Venue: Dubai
Dated: 2008
There are lots of Jagannath temples in Damodara desh. The place we are staying, there is also Jagannatha Baladev Subhadra. Here also Jagannatha, lots of Jagannathas. In Dubai, streets are quiet wide, no overhead wires. For holding ratha yatra, these streets are pretty ideal. In India, the roads are narrow, there overheads wires all over. Devotees have to, you have seen them how they do? When that day will be coming when we’ll have a grand ratha yatra here in Dubai? Haribol!!

One day that will happen, maybe within our lifetime or soon after, 50 years. Sounds difficult and even there is impossibility. That day I was thinking, having Jagannatha temple indoor. 15, 20 years ago if we were to hear that in 2008, the country called Damodar desh, hundreds and hundreds of devotees, followers of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and hundreds of homes with deities of Jagannatha and Gaura Nitai. Who could have believed such thing? Forget it, not possible, in Dubai Middle East? Something that we thought would not happen, not possible. Here we are seeing that dream coming true or impossibility becoming possible. So likewise this 40 or 50 years ago, the whole world or well in India or Bengal, they were wondering when the prediction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu going to come true? Is it going to come true? Caitanya Mahaprabhu predicted,

‘prithivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama’

Caitanya Mahaprabhu predicted ‘prithivi’, what is prithivi? Whole planet, ‘prithivite ache yata’, as many nagars and grams, towns and villages are there on this planet. In those many villages, in those many towns “haibe mora nama”- My name would be chanted, this was prediction. This 50 years ago devotees were wondering, is this ever going to happen? Or the prithvi that Caitanya Mahaprabhu refered to, is that just India or is that just Bengal or Orissa or just Radha kunda or just may be Manipur? There was some chanting of the holy name was going on.

In 1965, Srila Prabhupada took that journey. It took him 30 days he traveled by boat Jaladuta. Devaduta was travelling by Jaladuta. Beautiful name of that boat, Jaladuta, Duta means messenger, so there was messenger travelling on that boat, Devaduta, Caitanya duta. He could only travel by cargo ship that time. Now we want to go to the West, travel to the West we do not consider that as an option. We just fly, cross the oceans, one ocean or seven oceans we land. But Srila Prabhupada had to undertake that kind of journey and he landed in New York. From the boat he just climbed down, there was no one to receive him. Srila Prabhupada writes in his Jaladuta diary, Prabhupada’s diary called Jaladuta diary. Well, he did not know where to turn, right or left. Once he was in New York off the boat or down the stairs, there was no one to receive him, no hotel booking and no one to pick him up.

So we say, he was by himself. We also say he was penniless; he had only 5 dollars worth 40 rupees only. Then Prabhupada started chanting, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”. He did not have microphone. He did not have anybody to play drum for him. He would be literally on the footpath and chanting. Only passers by people on the footpath, of course Americans. They would listen and of course everyone get attracted. There was a magnetic, something magnetic would get them, so they had to stop. The holy name was the Lord Himself and stopping them. Of course the personality of Prabhupada, the way he had dressed that was also very much different from American national dress. So they were stopping and hearing. Prabhupada would speak. Sometimes people would ask and Prabhupada would show, ‘this is Krsna, this is God, Supreme Personality of Godhead.’ ‘If He is God, what is the girl doing there?’ (Laughter) So much ignorance. The world is full of ignorance. Americans had no clue that if this is Krsna and next to Him has to be who? Srimati Radharani. Not only Radharani but Simati Radharani. And if that is Rama then next to Him? Sri Sita devi. And if that is Narayana then next to Him? Sri Lakshmi devi. It is such a common knowledge. Even children know this in India. Even that much was not known to these ignorant Americans. So those were the good old days, in abroad days. Under those circumstances, Srila Prabhupada inaugurated his Hare Krsna movement. Then he will be sometimes sitting in the park on the bench. One day someone sitting next to him and some dialogues begun. Srila Prabhupada is by himself but he is talking about the temples around the world and Krsna consciousness around the world. And he was explaining to that gentleman that he was talking to.

The International Society for Krsna Consciousness was limited just to him, just the one person, founder. He was not even registered by the time he was talking. So that was 42, 43 years ago. Very soon Hare Krsna movement was founded in New York. And Srila Prabhupada had invitation to go to San Francisco. Srila Prabhupada took flight and he was landing in San Francisco. He looked through the window of the aircraft of that airline. To him all those buildings, tall sky scrapers, they look like a match box one on the other; Prabhupada describes. That was the first flight Prabhupada ever took in his life. He was 70 years old and New York to San Francisco in 1965 at the age of 70. That was the first time Prabhupada had flown, taken flight. Already he had some followers that invited him to come to San Francisco and hold festivals. Some kind, big name from the hippie era, San Francisco was the capital of hippies. One of the leaders of the hippie kingdom, they were attracted to Prabhupada, to his singing.

So during that visit, as Srila prabhupada stayed in San Francisco and Jagannatha ratha yatra festival was held. We were talking of Jaganntah ratha yatra in Dubai. The first ever ratha yatra in Western world took place, that was in San Francisco in 1966. There were 10,000 Americans attended that ratha yatra in the Golden Gate park, famous park. When I heard those numbers, I was thinking maybe they are just talking, maybe little, someone just making numbers. But very recently, I saw the footage of Yadubara Prabhu, Prabhupada disciple. He has made almost a movie, the footage is available now on ISKCON Cinema. You have seen? I saw the footage and I was amazed. I had been hearing, seeing is believing and when I saw the crowds, I was amazed to see the number of Americans attending that 1966 ratha yatra. It was so successful. Prabhupada was so much pleased. You can imagine the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada for the successful completion of Jagannatha ratha yatra in San Francisco. That was not even regular ratha, chariot; flat bed truck. And the deities were made by one of his followers called Syamasundar. Malati is his wife and they have a daughter called Sarasvati. Prabhupada asked him to make the deities. How should they look like Prabhupada? Asked Syamasundar.

And Prabhupada gave them small doll sized deities. Where did Prabhupada find those deities? In fact, Malati, wife of Syamasundar as she was doing her shopping in one of the Hyper bazaars, I just read Hyper bazaar. I read Super bazaar, today I read Hyper bazaar. So one of those Hyper, Super, super duper bazaars that Malati was doing shopping one day and she found little strange looking dolls. Along with her shopping she also bought that doll back home or back to the small Hare Krsna center. Srila Prabhupada found the doll which Malati’s daughter Sarasvati was playing with that. Srila Prabhupada saw that strange looking doll, for him the doll was not strange at all. And he immediately said, ‘bring that, bring that here. Where did you find it?’ He inquired from Malati and she gave the whole explanation. Prabhupada said. ‘ go back, if you look just around where you found this deity doll, there should be two more similar kind of strange looking.’ And Malati ran back to the store and was surprised to find two more of those dolls. She returned and now there were three of them. Srila Prabhupada placed them on the desk in front of him And Srila Prabhupada was moved, he was in prayerful mood as he was looking at these dolls with devotion. Everyone was surprised and was wondering what is so special about these dolls, strange looking dolls. Then Srila Prabhupada for the first time, he explained Lord Jagannatha. Jagannatha Baladev Subhadra ki jay!! He explained Jagannatha Puri and Jagannatha Baladev Subhadra deities.

So when Syamasundar had to make deities, Srila Prabhupada said, ‘ you make deities looking just like these.’ He gave that as a model of deities after these small Jagannatha Baladev Subhadra. And then that ratha yatra was held and big turnout. Srila Prabhupada said that San Francisco will be known as New Jagannatha Puri. Haribol!! He named that town as this town or little state has been named Damodar by Jayapataka Maharaj. So Srila Prabhupada said, ‘this new city will be New Jagannatha Puri.’ The grand ratha yatra festival had became talk of the town. Gradually now they are holding ratha yatra every year, year after year. The Mayor of the town San Francisco, he declared, ‘the day Hare Krsna will hold ratha yatra, that day will be the Jagannatha Ratha Yatra Day.’ Haribol!!

He made that as a big declaration. Whenever there is ratha yatra that is Ratha Yatra Day in San Fancisco. So the deities are there in San Francisco, the tall deities. They are not the original deities.

Till September 1965, the chanting of the holy name was happening mostly maybe few people somewhere in the Western world were chanting hidingly or they worshipped their Lords also hidingly, in a closet they worshipped. But soon the Hare Krsna chanting was happening on the streets of major cities of America. People were taking note and they soon of course reach straight over to Europe and European countries and to South Africa, Africa and countries, even East Africa also, Canada. Prabhupada went to Japan side and finally returned to India also. That’s where we met him in 1971.

When Prabhupada went he saw the Western world and he conquered the Western. He went, saw and conquered. Who said that? Alexander and then he was also loosing all those. He was not good as maintenance. He is known for conquering and loosing his kingdom. So Prabhupada was going, seeing and conquering those countries. When he took birth he was just a baby, it was predicted, this child is not an ordinary one. He will establish 108 temples. So Prabhupada did that, more than 108 temples he established within his lifetime. He made Hare Krsna movement popular, Hare Krsna people. In Tokyo Hare Krsna, San Francisco Hare Krsna, London Hare Krsna, everywhere the chanting and dancing parties everywhere within very short span.

So as we took that point earlier, the world was wondering, is this holy name, could it be spread all over the planet? All over the world? Or it will be limited to Bengal, Orissa, Radha Kunda or Manipur, just few of those places in India. Srila Prabhpada- empowered Acharya- Senapati bhakta we call, chief in commander of the Sankirtan army, he went to New York. Why New York? Because that was capital of the age of Kali, is New York (Laughter) Maya’s kingdom, Kali’s kingdom and its capital.

That commander in chief, he headed for that capital. He wanted to conquer that capital. He goes there and there has to be some weapons. So what weapon? Hari nama, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. The Hari nama was exploding on the streets of New York entering in the hearts of the people Americans, explosion. As a result all the ignorance were getting destroyed, smashed. Also Prabhupada came up with the bullets. What are the bullets? Gulab jamun (Laughter).

All this the language of the army, he was the commander in chief; also the books are time bombs. (Laughter) It may take little time but literally they will explode and will revolutionize, revolution in consciousness. That is terms Prabhupada also used this term, revolution in consciousness. This revolution, French revolution and his revolution and that revolution. Russians have their revolution in 1900, lasted for some 80 years only and then collapsed. Then Prabhupada came up with the revolution.

Revolution, dissolution, no solution. (Laughter) Prabhupada said in his purport and no solution. Prabhupada gave a solution also, by revolutionizing consciousness, humanity change, change of heart, change of consciousness. He changed something. If you change one thing in a person’s life and then everything else changes. What is that you would like to change? Change that person, if you change one thing and everything else changes. What is that? His consciousness. You change the consciousness and everything else, all the external features also, the form will change. So from substance to the form, substantial change and the root level, changing at the root level. Thinking, thought level, consciousness level, soul level go deeper. When Prabhupada had temples opened, he had temples commanders also, bullets, bombs and revolution.

Srila Prabhupada did go to Iran, atleast once, maybe more than once, is that Middle East he came that close and was heading towards. And then one of his disciples, he translated Bhagavad gita in Arabic language. In Iran devotees would preach from Bhagavad gita. They would begin their discourse saying, ‘allah uvaca’ (Laughter), nothing wrong.

‘bhagavan aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya
yasasah Sriyah jnana-vairagyasyos caiva’ (Visnu purana 6.5.47)

Bhagavan is ‘sad aisvarya purna’ full of six opulence’s. One of the six opulence’s is strength, His greatness. So Allah means God is great. Who could deny? If you want to say God is great in just one word, one name, Allah is that name. God is great, so that is fine.

So prior to 1965, the world was wondering, when is the holy name going to spread all over the world? It was spreading all over the world but had not reached the Middle East countries. Devotees are coming through, while coming from Europe sometimes devotees would drive from London to Mayapur, to Vrindavana. They would come for the festivals from these countries Tribhuvanath Prabhu my Godbrother.

So Prabhupada time, my godbrothers and godsisters, Yamuna was one of those very daring souls that pass through Middle east countries. There are some photographs of devotees, some war and some explosions, bombs and they were risking their lives. They took sometimes but finally Krsna consciousness is here in this part of the world taking deeper roots. And if has reached your hearts, if it is deeper rooted in your hearts, then it cannot be uprooted. If it is just something external at tilak level ‘nake tilak galaya mala’, and then ultimately you are ‘kalir chela’. This is very cheap, these symptoms, these external features. Of course they are deeper meaning and that’s part of Krsna consciousness. But sometimes they are just there but nothing within, nothing deeper. That is not the case here.

You have taken to Krsna consciousness very seriously, your homes are temples. Ghar ek mandir hai, har ek ghar mandir hai. We used to hear “dil ek mandir hai but now ghar ek mandir hai”. So we are very pleased that you have taken to Krsna consciousness seriously and practicing it. Some people in India say, “Oh, you know I am pretty regular going to the temple. I am regular, every Janmasthami. (Laughter) And the Rama navmi also, every Rama navmi”. Pretty regular, that’s also regular right? Once a year, that’s regular. You are more regular than ever before whether you are in India or not that regular. Not only you go, once a week you may go to the satsang program. There are so many weekly home programs. And then of course your home every day, you are attending to the Lord and making offerings offer obeisances and chanting and hearing.

You know how much regular it has to be? The sastras say, ‘anuksann, sann’ moment and the next moment also. sann and anuksann, ‘anu’ means to follow. One sann anuksann, then next sann, next asnn and then next and then next. ‘abhiksnasah’ continual, ‘srnvanti gayanti grnanty abhiksnasah’ (S.B 1.8.36), means nirantar, all the time. ‘satatam’ the way the word sounds, satatam, there is no space in this word ‘satatam’. ‘satatam’ means constantly, satatya . English word does not sound like that, constantly is not satatam, see the difference. ‘tesam satata yuktanam’, the 10th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord says, ‘tesam satata yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam’ (B.G 10.10). Those who worship Me serve Me satatam.

So once a year, that is also regular but every moment is also being regular. Once a week is also regular (Laughter). Once a day is also regular. So carry on practicing and spreading, preserving, propagating Krsna consciousness. This is the best gift that you could give it to anybody. Charity begins at home. You could give it to the family members and you could give it to your neighbors and give it to others. There was a time that Indians; they would go away from India to the West. Also maybe to get away from God. God has caught up with them. They went to the West, God has followed or Srila Prabhupada came with the God. Many wise Indians are accepting God, not just any God from the 33 crores Gods. But now you also know who is God and who is Supreme Personality of Godhead also. That discrimination, that understanding was not there before. Now Srila Prabhupada, pure devotee on behalf of Krsna and previous acharyas, he is making very very clear, crystal clear in his books who is God. I am not God, you are not God.

There is also trouble like that. I could make you God. You just have to get mantra, I will give you mantra. They sell mantras and some fools buy mantras thinking that they will end up becoming God. So many misleading statements, confusion, misunderstanding, speculating, impersonalism and lots of more. Srila Prabhupada made it very very clear and he made it available. It is available here now. As a result you have best of the whole world. You have some opulence of the West and you have culture and religion of the East. Chant Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare and take Krsna prasad. You have Bhagavad Gita also As It Is? Do not keep it as it is (Laughter). I have Bhagavad Gita and I keep it as it is. So don’t do that. Take it out, read. We’ll be meeting few more times in next few days if we have time.

I’ll stop here. Thank you for inviting us. It is an opportunity in great numbers present, houseful. Hare Krsna.