Srila Prabhupada Visits New Vrindaban – July 2nd, 1976.
Srila Prabhupada at the Bahulaban Temple.
Srila Prabhupada Visits New Vrindaban – July 2nd, 1976.
Excerpt from Hari Sauri’s Trancendental Diary.
Prabhupada didn’t take his walk, but he did give a final class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.19, a beautiful verse which indicates the natural bond between the Supreme Lord and the living beings.
“My dear sons of demons, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana is the original Supersoul, the father of all living entities. Consequently there are no impediments to pleasing Him or worshiping Him under any conditions, whether one be a child or an old man. The relationship between the living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always a fact, and therefore there is no difficulty in pleasing the Lord.”
Srila Prabhupada stated that our relationship with the Lord is the most natural thing. Even though it may appear that we are separated from Him, he said, actually we are not; He is so kind He is residing within our hearts, just waiting for the moment when we will turn to Him. Prabhupada described the ease with which we can worship Krsna and develop our relationship with Him through the simple process of hearing.
“Just like the children, they are also hearing about Krsna. Don’t think it is going in vain. Because they are hearing, it will have some effect. They are human child. Even the mosquitoes or small germs who are within this boundary of temple, because they are hearing Hare Krsna mantra, it will never go in vain. It is so nice.”
Prabhupada said that although our hearts are filled with the dirt of material desires, Krsna within can cleanse away the contamination. We only have to perform some simple service. “Just like maha-prasadam, not eating — the exact term is seva. Krsna has sent him maha-prasadam. So by taking it, it is seva, it is service to Krsna. Krsna likes it, that you take the prasadam. Therefore it is seva. The service begins from the tongue. Not with the hand but with the tongue. If you simply chant Hare Krsna, this is seva, and if you take prasadam, then your business begins immediately. And if you simply continue this seva, then Krsna will reveal Himself and gradually He will give you intelligence how you can make advance to go back to home, back to Godhead.”
He cited the example of Yamunacarya who realized the prone position of the soul in the material world. “He’s praying, ‘My dear Lord, I am loitering in this material world without any guardian. So when the time will come that I shall be jolly always that ‘There is my guardian, Krsna.’ Everyone in this material world, is anatha — means without any protection. We are thinking, ‘My family, my wife, my children, my society men, my nation will give me protection.’ No. Nobody can give you protection. It is false hope. Just like the birds, when they fly in the sky, everyone has to take his own care. Nobody can help anyone. One can help only in Krsna consciousness. Not in the material way. Nobody can help. This is called destiny. I have given that example that in our country Mahatma Gandhi, he was a big man, he was in the meeting. In your country also, President Kennedy. So nobody could help him when he was killed. So this is the position. What is destined, it must happen. Nobody can help us. That’s a fact.
“Therefore our real business is: do not be bothered about things which are destined. Let us take advantage of this human form of life, to endeavor for making Krsna consciousness fulfilled.”
He said that we simply have to surrender. No one is a master, we are all servants, but now we are serving our lusty desires. “Lusty desires are so strong, I do not want to do it but it is forcing. In this way, we are being forced to serve the senses. So one who is in Krsna consciousness, he understands that ‘I have become servant of my senses. Unfortunately, these senses are not satisfied. I am still servant. So there is no profit. So why not become Krsna’s servant.’ This is good intelligence. Simply change the position. Instead of becoming servant of the senses, agree to become servant of Krsna.”
It was pointless, he said, to serve anyone other than Krsna, because no one will be grateful. “We have got the experience that Mahatma Gandhi, he served whole life. Still, he was killed by his countrymen. So you may go on giving service in the material world, but nobody will be satisfied. So this service is useless. Turn to the service of Krsna immediately. If I am trained up to become a faithful servant, just become a faithful servant of Krsna, then your business is complete. There is no question of learning, much endeavor. We are already accustomed to give service. Simply turn it toward Krsna and your life is successful. Thank you very much.”
The devotees held one last rousing kirtana, the gurukula boys dancing with delight in front, and Srila Prabhupada gave everyone the opportunity to render some more service by passing out cookies.
* * *
After a quiet day Srila Prabhupada was driven in the late afternoon to the Pittsburgh airport to embark on the next stage of his tour. Before we left we brought Vana dasa, the owner of the house, in for a very brief darsana with Srila Prabhupada. To his credit, he was reluctant to come before his spiritual master because he has not been following the principles for quite some time. Prabhupada appreciated his embarrassment and also his willingness to make his house available for his stay. He thanked him and gave him a garland and a few words of encouragement.
The devotees gave Prabhupada a worthy send off, not at the house, but outside the temple. They gathered in the middle of the road and showered flowers as the car slowed to a halt. One stepped forward and offered him a beautiful cake and another devotee presented him with a check. Kirtanananda Swami, who did not travel with us, gave him several thousand dollars daksi’a. Then to loud cries of “Jaya Prabhupada!” we pulled away to drive to Pittsburgh.
