[0:07:52]

Host 1: Hare Krishna dear devotees, Hare Krishna guru Maharaj.

His Holiness Giriraj Swami ki, Srila Prabhupada ki. Vancha-
kalpatarubhyash cha kripa-sindhubhya eva cha patitanam pavanebhyo
vaishnavebhyo namo namaha. [08:14 - 08:24 inaudible]. Hare
Krishna to all the devotees and a very warm welcome on behalf of
ISKCON in Durban, South Africa. Welcome to all the devotees from
all over the world, we've seen devotees from India even though
it's so late, and other parts even further east. A very warm
welcome especially to His Holiness Srila Giriraj Swami Maharaj.
We're so very dear to the hearts of the devotees in South Africa,
to the devotees all over the world, all of Srila Prabhupada's
devotees. Thank you to Maharaj for agreeing to participate in
this wonderful program, a very important topic I should add, a
very exceptionally important topic that we felt who better than
His Holiness Giriraj Maharaj to guide us in exploring.

This evening's program was actually conceived of by Her Grace

Malika Devidasi, a very senior devotee in South Africa, who runs
a reading group, cultivating the Krishna consciousness of various
devotees. They are about to commence with a reading and
discussion of Srila Prabhupada's lila-mrita book, the very
wonderful biography of Srila Prabhupada by His Holiness Srila
Satsvarupa Maharaj. To inspire her reading group to commence with
this discussion we've invited His Holiness Giriaj Maharaj to
inspire them. Then, we thought, “Why not inspire all the devotees
to access the wonderful lessons from Srila Prabhupada's life?” So
we'll now ask Her Grace Malika Mataji to offer an introduction to
His Holiness Giriraj Swami Maharaj. Malika Mataji.

Host 2: Hare Krishna dear devotees, welcome and thank you once
again for joining this evening session. We are very blessed and
fortunate today to have the wonderful association of His Holiness
Giriraj Swami. Giriraj Swami met His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada in 1969. He was very
inspired by Srila Prabhupada and then took initiation from him.
He later made significant contributions to Srila Prabhupada's
mission. He helped with the different aspects of the development
of the Hare Krishna Land in Juhu, the Bhaktivedanta Ashram in
Govardhan, the Kirtan Ashram for women, the Bhaktivedanta Hospice
and the Vrindavan Institute of Palliative Care, in Vrindavan.

He is the author of many books: “Watering The Seed” “Life's Final

Exam” “Many Moons” and more recently, his latest book, “I'll
Build You A Temple: The Juhu Story.” He is a faithful, loving and
surrendered servant of his spiritual master Srila Prabhupada.
Today he will share Srila Prabhupada's exemplary lifestyle with
us, and from there on we can see how we can mold our life in our
Krishna consciousness. We hand you over now to His Holiness
Giriraj Swami. Once again Maharaj, thank you, welcome, we are
blessed to have you, Hare Krishna. We now hand you over to His
Holiness Giriraj Swami. Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Before we continue I would like to request the

devotees on Zoom to put on your cameras, as far as possible, so
we can see your moon-like faces, and it will be more personal. I
will begin by singing the Mangala Acharna prayers and leading a
short kirtan, and then we will speak about Srila Prabhupada's
exemplary life. Exemplary means it's an example for us also, how
we can mold our lives.

[Prayers 0:13:15 - 0:29:50]

Giriraj Swami: Shall I begin to speak?

Host 1: Yes guru Maharaj, please proceed.

Giriraj Swami: Okay. We are discussing Srila Prabhupada's

exemplary life. He was exemplary in every way. One thought that
comes to mind is that he said the duty of a sannyasi is to write
transcendental literature for the benefit of others, and
certainly, Srila Prabhupada's writing of transcendental
literature was one of his main services or contributions. It is a
contribution that is guiding all of us. Srila Prabhupada is the
foundational siksa guru for all devotees in ISKCON, and we get
his guidance mainly from his books. He would hardly sleep at
night, he would retire maybe at 10:00, get up at midnight, and
then he would translate and write books while we were sleeping.
We should make his effort in writing his books fruitful by
reading his books. By reading and distributing, both.
The Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu enumerates nine characteristics of one
in ecstatic love for Krishna, and Srila Prabhupada certainly
exhibited those qualities: One, he is always eager to utilize his
time and the devotional service of the Lord, he wants service
always, 24 hours a day without deviation. Two, he is always
reserved and persevering, he definitely manifested his
perseverance in the struggles in Juhu, and in so many other
situations. Three, he is always detached from all material
attraction. Four, he does not long for any material respect in
return for his activities. Five, he is always certain that
Krishna will bestow his mercy upon him. Sixth, he is always very
eager to serve the Lord faithfully. Seven, he is very much
attached to the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Eight, he
is always eager to describe the transcendental qualities of the
Lord. Nine, he is very pleased to live in a place where the
Lord's pastimes are performed, such as Mathura, Vrindavan or
Dwarka.

We know that Srila Prabhupada lived in Vrindavan before he came

to America, and then he established temples. It is also said that
a temple in which the deity of Lord Visnu or Krishna is
worshipped, becomes like the spiritual world, it becomes like a
holy place. He engaged in service with his body, mind and words.
As far as utilization of times, the Nectar of Devotion says, “An
unalloyed devotee who has developed ecstatic love for Krishna is
always engaging his words in the service of the Lord. With the
mind he's always thinking of Krishna, and with his body he either
offers obeisances by bowing down before the deity or engages in
some other service.” In this way, his whole life is engaged in
the service of the Lord, with not a moment wasted on any other
engagement.

Srila Prabhupada's exemplary life can serve as an example for us,

how we can act perfectly in relationship with Krishna, molding
our lives to always hear, chant about, remember Krishna and serve
Krishna. When there are reverses or apparent reverses, we
persevere in devotional service, as Srila Prabhupada showed us in
his own life. Srila Prabhupada lived his life according to
sastra, and his life is the best example we have of the practical
application of sastra in one's life.
We are fortunate because we have so much information about Srila
Prabhupada's life from so many sources. Now, in Malika Devi's
reading group we will be reading Srila Prabhupada’s lila-mrita,
which is a wonderful description of Srila Prabhupada's life, his
activities and teachings. Many other books have also been written
about Srila Prabhupada by other of his disciples, and we should
take advantage of these books. Of course, hearing about a pure
devotee is purifying to the heart, it is nourishing to the soul
and it informs us of how we can live our lives in Krishna
consciousness. So we have directly from Srila Prabhupada his
books, lectures, letters, and from his disciples we have their
remembrances of him. Everything in relation to Srila Prabhupada
is as good as sastra, so we should take advantage of the
presentations about Srila Prabhupada.

There are also video presentations. Yadubara Prabhu has compiled

the DVD series following Srila Prabhupada so we can follow Srila
Prabhupada. In both senses of the word, we can follow his
activities as they were recorded in video, and we can follow his
example as shown in the videos. One of the first devotees who
came to ISKCON after Srila Prabhupada left was His Grace
Mahaprabhu Das, who unfortunately left us recently. But I showed
him a video of Srila Prabhupada in my office-- actually we didn't
have videos then, but we had a fair child movie projector. When
he saw Srila Prabhupada's face he said, “My God, I've never seen
anyone like him. He has so much love, but at the same time, he's
so detached.” Usually, if someone has love, they're attached. And
if someone is detached, they don't have love. But just by seeing
Srila Prabhupada in that video or film he said, “He has so much
love but he's so detached.”

Another thing about Srila Prabhupada is that he was ready to do

anything for Krishna in the mood of service. I recall one
exchange between Sri Bhakti Svarupa Damodar Swami Maharaj and
Srila Prabhupada. At that time he was Svarupa Damodar, he hadn't
taken sannyasa, and Svarupa Damodar said to Srila Prabhupada, “I
have only one department, the Bhaktivedanta Institute, the BI,
and I have to deal with so many problems. You have the whole
ISKCON to deal with, so I can't even imagine how many problems
you have to deal with.” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “Problems?
I don't see any problems, I see only service to my guru Maharaj.”
Yeah, we should hear from Srila Prabhupada and hear about Srila
Prabhupada, and take advantage of all the information we have
about Srila Prabhupada, both in devotee’s writings-- of course,
first and foremost we should study his books, but then the
writings about him by his different disciples. And the
presentations of him in videos, especially the wonderful series
following Srila Prabhupada.

His Grace Krishna Chandra Prabhu in Mumbai, otherwise known as

Hrishikesh Mafatlal, said that every devotee should see the films
of Srila Prabhupada in the early days in America because people,
especially in India, but probably everywhere, cannot imagine the
type of people to whom Srila Prabhupada was preaching. He
recommended that every devotee should see those films to get a
sense of the type of people that Srila Prabhupada was bringing to
Krishna consciousness. When I think of what he did for me and so
many of us, how much time and energy he invested in us, I think
we should be like Srila Prabhupada, as far as possible, and be
generous with our time and energy to help others in Krishna
consciousness, just as Srila Prabhupada was with us.

As we read and hear more about Srila Prabhupada we will

understand how he really was, an empowered incarnation,
saktivesh avatar. Caitanya Caritamrta says kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe
tāra pravartana, that without being empowered by Krishna's
potency, one cannot spread the sankirtana movement. Many learned
devotees have opined that Srila Prabhupada was a saktivesh
avatar. And Srila Prabhupada himself, in some verses and
purports, has basically admitted the same, but then there's also
the question of by whose potency specifically was he empowered.
Of course, Krishna in a broad sense, but Srila Prabhupada’s very
learned God brother, Srila Abdi Rakshak Sridhar Maharaj, accepted
him as a saktivesh avatar. And he thought that he was empowered
by the potency of Lord Nityananda, who is so merciful upon the
fallen souls and whose mission was to deliver the most fallen. So
by understanding so many facts about Srila Prabhupada we can
appreciate our good fortune of being connected with him, and
really take full advantage of his presence in different ways.

I'll just try to find that one quotation when Srila Prabhupada
discusses that verse. Well, this isn't exactly the one that I was
looking for but this will also be good. This is Sri Caitanya
Caritamrta Adi-lila, Chapter Three, text one.

Translation: “I wish the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by

whose mercy even one who is fallen can describe the pastimes of
the Lord.”

Giriraj Swami: Reading this purport we can see how it applies to

Srila Prabhupada.

Purport by SP: To describe Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or Lord Śrī

Kṛṣṇa, one needs supernatural power, which is the grace and mercy
of the Lord. Without this grace and mercy, one cannot compose
transcendental literature. By dint of the grace of the Lord,
however, even one who is unfit for a literary career can describe
wonderful transcendental topics. Description of Kṛṣṇa is possible
for one who is empowered. Kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana
(Cc. Antya 7.11). Unless endowed with the mercy of the Lord, one
cannot preach of the Lord’s name, fame, qualities, form,
entourage and so on.

Giriraj Swami: This is so fortunate. I mentioned that there are

many books available about Srila Prabhupada. In a way, first and
foremost is Srila Prabhupada’s lila-mrita, which the devotees are
about to start reading, Malika Dasi's reading group. And Tamal
Krishna Goswami, we have-- well, we have “A Servant Of The
Servant” we have “TKG's Diary”-- sorry Prabhu, we have his
transcendental diaries, and we have my books. Especially this
latest book, I'll Build You A Temple: The Juhu Story. As
mentioned, following Srila Prabhupada’s videos. There's another
series of videos about Srila Prabhupada, remembering Srila
Prabhupada, produced by Srila Prabhupada’s disciple Siddhanta
Prabhu, in which he records memories of Srila Prabhupada. Those
are also very enlivening and enlightening. The more we appreciate
Srila Prabhupada as a person, the more we will appreciate the
gifts that he has left for us, and the more eager will be to read
his books and serve his mission.

Also Srila Prabhupada was very multifaceted, he was not only

expert in everything, but he was enthusiastic in everything
related to Krishna's service. All of his followers reflect
different aspects of his personality, of his interests, of his
devotional service, so we can also come to see Srila Prabhupada
in one another. Each and every one of us who's engaged in
devotional service is in some way fulfilling Srila Prabhupada's
desires and completing his mission. As Srila Prabhupada said, “I
have given you the framework, now you have to fill it in.” By
appreciating Srila Prabhupada's multifaceted personality and the
varieties of devotees in ISKCON who are able to render different
kinds of service, we can also see how to attract new people,
anyone and everyone, and encourage them because they all have
some spark of service. You just have to fan that spark.

By hearing more and more about Srila Prabhupada we will get a

better sense of what he would want of us and how he would like us
to serve him and his mission. Joining ISKCON means that we are
making a decision of Srila Prabhupada, our founder acarya, and to
really follow him, we should go deeply into his teachings, into
his exemplary life and try to follow in his footsteps. Our
general process in Krishna consciousness is to taste Krishna
consciousness, or illustration of consciousness, and distribute
it. I think of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura’s
statement. Well, I think most of you are familiar with these two
words but I will explain before I repeat what Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati said. There's two words, bhajan-anandi
and gosti-anandi. Bhajan-anandi basically is concerned with his
own bhajan, his own chanting, hearing and remembering Krishna;
and gosti-anandi is concerned with preaching, with the sharing
Krishna consciousness with others. So Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati Thakura said that the best gosti-anandi is a bhajan-
anandi who preaches. In other words, the best preacher is someone
who relishes Krishna consciousness.

So we've spoken a bit, about an hour. We have so many learned

devotees with us, I think it would be nice to hear from them. If
they have any comments or questions.

One thing, somehow we're on the subject of Srila Prabhupada, is

japa. In one purport Srila Prabhupada writes that of all the
instructions of the spiritual master, the instruction to chant a
minimum of 16 rounds daily is most essential, and here too Srila
Prabhupada was exemplary. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura
had different standards for numbers of rounds to be chanted by
different types of disciples, but Srila Prabhupada accepted the
standard of 16 rounds, and he passed on the same standard to us
from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. He said when he was
a householder, a grihasta, he would chant four rounds before
breakfast, four rounds before lunch, four rounds before dinner
and four rounds before taking rest at night. That way he was
always sure that he would be able to complete his 16 rounds.
Yeah, it's a very good example.

I mean, there were periods when he chanted 64 rounds a day, but

at that period when he was a grihasta, he would chant 16. And to
make sure that he did his 16, he wouldn't have breakfast unless
he chanted four, he wouldn't have lunch unless he chanted another
four, he wouldn't have dinner unless he chanted another four, and
he wouldn't take rest until he finished the last four. We should
also be very conscientious with our rounds. As Srila Prabhupada
said, if by chance we happen to miss any rounds one day, which we
shouldn't, but if it happens, then we should make up the rounds
we missed on the next day. We should always maintain our 16
rounds.

When I had my cardiac bypass surgery, at one stage I came to be

63 days of rounds behind because I couldn't chant. I mean, I was
in such a condition I couldn't chant. And even when I was able to
start to chant I couldn't chant 16 rounds, so I kept falling
further and further behind until I was 63 days of rounds behind.
That's 63 times 16 rounds behind, but I did keep track and I
eventually made them up. So we should, of course, be
conscientious about our rounds.

Thank you again for joining so many of you, even from India as
Damodar Prabhu mentioned, where it's quite late. But yes, thank
you for joining, and now please I would be very happy to hear
your reflections, your thoughts, your comments or questions. If
you wish to speak, I guess raise your hand, your physical hand or
your digital hand.

Host 1: Guru Maharaj, there’s a hand raised, Nityananda Prabhu

and Dasrila Mataji.
Giriraj Swami: Wonderful.

Devotee 1: Hare Krishna guru Maharaj. This pandemic is making us

think-- I'm thinking of this English author Charles Dickens, I
think. He said “it was the best of times, it was the worst of
times. it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.
it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity. It
was the season of light, it was the season of darkness. It was
the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” Also I think
it reflects the times we are in now, but I'm just thinking in
spite of all this adversity, there is so much opportunity for us
to deepen our spiritual lives and go beyond the dualities of this
world. These reading groups that you have inspired, I think is
something special where we could really deepen our appreciation
of Srila Prabhupada in the association of devotees.

I'm also thinking about your book guru Maharaj, whilst-- I mean,
the title is I'll Build You A Temple and it definitely deals with
that, but it's also a book on leadership, on management, and
more. A book on the love between the spiritual master and the
disciple. So I just wanted to thank you for this. You have
followed in Srila Prabhupada's footsteps in so many ways,
especially with your writing. But maybe not a question but just
an inquiry, I think you joined at the ISKCON-- I mean, at the
Boston temple, I’m not sure if I recall.

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Devotee 1: Will there be some-- well, it will be nice to read

about the pastimes of the devotees, especially Your Divine Grace,
of the times it was in those years. I think you mentioned that
devotee early on who said we should watch a lot about Srila
Prabhupada in America, but it's also nice to read and appreciate
that. I recall reading Ayagriva Das’s book, “The Hare Krishna
Explosion” it was just amazing in those early days what the
devotees and how they were just magically, just following Srila
Prabhupada. But more keenly, I mean, I would like to know how it
was in Boston when you were there. Thank you.

Giriraj Swami: I have two books in mind, one about Boston and the
other about traveling with Srila Prabhupada in India before Juhu.
There was a question, which I should do first. So Kalachandi Das
said I should do Boston first because chronologically it comes
first. Indradyumda Swami said I should do traveling with Srila
Prabhupada in India first because there's more of Srila
Prabhupada in it, and it's a more important period of time. Then
I asked Devamrita Swami and he said “Oh, I don't want to get
between these great souls, I'm not giving any comment.” Then I
asked His Holiness Ranganatha Swami and he said, “Well, you've
already done Juhu so you can still do that in chronological order
and do traveling with Srila Prabhupada in India, but it's just
that the chronological order will be going backwards.” I thought
that was a perfect answer so that will be next, and then Krishna
willing after that Boston.

Host 1: Hare Krishna devotees. Anyone else would like to offer

some reflections, some thoughts, a question? Himagori Mataji
please unmute.

Devotee 2: Hare Krishna guru Maharaj. All glories to Srila

Prabhupada. In the beginning of the lecture you said that when
you showed this about Mahaprabhu's comments on Srila Prabhupada
being attached and detached at the same time--

Giriraj Swami: Loving and detached.

Devotee 2: Oh, loving and detached, okay. So loving in the

material world, we can have love for our children and our
grandchildren, and then because the children are busy with their
lives sometimes we don't get the equal reciprocation from them,
they're not able to. Sometimes you think, “Oh, okay, maybe we
should not get so attached to them, we should be detached” but in
Prabhupada’s case, his attachment was towards Krishna and he had
lots of love for Krishna. So how was it possible for him to be
detached at the same time?

Giriraj Swami: Well, the two go together, being attached to

Krishna and being detached from maya go together. He loved
everyone because he saw them as part and parcel of Krishna, but
he was detached in the sense that he wasn't asking for anything
in return from them in a personal sense. He wasn't attached to
getting anything from them in a personal sense, he just wanted
them to serve Krishna and be Krishna conscious. In that sense he
was detached, he was full of love and at the same time he was
detached.

Devotee 2: Thank you, thank you very much.

Host 1: Thank you Himagori Mataji. There are a couple of comments

or questions in the chat guru Maharaj, which we can attend to
while others may think of questions. Krishangi Mataji is
currently involved in service in the gift shop in L.Ah temple, so
she can't ask directly. She's asking, “How many rounds Srila
Prabhupada was chanting after he established ISKCON?” And then
she clarifies that she heard some devotees say that Srila
Prabhupada was chanting 64 rounds even after he established
ISKCON. Was it so?

Giriraj Swami: Oh, I mean, he might have. I mean, I always

understood that his minimum was 16 after he started ISKCON
because he was so busy. He could have chanted 64 but I don't
think that was his regular minimum after he started ISKCON. But,
in a way, he was chanting all the time, santya and asantya.
Santya means “Counting” and asantya means “Without counting.” He
was chanting all the time. I think his basic minimum after he
started ISKCON, especially when the activities really got going,
was 16.

Host 1: Thank you guru Maharaj. Any further comments or questions

devotees? There's Pavitra Bhatt Mataji, please unmute.

Devotee 3: Hare Krishna guru Maharaj. Please accept my humble

obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada. Guru Maharaj, I have
a question, this is about initiation. Srila Prabhupada didn't
initiate some of his disciples, for example, George Harrison and
Mr. Sethi. Any reason for this?

Giriraj Swami: Oh, yeah. I don't know if Mr. Sethi was chanting
16 rounds, and as far as George Harrison, I don't know, I hope he
was chanting 16 rounds, but he did have some other weaknesses
with the four principles. They're great devotees and they
definitely got Srila Prabhupada’s mercy even though they weren't
officially initiated. I know at least Mr. Sethi went back to
Godhead because in his last days-- of course, Srila Prabhupada
hinted to Mr. Sethi that he would be going back to Godhead on
several occasions.

At the back of the Hare Krishna Land we had these six apartment
buildings, so Mr. Sethi built an additional floor on top of those
six, or five of the six. And Srila Prabhupad said, “Just as you
are constructing these rooms for my disciples here, Krishna's
constructing rooms for you in the spiritual world.” When Mr.
Sethi was just about to leave his body in his home, in the Juhu
[01:18:01 inaudible] near the temple, at one stage, right at the
end, he told his-- I guess his family members and devotees were
in the room, and he said, “Quick! Pack my bags! Srila Prabhupada
has come to take me!” I'm quite confident about Mr. Sethi's
destination.

Devotee 3: Thank you guru Maharaj.

Giriraj Swami: Regarding George Harrison, he did offer to shave

up and move into the temple, but Srila Prabhupada said, “No,
better you remain as a veto and write songs about Krishna” but he
didn't offer to do that.

Host 1: Thank you Pavitra Mataji. Malika Mataji you have your
hand raised, you can unmute.

Devotee 4: Hare Krishna Maharaj. I think in one of your talks

last week or the other week you were speaking about Srila
Prabhupada wanting Radha Ras Bihari deities to be there and the
temple to be built there for them. You mentioned that Srila
Prabhupada had promised Radha Ras Bihari that he would build a
temple for them there. And you also mentioned that even though
some disciples weren’t so happy about the place but still Srila
Prabhupada was very determined that he promised Radha Ras Bihari
that he will build a temple for them there. Then you mentioned
after that that's how the title of your book came. So I was just
reflecting on how determined Srila Prabhupada was to build the
temple for Radha Ras Bihari at that age and with that spirit of
so much positivity in wanting to build this temple for Radha Ras
Bihari. I was very inspired that at that age Srila Prabhupada had
wanted to commit to his promise 101% to the deities.
And another question, as I commented I had, was in your very
early days in ISKCON, when you were in the association with Srila
Prabhupada and you associated very intimately with Srila
Prabhupada, following his instructions. I just wanted to know in
your opinion, at that time did you feel that Srila Prabhupada was
different or a unique personality at that time when you had just
joined in your early days?

Giriraj Swami: Yes. I mean, from the very first day when I came
to the temple and asked my question I felt he knew everything
about me, inside and out. It was extraordinary that I had that
experience. I felt he was seeing into my apartment, into my
bathroom, to the wall of my bathroom where I had inscribed in my
own ornate lettering “In different colors you are God” from the
very beginning. Of course, even before that-- that was the first
time I spoke to him, but before that, the day before he came and
delivered a lecture at Brandeis University where I was a student,
that was actually the first time I saw him. And even then I felt
he was so effulgent, I actually had difficulty focusing on his
form because he was so effulgent.

But everything really became clear the next day when I went to
the temple and I asked my question, “There's so many Swamis and
Yogi's and each one recommends a different process of self-
realization. Each one says that this is the best, so how do I
know which is actually best?” And he replied with his own
question, “What is your goal? Do you want to serve God or do you
want to become God?” That was a very intelligent answer because I
was asking what is the best means, but before we discuss what is
the best means, we have to decide what is our, what is the end,
and according to that end we adopt the means.

His question was very pertinent: “What is your goal? Do you want
to serve God or do you want to become God?” And then he said, “If
you want to become God, that means you're not God now, and how
can not God become God? Krishna is always God, when He's playing
on the lap of mother Yasoda, when He's speaking Bhagavad-gita to
Arjuna, God is God, He's always God, He doesn't have to become
God by doing yoga or meditation.” He said, “If you saw the seed
of service to God and water it by chanting, then God will give
you the sunlight and all conditions to make it favorable. But if
you want to become-- God will help you. But if you want to become
God, why should God help the competition? God is within you, you
can become godly, but you cannot become God. If you try to become
God you're only cheating yourself.”

When he was speaking to me I got this clear impression, this

distinct impression that he was seeing straight through me,
through the walls of the temple, down the roads to my apartment,
looking right into my apartment, into my bathroom, where I had
written in my own hand and pasted it on the wall, “You are God”
in case I forgot. I had to remind myself you are God. So as
Prabhupada was speaking to me I felt he was seeing that. Then he
asked “So what do you think? Do you want to become God or do you
want to serve God?” By then I understood I should want to serve
God, but at the same time, I knew that Prabhupada knew what my
intention had been. I said, “I want to serve God, but actually I
did want to become God” and Prabhupada said, “Yes.” Then I
surrendered and I put my head down to the floor and obeisance, I
was really in the mood of surrender and I kept my head down for a
long time. But I was also afraid that everyone else in the temple
room, all the other devotees and guests would be glaring at me,
“He wanted to become God” so I also kept my head down because I
didn't want to face that.

But then I heard sounds that indicated that food was being
served, Prasada was being served, and I could feel the atmosphere
was light in the temple room. I thought, “Okay, maybe it's safe
to come up now.” I came up and nobody was glaring at me, everyone
was smiling, happy and honoring Prasada. They served me a plate
of Prasada and, my God, I think the first thing I had was a
cauliflower pakora and it was an explosion of taste in my mouth,
everything tasted out of this world, literally. Then I thought,
“Everything about Krishna consciousness is perfect, the guru, the
process, the philosophy, the food, everything about it is
perfect.”

Host 1: Ayushi has also raised her hand, if you could unmute.

Devotee 5: Hare Krishna guru Maharaj, please accept my humble

obeisances. Happy vyasa-puja for Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaj
today. My question is in accordance with one blog that I was
reading related to astrology. Prabhupada condemned it for the Age
of Kali-yuga, he mentioned that it is a waste of time to pursue
astrological predictions in Kali-yuga, so my question is that
many devotees have also taken up this profession of being an
astrologer, how good is it to actually go to an astrologer for
predictions related to marriage or other things?

Giriraj Swami: I mean, astrology does have its part to play, and
for a marriage proposal I think it's worth checking the
astrology of the proposed spouses. It would be wrong to say that
Srila Prabhupada was completely against astrology, but once a
palm reader came to our camp in India with Srila Prabhupada, I
think we were indoors at that time. The palm reader asked if he
could read the devotee's palms, so Prabhupada said, “Okay.” I
guess maybe he wanted to have some fun or maybe he wanted to
engage the man. The man was looking at devotees palms and-- I
don't know much about it, I know there's like a lifeline in
different lines, so he was giving us different predictions, and
then after he left, the devotees asked Srila Prabhupada what they
should think about what he said to them. He said, “Just by
clamping your hands in kirtana all the lines are wiped off, so
you don't have to worry about that.”

Devotee 5: It's so beautiful, thank you guru Maharaj.

Host: 1: We have a hand raised from Pati Pavanpur Prabhu, unmute

please.

Devotee 6: Hare Krishna guru Maharaj. Haribo. I have a comment.

Actually, it’s more a question. Something happened yesterday when
I was going through Facebook, I found a photo of Srila Prabhupada
and I know that photo very well. I think all your disciples know
that photo because usually you are behind Srila Prabhupada in
that photo, but in the photo on Facebook you were not there.
Srila Prabhupada’s face was there but I look at the photo and I
say, “Well, this is exactly the same, they did some photoshop and
took you out of the photo.” Then I was going to comment something
but I didn't have so much time, but I have the impression that
Srila Prabhupada without his devotees is incomplete, so we cannot
appreciate his exemplary life without his exemplary devotees. So
for me, when I associate with his disciples, I can appreciate
Srila Prabhupada. Just a comment, this happened yesterday and I
was thinking that without the disciples we cannot appreciate
Srila Prabhupada.

Giriraj Swami: That's nice. I recall something that our departed

God brother His Holiness Bhakti Churu Swami Maharaj said. He said
that the difference between us and the Rit Fix is that we both
want Prabhupada to be in the center, but the Rit Fix wants
Prabhupada to be in the center without associates, and we want
Prabhupada to be in the center with associates. And regarding
pictures, of course, this is in relation to Krishna, but Srila
Prabhupada said that Krishna should never be seen alone, He
should always be with some devotee or at least a cow or a
peacock, but he said Krishna should never be pictured alone.
Otherwise, it's impersonal.

Host 1: Thank you Pati Pavanpur Prabhu, wonderful comment.

Maharaj, there is a comment from the YouTube viewers. Raghava
Pandit Prabhu wanted us to read this beautiful statement that you
have made. I'll just read it out on his behalf: "Prabhupada told
me that if I soon studied the character of Lord Caitanya in
Caitanya Caritamrta, even apart from His being the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, just by studying him as a Vaishnava, I
would become perfect. In the same way, I feel that if people
study Prabhupada, apart from what his identity might be, which we
don't even know, if we studied him just a Vaishnava or as a great
acarya or as a great personality, they would benefit."

Giriraj Swami: I thought of that before the meeting and then I

forgot after the meeting had ended. Someone else remembers, it's
good.

Host 1: Thank you Raghava Pandit Prabhu for that. Looks like
we're nearing closing time but on behalf of [01:37:03 inaudible]
in South Africa, we also want to take the opportunity to make a
small, but what we feel it's very important, presentation to all
the devotees by the grace of guru Maharaj and in the presence of
guru Maharaj as well. So just stay with me for a few minutes, I
would like to present something to you.
The basis of this presentation is to appeal to the devotees
listening on this program and hopefully you will all be inspired
to carry this request to all your friends, associates and other
devotees not on this call. I Just want to read something of
Srila Prabhupada's desires for Africa, South Africa in
particular. I will first just read a small excerpt from Srila
Prabhupada's lila-mrita about Srila Prabhupada's visit to East
Africa, particularly Nairobi. And Satsvarupa Maharaj recalls that
Prabhupada wasn't satisfied preaching only to the Indians, he
wanted to preach to the Africans. Indians and Africans were
completely segregated but since a Krishna conscious person does
not make distinctions based on the body, Srila Prabhupada said,
"The Indians have the duty to share the spiritual culture with
the Africans."

Srila Prabhupada impressed on Brahmananda Swami that his first

duty in Africa was to get Krishna consciousness to the Africans.
Prabhupada wanted the Africans. He said something, "It is an
African country, they are the proprietors, we should be preaching
to them." As with everything else in Krishna consciousness,
Prabhupada demonstrated how to do this also. He got the use of a
Radha Krishna temple in a predominantly African downtown area.
The temple had a hall with doors opening onto the busy street.
Prabhupada instructed the devotees to have kirtana in the hall,
keeping the doors open. The devotees did as he asked, and in five
minutes the hall began filling up with people. They were curious
and they happily joined in the kirtana, smiling, clapping and
dancing.

Members of the Indian community had been apprehensive of

Prabhupada's opening the hall to the Africans, and some of them
had attended to see what would happen. Observing Prabhupada's
compassionate program, however, the Indians were impressed. Such
an apparently simple program had the spiritual potency to erase
culture boundaries. "This should be Brahmananda Swami's mission
in Africa" Prabhupada insisted. "Offering Krishna consciousness
to the Afrincans. Krishna consciousness should not be just
another Hindu religious society. The Hindu, Indians, should take
part by donating money, but Brahmananda Swami's preaching and
recluting should be among the Africans." This is an excerpt from
Srila Prabhupada's lila-mrita, the section "In Every Town And
Village."

In South Africa we've been quite successful in our autridge to

the Indian community and have established quite large and major
temples in the hut of many Indian areas. And we've found that
many thousands of Indian people had become devotees of Krishna,
Lord Caitanya, following Prabhupada. Yet quite admittedly, ISKCON
support with the autridge to the African people and the African
community has been notably weak. But we have a secret duty to
imbibe Srila Prabhupada's example and follow his strategic
direction with the Krishna consciousness movement in Africa, like
we read in the Lila-mrita.

This evening we want to appeal to all of you, devotees from South

Africa and everyone around the world to please consider how you
can help this very important and this very vital aspect of
Prabhupada's mission in South Africa. Just today at our ISKCON
South Africa National Counselor meeting we have established a
national African preaching program that will start to focus on
three African projects. One in central Johannesburg, a suburb
called Marble, which is near the University of Johannesburg, in
Humonscroud and in Soweto. Marble is headed by a very dynamic
group of young devotees focused on preaching to university
students and young African professionals. Humonscroud is a semi-
rural project where Giriraj Maharaj has seen disciples, Vrindavan
Ishori Mataji, many of you may know her. She served very closely
under Giriraj Maharaj's guidance in South Africa, even in Bombay,
Mauritius. She has dedicated her life or the rest of her life to
this project.

And, of course, Soweto is one of the most ecstatic places to

share Krishna consciousness. Anyone who has had a fruitful life
in Harinam Deck can easily testify to that. And our Soweto
project has been run by one of the most senior devotees in South
Africa, His Grace Mahaprabhu Das. I recall guru Maharaj also
getting beautiful names to the deities there, Sri Sri Gaura Nitai
Vijei Gauranga. We also have Mahaprabhu Das and now he is Chandal
Prabhu as well. Just as an indication of how difficult it is to
maintain the African preaching, Mahaprabhu Das sustained that
Soweto project on just about 3.000 runs a month, which is just
200 dollars a month. His entire social grant goes into that
project, everything that he has goes into that project. He
sacrifices everything.

The point is that we have so many dedicated and inspired

Africans devotees, preachers who we feel just a little support
from all of us together will be able to significantly spread Lord
Caitanya's mission all over South Africa and we really humbly
appeal to all of you to please help them. I pray that if our
appeal has inspired you in any way and if you'd like to help,
please feel free to contact me, I will put our contact to chat.
But please consider how Prabhupada exemplified, how we should
preach and how we should apply our resources in supporting the
preaching to African people.

I would like to-- I hope I'm not going to put him on the spot but
I would really like to hear from Mahaprabhu Das just a little,
some talks of his, his such a wonderful Vaishnava in our
association in South Africa, and I know for a fact that a very
beloved and dear disciple of guru Maharaj, very committed
disciple of Srila Prabhupada. Mahaprabhu Das, would you like to
share some thoughts about Srila Prabhupada and your service to
him? You can unmute.

Mahaprabhu Das: Hare Krishna, please accept my humble obeisances,

all glories to Srila Prabhupada, guru Maharaj all glories to your
lotus feet. I got nothing much to say really, except that Krishna
consciousness is so nice and I was speaking to Rupa Ranganatha
just recently, and there was a thought on how Krishna
consciousness is so nicely. Krishna consciousness to me is based
on two realizations, and that appreciation and gratitude, without
which we cannot advance for the moment. I mean, just like if you
see wake up in the morning and some way or the other, we're
chanting the gurvastakam, what is it? It's appreciation to Srila
Prabhupada. Guru puja is appreciation to Srila Prabhupada. And
then also Srila Prabhupada said most of our advancement is based
on association. What's happening in this association? Except
through appreciation and gratitude. So yes, Krishna consciousness
is based on them, appreciation is everything. Anything else
outside that to me is not important really. If I can really
appreciate the devotees, if I can appreciate what Srila
Prabhupada has done for me, if I can appreciate what guru Maharaj
has done for me, to me I feel that's enough. Thank you.

Host 1: Thank you so much Mahaprabhu. Guru Maharaj would you like
to offer any words?

Giriraj Swami: I want to make a donation, I'll speak to my

treasurer in South Africa and will make a donation to support the
African preachers.

Host 1: Thank you so much guru Maharaj. Prabhupada's example,

just follow his example and I hope the example would greatly
inspire.

Giriraj Swami: I just got 100 dollars from a donor who wishes to
remain anonymous.

Host 1: Thank you so much anonymous Prabhu! Thank you very much
to all the devotees. There was just one other comment, a very
good comment from Vrajananda Prabhu based on the talk. He says
"Recently I had a talk where you said that if you love someone
you must know the person. I thought that was very nice and in
line with what you had spoken today. Thank you so much." All
right, if there are no further comments, thank you Mahaprabhu Das
for all of your lifetime of sacrifice and mother Malini, Nitai
and Manyuri, keeping the preaching going in Soweto.

Just a little saying that we often hear in South Africa, if you

don't know how important Soweto is, it's a nice statement "If
Soweto coughs, the rest of South Africa catches a cold." That's
how important Soweto is, and that's how important Mahaprabhu Das
is vital to preaching in South Africa. So yes devotees, please
let us really support him and other very inspiring and committed
devotees in African projects. We really look forward to you
contacting us and discussing how we can help.

Thank you to all of you for making the time to join the program,
we really do appreciate it. Thank you especially to His Holiness
Srila Giriraj Maharaj for guiding us in the importance of
understanding and appreciating and reciprocating Srila
Prabhupada's perfect example. Pati Pavanpur Prabhu has his hand
raised, so we'll have the last comment on him before we close.
Devotee 6: I was remembering 32 years ago I was in South Africa
traveling with guru Maharaj and it happened that I had the great
fortune to go with Mahaprabhu to preach in Soweto and since then
he's preaching there. That's astonishing, a devotee dedicated so
much to a service, and I remember those days very nicely, he was
very happy, very jovial. Many times I remember him and his
attitude in preaching, and this is a jewel that I have in my
heart, I keep it as a big treasure. Hare Krishna.

Host 1: Thank you Pati Pavanpur Prabhu, wonderful. Guru Maharaj

would you like to close the evening program with Vaishnava
Pranams?

Giriraj Swami: Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the

Vaishnava devotees of the Lord, who are just like desire trees
who can fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of
compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.

vancha-kalpatarubhyash cha
kripa-sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo
vaishnavebhyo namo namaha

[1:51:50]