Gavin Swinden to Srila Prabhupada
Prabhupada " Then why do you love the soul? Because it is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we love the soul. So ultimately, the love goes to Kṛṣṇa. This is natural feeling of love between Kṛṣṇa, or God, and between living entities, but the māyā is interrupting the relation. It is called illusion. The process of interruption is called illusion. Otherwise we, every one of us, we love Kṛṣṇa. Every one of us. You analyze, you see that ultimately goes to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti: "The loving attitude of the living entity towards Kṛṣṇa is nitya-siddha." That is eternally fact. Not that we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, artificially we are creating some situation that a person may love Kṛṣṇa. No. That is not. That is not fact. We are cleansing the process which has covered our kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya (CC Madhya 22.107). The love for Kṛṣṇa is there automatically. Everyone loves. But it is now covered by māyā."
Comments
"Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone." Srila Gour Govinda Swami called his ashrama the school for crying, but now he is also gone, so here we are.
The only thing i have of value is Srila Prabhupada's teachings. I started this devotee life at age 16, now 60, and i can say it has been wonderful and horrible at the same time. If not for a handful of good associates at https://puredevoteeseva.ning.com/, my life would be empty now. A man with no money and no family is not wanted in his old age; no one told me that when i was asked to shave up and ship out. i do not regret, as what needed to be done was done, and now we have millions of devotees worldwide. I feel like my job is about done here, though we have only just gotten started.
So i advise the younger ones; get married to a good person, get money or sustenance issues taken care of, acquire a home, be independent and strong, and practice Krsna consciousness from that position. Do not be too quick to jump into renunciation or full time service at a temple that may or may not welcome you years later, wasting your youthful opportunities. You may end up broke, no family, alone, old of body, and typing on a computor like me, otherwise. Word to the wise.
I wanted to make the world a better place. It was like the sparrow seeking to drain the ocean to retrieve the lost eggs; only by Divine Grace. Obeisances to my Godbrothers, even those who abuse we the ritivk devotees for pointing out the martyrdom of the greatest saint of our age, and insisting that he is as good as God. Srila Prabhupada is not going away; we have established that beachhead.