I fixed rounds for you

[Guest guest]

December 11th, 1975

 

Prabhupada always begins his morning walk at dawn when the still,

fresh morning air and quiet atmosphere are healthy for both body and

mind. Few people are out then; only the occasional bullock or buffalo

amble slowly past, straining with heavily loaded carts. The drivers

peer with somnambulant curiosity from under thick blankets at the

"Western" Vaisnavas struggling to keep up with their master,

straining to hear his every word as he enlightens and entertains us

with his vision of the world seen through the eyes of sastra.

 

Srila Prabhupada always strictly adheres to the authoritative

statements of the Vedic literature. Yet, he expertly assesses our

particular time, place, and circumstance and delivers the Vedic

conclusions in a way that is easy for us to understand and apply.

Despite his obvious success in spreading Krsna consciousness without

any loss of its true potency, there are those who criticize his

adaption of the principles of sadhana. These people sometimes confuse

the minds of his neophyte disciples with other ideas.

 

All over India many babajis and gurus claim to be authorities on

spiritual life, yet they find fault with Prabhupada's honest efforts

to rescue the fallen conditioned souls.

 

Here in Vrndavana, Srila Prabhupada is especially protective of his

vulnerable young disciples, always watching to see that we do not

become infected with ideas that will poison our spiritual lives. He

strictly forbids us to live outside of the temple, and in the past

posed strong opposition to the tendency of some devotees to go off to

Radha-kunda to live with a particular babaji there. He is very much

on his guard to see that his spiritual children are not beguiled by

envious or ambitious spiritualists. He knows that such people can

easily undermine our faith and cause havoc in our spiritual progress.

He constantly insists to the temple leaders that they be alert in

this regard.

 

These impediments to our spiritual lives do not always come from non-

Gaudiya-sampradaya elements. Prabhupada is aware that some of his

Godbrothers are less than enthusiastic about his achievements. The

natural respect for our spiritual elders we've imbibed from him could

result in an unsuspecting fraternization with members of their

mathas. This could leave us vulnerable to subtle impurities,

derailing our dependency on Srila Prabhupada. So this is also

something he is constantly combating.

 

During this morning's walk Aksayananda Swami sought sastric

verification for our standards of chanting japa, which some have

faulted. "Of course we accept," he said. "When you tell us to chant

sixteen rounds, we accept that figure in perfect faith. You're the

acarya. But what if we wanted to convince others? Is there any

sastric or Vedic verse we can refer to, to corroborate that at least

they must chant sixteen rounds? Or that many number of names?"

 

"No," Prabhupada answered. "In the sastra it is not said like that...

It is said, sankhya-purvaka... . You must fix up in numerical

strength... whatever you can... But I have fixed up sixteen rounds,

because you cannot do."

 

Aksayananda Swami confirmed, "That's all we can do."

 

Prabhupada smiled and added, with a touch of irony, "Yes. That also

is difficult."

 

Aksayananda Swami laughed, "Yes."

 

Prabhupada continued, "Otherwise, Haridasa Thakura was chanting three

lakhs. So, that is not possible. You should not imitate, but whatever

you fix up you must do. That is wanted."

 

"Yes," Aksayananda Swami said. "I was told that in the beginning you

asked the first disciples to chant sixty-four rounds?"

 

Prabhupada said, "Yes."

 

"They were unable," Aksayananda said. To our laughter he added, "Then

you asked them to chant thirty-two?"

 

Prabhupada grinned. "Hm. Sankhya-purvaka-nama-gana-natibhih. Sankhya-

purva, or numerical strength must be there. And you should follow

rigidly."

 

"So if we are serious and sincere, it means that that sixteen will

increase to continuously chanting," Aksayananda Swami said.

 

"You can do also now," Prabhupada said. "It's not that because I've

finished sixteen rounds... You can increase. But that sixteen must be

finished."

 

"Yes," Aksayananda Maharaja agreed. "What I mean is, that's to bring

us to the platform of chanting constantly. At least we must do that

numerical number. If we're fortunate, we may finally be able to chant

constantly day and night."

 

"Yes," Prabhupada confirmed.

 

- From the "A Transcendental Diary Vol 1" by HG Hari Sauri dasa