Your Ever Well Wisher — A Biography of HDG Srila Prabhupada

Subtitles for Your Ever Well Wisher

[00:20]: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
[00:25]: The movement he started is now known to millions around the world.
[00:30]: Yet he himself remained in the background.
[00:34]: Without personal ambition he worked humbly to spread Krishna consciousness,
[00:38]: devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
[00:42]: Yet his achievements and personal character did not go unnoticed.
[00:47]: The worlds’ leading scholars and religionists praised his unique contribution.
[00:53]: And thousands grew to love him as their dearmost friend and well-wisher.
[00:58]: In his memory his disciples erected a stunning memorial in the hills of West Virginia,
[01:05]: Now visited by half a million people a year.
[01:08]: In this and many other ways around the world Srila Prabhupada is offered expressions
[01:14]: of love by those whose lives he most deeply touched.
[01:18]: Always remember Krishna, God, and never forget Him. This was the goal of the rich
[01:48]: spiritual culture that flourished in India for thousands of years.
[01:52]: Even today Lord Krishna is remembered and glorified through monumental
[01:57]: achievements in architecture, art, drama, music, dance and philosophy.
[02:04]: Calcutta, 1896, the capital of India, the crown jewel of the British empire.
[02:14]: An elegant city of wide avenues and spacious parks.
[02:18]: It is here that Abhay Caranaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami is born.
[02:26]: A pure devotee of Krishna from birth Abhay Charan is raised in a well-to-do mercantile family.
[02:32]: From infancy he goes with his father to the Radha-Krishna Temple and at age four the
[02:39]: child spontaneously begins worshipping similar Deities in his home.
[02:43]: When Abhay Charan hears of Ratha-yatra, a traditional festival in
[02:48]: honour of Lord Krishna, it further inspires his natural devotion.
[02:52]: With his fathers help every year he holds his own small celebration
[02:58]: drawing the neighbourhood children into the festivities.
[03:01]: At age eight Abhay Charan enters the nearby Matti Laul Seel school.
[03:07]: After graduation he attends Scottish Churches College, one of the most respected in Calcutta.
[03:15]: At the time Mahatma Gandhi is organizing his countrymen in a nationwide boycott of everything
[03:21]: British. Gandhism is surging through India, uniting her in a massive non-cooperation movement.
[03:28]: Sensitive to British subujation of India’s culture and people,
[03:35]: Abhay Charan becomes an early supporter of Gandhi’s movement.
[03:37]: But 1922 marks a turning point in Abhay Charan’s life.
[03:42]: He meets Srila Bhaktsiddhanta Saraswati Goswami, the greatest devotee of Krishna of his time.
[03:49]: Srila Bhaktsiddhanta belongs to the disciplic successon of spiritual masters extending back to Lord Krishna Himself.
[03:57]: He convinces Abhay Charan that Krishna’s spiritual message transcends India’s dependant position.
[04:07]: Nothing is more important.
[04:09]: He requests Abhay Charan to spread Krishna consciousness in the Western world.
[04:12]: Abhay Charan hears and is deeply impressed.
[04:16]: By this time Abhay Charan has a growing family.
[04:20]: He moves to Allhabhad and starts a successful pharmacy.
[04:24]: All the while his spiritual master’s words remain implanted in his heart.
[04:30]: In 1933 he becomes a disciple of Srila Bhaktsiddhanta who comments,
[04:37]: “He will do everything in due time.”
[04:40]: Three years later Srila Bhaktsiddhanta leaves this world,
[04:45]: after again requesting Abhay Charan to preach in English.
[04:50]: Abhay Charan takes his words to heart and starts writing prodigiously.
[04:54]: In 1944 he single-handedly begins publishing and distributing “Back to Godhead,” a fortnightly.
[05:03]: The first issue addresses the crisis of war.
[05:09]: The second world war within twenty years is scourging the Earth.
[05:14]: “Back to Godhead” points out that people throughout the world want an end to war
[05:16]: but so often they want God’s kingdom without God, and they can not have it.
[05:21]: “All our plans will be doomed to failure by our own selfishness unless we turn to God.”
[05:28]: After the war Abhay Charan moves to Jhansi and founds the “League of Devotees.”
[05:35]: He prepares a charter for an international organization, its members dedicated to a peaceful, God-centred life.
[05:42]: Aharaya Prabhaka, his first disciple remembers.
[05:47]: He was always teaching Krishna consciousness and people came to him for knowledge.
[05:56]: After hearing from him many wanted to become his disciple.
[06:00]: He told them, “I can make you my disciple, but first you please chant the names of God
[06:05]: And give up cigarettes, meat eating, illicit sex and gambling.
[06:09]: But few people would agree to give up these habits.
[06:12]: Then he said: “Indians are imitating the Westerners. I will make disciples in the West.”
[06:18]: Then, when the Indian people see Westerners following religious principles , they will also follow.
[06:24]: Following tradition, at age 58, Abhay Charan retires from family life
[06:36]: and five years later accepts the renounced order.
[06:38]: He is now known as “A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.”
[06:43]: He lives alone in the historic medieval temple of Radha-Damodar in Vrindavana
[06:47]: engaged in deep studies and writing.
[06:50]: It was in Vrindavana that Lord Krishna revealed His pastimes fifty centuraries ago
[06:57]: and saintly persons throughout the ages have worshipped this land as the most sacred on Earth.
[07:03]: Unlike other holy men who live there, Bhaktivedanta Swami is not thinking of retiring.
[07:09]: For him Vrindavana is a source of inspiration, an ideal place to chant, worship and write.
[07:17]: Here he begins work on his life’s masterpiece,
[07:21]: translation and commentary on the monumental devotional classic, “Srimad-Bhagavatam.”
[07:27]: Bhaktivedanta Swami calles it, “A cultural presentation for the respiritualization of the entire human society.
[07:36]: But often he leaves Vrindavana to print his magazine and books in nearby Delhi.
[07:42]: Travelling takes time and tolerance but Bhaktivedanta Swami accepts it as part of his spiritual
[07:49]: mission to broadcast devotional service to Lord Krishna.
[07:53]: He writes, “Our leaders have carefully set aside the treasure-house of India’s spiritual asset.
[08:02]: And they are imitating the Western material way of life.
[08:05]: But people are more unhappy than ever before because of exclusion of the most
[08:13]: important part of life-the spiritual aspect.
[08:15]: In Delhi, Bhaktivedanta Swami personally distributes copies of “Back to Godhead.
[08:20]: And with small donations struggles to maintain the publication.
[08:25]: He regularly sees Surendra Kumar Jain, a printer.
[08:29]: It was somewhere in the month of February 1956 that I first met Prabhupada.
[08:36]: He came to my press for getting the magazine printed, “Back to Godhead.”
[08:41]: I found that it was not very easy for him to collect money.
[08:46]: He would come to the press practically every day and after the printing was done
[08:51]: He would do everything himself. He was a very dedicated person. A very committed person.
[08:55]: And at the times when he was not in a position to pay the bills,
[09:00]: I would ask him, “Why are you running this? Stop it.
[09:05]: He would say, “No, it is my mission and one day Surrenra Kumar you will see that I will succeed in my mission.
[09:11]: By 1964 Bhaktivedanta Swami completes three volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
[09:18]: Prime Misister Laul Bhadar Sastri lauds his accomplishment and recommends his books
[09:24]: For placement in India’s Public Libraries.
[09:27]: Sumati Morarji, chairman of the Scindia steamship company gives contributions for
[09:34]: printing Bhaktivedanta Swami’s books and arranges for his passage to America.
[09:37]: And he used to come every evening. And one day he said that he would like to go to America.
[09:45]: I was surprised. I said: “Swamiji, don’t go, there you are too old and it will be too cold for you.”
[09:51]: Still he insisted, so I said, “All right.”
[09:55]: So I made arrangement for him to go on Jaladuta.
[10:01]: On way while he was passing through Surat, that day was Lord Krishna’s birthday,
[10:06]: and he gathered all the people on board the ship. All the crew members, officers.
[10:12]: And recited some sloka and then some prasad was distributed to them and all that.
[10:21]: Bhaktivedanta Swami, a lone mendicant seventy years old, travelling half way across the world.
[10:30]: His only resources the message he carries and his unflinching faith.
[10:34]: The voyage on the Jaladuta proves a great trial. Bhaktivedanta Swami endures seasickness
[10:43]: And then suffers severe chest pains. In two days he has two heart attacks.
[10:48]: If another comes he thinks he would surely not survive.
[10:52]: But gradually he recovers.
[10:55]: He writes: “I feel today better, but I am feeling separation from Vrindavana.
[11:03]: “I have no qualification but I have taken up the risk just to carry out the order of my spiritual master.”
[11:07]: September 17th. 1965. The Jaladuta arrives in Boston Harbour.
[11:17]: Onboard Bhaktivedanta Swami writes:
[11:20]: My dear Lord Krishna you are so kind upon this useless soul
[11:25]: but I do not know why you have brought me here.”
[11:28]: Most of the poulation here is absorbed in material life.
[11:32]: How will I make them understand your message? I can simply repeat Your words and
[11:37]: if You like You can make my power of speaking suitable for their understanding.
[11:42]: I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge.
[11:46]: But I have strong faith in the holy name of Krishna.
[11:49]: I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, “devotion with knowledge,” and now if You like
[11:59]: You can fulfil the real purport of Bhaktivedanta.
[12:00]: Signed, the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.
[12:06]: Bhaktivedanta Swami first stays in Butler, Pennsylvania in the home of a friends son,
[12:13]: Gopal Agrawal and his wife Sally.
[12:18]: The swami was a friend of my husband’s father, Mr. Agrawal in Agra, India.
[12:23]: And he asked me to sponsor the Swami, and that’s what I did.
[12:28]: And that’s why he came to our house in the middle of the night one night.
[12:30]: He stayed with us for a month in Butler.
[12:34]: And I learned, over the time I learned to love him as I would a father inlaw.
[12:40]: He was a very sensitive and kindly type of person.
[12:45]: He was indeed one of the most unusual men I’ve ever met in my life.
[12:51]: The swami came with so few possessions. He came with the clothes he had on his back,
[12:56]: He had a typewriter and he had his books. And he had a bag of cereal.
[13:01]: Imagine coming to a country on the other side of the world with so little.
[13:06]: And yet he came with so much in himself.
[13:08]: The Swami brought a pan with him in which he cooked his food and in fact cooked our lunch too.
[13:14]: Our little boy was only six months old when he came and the Swami was there when Bridge first stood.
[13:21]: And he laughed and laughed to see him stand up. When he left he was just oceanic, oceanic.
[13:29]: He just seemed to take in the entire universe when he left and he left a lot.
[13:35]: I enjoyed my association for that one month with him about as much as I have enjoyed anything in my life.
[13:40]: Although comfortable in Butler, Bhaktivedanta Swami thought,
[13:45]: The most important philosophy in the world, Krishna consciousness,
[13:48]: should be spread in one of the most important cities in the world, New York.
[13:53]: He moves to 100 West 72nd Street.
[13:56]: Three months later his typewriter and tape recorder for translating were stolen.
[14:01]: Bhaktivedanta Swami later said: I came to America risking my life.
[14:07]: I was physically unfit and at the fag end of my days. Sometimes I did not know where to live,
[14:12]: nor was I used to the severe cold. Seemingly I was alone for one year, but I never felt alone,
[14:19]: I always felt the presence of my spiritual master. So I did not loose my enthusiasm despite all difficulties.
[14:32]: Bhaktivedanta Swami arrived in America during a decade of discontent.
[14:35]: There’s widespread dissatisfaction with America’s war in Vietnam
[14:38]: and with what some consider her racist exploitative dealings at home.
[14:47]: Disillusioned by the establishment the youth create a counter-culture of their own.
[14:49]: Around the time Bhaktivedanta Swami came waves of Americans are
[14:54]: breaking away from the status-quo, searching for an alternative.
[14:58]: For a short time Bhaktivedanta Swami lives in the Bowery in a loft given by a friend.
[15:07]: Mukunda Goswami, who was attending his classes at this time, tells of their first meeting.
[15:14]: He wore very thick glasses and had a big Sanskrit book spread out before him.
[15:17]: His voice was very deep and resonant. He spoke with great authority
[15:21]: and the Sanskrit slokas he spoke very beautiful, very melodious.
[15:25]: He was obviously a very distinguished scholar. I became very curious, almost astonished,
[15:31]: As to how someone of his stature, he looked very much like an aristocrat,
[15:36]: could be living in the Bowery, the skid-row of New York.
[15:40]: And afterwards I approached him to speak. I was standing and he was sitting on his small dais.
[15:46]: So he was looking up at me. And he had the look of a very happy, innocent young child.
[15:51]: And I could see that he actually had all the time in the world for me. He wasn’t short of time.
[15:56]: I asked questions, he would answer.
[15:58]: Then after some time he moved to a somewhat better neighbourhood on Second Avenue.
[16:05]: We helped him rent a small storefront there and he had an apartment in the back.
[16:07]: And within a few weeks time this little storefront on Second Avenue,
[16:10]: on the lower-east side of New York, which was then populated by thousands of young hippies,
[16:14]: had been transformed into a beautiful Krishna temple.
[16:17]: Alan Ginsberg, I remember, began to come at that time.
[16:27]: When he moved down the lower east side I thought that was a stroke of brilliant social judgement.
[16:29]: Because traditionally swamis, yogis and masters all moved uptown to the rich.
[16:34]: And were sponsored and funded by the rich. And you would find Krishna Murti living
[16:37]: in elegant apartments on the upper east side with drawing rooms and French furniture,
[16:43]: and here was Bhaktivedanta like in the depths of Calcutta. Where the hippies were.
[16:48]: Where the acid-heads were, the freaks and the amphetamine-heads and the meth-monsters.
[16:56]: So it seemed some kind of ray of song and light to the right place.
[17:03]: The lower depths where it was needed.
[17:08]: And of course the lower east side was the intellectual centre in certain respects.
[17:11]: In art and in advanced spiritual vibrations, particularly in the sixties.
[17:18]: So it seemed a historically just move on his part.
[17:22]: A friend of mine told me about a love celebration at Tompkins Square Park which was last Thursday,
[18:32]: the Thursday before last and I knew I had been seeking a guru for a while.
[18:41]: So Krishna sent me there, and I was there and after meeting some of the initiates I knew that
[18:47]: the swami really had to be into something.
[18:52]: I came here in America in the September 1965. I was wandering the street.
[18:59]: And some of the boys saw me. And gradually they came to me.
[19:06]: My mission is to preach the philosophy of Lord Caitanya, chanting Hare Krishna
[19:19]: Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
[19:26]: This transcendental vibration will cleanse the dirty things of the mind.
[19:36]: It doesn’t matter what he is. This transcendental vibration is equally appealing to everyone.
[19:48]: Without any question of language, nationality, creed or caste.
[19:56]: Because it is coming forth from the depth of the soul.
[20:03]: Krishna was all along preparing something, Bhaktivedanta Swami later wrote.
[20:09]: And He brought me to you one by one. Sincere boys and girls to be trained in Krishna consciousness.
[20:15]: Now I can see that it is a miracle. Otherwise one old man with only a few books to sell for barely getting food.
[20:25]: How could he survive, what to speak of introducing a God conscious movement in a materialistic society.
[20:31]: For Bhaktivedanta Swami these are happy days, singing and speaking with the vigour of a young man.
[20:36]: He brings the Hare Krishna movement into the public eye, by chanting in the parks.
[20:41]: By distributing Back To Godhead magazine, by holding free Sunday love feasts.
[20:46]: Many are attracted. His hopes for the future expand without limit.
[20:51]: The Hare Krishna movement has taken root.
[20:54]: Some time in the spring of 1967 people handed me clippings from New York
[21:06]: newspapers saying that there was a swami in New York city.
[21:10]: So I went to New York to look up this person and his movement.
[21:13]: My first contact was with disciples apart from Bhaktivedanta Swami.
[21:18]: And I was frankly somewhat disappointed by the disciples.
[21:24]: They seemed to be not very informed about what they were doing.
[21:28]: They were a little unclear about the whole thing.
[21:30]: And yet they were terribly serious and terribly devoted to what they were about.
[21:35]: And I couldn’t put those two pieces together.
[21:41]: You know, their confusion and uncertainty on the one hand and .
[21:43]: their commitment on the other until I met Bhaktivedanta Swami.
[21:47]: And as soon as I met him, which was after several visits to the temple,
[21:52]: I realized that this was the person who really made the whole thing go.
[21:57]: But the impressive thing about him was it was never himself in the center.
[22:03]: He never said you should do this because of me.
[22:08]: He always said you should do this, and I should do this, because of Krishna.
[22:12]: When he gave them instructions to do what they thought were impossible things.
[22:16]: Like he told one of the early disciples, “go start a magazine.”
[22:21]: The guy had never had any contact with a magazine before in his life, except to read one.
[22:25]: And he said: “How am I to do that?” And Bhaktivedanta Swami said: “Krishna will help you.”
[22:31]: He was just astonishing in terms of the personal impact he had on people.
[22:37]: The way that he was able to give them confidence in themselves.
[22:41]: But more importantly give them confidence that there was a guide who was leading them
[22:48]: And would give them the strength they needed.
[22:55]: Bhaktivedanta Swami does not belong to New York. He belongs to Krishna.
[22:56]: So when a few of his followers invite him to San Francisco he goes and introduces the free-wheeling youth to Krishna.
[23:02]: His ancient culture, His spiritual food, His eternal chant.
[23:07]: The way to stay high forever.
[23:10]: In the heart of the hippy movement, Height Ashbury, Golden Gate Park,
[23:14]: and in the hearts of the hippies, the Hare Krishna mantra resounds with unimagined potency.
[23:20]: As in New York Bhaktivedanta Swami gathers sincere followers.
[23:52]: The Hare Krishna movement begins to grow.
[23:55]: Bhaktivedanta Swami becomes respectfully known as “Prabhupada,” meaning
[24:07]: “one at whose feet the masters sit.”
[24:11]: From Montreal Prabhupada sends six disciples to open a temple in London.
[24:22]: Yamuna devi dasi remembers.
[24:25]: So we went to London that fall and although we had no permanent place of residence
[24:31]: And we were completely dependent on Krishna, somehow or another
[24:36]: By the enthusiasm that Srila Prabhupada had given us in Montreal
[24:39]: We were able to make contact with George Harrison
[24:44]: who was a member of the Beetles at the time.
[24:47]: And he was such a pleasant person to be with. He so much appreciated the Hare Krishna mantra
[24:55]: That he immediately said, “Lets make a 45 record.”
[24:59]: So we cut a record and he was very pleased with it.
[25:03]: He did a little background music on it and it was released and Apple organized tours for us.
[25:10]: We went to Germany and France and had television coverage.
[25:14]: And in this way the London Times, the Sunday Times, wanted to do a feature on us.
[25:21]: And we were able to send the report back to Srila Prabhupada with the headlines,
[25:29]: “Krishna consciousness startles London.”
[25:36]: As people come to him convinced of the Krishna conscious philosophy Srila Prabhupada
[25:39]: accepts them for initiation. Not on the basis of birth, as in the rigid Hindu caste system,
[25:42]: but on the basis of qualification and sincerity. In the whole history of Indian spiritual life
[25:47]: no one has ever attempted something as bold and seemingly impossible.
[25:53]: To transform Westerners into full-fledged devotees of Lord Krishna.
[26:00]: But by his intense spiritual energy and compassion,
[26:03]: Srila Prabhupada is successful beyond his own expectations.
[26:08]: How old is the movement.
[26:12]: But from historical point of view it is about five thousand years old.
[26:18]: Why has it just begun to really catch on in the Western world?
[26:23]: I mean just recently, you know in recent years it has began to sweep the Western world.
[26:29]: Why is this?
[26:34]: The Western world, younger generation were being frustrated, the hippie movement.
[26:37]: So when they saw something tangible they accepted it.
[26:45]: What things… if everyone in the United States believed in Krishna and to the extent that you do
[26:56]: What would happen to this country, how would it be transformed?
[27:00]: They would be very happy and peaceful.
[27:05]: There will be no more hippies.
[27:11]: What would you describe as a hippy? Someone who smokes…
[27:18]: You know better than me.
[27:19]: Something extraordinary.
[27:26]: The thing that really inspired me the most about Srila Prabhupada was his
[27:30]: complete dedication to his devotees.
[27:33]: The thing that Prabhupada liked the best was to be with his disciples.
[27:37]: It wasn’t that he took on large amounts of disciples
[27:41]: and then sat backed and then just pushed them to do this and that and the other for himself.
[27:49]: He did more for us than we ever did for him.
[27:51]: And travelling with him personally I got to see what a tremendous sacrifice he made for us.
[27:55]: And even when he was ill he would still preach. He would still be concerned.
[28:00]: He would still be asking after how things were going in the society that he created.
[28:05]: How were individual disciples doing.
[28:08]: He always had time also to look to our personal needs.
[28:13]: He was very concerned. Prabhupada wasn’t aloof.
[28:16]: All he really wanted was us to reciprocate the love that he gave to us.
[28:18]: And if we reciprocated he would give us more.
[28:21]: So my personal experience with Srila Prabhupada was that I found in him a person
[28:30]: that I could actually genuinely fully give myself to.
[28:33]: In Srila Prabhupada’s eyes Krishna consciousness is not an armchair philosophy or a part-time religion.
[28:40]: It is a way of life. A transcendental culture that can end mans political, economic and social problems.
[28:48]: To realize his vision Srila Prabhupada circles the globe fourteen times in twelve years.
[28:54]: Inspiring his followers and discussing Krishna consciousness with all interested persons.
[29:00]: His door is open to everyone.
[29:04]: Actually nothing is private property. Everything belongs to God.
[29:10]: Rather we have stolen God’s property and claiming, “my property.”
[29:15]: There is Australia, the English man came here, but is that the property of English man?
[29:19]: It was there, America, it was there and when everything will be finished it will be there also.
[29:38]: In the middle we come and claim, “It is my property,” and fight.
[29:43]: To revive the Krishna conscious tradition in its full richness,
[29:48]: Prabhupada envisions God-centred, self-sufficient farm communities
[29:53]: based on the principle of plain living and high thinking.
[29:57]: The first such community begins on 133 acres in the hills of West Virginia.
[30:02]: Prabhupada calls it “New Vrindavana” after Krishna’s place of pastimes in India.
[30:08]: In 1972 Srila Prabhupada begins a Krishna conscious primary school system in Dallas, Texas.
[30:19]: Srila Prabhupada very practically introduced a primary school system to teach children
[30:26]: self-realization along with regular study.
[30:27]: This means that the Gurukul system is unique in that the educators are themselves free of vices.
[30:33]: We could hardly find an institution where the faculty members are free of loose sexual relationships,
[30:43]: intoxication, smoking, although they may have good credentials academically.
[30:51]: That would be rare to find.
[30:53]: But in Krishna consciousness the teacher must also be on the platform of pure devotional service.
[30:59]: Because the children are very impressionable and they learn what their educators are
[31:06]: actually doing, not just what they are saying.
[31:08]: So these are some of the principles that Srila Prabhupada introduced in Gurukula.
[31:14]: Srila Prabhupada gradually trains his disciples in the time-honoured tradition of deity worship
[31:20]: to help them advance spiritually. He explains, “I have introduced this system of deity worship
[31:27]: “among the non-belivers, the atheists. Krishna can not be understood with our present senses.
[31:33]: But by His kindness he agrees to personally appear as the Deity to accept our service.
[31:38]: When we are attracted to the beautiful form of the Deity we will forget our attraction for material things.
[31:45]: And as we serve the Deity we will develop pure love of God.
[31:50]: Then our lives will be successful.
[32:07]: In Melbourne, Australia Srila Prabhupada worships Lord Caitanya, a divine incarnation of Krishna.
[32:13]: By Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy we have installed the Deity here in your country.
[32:23]: You are very fortunate that Caitanya Mahaprabhu has come to your country.
[32:31]: To teach you how you become free of all anxieties. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission.
[32:43]: Everyone is full of anxiety but everyone can be free from all anxieties
[32:54]: if he follows the path chalked out by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
[33:00]: As people are fallen in this age, the method also has been offered-very simple.
[33:10]: They have been recommended simply to chant the holy name of God, that’s all.
[33:19]: For five years after first arriving in America, Srila Prabhupada presents Krishna consciousness
[33:26]: primarly to Westerners. From housewives to hippies to heads of state.
[33:31]: Then, in November 1971, after a world tour, he returns to Delhi with some of his followers.
[33:39]: The Mayor receives him with the fanfare that greets a homecoming patriot.
[33:44]: Prabhupada quotes Lord Caitanya.
[33:47]: It is the duty of those born in India to benefit others by spreading Krishna consciousness.
[33:53]: This is India’s greatest glory. Her unique gift to the world.
[33:57]: Thirty thousand Indians gather nightly at the Delhi fair grounds to see the
[34:03]: Western devotees and hear Prabhupada speak.
[34:06]: To bring about this change in India, the revival of Krishna consciousness,
[34:22]: Prabhupada’s plan was to bring his dancing white elephants.
[34:29]: He told us that, When I bring my Western disciples to India, they will all come to see
[34:36]: my dancing white elephants, he said.
[34:39]: So we were actually very fond of being Prabhupada’s dancing white elephants.
[34:46]: We took that as the special mercy of Prabhupad on us, that we could be his dancing white elephants
[34:54]: and help him in any way we could to preach Krishna consciousness in India.
[35:01]: Prabhupada was told by an astrologer in Navadvipa, in West Bengal,
[35:10]: when he saw a photo of Prabhupada’s face, he said that this man, he has the ability
[35:18]: to make a house in which the whole world can live peacefully.
[35:20]: To make a house in which the whole world can live very peacefully.
[35:26]: And when I told Prabhupada that, he said, “Yes, that is my mission.”
[35:30]: That within Krishna consciousness the whole world can live peacefully.
[35:36]: While the Hare Krishna movement spreads worldwide
[35:40]: Srila Prabhupada wants to nurture its roots in India.
[35:44]: He journeys to Maypur, West Bengal, the birthplace of Lord Caitanya.
[35:49]: It was Lord Caitanya who inaugurated, five hundred years ago,
[35:55]: the congregational chanting of the God’s holy names.
[35:58]: In Mayapur devotees purchase a small tract of land and start constructing an international guest house.
[36:05]: For a handful of devotees who know nothing about construction, this is not an easy task.
[36:13]: Srila Prabhupada directs and encourages them.
[36:16]: For ourselves, he says, we are happy and satisfied living in a grass hut.
[36:21]: But if we simply have a hut, who will come here?
[36:25]: The more we develop our land, the more people will be attracted.
[36:29]: Prabhupada plans to build a temple of understanding to house the world’s largest planetarium.
[36:34]: and around it a spiritual city with schools, shops, farms.
[36:40]: And many temples for worshipping Lord Krishna.
[36:43]: Within the hearts of India’s people is a natural respect for the eternal Krishna conscious culture.
[36:51]: Many come forward to take part in Srila Prabhupda’s movement and accept initiation from him.
[36:58]: No one should go hungry within a ten mile radius of the temple, Prabhupada instructs.
[37:06]: In March 1972 devotees start the ISKCON food relief program, distributing prasad,
[37:11]: vegetarian food offered to Lord Krishna.
[37:15]: As the Mayapur project develops Prabhupada invites his disciples from six continents
[37:21]: to join together yearly on the anniversary of Lord Caitanya’s appearance.
[37:26]: Prabhupada wants them to be purified and inspired by remembrance of the Lord in His holy land.
[37:32]: In Vrindavana Srila Prabhupada treats his followers to a guided tour of the holy places
[37:40]: and personally relates Lord Krishna’s pastimes.
[37:43]: The devotees relish a bath in the sacred waters of the Yamuna river.
[37:52]: Prabhupada acquires land in Bombay, India’s most cosmopolitan city.
[38:24]: Although he has only a hut for a temple Prabhupada envisions an international cultural centre.
[38:30]: His ambition is to give as many people as possible access to the nectar of transcendental life,
[38:37]: whether through philosophy, service or spiritual food.
[38:42]: So that everyone can become happy, hopeful and peaceful.
[38:45]: Doctor N.D. Deasi, a leading Bombay industrialist recalls.
[38:50]: From 1971 through 1977 I must have met Prabhupada many, many times.
[38:57]: And each time I met Prabhupada I would try to find fault with him.
[39:01]: And even I would try to make him angry, or I once even tried find out whether was greedy.
[39:11]: I just couldn’t find any fault with him.
[39:14]: And in fact in matter of business life or daily life we do try to see the weekness of the other person
[39:24]: And sometimes, as a businessman, we try to take advantage.
[39:28]: But here was a person who just wouldn’t become agitated.
[39:33]: There was absolutely no lust in him, there was no greed in him.
[39:37]: There was… I couldn’t see a spot of jealousy in him.
[39:42]: And then I realized, after six year of, that he was a very empowered, divine person.
[39:51]: Gradually, Srila Prabhupada says, I am seeing all my dreams being fulfilled.
[40:01]: In Bombay a spacious marble temple, a theatre, a restaurant,
[40:03]: a library and a twin-towered seven story hotel.
[40:06]: In Mayapur the planned spiritual city develops.
[40:11]: In Vrindavana the popular Krishna Balarama temple,
[40:18]: and international guest house and a secondary school.
[40:25]: Prabhupada sees his society grow into a world-wide confederation
[40:32]: with more than one hundred temples, restraints, institutes, schools and farm communities.
[40:37]: Five hundred years ago Lord Caitanya predicted that one day the holy name of Krishna
[40:43]: would be heard in every town and village of the world.
[40:46]: By the mid seventies Hare Krishna becomes a household word.
[40:52]: When I first met the first Hare Krishnas I can remember how surprised I was
[40:58]: And really I wondered what this meant.
[41:02]: The costumes and the chanting and the shaved heads appeared a little strange, a little bizarre to me.
[41:08]: But the more I came to know the movement, I came to find that there was
[41:14]: a striking similarity in the essence of what they were teaching and saying
[41:18]: and in my understanding of the original core of Christianity.
[41:21]: That is living simply, not trying to accumulate worldly goods or profit.
[41:27]: Living with compassion toward all creatures. Sharing, loving and living joyfully.
[41:33]: I am impressed with how much the teaching of one man
[41:38]: in the spiritual tradition that he brought has impacted itself into the lives of so many people.
[41:43]: So in my own view his contribution is a very important one and will be a lasting one.
[41:50]: As a child Srila Prabhupada celebrated Ratha-yatra near his home in Calcutta with his playmates.
[41:58]: Years later he is still celebrating the Ratha-yatra festival–
[42:02]: but now on the main streets of twenty large cities around the world.
[42:06]: And with hundreds of thousands of disciples and guests.
[42:09]: People follow, imitate Americans. I am travelling all over the world.
[42:26]: Everywhere I see they are trying to manufacture the skyscraper building.
[42:40]: Imitating your country.
[42:42]: So, if you kindly become Krishna conscious and chant and dance in ecstasy,
[42:46]: emotional love of God, the whole world will follow you,
[42:51]: and it will be Vaikuntha, there will be no more trouble.
[42:54]: Thank you very much.
[43:51]: Whether before huge crowds or a few disciples or alone, Srila Prabhupada’s mood of devotion prevails.
[45:03]: Wherever in the world he happens to be Srila Prabhupada follows a regular daily schedule.
[45:07]: In the quietude of the early mornings he goes out for lengthy strolls and
[45:13]: shares intimate moments with a small group of students and guests.
[45:16]: Rejecting superficial and dogmatic thinking he carefully guides his students
[45:22]: to increased insight and understanding.
[45:24]: After his walk Srila Prabhupada greets the Deities of the Supreme Lord,
[45:30]: offers obeisances and lectures on a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam.
[46:10]: So you may have two million dollars, I may have ten dollars, you may have hundred dollars.
[46:16]: Everyone has got some riches.
[46:19]: That is admitted.
[46:23]: But nobody can say that I have got all the riches.
[46:26]: That is not possible.
[46:30]: If somebody can say that I have got all the riches, he is God.
[46:35]: That is spoken by Krishna. Nobody has said in the history of the world.
[46:45]: Krishna said, bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva loka mahesvaram.
[46:49]: I am the enjoyer of everything. And I am the proprietor of all the universe.
[46:58]: Who can say that?
[46:59]: That is God.
[47:02]: In the afternoons Prabhupada meets with guests. Here in Los Angeles with scholars of religion.
[47:09]: Your pride, your property, your family, your bank balance, your skyscraper buildings,
[47:17]: all taken away. Bas, finished, gone away.
[47:19]: This is God. Now understand God?
[47:25]: If you believe or do not believe God will come one day, will take you, will take your everything
[47:30]: And get out. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita.
[47:35]: That those who are not believer in God,
[47:40]: to them I come as death and take away everything, finished.
[47:48]: That one has to believe. Yes. As sure as death. Then God is sure.
[47:55]: So unless one is mad man, he cannot say there is no God.
[48:03]: Anyone who denies the existence of God, he is a mad man.
[48:14]: Prabhupada, wouldn’t it be better to say he is bind, he is stupid.
[48:15]: Yes. The same thing.
[48:16]: Mad is the sum total of all stupidity.
[48:21]: Festival takes place
[48:26]: Whereever Srila Prabhupada is he continues to write prolifically. Rising long before dawn
[48:32]: he spends hours translating and commenting on original Sanskrit and Bengali texts.
[48:38]: Sometimes they wash their hands and feet before entering the temple.
[48:44]: His most significant contribution is his books.
[48:48]: Srila Prabhupada sees sixty million distributed in twenty-eight languages.
[48:57]: Professors from dozens of major universities use them as standard texts and write appreciative reviews.
[49:03]: He also did a very important work in introducing to the Western world for the first time
[49:10]: the devotional philosophy of Sri Krishna Caitanya.
[49:14]: Not only did he introduce these texts,
[49:18]: but he introduced them in a way that was quite different from the other translations
[49:24]: that had been made. I’ve read so many different translations for example of the Bhagavad-gita.
[49:29]: Which had all been interpreted from the impersonalist type of philosophy of the Advaita school.
[49:37]: And here you might say for the first time was a truly devotional translation,
[49:41]: a spiritual translation of the text which I felt really came
[49:45]: much closer to the true meaning and the purpose of the Bhagavad-gita.
[49:50]: Established in 1972 the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust exclusively publishes Srila Prabhupada’s works.
[49:57]: It becomes the world’s largest distributor of books in the field of Indian religion and philosophy.
[50:03]: For Srila Prabhupada the transcendental knowledge in these books forms the basis of the
[50:09]: Hare Krishna movement. A movement prophesised to grow for the next ten thousand years.
[50:14]: In 1977, dispite his failing health, Srila Prabhupada continues travelling and teaching.
[50:23]: February, 1977, the world’s largest pilgrimage, Kumba Mela in Allahabad, India.
[50:30]: Millions gathered to bathe in the holy Ganges.
[50:33]: Although physically weak, Srila Prabhupada attends.
[50:38]: His disciples perform kirtan and distribute books and “Back to Godhead” magazines.
[50:43]: Practically from the very beginning Srila Prabhupada gave us notice that he would not always be with us.
[50:54]: Of course it was only a few months after he opened the storefront on 26 2nd Avenue and he became very ill
[51:02]: and he had that heart attack or whatever it was and it seemed even at that time that he might leave then.
[51:07]: And he warned us. He said, “I am an old man, I may leave at any moment.”
[51:11]: Notice is already given, three score and ten, that is already passed.
[51:15]: So Prabhupada was never under any illusion that he would remain forever in this world with us.
[51:23]: But he said, “My instruction will remain.”
[51:25]: And he trained us from the very beginning to follow his instruction and to use our individuality
[51:32]: to execute his instructions for the glorification of Krishna.
[51:37]: Although his illness steadily worsens, Srila Prabhupada speaks nightly at a program in Bombay.
[51:44]: In May he journeys to Hrsikesa at the foot of the Himalayas to try to regain his health.
[51:51]: There he continues to instruct his intimate disciples.
[51:56]: Then in October Srila Prabhupada returns to his old home, Vrindavana, to spend his final days.
[52:05]: Even though he is physically incapacitated, Srila Prabhupada’s intellect remains clear.
[52:27]: He continues dictating translations and comments on his life’s work, Srimad-Bhagavatam,
[52:34]: until days before he departs from this world.
[52:37]: Everything is acting, moving, by the supreme desire of Krishna.
[52:45]: This consciousness is Krishna consciousness.
[52:53]: November 14th, 1977, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada passes on.
[53:03]: That divine personality who spoke on different subjects with thousands of meanings,
[53:25]: who imparted knowledge in thousands of ways, and who inspired thousands of devotees
[53:31]: has now returned to his Lord, Sri Krishna.
[53:35]: Being kind to his devotees, Lord Krishna gave them the association of Srila Prabhupada,
[53:42]: being independent in his desires, the Lord has now broken that association.
[53:50]: Yet Srila Prabhupada remains.
[53:52]: He lives forever in his teachings and he lives forever in the hearts of His followers.
[54:37]: As their ever well-wisher.

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