Remembering Srila Prabhupada - One's word to Krsna had to be kept

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One's word to Krsna had to be kept

 

In his public lectures as well as private meetings, Srila Prabhupada did not

hesitate to take his countrymen to task for giving up their Vedic culture. He

would patiently explain to them the actual meaning of sanatana-dharma, or

eternal religious principles. Krsna was not a demigod, like Brahma or Siva. As

the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He has no equal. Throughout the Vedas there

is an ultimate injunction: that Krsna is to be known, worshiped, and served by

everyone, under all circumstances. One who does this has accomplished the

purpose of human life; otherwise he is a failure, no matter how successful he

may appear to be by material estimation.

 

As uncompromising as Prabhupada was in his dealings with the Indian community,

he was even more strict with his disciples. When Syamasundara tried to avoid

the responsibility for selling half of the consignment of newly printed Krsna

books, Prabhupada persisted. His disciple had given his word, and now there was

no backing out. And when I had casually suggested that a Spanish edition of BTG

would be useful, Srila Prabhupada had immediately countered that I go at once

to Spain and open a center- otherwise what was the use of such an empty

suggestion?

 

It was not that Prabhupada was harsh in such dealings. If he was immovable, it

was to teach us an important lesson. One's word to Krsna had to be kept. One

should not speak frivolously, especially before Krsna's representative. Srila

Prabhupada was training us to be disciplined in our thoughts, words, and

actions. He had accepted the task of taking us out of the material world, back

to Krsna, and by disciplining us to accept devotional service as an

unforsakable duty, he was preparing us to mature to a higher stage of Krsna

consciousness, where our service to Krsna would be spontaneously aroused.

 

Like a patient parent, Srila Prabhupada answered all of our questions. I had

asked whether I could chant the names of the gopis, thinking that it would be

beneficial to remember Krsna's purest devotees. Lord Caitanya had once chanted

"gopi, gopi," feeling the ecstasy of separation from Krsna. Though I had no

right to imitate such exalted sentiments, Srila Prabhupada did not chastise me

for my indiscretion. My question was more whimsical than presumptuous. It was

like that of a small child who, while having a story read to him by his father,

asks a question out of context. The father, rather than rejecting, satisfies

his inquisitive son, and then again brings the child back to the story. So

Srila Prabhupada patiently replied, but at last indicated the preferred

method-that by singing the prayer "sri-radha-krsna-padan

saha-gana-lalita-sri-visakhanvitams ca," all of the gopis would be included.

 

- From the "Servant of the Servant" by HH Tamala Krsna Goswami

 

 

 

 

 

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