On this day, Nityananda Trayodasi, I offer my life to Lord Nityananda, begging him to guide and direct my life for His pure pleasure.
As revealed in many Acarya songs and books, Lord Nityananda, Balarama Himself, is our greatest hope in life.
With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
February 1, 2015
Jaya Prabhupada! In 6 days, I will begin my writing retreat.
I cannot bear the thought that I will leave this world without completing certain books that I believe are very important for our mission, and so I must take practical measures to accomplish those services. For now, I plan to stay in Davidson, North Carolina.
Lord Krishna is blessing me with great enthusiasm for this adventure. Krishna consciousness should always be an adventure. Prabhupada wrote to me that we always need a fresh challenge in our life to maintain our enthusiasm.
Of course, we all have internal challenges in our own spiritual development and also external challenges to spread the sankirtana movement in a powerful, effective way.
I will be recording regular video messages for the devotees and sharing my adventure with you. Thank you for your time and attention.
With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
December 10, 2014
Jaya Prabhupada! Having worked day and night on Krishna West for about 18 months, I am in serious need of a little rest so that I can maintain my health and continue to dedicate myself to Krishna West, the wonderful program that Prabhupada has bestowed on us.
Starting December 16th, I will take a much needed vacation from e-mail, Skype, telephone calls, etc for about 1-2 months. Of course during this “vacation” I will be intensely focusing on completing a few more books. I believe these books will play an important role in our attempt to expand Prabhupada’s western mission.
I am confident that Lord Krishna is guiding me in this decision. Thank you for your support and understanding. I am sincerely trying to serve you in the best way possible.
With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
November 29, 2014
Jaya Prabhupada! The last several days have been extremely busy and ecstatic.
But before the day is over, I wanted to send you my prayers that Srila Prabhupada reveal himself more and more in your life, and that you become more and more attached to serving his divine mission.
May we all cooperate together to fulfill his pure desires, which are not different from Krishna’s desires.
With my best wishes for all of you,
Hridayananda das Goswami
October 27, 2014
Jaya Srila Prabhupada. I hope this note finds you all very well. I have been working hard on a systematic study of Jiva Goswami’s teachings on the origin of the soul.
My conviction is that some devotees have put forward views against what Prabhupada taught. But in fact, Prabhupada is expertly representing the real mood and teachings of Jiva Goswami, who is the first great systematic theologian in our tradition.
Nowadays, there is a growing “sophistication” in discussions of the Six Goswamis, Rasa, Jiva etc. But often these discussions lack rigor and objectivity. So there is a need to establish the truth of Prabhupada’s presentation on a somewhat scholarly level.
I am also close to completing my first novel, which I have worked on for, well, too long. But it is almost done.
We continue to make progress in Krishna West. We live and learn and gradually make improvements. Many devotees have been visiting here so there is always interesting association with the Lord’s servants.
With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
October 13, 2014
I will share with you an intimate and personal experience I had today.
Here in Davidson, after many days of uncomfortably warm weather, the weather is cool. The heat here is not really severe. But, I grew up in California near the cold ocean, and so I am used to cool, dry weather.
I went for a short walk to finish my last two rounds and chant noon Gayatri. The cool weather put me in a nostalgic mood, awakening deep feelings and memories of my childhood. Seeing some young people playing, riding bikes, intensified this feeling.
We practice buddhi-yoga, in which we connect to Krishna through objective reasoning. And so using my God-given buddhi, I clearly saw that I cannot go back to the past, because the past does not exist, only the present. Also, if I think seriously about the past, I will see how imperfect it was, even if present nostalgia wants to filter out all the unpleasant memories.
I then saw the obvious: I must go forward to Krishna. My material childhood was just an imperfect reflection of my eternal youth with Krishna. We will live eternally in a perfect world with young Krishna and His perfect, beautiful boyfriends and girlfriends. And so the nostalgia of this day pushed me forward to Krishna, not back to an imperfect past that no longer exists.
With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
September 14, 2014
As we all know, Srimati Radharani is the infinite ocean of kind mercy.
When Sri Krishna takes on the mood of Radharani, He appears as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We have all been saved by the mood of Radha in Krishna, for Radha Krishna together, appearing as Lord Caitanya, created the sankirtana movement.
Normal people will do anything to save their dear family. Lord Krishna declares that He is the father and mother of this universe. So in all the universe there is but one family, the family of Krishna. Thus, within the fundamental boundaries of bhakti-yoga as taught by Prabhupada, let us do absolutely everything we can to save our fallen family, for now at least on this small planet. That is the spirit of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai.
With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
September 2, 2014
I bow at your feet. One morning in December 1973, as a disciple drove you to Venice Beach to walk, I sat with you in the back seat.
All the way down Venice Boulevard, you instructed me on the importance of our American mission. On many occasions, public and private, you declared the sovereign importance of your western mission. If America and Europe accepted Krishna consciousness, the world would follow.
Before leaving this world, you stated that you had completed the first half of your western mission: Krishna consciousness was spreading dramatically throughout the western world. ISKCON made its voice heard In the national conversations of many western countries. Transforming the western world was a living, present possibility, not a prophecy to be fulfilled “someday” after we are gone.
As I write this, I am three and a half years younger than you were when you boarded the Jaladuta and journeyed to America. Only Krishna knows how many years more He will give me in this world. Considering the entire situation, I have dedicated myself to this:
I want to again see your western mission growing dramatically. I want to again hear an influential ISKCON voice in the national conversations of western nations. I want to again dream a rational dream that Krishna will transform the world within my lifetime.
Prabhupada, you are an eternally liberated soul with nothing to gain or lose in this mad world. Still for your selfless pleasure, I pray that more than ever you empower all those eager to dedicate their lives to the second Hare Krishna explosion in the Western world.
With eternal gratitude, your servant,
Hridayananda das Goswami
August 18, 2014
