In a landmark interview that Srila Prabhupada engaged in 1975, His Divine Grace was probably foretelling the future of ISKCON and expressed clearly what He desired in relation to functioning and administration of ISKCON when He chooses to windup His physical existence.
‘Reporter: What will happen to the movement in the United States when you die?
Prabhupada: I will never die.
Devotees: Jaya! Hari bol! (laughter)
Prabhupada: I shall live for (from?) my books, and you will utilize.’
– Press Conference — July 16, 1975, San Francisco.
A categorical and emphatic statement thus was made by Srila Prabhupada. He also gave us a methodology of how His followers could keep Him alive in the movement in a letter through one of His principal secretaries.
“Book distribution is my life.” His Divine Grace also said, “If book distribution increases, I will never die. I will be living for centuries.”
– From: Tamal Krishna – SL_770626_A1 To His Holiness Ramesvara Swami, ISKCON LA.
This was ideally to be considered as a prophecy by any one who claims to be an ISKCON follower notwithstanding His own initiated disciples. It was the Acharya’s order and it had to be followed diligently.
Alas, the very GBC of ISKCON worldwide, that His Divine Grace relied upon to propogate His movement, by keeping His instructions as the medium of guidance chose to do the contrary – They declared Him dead after His physical departure from our material vision and hijacked His movement driving it to shame and ignominy.
His Divine Grace’s order on this matter also came to be officially broadcast almost worldwide to anyone accessing BBC radio, in one their programs. On August 22 at 12:45 pm GMT, and on August 23 (which was, of course, the festival of Sri Krishna Janmastami) at 5:45 pm GMT and 11:45 pm GMT, in the year 2000(?), the BBC World Service broadcasted three 15-minute shows on Lord Krishna’s Advent. The astonishing fact was that according to official reports the World Service reached a staggering 150 MILLION LISTENERS, a significant proportion of whom would have caught at least one of the 3 programmes. Indeed the show’s producer estimated that each of the three programmes was listened to by over 100 million people around the world. The radio-station had beamed the following message –
“Although Prabhupada only lived for a further 12 years after going to the West from India in 1965, he ensured that His spiritual legacy would continue through his books and instructions to guide and teach, and to take disciples.”
– Source: Newsletter of the ISKCON Revival Movement (IRM) Issue 31.
It is not surprising that Srila Prabhupada had ‘personally’ blessed this project, even 23 years (?) after His physical disappearance, by His transcendental presence through His ‘vani’ form because there is a very specific purport in the First Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.18.6, about using modern technology to broadcast the transcendental glories of the Supreme Lord : And very much in particular, the radio!!!
“In modernized human society there are great advancements of material science, and they have invented the radio to distribute sound in the air. So instead of vibrating some nuisance sound for sense enjoyment, if the state arranges to distribute transcendental sound by resounding the holy name, fame and activities of the Lord, as they are authorized in the Bhagavad Gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam, then a favourable condition will be created, the principles of religion will be re-established, and thus the executive heads, who are so anxious to drive away corruption from the world, will be successful. Nothing-is-bad-if-properly-used-for-the-service-of-the-Lord.”
Though the GBC were and are keen to promote throughout ISKCON that Srila Prabhupada is ‘dead’ and continue to run their sinister campaign, much to their disappointment and frustration they have not been able to kill His Divine Grace’s presence in ISKCON Bangalore. Madhupandita Dasa, Chanchalapathi Dasa and other devotees, who are all dedicated disciples of Srila Prabhupada , have championed the cause of keeping ‘the savior of the whole world’ alive in ISKCON and in their lives. I am glad that I, although insignificant, am a part of this blessed Krishna Conscious center propagating the Hare Krishna Movement.
In April last year, the judiciary of India too inadvertently reiterated the fact that Srila Prabhupada lives on, with the Karnataka High court declaring the case in favour of ISKCON Bangalore at Hare Krishna Hill as an independent entity and granted immunity for it function on the lines of current practices based on the fact that Srila Prabhupada is the ‘diksha guru’, atleast in this center and its affiliates for all purposes.
So, Its official. Srila Prabhupada lives on. And He is continuing to teach and take disciples! After all how much more official can you get than having this fact announced by the BBC (although 10 years ago), the most famous and reputable broadcaster in the world. After BBC is a legend in itself as people often say that – “it must be true, since I heard in on the BBC”! That was the magnitude of the credibility of the message.
Dr Jagadeesh TG
Prabhupada Dasa
RadhaKrishna Sevak
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