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NEWSLETTER ABOUT HIS HOLINESS Since the last newsletter Srila Gurudeva went on a successful preaching tour of Fiji, New Zealand and Australia from late December until mid January 2001. We look forward to reports from local devotees in each of these countries to be included in upcoming newsletters. In the meantime, this current newsletter backtracks to present the first part of Srila Gurudeva's visit to America in November 2000 and follows with a brief report and update of Kirtida devi dasi's cancer operation and subsequent recuperation. Finally, the newsletter concludes with Part I. of the transcript of a lecture given by Srila Gurudeva on Prabhupada Lilamrita on 16th of July 2000 at Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara temple on Soho Street in London. We are indebted to Lalita Sakhi devi dasi in Melbourne, Australia for diligently typing the transcript for inclusion in this newsletter. Thank you to the devotees who provided reports of Srila Gurudeva's visit to their area. In writing this newsletter we are dependent on these reports to give a more complete picture of Srila Gurudeva's preaching tours. Anyone who can assist by providing a full or partial description of time spent with Srila Gurudeva can email them to sarva1@aol.com. All reports are welcome - big or small. Summary of American Visit, November-December, 2000 Thursday, November 16-Dallas: Srila Gurudeva gave Srimad Bhagavatam class in the temple and took lunch at the home of Mahatma Prabhu and Jahnava dasi. Mahatma is a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada and one of the most accomplished kirtan leaders and preachers in ISKCON. His many kirtan tapes and CD's are appreciated all around the world. His wife Jahnava, originally from New York, is a disciple of His Holiness Dhanudar Swami and she also takes inspiration from Srila Gurudeva. Gurudeva spent time at their home, enjoying their association as they did his. Friday, November 17-Dallas to Nashville: Srila Gurudeva flew to Nashville, Tennessee for the annual convention of the AAR, the American Academy of Religion, the largest organization of religious scholars in the world. Accompanying him was his disciple Dhananjaya dasa, a successful businessman in Dallas who has always assisted Gurudeva in his academic endeavors, ever since the studies began at Southern Methodist University (SMU) several years ago. At the Nashville airport Gurudeva and Dhananjaya were greeted and picked up by his disciples Hladini Sakti dasa and his wife Manmohini dasi, who live in Arkansas but came to Nashville to render service during the convention. Nashville is the center of American "country music" and has numerous facilities for conventions and meetings. Manmohini is completing her Ph.D. dissertation in English literature at the University of Arkansas and Hladini Sakti dasa teaches yoga and Krishna consciousness in Fayetteville, where the university is located. Gurudeva was driven to his first class hotel suite, located at the center of the convention activities. It had a grand lobby with a twenty to thirty foot artificial waterfall, banyan-like trees and tropical plants. He took prasadam cooked by his disciples Hladini Sakti dasi, a lawyer from Alachua, Florida, home of one of the largest ISKCON communities in the world, and Sita dasi, who lives in a rural devotee community in North Carolina. The two matajis had come to get Gurudeva's association and render service in cooking, as they had in previous years. This first meal was served at their nearby kitchenette motel suite, which was fully equipped with a small refrigerator, stove and sink. Over the next few days they went on an intense cooking marathon, working feverishly until at times they almost dropped. Sita brought some organically grown produce from her garden in North Carolina to use in the cooking. This pair cooked, while the male Hladini Sakti and his wife shopped for groceries, delivered and served the hot prasadam meals to Srila Gurudeva and his scholarly and/or devotee guests. Just as Srila Prabhupada always took full advantage of the purifying effect of prasadam, Srila Gurudeva makes prasadam available to many of the academics he meets, so the matajis' cooking service was an important part of the weekend's success. Saturday and Sunday, November 18 & 19-Nashville: The convention brought together thousands of scholars in the field of religion. Srila Gurudeva rekindled friendships with a number of academics and made new acquaintances as well. A number of devotees who interact with scholars were also there, such as Prabhupada disciples Garuda Prabhu, Krishna-Ksetra Prabhu, Satyaraja Prabhu, Brahma Tirtha Prabhu and his wife Bhakti devi Prabhu. Srila Gurudeva participated as a speaker on a panel and attended several seminars. On Saturday, Sita and Hladini-sakti dasi provided excellent prasadam, beginning with pancakes at Dhananjaya's motel room for breakfast, calzone, soup and steamed vegetables for lunch, and an Indian dinner. On Sunday they continued churning out a superb variety of dishes, with scrambled tofu on Sita's homemade toast for breakfast, chickpea sandwiches for lunch and eggplant parmesan for dinner. Monday, November 20-Nashville then returning to Dallas: Sita and Hladini Sakti got to serve breakfast this day, and then Hladini cooked her famous vegetarian 'curd turkey' and stuffing dinner for Srila Gurudeva and some of his academic devotee comrades, as a nice way to conclude another successful academic interchange. Before he left Nashville, Srila Gurudeva spent time with the devotees who served him during the convention, right up until the time he got on his plane at the airport. Arriving in Dallas, Gurudeva was greeted by Nityananda and Mathuranath. That evening he took an Italian dinner at the home of Nandini dasi and her husband Kartikeya dasa. Tuesday, November 21-Ekadasi in Dallas: Srila Gurudeva spoke on Prema Bhakti Candrika by Narottama dasa Thakur. After taking breakfast at the home of Padaduli dasi and Rasikendra dasa, he met with devotees all day long. He enjoyed meeting new devotees in the Dallas community who are not his own disciples, such as Rohini Kumar dasa, a disciple of His Grace Prithu Prabhu and his wife Vaisnavi dasi, a disciple of His Holiness Gopal Krishna Maharaja. Srila Gurudeva is happy that Sri Sri Radha Kalachandji provide shelter and inspiration for disciples of about twenty-five different ISKCON spiritual masters-not only for his own disciples, although they are numerically in the majority. He took lunch at Manjuali and Nityananda's home. Indra Nilamani dasi and Candravali dasi. Candravali cooked dinner. Candravali has acted as Radha Kalachandji's head pujari for many years. Wednesday, November 22-Dallas: He again spoke on Prema Bhakti Candrika and took a breakfast of waffles at the home of Kunkumangi dasi and Narottamananda dasa. During the day Srila Gurudeva had an "open door" policy in which devotees could visit him at their pleasure. He was particularly happy to meet many of the new initiates prior to the initiation scheduled for the next day. Purnima dasi and Kardama Muni dasa hosted him for a pizza lunch at their home, and Manjuali provided his evening meal, which he took at his quarters. Thursday, November 23-Thanksgiving Day Initiations, Dallas: Srila Gurudeva began the initiation lecture during Srimad Bhagavatam class in the temple room. The initiation started at 11 a.m. and was organized nicely by Narottamananda dasa and Jaya Balarama dasa, a disciple of His Grace Prithu Prabhu. Because of the American Thanksgiving Day holiday about 400 people were able to attend the initiation program and feast. Here is a brief rundown of the initiates: Niraja and Sonia Rai received first initiation, with their new initiated names being Vrajananda dasa and Ganga devi dasi. Vrajananda dasa is a senior software engineer with Texas Instruments who has practiced Krishna consciousness since 1993. Ganga dasi is an accountant and homemaker, the couple have a son named Kesava. Kumar and Ameeta Pilla are professional architects working for large firms in Dallas. Both did postgraduate studies at Kansas State University. They knew ISKCON devotees from their days in Secunderabad in Andra Pradesh, India, and were encouraged by Nityananda Prabhu when he lived in Kansas and by Rasikendra & Padaduli Prabhus when they visited the Dallas temple. Kumar's new name is Krishna Kanta dasa, and Ameeta's is Radha Stuti devi dasi. Santosh and Kailash Sharma also received Hari Nama initiation, receiving the names Sudama dasa and Tulasi dasi, respectively. He is a senior staff member in the U.S. Postal Service in the Dallas area. Both have been involved in the temple for about five years along with their sons and daughters. Also receiving initiation were David and Kasie Cater. David is an independent building contractor in the Dallas area and Kasie is a homemaker and takes care of their two children. They have been coming to the temple and restaurant for many years. Their new names are Devadeva dasa and Krsangi devi dasi. The dear mother of Srila Gurudeva's disciple Jaya Govinda dasi, Shubama Gounder, a native of Fiji who has lived in Dallas with her daughter for a number of years, received the name Sevananda devi dasi. Although she doesn't speak English, her desire to serve Sri Sri Radha Kalachandji is very strong, and it gave joy to all the devotees to see her take initiation. Shyamananda dasa, the husband of Yogamaya devi dasi, and long time resident of Radha Kalachandji dhama, took Hari Nama initiation from Srila Gurudeva, keeping the same name. Previously he received initiation by a guru who is not active in ISKCON at this time. In addition, Bhakta Raul, a talented musician who works in the temple restaurant bakery, and who has been aspiring to take initiation from His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami, participated in the ceremony and received beads that Hrdayananda Maharaja had chanted on and then sent in the mail to Dallas. He received the name Rama-ksetra dasa. He became the disciple of Hrdayanada Maharaja in this ceremony although his spiritual master was not present physically. Receiving second or brahminical initiation was Radha Dyuti devi dasi, the wife of Krsnajana. Also they are both from China, currently they are living in New York City and she does translation work in her spare time. Also receiving brahminical initiation were Madhavi Madhava dasi and Krishna Kirti dasi from Srila Gurudeva and Devananda dasi, on behalf of Hrdayananda Maharaja. After the initiation a grand feast was served for the 400 guests. That evening Srila Gurudeva took dinner at the home of Jaya Baladeva dasa and Ruci Ranana devi dasi. Friday, November 24-Dallas: Srila Gurudeva gave his last class in Dallas and enjoyed breakfast and dinner cooked by Manjuali dasi. He took his lunch at the home of Jayanti devi dasi and Rupanuga dasa, both have been leaders of the Kalachandji Day School for many years. Rupanuga has recently attained a graduate degree in education from the University of North Texas and now teaches at several colleges. Also hosting Gurudeva conjointly were Mathuranath dasa and Lila dasi, who with their families have been important members of the Dallas te mple community and disciples of Srila Gurudeva for over twenty years. Among other guests, Srila Gurudeva spoke with Bhakta Noah who was visiting from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Saturday, November 25-Dallas to Houston: Srila Gurudeva, after a wonderful stay in Dallas, took darshan of Sri Sri Radha Kalachandji one more time, and then departed for Houston. (We hope to receive a report on the Houston visit written by
Guru Dhyana devi dasi, to include next time) On January 18, 2001, after six weeks of pre-operative therapy, Kirtida underwent a six-hour surgery to remove a tumor in her esophagus. The operation involved taking tissue from another area to replenish removed tissue around the tumor, the doctor described it overall as the most difficult surgery he had ever performed. Since she was weak and had a very low blood count prior to the surgery, it was possible that she could leave her body in the surgery itself or undergo major complications. Srila Gurudeva stayed at the hospital all that day, chanting and praying; he urged disciples and well wishers around the world to pray for a successful surgery and Kirtida's complete recovery from the cancer. In the weeks prior to the surgery, Kulangana dasi Prabhu, a saintly senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada who lives at Bhaktivedanta Manor, visited the hospital almost every day and read Srimad Bhagavatam to Kirtida. Bhakta Yuval from the Manor often provided transportation and almost daily support as well, but even when she couldn't get a ride Mother Kulangana, who is in her mid-sixties, took a train and walked through the snow to reach the hospital. While Gurudeva was on his preaching tour in Australasia, Nakula dasa visited and read to Kirtida daily as well. On the day before the surgery, Kirtida's godsister, Guru Bhakti dasi, who is a medical doctor in Houston, Texas, flew to London to be with her during the surgery and the critical period in intensive care; altogether she stayed about a week. Guru Bhakti spent twenty-four hours a day in the hospital and stayed in the same hospital room with Kirtida. Kirtida's sister Mammita arrived from Canada and she received a bead bag from Srila Gurudeva and on his request began to chant eight rounds a day, praying for Kirtida's well being. After Guru Bhakti left, Mammita stayed at the hospital twenty-four hours a day with Kirtida.. She has a positive and helpful attitude and was able to extend her stay to help Kirtida during her recovery. Whenever Srila Gurudeva visited the hospital Mammita would offer her obeisances; she always showed a respectful and devotional mood towards Srila Gurudeva. Kirtida's close godsister Syamala Sakhi dasi thoughtfully arranged many practicalities behind the scenes. Guru Dhyana dasi from Houston came prior to the surgery and rendered a lot of personal care for Kirtida and then later returned to Houston. Visaka Priya dasi from Hong Kong also came to be with, and assist Kirtida; she is still giving her much appreciated support. Many others, too numerous to mention also gave their time to assist and support Kirtida. Srila Gurudeva frequently visited Kirtida and spoke often to
her on the phone before and after the surgery. Her many years
as a surgical nurse made her somewhat pessimistic about the complicated,
dangerous surgery that loomed, and she was tired of all the pain
and botheration her material body was giving, and would continue
to present. Gurudeva told her repeatedly, however, that she could
live through the whole thing and recover. He saw value in the
devotional service that she could still offer in this lifetime,
and as usual he was in a fighting mood. Not wanting to be complacent
or indifferently leave things to destiny, he sent messages to
devotees worldwide, giving them the date of the surgery and asking
them to pray and if possible do kirtan at that time as well. He
had full faith in the power of the Vaisnava's prayer, and he himself
prayed daily for her wellbeing. Although there were complications, Kirtida went through the surgery
successfully and was out of intensive care in two days, right
on schedule. The strength she got from Srila Gurudeva and her
own Krishna consciousness was evident as she bore the pain and
mental distress better than could be expected. Receiving word
that she could go home she left the hospital on February lst.
Most importantly, the doctor told her that according to pathology
tests, the cancer appeared to have been successfully removed and
had not spread to other parts of her body. Due to Srila Gurudeva's
constant advice, encouragement and prayers, and due to the prayers
of sincere devotees around the world, it appears that the surgery
and recovery for Kirtida have gone as smoothly and positively
as they could have gone under the circumstances. Although she
is still in discomfort and has a lot of recuperation to do, it
appears at this time that she has successfully gone through the
most difficult stages. And, Krishna willing, it looks like she
has a significant part of her life still to look forward to in
which to render more service to Krishna, Srila Gurudeva and all
the devotees and to give us more of her wonderful association.
Srimati Kirtida devi dasi ki Jaya!!! PART I. …Krishna consciousness can only be spread, as Prabhupada said, by the help and participation of many different sections of society: each person has to do their share-just like different parts of the body. Each contributes to the overall well being of the body. So we should pray that persons of different abilities can all partake in this movement. Only then will it actually fulfill Prabhupada's expectation of Lord Caitanya's prophecy. Today I was very surprised: I don't know if this is really where you were up to [in the reading of the Lilamrta]. I asked Mahadyuti Prabhu [the temple president], "What is the place where you're reading from?" and then he gave me the page. And it just happens to be…is this really where the temple was up to? It just happens that the first sentence opens, "Jayananda was driving the car. Tamal Krishna Goswami was…" so and so. So, I'll be able to speak personally from my remembrance about this because I remember this time very nicely. We'll be reading about Prabhupada coming to New York City on July 9th, 1976. I was in charge of our temple there at New York at the time. So [it is] just by Krishnas' arrangement, I suppose, that this section came up in the reading… [After chanting Jaya Radha-Madhava Srila Gurudeva reads the following
section:] So this guru-puja we are doing, it is not self-aggrandizement.
It is real teaching. You sing daily, guru-mukha-vakya cittete
kariya aikya. I tell you frankly, whatever little success is there
in this Krishna consciousness movement, I simply believed what
was spoken by my Guru Maharaja. You also continue that. Then every
success will come. Thank you very much." Srila Gurudeva's Comments So, of course that's a terrible fact of life that, like so many others, that here we are reading about a story, which is now only a story. It's no longer a reality because the temple president Adi-kesava unfortunately became illusioned about a dream he supposedly had. Whether or not he had the dream only he knows; I don't think anyone could ever say. And he persuaded the GBC to allow him to sell this building. And the sale of that building on 55th street was probably the greatest real estate mistake our movement ever made. And the second greatest one was probably the sale of Croome Court here in England. Both of these sales probably have set back our movement …at least in those two places in England and in New York. We certainly have never recovered in New York, and the whole way in which our movement has developed in England has totally changed on account of losing Croome Court. We have not been able to develop the community quite in the way that we would have been able to when we had started Croome Court. Both these sales really have to do with individual vision. They were not "Krishna' s arrangement." Sometimes devotees wonder how is it possible, if Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and not a blade of grass moves without His will. Then it must be that He willed that these sales take place... [However] Krishna doesn't will that cows be slaughtered; Krishna doesn't will that people become murdered; and Krishna didn't will that Croome Court or 55th Street [temple in New York] get sold. But, Krishna does allow people to have their independent, free will. And people can misuse that independent, free will and they do so on account of various impurities which are in the heart. And that can even happen in the Krishna consciousness movement. Again people may wonder, 'How is it possible that a spiritual movement made up of those who are trying to serve Krishna, can be mislead by profit, adoration, greed and other gross, base desires?' Well, Prabhupada explains that this movement and these temples are like hospitals. That it's not that everybody who lives in this movement is a cent-percent pure devotee. They may be on the path of pure devotion, but the path is thorny. It twists and turns and there are ups and downs; and on that path people constantly stumble. Just as in a hospital, the patients are there because they are ill. So we cannot be so surprised if things take place within this movement which are not Krishna's will. Many things take place in this movement which are not Krishna's will, and each devotee has to recognize that. Sometimes, you may suffer in a way that is very painful and you should understand that sometimes it is not Krishna's will, the things that happen. Of course, we cannot always control those things. Like in the 55th Street temple, for example, I was a property trustee and that building was not supposed to be sold without my permission. But it was sold without my permission, when I was out of the country. And when the GBC voted for the sale of it, I was one of the three or five people that voted against the sale. So, at least I can say that I was strongly opposed to it. The main [thing], however, is that we can control how we respond to situations. So things that are very negative or painful to us, we have the ability to respond to them. And how we respond to them will determine how we fare in Krishna consciousness. It is not always easy, however, to make a proper response, because most of the time when we respond to a particular situation, we also find ourselves overcome by the desire for profit, adoration, distinction, lust, envy, greed. So, it is very hard to make a pure response to an adverse situation. And very often, the way we respond will make the situation even worse. And so this is the difficulty that the sadhaka, a practicing devotee, finds herself or himself in: they're constantly going two steps forward, one step backwards. Sometimes one step forward, two steps backwards-and the path is slow and uncertain. One of the special features of bhakti is that it promises the practitioner that the grace of Krishna may always be expected. That means even though we are very imperfect, and even though we may fall short of the finish line, Krishna by his causeless mercy can make up what we lack. Krishna promises that He will preserve whatever the devotee has, and provide whatever they are lacking. So in this regard, we can say that we have seen a number of devotees who have left their bodies, and at the time of death, Krishna gave them some very special mercy. We may not be able to estimate, at this time, the value of practicing Krishna consciousness. But Krishna remembers every little bit of service you have done for Him, and He will sustain you and fulfill you; at the most needy time, which is the moment of death, you will be able to remember Krishna: this is a very powerful process. So, reading of Prabhupada Lilamrita is important for us because it gives us attachment to Srila Prabhupada. We often inquired about this topic from Prabhupada: Is remembering the spiritual master as good as remembering Krishna? Prabhupada said yes, it is just as good, because Krishna is not alone: Krishna is always accompanied by His eternal associates. And we take it that the spiritual master, according to the prayers of Visvanatha Cakravati Thakura, is a confidential servitor of the Lord. And therefore remembrance of guru, just like we say Sri Guru-Sri Gauranga. Guru-Gauranga Jayate. We give glory to guru and Gauranga. There is a nice story, maybe Narottama-Vilasa, in which a sincere attempt was being made to take shelter of some elevated person in the (disciplic) line. But the disciple later on had a vision in which gradually he came to understand that Caitanya Mahaprabhu would only accept him as a servant when he became a servant of his own guru. So, I always wonder at the foolishness of people who misunderstand the value of serving the servant of Prabhupada. I always think that is very foolish because they don't seem to realize that during Prabhupada's time, that system was exactly in place. There were very few people who were directly dealing with Prabhupada. But most devotees were dealing with the few people who were dealing with Prabhupada. And their experience was that in dealing through the representative of Prabhupada, they were very satisfied and they got the mercy of Prabhupada. They got full mercy of Prabhupada, and when Prabhupada would come he would…just like when I would introduce new devotees to Prabhupada. He was so pleased to hear about that, and then he would tell them some nice thing, you are all so fortunate you have a good program together. And he would learn about them from listening to me. So the same system really goes on with the disciplic succession. It is the exact same system. When one gets initiated by guru who is a disciple of Prabhupada it is not that they are cut off from Prabhupada. They are getting introduced to Prabhupada by someone who knows Prabhupada very well. So it seems to me very good fortune. And this Lilamrita is something in which Prabhupada's position is established because everybody has a relationship with him, and remembrance of Prabhupada's activities helps us because it is so inspired. When you hear the activities of great personalities, you become inspired in your service to Krishna. No story of devotion to Krishna is probably going to be as inspiring as Prabhupada's story. There is nothing to compare with [it]. No one came with forty rupees in their pocket, with practically no relationship with anyone and start a worldwide movement with…simply faith in Krishna. Prabhupada's story is such that it can give anyone the strength, if they wish to, to follow in his footsteps. [This ends the newsletter. We will continue with Part II. of this lecture next time]
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