CONTENTS:
- QUESTION AND ANSWER WITH GURU MAHARAJ MAHAPRABHU
- SRILA PRABHUPADA’S APPRECIATION
- SRILA PRABHUPADA APPRECIATION
1. QUESTION AND ANSWER WITH GURU MAHARAJ MAHAPRABHU
Q. In the beginning of Krishna consciousness and Srila Prabhupada coming so many devotees were coming from America was this also a drama or was there another reason?
Ultimate sense we must see its Krishna’s arrangement but in the material nature Krishna sets up one system and that is guna and karma. In the material nature Krishna does not get involved. Every individual in the material nature is subjected to the modes of material nature and the reactions of his karma. Another way to look at it is that in the age of Kali people are atheistic and demoniac and there is conflict between the devotees and the demons. The bottom line is the ultimate, the end or outcome. You can see spiritual is glorious. Most of them are now under the ground but Krishna consciousness has expanded. You can see in difficulties Krishna comes and helps His devotees. Nrsinghadeva comes to help His devotees. In Germany devotees used to go out chanting at night. There is a city called Hamburg which is a notorious area, St Paul’s, a red-light district, and all kinds of drunkards and what not. But the devotees used to go there to chant trying to distribute the holy name to the most fallen.
One day the devotees were chanting, there was a big man who came charging to them. Devotees were thinking what to do. One devotee thought he would take the cartels and swing it but the leader said, “Just chant Namaste Narasimhaya.” As they started to chant Namaste Narasimhaya, suddenly, they saw this person’s body went up and fell. And the paramedics came and said he had a massive heart attack. What was the massive heart attack? Nrsinghadeva attacked. Another time I heard from my God-sister she was distributing books door to door in a quiet neighborhood and she saw a man following her, she could anticipate what this man would do and she started to chant Namaste Narasimhaya and the man just turned around and walked away. This is how the Lord protects. Devotees do not need to worry about anything Krishna will take care.
Q. We are having a wonderful parikrama and we are seeing beautiful aspects of the Lord and such wonderful darshan. I wanted to know how do we always keep this in our mind and heart and never forget it even when we go home.
It is up to you how you want to preserve it in your memory. The way to do that is: sweet recollections are always memorable. Like, just carry all the wonderful experiences that you are having and go back and dwell on it. The real purpose of this parikrama or pilgrimage will be experienced when you go back then only will those sweet memories come in your recollection.
Q, When we sleep, we waste time by not hearing about Krishna because our gross body is inactive. If we want to always hear the holy name even when we sleep can we play Srila Prabhupada’s chanting? What benefit do we get by this if any? What happens if one dies in one’s sleep how will one remember Krishna?
Very good question. The question is how can we remember Krishna twenty-four hours a day? Like when we fall asleep, we tend to forget Krishna and that is why we must practice Krishna Consciousness in such a way that even in our sleep we will not forget Krishna. Even in our sleep we will dream about Krishna, even in our sleep we will either chant the holy name or hear the holy name. Yes, that is possible and that is the meaning of being fully Krishna Conscious. Now let us remember Srila Rupa Goswami’s instructions, “Remember Krishna all the time and never forget Krishna.” Now when he says never forget Krishna does not it include even in the sleeping state? Even when you are sleeping do not forget Krishna. So at least we know we must practice it in that way that even in our sleep we do not forget Krishna.
2. SRILA PRABHUPADA’S APPRECIATION
Srila Prabhupada had made this wonderful family Iskcon, where you have your Father, Uncles, Brothers, Cousins, everyone. Thus you are never alone.
3. GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
We recognize each other due to our love for Srila Prabhupada. This is how we are going to establish the family of Hare Krishna or the family of ISKCON all over the world and won’t it be wonderful When the Indians, Australians, Americans, Russians, Chinese, Japanese, Africans all get together and become one family? One family with Srila Prabhupada in the center. One family with Krishna in the center. And then this world will become the most wonderful place to live. Then this world will become the Vaikuntha the Spiritual sky where everybody will completely be absorbed in serving Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Lotus feet. Everybody will be pushed to make Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement forward for the benefit of everybody not only the human beings but every living entity.
Devotees do not need to worry about anything Krishna will take care. "If you love Krishna in any capacity, you shall never be frustrated because everything in Krishna is perfect, eternal, Blissful and full of Knowledge."
(The content of this E-magazine was based a lecture given by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami on 10 December 2019 an evening class at Jaganath Puri during the 2019 Divine Pilgrimage)
(Compiled and Edited by Hemavati Radhika Devi Dasi)