Celebrating Srila Prabhupada’s Arrival in USA—Part 03

Giriraj Swami: I don’t know how formal my talk will be but somehow during the guru-puja I had the same experience we used to have in guru-puja when Srila Prabhupada was present—- the atmosphere, the effect of the kirtan. And I was thinking what it is that invokes Srila Prabhupada’s presence. Even last night during the Nṛsiṁha prayers I also had the same sort of feelings when we used to sing the Nṛsiṁha prayers when Srila Prabhupada was present. I don’t really know the answer to the question but maybe he manifests himself more according to our desire. Usually when we go to Los Angeles for the Prabhupada Festivals, we also have the same experience. And I remember when we went for the Prabhupada Festival over the Memorial Day weekend last year, some devotees were commenting that in Srila Prabhupada’s presence there were no problems. Sometimes we would think we had problems. And we would walk into Srila Prabhupada’s room and sit down. He would ask, “So, is everything alright?” And we would say, “Yes,” because mystically or magically everything had become alright. And devotees also commented that in Srila Prabhupada’s presence there would be no question of going anywhere else because there is no comparison to Srila Prabhupada’s presence or association or protection. So we wouldn’t really have to make any special effort to keep devotees with Srila Prabhupada. What we really have to do would be to invoke Srila Prabhupada’s presence and then naturally they would stay.

So when many sincere devotees of Srila Prabhupada come together I believe he is pleased to manifest himself to us more, out of his pleasure. At least to me Srila Prabhupada’s pleasure is very apparent. All the devotees have cooperated to celebrate his arrival. As we have often heard Srila Prabhupada said that our love for him will be shown by how we cooperate and among the devotees here there is such a great spirit of cooperation. I can think that the only reason is ultimately their love for Srila Prabhupada. And not only because of their love for Srila Prabhupada do they cooperate for his service but they have friendships with each other based on love for Srila Prabhupada and service for Srila Prabhupada which is really the basis or at least for us the proper basis for relationships with each other. I think Mother Nagapatni has been very instrumental in creating such a wonderful mood of service and Krishna consciousness and so many other devotees have come to cooperate.

Yesterday also we visited Drti devi dasi and she made a nice point about the style of the artwork and creation of the artwork during Srila Prabhupada’s presence that the style is special and unique to ISKCON. It is not exactly Indian and it is not exactly Western but it is a self-manifest style that arose out of Srila Prabhupada’s desire to present Krishna to the world. Srila Prabhupada often commented that Krishna was known in India but the people who knew Him there kept Him locked in a box. And Srila Prabhupada said of himself, “I have opened the box and taken Krishna out and presented Him to the world. ‘Here is God.’” So he presented Krishna to the world and one of the media through which he presented Krishna was through painting. Another medium was kirtan. And even in kirtan Srila Prabhupada’s devotees created their own style of kirtan. During the Nṛsiṁhadeva prayers yesterday and again during guru-puja today, I thought of the kirtans that we used to have, especially the famous New York kirtans and the very special mood. And devotees who spend time in India have noticed that our style of kirtan is unique. And that is one of the main attractive features of ISKCON, the kirtan style. So we don’t really have to imitate anyone. We don’t need to go anywhere and we don’t have to imitate anyone. Drti Prabhu made the other point that the artwork that was done in Srila Prabhupada’s presence was somehow blessed by him. She said it was almost as if he sprinkled some magic powder on all the paintings and they came to life. And I think the same could be said of the kirtans.

I had a similar experience in relation to the architecture. When Srila Prabhupada’s samadhi opened in Mayapur one of my godbrothers had commented that it is not really in the Bengali style and hinted that it should have been in the original, authentic, local style. So some days later I went on parikramā to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s house in Godruma-dvipa. Upstairs in his house is his bedroom and then the balcony where he used to chant his japa. So I walked out on the balcony and looked across the Jalangi river as we imagined he might have. And we looked at Srila Prabhupada’s puṣpa-samādhi there and imagined or sensed what Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s vision of the samadhi would have been. The impression I got was that he was very pleased with it and that he was pleased that it was in its own unique style because his desire was that Krishna consciousness should spread all over the world, as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s desire also was that Krishna consciousness should spread to every town and village of every country of the world and people should become Krishna conscious. So I felt that he was pleased with the samadhi because it was the emblem of Krishna consciousness spreading throughout the world and the emblem of the combined efforts of devotees of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu from all over the world to glorify the person who brought Krishna consciousness to them.

And again from his perspective I thought he wasn’t really thinking about all the little details that went into the creation of the samadhi—- all the little troubles we have. I am sure he appreciates the little trouble we took. And even amongst ourselves, we have our little differences but from the point of view of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, he just saw the result. It was a magnificent creation and that we had all somehow worked together to do it and that he was pleased with all of us collectively and would bless us all. I thought of Srila Prabhupada’s statement to us when we were in Calcutta. If we build this temple in Mayapur, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura will personally come and take us all back to Godhead. So from our point of view on the ground level we may see our problems as somewhat big even overwhelming. But from the point of view of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the problems are sort of obstacles that we have to overcome in the course of devotional service. What is really important is the service and it is the service that pleases him and all of the acharyas. It is the service that we perform in spite of all the difficulties that come in the material world that gets us their blessings.

So there is something special about Visalia and the devotees here. I think any devotee that continues in Krishna consciousness for thirty years is bound to have overcome many obstacles and passed many tests and proven their sincerity to Srila Prabhupada. When such devotees come together I believe Srila Prabhupada’s pleasure increases and out of his pleasure he manifests himself more. So here we are together like we always used to be at Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet, absorbed in thoughts of him, and his service and his pleasure and we really don’t have anything else to aspire for. Recently one devotee told me about someone who had asked Srila Prabhupada, “We are supposed to think of Krishna at the time of death but what if we think of you, Srila Prabhupada, at the time of death? What will be the result? Will we get the same result?” And Srila Prabhupada said, “Yes.”

So we don’t really require a very complicated or intricate or esoteric process. We can just follow the simple process that Srila Prabhupada gave us—chanting, dancing, feasting, and philosophy—as he gave them to us and be absorbed in very simple way, simple and pure hearted. That is generally how the movement was in the early days. And we will get the result that Srila Prabhupada promised us we would get which is to live with him and Krishna eternally. So it is encouraging to get together will all of you and I pray that we continue to do so until the end. And when I say the end, there is no end but what may be the end in terms of our present earthly existence and I don’t think we need anything else. Hare Krishna.

Sri Prahlada, would you like to say something?

Sri Prahlada: What you have said is perfectly complete.

Giriraj Swami: I did have one other impression from guru-puja which may have direct relevance to us or not to different degrees. It was how Srila Prabhupada really wanted his books to be distributed. I think book distribution is also one of the special features of ISKCON. We know that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wanted it but Srila Prabhupada actually implemented it. And somehow in the mood of guru-puja it was just part of guru-puja that Srila Prabhupada wanted his books to be distributed. That also lends a certain vitality to ISKCON, a special vitality. And there are different ways. I believe the first service that I did that Srila Prabhupada (I am not completely sure about that but I think it was the first service I did) became aware of was that I took his books to sell to the bookstores in the Boston area. And up until then the only other devotee who really sold Srila Prabhupada’s books in bookstores was Brahmananda Prabhu in New York and he was like a legend. So here I was, a completely new devotee. I think one of the first stores I went to was The Harvard Co-Op in Cambridge and they took a huge order. I couldn’t believe it. In those days we just had the old Gītā, the old Teaching of Lord Chaitanya, and they took so many books. I was surprised and pleased. And I systematically went around to the different the book stores. I remember there was one on New Berry Street, not that big but sort of a classy area. And people took books. I guess maybe Satsvarupa Maharaja or Srila Prabhupada was aware. It was the first service that he knew that I personally did for him. So book distribution does not necessarily mean on the streets or in airport. It includes those places but it can also include other approaches. In a conversation with me, Srila Prabhupada asked me to have his books introduced in the universities. So there are many ways that we can do it. Drti Prabhu also mentioned that there are New Age stores that have huge selection of books, even many editions of Bhagavad-gītā but no Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

So I guess I am sort of reminding myself of my dharma. A few years ago I spoke with Yogesvara Prabhu about it. He had a plan because he said now you can go into a store, an individual can go into a store like Srila Prabhupada did when he arrived in New York. But he said now there are large distributors and they distribute in huge quantities so he was going to try that. But for some reason he could not succeed with them. Later I phoned him back and asked what happened. I don’t remember the details but it didn’t work. But we can do it the other way. It is not that they won’t buy from you if you walk in. It is just a more personal approach. A few at a time like Srila Prabhupada did. So maybe I will work on that some more again. But that is important. We might have been over enthusiastic or over zealous in the way we did it at times but the fact remains that Srila Prabhupada wanted it and many people have come to Krishna consciousness from his books. Many have had their first association with our philosophy through Srila Prabhupada’s books. And after they begin the process of Krishna consciousness they continue to take guidance. We continue to take guidance from Srila Prabhupada’s books. So his books are important.

And of course the holy name. When I read the last verse in Srila Prabhupada’s poem or prayer, Mārkine Bhāgavata-dharma, and he said that he has strong faith in the holy name of Krishna. And then I related the story of how Akincana Krishna dasa Babaji Maharaja was chanting during Srila Prabhupada’s sannyasa initiation and the priest said, “Do the mantras, the yajña.” And Srila Prabhupada motioned, “Keep chanting, keep chanting.” So I was thinking that there is actually a deep message there. Yes, Srila Prabhupada had full faith in the holy name and that just by chanting the holy name we would get everything. And again we don’t need any very complicated or intricate or esoteric process. From one point of view even doing a fire ceremony and chanting mantras and offering ghee is sort of a little exclusive. And there are so many other practices and ideas that are exclusive but Srila Prabhupada was inclusive. Just chant Hare Krishna. Anyone can chant Hare Krishna and follow the regulative principles and you will get the result. And I think that was Srila Prabhupada’s mood and that mood is very rare. I am also pleased to see that Srila Prabhupada’s mood is confirmed in Bṛhad-Bhāgavatāmṛta by Srila Sanatana Gosvami where he also says the same thing that just by chanting the holy name one can achieve the highest perfection. And Srila Sanatana Gosvami’s mood is also very much like that. It is open to anyone and everyone. Anyone and everyone can do it. And it is not like there is a special mystic or special exclusive group only that can do it but anyone can do it and get the same result.

There have been so many speculations about Srila Prabhupada. I heard one theory that Srila Prabhupada was empowered on the boat coming to America with the implication that before then he was not empowered. Once Srila Prabhupada asked me to read from the First Canto. I think he was making a point about the modern civilization; how hellish it was, especially in contrast with Vedic civilization where the cows were so happy that they were wetting the earth with the overflow from their milk bags. So I read it and Srila Prabhupada said that he wrote this before he came to America. And he said about himself, “I am speaking the same message. I haven’t changed anything.” I think his message in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, his faith in the holy name; they were there all along. That is Srila Prabhupada. So he didn’t really change. He tried things. He tried different types of applications but the basic philosophy of course and even the basic approach remains same. So we also remain the same. Just take what he gave us, protect it and nurture it and cherish it and we also remain the same. We also reach the same destination.

So thank you all again for your hospitality, hard work, love, and devotion, good prasādam and everything else that makes Visalia so dear to so many devotees. We would also like to thank Sri Prahlada for accompanying us, for showing us how the next generation can take up the philosophy and practices. When you gave the first class here on Friday morning, I was feeling like some of the Hindu gentlemen that I would meet in India. They would look at us like we were more Vedic than they are. Like father and grandfather seeing the youngster chanting the slokas and speaking the philosophy and dressing the way traditional Vaishnavas dress. And I thought it must be very encouraging for us elders to see the younger generation becoming so proficient in Krishna consciousness and speaking with so much faith and conviction. Of course one thing that impressed us most about Srila Prabhupada was how much faith he had in the Vedic scriptures. There was just no question of any doubt. And then later maybe we got the idea that he had direct realization of Krishna. Of course he had no doubt. Hearing Sri Prahlada speak I got the sense that he also had faith in the Vedic scripture. Maybe he hasn’t, I don’t know but whether he has or hasn’t, but he has in faith in the Vedic scriptures. He has faith in what he is saying. He has faith in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and that makes us have faith. When we go into the world and discuss with people, it is even more pronounced in academia. We hear their points of view which can be quite critical of our simple faith or at least skeptical. So it is very refreshing to hear someone speak who has so much faith.

Devotee: Maharaja we also want to thank you so much. [inaudible]

Giriraj Swami: It is reciprocal. Srila Prabhupada received a letter from a disciple. The disciple wrote, “I cannot live without your mercy.” I am judging he wrote that from Srila Prabhupada’s reply. Srila Prabhupada wrote back, “You cannot live without my mercy and I cannot live without your mercy. It is reciprocal.” And he said that, “This mutual reciprocation is based on love—Krishna consciousness.”

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
Gaura-bhakta-vrnda ki jaya!