Fiftieth Anniversary of the Arrival of Sri Radha-Rasabihari in Juhu

Giriraj Swami: As His Grace Mukunda Madhava rightly said, from between March 17th and 31st, two weeks, three significant events in the history of Hare Krishna Land took place. The devotees brought Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari from the Akash Ganga building to a pandal on Hare Krishna Land. Srila Prabhupada did the cornerstone laying ceremony for the new temple, and he appointed me as the president of ISKCON Bombay. To begin, I will speak about the deities coming to Hare Krishna Land.

[READING from I’ll Build You a Temple: The Juhu Story]

So, my dear devotees, these are my remembrances and accounts and reflections on these significant events that took place fifty years ago. The arrival of Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari in Juhu, the laying of the cornerstone for the new temple on march 22nd 1972, and Srila Prabhupada’s appointing me as temple president in Juhu. So, thank you for joining us on this auspicious occasion, and now, if any of you have any comments or questions or reflections, you can raise your hand, your physical hand, or your virtual hand, and speak. Hare Krishna.

Host: His Grace Devaki-nandana Prabhu would like to ask a question to you, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: All right.

Devotee: Guru Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. When did Prabhupada give the name Radha-Rasabihari? You said, he gave Radha-Krishna, he app… as Radha-Krishna [Unintelligible 01:12:49]?

Giriraj Swami: Yes. That is a good question, and I can answer it. Actually, I brought up the question of the name for the deities, and I will relate that incident. This took place in 1974. Although our deities had been in Juhu for more than two years, they did not yet have specific names. One day, I mentioned this to a few devotees, and they encouraged me to bring up the topic with Srila Prabhupada. “Srila Prabhupada,” I requested, “Can you name our deities?” “Yes,” he replied. “What about Radha Madan Mohan?” “Srila Prabhupada, the deities in Hyderabad are already called Madan Mohan.” “And what about Radha-Govinda?” “Srila Prabhupada, the deities in New York are called Radha-Govinda.” Prabhupada paused thoughtfully, considering. “What about Radha-Rasabihari, is that all right?” “Yes, Srila Prabhupada.” And smiling in bliss, I paid my obeisances and left. Later, as I was going back over the exchange in my mind, I thought about how in Vrindavan, the three principal deities were Madan Mohan, Govinda, and Gopinatha. And in our discussion, he had gone from Madan Mohan to Govinda, to Rasabihari, the enjoyer of the rasa dance, prayojana, the goal. So, thank you for asking that question.

Devotee: Were there any. . . I think we didn’t have Gopinatha temple at that time. So, was there anything that Prabhupada chose Radha-Rasabihari or you suggested? Why not Radha Gopinatha? I am just curious, question. Madan Mohan, Govinda Dev, and why not Gopinatha?

Giriraj Swami: I don’t think I can answer for Srila Prabhupada why not Gopinatha. In my mind, when I was going over the discussion, I was relating it to that progression from Madan Mohan to Govinda to Gopinatha, but in our conversation, he went from Madan Mohan to Govinda to Rasa Bihari.

Devotee: All right. Okay, thank you, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Host: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. I wanted to ask a question. You mentioned in your book that there are first cornerstone laying, second cornerstone laying, and third cornerstone laying like that. And also, we have pictures of Prabhupada actually doing the cornerstone laying, in which it is already mentioned, Radha-Rasabihari. So, which picture is that? And when actually this cornerstone was? The stone, which we are seeing, we also saw on the screen. So, when was that actually made and laid down?

Giriraj Swami: Yes. Well, yes, the original was in 1972, but then, when the whole project was stalled because of so many complications, and then, we got permission, Srila Prabhupada wanted to have another cornerstone laying ceremony to signify that we had overcome those challenges, and now we are actually ready to begin construction. And there are nice pictures of that cornerstone ceremony. Mr. Sethi is there, so many of the early devotees are there. So, that was the reasoning behind having that second cornerstone ceremony. And that was on Rama-Navami. Actually, there were three. The second cornerstone laying was on Rama-Navami in 1974, and the third was on January 23, 1975. That was the picture I was referring to that had Mr. Sethi in it in a very happy mood. So, yes, there were actually three cornerstone ceremonies.

Devotee: When did the project start? Like building? A real building construction?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, let me just add one thing about the third one. The reason Srila Prabhupada had the third one on January 23, is the day before, on January 22, Mr. Sethi got permission from the Bombay municipal corporation to build the temple complex. Except for the temple itself, which required a no-objection certificate from the police, that was another story. But because he got the permission on January 22, the next day, January 23, Srila Prabhupada laid the cornerstone again and left. So, what were you saying? What were you asking?

Devotee: Maharaja, when did the actual construction begin?

Giriraj Swami: Oh, yes. It began in 1975. Yes, on August 26, 1975 we got the permission from the Bombay municipal corporation for the temple, as well as the complex. And we started, but things really got going when we hired Larsen & Toubro’s engineering construction and contracts division, ECC, to take up the construction, and that was January 3rd, 1976. But we began in a less efficient way, before then, in 1975.

Devotee: Not bad. So, in three years’ time.

Giriraj Swami: Yes. I mean, we had a friend, a Mr. G L Raheja, who was a builder. And Srila Prabhupada was always pushing us to finish quickly, and he asked Mr. Raheja if he thought that it could be built in six months, and Mr. Raheja said, “Yes.” I don’t know, maybe he didn’t want to disagree with Srila Prabhupada, but he said, “Yes.” But still, as you said, I mean, everyone agreed that it really came up fast, in whatever, two and a half years. That was really fast for such a huge project, and elaborate project.

Devotee: Thank you, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you. Hare Krishna.

Host: Brajhari Prabhu would like to ask a question.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances. I want to ask you, when and where Srila Prabhupada pray to Sri Sri Rasabihari that I will build a, please stand here, and I will build a nice marble temple for you? Where he prayed actually?

Giriraj Swami: Where did he pray?

Devotee: When and where.

Giriraj Swami: Well, I think it was from the beginning when Radha-Rasabihari came to Juhu. Yes, because we didn’t really have a nice place, in which to receive them. I mean, they came first to the pandal, and then, after the pandal program finished and Srila Prabhupada left for Australia, they took away that fancy pandal, and Nara Narayana and his wife, with the help of her American sewing machine, put together a very simple pandal, and that is where the deities moved. And then, when the rainy season came, we actually had to move the deities into the chātāi hut with the devotees. But then, for Janmashtami 1972, we had constructed that, what we used to call, the semi-permanent temple. And then, on Janmashtami, we moved the deities into that semi-permanent temple where they remained until January 14, 1978 when they moved into the marvel temple that Srila Prabhupada promised.

Host: There is a question from Prananatha Prabhu.

Prananatha dasa: Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja. Am I audible?

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Prananatha dasa: Guru Maharaja, I had a question regarding the advent of the Lalita, Visakha. I wanted to know how it came in the background, how the little Visakha was introduced, or how it happened? And when they actually joined Radha-Rasabihari?

Giriraj Swami: That was my suggestion, and when I suggested it to Srila Prabhupada, his eyes opened wide, and he smiled broadly, and he said, “Very good idea.” And I didn’t really think it was that brilliant because we already had Lalita and Visakha with Radha-Shyamasundara in Vrindavan, but I did suggest it, and he really liked the suggestion.

Prananatha dasa: And when did they join Radha-Rasabihari?

Giriraj Swami: In the new temple.

Prananatha dasa: Thank you.

Host: Parijata Mataji?

Parijata: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. My humble obeisances. Thank you so much. So, my question was that, from the very beginning, since the time Sri Radha-Rasabihari appeared on Hare Krishna Land, it is always been about challenges, trials, tribulations, and I think maybe that is the mood of their lordships. And you just so graciously survived, sustained all this. So, what was your prayers? You and the devotees had these challenges and difficulties throughout the years, over the decades, what was the mood of your prayers and, just meditation on Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari, which you think actually helped you?

Giriraj Swami: Well, I would say I was meditating more on Srila Prabhupada and his desire and his instructions. And yes, there were some very difficult times, but Srila Prabhupada always remained fixed in his determination to overcome the obstacles and build Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari, the temple that he promised them. And we were motivated by his desire and instructions. I mean, at one stage, he sent reinforcements to help me because the opposition was so formidable. So, yes, Tamal Krishna Goswami, and Shyamasundara, and even Karandhar, they all concluded that our case was very weak, and they wrote Srila Prabhupada, and he wrote back, “You say our case is weak, but I say our case is strong.” And then he gave all the reasons why our case was strong. And he was relentless, he was empowered, he was relentless, he just would not be defeated, and he wasn’t defeated for Radha-Rasabihari.

You asked about prayers. I would say that an important part of my service, if you will, was my morning japa, and I got a lot of inspiration and clarity from my morning japa. I considered that a very important spiritual practice to sustain my determination, and also empower me with strength and intelligence to serve Srila Prabhupada’s desire.

Host: There is a question from Sitaram Prabhu, Maharaja. It is one of the council members of ISKCON Juhu, Mumbai.

Sitaram dasa: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Maharaja, could you please share the discussion, if you were involved, about installing Sri Sri Sita-Rama, Lakshman, Hanuman deities? Because we have Jagannathji, Jagannatha, Baladeva, Subhadra in Hyderabad, and Radha-Shyamasundara in Vrindavan. Could you please share the discussions how it arrived to install Sri Sri Sita-Rama, Lakshman, Hanumanji here?

Giriraj Swami: Well, I mean, a simple answer is that Srila Prabhupada said there are a lot of devotees of Rama in Bombay, and yes, I can quote the little exchange, but, with the construction progressing well, Srila Prabhupada spoke with me about what deities we should install in the new temple, and he said there are many devotees of Rama in Bombay, and he suggested that we have Lord Ramachandra, we discussed different possibilities, Sita-Rama, Lakshman, Hanuman, and Their associates. Finally, Prabhupada decided Sita-Rama, Lakshman, Hanuman.

So, the first altar was clear, Guru Gauranga, as in Vrindavan, the central also would be Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari. “What if we have Lalita and Visakha with Radha and Krishna?” I suggested. As I mentioned, Prabhupada’s eyes widened, his eyebrows raised, and his lips spread in a broad smile, “Oh, yes,” he said. “Very good, very good idea.” But personally, I didn’t think the idea was so exceptional because Prabhupada had already installed Lalita and Visakha with Sri Sri Radha-Shyamasundara in Vrindavan, but he made a big thing of it as if it was a stroke of genius or inspiration. In times to come, I would think of its significance, that we approach Radha and Krishna through with the hope… of help of their gopī friends and servants, such as Lalita and Visakha.

Six weeks later, Saurabha wrote Prabhupada, who was then in Los Angeles, to clarify the standard of worship in the new temple, whether there should be any change or any special arrangement, such as extra bhajana. Prabhupada replied on June 7, “For worshiping the deities in Bombay, including Sita-Rama, there is absolutely no change in worship. Adopt the same method as in our Vrindavan center with three pujaris, just like in Vrindavan. They are all viṣṇu-tattva—Ramachandra, Radha-Krishna, Gaura-Nitai. No additional kirtans. Simply do exactly as in Vrindavan.”

Devotee: Thank you, Maharaja, for no additional kirtan. That is punching point, no additional kirtan. Maharaja, also, Tamal Krishna Maharaja once said, when he was fighting this Prabhupada’s son’s court case, and he stayed for a long time in Juhu, he was saying that Prabhupada installed Sita-Rama, Lakshman, Hanuman, and he told us that Sita-Rama, Lord Rama, is a good king,. So, for management, we should pray to Lord Ramachandra for a good management, and he will kill all the devils, like he killed Ravana. So, he will kill the demons, and we will have good management by prayer of Sita-Rama. “Therefore,” Prabhupada said, “I installed Sita-Rama here” to Tamal Krishna Maharaja Prabhu once.

Giriraj Swami: Nice, excellent. Another aspect. Yes, we have Sita-Rama in Washington, DC, and Srila Prabhupada said, “Washington, DC is the capital of the United States, and Lord Ramachandra is an example of the perfect ruler, so we should have Lord Rama in Washington, DC.”

Host: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. There is a brahmachari here, Kausalya Putra Prabhu, he has a question. He actually told the question in Hindi, so I am telling you in English.

So, he is asking, “Srila Prabhupada wanted us to read Bhagavad-gītā first, then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Whereas Srila Prabhupada completed Bhagavad-gītā, then Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and then Bhāgavatam was not completed also.” So, he is asking your opinion on this.

Giriraj Swami: What is the question?

Host: The question is, Prabhupada wanted us to read Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and Caitanya-caritāmṛta, whereas Prabhupada completed Bhagavad-gītā, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam not also completed. So, he is asking you, “How do we understand this?”

Giriraj Swami: Yes. Well, generally, in terms of advancement, first is Īśopaniṣad, then Bhagavad-gītā, then The Nectar of Devotion, then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and then Caitanya-caritāmṛta. But the fact that generally Srila Prabhupada wanted us to go to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam before Caitanya-caritāmṛta doesn’t mean that he had to finish translating Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam before he finished translating Caitanya-caritāmṛta because Caitanya-caritāmṛta is a shorter work. And I am glad that he finished it. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was considerably longer, and he did what he could. He gave us a lot, and then his disciples finished it. So, everything is all right.

Host: And with that brief introduction, I request His Holiness Giriraj Swami Maharaja to speak about His Grace Niranjana Prabhu.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, I don’t think I will say too much, but I will relate some interaction, if you will, that I had with him at the end when he was in the Bhaktivedanta Hospice in Vrindavan. My disciple, Giri Govardhan dasa from Mumbai has been serving in the hospice in Vrindavan, he is with us now, smiling.

So, he sent me a text message saying, “Srila Prabhupada’s disciple Niranjana Prabhuji was admitted in our Vrindavan hospice for palliative care, and I have been blessed to get his personal association. I feel blessed to receive this opportunity to serve exalted souls.” And then I wrote back, “Jaya, wonderful. I know Niranjana Prabhu well. He translated Srila Prabhupada’s books into Hindi. If you think it appropriate, you can tell him that I have fond memories of him and that he is in my thoughts and prayers.” And then, Giri Govardhan Prabhu replied, “I conveyed your regards and prayers, and he was smiling. Yesterday, on his arrival, I had a lengthy talk with him during which he was telling me about his encounters with and relationship with Srila Prabhupada. And when he came to know that I am your disciple, he even inquired about you, and he blessed me with both his hands. While I was massaging his head, he told me that I have healing hands and compassionate like my Guru Maharaja. This is the best compliment of my life. Then Niranjana Prabhu finally left his body.”

So, yes, it is very sad that he has left us, but as Srila Prabhupada said, “When a Vaishnava departs, we feel both happy and sad. We feel happy because we know the devotee has gone to serve Krishna, but we feel sad because we will miss the devotee’s association.” But it is sad that he is left us, but it is not sad for him because he is definitely with Srila Prabhupada, engaging in devotional service to the Pancha-tattva, and Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, and Lalita-Visakha. Hare Krishna. So, Mukunda Madhava Prabhu?

Host: Yes, Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: So, are we going to the memorial program right now, immediately?

Host: Yes, Maharaja. We are continuing, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Okay. Well, I may have to take your leave. I mean, it is nine at night here, which is not so late but I do have to do some other service. So, yes, I think I will take your leave, and if I can, I will join again later. But certainly, His Grace Niranjana Prabhu and all of you will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Host: Thank you very much, Maharaja. On behalf of all the devotees here, we express our heartfelt gratitude for agreeing to be part of the celebration today here. We are very, very thankful to you, Maharaja. We thank His Holiness Giriraj Swami Maharaja by chanting the holy names.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Thank you very much, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Ki jaya. Thank you. Hare Krishna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari ki jaya! Gaura bhakta vrinda ki jaya.