srila prabhupada said...!!!

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Prabhupada arrived at Jan Smuts Airport, Johannesburg, at midday. The welcome at the airport was much more relaxed than on his arrival in Durban. Prabhupada flew from Durban on a domestic flight with South African Airways, accompanied by Pusta Krsna Swami on one side and Harikesa on the other.

A proud Mr Rasikbhai Parekh and friend greeted Prabhupada with a beautiful garland and walked by his side. Ramanujacarya led a chanting party that included Rocani, Bhaktin Gail and Bhakta Mike, while I scattered flower petals before Srila Prabhupada's path.

As Srila Prabhupada was walking through the terminal, two young hippies appeared and prostrated themselves on the floor before His Divine Grace. Although I had no idea who they were, they evidently acted in all humility. Most likely they had read some of Prabhupada's books and knew us from our former ISKCON centre in Cape Town years before.

On the forecourt outside, apparently unnoticed, our hired car was parked in the area reserved for dignitaries. It was a bright yellow Mercedes -- ideal for chauffeuring Prabhupada during his stay. It was not like Durban where they were very particular about such things.

As soon as His Divine Grace stepped onto the forecourt, a white police officer saluted and respectfully opened the car door for him. It was all quite impromptu. Carrying the authority of an emperor, Srila Prabhupada's auspicious presence went beyond race and bigotry. It was apparent that this was something that even the police officer could understand, and in doing so he became blessed. Gokulendra then chauffeured Prabhupada to the temple.

On arrival at 59 Muller Street in Yeoville, Johannesburg, Pusta Krsna Swami bathed Srila Prabhupada's feet, while Partha-sarathi offered a very devotional puja to Prabhupada as one by one we offered flower petals and prostrated obeisances. Afterwards, Srila Prabhupada gave a short lecture which was followed by an ecstatic kirtana.

In Johannesburg, Srila Prabhupada's tour was less intense. He was able to concentrate more on his translation work and correspondence with his disciples. Pusta Krsna relates:

Working in the capacity of Srila Prabhupada's secretary during his visit to South Africa, I would read the letters addressed to him and type out his reply for signing. Srila Prabhupada was very meticulous about his correspondence. He read all his mail and gave a reply to almost every letter he received. He was always giving guidance and encouragement. He read each and every one of his letters prior to signing them, making corrections or additions. I would also transcribe the translation work that Srila Prabhupada had done the night before.

Srila Prabhupada would rise at any time from 12.30 a.m. to 2.00 a.m. to translate the Srimad-Bhagavatam and give his purports. The secretary would transcribe these tapes daily and clarify various points with Srila Prabhupada that day, so that the work did not accumulate. Transcribing three or four hours of translation work took many, many hours of secretarial work.

For Pusta Krsna, taking on the role of Srila Prabhupada's secretary was no ordinary task. This affords a glimpse of the responsibility and endless tasks which were carried out behind the scenes. Besides receiving so many direct instructions from Srila Prabhupada, Pusta Krsna was also taught many practical things.

Once, in a jovial mood, he taught Pusta Krsna and Harikesa how to make toothpaste. It consisted of calcium carbonate, wintergreen, salt and mustard oil. After it was made Pusta Krsna was asked to try it. Dutifully he brushed his teeth with the mixture, and when Srila Prabhupada asked Pusta Krsna how it was, he remarked laughingly that it was all right, but difficult to wash out of the toothbrush!

Srila Prabhupada held back his laughter, but his delight was obvious. It no doubt reminded him of earlier days when he managed a pharmaceutical laboratory and marketed such things.

Pusta Krsna Swami recorded some of the morning walks, classes and darsanas. He was Srila Prabhupada's right-hand man, which meant he was kept very, very busy. It was a demanding schedule. He was also given the responsibility of giving Srila Prabhupada his morning massage. The massage was performed daily prior to Prabhupada's taking a shower in the late morning, just before lunch. He had massaged Srila Prabhupada in Los Angeles and in New Vrindavan in 1972, so he had some experience with the technique and knew the sequence that Prabhupada preferred. Pusta Krsna remembers:

He liked his massage to be done firmly. He once said to me, "Massage means hard!" He always said that massages were good for his circulation.

Massaging the spiritual master is no ordinary activity, and one must have had to accumulate masses of pious credits from many previous lives before being allowed that privilege. Here we can enter into some understanding of that concept. Pusta Krsna explains:

I massaged his head first and used a small amount of sandalwood oil. I sat behind him. Srila Prabhupada would sometimes close his eyes and remain silent, or sometimes become very animated and talkative. I used mustard-seed oil on the rest of his body. I then massaged his back and shoulders, then his arms, one after another, from shoulders to fingers, and then one and then the other leg. His "lotus" feet were very soft and amazing to have in my hands. I knew that for all devotees this was the highest object of worship, and yet I learned from Srila Prabhupada that worship of the lotus feet of the spiritual master was through humble service only.

I felt that Srila Prabhupada was befriending me and he seemed to like me. I tried to maintain a mood of awe and reverence towards him, in keeping with my personality and my relationship with him. However, I always tried to pray to Krsna and to Srila Prabhupada to be accepted as a fully surrendered soul.

Srila Prabhupada's skin was soft and smooth. He had a natural effulgence or aura that his disciples knew very well. And his very presence commanded respect and love. Devotees loved Srila Prabhupada according to their degree of surrender. To the surrendered soul, Srila Prabhupada's presence elicited love. In the un-surrendered rascals, Srila Prabhupada caused fear to arise, for his presence meant an end to their cheating Krsna. Being very close to Srila Prabhupada was like coming near a blazing fire. If one were puffed up, proud or arrogant, one's false ego would immediately be burned up and extinguished. If one was very surrendered, he felt that the greatest joy of service was to see to the needs of gurudeva, Srila Prabhupada.

As his servant and secretary, I experienced all these things. I also learned that it is not very easy or cheap to be a disciple of any spiritual teacher, what to speak of Srila Prabhupada, an empowered representative of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai, who had been designated to spread the holy names throughout the entire world. This led me to understand that one must always feel very unqualified to serve the Lord or His representative. We must always consider ourselves to be aspiring servants lest we become proud, even of our being "humble" servants.

This pride is a great impediment on the path of devotional service. Pure devotion is completely untainted by any desire for self-aggrandisement. I could fully understand the mercy I had received in being allowed to do personal service, and I'm sure that I was never worthy of that grace.

Each day after the morning walk on the Yeoville golf course, Srila Prabhupada would give Srimad-Bhagavatam class in the temple-room. The Deities, Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai, stood on the small altar that we had made, with one arm raised and one lowered. They were cared for mostly by Partha-sarathi, our resident pujari. He had a very dutiful, sweet and innocent nature. Each evening, and at the Sunday programme, Srila Prabhupada would preach in the temple-room, hold darsana in his room or sit on a chair on the front lawn of the temple with the devotees.

In Johannesburg at our temple, the association with Srila Prabhupada was very intimate. In fact, on several occasions we were all seated around His Divine Grace in his room, informally asking questions. He treated us in a very fatherly way.

One day I approached Prabhupada privately, taking the liberty of entering his room quietly without an appointment. Nevertheless, he acknowledged my presence as I offered my obeisances. Having something on my mind, I wanted to reveal it in confidence.

I said, reluctantly, "Prabhupada, in the scriptures it is stated that one should be the servant of the servant of the servant. But when we hear that older disciples and leaders who are our authorities are not following the principles properly, how can I be a servant of the servant?"

Srila Prabhupada appeared very grave, giving me a look that was deeply penetrating. I felt as if he was looking right through me -- now I was the one under scrutiny! Prabhupada spoke, "So are you following?"

I felt as if he could see all my faults just by looking at me. "Yes, Srila Prabhupada," I said.

Prabhupada then said, "Actually, trust no one. Trust and follow Krsna only, and you will never be let down!" I then left the room quietly. Although I felt awkward in asking such a question, now my mind was put at ease.

The devotees had the opportunity to serve and hear from Srila Prabhupada without the crowds that invariably followed him. The brahmacari asrama was converted into Srila Prabhupada's room for his stay. The white and orange tiles on the floor were our trade mark! When the house was rented, Pusta Krsna remembers:

We laid these tiles down throughout the entire house, thinking them more suitable than the existing flooring. I was really amazed that our orthodox Jewish landlord permitted this. He was very tolerant of our activities at all times. I remember there was a fruit-tree in the yard that had a branch extending too far, that interfered with parking in the driveway. He said that Jewish law prohibited cutting the branch of a fruit-bearing tree. His sensitivity and maturity favourably impressed me.

In any case, I recall that we would go outside at the back of the house on the cement walkway, and I would give Srila Prabhupada his morning massage in the sunshine. Although the sun was shining, it was still a little chilly.

During one such massage, Srila Prabhupada said in a matter-of-fact way, "None of my disciples has arranged a car for me in India."

"Do you want me to get you a car?" I asked.

Srila Prabhupada said, "Yes." So I told him that I would.

After Srila Prabhupada's departure, the South African yatra purchased a brand-new Mercedes-Benz diesel saloon. It was at the low end of the range and all we could afford. The car was maroon with matching gold vinyl interior. We made the down payment on it in South Africa and paid the rest in Stuttgart, West Germany, where we picked up the car at the Mercedes factory in February of 1976. Pusta Krsna recalls:

Riddha dasa, Isvara dasa and I drove overland in the harshness of winter to Mayapura, India, covering almost 7,000 miles in 10 days. We drove day and night except for a few hours to take rest. The journey took us through West Germany, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, the Kybher Pass in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and into and across India through Amritsar, Kurukshetra, Delhi, Benares, Allahabad (Prayag), Calcutta and finally Mayapura.

Driving through Turkey was extremely dangerous in the winter. Literally hundreds of trucks had run off the road in the freezing ice and dense fog. The weather was so cold that the diesel fuel froze up in the engine whilst actually driving! That night we were stranded on an isolated mountain road leading to Ezarim, eastern Turkey, not far from Iran. The temperature must have been thirty below zero. With the engine dead and no car heater, it got to the point where we thought we were going to freeze to death on this desolate highway.

About half an hour later, a vehicle came by, driven by locals. They spoke no English, but somehow or other we negotiated a reasonable price for them to tow our car (fortunately they had a chain suitable for towing) the ten miles or so into Ezarim. This saved our lives. I knew that such a miracle could only be the arrangement of Krsna and we depended on Krsna at every step of our journey.

Srila Prabhupada was very pleased with his new and personal car. The South African yatra was small and had a significant debt to the BBT in Los Angeles for the sankirtana books. It was undoubtedly a burden on the small group of devotees in South Africa, but it was Srila Prabhupada's desire and instruction that we buy him this vehicle for his preaching work in India. We did, and he was most satisfied with that.

* * *

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-Mission in Service of His Divine Grace-Johannesburg, 14^th October 1975-Riddha Dasa Adhikari

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Srila Prabhupada was interviewed by Mr Lambert Pringle, a religion reporter on The Star, a Johannesburg newspaper, on the subject of a misdirected society. A transcript is given below.

Reporter: Your Grace, can I start by asking you what do you think of South Africa?

Prabhupada: That you can reply. Just to preach this cult, Krsna consciousness. I was expected since a long time. So I could not come here due to my other engagements.

Reporter: Yes. What are your views of the country? What do you think of it?

Prabhupada: Every country is all right. I don't find any fault. But only difficulty is that all over the world the civilisation is being misdirected.

Reporter: Misguided?

Prabhupada: Misdirected. They are not taking importance of the right thing. Just like we are in this body. Now, when the body is dead, we cry that, "My father is gone away. My son is gone away." But if I reply that, "Your father is lying on the bed. Why you're crying that your father has gone away?" What will be the reply? The father whom the son has seen since his birth, that body in the coat and pant, so that coat-pant and body is there on the bed, and why the son is crying, "My father has gone away"? What is the reply? What should be the reply?

Reporter: Well, I know what I would reply. I don't know what you would reply.

Prabhupada: No, I want what is your reply.

Reporter: My reply would be that he hasn't gone, that he's gone to God.

Prabhupada: He . . . ? He has not seen his father. That is my reply. Now, the person whom he accepted as his father, he is lying there on the bed. And now he is crying that "My father has gone." That means he has not seen his father. So this is going on. The whole world movement is on the basic principle of that living force which makes the body so important. Either a politician or a philosopher or a scientist, so long the living force is there, the body is important. And as such, the living force is gone, then it is simply a lump of matter. So we are taking care of this lump of matter, not of the living force. This is the mistake of the whole civilisation. We do not know what is that living force . . . Therefore I say the whole civilisation is being misdirected. They do not know what is the important factor in civilisation.

Reporter: If I asked you to give the people who will read my article a message . . .

Prabhupada: This is my message, that the whole civilisation is misdirected, giving importance on the body, but the living force within the body, he does not know anything about.

Reporter: But what message would you give to people in terms of helping people, perhaps, to live better lives?

Prabhupada: Yes. But if the basic principle is wrong, then all their plans for becoming happy are also wrong. So he does not know what is the important factor. So when he comes to know that he is not this body, he is spirit soul, he studies what is the nature of the spirit soul, what is the necessity of the spirit soul -- then he becomes happy.

If he is under misconception . . . Suppose if I take you, Mr Pringle, as the coat, and I take care of the coat and not of you, person, then is that very good proposal? So that is going on. They are taking care of the shirt and coat, not the person who is putting on the shirt and coat. This is the mistake of the modern civilisation.

And the Krsna consciousness movement is an attempt to correct it, therefore we have got so many books. We are trying to distribute, enlighten people. This is our business. Then people will be happy. Unless one who knows, "What I am, and what is my business, what is my aim of life," then how he can be happy? Just like a dog is jumping here and there, here and there, but he does not know what is the aim of life, so if we do not come to the spiritual platform, that we remain animal like cats and dogs, then what is the civilisation of cats and dogs?

If you keep the dogs as dog and if you ask some of them to come together and make a peace formula, is it possible the dogs will be able to make any peace formula? Because they are dogs they will go on barking, that's all. So we are attempting so many peace formulas, but we are keeping the consciousness on the body exactly like the dog and therefore there is no peace. There cannot be any peace. First of all you must come to the real platform, the living force. "What is that spirit soul? What is the necessity? What is the aim?" That you do not know.

Reporter: Your Grace, a great many of South Africa's church leaders from some of the big churches are fearful that South Africa is going to find itself in a situation, or find . . . What message would you give this country in terms of avoiding any . . .

Prabhupada: No, I am going to every country because everywhere the same mistake is going on, bodily concept of life. So I am trying to bring them to the real life and then make their plan. They will be happy. It is not for South Africa, for any part of Africa, or any country, South America or South India or anywhere. The problem is the same.

Everywhere the same conception: "I am South African. I am American. I am Indian. I am this. I am that." So all these things are on the bodily concept of life. Nobody says, "No, I am not this body. I am different from body." Nobody says. We are simply preaching that, "You are not this body. You are different from this . . ." That is our unique situation. Perhaps throughout the whole world we are trying to preach that, "You are not this body. You are different from body." And we have not manufactured this idea. This is the instruction in the Bhagavad Gita. Bhagavad Gita, the first teaching is:

dehino 'smin yatha dehe

kaumaram yauvanam jara

tatha dehantara-praptir

dhiras tatra na muhyati

[Bhagavad-gita As It Is: 2:13]

This is the first instruction. Just like in the body of a child the spirit soul is there. Therefore the child is becoming a boy, and the boy is becoming a young man. Young man is becoming old man. Then what is the next? Then the old man must have next body. This is very simple logic. Now . . . but I am the same. I was also a baby. I was a boy. I remember, but the body is no longer existing. I am existing. I know that I had such and such body. So therefore the conclusion is that after annihilation of this body, I will exist in another body, tatha dehantara-praptir.

So who knows this science? And there are 8,400,000 forms of body. What kind of or what form of body I am going to get next? Where is that science? So we are teaching by Krsna consciousness movement all these things, not only theoretically but with scientific knowledge, philosophy, everything. You can see our . . . We have got fifty books of four hundred, five hundred pages each. We are teaching only about Krsna consciousness.

Reporter: Your Grace, what stops so many people from becoming Krsna devotees?

Prabhupada: Join this, our centre. You come here; you'll become Krsna devotee, just like these boys. They are not imported from India. They are European, American, and South African. You are South African?

Reporter: British.

Prabhupada: British. And who is South African?

Pusta Krsna: They're South Africans.

Prabhupada: So we welcome everyone, African, South African, North African.

Reporter: What stops so many millions of people from doing it?

Prabhupada: Well, knowledge means it is meant for few men. If you want men without any university degree, you will get many thousands. But as soon as [you] say, "We want graduate," it will be minimised. Or as soon as you say, "postgraduate," it will be [further] minimised. So as soon as there is question of knowledge, the number of people will be diminished. So we cannot expect mass of people. But if there are good persons, exemplified person, vivid example, that will help the whole society -- there is ideal class. They know everything.

Reporter: You're going to be delivering two addresses next week at one of our biggest universities.

Prabhupada: That he [Pusta Krsna] knows.

Pusta Krsna: Monday and Wednesday. It would be nice if you would mention that in your article.

Reporter: Yes, I will. But I want to know what will you tell the people.

Prabhupada: These things in different way that, come to your pure knowledge and make your plan. Then you will be happy. And if your basic principle is wrong, then whatever plan you make, it is useless.

Reporter: Yes. But, you see, the thing that worries me is that how do people begin to understand that their basic principle might be wrong?

Prabhupada: Just as one goes to a school and gradually he understands what is one, what is two, what is three, what is two plus two equal to four, how to place. It is a question of learning, education.

Reporter: But this doesn't affect the man in the street, Your Grace.

Prabhupada: Huh?

Reporter: This doesn't affect the masses.

Pusta Krsna: The mass of people, he says it doesn't affect them.

Prabhupada: Mass of people will follow, yad yad acarati sresthas. Just like everywhere, in politics there is in one leader and people follow him, so we want first-class leader. Then mass will follow. If the leaders are rascals and fools, then what will be result? Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah. If the leader is blind, how he can help other blind men? His eyes must be open. Then he can lead thousands of blind men -- "Come here." And if he is himself blind, then how he can help? That is wanted. One blind man . . . One open-eyes man is sufficient to lead many thousands of blind men, but if the leaders are also blind, then it is useless. He must be in perfect knowledge. That is wanted.

We do not expect that mass of people will understand this philosophy. It is not possible. But at least the leaders, they must know how to lead people -- the father, the teachers, the government -- like that. Then people will follow.

Reporter: Well, thank you very much.

Prabhupada: Thank you. Hare Krsna. You have taken lunch? So, it is very important movement. Try to study, understand. And it is the duty of the pressmen, journalists, to propagate. They must know the first science of the living force within the body. That is the most important part Srila Prabhupada said.

* * *

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-Mission in Service of His Divine Grace-Johannesburg, 16^th October 1975-Riddha Dasa Adhikari

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Srila Prabhupada lectured partly to the Indian community. The Indian townships of the Transvaal such as in Lenasia and Laudium were quite extensive. An ecstatic lecture was given at Laudium Civic Centre hall in Pretoria. Like the devotees back at the temple, many of the Krsna bhaktas, such as Mr N. Patel and friends, were overwhelmed by the fact that a pure devotee of the Lord should come and grace their presence.

Some of Mr Patel's family had prepared all the free prasadam for distribution and many of those bhaktas prepared the hall throughout that day. Although the guests were familiar with pictures of Srila Prabhupada from his books, they had never seen him in person and, because of the congregation of Mr N. Patel's Hare Krishna Bhajan Group, many of them knew that Srila Prabhupada was no ordinary man. The Hindus asked challenging questions, but were satisfied by the answers that Srila Prabhupada gave and what Srila Prabhupada said.

As Srila Prabhupada left, he was surrounded by people trying to get his blessing. The devotees had to protect him as the crowd queued up to touch Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet. Three fortunate souls managed to do this: Mr N. Patel, his wife and their niece. As Srila Prabhupada went to his car, many of the crowd followed. He had simultaneously touched their hearts and sown the seeds of Krsna bhakti. Still, to this day, the community in Laudium is favourably disposed towards the devotees.

Prabhupada's daily activity was very intense and demanding because he was lecturing day and night, and rising very early, by 2 a.m., to translate. On this occasion, we had a very special blessing when Srila Prabhupada received some advance copies of the newly printed Caitanya-caritamrta from Los Angeles. He immediately began reading it.

In fact, Prabhupada requested Harikesa to read it out to him on the front lawn. Seated at his lotus feet, listening attentively, we were transported to the realm of Sri Caitanya lila. Although Srila Prabhupada appeared to be resting, he was totally immersed in the narrative.

We sat the whole afternoon, maybe four hours or more. The most amazing thing was that Prabhupada never flinched or moved his body. He was absolutely still, internally absorbed in Krsna consciousness.

* * *

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-Mission in Service of His Divine Grace-Pretoria, 18^th October 1975-Riddha Dasa Adhikari

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Srila Prabhupada sat reading a centre-spread article featuring himself in The Star newspaper with evident relish. The Star reporter had followed-up the interview with Srila Prabhupada four days previously, with what amounted to a glowing testimony to His Divine Grace and his mission to help people understand the science of God.

The laudatory article, which appeared in The Star on the morning of 20^th October, served as a fitting introduction to Prabhupada's lecture, which was due to take place that evening at Witwatersrand University.

* * *

The Great Hall auditorium at the University of Witwatersrand was one of the most prestigious locations that we had arranged for Srila Prabhupada. But his lecture also took us by surprise. Up till then, Srila Prabhupada had lectured on Bhagavad Gita without fail. We had advertised the Bhagavad Gita lecture on posters and leaflets all over the city.

That day an air-freight package had arrived from Los Angeles with the Fifth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srila Prabhupada was so focused that most of the day he had sat reading the new publication. He had smiled and laughed at the artistic plates in the book, illustrating the punishments suffered by sinful persons who harm devotees. Srila Prabhupada was so enlivened that he began the lecture in the hall that night by quoting from his new volume of Srimad-Bhagavatam. He explained that God-realisation could not be understood without performing austerity, as Rsabhadeva states in that work.

Prabhupada began preaching in such a fierce way it took us completely by surprise. The tension was rising. The lecture grew more and more intense up to a point where Prabhupada was like a lion roaring at the audience. He was insistent that the real meaning of yoga is to perform austerity, repeating this over and over again. He stressed how important it is to not carry on like cats and dogs. But then, like a bolt from the blue, Srila Prabhupada said, "This Black and White business is nonsense! It is the bodily concept of life."

As Srila Prabhupada said that, I broke out into a sweat, envisioning the police raiding the hall, which was packed predominately with Whites; there were over five hundred people present. As Prabhupada continued, I reflected on how Mohandas Gandhi was imprisoned in South Africa, in 1909, and numerous times subsequently, for his "passive resistance." However, Prabhupada knew time, place and circumstance. The talk was very appropriate for a mainly European audience.

The basic mood of the lecture was pertaining to Rsabhadeva and how he instructed his sons that human life is meant for austerities. He went on to explain how this human birth facilitates God-realisation, which distinguishes between human life and animal life. These very important points were the theme of his lecture. The following is a lightly edited version of that lecture.

rsabha uvaca

nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke

kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye

tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam

suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam

This is a verse, verse number one, Fifth Canto, fifth chapter, of Srimad-Bhagavatam. We are publishing Srimad-Bhagavatam, twelve cantos in sixty volumes, and this is the latest volume, just received today. Therefore I am taking advantage of this volume and reciting one verse. This is in connection with Rsabhadeva's instruction to His sons. Rsabhadeva was a king, and He had one hundred sons. Of all of them, the eldest was Maharaja Bharata, under whose name India is called Bharata-varsa since the time of Maharaja Bharata. So the instruction was being discussed amongst the royal family members.

Formerly all Vedic instructions were discussed amongst the very topmost class of men. Yad yad acarati sresthas . . . lokas tad anuvartate. That is the instruction in the Bhagavad Gita; 3:21. If the higher level class of men accepts something as truth, then the ordinary, common man follows that.

So the problem of life is discussed here by Rsabhadeva. He says, "My dear boys," nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye. Ayam. Ayam means "this," this body, this human form of body. It is also a body, and the dog's body is also a body, material body. It is also made of blood and bone and urine and stool and so many other things. The dog's body is also made of the same ingredients.

But what is the difference between dog's body and this human body? He advises, ayam deha: "This human form of body . . ."deha-bhajam nrloke. And where this body is obtained? It is obtained in the human society. This intelligent brain and good form of body, it is to be found in the human society. In the human society you will find from this body big, big professors, big, big philosophers, scientists, mathematicians and they are coming not from the dog society. That is not possible. Therefore it should be properly utilised. Nayam deho deha- bhajam nrloke. Nrloke means in human society. So how it should be utilised? He says, kastan kaman arhate, arhate vid-bhujam ye. Kastan. Kastan means very, very hard labour, kastan, and kaman means necessities of life we require. The necessities of this body, that is required. We want to eat something, we must have a shelter to live, bhagavata-bhaya, and we must defend from the enemies or from the attack of other living beings, kastan kaman. So we require all these things, but not very hard labour, working day and night. That is for the lower animal. Kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye. The animal is working very hard day and night for meeting their necessities of life.

The human form of life is not meant for that purpose. This is the basic principle of instruction, ayam deha. This deha, this body, is meant for higher purposes, not for simply meeting the necessities of life. This is the basic principle of instruction. They have no other way. The cats and dogs and hogs, they are working day and night where to find out some stool and eat it, and as soon as the body is filled, then sense gratification, sex life. This is going on in the lower class of animal life.

So does it mean that human life also will be utilised only for this purpose? No. That is his advice. "This is not meant for wasting our time and living like the lower animals, cats and dogs and hogs." Then what it is meant for? He says, tapo divyam: "My dear sons, this body is meant for tapo, austerity." Austerity. What is that austerity? Divyam, to realise God. That is the whole Vedic principle, that human body, human society should be trained intelligently in such a way that he can understand God. This is the goal of life. In the Vedanta-sutra . . . Those who are philosophically advanced, they might have studied the Vedanta-sutra or Brahma-sutra.

So the first aphorism of the Brahma-sutra is athato brahma-jijnasa: "Now this human form of life is there..." We have got it by the material nature's grace. There are 8,400,000 different forms of life -- transmigration or evolution, as you say.

jalaja nava-laksani

sthavara laksa-vimsati

krmayo rudra-sankhyakah

paksinam dasa-laksanam

[Padma Purana]

In this way there are aquatics, 900,000 different forms of life. And then, from aquatics to plants and trees, 2,000,000 forms. Then insects, different insects, 1,100,000. Then birds, 1,000,000 different forms. Then beasts, 3,000,000 different forms. In this way there are 8,000,000. And human being, 400,000 species.

So out of that, the civilised man, the best form of human body, is meant for this purpose, tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyed sattvam, that, "My dear boys, you should not waste your time simply for finding out the necessities of this body and work very hard day and night, and forget your own business." What is that own business? Self-realisation, "What I am." This is called own business. "Am I this body or something else?" We can understand it that "I am not this body," because as soon as I, you, leave this body, the spirit soul, it is nothing but a lump of matter. That we can understand. That is the beginning of Bhagavad Gita lesson, to understand that, "I am not this body." If we live under the conception that, "I am this body," then, the sastra, Vedic literature, condemns: "Then you are no better than the cats and dogs, because they also live under the bodily concept of life." And if you do not understand that you are not this body, you are spirit soul and you are changing different forms of body for realisation of the higher, the highest goal of life . . . That you should understand. That is called tapasya.

So if we do not become very sober . . . tapo divyam. Then, to become sober, dhira . . . dhiras tatra na muhyati. Dhira means sober. If we remain restless like animals, then we cannot achieve the goal of our life. We do not know how the laws of nature are working. We can experience how the laws of nature are working in our present life.

Just like a young man, if he thinks that, "I shall not become an old man. I shall remain a young man," will the nature's law allow it? No. You must become old man. There is no question of saying that, "I don't want to become old man." So, no, nature's law will not allow you. You must become old man and suffer the disadvantages of old age. That you must. Similarly, if the old man says, "Never mind. I have become old man. I will not die." No. Nature's law will not allow. He must die. Similarly, after death, if you think foolishly that there is no more life, that is also wrong. Nature's law is that you must accept another body. This is nature's law.

So we are dependent on nature's law. However foolishly we declare that, "We are independent. We don't care for anything," that will not stay. We are under the clutches of material nature's law. In this law, by evolutionary process we have come to this human form of life, and if we don't utilise it properly then we are missing the chance.

So our Krsna consciousness movement is reminding the whole human society that, "Don't lose this chance of getting a human body." You must properly utilise it. And how it is to be utilised? That is stated here by Rsabhadeva: tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam suddhyed. Sattvam, our existence, is now polluted. Therefore we are getting this material body and changing this material body. And as soon as we get a material body, then our miserable condition begins. In this material body, nobody can say that there is no miserable condition. It is full of miserable condition. There are three kinds of miserable conditions: adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Adhyatmika means pertaining to the body and pertaining to the mind. There are so many miseries.

The other day Swami Pusta Krsna was telling that in this country there is maximum number of suicide. Is it not? So, why should one commit suicide unless he feels that his bodily position is very uncomfortable, and that his mental condition is very disturbing? So this is called adhyatmika, pertaining to the body and mind. There are many troubles. Every one of us, we have got that experience, that there are troubles. I may be very rich, I may have immense wealth, but if my body and mind are not in order, I am in trouble. So simply material opulence, material wealth, will not satisfy us. We require bodily comforts. And if I have got millions of dollars and if I am a diseased man, I cannot enjoy; I cannot be in happiness. So this is one type of miserable condition. Similarly, there is another type of miserable condition known as adhibhautika. I do not wish to create any misunderstanding with a friend, but automatically there is some misunderstanding between friends, neighbours, nation, man to man and business friend. There is trouble, if not human being, other, lower animals. Just like there are insects, there are cockroaches, there are so many other living bodies -- they are giving us trouble. That is called adhibhautika. And adhidaivika is nature's disturbance.

The way in which Srila Prabhupada delivered his lecture was authoritative and scholarly. I was impressed by the way in which he broke down each Sanskrit verse, explaining its meaning and significance. Seemingly, Prabhupada came across as very firm with the audience, but that was evidence of his compassion in delivering the real message to them and presenting the path of self-realisation.

Srila Prabhupada continued:

So we should not do that. We must be sober, and we must . . . And it is not very difficult. The knowledge is there in the Vedic literature. Everyone can accept it. It is not a sectarian, so-called religious principle. It is scientific. Every human being should understand his position. Every human being should not waste his valuable time.

So therefore Narottama dasa Thakura, a great devotee and a great vaisnava acarya, he has sung a nice song, that, hari hari biphale janama gonainu: "My dear Lord, I got this chance of human form of body. Unfortunately I have wasted my time without any self-realisation." Hari hari biphale janama gonainu. Manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya: "I got this very valuable form of life, human form of life, but instead of understanding what is God, radha-krsna, janiya suniya bisa khainu, knowingly I have drunk poison." This is the opportunity to understand God and make [a] solution of all different types of births and deaths and transmigration from one body to another.

And as soon as I get a material body, immediately there are so many miserable conditions. But I am... spirit soul, part and parcel of God. I have nothing to do with all these things, but I have been forced to be working with these problems of life. This is human intelligence.

So I have been lecturing for about half an hour or forty-five minutes -- it is not possible to explain all the Vedic intelligence in this short time, but we are distributing these books. I request you to read all these books as far as possible and take advantage. Do not spoil your life simply for meeting the necessities of this body, just like the cats and dogs. It is not required. The real business is to realise your self. That is tapo divyam. The sastra says that, "Don't bother yourself about the necessities of life. This is already there, settled. You will get it. Depend on the supplier of the necessities of life. The supplier of necessities, life, is God." That is the description in the Vedic literature.

Therefore we see practically that the Christians, they go to church and they request God, "O God, Father, give us our daily bread." Actually it is supplied by Him. So there are 8,400,000 different forms of life, and God is the creator of them, and He is supplying all the necessities to them. We human beings, we have got different enterprises, but what enterprise has the elephant got in Africa? There are millions of elephants. Who is feeding them? And the ant also. There are millions and trillions of ant in your room. Who is feeding them? So we do not believe in God. That is our defect. Otherwise, if God is providing food for the lower animals, why not for us if we become God conscious?

* * *

Srila Prabhupada knew how to present the truth to the audience. He received a wonderful response, mostly from the Europeans. After the programme, they eagerly purchased books, so much so that Srila Prabhupada himself came out to the foyer where we had the bookstand. Prabhupada was very pleased. Assisting Srila Prabhupada on the South African tour was always a real privilege. I could understand that Prabhupada was not of this world, that we were just giving these books out by his mercy and strength alone, and because of his love for Lord Sri Krsna. I can still remember the special feeling; it was as if we were part of Lord Caitanya's sankirtana party and Srila Prabhupada was our "commander-in-chief."

Over the next few days, Srila Prabhupada lectured at the same venue and continued with the same chapter from the Fifth Canto. To our surprise, a film crew from SABC, the newly-formed South African television station, set up their equipment in the auditorium and filmed the entire programme. As before, the whole programme at the University of Witwatersrand was successful, with lots of books being distributed to the Europeans.

* * *

Whenever and wherever Srila Prabhupada lectured, his presence was appreciated and people's lives were affected directly in many ways. To come in contact with a pure devotee of the Lord is a golden opportunity to take up spiritual life. Although the programmes at the University of Witwatersrand were quite well attended, Srila Prabhupada presented the truth plainly in a straightforward manner, devoid of ulterior motivation or a desire to make cheap converts. Prabhupada did not appear to have an agenda for making lots of disciples at all, but he was very keen for the pure message to reach out to everyone through his books. This was the method that he preferred. In South Africa we did not really make large numbers of devotees at the time, though unlimited seeds of devotion were planted which would doubtless bear fruit in the course of time.

During the second evening at the University, a pious Hindi-speaking girl called Nadira from Benoni came in contact with Srila Prabhupada for the first time. When she learnt of the special event through her Hindu community, she knew that this was her last chance to attend before Prabhupada left South Africa. Although Nadira was only twenty-one years old, she became fully convinced by Srila Prabhupada's presentation of the Absolute Truth. In her own words she recalls:

Krsna saved me because a lot of bogus gurus used to come, and I never really took any notice of any of them. I remember Srila Prabhupada at the University of Witwatersrand  in the Great Hall, walking so saintly on a red carpet as he arrived. Riddha dasa was offering flower petals to Srila Prabhupada. I became so convinced; he left such an impression on my mind that I could not forget. While at work I used to sit at my desk thinking of Prabhupada. At that time I was ready to travel overseas on a tour with my brother-in-law, but I cancelled and contacted the Yeoville temple instead. I requested to stay there, which was very difficult at the time because of the apartheid [Group Areas Act 1950], but by Krsna's mercy my stay in the temple was arranged.

During that time Bhaktin Nadira kept a low profile. Being the only Indian residing in the temple, the European devotees were careful not to advertise her presence. However, several months later in 1976 she was to become the first full-time Indian devotee in South Africa to receive initiation from Srila Prabhupada, with the name Syamasundari dasi. In that way, her sincerity and determination were rewarded.

* * *

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-Mission in Service of His Divine Grace-Johannesburg, 20^th & 22^nd October 1975-Riddha Dasa Adhikari

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Nobody could have understood how demanding it was for Harikesa dasa Brahmacari being Srila Prabhupada's personal servant. He was responsible for cooking for Prabhupada most of the time and for recording the majority of the talks. He would handle the international travel arrangements as well as a whole multitude of tasks. This was quite a lovely role for Harikesa, just for the time being. Ahead of him lay great difficulty and a near impossible mission.

This became apparent to me one day. I happened to be outside Srila Prabhupada's room when a very tense Harikesa came out. He explained to me that Prabhupada was on a marathon teaching session with him. He was being instucted in how to preach to and defeat the communists in the USSR. Relentlessly, for about ten hours non-stop, Prabhupada told him how it was to be done. And that was not the only session; there had been another long one on a previous trip in Gujarat. Indeed, there was to be no let up for Harikesa.

Srila Prabhupada, the "commander-in-chief," was personally training and counselling Harikesa on his mission. It seemed to me that Prabhupada was determined to defeat the communists by logic and philosophy. In any case, Prabhupada had his own agenda. He had a plan, and that was to preach and establish Krsna consciousness in the most atheistic countries in the world, namely the Soviet Union (now the Russian Federation) and the former Eastern Bloc. Harikesa was keeping a cool head about the whole matter. Srila Prabhupada was systematically teaching him, step by step, in the Johannesburg temple. Of the many dangerous missions undertaken by disciples of Srila Prabhupada over the years, this proved to be one of the most dangerous. Nonetheless, Harikesa was fully committed to meeting the challenge.

* * *

Bhargava dasa, a BBT photographer, flew in from America to take photographs of Srila Prabhupada's tour in South Africa. It was a good thing because we were all too busy and too short-handed to even think of documenting Srila Prabhupada's visit. Bhargava later remarked that he had travelled all over the world with Srila Prabhupada, taking photographs of his many engagements, and he believed that the South African programmes were the best he had ever seen. It was quite a compliment.

Srila Prabhupada did not always like being photographed, especially in the privacy of his room. The BBT representative in Los Angeles, Ramesvara, had just sent the first copies of the newly printed Fifth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam to our Johannesburg temple so that Srila Prabhupada could review them.

As Prabhupada was opening the books and relishing them for the first time, our beloved Bhargava prabhu was busily taking snaps to document the occasion. These photographs are often seen in ISKCON literature, where you cannot miss the orange-and-white chequered floor-tiles of the Johannesburg brahmacari ashram.

Srila Prabhupada appeared to be angry with Bhargava for taking so many photographs. He demanded, "Why are you taking photographs?"

The reprimand was such that Bhargava was bewildered and walked out of the temple. That evening we went to a programme in Pretoria, but Bhargava was nowhere to be seen.

Srila Prabhupada was very concerned about Bhargava and was asking, "Where is he?" He wanted us to go and look for him. It was late at night, perhaps midnight, and we were all about to go out and search for Bhargava when sheepishly he telephoned us and gave his location. We went to pick him up and brought him back to Srila Prabhupada.

Although the event was naturally upsetting for Bhargava, the fatherly concern of Srila Prabhupada was very sweet to witness. Srila Prabhupada said to him, "Why did you go away?"

Bhargava felt that he had caused offense. Merciful Srila Prabhupada insisted that he had not; that it was simply disturbing to be photographed all the time, and stressed that his books were the legacy he wanted to leave behind rather than photographs of himself. This was Srila Prabhupada's nature.

* * *

On the last night before his departure, the devotees and a few guests had a very intimate darsana with Prabhupada. After everyone else had left, an odd-looking Afrikaner couple who wanted to ask Srila Prabhupada a question stayed behind. They were dressed in weird black uniforms with silver crosses around the neck. Not wanting to leave them alone with Prabhupada, I thought it wise to stay around.

They asked, "Swami, where do you get your power from?"

Srila Prabhupada replied in a meek and humble way. Still he was authoritative and affirmative. "First you learn about how to love Krsna, and then you get the power." At that the couple left.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

In the airport departures area, the devotees were seated in front of Srila Prabhupada, soaking up the last precious moments of his association. As it was still quite early in the morning, we sang the sweet guru-puja prayers (sri guru-vandana) to Prabhupada, the first verse of which is:

sri guru-carana-padma, kevala-bhakati-sadma,

bando mui savadhana mate

jahara prasade bhai, e bhava toriya jai,

krsna-prapti hoy jaha ha'te

(Prema-bhakti-candrika by Narottama Dasa Thakura)

"The lotus feet of our spiritual master are the only way by which we can obtain pure devotional service. I bow down to his lotus feet with great awe and reverence. By his grace we can cross the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Krsna."

We continued to sing softly and with devotion at his lotus feet. At the airport there were only a handful of us along with Mr Parekh and his friends. Mr Rasikbhai Parekh was a great promoter of our movement, and had first written to Srila Prabhupada requesting that devotees of the Krsna consciousness movement be sent to South Africa. He was a regular visitor to Srila Prabhupada during the Johannesburg stay. Mr Parekh was always very kind to us. He was a tremendous godsend, as were a number of the Indian friends who helped us in the early days.

Pusta Krsna remarked, "He should be highly regarded as being an instrument of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, assisting in our sankirtana movement in South Africa."

It was a very intimate experience, and when the time came for Srila Prabhupada to leave us, Bhakta Johnny, a Greek devotee, broke down and sobbed his heart out. He was utterly devastated by the imminent separation from his beloved spiritual master. For my part, I was only able to control my emotions with difficulty, knowing that I still had duties to perform. I went up to the passport control and handed in Srila Prabhupada's passport and document of financial security, which needed to be stamped in order to get back the five-hundred-rand deposit. It was a guarantee that Indian visitors would not overstay their agreed time for visiting. I returned with the passport and documents, and then Harikesa slowly accompanied Srila Prabhupada to the passport control.

It was a sad time. It was clear that His Divine Grace was in a reflective mood. His South African tour had been a wonderful success.

Harikesa handed in the passport for Srila Prabhupada out of respect, but the bigoted Afrikaner officer refused to accept the passport from Harikesa and demanded that Srila Prabhupada handle his own documents. So it was done. We were put in mind of the fact that we were still in a racist country.

On that discordant note, we waved farewell for the last time. The devotees were very upset. Bhakta Johnny was still crying, and as we watched Srila Prabhupada's plane taking off and flying into the sky, it all seemed like a dream.

The anti-climax left us feeling drained and with a great sense of loss. Now the real work of service was ahead of us. When we returned to the temple, Partha-sarati and I looked around Srila Prabhupada's room, frantically searching for little remnants that he may have left behind. We found things like slippers, bedding and sandalwood soap. Srila Prabhupada had that air of a vaikuntha personality, a pure devotee of Krsna. Wherever he went he bore that love of Lord Sri Krsna, sharing it with whomsoever had the good fortune to come in contact with His Divine Grace. The potency of the bona fide representative of God cannot be imitated or understood by a mundane conception of spiritual life. Srila Prabhupada's legacy will never fade. His instructions live forever.

In a letter dated 13^th  November 1975, Srila Prabhupada, writing from Bombay to Hridayananda Goswami in Buenos Aires, refers to his South African tour, Srila Prabhupada said:

My Dear Hrdayananda das Goswami,

Please accept my blessings. I have seen your letter dated October 13^th 1975 addressed to all GBC's . . . Pusta Krsna Swami since the last three years was trying for my visa, so out of natural compassion for him I thought, let me go to South Africa and come back before sitting down tightly. He was expecting me for a very long time, and South Africa is a strict place in the matter of visa and so on. After going I was very much satisfied with how my movement is being received there. After my lecture in the university, the Europeans clapped and they were very enthusiastically purchasing my books.

I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-Mission in Service of His Divine Grace-Johannesburg, Jan Smuts Airport, 24^th October 1975-Riddha Dasa Adhikari

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

In January 1976 Pusta Krsna Swami and I left South Africa on an austere mission, namely to drive and deliver the new car for Prabhupada. It was indeed a marathon journey overland from Europe to India, the car being a gift from ISKCON South Africa. Once in India, Pusta Krsna Swami served Srila Prabhupada as his personal secretary, which meant he would travel all over the world with him.

In his new service, he was unable to directly manage ISKCON South Africa. However, with the making of a firm base in South Africa, he simply left the remaining devotees to push ahead with the newly formed ISKCON in his absence.

In the meantime, Pusta Krsna Swami corresponded as the GBC while on tour with His Divine Grace. In a letter to all the devotees, it can be seen how things were at the time. On 4^th April 1976, Pusta Krsna wrote:

Dear Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances. We are getting some really first-class men to come down with us . . . One Devananda, a top preacher and distributor . . . the other a BBT man from Australia, Antaratma . . . Ranjahit and Riddha, and Jagat Guru Swami most importantly. It is most valuable to have a sannyasi preacher in South Africa and there is no one more fit to preach there than Jagat Guru dasa Maharaja, whom I'm sure you will appreciate in his role of sannyasi. His position is to travel and preach and help to develop Durban.

Please offer him all respect, and if he has suggestions concerning management, he should consult with myself or with the temple president of the respective temple. This is the approval system. We must open Durban, and then in a year's time perhaps we will have Jagannatha come and then Radha Krsna, and maybe Prabhupada again. We want a big house in Durban, perhaps pay up to R400 per month rent, with a wall around our property and a good lawn, preferably in an Indian neighbourhood. Best is Overport so that we can also reach the Europeans, but if the house is in a European area it may be impossible to have Indians live in the house . . .

Our new men are all first-class preachers, so we must give facility to their enthusiasm by supplying vehicles for the Durban yatra. If you still have the two trucks and two cars then give the old truck to Durban and also one car.

In this way, gradually the Durban yatra should become the prime temple with a big Deity programme, and Johannesburg can be a nice preaching centre and also develop into a big temple if local support is there. There is no question that people in Durban would support our programme there in a big way. I beg to hear a reply from you immediately in connection with these ideas . . .

I hope that you will enjoy the enclosed lectures by Srila Prabhupada. All glories to the assembled devotees.

Your servant,

Pusta Krsna Swami

GBC South Africa

Keep in the fire of the Holy Name and everything is OK.

Hari Bol!

On my return to South Africa in April 1976, I was given the responsibility of setting up our first permanent temple in the Durban area. This was achieved with the help of a Mr K.P. Desai of Tongaat, who gave his permission to use his family cottage at La-Mercy Beach as our base. I was also fortunate in that I received greatly enthusiastic support from my friend Jagat Guru Swami, who had recently taken sannyasa. Although Jagat Guru Maharaja had been equipped to travel and preach, he was called away on another mission before his plans could materialise.

At the time, I had recruited two Indian students, Danny and Balan, who were later accepted for initiation by Srila Prabhupada in 1977 by letter, with the names Dharmavira dasa (Danny) and Nanda Kumara dasa (Balan). They took residence in our idyllic beach-cottage temple.

We had, at the time, been worshipping Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai Deities and holding a regular daily mangala-arati, and I had advertised our Sunday Love Feast. Apart from that, all the devotees attended hari-nama and went out on regular book distribution.

In June 1976, as the annual Ratha-yatra observance was drawing near, I approached a prominent Indian weekly, The Leader, in order to submit an article for publication. To my surprise, the reporter took on board the whole concept of the ancient festival and our connection with it, giving the subject prominence in a full centre spread feature. When the newspaper was published, we were amazed by the way in which Lord Jagannatha's glories were being exceptionally highlighted.

At this time (7^th June 1976), I also wrote a letter of recommendation to Srila Prabhupada in America for initiation for three of our local European devotees and the first Indian brahmacarini, or female devotee. Along with my letter and a report of our activities, together with photographs, I included a recent copy of The Leader newspaper.

When Srila Prabhupada received it, he became so enlivened by the article that he at once called for the installation of Jagannatha Deities and the setting up of a Ratha-yatra festival in Durban at all costs. What follows is a transcript of the conversation that ensued between Srila Prabhupada and Pusta Krsna Swami, at our Detroit temple on 15^th June 1976, as Srila Prabhupada was reading my letter:

Pusta Krsna: In the same newspaper there's a nice article about Jagannatha: "Jagannatha Festival."

Prabhupada: You may read that.

Pusta Krsna read out from the newspaper.

The Leader

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Ratha-yatra Jagannatha Festival comes to Durban

THE LEADER June 1976

One of India's biggest and most ancient religious festivals, Ratha-yatra, the Festival of the Chariots, which has been enacted in several western cities in recent years, is to be staged in South Africa in July. The festival in honour of Lord Krsna is planned to be held in Durban next month by the local branch of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, widely known as the Hare Krsna movement.

Based on the thousands-of-years-old annual parade of the three main Deities of the Jagannatha temple on huge chariots through the streets of Puri, Orissa, the festival has been staged by devotees of Lord Krsna in major world cities such as London, Paris, New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, Montreal and Melbourne, following the spreading of Krsna consciousness amongst thousands of westerners in the decade since the founding of the movement in 1966 by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Almost a million devotees participate in the chariot festival held every summer at Puri, where they offer oblations to Lord Krsna, lend a hand tugging the ropes to pull the huge chariots, line the grand route, or simply attend to see the colour and pageantry from high vantage points.

The three colossal chariots carry the three Jagannatha Deities (from which the term juggernaut is derived) of Lord Balarama, the Lord who gives spiritual strength and pleasure; Lady Subhadra, the auspicious one; and Lord Jagannatha, the Lord of the universe, on the three-kilometre journey symbolising Lord Krsna's visit to the town of His childhood pastimes.

This year ISKCON will sponsor Ratha-yatra festivals in ten cities worldwide. Durban, however, is not amongst them, as the Hare Krsna movement is fairly new and has not yet established itself on a firm basis and increased its following in Durban. Branch members are enthusiastic and are hoping to organise a procession of their own through the streets of Durban to coincide with the festivals which will be held in several major cities.

Prabhupada: They are arranging like that or not? Our branch there?

Pusta Krsna: They want to. I told them that better to wait until they have some more local support, because they would need to have Deity worship, and I don't think they're ready for Jagannatha Deities [yet]. There [are] only eleven devotees in Durban, so when they have some more local support they can start holding festivals.

Prabhupada: No, this Jagannatha festival will be participated by all the Indians. There is no doubt about it. So our few men, and with the co-operation of the local Indians, it can be successful.

Pusta Krsna: No doubt, but what about the daily worship? Should we have Jagannatha Deities if it's not possible for worshipping them? Should we have them just for the festival?

Prabhupada: What is the difficulty of worshipping? You are already worshipping Gaura-Nitai. Then what is the difficulty? The same.

Pusta Krsna: Well, I'm just afraid that visa problems with the brahmanas. . .

Prabhupada: No, no, if you are worshipping Nitai-Gaura, along with Jagannatha, where is the difficulty?

Pusta Krsna: We only have two brahmanas in South Africa.

Prabhupada: No, one brahmana, half brahmana will do. Only one hand will do.

Pusta Krsna: Okay. According to Riddha dasa Brahmacari, head of the local mission [reads from letter], "The Festival of the Chariots glorifies Lord Jagannatha, the Lord of the universe, and the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra by people of all ethnic and religious backgrounds in cities all over the world has turned into a truly international event. Durban, with its large Hindu population, is aware of the divine status of Lord Krsna, and we pray that by organising our own chariot festival we will be able to extend our message to a wider audience."

Prabhupada: Do it immediately; they are eager. Begin this year. Yes, they'll get life, the Hindus. Immediately advise them. Just like I began in San Francisco on the truck. You know that? So you can begin in that way.

Pusta Krsna: That was the first ratha cart?

Prabhupada: Yes. I suggested Syamasundara that on a truck you make a ratha-like dome, and put this. It was successful.

Pusta Krsna: It was in New York?

Prabhupada: It was San Francisco. The first beginning was in San Francisco. So if the people are eager, you immediately organise.

Pusta Krsna: Okay.

Prabhupada: This paper is conducted by the Indians?

Pusta Krsna: Yes. This is produced once a week. All of the Indians in Durban read it. Durban has half a million Indians.

Prabhupada: But two things are very important: condemning this Sai Baba and welcoming our Ratha-yatra.

Pusta Krsna: We have two copies.

Prabhupada: Our names are also there, indirectly.

Pusta Krsna: Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is mentioned. . . Hare Krsna movement.

Prabhupada: Factually, these rascals are creating magic jugglery. Even during the time of Krsna such rascals were there. Paundraka. So Krsna was present, He immediately cut off his head [laughs]. They should be immediately cut off their head, rascals. Yes. That is the only punishment for them. What other news [ have] you [for] me?

Pusta Krsna: They [university administrators] have called the [new] department the Department of Hindu Studies . . . He [Riddha] quotes: "There's an all-Indian university in Durban, and when Srila Prabhupada visited South Africa, the president of the university was a European gentleman. He very much appreciated our philosophy and the need for a Department of Hindu Studies, so Srila Prabhupada recommended Svarupa Damodara, and we submitted his application. And they've limited the choices for the Ph.D. in charge of the Department of Hindu Studies to three, and one of them is Svarupa Damodara. So there's a possibility . . . "

Prabhupada: Svarupa Damodara must be the best candidate. Others, what they'll know about it? All other Ph.D.’s, they are simply rubber stamped. Actually they have no knowledge. Svarupa Damodara has solid knowledge. He has learned from us. Therefore he's writing all these books. He has rejected his so-called scientific knowledge. He has completely understood that so-called scientific knowledge is bogus; it has no solid background. Now he's writing books on this.

Upon receiving my letter of reply with so much positive response, I performed the fire yajna for the devotees mentioned in that letter, Srila Prabhupada said:

My dear Riddha das,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 7^th 1976, with enclosed newspapers and pictures of Durban yatra.

In that newspaper, The Leader, it is very good indication of our acceptance by the South African community. They are clearly rejecting all these bogus rascals like Sai Baba, and in the same issue they are glorifying our Ratha-yatra festival. So this is good sign that they welcome Jagannatha and so you can arrange to have Jagannatha Deities and Ratha-yatra festival in Durban. Just like when I first began our Ratha-yatra in San Francisco, all we had was a flatbed truck for the Ratha-cart. So do it immediately. They are eager for it, and this will give life to the Hindus in South Africa.

Actually these rascals are simply creating magic and jugglery. Even during the time of Krishna, Paundraka was there and Krishna immediately cut off his head. That is the only punishment for them, to immediately cut off the head of such rascals who pose themselves as God. They are simply cheating the people.

Concerning the Ratha-yatra festival, you can hold it in the warm months, just like in Melbourne. The festival is held in January. Pusta Krsna Swami is going to arrange to have Jagannatha Deities sent from Puri, if there is no one expert enough to make Jagannatha Deities in South Africa.

Svarupa Damodara is the best candidate for the post at the university. What the other candidates will know? Therefore he is writing so many books. He has rejected the so-called scientific knowledge. It has no basis. So if he is chosen for the post, he can go there to Durban and take up the post. On your recommendation, I am accepting the following devotees for first initiation:

Bhakta Warrick - Caitanya-carana dasa

Bhakta Peter - Krsnasraya dasa

Bhakta Mike - Adi Purusa dasa

Nadira - Syamasundari dasi

Hold a fire yajna and you can have Jagat Guru Maharaja chant on their beads. The initiates are vowing before the Deity, the Spiritual Master, the fire, the vaisnavas and the Supersoul to follow the four regulative principles: namely no illicit sex-life, no intoxication, no meat-eating and no gambling, and to chant daily at least 16 rounds of japa. In this way if they hold firmly to this principle, there will not be any obstacle to their steady progress in Krishna consciousness, and one can go back to home, back to Godhead, in this lifetime.

There is good potency there in South Africa and the Europeans are also taking up Krishna consciousness seriously, so continue enthusiastically to preach and distribute books and develop a nice centre in Durban.

I hope that this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Being quite overwhelmed by this letter, I quickly convinced Dhiranga of the importance of the contents, urging him to make immediate arrangements for travel to India. This would be our opportunity to obtain the Deities of Lord Jagannatha, Lord Balarama and Lady Subhadra from the holy city of Jagannatha Puri. Once in Puri, Dhiranga selected the Deities and arranged for the Deities to be shipped. They arrived several months later.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-Mission in Service of His Divine Grace-A New Beginning 12^th January 1976-Riddha Dasa Adhikari

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

By late 1976 the La-Mercy Beach cottage preaching centre was closed because the situation was no longer conducive to on-going preaching. By this time Dhiranga, who was now married to Rocani, had a desire for a nice farm. Rocani had come into a sizeable inheritance and they started looking around for an alternative property for ISKCON.

They found a good plot of land near Cato Ridge in Natal, not too far from Durban. The property, which consisted of 120 acres, had an unlimited supply of water and was most suitable for farming. On acquiring the farm, the temple in Yeoville, Johannesburg, was closed for the time being, and all the devotees moved to the Cato Ridge farm that Rocani had selflessly purchased for use in the service of Srila Prabhupada.

Shortly afterwards in early 1977, Tulasi dasa and his wife Lila devi dasi were sent to South Africa by ISKCON's governing body to take over the management. He was very experienced, having managed several temples in various parts of the world. Tulasi dasa immediately reorganised the sankirtana parties to make them more efficient, and later that year, in a pioneering spirit, he created a fabulous temple-room out of an old building.

In September 1977, the official opening ceremony of the Cato Ridge temple took place on Janmastami, when not less than 15,000 people attended the festival. This amazing festival was also attended by the local press, who provided full coverage of the event. Newspaper clippings of the opening ceremony were sent to Srila Prabhupada just a few weeks before his unexpected departure from this world. In an exceptional conversation on 24^th October 1977, in Vrndavana, the clippings were read out by Tamala Krsna Goswami.

Tamala Krsna: "Hare Krsna festival. All roads led to the Hare Krsna farm asrama at Cato Ridge last Sunday, where thousands of well-wishers and devotees celebrated Krsna Janmastami . . . Sriman Jayatirtha dasa prabhu came from the United States specially for the occasion to officiate at the opening of the new temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

"Members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and followers of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada lead the crowd in the singing of Hare Krsna kirtana. In the foreground is the havana-kunda on which the sacrificial prayer was performed prior to the opening of the new temple.

"There was a large gathering at the Hare Krsna farm asrama at Cato Ridge at the weekend when the new temple was officially opened. The function was held in conjunction with Lord Krsna's birth anniversary celebrations." Here's the temple. "Head of the group, Tulasi dasa, seen with other devotees in front of their new temple."

Another article says, "Procession draws hundreds. The hundreds lined the streets of Durban on Sunday to watch young and old taking part in the colourful procession, which was held as part of Lord Krsna's birthday celebration." It tells all about a celebration in the city of Durban organised by our society . . . Here's Tulasi dasa doing the fire yajna. Should I read you his letter now?

Prabhupada: Very good news. Now [you] can see. This material body may remain or not remain. This movement will push on. That is wanted. Where is such a thing throughout the whole world?

Tamala Krsna: There isn't, except in our temples. He, Tulasi dasa, says: "By Krsna's grace the most wonderful Janmastami celebration was held at the big farm asrama in South Africa. The celebration included the opening of a new temple and prasadam facility, two new life-membership cottages and three overnight guest-rooms, initiation of four new devotees and two brahmana initiations, a play, a massive prasadam distribution, go-puja, a transcendental treasure hunt for the children, ecstatic chanting by all, and distribution of books, records, posters and tapes.

"We enclose pictures of the various events, as well as newspaper articles. The newspapers were all one hundred-per-cent favourable, and one even had a four-page article on ISKCON. The Gujarati ladies from Durban and Pietermaritzburg all came early to help cook puris and halava. They cooked about a quarter-ton of halava!" -- Prabhupada chuckles -- "and over eight thousand puris, all of which were distributed.

"At least 15,000 people attended the two-day festival, and all of the most important Indian businessmen and millionaires attended. Two days before the event, a large marquee, able to hold 2,500 people, was erected and the initiations and the play were held inside. The play especially was most successful as the top Indian stage and lighting men in South Africa were giving us technical assistance. It was so convincing that some of the ladies were in tears during the performance.

"The go-puja was also a hugely popular event, as none of the local people had ever seen such a thing before. In fact, many people came up to the devotees and were saying things such as, ‘We left India thirty years ago, and I never saw anything like this before.' "

Some points in this very encouraging letter from Tulasi dasa, dated 11^th October 1977, give an insight into how things were.

Dearest Srila Prabhupada,

So to follow up this festival we are now having a "Hare Krishna campaign" in Durban. A big marquee will be erected at various sites over the next months and there will be nightly programmes of chanting, preaching, fire yajnas, films and book distribution. This is especially aimed at searching out enthusiastic men who will join the movement. Serious men will be invited to the Cato Ridge farm and trained up as preachers. This programme will be headed by Partha-sarathi dasa and myself.

The farm is doing very nicely. The six pedigree Jersey cows provide ample quantities of milk, and now we are planting corn for silage for their winter fodder. Due to the Sankirtan yajna the rains have come on time and the green grass is springing up in the pastures. After the corn we will be planting all the summer vegetables, such as potatoes, squash, tomatoes and so on.

Life-membership is going well, by Krishna's grace. One new man, Jayantya dasa Brahmacari, has gone out and in his first week has made nineteen new life-members. Our small but effective travelling party went up-country last week and distributed over 400 big books, and made five life-members in three days in Newcastle.

It seems that ISKCON will become an "official church" of South Africa once the local men wake up to Krishna consciousness. Because they are cut off from India, they want to be part of an international religious organisation which is recognised all over, rather than just some local sectarian group. To this end we are working hard in co-operation with local Hindu leaders here, who are very anxious to stop the [enforced] conversion of Hindus to Christianity. All of them recognise that only ISKCON is able to provide effective preachers who can capture the enthusiasm of the youth.

It was reported that after Prabhupada had heard the news and letter narrated to him from Tulasi dasa, he commented: "This letter makes my chest swell, that I have such disciples performing such activities" Srila Prabhupada said.

Now ISKCON South Africa was firmly on track with a beautiful country farm located not far from most of the Indian townships. The farm was to be the major base for Partha-sarathi prabhu to reach out to the people in the surrounding areas.

In the following months, he started what was to be known as the "Tent Campaign." Festivals were held at different venues all over Durban and the North Coast. Programmes were put on every night and service groups were established in the surrounding townships like Chatsworth, which were not so far from Cato Ridge.

15,000 guests attended the opening of Cato Ridge Temple

The Tent Campaign which began in 1977 continued for many years, and was directly responsible for making many devotees in the local Indian areas of Chatsworth and beyond. Thousands of people attended.

This Chatsworth road show was spearheaded by Partha-sarathi prabhu. At the time, the local poverty-stricken Hindus were being bombarded by evangelistic Christians offering a Western way of life. The Tent Campaign travelled into the most remote Indian townships of Natal, serving the people's needs with sweet kirtana, drama and Bhagavad Gita classes, together with free prasadam.

This was indeed compassion for the Indian community, which was losing its roots in Vedic culture. Many of them had come from generations of indentured families, trapped under the old apartheid rule.

The festival equipment consisted of a mechanical horse-trailer with a "Hare Krsna Festival" logo on the side and a one-thousand-man marquee and stage. Hopefully, this programme will always be continued enthusiastically by members and initiated devotees.

On the farm, meanwhile, Tulasi dasa was developing a cow protection programme and vegetable produce. The Cato Ridge farm facilitated many new devotees under the shelter of ISKCON in its few years of existence. Soon, however, Tulasi dasa brought in architects with the vision to carry out feasibility studies for a Vedic temple to be built in nearby Chatsworth.

During this time ISKCON organised various Ratha-yatra festivals around Durban. The small north-coast town of Tongaat became a favourite site for this exotic Festival of the Chariots. Twenty to thirty buses would transport the devotees belonging to the society's various nama hatta groups.

At first, the procession actually consisted of one thirty-foot high chariot, but later was augmented by two such chariots, one for each of the three Jagannatha Deities. The procession, with devotees singing and dancing on the way, would sometimes stretch for more than a kilometre, each nama hatta displaying a banner with the name of its individual service group.

In 1981 the society held a large Ratha-yatra in the Indian township of Chatsworth, which culminated in a colourful programme of drama, bhajanas, lectures and prasadam distribution at the Unit-Six football ground. These Ratha-yatras pioneered by Partha-sarathi paved the way for the future. Initially they took place at Christmas, and are now held annually on Durban's beachfront at Easter.

To finance the construction of the Vedic temple in Chatsworth, the devotees began selling oil paintings. By 1982 Bhagavandas Goswami had taken over as GBC from Jayathirtha dasa. Now, things moved into top gear.

First Ratha-yatra held in 1980

All available devotees went out. Soon there was a hard core of some thirty sankirtana devotees selling paintings all over South Africa. Only a handful of devotees remained at Cato Ridge to maintain the large and beautiful white marble Deities of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai, who had been installed in 1979.

Taking in hand the monumental task of raising several million rands, Bhagavandas Goswami pushed ahead very hard with the construction work, and by October 1985 the temple in Chatsworth was successfully completed. The Cato Ridge farm had already been sold off in 1984, and the Deities moved to the new Muldersdrift farm near Johannesburg.

* * *

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-Mission in Service of His Divine Grace-Cato Ridge-Riddha Dasa Adhikari

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

On seeing the glorious profile of the Temple of Understanding dominating the Chatsworth skyline, many people are curious to know how such an extraordinary feat was accomplished. In direct contrast to the present-day trend in buildings, the architecture of the Temple of Understanding has an awe-inspiring aspect, blending ancient and modern, Vedic and utilitarian.

Srila Prabhupada was empowered by Krsna and being a seer he had an extraordinary vision of the future. Srila Prabhupada visualised a temple in Durban while visiting the city in October 1975. Prabhupada mentioned that he envisioned our temple emerging one day in Durban similar Srila Prabhupada said to the Krishna Balaram Mandir in Vrndavana, India, that had opened earlier that year.

Time alone stood between the vision and its manifestation. After the departure of His Divine Grace from this world in 1977, plans were submitted by Surabhi Swami in 1978 for a majestic temple in the true Vedic tradition. Fully determined to get the temple project under way, Tulasi dasa, the temple president, eventually settled for the design of Raja Rama dasa, a synthesis of Vedic and modern architecture. Costs may well have been the deciding factor. With the plans in place, Gokulendra dasa initiated the fund-raising, which began with donations from the Hindu community. In 1980 arrangements for the land were finalised and the groundwork began.

The site, near Durban, was to be the hub of a half-million Indian people who, displaced and dispossessed in the heyday of apartheid in the 1960s, were herded en masse into this hilly wasteland called Chatsworth. No time was lost before work began and the desolate site was levelled ready for construction.

In order to save costs and maintain a high standard of workmanship, the society created its own construction company, ISKCON Construction. The company at its peak had over fifty employees working on the project. Raja Rama prabhu, the chief architect, was assisted by a devotee foreman and many other selfless devotees. Tulasi dasa supervised the entire project.

Now the mammoth task loomed ahead, with millions of rands still to collect. Although the funds were successfully raised, only a very small amount came from the Hindu community. A unique business venture was set up and managed by Gokulendra, consisting of numerous art shops with branches throughout South Africa. These shops were situated in prestigious shopping malls that catered mainly for wealthy white South Africans. Most of the funds, however, came from sankirtana devotees who painstakingly sold oil paintings through art exhibitions and referrals, often working up to fifteen hours a day. With the funds coming in steadily, the project moved along nicely over the five years of construction. Krsna Himself appeared to be behind this very adventurous project.

The foundations of the temple go right down to the bedrock, but when the monsoon came the devotees were working in a sea of mud. Undeterred, they pushed on, completing the concrete base in February 1982. Then the cornerstone was ceremoniously laid with a gold Deity of Ananta-Sesa beneath.

Tulasi dasa, who was also regional secretary, was greatly encouraged by numerous visits from Bhagavandas Goswami, the GBC for South Africa, who spurred them on to redouble the construction work. By the end of 1982 the entire superstructure was completed. This comprised three storeys (on the third of which the actual temple was to be situated), a large domed tower and two smaller towers. The main tower, above the Deities, is nine storeys high.

The decorative but heavy concrete castings for the towers were raised with great difficulty, and even danger to life, in order to save costs on hiring a crane. At one point the scaffolding almost collapsed while two devotees were at the top of it.

It took six months to complete the plastering and finishing work on the domes and the rest of the structure. This was followed by the erection of the roof, which was supported by steel beams and overlaid with brilliantly polished stainless-steel tiles. These tiles -- 35,000 in all -- proved impossible to purchase and had to be researched and manufactured over a period of 18 months by the devotees themselves.

By 1984 the team of devotees began the finishing work on the interior and the installation of the plumbing and electricity. There was fine oak wood imported from Japan for the temple-room panelling, Japanese mirrors and, from Portugal, high-quality marble for the altar and temple-room floor.

Finally, the moat -- a most unusual feature -- was constructed around the temple complete with gardens, lawns, fountains and paths, the whole ensconced in a ring of palm-trees. The temple-room itself was not actually finished until just before the official opening in 1985.

Under the empowered leadership of Tulasi dasa and Bhagavandas Goswami, the temple was completed within only five years, owing to the sincerity and determination of all the devotees.

This labour of love was truly remarkable, and in the final days I attended the grand opening. It was as if the spiritual world had descended on earth. The Temple of Understanding is indeed very opulent, and is a rich source of spiritual benefit for people of all races and ethnic backgrounds, thanks to the selfless and courageous devotees who made this dream come true.

Chatsworth. No time was wasted -- by 1982 the construction was under way.

The grand opening festival ceremony took place on 18^th October 1985, and the festival continued over the next two days. For many years the South African community had been anxiously awaiting the completion of this project, and when the time came they flocked to the opening ceremony in their thousands.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-Mission in Service of His Divine Grace-Temple of Understanding-Riddha Dasa Adhikari

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

On the evening of the opening when the Deities were installed on the altar, a five-mile tailback could be seen on the highway leading to the temple complex. All roads leading to the temple were jam-packed with pilgrims on their way to attend the festivities and take darsana of the Deities Sri Sri Radha-Radhanatha.

Madhavendra Puri, the interior designer, has created a wonderfully designed temple-room with its very elaborate and intricate fittings. A feast for the eyes, it brings joy to the heart. In fact, it is like entering a higher, ethereal world in another dimension.

The marble floor has a large coloured star design in the centre. The ceiling has eight panels with three- metre-long pictures of Krsna's pastimes. Many smaller pictures adorn the top of the walls, with Japanese mirrors here and there, and surmounting all in the skylight is a beautiful original painting of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. From Their vantage point, in what appears to be the spiritual world, Their full blessings fall like lotus petals on all who are fortunate enough to lift their gaze upwards.

Throughout the temple there are ingenious floral designs in imitation gold and marble, together with many large chandeliers and 330 metres of mirror work. The whole effect is opulent and dazzling -- in a word, overwhelming!

At the rear of the temple-room, an impressive vyasasana seating the murti of Srila Prabhupada stands, overhung with massive chandeliers and enhanced by an elaborate lighting system.

Within the inner sanctum, suspended upon an air-borne altar, the Deities of Sri Sri Radha-Radhanatha and Lord Caitanya, the proprietors of the temple, reside in stately splendour. The beautiful effulgent Deities are richly attired in shimmering garments, crowns and sparkling jewels. Just to look upon Their radiant faces is a great blessing. And in the very foundations lies the solid gold Deity of Ananta-Sesa, He who supports myriads of universes upon His many-hooded heads, and who, by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, is now supporting the whole edifice of this temple.

Alongside this grandiose and resplendent setting, the guests and visitors took their places. All the dignitaries spoke with great respect and honour.

The chief guest was Dr Mangosuthu G. Buthelezi, President of the Inkatha Freedom Party and Chief of the Zulu nation. Other important guests were Dr Stanley, the Mayor of Durban; Professor S.P. Olivier, retired rector of the University of Durban-Westville; Mr Amichand Rajbansi, Member of the House of Delegates; Mr J.N. Reddy, Leader of the Opposition Party in the House of Representatives; Bhagavandas Goswami, Governing Body Commissioner for South Africa; and Giriraj Swami and Bhakti-tirtha Swami, both senior sannyasis of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

The Mayor of Durban opened the proceedings with a short speech in which he declared that Durban City Council would shortly hand over the land designated for the final completion of the temple complex. This plot of land lay adjacent to the existing temple compound.

According to the plans, known as Phase Two -- the brain-child of Bhagavandas Goswami, there was to be a series of buildings linked by a covered pathway, forming a roughly triangular structure with a park in the middle, the whole complementing the actual temple. Raja Rama prabhu, the architect, had been requested to draw up the plans.

The preaching work of the devotees had been so successful that their following had increased beyond all expectations, and Phase Two was needed to accommodate this growing congregation. Partha-sarathi dasa, one of the original members of the devotee community, has explained that for a period of over four years before the temple was built there were 1,000 to 2,000 people attending the preaching programme -- every night!

The Mayor went on to say that, "The International Society for Krishna Consciousness has made tremendous strides since it was founded in New York in 1966, and the fact that the Society today has approximately 150 centres throughout the world is a tangible tribute to the tenacity and sincerity of its devotees."

The next speaker was Mr J.N. Reddy, who stressed the "special responsibility" of the Indian community in South Africa to carry forward the message of Bhagavad Gita: "The message of eternal religion, which has remained pure for thousands of years, which has no time and has no place, but has a universal message to help solve the problems of our land."

Professor Olivier spoke of his association with Srila Prabhupada "with pleasure and with great humility," and of Prabhupada's mission to spread the glory of the Lord. The crux of his speech was "that man must be educated to see the soul -- to see and realise the soul in the body." It would appear that not only did the professor recognise the qualities of Srila Prabhupada and what Srila Prabhupada said, but that also he was conversant with Prabhupada's books. It was very encouraging to have a well-respected Afrikaner academic making his realisations public.

Bhakti-tirtha Swami, in his speech, emphasised calling on the name of God. With great feeling, he said, "This calling on God's name has tremendous effect in invoking the presence of the Lord, in invoking the mercy and the benediction of God.

"So we encourage you to come closer, to find out how one can become in a state of consciousness, where he is meditating, feeling the Lord's presence, every day, [and] to understand that this body is simply a garment.

"If we develop that genuine understanding, that the body is simply being used by the soul, then . . . these distinctions [of colour] no longer become such a dominant factor in one's life."

Once, in Nairobi, Bhakti-tirtha Swami was approached by a government minister who asked what his society (ISKCON) had to offer the community at large. In response, he took the minister to a small ISKCON temple nearby -- it took only five minutes to walk there. Bhakti-tirtha Swami took him inside and said, "This boy is from Italy, this girl is from Spain, this person is from South Africa -- white person, this black person is from South Africa . . . this person comes from America . . .

"So now, you tell me one place in Nairobi, one place in Kenya, where you can say you have this kind of variegation -- and [where] people are working together in a loving spirit." And immediately the minister could understand Bhakti-tirtha Swami's point.

"So," His Holiness concluded, "we are showing what is possible. And we are humbly and submissively willing to offer that, to help solve some of the seemingly unsolvable problems in this world."

Dr Buthelezi spoke passionately of his impressions on first entering Sri Sri Radha-Radhanatha Temple. "Today," he said, "is one of the greatest days of my life. I think it is a very moving experience to come and be present at this ceremony. I have travelled very widely and seen many houses of God in many parts of the world. But the temple that your Holiness [Bhagavandas Goswami] has come to dedicate today is second to none of these. In fact, in many cases it is miles ahead of them!

"My brothers and sisters, I want to say that wherever love draws people together, as today, I am always inspired by hope. And in this world of harshness in which technology so often replaces human care, the magnificence of this temple and cultural centre, the spiritual awe that I felt as I walked in, led by His Holiness [Bhagavandas Goswami], and the inspiration of people deeply devoted to the highest ideals of love, moves me, my brothers and sisters, to the depths of my very being."

Bhagavandas Goswami talked about the need for a new constitution for mankind: "At a time when people are grasping for solutions, they are going from the frying pan into the fire with their solutions, because they are looking for a material solution to a spiritual problem.

"We want to humbly present the Krishna consciousness movement to the leaders of every race, in every country, as being their humble servants delivering the message of Bhagavad Gita. Please try this.

"So this message of Gita, although very old, is as relevant today as ever before. [Let this] be the basis of a new constitution for mankind, which is our dharma, our eternal constitution of being servants of each other and servants of God. Hare Krishna."

Finally, Mr Amichand Rajbansi pointed out the importance of ISKCON's international appeal: "I think that those who are worried politically about South Africa should look at the workings of ISKCON with a tremendous measure of positiveness, particularly from the point of view that ISKCON knows no barriers. ISKCON is universal.

"ISKCON knows no distinction between countries, no distinction between groups, and no distinction between nations. If you look at the community of the ISKCON centre here, which is international . . . this is what the international community wants."

While every speaker was warmly and enthusiastically applauded by the receptive audience, this momentous occasion was filmed by South African television and the American network NBC. It was also fully covered by the national press.