[Jagannath] ISKCON's Vimsottari Dasa!! (speculative)

February 20, 2000

Dear Narasimha,

Namaste. Jaya Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga!

Thank you very much for doing all the calculations. Here I merely want to answer your question. By Krishna's arrangement I am working now on the section of the Bhakta-program textbook concerning chanting of Hare Krishna mantra and while going through the reference books I have just met the quote.

Using 108 x (70 / 0.75), we get 10080 as the period of long life (equiv to 108 years of shoola dasa). This corresponds well with what you quoted from Puranas (which Purana? Can you give more details?).

It does not have the Sanscrit but the source book I get the English translation from is most respectable. It is from H.H. Mahaniddhi Swami's book 'Appreciating Sri Navadvipa Dhama " which is basically a wonderful blend of different quotes from sastras / acaryas. Here it goes:

The Brahma-Vaivarta Purana describes a conversation in Dvaraka between Lord Sri Krishna and Ganga Devi. " Speaking on behalf of all the sacred rivers [Yamuna, Kaveri, Godavari, Sindhu, Sarasvati, Narmada], Ganga Devi said, 'Lord Krishna, we can see that Your pastimes are about to end, and people are becoming more and more materialistic. You have been very merciful to us. After You leave, however, all the sinful people of Kali will take bath in our waters, and we will become overwhelmed with sinful reactions.'

" Lord Krishna smiled and replied to Ganga Devi, 'Be patient. After 5,000 years my mantra upasaka [worshiper of the holy name] will appear in this world and spread the chanting of the holy name everywhere. Not only in India, but all over the world people will chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!'

'By this chanting the whole world will become eka varna [one class], one designation, namely Hari-bhaktas, devotees of the Supreme Lord Krishna. Because the devotees of Hari are so pure, anyone who contacts them will become purified from sinful reactions. These pure devotees will visit India, and purify you of your sinful reactions by bathing in your sacred waters. This period of worldwide chanting of Hare Krishna will continue for 10,000 years.

'After that the devotees will see the full force of Kali-yuga overtaking the world. At that time, your sacred rivers should hide under the earth like Sarasvati has already done, and wait for the next Satya-yuga. "

Kindest regards,

Yasomatinandana das