You have the treasure; why should you beg for alms?
Caitya-guru has arranged a five-day pandala at nearby Nehru Park in Sector 22. Before the event, this evening's chief guest, the Chief Commissioner of Chandigarh, Mr. T. N. Chaturvedi, came to visit with Prabhupada at the house. Prabhupada greeted him warmly, and after a few minutes of convivial discussion they rode to the pandala together in the commissioner's car.
The set-up was impressive. Nehru Park is a three-acre patch of open ground in the heart of one of the main markets areas of Chandigarh. Excellent lighting illuminated a colorful canopy extending over and out from a permanent stage, under which an expectant crowd of about twenty-five hundred were gathered for Srila Prabhupada's arrival, ladies on one side and the men on the other. About thirty devotees were already on stage led in an ecstatic kirtana by Hansaduta and Yasodanandana Swamis, their exuberant dancing and chanting enthralling the audience. When Prabhupada stepped out of the car and approached the stage, the devotees began to leap high, their big grins and loud, joyous shouts of "Jaya Prabhupada!" alerting the crowd to his presence. Many rushed forward to offer their pranams and touch his feet, and we had to form a guard to escort him to the stage. Srila Prabhupada smiled and humbly held his hands together over the handle of his cane in return pranama, stopping every few feet to allow the spectators to get his blessings.
On stage Prabhupada was pleased to see a small, decorated altar housing twelve-inch brass Deities of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai. Next to Them stood a simple but elegant maroon vyasasana, highlighted with gold braiding, a generous gift from life member Mr. Raj Kumar, the owner of Salwan Furnitures. Flanking the vyasasana on both sides was a prominent display of Prabhupada's books. Prabhupada approached the Deities and, handing me his cane, got down and offered his obeisances to Their Lordships. Then he took his seat, the devotees sitting on the floor to the left of the stage, his distinguished guests on seats to his right, and Mr. Sethi standing like a faithful sentinel behind his vyasasana. Pradyumna and I sat by his side, ready to assist.
Chief Commissioner Chaturvedi introduced the program. He has seen our devotees abroad, in airports and doing kirtana, and is greatly impressed with Srila Prabhupada's efforts to spread Vedic culture all over the world. He enthusiastically lauded both Srila Prabhupada personally and his foreign devotees, and urged the crowd to support ISKCON.
He took his seat next to Pokar Ram Godara, a local government minister; Murari Lal Bansal, a local business man and the first ISKCON life member in Chandigarh; and Balwant Rai Tayal, MLA for Haryana.
After chanting Jaya Radha-Madhava Prabhupada launched into a powerful discourse, speaking in Hindi for about fifty minutes to the attentive crowd. His first point was to inform everyone that God is the Supreme Person, possessed of sac cid ananda-vigraha, a form of eternal knowledge and bliss. Contrasting His transcendental form with our mundane temporary forms that are always subject to distress, Prabhupada gave a succinct translation of vigraha: "Vigraha means 'manifestation of self.' How can we say the Lord has no form? The Lord is the father of all living beings. I am His son. So if I have form, then how is it possible that my father has no form? He is a person and therefore I am a person." He said that if we could trace our ancestral lines back far enough, we would eventually come to Lord Brahma, the first living being in the universe. And "above Brahma there is a supreme father of all."
Sometimes the Lord is described as nirakara, usually interpreted as "without form," but Srila Prabhupada gave his onlookers a more reasonable understanding. "Now, if someone argues that the Lord doesn't have a form, what kind of argument is that? It is true that you did not see the forefathers of your grandfather and their fathers. Does it mean your forefathers are all nirakara? Definitely there was a forefather of you, but you did not see him. Then will you say your great grandfather is nirakara, without form? No! Similarly, the Lord is not nirakara also.
"In one respect the Lord can be nirakara, because He doesn't have a form like us. His form is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. This is mentioned in scriptures, isvarah paramah krishnah [Bs. 5.1]; here Krishna is called 'parama', not an ordinary personality."
Anyone who doesn't accept the Lord as the Supreme Person, Prabhupada said, is, according to scripture, a mudha, no better than an ass. So to save us from making mistakes about the existence of God, he told everyone that we have to read the sastra, and that this is the special benefit of a birth in India. "If someone wants to know athato brahma jijnasa?what is this brahman, what is Bhagavan??these are all scripture. Why all these scriptures like Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Veda, Purana have been written? There are many kinds of scriptures, and these are the treasure of India. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed, bharata bhumite manushya janma haila yara: whoever has taken birth in the land of India?this happens due to a huge amount of past pious activities?this is not an ordinary thing. I saw as I traveled all over the world, though at present Indians have fallen down from their original position, that India culture is the highest in the universe. This is my personal experience."
Prabhupada urged his audience to awaken to the advantage that their birth has given them. Gesturing to the beautiful forms of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai at his side, he told them, "Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, bharata bhumite haila manushya janma yara janma sarthaka kari' kara para upakara [Cc. Adi 9.41]. This is the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You can see the vigraha of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is His mission. Those who are Indian, those who have taken birth in this holy land of India in human form, not that of an ass, this is the mission for him to make his life successful."
Wherever he travels in India, Prabhupada repeats the same message again and again, that a birth in this country is a unique opportunity for spiritual advancement and should not be squandered. This pandala was no exception. "Because there are plenty of scriptures named Veda, Purana, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and so on. Just the Upanishads are one hundred and eight in number. Eighteen Puranas, Ramayana, Maha-bharata, Bhagavatam, and Bhagavad-gita are included in those, so one should read all these scriptures scrutinizingly and make one's life successful.
"What is there to learn in this mundane educational system? In one place in Caitanya-caritamrita it is stated, krishna bhuli' sei jiva anadi bahirmukha [Cc. Madhya 20.117]; ataeva krishna veda purana kaila [Cc. Madhya 20.122] These living entities have forgotten Krishna, and when they have forgotten, it is beyond the reach of history; it is anadi. Anadi means before the time of creation?krishna bhuli' sei jiva anadi bahirmukha?the living entities forgot Krishna, the Lord. So the living entities forgot the Lord and hence their remembrance of Krishna should be awakened. They should understand that to awaken their remembrance, krishna veda purana kaila: Krishna has revealed the Veda and Purana for them. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has instructed us, those that have taken their birth in the holy land of India, they should read and listen from the revealed scripture."
Prabhupada was frank in his assessment of the current condition of his countrymen, yet hopeful that they could still be inspired to follow his example. "In spite of severe downfall, the Indian people still observe different holy festivals and ten thousand or twenty thousand people attend the ceremony. This is in their blood because of taking birth in the holy land of India. They have inclination for devotional service in a part of their existence, and there is a need now to advance it. This is the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is not that only Bhaktivedanta Swami will go abroad and do welfare for others, but you all go abroad. There are plenty of customers of this; everybody will accept with all eagerness."
Pointing out his several dozen mainly Western disciples, Prabhupada continued, "You see these European and American boys are with me and they are serving me as servants. I didn't bribe them. So why are they with me? They have got something special that they are with me. They are not from a poor country like India that become a sannyasi and maintain your livelihood simply by begging alms. But they have understood that if there is anything very solid, it is in India. And this is true.
"So Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches us that Indians should learn a lesson of not exploiting those from other countries. No! Para-upakara! India, you see in the history of the world, never engaged herself to exploit others, but her history is the history of welfare. So bharata bhumite manushya janma haila yara janma sarthaka kari' kara para upakara [Cc. Adi 9.41]: you go through all these revealed scriptures and realize them; then only can you be eligible for the welfare of others. When you have nothing, then how can you do welfare for others?"
He informed the audience of the prediction of Lord Caitanya, that His holy names would be spread to every town and village in the world, and told them that this was now being fulfilled. "This is the forecast, and it is happening. You are seeing that we have established 102 centers of ISKCON worldwide. The centers are spread in Europe, America, Australia, in Japan, in Africa, everywhere; no place is left, and everything has been brought into existence single-handedly. Now all of you, making your lives successful, preach this message all over the world. Then you will see how the prestige of India will go higher and higher, and this should be done."
Breaking briefly into English, Prabhupada's voice boomed forcefully over the loudspeakers: "If you love your country, if you love your culture, you should take up this Krishna consciousness movement and preach all over the world. That is wanted!" And reverting back into Hindi, he declared, "Yes, that is the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Do you understand it now? My point is that don't neglect it. This is my humble prayer to you. Whether you are a government officer or businessman, you accept this culture, Krishna consciousness, and preach. There is no bar to do that."
If there are two main prongs to Prabhupada's preaching in India, one is trying to arouse people to their spiritual heritage and the other is to defeat impersonalism. The launching of his preaching in Chandigarh was no exception. Explaining that there are two philosophies, one from the Mayavadis and the other from the Vaishnavas, he expertly and in short order demolished the impersonal concept and the propaganda that this material world is false. There is no question of anything being false, Srila Prabhupada told everyone, because everything emanates from God. According to sastra, God is abhijnah. "He knows everything, directly and indirectly?He is God. The rascals they say this is all nonsense . . . because they do not accept the Lord. Those who do not obey God will say this creation is false, but actually this universe, this creation, is not false. The highest technologies have been introduced to run the whole system, and those who have a little bit of intelligence can understand the truth. How the moon is rising; how the tides come in the ocean; the air, earth, fire, sky, water are all assembled together by God-all are false? How is it possible? . . .
"If Brahman is Supreme Truth then how can the Brahman produce something which is false? The 'false' is to say there is no Lord and everything has been created without any cause, automatically?this is false. The intelligent person can appreciate the Lord's presence everywhere analyzing the supreme technologies to create the whole material system. The demon says, 'asatyam': everything is false. We don't say everything is false.
"God Himself is saying that those who claim this material world is false are demons. Why would this material world be false? God Himself is saying, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca, bhinna prakritir ashtadha [Bg. 7.4]: these fire, ether, water, air, earth, all are My inferior energy. These are My energies; I have created all these things. How is it false? Again He is saying apareyam, the eightfold energy is My inferior energy and there is another prakriti which is superior to this?apareyam itas tv anyam prakritim viddhi me param [Bg. 7.5], there is another para, superior nature of Mine, jiva bhutam maha baho, that is the living entities. As we are, there is a difference between matter and us. Because we can lord it over matter. We arrange brick, stone, and wood and make a beautiful house with them. So this matter is the energy of the Lord and the jiva is also energy of the Lord, but the living entities are the superior energy."
There was another type of falsity that Prabhupada condemned as well: the idea that we living beings are the proprietors of this world. "We come to the guesthouse and stay for four days and go away; then should we consider this guesthouse belongs to us? This is illusion. This illusion covers the whole world. Isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]: everything belongs to God. This is Krishna consciousness. One should develop this sense within. To teach this we all together are launching our simple attempt."
Prabhupada ended his discourse with a final plea. "Our humble request to you all is that this is Indian culture and you should join this. This is not sentimental and not a matter of boasting. Everything here is according to revealed scripture." Drawing attention to the display on either side of him, Prabhupada told the crowd, "You can see we are presenting eighty-four books of different revealed scriptures to you, so you all please read thoroughly through the scriptures and then accept this movement very seriously. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said, bharata bhumite haila manushya janma yara [Cc. Adi 9.41], but we go to Western countries to beg alms. Why should you go there to beg alms? Go there to give something, not for taking something from them. You have the treasure; why should you beg for alms? You have spoiled your treasure and you are going to beg alms from others. This is not good. But this Krishna consciousness movement is noticing that you have wealth, so distribute this wealth to others and make your life successful and do welfare for others. Thank you very much."
With that he opened the floor for questions. Caitya-guru stationed himself at the front of the stage, handing a microphone to the questioners so that everyone could hear their questions as they presented them to Srila Prabhupada. One man came forward and asked, "Has the sac-cid-ananda a form or not?"
Prabhupada responded in the affirmative. "Yes. Form. Just like you have got form, asat, acit, nirananda, He has a form of sac-cid-ananda."
"But what is it like?" the man asked further.
"When you come to understand, then you will know," Prabhupada told him. "It cannot be explained in one minute. It requires some education and some understanding. But you have to accept the statement of the sastra, that vigraha, sac-cid-ananda. Just like you know that I have got mind, you have got mind. Can you see my mind?"
"No," the man agreed, keen to express his own idea, "but there . . . "
"No, just like you cannot see it but you can perceive. I have got mind; you have got mind. I have got intelligence; you have got intelligence. But what is that intelligence? Can you see it? Something cannot be seen but it can be perceived. Therefore our knowledge is acquired by perceiving. Vedas means sruti. You have to hear and perceive. You cannot see at the present moment; you haven't got the eyes to see."
The man interrupted, wanting to know if surely it wasn't possible to see the sac-cid-ananda in the light of consciousness.
"Whatever it may be," Prabhupada told him. "Just like I have already given you the example, that the gross thing you cannot see . . . "
And again the man interrupted, seemingly more interested in his own thoughts than in hearing Srila Prabhupada's. "But the devotee can see the form of sac-cid-ananda in light of consciousness?"
So Prabhupada agreed, "Yes, consciousness," and that seemed to satisfy him.
The man's style of questioning and his interruptions prompted Caitya-guru to get up again and inform the crowd that the proper way to approach the spiritual master was through submissive inquiry. At any rate, there were no more questions and we moved into the next part of the program.
Prabhupada's talk was well received. Even the sound system worked as it should, and he was highly pleased with the whole arrangement. He was enlivened enough that he even stayed on for the slide show of ISKCON's worldwide activities.
At the end, as Prabhupada dismounted the stage, many in the crowd surged forward to touch his feet. He received their offers of respect and praise graciously, raising his hands in pranama as he slowly made his way back to the car. It was ten o'clock by the time we arrived back at the house. Prabhupada adjudged the pandala a success and praised Caitya-guru for all his hard work.
Reference: Transcendental Diary Volume 5 by Hari Sauri Dasa
Recently Added
Trending Today