june 18 1972
Prabhupāda: Yes. This bow down… Even the children, they are imitating, bowing down, but it has got the effect. Not that the children, they have no seriousness about… Seriousness or no seriousness, simply if he bows down, he gets the result. He gets the… Dancing, he’s dancing. He’s getting the result. He’s becoming a devotee. This is called ajñāta–sukṛti. These are the statements in Bhakti–rasām… Nectar of Devotion. You’ll find. The temple is meant for giving chances to the nondevotees. Some way or other, if he comes in the temple, bows down, and dances with us, takes the prasādam, takes caraṇāmṛta, that means he is becoming spiritually advanced. Therefore this is a chance. And actually, our Society is giving this chance.
Jan 19 1974 Hawaii
Prabhupāda: No, if he’s devotee, then he’ll come. But this taking of prasādam, or hearing Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is advancement for becoming a devotee. But if he takes prasādam not as ordinary prasādam, foodstuff, he believes that “This is remnants of foodstuffs given to God,” if he understands this philosophy, then guaranteed. If he takes the prasādam as ordinary food, “All right, these people are distributing, prasā… Let me take it. It is very tasteful,” that will give him chance to accept prasādam next, next, next… In this way, one day he’ll come to the point that “This prasādam is not ordinary foodstuff.” Then he’ll… There is guarantee. Because only the devotee can appreciate that “This prasādam is not ordinary foodstuff. It is Kṛṣṇa’s remnant of…” Therefore, he understands Kṛṣṇa. That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma–karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ [Bg. 4.9]. In truth, when he understands, then his life is guaranteed. Why guaranteed? He goes back to home next life. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. If you simply can understand what is Kṛṣṇa and what is your relationship with Kṛṣṇa, that is sufficient to take you back to home, back to Godhead. That is sufficient. It is so nice.
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Krsna Lasagna Prasadam–There is a material concept called the law of diminishing returns which means anything that we find enjoyable materially, it gets less enjoyable the more you enjoy it. Like with food-the first bite is good, the next bite is not as good, up to the last bite which is nothing like the first bite at all.
But with Krsna Prasadam-like this Lasagna below for example, we had for dinner a few nights ago, every bite was better than the previous bite. And this went on right up to the last bite on my plate. And this is no exaggeration. It was that good !!!
By the way here is the recipe my wife uses to make it-She basically uses the Kurma recipe book.
Recipe–First thing in the bottom of pan/dish is tomato sauce (ours is homemade from the tomatoes in the greenhouse), then the first layer of noodles. Then Bechmal sauce (milk, butter flour nutmeg and pepper). Then another layer of noodles, then greens from the garden out back, then cheese like mosarella and parmesam, and swiss, then more tomato sauce(tomatoes, peppers spices from garden). Then another layer of noodles, then more bechamal sauce, another layer of noodles, more cheese and tomato sauce and greens. Another layer of noodles, more bechamal sauce plus a sprinkle of parmesam cheese.
Spices from the garden include parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, some banana peppers, black pepper and olive oil.
AS Srila Prabhupada was liken to say-“when you live in the palace, you live like the King”.
Param Vijayate, Sri Krsna Sankirtan-chanting dancing and feasting…..
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das