Our Promise - Prema Dharma

An address to the devotees on the last night of His Divine Grace’s visit to Australia during the first world tour.

By Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

We are going to form a society, a mission, here, but Prabhupad Saraswati Thakur cautioned us about that. It is necessary to realise and take to heart what we actually want. We need to practise Krishna consciousness. We did not come to make a building, a big house, a nice flower garden, or any other expensive, enjoyable thing. We did not come to this mundane world for that. “আমরা কিছু কাঠ পাথরের মিস্ত্রী হতে আসি নাই [amra kichhu khath patharer mistri hate asi nai: we have not come here to become wood and stone craftsmen].” This is Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur’s comment. We have come for this:

gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah
(Padyavali: 74)

[“I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of the gopis’ Lord.”]

That is our feeling. We want to spread this consciousness to everyone’s heart and make everyone this way. “সেইটি হচ্ছে গিয়ে আমাদের একান্ত কর্ত্তব্য কর্ম্ম [seiti hachchhe giye amader ekanta kartavya karma: that is our sole duty].” We are not here to make a building, or a Temple, or anything like that. We want to make everyone’s heart a Temple. We want that Mahaprabhu’s Mission will be in everyone’s heart. That is spreading Krsna consciousness, and that is our duty. That is why we have come to this mundane world. “শত দুঃখ শত গঞ্জনা শত লাঞ্চনা পেলেও হরিভজন সাধন এই প্রতিজ্ঞা আজ আমাদের করার দরকার [sata duhkha sata ganjana sata lanchana peleo Hari-bhajan sadhan ei pratijna aj amader karar darkar: today we must promise we will practise devotion to the Lord even if we encounter hundreds of tribulations, insults, and abuses].” We must not leave Krishna consciousness. We must never leave Krishna consciousness. It is the only wealth of the soul. This is our Param Gurudev’s expression. We must try to preach Krishna consciousness to the public for the benefit of everyone. But before we do that, we shall try to make our heart a Temple. And there we shall serve the Deity, Radha-Govinda. That is the main goal of our lives.

Today I am remembering another expression Srila Saraswati Thakur made from his heart to his devotees as tomorrow I am leaving. Immediately this expression has come to my remembrance, “You all have come to see me, and you all have much love for me. You are all cooperating with me to practise Krishna consciousness as my close associates. That is the position of you all. I may go from here, or you may go elsewhere, but all of you have promised me, ‘Yes, we shall try to practise Krishna consciousness.’ Do not forget this. That is my request.” These are Prabhupad’s words, not my words, but I am remembering them today.

I have received from you all so much love, affection, cooperation—everything. It is giving me light, and with that I can see how Mahaprabhu’s glories are spreading through the devotees throughout this mundane world. You all have these qualities, and you have promised me that you will not leave Krishna consciousness. You have promised in front of Mahaprabhu that you will practise Krishna consciousness. But many things can happen in your life. Suddenly one very good devotee lost her chanting beads. Somehow they were stolen. I was afraid that she lost her passport and other valuables and was thinking about how she could recollect them, but she was worried about how she will get her beads back. Seeing that, my heart was very joyful. I thought, “This is the mood of a devotee. She does not think about mundane wealth or disturbances. She thinks, ‘Why did Krishna take away my beads?’”

Krishna’s nature is like that. Krishna is very naughty, and Krishna always creates some disturbances for His devotees. He wants to see that devotees do not leave their mood of devotion. Prabhupad said many disturbances may come to us. Even Haridas Thakur was beaten in twenty-two market places. His only fault was that He was chanting Hari-nam. He made offence to the Kazi’s religion, and the Kazi punished him in this way. But Haridas Thakur said,

khanda khanda hai deha yaya yadi prana
tabu ami vadane na chhadi hari-nama
(Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata: Adi-khanda, 16.94)

“You can cut my body into many pieces and take my life, but I cannot leave Krishna-nam.”

There are many examples in Mahaprabhu’s sampradaya of tolerating disturbances, and we see that Prabhupad Saraswati Thakur had great desire for this. Today I am remembering that when the devotees would leave Mayapur Dham or he would leave the devotees’ association, he would pray, “You all have promised me that you will practise Krishna consciousness. Please do not forget it.” Prabhupad also strongly said, “Please do not cheat me. Please do not deceive me. That is my prayer to all the devotees.” In front of the devotees Prabhupad Saraswati Thakur gave this type of lecture in Mayapur Dham. Today I can remember that.

You all are living so far from India, but it is very near now.

tad dure tad v antike
(Sri Isopanisad: 5)

[“He is far, but He is near.”]

If you keep Mahaprabhu’s Deity and the Hare Krishna mahamantra in your heart, then you can make your body a transcendental Temple. That is very hopeful, and I am hopeful that we can all try. It is necessary to try. I cannot say, “I am fully satisfied with all.” It is impossible, that is, it is not possible to be fully satisfied in this mundane world. But we have to try to make our business with whatever we have. That is my advice to everyone. Whether you have one hundred dollars, ten dollars, or five dollars, start your business and try to expand it. “I have some faith, some mood of devotion. It may not be a mood of full devotion, but with what I have I shall try.” We have promised this. We took diksa [initiation]. That means we promised to Guru that we not will leave Krishna consciousness. It is very hopeful that you all are very simple-hearted Vaisnavas and you have that type of quality.

There are two kinds of Vaisnavas: bhara-vahi and sara-grahi [lit. ‘load-bearers’ and ‘essence-drinkers’]. One looks outwardly. He sees the rules, the regulations, and various aims and objectives. Through that, he tries to spread Krishna consciousness. That is a bhara-vahi Vaisnava. If there is no sense in the heart, no consciousness, then a Mission made by such devotees will only take form outwardly. You can make a big building, a nice garden, and nice quarters for others. You can do everything, but if you do not try to practise Krishna consciousness, everything will be spoiled. Actually, for the time being in this mundane world, we can make many things, but only a short time is in our hand, and we must try as much as possible to proceed to our destiny during that time. Mahaprabhu has spread Hari-nam-sankirtan all over the world. Now the chance to continue that has come in front of us, and we are trying to do that. But it is necessary to surrender ourselves to the lotus feet of Hari-nam, Krishna’s nondifferent form, as much as possible. That is my prayer.

If I can come back again, that is very good, and I have the desire to come again to associate with you all here. But if it is not possible, then that is Krishna’s will, and you should not leave Krishna consciousness. You should try to spread it from heart to heart.

Krishna consciousness is a transmission from heart to heart. It is not a matter of giving diksa [initiation] or any other outward formation. This mantram is actually a heart to heart transmission. I have tried as much as possible, and you should also try. That is my expectation, and it is my prayer to you all who have given me so much love, affection, and respect—everything. I shall try to worship my Guru Maharaj with that wealth. That is my desire.

Guru Maharaj tried very hard in his old age to spread this Krishna consciousness, and I am not so old. I have much energy, more than Srila Guru Maharaj did when he was very old. So with full energy we all will try to practise Krishna consciousness. This is my prayer. I do not know English, but I am trying to express my heart to the devotees. Many of my godbrothers are here, many of my disciples are here, and many of my friends are here. I offer my dandavat pranam to you all. Please bless me so that I can continue my service to my Guru Maharaj.

vanchha-kalpatarubhyas cha krpa-sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah

Jay Guru Maharaj!

Actually, we are not finished. We will start now in a new way. The wave of birth and death is moving throughout this mundane world, and souls are taking birth and dying according to their karma. But another wave, Krishna consciousness, is also moving throughout this world by the mercy of Sriman Mahaprabhu and the devotees. If we can offer ourselves into the wave of Krishna consciousness, we must be benefitted.