© 2000 VNN
|
USA August 8, 2000 VNN6135 Comment on this story Srila Prabhupada Glorified Due To The Efforts Of Mother Vani Prabhu BY MAHAVEGAVATI DASI USA, Aug 8 (VNN) — Dear Assembled Vaisnavas and Vaisnavis. Hare Krsna. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. Please accept my fallen obeisances. I am submitting the following article for your pleasure which I have adapted from the article written in the Newsletter of the Iskcon Revival Movement (IRM) Issue 29. Due to the efforts of Mother Vani prabhu who, for over 3 years has been performing a personal service to Srila Prabhupda by sweeping the cobblestone bricks around the elm tree in Tompkins Square Park where Srila Prabhupada first started the sankirtan movement in the Western world, in NYC, a plaque is being put there to commemorate Srila Prabhupada. Due to Mother Vani prabhu's regular sweeping around the tree where Srila Prabhupada would chant Hare Krsna in kirtan in 1966, many people would ask her what she was doing, so she would use that opportunity to preach Krsna consciousness and glorify Srila Prabhupada. Around one year ago, Mother Vani prabhu approached Harry Greenberg, the keeper of Tompkins Square Park, with whom she had already developed a nice rapport since in his eyes she was doing what he considered "community service" by sweeping around the tree daily. One day she inquired how to go about getting a plaque for the tree glorifying Srila Prabhupada and the Hare Krishna Movement. He told her that she would need to talk to his superior, Margaret Asarro, and he arranged for them to meet one another. Mother Vani was then given the address of New York City Commissioner Henry Stern, the commissioner of the Park's Department for the whole of New York City and she was advised to write a proposal to the commissioner, presenting the idea of getting some type of permanent commemorative marker for the elm tree. Mother Vani prabhu put together an extensive package which included a photograph of Srila Prabhupada from a 1966 article in the "East Village Other" and a recent photograph of the tree garlanded and decorated with a Hare Krishna Maha Mantra banner. She wrote an extensive four page proposal giving Srila Prabhupada's history and how he fulfilled the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu by coming to the west and starting and spreading this sankirtan movement. The bureacracy being what it is, it took a long time to get a response. Everytime Mother Vani prabhu called the commissioner to inquire about the proposal, she would get his secretaries and they would just pass the buck. She spent a whole year of constantly calling every day at least once and persevering. In February Mother Vani then received an unexpected telephone call from a reporter who said he wanted to write an article on her trying to acquire a plaque for the tree. She was bewildered as to how he knew this, but as we all know, Krsna can do some pretty amazing things. The reporter even interviewed a devotee from the Brooklyn temple but decided to do the story on Mother Vani since it was she who was making all of the attempts to get the plaque. Arrangements were made and within a couple weeks the article appeared in "Time Out New York" magazine, (which is famous throughout New York City. The article is included below). As soon as the story came out Mother Vani photocopied it and sent another letter to Commissioner Stern asking: "Now can we get it?!". In reply she was requested to write to him again, but this time with a more brief, one page version of the proposal on why we wanted the plaque for the tree. The response this time was "Yes!" But (as we all know how Krsna tests the determination of His devotees, and the material energy - especially the bureaucracy - works), nothing immediately happened. Mother Vani prabhu (determined Mataji that she is - following after the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada who was also so much determined to give Krsna consciousness to the whole world), was busy for the next three months calling regularly, inquiring when she would receive a more definitive action with regard to the plaque's coming. Finally at the beginning of July she (again) called Commissioner Stern's office, this time determined to make an appointment with him and again the secretary put her on hold. After a long time the secretary came back to the phone saying that the letter had just been reviewed and signed by him and that it would be received in the mail in a few days. The letter is reproduce below: Mrs. Vani Devi Dasi Oshuns (Address given) Dear Mrs. Oshuns: Thank you for your letter regarding a historical plaque for A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The articles you enclosed were a pleasure to read.The elm tree at the southern end of Tompkins Square Park has indeed played witness to an event of great importance. Its historical significance for the Hindu-based Hare Krishna religion is recognized around the globe. With this in mind, a new historical sign telling the story of the park's trees and horticulture for Tompkins Square Park is currently being written; it will include an account of the Prabhupada connection with the park. Should you have any questions please call Margaret Assaro, our Park Manager. It was good of you to take the time to write. All the best, Henry J. Stern Commissioner City of New York, Parks & Recreation Originally the devotees offered to pay for the plaque but Krsna arranged (due to the efforts of His devotee), that the city of NY has not only agreed to honour Srila Prabhupada, but they are going to pay for it too! The text for the historical plaque is being worked on right now and the current draft reads: "Among this grove of elms is a very special elm. Under this very elm tree a spiritual revolution started, and spread throughout six continents. Here, in 1966 His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, Founder and current Guru (spiritual master) of The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) introduced the western world to the sublime chanting of the Holy Name of Krishna. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare" The article in "Time Out New York" magazine (which is a very widely read magazine - one of the most famous in NY) reads as follows: ---------------- Tree Believers The Hare Krishnas are looking for a sign on an elm in Tompkins Square Park. It may look like any other old tree, but a towering elm standing in an open space at the southern end of Tompkins Square Park is a world-historical site. Under its branches in 1966, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, an Indian religious leader, first introduced his teachings to the Western world. That event marks the founding, right here in New York City, of the Hindu-based Hare Krishna religion. Now the saffron-robed, dance-happy, book hawking Krishnas want a monument erected near the elm explaining its place in history. "When Prabhupada came to the West, he knew he had to come to New York," says Vani devi dasi, 45, the prime mover behind the memorial. "He knew if the religion started here, it would spread through the world. This tree for us is like a Muslim going to Mecca or a Jew going to the Wailing Wall." Vani has contacted the East Village Parks Conservancy about the idea, and the Conservancy says it's now considering the proposal before it makes a recommendation to the City Parks and Recreation Department. If Parks gives the Krishnas the thumbs-up, the big question then becomes whether the mayor will attend the monument's unveiling in a bid to court the crucial ethnic Krishna vote for his upcoming Senate race. Stay tuned.... Stephen Kosloff Submitted for the pleasure of the assembled devotees. I remain your servant, Mahavegavati Dasi Hare Krsna About the Author  Other Stories by this AuthorComment on this story Contact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
|
