Māyāpura

In material life, there are many renowned personalities who are glorified as great seekers of the truth. To seek after something means to attempt for that which is not presently in hand. These so-called "great seekers" of truth are not possessors of the truth. On the other hand, the pure devotee is a soul linked eternally to the Supreme Truth through transcendental relationship. Therefore, he is one who has achieved the highest goal of truth, knowledge and bliss.

Seeking in this material world is implemented through the perceptions of our six senses, including the mind. These material senses are all limited faculties which are not capable of directly perceiving the subtle building blocks of the cosmos. How, then, can the transcendental source of the fine and gross mechanisms of this material world, and the existences which lie beyond it, be understood by such blunt equipment as these material senses? The limits of perception may be increased by utilization of machines, etc., so that material knowledge increases, but since the basis is limited, all such knowledge falls short of the unlimited source of all knowledge. In other words, the system of attaining knowledge by increasing from the limited base sense perception can never envelope the Absolute Truth, Lord Sri Krsna.

Thus, the empiric philosophers seeking after the truth are persons who have taken the wrong road to the true perception of life. The spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession is not an empirical seeker after the truth because he has purchased the truth by his unalloyed devotion. Lord Krsna is the Supreme Authority on absolute knowledge as He Himself is the Absolute Truth. All information is perfectly available from the person who knows the complete network of total existence and the Supreme Source of existence, Lord Sri Krsna. Since His position is beyond the range of ordinary communications, how can contact be made? Actually Krsna initially made contact by revealing Himself to His devotee. Krsna Himself is therefore the original spiritual master or preceptor. Once the devotee has achieved full perception of Krsna by His mercy, his knowledge is perfect and complete. This perfect and complete knowledge has been handed down through disciplic succession or a chain of spiritual masters originating from Lord Krsna and coming down to His Divine Grace 108 Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

There is a vast gulf of difference between even the greatest of empiric philosophers or material scientists, who are still groping in the dark, and the perfected devotee carrying the torchlight of knowledge received as handed down through the line of spiritual masters at whose head stands the Lord Himself. Due to their excessive preoccupation with material darkness, the frustrated empiric seekers futilely curse the darkness and falsely conclude that either there is no ultimate truth or that the truth must be ultimately devoid of personal attributes. There is no advantage to making such unsubstantiated conclusions out of frustration. It is better to accept the shelter of the bona fide spiritual master who has achieved the essence of the truth.

His Divine Grace 108 Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta is such a pure spiritual master linked with Lord Krsna, the Absolute Truth, through the eternal chain of disciplic succession. Srila Prabhupada has taken the order of his spiritual master in hand and carried it throughout the world. His Divine Grace has fulfilled many predictions in ancient scriptures regarding the spreading of the Hare Krsna sahkirtana movement. One prediction made nearly one hundred years ago by a great acarya in the line from Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, namely, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, states that people throughout the world will come to Sri Mayapura, the place of the Lord's advent and pastimes as Lord Caitanya, and, together with the Indian bhaktas or devotees, will engage in worship of the Lord's holy name by performance of sahkirtana. Bhaktivinoda Thakura further predicted that at Sri Mayapura a spiritual city will evolve filled with temples and sanctity. In this respect also, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has begun work towards fulfillment of the prophecy by the construction of ISKCON's Sri Mayapura Candradaya Temple, and by personally supervising and advising on how to develop the many programs to make a perfect spiritual environment for advancement in Krsna consciousness.

There is no one more kind or more merciful than the bona fide spiritual master. His efforts are never wasted. His kindness is not squandered on scentless flowers, but blossoms in the fragrant distribution of love of Krsna. At Sri Mayapura, Srila Prabhupada's kindness in engaging his devotees in the distribution of mercy in dynamic ways is unlimited. Although caste-conscious priests and priests' family members see temporary designations like Hindu, Moslem, Christian, black, white, brahmana, sūdra, etc., and object to the distribution of Krsna prasada or mercy, Srila Prabhupada does not care for such fanatics, but goes on distributing, boldly chanting the name of the Lord to all who will accept the mercy. Thus he is giving all fallen souls, deluded into identification with the external body or mind, the chance to revive the dormant spark of love of God within their hearts. Srila Prabhupada's English and Sanskrit School is so potent that after a short duration the students decide to dedicate their lives to the cause of the Supreme Lord and become perfect. This potency is due to the purity of purpose and presentation with which His Divine Grace is presenting the message of Godhead. Therefore, the whole world should appreciate the greatness of His Divine Grace.

Not only does Srila Prabhupada want to spread Krsna consciousness all over the world, but once it is spread, he wants it perpetuated. Therefore he has begun at short notice such projects at Sri Mayapura as making mrdahgas, karatalas and clay models of Krsna pastimes. Devotees are congregating from all over the world to serve in these transcendental activities. Thus Srila Prabhupada's alluring plan for displaying the pastimes of the Lord, which can release the viewer from the clutches of material attachments, is just another example of the potent methods employed by the greatest exponent of Vedic knowledge in the world today.

Many so-called spiritualists have gone abroad from India, and, after some flurry of propaganda and disciple-making, have returned and built some structure, thus finishing their overseas preaching. Such bogus yogis, surrounded by their female supporters, cannot show the real potency of spiritual existence. Srila Prabhupada, however, did not rush back to India for gaining esteem in the homeland, but stayed for better or worse to establish and really give the help and spiritual guidance which the whole world is crying for. Now, only after firmly establishing Krsna consciousness all over the world, His Divine Grace is putting his attention towards constructing a spiritual city which, by showing ideal life, will be unique in the world. Srila Prabhupada's translations of the Vedic scriptures have revealed the importance of the places where the Supreme Lord has exhibited His pastimes while appearing on this earth. Now the task of preparing a place for receiving the thousands of devotees who want to worship and respect these holy places has begun.

Life in this age is of very short duration, but in that short time it is possible to become attached to Krsna and His devotees. Just as we become attached to our family and friends, we may join Krsna's family, which is actually our eternal existence, and make friends with Krsna's devotees. Then, instead of frustration at seeing our temporary relations finished off one by one by the relentless hands of time, our eternal relations with the Lord and His devotees will always keep us filled with eternal knowledge and bliss. The real spiritual master offers full satisfaction to his disciples.

Quick happiness and distress are available in this material world, but they are worthless. Easy come-easy go. Real happiness in spiritual life alone is of permanent value. What can we offer to such a magnanimous person who, amidst the broken-glass-like pieces of this impermanent and transient material world, is giving the jewel of permanent spiritual existence? If there is duty to our friends, family, country, etc., although they offered us only temporary benefits, how great then is our duty to the spiritual master who has offered us the only thing of real value?

In perfect devotion our hearts would weep for the blessing of our spiritual master, and in anxiety to serve him our limbs would tremble and hairs stand on end, but we are so unfortunate to be lacking such sincerity. We can only pray for the day when we may sincerely be able to dedicate our every thought, breath and action in the service of our spiritual master, who is dear to us. There is nothing more which we have left to give. It is ours to work for the day when all the fallen souls may be so fortunate as to see the opportunity and make their lives perfect by taking shelter of the pure devotee. Repeatedly we "Mayapura-nivasis", "residents of Mayapura", offer our lives and souls at the lotus feet of the pure devotee of the Lord, His Divine Grace 108 Om Visnupada Sri-Srimad A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, in humble and respectful obeisances to our most beloved and eternal spiritual master and father.

Signed
The "Mayapura-nivasis"