Srila Prabhupada and His Guru Maharaja

[Guest guest]

SRILA PRABHUPADA AND HIS SPIRITUAL MASTER

I am so much moved from your kind sentiments that you have expressed for

my humble activities. Actually I am not worthy of any one of the words

spoken by you but all of them are due to my Spiritual Master Who was so kind

to me. In fact I am a worthless person because my Spiritual Master ordered

me to take up this work in 1922 but I did not carry his order until 1958,

when I was obliged to carry out His order by His arrangement only. This

means although I was not very enthusiastic to carry out His order He forced

me circumstantially to accept it. So this is His special mercy upon me and I

always think about this with gratitude to this exalted personality coming

directly from Vaikuntha World and we had the great fortune to meet Him. I

think that is the only credit on our part that we happened to meet Him by

some ``ajnata sukriti'' or unknown auspicious activities. He is so kind upon

me that when I came to your country, where I was completely unknown, He sent

to me some good souls like you unsolicited. So I accept you all as

assistants or representatives of my Guru Maharaja Who is still helping me

because I am so feeble and unworthy.

 

Anyway, the business which we have taken to work together is neither your

business nor my business as far we are personally concerned, but it is the

business of Lord Caitanya and His bona fide servants like my Guru Maharaja.

Therefore it is the duty of all of us to execute it as nicely as far as

possible within our capacity. In other words, we shall just try to discharge

our responsible duties faithfully and seriously, then all facilities will

come for our help.

 

I thank you very much for your nice sentiments so expressed in this

letter; that I am not unreasonable--rather you have taken the responsibility

on your part. Actually we are all conditioned souls so our demand from

Krishna to accept us is unreasonable. From my personal point of view, I

think that I am so sinful that I cannot even approach Krishna to show me any

favor. But I have only one hope--my Spiritual Master--He is very kind. So

someway or other He is dragging me towards Krishna. That is the only hope.

Sri Caitanya Caritamrta says therefore: Guru Krishna. By the mercy of the

Spiritual Master, and by the mercy of Krishna, one gets into Krishna

Consciousness. Narada Muni is our original Spiritual Master and he has

dragged so many fallen souls towards Krishna, and we are also hoping to be

dragged by Him through the disciplic succession. Otherwise, if we study our

own qualifications, there is none--rather I have got so many

disqualifications. (Letters from Srila Prabhupada Jan. 14,1970, Mar.

10,1969)

 

At every moment I bow down to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta

Prabhupada, whose divine feet provide my only shelter from the rains of

worldly illusion, as an umbrella is the sole refuge for a traveler in a

storm. He is the revealer of the truth of Srimad Bhagavatam in the western

world. He is the humble servant of Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura,

and his eyes are anointed with ecstatic love of God. (Vyasa Puja Book 1978,

p. 16)

 

 

[Guest guest]

GURU’S ORDER IS KRISHNA’S ORDER

 

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta

Swami Prabhupada

 

I am so pleased to learn that you

are constantly trying to follow my

instructions. Of course, I have no

particular instructions save and

except the instruction I have also

heard from my spiritual master.

So all instructions in the disciplic

succession directly come from the Supreme Person.

Therefore to follow the instructions of

spiritual master is to follow the instructions

the Supreme Person. And as soon as we are

accustomed to this habit, then all our misgivings

of material existence are over.

 

— Letter to Dayananda Das, 10 May 1968.

CURSE DOG

[Guest guest]

I AM VERY PROUD TO HAVE SUCH ASSISTANTS AS YOU...

 

I thank you very much for your nice surrendering attitude by placing

yourself at my disposal. Of course, I am using you already in the service of

the Lord, and personally I cannot utilize your service. So whatever I demand

from you, it is for Krishna's sake. Personally I am humble servant of

Krishna as you are also, but I am deputed to accept your service just to

transfer it to Krishna as via media. I shall try to do this service to you

and Krishna throughout my life, and I am so proud to have such assistants as

you are to help me in my mission to push on the Krishna Consciousness

Movement. I do not know why I am attached to your country, but I strongly

believe that if the American boys and girls would accept this philosophy, it

would render the greatest service to the rest of the world...

 

I am very much pleased with your behavior in the matter of progressing our

Krsna Consciousness movement. You took up very seriously my desire for

opening a center in Australia, and you volunteered to take up the

responsibility. So all these things are very much encouraging. In our Krsna

Consciousness movement the first qualification required by the devotees is

enthusiasm. Then work it out patiently and with conviction that it will

surely be done. But at the same time we must be very, very strict in

following the regulative principles and completing the sixteen rounds

chanting. Our dealings should be very clear with others and we must always

keep company with devotees.

 

You are doing so much for fulfilling the desire of my Spiritual Master so

you are indirectly the representative of my Guru Maharaja. He has been

helping me in this matter by sending so many young boys and girls, otherwise

who would help me in this mission while I came here empty handed and without

any friend. I can only pray to Krsna to take care of you, otherwise I cannot

repay your sincere service in my mission...

 

By the grace of Srila Prabhupada the preaching work is going on nicely and

the most important factor is that I have got a number of youthful American

and European disciples who are helping me very seriously. As you know the

western boys and girls are educated and trained up in practical life.. They

are spreading this movement better that any Indian could do. So whatever

success is there, it is due to them; I am simply instrumental in giving them

direction. They are very kind upon me and offer me the best facilities of

comfort. So things are very satisfactory here.... (Letters from Srila

Prabhupada May 1,1969, Feb. 22,1970, Apr. 8, 1970)

 

O! When will that day be mine when I shall become serious about this Krsna

Consciousness movement! O! When will I stop creating offenses at the lotus

feet of my divine spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, his disciples, and at

the lotus feet of Krsna, the Lord, and all living beings. O! When will I

just take to the streets with a humble heart and an armload of Srila

Prabhupada's books, engaging humanity in serving God. O! When will I give up

my petty independence and surrender to the order of Srila Prabhupada!

(Vyasa Puja Book 1973, p.151)

[Govindaram]

Hare Krishna

 

I am just wondering are you and 'God' the same person, posting /images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

Its does seem like it, Prabhu. /images/graemlins/ooo.gif

[Guest guest]

Yes.

I have humbly asked Admin 5

if they can merge all my god posts under gopaldas,

as I was having problems logging in under gopaldas username

but have not as yet received any reply.

 

I think the god username has had it's day.

 

A little too impersonal,don't you think?

[Govindaram]

Hare Krishna

 

I thought you had left us poor souls /images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

But you are back /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

Actually I liked the 'God' usename

 

Especially when you don't log in and you say..

 

God post..always makes me laugh /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Guest guest]

I'm glad he changed to gopaldas. I always thought that god name gave him an unfair advantage over everyone. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[gHari]

god has incarnated as His own servant.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Prabhupada:For me, personally, I had the opportunity to talk with my

spiritual master not more than ten times in my whole life, not more. It may

be less than that. But I tried to follow his instruction, that's all,

although I was a grhastha.

 

So this is the process. You sing every day. "Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete

koriya aikya." Wherever you live, if you follow strictly the instruction of

guru, then you remain perfect. But if we create, concoct ideas against the

instruction of guru, then we are doomed, hell. There is no more shelter,

finished. If guru thinks that "This person, I wanted to take him back to

home, back to Godhead. Now he is going against me. He is not following,"

aprasadat, he is displeased, then everything is finished.

 

FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTION AND YOU ARE SECURE ANYWHERE

If you don't follow the instruction of guru, then you are fallen down

immediately. That is the way. Otherwise why you sing, "yasya prasadad

bhagavat-prasado"? It is my duty to satisfy guru. Otherwise I am nowhere. So

if you prefer to be nowhere, then you disobey as you like. But if you want

to be steady in your position, then you have to follow strictly the

instruction of guru.

 

Devotee: We can understand all of your instructions simply by reading your

books.

 

Prabhupada: Yes. Anyway, follow the instruction. That is required. Follow

the instruction. Wherever you remain, it doesn't matter. You are secure.

Follow the instruction. Then you are secure anywhere. It doesn't matter.

Just like I told you that I saw my Guru Maharaja not more than ten days in

my life, but I followed his instruction. I was a grhastha, I never lived

with the Matha, in the temple. It is practical. So many Godbrothers

recommended that "He should be in charge in this Bombay temple." Guru

Maharaja said, "Better he lives outside. That is good, and he will do what

is needed in due course of time." He said like that. I could not understand

at that time what does he expect. Of course, I knew that he wanted me to

preach.

 

Yasodanandana: I think you have done this in grand style.

 

Prabhupada: Yes, done grand style because I strictly follow the

instruction of my Guru Maharaja, that's all. Otherwise I have no strength.

So somehow or other, we have got now a position. People likes us. So we

should not spoil it by personal sense gratification. That is my request. If

we can maintain this institution rigidly according to the order, then many

people will be benefited. By seeing our behavior, by character, they will

become also. The leader should be ideal... (Conversation with Srila

Prabhupada Feb.3, 1975)

 

Srila Prabhupada, you are the perfect example of humility, patience,

tolerance, compassion, and undeviating cent-percent submission at the lotus

feet of your guru maharaja. We are praying that we shall always possess the

strength and determination to never deviate from your sacred service. In

this way, and only in this way, will we ever be able to fulfill our duty.

Please accept our heads at your lotus feet, and do with them as you wish; we

aspire to become perfect tools in your hands. All glories to you, Srila

Prabhupada! (Vyasa Puja Book 1973 p. 125)

[Guest guest]

 

Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's Appearance Day, 02-07-69, Los Angeles

 

"Bhaktivinoda Thakura organized this Krsna Caitanya's movement in pure form from Mayapur. He published many books and papers, Sajjana-tosani. When he passed away in 1914, at that time, he entrusted the matter to Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, that "I am going, my work unfinished, about this Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement. You take charge of it." So he took very seriously the word of Bhaktivinoda Thakura. So since 1914 to '18, he was simply thinking that "How I can expand this movement?" So in 1918 he started this movement with the help of some disciples. Krsna sent him. So one of the disciples, he is now Tirtha Maharaja. Perhaps he is... He belonged to Rama Krishna Mission Society. So he is very ambitious. So he took the opportunity of starting this movement, finding out the saintly person. So apart from that point of view, with his help this Gaudiya Mission was started, and gradually it developed. So in Calcutta Guru Maharaja started in 1918. And, I think, in 1922, when I was young man, one of my friends, he took me to Guru Maharaja. That was my first meeting. And, of course, he was speaking to everyone, but he found me as something. So immediately after my meeting, he said this, that "Why don't you preach this Caitanya's cult in the Western countries?" That is a memorable day. Of course, I did not know that I will have to do it. You see?

 

 

....I talked with him in so many ways: "Who will hear your Caitanya's message? We are dependent country." At that time I was Gandhi's devotee. In 1920 I gave up my educational career and joined this Congress Movement. Because Gandhi's program was to boycott the university education and the British law court, so we took this opportunity and gave up education. You see? (chuckles) So then Dr. Bose, he was my father's friend. So he asked, "What this Abhaya is doing?" And my sister told him, "Oh, he has appeared in the B.A. examination, but he is not doing anything." So Dr. Bose was my father's friend. So he appointed me the manager of his laboratory. I did not know anything; still, he appointed me. So that was in 1921. In 1920 I gave up my education. Of course, I was married in 1918, and I got my first child in 1921. So in 1922, when I saw my Guru Maharaja and when I was convinced about his argument and mode of presentation, I was so much struck with wonder. I could understand that "Here is the proper person who can give real religious idea." That I appreciated at that time. And at that time I thought, "This great personality is asking me to preach. I would have immediately joined, but now I am married. It will be injustice." Of course, I thought like that, in that way. Of course, Guru Maharaja did not say anything, that "You give up your family life." No, never said. He simply gave the idea. So I thought that "It would have been better if I was not married." Anyway, then, 1923, I left Calcutta on my business, and I established my headquarter at Allahabad. So all the days I was thinking of this, "Oh, I saw a very nice saintly person. But I am now off from Calcutta." So I was thinking like that. Practically he initiated me because I was thinking of..., always.

 

 

Then, in 1928, there was a big fair which is called Kumbhamela. At that time I was doing business in Allahabad. My business was very flourishing. It was well-known drug shop. So the persons who went to organize our Gaudiya Matha's camp in that fair, somebody has told that "Here is a Bengali gentleman's business. You can go, and he is very religious man. He will help." So all the disciples of Guru Maharaja, they approached my shop, my store, drug store. And because I was thinking of them, so I thought, "Oh, here is the men." You see? You see? I was very glad--"So they have come again"--because I was separated from them in 1923, and again I saw them in 1928 after five years, and I was thinking of Guru Maharaja simply in this way, "Oh, I met a very nice saintly person. Very nice saintly person. If I can see him again?" Like that. So in this way, with my help, the Allahabad center of Gaudiya Matha was established. Then I was initiated in 1933. In 1933. And in 1936 I was, at that time, in Bombay, and Guru Maharaja was very much indisposed, and he was at Puri, Jagannatha Puri. We have got our temple there. Guru Maharaja established sixty-four temples, small and big. Just like I am increasing, he increased. So most of the temples were in Bengal. In Bengal there were about fifty out of sixty-four. And one temple was at Allahabad, one was in Madras. In this way, outside Bengal, about three, four, one Benares. And he sent Bon Maharaja also in 1933 to London for preaching, but unfortunately, some way or other, he could not do anything, so Guru Maharaja called him back in 1934. He was not satisfied and sent another Godbrother, gosvami.

 

 

In 1936, just on the 13th, December, I wrote him one letter. Not 13th. I think by the beginning of December, 1936, I wrote one letter to Guru Maharaja. I knew he was little kind upon me, so I wrote that "Guru Maharaja, you have got many disciples. I am also one of them. But they are doing direct service to you. Some of them are brahmacaris, some of them sannyasis, but I am a householder. I cannot..." Of course, I was giving sometimes some monetary help, but I could not give any direct service, so I asked him that "If there is any particular service I can do for you?" So that letter was replied in 13th December, dated 13th December, from Puri. And he passed away on the 31st December. Just a fortnight before. So the reply was the same as he wanted me to do this preaching work in 1922, when I first met him, that "You try to preach whatever you have learned from me to the English-knowing people in English. That will do good to you and to the people to whom you shall preach. That is my instruction." So I took up, direction. And then he passed away in 1936, 31st December. So I consulted some of my Godbrothers, senior Godbrothers, "Guru Maharaja has told me like this. What can I do?" So you have heard the name of Professor Sanyal, and there were other Godbrothers. They asked me to write on the Vaisnava-siddhanta in English. So perhaps in 1935 I wrote one poetry. The part of it, somebody, you have got. He was very pleased. Since then he was insisting me that "You write on, preach on in English." At that time I was thinking, "What can I do?" So anyway, after his passing away, this Back to Godhead paper was started, as late in 1944, I think, because the expenditure was three hundred, four hundred rupees per month.

 

 

So somehow or other, it has begun, the blessings of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, as he wanted me, he desired me. So because he desired, my... I am not very expert or educated or nothing extraordinary, but only thing is that I believed in his word. That is... You can say that is my qualification. I believed cent percent in his word. So whatever success is there, it is just due to my firm faith in his instruction. So I am trying to follow. And by his grace, you are helping me. So actually, the responsibility will now depend on you. I am also old man. I may pass away at any moment. This movement should go on, you see, this movement started by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, then accelerated by Gosvamis, and then again Visvanatha Cakravarti. And when... Just like whenever there is... Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati. When there is some slowness, either Krsna Himself or some representative comes to give it a push. So you should know it, that this movement should be pushed on. This should not be neglected.

 

Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's Appearance Day, 02-07-69, Los Angeles