Talk to Russian Devotees

Giriraj Swami: So, by Srila Prabhupada’s grace, we are all gathered together here in Vraja. During Srila Prabhupada’s presence, we could hardly have imagined that so many people in Russia could become devotees. Of course, Srila Prabhupada was the first devotee from ISKCON to go there. Before going to Moscow, he was in Bombay, and one of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples in Bombay said, “Srila Prabhupada, the mango season is just beginning in Bombay. You should stay in Bombay now.” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “Preaching in the snows of Russia is sweeter than any mango.” So, you know very well the history, when Srila Prabhupada was in Moscow, one young man met him and took initiation, Ananta Shanti Prabhu. And for many years, the devotees had a very difficult time, and in Bombay we were getting the news about the devotees being tortured in the Soviet Union. And the stories kept getting worse and worse, to the point that some devotees actually died in prison in Russia. And when we got the worst news in Bombay, one of my friends, I just mentioned it to him as we were going into the temple, and he said, “Now the Soviet Union will be finished. Now that they are torturing the devotees to such an extent, Krishna will not allow them to continue.” And it happened. No one could imagine then that this powerful communist regime could ever fall, but it did fall, just as that friend predicted, because of their offenses against devotees. And now there are hundreds and thousands of devotees, and Srila Prabhupada’s desire and mission has been fulfilled.

So when I saw you, I thought how pleased Srila Prabhupada must be. He felt very great compassion for the people of Russia because their natural tendency to worship God and serve God and love God was being suppressed. So, I just think how happy he would be that you all are taking Krishna consciousness so seriously, coming to India, to Vrindavan, undergoing the austerities of Vraja-mandala parikramā so that you can go more deep in. And it is very easy to remember Srila Prabhupada here because he also came here with his disciples, and he took bath in the Yamuna right here. But it is really the presence of all of you who are trying to serve him and follow his instructions and make his mission successful, that makes us feel his presence more. So, I heard before I came that there has already been talks about the līlā here, and that I need not repeat the story, but I am very, very happy to see you all here and have the opportunity to speak with you. And I hope the rest of your parikramā will be very blissful and spiritually enlightening and enlivening, and that when you return, you will have more potency to bring others to Krishna consciousness.

Hare Krishna.

Devotees: Hare Krishna.