"We are serving. There is no doubt. We cannot be master. And any one of you who are present in this meeting, none of you can say that 'I am the master'. Every one of you is servant to somebody. That is our position. But that service is being rendered to mistaken places. Therefore we are not happy, neither is the person whom we are serving. This is the position. But as soon as you serve Krsna, Syamasundara, then you become happy, the whole world becomes happy. This is a great science. Try to understand."
Harry was next. After he promised to chant 16 rounds a day and follow the four regulative principles, Prabhupada gave him his beads and new name.
"So your name is Hari-sauri. Sauri means learned scholar, and Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 'One who is a learned scholar in the science of Krsna.' It is a great science, Krsna consciousness; we don't take it very insignificantly. And Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu says: 'Anyone who knows this science, he becomes spiritual master. It doesn't matter what he is.' He has actually said: 'Kiba sudra kiba vipra nyasi kene naya, yei krsna-tattva-vetta, sei "guru" haya.' Kiba sudra. Sudra is considered to be the lowest in the civilised society, sudra .. Lower class, worker class, no intelligence .. and vipra means brahmana, the most intelligent class of the human society. So either one is a sudra or vipra, similarly born in a vipra family .. kiba sudra kiba vipra nyasi kene. Nyasi means sannyasi. Sannyasa order is the topmost order in the social division. So whatever he may be, the only qualification -- if he knows the science of Krsna -- he becomes a spiritual master. So sauri, one who is learned, Hari-sauri, one who is learned in the science of Krsna. So try to be a learned scholar in Krsna science and deliver the whole world. Thank you. Hare Krsna. Next man, come on .."
The initiations continued. There were two Rays. One became Rajgana, "one who is classified amongst the kings", the other became Rajendra, a name of Maharaja Pariksit. Prabhupada told him, "Try to become like Maharaja Pariksit." Dave received the name Dvaipayana and Des became Durvasa Muni.
Wally was called to the dais. Although generally Prabhupada insisted that all his disciples be clean shaven, in this case he had made an exception. Wally's hair reached his shoulders. As Wally came up to take his beads, Prabhupada smiled:
"Vyasadeva had long hairs and beard also." As the devotees laughed, he said, good humouredly, "But he is without beard."
Syamasundara added, "He is a professor also."
"Oh, and Vyasadeva is the greatest professor, he is the authority of Vedic literature. Alright, very good name, Vyasadeva dasa. To become the servant of the greatest authority of Vedic literature. Thank you."
Cont'd
- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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