Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Your name is Tamal Krishna

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Your name is Tamal KrishnaMy attachment for Prabhupada grew daily. For the first time in my life I had found someone whom I could trust completely, without any reservations, someone who cared for me more than I could care for myself. I felt so satisfied to be connected with Srila Prabhupada.Sometimes I would spend an entire afternoon sitting on the steps of his apartment building just to be near to him. Though there was little chance

that I would get to see him, I would imagine what he must be doing while in his apartment. Occasionally one of his servants would come out on an errand and, seeing my eagerness, spend a few minutes relating some of Prabhupada's intimate activities. Wanting to keep closely sheltered, I would chant many rounds sitting on his apartment steps. It felt so wonderful to be completely under Prabhupada's protection.By the association of the pure devotee I was being propelled forward on the path of spiritual life. I was chanting sixteen rounds, austerely living as a brahmacari, following the regulative principles, always attending classes, and trying to render service in whatever way I was asked. But I was not yet initiated.Initiation meant a lifetime commitment, a final severing of all material connections with old memories, past friendships, and mundane relationships. It meant my accepting the spiritual master as my eternal father, the Vedic teachings as my mother,

and the devotees as my family. Initiation would establish my actual connection with Krsna.I had no doubt that Srila Prabhupada was a bona fide spiritual master, qualified to take me back to Godhead. He was in an unbroken line of disciplic succession from Krsna Himself. He was in perfect knowledge of the sastra and never spoke anything that did not agree with Vedic conclusions. His actions were above suspicion. Prabhupada was Krsna's pure devotee, and I was ready to surrender my body, mind, and words to him. I had very little idea who Krsna was, but I was certain that Prabhupada had an intimate relationship with Krsna and that by pleasing him I might one day also be able to please Krsna.The devotees told me that after initiation the Hare Krsna mantra is more powerful. At the time of initiation the guru takes all of the resultant actions of the disciple's past sinful life. To have a bona fide spiritual master was an absolute necessity if one hoped to make

advancement and end the cycle of repeated birth and death. And although Mark and I had been living in the temple less than a month, Prabhupada decided that we should receive initiation without waiting any longer.It was Easter Sunday. After his morning walk at Stowe Lake, Prabhupada returned directly to the temple instead of proceeding to his apartment, as was his normal habit. He entered the small storefront's double doors amid the excitement of the devotees, who were busily completing the final arrangements for the initiation ceremony. Everyone enjoyed initiations, when they would formally welcome new members into their spiritual family. Prabhupada walked to the rear of the temple room and offered his obeisances at the altar of Lord Jagannatha. Then he turned around and walked a few steps to a cushioned seat which had been arranged before the raised mound of earth where the fire sacrifice would take place. Sitting in a meditative, sober mood, he began to play his

karatalas, singing prayers to the disciplic succession, Lord Caitanya, and Radha-Krsna."Visnujana means 'one who serves the devotees of the Lord,' " Srila Prabhupada said, handing Mark his beads. And then, looking directly in my eyes, Prabhupada asked, "What are our principles?""No meat, fish, or eggs, no intoxication, no gambling, and no illicit sex." I felt very close to Prabhupada. He was accepting me as his eternal son and disciple, and his look was that of a most loving father."Your name is Tamal Krishna. Tamala is the name of a tree that grows in Vrndavana. Because it is the same color as Krsna, the gopis, out of separation, sometimes mistake the tree to be Krsna Himself. Especially Srimati Radharani would embrace the tamala tree and always take rest underneath it whenever She was feeling separation from Krsna."All of the devotees cheered. They were happy to have two new Godbrothers, and they liked the names that Prabhupada had

given.- From the "Servant of the Servant" by HH Tamala Krsna GoswamiCHANT 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

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