Sufferers

[Guest guest]

Sometimes when sitting on the beach blanket in New Jersey, Srila

Prabhupada would look out at the waves while chanting japa. He was very

beautiful and serene, always absorbed in Krsna, yet also carefully

scrutinizing the world around him. On some days there were big waves and

surfer boys would be out, swimming and surfing in the waves.

 

Srila Prabhupada watched with great interest as they mounted their

boards and slid down the faces of the waves. He asked us, "What is this?"

And Gaurasundara and I replied that this is a sport called surfing wherein

one mounts a board and slides swiftly on the water as the waves roll in.

Srila Prabhupada watched intently for some time, then began to chuckle.

 

He said, "You call it surfing, I call it suffering. They are simply

wasting their valuable human form of life by jumping in the ocean waves.

They have no idea what will happen next. If they become so much fond of

remaining on the ocean, then Krsna is very kind: He will satisfy their

desire and give them bodies of fishes so that they can enjoy jumping in the

ocean more and more but that will be greater suffering. So I call them

sufferers, not surfers."

 

He mused as he continued his eternal chanting of Hare Krsna, softly

and serenely with the crashing ocean waves in the background. Even now when

I see surfers mound their boards on the waves of Sunset beach, North Shore,

near where I live, I am always reminded of Srila Prabhupada's observation

and the nick name Srila Prabhupada gave surfing and I am reminded of his

kindness in walking amongst us foolish living entities, wasting our lives

this way and that and his compassion for us who live in various states of

delusion.

 

Srila Prabhupada you are so kind, you observed us in surfer

consciousness, dog consciousness, money consciousness, so many various forms

of consciousness, and you so mercifully taught us about Krsna consciousness,

and you gave us the opportunity to serve you and Krsna. Thank you, Srila

Prabhupada!

 

- From the "1008 Ways to Remember Srila Prabhupada"

by Govinda dasi (a disciple of Srila Prabhupada)