The Art of Desiring - An Appreciation of Srila Prabhupada by Giriraj Swami Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa-puja August 14, 2009 Los Angeles
Srila Prabhupada initiated a disciple and gave him the name Bhavananda dasa,explaining that bhava meant "the material world" and ananda meant"bliss"--"the servant of the bliss of the material world." The disciple wasa little concerned--What was Prabhupada saying about him? What was thesignificance of his name?--so he approached him. And Srila Prabhupadareplied with a profound answer, which really reflected his mood--why, for example, in his old age he left Vrndavana to come to America. SrilaPrabhupada replied that the devotee has no happiness independent of Krsna's,that his happiness lies in Krsna's happiness, and that nothing gives Krsnamore pleasure than a devotee's bringing souls back to Him. So, preaching gives Krsna the greatest pleasure, but you can preach only in the materialworld. Thus, preaching is the bliss of the material world (bhavananda), andthat is the greatest bliss, because it gives Krsna the greatest pleasure.
Once, some years later, on an Ekadasi, I was with the same devotee,Bhavananda, and another devotee, Acyutananda (ananda abounded in thosedays), in Madras. Bhavananda and I were in the mood to go out and preach.But Acyutananda said, "No, it's Ekadasi. We shouldn't go out. It'sinauspicious. And besides, it looks like rain." We thought, "Oh boy, he isso attached to external rules and regulations. But we have the real spiritof preaching. We are going to go out and preach. We are not going to worryabout Ekadasi or some rain."
So we went out, in a light drizzle, and within minutes the sky poured downrain. And the rain didn't stop. Rather, it came down heavier and heavier. InMadras then, at least where we were walking, there was not much of adrainage system--just an open ditch two or three feet deep, lined withconcrete. And as the inundation continued, the channel filled with water,and soon you couldn't distinguish between the water on the street, the waterin the ditch, and the water on the fields beyond.
So, we were walking along blissfully, inspired in our mission, in ourservice to our guru maharaja, and Bhavananda Prabhu fell into the ditch. Hewas in water up to his waist. So, I gave him a hand, and he climbed out ofthe ditch. As it was, we were drenched with rainwater, but now he was soakedwith sewage water. So, what to do now?
Later, I related the incident to Srila Prabhupada, declaring that BhavanandaPrabhu had equal vision--he didn't distinguish between high and low. And Iquoted the verse from the Bhagavad-gita (5.18),
vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastinisuni caiva sva-pake ca panditah sama-darsinah
"The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision alearned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater[outcaste]."
Srila Prabhupada replied, "Yes. You have theoretical knowledge, but he hasrealized knowledge, practical realization, so he is more advanced."[laughter]
In a way, Srila Prabhupada was joking, but I took everything he said ashaving deep meaning and significance, and I didn't doubt the truth of whathe said. It pricked my false ego a little, but it didn't bother me too much.If that's the way it was, then that's the way it was. Bhavananda Prabhu wasmore advanced. He was more realized.
Then, as happens in life, even in devotional service, we have ups and downs.But I was heartened to hear what Srila Prabhupada said about two ways ofattaining perfection: One is sadhana-siddhi: by executing the regulativeprinciples of devotional service and getting the mercy of Krsna, one attainsperfection. And the other is krpa-siddhi: even if one is unable to followall the rules and regulations strictly, if he has an overwhelming desire torender service, then Krsna or the spiritual master will by mercy bring himto the point of perfection.
This is a very important factor: desire. Once, Srila Prabhupada said, "Krsnaconsciousness is the art of desiring." Of course, the desire for lovingservice to Krsna is already there, naturally, within the heart:
nitya-siddha krsna-prema 'sadhya' kabhu nayasravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya
"Pure love for Krsna is eternally established in the hearts of the livingentities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When theheart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens." (CcMadhya 22.107) If we just have that desire, and chant and hear in theassociation of pure devotees, Krsna and Prabhupada will fulfill our desire.
Early in my association with devotees I had heard that Srila Prabhupada hadsaid that all we need to become Krsna conscious is eagerness, that thedesire to become Krsna conscious is as good as becoming Krsnaconscious--because Krsna fulfills all desires. Thinking of SrilaPrabhupada's statement, in a large outdoor program in India, I asked him, "Iheard that to become Krsna conscious all we need is the desire, that we justhave to be eager. Does this mean we don't need to read books?" And SrilaPrabhupada replied, "If you desire to be Krsna conscious--if you areeager--you will accept whatever will help you to become Krsna conscious. Sowhy not read books?" So, it is a matter of desire, but it is also a matterof expressing the desire in practical activities.
Later, I read a verse that provided the scriptural basis of SrilaPrabhupada's statement:
krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto 'pi labhyatetatra laulyam api mulyam ekalam janma-koti-sukrtair na labhyate
"Pure devotional service in Krsna consciousness cannot be had even by piousactivity in hundreds and thousands of lives. It can be attained only bypaying one price--that is, the intense eagerness and desire to obtain it. Ifit is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay." (Padyavali14, Cc Madhya 8. 171)
On this auspicious occasion, in this august assembly, I pray to SrilaPrabhupada, and to all of you, to kindly bless me that the desire to servehis lotus feet--to serve Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates and SriSri Radha-Krsna and Their associates--will become stronger and stronger andstronger, to the exclusion of all else.
tvayi me 'nanya-visaya matir madhu-pate 'sakrtratim udvahatad addha gangevaugham udanvati
"O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance,let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You." (SB 1.8.42)
Thank you very much.
Srila Prabhupada initiated a disciple and gave him the name Bhavananda dasa,explaining that bhava meant "the material world" and ananda meant"bliss"--"the servant of the bliss of the material world." The disciple wasa little concerned--What was Prabhupada saying about him? What was thesignificance of his name?--so he approached him. And Srila Prabhupadareplied with a profound answer, which really reflected his mood--why, for example, in his old age he left Vrndavana to come to America. SrilaPrabhupada replied that the devotee has no happiness independent of Krsna's,that his happiness lies in Krsna's happiness, and that nothing gives Krsnamore pleasure than a devotee's bringing souls back to Him. So, preaching gives Krsna the greatest pleasure, but you can preach only in the materialworld. Thus, preaching is the bliss of the material world (bhavananda), andthat is the greatest bliss, because it gives Krsna the greatest pleasure.
Once, some years later, on an Ekadasi, I was with the same devotee,Bhavananda, and another devotee, Acyutananda (ananda abounded in thosedays), in Madras. Bhavananda and I were in the mood to go out and preach.But Acyutananda said, "No, it's Ekadasi. We shouldn't go out. It'sinauspicious. And besides, it looks like rain." We thought, "Oh boy, he isso attached to external rules and regulations. But we have the real spiritof preaching. We are going to go out and preach. We are not going to worryabout Ekadasi or some rain."
So we went out, in a light drizzle, and within minutes the sky poured downrain. And the rain didn't stop. Rather, it came down heavier and heavier. InMadras then, at least where we were walking, there was not much of adrainage system--just an open ditch two or three feet deep, lined withconcrete. And as the inundation continued, the channel filled with water,and soon you couldn't distinguish between the water on the street, the waterin the ditch, and the water on the fields beyond.
So, we were walking along blissfully, inspired in our mission, in ourservice to our guru maharaja, and Bhavananda Prabhu fell into the ditch. Hewas in water up to his waist. So, I gave him a hand, and he climbed out ofthe ditch. As it was, we were drenched with rainwater, but now he was soakedwith sewage water. So, what to do now?
Later, I related the incident to Srila Prabhupada, declaring that BhavanandaPrabhu had equal vision--he didn't distinguish between high and low. And Iquoted the verse from the Bhagavad-gita (5.18),
vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastinisuni caiva sva-pake ca panditah sama-darsinah
"The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision alearned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater[outcaste]."
Srila Prabhupada replied, "Yes. You have theoretical knowledge, but he hasrealized knowledge, practical realization, so he is more advanced."[laughter]
In a way, Srila Prabhupada was joking, but I took everything he said ashaving deep meaning and significance, and I didn't doubt the truth of whathe said. It pricked my false ego a little, but it didn't bother me too much.If that's the way it was, then that's the way it was. Bhavananda Prabhu wasmore advanced. He was more realized.
Then, as happens in life, even in devotional service, we have ups and downs.But I was heartened to hear what Srila Prabhupada said about two ways ofattaining perfection: One is sadhana-siddhi: by executing the regulativeprinciples of devotional service and getting the mercy of Krsna, one attainsperfection. And the other is krpa-siddhi: even if one is unable to followall the rules and regulations strictly, if he has an overwhelming desire torender service, then Krsna or the spiritual master will by mercy bring himto the point of perfection.
This is a very important factor: desire. Once, Srila Prabhupada said, "Krsnaconsciousness is the art of desiring." Of course, the desire for lovingservice to Krsna is already there, naturally, within the heart:
nitya-siddha krsna-prema 'sadhya' kabhu nayasravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya
"Pure love for Krsna is eternally established in the hearts of the livingentities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When theheart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens." (CcMadhya 22.107) If we just have that desire, and chant and hear in theassociation of pure devotees, Krsna and Prabhupada will fulfill our desire.
Early in my association with devotees I had heard that Srila Prabhupada hadsaid that all we need to become Krsna conscious is eagerness, that thedesire to become Krsna conscious is as good as becoming Krsnaconscious--because Krsna fulfills all desires. Thinking of SrilaPrabhupada's statement, in a large outdoor program in India, I asked him, "Iheard that to become Krsna conscious all we need is the desire, that we justhave to be eager. Does this mean we don't need to read books?" And SrilaPrabhupada replied, "If you desire to be Krsna conscious--if you areeager--you will accept whatever will help you to become Krsna conscious. Sowhy not read books?" So, it is a matter of desire, but it is also a matterof expressing the desire in practical activities.
Later, I read a verse that provided the scriptural basis of SrilaPrabhupada's statement:
krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto 'pi labhyatetatra laulyam api mulyam ekalam janma-koti-sukrtair na labhyate
"Pure devotional service in Krsna consciousness cannot be had even by piousactivity in hundreds and thousands of lives. It can be attained only bypaying one price--that is, the intense eagerness and desire to obtain it. Ifit is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay." (Padyavali14, Cc Madhya 8. 171)
On this auspicious occasion, in this august assembly, I pray to SrilaPrabhupada, and to all of you, to kindly bless me that the desire to servehis lotus feet--to serve Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates and SriSri Radha-Krsna and Their associates--will become stronger and stronger andstronger, to the exclusion of all else.
tvayi me 'nanya-visaya matir madhu-pate 'sakrtratim udvahatad addha gangevaugham udanvati
"O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance,let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You." (SB 1.8.42)
Thank you very much.
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