srila prabhupada said...!!!

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Although there were so many devotees in our Los Angeles centre, Dayananda and Nandarani were still the only householder couple. Despite the fact that the devotees all lived in one building, the thought of marriage hardly entered our minds, and this was even more surprising considering our ages were mostly between eighteen and twenty-five. Actually, the reason was that we had little time for such thoughts, being fully engaged in preaching activities; and because that preaching was upmost in our minds, we were very satisfied, sharing warm, friendly relationships with each other. Coming to Krsna consciousness was a relief from the game of chasing the opposite sex, the main preoccupation of the karmis. But when in his next letter Srila Prabhupada mentioned that he wanted to create more sannyasis, I, at least, was startled.  Srila Prabhupada said:

Columbus, Ohio, March 13^th 1969

            My Dear Tamal Krishna,

            Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated May 9^th 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. I am pleased to note that you are doing nicely for giving the student community to hear about our Krishna Consciousness Movement. Yesterday, at the Ohio State University we had a tremendous meeting, and nearly two thousand students were dancing, clapping and chanting along with us. So it is clear that the student community has a nice potential for accepting this philosophy. I will not be going to North Carolina as I had planned, but I am sending Kirtanananda Swami in my place because they have extended my program here in Columbus. So now I have to create more sannyasis to lecture on our philosophy, and I shall pick these sannyasis from the brahmacharis who are firm in their decision not to marry.

            Your next festival will be as follows: RAIRAYA-on this day the Gopies played by making Radharani a Queen, and She is seated on a gorgeous throne, and Krishna is made as Her doorman of the palace, so He is standing by the throne-room with a sword. So this is one Pastime arranged by the Gopies, and there is nice feasting, dancing and singing on account of the coronation of Srimati Radharani.

              You have asked about my traveling schedule, and I shall see if London will invite me, and if not, then I will return to Los Angeles at the utmost by the end of June.

            Please convey my blessings to all of the other devotees there with you in Los Angeles temple. I hope this will meet you in good health.

            Your ever well-wisher,

            A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

            NB: Enclosed is one letter received from Chidananda,  which you may read and do the needful.

            P.S. The Los Angeles consignment from Calcutta is dispatched on 10^th May 1969. Take delivery of the documents from Bank of America by the 10^th of June 1969 or enquire.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-Servant of the Servant-The West Coast Days-Preaching in Separation-Tamala Krsna Goswami

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Srila Prabhupada had always warned that sex life was the root cause Srila Prabhupada said of material existence. I certainly wanted to avoid entanglement with women, but it was not easy, especially as in the course of managing I was often forced to deal with the brahmacarinis. I did not want to be mithyacara, a false pretender, and in this respect I had approached Prabhupada proposing that perhaps it would be better for me to get married. But the proposal had not met with much enthusiasm from Srila Prabhupada, who remained silent as I made my suggestion. Then with utmost gravity, Prabhupada had very directly asked, "Are you interested to preach Krsna consciousness?" "Of course I am," was my immediate response. "Then you had better forget this idea," Srila Prabhupada had replied, and the matter had ended abruptly there. I felt relieved, thinking that Srila Prabhupada had saved me from a great mistake which would surely have hindered my preaching.

In reading this latest letter, I felt certain I would be among Prabhupada's choice of sannyasi candidates. Kirtanananda Swami was the only sannyasi in our entire movement, and I had never met him. But I knew that being a sannyasi meant turning one's back forever on the idea of having a relationship with a woman. It would have to be a resolute decision, one which could never be reversed. If one associated with women as a brahmacari, then there was the possibility of marriage, but once taking the vow of sannyasa, such an alternative was no longer available. Therefore the decision had to be very carefully considered, lest in a premature state of mind a hasty conclusion was reached. That would certainly lead to fall-down. I decided to discuss the matter with my senior Godbrother Brahmananda, upon whom Prabhupada depended so heavily in all the affairs of our East Coast temples.

I learned from Brahmananda that Srila Prabhupada had already approached him with this proposal, but Brahmananda had thought it best to wait. Later, upon his return to Los Angeles, Srila Prabhupada actually raised the question directly to me. I explained that as my older Godbrother Brahmananda dasa wished to wait for some time, I thought that this would also be the best course for me to follow. Knowing this to be an important decision, Srila Prabhupada accepted my answer and did not pursue the matter any further.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

It was time to visit San Francisco. Upon arrival I immediately sensed that things had deteriorated. Gone was the enthusiasm of one year earlier, when every day was a new adventure in preaching. The few devotees left had maintained the daily lunch program, but they no longer went out to perform sankirtana. As a result, attendance at the temple was poor-only a few burned-out hippies. Seeing this state of affairs made me very unhappy.

I decided to cross over to Berkeley, where two devotees, Dina-dayalu and Makhanalala, were attempting to establish a preaching centre in the university section of town. San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley are situated together on the San Francisco Bay. But whereas San Francisco and Oakland are large, multifaceted cities with important commercial and industrial developments, Berkeley has retained the atmosphere of a small college town. The large University of California campus, with its forty thousand students, together with considerably more pleasant weather than its two sister cities, has always attracted a youthful population.

I found Dina-dayalu and Makhanalala preparing a large feast, assisted by a few friendly college students. Without any permanent location, they were holding programs in sympathetic persons' homes, much as we had done with Prabhupada when we had no temple in Los Angeles. The atmosphere was full of excitement. They explained that each day they had been preparing a large feast from donated food-stuffs, and before the feast they would bold a kirtana procession down the main street and onto the university campus.

When their cooking was completed we went outside and, playing mrdanga and karatalas, began the street procession. Within a short time there were more than one hundred persons following, enthusiastically chanting and dancing with us in anticipation of the feast which was to follow. Dina-dayalu directed me to lead the kirtana to Telegraph Avenue, now crowded with thousands of students on their lunch break. Gradually we made our way to the campus. It was lunch hour, and the authorities made no objection as we moved along through the spacious grounds into the woods which formed a part of the campus. There, in a very idyllic setting, Makhanalala, who had somehow managed to bring the large cooking pots filled with food-stuffs, directed the distribution of the feast. While he did this, Dina-dayalu gave a short talk, presenting Krsna consciousness in a style particularly appealing to the youthful crowd.

I was very impressed. Here were two young devotees alone organizing a wonderful program. And they were doing it each day! They had not had the benefit of Srila Prabhupada's personal training, as we so fortunately had in Los Angeles. There was no Deity worship, no large temple facility, nor any regular classes. But they were enthusiastic to spread Krsna consciousness to others-the essence of Lord Caitanya's movement. It was a striking contrast to the devotees in San Francisco. In a way, they each had what the other lacked: in San Francisco there was regulated temple life, while Berkeley had an enthusiastic sankirtana mood. Knowing the importance of both, I encouraged the two groups to work together, especially for the forthcoming Ratha-yatra celebration. Together we formulated plans to make the festival a grand success. When I left, I sent Srila Prabhupada a report of my visit and concluded by mentioning the devotees' resolution to cooperate together for organizing the Ratha-yatra festival.

Moundsville, West Virginia, May 23^rd  1969

Srila Prabhupada said:

            My Dear Tamal Krishna,

            Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 17^th 1969, and I am so glad to learn that your presence in San Francisco has not only settled up the tension, but also has improved the conditions. Krishna is gradually giving you power to serve Him more and more nicely, and thus you are one of the future strong pillars of the society. Your idea for training preachers in Los Angeles and my staying there is already approved. Most probably, if I do not go to Europe, I shall rectum there by the end of June. In the meantime I shall be glad to know what is the position of your finding out a better place. I do not know whether or not Kartikeya has arrived there yet in San Francisco, but it is understood that he has left Hawaii.

            The Rathayatra Festival program as suggested by you to invite many new people is very encouraging. Please do it very seriously, and make San Francisco a perfect New Jagannath Puri. I think it will not be difficult because in San Francisco there are many nice devotees such as Dindayal, Chidananda, Makhanlal, as well as new devotees, such as Ojasvi and Devaprastha. The devotee more or less depends on his transcendental enthusiasm, patience and firm conviction. These things will surely help him to reach perfection. Since I have come to New Vrindaban I have not received any new letter from you, but your letter encourages me, so please send one weekly to me. Your proposal to open a centre in Laguna Beach is also very nice. You have to open so many centres in the future, so I wish that Krishna may give you a long life to discharge this duty. I hope this will meet you in good health.

            Your ever well-wisher.

            A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

            P.S. How T.L.C. is selling?

            I have just now received your most recent letter, and I thank you very much for it. The most important point is about the lawyer, and I think you may take advantage of his service if you think he will actually grant us the desired status in Los Angeles. I am very pleased with your schemes for spreading Krishna Consciousness on the West Coast, and I think you should manage organization of our propaganda work on the West Coast. I am sending by separate post a very excellent picture which Murlidhar may paint and which may be used for the next Festival, Dadhibhanda. Hope you are well. ACB

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Srila Prabhupada had given San Francisco the name New Jagannatha Puri, in honour of the appearance of a small Deity of Lord Jagannatha discovered by Syamasundara's wife, Malati, while browsing through a curio shop. Prabhupada himself had worshiped Lord Jagannatha in his childhood, when along with his young friends Srila Prabhupada said he had celebrated the cart festival commemorating the Lord's ride to the sea accompanied by His brother, Balarama, and sister, Subhadra. Now it was Prabhupada's desire that Jagan-natha Ratha-yatra be observed as an annual function by the entire city of San Francisco, just as in the original home of Lord Jagannatha at Puri. Under Prabhupada's supervision the devotees had thus far held two Ratha-yatra festivals. To prepare for the festival was an intense endeavour for all the devotees, who by pleasing Lord Jagannatha received His magnanimous blessings in reciprocation of their devotional service. And the public at large was also able to share in this mercy by having darsana of the Lord's transcendental form as His traveling cart passed through the city streets. The Ratha-yatra festival had proven to be a wonderful way to attract new devotees and bring thousands of people into contact with our movement, and now the devotees in San Francisco were inspired by Srila Prabhupada to feel that observing Ratha-yatra very grandly was their special duty.

Spreading Krsna consciousness is the personal desire of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, who directly guide the bona fide acaryas in finding the ways and means to establish eternal religion. Programs established by the spiritual master may not always seem productive, causing the disciples to doubt the value of a particular activity. Especially after the spiritual master disappears, the devotees might altogether neglect a particular program established during the spiritual master's lifetime, thinking that due to changing times, a particular instruction may no longer be applicable. However, in the Krsna consciousness movement we must always be on guard lest such faulty mentality develops. By disobeying the spiritual master's instructions, one commits the offense of considering him an ordinary person. For the disciple, the order of his spiritual master is eternal and does not depend on time or circumstance. A sincere disciple must make every endeavour to carry out the plans of his spiritual master, even if he cannot understand the purpose. Advancement in Krsna consciousness depends on pleasing one's spiritual master-this principle is the essence of all Vedic injunctions. Some of the guru's instructions are meant for all of his disciples, while others may be given individually. In either case, each devotee should cling to such instructions as the very means of connection with his spiritual master and thereby with Krsna. One who gives up such orders disconnects himself and thereby commits spiritual suicide.

  In the above letter we see Srila Prabhupada's concern for his servant Karttikeya, who left Hawaii without permission. The spiritual master is always anxious for his disciples to continue the service they are entrusted with. On a larger scale, his concern is to see that the great endeavor he has made during his lifetime may not become dismantled on account of his disciples' neglect. Sincere disciples should work faithfully to carry out every instruction of their spiritual master and thus reassure him that such neglect will never take place, even after his departure.

A perfect example of such a sincere disciple was Jayananda dasa. Although a college graduate, Jayananda had been willing to drive a taxi-cab all day long, knowing that supporting the San Francisco temple was pleasing Srila Prabhupada. When he understood that Prabhupada's strong desire was to expand the sankirtana movement, without hesitation be gave up his position as temple president to become the sankirtana party driver. It was also with Jayananda's help that Prabhupada was able to publish the Teachings of Lord Caitanya: Jayananda financed the printing with his life savings, which he gave as his guru-daksina. After the book was printed, Srila Prabhupada gave half of the copies to Jayananda, with the instruction that he personally sell them. This was actually the most important work, and he gave it to his most sincere disciple. Up to that time, no one besides Srila Prabhupada had seriously attempted to sell big books. In New York City, Prabhupada had personally sold his Bhagavatams by going store to store; other than this, the daily sankirtana parties sold only Back to Godheads.

With complete faith in the words of his spiritual master, Jayananda took up the task with fixed determination. Each day he would go out alone, sometimes in Los Angeles and sometimes driving hundreds of miles to other cities, to place a few books in each book shop he found. It was not unusual for Jayananda to spend an entire day selling only one or two books, yet he never became discouraged, nor did he ever complain of any difficulties. While the other devotees enjoyed constant association with each other, Jayananda's service required that he go out alone. But he felt no loneliness, having his spiritual master's order as his constant companion. The scriptures state that there is no distinction between the spiritual master and his instructions, and it was this realization that enabled Jayananda, an ideal disciple, to attain perfection.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

The many Vaisnava festivals described by Srila Prabhupada were opportunities to attract the local population by introducing them to the Vedic culture in a very pleasant way. To celebrate Dadhibhanda, we recreated the pastime of the gopis churning butter by fashioning a large churning pot out of a ten-gallon steel milk container. Each guest took turns working the churning rod, and at the end we all enjoyed eating the fresh butter after it was offered to Krsna. For another festival, Naukadhihara, Visnujana and his assistants made beautiful puppets to depict the pastime of Radha and Krsna in Their flower house. The puppet stage was constructed within a latticed framework, and as a part of the play, the guests were invited to help make Krsna's flower house by covering the latticework with fresh roses picked from our garden. The beauty of Radha and Krsna within Their flower house was so captivating that everyone completely forgot They were simple puppets. Even Srila Prabhupada, when He received photographs of the occasion, could not stop looking at how beautiful They were. He was so much appreciative that he sent one picture to be used as the front cover for Back to Godhead magazine. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura had described that by making dolls to depict the philosophy of Krsna consciousness, thousands of persons could be attracted, so Srila Prabhupada must have been especially pleased to receive these photos, taking them as a confirmation of the blessings of his Guru Maharaja. His next letter further encouraged our various preaching programs.

Moundsville, West Virginia, June 1^st 1969

Srila Prabhupada said:

            My Dear Tamal Krishna,

            Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 28^th 1969, and I am glad to note that our temple activities are effecting good results. The boys and girls from the neighbourhood are coming to help the temple activities is the good result of our attempts. The temple centre is started just to present example to the neighbouring residents how they can make a small temple in each and every home. It is not necessary that hundreds and thousands of people will live in our temple, but if we can make effective propaganda, then the neighbouring residents, householders, will be inclined to be initiated and follow the modes of temple life. So you encourage the visitors, boys and girls as well as married couples, to understand the value of life and how they can peacefully and happily live if they follow the routine worship method in the temple and establish this in their home to be happy in all respects. Krishna Consciousness Movement is actually an attempt to make all people happy generally and, becoming liberated in this life from material contamination, they'll be thus eligible to enter into the Kingdom of God after quitting this body.

            I am very glad to know that one rich Indian, Mr Raj Anand, is prepared to contribute some money for our temple activities. Of course your idea that when I go I shall talk with him and get some big contribution from the Indian community is all right. But my mission will be more successful if the Americans construct a temple, although we have no distinction as to American or Indian; anyone can do it. The best thing will be that since you are trying for a better place, why not try to purchase a nice church if it is available, or a big land within reach of the city with some old hutments. If you find such a place, then you can ask the Indian gentleman to pay for the down payment amount, which may be 10 or 20 thousand dollars. Then we will arrange for the monthly payments. Or if you think it best to wait until my arrival and then hold a meeting of the Indians, making him the chief guest, that is also a nice idea.

            Your idea of using the Moose Ball is also very nice. During the Rathayatra Ceremony, you invite Mrs Sumitra Sarkar, who last year reported our Rathayatra Ceremony to India. She is the daughter of the editor of Jugantar, an important paper in Calcutta. I think you should invite her in some Los Angeles Festival also. Her present address is: Barnes 3/G, Escondido Village, Stanford, California 94305. If you keep good relationship with this lady, she can help us reporting nicely about our activities. If our Los Angeles people see her for reviewing our books in the Indian papers, that will be also nice. Her great-grandfather, Mahatma Sisir Kumar Ghosh was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya, and their whole family is in favour of Sankirtan Movement. So if you can establish a little intimacy with this lady, she can help us in many ways.

            The program with Allen Ginsberg sounds very nice, because when Mr Ginsberg and myself were present in the Ohio State University, it was a grand success. The assembly was more than one thousand people, but you say that you will take a place which can accommodate five thousand people, so it will be a great grand success. I have seen the pictures of your recent Festival, and it is very, very nice. I have enjoyed the pictures so nicely that I am looking always to them; although I have seen three, four times, still I am not satisfied. It is very nice. In all Festivals, if you make such puppet show, then you will be able to attract so many people. Anyway, I can understand things are going very nicely in your temple, and Krishna is giving you good intelligence. So I wish that you will live for hundred years and execute this Krishna Consciousness Movement so that in this very life you shall enter into the Abode of Krishna. As soon as one's service is recognized by Krishna, he is immediately called, "Please come here." That is the verdict of the Vedic literature. So we should work in such a nice way that we can draw the attention of Krishna to call us. You will find in Bhagavad Gita that everyone who takes the task of preaching Krishna Consciousness is the dear most devotee of the Lord.

              Please convey my blessings to the others. I hope this will meet you in good health.

            Your ever well-wisher,

            A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

            P.S. Keep extra money in savings a/c.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

It was not expected that all of our guests would renounce their homes and jobs to take up residence in the temple. The temple was meant to be a training centre, where they could learn to practice a Krsna conscious life-style, later transferring this experience into their own homes. In Krsna's birthplace, Vrndavana, the ideal place for executing devotional service, there are over five thousand temples, most of which are in private homes. The gosvami disciples of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu constructed the main temples, and seeing their example, generations of their followers established all the others. Srila Prabhupada once explained that our mission of Krsna consciousness should be propagated in three phases. The first Srila Prabhupada said is to establish a temple in every school, then in every factory, and finally in every home. Worship of the Deity assures regulated human activities; but it must not be done whimsically, and therefore one must learn to follow the standards as practiced at a parampara temple. After assimilating the process, one can take initiation and establish the same process within one's home. However, continued affiliation with the temple is still necessary for receiving the association of advanced devotees, which is the most essential element in progressive spiritual life.

As we attempted to carry out Srila Prabhupada's instructions, our preaching activities bore visible results, making the once-adequate temple facilities no longer sufficient to meet our ever-increasing needs. When I had visited one of the guests, an Indian gentleman, at his office, he had made a pledge to give a regular monthly donation. He had advised that I approach the other Indians to raise the funds to acquire a large temple. But Srila Prabhupada was not very impressed with this idea. His Divine Grace wrote, "My mission would be more successful if the Americans construct a temple." Lord Caitanya's mission was meant for the whole world, and Srila Bhaktivinoda had predicted that His teachings would be accepted by the people of all nations and races. Certainly help of Prabhupada's fellow countrymen was welcome, but Krsna consciousness would have to be taken up by the local population if it was to become deeply rooted and survive. Before coming to America, Prabhupada had tried to induce his country-men to take up Krsna consciousness full time, but years of effort had produced little result. While the Indian people were mostly interested to follow the example of the West, the American boys and girls were eager to receive the valuable treasure which he had come to distribute. If Westerners would take up Krsna consciousness, then the Indians would automatically follow. Prabhupada had come from India without any following or wealth, nor any other means of subsistence, but Krsna had blessed him with all that be required to push forward his movement. Preachers of Krsna consciousness must have this faith, that because they are doing Krsna's work, He will arrange for all their necessities from whatever is available in the place where they are preaching. The real success of their preaching mission will be realized when they are forced to transform the local environment to Krsna consciousness.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Not that Srila Prabhupada was in any way neglectful of his duty to the Indian people. They were especially fortunate to be born in the land where Krsna and numerous incarnations, as well as all the great acaryas, had chosen to appear. Even the most common man in India has the basic knowledge of transmigration and the continued existence of the soul beyond the changing body. While Prabhupada wanted the Americans to take up this movement locally, the Indians also had an important role to play in Lord Caitanya's mission.

bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara

janma-sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara

"One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [Bharata-varsa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all people." (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi: 9:41)

Prabhupada instructed me to visit one Indian lady and invite her to the forthcoming Ratha-yatra ceremony. Her great-grandfather had been a devout follower of Lord Caitanya and an intimate friend of Bhaktivinoda Thakura. And because she was the daughter of an important newspaper editor in India, her favourable review of the festival would automatically be propagated throughout the Indian sub-continent. Prabhupada wanted Krsna consciousness to be spread throughout India. Particularly, he had a plan Srila Prabhupada said to develop the holy places of Vrndavana and Mayapur, not only for the people of India, but for devotees throughout the world. He therefore asked me to extend an invitation to her in this letter. Years later, when I went to India, I got the opportunity to meet with this lady's family, and in 1980, one of her family members, a devotee of Lord Caitanya and well-known statesman of India, came to visit me in Houston. He was overwhelmed to see the opulent worship offered to Gaura and Nitai by the American boys and girls and was very pleased to take part in the arati ceremony.

Prabhupada was praying to Krsna for my advancement in Krsna consciousness. On my part, I simply wanted to assist him in spreading his movement. As he quoted from the Gita, one who takes to the path of preaching Krsna consciousness becomes very dear to Lord Krsna. Krsna reciprocates whatever service is offered to Him, but He especially recognizes those who sacrifice their life to preach on His behalf. This was the single, most important feature which distinguished Srila Prabhupada from all the other disciples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta-his overwhelming desire to please his Guru Maharaja by preaching. He told us how Srila Bhaktisiddhanta would become so enthusiastic when one of his disciples distributed even a few pieces of literature.