It’s not unusual to fret at not being able to go to India’s many places of pilgrimage. To console those who feel this way, and as a matter of fact, Srila Prabhupada writes: “We can be free from all sinful reactions after reaching a place of pilgrimage, but one can have the same benefit at home or at any place simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord. For a pure devotee, there is no need to go to holy places of pilgrimage. He can be delivered from all sinful acts by remembering the Lord in earnestness.” (Purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.15)

Srila Prabhupada’s books, lectures and even his conversations and letters are copiously laced with sanskrit slokas, showing that he was uncompromisingly attached to Vedic truths. And yet he also frequently quoted Canakya, and Bengali as well as English proverbs, plus occasional lines from Shakespeare. It was apparent that Srila Prabhupada liked to quote authorities, even if they weren’t Vedic ones, when the message was true to the point he was making.

In the same section of Srimad Bhagavatam, we find the following verse (11.7.48): “The various phases of one’s material life, beginning with birth and culminating in death, are all properties of the body and do not affect the soul, just as the apparent waxing and waning of the moon does not affect the moon itself. Such changes are enforced by the imperceptible movements of time.” This is one of the things we can learn from the moon.

“Why have these impurities come upon you,” the Lord asks Arjuna, in Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Impurity is a euphemism for sin, but in a sense, sinners may be considered victims, victims of the age of kali. Lord Nityananda is the symbol of “bhava grahi Janardana” or extracting the devotional essence from every living being, withholding judgment on the fallen souls of this age, and seeing sin as an unavoidable consequence of the present age. Therefore sin may be seen as impurities, which like those in butter, can be burned off in the heat of transcendental activity, resulting in ghee, or the purified essence of human life (pure sinless devotion).

Although worship of demigods and nature are considered imperfect forms of religion, the sun is worshipped three times daily by second-initiated ISKCON devotees. Of course Krishna is the light of the sun (BGAII 7.8), so chanting the first mantra of gayatri isn’t delving into an inferior form of worship. Besides Vivesvar, the sun-god, is a great devotee of the Lord.

Modern books, magazines and films play on the public’s obsession with sex and death. At least, in the so-called developed world, today’s young people- and even old people – are on the constant lookout for these topics in academic discussions, newspapers and books. But this preoccupation can be used for Krishna. Witness the new cover of Krishna Dharma prabhu’s version of Mahabharata, published this year by Torchlight. The cover illustration is a close up of an attractive female face, beautifully decorated, representing Draupadi, for whom, in one sense, a kingdom was fought. In front of this face, in sharp relief, is the hilt and blue steel blade of a sword (representing the Kuruksetra war).

“Just like sometimes we take pleasure in a swimming pool, lie down and closing our eyes. Who expert swimmer, they’re lying down. Why it is not possible for the Supreme Lord? What is the difficulty? Sukhanubhavah. We take that pastime for pleasure, for pleasure, lying down on the water, closing eyes. So when we speak, The Garbhodakasayi Visnu lying down in the Causal Ocean,' these rascals, fools, they sometimes criticize,And how it is possible?’ How it is not possible? If a ordinary man can take pleasure lying down on the water, closing and lying for hours-we have seen it-so what is the difficulty for the Supreme Lord? You have got this tendency to lie down on water, half on the water, and close your eyes. So where your tendency has come? Your tendency has come because the same tendency is there in the Supreme Lord. This is the explanation.” (Extract from a Mayapur lecture on March 10, 1976)

Bhakti or love of God may come in unusual places, appearing on the most unlikely faces. Srila Prabhupada’s coming to the West and his success there proves the point. Agnostics, atheists, ruffians, candalas, and melecchas fulfilled the predictions of many saintly persons, including Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.

A popular and often quoted Shakespeare phrase (from Twelfth Night) is, “if music be the food of love, play on.” Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada established regular Hari Nama Sankirtan in major centers, rural and urban. The musical nature of these parties continues to attract people all over the world from century to century. “Play on!”

Ultimate generosity, or giving up one’s own self, is described by Sukadeva Gosvami in terms of nature, in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.20.6: “Flashing with lightning, great clouds were shaken and swept about by fierce winds. Just like merciful persons, the clouds gave their lives for the pleasure of this world.”