Diary of a Traveling Preacher 6.5

[Guest guest]

---------- Forwarded Message ----------

Indradyumna Swami

13-Apr-05

IDS Diary (of a Traveling Preacher)

Volume 6, Chapter 5

---------------------------

Diary of a Traveling Preacher

 

Volume 6, Chapter 5

 

February 11 - April 13, 2005

 

 

"Lessons on the Road"

 

 

Since leaving Sri Lanka in late February I have had several dreams of the

devastation caused by the tsunami and of the victims that I attended to.

That real-life drama left an indelible impression on my mind. Even the most

beautiful scenes of nature now appear tainted, for I realize more than ever

before that everything in this world is temporary and subject to

destruction.

 

In late March, I took a flight from London to Los Angeles for my annual

two-month preaching tour through the United States. But I could not forget

the tsunami, so unlike some of the other passengers, I was unimpressed by

the glory and glitter of America upon our arrival. Many were awestruck at

the well-organized and efficient procedures for customs and immigration in

the huge arrival halls, amidst the latest technology and sophisticated

security. And when we stepped outside the terminal, I recognized two

passengers who stood motionless-mesmerized by the bigness of the American

scene before them.

 

Only one thought came to my mind, however. It was a single line from a

recording my spiritual master had made almost four decades ago. I'd heard it

a thousand times, but it had more relevance now: "The whole show is only

temporary."

 

Fortunately, Srila Prabhupada had also introduced me to the positive

alternative: spiritual life, Krsna consciousness, which since my experience

in Sri Lanka, had taken on much more significance. Now I counted my

blessings each day and found myself relishing and seeking more shelter in

the daily spiritual activities that I had come to take for granted after

many years. In that sense, the tragedy of the tsunami had started a

renaissance in my spiritual life.

 

As I signaled to the vehicle that had come to pick me up, I was praying to

the Lord not to let me forget recent lessons learned on the road back home.

 

"When a relative dies one certainly becomes very much interested in

philosophy, but when the funeral ceremony is over one again becomes

attentive to materialism. The technical term for this attitude of the

materialistic person is smasana-vairagya, or detachment in a cemetery or

place of cremation."

 

[srimad Bhagavatam 7.2.61 purport]

 

To ensure that my lessons were not only learned but also realized, the Lord

kindly made arrangements to refresh my memory throughout my visit. The first

lesson was on the positive side.

 

I was traveling in upstate New York with Sri Prahlad and his wife, Rukmini

Priya. We were just one week into our travels, and we had been invited for

an evening of kirtan at the famous Kripalu Yoga Institute. The immense

300-room complex was once a Jesuit monastery and now serves as a yoga

retreat for people on the East Coast of the United States.

 

I already knew about America's ongoing fascination with yoga; otherwise, I

would not have understood how such a large complex could be filled up most

of the year. An estimated 16 million Americans practice one form of yoga or

another, double the number of five years ago.

 

Recent articles in mainstream magazines like Time and National Geographic

have extolled the glories of meditation, and America's fascination with yoga

could be seen everywhere. The popular Kimpton Hotel chain supplies guests

with a free yoga mat and block and provides a 24-hour yoga channel, and

in-flight magazines often include simple five-minute yoga exercises to ease

the stress of air travel, but most convincing of all was the many yoga

studios in every town we visited.

 

Most of the yoga practices in America differ vastly from the bhakti yoga

that we devotees practice. Yoga in America is based on physical well-being,

and if there's any philosophy at all, it's of a non-devotional, impersonal

nature. Therefore it has not been easy for devotees to introduce Krsna

consciousness into the developing yoga scene.

 

Recently, however, the melodious chanting of mantras in kirtan has become

popular with several non-devotee groups playing to large crowds across the

country. When the managers of Kripalu Institute received a CD of Sri Prahlad

from a local devotee, they invited Sri Prahlad for an evening of bhajan. We

eagerly looked forward to the program.

 

As we entered the Kripalu Institute, classes had just finished. People were

walking through the halls or sitting in little groups chatting.

 

All eyes turned to us as we entered, dressed in robes and carrying musical

instruments and trays of prasadam. As we walked to the main hall, I noticed

many people following us. When we entered the hall, the woman helping us

politely closed the door so we could set up. "The whole complex is buzzing

about the program," she said.

 

Sure enough, when she opened the door 20 minutes later, a large crowd of

over 150 people quickly entered and sat on the floor, most in meditative

yogic asanas.

 

Up to that moment I had been wondering how to conduct the program. Normally

I would speak at length about Krsna consciousness: its history, culture, and

philosophy. But although the people here were obviously spiritual seekers,

past experience had shown that such people are often the most difficult to

convince because of their preconceived ideas of yoga and mysticism, so I

took a different approach and simply depended on Krsna, that is to say, on

His holy names. After a five-minute introduction I turned to Sri Prahlad.

"Chant for at least an hour," I said.

 

It was the shortest public lecture I had ever given, but I sat back

confident. I knew Sri Prahlad's chanting of the holy names would melt their

hearts. And it did.

 

As Sri Prahlada began to play the harmonium and chant, I saw many of the

yogis break their meditation and open their eyes in astonishment. Others

closed their eyes and began swaying to the beautiful melodious kirtan.

Within 30 minutes practically everyone was dancing in transcendental

ecstasy.

 

I noticed people there from all walks of life. Such a program was an easy

way to contact people we might not ordinarily reach. I suddenly realized

that kirtan programs might be the right way to enter into the spiraling

interest in yoga in America. I exchanged glances with Sri Prahlad, and I

could tell he had had the same realization.

 

The most convincing sign came after the two-hour kirtan finished. People

stood stunned, relishing the deep spiritual experience they'd just had.

Finally a woman walked up to me. "That's yoga," she said. "I feel so happy!"

As I picked up the drum to leave, I turned to her and smiled. "Yes, Ma'am,"

I said. "Chanting that mantra is the topmost yoga system."

 

A verse from scripture came to my mind: "The Hare Krsna mantra is the only

mantra for destroying one's enemies-lust, greed etc.-and it is worshiped by

all the words of the Upanishads. That mantra causes the darkness of

ignorance to vanish and puts an end to material existence. That mantra is

the only cause of the attainment of spiritual opulence, and chanting it

protects one from the bite of the poisonous snake of sinful reactions. O

tongue! Please constantly chant this mantra and make my life successful."

 

[Mukunda-mala stotram, Verse 31]

 

Another stop on our trip was Washington D.C., where the Lord again blessed

me so I would not forget the realities of life. The blessing came in the

form of Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja. For months Maharaja had been fighting cancer

and had only recently conceded defeat, as tumors began appearing throughout

his body despite the various treatments. His disciples updated me on his

condition, and I expected to find him in bed, succumbing slowly to death in

a meditative mood.

 

But when I entered his room, I was surprised to find him sitting up in a

chair, looking cheerful and alert. He was thinner than I had last seen him,

but smiling broadly and radiating a bright effulgence.

 

As we began talking, it was obvious that he didn't have long to live. His

cancer had infiltrated his bones, and he showed me a large tumor near his

neck.

 

He wasn't the first devotee on the verge of death that I had visited, but

his presence had an especially deep affect on me. In him, I saw myself, in

the sense that his career in Krsna consciousness has been very similar to

mine. A sannyasi and a traveling preacher, he has lived an active life,

visiting many countries of the world. We have even preached in the same

countries and often crossed paths at big festivals.

 

Only last year we spoke together on a famous Croatian morning-television

talk show. Like me he is a writer and thus known to the general mass of

devotees. Now his career had suddenly been cut short, and he had only days

or weeks to live. It was an eye-opener and made the reality of death even

more real.

 

"Only time separates me from a similar fate," I thought. I suddenly felt an

urgent need to become Krsna conscious.

 

"Today or tomorrow this worthless material body will leave me and all the

material happiness connected with it will also leave. Because material

happiness is temporary, it should be understood to be only a mirage of the

real happiness. O my mind, please abandon this false happiness and enjoy the

real, eternal happiness of devotional service within the land of Vrndavana."

[Vrindavan-mahimamrta Chapter 1, text 24]

 

Maharaja sensed my mood. "More difficult than the pain and inconvenience,"

he said, "is that my days of traveling and preaching are over. After being

active for so many years, I suddenly find myself confined to this room. No

picking up and moving to the next town, the next program. It's hard." His

face took on a sober look.

 

"I can understand that," I said.

 

"No you can't," he said with a faint smile. "Can you share with me the

thoughts and realizations of other devotees you've known on the verge of

death?"

 

I thought carefully for a moment and then mentioned how our Godbrother

Sridhar Swami was fearless in the face of death. I attributed it to his

having realized the continuity of devotional service to the Lord: As we are

serving guru and Krsna in this life, we shall be doing the same in the next

life.

 

Maharaja thought for a moment and then nodded his head. Such topics carry

more weight for one on the verge of death.

 

Then Maharaja switched the subject to something more important to him. "I'm

concerned that the general mass of devotees won't have the same facilities

given to me near death," he said. "Because I am a leader, devotees have

given money and facilities to cure me. I've been to a number of clinics and

have seen many doctors. It's been costly. The normal devotee wouldn't have

such opportunities."

 

I was amazed. "Here's a real Vaisnava," I thought. "He's on the verge of

death but concerned about the welfare of others."

 

"So I'm going to start a trust," he continued, "with any money left over

from donations to me, to insure that others can have access to the same

treatment I've had."

 

His mind was working quickly. "I am conscious that there are still many

anarthas in my heart," he said, "and I'm anxious that there may not be time

to purge them."

 

He hadn't stated it as a question, but it was obvious that he was looking

for advice.

 

"Maharaja," I said, "your service record throughout the years is

outstanding. I have no doubt that is what Krsna will consider at the moment

of your death."

 

vayur anilam amrtam

athedam bhasmantam sariram

om krato smara krtam smara

krato smara krtam smara

 

"Let this temporary body be burnt to ashes, and let the air of life be

merged with the totality of air. Now, O my Lord, please remember all my

sacrifices, and because You are the ultimate beneficiary, please remember

all that I have done for You."

 

[sri Isopanishad, Mantra 17]

 

To give Maharaja even more confidence I related the story of Ramanujacarya,

who asked a similar question to the Deity of Ranganatha. "My Lord," he said,

"what is the fate of the devotee who cannot remember you at the moment of

death?"

 

The Deity was silent for a few moments. "If my devotee cannot remember me at

the moment of death," said the Deity, "then I will remember my devotee."

 

Maharaja smiled.

 

Then he began glorifying some of my preaching activities, and I decided it

was time to go. As I left, I invited Maharaja to the Gaura Purnima

celebrations the next day at the Potomac temple.

 

The next day, just before sundara arotik, I was pleasantly surprised when he

showed up in his wheelchair in spite of his fragile condition. The temple

room was packed, and when the devotees saw Maharaja they cheered. Although I

was meant to be the keynote speaker, I asked Maharaja to give the lecture

after arotik. He spoke wonderfully for half an hour and then gave the

microphone to me.

 

"I won't speak more than a few words tonight," I began. "I would like this

occasion to be remembered for the enlightening words of His Holiness Bhakti

Tirtha Maharaja."

 

Some devotees began to cry. I glorified Maharaja's service over the years

and finally said that I had no doubt he was going back to Godhead. "Our only

qualification for achieving such an exalted state," I added, "is the

causeless mercy of the spiritual master, and the proof that Maharaja has

achieved this grace is that after he returned from preaching behind the Iron

Curtain, Srila Prabhupada warmly embraced him."

 

The next morning, I declined to give class because I was too tired and

needed to prepare my things before leaving. Later that day I was humbled

when I heard that Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja, though exhausted from his illness

and preparing to leave this very world, gave a class in his room. It was

evident that although he had been inquiring from me, I had much more to

learn from him.

 

Just before we left the city, the Lord again showed us the contrast between

the sober and the sublime when Sri Prahlad, Rukmini-priya, and I visited the

home of Dr. Kaya Ploss, an affluent and distinguished woman in American

politics. At 74, Dr. Ploss is in charge of the Center for Polish and

American Cultural Affairs, and the visit had been arranged by a devotee who

lived next door to her.

 

I didn't know how important she was until we were sitting in her living

room. I saw photos of her with various world leaders including Pope John

Paul II, former United States presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton, a

former Polish president, and the present one, Aleksander Kwasniewski, just

to name a few.

 

At first she seemed a little uncomfortable about having us in her home, but

after a while she relaxed. When she saw me staring at the photos, she began

telling us the story of her life, most of which centered on American

politics. Her second husband had served as an advisor to the secretary of

state, so we heard many stories of government intrigue and diplomacy. Every

once in a while she would stop and ask us a question about Krsna

consciousness.

 

After an hour, the phone rang and she got up to answer it. "Excuse me," she

said. "I'm expecting a call from my son. He is the Polish ambassador to the

United Nations."

 

She took the call in another room, but Rukmini Priya, a native of Poland,

was sitting within hearing distance and later told us what she had heard.

"My dear son," Dr. Ploss had said, "something wonderful is happening. I have

the Hare Krishnas in my home."

 

We spent over an hour with her, and she invited us back next year. "Many

guests visit me here," she said, "and I visit them too. Next week I will be

visiting the newly elected president of Ukraine, in Kiev. You are always

welcome." She put her hand on my shoulder.

 

"Thank you," I said and gave her a copy of my newest book, Diary of a

Traveling Preacher, Volume 5.

 

"I will definitely read it" she said.

 

A few days later, almost predictably, came the next lesson, yet another

reminder that "the whole show is only temporary."

 

In Laguna Beach, California, I was invited to the home of Gaura Priya dasi,

a 73-year-old disciple of Virabahu prabhu. She was dying of cancer.

 

As I walked in her room, I could see she was only hours away from leaving

her body. She lay unconscious in her bed, thin and pale, her chanting beads

draped over her arm. Her family members asked me to put a Tulasi leaf and

some Ganges water in her mouth. I was grateful for the service to a

Vaisnavi, though the circumstances were difficult.

 

"I guess I'm still not convinced," I thought, "so the Lord keeps hammering

home the same point: Life is temporary, don't get distracted, keep your mind

on the goal."

 

We had kirtan for some time, but after a while my mind began to wander, and

I left to get some fresh air. I felt a little uncomfortable about leaving,

but I as I had never known Gaura Priya, it was difficult to be in the same

mood as those who had served with her.

 

Her daughter, who was not a devotee, came outside. "I want to thank you for

everything you've done for my mother," she said.

 

"But I've only been here a few minutes," I started to say. "I - "

 

"I mean your diary," she said. "My mother loved to read it and waited

anxiously for each chapter to come out. The whole last month she has been

glorifying you. She was particularly inspired by the story of your brother

and how he became a devotee. She saw it as a small miracle, and it gave her

so much faith and spiritual strength in these last days of her life."

 

Again I was both embarrassed and humbled.

 

"She so much wanted to meet you," The daughter said.

 

"Thank you," I said. "Now I can go and chant with feeling like the others."

 

I returned to the room and started leading kirtan. This time I chanted from

the heart, hoping that she would somehow hear by means of the transcendental

medium. After some time, I concluded the kirtan, and before going whispered

some words of encouragement into her ear.

 

My lessons seemed to be following a pattern of positive then negative, so I

expected a positive one next, but I soon found myself face to face with

death again. It seems to be one lesson we need be reminded of again and

again.

 

ahany ahani bhutani

gacchantiha yamalayam

sesah sthavaram icchanti

kim ascaryam atah param

 

"Day after day countless living entities in this world go to the kingdom of

death. Still, those who remain aspire for a permanent situation here. What

could be more amazing than this?"

 

[Mahabharata Vana-parva 313.116]

 

But this time it was not a devotee in the Hare Krsna movement. It was Pope

John Paul II. Like others, I was saddened to hear of his illness and death.

Tears came to my eyes when I received the news of his dignified departure,

surrounded by his associates in deep prayer.

 

A devotee looked at my face. "But Maharaja," he said, "many of the problems

you face in Poland come from the Church."

 

"True," I said, "but I don't think they come from the Pope himself. He

always showed a willingness for interfaith dialogue."

 

"Besides," I added, "although our spiritual traditions differ in some ways,

I always appreciated his conservative stance on religious issues and his

courage in spreading his faith. The world is a better place for his

missionary work."

 

"Well," said the devotee, "I wonder if Srila Prabhupada would have seen it

that way."

 

"He certainly did when he was with us," I said, "as evidenced by his letter

to Pope Paul VI. The lives and deaths of holy persons contain valuable

lessons for those of us treading the straight and narrow path back to the

spiritual world."

 

[some passages from the letter follow:]

 

Montreal, August 3, 1968

 

His Holiness The Pope, Paul VI

Vicar of Jesus Christ,

State of Vatican City,

Rome, Italy

 

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. At the present I am in the renounced order of Sannyasa (aged

72 years) and preaching God consciousness all over the world ....

 

My mission is in the line of Lord Caitanya, Who is Personified Love of

Godhead and Who advented Himself 482 years ago in India ... His mission is

to revive God consciousness all over the world on the basis of

Srimad-Bhagavatam, the 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 ... The special

significance of human life is to achieve Love of God as the prime perfection

of life ...

 

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, hygienic principles,

forgiveness, and mercifulness ...

 

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 ....

 

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,

AC Bhaktivedanta Swami

 

 

indradyumna.swami (AT) pamho (DOT) net

 

www.traveling-preacher.com

Official website for Diary of a Traveling Preacher

 

------- End of Forwarded Message ------