srila prabhupada said...!!!

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Srila Prabhupada was always concerned that proper arrangements be made to keep the devotees protected from falling into maya's grip. Once, when one of the initiated brahmacaris left to go back to maya, it caused Srila Prabhupada great pain, and for days he inquired from me whether the brahmacari had returned. When a disciple is taken away by maya, the spiritual master laments that he failed to successfully deliver him back to Krsna. The Lord entrusts the conditioned soul into the care of his devotee, and if the devotee is unable to make good this trust, he feels himself unworthy of the Lord's confidence. Prabhupada explained that only with the greatest difficulty were we able to rescue a fallen conditioned soul from the hands of maya. We must take great care, otherwise within a moment maya could easily snatch the soul back into her grasp. While the Los Angeles temple was developing very nicely, the activities of the original West Coast temple at San Francisco had noticeably diminished. In our enthusiasm to travel with Srila Prabhupada from San Francisco to Seattle, we had taken most of the brahmacaris, including the temple president, Jayananda, without considering how things would go in our absence. In addition, the three most prominent householder couples had gone to preach in London. Now only a handful of devotees remained. I knew that Srila Prabhupada was always eager to expand our Krsna consciousness movement, but ideally this was to be accomplished without decreasing already existing programs. When our Santa Fe, New Mexico, temple was closed due to lack of sufficient devotees, Srila Prabhupada had been displeased and had cautioned me that once a temple is opened, it could never be closed. Feeling concerned for the future of the temple where I had received my spiritual initiation, I sought Prabhupada's approval for a short visit to encourage the devotees there.  Srila Prabhupada said:

Buffalo, New York, April 22^nd 1969

            My Dear Tamal Krishna,

            Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 18^th 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. Your idea to go to San Francisco for a short time is nice. Yes, the San Francisco temple bas deteriorated from its original position, so please try to reinstate it. Jivananda and Harsharani may also go there to help. You may also help to plan for the Rathayatra Festival, because this tradition must be continued. Regarding Girish, until I go to New Vrindaban, Girish may stay there. Otherwise he may be admitted in some school. We should not take any risk of legal implication in this matter. I hope this will meet you in good health.

            Your ever well-wisher,

            A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

            NB: I am enclosing one letter for Jaya Gopal which you may hand over to him.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-Servant of the Servant-The West Coast Days-The Forward Soldier-Tamala Krsna Goswami

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Prabhupada's brief letter is instructive. If we attempt to assist others in their service to Krsna while fulfilling our own personal service, this attitude is most pleasing to Krsna. In Bhagavad Gita Krsna declares that one who considers himself to be His devotee is not actually so, but one who sees himself as the devotee of the devotee is factually on the devotional platform. We see this service mood demonstrated in the spiritual world, where the topmost devotee of all, Srimati Radharani, takes the greatest pleasure in arranging for her assistants to meet with and serve Krsna. The gopis are also more anxious to see Radharani serving Krsna than to personally serve Him themselves. Therefore, even while we are learning to practice the principles of bhakti-yoga, we should begin to develop this non-envious mood by performing service to our Godbrothers and Godsisters.

Among our Los Angeles devotees were two young boys, Girisa and Virabhadra, the sons of the head pujari, mother Silavati. As their older Godbrothers, we tried our best to help them in their Krsna consciousness, but the boys were actually suffering in the absence of any properly organized educational program. Prabhupada had instructed that they should participate in the normal temple programs such as the classes, kirtanas, etc., and that this would ensure Srila Prabhupada said their proper development. But there were other considerations. When the devotees all went on sankirtana, the boys would have to remain cooped up in the sankirtana van until three o'clock, for fear of being caught by the school truancy officials. Srila Prabhupada's solution was to take them to New Vrindaban, where they could grow up in a natural atmosphere and where there would be less likelihood of disturbance. He was not very much inclined to see them attend a karmi school, for this would destroy whatever devotional qualities they were now manifesting. At the same time, Srila Prabhupada was even more concerned with the welfare of ISKCON. If keeping the boys out of school would mean legal complications for our Society, then he was prepared to sacrifice their individual needs by enrolling them in a school.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Within our Society, each devotee has his or her own particular requirements. However, the leaders of our movement should note that while attempting to satisfy the needs of everyone, first consideration must always be given to the overall well-being of ISKCON. For example, sometimes it is found that a crazy person will want to join one of our temples. Naturally, out of compassion, we may try to give such a person a place in our temple. But if by accommodating such a crazy man his presence becomes disturbing to the other devotees as well as to the normal temple activities, then we cannot accept such a burden and he should be asked to leave. Devotees must learn to live together as one large family, being satisfied with whatever Krsna gives them, making as few demands for their maintenance as possible. In this way we shall be able to accommodate many thousands of people without much difficulty.

Following the example of Rupanuga dasa at the State University of Buffalo, New York, I made arrangements with some of the local universities to teach a course in Bhagavad Gita. Without a university degree, I was unable to teach an accredited course, as Rupanuga was doing; but I arranged to teach in the Experimental College section, where the academic qualifications of the teachers were not considered. Altogether I scheduled courses at U.C.L.A., U.S.C., and one other local college.

To advertise the Bhagavad Gita course, I printed a small pamphlet briefly describing our philosophy and distributed it among the students. When I sent a copy of the brochure to Srila Prabhupada, His Divine Grace approved the contents, stating that Krsna was giving me Srila Prabhupada said good wisdom and inspiration. Actually, I had simply quoted from Srila Prabhupada's books; my only credit was that I had faithfully repeated my spiritual master's words without speculating. Materialistic scholars would have considered my efforts as mere parrot like repetition. Their standard of excellence depends upon constant innovation, whereas our method is to repeat the words of guru, sadhu, and sastra. They are always busy conducting research to find something new, whereas we are content to relish the research already completed by the six Gosvamis, the principal disciples of Lord Caitanya. Our university course in love of God was a stark contrast to the self-motivated competitiveness which characterized the usual college curriculum, but our classes, complete with chanting and prasadam, offered a welcome relief from the dry academic university atmosphere.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

To satisfy the college students that I was a bona fide teacher, I dressed in a suit, but I kept a shaved head and wore tilaka to make them appreciate that my interest was more than just academic. I explained that I had lived with and studied under the author of the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and that I was his initiated disciple. The students were very impressed and listened attentively as I logically presented the Gita's wisdom. I introduced the maha-mantra as part of an age-old tradition for invoking auspiciousness while on the path of learning, and after only a few weeks they were chanting enthusiastically and relishing the simply wonderfuls that I distributed at the end. Later in the course I took them on a "field trip" to a "devotional community." In this way I gradually introduced them to our Krsna consciousness movement, and as a result, three very nice devotees joined. Srila Prabhupada always gave great importance to university preaching, stressing that young, intelligent students are first-class candidates Srila Prabhupada said for becoming devotees.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

With over sixty devotees living under one roof, our La Cienega temple was literally bursting with activity; we had almost out-grown the building. But a more serious difficulty now loomed up. Our lease was nearing termination, and we were faced with the possibility of having to vacate in the near future. Srila Bhakti-siddhanta had always preferred that his disciples rent their properties and thus avoid undue attachment and the entanglement which comes from owning property. But Indian law guaranteed the protection of the tenant, and possession was nine-tenths of the law, especially once a Deity was installed. Even if the building was only rented, no one would ever have thought of serving an eviction notice on the Deity. Unfortunately, our American law-makers and landlords lacked such fine sentiments. When I proposed to Srila Prabhupada that we relocate to a bigger and better facility, His Divine Grace immediately approved the idea.  Srila Prabhupada said:

Allston, Mass., April 26^th 1969

            My Dear Tamal Krishna,

            Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 19^th 1969, along with a pamphlet regarding your UCLA meeting. The pamphlet is very nicely done, and you have diagnosed the disease very well, increasing the material temperature to 107 degrees and calling death immediately. I think by the Grace of Krishna you are getting good inspiration from within as Krishna is giving you good wisdom. Your explanation for getting a new place bigger than the present one is approved by me in all respects. I think Krsna's plan is working and as you have already informed Mr Leo Brown to find out a big place for us, Krishna will help us very soon. The Los Angeles plan as described by you is so nice. The climate in Los Angeles is very much suitable for me, and if by Krishna's Grace we can have a nice headquarters for the Western side, as planned by you, I shall be glad to place myself at your disposal. I am now seeking to sit down simply for training preachers and diverting my attention for completing the translation work of Srimad-Bhagavatam, but I do not know where Krishna will like me to do this work. But your nice plan makes me hopeful that Los Angeles may be the suitable place. We have certainly to develop the New Vrindaban plan, but side by side the Los Angeles plan should also be executed. I do not know how Krishna will help us, but your idea is very excellent.

              From yesterday, since I have come to Boston, I am feeling little backache. There is no unbearable pain, but when I stand up or walk, it is a little difficult. I think it will be cured within two or three days. So without investing further money in our present temple, because it has now become uncertain, we shall carefully save some money for investing in some new place. As our devotees are now coming by cars, we can go to a distant place undoubtedly. I have seen that there is one church just near the Bank of America on La Cienaga Boulevard. I do not know to which sect this church belongs, but that church is very suitable for your described purpose. There are many churches everywhere like that, and if some of the proprietors are convinced, we can utilize such churches for this Krishna Consciousness movement for the general welfare of the mass of people. Why not approach the proprietors of such churches? I know it is very difficult, but there is no harm if we approach. Certainly when we have our new place, we must elaborately arrange for the artist department in charge of Srimati Devahuti, the mother of Indumati. She is a very nice lady, and please offer her my thanks for joining this movement. I hope she will take care of the boys and girls as their mother. So all of our ideas can be fulfilled very nicely if we actually get a nice place. Search it out and surely Krishna will help you. I hope this will find you in good health.

            Your ever well-wisher,

            A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

            P.S. The draft board letter must be replied now. It cannot be delayed anymore. ACB

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

While passing the Bank of America on La Cienega Boulevard, Srila Prabhupada had seen a vacant church. Such unused churches, Srila Prabhupada would point out, are a symptom of Kali-yuga. People have no interest in spiritual life. At the same time, religious leaders have no real idea of God, neither are they following any genuine process of purification. They find little reason to open the doors of their church more than once a week, and when attendance becomes very poor, they are forced to sell.

Srila Prabhupada envisioned how these neglected churches might once again be employed in the service of God, fulfilling the purpose for which they were constructed. Often the properties were very large, and to purchase them was far beyond our means. But Krsna consciousness was not a sectarian cause. Lord Caitanya's mission was to propagate sanatana-dharma, the eternal religion of love of God, meant to be embraced by all the conditioned souls of the universe. As Lord Caitanya's representative, Srila Prabhupada wished to offer the church leaders an opportunity to participate in the mission of God consciousness by allowing the devotees the use of their spacious properties. Unfortunately, the church leaders were usually sectarian and lacked such broad-minded vision. Once, when the devotees approached the elders of a prominent church in England which had been placed up for sale, the eldermen refused to sell the property when they understood that ISKCON was the buyer. Later, the devotees saw that it had been converted into a nightclub, and in place of the altar, a bar had been constructed.

Srila Prabhupada was not discouraged by such apathetic responses. After all, this was the material world in the darkest of the four ages, Kali-yuga. It was not expected that the conditioned souls would immediately appreciate the beneficial mission of Lord Caitanya. Nevertheless, it was his duty to offer them an opportunity to engage in the Lord's service, even if there was only a slight chance of their accepting his proposal. Prabhupada would often repeat the Bengali proverb that when going hunting, one should shoot for the rhinoceros. There is no discredit even if one fails to bring down such a tough opponent, and if his attempt is successful then there is all praise. We recall how years later Prabhupada asked Tripurari Swami to approach the authorities of O'Hare International Airport and request them to change the name of the airport to O'Hare Krsna Airport. Srila Prabhupada was looking for a suitable place to establish his Western headquarters. In his letter he spoke of developing the Los Angeles plan along with the New Vrindaban plan. Such divergent schemes would demonstrate the broad range of Krsna consciousness. At New Vrindaban, Srila Prabhupada wished to show how devotees could live peacefully, meeting all of their needs simply by protecting the cows and tilling the fields, offering all the results Srila Prabhupada said to Krsna. The rural setting of New Vrindaban, with its natural life-style, would be an appealing alternative to the hellish atmosphere created by the ugra-karma civilization. Living in these cities without Krsna consciousness was abominable, and the availability of unlimited varieties of sense enjoyment caused the people to become bound ever more tightly in the grips of maya.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

With great enthusiasm we pushed our sankirtana to every corner of the city, and when we saw the inhabitants of Los Angeles drenched with the Holy Name of the Lord and Back to Godhead magazines, we pushed forward into further outlying cities and towns. Spreading Krsna consciousness meant to declare war on maya, and as courageous preacher-soldiers we were eager to take up such a challenge. In such a fighting spirit I sent Srila Prabhupada a map outlining our battle plans. Each of the major towns and cities of Southern California was circled as a possible future centre for establishing a sankirtana base.

Nothing could have been more encouraging to Srila Prabhupada, for this, after all, was why he had come to the West at such an advanced age.  Srila Prabhupada said:

Allston, Mass., May 6^th 1969

            My Dear Tamal Krishna,

            Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very nice letter dated May 2^nd 1969, and the attitude which you are now maintaining for rendering service to Krishna will certainly induce Him to bestow you with all His blessings more and more. I am sending herewith one program for the 18^th of May which may be called Noukabihar. The song in this connection is also given and you may properly utilize it along with the translation. The next program on the 25^th I shall send you in my next letter, and that is known as Rairaya. I understand you want every Sunday some program, and I shall try to help you as far as possible. Your statement that the program there could be to establish a large centre for training preachers is very, very encouraging. I want my disciples to preach now. Here in Boston, sometimes I allow the students to speak, and it appears very hopeful.

            As you are increasing your Sankirtan Movement to cover a great distance of 150 mile-radius it is still more encouraging. I am sure that because you are in serious and sincere attitude of service to Krishna, He is giving you all good counsel to propagate these transcendental activities. I am also so glad to know that the recent plan of observing various kinds of festivals is drawing wonderful results. I wish I would have been present there to see things so nicely going on. Your idea that when I am in Los Angeles I shall simply lecture on Sundays, and on the weekdays the boys will lecture so I shall be free to go on with my translating work is very stimulating. I am also glad to learn that you are going to San Francisco to adjust things there. By the 12^th instant, when you are there, you should help arrange for the Rathayatra Festival. This is to take place sometime after the 15^th of July, and you can fix up the days from the 20^th of July to the 27^th of July. There is every possibility of me observing the Rathayatra Festival in London, because I received one letter from Shyamsundar, and they are seriously attempting for this occasion, and they are thinking of inviting me during that period. Shyamsundar wants to give me a grand reception, and he is trying his best for this level. But if I am not invited there, then surely I shall return to Los Angeles by the middle of June or earlier. The college courses and university courses should be very carefully taken because there is very, very great hope from those quarters. In Buffalo I have seen Rupanuga has done wonderfully, and some of the students are already attracted to this Krishna Consciousness Movement. Similarly, Pradyumna is also doing in Columbus, and I shall see personally when I go there on the 9th of May.

            So we have to train preachers, and they will go to the students in public institutions to educate them in Krishna Consciousness. So if our men simply study our books and magazines, and assimilate them nicely and clarify as soon as there is some doubt, then surely we shall drive out all these so-called yogis and propagandists who are simply cheating the innocent people to solve their peculiary problems. Regarding the Radha-Krishna Murtis, they may be kept for the time being, and when I go there I shall take care of them. Regarding my backache, the 10% balance appears to be out of my body, but after all, the material body can be infected at any time, so we should not bother very much about it. We must simply go on with our activities in Krishna Consciousness.

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

            Your ever well-wisher,

            A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

            enclosures: Festival Plans

            NB: When you go to San Francisco on the 12^th you may bring the 10" Deities with you. When Jivananda goes to Hawaii he should bring these 10" Deities with him. The 12" Deities will be for Los Angeles.

            NB: I have just received one letter from Upendra, and he is thinking of obtaining a nice church in Seattle. As he may be needing 500 very soon for down payment, your Los Angeles temple may help by loan of whatever money he will require in this connection. ACB

            P.S. The new big place which you are searching may be sufficiently big so we can start our Press also. ACB

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

By leaving the security of Vrndavana on the order of his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada had taken all risks, and now Krsna had sent him so many young men and women to assist in his mission. His foremost desire was to see his disciples take up the preaching work on his behalf, and toward this end he was working continuously to give us so many devotional books. We had only to assimilate the teachings and explain them in our own words to guarantee the success of our preaching. One might study the philosophies of so many great thinkers, but none would prove as satisfying as the teachings of Lord Caitanya. The American public, however, was as yet unfamiliar with this sublime, transcendental philosophy, and they would have to be convinced with all good argument and reason. They would not easily embrace a way of life which required that they give up all of their sense gratification. Prabhupada pointed out that college and university courses must be "very carefully taken." We would have to repeat, without any change, whatever we had heard from him and what was written in his books. This, Srila Prabhupada said, had been his only credit: he never adulterated in any way the eternal instructions which he had received from his Guru Maharaja, instructions which had been so carefully preserved over five thousand years by the previous acaryas. Indeed, it was because of the great care taken by each disciple to repeat without change the words of his spiritual master that our line of disciplic succession was still intact. Care in preaching applied not only to the subject matter but also to how it was presented. A devotee must be very humble if he is to induce others to accept the medicine of Krsna consciousness. Deeply enmeshed in material consciousness, people are suffering like jaundiced victims, and although the cure of Krsna's sublime activities is sweet and nectarean, they find it bitter due to their diseased condition. Only by humility and tolerance can they be induced to take our cure, which alone can save them. As an ideal Vaisnava, Prabhupada's words and actions were always full of humility. Once, in Bombay, he had addressed an assembly of the leading businessmen, who despite their pious backgrounds were quite worldly -minded. He began by praising them as having all good qualities, being very learned persons, charitable, with all clean habits. "Therefore," he said, "I beg you, bowing down before you with straw between my teeth, to please take this mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabbu." Such humility is characteristic of a pure devotee. Being self-satisfied, he has nothing personally to gain from the association of worldly personalities. But out of compassion for the suffering of the fallen conditioned souls, with the humility of an animal who has straw between his teeth, he works to lead everyone back to his master, Krsna. As the perfect teacher, Srila Prabhupada also demonstrated how a devotee must tolerate inconveniences. Although he had been suffering from a backache, Prabhupada had not allowed this to deter his service to Krsna. Sometimes a disbeliever may question how the spiritual master's body can be transcendental and still become ill. The pure devotee's body may be made of material elements, but as an iron rod placed in the fire acts like fire, the pure devotee's body is as good as spirit, being employed always in the service of the supreme spiritual Personality of Godhead. Our acarya Srila Rupa Gosvami has given his definitive opinion:

drstaih svabhava-janitair vapusas ca dosair

na prakrtatvam iha bhakta-janasya pasyet

gangambhasam na khalu budbuda-phena-pankair

brahma-dravatvam apagacchati nira-dharmaih

"Being situated in his original Krsna conscious position, a pure devotee does not identify with the body. Such a devotee should not be seen from a materialistic point of view. Indeed, one should overlook a devotee's having a body born in a low family, a body with bad complexion, a deformed body, or a diseased or infirm body. According to ordinary vision, such imperfections may seem prominent in the body of a pure devotee, but despite such seeming defects, the body of a pure devotee cannot be polluted. It is exactly like the waters of the Ganges, which sometimes, during the rainy season, are full of bubbles, foam, and mud. The Ganges waters do not become polluted. Those who are advanced in spiritual understanding will bathe in the Ganges without considering the condition of the water." (Nectar of Instruction)

A pure devotee is always tolerant and is not affected by material circumstances. He realizes that the spirit soul is actually transcendental to material conditions, and he therefore always acts on the spiritual platform. By the grace of Krsna he is able to conquer over even the most dangerous circumstances. Srila Prabhupada, as a paramahamsa Vaisnava, manifested all of the twenty-six qualities of a pure devotee. Seeing his spotless character and wonderful activities, we all aspired to follow in his footsteps.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

When Srila Prabhupada left for Hawaii he had promised to return to Los Angeles soon, after visiting his East Coast centres, where the devotees had not seen him for many, many months. But from, Boston Prabhupada had written of going directly to London instead of returning to Los Angeles. Having had his association for five consecutive months we were confident that he preferred Los Angeles to any other place, and now, hearing of Prabhupada's suggestion to go to London, we felt neglected. As a young child taking his first steps looks for his parents' approval, we wanted Prabhupada to personally observe our first attempts at preaching. We had decorated the prasadam room so nicely that many more guests were coming; and in the near future there would be the Ratha-yatra festival in San Francisco.

It was not out of neglect, of course, but out of a desire to encourage all of his disciples who were serving him with equal sincerity that made Prabhupada occasionally change his plans. Whatever love we may have felt for him, our spiritual master's loving concern for us was far deeper. His pure devotion to Krsna included compassion for all Krsna's parts and parcels, and especially for those who had surrendered their lives in His service. But ultimately his purpose centred on fulfilling the desire of his Guru Maharaja, and this preeminent concern guided all of his actions. The devotees in London had taken the greatest risk by going to a foreign country on his behalf, and he felt compelled to reciprocate this great assistance to his Guru Maharaja's mission. If the opportunity presented itself, he would immediately renounce all other invitations in favour of going to London.

There was great competition, therefore, for our spiritual master's attention. Unlike competition in the material world, this was purely spiritual, being based on love. When a devotee sees that someone else is able to serve Krsna in a better way than he, he pays obeisances to such a devotee and offers himself in assistance. With happiness he observes that devotee's great fortune and prays that one day he may also be able to equally please Krsna. The perfect example of such devotional sentiments are found in Krsna's foremost devotees, the gopis. When the German edition of The Nectar of Devotion was first offered to Srila Prabhupada, he particularly appreciated one of the paintings in which all of the gopis are pushing Srimati Radharani toward Krsna. Prabhupada commented that in the material world, women are naturally envious of each other, but in spiritual life that envy is replaced by love for Krsna Srila Prabhupada said. As no one could please Krsna better than Srimati Radharani, the gopis were very eager for Her to be with Krsna. By seeing Her serve Krsna, their desire to be personally with Krsna was fulfilled. In the same mood, Radharani finds more satisfaction in arranging for Krsna's meeting with the gopis than in being with Him Herself. Sometimes, to increase their love, Krsna gives up the association of Radharani and the gopis in favor of His other friends. In a similar way, Srila Prabhupada encouraged our friendly competition and thus increased our transcendental anxiety for his association.

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