We Can Become Illuminated To Spiritual Consciousness Any Moment

[Gavin Swinden]

(He will ask you to do it, but He will not force you to do it. If you do not take it, that is your choice. But this is the assurance. To become illuminated, to become awakened to spiritual consciousness, we can do it at any moment if we want to accept it)

 

"Sva-tejasā: we have got that potency to come to the light. Everyone, we have got that potency. Simply we must be willing. That independence is there. I may not like it. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66): "You do it." Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful;

 

He can force you to accept this principle. But that He will not do. He will not touch your independence. He will ask you to do it, but He will not force you to do it. If you do not take it, that is your choice. But this is the assurance. To become illuminated, to become awakened to spiritual consciousness, we can do it at any moment if we want to accept it.

Sva-tejasā, we have got that potency. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for giving enlightenment to the people that "If you like, you can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and then your life is successful."

 

(Prabhupada Lecture, December 29, 1974, Bombay)

[Tamohara dasa ADMIN.]

Krishna Govinda

 

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My most Glorious Gurudev: an account by a Gaudiya Vaishnava

Mulaprakriti Dasi: One day in Mayapur, an old Gaudiya Vaishnava came to the pujari room looking for someone to talk to. He was holding a Back to Godhead magazine and he said, "Is anyone here a disciple of Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj?" A few of us said, "We are." He said, "I have to tell you something really special." He was very excited. He said, "For many years at Advaita Acharya's house in Shantipur, I humbly served as the pujari, doing the aratis and taking care of guests. Many years ago, when I was young, I noticed a grihastha gentleman who, in a sober and quiet way, sometimes sat at the back of the hall, chanting japa and weeping. I never disturbed him. I never asked who he was, but whenever he came my heart would fill with joy and I would give him some maha prasadam. He moved with great determination, he came in, in a very determined way and he left in a very determined way. Sometimes he would chant all afternoon. After some time, he didn't come anymore and one day a few years later I was doing my seva when I saw someone in saffron robes sitting and chanting in the back exactly as he had. I looked closely and recognized that it was my old friend, but now chanting even more deeply and weeping bitterly. He wept so much that I also wept. I got some maha prasadam and when that sannyasi was ready to leave I gave it to him and said, 'I've seen you for many years but this time I didn't recognize you at first. I'm so glad to see you. What is your name? Who are you?'" "He said, 'my name is Abhaya Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj, and I am a humble and fallen disciple of my most glorious Gurudeva, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada. I've been coming here for many years because this is the place where Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu used to gather to plan the whole worldwide sankirtan movement. This is such a holy place. I have been praying in the dust of this place, the dust of Their feet, for Their mercy. Many years ago my Gurudeva gave me an impossible mission. He ordered me to go across the ocean and plant Krishna consciousness on foreign soil. I do not know how to do this and I come here to pray for Their guidance and inspiration. I am feeling Their great mercy. Tomorrow I am leaving Bharatavarsa on a ship. I have no place to turn. I don't know what will happen. I only know that my Gurudeva has given me this order, and the personalities of this place have given me Their mercy. Would you also bestow your mercy upon me?'" That devotee said, "Of course, you have any mercy that I have to give. I pray that you will be successful." Prabhupada said, "May we meet again" and Prabhupada took his little bag and walked away. So, the day before Prabhupada left India on the ship he made a visit to Mayapur and he also went to Shantipur. That old Vaishnava said, "I often remembered him and wondered how had he done, what had happened to him. Then I noticed a strange occurrence, white Vaishnavas started coming to our little temple. I was shy of them and didn't speak to them, I didn't speak English. I didn't know where they were from or how they had become devotees. But one day one of them gave me a Back to Godhead magazine with an article about Prabhupada's life and a picture of Srila Prabhupada as a grihastha in Calcutta. And I saw that that was my old friend, and now I am looking here and I see that the Acharya is also him. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj has actually done it. I am so happy. I want everyone to know about your Gurudeva and his glories."