(Above: Pusta Krishna prabhu holding the danda)
Pusta Krishna das: I began my spiritual Krishna conscious journey at the age of 20 in Gainesville, Florida, 1970. Shortly thereafter, I went to Bangladesh as a new brahmachary. I soon discovered the real battle with maya that
was before me. I was already convinced of Krishna, without any doubts, but I still carried the
weight of my karma, my attachments, and my active mind. I practiced sense control and withdrew my mind from
any where it wandered, taking shelter of the Holy Name, praying for His mercy. It was a great
internal battle. I am certain that nearly all of you reading this know the struggle. Years have passed
and you cannot stop the passing of time. That river flows on, and as Krishna describes in His
Bhagavad Gita, Time I am. Time is a manifestation of God. Srila Prabhupad used to say that for
those who choose not to surrender to the Personality of Godhead, then they are forced to
surrender to Him as Time, whose manifestation is death for all things material.
Now, on the verge of retirement from the surgical medical practice I have engaged in for the past
35 years, I am more deeply contemplating how I hope to chant the Holy Name with renewed enthusiasm and
commitment. Now, however, after so many years of praying to Krishna, while on the battlefield of life and death, of suffering and the opportunity to alleviate that physical suffering, trying to serve Him to the
best of my capacity, I am aware of the threat of maya’s intrusion, but I do look forward with longing
to taking shelter of the Holy Name, of Krishna Himself. I am praying for the mercy of Srila Prabhupad
to give me his divine protection. I am blessed with a family that supports my future in retirement.
A son Chaitanya das, a daughter Krishnapriya dd, and wife Daru Brahma dd fully devoted to serving
Tulasi devi and the Supreme Lord. Surrounded by devotion when I am lacking, I have been
carried along by their simple hearted faith. Gifts from Krishna without any doubt.
My plan is to chant the Holy Names, ignoring any disturbances from Krishna’s external energy.
I believe in Krishna, and I believe in Srila Prabhupad, who once told me what I have seen
throughout my life: “Trust Krishna! He will never let you down.” Now, the battle will turn to
fighting atheistic scientists who are misleading the masses from the simple understanding that
the soul, the self, is the consciousness that pervades and animates the otherwise dead body.
And, that there is a wonderful spiritual Person behind everything, waiting for us to turn to Him.
I have had the privilege of writing one book: God Is Not Dead, The Testimony of a Fortunate
Seeker. I will use this, with Krishna’s mercy, to help establish the priniciples of spiritual life that
Srila Prabhupad has taught us, and that Krishna had given me a glimpse of. My dandavats to the
community of faithful loving devotees of Lord Krishna, and the divine mission of Srila Prabhupad.
Pusta Krishna das