Concluding Reflections
Srila Prabhupada’s transcendental desire to establish a center of Krishna consciousness in the remote Bombay area of Juhu began even before he left for America, when, visiting Sumati Morarji, he would pass the land and think, “This would be a nice place for a temple.” Years later, Mr. Nair had offered him the very same land, to be “profitably utilized for big purpose, as yours,” and Prabhupada brought Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari from Their residence in a posh flat in Akash Ganga, overlooking the Arabian Sea, to a rented pandal on the property. From there They were moved onto a wood-plank platform under cloth supported by bare bamboo poles; then, for the rainy season, into a chatai hut with devotees; and on Janmastami 1972 into a makeshift structure of bricks and asbestos sheets. But Prabhupada had vowed to Them, “I will build You a temple.” And finally, after years of struggle, we had been able to offer Their Lordships the temple Prabhupada had promised.
Impersonalists are afraid of desire, which they consider will bind them to the material word, but as Srimad-Bhagavatam (4.22.39) explains, spiritual desires are different:
yat-pada-pankaja-palasa-vilasa-bhaktya
karmasayam grathitam udgrathayanti santah
tadvan na rikta-matayo yatayo ‘pi ruddha-
sroto-ganas tam aranam bhaja vasudevam
“The devotees, who are always engaged in the service of the toes of the lotus feet of the Lord, can very easily overcome hard-knotted desires for fruitive activities. Because this is very difficult, the nondevotees—the jnanis and yogis—although trying to stop the waves of sense gratification, cannot do so. Therefore you are advised to engage in the devotional service of Krsna, the son of Vasudeva.”
In his purport, Prabhupada elaborates: “The waves of a river flow incessantly, and it is very difficult to stop them. Similarly, the waves of desire for material enjoyment are so strong that they cannot be stopped by any process other than bhakti-yoga. The bhaktas, by their transcendental devotional service unto the lotus feet of the Lord, become so overwhelmed with transcendental bliss that automatically their desires for material enjoyment stop. . . . It is stated herein by the Kumaras that the lotus feet of Lord Krsna are the ultimate reservoir of all pleasure. One should therefore take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord instead of trying unsuccessfully to stop desires for material enjoyment. As long as one is unable to stop the desire for material enjoyment, there is no possibility of becoming liberated from the entanglement of material existence. It may be argued that the waves of a river are incessantly flowing and that they cannot be stopped, but the waves of the river flow toward the sea. When the tide comes over the river, it overwhelms the flowing of the river, and the river itself becomes overflooded, and the waves from the sea become more prominent than the waves from the river. Similarly, a devotee with intelligence plans so many things for the service of the Lord in Krsna consciousness that stagnant material desires become overflooded by the desire to serve the Lord.”
Srila Prabhupada had expressed his spiritual desire to build Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari a temple with great, intelligent endeavor. And in his purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.13.50 Prabhupada explains, “The word svakarthanam refers to great desires. As mentioned in this verse, the glance of Lord Visnu creates the desires of the devotees. A pure devotee, however, has no desires. Therefore Sanatana Gosvami comments thatbecause the desires of devotees whose attention is fixed on Krsna have already been fulfilled, the Lord’s sidelong glances create variegated desires in relation to Krsna and devotional service.” Prabhupada had concluded the purport by describing “a place where there was no temple, but a devotee desired, ‘Let there be a temple and seva, devotional service.’ Therefore, what was once an empty corner has now become a place of pilgrimage. Such are the desires of a devotee.”
By the strength of Prabhupada’s desire, an overgrown plot of land in Juhu had become a place of pilgrimage and devotional service. And in the long process, Prabhupada had engaged so many of us in devotional service. As he had explained in his introduction to The Nectar of Instruction, “This devotional service is a sort of cultivation. It is not simply inaction for people who like to be inactive or devote their time to silent meditation. There are many different methods for people who want this, but cultivation of Krsna consciousness is different. The particular word used by Srila Rupa Gosvami in this connection is anusilana, or cultivation by following the predecessor teachers (acaryas). As soon as we say ‘cultivation,’ we must refer to activity. Without activity, consciousness alone cannot help us. . . .
“We can offer many services with our bodily activities. But all such activities must be in relationship with Krsna. This relationship is established by connecting oneself with the bona fide spiritual master, who is the direct representative of Krsna in disciplic succession. Therefore, the execution of Krsna conscious activities with the body should be directed by the spiritual master and then performed with faith.”
Srila Prabhupada had engaged us—his disciples, and so many others—in devotional service authorized by the principles of scripture and the instructions of previous spiritual masters. In developing Hare Krishna Land, he done so on a grand scale, and after his departure, by his mercy, we were left with tremendous challenges of work and responsibility—for our own spiritual benefit and for the benefit of all those who would associate with the temple.
Along with Srila Prabhupada’s desires as a preacher, he also had his personal commitment and service to Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari. “My dear Sir,” he had told Them, “You just stand here and I will build You a temple.” And he did. He fulfilled his promise. And what a temple he built! And what a struggle to do it! But he did it. It was a good fight, but he did it: he kept his promise and built Them a temple.