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Sep 28, 2001
How HH Vishnujana Maharaj and HH Tamal Krishna Goswami met
Submitted by Manoj Kalava
From Radha Damodara Vilas by Vaiyasaki Das Adhikari.
Vishnujana is deeply torn. His love for wife, children, and family life is being challenged by a deep attraction to the spiritual?the saintly life of serving God and humanity This was the life he dreamed about as an altar boy. Confused by the turn of events, he returns to Morning Star to search his soul for the right course of action, taking shelter in the solitude of the deep forest with only his drum to allow him to express his inner turmoil.
New people are always drifting up to Morning Star Ranch from San Francisco. Many are just looking for a peaceful space. Some are seeking a mystical experience. Among them is a New Yorker. Brought up in an intellectual, artistic environment, he had always been discouraged from any religious practice by his agnostic Jewish parents. Still, as a boy, he would pray to God at night to protect the people he loved. An only child, at age seven he felt even more alone when his parents divorced.
In college he enjoyed arguing against the existence of God with his Catholic philosophy professor. But he found logic and philosophy very dry and was soon attracted by the mystical writings of Aquinas, Strindberg, and Hesse.
His quest for the mystical leads him to Haight?Ashbury where he is startled to see hundreds of young people just hanging out. They line the sidewalks, leaning up against walls and store windows, shooting the breeze. Everyone has long hair, the emblem of the new hippie movement. He also has long hair now, tied back in a pony tail. As a stranger in town with nowhere to stay, he approaches someone on the street.
"Hey, man, I just pulled in from back East. Is there some place I can stay?"
"Yeah, sure. Just knock on a door. You can crash at anybody's pad."
He tentatively knocks on a likely looking door and to his complete surprise they invite him in. The crash?pad is filled with more than twenty?five people staying together, most of whom had never known each other before arriving in the Haight. Hallucinogens are freely distributed. The entire status quo of American establishment society is being challenged in Haight?Ashbury.
Meeting others who are also trying to experience a higher state of consciousness, he quickly fits into the hippie scene. But the scene also has its dark side that he finds less appealing. He is seeking a more natural and real atmosphere. In this respect, San Francisco does not seem that much different from New York.
Eventually he decides to visit the Morning Star commune. It becomes a bit of an event because many people recognize him from Haight Street. Wandering deep into the forest, he finds a hollow redwood tree and settles in to live in seclusion as a hermit. Solace comes from Nature and from playing his flute in the quiet of the forest. Living in this way, his mind becomes more peaceful and open. He frequently comes out of the woods to join the nightly meditations around the evening campfire, which include the chanting of Hare Krishna since Prabhupada's visit last April, but he always retreats to the seclusion of his tree in the end.
Sometimes, by the will of Providence, we come face to face with our own destiny. We may recognize it immediately, or we may simply be swept along by the moment. Higher forces are always at work, although we are rarely aware of their presence.
Vishnujana had been absent from Morning Star for months during the birth of his daughter. But feeling the need to take a break from the dilemma introduced by his wife, he has returned to his forest domain. Now alone with his drum, he wanders through the trees playing away as free as the wind.
Tarnal Krishna: I was playing my flute and he was playing his drum. I just heard this drum and he just heard this flute. We were at a very far distance playing on our own. I heard the sound and I wanted to play with whoever was playing the drum. There were big woods there, and we somehow traced the sound and found each other. We met and we just kept playing. We didn't speak a word to each other. We played for about three hours together.
When we stopped, the first thing he said was, "We should never separate. We should always stay together." I looked at him and I agreed immediately, "We should always stay together." Oh, it was completely there.
We left Morning Star immediately and went back to San Francisco together. Prabhupada had already been there, and Vishnujana had been to the temple many times. He had the "Happening Album." In fact, that's when I started to chant Hare Krishna more intensely. When I went to Morning Star, I joined in some kirtans, but when I went with him, we would listen to the album and sometimes chant for hours.
The two youths are able to instantly open up and reveal their hearts to each other. Vishnujana extols the potency of the maha?mantra. He glorifies the Radha?Krishna Temple and tells how his wife and he have been going there. His new friend is at once interested.
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Sep 27, 2001
Srila Prabhupada on Terrorism
Submitted by Hardik
From the following link on the Bhaktivedanta Archives website: http://www.vedabase.com/terrorism.html; full article is here:
Srila Prabhupada on Terrorism:
Below are some excerpts from the Bhaktivedanta VedaBase. To understand the context that Srila Prabhupada was speaking in, please reference the Bhaktivedanta VedaBase.
Room Conversations-Vrndavana, September 11, 1974
Prabhupada: It will go on like that. In America (indistinct), why you are envious of me? That disease is there. His enviousness is a different quality. Actually, comparing with America, the people are more happy in America, not in Russia. It's a fact. I have seen it. They are terrorized, no freedom. So everyone is terrorized, they must be. What is that? Is that life? I have to live under terrorism conditions. I must do it. (indistinct). It is not life.
Garden Conversations - New Vrndavana, June 22, 1976
Prabhupada: In that sense your American government is so nice. Everyone has got the liberty. What is that nonsense government-terrorism.
SB 10.26.10
Dhenukasura, the ass demon, terrorized the Tala forest with his friends, but Sri Krsna and Sri Balarama killed them just as modern governments kill terrorists who harass innocent people.
Morning Walk - May 28, 1974, Rome
Yogesvara: One problem that seems to be occurring more and more frequently is the appearance of terrorists, that is to say, men who are motivated for some political, mostly political reasons.
Prabhupada: Yes the whole basic principle I have already explained. Because they are animals, so sometimes ferocious animal. That's all. Animal, there are different types of animals. Tigers and lions, they are ferocious animal. But you live in the animal society. So animal society, some, another animal comes as very ferocious, that is not very astonishing. After all, you are living in animal society. So you become human being, ideal. This is the only solution. We have already declared, this is animal society. If some ferocious animal comes out, so where is the astonishment? After all, it is animal society. Either a tiger comes or elephant comes, they are all animals. That's all. But you don't become animal. Counteract. That is required. Then after... A human being is called rational animal. If you come to the rationality, that is required. If you remain also another animal, another type of animal, that will not help you. You have to become actually human being. But "durlabham manusam janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam". You have to... These people they have no aim of life. What is the aim of human..., they do not know. So their animal propensities are being adjusted this way, that way, this way, that way.
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Sep 26,2001
Humility of HH Jayapataka Maharaj
Submitted by Krpa
"Once our GM visited Hyderabad farm to sort out a serious problem.The agents of the co-trustees of the farm had beaten up the devotees causing injuries with the idea to chase away the devotees from the
farm.The police sometime support us and sometime the other party.So GM went to the police station with some devotees to meet the Inspector and clarify the situation.But the Inspector seemed so upset,he refused to see GM.
Our GM went straight in to the police station/Inspector who was sitting behind the table,discussing with his
assistant sitting in front of him.To everybody's surprise an unexpected incident has happened.Our GM dived to the ground under the table to touch the feet of the police officer.The Inspector sprag up from his chair,all
embarassed and said,"Swamiji,please don't do it."
By then GM was on his feet.His face turned red.With intense feeling he said,"Sir,it is totally unfair that you do not want to hear us.If any of our devotees have offended you by their behaviour towards the police,I apologise.But please listento us.We devotees have dedicated our lives to serve mankind without expecting
anything in return.We are fighting for this land not for our personal benifit,like the others.It pains us that the police are supporting them even after they have beaten and wounded our devotees."
The Inspector's heart melted.By this transcendental trick our GM was able to change his totally antagonistic attitude to a favourable one.He has promised to give protection to the devotees if harrassed.It was revealed that the reason for their anger being some of the devotees spoke improperly and jeered at them when they
came to the farm.Our GM thanked the Inspector and drove back to the city temple.
His desire to serve Krsna cannot be hindered by any material circumstance.He has firmly established his
identity as an eternal servant of Krsna and is bereft of superficial false prestige.
--This incident reminded me of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's pastime of winning over the mayavadis in Benares with his humility,by sitting in the place where all of them wash their feet before entering the assembly hall.
All glories to Guru Maharaja.
An excerpt from Guru mukha padma vakya.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.All glories to Guru Maharaja.
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Sep 25, 2001
Who is Crazy - Submitted by Hardik
Lecture of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Who Is Crazy? (From the following page on the Bhaktivedanta Archives website, www.prabhupada.com, link is below to the article, and full article is here also): http://www.prabhupada.com/crazy.html
By His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Lord Sri Krishna says, "My dear Arjuna, there are different classes of men. One class of men, they are sleeping. And another class of men, they are awake. They are not sleeping." And how is this so? This chanting, which we have performed just now, is the wakening process for the sleeping soul. The soul is sleeping, covered by this material body. These bodily activities are in the sleeping stage. Just as we see dreams in the sleeping stage, similarly, all these bodily activities are dreams. Just think for yourself: how many incidents have there been in your past life? If you think of them, they will appear just like dreams. At least for myself this is the case. I was born in India, educated, then married, then I had very good days with my wife, got some children, some of whom died, some of whom are living, some of whom are married; now they have begotten children. All this occurred in my past life. Now it is all a dream. I have no connection with it. Similarly, in dreams I sometimes find that I have become a king. Oh, there are so many riches and so much opulence. Then, as soon as the dream is over, I come home and all is gone.
So actually, these bodily activities which we are now engaged in are not our actual life. Therefore, the Vedic mantra says, "O human race, please wake up. Just utilize the opportunity which you now have." You have a special opportunity. And what is that? This human form of life. Utilize it; don't waste it. Don't go on sleeping. This very same matter is taken up by Sri Krishna. Those who are accustomed to the yoga process know this. The first principle of the yoga process is to control the senses. This is so for every process. In any bona fide process for spiritual realization, the first principle is to control the senses. This is because the senses are dragging us into the darkest region of life. But we do not realize this.
In the Srimad Bhagawatam there is a nice verse. It says, first, man is too much addicted to this materialistic way of life. The materialistic way of life involves eating, drinking, making merry, and enjoying. That's it-that's all. Have very good food, sleep well, and defend yourself so that enemies may not enter into your country, or into your home. And, have sexual enjoyment to your heart's content. This is the materialistic way of life. But persons who are so sleeping do not realize that their real self-interest is different. Our real self-interest is that we must know of our lost relationship with the Supreme Absolute Truth.
The Supreme Absolute Truth is realized from different angles of vision, as impersonal Brahman, or localized Supersoul, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. One who realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, automatically understands the other two features. But one who has approached only the impersonal feature of the Supreme Absolute Truth, has no information of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. Now here, in the Bhagavad Gita, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is present before you.
Here is the picture of Sri Krishna, with his eternal consort Srimati Radharani, His pleasure potency. In this material world, the reflection of Sri Krishna and His pleasure potency exists pervertedly. As one can see in the picture, Sri Krishna is always consorting with Srimati Radharani. His features are described in Vedic literature: He stands in a very nice curved posture, blowing His flute. This picture is not drawn from artistic imagination. It is a descriptive painting from the Vedic literature. This description is in the Vedic literature.
So, in the material world there is the perverted reflection of Sri Krishna's Pastime with Radharani. It is not sex life as we have it, although it appears to be like that. It is transcendental. But that which we are after here-that is real. A young man wants a young woman, and a young woman wants a young man-this is natural. This is not artificial. It is natural because we are all part and parcel of that Supreme Being, Krishna. His attitude is in me because I am His part and parcel, just as the quality of gold is present in the minute particles of the gold. The chemical composition of gold is one hundred per cent present in a small particle of gold. Qualitatively. Therefore the enjoyment which we want between man and women is not a perversion of love and friendship. It is simply a perverted reflection. The real enjoyment is awakened in association with the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna. It is the same pleasure, but is in its pure form. That same bliss is there for you, but don't become entangled in this perverted form of enjoyment. Don't remain asleep. Don't remain in this dreaming condition. Have the real thing. Awaken from the dream. That is the message of the Vedas.
This is the opportunity. If you miss this opportunity in the human form of life-the developed consciousness-you will slip again into the cycle of 8 million, 400 thousand species of life that is developing, one form after another. That is the gradual process of evolution. We are still within the evolutionary process, but that evolutionary process should be forward, progressive. Not degraded. Don't slide. Don't go downward. By your many years of endeavor, you have come forward to this stage of life. Now, make further progress. Progress toward Sri Krishna. Don't go back.
The Srimad Bhagawatam says that most people do not know their self-interest in life. It is like coming to a crossroads and not knowing the way. Suppose you are going to Philadelphia, and after crossing New York City, you see a crossroads, and you do not know the road. Of course, in America, there is a very efficient system of direction on the roads. That way, you have no misguidance. Similarly, in the scriptures the Vedic literature gives you direction. Yes, here is a crossing. If you want to go this way, you may. So the Bhagawatam says that people do not know the direction by which to make progress. One must know that he must make further progress toward Vishnu. Why? Because this is a very highly developed life. In this form of life, we have very high intelligence. We have more intelligence than cats and dogs and other animals. Why misdirect it? The misdirection is due to being attracted to this bodily concept of life. One is thinking, "I shall be happy utilizing the body and the senses to the utmost."
Because we do not know what our progressive life is, we are trying to squeeze the essence out of this body. To enjoy it. In the Bhagawatam there is a very good example cited about these foolish men. They are compared with the camel. The camel is a desert animal very fond of twigs containing thorns. They have very long necks, and they take a bunch of twigs with thorns and begin to chew. By contact with the thorns, blood oozes out the tongue. Naturally, if you chew thorns, your tongue will be cut. So, when they take those thorns within the mouth and begin to chew, the blood comes out. And when the blood is mixed up in that form, they eat it, because blood has a taste he likes. He thinks that twigs with thorns are very tasteful. Our sex life is like that. Just squeeze it out of the body, and we think we are enjoying it. This is our position. Another example is given. In India the washermen keep asses. They load the ass as much as possible.
The ass works all day and in the evening, his is offered some grass, and he's satisfied. For a morsel of grass, he is ready to work the whole day with a half ton of clothing on his back. Similarly, we also, the karmis, are very busy working all day and all night. And when we come home, we eat only one piece of bread. For one piece of bread, which costs not more than ten cents, one is working all day and all night. So the comparison is to the ass. The ass does not know for whom he is working so hard, and taking some bread. "This is the aim of my life." Is it my aim of life-to eat something and go to sleep, and have some sex pleasure and then die? No, this is not the aim of life. Your aim of life should be to realize yourself-that you are part and parcel of the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. Krishna is awaiting your arrival, so that you can enjoy life in His association.
One does not know what the progressive way of life is. Why? Because he has understood that this sense enjoyment is life's greatest pleasure. He is foolishly thinking that he will be happy by this sense enjoyment. This is just like having a horse which is not properly bridled. It is running on, running on, and you do not know where it will throw you.
Similarly, uncontrolled senses are just like unbridled horses, dragging your chariot. You do not know where it will throw you. We do not realize how responsible we are for every action. To every small part of our action, there is a reaction. And our uncontrolled senses are putting us through the chain of action and reaction and dragging us into the darkest part of the universe.
Therefore, Lord Sri Krishna says that one who has learned how to control the senses is called swami. To a controlled person, worldly activities are darkness. Those who are situated in pure consciousness see that people who work hard simply for eating, sleeping, mating, and defending-these people are sleeping. And, to the persons who are engaged in these material activities, we are sleeping. They see that Swamiji has come to America to preach something to make us inactive. He is just trying to drag us from our general engagement, and he's trying to engage us in the process of Kirtan and hearing Bhagavad Gita, and wasting time. So, they believe we are sleeping. Somebody may think, these poor fellows have gathered here to waste their time in discussing something dry, which has no meaning, which is not bringing forth anything. Let us have some business discussion, so that we can gain something from it. We see that these people are sleeping and they that we are sleeping.
Now, actually, who is sleeping? He is awake who comes to the platform of consciousness that I am not this body-I am consciousness. One is awake who has understood this simple fact, that I am not this body, I am consciousness. Without consciousness, my body is useless. Therefore, I am actually consciousness. I am pure soul, and the symptom of my presence is consciousness. I am not this body. When I think deeply, I can understand that this is my body. This is not I, body. This is my body. So, one who has understood this-he is awake.
Now, the whole process described in the Bhagavad Gita is to be awake. You are pure consciousness-spirit soul. And, not only to be awake, but to act accordingly, so that, at the ultimate end, your pure consciousness may be liberated from this bodily entanglement. Then you'll get your healthy life. This is a disease, this material life. This material body is the symptom of my diseased form of life. I am not actually subject to birth and death. I am eternal. I never take my birth. I never die. This is my real position. Then, what is this birth and death? It is due to this body. Changing the body like a dress is called birth and death. But actually, I am pure soul.
Now, people are saying that god is dead. This theory is popular. They are making propaganda that the Lord is dead. But neither God nor we will ever die; neither do we have birth. In Bhagavad Gita Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, says, "Arjuna, why are you afraid of fighting? Myself, yourself, and all these kings and soldiers who have assembled before us-all of them-they existed before, and they're existing now, and they will continue to exist in the future. There is no birth and death. So, this warfare should be on the condition of the body. Don't be afraid of it."
This point we have already discussed. One must understand this point: I am pure soul. My presence as pure soul is symptomatized by my consciousness. I know what has happened in my past life. And what is happening, that I can remember also. And, I can guess about my future life. At least, I make plans for my future. Unless I have my future, why should I plan? But, I am beyond this past, present and future. I am eternal. The Lord is eternal, and I am eternal also, as part and parcel of the Supreme God. Therefore, my self-interest is to attain that life of eternity. Life of full bliss. Life of full knowledge. That is the mission of my life. And one who takes that position seriously, who has taken up this mission of life, and is trying for that perfection, he is actually awake. And others who are not at this point, they are sleeping. This is the mark of a sleeping man. A man who is working strenuously the whole day, he is not actually awake. He is sleeping because his real intelligence is asleep. He has lost his self-interest. He does not know what the real interest of human life is.
All Vedic literature is imploring us, "Don't sleep! Don't sleep! Be awake! Be akake! Get up! Get up from this sleep! Utilize the boon which you now have. Don't be foolish."
People are working hard, and earning enough to eat. Especially in your country, there are sufficient means for eating, and nobody is starving. That's all right, but they are still not satisfied. I have studied this very carefully. The younger people all appear to be frustrated. It is not a very good condition, when the young generation, which is the future hope of the country, feels that there is no hope. Their future is dark. Why? Because they have no direction. What is the aim of life? What will they become? The philosophy is, work hard, get dollars, and enjoy as you like. This is misguidance. Therefore, the young are not happy. So, they take center of something which is objectionable for satisfaction. But that cannot give total satisfaction.
Now, here is an opportunity. The Bhagavad Gita can show you your actual life. Take advantage of it. Appeal especially to the younger people. Don't be frustrated; don't be disappointed. There is full enjoyment in your future. You are all part and parcel of the Supreme. Iswara parama Krishna, sat-chit-ananda vigraha. The Lord says, "Oh, these poor living entities. They are suffering so much. They are feeling frustrated. Oh, they are my parts and parcels." He is claiming. So He comes to claim you. "My dear boys, my dear children, why are you suffering? Please hear me. Give up all your engagements. Just hear Me. Try to follow what I say. I shall liberate you from all the reactions of sin." You'll find in the Bhagavd Gita that this is guaranteed. Simply surrender unto the Lord. Not only Sri Krishna, of course. Lord Jesus Christ also spoke in the same way: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew: 1/28-30) That is the message of all persons who come from that Spiritual World-from the Kingdom of Godhead. That is the only message.
So, actually, this Bhagavda Gita is giving you the light to a happy life. Don't miss this opportunity. Try to hear it, to have it. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has made it very easy. To fulfill the mission of our life, there are nine different processes of devotional service: hearing, chanting, remembering, worshipping, accepting, service, offering everything, friendship and praying. Out of these nine, the first two processes, which are principle and primary, are Sravanam Kirtanam Vishnu. Hear and glorify. That will cleanse your heart of the dust which has accumulated for so many lifetimes, and you will see things very clearly.
Swami and Goswami are different synonyms of the word for persons who are in full control of the senses. Don't be thinking that you cannot control your senses.
Everyone is able. You'll get strength by this process. This chanting of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare will help you. Don't be dejected by thinking that you have no strength. You'll get strength.
Continue this process. Kirtanam Sravanam means chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. And, hear some passages from the Bahgavad Gita and Srimad Bhagawatam. Utilize these two processes, and you'll find strength for your spiritual life. One has to become situated in that position of sense control.
Now, you have no doubt seen the ocean. How full it is! The ocean is so powerful that, if it rose, all New York City would be submerged under water. But it does not disturb us. It does not go beyond its limits. For example, the Narrows is the brink of the ocean. The ocean does not come on the other side of the Narrows. This is the example. When we have controlled the senses, we shall be just like the big ocean-although full with spiritual knowledge, calm and quiet without disturbing anyone, and without being disturbed. Peaceful.
In Bengal there are about five hundred rivers. All these rivers flow down water, to the ocean. But still, the ocean, the Bay of Bengal, is calm and quiet. Quiet. Similarly, for those who have become as full and as big as the ocean, material desires may come, but they are not disturbed. Although so many rivers are flowing down water, you won't see an inch of increase in the ocean. It keeps the same level. You can take any amount of water out of it, and you can pour any amount of water into it. The sea level is always the same. This example is given. Desires we must have. We cannot extinguish desires. It is foolishness to think that we can subdue desires. Desires are the symptoms of life. Let there be desires. If I have life and consciousness, then desire must also be there. Just as, when the water flows down from the rivers to the ocean, the ocean is not disturbed, so a person need not be disturbed by these desires. This is the art. This is the secret of the perfection of your life.
Desires may come, but if you are fixed with a proper understanding, you convert your desires. The whole process is to dovetail your desires with the Lord's. The example is that Arjuna desired not to fight, but after hearing Bhagavad Gita, his desire changed. He said, "Yes, I shall fight!" He desired to fight. So there was desire. The mode of desire was changed, that's all. Similarly, we cannot stop desiring. That is not possible. But we have to change the quality of the desire. That is all. It's not very difficult: I shall do this, I shall not do this. Bhagavad gita is meant to show us these things. Arjuna desired something before hearing Bhagavad Gita, and he desired something else after hearing Bhagavad Gita. The quality of desire changed. Similarly, by hearing the Gita you can change your desire. You don't have to stop your desire. You simply have to purify your desires. Then you'll not be disturbed by them. When your desires disturb you, you may know that you are not yet spiritually established. And when your desires enlighten you, enliven you, give you happiness-you may know that that desire is spiritual. Just as with Arjuna, the desire has to be changed.
Let desires be. Now, you can change the desires. Desire for Krishna. Don't desire for yourself. Desire for Krishna. How can I desire for Krishna? Take a practical example. Krishna came to this material world to call us; "My dear boys, please give up all your nonsensical engagements. Become a follower of Mine, and I shall protect you." This is Krishna's message. Now Bhagavad Gita is present, the message of Krishna. If you desire to preach this message of the Gita to the people of the world, that means you have changed your desire. And you can thereby purify yourself. There will be sufficient activities to execute the desire. But all those activities will be purified.
So, we don't have to stop our activities, nor our desires. But we have to dovetail them with the desires of the Lord, as Arjuna did. After dovetailing his desires with Sri Krishna's, his activities became more responsible. Just like a coward, he was refusing to fight. He was a Shatriya, a military man. His duty was to fight for a good cause. And what is a good cause? Sri Krishna instructed him to fight: "it is My plan." What can be a better cause than this? When the Supreme Personality of Godhead says that this is My wish, what can be more important? And what can be a better purpose, than one which is coming directly from the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
When we dovetail with the desire of the Supreme Lord, then our responsibility becomes more imperative, and we become more active than we are otherwise. In material activity you will get tired. This is the difference between material activity and spiritual activity. When you are engaged in spiritual activities, you'll not get tired. You have newer and newer strength to act. Therefore, desire is not to be stopped; activities are not to be stopped. Whatever potency you have in you, that is the potency given by the Supreme Lord, because you are the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, all the potencies that you have, they are also part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. And if you utilize them for the purposes of the Supreme Lord, then you become dovetailed with Him, and your life becomes successful. You'll not be disturbed by material desires, you'll attain peace. The peace for which you are hankering in life after life, moment after moment-that you'll get at that time, when your desires are purified, and dovetailed with the Lord. One who desires sense gratification, the enjoyment of material satisfaction, will never be happy. That is not possible. If you want peace, if you want happiness, if you want perfection in your life, then just begin to dovetail your desires, activities, and potentials with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then you will see what real happiness is, and can tell who is really crazy.
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Sep 25, 2001
Krishna will protect - Nice Pastime of Srila Prabhupada - Submitted by Krpa
Hare krishna Prabhus,
Nice pasttime of Srila Prabhupad. Srila Prabhupad ki jaya. All glories to
Sri Guru and Gauranga.
ys
krpa
Subject: Krsna will protect
As Narrated by H.G. Govinda Dasi Mataji :---
"The upheaval of the 60's and the war in Vietnam was a fearful reality to many. Gaurasundara, my husband had lived in constant anxiety and fear that the draft board would call him to war. Though he was raised in a military family who fully supported the Vietnam War and they wanted him to become an airforce pilot, Gaurasundara had other ideas about his destiny. Until late November, Gaurasundara was an art student at the University of Texas, and due to his student status, he was not likely to be drafted but in late November, Gaurasundara and I had left the university in our search for truth, and in December of 1967 we had become students of Srila Prabhupada.
Even in Gaurasundara's first meeting with Swamiji in San Francisco, he had expressed his anxiety about being drafted to fight in a war he did not believe in. Only about six months later, his fear became a reality. He had received a notice from the New York draft board to appear. The fateful day had arrived. We were then staying in New Jersey with Srila Prabhupada at his seashore retreat, and Gaurasundara had to travel to New York for his draft board appointment. He would receive a physical exam and very likely be drafted into the army. We expressed our severe anxiety to Srila Prabhupada who also did not endorse the war in Vietnam.
Srila Prabhupada reassured us that Krsna would take care of everything. The day came for Gaurasundara's appointment and almost tearfully bid good-bye to Srila Prabhupada and me. He did not know what lay ahead; his future was uncertain. On a silk rope around his neck he wore a small murti of Lord Jagannath, and also along with that his huge red wooden chanting beads, the beads given at his initiation. He was full of anxiety yet calmly bowed down to say good-bye to Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada stood calmly in the hallway as Gaurasundara offered his last obeisances and prepared to leave. Srila Prabhupada raised his right hand in blessing and said to Gaurasundara: "Krsna will protect you. I will request him. Do not be afraid. Krsna will take care of everything". His voice was sure and strong. He smiled compassionately.He knew that everything would be all right and he conveyed that feeling of faith to us in that fragile moment. Then, Gaurasundara left for New York by train. Gaurasundara was gone the whole day. Everything went on schedule at home. Srila Prabhupada had his noon meal after Kirtanananda gave him massage and I did my usual duties of cleaning & washing Prabhupada's clothes and tried to do some art work. I was unable to concentrate, as my mind was full of thoughts of Gaurasundara. I prayed to Krsna constantly.
Srila Prabhupada mentioned Gaurasundara several times, so I knew that he was also thinking of him. Evening came and he still had not returned from the city, so we were worried. Suddenly we heard him chanting as he climbed the stairs. I rushed to the door to greet him, giving him a big hug and noting the big smile on his face. Srila Prabhupada called him into his room and asked: "So, what happened?"
Gaurasundara described the visit, that because of his strange appearance, sporting big red neck beads and a colorful Lord Jagannath on his chest he was sent to a psychiatric doctor. The doctor asked Gaurasundara questions and Gaurasundara answered as simply as possible, continually chanting Hare Krsna out loud on his wooden beads, and rolling his eyes upward in yogic fashion, focusing on Krsna's form in his mind. The psychiatric doctor had not seen this before and he apparently concluded that Gaurasundara was not suitable for military service. He gave him a 3-Y status, not as good as 4-F, but it certainly reduced his chances of being drafted, and Gaurasundara was never drafted. I wept for joy as Srila Prabhupada chuckled and wagged his head side to side. "Just see, Krsna has protected you. If we are sincere, Krsna will always protect. He sees everything. You have chosen his service, not the army service, so he has arranged everything".
It was a joyful evening. So much stress that had been there for so long was no more and Gaurasundara could concentrate now more fully on service to Krsna and Srila Prabhupada. Krsna had saved him from a great danger, perhaps from his destiny to go to war and he was deeply grateful. Thank you, Srila Prabhupada for continuously saving us from the great dangers of the material world, the cycle of samsara. You are called the military general of Lord Caitanya. Indeed, you led an army. Like Rama led an army of monkeys, you led an army of American youth. You had your mission and we were drafted into your army, Lord Caitanya's army. That was our greatest good fortune. We were unqualified, yet you so kindly protected us, infused us with your shakti and sent us out to do your work. May we always remember and be grateful for the opportunity to serve in your army and may we never forget that you are the commander in chief and always be obedient to you.
Srila Prabhupada, you changed our destinies. Perhaps Gaurasundara had been destined for Vietnam as so many other American youths, but you "requested Krsna" and He re-arranged our lives. Often Srila Prabhupada would say to me when I had a cold or flue: "Yes, Krsna is checking off your account. He sees you sincerely desire to serve. You may deserve to die at this moment but instead he is giving you little cold". He would often say:
"Krsna is watching us. When we are sincere to serve him he begins closing our account or checking off our account, meaning that he reduces our karmas from our stay in the material world". You, Srila Prabhupada, would remind me of this and still when I catch a cold I remember that maybe Krsna is checking off my account. May we always remember our precarious situation and constantly remember that you are watching us and checking off our account.
Thank you, Srila Prabhupada. "
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada !!
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