CONTENTS:
- bhuri-da buri-da, indeed he is the most munificent, indeed he is the most munificent! part 3;
- Questions and Answers;
- Srila Prabhupada's Appreciation;
- Guru Maharaja’s Instructions.
1. BHURI-DA BURI-DA, INDEED HE IS THE MOST MUNIFICENT, INDEED HE IS THE MOST MUNIFICENT! PART 3
Caitanya Mahaprabhu sent Srila Prabhupada to this world to fulfil His prediction that Krishna Consciousness movement will spread all over the world in every town and village. The credit of course goes to two other personalities prior to Srila Prabhupada, Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura. These three luminaries came in succession to fulfill the prediction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings were completely lost in India but Bhaktivinoda Thakura actually revived Lord Caitanya’s teachings and then Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura gave it the shape in the form of preaching and then Srila Prabhupada took that spirit of Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura and came to America and did whatever he has done. Not only that in order to continue the mission Srila Prabhupada made the perfect arrangement and that is the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. A spiritual mission cannot continue to spread after the disappearance of its founder for very long. We have seen so many big spiritual leaders have gone and they created a wave when they were present but what happened to the institution after they left? Soon after they left it collapsed but did it happen to ISKCON?
No. Forty three years after Prabhupada’s disappearance ISKCON is not only thriving but its expanding. When Prabhupada left there were 108 temples. Do you know how many temples are there now? More than 650 temples around the world. Clear indication that’s its expanding what to speak of falling apart, its expanding. Why is it expanding? Why is ISKCON still there and intact and thriving? Because of the institution the way Srila Prabhupada structured it. A spiritual institution needs a spiritual head and Srila Prabhupada retained his identity as the spiritual head for all time, the Founder Acharya. Everyday Srila Prabhupada is worshipped in the Guru Puja by everyone in every temple and in this we continue. As long as ISKCON will be there this system will continue. Then he created this concept of collective management through a governing body. No one person will be the head of the institution, that one person who is the head of the institution is Srila Prabhupada himself and then of course the institution has to be managed and that will be done by a collective management done through the governing body. I tell you as an inside member of the governing body it is because of the governing body concept that ISKCON was able to overcome so many crises and calamities after Prabhupada’s disappearance.
Then he gave the books as the basis, everybody knows what Krishna Consciousness is and everything about this institution has been established properly through the instructions of Srila Prabhupada. Books are the basis of this institution. This is how Srila Prabhupada secured the mission. Without a shadow of doubt, we can rest assured that this movement is going to continue to spread fulfilling the prediction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
2. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: When will you come back?
A: That is why I am afraid to go to new places, that question yes, we develop a relationship and I will come again, well I will come again.
Q: In that verse that you were discussing the Gopis were praising Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead but on the other hand we know that the Gopis don’t see Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why?
A: Very good point, this is due to Maya, Maya means forgetfulness, so this is Yoga Maya. There are two kinds of forgetfulness, one is out of ignorance and the other is out of intense love. The son has become the president of the country, its not that the mother doesn’t know that he is the president of the country but the mother doesn’t treat him like a president. To the mother his identity as a president is not important, when he comes back home, she chastises him for making mistakes or not doing things properly. So that is the example of forgetfulness out of love. Its not that the Gopis did not know that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead but to them it didn’t matter. They used to say also, “some say that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so what? Whether you are the Supreme Personality of Godhead or not doesn’t matter, what matters is that we can’t stay without loving you.” One day Madhu Mangala, who is a Brahmana told Krishna, “Krishna, you should be respectful to your superiors. You are a Vaishya; some say you are a Kshatriya but I am a Brahmana so you should show some respect to me.” Krishna said, “Look, there are two considerations one is birth and the other is activity so the activity supersedes the birth.” Madhu Mangala said, “What’s the big deal about your activities?” Krishna said, “When I was seven days old, I killed a terrible demoness Putana, when I was seven years old, I lifted Govardhan hill and held it for seven days, Kaliya whose poison was so terrible that the entire Yamuna became poisoned and I subdued him.” Madhu Mangala said, “Big deal, Krishna you are always so conceited always blowing your own trumpet. Seven days you killed Putana, everybody knows that the demi-gods protect the children and old people so the demi-gods protected you and you want to take the credit. You lifted Govardhan but everyone gave you the support and that is why Govardhan was lifted. Everybody held it. And as far as Kaliya was concerned everybody knew what happened. You were in the coil of Kaliya and dead seeing you in that condition, the residents of Vrindavan, some of them fainted, some of them were about to jump into the river to rescue you and seeing that condition I took pity upon them and I started to chant the mantra that will kill the serpent and it was due to my chanting that Kaliya released you and you jumped up on his head and started to dance as if you have subdued him.” Krishna said, “Oh I didn’t know about that but anyway please accept my humble obeisances.” So, this is a wonderful loving exchange that Krishna used to have with His most intimate associates of Vrindavan. It’s a forgetfulness not that they didn’t know that Krishna is God but to them it didn’t matter that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
3. SRILA PRABHUPADA'S APPRECIATION
Forty-three years after Prabhupda’s disappearance ISKCON is not only thriving but its expanding. When Prabhupada left there were 108 temples. Do you know how many temples are there now? More than 650 temples around the world. Clear indication that’s its expanding what to speak of falling apart, its expanding. Why is it expanding? Why is ISKCON still there and intact and thriving? Because of the institution the way Srila Prabhupada structured it. Then he created this concept of collective management through a governing body. No one person will be the head of the institution, that one person who is the head of the institution is Srila Prabhupada himself. Everyday Srila Prabhupada is worshipped in the Guru Puja by everyone in every temple and in this we continue. As long as ISKCON will be there this system will continue. Then he gave the books as the basis, everybody knows what Krishna Consciousness is and everything about this institution has been established properly through the instructions of Srila Prabhupada. Books are the basis of this institution. This is how Srila Prabhupada secured the mission.
4. GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
Without a shadow of doubt, we can rest assured that this movement is going to continue to spread fulfilling the prediction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
(The content of this E-magazine is based a lecture given by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami on the Youtube channel, Bhakti Charu Swami Media, entitled “Special session on Inconceivable achievements of Srila Prabhupada in just 10 years” released 30 September 2021)
(Compiled and Edited by Hemavati Radhika Dasi)