An Australian Hare Krishna Pioneering pastime from ISKCON's beginnings in Australia (1971-1972)

"The Hare Krishna Movement, The Positive Alternative."

This is the story of one young teenager who eventually became a devotee of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna by first going into the main Cathedral in the City of Melbourne called St Paul's Cathedral to pray to Jesus.

This was on February 17th 1972 almost 7 months after first going to Sydney Temple at Paddington in May 1971.

When this young man entered the Church as a last resort to try and find some meaning and purpose to life, he went down on his knees in total helplessness and, with tears in his eyes, prayed to Jesus.

“Please my Lord use me in your service, in your plan, my life is now useless, it is better you use me in your plan to spread God Consciousness.”

He prayed like this for about an hour, then to his surprise, a young Hare Krishna devotee in saffron robes walked in the Church.

His name is Syamananda dasa, an artist who was admiring the various paintings in the Cathedral.

This young man was very moved by the devotee’s simplicity and knew the mumbling he was hearing was like the rosary, he was chanting the names of God, the Hare Krishna maha mantra.

This young man took this as a gift and message to his prayers from Jesus, who was showing him the way to the path of God consciousness.

He was amazed and without knowing much about Krishna, except for his previous association with Upananda dasa (now Avadhoot Maharaj) some eight months earlier in Sydney Temple, where he use to read "Ksna Book" to him while he cooked for the Radha Gopinath Deities.

He now had tears in his eyes seeing this devotee in the Cathedral and remembering his association in Sydney.

He never took his eyes off Syamananda dasa as he walked around the Cathedral admiring the many paintings there. 

When Syamananda eventually left the Cathedral, the young man followed him out and then saw what he thought was one of God's angels, walk up the street, a young devotee girl in a beautiful sari with flowers in her hair and handing out Magazines (Back To Godhead).

This young man then walked no more than ten yards up Swanston st when this bubbling young girl in her approached him in a with a “Hari Bol’’ saying

"I’m with the Hare Krishna Movement and we are here in Melbourne to give out our magazine Back to Godhead, we are having a love feast tomorrow, it is a very special day, come along and experience the ecstasy of Krishna Consciousness!''

This young man was blown away by her presence, he was thrilled and truly believed Jesus had answered his prayers and led him to Krishna's devotees.

The most astonishing thing was when he turned up the next day (February 18th 1972); with his 10 year old little brother, it was Lord Caitanya’s appearance day, one of the most auspicious days in the Krishna Conscious calendar.

He appeared on February 18th 1972 1486 AD.

Back in those early pioneering days for important festivals, we often went by the dates in Srila Prabhupada's Books. 

In the ''The Teachings of Lord Caitanya'' Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was Febuary 18th 1486, so that is the date we celebrated His appearance day in 1972.

All this young man new is it was Lord Caitanya's appearance day on the 18th of February because everyone told him this and that he was there on a very auspicious day.

He was asked to play a part in a play and played the part of Haridasa Thakur because he had a scruffy beard. 

Eventually in the play Lord Caitanya's dear associated Lord Nityananda prabhu was hit on the head with a clay pot.

Lord Caitanya (played by Kurma dasa, instructed Nityananda Prabhu (played by Ajita dasa) and Haridasa Thakur (played by the young man, (who only the day before was praying in a Catherdral to Jesus for guidance) to go to everyone’s house in Nadia (Bengal India) and request them to chant the Hare Krishna maha mantra.

The two great devotees, Lord Nityananda prabhu and Haridasa Thakur, eagerly set forth and began to knock on every door with the request, “please chant Hare Krishna, please worship Krishna and teach all others about Krishna the Suprem Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes.” 

They were happily received by the pious people, while the envious would blaspheme them.

Completely unconcerned by favorable or unfavorable reactions, they proceeded around the town telling everyone about Krishna.

Also in Nadia there lived two very sinful brothers called Jagai played by Upananda dasa and Madhai played by Sanak dasa.

Jagai and Madhai were born in pious Brahman families however; due to bad association they had become meat eaters, drunkards, thieves and arsonists.

There was no crime that they had not committed, including the most abominable sin of killing cows and Brahmans. The entire town was terrified of these two persons who seemed to be the very personification of all sinful activities.

On the day Nityananda Prabhu and Haridasa Thakur were moving in the town, these two brothers, completely intoxicated were alternatively fighting and embracing each other.

After observing them for some time Nityananda Prabhu compassionately decided to try and deliver them and thus approached them.

Despite the warnings of the town people to keep away from these sinful men, Lord Nityananda and Haridasa Thakur approached the two drunkards instructing them to chant the holy name of the Lord.

Hearing these words the two sinners on seeing the two saintly figures roared in anger. They lept up and ran to catch the two sannyasis. The two devotees fled at the sight of the attacking sinful brothers.

Being terrified Nityananda and Haridasa shouted, “Krishna! Save us!! Govinda! please protect us” and ran. 

The two sinful brothers wandered off in their drunken condition along the banks of the Ganga where Caitanya Mahaprabhu bathed. 

Being drunk, they continued harassing and terrorizing the devotees.

Eventually Nityananda and Haridasa went to the Ganges to see Lord Caitanya and tell Him of this disturbance however the two brothers again were also there and accosted them. 

On seeing Lord Nityananda, one of the sinful brothers, Madhai became furious and struck Lord Nityananda with a broken earthen pot.

When Jagai saw the blood flowing from the wound, he became compassionate and and tried to retain his brother's violence.

While Nityananda Prabhu patiently stood, looking at the brothers with compassion, tolerating the pain and humiliation, Haridasa ran to tell Caitanya Mahaprabhu about the incident. (Yes, the young kept repeating his lines for this part and kept repeating the name of Lord Caitanya so he would not forget)

Hearing that Nityananda Prabhu had been hurt by the brothers, Caitanya Mahaprabhu ran towards them with the intention to kill them.

He summoned His chakra which looked like death personified to the two terrified brothers!

However, Nityananda quickly intervened and begged Caitanya Mahaprabhu to stop and instead show mercy. 

He reminded Lord Caitanya of His mission to kill the sinners by saturating them with love of Godhead (the Hare Krishna maha mantra). Thus appeased the Lord took back His chakra.

Nityananda Prabhu told Caitanya Mahaprabhu that it was Jagai who had saved Him from further harm at Madhai’s hand. 

Hearing this Caitanya Mahaprabhu said to Jagai, “By protecting Nityananda you have purchased Me, you may ask any desire you have in your heart. From today on you will have pure love and devotion for Krishna” 

Hearing this Jagai fell at the feet of the two Lords and grasping the feet of Caitanya Mahaprabhu wept.

Seeing the wonderful transformation in his brother, a remorseful Madhai begged for the mercy of the Lord however, since he had committed the worst of all offences, attacking a Vaishnava, the Lord did not even consider all his pitiful pleas for mercy.

Only after Madhai grasped the feet of Nityananda Prabhu and received His mercy did Caitanya Mahaprabhu agree to deliver Madhai also.

That night the young man who took directions from Jesus, stayed at the Temple and was shaved up by Sanak dasa and six months was initiated by Srila Prabhupada.

To this very day he is thankful to Jesus who directed him to Srila Prabhupada who in turn began teaching him about Krishna’s pastimes.

That young man was me Gauragopala dasa ACBSP.

Remembering Srila Prabhupada.

HERE HERE HERE

When we all went to meet Srila Prabhupada in April 1972 at Melbourne Airport, the first thing I noticed was he had a distinct golden aura around him that stood out from all others; his wonderful skin glowed and caught the attention of everyone in the Airport lounge, he was so happy to see his disciples.

I handed him a big red rose, he took the rose off me and with a big smile, taped me on the head with his cane. I had tears in my eyes; it was such a special moment to see my Spiritual Master.

Later many devotees gathered around me asking what it felt like to be tapped on the head by Prabhupada with his cane.

Those days were very remarkable. So kind and merciful is Srila Prabhupada, who gives even the most degraded a chance to become Krishna Conscious. Most of us were just teenage boys and girls back then, sincere seekers of truth.

I also remember the program at the Melbourne Town Hall meeting in April 1972 and the wonderful kirtan Srila Prabhupada led.

It was remarkable; everyone was totally fixed on hearing Srila Prabhupada chant Jaya Radha Madhava, we all danced in total ecstasy. Never before or since have I heard such a beautiful kirtan.

When we all returned to the Temple at 14 Burnett Street, St. Kilda. (It is a place of pilgrimage and I still go there at least once a year to remember Prabhupada.)

I was assigned to stay out in the front of Prabhupada’s room and even sleep there after the programs we attended. My job was to bring Prabhupada prasad, clean clothing ready for the next morning and guard his room.

Some amazing conversations went on in Prabhupada’s room. Some nights he would call devotees in and preach to the early hours of the morning.

The following night we went to a Franciscan Monastery. As Srila Prabhupada made his way to the monastery, he and his disciples were greeted by the monks and a long table full of different fruits. This was very artistically arranged and Prabhupada was very pleased.

I immediately went and preached to a middle aged monk, however stopped and went and sat down in front of Prabhupada with many other devotees.

I then saw Prabhupada call over Vegavan Prabhu Jörgen Sundvall, who then came and taped me on the shoulder. He whispered in my ear,

“Prabhupada wants you to continue preaching to that monk, such preaching is more important than even associating with the Spiritual Master.” Wow, so I got back up and went back to preaching to the monk.

Back then, Srila Prabhupada did not eat till after coming back from a program. He would then eat a hearty meal of prasadam while listening to a recording of his lecture.

Afterwards Prabhupada would discuss Krishna Consciousness with Syamasundara das, his secretary, Nanda Kumar das, his personal servant and an excellent mridanga player, and Hanuman dasa.

There was only four of us in the room. I stayed in the room for about an hour and listened to them discuss the Town Hall program. Prabhupada found Hanuman a very humorous character. Hanuman was also very excited about taking sannyas off Srila Prabhupada on the following Sunday.

The next morning, while I was half awake out at the front of Srila Prabhupada’s room, I noticed two small feet gently walk past me without making even the slightest sound, I sat up immediately and paid my obeisances.

Prabhupada was a little jolted on his way to the bathroom by my obeisances and said softly to me, ‘Hare Krishna not so loud’. Over the years Prabhupada always acknowledged me. When I drove the Hare Krishna Temple bus, he asked me if it was mechanically sound. The bus could never go faster than 60 mph.

In April 1972 before the explosion of devotees in Australia, when Prabhupada came to Melbourne, there was only 12 of us living in the Temple, for five days we had very close association with Prabhupada, every day I went to his room with his nicely ironed clothing and stayed sometimes for hours. You see, there were not that many devotees around, there was more in Sydney at this time, about 25. Those early days I relish.

I remember one time when one devotee Dhoumya dasa threw water over me in play and I chased him through the Temple running past Srila Prabhupada’s room, he heard us run past and came out to find out what was going on, he said to Syamasundara,

''Who was that running past?''

Prabhupada walked up the hall and went into a room finding me wrestling with Dhoumya who was trying to hide in a cupboard, on seeing Prabhupada we immediately paid our obeisances.

Prabhupada immediately started laughing.

It was at 83 Hereford Street Glebe Temple near the Sydney Uni in July 1972 we began our preaching mission up North. There were 16 of us, boys and girls on the double Decker Bus.

We had written in big letters on the side ”The Hare Krishna Movement, The Positive Alternative” spreading the mission of Lord Caitanya for the first time on Australian soil.

In July 1972 we left Sydney Temple for the trip of a life time we came to believe that we had probably taken us thousands of life times to achieve such a privilege.

We were on the very first preaching mission to every Towns and Villages around Australia.

The devotees on this first travelling preaching mission were:

Madhudvisa Swami, Caru (only came part of the way) Balarama, Chittahari, Yasomatinandana, Dvaipayana, the cook, Krsna Caitanya (Ted Spencer who the previous year was the world champion for surfboard riding), Kuntiboja, Kainaram Srngi (now Muralidhar das) (meet up with in Cairns) Krishna Prema (meet up with in Cairns) And me Gauragopala, I shared Bus driving duties with Chittahari and Balarama

The ‘boys’ (because that’s what we were back then) lived in the Brahmacari quarters, which were the bottom deck of the bus (except for the bus drivers who had a private space upstairs), while the second deck (upstairs) was the Brahmacharini or girls quarters, they are:

Ambika, Kamarupa (who joined us in Cairns) Sukla devi-dasi and Elayne Mitchell also joined us there in the Commune at kuranda near Cairns.

Most of us were teenagers back then except for Madhudvisa Swami, Balarama, Chittahari and Krsna Caitanya dasa.

Krsna Caitanya dasa was the great Ted Spencer, who famously declared-

“When I surf, I dance for Krishna”, urged on in his heats by a full Hare Krishna cheer squad.” (Bells Beach, Australia – the Age Newspaper).

Other famous surfers like Nat Young also spent time with us when we arrived in Brisbane.

Unknown to me due to being on the road, my initiation letter from Prabhupada dated July 10th 1972 had arrived in Sydney that I would not pick up until after our Bus trip up North.

It was on this bus trip a devotee continued suggesting we came from the impersonal Brahmajyoti that started the ‘origin of the jiva’ controversy a few months earlier.

That idea was quickly rejected in a letter from Prabhupada called ‘Crow-And-Tal-Fruit’ Logic that eventually was sent to all Temple Presidents in Australia. Madhudvisa Swami quote this to us –

Srila Prabhupada – ‘’Those who are in the Brahman effulgence they are also in the fallen condition, so there is no question of falling down from a fallen condition. When fall takes place, it means falling down from the non-fallen condition’’. (Letter to Revatinandana — Los Angeles 13 June 1970)

It was a hot topic back then in 1972 but Prabhupada was personally present to guide us.

We all new this was a very auspicious time and that the teachings of Srila Prabhupada we were hearing, was the revelation of a long kept secret and explanations that told us about the universe and it’s creator Lord Krishna.

On the way we chanted on the streets of Newcastle and all Towns in-between Sydney and Brisbane, such as Kempsey, Coffs Harbour, Grafton, Ballina, Lismore and the hippie center of Australia, Nimbin.

But by far the spookiest place we went to was Byron Bay; Kainaram prabhu claimed he had seen the ghost of a dead girl who had been killed by a train many years ago.

On many occasions people had claimed to pick up this lonely little girl to take her home only to find when they got to there home she had mysteriously disappeared. People would go up to the house to tell the little girls parents only to find she had died many years before.

Obviously it was just an urban legend and our simplistic youth was intrigued. Madhudvisa Swami used this to preach to us the difference between the subtle and gross body.

After Byron Bay with all the hippies, we went to Murwillumbah where we chanted in the streets for the first time. Soon (1977, 5 years later) we would establish the farm New Govardhana there.

We then went inland to Lismore, then Armadale where there was a university. We meet an Indian Professor who invited us to the Uni where we chanted and distributed Prasadam. Many Indian families lived there and some of us went to their houses to speak from Bhagavad Gita as it is.

As the night progressed, the Indian women cooked up some amazing food preparations that we offered to Srila Prabhupada.

That place was very, very cold. Every morning, even in the middle of winter, we had cold showers behind the bus. To give one an idea, Chittahari was walking to the bus one cold morning with what we thought was a board, it was his underwear (kopings) frozen solid!

We eventually arrived in Toowoomba in Queensland and chanted to the redneck out back Queenslanders who thought we were some alien invasion from another planet!

From there we went to the Gold Coast, made up of the major towns of Coolangatta, Burleigh heads, Surfers Paradise and Southport. We chanted in all these places, distributed Back To Godhead Magazine and Prasadam and spoke to the enormous crowds that gathered around us.

Many of the devotees on the Bus, like Balarama and Krsna Caitanya where surfer board riders, they attracted many young people to learn about Krishna and take prasad. Especially Krsna Caitanya who was a well-known celebrity around the world.

Then we went to Beenleigh, in-between the Gold Coast and Brisbane. The day we arrived in Brisbane, we chanted on the city streets and were on page two of the Couramail Newspaper the next day.

The headline was “The Hare Krishna’s have arrived with the chant of peace.”

Brisbane was also having their annual ‘Festive show’ that attracted tens of thousands of people.

We chanted out the front gates of the ‘Show grounds’ where so many people saw the Hare Krishna’s for the first time, many receiving BTG Magazine.

It was there Nat Young, another famous surfer and friend of Krsna Caitanya dasa (Ted Spencer) joined us for a few days and become friends with Madhudvisa Swami who nicely preached to him about Krishna.

We never had the full version of the Gita in those days, only the abridged edition with the forward by Allen Ginsberg.

Those years were extraordinary. Dwaip cooked up beautiful offerings to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya and Nityananda while Chittahari, Balarama and myself were the Bus Drivers. We were all inquisitive philosophers trying to understand the nature and purpose on the universe.

We just new we were very fortunate to be on that bus hearing such wonders of creation. Some of us asked ‘what did we deserve to hear the Srimad Bhagavatam. Some of us speculated we were yogis, mystics, devotees and even demons from the Satya-yuga.

Madhudvisa Swami laughed and simply said - ''It is by the causeless mercy of Lord Caitanya and Srila Prabhupada that the seeds of Bhakti are now sown in our hearts."

Madhudvisa Swami read from one of Prabhupada’s original volumes if Srimad Bhagavatam he brought with him in 1965 to America.

In those days we would chant on the streets for 8 to 10 hours a day. One night at the showgrounds we chanted to 10 pm because there were so many people. We chanted through all the Towns and cities as we proceeded up north to Cairns.

We went through Towns like Bundaberg, Mackay, Hervey Bay where we had big feast with hundreds of curious locals attended, (the Americans call them rednecks, we call them yobo’s).

Gladstone, Rockhampton, Airlie beach, Townsville, where we where on the front page of the main paper, actually all papers in all Towns were doing articles on us that kept us very busy doing interviews and arranging interviews with Madhudvisa.

At Kuranda, just outside of Cairns, Madhudvisa lead a blissful kirtan through the hippie community and hundreds of them, some were naked mostly teenagers, joined in chanting Hare Krishna and dancing.

Elayne Mitchell has said on the experience – ''I was there at Kuranda in 72 and went on the bus to the Millaa Millaa Buddhist colony for the Janmastami. It was very special, most of the hippie girls wore beautiful long dresses or sarongs etc. Some of the guys used to get around naked, but my girlfriend and 8 or 9 other friends were quite chaste and wore nice clothing always. We had hitch hiked from Melbourne to Cairns as did thousands of other younger people, it was a very special time. 

There was an explosion of devotees around 1972, the communes we went to in Australia were full of hippies at that time, we chanted through the forest areas and were like the pied piper, naked hippies as young as 14 came out of the forest and followed us singing Hare Krishna, there were hundreds of them at a place called Kuranda which is in Northern Queensland.

It was truly amazing at that time, I have never seen anything like it since, even today 50 years later, if you stand on the hill where all those hippies once gathered and chanted Hare Krishna, you can still see where the high water mark of transcendental bliss reached in the early 70s.

So now, 50 years later, you can go up on that steep hill in Kuranda and look down over the beautiful forest, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high water mark that place where the wave of transcendental bliss finally broke and rolled back.

Devotees before this had never visited anywhere outside of Sydney or Melbourne. We were the pioneers at the very beginning of Lord Caitanya’s Golden Age in Kali-yuga.

We celebrated Janmastami at a Buddhist colony not far from Kuranda; we loaded as many hippies as we could in the double decker Hare Krishna bus, all chanting Hare Krishna and dancing ‘on the bus’ to the excellent blissful kirtans with Madhudvisa leading.

His Kirtans were always very special.

Prabhupada called Madhudvisa Swami the Emperor of Kirtan and Vishnujana Swami the King of Kirtan.

The following day was Vyasa-puja and Madhudvisa Swami had lit a candle under Srila Prabhupada’s photo, the aura, bliss, love and security from that photo permeated the entire bus with an amazing mood of reverence and Krishna Consciousness.

They were amazing days and there was a childish innocence about those days; In fact we thought Madhudvisa Swami was old (he was 24, Chittahari was 22 Krsna Caitanya was 23 and Balarama was 29).

The rest of us were still teenagers. The present generation I don’t think realize how young we were in those beginning years of ISKCON.

There was also no hanky panky going on, everyone was very sincere, very dedicated and very attached to Prabhupada.

We only ate offerings to the Deities and absolutely nothing else, if it was not prepared on the Bus we would not eat except on rare occasions at an Indians home as we did in Armadale.

We had a beautiful photo of the Panca-tattva with a wonderful Photo of Prabhupada at their feet.

No one even dreamed of eating anything unprepared by devotees or even drink soft drinks in those blissful days. Everything we ate was prepared by devotees.

It was in the Temple room at 83 Hereford St. Sydney in early February 1973 that Srila Prabhupada and myself were alone as all the devotee had gone on Sankirtan.

Srila Prabhupada had noticed the paintings of Lord Caitanya and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur that I innocently put on the step of his Vyasasana to keep them off the wall and floor while I was cleaning.

Srila Prabhupada laughed and laughed saying that is not where those Personalities go, the emotion in his eyes and his humility, I will never forget, he stayed in the Temple room chanting japa for about 10 minutes while I continued cleaning the Temple room in bliss!

At Melbourne’s third Rathayatra in July 1974, Srila Prabhupada had attended, during the procession I tried to stay as close to him as I could while playing the mridanga drum, it was a very special time dancing there with Srila Prabhupada and later on in front of him in a hall where we celebrated Rathayatra and listened to a lecture by Srila Prabhupada and a wonderful feast.

In 1976 I was Srila Prabhupada’s Bodyguard at Melbourne Temple and not only stayed out the front of his room, but slept there as well.

At the time four well shaven suited men, all in their forties would always come by the Temple harassing us with high tech cameras and listening devices.

Keep in mind that the average age of a devotee back then was twenty-five so these adult men were pretty scary.

They would also follow us our on street Sankirtan, film us and try to intimate the devotee’s distributing books by taking many, then ripping them up and throwing the books or magazines in a rubbish bin! These guys were real heavy

These men were part of a self appointed fundamentalist Christian deprogramming group with the Catholic Church that dealt with what they considered threats to the Catholic Church's youth being converted to other faiths.

One afternoon Pusta Krishna Swami went down to speak to them and one of them, in a barrage of abuse, threatened to kill Srila Prabhupada.

Coming back with a stunned look on his face Maharaj said “These people are demons! Big demons!!

Pusta Krishna Maharaj was horrified what these men had said, and was reluctant to even repeat it however; he did tell only a few devotees that Prabhupada’s life had been threatened.

Hari Sauri prabhu, Srila Prabhupada’s personal servant at the time, was appalled and disgusted that a pure devotee of Krishna was threatened in this way and was so concerned we bought a shotgun.

The next day while also guarding the Temple hiding out the front of the Temple in a car out the front of ‘Prabhupada’s House’ these men all walked past trying to provoke the devotees and scare them.

When I opened the door of the car suddenly, one of them, Tom Erickson, who had been personally blessed by the Pope, pulled out a handgun and pointed it at me.

Erickson was the ringleader and high up in the Catholic Church, a private detective known and even respected by many as a deprogrammer and even a rumoured hit man.

Amogha dasa was at the front gate and out of fear, I ran from the car and crawled the front wall of the Temple, about 7 feet high, so quickly that Amoga was astonished how I went over the fence like lighting.

We then went and told Prabhupada what had happened and he said “Then our movement is having some success, these men feel threatened because our movement is having so much success with today’s young people”

We called the police as Prabhupada instructed and they came and spoke with them and Ugrasrava dasa who never stopped giving lip to them and calling them demons to their faces.

Unfortunately the police did nothing, they new who he was, while Ugrasrava just called kept calling them dogs of the Catholic Church among other things.

At night I would stay out on the balcony of Prabhupada’s House with the shotgun that Hari Sauri had bought, staying awake watching Srila Prabhupada through the window translate late into the night.

Even though the night was freezing cold out on the balcony, watching Srila Prabhupada gave me warmth as he translated which was truly amazing. Prabhupada would go around to all the windows and doors to make sure they were locked.

For days these men intimidated devotee and guests but we were told to ignore them, except for Ugrashava Prabhu who constantly gave them lip to let them.

Actually nothing they could do could stop our preaching movement that they and the Catholic Church desperately attempted because we had Krishna and Prabhupada on our side and their arrogant threatening presence only made us more determined to spread the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

A week after Srila Prabhupada had left a drive by shooting occurred and gunshots went through one of the windows – Kurma dasa’s room. He was there at the time and was fortunately unhurt as the bullets went into the wall.

The next day it made page two of the Melbourne Sun and the Australian public were outraged that such violence could happen over Religion in Melbourne.

A few months after that someone attacked our Temple again and through a small bomb over the back fence exploding on one of the cars, only a few hours before that I was resting in that same car while doing guard duty.

This attack also made the first bulletin on the evening TV news all over Australia.

The outcry of the public, due to the media reports, seemed to stop any further attacks from these Catholic fundamentalist fanatics.

During all these attacks we remembered what Srila Prabhupada had said “Then our movement is having some success, these men feel threatened because our movement is having so much success with today’s young people”

Many years later the main offender from the Catholic Church Tom Erickson got very sick due to a blood disorder and had his leg amputated.

Then to the surprise of the devotees, he rang the devotees in Melbourne and apologised for what he had done when Srila Prabhupada was here and asked the devotees for forgiveness for harassing all the devotees and yes he was forgiven.

Spiritual life is like learning to walk no matter how many times you fall over you always get up and keep trying.

Leave the ''judging of others'' up to Krishna, often karma has many twists and turns and often leads to what you may least expect.

If one is critical of another who is trying their hardest to overcome their past mistaken actions and are always spreading rumours of how disgusting he or she is and how fallen they are, then such hate will lead to the so called fault finder ''devotee'' thinking of the exaggerated version of the fallen soul they hate, then at death such a devotee will be born in the exact same situation of those they are disgusted with and angrily hate!

The conclusion is we should never ever give up trying to be Krishna Conscious no matter what you have done in the past or what others think.

Actually we all live in glasshouses in this material world, we are all here because of our past sins, no one is innocent in the material world.

This material world is always in a state of decay, disrepair and in constant need of maintenance.

The truth is -

This material creation is not our real home and we all should not even have come here in the first! Yes, it was a mistake we foolishly chose to came to this temporary material creation with out foolish attempt to build God's Kingdom without God.

No matter how hard we try, we can never find permanent satisfaction, happiness and loving relationships in this alien environment called the material creation.

Only a fool will try to find comfort in these temporary dysfunctional material bodily vessels that will eventually grow feeble, diseased and old, ending up being food for maggots, bacteria and earthworms.

Therefore, the real purpose of this rare human form of life is it should be used to help one get out of this material world and not try and make ourselves comfortable in these decaying material bodily vessels!

Our only desire while trapped in this material creation within these material bodies, should be to "Go back home, Go back to Godhead" and attain the perpetual spiritual worlds of either Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana.

PHOTO - Hare Krishna Travelling Temple June 1972 Melbourne Australia.

There is a difference between insulting and offending a humble Vaishnava and exposing (insulting) the foolish comments of a nonsense devotee who deserves to be insulted!

A beautiful pastime narrated by Mahatma prabhu in the below video based on insulting and offending a  Vaishnava.

However, there is a difference between insulting and offending a humble Vaishnava Srila Prabhupada explains below, and exposing the foolish comments of a devotee who deserves to be insulted for their nonsense absurd interpretation of Sastra!

Srila Prabhupada - "Because of having insulted Dhruva Maharaja, Suruci would become mad upon the death of her son and would enter a forest fire, and thus her life would be ended.

This was specifically mentioned by the Lord to Dhruva because he was determined for revenge against her.

From this we should take the lesson that we should never try to insult a Vaisnava. Not only should we not insult a Vaisnava, but we should not insult anyone unnecessarily.

When one serves a Vaisnava unknowingly, one still gets the good result, and if one unknowingly insults a Vaisnava, one suffers the bad result.

A Vaisnava is especially favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Pleasing him or displeasing him directly affects the pleasure and displeasure of the Supreme Lord. (SB 4.9.23)

However, one should be very careful of the above instructions because such pastimes are often misused by some devotees to keep their critics silent when accused of speaking nonsense.

One should always keep in mind, there is a big difference between insulting and offending a humble Vaishnava and exposing (insulting) the foolish comments of a nonsense devotee who deserves to be insulted!

For example, those who claim our Earth globe is flat.

Such foolish nonsense devotees even use such stories above as a bully tactic to scare one into submission to not "insult" their nonsense flat earth stupidity.

No they should be insulted for their nonsense ideas.

Some devotees, sanyasis and gurus therefore make out you are an offender or aparadhi for exposing their stupidity.

Do not let these people twist scripture to make out you are an offender or even demon for exposing them all over the internet and Facebook.

These stories above are very nice and important when properly used in preaching however, such pastimes can also be misused (and are often are) in an attempt to force one to NEVER criticize such bogus devotees, sannyasis and gurus with flat earth ideas.

Flat earthers will turn the TOVP into a big joke if these devotees had their way.

So do NOT follow out of fear, or let their bulling put fear into you by miss using such stories above!

Question EVERYTHING and do NOT be affraid to speak the truth and call their preaching the ramblings of crazy devotees.

So be careful of these bullies who use such wonderful pastimes above in an attempt to force you into submission and believe their stupid ideas like this Earth global sphere we live on is flat.

No, if they speak nonsense, NEVER stop calling devotees who preach our earth is flat, fools.

I have seen such stupid preaching turn people away from Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Sankirtan Movement.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=ZusbzU9lIdY#menu

Karma is NOT forever! Actually nothing is eternal in the material universes, all things must pass.

Karma is NOT forever!

The punishment in the hellish planets or reward in the heavenly material planets is NOT permanent because there is no such example in Krishna conscious philosophy where karma lasts forever.

For example, "eternal damnation" or "eternal hellfire" in the material creation that many Christians believe their God eternally condems a soul with, simply does not exist because karma is never permanent.

Frankly, if Christians believe in this ''eternal damnation'' nonsense, then their God Jehovah is a cruel uncaring nasty God that should be rejected because forgiveness MUST always be there regardless of what one has done. No one should be threatened with being "eternally condemned" because such karma does not exist.

No punishment in the material world can last eternally according to Srimad Bhagavatam. Nothing is forever in the material creation! All karma ''good and bad'' comes to an end.

However, to truly be free from this material world and continuously creating pious and impious karma with each human birth, one MUST surrender to Krishna's pure devotee who can then free one from all karma and take them back home back to Godhead.

Sadhu, Sastra, Guru.

Test everyone who comments on spiritual matters to make sure you are not being cheated in this way, via-

1 - Sadhu - Saintly person.

2 - Sastra - Scriptures.

3 - Guru - Spiritual Master who follows and repeats the scriptures in the foot steps of bonafide saintly persons.

Srila Prabhupada - "Sadhu-sastra-guru: one has to test all spiritual matters according to the instructions of saintly persons, scriptures and the spiritual master. The spiritual master is one who follows the instructions of his predecessors, namely the sadhus, or saintly persons. A bona fide spiritual master does not mention anything not mentioned in the authorized scriptures. Ordinary people have to follow the instructions of sadhu, sastra and guru. Those statements made in the sastras and those made by the bona fide sadhu or guru cannot differ from one another." (SB, Canto 4 Ch 16 Text 1 Purport)

Srila Prabhupada - "If you accept somebody as guru, then you have to corroborate it whether sastra says that he is guru or any saintly person says that he is guru. This is the way. Similarly, when you take a scripture, you have to know it from the spiritual master, whether that is actually scripture, whether it is accepted by the saintly person. Sadhu. Similarly sadhu also, whether guru says, "Yes, he is sadhu." Whether sastra says, "Yes, he is sadhu." There are three things, sadhu-sastra-guru. So to accept one, you have to take the opinion of the other two. Then you'll get the right way." (Room Conversation, 07-18-1973, London UK)

Srila Prabhupada - "What is spoken in the scripture is accepted by saintly person, and what is spoken in the scripture, the spiritual master explains only that thing. That's all. So via media is the scripture. ... Saintly person means who confirms the Vedic injunction, who accepts. And Sastra or scripture means what is accepted by the saintly person. And Guru or spiritual master means who follows the scriptures. So things equal to the same thing are equal to one another. This is axiomatic truth." (Lecture, 10-18-1968 Seattle, Washington State USA)

Srila Prabhupada  - "Sadhu sastra, guru vakya, tinete kariya aikya. Spiritual realization can be perfected by three parallel process. Sadhu. Sadhu means saintly persons, who are realized souls, sadhu. And sastra. Sastra means scriptures, authoritative scriptures, Vedic scriptures are our sastra. Sadhu, sastra, and guru, a spiritual master. Three parallel line. And if you place your car or vehicle on these three parallel line, your car will go direct to Krsna. Tinete kariya aikya. Just like in the railway line you see two parallel lines. If they are in order, the railway carriages are carried very smoothly to the destination. Here also, there are three parallel lines--sadhu, sastra, guru: saintly person, association of saintly person, acceptance of bona fide spiritual master, and faith in the scriptures. That's all. Then your carriage will be going nicely, without any disturbance." (Lecture, 10-18-1968 Seattle Washington State USA)

"Gross" and "subtle" material bodies that house and contain the individual jiva-soul, needs to be properly understood. There are two types of material bodies (gross and subtle) that covers the individual soul (the real personal spiritual self)

"Gross" and "subtle" material bodies that contain the jiva-soul or individual life force, needs to be properly understood.

Does one fully understand what what one can see from their gross material body?

Can they perceive all aspects or dimensions of material nature?

The fact is no "gross" material instrument can ever detect "subtle" material energy except acknowledging "something" is there but unable to measure it.

Can modern scientists send a spacecraft to land on the Sun? Or can they see the tropical paradise called Chandraloka on the Moon?

Bhagavad Gita was first spoken to Surya that lived on the Sun therefore those who live on the Sun therefore have an adaptable material subtle bodily vessel that is not affected by the Sun's heat which would instantly destroy our gross material body.

Also no ''gross material lifeless instrument'' can detect ghosts or subtle structures like cameras, microphones, the Large Hadron Collider etc can NEVER detect ''subtle material energy'' because no gross innate dead matter can perceive the ''subtle material universe known as sub-space''.

Also it is important to understand the fact ''you are the soul known as the jivatma'' and is housed in a 'subtle body'' which is further contained in an outer gross biological material body.

So the soul is covered by two material bodies, one is made up of subtle material qualities, mind, intelligence and false ego, the other is gross material qualities like the biological vessel we all get around in.

So clearly the ''subtle body housing the jivatma'' is contained in a ''gross material body.''

In other words, those rear personalities who do see ghosts or the Yamadhutas at death, are not seeing through their gross material eyes but through their subtle body.

The fact still remains that GROSS material instruments cannot be used to see through to the subtle universe.

Unlike those rare souls who have learnt to see the vast subtle universe that both higher material heavenly planets and lower hellish planets exist, through their subtle material body

Most of the 14 Planetary Systems in the Bhu-Mandala universe are therefore unseen by those absorbed and riveted to only their gross material vessel.

This is why modern science think we maybe alone in the material universe because none of their instruments and space probes can ever see or discover the subtle material universe which makes up most of the universe.

13 of the 14 Planetary Systems exist as subtle matter (within sub-space) in the material universe with their own movement of space-time dimension as well.

For example, 100 years on the top most Planetary System Brahmaloka, is 311 trillion 40 billion Earth or human years.

Karma and its real meaning.

Karma and its real meaning.

"What goes around comes around"

Everything happens, not by chance or accident, but caused by one's past actions, good and bad, in this life and previous lives.

Therefore everyone is born into a situation they deserve rich or poor, nothing happens by chance like car accidents, cancer, plane crashes, murder, even what happen to John Lennon in 1980 is the result of something he did in a past life that had caught up with him in his present material body.

And so was all the amazing fame he had.

What actions we sow over millions of life times, is what we gradually reep.

The reactions to our past actions gradually unfolds in each material body we take.

Therefore, each of us have a karmic bank balance that follows us to every material body we take for eternity and no one knows what is coming their way because the cause for their pain or suffering is long, long ago forgotten, happened thousands of life times ago.

We are all eternal, there is no death for the life force or soul (jiva) within the material body, only a change of bodies when our present material bodily vessel wears out or becomes unfit to remain in.

Why do we only chant the Hare Krishna Mantra as the main name of God and no other names?

Devotees chant Hare Krishna and no other name as the highest glorification of God.

Why is that?

It is because we are following in the footprints of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu who ONLY chanted the the Hare Krishna Maha mantra, even though He said there are millions of names of God one can also chant.

Srila Prabhupada explains why we only prominently chant Hare Krishna as follows -

Srila Prabhupada - "Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that God has millions and billions of names, so any name is as good as "Kṛṣṇa," it doesn't matter".

Devotee - "So Srila Prabhupada, then why do we concentrate on just chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa Maha Mantra?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Because we are following in the footprints of Lord Caitanya and who only chanted these holy names -

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

So this is why we are chanting this "Hare Krishna Maha Mantra".

Therefore we request you most humbly, there is no loss on your part, but the gain is immense.

If you take to this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, then gradually your misconception of this life will be cleared off.

You will understand your real identity and you will act in that way knowing you are not the material body.

Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Always speak the truth no matter whose ego gets hurt, EVEN question Guru's and Sannyasis if what they say does not seem quite right. Test EVERYONE's comments on Spiritual matters with Sadhu, Sastra and Guru.

Always speak the truth no matter whose ego gets hurt, by seriously studying Srila Prabhupada's Books,  then you will never be cheated.

Do not be afraid to speak out against devotee's who preach this flat earth nonsense!

Test EVERYONE's comments on Spiritual matters with Sadhu, Sastra and Guru.

Srila Prabhupada - "Sadhu-sastra-guru: one has to test all spiritual matters according to the instructions of saintly persons, scriptures and the spiritual master.

The spiritual master is one who follows the instructions of his predecessors, namely the sadhus, or saintly persons. A bona fide spiritual master does not mention anything not mentioned in the authorized scriptures. Ordinary people have to follow the instructions of sadhu, sastra and guru.

Those statements made in the sastras and those made by the bona fide sadhu or guru cannot differ from one another." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4:16:1 Purport)

Srila Prabhupada  - "If you accept somebody as guru, then you have to corroborate it whether sastra says that he is guru or any saintly person says that he is guru. This is the way.

Similarly, when you take a scripture, you have to know it from the spiritual master, whether that is actually scripture, whether it is accepted by the saintly person. Sadhu.

Similarly sadhu also, whether guru says, "Yes, he is sadhu." Whether sastra says, "Yes, he is sadhu." There are three things, sadhu-sastra-guru. So to accept one, you have to take the opinion of the other two. Then you'll get the right way." (Room Conversation, 07-18-73, London)

Srila Prabhupada  - "What is spoken in the scripture is accepted by saintly person, and what is spoken in the scripture, the spiritual master explains only that thing. That's all.

So via media is the scripture. ... Saintly person means who confirms the Vedic injunction, who accepts. And scripture means what is accepted by the saintly person. And spiritual master means who follows the scriptures. So things equal to the same thing are equal to one another. This is axiomatic truth." (Lecture, 10-18-68, Seattle)

Srila Prabhupada  - "Sadhu sastra, guru vakya, tinete kariya aikya. Spiritual realization can be perfected by three parallel process. Sadhu.

Sadhu means saintly persons, who are realized souls, sadhu. And sastra. Sastra means scriptures, authoritative scriptures, Vedic scriptures, sastra.

Sadhu, sastra, and guru, a spiritual master. Three parallel line. And if you place your car or vehicle on these three parallel line, your car will go direct to Krsna. Tinete kariya aikya. Just like in the railway line you see two parallel lines. If they are in order, the railway carriages are carried very smoothly to the destination.

Here also, there are three parallel lines--sadhu, sastra, guru: saintly person, association of saintly person, acceptance of bona fide spiritual master, and faith in the scriptures. That's all. Then your carriage will be going nicely, without any disturbance." (Lecture, 10-18-68, Seattle)

When we are very young, often we do not question many comments by devotees due to our youth and immaturity, but as we get older and more mature, we begin question "EVERYTHING" and no longer just blindly follow, even the Guru.

What I accepted back then in my late teens and early 20s, I would question in detail today. I would NOT just accept blindly as I did in my 20s, today at 68 I would want solid proof and will not stop questioning until I get it because some comments made by Prabhupada back in the 60s and early 70s, like the Apollo Moon landings or the Moon is further away from Earth than the Sun.

These things I do not fully agree with today in 2019, especially the Moon distance where Prabhupada has claimed in one Purport in Srimad Bhagavatam, that it is impossible to reach the Moon in three days, which is proved today as not correct.

Many nations today in 2019 have proved the Moon is reached in three days.

Spacecrafts from India, China, Japan, Russia, America, European Union all have reach the Moons 238,000 miles distance in three days or less, it is not just NASA anymore.

There to claim it is all one big hoax and conspiracy theory or that all Moon rocks come from Arizona is ridiculous and nonsense.

However, regardless of Prabhupada's understanding of the material Universe that he admitted he fully did not understand back in the early 1970s, his spiritual instructions in all his Books, especially Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad Gita As It Is and Chaitanya Caritamrita are PERFECT and should be ALWAYS studied daily.

If Prabhupada was physically present here today, there would be so many things I would ask him and question him over, that previously I was too young and immature to do to take further.

I was just 25 years old when Prabhupada left this world in 1977, all the devotees back then were in their late teens or 20s, very young, very immature.

However, what I have found today, is by seriously studying Srila Prabhupada's Books, you will discover he is here right now and that he really never left.

All you need to do is read every day and then no one will mislead you or cheat you with nonsense.

I encourage others to do the same thing.

Since Srila Prabhupada has physically left this world, we have sadly seen that if you disagree with some dictatorial young gurus, sannyasis and Temple Presidents, who arrogantly demanded obedience and respect with their attempt to imitate Prabhupada, they threaten to kick you out in an attempt to keep you under control.

They should be encouraging you to contribute your best and properly research and question all of Sastra's conclusions.

Instead, they and their ''yes men" only DEMAND the following -

"Surrender prabhoo, just do what you are told, unlearn everything you have learned, just understand by hearing and NOT thinking for yourself, just do what you are told. Never question Temple authority"

Yes, sadly this is what it is like in some ISKCON Temples and this is why ISKCON had the Zonal Acharya crisis in the late 1980s when many left ISKCON and joined Gaudiya Math Sangas outside of ISKCON.

Many so called sannyasi's and guru's in ISKCON over the years have treated some devotees very badly, always arrogantly demanding respect and obedience instead of humbly "commanding" respect with their selfless leadership.

Such so call dictatorial leaders would always patronize those who seek the truth and attempt to speak the truth.

Over the years, they tried to destroy your self esteem and self worth by calling your questioning their authority as "cheeky", making out your attempts to challenge them is "childish" to further put you down for questioning their dictatorial immature authority and juvenile leadership.

If you do not agree with them, they call you a demon, an offender, an Aparadhi for speaking out against their silly attempts to "forcibly" make you believe their nonsense interpretation of Shastra and devotee standards.

Over the years they have constantly threatened to kick you out in an attempt to keep you under their thumb.

We have seen if you question some ISKCON authorities and even question or criticize flat earth devotees fools, they use everything to discredit you, making out you are a sinful rascal and offender who has no right to any opinion or question anything or anyone in leadership.

Therefore, all those young seekers of truth out there should learn to NEVER listen to these bullying fear tactics by these kind of devotee so called leaders.

Always speak the truth no matter whose ego gets hurt

Always study Srila Prabhupada's Books then you will never be cheated.

Srila Prabhupada – ‘’ Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya appear "once" in each day of Brahmā (once ever 8 billion 640 million human years)’’ CC Adi 3.10 Text 10 Purport.

Srila Prabhupada – ‘’ Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya appear once in each day of Brahmā’’ CC Adi 3.10 Text 10 Purport.

A very rare event because this means they both come just ‘’once’’ in a 24 hour day of Lord Brahma. This means Lord Krishna and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu come to just "one" Maha-yuga out of every 1000.

All Maha-yugas happen during the ''day-time hours'' (between Sunrise to Sunset) of Lord Brahma's day.

So this means Lord Brahma's day from Sunrise to Sunset  equals 1000 Maha yugas.

A Maha-yugas is also known as a Catur-yuga and Divya-yuga which are -

Satya Yuga is 1,728,000 human years,
Treta Yuga is 1,296,000 human years long,
Dwapara Yuga 864,000 human years
Kali Yuga 432,000 human years.

Night-time of of Brahma's day is from ''Sunset to Sunrise'' when a partial annihilation takes place while Lord Brahma sleeps. There are also no Maha yugas during this night-time period.

So a ''day and night 24 hour period'' of Lord Brahma equals 8 billion 640 million human years.

Lord Caitanya and Lord Krishna's appearance is very rare as they both come just ''once'' over that enormous period of time.

Lord Krishna in His original Vrindavan Form, comes at the end of just "one" Dvapara-yuga out of every 1000.

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu comes just after the beginning of just "one" Kali-yuga out of every 1000.

Do not follow blindly, always speak and seek the truth no matter whose ego gets hurt. By seriously studying Srila Prabhupada's Spirituality in his Books, then you will never be cheated, even if the Apollo Astronauts in this material universe did go to the Moon between 1969 and 1972 that I believe.

Always speak the truth no matter whose ego gets hurt, by seriously studying Srila Prabhupada's Books,  then you will never be cheated.

Do not be afraid to speak out against devotee's who preach this flat earth nonsense!

When we are very young, often we do not question many comments by devotees due to our youth and immaturity, but as we get older and more mature, we begin question "EVERYTHING" and no longer just blindly follow, even the Guru.

What I accepted back then in my late teens and early 20s, I would question in detail today. I would NOT just accept blindly as I did in my 20s.

Today at 68 years old I would want solid proof and will not stop questioning until I get it because some comments made by Prabhupada back in the 60s and early 70s, like the Apollo Moon landings, I do not fully agree with today in 2019 however, his spiritual instructions in all his Books are perfect and should be studied daily.

If Prabhupada was physically present here today, there would be so many things I would ask him and question him over, that previously I was too young, immature and afraid to take further.

I was just 25 years old when Prabhupada left this world in 1977, all the devotees back then were in their late teens or 20s, very young and very immature.

However, what I have found today in my old age is by seriously studying Srila Prabhupada's Books, all his spiritual instructions, you will discover he is here right and that his Spiritual guidance has never really never left.

All you need to do is read every day and then no one will mislead you or cheat you with nonsense.

I encourage others to do the same thing.

Since Srila Prabhupada has physical left this world, we have sadly seen that if you disagree with some dictatorial young gurus, sannyasis and Temple Presidents, who arrogantly demanded obedience and respect with their attempt to imitate Prabhupada, they threaten to kick you out in an attempt to keep you under control.

They should be encouraging you to contribute your best and properly research and question all of Sastra's conclusions.

Instead they and their ''yes men" only DEMAND the following -

"Surrender prabhoo, just do what you are told, unlearn everything you have learned, just understand by hearing and NOT thinking for yourself, just do what you are told. Never question Temple authority"

Yes, sadly this is what it is like in some ISKCON Temples and this is why ISKCON had the Zonal Acharya crisis in the late 1980s when many left ISKCON and joined Gaudiya Math Sangas outside of ISKCON.

Many so called sannyasi's and guru's in ISKCON over the years have treated some devotees very badly, always arrogantly demanding respect and obedience instead of humbly "commanding" respect with their selfless leadership.

Such so call dictatorial leaders would always patronize those who seek the truth and attempt to speak the truth.

They try to destroy your self esteem and self worth, calling you "cheeky" making out your attempts to question them is childish, further putting you down for doubting their dictatorial authority.

If you do not agree with them, they call you a demon, an offenders, an Aparadhi for speaking out against their silly attempts to "forcibly" make you believe their nonsense interpretation of Shastra.

Over the years they have constantly threatened to kick you out to keep you under the thumb.

We have seen if you question some ISKCON authorities and question flat earth devotees fools, they use everything to discredit you, making out you are a sinful rascal and offender who has no right to any opinion or question anything or anyone.

Therefore, all those young seekers of truth out there should learn to NEVER listen to these bullying fear tactics by these kind of bogus devotee so called leaders.

Always speak the truth no matter whose ego gets hurt

Always study Srila Prabhupada's Books then you will never be cheated.

Test EVERYONE's comments on all Spiritual matters based on "Sadhu, Sastra and Guru".

Srila Prabhupada - "Sadhu-sastra-guru: one has to test all spiritual matters according to the instructions of saintly persons, scriptures and the spiritual master.

The spiritual master is one who follows the instructions of his predecessors, namely the sadhus, or saintly persons. A bona fide spiritual master does not mention anything not mentioned in the authorized scriptures. Ordinary people have to follow the instructions of sadhu, sastra and guru.

Those statements made in the sastras and those made by the bona fide sadhu or guru cannot differ from one another." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4:16:1 Purport)

Srila Prabhupada  - "If you accept somebody as guru, then you have to corroborate it whether sastra says that he is guru or any saintly person says that he is guru. This is the way.

Similarly, when you take a scripture, you have to know it from the spiritual master, whether that is actually scripture, whether it is accepted by the saintly person. Sadhu.

Similarly sadhu also, whether guru says, "Yes, he is sadhu." Whether sastra says, "Yes, he is sadhu." There are three things, sadhu-sastra-guru. So to accept one, you have to take the opinion of the other two. Then you'll get the right way." (Room Conversation, 07-18-73, London)

Srila Prabhupada  - "What is spoken in the scripture is accepted by saintly person, and what is spoken in the scripture, the spiritual master explains only that thing. That's all.

So via media is the scripture. ... Saintly person means who confirms the Vedic injunction, who accepts. And scripture means what is accepted by the saintly person. And spiritual master means who follows the scriptures. So things equal to the same thing are equal to one another. This is axiomatic truth." (Lecture, 10-18-68, Seattle)

Srila Prabhupada  - "Sadhu sastra, guru vakya, tinete kariya aikya. Spiritual realization can be perfected by three parallel process. Sadhu.

Sadhu means saintly persons, who are realized souls, sadhu. And sastra. Sastra means scriptures, authoritative scriptures, Vedic scriptures, sastra.

Sadhu, sastra, and guru, a spiritual master. Three parallel line. And if you place your car or vehicle on these three parallel line, your car will go direct to Krsna. Tinete kariya aikya. Just like in the railway line you see two parallel lines. If they are in order, the railway carriages are carried very smoothly to the destination.

Here also, there are three parallel lines--sadhu, sastra, guru: saintly person, association of saintly person, acceptance of bona fide spiritual master, and faith in the scriptures. That's all. Then your carriage will be going nicely, without any disturbance." (Lecture, 10-18-68, Seattle)

Do everything you can to remember Krishna, it does not matter how fallen you are!

Do everything you can to remember Krishna, it does not matter how fallen you are or if in front of others you never feel worthy of their friendship or respect, or if so many even hate you for all your past foolishness.

In the end none of that matters because the fact is you are NOT the material body or vessel that others can only see.

We must become firm in our understanding that each of us are different from the material vessel we are in and covered by.

No one in this material universe knows your real identity and who you really are, all they see is the outer "costume" (material body) you are wearing.

The only important action we must contantly do is somehow, someway always remember Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes so we never EVER forget Him, no matter what others think or say about us due to past struggles.

There is no such thing in Krishna conscious philosophy as "eternal damnation" or "eternal hellfire" that Christians believe their God does.

Frankly if true, then their God Jehovah is a cruel uncaring nasty God that should be rejected because forgivess MUST always be there regardless of what one has done and NOT "eternal damnation".

No punishment should be forever and the fact is it isn't according to Srimad Bhagavatam.

Therefore it is best people around the world reject barbaric nonsense Christianity and surrender to the true loving God Lord Sri Krishna.

And in time, including all the most fallen souls, will be revealed all they need to know about who they really are (which is their eternal svarupa or our ONE's eternal Spiritual bodily identity).

Soon these temporary material bodies we are in and its material dream we are presently experiencing, will be over. NOTHING is forever in the material World meaning all karma good and bad, is also temporary.

Only Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrndavana are the REAL permanent reality that will never fade way.

The best way to remember Krishna is to get involved in street Sankirtan and chant good clear rounds.

PHOTOs -
1 - I am leading the Sankirtan Party with cartels and no Kurta or shirt in the first photo (1978)
2 - Adelaide Temple (1972).
3 - With Prabhupada at Rathayatra (1974).
4 The Traveling Temple free the Soviet Hare Krishna campaign (1986).