On Remembering Srila Prabhupada
Myself and many others practically perceive how the relationship with the spiritual master is not based on physical presence. I joined ISKCON as a young kid in 1975, when it was already a big world-wide organization. There was no question of just walking up to Srila Prabhupada and talking to him, nor even of getting an appointment to see him. We could attend lectures and darsanas, but felt (and were) too insignificant to ask him a question, even in the public forum. We couldn't even write to him, because we were told not to disturb him with letters. We were told simply to serve his mission and that would be our relationship with him. So we did, and I didn't feel anything lacking in my connection with Srila Prabhupada. I worked for him and prayed to him, fully believing in his transcendental ability to accept and respond to my offerings. It appeared that we had never even really met, but we had. Otherwise, how could I offer myself and all my actions to Srila Prabhupada, and how could he accept my offerings? We hardly met on the material platform, but we certainly did on the spiritual platform.
Even though I saw very little of Srila Prabhupada, he effected a total change in every aspect of my life. Not only was my whole attitude and understanding of life transformed, but even my dress, food, mannerisms and use of language. How was all this possible with so little personal contact? The answer is that I did and do have contact with him. If I didn't, what is the meaning of the guru-disciple relationship? Service to the spiritual master is never impersonal; it is always personal. The spiritual master is a person, the disciple is a person, and the bond between them is personal. Spiritual relationships are not limited by material time and space.
Some disciples of Srila Prabhupada never even saw him at all. But their intimate relationship with him continues to sustain their lives in Krsna consciousness. Materialists cannot understand this. They would call it imagination, but it is not. Our intimate relationships with Srila Prabhupada are deep and real, more so than the false and transitory relationships of this material world. Material relationships eventually dissolve under the influence of time. But relationships with Srila Prabhupada are not of this material world. Even when he was present on this planet, relationships with him did not depend on physical proximity. Srila Prabhupada's departure from this planet did not terminate the thousands of loving relationships he had established with disciples and others. That which is spiritual is ever-increasing.
- From the "My Memories of Srila Prabhupada" by HH Bhakti Vikas Swami
Your Servant In Service Of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev,
Saci Gaurasunder Das (Sachin Kumar Gupta)
Chant:Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.& be Happy
sachin.kguptaa@gmail.com
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