मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद् यतति सिद्धये॥ यतिताम अपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन् माम् वेति तत्त्वतः॥[/caption]Beloved disciples and friends,
Today is Krishna Janmashtami and I wish each one of you love and light of divine in your heart.
Krishna Janmaashtami is very special day for Vaishnavaites and equally so for everyone who is chanting mahamantra ""ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय" or the Gaudiya chaitanya mahamantra "हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे | हरे राम हरे राम, राम राम हरे हरे ||" popularized by AC Bhakti Vedanta Srila prabhupada ji, founder of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness). And why not it be so? After all this day is the reminder of the master words "यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवतिभारत, अभ्युथानम अधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम". For sure He comes.. He appears to create a balance between good and evil on this plane of life.
Not many know that Srila Prabhupada ji who was earlier known as Abhay Charan Dey (this is from where his AC of his name comes) spent good six years with Acharya Prabhakar Mishra in Jhansi (during 1951-56) learning about Srimad Bhagawatam. In that sense Acharya Prabhakar Mishra was vidya-guru of Prabhupada ji. On the other hand it was Sri Bhakti Vedant ji (AC Dey) who pestered Dr. Prabhakar Mishra to assume the name Acharya Prabhakar Mishra as indeed he was Acharya - Sanskritacharya, Ayurvedacharya and also jyotishacharya. At the end of it all before Bhakti Vedanta ji left Jhansi, he declared that Acharya Prabhakar Mishra is his first disciple and Dr. Prabhakar Mishra in all humility accepted the honour.
There was a great long association between these two great souls. They at many occasions worked together and spent good times watching ISKCON grow. Even the Vrindavan ISKCON temple was inaugurated in benign presence of Achrya Prabhakar Mishra (who was invited by Bhakti-vedanta ji)... There is so much to tell about their association and I will definitely do that later.
Today, 10th August 2012 is also important because today Yugpurush Acharya Prabhakar Mishra has chosen to merged his consciousness the divine. Today he reaches - Krishna's loka, and what could be a better day than this - Krishna Janmashtami. I am sure he knew that his Guru is there to welcome him there. Bhakti Vedanta ji once danced like mad and Acharya Prabhakar Mishra was witness to it. I know today also he is witness to the similar divinely ecstatic dance of his Guru in that realm!
After my father, Pt. Murli Dhar Mishra ji whom I called babuji throughout my life, it was Acharya Prabhakar Mishra in whom I found a fatherly figure for myself. I requested Acharyaji to allow me to call him babuji and he, out of his compassion agreed to my whim. I learned a lot through Acharya ji's words. Goswami Tulsidas ji has rightly said that "बिनु सत्संग बिबेक न होई, राम कृपा बिनु सुलभ न सोई|". I count myself really lucky and favourite of divine to have gotten so much love and care from many saints and Acharya ji is one of them. I remember, me and my disciple friend Swami Mohan Siddhant would spend hours in his company and Babuji will would not tire showering his love and affection. He will go on sharing his past experiences, comments on religious scriptures and how Sanatan Dharma is THE religion and many more. I can not stop but cherish all those love and light filled moments throughout my life. It was Babuji's insistence that I accepted the post of president for Delhi state in World Religious Parliament. I attended to many functions. He would always invite me personally. The last event was his honor at ISKCON auditorium, Delhi on assuming the Jagadguru Shankaracharya seat of Indraprastha peetha.
When my father Pt. Murli Dhar Mishra ji chose to leave this worldly plane I still remember sending out that weird sounding sms to all my friends which read "With mixed feelings I wish to inform you that today at 4:00 PM my beloved father taught me his last lesson of life to me that "life is not permanent" it was really moment of mixed feeling and today once again I am finding me in the same situation. The memories give me reasons to feel joy and pride in being Acharya ji's favourite and to have received so much of his love and guidance but the NOW moments teases me and says "You are no more going to listen to Babuji's authoritative voice again. You are here in Mumbai and will not get to bid him final farewell.."
I still remember Acharya ji saying to me one day "अरे भाई अज्ञातदर्शन जी (he would always suffix "ji" in my name) मैंने आप को विश्व गुरु बनाने का निर्णय ले लिया है . पर भाई ये उचित समय आने पर होगा " and I said "बाबूजी , आप का आशीर्वाद पर्याप्त है मेरे लिए|" Today, I know his blessings are with me..
May his soul rest in peace and his wise words keep guiding those who earnestly desire so..
- Acharya Agyaatdarshan Anand Nath
N.B. - H.H. Acharya Prabhakar Mishra's last rites will be performed at 11:00 AM, 11th August 2012 at Nigam Bodh Ghaat, New Delhi. I personally request each one of you (who are in Delhi and nearby) to attend to this on behalf of Sacred Association.
