Prabhupada in Malaysia

[leyh]

Today,I brought a book entitled Prabhupada in Malaysia from Govinda's restaurant in Serangoon Road which,in Singapore is popularly known as "Little India". Prabhupada in Malaysia cost seven Singapore dollars and it is really worth every penny.Within the book,one can find many nice colour/black-and-white pictures of Srila Prabhupada and his disciples.The book mainly documents the five days that Srila Prabhupada spent in Malaysia (May 3-8 1971),but it also provides the reader with a background of Srila Prabhupada's life and mission and documents some of his disciples (Amogha dasa and Hanuman dasa,etc) early preaching efforts in Malaysia and Singapore in the early 1970s.

 

There are fascimiles of old newspaper articles with headlines like Monks with Mohican hairdo to start 'temple of full bliss' and Heads turn as Krishna men come downtown.

 

The book was published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust in 1996 and is compiled by Janananda das Adhikary.

 

The following is an excerpt from the book which I post here for the reading pleasure of the devotees:

 

IPOH

May 5th, 1971 --- Evening

St John¡¦s Hall was packed with a crowd of almost 1000, eagerly awaiting Srila Prabhupada¡¦s arrival. The local members of the Ipoh Krishna Temple, plus a few other supporters had arranged for Srila Prabhupada to speak in this large hall. Prabhupada had not come. Unaware of the cause of the hold-up the crowd became restless. Hanuman, who had left Teluk anson early on a motorcycle, jumped up onto the stage, and led a roaring kirtan.The mood changed and everyone was appeased. Around 9pm Prabhupada's taxi pulled in. The crowd thronged around him, covering him with flowers and garlands and touching his feet. They crowded around him all the way to the stage. Children sprinkled flowers at his feet others eagerly reached out for the dust. The enthusiasm was tremendous. The crowd was mixed. Mostly North and South Indians with some Chinese. Many in the crowd seemed surprised how so many educated Westerners from good families had dedicated their lives following an "Indian Swami¡¨.

 

Bhakta Neo was struck with reverence when he saw Prabhupada walking down the aisle:"One thing I remember about that was Prabhupada¡¦s face. He was just emanating that humility, extreme humility. Though he was so great it was like he was constantly remembering that he is an insignificant servant of Krsna. That was the impression I got when I saw him.¡¨

 

After mounting the stage Prabhupada led kirtan and then spoke from Bhagavad-gita. Mr Indrajeet Sharma remembered some of the topics Srila Prabhupada explained: ¡§Men are greedy for power, everyone is trying to show his superiority over the other. We are forgetting the Supreme power. You have no power,real power,real power is with Krsna. India was once one.Gandhi,one leader,then three.Why? Because of greed leading to destruction.If we want peace we must believe in Him,Lord Krsna.We must give up this greed and take shelter of the Supreme power.¡¨

 

Mr Shamal:"Prabhupada spoke in English. He seemed very pleased with the large turnout. He explained how he had organised the Hare Krsna movement in the West, and wouild like to see things organised here similarly. Three of the elderly members of our temple garlanded Prabhupada including my father.¡¨ Prabhupada spoke for around 20 minutes. Afterwards he distributed prasadam during another rousing kirtan. Around 10.30 pm, Prabhupada left the hall.

 

Many people followerd Prabhupada back to Dato S.P. Seenivasagam¡¦s residence,hoping to get further darshan with His Divine Grace.It was very late, and Prabhupada had not stopped all day.

 

Amogha:"It is important to note how determined Srila Prabhupada was to preach Krsna consciousness, entirely dependent on Krsna's mercy.It was very hot, humid weather.He had to travel miles by car to repeated programmes,and still he went on. It was almost as if Srila Prabhupada didn't have a physical body at all. He told Bali Mardan,'I could leave my body at this moment.¡¦¡¨

 

His host Datin S.P Seenivasagam showed him to his room. Again Prabhupada refused to eat more than fruits and milk. Datin S.P. Sennivasagam recalls:"I had no problem serving him because the people of Ipoh brought lots of fruit and milk.I prepared his dinner, but he said he wouldn¡¦t take anything, only fruits and milk, so we offered him that.He called me into his room and gave me some fruits and milk. I asked him about Krsna,¡§Is there really a Lord Krsna?"He said,¡§This is all His work. Can¡¦t you see His work going on?"I asked him, ¡¥Can you see God?'He answered,'Can¡¦t you see that I can see God by my work?'A few days before Prabhupada came I had a dream that Laxmi Narayana were outside my house talking about me. I didn't know what it meant but I realized when Prabhupada came. It was a great pleasure to host such a great man.I must have done something good in my last life.¡¨Prabhupada was very tired and took rest around 11:30pm. (Prabhupada in Malaysia, Chapter Six: Prabhupada in Ipoh)

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by leyh (edited 02-11-2002).]

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

I read this book around 5 years ago (if I remember right) and I recall it was a great book. I couldn't put it down. I really enjoy reading such books that describe early devotees' attempts at establishing ISKCON around the world, especially under the direct guidance of Srila Prabhupada. If anyone hasn't read this book, I would suggest you get it and read it.

 

 

[This message has been edited by jndas (edited 02-11-2002).]

[leyh]

Some more nectar from Prabhupada in Malaysia.All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!

 

Early next morning Srila Prabhupada visited the Krishna Temple in Lahat Lane.The committee members had invited him and a large crowd had gathered.Prabhupada walked around the te,ple giving practical hints to the temple leaders how to improve things. Om Prakash Shukala remembers the incident:"as Srila Prabhupada got up from bowing down he said in Hindi --- vamsi he lathi he. Flute or fighting stick? Somebody had put an extremely long stick in Krsna's hands, supposed to be a flute.It looked more like the stick one would use for fighting.I felt ashamed.He just said to those near him.The Deity's thumb had been broken for years.He told us we should replace with new Deity." Prabhupada also gave ideas as to proper prayers to chant.

 

The Shamlal family had become very close to the devotees during the previous few months, and had regularly fed them when they were in Ipoh.That morning they had prepared breakfast of milk, parathas,subji and gulabs and they brought it to the temple. Datin S.P. Seenivasagam brought fruits and milk.Everyone got the mercy of Srila Prabhupada's remanents. After prasadam,Prabhupada led a bhajan and spoke in English and Hindi to the audience.

 

Mr Indrajeet Sharma summarizes the speech:"Srila Prabhupada said how his Guru had sent him to America to spread the word of God.On landing in New York he had no contacts,he did not know where to go. He only had US$9.He said he left everything up tp the Almighty.He started chanting alone and slowly the devotees came forward.Any success was entirely due to the mercy of hid Guru and Krsna,and in having complete faith in chanting the Holy Name.

 

From the Krishna Temple he was to go straight to the airport to ctach a late morning flight to Penang.Somehow the car didn't turn up so Mr A.V Sundram,brother of Tun Sambanthan drove Prabhupada in his car.Around 70 people followed, on motorcycles, taxis or whatever way they could.

 

At the airport the devotees took the cushions off of the chairs in the waiting longue and made a makeshift vyasasana."Prabhupada sat on cushions on the floor. He sat like a Lord,"said Indrajeet Sharma.Everyone else sat on the bare floor at his feet. The devotees were leading kirtan.The passengers stood in amazement. When Prabhupada went through the departure gate the kirtan party just folowed him right on the runway.The airport officials were bewildered and couldn't do anything. No one expected it.The ecstatic chanting went on twenty metres from the plane and continued until the plane disappeared on the horizon.Everyone fell flat on the grass to offer full obeisances.

(Prabhupada in Malaysia, Chapter Six:Prabhupada in Ipoh)