Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Preaching must be done

[Guest guest]

Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Preaching must be done

Preaching must be done

 

After guru-puja, Prabhupada presided over a combined Deity installation and

sannyasa initiation ceremony.

 

The head pujari, Jananivasa, assisted by newly arrived GBC Jagadisa dasa,

performed the abhisekha of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai. The beautiful twenty-inch high

neem-wood Deities were installed as the proprietors of the ocean-going boat

"Nitai Pada Kamala." Sudama Maharaja plans to sail up and down the Ganges with

Their Lordships and other Mayapur devotees, preaching from village to village.

 

After the Deities were installed, Harikesa and Viraha were awarded sannyasa.

Mahavira will wait until Gaura Purnima.

 

Srila Prabhupada had the mantra and purport from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

Madhya-lila 3.6 read aloud: "[As a brahmana from Avanti-desa said] I shall

cross over the insurmountable ocean of nescience by being firmly fixed in the

service of the lotus feet of Krsna. This was approved by the previous acaryas,

who were fixed in firm devotion to the Lord, Paramatma, the Supreme Personality

of Godhead."

 

Prabhupada gave a short talk explaining that sannyasa is simply a facility to

preach and spread Krsna consciousness. He awarded the two men their new cloth

and tridandas, the traditional monk's staffs. Then he told Harikesa to "simply

add Swami" to his name. He renamed Viraha as Viraha Prakasa Swami. Then he

returned to his room while the devotees conducted the fire ceremony.

 

As soon as he settled in his room Prabhupada asked Hridayananda Maharaja how

the two new sannyasis would be engaged. He was informed that Viraha Prakasa

Swami plans to stay in Mayapur for a few weeks to get Prabhupada's association

before returning to South America. But Srila Prabhupada said that was not good.

He should immediately go out and preach.

 

Hridayananda Maharaja explained that Viraha Prakasa only speaks Spanish, so it

would be difficult for him to preach in India. But Prabhupada promptly called

for the two new sannyasis and told them, "Leave immediately for somewhere --

anywhere -- and preach. When there is a fire, if you don't know the language,

somehow you communicate and the message gets through. Even if you cannot speak

the language properly it doesn't matter. Preaching must be done." He said that

the best use of intelligence is to accept sannyasa and go preach. It is also

the best way to associate with the guru. Personal association is not so

important, but to associate with the teachings of the guru is essential.

Prabhupada said that he had not seen his Guru Maharaja for more than ten or

fifteen days in fourteen years. Thus his words were of personal encouragement

and comfort to Harikesa Swami as well, since he is now leaving Srila

Prabhupada's personal service.

 

February 6th, 1976

 

Just after lunch prasadam, Prabhupada sat on a chair out on the veranda. Tamal

Krishna Maharaja and myself sat at his feet, eager as ever to share some quiet

moments with His Divine Grace. Prabhupada volunteered to us that he had a dream

last night in which he saw a planet where pious Muhammadans go.

 

We smiled. I asked if such a place actually exists.

 

Prabhupada tilted his head from side to side. "Oh yes," he said smiling.

 

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

 

 

 

 

CHANT HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE AND BE HAPPY

Your humble servant

radhabhava gaur das

 

 

All New Mail – Tired of Vi@gr@! come-ons? Let our SpamGuard protect

you.