Actually, what Srila Prabhupada, as we call him, has given us and the world, that gift we cannot totally fathom. Personally in my life I have to continually remind myself of how much mercy I've been causelessly given. I remember a few years ago, before I dedicated to Krishna Consciousness, I had reached a low point in my life where I was literally bewildered about life. Nothing made sense, nothing had any reality, nothing had purpose....it was all very stressful and disconcerting.
So, I just prayed and prayed that I would be guided to the truth and to the light. Very soon after that I started investigating Krishna Consciousness on a deeper, more detailed level (I was aware it existed already), and it started to resonate more and more. Now, several years into my practice I have to offer so much respect to this path which has answered all my questions and obliterated so much fear and ignorance in my heart with the shining lamp of knowledge. "Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance." Bhagavad Gita 10:11. Krishna guides the sincere person from within his or her heart. I am simply amazed when I compare how I lived and experienced life 3 years ago and how I live and experience life now, and how much more satisfied and at peace I am on a daily basis. How much less scared and worried I am. How much more I can give to others now. And how what I am able to give to others now is so much more than I ever dreamed possible. And it's all thanks to Srila Prabhupada. The mercy of Srila Prabhupada and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is truly inconceivable. All I can do is try to remain humble and honor them by teaching others and following them as closely as I have the strength and good karma to do.
Here's an interesting breakdown of Srila Prabhupada's full name. His Divine Grace (Krishna's Grace) Abhay Charan (Free of all fear at the Lotus Feet) Bhaktivedanta (Devotional service is the conclusion of all knowledge) Swami (controller of his senses) Prabhupada (the master of all masters). Below are some very powerful prayers/poems by Srila Prabhupada, as he toiled on the edge of death aboard the steamship Jaladuta, as a poverty-stricken surrendered soul on his way to America to spread the teachings of Krishna, on the order of his guru. If you are at all interested in Krishna Consciousness, please take the time to read this prayer and witness a glimpse into the heart of a true spiritual master:
JD 8.1: Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Krsna
on board the ship Jaladuta, September 13, 1965
I emphatically say to you, O brothers, you will obtain your good fortune from the Supreme Lord Krsna only when Srimati Radharani becomes pleased with you.
Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur (Srila Prabhupada's guru), who is very dear to Lord Gauranga (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu), the son of mother Saci, is unparalleled in his service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna. He is that great saintly spiritual master who bestows intensedevotion to Krsna at different places throughout the world.By his strong desire, the holy name of Lord Gauranga will spread throughout allthe countries of the Western world. In all the cities, towns, and villages onthe earth, from all the oceans, seas, rivers, and streams, everyone will chantthe holy name of Krsna. As the vast mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu conquersall directions, a flood of transcendental ecstasy will certainly cover theland. When all the sinful, miserable living entities become happy, theVaishnava's desire is then fulfilled.Although my Guru Mahäräja ordered me to accomplish this mission, I am not
worthy or fit to do it. I am very fallen and insignificant. Therefore, O Lord,now I am begging for Your mercy so that I may become worthy, for You are the wisest and most experienced of all. If You bestow Your power, by serving the spiritual master one attains the Absolute Truth-one's life becomes successful.If that service is obtained, then one becomes happy and gets Your association due to good fortune. My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, because ofmy association with material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind well full of snakes, following the general populace. ButYour servant Närada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instructed mehow to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore, my first duty is toserve him. How could I leave his service? (Prahläda Mahäräja to Lord Nrsinghadeva, Bhäg. 7.9.28)
O Lord Krsna, You are my eternal companion. Forgetting You, I have sufferedthe kicks of mäyä birth after birth. If today the chance to meet You occursagain, then I will surely be able to rejoin You.
O dear friend, in Your companyI will experience great joy once again. In the early morning I will wanderabout the cowherd pastures and fields. Running and frolicking in the manyforests of Vraja, I will roll on the ground in spiritual ecstasy. Oh when willthat day be mine?
Today that remembrance of You came to me in a very nice way.Because I have a great longing I called to You. I am Your eternal servant andtherefore I desire Your association so much. O Lord Krsna, except for You thereis no other means of success.
JD 8.2: Märkine Bhägavata-dharma
Markine Bhägavata-dharma at Boston Harbor, September 18, 1965
My dear Lord Krsna, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me. But Iguess You have some business here, otherwise why would You bring me to thisterrible place? Most of the population here is covered by the material modes ofignorance and passion. Absorbed in material life, they think themselves very happy and satisfied, and therefore they have no taste for the transcendental message of Väsudeva. I do not know how they will be able to understand it. ButI know Your causeless mercy can make everything possible because You are the most expert mystic. 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. All living entities have become 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. I wish that You may deliver them. Therefore if You so desire their deliverance, then only will they be able to understand Your message.
The words of Srimad-Bhägavatam are Your incarnation,and if a sober person repeatedly receives it with submissive aural reception, then he will be able to understand Your message.It is said in the Srimad-Bhägavatam (1.2.17-21):"Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramätmä [Supersoul] ineveryone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desirefor material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urgeto hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard andchanted. By regular attendance in classes on the Bhägavatam 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, whois praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects ofnature's modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire and hankering,disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes completely happy. Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness,the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to theLord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in thestage of liberation from all material association. Thus the knot in the heartis pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actionsis terminated when one sees the self as master."He will become liberated from the influence of the modes of ignorance andpassion and thus all inauspicious things accumulated in the core of the heartwill disappear.How will I make them understand this message of Krsnaconsciousness? I am very unfortunate, unqualified and the most fallen. Therefore I am seeking Your benediction so that I can convince them, for I ampowerless to do so on my own. Somehow or other, O Lord, You have brought mehere to speak about You. Now, my Lord, it is up to You to make me a success or failure as You like. O spiritual master of all the worlds! I can simply repeat Your message, so if You like You can make my power of speaking suitable fortheir understanding.Only by Your causeless mercy will my words become pure. I am sure that when this transcendental message penetrates their hearts they will certainly feelengladdened and thus become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life. OLord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here todance, then make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like. 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 Bhaktivedänta, and now, if Youlike, You can fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedänta.
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
 |
| Jai Srila Prabhupada!!! |
No comments:
Post a Comment