New Vṛndāvana

"The Earth Pays Homage to You"

In His glorious Srimad-Bhagavatam, Veda-Vyasa depicts the cow, the embodiment of Mother Earth herself, standing in tears while her bull, Dharma, the true religion, is smitten by the cruel sudra-faced Kali. In this Age of Kali, countless calves are daily torn from their mothers. The calf is severed from its cow-Mother Earth by the demonic Kali-yuga mentality-greed for money and unrestricted sense enjoyment.

Therefore the earth pays homage to you. Srila Prabhupada. You shower rains of mercy from the dark clouds of mercy itself. Krsna is that dark cloud, Srila Prabhupada, and you are His rain of mercy. May you reign over all this poor parched earth!

Before you began chanting Hare Krsna in New York some seven years ago, there was no refuge from the earth slaughterer Kali. Though the horrors of Kali are still with us, the avenue of transcendence has been opened. You have given us an alternative. You have distributed the mercy of the alternative-the chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Now you have also posed another alternative in total living-your New Vrndavana. The cows at New Vrndavana are the only cows in the West that are not systematically slaughtered. Using the principle of cow protection as the foundation, you have drawn up and set forth the model of ideal life for man in this New Vrndavana experience. The dream is all yours, Srila Prabhupada. How can we realize it? Through your mercy, through your mercy only.

Religion is man's link to God. Veda-Vyasa celebrates the bull as Dharma, religion personified. When the bull of religion is butchered, what is man left with? When the bull of truth is sold and departed, what kind of life can man live? Kali lives in the land of blind greed for money, the passport to the land of unrestricted senses. Kali butchers both the earth and Dharma and sells them for money. Without Dharma and his mother, man cannot leave Kali's labyrinthine lands.

Many yogis, bogies, svamis and magicians within the labyrinth offer tinsel prizes and pampered consciences to their following, but they cannot award freedom. They cannot give new life. Only you, Srila Prabhupada, have given positive action, positive life styles, as exemplified by New Vrndavana and the many centers for Krsna consciousness around the world.

Therefore the earth pays homage to you, Srila Prabhupada. Now the calf and its mother can romp freely over the pastures. Now Dharma has been returned to the earth. Now they can be together again.

Thank you, Srila Prabhupada.

NEW VRINDABAN COMMUNITY:

The Inmates of New Vrndavana
Kirtanananda Svami, President