“The Greatest Acharya Who Has Ever Existed”

The following is a 2017 Vyasa Puja offering to Srila Prabhupada by His Holiness B.B. Govinda Maharaja. It is highly inspiring and relevant to all ISKCON devotees because it further reveals to us who Srila Prabhupada is and the purpose of his mission in which we all are serving. It will also increase our understanding of the importance of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium and the long-lasting and important effect it will have on the people of the world for generations to come.

On the occasion of Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja, 2017

An offering by His Holiness B.B. Govinda Swami

Note: Akinchana Krishna das Babaji Maharaja was a dear Godbrother and admirer of Srila Prabhupada who inspired many ISKCON devotees with his wonderful kirtans, humility and pure devotional mood.

When I first met him, I looked at him and I didn’t know what to say and I said, “Srila Akincana Krishna das Babaji Maharaj.” And then he saw that I had a tape player in my hands, and so without my having to say anything he just closed his eyes and he started tapping his hands together and he sang his Mangala Caranam before singing Sri Krishna Chaitanya. And then he started singing Hare Krishna mantra, and it was like going into another world. He was chanting so beautifully, and it was like each syllable was drenched in bhava and prema.

After about 20 minutes he stopped, and then he looked at me and he said, “I would like to tell you something.” I said, “What is that?” And he said, “I am an old man, and I’ve had a lot of experience in this world. From my experience, I can honestly tell you that there has never been a greater acharya than your spiritual master.”

And when he said that, I became stunned because he was a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. Then he looked up and he said, “There has never been an acharya in history who has performed miracles like your spiritual master, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Prabhupada.”

And then he paused and he looked at me, he said, “Do you know why?” I was so stunned, I couldn’t say anything. And he said, “Because in history there was never a greater servant of Sri Krishna’s Holy Name than your spiritual master, because your spiritual master had so much absolute understanding of Sri Krishna’s Holy Name and so much absolute faith in Sri Krishna’s Holy Name that he personally carried Sri Krishna’s Holy Name through the length and the breadth of the world. Therefore, he is the greatest acharya who has ever existed.”

Srila Prabhupada ki jai…….!!!