Transcribed by Annie

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Stockholm, February 2011)

It is certainly good to look for inspiration in the association of devotees, but no, we must also learn to find it when we are completely alone. If we always try to fill the vacuum by being with others and hoping that something inspirational is going to happen, then each time when we are alone, we fall back in a vacuum. No, we must also learn to appreciate Krsna's presence when we are alone. He's here! He's always here! He's really here! We are never alone! Krsna is here in all His magnificent glories. So where is there a question of having to go to anyone when we have Krsna?

In any relationship, there's always a third person – Krsna, and He is by far more inspiring than any other person. It is Krsna that is the most inspiring person in any relationship. So, we have to remember the third person is always there, and ultimately, that he is the one! The one whom we are actually taking inspiration from!

Transcribed by Hina

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Vrindavan, 2008)

A person who is detached from the modes of material nature remains just like the sun – reflected on water! When the sun is reflected on water, the movement of the water, or the coolness, or unsteadiness of the water cannot affect the sun! Similarly,

'Vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah'
(SB 1.2.7).

When one engages fully in the activities of the devotional service – bhakti yoga, he becomes just like the sun, which is reflected on water. Although, a devotee appears to be in the material world – actually he is in the transcendental world, as the reflection of the sun appears to be on the water, but is many millions of miles away from the water!

Transcribed by Annie

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Stockholm, February 2011)

In japa, you are confronted with yourself – completely! In japa, you
have to face with who you are! You know, when you are sitting in a group that
you can be ecstatic, because the whole group is ecstatic – so ecstatic,
but when we are alone with Krsna and His Holy Name, then we are
confronted with who we really are – where we are, and that's not so
good!

We're far from Krsna, that's the situation, and that's why japa is
more difficult, but exactly in that japa we must go, because there we
are alone with Krsna, and now we go before Krsna, and now we beg:

"Krsna, I have no taste. Krsna, my offering is poor, but Krsna, I want
something. I really want Krsna prema – please give it to me. I am
offering only broken names, I know I don't even want to pay the
price, but Krsna, please give it to me…..

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

I have no love, please give me this. I want the taste of this Krsna
prema!"

So, we are beggars when we are chanting. We are beggars and we
have no capacity to chant, so we take shelter alone, all alone in
chanting the Holy Name, knowing that now I am associating with Krsna, and in this chanting the amazing thing happens, that we make an offering to Krsna and at the same time we get a darshan of Krsna! It's quite amazing how these two can go together! We are offering the name to Krsna, and at the same time Krsna reveals Himself to us! The more
we get into making the offering, the more the darshan starts happening, and we try to chant nicely and hear at the same time – then the whole element of offering and darshan begins to happen. Then we might get some mercy in the chanting, and we will actually become,
gradually, a little bit self-sufficient.