17 Sept.1965 : Srila Prabhupada arrives at Boston,U,S.A.

[Guest guest]

"WHEN I TOOK SANNYASA, I WAS COMPLETELY READY TO DISCHARGE THE ORDER OF MY SPIRITUAL MASTER"

 

In this connection we may call to memory the time when I was fortunate enough to meet His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaja, sometime in the year 1922. Srila Prabhupada had come from Calcutta to Shridhama Mayapur to start the missionary activities of the Gaudiya Matha. Fortunately, even at our first meeting, His Divine Grace advised me to preach the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in English in the Western countries. Because at that time I was a complete nationalist, a follower of Mahatma Gandhi's, I submitted to His Divine Grace that unless our country were freed from foreign subjugation, no one would hear the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu seriously. Of course, we had some argument on this subject, but at last I was defeated and convinced that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message is the only panacea for suffering humanity. I was also convinced that the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was then in the hands of a very expert devotee and that surely the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would spread all over the world. I could not, however, immediately take up his instructions to preach, but I took his words very seriously and was always thinking of how to execute his order, although I was quite unfit to do so.

 

In this way I passed my life as a householder until 1950, when I retired from family life as a vanaprastha. With no companion, I loitered here and there until 1959, when I took sannyasa. Then I was completely ready to discharge the order of my spiritual master.

 

After His Divine Grace passed away, I started the fortnightly magazine Back to Godhead sometime in 1944 and tried to spread the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu through this magazine. After I took sannyasa, a well-wishing friend suggested that I write books instead of magazines. Magazines, he said, might be thrown away, but books remain perpetually. Then I attempted to write Srimad-Bhagavatam. Before that, when I was a householder, I had written on Srimad Bhagavad-Gita-gita and had completed about eleven hundred pages, but somehow or other the manuscript was stolen. In any case, when I had published Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, in three volumes in India, I thought of going to the U.S.A. By the mercy of His Divine Grace, I was able to come to New York on September 17, 1965. Since then, I have translated many books, including Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Teachings of Lord Caitanya (a summary) and many others. (CC Antya -lila Conclusion)

 

Performing dry renunciation, preaching will not be successful;

‘Yukta-vairagya’ is the essence of all Caitanya philosophy.

“The sannyasa I have given you” is for preaching in devotion.

The atheistic sense enjoyers are bewildered in understanding.

You have become renouncers, my brothers, so renounce everything.

But if you renounce the instruction of the spiritual master, what kind of renunciation is that?

One who renounces the bona-fide spiritual master, or one who tries to enjoy at the expense of his spiritual master, are both useless.

First become the servant of your spiritual master, then you will be able to understand these conclusions.

Because there is only one God, if his wealth increases,

A saintly person renounces all such material desires for profit, adoration and prestige.

Your gold, my brother, is the source of sense enjoyment.

Prabhupada has made this meaningful statement.

Give up your riches for preaching:

Give up your stubbornness, act for the welfare of others:

There is no time to waste!

All my brothers, come: this is the most auspicious time to unite.

(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:Vaisistyastakam)

 

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare

[Guest guest]

Markine Bhagavata-dharma

(Teaching Krishna Consciousness in America)

Composed by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

at Boston Harbor, September 17, 1965

Translated from Bengali to English

 

My dear Lord Krsna, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me.

 

 

But I guess You have some business here, otherwise why would You bring me to this terrible place?

 

 

Most of the population here is covered by the material modes of ignorance and passion. Absorbed in material life, they think themselves very happy and satisfied, and therefore they have no taste for the transcendental message of Vasudeva. I do not know how they will be able to understand it.

 

 

But I know Your causeless mercy can make everything possible because You are the most expert mystic.

 

 

"Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted. By regular attendance in classes on the Bhägavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature's modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire and hankering, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes completely happy. Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association. Thus the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the self as master."

 

 

He will become liberated from the influence of the modes of ignorance and passion and thus all inauspicious things accumulated in the core of the heart will disappear.

 

 

How will I make them understand this message of Krsna consciousness? I am very unfortunate, unqualified and the most fallen. Therefore I am seeking Your benediction so that I can convince them, for I am powerless to do so on my own.

 

 

Somehow or other, O Lord, You have brought me here to speak about You. Now, my Lord, it is up to You to make me a success or failure as You like.

 

 

O spiritual master of all the worlds! I can simply repeat Your message, so if You like You can make my power of speaking suitable for their understanding.

 

 

Only by Your causeless mercy will my words become pure. I am sure that when this transcendental message penetrates their hearts they will certainly feel engladdened and thus become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life.

 

 

 

O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like.

 

 

I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the holy name of Krsna. I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, and now, if You like, You can fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedanta.

 

 

Signed-the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami,

on board the ship Jaladuta, Commonwealth Pier,

Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

dated 17th of September, 1965

 

 

[Guest guest]

BY THE GRACE OF KRSNA, THERE WAS NO DIFFICULTY

 

...Regarding his suggestion that he is not sure if my activities in Europe will be successful as in the USA, you have written to say that Europe is ``quite a different place from USA--mostly in that the people are more approached through the intellect than thru the will. They are more careful, more critical, more `sophisticated.' '' I quite agree with you that Europe is different from America, but when I came from India and first landed in Boston, I was thinking like that, that I have come to a different country from India, and how will they accept this philosophy of Krishna Consciousness in the same way as Indians accept it? Actually there is great difference between India and America, especially in the matter of living standards, social customs and cultural atmosphere. When I landed in Boston, I wrote one Bengali poetry to Krishna that I do not know why You have brought me to such a distant place where everything is opposite number, and how will I be able to convince them about this Krishna Consciousness Movement? But by the Grace of Krishna there was no difficulty. As soon as I started my first center in New York, two or three young men were attending, and gradually they took interest, and now we have got sixteen branches, practically managed by my disciples. So if the USA, which is completely different from India, can accept this philosophy, I do not find any reason why Europe, which may be completely different from the USA, will not accept...

 

I advise you that we are working on a different platform. We are working neither on the sensual platform, nor on the mental platform, nor on the intellectual platform. We are working completely on the spiritual platform. The concept of European, American, or Indian is based on the bodily platform. So long one is under the impression that he is this body, he cannot make much progress in this movement. Lord Caitanya says that factually all living entities are the servants of Krishna. This servitorship cannot be rendered from the material platform, because Krishna is not matter. He is Sat-Cit-Ananda Vigraha. Anyone trying to serve Krishna from the material platform of body, mind and intelligence cannot appreciate this fact. One has to become free from the contamination of matter, represented in gross and subtle forms as body, mind, intelligence and ego. Until then, one is not a pure devotee. In the Narada Pancaratra it is clearly stated that one has to become free from all material designations. So long as one is under the cover of material designations, he cannot serve Krishna. Therefore, we have to transcend this position by cleansing our hearts from such rubbish concept of life that I am American, I am European, I am Indian, I am this or that. Anyone keeping himself under such impression, but at the same time trying to get into Krishna Consciousness is called neophyte devotee, or prakrta. Lord Caitanya has given us a very nice method of chanting Hare Krishna, and if we execute this without any offense, we can transcend this prakrta platform and come to the spiritual platform of serving Krishna. And unless we serve Krishna there is no possibility of getting His Grace, and without His Grace it is not possible to preach Krishna Consciousness. Therefore, we should more depend to receive His Grace then to depend on mental or intellectual activities... (Letter from Srila Prabhupada May 25,1969)

 

O spiritual master of all the worlds! I can simply repeat Your message, so if You like You can make my power of speaking suitable for their understanding. Only by Your causeless mercy will my words become pure. I am sure that when this transcendental message penetrates their hearts they will certainly feel engladdened and thus become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life. (Srila Prabhupada's prayers on the Jaladuta)

 

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare

 

[Guest guest]

English Version of Vaishnava Songs

.

Delhi, Wednesday 20th April, 1960

 

Edited and Founded

Under direct order of His Divine Grace Sri Srimad

Bhakti-Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada

 

By Goswami Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta

 

Adore thy feet my Master

And those who are devotees.

Rupa with elder and the other

Jiva Adwaita with societies.

Krishna Chaitanya is my Lord

Radha Krishna and Lalita accord.

Vishaka is there in the midst.

That's my prayer in the gist.

 

 

I wish my eyes flow in tears

As my heart Gauranga it hears

Hari thy name could I say

Nitaichand thy blessings may

Curb my desire to Lord it over,

Let my body in ecstacy shiver

Let my mind freed of matter

May I see Vrindaban scatter

May I know what Rupa is

Who unfolds to me the loving pair

Let my mind fixed up in them

Narottam shall not be in despair.

 

[Guest guest]

Thank you, Srila Prabhupada

 

 

by Trishakti devi dasi

_________________

.

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

 

 

nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale

srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine

nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

 

 

I never had any private darsans with you but you nonetheless did reciprocate with me but in indirect ways.

 

 

When I was living in Los Angeles in 1973, you would spend weeks and months there translating. So every day, Bhagavatam class was with you giving class personally. Thank you for that association. I now have your classes by recorded tapes.

 

 

In between the years of 73 - 74, I was asked to retype your initiation book. In this book you listed your disciples' names, the places of initiation and the years of initiation. Behind some names in parentheses was the capital letter "B", typed in red ink. I guess that meant blooped. Just recently Mahamaya has contacted me and informed me that a history of this initiation book is being recorded. Thank you for including me in this service to you.

 

 

While you were in L.A. in 1973, I wrote my sister, Ellen, a letter and told her "Prabhupada is here, send him some money." I don't know why I told her this, since you were not requesting any money. But my sister immediately responded and sent a check for $100. A little later my sister informed me that she had received a letter from Srila Prabhupada. It reads as follows:

 

 

"May 11, 1973

 

 

My dear Ellen Paeva,

 

 

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your check for $100 delivered by your sister to me here in Los Angeles, thank you very much.

 

 

I am very happy to see that you are appreciating this Krsna Consciousness Movement. So many intelligent young men and women are coming forward to participate in this highest human welfare work. I hope that you can visit our various centers, especially the one in Detroit, and witness the joyfulness exhibited by the devotees there. You have made a very good start on the path back to home, back to Godhead. As stated in

Bhagavad Gita 2, 40,

 

 

nehabhikrama-naso'sti

pratyavayo na vidyate

svalpam apy asya dharmasya

trayate mahato bhayat

 

 

'In this endeavor there is no loss of diminuiton, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.'

 

 

So please get some of our books and learn the science of Krsna Consciousness, and perfect your life.

 

 

Hoping this meets you in good health.

 

 

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami"

 

 

Thank you for some of these memories and drops of nectar to keep me going through the years ahead.

 

 

Your insignificant servant,

Trishakti devi dasi

[Guest guest]

 

 

HEARING PERFECTLY

Devotee: During his lifetime Origen was a great teacher and was very much in demand. For him, preaching simply meant explaining the words of God and no more. He believed that first of all a preacher must be a man of prayer and must be in contact with God, and that he should pray for a better understanding of the scriptures.

 

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. That is real preacher. That is explained in the Vedic literature, sravanam kirtanam. First of all he becomes perfect by hearing. This is called sravanam. And when he is perfectly situated in spiritual life by hearing perfectly from the perfectly authorized person, then his next stage begins, kirtanam. That is preaching. Everyone is hearing. Even this material educationist, he also hears from the professor. That hearing is there. Then when he is grown-up and passed his examination, he sometimes acts as professor. The same process: if one hears from the perfect spiritualized person, he becomes perfect, then he becomes actual preacher. Preaching about Vishnu, not for any other person within this material world. The Supreme transcendental Personality of Godhead, to hear about Him and to preach about Him, is the duty of a liberated soul.

 

Devotee: As far as seeming contradictions and seeming absurdities in scripture are concerned, Origen considered these as stumbling blocks allowed by God to exist in order for man to go beyond the literal meaning. He says, “In some cases no useful meaning attaches to the obvious interpretation, but everything in scripture has a spiritual meaning, but not all of it has a literal meaning.”

 

Srila Prabhupada: Generally, every word in the scripture has literal meaning, but one cannot understand properly because one does not hear from the proper person, so he makes some interpretation. But there is no need to interpret the words of God. It may be that the words of God sometimes cannot be understood by an ordinary person; therefore he requires to understand through the via-media of the transparent guru. The guru is fully cognizant of the words spoken by God. One has to accept, therefore, a guru to go through the scripture properly. Generally there is no ambiguity in the words of God, but due to our lack of perfect knowledge we sometimes cannot understand and try to interpret. But when an imperfect person interprets, whatever he interprets, that is imperfect. So the proper import of the words of scripture or words of God should be understood from a person who has realized God. (Dialectic Spiritualism)

Our dear Lord, You are not manifested to rascals, even though You are seated within the heart of everyone. But as far as we are concerned, we see You face to face, although You are unlimited. The statements we have heard about You from our father, Brahma, through the ears have now been actually realized by Your kind appearance. (The Four Kumaras SB 3.15.46)

Hear Bhagavad Gita As It Is with one click: www.karamsad.com/bgita1972.m3u

 

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare

[Guest guest]

ONE MUST FIND SOME TIME FOR HEARING

 

Narada Muni replied: "A grhastha must associate again and again with saintly persons, and with great respect he must hear the nectar of the activities of the Supreme Lord and His incarnations as these activities are described in Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Puranas. Thus one should gradually become detached from affection for his wife and children, exactly like a man awakening from a dream."

 

The Krsna consciousness movement has been established to give grhasthas all over the world an opportunity to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita specifically. Everyone, especially the grhasthas, who are ignorant about the goal of life, should be given opportunities to hear about Krsna. Simply by hearing, by attending lectures in the different centers of the Krsna consciousness movement, where topics of Krsna from Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam are discussed, they will be purified of their sinful inclination for constant indulgence in illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling, which have all become prominent in modern days. Thus they can be raised to the status of light.

 

It is not that because one has once finished Bhagavad-gita he should not hear it again. We should hear it again and again. There is no question of stopping: even if one has read these topics many times, he should go on reading again and again because bhagavat-katha, the words spoken by Krsna and spoken by Krsna's devotees about Krsna, are amritam, nectar. The more one drinks this amritam, the more he advances in his eternal life.

 

The human form of life is meant for liberation, but unfortunately, due to the influence of Kali-yuga, every day the grhasthas are working hard like asses. One must find some time for hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. This is Vedic culture. One should work eight hours at the most to earn his livelihood, and either in the afternoon or in the evening a householder should associate with devotees to hear about the incarnations of Krsna and His activities and thus be gradually liberated from the clutches of maya. However, instead of finding time to hear about Krsna, the householders, after working hard in offices and factories, find time to go to a restaurant or a club where instead of hearing about Krsna and His activities they are very much pleased to hear about the political activities of demons and nondevotees and to enjoy sex, wine, women and meat and in this way waste their time. This is not grhastha life, but demoniac life. The Krsna consciousness movement, however, with its centers all over the world, gives such fallen and condemned persons an opportunity to hear about Krsna.

 

"My dear Lord Krsna, great personalities and devotees in full Krsna consciousness always think of Your lotus feet and remain fully satisfied by drinking the nectar of transcendental bliss. The nectar which they constantly drink sometimes comes out of their mouths and is sprinkled on others as the narration of Your transcendental activities. This nectar coming from the mouth of a devotee is so powerful that if one is fortunate enough to have the opportunity to drink it, he immediately becomes freed from the continuous journey of birth and death. Therefore, my dear Lord, where is the possibility of ill fortune for one who is constantly engaged in hearing Your glorious activities? (King Yudhisthira: Krsna Book 2.28)

 

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare