108 Glories
1st Set
Meditations on the Infinite Qualities and Pastimes
of
Om Visnu-pada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya
Astottara Sata Sri Srimad
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
by Paratrikananda dasa
___________________
57. Srila Prabhupada is my inspector. He monitors my performance and pushes for consummation. He is anxious to introduce me to Krsna.
So my request is that you continue your devotional service very faithfully and rigidly, then in this life you will be able to see Krsna face to face. That is a fact. So you follow the advice, as given by Rupa Gosvami, utsahat. The first thing is enthusiasm, that "I must see Krsna." You are seeing Krsna. The Deity of Krsna and Krsna is not different. But even personally we can see. Simply we have to continue the enthusiasm.
Departure Lecture
Caracas, February 25, 1975
Just like we are sitting face to face, Krsna is like that. You can have that opportunity. Just like Arjuna had the opportunity. Similarly you'll have the opportunity. You have to take the opportunity. You'll see Krsna face to face, talk with Him face to face, play with Him face to face. It is so nice, Krsna consciousness.
Bhagavad-gita 2.20-25
Seattle, October 14, 1968
58. Srila Prabhupada is my emperor. His challenge horse ranges the ten directions, routing Kali’s pseudo monarchs. His rule is paramount.
Over the past ten years I have given the framework and now we have become more than the British Empire. Even the British Empire was not as expansive as we. They had only a portion of the world, and we have not completed expanding. We must expand more and more unlimitedly.
Srila Prabhupada letter
Honolulu, May 19, 1976
59. Srila Prabhupada is my bhakti vedantist. He manifests supreme knowledge through undying devotion. He emphatically states that we are eternal servants of Krsna.
... Therefore some of our Vaisnava friends, they have given me this title, Bhaktivedanta. In 1947, something, they, purposefully, they gave me the title that Vedanta means bhakti. "So you take this title, Bhaktivedanta." And we are preaching this Vedanta, that the ultimate platform of Veda, knowledge, is to understand Krsna.
Morning Walk and Room Conversation
December 26, 1976, Bombay
I have no devotion, nor I have any knowledge, but still I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, now if You like You can just fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedanta.
The most unfortunate, insignificant beggar, Bhaktivedanta Swami, on board the ship "Jaladuta,'' Commonwealth Pier, Boston, Massachusetts (U.S.A.), dated 18th September, 1965.
Srila Prabhupada letter
in which Prabhupada gives translation of Markine Bhagavata-dharma
Los Angeles, April 28, 1970
60. Srila Prabhupada is my shrewd taskmaster. He can extract many years of service in exchange for one smile. He knows I have nowhere else to go.
Pure devotees are so absorbed in thought of Krsna that they have no other engagement; although they may seem to think or act otherwise, they are always thinking of Krsna. The smile of such a Krsna conscious person is so attractive that simply by smiling he wins so many admirers, disciples and followers.
SB 3.22.21
61. Srila Prabhupada is my most affectionate patron. His endearing gestures move one to tears. Troubles dissolve upon his arrival.
In 1973 I was living in Dallas with my new husband. We were renting a small house near the Temple and were having trouble following one of the regulative principles. This was causing regular fighting between us; and painful, embarrassed, angry and helpless feelings in me.
Then we got the news; Srila Prabhupada was on his way to Dallas. All the devotees were anxious to greet him by making everything spotlessly clean before his arrival. My husband was in charge of the kitchen, so we and a few others were frantically trying to finish cleaning it before Srila Prabhupada got there. I kept interrupting my service to peek down the hall to where Srila Prabhupada would be coming through the Temple’s main entrance. Fortunately, Srila Prabhupada entered while I was looking. With a quick, “Prabhupada is here!” to the kitchen crew, I stepped into the hallway and looked his way.
What I saw was so unbelievably beautiful. Srila Prabhupada was effulgently golden and saffron. He was bathed and backlit by a glow of purplish light coming through the stain glass panes on either side of the entrance. I bowed down and offered his pranam mantra as fast as I could, so as to quickly rise up and see him again. Followed by his entourage, he swiftly glided toward the Temple room, just past me standing at the kitchen door. He saw me standing there, hands folded, and he stopped and said to me, in a voice so kind and caring, “Is everything all right?”
Suddenly, all the distress of my miserable life vanished completely. I heard myself reply with great enthusiasm, “Oh, YES, Srila Prabhupada!” Then he passed into the Temple room and I started to cry. I cried and cried as I finished cleaning the kitchen. It was a good feeling, unlike any I had ever felt before. My husband asked me why I was crying, but I had no answer, I only know it was because of Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada ki jai!
Rasamanjari devi dasi
62. Srila Prabhupada is my identifier. He answers the question: “Who am I?” He satisfies my hunger for self-realization.
Self-realization means to see one's proper identity. At the present moment we are not finding out our proper identity. We are seeing to the body. I see you, your body, and you see me, my body. We have no vision of the real person, which is, who is occupying this body. This is the first lesson we get from Bhagavad-gita: dehino 'smin yatha dehe. Dehi... This body is called deha, and the owner of the body is called dehi. So
dehino 'smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptih...
So when we can see that we are not this body, "I am not this body," that is beginning of self-realization. That is called brahma-bhuta stage. Aham brahmasmi: "I am not this material body." Aham brahmasmi. This is self-realization.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.17
Bombay, November 17, 1974
63. Srila Prabhupada is my evolution instructor. He propounds the knowledge of the soul’s transmigration through 8,400,000 species. He dismantles Darwinian fiction with unfailing Vedic wisdom.
By nature the chance is given after many, many evolutionary process. Jalaja nava laksani sthavara laksa vimsati. The evolutionary theory is there in the Padma Purana. It is not Darwin's theory. Darwin stolen it from Padma Purana, and he presented in a distorted way of his own imagination. Otherwise the Darwin's theory is not the original. The theory... It is not theory -- fact. Jiva-jatisu. It is wandering within the cycle of jiva-jati, different species of life. Tatha dehantara praptih. This is Vedic knowledge, this evolutionary process. It is not Darwin's theory.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day
Hyderabad, December 10, 1976
64. Srila Prabhupada is my final word. All arguments cease when he gives his opinion. Only the foolhardy dare challenge him.
Reporter: Does it ever happen, Swamiji, that some disciples of yours may disagree with you in spiritual matters?
Devotee: No.
Prabhupada: Unless he is a fool. (laughter) Unless he's damn fool, they do not. (laughter) If he's sane and sober, open-hearted, then he will agree.
Conversation with News Reporters
Delhi, March 25, 1976
(Cont'd on next page.)
