20250817 129th Vyāsa-pūjā Celebration Festival Address

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: […] When Śrīla Prabhupāda would come from Calcutta, he would stop at Chakdaha mango orchard. He would answer questions then. He had a picture of Kṛṣṇa Balarāma. So he would ask, “Who is stronger? Balarāma or Kṛṣṇa?” Someone said, “Balarāma. Because He holds all the universes, everything.” But Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “You see, Kṛṣṇa is holding Him up!”

In Māyāpur, every minute was something new! So, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda wanted Māyāpur to be exemplary. When he took a morning walk, he would see if everything was neat and clean. And if something wasn’t, he would point, why that?!

One day at the Lotus building he observed that there were many fireflies rotating around a bulb. For a long time, he was looking at the light. So, devotees were gathered around looking at him. Why was he looking at the light? Then he turned to the devotees and said, “See, even in the airports of the modern world, sometimes the airplanes crash. But here, I am seeing how the insects flying around the light, but there are no crashes!” So at every moment Śrīla Prabhupāda was trying to teach us some new things!

At time we only had the Lotus building. And we were keeping guard to protect Śrīla Prabhupāda. So, we were going around the first floor of the Lotus building in the night with a flashlight and trying to see, someone is there, someone is there under the stairway! And then Śrīla Prabhupāda walked from under the stair, and he said I was just checking on you!

So, he invited his godbrother, Śrīdhara Mahārāja to come over. And, he invited Śrīdhara Mahārāja and then he said, “I will make you the president of ISKCON. Stay here and see our centers in the West.” Together they had like kīrtana and after that Śrīdhara Mahārāja left and did not come again. Śrīla Prabhupāda always wanted to see his godbrothers and his disciples, all united.

Śrīla Prabhupāda was carrying out the mission of Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya had predicted that in every town and village, His holy name would be sung. And that was not being done. So, at the age of 69, he decided to go to America to preach. Now, we, all his followers or well-wishers should try to spread Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityānanda’s message.

My time is up now, and this is a very great day, great occasion, for us to remember the wonderful qualities of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Śrīla Prabhupāda kept reminding us that his spiritual master, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda had ordered him to preach around the world. Hare Kṛṣṇa!