Observing Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day

[krsna]

 

November 5th, 2005

 

Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

 

Here is the extraordinary person who dedicated his life to teaching the world about Krishna consciousness, ancient India’s most noble message of spiritual wisdom.

 

Srila Prabhupada wrote more than forty volumes of translation and commentary on such classics as Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana), Chaitanya Charitamrita, and the Bhagavad-gita.

 

He wrote not only as a scholar but as a consummate practitioner. He taught not only through his writings but by the example of his life.

 

Throughout his works, Srila Prabhupada’s mood was to convey the natural meaning of the scriptures without far-fetched interpretations, giving us an authentic rendition of the Vedic conclusions on such important topics as the purpose of human life, the nature of the soul, consciousness, and God.

 

In 1965, on behalf of a distinguished line of masters dating back thousands of years, Srila Prabhupada sailed from India to New York at the age of 69 to share Lord Krishna’s message. He brought with him nothing more than the clothes on his back, a box of books, and $7 worth of change. In the years that followed, he traveled and taught throughout the world, opened 108 temples, and formed the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

 

Though no longer physically present among us, he lives forever in his books, and in the hearts of those whose lives he touched.

 

 

[Guest guest]

HIS DIVINE GRACE SRILA PRABHUPADA KI JAYA!

[Guest guest]

[krsna]

 

 

BY PADMAPANI DAS

 

EDITORIAL, Nov 5 (VNN) — November 14, 1977. The day our world stopped.

 

At the time, I had collected almost enough money to get to India from Vancouver.

 

Srila Prabhupada's health had been deteriorating, and I was anxious to get to Vrindavan as soon as possible. Another week, and I'd be ready to go. But then the phone call came. Prabhupada had left his body.

 

Words can't describe the devastation that we all felt. Hearts broke and tears flowed everywhere. The universe was in sorrow. The pure devotee of Lord Krsna had left the planet. We had lost our master, our protector, and our ever well-wisher. Suddenly the universe became cold and dark, and all hope instantly fled from our lives. How could we go on without Prabhupada? It was inconceivable.

 

I remember that I could hardly speak a word for the next three days. It was the same for most of us there in the Vancouver temple. We never imagined that such a time would come. Prabhupada was everything to us, and we thought that he would always be here. Of course, the spiritual master is present wherever his instructions are followed, but most of us had not anticipated the day when Prabhupada's personal presence would no longer be available.

 

Years earlier -- and only a couple of days after I had joined the temple -- I found myself crammed in the back of a van full of devotees headed for L.A. to see Srila Prabhupada. Living on the west coast meant that we could easily drive to California whenever Prabhupada was visiting there. The San Francisco Rathayatra in particular was an annual favorite of the devotees. Then, of course, there was the yearly pilgrimage to India to associate with Srila Prabhupada for a whole month at the Mayapur/Vrindavan festival. Everyone got to attend his classes and offer guru-puja to him in the mornings. Even when we had to return to our respective temples, we always received the latest news and tape recordings of Prabhupada's lectures and conversations. Back to Godhead magazine arrived in large shipments from L.A. every month. Devotees eagerly grabbed a copy and disappeared for hours, each one savoring the nectar. New editions of the Srimad-Bhagavatam and Caitanya-caritamrta would appear miraculously on a regular basis. And who could forget the much anticipated BBT newsletters, describing the latest number of Prabhupada's books distributed throughout the world? Day after day, we were all blissfully saturated with Prabhupada's presence and mercy.

 

Everything changed at 7:20 p.m. on November 14, 1977. No longer could we jump in a van or board an airplane to go see His Divine Grace in person. No longer came the reports of Prabhupada's latest preaching success or his most recent instructions to the devotees. No longer did the anticipation of greeting Prabhupada at the airport or watching him bow down before the deities shiver in our hearts. No longer did we have the same youthful confidence that our movement could save the world.

 

Over the years, we have tried to come to terms with our great loss. In addition, we have each struggled to grasp the enormity and significance of Srila Prabhupada's appearance in our lives. In the process, we have had to grow and expand our vision of the spiritual master and his causeless mercy. While he was physically present, Srila Prabhupada repeatedly warned us that he might leave at a moment's notice, but he also assured us that we needn't worry as long as we remain sincere and true to him.

 

"I will remain your personal guidance, physically present or not physically present, as I am getting guidance from my guru maharaja." (Srila Prabhupada room conversation, Vrindavan, July 7, 1977)

 

In this simple sentence we find the answer to our great dilemma. Where is Srila Prabhupada now? He is in our hearts if we invite him there. As we each move closer towards "all-devouring death" (mrtyuh sarva-haras caham), we are learning that Prabhupada has never left us at all.

 

"In the spiritual world, separation is more relishable than meeting. In other words, in spiritual life, there is no separation. Separation is eternal, and meeting is also eternal. The separation is simply another feature of meeting." (Srila Prabhupada letter, April 3, 1969)

 

Srila Prabhupada has touched and changed the lives of so many of us. How he could do so in such a brief span of time is nothing short of mind-boggling. Even twenty-eight years after his departure, Srila Prabhupada is still preaching and making new devotees everywhere. His mercy continues to expand without limit. He is still here. Therefore who can fathom the depth of his compassion and kindness? We have been so fortunate to have found the most perfect example and teacher; so now, there is nothing left to do but simply try our best to broadcast his glories everywhere.

 

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

http://www.prabhupadaconnect.com/

[krsna]

I only saw him four times. I came to the temple in San Diego for the first time in the fall of 1974. I saw Srila Prabhupada in San Diego at the temple there and in Balboa Park. Then I hitchhiked to San Francisco for Ratha Yatra in 1975. And I saw him once in Los Angeles in the temple room and another time we followed him to the airport in Los Angeles. My best memory was the first time I saw him coming to the San Diego Temple. He had just stepped out of the car, I was standing near the curb, and he shot a glance at me and I fell to the ground, reminding me of when Lord Brahma fell like a rod in front of Krsna after stealing the cowherds. Srila Prabhupada’s glance pierced my heart. At that moment I could understand he saw me, not the body, but the soul and I knew he knew me for who I am, a spirit soul, not the body of a young woman, as everyone else related to me. It was a most purifying moment, and a confirmation that "a moment's association with a pure devotee" can change your life.

 

 

 

We hitchhiked to San Francisco, as we heard that Srila Prabhupada would be there for the 1975 Ratha Yatra. We desperately wanted to see him. We had enough gas to go from San Diego to Santa Barbara, then we parked our VW Bus by someone's house and proceeded to hitchhike to San Francisco. It was me and two friends, Bhakta Bill and Bhakta Alex. It took a couple days to get there and we slept in Golden Gate Park, near the museums, in the woods. You could never do that these days and I wouldn't advise it, but we were in ecstasy in anticipation of seeing Srila Prabhupada. I had never been to Ratha Yatra, so I had no idea what to expect.

 

 

 

The next day the devotees brought the carts out to the festival sight and were decorating them. We saw Jayananda Prabhu leading a kirtana around the carts before the festival began. I joined in and then Srila Prabhupada came driving up in his car and got out to sit on the cart. The parade began, going toward the ocean, I walked with my head in the clouds and I thought my feet never touched the ground. Many people came and everyone was dressed in brightly colored clothes. Everyone was dancing and singing, and chanting Hare Krsna. It was the spiritual world, no doubt.

 

 

 

When we reached the meadow, where the festival took place, the parade stopped and we sat on the grass to listen to Srila Prabhupada speak. He stood on the stage and there was a big kirtana. So many hundreds of people were there. The devotees had everyone line up in rows and served out what seemed to be an unlimited amount of prasadam. We saved some for our trip home in two BIG plastic bags, one with halava and one full of Gauranga Potatoes.

 

 

 

After the festival we headed out to hitchhike back to our car and go home. While waiting for a ride we started to eat the bags of prasadam, which should have been enough for a few days, it was a very large amount. Many people were also hitchhiking at the same ramp, so it took many hours to get a ride and we were sharing the prasadam with others, so our big bags of prasadam didn't last for long and by the time we got a ride, it all disappeared. When we returned to San Diego, we found out to our delight, that Srila Prabhupada was coming here.

 

 

 

Another time we hitchhiked to Los Angeles to see Srila Prabhupada at the temple. When we arrived at the temple hundreds of devotees were going to see Srila Prabhupada off at the airport, as we came to late to hear the class, we jumped into the back a truck headed to the airport. When arriving at the airport, all the devotees followed Srila Prabhupada with mrdanga and kartalas all the way down the hallways leading to the waiting area, with a really loud kirtana! Then everyone gathered around to try to catch a glimpse or hear a word from Srila Prabhupada. I stood up on the seat inside of a phone booth, without a top on it, to see over the top and down to where Srila Prabhupada was sitting. A man walked by me and asked what was going on. I told him we were all here to see a very special person, a guru, who had come to America to start a spiritual movement.

 

 

 

During a festival in Balboa Park, Srila Prabhupada gave a talk and when he was leaving the stage, he was walking past me, I bowed down and his feet were just inches from my head, I could have reached out and touched his feet. I didn't, but the memory is very nice. I got the cloth remnants from the Vyasasana he sat on, it smelled like sandalwood, and I distributed them all over the US when I traveled. I left some in the Prabhupada Museum in St. Louis temple.

 

 

 

Who is this wonderful person Srila Prabhupada, who filled our hearts with love and true happiness? He is still with us, but how could we remember without these wonderful pastimes? He lives forever in our hearts. Just as Srila Prabhupada told us to remember the pastimes of Krsna, in our hearts, Srila Prabhupada’s pastimes are also going on in our hearts to enliven and encourage us.

 

 

 

I say I only saw Srila Prabhupada four times, but could have seen him once more, I missed the opportunity! I always urge everyone to go see their guru as often as possible, as you never know when will be the last time you will be able to do so. In other words don't take it for granted that you will be able to see him whenever you desire to. A moment's association is all it takes, but the more moments the better!

 

 

 

Your humble Servant,

 

Mother Shyama Priya

 

(Secretary, ISKCON Prison Ministry)

 

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna!

 

All glories to Srila Prabhupada! I offer my humble obeisance unto him!

 

Thank you KRSNA for your wonderful posts for your glorification of Srila Prabhupada!

 

You are one of the lucky souls who had the opportunity to meet him personally.

 

Well, i am not that lucky but lucky to be born before he left this planet. I was born in 1975 and so i am proud i was in this planet when Srila Prabhupada was also in this planet.

 

Even though i havent seen Srila Prabhupada in person, he has touched my life in ways i cannot describe. I felt so much strength just by reading his Bhagavad Gita as it is. The presence i have felt when reading his books is something i dont know how to explain.

 

The first book i read of Srila Prabhupada was the Bhagavad Gita as it is and it was like the floodgates opened and i felt many things of which one of them was assurance and protection for eternity.

 

I dont know if iam eligible for all his mercy. But, i would like to thank him for showing mercy on a person such as me.

 

Thank you very much Srila Prabhupada!

 

YOU ARE MY HERO!

 

Haribol!

 

anand