(Notes #15)
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All Success is Guaranteed
Thank you very much to all our readers and friends for visiting and supporting this website. The response to date has been overwhelmingly positive from all corners of the globe. What a joy to know that there is so much interest in the life, teachings and pastimes of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. Obviously, he is very much alive in the hearts and minds of many sincere and loving souls.
Srila Prabhupada is a great ambassador of devotional service or bhakti-yoga to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna. Devotees from all schools of Vaisnavism can be very proud that such an illustrious and magnanimous servant of the Lord has appeared to propagate Lord Caitanya's mission in this day and age. His devotional legacy is impeccable, and if there's one thing we can all agree upon, it's that Srila Prabhupada is supremely and everlastingly great. He is an empowered spiritual hero who fulfilled the prophecy of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura near the turn of the century that a personality would soon appear who would preach the holy name of Lord Hari (Krsna) all over the world.
In the Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami states the following:
"In distributing love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not, nor where such distribution should or should not take place. They made no conditions. Wherever they got the opportunity the members of the Panca-tattva distributed love of Godhead." (Cc. Adi-lila, 7.23)
In a similar manner, we have seen how Srila Prabhupada distributed the mercy of Lord Caitanya all across the globe. He accepted anyone and everyone who was serious and sincere about practicing Krsna consciousness. With that spirit in mind, we are humbly offering this service to him and his followers everywhere. There is no distinction as to who can or cannot participate in The Prabhupada Connection website. The simple requirement is love and appreciation for His Divine Grace.
Although it's true that the Krsna consciousness movement has faced some difficult times since Prabhupada's departure in 1977, this is normal after the disappearance of a great acarya. We should not be too astonished or discouraged. After all, it is a testament to the greatness of such acaryas that in their lifetimes they could evoke widespread unity and harmony in the hearts of so many followers. After they leave, there will naturally be a vacuum; but no one should think that Prabhupada's mission is dead or permanently derailed. That's not possible because Srila Prabhupada himself predicted (on the basis of sastra) that this movement would continue for the next 10,000 years. So although our history has been a little bumpy so far, this is only the beginning of the golden era of Lord Caitanya's sankirtana movement. Rest assured that Prabhupada's mission can never be defeated because he is a bona fide representative of Lord Caitanya and Lord Krsna in disciplic succession. All success is guaranteed. In fact, Srila Prabhupada said: "My success is already there." Of this there is no doubt. Therefore we have much to look forward to in the coming years. Once again there will come a time when our major disagreements will subside and we shall all join together in love and co-operation under the combined blessings of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
I would like all our readers to know that this website has been founded on the principle of increasing our loving devotion and appreciation of Srila Prabhupada. Personally, I have firm faith that love and devotion to Prabhupada is a living and dynamic principle which contains the seed of our success and happiness as family members in Krsna consciousness. There are many branches of the Caitanya tree and there is no need for us to bicker over trifles or try to dominate or castigate one another. For those of us fortunate enough to have directly or indirectly received the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, we can be most humbled and grateful. The mood of The Prabhupada Connection is to share that mercy and love with others. It is not to promote a personal agenda, or to be prideful and arrogant. The simple aim is to promote unification and harmony by collectively invoking Srila Prabhupada's divine blessings.
Obviously, this website cannot be everything to all people. In the past, I have worked on another publication -- The Vaisnava Journal -- which promoted constructive dialogue amongst devotees on various topical issues. However, this is not such a publication or endeavor. This website is strictly for remembering and glorifying Srila Prabhupada. Some people may think it's going too far, and others may think it's not going far enough. I know that we can't please everyone. Thankfully, there is a great variety of media and forums now available in the Vaisnava world. Certainly there is much more now than there was back in the eighties when The Vaisnava Journal was current. But there is one thing that I can assure you all: The Prabhupada Connection is for everyone who wants to hear about and glorify Srila Prabhupada. Everyone who enters this virtual temple is welcome here. After all, we're sitting together at the lotus feet of Krsna's pure devotee.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
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