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[Sunday feast class at ISKCON, Delaware, USA]

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To commemorate the anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in America, we shall sing and discuss the second poem that he wrote on the ship Jaladuta, when he arrived in the Boston harbor on September 17, 1965.

Poem [translation]:

1:  My dear Lord Krishna, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me.

2:  But I guess You have some business here. Otherwise, why would You bring me to such a terrible place?

3:  Most of the population here is covered by the material modes of ignorance and passion. Absorbed in material life, they think themselves very happy and satisfied, and therefore they have no taste for the transcendental message of Vasudeva. I do not know how they will be able to understand it.

4:  But I know Your causeless mercy can make everything possible, because You are the most expert mystic.

5:  How will they understand the mellows of devotional service? O Lord, I am simply praying for Your mercy so that I will be able to convince them about Your message.

6:  All living entities have come under the control of the illusory energy by Your will, and therefore, if You like, by Your will they can also be released from the clutches of illusion. I wish that You may deliver them.

7:  I wish that You may deliver them. Therefore, if You so desire their deliverance, then only will they be able to understand Your message.

8:  The words of Srimad-Bhagavatam are Your incarnation, and if a sober person repeatedly receives them with submissive aural reception, then he will be able to understand Your message.

9:  It is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17-21): ‘Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses the desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who relishes His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted. By regularly hearing the Bhagavatam and rendering service unto the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is practically destroyed, and loving service unto the glorious Lord, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. At the time loving service is established in the heart, the modes of passion [rajas] and ignorance [tamas], and lust and desire [kama] disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness and he becomes happy. Thus established in the mode of goodness, the man rejuvenated by loving service to the Lord gains liberation from material association [mukti] and comes to know scientifically of the Personality of Godhead. Thus the knot in the heart and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions [karma] is terminated when one sees the self as master.”

10:  He will become liberated from the influence of the modes of ignorance and passion and thus all inauspicious things accumulated in the core of the heart will disappear.

11:  How will I make them understand the message of Krishna consciousness? I am very unfortunate, unqualified, and the most fallen. Therefore I am seeking Your benediction so that I can convince them, for I am powerless to do so on my own.

12:  Somehow or other, O Lord, You have brought me here to speak about You. Now, my Lord, it is up to You to make me a success or failure as You like.

13:  O spiritual master of all the worlds! I can simply repeat Your message, so if You like You can make my power of speaking suitable for their understanding.

14:  Only by Your causeless mercy will my words become pure. I am sure that when this transcendental message penetrates their hearts they will certainly feel engladdened and thus become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life.

15:  O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance. O Lord, make me dance as You like.

16:  I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the holy name of Krishna. I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, and now if You like You can fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedanta.

Signed—the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami,
on board the ship Jaladuta, Commonwealth Pier, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., dated 18th of September, 1965

 

Sri Prahlada dasa:

I shall read from the introduction:

“On September 17, 1965, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada arrived in Boston on board the ship Jaladuta, carrying within his heart the orders of his spiritual master to spread the teachings of Sri Chaitanya beyond the borders of India throughout the entire world. As he looked upon Boston’s bleak and dirty skyline, he could understand the difficulty of this sacred mission and felt great compassion for those godless people. Thus, with perfect humility, he composed this historic prayer in Bengali, praying for the deliverance of the fallen souls.”

Verse 1: “My dear Lord Krishna, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me.”

Here, Srila Prabhupada is expressing very strong sentiments. First, Krishna is always very kind to His devotee. Srila Prabhupada, in his humility, is calling himself a useless soul and asking Krishna, “You are so kind, but if You are so kind, why have You brought me to this place? Obviously, You have some plan.”

It is interesting how Srila Prabhupada sees his coming to America as Krishna bringing him, although he himself made so much endeavor to fulfill the mission of his spiritual master and come to the West, such as cultivating Sumati Morarji to get her to sponsor his journey. He had to convince her; it wasn’t easy. She was reluctant because of Srila Prabhupada’s age and the fact that he didn’t have any friends or relatives in America. So he had to convince her, but still he is saying to Krishna, “I don’t know why You brought me here.” Srila Prabhupada is seeing that it was actually Krishna who made the arrangements and who brought him to the United States.

That is how the devotee sees any experience he has in life: he sees it as Krishna’s mercy. It is said that when Gaurakisora dasa Babaji would go about Navadvipa, if he saw a boy who was dark, he would think of him as Krishna, and if he saw a boy who was fair, he would think of him as Gaura. And if one of the boys would touch him, he would say, “Look, Yasoda Mayi, your Gopala has punched me!” or “Look, Saci Mata, your Gaura is making a face at me!” So, he was seeing Krishna everywhere. We might see rascal boys misbehaving and become angry at them and want to correct them, but Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja’s vision was completely transcendental.

The principle here is to see everything as Krishna’s arrangement. And we also have to try to develop that vision, to see Krishna’s plan in everything, to see Krishna’s arrangement in everything—that we have surrendered to Him and so He is taking care of us. Sometimes we may experience setbacks or disappointments, but actually Krishna has some reason for giving them to us. We should try to understand that, and if we do, we’ll never be disappointed in life. We’ll be always happy in Krishna’s mercy, even in adversity.

Srila Prabhupada says, “Why have You brought me here? Whatever the case, do with me as You like.” And this is very much the mood of this poem—Prabhupada’s complete surrender: “I am Your instrument. You can use me. You can engage me as You wish. I have no personal agenda. My agenda is whatever You desire. I am here to accept Your desire as my life and soul, to give everything to please You, to serve You.”

Verse 2: “But I guess You have some business here. Otherwise, why would You bring me to such a terrible place?”

This is an interesting perspective. In India everyone wants to go to America because it’s the “land of the free and the home of the brave.” But here Srila Prabhupada is arriving in America and calling it “a terrible place.” When he was staying in London, there was a famous presenter who had a very popular television show. He would invite different personalities and ask them difficult questions that embarrassed them on the set, and that’s why he was so popular. So, he invited Prabhupada. Knowing the man’s reputation and thinking that he would try to humiliate Prabhupada on screen, the devotees were reluctant to let Prabhupada go. They humbly advised him, “Srila Prabhupada, we don’t think you should go for this.” But Srila Prabhupada replied, “No, it is our duty. We must go.”

So Prabhupada went, and he sat comfortably in the chair, and then the interviewer, as usual, began with some casual question—just to make the guest comfortable before he brought in the punch. He asked Srila Prabhupada, “So, how do you like it here in London?” Generally everyone would give the same clichéd answer: “It’s wonderful. I really like it. I am really enjoying myself here. It’s so good to be in this great city.” That’s generally the expected response—be positive on screen. But Srila Prabhupada answered, “London? London is hell!”

The interviewer was shocked. He didn’t know how to continue. It wasn’t the expected response. Prabhupada had actually stumped him. There was a short period of silence. He had his plan, but this—“London is hell!”—wasn’t part of the script. So there were some moments of uncomfortable silence. Then Prabhupada saved the day. He said, “But it is a great credit to the British people that they have built such a beautiful city under such hellish conditions, with hellish weather.” And from then on, the interviewer was very respectful, and Prabhupada actually got to preach. Srila Prabhupada was so expert.

Prabhupada’s view was that this material world is hellish. Whether it is America or England, it’s all the material world and so it’s hellish.

In his poem he has just come from Sri Vrindavan dhama, Radha-Damodar Mandir, and now he is arriving in Boston: “Why have you brought me to this terrible place?”

Another thing I remember here is Srila Prabhupada’s statement in Gainesville, Florida, while he was sitting on his vyasasana, after beholding a painting of Lord Chaitanya and His associates in the temple room: “It is so nice to see so many young boys and girls here in this remote corner of the world, so far away from the birthplace of Lord Chaitanya.” So, his perspective is that this is a terrible place, and that he is here only for Krishna’s work, only for Krishna’s pleasure, only to fulfill Krishna’s desire: to deliver the conditioned souls—to give them a spark of Krishna consciousness, a ray of bhakti.

Now Prabhupada describes why it is a terrible place:

Verse 3: “Most of the population here is covered by the material modes of ignorance and passion. Absorbed in material life, they think themselves very happy and satisfied, and therefore they have no taste for the transcendental message of Vasudeva. I do not know how they will able to understand it.”

So this is why people cannot understand—because they are covered by ignorance and passion. The nature of passion is that we become feverish to enjoy material life. We hanker. We make schemes and plans, and then when they are not fulfilled we become disappointed and fall into ignorance, depression, apathy, bewilderment, madness. This is bhoga-tyaga, desire for enjoyment and then so-called renunciation, the “sour grapes” philosophy of the fox that couldn’t reach some grapes: “Anyway, they are sour. Who needs them? Who wants them?” First he is trying so hard to jump and catch them, but when he is not successful, he says, “What is it, anyway? They are sour.” He becomes very renounced. So that is our situation in material life, material conditioning. We are constantly fluctuating between these two states of bhoga and tyaga, the desire for enjoyment and false renunciation. And because of this, it is difficult to develop attachment or attraction to the transcendental message of Vasudeva. We are so absorbed in materialistic life that the message of Vasudeva has no appeal. And so Srila Prabhupada is wondering, “How will I be able to tell them of Krishna? How will I be able to tell them of Sri Vrindavan dhama and devotional service?”

Not only is it very difficult, but it is almost impossible, and it is a miracle that Srila Prabhupada accomplished what he did. No one else could do it, not even all the other great acharyas who appeared in this world. They taught in Bharata-varsa, in India, where the Lord Himself made His appearance and where the Vedas are generally understood and respected. But that Prabhupada was able to come to this foreign land and instill this sraddha, this faith, within the hearts of the Westerners is a great miracle. Bhaktivinoda Thakura envisioned it and endeavored for it himself. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura spoke with Westerners (as did Bhaktivinoda Thakura) and personally sent his disciples to the West to try to do it, and he was maintaining them in London. But it was Srila Prabhupada who was actually successful in performing this miraculous feat. And by reading these songs, we can get a taste or a glimpse of how and why: it was by his surrender to Krishna, his humility, his absolute faith in the instruction of his spiritual master.

When we were in Bombay some years ago, some Sri Vaishnavas came to the Chowpatty Temple. They wanted to speak with somebody, and they were introduced to me. So, we sat in the temple room, and they said, “We have a very important question.”

“Yes—please. We are not very qualified, but we’ll try to answer.”

They asked, “Who is Prabhupada?”

“Prabhupada is our spiritual master. He took Krishna consciousness to the West and started . . .”

“No, no. We know that. We know about his life and his achievements. But who is he?”

It was a very esoteric question. I said, “You should explain a little more what you want to know.”

They explained, “Ramanujacharya—we know that he is Sesa, that he is Lakshmana, that he is Balarama. We know. So, Ramanujacharya was able to teach Vaishnavism throughout India, though mainly in Southern India. But your Prabhupada took it all over the world. Who is he?”

I replied, “We can’t answer that question. Once Prabhupada was asked, ‘Who are you?’ and he said, ‘If I told you, you would faint.’ And that is as much as we know. Still, we can understand that he is such an intimate servitor of the Lord that he performed such an important and confidential service, fulfilling the vision of the acharyas and the plan of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who said, prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama: ‘In all the villages and towns of the world My name will be chanted.’ ”

Their next question was, “How did he do it?”

I answered, “You know, he went and chanted .  .  .”

But they interrupted, “No. That’s the external, but how actually did he do it?—because no one else was able to do it.”

I replied, “Well, this is also a difficult question to answer.” But I suggested that it was by his faith in the words of his spiritual master. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati gave him the order, and he understood that it was the desire of his spiritual master and of the acharyas and of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and that because it was their desire, so it would be. Because of that faith and surrender, he was able to do the impossible.

Verse 5: “How will they understand the mellows of devotional service? O Lord, I am simply praying for Your mercy so that I will be able to convince them about Your message.”

 

Giriraj Swami:

Verse 6: “All living entities have come under the control of the illusory energy by Your will, and therefore, if You like, by Your will they can also be released from the clutches of illusion. I wish that You may deliver them.”

Verse 7: “I wish that You may deliver them. Therefore, if You so desire their deliverance, then only will they be able to understand Your message.”

In reply to the question “How?” Srila Prabhupada answers, “By Your mercy,” by Krishna’s mercy. But Krishna’s mercy is not the whole answer; it is actually by Srila Prabhupada’s appeal to Krishna for His mercy.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura discusses how the conditioned souls get bhakti. He proves with evidence from the scriptures that one cannot get bhakti by karma or jnana (by fruitive activities or mental speculation), or by austerities, charity, mystic perfections, or any other pious acts. He quotes from the Bhagavatam (11.3.31), bhaktya sanjataya bhaktya: bhakti comes from bhakti.

How does bhakti comes from bhakti? What is the actual process? He says that someone may propose that one gets bhakti by the mercy of Krishna. But Krishna is equal to all. He is the supreme father of all living entities, so He must be equal to all. So we cannot simply say that the cause of bhakti is the mercy of Krishna, because Krishna would bestow bhakti equally on everyone, whereas we see that some get bhakti while others do not. Then Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, “One could propose that one gets bhakti by the mercy of the devotee.” But again one might argue that the devotee, like the Lord, should be equal to everyone.

Here Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that the preacher, the madhyama-bhakta, by nature shows partiality or discretion in distributing mercy, as stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.46): prema-maitri-krpopeksa yah karoti sa madhyama—he gives his love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, makes friendship with devotees, shows mercy to the innocent, and neglects the envious. Thus, giving mercy, specifically to the innocent, is the preacher’s function. Therefore, even though a maha-bhagavata such as Srila Prabhupada in the ultimate sense sees everyone equally, everyone as a servant of Krishna and therefore in no need of mercy, when he takes the position of a preacher and functions as a preacher, he does give mercy, especially to the innocent.

Now, how does he give the mercy? He prays to Krishna to give mercy, and thus it is said that the mercy of Krishna follows the mercy of the devotee.

Here I have my own experience: I met Srila Prabhupada in 1969 in Boston, and I was touched by him. I felt that he was the spiritual master I had been looking for. After about three months, the devotees there needed another pujari. In those days one could be a pujari after first initiation. They thought, “He has been here for awhile; why not recommend him?” So Satsvarupa Maharaja, as the temple president, recommended me. Srila Prabhupada was in Los Angeles at the time, so I suppose in one sense I was actually initiated in LA. From there Srila Prabhupada sent back a letter: “Your initiated name is Giriraj. Giriraj is a name for Govardhan Hill where Krishna used to tend His cows. Sometimes devotees take a stone from Govardhan Hill and worship it as Krishna. So I marked it in your person when I was in Boston, and I prayed to Krishna that this good soul may be aware of the importance of Krishna consciousness.”

What is our qualification? I think that if I look for my qualifications, I don’t find any. Our only qualification is that Srila Prabhupada took compassion on us and gave us his mercy: He prayed to Krishna for us, just as he says here in the poem.

Coming back to Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s discussion, someone could question, “Why should Krishna listen to the prayers of the devotee? So many people are praying to Krishna; why should He listen especially to the devotee? Is that not also partiality in Krishna?” Here Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that of all of Krishna’s qualities, the quality of being affectionate to His devotees, bhakta-vatsalya, is considered the supermost, the emperor that conquers over all the Lord’s other qualities and reconciles all contradictions. So being partial to His devotees is not a fault (dusanam) in Krishna but an ornament (bhusanam)—His most exalted quality. He really has no desire other than to please His devotees. Just as the devotees have no desire other than to please Krishna, Krishna really has no desire other than to please His devotees.

So when a devotee such as Srila Prabhupada prays to Krishna to give mercy to the fallen souls, or to a particular soul, Krishna readily does it—to please His devotee.

Years after my initiation, I found the verses that Srila Prabhupada paraphrased here in verses 6 and 7, in “The Prayers of the Personified Vedas” from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.87.14). The personified Vedas prayed to the Lord, “The fallen souls are under the control of maya, and maya is under Your control. Therefore, if you show them Your mercy, they can be released from the control of maya. We pray that You kindly do so.”

The same verse was quoted by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to Vasudeva Datta. Vasudeva Datta had prayed, “Let all the sinful reactions of all the living entities in the entire universe fall upon me,” and Lord Chaitanya became overwhelmed with love for him. Lord Chaitanya began to tremble and weep out of affection for Vasudeva Datta.

Generally, we wouldn’t accept the sinful reactions of even one living entity. There is the famous story of Valmiki. Valmiki was a thief, but he wasn’t stealing for himself. He was stealing for the sake of his family. Then Narada came and asked Valmiki’s wife, “Your husband is stealing for your sake, not for his sake. You are enjoying because he is stealing for you. Will you at least take some share of the sinful reactions?”

“No! Why should I? He is the one who is doing the stealing—not I.”

So, we don’t want to take anyone’s sinful reactions. Just our own sinful reactions are hard enough to tolerate. Yet here Vasudeva Datta is saying he will take the reactions for every living entity in the whole universe. We cannot even conceive of how much suffering he would have to undergo. “Let me suffer in a hellish condition perpetually,” he said. And he spoke without duplicity. Sometimes we may say things to sound good, to say the right thing, to sound like a pure devotee. But Vasudeva Datta was serious. Thus, when Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu heard what he said, His heart melted and He told Vasudeva Datta, “You need not suffer their sinful reactions. By your desire alone they can be liberated. Krishna fulfills the desires of His pure devotees. So by your desire He can liberate them without your accepting their sinful reactions.” And Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu quoted the same verse from “The Prayers of the Personified Vedas”: “O Lord, kindly conquer the nescience of the living entities by Your grace.”

So from one point of view, this is the secret: In his sincere love and compassion, and in his intimate relationship with Krishna, Srila Prabhupada prayed for us, and Krishna reciprocated.

But again, what is the method by which we get the mercy? Srila Prabhupada wrote, “So I prayed to Krishna that this soul may be aware of the importance of Krishna consciousness.” In other words, we must become aware of the value of Krishna consciousness and then take to the process that Srila Prabhupada gave. Thus we come to the second part of Verse 7: “If You so desire their deliverance, then only will they be able to understand Your message.”

Many people heard Srila Prabhupada’s message, or Krishna’s message, but not all developed faith in the message. The beginning of bhakti is faith (adau sraddha). Thus, when we ask how one gets bhakti, we really mean, how does one get sraddha, which is bhakti in its initial stage.

Here “faith” means faith in the words of the scriptures and the words of the spiritual master that glorify and explain the process of bhakti. Therefore Prabhupada, in utter humility, prayed that Krishna make his words suitable, and he also prayed that Krishna enlighten us, or inspire us, with appreciation for His message. Thus Srila Prabhupada, in the mood of utter surrender, really saw that Krishna was doing everything: Krishna was inspiring him to speak, and Krishna was inspiring us to appreciate what he said.

Even we, as servants of Srila Prabhupada, had the same mood—though not to the same degree—when we tried to distribute books. We prayed, “Please empower me to approach this person; please inspire me to approach this person. Please make my words suitable.” We would pray to Krishna—especially while the person was looking at the book and considering whether or not to buy it—“Please inspire this person to take the book. Please inspire this person to do service.” That is the mood.

Of course, here Srila Prabhupada is speaking in the mood of compassion, praying for the sake of others, but we can pray even for our own protection. It is not wrong to pray for our own protection. Once, in a lecture at Bhaktivedanta Manor, Srila Prabhupada said, “All of you can fall down, but I cannot fall down.” After the lecture, Srila Prabhupada came before the Deities and was praying, and later one disciple asked him, “Srila Prabhupada, what were you praying?” Srila Prabhupada replied, “I was praying that I may never fall down.” The disciple, astonished, objected, “But Srila Prabhupada, you just said that you cannot fall down.” And Srila Prabhupada explained, “Yes, because I am always praying that I may never fall down, therefore I can never fall down.”

Verse 9 is actually a series of five verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam, and we shall read the translations:

Verse 9: “It is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17): ‘Sri Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses the desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who relishes his messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.’ ”

Earlier Srila Prabhupada had said, “Because the population is absorbed in material enjoyment they cannot appreciate the message of Vasudeva.” And now he is saying, “If they hear the message of Vasudeva, the desire for material enjoyment will be cleansed from their hearts.” The idea here is similar to Rupa Gosvami’s verse that says that even though the sweet holy names, forms, qualities, and pastimes of Krishna may be bitter to the diseased conditioned souls, if they take the medicine of the holy names they will be cured of the disease, and then they will be able to relish the sweetness.

“By regularly hearing the Bhagavatam and rendering service unto the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is practically destroyed, and loving service unto the glorious Lord, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.” (SB 1.2.18)

So both methods work—serving the person bhagavata and reading the book Bhagavata—and from the very beginning Srila Prabhupada engaged the devotees in service. One famous example was when a man walked into the storefront at 26 Second Avenue with some rolls of toilet paper and offered them to Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada accepted them and said, “He has begun his devotional service.” Another time, someone came to the storefront in New York with some Mayavadi leaflets, and Srila Prabhupada accepted them too. Later, when the devotees were distributing prasada, he handed out those leaflets for the guests to use as paper plates. So Prabhupada knew the value of service, and he did whatever he could to engage anyone and everyone in devotional service.

“At that time loving service is established in the heart, and the modes of passion [rajas] and ignorance [tamas] and lust and desire [kama] disappear from the heart.” (SB 1.2.19)

Earlier, Prabhupada had prayed, “People are covered by passion and ignorance; how will they be able to understand Your message?” Now he says that by hearing the book bhagavata from the person bhagavata and rendering service to the person bhagavata, one will be freed from the lower modes and become established in goodness. Then he will be able to understand the message. “Then the devotee is established in goodness, and becomes happy.” (SB 1.2.19)

“Thus established in the mode of goodness, the person rejuvenated by loving service to the Lord gains liberation from material association [mukti] and comes to know scientifically of the Personality of Godhead. Thus the knot in the heart and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions [karma] is terminated when one sees the Self as master.” (SB 1.2.20–21)

So, Srila Prabhupada prayed to Krishna to give His mercy to us, to make his words suitable and to make us appreciate his message. But then again, we also have to take up the process, and here I think of the example of a person fallen in a well. On his own, he cannot get out. But if someone comes and sends a rope down into the well, he can be delivered. Still, he has to make the effort and hold on to the rope. The mercy of the spiritual master is that he gives us proper instructions, and if we hold on to the instructions, he will lift us out of the well of material existence and deliver us to the lotus feet of Krishna.

Once, in Bombay, a disciple said to Srila Prabhupada, “Please give me your mercy that I may follow your instructions,” and Srila Prabhupada replied, “It is like you are in a well and I hand down a rope to lift you out and you are praying, ‘O Prabhupada! O Prabhupada! Please make my fingers curl around the rope and hold on.’ ” Srila Prabhupada explained, “My mercy is that I send down the rope, but you have to hold on to it.” So, Srila Prabhupada’s mercy is that he gives us the instructions and prays to Krishna that we can appreciate the instructions. But we also have to do our part. Therefore, because both are involved—mercy and effort—if someone was too far on one side, Srila Prabhupada would emphasize the other side to bring the person to the proper position.

Another time in Bombay, an Indian gentleman came to Srila Prabhupada and said, “Swamiji, Swamiji, please save me. Only you can save me. I am drowning in the ocean of material existence. Please save me. Only you can save me.” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “I cannot save you. But I can give you the method by which you can save yourself. But you have to do the work.” So this is the combination that works: on the one side Srila Prabhupada’s mercy in the form of his instructions and his prayers to Krishna that we can appreciate His mercy and instructions, and on the other side our efforts. But of course, Srila Prabhupada also inspired us to make efforts, and he continues to do so today.

Sri Prahlada dasa:

We also have the example of Yasoda trying to bind Krishna with ropes but being unsuccessful. The ropes are always two inches too short. She is struggling, taking ropes from all over the house, tying them together, but still the ropes are two inches too short! When Krishna sees the perspiration on her forehead, when He sees that the flowers that were decorating her hair have fallen to the ground and that her hair has become disarrayed, and how she is working so hard to bind Him, He thinks, “Okay. Let her bind Me.” And so she finally ties that knot, and Krishna is bound. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that the two inches of rope that were missing represent two things: one is the endeavor of the devotee, and the other is Krishna’s mercy, Krishna’s agreement. When Krishna gives His mercy and the devotee endeavors to take that mercy, then we are successful in binding Krishna, or achieving Krishna. Of course, that mercy comes to us by Krishna’s grace.

Giriraj Swami:

Verse 10: “He will become liberated from the influence of the modes of ignorance and passion and thus all inauspicious things accumulated in the core of the heart will disappear.”

The three modes of material nature (sattva, rajas, and tamas) are the constituents of material nature, and the spiritual nature also has three constituents—samvit, sandini, hladini, or eternity, knowledge, and bliss (sac-cid-ananda). They translate in this material nature as goodness, passion, and ignorance. They are the opposite of transcendence. Because we are covered by these modes of material nature, we cannot appreciate the message of Vasudeva. However, by contacting the pure devotee and hearing that message, these troublesome things in the heart are cleaned away, and then we can appreciate the message of Vasudeva.

Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says, ceto-darpana marjanam: the cetah, or the consciousness, which is also the heart, is cleaned of all the dust accumulated for years on it. When a mirror is covered with dust, you cannot see yourself in it. You cannot see who you are. But when that dust is cleaned away, you can see yourself. Similarly, when the mirror of the heart is cleaned, we can understand our nature as soul, as servant of Krishna.

Verse 11: “How will I make them understand the message of Krishna consciousness? I am very unfortunate, unqualified, and the most fallen. Therefore I am seeking Your benediction so that I can convince them, for I am powerless to do so on my own.”

It is not something mechanical or artificial; one has to become empowered by the Lord. One has to become saktyavesa, an empowered representative of the Lord, and then that dynamic is there. Certainly Srila Prabhupada was empowered by Krishna because of his full dedication, full faith, and full surrender. It is not a material phenomenon, that one can represent the Lord and transform the heart of the conditioned soul. It is a transcendental phenomenon.

Verse 16: “I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the holy name of Krishna. I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, and now if You like You can fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedanta.”

Bhakti means “devotion” and vedanta means “knowledge.” Actually, veda means “knowledge” and anta means “the end.” So vedanta means “the end of knowledge,” or “the conclusion of all knowledge.” Here Srila Prabhupada is saying, “I am designated as Bhaktivedanta, but I have no bhakti or vedanta. But if You like, You can make me Bhaktivedanta.” And so we come back to Srila Prabhupada’s secret. How did Srila Prabhupada succeed? He says, “I have strong faith in the holy name of Krishna.” Sri Prahlada mentioned Prabhupada’s faith in his spiritual master and in the previous acharyas, and along with such faith comes faith in the process of devotional service and especially in the holy names.

Srila Prabhupada had a godbrother named Akincana Krishnadasa Babaji Maharaja who was always absorbed in hari-nama. Srila Prabhupada said he was a paramahamsa, a liberated soul. I heard that Krishnadasa Babaji Maharaja met a godbrother . . .

(Now, before I continue with the story I want to give a little preamble about how we should deal with other Vaishnavas or Gaudiya Vaishnavas. We should treat them with respect. Obviously, if they directly or indirectly criticize Srila Prabhupada or Srila Prabhupada’s movement, or attack Srila Prabhupada or his movement, we have to defend Srila Prabhupada. But otherwise, our attitude should be respectful. We should appreciate their service, however big or small it may be. So I am telling the story just to illustrate Srila Prabhupada’s faith in the holy name and the secret of Srila Prabhupada’s success.)

So, Krishnadasa Babaji met another of Srila Prabhupada’s godbrothers, who had been sent by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura to England to preach. Babaji Maharaja asked him, “You went to the West and Swami Maharaja (our Srila Prabhupada, Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja) also went to the West. You presented the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and he presented the teachings of Mahaprabhu. You chanted the holy name of Krishna, and he chanted the holy name of Krishna. Yet he was successful, and you were not. Why?” Then Babaji Maharaja himself gave the answer: “Because Swami Maharaja had full faith in the holy names, that if the Westerners just chanted the holy names of Krishna, gradually they would become Krishna conscious, they would become devotees.”

For some time in Calcutta the temple president somehow became absorbed in doing business, in making money for the temple, and the devotees in the temple were sort of neglected. Of course, we were poor—very poor. We couldn’t afford milk. And even if we could, we wouldn’t know what white liquid we might get. It seemed likely to be a combination of buffalo milk, water, and paper. Milkmen used to soak paper in watery milk to add bulk to the liquid.

So, there was a devotee there named Sudama Vipra. He had tattoos, and he was really strong. But even he was starving. We all were starving. So after the arati, he would get the ghee wicks and squeeze them to try to get a drop or two of ghee out.

We were all just waiting for Srila Prabhupada to come and save us. Srila Prabhupada did come, and different devotees met him and complained, and then he called a meeting. He listened very patiently and sympathetically to all the devotees’ complaints. At one point the GBC there said, “Srila Prabhupada, I was just trying to execute the will of Your Divine Grace.” And Srila Prabhupada said sarcastically, “Is it My Divine Grace’s will that all the devotees should be disturbed?”

So he was very sympathetic to the devotees. He said that we should have meetings every week and that we should record our resolutions in the minutes book and stick to the resolutions. He was very concerned.

But then Srila Prabhupada’s mood changed. He told us that we shouldn’t be too absorbed in these material matters, because the tendency of the conditioned souls is to become engrossed in material things, and if we get too preoccupied and just talk about material things, we’ll forget Krishna. We won’t talk about Krishna.

And then he told us, “My motto has always been ‘Everything for Krishna and nothing for myself.’ Therefore I never complained.” He said, “I suffered so much for the sake of this movement”—for our sake, really. “I had two heart attacks on the ship on the way to New York. Then in New York City I had a stroke.” And he confided, “Even otherwise, I had headaches and ringing in my ears. . . . You cannot conceive of how much I suffered, and I don’t want to discuss it. But my motto was always ‘Everything for Krishna and nothing for myself.’ ” And that is Prabhupada. That is Prabhupada.

Then: “Signed—the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.”

This poem was first published in Back to Godhead many years ago, by early 1971, which is when I first heard it. A few of us were living in the Sea Palace Hotel in Bombay. Srila Prabhupada had a friend from England named Ramchand Chhabria, who owned the hotel. He was vegetarian and the hotel was vegetarian, and we didn’t have any other place to stay, so he invited us to stay there. When the magazine came, there were just a few of us—Guru dasa Prabhu, Yamuna Devi, and myself. The first article was the poem. Yamuna Devi read it out loud. And when she came to this—“Signed—the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami”—she burst into tears. She just couldn’t contain herself.

So what can we say here?

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

[A talk by Giriraj Swami and Sri Prahlada dasa, September 28, 2002, Three Rivers, California]

Read ISKCON News article about BMX pro Joris Coulomb's spiritual adventures: https://iskconnews.org/pro-bmx-rider-pursues-adventure-finds-krishna,6704

Professional BMX freestyle rider Joris Coulomb always chased adventure. He didn’t realize that one day it would take him to a place of deep meaning where all his questions about life would be answered.

Professional BMX freestyle rider Joris Coulomb always chased adventure. He didn’t realize that one day it would take him to a place of deep meaning where all his questions about life would be answered. Read ISKCON News article on Joris.

His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Maharaja getting discharged from the hospital after 48 days (7 min video)
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For the first time in the country’s history, the Indian Ambassador to Bulgaria, Pooja Kapur inaugurated the festival.

Are the elderly a burden? (4 min video)
Sivarama Swami: A society that does not value its older people denies its roots and endangers its future. Let's give more attention to our elders!

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Our "Paramahamster" comic strip follows an enthusiastic devotee as he navigates a 9 - 5 work day in the corporate world. Please check back weekly for new episodes!

HG Srutakirti Prabhu’s narration of some of his nectarine memories from the time he was Srila Prabhupada’s personal servant. Recorded in New Vrindavan, West Virginia, USA (video)

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Dvarakadhisa Prabhu - Memorial Service in Los Angeles - 9-30-18 (video)
Giriraj Swami: Here is my offering to Dvarkadhish Prabhu, read at his memorial program tonight by HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja:
My dear Dvarkadhish Prabhu,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and his dedicated followers.
I still can hardly believe you are gone. Your smiling face and enthusiastic service were an integral part of our devotional life in Southern California. So many fond memories of our association flood my mind—of our preaching and working together, sometimes until late into the night. And our relationship was further sweetened by the fact that you were made a life member in Bombay, by my dear godbrother Sridhar Swami—though, like many other expatriate Indians, you took fully to Krishna consciousness only in America.
Srila Prabhupada said that when a Vaishnava departs we feel both happy and sad: We feel happy that the Vaishnava has gone to serve Krishna, but we feel sad because we will miss the Vaishnava’s association.

Below is my offering to Dvarkadhish Prabhu, read at his memorial program tonight in New Dvaraka, Los Angeles, by HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja.

My dear Dvarkadhish Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and his dedicated followers.

I still can hardly believe you are gone. Your smiling face and enthusiastic service were an integral part of our devotional life in Southern California. So many fond memories of our association flood my mind—of our preaching and working together, sometimes until late into the night. And our relationship was further sweetened by the fact that you were made a life member in Bombay, by my dear godbrother Sridhar Swami—though, like many other expatriate Indians, you took fully to Krishna consciousness only in America.

Srila Prabhupada said that when a Vaishnava departs we feel both happy and sad: We feel happy that the Vaishnava has gone to serve Krishna, but we feel sad because we will miss the Vaishnava’s association.

You were fortunate to depart on Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s appearance day, and his words about Srila Haridasa Thakura can also apply to you:

He reasons ill who tells that Vaishnavas die
When thou art living still in sound!
The Vaishnavas die to live, and living try
To spread the holy name around.

Some years ago, you wrote me that you had dreamed about Srila Prabhupada but felt sorry that you had never met him in person: “I also had a dream some time back about Srila Prabhupada. I was offering him one thousand ghee lamps, and his face looked like molten gold, like Lord Chaitanya.

“Maharaja, you are so fortunate to have had personal association with Srila Prabhupada. I still regret that I was unable to meet him, but through devotees like you we are fortunate to hear and know about his pastimes.”

Now your desire to meet Srila Prabhupada will be fulfilled, and under his everlasting guidance, you will serve his eternal lords and masters. And one day, if I am so blessed, I will meet you there.

Dvarkadhish Prabhu, I love you and miss you. But I will try to serve and please you in separation, and in doing so, I expect to feel your presence.

Hare Krishna.

Your eternal servant,
Giriraj Swami

Answer Podcast

The post Is remembering Krishna the highest service and all other services are for those who can’t remember him constantly? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 14 July 2018, Fruska-Goranga Camp, Serbia, Youth Q & A)

When is the perfect time to take initiation from one’s spiritual master?

I do not know if there is a perfect time for someone to take initiation. I compare it to jumping into a pool. You know, first you put your toes in and go, “I don’t know. This is too cold for me. I’m not ready to go in there.” But then you start to think, “No, come on now. Jump! Jump! Jump!” And at some point, you finally have to jump! Before you take initiation, you must be able to for at least for some time, follow the the four regulative principles and chant a minimum of 16 rounds, both of which you are going to promise to the spiritual master. If you have been able to follow these rules for some time, then that is a good beginning.

A crucial thing that needs to exist is a relationship with the spiritual master; some sense of friendship, some sense of faith, some trust. Otherwise, it is going to be very difficult to keep your vows because you are going to need that relationship with your spiritual master somewhere along the way. We may take initiation, but it tends to get difficult after some time. However, if there is a friendly relationship with the spiritual master, it will save you in the long run.

The story of Giriraja Maharaja is very relevant here. He was explaining how he was in Mumbai, fighting with lawyers in that court case over the temple against Mr Nair. One day, Mr Nair sent a prostitute to seduce Giriraja. Giriraja was in the car and suddenly this lady came and sat up against him in the back seat of the car. It was too much for him and he said it himself that his mind was thinking, “I’m going to fall down. This is it. Today, I will fall back down!” But then he began thinking, “No! Prabhupada will be so disappointed if he hears about such a thing. I cannot fall down. I will control myself.” It was Giriraja’s relationship with Prabhupada that saved him. So I think before taking initiation, besides following everything, there has to be some close relationship with the spiritual master because it will help you progress when it is going to get difficult later on. 

For example, even after getting married, there is a risk that you can get attracted to someone else. We are human and it is not necessarily betrayal, but it happens. This is a part of life. But then you have developed the strength to cut it out and say, “No! I am faithful to my wife. I am not going to do this.” This is not going to be the easiest thing to do but a close relationship with your wife would assist. Similarly, if you have a spiritual master who you trust, who is your supporter, then you can open up to him. You can express to him, “Look, this is what is going on with me right now.” Then, by his support, you can persevere through the difficult times. But if you are hiding it from him and trying to deal with it all on your own, it is going to be more difficult and it also goes to show that you do not trust your spiritual master. So when you realise that you have such a close relationship with a spiritual master through which you can be saved, that is an indication for when it may be the right time to take initiation!

The article " Q&A with KKS: When is the perfect time to take initiation? " was published on KKSBlog.

[Congregation program at Edison, New Jersey, USA]

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The post The truth that warms the heart influences more than the truth that lights the way appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Congregation program at Edison, New Jersey, USA]

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The post The home as the decentralized transmitter of devotional culture appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Corporate program at Summit-Works, South Plain Fields, New Jersey, USA]

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The post Rise from being full of thoughts to being thoughtful – 4 reflections appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Forgiveness Workshop (video)
“Forgiveness Workshop” - This Workshop was given by His Grace Mahatma Prabhu in London.

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Padayatra from Noida arrives in Vrindavana (Album of photos)
World Holy Name Festival Special Noida-Vrindavan Padayatra which ...

Deepening Our Relationship with Prabhupada (video)
How we should cultivate our relationship with Srila Prabhupada. Iskcon is a vehicle to spread Prabhupada’s instructions. How we should be tolerant to other organizations that have the same mission as to spread Prabhupada’s instructions.

Swami B.A. Ashrama: “Writing,” Laurence Sterne has his hero Tristram Shandy write, “is but another name for conversation.”

About 90 devotees, leaders from the European Yatras, are currently meeting in New Vraja Dhama, Hungary, for discussing plans about improving their Krishna conscious preaching missions in their respective countries. Several subject matters are being discussed pertaining to preaching. The following are some of the highlights: - 'Bridge Preaching' - What did Srila Prabhupada have to say about it? What positives does bridge preaching bring for ISKCON? Are there any negatives that bridge preaching might bring? What does the future hold for ISKCON with regards to bridge preaching? - 'ISKCON Membership' - What shape should it take? What should the criteria be for membership? What obligations should there be for members? What obligations should ISKCON have toward its members? - '2nd generation devotees initiating in the presence of their initiating spiritual master'- What is the current GBC position regarding 2nd generation gurus? What impact does the current position have with regards to ISKCON's preaching and expansion? Why has that position changed? What does the future hold for ISKCON with regards to '2nd generation gurus'? The meetings are conducted with the help of the ELM organization team (Citraraupini dd, Mahaprabhu das, Madayanti dasi and Praghosa das)

Who is Srimati Radharani - Radhasthami Festival with HH Sacinandana Swami and HH Krishna Kshetra Swami in ISKCON Ljubljana, Slovenia

Natya Nectar to Deliver Gita Wisdom in Huge Cirque du Soleil-Style Show.
Through a massive Cirque du Soleil-style theatrical show, performing arts company Natya Nectar is set to deliver the wisdom of the Bhagavad-gita to audiences across India – before going to Broadway in New York and beyond. Founded by Goura Prema Riggan, a second-generation devotee, Natya Nectar is a Delhi-based professional dance company that has found considerable success in India. The group has appeared on India’s Got Talent, performed at Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan’s 70th birthday party, and opened for American music star Lady Gaga.
To read the entire article please click here: https://goo.gl/occTLt

First Monthly Sankirtan festival took place in NY (Album of photos)
Bhaktine Diana: It was extremely successful! Around 65 devotees went out on Sankirtan and the most important fact that we felt like one family (at least me). And everybody had his or her personal experience of the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu!
I had a funny experience. I was waiving to everybody looking for a ripe fruit and then saw this big black car stopped on the red light and waved to gentlemen inside. For my big surprise, he waved me back and I decided to approach him. I asked where they were from? “Afghanistan !”- said four people inside the car with great enthusiasm, -“I love Afghanistan !” I said, then I handed Krishna book to one of them and using Gurudeva’s templet asked for a donation. “Whatever you can give from your heart”, “I can’t afford what I want to give from my heart”, “just try to keep it under one million “,- he started laughing and gave me $50. This is the second story in my Sankirtan experience when people give such a huge donation for a book. Last year one gentleman gave me $100 for Bhagavad Gita
Power and mercy of Lord Caitanya are unlimited and unpredictable.
Thank you, dear Gurudeva, for keeping us under Your expert guidance!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada’s transcendental book distribution!
All glories to Guru Maharaja and all the Sankirtan devotees!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ALr2bB

By Sri Ramadasa

We are unabashedly ecstatic to announce that the Bhadra Campaign has launched in India with a resounding success this year! The full moon of good fortune rose on Bhadra Purnima, which was on 24-25 September 2018, *with 4485 sets of Srimad Bhagavatam* being donated to homes, offices, schools, libraries, prisons, and hospitals located across India. Devotees even distributed sets of Srimad Bhagavatam to eminent personalities and current gurus of other Vaishnava Sampradayas in India to enhance the glory of Srila Prabhupada. BBT India will soon send special certificates of appreciation to all the participating temples to recognize their sincere contribution to this campaign. Continue reading "The Full Moon of Good Fortune
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By Vijaya Dasa

An interesting thing happened in the USA: Paramesvara Prabhu distributed 280 Arabic books in August. That's about ten Arabic books a day. Amazing! Another interesting score is one that Lord Krsna will be especially pleased by: the No. 2 temple in the world in August was Vrindavan, the village of Krsna's appearance. The devotees did 21,155 book points. They distribute large numbers of books right at the temple, and there is also a traveling book distribution team. I'm sure that Krsna is very pleased with His devotees at the Krishna-Balaram temple. Continue reading "WSN August 2018 – World Sankirtan Newsletter
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NEW VRINDABAN DAYS

As New Vrindaban enters its 50th anniversary (1968 to 2018), I wrote this series of articles for the Brijabasi Spirit in an attempt to give the reader not only an “understanding,” but more importantly a “taste,” of what life in early New Vrindaban was like – through the stories of one devotee’s personal journey.

The title of the series, “New Vrindaban Days,” is in tribute to the wonderful book “Vrindaban Days: Memories of an Indian Holy Town” written by Howard Wheeler, Hayagriva Dasa. He was one of Srila Prabhupada’s first disciples, a co-founder of New Vrindaban, and, a great writer. As with Hayagriva’s book, this series focuses on a period of time in the 1970’s.

I would also like to acknowledge and thank Chaitanya Mangala Dasa, for spending untold hours assisting me in refining my writing for your reading pleasure.

I have been asked to describe certain aspects of early New Vrindaban Community life such as the nature of the austerities, what it was like for a new person coming here, cooking, anecdotes about particular devotees, etc.

I attempt to tell these stories in some semblance of a chronological order, beginning with my first meeting with devotees in 1968, leading to my arrival in New Vrindaban in late 1973 and carrying through to the official opening of Srila Prabhupada’s Palace in 1979.

This article describes my experience of what day to day meals were like during the first few years I lived in New Vrindaban.

Advaitacharya Dasa

CHAPTER SEVEN: PRASADAM 

Prologue: In January of 1974 I arrive in New Vrindaban thirteen pounds over my street fighting weight of one hundred fifty five pounds. One hundred sixty eight pounds is heavier than I have ever been in my life.

BREAKFAST

The idea of Krishna Consciousness is that a devotee should always think about Krishna, serve Krishna, hear about Krishna, and talk about Krishna, etc. Talking about Krishna is called “Krishna Katha.” In New Vrindaban Krishna Katha has stiff competition with “Prasadam Katha.”

Starting Monday morning the principal subject amongst the devotees are the preparations that were served at the Sunday feast one day earlier. Over the next three days each preparation is discussed in terms of its quality, its quantity, its look, it’s texture, its smell, what it may have reminded you of, when you last had that dish, whether or not is was as good as the last time you had it, etc. These conversations go on until around Thursday when the entire topic of discussion changes. Then, instead of talking about the preparations of the previous Sunday feast conversation quickly swings to discussion of what preparations could possibly be served to Krishna the following Sunday. It is a seemingly endless cycle.

I would like to say that everything in New Vrindaban revolves around Krishna, devotional service, or even Srila Prabhupada’s Palace, but truth be told all of those valuable jewels hang upon the sacred thread of Krishna Prasadam. To understand that one must have a picture of how the devotees are living.

Most devotees rise between 2:30 and 3:00 AM trying to keep up with Kirtanananda Swami who is always in the temple chanting early. Some devotees chant in the temple room and some chant in the Prasadam room where their minds are already transfixed not upon the Holy Name but instead upon Yamini Devi Dasi. It is Yamini who, during the morning program, has the service of dividing up the Maha Prasadam from the day before and putting small portions into steel bowls that are set on the floor in the far corner of the room. The bowls are the individual stainless steel bowls that have been assigned to each devotee and are identified by a red number that is painted on the side. New Vrindaban legend has it that the Swami purchased these bowls at an auction when the local prison closed.

Devotees pace back and forth chanting, hand in bead bag, from one end of the room to the other, where their bowls are being doled out. Instead of a fixed meditation on the sound of Krishna’s name, the more neophyte devotees like me are meditating instead upon what Yamini may or may not have put into our bowl.

Meditation upon your morning Maha quota is predicated by the fact that other than the Maha she has given you, the breakfast you will be served is no more than a bowl full of clumpy oatmeal served without anything but hot skimmed milk. I would be criminal if I did not mention that you were allowed more than one bowl if you wanted, but in reality there was really no reason you would want any more than one bowl of this breakfast delight.

Trying to improve breakfast, a few variations are tried over time. The two that stand out in my memory both involve horses. And, unfortunately it is not because I am at the time a horse driver. Thinking along the lines of creating a dry granola, the cooks try a mixture of different grains. Although it may sound like items one might indeed find in granola, those used are of the grade meant to feed the horses. After they have been ground and dry roasted in a wok, a minimal amount of sweetener is added. Regrettably, the sweetener also happens to be cheap corn syrup, normally used for the cows.

Each devotee is served a ladle full of the dry blend and then hot milk is poured over the mix. One might think the milk would be soaked up by the grains and one would have a nice bowl of hot granola. If one were to think that, they would be wrong. Instead of soaking up the milk the grain sits at the bottom of the bowl not absorbing any milk at all. We suffer through this attempt at an improved breakfast for months before we go back to the oatmeal.

Unlike devotees at most temples who dread Ekadasi, we at New Vrindaban welcome it. Although there are no grains or beans served the New Vrindaban Ekadasi breakfast consists of tapioca. It is a pleasure we look forward to until they no longer allow the tapioca to be sweetened with sugar. This prompts the brahmachari Garga Rsi, who is called on to cook the Ekadasi breakfast, to try sweetening the tapioca one morning by digging into a fifty gallon barrel of horse molasses hidden away in the upper level of the cow barn. The barrel has been in the barn from before the devotees bought this property. Molasses has eaten through parts of the bottom of the barrel and it is slowly making its way out onto the barn floor. Another failure.

Finally, the breakfast dilemma is solved when Bhakta Mark (soon to be Madhava Ghosh), reads an article about chain gangs in the south being able to increase their work output by eating “oat water.” The idea is that the oats are soaked over a period of time and the nutrients seep into the water and is then taken without eating the actual oats. The Swami is intrigued and he assigns one of the community’s best cooks, Sudhanu, to come up with a suitable recipe. Sudhanu’s variation has the oats cooked with a large quantity of water until they are completely dissolved and became more like gravy. The preparation is flavored with a bit of ghee, raisins, salt, pepper, and fresh ginger root. Many of the devotees hate it. I love it. For the next couple of decades oat water is served for breakfast along with white rice.

LUNCH

In the winter, New Vrindaban is a frozen mud puddle. Several times over the years Srila Prabhupada referred to the residents as “inmates.” Trudging through the snow in mud covered winter clothing, smelling like the cows and horses we tend to, one could mistake us for Siberian villagers around the turn of the century. We are weather hardened. We are gaunt. We are willingly, if not begrudgingly, living lives of complete austerity. There is no sense gratification to be had.

I approach the front porch of the temple to find Samba, an devotee who works construction and has become a friend and someone I look up, to sitting in the dark. Taking a seat next to him I ask how he is doing. His response sums up the story of every New Vrindaban inmate.
Samba reflectively mumbles, “I’m freezing when I wake up, I’m freezing when I go to the temple, I’m freezing when I go out to work, I’m freezing when I sit down to eat, and I’m freezing when I come back to my room, and I’m freezing when I go back to bed.”

These descriptions are not the exception – they are the norm. When lunchtime rolls around the devotees file into the Prasadam room and take their places sitting on the floor accompanied by their stainless steel prison bowls and plates. The first server comes around and serves every devotee eleven chapatis. These are not the tender, soft, steaming chapatis lightly smeared with a bit of butter that you may imagine. These chapatis are made of coarsely ground wheat berries donated by the family of Bhakta Mark. They are hard and dry. The only reason anyone could possibly want eleven of these Frisbee like crispy, thin, discs is the fact that the only other thing you will be getting served at this meal is a bowl of “dahl.”

Those familiar with Indian cuisine are aware of the fact that there are many different varieties of dahl beans, all of which are very high in protein. The beans we are eating are not very high in protein. In fact they contain no protein at all because although the dish we are being served is called “dahl” by the devotees, it is in reality no more than a watery broth colored with turmeric with a few pieces of cubed potato and cumin seeds floating in it. We are welcome to have as many bowls as we desire. That is it. No rice. No subji. Chapatis and dahl, make up our entire lunch menu.

On one winter’s day I sit on the cold floor of the Prasadam room pondering my eleven chapatis when Garga Rsi comes walking past me carrying a can of “Bag Balm.” Bag Balm is a salve used to treat skin lesions on the milk bags of cows. Due to poor foot wear, and extreme weather, Garga Rsi has cracks in his feet which rival the ravines of the Grand Canyon. Before I even get the chance to fully digest Garga Rsi’s intention for the bag balm my attention is drawn to the other side of the room.

Mahara Dasi, a vibrant transplant from the New York temple who has recently married Taru das, comes around a corner scurrying guiltily across the Prasadam room. In her arms she clutches a large brown paper bag. Trailing behind her is the pregnant Visvadhika Dasi who also joined in New York City and is married to community poet, Vahna das. Visvadhika is upset and crying after Mahara; “Prabhu. It’s not fair. Why does Taru get so many chapatis? It’s not fair.”

Visvadhika is upset at the fact that Mahara is carrying a bag full of 40 chapatis that have been set aside for New Vrindaban’s “Prasadam Addict” Taru, who happens to have a chapati quota four times greater than any other devotee. To elaborate on the stories that surround Taru could take an entire book. For those wishing to hear some of those stories I recommend looking up “Confessions of a Prasadam Addict,” written by Taru, and which can be found in the Brijabasi Spirit.

The best part of lunch Prasadam is the rousing kirtan right there in the Prasadam room every day before going back to work. We are starving. We are freezing. Our clothes are covered in caked on mud. We smell like cows. Nonetheless the camaraderie and sense of family swells as we chant and dance ecstatically to kirtans led by devotees like Amburish Das, Cirantana Das, Kuladri Das, Garga Rsi Das, and Taru Das.

DINNER

This will not require much of a description. In the evenings the devotees are served salted popcorn without butter and skimmed milk.

PRASADAM ADDICTION

A consequence of this austere diet is that devotees from all walks of community life are often plotting ways to get their hands on Prasadam, by hook or by crook. The night guards spend hours hiding and watching the road for passerby’s that often fire shots at the temple. But, when there are no cars coming they can be found prowling local hiding spots hoping to find stashes of leftover feast Prasadam previously hidden by other devotees.

On one such night Bhakta Mark and myself, while searching a cave for a possible sweet rice stash, are alerted to the fact that a carful of drunks have come right into the center of the patio and have picked up the night guard rifles that they have irresponsibly left on the front porch. We have to sliver down the hill while in the darkness of night to convince the drunken invaders to give back the rifles while the rest of the community sleeps unknowingly.

Each year, on the night of Lord Balarama’s Rasa Lila dance, the community prepares ten gallons of sweet rice, which they carry out into the woods and leave under the moon light for the pleasure of Lord Balarama. This tradition goes by the road side when the devotees that milk the cows sneak out into the forest early in the morning and steal the entire ten gallons.

Some devotees are found to have scrape marks on the backs of their hands from where they have tried to slide their hands past nails which have been set up as booby traps to guard the Maha Prasadam.

Some brahmacharis have even been married after they were caught stealing Maha.
None of the devotees are immune. On one occasion I sit in the Prasadam room chanting with Radhanath Das brahmachari, who chants the entire duration of each night sitting on the floor of the Prasadam room in Bahulaban as a form of night guard. While we are chanting we are slowly joined by some of the community’s senior devotees like Kuladri, Taru, Sudhanu, and Garga Rsi. While the entire community sleeps the six of us chant together until in an ecstatic frenzy a few of us stand and begin dancing around Radhanath.

As the chanting and dancing go on ecstatically two of the above mentioned devotees still chanting and dancing make their way to the door of the closet, which is designated as the current Maha cabinet. Without missing a beat I see that they have a system which they have rigged the locked door in a way that they can completely remove it from its hinges. Passing the door off to the side they begin removing tray after tray of Maha Prasadam from the cabinet and in a smiling, laughing, chanting and dancing frenzy we all begin to devour the contents.

For the clarification of his disciples, if I remember correctly, Radhanath Das brahmachari, later to become Radhanath Swami, did not partake…if I remember correctly.

As you may recall, I arrived in New Vrindaban thirteen pounds over my street fighting weight of one hundred fifty five pounds. One hundred sixty eight pounds is heavier than I have ever been in my life.

Epilogue: After my first year in New Vrindaban I make a trip back to NYC and I weigh one hundred and eighteen pounds.

Did you miss any of the previous chapters? Click the links below to catch up:

Chapter 1: Every Journey Begins With a Single Step

Chapter 2: Srila Prabhupada – Jaya Radha Madhava

Chapter 3: Captured by the Beauty of Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra

Chapter 4: Fired Up – We Depend On Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra

Chapter 5: The New Vrindaban Landscape – January 1974

Chapter 6: In The Woods

Stay tuned for Chapter 8: Propaganda

By Iskcon Mayapur

Although brahmachari devotees have to undergo different types of austerity, tolerance and risk, this ashrama is very simple with less material problems. It’s easy to get spiritual bliss and finally go back home back to Godhead in this lifetime. So if you want to be free from complicated life, and quickly make your life a success, please take a vow and join the Brahmachari Ashram. Continue reading "Brahmachari Ashrama
→ Dandavats"

Answer Podcast

Transcription :

Transcribed by: Sudeep Naik

Question: How can we de-stress ourselves in today’s high-pressure work environment?

Answer: Everybody has pressure. Some environments have more pressure some less, but everybody has pressure. Often, if our job does not create pressure, our mind creates it. Just like people work throughout the week and in the weekend, they take a break to relax or rejuvenate. Similarly, we need a break from our mind. Our mind is constantly churning thoughts – do this, do that, what about this, what about that etc. If we can put the mind on silent mode like mobile phone, we can rejuvenate ourselves.

In different traditions, different methods are taught for taking break. Some people do deep breathing. Doing so they experience that by becoming conscious of breaths, they can break certain level of centering. Some people use breathing along with some affirmations – “there is a plan, everything will work out, I can face whatever comes in my life”. Different people use different affirmations, these affirmations make us feel positive. We chant a mantra, which is a spiritual affirmation. The mantra is Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

We all are units of finite consciousness (part) and there is an infinite consciousness (whole). We are parts of the whole. Hare, Krishna and Rama are different ways of addressing the whole. The mood of this mantra is that “O Part! Return to harmony with the Whole”.

When we are going by a flight, we are worried whether I will reach on time , whether I got my passport, whether I got my boarding pass etc. However, we do not worry, whether the pilot is drunk, whether plane has enough fuel etc. We know there is a complete system which will take care of that. We need to do our part, and then there is a system that takes care of the rest. The mantra is a spiritual affirmation that helps us to understand our relationship with the whole – O Part, do your part and the Whole will take care of the whole.
We find this mantra quite helpful, but all of us need to find out a way in which we can best rejuvenate any task. The key principle is that we need to distance ourselves from our mind to get a break. How most effectively that break can work out need to be found depending on what works best for us.

End of transcription.

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Srila Prabhupada first set foot in the West more than fifty years ago, after a 35 day journey from Calcutta. The steamship, Jaladuta, arrived at Boston’s Commonwealth Pier at 5:30 am on September 17, 1965.

He reached Boston’s Commonwealth Pier in hopes of fulfilling the order of his spiritual master. It was here in Boston that he wrote “Markine Bhagavata Dharma” – “Teaching Krishna Consciousness in America”. 

Being a pure devotee of Sri Krishna, Srila Prabhupada prayed, “I wish that You may deliver them. Therefore, if You desire their deliverance, only then will they be able to understand Your message.”

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