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Today is Gaura-purnima, the appearance day of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Caitanya is Lord Krsna Himself in the guise of a devotee. When Lord Krsna came, He demanded, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: “Give up all varieties of religiousness and just surrender unto Me.” But people could not appreciate Lord Krsna’s instruction: “Why should we surrender?” Nor did they understand the process of surrendering. So some four thousand five hundred years later, five hundred years ago, the same Lord Krsna appeared again, as Lord Caitanya, to show us how to surrender to Lord Krsna.
Lord Caitanya taught the specific method appropriate for the present age of Kali. With evidence from the Brhan-naradiya Purana (38.126), He instructed:
“One should chant the holy names, chant the holy names, chant the holy names of Lord Hari. There is no other way, no other way, no other way for success in the modern age.”
Now and in recent history, there are and have been many false incarnations of Lord Krsna. So, one may question, what evidence can we produce that Sri Caitanya is the incarnation of Krsna? For one thing, Lord Caitanya is mentioned in many revealed scriptures--the Upanisads, the Puranas, the Mahabharata, and especially Srimad-Bhagavatam. In the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the different incarnations for the different ages are described, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is described in the following words (SB 11.5.32):
Krsna-varnam: varnam means “category,” like catur-varnam. So, krsna-varnam: He is in the same category as Krsna. In other words, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam--but His color is not the same blackish color as Krsna’s. When Lord Krsna appeared as the son of Nanda Maharaja, Garga Muni came and astrologically calculated the future life of baby Krsna. He told Nanda Maharaja, “Your son appears in different ages in different colors. Sometimes He appears in a whitish color, sometimes He appears in a reddish color, sometimes He appears in a yellowish color, and now He has appeared in a blackish color.” We know from scripture that the incarnations for the ages of Satya and Treta appeared in a whitish color and in a reddish color and that Krsna appeared in a blackish color. So krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam means that the incarnation of Krsna in the Age of Kali appears not in a blackish color but in a golden color. Another meaning of the word varnam is related to varnayati, which means “to describe or glorify.” So krsna-varnam means that He is always glorifying Krsna, always chanting, “Krsna.” And sangopangastra-parsadam: He is accompanied by His associates (sri krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda sri advaita gadadhara srivasadi gaura bhakta vrnda). And yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah: In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting (sankirtana-yajna) to worship this incarnation of Krsna, namely Lord Caitanya.
Lord Caitanya appeared toward the end of the 15th century in Navadvipa. There, as a young man, He began the sankirtana movement, going through the streets of the town chanting Hare Krsna. He also sent His associates, such as Nityananda Prabhu and Haridasa Thakura, into the streets to request people to chant the holy name of Krsna and learn the science of Krsna. The same mission--the same movement--was continued by Lord Caitanya’s followers. And now the same sankirtana movement is embodied in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. It is the exact same movement that Lord Caitanya began personally five hundred years ago.
We shall read some verses from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta about the mission of Lord Caitanya and try to understand how Srila Prabhupada is fulfilling the same mission. We shall read from the Adi-lila, Chapter Seven, which describes the Panca-tattva.
The characteristics of Krsna are understood to be a storehouse of transcendental love. Although that storehouse of love certainly came with Krsna when He was present, it was sealed. But when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came with His other associates of the Panca-tattva, they broke the seal and plundered the storehouse to taste transcendental love of Krsna. The more they tasted it, the more their thirst for it grew.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is called maha-vadanyavatara because although He is Sri Krsna Himself, He is even more favorably disposed to the poor fallen souls than Lord Sri Krsna. When Lord Sri Krsna Himself was personally present He demanded that everyone surrender unto Him and promised that He would then give one and all protection; but when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to this earth with His associates He simply distributed transcendental love of God without any discrimination. Sri Rupa Gosvami, therefore, could understand that Lord Caitanya was none other than Sri Krsna Himself, for no one but the Supreme Personality of Godhead can distribute transcendental love of the Supreme Person.
Srila Rupa Gosvami appreciated Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu with the following verse:
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna Caitanya, who is the most munificent incarnation of Godhead, even more munificent than Krsna Himself, because He is freely giving what no other incarnation has ever given: pure love for Krsna.” No one but Krsna Himself can give such love.
Srila Prabhupada said something about himself that resembles the description of the Panca-tattva here. He said that for many centuries Krsna was kept locked up in a black box. Although He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He was kept locked up. And nobody knew Him. But Srila Prabhupada, as he himself stated, took the key, opened up the box, and took out Krsna. He held Him up and showed the world: This is Krsna; this is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
Sri Panca-tattva themselves danced again and again and thus made it easier to drink nectarean love of Godhead. They danced, cried, laughed, and chanted like madmen, and in this way they distributed love of Godhead.
People generally cannot understand the actual meaning of chanting and dancing. Describing the Gosvamis, Sri Srinivasa Acarya stated, krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau: not only did Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates demonstrate this chanting and dancing, but the Six Gosvamis also followed in the next generation. The present Krsna consciousness movement follows the same principle, and therefore simply by chanting and dancing we have received good responses all over the world. It is to be understood, however, that this chanting and dancing do not belong to this material world. They are actually transcendental activities, for the more one engages in chanting and dancing, the more he can taste the transcendental love of Godhead.
The method of chanting and dancing is simple and sublime, and just by hearing and seeing the devotees chanting and dancing, people all over the world have begun to follow. They have joined in the chanting and dancing and become devotees of Lord Caitanya and Lord Krsna.
We have personal experience of this. Once, we went to some remote villages in Sri Lanka, where the Sinhalese people had never really heard about Lord Krsna. We simply chanted and danced through the villages. The villagers came out, and they, too, wanted to chant and dance. As we would continue to some pavilion or hall, they would follow us in sankirtana. In the hall we would have more chanting and dancing, and even after we left, the people would continue chanting and dancing; they didn’t want to stop. In Africa we have had the same experience. When the devotees go into the African townships or villages, African people, who have no idea of Krsna consciousness, come and chant and dance. They enjoy it, and they want to do it more and more. This process has such great potency that we can go anywhere in the world and attract people to Krsna consciousness simply by chanting and dancing. The same method Lord Caitanya introduced five years ago is being followed by Srila Prabhupada’s followers, and they are getting positive results.
In distributing love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not, nor where such distribution should or should not take place. They made no conditions. Wherever they got the opportunity, the members of the Panca-tattva distributed love of Godhead.
There are some rascals who dare to speak against the mission of Lord Caitanya by criticizing the Krsna consciousness movement for accepting Europeans and Americans as brahmanas and offering them sannyasa. But here is an authoritative statement that in distributing love of Godhead one should not consider whether the recipients are Europeans, Americans, Hindus, Muslims, etc. The Krsna consciousness movement should be spread wherever possible, and one should accept those who thus become Vaisnavas as being greater than brahmanas, Hindus, or Indians. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu desired that His name be spread in each and every town and village on the surface of the globe. Therefore, when the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu is spread all over the world, should those who embrace it not be accepted as Vaisnavas, brahmanas, and sannyasis? These foolish arguments are sometimes raised by envious rascals, but Krsna conscious devotees do not care about such envious rascals. We simply follow the principles set down by the Panca-tattva.
Krsna consciousness is spread on the platform of the soul, and the soul is not black or white, American or Russian, Indian or Chinese. The soul is part and parcel of Krsna, and every soul is the same; every soul has the same potency for accepting Krsna consciousness. Thus Lord Caitanya and the members of the Panca-tattva wanted to distribute Krsna consciousness to everyone, everywhere, without discrimination.
Srila Prabhupada has commented: When Lord Caitanya wanted the holy name of Krsna to be spread to every town and village of the world, who did He think would do it? It is understood that people all over the world would join the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, become brahmanas and sannyasis, and preach. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama, sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama, He didn’t mean it as a farce. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When He said His message would be broadcast all over the world, did He mean by a cinema show? No. He wanted people to become perfect Vaisnavas. Therefore, people who do become devotees and serve Lord Caitanya’s desire must be accepted as part of Lord Caitanya’s movement, as much as people born in India or in brahmana families. In fact, such Vaisnavas are more than just brahmanas. Although Lord Caitanya made His prediction five hundred years ago, Srila Prabhupada was the one to actually fulfill it.
Recently in Mayapur, His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami described his first impressions of Srila Prabhupada and the devotees. He said that one thing struck him especially: how Srila Prabhupada loved the foreigners, and how he reciprocated with them so affectionately--because Srila Prabhupada, just like Lord Caitanya and the other members of the Panca-tattva, made no discrimination. He really loved everyone on the spiritual platform, and he wanted to help everyone on the spiritual platform. He had no false prestige: “I am an Indian, so I cannot mix with a foreigner.”
After Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance in 1977, a condolence meeting was held at the Krsna-Balarama temple in Vrndavana, and one of Srila Prabhupada’s godbrothers gave his own version of history. He described how Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura had sent him, too, to the West, and how he could not relate to these lower types of people. He could only relate to cultured and intellectual people. So these lower types of people were left for Swamiji (which is how he referred to Srila Prabhupada)--as if he were too good to touch them, and so they were left for Swamiji.
A true Vaisnava has no false prestige and no envy. He is equal to everyone. Srila Prabhupada, such a Vaisnava, actually fulfilled the mission of Lord Caitanya and the Panca-tattva by distributing Krsna consciousness to one and all. And not only did he offer it, but he induced people to accept it. Some years ago, during Srila Prabhupada’s presence, about 1975, a publishing house named Orient Longman decided to compile a book about various religious leaders in India. The book was subsequently published under the title, Gurus, Godmen, and Good People. The publishers approached followers of each of these personalities to write the chapter about his or her leader, and they approached me to write the chapter about Srila Prabhupada. I wrote a draft of the chapter and sent it to Srila Prabhupada in Mayapur. Srila Prabhupada wrote back a brief description of how he wanted to be presented: He introduced the Vedic culture as it is to the whole world, and people throughout the world have accepted the Vedic culture as it is, just as he presented it. And that was his contribution.
He gave the example of a tulasi sapling: If you want to transplant a tulasi sapling, you have to do it very carefully, because it is delicate. If any part of the sapling is damaged, the plant can die. Srila Prabhupada said that in the same way, he had to very carefully transplant Vedic culture from India to America and the rest of the world. He took great pains to make sure that no part of it was damaged or injured, so that it could take root and grow and flourish.
Although the members of the Panca-tattva plundered the storehouse of love of Godhead and ate and distributed its contents, there was no scarcity, for this wonderful storehouse is so complete that as the love is distributed, the supply increases hundreds of times.
A pseudo-incarnation of Krsna once told his disciple that he had emptied himself by giving him all knowledge and was thus spiritually bankrupt. Such bluffers speak in this way to cheat the public, but actual spiritual consciousness is so perfect that the more it is distributed, the more it increases. Bankruptcy is a term that applies in the material world, but the storehouse of love of Godhead in the spiritual world can never be depleted.
Srila Prabhupada told the story of how this so-called incarnation touched his disciple and by some electric current transferred to him all of his knowledge. When the disciple opened his eyes, he saw that his master was crying. So he asked, “Guruji, why are you crying?” And his master replied, “I have given all of my knowledge to you, and now I don't have any left; therefore I am crying.” This is a material conception. Srila Prabhupada explained that transcendental knowledge is so perfect and complete that the more you distribute it the more you get. And, to the contrary, if you have transcendental knowledge and don’t distribute it, you will become envious and the knowledge will gradually evaporate. So the basic principle of Krsna consciousness is to become as perfect as possible oneself and do good for others by distributing love of Godhead.
Krsna is providing for millions and trillions of living entities by supplying all their necessities, and even if all the innumerable living entities wanted to become Krsna conscious, there would be no scarcity of love of Godhead, nor would there be insufficiency in providing for their maintenance.
People in the material world have the scarcity mentality: “Oh! If there is too much population, there won’t be enough food.” But actually, Krsna can provide any amount of food for any number of living entities. Once, at a time when scarcity was a big issue here, Srila Prabhupada asked us to put an advertisement in the newspapers: We welcome everyone to come to Hare Krishna Land and live as we do, and we will provide food, shelter, and clothing. It was an open invitation to the entire city of Bombay. Srila Prabhupada was confident that no matter how many people came to become Krsna conscious, all of them would be maintained spiritually and materially by ISKCON, by Krsna, because there is no scarcity in spiritual life.
Our movement was started single-handedly by Srila Prabhupada. He doesn’t say it explicitly, but he says, “Our Krsna consciousness movement was started single-handedly, and no one provided for our livelihood, but at present we are spending hundreds and thousands of dollars all over the world, and the movement is increasing more and more.” People are always worried about their maintenance: “Who will maintain me? Who will take care of me?” But Krsna will maintain you. And Srila Prabhupada is the example. Some people think, “Well, when you are young you can be carefree and chant and dance, but when you get old there are so many problems and you have to think about your future. Who will take care of you in your future?” But Srila Prabhupada began the Krsna consciousness movement at the age of seventy; he was seventy years old when he arrived in New York City. And who maintained him? Who took care of him? Krsna! Thus there is no question of scarcity.
Although jealous persons may be envious, if we stick to our principles and follow in the footsteps of the Panca-tattva, this movement will go on unchecked by imitation svamis, sannyasis, religionists, philosophers, or scientists, for it is transcendental to all material considerations. Therefore those who propagate the Krsna consciousness movement should not be afraid of such rascals and fools.
Srila Prabhupada is advising us not to be afraid of those who are not Krsna conscious.
The flood of love of Godhead swelled in all directions, and thus young men, old men, women, and children were all immersed in that inundation.
When the contents of the storehouse of love of Godhead are thus distributed, there is a powerful inundation that covers the entire land. In Sridhama Mayapur there is sometimes a great flood after the rainy season. This is an indication that from the birthplace of Lord Caitanya the inundation of love of Godhead should be spread all over the world, for this will help everyone, including old men, young men, women, and children.
Who is not included? Everyone is an old man, a young man, a woman, or a child. This spread of love of God will help everyone, including old men, young men, women, and children.
The Krsna consciousness movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is so powerful that it can inundate the entire world and interest all classes of men in the subject of love of Godhead.
There are often floods in Mayapur. And indeed, there were floods there when we first came to India, in 1971. Acyutananda Swami, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, wrote to Srila Prabhupada that the flooding from the Ganges came all the way up to the embankment created by the Bhaktisiddhanta Road, so called because it was constructed by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Srila Prabhupada wrote back, “Yes, we were saved by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Road. We shall always expect to be saved by His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja Prabhupada. Always pray to his lotus feet. Whatever success we have had in preaching Lord Caitanya’s mission all over the world is due only to his mercy.”
This is parampara: from Lord Caitanya to His disciples, including the Six Gosvamis; from the Six Gosvamis to their disciples; and from them down through parampara to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and Srila Prabhupada. Now we should follow in the same line. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is following in the same line, so without fear or hesitation we should also follow the Panca-tattva and their line: We should taste the contents of the storehouse of love of God, become mad in love of God, and distribute the contents to others. This is the actual mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the purpose for which He appeared in Sri Mayapur-dhama and preached throughout India. There is no difference between the sankirtana movement inaugurated by Lord Caitanya five hundred years ago and the sankirtana movement now being propagated by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and his followers.
Hare Krsna.
Are there any questions or comments?
Devotee: In the book The Glories of Navadvipa-dhama it is stated that one who discriminates between Lord Caitanya and Lord Krsna goes to hell and suffers. But in other sampradayas, the followers do seem to discriminate. They don’t accept Lord Caitanya as the same Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna. So do they go back to Godhead or do they go to hell? Where do they go?
Giriraj Swami: The Caitanya-caritamrta explains that Jarasandha followed the Vedic rituals and thus worshiped Lord Visnu but that because he did not accept Krsna he is considered a demon. One who does not accept Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a demon. Similarly, anyone who does not accept Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as Krsna, the same Supreme Lord, is also to be considered a demon. Although he may make a show of devotion to Lord Krsna, if he neglects Lord Caitanya, he will never get Krsna’s mercy or advance to the ultimate goal.
Such statements are striking--even shocking. How can we live with them? Yet if we consider further, we will find that Srimad-Bhagavatam makes three distinctions: between devotees, innocent people, and envious people. If someone is innocent-- simply ignorant like a child (balisesu)--he will be open to the knowledge that Sri Caitanya is Krsna Himself. But someone who is envious (dvisatsu), like a demon, will never accept that Lord Caitanya is the same Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna, and he is bound to suffer.
Devotee: In the same scripture it is mentioned that Ramanujacarya visited Navadvipa-dhama and that in Navadvipa-dhama Lord Jagannatha appeared to him in a dream and told him to glorify Lord Caitanya. Then Lord Caitanya appeared to him and told him to keep the secret that He was Krsna confidential. Personally, Ramanujacarya knew about the identity of Lord Caitanya and Lord Krsna, and he must have informed his confidential associates.
Narmada Swami: There are advanced devotees in other sampradayas who have surrendered to Krsna and who are not envious of Lord Caitanya but don’t accept Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If someone is actually spiritually advanced, he cannot be envious.
Giriraj Swami: True.
Mahaprabhu dasa: There are some popular speakers in India who talk of love of God and who chant, but they are actually Mayavadis. They are not in any parampara. But they speak very nicely, so how are we to know they are Mayavadis? And when we do find that they are Mayavadis, what do we do?
Giriraj Swami: We can understand whether they are Mayavadis or not from their speech. Of course, we have to be able to recognize what is proper Vaisnava philosophy and what is not. Also, almost everyone outside of a proper Vaisnava parampara is a Mayavadi. You rightly found the clue that if the person is not in parampara, he is bound to be impersonal to some extent. Still, some of the people who go to him may be innocent, so we can preach to them. And the man himself may also be innocent. If people are innocent, we can preach to them. But if they are envious, we should avoid them. If they are not coming in proper disciplic succession, they are almost certain to have some influence of Mayavada in them.
Vamanadeva dasa: I have heard that Lord Caitanya’s teachings will continue for ten thousand years. Why only ten thousand years?
Giriraj Swami: Actually, Lord Caitanya’s teachings will continue forever. Within the Kali-yuga there will be a golden age of ten thousand years when more and more people will become part of the sankirtana movement. Yet even after the golden age, there will be devotees of Lord Caitanya, and they will chant the holy names. But their numbers will not be so great. So you are right, as usual: The teachings of Lord Caitanya will never die. They will continue forever.
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki jaya!
Sri Sri Panca-tattva ki jaya!
Sri Gaura-purnima ki jaya!
Gaura-premanande hari-haribol!
[A Talk by Giriraj Swami, March 24, 1996, Juhu, Bombay]
Lord Caitanya taught the specific method appropriate for the present age of Kali. With evidence from the Brhan-naradiya Purana (38.126), He instructed:
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
“One should chant the holy names, chant the holy names, chant the holy names of Lord Hari. There is no other way, no other way, no other way for success in the modern age.”
Now and in recent history, there are and have been many false incarnations of Lord Krsna. So, one may question, what evidence can we produce that Sri Caitanya is the incarnation of Krsna? For one thing, Lord Caitanya is mentioned in many revealed scriptures--the Upanisads, the Puranas, the Mahabharata, and especially Srimad-Bhagavatam. In the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the different incarnations for the different ages are described, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is described in the following words (SB 11.5.32):
krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam
sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi su-medhasah
sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi su-medhasah
Krsna-varnam: varnam means “category,” like catur-varnam. So, krsna-varnam: He is in the same category as Krsna. In other words, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam--but His color is not the same blackish color as Krsna’s. When Lord Krsna appeared as the son of Nanda Maharaja, Garga Muni came and astrologically calculated the future life of baby Krsna. He told Nanda Maharaja, “Your son appears in different ages in different colors. Sometimes He appears in a whitish color, sometimes He appears in a reddish color, sometimes He appears in a yellowish color, and now He has appeared in a blackish color.” We know from scripture that the incarnations for the ages of Satya and Treta appeared in a whitish color and in a reddish color and that Krsna appeared in a blackish color. So krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam means that the incarnation of Krsna in the Age of Kali appears not in a blackish color but in a golden color. Another meaning of the word varnam is related to varnayati, which means “to describe or glorify.” So krsna-varnam means that He is always glorifying Krsna, always chanting, “Krsna.” And sangopangastra-parsadam: He is accompanied by His associates (sri krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda sri advaita gadadhara srivasadi gaura bhakta vrnda). And yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah: In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting (sankirtana-yajna) to worship this incarnation of Krsna, namely Lord Caitanya.
Lord Caitanya appeared toward the end of the 15th century in Navadvipa. There, as a young man, He began the sankirtana movement, going through the streets of the town chanting Hare Krsna. He also sent His associates, such as Nityananda Prabhu and Haridasa Thakura, into the streets to request people to chant the holy name of Krsna and learn the science of Krsna. The same mission--the same movement--was continued by Lord Caitanya’s followers. And now the same sankirtana movement is embodied in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. It is the exact same movement that Lord Caitanya began personally five hundred years ago.
We shall read some verses from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta about the mission of Lord Caitanya and try to understand how Srila Prabhupada is fulfilling the same mission. We shall read from the Adi-lila, Chapter Seven, which describes the Panca-tattva.
TEXTS 20–21
sei panca-tattva mili’ prthivi asiya
purva-premabhandarera mudra ughadiya
purva-premabhandarera mudra ughadiya
pance mili’ lute prema, kare asvadana
yata yata piye, trsna badhe anuksana
yata yata piye, trsna badhe anuksana
TRANSLATION
The characteristics of Krsna are understood to be a storehouse of transcendental love. Although that storehouse of love certainly came with Krsna when He was present, it was sealed. But when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came with His other associates of the Panca-tattva, they broke the seal and plundered the storehouse to taste transcendental love of Krsna. The more they tasted it, the more their thirst for it grew.
PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is called maha-vadanyavatara because although He is Sri Krsna Himself, He is even more favorably disposed to the poor fallen souls than Lord Sri Krsna. When Lord Sri Krsna Himself was personally present He demanded that everyone surrender unto Him and promised that He would then give one and all protection; but when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to this earth with His associates He simply distributed transcendental love of God without any discrimination. Sri Rupa Gosvami, therefore, could understand that Lord Caitanya was none other than Sri Krsna Himself, for no one but the Supreme Personality of Godhead can distribute transcendental love of the Supreme Person.
COMMENT by Giriraj Swami
Srila Rupa Gosvami appreciated Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu with the following verse:
namo maha-vadanyaya
krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-caitanya-
namne gaura-tvise namah
krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-caitanya-
namne gaura-tvise namah
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna Caitanya, who is the most munificent incarnation of Godhead, even more munificent than Krsna Himself, because He is freely giving what no other incarnation has ever given: pure love for Krsna.” No one but Krsna Himself can give such love.
Srila Prabhupada said something about himself that resembles the description of the Panca-tattva here. He said that for many centuries Krsna was kept locked up in a black box. Although He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He was kept locked up. And nobody knew Him. But Srila Prabhupada, as he himself stated, took the key, opened up the box, and took out Krsna. He held Him up and showed the world: This is Krsna; this is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
TEXT 22
punah punah piyaiya haya mahamatta
nace, kande, hase, gaya, yaiche mada-matta
nace, kande, hase, gaya, yaiche mada-matta
TRANSLATION
Sri Panca-tattva themselves danced again and again and thus made it easier to drink nectarean love of Godhead. They danced, cried, laughed, and chanted like madmen, and in this way they distributed love of Godhead.
PURPORT
People generally cannot understand the actual meaning of chanting and dancing. Describing the Gosvamis, Sri Srinivasa Acarya stated, krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana
COMMENT
The method of chanting and dancing is simple and sublime, and just by hearing and seeing the devotees chanting and dancing, people all over the world have begun to follow. They have joined in the chanting and dancing and become devotees of Lord Caitanya and Lord Krsna.
We have personal experience of this. Once, we went to some remote villages in Sri Lanka, where the Sinhalese people had never really heard about Lord Krsna. We simply chanted and danced through the villages. The villagers came out, and they, too, wanted to chant and dance. As we would continue to some pavilion or hall, they would follow us in sankirtana. In the hall we would have more chanting and dancing, and even after we left, the people would continue chanting and dancing; they didn’t want to stop. In Africa we have had the same experience. When the devotees go into the African townships or villages, African people, who have no idea of Krsna consciousness, come and chant and dance. They enjoy it, and they want to do it more and more. This process has such great potency that we can go anywhere in the world and attract people to Krsna consciousness simply by chanting and dancing. The same method Lord Caitanya introduced five years ago is being followed by Srila Prabhupada’s followers, and they are getting positive results.
TEXT 23
patrapatra-vicara nahi, nahi sthanasthana
yei yanha paya, tanha kare prema-dana
yei yanha paya, tanha kare prema-dana
TRANSLATION
In distributing love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not, nor where such distribution should or should not take place. They made no conditions. Wherever they got the opportunity, the members of the Panca-tattva distributed love of Godhead.
PURPORT
There are some rascals who dare to speak against the mission of Lord Caitanya by criticizing the Krsna consciousness movement for accepting Europeans and Americans as brahmanas and offering them sannyasa. But here is an authoritative statement that in distributing love of Godhead one should not consider whether the recipients are Europeans, Americans, Hindus, Muslims, etc. The Krsna consciousness movement should be spread wherever possible, and one should accept those who thus become Vaisnavas as being greater than brahmanas, Hindus, or Indians. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu desired that His name be spread in each and every town and village on the surface of the globe. Therefore, when the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu is spread all over the world, should those who embrace it not be accepted as Vaisnavas, brahmanas, and sannyasis? These foolish arguments are sometimes raised by envious rascals, but Krsna conscious devotees do not care about such envious rascals. We simply follow the principles set down by the Panca-tattva.
COMMENT
Krsna consciousness is spread on the platform of the soul, and the soul is not black or white, American or Russian, Indian or Chinese. The soul is part and parcel of Krsna, and every soul is the same; every soul has the same potency for accepting Krsna consciousness. Thus Lord Caitanya and the members of the Panca-tattva wanted to distribute Krsna consciousness to everyone, everywhere, without discrimination.
Srila Prabhupada has commented: When Lord Caitanya wanted the holy name of Krsna to be spread to every town and village of the world, who did He think would do it? It is understood that people all over the world would join the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, become brahmanas and sannyasis, and preach. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama, sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama, He didn’t mean it as a farce. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When He said His message would be broadcast all over the world, did He mean by a cinema show? No. He wanted people to become perfect Vaisnavas. Therefore, people who do become devotees and serve Lord Caitanya’s desire must be accepted as part of Lord Caitanya’s movement, as much as people born in India or in brahmana families. In fact, such Vaisnavas are more than just brahmanas. Although Lord Caitanya made His prediction five hundred years ago, Srila Prabhupada was the one to actually fulfill it.
Recently in Mayapur, His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami described his first impressions of Srila Prabhupada and the devotees. He said that one thing struck him especially: how Srila Prabhupada loved the foreigners, and how he reciprocated with them so affectionately--because Srila Prabhupada, just like Lord Caitanya and the other members of the Panca-tattva, made no discrimination. He really loved everyone on the spiritual platform, and he wanted to help everyone on the spiritual platform. He had no false prestige: “I am an Indian, so I cannot mix with a foreigner.”
After Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance in 1977, a condolence meeting was held at the Krsna-Balarama temple in Vrndavana, and one of Srila Prabhupada’s godbrothers gave his own version of history. He described how Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura had sent him, too, to the West, and how he could not relate to these lower types of people. He could only relate to cultured and intellectual people. So these lower types of people were left for Swamiji (which is how he referred to Srila Prabhupada)--as if he were too good to touch them, and so they were left for Swamiji.
A true Vaisnava has no false prestige and no envy. He is equal to everyone. Srila Prabhupada, such a Vaisnava, actually fulfilled the mission of Lord Caitanya and the Panca-tattva by distributing Krsna consciousness to one and all. And not only did he offer it, but he induced people to accept it. Some years ago, during Srila Prabhupada’s presence, about 1975, a publishing house named Orient Longman decided to compile a book about various religious leaders in India. The book was subsequently published under the title, Gurus, Godmen, and Good People. The publishers approached followers of each of these personalities to write the chapter about his or her leader, and they approached me to write the chapter about Srila Prabhupada. I wrote a draft of the chapter and sent it to Srila Prabhupada in Mayapur. Srila Prabhupada wrote back a brief description of how he wanted to be presented: He introduced the Vedic culture as it is to the whole world, and people throughout the world have accepted the Vedic culture as it is, just as he presented it. And that was his contribution.
He gave the example of a tulasi sapling: If you want to transplant a tulasi sapling, you have to do it very carefully, because it is delicate. If any part of the sapling is damaged, the plant can die. Srila Prabhupada said that in the same way, he had to very carefully transplant Vedic culture from India to America and the rest of the world. He took great pains to make sure that no part of it was damaged or injured, so that it could take root and grow and flourish.
TEXT 24
lutiya, khaiya, diya, bhandara ujade
ascarya bhandara, prema sata-guna bade
ascarya bhandara, prema sata-guna bade
TRANSLATION
Although the members of the Panca-tattva plundered the storehouse of love of Godhead and ate and distributed its contents, there was no scarcity, for this wonderful storehouse is so complete that as the love is distributed, the supply increases hundreds of times.
PURPORT
A pseudo-incarnation of Krsna once told his disciple that he had emptied himself by giving him all knowledge and was thus spiritually bankrupt. Such bluffers speak in this way to cheat the public, but actual spiritual consciousness is so perfect that the more it is distributed, the more it increases. Bankruptcy is a term that applies in the material world, but the storehouse of love of Godhead in the spiritual world can never be depleted.
COMMENT
Srila Prabhupada told the story of how this so-called incarnation touched his disciple and by some electric current transferred to him all of his knowledge. When the disciple opened his eyes, he saw that his master was crying. So he asked, “Guruji, why are you crying?” And his master replied, “I have given all of my knowledge to you, and now I don't have any left; therefore I am crying.” This is a material conception. Srila Prabhupada explained that transcendental knowledge is so perfect and complete that the more you distribute it the more you get. And, to the contrary, if you have transcendental knowledge and don’t distribute it, you will become envious and the knowledge will gradually evaporate. So the basic principle of Krsna consciousness is to become as perfect as possible oneself and do good for others by distributing love of Godhead.
PURPORT (continued)
Krsna is providing for millions and trillions of living entities by supplying all their necessities, and even if all the innumerable living entities wanted to become Krsna conscious, there would be no scarcity of love of Godhead, nor would there be insufficiency in providing for their maintenance.
COMMENT
People in the material world have the scarcity mentality: “Oh! If there is too much population, there won’t be enough food.” But actually, Krsna can provide any amount of food for any number of living entities. Once, at a time when scarcity was a big issue here, Srila Prabhupada asked us to put an advertisement in the newspapers: We welcome everyone to come to Hare Krishna Land and live as we do, and we will provide food, shelter, and clothing. It was an open invitation to the entire city of Bombay. Srila Prabhupada was confident that no matter how many people came to become Krsna conscious, all of them would be maintained spiritually and materially by ISKCON, by Krsna, because there is no scarcity in spiritual life.
Our movement was started single-handedly by Srila Prabhupada. He doesn’t say it explicitly, but he says, “Our Krsna consciousness movement was started single-handedly, and no one provided for our livelihood, but at present we are spending hundreds and thousands of dollars all over the world, and the movement is increasing more and more.” People are always worried about their maintenance: “Who will maintain me? Who will take care of me?” But Krsna will maintain you. And Srila Prabhupada is the example. Some people think, “Well, when you are young you can be carefree and chant and dance, but when you get old there are so many problems and you have to think about your future. Who will take care of you in your future?” But Srila Prabhupada began the Krsna consciousness movement at the age of seventy; he was seventy years old when he arrived in New York City. And who maintained him? Who took care of him? Krsna! Thus there is no question of scarcity.
PURPORT (concluded)
Although jealous persons may be envious, if we stick to our principles and follow in the footsteps of the Panca-tattva, this movement will go on unchecked by imitation svamis, sannyasis, religionists, philosophers, or scientists, for it is transcendental to all material considerations. Therefore those who propagate the Krsna consciousness movement should not be afraid of such rascals and fools.
COMMENT
Srila Prabhupada is advising us not to be afraid of those who are not Krsna conscious.
TEXT 25
uchalila prema-vanya caudike vedaya
stri, vrddha, balaka, yuva, sabare dubaya
stri, vrddha, balaka, yuva, sabare dubaya
TRANSLATION
The flood of love of Godhead swelled in all directions, and thus young men, old men, women, and children were all immersed in that inundation.
PURPORT
When the contents of the storehouse of love of Godhead are thus distributed, there is a powerful inundation that covers the entire land. In Sridhama Mayapur there is sometimes a great flood after the rainy season. This is an indication that from the birthplace of Lord Caitanya the inundation of love of Godhead should be spread all over the world, for this will help everyone, including old men, young men, women, and children.
COMMENT
Who is not included? Everyone is an old man, a young man, a woman, or a child. This spread of love of God will help everyone, including old men, young men, women, and children.
PURPORT (concluded)
The Krsna consciousness movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is so powerful that it can inundate the entire world and interest all classes of men in the subject of love of Godhead.
COMMENT
There are often floods in Mayapur. And indeed, there were floods there when we first came to India, in 1971. Acyutananda Swami, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, wrote to Srila Prabhupada that the flooding from the Ganges came all the way up to the embankment created by the Bhaktisiddhanta Road, so called because it was constructed by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Srila Prabhupada wrote back, “Yes, we were saved by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Road. We shall always expect to be saved by His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja Prabhupada. Always pray to his lotus feet. Whatever success we have had in preaching Lord Caitanya’s mission all over the world is due only to his mercy.”
This is parampara: from Lord Caitanya to His disciples, including the Six Gosvamis; from the Six Gosvamis to their disciples; and from them down through parampara to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and Srila Prabhupada. Now we should follow in the same line. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is following in the same line, so without fear or hesitation we should also follow the Panca-tattva and their line: We should taste the contents of the storehouse of love of God, become mad in love of God, and distribute the contents to others. This is the actual mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the purpose for which He appeared in Sri Mayapur-dhama and preached throughout India. There is no difference between the sankirtana movement inaugurated by Lord Caitanya five hundred years ago and the sankirtana movement now being propagated by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and his followers.
Hare Krsna.
Are there any questions or comments?
Devotee: In the book The Glories of Navadvipa-dhama it is stated that one who discriminates between Lord Caitanya and Lord Krsna goes to hell and suffers. But in other sampradayas, the followers do seem to discriminate. They don’t accept Lord Caitanya as the same Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna. So do they go back to Godhead or do they go to hell? Where do they go?
Giriraj Swami: The Caitanya-caritamrta explains that Jarasandha followed the Vedic rituals and thus worshiped Lord Visnu but that because he did not accept Krsna he is considered a demon. One who does not accept Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a demon. Similarly, anyone who does not accept Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as Krsna, the same Supreme Lord, is also to be considered a demon. Although he may make a show of devotion to Lord Krsna, if he neglects Lord Caitanya, he will never get Krsna’s mercy or advance to the ultimate goal.
Such statements are striking--even shocking. How can we live with them? Yet if we consider further, we will find that Srimad-Bhagavatam makes three distinctions: between devotees, innocent people, and envious people. If someone is innocent-- simply ignorant like a child (balisesu)--he will be open to the knowledge that Sri Caitanya is Krsna Himself. But someone who is envious (dvisatsu), like a demon, will never accept that Lord Caitanya is the same Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna, and he is bound to suffer.
Devotee: In the same scripture it is mentioned that Ramanujacarya visited Navadvipa-dhama and that in Navadvipa-dhama Lord Jagannatha appeared to him in a dream and told him to glorify Lord Caitanya. Then Lord Caitanya appeared to him and told him to keep the secret that He was Krsna confidential. Personally, Ramanujacarya knew about the identity of Lord Caitanya and Lord Krsna, and he must have informed his confidential associates.
Narmada Swami: There are advanced devotees in other sampradayas who have surrendered to Krsna and who are not envious of Lord Caitanya but don’t accept Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If someone is actually spiritually advanced, he cannot be envious.
Giriraj Swami: True.
Mahaprabhu dasa: There are some popular speakers in India who talk of love of God and who chant, but they are actually Mayavadis. They are not in any parampara. But they speak very nicely, so how are we to know they are Mayavadis? And when we do find that they are Mayavadis, what do we do?
Giriraj Swami: We can understand whether they are Mayavadis or not from their speech. Of course, we have to be able to recognize what is proper Vaisnava philosophy and what is not. Also, almost everyone outside of a proper Vaisnava parampara is a Mayavadi. You rightly found the clue that if the person is not in parampara, he is bound to be impersonal to some extent. Still, some of the people who go to him may be innocent, so we can preach to them. And the man himself may also be innocent. If people are innocent, we can preach to them. But if they are envious, we should avoid them. If they are not coming in proper disciplic succession, they are almost certain to have some influence of Mayavada in them.
Vamanadeva dasa: I have heard that Lord Caitanya’s teachings will continue for ten thousand years. Why only ten thousand years?
Giriraj Swami: Actually, Lord Caitanya’s teachings will continue forever. Within the Kali-yuga there will be a golden age of ten thousand years when more and more people will become part of the sankirtana movement. Yet even after the golden age, there will be devotees of Lord Caitanya, and they will chant the holy names. But their numbers will not be so great. So you are right, as usual: The teachings of Lord Caitanya will never die. They will continue forever.
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ki jaya!
Sri Sri Panca-tattva ki jaya!
Sri Gaura-purnima ki jaya!
Gaura-premanande hari-haribol!
[A Talk by Giriraj Swami, March 24, 1996, Juhu, Bombay]
I wish to tell you about Srila Prabhupada’s dear friend and staunch devotee Mr. P. L. Sethi. When Srila Prabhupada first came to Bombay with his disciples from America, Mr. Sethi read a notice about them in the newspaper, which said that Srila Prabhupada had arrived with sadhus from foreign countries who chanted the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Mr. Sethi was part of a group that also chanted Hare Krsna, and so he wanted to meet Prabhupada, and he got the address and came to see him.
At their first meeting, Srila Prabhupada asked Mr. Sethi what he did during the day, starting from when he woke up in the morning. Mr. Sethi began, “I get up, brush my teeth, take my bath, have a cup of tea and a piece of toast, read the newspaper, and go to work.” Srila Prabhupada said, “What is the difference between you and a pig?” [laughter] Mr. Sethi thought about it and seemed to agree [laughter]. So he asked Prabhupada, “What should I do?” And Prabhupada replied, “You should invite the devotees to Goregaon [the northern suburb of Bombay where Mr. Sethi lived] early every Sunday morning to do hari-nama-sankirtana, and then you should feed them sumptuous prasada.” And this became a regular practice.
Later, when Srila Prabhupada got the Juhu property, Mr. Sethi bought some land behind it and built a house for his family. In India people often give names to their houses and office buildings, and he named his new home “Vrndavana.”
Srila Prabhupada underwent a great struggle to get the Juhu land and then to get the permissions to build on the land. Mr. Sethi was a building contractor, and Srila Prabhupada engaged him in getting permits and doing some of the early construction. At the back of the land were six two-storey apartment buildings, and before we got permission to build the temple and main project, Mr. Sethi got permission to add one storey on top of each of the buildings at the back. The roofs of those old buildings were flat, with little white ceramic tile chips set in cement, and Srila Prabhupada that said we should keep that flooring and build the walls and roof over it.
When the first additional quarters were ready, Mr. Sethi took Srila Prabhupada on a tour. Srila Prabhupada looked at Mr. Sethi with great affection and said, “Just as you are building these rooms for my disciples here, Krsna is building your rooms for you in Vaikuntha, the spiritual world.”
But we still did not have permission to build the main project. Finally, Mr. Sethi told Prabhupada, “Unless we pay them some money, we can’t get the permission.” He wanted to know if Prabhupada was willing to do that. Srila Prabhupada asked, “How much?” Mr. Sethi said, “Five thousand rupees.” Srila Prabhupada asked, “How do we know that if we pay the money we’ll get the permission?” Mr. Sethi said, “The municipal commissioner is the final authority, and he seems to be a decent man, and this is how it works in Bombay.” Srila Prabhupada said, “Let me think about it; I will tell you tomorrow morning.”
After Mr. Sethi left, Srila Prabhupada discussed the matter with me and maybe one or two other managers of the Juhu project. “So, what should we do?” he asked. And he raised another question: “What if we give the money to Sethi and he doesn’t give it to the commissioner?” He quoted a Bengali saying that a goldsmith, while fashioning some gold his mother gave him to make into a ring, is thinking, “Should I use all the gold for the ring or put some in my pocket?” Prabhupada said that this type of cheating is so much a part of the goldsmith’s business that even if his own mother gives him gold to make an ornament, he will think, “Should I cheat and keep some of the gold for myself?” Prabhupada said that the construction business--paying bribes and getting permits--is such that someone in it will automatically think, “Should I keep some of the money for myself?”--no matter whose money it is.
So there were many factors to consider--whether Mr. Sethi would give the money, or the full amount, to the commissioner, whether the commissioner, having taken the money, would in fact give the permission, or whether he might take the amount and then ask for more and more and more--so many complexities. Finally Srila Prabhupada decided, “We will not do this.”
We were a little apprehensive about how Srila Prabhupada would present his decision to Mr. Sethi and how Mr. Sethi would take it. And the next morning we waited anxiously for Mr. Sethi to arrive. Eventually he came and, as usual, sat on the floor before Srila Prabhupada. “So, what do you think?” Prabhupada asked. “Should we do it?” Mr. Sethi replied, “Yes, because otherwise we are not getting the permission.” Prabhupada immediately said, “All right”--just the opposite of the way the discussion had been going the day before. So Prabhupada arranged the money, and we got the permission.
Srila Prabhupada, as the acarya, was teaching us. He often told us that intelligence means to see the same thing from many points of view and that we should do everything very cautiously and carefully. I do not believe that he actually doubted his dear friend and staunch devotee Mr. Sethi, but he was teaching us to be circumspect and consider every proposal with keen intelligence.
There were many complications in the history of the struggle to get the Juhu land and build the temple, but tonight we shall focus on Mr. Sethi and his service to and relationship with Srila Prabhupada.
In the course of the struggle, the municipality had demolished the semi-permanent temple we had built for Radha-Rasabihari. At first, we actively campaigned to get permission to rebuild it. But eventually we concluded that we didn’t really need a permit to rebuild it, because we already had permission and the municipality didn’t actually have valid grounds for demolishing it. Still, the landlady, Mrs. Nair, somehow heard about our intention and went to the court to get an injunction to stop us from rebuilding the temple. That was on a Friday, and the judge said he would not give the injunction without hearing us. She said, “Just give a temporary injunction for the weekend and then you can decide on the permanent injunction.” But he said, “No, without hearing the other side I will not pass any judgment.” So we knew we had the weekend to rebuild the temple, because once it was rebuilt, the injunction would be meaningless.
In those days it was difficult to get cement, and a little hard to get bricks. The supply was less than the demand. And the government has imposed “cement control”: to purchase cement legally, one had to procure a government-approved quota. But Mr. Sethi brought cement and bricks from his own construction sites, so we could rebuild the temple over the weekend. While the work was going on, Mr. Mhatre, the local municipal counselor, who was in cahoots with Mrs. Nair, came to the site and demanded, “You stop the construction immediately.” Mr. Sethi replied, “No. Why should we stop?” Mr. Mhatre threatened, “Well, you can build it up, but I will come in the night with fifty gundas [hooligans] and break it down.” And Mr. Sethi turned to his son, who was by his side, and said, “Brij Mohan, bring my revolver and my rifle.” Then Mr. Sethi said to Mhatre, “Don’t bring fifty gundas. Bring a hundred. Bring two hundred. I have two hundred and fifty cartridges.” He was that staunch. Then he and his son--he with rifle in hand, his son with revolver--stayed up all night, in the pouring rain, to complete and protect the project. And no one came to disturb the work.
On Monday morning we appeared in court and told the judge that the temple had already been rebuilt. And the judge said to Mrs. Nair, “What is built is built. No one can destroy the temple.”
Eventually we did get permission to build the main complex. The question then became whether we needed piling. Piles are columns of reinforced concrete driven into the ground to support a building’s foundation. Generally, to determine if you need piles or how strong the piles must be, you hire a soil-testing company to drill into the earth and see how far down you have to go to reach bedrock. And because the Juhu land was near the beach, it was expected that the soil would be sandy, with water underneath, and that we would need piles, which would be quite an expense. Mr. Sethi approached Prabhupada, who replied, “No, we don’t require piles.” Still, Mr. Sethi had some doubt, and he didn’t want to take any chances, so he hired a soil-testing company.
When the specialized machinery was drilling into the earth and had gone only about four feet deep, it hit bedrock. In fact, when it hit the hard rock, the drill broke. Nobody had expected to hit bedrock so soon. This was one of many, many instances that increased Mr. Sethi’s faith in Srila Prabhupada. He felt that Srila Prabhupada knew everything.
Once, Mr. Sethi approached Srila Prabhupada to stage a charity benefit. The idea was that some famous artists--singers, dancers, musicians--would present an Indian cultural show, we would sell tickets, and the proceeds would go to the temple. Srila Prabhupada replied, “Yes, you can do. If you can make money from the performance, it will be most welcome.” Then Mr. Sethi added, “The only thing, Prabhupada, is we will need some devotees to sell tickets.” Srila Prabhupada replied, “Our devotees cannot sell tickets. They are meant for selling books.” He said that if Mr. Sethi and his friends promoted the program and gave the profit to the temple, he would have no objection, but that the devotees could not be directly involved.
Another time, Mr. Sethi had some ideas for other ways the devotees could make money for the project. Srila Prabhupada replied, “Your ideas may be good, but if I tell my disciples, they will think, ‘I have come for bhajana, and now he wants me to do the same business again.’” And Srila Prabhupada told a story. Once, a boy was learning algebra and his mother saw him write A + B = C. Seeing the letters A, B, and C, she exclaimed, “Oh, you have grown so much, and still you are doing the same ABC?” She could not understand there was a gulf of difference between this ABC and that ABC, between a child’s learning to write the alphabet--ABC--and an adult’s doing algebra--ABC. Prabhupada continued, “I can give my disciples so many ideas, but they will think, ‘I have come for bhajana, and again I am doing the same business?’ They cannot understand there is a gulf of difference between this business and that business--between working for Krsna and working for maya.”
Srila Prabhupada knew our consciousness, the defects in our understanding. But he did not disturb us. He encouraged us to continue in devotional service, and he maintained faith that the process of hearing and chanting about Krsna and serving Lord Krsna’s mission would purify us and enlighten us in the proper understanding of Krsna consciousness.
When we discuss Srila Prabhupada’s statements on different topics, we may contemplate only some of what he was thinking. He very well could have had other thoughts that he did not express to us. So it requires some depth of realization to understand and appreciate, to whatever degree we can, why Srila Prabhupada said or did something. We must be attuned to Srila Prabhupada’s inner mood and thoughts.
Srila Prabhupada said that there are three categories of disciples. The first-class disciple knows what the spiritual master wants even before the spiritual master tells him. The second-class disciple receives an instruction from the spiritual master and executes it perfectly. And the third-class disciple receives an instruction and, as Prabhupada put it, says, “Yes, Srila Prabhupada,” leaves the room, and halfway down the stairs thinks, “What was it that Prabhupada wanted me to do?”
Later, I found the corresponding verse in Srimad-Bhagavatam (9.18.44):
“A son who acts by anticipating what his father wants him to do is first class, one who acts upon receiving his father’s order is second class, and one who executes his father’s order irreverently is third class. But a son who refuses his father’s order is like his father’s stool.” As Srimad-Bhagavatam suggests, the third-class disciple will get an instruction and then argue about it or begrudge having to execute it.
In general, we should try to act on the second-class platform: we should receive the instruction and execute it perfectly. If we are not actually on the first-class platform, we may speculate about what the spiritual master wants and then make mistakes. As Srila Prabhupada said, “If the spiritual master asks for water and you bring milk, thinking that milk is better than water--that is not service.” In other words, one should do just what the spiritual master asks. Still, if one is blessed by the spiritual master to understand his heart, one can do what the spiritual master wants even without being told.
Srila Prabhupada became very upset with his disciple Bhargava dasa, a BBT photographer, when Bhargava would snap pictures of him while he was speaking. Once, in South Africa, when Bhargava clicked a photo, Prabhupada stopped his talk and told Bhargava, “What do you get by taking photos while I am speaking? I have repeatedly asked you. Don’t take while I am talking. It disturbs me. My attention goes to your photograph. It is very much disturbing.”
Another time, Bhargava took a photo and so disturbed Srila Prabhupada that he told Bhargava, “Get out and don’t come back!” Bhargava’s mind was set in turmoil. He left the temple and began to walk. He was just walking and walking and walking. He didn’t know where he was going or what he would do. He was just walking. Meanwhile, when it was time for the evening program, Prabhupada asked, “Where is Bhargava?” Nobody knew. So devotees fanned out to look for him. Eventually, late at night, after the program was over, they found him and brought him back.
Prabhupada asked him, “Why weren’t you at the program tonight?” And Bhargava replied, “Well, you told me not to come.” Prabhupada said, “I never said that.” [laughter] And then he said, “And even if I did, still you should have come.”
We are speaking about knowing the heart of the spiritual master. And of course, if we do not really know his heart, we should not speculate and risk disobeying or offending him. But I am taking the chance and speaking about first-class service in the hope that there will be some devotees who can come to understand what the spiritual master wants even without his telling them.
Srila Prabhupada was very personal in his dealings with his disciples. Although he was the world acarya, he had individual relationships with individual disciples, and one of them was Bhargava Prabhu.
In Los Angeles recently, Bhargava told me that once, Prabhupada had told him, “You are useless.” And those words, coming from Srila Prabhupada, had weighed on Bhargava’s mind. Finally, months later, when Bhargava was alone with His Divine Grace at Bhaktivedanta Manor, he got the chance to ask about it. “Srila Prabhupada, you said that I was useless. Is that true?” Prabhupada paused for some moments and replied, “Everything has some use.” [laughter]
Srila Prabhupada’s dealings with Mr. Sethi were different. Although Prabhupada loved all his disciples, he expressed his love and care for them in different ways. A parent may give bitter medicine to a child, out of love, for the child’s benefit, and the same parent, to encourage a child, may, out of love, give a sweet. Srila Prabhupada dealt lovingly with everyone, but he exhibited his love differently with different people and in different situations.
Eventually, we did get the permission and build the temple complex in Juhu, and Saurabha Prabhu arranged beautiful quarters for Srila Prabhupada on the top floor of the western tower, facing the sea. After Srila Prabhupada moved in, he invited Mr. Sethi to see his new accommodations. He told Mr. Sethi, “Just see what beautiful arrangements my disciples have made for me--spacious rooms with beautiful chandeliers and carved-wood furniture and marble floors.” Then Prabhupada said to Mr. Sethi, “I always wanted you to live with us, but you always felt that the conditions would be too austere for you. You weren’t used to living so simply. So you come and live here in my quarters, and I will stay somewhere else.” Mr. Sethi protested, “No, no, your disciples have made this for you.” Prabhupada said, “I am a sannyasi; I can stay anywhere. You stay here.” That was Prabhupada’s generosity of spirit and his graciousness toward Mr. Sethi.
Soon thereafter, Srila Prabhupada left this world, but Mr. Sethi continued his service. He arranged and paid for a beautiful, ornate pure silver arati set for offering guru-puja to Srila Prabhupada. And every year on Prabhupada’s appearance and disappearance days he would sponsor a grand, opulent feast for everyone who came to the temple. Later, he created sizable fixed deposits in the bank, the interest from which would pay for opulent feasts on Prabhupada’s appearance and disappearance days in perpetuity. And he contributed for the construction of two guest rooms, the rent from which would sponsor Srila Prabhupada’s annual appearance and disappearance festivals.
Then, last year, Mr. Sethi became ill. He was eighty-eight, but he had no fear of death. He was completely detached from the body. Devotees constantly surrounded him with kirtana. His spiritual and biological families--everyone--was so attached to him. It is really powerful when the head of a family is such a staunch devotee. Sethiji’s wife is also a very good devotee. His sons and daughters and then grandchildren--the whole, large family--is Krsna conscious. Their affection for him was exceptionally strong, with a familial relationship based on his being husband, father, and grandfather, and a spiritual relationship based on his bringing them to Srila Prabhupada and inspiring them in Krsna consciousness.
Then, on February 12, he began to say, “Prabhupada is calling me. He is preparing a room for me, and when it is ready he will take me. I am going from where I came, back to my guruji.” On February 13, he insisted on going to the temple. And three days later, at 11 p.m., surrounded by devotees lovingly chanting the holy names of Krsna in kirtana, he left his body to rejoin Srila Prabhupada. He was so fixed in service and devotion to Srila Prabhupada that at the very end his mind was fixed on Srila Prabhupada.
Once, Mr. Sethi told Srila Prabhupada that sometimes devotees would ask him why he didn’t get initiated. Prabhupada replied, “You are better than initiated. An initiated disciple can serve Krsna, worship the Deity, but you are serving the servants of Krsna, and that is higher.” And he quoted the verse,
“Of all kinds of worship, the worship of Lord Visnu, or Krsna, is the topmost. But above even the worship of Lord Visnu is the rendering of service to Vaisnavas, who are related to Visnu.” (Padma Purana)
And Prabhupada added, “Beside, I have much work for you. There may be things I want you to do that would be awkward for an initiated disciple, but as you are now, you can do them conveniently.”
Srila Prabhupada was very liberal. He knew the heart--the devotion, the service--of the person, and he accepted Mr. Sethi as more than an initiated disciple. And there is no doubt that Mr. Sethi’s attachment to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Prabhupada’s service and his fixed consciousness on Srila Prabhupada at the end have carried him to Srila Prabhupada again.
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
Mr. Sethi ki jaya!
Devotee: Can we draw an analogy between Mr. Sethi and George Harrison, between the relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Mr. Sethi and the relationship between Srila Prabhupada and George Harrison?
Giriraj Swami: That’s a good point. When I was saying how Srila Prabhupada was very liberal and knew the heart of a person and wasn’t so concerned with initiation, I actually thought of George Harrison. At an early stage, George asked Prabhupada if he should shave his head and move into the temple, and Prabhupada replied, “No, you should remain as a Beatle and write songs about Krsna.” Prabhupada may have seen that George could do more to spread the Krsna consciousness movement as he was, as a Beatle, than he could as an initiated devotee.
Here I recall two small incidents that involved Mr. Sethi and Srila Prabhupada in Chandigarh. Mr. Sethi was from Punjab and had a home in the capital, Chandigarh. He very much supported the devotees’ efforts to establish ISKCON in Chandigarh. He hosted them in his house, worked toward the acquisition of land, and contributed to the development of the project on the land.
In 1976 Prabhupada’s disciples arranged a huge pandal program for him in Chandigarh, and many important people--ministers and government officers--participated. One of the big ministers on the stage with Prabhupada looked at his watch and told Prabhupada that he had to leave. Srila Prabhupada whispered to Mr. Sethi, “He’s drunk and wants to go home to sleep.” Mr. Sethi escorted the minister to his car, and on the way he actually smelled the alcohol on the minister’s breath. This was another incident that increased Mr. Sethi’s faith in Srila Prabhupada, that Prabhupada knew everything.
Later, the chief minister came to meet Srila Prabhupada, and he requested a copy of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. The chief minister was very respectful toward the Gita, and as Mr. Sethi described it, he left Prabhupada’s room carrying the Gita on his head. After he left, Prabhupada told Mr. Sethi, “Because he has given the highest respect to the Bhagavad-gita, he will be given the highest respect in India.” In time, that chief minister, Giani Zail Singh, became the seventh president of India. And Mr. Sethi attributed his rise to the position of the highest respect in India to Srila Prabhupada’s blessing.
So, this is the story of one sincere, humble devotee’s service to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Prabhupada’s immense mercy and blessings upon him. And somehow or other, that same, immense mercy from Srila Prabhupada is available to all of us who are serving him and his mission even now.
Hare Krsna.
[A talk by Giriraj Swami, January 12, 2010, Kiev]
At their first meeting, Srila Prabhupada asked Mr. Sethi what he did during the day, starting from when he woke up in the morning. Mr. Sethi began, “I get up, brush my teeth, take my bath, have a cup of tea and a piece of toast, read the newspaper, and go to work.” Srila Prabhupada said, “What is the difference between you and a pig?” [laughter] Mr. Sethi thought about it and seemed to agree [laughter]. So he asked Prabhupada, “What should I do?” And Prabhupada replied, “You should invite the devotees to Goregaon [the northern suburb of Bombay where Mr. Sethi lived] early every Sunday morning to do hari-nama-sankirtana, and then you should feed them sumptuous prasada.” And this became a regular practice.
Later, when Srila Prabhupada got the Juhu property, Mr. Sethi bought some land behind it and built a house for his family. In India people often give names to their houses and office buildings, and he named his new home “Vrndavana.”
Srila Prabhupada underwent a great struggle to get the Juhu land and then to get the permissions to build on the land. Mr. Sethi was a building contractor, and Srila Prabhupada engaged him in getting permits and doing some of the early construction. At the back of the land were six two-storey apartment buildings, and before we got permission to build the temple and main project, Mr. Sethi got permission to add one storey on top of each of the buildings at the back. The roofs of those old buildings were flat, with little white ceramic tile chips set in cement, and Srila Prabhupada that said we should keep that flooring and build the walls and roof over it.
When the first additional quarters were ready, Mr. Sethi took Srila Prabhupada on a tour. Srila Prabhupada looked at Mr. Sethi with great affection and said, “Just as you are building these rooms for my disciples here, Krsna is building your rooms for you in Vaikuntha, the spiritual world.”
But we still did not have permission to build the main project. Finally, Mr. Sethi told Prabhupada, “Unless we pay them some money, we can’t get the permission.” He wanted to know if Prabhupada was willing to do that. Srila Prabhupada asked, “How much?” Mr. Sethi said, “Five thousand rupees.” Srila Prabhupada asked, “How do we know that if we pay the money we’ll get the permission?” Mr. Sethi said, “The municipal commissioner is the final authority, and he seems to be a decent man, and this is how it works in Bombay.” Srila Prabhupada said, “Let me think about it; I will tell you tomorrow morning.”
After Mr. Sethi left, Srila Prabhupada discussed the matter with me and maybe one or two other managers of the Juhu project. “So, what should we do?” he asked. And he raised another question: “What if we give the money to Sethi and he doesn’t give it to the commissioner?” He quoted a Bengali saying that a goldsmith, while fashioning some gold his mother gave him to make into a ring, is thinking, “Should I use all the gold for the ring or put some in my pocket?” Prabhupada said that this type of cheating is so much a part of the goldsmith’s business that even if his own mother gives him gold to make an ornament, he will think, “Should I cheat and keep some of the gold for myself?” Prabhupada said that the construction business--paying bribes and getting permits--is such that someone in it will automatically think, “Should I keep some of the money for myself?”--no matter whose money it is.
So there were many factors to consider--whether Mr. Sethi would give the money, or the full amount, to the commissioner, whether the commissioner, having taken the money, would in fact give the permission, or whether he might take the amount and then ask for more and more and more--so many complexities. Finally Srila Prabhupada decided, “We will not do this.”
We were a little apprehensive about how Srila Prabhupada would present his decision to Mr. Sethi and how Mr. Sethi would take it. And the next morning we waited anxiously for Mr. Sethi to arrive. Eventually he came and, as usual, sat on the floor before Srila Prabhupada. “So, what do you think?” Prabhupada asked. “Should we do it?” Mr. Sethi replied, “Yes, because otherwise we are not getting the permission.” Prabhupada immediately said, “All right”--just the opposite of the way the discussion had been going the day before. So Prabhupada arranged the money, and we got the permission.
Srila Prabhupada, as the acarya, was teaching us. He often told us that intelligence means to see the same thing from many points of view and that we should do everything very cautiously and carefully. I do not believe that he actually doubted his dear friend and staunch devotee Mr. Sethi, but he was teaching us to be circumspect and consider every proposal with keen intelligence.
There were many complications in the history of the struggle to get the Juhu land and build the temple, but tonight we shall focus on Mr. Sethi and his service to and relationship with Srila Prabhupada.
In the course of the struggle, the municipality had demolished the semi-permanent temple we had built for Radha-Rasabihari. At first, we actively campaigned to get permission to rebuild it. But eventually we concluded that we didn’t really need a permit to rebuild it, because we already had permission and the municipality didn’t actually have valid grounds for demolishing it. Still, the landlady, Mrs. Nair, somehow heard about our intention and went to the court to get an injunction to stop us from rebuilding the temple. That was on a Friday, and the judge said he would not give the injunction without hearing us. She said, “Just give a temporary injunction for the weekend and then you can decide on the permanent injunction.” But he said, “No, without hearing the other side I will not pass any judgment.” So we knew we had the weekend to rebuild the temple, because once it was rebuilt, the injunction would be meaningless.
In those days it was difficult to get cement, and a little hard to get bricks. The supply was less than the demand. And the government has imposed “cement control”: to purchase cement legally, one had to procure a government-approved quota. But Mr. Sethi brought cement and bricks from his own construction sites, so we could rebuild the temple over the weekend. While the work was going on, Mr. Mhatre, the local municipal counselor, who was in cahoots with Mrs. Nair, came to the site and demanded, “You stop the construction immediately.” Mr. Sethi replied, “No. Why should we stop?” Mr. Mhatre threatened, “Well, you can build it up, but I will come in the night with fifty gundas [hooligans] and break it down.” And Mr. Sethi turned to his son, who was by his side, and said, “Brij Mohan, bring my revolver and my rifle.” Then Mr. Sethi said to Mhatre, “Don’t bring fifty gundas. Bring a hundred. Bring two hundred. I have two hundred and fifty cartridges.” He was that staunch. Then he and his son--he with rifle in hand, his son with revolver--stayed up all night, in the pouring rain, to complete and protect the project. And no one came to disturb the work.
On Monday morning we appeared in court and told the judge that the temple had already been rebuilt. And the judge said to Mrs. Nair, “What is built is built. No one can destroy the temple.”
Eventually we did get permission to build the main complex. The question then became whether we needed piling. Piles are columns of reinforced concrete driven into the ground to support a building’s foundation. Generally, to determine if you need piles or how strong the piles must be, you hire a soil-testing company to drill into the earth and see how far down you have to go to reach bedrock. And because the Juhu land was near the beach, it was expected that the soil would be sandy, with water underneath, and that we would need piles, which would be quite an expense. Mr. Sethi approached Prabhupada, who replied, “No, we don’t require piles.” Still, Mr. Sethi had some doubt, and he didn’t want to take any chances, so he hired a soil-testing company.
When the specialized machinery was drilling into the earth and had gone only about four feet deep, it hit bedrock. In fact, when it hit the hard rock, the drill broke. Nobody had expected to hit bedrock so soon. This was one of many, many instances that increased Mr. Sethi’s faith in Srila Prabhupada. He felt that Srila Prabhupada knew everything.
Once, Mr. Sethi approached Srila Prabhupada to stage a charity benefit. The idea was that some famous artists--singers, dancers, musicians--would present an Indian cultural show, we would sell tickets, and the proceeds would go to the temple. Srila Prabhupada replied, “Yes, you can do. If you can make money from the performance, it will be most welcome.” Then Mr. Sethi added, “The only thing, Prabhupada, is we will need some devotees to sell tickets.” Srila Prabhupada replied, “Our devotees cannot sell tickets. They are meant for selling books.” He said that if Mr. Sethi and his friends promoted the program and gave the profit to the temple, he would have no objection, but that the devotees could not be directly involved.
Another time, Mr. Sethi had some ideas for other ways the devotees could make money for the project. Srila Prabhupada replied, “Your ideas may be good, but if I tell my disciples, they will think, ‘I have come for bhajana, and now he wants me to do the same business again.’” And Srila Prabhupada told a story. Once, a boy was learning algebra and his mother saw him write A + B = C. Seeing the letters A, B, and C, she exclaimed, “Oh, you have grown so much, and still you are doing the same ABC?” She could not understand there was a gulf of difference between this ABC and that ABC, between a child’s learning to write the alphabet--ABC--and an adult’s doing algebra--ABC. Prabhupada continued, “I can give my disciples so many ideas, but they will think, ‘I have come for bhajana, and again I am doing the same business?’ They cannot understand there is a gulf of difference between this business and that business--between working for Krsna and working for maya.”
Srila Prabhupada knew our consciousness, the defects in our understanding. But he did not disturb us. He encouraged us to continue in devotional service, and he maintained faith that the process of hearing and chanting about Krsna and serving Lord Krsna’s mission would purify us and enlighten us in the proper understanding of Krsna consciousness.
When we discuss Srila Prabhupada’s statements on different topics, we may contemplate only some of what he was thinking. He very well could have had other thoughts that he did not express to us. So it requires some depth of realization to understand and appreciate, to whatever degree we can, why Srila Prabhupada said or did something. We must be attuned to Srila Prabhupada’s inner mood and thoughts.
Srila Prabhupada said that there are three categories of disciples. The first-class disciple knows what the spiritual master wants even before the spiritual master tells him. The second-class disciple receives an instruction from the spiritual master and executes it perfectly. And the third-class disciple receives an instruction and, as Prabhupada put it, says, “Yes, Srila Prabhupada,” leaves the room, and halfway down the stairs thinks, “What was it that Prabhupada wanted me to do?”
Later, I found the corresponding verse in Srimad-Bhagavatam (9.18.44):
uttamas cintitam kuryat
prokta-kari tu madhyamah
adhamo ’sraddhaya kuryad
akartoccaritam pituh
prokta-kari tu madhyamah
adhamo ’sraddhaya kuryad
akartoccaritam pituh
“A son who acts by anticipating what his father wants him to do is first class, one who acts upon receiving his father’s order is second class, and one who executes his father’s order irreverently is third class. But a son who refuses his father’s order is like his father’s stool.” As Srimad-Bhagavatam suggests, the third-class disciple will get an instruction and then argue about it or begrudge having to execute it.
In general, we should try to act on the second-class platform: we should receive the instruction and execute it perfectly. If we are not actually on the first-class platform, we may speculate about what the spiritual master wants and then make mistakes. As Srila Prabhupada said, “If the spiritual master asks for water and you bring milk, thinking that milk is better than water--that is not service.” In other words, one should do just what the spiritual master asks. Still, if one is blessed by the spiritual master to understand his heart, one can do what the spiritual master wants even without being told.
Srila Prabhupada became very upset with his disciple Bhargava dasa, a BBT photographer, when Bhargava would snap pictures of him while he was speaking. Once, in South Africa, when Bhargava clicked a photo, Prabhupada stopped his talk and told Bhargava, “What do you get by taking photos while I am speaking? I have repeatedly asked you. Don’t take while I am talking. It disturbs me. My attention goes to your photograph. It is very much disturbing.”
Another time, Bhargava took a photo and so disturbed Srila Prabhupada that he told Bhargava, “Get out and don’t come back!” Bhargava’s mind was set in turmoil. He left the temple and began to walk. He was just walking and walking and walking. He didn’t know where he was going or what he would do. He was just walking. Meanwhile, when it was time for the evening program, Prabhupada asked, “Where is Bhargava?” Nobody knew. So devotees fanned out to look for him. Eventually, late at night, after the program was over, they found him and brought him back.
Prabhupada asked him, “Why weren’t you at the program tonight?” And Bhargava replied, “Well, you told me not to come.” Prabhupada said, “I never said that.” [laughter] And then he said, “And even if I did, still you should have come.”
We are speaking about knowing the heart of the spiritual master. And of course, if we do not really know his heart, we should not speculate and risk disobeying or offending him. But I am taking the chance and speaking about first-class service in the hope that there will be some devotees who can come to understand what the spiritual master wants even without his telling them.
Srila Prabhupada was very personal in his dealings with his disciples. Although he was the world acarya, he had individual relationships with individual disciples, and one of them was Bhargava Prabhu.
In Los Angeles recently, Bhargava told me that once, Prabhupada had told him, “You are useless.” And those words, coming from Srila Prabhupada, had weighed on Bhargava’s mind. Finally, months later, when Bhargava was alone with His Divine Grace at Bhaktivedanta Manor, he got the chance to ask about it. “Srila Prabhupada, you said that I was useless. Is that true?” Prabhupada paused for some moments and replied, “Everything has some use.” [laughter]
Srila Prabhupada’s dealings with Mr. Sethi were different. Although Prabhupada loved all his disciples, he expressed his love and care for them in different ways. A parent may give bitter medicine to a child, out of love, for the child’s benefit, and the same parent, to encourage a child, may, out of love, give a sweet. Srila Prabhupada dealt lovingly with everyone, but he exhibited his love differently with different people and in different situations.
Eventually, we did get the permission and build the temple complex in Juhu, and Saurabha Prabhu arranged beautiful quarters for Srila Prabhupada on the top floor of the western tower, facing the sea. After Srila Prabhupada moved in, he invited Mr. Sethi to see his new accommodations. He told Mr. Sethi, “Just see what beautiful arrangements my disciples have made for me--spacious rooms with beautiful chandeliers and carved-wood furniture and marble floors.” Then Prabhupada said to Mr. Sethi, “I always wanted you to live with us, but you always felt that the conditions would be too austere for you. You weren’t used to living so simply. So you come and live here in my quarters, and I will stay somewhere else.” Mr. Sethi protested, “No, no, your disciples have made this for you.” Prabhupada said, “I am a sannyasi; I can stay anywhere. You stay here.” That was Prabhupada’s generosity of spirit and his graciousness toward Mr. Sethi.
Soon thereafter, Srila Prabhupada left this world, but Mr. Sethi continued his service. He arranged and paid for a beautiful, ornate pure silver arati set for offering guru-puja to Srila Prabhupada. And every year on Prabhupada’s appearance and disappearance days he would sponsor a grand, opulent feast for everyone who came to the temple. Later, he created sizable fixed deposits in the bank, the interest from which would pay for opulent feasts on Prabhupada’s appearance and disappearance days in perpetuity. And he contributed for the construction of two guest rooms, the rent from which would sponsor Srila Prabhupada’s annual appearance and disappearance festivals.
Then, last year, Mr. Sethi became ill. He was eighty-eight, but he had no fear of death. He was completely detached from the body. Devotees constantly surrounded him with kirtana. His spiritual and biological families--everyone--was so attached to him. It is really powerful when the head of a family is such a staunch devotee. Sethiji’s wife is also a very good devotee. His sons and daughters and then grandchildren--the whole, large family--is Krsna conscious. Their affection for him was exceptionally strong, with a familial relationship based on his being husband, father, and grandfather, and a spiritual relationship based on his bringing them to Srila Prabhupada and inspiring them in Krsna consciousness.
Then, on February 12, he began to say, “Prabhupada is calling me. He is preparing a room for me, and when it is ready he will take me. I am going from where I came, back to my guruji.” On February 13, he insisted on going to the temple. And three days later, at 11 p.m., surrounded by devotees lovingly chanting the holy names of Krsna in kirtana, he left his body to rejoin Srila Prabhupada. He was so fixed in service and devotion to Srila Prabhupada that at the very end his mind was fixed on Srila Prabhupada.
Once, Mr. Sethi told Srila Prabhupada that sometimes devotees would ask him why he didn’t get initiated. Prabhupada replied, “You are better than initiated. An initiated disciple can serve Krsna, worship the Deity, but you are serving the servants of Krsna, and that is higher.” And he quoted the verse,
aradhananam sarvesam
visnor aradhanam param
tasmat parataram devi
tadiyanam samarcanam
visnor aradhanam param
tasmat parataram devi
tadiyanam samarcanam
“Of all kinds of worship, the worship of Lord Visnu, or Krsna, is the topmost. But above even the worship of Lord Visnu is the rendering of service to Vaisnavas, who are related to Visnu.” (Padma Purana)
And Prabhupada added, “Beside, I have much work for you. There may be things I want you to do that would be awkward for an initiated disciple, but as you are now, you can do them conveniently.”
Srila Prabhupada was very liberal. He knew the heart--the devotion, the service--of the person, and he accepted Mr. Sethi as more than an initiated disciple. And there is no doubt that Mr. Sethi’s attachment to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Prabhupada’s service and his fixed consciousness on Srila Prabhupada at the end have carried him to Srila Prabhupada again.
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
Mr. Sethi ki jaya!
Devotee: Can we draw an analogy between Mr. Sethi and George Harrison, between the relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Mr. Sethi and the relationship between Srila Prabhupada and George Harrison?
Giriraj Swami: That’s a good point. When I was saying how Srila Prabhupada was very liberal and knew the heart of a person and wasn’t so concerned with initiation, I actually thought of George Harrison. At an early stage, George asked Prabhupada if he should shave his head and move into the temple, and Prabhupada replied, “No, you should remain as a Beatle and write songs about Krsna.” Prabhupada may have seen that George could do more to spread the Krsna consciousness movement as he was, as a Beatle, than he could as an initiated devotee.
Here I recall two small incidents that involved Mr. Sethi and Srila Prabhupada in Chandigarh. Mr. Sethi was from Punjab and had a home in the capital, Chandigarh. He very much supported the devotees’ efforts to establish ISKCON in Chandigarh. He hosted them in his house, worked toward the acquisition of land, and contributed to the development of the project on the land.
In 1976 Prabhupada’s disciples arranged a huge pandal program for him in Chandigarh, and many important people--ministers and government officers--participated. One of the big ministers on the stage with Prabhupada looked at his watch and told Prabhupada that he had to leave. Srila Prabhupada whispered to Mr. Sethi, “He’s drunk and wants to go home to sleep.” Mr. Sethi escorted the minister to his car, and on the way he actually smelled the alcohol on the minister’s breath. This was another incident that increased Mr. Sethi’s faith in Srila Prabhupada, that Prabhupada knew everything.
Later, the chief minister came to meet Srila Prabhupada, and he requested a copy of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. The chief minister was very respectful toward the Gita, and as Mr. Sethi described it, he left Prabhupada’s room carrying the Gita on his head. After he left, Prabhupada told Mr. Sethi, “Because he has given the highest respect to the Bhagavad-gita, he will be given the highest respect in India.” In time, that chief minister, Giani Zail Singh, became the seventh president of India. And Mr. Sethi attributed his rise to the position of the highest respect in India to Srila Prabhupada’s blessing.
So, this is the story of one sincere, humble devotee’s service to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Prabhupada’s immense mercy and blessings upon him. And somehow or other, that same, immense mercy from Srila Prabhupada is available to all of us who are serving him and his mission even now.
Hare Krsna.
[A talk by Giriraj Swami, January 12, 2010, Kiev]
This year Sripada Tamal Krishna Goswami’s disappearance day is on February 14. And we shall observe it in Carpinteria with a small program from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Here is an excerpt from a talk I gave at his memorial festival here in 2006:
“I always long for the day when I will be back with Srila Prabhupada, and when that fortunate opportunity does come, I am sure someone else whom we all know will also be there with him. Going back to Srila Prabhupada means Srila Prabhupada with his associates, with his most confidential servants, which includes Tamal Krishna Goswami. Our relationships are eternal. When Srila Prabhupada and Tamal Krishna Goswami were personally present, I always felt that I had a direct relationship with Srila Prabhupada but that at the same time my relationship with Srila Prabhupada was also through Tamal Krishna Goswami. In fact, Goswami Maharaja helped many devotees approach Srila Prabhupada. He helped me approach Srila Prabhupada. He helped me to understand Srila Prabhupada. He helped me to understand how to better serve Srila Prabhupada and please Srila Prabhupada. And that will continue. That relationship will continue, and that is encouraging.”
Hare Krishna.
“I always long for the day when I will be back with Srila Prabhupada, and when that fortunate opportunity does come, I am sure someone else whom we all know will also be there with him. Going back to Srila Prabhupada means Srila Prabhupada with his associates, with his most confidential servants, which includes Tamal Krishna Goswami. Our relationships are eternal. When Srila Prabhupada and Tamal Krishna Goswami were personally present, I always felt that I had a direct relationship with Srila Prabhupada but that at the same time my relationship with Srila Prabhupada was also through Tamal Krishna Goswami. In fact, Goswami Maharaja helped many devotees approach Srila Prabhupada. He helped me approach Srila Prabhupada. He helped me to understand Srila Prabhupada. He helped me to understand how to better serve Srila Prabhupada and please Srila Prabhupada. And that will continue. That relationship will continue, and that is encouraging.”
Hare Krishna.
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