Parasuram das: “Seek to be worth knowing rather than well known” was her last tweet.
Last week on the 29th of November a friend of ours, Saskia was randomly killed by a terrorist on London Bridge, very close to where we were distributing Prasad. The police were the ones to inform us of the terrorist attack and we had to clear the streets. She was one of our student friends who regularly honored Prasad with us, she would refer to the plates of Prasad as “A Krishna”.
Saskia Jones lost her life while attempting to do good work in the world, the very person she was trying to help stabbed her and others before the police shot him dead.
This news dominated the media for days. It brought out all sorts of questions as the public tried to understand the tragedy.
She once spoke about her death.
“I hope that someday when I am gone, someone, somewhere, picks my soul up off of these pages and thinks, “I would have loved her.”
Students were disgusted by how an evil person could have killed his well-wisher, and think he was pleasing God. The material world is a disappointing, overrated place where we really don’t belong.
“So unless one becomes detestful of this material world, it is to be understood that he has not yet entered in the spiritual understanding. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat (SB 11.2.42
Prabhupada: Therefore my Guru Maharaja used to say, “This is not a place for a gentleman.” Formerly, therefore, they used to go away from society, go in the forest, to give up this bad association. Live alone.
Hari-sauri: Practically speaking, that’s what we’ve done. By your establishing these temples, it’s given us someplace to go where we can get out of Kali-yuga.
Prabhupada: Therefore our temples should be very carefully managed. It may not become again another pandemonium.
Harikesa: Pan-demon. Pan-demon-ium.
Hari-sauri: Says that in the dictionary.
Harikesa: Place of demons.
Room_Conversation_–_August_2,_1976,_New_Mayapuri
*Pandemonium* was coined by Milton in his 1667 *Paradise Lost*:To get the *word*, Milton combined a couple of Greek *roots*, pan *meaning* all + demon, with the Latin -ium ending. So *pandemonium* is literally the place of all demons. While *pandemonium* is a relatively modern invention, the *word* demonium, *meaning* abode of demons or hell, did exist in classical Latin.
The following day, as part of the 50th Anniversary of Radha Londonisvara, the Radha Krishna Temple hired two traditional London double-decker buses out and we traveled around central London, performing Sankirtan, this was a wonderful experience as we attempted to follow Syamasundra Prabhu’s mood of chasing rhinos .. We got a great cheering reception from the public as we crossed London Bridge.
In this age, chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra is the prime business of the devotee, and preaching of this Hare Krishna Mantra by outdoor Sankirtana and propagation of literature is our more important business. Side by side, Deity worship is recommended, but when there is a question of accepting one of them, we shall prefer to accept chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra first. Letter to Hamsaduta – Hamburg 5 September 1969.