Remembering Jayananda by Vyasasan das __________________
There are some things about becoming a devotee I will never forget, for instance; receiving my first book, relishing my first plate of prasadam, seeing the deities in the temple for the first time, meeting Srila Prabhupada, Visnujhana Swami and Jayananda das bramachari.
The first time I meet Jayananda, was in 1975 in San Diego. I had been traveling with the RDTSKP for the last few months, since I joined. I was very much enjoying being a devotee, and traveling and putting on festivals, distributing prasadam, books and the Holy Name. By this time I had meet a number of Sannyasis; including Tamal Krsna Goswami, Gurudas Swami, Tripuari Swami, Vishnujana Swami, etc. and was very impressed by their character, and position.
One morning after Bhagavatam class we were all sitting down on the floor taking our breakfast. I was looking over at all the assembled sannyasis; there must have been seven of them eating together. They all had on nice orange clothing, and were eating off beautiful silver plates, and I was thinking, “Ya, that’s what I want. I want to be a Hare Krishna Sannyasa. Devotees will offer me respectful obeisances when they see me, and I will always get the best accommodations and best prasadam”. So I was thinking like this… when in walks in this guy in a greasy hooded sweatshirt, ripped doti, hands and face covered with dirt and grease, (it turns out he just changed the oil in 6 sankirtan vans), and he walks over to the prasadam table and starts filling a plate.
So I ask the devotee sitting next to me, “Who is that guy, is he supposed to be here?” I thought it was some bum wearing a dhoti. But the devotee replied; “Oh, that’s Jayananda Prabhu, he’s a really advanced devotee”. Well I was looking at Jayananda who was eagerly feasting on the morning prasadam, and I was looking over at the sannyasis who were carefully moving the prasadam around the silver plates, and I just wasn’t that sure?
For many of us we struggle to chant our prescribed 16 rounds of japa daily. I know for me it is a daily struggle, if I wake up to late, if I am traveling, if I am sick, or have a headache, or just feeling lazy and unmotivated. But I try.
This morning my japa was pretty good, I felt inspired, and I was knocking of the rounds rather effortlessly, and I was thinking about Haridas Thakur who daily chanted 300,000 names or about 175 rounds. I can’t even imagine. But I felt inspired by thinking about him, and wanted to do a post about him. -V
“Haridāsa Ṭhākura is known as nāmācārya because it is he who preached the glories of chanting hari-nāma, the holy name of God.”
“Haridas Thakur chanted 3 lakhs of names each day, that means 16 names in the mantra, 108×16 or 1,728 names in each round of mala, dividing 300,000 by 1,728 comes to roundabout 175 rounds on beads daily. And for us it is even difficult to chant 16 rounds! That is why Haridas Thakur is namacharya. We find in Chaitanya Charitamrta information that both Lord Chaitanya and Haridas Thakur were constantly absorbed in chanting the Hare Krishna mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” (Srila Prabhupada Letter, January 2, 1972)
Recently a fellow Vaisnava (Kamsahanta Prabhu) passed away, or as we like to say, left his body, and we were left to settle his affairs. First there was the death certificate, and registering his death. Then there was the funeral home where arrangements were made for his cremation. Then there was the big job of distributing all his possessions. We gave his clothes to a nearby charity, food stuffs to the local church, There was tons of religious paraphernalia, dieties, pictures, books, (which were left with other devotees) and vehicles. It took weeks. And it really got me thinking… about my own mortality.
Kamshanta Prabhu was very fortunate in many ways, for in his adult life he preformed so much devotional service, distributed so many of Srila Prabhupada’s books, and collected so much laxmi to help advance this movement. He was also fortunate that his son Namacharya, was there to assist him at his hour of passing. Nam put his fathers japa beads in his hand, helped him chant in his final hours, and made arrangements to have his fathers body be cremated with his tulasi beads around his neck and his japa beads in his hand.
But this is what got me thinking…after a whole lifetime, Kamshanta Prabhu was left with only his neck and japa beads, and most importantly the holy name on his lips and in his ears. And I was reminded of the verse from the Bhagavad-gita 8.5:
“And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature, of this there is no doubt”
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day homage
by Vyasasan das
Dear Srila Prabhupada
Please accept my fallen obeisance’s, and my love, on this auspicious day of your disappearance. With your arrival on the shores of America, you brought with you the shinning lamp of knowledge; the wisdom on India and the Supreme Absolute Truth. You appeared on the shores of America the way the sun appears on the Eastern Horizon. Slowly revealing itself at first, then dominating the sky with its blazing effulgence. Illuminating the entire world with its golden light. Where there is light there is no darkness. And wherever your words are being sung and repeated, there is a glimmer of hope for the materially conditioned souls.
Your words and instructions are the very life and soul of a genuine disciple. It is said that the best process of understanding Krishna is to hear about Him, either from Krishna Himself as given in statements from the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, or from the self realized pure devotee. One does not even need to change his worldly position; he simply has to hear the message of Krishna.
It is from you only, Srila Prabhupada, that I know anything at all about Krishna or the spiritual world. By your grace only, the knowledge is revealed, and you become revealed to your disciples and listeners. Anyone who submissively hears from you, either by reading your books, or hearing your lectures, can attain the highest perfectional platform. Just as there is the sun and the sunshine, so, there is Krishna and Krishna’s pure representative. When we feel the sunshine, we know the sun is there, and when we hear from you, we know that Krishna is there.
The Appearance Day of Our Beloved Spiritual Master
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Dear Srila Prabhupada
Please accept my humble obeisances, and kindly forgive my offences. I am truly grateful to you for all that you have given me. Every day when I go into our temple room, and I light a candle or stick of incense, sit down and chant japa or sing bhajans, whether I am cooking an offering or preparing the Lord’s plate, picking a flower to offer or washing and drying the Lord’s plate, reading from one of your many books, or simply thinking about Lord Krishna or Caitanya Mahaprabhu, I feel a deep sense of gratitude, and appreciation.
The Appearance Day of Our Beloved Spiritual Master
Sri Srimad A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder and Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The World Acarya
by Vyasasan das
Dear Srila Prabhupada
Please accept my humble obeisances, and kindly forgive my offences.
Having just returned from England, where we attended the 50th Anniversary of the installation of Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda deities at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, I am reminded that you established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, which we are all a part of. Having never been to England before, I had the fortunate opportunity of meeting so many Godbrothers and Godsisters from the English Yatra, whom I had never meet before. I realized how it is truly an International society, with temples and devotees practicing Krishna consciousness on every continent and in hundreds of countries throughout the world.
It is amazing that through you, just by becoming your disciple, it has connected me to thousands of other devotees throughout the world, in a very real way.
Please accept my humble obeisance’s, and kindly forgive my offences.
We have all come here today to honor and celebrate your disappearance day with prayers and remembrances. While this may seem strange to some, us celebrating your disappearance day, but spiritually there is no difference between your appearance day and your disappearance day. Both are Transcendental.
The proper understanding of the disappearance of a Vaisnava was explained very nicely by you:
“As Lord Krsna’s appearance and disappearance are all spiritual, transcendental, they are not ordinary things, similarly, Lord Krsna’s devotee, His representative, who are sent to this material world for preaching the glories of the Lord, their appearance and disappearance are also like Krsna’s. Therefore, according to Vaisnava principles, the appearance and disappearance of the Vaisnava is all-auspicious.”
Bhaktivinoda Thakura also wrote a short stanza about the influence that a Vaisnava (a pure devotee of the Lord) carries in this world even after his passing:
“He reasons ill who tells that Vaisnavas die When thou art living still in sound! The Vaisnavas die to live, and living try To spread the holy name around!”
So, while it is natural for us to be sorrowful that Srila Prabhupada has passed away, we can know for sure that he will never pass away, for he is “living still in sound.”
It has been my greatest good fortune to have met you and become your disciple. Pure devotees of the Lord are more powerful than even the waters of the sacred river Ganges. One can derive spiritual benefit out of prolonged use of the Ganges waters, but one can be sanctified at once by the mercy of a pure devotee of the Lord.
So thank you Srila Prabhupada, for coming into this world, sanctifying us all with your mercy.
Please accept my most humble and heartfelt obeisance’s on this most auspicious day of your appearance. Although I am an unworthy disciple, full of faults, I approach you with the greatest appreciation, and utmost respect, for you are the greatest spiritual ambassador to spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world.
Thank you for coming to America, and bringing with you so many matchless gifts. Not only did you bring the message of Krishna and Lord Caitanya, but you brought with you music and art, Vedic medicine, the science of cooking vegetarian food, and the keys to a healthy and productive life, in the service of God. I may never have learned who is God, had you not appeared on our shores.
One of the very first books of yours I read, just a small book called the “Raja-vidya”, on the very first page, you gave the definite description of God. Although I had some conception of God from my early religious training, God is great, God is good, but no one could ever tell me who He was, what He looked like, where He lived, or what He does. But you could. On that very first page you gave the perfect definitive description of God.
“God possesses all opulence’s, the totality of knowledge, wealth, power, beauty, fame, and renunciation. When we find someone who possesses these opulence’s in full, we are to know that He is God…Only Krishna claims to possess them in totality.”
In time as I began to read from the Bagavad-gita As It Is, and the KRSNA Book, all my questions were answered. I came to know who God is, what He looks like, where He lives, what He does, and what is our relationship with Him.
It is interesting, but from the very first moment I saw a picture of you, on the back cover of the KRSNA Book, I knew, that at long last, I had found my spiritual master.
I fell in love with you from the very first moment I saw your picture. and I am still in love with you today. I have no words that convey the love that I feel , only to say, there is nothing that can compare.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s Appearance Day Homage
by Vyasasan das
Dear Srila Prabhupada
On this most blessed and auspicious day, the celebration of your appearance; Sri Vyasa-puja, please accept my most humble obeisance’s at your divine lotus feet, and kindly forgive my offences.
On my 21st birthday I shaved my head, put on tilak and a dhoti for the first time. It was the day I decided to become a devotee with the hope of someday becoming your disciple. On the very first day of my adult life I surrendered to your instructions, following the four regulative principles and trying to chant 16 rounds of japa a day, with the hopes of someday becoming a worthy disciple. And in spite of my shortcomings, within a year, you initiated me and gave me the name Vyasasan das.
The Vyasasana is the sacred seat of Srila Vyasadeva, who is the original Spiritual Master because he compiled and disseminated the Vedic knowledge, and you are the bona-fide representative of Srila Vyasadeva. Therefore according to the Vedic system, on the birthday of the spiritual master the disciples and followers offer homage to you, by writting and speaking about your glories. This is the meaning of Vyasa Puja.
Bhagavad-gita “As It Is” Original 1972 Edition
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
I built this site: Bhagavad-gita “As It Is” Original 1972 Edition some years ago as a supplement to this page. I have recently taken a closer look at it, upgraded it to eliminate the pop up adds, and changed the domain name.
Actually I remember being very excited years ago when I first created this page, as it made available Srila Prabhupada’s original Bhagavad-gita “As It Is” 1972 edition, with a very simple user friendly format, and all the original pictures. I never really promoted it, other than as a link from my site The Hare Krishna Movement. But in retrospect I think with a few minor changes to the domain name and a minor upgrade, I think it might possibly have some useful value for today’s cell phone, and tablet users.
I would welcome any visitors and appreciate any feedback or suggestions. You can contact me at vyasasan@gmail.com
Sri Vyasa-Puja The Appearance Day of Our Beloved Spiritual Master.
Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Parvrajakacarya Astottara-sata Sri Srimad A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
We celebrate it with a half day fast, offerings, puspanjali, followed by a Srila Prabhupada Feast
Vyasa Puja Homage
by Vyasasan das
Dear Srila Prabhupada
On this Blessed day, we celebrate your auspicious appearance it this material world. It is with deep heartfelt gratitude, I offer my humble obeisances at your Divine Lotus feet.
Note; the above Vyasasana Decoration was done by Lokadrsti Devi Dasi in 2014
click on image to enlarge
Today marks The Most Blessed Event:
Sri Vyasa-Puja The Appearance Day of Our Beloved Spiritual Master.
Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Parvrajakacarya Astottara-sata Sri Srimad A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
We celebrate it with a half day fast, offerings, puspanjali, followed by a Srila Prabhupada Feast
Vyasa Puja Homage
by Vyasasan das
Dear Srila Prabhupada
Please accept my most humble obeisances, and kindly forgive my offences. On this most blessed event; Sri Vyasa-Puja, the appearance day of my beloved spiritual master, I am filled with a sense of gratitude and wonder. I cannot even imagine where my life would be today, if you had not appeared and blessed us all with your divine benediction.
“On this auspicious day I have come with this offering just to worship you, remembering your lotus feet.”
The fact that you have always resided in my heart, and have been my most constant friend and ever well-wisher, even without your physical presence, proves our eternal relationship with you. So many friends and family have come and gone, but you Srila Prabhupada, have remained in my life as the one constant I could always turn to.
You are present in your vani; your books and instructions. You are present still in your pictures and murti’s. You live in the hearts of your sincere devotees. You have touched us all so deeply; we cannot help but remember you. Srila Prabhupa, I am most unworthy to have received your mercy, and because of knowing my insignificance, it has caused me to be even more grateful and appreciative of your blessings.
In the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, there is one verse I would like to use to describe my mood and feelings:
“Indeed, I am just like a dwarf who wants to capture the moon. Although I am completely unfit, a desire to receive Your mercy is awakening within my mind.”
This is my position, I am completely unworthy, and most fallen, therefore by showing me your mercy, your mercy is most successful. For you are patita-pavana, the savior of the fallen souls, and who is more fallen than me? I have no good qualities; born of low birth, without good intelligence, without beauty, or wealth, I am a fallen soul, desiring only your causeless mercy to be bestowed upon me.
On this most blessed and auspicious day, the celebration of your appearance, Sri Vyasa-puja
Please let me offer my respectful obeisances:
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who is very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Sarasvatī Gosvāmī. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.
Today I am reminded that 50 years ago, you boarded the ship Jaladuta, which was bound for America, just to execute the order of your spiritual master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami, and preach the message of Lord Caitanya, to the Western speaking world.
This year we celebrate the 50th aniversery of that famous journey to America. While aboard the Jaladuta, on Sept 13th, 1965, in the middle of the Atlantic ocean you wrote the poem “Prayers to the Lotus Feet of Krsna”. I would like to read it here today, on this auspicious and blessed day of you appearance, to remind everyone of that famous journey and of the great sacrifice you made at the age of 69 years old, with several boxes of your books, and 40 rupees to your name.
There are so many beautiful verses in the Srimad Bhagavatam, and I guess everyone has his favorite. I think the following verse and purport is perhaps my very favorite, because it speaks directly to me.
My dear Vyāsa, even though a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa sometimes falls down somehow or other, he certainly does not undergo material existence like others [fruitive workers, etc.] because a person who has once relished the taste of the lotus feet of the Lord can do nothing but remember that ecstasy again and again.
A devotee of the Lord automatically becomes uninterested in the enchantment of material existence because he is rasa-graha, or one who has tasted the sweetness of the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
…even though he falls down, a devotee is never to be considered the same as a fallen karmī. A karmī suffers the result of his own fruitive reactions, whereas a devotee is reformed by chastisement directed by the Lord Himself. The sufferings of an orphan and the sufferings of a beloved child of a king are not one and the same.
..Such foolish devotees are sometimes put into difficulty by the Lord Himself. As a special favor, He may remove all material paraphernalia. By such action, the bewildered devotee is forsaken by all friends and relatives, and so he comes to his senses again by the mercy of the Lord and is set right to execute his devotional service.
Recently I was staying at a friends house, and in the room where I was spending the night there was one book by Giriraj Swami entitled “Watering the Seed”. I happened to open it and began reading from the Preface:
…from that first meeting with Srila Prabhupada, my whole life’s purpose became to bring people to meet Srila Prabhupada. And I was able to do that for many years. But when he passed away, I wondered ‘what will be my service now?’. My whole service had been to bring people to Srila Prabhupada.
Now I understand that Srila Prabhupada is always present, and that by speaking of him, hearing about him, remembering him, and, most significantly, by studying his books and following his instructions, we can experience his presence. So I can continue doing what I was doing when he was personally present-introducing soul’s to Srila Prabhupada-and that is what I feel most natural doing. Because I know that somehow or other, if someone comes in touch with Srila Prabhupada, his life will become successful. (Watering the Seed, Preface)
Now, I am always encouraged when I hear my Godbrothers speaking in this way, because this is how I have always felt, and continue to feel. That my main purpose, as a disciple, is to bring people to Srila Prabhupada, and there-by bringing them to Krishna.
Ox Barn Renovation at New Vrindavan
by Vyasasan das
Back in August of this year, I began the overwhelming task of rebuilding the barn at New Vrindavan, West Virginia. As you will be able to see from the following pictures, the neglected barn was sadly in a state of disrepair and dilapidation. The building had been completely abandoned and neglected for over twenty years, and was filled with unspeakable garbage and debris. You could say it was a hazard and an eyesore. Actually the building was scheduled to be torn down…but then a remarkable thing happened. Male bulls started being born here at New Vrindavan. One after another, ten in a row, male bulls were appearing and the oxen program was born.
Today we honored His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s disappearance day here at New Vrindavan Farm Community, with beautiful offerings, a Pushpanjali (an offering of flowers) followed by an amazing feast The beautiful Vyasasana decoration was done by Her Grace Lokadrsti devi dasi, with assistance from Hari Nama, Maha Laxmi, and Christine prabhus.More
One Can Keep Direct Company With the Spiritual Master
by Vyasasan das
There is an ongoing debate over the changes to Srila Prabhupada’s books. The current BBTI want you to believe they are only changing the spelling and grammatical errors, and are simply improving the books. But there is much evidence to prove otherwise. For instance in the famous verse from the Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-Lila 19.157: “The gardener must defend the creeper by fencing it all around so that the powerful elephant of offenses may not enter.” while reading the purport to this verse from the original 1975 Edition, I couldn’t help but appreciate just how clear Srila Prabhupada’s instructions were:
“If one thinks that there are many pseudo devotees or nondevotees in the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Society, one can keep direct company with the spiritual master, and if there is any doubt, one should consult the spiritual master.” (from purport to Original 1975 Edition)
While discussing this statement with a friend, he informed me that the BBTI had changed the purport in their re-vised edition. I couldn’t understand why they would change such a clear statement…so I looked it up in the Bhaktivedanta VedaBase…and to my great surprise they did change it!!! So much for the spelling and grammatical errors argument, no they were changing the meaning of Srila Prabhupada’s books.
Lets take a look at this example, of how the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanda Swami, are being changed by our so-called leaders and intellectuals. (Note the Bold Letters below is done by me to indicate the changes.)
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (1975 Edition)
If one thinks that there are many pseudo devotees or nondevotees in the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Society, one can keep direct company with the spiritual master, and if there is any doubt, one should consult the spiritual master. However, unless one follows the spiritual master’s instructions and the regulative principles governing chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord, one cannot become a pure devotee. By one’s mental concoctions, one falls down. By associating with nondevotees, one breaks the regulative principles and is thereby lost.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Bhaktivedanta VedaBase)
Even if one thinks that there are many pseudo devotees or nondevotees in the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Society, still one should stick to the Society; if one thinks the Society’s members are not pure devotees, one can keep direct company with the spiritual master, and if there is any doubt, one should consult the spiritual master. However, unless one follows the spiritual master’s instructions concerning the regulative principles and chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord, one cannot become a pure devotee. By one’s mental concoctions, one falls down. By associating with nondevotees, one breaks the regulative principles and is thereby lost.
…I loved being a devotee. I would look forward to going to the park or college campus, and putting on a festival. We set up the stage, brought on our musical instruments and chanted, while others arranged the distribution of prasadam and books. After the chanting when we went to mingle with the students or guests gathered there, I would enjoy preaching to new people and answering all sorts of questions like “why do you guys shave your head? And why do you put mud on your foreheads, etc., etc.? But sometimes the preaching was so sweet and people wanted to know who is Krishna? Who is Srila Prabhupada? And my joy knew no bounds. I hardly knew the philosophy myself, but when my desire to preach was unmotivated by false ego, Srila Prabhupada would give me the intelligence. I would be amazed how the words would just flow out of my mouth. By Srila Prabhupada’s great mercy, to one who has taken to this process of sharing with others, he gives the intelligence. I was gaining an understanding of the process of Krishna Consciousness, simply by acting in Krishna Consciousness. It was so sublime. So simple!
Radha Damadara Traveling Sankirtan Party
by Vyasasan das
First let me begin by offering my respectful obesiences to all the vaisnave devotee’s of the Lord, who are so merciful to the fallen conditioned souls that they put themselves in perilous and austere conditions of life voluntarily, in order to help others. And as always, let me offer my most humble obeisances to my beloved spiritual master A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, haven taken shelter at his Lotus feet.
Today we honor the disappearance day of Srila Prabhupada.
om ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.
Dear Srila Prabhupada
On this most auspicious day, we are celebrating your disappearance, with remembrances and prayers.
There are so many days on the Vaisnava Calendar where we are celebrating some auspicious holiday or festival, but none of them are as important to me personally, as the two days when we honor your appearance and disappearance. There is no day more important to this insignificant disciple, then your appearance into my life.
The Hare Krishna Movement 