Although Srila Prabhupada was separated from his beleagured disciples in Australia by a vast distance, still his thoughts were on their many problems. Srila Prabhupada had been lecturing morning and evening on The Nectar of Devotion at the samadhi tomb of Rupa Gosvami located in the open courtyard of the Radha-Damodara temple. That morning, Srila Prabhupada, was speaking of Jagai and Madhai, two arch opponents of harinama sankirtana.
"So they will arrest you. You have got good experience. In London, they were arresting."
Srila Prabhupada turned to Gurudasa. "You were in London. How many times you were arrested?"
"Three."
"Three times. Our record is that our police were arresting 36 times. Now the police have become disgusted. They don't arrest. Yes. But this thing is going on in Australia, especially in Melbourne. Our men were being taken into police custody. I have received one letter. So they asked me what to do. 'The lawyers want $2,000 for defending.' So I advised then that 'why you should defend? Better go to jail and chant Hare Krsna there!' So that they are doing. They are not eating. The minister in charge of the gaol department, he was perturbed that 'these people are not eating', and they were allowed to do that, 'You can cook,' but they refused, because the same kitchen, they are cooking, I mean to say, flesh. So refused. So then after a few days, they were let loose. 'Alright. You go home.' Yes. So this is going on.
"So religious persecution is always there. Even the father, what to speak of others? Father, Hiranyakasipu, he chastised his son. So don't be afraid. Similar disturbance is to happen everywhere. Therefore, Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave us instructions that you should be tolerant. Trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. Because there will be so much impediments. Amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih. We must chant; we must always do our business, despite all objection, obstacles. That is our business."
- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
Comments
hare bol