The Institute Will Enhance the Prestige of ISKCON

In end of July 1974, after finishing my Ph.D., I decided to go to India. Rsabhadeva Prabhu who was at that time the temple president in Laguna Beach also accompanied me. On our way to India we stopped in London at Bhaktivedanta Manor and then came to Vrndavana where Prabhupada was staying then. It was my first visit to Vrndavana. We came by train from Delhi to Mathura and we took a horse cart to the Krishna Balarama temple. When we arrived at the temple a message was given to Srila Prabhupada that Svarūpa Damodara has come and Prabhupada's servant came out to receive us at the gate. Then we had darshan of Srila Prabhupada and I stayed in Vrndavana for more than two weeks. This was around Janmastami time and every day there was a morning walk with Srila Prabhupada on the wide road now called the 'Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg.' The weather was very pleasant since it had rained around that time and the trees were all green. In these morning walks Srila Prabhupada talked a lot about science preaching but I did not make any recording.

During those days I was cleaning Srila Prabhupada's room. Once Srila Prabhupada's Godbrother Dr. Kapoor came during the massage time at around 11 o'clock. Srila Prabhupada introduced me to Dr. Kapoor: "Dr. Svarūpa Damodara, Ph.D., scientist, now after finishing his Ph.D. he is engaged in cleaning my room!" Srila Prabhupada laughed and greatly appreciated my little service. Dr. Kapoor was very happy and requested Prabhupada that he should allow me to stay in Vrndavana.

One day just after his afternoon rest Prabhupada called me to his room. He had about 5-6 magazines from Bon Maharaja's Institute called "Oriental Research Institute". Bon Maharaja is a Godbrother of Srila Prabhupada and he was instructed by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati to preach in the Western countries. Showing me the magazines, Srila Prabhupada said that he also wanted to have an academic wing of the Society. "We are famous for colorful dancing and chanting on the street, but I do not want to see our devotees only dancing and singing on the street. I also want to see that the public acknowledge our devotees to be great scholars." Then he said that I should become the head of this Institute. I told Srila Prabhupada that I have no experience in these things, and I won't be able to do it. But he said, "No, No, I will give all the directions how to do it, whatever is needed. You just head this Institute."

So the conception for the Bhaktivedanta Institute came in 1974, just one day before Janmastami. Srila Prabhupada said that this academic wing will be to enhance the prestige of ISKCON and he intended it so the people will understand that devotional service is not just sentiment, but that devotees are also very intelligent. He often used to say, "Religion without philosophy is fanaticism and philosophy without religion is mental speculation." [Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, Chapter 3, Verse 3]

In the beginning, Srila Prabhupada wanted to have this Institute in Vrndavana. Bon Maharaja's Institute was just opposite to the Krishna Balarama Mandir and it was not doing well. Prabhupada made an appointment with Bon Maharaja to request him to give us his Institute. The following day Prabhupada took us to Bon Maharaja: myself, Jagadish Prabhu who was then Secretary to Prabhupada and Brahmananda Maharaja. At Srila Prabhupada's request I brought along a saffron bound copy of my Ph.D. thesis that was dedicated to him and also the also the book called 'The Scientific Basis of Krishna Consciousness'. Prabhupada introduced me to Bon Maharaja: "He is my disciple, scientist." Prabhupada was very proud to introduce me to Bon Maharaja and Bon Maharaja was also very pleased. Prabhupada then said that we must present this Krishna consciousness movement cooperatively amongst the intellectuals, scholars, and scientists. Bon Maharaja was quite enthusiastic and Srila Prabhupada said that he must hand over the Institute land to us. Bon Maharaja liked the idea but he wanted to think more about it. The following day, however, he left for Delhi to celebrate Janmastami there and for a long time we didn't hear anything from him.