THE ENORMITY OF THE HARE KRISHNA MOVEMENT IS NOT TO BE BLIGHTED
The enormity of Swami Prabhupada and his Hare Krishna movement shall not be underscored in anyway whatsoever when one comes to terms with its enormous impact around the world.
Swami Prabhupada also known as A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was the Guruji or master who brought the Hara Krishna movement to the western world. He came at a time of political unrest in America. By cargo boat he sailed from Calcutta to New York with not a dollar in his hand. He had no worldly possessions, no monetary funds, just he, his passport and his ancient texts.
The brilliance however of the movement lies not in the enormity of its weight and how it spread the world over to millions of followers, but it’s leader and the mission he took on with great fervor at the ripe age of 70.
Yes, this is where the profundity of this story begins. Swamiji came to the U.S. not knowing a single soul, no plan, no direction, but a deep inner resonance for the mission he came to earth to see through – perhaps to infinity and beyond.
His movement grows still to this day.
For me the beauty of the story lay in the age old metaphor, “It’s never too late.”
This is the beauty of this tale an encouraging and remarkable tale it is of an elderly man who set out at 70 far from home to see through a directive from his Guru, who sent him to the west to spread the glory of Krishna Consciousness. And spread it did. Vastly.
THE TIMING OF THE HARE KRISHNA MOVEMENT
The timing of the Hare Krishna movement was perhaps divinely planned, to mere perfection. The nation was in turmoil. Civil and political unrest were taking over.
The message of Swami Prabhupada’s Hare Krishna Movement came at the most auspicious time. A time when the country needed divine guidance, needed to spread the message of love and light rather than war and hate.
THE MESSAGE
Krishna Consciousness – the message is this – to be so enamored with the Divine that you begin to embody the consciousness of Lord Krishna himself. A sort of omnipotence that completely takes you and envelopes you wholeheartedly.
THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
The International Society For Krishna Consciousness had 4 primary objectives.
- To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge
- To propagate a consciousness of Krishna
- To bring the members of the society together
- To teach and encourage the Samaritan movement – which is chanting the holy name of God according to the teachings of the Lord Sri
THE SPREADING OF THE TEACHINGS
Prabhupada’s plan was to spread the teachings around the world. It began with his 12 young disciples who believes were called to teach.
A couple of those disciples headed to the west where the movement grew exponentially with centers first in San Francisco and then Berkeley.
Disciples were so devout and committed to the cause taken in rapture by Krishna Consciousness – they made it their mission to the spread the gospel of Krishna taking the chants from city to city the world over. Crowds started lining up in droves and the message begin to permeate the west one major city at a time.
Here’s a previous post on one of my favorite Guruji’s and why everyone should read his book, The Autobiography Of A Yogi.
THE MOVEMENT TODAY
Swamiji Prabhupada circled the globe 14 times in 12 years.
What began with a handful of disciples has grown today to a worldwide movement with more than 108 temples and farm communities on more than six continents.
Swamiji’s books while he was alive had distributed more than 60 million copies and had been translated into 25 languages.
Today – the organizations boasts 820 temples, farm communities, restaurants, schools and colleges.
And more than 550 million copies of Prabhupada’s book have been distributed and translated into 87 languages.
The organization has dispersed more than 3 billion meals to devotees and others.
Talk about Mission Accomplished.
Hare Hare Krishna is right!