Prabhupada's Coming (Part 3)
.
by Paratrikananda dasa
_________________
We stand waiting for you in front of the temple-
a field of orange and yellow
With flowers in our hands, we hope to win your smile
We live to serve you
No kurtas or khadi or gopi-candana
These are unknown to us
Just western shirts and polyester saffron,
Fuller’s Earth and off-beat kirtan
Crazy-quilt teenage sadhus
You’ve made us devotees
Vaisnavas in tennis shoes
with socks that never match
A most unusual batch of souls
waiting just to see you amidst a surge of, “Hari bols”,
as someone shouts, “He’s coming! Prabhupada’s coming!”
Hearts and drums beat frantically
As your car draws near we realize our great fortune
You are Krsna’s pure devotee...but so much more
No one else could have done what you did
You came into our world of darkness
when the others would not venture West
It was you who saved us...No one else
You’ve become our teacher, father and friend
-our spiritual master
However many lifetimes it’s taken,
somehow we’ve won the privilege of serving you
We’ve dedicated our lives to the sankirtan movement
and your books have been distributed in quantities no one could’ve imagined
This is what pleases you most
“Prabhupada’s coming!”
Now our efforts are being rewarded in the best way
We want only to be with you
As your car door opens you step out and look our way
Appearance thin and small but you stand out like a giant,
towering over all your young disciples
We love to see you
Faces beaming, touch the sidewalk
Obeisances are heartfelt but quickly offered
We don’t want to lose sight of you for a moment
You exchange flowers and smiles with us
Your glance maintains us and allows us to embrace impossible austerity
As you walk toward the temple
we scurry after you like anxious ducklings,
barely able to keep your pace
"govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami..."
You approach the altar and pledge your life to Lord Caitanya,
lying flat before the Supreme Personality of Godhead
We drop to the floor following your example
but we pledge our lives to you...
“venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam
bharhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarangam...”
Radha and Krsna greet their beloved servant...
“angani yasya sakalendriya-vrittimanti
pasyanti panti kalayanti ciram jaganti...”
The Lord of the universe accepts a third wave of surrender...
“govindam adi purusam tam aham bhaja mi
govindam adi purusam tam aham bhaja mi
govindam adi purusam tam aham bhaja mi...”
Seated in red and golden splendor,
adorned with flowers and pure devotion,
the emissary of God appears before us
Crystal water cascades from a silver chalice held high above your open mouth and your lotus feet are visible to those fortunate to be near the vyasasana
“Jaya Radha Madhava Kunjabi Hari,
Gopijana Valabha Girivaridhari...”
Your deep voice resonates
-not from this world but from Goloka
The temple is saturated with happiness
-an ocean of smiling faces
Your kartals ring sweetly, one cast decisively upon the other
as your fingers fan open and close like the tail feathers of a peacock
“Om namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya...”
The compassion of Krsna descends in your chanting
Our ears drink the pure sound of your voice
Surrendered devotees, only five or six hours of sleep
...there’s so much to be done
“Krishna, please let me stay awake”
...heads bob up and down
Your glasses sit low on your nose
and sometimes you peer over the rim at us when emphasizing a point
You urge us to be serious
-Don’t run the risk of taking birth again
And once more you comfort us with your promise:
“Chant sixteen rounds and follow the four regulative principles
...at the end of this lifetime go back to home back to Godhead.
Thank you very much.”
“Jai! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!”
"Nama om Vishnu padaya, Krsna prestaya bhutale,
Srimate Bhaktivedanta Swamin iti namine..."
We sway to the sound of the music
"Namaste Sarasvati Devam, Gouravani pracarine,
Nirvisesa sunyavadi pascatya desi tarine”
All eyes are fixed on you
“Bhaja Sri Krsna Caitanya, Prabhu Nityananda,
Sri Advaita, Gadadhar, Srivas adi Goura Bhakta Vrnda”
Your gong propels the kirtan
and your head bounces slightly to the rhythm
“Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare”
Drums pound and kartals resound,
battering temple walls
“Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare...”
The untamed kirtan swells,
decimating our attachment to illusion
“...Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare”
Defying gravity, we leap to the sky, competing for your glance
Wild and wonderful, transcendental, jumping madmen
“Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare,
Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare”
Nothing can stop us
You are the life and soul of the devotees!
.
.
