From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir
Date: February 28, 2017
Speaker: HG Bhrgupati Das
Subject: Srimad Bhagavatam 7.10.22
TEXT 22
kuru tvaṁ preta-kṛtyāni
pituḥ pūtasya sarvaśaḥ
mad-aṅga-sparśanenāṅga
lokān yāsyati suprajāḥ
TRANSLATION
My dear child, your father has already been purified just by the touch of My body at the time of his death. Nonetheless, the duty of a son is to perform the śrāddha ritualistic ceremony after his father’s death so that his father may be promoted to a planetary system where he may become a good citizen and devotee.
PURPORT
In this regard, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that although Hiraṇyakaśipu was already purified, he had to take birth on a higher planetary system to become a devotee again. Prahlāda Mahārāja was advised to perform the ritualistic ceremony as a matter of etiquette, for the Supreme Personality of Godhead under no circumstances wants to stop the regulative principles. Madhva Muni also instructs:
madhu-kaiṭabhau bhakty-abhāvā
dūrau bhagavato mṛtau
tama eva kramād āptau
bhaktyā ced yo hariṁ yayau
When the demons Madhu and Kaiṭabha were killed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, their kinsmen also observed the ritualistic ceremonies so that these demons could return home, back to Godhead.
Bhrgupati Das:
Pranama Mantras.
This is Lord Nrsimhadeva speaking to Prahlad Maharaj. In His statement, He's making the point that Prahlad, as a matter of etiquette, should perform this sraddha, ritualistic ceremony, so that his father, after his death, even though Nrsimhadeva says that he's already purified, it was necessary for him to be promoted to a planetary system where he could maybe become a good citizen and a devotee.
Since it's mentioned in the translation, I suppose I should briefly say something about this sraddha. This ritualistic sraddha ceremony is a very traditional part of vedic culture, even more than vedic culture, it's part of the Hindu way of life.
I was listening to a lecture and there were two Sanskrit phrases that Srila Prabhupada used to refer to it. One was that it's the duty of a married couple to try and have a son because that son is capable of delivering the parents from the hellish condition of life. Now if somehow or other the parents aren't able to do everything exactly right and the father or the mother winds up in a hellish condition of life, if they have a son who performs this pinda, this ritualistic sraddha ceremony, then he can help to elevate that deceased parent to a better condition of life.
Lord Nrsimhadeva is mentioning this here in the translation. Interestingly enough, though, it's not what happened. He's instructing Prahlad Maharaj that he should perform this ceremony so that his father is elevated to a higher planetary system where he may become a good citizen and a devotee.
But we know that that's not what happened. Hiranyakasipu took his next birth as Ravana. That may have been being born in a higher planetary system. He was the son of Vishravas, who was a brahman. And I'm not exactly sure what planetary system that he took birth in, but he certainly didn't become a devotee as Ravana. It was as much the opposite of a devotee as you could get. There was a special reason for that. As we all know, it was part of the pastime of Jaya and Vijaya and how they were cursed, or benedicted, as you might like to think, to take three births in the material world as Krishna's enemy, and then they would go back to Godhead.
The main point that Prabhupada makes in the purport here, using this particular incident as an example, is that Prahlad was advised to perform the ritualistic ceremony as a matter of etiquette, for the Supreme Personality of Godhead under no circumstances wants to stop the regulative principles. So that is the main point that Prabhupada brings out in this purport.
In preparation for this class, I came up with three reasons why it is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, under no circumstances, wants to stop the regulative principles. They are, one: example, especially among elevated devotees. It's important to show the example of following these regulative principles so that others will follow.
Krishna makes a point of that in the third chapter of Bhagavad Gita. There is a whole section of about five or six verses where Krishna is instructing Arjuna and He speaks about this. It actually starts with the verse where Krishna explains how Janaka Maharaj achieved perfection by the performance of prescribed duties. In the next verse Krishna basically states the general principle where He says yad yad acharati shreshthas/tad tad evetaro janah/sa yat pramanam kurute/ lokas tad anuvartate (Bhagavad Gita 3.21). Whatever a great man does, common men follow in his footsteps. Whatever example he sets by his exemplary acts, the whole world pursues.
That's the general principle that why it was important for Prahlad. Actually, Prahlad was the son of Hiranyakasipu. If this regulative principle was neglected by Prahlad, then it's a bad example for the rest of the people.
Krishna goes on to explain by the way in that third chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, that even He would follow these regulative principles. He felt responsible to do that. He makes the point that if He did not do that then the entire world would fall into ruination and that He would be the cause of unwanted progeny, etc., etc. So that's how important that Krishna thinks it is that the prestige and importance of these yajna principles be maintained.
That was the first reason. Just to elaborate upon that a little bit more, of course, as devotees there is like a hierarchy of regulative principles. There are regulative principles that bring one to Krishna Consciousness, there are regulative principles that we have to follow once we are Krishna Consciousness, then there is a situation when one becomes a very elevated devotee and there is really no need for that person to follow regulative principles but they will do so for the benefit of others.
As an evidence of the second category, there is a famous verse by Madhavendra Puri. I won't quote the Sanskrit but the gist of it is that he is biding goodbye to his ritualistic bath which he would take three times a day, his prayers, etc., etc. He is basically saying that he feels it is sufficient just to remember the killer of Kamsa, the hero of the Kuru dynasty, Krishna. By remembering that he feels like he is fulfilling everything and more that could be fulfilled by doing his ritualistic performances.
That's an example of how devotees are not fanatics. In other words, for the purpose of educating others and setting the good example, we will do those things. But for ourselves, we can discriminate. An example of that would be how in Vrindavan in 1975 when Srila Prabhupada opened the Krishna Balaram Temple he actually, I don't know if he hired him, I can't remember the exact details, if they were local brahmans or if they brought them in from South India, but the bottom line was that Srila Prabhupada had brahmans come and chant mantras at the installation of the Krishna Balaram Temple and had the deities installed like that.
The devotees asked him afterwards why he did that. Srila Prabhupada said that actually the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra would have been sufficient, but if we had just done that and not this whole thing with the brahmans, then the local people would not take the whole thing seriously. For the benefit of the local people, so that they would feel inspired and go to the Temple, Srila Prabhupada did that.
So that's the first reason why it's so important. Under no circumstances does Krishna want to see the regulative principles stopped.
The second reason I came up with was that if you are not a paramahampsa, if you're not an uttamadhiari, then it's necessary for us to follow these regulative principles for our own purification. That's another reason why Krishna wants to see that the regulative principles are followed. We need to follow them.
As I mentioned there is a hierarchy of regulative principles. So there are regulative principles that bring one to Krishna Consciousness, and then, once we are in Krishna Consciousness, there are regulative principles that we need to follow to become purified and advance in Krishna Consciousness. Those are the ones that concern us. For the neophyte devotees, certainly, even the madhyam adhikaris, it's necessary to continue following those regulative principles.
An example of that would be in the fourth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. There is the pastime of Druva Maharaj. So Druva Maharaj ran off into the forest and was performing austerities. He wanted the benediction to have a kingdom greater than his fathers, his grandfather, his great grandfather, etc. His great grandfather happened to be Lord Brahma, so that's pretty ambitious. His mother told him that the only person who could help him fill that desire is God, Himself. Druva Maharaj said well where do I find Him? Mother said to go out to the forest, that's where the great sages go.
We all know the story. For six months he performed these austerities and finally Krishna sent Narada Muni because He was pleased with Druva's sincere austerities, this young five year old boy. Narada Muni came and asked him what he was doing. Druva Maharaj revealed his mind to him. Narada Muni at first tried to discourage him but Druva Maharaj was not an easy person to be discouraged.
Eventually it came about that Narada Muni was pleased. Prabhupada stated this in I think it was the eighth chapter, text forty. Prabhupada explains in the purport that Narada Muni is sometimes referred to as Bhagavan Narada. He is so powerful. Actually, I'll just read this.
"Nārada Muni is referred to here as bhagavān because he can bless any person just as the Supreme Personality of Godhead can. He was very pleased with Dhruva Mahārāja, and he could have at once personally given whatever he wanted, but that is not the duty of the spiritual master."
So that is the key sentence right there. That's not the duty of the spiritual master. His duty is to engage the disciple in proper devotional service as prescribed in the sastras. Why? For his purification. Druva Maharaj needed further purification so rather than just hand it over to him on a silver platter, Narada Muni wanted him to undergo the regulative principles of devotional service.
Srila Prabhupada goes on to make the point that Krishna operates in the same way. Krishna was similarly present before Arjuna. Even though He could have given him all facilities for victory over the opposing party, He did not do so. Instead, He asked Arjuna to fight. In the same way, Narada Muni asked Druva Maharaj to undergo devotional discipline in order to achieve the desired result.
It's for the purification of the person, the neophyte and the madhyam adhikari. It also shows an example. In the case of Arjuna, he was already an intimate associate of Krishna, a pure devotee. He did not need the purification. But in the case of Arjuna, it was done for an example. Krishna wants to show that example that you have to do the work. You have to follow the regulative principles. It's not my program to just hand out benedictions to people on a silver platter, so to speak.
There is a nice letter where Prabhupada touches upon this point. Again, I'll elaborate on this a bit further as to another reason why Krishna operates this way. There is a letter to Brahmananda written in 1968. I don't know where Brahmananda was said in his letter. When you read the letters in vedabase you only read what Srila Prabhupada wrote. You don't read what the person wrote to him. But Prabhupada said, regarding Krishna's being very kind upon us, should be according to the principle that Arjuna followed. Krishna was Arjuna's most intimate friend and He could have given Arjuna the victory without Arjuna doing anything. But that principle was not followed. That's not what happened. That principle was not followed by either Krishna or Arjuna. Because Arjuna was a military man, Krishna made it so that he had to fight according to his best ability, but the victory came from Krishna. Srila Prabhupada makes the point that similarly, we have to try our best, to our best capacity, to achieve something. Then by Krishna's grace, all of a sudden we shall see that everything is there. That sort of help from Krishna is transcendental happiness.
That's another point of why Krishna wants us to undergo devotional discipline. It sets the stage. It's an arrangement by which He can then reciprocate. As the devotee desires to serve Krishna in a particular way, he performs some particular service to his best ability. Krishna is observing. When the devotee sort of conquers Krishna by performing that activity, demonstrating his love for Krishna, Krishna is conquered by that and then He reciprocates.
That's what Prabhupada means by saying that we have to try our best to our best capacity to achieve something. That's how we get Krishna's mercy. Then, all of a sudden by Krishna's grace we will see that everything is there. Srila Prabhupada says that that sort of help from Krishna is transcendental happiness.
One reason why it is transcendental happiness, part of the reason may be that you experience transcendental happiness when it happens, but it's kind of like a confirmation of everything. When a devotee, after endeavoring sincerely and performing hard work, experiences that reciprocation from Krishna, it's confirmation of our entire philosophy. It's more than just like, wow, great, I was successful in this particular thing that I was trying. It's verification of the entire thing that we have been taught. At least that's my experience.
My service is book distribution and sometimes it's very difficult and you really struggle. But if you persevere and Krishna reciprocates, all of a sudden everything is there. It's more than the happiness of great, that person took this set of books. It's the happiness of feeling that this is all true. This is all real. Krishna really is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everything that I have been told and taught is all true. I think that's a component of what Srila Prabhupada means that this kind of help from Krishna is transcendental happiness.
That's the second reason why it's important for the devotees to under not circumstances give up the regulative principles.
Number one, it sets a good example, then, it's purifying for themselves. And the third reason that I was able to come up with is that it is beneficial for other living entities. That was touched upon in a previous purport just a couple of days ago. This was when Lord Nrsimhadeva was speaking. He said that whenever and wherever there are peaceful and equipoised devotees who are well behaved and decorated with all good qualities, that place and the dynasties there, even if condemned, are purified. Prabhupada says in the purport that wherever exalted devotees stay, not only they and their dynasties, but their entire country is purified.
I wasn't aware until this class the other day but apparently everyone benefits, even if they are not receptive and are not aware of the activities of the Krishna Consciousness movement, the entire world is being purified by these activities that are going on when devotees engage in performing the regulative principles, engaging in devotional service and developing good qualities.
In the purport Srila Prabhupada says that "wherever exalted devotees stay," and that's all over the world now. There are exalted devotees staying in practically every country all over the world. It's not only the devotees and their families that are getting purified, but that entire country. It's so auspicious.
In the Nectar of Devotion it is explained how devotional service is all auspicious. This is an example of that. If you analyze this what it is saying is that as long as they don't drive us out or kill us, in any given country they are getting purified just by the fact that exalted devotees are there. So it's so beneficial and auspicious. The devotees activities benedict the entire world.
Perhaps the classic example of that is Srila Prabhupada. He is the classic example of how the devotees activities bring benedictions to the entire world. The principle here is that Krishna is pleased. When Krishna is pleased He showers His mercy on more than just that individual.
Once again as I said the classic example is Srila Prabhupada. It's revealed in a letter that he wrote to Sudama. He says that when I was alone and you were in New York, I was thinking, who will listen to me in this horrible, sinful, place. But at least I can distribute a few of my books, that is something. But Krishna was all along planning something that I couldn't see. He brought you young American boys and girls to me one by one to do the work of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Now I can see that it is a miracle. Otherwise, in your city of New York, one old man with barely enough money to get edibles, how could he survive, what to speak of establishing a God conscious movement for the salvation of the entire world?
So that's the example. Srila Prabhupada was so sincere and determined that he conquered Krishna by his love. Due to Srila Prabhupada's sincerity and execution of devotional service, Krishna had to send young American boys and girls one by one to help him to execute the mission of Lord Caitanya and follow the instruction of his spiritual master. Otherwise, it really shouldn't have happened.
I can't remember the date or the place, but on another occasion Prabhupada was on a walk with some devotees. It may have been here in Mayapur. This devotee raised a question saying, Prabhupada, it says in the Bhagavad Gita in the seventh chapter yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ/janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām/te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā/bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ (Bhagavad Gita 7.28). Only those who have performed pious activities in this life and in previous lives, whose sinful activities are completely eradicated, can engage in devotional service with firm determination.
The devotee started to ask the question but didn't even get the whole thing out. So Prabhupada does that mean that in previous lives we performed pious activities? Prabhupada interrupted him because he knew where he was going with it. Prabhupada said, I have created your good fortune.
In other words, according to that verse in the Bhagavad Gita, there shouldn't be a Krishna Consciousness movement. Devotional service is for people who have engaged in pious activities in this life and in previous lives and whose sinful activities are completely eradicated. Does anybody in this room fit into that category? Maybe, I don't know. I don't, that's for sure.
According to the standard of the Bhagavad Gita that's the kind of people who get the opportunity and privilege to engage in devotional service. That was far from the case at the time that Prabhupada was preaching. Once again, because Prabhupada was so sincere, pure, and determined to fulfill the instruction of his spiritual master, then Krishna had to reciprocate.
That was Prabhupada's greatness. There were so many things, so many ways to describe Prabhupada's greatness. One was is that Prabhupada had pure love for Krishna and wanted to share it with other people because that is what he was instructed to do by his spiritual master. Also, as an advanced devotee, he felt immense compassion for the fallen conditioned souls, in addition to what he was instructed to do.
So Prabhupada had taken great risk and voluntary accepted tremendous inconvenience in coming to the west to preach Krishna Consciousness to people who really, if you stop and think about it, were not qualified to receive it and didn't really appreciate it.
Nothing discouraged Prabhupada. He didn't get discouraged by that. An ordinary person wouldn't have even started the whole thing in the first place. An ordinary person, after coming over on a boat, having two heart attacks on the way over, would have thought you know what, maybe I'm biting off a little more than I can chew. Maybe I should rethink this. I've got to be realistic. I just had two heart attacks, I'm 70 years old, I don't know a soul in this country, and I don't have any money. Maybe I should just regain my strength and head back. I've got to be practical, I've got to be realistic. An ordinary person would have thought like that. But Prabhupada didn't think like that. He thought, no way, I've got to do this. And he just did it. It's incredible.
Hari Sauri used to travel around the world and he used to give a seminar on Prabhupada. He did that for a few years. I was talking to him privately and he said to me you know, Prabhupada never really had good health. He had functional health though out his career. But, according to Hari Sauri, Prabhupada never actually enjoyed good health where he was nice and comfortable. He had diabetes and other different problems. But it didn't phase him. Prabhupada was determined to execute the instruction of his spiritual master.
There's one famous pastime where Prabhupada was in the elevator at 340 W 56th St. and 8th Avenue. He was sick, he had a bad upper respiratory or the flu or something like that. The devotees were encouraging him, Prabhupada you don't' have to go on, just stay here and rest up, it can wait. Recuperate a bit. Prabhupada got annoyed. He slammed his cane down and, I can't remember exactly what he said but the point was, just give me the privilege that I can preach until the end. I want to go down fighting, so to speak. I can't remember the exact words but it was something like, I want to be a soldier for Krishna like Arjuna was. He said, give me that benediction. That's was Prabhupada's determination.
Because Prabhupada was so sincere we have this Krishna Consciousness movement. So that's a classic example of how it is that the activities of the devotees benedict not just the devotee but everybody else. Another example of that could be that in the early 70's Prabhupada daily predicted World War III. Prabhupada made statements that clearly indicated that as far as he was concerned there was going to be World War III in the very near future. But then it didn't happen. I heard this in a back to Godhead article by Ravindra Svarupa written about ten years ago. According to devotees at that time that had asked Srila Prabhupada why it didn't happen. Prabhupada said that Krishna changed His mind.
In other words, it wasn't that Prabhupada got it wrong. He was foreseeing what was going to happen but Krishna changed His mind. So why would Krishna change His mind? The answer is that most likely it's because of the dedication of the devotees to try and perform Lord Caitanya's sankirtan movement.
Once Satsvarupa Maharaj asked Prabhupada about that, is there anyway that this can be avoided. And Prabhupada said yes, if you preach very sincerely and vigorously, that could perhaps change things. At least by my analysis, that's what happened. The devotees were very sincerely trying to spread the Krishna Conscious movement, distribute books, etc., and Krishna changed His mind. A planet that was supposed to be besieged by a third world war got a reprieve, due to the sincerity of the devotees.
For me, this trip to Mayapur has helped me to feel much more convinced about what I just said about how the activities of the devotees really do benefit not just the devotees. This was a faith enriching experience for me to come here and I feel even more confident that our activities could be benefiting the entire world.
Those of you who are Americans have probably heard the phrase "low grade fever." For those of you who are not familiar with it, it's like when you're sick. Normally your temperature runs at 98.6, but when you're sick it can run from like 99-100. It's a fever, but it's not really serious. It's called a low grade fever. So I've just coined this phrase myself since I've been here- I feel like, if I had to put a caption to my experience here, it's been like, I feel like I'm experiencing a low grade ecstasy. Just being here in Mayapur has been like a low grade ecstasy, the general level of consciousness that I am functioning on.
I listen to Prabhupada's lectures a lot. Those of you who have been here for a few weeks might have seen me. I'm always walking around with these headphones while listening to Prabhupada's lectures and I feel like I'm getting a lot more out of it. The very specific thing that I can say is that what really inspired me in coining that phrase is the kirtans. This is quite an experience. It's amazing. I've been chanting, and then mangala arati will happen, the kirtans will open, and the kirtan will start. It's like somebody turned on the microphone. We've all experienced this. Sometimes the speaker comes but the microphone is not turned on and it's flat. Then they turn the microphone on and the sound vibration is amplified.
I've experienced that where I'm chanting my japa, ok, it's ordinary. Then the curtains open, the kirtan starts and Hare Krishna, what's this? It's not emotional. It's not like something that kids get when they go to rock concerts or something like that where everybody is singing the same song. I'm standing there and I'm the same person producing the same sounds but there is some transcendental ecstasy there or something. I don't take any credit for it. It's just being here. I don't' know. It's the deities. It's all of the devotees. It's both. But something special is happening.
Sometimes I play this game and I try and be very skeptical saying are you really experiencing this, relishing the transcendental sound vibration? It's a blessing, a benediction of the holy dhama and the festival. Has anybody else here experienced that? When the curtains open and the kirtan starts? It happens to me at mangala arati, I want to say, every day. I've been here almost a month now and probably half of the mornings it has happened. All of a sudden it's like I said, somebody turns on the microphone. I'm chanting and just relishing the transcendental sound vibration. Not to the point where tears are coming from the eyes and hairs on standing on end. No. But to the point where I can honestly say that this is not ordinary. It's not emotional. It's not ordinary. I feel like I'm experiencing evidence of the fourth or the fifth stages of devotional service, some slight rucci.
It happens at mangala arati and it happens at greeting of the deities when we go over to Pancha Tattva to see that song by Narottama Das Thakura, Sri Krishna Caitanya. It lasts sometimes for the whole time until class. On Lord Nityananda's appearance day, it wasn't so low grade. It was even a little bit more intense.
Now I'll ask the question, has anybody else here experienced that? Ok, I'm not crazy, right? I've been going, I might be crazy unless other people have experienced it.
So this has really been very encouraging for me. I was quoting that letter before where Prabhupada said that we have to try our best to our best capacity to achieve something, then all of a sudden we shall see that everything will be there. This sort of help from Krishna is transcendental happiness. For me, experiencing something like this is confirmation that yes this is it, Krishna Consciousness, this is the absolute truth. I didn't waste the last forty-four years of my life and make a mistake. I did the right thing. What other explanation is there? I can't come up with any other explanation. If I'm being honest with myself, I'm experiencing a higher taste. What other explanation is there? Is it mass hysteria? Is it emotional? I don't think so. For me I take it as confirmation of the fact that this is the truth. Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Prabhupada is a pure devotee. All of this philosophy that he has given us is absolutely true. When we sincerely plug in and try to put it to practice in our lives then we get purified. And not all of the time, but some of the time, and that's good enough, we experience the result. raja-vidya raja-guhyam/pavitram idam uttamam/pratyaksavagamam dharmyam/su-sukham kartum avyayam (BG9.2) Krishna says in the ninth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita that this devotional service is the king of education and that it gives direct perception of the self by realization and it's joyfully performed. So when you've experienced that, what else can you think?
Once again getting back to that point, I really honestly feel now that this has been a really faith enriching experience for me because I'm feeling more confident and more convinced that this is the best thing that any individual can do fro their life. We're really giving people a good product. We're really giving people something that is going to help them and is exactly what they need. This is what life is all about, becoming a devotee of Krishna. I'm hoping that everyone else is experiencing something like that. Based upon this experience I feel like I'm going to be able to go out with more enthusiasm and more determination to try and share this with other people by giving them books or prasadam, having them come to the temple, engaging them in kirtan and like that.
That's all that I have to say. Does anybody have any questions or comments?
Narahari das:
Thank you Prabhu for a wonderful class. Funny, I had a question but you just answered it. Now that we have the answer, now the question. You mentioned how when Srila Prabhupada came, even from the very beginning of the formation of our society and Prabhupada's preaching, that we took it very, very cheaply, what Prabhupada was giving us. When I look into my own heart forty-five years later, I feel like I'm still not appreciating even a little drop of what Prabhupada has given us. It's a deep realization how Prabhupada said that we don't have enough fear of maya and how we're still sleeping, maybe try and wake up. But do we really realize how we are lying in the lap of the witch maya, in this ocean of birth and death. At the other end of the spectrum, Srila Prabhupada is giving us the ticket back to our eternal home, back to Godhead. So my question was, I think you've more or less answered it, is what do we do to appreciate more. It appears that your answer is to just dive into devotional activity.
Bhrgupati Das:
Yes, for sure. Especially here in Sri Dhama Mayapur.
Any other questions or comments? Otherwise I have a little bit of transcendental trivia to share which I'm sure you will enjoy.
Devotee:
Hare Krishna. Thank you very much for a wonderful class. Since we are on the topic, in regards to the sraddha ceremony, what should we do as devotees when our parents leave their bodies so that they may be spiritually elevated? Should we follow sraddha or is there another process?
Bhrgupati Das:
Lord Caitanya did. He performed the sraddha ceremony for His father. I don't know if Prabhupada did it, I can't remember. I did it when my father passed away. But in regards to other processes, just the fact that we are engaged in devotional service benefits our families. That was just stated yesterday or the day before about the generations that are liberated if you are a pure devotee. But even if you're not a pure devotee, even just being a devotee I'm sure that your family gets benefit. There's no harm in performing the sraddha ceremony. As I said, Lord Caitanya did do this. Yes, Vijaya Prabhu.
Vijaya Prabhu:
Prabhupada said that if we just chant Hare Krishna, that's our sraddha ceremony.
Bhrgupati Das:
Ok, there you go. If we just chant Hare Krishna, that's our sraddha ceremony.
So here is a little bit of transcendental trivia for everybody. There is hope for America, despite the fact that we have donald trump as our President. I just had an email from Badrinarayana Maharaj yesterday. This is a very interesting story. I'll read it to you.
He says, "Way back in 1976, the devotees in New York were determined to build three huge Ratha Yatra Carts and hold a wonderful festival in the most important city in the world. The challenge was to find a place in Manhattan where the carts could be built and then transferred to the festival route. Open real estate in Manhattan is a very rare thing, indeed." Everybody who lives in New York knows that's a fact. "Tosan Krishna took it upon himself to find such a place that would work. The Pennsylvania Railroad yards were the logical choice and, in fact, probably the only logical place that would work.Without reservation he approached the corporate company owners of the area with the proposal to let the devotees use the space to build the carts. Much to his dismay, he was told that they were in the process of selling the property and that it would be solely up to the new owner, now under contract. That new other was none other than donald trump. So Tosan then wrote a proposal that was then passed on to this noted real estate mogul. Things seemed dim at that point. However, much to Tosan's surprise and prayers, he was contacted and asked to come to the Four Seasons restaurant in Manhattan where all of the details of real estate transaction were to be concluded. There upon, he was given signed permission" It was signed by none other than donald trump. "to use the open rail yards to build the Ratha Yatra carts for the most famous ISKCON Festival. trump could have easily rejected the proposal, but he did not. Why he did not? At this time, only he and Lord Krishna know."
Tosan Krishna says, "Yes, the story is true. I was amazed at that time because, no fan of trump, a materialistic business man, I was fully aware that there was nothing in it for him except exposure to legal liability. The deal to purchase the Penn Railway Yards was a massive undertaking. Our request could have most easily been swept under rug out of pure convenience. So I was a little shocked when he agreed to grant full access for the purpose of building the three Rath carts. His secretary gave me the document in the Four Seasons restaurant right after the ceremonial signing had just concluded and most of the participants had left. She was in an excited mood about our getting permission and seemed to convey the mood of her boss who must have himself obtained considerable spiritual benefit in light of how much Prabhupada wanted the festival to take place."
Badrinarayan Swami says, "So now you know the rest of the story."
So donald trump did an incredible agyata sukriti. We don't even know if he realized it was the Hare Krishna movement that he was helping but he did that. There's hope. That's pretty serious because Prabhupada was really so happy that that Ratha Yatra took place. It was just after ten years of his preaching in America. He came with nothing, as we mentioned earlier in the class and everybody knows. Ten years later Prabhupada's rolling down 5th Avenue with three big beautiful Ratha Yatra carts. 5th Avenue was the main and most important street in New York City. That year was the first year that we had both sides of the street. Normally they'd restrict us to one side or the other but we had both sides of the street, we were the only show in town. Prabhupada was sitting on the cart there. It was amazing, just a wonderful thing. So he must have gotten a lot of benefit.
Yes, Maharaj?
Maharaj:
Actually, it's not that much coincidence because a couple of devotees are working with donald trump. They say that he's actually doing a worship of Lord Siva and that he really admires vedic culture. I believe that he did it consciously because he knows about the benefits …inaudible…
Bhrgupati Das:
All the better. Anybody else want to say something?
Devotee:
A couple of months back Naradamuni Prabhu posted something on Facebook. He was saying that one time he wanted to invite donald trump for the Sunday Feast program. …inaudible… They got a letter from him saying that I cannot go this time, but I've been to your Temple before. Now I heard that he was at an interfaith or religious week or something and he was giving a speech. In the speech he said that we are not just flesh and bone, we are a soul also. He said I know many people are not very happy. There is material wealth and spiritual wealth. I know many poor people who are happy because they have spiritual wealth.
Bhrgupati Das:
Thanks for sharing that with us.
Gaurangajayate Sri Krishna Sankirtan ki jaya.
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