Homages from ISKCON Centers

Çré Vyäsa-püjä 2012
You, dearmost Çréla Prabhupäda, the close friend of Kåñëa, coming directly from the spiritual kingdom
of Vrajadhäma, Vrajabhümi Våndävana dhäma—you associated with the worst beggars and lowlifes of
New York. We were all rejected souls, fallen from the spiritual world to become street dogs, homeless
souls. You came to us with a deep feeling of compassion and unlimited tolerance, and you made us into
flowers, as you used to say: “You are my American flowers.” Yes, we are your flowers, and we will forever
remain your flowers, with your fragrant and unique scent, only yours and nobody else’s!
You loved us, you were concerned about us, you engaged us in devotional service, you asked our help.
Sometimes you even asked our blessings, as you did from Tamäl Kåñëa Mahäräja in Våndävana in 1977.
Such unbelievable humility has never been seen on this planet!
This is the meaning of cooperation in the preaching mission of Lord Caitanya’s movement. You
showed us the meaning of “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.”
Dearmost Çréla Prabhupäda, today, the first of April, is Räma-navamé, the appearance day of Çré
Rämacandra, and here in Villaggio Hare Kåñëa many devotees are working together to serve the Deities
of Çré Çré Rädhä-Ramaëa and Çré Çré Nitäi-Gauräìga and welcome the numerous guests arriving today.
This is the fortunate position of living in a community of devotees. We can always remember and
serve Çré Kåñëa in the company of other, similar persons. I see nice devotees happily working together.
As you told us, “I created this ISKCON society to give engagement in devotional service and good
association to everyone.’’
Association with the devotees is the root of spiritual life. This association is our protection, our
security: täìdera caraëa sevi bhakta-sane väsa/ janame janame haya ei abhiläña. We know very well
that we will make spiritual progress only if we learn the art of associating with each other. Otherwise
we will remain very small and neophyte, even if we like to think that we are advanced.
Dearmost Çréla Prabhupäda, one of the things that impressed me the most is what happened on
the 8th of February, 1977, in Mäyäpur, just a little before the annual festival. You were quite ill. One day,
while walking up the stairs, you fell back. Fortunately, Hari Çauri Prabhu was right behind you, ready
to catch you so you did not to fall to the ground. This was the second time this had happened in a few
days. That day was the appearance day of Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura, and in your class
you said, roaring like a lion:
And Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura, our master, spiritual master, he also came in this world
to execute some mission of life, or mission of Caitanya Mahäprabhu. So he executed it, and when
it was required, he left this place and went to another place to do the same business. . . . [I]n
the material world everyone is busy for three things—material profit, material reputation, and
material adoration. This is not Vaiñëava’s business. Vaiñëava never cares for all these things.
Vaiñëava is always thinking how to do good to the suffering humanity. . . . That is [Bhaktisiddhänta
Sarasvaté Öhäkura’s] special gift. He wanted every one of his disciples to go and preach the cult
of Kåñëa consciousness. Caitanya Mahäprabhu [also wanted this]:
yäre dekha, täre kaha ‘kåñëa’-upadeça
ämära äjïäya guru haïä tära’ ei deça
Wherever you are, . . . anywhere, so you become a guru. Don’t remain a rascal. You become a
guru. “Now, how can I become a guru? I am not very educated.” No! You don’t require to be very
highly educated rascal. Simply repeat Kåñëa consciousness as Kåñëa said. You become guru.
At this point your voice went up to the sky like the strongest thunderbolt, and to this day your words
are still roaring in our ears, in our consciousness, and in our hearts: “Simply repeat Kåñëa consciousness
as Kåñëa said!” Çré Kåñëa, please help me, please grant me the capacity to make this echo of the roaring
orders of Çréla Prabhupäda available to his sincere servants so that the family business of Çréla Prabhupäda
may continue to produce genuinely merciful preachers, the saviors of the fallen souls. In this way this
planet may be saved. Otherwise, who else can help the conditioned souls?
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