Bold and Beautiful, TOVP

Bold and Beautiful, TOVP
An emblem of Srila Prabhupada’s boldness.

Srila Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) when he was 70 years old and spread it throughout the world in the next 12 years. He obviously had numerous attractive qualities, both as a person and as a leader. One that continues to amaze, inspire, and guide his followers was his sensational boldness. Srila Prabhupada's boldness changed the course of world history.

When Prabhupada started his work in the USA in the 1960s, traditional religious institutions no longer held firm sway on the newer generations of the western world. Materialism and even outright hedonism was beginning to capture the hearts of the masses there.  The western world was fast moving towards a completely godless state of existence; the rest of the world would have followed suit shortly. Prabhupada reintroduced the western world to God - a stunningly beautiful blue teenage jolly cowherd boy who plays a flute and constantly engages in delightful pastimes of selfless love and affection with all the inhabitants, including birds and animals, of His simple rural village named Vrindavan. In an increasingly materialistic, self-centered, urbanized, and anti-god western society, this picture of God was a shocking revelation. But Prabhupada's bold conviction in his message made people start believing in it - to engage in pure devotional service to God, Krishna. 

The TOVP is an emblem of Srila Prahbupada’s boldness.

The Bold Lonely Struggle

One can trace back Prabhupada's boldness to his first meeting in 1922 with His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta startled the then 26 year old Gandhian Indian nationalist Abhay Charan De by his bold proclamation: temporary material situations like the British rule over India should not impede the preaching of Lord Chaitanya’s spiritual message; only this message can benefit the world and not any political situation. In an India engulfed by arousing nationalistic fervor, this was a stunning proposition; but Prabhupada was convinced.

Prabhupada later became an initiated disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta and imbibed from him this trait of boldness. Prabhupada was bold in multiple ways - personally, as a visionary, and as a strategist. In the 1950s, he made the bold decision of leaving his family to dedicate himself fully to the order of his spiritual master – to preach Lord Chaitanya’s message in English all over the world. This period, the 1950s, was Prabhupada’s toughest in terms of food, clothing, and shelter. Brought up with utmost love and care by his parents and always treated affectionately by his spiritual master, now Prabhupada found that he was all alone. Yet he struggled on, shuttling between Vrindavan and Delhi, to raise funds for, write, and print his “Back To Godhead” fortnightly journal and his commentary on the first canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam. It is impossible to fathom how this unknown aged man continued on without any fixed source of money, contacts, institutional backing, or certainty about the future. We can but bow our heads in the dust of his lotus feet and profusely thank him for his struggles for bringing us to the path of Krishna Consciousness.

This period of struggle ended in an unprecedented event in world history – a voyage that could eventually become as famous as Columbus’s voyage that led to the discovery of the New World. Columbus brought the western world into light; Prabhupada’s voyage brought spiritual light to the western world. Prabhupada’s voyage to USA on the cargo ship Jaladuta and his subsequent success are unparalleled in the history of Vaishnavism. The voyage was a bold move on multiple counts. One, traditional Vedic wisdom prohibits one to leave the shores of the holy land of India. And two, Prabhupada was 69 years old then, with no financial or social support whatsoever.

Taking on the World

Prabhupada’s conviction in his mission gradually earned him his first few followers in the USA. He finally had hands to execute his mission. When all he had was a single storefront, he painted the vision of an international society. He called it a society for Krishna Consciousness when no one in the west knew that Krishna is God. He startled the western world by Hari Nama Sankirtans - street processions having devotees chanting and dancing to the beats of hand cymbals and drums with banners of the Holy Name in hand. The biggest and most eye catching street processions were of course the Lord Jagannath Ratha Yatras which he conducted in major cities of the world. Perhaps his boldest and most socially noticeable move was to have devotees publicly and visibly distribute his books in major public places like airports. His vision was clear – to wake up the people of the world to Krishna by aggressive propaganda via books and sankirtan.

In his books he presented Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead along with his Holy Name, form, qualities, and pastimes. But in many of his conversations with eminent philosophers and scientists he used a distinct strategy - he challenged them. Quoting from authoritative Vedic scriptures and applying simple logic, he questioned and reprimanded those who proclaimed God to be impersonal and denied His eternal form and abode. He gave the Vedic perspective on the various western philosophies he came across. And most notably, he exposed the illogicality and futility of the mechanistic explanation of the cosmos and all that’s in it. This was a direct challenge to the growing atheistic scientific worldview. Despite not having a scientific academic background, he boldly ridiculed atheistic reductionist science based on his simple and firm faith in the word of scripture. To ensure that this challenge didn’t fizzle away, he started the Bhaktivedanta Institute as the scientific wing of ISKCON. While the whole world was glorifying the dazzling advancements in the scientific world, Prabhupada belittled them as being incapable of solving the real problems of life – birth, old age, disease, and death.

Prabhupada's expert application of the principle of yukta vairagya was instrumental in his spectacular success.  Because Srila Prabhupada was a pure devotee, Krishna was the most tangible reality for him; in fact he was in full realization of the fact that Krishna is the only independent reality and that all else depends on Him. Consequently he had the flair of engaging everything in Krishna’s service. He was the quintessential yukta vairagi. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé characterizes Kåñëa consciousness in this way:

anäsaktasya viñayän
yathärham upayuïjataù
nirbandhaù kåñëa-sambandhe
yuktaà vairägyam ucyate

"When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Kåñëa, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. [This is the principle of yukta vairagya]" (Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu 1.2.255)

Money, technology, world travel, mass media, public programs - he used them all with assured confidence. What’s more, he engaged the most unkempt drug addicts on one hand and attracted sophisticated scientists and professors on the other. It takes extraordinary ability to engage the most spiritually unqualified and ignorant in the Lord’s service. And it takes courage. The result was a Hare Krishna explosion. Hare Krishna became household names, hundreds of youth became his followers, millions of spiritual books were sold, and a hundred temples were built.  Lord Chaitanya’s movement left the shores of India; Prabhupada fulfilled the order of his spiritual master.

Succession of Boldness

Srila Prabhupada expected his followers to have faith in the Holy Name and continue preaching the message of Lord Chaitanya boldly. Being bold is hard; it takes courage to take significant and potentially life threatening risks. However, the tales of Srila Prabhupada’s personal struggles, his life threatening voyage to the west, and untiring hard work despite advanced old age serve as continuous inspiration for his sincere followers. Riding on this inspiration, his followers continue to operate even in remote corners of the globe, in hostile countries like the Islamic and communist nations, in the hearts of modern cities, and in many other parts of the world. Many of his disciples and grand-disciples lead a hectic life full of inconveniences to carry forward his legacy. This succession of boldness and dedication is one of Srila Prabhupada’s hallmarks of success; a true leader is one who creates more leaders.

Prabhupada has also given a life of dignity and confidence to all his followers. Without a thriving and united community of devotees, it would have been difficult for devotees to practice devotional life in today’s increasingly godless modern world. But thanks to ISKCON, devotees in devotional attire are now an increasingly common site in various parts of the world. This is also due to the strong scriptural and logical foundation that Prabhupada has provided for all aspects of a devotee’s life. Now a devotee does not need to be apologetic about his devotional practices. In fact many times a devotee’s acquaintances look up to him or her for guidance regarding various aspects of their life.

As a token of gratitude, to fulfil one of his ardent desires, and as a stunningly courageous undertaking, Srila Prabhupada’s followers are constructing the magnificent TOVP.

Bold and Beautiful

The three giant domes of the TOVP will be structurally complete by the end of 2015. This will include the concreting layer on top of the steel superstructure of the domes. By then, the entire superstructure of the temple building including the external brickwork will also be done. The domes will be layered with vitrified tiles of a unique shade of blue. Tiles of this color are available nowhere in the world. The NITCO company will specially manufacture these tiles for the TOVP. These tiles will start arriving at the site shortly. The MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) work for both infrastructure and interior needs will start in 2015. For example, lightening arresters (devices used to protect against the damage caused by lightening) have arrived on the site. There will be one special lightening arrester on each of the three domes and 40 others at various places on the site. The waterproofing is complete. Work on other services like fire-fighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning will also start now. The ground floor of the building is now leveled; in one way this milestone signifies that the super structure is now more or less done. On the aesthetic side, the sandstone carving work will now start.

While Prabhupada’s personal boldness is seen in his followers, his visionary and strategic boldness is evident in the TOVP. One of Prabhupada’s preaching strategies was to just encourage people to come to Mayapur so that their spiritual life will start. Additionally, one of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s prominent visions was to see people from different parts of the world throng to Mayapur and participate in the congregational chanting of the Holy Name. There are multiple bold elements in the construction of the TOVP which are meant to attract the people of the world to Mayapur.

The most obvious is its scale. The huge central dome will be the biggest dome in the world in terms of diameter and only second in terms of height after the Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Building it was an architectural challenge which the team of architects has now addressed satisfactorily.  While there are other huge temple complexes in the world like the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, India (180,000 sq. mt.) and the Angkor Wat in Cambodia, no other temple boasts as large a temple hall as the TOVP. Under the shelter of the structurally sound central dome, the TOVP temple hall will be 45000 sq. ft. in area and will hold 10000 pilgrims. Extending Srila Prabhupada’s application of the yukta viaragya principle, a lot of modern technology will be employed in this project. For example, the central dome will be acoustically designed for facilitating discourses within it for the 10000 pilgrims inside it. The decorative coffered ceiling of the central dome is also another major execution challenge that the team is currently working on. On top of the central dome, even above the kalash, will be housed a beautiful Sudarshan Chakra whose diameter will be 4m. A gong will be installed inside the temple that will be heard as far as the town of Krishnanagar, a straight line distance of 12km from Mayapur.

Impersonalism and atheistic science are two streams of thought that Prabhupada repeatedly attacked in his books and conversations. The TOVP continues that trend. Building of a grand temple of Lord Krishna focused on elaborate deity worship and devotional lifestyle directly challenges the impersonal conceptions of the Absolute Truth; it establishes the Absolute Truth as Sri Krishna – the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of everything. Consequently, the TOVP also rejects the mechanistic atheistic explanations of the cosmos and all that’s in it. What’s more, it also presents the Vedic view of the structure of the universe, most notably in the form of the ambitious chandelier that will hang down from the central dome. This chandelier will be a moving model of the Vedic explanation of the structure of the universe. To amalgamate the function of a chandelier (a decorative device of lighting) with the function of a scientific model of the universe (to explain its different aspects) into one single electro-mechanical structure is quite a design challenge.

Being aware of the large amount of money required for building something so grand, just to attempt it is a statement of utmost faith in Srila Prabhupada’s vision. Centuries ago wealthy kings used to fund the construction of large temples, but not today. Today funds are raised by requesting for them from potential donors. It’s a joint effort by the well-wishers of the project. Even when he did not have the required funds, Prabhupada had promised Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari of the Juhu (Bombay) ISKCON Temple that he would build a palace for them; he did. Similarly, the followers of Srila Prabhupada have promised him the building of the TOVP; with the cooperation of his worldwide followers, this promise will soon become a reality.

The superstructure of the TOVP already looks beautiful from Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s house across the Ganga. The striking blue color of its domes is an aesthetically bold choice too. The interior and exterior beauty of the TOVP will capture the hearts of its visitors. But the real beauty of the TOVP lies in its special place in the history of Gaudiya Vaishnavism; it will make Gaudiya Vaishnavism prominent on the world’s spiritual map.

An Emblem of Boldness

Srila Prabhupada was the perfect sadhu.

titikñavaù käruëikäù
suhådaù sarva-dehinäm
ajäta-çatravaù çäntäù
sädhavaù sädhu-bhüñaëäù

The symptoms of a sädhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime.

—Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.25.21

All ornaments of a sadhu decorated Srila Prabhupada. He left Vrindavan to give Krishna to the world because he was not satisfied with just his own liberation – that was his compassion. He faced so many impediments and so much opposition along the way but he tolerated it all for the sake of Lord Chaitanya’s mission. This combination of intense compassion and utmost tolerance was the recipe of his stunning boldness.

The TOVP will serve as an emblem of Srila Prabhupada’s boldness for generations to come.

---

Defending As It Is

This article appeared in the March/April 2011 issue of the Back To Godhead (International edition) magazine of ISKCON.

Defending "As It Is"

Does the Bhagavad-gita allow for multiple interpretations?

Scholars all over the world accept the Bhagavad-gita, which talks about the all encompassing Absolute Truth, as one of the most important books from India. Simple yet profound, easily accessible yet mystical, it continues to be the subject of myriad interpretations. But since the Absolute Truth, the subject of the Gita, is one entity and not many, then logically the Gita must have only one ultimate conclusion.

Srila Prabhupada chose to name his commentary Bhagavad-gita As It Is. This presumptuous-sounding title puts off many. A common retort is, "How can one man have a monopoly on what the Bhagavad-gita means?" However, by using this title Srila Prabhupada wants to highlight that the Bhagavad-gita has a specific message. And even more important, by using this title Prabhupada wants to tell readers that his commentary presents that specific message as it is, without change.

Is the Bhagavad-gita Ambiguous?

One common objection to identifying a single conclusion to the Bhagavad-gita is that the book is ambiguous and can be interpreted in multiple ways. Without denying that some verses can be variously interpreted, one can still clearly understand the ultimate conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita from its own unambiguous declaration of it.

[extract]

Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you My supreme instruction, the most confidential knowledge of all. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit. Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me, and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend. Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear. This confidential knowledge may never be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me. For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me. There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear." (18.64.69)

[end extract]

There can be no other interpretation of these verses than the obvious one: Become a pure devotee of Krishna and surrender completely to His sweet will. Since this is the summary instruction at the end of the Bhagavad-gita, all of Lord Krishna's other instructions must support and point to it. Not only that, the words guhya-tamam ("most confidential") appear three times in the Bhagavad-gita (9.1, 15.20, 18.64), and in all three places the words describe knowledge about unalloyed devotional service to Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada highlights this clear specific message – Bhakti - throughout his commentary. But others contend that because the Bhagavad-gita talks about other spiritual paths, these must be on the same level as bhakti. Lord Krishna does indeed speak about karma-yoga (developing detachment from the results of one's work), jnana-yoga (philosophical speculation to discern spirit and matter), and dhyana-yoga (meditation to the realize the self and God). How then can we say that unalloyed devotion to Krishna is the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita? Apart from the fact that the Bhagavad-gita itself declares so unequivocally, as noted above, a study of the Bhagavad-gita reveals that all other processes Krishna speaks of depend on bhakti for their practice and success. Here are a few examples:

"Therefore, O Arjuna, surrendering all your works unto Me, with full knowledge of Me, without desires for profit, with no claims to proprietorship, and free from lethargy, fight." (3.30)

"One who is in full knowledge and who is always engaged in pure devotional service is the best. For I am very dear to him, and he is dear to Me." (7.17)

"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare." (7.19)

"And of all yogis, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me, he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion." (6.47)

Thus, we see that whether it be karma-yoga (3.30), jnana-yoga (7.17, 19), or dhyana-yoga (6.47), all depend on devotion to Krishna. We find similar references throughout the Bhagavad-gita. And at the end of the Gita, Lord Krishna declares that bhakti is the single supreme conclusion, independent of any other process.

What About Intellectual Freedom?

Despite the evidence given above, some people refuse to accept that the Bhagavad-gita has just one conclusion; they think that accepting this premise would preclude any intellectual discussion of the book. Fortunately, that's not true. Even though the conclusion is beyond all philosophical conjecture, being as bright and clear as the sun on a cloudless day, the complete text of the Bhagavad-gita is like a gem-studded highway leading to the conclusion. Each verse is profound and can provide deep realizations, all in line with the conclusion. In fact, as one continues to follow the principles of the Bhagavad-gita, the realizations become deeper and deeper still, each coming along with the thrill of a new discovery. Also, understanding the concepts of the Bhagavad-gita stimulates the intellect. Figuring out how one concept leads into another, how the various concepts interrelate, how one concept explains another, and so on, is an intellectual adventure replete with astonishing discoveries and unexpected surprises.

For example, while one is wading through the marshy land of so many types of religion, through the fog of so many clouding philosophies, trying to reach a clear conclusion about faith, the sunlight of transcendental knowledge imparted in the seventh chapter of the Bhagavad-gita regarding faith in different types of people shows the way. Then the solid ground of the fourteenth chapter, about the three modes of nature, assures us that dry land is near. And finally, the discovery of Lord Krishna's discussion, in the seventeenth chapter, of faith in the different modes of nature takes us safely out of the marshlands of confusion, high and dry, with a clear understanding of faith. The essential teaching is that the best faith is that which is reposed in Krishna.

Such philosophical and intellectual excursions help us realize the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita. And even the less intellectually gifted can understand the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita because Krishna rewards the sincere student with the intelligence to do so (Bg.10.10) Accepting the unambiguous conclusion of unalloyed devotion to Krishna in the very beginning doesn't thwart intellectual pursuits. On the contrary, the Bhagavad-gita is a treat for intellectuals who, using their intellectual muscles, wrestle to grasp the ever deepening profundity of Krishna's message. Their sincerity and devotion to Krishna attracts His mercy, which then bestows the fruits of their intellectual labors. Krishna encourages such use of intelligence by declaring that those who study the Bhagavad-gita worship Him by their intelligence. (Bg. 18.70)

Faithless Misinterpretations

Some people won't accept that the Gita has just one message because they think its words just can't be literally true, making the verses open to more than one interpretation. They find it hard to believe some of the things mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita. Many of the concepts stated simply in the Bhagavad-gita are beyond the common man's perception. For example, the Bhagavad-gita talks about heaven, hell, and the spiritual world, all three of which lie beyond ordinary perception. But taking the message of the Bhagavad-gita "as it is" implies accepting as true the existence of heaven, hell, and the spiritual world. In fact, one of the most important messages in the Bhagavad-gita is the call to get out of the cycle of repeated birth and death in the material world and go back to the spiritual world. Unless we accept the existence of the spiritual world, how can we take the message of the Bhagavad-gita seriously, or "as it is"? Anyone who understands that the goal of life as stated in the Bhagavad-gita is to get out of the cycle of birth and death will never propagate anything less than that in the name of the Bhagavad-gita. But since many people don't believe the literal meaning of the words of the Bhagavad-gita, too many commentaries on the Bhagavad-gita do not highlight this goal enough. Instead, they may use the concepts described in the Bhagavad-gita as mere management tips to become better leaders in the material world. Although the Bhagavad-gita's concepts can certainly help us manage our lives better, that is not their ultimate purpose. All such commentaries are not taking the message of the Bhagavad-gita "as it is."

Inconceivable Krishna

Some people don't accept the direct message of the Gita because they believe that the Absolute Truth is impersonal. Therefore, when Krishna speaks of Himself (the person) as the highest truth, they take Krishna as a metaphor representing the impersonal Absolute Truth. This bias distorts the "as it is" meaning of many Gita verses.

These philosophers can't fathom how a person could possess the inconceivable opulence and powers described in the Bhagavad-gita. For example, how could a person always be everywhere? Krishna explains that He is everywhere in His unmanifested form .i.e., in the form of His unlimited energies.and at the same time, since He is the source of everything, He is always aloof from His creation. (Bg. 9.4.5) Just like the sun, which rests in one place in the sky but pervades all of creation, Krishna sits aloof from His creation but still pervades it. Philosophers overwhelmed by Krishna's mystic powers and unable to fathom them try to hide their bewilderment by lowering the status of Krishna. Instead of the all-powerful person whose energies are all-encompassing and everywhere, they want Him only to represent an all-pervading impersonal entity. However, as soon as this is done, the message doesn't remain "as it is." Lord Krishna addresses this problem: "Unintelligent men, who do not know Me perfectly, think that I, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, was impersonal before and have now assumed this personality. Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is imperishable and supreme." (Bg. 7.24)

The "as it is" meaning of "I" used by Krishna throughout the Bhagavad-gita is straightforward. Only a person (and not an impersonal entity) will speak in terms of "I" and "mine," as Krishna does throughout the Gita. Moreover, only if Krishna is accepted as a person and not as a mere metaphorical instrument does the conclusion of devotion to Krishna makes sense. How can one love something impersonal? Thus, philosophers who don't accept that the Absolute Truth is the person Krishna must forego the literal meaning of the Bhagavad-gita and interpret it in many concocted ways.

Why Take the Message "As It Is"?

Some may raise the objection that even if the Gita has just one clear message, why must one take that message "as it is"? But that's like asking why you must take the doctor's prescription as it is. Why not interpret it the way you want? The answer is simple: Just as misinterpreting a doctor's prescription won't cure your illness, misinterpreting the message of the Bhagavad-gita won't help your spiritual progress. Arjuna accepted the message of the Bhagavad-gita as it is (Bg. 10.14), and so should we, if we are interested in achieving the desired result of studying and following it. The desired goal of the Bhagavad-gita is to get out of the cycle of birth and death by reviving our dormant love for Krishna.

The Essence of "As It Is"

Some people object to Prabhupada's seemingly presumptuous use of "as it is" in the title of his commentary because it seems to imply that only his commentary is accurate, or that it's better than everyone else's. But any commentary on the Gita that sticks to Krishna's clear message is "as it is." Thus all commentaries by Vaisnava acaryas, such as Ramanujacarya and Madhvacarya, are "as it is" commentaries. Although the commentaries by the different Vaisnava acaryas seem to differ from one another in some respects, they are all "as it is" commentaries because their conclusion is unalloyed devotion to Krishna. Different acaryas preach the message of the Gita in different social and intellectual climates, and therefore emphasize the philosophical and practical details that most suit the times. But they all aim to bring many people to the concluding principle of the Bhagavad-gita: unalloyed devotional service to Krishna.

A person clear about the Gita's "as it is" conclusion can easily identify commentaries that are not "as it is." Srila Prabhupada deliberately used the phrase "as it is" in the name of his Bhagavad-gita commentary, not to defy the revered Vaisnava commentaries, which are all "as it is," but to defy all those that do not highlight unalloyed devotion to Krishna as the only conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita. Prabhupada's commentary title continues to shake up and entice all who come in contact with it.

Freedom of expression is the mantra in today's world. Even the Absolute Truth has become a matter of opinion rather than a matter of fact. In such a setting, Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita As It Is presents an outright challenge to the incumbent intellectual scene. One can't resist getting intrigued by such audacity. Only one who has something awesomely powerful up his sleeve can take on the whole world in this manner. Don't miss the opportunity to study Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita As It Is and see for yourself how his commentary lives up to its catchy name.

Lord Chaitanya and His Commander-in-Chief

February 28, 2010 is the appearance anniversary of the Supreme Personality of Godhead - Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu- who is none other than Sri Krishna Himself. This most auspicious day is celebrated all over the world, by those who are fortunate enough to know the the glories of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, as Sri Gour Pournima.

Around 5000 years ago, Sri Krishna appeared in Sri Vrindavan. He established the principles of religion by killing great demons like Kamsa, and by speaking the superlative knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita. That was the Dvaapaar Yuga. The yuga has since changed; we are now into the Kali Yuga – the age of rapid decline of spiritual standards. To reestablish the highest religious principles, just around 500 years ago, the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna once again descended into this world, this time appearing in Mayapur, West Bengal, in His eternal form of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The Srimad Bhagavatam glorifies this most loving avatar of the Lord as follows:

krishna varnam tvishaakrishnam
saangopaangaastra-paarshadam
yadnaih sankirtanam praayair
yajanti hi su-medhasah

In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Krishna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions (Srimad Bhaagavatam 11.5.32).

Lord Chaitanya brings Sankirtan to the streets!

In this age of Kali there is no way of achieving spiritual perfection other than loudly chanting the holy names of Sri Krishna in sankirtan. In this avatar, the Lord doesn’t kill the demons, but kills the demonic tendencies present in their heart, by giving them the Holy Name. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, as the yuga-avatar, incarnated for the express purpose of spreading the Holy Name Sankirtan movement far and wide, even outside the land of India. The following verse from one of the authoritative biographies of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu – Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat – reveals His mission in unambiguous words:

prithvith aachhe yata nagaraadi graama
sarvatra prachaara haibe mora naama

“In every town and village of the world, the chanting of My name will be heard.” (Caitanya-Bhaagavata, Antya 4.126)

Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu treated the highly learned non-devotional scholars like the great Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and Sri Prakashananda Saraswati by His unparalleled scriptural and philosophical acumen. And he treated the masses by the all-conquering weapon of the sweet uproarious chanting of the Holy Name in Sankirtan. Be it the philosophy or the Sankirtan, by both methods, hearts were transformed, and everyone who came in touch began chanting the holy names of Krishna and experienced the divine bliss of Love of God. Even the most wretched infamous evil brothers Jagai-Madhai, who had left no sin uncommitted, weren’t spared by the all merciful Sri Chaitanya. Indeed, after converting even them to superlative Vaishnavas, Lord Chaitanya’s fame knew no bounds.

Lord Chaitana delivers the sinful Jagai-Madhai

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appointed one of His most trusted servants to carry out the unprecedented and monumental task of spreading His mission all over the world. His prediction of such a personality is recorded in the Chaitanya Mangal as follows (paraphrased):

If sinful people get away by being in distant countries where my personal preaching will not reach, I will send my devotee commander in chief, senaapati-bhakta, to deliver them.

Carrying the divine grace of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, His Divine Grace AC Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada - the senaapati-bhakta - ventured into unchartered territories, outside the safety of his peaceful dwelling in Vrindavan, to carry out the mission of the Supreme Lord. In 1965, at the ripe old age of 70, Srila Prabhupada found himself alone on the streets of New York, with unflinching faith in Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy as his only shelter. But what is impossible for the Lord. In 1966, Srila Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) as the medium through which he would spread Lord Chaitanya’s message. In a short span of 12 years, the Hare Krishnas became a household name all over the world. Just like Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada applied the two-pronged strategy by writing volumes of authoritative philosophical literature for the classes, and by bringing Sri Hari Naam Sankirtan to the streets all over the world for the masses.

Srila Prabhupada

Even today, as the number of devotees and well-wishers grows, the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu continues to reach thousands through the medium of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON. On this most auspicious occasion of Sri Gour Pournima, the appearance anniversary of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, we look back in amazement at the limitless mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the astounding accomplishments of Srila Prabhupada, and the unimaginable potential that this movement holds for the future.

_

Janmashtami Realizations 2009

As I was finishing my 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra today, I was thinking about 12noon. That was the time I would break my fast. Today is Nandotsav, and also the appearance day of His Divine Grace Srila AC BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder Acharya of ISKCON, and the savior of the whole world. Yesterday was Sri Janmashtami, the appearance day of Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yesterday I fasted till midnight and also chanted 32 rounds of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Meanwhile, I have been reading the biography by HH BhaktiVikasa Swami Maharaj of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada, the gurudev of Srila AC BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupada. All these spiritual activities in the last 48 hours have given me a few realizations. Here they are.

(1)

I chanted 32 rounds yesterday more easily than I chant my 16 rounds every day. Earlier this year on Gour Pournima I managed to chant 64 rounds despite not being fully fit. Again, quite miraculously, I could do so more easily than the daily 16 rounds. For me, this is quite solid proof that mercy plays a most important role in execution of our spiritual practices. And that on Madhava Tithis (special days related to Madhava, Krishna) the Lord is especially merciful on the prayerful devotee. How else can I explain the ease with which I chanted so many rounds on these days? Can anyone explain this mechanistically? Just for those who would start trying to do so, let me state clearly that it was not any special mental adjustment on my part. All I did was a brief prayer to the Lord that “let me chant these many rounds today”. I say this prayer almost daily, but the effect is never as it is on these Madhava Tithis.

(2)

Fasting reveals how much we are sense controlled, or how much we are not sense controlled. Yesterday, on Janmashtami, time and again, my mind went ahead to midnight, after which I would honor Ekadashi Prasadam. But, it was more about what I would honor than just the fact that I would honor some Prasadam item. This shows how my tongue is hankering for palatable dishes. If those dishes are easily available, we don’t consider how much we hanker for them. But when we fast, these things are revealed. So, I have a long way to go in controlling my tongue.

I read in the Sri Bhakti Siddhanta Vaibhav (the biography of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada) that during his vow of chanting one billion names of the Lord, he used to only eat plain rice cooked by his own hands once a day. No spices or anything else. Here was a real-life example of what a perfect transcendentalist is – one who has controlled the urges of his senses.

(3)

I replaced the newspaper from the hands of my grandmother with the Krishna Book. After some time she was very excited about what she had just read. She had already read the Krishna Book once, but she told me, “How beautifully Vasudev is explaining to Kamsa about things… I don’t remember reading all this the first time I read this book!” I told her that this is the way with all transcendental literature, and what to speak of the crest jewel of all of them, Grantha Raj Srimad Bhagavatam. And the Krishna Book is the 10th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, and its sweetest part. Sri Krishna thus showed special mercy on my grandmother this Janmashtami. And my Mom has started reading the Krishna Book too! Jai!

Srila Prabhupada Ki Jai!
Sri Krishna Janmashtami Ki Jai!

Yearning for Eagerness in Vrindavan

(Sri Sri Krishna Balaram)

November 01, 2008

The train chugged its way into the railway station. It was 0650. For those present outside the train on the railway station platform, this was not the most awaited moment of the century. For many who were inside the train, this was a long awaited moment, at least for those who considered the wait from the start of their train journey to its end a long wait. And for others like me, this was one of the most special moments in our lives. Around five thousand years ago, the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna chose to appear on this earth to relieve it off the burden of evil. And this was the place he chose to appear. Mathura.

It was my first visit to Mathura. As soon as I alighted from the train, I fell flat like a stick to offer my respects. I like to do this. I like to forget all concerns for petty things like keeping my clothes spotlessly clean when it comes to following my heart. While this is not always possible in the “civilized” society, who can blame me if I do this as an offering to the Lord, especially in His holy dham, especially when I have arrived there just to do that – to offer my heart to Krishna in the hope that He will steal it away and never return it back.

It’s difficult to describe what I was feeling, simply because I was myself not sure. Instead of theorizing what I should be feeling, I just decided to soak it all in. On the alert, I tried to devour by my eyes and ears as much as possible. The sun had just arisen on the horizon and was greeting us a warm welcome from across the vast fields. Men wearing saffron robes – sadhus – were very much part of the scene. On seeing them, I tightened my mental muscles and reminded myself not to offend, even mentally, the residents of the dham. They are all, sadhus or not, very dear to Krishna, and Krishna has granted them special residence in his own special home – Mathura.

But Mathura was not my final destination. Along with a few other devotees who had travelled in the same train, we sat in a sawari-rikshaw (in principle, a cab) and proceeded to the most holy place in the universe – Sri Vrindavan Dham. We rattled along through the city of Mathura. We passed by Krishna Janma Bhumi (birth place of Sri Krishna), which shares a common wall with a big mosque. I saw hoardings all over the place advertizing discourses on the Srimad Bhagavatam. I saw cows accepting eatables (most probably it was Krishna Prasad) at the doorsteps of small houses lining narrow streets. Everything reminded me of Krishna.

After a 15Km trip, we reached Sri Dham Vrindavan. The rikshaw stopped. I asked the devotees whether we are supposed to get down here. As soon as I got down, I offered my heartfelt dandavats to the Holy Dham and made sure I don’t brush off the dust from my clothes when I stood up. To be smeared by the dust of Sri Vrindavan Dham is a sure-shot way to attaining the most cherished spiritual goal - of unalloyed love for Krishna. At the beginning of each day of my trip, my kurta started off pristine white and at the end of the day the front was more or less brown. All day I was just looking for opportunities to fall flat on the ground in supplication.

(A view of Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir)

After getting up, I looked around trying to figure out exactly where I was. Bewildered, I asked a devotee and he replied “Krishna Balaram Mandir”. What? Where? My eyes frantically darted around trying to find the temple. About 25-30 yards ahead, on the left of the road, stood the beautiful Krishna Balaram Temple, also known as the “Angrezon Ka Mandir” (Foreigners’ Temple) in and around Vrindavan. Srila Prabhupada’s western disciples created quite a stir when they first came to Vrindavan with Prabhupada. Foreigners were not supposed to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna. He was exclusively the property of India, and even more exclusively, of Vrindavan. Well, all that changed when Krishna’s pure devotee Srila Prabhupada, on the order of his Gurudev, Srila Bhakti Siddhant Saraswati (another pure devotee), gave Krishna to the whole world in accordance with the desire of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who is none other than Sri Krishna.

(The courtyard)

As I entered the front gate, I crossed the Samadhi of Srila Prabhupada and offered dandavats. As I moved forward, I came to a big gate. On one side of it a doorman was pulling on a big rope to ring a big bell somewhere above. I asked him if I could ring it too. No, is what he replied, in such a tone that all further communication was impossible. As soon as I entered the gate, something happened. I just couldn’t keep ambling anymore. Something (someone?) within me impelled me to run. I ran. Down the steps, onto the courtyard, across the courtyard, up the steps, into the main temple room. There I was, my heart throbbing in anticipation, eyes searching for that sight, of Sri Sri Krishna Balaram! There I beheld, one at a time, Sri Sri Krishna Balaram, Sri Sri Gaur Nitai, and Sri Sri Radha Shyamsunder. I offered dandavats and prayers before each of them. I was so happy, and my trip was already a success. I had just tasted a drop of Krishna Prem.

(Sri Sri Radha Shyamsunder)

Ever since, time and again, I remember those lovely moments. How I had run for taking darshan of Their Lordships. How eager was I to just behold them. My heart yearns for the time when my whole existence will be made up of only such moments - of intense eagerness for Sri Sri Radha Shyamsunder.

Waterful Nasik!

Waterful Nasik!
September 19-21, 2008.

I had no idea about the holiness of Nasik until recently. And until I went there, I had no idea about just how holy it is. And its only after coming back from there that I am beginning to realize just how fortunate I was to visit the holy dham of Nasik. Krishna willing, it will not be long before I visit it again, this time with a more proper consciousness, that of reverence, that comes along with more knowledge about the dham. That Lord Sri Gaura Sunder Himself visited all those places is more than enough for a Gaudia Vaishnava to visit them again and again.

Around 21 devotees, most of us counselees of H. G. Jai Narsimha Prabhu and H. G. Yashoda Rani Mataji, started off in a 25-seater at around 1800 from the Sri Sri Radha Kunjabihari Temple, Pune. It was raining quite a bit and incessantly for most of the journey. Along the way we got quite a few phone calls warning us that Nasik is under water! The news channels were flashing “Maha-pur (literally - huge flood) in Nasik!” along with graphic pictures. But a few devotees told me that they were quite unconcerned despite such usually disturbing news. Sometimes people tend to think that the bad things of life will not happen to them. In this ignorance, such people proclaim their fearlessness by doing dare-devil acts. However, sooner or later, typically after the youth has fled away, the false sense of fearlessness and invincibility evaporates, replaced by a nagging fear of death and misfortunes. On the other hand, the devotees are never under the illusion that this material world is safe. However, still, because of taking shelter of the Supreme Lord Krishna, the devotees experience true fearlessness. More than personal safety, devotees were praying that they get darshan of the various holy places.

Sri Sri Radha Gopinath and Sri Sri Gaur Nitai of Nasik Temple

We reached Nasik at around 0100 at night and checked into a hotel that we had booked before hand. At least there was no flooding in that area of Nasik. However, all night it was raining. A few of us attended the Mangal Arati in the Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple (ISKCON) which was a 5 minute walk from the hotel. It was still raining during the whole morning program. The ISKCON temple is almost a replica of the Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple of Chowpatty. The devotees are very simple and humble and they won over my heart. The deities, Sri Sri Radha Gopinath, are most beautiful, reminding one of their namesakes in Chowpatty. And so are the Sri Sri Gaur Nitai deities. The local Nasik devotees told us that it will be impossible for us to visit some of the holy places. But H. G. Jai Narsimha Prabhu and other devotees had a strong desire to be able to visit all the places. As if miraculously, the rain had stopped completely at the end of the morning program at around 0900. We all honored prasadam at 1000 and around 1100 we were off! Rohit Prabhu, a resident devotee of the Nasik temple, kindly accompanied us to guide us.

Raam Kunda, over flooded!

First of all we visited Raam Kunda. Its on the banks of the sacred Godavari River. I will not go into the details of all the many pastimes associated with that place. Actually the whole area in and around Nasik is the well-known Dandakaranya forest area where Lord Sri Ramachandra spent so much if His time while in exile. In fact, this place got its name Nasik because Lord Lakshman had cut off Shurpanakha’s nose (called nasika in Sanskrit) at this place. The previous day the Godavari had flooded over and its water level rose 10-15 feet above the road level! All the dwellings on the banks were deluged and quite a lot of property was damaged. I heard that around 10 people lost their lives too. Fortunately for us the water level had reduced and we could relatively safely take the darshan of the Ganges of the South, the Godavari, and bathe in its strong current. One could definitely feel the spiritual vibrations in that place even though the Raam Kunda, and the accompanying Lakshmana Kunda and Sita Kunda are all very much in the middle of the city. Due to the over flooded Godavari, all these Kundas and the river had become just one big body of water. We visited the nearby Kapaleshwar Lord Siva temple too and saw from outside (couldn’t go in due to the aftermath of the flooding) the Lord Balaji Temple which Lord Chaitanya Himself had paid a visit. Srila Prabhupada had also visited this place.

Nearby is the Sita Gufa (Sita Cave) where Lord Ramachandra had hid Mother Sita while He single handedly fought and destroyed 14,000 rakshasas. There are 5 banyan trees around there which are said to be existing since Lord Raam’s time, and which give this place the name Panchavati. Then, our bus took us to Tapowan whose strong spiritual vibrations were unmistakable. There is a temple of Lord Lakshman in that place, the only temple in the world where He is presiding without Lord Ramachandra being present. Nearby was the confluence of the Godavari and the Kapila Ganga, which we visited. On the way back to the hotel, we paid a running visit to the Sunder Narayan Temple which is on the bridge that runs over and across the Godavari. From that vantage point we were met with a sight that touched our hearts and filled it with love and affection for the Lord. We could see that the ghat on which we had bathed just a few hours ago was once again under 2-3feet of water. The first thought that struck us was that this was surely the mercy of the Lord! It was as if He had arranged that when we came to the river bank, the water level was low enough for us to have a proper bath, and as soon as we were done, the water level started rising again, so much so that it over flooded the ghats once again.

That evening we were invited by a glorious Krishna Conscious family, that of H. G. Jugal Kishore Prabhu. It was in his house that Krishna Consciousness took roots in Nasik. For the last 10 years, he and his family host a weekly program. Their deities are one of most gorgeous house deities I have ever seen. They resemble Sri Sri Radha Madhava of Mayapur, and to some they also resembled Sri Sri Radha Gopinath of Chowpatty. The next day morning a few of us attended the Mangal Arati in the Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple. After the morning program, we honored delicious prasadam. All our meals in the Nasik temple were sumptuous and delicious. Nasik devotees told us that none of them is an actual cook, but from the prasadam, it was not at all apparent.

Trayambakeshwar

Around 35kms from Nasik is a gorgeous temple of Lord Siva – Trayambakeshwar. It is one of the Jyotirlingas. Lord Chiatanya had visited this temple. Nestled amidst beautiful hills, with a huge courtyard, the temple is a pleasing sight to behold. We were standing in the queue for Darshan for about an hour and all the time we worshipped Lord Siva by loudly singing Hari Naam Sankirtan. Surely Lord Siva was pleased. A lot of other visitors were joining in the kirtans! We also managed to distribute 9 books. Nearby is the small pond which is the source of the Godavari. I will not go into the detailed pastime. After packing our luggage and checking out from the hotel, we visited Taket on the way back to Pune. This is the place where Lord Jatayu, the great devotee of Lord Raam, had given up his life fighting Ravana trying to release Mother Sita from the demon’s clutches. Lord Raam had performed his last rites personally at this place. Unfortunately, around 1 km from the actual temple, the road was submerged in 2-3 feet deep flowing water that flowed across the road. We decided not to cross it. Thus, we will have to visit this temple in our next trip. We heard that it’s a must-see temple! Apart from this temple, we could not visit the Brahmagiri hill, which also Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had personally visited, and we also could not visit the place where Lord Kapila, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, instructed His mother Devahuti in the devotional Sankhya philosophy. I did not know before going to Nasik that it is such a holy place. Next time, I will go with a better consciousness and try to soak in the dham as much as possible.

Pond which is the source of the Godavari

näsike tryambaka dekhi’ gelä brahmagiri

kushävarte äilä yähän janmilä godävari

Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu then visited Näsika, where He saw the deity of Tryambaka [Lord Siva]. He then went to Brahma-giri and then to Kushävarta, the source of the river Godävari.

CC Madhya lila 9:317

Sunset at Taket

On the way back to Pune, in the bus, just like the journey from Pune to Nasik, we engaged ourselves in a lot of Krishna Conscious games. The devotees are so wonderful and sweet that despite being so senior they are eager to serve every other devotee. This is the proof of their advanced Krishna Consciousness. I consider myself very fortunate to be able to associate with such gems. Actually, I do not have any doubt that our Nasik trip was a success despite the heavy floods only because of the strong desires of the Vaishnavas. And I, just by the dint of being with them, obtained the same good fortune. This is the effect of Vaishnava association. I pray to Srila Prabhupada, Sri Sri Radha Gopinath, and Sri Sri Gaur Nitai that they always keep me in such exalted association so that one day even I may attain that supreme destination, Krishna Prem.

Your servant,
Abhijit.

A Prayer to Srila Prabhupada

A Prayer to His Divine Grace Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Wandering in this world of deception,
I was in search of Perfection,
Exactly what, I did not know,
But surely something, I believed so.

Inspiration I got from all that’s grand,
Mediocrity I couldn’t stand,
But no matter how hard I tried,
Perfection I was always denied.

There were times of infatuations,
I couldn’t resist their temptations,
This is it! my mind impelled,
But one-by-one, the illusions dispelled.

Broken and bruised, my heart so torn,
Had given up hope, I was forlorn,
In the depths of despair I was lost,
In the waves of misery, I was tossed.

While I was being tortured so,
Crushed and dismantled, my proud ego,
All the miseries and pains to erase,
Came into my life, His Divine Grace!

His disciples carry him in their hearts,
All of them are doing their parts,
By bringing his mercy to one and all,
By not letting his glorious mission stall.

Through his followers, he came to me,
His books are there for all to see,
I finally found it, it was here,
Perfection, which was to me so dear!

His Divine Grace, my lord and master,
His Divine Grace, saved me from disaster,
Oh! Srila Prabhupada, thanks a lot,
Oh! Srila Prabhupada, forget me not.

Let my life be a mission glorious,
Let me take on the task so serious,
Of spreading far and wide your glories,
In every town and village there is.

What can a fool like me can do?
I am insignificant, it is true,
But what’s impossible for you my Lord,
Kindly a drop of mercy award.

When will come to pass that day,
In which my every breath will say,
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

This degraded sinner prays to you,
Oh! Lord, Oh! Master, Oh! Jagat Guru!
May you always be guiding me,
Under your feet let my existence be.

H H BhaktiVikas Swami Maharaj's Love for Prabhupada!

Hare Krishna!

Last Saturday, I attended a Srimad Bhagvatam class given by His Holiness BhaktiVikas Swami Maharaj! He is known for his straight talk.. without mincing any words. And I love that :-) However, what I am touched most by is his tremendous love for Srila Prabhupada. One can see that in his words in his books. And I consider myself very fortunate to have personally witnessed that love yesterday.

To the left of H H BhaktiVikas Swami Maharaj was sitting Prabhupada (deity) on his Vyasasana :-) And a cooler was fanning him. Seeing this, H H BhaktiVikas Maharaj recited a story of a God Brother of Srila Prabhupada who was a wonderful devotee and who also made a lot of devotees. He was telling how his disciple used to fan him all night! And then he said jokingly "Electric fans have ruined Guru Seva!" :-)

Then he went on further and asked us all, "Have you seen how when Prabhupada used to give lectures, the GBC members used to fan him from both sides?" And as a result of this, devotees started fanning Srila Prabhupada from both sides by a chamara and a peacock feather fan! And only then was H H BhaktiVikas Swami Maharaj satisfied... This for me was such a beautiful expression of the immense love that Maharaj has for Srila Prabhupada.

Let us pray to his lotus feet that we all also get that sort of love for His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.

Your servant, Abhijit.