The purport of the play is that this Hare Krishna movement is threatening to all the associates of papa [sin].
The gears are beginning to mesh in what is becoming an ISKCON-wide effort to counter the deprogramming attacks in America. Spurred on by Srila Prabhupada, Gopala Krishna Prabhu has been active in the effort to garner support here in India. He spent quite a while last night on the phone with Ramesvara Swami in America discussing their requirements, and this afternoon he, Hansaduta, Jagadisa, Akshayananda, and I met with Srila Prabhupada to discuss the fight. Gopala Krishna told Prabhupada that another case has come up in Los Angeles. One of the top young female distributors was kidnapped and held for several days, but she managed to escape and return to the temple. Now she and the devotees are suing her parents and their hired deprogrammers, and the case is attracting of favorable publicity. The whole issue is becoming very big. Articles are appearing in every major paper in America, and even many overseas publications are carrying the story. In New York, however, Gopala Krishna reported, most news reports are currently not so complimentary.
Prabhupada is not at all worried. He said that as we gain importance our enemies will try to suppress us. "So that is natural. Even Krishna was suppressed. Krishna could not be suppressed, but the attempt was there: Kamsa.So these things go on. Still, we have to work. If we work sincerely, then we'll come out successful."
It was a good indication, he said, that they are feeling the pressure of the movement. Otherwise they would not bother with us. He was particularly pleased to hear that Professor Shaligram Sukla had attended the press conference and declared that the attacks were an insult to his religion. Again Prabhupada stressed that the devotees should canvass the expatriate Indians to step forward and support their culture. "They should take signatures from all Indians that 'this is genuine Indian cultural movement, and it a great fortune for Indians. They were bereft of their own culture, and now we have got this culture again. The Ratha yatra is going on; we are so much enlivened.' In this way they should file petition."
Srila Prabhupada doesn't want to just talk; he made it clear that he wants positive action. Speaking directly to Gopala Krishna, he said, "So you note down; you are simply hearing. Note down and inform them. Yes. Ah, it is being recorded, that's alright. So give them this direction. Combine the Indian community. There are many thousands of Indians, New York, Canada, London. These are very important places. Yes, many thousands and thousands of important Indians, very rich men there are. In London there are very rich Indians. They can form immediately a solid association. They should present that 'this Krishna is our God. In every Indian home we observe Krishna Janmashtami.' Even though one does not follow Krishna cult, still if he is Hindu he follows the Janmashtami. Inevitably, everywhere.
"So this Krishna cult is genuine, Vedic, based on Bhagavad-gita, which was spoken long, long years ago before any religion, any religious literature in the world. The Buddha literature or the Christian literature and Jewish literature, they cannot be counted more than two thousand years. A little more than that. But this Krishna cult is coming from?I have already explained in the introduction?it is coming from four hundred millions of years ago. But even historically, it is five thousand years. Beyond all religious literature in the world. We have to present this case in the court. And let it be discussed thoroughly, and see our books, compare any religious books with our these books. Present all the opinions of big, big professors how traditional Indian culture is there. You have to fight, organize."
Prabhupada was in a feisty mood. He isn't going to simply sit back and allow ignorance and prejudice to stop his mission. "How they can defeat us? We have got so solid ground. How they can defeat, these rascals? We consider them simply rascals and fools. And we call them rascals and fools. What do they know of religion? What do they know of God? They know slaughterhouse and killing, and illicit sex and killing the fetus. That's all. What do they know? They are not even civilized. We have come to make them civilized. They should understand. They are not civilized.
"They do not know how to eat even. The first principle of life is eating. They do not know how to eat. We are teaching them how to eat. When men are uncivilized, they do not how to grow food; they kill animals in the jungle and eat. When they are civilized, they know how to grow food, nice food grains, fruit, Flowers; now why should they say, 'You eat the meat'? The meat eating is meant for the most uncivilized persons. That means they do not know even how to eat . . . how to sleep, how to have sex. Nothing. They're having sex like cats and dogs. No marriage, girl's friend, boy's friend, and then illegitimate . . . So many things. They should be exposed. And there is no harm exposing, in truth.
"Simply by manufacturing, constructing a big, high skyscraper building, does it mean he is civilized? It is passionate work . . . but this is not civilization.
Canakya Pandita has given the formula of civilization-three words: matrivat para dareshu. Where is that civilization? To consider every woman as mother. Except one's own married wife, all women: mother. Where is that civilization? That should be; otherwise there cannot be social regulation. Matrivat para dareshu para dravyeshu loshtravat, other's property is just like garbage in the street. Nobody touches the garbage. That is civilization."
Prabhupada inquired about several members of Parliament who have expressed support in the recent past, but Gopala Krishna told him that although they speak favorably in private they will not put anything in writing, because of the ruling Congress Party policy. He recalled that one member with whom Tejiyas is friendly had nevertheless refused to sign a recommendation for Tejiyas to get his Indian citizenship.
Srila Prabhupada is quite disgusted with the Indian leadership, but he told Gopala Krishna that at least a recent letter from Brahmananda Reddy, the Home Minister, granting non-Commonwealth devotees two-year visas could be used.
"Yes. I have that letter," Gopala confirmed. "That letter says they have come to study Vedic literature."
Prabhupada stated emphatically that the support of the Indians in America is essential. "That is a most important thing. That you cannot discriminate [against] minority communities. That is against American constitution."
Drawing from his experience in dealing with similar attacks in Germany, Hansaduta Maharaja suggested that we should have all our centers in important cities around the world form delegations to visit their local United States consulates with petitions. Gopala Krishna added that Ramesvara has suggested that here in India we fund our Life Membersto send a petition of telegrams to the American consulate. The consulate would then transmit the telegrams to the State Department in Washington. Srila Prabhupada approved both ideas.
On the whole, he is very pleased with all the commotion. One devotee had seen a prominent article about the court cases in a British newspaper when he visited the British embassy. The more publicity, the more Prabhupada likes it. Smiling, he recalled once again the comments of the Texas legislature reported by Balavanta prabhu. "That has been expressed by this gentleman, that it is going like epidemic. They must stop it. That is their feeling. That 'Krishna consciousness movement is spreading so fast, like epidemic, we must take some steps.' "
He also asked me to repeat what I had told him previously about a case we had in Sydney and the subsequent comments made by a psychiatrist to the newspapers.
"The Sydney city council is trying to have us banned from the city altogether," I said, "and they took us to court, and we didn't contest the case, and they lost. And then afterwards they worked out that they spent ten thousand dollars and so much manpower to try and get rid of us, and it didn't work. And one newspaper man went to a psychiatrist and asked him, 'Can you explain why this huge reaction against just a few people singing and dancing in the street?' So he said basically it's because the city dwellers feel very threatened by our simple lifestyle."
Prabhupada's eyes lit up. "Yes. Just see. So this whole Western civilization is threatened.
"Their whole economic structure will fail. Theoretically, take it for granted that if people give up meat eating, then whole civilization finished. Even theoretically taken, no smoking, no gambling, no intoxication, no illicit sex, their whole civilization is finished.
Sir Valentine Chiro, British, important-when Gandhi started non cooperation, he remarked that 'If Gandhi's movement, this non co-operation movement, is one percent successful, then we will have to leave it.' And actually that happened. Because they were ruling over India by Indian cooperation. Gandhi struck to the right point, non cooperation, and he scented the danger, and he remarked at that time that if one percent of the Indian people non cooperate then our British empire finished. So there are intelligent persons, and they are thinking in their own way that this movement is so strong against this modern material civilization, if it is allowed to spread then our whole civilization, whole economic structure will be finished . . . And the most dangerous point is that young men are taking part."
"The future of the country," Gopala Krishna nodded.
"Yes. That means it will continue. Young men, they take anything very seriously. So this movement is threatening the foundation of material civilization in the Western countries. That's a fact. The foundation is threatened. Their whole foundation is this: meat eating, illicit sex, gambling, and intoxication. They have no other formula. Lord Zetland, when he was asking one of my Godbrothers that 'Can you make me brahmana?' So 'Yes, why not? You follow.' He said, 'It is impossible for us. It is impossible for us.' So that's a fact. If some percentage of the population, European and American population, take it seriously, then it will be dangerous for their government, their economic situation. That's a fact."
Prabhupada recalled with a smile the play that Sudama Maharaja and his theater troupe had put on for him in New York depicting the personality of Kali and his nefarious associates meeting with the sankirtana party of Lord Caitanya. "The purport of the play is that this Hare Krishna movement is threatening to all the associates of papa [sin]."
He was pleased especially with all the publicity advertising Krishna's name, and he said that this case would also help to distinguish us from the bogus groups and false gurus. "So we have to fight. Here is a chance for fighting, so why they're afraid? You have to fight. Keeping our principles strictly. Yuddhyasva mam anusmara [Bg. 8.7]. We should not be afraid to fight. Now Indians and Americans should join for fighting on behalf of Krishna. Then it will be successful. How they can say it is not genuine movement? Other so called yogis, swamis, they may be rascals, but this is not the rascaldom."
When Gopala Krishna mentioned that we are also being accused of not being Hindus, Srila Prabhupada didn't think that a bad thing, as long as it is understood correctly. "Hindus; we are 'Krishnian.' Krishna, in the dictionary it is said, 'Hindu God,' but we are claiming that Krishnian, Krishna. Krishna conscious. Krishna conscious means 'Godder than the Hindus.' Krishna says, sarva yonishu, 'In all forms of life, I am the seed-giving father.' Why He should be simply Hindu? This point should be stressed. Sarva yoni means eight million four hundred thousands, all forms. Krishna is for all of them. Hindus are included, but Krishna is not restricted to Hindus.
"Krishna's picture, that Bal Gopala. He's embracing the calves. Krishna does not embrace only the gopis; He's embracing the calves also. That is Krishna. He's equal to everyone. Mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa yonayah [Bg. 9.32]. Papa yonayah. So many low grade forms of life, they're also His. Quote this: Krishna is not restricted to the Hindu. We say, 'We are not Hindu,' means we embrace everyone. We embrace everyone, and actually we are doing that. Why should we simply be compact within the limitation of Hindus? That is not our purpose. Then we would not have come to Western countries. We are actually spreading universal brotherhood. Krishna is the father and everyone our brother. We are claiming all our fallen brothers to become Krishna conscious. This is our movement.
"Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, prithivite ache yata nagaradi grama, this is our movement. [CB Antya-khanda 4.126] Why you should be restricted to India and amongst the Hindus? Our acaryas, they asked that 'Go, go,' bharata bhumite, you have taken birth in India, that's all right; make your life successful and go abroad, para upakara. Janma sarthaka kori koro para upakara [Cc. Adi 9.41]. This is our mission. We have come to you to make you civilized. This is our mission. And the best men of your country, they are recommending. All the learned circle, they are coming. How can you defy us?"
" 'You are trying to brainwash.' Actually you have no brain. Just see how important it is, this movement. 'You are trying to brainwash.' We are not brainwashing. We are giving you good brain. That is our mission. That you are so dull headed we have come to give you good brain, su medhasah. Yajnaih sankirtana prayair yajanti hi su medhasah [SB 11.5.32]. We have come to make you intelligent. Receive us well, for your benefit. Tell them like that. Bring one court case, and I shall sit, go and sleep there. And expose them, item by item. I know my case is strong."
He started laughing. "Yes, I will speak. If you cannot speak, I shall go and speak."
Prabhupada is fearless. The same fearless nature that propelled him eleven years ago to the other side of the world?alone at the age of seventy with nothing but his strong conviction and uncompromising presentation of the Supreme Godhead?still burns fiercely within. His body may be getting frail, but his spirit glows bright and strong. He doesn't see the enemies of this movement as just the deprogrammers either. He mentioned how Bhavan's Journal decided not to publish his response to their questions, and although they had given the excuse that the article was too late for their publication deadline, he felt that there was another reason underlying their reluctance to publish his words. "That Bhavan's Journal, he did not dare to publish my statement. Everyone is combined to kill Krishna. Everyone, all over the world. 'There is no God'-the scientists, these philosophers, the politicians, everyone. This is the only movement talking of God. Nirvisesha sunyavadi. Everywhere, impersonalists and zero. 'There is no God'. The zero vadis, they are a little frank, but these rascals, nirviseshavadis?God has no head, no tail-they are dangerous. Zero vadis, they call Him zero; that's all right. That is, we can understand, they admit. But these rascals, nirviseshavadis?'Yes, there is God, but He has no head, He has no tail, He has no hand, He has no leg.' Then what He has? They are greatest cheaters. More dangerous than the sunyavadis. That is the version of Caitanya Mahaprabhu: veda na maniya bauddha haya ta' nastika/ vedasraya nastikya-vada bauddhake adhika [Cc. Madhya 6.168]. These Buddhists, they do not care for the Vedic injunction. We can understand. But these Sankarites, they take shelter of the Vedas and they say, 'There is no form of God.' And that is being followed by the so called Hindus. All the invitees in that meeting, Bajaj meeting, they are all nirviseshvadi."
When Jagadisa suggested that the impersonalist mentality might create problems for us in our efforts to get support from the Indian community, Prabhupada responded with his bottom line. "No, we don't care for Indians and Europeans. We care for Krishna, that's all. I didn't care for anyone. I simply care for Krishna, that's all. And my Guru Maharaja, that's all. I went to your country, not supported by Indians and Europeans. I went on the order of my Guru Maharaja and under the shelter of Krishna's protection, that's all. That is wanted. Guru krishna kripaya paya bhakti lata bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. We want two favors. One from guru, one from Krishna. That's all. We don't want anyone's favor. So you have to fight. Krishna never said, 'Arjuna, oh, you are My devotee, you sit down and sleep, I shall take care of . . . ' He never said that. So if you take that position?we are devotees, non violent, and let us sleep . . . Fight! With all the resources that we have got. That is wanted."
Prabhupada isn't daunted by the odds, which at the moment seem to be stacked against us. "So prepare for fight. Don't be afraid. Arjuna, they were five brothers and the other party, one hundred brothers. Therefore Dhritarashtra was confident that 'What are these five brothers without any help? We have ruined them. They were in the forest for thirteen years. Lost all connection, no kingdom. I have got government in hand, and my hundred sons, and we are well equipped.' "
As he was stoking up his disciples to face the attack, several local gentlemen came in, at least one of whom was a friend of Srila Prabhupada's. Prabhupada immediately drew them into the discussion, briefly explaining how the movement is now under attack. When they agreed that it was certainly a great credit to Srila Prabhupada to be the focus of so much concern, he pushed for their active participation. "Don't say certainly; you must come forward to fight. If you simply sit down in Vrindavana, then Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is not being carried. He says, prithivite ache yata nagaradi grama. [CB Antya-khanda 4.126] That is His mission. I am a teeny person; single handed we shall fight? Why you should see the fun and do not fight? That I am asking you. I shall fight and you shall see the fun?"
They smiled in agreement. "No, no."
Prabhupada smiled back and pressed home his point. "Now, you appear to be educated gentlemen. You combine all the Gaudiya Vaishnava gosvamis and come with me to fight, because there is a world fight now."Declaring that the whole of America and Europe is now feeling threatened, and again citing the words of the Texas legislature, he told them, "All these fathers of these young men, they are combining together to charge me that I am kidnapping their boys. So it is a serious situation; you should not see simply the fun and claim to belong to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Now you should come out to fight. Am I wrong or right?"
They nodded in agreement and Prabhupada again asked, "Then do that. Hold a meeting among the Gaudiya Vaishnavas here, and I will explain the position. Now we should combine together and fight. As soon as you introduce something strong, there will be fight. There will be fight. Even Krishna had to see the fight, Kurukshetra. Dharmakshetre kurukshetre samaveta yuyutsavah [Bg. 1.1]. The fight must be there, yuyutsavah. So if you belong to Caitanya Mahaprabhu's party, then you should come out to fight. Whatever's done is done, and it is done single handed. Nobody has helped me. Even not my Godbrothers. These American boys, they have helped me. They understood the philosophy and they helped me. Rather, they are criticizing that I am making these American boys sannyasi and giving them sacred thread. They are criticizing. What is your opinion?"
The gentlemen were a little reluctant to say anything negative and agreed that anyone who is worshiping Krishna should be recognized as a Vaishnava. Again Prabhupada drove home his point, to everyone's amusement. "They criticize me. They do not recognize this temple as a Vaishnava temple; they say angrej [English] temple."
They laughed and acknowledged that the temple was for everyone.
"Yes, yes," Prabhupada replied. "Jivera 'svarupa' haya-nitya krishna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108 109]. We are trying that. Mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa yonayah. Why the papa yonis should be neglected?
"So this thing has been done single handed; now you should come forward, all combine together. There is a great fight. We are just planning how to fight. Now when there is fight, it requires real strength. Now their fight is confronting us because they are feeling the strength. Their whole civilization is threatened. We are recommending no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, and no meat eating. This is the basic principle of modern civilization. So the foundation is threatened.
Theoretically they are taking that 'If these four things are stopped, then where is our civilization?' The millions of liquor manufacturers, breweries, millions of gambling houses, cigarette factories, so theoretically if this movement is successful, then whole civilization is finished. Because these young men have taken seriously, so they are threatened and they are making a strong party to fight with us."
Prabhupada decried the ludicrous charge of kidnapping, pointing out that he does not go to people's houses to kidnap anyone; they are coming to him. He again urged his guests to solicit the support of the local Gosvami families. The original gosvamis, he said, were sri caitanya kripa bhara -carrying the mercy of Lord Caitanya to the whole world, so those who claim to be in their line should be prepared to do the same. "They are descendants. Now prove; come forward. Sri caitanya kripa bharau. Simply sitting at home. And in Bengal there is Nityananda vamsa. What is Nityananda vamsa? Nityananda went forward before Jagai Madhai and He was hurt. Blood came out. Where is that Nityananda vamsa? Fight between Jagai Madhai and Nityananda. That is Nityananda vamsa. Simply taking advantage of coming from Nityananda vamsa, 'I have become guru, give me your money,' and sit down, 'Let me enjoy life with my wife and children'?that kind of Nityananda vamsa will not help. Come forward to fight. This fighting is now. Here."
Telling Gopala Krishna to show his guests the newspaper clippings, he continued, "Make a big arrangement to fight this. First of all they [Westerners] thought that so many swamis and yogis come, all rascals; they stay for some time and go away. Even Vivekananda," he said with a laugh. "So this is not a bogus movement; it is taking stand."
As his guests perused the news articles, Prabhupada told them that their coming in just as he was discussing how to counter these attacks was auspicious. "This is fortunate that you have come in this moment. So I'll give you this inspiration; now combine together all Vrindavana gosvamis. Krishna cult is for everyone, either Gaudiya or Ramanuja or everyone. Now all of you should come forward. That you do. They are concerned with the Krishna cult. Krishna cult means all the acaryas, all the acaryas, either Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Nimbarka, or anyone, they should combine together.
Speaking occasionally in Hindi, Prabhupada quoted a verse written by his Guru Maharaja: dushta mana! tumi kisera vaishnava? pratishthara tare, nirjanera ghare, tava hari nama kevala kaitava (My dear mind, what kind of devotee are you? Simply for cheap adoration you sit in a solitary place and pretend to chant the Hare Krishna maha mantra, but this is all cheating). Thus he encouraged his guests to become active in the fight. "So we should be very alert in this point. All the Vaishnavas of different sampradayas, especially Gaudiya sampradaya, you should come forward to fight this. They are gathering their strength. We should gather our strength. Fight. Krishna never said that 'Don't fight.' Never said to Arjuna that 'You are My devotee; you don't fight. You are very good gentleman, nonviolent, and I shall do everything for you.' Never said that. He said, 'Now there is a great dangerous fight. Why you are saying like a nonsense?' anarya jushtam, like non Aryan. This fight is another good news that they are feeling the strength."
He briefly mentioned how Gargamuni had gone back to his home to take over his father's business but that because he had refused to eat meat, his father had rejected him, lamenting that now he was lost. "So there, that one father, now the all fathers have combined that 'Our children are now lost. They do not come home, what to speak of adopting again our way of life.' They cannot accept the way of life, meat eating and . . . That is not possible. That they're finding dangerous. And other movements, they join and they come back; they remain what they are. Simply they say that 'I belong to this grouping.' But ours is different. Not only he belongs to Krishna consciousness movement, but a different type of life."
The gentlemen were more than agreeable to help and asked how long Srila Prabhupada intended to remain in Vrindavana. Prabhupada said he would stay as long as necessary in order to get some meetings organized and suggested that they be held here at our temple. He asked where our car was (the temple has only one vehicle), and when Akshayananda Maharaja reported that it was being used in Bareilly on a preaching program for ten days, Prabhupada told him to call it back immediately so that it can be used for going around to visit the different leading Vaishnavas.
Instructing Akshayananda to accompany his guests, Prabhupada thanked them for their willingness to help and again urged everyone to face the challenge. "Combine together in Vrindavana. Fight! Without fight, where is life? If there is no fighting, then what is that life? That is dead stone. Fight must be there. Krishna's whole life is fighting from the very birth. His father carried Him to Gokula and He fell down in the Yamuna and . . . Just born, the fighting began. Just born. And at Yasodamayi's house, Nanda Maharaja's house, so many demons daily coming?Sakatasura, Aghasura, Bakasura, Putana, so on, so on, so on. Ultimately Kamsa, when He was young boy. Vrindavana, so many asuras came. You have seen the pictures? Krishna is fighting with the horse demon, with the bull, fighting. If Krishna is fighting, why not Krishna consciousness the same thing? You cannot expect peaceful life. No, there must be fighting; then think, 'That is Krishna's presence, His fight.' So this fighting means they're feeling the presence of Krishna consciousness movement. Otherwise why they're making fight? Had it been an insignificant thing, there was no question of fighting."
Prabhupada remembered something from the Second World War, which served as an amusing comparison to show that his movement is a serious thing. The Germans, he said, had made a huge gun that was designed to fire shells from France right over the English Channel to hit London. "So this gun is required not for killing a mosquito!" As we laughed he exclaimed, "Big enemy! So they are preparing this big gun and not for the mosquito. And this Mahesh Yogi and this yogi . . . you see, they are mosquitoes. For them, they don't require any gun. So for big enemy, big gun, you see. They are preparing big gun. That means Hare Krishna movement is big enemy. It is not mosquito. So you remain a big enemy; you don't become a mosquito. That is wanted. Immediately arrange this meeting here. Call all the Vaishnavas, all."
Although Prabhupada's inclination has been more and more to delegate management responsibilities to his GBC men and leaders, on this issue he is not going to take a back seat. He wants to participate actively. His blood is heated and he is exhibiting a vigor and enthusiasm that I haven't ever seen. As he said when he left New York in July, he simply wants the benediction of being able to fight for Krishna, like Arjuna, to the last breath.
Reference: Transcendental Diary Volume 5 by Hari Sauri Dasa
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