[world-vedic] I Love CHRIST As Much As I Love KRSNA

12-26-1999, 10:15 AM

I Love Christ As Much As I Love
Krsna
BY GAURIDASA PANDITA DASA
EDITORIAL, Dec 25
(VNN) — Srila
Prabhupada always preached in a non-sectarian
way and showed his love of God by his
magnanimous works. Srila Prabhupada always
talked about the real meaning of the Holidays and he
especially liked Christmas because so many more books
are distributed every year during the Christmas
marathon. This gives Srila Prabhupada and Krsna great
joy and all of the devotees participating in any way are
getting the mercy of Srila Prabhupada.
I was fortunate to become one of Srila Prabhupada's
personal servant's in May of 1977. Srila Prabhupada
was giving darshan in his new quarters in Juhu beach
when one Indian gentleman began to deride Christianity
and even Christ himself. Srila Prabhupada immediately
stopped him saying, "Please don't talk like that; Christ
is
my Godbrother. I love Christ as much as I love
Krishna!" Srila Prabhupada said that Christ was a pure
devotee who was preaching according to the time and
circumstances.
Srila Prabhupada wrote that we could offer Krishna's
prasadam to a picture of Christ. He also said that Christ
is one of our gurus. It is so nice the way that Srila
Prabhupada preached in such a perfect and
non-fanatical way. He said you don't have to give up
your religion; just follow whatever one you are attracted
to, and add the chanting of the Lord's Holy Names.
Even when Srila Prabhupada had to make some strong
points to a stubborn guest he would do it with such wit
and charm that he would always win over the hearts of
the fortunate people and leave them enlightened and
enlivened.
Srila Prabhupada talked about The position of the
Saktavesa Avatar in Seattle on Oct. 2, 1968 where he
said:
"When you come to the point of understanding that 'I
am not this body, I am spirit soul' then the next stage
will be what is the function of the soul? That function of
soul is Krsna consciousness, working in Krsna
consciousness. So in the present age one has to take
directly to the function of the soul; then other things
will
automatically come. It is not possible at the present
moment that you can go to a secluded place and
peacefully sit there and meditate upon... It is not
possible in this age. It is impossible. If you try
artificially, it will be failure. Therefore you have to
take
this process, harer nama harer nama harer nama eva
kevalam, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir
anyatha. In this age of Kali, there is no other
alternative
for self-realization than this chanting Hare Krsna. That
is
the practical, real fact.
Madhudvisa: Is there any way for a Christian to, without
the help of a spiritual master, to reach the spiritual sky
through believing in the words of Jesus Christ and trying
to follow his teachings?
Prabhupada: I don't follow. Tamal Krsna: Can a
Christian in this age, without a spiritual master, but by
reading the Bible and following Jesus's words, reach
the...
Prabhupada: When you read Bible, you follow spiritual
master. How can you say without? As soon as you read
Bible, that means you are following the instruction of
Lord Jesus Christ, that means you are following spiritual
master. So where is the opportunity of being without
spiritual master?
Madhudvisa: I was referring to a living spiritual
master.
Prabhupada: Spiritual master is not the question of...
Spiritual master is eternal. Spiritual master is eternal.
So
your question is without spiritual master. Without
spiritual master you cannot be, at any stage of your life.
You may accept this spiritual master or that spiritual
master. That is a different thing. But you have to accept.
As you say that "by reading Bible," when you read Bible
that means you are following the spiritual master
represented by some priest or some clergyman in the
line of Lord Jesus Christ. So any case, you have to
follow a spiritual master. There cannot be the question
without spiritual master. Is that clear?
Madhudvisa: I mean like we couldn't understand the
teachings of the Bhagavad-gita without your help,
without your presentation.
Prabhupada: Similarly you have to understand Bible with
the help of the priest in the church.
ALL GLORIES TO THE PURE DEVOTEES OF THE
LORD!!!
Srila Prabhupada always talked about the importance of
following the words of the spiritual master. The
Christains follow Christ by reading the bible with the
help of a priest etc. In the same way the devotees follow
Srila Prabhupada by reading his books with help from
the senior devotees. Christ and Srila Prabhupada are
both sent by Krishna, sakta-vesa avatars. They can and
will deliver us if we take shelter of them. All glories to
Srila Prabhupada and Jesus Christ the worshipable pure
devotees of the Lord! All glories to Bhaktsidhanta
Sarasvati Thakur whos transcendental disappearance
day is on Christmas this year also. This gives us a great
reason to celebrate. He reasons ill who says that
Vaisnavas die when though art living still in sound. The
Vaisnavas die to live and living try to spread the holy
Name around!
Your servant, Gauridasa Pandita Dasa