Shooting for the Rhino
On 17 December 1973 in a Srimad Bhagavatam lecture in Los Angeles Srila Prabhupada gave his disciples the order to become perfect in understanding the science of Krishna consciousness, to become guru, and deliver the whole world. Having been given this order to deliver the whole world I have oftentimes wondered what Srila Prabhupada meant by "the whole world." Was he referring simply to this planet Earth, to our entire universe, or to the entire material existence? Which "world" should I take as my duty to see that it is delivered? I finally got the answer by remembering the wonderful instruction that Srila Prabhupada gave to my Godbrother, Balavanta Prabhu, when trying to get elected as the mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, USA:
"We should always be enthusiastic to try for shooting the rhinoceros. That way, if we fail, everybody will say Never mind, nobody can shoot a rhinoceros anyway, and if we succeed, then everyone will say, Just see, what a wonderful thing they have done." (from a letter to Balavanta -- Bombay 22 December, 1971)
This is of course a simile. Srila Prabhupada is not telling Balavanta to try to kill a rhinoceros. He was running for political office at the time. He is telling Balavanta to try for the seemingly impossible, to be elected as a devotee as the mayor of Atlanta, a major American city. Srila Prabhupada points out that if by trying for the impossible one does not succeed, no one will criticize. And if he does succeed, it will be the most glorious thing.
Considering Srila Prabhupada's simile of shooting for the rhino I realized that my meditation should be for the deliverance of all of the suffering souls in this entire material existence back to home, back to Godhead. If we don't succeed, no one will criticize us, and if we do succeed it will be unlimitedly glorious, one of the greatest accomplishments in all of world history. So why not try for it? We've got nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Our "Rhino" is to Make the Whole World Krishna Conscious
All my obeisances unto the lotus feet of Gurudeva.
Please provide scriptural solutions for what is future of devotees who practice the four regulative principles with 16 rounds of Hare Krishna mantra chanting every day without having spiritual master,
Dandwat pranam,
Subodh Motihari
Bihar-845401, India
Please accept my blessings.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
The Vedic injunction is that one "must" approach a spiritual master for proper understanding.
tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet
samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham
"To understand these things properly, one must humbly approach, with firewood in hand, a spiritual master who is learned in the Vedas and firmly devoted to the Absolute Truth."
[Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12]
If you neglect this principle, you will never get a proper understanding of spiritual truth. You will remain in ignorance.
I hope this meets you in the best of health.
Your ever well-wisher,
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Sankarshan Das Adhikari is one of the spiritual masters of the worldwide Hare Krishna Movement. He has dedicated the last 50 years of his life for bringing a spiritual revolution to planet earth by spreading the teachings of Lord Sri Krishna all over the world. He is based in Austin, Texas and when there is no pandemic he regularly travels all over the world teaching his audiences how to attain Krishna consciousness, the highest stage of spiritual awakening. He is available for media interviews and to speak to groups and organizations either in person or via the internet.
"We should always be enthusiastic to try for shooting the rhinoceros. That way, if we fail, everybody will say Never mind, nobody can shoot a rhinoceros anyway, and if we succeed, then everyone will say, Just see, what a wonderful thing they have done." (from a letter to Balavanta -- Bombay 22 December, 1971)
This is of course a simile. Srila Prabhupada is not telling Balavanta to try to kill a rhinoceros. He was running for political office at the time. He is telling Balavanta to try for the seemingly impossible, to be elected as a devotee as the mayor of Atlanta, a major American city. Srila Prabhupada points out that if by trying for the impossible one does not succeed, no one will criticize. And if he does succeed, it will be the most glorious thing.
Considering Srila Prabhupada's simile of shooting for the rhino I realized that my meditation should be for the deliverance of all of the suffering souls in this entire material existence back to home, back to Godhead. If we don't succeed, no one will criticize us, and if we do succeed it will be unlimitedly glorious, one of the greatest accomplishments in all of world history. So why not try for it? We've got nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Our "Rhino" is to Make the Whole World Krishna Conscious
Answers According to the Vedic Wisdom
Question: Krishna Consciousness Without a Guru?
Hare Krishna,All my obeisances unto the lotus feet of Gurudeva.
Please provide scriptural solutions for what is future of devotees who practice the four regulative principles with 16 rounds of Hare Krishna mantra chanting every day without having spiritual master,
Dandwat pranam,
Subodh Motihari
Bihar-845401, India
Answer: It Is Not Possible
My Dear Subodh,Please accept my blessings.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
The Vedic injunction is that one "must" approach a spiritual master for proper understanding.
tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet
samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham
"To understand these things properly, one must humbly approach, with firewood in hand, a spiritual master who is learned in the Vedas and firmly devoted to the Absolute Truth."
[Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12]
If you neglect this principle, you will never get a proper understanding of spiritual truth. You will remain in ignorance.
I hope this meets you in the best of health.
Your ever well-wisher,
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Sankarshan Das Adhikari is one of the spiritual masters of the worldwide Hare Krishna Movement. He has dedicated the last 50 years of his life for bringing a spiritual revolution to planet earth by spreading the teachings of Lord Sri Krishna all over the world. He is based in Austin, Texas and when there is no pandemic he regularly travels all over the world teaching his audiences how to attain Krishna consciousness, the highest stage of spiritual awakening. He is available for media interviews and to speak to groups and organizations either in person or via the internet.
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