enthusiasm is the basis

[Guest guest]

> ...the whole basis of the devotional service is utsaha [enthusiasm]. Just

> like unless there was utsaha, how a man of seventy years old, without any

> hope, could go to such distant place from Vrndavana to New York? The only

> platform was utsaha. So utsaha is so important thing. They [devotees]

> should be encouraged in spiritual life.

>

> >>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura

 

And Srila Prabhupada was not just resting on his laurels when he said this,

exactly thirty years ago. Just consider:

 

"All the devotees arrived in Mayapur on February 24. Srila Prabhupada came

down on the first day to give a lecture. On the second day we noticed that

his health was not very good, and His Divine Grace requested some of the

senior devotees to speak on his behalf. Kirtanananda Maharaja spoke first,

then Brahmananda Maharaja.

Later in the day, Srila Prabhupada's health deteriorated noticeably. Then a

very serious illness began. His temperature rose to 104 or 105 degrees.

For three days and two nights the high fever continued, and he was always

moaning. At that time Hari-sauri Prabhu, Nava-yogendra Maharaja, and I took

shifts to be with him constantly, giving him massages almost all the time.

Prabhupada could not eat anything and he had great difficulty passing urine.

His body was very swollen. No longer could he go down and give lectures,

nor could he even talk with the devotees.

Gradually, the fever went away. Later on Srila Prabhupada would tell us

that he thought the time had come for him to give up his body."

 

TKG's Diary:

Prabhupada's Final Days - chapter 1

 

 

"On Gaura-purnima, Srila Prabhupäda accepted more than two hundred disciples

for first initiation, and he awarded second initiation to one hundred

disciples."

 

Prabhupada lilamrita "Chant Hare Krishna and Fight" pg. 266