Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Is this Siva and Parvati?

[Guest guest]

Srila Prabhupada NectarSahajiya tendency

 

Srila Prabhupada noted symptoms of prakrta-sahajiya -

the tendency to take devotional service cheaply and to

imitate the realisations of highly advanced devotees -

in one of his artist-disciples, and he gave him early

warnings of danger.

One time in Vrndavana, the artist brought a sketch

before Srila Prabhupada for his approval before

beginning a serious painting.

Srila Prabhupada's first remark was, "Is this Siva and

Parvati?"

"No, Srila Prabhupada, it is Radha-Krsna."

"They look too old," said Srila Prabhupada. "They

should look no more than sixteen years old - very

fresh youth."

The artist went back to work and redid the sketch.

But when Prabhupada saw it the second time, he again

said the couple looked too old. He then showed his

disciple a picture on his desk of the ISKCON Calcutta

Deities, Radha-Govinda, and he said, "They should be

painted like this. Krsna is a young sweet boy."

For the third time the artist did the sketch and

showed it again to Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada

was still unenthusiastic. But since he did not

specifically forbid the work, the artist took this as

his permission and began to work on a large canvas.

After weeks of work, he brought his opus before Srila

Prabhupada. The painting showed Radha and Krsna on a

swing. Krsna was lifting Radharani's veil and looking

into Her face in a very intimate, conjugal way. The

more traditional elements of Radha and Krsna standing

together, appearing in the artist's preliminary

sketches, had evolved into a scene more imagined by

the artist.

"It is a concoction," said Srila Prabhupada. Despite

all the effort put into it by the artist, Srila

Prabhupada couldn't spare feelings on such an

important, responsible matter as the depiction of

Radha and Krsna. In a mood of hurt pride, the artist

took back the painting and did not inquire further

about what was wrong or what he should do to rectify.

On another occasion in Mayapur, Prabhupada alerted the

same artist that his spontaneous expression was

unauthorised. While painting large portraits from the

Caitanya-caritamrta on the boundary wall to ISKCON

Mayapur, the artist had created his own original

Bengali verse and painted it in large script. When

Srila Prabhupada first noticed it, while on a morning

walk, he became disturbed.

"You should not have dared," he said. The verse

employed a metaphor praising Lord Caitanya and Lord

Nityananda. Prabhupada said the sentiment wasn't bad,

although the Bengali wasn't perfect - but the main

objection was that his disciple had dared to put his

own verse on the wall rather than one provided by the

previous acaryas, such as Narottama dasa Thakura.

Srila Prabhupada even mentioned the incident in that

morning's Bhagavatam class. "Don't concoct," he said,

"The sahajiya tendency is to take everything cheaply.

Don't do this," said Prabhupada, "or you will become

a sahajiya and everything will be ruined."

- From the Nectar by HH Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami

 

Please Chant: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna

Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare

Hare And Be Happy

 

 

 

_________ALL-NEW

Messenger - all new features - even more fun! http://uk.messenger.