Prabhupada in Malaysia

3: Preaching, That Is Wanted

4: The Arrival

5: A Tight Schedule

6: Prabhupada In Ipoh

Chapter Three

Preaching,That Is Wanted

India

May 2^nd, 1971

Madhudvisa: “No one really thought Prabhupada was leaving India. In India, Prabhupada was the cutting edge of the whole movement. He was the force. Things were moving because of Prabhupada. In the Western countries, Prabhupada would give the idea, and the devotees would expand on it;

Prabhupada was the overseer, but he didn’t have such an integral active part in the West. But in India, Prabhupada was right in the thick of it. He was checking the accounts. He was so much involved in the Indian scene that Rsi Kumara, the Bombay treasurer, would have to go to Prabhupada every other day and show him the accounts. He was very much involved in everything. The whole movement in India depended on Prabhupada. Because of this, no one thought that Prabhupada would really leave us.”

Srila Prabhupada had been in India for more than eight months, but as a sannyasi and founder of a worldwide society, the time to travel to other centres around the world had come. Many sadhus and gurus in India claim to be jagatguru, but never leave Vrndavana or India. But it is the duty of a guru to deliver others. Lecturing from Srimad-Bhagavatam in Vrndavana in October, 1976, Srila Prabhupada elucidates on the duty of a real guru:

Krsna says: “Mam hi partha vyapasritya ye ‘pi syuh papa-yonayah.” Sama-cittah. This is explanation. Anyone who takes shelter of Krsna’s lotus feet, he is te ‘pi yanti param gatim. He’s eligible to go back home back to Godhead. So Krsna gives this liberty, open to everyone. Now who will act it? Who will induce people even though he’s born low grade family, mam hi partha … ye ‘pi syuh papa-yoni. Papa-yoni means one who is born in papa- yoni, in low-grade family. They say candala, yavana, mleccha. But Krsna is giving liberty to everyone. Ye ‘pi syuh papa-yonayah. Ye ‘nye ca papa. Sukadeva Gosvami said. Then who will do it? You are a big sadhu, very learned sadhu, and if you sit down: ‘No no, I shall not go out of India. As soon as I cross the sea, immediately I’ll become fallen.’ Then who will do this business? Krsna wants that te ‘pi yanti param gatim. Ye ‘pi syuh papa-yonayah. Then who will deliver papa-yoni? If I am a big sannyasi and big devotee, I do not go outside Vrndavana, I do not go outside India. I am jagat-guru. Have you seen jagat ? No.

I’m self-made jagat-guru. This is going on. Cheating. This cheating is going on.

What is mahatma they do not know; still, they are posing themselves mahatma. Mahatmaji he. So they are not mahatma. Mahat, the first qualification is sama-cittah. Everyone must be delivered. Not I alone. I am undergoing severe austerities, I shall become Brahman and my business is finished. No. Others should be. That is sama-cittah. Others. Just Prahlada Maharaja said: “I do not wish to go alone to Vaikuntha unless I take all these rascals with me.” That is Vaisnava. Maya-sukhaya varam udvahato vimudhan. These vimudhan who are so much entangled in this material world and trying to adjust things for peace and happiness, unnecessanly they do not know. So I want to take them. That is Vaisnava. Alone I don’t want. Just like Narada Muni. Narada Muni is travelling all over the universe. He’s going to hell, heaven, everywhere, and trying to make disciples who can become Krsna’s devotee. He does not stay anywhere for more than three minutes, like that. He’s travelling always. This is sama-cittah. Always going everywhere. You become devotee, you become Krsna conscious so that your life will be successful. Preaching. That is wanted.

While in India Srila Prabhupada wrote to Rupanuga:

Sannyasa means they should travel extensively, create new centres and new devotees—that is sannyasa business.

And to Satsvarupa in January of 1970 he explained another reason for his travelling:

In this old age I am going with this party just to set an example to my disciples who have recently taken Sannyasa order.

The real acarya not only teaches but practices himself. He teaches by example. Although 75 years of age, Srila Prabhupada was setting a pace in his travelling and preaching, which his younger disciples could hardly keep up with. Srila Prabhupada was planning to go to Sydney in Australia, to install the Deities of Radha Gopinatha: the same Ones Who had presided over the pandal programmes in Bombay. En route he wanted to stop over in Malaysia to see his disciples there and to follow up on the possible offer of free land and temple. Hanuman and the devotees were requesting Srila Prabhupada to come and like a

loving father he was reciprocating. However, Srila Prabhupada’s exact departure from Bombay was still not definite. On 26^th April, to Tamala Krsna Maharaja he wrote:

My passport is required immediately. If the new one is not ready then immediately send the old one. I am leaving for Kuala Lumpur this Friday, the 30^th April, and so I must have it, otherwise my journey will be cancelled. Syamasundara has already advised about this by telephone call. The visa problem is also most urgent.

Srila Prabhupada’s flight had to be re-arranged. On 30^th Apri1 he wrote to Karandhara:

I am still in Bombay and am supposed to go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia next Monday. I was supposed to go today but did not because my new passport was misdelivered by the post office. So I am trying to reserve my seat and probably will be going on Monday.

Back in Malaysia, Bali Mardan had returned from Australia, and preparations were being made for Srila Prabhupada’s arrival—accommodation and preaching programmes around the country. Still it was not certain till the last moment whether Srila Prabhupada would come. At last the passport, lost in the post, arrived, visas were obtained and Srila Prabhupada was on his way to Kuala Lumpur. On 3^rd May, 1971, Prabhupada boarded the Air India flight. Accompanied by Vegavan das, his servant for the journey, and the two most exalted passengers, Their worshipable Lordships, the Deities of Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha.

Chapter Four The Arrival

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia May 3^rd, 1971

“30,000 protestors moved out of Washington by police. Thousands arrested.

The Vietnam war rages on. The American troops becoming disheartened. Malaysia sends trade mission to Red China.” Big news, capturing the attention of the whole world. In contrast Prabhupada’s arrival in Malaysia went almost unnoticed, with little mention in the news. Yet in reality his presence was far more significant than all the mundane events in the media. United Nations, political adjustments, welfare organizations… None can actually bring an end to the sufferings of the world—birth, death, disease and old-age. They have no idea. But Srila Prabhupada was carrying the simple message of how to solve the problems and bring peace and happiness amongst mankind. Srila Prabhupada knew that by presenting purely the timeless message of Bhagavad-gita and the chanting of the Holy Names of God, a true United Nations could be attained, based on the equality of the soul and service to Godhead.

He was coming to a country with a population of around 12,000,000, about the same number as had attended the Ardha Kumbha Mela a few months earlier in Allahabad, India.

Thirty or so devotees and well-wishers, had gathered at the Subang Airport in Kuala Lumpur, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Srila Prabhupada. It was evening time. Only one or two days notice had been given, otherwise the crowd would have been larger: Loud kirtana, chanting of the Holy Names, was going on behind the glass partition. Suddenly Srila Prabhupada appeared, followed by his servant Vegavan who was carrying Radharani, wrapped in cloth, in his arms. (The Deity of Lord Krsna was packed in a wooden crate in

the check-in luggage.) Everyone fell to the ground to offer obeisances, and then came forward to offer Srila Prabhupada profuse garlands. In the VIP lounge kirtana continued, as Srila Prabhupada offered blessings to those present.

Hanuman had arranged for Srila Prabhupada to stay in the house of Tan Sri Kishu, the wealthy owner of Globe Silk Store. A convoy of cars left the airport, behind the limousine taking Prabhupada to his host’s house. Arrangements were lavish, Prabhupada’s room being finely decorated with thick soft carpets and beautiful mirrors around the walls. But Srila Prabhupada had come to preach, and not to enjoy comfortable facilities. Shortly after arriving in the house he spoke to the crowd lecturing from the Bhagavad-gita 14.26:

mamcayo‘vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate

sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyayakalpate

“One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.”

Later that evening he spoke at the Laxmi Narayana Temple in Gombak, where his disciples had stayed when they first came to Kuala Lumpur. As almost all the audience were North Indians Prabhupada spoke in Hindi. The hall was small and rectangular shaped. Amogha recounts the scene: “We made a nice vyasasana from a few items like pillows, beautiful brocade cloth etc. I sat down and sang into a microphone and played the harmonium, while Srila Prabhupada arrived. He sat on the vyasasana we had made, myself being on the floor to his left. I don’t remember what Srila Prabhupada said there, but I just remember sitting there trying to listen. How completely calm His Divine Grace was, always spotlessly clean, garlanded with fragrant flowers and emanating the sweet aroma of sandalwood paste which he often had on his forehead.”

After the programme they returned to Tan Sri Kishu’s house. Prabhupada refused to accept any cooked food, even that cooked by Bali Mardan, as the hosts were not vegetarian.

Knowing the difficulty the devotees had been facing when invited by non-vegetarians to eat in their homes, he was showing them the standard, by example. He would only accept milk and fruit.

The Deities of Radha and Krsna, who had accompanied Prabhupada from Bombay, were safely stored in the house until their departure, in a few days to Sydney.

Arrangements for Srila Prabhupada’s schedule in Malaysia had not been confirmed because of the uncertainty of his arrival. Actually on that very night Monday, 3^rd May he had been booked to speak at the Moral Uplifting Society Hall in Teluk Anson. Arrangements had even been made to fly Srila Prabhupada in a helicopter straight from Subang Airport to the programme.

Advertisements had been printed and distributed around the town:

[HERE FOLLOWS A COPY OF THE PRINTED PROGRAM AND THE ARTICLE FROM THE TAMIL NEWSPAPER]

Even the local Tamil Malar newspaper stated that His Divine Grace will, upon arrival at Subang Airport, leave immediately by helicopter for Teluk Anson. His arrival was late and

the plan did not materialise. Hanuman das ended up conducting the programme in front of a packed audience.

The article reads:

Swami Prabhupada Arrives By Plane And Leaves For Teluk Anson By Helicopter Kuala Lumpur: May 3

The ISKCON leader Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada arrived from Bombay this evening. He immediately left for Teluk Anson by helicopter. He is on his way to Australia and Moscow and will spend 6 days in Malaysia. This evening he will lecture in Teluk Anson at the Moral Uplifting Society Hall.

Tomorrow (Tuesday), by the invitation of Dato S.P. Seenivasagam, the City Council Chairman of Ipoh, Swami Prabhupada will be leaving for Ipoh. There he will speak in St. John’s Hall. The programme is arranged by the Krishna Temple committee.

On Wednesday Prabhupada will leave for Penang. There he will speak at the Ramakrishna Hall.

On Thursday he will return to Kuala Lumpur, as a guest in the house of Tan Sri Kishu, a famous businessman.

On Friday at 8pm Prabhupada will lecture at the Town Hall. The meeting is organised by the Malaysian Hindu Sangam, and chaired by Tun Sambanthan. On Friday afternoon he will take lunch at Tun Sambanthan’s house. On Saturday night Prabhupada leaves for Sydney. From there he will fly to Moscow, on the invitation of the University of Moscow.

Prabhupada Lectures In Ipoh Tuesday May 4

At the St. John’s Ambulance Hall in Anderson Rd at 8pm, Srila Prabhupada will be lecturing on Bhagavad-gita and Sri Krishna Paramatma. The Sri Krishna Temple committee kindly invites the general public to attend the function and get the benefit.

Datin S.P. Seenivasagam, wife of the Mayor of Ipoh, and Mr Om Prakash Shukla had met Srila Prabhupada at the airport, and had confirmed that the next day, Tuesday (May 4^th), he would come to Ipoh for a programme. Prabhupada would stay overnight at Datin Seenivasagam’s house, so she rushed back to Ipoh to make arrangements.

The next morning, Swami Sivajyoti who had been helping the devotees, arrived to request Srila Prabhupada to come to Teluk Anson. Even though he had missed the programme the night before, Prabhupada agreed. After a breakfast of fruit, they set off, in a rented Mercedes car, with Srila Prabhupada sitting alone in the back seat and Bali Mardan, and the driver in the front. Vegavan and Swami Sivajyoti travelled in another car. Amogha and Gopal left for Ipoh, to prepare for the evening programme there.

Chapter Five

A Tight Schedule

Teluk Anson

Tuesday May 4^th, 1971

The preaching schedule was very tight. Two programmes, far distance from each other, had been arranged on Tuesday. The next day Prabhupada was to fly to Penang for an evening programme there. As they sped up the old road, they were met in the small town of Bidor by some of the programme organisers. They proceeded in a small convoy to Teluk Anson. Although Teluk Anson has a small population, there are many pious Hindus living in and around the town. Tremendous interest had been stirred already by the devotees’ presence there for several weeks prior to Prabhupada’s visit. Many were eagerly awaiting his arrival even though it was midday on Tuesday.

It had been arranged that Prabhupada would rest for the afternoon in the house of Mr C.G. Waran, a local hospital administrator, and then in the evening speak at the house of Dato Sithambaran Pillay, a prominent member of the Hindu society in Perak. As they slowly approached Mr Waran’s house, local Hindus lined the roadside chanting the maha-mantra. Around 200 gathered in the compound of the house, an old wooden government bungalow. It was midday and very hot. The kirtana was rousing, and the barefooted devotees were a novelty for the locals. Mr Waran garlanded Prabhupada and then performed the foot bathing ceremony. Prabhupada then retired to his room for rest.

Mr Waran: “I was to get married in a couple of days, so I had some new bed-sheets saved, which I gave for him to use. I thought it would be a great blessing if Swamiji would use them. I was so blessed and fortunate to have the opportunity to host him, to wash his holy feet, to fan him and garland him. I needed his blessings for my marriage.”

Around 4pm Prabhupada took fruits and then came into the hall of the house where a small crowd had gathered. Bhakta Neo describes the scene:

“Prabhupada seemed very tired after all the travelling. I don’t think he was too pleased with the tight arrangements. He wanted to take rest. After resting Srila Prabhupada came out. He sat on a raised platform. Hanuman conducted the puja. He had all the paraphernalia ready for puja, but he was so nervous, he was fumbling so much, and Prabhupada just gave him a very disapproving look.”

After a short talk and bhajanas they proceeded to Dato Sithambaran Pillay’s house, where a crowd of around 100 had gathered. Prabhupada played the karatals whilst the devotees sang. Afterwards he spoke for around 20 minutes in English with Tamil translation.

Everyone was ecstatic. Mr Shriram who was present describes his feelings: “A wonderful function. I have not seen anything like that before. It was a real experience. That experience we will not get again. That part of life was fantastic. We were very active then. Some people criticized that Hare Krsna was into drugs, but we didn’t care because we knew they weren’t, and we were happy.” Many people of Teluk Intan (Teluk Anson in 1971) treasure that time and are still chanting the maha-mantra today.

After the programme, as the people came before Prabhupada one by one for prasadam and blessings, Prabhupada noticed one man dressed in traditional Bengali style. Dr. Deb, with his special silk Bhagalpur dhoti from Gaya. They began to converse in Bengali: “Apnar nam ki? Koto botsor e dese esechen. 50 botsor. Bhalo korechen. Ami amar. Sonsarih khaj ses koile California chore gelam. Jokhon thakur ese dakle…” Prabhupada: “What is your name? How many years have you been in this country?” Dr. Deb: “Fifty years.” Prabhupada: “That is very good. After finishing my family life I went to California. Lord Krsna called me to go there.” In this way they spoke.

It was getting late and a two-hour journey to Ipoh awaited them. On their way they called at the house of Mr. Kalaisami Pillay, where Swami Sivajyoti stayed. The Swami then took them for darshan at the Maha Mariamman Temple. The prograrnme in Ipoh was scheduled at 8pm. Already it was 7pm. The Swami had promised to arrange transport but nothing was happening. Actually he intended to keep Prabhupada in Teluk Anson overnight and deliberately failed to make arrangements. Eventually Prabhupada had to travel by taxi.

Chapter Six Prabhupada In Ipoh

Ipoh

May 5^th, 1971 — Evening

St. John’s Hall was packed with a crowd of almost 1000, eagerly awaiting Srila Prabhupada’s arrival. The local members of the Ipoh Krishna Temple, plus a few other supporters had arranged for Srila Prabhupada to speak in this large hall. Prabhupada had not come. Unaware of the cause of the hold-up the crowd became restless. Hanuman, who had left Teluk Anson early on a large motorcycle, jumped up onto the stage, and led a roaring kirtana. The mood changed and everyone was appeased. Around 9pm Prabhupada’s taxi pulled in. The crowd thronged around him, covering him with flowers and garlands and touching his feet. They crowded around him all the way to the stage. Children sprinkled flowers at his feet. Others eagerly reached out for the dust. The enthusiasm was tremendous. The crowd was mixed. Mostly North and South Indians with some Chinese.

Many in the crowd seemed surprised how so many educated Westerners from good families had dedicated their lives to following an “Indian Swami”.

Bhakta Neo was struck with reverence when he saw Prabhupada walking down the aisle: “One thing I remember about that was Prabhupada’s face. He was just emanating that humility, extreme humility. Though he was so great it was like he was constantly remembering that he is an insignificant servant of Krsna. That was the impression I got when I saw him.”

After mounting the stage Prabhupada led kirtana and then spoke from Bhagavad-gita. Mr Indrajeet Sharma remembers some of the topics Srila Prabhupada explained: “Men are greedy for power, everyone trying to show his superiority over the other. We are forgetting the Supreme power. You have no power, real power is with Krsna. India was once one.

Gandhi, one leader, then three. Why? Because of greed leading to destruction. If we want peace we must believe in Him, Lord Krsna. We must give up this greed and take shelter of the Supreme power.”

Mr Shamlal: “Prabhupada spoke in English. He seemed very pleased with the large turnout. He explained how he had organised the Hare Krsna movement in the West, and would like to see things organised here similarly. Three of the elderly members of our temple garlanded Prabhupada including my father.” Prabhupada spoke for around 20 minutes.

Afterwards he distributed prasadam during another rousing kirtana. Around 10.30pm, Prabhupada left the hall.

Many people followed Prabhupada back to Dato S.P. Seenivasagam’s residence, hoping to get further darsana with His Divine Grace. It was very late, and Prabhupada had not stopped all day.

Amogha: “It is important to note how determined Srila Prabhupada was to preach Krsna consciousness, entirely dependent on Krsna’s mercy. It was very hot, humid weather. He

had to travel miles by car to repeated programmes, and still he went on. It was almost as if Srila Prabhupada didn’t have a physical body at all. He told Bali Mardan, ‘I could leave my body at any moment’.”

His host Datin S.P. Seenivasagam showed him to his room. Again Prabhupada refused to eat more than fruits and milk. Datin S.P. Seenivasagam recalls:

“I had no problem serving him because the people of Ipoh brought lots of fruit and milk. I prepared his dinner, but he said he wouldn’t take anything, only fruits and milk, so we offered him that. He called me into his room and gave me some fruits and milk. I asked him about Krsna, ‘Is there really a Lord Krsna?’ He said, ‘This is all His work. Can’t you see His work going on?’ I asked him, ‘Can you see God?’ He answered, ‘Can’t you see that I can see God by my work?’ A few days before Prabhupada came I had a dream that my servant came into my room and told me that Laxmi Narayana were outside my house talking about me. I didn’t know what it meant but I realised when Prabhupada came. It was a great pleasure to host such a great man. I must have done something good in my last life.” Prabhupada was very tired and took rest around 11.30pm.

Early next morning Srila Prabhupada visited the Krishna Temple in Lahat Lane. The committee members had invited him and a large crowd had gathered. Prabhupada walked around the temple giving practical hints to the temple leaders how to improve things. Om Prakash Shukla remembers the incident: “As Srila Prabhupada got up from bowing down he said in Hindi – vamsi he lathi he. Flute or fighting stick? Somebody had put an extremely long stick in Krsna’s hands, supposed to be a flute. It looked more like the stick one would use for fighting. I felt ashamed. He just said to those near him. The Deity’s thumb had been broken for years. He told us we should replace with new Deity.” Prabhupada also gave ideas as to proper prayers to chant.

The Shamlal family had become very close to the devotees during the previous few months, and had regularly fed them when they were in Ipoh. That morning they had prepared breakfast of milk, parathas, subji and gulabs and they brought it to the temple. Datin S.P. Seenivasagam brought fruits and milk. Everyone got the mercy of Srila Prabhupada’s remnants. After prasadam, Prabhupada led a bhajana and spoke in English and Hindi to the audience.

Mr Indrajeet Sharma summarizes the speech: “Srila Prabhupada said how his Guru had sent him to America to spread the word of God. On landing in New York he had no contacts, he did not know where to go. He only had US$9. He said he left everything up to the Almighty. He started chanting alone and slowly devotees came forward. Any success was entirely due to the mercy of his Guru and Krsna, and in having complete faith in chanting the Holy Name.

From the Krishna Temple he was to go straight to the airport to catch a late morning flight to Penang. Somehow the car didn’t turn up, so Mr A.V Sundram, brother of Tun Sambanthan drove Prabhupada in his car. Around 70 people followed, on motorcycles, taxis or whatever way they could.

At the airport the devotees took the cushions off of the chairs in the waiting lounge and made a makeshift vyasasana. “Prabhupada sat on cushions on the floor. He sat like a Lord,” said Indrajeet Sharma. Everyone else sat on the bare floor at his feet. The devotees were leading kirtana. The other passengers stood in amazement. When Prabhupada went through the departure gate the kirtana party just followed him right on to the runway. The airport

officials were bewildered and couldn’t do anything. No one expected it. The ecstatic chanting went on twenty metres from the plane and continued until the plane disappeared on the horizon. Everyone fell flat on the grass to offer full obeisances.