I arrived on the 14th of May - this was my first visit to the Zurich yatra. Divyasimha Prabhu, one of the leaders of Zurich temple had participated in some courses on spiritual culture which I had given in Mayapur this year, and he had repeatedly requested me to visit their temple until I finally decided to accept his invitation. After all it is not too far from Goloka Dham, where I am regularly visiting.
 | Of course, I had been many times to Zurich and other parts of Swizzerland before, especially also since my brother lives here. But I had never visited the devotees. Some 35 years ago ISKCON had purchased an old villa in a respectable area of Zurich - not far from the city center and the famous Zurich Lake. It had been the home of one of the first and most wealthy bankers of Zurich - the famous bankers' city of the world. |
Now Lord Jagannath is residing here - the Lord of the Universe, together with Sri Baladeva and Subhadra, and also Sri Sri Gaur Nitai. The building offers perfect facilities for the devotees: there is plenty of space for ashrams, offices, a nice temple room, Prabhupada's Museum, guest rooms and a well equipped kitchen, everything on three floors of the old mansion. In the backside of the building is a naturally kept garden with big trees and lawns offering additional space for children and guests to relax at festivals and Sunday programs. In the front part of the garden are tables and chairs, where devotees and guests can take prasadam.
The set-up is indeed a perfect arrangement. Some 30 years ago it had been a buzzing place. It was the home of more than one hundred devotees - one of the main centers for book distribution. In those days Swizzerland was famous for its stalwart Sankirtan heroes. Now there are only a few devotees here, but they are very serious and wonderful Vaisnavas who know the art of creating a Krsna conscious, homey and hospitable atmosphere.
The devotees had arranged a busy schedule for me: SB classes, a two-session seminar on "Death - our Final Challenge", the Sunday Feast lecture, an istha ghosthi with the temple devotees introducing the topic of "Giving and Accepting Shelter", and a matajis' program. On Sunday after the feast Madhava Prabhu was singing for two hours - he is based here in Zurich, and whenever he is not traveling he visits the temple and leads kirtan. One morning I was invited to visit him and his wife in their home in a suburb out of Zurich. One can still sense that it used to be a nice Swiss village - very peaceful and quiet, with old farm houses. It was nice to associate with Madhava Prabhu and his good wife on a more personal note - outside of festivals and Kirtan Mela's, simply visiting their home for a cup of tea and some sweets.....
One afternoon we drove to the nearby community in Langenthal, and I gave an evening program there. Around 30 devotees have started a village community here, with a little school for the young children. Their Siksa Guru is Caitanya Candra Prabhu from Orissa, a disciple of HH Gour Govinda Maharaja. The devotees are endeavoring to keep their life simple and traditional.
After our program the devotees were feeding us with nice prasadam, and the mood was eager and hospitable.
On another evening we traveled to the city of St. Gallen, which is around
80 km's East of Zurich. For around 20 years the devotees have maintained a regular and lively Nama Hatta program here, and now I was invited to visit and give the lecture. We spent a good portion of our time in kirtan, and I spoke on deeper aspects of chanting the holy name. Devotees asked good questions, and we had thought-provoking discussions. After taking prasadam we returned to Zurich - almost around midnight.
My time in Zurich was marked by extraordinary exchanges. On the second day of my arrival somebody knocked on my door, and when I went to answer I had Radhe Syam Prabhu in front of me. It was he who convinced me to join the temple in Sydney/Australia exactly 30 years ago - my vartma pradarsaka Guru, who had introduced me to Krsna consciousness! He had been a brahmacari at the time, and the head pujari for Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda. He had given me Prabhupada's books in German, and had engaged me in service in the pujari room. And he had preached to me eight hours a day, responding to my unlimited questions and doubts in a very expert way, until on the fifth day I came to realize I had to try this process of devotional service. My search had come to an end, and I finally had come home.....
I am telling the entire story in details on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScEwRQp_Ee4
The devotees had arranged a busy schedule for me: SB classes, a two-session seminar on "Death - our Final Challenge", the Sunday Feast lecture, an istha ghosthi with the temple devotees introducing the topic of "Giving and Accepting Shelter", and a matajis' program. On Sunday after the feast Madhava Prabhu was singing for two hours - he is based here in Zurich, and whenever he is not traveling he visits the temple and leads kirtan. One morning I was invited to visit him and his wife in their home in a suburb out of Zurich. One can still sense that it used to be a nice Swiss village - very peaceful and quiet, with old farm houses. It was nice to associate with Madhava Prabhu and his good wife on a more personal note - outside of festivals and Kirtan Mela's, simply visiting their home for a cup of tea and some sweets.....
One afternoon we drove to the nearby community in Langenthal, and I gave an evening program there. Around 30 devotees have started a village community here, with a little school for the young children. Their Siksa Guru is Caitanya Candra Prabhu from Orissa, a disciple of HH Gour Govinda Maharaja. The devotees are endeavoring to keep their life simple and traditional.
After our program the devotees were feeding us with nice prasadam, and the mood was eager and hospitable.
On another evening we traveled to the city of St. Gallen, which is around
80 km's East of Zurich. For around 20 years the devotees have maintained a regular and lively Nama Hatta program here, and now I was invited to visit and give the lecture. We spent a good portion of our time in kirtan, and I spoke on deeper aspects of chanting the holy name. Devotees asked good questions, and we had thought-provoking discussions. After taking prasadam we returned to Zurich - almost around midnight.
My time in Zurich was marked by extraordinary exchanges. On the second day of my arrival somebody knocked on my door, and when I went to answer I had Radhe Syam Prabhu in front of me. It was he who convinced me to join the temple in Sydney/Australia exactly 30 years ago - my vartma pradarsaka Guru, who had introduced me to Krsna consciousness! He had been a brahmacari at the time, and the head pujari for Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda. He had given me Prabhupada's books in German, and had engaged me in service in the pujari room. And he had preached to me eight hours a day, responding to my unlimited questions and doubts in a very expert way, until on the fifth day I came to realize I had to try this process of devotional service. My search had come to an end, and I finally had come home.....
I am telling the entire story in details on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScEwRQp_Ee4
And now we met again - after many years.....! Interestingly enough, a couple of weeks before one devotee had sent him the above link where I am telling how I came to Krsna consciousness, and listening to "my story" had inspired him to now come and see me.
Yes, it was wonderful to meet again. When I exclaimed "my vartma pradarsaka Guru...!" he responded in a humble mood: "The perfection of my life....!"
Life had taken its course - we both had gone through many phases of life, and now he had just turned sixty. We spent some time sharing many things. I expressed my deep gratitude for everything he had done for me in those early days, feeling a strong desire to somehow reciprocate and offer something in return. I invited him to come and visit us in Bangladesh, and his eyes lit up at the thought. A place where he had not been yet....!
It would be simply wonderful if it would ever happen.....
Another heart moving encounter was to meet Sankirtan Prabhu. He had also joined in Sydney around the same time - the three of us had been in the same temple. Over the years I had met him regularly in Mayapur or Vrindavan - he is still a brahmacari and has been preaching in China and neigboring countries. I knew he had been diagnosed with lymphatic cancer some three years ago. Now I met him here in the Zurich temple at the Sunday program - he had just returned from China in order to prepare himself to leave this world.....
Meeting him was once again a strong wake-up call that sooner or later our body will fall apart and eventually disintegrate....
When talking to him he excitedly exclaimed: "Now they have given me the recommendation to take Sannyasa! They have all agreed to it...!"
When we face death, such achievements have no longer any value and significance. There is no shelter in those achievements....
I smilingly responded: "No need for another upadhi - just before you leave...."
We had all joined around the same time in Sydney, and our lives had taken such different turns. I remembered the analogy of the waves of the ocean bringing together some grains of sand, and shortly after washing them apart again. And after 30 years once again the waves were bringing us together for a short moment, to once again wash us apart.....
Pondering over these extraordinary encounters I moved on to Germany on the 22nd of May.....
Your servant, Devaki dd
Yes, it was wonderful to meet again. When I exclaimed "my vartma pradarsaka Guru...!" he responded in a humble mood: "The perfection of my life....!"
Life had taken its course - we both had gone through many phases of life, and now he had just turned sixty. We spent some time sharing many things. I expressed my deep gratitude for everything he had done for me in those early days, feeling a strong desire to somehow reciprocate and offer something in return. I invited him to come and visit us in Bangladesh, and his eyes lit up at the thought. A place where he had not been yet....!
It would be simply wonderful if it would ever happen.....
Another heart moving encounter was to meet Sankirtan Prabhu. He had also joined in Sydney around the same time - the three of us had been in the same temple. Over the years I had met him regularly in Mayapur or Vrindavan - he is still a brahmacari and has been preaching in China and neigboring countries. I knew he had been diagnosed with lymphatic cancer some three years ago. Now I met him here in the Zurich temple at the Sunday program - he had just returned from China in order to prepare himself to leave this world.....
Meeting him was once again a strong wake-up call that sooner or later our body will fall apart and eventually disintegrate....
When talking to him he excitedly exclaimed: "Now they have given me the recommendation to take Sannyasa! They have all agreed to it...!"
When we face death, such achievements have no longer any value and significance. There is no shelter in those achievements....
I smilingly responded: "No need for another upadhi - just before you leave...."
We had all joined around the same time in Sydney, and our lives had taken such different turns. I remembered the analogy of the waves of the ocean bringing together some grains of sand, and shortly after washing them apart again. And after 30 years once again the waves were bringing us together for a short moment, to once again wash us apart.....
Pondering over these extraordinary encounters I moved on to Germany on the 22nd of May.....
Your servant, Devaki dd
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