Vyasa-Puja 2012

THE MOST BLESSED EVENT The Appearance Day Of Our Beloved Spiritual Master 11 AUGUST 2012

Çré Vyäsa-Püjä His Divine Grace Oà Viñëupäda Paramahaàsa Parivräjakäcärya Añöottara-çata Çré Çrémad

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda

Founder-Acarya: International Society for Krishna Consciousness

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Published by

ISKCON DURBAN for the South African Yatra

Çré Çré Rädhä Rädhänäth Temple 50 Bhaktivedanta Swami Circle, Unit 5, Chatsworth, 4092, Durban, South Africa Telephone: (031) 4033328 • Email: iskcon.durban@pamho.net

Photos of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada courtesy of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc. www.krishna.com. Used with permission.

Your ever well-wisher,

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A Humble Note In our humble effort to produce this offering of love, we beg forgiveness for any shortcomings, mistakes or over-sights in the production, whether knowingly or unknowingly.

Begging forgiveness for any offences whilst attempting this service, On behalf of the Çré Vyäsa-püjä Book Team, Your servant, Haridev Däsa

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Çré Vyäsa-püjä THE APPEARANCE DAY OF OUR BELOVED SPIRITUAL MASTER

Oà Vishupada Parämahämsa Parivrajakäcärya Añöottra-çata Çré Çrémad His Divine Grace

A.C. Bhaktivedänta Swami Prabhupäda Founder Äcärya of the International Society for Kåñëa Consciousness

ÇRÉ GURU PRAËÄMA oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana-çaläkayä cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré-gurave namaù I offer my respectful obeisances uno my spiritual master, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.

ÇRÉLA PRABHUPÄDA PRAËATI nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale çrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda, who is very dear to Lord Kåñëa, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.

namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëe nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Gosvämé. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.

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Çré-guru-vandanä by Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura 1 çré-guru-carana-padma, kevala bhakati-sadma, bando mui sävadhäna mate jähära prasäde bhäi, e bha va toriyä jäi, krñëa-präpti hoy jähä häte The lotus feet of our spiritual master are the only way by which we can attain pure devotional service.

I bow to his lotus feet with great awe and reverence. By his grace one can cross the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Kåñëa 2 guru-mukha-padma-väkya, cittete koriyä aikya, är nä koriho mane äçä çré-guru-caraëe rati, ei se uttama gati, je prasäde pure sarva äçä My only wish is to have my consciousness purified by the words emanating from his lotus mouth.

Attachment to his lotus feet is the perfection that fulfills all desires.

3 cakhu-dän dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei, divya jïän håde prokäçito prema-bhakti jähä hoite, avidyä vinäça jäte, vede gäy jähära carito He opens my darkened eyes and fills my heart with transcendental knowledge. He is my Lord birth after birth. From him ecstatic prema emanates; by him ignorance is destroyed. The Vedic scriptures sing of his character.

4 çré-guru karuëä-sindhu, adhama janära bandbu, lokanäth lokera jévana hä hä prabhu koro doyä, deho more pada-chäyä, ebe jaça ghuñuk tribhuvana Our spiritual master is the ocean of mercy, the friend of the poor, and the lord and master of the devotees. O master! Be merciful unto me. Give us the shade of your lotus feet. Your fame is spread all over the three worlds. We take shelter of your lotus feet.

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Contents Çri Guru Pranam, vii Çré-guru-vandanä, viii Acknowledgements, xi Introduction, xii Biography of Srila Prabhupada, xiv Meaning of Vyasa-puja, xvi Çréla Prabhupäda’s Vyasa-puja Offering, xix Çréla Prabhupäda Beautiful Transcendental Qualities, xxvi Çréla Prabhupäda Añöaka, xxvi Çréla Prabhupäda’s Vyasa-puja address, xl How the Hare Krishna Movement and Srila Prabhupada came to Africa, 1 Quotes by Srila Prabhupada, 11 Poems by Srila Prabhupada, 17 Selected Letters by Srila Prabhupada, 25 Selected Lectures by Srila Prabhupada, 33 Conversations with Srila Prabhupada, 47 Memories of Srila Prabhupada, 59 Çré Vyäsa-püjä Homages from Disciples and Sannyäsés, 65 Bhakti Caitanya Swami, 66 Bhakti Chäru Swami, 67 Bhaktimarga Swami, 68 Devämrita Swami, 70 Giriräj Swami, 72 Jayapataka Swami, 79 Krishna Däsa Swami, 81 Lokanäth Swami, 82 Medhavi Prabhu, 86 Pärtha Särathi Däsa Goswämé, 87 Prasüti dasi, 89 Rama Govinda Swami, 90 Çyämaläl Däsa, 91 Bhakti Brhad Bhagavat Swami, 91 Bhakti Narasiàha Swami, 94 Kadamba Känana Swami, 95 Srila Prabhupada Vyasa-puja reply, 97 Çré Gurvañöakam, 99

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Acknowledgements sakale sammän, korite çakati, deho' nätha! jathäjatha tabe to' gäibo, harinäma-sukhe, aparädha ha 'be hata “O lord and master! Invest me with the power to properly honor all living beings. Only then will I sing the holy name in great ecstasy and will all my offenses cease.” [Gurudeva! by Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura] This Vyäsa-püjä Book is a humble offering in an attempt to glorify our Srila Prabhupada.

Many devotees offered their kind service and loving assistance in the production of this offering of love. I have been most fortunate to have had a wonderful team of devotees, serving with only one goal, to please Çréla Prabhupäda. Without these sincere devotees, the production of this book would not have been possible. I pray to Çréla Prabhupäda that he may be pleased with these devotees even if it means that I myself am ignored by His Divine Grace.

Bhakta Pranil (Pmb) Bhakti Nilaya Dasa (BCS) Bhaktin Ameeta (Jhb) Kalavati Devi Dasi (GRS) Prasuti Devi Dasi (ACBSP) Rasika Mohan Dasa (BCaiS) Vrajarenu Devi Dasi (BCaiS) I pray to our wonderful community of devotees that you please offer your blessings to the devotees serving on the Vyasa Puja Book Team. Their only aim was to produce a book to please our Srila Prabhupada and in attempting that, their prayer is to thus please the devotees.

I am eternally grateful to His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda, the world’s illustrious pre-eminent Siksha Guru, for allowing me the rare privilege of attempting this service for his pleasure.

With heartfelt gratitude, A lowly servant in the glorious service of Çréla Prabhupäda, Haridev Däsa

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Foreword Haridev Dasa To all the devotees of Iskcon, Srila Prabhupada’s Sri Vyasa Puja has a very special significance in their hearts. Everyone wants to celebrate this auspicious day with the greatest grandeur in order to express heartfelt gratitude towards our beloved Srila Prabhupada.

Not only Srila Prabhupada’s disciples, but anyone who comes in contact with ISKCON feels a great attachment and inseparable connection with His Divine Grace. Every devotee of ISKCON feels that the allure of Srila Prabhupada has attracts them to the Society. Srila Prabhupada’s books, conversations, lectures, temples, disciples, followers his life history and even the beautiful pictures capture our hearts and minds.

So, it is natural that everyone has a natural feeling of eternal gratitude for Srila Prabhupada. For many of us who have joined ISKCON after the disappearance of Srila Prabhupada feels, “if only I could have joined a few years earlier… I too could have met Srila Prabhupada…” People will continue to feel like this for millennia to come.

In reality, only time separates us from Srila Prabhupada. SrilaPrabhupada has guaranteed us that there will be an ISKCON in the spiritual world as well. And surely, His Divine Grace will be there in person.

One hundred and sixteen years ago, due to the divine arrangement of the Lord, Srila Prabhupada appeared on this earthly planet. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had a specific plan to inundate the world with Krishna Consciousness. At the same time Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu predicted that the chanting of the Holy Name will be spread to every town and village. The Lord reserved this glory for his dear devotee. Through our Srila Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya fulfilled His prediction. And through Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON the same work is being continued by his followers.

This is a very special time for the followers of Srila Prabhupada. All over the world, beautiful celebrations and glorifications are being arranged. Here in South Africa, every devotee observes the auspicious Sri Vyasa Puja of His Divine Grace with reverence, appreciation and deep love.

This years Vyasa Puja offering is a presentation of that collective love of the devotees.

This year we have changed the format of the Vyasa Puja Book offering. The actual book content is a meditation on Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, writings, conversations, letters and life. For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada, for the first time in South Africa, we have launched an official Vyasa Puja website WWW.JAIPRABHUPADA.ORG. All offerings from devotees in South Africa are included on the website.

We present this book and Vyasa Puja Website to His Divine Grace simply for his pleasure. So many devotees have expressed their love and gratitude this year, taking up the chance to glorify the one person that has changed so many lives in the past and is continuing to change lives so dramatically today. And without any doubt, His Divine Grace will continue to change people’s lives even in the future.

Sri Vyasa Puja may be one day a year, but the worship of our Srila Prabhupada should not be just an annual event. We should arrange our life in such a way that we are able to worship Srila Prabhupada

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with the same essence of Sri Vyasa Puja, everyday. Thus, the world will see us all as the true representatives of the Founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.

Saksad-dharitvena samasta-satrair Uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya Vande guroh sri-caranara vrindham “In the revealed scriptures it is declared that the spiritual master (Srila Prabhupada) should be worshiped like the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and this injunction is obeyed by pure devotees of the Lord. The spiritual master is the most confidential servant of the Lord. Thus lets us offer our respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of our spiritual master, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.”

Thank you.

For the pleasure of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, A servant of his servants eternally Haridev das

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A Brief Biography of

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada appeared in this world in 1896 in Calcutta, India. He first met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, in Calcutta in 1922.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, a prominent religious scholar and the founder of sixty-four Gaudiya Mathas (Vedic institutes) in India, liked this educated young man and convinced him to dedicate his life to teaching Vedic knowledge. Srila Prabhupada became his student and, in 1933, his formally initiated disciple.

At their first meeting Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati requested Srila Prabhupada to broadcast Vedic knowledge in English. In the years that followed, Srila Prabhupada wrote a commentary on the Bhagavad-gita, assisted the Gaudiya Matha in its work, and, in 1944, started Back toGodhead, an English fortnightly magazine. Single-handedly, Srila Prabhupada edited it, typed the manuscripts, checked the galley proofs, and even distributed the individual copies. The magazine is now being continued by his disciples in the West.

In 1950 Srila Prabhupada retired from married life, adopting the vanaprasta(retired) order to devote more time to his studies and writing. He traveled to the holy city of Vrndavana, where he lived in humble circumstances in the historic temple of Radha-Damodara. There he engaged for several years in deep study and writing. He accepted the renounced order of life (sannyasa) in 1959. At RadhaDamodara, Srila Prabhupada began work on his life's masterpiece: a multivolume commentated translation of the eighteen thousand verse Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana). He also wrote Easy Journey to Other Planets.

After publishing three volumes of the Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada came to the United States, in September 1965, to fulfill the mission of his spiritual master. Subsequently, His Divine Grace wrote more than fifty volumes of authoritative commentated translations and summary studies of the philosophical and religious classics of India.

When he first arrived by freighter in New York City, Srila Prabhupada was practically penniless. Only after almost a year of great difficulty did he establish the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, in July of 1966. Before he passed away on November 14, 1977, he had guided the Society and seen it grow to a worldwide confederation of more than one hundred asramas, schools, temples, institutes, and farm communities.

In 1972 His Divine Grace introduced the Vedic system of primary and secondary education in the West by founding the gurukula school in Dallas, Texas. Since then his disciples have established similar schools throughout the United States and the rest of the world.

Srila Prabhupada also inspired the construction of several large international cultural centers in India.

The center at Sridhama Mayapur is the site for a planned spiritual city, an ambitious project for which construction will extend over many years to come. In Vrndavana are the magnificent Krsna-Balarama Temple and International Guesthouse, gurukula school, and Srila Prabhupada Memorial and Museum.

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There is also a major cultural and educational center in Bombay. Major centers are planned in Delhi and in a dozen other important locations on the Indian subcontinent.

Srila Prabhupada's most significant contribution, however, is his books. Highly respected by scholars for their authority, depth, and clarity, they are used as textbooks in numerous college courses. His writings have been translated into over fifty languages. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, established in 1972 to publish the works of His Divine Grace, has thus become the world's largest publisher of books in the field of Indian religion and philosophy.

In just twelve years, despite his advanced age, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe fourteen times on lecture tours that took him to six continents. Yet this vigorous schedule did not slow his prolific literary output. His writings constitute a veritable library of Vedic philosophy, religion, literature, and culture.

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The Meaning of Çré Vyäsa-püjä Nanda Kumar Däsa Çré Vyäsa-püjä is a celebration of love of the spiritual master for his disciples and the disciples for their savior and guardian, their spiritual master. Çréla Vyasadeva, out of his causeless mercy for the living entities in Kali-yuga compiled the Vedic literature culminating in the composition of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, the ripened fruit of the tree of Vedic knowledge. Vyäsa-püjä celebrates this blessing because Çréla Vyasadeva pleased his own spiritual master Närada Muni by this wonderful service. The intent of Çréla Vyasadeva’s writings was to awaken the jévas dormant love for the Divine Couple, Çré Çré Rädhä Çyämasundara and this could only be achieved by the grace of his spiritual master. Çréla Prabhupäda always described himself as simply a messenger of his spiritual master and Lord Kåñëa. In his introduction to the first chapter of Çré Caitanya-caritämåta he writes, “Since we belong to the chain of disciplic succession from Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, this edition of Çré Caitanyacaritämåta will contain nothing newly manufactured by our tiny brains, but only remnants of the foodstuff originally eaten by the Lord Himself … it is not the arrogant scholarship of a mental speculator but a sincere effort to serve the order of a superior authority whose service is the life and soul of this humble effort...”

The siddhänta of pleasing the spiritual master in disciplic succession is stressed in the Vedas and especially in the Vaiñëava sampradäya, more than in any other religious tradition. Lord Kåñëa told Arjuna, “Those who are My devotees are not My devotees. But those who are devotees of My devotees are factually My devotees.”

Lord Kåñëa himself exemplified the principle of pleasing the spiritual master in his own relationship with Sändépani Muni. Both Kåñëa and Sudämä, had worked hard to please their guru by willingly sacrificing their own personal comfort in order to carry out the instructions of Sändépani Muni. Kåñëa said to Sudämä, “Both of us can realize that without the blessings of the spiritual master, no one can be happy. By the mercy of the spiritual master and his blessings, one can achieve peace and prosperity, and be able to fulfill the mission of spiritual life.” Çréla Prabhupäda comments, “By the pleasure of the spiritual master one gets extraordinary power, especially in spiritual advancement.” The blessings of the spiritual master are more potent than our own endeavors to advance spiritually. Çréla Prabhupäda most definitely received the blessings of his Guru Mahäräj and was thus able to fulfill the prediction of Lord Caitanya that baffled scholars and religionist for hundred of years.

According to Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura, no human being can become the spiritual master of the whole world without being directly powered by the potency of the Lord. “Only an empowered personality can distribute the holy name of the Lord and enjoin all fallen souls to worship Kåñëa. By distributing the holy name of the Lord, he cleans the heart of the most fallen people; therefore he extinguishes the blazing fire of the material world. Not only that, he broadcasts the shinning brightness of Kåñëas effulgence throughout the whole world. Such an äcärya should be considered non different from Kåñëa—he should be considered an incarnation of Kåñëas potency. He

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is the guru or spiritual master of the entire world, a devotee of the top most platform, the mahäbhägavata stage, and a paramätmä thäkura, a spiritual form only fit to be addressed as paramätmä or thäkura.”

We can easily assess that Çréla Prabhupäda was a Vaiñëava of the highest order with the power to create bhakti where none existed before. He was an acarya who carried the age old message of the paramparä and intelligently applied it to the present day world. In that, he was a unique, even among Vaiñëava. Çréla Prabhupäda in accordance with the principles of paramparä showered opportunity after opportunity not only to his disciples but to the whole world by creating ISKCON. ISKCON is the embodiment of Çréla Prabhupädas love for his spiritual master, Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura and his love for the world. By being loyal to ISKCON, by maintaining and strengthening ISKCON, is the reciprocal love of the disciple for Çréla Prabhupäda.

As soon as we become appreciative of the gifts that Çréla Prabhupäda is offering us, then the question of how to please him is simply answered. If you love a person, you will find a way to please him; the desire to please him will fill your thoughts. These thoughts are then translated into action and there is no dearth of opportunity for acting on Çréla Prabhupädas behalf. Pleasing Çréla Prabhupäda is notdetermined by the type of service we render but by engaging whole heartedly in his service “If you love me, I will love you.”[Çréla Prabhupäda to Satsvarupa Mahäräj]

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Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja Offering The following speech was given by Abhay Charan Das(Srila Prabhupada) before the members of the Sri Gaudiya Matha in Bombay, in February 1936, on the occasion of the appearance anniversary of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura: saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair / uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya / vande guroh sri-caranaravindam "In the revealed scriptures it is declared that the spiritual master should be worshiped like the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and this injunction is obeyed by pure devotees of the Lord. The spiritual master is the most confidential servant of the Lord. Thus let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of our spiritual master."

Gentlemen, on behalf of the members of the Bombay branch of the Gaudiya Matha, let me welcome you all because you have so kindly joined us tonight in our congregational offerings of homage to the lotus feet of the world teacher, Acaryadeva, who is the founder of this Gaudiya Mission and the president-acarya of Sri Sri Visva-vaisnava Raja-sabha—I mean my eternal divine master, Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja.

Sixty-two years ago, on this auspicious day, the Acaryadeva made his appearance by the call of Thakura Bhaktivinoda at Sri-ksetra, Jagannatha-dhama at Puri.

Gentlemen, the offering of such an homage as has been arranged this evening to the Acaryadeva is not a sectarian concern, for when we speak of the fundamental principle of gurudeva, or acaryadeva, we speak of something that is of universal application. There does not arise any question of discriminating my guru from yours or anyone else's. There is only one guru, who appears in an infinity of forms to teach you, me and all others.

The guru, or acaryadeva, as we learn from the bona fide scriptures, delivers the message of the absolute world, the transcendental abode of the Absolute Personality, where everything nondifferentially serves the Absolute Truth. We have heard so many times: mahajano yena gatah sa panthah ("Traverse the trail which your previous acarya has passed"), but we have hardly tried to understand the real purport of this sloka. If we scrutinizingly study this proposition, we can understand that the mahajana is one, and the royal road to the transcendental world is also one. In the Mundaka Upanisad [1.2.12] it is said: tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigaccet samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham "In order to learn the transcendental science, one must approach the bona fide spiritual master in disciplic succession, who is fixed in the Absolute Truth."

Thus it has been enjoined herewith that in order to receive that transcendental knowledge, one must approach the guru. Therefore, if the Absolute Truth is one, about which we think there is no

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difference of opinion, the guru also cannot be two. The Acaryadeva to whom we have assembled tonight to offer our humble homage is not the guru of a sectarian institution or one out of many differing exponents of the truth. On the contrary, he is the Jagad-guru, the guru of all of us; the only difference is that some obey him wholeheartedly, while others do not obey him directly.

In the Bhagavatam [SB 11.17.27] it is said: acaryam mam vijaniyan navamanyeta karhicit na martya-buddhyasuyeta sarva-deva-mayo guruh "One should understand the spiritual master to be as good as I am," said the Blessed Lord. "Nobody should be jealous of the spiritual master or think of him as an ordinary man, because the spiritual master is the sum total of all the demigods." That is, the acarya has been identified with God Himself.

He has nothing to do with the affairs of this mundane world. He does not descend here to meddle with the affairs of temporary necessities, but to deliver the fallen, conditioned souls—the souls, or entities, who have come here to the material world with a motive of enjoyment by the mind and the five organs of sense perception. He appears before us to reveal the light of the Vedas and to bestow upon us the blessings of full-fledged freedom, after which we should hanker at every step of our life's journey.

The transcendental knowledge of the Vedas was first uttered by God to Brahma, the creator of this particular universe. From Brahma the knowledge descended to Narada, from Narada to Vyasadeva, and from Vyasadeva to Madhva, and in this process of disciplic succession the transcendental knowledge was transmitted by one disciple to another till it reached Lord Gauranga, Sri Krsna Caitanya, who posed as the disciple and successor of Sri Isvara Puri. The present Acaryadeva is the tenth disciplic representative from Sri Rupa Gosvami, the original representative of Lord Caitanya who preached this transcendental tradition in its fullness. The knowledge that we receive from our Gurudeva is not different from that imparted by God Himself and the succession of the acaryas in the preceptorial line of Brahma. We adore this auspicious day as Sri Vyasa-puja-tithi because the acarya is the living representative of Vyasadeva, the divine compiler of the Vedas, Puranas, Bhagavad-gita, Mahabharata, and Srimad-Bhagavatam.

One who interprets the divine sound, or sabda-brahma, by his imperfect sense perception cannot be a real spiritual guru, because in the absence of proper disciplinary training under the bona fide acarya, the interpreter is sure to differ from Vyasadeva (as the Mayavadis do). Srila Vyasadeva is the prime authority of Vedic revelation, and therefore such an irrelevant interpreter cannot be accepted as the guru or acarya, howsoever equipped he may be with all the acquirements of material knowledge. As it is said in the Padma Purana, sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah: "Unless you are initiated by a bona fide spiritual master in the disciplic succession, the mantra that you might have received is without any effect."

On the other hand, one who has received the transcendental knowledge by aural reception from the bona fide preceptor in the disciplic chain, and who has sincere regard for the real acarya, must needs be enlightened with the revealed knowledge of the Vedas. But this knowledge is permanently sealed to the cognitive approach of the empiricists. As it is said in Svetasvatara Upanisad [6.23]: yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau tasyaite kathita hy arthah prakasante mahatmanah

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"Only unto those great souls who simultaneously have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed."

Gentlemen, our knowledge is so poor, our senses are so imperfect, and our sources are so limited that it is not possible for us to have even the slightest knowledge of the absolute region without surrendering ourselves at the louts feet of Sri Vyasadeva or his bona fide representative. Every moment we are being deceived by the knowledge of our direct perception. It is all the creation or concoction of the mind, which is always deceiving, changing, and flickering. We cannot know anything of the transcendental region by our limited, perverted method of observation and experiment. But all of us can lend our eager ears for the aural reception of the transcendental sound transmitted from that region to this through the unadulterated medium of Sri Gurudeva or Sri Vyasadeva. Therefore, gentlemen, we should surrender ourselves today at the feet of the representative of Sri Vyasadeva for the elimination of all our differences bred by our unsubmissive attitude. It is accordingly said in Sri Gita [Bg. 4.34]: tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah "Just approach the wise and bona fide spiritual master. Surrender unto him first and try to understand him by inquiries and service. Such a wise spiritual master will enlighten you with transcendental knowledge, for he has already known the Absolute Truth."

To receive the transcendental knowledge we must completely surrender ourselves to the real acarya in a spirit of ardent inquiry and service. Actual performance of service to the Absolute under the guidance of the acarya is the only vehicle by which we can assimilate the transcendental knowledge.

Today's meeting for offering our humble services and homage to the feet of the Acaryadeva will enable us to be favored with the capacity of assimilating the transcendental knowledge so kindly transmitted by him to all persons without distinction.

Gentlemen, we are all more or less proud of our past Indian civilization, but we actually do not know the real nature of that civilization. We cannot be proud of our past material civilization, which is now a thousand times greater than in days gone by. It is said that we are passing through the age of darkness, the Kali-yuga. What is this darkness? The darkness cannot be due to backwardness in material knowledge, because we now have more of it than formerly. If not we ourselves, our neighbors at any rate have plenty of it. Therefore, we must conclude that the darkness of the present age is not due to a lack of material advancement, but that we have lost the clue to our spiritual advancement, which is the prime necessity of human life and the criterion of the highest type of human civilization. Throwing of bombs from airplanes is no advancement of civilization from the primitive, uncivilized practice of dropping big stones on the heads of enemies from the tops of hills.

Improvement in the art of killing our neighbors by means of machine guns and poisonous gases is certainly no advancement from primitive barbarism, which prided itself on its art of killing by bows and arrows. Nor does the development of a sense of pampered selfishness prove anything more than intellectual animalism. True human civilization is very different from all these states, and therefore in the Katha Upanisad [1.3.14] there is the emphatic call:

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uttisthata jagrata prapya varan nibodhata ksurasya dhara nisita duratyaya durgam pathas tat kavayo vadanti "Please wake up and try to understand the boon which you now have in this human form of life. The path of spiritual realization is very difficult; it is sharp like a razor's edge. That is the opinion of learned, transcendental scholars."

Thus, while others were yet in the womb of historical oblivion, the sages of India had developed a different kind of civilization, which enabled them to know themselves. They had discovered that we are not at all material entities, but that we are all spiritual, permanent, and indestructible servants of the Absolute. But because we have, against our better judgment, chosen to completely identify ourselves with this present material existence, our sufferings have multiplied according to the inexorable law of birth and death, with its consequent diseases and anxieties. These sufferings cannot be really mitigated by any provision of material happiness, because matter and spirit are completely different elements. It is just as if you took an aquatic animal out of water and put it on the land, supplying all manner of happiness possible on land. The deadly sufferings of the animal are not capable of being relieved at all until it is taken out of its foreign environment. Spirit and matter are completely contradictory things. All of us are spiritual entities. We cannot have perfect happiness, which is our birthright, however much we may meddle with the affairs of the mundane things. Perfect happiness can by ours only when we are restored to our natural state of spiritual existence. This is the distinctive message of our ancient Indian civilization, this is the message of the Gita, this is the message of the Vedas and the Puranas, and this is the message of all the real acaryas, including our present Acaryadeva, in the line of Lord Caitanya.

Gentlemen, although it is imperfectly that we have been enabled, by his grace, to understand the sublime messages of our Acaryadeva, Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, we must admit that we have realized definitely that the divine message from his holy lips is the congenial thing for suffering humanity. All of us should hear him patiently. If we listen to the transcendental sound without unnecessary opposition, he will surely have mercy upon us. The acarya's message is to take us back to our original home, back to God. Let me repeat, therefore, that we should hear him patiently, follow him in the measure of our conviction and bow down at his lotus feet for releasing us from our present causeless unwillingness for serving the Absolute and all souls.

From the Gita we learn that even after the destruction of the body, the atma, or the soul, is not destroyed; he is always the same, always new and fresh. Fire cannot burn him, water cannot dissolve him, the air cannot dry him up, and the sword cannot kill him. He is everlasting and eternal, and this is also confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam [SB 10.84.13]: yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah "Anyone who accepts this bodily bag of three elements [bile, mucus, and air] as his self, who has an affinity for an intimate relationship with his wife

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and children, who considers his land as worshipable, who takes bath in the waters of the holy places of pilgrimage but never takes advantage of those persons who are in actual knowledge—he is no better than an ass or a cow."

Unfortunately, in these days we have all been turned foolish by neglecting our real comfort and identifying the material cage with ourselves. We have concentrated all our energies for the meaningless upkeep of the material cage for its own sake, completely neglecting the captive soul within. The cage is meant for the undoing of the bird; the bird is not meant for the welfare of the cage.

Let us, therefore, deeply ponder this. All our activities are now turned toward the upkeep of the cage, and the most we do is try to give some food to the mind by art and literature. But we do not know that this mind is also material in a more subtle form. This is stated in the Gita [Bg. 7.4]: bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca ahankara itiyam me bhinna prakrtir astadha "Earth, water, fire, air, sky, intelligence, mind, and ego are all My separated energies."

We have scarcely tried to give any food to the soul, which is distinct from the body and mind; therefore we are all committing suicide in the proper sense of the term. The message of the Acaryadeva is to give us a warning to halt such wrong activities. Let us therefore bow down at his lotus feet for the unalloyed mercy and kindness he has bestowed upon us.

Gentlemen, do not for a moment think that my Gurudeva wants to put a complete brake on the modern civilization—an impossible feat. But let us learn from him the art of making the best use of a bad bargain, and let us understand the importance of this human life, which is fit for the highest development of true consciousness. The best use of this rare human life should not be neglected. As it is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam [SB 11.9.29]: labdhva sudurlabham idam bahu-sambhavante manusyam arthadam anityam apiha dhirah turnam yateta na pated anumrtyu yavan nihsreyasaya visayah khalu sarvatah syat "This human life is obtained after many, many births, and although it is not permanent, it can offer the highest benefits. Therefore a sober and intelligent man should immediately try to fulfill his mission and attain the highest profit in life before another death occurs. He should avoid sense gratification, which is available in all circumstances."

Let us not misuse this human life in the vain pursuit of material enjoyment, or, in other words, for the sake of only eating, sleeping, fearing, and sensuous activities. The Acaryadeva's message is conveyed by the words of Sri Rupa Gosvami: anasaktasya visayan yatharham upayunjatah nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate

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prapancikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunah mumuksubhih parityago vairagyam phalgu kathyate "One is said to be situated in the fully renounced order of life if he lives in accordance with Krsna consciousness. He should be without attachment for sense gratification and should accept only what is necessary for the upkeep of the body. On the other hand, one who renounces things which could be used in the service of Krsna, under the pretext that such things are material, does not practice complete renunciation."

The purport of these slokas can only be realized by fully developing the rational portion of our life, not the animal portion. Sitting at the feet of the Acaryadeva, let us try to understand from this transcendental source of knowledge what we are, what is this universe, what is God, and what is our relationship with Him. The message of Lord Caitanya is the message for the living entities and the message of the living world. Lord Caitanya did not bother Himself for the upliftment of this dead world, which is suitably named Martyaloka, the world where everything is destined to die. He appeared before us four hundred fifty years ago to tell us something of the transcendental universe, where everything is permanent and everything is for the service of the Absolute. But recently Lord Caitanya has been misrepresented by some unscrupulous persons, and the highest philosophy of the Lord has been misinterpreted to be the cult of the lowest type of society. We are glad to announce tonight that our Acaryadeva, with his unusual kindness, saved us from this horrible type of degradation, and therefore we bow down at his lotus feet with all humility.

Gentlemen, it has been a mania of the cultured (or uncultured) society of the present day to accredit the Personality of Godhead with merely impersonal features and to stultify Him by claiming that He has no senses, no form, no activity, no head, no legs, and no enjoyment. This has also been the pleasure of the modern scholars due to their sheer lack of proper guidance and true introspection in the spiritual realm. All these empiricists think alike: all the enjoyable things should be monopolized by the human society, or by a particular class only, and the impersonal God should be a mere order supplier for their whimsical feats. We are happy that we have been relieved of this horrible type of malady by the mercy of His Divine Grace Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja. He is our eye-opener, our eternal father, our eternal preceptor and our eternal guide. Let us therefore bow down at his lotus feet on this auspicious day.

Gentlemen, although we are like ignorant children in the knowledge of the Transcendence, still His Divine Grace, my Gurudeva, has kindled a small fire within us to dissipate the invincible darkness of empirical knowledge. We are now so much on the safe side that no amount of philosophical argument by the empiric schools of thought can deviate us an inch from the position of our eternal dependence on the lotus feet of His Divine Grace. Furthermore, we are prepared to challenge the most erudite scholars of the Mayavada school and prove that the personality of Godhead and His transcendental sports in Goloka alone constitute the sublime information of the Vedas. There are explicit indications of this in the Chandogya Upanisad [8.13.1]: syamac chavalam prapadye savalac chyamam prapadye.

"For receiving the mercy of Krsna, I surrender unto His energy [Radha], and for receiving the mercy of His energy, I surrender unto Krsna." Also, in the Rg Veda [1.2.22.20]: tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah diviva caksur atatam visnor yat paramam padam

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"The lotus feet of Lord Visnu are the supreme objective of all the demigods. These lotus feet of the Lord are as enlightening as the sun in the sky."

The plain truth so vividly explained in the Gita, which is the central lesson of the Vedas, is not understood or even suspected by the most powerful scholars of the empiric schools. Herein lies the secret of Sri Vyasa-puja. When we meditate on the transcendental pastimes of the Absolute Godhead, we are proud to feel that we are His eternal servitors, and we become jubilant and dance with joy. All glory to my divine master, for it is he who has out of his unceasing flow of mercy stirred up within us such a movement of eternal existence. Let us bow down at his louts feet.

Gentlemen, had he not appeared before us to deliver us from the thralldom of this gross worldly delusion, surely we should have remained for lives and ages in the darkness of helpless captivity. Had he not appeared before us, we would not have been able to understand the eternal truth of the sublime teaching of Lord Caitanya. Had he not appeared before us, we could not have been able to know the significance of the first sloka of Brahma-samhita: isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1] "Krsna, who is know as Govinda, is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all, He has no other origin, and He is the prime cause of all causes."

Personally, I have no hope for any direct service for the coming crores of births of the sojourn of my life, but I am confident that some day or other I shall be delivered from this mire of delusion in which I am at present so deeply sunk. Therefore let me with all my earnestness pray at the lotus feet of my divine master to allow me to suffer the lot for which I am destined due to my past misdoings, but to let me have this power of recollection: that I am nothing but a tiny servant of the Almighty Absolute Godhead, realized through the unflinching mercy of my divine master. Let me therefore bow down at his lotus feet with all the humility at my command.

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Çréla Prabhupäda’s Beautiful Transcendental Qualities Introduction His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda, who successfully distributed the message of Lord Kåñëa throughout the world, was not an ordinary conditioned soul, governed by the harsh laws of material nature. Although he always felt himself to be most insignificant, it is evident through careful study of his life that Çréla Prabhupäda perfectly displayed the twenty-six qualities of a pure devotee of Kåñëa, as given in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita.

The Vedic literature states that only one who is free from material bondage can possess these qualities in full. Such a great soul is rarely found within this material realm, and owing to his unparalleled purity and exalted status as an intimate associate of the Supreme Lord Kåñëa, he is worshipable by the entire world. Following are the sublime qualities of a pure devotee so eminently exemplified by Çréla Prabhupäda.

Merciful The ultimate expression of mercy is to freely afford everyone the opportunity to develop pure love of Godhead. This Çréla Prabhupäda did by opening over one hundred temples, printing millions of books and sending his disciples all over the world to teach the science of Kåñëa consciousness. His distribution of mercy manifested naturally as a result of his heartfelt compassion for the long-suffering conditioned souls. His mercy fell everywhere, like pleasing rain upon the burning hearts of this age.

When Çréla Prabhupäda lectured during the early days of the Kåñëa consciousness movement in America, he would often tell his listeners, “I have come to your country not to take anything, but simply to give.” Those who were honest and sincere were able to sense Çréla Prabhupäda’s unalloyed desire to bestow upon them the highest form of mercy, and directed by Kåñëa within their hearts, they voluntarily placed themselves under his guidance and protection.

Although Çréla Prabhupäda is now gone from our material vision, his mercy is still available. A liberated soul is not bound by time and space, and neither is his mercy. One only has to open up one’s heart to receive this benediction, which is being distributed freely to everyone.

Truthful During the 1960’s, a generation of young men and women took part in a mass rebellion against the untruths that had been perpetrated upon them by governments, schools, media and big business. At that time Çréla Prabhupäda arrived on the scene, boldly preaching the message of Lord Kåñëa. He spoke truthfully, never altering the pure message in deference to the time and circumstance to attract followers, fame and money. In an atmosphere seething with the fumes of unrestricted sense gratification, Çréla Prabhupäda presented a process of spiritual life based on personal sacrifice and purification of the senses.

In those days, with the peace movement in vogue, it was extremely unpopular to speak out on behalf of any form of military activity. But rather than cater to public opinion, Çréla Prabhupäda spoke the truth about the Bhagavad-gita, explaining to his youthful audience that Arjuna attained spiritual perfection by fighting a war under the order of Lord Kåñëa. Because of Çréla Prabhupäda’s own spiritual qualities and his straightforward presentation of Lord Kåñëa’s message, people gradually

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began to understand the message and received it with great delight. Such was the powerful effect of Çréla Prabhupäda’s truthfulness.

Magnanimous Çréla Prabhupäda’s gifts to the world were filled with tremendous spiritual value. He gave us a wonderful philosophy to live by, knowledge of our true spiritual identities, beautiful Deities of Kåñëa to worship, the all-auspicious holy name of Kåñëa and delicious Kåñëa-prasadam. Çréla Prabhupäda also gave us the spiritually enlivening association of devotees and the chance to attain love of Kåñëa and return to a life of eternity, bliss and knowledge in the spiritual world.

In return for all these blessings, Çréla Prabhupäda asked nothing for himself. He simply asked that we refrain from sinful activities, chant Hare Kåñëa and give Kåñëa consciousness to others. In this way, selflessly giving of himself at every step, Çréla Prabhupäda perfectly exhibited the magnanimous nature of a pure devotee of Lord Kåñëa.

Desireless One is said to be desireless when his only interest lies in satisfying the transcendental senses of Lord Kåñëa. Desires are eternally flowing like a river from the heart of the living entity, and the process of Kåñëa consciousness can change the quality of those desires from material to spiritual.

Although Çréla Prabhupäda began his preaching work very humbly, his mission became enormously successful, and Kåñëa blessed him with great opulence. When a person acquires great amounts of wealth and power, he usually becomes thoroughly attached and polluted due to the strong force of his material desires. Çréla Prabhupäda, however, remained aloof from this contamination because of his complete absorption in the desire to please Kåñëa.

Indifferent to Material Acquisition Because a pure devotee of Lord Kåñëa is desireless, he is naturally indifferent to material acquisition.

Material facilities may come and go, but that does not concern him in the least. Çréla Prabhupäda once pointed out that if he had simply sat beneath a tree and preached, very few people would have come to listen. Therefore, to effectively deliver the message of Lord Kåñëa, he constructed beautifully ornate temples. At no time, however, was he desirous of settling in comfortably to enjoy these facilities, choosing instead to follow a rigorous schedule of traveling and preaching that even the youngest and healthiest of his disciples could not keep pace with.

Without Material Possessions A pure devotee of Lord Kåñëa is always diving and surfacing in the ocean of spiritual happiness. The Vedas explain that one drop of this happiness is millions of times greater than the paltry relish afforded by material sense gratification or even the pleasure derived from liberation from material existence. A pure devotee never depends on the accumulation of material possessions for his happiness. He accepts only what is necessary to perform devotional service and maintains full awareness that these facilities are actually the property of the Lord.

During Çréla Prabhupäda’s years spent in Vrindavana preparing for his eventual journey to the West, he lived very simply in a tiny room in the courtyard of the Radha-Damodara temple. After preaching vigorously in the West for a number of years, Çréla Prabhupäda had access to much opulence, yet he never claimed any of it as his own and used every penny in the service of Kåñëa.

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Fixed When Çréla Prabhupäda was instructed by his spiritual master to preach Kåñëa consciousness in English, he took his order as his life and soul and fixed his determination upon carrying it out diligently. Founding the Back to Godhead magazine in 1944, Çréla Prabhupäda single-handedly attended to its publication and distribution for many years, never once deviating from his sincere effort to please his spiritual master. As a result of Çréla Prabhupäda’s fixed determination, all of his preaching activities were crowned with glorious success, and even now, in his physical absence, his followers carry on his work all over the world.

Without False Prestige Çréla Prabhupäda’s humility was inconceivably deep and heartfelt, and it inspired a generation of young men and women, who had based their lives on the rejection of authority, to willingly accept his authority. Çréla Prabhupäda never took credit for his many successes, always preferring to acknowledge his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and the assistance given to him by his disciples.

During one lecture, Çréla Prabhupäda touched the hearts of his disciples when he stated that he considered them to be representatives of his spiritual master, sent to assist him in his preaching mission. By this expression of sincere gratitude, Çréla Prabhupäda displayed his mood of devout humility. Anyone pursuing the spiritual path should aspire to follow in his footsteps in this regard.

Grave Çréla Prabhupäda once explained to a group of his disciples that a devotee of Lord Kåñëa is always grave. Upon hearing this, one devotee, a very colorful and effusive person, decided to tone down his disposition and became straight-faced in an attempt to please his spiritual master. After a few days of this behavior by his disciple, Çréla Prabhupäda looked at him quizzically and asked what was the matter. The disciple replied that he was trying to be grave.

At that, Çréla Prabhupäda laughed and explained to him that being grave means to be serious about Kåñëa consciousness. It has nothing to do with artificially repressing one’s individuality. Çréla Prabhupäda himself was a most vibrant personality. His life abounded with laughter and spiritual enjoyment, yet he was always serious about Kåñëa consciousness. He never forgot Lord Kåñëa, not even for a moment, and in this way displayed perfect gravity.

Not Defiant When Çréla Prabhupäda first met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he was a supporter of Mahatma Gandhi’s effort to free India from the clutches of British rule. During that meeting, the two engaged in a discussion, during which Çréla Prabhupäda expressed his view that to be spiritually potent India first needed to be politically free. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta responded by using sound logic and scriptural evidence to prove that Kåñëa consciousness alone could rid India, as well as the rest of the world, from all forms of material suffering.

Because Çréla Prabhupäda was not defiant, being endowed with all humility and respect, he graciously surrendered to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s infallible conclusion and accepted him as his spiritual guide.

From this transcendentally instructive pastime we can see how a pure devotee of Lord Kåñëa is never defiant, and also how we must conduct ourselves in the presence of genuinely advanced Vaishnavas, if we wish to rise to the platform of spiritual consciousness. Although Çréla Prabhupäda was a personal associate of Lord Kåñëa, capable of giving spiritual guidance to the entire world, he was always

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surrendered to the lotus feet of his spiritual master and never evinced even a hint of defiance in his character.

Respectful Çréla Prabhupäda was respectful to all living beings because he saw them as parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord Kåñëa, with whom he was fully in love. During his extensive preaching tours, he was usually greeted at temples by adoring throngs of devotees and guests. On one such visit to the New York City temple in 1976, as he strode gracefully down the center aisle amid a multitude of beaming devotees assembled in the front lobby, they all paid obeisances to him, as is the custom when receiving a worshipable guest. At that time a young gurukula boy, who had innocently bowed down too far into the aisle, was eased backwards by the devotee next to him, so as not to obstruct the path.

When Çréla Prabhupäda reached the boy, he stopped, placed his hand on his head and looked at him with affection, as if to make sure that his feelings had not been hurt. In this instance, and in all of his personal dealings, Çréla Prabhupäda treated everyone he met with the utmost respect, thus softening their hearts and rekindling their spiritual sentiments.

Equal to Everyone A pure devotee of Kåñëa sees the spiritual nature of all beings, regardless of their temporary material forms. He observes that all souls, in their pure state, are qualitatively equal, though their individual spiritual identities are unique. In addition, he is always trying to uplift them and sees and treats everyone in that spirit. Çréla Prabhupäda perfectly exhibited this sublime quality and was thus the ideal representative of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, who desired to flood the entire world with love of Kåñëa. He was constantly immersed in distributing Their mercy to everyone, and he humbly requested his disciples to assist him in this effort.

One evening in July 1966, while Çréla Prabhupäda was lecturing at 26 Second Avenue in New York City, an old derelict staggered into the storefront, put two rolls of toilet tissue in the bathroom, set some paper towels atop the sink, turned and staggered out. Being equal to everyone, Çréla Prabhupäda was undisturbed by the man’s odd behavior and appreciated the spark of devotion shining through.

“Just see,” said Prabhupada, “he is not in order, but he thought that, ‘Here is something. Let me give some service.’ Just see how automatically it comes. This is natural.”

Clean Çréla Prabhupäda exhibited summit cleanliness, both internally and externally. His heart and mind were constantly submerged in the purifying waters of love of Godhead, and his shining body was always engaged in Lord Kåñëa’s pure devotional service. Çréla Prabhupäda’s cleanliness was so profound and far-reaching that not only was he himself impeccable, but he also purified the lives of thousands of young men and women who had previously possessed no proper concept of spiritual or bodily cleanliness.

Peaceful Çréla Prabhupäda once described the mind of a pure devotee as being very peaceful, like a country pond filled with crystal-clear water, beautiful lotus flowers and swans gliding happily across it. This much desired state of mind is a natural quality of one who is situated in transcendence, at the lotus feet of Lord Kåñëa, far beyond the turbulent material world and senses. Çréla Prabhupäda was very peaceful due to his own pure Kåñëa consciousness. Shouldering the immense pressure and responsibility of a worldwide spiritual family, with its concomitant problems, Çréla Prabhupäda gracefully meted out love, guidance and practical instructions with full composure, never once losing touch with his peaceful Lord Kåñëa.

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Mild Çréla Prabhupäda’s mild demeanor was another very attractive feature of his divine personality. In the material world, when a person attains a position of high authority, he often becomes influenced by false pride and loses the quality of gentleness in his behavior. Thus he becomes a source of anxiety for his subordinates. Çréla Prabhupäda, although the world’s greatest spiritual authority, never displayed even a drop of false pride and always maintained a mildness around which everyone felt at ease.

The beautiful photograph on the cover of this book, in which Çréla Prabhupäda appears as the most humble Vaishnava, does far more to depict his mild nature than this insignificant writer can hope to express.

Poetic Çréla Prabhupäda was poetic, not only in the literary sense, as evidenced by his beautiful poems glorifying his spiritual master and Lord Kåñëa, but in every aspect of his personality as well. His gesturing, walking, talking, singing, smiling, dancing and worship were all done with a natural poetic grace, as befitting a swanlike pure devotee of the Lord.

For those sensitive souls who had embarked on a pilgrim’s progress, in search of ultimate truth and beauty, attaining Çréla Prabhupäda’s sublime association marked their journey’s end, and they happily gave up all mundane pursuits to engage in his service. Such was the attractive power of Çréla Prabhupäda’s poetic nature, which manifested wonderfully due to his superexcellent level of Kåñëa consciousness.

Sane The living entity in the material world has become mad due to the influence of maya. In reality, he is an eternal spiritual spark, part and parcel of Kåñëa, but in illusion, he sees himself as a material body, forgets his intimate relationship with the Lord and fails to see how everything around him is emanating from the Absolute Truth. Çréla Prabhupäda was never under such misconceptions, however, as evidenced by his pure devotional service. Out of natural humility, he never promoted his own elevated status, but once, when pressed by his disciples for information concerning his position, he modestly replied, “Never was there a moment when I have not thought of Kåñëa in this life.” Çréla Prabhupäda’s unwavering remembrance of Kåñëa provided the perfectly effulgent example of spiritual sanity, and by faithfully serving his lotus feet we will soon become free from our material illusion.

Faultless Due to his being situated in the internal, spiritual energy of Lord Kåñëa, Çréla Prabhupäda was faultless, free from the four material defects, namely, the tendency to commit mistakes, to be in illusion, to cheat others and to possess imperfect senses. Because Çréla Prabhupäda performed his devotional activities in a mood of full surrender to Lord Kåñëa, he was guided by the personal hand of the Lord and was consequently mistake-free. His freedom from illusion was shown by the fact that, through his preaching work, millions of souls were enlightened with spiritual knowledge. By sacrificing his own bodily comforts for the service of mankind, he demonstrated his complete freedom from the tendency to cheat others. And finally, his eyes, being smeared with the ointment of love of God, were fully spiritual, as were the rest of his senses, which were ever engaged in the transcendental loving service of Sri Kåñëa.

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Surrendered to Kåñëa Çréla Prabhupäda’s complete surrender to Lord Kåñëa was shown by his constant engagement in devotional service with mind, body and words. Another symptom of a soul fully surrendered to Kåñëa is absolute detachment from the bodily concept of life.

At the advanced age of seventy, despite several heart attacks and many other ordeals, Çréla Prabhupäda single-handedly penetrated Maya’s formidable stronghold and planted the seed of devotional service in the hearts of thousands of fallen souls. He was able to do this because he was completely free from material attachment, owing to his full surrender to Kåñëa.

Eats Only as Much as Required Although Çréla Prabhupäda received the most opulent prasadam, presented to him in grand amounts by loving disciples, he never indulged in luxury, taking only modest portions and distributing the remainder to the devotees. As a rule, one in the renounced order of life is forbidden to eat delicious food, as this may drag him by the tongue into a whirlpool of material desires and thus ruin his spiritual advancement. Çréla Prabhupäda, however, was never victimized by these culinary delights.

He always maintained full spiritual potency and complete dedication to satisfying the transcendental senses of Lord Kåñëa.

Completely Controls the Six Bad Qualities An aspiring devotee of Lord Kåñëa, who is serious about spiritual life, strives to control the six bad qualities, namely, lust, anger, greed, illusion, madness and envy, which act like deadly poison upon his consciousness if not subdued. His practical method for accomplishing this is to actively engage his body, mind and words in the Lord’s devotional service, which has the potency to neutralize these vices, as a serpent is robbed of its capacity to inject poison when its fangs are removed. Çréla Prabhupäda did not need to control these vices, however, as they were completely absent from his nature. He was like a vaidurya gem, manifesting many beautiful, transcendental qualities at every moment, as he moved about in the brilliant light of pure devotional service. Since we are still susceptible to the onslaught of the six bad qualities, we should place our heads, in all humility, at the lotus feet of Çréla Prabhupäda, engage enthusiastically in his glorification and try to please him by serving his mission to the best of our abilities. In this way, we are sure to become completely free from material contamination and develop pure love of Kåñëa.

Performs Welfare Work for Everyone It is stated in the Kåñëa book story of Sudama Brähmaëa that when loving service is rendered to Lord Kåñëa, the entire creation benefits. Thus, a pure devotee of the Lord, who always engages in devotional service, performs welfare work for everyone. This welfare work is nothing like mundane philanthropy, which provides unfortunate persons with material facilities to temporarily offset their suffering condition; rather, it is meant to completely extricate them from material existence and award them an eternal blissful life in the spiritual realm. Çréla Prabhupäda served Lord Kåñëa wholeheartedly and without deviation during his lila among us.

In this way he benefited the entire world, indirectly, by his own pure devotional service, and directly, by offering a potent spiritual program, capable of eradicating the material existence of anyone who takes to it seriously. His welfare work did not stop with his physical disappearance, however, as the preaching force he set in motion will continue to spiritually uplift the inhabitants of this planet for the next ten thousand years, far exceeding the meager philanthropy performed by those absorbed in the bodily concept of life.

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Expert When Çréla Prabhupäda arrived in America in 1965, he faced the tremendous challenge of attracting gross materialists to the sublime spiritual process of Kåñëa consciousness. Although such a feat seemed impossible, Çréla Prabhupäda miraculously ignited a spiritual explosion, whose vibrations are still resonating throughout the world. He demonstrated unprecedented preaching skill by presenting Kåñëa consciousness perfectly according to time and circumstance, offering such an attractive and palatable spiritual program that any sincere soul could easily follow.

Today, at Ratha-yatra festivals all over the world, millions of people chant, dance, wave and cheer in a universal expression of appreciation, as Lord Jagannatha’s colorful chariots float through the city streets. From this it is clear that Çréla Prabhupäda was so expert that, even in his physical absence, Kåñëa consciousness is being spread far and wide by the faithful application of his instructions.

Silent According to Vaishnava philosophy, being silent means to engage the tongue in speaking only about topics related to Lord Kåñëa. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to encourage silence in his disciples, telling them, “Nonsense talk breeds nonsense thought, breeds nonsense action, breeds birth, death, old age and disease.” Çréla Prabhupäda, being the foremost disciple of his spiritual master, was the chief exponent of this adage in the modern age, single-handedly spreading Kåñëa-katha all over the world through his lectures, discussions and translating work. His words are a river of nectar flowing mercifully into the hearts of the devotees, and in due course of time this mighty river will silence the nonsense of all souls suffering in this world.

Compassionate A pure devotee of Kåñëa is always compassionate upon the fallen souls, who are suffering greatly in the blazing fire of material life. He is ever busy making arrangements to relieve their distress and is pleased when he sees them advancing on the path of spiritual happiness. Çréla Prabhupäda, compassion personified, dedicated his every breath to spreading Kåñëa consciousness, resting only a few hours every night to keep body and soul together.

As his body dwindled during his last days with us, many doctors visited Çréla Prabhupäda to offer their advice and treatment, but with little or no result. Finally one day, a physician suggested that his condition arose from his grave anxiety over the tribulations that would beset his disciples after his physical disappearance. At that, Çréla Prabhupäda looked up and told the man, “Yes, you have diagnosed my condition correctly.” With these words, Çréla Prabhupäda demonstrated his utter selflessness and his extraordinarily profound compassionate nature.

A Friend In the Bhagavad-gétä Lord Kåñëa states that He is the friend of all living beings. As the Lord’s intimate associate, Çréla Prabhupäda also displayed friendship to all by dint of his constant engagement in spiritual welfare activities. In the material world friendships are formed on the basis of mutual sense gratification, and when sense gratification is disturbed, the relationship is either damaged or discontinued. Çréla Prabhupäda was a true friend to all, however, because he formed relationships with others motivated by his unalloyed desire to assist everyone in achieving the highest goal of life. He never

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desired to exploit anyone, and if there was ever an offense committed against him or some difficulty caused by others, he never took it seriously.

Because Çréla Prabhupäda accepted the karma of five thousand disciples, he had to undergo what appeared to be suffering. In spite of this, he never withdrew his mercy and friendship. Significantly, he always closed his letters to his disciples with the words, “Your ever well-wisher.” The spiritual friendship of a pure devotee like Çréla Prabhupäda is the rarest of gems, and intelligent persons will certainly appreciate, revere and guard it as life’s dearest treasure.

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Çréla Prabhupäda Añöaka (1) çré-çré-navadvépa-para-pradépaù sandépyamänaù satato bhuvéha cetas-tamo hanti hi yasya yatnät taà kértayämaù prabhupädadevam

(5) çré-rädhikä-kåñëa-padäravinde sahasra-håtsu çata-mandireñu aropayad yo madhure påthivyäà taà kértayämaù prabhupädadevam

(2) çré-bhaktisiddhänta-pracoditaù çrévyäsädya-koçaà kuçalaà kåpäluù san mleccha-väg-deça-caye ’dadhad yas taà kértayämaù prabhupädadevam

(6) kauçalyadair yasya sahasra-çästraçasträtivarñaiù pratihanyate hi caëòä kaler moha-camür haöhena taà kértayämaù prabhupädadevam

(3) äcchadyate yat-para-tarka-dåçyagovinda-mürty-ujjvala-bhäskareëa advaiti-khadyota-kulaà jagatyäà taà kértayämaù prabhupädadevam

(7) nänä-lasad-gaura-sudhä-prakäçaphalaù kñitau sthäpita eva yena kåñëänucintä-jana-saìgha-våkñas taà kértayämaù prabhupädadevam

(4) yasyaiva yatnena puräëa-räjagaìgämalä keçava-keli-haàsä sat-stotra-ratnä vahatéha loke taà kértayämaù prabhupädadevam

(8) yo nityadä jévati daivikéñu nijäsu çikñäsu tu sänugämé kåpämbudhir nanda-sutäçritätmä taà kértayämaù prabhupädadevam

TRANSLATION 1) I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda.

Because of his efforts, the eternal, brilliant lamp of Navadvipa (Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu) is now destroying the darkness of ignorance within the hearts of the living entities in this world.

2) I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda.

Being especially ordered by Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura Gosvämé Mahäräja, and being very merciful, he placed in the Western countries, where English and other such degraded languages are spoken, the auspicious treasure house of devotional literature written by Srila Vyasadeva, Srila Kåñëadasa Kaviraja, and others.

3) I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda.

Because of his expert logic, the brilliant sun of Lord Govinda's transcendental form is now illuminating this world and completely eclipsing the insignificant glowworms of the impersonalists.

4) I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda.

Because of his efforts, the pure and crystal-clear Ganges River of the Çrémad-Bhägavatam, the king of puranas, is now flowing all over the world. The pebbles in that river are the jewels of the pure devotees' prayers, and playing within its waters are the swans of Lord Kesava's pastimes.

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5) I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda, who planted the charming lotus feet of Çré Çré Radha and Kåñëa in hundreds of temples and thousands of hearts throughout this world.

6) I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda.

Showering thousands of arrows, which are his books, he has violently destroyed the fierce army of illusions presented by the Age of Kali.

7) I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda.

Upon this earth he has planted the desire tree of the International Society for Kåñëa Consciousness, whose many splendid fruits are the many different methods of distributing the nectarean message of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.

8) I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda, who is like and ocean of mercy, and who has completely taken shelter of Lord Kåñëa, the transcendental son of Nanda Mahäräja, with his body, mind, words, and self. Çréla Prabhupäda lives forever by his divine instructions, and his sincere followers live with him

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Srila Prabhupada’s Sri Vyasa-Puja Lecture London, August 22, 1973 Srila Prabhupada: My dear sons and daughters, I am so much obliged to you that you have become so enthusiastic for offering Vyasa-puja. Now try to understand. Several times we have explained why this function is called Vyasa-puja. I have already explained in the morning, this offering worshiping, one may think that this man is teaching his disciples manworshiping, anthropomorphism. But it is not man-worshiping. One should not misunderstand. Vyasadeva is the original spiritual master. Original spiritual master is Krsna.

From Krsna, Brahma was initiated, Lord Brahma. Tene brahma hrdaya adi-kavaye muhyanti yat surayah. It is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that when Brahma was created, it was all darkness within the universe. He could not understand what is the purpose of his becoming there. Then he engaged himself in tapasya, and he was initiated from within.

Krsna is within everyone. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. So He is called caitya-guru, means guru within the heart. And when Krsna understands... Because Krsna knows everything, whatever we are willing, whatever we are doing. He is the Paramatma; He's sitting within our hearts as witness. Anumanta upadrsta. Upadrsta means simply observing what we are doing, and what we are desiring. So as we desire, Krsna is very kind, He gives us facility. We have many times explained. Therefore, we have got varieties of bodies to enjoy this material world. So when Krsna sees that a living entity is very anxious to understand Him or to revive his Krsna consciousness, then Krsna gives him all opportunity, especially by manifesting Himself as the spiritual master. Antar bahih. The spiritual master is therefore Krsna's manifestation - -Krsna's mercy manifestation to help a person to develop his Krsna consciousness. From within He's helping. Therefore, He's called caitya-guru, and from without, He sends His representative to help how to become advanced in Krsna consciousness.

Therefore, to advance in Krsna consciousness we require two kinds of help -- one from Krsna and another from the spiritual master. It is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta... You'll be glad now that Caitanya-caritamrta is now published. (devotees: Jaya! Haribol!) Yes. (This) It is the... Our Panditji, Pradyumna, he has presented. Actually, he has worked for it, although I have translated. But I am very much indebted to him that he very carefully edits and makes the thing very perfect. So, now we have got translation of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavadgita, and Sanskrit portion... Because mostly there is Sanskrit portion, so, so my beloved disciple, Pradyumna, I call him Pandit Mahasaya, because he is actually doing the pandita'swork. So he edits and he works very hard. And... Not only that, his wife also helps in this connection. So actually, that is wanted. kiba vipra kiba sudra nyase kene naya ye krsna tattva vetta sei guru haya

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I'm sometimes criticized by my Godbrothers that I have become a marriage-maker, because a sannyasi does not take part in a marriage ceremony, but I get my disciples married. This is also unique in the history. So they criticize me that I have become a marriage-maker. But they, they do not know why I take this risk. I have got many disciples, they are married couples, but all of them, husband and wife, they are helping this movement. Here is Bhagavan dasa, he's also married man, children.

So actually, married couples should be paramahamsas. Paramahamsa means the topmost stage of sannyasi.Paramahamsa. A sannyasi has got four stages: kuticaka, bahudaka, parivrajakacarya and paramahamsa. A sannyasi, in the beginning, he's supposed to make a small cottage, just on the border of the village, does not go home, but the, his necessities are supplied by his home, but he does not go home. This is called kuticaka. Then gradually, when he is practiced, he begs from home to home. He does not anymore depend on his own home. That is called bahudaka. Bahudaka means collecting his necessity from many places. And then as he becomes practiced, he becomes parivrajakacarya. He goes from place to place, village to village, preaching the message of Krsna. As our Sriman Revatinandana Maharaja is doing. He has now very nice bus. All others also doing.Grhasthas are also doing. Because our only business is Krsna. It doesn't matter whether agrhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasi. It doesn't matter. So when he preaches all over the world, that is called parivrajakacarya. And when he's experienced, he executes the work by his assistants. That is called paramahamsa. So grhasthas are supposed to be paramahamsa.Just like Bhaktivinoda Thakura, he was grhastha, magistrate, government servant, but he has worked so much for Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in writing books. Not only writing books, but also begetting a child like Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, my spiritual master. So that is grhastha. They should produce children like Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja. Because we want big stalwart men to preach this Krsna consciousness movement.

So everyone has got duty in Krsna consciousness, and this duty is taught by Krsna and the spiritual master. Guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. Ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kono bhagyavan jiva. Anyone who is coming to Krsna consciousness, he's not ordinary living being. Anyone who is connected with our movement, he's not ordinary living being. Actually, he's liberated soul. And I am very much hopeful that my disciples who are now participating today, even if I die, my movement will not stop, I am very much hopeful. Yes. All these nice boys and girls who have taken so seriously... Bhaktivinoda Thakura wanted that European and American people may understand the philosophy of Caitanya cult and take part in it. That was his desire. My Guru Maharaja, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada, he also attempted to send his disciples to preach Caitanya cult in the Western world. One of them, he advised me also. First meeting, perhaps you know, he asked me to preach. So at that time I was young man, only twenty-five years old, and I was also householder. So I should have joined and executed his desire immediately, but due to my ill luck I could not immediately execute his order, but it was in my heart that it is to be done. So better late than never, I executed his order at the age of seventy years, not at the age of twenty-five. So actually I wasted so much time, I can understand that. From twenty... The message was there when I was twenty-five years old, but

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I began at the age of seventy years. But I did not forget the message. Otherwise, how could I do? That was, that is a fact. I was simply finding out the opportunity, how to do it. So anyway, although I began very late, at the age of seventy years, so by the help of my disciples this movement is gaining ground and is spreading all over the world. So therefore I have to thank you. It is all due to you. It is not my credit, but it is your credit that you are helping me in executing the order of my Guru Maharaja.

So this movement, Krsna consciousness movement, that you already know, that this is a most essential, most important movement to the human society. Last night the Ambassador of India, His Excellency Rasagotra, he was present here. He also appreciated that this movement is very important movement, and he was very pleased that I have done so much. So this movement will go on. Nobody can stop. So this Vyasa-puja ceremony means to offer our thanks to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because He is is the original guru. As we receive this message through parampara system from Krsna to Brahma, Brahma to Narada, Narada to Vyasadeva, Vyasadeva to Madhvacarya, in this way, Madhavendra Puri, then Isvara Puri, then Caitanya Mahaprabhu, then six Gosvamis, then others, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Jagannatha dasa Babaji, Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Then we have taken. So this, as we come to this Krsna consciousness understanding through this long parampara, similarly, in the Vyasa-puja ceremony, whatever respect, honor, and presentation you give, that goes to Krsna through that paramparasystem, from down. As it is received through the parampara system, so similarly, your offerings also goes through this parampara system to the Supreme. The connection.

Our system is gopi-bhartur pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. It is sometimes called bureaucracy. If you apply something, at least in India, to the President, you'll have to submit to the local collector. The collector will submit to somebody else, somebody else, then secretary, you go. Then to the President. So our system is that. So it is not that I am training my disciples to worship me, man-worship, I'm getting some honor from them for nothing. No. It is not that. Whatever honor, whatever respect, whatever presentation you are giving to your spiritual master, it will go to Krsna by parampara system.

This is Vyasa-puja. Therefore, it is called Vyasa-puja. Vyasa-puja means Vyasadeva is the original guru. After Brahma, Narada, then Vyasa. And Vyasa is original guru, because from his literature we understand spiritual knowledge. All these literatures whatever we have produced, they are actually originally from Vyasadeva. The four Vedas, Brahmasutra,Upanisads, Puranas, they are called Vedic literature. And whatever is written with the conclusion of this Vedic literature, that is also Vedic literature. Just like our books. All our books, they are not mental speculation. Whatever I have learned from my Guru Maharaja, I am presenting. That's all. It is not mental speculation -- this philosophy, that philosophy. We kick out all these things. Unless we get the knowledge from the authorized source, we don't accept. Because how we can accept? A so-called philosopher, scientist, according to... Why according? Everyone can understand that however great philosopher, scientist one may be, he is imperfect. He's imperfect. Every man. I have several times recited this example that in our country Gandhi was very big politician. You know Mahatma Gandhi. He committed so many mistakes. At last he committed such a great mistake that he was killed. That's a long history. So even a great person like Mahatma Gandhi, he commits mistake. Therefore,

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thesastra says any conditioned soul, he must commit mistake. However great he may be in the estimation of fools and rascals. Sva-vid-varahostra. He must commit mistake, he must be illusioned, his propensity is to cheat, and at the end, all the senses are imperfect. We have several times described. So, so much imperfectness, how he can give perfect knowledge?

Therefore, a so-called philosopher, scientist's knowledge is always imperfect. The perfect knowledge can be received through this parampara system. From Krsna, Krsna to Brahma, Brahma to Narada, Narada to Vyasa, Vyasa to Madhvacarya. In this way, from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, six Gosvamis, then our Guru Maharaja, in this way. And our business is just to present whatever we have heard. This is very important point. And because we do not speculate mentally, just like so many svamis comes from India. They make their own presentation by speculation. So whatever little success I have got, it is due to this process, that I do not present anything which is created by me. That is the secret of success. All these rascals, I say, declare in this, all these rascals come, they manufacture. A spiritual thing cannot be manufactured -- as God cannot be manufactured. God is always God, and the words of God is also God. If we present as it is, then it will be effective. That is said in thesastra: satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah taj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmani sraddha bhaktir ratir anukramisyati [SB 3.25.25] Everything is there. Satam prasangan. From a bona fide spiritual master you receive knowledge, because he will present as he has received from his spiritual master. He'll not adulterate or manufacture something. That is the bona fide spiritual master. And that is very easy. To become spiritual master is not very difficult thing. You'll have to become spiritual master. You, all my disciples, everyone should become spiritual master. It is not difficult. It is difficult when you manufacture something. But if you simply present whatever you have heard from your spiritual master, it is very easy. If you want to become overintelligent, to present something, to interpret something, whatever over you have heard from spiritual master you can make some further addition, alteration, then you'll spoil whole thing. Then you'll spoil whole thing. Don't make addition or alteration. Simply present as it is. Therefore, we have begun Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Don't try to become over spiritual master. Then you'll spoil. Remain always a servant of your spiritual master and present the thing as you have heard. You'll be spiritual master. This is secret. You should know it. Don't try to become overintelligent. That will spoil. Evam parampara praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa yare dekha, tare kaha, 'krsna'-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]

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Just see. It is very nice. You'll find in Caitanya-caritamrta, now it is published. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, He is the Supreme Lord, Krsna. He says, amara ajnaya. "Whatever I say,amara ajnaya, by My order, you become a spiritual master." Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So one may be very illiterate, no education, or no scholarship, may not be born in brahmana family, or may not be a sannyasi. There are so many qualification. But one may not have all these qualifications. He may be rascal number one, but still, he can become spiritual master. How?Amara ajnaya. As Krsna says, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, if you follow, then you become spiritual master. One may be rascal number one from material estimation, but if he simply strictly follows whatever is said by Caitanya Mahaprabhu or His representative spiritual master, then he becomes a guru.

So it is not very difficult. One may not think that "I am not qualified to become guru." No, you are qualified if you follow strictly the parampara system. Then you are qualified. That's all.Amara ajnaya guru hana... And what is the difficulty? Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, "Don't feel any difficulty." Because as spiritual master, what you have to do? Yare dekha, tare kaha, 'krsna'-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Whomever you meet, you simply speak to him the instruction which Krsna gives. What Krsna instruction gives? That is also very easy. What is that? Krsna says man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Krsna says "Just become My devotee, always think of Me, offer Me obeisances, and worship Me." So here is Krsna. If you simply think "Here is Krsna, Radha-Krsna Deity," you may be fool number, rascal number one. That doesn't matter. But you are getting impression of this Radha-Krsna, think of Him: "Oh, how nicely Krsna is decorated." This much. No erudite scholarship. Simply... Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. Here is Deity. Worship Him nicely as it is regulated principle. Even you are not worshiping, simply think of Krsna, "Here is Radha-Krsna." Impression. What is the difficulty? As soon as you see Radha-Krsna, you get some impression. Think of that impression. Where is the difficulty? Man-mana bhava madbhakto. "Worship me." If you have got opportunity, worship. If you are initiated, worship here. Or you install Deity at home, as our Ksirodakasayi Prabhu is doing. Everyone can do it.

Where is the difficulty? Now ask him how he is happy. The whole family is happy. Not only he. But his wife, his children, everyone is happy. Practical. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto madyaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. And if you cannot do anything, simply come and offer your obeisances: "My dear Lord Krsna, I am so poor, so unfortunate, I cannot do all these things, but I offer my humble obeisances unto Your lotus feet." That much also. If you do this, you become spiritual master.

So, simply by accepting this principle, and even if you are not learned, illiterate, you are hearing so much from Bhagavad-gita, you simply repeat that. Simply repeat that. There is no question of becoming very learned scholar. God has given you this ear. Even if you are blind, you cannot read, you can hear. So krsna-upadesa, what is Krsna...? This is 'krsna'-upadesa.And at last, Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. So if you simply preach this cult, "My dear friend, my dear brother, you surrender to Krsna," you become spiritual master. You become spiritual master. You go door to door. No other talks.

Simply say, "My dear friend, you are very nice, you are very learned." That was adopted by Prabodhananda Sarasvati.

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dante nidhaya trnakam padayor nipatya kaku-satam krtva caham bravimi he sadhavah sakalam eva vihaya durad caitanya-candra-carane kurutanuragam The meaning is the preaching, very easy. Dante nidhaya trnakam. According to Indian system, if you put a grass on your mouth, it is a sign of that you have become very humble. If you approach a person with a grass in your mouth, he'll immediately know that you are coming there with very, very great humbleness. Therefore dante nidhaya. This was the system. Dante nidhaya trnakam, and touching his feet. Immediately, touch his feet. Immediately, even if he's enemy, he'll be a friend. Even if he's your enemy, it is so nice process. Take a grass on your mouth and immediately fall on his feet, padayor nipetya, and with folded hands, much flattering. Dante nidhaya trnakam padayor nipatya kaku-satam krtva ca. All flattering words. Aham bravimi. So immediately he will agree, "Yes, what you say I'll hear. I'll hear."

Immediately, convert to hear you at least. Just see how perfect process is. "Then what is your purpose, sir? Why you are becoming so humble, meek? And now say." "Yes sir, I'll say."

What is that? He sadhavah, "You are a great sadhu." Although he may be rascal number one.

Still, you call him, he sadhavah. "Yes, I am sadhu, yes. What is your proposal?" "Now kindly forget all nonsense, whatever you have learned. That's all. I am flattering you because I want that you forget everything, all these yogis and this and that and that and meditation. Please kick out all these." "Then what I have to do?" Caitanya-candra-carane kurutanuragam. Just adhere yourself to the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Then you become spiritual master. That's all."

So I hope that all of you, men, women, boys and girls, become spiritual master, and follow this principle. Spiritual master, simply, sincerely, follow the principles and speak to the general public. Then Krsna immediately becomes your favorite. Krsna does not become your favorite; you become Krsna's favorite. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, na ca tasmad manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah: "One who is doing this humble service of preaching work, Krsna consciousness, nobody is dearer than him to Me." So if you want to become recognized by Krsna very quickly, you take up this process of becoming spiritual master, present the Bhagavad-gita as it is. Your life is perfect.

Thank you very much. .

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How the Hare Kåñëa Movement and Çréla Prabhupäda Came to Africa

The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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How the Hare Kåñëa Movement and Çréla Prabhupäda Came to Africa Rämänujächärya Däs

1971 — Brahmänanda Travels to Bombay

In 1971 Brahmänanda Prabhu was in Tallahassee, Florida, teaching an experimental course in Kåñëa consciousness at the state university, when he received a letter from Çréla Prabhupäda instructing him to go immediately to West Pakistan for preaching work.

The first leg of his journey took him to New York City, where another devotee joined him; then the two of them flew to London. From London they went to Paris via hydroplane and rail. After a few days in Paris, they boarded the Orient Express for a forty-eight-hour train ride to Istanbul, Turkey.

They continued by train to Erzurum in eastern Turkey. During a stopover there while waiting for the bus to Tabriz, Iran, they decided to do harinäma saìkértana, so they took their mådaìga and karatälas and some pamphlets, went out into the village square, sat down and started chanting Hare Kåñëa. A large crowd of several hundred curious people quickly formed.

Suddenly their chanting was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. When he looked up he saw that they were surrounded by many policemen and plainclothes detectives. They were then arrested and put into jail. After several days in jail, they were finally permitted to live outside in their hotel, although the police kept their passports so they could not leave town. Finally, they made their way to the university and met a professor there who gave a favorable report about them to the police, who decided to let them leave and continue our journey. At last, seven days behind schedule, they boarded the bus for Tabriz, Iran.

They spent one night in Tabriz and then went on to Tehran and Meshed. In Meshed they got their visas for Afghanistan and boarded a bus which took them across the border into the city of Herat. From Herat they rode across the desolate terrain of central Afghanistan until we came to Kandahar. The next town they reached was Kabul, where we made the last connection before entering Pakistan. After riding through the famous Khyber Pass, they finally descended onto the warm plains of Pakistan and arrived in Peshawar. From there they took a train to Lahore.

They had planned to make Lahore their destination because it is the leading university city in Pakistan. They visited the venerable Punjab University. Students there accused them of being spies and called them ill names. Some people warned them not to walk on the streets or they'd be stabbed.

Meanwhile the political situation was becoming more and more critical. The Pakistani government was whipping up anti-Indian war fever. Newspapers and radio programs were filled with anti-Indian propaganda. Finally, the local Hindus told them that Pakistan was no place for them to be, so when the fighting broke out over in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), they reluctantly took a Swissair flight from Karachi to Bombay, where Çréla Prabhupäda had just started his Indian preaching program.

Unknown to them, Çréla Prabhupäda had read a newspaper story reporting that four Hare Kåñëa missionaries from America had been shot and killed by Pakistani soldiers.

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When Brahmänanda Prabhu entered Çréla Prabhupäda's room in Bombay to offer him his obeisances, Çréla Prabhupäda was relieved to see that he was well. He rose from his seat, came forward and embraced him.

Çréla Prabhupäda Sends Brahmänanda to Africa Soon after Brahmänanda arrived in Bombay, Çréla Prabhupäda decided that he should go to Africa and preach. No ISKCON devotees had been there yet.

Brahmänanda didn’t know what to expect in Africa. He was led to believe that Africa was a place of jungles and wild animals. He naively thought there was no electricity in Africa, so he gave his tape recorder away. He gathered together a few essentials, a drum, a pair of karatälas, and a metal box full of Çréla Prabhupäda's books, and prepared for the journey.

Soon after he and his assistant boarded the ship for Africa, the seas became very rough, making the journey difficult. Although the sea journey was scheduled to take eight days, only after a rough voyage of twelve days did the ship finally arrive in the port of Mombasa on the coast of Kenya.

Upon arriving in Mombasa the immigration officials wouldn’t let them disembark because they didn’t have a return ticket to India, but after four days the return tickets were wired from ISKCON Bombay.

By this time, all the members of the crew as well as the dock workers were talking about the two Americans dressed as Indian sädhus who could not get off the ship. On the afternoon of the fourth day they took their belongings and walked down the gangplank.

As they came down the gangplank, many dock workers, officials, and other people crowded around them and started cheering. Thus encouraged they felt confident that Kåñëa wanted them to preach in Africa.

After disembarking, they just stood on the dock for a while, greatly relieved after sixteen days on board the ship. They had no money and didn't know where to go. Soon an Indian man approached them and spoke with them. He was very favorable toward them and drove them in his car to a Hindu temple of Lord Çiva. Within a few moments they were safely ensconced in a comfortable room with a fan, beds, a veranda overlooking a courtyard, and other conveniences.

Each day people would come to see "the American sädhus." They would offer them fruit, flowers, money and other necessities.

Preaching to the Indians in Mombasa and Nairobi During this time, they were preaching exclusively to the Indian nationals in Africa. They helped Brahmänanda and his assistant in many ways during those difficult early days. They enthusiastically introduced them to their friends, and took them to various functions where they would speak on Kåñëa consciousness. Çréla Prabhupäda had not given Brahmänanda any specific instructions on how to preach in Africa, and he had concluded that he should preach mainly to the Indians, just as Prabhupäda was doing in India. Remembering the incident in Erzurumin in eastern Turkey he was reluctant to take Kåñëa consciousness to the local The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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people, to go out into the streets and chant Hare Kåñëa, although that was his inclination. He didn't know how the authorities would react.

After a month and a half in Mombasa, Brahmänanda Prabhu received an invitation from an Indian family to go to Nairobi for Janmäñöamé, Lord Kåñëa's birthday celebration. So they journeyed there by taxi.

When they arrived in Nairobi, they held a very successful program at a Rädhä-Kåñëa temple.

People were astonished that Americans had taken to Kåñëa consciousness, and they appreciated their kértana and lectures on Bhagavad-gétä very much. Many wanted to help them in their mission.

September 1971 — Çréla Prabhupäda Visits Nairobi and Mombasa

Shortly thereafter, three American devotees arrived. They were sent by Çréla Prabhupäda, who by this time had reached London. He had fallen ill there, and having heard that the African climate is very healthy, he desired to come to Africa to recuperate. In September 1971 Çréla Prabhupäda first came to Nairobi by plane. Çréla Prabhupäda disembarked from the plane, accompanied by his secretary and servant.

Inside the terminal building, he sat on a cloth-covered chair and joined in the welcoming kértana, while Indians and Africans gathered around to watch.

Kul Bhushan, a journalist with the Daily Nation newspaper in Nairobi and friend of Brahmänanda Prabhu's, approached Prabhupäda with questions. He asked Prabhupäda what he had come to teach, and Prabhupäda answered, "Modern civilized man has forgotten his relationship with Kåñëa, or God, and is therefore suffering. Unless you reestablish your relationship with God, you cannot be happy."

"Have you come only for Hindus?" asked Mr. Bhusana.

"No," Prabhupäda replied, "for everyone."

Mr. Bhusana: "So your disciples will be making special efforts to reach the Africans rather than confine themselves to the Hindus? That is very important here in this country." Çréla Prabhupäda: "Our method is the same. But the method is so powerful that it appeals to everyone. We do not have to convey a new method for a new place. The method is the sameuniversal. It will appeal to everyone."

After spending one night in Nairobi, Prabhupäda and his party flew the next day to Mombasa.

In the house where he was staying there Prabhupäda, stood by the window in his room and beheld an aquamarine sea, a cloudless blue sky, and a white sandy beach fringed with palms.

Turning back toward Brahmänanda Swami and the others, he said, "Brahmänanda told me that this was one of the most beautiful places in the world. Now I see he is correct." Çréla Prabhupäda quickly recovered his health with the help of the mild climate, the abundant varieties of fruits and vegetables, and various rich milk-products. Prabhupäda then decided to return to Nairobi, the capital of the country, and launch the African preaching campaign from there.

In Nairobi, Çréla Prabhupäda personally demonstrated how a sannyäsé should preach. The devotees would stay at the homes of various Indians, and although they provided very comfortable accommodations for them Çréla Prabhupäda would never stay in one home longer The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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than three days. He would travel from home to home, strictly following the Vedic injunction that sannyäsés should never stay in one place for more than three days. This rule prevents their becoming attached to bodily comforts as well as inconveniencing their hosts.

At each residence, Çréla Prabhupäda would hold intimate talks with the gentlemen of the house and give darçana (audience) to the family members and their friends in the afternoons.

And in the evenings he would conduct kértanas and give lectures. In this way, Çréla Prabhupäda made good friends with many prominent Indian people in Nairobi, and they willingly became life members. Today they continue to take an active interest in the Hare Kåñëa movement.

Later, Brahmänanda Prabhu expanded the life member program. He stayed for one and a half months in Lusaka, Zambia, moving to a different residence every three days just as Çréla Prabhupäda had done. In this way he was able to preach by example. People could see firsthand how the devotees rose before dawn, took a cold bath, performed kértanas and japa, and followed the four regulative principles.

Preaching to the Native Africans Begins Prabhupäda impressed on Brahmänanda Prabhu that his first duty in Africa was to give Kåñëa consciousness to the Africans. Because of bad experience in Turkey and Pakistan, Brahmänanda had been reluctant to hold public kértanas in Nairobi. Besides, the Africans spoke mostly African languages; they were culturally different and usually too poor to buy books, so Brahmänanda didn't know how to preach to them effectively. Going to the Indians had been easy and natural. But Prabhupäda wanted the Africans. "It is an African country," he said simply. "They are the proprietors. We should be preaching to them. This is our real business in Africa," he said.

So the devotees organized a program at the University of Nairobi, placed an ad in the newspaper, printed and displayed some posters, and distributed handbills. The night of Çréla Prabhupäda's lecture at the University of Nairobi, two thousand African students filled the auditorium, with hundreds more standing outside looking in through the doors and windows.

First Prabhupäda had Bhüta-bhävana, an African American disciple, deliver a short introduction. Then Prabhupäda spoke.

"We have come to these African countries to invite all intelligent Africans to come and understand this philosophy and distribute it. You are trying to develop yourselves, so develop very soundly. Try to understand from the real standpoint, the real view of human life. That is the Kåñëa consciousness movement, and we request you to come and try to understand this philosophy. Thank you very much."

The audience burst into applause, giving Prabhupäda a standing ovation. Then the devotees had kértana, showed a film, and distributed prasäda. As a result of this engagement, the devotees received a lot of favorable publicity.

The next program Prabhupäda instituted was preaching to the general public. The first event was held in a Hindu hall situated in a rather shabby area of town. The devotees went there one evening and just opened the doors and started chanting. Pretty soon the hall filled up with many curiosity seekers right off the street. There was a full house when Çréla Prabhupäda walked in, effulgent in his bright, silken robes. He quickly passed among the curious people, The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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got up on stage and started chanting Hare Kåñëa. Then he spoke about the meaning of human life. He said that the real aim of human life is to understand that we are not this body but pure spirit soul, and that our duty is to serve the Supreme Lord, Çré Kåñëa. Most of the people could not understand what Çréla Prabhupäda said, since they didn’t understand English, but they all enjoyed themselves nevertheless. They were all smiles, as they danced, chanted and clapped.

Members of the Indian community had been apprehensive of Prabhupäda's opening their hall to the Africans, and some of them had attended to see what would happen. Observing Prabhupäda's compassionate program, however, the Indians were impressed. Such an apparently simple program had the spiritual potency to erase cultural boundaries.

Soon afterward the devotees organized their first outdoor kértana performance at Nairobi's Kamakunji Park. The devotees simply stood under the largest tree there and started chanting.

Soon a large crowd gathered and immediately began chanting with them. Some were even dancing. The devotees had a battery-powered megaphone, and one young man stepped forward and offered to translate their lectures into Swahili. Everyone really enjoyed this. The devotees then distributed a sweet food preparation called bundi that the crowd liked even more. Rushing back to Prabhupäda, Brahmänanda reported on the wonderful kértana in the park. Now, as then, Brahmänanda had followed Prabhupäda's instructions, and the results had been successful. Prabhupäda, by his personal example and by his pushing Brahmänanda, had within a few days changed the emphasis of preaching in Africa from Indians to Africans.

This should be Brahmänanda's mission in Africa, Prabhupäda insisted, offering Kåñëa consciousness to the Africans. And the program should be simple: distributing prasädam, distributing free books, and chanting Hare Kåñëa with drums and karatälas. Kåñëa consciousness should not be just another Nairobi Hindu religious society. The Hindus should take part by donating money, but Brahmänanda's preaching and recruiting should be among the Africans.

In one of his many Nairobi lectures, Prabhupäda explained his plans for helping Africans.

"We have come to Africa to educate the people, not only Indians or the Hindus, but also the native people, the local population. I am glad that our people are going for saìkértana party in the streets, as we go everywhere in all the big cities of the world. We are trying to lead our saìkértana parties through the streets, and the local African boys and girls and gentlemen are gathering. They are receiving this movement.

"So there is every possibility of spreading Kåñëa consciousness everywhere. This movement has come here, so I request that those who are present try to cooperate with the Kåñëa consciousness movement. And I am sure that the African boys and girls will take part in it, as you have experienced. Anyone who takes to the process of pure devotional service will never be checked."

Prabhupäda also asked his audience to help the devotees establish a center in Nairobi.

Prabhupäda's preaching in Nairobi had been especially active. He had established Kåñëa consciousness in a new city, setting the example for Brahmänanda Prabhu to emulate, showing the standard for spreading Kåñëa consciousness throughout the continent.

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A few days later, Prabhupäda departed for India, having fully inspired the devotees to carry on the preaching work in Africa.

The Devotees Expand the Preaching to the Africans Soon one young Kenyan joined the movement. This was considered a great event by the local Swahili newspaper. It published his photo with shaven head and tilaka and headlined the story, "When You See These People, Don't Say 'Jambo!' Say 'Hare Kåñëa!' (Jambo is the Swahili equivalent of hello.)

By this time the devotees were holding saìkértana processions in the heart of downtown Nairobi and distributing literature. They rented social halls in various housing estates for evening programs. They would show a film of the Ratha-yäträ festival in San Francisco, and when the image of Lord Jagannätha appeared on the screen, all the people would clap and cheer. The devotees purchased a vehicle with a distinctive roof carrier for storing their books and magazines, and cooking utensils, and they fitted it out as a gaily painted Hare Kåñëa Safari van, complete with a tape player and a loudspeaker system. As the devotees drove down the city streets playing the tape of Çréla Prabhupäda chanting Hare Kåñëa, people would stop and stare at them. Many would start dancing in the streets. The first time they went into the local villages to distribute prasäda, they prepared the staple food of Kenya—maize meal and cabbage—but the people were very reluctant to take it. "Don't give us what we already have on our tables," one man called out. "Why don't you give us some of that sweet stuff?" Then all the children would chant, "Sweets! Sweets! Sweets!"

The Preaching Expands to northern and western Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The devotees made extensive preaching safaris throughout northern and western Kenya, to neighboring Tanzania and Zambia, and even down into Harare, Zimbabwe.

In each of the towns and in the surrounding villages, the devotees held a full program of kértana, film shows, lectures, life-membership enrollments, and literature and prasäda distribution. Then they held saìkértana processions down the main street. Finally they called upon prominent citizens to subsidize the cost of complete sets of Çréla Prabhupäda's books and five-year subscriptions to Back to Godhead magazine, which they then donated in the persons’ names to all the towns' libraries, schools and colleges. These institutions were extremely grateful to receive a gift of books from abroad. Large quantities of magazines were also subsidized, which the devotees then distributed to the people at token cost.

The devotees had a particularly successful preaching tour in Zambia. When they returned to Nairobi, practically every Kenyan greeted them with "Hare Kåñëa" or "Hare Räma." Even the shoeshine boys were chanting Hare Kåñëa tunes.

January 1972 — Çréla Prabhupäda’s Second Visit to Nairobi The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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When Çréla Prabhupäda visited Nairobi four months later he stayed in ISKCON’s new center, a spacious house the devotees had purchased in a residential area not far from the downtown commercial section of Nairobi on Muhuroni Close, later renamed Hare Krishna Close. They had recruited some African devotees but had not yet developed the temple and äçrama. Çréla Prabhupäda and Madhudviña Prabhu brought Rädhä-Kåñëa Deities to ISKCON Nairobi from Bombay. Çréla Prabhupäda installed the Deities of Rädhä-Kåñëa as Çré Çré RädhäBaìkebihäré in the Nairobi temple.

Because the devotees in Nairobi didn’t know how to cook properly Çréla Prabhupäda went into the kitchen to cook. Almost a dozen devotees joined him, watching him cook a complete meal of däl, rice, capätés, and sabjé. He cooked enough for all the devotees, and everyone was satisfied.

When Brahmänanda Prabhu and Cyavana showed Prabhupäda the Nairobi Hilton, a modern building with twin round towers, Prabhupäda liked the design and wanted to give it to his architect for the Bombay hotel and temple.

At the World Hare Kåñëa Movement Festival at Nairobi's City Stadium an audience of several hundred attended kértana, heard Prabhupäda's speech, and took prasädam. The British Broadcasting Company made a film of the festival and also interviewed Çréla Prabhupäda, who publicly initiated the first Kenyan devotee. Çréla Prabhupäda also attended other engagements in and around Nairobi. He told his Nairobi disciples that in preaching to the Africans they should stress the chanting of Hare Kåñëa by holding public kértanas.

After a week Prabhupäda left Nairobi and returned to Bombay.

1-5 October 1975 Çréla Prabhupäda Visited Mauritius Prabhupäda lectured to interested gatherings. Reception by the press and government ministers in Mauritius was good. People were respectful and considered Çréla Prabhupäda an important leader and spiritual authority. He remained there a week.

5-13 October 1975 Çréla Prabhupäda in Durban

This was Prabhupäda's first visit to South Africa. Because of government suspicion, bureaucratic delays, and because Çréla Prabhupäda was an Indian it had taken two years to get a visa for him. Because of the suspicion and vigilance of the apartheid regime he was restricted from doing preaching programs for the native Africans as he had done in Kenya.

Every night for a week, Çréla Prabhupäda delivered public lectures to crowds of at least a thousand-mostly Hindus, but also many whites. After Prabhupäda's lecture at the University of Durban, Westville, Dr. S. P. Olivier, rector of the university, sympathized with Prabhupäda's presentation and stayed afterwards to speak at length with him.

13-24 October 1975 Çréla Prabhupäda in Johannesburg Çréla Prabhupäda's arrival at the Johannesburg airport was culturally extraordinary for apartheid era South Africa — white men bowing down before an Indian! The devotees had borrowed a yellow Mercedes-Benz and had parked it in a spot reserved for state ministers and other dignitaries. No one objected. As Çréla Prabhupäda arrived, devotees threw flower petals, The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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some young European onlookers bowed down, and the police-impressed by all the protocolsaluted Çréla Prabhupäda and respectfully opened the door to his Mercedes.

As in Durban, Prabhupäda's lectures were well attended. He was keen to have his books sold during these programs, and he would go to the book booths and ask his disciples, "Are they buying the books?" He was concerned that the Europeans, not just the Hindus, buy the books.

Prabhupäda spoke strongly against racial discrimination on the authority of scripture. "What is this black-white business?" he said. "It is nonsense. It is the bodily concept of life." In South Africa such statements would ordinarily have been considered volatile politics, yet everyone appreciated Çréla Prabhupäda, because he spoke on a purely spiritual level.

One of Prabhupäda's disciples in South Africa, Åddha, asked privately how to deal with the racial issue in Johannesburg. The only solution, Prabhupäda said, was mass hari-näma saìkértana. He said he was very pleased with what his disciples had done in South Africa within such a short time.

24-26 October 1975 Çréla Prabhupäda’s Second Visit to Mauritius

Prabhupäda had returned to meet with the prime minister. As a friendly gesture, the prime minister had sent a chauffeured car for Çréla Prabhupäda's use in Mauritius. While there he was involved in a traumatic automobile accident. Although considering whether or not he should skip his visit to Nairobi and go directly to Bombay, he was more affected by the consideration of disappointing the devotees in Nairobi than of recuperating after the accident.

He decided to go to Nairobi.

26 October – 2 November 1975 Çréla Prabhupäda’s Last Visit to Nairobi

As before Çréla Prabhupäda was gratefully received by the devotees and public in Nairobi.

In this way, Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu's Hare Kåñëa movement came to Africa by the efforts of Çréla Prabhupäda and his disciples.

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Quotes by Srila Prahupada

The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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Srila Prabhupada Said…

Quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s Conversations, Lectures, Letters and Books "Personally, I have no hope for any direct service for the coming crores of births of the sojourn of my life, but I am confident that some day or other I shall be delivered from this mire of delusion in which I am at present so deeply sunk. Therefore let me with all my earnestness pray at the lotus feet of my divine master to allow me to suffer the lot for which I am destined due to my past misdoings, but to let me have this power of recollection: that I am nothing but a tiny servant of the Almighty Godhead, realized through the unflinching mercy of my divine master. Let me therefore bow down at his lotus feet with all the humility at my command."

Excerpt from Vyasa-Puja speech, February, 1936 The Paramatma is always the caitya-guru, the spiritual master within, and He comes before one externally as the instructor and initiator (Siksa and Diksa Guru) SB 4.28.52 Purport Puranjana Becomes a Woman in the Next Life “The more progress is made in devotional service under the guidance of the Bhagavatas, the more one becomes fixed in the transcendental loving service of the Lord… The messages of the book Bhagavata, therefore, have to be received from the devotee Bhagavata,and the combination of these two Bhagavatas will help the neophyte devotee to make progress on and on."

SB 1.2.18 Purport Divinity and Divine Service The Personality of Godhead may not be present before one's eyes, but if one is sincere in wanting such guidance the Lord will send a bona fide person who can guide one properly back home, back to Godhead.

SB 2.7.46 Purport Scheduled Incarnations with Specific Functions A pure devotee considers a moment's association with another pure devotee to be far superior to residing in a heavenly planet or merging in the Brahman effulgence.

SB 4.30.34 Purport One cannot compare the association of a pure devotee to anything material… Such association is always desirable; it is worshipable, it is praiseworthy SB 1.18.13 Purport Maharaja Pariksit Cursed by a Brahmana Boy So by pleasing the devotee Bhagavata one can receive the benefit of the book Bhagavata.Human reason fails to understand how by serving the devotee Bhagavata or the book Bhagavata one gets gradual promotion on the path of devotion.

SB 1.2.18 P Divinity and Divine Service This love of God is awakened by the association of pure devotees of the Lord.

SB 3.2.20 P Remembrance of Lord Krsna The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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Surrender by your intelligence but don't surrender your intelligence."

SP to Bali Mardana, 1974

"It is therefore said, vaisnavera kriya jijna na bhujhaya. A highly advanced Vaisnava lives in such a way that no one can understand what he is or what he was."

Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.3.14, Purport "If I have any credit in this connection, it does not belong to me personally, but it is due to my eternal spiritual master, His Divine Grace Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya 108 Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaj Prabhupada."

Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Preface "The Spiritual Master is present wherever his sincere disciple is trying to serve his instructions. This is possible by the Mercy of Krsna. In your attempts to serve me and in all your sincere devotional sentiments I am with you as my Guru Maharaja is with me.

Remember this always."

Srila Prabhupada letter, 12/01/73 "The importance of holy places of pilgrimage is due to the presence of great sages and saints.

It is said that sinful persons go to the holy places and leave their sins there to accumulate. But the presence of the great saints disinfects the accumulated sins, and thus the holy places continue to remain sanctified by the grace of the devotees and saints present there."

Srimad-Bhagavatam, 1.19.30, Purport "It is better that you give Vrindavan to others. If I did not leave Vrindavan, you would not know Vrindavan."

Srila Prabhupada, room conversation, Vrindavan, 1977 "A pure devotee never thinks himself as great; he always thinks that other devotees are greater than himself."

Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 1 "Never think that I am absent from you. Physical presence is not essential; presence by message (or hearing) is real touch. Lord Krishna is present by His message which was delivered 5,000 years ago. We feel always the presence of our past Acharyas simply by their immutable instructions. I hope you will understand me right and do the needful."

Srila Prabhupada, letter to "My dear Students," 2nd August, 1967 "So now I am depending on you all to carry out this great mission in my absence; chant and hear, and Krishna will bless you."

Srila Prabhupada, letter to "Dear children at New York," 7/26/67 "Please always try to remember me by my teachings and we shall always be together. Just like I have written in the first publications of Srimad-Bhagwatam, 'The Spiritual Master lives forever by His divine instruction, and the disciple lives with him.' Because I have always served my Guru Maharaj and followed His teachings, I am now even never separated from The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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Him. Sometimes Maya may come and try to interfere but we must not falter, we must always follow the chalked out path layed down by the great acharyas, and in the end you will see."

Srila Prabhupada letter, 25/11/73 "Krsna is everyone's friend, and the pure devotee is carrying the friend's message. Therefore, he is a friend. If there is a nice friend, and if somebody gives information about that nice friend, he is also a friend."

Srila Prabhupada, morning walk, July, 1975 "The real ocean of mercy is Krsna and it is the duty of the spiritual master to tell his disciple to come to the ocean and be happy. The spiritual master's duty is to lead the disciple to this ocean. I am trying my best and if you try to follow surely you will benefit."

Srila Prabhupada letter, August 14, 1976 "Some say that the devotee should remain in holy places like Vrindavana or some holy town where the Lord lived, but a pure devotee can live anywhere and create the atmosphere of Vrindavana by his devotional service. It was Sri Advaita who told Lord Caitanya, "Wherever You are, O Lord - there is Vrindavana."

Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 8.14, Purport "If you think of me and work for me, then I am in your heart. If you love somebody he is in your heart. It is common thing, everyone understands it."

Srila Prabhupada letter, 4/09/72 "Pure devotees of the Lord are more powerful than the waters of the sacred river Ganges. One can derive spiritual benefit out of prolonged use of the Ganges waters. But one can be sanctified at once by the mercy of a pure devotee of the Lord."

Srimad-Bhagavatam, 1.1.15, Purport "To feel separation from the Spiritual Master or Krishna is very good position. That means one who is in pure love with Krishna and His Representative, Spiritual Master, he thinks always of Them. And this thinking process is Krishna consciousness. If we can think always of Krishna even in separation, that is Krishna Consciousness. And in the absolute platform, there is no difference of separation and meeting. The separation is also meeting, rather in separation one relishes the loving relationship more tasty. So don't be disappointed that you are separated from me, I am always thinking of you how you are making progress there."

Srila Prabhupada letter, October 21, 1968 "I am so grateful for your nice sentiments for me, and Krishna will bless you. I am very poor and I have nothing to return for your loving service, but I can simply pray to Krishna for your gradual advancement in Krishna Consciousness. I think that is the best blessing which we can have in this material existence."

Srila Prabhupada letter, October 21, 1968

The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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"Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life."

Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 4.34, Purport "One can know God and one's relationship with God only when one actually meets a representative of God. A representative of God never claims that he is God, although he is paid all the respect ordinarily paid to God because he has knowledge of God." Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 5.16, Purport "A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself -- he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated.

Therefore, only Lord Krsna, or His bona fide representative the spiritual master, can release the conditioned soul."

Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 7.14, Purport "For ordinary persons it is obligatory to execute the prescribed duties mentioned in the Vedas, and although a pure devotee who is completely engaged in the service of the Lord may some- times appear to go against the prescribed duties, actually it is not so."

Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 9.28, Purport "In my old age, I have come to America, and I am trying to teach Krsna consciousness, because my spiritual master gave me an order that I must do it. It is my duty. I do not know whether I shall be a success or failure."

Science of Self-Realization, Chapter 8

The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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Poems by Srila Prabhupada

The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

Poems by Çréla Prabhupäda Çréla Prabhupäda wrote the following poem in February 1935, on the ocassion of the Vyäsa-püjä celebration of his spiritual master, Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura. It delighted Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta, especially the sixth stanza, which he felt captured the essence of his preaching against the Mäyävädés. After reading this poem, Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura was especially keen that Çréla Prabhupäda preach and write in English.

Adore, adore ye all The happy day, Blessed than Heaven, Sweeter than May, When He appeared at Puri, The holy place, My Lord and Master, His Divine Grace.

Message of service Thou hast brought, A healthy life As Caitanya wrought.

Unknown to us all, It’s full of brace.

That’s your gift Your Divine Grace.

Oh! My Master, The evangelic angel, Give us thy light, Light up thy candle.

Struggle for existence A Human race, The only hope, Your Divine Grace.

Absolute is sentient Thou hast proved.

Impersonal calamity Thou hast moved.

This gives us a life Anew and fresh Worship thy feet Your Divine Grace.

Misled we are, All going astray.

Save us Lord, Our fervent pray.

Wonder thy ways To turn our face.

Adore thy feet, Your Divine Grace.

Had you not come, Who had told The message of Kåñëa, Forceful and bold?

That’s your right, You have the mace.

Save me a fallen, Your Divine Grace.

Forgotten Kåñëa We fallen soul Paying most heavy The illusion’s toll.

Darkness around, All untrace.

The only hope Your Divine Grace.

The line of service As drawn by you Is pleasing and healthy Like morning dew.

The oldest of all, But in new dress Miracle done Your Divine Grace.

Boro-kåpä koile kåñëa Märkine Bhägavat-dharma Çréla Prabhupäda, founder and äcärya of ISKCON, wrote this bhajan while on the ship, Jaladuta, to America. He was at the Commonwealth Pier at Boston, MA on September 18, 1965

(1) boro-kṛpä kaile kṛṣṇa adhamer prati ki lägiyänile hethä koro ebe gati

käma-lobhädayaç ca ye ceta etair anäviddhaḿ sthitaḿ sattve prasīdati

(2) äche kichu kärja taba ei anumäne nahe keno äniben ei ugra-sthäne

evaḿ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ bhagavat-tattva-vijñänaḿ mukta-saìgasya jäyate

(3) rajas tamo guṇe erä sabäi äcchanna bäsudeb-kathä ruci nahe se prasanna (4) tabe jadi taba kṛpä hoy ahaituké sakal-i sambhava hoy tumi se kautuké (5) ki bhäve bujhäle tärä bujhe sei rasa eta kṛpä koro prabhu kori nija-baça (6) tomära icchäya saba hoy mäyä-baça tomära icchäya näça mäyär paraça (7) taba icchä hoy jadi tädera uddhär bujhibe niçcai tabe kathä se tomär (8) bhägavater kathä se taba avatär dhéra haiyä çune jadi käne bär bär çṛṇvatäḿ sva-kathäḥ kṛṣṇaḥ punya-çravaṇa-kértanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadräṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satäm naṣṭa-präyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaḿ bhägavata-sevayä bhagavaty uttama-çloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhiké tadä rajas-tamo-bhäväḥ

bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiç chidyante sarva-saḿçayäḥ kṣéyante cäsya karmäṇi dṛṣṭa evätmanéçvare (9) rajas tamo hate tabe päibe nistär hṛdayer abhadra sate ghucibe tähär (10) ki ko're bujhäbo kathä baro sei cähi kṣudra ämi déna héna kono çakti nähi (11) athaca enecho prabhu kathä bolibäre je tomär icchä prabhu koro ei bäre (12) akhila jagat-guru! bacana se ämär alaìkṛta koribär kṣamatä tomär (13) taba kṛpä ha'le mor kathä çuddha habe çuniyä sabära çoka duḥkha je ghucibe (14) äniyächo jadi prabhu ämäre näcäte näcäo näcäo prabhu näcäo se-mate käṣṭhera puttali jathä näcäo se-mate (15) bhakti näi veda näi näme khub daro "bhaktivedänta" näm ebe särthak kor

TRANSLATION 1) My dear Lord Kåñëa, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me.

2) But I guess You have some business here, otherwise why would You bring me to this terrible place?

3) Most of the population here is covered by the material modes of ignorance and passion. Absorbed in material life, they think themselves very happy and satisfied, and therefore they have no taste for the transcendental message of Väsudeva. I do not know how they will be able to understand it.

4) But I know Your causeless mercy can make everything possible because You are the most expert mystic.

5) How will they understand the mellows of devotional service? O Lord, I am simply praying for Your mercy so that I will be able to convince them about Your message.

6) All living entities have become under the control of the illusory energy by Your will, and therefore, if You like, by Your will they can also be released from the clutches of illusion.

7) I wish that You may deliver them. Therefore if You so desire their deliverance, then only will they be able to understand Your message.

8) The words of Çrémad-Bhägavatam are Your incarnation, and if a sober person repeatedly receives it with submissive aural reception, then he will be able to understand Your message. It is said in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.2.17-21): "Sri Kåñëa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted. By regular attendance in classes on the Bhagavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature’s modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire and hankering, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes completely happy. Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association. Thus the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the self as master."

9) He will become liberated from the influence of the modes of ignorance and passion and thus all inauspicious things accumulated in the core of the heart will disappear.

10) How will I make them understand this message of Kåñëa consciousness? I am very unfortunate, unqualified and the most fallen. Therefore I am seeking Your benediction so that I can convince them, for I am powerless to do so on my own.

11) Somehow or other, O Lord, You have brought me here to speak about You. Now, my Lord, it is up to You to make me a success or failure as You like.

12) O spiritual master of all the worlds! I can simply repeat Your message, so if You like You can make my power of speaking suitable for their understanding.

13) Only by Your causeless mercy will my words become pure. I am sure that when this transcendental message penetrates their hearts they will certainly feel engladdened and thus become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life.

14) O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like.

15) I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the holy name of Kåñëa. I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, and now, if You like, You can fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedanta.

Signed—The most unfortunate, insignificant beggar, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, on board the ship Jaladuta, Commonwealth Pier, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. dated 18th of September, 1965

Kåñëa taba puëya habe bhäi This is one of the two songs Çréla Prabhupäda wrote while he was on the Jaladuta in 1965.

kåñëa taba puëya habe bhäi e-puëya koribe jabe rädhäräëé khusé habe dhruva ati boli tomä täi (1) çré-siddhänta saraswaté çacé-suta priya ati kåñëa-sebäya jära tula näi sei se mohänta-guru jagater madhe uru kåñëa-bhakti dey öhäi öhäi (2) tära icchä balavän päçcätyete öhän öhän hoy jäte gauräìger näm påthivéte nagarädi äsamudra nada nadé sakalei loy kåñëa näm (3) tähale änanda hoy tabe hoy digvijay caitanyer kåpä atiçay mäyä duñöa jata duùkhé jagate sabäi sukhé vaiñëaver icchä pürëa hoy (4) se kärja je koribäre äjïä jadi dilo more jogya nahi an déna héna täi se tomära kåpä mägitechi anurüpä äji numi sabär pravéëa (5) tomära se çakti pele guru-sebäya bastu mile jébana särthak jadi hoy sei se sevä päile tähale sukhé hale taba saìga bhägyate miloy (6) evaà janaà nipatitaà prabhavähiküpe kämäbhikämam anu yaù prapatan prasaìgät kåtvätmasät surarñiëä bhagavan gåhétaù so 'haà kathaà nu visåje tava bhåtya-seväm (7) tumi mor cira säthé bhuliyä mäyär läthi khäiyächi janma-janmäntare äji punaù e sujoga jadi hoy jogäyoga

tabe päri tuhe milibäre (8) tomära milane bhäi äbär se sukha päi gocärane ghuri din bhor kata bane chuöächuöi bane khäi luöäpuöi sei din kabe habe mor (9) äji se subidhäne tomära smaraëa bhela baro äçä òäkiläm täi ämi tomära nitya-däsa täi kori eta äça tumi binä anya gati näi

TRANSLATION Refrain: O, brothers, (o brother) The Supreme Lord Kåñëa will bestow virtue upon you—but He will do this only when Çrématé Rädhäräëé first becomes pleased with you. This I surely declare to you.

1) Çré Çrémad Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura, who is very dear to Lord Gauräìga, the son of mother Çacé, is unparalleled in his service to the Supreme Lord Sri Kåñëa. He is that great saintly spiritual master, most magnanimous within this universe, who bestows devotion to Kåñëa in various places throughout the world.

2) His desire is very powerful, and thus he is causing the Holy Name of Lord Gauräìga to spread throughout all the countries of the Western World. In all the cities, towns, and villages on the earth, extending to all the oceans, rivers, and streams, everyone may accept the Holy Name of Kåñëa.

3) Thus all directions will be conquered by a flood of transcendental ecstasy flowing with the excessive mercy of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. When all the miserable living entities that have been corrupted by maya become happy, then the Vaisnava's desire is fulfilled.

4) Although my Guru Mahäräja ordered me to accomplish this mission, I am unworthy to do it, being very fallen and incompetent. That being the case, O Lord Kåñëa, Your mercy is today arising in a befitting manner to make me become worthy, for You are the wisest of all.

5) If You bestow Your divine power, then one attains the factual substance which is service to the spiritual master and life becomes successful. If that service is obtained, then one becomes truly satisfied, and ultimately received Your association due to good fortune.

6) (As stated by Prahläda Mahäräja to Lord Nåsiàhadeva in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam, 7.9.28:) “Thus, by associating with material desires one after another, I was following the general populace by falling into a blind well full of snakes. My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead! Then the great sage Närada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple, and instructed me how to achieve the transcendental position similar to his own. How could I ever leave the service of your servant?”

7) O Lord Kåñëa, You are my eternal companion. Forgetting You, I have suffered the kicking of maya birth after birth. If today the chance to meet You occurs again, then surely I will be able to rejoin You. 8) O my dear brother! In Your company I will experience great joy once again. Wandering about the pastures and fields, I will pass the entire day with You in tending the cows. Joking with You and frolicking throughout so many forests of Vraja, I will roll upon the ground in spiritual ecstasy. When, oh when will that day be mine?

9) Today that remembrance of being with You came to me in a very nice way. Feeling great longing I called out for You, O Lord Kåñëa! Only because I am Your eternal servant do I desire Your association so much. Except for You, I have no other refuge.

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Selected Letters by Srila Prabhupada

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Letters by Srila Prabhupada San Francisco March 1967 My dear devotees, I am aware that you are feeling my absence just as I am feeling the absence from you. But in the meantime this must be so and Krishna will provide for you as long as you keep chanting Hare Krishna. I want to see each and every one of you, so I am asking Mukunda to arrange my visits since he has volunteered to render this service. If any of you have any particular points you wish to discuss with me, please have Mukunda make an appointment with me for you. I am always at your service.

If you chant Hare Krishna, read my books, and preach this philosophy sincerely, then Krishna will provide you with all facility, and you will not fall down into material entanglement.

Affectionately your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

San Francisco 22nd March, 1968 My Dear Terry, and associates, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated March 16, and I thank you very much for it. I am so much pleased to hear the wonderful news of your Samkirtana meetings in N.J. It is very good. This sort of enterprise is the most valuable spiritual attempt.

And I thank you from the core of my heart for doing such a nice thing. Krishna will be pleased upon you, and bestow His Benediction. Similarly, we want to open hundreds of centers, so that people may take up K.C. -- that is our mission. It is an easy process, and appealing, and the highest spiritual realization simultaneously. Please continue your excellent work in Krishna's service, and when I come to NY, I shall come there to see how nicely things are being carried on.

I am happy to hear that you continued to chant despite so many doubts and skepticism. That is the process. Even there may be doubts and skepticism, if one continues the chanting process, the doubts will all disappear, and real knowledge will be revealed by the Grace of Krishna. There is the example given of the jaundice patient. He is suffering from disease, and when given sugar-candy, which is the cure, he finds it very bitter and distasteful. But that does not mean the sugar-candy is not very sweet or delicious; it is simply due to his diseased condition that it seems bitter. In order to be cured from his disease, he must take the medicine of sugar-candy, despite the apparently bitter taste, and as he becomes cured, the real The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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sweet taste of the candy is gradually revealed. Similarly, we are diseased, and only if we take to this chanting process may we be cured. Maya may put so many doubts and worthless arguments into our minds, but if we continue the chanting, the curing process will go on, never mind the doubts, and gradually we will get a taste of that sweet nectar of Krishna Nama Sankirtan. That is the process; and you may explain it to all your friends, so they may understand the nature of their doubts and skepticism, and be benefitted.

Yes, your devotion will grow at "doubled rates" as you give more and more service to the Supreme Lord. Krishna states in the Bhagavad Gita that the one who is spreading KC is the most dear to Him. So, you are doing the most valuable service to the Lord by introducing your class-fellows and friends to this Samkirtan movement, and therefore, you will feel more and more increase in your devotion to the Lord. Please continue to do like this, and Krishna will be pleased, and you will be always happy in this life, and what to speak of the next.

Hoping you are well.

Your ever well-wisher, ACB

London 15th August, 1971 My Dear Sons and Daughters, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you very much for your kind feelings of appreciation of my humble service unto you. You are all helping me in pushing forward this mission of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, coming down by disciplic succession to my Guru Maharaj. So whatever you have spoken, it is simply due to them. I am simply the via media to receive them, on behalf of my Guru Maharaj, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaj Prabhupada.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

. Montreal 3rd August, 1968 His Holiness The Pope, Paul Vl Vicar of Jesus Christ State of Vatican City Rome, Italy The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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Your Holiness: Please accept my respectful humble obeisances at Your lotus feet. I beg to introduce myself as an Indian monk, following the Vedic principles of religious life, and at the present, I am in the renounced order of Sannyas (aged 72 years) and preaching God consciousness all over the world. I came to America in 1965, and since then I have many followers belonging to both Christian and Jewish faiths. And I have established 8 centers of Krishna consciousness temples in the USA and Canada. In the month of September, 1968, I am scheduled to go to London on this mission, and maybe I can visit other cities of European countries.

My mission is in the line of Lord Chaitanya, Who is personified Love of Godhead, and Who advented Himself 482 years ago in India, and preached God consciousness all over the country. His mission is to revive God consciousness all over the world, on the basis of Srimad Bhagavatam (Science of God). The principle of Srimad Bhagavatam is that any religious faith which helps a man to develop Love of God, without any motive, and without being hampered by any material condition, is transcendental religion. And the best process or the easist process, in this age especially, is to chant the Holy name of God. From this definition of religion as we find in the Srimad Bhagavatam, the criterion test of religion is how it helps people to develop his dormant Love of God, which is not materially invoked, but it is aroused from within by bona fide association of devotees and hearing about God. The human form of life is especially meant for this purpose, namely, to invoke the dormant Love of God, because better development of consciousness is found in the human body.

Animal propensities for sense gratification is equally found both in man and animals. But the special significance of human life is to achieve Love of God as the prime perfection of life.

Unfortunately, at the present moment people are more concerned about the principle of sense gratification, or the animal part of human life, and they are gradually declining in God consciousness. This tendency is very much deteriorating, and because Your Holiness is the Head of a great religious sect, I think we should meet together and chalk out a program for cooperation.

The human society cannot anymore be allowed to continue a Godless civilization at the risk of decreasing truthfulness, hygenic principles, forgiveness, and mercifulness. Because on account of predominance of these principles at the present moment, duration of life, strength, and memory of the human being is decreasing.

The human society is gradually degrading in the matter of religiosity, and justice; and "might is right" is gradually taking the place of morality and justice. There is practically no more family life, and the union of man and woman is gradually degrading to the standard of sexuality. I understand it from reliable sources that people are trying to get your Holiness' sanction for contraceptive method, which is certainly against any religion of the world. In the Hindu religion, such contraceptive method or abortion is considered equivalent to murder.

Therefore, in the matter of sex, the human society is gradually degrading even less than decent animals. As a result of unrestricted sense gratification, even in ordinary dealing, a man cannot trust another man, because the cheating propensity of a man has increased beyond imagination. Attraction of young boys for young girls is no more as a matter of love, but such The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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attraction is only on the basis of sexual potency. As soon as there is slackening of sex life, there is immediately the divorce petition.

In India, which was one day the land of religion and Brahminical culture, things have deteriorated to such an extent that a man in a higher caste is recognized simply by putting a piece of thread on the body as a sign of sanctity. The so-called Swamis are cheating the public because the public also want to be cheated by cheap method of self-realization. They are practicing so-called yoga performances for the matter of reducing fat, and keeping the body fit for sense gratification. If somebody has no sufficient money, it is very hard for him to get justice from the court. And if anyone can simply bluff by so-called advancement of knowledge, he is offered the doctorate degree. If a man is poor, he is at once accepted as noncivilized. If a man is falsely proud, he is accepted as civilized. By frustration, people are gradually becoming communists and hippies, and the guardians of the society must now take up the situation very seriously, without further delay.

The Krishna Consciousness movement is meant for overhauling the whole situation. We are creating men of character, and we are training our disciples to become Lovers of God, or Krishna. From the very beginning, they are trained to refrain from the following four principles of degradation: 1) Sex life outside of marriage, 2) Meat eating, or eating of any animal food, 3.) All forms of intoxication, 4) Gambling and idle sports. The teachings are based on authorized movement of Lord Chaitanya, on the principles of Bhagavad Gita, as the beginning, and Srimad Bhagavatam as the graduation.

I do not wish to prolong the body of this letter further, but if you think that a meeting with You will be beneficial for the human society at large, I shall be very much pleased if Your Holiness will grant me an interview. Thanking you in anticipation for an early reply.

Yours in the service of the Lord, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Bombay 14th August, 1976 Los Angeles Residents of New Dvaraka My Dear Sons and Daughters, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 9, 1976 and the enclosed daksina and pictures of the murties in New Dvaraka which I am having framed and put on my wall here in Bombay.

If you feel at all indebted to me then you should preach vigorously like me. That is the proper way to repay me. Of course, no one can repay the debt to the spiritual master but the spiritual master is very much pleased by such an attitude by the disciple. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said: The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana, "Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one." Our only business is to be fixed up in devotional service by pleasing the spiritual master. Those who are not fixed up they have various lines of action. (eka means 'one' and bahu means many').

The real ocean of mercy is Krsna and it is the duty of the spiritual master to tell his disciple to come to the ocean and be happy. The spiritual master's duty is to lead the disciple to this ocean. I am trying my best and if you try to follow surely you will benefit.

Bhaktivinode Thakura has sung, Krsna sei tomara, Krsna dite para, tomara sakati ache. Ami ta'kangala, krsna krsna boli, dhai tava pache pache." "Krsna is yours and you have the power to give Him to anyone you wish. I am poor and wretched and running behind you shouting Krsna, Krsna!"

Krsna is unlimited, no one can catch Him, but if someone follows the parampara, He agrees to be captured. Everyone is afraid of Krsna, but Krsna is afraid of Mother Yasoda. That is Krsna's special mercy.

I hope this meets all of you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Los Angeles 28th June, 1972 The President, The White House Washington, D.C. 20025 My dear Mr. President, Several thousand years ago a great pious emperor ruled over this planet. He was a descendent of the great Kuru dynasty and the grandson of Arjuna, the hero of the Bhagavad-gita and the personal associate of the Lord, Sri Krishna. The people lived under his domain in peace. He provided protection for the people and the cows, as well as all other living entities. He engaged many brahmanas, spiritual leaders, to educate his people and advise them in all matters. The people were just and God-conscious. They had a good understanding of the meaning and purpose of life and lived in happiness and prosperity. They respected ther emperor and received kindness and benedictions from him.

You are a great president of a great nation. In this age of unrest and quarrel, your strength, as well as the strength of your nation, will be lasting if it is built upon the pillars of spiritual knowledge and Absolute Truth.

The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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I am seventy-six years of age and am in the renounced order of life. I came to this country from India six years ago to introduce Krishna Consciousness, the scientific process of spiritual life, to the English-speaking people of the Western world. Now by the grace of Krishna I have many thousands of disciples, young American and European boys and girls. Many of them have come to me bewildered, rebellious, and addicted to all sorts of sinful activities. Like so many of the young people today, they were lost and confused. Now they are all leading a disciplined and regulated life. They follow strict principles of spiritual life, with no desire for intoxication of any kind, or illicit sex life. They are always engaged in meaningful work, serving God and their fellow man. They have become the flower of your country and all over the world they are being treated with the highest respect.

I would humbly like to request an interview with you to discuss the possibilities of my providing further service. My disciple will assist your aides to arrange a suitable time and place for a meeting.

I hope this meets you in the best of health.

Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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Selected Lectures by Srila Prabhupada

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Lectures by Srila Prabhupada Mayapur, March 16,1976, SB 7.9.38 Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "In this way, my Lord, You have appeared in different incarnations—as human beings, as animals, as a great saintly person, as demigods and as a fish and a tortoise. In this way You maintain the whole creation in different planetary systems and kill the demoniac principles in every age. My Lord, You therefore protect the principles of religion. In the age of Kali You do not assert Yourself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore You are known as Tri-yuga, or the Lord who appears in three yugas."

Prabhupāda: itthaṁ nṛ-tiryag-ṛṣi-deva-jhaṣāvatārair lokān vibhāvayasi haṁsi jagat pratīpān dharmaṁ mahā-puruṣa pāsi yugānuvṛttaṁ channaḥ kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo 'tha sa tvam

So here is a very specific statement about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is avatāra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the same Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He's channa. Channa means covered, not directly, because He has appeared as a devotee. Avatāra... Rūpa Gosvāmī has found out that He's avatāra of Kṛṣṇa. All the devotees, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, Rūpa Gosvāmī, and in the śāstra, and the Upaniṣad, Mahābhārata, in every... Sādhu-śāstra. Avatāra should be confirmed by great devotees, personalities, and must be collaborated with the statement in the śāstra.

So here is another statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The directly, it is stated in the Eleventh Canto, you know, kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ prāyair yajanti hi sumedhsaḥ [SB 11.5.32]

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, when He was being described before King Nimi by Karabhājana Muni the different incarnation in different millenniums, yuga-dharmavṛttam... Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also described by Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura, yuga-dharmapālo. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu is described here as channaḥ kalau. In the Kali-yuga He's not appearing as other incarnations, not like Nṛsiṁhadeva or many, Vāmanadeva, Lord Rāmacandra. He is appearing as a devotee. Why? Now, this is the most magnanimous avatāra. People are so foolish, they could not understand Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ [Bg. 18.66], they took it: "Who is this person ordering like that, Sarva-dharmān parityajya?What right?" That is our material disease. If somebody is ordered to do something, he protests, "Who are you to order me?"

This is the position. God Himself, Kṛṣṇa, what can He say? He orders, the Supreme Person, Supreme Being. He must order. He's the supreme controller. He must order. That is God. The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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But we are so foolish that when God orders that "You do this," we take it otherwise: "Oh, who is this man? He's ordering like that. And sarva-dharmān parityajya, 'giving up everything'? Why shall I give Him?" Sarva-dharmān: "I have created so many dharmas,'isms.'

I shall give it up? Why shall I give it up?" Therefore the same Lord came again as Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Today is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's appearance day, so we must discuss this very thoroughly, that, that Rūpa Gosvāmī understood it. Therefore we have to go through guru.

Rūpa Gosvāmī is our guru. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura said, rūpa-raghunātha-pade, hoibe ākuti, kabe hāma bujhabo, śrī-yugala-pīriti If we want to understand the transcendental position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then we have to go through guru, guru-paramparā system. Otherwise it is not possible. Rūpa-raghunātha pade hoibe ākuti. Unless we accept this process, unless we submit... This whole process is submission. Kṛṣṇa wants this. Sarva-dharmān parityajya [Bg. 18.66]. So if you want to approach Kṛṣṇa, you have to become very submissive. And to whom? "Kṛṣṇa is not here. To whom I shall submit?" No. To His devotee, to His representative. The business is submission. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared this day for giving mercy to the fallen souls who are so foolish, they cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He is personally teaching how to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And that is this kīrtana. You'll find. You have seen the picture in our Teachings of Lord Caitanya that in Prayag He was engaged in chanting, and Rūpa Gosvāmī is offering his obeisances. That is the first meeting with Rūpa Gosvāmī, and he composed this verse, namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te... [Cc. Madhya19.53].

Devotees: ...kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So this is channaḥ-avatāra. He's Kṛṣṇa, He has come to give you kṛṣṇaprema, but He's acting like a Kṛṣṇa devotee. This is covered. He is not commanding now, "You do this." Yes, He's commanding, "Do this," but in different way. Because people misunderstood, "Oh, who is this person commanding?" Even some so-called rascal scholar, he has said, "It's too much to demand." They have remarked like that. Yes, sophisticated persons, they are thinking like that.

But our process is to submit. Unless we submit, there is no hope of advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching. tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc. Ādi 17.31]

If you want to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then you have to take this principle, tṛṇād api sunīcena. You have to become humbler than the grass. Grass, it is lying on the street.

Everyone is trampling down. Never protests. In the lawn you are... Everyone is trampling the grass. There is no protest. Taror api sahiṣṇunā. And tolerant than the tree. The tree is giving us so much help. It is giving us fruit, flower, leaves, and when there is scorching heat, shelter also. Sit down underneath. So beneficial, still, we cut. As soon as I like, I cut it The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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down. But there is no protest. The tree does not say, "I have given you so much help, and you are cutting me?" No. Tolerant. Yes. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has selected,taror api sahiṣṇunā. And amāninā mānadena. For oneself one should not expect any respectful position, but he, the devotee, should offer all respect to anyone. Amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc. Ādi 17.31]. If we acquire this qualification, then we can chant Hare Kṛṣṇamahā-mantra without any disturbance. This is the qualification.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to teach these principles. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. There is no... Na caitanyāt kṛṣṇāt para-tattvaṁ param iha.Para-tattvam, the Supreme Truth, is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Supreme Truth is Kṛṣṇa, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Na caitanyāt kṛṣṇāt para-tattvaṁ param iha, yad advaitaṁ brahmopaniṣadi [Cc. Ādi 1.3]. The Brahman, advaita,monists' Brahman, which is described in the Upaniṣad, yad, that factor,yad advaita brāhmaṇopaniṣadi, Paramātmā, and the Paramātmā, Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān—this is the three features of the Supreme Absolute Truth. vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate [SB 1.2.11]

The Absolute Truth is one, advaya-jñāna. There is no difference. But He, according to our qualification of understanding the Absolute Truth, He appears as Brahman, impersonal Brahman; He appears as localized Paramātmā, Supersoul; and He appears as the beloved Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, according to the receiver. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante [Bg. 4.11]. That is meant. If you want to understand the Absolute Truth as impersonal Brahman, you realize that. If you want to realize the Absolute Truth as Paramātmā, everywhere, all-pervading, you can realize Him. And if you want to see Him as the most beloved, then you can also have. That is the meaning of ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. You can realize the Absolute Truth any way. He is prepared to manifest Himself as you desire.

So "as you desire" does not mean... That also, He is present because, here it is stated, nṛtiryag-ṛṣi-deva-jhaṣāvatāraiḥ. According to the evolutionary process, so there was water all over the universe. So at that time, daśa-avatāra, keśava dhṛta-mīna-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare.Similarly, He became tortoise. Then He becomes Nṛsiṁhadeva, He became Vāmanadeva—so many. That is going on, nitya, nitya-līlā.Don't think the avatāra comes only to the human society, nṛ. But He appears amongst the animals, amongst the insects, amongst the trees. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā there is statement, "Among the trees, I am this tree. Among the animals, I am this animal. Among the persons... Among the fighters, I am this, I am this." He's everything, but just to point out a few... In another place He says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya [Bg. 7.8]. He is prepared to be appreciated by you in any condition of life if you take His instruction how to realize Him. And if you manufacture your own way, no, that is not possible. That is... Even if you are most ordinary man, still, you can realize Him. There is no difficulty. How? Kṛṣṇa said, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: "My dear Arjuna, I am the taste of the water." Now, who does not drink water? Anyone? The animal also drinks water and the human being also drinks water. But the animal cannot The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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understand God, although God is there in the water, and the man can understand because he is human being. Therefore a human being is different from animal. If we remain like animals—we are drinking water, but we are not realizing Kṛṣṇa—then you are animal. This is animals. And if we drink water—everyone drinks water many times—so many times we can remember Kṛṣṇa. And that is the process of devotional... Smaraṇam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam [SB 7.5.23].

So every time, if you drink water and remember Kṛṣṇa, then you are on the devotional service. Where is the difficulty? But the rascals will not take it. That is the... Where is the difficulty? Everyone drinks water, and as soon as you drink water when you are thirsty, and the taste of the water appeases your thirst, so if you simply remember that "In theBhagavadgītā it is stated that this taste is Kṛṣṇa," then immediately you remember Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you remember Kṛṣṇa, it is devotional service, smaraṇam. Where is the difficulty?

Where is the difficulty for becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious? Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ: "I am the illumination of the moon and the sun." So who does not see the moonshine and the sunshine? In daytime you see the sunshine and at night you see the moonshine. So if you see the sunshine and moonshine and if you remember Kṛṣṇa's instructions that "This sunshine, moonshine, I am," so where is the difficulty? raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu (śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu) [Bg. 7.8]

Now, if you think, "Eh, I am so learned Vedantist. Why shall I study the sunshinemoonshine and what? I shall chant oṁ." (laughter) "Rascal, this oṁ I am. (laughter) You are so big Vedantist. You chant oṁ, but that I am." Praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu. Every Vedic mantra is chanted after the vibration of omkara. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūr... This is the Vedic mantra always, every Veda. So either you become Vedantist or ordinary human being—does not know anything—you can realize Kṛṣṇa. There is no difficulty.

So Kṛṣṇa taught everything for becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, but still, we are so rascal we could not understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa came again: "These rascals failed to understand Me, and now I shall teach how to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa by My personal behavior." That is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by His personal... Don't think that because He's playing the part... Just like somebody is giving massage to my body. So he's not giving properly. So immediately I take his hand and I began to give massage, "Do like this. Do like this." That does not mean I am masseur or I am servant of that person. Similarly, don't forget that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.Śrīkṛṣṇa-caitanya rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya. You are worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and there is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's Deity also. There are some parties, they protest, "Why Caitanya Mahāprabhu's Deity should be placed along with Kṛṣṇa?" But they do not know śrī-kṛṣṇacaitanya rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya. It is not different.

So Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is Kṛṣṇa. It is confirmed by the śāstras. Here it is said, channaḥ kalau yad abhava. In the Kali-yuga, directly He does not appear as the incarnation like Nṛsiṁhadeva or Vāmanadeva or Lord Rāmacandra, yes, but as devotee. So He's the same incarnation, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Abhavat. "Therefore sometimes You are called The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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as tri-yuga." There are four yugas, but He is known... Because in threeyugas He appears distinctly, and in the fourth yuga, the Kali-yuga, as devotee, therefore He's called tri-yuga.

So today is the birthday or appearance day of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and this is the birthplace, this Māyāpura, and you are all present here. It is a good fortune. Always remember Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and chant śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda...

Devotees: ...śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda.

Prabhupāda: This will make your life perfect. Thank you very much. (end)

London, August 21, 1973, Bg 4.9

Prabhupāda: (chants maṅgalācaraṇa prayers) His Excellency, the High Commissioner; ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for your coming here and participating in this ceremony, Janmāṣṭamī, advent of Kṛṣṇa. The subject matter I've been ordered to speak on is advent of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9] This fact, that we can achieve such a stage of life when we can stop our birth and death... Sa 'mṛtatvāya kalpate. This morning, I was explaining this verse: yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete puruṣaṁ puruṣarsabha sama-duḥkha-sukhaṁ dhīraṁ so 'mṛtatvāya kalpate

Amrtatva means immortality. So the modern civilization, they have no idea, either the great philosopher, great politician or great scientist, that it is possible to attain the stage of immortality. Amṛtatva. We are all amṛta. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, na jāyate na mrīyate vā kadācin. We living entities, we never die, never take birth. Nityaḥ śāśvato yaṁ, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20]. Every one of us, we are eternal, nityaḥ śāśvato; Purāṇa, the oldest. And after annihilation of this body, we do not die. Na hanyate. The body is finished, but I have to accept another body. Tathā dehāntara prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā [Bg. 2.13].

This simple thing, at the present moment, they are lacking knowledge, that we, all living entities, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we are eternal, we are blissful, and we are cognizant.

Kṛṣṇa is described in the Vedic śāstras: īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ anādir ādir govindaḥ The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam [Bs. 5.1]

Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. God, Kṛṣṇa, when I speak Kṛṣṇa, that means God. If there is any important name... God, it is sometimes said God has no name. That's a fact. But God's name is given by His activities. Just like Kṛṣṇa accepted the sonhood of Mahārāja Nanda, or Yaśodāmāyī, or Devakī, or Vasudeva. Vasudeva and Devakī were Kṛṣṇa's real father and mother. Nobody is real father and mother of Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa is the original father of everyone. But when Kṛṣṇa comes here, advents, He accepts some devotees as His father, as His mother. Kṛṣṇa is the original, ādi-puruṣaṁ. Ādyaṁ Purāṇa-puruṣam nava-yauvanaṁ ca[Bs. 5.33]. He is the original person. Then must be very old? No. Adyam purāṇa puruṣam nava-yauvanam ca. Always fresh youth. That is Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa was on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, you have seen the picture, He's just like a boy of twenty years or, at most, twenty-four years old. But at that time, He had great-grandchildren. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa is always youth. Navayauvanam ca. These are the statements of Vedic literatures. advaitam acyutam anādiṁ ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca vedeṣu durlābhaṁ adurlābhaṁ ātmā-bhaktau [Bs. 5.33]

So, to understand Kṛṣṇa, simply if we read as a formality the Vedic literature, it will be very difficult to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Vedesu durlābhaṁ. Although all the Vedas are meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa. In the Bhagavad-gītā, it is said, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo.

Aham eva vedyo. What is the use of studying Vedas if you do not understand Kṛṣṇa? Because the ultimate goal of education means to understand the Supreme Lord, the supreme father, the supreme cause. As it is said in the Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1].Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahma-jijñāsā, to discuss about the Supreme Absolute Truth, Brahman.

What is that Brahman? Janmādy asya yataḥ. That Brahman means wherefrom everything emanates. So science, philosophy, means to find out the ultimate cause of everything. That we are getting from the śāstras, Vedic literature, that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes. Sarvakāraṇa-kāraṇam. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam [Bs. 5.1]

Cause of all causes. Just like try to understand. I am caused by my father. My father is caused by his father. He is caused by his father, his father... Go on searching, then you'll ultimately come to somebody who is the cause. But He has no cause. Anādir ādir govindaḥ [Bs. 5.1]. I may be cause of my son, but I am also result of the cause, my father.

But theśāstra says that anādir ādir, He is the original person, but He has no cause. That is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa says that janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ [Bg. 4.9]. The advent of Kṛṣṇa, it is very important thing. We should try to understand Kṛṣṇa, why He advents, why He comes on this material world, what is His business, what are His activities. If we simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa, then what is the The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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result? The result is tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. You get that immortality. The aim of life is to achieve immortality. Amṛtatvāya kalpate.

So in the advent of Kṛṣṇa, we shall try to understand the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa. His Excellency was speaking of peace. The peace formula is there, spoken by Kṛṣṇa. What is that? bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati [Bg. 5.29]

If the politicians, diplomats, they are trying to establish peace in the world... The United Nation is there, and there are many other organizations. They are trying to have real peace and tranquillity, no misunderstanding between man to man, nation to nation. But that is not happening. That is not happening. The defect is that in the root is wrong. Everyone's thinking "It is my country. It is my family. It is my society. It is my property." This "mine" is illusion. In the śāstra it is said, janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti [SB 5.5.8]. This "I and my" philosophy is illusion.

So this illusion means māyā. māyā... If you want to get out of this llusion, māyā, then you have to accept the Kṛṣṇa's formula. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Everything is there in theBhagavad-gītā for guidance if we accept the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Everything is there. Peace is there, prosperity is there. So that is a fact. Unfortunately, we do not accept it. That is our misfortune. Or we misinterpret it. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Kṛṣṇa says that "You always think of Me," man-manā bhava madbhakto."Become My devotee." Mad-yājī, "You worship Me." Māṁ namaskuru,"And offer obeisances unto Me." Is it very difficult task? Here is Kṛṣṇa's Deity. If you think of this Deity, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, is it very difficult? Man-manā. You come into the temple and, just as a devotee, offer your respect to the Deity, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. As far as possible try to worship the Deity, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati [Bg. 9.26].

Kṛṣṇa does not want your whole property. Kṛṣṇa is open to the poorest man for being worshiped. What He is asking? He says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: "With devotion, if a person offers Me a little leaf, a little fruit, a little water, I accept it." Kṛṣṇa is not hungry, but Kṛṣṇa wants to make you devotee. That is the main point. Yo me bhaktyā prayacchati.That is the main principle. If you offer Kṛṣṇa little things...

Kṛṣṇa is not hungry; Kṛṣṇa is providing food for everyone. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. But Kṛṣṇa wants your love, your devotion. Therefore He is begging little patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. There is no difficulty in understanding Kṛṣṇa and to accept Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But we'll not do that; that is our disease.

Otherwise, it is not difficult at all. And as soon as we become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, we understand the whole situation.

Our hilosophy, Bhāgavataphilosophy, is also communism because we consider Kṛṣṇa the supreme father, and all living entities, they are all sons of Kṛṣṇa.

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So Kṛṣṇa says that He is the proprietor of all planets, sarva-loka maheśvaram [Bg. 5.29]. Therefore whatever there is, either in the sky or in the water or in the land, they're all Kṛṣṇa's property. And because we are all sons of Kṛṣṇa, therefore every one of us has the right to use (the) father's property. But we should not encroach upon others. This is the formula of peace. Mā gṛdha kasya svidhanam, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam [Īśo mantra 1]. Everything belongs to God. You are sons of God. You have got the right to use father's property, but do not take more than you need. That is punishable. These things are stated in theŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Stena eva sa ucyate [Bg. 3.12], in the Bhagavad-gītā, "he's a thief." If anyone takes more than he needs, then he's a thief.Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ [Bg. 3.9]. If for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa... Yajña means Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa's another name is Yajñeśvara. So you act for Kṛṣṇa, you take prasāda Kṛṣṇa. That what we are teaching here. In this temple, we are residing Americans, Indians, Englishmen, Canadians, Africans, different parts of the world. You know that. Not only in this temple, all over the world. ...when we forget this philosophy, that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme father, Kṛṣṇa is the supreme proprietor, Kṛṣṇa is the supreme enjoyer and Kṛṣṇa is the supreme friend of everyone. When you forget this, then we come into this material world and struggle for existence, fight with one another. This is material life. So you cannot get... The politicians, diplomats, philosophers, they have tried so much, but actually nothing has become fruitful.

Just like the United Nations. It was organized after the second great war, and they wanted that peacefully we shall settle everything. But there is no such thing. The fighting is going on between Pakistan and India, between Vietnam and America, and this and that. It is not the process. The process is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everyone has to understand this fact, that we are not proprietor. Proprietor is Kṛṣṇa. That's a fact. Just like America. Say two hundred years ago the Americans, the European migrators, they were not proprietor—somebody was proprietor. Before them, somebody was proprietor or it was vacant land. The actual proprietor is Kṛṣṇa. But artificially you are claiming that "It is my property." Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti[SB 5.5.8]. This is called māyā.

So Kṛṣṇa advents for give us lesson. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata [Bg. 4.7]. Kṛṣṇa says, "My dear Arjuna, I come when there is discrepancies in the process of religious life." Dharmasya glānir bhavati. And what is dharma? The simple definition of dharmais dharmāṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam [SB 6.3.19]. This isdharma.

Dharmāṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam [SB 6.3.19]. Just like what do you mean by law? Law means the word given by the state. You cannot make law at home. That is not possible.

Whatever the government gives you, that "You should act like this," that is law.

Similarly, dharma means the direction given by God. That is dharma.Simple definition. You create dharma. I have created this dharma,another man creates another dharma; these are not dharma. Therefore, where the Bhagavad-gītā ends, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ [Bg. 18.66], this is dharma—to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Any other dharma, they are not dharma. Otherwise, why Kṛṣṇa asks sarva-dharmān parityajya: "Give up"? He said that dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge: "I advent to establish the principles of religion." And at last He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya.That means the socalled dharmas that we have manufactured, man-made dharmas, they are not dharmas.

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is His word. That is the modern civilization defect. But the order is there, God is there—we won't accept. Where is the possibility of peace? The order is there. Kṛṣṇa says, the Supreme, bhagavān uvāca. Vyāsadeva writesbhagavān uvāca. One should know what is bhagavān. Vyāsadeva could have written kṛṣṇa uvāca. No. He says... If one may misunderstand Kṛṣṇa, therefore he writes in every stanza, every verse, śrī bhagavān uvāca. So Bhagavān is there. Bhagavān is speaking. Bhagavān is accepted by all the ācāryas. Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī. Latest, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu also, even Śaṅkarācārya, he also accepts Kṛṣṇa-sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇa. So the verdict of the modern ācāryas, and in the past also, Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, everyone accepted Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Arjuna, who heard from Kṛṣṇa, after understanding Bhagavad-gītā, he said,paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣam ādyaṁ śāśvatam [Bg. 10.12].

So everything is there. Especially in India, we have got so much asset for understanding God. Simple thing. Everything is there ready made. But we won't accept. So what is the remedy for such disease? We are searching after peace, but we won't accept anything which is actually giving us peace. This is our disease. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to awaken the dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness in everyone's heart. Otherwise, how these Europeans and Americans and other countrymen, they never heard of Kṛṣṇa four or five years ago, how they are taking Kṛṣṇa consciousness so seriously? Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there in everyone's heart. It has to be awakened only. That is described in the Caitanyacaritāmṛta nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti 'sādhya' kabhu naya śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya

It is awakened. Love for Kṛṣṇa, devotion for Kṛṣṇa, is there within everyone's heart, but he has forgotten. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is simply meant for awakening that Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the process. Just like when you are sleeping, your, I have to call you loudly—"Mr. such and such, such and such, get up. You have got this business."

No other senses will act when you are sleeping. But the ear will act. Therefore, in this age, when people are so fallen they will not hear anything, if we chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra, he'll be awakened to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is practical.

So actually if we are anxious for peace and tranquillity in society, then we must be very serious to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is our request. Don't take it neglectfully, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This movement can solve all the problems of life, all the problems in the world. Social, political, philosophical, religious, economical—everything can be solved by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore, we request those who are leaders—just like His Excellency is present here—you should try to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is very scientific, authorized. It is not a mental concoction or sentimental movement. It is most scientific movement. So we are inviting all leaders from all countries: try to understand. If you are sober, if you are actually reasonable, you'll understand that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the sublime movement for the welfare of the whole human society. That's a fact. Anyone may come. We are prepared to discuss this subject matter. Kṛṣṇa bhūliyā jīva bhoga vāñchā kare. We should not...

Our human life, the ultimate goal of human life is to achieve immortality. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9], This is our..., we have forgotten this. We are simply The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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leading the life of cats and dogs, without any knowledge that we can achieve that perfection of life when there will be no more birth, no more death. We do not understand even that there is possibility of amṛtatvam. But everything is possible.Amṛtatvam. Nobody wants to die. That's a fact. Nobody wants to become old man, nobody wants to become diseased. This is our natural inclination. Why? Because originally, in our spiritual form, there is no birth, no death, no old age, no disease. So after evolutionary process down from the aquatics, birds, beasts, plants, trees, when you come to this form of human form of body after... Aśītiṁ caturaś caiva lakṣāṁs tād jīva-jātiṣu. This is evolutionary process. We come to the human form of body. Then we should know what is the goal of life. The goal of life is amṛtatvam, to become immortal. That you can become immortal simply by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Kṛṣṇa says. It is a fact. We have to simply understand. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. If you try to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, tattvataḥ, then, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9], after giving up this body, you don't accept any more material body. And as soon as you don't accept any material body means you become immortal. Because by nature we are immortal.

So Kṛṣṇa advents, Kṛṣṇa advents to teach us this lesson, that "You are immortal by nature. As spirit soul you are part and parcel of Me. I am as immortal. So you are also immortal. Unnecessarily, you are trying to be happy in this material world." mamaivāṁso jīva bhūto jīva-loke sanātanaḥ manaḥ saṣṭanindriyāni prakṛti-sthāni karṣati [Bg. 15.7]

Simply struggle for..., unnecessarily. The best thing is that you have enjoyed sense life in so many varieties of life, as cats, as dogs, as demigods, as tree, as plants, as insect. Now, in this human form of life, don't be captivated by sensuous life. Just try to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is the verdict of the śāstras. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍbhujāṁ ye [SB 5.5.1]. To work very hard like dogs and hog for sense gratification is not the ambition of human life. Human life is meant for little austerity. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam. We have to purify our existence. That is the mission of human life. Why I shall purify my sattva existence? Brahma-saukhyam tv anantam. Then you get unlimited pleasure, unlimited happiness. That is real pleasure. Ramante yogino 'nante satyānanda-cidātmani iti rāma-padenāsau paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate [Cc. Madhya 9.29].

So, at least in India, all the great personalities, saintly persons, sages and ācāryas, they have cultivated this spiritual knowledge so nicely and fully, and we are not taking advantage of it. It is not that those śāstrasand directions are meant for the Indians or for the Hindus or forbrāhmaṇas. No. It is meant for everyone. Because Kṛṣṇa claims sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yaḥ tāsāṁ mahad brahma yonir ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā [Bg. 14.4]

Kṛṣṇa claims that "I am everyone's father." Therefore, He is very much anxious to make us peaceful, happy. Just like the father wants to see his son is well situated and happy; The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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similarly, Kṛṣṇa also wants to see every one of us happy and well-situated. Therefore He comes sometimes.Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati [Bg. 4.7]. This is the purpose of Kṛṣṇa's advent. So those who are servants of Kṛṣṇa, devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they should take the mission of Kṛṣṇa. They should take up the mission of Kṛṣṇa. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's version. āmāra ajñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa yare dekha, tare kaha, 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]

Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. Just try to preach what Kṛṣṇa has said in theBhagavad-gītā. That is the duty of every Indian. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra janma sārthaka kari para-upakāra.

[Cc. Ādi 9.41]

So Indians, Indians are meant for para-upakāra. Indians are not meant for exploiting others.

That is not Indians' business. Indian history is all along for para-upakāra. And formerly, from all parts of the world, used to come to India to learn what is spiritual life. Even Jesus Christ went there. And from China and from other countries. That is history. And we are forgetting our own asset. How much we are callous. Such a great movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is going on all over the world, but our Indians are callous, our government is callous. They do not take. That is our misfortune. But it is the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. He says any Indian, bhārata bhūmite manuṣya janma, if he's human being, he must make his life perfect by taking advantage of this Vedic literature and distribute the knowledge all over the world. That is para-upakāra.So India can do. They are actually appreciating. These Europeans, American young men, they are appreciating that how great...

I get daily dozens of letter, how they are benefited by this movement. Actually, that is the fact. It is giving the life for the dead man. So I shall specially request the Indians, especially His Excellency, kindly cooperate with this movement, and try to make successful your life and others' life. That is the mission of Kṛṣṇa, advent of Kṛṣṇa.

Thank you very much. (end)

Mexico, February 18, 1975 Prabhupāda: (translated into Spanish by Hṛdayānanda) We left our home and father, and we are in this fallen material world, and we are suffering too much. It is exactly like a very rich man's son leaves home for independence and wanders all over the world, unnecessarily taking trouble. A rich man's son has nothing to do. His father's property is sufficient for his comfortable life. Still, as we have got examples now in the Western countries, many rich man's son becomes hippie, leaves home and unnecessarily takes trouble. Our position, our needs, we all living entities who are within this material world, is exactly like that. We have voluntarily come into this material world for sense enjoyment, and in sense enjoyment we have forgotten our supreme father, God. The material nature's duty is to give us simply miserable condition of life. kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare

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pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare

means as soon as the living entity wants to enjoy life without Kṛṣṇa, without God, immediately he becomes under the clutches of māyā. This is our position. We are under the control of māyā, and we can get out of it also, as it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, mām eva ya prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti: "Anyone who surrenders unto Me he gets out of the control of māyā." We are, therefore, preaching all over the world Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, and teaching them how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa and thus get out of the clutches of māyā. We have no other desire or ambition besides this. We plainly say, "Here is God. You surrender unto Him. You always think of Him, offer your obeisances. Then your life will be successful." But the people in general, they are exactly madmen. Simply for sense gratification, they are working so hard day and night.

So devotees are very sorry to see their plight. Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I am very sorry for these persons." Who are they? Tato vimukha-cetasa māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān [SB 7.9.43]. These rascals, vimūḍhan, they have created a civilization, gorgeous civilization. What is that? Just like in your country especially, a gorgeous truck for sweeping. The business is sweeping, and for that they have manufactured a gorgeous truck: "Gut, gut, gut, gut, gut, gut, gut."The sweeping can be done in hand. There are so many men. But they are loitering in the street, and a huge truck is required for sweeping. It is creating huge sound, and it is very dangerous also, but they are thinking, "This is advancement of civilization." Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, māyā-sukhāya. Just to get relief from sweeping... There is no relief; they have got other troubles. But they are thinking, "Now we haven't got to sweep. It is a great relief." Similarly, a simple razor can be used for shaving, and they have got so many machines and, to manufacture the machines, so many factories. So in this way if we study, item by item, this kind of civilization is called demonic civilization. Ugra-karma. Ugra-karma means ferocious activities.

So there is no objection for the material comforts, but actually we have to see whether they are comforts or miserable condition. Therefore our this human form of life is meant for saving time to develop our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not meant for wasting unnecessarily, because we do not know when the next death is coming, and if we do not prepare ourself for the next life, then at any moment we can die, and we have to accept a body offered by the material nature. Therefore I wish that all of you who have come to join this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement live very carefully so that māyā may not snatch you from the hand of Kṛṣṇa. We can keep ourself very steady simply by following the regulative principles and chanting, minimum, sixteen rounds. Then we are safe. So you have got some information about the perfection of life. Don't misuse it. Try to keep it very steadily, and your life will be successful. This movement does not stop anything for comfortable life, but it makes regulated. So if we follow the regulative principles and chant sixteen rounds, that is our safe position. I think this instruction you will follow. That is my desire.

Thank you very much. (end)

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Conversations with Srila Prabhupada

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Conversations with Srila Prabhupada London, 15 August, 1971 Prabhupāda: Simply we shall sell retail in our saṅkīrtana. Let them sell to the bookstore. We shall not sell a single copy to the bookstore, or wholesaler. We shall simply sell in our saṅkīrtana party. In this way arrange...[break] Śyāmasundara: ...weekend festivals from town to town?

Prabhupāda: Town to town. What do you think this idea Huh? Continue engagement. And as many men may join us, we can accommodate them. Every country. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ [SB 11.5.32]. I got this idea, one king, (indistinct), the grandson of Prthuraya, this Mahārāja Prithu, he performed so many yajñas that on the surface of the earth, there were only kuśa grass scattered. Yajña, they require kuśa grass. Kuśa grass. So all over the world it was simply scattered, after yajñas, I have given my comment in this. Similarly, we shall perform this saṅkīrtana yajñaall over the world, town to town, town to town. Now we have got GBC all over the world. Let them organize.

What they'll do? Organize yajña afteryajña, yajña after yajña. So that as at the present moment even if we go somewhere, are known to: "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" They say. The whole world will say, "Hare Kṛṣṇa."

Either jokingly or serious, it doesn't matter. Let them joke, criticize them, "Hare Kṛṣṇa," still they will have the effect. Still they will have it. In the Nṛsiṁha Purāṇa there is an instance that a Mussulman was attacked by, what is called? Boar having...

Parivrājakācārya: Tiger? Boar. A wild boar.

Prabhupāda: A wild boar. So when the boar attacked him the Musselmans, when they do not like they say, "Haram. Haram."Condemn means haram. So when the boar attacked him he saidharam. "Haram!"

But it acted, ha rāma, and he got salvation. Do you follow what I say? A Mussulman said, 'ha ram. Ha ram He condemned. It is abominable. That is the meaning of Urdu, haram. But at the time of death, when the boar attacked him, he said, "Haram." So it acted ha rāma. Ha, he rāma. It acted, chanting the name of Rāma, Hare Rāma. He meant something else, but it acted as beneficial as chanting He rāma. So therefore this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, either you chant seriously, or those who are criticizing us, jokingly, the effect will be same. So anyway let them chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Do you follow? Even they do not take it seriously, if they imitate, joke, still they'll be benefited .

Parivrājakācārya: Should these be straight saṅkīrtana, no... Should these be...

Prabhupāda: Well, they... As we install our Deity and chanting, dancing, offering ārati. This interests.

Parivrājakācārya: Not electric guitars and all that.

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Parivrājakācārya: Good. Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Electric guitar, if it is, they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa only, nothing else, then it is all right. But as far as possible, simply mṛdaṅgaand kartāl. But if GBC thinks that it attracts more people so they give contribution, that is a different thing. Otherwise there is no need.

Parivrājakācārya: I think nothing can attract like mṛdaṅgas andkaratālas.

Prabhupāda: That is practical, we have seen.

Parivrājakācārya: When we put guitars, it waters it down. It doesn't have the same effect.

Prabhupāda: All GBC members should organize like that. Then everything will be all right. And sell books. Now you... What is the name? Maṇḍalībhadra, he is slow. So you translate.

Haṁsadūta: Okay. Because there are others, they are competent. I have others, they are competent.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Simply you check that they are not writing nonsense.

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Haṁsadūta: Oh yes. That I can do.

Prabhupāda: That's all. And print it and distribute. And another thing. If you can print yourself, it is all right, But if you want printing cost from the general book fund, then whatever you sell you deposit there. You deposit and take, deposit and take, deposit and take. Then when, even if you have no money you'll get money. And then you deposit. But if you spend it, then you cannot expect from the general book fund.

Haṁsadūta: No, no. I'm already doing that with them.

Prabhupāda: Jaya.

Haṁsadūta: Whatever they print for me, or whatever Bali prints for me, I pay him and I pay 100% mark-up so that there can be some money.

Prabhupāda: So in this way organize and distribute literature, and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa saṅkīrtana yajña. Then our mission will be successful. Accha, here, they are coming, so we shall make a committee, London building fund committee. In that committee, Mr. Arnold and his wife... [break] ...nicely and organize responsibly. So that can be done provided they have got their own men. Why he's not training the Africans? He should train.

Parivrājakācārya: He hasn't got very many Africans. I think only about two.

Prabhupāda: Then suspend that installation.

Parivrājakācārya: They haven't been making any devotees there.

Prabhupāda: Then there is no... [break] ...and if we conquer our eating then we can conquer our sleeping also. Nidrāhāra vihārakādi vijitau **. [break] Don't make fuss. If you are serious, then it is all right. Otherwise, you are young men. If you again give up sannyāsa or you try to marry, it will be scandalous for our society. Don't do that. If you are steady... But so far report is you are not very steady. Do you admit this or not?

Kulaśekhara: Yes. Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Then how you can take sannyāsa? It is a very great responsibility. [break] There is no need of taking sannyāsa. If you are sincere in preaching you can do in this dress. Where is the harm?

Simply by changing, taking a rod, you'll not become God immediately. You have to work, steadily.

What is there in sannyāsa? Do you mean to say taking a rod one becomes sannyāsa? Sannyāsa means you must be sacrificing everything for Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī [Bg. 6.1]. Sa sannyāsī,he's sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti. You went to Israel but again came back. Why? What was the difficulty?

Kulaśekhara: Well, there's no activity there Prabhupāda. I got attacked on the street. I got very sick and I was attacked on the street when I was on saṅkīrtana.

Prabhupāda: Do you like to go to Africa? It is warm country.

Kulaśekhara: Yes Prabhupāda. That would be nice.

Prabhupāda: So you can go. You can go. And you know Deity... [break] ...and if it is sufficiently left, then she doesn't require further. Otherwise add something. But she'll take after the husband. My mother was doing. Yes. The remnants of foodstuff left by the husband will be taken by the wife. That means if the husband does not eat, she'll not eat. So those things are now dream only. (laughs) Impossible. Just like small child, If he follows the father, catching the hand of the father, she is always safe, he is always safe. Now your so-called independence has spoiled the social life. You know he was married. Where she is now?

Kulaśekhara: Oh, she left. We haven't seen her since she left. I don't know where she is. Three years ago. When she left, Śrīla Prabhupāda, she took some drugs and...

Prabhupāda: Drug is killing the whole Western nation. You will be spoiled, you will be finished with this drug habit. You are already finished. America is finished. They cannot do anything anymore.

Neither industrialists nor big scholars, neither big fighter. Anything. Simply spoiled. The only shelter The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Pāpi tāpi yata chilo harināme uddharilo. They can be only saved by this process. They have no other... otherwise they are going to hell. All Americans, the so-called puffed up materialist. This is a fact. So if you want to do service to your country, introduce this Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the younger generation. They will be saved. You be saved and save your brothers.

And otherwise this poison, this intoxication, heroin, cocaine, and LSD and this and marijuana, finished everything. But if you become steady in one life without deviating for māyā, then you make solution of all problems. That is the duty of human being . Instead of suffering this repeated birth and death, one life sacrifice. What is that sacrifice? What is inconvenience to live nicely, avoiding these four rascal habit, taking Kṛṣṇa prasādam, and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and reading all these nice books. Where is the difficulty? Nice life. First class life. Wherever you will go you will be respectable.

Anyone will worship you. Śyāmasundara: Materialistic life is so bothersome. All the time some trouble.

Prabhupāda: Just like in hog civilization. That's all. They are thinking that "We are very happy eating stool." But others know that what kind of happiness he is enjoying. Similarly these rascal karmis, materialists, they are thinking by... What is called? Kini...What is called? Naked skirt?

Devotees: Miniskirt?

Prabhupāda: Miniskirt, trying to show the private part and people will be attracted and she will be happy. This is regular prostitution. Regular prostitution. Still they are not getting husband. Even they walk naked... That will come. Say after fifty years it will come like that. Śyāmasundara:They are starting already some places, walking naked.

Prabhupāda: And the law is you cannot marry more than one wife. The rascal lawgiver. So many women, there must be... One husband, at the present moment, must marry at least one dozen wives, otherwise they're going to hell. At least, she will know that "I have got a husband." Maybe the husband of twelve wives, but they are anxious to have a husband. That facility should be given to them. They are anxious.

Parivrājakācārya: But they don't want to have any children.

Prabhupāda: That is next program. Why not? Now we are having our wives, so many children. Los Angeles full of children. So natural way should be accepted. They require husband. The law is, "No. You cannot have more, you cannot marry one wife." The girls have become prostitute. That's all right.

"The girls are becoming prostitute. That's all right. But you cannot marry more than one." What is this? Śyāmasundara: They have contraceptive pills even for young children.

Kulaśekhara: One barrister, one of the top judges in England, a top man, top doctor, he said children should have sex life at fourteen. He said this in the newspaper two days ago. He said children at fourteen should be allowed to have sex life. He said this should be made legal. He's a top doctor or judge.

Prabhupāda: Children? Śyāmasundara: Children should be allowed to have sex life at fourteen years old.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is psychological. They develop... Sex life, sex urge is there as soon as twelve years, thirteen years old, especially women. So therefore early marriage was sanctioned in India. Early marriage. Boy fifteen years, sixteen years, and girl twelve years. Not twelve years, ten years. I was married, my wife was eleven years. I was 22 years. She did not know what is sex, eleven years' girl.

Because Indian girls, they have no such opportunity of mixing with others. But after the first menstruation, the husband is ready. This is the system, Indian system. Śyāmasundara: So they are not spoiled.

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Prabhupāda: No. And the psychology is the girl, after first menstruation, she enjoys sex life with a boy, she will never forget that boy. Her love for that boy is fixed up for good. This is woman's psychology.

And she is allowed to have many, oh, she will never be chaste woman. These are the psychology. So these rascals, Westerners, they do not know and they are becoming philosopher, scientist, and politician, and spoiling the whole world. They can be saved only by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. There is no other way. Otherwise they will lick up their skyscraper building and everything will go to hell. We have seen in New York, so many houses fall down. In New York. Yes. So many. Simply garbage. I have studied. Simply full of garbage. Nobody is going to take care. And the boys and girls loitering in the street as hippies. This is a very, very, bad sign. You see? No home, home neglected, no regular life. The whole nation will be spoiled. It is already spoiled. The poison is already there. Fire. Now it is increasing. Just like you set fire, it increases. So that fire is already there. Śyāmasundara: And the Russians and the Chinese, they are training to take over. They are marching, practicing war.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Śyāmasundara: In Russia we noticed every day they're practicing for war, young people, marching.

Prabhupāda: Mechanical. Śyāmasundara: Yes. In China too, marching, ready to take over.

Kulaśekhara: When we were in New York, one boy...

Prabhupāda: No, there will be fight. That is the prediction of great politician. There will be war between these Communist and anti-Communist. There are two parties now. The anti-Communist will be defeated. The Communists will come out victorious. Śyāmasundara: We don't want to fight. None of our boys want to fight.

Prabhupāda: They also do not want fight but they are forced. They do not want to fight. Because they're... Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga everyone is śūdra. What he'll fight? Fighting is not the business of a śūdra. It is meant for the kṣatriya. And nobody is being trained as kṣatriya or brāhmaṇa. Everyone is being trained as śūdra or utmost vaiśya, how to make money. That's all. One class of men is being trained how to serve and get some money, another class is being trained how to make money by exploitation. That is capitalist and communist. The communists are the śūdras. They are protesting that "You are exploiting us and getting money. It must stop." That is Communism. Is it not? And the vaiśyas, they are trying to exploit others. Some way or other bring money. So there are these capitalists and śūdra and vaiśya.There is no kṣatriya, there is no brāhmaṇa. Therefore the whole social structure is lost. So we are trying to create some brāhmaṇas. And people if follow our instruction then whole social structure is again revived. Hare Kṛṣṇa. So we have got very serious mission. Don't be fickle. When you have come and sacrificed your life for the mission, don't be fickle.

Be very steady and capture Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet tightly. You'll never be attacked by māyā. Otherwise as soon as you give up Kṛṣṇa, māyā is ready. Just like side by side there is sun... shadow and light. If you push little from light then go to shadow. This is already side by side māyā and Kṛṣṇa. So as soon as you forget Kṛṣṇa-māyā. As soon as you give up māyā, then Kṛṣṇa. (pause) So Pradyumna is transcribing everyday? Śyāmasundara: Yes. He doesn't work here. He works over at the library, British Museum.

Prabhupāda: Where is that? Śyāmasundara: Just down the street.

Prabhupāda: He takes them. Śyāmasundara: I don't know. I guess he does. He's gone all day. Every day he's gone. He says it's too disturbing to work here, too crowded.

Prabhupāda: That may be. Śyāmasundara: I think he's doing it by longhand, writing it out because he doesn't take a typewriter.

Prabhupāda: So make arrangement, whatever thoughts are coming I am giving you. Ārati is finished? Śyāmasundara: In about two or three minutes. Five. You'll hear a conchshell.

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Prabhupāda: Everywhere this class must be there, morning evening class. Either it is festival or temple.

If you go on simply festival, you don't require to start many centers. Śyāmasundara: Yeah. Starting more centers is not necessary.

Prabhupāda: No. Śyāmasundara: We have the big cities covered. If people want to go and join us they can go to the big city and join.

Prabhupāda: Because opening center means so much responsibility. Śyāmasundara: So much. Land...

Prabhupāda: So better open. Deity will be there. Just like Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja is doing. Install the deity for one week. You know everything. You have done in Calcutta, Bombay and other. Same thing.

You were in Allahabad also?

Devotee: Yes, I was there.

Prabhupāda: Allahabad, Gorakhpur. So same thing. And for persons spiritually inclined, for them this traveling is very good. Traveling means with this occupation. It is very good. You'll be more popular and there will be no difficulty, mind will be steady. Śyāmasundara: It takes away our attachment for everything materially.

Prabhupāda: The Gosvāmīs, they did not stay underneath a tree for more than one night. So you decide; then you do the needful.

Haṁsadūta: When should we arrange for Śivānanda's fire ceremony?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Śyāmasundara: We should have initiation too, first initiation.

Haṁsadūta: Do it all the same. Śyāmasundara: Yes. So we'll consult Pradyumna and find a good time, calendar, on the...

Prabhupāda: Any day. (end) Los Angeles, 29 April, 1973 Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa... While preaching our movement we should take this attitude. We cannot make compromise with anyone. Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya... Lord Caitanya's cult is to preach the instruction or talks about Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128].

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Kṛṣṇa-prema?

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. This is Caitanya's cult. Whomever you meet, you talk of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That's, that is the cult of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is genuine spiritual movement. Or the human society's movement. Spiritual, cultural, religious philosophical, scientific, everything, complete. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa (pause) So you admit these facts? From any angle of vision, if one does not accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, he is aimless, bogus. Unless you are convinced, how you can preach? But this is the fact. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa... (pause) While preaching, you must have your locus standi, what is your position. And you must be able to defend your position.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That is why we ask so many questions to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Svarūpa Dāmodara: That is why we are asking questions so that...

Prabhupāda: Yes. You ask, clarify it. Be strong in your position and then preach. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma... [Cc. Ādi 17.21]. (pause) Svarūpa Dāmodara: The literal meaning of sūtra is a condensed statement, Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Eh? Svarūpa Dāmodara: The literal meaning of sūtra...

Prabhupāda: Yes? The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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Svarūpa Dāmodara: ...is a condensed statement?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Svarūpa Dāmodara: So it is like the...

Prabhupāda: Syn, synopsis. Synopsis. Just like in business there are codes, Bentley's codes. So to minimize the expenditure of telegraph, you give one word. From the other side, they will understand.

There is code book. This code means that "Receive your letter. The quotation is supplied, that, that...," so many things, one code. You know that? Business codes. There are some stock words. That stock words is simply by two, one word, the whole stock word comes. Sūtra means that. Just like a, just like you missing something, as soon as you get one little code, you immediately remember: "Yes, yes, everything is there." That is called code, sūtra. Sūtra means thread.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Thread?

Prabhupāda: Thread. Thread sometimes missing. In some stock of thread, you are missing where it begins. So you have to find out. As soon as you find out, the whole thread is open. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Is it like in mathematics, in chemistry, like they call formulas?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Just like symbolic: CH, square root, like that.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Like in chemistry, for example, the molecule of Benzine. So you present it just like six lines, but a hexagon figure with a circle inside, they condense a lot of information.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is a code, sūtra. But the chemical symbolic representation, that is understand by the specialist. But this sūtra can be understood by anyone. Just like athāto brahma jijñāsā. The meaning is: "Now, this is the time for inquiring about the Absolute Truth." So this is a question for everyone.

Any intelligent man. Here we are understanding everything relatively. Relatively. Just like when I say: "Father," there must be one son... [break] ...truth, there must be one truth. In this way, this is, this world is relative truth.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Duality?

Prabhupāda: Dual... No, relative. Relative truth. You don't understand relative? Relative means you cannot understand anything without the other. That is called relative. Suppose if I say "good man," I cannot understand a good man without having another man, bad man. This is called relative truth. Is it clear or not?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: How about the duality?

Prabhupāda: Duality, not so expressive. Relative. In relation to other. That is the exact. Why duality?

There are so many.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Opposite, one opposite to the other.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Just the opposite. Yes. You cannot understand light without darkness. This is relative. Unless there is darkness, how you can say: "This is light"? So opposite, you can say opposite.

Now this, this knowledge is there. Everyone knows. But where is that absolute where the bad and good, the black and white, everything coincides? That is absolute. Everything is there. That is not distinction. Everything is there. That is called absolute. Brahman. That means, Brahmanmeans the biggest. Now when you speak something big, so everything is included. Big means bad and good, everything is included. Otherwise, how it can be big? Big means... Just like if you, when you speak of Los Angeles, so there are so many things, bad and good, in Los Angeles, all included. Is it not? So Brahman means bṛhattva, being the largest. The largest means it contains everything. Just like the sky.

We have got the idea. The sky means it, it, it contains everything universal. This is the idea of greatest.

So athāto brahma jijñāsā means we are now studying the relative truth. I'm studying black. You're studying white. He's studying another, another. In this way. Partial. But what is that biggest thing which includes everything? That is called brahma-jijñāsā, to inquire about that thing. Just like you are studying chemistry. We are studying Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But there is something which contains the chemistry, Kṛṣṇa consciousness and everything. That is called Brahman. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The animal life the subject matter, a small animal, he's concerned where to eat, where to sleep, where to The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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find my food, shelter. This is their business, no other business. They're not concerned with the biggest thing. But this human form of life is to inquire about the biggest. That includes everything. So next code is:Janmādyasya yataḥ. That biggest thing is the original source of everything, wherefrom everything has come. How to know that? Śāstra-yonitvāt. You have to learn it from the Vedas. In this way, sūtras are given, one after another. What is the nature of that thing? Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). In this way, all codes are there. And go on, searching, one after another, you get full knowledge of the greatest, Absolute Truth. This is Vedānta. What is that ship?

Karandhara: Tanker.

Prabhupāda: Tanker. Carrying petrol.

Karandhara: Most likely. Yes. (pause) Prabhupāda: Just like we are seeing this ocean. We find it a vast ocean. But this vast ocean is nothing but a drop of water in the universe. There are so many, thousands or millions of vast oceans in the sky. So therefore the sky becomes the biggest. Then again, if you try to find out what is the bigger than this universe. We get information that these universes are coming out from the nostrils of MahāViṣṇu. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam... [Bs. 5.48]. Just like with our breathing so many germs are coming out and going. So these all these universes are coming and going. So long it is exhaling, the universes are coming out. And inhaling, all finished. Then He becomes the biggest. Then you search out wherefrom this biggest personality comes? Then you come to Saṅkarṣaṇa. If you come to Saṅkarṣaṇa, then you come to Nārāyaṇa. If you come to Nārāyaṇa, then you come to Baladeva. If you come to Baladeva, then you come to Kṛṣṇa. And therefore Kṛṣṇa, the biggest.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The cause of all causes.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Svarūpa Dāmodara: The cause of all causes.

Prabhupāda: Cause of all causes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That, the two causes, are not very clear. The material and instrumental.

Prabhupāda: Hmmm?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The two types of causes, the relative...

Prabhupāda: There is only one cause. Only one cause. But they are manifested in two, material and spiritual. Cause is one. But they are manifested in two; one is material, one is spiritual.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So the instrumental is the spiritual?

Prabhupāda: Eh? Svarūpa Dāmodara: The instrumental cause...?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Efficient cause. Maybe. Which is actually acting.

Karandhara: Just like the material cause of the ocean is the rain.

Prabhupāda: Hmmm?

Karandhara: Or the material cause of the rain is the ocean. The efficient cause, the spiritual, the original cause was Kṛṣṇa because He created the material energy.

Prabhupāda: Yes. yes.

Karandhara: So the scientists research and observe the material cause, but they don't have any information of the efficient cause.

Prabhupāda: Therefore, their knowledge is insufficient. And because they are very much proud of insufficient knowledge, therefore they are fools, mūḍhāḥ. One may become proud if there is complete knowledge. But he has no complete knowledge. Still, he's proud. Therefore he's a fool. What do you think?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Prabhupāda: He said yes or no?

Karandhara: Yes. Svarūpa Dāmodara: The greatest fool.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He admits that: "In future, we shall complete." That means insufficient knowledge.

Still, they are proud. That is their foolishness.

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Svarūpa Dāmodara: They are proud because they do not see the reality.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore they are fools. The same philosophy. The pot man is thinking of becoming a millionaires, pot. By thinking so, he has become millionaire. So these fools are like that. Thinking that in future they will make all solution, they are presenting themselves as perfect scientists. That is their foolishness. Our proposition is: "First of all you prove that you are, you are millionaires. Then talk of all this nonsense. You cannot prove, and still why you declare yourself as scientist?" Scientist means one who has got perfect knowledge. Is it not?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Prabhupāda: That is scientist. But you haven't got that. But why you...? You are punishable. Just like if somebody is not a bona fidemedical practitioner, but he gives: "Doctor M.D.," he's punishable. There are so many bogus. They are not detected. But if they are detected, they are punishable. If you say that: "Yes, I am a student, I am not a scientist, I have no full knowledge," that is right. You have no perfect knowledge. Still you say "There is no God." How is that? You have no perfect knowledge. How do you say there is no God. Eh? They say there is no God. Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Prabhupāda: So if they admit they have no perfect knowledge, how they can say there is no God, or there is God? They cannot say.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They are very doubtful.

Prabhupāda: Doubtful. That means not perfect knowledge. So how they can say that there is no God. They can say: "Yes, there may be or may not be. We do not know." That is a gentleman. How they can say there is no God? And people are misled. "Oh, such and such scientist has said there is no God. Therefore there is no God." He does not know that he's a perfectly foolish. His statement has no value.

Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ lokas tad anuvartate [Bg. 3.21], because he has posed himself as a very big man, people follow him blindly and they're misled.

Karandhara: Like the Russians...

Prabhupāda: Oh, they are set of fools.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They do not believe in God, the Russians?

Prabhupāda: No. They are all rascals. I have studied them in one week.

Karandhara: They struggle so hard, but they still cannot produce enough food.

Prabhupāda: They are simply set of rascals. All people are unhappy there. Unhappy. They cannot speak anything against the government and they have got so many protests to lodge. So many. But they cannot speak. If you speak, immediately he's sent to the concentrated camp. Some... Nobody knows where he has gone. You see the Kruschev, such a big man. Nobody knows where he is. That is their policy. As soon as you are suspicious,... Therefore Lelin... Lelin, Lelin...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Lenin...

Prabhupāda: Not Lenin. Stalin.

Karandhara: Stalin.

Prabhupāda: Stalin. He's estimated to be the greatest criminal in the world. As soon as he'll suspect you... You may be a great friend. Next day you are finished. He'll ask his friend: "Now, here is poison and here is revolver. What do you want? If you want to die yourself, take this poison, and die.

Otherwise, you'll be shot." So what he will select? He will take poison. Finish. This was his business.

As soon as little suspicion. He'll call him: "Now here is poison. Here is revolver. What do you want?"

Yes. Karandhara: Their scientists are very proud.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Karandhara: The Russian scientists are very proud in their working, and they're atheistical. But still they're not able to produce enough food. Every year, there's not enough food.

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Prabhupāda: No. There's not enough food. Yes. I have experienced it. You cannot get food as you like.

What government supplies, you have to accept. That's all. And that is rubbish, all rubbish. Generally, they supply meat. No fruit, no vegetable, no rice, no, nothing. You cannot get. You simply eat meat.

That's all. And milk is available. This is their arrangement. And in all store, lines. You have to ask, even if you want to take meat only, you cannot go and immediately purchase. You have to wait for three hours, control. This is their position. No bank. No motor car. No taxicab. Simply... There are simply symbolic. And people are poverty-stricken so much that one taxi driver, he was trying to cheat us. They have no sufficient money. So they saw us, that: "Here is a foreigner, Indian and American. Let me cheat." This is their position. Just like India. India, being poverty-stricken, they also cheat. Of course, cheating is a disease. But especially those who are poverty-stricken, generally, they cheat, they steal. No character. And all women are engaged for sweeping, fat, fat women. (pause) Karandhara: Now in Russia, the people are starting to become disillusioned.

Prabhupāda: I, I, I am traveling all over the world. My opinion is that, materially, America is happy.

And spiritually some portion of India is happy. Otherwise, there is no happiness all over the world.

And material happiness is illusion. That is not happiness. Because it will break at any time. Therefore that is not happiness. And spiritual happiness is real happiness. So in Russia, there is neither material nor spiritual. So they are unhappy in all respects. I asked Professor Kotovsky to call for a taxi. So he said: "Well, it is Moscow. Very difficult to get taxi." So he came down himself, he showed us this way: "Please go in this way, in this way, and you get (to) your hotel." He's a big man. He knows that taxi will not be available. And there are few taxis only, show. I did not see any store very neat and clean, well-decorated. Not a single. All old with dust. As if antique shop. The antique shop, just like in your country. I was daily having my morning walk in the Red Square. The most dangerous square...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: What square?

Prabhupāda: Red Square. Yes. I think you have got my picture.

Karandhara: Yes. Prabhupāda: Many visitors are waiting to see the tomb of Lenin. Yes. They were worshiping Lenin. As we are worshiping Kṛṣṇa, they are worshiping Lenin. So I, I asked Professor Kotovsky: "Where is the difference in principle? You are also worshiping somebody. So you, you have not been able to stop worshiping. How you can be Godless. You have made your God, that's all. Somebody false God." I did not say him also that: "This is your false God," but I said that: "You are worshiping Lenin. We are worshiping Kṛṣṇa." Where is the difference in philosophy? "You have to worship somebody." Now it is my selection whether I shall worship Lenin or Kṛṣṇa. That is different thing. But the principle of worshiping is there in you and in me." He could not answer. What he'll answer? Everywhere it is going on.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That, that, that also shows that the, there is superior person than man to worship.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is my point. You have to worship somebody superior. Now it is up to you to select who is that superior. But the principle is there. Now so many political parties, they have selected one god. Somebody has selected Churchill. Somebody has selected Gandhi. Somebody has selected somebody, somebody. But they must have to select. Our proposition is: "If you are selecting somebody to worship, why not the perfect? Why you select the imperfect?" That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have to do it. You have to select somebody as your leader. You cannot do without it. So the answer is that if you are selecting somebody to worship, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā: mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat [Bg. 7.7]. "There is nobody superior than Me." Then why not go to the best person? Why should we go to the inferior?

Karandhara: For all the six opulences, they will choose someone.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Eh? Karandhara: For all the six opulences, they'll choose someone, someone very beautiful...

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Prabhupāda: Yes. But there is none complete. Except Kṛṣṇa. Nobody's complete. Our pro, philosophy is that we have to select if we... That we must have to. Otherwise, there is no life. Just like you scientists, you quote so many leaders, scientific leaders. Without this, there is no life. So... Just like in the Bengali there is a proverb that if I to, if I have to steal and become a thief, why not plunder the government treasury? Why pickpocketing? If I have to be punished as criminal, as thief, let me plunder the government treasury and then let me go to jail. So this is our policy. So if we have to submit to somebody, why not the best and perfect? That is our philosophy. You cannot avoid submission. That is not possible. Who is there who does not submit to anyone? Find out anyone. If you, if a man has nobody to submit, he brings a dog and submits to him. The dog is passing stool. He's standing. He's submitted to the dog. The dog is passing urine, he's submitting: "Yes sir, you pass your urine. I take care of you." This is the nature. If you do not submit to God, then ultimately you have to submit to the dog. This is nature. You cannot avoid it. You have to submit. There is no other way.

Because your position is like that. Without submitting to one, you cannot live.Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. This is the philosophy given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Ultimately when death comes, we have to submit to...

Prabhupāda: Yes, one has to submit to death. Yes. What is the time now?

Karandhara: About ten to seven.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We lost an hour last night.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (End)

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Memories of Srila Prabhupada

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Srila Prabhupada Memories Giriraj Swami: Srila Prabhupada had to struggle very hard to build the Juhu temple. The first struggle was to get the land, the next struggle was to get the permission to build the temple, and the last struggle was to actually build the temple and install the Deities. And we had worked very hard to get the permission, but Indian permits often include many conditions. So although they give permission, the permission is not actually valid until one fulfills the conditions.

One of the conditions was that we had to have an internal access road of a certain width according to the length of the road. And it just so happened that right where the access road was supposed to go there were some palm trees. Once, when Srila Prabhupada came to Juhu after being away for some time, he noticed that one or two of the trees had been cut, and he was very concerned -- I would say upset -- and he asked, "Why did you cut down the trees?" We thought we had the perfect answer: We had to build the temple, and to get the permission for the temple, we had to cut the trees in the way of the road. Srila Prabhupada said, "No, you go to the Municipality and tell them it's against our religion to cut down trees."

So we had no choice, and we did it. And of course the Municipal officers argued.

But one thing that really struck me about how concerned Srila Prabhupada was for the trees was that the next time he came back to Juhu after a world tour, practically the first thing he said was "I was in Tehran, and I have seen they have trees in the middle of the streets. So we can also have trees in the middle of our street." In other words, it was not so strange. So on Srila Prabhupada's order, we held our ground with the Municipality, and in the end they gave us the permission to keep the tree. And even today we can see that tree that Srila Prabhupada protected, still standing there with asphalt all around it.

So I am thinking that if Srila Prabhupada has so much concern and care and even love, I would say, for a tree, then what to speak of us -- how much care and love he must have for us.

And it's just because of Srila Prabhupada's care and mercy and protection that we are able to stand in Krishna consciousness -- no matter what else is around us.

Ranjit Dasa: "In 1976 in Vrindaban at the festival there was a big fire yajna and I was one of the brahmana initiates. (There is a picture of this initiation in Hari Sauri Prabhu's Diary Volume 1). After the yajna we all had the mercy to receive the gayatri mantra individually from Srila Prabhupada in his room. When I went into the room I paid full dandavats and after saying the pranama mantra I called out, "Jaya Srila Prabhupada!" At which His Divine Grace also called out, "Jaya Srila Prabhupada!" I was startled for a split second thinking why would Srila Prabhupada say jaya to himself but then realized that of course he was saying this to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta.

For me the purport was that whatever praise or offering our Srila Prabhupada received, he always was in the mood that this was to be offered to his spiritual master, and that this was then passed on through the disciplic succession, and that this is actually how Krsna is pleased to receive offerings."

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Swarup Dasa:

I was on a morning walk with Srila Prabhupada in Vrindaban, India -- August, 1974. It was hot and the flies were driving me and everybody else crazy. I asked Srila Prabhupada if there were flies in the spiritual world (in a way as if to say if there are then I don't want to go). He answered, "Yes, but they are not bothersome like these flies... and when they buzz they are buzzing Hare Krishna."

Ekanatha Dasa: Once during a gurupuja in Bombay when the devotees each took their turn offering flowers and paying obeisances, I decided just then before my turn was up to act very "so-called humble." So when I appeared before His Divine Grace, circling my flowers around him as is the custom, I kind of loudly within my mind declared myself to be a fool number one, a rascal not deserving to be there that instance. I deliberately avoided eye contact with Srila Prabhupada. I paid my dandavats and again took my spot where I was standing. One of the devotees elbowed me exclaiming "did you see that?" I said "see what?" "Srila Prabhupada gave you a gigantic smile." Hearing that, I became very embarrassed, understanding that Srila Prabhupada actually had read my mind and even though I lacked complete seriousness, he still accepted the offering! All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Guru Dasa: One time, Srila Prabhupada was considering Yamuna for a position as Governing Body Commissioner, and some devotees complained, "A woman is not cabable of being a GBC." Prabhupada replied: "Men and women are the same on the spirtual platform."

Although Prabhupada suggested this job to Yamuna, she was more inclined to Deity worship and singing bhajanas, so she declined. Prabhupada treated his female disciples like daughters.

They could approach him for advice and stand wherever they wanted in the temple during worship.

Govinda dasi: After Srila Prabhupada got out of the hospital I spent three weeks with him. Those three weeks changed my life and I wanted to continue serving him in that way. So, during the six months Prabhupada was in India, everyday I prayed to Lord Jagannath, "If he comes back, please let me be his servant. Let me cook for him. Let me clean his room. Let me do anything, just let me serve and be near him. This is my strong desire." One of the first letters Srila Prabhupada ever sent me was when he was in India and the last statement in the letter was, "I know your mind."

Srutakirti dasa: Every afternoon we would have Krishna book readings and I, fortunately, was the designated reader. Sometimes Prabhupada would make comments during the readings, sometimes he would just sit very quietly, and sometimes he would laugh. I would always try to find stories about demons because Prabhupada would react to these stories more than others. He would The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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usually laugh when Krishna was killing the demons. One day while I was searching for a story to read, he said, "Just read from anywhere. Krishna is like a sweet ball. Wherever you bite, it's sweet." Then I quickly went to the next page and began reading.

Keshava dasa: I was always amazed at how Prabhupada tuned right in and related to you and whoever was with you. I was a brahmachari for many years, but my real propensity wasn't to be abrahmachari. That kind of advancement and detachment was wishful thinking for me. But in those days, if you expressed the idea that, "Maybe I should be married," then you had someone talking you out of it. When I went to see Prabhupada, more than once he said, "Oh Keshavaji, where is your wife?" I said, "Prabhupada, I don't have a wife." He could see that I wasn't a first class brahmachari. He was saying to me, "You'd better think about things a little bit."

Kaushalya dasi: We went to the Golden Temple, which is the Sikh's most holy temple. One of the temple people there showed us around. Prabhupada really liked it and was very impressed. They had a huge chapati-maker, like an upside down wok, with about ten men around it flipping chapatiswith big, long spatulas. They were feeding poor people. We went to the inner sanctum of the Golden Temple and walked around. When we left they asked Prabhupada, "Would you sign our guest book, Swamiji?" He said, "Yes," and signed the guest book. In the place that said, "What are your impressions of the temple?" Prabhupada wrote, "Very spiritual," and he made sure that we all knew what he wrote, because he told us while he was writing it. Under religion he wrote, "Krishnite." It was very funny -- Not Hindu, Krishnite.

Bhakta dasa: Prabhupada said, "Bill prabhu come forward. Your name is Bhakta Das," He handed me my beads and said, "This name means that you are the servant of the devotees. The more you think of yourself as a servant, the more you will advance in spiritual life. The more you think you're becoming a master, the faster you will go to hell."

Revatinandana dasa: He said, "In this way, my Guru Maharaj pulled me out of this material world." When he said "pulled", his voice got thick and two tears suddenly shot out of his eyes, as if they were squeezed out by a shudder of ecstasy, and went running down his cheeks. Everybody in the room was speechless. I was impressed with the intense feeling he had when his Guru Maharajcalled him to take sannyas.

Uttamasloka dasa: On a morning walk in Toronto, perhaps in 1976, Vishvakarma, the temple president, said, "Prabhupada, lately the brahmacharis are agitated and are having difficulty maintaining theirbrahmachari mood. How should we deal with this?" Prabhupada said, "If they're agitated, The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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tell them to get married. What's the problem?" Vishvakarma said, "But Prabhupada all of the big devotees, the sannyasis, tell them that it's a fall down to get married." Prabhupada said, "Fall down from where? How can you fall, when you're already fallen?"

Yamuna dasi: At the fire yajna for our marriage, we didn't have enough money to buy butter, so we used margarine. When Srila Prabhupada tried to start the fire, he dipped a piece of wood into the margarine. Prabhupada's hands were magnificent with long fingers. He held the wood over the flame, but it wouldn't light. He dipped it and held it over the flame again, no action. He looked up gravely and said, "Oh, this marriage will have a very slow start." I was mortified. I thought, "Oh, Oh. What have I gotten into now?"

Pradyumna dasa: Prabhupada said, "The Goswamis never thought about being published. That's their attitude."

That was a shock to me, but if you look at all the Goswami books, in the beginning there's a line, "For my friend Sanatana Goswami or Rupa Goswami." The Goswamis would write for friends and afterwards their works were sent to Bengal to be copied. That was the way books were published in those days. But in the beginning, they were writing for the pleasure of a few friends. Prabhupada said, "That's the Goswami ideal. They weren't thinking, 'I'm an author, I've been published.'"

Arundhati dasi: When my son, Aniruddha, was one and a half or two years old, we lived in Coconut Grove, Florida, and I started doing full time Deity service while some other devotees took care of Aniruddha. I thought, "Here's my chance to do a really important service." In a letter I mentioned my service to Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada wrote back, "Taking care of the children is just as important as doing Deity worship. One service is not more important than another. These children aren't ordinary children. They are Vaikuntha children. They have been sent by Krishna Himself." He told me to stop doing Deity worship and to take care of Aniruddha.

Mangalananda dasa: When Prabhupada first came to New York he was living in the Bowery. Once Prabhupada said, "Even if a drunk man in the Bowery sips wine with the attitude, 'O Krishna makes the nice taste in this wine,' he will eventually achieve perfection."

Moksa Laksmi dasi: Another time, on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's appearance day, we cooked 108 preparations for the Deities, Radha-Rasabehari. In those days in Bombay, we cooked feasts on all the appearance and disappearance days. We cooked a lot. Hamsadutta told us, "Oh, you should show the feast to Prabhupada." So Sarvamangala and I got big pot lids, put all the preparations on them and carried them across Hare Krishna Land, up the stairs, and into Prabhupada's room. Later Prabhupada sent us a message, "This movement is nothing without its feasts."

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Abhirama dasa: Prabhupada said to me, "Everything is so nice in the Western countries; if they would simply stop eating the cow. Isn't there any other kind of meat they can eat besides the cow?"

Srutakirti dasa: A former sannyasi got married and already had a child when he came to see Srila Prabhupada in Mexico City. I believe he was the first sannyasi to fall down and he was afraid to see Srila Prabhupada. He offered his obeisances and mentioned how, in the Caitanya-caritamrita, Lord Caitanya told Chota Haridas to leave His association after Chota Haridas had glanced at a woman. This former sannyasi asked, "Srila Prabhupada, do I have to leave too?" Prabhupada said, "Lord Caitanya could make the whole world Krishna conscious in a second. But I can't do that. I need all the help I can get. Do whatever service you can do in the householder ashram, just be content." It was incredible. A sannyasi falls down and Prabhupada said, "Now be a content grihasta. Become peaceful and do service." Whatever it took, Prabhupada wanted to follow the orders of his spiritual master to spread Krishna consciousness all over the world. Srila Prabhupada burned up our impurities and offered our service to his Guru Maharaj.

Saradiya dasi: Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday we would have kirtan in the temple room and on alternate days we would go to Prabhupada's room for darshan. Once we were sitting in Prabhupada's room and Prabhupada said, "Oh, Saradiya has very nice tilak. Krishna das has no tilak." He went around to each and every devotee, pointing out whether they had tilak or not. It was very important to Prabhupada that we wear tilak.

Visakha dasi: One morning I was sitting on a landing, chanting and waiting for Prabhupada to come. It was dark so I couldn't see very well and Prabhupada came very softly so I couldn't hear him either.

As he passed right in front of me, less than an arm's reach away, he said in a baritone voice and with complete gravity, "Thank you very much." All I was doing was chanting japa.Prabhupada was so appreciative and encouraging of the smallest effort.

Nanda Kumar dasa: It's embarrassing to say this, but once Prabhupada told me that I was the king of faultfinders.

When I tried to share with the other devotees what Prabhupada had taught me, due to my ego it sounded like I was finding fault with them. And there was some of that there. So one of Prabhupada's instructions to me was to give up faultfinding, to accept and apply all his instructions and not worry about what anybody else was doing.

Kanka dasi: One reporter asked, "What will happen to the movement in the United States when you die?"

Srila Prabhupada immediately said, "I will never die. I live in my books." Another reporter asked, "What is the purpose of these large carts?" Prabhupada's eyes got big and he said, "Large car means God is very great, He requires a very great car. Why should He go in a small car?"

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Homages by disciples and sannyasis

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Bhakti Caitanya Swami My dear lord and master, Çréla Prabhupäda Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you and your mission of delivering the universe.

Your program for spreading Kåñëa consciousness all over the world is unfolding before our eyes on a daily basis. Everything is increasing in wonderful ways, and I feel so inspired by it all. Your mercy is gradually inundating this world more and more.

Recently we were in Çré Mäyäpur Dhäma and saw the development of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. The impact this will make on the world is going to be very great, probably more than anything your movement has done before. Just recently here in Durban, South Africa, we had our biggest Ratha-yäträ festival ever, attended by well over a hundred thousand people over four days.

Right now there is a major kértana festival going on in the temple here, with hundreds of young devotees drowning in the ocean of the holy names. It’s truly wonderful.

All these things, and so many others, are unfolding from the transcendental depths of your heart, Çréla Prabhupäda. Your heart is like an unlimited mine of nectar and mercy, because it is full of love for Kåñëa, and He is therefore happily residing there. The heart of a great pure devotee like yourself is the most amazing thing there is. In the Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 17.186) Lord Caitanya quotes the Mahäbhärata: tarko ’pratiñöhaù çrutayo vibhinnä näsäv åñir yasya mataà na bhinnam dharmasya tattvaà nihitaà guhäyäà mahäjano yena gataù sa panthäù “Dry arguments are inconclusive. A great personality whose opinion does not differ from others is not considered a great sage. Simply by studying the Vedas, which are variegated, one cannot come to the right path by which religious principles are understood. The solid truth of religious principles is hidden in the heart of an unadulterated, self-realized person. Consequently, as the çästras confirm, one should accept whatever progressive path the mahäjanas advocate.”

Yours is the heart Lord Caitanya was referring to when He quoted that verse, Çréla Prabhupäda. We just need to stick to the service of your lotus feet, and then from your heart everything will become manifest to us. In the Bhakti-sandarbha Çréla Jéva Gosvämé quotes the line mad-bhakta-püjäbhyadhikä, spoken by Lord Kåñëa at Çrémad-Bhägavatam 11.19.21, and comments on it as follows: “With these words the Lord declares, ‘By worshiping My devotees one attains more intense love for Me than by worshiping Me directly.’”

In the Caitanya-bhägavata (Antya 3.486) Våndävana Dasa Öhäkura quotes the following verse from çästra (Çäëòilya-småti): siddhir bhavati vä neti, saàçayo ‘cyuta-sevinäm niùsaàçayas tu tad-bhakta-paricaryä-ratätmanäm “There may be a doubt whether the servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will attain perfection, but there is absolutely no doubt that those who are attached to serving the Lord’s devotees will attain perfection.”

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It is impossible for me to comprehend the extent of the mercy I have received from your kind heart.

The mind boggles just beginning to think of it. But I have firm faith that if I remain engaged in your service everything will come to me.

Thank you, Çréla Prabhupäda, for everything.

Your servant, Bhakti Caitanya Swami

Bhakti Chäru Swami Dear Çréla Prabhupäda, Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet and allow me to remain there forever as an insignificant speck of dust.

It is my inconceivable good fortune that I came to the shelter of your lotus feet and became an object of your causeless mercy. You delivered me from an extremely miserable condition and blessed me with a life full of indescribable joy. You literally picked me up from the gutter and made me whatever I am today. You gave me so much, and I am eternally indebted to you for that.

When thousands of devotees from all over the world were prepared to travel for thousands of miles to get a moment of Your Divine Grace’s association, you allowed me to be with you all the time although I was just an insignificant newcomer.

You considered translating your books into Bengali one of the most important tasks, and you offered that service to me. You told me that in Bengal Gauòéya Vaiñëavism was well known and that the people there were already well acquainted with that philosophy through the writings of our previous äcäryas. Therefore, this translation had to be of a high standard if they were to recognize and respect it. I expressed my doubt about my ability. However, you just smiled and assured me that I would be able to do the task. Little did I know at the time that by your mercy a lame man can literally cross a mountain and a blind man see the stars.

You told me to offer this life to Kåñëa and explained in detail how vicious this material world is and how precarious is our condition here. I naturally resolved to do that with a grateful heart, and you allowed me to taste the ecstasy of the spiritual life. To close all the doors behind me, you decided to give me sannyäsa. However, at that time some leading devotees expressed their apprehension about my getting sannyäsa so quickly. But you stayed firm in your decision and assured them about your confidence in me.

Although I was an extremely new devotee, you made me your secretary, the highest position one could get in ISKCON at that time, and allowed me to stay with you all the time. You mentioned that “secretary” means the one who knows the secrets and confidential matters and knows how to keep them secret.

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Once, when a senior godbrother of mine chastised me quite heavily for some minor mistake, you heard everything while sitting in the next room. When I went to you after that incident, my heart was heavy with humiliation and pain. The way you spoke to me soothed my aching heart: “The sign of real advancement is not in the position we hold but in being tolerant in all circumstances and remaining unperturbed in every situation.” Then you explained that happiness and pain, honor and disgrace, are simply due to the results of our past deeds, but we must transcend that duality and remain unaffected by them.

When you did not eat for days together, you asked me to go and find out what kind of prasädam the devotees were getting. When I came back and told you that the quality and standard of the prasädam was not very good, you called the temple president and chastised him. I felt bad that because of me he got chastised. When everyone left the room you told me, “Make sure that the devotees get nice prasädam. That is the only sense gratification they have.” Then you explained to me that the first and foremost responsibility of a leader is to take care of his followers. You said, “You take care of them and they will do anything for you.”

You are the perfect example of such a leader, Çréla Prabhupäda. You took care of your followers in the most wonderful way, and that is why they were prepared to do anything for you and offered themselves completely to your service.

One day you asked me not to cook for you, saying, “You can see that I can’t eat anything. Still, why are you cooking? You have so many things to do. Why are you wasting your time cooking for me?”

I told you, “I cook, hoping that someday you will feel better and would like to eat something.”

You replied, “I will get better only when I leave this world.”

I broke down crying. In a very soothing voice you said, “Is this what you learnt from me? Is this what I taught you? Didn’t I say, didn’t I teach you that the spirit soul is immortal and never-changing. It is only the body that changes and finally dies when the soul leaves the body.”

When you left this planet, those instructions remained as my guiding beacon. Although my heart ached with constant agony due to your separation, I tried to remember that you were always there. At that time I used to imagine that just as a mother sometimes hides while teaching her son to walk, urging him to start walking by searching for her, similarly you are hiding behind some invisible curtain so that I will search for you and thus develop my ardent desire to go where you are.

Those days I used to think I had so many things to do here. Therefore, I needed to stay. Now that I have done whatever you wanted me to do, please allow me to go back to you. You have already called back so many of your dear children. Now please allow me to have this good fortune.

Aspiring to be your eternal servant, Bhakti Chäru Swami

Bhaktimärga Swami nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale çrémate bhaktivedänta-sväminn iti nämine The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëe nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe Dear Çréla Prabhupäda Please accept this offering for 2012:

For Many Generations For many generations And thousands of years, People will shelter Under your guardianship.

They will walk your line, They will see the need For one fatherhood, One major thrust, For one mantra, one God, One book, one system— A system which puts out A name, soft or as a shout.

They will engage and work Beneath one umbrella, With distinct slowness, With passion and goodness.

Doors will be open; Walls will then fall.

For Kåñëa they’ll clamor And see a new glamour.

You will make earth happy— Su-sukhaà kartum— With a life deep and full, A lessening of the mundane pull.

Your compassion is such That everyone must Taste bhakti, as accessible As it is sweet and simple.

You feel some things must go— Illicit this, illicit that.

Parties will be bumped, And kértans will be trumped.

You invoke a clear vision, The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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One we must inherit.

We must then act And see that it becomes fact.

The public will know “Founder” And remain curious about “äcärya.”

We’ll say, “Action speaks louder than words.”

We’ll repeat—“Louder than words!”

Your servant, Bhaktimärga Swami

Devämrita Swami Dear Çréla Prabhupäda Please accept my obeisances in the divine dust of your lotus feet.

There is a land where we’ll never, ever grow old. Nongeographical in the ordinary sense, this place is not situated in time or space. To attain it, we don’t have to travel to another continent or planet. This land of agelessness obviously can’t be physical, since the time factor deteriorates anything material.

So where is this land of ever-freshness and newness? It’s the spiritual world that’s contained in your service. The more our expertise in your service seems to increase, the more we realize how much better it could be. As His Holiness Bhakti Tértha Mahäräja commented to me before his departure, the more service we do, the more we realize there’s so much more service to be done. Our service cravings multiply, while simultaneously our abilities to recognize service opportunities expand.

Undoubtedly the body will end, but devotional service to your mission keeps snowballing, whether quantitatively or qualitatively. We may take for granted (considering them elementary) Rüpa Gosvämé’s teachings on artificial and real renunciation of the material world—lessons you so vividly confirmed. But Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura, in his Eleventh Canto commentary (11.7.12), calls this knowledge of phalgu-vairägya and yukta-vairägya “confidential purports of ÇrémadBhägavatam meant for the understanding of fortunate living entities.”

Surveying your devotees, with their multifarious scintillating aspects of bhakti skills, I can easily remain humbled. How amazing it is that whatever service we may perform nicely for your pleasure, we can be sure that at that very moment, somewhere in the huge world of ISKCON, someone is doing it better—whether the devotee is celebrated or unsung.

I have learned that it’s the non-neon devotees in your ISKCON one has to especially watch out for— the prabhus faithfully serving “behind the scenes.” Somehow they seem to enter the ultimate scene, back to Godhead, via the most amazing final moments.

Please accept this personal anecdote, submitted for your pleasure, since you would often spice your morning walks and lectures with striking tidbits from the cultish realm of mäyä.

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Four years ago, after the USA elected a president with a partially different body color, my youngest brother, at significant expense, packed up his beige-skinned family of five and scurried all the way from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., to attend what the media touted as a historic inauguration.

“Why did you do that?” I queried. “So much time and money just for such a hyped affair with such flickering, superficial consequences.”

“Can’t you see it?” he exclaimed incredulously. “I want my children to know there are absolutely no limitations! Don’t you understand, big brother: no limitations!”

Oh, really?

This, Çréla Prabhupäda, is just a small sample of the ignorance you saved me from—the pretentious little world of mundane sociopolitical variations and their hallucinogenic effects.

The Yamadütas, in their conversation with the Viñëudütas in the Sixth Canto of the Bhägavatam (6.1.52), explain: “The foolish embodied living entity, inept at controlling his senses and mind, is forced to act according to the influence of the modes of material nature, against his desires. He is like a silkworm that uses its own saliva to create a cocoon and then becomes trapped in it, with no possibility of getting out. The living entity traps himself in a network of his own fruitive activities and then can find no way to release himself. Thus he is always bewildered, and repeatedly he dies.”

Without the guidance of Your Divine Grace, I would have known nothing about the omnipresent cosmic low ceilings—limiters far more stringent than class, race, and gender. I would have lived my whole life oblivious to the three modes and karma. Perversely seeking knowledge and pleasure through my distorted senses, I would have surely disregarded time, manifesting as the consummate barriers of birth, death, old age, and disease. Echoing King Mucukunda, I was habituated to forgetting about time, yet time would certainly not ignore me.

After the U.S. presidential hoopla, one of my senior relatives remarked to me: “Just see the successes, all around. Your middle brother, the doctor, is CEO of a medical foundation backed by investments worth 200 million dollars; your youngest brother, the Harvard lawyer, is a board member for Toyota.

And you . . . er . . . uh . . . well . . . you could have been up there too . . . but . . .”

Up where?

Horse eggs . . . sky flowers . . . as the çästra says.

Gandharva-nagara: the fantasized sight of palaces or cities deep in the dense forest.

I can just see you on a morning walk at Santa Monica Beach, suddenly stopping, turning to the devotees, planting your cane, and issuing an all-conquering commentary, protecting your devotees from such well-intentioned yet utterly hollow quests for fulfillment and wholesomeness through material acclaim, corporate climbing, and social mobility. Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.12.15 states: “Çréla Dhruva Maharaja realized that this cosmic manifestation bewilders living entities like a dream or phantasmagoria because it is a creation of the illusory, external energy of the Supreme Lord.”

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How is it that I am chanting Hare Krishna more and still loving it more, with each passing day?

Why is it that for almost forty years I’ve read Çrémad-Bhägavatam and especially Çré Caitanyacaritämåta over and over, and still I think I’ve barely touched their depths?

What kind of hankering is it, that I beg for intelligence from the Supersoul to better serve you any way you want?

Where does the mercy come from, that a formerly self-indulgent New Yorker can look at your devotees and think, “How would Prabhupäda see him or her? What delight Prabhupäda would take in this devotee’s devotional service!”

And to top it all off, before you rescued me I had embraced as the highest realm, the supreme abode . . . Manhattan! Frenzied, maddened, I saw it as the inner whorl of the lotus flower known as New York City. Now, by your dispensation, I long for the divine intimacy of Mäyäpur and Våndävana: çré-kåñëacaitanya rädhä-kåñëa nahe anya.

Let us proclaim it to the three worlds: your devotional service has no limitations, in either this world and body or the next.

Your devotees are truly “up there” as long as they endlessly strive to please you.

In your purport to Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.30.33 you write so beautifully: “Out of humility, a devotee considers himself unfit to be transferred to the spiritual world. He always thinks himself contaminated by the modes of material nature. Nor is there any need for a devotee to ask to be freed from the modes of material nature. Devotional service itself is in the transcendental position; therefore there is no question of asking for this special facility.

The conclusion is that a pure devotee is not anxious to stop the repetition of birth and death, but is always eager to associate with other devotees who are engaged in chanting and hearing about the glories of the Lord.”

May that be my standard, and when this present body has done its dash, I look forward to starting off from the very beginning with you, wherever you want, however you want it.

Your insignificant servant, Devämrita Swami

Giriräj Swami nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale çrémate bhaktivedänta-sväminn iti nämine namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëe nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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Çréla Prabhupäda—A Våndävana Man It was April of 1977, in Bombay. You were living in your new quarters on the top floor of the west tower in Juhu, so ill that you never left them, and no one was allowed to visit you. I had become sick and practically just lay on the floor in my little office. My policy had been to listen only to the songs you had given us, the ones in Songs of the Vaiñëava Äcäryas. Someone had handed me a tape of Maìgalänanda Prabhu singing original songs, and somehow I thought, “Okay, maybe I’ll listen.” One song particularly affected me, and I listened to it again and again.

The words were about going back to Godhead, and while listening I would think of you. I would feel happy, because clearly you were soon going back to Godhead—although in one sense you already were, and always were, back to Godhead. And I felt, “This is also my destination. One day I am destined to also go to the same place.”

After that period in 1977 I never listened to the song again, for fear that it would bring back the memory of those days too intensely. But today the words strike me as relevant, for they remind me of you—what you were like and where you were going. They also suggest, as they did when I first heard them, what I should become like and, if I do, what destination I will achieve—all by your grace.

The song begins with a wonderful description of devotees—of you—and what happens to them: Selflessness relieves distress.

The gentle rain of happiness Puts out the burning fire of life, Transports the soul beyond all strife, Past starry night and cruel death For those who give their living breath, Upon their lips the holy name In praise of Him who came.

To them a store of bliss is known, And hidden worlds to them are shown.

And it concludes with a beautiful description of the spiritual abode and the life that awaits us there, which is our goal: Where the Supreme Lord fills every eye Sweet jubilation fills the sky As dancing milkmaids and cowherd boys Play in forests green with joys Of bael and jackfruit lily white— An endless full-moon nectar night Of dancing magic loving smiles And gopé damsels’ playful wiles.

They sport in lotus lakes with He Whose glances taste of ecstasy.

Back in April 1977 I knew that you would probably be leaving us soon. And so I was thinking, “What will happen after you leave?” Once I even thought, “What will happen to me?” You had always personally protected me, so I wondered, “What will happen to me after you leave?” And I would listen to the song again and again.

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I knew that you were going, and I knew that what was described in the song was my goal and ultimate destination, but I had no idea when I would reach it.

Thirty-five years have passed since then, and so much has happened—to me individually, to us collectively, to the movement, and to the world. And that goal, or destination, which seemed so immediate when we first met Your Divine Grace and joined you, now seems more and more distant— almost unattainable.

We know that your mercy is always there, and so there is always hope, but last year your mercy was manifest to me in a somewhat unexpected way, which made me feel new hope.

Last October you brought me to Våndävana, and in Våndävana to the association—the shelter and guidance and support and friendship—of many of your dear disciples. And that combination— Våndävana with the association of close godbrothers—proved to be especially powerful.

As stated in Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 22.128–29), five items of devotional service are especially potent: sädhu-saìga, näma-kértana, bhägavata-çravaëa mathurä-väsa, çré-mürtira çraddhäya sevana “One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam, reside at Mathurä, and worship the Deity with faith and veneration.”

And: sakala-sädhana-çreñöha ei païca aìga kåñëa-prema janmäya ei päìcera alpa saìga “These five limbs of devotional service are the best of all. Even a slight performance of these five awakens love for Krsna.”

Somehow, although I am so unqualified, you arranged for me to stay in Våndävana, in the association of dear godbrothers, continuously for months—much longer than ever before. And I gained hope that I might one day, somehow, attain my eternal service, in my eternal home, with you.

Akrüra’s words as he approached Våndävana suddenly seemed more relevant, more true: maivaà mamädhamasyäpi syäd eväcyuta-darçanam hriyamäëaù käla-nadyä kvacit tarati kaçcana “‘Because I am so fallen I shall never get a chance to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead.’ This was my false apprehension. Rather, by chance a person as fallen as I am may get to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although one is being carried away by the waves of the river of time, one may eventually reach the shore.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.38.5, as cited at Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya 22.44) Of course, I do not know when I will ever see the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly, but I did feel that “by chance a person as fallen as I . . . may eventually reach the shore.” Somehow, Çréla Prabhupäda, your mercy was bringing me closer.

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I felt at home in Våndävana and could relate to one of your descriptions of Våndävana in The Nectar of Devotion: “I remember the Lord standing by the banks of the Yamunä River, so beautiful amid the kadamba trees, where many birds are chirping in the gardens. And these impressions are always giving me transcendental realization of beauty and bliss.” This feeling about Mathurämaëòala and Våndävana described by Rüpa Gosvämé can actually be felt. . . . The places in the 168-square-mile district of Mathurä are so beautifully situated on the banks of the river Yamunä that anyone who goes there will never want to return to this material world.

As my stay in Våndävana was extended by your causeless mercy, week after week, I wondered how long you had willed me to remain there—secretly hoping it would be forever. * *

*

You, Çréla Prabhupäda, were a resident of Våndävana, but you left. Why, and how could you tolerate the separation?

You explained in an early talk in New York City: I shall be very happy to return to my Våndävana, that sacred place. “But then why you are . . . ?” Now, because it is my duty. I have brought some message for you people. Because I am ordered by superior, my spiritual master, that “Whatever you have learned, you should go to the Western countries, and you must distribute this knowledge.”

If you had not left Våndävana, how would we ever have come to know about that most sacred of places—much less gotten the chance to serve there?

In leaving Våndävana, you exemplified the mood of Çré Prahläda: naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraëyäs tvad-vérya-gäyana-mahämåta-magna-cittaù çoce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyärthamäyä-sukhäya bharam udvahato vimüòhän “O best of the great personalities, I am not at all afraid of material existence, for wherever I stay I am fully absorbed in thoughts of Your glories and activities. My concern is only for the fools and rascals who are making elaborate plans for material happiness and maintaining their families, societies, and countries. I am simply concerned with love for them.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.9.43) präyeëa deva munayaù sva-vimukti-kämä maunaà caranti vijane na parärtha-niñöhäù naitän vihäya kåpaëän vimumukña eko nänyaà tvad asya çaraëaà bhramato ’nupaçye “My dear Lord Nåsiàhadeva, there are many saintly persons indeed, but they are interested only in their own deliverance. Not caring for the big cities and towns, they go to the Himalayas or the forest to meditate with vows of silence [mauna-vrata]. They are not interested in delivering others. As for me, however, I do not wish to be liberated alone, leaving aside all these poor fools and rascals. I know that without Kåñëa consciousness, without taking shelter of Your lotus feet, one cannot be happy.

Therefore I wish to bring them back to shelter at Your lotus feet.” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.9.44) The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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Präyeëa deva munayaù sva-vimukti-kämä—almost all the great saintly persons we find in India are interested in their own liberation. Maunaà caranti vijane na parärtha-niñöhäù—they wander silently in the Himalayas or forests, not working for the welfare of others.

When I first arrived in Bombay with a group of devotees in 1970, there was a gathering of sädhus, saintly persons, in a large hall along Marine Drive. There were long lines of tables set up next to each other, and sitting cross-legged on the tables were various yogés and munis in different types of attire (or lack of attire), with different types of tilaka and other markings and symbols—some with matted hair, some with flowing long hair, some with no hair—all engaged in different processes meant for their elevation, and I was quite impressed. Having been a spiritual seeker and read Autobiography of a Yogi, I was very intrigued by tales of saintly persons in India.

But when you arrived it became clear to me that you stood out from the rest. You were in a completely different category. You were like the sun, as effulgent as the sun, and in comparison the others were like little stars. Your mood was different from theirs: you did not want to go back home, back to Godhead, alone, leaving aside all the poor fools and rascals—in other words, us. And if that had not been your mood, where would we be? I shudder to think of it.

You imbibed that mood through the paramparä, the disciplic succession, from your spiritual master, Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura, and his father and çikñä-guru, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura.

And in your service to them, you were unparalleled. Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté wanted his disciples to go to the West and preach. At great expense, he even sent some to London, and they met some people and gave some talks, but somehow they did not have much effect. And eventually Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta called them back.

When they returned, there was a nice reception for them. Soon thereafter, during the Navadvépadhäma parikramä, Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta again expressed his ardent desire—and hope—that someone would deliver Kåñëa consciousness—the teachings of Lord Caitanya and the chanting of the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra—to the people in the Western world. Çrépäda Nayanänanda Däsa Bäbäjé, a disciple of Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta, relates: “The last year that our gurudeva organized and performed Navadvépa-dhäma parikramä, thousands of pilgrims assembled at our Canpahati temple. There was an entire village of tents stretching in all directions. On the afternoon of the last day, one of our godbrothers had just arrived in Navadvépa, recently come from London by ship. He had gone there to preach but had returned without meeting full success. That evening during his lecture, Guru Mahäräja explained his earnest desire that Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s teachings be spread in the Western countries. He said that this was the last request of his mother, Çrématé Bhägavaté Devé, to him before she left this world, and that indeed it would happen. Consequently, he had been willing to take the lifeblood of the Gauòéya Maöha funds to send devotees there, yet their attempts had been largely unsuccessful.

At that point in his talk I noticed something mysterious happening. Guru Mahäräja had been looking out at the packed crowd of devotees, especially in the front, where all the sannyäsés and brahmacärés in red cloth were. Then he turned his head and looked over to his left side, where I was standing. He was looking intently at someone and became silent for some time. I happened to look behind me and saw that the person with whom he was making eye contact was Abhaya Charanaravinda Prabhu [known after sannyäsa as A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami]. I felt that they were looking at each other in a special way. Then Guru Mahäräja turned and again addressed the audience in front of him and said, “But I have a prediction. However long The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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in the future it may be, one of my disciples will cross the ocean and bring back the entire world.” Çréla Prabhupäda, without your having taken up this mood from your Guru Mahäräja, where would we be?

In your purport to Prahläda’s prayer in Çrémad-Bhägavatam, you explain his—and your— determination: “Prahläda Mahäräja says clearly, nänyaà tvad asya çaraëaà bhramato ’nupaçye: “I know that without Kåñëa consciousness, without taking shelter of Your lotus feet, one cannot be happy.”

One wanders within the universe, life after life, but by the grace of a devotee, a servant of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, one can get the clue to Kåñëa consciousness and then not only become happy in this world but also return home, back to Godhead. That is the real target in life.

This is the decision of the Vaiñëava, the pure devotee of the Lord. For himself he has no problems, even if he has to stay in this material world, because his only business is to remain in Kåñëa consciousness. The Kåñëa conscious person can go even to hell and still be happy. . . .

[H]is interest is in the busiest part of the world, where he teaches people Kåñëa consciousness.” Çréla Prabhupäda, in coming to deliver us you practically walked through hell—and still you were happy. Mukunda Goswami, in Miracle on Second Avenue, describes one incident when you were in San Francisco, in Haight-Ashbury, the center of the hippie movement. The devotees then were friends with two brothers, early supporters of your mission, who owned the Psychedelic Shop. Several times the brothers had invited the devotees to bring you to the program they held every Saturday evening in the meditation room at the back of their store, but the devotees had always refused, not wanting to subject you to the atmosphere there. But eventually they accepted.

And so you walked along Haight Street, accompanied by six devotees. The Haight was like a carnival— people in all sorts of dress, with different styles of hair and costumes, some singing and playing music, some drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, or taking some other drug. Mukunda was concerned about your walking through that whole scene, which must have appeared so decadent to you, and to break the silence he ventured, “It’s a beautiful night.”

As Mukunda Mahäräja describes, “[You] scrutinized the street sellers, looked at passing smokers and bongo players, people with painted faces and wild, brightly colored costumes. [You] appeared to smell the air, taking in the burning odor of marijuana and the sharp putrid stench of alcohol, which was tempered by the fragrance of roses and carnations. [You] turned, smiling, and said, “Everything is beautiful.”

And Mukunda Mahäräja reflected on your statement: “There was no good or bad from the pure angle of vision—everything and everyone in every part of creation was Kåñëa’s energy, and because the swami was in touch with that energy, he saw this beauty. The people were beautiful because they were all potential devotees.

Everything was beautiful because everything was connected to Kåñëa.” Çréla Prabhupäda, your mercy—your vision—is inconceivable. No matter where you were, even in the Haight, you were happy, because you were spreading Kåñëa’s glories and pleasing your superiors.

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* * * Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura said that the best goñöhyänandé is a bhajanänandé who preaches. Before you came to America you prepared yourself by intensely chanting and studying and praying for the power to preach. Then you left Våndävana for New York, San Francisco, and the world.

And you were fully absorbed in Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu and your spiritual master’s mission.

Still, you hankered for Våndävana.

In your Los Angeles headquarters one afternoon, after dealing with various managerial problems, you leaned back on the bolsters of your äsana and quoted a verse by Narottama Däsa Öhäkura: viñaya chäòiyä kabe çuddha habe mana kabe häma heraba çré-våndävana—“When will I give up material sense objects, and when will my mind become purified? Only then will I be able to behold Våndävana.”

Then you added, perhaps for me to hear, “Of course, it is not viñaya, material; it is Kåñëa’s service. But still, I wish to be freed. I am hankering for Våndävana.”

Thus you showed us the perfect example. You relished Kåñëa consciousness in Våndävana; you left Våndävana to preach, to fulfill the orders of your superior authorities; while outside Våndävana you always remembered Våndävana, hankered for Våndävana; and in the end you returned to Våndävana— back to your home, back to Godhead.

“Just as Kåñëa does not take a step away from Våndävana, Kåñëa’s devotee also does not like to leave Våndävana. However, when he has to tend to Kåñëa’s business, he leaves Våndävana.

After finishing his mission, a pure devotee returns home, back to Våndävana, back to Godhead.” (Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya 13.156 purport) On this occasion, I pray to follow you—wherever you are, whatever your service. You said of your spiritual master that he was “a Vaikuëöha man” and that he came to this world to execute the mission of Caitanya Mahäprabhu. “So he executed it. And when it was required, he left this place and went to another place to do the same business.”

You, too, were a Vaikuëöha man, or more specifically, a Våndävana man.

In her offering to you on your disappearance day in 2003, your disciple Daivéçakti Devé Däsé described your special relationship with Gita Devi Saraf, who donated the land for your Våndävana temple. One evening Gita Devi confided in her: She said, “You know, Çréla Prabhupäda was just like my own father.

He cared for me, and that was why I gave to him and no other.

He told me a secret once, when we were all alone.

I’ll tell you what he said to me; it’s something you should know.

“I came to see him one evening. He was sitting in his garden.

Devotees sat by his feet, secretary and servants all around.

As I came close he smiled at me and told them all to go.

I sat nearby his lotus feet, and this is what he told. “‘Kåñëa sent me here to preach. He sent me from above.

With English, Bengali, and Hindi I could preach all over the world.

I’ve almost finished my task, and soon I’ll return to Him.’” He told her this in 1976; soon our lives went dim.

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I was amazed at what Prabhupäda had revealed to her alone.

She knew he came from Kåñëa and would soon be going home.

Such wisdom was not wasted on an ordinary jéva.

This blessing was hers from Prabhupäda—confidentiality.

As we drove, she took my hand and made a simple wish.

She asked me in sincerity, “Please teach me to speak English.”

“But Gita Devi, you’re so old, your precious time will be wasted.”

“No,” she said, “I also want to preach as Prabhupäda did.”

I looked at her in amazement; she really wanted to preach.

She had been transformed by Çréla Prabhupäda’s grace.

By associating with fire one becomes like fire; I saw Her desire to preach like Prabhupäda in an old woman bereft of all.

The inspiration she received from a moment of Prabhupäda’s love Reminds us how compassionate he was to come here from above. Çréla Prabhupäda—I, too, aspire to follow you, internally and externally, but I can do that only by your mercy, and by the mercy of those dear to you, who carry your mercy and love.

Please help me.

Your dependent servant, Giriräj Swami

Jayapatäka Swami My dear spiritual father Please accept my respectful obeisances.

On the occasion of your annual Vyäsa-püjä, I would like to offer you an homage. This time I wrote a Bengali poem in the form of a song. I was inspired by a song about Lord Caitanya written by Väsudeva Ghoṣa and titled “If There Were No Gaura, What Would There Be?” I was thinking, “If you had not come, if you didn’t exist, who would have given us all the mercy?” I think that devotees should meditate on how much they have received from you and how much we are indebted to Your Divine Grace. I personally have been so much benefited by your mercy. You gave me mercy when I was in Canada, in America, and in India.

Again and again I got your mercy. You have given me many instructions and many devotional services to complete. Now I am handicapped to some extent. Still, you allow me to engage in your devotional service. So please accept this Bengali song in your honor. I hope that it will be a source of pleasure for you and your followers.

I beg to serve your lotus feet life after life, however you want.

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Your insignificant servant, Jayapatäka Swami Çréla Abhaya Caraëäravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda Mahimä (yadi) prabhupäda nä haita tabe ki haita (e) jivana bahita kise? nitäi-gaurera apära karuëa ke dita sakala deçe || If Çréla Prabhupäda had not come, what would have happened? How would we have passed our lives?

Who else would have distributed the unlimited mercy of Lord Nityänanda and Lord Gauräìga all over the world? päçcätyera yata päpi duräcäré çünyavädé mäyävädyé tädera uddära karibäre mana hena kon dayänidhi Which other compassionate person would have endeavored to deliver the Westerners, who include sinners, impersonalists, voidists, and gross materialists? tädera nikaöe kon janä äsi biläita harinäm sabhya jéva rüpe gaòite tädera ke haita äguyän Who else would have come to give us his association and distribute the holy name? Who else would have come forward to give us a cultured spiritual life? deçe deçe harivigraha sevä äraté rätri-dine ratha yäträdi mahotsava saba çikäita kon jane Who else would have established Deity worship all over the world, including äratis and kértanas from morning to night? And who would have taught us how to observe Ratha-yäträ and other transcendental festivals? gétä-bhägavata caitanya carita premämåta rasasära kata nä sundara sarala kariyä ke bujhäita ära Who else would have translated and explained the Bhagavad-gétä, Çrémad-Bhägavatam, and Caitanyacaritämåta, containing the essence of the nectarean mellows of love of Godhead, in such a clear, simple, and beautiful way? kata kañöa sahi

préta mane rahi

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ke vä dita harinäm ke dita modera puré våndävana mäyäpura mata dhäm Who else would have tolerated so many difficulties and distributed harinäma with such a compassionate and loving heart? Who would have given us the holy dhämas, such as Mäyäpur dhäma, Våndävana dhäma, and Jagannätha Puré dhäma? parama maìgala çrécaitanya mahäprabhura çikñä dhana äcäre pracäre sadä ämädere ke karita niyojana Who would have given us the incomparable treasure of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s teachings and engaged us in practicing and preaching them? premakalpataru nitäi-gaurera kåpä kaëa labhibäre niravadhi jayapatäkä hådaya tomare çaraëa kare Desiring a drop of mercy of Nitäi-Gaura’s wish-fulfilling tree of love of Godhead, with all his heart Jayapatäka incessantly takes shelter of Your Divine Grace.

Kåñëa Däs Swami Dear Çréla Prabhupäda Please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to you, Çréla Prabhupäda, on this most auspicious day.

In 1965 you took the transcendentally brave step of moving from Våndävana, Bharat, to New York City. To follow the instructions of your spiritual master you swapped the transcendental association of saints for the likes of drug addicts. You took the bold step of allowing mätäjés to reside in temples, as well as prabhus. You took the bold step of awarding sannyäsa to young aspiring devotees to spread the Kåñëa consciousness movement, even though Çréla Vyäsadeva prohibited the taking of sannyäsa in this age of Kali.

You made these adjustments according to time, place, and circumstance, to enable the establishment and development of the movement. Without these bold steps it would not have been possible to spread the movement as quickly as you did.

Your taking sannyäsa from Çréla Bhaktiprajïäna Keçava Gosvämé Mahäräja in 1959 at Çré Keçavajé Gauòéya Maöha, in Mathurä, is a great example. At the age of 64 you were inspired in several dreams, in which Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Swami Prabhupäda appeared, urging you to take to the renounced order of life. In fact you already were at that stage of life, as you wonderfully displayed the qualities of a pure Vaiñëava, which are nicely described in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam (3.25.21): The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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titikñavaù käruëikäù suhådaù sarva-dehinäm ajäta-çatravaù çäntäù sädhavaù sädhu-bhüñaëäù “The symptoms of a sädhu are that he is tolerant, merciful, and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime.”

Even though you are such an exalted Vaiñëava, a pure devotee of the Lord, constantly in the direct association with the Lord, still you were somewhat hesitant to enter the renounced order of life to show the example that it is a serious commitment which can be difficult to maintain in this age of Kali.

You did not take the responsibility of entering the renounced order lightly.

Since you left the planet, although many of your faithful disciples have carried on your mission, unfortunately we have seen many of the sannyäsés fall away, causing difficulties for their disciples and embarrassment for the movement. Although sannyäsa is given to afford the opportunity for the devotee to advance and excel in his service to the Lord, in many cases we have seen that personal weaknesses, such as lust and greed, have resulted in undermining the sincere effort of your movement.

In a letter to His Holiness Trivikrama Mahäräja on 7 March 1970, you state: “Married life does not mean that one should continue to live with the wife throughout the whole life; at a certain age, say between 20-25 years, one may accept a wife, live with her to the maximum age of 50 years, and then there should be no more sex relationship—stringently.

And at the mature old age, say 65 -70 years, everyone must accept the renounced order of sannyäsa, if not in dress, then in action positively.”

From your guidance we can see that it is important that sannyäsa is given when the recipient is at the appropriate mature stage as regards age and spiritual realization, so that the sannyäsé can handle the responsibilities, since these falldowns not only undermine the spiritual potency of the movement but have a very negative effect on the disciples of the sannyäsés and gurus who fall down. It causes me great pain when I see the condition of these disciples, knowing how terrible they feel.

I look forward to a time when there will be no more falldowns in ISKCON so as to secure the bright future that awaits the movement you founded. I urge the present leaders of the movement to give proper consideration to this serious problem, determine its causes, and find the appropriate solution. Çréla Prabhupäda, I thank you for accepting me as your sannyäsa disciple and for the great privilege of serving in your ISKCON. I also seek your mercy and blessings to become a responsible follower of your mission, with the internal strength to overcome the trials and challenges that Mäyä may place in my path.

Your servant, Krishna Däs Swami

Lokanäth Swami Dear Çréla Prabhupäda The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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Please accept my most humble obeisances at the dust of your divine lotus feet on this most auspicious occasion of the 116th anniversary of your glorious appearance.

The moment we are no longer an observing, reflecting being, we have ceased to be aware of ourselves and only exist in that quiet. On the occasion of your Vyäsa-püjä, I humbly reflect with much sobriety on the formative years when I first joined your organization. Recently, in March-April 2012, I was in Juhu, Mumbai, and that triggered my memory about the early days and prompted me to reflect on how I joined this glorious Hare Kåñëa movement in March 1972. This year marks the 40th anniversary of my joining your transcendental movement, Çréla Prabhupäda. I joined you right after our second meeting.

Around this time I was a simple and inexperienced college student wrestling with my conscience and my spiritual identity. From the moment I met the Hare Kåñëa devotees at the Bombay pandal the previous year, I was constantly thinking about them and wanted to join them, but family obligations stopped me from fulfilling this spontaneous, heartfelt desire. College life had become increasingly unbearable, and I simply tolerated the tedium of the long hours of study and the examinations.

On one occasion, as I carried my heavy chemistry and physics books, I felt completely weighed down physically and emotionally and yearned to be far away from everyone and everything I knew. During the long walk, which lasted several hours, I contemplated my undesirable situation and realized that all I wished to do was chant and dance with the Hare Kåñëa devotees. It became apparent to me that I did not want to sit for these tiresome examinations. I was doing it simply to satisfy my family. The further I walked, the clearer it became to me that I could no longer continue with this charade!

Although I was the top student in primary and secondary school, when I entered college my inner being had become transformed. I was putting on a good show, but I had no passion or sincerity in pursuing a college degree. Whenever I was alone in my room I would bolt the door and leap up and down with raised arms, imitating the devotees I had seen chanting Hare Kåñëa kértana at the Bombay pandal.

I was overwhelmed with disgust as I carried a variety of books, notebooks, pens, and papers. As I continued to walk, a strong wave of emotion impelled me to start hurling each item, one by one, with all my strength as far as I could. I threw away everything—my chemistry book, my assignment papers, and my notebooks, and then I feverishly dug deep into my pockets for pens and other bits of paper, which I flung away with renewed vigor. I was finally left bare-handed and with empty pockets. I was overcome with a great sense of relief and victory. “Why haven’t I done this earlier?” I thought. I had been anticipating this poignant moment for years! All that I desired was to be free from all shackles— free like a bird to soar to new heights. I had finally found the willpower to release myself from this stranglehold. It was a long but satisfying walk, and I headed home, warmly embracing my new-found freedom.

My only goal now was to find the Hare Kåñëa devotees. I had not seen them since April of the year before. I wondered whether I would ever see them again. How could I possibly find them in such an overcrowded place? To my surprise and relief, and as Kåñëa would have it, two weeks later I saw an advertisement in a newspaper about a Hare Kåñëa festival at ISKCON’S new property in Juhu. It was scheduled for March 17. This is exactly what I had been waiting for, and I practically raced to Juhu to attend the festival. It was at that festival, the second pandal program in Bombay, that I saw you again, Çréla Prabhupäda.

Attendance at the festival was not as great as it would have been in downtown Bombay. At least the festival was on our own property, and this was only the beginning. I was gripped by what you had to share with the congregation: The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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So this Kåñëa consciousness movement is for para-upakära, for doing good to others—the best welfare activities in the world. And it is India’s duty, it is India’s prerogative to take this knowledge and broadcast all over the world for para-upakära. And actually it is happening. All these European and American boys and girls, they are trying to understand this Kåñëa consciousness movement very seriously. So it is very scientific, authorized, and practical also.

So we hope that all of you who are present here will try to cooperate with this movement.

During the festival you held a groundbreaking and cornerstone-laying ceremony—you wanted a temple constructed as soon as possible. You mentioned that the Deities, Rädhä-Räsavihäré, should not remain standing in a bare tent but should be protected by a silver-and-teakwood siàhäsana on a marble altar.

The following words are etched in my memory because it was an impassioned plea to the congregation, an invitation that I could not resist: Unfortunately, when we study the Bhägavata we immediately jump over to kåñëa-lélä with the gopés. That is not the process. The process is first of all you try to understand Kåñëa. Without understanding Kåñëa, which is very difficult subject matter. . . Kåñëa says that yatatäm api siddhänäà kaçcid mäà vetti tattvataù. So the preliminary study of Kåñëa is Bhagavad-gétä. In Bhagavad-gétä Kåñëa explains Himself. In the Seventh Chapter, we shall begin from tomorrow morning, the study of this Bhagavad-gétä in the morning. Please try to come. So we have opened this center in Bombay to give you facilities. Please try to take it. Please come and encourage us, and we shall continue this movement, here in this center, as long as possible.

With these words you invoked the many people who had attended the festival, but it was as if you had spoken to me directly. I was enthused and stirred by the inspiring message.

Each day of the festival I arrived long before the evening program began. I took a local train from Kirti College in Dadar, downtown Bombay, to Santa Cruz, and then a bus to Juhu. This was about an hour’s journey. On arriving, I would borrow Kåñëa book and read, or just associate with the devotees. At times they invited me to take prasädam with them. I was curious about how they walked and how they talked, and I observed their lifestyle closely. I also remember dancing in the kértanas enthusiastically.

I was later informed by the devotees how happy you were that ISKCON would now occupy the new Juhu property, and you frequently spoke of your plans of erecting a spectacular ISKCON temple there.

You repeatedly spoke of constructing a temple of an international stature, like a Holiday Inn hotel.

You ordered the devotees to immediately arrange a ten-day public festival on the newly acquired land.

You wanted everything organized before your return in two weeks.

Slowly and hesitantly, devotees began to move onto the Juhu land and prepare for the festival. Mr. Sethi, a neighbor and life member, hired a work crew to cut down the weeds and other vegetation, and other life members came forward to assist. The arrival of Çré Çré Rädhä-Räsavihäré at Juhu also meant increased difficulties for the devotees, who now had to struggle to maintain the morning püjä and cook six daily offerings in an inadequate kitchen. The tent in which Rädhä-Räsavihäré was housed at times swayed dangerously in the wind. But They tolerated these inconveniences simply because you prayed to Them, “My dear Sir, please remain here, and I shall build a beautiful temple for You.” Like many other Indians, I was impressed and inspired by how the Westerners had taken to India’s culture. Their commitment to Kåñëa consciousness, sanätana-dharma, seemed very deep. Their dedication was obvious. I did not doubt their authenticity.

The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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The “smart Indian intellectuals,” however, had doubts. Historically, the British had initially come to India with the promise of doing trade under the name of The East India Trading Company. Gradually they had not only succeeded in business but had also taken over the whole country. Now the Westerners were back in the country, this time with dhotés, kurtäs, beads, and the Hare Kåñëa mantra, and some Indians thought the Westerners who once came as businessmen had now returned as sädhus, knowing the Indians’ weakness for their own culture. “We can’t be fooled,” they declared. “On the surface you may appear like sädhus, but you are here to deceive us. You are spies, CIA agents in disguise.” Because of this misperception, there was a lot of unfavorable media coverage of the movement. The image presented was that the devotees were not following any principles but were living like hippies. A movie with this theme was released and became famous throughout India. It was called Hare Rama, Hare Krishna. The movie showed Western youngsters in India, wearing dhotés and saris and chanting “Hare Kåñëa Hare Räma,” but also taking intoxicants and mixing freely between the sexes. For several years after that, whenever we went out preaching we would hear people singing the soundtrack from that movie.

The bad publicity did not affect me in the least. You explained the situation with much clarity. You said, “All Indians are devotees. They have just been misled by politicians.” Your policy was to fan the small spark of inherent devotion into a blazing fire.

I stopped going to college after this pandal program. For me it was a foregone conclusion that I was going to accept you as my spiritual master, my dear Çréla Prabhupäda. There was no need for anyone to preach to me, nor do I remember at any point thinking “Yes, now I am convinced.” I was immediately convinced. In 1971 I developed an attachment for ISKCON devotees, and I naturally felt that ISKCON was my home and you were my spiritual master. Perhaps the connection was already there from a previous birth and I was again looking for you and hankering for your shelter and mercy.

ISKCON was the first institution I ever joined, and you were the first and will be the last spiritual master I will accept. Since the day I joined ISKCON, the thought of leaving has never occurred to me.

A few days after the festival at Juhu ended, I composed an application letter to join ISKCON. I addressed it to “The President,” wrote it out by hand, and then took it to a typing institute to have it professionally typed. Because this was an “International Society,” I wanted to present myself appropriately. I signed the typed letter and took a bus out to Juhu to deliver it personally. In the letter I explained that I had attended the ISKCON festivals put on by the devotees in both 1971 and 1972 and had studied their literature. I expressed my appreciation for their lifestyle, dedication, devotion, and great sacrifice. Borrowing some of the terms I had seen on the pandal advertisements, I complimented their dazzling äratis, ecstatic kértanas, and sumptuous prasädam. I stated my willingness to follow the four regulative principles and apologized for having taken the reader’s time away from Kåñëa by making him read my application. At the end of my letter I begged the temple president to consider the application favorably and to accept me as a devotee.

When I arrived at Hare Kåñëa land I asked to see the president. I expected to find him sitting behind an official desk in a sprawling, opulent office. Giriräja Däsa, the temple president at that time, a simple brahmacäré, was not at all hard to find—he happened to be walking passed me. Wherever the temple president stood became a working office space! I thought my letter would sit for some time in pending files, and probably my history had to be checked and my application weighed against others. But Giriräja stood and read the letter on the spot, right in front of me. As soon as he realized what my intention was, he excitedly waved the letter above his head, getting the attention of everyone around, and yelled, “Hey, we’ve got a new bhakta!” I was officially accepted.

It was not long thereafter that a barber arrived on the scene. Before I knew it, Mahäàsa Swami taught me how to put on a dhoté. It was not even an overnight change— within a few hours I was transformed into a brahmacäré. The very same afternoon, I went with Gargamuni Swami, who was in charge of The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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school preaching, to a school program. There was kértana and a talk, and I was given the job of translating from English to Hindi. Further, I was transformed into a preacher on my very first day in your Hare Kåñëa movement. Some months later I was formally given shelter by Your Divine Grace in the form of initiation.

That was my very first service in your transcendental mission, my dear Çréla Prabhupäda. You have been so very merciful upon me that I have remained engaged in such soul-satisfying services for all these years. And yet the desire to serve and to please Your Divine Grace has only increased over time. I most humbly beg at your lotus feet to keep me engaged with energy and enthusiasm and in this manner serve your divine purpose eternally.

Your humble servant, Lokanäth Swami

Medhavi dasa Dear Çréla Prabhupäda Please accept my obeisances at your divine lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace.

You are the most wonderful guide, friend and well-wisher of everyone. You offered and continue to offer the best information and advice to all, simply we must accept it.

There are so many different types of upheavals all over the world. Presently we see many civil wars, earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, etc. people are hankering for peace and harmony. But as you quoted in one of your first Back to Godhead articles, – “they want the Kingdom of Heaven without its King, the kingdom of God without God and they cannot have it.” You yourself added that…”all our plans will come to ship-wreck on the rock of human selfishness unless we turn to God. Back to Godhead that is the chief need”….

You presented in Bhagavad-gétä with true eloquence – the

Peace Formula.

Bhoktaram yajna tapasam, sarva-loka mahesvaram, Suhrdam sarva- bhutanam, yaj jnatva santim rcchati. ‘ A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries.’ (BG. 5.29) In the purport you say.. “Under the spell of illusion, living entities are trying to be lords of all they survey, but actually they are dominated by the material energy of the Lord. The Lord is the master of the material energy and the conditioned souls are under the stringent rules of material nature. Unless one understands these bare facts, it is not possible to achieve peace in the world either individually or collectively.” But materialistic persons belief that with one or two more adjustments in their plans, everything will be fine and wonderful.

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Adhi-bautika, adhi-daivika, and adhi-atmika miseries are overwhelming everyone everywhere. They say that Lord Kåñëa is a myth but they are searching for happiness where “happiness is just a myth;” and where “there is danger at every step.”

Padam padam yat vipadam na tesam.

Dear Çréla Prabhupäda, we had no idea of this information while we loitered on the streets of various cities wasting our time. Please allow me to better appreciate what you have given and offer it to others.

Your oft-forgetful servant Medhavi dasa

Pärtha Särathi Däs Goswami Dear Çréla Prabhupäda Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories unto you.

Recently, while residing in the shade of Govardhana Hill, I was honored to listen to your morning walks, Çrémad-Bhägavatam classes, and conversations recorded thirty-seven years ago when you visited South Africa. Listening to your transcendental voice is very relishable and intimate way of associating with Your Divine Grace.

I have also been trying to increase my appreciation of your sincere followers. I want to develop genuine love for all your associates, whether big (guru) or small (laghu). During the history of the South African yäträ and ISKCON in general, so many Vaiñëavas have come and apparently gone. All of them contributed something to your mission, and therefore you will not fail to notice their sacrifice.

Like the multifarious immediate associates of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, you have many followers, and all should be appreciated. Daily I offer my respects to Your Divine Grace and your numerous followers, in the mood of this passage from the Caitanya-caritämåta (Ädi 10.4–7): caitanya-gosäïira yata päriñada-caya guru-laghu-bhäva täìra nä haya niçcaya The associates of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu were many, but none of them should be considered lower or higher. This cannot be ascertained. yata yata mahänta kailä täì-sabära gaëana keha karibäre näre jyeñöha-laghu-krama All the great personalities in the line of Lord Caitanya enumerated these devotees, but they could not distinguish between the greater and the lesser. ataeva täì-sabäre kari’ namaskära näma-mätra kari, doña nä labe ämära I offer my obeisances unto them as a token of respect. I request them not to consider my offenses.

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vande çré-kåñëa-caitanya- premämara-taroù priyän çäkhä-rüpän bhakta-gaëän kåñëa-prema-phala-pradän I offer my obeisances to all the dear devotees of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, the eternal tree of love of Godhead. I offer my respects to all the branches of the tree, the devotees of the Lord who distribute the fruit of love of Kåñëa.

[PURPORT] Çré Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé sets the example of offering obeisances to all the preacher devotees of Lord Caitanya, without distinction as to higher and lower. Unfortunately, at present there are many foolish so-called devotees of Lord Caitanya who make such distinctions.

For example, the title “Prabhupäda” is offered to a spiritual master, especially to a distinguished spiritual master such as Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé Prabhupäda, Çréla Jéva Gosvämé Prabhupäda, or Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Gosvämé Prabhupäda. When our disciples similarly wanted to address their spiritual master as Prabhupäda, some foolish people became envious. Not considering the propaganda work of the Hare Kåñëa movement, simply because these disciples addressed their spiritual master as Prabhupäda they became so envious that they formed a faction along with other such envious persons just to minimize the value of the Kåñëa consciousness movement. To chastise such fools, Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé very frankly says, keha karibäre näre jyeñöhalaghu-krama. Anyone who is a bona fide preacher of the cult of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu must be respectful to the real devotees of Lord Caitanya; one should not be envious, considering one preacher to be very great and another to be very lowly. This is a material distinction and has no place on the platform of spiritual activities. Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé therefore offers equal respect to all the preachers of the cult of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, who are compared to the branches of the tree. ISKCON is one of these branches, and it should therefore be respected by all sincere devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu.

Following in the footsteps of the previous äcäryas, I would also like to humbly offer my respects to all your exalted disciples and granddisciples and great-granddisciples. By pleasing them I can please you.

By serving them I can serve you. This is änugatya-sevä or änugatya-dharma. Both on this plane and in Goloka Våndävana, this concept of being the servant of the servant is essential.

In your apparent physical absence, my esteemed godbrothers are my only shelter. If I can serve them and please them, I am confident this will please you. I accept your desire and instruction as coming through them.

I don’t have the strength to approach you directly, but I can approach you through those who know how to serve you. I am very wretched, worthless, insignificant, and destitute, and I pray one day to be recognized as your disciple. So for the time being I will offer my respects to all of your followers without consideration of guru-laghu-bhäva, the conception of higher or lower.

You have touched the heart of so many devotees, and although over the years they may have temporarily drifted from the strict practice of vaidhi-sädhana-bhakti, they still feel some incredible attachment to Your Divine Grace. In French it is je ne sais quoi—you possess a special, unique, indescribable quality that endears you to your followers.

Perhaps in some future lifetime I could call myself a real follower and disciple of Your Divine Grace, but for now let me rub my head in the dust of your true followers, whether they are guru or laghu.

I remain Your servant, The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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Prasuti dasi Dear Srila Prabhupada, nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine All glories to you.

What you have done, and are doing for the human race is a manifestation of the greatest mercy.

Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda must be very pleased with you.

Every year there is an increase in the number of devotees following your instructions.

Every year more people are getting the mercy you have so generously and patiently given.

What you have done for the world is the most kind and considerate thing anyone could ever do, you have given us the opportunity to become self realized and Krishna realized by following the very simple steps which you have given.

It has been observed that even when a person follows some of the steps you outlined they make progress on the path back to Godhead, so we can see that your mercy covers the people who can qualify as well as the others who struggle to become purified.

For so many years I have struggled to follow your instructions but even though I have never been able to perfect my behavior you have been drawing me towards you with your wonderful mercy so that I am often overwhelmed with feelings of gratefulness.

The other day I went shopping for flowers for the Lord. It was such a deep feeling I experienced at the flower shop. There were several other buyers there but they were all buying flowers to promote some karmic endeavor, but the flowers we were buying for Sri Sri Radha Radhanath were setting us free of the entanglement in this material world!

I pray that you will continue to bless me so that I can serve you in more effective ways.

Being named the servant of one of the great mothers has encouraged me to feel very motherly towards the living entities in general. My desire is to be able to effectively reach out to them and direct them to your lotus feet because there they will have the shelter they need to be able to make progress on their way back home, back to Godhead, which is where we all belong.

Dear Srila Prabhupada thank you for the wonderful things you have done for us, thank you for continuing to bless us in so many ways, and thank you for the pure example you set for us by being so kind and loving, so strict and yet forgiving, so vastly educated in spiritual and worldly affairs and yet teaching us from the simplest facts and details right on up to the most subtle intricate aspects of the presence of Krishna in this material world, in Vaikunta and in Goloka Vrindaban.

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You have offered us a quick way to get past all the 'things' in between us and our eternal relationship with Krishna.

You are the savior of the whole universe.

You are the greatest!

Even though my love is still imperfect, I do love you with all my heart.

Your ever grateful servant Prasuti dasi

Rama Govinda Swami Namah Om Visnu pādāya Krsna Presthāya bhūtale Srimate Bhakti Vedānta Swāmin iti nāmine Namaste sārasvati deve gaura vāni pracārine, Nirviśeśa śūnya vādi pāścatya deśa tārine.

Param Puja, Param Guru Śrila Prabhupāda ji Maharaj, Please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet.

All glories to you Srila Prabhupada on this auspicious occasion of Your Vyāsa Pūja.

Srila Prabhupada! I am very insignificant servant of servant of servant yours. I have no qualifications to glorify a mahā-bhāgavata like Your Divine grace.

You have unlimited wonderful qualities beyond my imagination, and you have Lord Sri Krsna seated in your heart always. Such was your compassion that even at advanced age of 70 years, you embarked to go to the western world (United States of America) to spread the Krsna consciousness. Lord Caitnanya Mahaprabhu was known as mahāvadanyāya, but Srila Prabhupada, you are no less. You too are mahāvadanyāya. Out of sheer compassion for the fallen souls, you had undertaken tour around the world to preach and distribute Krsna Conscious to the millions fallen but deserving living entities.

You have distributed love of Godhead to each and all without any discrimination and made them pure vaisnavas. Such a miraculous task can be accomplished only by the empowered personalities like Your Devine Grace. To help us and understand the Krsna Conscious philosophy, you have translated and written Bhaktivedānta purports to vedic scriptures like Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavadgita-As It is, and Sri Caitanya caritāmrta. These nectarine purports are appreciated not only all the members of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness, but also by the vaisnavas from the other sampradāyas also.

During the course of preaching, at times, I feel vacuum not knowing what to speak. But, just by remembering and paying obeisances to your lotus feet mentally, you make me capable of speaking about Lord Sri Krsna. It gives me the confidence and feeling of your eternal presence and guidance. I have no qualification or intelligence to preach the Krsna Consciousness. Hence I beg for your mercy so that I can also be able to preach Krsna Consciousness and please your Devine Grace.

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Your humble servant of servant and grand disciple Rama Govinda Swami

Shyamlal Dasa Dear Çréla Prabhupäda Please accept my obeisances at your divine lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace.

Your Divine Grace has been always so merciful to me. Your instructions and love for me have been my real strength. Experiencing the challenges of an ailing body my dependence on the shelter of your lotus is my only solace. My memories of Your Divine Grace are ever fresh within my heart and continuous to give me strength and inspiration.

You kindly gave me the association of your disciples, especially HG Bramhananda Prabhu and HG Gargamuni Prabhu, in the early days. Over the many years of my good fortune of serving in your ISKCON, I have been blessed by the kind association of so many of your disciples and followers.

You have personally instructed me to come to Africa to spread your mission. It is only by your kind mercy that I was able to follow your instructions. In every step, I saw your personal direction in every effort I attempted.

I pray at your lotus feet, that I may be benedicted the good fortune of your blessings and mercy. All I ever pray for is the shade of your lotus feet.

I pray at the lotus feet of your followers, Srila Prabhupada, that they also please bless me, grant me their mercy and love.

Please allow me to eternally serve you and your devotees.

Your eternal servant Shyamlal Dasa (dictated)

Bhakti Båhat Bhägavata Swami Mauritius: The First Kåñëa Conscious Country My dear Çréla Prabhupäda Please accept my humble obeisances in the most merciful dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace.

About two years ago I asked one of your dearmost sons, His Holiness Giriräja Swami, how best I could give the rest of my life in the service of Your Divine Grace and your ISKCON. In the course of our The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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discussions I mentioned that I have been visiting Mauritius for the past twenty-two years. We concluded that, as per your merciful instructions and prediction, I could serve you and your mission best by helping to lay the foundation for making Mauritius the first Kåñëa conscious country. And His Holiness Giriraja Swami finally said to me, “You have to have the plan and the man.” Çréla Prabhupäda, here is your plan, the one you carefully outlined during your visit to Mauritius: On October 1, 1975, you came to Mauritius to preach and convince the leaders there of the importance of Kåñëa consciousness. Upon your arrival in the airport lounge, you expressed one of your principal reasons for coming to Mauritius: “I want to see the leading men. If they understand the importance of this movement, then my mission will be successful.”

You came to Mauritius to solve the social, political, economic, and religious problems. In your arrival address you said, “If the leaders of the society lead the people in the proper channel on the basic principle of spiritual life, then everything will be solved. Everyone will be happy. . . . Then all the questions—social problem, political problem, economical problem, religious problem— everything will be nicely solved. . . . [Y]ou take any question and the answer is there in the Bhagavad-gétä, very nicely given. Just like, say, our first problem is economic problem. So Bhagavad-gétä says, “Yes. Economic problem will be solved very easily if you produce food grains.”

You came to educate us to be self-sufficient. In your lecture on Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.5.30, given on October 2, you said: “The solution is given in the Bhagavad-gétä, that “Produce food grain.” Annäd bhavanti bhütäni.

So I see in your this Mauritius land you have got enough land to produce food grains. You produce food grain. I understand that instead of growing food grains you are growing sugar cane for exporting. Why? And you are dependent on [imported] food grains, on rice, wheat, dahl. Why? . . . You first of all grow your own eatables. And if there is time and if your population has got sufficient food grains, then you can try to grow other fruits and vegetables for exporting. The first necessity is that you should be self-sufficient.”

You came to change our destiny and karma. In a room conversation on October 4 you said: “You can do the best to train your child to become Kåñëa conscious. That is in your power.

That you can do. That is the best service, not anything else. . . . If you become yourself Kåñëa conscious, and if you try to make your son Kåñëa conscious, that you can do. And that is the duty, real duty. Other things, you cannot do anything. That is destiny. And if you make him Kåñëa conscious, then destiny can also be changed. This is the concession of Kåñëa consciousness. Destiny also can be changed. Karmäëi nirdahati kintu ca bhaktibhäjäm. One who comes to Kåñëa consciousness, his karma is also changed.”

You appreciated the nice climate. On your morning walk on October 5 you said, “The climate is nice.

There is good potential for producing food, keeping cows. Everything nice.”

You gave the detailed plan for acquiring land and establishing an ideal community. In your room conversation on October 5 you said: “Village, just like you acquire some land. . . . Keep cows, as many cows as possible, and produce, till the ground, field, and make water supply arrangement. If the investment is The most blessed event Çré Vyäsa-püjä – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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required, we shall do that. You have no worry about investment. We shall bring money from anywhere. . . . Then you get sufficient milk, sufficient food grains and produce your own cloth.

The girls and ladies, they can spine [spin] thread, and from the thread you make cloth, handlooms. So your first necessities of life, eating, and make little cottage, sleeping. . . . That you have to provide. That is not difficult. And then you become peaceful, no anxiety for your maintenance.

And then cultivate this spiritual knowledge the same way. Have a temple there. Go on chanting, offering prasädam. You have got your food grains. Don’t be dependent on anyone else. Become self-independent. And don’t be after money. Simply produce your bare necessities of life. Keep yourself fit, strong. And chant Hare Kåñëa, read book. . . . You must be attractive to bring them. And that is spiritual attraction. You must behave yourself nicely. Then people will come. Purity is required. That will attract. . . . One must be pure. . . . So if they see practically that “These people are very happy; they have no anxiety,” then they will be attracted. . . . To become pure is not at all difficult. Rather, to become impure, it is difficult. . .

So far we are concerned, we shall live very simple life, simply in Kåñëa consciousness. That is brähmaëa. Brähmaëa does not go to construct big, big house. He simply constructs his character, and the other kñatriyas and vaiçyas, they offer him, “Please come here and sit down.” . . . One who is unable to become a brähmaëa, let him become kñatriya. If he cannot become kñatriya, let him become a vaiçya. Otherwise let him remain a çüdra. But there should be ideal class. So we are trying to create an ideal society of brähmaëas. Then people will be benefited. They do not know how to live. The brähmaëas will give idea: “Live like this. You will be happy.” . . . You take land and be an ideal community.”

You said that you were prepared to personally take up this program and remain in Mauritius. In a letter to Bhagavän Däsa dated October 5, 1975, written from Mauritius, you wrote: “Yesterday we had one meeting and all big government officers, ministers, ambassadors came to hear me speak. And they appreciated. Most important the local boys, Indians, are coming, and now they want to do something. They are convinced that this is a good movement. They are organizing a program of getting boys from the villages for me to instruct them. So I am prepared to personally take up this program and remain here. The boys here are educated and intelligent and speak English and especially French.”

And you publicly spoke about the prospect for a Kåñëa conscious government. In your press conference of October 2 you said: “When we are many in number, then we shall take politics also. Yes. First of all let there be perfect men. . . . No perfect men, the government will be imperfect. If there is perfect men, the government will be perfect. . . . Kåñëa was in politics. So He instructed Arjuna to fight. This is politics—for a good cause. . . . Kñatriya means one who gives protection from being hurt, kñat.

Kñat means hurting. So suppose if I unnecessarily hurt you. Then it is the duty of the government to give you protection. . . . Therefore in the society there must be kñatriya. The brähmaëas should be learned; they should give instruction, advice. The kñatriyas should give protection; the vaiçyas should produce, economic development; and the rest, they should assist—that’s all.”

We are so happy to report to you our first baby step in Mauritius. We have acquired forty-eight acres of land. As you said, “You take land and be an ideal community.” Please guide and bless us to further acquire more than 108 acres of land to eventually complete the first pilot project, a Kåñëa conscious village in Mauritius. We pray that by your causeless mercy we may realize the establishment of Çré Caitanya Village, as we have named it, within my limited lifetime.

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Çréla Prabhupäda, you mercifully chalked out the plan. Please bless me to serve your many, many dedicated servants in Mauritius who are all working hard to fulfill your desire that Mauritius be the first Kåñëa conscious country. And I know that, since you promised that you would “personally take up this program and remain here,” you are ever present in our humble efforts.

Oh when, oh when will that day come when we will all offer you your first Kåñëa conscious country— Mauritius—as per Your Divine Grace’s instructions and desires, for your transcendental pleasure?

Hare Kåñëa.

Your unqualified servant among your qualified servants, Bhakti Båhat Bhägavata Swami

Bhakti Narasimha Swami Dear Srila Prabhupada Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace. All glories to your glorious movement, ISKCON. It is said that like a mirror, a person’s mind reflects the nearby objects. A mirror, however does not acquire the qualities of a thing it reflects, whereas the mind is influenced by characteristics of persons with whom we associate.

In this regard there is a story of a great Indian poet named Kalidasa. Kalidasa was born in the brahmana community but was a simple person, uninterested in study. Preferring to tend goats, he would cut branches from trees to feed the goats. Once some brahmanas watched him fall out of a tree after cutting the very branch he sat on. Seeing his folly, they decided to trick him.

Nearby, lived a learned brahmana woman who had defeated many learned scholars in debate, thereby insulting them. It was well known that she would marry a man who could defeat her in debate. These mischievous brahmanas wanted to diminish her pride.

Dressing Kalidasa like a scholar, they told him they would arrange his marriage to a very beautiful girl if would agree to pose as an important pandit observing a vow of silence.

Kalidasa was overjoyed as he had never thought that any beautiful girl would marry a dunce like him. The brahmanas arranged fo a debate between the two and informed the woman that Pandit Kalidasa was their guru,and since he had taken a vow of silence, the debate would have to be conducted by hand gestures. She consented and began the debate by raising one finger to indicate that the ultimate reality is one. The foolish Kalidasa thought she was threatening to poke him in the eye. So in retaliation he raised two fingers to let her know that if she tried, he would poke his fingers into both of her eyes. The brahmana judges immediately clapped and exclaimed, "Our guru has won this point as the ultimate reality is dual. There is atma and Paramatma and they can never be one". In this way Kalidasa scored the first point.

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Next the woman lifted her hand showing all five fingers indicating that the body is made up of five elements. Kalidasa took it that she was threatening to slap him in the face, So in response he raised his hand and made a fist. The brahmanas cheered in ecstasy saying,"The body is indeed made of five elements but only when they are mixed together. This has been perfectly and eloquently illustrated by the fist. Our guru has defeated you”.

The woman accepted defeat and agreed to marry Kalidasa. A fool can go unrecognized until he opens his mouth. Soon after the wedding she realized he was a dullard and locked him out of the house saying he could not return until he was educated. He began wandering and one day feeling thirsty, he went to a well where village woman were drawing water with buckets tied with ropes. When he saw that the ropes from the buckets had made deep grooves in the stones around the top of the well, it dawned to him that if hard stone could be cut by soft ropes, then his dull brain could also absorb knowledge by persistent drilling. Likewise by the persistent drilling of soft ropes like purports of your books my stone like brain is now able to absorb Vedic knowledge flowing through the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam.

All glories to Your Divine Grace.

Servant of your servant Bhakti Narasimha Swami.

Kadamba Känana Swami Dear Çréla Prabhupäda Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace!

It is amazing to observe the growth of Lord Caitanya’s wish-fulfilling desire tree.

Recently I was in Tompkins Square Park, New York. The city council has put a sign on the tree where you stood and held public kértana. The sign reads “Hare Krishna Tree,” and off to the side there is another sign, reading “A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, began his public chanting under this tree.” As I stood under the tree, a young man of about twenty came up to me and asked, “What would I have to do to become a monk.” I could see how you have invested that place with your mercy. And the fact that I could be there and appreciate all of that, instead of being lost in the material wilderness, means that I have been a recipient of your mercy.

Your movement has grown to enormous proportions all over the world, and in India especially Kåñëa consciousness is booming. Through you the branches of the Caitanya tree have spread everywhere.

Those branches that very carefully follow your teachings will flourish and produce wonderful fruits, and those branches that are not serious in following you will dry up or break due to foolish independence.

Through you I have come to explore the amazing world of bhakti, and as I learn more about our tradition, practices, and philosophy, more about the spiritual world, about Kåñëa’s räsa-lélä and so many other exalted topics, I realize that I am a dwarf. No matter how learned, how experienced, how The Appearance Day of our beloved Çréla Prabhupäda – www.jaiprabhupada.org

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powerful I have become or will become, I know that success or failure in spiritual life simply depends on very carefully serving your lotus feet. There is nothing else.

Hoping to remain dedicated to you and to increase my service in quantity and purity, Your servant, Kadamba Känana Swami

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Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja Reply

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Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja Reply Los Angeles 26th August, 1972 VYAS PUJAH REPLY: My dear beloved Children, Please accept my blessings. I am so much pleased with your kind and affectionate words on the occasion of my birthday anniversary on the Nandotsva day this year. My Guru Maharaj wanted me to spread this Krishna Consciousness Movement in western world, and you are all helping in this great attempt.

My Spiritual Master knew it that alone I could not do this great work. Therefore He has very kindly sent you all to help me in this task. I accept you therefore as respresentatives of my Guru Maharaja playing as my affectionate disciples.

It is said that child is father of man. Kindly therefore continue your help in this great task and act as my young father and mother in my old age. I am Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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1 saàsära-dävänala-léòha-lokaträëäya käruëya-ghanäghanatvam präptasya kalyäëa-guëärëavasya vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam

T

he spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a cloud pours water on a forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master delivers the materially afflicted world by extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities.

2 mahäprabhoù kértana-nåtya-gétaväditra-mädyan-manaso rasena romäïca -kampäçru-taraìga-bhäjo vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam

C

hanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the saìkértana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu.

Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his hair stands on end, he feels quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

3 çré-vigrahärädhana-nitya-nänäçåìgära-tan-mandira-märjanädau yuktasya bhaktäàç ca niyuïjato ‘pi vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam

T

he spiritual master is always engaged in the temple worship of Çré Çré Rädhä and Kåñëa.

He also engages his disciples in such worship.

They dress the Deities in beautiful clothes and ornaments, clean Their temple, and perform other similar worship of the Lord. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

4 catur-vidha-çré-bhagavat-prasädasvädv-anna-tåptän hari-bhakta-saìghän kåtvaiva tåptià bhajataù sadaiva vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam

T

he spiritual master is always offering Kåñëa four kinds of delicious food [analyzed as that which is licked, chewed, drunk, and sucked]. When the spiritual master sees that the devotees are satisfied by eating bhagavat-prasäda, he is satisfied. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

5 çré-rädhikä-mädhavayor apäramädhurya-lélä guëa-rüpa-nämnäm prati-kñaëäsvädana-lolupasya vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam

T

he spiritual master is always eager to hear and chant about the unlimited conjugal pastimes of Rädhikä and Mädhava, and Their qualities, names, and forms. The spiritual master aspires to relish these at every moment. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

6 nikuïja-yüno rati-keli-siddhyai yä yälibhir yuktir apekñaëéyä taträti-däkñyäd ati-vallabhasya vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam

T

he spiritual master is very dear, because he is expert in assisting the gopés, who at different times make different tasteful arrangements for the perfection of Rädhä and Kåñëa’s conjugal loving affairs within the groves of Våndävana. I offer my most humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

7 säkñäd-dharitvena samasta-çästrair uktas tathä bhävyata eva sadbhiù kintu prabhor yaù priya eva tasya vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam

T

he spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord, because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is a bona fide representative of Çré Hari [Kåñëa].

8 yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädo yasyäprasädän na gatiù kuto ‘pi dhyäyan stuvaàs tasya yaças tri-sandhyaà vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam

B

y the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Kåñëa. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master.