There is a lot to write about— the small stuff, the big stuff. Let’s begin with the big stuff.

Drop 31

The Search

For months Guru Maharaj had been searching for an RV. It was one of those searches that keeps coming up empty. We’d find something we liked and it would be taken before we could get to it. And our parameters were strict, which didn’t help.

So I engineered a routine, an artificial intelligence search running on the hour, scanning everything within our criteria across all the websites: Marketplace, eBay, Craigslist, OfferUp, everything.

Soon after I set that up, something appeared on Craigslist that met our criteria. I told Guru Maharaj about it one morning during japa, and we went upstairs soon after to take a look on his computer. It was in Denver. It looked great, and it had only been listed a few hours, so chances were it was still available.

We called the seller around 8 A.M. our time, 7 A.M. his time. The seller let out a big yawn over the phone — I’d clearly woken him up — and said if we could put a deposit down, it was ours. So we put the deposit down and bought same-day plane tickets. Those next few hours are a blur… throwing some things into a suitcase for Guru Maharaj, packing a small shoulder bag for myself, we set off for the airport in our Uber, not knowing where we were going to stay that night.

Denver

Sitting on the runway just getting ready for takeoff, I was texting the former president of the Denver temple, begging his forgiveness for the late notice, asking if there was any accommodation available. He put us in touch with a great devotee offering very warm hospitality, but when we landed I didn’t want to trouble him. After a couple delays, it had gotten late, around midnight Denver time. So we ended up at a Motel 6 outside the Denver airport. The room smelled like cigarettes.

We told ourselves we’d sleep in a bit. We had a plan to meet the seller around 11 or 12 the next morning, and there was a long drive home ahead of us after that, which we thought well to prepare for. But when I woke to Guru Maharaj chanting in bed at about 4:30 AM, as much as I wanted to go back to sleep, I got the sense we should stay up and help Guru Maharaj with whatever he needed. So we shaved up, chanted our rounds, & I went down to the front desk for bottled water.

Then we reached out to the devotee who had offered his place the night before. Turns out the RV pickup was fairly close to where he lived, so we went over to his place for breakfast first, and then all three of us went to get the RV. There were some complications as we paid, but for the sake of brevity we’ll just say we got the RV.

We went back to the devotee’s house, had lunch, and decided it was in our best interest to stay the night and rest up.

The Drive Home

The drive was eight hours, and after getting a late start, we split around five or six o’clock in the evening. About two hours on the road before we pulled over at a truck stop, Gurudeva strangely fulfilling some weird desire I never knew I had to sleep with the truckers.

So we backed into a spot, had dinner in the RV, broke it in, totally ill-prepared with no blankets, and it got a little cold in there in the Colorado altitude. I woke up early again, not much sleep. I jumped outside to brush my teeth in the space behind our parking spot, and we hit the road at about 6:30 AM. Between all the stopping, prasadam breaks, chanting, it took us until maybe 9:30 P.M. to get back to the temple in Kansas City.

But it was a successful trip, and the culmination of many months of hard work on the computer, in conversations, talking through this potential preaching method and whether it was something we wanted to get into.

The RV at Work

We’ve already taken the RV to one Ratha Yatra and to a small startup festival at a place called Milo Farm, where some hippies had gathered and we did kirtan.

The RV gives Gurudev a nice place to be, a nice place to bring people into. At the Ratha Yatra he spoke with a couple of journalists inside the vehicle and a couple of sincere devotees and a group of young men, westerners, interested and inquisitive. So Guru Maharaj chanted a round with them on beads.

We hope it will prove to be a nice facility — for Gurumaharaja to do a little traveling, and for the festival atmosphere we may find ourselves in.

Why Am I Not Seeing More Spiritual Growth?

In the RV, on the way home from Milo Farm, I asked Guru Maharaj a question that had been sitting with me: why have I been practicing strongly, yet I haven’t seen so much growth?

I put it to him like this. If someone wakes up every morning at 4 A.M. and goes out for a run — after two and a half years of that, you’d think they’d be in pretty good shape. But spiritually, I told him, I don’t feel like I’m in such good shape. Why is that?

What came out of his answer was something I didn’t expect.

If I want to become spiritually advanced, then there is still personal motivation in the center of my practice.

“It’s not pure,” he said.

Then he spoke of a mentality I recognized in myself immediately. A bhakta may be told by his leader about the important role sincerity plays in spiritual advancement. And the bhakta may say, “Well, I’m here, aren’t I? If I wasn’t sincere, then I wouldn’t be here.”

“That may be true to some extent,” Guru Maharaj said. “But it is not good consciousness to remain in. We shouldn’t become complacent where we are. We should always strive to become a little more sincere.”

Well said.

Thank you for an opportunity to share.

Your hopeless, helpless servant,

Jñānavān Dāsa

Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī’s Lotus Feet

On September 7th, Danavir Maharaj gave an excellent class. The day fell on Annadā Ekādaśī, which led him to speak about the topic of sacrifice.

Upon exiting the class and ascending the stairs to Maharaj’s study, I began to sing. Feeling inspired, and in a blind rush to stir more nectar out of Maharaj, I sang my favorite line from one of my favorite songs:

🎶Sei vrata, sei tapa,

sei mantra mora japa,

sei mora dharama karama.🎶

Guru Maharaj, still blissed out from giving the full class, immediately reciprocated, his spirits lifting even higher, repeating the famed line of Narottama das Thakura.

Then, we recited the translation:

“They (the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī) are the meaning of all my fasts and penances and the silent uttering of my mantras. They are the basis of religion and activities.”

As we moved closer to his study, with prasadam soon on its way, Maharaja began to answer the same question buzzing around my mind. He spoke to me:

“Devotional service and Śrī Rūpa Goswami’s lotus feet are the same thing. They’re non-different.”

So, he said:

“That’s how his feet are the proper meaning of our fasts and penances, why we chant our mantras, and how they are the very basis of all religion.”

Setting Off the New Year

Earlier that morning (Sep 7th), during Maṅgala-ārati, standing before Their Lordships, Danavir Maharaj approached me from his chair and tapped me on the shoulder. He asked me to go get his day timer—a notebook he has recently started using again to collect his thoughts and organize his lists.

I immediately took notice. This had never happened before during Maṅgala-ārati. This isn’t normally a time when Guru Maharaj is thinking about writing things down.

But throughout the morning program and during japa, we would see him writing for long stretches in his day timer. So we knew something was going on.

Later, when he and I began our day’s work, Guru Maharaj explained that the previous day (Janmāṣṭamī) had felt like for him, “setting off the new year.” He said It had filled him with so much inspiration and clarity about what needed to be done. All of that inspiration had begun to form itself in the shape of a list—about thirty points—which I soon helped him transcribe onto his computer.

The list covered everything from small practical matters to great, sweeping projects.

To see Guru Maharaj’s mind so immersed in his service—reminded me that there is a treasure trove of devotional service constantly unfolding within him. Even when it may not manifest, I can only attribute that to my own shortcomings or lack of vision—to my failure to take his ideas and instructions seriously.

Even when his vision has not manifested, that does not mean the potency is lacking on his part. All that means is, mercifully, he has given us a chance to play a part and take some credit. Perhaps it is my cooperation that should be called into question. Because for him, the service is already realized and fully alive within his mind.

Guru Maharaj recently explained this to me in conversation, saying that devotional service is so wonderful because you don’t even have to physically perform the service to receive the benefit. Simply thinking about it is itself devotional service. He recalled that Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura would say that even if he were to become old and completely invalid, with all of his organs failing to function properly, he could still think of Kṛṣṇa and perform devotional service…

Still, my dear devotees, I pray for the strength to cooperate with all aspects of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON, and I beg for the potency to carry Guru-vākya close to my heart—serving as an instrument always.

ys,

Jnanavan Dasa

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Blessings of Superiors

Recently, it came to my attention that Danavir Maharaj has completed reading the Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Vaibhava by Bhakti Vikāsa Swami four times. The work is presented in three volumes, making the feat all the more impressive.

Asking him about it, he explained:

“We didn’t have much information on Bhaktisiddhānta. So as soon as I finished it, I would just pick it up and read it again. I did it like that. I can’t remember all of it, but I know I got his strong association.

These are our real heroes. Who were our old heroes?”

—

I then asked Maharaj about Bhakti Vikāsa Swami’s extensive work in documenting the life of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. How could one person have gathered so much information that could hardly be found anywhere else?

Maharaj replied:

“It’s a great contribution. Yeah, it’s unique. He had the books, did the interviews. He worked really hard on it, and Kṛṣṇa helped him. If Kṛṣṇa sees someone trying to do some nice service, He helps them.

When you see someone who has so much success in their field, and you see how they act in regard to their elders, it helps you understand how they got there. Simply by the blessings of that person…”

(End)

—

Hearing this brought me back to Danavir Maharaj’s book Bright Side: Self-Improvement Through Bhagavad-gītā, where, in the section “Blessings of Superiors,” he writes:

Blessings do not have to be given in physical proximity. Blessings can be given from afar, or even bridging great gaps of time. A person who appreciates what a great personality has done long, long ago, will get the blessings of that person, directly or indirectly. If one has given some valuable instructions, he is still living through his instructive energy, and along with his instructions come blessings. Taking instructions from superiors means taking the blessings, too. The instructions are the blessings.

—

Perhaps this is one way to understand the depth of Danavir Maharaj’s own appreciation for Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. By studying his life, appreciating his contribution, and following the instructions he left behind, one remains connected to his instructive energy—and to the blessings that accompany it.

A Daily Measure of Devotee Association

Recently, I came to Guru Maharaj with some hardships I had been experiencing in my relationships with the devotees. He gave me some practical advice: begin keeping a daily record of how my association with the devotees went.

At the end of each day, I could simply check a box, make a note, or otherwise record how the day’s dealings went.

Then, after doing this consistently for some time—perhaps a month—I could look back and get a more objective view of where I actually am.

Sometimes we can think ourselves worse off than we really are. We may simply be too hard on ourselves. But by recording each day and then looking back over a period of time, we can step back and see the bigger picture—a kind of bird’s-eye view of how we’re actually doing.

Ys,

Jnanavan dasa

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Watering the Root (8/6/2026)

I heard a suggestion today. It was that every person we interact with should symbolize the whole of humanity. The idea was that by seeing each encounter in this way, we naturally place greater care into those we interact with.

Unsure of this, I wanted to check it with Guru Maharaj to hear his thoughts.

Trying my best to Krishna-ize it, I asked:

JV: Should we see each devotee as symbolizing our relationship with Kṛṣṇa?

DG: The word symbolize can have different meanings. But every living entity represents a part of the spirit of the Lord. They are all parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa.

JV: Then could I say that if I cannot honor a part of the spirit of the Lord, there is no question of honoring the whole?

DG: That’s what the Māyāvādīs say. They think if they water the leaf, the whole tree will grow. Vaiṣṇavas say that if you water the root, the whole tree is watered.

Then Guru Maharaj gave another example. He explained the gift may come through the hands of the mailman, but he is not its source. He is simply a messenger, passing the package to the next person, who may pass it along to another, and so on. Still wanting to understand the practical application, I asked one final question.

JV: Then what should I think about when I’m with a person to honor them as a spirit soul?

DG: Always think how to please Kṛṣṇa. That’s the main thing. If we do that…

mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam
kathayantaś ca māṁ nityaṁ tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca. BG 10.9

(The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are surrendered to Me, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from enlightening one another and conversing about Me)

He concluded with one more thought:

DG: The Māyāvādīs think, “If I put water on the leaf, it will grow.” But they will see—it will not grow.

Write Everything Down (8/5/2026)

Concerned I may have been letting action items slip through the cracks, maharaja said

“For everything you do, write it down. Otherwise, you’ll find things slip through. Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “If you want to remember it, write it down.’”

How Can I Tell Who is Sadhu? (Date: unrecorded)

The following exchange was transcribed in Maharaj’s quarters as we honored Prasadam:

DG: It’s a question of association. All good qualities will be there.

Śrīla Prabhupāda would impress people without limit, depending on how fortunate they were. By assisting him, they received his qualities.

If you can’t please the sādhu, then please his assistant. We can’t even imagine what good qualities the sādhu possesses, so we have a better chance at appreciating the servant.

(Break)

What’s the difference between a well-trained horse and an untrained horse?

You see his qualities. He’s trained. He follows the instructions of the master. He knows how to jump over fences, go through water, protect the rider—all these things. So many (good) qualities.

(Break)

JV: So a person may have appreciation with their words but not their actions. What to speak of that kind of person?

DG: Well, even if he appreciates with his words, that’s the beginning.

There was a song I sang in my era:

“To know, know, know him
Is to love, love, love him”

To know Him, you can’t help but love Him.

JV: Kṛṣṇa?

DG: Yes—and His devotees.

JV: Then we must not understand. If our words of appreciation do not match our actions, is it because we do not actually appreciate the devotees?

DG: The neophyte devotee gives appreciation to the Lord, but not much to the devotees. But he’s in the process. If he keeps going, he’ll become advanced because bhakti includes the instructions for how to advance.

In the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says:

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto…

Always think of Me and become My devotee.

So then we’re making progress.

Keep bowing down to him. Then you’ll realize how great he is.

(Break.)

DG: But we say, “I’m not going to bow down to no one.”

Okay…

(Break.)

DG: How do I know the sādhu is great?

Well, a very qualified person has come and told you how to show him respect. You should learn from him.

That is what some Hindus do.

Go to a nice Hindu’s home. If a saintly person is there, they’ll teach their children to bow down. They’ll say, “Bow down.” It’s their duty.

And if you go to a family where the children are not trained, where no respect for the guest is shown at all, and they simply go on screaming, there’s a big difference in how those children have been trained.

(Break.)

DG: Even one moment’s association can give one perfection.

(Break.)

DG: And a non-devotee has no good qualities.

The Completion of the Sūrya-siddhānta

Today (7/24/2026) marked a significant milestone in Guru Maharaj’s and RVC publishing’s service.

After years of anticipation, Guru Maharaj completed his final review of the Sūrya-siddhānta, bringing to a close a project that has occupied him, on and off, for two decades.

Over the course of the week, Maharaja carefully read through the entire fourteen-chapter work. With only a few final adjustments remaining—Guru Maharaj has concluded that the text is ready for publication.

For many devotees, Sūrya-siddhānta has been out of print for quite some time. Seeing this long-awaited second printing finally completed is an exciting moment.

The history of Danavir Maharaja’s involvement in Sūrya-siddhānta is as follows:

By Kṛṣṇa’s arrangement, Guru Maharaj came into possession of the Bengali edition translated by His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. At the time, the manuscript was being preserved at the Gurukula in Śrīdhāma Māyāpura.

From there, Guru Maharaj appointed two native Bengali speakers—one a journalist and the other a professor. Working independently, each translated the text without seeing the other’s work. Guru Maharaj then carefully compared both translations, serving as editor and weaving them together into a single manuscript.

During a phone conversation yesterday, a disciple reflected on the influence that his Guru Maharaja’s work in Vedic cosmology has had on the broader community. Later, Guru Maharaj mentioned that when he first undertook this work, there were very few books available on the subject. Today, dozens of books can be found on the Sūrya-siddhānta alone—a remarkable contrast to the landscape that existed when he first entered this field.

With this new print soon underway, Guru Maharaj is entrusting the future of this important branch of Vedic knowledge to a younger generation of devotee scholars and scientists, including Pavanesvara Prabhu (of Bhaktivedanta Vidyāpīṭha) and Vamsi Dāsa Prabhu PhD.

Watching Guru Maharaj close this chapter has been a privilege. What began years ago with a providential encounter with Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s Bengali manuscript has culminated in a polished English edition that will continue serving devotees and students for years to come.

“It shouldn’t be difficult…”

Just yesterday (07/23/2026), I was speaking with Guru Maharaj about a video from 1973 featuring devotees on the Rādhā-Dāmodara Traveling Saṅkīrtana Party. In the video (see here), one devotee is preaching very strongly to a man aboard the bus.

As the conversation unfolds, you can almost watch the man’s thoughts pass across his face. Should he leave the material world? What about his responsibilities?

Speaking with Guru Maharaj about the video, I said,

“This is heavy. I can feel the tension in that bus.”

I added,

“It challenges my faith. To preach like that, you have to be absolutely convinced that what you’re offering is the right thing. There can’t be any doubt.”

Guru Maharaj responded by speaking about the sublimity of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

I replied,

“Yes… but don’t you have to come to that realization? As a preacher, you have to truly believe it.”

Guru Maharaj then said,

“It shouldn’t be difficult to see that intoxication is bad, illicit sex is bad, meat-eating is bad, and gambling is bad. Only one who is so dull cannot see that.”

Harinama Drops

Driving Guru Maharaj to and from Harinam is a special experience. He gets so charged from the activity.

What makes these drives so special are the personal ecstasies, or realizations, that Guru Maharaj can suddenly share. Sometimes he says nothing, while at other times he challenges us with questions or shares whatever is presently on his mind.

A few recent exchanges stood out.

Harinama Drop 1 - Driving home from Harinam the other day, Guru Maharaj said,

“We have to work on our chanting to such an extent that when people hear it, it makes their heart dance.”

Harinama Drop 2 - On another drive home from Harinam, Magadhari Prabhu and I were riding with Guru Maharaj.

From the passenger seat, maharaja posed a preaching challenge:

“What would you say if someone argued that there is really no difference between thousands of people gathering in a stadium for a football match and thousands of devotees gathering for Ratha-yatra? Someone could say, ‘You make a big event out of it too. You parade through the streets and celebrate just like everyone else.’”

Magadhari Prabhu, playfully but firmly took his stance, replying that there is a difference between the two activities because theirs inevitably takes them to hell.

Assuming the role of the opposition, Guru Maharaj immediately challenged him.

“You don’t seem very compassionate. I thought devotees were supposed to be peaceful, kind, and loving. You’re just giving me a bunch of discouragement.”

He then began to teach us his approach, explaining the difference, not by condemning the person, but by thoughtfully directing the conversation toward the opportunity for real happiness found in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Harinama may have ended, but Guru Maharaj’s mind was still absorbed in preaching…

Yesterday (07/23/26), one of our neighbors spontaneously mowed the temple lawn.

Hearing about it, Guru Maharaj remarked,

“After twenty-eight years, he finally got a taste for devotional service.”

Your insignificant servant,

Jñānavān Dasa

Brain Gain

Today I asked Guru Maharaj about how, through celibacy, the vital fluid is brought up to nourish the brain. I wanted to know whether this referred to an actual physiological process, or whether it simply described conserving and redirecting one’s energy toward higher intellectual and spiritual pursuits.

Asking me to pull Brain Gain off the shelf, Guru Maharaj directed me to the section entitled “Ayurvedic Metabolic Chain” (page 39).

The first Author’s Comment reads as follows:

“According to a modern Vedic authority, when food comes in contact with the body’s digestive fire or enzymes, some of it changes into plasma. Then by contact with other enzymes, a portion of the plasma is transformed into blood. A percentage of the blood is then further transformed into muscle; then the essence of muscle is transformed into fat. An extract of fat transforms into bone, then bone into marrow and finally semen or reproductive substance is produced. The body’s crucial vital fluids are the quintessence of food, plasma, blood, muscle, fat, bone and marrow. These are the sapta dhātus or the seven tissues that support this life and body. Bone marrow’s concealed essence, the essence of essences, emanates as semen.”

Highlighting the last sentence, Guru Maharaj explained that this was how Hiraṇyakaśipu sustained his life during his severe austerities. He stored his life air within the bone marrow. Thus, even as insects gradually consumed his body, his life remained protected.

-

Circling back to my original question, Guru Maharaj taught me about the word ūrdhvareta (literally, “one whose vital energy flows upward”). An ūrdhvareta (yogī) redirects this energy (ojas) upward into the brain.

Guru Maharaj remarked that ojas is “a very important word,” prompting my interest in researching the subject further.

For more on ojas, see Brain Gain, chapter “Prahladananda Swami” (page 297).

How to get your copy of Brain Gain - The Wisdom of Chastity and Celibacy

Southern Hospitality

Recently, Guru Maharaj recalled a time years ago when he and another devotee had gone to look at a property just outside Tampa, Florida.

They arrived unannounced, dressed in ordinary karmī clothes, though they still wore neck beads and carried japa bags. Guru Maharaj sporting a small shoulder bag slung across his chest.

Receiving a less-than-friendly welcome from the property owner, who stood outside with the devotees while his wife sat nearby on the porch, they exchanged a few words.

At one point, the man asked the devotees to hang tight while he went back inside.

Saying, “Y’all wait right here. I’ll be right back.”

As he disappeared into the house, his wife forebodingly looked over at the devotees and said,

“I think yous better go now.”

Guru Maharaj understood what she meant.

Without wasting a second, he grabbed the keys and the two of them ran for the car.

As they climbed inside, the man came bursting out of the house with a shotgun.

Taking aim at the car, he began firing.

Guru Maharaj recalled that perhaps one of the shots struck the vehicle.

& Remaining ducked below the dashboard, he backed the car out of the property as quickly as he could, lifting his head only when it became necessary to see where he was going.

When Guru Maharaj says, “They have a way of getting things done in the South,” he speaks from personal experience.

Your servant,

Jñānavān Dasa Brahmacari

“We can welcome hundreds and thousands of children. There is no question of economic problem. We know that.” -Srila Prabhupada

Today (7/14/2026) Guru Maharaj received an email from His Holiness Bhakti Vikāsa Swami Maharaj regarding a purport in Śrī Garga-saṁhitā, Canto 10, Chapter 7, Verse 20.

Bhakti Vikāsa Swami Maharaj mentioned in his email that he had never heard Śrīla Prabhupāda make such a statement and wondered where the reference came from.

So Guru Maharaj and I set out looking for it.

Sometime later, we found the source: a conversation from August 3, 1976, in New Māyāpur, France.

From there, Guru Maharaj and I spent some time reading through the conversation together. As we read, Gurumaharaja made comments—see those at the end of Srīla Prabhupāda’s conversation.

-

Prabhupāda: This is the trap of māyā, to keep them captivated by sex attraction. All these living entities who are in this material world, beginning from the higher planetary system down to the ants and germs and flies. This is the primary enjoyment, sex. The central attraction is sex. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45).

The human being, the same sex desire, they decorate it in a different way. But the central point is the same.

“So all right, why? It is enjoyment, why you are forbidding?”

Saintly persons say,

Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ kaṇḍūyanena karayor ivaduḥkha-duḥkham.

It is a pleasure of itching sensation. Itching sensation, when you itch, it is very pleasing. But bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ (SB 7.9.45). Aftereffect is very bad, suffering. Itching, if you itch more, it aggravates, sometimes causes so many other by-products and so on, so on. That is fact.

But everyone knows it, that “I may enjoy sex pleasure now; the aftereffect will be very bad.”

Bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ.

But why people do it again and again?

Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ.

Those who are kṛpaṇa—kṛpaṇa means not brāhmaṇa—those who are not trained up as a brāhmaṇa, they cannot tolerate this itching sensation. They become victimized and the aftereffect is very, very bad.

So either illicit or not illicit…

They know it.

The modern civilization, they have adopted the means of killing. First of all, they try to stop pregnancy by contraceptive method, and still if it is not stopped, then kill. And if he’s still born, then again they put up in a box and go away. You know this?

Harikeśa: Yes, the baby, they put it in a closet and lock the door and walk out.

Hari-śauri: Oh, in Japan.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is happening in Japan and other places. They put, and when the obnoxious smell comes, they open it and they find. Mother has become so kind. They put in a box and lock it up.¹

Hari-śauri: Airport lockers.

Prabhupāda: These are happening. But when you talk of that “You learn how to become brahmacārī,” that they will refuse. This is the position.

The aftereffect is very, very bad, either you get legally or illegally.

Legally, we have to raise the children very nicely. Otherwise, they will, unwanted children, create so much trouble. You have to take care for their proper education, of their clothes.(?) We say, “Never mind, you have got children, give them proper education, make them devotees, make their life successful.”

We cannot say that “You kill them.” That we cannot say. That is not possible.

Neither we can pack them in the, what is that box?

Hari-śauri: Lockers.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is not possible for us.

We welcome.

But we must be well organized to utilize these poor souls for becoming first-class devotees.²

That should be done.

Otherwise, sex life and the by-product, that is always troublesome, either you take this way or that way, it is troublesome.

If it is not troublesome, why they are killing their own children?

To avoid trouble.

This is psychology.

They want to avoid trouble.

But our process is, if you want to avoid trouble, then don’t marry, remain brahmacārī.

If you cannot, then, all right, have legal wife, get children and raise them very nicely, make them Vaiṣṇavas, take the responsibility.

So we are organizing this society, we welcome.

Some way or other we shall arrange for shelter.

But to take care of the children, to educate them, that will depend on their parents.

Now our Pradyumna was complaining that in the Gurukula, his child was not educated to count one, two, three, four.

So I have told him that “You educate your child. Let the mother educate in English, and you educate him in Sanskrit.”

Who can take care?

So similarly every father, mother should take care that in future they may not be a batch of unwanted children.

We can welcome hundreds and thousands of children. There is no question of economic problem. We know that.

But the father, mother must take care at least.

Properly trained up, they should be always engaged.

That is brahmacārī gurukula.

Brahmacārī guru-kule vasan dānto guror hitam (SB 7.12.1).

From the very beginning they should be trained up. From the body, they should be trained up how to take bath, how to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or some Vedic mantra, go to the temple, offer obeisances, prayer, then take their lunch…

In this way, they should be always engaged.

Then they’ll be trained up.

Simple thing.

We don’t want to train them as big grammarians. No. That is not wanted.

That anyone, if he has got some inclination, he can do it personally. There is no harm.

General training is that he must be a devotee, a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

That should be introduced.

Otherwise, the gurukula will be…

Otherwise Jyotirmayī was suggesting the biology.

What they’ll do with biology?

Don’t introduce unnecessary nonsense things.

Simple life.

Simply to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Simply let them be convinced that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is our duty to serve Him, that’s all.

Huh? (indistinct)

What is that?

Māyār bośe, jāccho bhese’
Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi
Jīva kṛṣṇa-dās ei biśwās korle to ār duḥkho nāi.

So organize.

If you have got sufficient place, sufficient scope, let them be trained up very nicely.

If some four, five centers like this there are in Europe, the whole face will be changed.³

Important places like Germany, France, England.

Now we are getting place.

I like that place, German, on account of this.

It has got scope.

—

¹ Here, Śrīla Prabhupāda mentions mothers putting their newborns “in a box and lock it up.” Guru Maharaj explained to me that this referred to an incident in Japan where mothers would leave their newborn babies in public lockers, such as those found at airports, before abandoning them. Eventually, after some time had passed, the smell would alert others that something was inside. I had never heard of such a thing before. It gave even greater weight to Guru Maharaj’s appreciation for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s bold vision and awesome claim.

-

² At this point Guru Maharaj paused and said:

“Now Prabhupada is really going into it. He’s being explicit. He’ll take the most unwanted children. And that’s why I’m with Prabhupada. No one else could even think of doing this. If anyone gives you a hard time (about following Śrīla Prabhupāda), you tell them that Śrīla Prabhupāda is the only one—so magnanimous that all these children they are killing, he’ll turn into your best population.”

Around this same point in our reading, Guru Maharaj mentioned that Radhanath Swami Maharaj had already begun such a program.

On the occasion of Guru Maharaj’s first visit to the Radha Gopinath Temple in Mumbai in 2007, knowing that the property had formerly been an orphanage, he asked Radhanath Swami whether it was still active.

In response, Radhanath Swami called in several of the resident brahmacari Vaisnavas.

Guru Maharaj recalled that they entered dressed in saffron, with shaved heads, neck beads, and tilaka, offering daṇḍavat obeisances.

Reflecting on the moment, Guru Maharaj simply said:

“I was incredulous.”

-

³Reading this section, Guru Maharaj paused and reflected:

“This place in Kansas City (RVC) could become an important recruiting and training place in the heart of America. And that’s our vision.”

Your servant,

Jñānavān Dāsa

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Lalitā Mādhava

A quick update from Guru Maharaj’s reading.

At the moment, Maharaj is looking over a new translation of Lalitā Mādhava, a play written by Śrīla Rūpa Goswami in 1532.

The translation was completed by an old friend of Maharaj’s from his days at Bhaktivedanta Manor. The project took over three years to finish and involved the cataloging of more than 10,000 Sanskrit words.

Recognizing Maharaj as a Vaiṣṇava scholar, his friend asked him to review the work and let him know what he thought. Maharaj was somewhat hesitant to think of himself in that capacity, but agreed to look it over as a service to his friend.

Most of Maharaj’s reading continues to be Śrīla Prabhupāda’s conversations, morning walks, etc. of which he is presently in the early months of 1975. But when time permits, he has been spending some time with this project as well.

Bhagavad-gītā 4.4 (06/08/2026)

I always appreciate the opportunity to study śāstra with Guru Maharaj.

Often we’ll sit down and go through a verse or two together. Maharaj shares his realizations, teaches me the ślokas and what they mean, and I have a lot of fun.

While we were doing that this afternoon, Maharaj mentioned how wonderful Kṛṣṇa consciousness is because there are so many activities we can engage ourselves in. And through each of these activities, we make spiritual advancement.

After making this remark, I read aloud Bhagavad-gītā 4.4:

After reciting the translation, Maharaj was reminded of something from his childhood.

He told me that when he was young, he would spend time near the volleyball courts at the beach. There was an older player there from the next generation up who was well-known and highly respected. But the young Maharaj would sometimes tell the onlookers:

“Yeah, I taught him everything he knows.”

The other player was older, more experienced, and already established.

Naturally, this confused people.

Maharaj mentioned, “they would ask me the same question Arjuna asked Kṛṣṇa:”

“How could you have taught him? He’s older than you.”

This was a small and insignificant moment in Maharaj’s retelling, but important and delightful for me to hear, giving a glimpse into the playful side of young Maharaj at the beach.

Your servant,

Jñānavān Dāsa

By Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, Guru Maharaj traveled nicely throughout our recent preaching tour and Sadhu Saṅga. His health is OK, and we have now returned to Kansas City and settled back into his regular schedule programming.

With things beginning to slow down, I’m happy to get back into sharing some of the nectarean moments and conversations that arise in day-to-day association with Guru Maharaj. Two such moments from the trip I’ve dropped below, please enjoy. & Please pray for me to become fixed in the orders of guru.

Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva (May 20th, 2026)

Guru Maharaj gave a small class this morning in the living room of the home where we are staying.

It was the kind of talk one could easily revel and get lost in, full of philosophical depth and reflection. One point I especially remember came in reference to Bhagavad-gītā 9.4:

This led Maharaj to ask a question:

If everything comes from God, how can He also be an individual?

The answer, he explained, is Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva.

Just before class, Guru Maharaj had been shown a video of Gargācārya Prabhu’s four-year-old daughter, Ramā, reciting Sanskrit verses from memory. She knew the Maṅgalācaraṇa, the Śikṣāṣṭakam, numerous Bhagavad-gītā verses, and more. It was remarkable to watch someone so young recite so much by heart.

Actually after seeing the video, Maharaj even commented that she may not be an ordinary child. But that’s another drop, for another day.

The point is that during class, he returned to the example.

If someone had been in another room listening, Maharaj explained, they may have thought Ramā was present in the room reciting the verses herself. The voice sounded exactly like hers.

But Ramā was sitting nearby while we watched the recording and we could all see that her mouth was not moving. She was sitting quietly with us while her recording played from the phone.

Still, when she heard herself reciting the verses, she became embarrassed.

Maharaj pointed out the significance of this.

In one sense, the recording was not different from her. It carried her voice and her presence. Yet at the same time, it was also distinct from her.

Using this simple example, Maharaj explained the principle of Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva—simultaneous oneness and difference.

What struck me most was not only the explanation itself, but how naturally it arose. Taking an event everyone in the room had just witnessed, Guru Maharaj used it to help us understand one of the most profound and inconceivable philosophical truths taught by Lord Caitanya.

Four Kinds of Varṇāśrama

Yesterday (May 19th), Maharaj, Ṛṣi Kumāra Prabhu, and I found ourselves headed to Baton Rouge so that Maharaj could speak at the Louisiana State University auditorium, which the local ISKCON community had rented for the occasion.

Before speaking, Danavir Goswami was lovingly prompted by His Grace Prāṇ Govinda Prabhu, a senior brahmacārī from Alachua, Florida, to speak on the topics: “Who are we? Whose are we? And where are we?”

After a thoughtful elaboration on these questions, Danavir Maharaja made his way to the local ISKCON Baton Rouge center where prasādam had been prepared for himself and the devotees. Maharaj honored prasādam, associated further with the community, and was very warmly received.

As we were preparing to leave, Prāṇa Govinda Prabhu made a comment to Maharaj, praising his scholarship. He recalled hearing a lecture in which Maharaj had spoken about four kinds of varṇāśrama, and remarked how impressed he had been by the point.

Later, in private, Maharaj brought the conversation back up.

“What are the four kinds of varṇāśrama?” he asked me.

I didn’t know.

Maharaj then explained that there are four kinds: daivī varṇāśrama, ordinary varṇāśrama, asuric varṇāśrama, and emergency varṇāśrama.

He explained that people sometimes become confused about the distinction between daivī varṇāśrama and ordinary varṇāśrama.

I asked if ordinary varṇāśrama meant following the scriptural injunctions without a specific aim toward surrendering to Viṣṇu or Krsna.

Maharaj confirmed.

He then mentioned that some people deny emergency varṇāśrama altogether.

“But really,” he said, “how could you?”

Maharaj explained that emergency varṇāśrama arises when the need outweighs the qualification. In extraordinary circumstances, one may for instance find himself acting as a brāhmaṇa, even though under ordinary conditions he would not be considered qualified for that role.

ENVY (6/4/26)

Over the past few weeks, you may have noticed that the Rupanuga Vedic College YouTube channel has been producing more content featuring the vani of HH Danavir Goswami Maharaj.

Much of the credit for this goes to Ripughna Prabhu & Sarvamangala Mataji, who have been a part of our congregation for a little over a year now. Many devotees know them through their enthusiastic engagement in sankirtan, but they have also been assisting in a variety of other services.

On behalf of many grateful listeners, thank you for your service.

Today, the RVC YouTube channel shared a reflection from Guru Maharaj.

After reading this passage from The Bright Side, Maharaj remarked:

“That’s deep. Did I write that? I don’t even remember, but I’m glad I did.”

He then elaborated on the difference between noticing faults and searching for them.

Noticing a fault is one thing. Deliberately searching for faults is another. When we actively look for faults in others in order to elevate ourselves, that is envy. There is a motive behind it. We resent another person’s position, qualities, or success because they possess something we want.

As Maharaj explained, pride thinks, “I have something special.” Envy thinks, “They have something I want, so let me put them down so I can feel better.”

It was a further elaboration on an already profound point, delivered with the kind of clarity that Guru Maharaj brings to even the most subtle aspects of devotional life.

A sincere thank you to those helping preserve and distribute these valuable teachings. Through such service, many more people can benefit from Guru Maharaj’s wisdom.

Your servant,

Jñānavān Dasa

“Is a place still considered holy before a sādhu sanctifies it?”

I met this question with a sobering response from Danavir Maharaj:

“We can’t speculate.”

I was wondering: when does a place become holy? Is it when a great soul actually occupies it? Or is it already connected to the Lord and His devotee, just not yet visible to us—like a pastime that has yet to unfold?

But in his way, Maharaj gently checked my tendency toward speculation.

What followed was refreshing—because it brought the mind back from speculation and toward something more practical.

DG said:

“Everything is connected with Kṛṣṇa. So was it holy before? Holy in one sense, it may have been holy before. But we can certainly call it holy afterwards.”

—

P.S. Only a few days after writing this entry, more on this topic was revealed to me from Guru Maharaj.

In Garga Saṁhitā, Canto 7, Part 2, Chapter 1, Verse 1—Danavir Goswami Purport states:

Upon reading this aloud, Guru Maharaj looked at me and said:

“There’s the answer to your question.”

The Morning of 5/18/26

Danavir Maharaja, Ṛṣi Kumāra Prabhu, and I have been staying here in New Orleans with Gargācārya Prabhu until Sadhu Saṅga begins. He and his family, originally from Māyāpura, have been wonderful hosts.

Having their association—and the association of the New Orleans ISKCON community, majority of whom are also from Māyāpura—has made it feel as though we ourselves have entered Māyāpura.

Just this morning, seeing Gargācārya Prabhu’s four-year-old daughter helping in the kitchen, Maharaj commented how nice it is that in their culture children learn to cook from such a young age.

Then, making a comparison to modern education, he remarked:

“What are the karmīs teaching their kids? Simply sense gratification. That’s all.”

—

Later on, while Maharaj honored prasādam, a crow began loudly calling outside the open window.

Hearing it, Maharaj said:

“You can always tell what’s on a crow’s mind.”

“Food?” I guessed.

“Garbage” said Maharaja

“Caw! Caw! Caw!” he said, imitating the crow. “You can hear the difference between a bird singing sweetly and a raucous crow.”

DG’s final remark, “Still, if the crow eats some prasādam, he’ll get to be a human. (Next birth)”

Gargācārya Prabhu’s Home Program 5/18/2026

Last night Guru Maharaja attended a home program hosted by Gargācārya Prabhu here in New Orleans. It was very successful.

Over one hundred devotees and guests attended, one Garga-Samhita set was distributed, and Guru Maharaj gave an inspiring talk that was humorous, hopeful, and ultimately sobering—reminding us of the rare opportunity we have in this human form of life, especially with what Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has offered us (Listen and download below.)

I ask your continued prayers for Guru Maharaj’s health—which is at the moment, OK.

Your servant,

Jñānavān Dasa

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

Recently I came across a room conversation from January 30th, 2026 in which DG spoke about the importance of early morning study.

DG: If someone really wants to get their studying and reading done, they’ll do it in the morning (before mangal arāti).

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Like a fool, I asked, “Should I do that?”

DG: If one really wants to study, wants realizations, then he’ll study at that time. Otherwise it’ll become afternoon, you’ll get busy, and everyone around you will be working.

-

Today, Maharaj spoke further on the topic of rising early, especially with regard to writing during those early morning hours—a program he himself followed for many years.

Rumor has it that Danavir Maharaj used to have his assistant wake him at 12AM for writing and study. The assistant was even told to sit in front of the door so Maharaj could not leave the room and go back to sleep.

Suffice to say, DG took every measure he could for many years to use those early morning hours as best he could.

I’m reminded of Bhagavad-gītā 2.69:

yā niśā sarva-bhūtānāṁ

tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī

yasyāṁ jāgrati bhūtāni

sā niśā paśyato muneḥ

“What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.”

“It’s nice to write in the morning,” he said, “because writing is a service not everyone has, it may not always be best to engage in it during the day while others are engaged in hard service.”

Sometimes a devotee may be working very hard for Kṛṣṇa while someone else is sitting nearby reading or writing—and naturally the thought may arise: “I’d also like to do that.”

Maharaj also mentioned that, in his experience, one will both write better and write quicker in the morning.

His Business is to Increase His Love

Maharaj taught me a verse yesterday describing the madhyama-adhikārī, the second-class devotee:

īśvare tad-adhīneṣu

bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca

prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā

yaḥ karoti sa madhyamaḥ

SB 11.2.46

Maharaj broke down the verse nicely for me.

There is one Īśvara and three classes of men.

Tad-adhīneṣu refers to the devotees. Bāliśeṣu means the innocent. And dviṣatsu means the envious.

Maharaj told me that the madhyama-adhikārī is learning how to increase his love for Kṛṣṇa through properly navigating these relationships. “Prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā.”

In regards to the four classes, the madhyama-adhikārī has the vision to distinguish them properly and knows how to reciprocate accordingly.

DG: “He knows who God is, and in order to increase his love for God, he makes friends (maitrī) with the devotees.”

In this connection, Maharaj said Upadeśāmṛta, verse 4 explains how to do that.

dadāti pratigṛhṇāti

guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati

bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva

ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṇam

Translation: Offering gifts, accepting gifts, revealing one’s mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasādam, and offering prasādam are the six loving exchanges shared between devotees.

DG: “These six increase your loving exchanges, which means you’re advancing. This is the business of the madhyama-adhikārī. His business is how to increase his love.”

Towards the innocent, bāliśeṣu, the madhyama shows mercy (kṛpā). And toward the envious, dviṣatsu, he simply neglects (upekṣā).

This is why, Maharaj explained, the madhyama-adhikārī is the preacher, saying:

“Actually, from no other platform can one preach.”

Maharaj explained that this is because the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, or prakṛta-bhakta, is still a neophyte devotee. He has not yet developed the vision to make distinctions and remains mostly absorbed in his own relationship with the Deity.

And sometimes, Maharaj said:

“Someone may think they’re first class, but really they’re a third-class prakṛta-bhakta.”

-

Found in the back of Danavir Goswami’s Uttamaśloka (pg. 296) is a passage written by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami in 1958 which beautifully describes kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs while simultaneously showing just how an uttama-adhikārī thinks.

Srīla Prabhupāda writes:

-

Danavir Maharaja describes that the nature of the uttama-adhikārī is that he sees everyone as better than himself, therefore he says, “how could I preach?”

The madhyama-adhikārī makes distinctions, understands how to relate accordingly, and therefore becomes empowered to preach.

Hoping to render some real and selfless service someday soon,

Your servant,

Jñānavān Dāsa

Sannyāsa

Teachings from a room conversation with DG dated May 7, 2026

Why is today’s ISKCON so careful to award sannyāsa?

DG explains that in the past there may have been a certain naivety surrounding sannyāsa, and therefore, for the protection of everyone, the selection process is now approached more carefully.

Helping me understand, Maharaj made the point that sannyāsa is part of the Vedic varṇāśrama system and therefore remains necessary for a well-functioning society.

He also said that it is a program meant to be taken advantage of by those who are ready.

Finishing his thought, Maharaj said:

“We just have to practice. It’s like anything—like playing the violin. You have to practice before you play on stage. So we practice as brahmacharis, grihasthas, vanaprasthas… and then, when the time comes. We take sannyasa and play on stage. But we better make sure we don’t fall down.“

Loyalty to ISKCON

A very nice pastime between Jagadānanda Paṇḍit and Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī can be found in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 13.49–59.

In this section, Jagadānanda Paṇḍit demonstrates great faith in Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

And In text 59 Sanātana Gosvāmī says:

tumi nā dekhāile ihā śikhiba ke-mate?

“Unless you demonstrate it, how could I learn such faith?”

-

Upon reading this nectar, Maharaj made the following point:

He stated that we ourselves should become loyal, seeking exclusive association with Śrīla Prabhupāda and the devotees who remain fixed in his International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

-

My humble addition…

tumi nā dekhāile ihā śikhiba ke-mate?

Through Guru Mahārāja we can see what full faith in Śrīla Prabhupāda actually looks like. Otherwise, how could we ever understand?

Your servant,

Jñānavān Dāsa

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Don’t Jump

DG says:

“One may get embarrassed bowing down in the streets, but at the same time, they’ll have no problem bowing down when it’s for their own sense gratification. These things block. That’s why they’re called pillars of sinful activity.”

Maharaj backed his point up by quoting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.17.38. In this verse, Kali is given permission to reside in four places. Per Parīkṣit’s rule, Kali could reside wherever there was gambling, prostitution, drinking, or animal slaughter present.

dyūtam — gambling

pānam — drinking

striyah — illicit association with women

sūnā — animal slaughter

These are the four kinds of sinful activities, or catuḥ-vidha adharma.

—

DG goes on:

“So they are adharma. This is why we follow the path of goodness, because Kali cannot live in a place without dyūtam, pānam, striyah, sūnā.”

Jñānavān Dāsa:

“But Maharaj, we may be following all the principles, but māyā still gets to us. We still have material desire”

DG:

“Yeah, but as long as you don’t jump out of the ship. You may be on the water, but you’re in the boat. Don’t jump out.”

—

Guru Maharaj then brought up a question he said had stayed with him for years:

“Why would Parīkṣit Mahārāja give Kali a place to stay?”

“Parīkṣit knew that Kali is already a despicable person. Who’s going to give him a place—and why?”

To this question, he said he now understood the answer.

DG:

“The king is righteous, following all dharma. It’s the duty of a king to take care of all of his kingdom. It’s his duty. He has to make arrangements for all people. A king is a monarch. He has to make sure he gives facility even to people like Kali. So this makes it a little harder for the king.

It’s like someone very merciful and kind, and ones hosting a big contest. He may only want the top people in that field to come. But he can’t limit the contest and say only the top people are allowed to come…

Here, Parīkṣit is being approached by Kali. He knows Kali is bad, but when approached, he has to show some attentiveness to the details, just like a good householder would treat his guest.”

Sāṅkhya Or Bhakti?

This morning’s Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class, 3.25.19, raised an interesting question surrounding the Sāṅkhya-yoga taught by Lord Kapila.

The question was on whether there is any difference between bhakti-yoga and the Sāṅkhya process described by Kapiladeva in the Srimad Bhagavatam

Maharaj did not answer during class, but afterwards he spoke his mind to me.

With simple conviction, he said:

“They’re the same. They’re perfectly the same.”

Directing my attention to a purport in Bhagavad-gītā 2.39, he called in a section written by Śrīla Prabhupāda:

“Here sāṅkhya means analytical description of the body and the soul. Lord Kṛṣṇa made an analytical description of the soul just to bring Arjuna to the point of buddhi-yoga, or bhakti-yoga. Therefore, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s sāṅkhya and Lord Kapila’s sāṅkhya, as described in the Bhāgavatam, are one and the same. They are all bhakti-yoga.”

Srīla Prabhupāda made it clear that Lord Kapila’s Sāṅkhya is not different from bhakti-yoga.

There are two Kapila’s, one is an imposter and propounder of a Godless philosophy and the other is the Supreme Lord Himself.

DG said this about the atheist Kapila:

“The atheists leave out two elements, and therefore their understanding is not complete. Where is their understanding of where life comes from? Atheistic Kapila is compared to scientists who are missing out on the most important elements—the soul (25) and the Supersoul (26). Like modern scientists, they analyze everything but cannot see how life comes about. They’re missing those two elements. They can’t see the soul, nor can they even perceive the soul because they’re not in devotional service.”

Jñānavān Dāsa:

“Maharaj, I heard that the first realization we receive from chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa is that we’re not the body, but we’re a spiritual soul. Is that true?”

DG:

“It’s one of the first ones. When you realize that, that’s quite the eye-opener. Because when you hear from a bona fide spiritual master and he sees that you really want to learn, he gives that knowledge. And it becomes plain as day.

But if you stay in illusion, then you’ll keep your eyes closed, like an owl who keeps his eyes closed in daytime.”

Danavir Goswami says:

“With devotional service, one immediately outgrows the childish, foolish things he/she was once doing.”

Please enjoy.

Your servant who needs your help,

Jñānavān Dāsa

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April 29, 2026 - The Man and the Beggar

Today I made a purchase for Maharaj, but I didn’t get exactly what he had asked for. I ended up choosing a cheaper option without really thinking.

Later, he asked me, “Well, was it atleast worth it? how much did you save?”

“Maybe like, I don’t know, 50 cents.”

“Fifty cents!?”

And then he remembered a story—one he had heard many times from Śrīla Prabhupāda.

—

Once there was a beggar—very hungry—going from place to place asking for alms, for food, but no one would give him anything.

Finally, he came to a Muslim man and begged, “My dear sir, I am very hungry. Is there any way you can feed me?”

The man said, “But I am Muslim.”

The beggar said, “That’s alright.”

So the man gave him some food.

After eating, the beggar began to cry.

Maharaj explained that traditionally, Hindus did not accept food from Muslims because of the social consequence—one would lose his caste.

So the man had accepted the food and there he sat, crying. But still he was hungry, and so he asked the man if he could spare any more food.

The man, being very poor, said no.

And so the beggar replied, “I’ve lost my caste—and I’m not even full.”

—

The point Maharaj was making was that this man lost his caste in exchange for receiving food, but the food never satisfied him.

So what was the point? The beggar missed out on both accounts.

—

Then Maharaj connected it all together by telling me I got the wrong item, and for what? Because it cost fifty cents less? That’s not even a satisfactory amount to save.

April 28, 2026 - Microphone Vanacari

While straightening things up in Maharaj’s room I came across some old microphones.

He uses microphones to help with his voice, since at times during the day it becomes soft and hard to hear. I came across two of them that were very old—pretty much held together by tape.

I asked him what I should do with them.

He paused and said, “Well… just in case we need them.”

So as I moved to put them in a drawer, he said, “They’ve done such nice service… yeah—vānaprastha.”

This was a funny moment for me—his microphones taking vānaprastha.

For some reason, I cracked up. I found it hilarious.

Maybe it’s my immaturity, or maybe it’s because Guru Maharaj’s humor has a way of cutting through—getting me excited about devotional service even at the depths of all my ignorance.

Somehow or other, he’s always finding a way to connect things back to the śāstra or the culture of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

The Legends are True

While reading Radha Damodar Vilasa, Danavir Goswami came across an account given on April 5, 1970 (two months before he joined LA temple)

—

In response to reading this, Danavir Maharaja stated, “Yep—that’s it.”

But then by his glance I was met with something strong. Something confirming what we had just read in the way that words never could—his eyes, carrying an understanding of his own experience with Viṣṇujana.

Maharaja on Being a Miser

“When you don’t have money, you don’t spend it—and when you have money but don’t know how to use it, you still don’t spend it.

Maharaja compares the latter to a miser. A miser means he has a good opportunity in a human body, but he wastes it.

Agnideva….& Ramesvara Nectar

A few days back, when prayer requests first came in for Agnidev Prabhu, I was there to tell Maharaj—something I’ve had to do before.

I told him prayers were being requested, he knew what that meant, and Maharaj paused for a moment.

Then out of my own self-interest, I said “Do you want me to tell you about these things when they come up, should I tell you? Because I’d really rather not talk about it when things like this happen.”

Danavir Goswami said, “No, tell me. It’s nice to know. We can share in the global prayers. Things are going on…People will be leaving.”

Maharaj mentioned that praying for others in this way happens in other traditions too—how naturally, we want to pray for each other.

—

With Agnidev Prabhu passing, I kept Maharaj updated—showing him pictures and prayers as they came in.

One such picture showed a Zoom call in which many devotees joined to be with Agnidev Prabhu in his last moments, Maharaja was very pleased to see this.

One devotee pictured in that call was Ramesvara Prabhu.

We began speaking about him, and I learned that, upon leaving the movement, he became a very respectable business owner—managing major buildings and skyscrapers in important cities.

Maharaj then began to use Ramesvara as an example of how being a devotee brings all good qualities, stating:

“Before Krishna consciousness, he was just a young man with no management experience—and he became such a good manager.”

Maharaja, who was serving as the temple commander in LA at the time, recounts his first meeting with Ramesvara:

“I was there when Ramesvara first arrived in LA, he was coming from the Portland temple. He walked straight up to me, paid his obeisances, and began begging for service.”

On Becoming a Brahmana… and More

Recently the topic arose: a brāhmaṇa should never tell lies, but yet for a vaiśya the same rule doesn’t apply.

Maharaja gave the example that a vaiśya may tell the lie “My dear sir, for you, I make no profit.”

“But” I said, “can’t a vaiśya also be a brāhmaṇa? What if a vaiśya has second initiation and wears the sacred thread?”

To my question he responded thus:

“There are four classes of men:”

“By birth, everyone is a śūdra—janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ.”

“By saṁskāra (purification), one becomes twice-born or dvijah—saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ.”

“By study of the Vedas and cultivation of knowledge, one becomes a vipra—veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipraḥ.”

“But brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ—one who knows Brahman is a brāhmaṇa. He is A first class man.”

But at last Maharaj said that “even beyond the brāhmaṇa platform is the Vaiṣṇava.”

—

On the point of varṇāśrama, maharaja continued:

“Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches us how to act on the spiritual platform—how to properly incorporate varṇāśrama. When it is enacted properly, it becomes spiritual because it facilitates advancement. But if we are fortunate to have a bona fide spiritual master, he can help us understand who we really are:

A servant of the servant.

gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ.

That is pure devotional service, and though devotional service is ultimately beyond varṇāśrama—it doesn’t reject it so long as it is favorable.”

—

Quoting this verse with great pleasure, maharaja said:

“Happy are the kṣatriyas to whom such fighting opportunities come unsought, opening for them the doors of the heavenly planets.” (Bhagavad-gītā 2.32)

But then he said, “at the same time, Kṛṣṇa also says to give up all varieties of occupation—sarva-dharmān parityajya and surrender unto me.”

“So one might think this is contradictory,” He said, “but it is not. Because, you see, that sarva-dharmān parityajya is Kṛṣṇa’s last instruction, and acting on that platform is best.”

—

Maharaj then recalled a fitting example. In a lecture dated Oct 28, 1974, Srila Prabhupada explains that, in one sense, Arjuna was more advanced than Yudhiṣṭhira. Because Arjuna was willing to lie for Kṛṣṇa, whereas Yudhiṣṭhira hesitated due to his own proclivity toward truthfulness.

Maharaja explains: “The hesitation that Yudhistira felt—‘I have never told a lie’—was a kind of personal consideration. But Arjuna had no such reservation when it came to serving Kṛṣṇa.”

Nonetheless, though a ksatriya, Yudhiṣṭhira Maharaj displayed brāhminical-like qualities and was, as Maharaj said, “no less qualified as a king than Lord Rāma.”

Taking consideration into Yudhistira’s great qualification as a devotee, maharaja then made an invaluable reflection:

“So just look at Prabhupāda’s position. Only Prabhupāda could speak like that. He is in a position to even critique a personality like Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. Srīla Prabhupāda can do this because he knows exactly what Kṛṣṇa wants.”

The other day, Maharaj was reading an article from Back to Godhead by Bhayahari Das, titled Destiny and Endeavor.

It posed a dramatic question:

Are we simply puppets, helplessly manipulated by the strings of our past activities?

Maharaja especially liked the beginning of the article, It went like this:

Maharaja paused at this point, chuckling to himself and murmuring, “Classic,” before appreciating how nicely a philosophical question had been woven into an everyday example.

—

As the article continued it brought up a discussion found in the Matsya Purāṇa between Lord Matsya and Satyavrata Muni, a great king and sage.

They discuss which is superior—fate or one’s effort? A topic that was already recently covered in Drop 2.

In short, Lord Matsya describes three elements: fate, effort, and time—and how they conjointly affect the course of one’s life.

The example is given of a farmer. His crop depends on planting, rain, and time.

Maharaj liked that point, saying:

“If he plants but there is no rain—no crop. If it rains but he hasn’t planted—no crop. Both are required.”

Then maharaja referenced the five causes of action found in Bhagavad-gītā verse 18.14,

• the place of action (the body)

• the performer

• the various senses

• the different kinds of endeavor

• and ultimately, the Supersoul

He stated that “Whatever happens, it’s not only up to us, but if we try our best in Krishna consciousness—that is OK.” Telling that Srila Prabhupada would sometimes would say like that.

A god-sister asked Maharaj a question about japa—whether one should begin chanting on the larger beads of the mālā.

He said yes. That’s what he does, and that’s how he teaches.

The first eight larger beads are for the eight principal gopīs, and chanting begins there. He mentioned that sometimes on a mālā you’ll see a marker—usually a string—after the eighth bead to indicate this.

—

I told him that the beads I received at initiation have a marker—but that I had stopped chanting on them, thinking to preserve them, as I had heard some Vaiṣṇavas sometimes do—past examples being Satsvarūpa Dāsa Goswami and also Rūpa Goswami.

Maharaj gave me a sideways look.

He asked how big the beads were that I’m chanting on now, and I said they’re mostly small, with just two larger beads on one end.

I asked if that was alright.

He didn’t say anything—just another look.

But that was enough…

So I said, “I should probably just chant on my initiation beads.”

He said, “Yeah, I think that’d be a good idea.”

-

Then, giving me darśan of his beads, he pulled them out of his bag and dictated that a proper mālā, has eight larger beads toward one side, which a devotee should favor beginning with. He also showed where the marker would be to indicate them.

I asked if these were the same beads from his initiation.

He said no—and mentioned, a bit regretfully, that Śrīla Prabhupāda would likely chastise him for having lost his.

—

One time, while driving Guru Maharaj from Orlando to Tampa, I had asked him what happens if one loses their beads.

At that time, he had said that the spiritual master is always with the disciple, and that in one sense, he has already chanted on all the beads.

He also mentioned that Śrīla Prabhupāda gave the same understanding, and after some time, he (like Danavir Goswami) stopped giving new sets of beads when they were lost.

—

In my time with Guru Maharaj, here are a few other notes on japa etiquette I’ve taken:

The Kṛṣṇa bead—the large bead—is never crossed over or chanted on.

Chanting is done between the thumb and middle finger of the right hand.

And when a round is complete, the Kṛṣṇa bead is touched to the head, which signifies taking the dust of Lord Kṛṣṇa‘s lotus feet upon one’s head.

—

Also, one time I asked about chanting the Pañca-tattva mantra before every round.

Maharaj said he didn’t recall that being done in the old days. But he mentioned that it’s now a question that arises from time to time.

The understanding I received was that it’s not necessary to ritualize that practice.

Maharaj gives me a piece of advice.

He said every devotee should have a list—a list of things they know they need to improve on.

I asked him, “What’s the danger of not having a list?”

He said the danger is that we may start to think we have nothing to work on.

Eternally your servant,

Serving to remember,

Jnanavan Dasa

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“Don’t Rot, Ratha Yatra!” -DG

Yesterday (4/23/26) Maharaj watched a ratha-yātrā put on last week in Brisbane, Australia.

Maharaj caught a glimpse of Jagannātha, Subhadrā, and Baladeva on the cart.

“How big do you think they are?” he asked me.

“Maybe four or five feet.” I said

“Well are they made of wood?”

“I think so” I said. “I think they’re wooden.”

After a moment or two, I asked, “Does Jagannātha have to be made out of wood?”

Maharaj said, “God made out of wood—Dāro Brahman, that means God in the form of wood.”

Then he told me more about a lost letter he once received from Śrīla Prabhupāda—a letter he’s mentioned before, but whose contents have mostly remained a mystery to me.

He tells that in that letter, he had asked Srila Prabhupada the question, “Can we make Jagannātha out of fiberglass?”

Śrīla Prabhupāda had replied, “Yes—but why not wood?”

While on the west coast, Maharaja said he lent that letter to a devotee, who was a cousin of Barbra Streisand—and who had accidentally lost it.

Sundays with the Swami 4/19/26

Every Sunday feast, Maharaj invites guests into his room, sending me to extend the invitations.

Last week, a man came up to meet him. First time at the temple.

He was friendly and open, and took the opportunity when Maharaj offered to show him how to chant the mahā-mantra on beads. So we all did some chanting together, and the man seemed to like it.

As the conversation continued, it came out that he was preparing to go on a Vipassana retreat—complete silence for ten days.

He said he had been looking for something to focus his mind on during the retreat and asked if the mahā-mantra could be helpful in that way. Maharaj said “definitely,” explaining how there is nothing better to fix your mind on. Then also said that it’s best to chant audibly, but one can also chant quietly to oneself—it’s just more difficult.

When the gentleman asked about our daily Japa schedule Maharaj said thus:

“We chant every morning in the temple— it’s much easier in that kind of atmosphere. There are pictures of Krishna, the spiritual world, the spiritual masters (ācāryas), and Tulsi plants. Tulsi is very dear to Krishna, and it’s especially auspicious to chant in her presence.”

DG: “So when are you going on retreat?”

Guest: “Wednesday”

DG: “Well is there any cancellation still allowed?”

Guest: “What?”

DG: “A cancellation, do they still have a cancellation?”

Guest: (laughs—a little caught off guard) “Why?”

DG: “Oh, I don’t know. I’m just wondering.”

Guest: “Uh I’m not sure.”

DG: “I don’t know if you’re going to be happy being silent so long, but anyway—you said Wednesday?”

Guest: “Yes, Wednesday.”

DG: “Okay, so you have until Wednesday—that’s good. At least until Wednesday you can chant out loud.”

Guest: “Yes, yes.”

DG: “And then, if you find you just want to do it in a more traditional way, you can cancel. Tell them you’re sick or something.”

DG: (A small pause filled the air.) “Sick of the material world!”

Everyone laughed.

DG: And that’s true, we are sick of this material world. But—that’s your choice.

Guest: Just uh, do it on my own you mean?

DG: How far away do you live?

Guest: It’s in Dallas (Vipassana retreat).

DG: Where do you live though? Here. How far from here?

Guest: From here, I live, uh, on the other side of the plaza.

DG: Wow, we’re neighbors. Great.

DG: Yeah, so it just takes a few minutes to come over here and chant with us. Save some money. No charge for this chanting.

DG: And you will love the food.

Guest: I haven’t tried the food yet.

DG: Yeah, we’re just getting ready for it.

Guest: And the chanting you do every day?

DG: Every morning. We have a set chanting period from 5:15 A.M-7:15 A.M. (End)

Maharaja kept him on his toes the whole time. But did so in a way you could see the man was obviously charmed by—endearingly caught off guard, but appreciative.

Maharaj has a way of speaking very directly like that. He’ll sometimes say it’s because he’s old—he can say things others can’t. And in that spirit, he doesn’t hesitate to point someone toward what will actually help, even if it means telling them to reconsider something they’ve already committed to.

The gentleman gave $20 and left with a copy of the Srimad Bhagavatam and japa beads, took prasadam, and was genuinely grateful for the time.

After our guest left, Maharaj remarked how “He’s going to spend all that money to go and do nothing.”

But at the same time, Maharaj also acknowledged something sincere in him—having asked for an object of meditation.

Let’s see what comes of it.

TOVP State of Mind

With the opening of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium on his mind, I said to Maharaj “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

But he corrected me, saying “This is a once in many lifetimes opportunity.”

All glories to the assembled devotees!

Trying to please you one way or another.

Your servant,

Jnanavan Dasa

Room exchange on 4/16/2026 - Envy

From my own experience, I mentioned to Danavir Maharaj the serious trap that envying godbrothers can create.

He said, “Yes—but Kṛṣṇa can guide us out of that trap.”

—

A little later, I opened up again.

I said that my mind was agitated—pushing toward mundane enjoyment—and I wondered if it might be some kind of karmic reaction. Maybe previously dwelling on sense objects, I was now feeling frustrated with those desires unfulfilled.

Maharaj said, “It’s very difficult to work out karma or understand exactly what is happening. But a devotee understands that whatever it is, Kṛṣṇa can take care of it. Just take it to Him.”

—

Things got quiet after that.

It felt like the conversation had run its course. Nothing more was said.

But in a moment, Maharaj spoke again—saying:

“A good player just wants to see how his team can win… but that’s hard, because we also have our individual nature.”

“Like President Truman had that quote, it’s such a nice quote: ‘It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.’”

…

I responded that I could see in myself a tendency to want to run away from the problems in my life—to just go.

Maharaj chuckled.

Then, as if revealing the thought I hadn’t quite said out loud, he said, “Yeah… let them see how much they’ll miss me when I’m gone.”

—

Shortly after, Maharaj put on a video of Radheshyam Prabhu, and right from the beginning he spoke about how we shouldn’t be envious of devotees, but instead take part in their glorification—and join together for the glorification of the Supreme Lord.

It was the very same point we had just been discussing.

I could feel Maharaj’s glance come over me. When I looked at him and saw his smile, how could I help mine from forming?

March 31st, 1974, in Bombay.

Maharaj and I read aloud from a morning walk conversation—

At times, he would comment or expand on a point, and I would ask questions as they came up. The following is my humble attempt to share what was uncovered in that exchange.

We began reading the morning walk as Prabhupada touched upon the word dvandva-mohena, and Maharaj paused at that point.

Expanding on the phrase, DG explained that dvandva-moha means a kind of lack of faith. It means one doesn’t fully believe that Kṛṣṇa is on their side. Instead, there’s the feeling that, “I have to take care of myself,” as if Kṛṣṇa’s interests and my interests are separate.

—>

We kept reading and the conversation then shifted to the topic of Māyāvādīs…

I asked Maharaj, what is the difference between a Brahmavādī and a Māyāvādī?

He explained that there are similarities, but a Brahmavādī is one who is seeking Brahman, and is, in one sense, less problematic—though still incomplete in his understanding.

But a Māyāvādī is nasty. He thinks that Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary human being covered by māyā.

In the exchange that followed, Śrīla Prabhupāda expertly cuts down that idea:

Dr. Patel: Māyā is for the jīva.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like darkness. Darkness means absence of sun. But the sun is never absent.

Mr. Sar: Yes, the sun is never absent.

Prabhupāda: The sun is always in the sunlight. It is for us to be in the darkness.

Mr. Sar: Kṛṣṇa is the Lord of māyā.

Prabhupāda: Māyām etāṁ taranti te. By simply surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa, one becomes freed from māyā. So how can Kṛṣṇa be under the influence of māyā?

—>

When Prabhupada began speaking about anta kāle, life’s final moment, and how one can only remember Krishna with practice- I curiously asked Danavir Goswami:

“What is the point in our practice (Japa) if we’re not actually present for it?”

Maharaj gave an example.

He said it’s like catching balls. Many balls may be hit toward you, and you may not catch them all. But if you miss one, you gather your focus and apply yourself to the next one coming.

That has served as a meditation in my japa over the past few days—just trying to stay attentive, not getting discouraged, and doing my best.

—

One of the men in the conversation—guest number five, as Maharaj described him—was very bold, and had been constantly challenging Śrīla Prabhupāda the whole conversation.

The man finally asked, “Why did God create suffering? Why not create a permanent paradise on earth?”

Reading this, Maharaj reacted strongly.

DG said, “He thinks it’s so easy to be God? He’s asking for a paradise on earth so he can go on sinning. Then he blames God, saying that He wasn’t liberal enough to allow him all his nonsense.”

He continued:

“It’s like they say, ‘Jesus died for my sins, so I don’t have to reduce them.’ But it’s not that we go on sinning. God tells us what sin is—and asks that we stop.” (End)

Vedic Paradigm

In a brand new Vedic Paradigm short, we see the Mura demon fighting against Vāyu and the Maruts.

From what is seen in Garga-Saṁhitā 4.8.11, this was just one of Mura’s conquests in his takeover of Svargaloka, where he drove out the demigods—Indra, Yama, Varuṇa, Vāyu, and others. He was described as so powerful that not even all the demigods combined could defeat him.

I asked Maharaj, if Mura defeated all of them, why didn’t he finish them off? In other words—why didn’t he kill them?

Maharaj said, “They’re not so easy to kill. The demigods are programmed to live for a day of Brahma. To kill them before their time—that’s not meant to be done.”

That was something I hadn’t really considered before.

All glories to the assembled devotees!

Your servant,

Jnanavan Dasa

What is Uddhava Mantri?

Mantri means minister, and Uddhava for having served very nicely in that role. Entrusted for his wisdom and mediation between parties, we see Uddhava navigate the difficult path between friends and foe time and again, such as between Lord Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs, between Vidura and Maitreya Ṛṣi, and between Prince Aniruddha and King Yauvanāśva, just to name a few.

Therefore, Maharaj at times refers to me by the same name, Uddhava Mantri, as delivering messages and maintaining peaceful relationships comes as part of the service.

The other day this came up again. Maharaj mentioned that because I’m doing some work for him, someone in my position must remain cool and calm. I should learn to be neutral. I should become fair and friendly in all situations—“like Uddhava,” he said.

This is where the name comes from.

Maharaj mentioned that all these qualities of Uddhava are certainly present in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But still, more often they are found in the Śrī Garga Saṁhitā.

For example, a recent study into the qualities of Uddhava led maharaja and I to this verse:

Uddhava said,

“Dear Prince Aniruddha, misled by the advice of his incompetent ministers, the sixteen-year-old lad has decided to fight with you, but you should not kill him.” (Garga Saṁhitā 10.21.17)

Here Uddhava advises Aniruddha regarding a young king who had challenged him. Though the young king had taken up arms, Uddhava recognized that he was not inimical, but misled by poor counsel—a ku-mantri, an incompetent minister—and therefore Uddhava advised restraint.

Maharaja also noted the Srī Garga-Saṁhitā verse 10.34.19–21——wherein his purport says:

“Uddhava was often chosen for negotiations due to his expertise, but when not engaged in that capacity, he was also present on the battlefield.”

Upon reading this, Maharaj was reminded, and said “Uddhava is not just a speaker, he is a doer. He went out with the army, he fought.”

For context, that purport comes at a time in the chapter when the great demon Balvala takes up arms against Uddhava.

So Maharaj went further and made the point—if Uddhava was there fighting with Balvala, a powerful opponent—so he must have been a capable fighter as well.

Jayapataka Swami glorifies Danavir Maharaja - and vice versa

Sometime ago, Danavir Goswami was in Atlanta, and found himself at a Jayapataka Swami initiation ceremony. Unsurprisingly, there were many initiates, and it was taking quite some time for JPS to chant on everyone’s beads.

So with JPS in the other room chanting, Danavir Goswami stayed out with the devotees and lead kīrtan—just keeping things going, carrying everyone through the late hours of the night.

It went on like this until about 11 o’clock - perhaps even later.

When JPS finally came in and saw that everyone was still there, he said, “All glories to Danavir Goswami!” and everyone roared in a cheer.

Maharaj smiled sweetly as he told the story, and then said about Jayapataka Swami—that every year in Mayapur, he does so much…

Danavir Maharaj comments on the phrase: “gone too soon”

“When someone says, ‘he left too early’ or ‘he’s gone too soon,’ it is not proper. It minimizes the position of the Supreme, as if God made a mistake.”

He said, “They’re so proud.”

“They think they’ll conquer death”

“They actually think they’ll conquer death!”

He went on to describe how people think that one day there will be systems—scans or technologies—that will fix all problems, even eliminate death. That they will overcome death, overcome war, and perfect everything.

He said “they want to do something good for the world—but first they must understand what good actually is.”

-Danavir Goswami

DG on Animals & Free Will

“Animals do have free will, but it is reduced to a minimum.”

“They are so conditioned that their free will is limited, and they are largely living out the results of past actions.”

“The animal does not incur karma in the same way as a human, but karma is still present.”

-Danavir Goswami

Seeking the all auspicious blessings of the Vaishnavas,

your servant,

Jnanavan Dasa

Becoming “a Man of the Book” 04/14/26

This morning Maharaja was expecting a guest. Knowing his appreciation of having a nice, clean space—I thought I better tidy things up.

So I was on my knees, cleaning the floor and chanting ślokas - and we began speaking in a kind of light way as I worked. I mentioned to him that his soon-arrived guest would be impressed by all the books he has.

Maharaj responded simply, noting in a very matter-of-fact way that he had read most of them at least twice.

Remarking on that, I then added that “even just seeing a collection like this is not something one comes across every day.”

There was a pause as he looked toward his bookshelf, his eyes gently moving over the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, the way one might look at an old friend.

Then he said, “You know, by partaking of this movement, we become a man of the book.”

He went on to say that over time one becomes learned in that way, though he wasn’t particularly inclined to use the word “scholar,” since it usually refers to someone trained in Sanskrit.

DG writes VP offering (04/14/2026)

A good part of my day was spent with Maharaj as he worked on his Vyasa Puja offering to Śrīla Prabhupāda. He finished it up, and it was nice to be around, assisting with the computer as needed.

On accepting gifts from family (or non-devotees)

A situation came up recently that I didn’t know how to handle, and it raised a simple question—how should we accept gifts from those outside our movement?

I asked Maharaj about it. He said:

“Gifts can be accepted, but only so long as they don’t oblige us in a way that minimizes our devotional service.”

“If accepting something begins to compromise our service, then it is not favorable.”

He connected it to yukta-vairāgya—using everything, as far as possible, in Kṛṣṇa’s service. Quoting the verse:

anāsaktasya viṣayān

yathārham upayuñjataḥ

nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe

yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate

prāpañcikatayā buddhyā

hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ

mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo

vairāgyaṁ phalgu kathyate

“When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Kṛṣṇa, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Kṛṣṇa is not as complete in his renunciation.” Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255–56

Trying to keep up with it all as quick as it comes,

Your servant,

Jnanavan Dasa