There are a few segments in the holy scripture of the Christian religion, the Bible, that seem to refer to Srila Prabhupada. Lord Jesus speaks of “another counsellor” that God, the Father would send to Earth to “remind you of everything” the Lord Jesus has spoken about. Also in the Revelation there is mention of the angel coming from the East, who will mark the foreheads of the people with the “seal of God”. We present these verses with corresponding quotes from Srila Prabhupada herein for your consideration.
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever---the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." Holy Bible, John 14:16-18
Here Lord Jesus informs his disciples that in due course he will send another counsellor to guide them. He calls this counsellor the spirit of truth. He says that the world will not accept him because he cannot be seen nor known. This is the position of a pure devotee always. Although the pure devotee desires the greatest well-being for all living creatures, people misunderstand his purpose and they persecute him.
"You try to trace out the history of the world, you'll find always persons who are for Krishna or God, they have been persecuted. Lord Jesus Christ was crucified; Haridasa Thakura was caned in twenty-two marketplaces; Prahlada Maharaja was tortured by his father. So there may be such things.” (Srila Prabhupada on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.8 – October 21, 1968, Seattle)
“So sadhu, they have to preach. They have to preach. Therefore the first qualification is titiksavah, tolerant. So many people will criticize, so many people attack, so many opposing elements, and he has to fight with them. Therefore titiksavah, toleration. Just like you see, Lord Jesus Christ is so tolerant that he was crucified; still, he did not curse anybody. This is sadhu: titiksavah, tolerant. The very great example of tolerance, Christ, Jesus Christ. So similarly, Haridasa Thakura. There are many saintly persons, sadhu, who were very tolerant. So first qualification of sadhu is titiksavah. Titiksavah and karunikah: at the same time, kind. These two examples we find in the character of Lord Jesus Christ. He was being crucified, and still he was praying to God, "My Lord, they do not know what they are doing." Did he not?
Brahmananda: Yes.
Prabhupada: Yes. Just see. And he was persecuted, and still, he was kind. He was kind. Still, he was praying to God that ‘These rascals are doing. They cannot kill me, but they are thinking that I will be killed. So they are committing offense.’”
(Srila Prabhupada on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.17 – June 30, 1975, Denver)
Just as Lord Jesus was misunderstood, similarly any genuine sadhu, or a saintly person will meet with opposition for his teachings, since this world is a place where conditioned souls come to forget God. The devotee counsellor cannot be seen by our material senses since he is on a spiritual platform. Therefore one must hear and not see a sadhu.
“My Guru Maharaja used to say that "Don't try to see a sadhu by your eyes. You try to see a sadhu by ear.” (Srila Prabhupada during evening darsana – May 13, 1977, Rishikesh)
“One is forbidden to observe the activities of a pure Vaisnava from a material point of view. For the neophyte especially, considering a pure devotee from a material point of view is very injurious. One should therefore avoid observing a pure devotee externally, but should try to see the internal features and understand how he is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. In this way one can avoid seeing the pure devotee from a material point of view, and thus one can gradually become a purified devotee himself. Those who think that Krsna consciousness is limited to a certain section of people, a certain section of devotees or a certain tract of land are generally prone to see the external features of the devotee. Such neophytes, unable to appreciate the exalted service of the advanced devotee, try to bring the maha-bhagavata to their platform.” (Srila Prabhupada in NoI: verse 6)
The Counsellor lives with us since he is the external manifestation of the Supersoul (Paramatma), the localized aspect of the Supreme Godhead that resides in the heart of all living entities. We can only come to knowledge of the transcendental nature of the pure devotee when the Paramatma reveals it to us. In one sense there is no difference between the Paramatma and the external spiritual master since both of them are guiding us to advance in the matter of Krsna consciousness.
“Spiritual inspiration comes from within the heart, wherein the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His Paramatma feature, is always sitting with all His devotees and associates.” (Srila Prabhupada in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta "Concluding Words")
Paramahamsa: Do you direct us also through the heart? Besides the Paramatma? Prabhupada: If your heart is pure. Everything depends on purity.
(Morning Walk at Cheviot Hills Golf Course – May 13, 1973, Los Angeles
"But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." Holy Bible, John 14:26:
Shortly after his arrival to the USA, Srila Prabhupada wrote in a letter:
“Lord Jesus preached the message of God and I have taken up the same mission, and it would be a good luck for me if I can follow the foot prints of Lord Jesus who preached the message of God in spite of all persecution. “ (Srila Prabhupada’s letter to: Sally -- New York 19 November, 1965)
Here Srila Prabhupada clearly indicates that he only wants to follow in the foot prints of Lord Jesus. In other words as expected from a pure devotee of the Lord he is humbly taking an inferior position to Lord Jesus. Thus Srila Prabhupada is coming to preach in the name of Jesus, or on behalf of Lord Jesus.
“Everyone wants that ‘I am very honorable man, prestigious man, and you should respect me.’ That is our material disease. ‘I do not want to respect you, but you should offer me respect.’ This is the position. Therefore our system is to call another Vaisnava as prabhu: ‘Sir, you are prabhu, you are master.’ (Srila Prabhupada on Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1 – October 23, 1976, Vrndavana)
Lord Jesus further says that the Counsellor will remind the people everything Lord Jesus told them. Srila Prabhupada elaborates on the teachings of Lord Jesus and the Holy Bible on several occasions:
“So Lord Jesus Christ said, ‘My Lord, hallowed be Thy name.’ He wants to glorify the name of the Lord. And some people says that there is no name of God. How? If Lord Jesus Christ says ‘Hallowed be Thy name,’ there must be name. The name is there, but he did not pronounce it, because the people at that time will not be able to understand, or maybe some reason, but he says there is name. So we are making this propaganda, Krsna consciousness movement, the ‘Hallowed be Thy name. My Lord Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, let Your holy name be glorified.’ This is our movement. “ (Srila Prabhupada on the Bhagavad-gita 3.27 at Town Hall – June 27, 1974, Melbourne)
Srila Prabhupada revealed that the word “Christ” is a different pronunciation of the word “Krishna”. Therefore if people chant “Christ” it is non-different from chanting of the name “Krishna”, the main practices of the Hare Krishna movement Srila Prabhupada founded in the West.
“The name of God is Christ. That Christ is another form of pronouncing Krsta. And Krsta is another form of pronouncing Krishna. Therefore God's name is Krishna. So Christ said to glorify the name of God, but somebody says in Christian that there is no name of God. Why?” (Srila Prabhupada in a room conversation with Pater Emmanuel (A Benedictine Monk) -- June 22, 1974, Germany)
Pater Emmanuel: We talk God, "Father," or "our Father."
Prabhupada: No, "Father..." Just like your son may call you, "Father," but you have got a name also, "Mr. such and such." My son, your son, everyone's son calls his father, "father." But the father has a name also. Similarly, God is the general name, but still, He has got a particular name. And that name is Krsna. And that is accepted by Jesus. Jesus the Christ or Jesus the son of Christ or Krsna. And he identified himself as the son of God. Therefore the name of God is... Either you call Krsta or Krsna or Christo, it doesn't matter. The name of God is Krsna or Krsta.
(Srila Prabhupada in a room conversation with Pater Emmanuel (A Benedictine Monk) -- June 22, 1974, Germany)
Srila Prabhupada also referred to other portions of the Bible throughout his preaching mission:
“Lord Jesus Christ also said in one place that "If we are lost of our soul and if we gain the whole world, then what is the gain?'' Actually that is the fact. We are losing ourself. Suppose after making huge amass of money, amassing in the bank balance, and if I die and if I take birth in the next life as a cat and dog, then what is the benefit of amassing such a huge amount of bank balance? We should understand this.” (Srila Prabhupada in the Pandal Lecture – March 18, 1972, Bombay)
The humble and meek own the kingdom of God. This is stated in the Bible, is it not? But the philosophy of the rascals is that everyone is God, and today this idea has become popular. Therefore no one is humble and meek. If everyone thinks that he is God, why should he be humble and meek? Therefore I teach my disciples how to become humble and meek. They always offer their respectful obeisances in the temple and to the spiritual master, and in this way they make advancement. The qualities of humbleness and meekness lead very quickly to spiritual realization. (Srila Prabhupada in SSR 4a: Krsna or Christ -- The Name Is the Same)
So this is a good quality, to love your neighbor, to give them service. So if actually one person is God conscious, he must be sympathetic with the troubles of his neighbor, or anyone, not only human being; animals also. They are also living entities. A God conscious person has no discrimination between human being and animal or trees or plants, because they are also living entities. (Srila Prabhupada in a lecture at Tarrawarra Abbey – April 6, 1972, Melbourne)
"When the Counsellor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me." Holy Bible, John 15:26
In this section, Lord Jesus predicts that the Counsellor will testify about Lord Jesus. This description is again befitting Srila Prabhupada, who confirmed that Lord Jesus was a nitya-siddha, eternally liberated servant of God, who comes to the material world with the sole purpose of reclaiming the conditioned souls.
“In the Christian religion, Jesus Christ claimed to be the son of God and to be coming from the kingdom of God to reclaim conditioned souls. As followers of Bhagavad-gita, we admit this claim to be true. So basically there is no difference of opinion. In details there may be differences due to differences in culture, climate and people, but the basic principle remains the same -- that is, God or His representatives come to reclaim conditioned souls.” (Srila Prabhupada in RV 6: Knowledge of Krsna's Appearances and Activities)
"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth." Holy Bible
These words of Lord Jesus Christ are especially significant. He says there are more things he wants to reveal to his disciples, but they are not ready to bear them. But when the Counsellor comes, he will explain all these things. We are very grateful to Lord Jesus since he propagated monotheism in the Western countries and he gave an idea of kingdom of God and also of unalloyed devotion to God. Srila Prabhupada explained for the first time in the history of the Western world what is the name, form and activities of God, revealed the process of unalloyed devotional service and gave the scientific elaboration on the nature of God and His potencies, all based on the Vedic scriptures.
“Just as in the Christian Bible there is, ‘Father, give us our daily bread.’ That is good -- they are accepting the supreme father. But grown-up children should not ask from the father; rather, they should be prepared to serve the father. That is bhakti.“ (Srila Prabhupada in PQPA 3: The Real Goal of life)
“Just like in some dictionary the word is explained in one word; in some dictionary it is explained that ‘The history of this word is like this,’ ‘This word can be explained like this, like that, like that,’ some pages like that. Similarly, so far dictionary, the small pocket dictionary is also dictionary, and that Webster's International big dictionary, that is also dictionary. The difference is that international dictionary, you get details of one word. Similarly, any scripture is perfectly giving direction towards understanding what is God. But actually how God is great, how He is working, how His laws are working, all these things you can find in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.” (Srila Prabhupada on the Bhagavad-gita 4.8 – June 14, 1968, Montreal)
“Nobody believes in God. That is our proposition. Nobody believes... All this bogus. Now they should come to understand what is God, this, in this Krsna consciousness movement. Nobody believes, neither know what is God. Here we are giving the name, the address, the form, the activities -- everything of God -- Krsna consciousness.” (Srila Prabhupada in a morning walk – December 11, 1973, Los Angeles)
People to whom Lord Jesus preached were not ready to bear further information about God since they were staunch meat-eaters. It is not possible for such a sinful person to understand transcendental subject matters. For this reason Srila Prabhupada emphasized the commandment “Thou Shall Not Kill” and explained that this commandment is applicable to killing men as well as animals.
“Pariksit Maharaja. He said that God consciousness, Krsna consciousness, cannot be understood by the animal killer. Vina pasughnat [SB 10.1.4]. Nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanat. You'll find those who are animal killers, the so-called Christians and Mohammedans, they cannot understand. They (are) simply fanatics. Cannot understand what is soul, what is God. They have got some theories and they are thinking we are religionists. What is sin, what is pious activities, these things are not understood by them because they are animal killers. It is not possible. Therefore Lord Buddha propagated ahimsa. Ahimsa. Because he saw the whole human race is going to hell by this animal killing. "Let me stop them so that they may, in future, they may become sober." (Srila Prabhupada on the Bhagavad-gita 2.18 -- London, August 24, 1973)
"Jesus Christ was perfect, but because you are rascals, he did not say, because you could not understand even his one word. You are so intelligent. His commandment is 'Thou shall not kill,' but your business is to kill him first. How far you are advanced and civilized, just imagine. And you want perfect instruction. You cannot follow even one instruction. That is your position." In this way try to understand. "Jesus had to deal with rascals like you. Therefore he... Even the ordinary moral principles you could not, what to speak of other things." Actually, that is the fact. Actually, that is the fact. He had to deal with rascals and fools. Is that civilization, that first of all argue, "Thou shall not kill"? That means you were all rascals engaged in killing business. Is that civilized men? Why he said like that? Is that very good philosophy? Mean they were so low class that they had to be stopped first of all, these sinful activities. That also, they could not. This is their position. And for the last two thousand years they could not. Such nice brain. They could not understand even one instruction of Jesus Christ. And you are proud of becoming Christian, rascals. "You do not know what is Christianity, what is Jesus Christ. You are all rascals." (Srila Prabhupada in a conversation on train to Allahabad – January 11, 1977, India)
"He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears,…Holy Bible
This is again a clear indication of Srila Prabhupada. The bona fide spiritual never speaks anything manufactured. He only presents what he has heard from the disciplic succession. In this way the message is not misinterpreted.
“I don't speak anything which I have not heard from my Guru Maharaja.” (Srila Prabhupada in a room conversation – January 24, 1977, Bhubaneswar)
“People say that ‘Swamiji, you have done miracles.’ But what miracles I have done? I am simply repeating Krsna's words.” (Srila Prabhupada in Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.5 – November 8, 1973, Delhi)
“The guru is one because he comes in disciplic succession. What Vyasadeva and Krsna taught five thousand years ago is also being taught now. There is no difference between the two instructions. Although hundreds and thousands of acaryas have come and gone, the message is one. The real guru cannot be two, for the real guru does not speak differently from his predecessors. Some spiritual teachers say, "In my opinion you should do this," but this is not a guru. Such so-called gurus are simply rascals.” (Srila Prabhupada in SSR 2a: What Is a Guru?)
“ ...and he will tell you WHAT IS YET TO COME." Holy Bible
Srila Prabhupada also pointed our attention to many prophecies in the Vedas about the age that is yet to come.
“...ultimately, with the advancement of Kali-yuga you'll have no food. Food means there will be no food grains, there will be no milk, there will be no sugar -- like that. No fruits. If you get fruits, there will be no pulp; it is simply seeds. These things are there. You get a mango, but a mango means simply the big seed, that's all.” (Srila Prabhupada in a room conversation and reading from SB 1.5.1–16 and 12th Canto – June 25, 1976, New Vrindavan)
“In the last stage of Kali-yuga there will be no food grains, no milk, no fruits. So very horrible time. People will kill their own children and eat just like animals. So the last stage of Kali-yuga it will be like that.” (Srila Prabhupada in a room conversation and interview – July 3, 1972, New York)
Besides these references to the Counsellor, the Bible also speaks of an “angel coming up from the east” in the Revelation. Since Srila Prabhupada arrived to the West from India, he fits the description perfectly.
“Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: ‘Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.’” (Revelation 7.1-3) Holy Bible
It is significant to note that the angel from the east will himself have “a seal of the living God” and also put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of God. This refers to the Vaishnava marking of tilaka Srila Prabhupada wore.
“One should decorate the body with tilaka, which is the sign of the Vaisnavas. (The idea is that as soon as a person sees these marks on the body of the Vaisnava, he will immediately remember Krsna. Lord Caitanya said that a Vaisnava is he who, when seen, reminds one of Krsna. Therefore, it is essential that a Vaisnava mark his body with tilaka to remind others of Krsna.)" (Srila Prabhupada in NoD 6: How to Discharge Devotional Service)
The devotees put tilaka on their foreheads to remind others of God and simultaneously to be protected from the superintendents of death. It is stated in the Vedas: "Persons who are decorated with tilaka or gopi-candana [a kind of clay resembling fuller's earth which is produced in certain quarters of Vrndavana], and who mark their bodies all over with the holy names of the Lord, and on whose necks and breasts there are tulasi beads, are never approached by the Yamadutas." (Skanda Purana)
Srila Prabhupada insisted that his devotees wear tilaka always.
“…every one of my disciples must have the flag & marks of tilak on forehead. This is essential. (Srila Prabhupada’s letter to: Damodara -- Calcutta 13 October, 1967)
We pray that everyone understands the significance of Srila Prabhupada’s appearance in this world and takes interest in his teachings and thus become further appreciative of the teachings of Lord Jesus Christ. Also we pray that everyone understands the sacrifice of Lord Jesus Christ has undergone to preach God consciousness. By following instructions of these great souls, our heart is purified and with the purified we can take up the supreme religion of all living entities -pure devotional service. Such service is never limited by material boundaries of religious sect, nationality, gender or race. Srila Prabhupada concludes:
“Christ says that ‘I am son of God.’ And Krsna says ‘I am God.’ So there is no difference. Son of God and God, we respect everyone. If I respect your father, I respect you also. Do you mean to say if I disrespect your father, you'll be pleased upon me? No. That is our philosophy. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that I am servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Krsna [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. So if anyone loves Krsna, he must love Lord Jesus Christ also. And if one perfectly loves Jesus Christ he must love Krsna. If he says, ‘Why shall I love Krsna? I shall love Jesus Christ,’ then he has no knowledge. And if one says, ‘Why shall I love Jesus Christ? I shall love…’, then he has also no knowledge. If one understands Krsna, then he will understand Jesus Christ. If one understands Jesus Christ, you'll understand Krsna.” (Srila Prabhupada in a room conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 12, 1969, Columbus, Ohio)
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