Srila Prabhupada - Ambassador of Spiritual World



Caitanya Mangala (Sutra-khanda, song 12, texts 562-565)
Lord Caitanya speaking of the reasons for His descent


nama-guna-sankirtana vaisnavera shakti
prakasa karibe ami nija prema-bhakti

ei mate kali-papa karibe sanhara
sabe cala age pache na kara vichara

ebe nama sankirtana tikshna khadaga laiya
antara asura jivera phelibe katiya

yadi papi chadi dharma dure dese yaya
mora senapati-bhakta yaibe tathaya

Chanting of the name & qualities of Krsna is the life & energy of the Vaisnavas. I will reveal these activities & rejuvenate pure devotional service unto Myself.

In this way I will destroy all the sins in Kali Yuga. So all of you, My associates, go ahead and take birth on the earthly planet before My advent and don't remain behind.

Taking the sharp sword of the congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra, (nama-sankirtana) I will root out & destroy the demoniac mentality in the hearts of all the conditioned souls.

If some sinful people escape and giving up religious principles go to far off countries, then my Senapati Bhakta will come at that time to give them Krsna consciousness. (senapati - a military field commander, bhakta - a devotee. Lord Caitanya will empower His own devotee to spread Krsna Consciousness around the world.)

***

For millennia the teachings and the rich culture of bhakti-yoga, or Krishna Consciousness, had been hidden within the borders of India. Today, millions around the globe express their gratitude to Srila Prabhupada for revealing the timeless wisdom of bhakti to a world.
Born as Abhay Charan De on September 1, 1896, in Calcutta, as a young man he joined Mahatma Gandhi’s civil disobedience movement. In 1922, a meeting with the prominent scholar and spiritual leader, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, proved to be most influential on young Abhay’s future calling.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta was a leader in the Gaudiya Vaishnava community, a monotheistic tradition within the broader Hindu culture. At their very first meeting, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta asked Abhay to bring the teachings of Lord Krishna to the English-speaking world. Deeply moved by his devotion and wisdom, Abhay became a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta in 1933, and resolved to carry out his mentor’s request. Abhay, later known by the honorific Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, spent the next 32 years preparing for his journey west.
In 1965, at the age of sixty-nine, Srila Prabhupada begged a free passage and boarded a cargo ship, the Jaladhuta, to New York. The journey proved to be treacherous and he suffered two heart attacks aboard. After 35 days at sea, he first arrived at a lonely Brooklyn pier with just seven dollars in Indian rupees and a crate of his translations of sacred Sanskrit texts.
In New York, he faced great hardships and began his mission humbly by giving classes on the Bhagavad-gita in lofts on the Bowery and leading kirtan (traditional devotional chants) in Tompkins Square Park. His message of peace and goodwill resonated with many young people, some of whom came forward to become serious students of the Krishna-bhakti tradition. With the help of these students, Bhaktivedanta Swami rented a small storefront on New York’s Lower East Side to use as a temple.
In July of 1966, Bhaktivedanta Swami established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) for the purpose he stated of “checking the imbalance of values in the world and working for real unity and peace”.
In the eleven years that followed, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe 14 times on lecture tours spreading the teachings of Lord Krishna. Men and women from all backgrounds and walks of life came forward to accept his message. With their help, Srila Prabhupada established temples, farm communities, a publishing house, and educational institutions around the world. And, he began what has now become the world’s largest vegetarian food relief program, Hare Krishna Food for Life.
With the desire to nourish the roots of Krishna consciousness in its home, Srila Prabhupada returned to India several times, where he sparked a revival in the Vaishnava tradition. In India, he opened dozens of temples, including large centers in the holy towns of Vrindavana and Mayapur.
Srila Prabhupada’s most significant contributions, perhaps, are his books. He authored over 70 volumes on the Krishna tradition, which are highly respected by scholars for their authority, depth, fidelity to the tradition, and clarity. Several of his works are used as textbooks in numerous college courses. His writings have been translated into 76 languages. His most prominent works include: Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the 30-volume Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the 17-volume Sri Caitanya-caritamrita.
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada passed away on November 14, 1977, in the holy town of Vrindavana, surrounded by his loving disciples who carry on his mission today.


***

Srila Prabhupada is that his appearance, missions and teachings were predicted by ancient sages and masters

(1) Caitanya Mahaprabhu, 500 years ago
My commander-in-chief devotee will spread the chanting of the holy names around the world.

(2) Bhaktivinode Thakhur, a great Vaisnava saint, in 1881
Very soon a great personality will appear who will spread Krishna consciousness all over the world.

(3) Lord Krishna in Brahma-vaivarta Purana, 5000 years ago
After 5,000 years of this age have passed, the great sage and worshiper of my holy names will appear and spread the chanting of my names throughout the world.

(4) In his Tiruvaymoli (5.2.1), a section of the Divya-prabandha, Nammalvar speaks about a vision he had

poliga poliga poliga! poyitru valluyir ccapam
naliyum naragamum nainda namanukkingu yadonrum illai
kaliyum kedum kandu kolmin kadalvannan budangal manmel
maliya ppugundisai padi adi ulidara kkandom

“Victory ! Victory ! Victory ! I behold something wonderful: all the inauspiciousness of the living entities is destroyed, no one is going to hell, Yamaraja has no more any work, and the effects of Kali yuga ceased to exist. This is because all over the world an increasing number of Lord Visnu’s devotees sing His names while dancing and playing musical instruments.”

(5) In the Bhagavata-mahatmya in the Uttara-khanda (194.57) of the Padma Purana, bhakti personified tells Narada muni that after travelling through several places in India, she reached Vrndavana. Then she declares her resolution of leaving from Vrndavana to go to foreign countries:

idam sthanam parityajya  videsam gamyate maya

“Leaving this place, I will go abroad.”

(6) In the Sri Caitanya-bhagavata (Antya, 4.126), Lord Caitanya declares
prthivi paryanta yata ache desa grama
sarvatra sancara haibeka mora nama

“In every town and village of the world, the chanting of My name will be heard.”

(7) In the Caitanya Mangala (Sutra-khanda, song 12, texts 564-565) Lord Caitanya clearly mentions that He will send His leading preacher abroad
ebe nama sankirtana tiksna khadga lana
antara asura jivera pheliba katiya
yadi papi chadi dharma dura dese yaya  
mora senapati-bhakta yaibe tathaya

“Taking the sharp sword of the congregational chanting of the Holy Name, I will root out and destroy the demoniac mentality in the hearts of the conditioned souls.”

“If some sinful people escape and giving up religious principles go to far off countries, then My commander in chief (Senapati Bhakta) will appear to chase them and distribute Krsna consciousness.”

(8) In more recent days, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati also predicted the propagation of the sankirtana movement. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote in the Sajjana-tosani volume of 1885
Lord Caitanya did not advent Himself to liberate only a few men in India. Rather, His main objective was to emancipate all living entities of all countries throughout the entire universe and preach the Eternal Religion…. There is no doubt that this unquestionable order will come to pass…. Very soon the unparalleled path of hari-nama-sankirtana will be propagated all over the world…. Oh, for that day when the fortunate English, French, Russian, German, and American people will take up banners, mrdangas, and karatalas and raise kirtana through their streets and towns! When will that day come? … That day will witness the holy transcendental ecstasy of the Vaisnava dharma to be the only dharma, and all the sects and religions will flow like rivers into the ocean of Vaisnava dharma. When will that day come?

***




***


Srila Prabhupada's first interview in New York City, October 1966






***

1 comment:

Theme images by konradlew. Powered by Blogger.