Which Krishna pastime inspires you the most, and why?
My favorite pastime
As that of Lord Caitanya and His associates distributing Krishna consciousness. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (adi 7.24) says they “plundered the storehouse of love of Godhead and ate and distributed its contents.” I am inspired because they do not consider who is fit or unfit. They give spiritual love to everyone through the holy name. How? “They danced, cried, laughed, and chanted like madmen, and in this way they distributed love of Godhead.” (Cc. adi 7.22)
Miraculously, unlike a material storehouse, as the love is distributed the supply increases hundreds of times. Best of all, this pastime continues even now, and you and I can take part in it, tasting spiritual nectar and endearing ourselves to the Lord. Srila Prabhupada writes, “The present Krishna consciousness movement is nondifferent from the pastimes performed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu . . . , for the same principles are being followed and the same actions performed without fail.” (Cc. Antya 5.88, Purport)
I regularly go out with harinama (chanting) groups, travel with the Polish festival tour, attend Rathayatras in various countries, and take part in the devotee festivals in Ukraine and Mayapur. In all these places, I see many people smile, laugh, and dance, tasting some pleasure and developing spiritual desires through the congregational chanting introduced by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates. I feel happy in their happiness and grateful to be allowed to take part in this glorious benedictory pastime of the Lord. – Krishna-krpa Dasa Mayapur, West Bengal
The pastime of Lord Balarama
Appearing as Lord Nityananda inspires me the most because of the way He delivered Jagai and Madhai. He was so merciful and compassionate to those rascals that His example makes me try to develop some compassion for the fallen souls. It also inspires me to keep going whenever I go out on book distribution, even though that service is very difficult. – Navanita Taskara Dasi Gurabo, Puerto Rico
Of all the books I’ve read on spirituality,
None has affected me so profoundly as Bhagavad-gita As It Is. So I would say that for me Krishna’s pastime of becoming the chariot driver for His dear friend Arjuna, speaking the Bhagavad-gita, and protecting Arjuna by attacking Bhishma is the most inspirational pastime. By instructing Arjuna, Krishna taught everyone in the world how to make their lives successful. And He showed us that we can have an intimate relationship with Him in friendship. – Bhagavan acarya Dasa Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA
Krishna’s pastimes with the gopıs
Are the most inspiring for me. The gopis dress themselves very nicely just to make Krishna happy. When Krishna sees them, He becomes delighted, and on seeing Krishna delighted, the gopis become millions of times more delighted, and their beauty increases. On seeing this, Krishna, whose happiness is full, becomes happierand the reciprocation goes on and on.
It is very difficult to understand the position of the gopis. They have totally surrendered themselves unto Krishna. They don’t know anything other than Him. They don’t even care for their relatives or household duties. They are always absorbed in the thought of Krishna. For them, a moment’s separation from Krishna is like a lifetime of separation.- Laveen Arora New Delhi
My favorite is the pastime where Brahma steals all the cowherd boys and calves who were with Krishna in the forest. After searching for them and not finding them anywhere, Sri Krishna knows that Brahma has stolen them. He then expands Himself into all of His friends and calves. He can do this because He knows the entire personality of each of themhow they look, walk, speak, and so on. They are all His beloved devotees.
A lesson I draw from this pastime is that when we leave the body, nothing gets lost. Sri Krishna is the only one who understands us completely. This thought can inspire us to love Krishna, which has so many benefits, even in this world. For example, with Krishna consciousness in the heart, mind, and soul, it is much easier for us to forgive those who hurt or betray us. We always want so much, but we can let go of all these material things. If all people worldwide were devotees of the devotees of Lord Krishna, then this entire earth would be a beautiful place to live.- Susanne Sticher Hanau, Germany
My favorite Krishna pastime
Is His appearance in His hidden incarnation as Lord Caitanya. Because of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement to give the maha-mantra to the general populace through chanting and dancing in public, ISKCON exists worldwide. My initial contact was in 1969, when I saw devotees singing and dancing on the street. Now I go out alone (sari attired), chanting in Idaho, Montana, Washington, and British Columbia.
In the Kuli Mela article (May/ June ’07) a gurukuli said, “It’s as if we’ve reached a plateau in how we’re able to preach and infiltrate society.” I disagree. The simple formula that Srila Prabhupada gave to ISKCON’s pioneersto chant in public, along with book distribution holds true today. The key is that everyone did it. There could be a Hare Krishna explosion if everyone did it today, following the lead of Lord Caitanya.- Rupacandra Dasi Bonners Ferry, Idaho, USA