and desires is an unquestionable principle. How we facilitate them is the detail. We can’t be rigid—”Çréla Prabhupäda never did it, therefore it’s not bonafide.” Nor can we be too liberal with Çréla Prabhupäda’s mission—”if Çréla Prabhupäda were here, he’d do it this way.” Acting on Çréla Prabhupäda’s instructions requires a substantial amount of knowledge, understanding, and (perhaps most importantly) coopera- tion with each other. Honoring Çréla Prabhupäda’s instructions and desires for Mäyäpur means finding the balance between what “Çréla Prabhupäda said” and understanding what his words embodied in an overall sense. We are obliged to read his books, understand his mission, and know his mind and heart. Although vaiñëavera kriyä-mudrä vijïe nä bujhaya, that one can never understand the behavior or mind of a pure devotee, still Çréla Prabhupäda said, “Of course, we should know Kåñëa; otherwise, it may be we may neglect Him.” In the same way that we need to know Kåñëa in order to serve Him and ultimately love Him, so we need to know Çréla Prabhupäda if we want to be able to say we’re serving him. The first step is realizing how important this project is to Çréla Prabhupäda. His Holiness Giriräja Mahäräja recalls one conversation that we can all take to heart: “One day, while Srila Prabhupada was taking his massage on the balcony in Calcutta, I humbly approached him. ‘Çréla Prabhupada, I have been trying to understand what you want of us, what your desire is.’ Srila Prabhupada was so pure he took every word into his heart. ‘Yes?’ ‘Two things seem to please you the most,’ I offered. ‘Distributing your books and building the big temple in Mayapur.’ Prabhupada’s face lit up, his eyes opened wide, and he smiled. ‘Yes, ou have understood.’” Çréla Prabhupäda On Mäyäpur is a simple presentation of collect- ed quotes and writings from Çréla Prabhupäda about Mäyäpur. It is, purely and simply, Çréla Prabhupäda on Mäyäpur. It’s a start. And as we’re learning here in Mäyäpur, making a small start is the first step towards completing major projects…
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The Editor
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