10/06/2024
A tribute to Srila Prabhupada from Ganapati Swami an ISKCON Vancouver pioneer.
oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual
master, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
who has opened up my eyes, which were blinded by the dense
darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of transcendental
knowledge.
This world is a dark place, and it is getting darker every yuga,
every year, every day. Yet most people cannot see, or allow themselves
to see, how dark it is. I look at young people and see how expectant
and hopeful they appear to be (at least in public) yet I conclude I
would not want to trade places with them, nor want to be an agent
for bringing more souls into the world at this time. The exploding
su***de rates confirm this bleak reality. Indeed, I sometimes wonder
how anyone who perceives this world as it is can even refrain from
resorting to su***de! But still, most push on, either because, 1) they
are diverted by numerous distractions in the shape of s*x, sports
and other entertainment, drugs, or “comfort” animals, or 2) they
maintain a flicker of hope due to having some faith in, or a degree
of, spiritual connection.
So I must offer my profuse thanks to you, Śrīla Prabhupāda,
for opening my eyes to this reality. Although I’m “sufficiently
experienced”, without your grace I would be just as blinded as any
others—paśyann api na paśyati.
Who can imagine how this place must have looked to you when
you stepped off the Jaladuta fifty-nine years ago? No one was as
aware of its acute pain and suffering to the degree that you were.
And yet, you were not discouraged by that vision, for you were
absorbed in your loving relationship with Guru and Kṛṣṇa, relishing
the mellows of devotion at every moment and thus internally full
of happiness—viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate. Indeed, that vision rather
surcharged your compassion and sense of urgency to alleviate the
situation. Only due to your presence did we realize that there was
hope, a purpose beyond the overwhelming darkness and confusion,
one that makes it all worthwhile—and that is love. Not a superficial,
sentimental, frivolous kind of “love”, but the kind that:
• Was so grave and serious that it governed your entire being
• Sometimes forced you to helplessly exhibit sāttvika-bhāvas
• Resonated in your voice as you:
- Chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa kīrtana in ecstasy
- Prayerfully sang bhajans like Gaura Pahou and Hari
Haraye Namaḥ Kṛṣṇa
- Glorified and defended your Lord against all critics
• Was visible in your eyes as you:
- Gazed at the Deities you invited to preside
in your temples
- Offered ārati to your spiritual master on his tirobhāva
- Pierced through layers of our egos to see
and stir our souls
- Gleamed with joy as you proudly watched us chanting
and dancing in bliss
• Didn’t discriminate between gender, race, faith or even
species (“take the bug to the window”)
• We witnessed your tireless superhuman efforts to spread
Kṛṣṇa consciousness around the world
• We felt a drop of by being in your presence, and that
inspired us to try to achieve it ourselves
• Was so real that we knew its object must also be real—
indeed, Absolute Reality Himself!
But perhaps just as significant was the fact that, although we perceived
God through you—who are sākṣād-dhari and his “transparent via
medium”—and veritably worshiped and served you as such, you
never allowed us to mistakenly conclude that you were God. As you
know, that illusion has been prevalent in the followers of imitation
“avatāras’ since the time of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and remains so till
today. But you stood up and boldly proclaimed the guru to instead
be the Supreme Servitor of the Lord. Therefore, as Śrī Caitanyadeva
is the Golden Avatāra, you are the Gold Standard of all gurus.
Your insignificant servant,
Ganapati Swami
Initiation: 1972, April—Los Angeles, California, USA
