Planet ISKCON

Ekadasi is the 11th day of the lunar phase of the Moon. Indira Ekadasi is celebrated in the Krishna Paksha (waning Moon phase) in the month of Ashwin (September–October). Since this Ekadasi falls on the Pitru Paksha (15 days in the month of Ashwin dedicated to ancestors), it is also known as ‘Ekadasi Shraddh.’ This […]

The post Indira Ekadasi and the TOVP 2021 appeared first on ISKCON News.

On October 14 and 15 ISKCON will combinedly celebrate the Grand Welcome Ceremony of Srila Prabhupada’s new murti to the TOVP – Prabhupada Vaibhava Darshan Utsava. Prabhupada will now be personally present in the TOVP to inspire and direct us for its completion. This is Gaudiya Vaishnava history manifesting right before all our eyes, as predicted by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Five abhisheka options are available to sponsor, four pure metal coins and the Sahasra Jal Abhisheka (Sacred Water Abhisheka) composed of water from 125 sacred rivers, kundas and sarovaras gathered throughout India. This abhisheka seva presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for every devotee to participate in welcoming Srila Prabhupada to the TOVP as your personal expression of gratitude to our Founder-Acharya for the priceless gift of Krishna consciousness he has mercifully bestowed on us.

The coin abhishekas are composed of very small 100% pure metal coins that will be touched to Prabhupada’s head, and are as follows:

COPPER COIN BATHING – $300 / ₹21,000 / £250
SILVER COIN BATHING – $500 / ₹35,000 / £400
GOLD COIN BATHING – $1,000 / ₹71,000 / £800
PLATINUM COIN BATHING – $1,600 / ₹1 Lakh / £1,300

Donors will receive the coin used in the abhisheka in beautifully designed coin cards (see images below) as a special heirloom to keep in their family for generations to come.

Go to the Prabhupada Abhisheka Page TODAY and sponsor a coin.

DONOR COIN CARDS

Donors will receive the coin used to ‘bathe’ Srila Prabhupada in these beautiful, specially designed cards.

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On September 1st, 2021 a specially designed and minted coin commemorating the 125th Appearance Anniversary of Srila Prabhupada this year was released by Indian Prime Minister, Sri Narendra Modi. This historic honoring of Srila Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of ISKCON is most important for the future of ISKCON and humanity.

The Temple of the Vedic Planetarium has acquired 108 of these coins to provide to well-wishers and supporters who would like to own this coin as an heirloom in their family for generations, and also support the continued construction of the TOVP. In the video Braja Vilasa displays the coin along with the attractive box and sleeve it comes in, all shipped to you anywhere in the world.

The coin is available for $1,250 / ₹1,25 Lakhs / €1,250 / £1,250. A two-year installment payment plan is an option for long-term payments. That’s a payment of $50 / ₹3700 / €85 / £37 a month for two years.

Reserve your coin today as supplies are limited!

To reserve your coin, use the following buttons:

RESERVE YOUR COIN NOW! (International)   

RESERVE YOUR COIN NOW! (India Only!)   

 
SRILA PRABHUPADA 125TH APPEARANCE ANNIVERSARY YEAR KI JAYA!

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

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Podcast:

Summary podcast:

Video:

A big surprise in August was the comeback of Lima, Peru. I haven't seen a score from Lima for quite some time. The devotees did 2,420 book points, which was a 999% increase for the same month from a year ago. I've distributed books in Lima many years ago. The people are nice, but they don't have much laksmi. Continue reading "WSN August 2021 – World Sankirtan Newsletter
→ Dandavats"

On the eve of a momentous event – the auspicious day of the official Welcome Ceremony of Srila Prabhupada’s new murti to the TOVP on October 14 and 15 – an important event happened: the transfer of the murtis of Jaya and Vijaya, the two divine gatekeepers of the TOVP, to their permanent place at the main entrance to the Temple.

These murtis were completed, painted and varnished a few months ago and have now been moved to their permanent location. Work will begin on the manufacturing of massive lotus-shaped concrete bases, which will be covered from the outside with exquisite sandstone from Jaipur. We hope that on the approaching celebration of the welcome of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, all devotees and visiting guests will be able to receive darshan of Jaya and Vijaya in all their glory.

Hare Krishna!

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

Visit: www.tovp.org
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Email: tovpinfo@gmail.com
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Watch: www.youtube.com/c/TOVPinfoTube
View at 360°: www.tovp360.org
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOVP2022
Telegram: https://t.me/TOVP_GRAM
WhatsApp: https://m.tovp.org/whatsapp6
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Store: https://tovp.org/tovp-gift-store/

Podcast:

Summary podcast:

Video:

Ramsden Park, Toronto

I’ve Been Seeing Them

While sitting at a park bench, a curious soul came next to me. She is part Cree, part French, which makes her a Metis. She started talking even before an introduction. “I sometimes go to Govinda’s to eat.” That kicked off a conversation with loads of questions.

A section of the conversation was her appreciation of seeing regularly, before Covid, two monks, one handicapped, walking up and down Avenue Road routinely. “Please tell these two men that I’ve been seeing them, as I live on the same street, and they’ve inspired me with their walking and chanting.”

“I will,” I said as I’m now sure she’s talking about Dharmaprana and Dakshin, two of our elder monks.

My new friend asked about the chanting and so I gave her my mantra card which reads “Please try the following mantraand shine: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” Translation ‘Oh Awesome Creator, allow me to be of blissful service to You and the world.’”

I explained that “Hare” refers to God Feminine and Krishna refers to God Masculine and Rama refers to the pleasure of serving the Divine Mother and Divine Father.

More questions came – many – and it was a pleasure to share from my side. As a follow up I invited this very sweet woman, a film-maker by profession, to any of our morning classes at 9:30 a.m.

Nice day in the park.

May the Source be with you!

1 km

Hospitals on University Ave

Taking a Walk to See Mary

There we went swiftly on our feet – Dhruva from Calgary, Satya from Montreal and I – down University Ave in the hospital district. Many of these establishments are renowned for their research on cancer, heart disease and children’s diseases. “Oh, and look, there’s Mount Sinai Hospital next to us,” I pointed out, “where two months ago I had my knee surgery.”

Our purpose for walking here was not necessarily to show the boys a haven for sightseeing. That the area is not. Rather, one of us, Satya, is involved in a feature film on the iconic silent-film star, Mary Pickford, and I thought to bring them to a monumental bust of the grand lady on University Avenue, right in front of Sick Kids Hospital. She apparently was born in a house at that spot. Funny thing is that she was highly admired as “America’s Sweet Heart” during the silent-picture era, but in fact her body was Canadian.

From a total perspective of a monk like me, I would just say that she was an entertainer and, as a service to humanity offered, joy to many. She is also documented to have an affinity towards spirituality in the form of a book, “Why Not Try God?”

Pious woman, indeed.

There was a time when God was important in people’s lives, in fact it was very prevalent in Protestant-dominated Toronto and that was true in 1892, when she was born.

Thanks, Mary, for sharing faith and wisdom.

May the Source be with you!

7 km

High Park, Toronto

Something Special

Something special happens on Saturday with events that occur at Toronto’s popular High Park. I can’t confess to know all that goes on at this green piece of relief from Big City dynamics, but one thing is for sure – people come here for peace. The venue, in fact, is so sought after and relatively but serenely busy that traffic is closed here on holidays and weekends. Those of us who are chant-and-dance lovers make it a point to take full advantage of this wonderful spot every Saturday from 1-3 p.m.

Off of Bloor Street near Colborne Ridge we gather where people of tranquil minds funnel in and out and where an elderly fellow plays his sax from a park bench belching out tear-jerking classics like “Days of Wine and Roses.” I don’t know how long he sits there but to me he’s a permanent and welcoming fixture who gives to the atmosphere.

Heads turn and smiles project off the faces at the free flow of human limbs in a dance and chant tradition of monk Chaitanya, who is most influential to this day since he inaugurated this bliss in the early 16^th century. It is so crazy to see that this tension-releasing program of love and tenderness goes on in many fine corners of the world.

I’m happy to hear and receive pics of devotees celebrating Krishna’s birthday in Antarctica. Perhaps the Beatles’ “I am the Walrus” was prophetic with the lyrics, “penguins chanting Hare Krishna.”

May the Source be with you!

Ramsden Park, Toronto

It’s That Time

It’s that time again – time for another production. This one is called “The Embassy,” based on the script from playwright “Bhasa.” The story is an intense display of emotional clashing between Duryodhana and Krishna. Peace and aggression come together.

To pull off this theatrical assembly of sorts in the form of a short film takes much planning and physical work. The pieces to the puzzle will slowly come together on this second film project.

To execute this particular one we arranged to fly Dhruva, playing the role of the antagonist, from Calgary. I met him at the Rosedale Subway after his flight was completed. What a devotional chap he is. Apart from being a good actor there is a certain amount of commitment and reliability in his lifestyle.

We were also thrilled to see Satya arrive after a pleasant train ride from Montreal. Speak about “pleasant,” that’s him. In fact, in the role of Krishna one of the lines he delivers, sarcastically, to Duryodhana goes like this – “so much then for our own pleasantries, come now to my errand.”

And with our first evening on the set (Govinda’s Restaurant) our crew went through a test-run of lighting, framing and blocking. It all looks very promising with this new production. We have an excellent team with Michaela, Kusha, and Krishna Candra on the technical side. We see it as a service to humanity.

May the Source be with you!

243 Ave. Rd., Toronto

Three Reps Mentioned

We had a nice discussion from The Gita,chapter 10, text 27, highlighting at least three representations of God. The chapter is entitled “Opulence of the Absolute.” Our Thursday Zoom group delved into the super horse Uccaisrava, the elephant, Airavata, and lastly the king.

The super horse was invoked from the event of the churning of the ocean of milk. The super elephant, Airavata, was also born from the churning. He became the chief among elephants and has Indra riding on his back. Indra is the god of rain.

The final mention of an opulence of God is the monarch, or the king, but not just any old kind could reflect the quality of the Absolute. In the purport Prabhupada qualifies the type of monarch referred to here. He references kings like Rama, Yudhisthira and Pariksit. These were outstanding leaders who promoted dharma, fair and righteous deeds. Where are such responsible lords of virtue to be found today? Are we to only see these as nostalgic figures? A meagre chunk of sweet history?

It has always been the contention of our guru, Prabhupada, to look to the future for pious monarchs. What makes good leaders, despite the dark world we live in is in the training, the early rising, the meditation and belief in the Superpower, the discipline, and the love for the earth and its residents, which include non-humans.

May the Source be with you!

243 Ave. Rd., Toronto

Three Reps Mentioned

We had a nice discussion from The Gita,chapter 10, text 27, highlighting at least three representations of God. The chapter is entitled “Opulence of the Absolute.” Our Thursday Zoom group delved into the super horse Uccaisrava, the elephant, Airavata, and lastly the king.

The super horse was invoked from the event of the churning of the ocean of milk. The super elephant, Airavata, was also born from the churning. He became the chief among elephants and has Indra riding on his back. Indra is the god of rain.

The final mention of an opulence of God is the monarch, or the king, but not just any old kind could reflect the quality of the Absolute. In the purport Prabhupada qualifies the type of monarch referred to here. He references kings like Rama, Yudhisthira and Pariksit. These were outstanding leaders who promoted dharma, fair and righteous deeds. Where are such responsible lords of virtue to be found today? Are we to only see these as nostalgic figures? A meagre chunk of sweet history?

It has always been the contention of our guru, Prabhupada, to look to the future for pious monarchs. What makes good leaders, despite the dark world we live in is in the training, the early rising, the meditation and belief in the Superpower, the discipline, and the love for the earth and its residents, which include non-humans.

May the Source be with you!

The Annex, Toronto

The Gratitude in Rain

My walk to the shiatzu centre was a pleasant movement through the rain under an umbrella. It was a few minutes of contemplation. I find that rain often does that; heightens the pensive nature in us. As long as it’s not too long. I recall days on the marathon walks when a full eight hours was with rain and in the rain. Few motorists stop to talk. It’s just me and the rain, or rather Krishna.

That’s always the way to think of it. It’s Krishna.

Only today I contemplated on His devotee and his pureness. I’m speaking of none other than our guru, Prabhupada. What he had done for me and countless others is indescribable. Even to this day, years since he passed (Nov. 1977) he still impacts people through his publications, his temples and his devotees. He has and does change lives.

I came back from the shiatzu session feeling great, naturally. I felt even better that, when I arrived to the ashram, there was cooked asparagus waiting for me. That was done out of love by the donor, Sarthak, the cook, Dwarkanath and finally the stasher, Vallabha Hari, who knows I’m a sucker for this kind of green prasadam. Prabhupada, I thank you for prasadam.

Rain persisted throughout the day until about 7 p.m. when it was time for our evening stairway kirtan.

Miracles! That’s what we have to look for, sniff out for and seek out. We will find it.

May the Source be with you!

The Annex, Toronto

The Gratitude in Rain

My walk to the shiatzu centre was a pleasant movement through the rain under an umbrella. It was a few minutes of contemplation. I find that rain often does that; heightens the pensive nature in us. As long as it’s not too long. I recall days on the marathon walks when a full eight hours was with rain and in the rain. Few motorists stop to talk. It’s just me and the rain, or rather Krishna.

That’s always the way to think of it. It’s Krishna.

Only today I contemplated on His devotee and his pureness. I’m speaking of none other than our guru, Prabhupada. What he had done for me and countless others is indescribable. Even to this day, years since he passed (Nov. 1977) he still impacts people through his publications, his temples and his devotees. He has and does change lives.

I came back from the shiatzu session feeling great, naturally. I felt even better that, when I arrived to the ashram, there was cooked asparagus waiting for me. That was done out of love by the donor, Sarthak, the cook, Dwarkanath and finally the stasher, Vallabha Hari, who knows I’m a sucker for this kind of green prasadam. Prabhupada, I thank you for prasadam.

Rain persisted throughout the day until about 7 p.m. when it was time for our evening stairway kirtan.

Miracles! That’s what we have to look for, sniff out for and seek out. We will find it.

May the Source be with you!

Mississauga, Ontario

Cool Dog, Cool Dude

Coco is a household super dog at the Mississauga home of Pusta Krishna and Tejasvi. He is a 2-year-old full of energy who recognizes strangers. Well, when I went to visit the family, he singled me out, but soon got used to me. Unique about this fellow is that he loves prasadam, food blessed by Krishna. He was happy to lick my fingers clear after I completed my meal of asparagus tofu subji, salad and puris.

Smarta brahmans are an orthodox-type of priests and if any of them would see the eager canine licking in action they might be disgusted with me to have an unclean animal do this to me. I really have little care for their petty prejudices. Coco was a good sport who was relishing the finger-lickin’ good food. I saw his kindness as a service.

One more cool thing that happened today was when I visited godbrother Kaladev at his vintage clothing shop on Queen St. in Toronto called “Flashback Vintage.” Our local fashion expert is Vallabha Hari, from India, and he and I selected the clothes we needed for our film production, “The Embassy” to be filmed this weekend and released at the MANtra retreat this November. Kaladev was totally generous. Whatever we selected adding up to hundreds of dollars he just placed all in a shopping bag and said, “This is yours.”

“Thanks Kaladev. You always had a big heart.”

May the Source be with you!

3 km

243 Ave. Rd., Toronto

Foundations

It was rather stimulating sharing the spot by Zoom as part of a panel discussion with Vaisesika and Kalakanta, with Anuttama as moderator. We went for an hour’s duration on the topic “Books Are the Basis.” We took the time to reflect on something that is very foundational to our spiritual lives. Had we not the books to read we would be nowhere.

The angle that moderator, Anuttama, approached me on was how the books of author Prabhupada have formed the basis of my script writing. I am not a great playwright by any stretch of the imagination, but I do what I do for community theatre which is the harvest of the book’s contents.

Also foundational to Krishna Consciousness is the chanting of the supreme mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” Serious members of this consciousness chant for a good two hours each day, which is a type of spiritual communication with the Supreme Person.

I caught Krishna Chandra on the camera chanting this maha-mantra on beads, as he makes it a priority to connect with divine powers. He sat there in his white dhoti in the lotus position allowing himself to be immersed in the mantra. He was connecting.

May the Source be with you!

Bracebridge, Ontario

Getting Inspired in Bracebridge

Staying with the Patel family in Bracebridge for a night and pursuing that morning walk by various falls on the Muskoka River is always inspiring. What could be more captivating than moving along a clean body of water in perfect weather (2 days left for summer) with the best people? Being in such a situation conjures up gratitude.

I am reminded of a beautiful purport from The Bhagavatam 11.5.41 telling us of obligation and appreciation. “Every ordinary conditioned soul is the recipient of innumerable benefits given by the demigods, who provide sun and moonshine, rain, wind, food and, ultimately, one’s own material body. In Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, stena evasaḥ: one who does not reciprocate with the demigods by offering them sacrifice is stena, or a thief. […] When we wake up in the morning our mind is refreshed by the sweet singing of birds, and on a hot day we enjoy the cool shade and breeze of the forest trees. We are accepting service from innumerable living entities, and we are obligated to repay them. Āptameans one’s own family members, to whom one is certainly obligated according to normal morality, and nṛṇām means human society. Until one becomes a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is certainly a product of his society. We receive mundane education, culture, tradition and protection from the society in which we live, and thus we owe a great debt to society.”

It was a slightly cool but fresh walk in the air and my brains became chilled with the reflection of thoughts on indebtedness to nature and the Creator.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

High Park/Bracebridge.

The Special Day of the Week

I look forward to Saturday primarily because in the afternoon we go to High Park for “the prime benediction for humanity at large.” That quote is from Chaitanya’s written testimony regarding chanting. Chanting is the way to approach the public for bringing about the best results.

Beginning at 1 p.m. a group of us are huddled near Colbourne Lodge for a chanting session where dancing took place, which really attracted attention. One woman was walking, stopped, came over and joined. She lit up. This happened to several people.

A father with his daughter was also magnetically pulled in and, when walking in our direction with his daughter in hand, didn’t see the curb, missed his step and balance. Two women were walking past us, but one stopped and began to snap her fingers to the beat of drums, her hips swaying. She was smiling. She suddenly realized her companion moved on some metres and then came to a halt looking disapprovingly to her dancing friend who then swiftly dashed off to catch up. People were loving the chanting. Some did.

Our kirtan group terminated with the train ride through the park. We enjoyed the scenery but couldn’t help ourselves to play our instruments for the last leg of the ride. Other passengers began to groove with us. It’s all full. The great monk, Chaitanya, said it right.

May the Source be with you!

Yorkville, Toronto

Nice Encounter

“Are you a Christian monk?” is what I heard when sauntering on Cumberland St. I turned around and stopped to see four young men looking wholesome and fairly clean cut.

I responded with, “A Krishna monk!”

“Oh! Hindu!” said one of the fellows.

“That’s the kind of little box theologians like to put our group in, but in truth we represent an ancient wisdom that dates to thousands of years. I was born and raised Christian but I added onto my life more information and ways of an enhanced experience.”

The four of them were keenly listening, which I found refreshing on a street of evening delights, like Yorkville. I continued, “It’s a life of self-discipline.”

“So, no drinking or partying?”

“I tried all of that.” I told them.

“You find your lifestyle improved?” they asked.

“Definitely, because we are addressing internal needs. In the current pop-culture there is this temporary stimulation. It’s all external with short-term benefits. You want to go for more depth in life. Explore the richness that life has to offer.”

Somehow these guys, although under a mild influence of some substance, appeared to really soak it up.

“What’s your name?” asked one of them.

“Bhaktimarga Swami. Some people translate it as ‘The Walking Monk.’

They laughed.

“That you are. We caught you walking and praying with your rosary.”

We offered each other the new handshake, the elbow bump, and I left them each with a mantra card.

What a nice encounter.

May the Source be with you!

2 km

Yorkville, Toronto

Reactions to a Walking Monk

I took a stroll to Yorkville where cafes are cool and people are too. For me it’s always interesting to see people’s reactions to some monk gliding through at an early night hour. The place is pretty harmless.

Two young men were passing in front of me. One looked back and spotted me. He touched the waist of his buddy and mildly moved him out of the way. He turned around and immediately got out of the way. “Make way for the monk.”

I passed by a man and his companion dog and said to his pet, “Now that guy (me) will pray for you.” I turned my head. He nodded.

One gentleman I met in the temple ashram area sells bouquets of red roses. He always greets me with a, “Hare Krishna.” Seems he’s been to our temple. On my turning left on Cumberland I saw him now for a second time. He actually was making a sale at the time. He said the same, “Hare Krishna.”

One younger Indian chap had a cigarette to his mouth and then removed it when he saw me coming down the street. On another street two Caucasians each had a cigarette and on seeing me sitting at a bench near the outdoor jazz band, kept smoking but nodded.

At the corner of Bay and Cumberland four young women, obviously from out of town, were lost and trying to determine where they parked their car. I offered, “Can I help you with directions?” Well, I guess they don’t see too many monks in their town. I was ignored, but that’s okay. A little dose of humility on a stroll can’t do any harm.

May the Source be with you!

3 km

The Annex, Toronto

Beauty and Time

The weather these days could not be better. Though we were met by an exhilarating storm overnight, replete with lightning, thunder, wind and rain. Thankfully the storm settled down by the moment Krishna Chandra and I took to a stroll before dawn. We found an atmosphere of peace. The calm was incredible. Bushes, flowers, plants and trees were happy. They had a good bath. They were shining in a kind of splendour as the light reflected from city lampposts. It was indeed a wet look and most beautiful.

Sun rays broke through with the dawn’s appearance and my second stroll, a walk to shiatsu therapist, Carlos, revealed a dry foliage, but green. All seems pleasant for me and I feel blessed not only to be alive and walking limp-less, but I feel I have Krishna’s protection through doing the right thing; being in the right place at the right time. My appointment was for 3:15 p.m. Actually, I was a little early. I believe in the saying, “If you can’t be on time at least be early.” I find it helps to see God in the form of time, as the invisible avatar.

Time is important and, as a subject, becomes one of the prime topics in The Gita; one of five. One way to look at it is time being responsible for our birth, then death, then birth again. Time marches on and we, as independent entities, must decide how to use it.

May the Source be with you!

3 km

Brampton, Ontario

Nightguard?

“Don’t you have a nightguard?” asked the woman.

I had to think about the question in the context of a dental clinic space. We are not talking about a security guard standing outside of our temple ashram, keeping an eye on possible hooligans or thieves breaking in. The dental assistant, this kind woman, merely asked if I have a custom-made mold of my teeth, to be worn at night to protect myself from grinding my teeth.

My somewhat hesitant reply to her was, “I do have one, but I haven’t been using it. I don’t believe I’m grinding my teeth at night.” But much truth is told at a dental clinic, like a guru offering his student some self analysis. The assistant revealed that my teath are wearing down, which was not known to me. The pics taken of my teeth show it.

So, now I will have to reconnect with my tooth nightguard and attend to another part of my physical machinery.

The word yantra appears in The Gita, where Krishna states we are all souls in yantras or machines, made of material energy.

As an adult, as a human and, on top of that, as a monk I have this obligation to look after myself so I can prolong my services to others, to humanity and to Krishna. Looking after a new knee isn’t enough. The machine needs much attention. Our bodies belong to the Creator and not to us.

My visit to the dentist in Brampton brought out a simple moment of truth.

May the Source be with you!

Bay St., Toronto

A Stroll for Radha

Like Krishna’s birthday, which attracted attendees early in the morning, on this day, Radhastami, celebrating when Krishna’s consort was born, a good number of people arrived. It was bold of them. It demonstrates their love because many of them will have to arise at 2:30 am to get ready and drive from the suburbs to hit the target at 4:30 in the temple. That’s devotion. It was a beautiful program. Those attending were really happy. The culmination was a class by Rupanuga, who presented a nicely researched narration about the glories of the Lord’s consort, Radha.

A little about Radha as found in the book, Nectar of Devotion:

Her eyes defeat the attractive features of the eyes of the chakora bird. When one sees the face of Radharani, he immediately hates the beauty of the moon. Her bodily complexion defeats the beauty of gold.

One of her friends said, “My dear moon-faced, Your whole body appears very content, yet there are signs of tears in Your eyes. Your speech is faltering. I can understand that You must have heard the blowing of Krishna’s flute, and as a result of this, Your heart is melting.”

Above all Radha teaches us how to behave devotionally.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 6 July 2021, Goloka Dhama, Germany, Srimad Bhagavatam 6.1.18)

In spiritual life, liquor is not really glorified like one of the material pleasures in life. It is rather condemned. It is placed in the same category as poison. Well, it is true that it is not nourishing the cells in the body. Each time you take some liquor, you are burning some brain cells and you begin to see it in the regular drinkers at the bars. Their faces are a bit puffed up. Some have red veins showing and their hands also are a bit swollen and reddish. And their brain is dull and not like it used to be. And it can actually be measured in so many dead brain cells. So there you go.

It is not only liquor but also other substances that can kill the brain. It is very interesting. So intoxications have consequences, and one has to be aware of that, however, someone of little intelligence may have some reservations. The intelligent know that it is not required when one is peaceful within. Such things are required when there is a need to overcome internal barriers or internal sufferings. Like some people, they can more easily open up socially after a few drinks. Then it is easier to talk and that becomes psychological dependence. Or some people feel less anxiety when they smoke or whatever. So really these are means to overcome internal shortcomings. There are other ways to rise above one’s shortcomings – natural ways and that is preferred. Not only are the natural ways of bhakti relieving us from all kinds of problems – mental issues and so on, of which we all carry a few. Not only can it liberate us from that, but it can also connect us to a higher level of happiness. So then, we become free from the previous entanglement.

The article " Overcoming internal shortcomings " was published on KKSBlog.

Giriraj Swami begins at 05:50.

Answer Podcast

I will begin by reading a couple of exchanges with Srila Prabhupada about his coming to America. Once, Srila Prabhupada was asked, “Your godbrothers who came to the West went to England and Germany. Why did you choose to come to America?” And he replied, “They went and came back to India without accomplishing anything. So I thought, ‘If I am going to fail, at least let me fail in a different place.’ ”

And on a morning walk in Los Angeles, a disciple said to Prabhupada, “When you came to the Western world, no one anywhere believed it would be successful. But actually it has become very successful, by preaching.”

“I myself did not believe, ‘I shall be successful,’ ” Prabhupada replied, “what to speak of others. But because I did in the proper line, so it has become successful.”

Of course, it was a difficult voyage for Srila Prabhupada on the ship Jaladuta, and on the way he had two heart attacks, and he thought that if he had a third, he might not survive. He kept a diary, and that has been published—The Jaladuta Diary.

I will read a little from Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta to give the background leading up to Srila Prabhupada’s arrival: “On the night of the second day, Prabhupada had a dream. Lord Krishna, in His many forms, was rowing a boat, and He told Prabhupada that he should not fear, but should come along. Prabhupada felt assured of Lord Krishna’s protection, and the violent attacks did not recur.”

On Thursday, September 9, Srila Prabhupada wrote in his diary, “This afternoon, we have crossed over the Atlantic Ocean for twenty-four hours. The whole day was clear and almost smooth. I am taking my food regularly and have got some strength to struggle. There is also a slight tacking of the ship and I am feeling a slight headache also. But I am struggling and the nectarine of life is Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita, the source of all my vitality.”

Then the next day, Friday, September 10, just a week before he arrived in America, he wrote, “Today the ship is plying very smoothly. I feel today better. But I am feeling separation from Sri Vrindaban and my Lords Sri Govinda, Gopinath, Radha Damodar. The only solace is Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita in which I am tasting the nectarine of Lord Chaitanya’s lila [pastimes]. I have left Bharatabhumi just to execute the order of Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati in pursuance of Lord Chaitanya’s order. I have no qualification, but I have taken up the risk just to carry out the order of His Divine Grace. I depend fully on Their mercy, so far away from Vrindaban.”

And when Srila Prabhupada arrived at Boston Harbor on September 18, 1965, he wrote a wonderful poem with rhyming stanzas, Markine Bhagavata-dharma, in which he expressed the same mood of dependence on the mercy of his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu:

baro-krpa kaile krsna adhamer prati
ki lagiyanile hetha koro ebe gati

“My dear Lord Krishna, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. You can do whatever You like with me.”

In his humility, Srila Prabhupada refers to himself as a “useless soul.” And he submits himself, as he says later, as a puppet in the hands of Krishna and the parampara to do with him whatever they like. That should also be our mood in our devotional service, that we just want to be puppets in the hands of our spiritual master and act as he wants us to act or do as he wants us to do. And Srila Prabhupada’s poem gives us an insight not only into Prabhupada’s mood of surrender and dependence on the mercy of the Lord and his spiritual master, but also into what our mood should be in our execution of devotional service.

ache kichu karja taba ei anumane
nahe keno aniben ei ugra-sthane

“But I guess You have some business here; otherwise why would You bring me to this terrible place?”

It is interesting that Srila Prabhupada called America a “terrible place” (ugra-sthane). Most people want to come to America. They think America is the promised land, where their desires will be fulfilled and all their aspirations will be met. But Srila Prabhupada is not seeing America in that, as the promised land, the land of the free and the home of the brave; he is seeing it as a terrible place.

rajas tamo gune era sabai acchanna
basudeb-katha ruci nahe se prasanna

“Most of the population here is covered by the material modes of ignorance and passion. Absorbed in material life, they think themselves very happy and satisfied, and therefore they have no taste for the transcendental message of Vasudeva. I do not know how they will be able to understand it.”

In this verse Srila Prabhupada elaborates on the challenge he is facing in presenting Krishna consciousness, and that is that most of the population are covered by the modes of ignorance and passion, and to appreciate Krishna consciousness, or krsna-katha, one should be in the mode of goodness or at least be under the influence of goodness. So, Srila Prabhupada is seeing this formidable challenge that he will have to meet in presenting Krishna consciousness to the people in America.

tabe jadi taba krpa hoy ahaituki
sakal-i sambhava hoy tumi se kautuki

“But I know Your causeless mercy can make everything possible because You are the most expert mystic.”

After presenting his incapability, Srila Prabhupada now expresses his hope that Krishna will make the impossible possible, because Krishna is the most expert mystic. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita (18.78) about Krishna, yatra yogesvarah krsno, that He is the most expert mystic, so He can work miracles. And He did, through Srila Prabhupada.

ki bhave bujhale tara bujhe sei rasa
eta krpa koro prabhu kori nija-basa

“How will they understand the mellows of devotional service? O Lord, I am simply praying for Your mercy so that I will be able to convince them about Your message.”

Srila Prabhupada is exhibiting that mood of helpless dependence on the mercy of the Lord, and that should be our mood when we preach, that we pray for the Lord’s mercy to make our words suitable for the audience, and we also pray for the Lord’s mercy in the hearts of the audience, to make them receptive to the message.

When I was distributing books, I would always pray to say the right words to influence the person to take the books, and I would pray to the Lord in the heart of the person who I was approaching, to inspire them to take the book and do some service, give some donation for the book or magazine.

tomara icchaya saba hoy maya-basa
tomara icchaya nasa mayar parasa

“All living entities have come under the control of the illusory energy by Your will, and therefore, if You like, by Your will they can also be released from the clutches of illusion.”

For me, this particular stanza has special significance, because shortly after I first came to the Boston temple I was initiated by Srila Prabhupada by mail, and in my initiation letter Srila Prabhupada wrote, “I marked it in your person when I was in Boston, and I prayed to Krishna that this good soul may be aware of the importance of Krishna consciousness,” and Srila Prabhupada’s prayer for me was instrumental in my coming to Krishna consciousness. The Lord is known as bhakta-vatsala, very affectionate to His devotees, and if a devotee, especially a pure devotee like Srila Prabhupada, prays to the Lord, the Lord will accept the devotee’s prayer. Out of his causeless mercy, Srila Prabhupada prayed to Krishna to make “this good soul . . . aware of the importance of Krishna consciousness.” The prayer of the devotee to the Lord for the sake of a candidate for devotional service, or for the sake of a fallen soul, is effective.

Here Srila Prabhupada is saying, “All living entities have come under the control of the illusory energy by Your will, and therefore, if You like, by Your will they can also be released from the clutches of illusion.” So, yes, Krishna is all-powerful, and Srila Prabhupada is praying to Him on our behalf.

And then, in the next verse, he says it explicitly:

taba iccha hoy jadi tadera uddhar
bujhibe niscai tabe katha se tomar

“I wish that You may deliver them. Therefore, if You so desire their deliverance, then only will they be able to understand Your message.”

It reminds me of Prabhupada’s prayer for me, but he is so magnanimous that he is praying for everyone in America, and by extension for everyone everywhere, but specifically he’s praying for us fallen souls in America.

“I wish that You may deliver them. Therefore, if You so desire their deliverance,” which of course the Lords does, “then only will they be able to understand Your message.”

bhagavater katha se taba avatar
dhira haiya sune jadi kane bar bar

“The words of Srimad-Bhagavatam are Your incarnation . . .”

Very important. Yes, Srimad-Bhagavatam is Krishna Himself, an incarnation of Krishna.

Idam bhagavatam nama puranam brahma-sammitam: “This scripture named Srimad-Bhagavatam is the literary incarnation of God.” (SB 1.3.40)

krsne sva-dhamopagate
  dharma-jnanadibhih saha
kalau nasta-drsam esa
  puranarko ’dhunoditah

“This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Krsna to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the Age of Kali shall get light from this Purana.” (SB 1.3.43)

“. . . and if a sober person repeatedly receives it with submissive aural reception . . .”

So, these are the qualifications for understanding the message of Srimad-Bhagavatam: to be sober—not intoxicated by one’s own greatness or by the prospects of enjoying in the material world—and to receive it repeatedly (nityam bhagavate-sevaya). Nityam means “always,” or “regularly.” With submissive aural reception. It is very important to be submissive, not challenging.

When I first was coming to the Boston temple, one of the devotees told me that Srila Prabhupada had said that I was submissive, and I, in all my twenty-one years, had never heard of being submissive as a virtue. It was not something that we were taught. So, when Srila Prabhupada was appreciating that I was submissive, I thought, “Oh, that’s odd.” He was appreciating me for being submissive. But here he is saying, “The words of Srimad-Bhagavatam are Your incarnation, and if a sober person repeatedly receives it with submissive aural reception, then he will be able to understand Your message.”

And then, in his poem, Srila Prabhupada quotes five very important verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17–21):

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
  punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
  vidhunoti suhrt satam

Suhrt satam is translated as “Krishna is the benefactor of the truthful devotee.” Satam. Sat is often a word for “devotee,” but the root of sat is “truth.” So, we should be truthful; we should not be duplicitous, pretentious, or hypocritical. We should be truthful, we should be honest, we should be sincere.

nasta-prayesv abhadresu
  nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttama-sloke
  bhaktir bhavati naisthiki

This verse also has personal significance for me. The translation is, “By regular attendance in classes on the Bhagavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.”

In the early days when we were serving Srila Prabhupada in India, he kept us so busy that we hardly had time to read. And I was starting to feel guilty that I wasn’t reading his books. So, one day I was sitting with him in his room in the Calcutta temple, and even though I didn’t say anything about feeling guilty, he could read my mind, and he quoted this verse: nasta-prayesv abhadresu, nityam bhagavata-sevaya. Bhagavata refers to the book Bhagavata or the person Bhagavata, the devotee Bhagavata. Srila Prabhupada was saying that by serving the person Bhagavata, all the truths of the book Bhagavata will be revealed to you even if you never read the book. He was encouraging me to continue with my service to him, the devotee Bhagavata, and he was assuring me that all the truths of the book would be revealed even if I didn’t read the book. Of course, that was a special time, when we were so busy; in general, we should do both—serve the person Bhagavata and read the book Bhagavata. But if under certain circumstances one is actually engaged fully in serving the person Bhagavata and does not have time to read the book Bhagavata—which could happen even now—all the truths of the book Bhagavata will be revealed.

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
  kama-lobhadayas ca ye
ceta etair anaviddham
  sthitam sattve prasidati

evam prasanna-manaso
  bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah
bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam
  mukta-sangasya jayate

 bhidyate hrdaya-granthis
  chidyante sarva-samsayah
ksiyante casya karmani
  drsta evatmanisvare

Now, this is all in Srila Prabhupada’s poem: “It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17–21): ‘Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.’ ”

Srila Prabhupada quoted these verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam as the process by which he would deliver the fallen souls that he would encounter in the West. This cleansing of the heart is very difficult, and we are not able to do it on our own. Krishna enters the heart in the form of transcendental sound as Srimad-Bhagavatam, and that sound vibration is purifying, and more than that, Krishna, as the Supersoul, will also cleanse the heart of desires for material enjoyment. So, we’re really quite helpless on our own, but Krishna helps. All we have to do is lend submissive aural reception to His messages, and then He will help, both in the form of transcendental sound and as the Paramatma within the heart.

I’ll read it again; Prabhupada says it here repeatedly: “Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.” Punya-sravana-kirtanah: Just by hearing and chanting, one becomes pious or virtuous.

“By regular attendance in classes on the Bhagavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome in the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the glorious Lord, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.”

The Sanskrit is nasta-prayesv abhadresu. Abhadresu means “all that is inauspicious,” nasta means “destroyed,” and prayesu means “almost completely.” Not completely—that comes later—but almost completely. (Commenting on this verse, Srila Prabhupada has said 75 percent.)

“At that time loving service is established in the heart and the modes of passion (rajas) and ignorance (tamas), and lust and desire (kama) disappear from the heart.”

Then you are really purified.

“And thus established in the mode of goodness, the man rejuvenated by loving service to the Lord gains liberation from all material association (mukti) and comes to know scientifically of the Personality of Godhead.”

Then the devotee, the listener, through submissive aural reception, which leads to liberation from material association (mukta-sangasya jayate), comes to know scientifically of the Personality of Godhead (bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam).

“Thus the knot in the heart and all misgivings are cut to pieces.”

It is so liberating just to read this.

“Thus the knot in the heart and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the self as master.”

After quoting these five verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Prabhupada continues his poem:

ajas tamo hate tabe paibe nistar
hrdayer abhadra sate ghucibe tahar

“He will become liberated from the influence of the modes of ignorance and passion and thus all inauspicious things accumulated in the core of the heart will disappear.” Srila Prabhupada, in his Bengali, was summarizing these verses.

ki ko’re bujhabo katha baro sei cahi
khudra ami dina hina kono sakti nahi

“How will I make them understand this message of Krishna consciousness? I am very unfortunate, unqualified and the most fallen. Therefore, I am seeking Your benediction so that I can convince them, for I am powerless to do so on my own.”

We can see Srila Prabhupada’s abject humility and his complete dependence on the Lord’s mercy. There is no pretense when he calls himself “the most fallen.”

Srila Prabhupada had a disciple who once said to him, “I am the most fallen,” and Srila Prabhupada replied, “You are not the most anything.” When Prabhupada said it, he meant it.  But Prabhupada was actually fulfilling his disciple’s desire; the devotee wanted to be humble, and he was presenting himself as humble, and Prabhupada’s words were humbling, “You are not the most anything.”

athaca enecho prabhu katha bolibare
je tomar iccha prabhu koro ei bare

“Somehow or other, O Lord, You have brought me here to speak about You. Now, my Lord, it is up to You to make me a success or failure as You like.”

Again, complete dependence on the Lord.

akhila jagat-guru! bacana se amar
alankrta koribar khamata tomar

“O spiritual master of all the worlds! I can simply repeat Your message, and if You like You can make my power of speaking suitable for their understanding.”

This is also a very important verse, because it speaks to the point of realization. “I can simply repeat Your message.” So, we repeat, but at the same time Srila Prabhupada is praying to the Lord to make his power of speaking suitable for his audience.  Indirectly, he is alluding to the point of realization.

In his purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto One, Chapter Four, “The Appearance of Sri Narada,” text one, Srila Prabhupada gives a nice definition of realization:

vyasa uvaca
iti bruvanam samstuya
  muninam dirgha-satrinam
vrddhah kula-patih sutam
  bahvrcah saunako ’bravit

 TRANSLATION

Sri Vyasadeva said: On hearing Suta Gosvami speak thus, Saunaka Muni, who was the elderly, learned leader of all the rsis engaged in that prolonged sacrificial ceremony, congratulated Suta Gosvami by addressing him as follows.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Sri Saunaka Rsi had all these qualifications, and thus he stood up to congratulate Sri Suta Gosvami when he expressed his desire to present Srimad-Bhagavatam exactly as he heard it from Sukadeva Gosvami and also realized it personally. Personal realization does not mean that one should, out of vanity, attempt to show one’s own learning by trying to surpass the previous acarya. He must have full confidence in the previous acarya, and at the same time he must realize the subject matter so nicely that he can present the matter for the particular circumstances in a suitable manner. The original purpose of the text must be maintained. No obscure meaning should be screwed out of it, yet it should be presented in an interesting manner for the understanding of the audience. This is called realization.

COMMENT

Now I come back to Srila Prabhupada’s words here. It’s exactly the same thing:

akhila jagat-guru! bacana se amar
alankrta koribar khamata tomar

“O spiritual master of all the worlds! I can simply repeat Your message . . .”

That’s the idea of just repeating, but more than that also:

“. . . so if You like You can make my power of speaking suitable for their understanding.”

taba krpa ha’le mor katha suddha habe
suniya sabara soka duhkha je ghucibe

“Only by Your causeless mercy will my words become pure. I am sure that when this transcendental message penetrates their hearts they will certainly feel engladdened and thus become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life.”

And that’s exactly what happened when Srila Prabhupada, empowered by Krishna, came—we heard him, we appreciated what he said, and we became happy. As Srila Prabhupada said, he was converting the hippies into happies.

aniyacho jadi prabhu amare nacate
nacao nacao prabhu nacao se-mate
kasthera puttali jatha nacao se-mate

“O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like.”

Such a beautiful metaphor.

bhakti nai beda nai name khub daro
“bhaktivedanta” nam ebe sarthak kor

“I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the holy name of Krsna. I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, and now, if You like, You can fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedanta.”

Bhakti means “devotion,” and Vedanta means “knowledge.” Actually, Veda means “knowledge,” and anta means “the end of knowledge.” So, Srila Prabhupada is saying that he’s been designated as Bhaktivedanta but actually he has no devotion, bhakti, or knowledge, Vedanta, but, “I have strong faith in the holy name of Krishna.” And this in one sense is really the secret of Srila Prabhupada’s success—his strong faith in the holy name of Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada had a godbrother named Akincana Krishna dasa Babaji Maharaja, who Srila Prabhupada said was a paramahamsa, a liberated soul, and was always chanting. At Srila Prabhupada’s sannyasa initiation, Akincana Krishna dasa Babaji Maharaja was present in the Gaudiya Matha in Mathura, where Srila Prabhupada took sannyasa from His Holiness Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja. During the ceremony there was a break, and Babaji Maharaja started chanting, and then, when it was time for the mantras for the ceremony to begin again, the priest, not Kesava Maharaja, but his disciple who was doing the fire ceremony, motioned to Babaji Maharaja to stop chanting, and Prabhupada, behind his back, motioned to Babaji Maharaja, “Keep chanting, keep chanting.” And Babaji Maharaja said that at that time he understood that Srila Prabhupada would become the world leader of the Hare Krishna movement, because he had complete faith in the holy names. And Srila Prabhupada himself says it here: “I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the holy name of Krsna. I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, and now, if You like, You can fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedanta.”

And Srila Prabhupada signed the poem:

“Signed-the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami,

on board the ship Jaladuta, Commonwealth Pier,
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
dated 18th of September, 1965”

This poem was unknown to us, and Srila Prabhupada himself wasn’t even sure if there was any record of it. But devotees did find it, and they published it in Back to Godhead magazine. And that Back to Godhead with the poem came into our hands in 1971 when we were staying at the Sea Palace hotel on Colaba, which was owned by our friend and life member Ramachand Chhabria. It was a vegetarian hotel, and we didn’t have any other place to stay in Bombay then, and he allowed us to stay free of charge. So, the magazine came, and Gurudas and his wife Yamuna Devi and I were reading that from the Back to Godhead, and when we came to the signature, “the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami,” Yamuna Devi burst out into tears. She was just so moved by Srila Prabhupada’s humility. I will never forget that. She burst out into tears. We should have such feelings for Srila Prabhupada.

So, this is a momentous historic occasion—Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in America—and because of his coming here, pursuant to the order of his spiritual master, our lives have been changed: we have been saved from nature’s modes of passion and ignorance and all the other things that Srila Prabhupada described about the population that he was preparing to encounter.

Devotee: What do you think inspired Srila Prabhupada to write such a poem? Most of us, when we land in another place, the first thing we think of is, “Thank God we are out of this airplane, or this boat.”

Giriraj Swami: Srila Prabhupada was very sober and deliberate, and he was feeling very helpless and dependent on the mercy of the Lord and his spiritual master. It’s true—I never thought of it in that way, but it’s true—that usually after a journey we can’t wait to get off the boat or out of the airplane. But yes, I guess it was out of Srila Prabhupada’s humility, his feeling meek and humble, that he wrote this. He said it was a terrible place, so maybe that was part of it; he wasn’t in a hurry to get into the terrible place.

It’s such a gift to us that we have this poem in which he expresses his mood of surrender: “O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like.”

Siddhi-lalasa dasi: I heard Prabhupada saying that he was successful because he was in line. So, does that mean being in line with the disciplic succession? My question is, Weren’t his godbrothers also in line? So, what was the difference?

Giriraj Swami: The difference, I would say, and I’m not saying; I’m repeating what Krishna dasa Babaji Maharaja said. . . . Srila Prabhupada had a godbrother named Bon Maharaja, and Bon Maharaja also came to the West. So, once, Babaji Maharaja asked Bon Maharaja, “You went to the West, and Swami Maharaja went to the West . . .” That was how they referred to Srila Prabhupada: Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja. “You went to the West, and Swami Maharaja went to the West. You presented the teaching of Lord Chaitanya, and he presented the teachings of Lord Chaitanya. You did the same things that he did, but he was successful and you could not do anything. What is the reason?” And then Babaji Maharaja himself gave the answer: “Because he had full faith in the holy name of Krishna.” And Srila Prabhupada says as much here: “I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge’’—that is his humility—“but I have strong faith in the holy name of Krishna.” And he had faith that if we chanted, everything else would follow.

[A talk by Giriraj Swami on Srila Prabhupada’s Arrival in America, September 9, 2020, ISKCON Portland (via Zoom)]

Srila Prabhupada: I planned that I must go to America. Generally they go to London, but I did not want to go to London. I was simply thinking how to go to New York. I was scheming, “Whether I shall go this way, through Tokyo, Japan, or that way? Which way is cheaper?” That was my proposal. And I was targeting to New York always. Sometimes I was dreaming that I have come to New York.

Then Bhaktivedanta Swami met Mr. Agarwal, a Mathura businessman, and mentioned to him in passing, as he did to almost everyone he met, that he wanted to go to the West. Although Mr. Agarwal had known Bhaktivedanta Swami for only a few minutes, he volunteered to try to get him a sponsor in America. 

Srila Prabhupada: Whatever the correspondence was there between the father and son, I did not know. I simply asked him, “Why don’t you ask your son Gopal to sponsor?” And now, after three or four months, the No Objection certificate was sent from the Indian Consulate in New York to me. He had already sponsored my arrival there for one month, and all of a sudden I got the paper.

Mrs. Morarji scheduled a place for him on one of her ships, the Jaladuta, which was sailing from Calcutta on August 13. She had made certain that he would travel on a ship whose captain understood the needs of a vegetarian and a brahmana. Mrs. Morarji told the Jaladuta’s captain, Arun Pandia, to carry extra vegetables and fruits for the Swami. 

A week before his departure, on August 6, Bhaktivedanta Swami traveled to nearby Mayapur to visit the samadhi of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. As the day of his departure approached, Bhaktivedanta Swami took stock of his meager possessions. He had only a suitcase, an umbrella, and a supply of dry cereal.

The Jaladuta, under the command of Captain Arun Pandia, whose wife was also aboard, left at 9:00 A.M. on Friday, August 13. In his diary, Srila Prabhupada noted: “The cabin is quite comfortable, thanks to Lord Sri Krishna for enlightening Sumati Morarji for all these arrangements. I am quite comfortable.” But on the fourteenth he reported: “Seasickness, dizziness, vomiting—Bay of Bengal. Heavy rains. More sickness.”

On the night of the second day, Prabhupada had a dream. Lord Krishna, in His many forms, was rowing a boat, and He told Prabhupada that he should not fear, but should come along. Prabhupada felt assured of Lord Krishna’s protection, and the violent attacks did not recur.

After a thirty-five-day journey from Calcutta, the Jaladuta reached Boston’s Commonwealth Pier at 5:30 A.M. on September 17, 1965. The ship was to stop briefly in Boston before proceeding to New York City. Among the first things Srila Prabhupada saw in America were the letters “A & P” painted on a pierfront warehouse. The gray waterfront dawn revealed the ships in the harbor, a conglomeration of lobster stands and drab buildings, and, rising in the distance, the Boston skyline.

On the nineteenth of September the Jaladuta sailed into New York Harbor and docked at a Brooklyn pier, at Seventeenth Street. Srila Prabhupada saw the awesome Manhattan skyline, the Empire State Building, and, like millions of visitors and immigrants in the past, the Statue of Liberty.

Despite eight months of total lockdown in 2020 and limited construction in 2021, the TOVP is now back on track with our normal construction work force. Below is a list of current work and goals to achieve for 2022.

Nrsimha Wing Completion

We plan to have the Nrsimha Wing completed and ready for unveiling in 2022. This includes the altar, pillars, floor and other design elements that will create a dazzling and splendorous room for Lord Nrsimhadeva.

Interior Dome Work Completion

The interior of the TOVP three domes is the most complex of all the work, as it includes the installation of specially designed and in-house fabricated coffered ceiling panels and soundproofing. Read more about these here.

Pujari Floor Final Touches

Although completed for the most part with 69 rooms, and officially unveiled in 2020, there were a number of areas that needed to be revisited and tweaked to perfection. That work continues daily.

Outdoor Utility Building Completion

The outdoor utility building is the structure that will house our own electrical power generator for the TOVP, and work has already commenced to complete it by early 2022.

Mock Up Pillar Production

All our pillars, windows and other decorative work has been done in-house. We are now creating our first mock-up external pillar molds to test on the existing pillar structures. Once finalized, these molds will be added to the pillars and prepared for marbling and other design elements.

Ongoing Mechanical, Electric and Plumbing Work (MEP)

As can be imagined, it’s no simple task installing mechanical, electric and plumbing fixtures throughout a 600,000 square foot structure. But that’s exactly what our highly skilled professional staff is doing.

Please keep in mind that all this work cannot continue without your help. Please continue to make your monthly pledge payments on time, or complete your pledge as soon as possible. If you have not made a donation yet or would like to help again, please take this opportunity to sponsor an abhisheka for the Grand Welcome Ceremony of Srila Prabhupada’s new murti in the TOVP on October 14 and 15.

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

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Store: https://tovp.org/tovp-gift-store/

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