All victories and glories to Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya 108 Sri Sriman A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada, our beloved spiritual master. You are translating the cream of the
Vedic literatures in so many languages throughout all parts of the world so
authoritatively and exquisitely that you are single-handedly destroying the voidism and impersonalism that
has the world in it's stringent clutches.
We
think that we have met Your grace by the will or
providence, and thus we accept you as captain of the ship (karna-dhara)
for those who desire to cross the dangerous ocean of Kali, which destroys all the
good qualities of a human being. (Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.1.22)
The
dust of your lotus feet touching our heads converts us from ravaging zombies (jivanchava) to respectable human beings. This dust is
extended in the form of your perfect instruction. This instruction is the
breeze that inflates the sails of our human boat, allowing us to ply forward,
across the turpid waters of the evil Kali, toward the
safe and sublime shore of the spiritual sky.
Mild
Hawaiian spring breezes wafted through the temple room windows. The sense of
peace and satisfaction was due to the presence if the Panca-tattva
in their full glory, dressed in the opulence of multicolored silk embroidered
with glittering silver sequins, some square, some star-shaped, some round. You
sat placidly, dearmost Srila Prabhupada, emanating
deep yet comforting knowledge; the regal purple background of the plush vyasasana providing an exemplary picture of your actual
stature.
"We
are interested in just one moon. I am looking for one moon. There are so many
stars in the sky, but the light from just one moon is of so much more value. We
are looking for just one moon."
You
had said this before. Such repetition is glorious, only adding to the effect.
You are the soothing, cooling personified moonshine of Lord Nityananda.
The impersonalists are so much fond of the dazzling brahmajyoti because this brahmajyoti
is the effulgence of the transcendental body of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Everyone is looking for Krsna. Sunlight is a direct reflection of this
brahmajyoti. Moonlight is the direct reflection of
sunshine. The predominating deity of the moon controls everyone's mind, and in
the presence of soothing moonshine, everyone feels freedom and relief from the
pangs of material existence. You are the pure reflection, the empowered
representative of Lord Nityananda Rama,
the original spiritual master. Thus your realized words expertly cut through
the darkness of our avidya, our ignorance. Although
we know that we are implicated when we hear and read them, if we are sincere,
we do not feel anxiety but soothing relief. Such is the effect of the
transcendental moon which brightens everything amidst the age of darkness.
Ignorance becomes dissipated and destroyed.
Now
you want that there be just even one more moon. This you are asking of us. Full
knowledge is there in all living entities but, caught from time immemorial in
the clutches of the bewildering energy called maya, it does not manifest -- or
sometimes manifests only minutely. Thus so much darkness, some scattered stars,
but you are looking for just one moon.
Hawaii is the best locale in
the world to practice spiritual life. One can live on as little as two coconut dobs a day. This you have stated. Hawaii is the best place to
absorb oneself in material happiness also. But pouring water
on a fire while trying to ignite it is the strategy of the deluded. For
one who is trying to realize spiritual ecstasy but has not abandoned material
hankerings, Hawaii is not the best place.
We
have seen you prosper here, and display all the transcendental qualities of the
pure devotee. Thus you have allowed us to prosper also. By Krsna's
grace, ISKCON -- Honolulu has been presented the
opportunity to afford you an opulent mansion located in one of the best valleys
of the city, a valley noted for it's many churches and
low crime rate. There are beautiful mango trees on and near the property. You
have written to us, "and everyone knows how fond I am of mangos." The
shade of the immense banyan tree in the backyard provides strength and
vitality. While walking atop the open veranda which adjoins your room and
overlooks a circular hedge of more than thirty tulasi
trees, you once glanced toward the vegetable garden in the near north. Seeing
the devotee working there, bare-chested and basking in the morning sun, you
said to him from above, "be blessed."
But
of all your prosperity, the most invigorating display of your opulence here was
in the supremely important matter of your writing. Your pace was phenomenal,
never before seen. Leaving almost all of the public lecturing to your
disciples, you would speak from the vyasasana only on
Sunday evenings, presenting the information that after death one may, on the
planet of the plutonic king, relish embracing the red-hot form of a woman in he
is so much immersed in that activity during life.
So
much of the rest of the time you would translate. Later we would read the
description of the hellish planets in the Fifth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam
and, at the culmination of the work, also experience your unprecedented
acknowledgement, "Completed in the Honolulu temple of the Panca-tattva, June 5, 1975." You would sit in
front of the deity and tell us that this mixing business should not go on. It
is not the policy of the moonlike devotees.
In
Hawaii it has been all too prevalent. So many have come; so many have gone. This we have seen.
The
platform of pure devotional service is detailed in the Twelfth Chapter of the
Bhagavad-gita. The very first quality of a pure devotee is listed there. Advesta: nonenvious.
There
are many symptoms of nescience; there are many contradictions labored under by
the conditioned soul. Just like of one has stomach problems
due to malfunctioning of his nerves in that area. He may take so much trouble
to eat correct and properly combined foods along with balanced exercise and
rest. But if the nerves leading from the brain to the stomach are pinched by a sublaxation of the vertebrae, what is the use of all such
remedies? He must go to a chiropractor and have his spinal column put back in
order. Then everything will go on nicely.
Similarly,
we have to get to the root of our contamination, not just try to neutralize the
symptoms, leaving the dirt underneath the rug. This is what you are giving us
with this bhakti-yoga system. The other yoga or so-called yoga methodologies on
this planet today don't come to grips with the root reason of our undesirable
existence here. Almost all of their constituents are impersonalists
and voidists. Although they might be able to have
their relative truths securely established within, and although they are able
to gloss over some of the symptoms of their contamination, thus manifesting
some seemingly good qualities which will flicker and fail in the clutch, until
they come to the platform of accepting the personal existence of the Supreme
Truth and acting accordingly, their initial contamination remains. The system
of devotional service you are so mercifully extending to us might not contain
as many artificial austerities as some of the other more popular methods and
concoctions, but only a few fortunate and rare souls will actually take this
medicine. It is a medicine that cannot be compromised. You relentlessly rip
away at our illusions, revealing things as they are. Not everyone really wants
to know what they need to know. Some will come, and some will go.
You
are teaching us what we have forgotten. We are originally all pure spiritual
souls. But our eternal function is not God, but dasa, dasa, dasa, loving servitorship to God. Subordinate. We fell from that
position due to our original sin. The Christians also have this concept of
original sin, but when you ask them to elucidate matters, they cannot. This is
because their system also allows that despicable leeway to ultimately balk. The
reason for our falling from the spiritual world was due to our original envy
and pride toward Lord Krsna. We thought, "why do I have to serve Krsna, I
am just as good as Krsna." Thus we were sent down to get covered over
again and again in the masquerade ball called samsara,
the excruciating cycle of birth and death. Our original light has now become
covered by so many curtains, all linked to one another very systematically and
scientifically. You are forcing us, your disciples, to realize and remove that
original curtain so that we won't be forced to entangle ourselves only with
subsequent symptoms. They will be lifted automatically, and thus by your grace,
our moon will burst forth in full glory.
You
are the eternal well-wisher of all living entities. Your mercy cannot be
fathomed. You have taken the most fallen and have rejuvenated their God-given
powers of intelligence and strength. But, by the eternal presence of minute
independence, the jiva servitor can elect to turn his face from you, and futily try to imitate the eternal enjoyer. Thus for the
soul still affected by the coverings of gross and subtle bodies, devotional
service is like a razor's edge. Some are following strictly and cleaning their
faces so meticulously perfect, while others are suffering so many knicks and cuts. The most damaging misuse of this potency
you are bestowing is guru-aparadha (hathi-matta, the
elephant offense) and vaisnava-aparadha, offense to
your devotees. These things ultimately surface because of the original sinful
seed: envy.
You
have written about this in your purport to verse of Srila Rupa Gosvami's Upadesamrta (The Nectar
of Instruction) as follows:
"This
Krsna consciousness movement is a transcendental science, and there is no room
for jealousy. As soon as one becomes envious, he falls from the platform of paramahamsa. If we consider the bodily defects of a Vaisnava, we should understand that we are committing an
offense at the lotus feet of the Vaisnava, which is
very serious. For a neophyte especially, considering a pure devotee from a
material point of view is very injurious. One should try to see the internal
features and understand how he is engaged in the transcendental loving service
of the Lord. Those who think that Krsna consciousness is limited to a certain
section of people or devotees are generally prone to see the external features
of the devotee. It is also an offense to consider the empowered Vaisnava an object of disciplinary action. It is offensive
to give him advice or try to correct him."
In
the Caitanya-caritamrta purports (Madhya 1.218-220 /
Madhya 11.103) you have added:
"When
a Vaisnava sees that another Vaisnava
is a recipient of the Lord's mercy, he becomes very happy. Vaisnavas
are not envious. One who is envious of the success of a Vaisnava
is certainly not a Vaisnava himself, but an ordinary
mundane man and should not be respected but rejected. There are many jealous
people in the dress of Vaisnavas in the Krsna
consciousness movement, and they should be completely neglected. Unfortunately,
in this age of Kali, there are many mundane persons in the dress of Vaisnavas, and Srila Bhaktivinoda
Thakura has described them as disciples of Kali. He
said, 'kali-cela.' He indicated that there is another
Vaisnava, a pseudo-Vaisnava,
with tilaka on his nose and kanthi
beads around his neck. A Vaisnava acarya is
self-effulgent, and there is no need for any court judgment. A false acarya may
try to override a Vaisnava by a high-court decision,
but Bhaktivinoda Thakura
says that he is nothing but a disciple of Kali-yuga."
"One
must be considered bereft of the mercy of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu when he criticizes the Krsna consciousness
movement now spreading all over the world or finds fault with this movement or
the leader of this movement."
The
Lord's most recent appearance in the world was five-hundred years ago when He
instructed us by playing the role of the ideal devotee, Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. When the most powerful impersonalist of
the time, Prakasananda Sarasvati, heard about Lord Caitanya's chanting and dancing, he displayed his envy by
telling his numerous followers that the Lord was only a sentimentalist and a
magician. Prakasananda further instructed them not to
listen to the Lord, thus, in the name of knowledge, doing the greatest
disservice by misleading others from the path of the Absolute Truth. Impersonalists are always envious. Prakasananda
would preach that the Supreme does not have a mouth, legs, or eyes, indirectly
saying that God is dumb, lame, and blind. Because of such preaching, Prakasananda Sarasvati was attacked with leprosy.
You
are the spiritual master of the universe, yet we have seen those who have
become careless with this razor's edge approach you with sliced and bleeding
jugular veins. They are not limited to one race or locale. In India, those who willfully
disobeyed the orders of your spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati,
are the most notorious. Although their foul action, or lack
of action, force your divine guru to depart early from this world, they
have no humility. They envy you because you have followed. Such men are cursed
and should be avoided like crocodiles in a swamp.
It
is a known fact that, due to tight customs and quarantine surveillance, there
are no snakes or tigers present in the lush tropical environment of Hawaii. But Bhaktivinoda Thakura has said
that a man who cannot be controlled by the higher instruction of Krsna
consciousness cannot me tamed. There is no such quarantine here for such a man.
So many of them are sleeping in the darkness of this age.
By delivering your message properly, they might be able to turn toward and
become delivered. But for those who are pretending to sleep, whose minds wear
the cloak of envy and the turban of greed, there is no possibility of becoming
awakened. This we have seen.
You
have told us that the material world is likened to a beehive. All the bees are
scurrying about for the available honey, but, in the process, they are suffering
the bites of one another. It is impossible to envy Lord Krsna in His realm
because He doesn't allow it. One is immediately shipped down and packed up in
the immense material straightjacket. Therefore their business becomes envying
and destroying one another.
You
have shown us clearly that this material world is a battle. Prabhupada, please
allow us to accept you fully as the captain of our ship. Sometimes Kali, the
evil symbol of sin, or his servant, throws a wave which tumbles and bewilders
us atop this invaluable boat. Without your merciful guidance, we would have
been long lost in that horrible ocean. Instead we are seeing, slowly but
surely, that all good qualities are coming now as long as we abide by your
order in this war against the illusory energy. You are requesting this of us.
We are thus becoming more enthusiastic and confident. We thus are shining more
brightly daily. As long as we remain serious and sincere, as long as we do not
allow envy to reenter our hearts, the pock marks of the moon do not detract
from it's splendor.
You
are in pure and ecstatic love of Krsna. Hawaii, Chicago, Geneva or Tokyo, it does not matter.
Everywhere for you is Vrndavana, and you create the
Vrndavana atmosphere for everyone anywhere you go. We, the devotees of ISKCON
-- Honolulu, pray that you allow us to ply this boat
properly to it's destination and manifest our true
moonlike nature. After all, it is your desire, and our only business is to
eternally fulfill your desires, although our debt to you can never actually be
repaid.
Your
servants at ISKCON -- Honolulu
Sukadeva
dasa adhikari, Jagamohini-devi dasi,
Madhurya-lila / Satyadeva
dasa adhikari, Mahaguna-devi dasi,
Maitreya, Murali / Satananda dasa adhikari, Kadamba-kusumapriya-devi
dasi, Rama-laksmana / Sasta dasa adhikari / Jagad dasa
adhikari, Bhaktin Nancy / Harivallabha
dasa adhikari, Sakhi-devi dasi
/ Bharata dasa brahmacari /
Kani dasa brahmacari / Gopiparanadhana dasa brahmacari /
Laksmana dasa brahmacari / Niscinta dasa brahmacari / Piyusahanti dasa brahmacari /
Bhakta-jana dasa brahmacari
/ Munisvara dasa brahmacari
/ Adi-karta dasa brahmacari
/ Kailasaccandra dasa brahmacari
/ Mark Hains / Kusa-devi dasi, Atmarama / Herapancami-devi dasi, Tara / Sukhi-devi dasi / Samharina-devi dasi / Bhakta
William / Bhakta Steve / Bhakta Bob / Lilananda dasa brahmacari / Jyotir dasa / Aniruddha dasa brahmacari
Quotes from the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada are copyright by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
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