virat-rupa

Although I've been chanting since July, the cosmos has not unfolded psychedelically before me, as I had hoped. What am I doing wrong? Why haven't I seen that apocalyptic vision witnessed by Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra? Where is that virat-rupa, the Universal Form containing myriad eyes, hands, heads, and flaming mouths devouring worlds?

"If hundreds of thousands of suns rose up at once into the sky, they might resemble the effulgence of the Supreme Person in that universal form."

According to Swamiji, Sri Krishna revealed this form to Arjuna as a special favor. What Arjuna saw, of course, is beyond description and human imagination. He saw the entire creation contained within the Lord's body.

"The pure devotees are not eager to see this form," Swamiji tells us. "Devotees prefer the two-armed form of Krishna as a cowherd boy. The virat-rupa is exhibited to materialistic men who can be impressed only by the might and opulence of the Supreme."

Well, after all, aren't we Western materialists by birth? Isn't this the form meant for us?

I finally gather the courage to approach Swamiji, waiting until he is alone in his room, sitting behind his footlocker, reading.

"Why can't I see Krishna as Arjuna saw Him on the battlefield?" I ask bluntly.

"You can," Swamiji says. "This is the process, chanting Hare Krishna."

"I've been chanting Hare Krishna more than four months," I complain, "but I still don't see that universal form with all the heads and arms. What am I doing wrong?"

Swamiji looks at me a moment, his eyes magnified behind his glasses. Then he silently hands me the manuscript of his recent translations of Eleventh Chapter verses. I read:

O greatest of all personalities, O supreme form, though I see here before me Your actual position, I yet wish to see how You have entered into this cosmic manifestation. I want to see that form of Yours. If You think that I am able to behold Your cosmic form, O my Lord, O master of all mystic power, then kindly show me that universal self.

"There," Swamiji says. "'If You think that I am able to behold Your cosmic form.' So what does that mean?"

I look at the verse again and think more deeply about it. Then I look up at Swamiji. His eyes are fixed on me, awaiting my reply. Suddenly I begin to feel stupid again, as I had when trying to defend the Buddhists.

"It means that Lord Krishna is the best judge," I say at length. "So Arjuna leaves it up to Him."

"Yes," Swamiji says. "That is the process. Arjuna was a great warrior, a great devotee of Krishna's. He didn't want to see the virat-rupa for his personal gratification. He was asking on behalf of the materialists. Yet he says to Krishna, 'If You think that I am able. This is the attitude we should have. Now what do you think?"

Again he looks at me, awaiting my reply, and for a moment I think that if I insist, he might even deliver the vision.

"I don't think I'm ready," I finally say.

"Yes," Swamiji smiles as I hand the verses back. "Yes, my spiritual master used to say, 'Don't work hard to try to see God. But work in such a way that God sees you.' So we should just go on with our chanting, and see Krishna in our service. Carry on devotional service sincerely, and everything will come in time."

His Secretary In Calcutta

One of Prabhupada's dreams was to establish a World Headquarters of the Krishna Consciousness Movement in Mayapur, the birthplace of Lord Chaitanya. Mayapur is located approximately 90 miles north of Calcutta along the sacred Ganges River. Negotiations had been going on to purchase the first piece of land there-this was governed at every step by Prabhupada's personal direction. In Mayapur, Jayapataka prabhu (my Godbrother) was living in a hut on the land we were attempting to purchase. We were getting legal advise from a lawyer, one Mr. Das, and Tamal Krishna prabhu was trying to get this deal finalized. Somehow I became involved, and Prabhupada asked me to accompany Tamal Krishna to Mayapur to finalize the purchase and see that the land was formally registered with the government in the name of ISKCON. In preparation, we visited Mr. Das's house in Calcutta to review legalities involved in transferring title of the land. While we were there, the family priest also visited and proceeded to light up a waterpipe he had brought with him. As the room filled up with a smell reminiscent of Haight-Ashbury, Tamal Krishna and I looked at each, shocked to find ourselves in this situation. Eager to leave the intoxicating fumes from the Hookah, we made our excuses to our host and walked a little unsteadily back to the temple.

We were to travel to Mayapur by train with thousands of rupees for the land purchase stuffed in moneybelts under our clothing. At this time, traveling in Bengal was not considered safe. Bands of Naxalites roamed the countryside, killing, robbing, and burning their victims. We were confident of Divine Protection, however, and so leaving the congestion of Calcutta we were soon in rural Bengal, a most beautiful sight. Bright green paddy fields interspersed with flowing ponds and lush forest. When we arrived in the current city of Nabadwip, we stayed at the family home of Mr. Das, our lawyer. We made arrangements for prasadam from one of the temples. Our morning meal consisted of flattened rice mixed with fresh mango and misthi dahi, a sweet beige yogurt that, once tasted, can never be forgotten. We traveled by boat to the island of Mayapur to meet the Muslim farmer from which the land was being purchased. Seeing the spires of temples rising from the landscape was quite inspiring, as was the Yoga Pith (the actual site of Lord Chaitanya's birth). At our prospective land, we met Jayapataka, who showed us his hut and the surrounding land.

Negotiations were soon completed, papers signed, and the final activity involved registering the deed at the district capital at Krishnanagar. Due to the dacoit danger, we were transported in an army truck surrounded by armed soldiers. We paid the money and saw that all our papers received all the proper stamps, seals and signatures. Deed in hand we became eager to return to Calcutta to bring Srila Prabhupada the good news.

Returning to Calcutta, the train was packed and people kept trying to force their way into our compartment. One of the passengers feigned a contagious disease to persuade others to look for another compartment to barge into. Very late at night we arrived at the Calcutta temple. We were filthy from our journey and exhausted and it appeared everyone was asleep. Then we noticed a light emanating from Srila Prabhupada's room and we could understand that he was awaiting our return. Entering his room, we fell down at his feet to offer our obeisances. Under Prabhupada's questioning gaze, we explained the successful outcome of our journey and produced the legal papers. ISKCON's Mayapur plans had now become a reality. Prabhupada's anxious demeanor gave way first to relief and then to a broad smile of unabashed joy. It was an ecstatic moment that will never be forgotten. The whole room was spiritually energized. Glowing with the pleasure of seeing his dreams become reality, Prabhupada ushered us off to take rest. Our mission completed, my Guru Maharaj pleased, I lay down on the floor to take rest, still basking in the golden glow of Srila Prabhupada's merciful glance.

Prabhupada's compassion

One night in Prabhupada's apartment I awoke from a sound sleep about 1:30 a.m. to the ring of Prabhupada's bell. Entering his room, which was dark except for a reading light on a small podium, Srila Prabhupada was sitting reading from a large red Bhagavatam. He motioned for me to sit down. His voice cracking and tears forming in his eyes, he began talking to me about the glories of Prahlad Maharaj and the true meaning of being a Vaishnava. He talked about how Prahlad's only desire was for others to be rescued from this world of birth and death. He described the compassion of the Vaishnava for the fallen souls and, seeing how hard he worked to spread Krishna Consciousness, I could feel his own heart overflowing with this intense form of Vaishnava love.

As Prabhupada spoke, I could only think: why me? I did not deserve such intimacy. If only the world could know Prabhupada's glory, a Mahabhagavata Devotee, a nitya-siddha, eternally liberated soul, whose thoughts day and night focused on how to free the conditioned souls from their bondage. Para duhka duhki, Prabhupada uttered softly while contemplating the incomparable qualities of a true Vaishnava, which he exemplified perfectly. If there is another person living with these attributes, I have not met him.

Prabhupada's mood gradually changed and soon he was describing his youthful acting in transcendental dramas, and we were laughing as he graphically recreated characters for me. After some time, Prabhupada indicated that I should return to take rest. I was walking in a cloud surcharged by the pure devotional energy emanating from the mouth of the Lord's dearmost representative. As I lay down to sleep, I thought that no possible dream could surpass the reality I had just experienced.

The sign of a devotee

Srila Prabhupada: "That is the sign of a devotee, appreciation. Narada Muni says that the devotee always appreciates the qualities of the other devotees. Yes, that is the sign, appreciation of the activities of devotees.

"A devotee who is actually freed from all contaminations does not find any fault with other devotees. He does not think himself that he's a bigger devotee or greater devotee than others. He thinks himself as the lowest of all. As Chaitanya Caritamrta author, Krishna das Kaviraj says, 'I am lower than the insect within the stool, I am a greater sinner than Jagai and Madhai. Anyone who takes my name, immediately all the results of his pious activities become vanquished.'

"It is not imitation or any bluff. Any devotee who is actually advancing, he feels like that. Just like the great scientist, Sir Isaac Newton, used to say, 'I've simply collected a few grains of sand from the ocean of knowledge.' Actually, that is a fact, everything is unlimited.

"So nobody should be proud falsely, that he has become a great devotee. Everyone should be very humble, 'Trnad api sunicena taror iva sahisnuna, amanena manidena, kirtaniya sada Harih.' If one thinks that he has become very advanced devotee, then that is very dangerous.

"Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, 'My spiritual master saw Me as a great fool, therefore he has chastised Me. 'Don't read Vedanta, chant Hare Krishna.' He presented Himself like that. Is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu murkha? (fool) But that is the conception of an advanced devotee. They never think that they are very highly advanced devotee. What is advanced. What devotion can we offer to Krishna. He is unlimited. He is kindly accepting our little service that's all. Don't be proud of becoming a great devotee. That is first-class falldown." (72/55)



- From the "Prabhupada at Radha-Damodara" by HH Mahanidhi Swami