Hearing Prabhupada Face to Face

When I reflect on specific aspects of Vaisnava philosophy, I often recall the time when I first heard these teachings from Prabhupada.  Hearing face to face while he was present produced a special impression.  For example, I was near Prabhupada in his room when he said, “How can they say there is no God?  It is a ridiculous argument.  For example, if a man goes to a doctor and the doctor examines him and finds that his vital organs are working, his metabolism is in order, his pulse, his heartbeat, his blood circulation, his breathing, everything is working – if after discovering this the doctor concludes, “My dear sir, you are dead,” – this statement is nonsense, absurd.

“In a similar way, if we see that the universe is working, the planets are in orbit, the sun is shining, the law of gravity and other natural laws are strictly being observed, and everything is going on – and if we conclude, ‘There is no intelligence behind it: God is dead,’ – it is the same absurd statement.”

When Prabhupada said this, I was convinced.  What convinces one person may not convince another, but when you are convinced, you know it.  You are fully satisfied and ready to advocate that which you are convinced about.

Lord Krishna says, “Ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures cannot obtain God consciousness; they fall down.  For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this life nor the next.”  (Bg. 4.40)  And yet we are plagued with doubts.  When we gain a strong foundation of faith and conviction, it is the best possible thing that we can have.

Some of it is gained gradually.  We have to protect it by hearing and chanting.  But first there must be a time in which this бхакти knowledge is rightly and deeply planted within the heart.  Prabhupada was the planter – and he still is, through his books and by his devotees in parampara.