Yogeswara Dasa concludes:
Some of the questions I asked him on morning walks in Paris:
“Srila Prabhupada this Krishna Consciousness movement seems so wonderful. Is it happening on other planets as well?”
- “Why not! Krishna is everywhere therefore His movement is everywhere!”
“Srila Prabhupada sometimes the devotees ask me… they express some discomfort over the fact that they don’t get to see you very much. You’re always travelling. And they don’t know what their personal relationship is with you.”
- “What do you answer them?”
“Well I tell them that they shouldn’t feel that way, that you’ve invested yourself personally into all of your books. And if they read the books they can experience your association.”
- “You should first ask them if they’re chanting their 16 rounds! Unless someone follows the basic principles where is there any question of entering into a deeper relationship!”
Monday, 5 May 2014
Saturday, 3 May 2014
Srila Prabhupada was a master of the quick repost!
Yogeswara Dasa continues:
Other people took the morning walk as a opportunity for engaging in polemic, a debate.
And that was one of the favorite things we used to do. Srila Prabhupada would throw out a challenge to us or we would throw a challenge out to him and there would be a discussion.
Srila Prabhupada was a master of pare; a master of the quick repost!
“Well I think sex is spiritual what do you say to that?”
- “Oh! That’s a dog’s philosophy! Are you a dog?!”
“I understand you’re Allen Ginsberg’s guru..”
- “I am nobody’s guru… I am everyone’s servant!”
Other people took the morning walk as a opportunity for engaging in polemic, a debate.
And that was one of the favorite things we used to do. Srila Prabhupada would throw out a challenge to us or we would throw a challenge out to him and there would be a discussion.
Srila Prabhupada was a master of pare; a master of the quick repost!
“Well I think sex is spiritual what do you say to that?”
- “Oh! That’s a dog’s philosophy! Are you a dog?!”
“I understand you’re Allen Ginsberg’s guru..”
- “I am nobody’s guru… I am everyone’s servant!”
Friday, 2 May 2014
What a morning walk with Srila Prabhupada was meant for!
Yogeswara Dasa recounts:
People had different ideas about what a morning walk with Srila Prabhupada was meant for!
Some people thought it was meant for establishing their position as one of the inner circle. They would always jump in there early; making sure they were the first ones out the door of the van or the first ones out the door of the temple.
So they’d be right next to Srila Prabhupada. Usually he would do then them one better…by turning around and go in the opposite direction so the ones who were in the back became the ones to the front.
Or sometimes there was one disciple in Paris, he had this strange crunched up kind of voice and in his French accent would ask, “Srila Prabhupada so Lord Shiva says in the Shiva Purana …”
Srila Prabhupada just looked at him and said, “Don’t agitate your mind!”, and kept walking.
People had different ideas about what a morning walk with Srila Prabhupada was meant for!
Some people thought it was meant for establishing their position as one of the inner circle. They would always jump in there early; making sure they were the first ones out the door of the van or the first ones out the door of the temple.
So they’d be right next to Srila Prabhupada. Usually he would do then them one better…by turning around and go in the opposite direction so the ones who were in the back became the ones to the front.
Or sometimes there was one disciple in Paris, he had this strange crunched up kind of voice and in his French accent would ask, “Srila Prabhupada so Lord Shiva says in the Shiva Purana …”
Srila Prabhupada just looked at him and said, “Don’t agitate your mind!”, and kept walking.
Thursday, 1 May 2014
...then you reject the Guru to become God!
Bhavananda Dasa remembers:
Srila Prabhupada was taking his morning walk in Mayapur; he walked up to the Yoga Pita.
When we came back to go into the temple, through the gate, Srila Prabhupada decided he wanted to go the Ganga. So there was that steep embankment and you go to those fields; it was fairly steep.
I got down to the side of the bank and put my arm up. So Srila Prabhupada was leaning on my arm and I helped him down the bank. Then he pushed my hand away. Like very abruptly! And I was a little shocked!
Srila Prabhupada said, “That is the Mayavadi!...They take your help and then push you away! You take the help of the Guru and then you reject the Guru to become God! That is the Mayavadi!”
It’s simply not even nice to be a Mayavadi is what I understood. They have to concept even of manners... on a transcendental level: take your help and then push you away!
Srila Prabhupada was taking his morning walk in Mayapur; he walked up to the Yoga Pita.
When we came back to go into the temple, through the gate, Srila Prabhupada decided he wanted to go the Ganga. So there was that steep embankment and you go to those fields; it was fairly steep.
I got down to the side of the bank and put my arm up. So Srila Prabhupada was leaning on my arm and I helped him down the bank. Then he pushed my hand away. Like very abruptly! And I was a little shocked!
Srila Prabhupada said, “That is the Mayavadi!...They take your help and then push you away! You take the help of the Guru and then you reject the Guru to become God! That is the Mayavadi!”
It’s simply not even nice to be a Mayavadi is what I understood. They have to concept even of manners... on a transcendental level: take your help and then push you away!
Wednesday, 30 April 2014
We caught the culprit: what should we do with him Prabhupada?”
Yogeswara Dasa remembers:
There was a young man who was discovered stealing cheques out of the mail in Bombay in the early days.
The devotees captured him finally and brought him to Srila Prabhupada.
“We found out why the bank is not getting cheques Srila Prabhupada; we caught the culprit. What should we do with him?”
Srila Prabhupada replied, “There’s only one thing to do... forgive him!”
But if someone was a repeat offender then Srila Prabhupada asked them to leave the temple because otherwise they would just be compounding the offenses!
There was a young man who was discovered stealing cheques out of the mail in Bombay in the early days.
The devotees captured him finally and brought him to Srila Prabhupada.
“We found out why the bank is not getting cheques Srila Prabhupada; we caught the culprit. What should we do with him?”
Srila Prabhupada replied, “There’s only one thing to do... forgive him!”
But if someone was a repeat offender then Srila Prabhupada asked them to leave the temple because otherwise they would just be compounding the offenses!
Tuesday, 29 April 2014
Festival of Colours: the Countdown Begins
...didn't we just celebrate the Festival of Colours last Sunday (you ask)? Yes! If you were one of those blessed to taste the all-out fun of throwing colours with our guests, you will be counting down till next year too! Transcendental music from our sound-stage lifted us all to chant and dance in clouds of colour...with sky and bush welcoming our laughter.
Like Festival of Colours - Australia on Facebook to follow our countdown to 2015, and like Hare Krishna Melbourne for amazing photos.
Like Festival of Colours - Australia on Facebook to follow our countdown to 2015, and like Hare Krishna Melbourne for amazing photos.
“...You will never see the light of day!”
Deena Bandhu Dasa recalls:
I think it must have been 1975; the opening of Krishna Balarama temple was there.
And everyday Srila Prabhupada used to go down what is now legally called Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg.
One day while walking Srila Prabhupada was so heavily preaching against abortion and birth control. He was just going on about how nasty this abortion is, this Kali yuga.
Srila Prabhupada gave the example, “Just like if I’ve purchased an apartment and I go there to take possession, and then you stop me: that is illegal! You will be arrested if I go to the police. Or if I’m living in the apartment and you come to kick me out: it is illegal! You will be arrested! So that soul he’s purchased that womb; that’s his apartment. If you stop him to come that is illegal! If he’s inside and you kick him out: that is illegal!”
Srila Prabhupada went on, “You will go from womb to womb and you will never see the light of day!”
On the way back he was a little quiet. One Indian man suddenly said, “Oh Prabhupada, I read today that this Guru Maharajaji his mother has denounced him!” We all laughed. Srila Prabhupada said, “What is that?”
The Indian man replied, “This Guru Maharajaji his mother has gone to the papers and she’s saying that this guy is bogus and she’s denounced him!”
Srila Prabhupada laughed. We walked a few more steps and the Indian man continued, “Yes, practically she has finished him!”
Srila Prabhupada stopped, dug his cane in the street and looked at all of us, “She should have finished him in the womb!”
I think it must have been 1975; the opening of Krishna Balarama temple was there.
And everyday Srila Prabhupada used to go down what is now legally called Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg.
One day while walking Srila Prabhupada was so heavily preaching against abortion and birth control. He was just going on about how nasty this abortion is, this Kali yuga.
Srila Prabhupada gave the example, “Just like if I’ve purchased an apartment and I go there to take possession, and then you stop me: that is illegal! You will be arrested if I go to the police. Or if I’m living in the apartment and you come to kick me out: it is illegal! You will be arrested! So that soul he’s purchased that womb; that’s his apartment. If you stop him to come that is illegal! If he’s inside and you kick him out: that is illegal!”
Srila Prabhupada went on, “You will go from womb to womb and you will never see the light of day!”
On the way back he was a little quiet. One Indian man suddenly said, “Oh Prabhupada, I read today that this Guru Maharajaji his mother has denounced him!” We all laughed. Srila Prabhupada said, “What is that?”
The Indian man replied, “This Guru Maharajaji his mother has gone to the papers and she’s saying that this guy is bogus and she’s denounced him!”
Srila Prabhupada laughed. We walked a few more steps and the Indian man continued, “Yes, practically she has finished him!”
Srila Prabhupada stopped, dug his cane in the street and looked at all of us, “She should have finished him in the womb!”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)