Celebrating Srila Prabhupada's Disappearance

As I write these words on 11 November 2018 it is the disappearance day of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. How can I say that we are celebrating his disappearance? Normally when a person dies it is not a time of celebration unless everybody hates him. When our loved ones die it is a time of great mourning, not a time of celebration. So how can I be writing about celebrating the disappearance of my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, from this world? The answer is that such great personalities do not die like ordinary people who are dragged by their karma to suffer the reactions of their sinful activities into another material body. Great souls do not really die. They are transferred to directly to the spiritual world where they revive their eternal, youthful spiritual bodies. And simultaneously they remain here with us within our hearts blessing us with their divine instructions and transformational association.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote about the influence that a Vaisnava (a pure devotee of the Lord) carries in this world even after his passing:

"He reasons ill who tells that Vaisnavas die When thou art living still in sound! The Vaisnavas die to live, and living try To spread the holy name around!"

So, while it is natural for us to be sorrowful that Srila Prabhupada has passed away, we can know for sure that he will never pass away, for he is "living still in sound." As he himself said, "I will never die. I will live forever in my books." In the days and years to come, let us all then remember Srila Prabhupada in the same way that he remembers his spiritual master: "He lives forever by his divine instructions, and the follower lives with him." In this way we can always celebrate and be uplifted by the wonderful mercy of his divine association at every minute.

Even though he had over 5,000 disciples Srila Prabhupada always took care of my spiritual training in a very personal, warm loving way. When there was a large gathering of his disciples in Los Angeles he singled me out from the crowd personally making sure that I had gotten one of the flowers that he distributing to each devotee.

And even though he has been departed now for 41 years, he is still with us, blessing us and guiding us with his divine association and instructions at every minute for our spiritual perfection and for the inundation of this entire world with a tidal wave of Krishna prema, pure love of God, for delivering the suffering souls of this world back to their original, eternal identities in their real home in the spiritual sky.

Srila Prabhupada Chanting Hare Krishna on Hippy Hill in San Francisco, California USA

Srila Prabhupada Chanting Hare Krishna on Hippy Hill in San Francisco

Video for the Day

Answers According to Vedic Wisdom

Question: ​​​​​​​Sectarian and Sanatana Dharma?​​​

What is the difference between sectarian and sanatana dharma?

Shubham Bansal

Answer: One is Perfect, the Other Imperfect

From: Tallinn, Estonia

My Dear Shubha,

Please accept my blessings.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Sectarian dharma is imperfect because it is based on the false bodily conception of life, which is not the actual nature of the self.

But sanatana dharma (eternal duty) is perfect because it is based on the factual spiritual nature of reality. Your sanatana dharma is to serve the Supreme Lord with love and devotion. This dharma brings unlimited
satisfaction to the self.

I hope this meets you in the best of health and in an ecstatic mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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