Letter to Nelson Mandela from HH Indradyumna Maharaja

[Desikachari Venugopal]

Diary of a Traveling Monk

Volume 13, Chapter 13
December 13, 2013

By Indradyumna Swami

The Very Best Day Of My Life

Dearest Madiba,

It was with profound sadness that I learned of your departure from this world
yesterday. Though all of us were aware that your demise was imminent, somehow
we find it difficult to accept you are no longer with us. In more ways than
one, you were the leader of this great nation of South Africa, a profound
statesman, a courageous freedom fighter, the veritable father of this nation,
the most resilient prisoner ever born. At the same time, you were humble,
tolerant and wise, and possessed a seemingly bottomless capacity to forgive.
The list of your good qualities goes on and on.

But Madiba, tonight I would like to address what I feel was your greatest
quality: your ability to make everyone - regardless of their race, religion or
creed - feel welcome under your leadership. I experienced this personally when
you graciously accepted the Hare Krishna Movement’s invitation to be our
special guest at the “Festival for The Children of the Rainbow Nation” in 1997.
The long program was attended by 50,000 boisterous children, and, after it was
over, I was walking you back to your car, surrounded by many security men.

I was anxious about whether you had enjoyed and appreciated the event, so I
turned to you and asked, “Mr. President, did you like the festival?” You
stopped and taking both of my hands in yours said, “Maharaja, this was the very
best day of my life!” Suddenly all the anxiety and fatigue I was experiencing,
all the worries and woes associated with organizing a program of such magnitude
vanished. You kept holding my hand until we reached your car and as you got in
you smiled at me as if to say, “Well done.” I realized your greatness came not
only from your ability to accomplish great political feats, but also in your
kindness and compassion to reach out and touch the hearts of the private
citizen, even a foreigner like me who was trying through spiritual ideology to
propagate your desire for social cohesion.

Madiba, you had a unique ability to rise above all political, ethnic, tribal
and religious barriers to help the citizens of this country identify as one
people, as South Africans. Historians have discussed - and will continue to
discuss - your ability not only to forgive and exonerate your enemies but also
to engage them in rebuilding this great nation. Where is such an example in the
recent history of the world? I do not think it exists apart from your selfless
efforts.

Nevertheless, men like you must be at helm of every country and nation in the
world, for Lord Krishna says in His Bhagavad-gita:

yad yad acarati sresthas / tat tad evetaro janah
sa yat pramanam kurute / lokas tad anuvartate

“Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever
standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.” (Bhagavad-gita
3.21)

Madiba, thank you for taking a moment of your precious time to encourage a
simple soul like me. And thank you for affirming your care and concern when we
met on a flight from Johannesburg to Mauritius years later. I was sitting in
business class waiting for the flight to take off when a team of security men
boarded and began barking orders to everyone to move back to the economy
section. Most passengers jumped up and moved, but I was slower because I had a
number of possessions to gather. The head of the security was screaming at me
to move on, when you entered the cabin.

“Maharaja, what a pleasure to see you on this flight,” you said. “Please sit
next to me and we will converse on the flight to Mauritius.”
The security man’s jaw dropped as I moved over and sat in the aisle seat across
from yours. We chatted for some time and I answered your questions about how
the Hare Krishna Movement could help the people of South Africa. You showed
special interest in the idea that peace would come to the country when everyone
realized they were part of the greater family of God.
As we approached our destination, you said, “So Maharaja, the event your
movement organized years ago was really great. I can still see the smiling
faces of all those thousands of children.”
“Yes, Madiba” I said. “It was historic.”
Madiba, those of us present tonight join with the people of this nation and
pledge to carry on the great work you started: the preservation and unification
of all the people of this land.
In closing, I want to say it was an honor to be a small part of your historic
life. It was an honor to be a part of the history of this great nation of South
Africa.

With deep gratitude,
.Indradyumna Swami