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    The Art of Spiritual Life: 1, #100
    The Art of Spiritual Life: 1, #100
    The Art of Spiritual Life: 1, #100
    Ebook2,334 pages29 hours

    The Art of Spiritual Life: 1, #100

    By Jadurani Dasi

    ()

    Read preview

    • Spiritual Devotion

    • Spiritual Realization

    • Spiritual Wisdom

    • Spiritual Enlightenment

    • Spiritual Knowledge

    • Mentorship

    • Coming of Age

    • Transformation

    • Prophecy

    • Mentor Figure

    • Hero's Journey

    • Religious Devotion

    • Chosen One

    • Power Struggle

    • Wise Mentor

    • Spiritual Reverence

    • Spiritual Separation

    • Spiritual Ecstasy

    • Spiritual Purity

    • Spiritual Love

    About this ebook

    It is a memoir in which I invite you to come along with me as I share my life experiences with two world-renowned saints. These saints carried me on journeys to other lands, other times, and other worlds by their guidance regarding the eternal wisdom of ancient India. What I received from them became the subject of my art and my life. The goal of this memoir is to share my experiences of their divine presence and their message of devotional consciousness. My sharing is but a drop of the causeless mercy they bestowed upon their thousands of students and the world.

    My true spiritual journey began when I came to know Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja, renowned all over the world as "Śrīla Prabhupāda." He is famous as an exalted self-realized guru, and many know him as a most loving teacher, a spiritual father, and as their best friend. I had the blessed opportunity of knowing him in all these ways. Although he was also my guide in transcendental art, he was first and foremost my guide on the path of bhakti-yoga, or devotional love.
     
     The paintings crafted under his guidance by me and the other artists were not artistic fantasies. They were our attempts to render tangible images of his translations and commentaries of the sacred Vedic scriptures. By his power, the paintings themselves became tools for teaching the science of bhakti.

    I first began working on this book in 1987, while living at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness āśrama in Miami Beach, Florida. This work seemed to be a natural extension of what I had been doing daily in relation to his teachings; that is, sharing his spoken and written words.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMassimo Izzo
    Release dateDec 20, 2022
    ISBN9781733491006
    The Art of Spiritual Life: 1, #100

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      The Art of Spiritual Life - Jadurani Dasi

      Reviews of

      The Art of Spiritual Life

      The Art of Spiritual Life offers us an intimate glimpse into the history, artistic process, spiritual guidance, and esoteric secrets behind some of the most celebrated works of devotional art in contemporary Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava culture. Soulstirring and deeply inspiring, this long-awaited memoir simultaneously takes us on the author’s own journey, as an artist and spiritual practitioner, over a span of more than half a century—starting in Tompkins Square Park, New York City, where she first met her spiritual master, Śrīla Prabhupāda, in September 1966.

      The Art of Spiritual Life is much more than a book about art. In making art a personal expression of devotion and in sharing her journey with us, Śrīla Prabhupāda’s earliest and most prolific artist shows us how spiritual life is itself an art. It’s difficult not to be deeply moved by the author’s honesty, courage, humility, and devotion. I have been waiting with anticipation for this memoir for many years; and once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down.

      Simon Haas

      Author of The Book of Dharma and

      Yoga and the Dark Night of the Soul

      Today, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is strung through the consciousness of America like marigolds on a garland. Its fragrance is imprinted into walls of temples, yoga studios, community centers, homes, universities, religious compounds, books, films, television, popular music, and the like.

      In some cities, 5pm on Friday is marked by the faint clanking of bells, and mṛdaṅga drum beats getting louder and louder, as a harināma party sings Hare Kṛṣṇa! The colorful crowd travels down busy streets, past office and shop windows, outside subway terminals and similar places. Passersby become infected with a slight smile, or in many cases, more singers join the parade.

      Once a year throughout the U.S. and abroad, intersections are jammed as Lord Jagannātha, His sister Subhadrā, and brother Balarāma are pulled on Their chariots by thousands of devotees. Every day, people unconsciously find themselves singing along on commutes and soccer practice pick-ups, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma….. In an episode of The Muppet Show, a canoe-traveler tells Kermit the Frog he’s lost, and the amphibian’s immediate response is Have you tried Hare Kṛṣṇa…?

      Though it’s hard to imagine now, there was a time before this. A time when an elderly Svāmī boarded a steamer to the U.S. without even one dollar in his pocket. A time when the words of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu – said to be Kṛṣṇa Himself appearing during the 14th century in the form of the best of devotees – reverberated through the Svāmī’s being that the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra should be chanted in every town and village.

      At the same moment in history, disillusioned youth rebelled against post-war materialism and the faux-positivity of their parents. They sought more than TV dinners, electric vacuums, gold watches, and retirement plans. They longed for universal truths, ways to get to know themselves and God – the higher taste, as its often referred to. Rock music of the 60s, civil rebellion against the Vietnam War; psychedelics proved to be acceptable gateway drugs, but their effects fell short of a true awakening and eventually their participants would always come-down crashing. So, when this discerning generation saw an Indian sannyāsī sitting at the base of a tree in New York City’s Tompkins Square Park, simply singing Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare / Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare, they could tell it was the real thing.

      Among them was a 19-year-old City College art student en route to her boyfriend’s apartment. As she traversed the chaotic commons, her hurried hustle was interrupted by a transcendent vibration. Something within her said, That old sound is emerging again – having no idea what that meant. She caught a glimpse of the Svāmī and was swept up into the crowd that soon followed him down Second Avenue into a storefront that had now been converted into a temple.

      There, her eyes were drawn to images of a blue figure in various ages and performing a variety of activities. She became so completely absorbed by the artwork, the ancient mantras, and the effulgence of The Svāmī that a month later she became one of the first female disciples of A. C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

      The Bronx-born baby-boomer was given the name Jadurāṇī dāsī, along with a copy of the ancient text Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, The Beautiful Story of Kṛṣṇa and His Devotees.

      In the days, weeks, months, and fifty plus years to follow, Jadurāṇī not only became identified with A. C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda, and Kṛṣṇa, but she became one of the few artists to create the visuals through which the world would learn their pastimes.

      In 1967, Śrīla Prabhupāda named her the first art director of the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, (ISKCON), and under his direct instruction she became an instrument to manifest more than 200 paintings for his temples, books, and the printed magazine Back to Godhead.

      In 1992, Jadurāṇī came under the instruction of Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja and was given the nick-name Śyāmarāṇī dāsī, to which she is now referred.

      Mahārāja asked her, Can you paint my heart? The result was an artistic offering entitled Sevā Kuñja, which is currently worshiped as a deity in Vṛndāvana, India, and regarded as one of the most renown religious images of the 21st century.

      Jadurāṇī dāsī / Śyāmarāṇī dāsī is one of the pre-eminent artists of the bhakti-yoga movement, illustrating epic texts like the Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Gītagovinda, Gopī-gīta, Veṇu-gīta, and more. Her works explore subjects like karma, reincarnation, the many pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, and the histories of Hindu deities and mortals’ relationships with them.

      Since 1966, she has also been an ordained teacher of the bhakti lineage. She has tirelessly traveled throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia. She speaks on TV and radio, on huge festival stages, at small temple programs, renowned art galleries and colleges, in home sat-saṅgas, prisons, and anywhere else that people ask for her association. Hundreds of thousands worship, revere, and collect her works. They treasure her words and the devotion that radiates from her being. For them, her life’s work is a matchless gift.

      Amy V. Dewhurst

      Contributing Editor, L. A. Yoga Magazine

      & Co-producer of Bhakti Fest

      (This article was adapted by her from her article

      in Namarupa Magazine, Winter Issue 2019)

      "Thanks, Jadurāṇī, for this marvelous book, The Art of Spiritual Life. It captures the spirit that engulfed us when Śrīla Prabhupāda stepped through his amazing window in time: With Kṛṣṇa, nothing is impossible."

      Śyāmasundara dāsa

      Early disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda and

      author of Chasing Rhinos with The Swami

      Śyāmarāṇī dāsī challenges our assumptions of art’s power, engaging readers with insights and anecdotes from her lifetime of exploration into the confluence of matter and spirit. She reveals how, under the guidance of an empowered teacher, artists can create not merely paintings but Deities who interact with observers, giving a vision of what lies beyond the perceivable universe. Here is a book that absorbs and enlightens, a rare read.

      Joshua M. Greene (Yogeśvara dāsa)

      Instructor of Religious Studies at Hofstra University

      and author of Swami in a Strange Land

      "The subject of this book, that is, Jadurāṇī/ Śyāmarāṇī’s loving and dedicated interaction with two pure devotees, Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda and Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja Gurudeva, is like a touchstone of devotion. Entering into the spirit of this work, then, clearly illustrates or conveys the criterion by which bhakti can be achieved. Since The Art of Spiritual Life accurately and colorfully captures the essence of the author’s relationship with these two exalted souls, the reader is in turn captured by the Lord of their hearts, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, whose divine embrace is certain and loving. A must-read."

      Steven J. Rosen (Satyarāja dāsa)

      Author of 34 books on Vaiṣṇavism and related topics;

      founding editor of the Journal of Vaishnava Studies;

      and associate editor of Back to Godhead magazine.

      "Śrīmatī Śyāmarāṇī dāsī’s paintings are loved and celebrated all over the world – both for their exquisite beauty and their profound expression of kṛṣṇa-līlā. If you are interested to know how a rebel girl from the Bronx took up spiritual life and learned to wield a magic paintbrush, then read on. This is a fascinating insight into a remarkable artist and a paean to the holy masters who nurtured and inspired her."

      Crispian Mills

      Filmmaker & Musician (Kula Shaker)

      "To comprehend sevā, or selfless service, it is essential to listen to and absorb the spiritual discourses of the masters and true sevaites. Śyāmarāṇī has spent her life imbibing her spiritual masters’ realizations and teachings, and her entire life’s work reflects the deep wisdom she has received. This is a very worthwhile read that furthers an understanding of true devotion."

      Sridhar Silberfein

      Founder/creator of Bhaktifest;

      producer of River of Love

      I have deep respect and admiration for Śrīla Prabhupāda. I have visited his temples around the world and read his books. I am a long-term fan of Śyāmarāṇī’s artwork, which beautifies and artistically defines his temples, teachings, and books. I am overjoyed that she has written a book that reveals many profound secrets regarding his contribution to the welfare of our planet and her (Earth’s) people.

      Ricky Kej

      Grammy Award Winning Composer,

      UNESCO MGIEP

      Global Ambassador for Kindness

      The Art of Spiritual Life

      A great thank you to the devotees at the Bhaktivedanta Archives. An important part of their service is to preserve the transparencies, negatives, and digital scans of the artworks. Apart from the paintings are the tens of thousands of images of Śrīla Prabhupāda and ISKCON activities.

      A special mention goes to Nitya-tṛpta devī dāsī, who spent long hours and days preparing the images that appear in this book.

      Thank you also to the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust and all the book distributors, whose financial help makes the work of the archives possible.

      This edition of The Art of Spiritual Life has been published with the kind donations of

      Śrīpād Jagannātha Punja, Alexander Muir, and Nilāmbarī dāsī (Austin).

      The Art of Spiritual Life

      First Edition ~ October 2019 (3,000 copies)

      Printed at Samrat Offset Pvt. Ltd. (Okhla Industrial Area, New Delhi, India)

      ISBN 978-1-7334910-0-6

      Library of Congress Control Number 2019915656

      Cataloging in Publication Data--DK

      Courtesy: D.K. Agencies (P) Ltd. [email protected]

      Jadurāṇī Dāsī, 1947- artist

      The art of spiritual life / a memoir by Jadurānī Dāsī (Syāmarāṇī Dāsī). -- First edition. pages cm ISBN 9781733491006

      1. Vaishnava art. 2. Hindu painting. 3. Spiritual life--Chaitanya (Sect) 4. Jadurāṇī Dāsī, 1947- I. Title.

      LCC N8195.3.V3J33 2019 | DDC 704.948945512 23

      To my initiating guru

      Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmi Prabhupāda

      & to my instructing guru

      Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja

      who gracefully embody all sublime spiritual qualities

      and who behold the wondrous spiritual realm.

      They are thus most competent to impart instruction on

      the art of spiritual life.

      © 2019 JUDY KOSLOFSKY. SOME RIGHTS RESERVED.

      Except where otherwise noted, only the text (not the design, photos, art, etc.) of this book is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

      To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/

      For permissions beyond the scope of this license write to: [email protected]

      TEXT: All translations, purports, and excerpts of lectures by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda – courtesy of Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International (BBTI)

      PHOTOS:

      • Hi res scans of the following photos have been kindly provided by the Bhaktivedanta Archives and used with permission. All the Archives photos are © BBTI:

      p. 60, 71 – Govinda dāsī

      p. 405, 522 (upper right), 525 (middle right), 526 (top), 662, 666 – Viśākhā dāsī

      p. 443, 449, 450 – Muralī-vadana dāsa

      p. 436, 528 (bottom) – Muralī-vadana dāsa or Viśākhā dāsī

      p. 228 – Bhārgava dāsa or Vilāsa-vigraha dāsa

      p. 331, 334, 367, 385, 387, 388, 396 – Bhārgava dāsa

      p. 510, 514, 522, 523, 524, 525, 526 (middle and bottom) – Nitya-tṛptā dāsī

      We do not know who took the following Bhaktivedanta Archive photos: p. 6, 40. 45. 51, 61, 65, 89, 94, 123, 177, 189, 197, 198, 217, 218, 222, 224, 228, 232, 247, 254, 266, 268, 269, 270, 289, 299, 302, 323, 325, 363, 365, 369, 379, 376, 386, 387, 400, 407, 409, 421, 425, 436, 437, 438, 439, 448, 449, 457, 493, 499, 504, 506, 507, 510, 514, 517, 528 (top), 562, 569, 589, 713,

      If the respected reader knows who took any of these photos and would like to see his/her name mentioned in the next printing, or if we’ve erred in any accreditation above, please write to [email protected].

      • Photos not provided by the Bhaktivedanta Archives

      p. 176, 178 – provided by Gaudiya Vedanta Publication

      p. 476 – provided by Vaikuṇṭhanātha dāsa

      p. 736 – provided by Acyutānanda dāsa (Alachua)

      p. 737 – a still from a film made by Dāmodara dāsa

      Photos of all the disciplic ācāryas other than Śrī Śrīmad Prabhupāda Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja in the color plates section Photo of Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja in the color plates section by Śāradā dāsī.

      ART WORK (paintings)

      IN THE COLOR PLATES SECTION

      • All color plates have been provided by Bhaktivedanta Archives and used with permission, © BBTI, except for the following:

      Mahāprabhu fainting – © Śyāmarāṇī dāsī. Used with permission.

      Indian prints of Saṅkīrtana, Pañca-tattva, Kṛṣṇa and His calf

      ART WORK (paintings & drawings)

      IN THE SEPIA SECTION

      • Color scans of the following artwork by the author have been provided by Bhaktivedanta Archives and used with permission. © BBTI:

      p. 146, 158, 161, 163, 168, 184, 192, 202-203, 242–243, 250, 275, 293, 296 (right), 298 (left, middle), 300, 302, 307, 310, 311, 313, 320, 336, 357, 358, 359, 361, 362, 368, 373, 375, 381, 383, 391, 402 (right), 414 (left), 415, 418, 419, 420, 423, 426, 429, 434, 439, 454, 455, 458, 459, 466 (left), 468, 469 (right), 470 (left), 471, 474, 491, 511, 513, 521, 522 (left), 525 (upper left), 527 (bottom), 528, 531, 541, 543 (left), 575, 577, 579, 580, 581, 583, 585, 586, 592 (right) 594, 595, 597, 598, 599, 600, 602, 603, 691

      • Color scans of the following artwork by artists other than the author have been provided by Bhaktivedanta Archives and used with permission. © BBTI:

      p. 250, 431, – Devahūti dāsī

      p. 287, 296 (left), 309, 315, 322 – Baradrāja dāsa

      p. 81, 308 – Govinda dāsī

      p. 348, 466 (right) – Murlīdhara dāsa

      p. 421 – Kṛṣṇa-kathā dāsa

      p. 398, 453, 543 (right) – Parīkṣit dāsa

      p. 461, 721 – Dhṛti dāsī

      p. 467 (right) – Locana dāsa

      p. 467 (left), 475 – Haridāsa dāsa

      p. 469 (left) – Puṣkara dāsa

      p. 477 – Śāradīya dāsī

      p. 489 (right) – Gaurī dāsī, Jāhnavā dāsī

      p. 489 (left) – Gaurī dāsī

      p. 527 (top) – Dīrgha dāsī

      p. 542 (lower left) – Rāmadāsa Abhirāma dāsa

      p. 542 (lower right) – Tribhuvaneśvarī dāsī

      Assembly line (Collaborative) paintings: 255, 259, 261, 276, 286, 298 (right), 402 (left), 414 (right), 470 (right)

      • Scans of the following artwork have not been provided by the Bhaktivedanta Archive

      p. 23, 27, 31, 60, 66, 73, 98, 192 – Restored and provided Puṣpavana dāsa.

      p. 274 – provided by Jāhnavā dāsī (Alachua).

      p. 592 (left), 611, 612, 614, 774, 775, 776, 777, 779

      © Śyāmarāṇī dāsī. Used with permission

      Contents

      Why you might want to read this book –A Foreword

      Preface

      My Two Names

      My first name

      How I received my second name

      Technicalities

      The meaning of memoir

      Two perspectives

      Honorific titles

      Dāsa and Dāsī

      Captions

      Diacritic pronunciation

      A disclaimer

      Painting the Background

      1966: Genie on a Magic Carpet

      Leading to the First Meeting

      First Sight

      The First Class

      Solution to Conflicting Interests

      Initiation

      Beginning the Art Service

      Transcendental Dancing Party

      Five-In-One Absolute Truth

      Apologies

      Rādha-Kṛṣṇa and the Cow

      A Dream Come True

      Lord in the Ocean

      Guru of the Guru

      Ocean of Eternal Nectar

      Food for Spiritual Thought

      Just Hare Kṛṣṇa

      1967: Saintly Association

      Eternal Orbit

      He Leaves and Stays

      Memories & Followings

      Misinterpretation

      The Boss

      Return from San Francisco

      Lord of the Universe

      Obeisances to Rādha & Kṛṣṇa

      Eddies in the Kali-yuga Current

      Counteracting the Age of Quarrel

      Sprinkles of Nectar

      Smiling Competition

      Greater Than God

      Spiritual Feasting

      Guiding Steps

      Divine Ferocity

      From the Spiritual Sky

      Kṛṣṇa Is Not Ungrateful

      The Jewel

      On Sound Footing

      By the Beach

      Ratha-yātrā in the West

      Remembering Me & Kṛṣṇa

      Departure for India

      Continuing the Mission

      My Dear Children

      Pilgrimage

      Our Place in the Causal Ocean

      Distributing Knowledge

      Meanwhile in India

      I Have Come Back Again

      Kīrtana and Painting

      A Bed of Arrows

      The Real Prophet

      1968: Wisdom Personified

      Ecstasy of Separation

      Following the Vrajavāsīs

      Sketch-stories

      Brahmacāriṇī Āśrama

      The Boar Incarnation

      Milk Drinkers’ Beauty

      Mohana-mādhurī

      Distributing the Taste

      Jaya Rādhe!

      Glenville Ave

      Oṁ

      Cryptic Sign

      Twice-born

      Boston Pilgrimage

      Merging

      Darśanas – Auspicious Meetings

      Frustration

      Trained to be Irresponsible

      A Radio Engagement

      Perfect Holy Name

      Equal to All

      The Folly of Sense Gratification

      At Every Moment

      A Boston Brahmacāriṇī Āśrama

      Comic Pictures

      A Long Letter

      Summer

      Visit to New York City

      Lessons on Rādhāstṣṭamī

      Just As A Father

      A Reaction of War

      Love For His God-Brother

      Marital Misconceptions

      Beyond Paint

      A Vicarious Experience

      Historical Significance

      Beginning of the Kṛṣṇa Book

      Endnote 1

      Endnote 2

      1969: Meetings, Walks & Letters

      Kṛṣṇa Book

      Chant and be Healthy

      Encouragement Personified

      Paintings & Descriptions

      Inspire Each Other

      A Rubbish Hell

      Turned into Vaikuṇṭha

      Souls Dancing

      Servants of Illusion

      Praying to Become Happy

      Not Passivists

      A Notorious World

      Boston Marriage

      I Asked You to Come

      Ohio

      Hawaii

      Developing the Press

      Back to the Easel

      A New Temple

      Testing

      Hand-in-Hand

      Kṛṣṇa Book Dictations

      Best Painting Techniques

      Is There Another Artist?

      People of the Press

      The Heart of ISKCON

      The Topmost Subject

      Humble Beginners

      Something First Class

      Natural and Not Natural

      1970: Collaborative Art

      Secret Pastimes

      One Picture Daily

      Teamwork

      World Shaking Answers

      The Nectar of Devotion

      Learn to Paint by Painting

      Beyond the Mind

      Best Discretion

      Lord in the Heart

      The Senseless Carnage Around Us

      Saṅkīrtana

      First Step in God Realization

      Our References

      Always Pray to Kṛṣṇa

      Increasing Our Understanding

      The Atmosphere

      Time I Am

      Adjustment to the Assembly Line

      1971: Soul & Supersoul

      The Soul

      Universal Form A Major Move

      New York What a Wonderful Town

      Ever-Expanding Śrī Guru

      Diamonds at Tiffany’s

      Time to Train

      A Lie to Tell a Truth

      Showering Blessings

      Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

      Not Earthly Letters

      Taking the Bright Side

      Beads and Bead-bags

      You Can Follow Me?

      Everything is Good

      Heart of Hearts

      Gathered from Universes

      Separation

      Bhīṣma’s Thirst

      Too Late

      Getting the Time Back

      Not for an Ordinary Man

      No One Can Match It

      The Goal is Great

      1972: The Inconceivable On Canvas

      The Material World

      The Spiritual World

      Beauty is Not Art

      Advertising

      The Creation

      Secondary Creation Under Kṛṣṇa’s Direction

      My Painting Techniques

      New Designations

      Lucky New York

      Some Association

      Watching the Orchestra

      Associating by Instructions

      Spiritual Explosion

      1973: Beyond the Creation

      Self-Deception

      His Divine Grace

      The Atmosphere

      Visiting New York

      Meeting with the Artists

      Leaving Everything for Lord Caitanya

      Our Goal of Life

      Comic Chutney

      In Separation

      Caitanya-caritāmṛta & Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

      More About My Favorite Painting Technique

      Another Memorable Visit

      The Dead of Winter

      1974: Please Accept My Blessings

      New York, New York

      At The Easel

      Many, Many More Details

      Our Fearless Leader

      A Great Blunder

      Painting for Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta

      Related Questions

      The BBT Moves to Los Angeles

      1975 Journey of the Press

      Back to the Easel

      Spiritual Doctor

      A Historic Tour

      A Tall Order

      The Chipped Rice festival

      The Ratha-yātrā Festival

      A Very Feeling Festival

      Questions, Answers, Questions, Answers

      Questions & Answers for the Caitanya-caritāmṛta Marathon

      Neophyte Euphoria

      Fifth Canto Surprises

      Cosmic Paradigm Shift

      The Glory of the Earth

      Adventures of the Sun and Moon

      No Gravity

      Moon-landing Hoax Revealed

      After the Marathon

      Onward

      1976: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

      Ladies and Gentlemen

      Meeting in Māyāpurā

      Don’t Invent

      A Widow’s Dress

      Vṛndavāna

      Soul painting

      A New Era in Composition

      Developing Together

      Be a Real Gopī, Not a Fake One

      Not the Art, but the Service

      Of Heads and Planets

      Still My Favorite Service

      Togetherness

      December Contemplation

      1977: Kṛṣṇa’s Eternal Pastimes

      Philosophy Paintings

      Encapsulating

      Luxury Department

      Baby Pastimes

      Philosophy and Art Training

      Philosophy in the News

      His Transcendental Nature

      Meanwhile, in Vṛndāvana

      Like Two Brothers

      Announcement after Maṅgala-ārati

      Samādhi Ceremony

      Next Day

      Time Bombs

      1978-1991: Voyage

      Remembering His Contribution

      Two Views on the ‘Illness’ of a Master

      Illustrating His Final Dictation

      Four Scary Faces of Karma

      Soul in the Filmstrip

      A TV in the Heart

      Art as a Placeholder for Deeper Understanding

      Cycle of Birth and Death

      Līlāmṛta

      The Supreme Op-Artist

      Creating Art in Italy

      Difficult Visuals

      Art School

      Elements and Principles

      Two Art School Paintings

      Temple Life

      Using the Cool School Tools

      The Spiritual Tools

      Back to Tenth Canto

      A Commemoration

      Journey of the Soul

      Journey of the Soul

      Sometimes Ladies, Sometimes Men

      A Moment’s Association

      Master of Mystics

      Memoirs

      The Prahlāda Coloring Book

      Searching

      1992 Part One: Re-awakening

      A New York Winter Wonderland

      The Abode of Pure Devotional Service

      Vṛndāvana

      Meeting

      Guru is One

      Revealing the Goal

      Bombay

      The Quality of Spiritual Greed

      Praying to the Air

      Praying to the Dust

      Coming to Terms, Coming to Prayers

      The Soul’s Origin

      1992 Part Two: On Rāgānuga-bhakti

      Spontaneous Love

      God-Sisters

      Everything is There

      To Paint or Not to Paint

      A Short Rubble Parikramā

      Kṛṣṇa Makes All Arrangements

      How to See the Pure Devotee

      Reconciling

      How to Read

      Lack of Taste Makes Waste

      Not Disclosed Anywhere

      Time, Place, and Circumstance

      1992 Part Three: From This World to That

      The Rope and the Rock

      I Have Told the Plane

      To Go or Not to Go

      Separation from Oneself?

      Progression from here to there

      Seeing Nothing

      Life After Death

      Melted

      A Need for Harināma and Hari-kathā

      Experiencing a Higher Taste

      One in Heart

      The Memoir Book

      Confidential Questions, Practical Answers

      That Bhakti

      Remember Me at the Lotus Feet

      Magic Flowers

      1992 Part Four: The Mountain is Deep

      A Fond Farewell

      Offering Foodstuffs with Love

      Slides

      Can you paint my heart?

      Rādhā’s Sulky Mood

      Sevā-kuñja

      Separation and Meeting

      The Month of Śrī Rādhā

      How Deep is the Mountain?

      Our Prabhupāda’s Inner Mood

      How Deep is Māyā?

      As the Sevā-kuñja Painting Developed

      Early Morning Prayers

      Another End of a First Year

      Glimpse into the Future (1993–2010)

      On Tour

      The Potter and His Pots

      Seeing Through the Eyes of Śāstra

      Appendix – Reconciling Apparent Differences

      Endnote 1

      Endnote 2

      Glossary

      Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmi Prabhupāda

      Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja

      Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja

      Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda

      Śrīla Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja

      Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura

      Indian print of Mahāprabhu’s saṅkīrtana (page 23)

      Indian print of Pañca-tattva (page 27)

      Indian print of Kṛṣṇa and His calf (page 36)

      Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava with Their associates (page 38)

      Mother Yaśodā feeding Kṛṣṇa (page 72)

      Śrī Kṛṣṇa saving Draupadī (page 89)

      Assembly line painting of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with the ocean deity (page 259)

      Śrī Kṛṣṇa attracts even Mahā-Viṣṇu (page 262)

      Seeing the Supersoul in the heart of all (page 292)

      Viṣṇu in the Causal Ocean (page 357)

      Devahūti’s mystic bath (page 373)

      Lord Brahmā giving birth to Lord Śiva (page 388)

      Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at the boat festival (page 471)

      The demon Hiraṇyakaśipu and the child-saint Prahlāda (page 511)

      Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva (page 512)

      Sītā-devī and Lord Rāma return to Ayodhyā (page 527)

      Kṛṣṇa speaking Bhagavad-gītā (page 580)

      Śrīla Prabhupāda at the Printers (page 585)

      Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu fainted in ecstacy before Lord Jagannātha (page 593)

      Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His friends playing Guess who (page 594)

      Hanumān burning Laṅkā (page 594)

      Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s appeal to Śrī Rādhā (page 595)

      Imitating the animals during forest pastimes (page 597)

      Śrī Kṛṣṇa blessing the Ocean God (page 598)

      Cupid attacks Saint Mārkeṇḍeya (page 599)

      Reunion of the Divine Couple (page 641)

      Why you might want to read this book

      A Foreword

      Śrīmatī Śyāmarāṇī dīdī 1 has made many paintings. Some are of well-known stories – for example, the painting of Kṛṣṇa driving Arjuna’s chariot during the battle of Kurukṣetra. Here, she depicts action and drama that leap off her canvas.

      Others, however, I initially found less interesting because I did not understand their meaning.

      Consider, for example, a painting of two men talking, one bearded and the other clean-shaven. Sure, it’s aesthetically pleasing and the characters’ faces are emotive. Unfortunately, without knowing the image’s story, it did not hold my attention.

      My appreciation changed dramatically when I read the image’s description in Śyāmarāṇī dīdī’s memoir. Without giving too much of the plot away (you’ll have to read it for yourself), suffice to say that a king was concerned when one of his chief advisors had called in sick for several days in a row. In fact, the king was so concerned that he visited his advisor to see what was wrong. Imagine his surprise when he found the advisor in fine health. The king learned that it was his advisor’s spiritual awakening that had taken him away from work!

      Once I knew the story, especially in the context of Śyāmarāṇī dīdī’s personal exchanges with Śrīla Prabhupāda2, I could appreciate it in ways that had never been possible before. The king’s anger and his advisor’s unapologetic response now jumped from the canvas. Knowing the history helped bring the image to life.

      When I look at the painting now, the story comes alive. It’s not just another picture to be scanned and dismissed as if strolling through a museum. Śyāmarāṇī dīdī is now standing beside me narrating the scene so vividly that I am able to enter into the pastime that she illustrated with such artistry

      When asked, she would tell you that when tasked with painting the creation of the countless universes – or of the innumerable Brahmās, or of a king on a spiritual airplane en route to the spiritual realm of Vaikuṇṭha – she lacked the knowledge to proceed. She would tell you how she wrote frank and open letters to Śrīla Prabhupāda asking questions, which many – myself included – would be shy to ask: What color beard did the king have? "What kind of dhotī (Indian robe) did he wear? I know how to paint four of the five kinds of ignorance with which Brahmā covered the universe, but how shall I paint ‘self-deception?’ How shall we artists paint the spirit soul situated in the heart of the body?"

      Dīdī means elder sister in the Indian languages. It is an appellation word in India as a form of respect

      Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda brought the light of ancient Vedic wisdom to the West in the 1960s. Śyāmarāṇī dīdī’s book is as much about her relationship and interactions with Śrīla Prabhupāda and, in later years, with Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja, as it is about her illustrations of the Vedic teachings

      Śyāmarāṇī dīdī denies any special insights or realizations. She explains that most of the information regarding the details of the paintings were already in Śrīla Prabhupada’s books and manuscripts, and that her co-artists at the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) were reading, questioning, and painting alongside her. She asserts that she would not have been successful had it not been for her co-artists.

      She just wanted to get things right. And, now we get to peek into her learning process by reading her memoir3 , in which she presents the story of her spiritual journey.

      First, she tells of her own experience, confusions, and questions that came from trying to draw and paint divine images. She tells of her struggles with compressing the infinite into the tangible and finite medium of oil-on-canvas. Then, her questions are answered by reference to a verse here and a commentary there. The answers flow from her inquiries and lead the reader into the Vedic scriptures. In so doing, these answers bring new appreciation for the wonder that can come from sincere inquiry

      The task of creating such paintings is impossible; that is, unless you have access to the three things that make it manageable: guru, sādhu, and śāstra. Śyāmārāṇī dīdī had all three, along with the questions that allowed entry into their collective wisdom. She was instructed to paint a scene of a king confronting his servant, or the Lord acting as a chariot driver, to be included in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s upcoming publications. She consulted the purports of his unpublished manuscripts to glean some understanding. When that was insufficient, she sent a letter to Śrīla Prabhupāda, a self-realized saint, thousands of miles away – in fact, a being who is not of this world. And he, in his infinite resource, answered. He sent responses quickly, succinctly, and in full knowledge of his subject matter. He inspired both love and awe

      In later years, Śyāmarāṇī dīdī worked under the direction of another great soul, Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja. Under his guidance, she was able to craft paintings depicting many more insightful images of the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead

      As in her earlier works, she also represents the gopīs serving Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in Their intimate pastimes in some of her later works. For example, she explains that Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja asked her to paint his heart. She prepared sketches and drawings that were brought for review. She asked questions and received guidance. Many times, she relates, the answers to her questions were already in Śrīla Prabhupada’s books, but it took Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja’s explanations to uncover the many subtle jewels contained within

      Both masters seemed to give just enough guidance to help their disciple, while never giving so much that her creativity and individuality were stifled.

      By sharing these experiences, Śyāmarāṇī dīdī teaches us how to unravel the depths of not only the Vedic scriptures, but also the commentary and explanations of great realized souls.

      Her memoir allows us to travel along with her on her spiritual journey. We are able to follow the adventure she experienced as she was guided in unraveling ancient lore. Now I can see that the scriptures are living personalities with drama and wonder

      Now I can read the questions Śyāmarāṇī dīdī asked, see the relevance of the verses, appreciate the contents of the associated purports, and finally, contemplate the perfect answers contained in our ācāryas’ words

      Before I realized what was happening, I was reading the timeless Vedic scriptures Śyāmarāṇī dīdī was quoting, and appreciating their glory. I could hear Śrīla Prabhupāda’s voice and the wisdom of Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja when she discussed the significance of a verse. I could see the teacher guiding the student in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s letters and the continuity and clarity provided by Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja.

      For the first time in my decades of studying theology, I am able to formulate the questions that I need answered. This is what I find in Śyāmarāṇī dīdī’s memoir.

      By Vaṁśī-vadana dāsa

      (Scientist, author, and former Director

      of Policy, U.S. Public Health Service)

      Preface

      The Art of Spiritual Life is a poetic title, not a literal one. It is not a how-to book, as would be the art of cooking or the art of creative knitting. The title is a double entendre. Much of my life’s calling has been as a fine artist, and thus the title refers to my personal journey – as a visual artist and someone attempting to learn the art of spiritual life.

      It is a memoir in which I invite you to come along with me as I share my life experiences with two world-renowned saints. These saints carried me on journeys to other lands, other times, and other worlds by their guidance regarding the eternal wisdom of ancient India. What I received from them became the subject of my art and my life. The goal of this memoir is to share my experiences of their divine presence and their message of devotional consciousness. My sharing is but a drop of the causeless mercy they bestowed upon their thousands of students and the world.

      My true spiritual journey began when I came to know Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja, renowned all over the world as Śrīla Prabhupāda. He is famous as an exalted self-realized guru, and many know him as a most loving teacher, a spiritual father, and as their best friend. I had the blessed opportunity of knowing him in all these ways. Although he was also my guide in transcendental art, he was first and foremost my guide on the path of bhakti-yoga, or devotional love.

      The paintings crafted under his guidance by me and the other artists were not artistic fantasies. They were our attempts to render tangible images of his translations and commentaries of the sacred Vedic scriptures. By his power, the paintings themselves became tools for teaching the science of bhakti.

      I first began working on this book in 1987, while living at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness āśrama in Miami Beach, Florida. This work seemed to be a natural extension of what I had been doing daily in relation to his teachings; that is, sharing his spoken and written words.

      I had become ill that year, and was unable to perform my regular devotional practices for several months. Thinking that it was now or never, a few friends suggested that my personal memories be put to paper. I thus recorded about twenty cassette tapes. Then, with the help of some god-sisters, the process of transcribing and editing began.

      It soon became apparent that these recorded memories were merely stray fragments which did not flow together as one coherent narrative. I therefore decided to write each incident, or set of related incidents, as a series of small vignettes, and then placed these vignettes in chronological order.

      I now regret not keeping a written diary while Śrīla Prabhupāda walked the Earth. If I had, these memories would have manifested as a much longer book. What I have written here is perhaps one percent of what I experienced. At the same time, even if I had remembered all the events, it is unclear what one tiny conditioned soul, blinded by bewildering material desires, could have accurately presented.

      In this regard, Śrīla Prabhupāda tells a story: Once, three blind men came upon an elephant. They began feeling the elephant and speculating on what it was. One felt its big legs and concluded, ‘Oh, the elephant is just like a pillar.’ The second man felt the trunk and concluded, ‘Oh, this elephant is just like a snake.’ And the third man felt the belly of the elephant and concluded, ‘This elephant is like a big boat.’ Actually, the blind men did not know what the elephant really was. If you have no ability to see something, you can only speculate about it.¹

      Our sages say that even a person who is very advanced in material learning cannot understand the movements, behavior, and activities of a pure devotee.² Śrīla Prabhupāda himself stated in one of his purports, In order to understand the activities of a Vaiṣṇava (a devotee of Kṛṣṇa), one has to become very expert.³

      I am not at all expert and my senses are imperfect. Still, by divine fate I had the opportunity to witness a most dynamic spiritual movement take birth in the Western world. I was able to watch the Kṛṣṇa consciousness mission unfold and transform from a small group of 1960s era hippies into a movement with millions of spiritual practitioners.

      In 1992, I was greatly blessed with the association of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s sannyāsa god-brother and intimate friend, Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja. He is also Śrīla Prabhupāda’s śikṣā disciple, as well as my śikṣā-guru.⁴

      Quoted in The Law of Nature: An Infallible Justice

      Vaiṣṇavera kriyā mudrā vijñe nā bujhayā (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.39)

      Purport to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.22.50

      Sannyāsa = renounced life; śikṣā = instruction.

      Also spelled as Yadu.

      6 Morning walk conversation: November 20, 1975

      Like Śrīla Prabhupāda and other pure devotees of his caliber, Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja consistently exhibited such qualities as nurturing and supporting others, tolerance, humility, respect and affection for all beings, and being unconfined by any sectarian concern. Like Śrīla Prabhupāda he is also known throughout the world as a powerful self-realized spiritual master and teacher of pure bhakti-yoga.

      In manifold ways, he enriched my appreciation of Śrīla Prabhupāda and his mission, as well as the mission of our entire line of disciplic succession. I thus came to address him as Śrīla Gurudeva. In the four chapters of this book that cover 1992, I share some of my first interactions with him and what I began to learn from him about the art of spiritual life. As I was finalizing the text of my meetings with him, I became sad that although there was so much nectar spoken by him, time and space constraints precluded including it all in this volume.

      My Two Names

      Seeing the cover of The Art of Spiritual Life, one may wonder why I have two names on the byline – Jadurāṇi dāsī and Śyāmārāṇī dāsī – even though I am referred to throughout, from 1966 to 1992, as Jadurāṇī.

      My first name

      In 1966 I received spiritual initiation from Śrīla Prabhupāda. At that time, he mercifully gave me the name Jadurāṇī dāsī. When he gave me my spiritual name, he told me, Kṛṣṇa appeared in the Jadu5 dynasty in order to glorify His devotees in that dynasty. Jadurāṇī dāsī means ‘servant of the original queen of the Jadu dynasty, who is the great-great-great-great grandmother of Kṛṣṇa.’

      A year later, he wrote to me, I am very glad to know that you are helping your god-brothers in Boston, just like the queen of King Jadu. King Jadu was a very powerful King, and Jadurāṇī was his constant companion… So your help to your god-brothers is just apt your nice name.

      How I received my second name

      Like Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrīla Gurudeva also engaged me in painting Kṛṣṇa and His associates. In 1993, I completed my first painting under his direction, called Sevā-kuñja. This image showed a discussion between Rādhā and Śyāmasundara (that is, Kṛṣṇa’s feminine counterpart, Rādhārāṇī, and the beautiful, cloud-complexioned ŚyāmaKṛṣṇa). It was at this time, in commemoration of the painting, that Śrīla Gurudeva gave me the nickname Śyāmarāṇī dāsī.

      He explained to me that Śyāmarāṇī refers to Śrī Rādhā, the queen (rāṇī) of Śyāma. Śyāmā (with a long ‘ā’ at the end) is Śrīmatī Rādhikā Herself. So in both ways, Śyāmarāṇī dāsī means "servant (dāsī) of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Śrīla Prabhupāda, in his infinite well-wishing kindness, had arranged for his dearmost servant and friend to reveal these sweet understandings to me at a later date, when I was ready to receive it. Prabhupāda knew that I had to be first established in an understanding of Kṛṣṇa’s Godhood. I then remembered what he had personally told me on two occasions: When you go back to Godhead, you will be a servant of Rādhārāṇī."

      This would not be a service unique to me. Most spiritual aspirants who join the mission of bhakti in the disciplic line of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu have this potential in their soul. But my time to think about the implications of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s statement would not come until after I met Śrīla Gurudeva.

      It is my firm conviction that Śrīla Gurudeva wanted to bring me, and all of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s followers, closer to Prabhupāda’s heart. Closer to Prabhupāda’s heart means that when Prabhupāda encouraged the world to go Back Home, Back to Godhead, he was referring to that most confidential abode in Godhead, Goloka Vṛndāvana. There, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the Supreme Goddess of selfless love.

      Technicalities

      The meaning of memoir

      Memoir refers to the words memory and reminiscence. It is not like an autobiography, which is a chronology of the author’s entire life. Rather, it is a collection of memories about specific events and moments in the author’s life that have one or more specific themes and one or more teachings for the benefit of the readers. A memoir is all about what readers can gain from the author’s story. Memoirs are meant to resonate with readers, because readers identify with whatever truth evolves in the process of the authorʼs learning; even painful truth bears transferrable principles.

      Readers of memoirs expect that throughout the work, the author will candidly reveal the blunders, confusions, ups and downs, successes, failures, and learning processes experienced on his or her path to the present moment. As in an autobiography, the information given in a memoir is meant to be as factual as possible.

      Two perspectives

      I usually write in what is called the first person limited, as if saying, Please come along with me as I am learning. Less frequently, when I write about some related history or fact that I didn’t actually know about at the time, I switch to the narrative mode called third person omniscient. I go back and forth in order for the reader to zoom in and out.

      Honorific titles

      In general, when we speak or write about Śrīla Prabhupāda, we address him as Śrīla Prabhupāda or Prabhupāda. In The Art of Spiritual Life, however, because he is mentioned thousands of times, I’ve opted to address him with variety. Thus I sometimes call him His Divine Grace, our holy master, and especially Guru Mahārāja.

      My awareness of this last title began in 1992, in the association of devotees of the Gauḍīya Maṭha. I heard them utter this title when referring to their own dīkṣā-guru (initiating spiritual master), and when speaking to a devotee with a different dīkṣāguru, they would say, Your Guru Mahārāja. Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Indian disciples often addressed him in that way, and his grand-disciples address their dīkṣā-gurus in that way.

      A few years before printing The Art of Spiritual Life, I decided to find out what Śrīla Prabhupāda himself had said about this. Searching through his Vedabase Folio, I saw him explain, in his lectures and books, that this is the honorific address given to all gurus by their disciples, and that it is natural for he himself to also be referred to in that way. In Chapter 2, 1967 of this book, I quote some his statements in this regard

      Dāsa and Dāsī

      In general, a male devotee is respected by adding prabhu or dāsa after his name, to indicate that he is a servant of Kṛṣṇa. The female version of dāsa is dāsī. Sometimes dīdī is added after the name of a female devotee, which is a term of respect meaning older sister. In this memoir, although my respect for all the mentioned devotees remains, because I refer to so many devotees so often, I have opted to omit these nomenclatures.

      Captions

      When a painting was done by me (even when some small touch-ups were made by another artist), I have not indicated any artist’s name.

      When a painting was done by another artist, even when still another artist has done some slight touch-ups, that main artist’s name is given

      When a painting was done in the assembly line process, that is given.

      Diacritic pronunciation

      When I use Sanskrit terms, I explain the English meaning, at least the first time I use a term. There is also a glossary at the back of the book.

      I chose to use diacritic spelling and markings, as they are used in all of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s and Śrīla Gurudeva’s books. During a morning walk in Bombay, Prabhupāda said, The diacritic marks which we use, that is international agreement of Sanskrit scholars.⁶

      As often stated in the editors’ introductions to Śrīla Gurudeva’s books, Following the tradition of our spiritual preceptors, we use standard diacritical markings to indicate the pronunciation of the Sanskrit and Bengali words. Pronounce ā like a in father, ī like ea in neat, ū like oo in root, ṛ like ri in rip, ṁ and ṇ like n in hung, ś and ṣ like sh in shy, and c like ch in chap.

      A disclaimer

      In regard to the above-mentioned story of the three blind men encountering an elephant, I also have a story: By 2015, I was daily on the mental platform, like a swinging pendulum, wondering whether or not to continue writing The Art of Spiritual Life. After all, I am not transcendental, so how can I glorify transcendental persons in such a way that the readers will be spiritually benefitted?

      In December of that year, I shared my dilemma with one more of such transcendental personalities, whom I also consider my śikṣā-guru: Śrīla Bhakti Vijñāna Bhāratī Gosvāmī Mahārāja. After explaining a bit of the book’s history, I asked, Is it okay to continue with this, or… what should be done?

      He confirmed that I had a good reason for my apprehension: "It is always good to write something once one becomes mature, because then and only then is one’s vision really perfect; whatever such a devotee presents is transcendental truth.

      "What a conditioned soul presents is not truth or historical fact. He writes according to his vision. It cannot be accepted as pramāṇa, or spiritual evidence. In fact, mundane history itself is not accepted as real evidence, as most historians write from their own perspective – from what they themselves feel or realize.

      "Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī wrote in his Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya-līlā 2.86):

      In this Caitanya-caritāmṛta there is no contradictory conclusion, nor is anyone else’s opinion accepted. I have written this book to describe the simple substance as I have heard it from superiors. If I become involved in someone’s likes and dislikes, I cannot possibly write the simple truth.

      He then commented, Most people are unable to see good and bad from a neutral point of view. In his Vaiṣṇava humility, he added, "That is why, in my own life, I did not write anything. Unless and until that perfect vision comes, there is always a chance that a person can later change his words.

      I have met with many people who have written books or articles, and then, after many years, they say they do not agree with what they had previously written. For example, Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of independent India after 1947, asked someone to write about the history of freedom. The person replied, ‘No, I will not. I don’t agree with the vision you are giving me. There are other perspectives also.’

      Trying to digest his point, I admitted, I myself generally do not read the books of conditioned souls, yet I find myself writing one now. I tell myself every day that I don’t want to do this, that it’s better to stop, but so many devotees encourage me to keep going. That’s why I’m so bewildered.

      I was a bit surprised when he frankly replied, If those people who say, ‘Please continue’ and give you enthusiasm are firmly established in bhakti then it is okay. Otherwise, so many people have so many comments.

      He then gave an example of someone whose advice I would not need to take: There was a devotee named S. M. Bandhu, he said, who had received his initiation mantras – externally – from Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. In a discussion with Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, which was later published in the Harmonist magazine, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Prabhupāda told him, ‘I can say for certain that you never saw, met, or heard from Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura.’

      Now more nervous and disheartened than before, I asked, So, I do not know what to do. Should I just throw out my manuscript?

      Finally, he gave some hope for the memoir’s continuation, but with one condition. It is recommended that one glorify his or her guru-varga, he explained. At the same time, it is important to realize, ‘What I am now understanding is not the topmost limit of their glories. There are so many glories that will manifest in front of me in many different ways afterward.’ Thus, these words can be given to the readers: ‘My vision is not perfect.My vision can change. I may get higher vision afterward. What I have received until now has been given by me in this memoir.’

      I became satisfied to continue, but with great care to include various disclaimers here and there in this book.

      Through the medium of the above-mentioned talk with Śrīla Bhakti Vijñāna Bhāratī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, I am now writing my first disclaimer: In my attempt to validate my memories, I crossreferenced them with several of my god-brothers and sisters. Nevertheless, there will still be defects, because like me, they are also conditioned souls.

      As a personal memorization tool, every time I heard Prabhupāda say something, I would repeat it again and again, to myself and others. In this way, I would remember what I’d heard even years later as though it had happened yesterday. Still, even my remembrances of yesterday are faulty, so fortunately I also did something more.

      When my memory of an experience with Śrīla Prabhupāda or Śrīla Gurudeva was vague, I could often find the exact words of a conversation, book, lecture, or letter by going to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Vedabase Folio and Śrīla Gurudeva’s Bhaktibase Folio. Thus, their written words, and much of their spoken words, are from there.

      As for Śrīla Gurudeva, I personally recorded almost all my meetings with him. Those cassette recordings were later turned into digital sound files and archived.

      Still, imperfections are inevitable for a blind person, so despite my best efforts, I am compelled to take solace in one of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s sayings: A blind uncle is better than no uncle.

      Śrīla Prabhupāda left the vision of the mortal world in 1977 and Śrīla Gurudeva in 2010. My hope in writing The Art of Spiritual Life is that you will personally experience their loving presence even now, as well as their invitation to associate with them further.

      I pray that I am relatable enough for you to continue on this journey with me, and at the same time transparent enough to not get in the way of your connection with these two masters of the art. I pray that this writing will serve you in your own journey

      Aspiring to serve

      Śrī Guru and the Vaiṣṇavas

      Śyāmārāṇī dāsī

      13 October 2019

      The divine disappearance day of

      Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśāva Gosvāmī Mahārāja

      The Publication Team

      Book title: Satyarāja dāsa

      Editors:Yogeśvara dāsa (New York), Satyarāja dāsa, Rikṣarāja dāsa, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī dāsī (England), Vaijayantī-mālā dāsī, Kaiśorī dāsī, Sulatā dāsī, Vaṁśī-vadana dāsa, Balabhadra dāsa (England), Vrajasundarī dāsī (San Fransisco), Jamunā dāsī, Rāmānanda Rāya dāsa (Florida), Yaśodānandana dāsa (Los Angeles), Kavi-karṇapūra dāsa, Sudevī dāsī (of Kiśori-mohana dāsa), Alexander Muir

      Research: Mādhurīka dāsī, Sītā dāsī (Gainsville), Vasanti dāsī

      Quotes from the books, lectures, and letters of Śrīla Prabhupāda: courtesy Bhaktivedanta Vedabase Folio

      Sound files and videos of Śrīla Gurudeva used for transcribing: Īśa dāsa (purebhakti.tv)

      Typists and transcribers: Anītā dāsī, Mādhurīka dāsī, Sulatā dāsī, Vasanti dāsī, Brielle Elise

      Proofreaders: Caitanya-śakti dāsī, Madhukara dāsa, Gaura-kṛṣṇa dāsa, Jānakī dāsī (Belgium), Vasanti dāsī

      Fidelity check: Caitanya-śakti dāsī

      Layout and design: Anūpama dāsa, Jānakī dāsī (Belgium), Kamala dāsī (Canada)

      Glossary: Gaura-kṛṣṇa dāsa

      Reader feedback: Puṣkara dāsa, Kālindī dāsī, Rāmadāsa Abhirāma dāsa, Dhṛti dāsī, Vraja-kiśorī dāsī (Australia)

      Scans of the paintings and photos: provided by the Bhaktivedanta Archives

      Consultant for the four chapters on 1992: Śrīpada B. V. Mādhava Mahārāja

      Other acknowledgements: Rāmeśvara dāsa, Jāhnavā dāsī (Alachua), Amy V. Dewhurst, Rādhā dāsī (San Francisco), Rādhā-kānti dāsī & Māyāpura dāsa (New York)

      Several of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disciples, my god-brothers and god-sisters, have written wonderful accounts of their time in his association. Although each memoir is rich in uniqueness, each is bound to the rest by a common thread: a desire to share the inconceivable glory of the same otherworldly father.

      Painting the Background

      It was the 1960s – a time of search in a dark world. Disillusioned with parents, teachers, public leaders and religious figures, and with government policies on war, human rights, and goals of life, we western youth became attracted to left-wing political ideologies. Many searched for enlightenment, not quite knowing what it was. Though unaware of its meaning and thinking that perhaps it included continuous sensuous enjoyment, we searched for love, peace, and spiritual expression. We created new heroes, looking for leadership in folk singers hailed as ‘freedom fighters.’

      Experimenting with hallucinogenic and other mind-altering drugs, we only knew that we were looking for ‘something else’ – something exotic and non-Western, something we saw as transcendental. In our attempt to uncover our real identity and find a meaningful direction in life, we questioned: Who am I? Why am I here in this world? Why am I suffering? Why is the rest of the world suffering? Is there really a God? If so, is He the all-pervading ‘It’ that is ultimately ‘Nothing’? Or am I that ‘allpervading It’?

      The low-rent East Village area, with its dilapidated gothic landscape and romantic recent history of beatnik intellectualism and anti-racism, seemed to fit the bill for enlightenment. It thus became a destination of choice for those looking to escape mainstream America. Here, America’s disillusioned youth flocked to watch psychedelic lightshows and hear folk-rock and blues.

      We looked to singers like the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul and Mary. The hippieculture blossomed, espousing libertarianism, nuclear fatalism, eastern mysticism, and civil rights.

      As the months rolled by, many of us counterculture youth realized that something was amiss in this new, alternative view of reality. The leaders of the new culture told us that it was the military-industrial complex that was to blame for the world’s problems, yet those leaders had no plausible solutions to offer.

      The most lauded folk-singer, Bob Dylan, sang the obvious, "The Times, They are A’ Changin’," while assuring the 60s generation that, The Answers, My Friend, Are A’ Blowin’ in The Wind. But neither he nor anyone else of the time could grab those answers from the wind and show them to the generation looking for change.

      It was within this counterculture setting that, in 1965, the great, self-realized spiritual master, Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja, arrived from India. He settled first in uptown Manhattan, and later moved to the East Village.

      There, at the age of seventy, he chose to build his first temple of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and begin his mission of injecting the timeless, spiritual wisdom of ancient Vedic India into the hearts of countless seekers.

      His initial teachings were simple and straightforward, We are not this body. We are spirit souls, part and parcel of the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Our only duty, and our only happiness, is to serve and glorify Him.

      The ancient wisdom texts of India, such as the Bhagavad-gītā, tell us that the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the source of time, appears whenever and wherever there are discrepancies in the principles of pure life, and a predominance of corruption. He does this to relieve the Earth of the burden of accumulated sinful activities, and to liberate the pious from the cycle of birth, old age, disease, and death. He comes when He is most needed. For example, when He appeared on Earth 5,000 years ago, the world was overburdened by the military arsenal of demons posing as kings. Just before His advent, the world was in a state of pandemonium

      That same Kṛṣṇa, in His form of time – now the 1960s – had painted this social background of experimentalism and a strong anti-establishment mood. He can do so, because He is the Cause of all causes. His material energy created the required atmosphere, and such an atmosphere provided the perfect setting for His divine messenger to paint the foreground: A revolution in the impious life of a misdirected civilization. ¹

      Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja, later to be renowned all over the world as Śrīla Prabhupāda, offered to the disenfranchised and discontented American youth of the 1960s, and later to people all over the world, everything we were yearning for and much more. Through his teachings and his personal example, he not only instilled purpose in our lives and inspired in us the purpose of life, but he gave us the path by which we could fulfill that purpose.

      [‘Painting the Background’ was originally written

      for The Art of Spiritual Life, but was printed

      first in Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī

      Mahārāja’s Hidden Path of Devotion.]

      Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto 1, Preface.

      1966: Genie on a Magic Carpet

      Leading to the First Meeting

      It was a Friday, the last day of the workweek in early September. I was on my summer job as a secretary-clerk to help pay for my upcoming semester’s college expenses; my lunch break was almost over. As I hurried past The New York Public Library on 5th Avenue and 42nd Street, I was engulfed in the large crowd swarming across the metropolis.

      Young secretaries in high heels laughed together as they

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