A lway s E m b r a c e d
by
Kåñëa
perform Ratha-yäträ at any time of the year? They do not follow the scripture that has the fixed date for Ratha-yäträ, on asäda vidyä sakala tithi.” They criticise this and what Çréla Prabhupäda implemented. Although this is the tattva, they do not understand it and therefore they criticise. When one understands this in tattva, where is the room for criticism? One who understands this will say, “Yes, let them do it every day. Drag Kåñëa to Våndävana, to your heart.” That should be done every day. It is a daily activity. So why should there be any criticism? It is only because they do not understand this point. This is tattva-vicära, the tattva behind Ratha-yäträ...”16
The Purī Paṇḍās Jayadharma däsa: The temple brähmaëas (Puré paëòäs) came to the Tourist Bungalow and invited Çréla Prabhupäda to go to the Jagannätha Temple, but he refused to go as long as his disciples were not allowed entrance into the very famous Jagannätha Puré Temple. “Çréla Prabhupäda stayed a day at the beachside Tourist Bungalow, and one of his Godbrothers, Syamasundara brahmacäré, from the local [Çré] Purushottama Gauòéya Math, visited. After he left, Çré Sevasiva Rath, a member of the püjäré committee of the Jagannätha Temple, also came to visit. Prabhupäda spoke to him about the possibility of ISKCON devotees entering the Jagannätha Temple. To bar the Western Vaiñëavas from entering the temple was prejudiced and ignorant. Since the members of the Kåñëa consciousness movement were fully engaged in spiritual life, they should not be considered unfit simply because of their birth status or race. Sevasiva Rath was friendly and agreed with Çréla Prabhupäda; he promised he would do what he could to help. He also told Çréla Prabhupäda about a book he had just published and invited him to attend a small paëòala meeting
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