Guest guest Posted August 6, 2001 Report Share Posted August 6, 2001 Editor's Note: Saturday, August 4th was the thirty-sixth anniversary (as per the Vaishnava calendar) of Srila Prabhupada's first voyage to the United States. This article is based on 'Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta' a biography of Srila Prabhupada by Satsvarupa Goswami, and 'The Jaladuta Diary,' written by Srila Prabhupada while traveling from India to the USA. August 13th 1965, Calcutta, India ********************************* The black cargo ship, small and weathered, was moored dockside in a port in Calcutta, readying for its trip across the Atlantic Ocean. On the sides of the ship are painted the letters 'The Jaladuta,' a term loosely signifying, 'messenger of the seas.' It is a rather nondescript cargo ship belonging to the Scindia Steam Navigation Company. The purpose of the journey, one of the innumerable made by hundreds of ships of its type, is to carry cargo between India and the USA. However, this time the ship is also carrying something very valuable, something so special that this ship and this voyage will become memorable to a great number of people all over the world. The only passenger cabin on the ship is occupied by "Sri Abhoy Charanaravinda Bhaktivendanta Swami," whose age is listed as sixty-nine, with a ticket bearing "a complimentary ticket with food." Earlier the Indian merchant sailors had curiously eyed this elderly saffron-dressed sadhu, as he spoke last words to his companion in the taxi, then left and walked towards the boat. He carried very few possessions, a trunk of books and an unmistakable aura of purity and quiet determination. For thousands of years Krishna-bhakti in its purest form had been known only in India. Now for the first time, securely ensconced in the heart of this elderly passenger abroad this merchant ship, it is making its way outside, towards millions of souls, who until a few years ago had never even heard about a blue boy named Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However in a relatively short period many of them would give up life as they knew to become completely immersed in His service. Srila Prabhupada: "With what great difficulty I got out of the country! Some way or other, by Krishna's grace, I got so I could spread Krishna consciousness movement all over the world. Otherwise to remain in India - it was not possible. I wanted to start a movement in India, but I was not at all encouraged." August 14th - September 17th 1965, Journey to America ****************************************************** Captain Arun Pandia, the captain of Jaladuta commented that the journey of Jaladuta across the Atlantic was unusually calm. However for Srila Prabhupada, who, without any ceremony, had just celebrated his seventieth birthday on the ship, it was almost fatal. Not accustomed to the rolling motion of the ship he felt sea sick almost immediately after the ship left port. The very next day he noted in his diary, 'seasickness, dizziness, vomiting - Bay of Bengal. Heavy rains. More sickness." On the twenty-third day of the voyage the ship entered the Red Sea and Srila Prabhupada's symptoms worsened. In two days he suffered two massive heart attacks. The crippling pain of these seizures, the constant nausea of the sea sickness and the old age would have been probably fatal, but Srila Prabhupada tolerated them patiently, meditating on his purpose. But he noted that if he would have another heart attack it would certainly be his last. The night after the second attack, Srila Prabhupada had a dream. He dreamt the Sri Krishna in His many forms was rowing the boat and assuring him he should not fear, but should come along. Prabhupada felt greatly assured by Lord Krishna's protection and the attacks did not recur. He spent most of his journey relishing the nectarine life of Caitanya Mahaprabhu in a copy of Caitanya Caritamrita that he carried with him. On September 13th Srila Prabhupada wrote in his diary a poem in which he disclosed his confidence in the mission he had undertaken. Excerpts from the poem are as follows: "...As the vast mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu conquers all directions, a flood of transcendental ecstasy will certainly cover the land. When all the sinful, miserable living entities become happy, the Vaishnavas' desire is then fulfilled. "Although my Guru Maharaja ordered me to accomplish this mission, I am not worthy or fit to do it. I am very fallen and insignificant. Therefore O Lord, now I am begging for Your mercy so that I may become worthy, for You are the wisest and most experienced of all..." Boston ****** "A & P". These letters painted on the side of a warehouse was the first thing Srila Prabhupada saw when, after a thirty-five day journey from Calcutta, the Jaladuta reached Boston. Even though his final destination was New York, Srila Prabhupada at the invitation of the Captain Pandia, disembarked the ship and on September 17th, 1965 at 5:30 A.M., for the first time, set foot in America. He noted the tall buildings that dotted the Boston skyline, the old churches, warehouses, office buildings, bars, tawdry nightclubs and the restaurants. With the vision of a pure devotee he was thousands of spirit souls, covered with a layer of ignorance frantically trying to quench their thirst in a mirage of material enjoyment. All his dedication, his training, his instincts, moved him to give these people the saving grace of Krishna consciousness, yet he was feeling weak, lowly, unable to help them on his own. He had only eight dollars in his pocket, his health was poor, he spoke a different language, he dressed strangely - yet he had come to tell these people to give up meat eating, intoxication, gambling, illicit sex, life as they knew and take up the worship of Lord Krishna, who to most of them was a mythical Hindu God. How was he to accomplish this? Later, at the commonwealth pier of Boston, while meditating on these points, Srila Prabhupada composed a Bengali poem entitled "Markine Bhagavata-dharma" ("Teaching Krishna Consciousness in America"). The poem, reproduced in its entirety below, is a startlingly clear window into the heart of a pure devotee, the sense of complete dependence on the mercy of the Lord in every circumstance and a complete detachment from the results of the activity. Markine Bhagavata-dharma ************************ By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada at Boston Harbor, September 18, 1965 1. My dear Lord Krsna, 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 Vasudeva. 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 Srimad-Bhagavatam are Your incarnation, and if a sober person repeatedly receives it with submissive aural reception, then he will be able to understand Your message. 9. It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17-21): "Sri Krsna, 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." 10. 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. 11. How will I make them understand this message of Krsna 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. 12. 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. 13. 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. 14. 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. 15. 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. 16. I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the holy name of Krsna. 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 ------- x ------------- x ---------- x ----------- x ---------- x ---------- x ---------- x ----------- ----- Festivals over the next week ------ Aug 12 2001, Sunday Appearance Sri Krsna Janmastami: of Lord Sri Krsna (Fast) (Fasting till midnight) Aug 13 2001, Monday Appearance Srila Prabhupada (Fast) Nandotsava (Fasting till noon) *** NOTE: All times are for Washington D.C, USA, EST *** For information for your specific city please go to http://www.iskcondc.org and click on 'Calendar' - --------------------- ** This and all previous digests are available on the internet, grouped by topics ** They can be accessed at: http://www.iskcondc.org -> Philosophy You can also directly link to our Philosophy website by add the following URL to you website: http://www.prastha.com/cgi-bin/uncgi/renderphilo.pl - --------------- C E L E B R A T I O N of the 25th Anniversary ********************************************** Attend the joyous reunion and 25th Anniversary of Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Madana Mohana residing in Potomac, Maryland. Reconnect with old friends, share stories of the past, and create stories for the future. Watch the original video footage of Srila Prabhupada's only visit to Washington, DC, 25 years ago in July of 1976. Plenty of fun activities for children and lots of assorted prasadam for everyone. Schedule: Saturday, August 11, 2001 - New Hastinapura Retreat, 25th Anniversary celebration. Schedule: 10AM - noon: Recollections of the first twenty-five years by devotees. noon-3PM: Picnic in Great Falls. Following the walk taken by Srila Prabhupada during his visit to Potomac in 1976. Evening 5pm: Harinama in Georgetown or bonfire at the temple. Sunday, August 12, 2001 - Sri Janmastami Mahotsava Temple room and Deities open all day till midnight Festivities begin from 6pm in the evening. Include dance, drama, kirtans, restaurant, video screening, gift shop, face painting and rides for the kids. Monday, August 13, 2001 - Sri Vyasa-puja of Jagat Guru A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Vyasa-puja offerings from 10am to around 1pm followed by prasadam. Contact Padma malini devi dasi at 301-299-1326 E-mail: Padma (AT) prastha (DOT) com or Trikalajna dasa at 301-299-7205 We are also requesting contact information from all previous residents of New Hastinapura. - ----- This Email has been sent to you by the ISKCON temple of Washington D.C. Our contacts are: Email : mail (AT) iskcondc (DOT) org Web Address : http://www.iskcondc.org Postal: 10310 Oaklyn Drive, Potomac, MD 20854 In order to be removed from this mailing list please reply with the word REMOVE in the Subject. - ------------------------- Please note that under Bill 1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress this letter cannot be considered "SPAM" as long as the posting includes: 1) Contact information 2) A "REMOVE" device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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