Luminary of Love

On this day, 47 years ago, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a luminary of love, departed from this world. We digest the pain, rejoice in gratitude, reflect on our reciprocation, and offer some humble words to highlight his greatness.

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Dear Srila Prabhupada

There are many poetic ways to describe love. One great saint, whose writings you revered and repeatedly referenced, penned this beautiful insight:

"When the affectionate bond between a young man and a young woman can never be destroyed, even when there is every cause for the destruction of that relationship, the attachment between them is said to be pure love." This is the nature of the eternal loving affairs between Lord Krishna and His pure associates. (Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakur)

Even the most acute situations cannot endanger the relationship of lovers. Nothing can impede the divine flow of intimate feeling exchanged between them. You, Srila Prabhupada, are the living proof. Despite unthinkable adversities, your devotion came shining through with increased intensity every single time. You emerged from disturbing situations completely unscathed and ever-inspired in your loving offering to Krishna. Unstoppable.

Can we keep going, keep giving, keep serving… even when people frustrate us, disappoint us, ridicule and criticise us in unkind ways, showing an astounding lack of appreciation and gratitude? You did.

Can we keep going, keep giving, keep serving… even when there are reversals, obstacles and intimidating complications which seem insurmountable and thoroughly deflating? You did.

Can we keep going, keep giving, keep serving… even when Krishna’s reciprocation isn’t immediately clear, and when baffling events start transpiring contrary to our hopes and expectations? You did.

Can we keep going, keep giving, keep serving… expending all available energy, even when the body is failing, the health is declining, and the vitality is waning? You did.

Your service, sacrifice and surrender is off-the-scale. You are a luminary of devotion and a powerhouse of love – the irresistible force that smashes through every material barrier imaginable. Your seamless connection with Lord Krishna, mediated by Sri Guru, was entirely uninterrupted. For you, the pain of not serving far outweighed any perceived pain we encounter within service – and therefore, in every situation, however challenging, you couldn’t stop serving with love. Giving, giving, giving, right till the last breath.

How can I ever make it, so distant from such purity? Stonehearted and dry, I shudder to think what Krishna must feel like to be on the receiving end of my apathetic, dry offerings. I sometimes wonder if I’ll ever get there. But then I smile, knowing that I’m connected to the powerhouse of love. You came to our level, captured our imagination, conquered our hearts, and connected us to the most mystical movement in creation. Though a beggar, impoverished in love, your brilliance is drawing out some devotion from my steel-framed heart. Please accept me as a tiny servant in your masterplan to jolt this crazy world out of spiritual amnesia. Please give me a chance to serve you – everything else, quite frankly, is a useless waste of time. When all is said and done, our connection with you will be our saving grace.

Begging to remain, close to your lotus feet, S.B. Keshava Swami