by Dravida dasa
As in the fifty-three Vyasa-puja books that preceded it, in this year’s book you’ll find a selection of leading and rank-and-file devotees expressing their gratitude to Srila Prabhupada, along with glorification, remembrances, and prayers. One remarkable thing about this year’s book is that, despite the two-year-long-and-counting deadly COVID-19 pandemic, an ongoing war in Ukraine that has impacted not only the many devotees in that country and in Russia who are directly affected but also devotees all over the world, and severe heat waves, droughts, storms, and other effects of unchecked climate change, many offerings in this year’s book reveal an increasingly strong and sustained faith in Srila Prabhupada’s shelter and instructions, along with confidence in the process of Krsna consciousness and the ultimate victory of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s sankirtana movement. Vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam!
Several offerings note the important 50th anniversaries and a 100th anniversary celebrated this year. The fiftieth anniversaries include those of ISKCON’s first Gaura-purnima festival in Mayapur, the installation there of Chota Radha-Madhava, and Srila Prabhupada’s laying of the cornerstone of what is now known as the TOVP. The 100th anniversary is of Srila Prabhupada’s first meeting with Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, at the first Gaudiya Matha building, on Ultadanga Rd., in Calcutta, at which the Thakura momentously said to Abhay Charan and his friend Naren, “You are educated young men. Why don’t you preach Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s message throughout the whole world?”
Badrinarayan Swami’s offering is a moving meditation on the power of a pure devotee’s tears. Here’s an excerpt, in which Srila Prabhupada reveals the essential importance to him of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s order noted above, his order given over forty years earlier to preach Krsna consciousness abroad:
“The sevait of Advaita Acarya’s house in Santipura, Santa Sakha Goswami, narrated how in August of 1965, a few days before boarding the Jaladuta, Srila Prabhupada visited Santipura. The Goswami had known Srila Prabhupada from long before and was surprised to see him sitting in the back of the temple, in saffron cloth, chanting intensely on his beads. As the Goswami looked closer, he could see that Srila Prabhupada was crying while chanting.
“After some time, the Goswami greeted Srila Prabhupada. Later he shared what Srila Prabhupada told him at that time: ‘I am the unworthy disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and he has given me an impossible mission. I am coming here because Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda used to meet here to plan the sankirtana movement. I am praying that They will give me Their mercy, empower me, and guide me. I want to satisfy my guru-maharaja’s desire, but I am feeling very unqualified to do this.'”
Another remarkable offering, written by Manjula-mani Devi Dasi on behalf of the devotees in Abentheuer, Germany, relates how Srila Prabhupada, in a lecture given fifty years ago, revealed why his love for Sri Krsna impelled him to preach Krsna consciousness all over the world. Manjula-mani writes:
“You recently stopped me in my tracks with a stunning yet simple definition of love. While listening to one of your recorded lectures, given at New Vrindavan on September 4, 1972, I heard you say, ‘One who is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord in love and devotion–what is the symptom of love? The symptom, the prime symptom, the most important symptom of love is that the devotee wants to see that his Lord’s name, fame, etc., become widespread. He wants to see that “My Lord’s name be known everywhere.” This is love. If I love somebody, I want to see that his glories are spread all over the world.’
“With this simple point about the prime symptom of love, you told us so much about yourself. The point you made is like a special jewel you gifted to us–you so rarely spoke about yourself. From this definition of love we can understand how all the hardships that you took upon yourself, all the feasts you cooked, all the kirtanas you sang, all the aratis you so gracefully conducted, all the travel around the world, all the opening of temples, all the classes you gave, all the letters you wrote, and all the books you wrote–all of these activities were clearly manifestations of this prime symptom of love for your Lord: to see His fame and glory spread all over the world. And you did it! And it was done with your most divine personal touch.
“We want your glories to be known just as widely as the glories of Sri Krsna and His holy name. Because of you, the holy name is reaching all corners of this world and the chanting can be heard even in a small insignificant village like Abentheuer, in Germany. Our desire here at the Goloka Dhama temple is that wherever the holy name is chanted and served by being brought to the people, there also your glories should be known. As you said, if you love someone, you want their personality to be known to everyone. Therefore we do not want to keep your greatness to ourselves; we want everyone to know about you. Your love for Krsna was proven by that–you wanted to share and make your personal friend and beloved Sri Krsna known and available to all. Your personal life story, your books, your determination, your devotion, and your mission are the very backbone and the big why behind all that we do all day long, and we want others to know and experience that sense of purpose too!”
To download your free pdf of this year’s Vyasa-puja book, please click on this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iDKfTfDiIk7Y891LLwLfeEs5fgQSriZJ/view.
If you would like to purchase a hard copy of the book, please contact your local BBT office. For North America, call 800-927-4152.