By Mina Sharma
‘Today is the 38th day of our journey and we reached New York Port at 12/30 p.m. about three hours later than the scheduled time.’ Srila Prabhupada, Sunday 19th September 1965
In 1922 Kolkata, a young A.C. Bhaktivedanta SwamiPrabhupada met his spiritual master for the first time. In that meeting he received the instruction to go to the west and teach the message of Krishna. He took the instruction to heart as he later told his followers:
‘Because I have been ordered by my superior, my spiritual master: “Whatever you have learned, you should go to the Western countries, and you must distribute this knowledge.” So in spite of all my difficulties, all my inconveniences, I am here.Because I am obligated by duty’.
At Bhaktivedanta Manor celebrations continued for a second day now commemorating Srila Prabhupada’sarrival in New York City, fifty years ago. Devotees were awed by the special decoration and flowers onPrabhupada’s altar bringing to life the theme of his arrival. Also carrying the theme was a magnificent cake, which was offered with love and devotion.
The Bhaktivedanta Players inspired the crowd by performing ‘Ticket to the West’, a play aboutPrabhupada’s treacherous voyage across two great oceans to America.
There was also a special viewing of part of the much-anticipated ‘Acarya’ a film about Prabhupada to be released next year. The morning concluded with a talk by His Holiness Prahladananda Maharaj about the early days of the Hare Krishna Movement.
Establishing a worldwide society of temples, nowreaching over six hundred, with over 75 thousand initiates and a huge public following, was somethingPrabhupada considered on his arrival to be ‘impossible’. Having faith in the instructions of his spiritual master he thought best he would give it a ‘try’. He then taught us all that ‘impossible’ is a word in a fools dictionary.
Temple President, Sruti Dharma Das offered a final prayer of gratitude: ‘Thank you Srila Prabhupada, your journey continues in the lives and hearts of millions as your movement continues to expand all over the world’.
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