The video is a multi‑speaker devotional program in which the participants read excerpts from Srila Prabhupada’s Jaladuta Diary (the diary of his 1965 sea voyage to the West) and intersperse them with traditional stories, community announcements, and reflections. The first segment recounts a mythic tale about Lord Nithyananda’s marriage, involving devotees Hoda Krishnadas, Suryadas Sarakela, and the symbolic identification of Nithyananda with Lord Balarama. The speakers describe the installation of "lotus footprints" of Lord Nithyananda and Lord Chaitanya during a safari pilgrimage. The core of the program then shifts to a detailed reading of Prabhupada’s diary entries: his arrival at Cochin dockyard, observations of the city, loading of Bhagavatam volumes, his departure through the Red Sea, seasickness, passage through the Suez Canal, and arrival at Malta and Sicily. The narrative emphasizes Prabhupada’s physical hardships, his dedication to spreading Krishna consciousness, and the resulting growth of ISKCON branches worldwide. The latter part of the program includes community announcements: a special gift (an uttariya) presented to Guru Maharaj, a birthday celebration for Vijaya Mataji, and instructions for sponsoring books at physical and virtual book tables. The overall tone is reverent, celebratory, and instructional, aiming to inspire gratitude for Prabhupada’s sacrifices and to encourage participation in the ongoing devotional activities.
Chapters
Hare Krishna, dear devotees.
Today we will continue our reading from Srila Prabhupada's Jaladuta Diary.
I'll speak on the safari.
So first I'll speak on the safari. We are—
tomorrow is a day dedicated to Lord Nithyananda.
So tomorrow is a day dedicated to Lord Nithyananda. And So Lord Chaitanya ordered Lord Nityananda to enter the Grihastha Ashram. So Lord Chaitanya ordered Lord Nityananda to enter the Grihastha Ashram. "Give a kind of balanced presentation." So before that he wanted to take Sannyas, but maybe he wanted to give a balanced presentation. "So he told Lord Nithyananda to get married." "So Lord Nithyananda told the Lord Jayapataka Swami—" So Lord Nityananda told his devotee Hoda Krishnadas to arrange for his marriage.
So after researching, Hoda Krishnadas, he went to Sri Das Arakela and proposed—
So after searching, Hoda Krishnadas went to Suryadas Sarakela and proposed Lord Nityananda to his two daughters, Jahanava and Basuddha.
Sarkela, his initial response was, "No." So Suryadas Narakela, his initial response was, "No." "My daughters cannot marry an Avadhoot." "My daughters cannot marry an Avadhoot." "Why not?
Isn't it a paradox?" Then, then, Hoda Krishnadas said, "You don't know who Lord Nithyananda is." "And I won't stay in this place if you are offending Lord Nithyananda." "And I won't stay in this place if you are offending Lord Nithyananda." "So let me go." So then he left.
I had a vision of Balaram.
So, at that night, Suryadas had a vision of Krishna and Balaram. How Balaram was wedded to Revati and Varuni. He could realize that his daughters were Revati and Varuni. And Nithyananda was also, he was actually Balarama. And Nithyananda, he was actually Lord Balarama. So, from now, he realized, "I made a great offense." So he realized he made a great offense. "So, I went to this place and Boragachi." So, "I went to this place, Boragachi." "There are beautiful deities there." So, "There are very beautiful deities there." What are the deities? As the year they are made? Sir, the foot of the deity, there is, it's mentioned the year they were made. Oh my God! How long ago or so? Like 500 years ago or something. So, there's no onions.
Sarakela, Sri Lal Sarakela sent message to Hora Krishnadas.
So Krishna Das Sarakela sent message to Hora Krishnadas. I may have made a great offense, I beg to be forgiven. Well, Krishna Maharaj said, "Go ahead with the marriage." —No villas are now. So it's found that it's a village called Shaligram, but it's not there now. No, no, there's no villas there. Oh, there's no village there now.
And so he saw that place, and then Krishna, 'Haran,' he arranged, and all villagers all Varagachi.
So he saw the place and Hoda Krishnadas, he arranged it in the village of Varagachi.
And all this had— there were various ceremonies.
So obviously the day before they had various ceremonies. So, you have to go and visit Baragachi. They are going to place the lotus food of Lord Nithyananda there.
Hari Bhau! Of course, as of the marriage,—
took his brides back to Navadvip. Of course, after the marriage, Lord Nithyananda took with him his brides to Navadvip. And then they went to Rukumpur. So there's still some deities of Jahanava Devi and Lord Nithyananda there.
I don't know if that's on your program.
I don't know whether that's on your program or not.
After this, we're coming back to Mayapur next time.
Okay, so we'll go for Prabhupada. All right. Reading from Srila Prabhupada's Jaladuta Diary, Sunday, 22nd. At about 10 AM, we are now in the dockyard of Cochin.
We established the lotus footprints of Lord Nithyananda.
Just like in Adi Saptakram, we established the lotus footprint of Lord Nithyananda. And in Alisahar, in Shiva's house, we established the footprints of Lord Chaitanya. In Alisahar, in Shiva's house, we established the lotus footprints of Lord Chaitanya.
So, we are—
Safari is establishing many Lotus Footprints. So, through the Safari, we are establishing many Lotus Footprints. I just said in the Holy Sept, what Lotus Footprints? I participated in the Abhisheka of Four Lotus Footprints yesterday. Okay, shall we? Okay. Okay. At 10 AM, we are now in the dockyard of Cochin. The dock is peculiar because it is by nature full of small islands. Some of the islands are full with 9 Huntman's, formerly known as the British Island. I saw my books from Bombay arrived in 5 cases, and the agents loaded them on the ship at 4 PM on 22nd August 1965. The agent M/S Jayaram Sons kindly sent their car for my driving in the city. Out of the group of islands, two big islands joined by an iron overbridge known as Cochin and Ernakulam. The iron overbridge was constructed by the British very nicely, very nicely along with the railway lines. The railway line is extended up to the port. There are many flourishing foreign firms and banks. It is Sunday, the bazaar was closed. I saw a peculiar kind of plantain available in this part of the country. The island known as Cochin is not made up— it's not an up-to-date city. The roads are like narrow lanes. The part of the city where the foreigners are residing are well situated. The buildings, factories, etc., all big and all well maintained. The Mohammedan quarters are separate from the Hindu quarters, as well as in other— as usual in other Indian cities. The part known as Ernakulam is up to date. There is a nice park on the bank of the Gulf named Subhash Bose Park. So it is good that Subhash Babu is popular in this part of the country. I saw the Kerala High Court and the public buildings, the High Court being situated in Ernakulam, It appears that the city is the— the city is capital of Kerala. This official— the— yeah. This official Badra, 31 days. 19— no? It's not there? Yeah. The official Bhadra, 31 days, 1887 Saka. Part of India resembles Bengal scenario, and the city Ernakulam, also Cochin, appears to me like old Kalighat or Tollygunge area of Kolkata, Calcutta. The culture is Indian as usual. Official Badra, 31 days, 1887 Saka. Monday. Today is another— okay. Here Prabhupada in his journey to the West is now in Cochin, India.
And in Cochin, all these books, translation of the first canto of Srimad Bhagavatam.
So, in Cochin, his books, the translation of the first canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, Loaded.
They got loaded. So, Draupad was going with the Srimad Bhagavatam.
So, Shri Prabhupada was going with the Srimad Bhagavatam. I purchased one set of Srimad Bhagavatam. So, I purchased one set of Srimad Bhagavatam. I think I paid $13. I think I paid $13.
13. 1-3. $13.
So, that's another story.
So, that's another story.
And so, how long He was going to America to fulfill order of his spiritual master. "His observations are mentioned here in the diary." So, his observations are mentioned here in this diary. "Seeing from his, his life." So, we are seeing from his viewpoint. Still have another 8 minutes or so. Okay. 23rd Monday. Today is Annada Ekadashi. We started towards Red Sea on the western front at about 12:30 noon. The sky was almost clear and there was sunshine since the starting of the trip from Cochin port. We are floating now on the Arabian Sea. My seasickness again began. Headache, vomiting tendency, no hunger, dizziness, and no energy to work. It's continuing. There are sometimes showers of rain, but for a short time. There was a fellow passenger in my cabin. He is also attacked with seasickness.
The whole night passed. He was enduring seasickness. He was enduring seasickness.
He was not used —till the ocean roared. So, naturally, he was not used to the ocean waters.
And saw the ship was moving with the waves. So, the ship was moving with the waves. ...and that as a result, he was suffering dizziness and seasickness.
So, as a result he had dizziness, seasickness?
Well... So, so, so. Enduring all these problems.
Srila Prabhupada was enduring all these problems. Well, Very interesting. So it's very, so it's very interesting to see how much trouble Srila Prabhupada endured. To bring the message of Krishna to America.
Not an easy thing.
Not an easy thing. Shall we continue? Last one. 24th Tuesday, 8:25. 24th, Tuesday. Today at about 1:30 PM, I inquired from the wheel room that we have come only 400 miles off the Indian coast. My seasickness is still continuing. I take my meals once only, but today I could not take full meals also, although I was fasting yesterday.
I'm feeling uncomfortable. So, Srila Prabhupada was feeling uncomfortable.
So, Srila Prabhupada was feeling uncomfortable. He could not eat his full meals. He could not eat his full meals. And so he's in the Arabian Sea. So he's in the Arabian Sea.— and now he is suffering various inconveniences. And he is suffering various inconveniences. 25th Wednesday, beginning from today down. 31st, so again he writes on 31st. August. Oh! Passed over a great crisis on the struggle for life and death. A separate statement has to be written on this crisis area. September 1965. First, Wednesday, Port Suez. Second, Thursday, Suez Canal and Port Said. Third Friday. We started from Port Said today at about 1 PM. The Port Said city is nice. It has long, narrow, neat, clean roads with lofty buildings. The city is not at all congested. While passing the rare point of Suez toward Mediterranean Sea, the city is clearly seen, but it is a small city. With some industrial factories. Although in the desert— although in the desert, in the city, all varieties of vegetables available. There is also a marine drive like Bombay Chowpatty Beach. I could see a good park in the city.
8:28.
All right, one more day. All right, one more day, okay. There was a rehearsal for emergency. We all prepared with belt on the body, and the lifeboat was tested whether they were in order. There were two boats with capacity to load 120 persons, and we were all about 55 on the boat. On the board. That's it. Do this one as well. Hold on. Okay, the last one. Fifth Sunday in the evening, the sky was cloudy and they expected foggy weather, and all of them became a little gloomy. But at midnight we passed Malta, Sicily. By God's grace, it was all right throughout the night. So, we are accompanying Srila Prabhupada as he is journeying to America.
And, so he went on the Suez Canal.
So he's in the Suez Canal and? And entered into the Mediterranean. And now, so, so will be in the Atlantic Ocean. Soon he will be in the Atlantic Ocean.
Which is normally very violent.
Which would be very violent. Pacific Ocean is peaceful.
Pacific Ocean is peaceful.
Atlantic Ocean is violent.
Atlantic Ocean is violent. So how much—.
And little to, Srila Prabhupada has austerity that he's taken. So we are so much indebted to Srila Prabhupada for the austerities that he has taken. To bring the message of the Bhagavatam to the Western world. To bring the message of the Bhagavatam to the Western world.
Now, now, and there we have Many branches, lot of preaching, it's all due to this effort of Prabhupada.
So now in India we have many branches, lots of preaching, it's all due to this effort of Srila Prabhupada. So we should be very grateful to His Divine Grace. So therefore, all of us should be very grateful to His Divine Grace.
Gurumaharaj is blessing all of you. So, dear devotees, so we have a special gift for Guru Maharaj because in this safari we've been installing footprints of Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda. So on behalf of the devotees from the safari, this is a special gift that was made by one of your disciples, Guru Maharaj, Bhaktipriya Mataji, from Calcutta. This is very beautiful gift. This is an uttariya. You just hold. Look at this, Guru Maharaj. Look, Guru Mahārāja, you see, this is the lotus feet of Lord Gauranga, the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda, the Pancha Tattva Mahā-mantra, and some glorification of Lord Nityananda with the lotus flowers. This is for you with lot of love, Guru Maharaj. And then we have Vijaya Mataji from Colombia. Vijaya, come to the glass. She's a birthday today, from Safari. Guru Maharaj, we want to distribute the cake on her behalf and wish her a very happy birthday with your blessings. How many years? 42 years old. 42 since she met you for the first time in 1984, Guru Maharaj. So please everybody bless Vijaya Mataji and wait for the Maha Prashadam. Okay, for all of you.
Oh, I have one. Hare Krishna, dear devotees. There is a physical book table and there is also virtual book table. Please sponsor your books approaching virtual book table or physical book table. To approach physical book table, there is one of our devotees sitting in these stand, like, no, book stall. And Maharaj Prabhu is coming out to distribute you all this prasadam, mahaprasad. He will be standing at the gate. Okay, okay. And, uh, virtual book table, please approach on this number. +91 9434760402. +91 9434760402.
