The 2nd World Hindu Congress held at Chicago, United States, honoured Srila Prabhupada and his ISKCON for the extraordinary contribution in spreading the teachings of Vedic scriptures like Bhagavad Gita all over the world. Srila Prabhupada is the founder acharya of Iskcon.
With participants from 60 countries, it is one of the largest international Hindu conferences. In its message while honouring Srila Prabhupada and Iskcon, World Hindu Congress said, “For spreading the message of Bhagavad-Gita to unreached areas through translation in over 70 languages and making it accessible to diverse ethnic communities throughout the world.”
Determined Preacher, full of compassion
When Srila Prabhupada was physically present, he travelled all over the world, to spread the teachings of Bhagavad Gita and other Vedic literatures. He was doing his best to wake up the sleeping souls who were suffering because of ignorance.
Srimad Bhagavatam 3.5.3 says, “… great philanthropic souls travel on the earth on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to show compassion to the fallen souls who are averse to the sense of subordination to the Lord.”
Once when one of his godbrothers said to Prabhupada, “So you are going to America?” Prabhupada immediately replied, “No, Srimad Bhagavatam is going to America. I am accompanying Srimad Bhagavatam as a servant.”
He travelled all alone at the age of 70 to lay the foundation of worldwide Krishna conscious movement. He was penniless. When death stared at him, he remained fearless.
And when challenges confronted him, he fought hard in spite of his frail body. When the going was tough, he continued working for Krishna with patience and determination.
Srila Prabhupada had appeared in this world to fulfil the prophecy of Lord Chaitanya that the holy names of Krishna will be chanted in every town and village of the world. He came to tell each and every one to shun sins and surrender to Krishna.
Prabhupada came to reunite all the souls who is suffering the repeated cycle of birth and death with Krishna. He came to inundate the heart of sufferings souls with love of Krishna.
He was here because he cared for us because he saw everyone children of same God. The fortunate souls who agreed to abide by his teachings gave up sinful habits, sinful tendencies and so were able to experience the bliss of devotional life.
Krishna sent him for us
There are millions of unfortunate souls who leave the abode of Krishna to pursue their personal ambitions. They don’t want to serve Krishna, but they want to be served like Krishna. And they don’t want to love Krishna but want to be loved like Krishna.
They don’t want to worship Krishna but want to be worshipped like Krishna. When they see cowherd girls and boys singing and dancing to give pleasure to Krishna, they think why Krishna should be the only enjoiner.
The seed of envy soon fructifies, and they leave their spiritual homes, their spiritual family members and come to this ephemeral world. Krishna being very kind and caring makes all arrangement for them to pursue their separatist goal, but they are warned that away from the spiritual world suffering is inevitable.
Krishna accompanies the souls wherever they go as paramātmā. And he also appears in this world again and again to reclaim the lost souls. Not just that he sends his chosen representatives to illuminate the heart of ignorant masses who is suffering terribly and have got so accustomed to suffering that they do not realize they are suffering.
So, Krishna sent Srila Prabhupada to save the suffering souls like us. It is not mere a chance that Prabhupada appeared on the day of Nandotsava, he came as per Krishna’s plan to invite us to celebrate our life with Krishna.
Spread the teachings of Vedas all over the world
One of the most important qualities of Prabhupada which attracted me initially was that he never claimed he is God but always said Krishna is God. He made Krishna so popular that today Janmashtami and Rath Yatra is celebrated in almost all the major cities of the world.
Srila Prabhupada made love of Krishna accessible to anyone and everyone and so today holy names of Krishna is chanted by millions of people all across the world.
He made the transcendental teachings of Vedic literatures accessible to all. Srila Vyasdeva wrote in Sanskrit to illuminate the world with the message of Krishna. Feeling compassion on spiritually illiterate people he not just translated the verses in English, the most popular language of our time, but gave elaborate purport to give us complete import of the verses.
Salients features of Prabhupada’s literary contribution
- Wherever and whenever his books are read without prejudice people irrespective of their religious affiliation begin appreciating it.
- Wisdom words of his transcendental literature have the potential to unite the warring nations.
- His sublime message enlightens those who foolishly shed blood in the name of their God.
- His teachings forces those who exploit others to see all living beings as children of the same God.
- If his purports are read with an open heart then it floods the hearts of lesser mortals with love for all.
- His books are revolutionary and if people read it with an open mind it can unite entire humanity.
Unparalleled struggle and sacrifice to spread Krishna Consciousness
Although Prabhupada physically left us but he continues to be with us through his pure Krishna conscious teachings. Although Prabhupada departed from this world around in 1977 years back but through his books he continues to transform the lives of millions of people all over the world.
His books which tell us how we can reawaken our dormant love for Krishna has been distributed in almost every part of the world. From the silicon valley of California to the jungles of Africa, anyone who reads these sacred books instantly feel connected to Krishna.
During his physical presence Prabhupada created an army of dedicated disciples, his spiritual children, who are currently working wholeheartedly with dedication to spread the Krishna conscious movement. Without caring for their life, they are working tirelessly to share the message of Vedic literatures with all.
It is only the magic of his empowerment that we have such exalted Vaisnav acharyas with us who are inspiring us to surrender and commit to this life transforming Krishna Conscious movement.
As a spiritual master, Prabhupada, has set such an example which justifies the saying mukam karoti vachalam. pangum langhayate girim. yat-kripa tam aham vande. sri-gurum dina-taranam. “I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, the deliverer of the fallen souls. His mercy turns the dumb into eloquent speakers and enables the lame to cross mountains.”
The more one studies Prabhupada’s life and his teachings one develops more appreciation for him. In the history of humanity there would rarely been a person who sacrificed to such an extent selflessly to give Krishna to others.
World Hindu Congress recognised the contribution of Srila Prabhupada and the efforts of Iskcon in spreading the teachings of Bhagavad Gita and other Vedic literatures all over the world.
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