Nama Om Vishnu Padaya Krishna presthaya bhutaley.
Srimati Bhaktivedanta Swami iti namine.
Namaste Saraswati devi Gauran vani pracarini.
Nirbisesa sunyabadi pascyata desa tarini.
By: Hiranya Garbha Das
There is no other personality in this world nor was there before whose glory is sung every hours in every corners of the world by the people of all races and religion. He is His Divine Grace Abhaya Caran Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the topmost devotee of the Lord to save this world.
Srila Prabhupada’s unque position has been very well summed up by HH Vishvesh Tirtha, the pithadipati of Sri Krsna Matha in Udupi in the following way in praise of Srila Prabhupada:
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Of all people, the devotee of the Supreme Lord is the greatest. And in order to become a devotee, one does not need to be born in any specific type of class or caste or nation. Devotion to Krsna was limited only to India but Swami Prabhupada took this devotion out of India and distributed it to anyone and everyone all over the world. That's why today we can see that people from all over the world are accepting devotional service and becoming devotees of Krsna. In this way, they are becoming the best of humans.
The river Ganga is famous for her purifying effect. At one time, however, this Ganga did not flow through the earth planet. It is Bhagiratha who brought the Ganga from the celestial planets down to the earth planet. That is why Bhagiratha is celebrated. Swami Prabhupada, like Bhagiratha, brought the bhakti-ganga, down from above and flooded the whole world. In this way, Swami Prabhupada has done something which is much better than what Bhagiratha had done."
Likewise, one South Indian guru of the Ramanuja sampradaya remarked in 1976 after viewing one of Srila Prabhupada’s books and witnessing the preaching of some of his young disciples: "This person is the summum bonum of all acaryas." Thus it is the foremost duty of any sincere disciple and follower of Srila Prabhupada to emphasize the unique and distinct position and accomplishment of Srila Prabhupada as the visva acarya, or the world acarya, the Jagat Guru, by his accomplishments, and not merely by a self-given title. He is the actual sampradaya acarya to be surrendered to and fully served by all Vaisnavas and all preachers and preceptors in the future.
The unique position of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada is supported as follows:
Predictions Revealed in the Sastras
In the Bhavisya Purana, Pratisarga Chapter 20 verses 71-73; it is mentioned:
"Lord Jagannath, the Supreme Lord Sri Hari Himself, spoke these attractive words for the welfare of all: The mlecchas who are born from mixed countries ruled by descendants of Kasyapa (demons) and the sudras will become brahmanas by initiation. They will wear sikhas and brahmana threads and will become well versed in the uncontaminated fruit of the Vedas (Srimad Bhagavatam). They will worship Me by the Yajna prescribed by the Lord of Lords, the protector of Sacidevi, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu."
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| Holy Books of Prabhupada |
Furthermore, Nammalvar (3102 BC), another one of the twelve great Vaisnava saints of the Sri Ramanuja Sampradaya proclaimed: “Victory! Victory! Victory! I behold something wonderful: all the inauspiciousness of the living entities is destroyed, no one is going to hell, Yamaraja has no more work to do and the effects of Kali-yuga have ceased to exist. This is because all over the world an increasing number of Lord Visnu’s devotees are singing His names while dancing and playing musical instruments.” (Divya-prabandha", Tiruvaymoli 5.2.1) By the mercy of Srila Prabhupada today then Lord’s name is sung in every part of the world.
Sripada Ramanuja predicted: "The pure devotion to Sri Hari devoid of karma and jnana will grow and grow like a banyan tree covering the whole world, teaching everyone who takes shelter." (Prapannamrta tarpana, last chapter). It is interesting to note in this connection how Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON is preaching 'jnana karmady anavrtam' to 'jare dekho tare' in every town and village!
Sripada Madhvacharya predicted: "The real knowledge of the difference between jiva and Sri Hari and the service of Sri Hari will spread all over the world very shortly." (Anu Madhva Vijaya - last chapter). Indeed this transcendental knowledge was spread all over the world by none other than Srila Prabhupada coming in the line of Srila Madhvacarya.
In Bhagavat Mahatmya (Uttara khanda of Padma Purana) Bhakti personified says to Narada Muni: "idam sthanam parityajya videsham ganyate maya" - "I will leave this country, India, and go abroad." By the mercy of Srila Prabhupada devotional service is now performed in all over the world.
It was certainly none other than Srila Prabhupada who fulfilled these predictions of the scriptures and the acaryas by spreading the teachings of the Vedas throughout the world.
Statement by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu-
In Sri Caitanya Mangala, Srila Locana das Thakura, the future appearance of a great senapati bhakta who would preach Krishna consciousness all over the world is predicted by Lord Caitanya : yadi papi chadi dharma dure dese yaya mora senapati-bhakta yaibe tathaya – “Taking the sharp sword of the congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra, (nama-sankirtana) I will root out & destroy the demoniac mentality in the hearts of all the conditioned souls. If some sinful people escape and giving up religious principles go to far off countries, then my Senapati Bhakta will come at that time to give them Krsna consciousness. "
In the Caitanya-caritamrta, Lord Caitanya Himself predicts: "Prthivite ache yadi nagaradi grama, sarvatra pracara hoibe more nama" ("My holy name will be chanted in every town and village"). Srila Prabhupada fulfilled that prediction by his factual accomplishments.
In Sri Caitanya Bhagavata, Antya 4.126, Lord Caitanya personally said: ‘Prthivi-parjanta jata ache desa grama, sarvatra pracara hoibe more nama’ - “My holy name will be preached in all the countries and towns that exist throughout the world”.
Predicted by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura (middle of the 19th century)-
The statement in the Sajjana-tosani of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, regarding the future appearance of a great personality who would come to the west and preach the message of Lord Gauranga and fulfill the prediction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The following is a translation from the journal Vaisnava Tosani:
"Sriman Mahaprabhu did not descend with His associates to deliver a certain number of human beings in the land of India, but rather His purpose was to deliver and uplift all living beings in all countries of the world by preaching the eternal religion of all souls.
There are many kinds of religion in the world, and among all of them the highest development of religion is the congregational chanting of the Supreme Lord’s Divine Names. Of this there is no doubt. Alas! When will that day come (emphasis added) when all greatly fortunate souls in countries such as England, France, Russia, Prussia and America will take up banners, kettle drums, mrdangas and karatalas and thus cause the ecstatic waves of Hari Nama Kirtan and the singing of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s holy name to rise in the streets of their towns and cities? O when will that day come, when pure and transcendental Krishna prema (love of God) will be the only religion of all souls and all tiny sectarian religions will meet in the unlimited and universal religion of devotional service to Krishna, as rivers merge into the great ocean? O when will that day come?"
(From the Sajjana-tosani of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, late 1800s). And who fulfilled that wish and prediction of Bhaktivinode Thakura? - SRILA PRABHUPADA.
(From the Sajjana-tosani of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, late 1800s). And who fulfilled that wish and prediction of Bhaktivinode Thakura? - SRILA PRABHUPADA.
In summary Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura made three predictions concerning a person and a phenomena.
The first prediction: "A personality will soon appear," wrote Bhaktivinoda Thakura, "and he will travel all over the world to spread the teachings of Lord Caitanya."
The second prediction: "Very soon the chanting of 'Harinama sankirtana will be spread all over the world. Oh, when will that day come when people from America, England, France, Germany, Russia will take up karatals and mrdangas and chant Hare Krishna in their towns?"
The third prediction: "When will that day come when the fair-skinned foreigners will come to Sri Mayapur-dhama and join with the Bengali Vaisnavas to chant, Jaya Sacinandana, Jaya Sacinandana. When will that day be?
Srila Prabhupada said it's spiritually significant that he himself appeared in 1896, the same year Bhaktivinoda Thakura sent his book overseas. The will of Lord Caitanya, the desire of Thakura Bhaktivinoda, and the mercy of Srila Sarasvati Thakura empowered Srila A.c. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to spread Sri Caitanya's teachings and the chanting of Hare Krishna all over the world. Prabhupada fulfilled the Thakura's three predictions!
He was to be the prominent acarya for the next 10,000 years (see quote re law books for ten thousand years). From the definition of shakty-avesha avatar - divinely empowered personality - we see that Srila Prabhupada was such a person. Only a super-empowered personality could do what Prabhupada has done.
He also travelled throughout India and preached strongly against the Mayavadi impersonalist philosophy. He established Vaisnava philosophy in many places throughout India. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally preached throughout South India. He started a spiritual revolution that is still felt today.
However, all these acaryas stayed in India. Their literature and temples were confined to the Indian subcontinent. Prabhupada is the first acarya of the Vedic lineage who has ever travelled out of India and made so many Vaisnavas. He has presented in his numerous purports the true essence of the teachings of all the Vaisnava sampradayas. Thus in one sense he is the greatest acarya, because he has accomplished what no one else has done, in a most difficult environment and very tenuous circumstances.
Srila Prabhupada had been a bona fide representative or the previous acarya preaching the glories of Vaisnava philosophy all over the world through his books and teachings, and through his bona fide disciples and followers.
However, it should be noted that most of those acaryas took decades, if not their entire lifetimes, to accomplish their mission. But Srila Prabhupada in a short span of 11 years accomplished what no one else in the entire history of India had accomplished.
HE HAS FULFILLED THE PREDICTION OF SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU.
The position of the Adi-Guru of the sampradaya (from Harinama-Cintamani by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, chapter 6, text 22) "sadhu sampradaye acarya sakala siksa guru pratistha, adyacarya yini guru siromani puji’tanra yathocita": "Within the community of saintly persons, all are teachers and established as siksa gurus or instructing gurus (sakala guru pratistha). He who is the original guru (adi-acarya) of the sampradaya is the crest jewel amongst all gurus (guru siromani). Thus it is proper to give him worship."
Footnote by Bhaktivinode Thakura: "A community of Vaisnavas is a community of saintly persons. They are able to give instructions about the disciplic succession mantra, the absolute truth, and the practice of sadhus. One should choose a worthy guru from the Vaisnava sampradaya if he wants to escape from such unbonafide sampradayas such as mayavada, etc. The explanation of the first guru of the sampradaya should be respected for his particular instructions. Srila Ramanujacarya, Srila Nimbarka and Sri Visnusvami - these are the first acaryas of their own sampradayas. Sri Madhvacarya is our original acarya."
HE IS THE GREATEST ACARYA OF THE MODERN AGE. He has proven it and established it especially in three ways:
1. His numerous and voluminous bhasyas (commentaries) and tikas and profuse practical arrangements to distribute these literatures all over the world in all kinds of languages.
2. By his powerful preaching and immaculate purity he has made thousands of Vaisnavas all over the world.
3. He has practically created the framework for a universal house of worship and a sanctuary in the age of Kali-yuga by establishing 108 temples, ashrams, farms, gurukulas, etc. and given specific, practical directions on how to manage these institutions for preaching the message of Lord Caitanya.
HE LIVES FOREVER BY HIS DIVINE INSTRUCTIONS AND THE FOLLOWER LIVES WITH HIM.
Srila Prabhupada - Founder-Acharya of the Golden Age
The Founder-Acharya has a special position for all time to come within the organized mission. In the Vaisnava line the previous acharyas selected and severely tested the earnestness and qualifications of their disciples. But among the special characteristics of the Founder-Acharya is his infinite compassion. He accepts all those who come and commands his disciples to do the same.
Harinama is the dharma of the Golden Age - 'kali kaler dharma nama sankirtana', and one who preaches that dharma all over the world is the empowered Acharya - 'krsna sakti vina nahi tara pravatana'.
Srila Prabhupada exercised the basic principle of Krishna consciousness, as envisioned by Srila Rupa Goswami (somehow or other), to engage everyone in the Hare Krishna movement. The extent of his efforts are unprecedented in the history of Vaisnavism. Thus he is the Founder-Acharya who has accomplished the objectives of the 'Visva Vaisnava Rajya Sabha', following in the footsteps of Srila Rupa Goswami.
Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur yearned to see the day when fortunate non-Indian Vaisnavas would perform Harinama Sankirtan in different cities of the world (Sajjana Tosani 4.3, 'Nityadharma Suryodoy'). In this article he announced that Mahaprabhu's prediction would shortly be fulfilled. He foresaw that all the Vaisnava sampradayas will be unified. "In a short time, there will be only one sampradaya and that will be the Brahma sampradaya. All other sampradayas will find their conclusions in this sampradaya."
"All smaller dharmas will enter like rivers into the ocean of Hari Nama and there will be only one religion - chanting the Holy Name of Krishna." (Vani Vaibhava Ch. 6)
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur spoke of the arising of a self-effulgent acharya from among his disciples who would demonstrate his prominence by preaching in a grand style. It is obvious from the predictions of the previous acharyas mentioned above that Om Vishnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya Astottara Sata Sri Srimad Abhaya Caranaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is that self-effulgent Founder-Acharya.
In the Chaitanya-caritamrta (Antya-lila 7.11) it is stated: "In this age of Kali, real religious propaganda should induce people to chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. This is possible for someone who is especially empowered by Krishna. No one can do this without being especially favored by Krishna."
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, "A first-class Vaisnava is he whose very presence makes others chant the holy name.”
Jagadguru Srila Prabhupada ki jaya.
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