Srila Prabhupada Uvaca

[livingentity 0]

Here is an excerpt from a wonderful online book by Srutakirti dasa who was a personal servant of Srila Prabhupada:

 

Srila Prabhupada Uvaca 6

Camp: ISKCON, New Dwarka, LA. Ca.

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Today my wife, Kusa devi, my son, Mayapuracandra, and I took a small sparrow that was in the backyard bird feeder and placed it in a spare cage with food and water. It looks sickly and might be dying but we couldn't let it happen without trying to give it some special attention. We put it next to a continuous play Hare Krsna CD in case he was leaving his body. We will see if he gets better by living or dying.

 

Sometimes, we devotees may not respond in this way. I always heard that it is better not to get entangled in the affairs of other living entities. After all we are not our bodies. We are spirit soul, constitutionally part and parcel of Krsna and His servant. If we serve the bird perhaps we may have to take birth again to get the pious benefit of serving birds. The following story may explain why we did it.

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July 16, 1972

 

It is spring of 1973 at New Dwarka, Srila Prabhupada rang his bell. I immediately went to his room and paid obeisances. When I sat up, his eyes widened. Looking at me with great concern he pointed to the floor near my legs and said, "Do you see that bug?" Looking around for a few moments I finally spotted the small insect. I nodded in agreement having no idea what was to come next.

 

In a very serious voice His Divine Grace said, "I have been watching that bug for some time now and he has not moved. I think he is hungry. Get a prasadam flower and take him outside. Put him on a plant so he can get some nourishment." I immediately did what my most merciful Guru Maharaja asked and returned to the servant's quarters.

 

Neither of us spoke of the bug again. It was just another wonderful occasion in which he showed me just how indiscriminately merciful a pure devotee is. His Divine Grace didn't feel it was a waste of time to transcendentally mitigate the suffering of even the smallest of living entities. Now, just seeing the smallest of insects, I am forced to think of my beloved Srila Prabhupada. However insignificant we maybe, if we are fortunate to get the glance of the nitya-siddha, our life will be immensely benefited.

____________________________

 

More such nectar can be found at:

 

Srila Prabhupada Uvaca

 

[stonehearted 0]

This anecdote, which I 've heard Sruta tell before, is in stark contrast with the tale of a former Krishna-punk-rock star who has given up all cnnection with Krishna consciousness. He became progressively disillusioned by misogyny, child abuse, and an agglomeration of just plain nasty behavior and stupid attitudes dressed up as spiritual understanding. The last straw for him, he said, was after 9/11/2001, when his guru told a disciple not to be at all concerned for alleviating the immediate suffering of victims and their families, but just to preach about Krishna. Those of us whohave been around for a while get what he should have meant, but it's a different attitude from what Srila Prabhupada showed with this bug.

[Guest guest]

Hardheartedness has never been what Krishna Consciousness is about. Yet somehow or other, many devotees seem to think that's EXACTLY what its about! I dont know why this happens, yet it goes on generation after generation. So sad! Prabhupada had such a big heart and was full of compassion.

 

I realize some will point out the difference between material and spiriutal sentiments here, but we all too often take that toooooooooooooo far, acting as if we ourselves could handle some pain we demand another handle in the name of God, a pain that in truth we are not advanced enough to handle. Thus, we hurt other devotees, repeatedly. Or blow them away like the one you mentioned. Then we wonder why there are so few in the temples in comparission to when Prabhupada was here. <sigh>

 

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

 

YS,

Prtha dd

[stonehearted 0]

Srila Prabhupada occasionally cited a verse from Chanakya's Niti-shastra, which defines wisdom:

 

matrivat para-dareshu para dravyani loshtavat

atamavat sarva bhuteshu yah pasyati sa panditah

 

Someone who sees another's wife as mother, another's wealth as trash in the streeet, and another's suffering as his own, is actually a pandita, or wise person. In other words, those who are wise don't identify other women (or men, right?) or others' wealth as theirs, but they do identify with others' suffering. This isn't even advanced spiritual knowledge, just common sense (which Bhaktivinoda called "man's glory" in his poem, Saragrahi Vaishnava").

[Narayanidd 1]

My dear vaisnava,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!

 

What wonderful nectar!! I was immediately reminded of a verse I recently read in Srimad Bhagavatam.

 

During the churning of the ocean of milk a great amount of poison was produced. This poison caused much suffering to all living entities. They all applied to Lord Siva for help. He agreed to drink the poison with the permission of his wife, who knew the capabilities of her husband. Srila Prabhupada, describes in his purport, Lord Siva is known as the greatest of vaisnavas. He goes on to say that the vaisnavas are known by their infinate capacity for compassion. Vaisnavas do not relish in seeing others suffer. Srila Prabhupada states that because Lord Siva was such a great vaisnava he was willing to risk personal harm just to help relieve the suffering of all living entities.

 

Srila Prabhupada demonstrated what a great vaisnava he was by risking his own life just to alieviate the suffering of the living entities by spreading Krsna consciousness all around the world!! Such compassion!!!

 

JAI SRILA PRABHUPADA!!

 

your servant,

Narayani d.d.