20260311 Śrīla Prabhupāda The Jaladuta Diary 1965

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-gurun dina tāriṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

JD 6: America- Śrīla Prabhupāda arrives at Boston Harbor

America

THURSDAY 16

Today is the 35^th day of our journey and yesterday night at about 10/30 p.m. we have turned one wheel(?) towards north eastern corner from the Bermuda latitude towards Boston port. In the morning the atmosphere was fairly cleared and the ship was plying very smoothly. The first officer told me that they never had such experience of the Atlantic ocean and he ascribed the good luck to me. I said yes it is all Lord Krishna's Grace because due to my severe type of sea-sickness, He has Himself taken charge of the ship. In (?) expansion the Lord is rowing the oars. We shall certainly reach to America port safely. The whole day was clear sun-shine but at 4 p.m. the sky all of a sudden became foggy. The sun became dim covered by foggy weather. The horizon is still visible. Let us see what is still ahead. The ship is stopped completely at about 6 p.m. on account of dense fog. Be Lord Krishna pleased to get out this fog. By the Grace of Lord Krishna the fog was cleared after 2-3 hours and the ship started. The whole night was non-disturbing and today on the 36th day of our journey we reached safely at Boston Port at 5/30 a.m.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Śrīla Prabhupāda had been travelling for 36 days from the time he left Calcutta port. He stopped in Colombo, Cochin, went through the Suez Canal, went through the Mediterranean, went through the Atlantic Ocean. Finally, after 36 days he is reaching Boston. So, Lord Kṛṣṇa has taken him through this otherwise very rough waters! And by Lord Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, it became very peaceful!

17 FRIDAY

We are now on the dockyard of Boston and at 10 a.m. the custom officers and others came on the ship. They have now issued the admittance permission after due checking etc. I saw the Boston Town with captain It is very nice and I shall describe it in a separate note. 36th day from starting from Calcutta Port To-day we are expected to reach Boston Port U.S.A. in the morning ACB—/9/65

We stayed the whole day & night at Boston till 4.p.m. next day

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda arrived in Boston. In a separate tone, he noted that people in America were in the mode of passion and ignorance. And so he wondered how Lord Kṛṣṇa would engage him in His service!

18 SATURDAY

To-day is the 37^th day of our journey & at 4 p.m. we left Boston Port for New York. In the morning I had telephonic talks with Gopal P. Agarwal in Butler and he said that his man will receive me at New York & dispatch me to Butler by Bus or train as convenient. I tried to contact Dr. Misra but he was not available both yesterday and to-day. I do not know if he is coming to receive me. To-day I met two American nice gentlemen Mr. Gardiner & Fryer(?). We passed a beautiful canal and crossed underneath two overbridges. But at midnight there was considerable fog disturbance and the ship moved very slowly. The fog persisted till we reached late at New York Port at 12/30 on 19/9/65.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Śrīla Prabhupāda was detailing his voyage from Boston to New York and he is bringing the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with him. And he is reaching America to start the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya.

SUNDAY 19

Today is the 38^th day of our journey and we reached New York Port at 12/30 p.m. about three hours later than the scheduled time.

SATURDAY 25

Today I have sent letter to Captain Arun Pandiya.

NOVEMBER 1965JD 7: November

THURSDAY 11

Paragon Book
Gallery New York
Received today 25 sets from Gopal.
5 sets personally
10  "  through Orientalia
25  "       "       Paragon
40 sets
ACB

SUNDAY 14

Meeting with Krishna K. Dhandip
No. 152 West 13th Street
New York N.Y. at 5 p.m.

SUNDAY 28

Meeting at New India House
"God Consciousness"
under the auspices of the
Tagore Society of New York.

MEMORANDA

1. The Absolute Truth
(Srimad Bhagawatam 1st Canto)

2. Symptoms of Objectivity
(Srimad Bhagwatam 2nd Canto)

3. Creation of Material World.
(Srimad Bhagwatam 3rd Canto)

4. The Sub-Creators.
(Srimad Bhagwatam 4th Canto)

5. The Planetary System.
(Srimad Bhagwatam 5th Canto)

6. Lord the Protector
(Srimad Bhagwatam 6th Canto)

7. Creative Impetus
(Srimad Bhagwatam 7th Canto)

8. Change of Manpower
(Srimad Bhagwatam 8th Canto)

9. The Science of God
(Srimad Bhagwatam 9th Canto)

10. Krishna The Cause of All Causes.
(Srimad Bhagwatam 10th Canto)

11. The Path of Liberation
(Srimad Bhagwatam 11th Canto)

12. The Summum Bonum.
(Srimad Bhagwatam 12th Canto)

Prayers

Written by Śrīla Prabhupāda

aboard the Jaladuta

Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Kṛṣṇa

by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

(refrain)

Text One

kṛṣṇa tava puṇya habe bhāi
e-puṇya koribe yabe rādhārāṇī khuśī habe
dhruva ati bali tomā tāi

kṛṣṇa—Lord Kṛṣṇa; tava—Your; puṇya—piety; habe—will be; bhāi—O brother; e puṇya—this pious act; karibe—You perform; yabe—when; rādhārāṇī—Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; khuśī habe—will be pleased; dhruva—surely; ati—emphatically; bali—I say; tomā—to You; tāi—just so.

O brother, Kṛṣṇa, I emphatically say to You that when You perform this pious act Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī will surely be pleased with You and You will achieve great piety.

Jayapatākā Swami: So Śrīla Prabhupāda is praying to Lord Kṛṣṇa and so he wants to obtain Kṛṣṇa’s mercy! So like that he is praying for the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

Text Two

śrī-siddhānta sarasvatī śacī-suta priya ati
kṛṣṇa-sevāya yāra tula nāi
sei se mohānta-guru jagater madhe uru
kṛṣṇa-bhakti dey ṭhāi ṭhāi

śrī-siddhānta sarasvatī—Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura; śacī-suta—to the son of Mother Śacī; priya ati—very dear; kṛṣṇa-sevāya—in Kṛṣṇa’s service; yāra—whose; tula—comparison; nāi—there is not; sei se—that person; mahānta-guru—great spiritual master; jagatera madhye—within the universe; uru—intense; kṛṣṇa-bhakti—devotional service to Kṛṣṇa; deya—gives; ṭhāi ṭhāi—in this place and that place.

Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, who is very dear to Lord Gaurāṅga, the son of Mother Śacī, is unparalleled in his service to the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He is that great saintly spiritual master who bestows intense devotion to Kṛṣṇa at different places throughout the world.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Śrīla Prabhupāda is glorifying his spiritual master who is very dear to Lord Caitanya and he is bestowing devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa throughout the world.

Text Three

tāra icchā balavān pāścātyete ṭhān ṭhān
hoy jāte gaurāṅger nām
pṛthivīte nagarādi āsamudra nada nadī
sakalei loy kṛṣṇa nām

tāra—his; icchā—desire; balavān—powerful; pāścātyete—to the Western world; ṭhān ṭhān—everywhere; haya—is; yāte—in which; gaurāṅgera nāma—the name of Gaurāṅga; pṛthivīte—on the earth; nagara-ādi—towns and so forth; ā-samudra—extending out to the ocean; nada-nadī—rivers and streams; sakale-i—verily all; laya—taking (chanting); kṛṣṇa nāma—the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

By his strong desire, the holy name of Lord Gaurāṅga will spread throughout all the countries of the Western world. In all the cities, towns, and villages on the earth, from all the oceans, seas, rivers, and streams, everyone will chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya had predicted that in every town and village of the whole world His holy name will be sung. So Śrīla Prabhupāda was going with this intense desire to spread the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and that he could see that by the mercy of Lord Gaurāṅga everyone would chant!

Text Four

tāhale ānanda hoy tabe hoy digvijay
caitanyera kṛpā atiśay
māyā duṣṭa jata duḥkhī jagate sabāi sukhī
vaiṣṇavera icchā pūrṇa hoy

tāhale—upon that; ānanda haya—there is bliss; tabe—then; haya—there is; dik-vijaya—conquering all directions; caitanyera kṛpā—the mercy of Lord Caitanya; atiśaya—excessive; māyā duṣṭa—corrupted by illusion (sinful); yata—whichever; duḥkhī—miserable souls; jagate—in the universe; sabāi—everyone; sukhī—happy people; vaiṣṇavera icchā—the desire of the devotees; pūrṇa haya—is fulfilled.

As the vast mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu conquers all directions, a flood of transcendental ecstasy will certainly cover the land. When all the sinful, miserable living entities become happy, the Vaiṣṇavas' desire is then fulfilled.

Jayapatākā Swami: The mercy of Lord Caitanya, actually Lord Caitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. But He is coming in a hidden form. So, by His mercy chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa floods the whole world. All the sinful, miserable living entities become happy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and this satisfies the Vaiṣṇavas. We want to see everybody happy!

Text Five

se kārja je koribāre ājñā jadi dilo more
yogya nahi an dīna hīna
tāi se tomāra kṛpā māgitechi anurūpā
āji tumi sabār pravīṇa

se kārya—that task; ye—which; karibāre—to do; ājñā—command; yadi—if; dile—gave; more—to me; yogya nahi—not worthy; ati dīna—very fallen; hīna—destitute; tāi—just so; se—that; tomāra—Your; kṛpā—mercy; jāgiteche—it is awakening; anurūpā—accordingly; āji—today; tumi—You; sabāra—of everyone; pravīṇa—wise.

Although my Guru Mahārāja ordered me to accomplish this mission, I am not worthy or fit to do it. I am very fallen and insignificant. Therefore, O Lord, now I am begging for Your mercy so that I may become worthy, for You are the wisest and most experienced of all.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīla Prabhupāda is trying to carry out the order of his spiritual master but he is doing it in humility! He is saying, I am not worthy, I am not fit, I am fallen, I am insignificant. So he is begging for Lord Kṛṣṇa’s mercy! for Lord Caitanya’s mercy! So we can see how dedicated Śrīla Prabhupāda is. Not that he was very proud – he was very humble! He wanted to satisfy Lord Gaurāṅga’s desire and his spiritual master’s order!

Text Six

tomāra se śakti pele guru-sevāya vastu mile
jīvana sārthak jadi hoy
sei se sevā pāile tāhale sukhī hale
taba saṅga bhāgyate miloy

tomāra—Your; se—that; śakti—potency; pele—obtaining; guru-sevā—service to the spiritual master; vastu—the real substance (the Absolute Truth); mile—receives; jīvana—life; sārthaka—successful; yadi haya—if it is; sei se—that particular; sevā—service; pele—obtaining; tāhale—upon that; sukhī—happy person; hale—becomes; tava saṅga—Your association; bhāgyete—by good fortune; milaya—meets.

If You bestow Your power, by serving the spiritual master one attains the Absolute Truth—one's life becomes successful. If that service is obtained, then one becomes happy and gets Your association due to good fortune.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, he is putting himself under the shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa. By serving the order of his spiritual master, he can achieve the Absolute Truth and his life will become successful. So by doing his service, one becomes happy and gets  his transcendental association. So that is the mood of Śrīla Prabhupāda on reaching America.

Text Seven

evaṁ janaṁ nipatitaṁ prabhavāhikūpe
kāmābhikāmam anu yaḥ prapatan prasaṅgāt
kṛtvātmasāt surarṣiṇā bhagavan gṛhītaḥ
so ‘haṁ kathaṁ nu visṛje tava bhṛtya-sevām

evam—thus; janam—people in general; nipatitam—fallen; prabhava—of material existence; ahi-kūpe—in a blind well full of snakes; kāma-abhikāmam—desiring the sense objects; anu—following; yaḥ—the person who; prapatan—falling down (in this condition); prasaṅgāt—because of bad association or increased association with material desires; kṛtvā-ātmasāt—causing me (to acquire spiritual qualities like himself, Śrī Nārada); sura-ṛṣiṇā—by the great saintly person (Nārada); bhagavan—O my Lord; gṛhītaḥ—accepted; saḥ—that person; aham—I; katham—how; nu—indeed; visṛje—can give up; tava—Your; bhṛtya-sevām—the service of Your pure devotee.

“My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of my association with material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind well full of snakes, following the general populace. But Your servant Nārada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore, my first duty is to serve him. How could I leave his service?” [Prahlāda Mahārāja to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, Bhāg. 7.9.28)

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Śrīla Prabhupāda is quoting this verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. How we are fallen in the material situation and this is spoken by Prahlāda Mahārāja in the Satya-yuga. We are in the Kali-yuga and we have a very short life. Prahlāda Mahārāja is taking shelter of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva and how he is very grateful to Nārada Muni for accepting him as his disciple. So, spiritual life is such that by taking the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa, through the spiritual master one is able to give or achieve all success.

Today is the appearance day of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura who is actually Nārada Muni in Pañca-tattva. So today was a very special day. I hope you all got the mercy of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura! And how he came down to assist Lord Caitanya in spreading the saṅkīrtana movement. All glories to Nārada Muni! All glories to Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura!