My dear , on 2 March 1975 I had the unlimited good fortune to be sitting at the lotus feet of my most beloved spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada, on the most auspicious occasion of the appearance day of his beloved spiritual master, His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami. In his lecture Srila Prabhupada emanated from his lotus mouth a most wonderful lecture. When Srila Prabhupada said
that was going to try do to the impossible, to introduce Krishna consciousness in the Western world I loudly said "Jaya" because I understood that because Srila Prabhupada had tried for the impossible this is how we had been saved. When I said "Jaya" the whole room full of devotees then also said "Jaya."Here is a portion of that super ecstatic lecture:
Srila Prabhupada: So when I was seventy years old I decided, "Now I must do and execute the order of my Guru Maharaja. And thus this movement was started in 1965 from New York. And I was not very much hopeful because it is very difficult task, just opposite the European and Western culture. I came... When I first came, I had no money. So I got a free passage through some Indian steam navigation company. So I came by ship. So when I was on the
ship at Boston port, Commonwealth port, I was thinking that "I have come here. I do not know what is the purpose because how the people will accept this movement? They are differently educated, and as soon as I will say, 'So, my dear sir, you have to give up meat-eating and illicit sex and no intoxication and gambling,' they will say, 'Please go home.' " (laughter) Because that was the experience of one of my Godbrother. He went to London, and he had the opportunity to talk with one big man,
Marquis of Zetland. Marquis of Zetland was formerly governor of Bengal. At that time I was student. He was Scotsman, and I was student of the Scottish Churches' College. So he came to see our college, and he was standing in front of me in the second-year class. So he was very nice, good gentleman. So he proposed to my Godbrother, "Whether you can make me a brahmana?" So my Godbrother proposed, "Yes, we can make anyone brahmana provided you follow this principle: no illicit sex, no intoxication,
no meat-eating, no gambling." So that Lord Zetland immediately replied, "Impossible." (laughter) So I was thinking that "I will propose something which is impossible. Anyway, let me try."
Sankarshan Das: Jaya!
Devotees: Jaya! Haribol!
Prabhupada: So now, by the grace of Krishna and Caitanya Mahaprabhu and in the presence of my Guru Maharaja, you are so nice boys and girls. So in front of Caitanya Mahäprabhu you are chanting Hare Krishna mantra, and you are taking part in it very seriously. So my Guru Maharaja will be very, very much pleased upon you and bless you with all benefits.
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Let us all remember how kind it was of Srila Prabhupada to try for the impossible. Srila Prabhupada ordered us to deliver the world. So let us all now try for the impossible!
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
