Senior Srila Prabhupada disciple and longtime initiating guru HG Bhurijana Dasa shares Srila Prabhupada's pastime and his thoughts about the SGGS 2013

To my surprise, the girl was spontaneously drawn in, like iron to a magnet, and grabbed a book. The boy followed suit and grabbed the other book. I briefly explained who I was and what the books were all about. They both took a book, and she gave an exceptionally large donation. She eagerly asked, "You said 'Krishna Krishna!' right? I've been learning about Krishna in my 'Hindu Gods & Goddesses' class, and I LOVE Him! He's my favorite."

When we reached Moscow, one of the devotees meeting us rushed up to me in the parking lot. "Guru Maharaja," he said, "after your flight took off from Irkutsk, there was an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale. There are reports of 900 people injured, some dead as well.

"Srila Prabhupada, sometimes the devotees chant 'sri krsna caitanya prabhu nityananda - prabhu nityananda prabhu nityananda.' Is that all right?" Srila Prabhupada turned to look at me and with his beautiful, deep transcendental voice said, "Yes."

After You steal butter, Your earrings dance and shine, as You flee Your mother in Gokula pastimes. Though you are all blissful, all knowing, ever-new. Greatest of controllers, Your mother controls You.

Wheat is a food which has always abundantly grown in the rich soil of Vraja. Krsna Himself was fond of the preparations cooked from Braja wheat, especially because they were soaked in the devotional love unique to Vrindavana.

Chanting Hare Krishna with a completely fixed goal. No consideration of who’s who – off the bodily platform. One goal – Save Kalindi! No material thoughts or motives. It felt like Samadhi - deep Krishna consciousness.

Let hundreds of arrows of harsh words pierce my heart. Let hundreds and hundreds of kicks fall on my head. Let hundreds of days pass where I am unable to get even the smallest meal. Remembering at every moment the fair and dark glories that are my life's treasure, and whose forms are two oceans of sweet nectar, I shall happily live in Vrndavana.

The following was composed by Giriraja Maharaja (then a brahmacari) and read to Srila Prabhupada during a Room Conversation — October 15, 1977, Vrndavana

Often times I would bring them to his bedroom just before his evening massage. Throughout his massage he would smell them off and on. He would then keep them on His pillow (close to His nose) all night. The following morning, I would find the flowers gently laying on the pillow exactly where they had been the night before. The flowers looked as fresh and fragrant as ever, looking as if they had just been picked.

Who will not steer a small child away from a fire? Any sane person will do it, even if he is a complete stranger. No one will just sit there and watch him get burnt, especially not someone who considers himself religious. So who will not jump up to steer these ignorant people away from hell. It is so easy; just give them a book, some prasada, the holy name.

Those who consider casteism among the Vaisnavas, classifying them as brahmana-Vaisnavas, ksatriya-Vaisnavas, vaisya-Vaisnavas, sudra-Vaisnavas, or as candala-Vaisnavas, simply indulge in a speculative inference as "golden" stone pot.

Whether it was the cowherd boy Lord Krsna or the young shepherd Jesus Christ, it appeared the great Woodstock Festival had been purified of all animosity and both groups were now free to peacefully share their message of love. "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb; and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them."

She was very thankful to me, expressing again and again her happiness that I brought these books to her. She told me that it must be by the grace of God that I came there. Then she started to shed tears profusely. Seeing I was a little bit embarrassed by this, she told me, "Do not mind these tears; they are tears of happiness."

The headmistress smiled. "I visited your village at Woodstock last year," she said. "When I came, one of your leaders was speaking on the stage. After listening to his talk, I understood that the values you uphold are everything we try to impress on the children we teach. But the real change came when I walked through the whole Woodstock festival.

Although Vasudeva Vipra was a leper and had suffered greatly, still Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu cured him. The only return the Lord wanted was that Vasudeva preach the instructions of Krsna and liberate all human beings. That is the process of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness.

Jayananda Prabhu then came and started to talk to me. I told him that I was up all night. He then brought me upstairs and told me that I should go to bed and that he would wake me in the afternoon to go out on the Saturday night Harinama Sankirtana in Times Square.

Have you seen how peacefully a child sleeps in the lap of his parent, even in a noisy, crowded local train? The hustle-bustle disturbs everyone, but not the child – due to his implicit faith in the protection of his parent.

A Few hours later the people who work in the memorial service came to us and exclaimed in amazement - “We have never seen anyone’s ashes look so white and beautiful like jade as your father’s! What happened to him? What were you chanting for him?” “Could you write it down for us? We want to learn and we think we can also chant while doing our service here.”

Knowing the exalted position of our beloved Srila Prabhupada, one can appreciate that His Divine Grace knew who he was dealing with, what they meant and exactly what he wanted them to understand. Srila Prabhupada never compromised the philosophy to please anyone. He always spoke the absolute truth!

I could have been a doctor, Had I but stayed in school; Might have made a couple million, Built a fancy house and pool. I could have written novels, Legislated laws and rules; I could have been a music star; I could have just been cool. Instead I laid my youthful years Like flowers at your feet; Malpouras caused my interest, Samosas my defeat.

Our temples, it is so very important that we learn the science of properly giving and receiving the association of devotees. Actually every guest that comes is Krishna’s specially invited guest. And it is our duty to give them every possible opportunity to make spiritual advancement. It is the first priority.

What actually was the matter is called "Paralysis through analysis"-being paralyzed by thinking too much. One who is continuously absorbed in various thoughts, always living with the fear to commit offenses, will not be able to chant properly.

We have no business creating enemies, but the process is such that non-devotees will always be inimical toward us. Nevertheless, as stated in the sastras, a devotee should be both tolerant and merciful. Devotees engaged in preaching should be prepared to be accused by ignorant persons, and yet they must be very merciful to the fallen conditioned souls.

This is the wonderful return of Krishna to Vrindavan that happens at this time of day. Learned Vaisnavas who try to think about the Lord meditate upon this pastime. In fact, Krishna’s pastimes as they happen throughout the twenty-four hours of the day are the subject of absorption of both practicing devotees as well as perfected devotees.

When rising in the morning, singing mangala-arati, chanting on our beads, we should follow the train of thought that is inspired by the words of the prayers, by the sound of the maha-mantra, by the vibration of Sukadeva Goswami as he speaks Srimad Bhagavatam. All of these things are meant to lead us back to the pastures of Vrindavan.

“I see this taking off everywhere. It’s the future, because many temples now have fewer temple devotees but more congregational members. This encourages the masses to participate. Even those who can’t go out for book distribution directly can help by offering service or donating Laxmi for the cause.”

Why do we desire a never-ending, ever-increasing happiness, a happiness not dependent on any experience of sadness, in a world that doesn't seem to afford such a phenomenon? In other words, if such happiness doesn't exist, why would anyone look for it?

Selves are beings that experience, centers of consciousness, subjects. Matter does not experience; it is without subjectivity, it is completely an object. Selves live; matter is lifeless.

The desert of material existence has exhausted me. But today I will cast aside all troubles by diving into the lake of Lord Hari and drinking freely of the abundant water of His splendor.