa Thakura had a Muslim tailor. (We also had a Muslim tailor, Abdul, at our Juhu temple, and he sewed our cloth.) This tailor stayed near Srivasa-angana and used to sew garments for Srivasa Thakura and his family. One day the tailor saw Chaitanya Mahaprabhu dancing. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu chanted and danced in ecstasy not only in His private kirtans but on other occasions as well, and the tailor, seeing the Lord’s dancing, became enchanted. Lord Chaitanya understood the tailor’s mind and mercifully showed him His original form as Krishna. Then the tailor began to shout, “Dekhinu! Dekhinu!”—I have seen! I have seen! In ecstatic love, he danced with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and he became a first-class Vaishnava and prominent devotee of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Anyone who takes shelter of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu can be delivered. It does not matter if one is a brahman, a brahmachari, a milk-drinker, a meat-eater, or a Muslim. These are not qualifications or disqualifications. Anyone who takes shelter of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu or, better yet, His devotee (the tailor was a servant of Srivasa Pandita) can get the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and obtain love for Krishna.

In His ecstatic mood, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked Srivasa Thakura, “Please bring My flute,” because He was in the mood of Krishna. But Srivasa replied, “The gopis have stolen it.” When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu heard this, He became ecstatic. He said, “Please say more. Please say more.” Srivasa Thakura began to describe the mellows of Krishna’s Vrindavan pastimes, and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, “Please say more. Please say more.” Then Srivasa Thakura described more—how Krishna played on His flute and the gopis wandered in the Vrindavan forest, and how Krishna celebrated the rasa dance and played in the Yamuna. “Please say more. Please say more.” Srivasa spoke more and more about the mellows and pastimes of Krishna in Vrindavan, especially the rasa-lila. Thus the two of them passed the entire night, and when morning came, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu embraced Srivasa Thakura and Srivasa was satisfied.

These are some of the earlier pastimes, from when Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu resided in Navadvipa. Eventually Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa, left Navadvipa, and settled in Jagannatha Puri, and Srivasa Thakura, in separation from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, moved to Kumarahatta.

Every year, Sivananda Sena would lead a party of devotees from Bengal to Orissa to meet Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, participate in the Ratha-yatra, and stay with Him for caturmasya, the four months of the rainy season. One year, Srivasa Thakura observed the Hera-panchami festival with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. Hera-panchami is a very special festival. Two weeks before Ratha-yatra is Snana-yatra, the public bathing of Lord Jagannatha, after which Lord Jagannatha retires to His private quarters and for two weeks does not see His devotees. It is said that He caught a cold from the Snana-yatra, and so for two weeks His wife Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune, serves Him faithfully, giving Him special drinks and infusions, represented by fruit juice, to help Him recover and feel better.

After two weeks, feeling separation from His other devotees, Lord Jagannatha takes permission from Lakshmi to go out. Really, He wants to meet and reciprocate with His devotees in Vrindavan. So, in the Ratha-yatra, He proceeds on His chariot from Nilachala, which is like Dvaraka (or Kurukshetra), down the road to Sundarachala, to the Gundicha temple, which is considered to be Vrindavan.

The day before the Ratha-yatra is Gundicha-marjana, during which Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His devotees clean the Gundicha temple to make it fit to receive the Lord. And the next day is the Ratha-yatra procession. Then, for about eight days, Lord Jagannatha stays in the Gundicha temple. But after four or five days, Lakshmi becomes impatient: “Where is my husband? He said He was just going out for a ride. Where is He? He should be back.” Restless and angry, she takes her maidservants and travels to Sundarachala in her own procession. At the gate of the Gundicha temple, she sends her maidservants to arrest the principal servants of Lord Jagannatha, which they do. They bind the servants around the waist and make them fall down at her lotus feet. And they berate the servants, making them the butt of jokes and loose language.

During this pastime Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, and Srivasa Thakura had a discussion. Srivasa Thakura, as the incarnation of Narada Muni, a great devotee of Lord Narayana in Vaikuntha, became ecstatic seeing the opulence of the goddess of fortune, the eternal consort of Lord Narayana. He told Svarupa Damodara, “Just see how opulent my goddess of fortune is. Vrindavan’s opulence consists of a few flowers and twigs, some minerals from the hills, and a few peacock feathers. When Jagannatha was in Vrindavan, Lakshmi wondered, ‘Why did Lord Jagannatha give up so much opulence and go to Vrindavan?’ Then, to make Him a laughingstock, she decorated herself and brought her maidservants to deride Him and His servants. Finally, His servants submitted to her and promised to bring Lord Jagannatha before her the very next day, and the goddess of fortune, being pacified, returned to her apartment.” Thus Srivasa Thakura joked with Svarupa Damodara, as described in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 14. 213–215):

amara laksmira sampad—vakya-agocara

“ ‘Just see! My goddess of fortune is opulent beyond all description.

dugdha auti’ dadhi mathe tomara gopi-gane
amara thakurani vaise ratna-simhasane

“ ‘Your gopis are engaged in boiling milk and churning yogurt, but my mistress, the goddess of fortune, sits on a throne made of jewels and gems.’

arada-prakrti srivasa kare parihasa
suni’ hase mahaprabhura yata nija-dasa

“Srivasa Thakura, who was enjoying the mood of Narada Muni, thus made jokes. Hearing him, all the personal servants of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu began to smile.”

Then Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself spoke.

prabhu kahe,—srivasa, tomate narada-svabhava
aisvarya-bhave tomate, isvara-prabhava

“Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Srivasa Thakura, ‘My dear Srivasa, your nature is exactly like that of Narada Muni. The Supreme Personality of Godhead’s opulence is having a direct influence upon you.

inho damodara-svarupa-suddha-vrajavasi
aisvarya na jane inho suddha-preme bhasi’

“ ‘Svarupa Damodara is a pure devotee of Vrndavana. He does not even know what opulence is, for he is simply absorbed in pure devotional service.’ ” (Cc Madhya 14.216–217)

Then Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, who is an incarnation of the gopi Lalita-devi, one of Srimati Radharani’s most confidential girlfriends, glorified Vrindavan’s opulence. He said that the natural opulence of Vrindavan is like an ocean and that the opulence of Dvaraka and Vaikuntha cannot be compared even to a drop of that ocean. He said that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full in all opulences, and that His opulences are fully manifest only in Vrindavan. He paraphrased and elaborated upon a verse from Sri Brahma-samhita (5.29):

cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-
laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam
laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor, who is tending the cows, yielding all desire, in abodes built with spiritual gems, surrounded by millions of purpose trees, always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds of thousands of laksmis, or gopis.” Govinda, Krishna, the cowherd boy, is served by hundreds of thousands of laksmis in the form of gopis. In fact, these gopis are considered super laksmis. The laksmis in Vaikuntha are only expansions of these gopis. In Vrindavan, the houses and land are made of cintamani stones; the trees are kalpa-vrksas, wish-fulfilling desire trees; and the cows are surabhis, who deliver oceans of nectar-like milk.

Svarupa Damodara then quoted a related verse by Bilvamangala Thakura, to glorify the opulence of the gopis and Vrindavan:

cintamanis carana-bhusanam angananam
srngara-puspa-taravas taravah suranam
vrndavane vraja-dhanam nanu kama-dhenu-
vrndani ceti sukha-sindhur aho vibhutih

“The anklets on the damsels of Vraja-bhumi are made of cintamani stone. The trees are wish-fulfilling trees, and they produce flowers with which the gopis decorate themselves. There are also wish-fulfilling cows, which deliver unlimited quantities of milk. These cows constitute the wealth of Vrndavana. Thus Vrndavana’s opulence is blissfully exhibited.” (Brs 2.1.173, Cc Madhya 14, 228)

And he quoted another verse from Sri Brahma-samhita (5.29):

sriyah kantah kantah parama-purusah kalpa-taravo
druma bhumis cintamani-gana-mayi toyam amrtam
katha ganam natyam gamanam api vamsi priya-sakhi
cid-anandam jyotih param api tad asvadyam api ca

“The damsels of Vrndavana, the gopis, are super goddesses of fortune. The enjoyer in Vrndavana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. The trees there are all wish-fulfilling trees, and the land is made of transcendental touchstone. The water is all nectar, the talking is singing, the walking is dancing, and the constant companion of Krsna is His flute. The effulgence of transcendental bliss is experienced everywhere. Therefore Vrndavana-dhama is the only relishable abode.” (Bs 5.56, Cc Madhya 14.227)

Actually, the opulence of Vrindavan is greater than that of Vaikuntha. But the special quality of Vrindavan is that its opulence is covered by an exquisite sweetness so powerful that the pure devotees in Vrindavan forget that Krishna is God. In Vaikuntha the devotees are aware of the Lord’s opulence and worship Him with awe and veneration. They act as His servants (dasya-rasa) or at most as reverential friends (gaurava-sakhya-rasa); there is no sense of equality with the Lord. But in Vrindavan the devotees are able to enjoy ecstatic, intimate relationships with Krishna, with full freedom, because they forget that He is God.

If the residents of Vrindavan were conscious that Krishna is God, the cowherd boys could never play with Him as equals like they do. Sometimes Krishna and the cowherd boys compete in sport, and if Krishna loses, He has to carry the other boy on His shoulders. This is unheard of in Vaikuntha; if someone got up on Lord Narayana’s shoulders, he would immediately be expelled. And Krishna’s parents, Nanda and Yashoda, and others in the parental mood, such as Ambika, feel that Krishna is dependent on them. Ambika is Krishna’s nurse in Vrindavan; she suckles Krishna. And Malini, Srivasa Thakura’s wife, is her incarnation. So she has that maternal mood. Such devotees, in vatsalya-rasa, feel that they have to take care of Krishna. The cowherd boys feel that they are Krishna’s equals, His friends, and the elders feel like they are Krishna’s parents and guardians, that Krishna is dependent on their care and protection.

In fact, Krishna is providing everything for everyone. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam: He is the singular eternal one among so many eternal beings, and He is the singular conscious entity among so many conscious entities. Eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman: He is the one, singular, eternal conscious being who is providing all the necessities and fulfilling all the desires of the many, plural, eternal conscious beings. He is providing for everyone, but still Mother Yashoda is thinking, “He is my son. If I don’t feed Him, He will starve.” She can think that way because her attachment for Him as a mother for her son is stronger than her awareness of His divine opulence. Most of the time she forgets; she is not even conscious that He is the Lord. And most of the time, the residents of Vrindavan forget.

Sometimes Krishna enacts deeds that remind them of His godly opulence, such as when He lifted Govardhana Hill. After He did so, the elder cowherd men were confused and approached Nanda Maharaja. “Your Krishna is no ordinary boy,” they said. “He lifted a great mountain and held it in one hand for seven days. And as a mere infant, He sucked out the life of the powerful demoness Putana. And He killed many powerful demons and performed many wonderful feats. He is no ordinary person. He might be a demigod—or even Lord Narayana Himself.” They weren’t sure. “Still,” they continued, “we have constant affection for your son—and He has natural attraction for us.” They were bewildered. But when they thought of Krishna’s humanlike pastimes, they became overwhelmed with parental affection. They thought of all the times He had become frightened, the times He had felt hungry, the times He had done mischief. And they remembered how He had become happy when they had coddled Him and sad or angry when they had neglected Him. Thinking of Krishna’s childlike, humanlike behavior (nara-lila), they became overwhelmed with parental affection and forgot His divine opulence.

Once, Mother Yashoda looked into Krishna’s mouth. Krishna and Balarama were playing with Their friends, and all the boys joined with Balarama to complain to Mother Yashoda that Krishna had eaten earth. Sometimes, when children are at a certain age, they put anything into their mouths. Krishna said, “No, Mother. They are lying.” Yashoda replied, “But even Your brother Balarama says that You ate dirt.” Krishna said, “He is lying, too. But if you have any doubt, you can look.” “All right. Open Your mouth. I will see.”

So, Krishna opened His mouth, and Mother Yashoda looked inside, and there she saw the entire cosmic manifestation. She saw all moving and nonmoving entities, all directions, the material elements, the sky and stars and planetary systems. She saw the living entities, the modes of nature, time, and karma. She saw everything. She even saw herself and the land of Vraja. And she was struck with doubt and wonder. Was she dreaming, or hallucinating, or being mystified by some illusion of the material nature, perhaps created by the demigods? Or was she having a vision caused by her son’s mystic power? “All right,” she said. “Close Your mouth. Just don’t do it again.” Even then, she still thought of Krishna as her son. Although Krishna is always full in all opulences, His display of opulence does not diminish His pure devotees’ love for Him—as a son or a friend or a beloved. That is vraja-bhakti.

In this discussion with Srivasa Pandita, Svarupa Damodara glorified the opulence of Vrindavan, but that opulence is covered by the sweetness of these intimate relationships, in which the devotees forget that Krishna is God and, to reciprocate with His devotees’ love, Krishna also forgets that He is God. When Mother Yashoda threatens Krishna with a stick and Krishna becomes afraid, He is not pretending. He actually feels like a child, and He feels afraid. In her prayers, Queen Kunti remarks that she sees the image of Krishna with Mother Yashoda standing with ropes to bind Him: Krishna is crying, and His tears are washing the mascara around His eyes. The same Krishna who is feared by fear personified is afraid of Mother Yashoda. And thinking of this contradiction, Kunti becomes bewildered.

gopy adade tvayi krtagasi dama tavad
ya te dasasru-kalilanjana-sambhramaksam
vaktram niniya bhaya-bhavanaya sthitasya
sa mam vimohayati bhir api yad bibheti

“My dear Krsna, Yasoda took up a rope to bind You when You committed an offense, and Your perturbed eyes overflooded with tears, which washed the mascara from Your eyes. And You were afraid, though fear personified is afraid of You. This sight is bewildering to me.” (SB 1.8.31)

These are elevated, transcendental topics—not easy to understand. Although we may have theoretical knowledge, we still tend to identify with the body and act on the bodily platform: “I” and “mine.” Still, hearing these topics is part of the process of purification. By offenseless hearing of the Lord’s activities, even without complete understanding, we can become attracted and purified. And we want to be attracted, to desire to serve in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes, and ultimately in Krishna’s pastimes. We do not want to remain bound to temporary, material affairs and engrossed in ephemeral, mundane relationships.

One night, during the kirtan at Srivasa-angana, a calamity took place. One of Srivasa Pandita’s sons, who had been ill, died. Naturally, Srivasa’s wife, Malini, and others were distraught, but Srivasa said, “Keep quiet. We must not disturb Mahaprabhu’s kirtan.” So, nobody cried or said anything. After the kirtan was over, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (who is God and knows everything) said, “There must have been some calamity here.” When Srivasa told Him, “My son died,” Sri Chaitanya replied, “Why did you not tell Me earlier?” He went to the place where the son was lying dead and asked him, “Why are you leaving Srivasa Thakura’s home?” The son replied, “I stayed here as long as my destiny allowed. Now that the time is over, I must proceed to my next destination, according to Your order. I am Your eternal servant, a dependent living being, and I move by Your desire.”

By this exchange between Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Srivasa Pandita’s dead son, everyone in the household was enlightened with spiritual knowledge. There was no cause for lamentation. They realized the knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita (2.13):

dehino ’smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati

“As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change.” Actually, everyone changes his or her body even in the same lifetime. Just as one has a baby’s body, then a youth’s body, and eventually an old person’s body, similarly, at the time of death, one accepts another body. And dhiras tatra na muhyati: the sober are not bewildered by such a change.

The body is like dress. Just as one discards an old and useless garment and puts on a new one, similarly, when the body is old and useless, the soul leaves it and takes on a new body.

vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya
navani grhnati naro ’parani
tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany
anyani samyati navani dehi

“As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.” (Gita 2.22)

Ultimately, everything is under the control of the Lord, and all the more so in the case of devotees. Everything and everyone is under the control of the Lord, and these principles were manifested in the exchange between the dead son of Srivasa Pandita and his eternal Lord and master, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told Srivasa Pandita (and Malini), “You have lost one son, but Nitai and I are your eternal sons, and We shall never leave you.” Malini is Ambika in krsna-lila, so she is in the mood of a mother, or nurse. But whoever we may be, if we just surrender to Krishna and offer everything to Him, we will not lose. Rather, we will gain unlimitedly. Srivasa and Malini lost one son, who was encaged in a temporary, miserable body, but they gained two sons who are eternal.

Srila Prabhupada advises that instead of being absorbed in these temporary relationships that last only as long as the body (at most), we should rather develop our relationship with Krishna, or Sri Krishna Chaitanya, which is eternal, blissful, and full of knowledge. This relationship develops by offenseless chanting and hearing of the holy names and pastimes of the Lord. Offenseless, attentive chanting cleanses the dust from the mirror of the mind (ceto-darpana-marjanam), and thus one is able to realize one’s constitutional position as an eternal servant of Krishna, an eternal servant of Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. One still does one’s duties in the world—that is another thing—but one gives one’s heart to Krishna, to one’s relationship with Krishna, and realizes eternal, blissful, spiritual love.

jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva
jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam
sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir
ye prayaso ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyam

[Lord Brahma said to Krishna,] “Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words, and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.” (SB 10.14.3)

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu noticed that Srivasa Thakura never went to earn anything for his family’s maintenance. So one day He asked, “Srivasa, I see that you never go anywhere. How will you maintain your family?” Srivasa replied, “I do not want to go anywhere.” Mahaprabhu said, “But you have a big family. What will happen to them?” “Whatever is destined will come,” he replied. “If that is your mentality,” Mahaprabhu said, “then you should take sannyasa.” “I am not ready for sannyasa,” Srivasa objected. “I do not have the power to take sannyasa.” “Then how will you maintain your family?” Mahaprabhu asked. “These days, if you do not make some effort, nothing will come. Then what will you do?” Srivasa clapped his hands thrice and said, “One. Two. Three.” Mahaprabhu asked, “What does that mean?” Srivasa Thakura replied, “If for three days no food comes and I have to fast, I will tie a rock around my neck and drown myself in the Ganges.”

When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu heard this, He became agitated and roared, “Srivasa, what are you saying? Why should you fast three times? Have you forgotten My words in the Bhagavad-gita (9.22)—ananyas cintayanto mam ye janah paryupasate / tesam nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham: ‘Those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form—to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have’? Not even once will you be lacking. Even if the goddess of fortune herself becomes poverty-stricken—even if she becomes a beggar—your house will never know want. I will personally bring whatever you need.”

Of course, what the Lord says in the Gita is true, though such constant concentration on Krishna is not so easy. But if one does come to the stage of always meditating on Krishna without deviation, the Lord will arrange whatever one needs. In that stage, one depends completely on the mercy of the Lord. Ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham—as people surrender to Krishna, He rewards them accordingly. If one thinks, “I will make my own arrangement,” the Lord will think, “All right, he’s making his own arrangement, so I need not worry about him.” The Lord reciprocates according to our degree of surrender.

It could be said that previously the culture was more conducive to a brahminical way of life, and that is true, but still, what Lord Chaitanya said is also true.

There is a famous story of a brahman who was reading the Bhagavad-gita, and when he came to the verse in which Krishna says, “To those who concentrate on Me exclusively, I preserve what they have and carry what they lack (yoga-ksemam vahamy aham),” he thought, “Well, no. Krishna might send it through somebody, but He will not come personally.” (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told Srivasa Thakura, “I will come personally if need be.”)

ananyas cintayanto mam
ye janah paryupasate
tesam nityabhiyuktanam
yoga-ksemam vahamy aham

“Those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form—to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.” (Gita 9.22)

When the brahman came to the words vahamy aham, “I carry,” he scratched them out with red ink. He did not believe that Krishna would personally carry what the devotee required.

Later, the brahman went out to beg alms. There are different ways by which brahmans maintain themselves, and one is to go out and beg alms. So, while the brahman was gone, a young boy came to the brahman’s house with a rod across his shoulders, and suspended from the ends of the rod were baskets full of rice, dal, flour, ghee, and vegetables—everything one needed to prepare a feast. It was such a heavy load that the boy could hardly carry it. He barely managed to reach the door. The lady of the house, the brahmani, asked, “Who are you?” He said, “Your husband sent me. I have brought all these ingredients for you. He will be coming soon. Please cook a nice feast for him. He will be hungry.” She cooked a big feast and invited the boy to stay. But the boy replied, “No, if I take too long, your husband becomes angry with me, so I will have to go.” And when he turned to leave, she saw slashes on his back—wound marks—which were red with blood.

Eventually the husband returned, dejected. He said, “I tried all day, and not one person gave me anything. I did not get even one grain of rice. Today we shall have to fast.” She said, “No, you sent that boy with so many provisions. I have already cooked a big feast.” “No, I didn’t send any boy.” “You did. He brought all these ingredients. But when I asked him to stay, he said that if he delayed, you would become angry with him. He already had wounds from you on his back.”

The brahman thought of the Bhagavad-gita. He looked in his copy to where he had cut the words vahamy aham, and he saw that the red ink was gone. Then he knew: “That boy was Krishna.” The Bhagavad-gita is the Lord Himself. By cutting those words in the Gita, he had cut the body of the Lord. And he understood that Krishna, true to His word, had come personally and carried what His devotee lacked (yoga-ksemam vahamy aham).

That is a high level of Krishna consciousness—to always be absorbed in Krishna, without deviation—but that is our goal. And the more we have faith in Krishna, the more we will be able to chant and hear about Krishna with exclusive attention. We won’t be distracted, worrying, “From where will the money come? How will we pay the bills?”—or whatever—so many anxieties. As we develop more faith in Krishna, we are able to surrender more, to Krishna and to the process of bhakti-yoga, to chanting and hearing the holy name and glories of the Lord and serving the Lord’s devotees. We are confident that Krishna will take care of us.

Devotees never go hungry. Once, many years ago, I asked a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada, “Krishna consciousness is so nice—just chanting, dancing, feasting, and philosophy, with no anxiety—is there any austerity?” And he replied, “The austerity is that there is too much to eat. To honor the prasada and to please the devotees, we may have to eat more than we want.”

We have much to learn from the example of Srivasa Thakura, from his dealings with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His devotees. And we have much to learn from all the members of the Pancha-tattva, and from all the devotees of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu—from the branches, subbranches, and leaves of the Chaitanya tree, including the present members of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada’s spiritual family and transcendental household.

Sri Srivasa Thakura ki jaya!
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
Gaura-bhakta-vrnda ki jaya!
Nitai-gaura-premanande hari-haribol!

[A talk by Giriraj Swami on Srivasa Pandita’s disappearance day, June 28, 2008, Moorpark, California]

“THOSE GUYS WITH THE BOOKS”
→ Dandavats

I was doing sankirtan on Auckland’s Queen Street when I stopped a guy who looked vaguely familiar. Turns out we’d met four years ago, and apparently I tried to give him a book back then. “Yeah, I almost took it,” he reflected, “but I wasn’t ready for the good stuff yet.” Then he surprised me:
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Srivasa Pandita Disappearance
→ Ramai Swami

srivas-pandito dhimaan yah pura narado munih

purvataakhyo muni-varo ya aasin narada-priyah

sa rama-panditah srimams tat-kanistha-sahaodarah

“Intelligent Srivaasa Pandita had previously been Narada Muni, the best of the sages. Srivaasa’s younger brother, Sriman Rama Pandita, had previously been Narada’s close friend Parvata Muni” (Gaura Ganodesh Dipika 90.)

Srila Vrindavana dasa Thakura, the Vyasadeva of Sri Gaurasundara’s pastimes, has sung the praises of Srivasa Pandita in this way:

“It was in Srivasa Pandita’s house that Sri Caitanya enacted His pastimes of sankirtana. Those four brothers (Srivasa, Sri Rama, Sripati and Srinidhi) were continuously engaged in singing the names of Sri Krsna. They worshipped Sri Krsna and bathed in the Ganges thrice daily.”

These four brothers previously lived in the district of Sri Hatta. Later on they came to reside on the banks of the Ganges. There they regularly used to attend the assembly of devotees who gathered at Sri Advaita Acarya’s house to hear the Srimad Bhagavatam and engage in congregational chanting of the Holy Names. Gradually the brothers became very close friends of Sri Jagannatha Misra, with whom they would chant and listen to the Bhagavatam.

In all matters Srivasa was the leader of the four brothers. By the strength of his devotion, he could understand that Sri Krsna was going to appear in the house of Jagannatha Misra.

Srivasa Pandits’s wife’s name was Sri Malinidevi. She was a very close friend of Sri Sacidevi and was always very helpful to her. Srivasa and Malini gave Sacidevi and Jagannatha much advice how to raise their new son. Srivasa and Malini were just like a mother and father to Sri Gaurasundara.

After Mahaprabhu took sannyasa, Srivasa Pandit came to live at Kumarhatta. Every year he would go with His brothers to see Mahaprabhu at Puri. He also regularly came to see Sri Sacimata in Navadwip and would spend a few days there during those times.

When Mahaprabhu came from Nilacala to see His mother and the river Ganges, He also stopped at Kumarhatta to see Srivasa.

How to live materially to grow spiritually Chowpatty Mumbai – Chaitanya Charan
→ The Spiritual Scientist

The post How to live materially to grow spiritually Chowpatty Mumbai – Chaitanya Charan appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Hindi – Chapter 4 Bhagavad Gita And Decision Making Bhagavad Gita Overview – Chaitanya Charan Das
→ The Spiritual Scientist

The post Hindi – Chapter 4 Bhagavad Gita And Decision Making Bhagavad Gita Overview – Chaitanya Charan Das appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Please Pray for the Safety of Devotees in Israel and Iran Amid Ongoing Conflict
→ Dandavats

Dear Devotees, You are likely aware of the intense conflict currently taking place between Israel and Iran. There are many ISKCON Vaishnavas in both countries. Devotees in Tehran have been evacuated to other cities for their safety. In Tel Aviv, everything is shut down — even public transportation — and devotees are spending a significant
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Hanuman: Mission Over Method
→ The Spiritual Scientist

When the goal matters more than the credit, creativity takes over.

When Lakshmana was dying and the Sanjeevani herb was urgently needed, Hanuman didn’t waste time identifying the exact plant.

He lifted the entire mountain.

Not perfect. But effective.

Leadership Lesson:

Impact > Perfection. Action > Analysis.

Sometimes, “done” is better than “just right.”

Takeaway for Today’s Leaders:

If you’re unsure which detail matters most—bring the whole mountain.

Serve the mission, not your ego.

The post Hanuman: Mission Over Method appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Sri Krishna Janmashtami 2025
→ Hare Krishna Auckland

Join us in celebrating Sri Krishna Janmashtami at Sri Sri Radha Giridhari Temple (ISKCON Auckland) on Saturday 16th August 2025 starting with a special candlelit Maha Mangal Arati. This festival commemorates Lord Krishna's Divine Appearance with fasting, chanting, Krishna katha, arati, kirtan and joyous midnight celebrations at 1229 Coatesville Riverhead Hwy, in Kumeu. All are welcome! Hare Krishna.

“HARE KRISHNA! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami who started it all” is now FREE on YouTube in 10 major languages
→ Dandavats

“HARE KRISHNA! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami who started it all” is now FREE on YouTube in 10 major languages: Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, English & Russian with short versions of 29 minutes & 47 minutes for schools, universities, etc. Watch on the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?app=desktop&list=PLAXmpRpkhy4e4H03cVer7pLt1-QQyIrKs
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Sri Vakresvara Pandita’s Appearance Day
Giriraj Swami

Today is the appearance day of Sri Vakresvara Pandita, one of Lord Chaitanya’s most dear associates. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 10.17–20) states, “Vakresvara Pandita, the fifth branch of the [Caitanya] tree, was a very dear servant of Lord Caitanya’s. He could dance with constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally sang while Vakresvara Pandita danced, and thus Vakresvara Pandita fell at the lotus feet of the Lord and spoke as follows. ‘O Candramukha! Please give me ten thousand Gandharvas. Let them sing as I dance, and then I will be greatly happy.’ Lord Caitanya replied, ‘I have only one wing like you, but if I had another, certainly I would fly in the sky!’ ”

In his purport to text 17, Srila Prabhupada writes, “In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (71) it is stated that Vakresvara Pandita was an incarnation of Aniruddha, one of the quadruple expansions of Visnu (Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha and Pradyumna). He could dance wonderfully for seventy-two continuous hours. When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu played in dramatic performances in the house of Srivasa Pandita, Vakresvara Pandita was one of the chief dancers, and he danced continuously for that length of time. Sri Govinda dasa, an Oriya devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has described the life of Vakresvara Pandita in his book Gaura-krsnodaya. There are many disciples of Vakresvara Pandita in Orissa, and they are known as Gaudiya Vaisnavas although they are Oriyas. Among these disciples are Sri Gopalaguru and his disciple Sri Dhyanacandra Gosvami.”

A contemporary of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu named Devananda Pandita had no faith in Mahaprabhu and thus avoided Him, but fortunately, Devananda Pandita developed great faith in Vakresvara Pandita and rendered service to him. And by Vakresvara Pandita’s mercy, Devananda Pandita developed faith in Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and ultimately achieved His shelter.

Concerning this incident, Sri Caitanya-bhagavata (Antya 3.485–487) confirms the efficacy of serving pure devotees and the results one attains by doing so: “The service of Vaishnavas is superior to the service of Krishna. All scriptures, headed by Srimad-Bhagavatam, confirm this. There may be a doubt whether the servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will attain perfection, but there is absolutely no doubt that those who are attached to serving the Lord’s devotees will attain perfection. Therefore service to the Vaishnavas is the best means of deliverance.”

Hare Krishna.

Happy Father’s Day
Giriraj Swami

Srila Prabhupada expressed his appreciation for his father in his dedication to his book Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead: “To My Father, Gour Mohan De (1849-1930)—A pure devotee of Krsna, who raised me as a Krsna conscious child from the beginning of my life. In my boyhood ages he instructed me how to play the mrdanga. He gave me Radha-Krsna vigraha to worship, and he gave me Jagannatha ratha to duly observe the festival as my childhood play. He was kind to me, and I imbibed from him the ideas later on solidified by my spiritual master, the eternal father.”

As devotees, we try to encourage and facilitate our children’s Krishna consciousness, as Prabhupada’s father did with him—an effort that is solidified when our children find their eternal spiritual masters.

Later, Srila Prabhupada wrote one of his disciples, “You have accepted me as father, so I have also accepted you as my dear and real son. Relationship of father and son on spiritual platform is real and eternal; on the material platform such relationship is ephemeral and temporary. Although I cannot give you anything as father, still I can pray to Krishna for your more and more advancement in Krishna consciousness. Your sincerity and service mood will always help you in advancing your genuine cause.”

We are indebted to all our fathers, biological and preceptorial. To those still with us, we wish you Happy Father’s Day. To those who have left us, we love you and miss you, and we shall try to act in such a way as will please you—and Krishna, the Supreme Father.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

Vakresvara Pandita Appearance
→ Ramai Swami

Sri Vakresvara Pandit was present with Sriman Mahaprabhu during His pastimes in Navadwipa and after his acceptance of Sannyasa he also accompanied Him to Jagannath Puri.

During the time of the Lord’s residence in Puri he continued to live with Him there as well. Sri Vakresvara Pandit took birth in the village of Guptipara near Triveni. He was an especially proficient dancer and kirtaniya and could dance continuously for 72 hours.

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu began His pastimes of congregational chanting of the Holy Name of Sri Hari in Navadvipa, Sri Vakresvara Pandit was an important singer and dancer in that assembly.

Vakresvara Pandit’s worshippable deity is Sri Sri Radha-kanta, whom he worshipped in Kasi Misra’s house, which was also the residence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (Gambhira).These Deities are still being worshipped there to this day.

A critique of ISKCON’s diksha guru system
→ Krishna Dharma

Here is a link to an article I wrote for the 2023 ISKCON Communications Journal:

ICJ14_05_Krishna_Dharma_ISKCON’s_initiation_system_v4-1

[Missing pdf file]

Travel Journal#21.23: New York City
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 21, No. 23
By Krishna Kripa Das
(Week 23: June 4–June 10, 2025)
New York City
(Sent from New York City on June 14, 2025)

Where I Went and What I Did

The twenty-third week of 2025, I spent at ISKCON NYC in Brooklyn, serving Rama Raya Prabhu’s NYC Harinam program by chanting Hare Krishna and distributing Ratha-yatra flyers for three or four hours each day. On Sunday I did a walking harinama over the Brooklyn Bridge with Harinamananda and Nitai Pada Kamala and devotees from ISKCON NYC.

Many passersby participated. People would start to dance, seeing us in the distance. It was one of the more memorable Brooklyn Bridge harinamas.

I share a quote from Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad-Bhagavatam and quotes from several of his letters. I share quotes from Sri Caitanya-bhagavata by Vrindavana Dasa Thakura and its commentary by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and from Prabhupada Nectar by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share notes on classes by Jayadvaita, Radhanath, and Bhakti Sarvajna Gauranga Swamis and from Pancharatna, Hansarupa, and Rama Raya Prabhus. I share a realization about prasadam from a regular attender at our Sunday and Tuesday programs.

Many, many thanks to Bhaktan Deva for the gift of his practically unused iPhone 8. I thank Ahaituka Prema Prabhu and Bhaktan Deva for the videos and photos of NYC Harinam.

Itinerary

May 7–June 16: NYC Harinam
June 17–August 19: Paris
– June 22: Paris Ratha-yatra
– July 11: Amsterdam harinama
– July 12: Amsterdam Ratha-yatra
– July 13: Holland harinama
August 20: London harinama
August 21–22: Liverpool harinamas
August 23: Liverpool Ratha-yatra
August 24: Manchester harinama
August 25: London harinama and flight to New York

Chanting Hare Krishna in New York City

Hadai Prana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Columbus Circle, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/WltqII8lYjI):

While Hadai Prana Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna passersby began dancing with devotees (https://youtu.be/Mewd4OZdf2c):

At one point a father danced with his kid on his shoulders (https://youtu.be/-0jd-vzmdQo):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Columbus Circle, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/Wq0gdTMZvPY):

Later passersby danced with some devotees (https://youtu.be/-EhHxA3m2uU):

Harinarayana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/1tThYj-RYec):

Passersby also danced with devotees (https://youtu.be/R5rjdYrQmuw):

Braja Sakhi Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/Li_ZawgsVUE):

At our Times Square Kirtan Festival George asked the date of our big summer festival, now just one week away, so I gave him the flyer.

He showed me his cell phone, with a photo from last year’s cart as the background image.

He also showed me this nice photo of Vraja Mohan Prabhu on the cart, which reminded him of Arjuna on the battlefield. He told me he is friends with Prabhu, who periodically joined us on NYC Harinam before moving to Sarasota.

Lisa of southeastern Florida was happy to encounter our Times Square Kirtan Festival. She attends the kirtans of Laksmi Nrsimha Prabhu, who was our temple president in New York City in 1979. She also organizes kirtans as well.

She sat on a chair and played the shakers and chanted the response with us for a while.

After playing the shakers I offer them, people often accept the invitations or “On Chanting Hare Krishna” pamphlets, but these young Algerian women were special.

While playing the shakers, they saw the book table, and rushed over to it, shakers in hand.

Jagadisa Prabhu, formerly known as Jackson at the Gainesville Krishna House, sold one of them two books and commented on how sincere they were.

Keshava Madhava chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/I7SlNIxAZUQ):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Times Square Kirtan Festival, and devotees dance (https://youtu.be/Fg1yT7fVFlA):

Keshava Madhava chants Hare Krishna at ISKCON NYC Jagannath Snana Yatra (https://youtu.be/NF0tYZYvEiA):

Harinamananda Prabhu chants Hare Krishna on the C train and at High St. / Brooklyn Bridge subway station (https://youtube.com/shorts/c1i5yiiuSjg):

Harinamananda Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna on the Brooklyn Bridge, and I took five video clips of all the people dancing with us (https://youtu.be/qdzYJEbVjTo):

(https://youtu.be/_0OiVnwb6YI):

(https://youtube.com/shorts/uENvIzEmF6s):

(https://youtube.com/shorts/gUfUd8-Om1w):

(https://youtube.com/shorts/0Ypx0dtj79Y):

When my phone storage was practically full, I started taking photos of those who danced with the devotees:

After crossing the bridge, we passed a cafe en route to the Chambers Street subway station, and a woman danced with us. A visiting devotee sold two books to her and her friends.

Here I chant Hare Krishna at Battery Park (https://youtube.com/shorts/q8zDIQaTXl8):

Kissen chants Hare Krishna in Battery Park (https://youtu.be/ag4sYPpWDPk):

Laukik chants Hare Krishna in Battery Park (https://youtu.be/yJTHY5LAzJs):

Bhakti Sarvajna Govinda Swami chants Hare Krishna at Battery Park (https://youtu.be/1XN8yGeAmug):

Nitai Pada Kamala Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Battery Park (https://youtu.be/1NZVLFu0hzY):

Veda Priya Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Battery Park (https://youtu.be/bu3j6WGJmaY):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Battery Park (https://youtu.be/244TjK8d_Rg):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Battery Park (https://youtube.com/shorts/2ykUMjtBUT0):

Krishna Kripa Das chants Hare Krishna at Union Square Park (https://youtube.com/shorts/HuxjbsX5nr8):

Sevika Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna at Union Square Park (https://youtu.be/Op8_PKQU16c):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Union Square Park, and passersby dance with devotees (https://youtu.be/rdzD555Kktw):

Rama Raya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Union Square Park by Bhaktan Deva (https://youtube.com/shorts/lt8pkaWP_lo):

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.7.41, purport:

“Cultivation of the knowledge in the Vedas, performance of sacrifice, and distribution of munificent charities all together cannot form even a part of the immunity from the pangs of material existence that is gained from devotional service.”

From a letter to sons and daughters on August 14, 1976:

“If you feel at all indebted to me, then you should preach vigorously like me. That is the proper way to repay me. Of course, no one can repay the debt to the spiritual master, but the spiritual master is very much pleased by such an attitude by the disciple.”

From a letter to Himavati on December 26, 1971:

“There is no question of using paper or plastic fruits and flowers for worshiping the Deities. If no fresh fruits or flowers are available, then you can decorate with some fresh leaves. You have seen our temples; nowhere do we use such things. . . . Outside the temple, you can use the plastic ornaments. But not for worship. For daily worship there must be fresh fruits, flowers, and leaves.”

From a letter to Satsvarupa on January 19, 1975:

“One who distinguishes a particular type of service as inferior or superior, he does not know the value of devotional service. It is all transcendental. Whatever item is suitable, that is accepted as very elevated. Just like Maharaja Pariksit. He simply listened to Sukadeva Gosvami. That is sravanam… . So any devotee executing any one of the nine items is transcendentally glorious. One devotee may be proud that his process of service is best. That is not inglorious. Everyone should feel proud of his particular type of devotional service. But that does not mean that other types of service are inferior. Everyone should feel proud of becoming a sincere servant of Krsna, but the pure devotee never minimizes the importance of other devotees. Krsna is the enjoyer of varieties of service. It is not stuck up with any particular type of service.”

From a letter to Sukadeva on November 14, 1973:

“Regarding the books from other Maths being circulated there, who is distributing? Who is sending these books? These Maths do not sell our books; why should we sell their books? Who has introduced these books? Let me know. These books should not at all be circulated in our society.”

From a letter to Pancadravida on January 4, 1975:

“Regarding sending men to Bangkok, let us see who is a spare man or who is having visa problems. But our policy as you know is not to import devotees but to make devotees out of the local men there. That is better.”

From a letter to Hridayananda Goswami on June 4, 1974:

“We want to firmly establish centers in South America. I fully agree that the centers should be as far as possible manned by men who are native to the country; that will make our position even stronger, just as in the U.S.A. all you men and women have managed.”

From letter to Bhakta dasa on May 7, 1975:

“Regarding your physical malady, you should do whatever is required to treat it properly—whatever is most practical.”

From a letter to Krishnanandini on April 8, 1975:

“Regarding Bhumata-devi dasi’s affliction, she should simply take the proper treatment. Make the best out of a bad bargain. This material body is a bad bargain because it is always miserable. So to make the best out of this bad bargain means to render devotional service in any circumstance. The dust from the lotus feet of the spiritual master is never to be used for material benefit. That is a great misconception. The best thing is that the girl tries her best to chant sixteen rounds daily and to follow all the rules and regulations even if she is afflicted with something, and in this way she will fully understand the mercy of Krsna and the spiritual master.”

From a letter to Revatinandana on November 14, 1973:

“Regarding the auto accident, just hold a condolence meeting for Raghava dasa Brahmacari and pray for his soul to Krsna for giving him a good chance for advancement in Krsna consciousness. Certainly Krsna will give him a good place to take birth where he can again begin in Krsna consciousness activities. That is sure. But we offer our condolences to a departed soul separated from the Vaiṣnavas. Do you know that there must be prasadam distributed? Three days after the demise of a Vaisnava a function should be held for offering the departed soul and all others prasadam. This is the system.”

[The above letter is especially significant as there is a lot of evidence that Raghava dasa Brahmacari became Ratnavali Devi Dasi of the UK Festival team in his next life. Thus Srila Prabhupada’s prediction of a good birth is right on the mark!]

Vrindavana Dasa Thakura:

From Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 19.5:

“They were constantly absorbed in love of God and had no external consciousness. They had no engagement other than the performance of sankirtana.”

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

From Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 19.4, commentary:

“Sri Mahaprabhu is the source of complete ecstasy for devotees inclined to the service of the Lord. The conditioned souls are subjected to the threefold miseries of material existence. But since the liberated devotees of the Lord are filled with ecstasy in Krishna consciousness, they do not experience any material distress. Wherever the object of happiness is temporary and the living entities’ endeavors are imperfect there is a lack of complete ecstasy in Krishna consciousness. Experiencing the ecstasy of Krishna consciousness everywhere is perception of the living entities’ complete happiness.”

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami

From Prabhupada Nectar:

From Chapter 2, Number 10:

“As Prabhupada replied to one devotee when asked whether the spiritual master was in the heart of the disciple, ‘Yes, if you let me enter.’”

From Chapter 2, Number 16:

“He [Prabhupada] liked the photo of himself on the back of the first Hare Krishna ‘Happening’ album. In that photo his hair seems to be standing on end and his visage is grave, penetrating, mystical. He said of that photo, ‘A swami should look philosophical.’”

“Dancing for Prabhupada always meant upraised arms and extended fingers, like the depiction of Gaura and Nitai. That was how he introduced dancing in his room at 26 Second Avenue, leading us around in a circle, showing how you put your left foot to the right side and how you sway back and forth with the arms always upraised. Kirtanananda called it ‘the Swami step.’ Once in Chicago he admonished boys who were twisting, disco style. Emphatically from the vyasasana he raised up his arms. He did it once, and when the dancers did not heed, he did it again: ‘Like this!’”

From Chapter 2, Number 20:

“The scene was Mayapur and Prabhupada was taking his morning walk on the roof of the residential building. Jayapataka Swami introduced Prabhupada to a prominent businessman who had come to visit from Calcutta.

“Speaking in English, Prabhupada greeted him pleasantly.

“‘I am pleased to see you,’ said Prabhupada. ‘Thank you for coming to Mayapur. So, what is your factory?’

“The businessman from Calcutta, a heavy-set man in an immaculate white dhoti, kurta, and vest, spoke in a loud voice.

“‘I manufacture glass,’ he said.

“‘Hmm,’ Prabhupada reflected. ‘So where does the glass come from?’

“The man was now walking beside Prabhupada, along with other devotees and friends, as they circumambulated the roof, talking and viewing the surrounding flatlands of Mayapur.”

“‘It is from silicon,’ the man replied. ‘It is from sand.’

“‘Yes,’ said Prabhupada, ‘but who owns the sand?’

“The Calcutta man was not only an intelligent businessman, but he was pious and could understand what Bhaktivedanta Swami, as guru, was driving at. He said, ‘Oh, the sand comes from Bhagavan.’

“Prabhupada replied quickly, ‘Oh, you are stealing from Bhagavan?’

“Prabhupada’s retort made everyone laugh—even the industrialist could not help but join in the laughter. After the quick exchange, the Calcutta businessman dropped toward the back of the group, and others came forward to ask Prabhupada their philosophical questions. Prabhupada’s morning walks were often this way, fragmented conversations with different guests and devotees who would come forward and ask Prabhupada some query. He would answer one after another, sometimes developing different themes or going from one theme to another. After walking for about half an hour, the industrialist again moved to the front for another round of questions with Prabhupada. He had been considering what Prabhupada had said and he felt a little guilty.

“‘Swamiji,’ the man offered, ‘although I may be taking from Bhagavan, but I am giving in charity also.’

“Prabhupada smiled and replied, ‘Oh, you are just a little thief.’ Again everyone on the walk laughed at Prabhupada’s last word on the subject.”

From Chapter 2, Number 21:

“A young Californian man, David Shapiro, became attracted to Prabhupada through his books and through the devotees’ association. He then moved to the Los Angeles temple at a time when Prabhupada was visiting, but unfortunately, David’s mother was outraged that her grown-up son had chosen to become a Krishna conscious devotee. A journalist, she went on a letter-writing campaign against the Krishna consciousness movement. She wrote letters to the newspapers and also to government departments, complaining that her son was practicing too much renunciation in Krishna consciousness and she felt this was a mistreatment. David tried to pacify her, but he was not very good at it. Most of the time he was washing pots in the temple kitchen or going out on chanting parties downtown, and he didn’t remember or bother to phone his mother. The devotees in the temple didn’t help much when they sometimes forgot to pass on messages from his mother. As part of her letter-writing campaign, David’s mother also wrote letters to Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada replied to one of her letters, but she was not interested in any dialogue or consideration of her son’s spiritual benefit as described by Prabhupada. She just wanted her son to return.

“Sensing that the Los Angeles temple could get into trouble through this woman, the temple president asked David to leave the temple. Although David was a submissive devotee, he refused to leave and began to cry. He said, ‘I’m not initiated. I’ve been in this movement for a year, but I’m not initiated, so I don’t have a link to my spiritual master. How can I leave the temple without a link? I may never come back!’ Both the temple president and David were bewildered. Prabhupada was then informed how the boy had refused to leave and he called him to his room.

“David came into Prabhupada’s quarters and bowed down before him while Prabhupada was taking prasadam.

“Prabhupada spoke mildly: ‘So you have been having some difficulty with your mother?’

“‘Yes, Srila Prabhupada.’

“‘That’s all right,’ said Prabhupada. ‘I’ve decided to initiate you.’ Right on the spot, without any of the usual, formal ceremony, Prabhupada gave David his new, spiritual name.

“‘Your name is now Nrsimhananda dasa. Is that all right?’

“‘Yeah, that—’ David could hardly speak.

“Prabhupada continued, ‘I’m giving you this name, Nrsimhananda because through this name you will always be protected from your parents.’ Prabhupada then offered some prasadam from his plate to Nrsimhananda and said, ‘Now you can go home and stay there for some time. That will be all right. I think you can make vegetarian prasadam there?’

“‘Yes,’ said Nrsimhananda.

“‘So you can go for some time, and also come back,’ said Prabhupada.

“Nrsimhananda understood Prabhupada’s desire, and he had faith that it would work.

“‘Thank you, Srila Prabhupada,’ he said and left.

“David Shapiro, now Nrsimhananda dasa Brahmacari, returned to his mother’s home. “Ten months later, when both son and mother had gained a more mature outlook about Krishna consciousness, Nrsimhananda rejoined Prabhupada’s movement, this time to stay.”

From Chapter 2, Number 23:

“As he [Prabhupada] passed his old neighborhood, he pointed out the house where he was raised as a child and the spot where he used to purchase kites. At the Govindaji temple, relatives came forward, embracing him and touching his feet. Old and young surrounded him, smiling and chatting in Bengali. Prabhupada then went before the Deity of Govinda, whom he had worshiped from the beginning of his life. ‘Practically everything I have done,’ he explained to his disciples, ‘is by the grace of Radha-Govinda.’ He recalled his original Ratha-yatras up and down Mahatma Gandhi Road and how his father paid for the festival. Prabhupada said that the same spirit he had imbibed here he was now carrying on throughout the world in Ratha-yatras and by establishing many Radha-Govindajis all over the world.”

From Chapter 2, Number 27:

“He was so kind to bring the accessible Krishna murti. What did we know? How could we succeed? But he did it, starting with Lord Jagannatha, then little Radha-Krishna in New York City.”

“Like the brahmana who called the Deity to witness, Prabhupada asked the Lord, and He agreed to come. On Prabhupada’s invitation, along with the sound of kirtana, Krishna was received in simple settings—in converted rooms, puja began for the Lord in rented houses in places such as Boston, St. Louis, Buffalo, and then in grand temples. Great acaryas of the past installed one Deity, their beloved Radha-Krishna, but Prabhupada worshiped dozens of Radha-Krishnas, and he traveled to see Them. He was the champion of Radha-Krishna, installing and distributing Radha-Krishna on every continent, again and again bathing, chanting, dressing, performing the installation.

Srila Prabhupada crouched before the Lord and sometimes he cried joyful tears at the darsana of the glowing Radha-Krishna. He noticed how They were being served and dressed, and he made a stern point, that we should never change things whimsically after he had left. It was transcendental and matter-of-fact to Srila Prabhupada that we must worship the Deity of Krishna. Of course we must do it, or how will we remain purified? And of course He is Krishna, with flute and three-curved form, with Radha beside Him. And of course we have to give Them our devotion! It was a matter of devotional fact: He will come when there are devotees and they will worship Him. Yet, is it not a great miracle? Prabhupada has brought Krishna—Krishna has agreed and the ex-mlecchas have agreed to accept Him, and they pray, ‘O Lord of the universe, by Prabhupada’s grace, kindly be visible unto me.’”

From Chapter 2, Number 29:

“An American disciple, had been causing considerable trouble for the devotee community because of his violent temper and almost all the devotees were apprehensive of his presence. Prabhupada heard different complaints and one day called the devotee before him.

“‘You sing so nicely,’ said Srila Prabhupada. ‘Why don’t you and your wife just travel all over the world, singing to attract people to Krishna consciousness?’

“Greatly encouraged, the devotee soon left Mayapur. On the authority of Srila Prabhupada, he walked off singing with his guitar. Although the sastras say that no one can know the mind of the acarya, and although Prabhupada never said that he had sent away a troublesome devotee by suggesting that he travel and sing, nevertheless most of the devotees in Mayapur could not help but appreciate how Prabhupada was masterfully solving problems.”

Jayadvaita Swami:

Although in the big cities everything is in season because it is in season somewhere and it is imported, although its usually not of the highest quality, it is better we offer what is grown locally, and still better if we grow it ourselves. We have some things growing on the roof. That is first class.

When Bhadra Prabhu was in charge of the kitchen in the New York temple, Srila Prabhupada told him everything should be revolutionary clean. He said, “By cleanliness you can attain bhava.” So if you want to know the secret to attain bhava, now you know! Spread it.

Srila Prabhupada said we just want from Krishna a certificate, “This man has done some service.” So here it appears that Govinda Dasi received such a certificate, being mentioned in this purport by Srila Prabhupada for her successfully growing tulasi in the West.

Why is tulasi so important? Krishna likes her. That’s all.

Tulasi is offered only to Vishnu-tattva, not Radharani and not the guru. You can put tulasi in Radharani’s hand for offering to Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada advised we give people tulasi seeds not tulasi plants.

With the hunter, Narada Muni did not advise establishing a deity, but to grow a tulasi plant and chant his mantra in front of her.

If you were late with Srila Prabhupada’s lunch, you would be chewed out, and if you were late with Tamal Krishna Goswami’s lunch you would be chewed out twice as much.

Being on time with offerings shows Krishna that we are serious.

Srila Prabhupada gave maximum importance to preaching. He said one person can stay back and take care of the deity, and everyone else should go out preaching.

Preaching is the most important part of deity worship. The pujaris can think: How can we get people to come and see the deity? How can we engage people in the service of the deity?

Although Ratha-yatra is all about the deity, still its main focus is preaching.

Ramesvara in a class declared that sankirtana is in the mood of the gopis because it brings people forward to serve Krishna. Devotees questioned Srila Prabhupada about this, and Srila Prabhupada said that he had spoken correctly.

Radhanath Swami:

Bathing the deities is not just a ritual. It can be the highest samadhi.

In Puri they bathe Jagannath with water from special wells.

Whose knows how to please Krishna more than Krishna? Radharani.

Lord Caitanya is Radharani teaching how to love Krishna and a very important part of that is the congregational chanting of the holy names.

Lord Caitanya comes to taste the love Radharani has for Krishna and to share it with the world.

To celebrate these festivals, like snana-yatra and Ratha-yatra, is an important part of Lord Caitanya’s teachings and example.

Just by hearing the glories of Lord Caitanya from Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, the emperor King Prataparuda surrendered his life to Him.

Srila Prabhupada was saying that when we hear The Nectar of Devotion with faith, we are directly in the presence of Rupa Goswami.

When we are absorbed in the congregational chanting of the holy name even now, we are in the personal associataion of Lord Caitanya and His associates.

Sivananda Sena did not only accommodate devotees. He also arranged Krishna-katha for them.

Lord Caitanya cleaned the Gundica temple meticulously because Lord Jagannatha was to reside there.

We cannot demand Krishna to come. We have to seriously cleanse our hearts.

I lived in Vrindavan in 1971, but I never saw Jagannath there. Radha Krishna and sometimes Gaura Nitai, but not Jagannath. Jagannath is in the mood of separation from Vrindavan, so you do not see Him there.

When I came to Bury Place, I saw Radha Londonisvara. But above them there was a shelf, with three forms on it. As I didn’t know about Jagannatha, I thought the London devotees had invented some deities to appeal to the psychedelic hippies. I was afraid to ask anyone about them. Later I learned about Jagannatha and realized I commit a big offense, which I think I am still suffering from.

The traditional date of snana-yatra is the date that Krishna, Balarama, and Subhadra heard Rohini narrating the Vrindavan pastimes and experienced maha-bhava and originally manifest the forms as you see as the Jagannath deities.

Jagannatha is Krishna crying for Radha, and Lord Caitanya is Radha crying for Krishna.

Pancharatna Prabhu:

The early stages of yoga are meant to put you in a position to meditate.

We should do the meditation on the form of Krishna, which Narada recommends to Dhruva, on the name of Krishna.

Our challenge is to concentrate on the name of the Lord with the same enthusiasm that Dhruva meditated on the form of the Lord.

We can visually appreciate the beauty in nature as the smile of the Lord.

Srila Prabhupada said we should see the flowers as the smiling of Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada advises we practice seeing Krishna in the taste of water.

We should aspire for raganuga-bhakti.

Hansarupa Prabhu:

The Bible rejects graven images, but is not the form of Jesus on a cross a graven image?

Is there anyone who thinks he is not a neophyte? I think we all have that humility.

We should not think we do not need the meditation on the deity form.

In Mayapur, if there is some deviation, one is assigned to washing the pots for a certain length of time. A repentent attitude must be there.

It is said the soul who falls from the spiritual world first takes birth as Lord Brahma. Imagine this devotee or that devotee as Lord Brahma.

In the armed services, in part of the training you have to do your service without sleep for 72 hours.

Kali-yuga is progressing. If you are not progressing, you will be overwhelmed.

Bhakti Sarvajna Gauranga Swami:

We may have some material desires, but we do not want a kingdom greater than the material universe like Dhruva Maharaja did.

We see here the idea of letting non-brahmanas be initiated, which Lord Caitanya promoted, was there back in the time of Dhruva.

The early Christian missionaries would accuse the Hindus they met of worshiping idols. They would put the deities in buckets of water, and when the deities would sink, the Christians would say, “How can this be God? He cannot save Himself from drowning!”

People from India are naturally attracted to different items of bhakti, but if they conclude that only Indians can really practice bhakti and they do not encourage others, then their birth can actually be an impediment.

We have to be careful not to add additional rules and regulations to the practice of bhakti, then it will be harder for people to take it up, and they will be discouraged. We should not imagine that we have a better program than our founder-acarya, Srila Prabhupada.

Although by material calculations, Dhruva’s having material desires and being a non-brahmana were disadvantages, by his attachment to Narada Muni and his strict following of his instructions, these were overcome.

Rama Raya Prabhu:

You could only get close to Srila Prabhupada if you took up the preaching mission and you used your own ingenuity to execute it.

Older Hispanic lady who regularly attends the Sunday and Tuesday programs:

You know how the mother bird feeds the baby birds, with food from its own mouth. Krishna is like that mother bird, and we are like the little birds that He is feeding with food from His own mouth.

-----

Different verses give us clues how to make the practice of devotional service easier for us. I learned this verse when I was trying to blow the conch shell for guru-puja. I was in Philadelphia at the time, and Bhurijana Prabhu, who was present there, taught me this verse:

kathañcana smrte yasmin

duṣkaram sukaram bhavet

vismrte viparitam syat

sri-caitanyam namami tam

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

May you always remember Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu!

Celestial Dynasties (Srimad Bhagavatam Canto Nine)
→ Krishna Dharma

‘Celestial Dynasties’ refers to those of the sun and moon gods, in which both Lord Rama and Lord Krishna respectively appeared. The ninth canto traces both lines up to their appearances, giving details of their significant ancestors such as King Ambarisha, who overcame the powerful mystic Durvasa; Parasurama, who destroyed the world’s kshatriyas twenty-one times; Pururava, who married the celestial girl, Urvasi; King Yayati, who wed Sage Shukra’s daughter, Devayani, only to be cursed by him with premature old age; plus many other fascinating accounts of sages, kings and gods who preceded the two divine incarnations. The authors give a dramatic rendition of the original text, which both entertains and educates, bringing out the profound messages of the Bhagavatam.

Amazon US
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Audible Links to follow shortly (as at 20-06-2023)

Conflict resolution Part 2 Ramayan wisdom Ram and Kaikeyi versus Vali and Sugriba
→ The Spiritual Scientist

While Vali faced the threat of likely dying, trapped in a cave where he had gone to kill a demon, he found the entrance blocked completely by a large boulder—one that couldn’t have sealed the cave so precisely by natural means. Still, he didn’t have to remain inside the cave for years, as Ram had to in the forest. Of course, for Vali, there was no guarantee he would survive inside the cave or ever be able to come out.

In contrast, Ram had the archery skills and survival expertise to endure 14 years in the forest and return after the prescribed period of exile. Comparing the two situations illustrates how difficult it is to evaluate whose distress was greater—both would have been shocked by their sudden change in fortunes.

Ram went from being a crown prince to suddenly becoming an exiled pauper. Vali went from being a heroic victor—having just killed a terrorizing demon and expecting a hero’s welcome—to being trapped indefinitely, perhaps permanently, in a dark cave that could well become his tomb, just as it had for the demon he had defeated.

Despite the injustice he suffered, Ram tried to offer a positive outlook when speaking with courtiers and citizens who expressed dismay, disbelief, and even disgust at the way he had been treated. He said it was his joy to render a difficult service to his father by honoring his word. He added that he welcomed the chance to grow through the association of sages in the forest while still young, rather than waiting for retirement in his later years. He also saw it as an opportunity to pave the way for his younger brother—whom he considered like a son—to be installed as king.

In Vali’s case, there is no record of him trying to frame his situation positively—understandably so, as he had no one to talk to. Yet the fact that he ultimately survived and escaped the cave demonstrates his resourcefulness and resilience—both admirable qualities.

Equally admirable is the incredible positivity Ram displayed, ensuring that the adverse situation he faced didn’t embitter him. Rather than letting his exile ruin him, he allowed it to refine him, transforming misfortune into a platform for grace.

The post Conflict resolution Part 2 Ramayan wisdom Ram and Kaikeyi versus Vali and Sugriba appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Hanuman: Burning Lanka with Purpose
→ The Spiritual Scientist

When provoked, how do you respond? With rage—or with resolve?

Captured and humiliated by Ravana, Hanuman allowed the enemy to tie his tail and mock him.

But once his tail was set ablaze, he didn’t lash out blindly.

He turned the fire into a message.

He burned Lanka strategically—not as revenge, but as a warning.

Leadership Lesson:

Real power is not in reacting emotionally, but in responding with clarity and purpose.

Takeaway for Today’s Leaders:

Leadership requires restraint and precision.

Don’t fight just to vent. Fight to send a message—and make an impact.

The post Hanuman: Burning Lanka with Purpose appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Sri Shyamananda prabhu Disappearance
→ Ramai Swami

Born as Duhkhi Krishnadasa in Orissa, Shyamananda Prabhu was raised in a humble, pious family. From a young age, he displayed detachment from material pleasures, deep love for the Holy Name, and sincere devotion.

He was sent by his guru, Hridaya Chaitanya Prabhu, to study under Srila Jiva Goswami in Vrindavan. There, through humble service and intense bhajana, he received the special mercy of Srimati Radharani.

A pivotal moment in Shyamananda Prabhu’s life occurred while sweeping the groves of Vrindavan. He discovered a golden anklet (nupura) and kept it respectfully. Later, he had a divine vision of Srimati Radharani, who pressed that anklet to his forehead, leaving a unique tilaka mark shaped like a foot ornament.

From that moment, he became known as Shyamananda—meaning one who received the mercy of Shyama (Krishna) through the grace of Radha.

Empowered by Jiva Goswami’s blessings, Shyamananda Prabhu traveled to Odisha and Bengal, where he preached Gaudiya Vaishnavism with great power and love.

After conquering in all directions Shyamananda returned to Gopi-ballabhpur where he observed a great festival for some days. Then he came to Uddanda Raya Bhui’s house, at Nrsimhapur where he held a great festival. On the first day of the dark fortnight in the month of Asar Sri Shyamananda Prabhu left this world.

Shyamananda Prabhu’s puspa samadhi and the place where he found Srimati Radharani’s ankle bracelet is just across the street from Sri Sri Radha-Shyamsundara’s temple in Vrndavana. Sri Sri Radha-Shyamsundara are his worshippable Deities.

Does Religion Cause War?
→ Krishna Dharma

An accusation I often hear levelled at religion is that it causes so many conflicts. As the recent tragic events unfolded in the Middle East, some have indeed pointed the finger of blame at religion, as at least a factor in the long-standing dispute. Writing for the ‘Big Think’, Adam Lee observed: “…what I do believe is that that it (the Israel Palestine conflict) is being inflamed and prolonged by religious zealotry on both sides.”

When I hear such suggestions, my first thought is that they are based on a misconception of religion. Dictionaries usually describe it as a system of belief in a supernatural power. That is where disagreements tend to arise, as the above writer points out. My beliefs may well differ from and even conflict with yours, and hence, there are many faiths, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, etc, each asserting that their particular set of beliefs is true, while all others are misguided.

The ancient Sanskrit Vedas, however, offer a unifying definition. In Sanskrit, the word for religion is dharma. This translates more accurately as the essential nature of a thing, such as wetness in water. In the case of a person, this nature is service. We must serve someone or something, be it our boss, family members, country, or maybe just our dog. Even if we have no one to serve, we will still serve our minds and senses, which constantly demand satisfaction in one way or another. We cannot sit peacefully for long before one bodily demand or another impinges upon us, and we must act to satisfy it.

Vedic wisdom tells us this service propensity is meant for God. This is real religion, the dharma of the soul. Undoubtedly, the adherents of all the faiths mentioned earlier and most others will concur despite their external differences. Whatever our practices, the aim must be to know and love God, to unite with him and serve him eternally. When we serve anything other than God, we are never satisfied; we constantly search for the lasting fulfilment that no amount of sensual pleasure or material relationships can provide. As Augustine said, “Our hearts are restless till they rest in Thee.”

So, what goes by the name of religion these days is usually just the rituals meant to evoke our mood of divine service. Thus, religious fights are based not so much on religion itself but on the perceived means of attaining its goal, which should be love, specifically for God. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna sums this up in a simple directive: “Always think of me, offer me your respects, worship me and become my devotee. Surely then will you come to me.” This, in essence, is what all theistic faiths advocate, so what sense does it make to squabble over the practices it may be couched in? Better, surely, to focus on those practices and evoke your divine love.

Genuine followers of any faith exhibit godly qualities. They all have their saints who are invariably peaceful, compassionate and deeply spiritual. Indeed, something is going wrong if your so-called religion produces a desire to eliminate the followers of another faith. The Mahabharata says, “If your spiritual practices do not make you gentle, they are useless.” Sometimes, force might be required to maintain law and order, as we also learn from Mahabharata, but only as a last resort and never to oppress and terrorise others.

I feel saddened when I see religion blamed for conflict and violence, as the solution is portrayed as the problem. The very point of spiritual practice is to make us saintly—free of lust, greed, envy, anger and all such base urges. How else can we get rid of these impurities? They are the real problems causing our disputes and can attach themselves to any cause, not just an idea of religion. How many millions have died in conflicts where no religious fervour was involved? Both world wars, for example.

Krishna provides a perfect peace formula in the Bhagavad Gita. “Do everything for my pleasure. Accept me as the proprietor of all the world. See me as your greatest friend and well-wisher.” My spiritual teacher, Srila Prabhupada, once said that to achieve the brotherhood (or sisterhood) of man, we must accept the fatherhood of God. Proper spiritual practice brings us to that realisation, recognising our common humanity, indeed the commonality of all beings as parts of the one Supreme. There is no question of hatred touching the heart of one endowed with such a vision. Their love for God is extended to all his creatures.

Such universal love seems a distant utopian dream as we look with horror at the unspeakable images flashing across our screens of late. But each of us can at least transform ourselves. After all, we are the world we want to change. Krishna gives simple directions in the Bhagavad Gita, always chant his name, whatever name of God you prefer, and try to please him in everything we do, particularly by showing kindness to all. In this way, we can do our best to bring about world peace, one soul at a time.

Hanuman: Confidence Rekindled at the Shoreline
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Even mighty heroes sometimes forget their strength.

Before the leap to Lanka, Hanuman stood unsure—doubting whether he could cross the ocean.

It took the calm words of Jambavan to reignite his memory and awaken his power.

“You can do this,” said Jambavan.

And Hanuman soared—not just physically, but mentally and spiritually.

Leadership Lesson:

Self-doubt can paralyze even the best.

True leadership lies in rekindling your strength—and sometimes, letting others help you see it.

Takeaway for Today’s Leaders:

Surround yourself with people who remind you of your strength.

Confidence isn’t arrogance—it’s rediscovered ability.

The post Hanuman: Confidence Rekindled at the Shoreline appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Conflict resolution part 1 Ramayan wisdom Ram and Kaikeyi versus Vali and Sugriba
→ The Spiritual Scientist

One of the biggest challenges we face is learning to deal with problems critically. What makes difficult situations even more complex is that we rarely look at them objectively — that is, we don’t ask, “What exactly happened?” Instead, we view them subjectively, focusing on two things: how the situation affected us, and what we think motivated the other person to act in a way that harmed us.

Especially when the impact on us is significantly negative, we tend to assume that the other person wanted to hurt us — that their intent was malicious. This assumption makes reconciliation extremely difficult. However, when we’re able to differentiate between these two dimensions — the reality of the impact and the perceived intent — we lay the foundation for meaningful reconciliation.

With this in mind, let’s look at two incidents in the Ramayana where mistakes occurred, and how the other party responded to them.

Consider the case of Vali and Sugriva. Sugriva felt deeply wronged. He believed Vali had deliberately abandoned him to die and even orchestrated his entrapment. This suspicion led him to break ties and go his own way.

But now let’s look at a more extreme case — that of Lord Rama. Rama, who was supposed to become the king of a powerful and prosperous kingdom, was exiled for 14 years. The sentence felt not only unjust but also degrading — as if he were a common criminal, being punished with a penalty just a step below capital punishment. And this life-altering decision was thrust upon him on the very morning he was to be crowned king.

Exile for Rama meant not just the loss of royal comforts, but also a life full of physical hardship, constant uncertainty, and the ever-present risk of danger and injury — and all this for 14 long years.

Compared to this, while Vali’s suffering was also sudden and unpleasant, Rama’s response to his own suffering was far more composed and exemplary.

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Enchanting Pastimes (Srimad Bhagavatam Canto Eight)
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In this canto we hear the fascinating tale of Gajendra, king of elephants in the celestial realm, who was a saintly king in his previous life. Assailed by a mighty crocodile, he recalls his former devotion to Krishna and invokes his presence with heartfelt prayers. Then begins a long account of a conflict between the gods and Asuras, resulting in several divine incarnations, including Mohini, the Lord’s form as an exquisite female, and Vamana, a dwarf brahmin. The Asuras conquer the heavens and seize control of the universe, only for Vamana to trick the Asura king, Bali, into giving everything back to the gods on the plea of begging for just three paces of land. Finally we hear about Matsya, the Lord’s fish incarnation, who comes to the rescue of King Satyavrata during a great deluge that inundated the worlds. Krishna Dharma and Chintamani Dhama Dasi vividly bring these stories to life while bringing out the profound devotional teachings they evince.

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Growing through Grief
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Most of us discover at a fairly young age that the world is not a bed of roses. The carefree joys of childhood were brutally interrupted for me when I was just seven and I lost my mother. Navigating my way through an uncertain world after that, I encountered much more pain in the shape of a less than loving stepmother. It was enough to make me rather circumspect about the prospects of a trouble-free life. I tried to make the best of it, of course, but it was only when I came across the messages of the Bhagavad-gita that things began to make sense. Learning that the material world is intrinsically a place of suffering and that we belong somewhere else came as a great relief. It wasn’t that I was exceptionally unfortunate; all of us are in the same rocking boat, according to the Gita.

The pandemic has brought that message home all too starkly for many of us. It has been a particularly difficult time, and for some it has brought terrible grief. A workmate lost four members of his family to Covid, at a time when it was not possible to be with them at the last or even perform their funeral rites. Such pain is hard to imagine, although as a practising Muslim he found comfort in his faith, accepting it as the Lord’s supreme and inscrutable will. Thankfully, I have not had to endure such loss during the pandemic; although recalling my own trauma of losing my mother, I could at least relate to the pain a little. Grief is the hardest of all sufferings, according to the Mahabharat. It robs us of our senses and very ability to function. When a loved one dies, it leaves a gaping hole in your life. Going back to normal is near impossible, and you have to learn how to somehow cope with a new reality.

Like my work friend though, we can find solace in the words of scripture. The Gita tells us we are all eternal souls, temporarily dwelling in mortal frames. It therefore shocks us when suddenly something we took for granted as a part of our lives is cruelly taken from us. We can’t easily process it, as we are meant for eternal existence where nothing and no one ever passes away. Again, the Gita’s message is that we belong to the spiritual world, the abode of God, our ever-loving father and friend. Somehow we have fallen from there to this world of ever-shifting sands where nothing stays the same and everything we hold dear is lost in time.

This is ultimately the cause of all anxiety. Many of us have also had to deal with this and even bouts of depression during these difficult times. Anxiety is really just uncertainty—‘what will happen?’—and this stems from us knowing that we really don’t have any control. The world is rapidly changing even as we watch; we can’t hold onto anything and so often we have to accept things we never bargained for or wanted. This can be depressing at times; we want life to be predictable and certain, to bring happy things and joy, but sadly that is not always the way it happens.

There are some powerful instructions in this regard in the Ramayana. Some time after Lord Rama was banished to the forest, his brother Bharata brought him the news of his father’s passing. Rama was distraught to hear this, a grief that was compounded by his feelings of guilt at not having been there when he died, and not being able to conduct his funeral ceremony. He censured himself and lamented loudly, but seeing that the many others present were also giving way to sorrow to see him grieve, he gradually calmed his mind and began to speak profound words of consolation. “In this world the embodied soul is moved by the all-powerful force of Providence,” said Rama. “No one can control that power. All gains must end in loss, every meeting ends in separation and all life has its end in death.”

It is perhaps a hard message, but its truth is undeniable. Rama also pointed out that the power to prevent one’s own death does not exist in one grieving for another. C.S.Lewis said, “No one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear.” We know that the fate that befell those we have lost awaits us all. The Gita therefore tells us to strive for the eternal, get free of this world of suffering where we do not belong.

But even while we are in this world we can find tranquility by following the guidance of the Gita. It tells us that complete peace comes when we realise three things. The first is that our real happiness lies in serving the Supreme, not in our own attempts to enjoy. The more we try to exploit this world for our happiness, the more we suffer. This is becoming all too apparent as we witness global events like climate change and of course the pandemic unfolding around us. But the Gita assures us that when we give ourselves to divine service these problems will vanish, and a deep sense of joy and satisfaction begins to envelop us.

The second key point is that we are not the controllers. As they say, ‘your anxiety will end when you accept that you are not the general manager of the universe’. As Rama pointed out, the all-powerful force of Providence or God controls this world and indeed us. Everyone is trying to be happy, but still we see so much suffering. Why? The Gita says it is because we do not recognise God’s control and follow his guidance, which is meant for our greatest good. Which leads to the last point, the Lord is our truest friend. This one can sometimes be hard to understand. When things go wrong in life and we face difficulties, it tests our faith. “Why has God done this to me?” Or to our loved ones, especially when we are trying our best to be good people. But we must know that Krishna is preparing us for far greater things than we can even imagine. There will surely be some tests, but when see God’s hand working they become uplifting and transformational. Pressure turns coal into diamonds, and we are all diamonds in the rough, waiting to shine again in our original brilliance.

The strength we need will come from Krishna if we constantly connect with him through our practises. This can also greatly help in alleviating the strain on our relationships that the lockdown has so often brought on us. My spiritual teacher Srila Prabhupada said that the brotherhood of man will come when accept the common fatherhood of God. When we pray together, we stay together. But even if our family members do not join us and it is just us alone practising, we will still see wondrous changes around us as we begin to change. By realising the three points above our aching hearts will become assuaged, all anxieties will be dispelled, and we will find true and lasting peace.

The Science of God (Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 7)
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In this canto we first meet Prahlad, a prince in the race of Asuras, fierce enemies of the gods. An exalted saint, he excites the ire of his demonic father Hiranyakshipu by his devotion to Krishna. The demon tries in every way possible to kill his son until at last he is confronted by Krishna’s half man, half lion incarnation, Nrshinghadeva. After this is a conversation between the celestial sage Narada and King Yudhisthira, in which Narada describes in detail the ancient Vedic system of organising society known as varnashrama dharma. A dramatic retelling that vividly brings the text to life and helps the reader go deeply into the transcendental mystery of the great Sanskrit classic, Srimad Bhagavatam.

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Vibhishana: When Walking Away Is the Bravest Choice
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Sometimes, the greatest act of leadership… is leaving.

Vibhishana was Ravana’s brother. A trusted advisor. A royal insider.

But when Ravana refused to return Sita, Vibhishana spoke out. He was mocked, insulted, and finally exiled.

And so, he walked away. From power. From comfort. From blood ties. Not because he was disloyal— But because he was loyal to a higher truth.

Leadership Lesson: Leaders must sometimes make hard choices: Choosing principles over popularity. Truth over tradition.

Vibhishana didn’t abandon his people. He stayed loyal to dharma.

Takeaway for Today’s Leaders: What are you willing to walk away from… to walk in integrity?

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Inspiring Teachers’ Sanga at Gurukula-The Hare Krishna Primary School
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Teachers’ Sanga at Gurukula Monday, 9th June – Gurukula – The Hare Krishna Primary School, located near Bhaktivedanta Manor, hosted a special Teachers’ Sanga (gathering) focused on spiritual growth and insight for educators. The highlight of the event was a talk by His Holiness Svayam Bhagavan Keshav Maharaj, who graciously accepted the invitation to speak
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Lord Jagannatha’s Blessings Return to Nottingham!
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By Hemo Krsna dd On Sunday, 8th June, Nottingham’s Market Square hosted its second annual Ratha Yatra festival. Around 1,000 people came together to celebrate this joyful occasion, as Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladeva, and Lady Subhadra once again graced the city with Their presence. The chariot, brought from London by HG Parasuram Prabhu, was beautifully
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My First Janmastami
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Back in 1972 I was a 17 year-old sea cadet. My ship had docked in Bombay and I stepped onto that exotic shore in search of reasonably priced souvenirs. Under the intense encouragement of a shopkeeper I came close to purchasing a fine ivory chess set costing most of my week’s wages before I spotted a little figurine of Krishna. He exerted a strange attraction over me and after handing over my hard-earned rupees I left with him in my pocket. The god of love, I thought. I could do with a bit of love.

Fast forward to 1979 and a rainy summer’s day in England. My seafaring days were over, and I was hitchhiking in search of more meaningful things, although I had no idea where to find them. When a kindhearted driver picked me up and asked where I was headed, I had to frankly admit that I didn’t know. “No problem,” he said. “You can ride with me for a while.”

It turned out he was a disciple of Srila Prabhupada named Hetu, and as he drove, he pointed to a book on the dashboard. “That’s the Bhagavad Gita. I’d like to hear it. Why don’t you read it aloud?”

I was happy to oblige and soon my mind was reeling under the force of the Gita’s powerful verses. I’d never read anything like it. “Who wrote this?” I asked.

“Lord Krishna,” he replied. “He’s the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

I sat for a moment or two trying to take that in. Still nestling in my rucksack was the little figurine from Bombay. It seemed he was not just the god of love. “Godhead?” I asked. “What does that mean?”

“The all-powerful Supreme Lord. My guru used the term to stress that God is a person, like you and me.”

“You mean we’re all God?” I asked. I had long suspected this possibility, but Hetu quickly squashed that notion.

“Not at all. Krishna is the whole and we are the tiny parts. Think about it, if you were God would you be wandering aimlessly in soaking wet clothes, trying to hitch a lift from someone else?”

He had a point. I wanted to know more about this personality who had been with me these last seven years. By now I was quite attached to him and felt he was my lucky charm, even though my luck had reduced me to a near penniless itinerant. “So why is he called Krishna?” I asked.

“Krishna means ‘all-attractive’,” replied Hetu. “A rich or famous person is attractive, right? Well, Krishna has all wealth, all fame, all beauty, knowledge, power, and anything else you can imagine. Everything belongs to him. He’s God, after all.”

I gazed at the rainy road. Krishna’s attractiveness had certainly seemed to work on me. Hetu explained that his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, was Krishna’s authorised representative. Perhaps my lucky charm had indeed brought me some good fortune. “Is there somewhere I can find out more?” I asked.

“Sure,” said Hetu. “I’ll take you to Bhaktivedanta Manor where Krishna lives. They’re just about to celebrate his birthday.”

“Where he lives!? Birthday? What do you mean?” I looked wide-eyed at Hetu.

“Let’s go and find out,” he said, pressing the accelerator of his old van as we turned onto the M1. Soon we were pulling into the driveway of a fine old mock Tudor building. Hetu took me into the shrine room and there, standing on a golden altar in all his shining, bejewelled glory was a full-size version of my small figurine. My mouth fell open at the splendid sight. Surely only God himself could look like that. I’d never seen anyone dressed and decorated so beautifully.

“So when is his birthday? Will there be a cake?” I asked, trying to imagine what that might be like.

“In a few days,” said Hetu. “It’s really his anniversary, of course. He was actually born 5000 years ago, and we celebrate that day every year on what is known as Janmashtami.”

I was incredulous. “How can God be born? Isn’t he like, eternal?”

“Certainly, but sometimes he appears in this world so we can get to know him better. The Bhagavad Gita explains that he comes to re-establish righteousness and deliver the faithful from worldly suffering.”

“He must be overdue a visit, then,” I replied. “There’s a bit of a shortage of righteousness these days.”

Hetu laughed. “You’re right, but the wonderful thing about Krishna is that just by hearing about his earthly pastimes we can feel his presence. Also, by chanting his names. God is not limited like us. He is absolute, which means he can incarnate in sound vibration.”

I gazed at Krishna standing serenely on the altar. I had so many questions. The devotees suggested I stay for a few days. “You can join in with the Janmashtami celebrations.” God’s birthday party sounded good to me. No doubt there would be some great munchies. I agreed and a few days later found myself fasting for the day. “We have a big feast at midnight,” the devotees said. “But first we fast to honour the Lord’s appearance.”

I looked at my watch. Nine am. How would I last till midnight? The devotees said there would be food for guests, but I decided to give it a go. I needed to do something for my little Krishna who had brought me so far. The day quickly passed with much joyous chanting and dancing, as well as talks about Krishna’s ‘pastimes’ when he appeared. These proved to be thoroughly fascinating and I hardly noticed my growling stomach. Finally, midnight arrived and Krishna was revealed in his magnificent birthday outfit. We danced away another half hour and at last sat down to a stunning array of vegetarian goodies, which I began to demolish at world record speed. What a day. My life would never be the same again.

Divine Protection (Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 6)
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In this volume, we see how Krishna saves his devotee from degradation. Beginning with the famous story of Ajamila, the brahmin who fell from an exalted position to become a ruthless robber and cheat, only to be miraculously redeemed at the very moment of death. Then we hear how Indra, king of the gods, insulted his guru and as a result was overpowered by the demonic races, led by Vritra, a supernatural colossus who had been conjured for the god’s destruction. The twist in this tale is that the demon was a great saintly devotee of Krishna. Finally, we hear how Diti, mother of the demons, gains her salvation.

Through all these narrations we see how, no matter how fallen you are, if you have any divine service to your credit, Krishna will find a way to save you.

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Shabari: Preparation Without Applause
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Imagine waiting your whole life for someone you’re not even sure will come. That was Shabari.

Every day, she cleaned her hermitage. Every day, she gathered berries. And every day, she waited for Rama.

Years passed. No word. No sign. But she never gave up.

When Rama finally arrived, her joy wasn’t in recognition—it was in readiness.

Leadership Lesson: Shabari teaches us that leadership is often built in obscurity. It’s not in headlines, but in habits. Not in grand events, but quiet devotion.

Preparation isn’t glamorous. But it’s sacred.

Takeaway for Today’s Leaders: Success doesn’t always knock with warning. Will you be ready when it does?

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So, how should we present the Varna, the idea of Varna, and how much should we emphasize it?
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So, how should we present the concept of Varna, and how much should we emphasize it—especially when teaching the Bhagavad Gita or introducing Krishna consciousness to newcomers, particularly in the West?

There is always a tension in understanding which parts of the Gita are descriptive—that is, specific to the social and historical context of the time—and which are prescriptive, meant to be universally applied.

For instance, Krishna instructing Arjuna to fight a physical war is a descriptive part of the Gita. It may have been prescriptive for Arjuna, given his role as a Kshatriya in that context, but it’s not prescriptive for us today.

Now, regarding the Varna system—it does appear in various parts of the Gita: Chapter 2, Chapter 4, Chapter 18, and even indirectly in Chapter 16. So it’s certainly not an insignificant theme. But how central is it to the message of the Gita?

One way to look at it is that Varna is mentioned to emphasize Arjuna’s duty within the social order, as part of his service to Krishna. That would make the Varna system a contextual feature, not the core message.

If we examine the Gita more broadly, the message of Bhakti—devotional service—clearly transcends Varna-ashrama. Krishna states that anyone, regardless of Varna, can engage in Bhakti. Even more, Yoga is arguably the most emphasized concept in the Gita. Words like yoga, yogi, yukta, and yunjan appear far more frequently than karma, dharma, Bhagavan, or Brahman.

So, Krishna’s emphasis is on cultivating a transcendental consciousness while acting in the world. From this lens, we could reasonably argue that the Varna system is not central to the Gita’s core message.

Yet, in many traditional commentaries, and even in our modern-day teachings, we often stress Karma Yoga—especially as it relates to Varna-ashrama. This sometimes gives it more prominence than the Gita itself seems to.

Given this, even if we do wish to present the idea of Varna, we need to do so with nuance. There are at least three layers of complexity:

Correlation:
There is the traditional Varna categorization, and then there is a person’s psychophysical nature today. Even in classical Dharma Shastra, there is a recognition of both prakriti (nature) and vikriti (distortion or deviation). A person may have a mix of dispositions—say, predominantly Kshatriya with some Brahminical traits.
Genealogy vs Nature:
Today, we no longer have pure genealogical lines that align neatly with Varna identities. Many people embody blended qualities, and the categories don’t map cleanly anymore.
Modern Professions vs Traditional Varnas:
Professions today rarely correspond directly to ancient Varna roles. I’ve heard strange examples—like calling a doctor a Brahmana because they heal, but a surgeon a Shudra because they work with the body. That’s absurd. Does more study make you fall from Brahmana to Shudra?

This raises a fundamental question: Is Varna determined by one’s nature or by one’s job? Today, many people’s jobs don’t align with their nature at all. It’s a messy picture, and oversimplification only leads to confusion.

So, my take is: don’t overemphasize it. Teach clearly and compassionately, and then move on.

The underlying principle of Varnashrama is to help people engage with the world in a way that is productive materially and supportive spiritually. That’s what matters most. How exactly that plays out today? It will vary case by case.

Therefore, we shouldn’t rigidly label someone as belonging to a particular Varna, or decide if someone is “suitable” for something based solely on this lens.

Ultimately, as Krishna says, everyone is on His path. So let’s focus on nurturing that inclusive, transcendental spirit.

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