Kolkata – Mahasatsang

Srila Prabhupada Sails from Calcutta

I am very grateful for this opportunity to be with all of you this evening. As I am looking out into this
ocean of thousands of devotees and well wishers, I am thinking of that very holy day Friday the 13 th
August of 1965, when His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada alone with no money
boarded a cargo ship to sail across the ocean. But Srila Prabhupada was very alone in that ocean. Sea
sickness, heart attacks and he was alone. Years ago I asked Srila Prabhupada’s son Vrindavan Chandra
De what he was feeling when he saw his father boarding that cargo ship, the Jaladuta? After all there
were only 4 or 5 people that were present to see him off. Nobody else took him seriously because they
considered it was impossible for a simple Bengali man with no money, not knowing a single person in
America to succeed and spreading Lord Chaitanya’s message.” What were you thinking,” I asked when
you saw him boarding that ship? Srila Prabhupada’s son, his eyes filled with tears and he responded, I
was proud of my father!

Srila Prabhupada is the Instrument of Krsna’s Love

A few years ago, I was in a boat on the Jamuna river in Vrindavan. I had just submerged the ashes of my
mother in the holy river. There was only a few of us on that boat and one of the people got a ringing on
his Cell phone. It was Srila Prabhupada’s son calling for me. I told him I just submerged the ashes of my
mother in the Jamuna. Vrindavan Chandraji with a very sympathetic voice, he said I am very sorry.
Please know that your mother is my mother! I naturally responded “Please know that your father is my
father”! (Laughter)(Maharaja is laughing). Yes, on that day August 13 th 1965, Srila Prabhupada left “The
King George Dockyard” in Calcutta, a single man with nothing, but with the desire to be an instrument of
Krsna’s love. And today I see an ocean of thousands of people who come to express their love and
gratitude to Srila Prabhupada whose lives have been totally transformed. And I was told there are
thousands more who could not come because they could not get tickets.

Calcutta, the important place for the Devotees and Srila Prabhupada:

Calcutta is such an important place in our hearts. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited Kumara hatta, the
birth place of Sripada Isvara Puri. That was the Lord’s Guru. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gathered dirt
from the ground. He ate some of the dirt. He put more dirt in a piece of cloth and wrapped it around to
take with him and eat some everyday. As he was doing that he was crying in emotion. And he prayed
that this dust is my greatest wealth. It is my very life and soul, because it is the dust from the birth place
of my Spiritual Master. The lord wanted to teach us how a follower should be grateful to honor the
holiness of the Guru in many ways and especially in honoring that birth place. And in taking the Guru’s
instruction as our life and soul. We have seen in the Drama how Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and so
many of his dearest most intimate associates who descended from Goloka Vrindavan. By their own will
take birth and performed their pastimes in this Calcutta area of Bengal. Some of the most beautiful life
changing lilas took place a few miles away in Panihatti. Bhakti Vinod Thakur established his mission in
Calcutta, Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur established his mission in Calcutta, and it was from here that
he decided to depart from the world. Srila Prabhupada took birth here, he grew up here, and he had his
Ratha yatras here. He first met his Guru Maharaja here, and accepted him and his instructions as his life
and soul!

ISKCON Calcutta, the best reserved till the last:

Srila Prabhupada left from Calcutta to begin his world mission, and then returned here to establish the
first temple in all of India for ISKCON. 40years ago we are celebrating, that holy event took place.
Although it appears that it’s happening quite late, it seems that it is Krsna’s own divine timing! On this
year of Srila Prabhupada’s anniversary of his triumphant return to Calcutta, the temple has been
beautifully renovated. And it is the commitment of all the leaders with Srila Prabhupada’s mercy that in
this year, the beginning of the construction of a glorious temple that Srila Prabhupada dreamed out will
begin here in Calcutta. In all the major cities of India there are wonderful immense temples of ISKCON. It
seems that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu wanted to save the best till last. But the
temple is not the bricks, the stone, the architectural planning. The temple is the inspiration, the
enthusiasm and the commitment of the devotees. We should all take it as the greatest privilege,
blessing, inconceivable opportunity that we could help to develop something wonderful here in
Calcutta.

Calcutta, The Gateway to Mayapur:

When we read or hear about pioneers who began an incredible project like Juhu, Bombay or Delhi or
like that, or in the west, we think I wish I could it been there then. Here in Calcutta, you are there, then
today. We have a chance to begin an incredible spiritual revolution based on love and compassion, in
this holy place, and our efforts can affect the entire world. From Sri Navadvipa Dham Mayapur the
Sankirtan Movement began. Srila Prabhupada called Calcutta “The Gateway to Mayapur”. If we are
enthusiastic and united and if we deeply feel gratitude for this opportunity to do something wonderful
here in Calcutta, we will be empowered to do so and perfect our lives in doing it. And I see unlimited
hope this evening in all of you. Thank you very much!!!