The following is a transcription of a discourse delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja during the Australian Tour, on January 20, 2000

 

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu to preach His mission: “You should go door to door with Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura and beg some alms. You should say, “I want you to put something in My bag. Chant one time Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa.” From here, He started.

Especially, Nityānanda Prabhu never went to wealthy, very beautiful, or very learned persons. He went to very general, ordinary people, even those who were fallen persons. In India, the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas do not even take water touched by such fallen persons, but Nityānanda Prabhu preached amongst them. You know Jagāi and Mādhāi. Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu thought, “They are very good persons to preach to.” He went from village to village and preached among those who were fallen people. He preached everywhere.

I know that Śrī Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja, my śikṣā-guru, also did this. He never visited those who lived in palatial buildings or were very wealthy, nor did he visit any kings or ministers. He first went to the hippies. These hippies were very attracted to him, and he made them happy. Gradually, from there, he started his mission by chanting under a tree in Tompkins Square Park.

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

(All the devotees chanted the mahā-mantra with Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja one time, in the same tune that Śrīla Prabhupāda chanted in Tompkins Square Park)

He never saw who was following him, nor did he see who was sitting there. Only his karatālas were there. His eyes were closed, and he was chanting (referring to the melody they had just sung), absorbed in that pathetic tune. And sometimes, the hippies would dance, drink wine, and engage in other activities. They would say to him, “Oh, my friend, take wine.”

Thus he preached, and so many came and became happy. Young, attractive, energetic people came. Ladies also came, like Yadurāṇī and Vṛndāvana Vilāsinī, and all of them became happy. This was in the very beginning, and soon Śrīla Svāmī Mahārāja established many preaching centres and started book distribution. He also published many editions of his magazine. His one magazine (Back to Godhead) became very popular worldwide. He translated many books, which were gradually distributed worldwide. At that time, they were very beautiful young ladies. They used to go everywhere, including airports and markets. They were not shy. They gave up all these things for preaching, which is why you are now seeing devotees worldwide. At that time, most of the senior Vaiṣṇavas were brahmacārīs. Devendranātha was a very attractive young brahmacārī, 15 years old at that time. And Tamāla Kṛṣṇa, Jayapatāka, Bhagavān, and all others were like that. However, after Śrīla Prabhupāda’s departure, many became very weak and hopeless.

I also don’t want to go to wealthy, beautiful, or learned people. If they come, oh, they will ruin everything. I know it is very hard to control them. So I want us to go to ordinary people and preach. I do not see the same enthusiasm and spirit present during Śrīla Prabhupāda’s time. You should have the same spirit, and then you can preach. Go door to door. Don’t fear that, “He will beat me with a wine bottle.” Never. Don’t fear.

Nityānanda Prabhu went to Jagāi and Mādhāi and said, “What are you doing? You should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa just once.”

“Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa,” and they followed.

So I want the same spirit. The books should be distributed everywhere, and preaching should also be in that spirit. Don’t think, “I don’t know anything. I am so weak.” Kṛṣṇa will give intelligence. I was also very weak, like dry straw. But then I became so strong to preach and serve my Gurudeva, nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda aṣṭottara-śata Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja. All qualifications are gradually coming and helping me, even though I am now old. So you are not weak. The ātmā is not attained by any weak person: ‘Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo.’

Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.23)

[“The Supreme Lord is not obtained by expert explanations, by vast intelligence, nor even by much hearing. He is obtained only by one whom He Himself chooses. To such a person He manifests His own form.”]

A weak person cannot do anything. He cannot give up a single farthing. He cannot give up any of his attachments because he is weak. I want to make them all strong.

Even ladies should be strong, like Draupadī. Her father, Drūpāda Mahārāja, created a pillar. On the pillar, he placed a moving cakra, and after that was a fish, and on the fish were two eyes. And he then told his assembly, “I will marry my daughter to the person who can shoot the eye of the fish while looking at its reflection in the oil.” A date was fixed, and everyone came — all the Kauravas, Duryodhana, Karṇa, Bhīṣma Pitāmaha, and Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva. Arjuna and the other Pāṇḍavas also came, disguised as brāhmaṇas. All the kṣatriyas were trying, but they were unsuccessful. Bhīṣma Pitāmaha took his bow and arrow, and he was ready to shoot. But Draupadī at once said, “Are you willing to marry me? Why are you doing this?”

He replied, “I’m doing this for Duryodhana.”

“Oh, please sit down.” She was so bold.

Then Karṇa came, and he wanted to shoot, but Draupadī boldly came again and asked, “Who are you? What is your name, and who is your father?”

Karṇa became upset, but Draupadī continued, “I don’t want to marry you because you are an unknown person. I don’t even know who your parents are. So, please tell me. If you are a kṣatriya and very strong, let me know who you are. If you do not tell me, I don’t want to marry you, because you must be a śūdra-putra, the son of a charioteer, or any servant.”

Karṇa became so upset. Nobody had ever spoken to him like this in his whole life. Feeling insulted, he threw down his bow and arrow, became very angry, and said, “I will take revenge. I must take revenge.”

Kṛṣṇa was looking on. He could have shot the fish. He was a better archer than Arjuna, Bhīṣma Pitāmaha and all others. But He and Baladeva Prabhu were just sitting there watching. They were giving a chance to the brāhmaṇa boy. When that brāhmaṇa boy came, all the others asked Draupadī, “Who is he? Will you marry a brāhmaṇa?”

She said, “I know he isn’t a brāhmaṇa.”

“How do you know?”

“Oh, there is something – a sign.”

Arjuna then went to the arena and very easily shot the eye of the fish. All the kings who were present there began to wage war against him. They said, “We will take Draupadī forcibly.” But Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva said to these kings, “If you come, we are ready to fight.”

So Draupadī was so bold. Be bold like Draupadī. Don’t think you are ladies. Preach and go on your path – be very straight and very bold. You should all try to preach and distribute books. By this, we will again preach very quickly all over the world.

Source: Purebhakti.com

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Unless indicated otherwise, all verse translations and quotes are from the books by Śrīla Prabhupāda (Vedabase.com)