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EDITORIAL December 25, 1999 VNN5147 Comment on this story I Love Christ As Much As I Love Krsna BY GAURIDASA PANDITA DASA  EDITORIAL, Dec 25 (VNN) — Srila Prabhupada always preached in a non-sectarian way and showed his love of God by his magnanimous works. Srila Prabhupada always talked about the real meaning of the Holidays and he especially liked Christmas because so many more books are distributed every year during the Christmas marathon. This gives Srila Prabhupada and Krsna great joy and all of the devotees participating in any way are getting the mercy of Srila Prabhupada.I was fortunate to become one of Srila Prabhupada's personal servant's in May of 1977. Srila Prabhupada was giving darshan in his new quarters in Juhu beach when one Indian gentleman began to deride Christianity and even Christ himself. Srila Prabhupada immediately stopped him saying, "Please don't talk like that; Christ is my Godbrother. I love Christ as much as I love Krishna!" Srila Prabhupada said that Christ was a pure devotee who was preaching according to the time and circumstances. Srila Prabhupada wrote that we could offer Krishna's prasadam to a picture of Christ. He also said that Christ is one of our gurus. It is so nice the way that Srila Prabhupada preached in such a perfect and non-fanatical way. He said you don't have to give up your religion; just follow whatever one you are attracted to, and add the chanting of the Lord's Holy Names. Even when Srila Prabhupada had to make some strong points to a stubborn guest he would do it with such wit and charm that he would always win over the hearts of the fortunate people and leave them enlightened and enlivened. Srila Prabhupada talked about The position of the Saktavesa Avatar in Seattle on Oct. 2, 1968 where he said: "When you come to the point of understanding that 'I am not this body, I am spirit soul' then the next stage will be what is the function of the soul? That function of soul is Krsna consciousness, working in Krsna consciousness. So in the present age one has to take directly to the function of the soul; then other things will automatically come. It is not possible at the present moment that you can go to a secluded place and peacefully sit there and meditate upon... It is not possible in this age. It is impossible. If you try artificially, it will be failure. Therefore you have to take this process, harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. In this age of Kali, there is no other alternative for self-realization than this chanting Hare Krsna. That is the practical, real fact. Madhudvisa: Is there any way for a Christian to, without the help of a spiritual master, to reach the spiritual sky through believing in the words of Jesus Christ and trying to follow his teachings? Prabhupada: I don't follow. Tamal Krsna: Can a Christian in this age, without a spiritual master, but by reading the Bible and following Jesus's words, reach the... Prabhupada: When you read Bible, you follow spiritual master. How can you say without? As soon as you read Bible, that means you are following the instruction of Lord Jesus Christ, that means you are following spiritual master. So where is the opportunity of being without spiritual master? Madhudvisa: I was referring to a living spiritual master. Prabhupada: Spiritual master is not the question of... Spiritual master is eternal. Spiritual master is eternal. So your question is without spiritual master. Without spiritual master you cannot be, at any stage of your life. You may accept this spiritual master or that spiritual master. That is a different thing. But you have to accept. As you say that "by reading Bible," when you read Bible that means you are following the spiritual master represented by some priest or some clergyman in the line of Lord Jesus Christ. So any case, you have to follow a spiritual master. There cannot be the question without spiritual master. Is that clear? Madhudvisa: I mean like we couldn't understand the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita without your help, without your presentation. Prabhupada: Similarly you have to understand Bible with the help of the priest in the church. ALL GLORIES TO THE PURE DEVOTEES OF THE LORD!!! Srila Prabhupada always talked about the importance of following the words of the spiritual master. The Christains follow Christ by reading the bible with the help of a priest etc. In the same way the devotees follow Srila Prabhupada by reading his books with help from the senior devotees. Christ and Srila Prabhupada are both sent by Krishna, sakta-vesa avatars. They can and will deliver us if we take shelter of them. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Jesus Christ the worshipable pure devotees of the Lord! All glories to Bhaktsidhanta Sarasvati Thakur whos transcendental disappearance day is on Christmas this year also. This gives us a great reason to celebrate. He reasons ill who says that Vaisnavas die when though art living still in sound. The Vaisnavas die to live and living try to spread the holy Name around! Your servant, Gauridasa Pandita Dasa About the Author  Other Stories by this AuthorComment on this story Contact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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