Seeds of Bhakti

Giriraj Swami: Srila Prabhupada has created devotees all over the world through his personal association and example, through his followers, and through his books. In the early 1980’s I went to Pakistan and met many wonderful devotees there, one of whom was Professor Chowdhry. When I left Pakistan I didn’t know if I would ever see Prof. Chowdhry again, but one day I got a phone call informing me that Prof. Chowdhry was here in California. After some time, he and his family came to meet me at the temple in Los Angeles. Later, I met Prof. Chowdhry’s nephew, Hiralal, who is doing his residency at Cedars-Sinai Hospital.

Hiralal told me that a few weeks ago a German gentleman came to Cedars-Sinai to study for a month, and the man disclosed that he was a vegetarian. Hiralal told him, “I am also a vegetarian. How did you become a vegetarian?” The German replied, “Well, actually, from the Hare Krishna movement.” Hiralal responded, “I’m also connected with the Hare Krishna movement!”

The point I’m making here is that, by Srila Prabhupada’s mercy, there are devotees everywhere. There really are devotees everywhere. I remember the pioneer days when we used to go to new places where there were no devotees, or where there were devotees but not due to the association of devotees from ISKCON. Now, however, there are devotees everywhere. We can go practically anywhere in the world now and find devotees—devotees of Srila Prabhupada.

And it is like a family. Actually, it is a family. And it is a tremendous support. Satsaṅga is there, prasadam is there, everything is there—and this is all Srila Prabhupada’s mercy.

It is truly a wonder what Srila Prabhupada has done: a German student meets a Pakistani resident in a hospital in Los Angeles, California, and they both are Hare Krishna devotees!

But we’re only seeing the beginning of what Srila Prabhupada has done. He has thrown seeds of krishna-bhakti all over the planet, and they are taking root and growing into beautiful creepers. These creepers are gradually producing fresh leaves and then tender buds and then fragrant flowers and then sweet, ripe fruit. So now there are devotees all over the world.

I am seeing that such a change has taken place from one generation to another. I don’t know exactly how many years comprise a generation, but let us say 30. We met Srila Prabhupada 30 years ago. At that time, there were practically no devotees of ISKCON—only a few of us, and we were in the temples. Now, however, there are devotees everywhere, though still not so many—yes, many compared to when we began, but not so many compared to the total population. I am calculating that such a huge change took place between our generation and the present generation. So what will be the expansion between the present generation and the next generation? It should be more than double; it should increase exponentially.

We cannot really fathom the effects of what Srila Prabhupada has done, because it is like a tree, like the tree within the seed in the story of the Brahmin and the cobbler. ISKCON began as a seed, and now it’s growing, but soon it will become like a banyan tree, and it will increase and increase and increase, practically without any limit. And it all started with one person. Srila Prabhupada came to the West, and planted the seed of ISKCON, and distributed so many seeds of devotional service. And now there are devotees all over the world.

So we should be aware of the spiritual opulence that we are enjoying—of so many devotees, of satsaṅga and prasadam and friends. We do things with each other, our children do things with each other, we are friends, but we are Krishna conscious. It is all very nice and wholesome and pleasing and encouraging.

So, we should be conscious of the great legacy that Srila Prabhupada has given us. And, with a sense of appreciation, a sense of gratitude, and a sense of love, we should try to pass on the legacy to more people in the present generation, and then in the next generation.

Srila Prabhupada said, “My ambition is to spread these books far and wide all over the world so that everyone shall read at least one of our books, and that will change his life. If only 1% become devotees, that will change the world.” (SP letter, May 2, 1972)

We can understand that already so many seeds have been planted, and that this Krishna consciousness movement is spreading. But still, many, many more seeds need to be planted in order to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s desire and ultimately Lord Caitanya’s prophecy that devotees would one day be chanting the holy names in every town and village of the world.

We therefore encourage each one of you to please sincerely take up this sacred task of planting more and more seeds in the hearts of all of the living entities of this world.

Let us pray to Srila Prabhupada for his mercy, and redouble our enthusiasm and determination to distribute his mercy. Surely he will hear our prayers, appreciate our efforts, and shower his mercy upon us.

Thank you. Hare Krsna.

[Adapted from the original lecture.]