Free Writes Guests The sastras state that all guests to one’s home should be treated warmly. Even if an enemy visits, he should be treated with such friendliness that he doesn’t think himself an enemy. The uninvited guest is considered particularly honorable. A guest should be offered a nice seat, sweet words, and (according to […]

Free Writes Doughnut Plant A Hare Krsna devotee opened and operates four different Doughnut Plant restaurants in New York City. His latest opening was in Grand Central Station. Nondevotees crowd into the Doughnut Plant and enjoy the delicious varieties of doughnuts, which are made without eggs. Each batch of doughnuts is first offered to a […]

Free Writes Cowards A soldier who turns from battle and is struck on the back is considered cowardly. Vrtrasura, the leader of the demons, cursed his soldiers when they fled from the demigods in battle. He also cursed the demigods for pursuing the demons and attacking them from behind. This is against the code of […]

Free Writes Visit from Russian Sannyasi I’m receiving a visit from Bhakti Vijnana Goswami, the long-term GBC of Russia. He comes to New York City, where there are many Russian devotees. Dhanurdhara Swami is arranging his visit to see me. Dhanurdhara Maharaja says that Bhakti Vijnana Goswami wants to meet with me because “You are […]

Free Writes Readings Jayadvaita Swami and I took turns for two days, reading out loud from Caitanya-caritamrta, Madha-lila Chapter 10, “Lord Caitanya Returns to Jagannatha Puri.” The devotees like rivers flowed into the ocean of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to visit or stay with him. Bhavananda Raya came with four of his five sons. Lord Caitanya […]

Free Writes Pavitras We received a new batch of pavitras from Manohara. Pavitras are the silk garlands the devotees offer to Lord Nrsimhadeva in Mayapura. We use them as garlands for our Prabhupada murti. Every third day, Krsna dasi changes the outfits of Radha-Govinda. On that day, we also change the pavitra for Prabhupada so […]

Free Writes Gita-nagari Cows The sweet corn grown here is eaten by humans and is superexcellent. The majority of the corn crop—a different type of corn—is fed to the local cows to fatten them for slaughter. At Gita-nagari, when the cows stop giving milk, they are allowed to retire and graze. They are never slaughtered. […]

Free Writes Marigolds for Radha-Govinda We have a big garden of mostly orange marigolds. We cover Radha-Govinda’s altar with fresh flowers every morning. We have enough marigolds to last us weeks, maybe through September. Radha-Govinda are dressed in new brilliant-blue outfits from the Vrndavana mukut-walla, Tapan. I take more darsana of Radharani than Govinda. She […]