In Every Lounge and Kitchen (Deepak Vohra)

With devotees in ISKCON glorifying Srila Prabhupada's Centennial through grand preaching projects, I have been asked to write something about how I am attempting, in my own small way, to follow Srila Prabhupada's instructions in my daily life. I hope to illustrate by direct quotation and in the limited space available, how Srila Prabhupada's instructions can be followed by anyone in any status of life, and how one can therefore advance in Krishna consciousness.

My own situation is typical of that of many second-generation Indians born and raised in the West. My parents brought me up with great love and affection, saving up their hard-earned wealth so that their children could receive the best education, establish themselves in a career and settle down in life. I believe I have fulfilled these parental aspirations: I graduated from University with an Honours Degree in Modern Languages and a Master's Degree from Business School, and am currently working for a leading professional publishing company in London, where I am responsible for a strategic business area worth [[sterling]]5 million; and last year, I got married.

My obligations to my parents having thus been honoured, I now have to think about the future of my own family - both materially and spiritually. Balancing the two, particularly in today's hectic and anxiety-ridden world, is never an easy task. But it is eminently possible if one has the guidance of a real expert, who can lead one out of the dense forest of this material world and back to our original home in the spiritual world. Such an expert guide is the bona fide spiritual master. Thank God for Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada's master plan as to how even the most common man can become self-realised in such a turbulent age is a master stroke of transcendental genius that only a mahabhagavata pure devotee of the Lord could have the authority and empowerment to implement. Prabhupada describes this unique formula throughout his books, but it is particularly distilled into its essence in the Madhya-lila section of the Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Chapter 7, texts 127-130, where Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu preaches to the brahmana Kurma. These verses and Srila Prabhupada's purports show just how easy Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has made it for the general mass of people to take up Krsna consciousness. In summary, one should remain in his material position, chant Hare Krsna, read Srila Prabhupada's books, and preach their instructions to one's friends and relatives. In this way, so long as one remains meek and humble and does not pose oneself as "a first class devotee", anyone can become a siksa, or instructing, guru ...

It is not advisable in this age of Kali to leave one's family suddenly...

One should stay at home, chant the Hare Krsna mantra and preach the instructions of Krsna as they are given in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.

One may remain a householder, a medical practitioner, an engineer or whatever. It doesn't matter. One only has to ... chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and instruct relatives and friends in the teachings of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam ... Thus one can become a spiritual master ...

In my own life, I am trying to follow this process as closely as possible. Meeting up with friends and relatives, we organise small-scale nama hatta programmes in people's homes. These are simple but joyful affairs. We usually start off with guru-puja and kirtana, and follow this with a video of Srila Prabhupada giving a lecture. In this way, we are performing both sravanam and kirtanam, hearing and chanting, in the association of devotees and Srila Prabhupada himself. This is undoubtedly sadhu-sanga! Then bhajanas followed by a sumptuous prasadam feast, some lively discussion of transcendental topics from the sastra, japa sessions for the newcomers and old-timers alike - and you have the perfect Krsna conscious programme!

This a very powerful and palatable method for attracting people to spiritual life. I believe our programmes are becoming more and more successful judging by the quality of people who are attending. These tend to be wealthy and influential Indians (although, of course, anyone is welcome to participate!), and many of them are becoming 'patrons' of our preaching programmes by voluntary donations. Everyone happily contributes in one way or another, whether in the kitchen, decorating the home altars, leading the kirtanas, or even by sponsoring the distribution of Srila Prabhupada's books. This is exactly how Srila Prabhupada wanted his mission to be spread among the general mass of people, and especially leading members of the Indian community:

Therefore it is now the duty of the leading men of India to consider the importance of this movement ...

All educated and wealthy persons must join this movement, since money and education are meant for service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

It doesn't matter whether they are initiated or not....our program is to invite people to our feasts, let them hear our philosophy and dance and chant. That is the basic principle of our philosophy in preaching work.

How are these programmes becoming successful? Very simply because Srila Prabhupada is at the centre, and the emphasis is placed on hearing from the mouth of the pure devotee - by broadcasting Srila Prabhupada's tapes and video lectures - and encouraging people to chant Hare Krishna. Simple and sublime.

The transcendental vibration from the mouth of a pure devotee is so powerful that it can revive the living entity's memory of his eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead ... For a conditioned soul, therefore, it is very important to hear from the mouth of a pure devotee.

As well as preaching the philosophy, and as mundane as it may sound, one must also observe the standard social etiquette for polite behaviour if one wants to attract people to Srila Prabhupada's movement.

Personally, I do not live in the most conducive of situations for making progress in spiritual life, yet I try to mould my daily existence around hearing Srila Prabhupada and chanting my rounds. I leave for work at 7.15 in the morning and return home at 6.30 in the evening. My work is pressurised and I have to meet a [[sterling]]5 million sales target every year in a less than Krsna conscious environment. Yet somehow, by Srila Prabhupada's mercy, I am coping. I chant my japa in the morning and evening. My hour-long train journey to work is mind numbingly tedious, yet while other commuters absorb themselves in the latest news or mundane novel, I am blissfully absorbed in either reading Srila Prabhupada's books or listening to his tapes. And somehow, I also manage to do a little bit of preaching to my colleagues at work. In fact, as Srila Prabhupada has pointed out on several occasions, it does not matter what one's situation in life is; if one is determined to follow the philosphy sincerely, one can become Krsna conscious:

My advice is always chant 16 rounds minimum and follow the four regulative principles. All of my disciples must agree on this point, otherwise they are not my disciples.

Initiation is a formality. If you are serious that is real initiation ... My touch is simply a formality. It is your determination. That is initiation.

We cannot underestimate the importance of Srila Prabhupada's books. He has stated that his books will be the lawbooks for the next then thousand years. Anyone can receive the association of His Divine Grace through his books. Indeed, he once said: "If you want to know me, read my books." Most of the people who come to our programmes do not necessarily visit the temple on a regular basis, for one reason or another, but one can very easily establish a temple in his home. And even if one cannot do so, one can always associate with Srila Prabhupada directly by reading his books and following his instructions. In fact, even if there were no temples at all, one can still become Krsna conscious by associating with Srila Prabhupada through his books and following his instructions. This is association by transcendental sound vibration and is available to anyone and everyone who wishes to take advantage of Srila Prabhupada's mercy, both now and for future generations to come.

You have taken the right view of the importance of my books. Books will always remain. That was the view of my Guru Maharaja, and I have also taken it. Therefore I started my movement with my books ... and if there are no more temples, then the books shall remain.

One has to associate with liberated persons not directly, physically, but by understanding, through philosophy and logic, the problems of life.

I also do not feel separation from my Guru Maharaja. When I am engaged in his service, his pictures give me sufficient strength. To serve master's word is more important than to serve him physically.

First, let us become meek and humble devotees of Lord Sri Krishna by sincerely following Srila Prabhupada's instructions. Srila Prabhupada has given us the formula for satisfying the Supreme Lord. Then, let us help everyone in our neighbourhood, town and nation to become free from material suffering, and return home, back to Godhead, by giving them the shelter of the lotus feet of our beloved jagad-guru, His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada - for as Lord Jesus Christ said to his disciples "Freely you have taken, now freely give".

ALL GLORIES TO SRILA PRAPHUPADA!

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irg@zetnet.co.uk
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!