“Forever indebted to Srila Prabhupada for the teachings of the Golden Avatar”
Varsana Swami: “In 1974, my spiritual enthusiasm increased as Srila Prabhupada inundated us with new nectar – the printing of the entire Caitanya-caritamrta which was then coming to light for the first time in the English language. Whenever a new volume arrived fresh off the printing press, I would read and relish it from cover to cover. I literally hid in the barn’s corn crib to avoid being detected or interrupted in reading during work hours, which was strictly prohibited by the management. Nestled in amongst the golden corn kernels, I imbibed the message of Lord Gauranga, the Golden Avatar.
The arrival of the seventeen volumes of CC within two months sparked such a revolution in consciousness by opening a dimension of Srila Prabhupada’s movement that had not been so clearly revealed before – the sacramental nature of agriculture. Being a plow boy from a farming background, I was so charmed by Srila Prabhupada’s translations and purports describing Lord Caitanya as a gardener, delivering His fruits and flowers of devotional service to this world.
In this context, “cultivating the field” means preparing the heart. “Planting the seed” means impregnating the fertile heart with the bhakti-lata-bija. “Humility” means humus, the fertile soil in which the seed can take root. The “necessary rains” are the spiritual sacrifices we perform. And the “wind, whispering through the growing vine” is the breath of life, the Holy Name. The “harvest festival” is the coming together to share the fruits of the spirit in nama sankirtana.
It has long been known even to western theologians that the pen of spiritual authors is an expansion of the original sacramental plow. In this light, creating lines on the page parallels the plowing of furrows in a field, which opens and softens terrestrial regions for cultivation prior to planting seed. The spiritual author softens and prepares the heart and then plants the seed, the Word of God. By the grace of the guru who uses his pen as a plow, we are able to experience the mercy of Sri Baladeva Who uses His plow to soften the hardness of our hearts.
True theologians are aware of this reality and thus submit their hearts, like the open field, to be impregnated by the seed of truth. The rare person who knows Krishna in truth loves his Lord, and wishing to share that love, draw others into the wake of the furrow. In doing so, they follow in the footsteps of Sri Guru Who guides the plow.
I found it intriguing that such a grasp of the sacramental dynamics of agriculture could be found in a sadhu from Calcutta. It was clear that the culture Srila Prabhupada represents is not of this world.
The culture of Vraja overflows with the flavor of bhakti and instills prema in those whom it touches. The essence of vraja prema is the life force flowing through the branch of Sri Rupa Goswami. Sri Rupa alone could detect the essence of love contained in the infinite depths of Lord Caitanya’s heart.
Srila Prabhupada is the perfect Rupanuga. He presents the crystallized form of the bhava flowing through that line, compiled in a scientific manner which even logical, rational minds can appreciate and follow.
It was in Srila Prabhipada’s spirit of humility, surrender, and sacrifice that the seed of Lord Caitanya’s love found the fertile soil it needed to establish roots for a world-wide movement. Srila Prabhupada came to deliver this mercy to us and for this blessing we praise him. We are solely and forever indebted to Srila Prabhupada for the teachings of the Golden Avatar. Without Srila Prabhipada’s contribution, who would have ever known the glories of the Golden Avatar, the most unique, merciful, and rare incarnation of Godhead?”
– Varsana Swami
Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=19665
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