Dear Srila Prabhupada,

Om ajnana timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah.

On the occasion of your appearance day 2014, “I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who with the torchlight of knowledge, has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.”

Srila Prabhupada, your kind and magnanimous guidance is an ongoing process. Your books are scintillating spiritual stars that offer us constantly various bright and enlivening insights into the science of love of God. We have to assume that this sparkle and shining is uninterrupted, even though our receptivity may be graduated or intermittent.

Here is one such glorious ray:
“ A bona fide spiritual master chants the holy names Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, and the transcendental sound vibration enters the ear of the disciple, and if the disciple follows in the footsteps of his spiritual master and chants the holy name with similar respect, this chanting constitutes worship of the transcendental name. When the transcendental name is worshiped by the devotee, the name himself spreads his glories within the heart of the devotee.” Teachings of Lord Caitanya Ch. 18

Your every single word is meant for our eternal benefit and pulls us progressively out of the baser modes of material nature.
Here is a nice quote to that effect: “We should always think that we are in the modes of ignorance. We are just trying to make progress from ignorance to goodness and then transcend. This is the process of spiritual realization. Nobody should think that we are perfect. We cannot be. God is… Only God is perfect, and we are all imperfect. Even our so-called liberated stage, we are still imperfect. Therefore one has to take shelter of authority because, constitutionally, we are imperfect.” 661226CC.NY

This year I would like to include the following prayer to the mind:

My dear mind,

At times you feel so miserable.
Why are you attracted to the often-ghastly topics of the material world? Please remember Srila Prabhupada’s words that there is no happiness to be found in this material world. Ceasing to be an afflicted “sufferer”, why don’t you become an expert devotional surfer instead and permanently stay on the top of the crests of the incoming waves of devotional service. You will do well to remember the statement of Srimad-Bhagavatam, 1.2.6

sa vai pusam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihatä
yayätmä suprasidati

“The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.”

Please do not take Srila Prabhupada’s institution ISKCON and contribution to the global advancement of Krishna consciousness for granted. It is nothing less than is a golden path.

Why don’t you instead permanently accept Srila Prabhupada’s and Lord Caitanya’s blissful program of chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, dancing and feasting?

1. Leaving India for the first time, there will be no need for someone to take a taxing ocean trip on the Jaladuta from Kolkata to Boston at the ripe old age of 69 and suffer several heart attacks on the way.

2.There will be no need for someone to start from scratch a global institution for Krishna consciousness, establish 108 temples all over the world and initiate some truly gargantuan temple construction projects.

3. There will be no need to accept 10 000 plus disciples.

4. There will be no absolute need for someone to travel 15 times around the world, lecturing twice a day and meeting news reporters, scientists, religious leaders, politicians and world renowned dignitaries and celebrities.

5. There will be no need for someone to become the topmost Bhakti-Vedantist, able to quote innumerable Sanskrit verses at a moment’s notice.

6. There will be no need for someone to publish 80 plus spiritual books, compose 6341 personal letters and establish a Bhaktivedanta Book Trust to publish them.

7. There will be no need for someone to create the world’s first vegetarian restaurant chain and introduce the Rathayatra festivals in major cities of the world, thus bringing the temple to the people.

8. And finally, provided we could go back in time, there will be no need for someone to start a monthly magazine called Back to Godhead on the 1944 appearance day of Om Vishnupada Bhaktisidhanta Saraswati Maharaja.
It is not even compulsory to get up at one AM daily, if one is not so endowed. But you will admit that it will indeed be a nice achievement in Srila Prabhupada’s footsteps and the footsteps of the other Goswamis.

Out of his great expertise, compassion and kindness, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya’s sena pati, has already accomplished all the above and much more for your personal benefit also.

He has made it easy for you. So please don’t be mudha-like. Mudha means “ass” or “rascal”. Please be reasonable and accept unreservedly His and Lord Caitanya’s joyous program of chanting the maha mantra

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA

KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA

RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

dancing and feasting. End of prayer.

Srila Prabhupada, I am happy to report that due to your mercy conjugated with my feeble efforts, Krishna consciousness has become manifest to some extent in my heart. Even if I were to try, I would be unable to extinguish it, just like it is difficult to suppress a forest fire in favorable circumstance, as we often experience in Australian summers. Somehow or other it reappears again and again. That seems to prove your postulate that Krishna consciousness is the common innermost energy and essence of all living entities. Krishna consciousness is the true golden path of self-realization. Funny thing is that when I was an altar boy and sacristan, the liturgy was in foreign language i. e. Latin. Now it still is in foreign language i.e. Sanskrit. Why did I take birth in the wrong culture?

Under Krishna’s direct guidance, You created these transcendental law books in the early hours of the morning and our part is to research Your books in the early hours of the morning or at any other time of the day. You are chanting (kirtanam) and we are hearing (sravanam). These are the first two angas of devotional service as enunciated by Mahajana Prahlada in SB 7.5.23. Whenever someone is chanting someone will hear, if only the chanter himself.

“Prahlada Maharaja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Vishnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one’s best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krishna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.”

Srila Prabhupada, You are so kind and attentive that You will not allow us even for a moment to be overcome by the bodily concept of life. Because the qualities of the modes of material nature are mentioned therein, we may meditate on BGAII 3.5 by contemplating our bodily restlessness. But in the very first sentence of the purport You immediately cut in and wake us up by stating that it is the soul who is always active and that the body is actually dead.
“It is not a question of embodied life, but it is the nature of the soul to be always active. Without the presence of the spirit soul, the material body cannot move. The body is only a dead vehicle to be worked by the spirit soul, which is always active and cannot stop even for a moment….”

We cannot expect proper respect for ourselves, if we are denying respect to You, Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and Institutor of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, either by declining to offer the articles of altar worship to You first on the Vyasasana, by retitling the sixth chapter of the BGAII against Your wishes, or generally speaking by turning our back to You literally or figuratively. It takes only two steps to turn away from the sun and face the shadow. Similarly Maya is only two steps away at all times. In the Katha Upanisad (1.3.14) there is the emphatic call:

uttisthata jagrata
prapya varan nibodhata
kshurasya dhara nishita duratyaya
durgam pathas tat kavayo vadanti

“Please wake up and try to understand the boon that you now have in this human form of life. The path of spiritual realization is very difficult; it is sharp like a razor’s edge. That is the opinion of learned transcendental scholars.”

Let us first of all show full, all round respect where it is most due, that is in our relationship with Krishna’s representative, You, Srila Prabhupada. Then we shall automatically be respected also.

In a totally different context, I have witnessed how one young lady-disciple of HH Indradyumna Maharaja, and author as well, expressed on his birthday celebration her attachment and affection for her spiritual master and how she called him “her father”. I feel I am respectively in the same position. You have created a wonderful and unique family wherein we can grow and cultivate spiritual relationships.
Out of all human beings, I have met physically or through their writings, I find your association most enriching, your style most endearing! You are the perfect master, PhD and post graduate in the Science of Krishna consciousness, the king of education and most confidential knowledge as well. Your company is never boring. It is always a new and fresh adventure.

You explain that there are different Sanskrit terms for friend, out of all these nomenclatures, “suhrit” means the best friend because he has our own best interest in his heart at all times. Su means very good, very favorable and hrit means heart. You are truly suhrit, our ever well-wisher, not only for your direct spiritual descendants but also for the whole of mankind. You are not sentimental though and if tough love is required, as Prime Minister Abbot calls it here in Australia, you will use it.

In one sense your whole program of Krishna conscious education is a program of tough love because the path of Krishna consciousness is not easy when it is practiced according to the guidelines of Shastra. This you have explained in BGAII 7.3 purport: “Although nondevotees declare that the path of bhakti, or devotional service, is very easy, they cannot practice it. If the path of bhakti is so easy, as the nondevotee class of men proclaim, then why do they take up the difficult path? Actually the path of bhakti is not easy. The so-called path of bhakti practiced by unauthorized persons without knowledge of bhakti may be easy, but when it is practiced factually according to the rules and regulations, the speculative scholars and philosophers fall away from the path”.
But what valuable things in life come easily? Krishna consciousness surely IS the most valuable thing, even more valuable than touchstone, as Srila Sanatana Goswami has exemplified!

You always speak the unadulterated transcendental message. You never speak nonsense or attempt to fool or cheat people as others in various sphere of life will do. Your mind and arguments for the Personal Absolute Truth are as fast as lightning. No asura can bypass Durga, similarly no one can bypass your intellect for the Personal Absolute Truth. You always stand tall and undefeated just like Aniruddha in his fight against his future father in law Banasura and before the use of the overwhelming naga-pasha or snake-noose weapon. (Krishna book Chapter 62)
“…. we are not concerned to hear any rascal. We want to hear Krishna. We are not prepared to hear any rascal, so-called scientists and so-called philosopher, so-called God. No. We are not prepared. Because everyone is rascal. Everyone is full of mistakes, everyone is trying to cheat others, everyone is illusioned, and everyone’s senses are imperfect. How he can give knowledge perfect? That is not possible.
Therefore, we have to select guru. Guru means Krishna. As Arjuna has selected guru, shisyas te ‘ham sadhi mäm tväm prapannam: [Bg. 2.7] “I am, I become Your shisya, disciple, and I surrender unto You.” So to get perfect knowledge, we have to find out Krishna or Krishna’s bona fide representative.” 730821BG.Lon

Thank you very much, Srila Prabhupada, for showering the nectar of Krishna consciousness upon us. May my ability to taste it never wane. May my ability to taste it ever increase exponentially instead.
We acknowledge unhesitatingly your vast superiority and gladly offer our prostrated obeisances again and again at your holy lotus feet.
Jai Srila Prabhupada! All glories to you!
Trying to be a good disciple,
Your servant,
Yadavendra das
http://www.krishnaculture.org

It was a small Australian country town. My first impression was that this was a health food shop. It was called So and So Natural Foods and the signage in green and white conveyed an impression of freshness and lightness. Once inside, I realized that it was in fact a butcher’s shop. Some clever butchers “go with the flow” and advertise with slogans such as “chemical free”, “naturally grown” etc… etc.

I made my standard presentation, during which the fairly young attendant took hold of one of my “Higher Taste” copy. In butcher shops, I generally don’t mention the wonderful, karma free Hare Krishna vegetarian cookbook for obvious reasons. But this person was very much interested and revealed that his mother was in fact a vegetarian. For her, he purchased three vegetarian cookbooks by Kurma Prabhu and after thanking him, I left in total amazement at the varieties of Krishna’s sometimes-contradictory arrangements. I also gave him a complimentary copy of one of Srila Prabhupada’s books as per standard procedure: in this case “Renunciation Through Wisdom”.

Let us remember Srila Prabhupada words to the effect that “There is no justice when there is animal-killing. “ in Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.24, purport. Here is the full passage:

“…There are two types of animal-killers. The soul is also sometimes called the “animal” or the living being. Therefore, both the slaughterer of animals and those who have lost their identity of soul are animal-killers.

Maharaja Pariksit said that only the animal-killer cannot relish the transcendental message of the Supreme Lord. Therefore if people are to be educated to the path of Godhead, they must be taught first and foremost to stop the process of animal-killing as above mentioned. It is nonsensical to say that animal-killing has nothing to do with spiritual realization. …………This rejection of the Vedas by Lord Buddha was adopted in order to save people from the vice of animal-killing, as well as to save the poor animals from the slaughtering process of their big brothers, who clamor for universal brotherhood, peace, justice and equity. There is no justice when there is animal-killing.” Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.24, purport.

By Yadavendra das, travelling book distributor in the land of the Queen, also called Queensland, Australia. God save the Queen!

Still early in the morning, I visited two quite small towns, where in the past, I had distributed books well. But due to economic contraction, I met with a very poor result this time. Many shop premises were closed and vacated. Many of the remaining shop owners were anxious about their own future and charity was definitely not their top priority. One good and steady customer considered for some moments the purchase of another Kurma vegetarian cookbook. He finally decided not to part with his money. Under such circumstances, I speed up the process and altogether avoid some shops selectively. Time is short for the book distributor preacher because the task at hand is huge. In wartime, the expert physician has only a few moments for each wounded combatant and perhaps none at all for the fatally wounded and dying. It is in that mood that I arrived in the next bigger town and first of all I noticed two separated shops only: a hairdresser and a liquor shop. From experience, I know that both these shops’ attendants can be very good customers. To go there or not to go there was the question. What if the economic contraction had spread to this particular town as well? I would expend the extra energy to reach these separated shops and achieve no tangible results.

I decided: “This is a different town with essential economy. Let me go anyway.” As far as possible, we really want to give everyone at least one seed-chance to engage in Lord Krishna’s service and especially at least one seed-chance to read Srila Prabhupada’s books and thereby get started on their path of self-realisation.

“Every word is for the good of the human society, every word, each and every word. Therefore we stress so much in the book distribution. Somehow or other, if the book goes in one’s hand, he will be benefited. At least he will see, “Oh, I have taken so much price. Let me see what is there.” If he reads one shloka, his life will be successful, if one shloka, one word. This is such nice things.” 740105SB.LA

The response and success in the bottle shop was excellent. I evidently noticed how the attendant had a damaged right eye. He later explained to me that his somewhat colorful eye was collateral damage of a public bar brawl. He happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. I started to extol the glories of Bhagavad-Gita As It Is and showed him relevant pictures in my folder. He was attentive. Usually I stress the second chapter, which, as we all know, explains exhaustively the immortality of the soul, first through analytical study and in the second part “in terms of working without fruitive results.” To understand our soul-identity and its characteristics represent really the first steps of spiritual life. How many times did Srila Prabhupada explain that we are not these fragile bodies but that we are spirit souls? I may also get them to read the quotations of Gandhi, Thoreau and / or Emerson on the back cover. His final conclusion was:” Yes, let me have one of these! (Bhagavad-Gita As It Is)” He further accepted a copy of The Higher Taste and paid my full retail price for both volumes without hesitation.

A few minutes and steps later, I noticed a lady leaning against the balustrade in front of the drug store. She had a plastic container tied to her left ankle. I quipped: “ Good morning Madam, are you on a drip?” She answered: “I am dying of bowel cancer.” I then realized that the plastic bag contained body waste instead. We had a subsequent conversation during which we agreed that death is certain for everyone and that we are all dying now in the sense that with each passing day, death is coming one day closer. I quickly added that the intelligent person will consequently prepare for death, just as everyone and anyone would not fail to prepare for an important trip. Again I extolled the glories of Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, as described above and she agreed to accept a copy. “My brother in-law will also enjoy reading such a book. Thank you very much.” was her final conclusion.

That represented two copies of Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, edition 2 (V2) , distributed in five or ten minutes, a not-so-common Sankirtan occurrence! From these two live examples, it would seem that those pious souls who are undergoing tribulations in life are more inclined to surrender to and take shelter of God, Krishna, the Ultimate Liberator. This analysis is confirmed by the prayers of Queen Kunti in Srimad Bhagavatam, canto one, chapter eight, text twenty five:” I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.”

There is another town where, over the years, people had become excessively vain and would totally disregard and resist my entreaties to engage in Lord Caitanya glorious Sankirtan Movement. I take it that their real situation was summed up on a vehicle license plate with the word “ PAAPY”, parked on the day of my visit very near to the main shopping precincts. For those of us who are not familiar with this nomenclature, the Sanskrit word “paapii” with long “a” and “i”, as indicated by my intentional spelling, means “sinful person”.

The library manager himself would abruptly hang up the phone, as soon as I would mention the words “Hare Krishna”. So much so that, for several years in a row, I decided to stop visiting this particular town during my yearly trips. It clearly would have been a mismanagement of time and energy, considering that elsewhere customers are waiting in line, so to say. In Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya 7.109, in the chapter titled “The Lord begins tour of south India”, it is explained that the preacher goes where the customers are enthusiastic for Krishna consciousness, not where there is no response or worse, where there is a positive aversion for Krishna consciousness. On such considerations, the lion like Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to South India, instead of Bengal, which was at the time dominated by the tantrics.

Then during the wet season, the town was heavily flooded and damage inflicted was just as heavy as well. I decided to resume my visits to observe how the floods had affected the collective mind. The change was astounding. Several people made proactive, unsolicited and favorable statement such as “ Hare Krishna people are good people. Hare Krishna people are doing a great job”. I sold an unusually high amount of books on that day. There is a natural tendency for the living entity to get a little proud of one’s assets or achievements. The living entity falsely thinks himself the only doer and cause, when these are ultimately bestowed upon us by the Lord’s kind mercy according to our desire, pious credit and endeavor. We may quote Bhagavad As It Is 18.13 and following verses in this regard (BGAII 18.13 to 18.16): “O mighty-armed Arjuna, according to the Vedanta there are five causes for the accomplishment of all action. Now learn of these from Me. The place of action, the performer, the various senses, the many different kinds of endeavor, and ultimately the Supersoul—these are the five factors of action. Whatever right or wrong action a man performs by body, mind or speech is caused by these five factors. Therefore one who thinks himself the only doer, not considering the five factors, is certainly not very intelligent and cannot see things as they are.”

Srila Prabhupada also say in a lecture that if we forget Krishna, the supplier of everything and maintainer of everyone, then His material nature may punish, just as it is the function of the police force to give trouble to the criminals.

If my memory serves me well, Srila Prabhupada Himself on His deathbed, playing the role of an ordinary conditioned soul and in His inconceivable humility and made the following statement: “I must have become a little proud of my achievements and now the Lord is taking it all away from me.” During the rasa dance, some of the gopis also became a little proud in the personal association of Krishna, Who took immediate steps to rectify the matter, by depriving them of His most cherished company.

Inadvertently-I use “inadvertently” because my main business on this occasion was not book distribution -I also visited a cooking school and restaurant, where Kurma Prabhu himself taught at least on one past occasion. The owner was friendly, liberal and welcoming, but he didn’t seem to be a happy man though. Sometimes we can actually see the anxieties of the slaughtered animals reflected on the face of the meat-eaters. He clearly stated that if it were for vegetarianism, his business would not survive. His wife however did not tolerate my approaching the chefs in the kitchen for the purpose of book distribution. That is generally not an auspicious sign!

Just like in the early days of Iskcon, sometimes our detractors still involve the police. Many senior devotees will easily remember how forty or so years ago, we would often end up at the police station for either distributing books or chanting

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA

KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA

RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

in the streets. Recently a shopping center management not only targeted me with its own security team, but called the police as well, because I was distributing books on their premises. God, Krishna is the Supreme and Ultimate Proprietor of everything. He therefore also owns all shopping centers, in every country and all over the world. As humble servants of Krishna, we should therefore be welcomed to execute our duties almost anywhere and everywhere. I suppose it is a matter of education. Under such circumstances, we should always remember and follow Srila Prabhupada’s strong and staunch letter statement that we shall never stop our preaching activities, nor change their essence. But confrontation may not be the best policy under the circumstances. More responsive policy of push when there is give and give when there is push is required. This represents the most energy effective policy as well.

In India, Srila Prabhupada’s glorious servants once mistakenly requisitioned a stranger’s vehicle for the pure devotee’s service. This vehicle was an exact replica of Srila Prabhupada’s own vehicle, whence the misunderstanding. Instead of an altercation, the owner felt honored and privileged by his service inadvertently rendered to the representative pure devotee of the Lord and additionally gave all honors to Srila Prabhupada. “This is the difference between India and the West”, I believe, Srila Prabhupada commented on this or such similar occasions.

108 glories to Srila Prabhupada, the greatest unacknowledged friend, well-wisher and welfare worker of humanity at large! Srila Prabhupada is also the greatest internationalist!

As usual, this particular Monday, I went to Mangal aratik at ISKCON Brisbane. In Vaishnavism, Mangal Aratik is the first temple ceremony of the day and is generally held at 4.30 AM. In the yoga discipline, early rise is essential. 4 AM is the deadline. It helps to overcome the three modes of material nature. In the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, chapter 2, text 45, Lord Krishna says;

“The Vedas deal mainly with the subject of the three modes of material nature. O Arjuna, become transcendental to these three modes. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the self.”

I did not immediately realize that I had locked myself out of my Sankirtan van, as I had forgotten the keys in the ignition lock. Neither did I realize that this was in fact Krishna’s special plan to bless the employee of the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland with two pieces of Krishna conscious literature. Krishna confirms in Bhagavad-Gita As It Is 15.15: “mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca, ..from Me comes remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.”

I usually carry a second or even a third vehicle key, just to be able to easily solve such a situation quickly, with my own resources. As I had just acquired this vehicle however, the only key available was now stuck in the ignition lock. I had no alternative but to call the RACQ and possibly wait 60 minutes for the arrival of the break down van.

Membership of such clubs always proves itself extremely useful in difficult situation and always represents good value. The marketing slogan is “RACQ, wouldn’t want to be without it”. That is true, literally! These are qualified and courteous mechanics, who are often prepared to go over and above the call of duty. So the man came and got me out of trouble in less than a minute. Suddenly he said: “I am a vegetarian”. I almost could not believe my ears to hear such a proactive and favorable statement at six o’clock in the morning. I immediately showed him 7 vegetarian cookbooks, four Kurma cookbooks, “Egg-free Cakes”, Adiraja Prabhu’s publication and the “Higher Taste”. He did not carry enough money for “World Vegetarian Food”, so I gave him a discounted “Hare Krishna Book of Vegetarian Cooking” and a complimentary copy of “Renunciation through Wisdom” by Srila Prabhupada. I said: “This is the Brisbane Hare Krishna temple.” He replied: ”I know I was here the other day. Someone had a flat battery.” He also confided that he lives with his daughter and that is daughter is a vegetarian. But that over the years he had sometimes given up the vegetarian life style. This comment is made often and here we see the power of association. One tends to merge with one’s association and it is Srila Prabhupada’s plan to give the whole world the best possible association through His institution, The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a huge but not impossible task. I discovered that he lived not very far from the temple. I therefore invited him to come to the temple anytime at his convenience and especially to the Saturday Love Feast. I also gave him one of my pamphlets, which prominently displays the great Hare Krishna maha mantra of deliverance:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

This was my first sale of the day and it was 6 AM. Let us always agree to be puppets in the Lord’s hands. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of Iskcon, Institutor of the BBT and Founder of BTG magazine!

“We do not have to manufacture anything new. We are getting perfect knowledge from Krishna through the disciplic succession, so our position is very firm. Whatever we hear from the bona fide spiritual master should be practiced in life and the same message delivered to whomever we meet. In this way you become spiritual master.”

Srila Prabhupada. 751231Let.Kirtiraja

“Now, kalau, kalau, “in this age,” especially meant. Now, how to worship Him? Does He require any grandeur, any throne or any decoration? No. Nothing. Anywhere and everywhere you can worship Him. How? Sankirtanai, this chanting. Keep the picture of Lord Caitanya with His associates, this, as picture we are painting, we have got, and any part of the world, you sit down and go on chanting, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama… So no expense, no nothing. This is the recommendation for this age. Therefore this picture and this sound vibration should be preached all over the world. And rest assured there will be peace and prosperity. This should be the mission of this society, Krishna consciousness.” Srila Pabhupada 661223CC.NY

By Krishna’s mercy, on the day preceding our most important Hare Krishna festivals along with Gaura Purnima, Sri Krishna Janmastami and Srila Prahupada’s appearance day,  I had the following realizations regarding Bhagavad-Gita As It Is. The first realisation I would like to share is as follows:

When we talk about Srila Prabhupada’s presentation of Bhagavad-Gita, we should take care to always vibrate “Bhagavad-Gita As It Is”, abbreviated as BGAII, to create a totally new image for Bhagavad-Gita, the book that has otherwise been presented 650 times already. On book distribution Sankirtan, I have come across this expression “Bhagavad-Gita As It Is” vibrated by so-called outsiders, who have had contact with Iskcon (obviously). Besides pleasantly familiar, it struck me as both fully relevant and appropriate. Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-Gita As It Is rendition is unique. It cannot be compared to any other rendition. We should therefore be careful to create a distinctive identity and image for His BGAII. In the preface Srila Prabhupada writes” If personally I have any credit in this matter, it is only that I have tried to present Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, without any adulteration. Before my presentation of Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, almost all the English editions of Bhagavad-Gita were introduced to fulfill someone’s personal ambition. But our attempt, in presenting Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, is to present the mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Our business is to present the will of Krishna, not that of any mundane speculator like the politician, philosopher or scientist, for they have very little knowledge of Krishna, despite all their other knowledge.”

We ought therefore to reflect this state of affairs in our designation of the book. It is also clever marketing. In 760124Let.Nitai, Srila Prabhupada Himself sets the standard:” Yes, Bhagavad-Gita As It Is should be studied from the beginning. There must be study from my books also.”

The second realization is also very important. Honesty is one of the keys to success in spiritual life. This is confirmed by shastra on many instances. In the following passage of 760427AR.NZ Srila Prabhupada mentions “honesty”, one of the brahmana’s qualities, twice. He does emphasizes it as “You must be very honest”:

“For enhancing devotional activities one must be very enthusiastic. That is the first proposition. Don’t be dull. Enthusiastic. Utsahan and dhairyat, patiently. Utsahan, dhairyat, niscayad. Niscayat means firmly convinced: “Yes, surely I shall meet Krishna and go to Him, back to home, back to…” Niscayat. Utsahan dhairyat niscayat tat-tat-karma-pravartanat. But you have to do the prescribed duties. Sato vritteh. You must be very honest and sadhu-sange, and in the association of devotees. Six: utsahan, dhairyat, niscayat, and tat-tat-karma-pravartanat, sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83], and being honest. If we follow these six principles, then it is sure. Sadbhir bhaktir prasidhyati.” Nectar of Instruction. Text three.

There is of course also Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, version 2, 18.42:

“Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness—these are the natural qualities by which the brahmanas work.” In the word for word translations, “arjavam” is translated in both versions as “honesty”, elsewhere sometimes as “simplicity”, not in a pejorative way as in “simpleton” but as in “simple living, high thinking”. In Srimad Bhagavatam, 8.20.19, purport, it is translated as “simplicity or freedom from duplicity” as being a qualification of a brahmana and a Vaishnava. In 740328BG.Bom, Srila Prabhupada says: Sadhu means honest, good behaved. They are called sadhu. There is description of sadhu. Sadhava sadhu-bhusanah. What are they, sadhu?

titiksavah karunikah

suhridah sarva-dehinam

ajata-shatravah shantah

sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah

[SB 3.25.21]

This is the description of sadhu. Sadhu does not mean for livelihood change the color of the garment or having big beard and become sadhu. No. Sadhu means devotee. Sadhu means first-class devotee.”

Therefore my second suggestion is to clearly state, in all honesty, which Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, we are quoting from, whether we are quoting from Bhagavad As It Is version one     (V 1) or Bhagavad-Gita As It Is version two (V2). This is common practice in other religions. In the case of Christianity for example, to give direct and full designation of the Bible version one is quoting from, is common practice.

Let there be no misunderstanding on this point: To be attached to either one rendition of BGAII, means to have attained an exalted existential position in the evolutionary process from the lower material forms to most advanced life in the spiritual sky. Neither is there any reason to quarrel as to which rendition is the best. None is the best, unfortunately! By Lord Krishna’s inconceivable arrangement, the best is yet to come. We note in that respect 6.19 has reverted to original rendition with capital S for Self, as it refers to the Supersoul, not the individual soul. This is confirmed in the purport. As a form of meditation, self-meditation is also condemned in Krishna Book, “The Daily activities of Lord Krishna”, wherein Srila Prabhupada writes:” When He (Krishna) meditates, therefore, He meditates on Himself. Self-meditation by ordinary men, designated in Sanskrit as so ’ham, is simply imitation. Krishna may meditate on Himself because He is the complete whole, but we cannot imitate Him and meditate on ourselves. Our body is a designation superimposed upon our self, the soul. Krishna’s body is not a designation: Krishna’s body is also Krishna. There is no existence of anything foreign in Krishna. Whatever there is in Krishna is also Krishna. He is therefore the supreme, indestructible, complete existence, or the Supreme Truth. “

There are still too many unresolved questions, as to the best rendition of Srila Prabhupada’s glorious Bhagavad-Gita As It Is. But in all honesty, I must add that BGAII version two (V2) is still my personal favorite because a sincere attempt has been made to improve some muddled passages, as well as improve the quality of the English language throughout. But BGAII (V1) version one clearly has its own superiorities. Chapter six, for example, remains “Sankhya Yoga”, as per Srila Prabhupada’s personal wishes and designation. Please see 721212BG.Ahm for confirmation. There are also 690319Let.Satsvarupa and 721108SB.Vrn. But most explicitly 690216BG.LA, wherein Srila Prabhupada’s first words are: Sankhya-yoga is the astanga-yoga. This sitting posture and meditation, this is called sankhya-yoga.” Srila Prabhupada also mentioned “sankhya- yoga” in the colophon. It is always unwise policy to contradict the unequivocal orders of the bona fide Spiritual Master. We also find plate 33: “Krishna delivers His unalloyed devotee from the ocean of birth and death”, perfectly illustrating the purpose of the human from of life, in version one only.

Otherwise my request is: Please hear Srila Pabhupada, please hear Srila Prabhupada, please hear Srila Prabhupada. Please hear Srila Prabhupada 22 / 365, if you can! Two hours are required for the mandatory minimum daily chanting of 1728 maha mantras of

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA

KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA

RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

Thank you very much for reading me. Hare Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada’s 6000 plus letters represent an undervalued, untapped and formidable source of spiritual and philosophical knowledge, practical know-how and information.

Let us consider for example 751202Let.TustaKrishnaSwami hereunder reproduced:

New Delhi

2 December, 1975

My Dear Tusta Krishna Swami,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21 November, 1975. Every student is expected to become Acarya. Acarya means one who knows the scriptural injunctions and follows them practically in life, and teaches them to his disciples. I have given you sannyasa with the great hope that in my absence you will preach the cult throughout the world and thus become recognized by Krishna as the most sincere servant of the Lord. So I’m very pleased that you have not deviated from the principles I have taught, and thus with power of attorney go on preaching Krishna Consciousness, that will make me very happy as it is confirmed in the Guru vastakam yasya prasadat bhagavata prasadah just by satisfying your Spiritual Master who is accepted as the bona fide representative of the Lord you satisfy Krishna immediately, without any doubt. I am very glad to inform you that Sudama Vipra Maharaja is also now following my principles. So I am very, very happy to receive all this news. Thank you very, very much. Keep trained up very rigidly and then you are bona fide Guru, and you can accept disciples on the same principle. But as a matter of etiquette it is the custom that during the lifetime of your Spiritual Master you bring the prospective disciples to him, and in his absence or disappearance you can accept disciples without any limitation. This is the law of disciplic succession. I want to see my disciples become bona fide Spiritual Master and spread Krishna consciousness very widely, that will make me and Krishna very happy.

I hope this letter finds you well,

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/hda

The main cause of the Guruship controversy stems from quoting Srila Prabhupada out of context.

The above letter on its own however, clears ALL doubts and ALL ignorance. It simultaneously gives the law of disciplic succession in FULL. Just see the perfection and completeness of Srila Prabhupada’s letters and consequently of their author, Srila Prabhupada Himself!

Srila Prabhupada clearly says here that:

“…as a matter of etiquette it is the custom that during the lifetime of your Spiritual Master you bring the prospective disciples to him, and in his absence or disappearance you can accept disciples without any limitation.” and that is where the ritvik procedure ends and full fledged Guruship begins. The same logical conclusion can be drawn from the 730822VP.Lon quote below.

Furthermore, Srila Prabhupada clearly explains how the law of disciplic succession operates.

Besides giving a 3 pronged definition of the term “Acarya”:

That an Acarya

One: knows the scriptural injunctions.

Two: follows himself / herself the scriptural injunctions

Three: teaches the same to his disciples,

Srila Prabhupada makes two major relevant statements in this particular letter:

One that “Every student is expected to become Acarya. “

And two, that “I want to see my disciples become bona fide Spiritual Master “

 That means that every bonafide disciple of Srila Prabhupada must work very hard and must endeavor his very best to live up to Srila Prabhupada’s expectation and become qualified as a bona fide Spiritual Master. The responsibility to guide and save the world is very great and heavy and it represents the function of Srila Prabhupada’s true followers. Neither is Guruship an impossible or forbidden task, nor is it a casual option. It is a great challenge for every bona fide Prabhupada disciple. To be a Prabhupada disciple is not a cheap or mediocre thing because the Master Himself is topmost superlative.

We should also note very carefully indeed that, in this particular letter, Srila Prabhupada does not make any gender distinction at all. He does not specify that every male student only should become Acarya or that He wants to see every male disciple only to become bona fide spiritual master. Not at all! On the contrary, in the following 730822VP.Lon quote below Srila Prabhupada positively designates “men, women, boys and girls, (to) become Spiritual Master.”

There is no alternative choice. Besides this choice, there is only failure- at least failure in the realm of Guruship. Every generation, must (“abhigaccet”) follow to the best of its ability “the law of disciplic succession”, as Srila Prabhupada puts it so nicely in this letter, just as Shastra says that one must accept a spiritual master, Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigaccet samit-panih shrotriyam brahma-nishtham [MU 1.2.12].

And frankly speaking, every Prabhupada disciple’s power of attorney to take up the service of bona fide Spiritual Master is already intrinsically contained in this letter.

By extrapolation, it means also that every single member of Iskcon is meant to be or become a Guru in due course of time and according to the regulative principles. Time is indeed passing and history is moving on. Iskcon is a movement for spiritual teachers, brahmanas and gurus, whether we like it or not. On Janmastami 2013, I met again an ideal second generation devotee and candidate for Guruship. Let him lodge his application and go through the formal Iskcon process of Guruship approval. In letter dated December 31, 1975 addressed to Madhudvisa Maharaja, Srila Pabhubhupada writes:” Thousands of Caitanya Mahaprabhu temples may be established all over Australia……..” Please note the plural. He does not say one thousand Caitanya temples only, but means many thousands of Caitanya temples to be established all over Australia. And more broadly:” I want that in every village and town there may be temple. But how far this is possible now, that has to be discussed.” 760131Let.Nalinikanta. How many spiritual teachers do you think will be required to achieve that goal in Australia alone???

Not even to mention the practical benefits, for the sake of proper regulation of the process, it will be best however to accept and undergo the Guru qualifying process as set out by The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Srila Prabhupada’s organization and movement, in order to obtain one’s certificate of authenticity and qualification for such a responsible, top most and culminating service. Several brains are generally better than a single one.

It is not that because some have failed that everyone else will also fail. Neither should we subscribe to the jackal’s philosophy, that if the grapes are out of our reach, we automatically condemn the grapes as inedible. On the contrary, we note already the existence of so many brilliant successes and many more such successes will follow. “There is no difficulty.”

Here is another relevant passage from 730822VP.Lon

“To become Spiritual Master is not very difficult thing. You’ll have to become Spiritual Master. You, all my disciples, everyone should become Spiritual Master. It is not difficult. It is difficult when you manufacture something. But if you simply present whatever you have heard from your spiritual master, it is very easy. If you want to become over-intelligent, to present something, to interpret something, whatever over you have heard from spiritual master you can make some further addition, alteration, then you’ll spoil whole thing. Then you’ll spoil whole thing. Don’t make addition or alteration. Simply present as it is. Therefore, we have begun Bhagavad-Gita As It Is. Don’t try to become over spiritual master. Then you’ll spoil. Remain always a servant of your spiritual master and present the thing as you have heard. You’ll be spiritual master. This is secret. You should know it. Don’t try to become over-intelligent. That will spoil.…….

You’ll find in Caitanya-caritamrita, now it is published. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, He is the Supreme Lord, Krishna. He says, amara ajnaya. “Whatever I say, amara ajnaya, by My order, you become a spiritual master.” Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So one may be very illiterate, no education, or no scholarship, may not be born in brahmana family, or may not be a sannyasi. There are so many qualification. But one may not have all these qualifications. He may be rascal number one, but still, he can become spiritual master. How? Amara ajnäya. As Krishna says, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, if you follow, then you become spiritual master. One may be rascal number one from material estimation, but if he simply strictly follows whatever is said by Caitanya Mahaprabhu or His representative spiritual master, then he becomes a guru.

So it is not very difficult. One may not think that “I am not qualified to become guru.” No, you are qualified if you follow strictly the parampara system. Then you are qualified. That’s all. Amara ajnaya guru hana… And what is the difficulty? Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, “Don’t feel any difficulty.” Because as spiritual master, what you have to do? Yare dekha, tare kaha, ‘krishna’-upadesha [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Whomever you meet, you simply speak to him the instruction which Krishna gives. What Krishna instruction gives? That is also very easy. What is that? Krishna says man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Krishna says “Just become My devotee, always think of Me, offer Me obeisances, and worship Me.” So here is Krishna. If you simply think “Here is Krishna, Radha-Krishna Deity,” you may be fool number, rascal number one. That doesn’t matter. But you are getting impression of this Radha-Krishna, think of Him: “Oh, how nicely Krishna is decorated.” This much. No erudite scholarship. Simply… Krishna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. Here is Deity. Worship Him nicely as it is regulated principle. Even you are not worshiping, simply think of Krishna, “Here is Radha-Krishna.” Impression. What is the difficulty? As soon as you see Radha-Krishna, you get some impression. Think of that impression. Where is the difficulty? Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. “Worship me.” If you have got opportunity, worship. If you are initiated, worship here. Or you install Deity at home, as our Kshirodakashayi Prabhu is doing. Everyone can do it. Where is the difficulty? Now ask him how he is happy. The whole family is happy. Not only he. But his wife, his children, everyone is happy. Practical. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. And if you cannot do anything, simply come and offer your obeisances: “My dear Lord Krishna, I am so poor, so unfortunate, I cannot do all these things, but I offer my humble obeisances unto Your lotus feet.” That much also. If you do this, you become spiritual master.

So, simply by accepting this principle, and even if you are not learned, illiterate, you are hearing so much from Bhagavad-gitä, you simply repeat that. Simply repeat that. There is no question of becoming very learned scholar. God has given you this ear. Even if you are blind, you cannot read, you can hear. So krishna-upadesha, what is Krishna…? This is ‘krishna’-upadesha. And at last, Krishna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. So if you simply preach this cult, “My dear friend, my dear brother, you surrender to Krishna,” you become spiritual master. You become spiritual master. You go door to door. No other talks. Simply say, “My dear friend, you are very nice, you are very learned.”….. “Now kindly forget all nonsense, whatever you have learned. That’s all. I am flattering you because I want that you forget everything, all these yogis and this and that and that and meditation. Please kick out all these.” “Then what I have to do?” “Caitanya-candra-carane kurutanuragam. “Just adhere yourself to the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu.” Then you become spiritual master. That’s all.

………………..

So I hope that all of you, men, women, boys and girls, become Spiritual Master, and follow this principle. Spiritual Master, simply, sincerely, follow the principles and speak to the general public.”

All glories to the transcendental, most merciful and most knowledgeable, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of The International Society for Krishna Consciousness and Institutor of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust!

“He Built a House in Which the Whole World Can Live!”

In service to Sri Guru, Lord Gauranga and the Vaishnavas.

Yadavendra Das, travelling book distribution preacher.

31 August 2013, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

www.krishnaculture.org