In this devotional gathering, Srila Jayapataka Swami leads a reading of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s prayers from the Jaladuta Diary, originally written aboard the ship Jaladuta in Boston Harbor on September 18, 1965. The session interweaves the full prayer text—expressing Prabhupada’s humility, his sense of being a "useless soul," his plea for Krishna’s mercy, and his concern about preaching to the materialistic West—with brief logistical dialogue about using a smart‑board/stand for the presentation. Swami and participants discuss the challenges Prabhupada faced in convincing Western audiences of the soul’s spiritual nature, highlighting his surrender to Krishna and reliance on divine grace. The gathering also includes a public acknowledgment of devotees who have contributed Gita and other books for Srila Prabhupada’s transcendental book distribution, listing donors by name and region. The session concludes with communal chanting of the Hare Krishna maha‑mantra. The overall tone is reverent, devotional, and conversational, aiming to inspire listeners to emulate Prabhupada’s humility and dedication while supporting the ongoing book‑distribution effort.
Chapters
Hari Harai Namah Vishnu, Yadavaaya Namaha, Hovadagobindaram, Shrimad Asuddhana, Mahakrata Vajralam, Pangung Vengaiyatheekirim, Yajivataman Bande, Shri Gurum Dinathari Nam, Amananumalaram, Shri Chaitanya Mishwaran, Hari Om Tatsat. Hari Om Tatsat. Hare Krishna, dear devotees. Today we will continue with our reading from Jaladuta Diary, continuing with Srila Prabhupada's prayer. So, uh, what is here on the slide?
So we're looking at a hardboard where you show videos.
Presentation. So we were looking at a smart board, which shows videos and presentations.
And we have mounted on the wall back here.
We have mounted on the wall back here.
I have a stand, where we can roll, move around.
I have a stand where we can move it around.
I don't know. Which is better?
Which is better?
I mean, I'll say the wall behind me.
Can you see the wall behind me? I mean, it's covered with—
Later, I think there's a curtain there.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You see the curtain?
Do you see the curtain?
So I don't know, are the people here on the side?
That's it. No people on the side, they are here. But, if we roll the pen up, they all go there. So, if we put the thing up, then we can see, can't see them either. Okay.
Why do they?
What do you think?
I lost. I want them to see.
You see, I want them to see.
So they don't know.
I didn't talk to Iceworks.
They can't see what they use.
Okay. Can we continue?
All right, tell me later.
All right, tell me later. Hare Krishna. Okay. Oh Lord Krishna, you are my eternal— okay. O Lord Krishna, You are my eternal companion. Forgetting You, I have suffered the kicks of Maya birth after birth. If today the chance to meet You occurs again, then I will surely be able to rejoin You. My dear friend, in your company I will experience great joy once again. In the early morning, I'll wander about the cowherd pastures and fields, running and frolicking in many forests of brush. I'll roll on the ground in spiritual ecstasy. Oh, when will that day be mine? Today that remembrance of You came to me in a very nice way. Because I have a great longing, I call to You. I am Your eternal servant, therefore I desire Your association so much. O Krishna, O Lord Krishna, except for You, there is no other means of success. This is another prayer by Srila Prabhupada. Markine Bhagavad-dharma, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, at the Boston Harbor, September 18th, 1965. "My dear Lord Krishna, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me." But I guess you have some business here, otherwise why would you bring me to this terrible place? Most of the population here are covered by the material modes of ignorance and passion. Absorbed in material life, they think themselves very happy and satisfied, and therefore they have no taste for the transcendental message of Vasudeva. I do not know how they'll be able to understand the Somebody come and sit here. He's reading the verses. But I know Your costless mercy can make everything possible because You are the most expert mystic. How will they understand the mellows of devotional service, O Lord? I am simply praying for Your mercy so that I'll be able to convince them about Your message. All living entities have become under the control of the illusory energy by your will, and therefore, if you like, by your will, they can also be released from the clutches of illusion. [SPEAKING SANSKRIT] I wish that you may deliver them Therefore, if you so desire their deliverance, then only will they be able to understand your message. The words of Srimad Bhagavatam are your incarnation. If a sober person repeatedly receives it, with submissive oral reception, then he'll be able— he'll be able to understand your message. A quotation from Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.17-21. Sri Krishna, the personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma, Super Soul, in everyone's heart and the benefactor of truthful devotee, cleanses the desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear his messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted. By regular attendance in classes on the Bhagavatam, by rendering of devotional service to the pure devotee, all the troublesome— to one's— to the— all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature's modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire, and hankering, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness and he becomes completely happy. Thus, established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind is enlivened by, with contact with devotional service to the Lord, gains positive scientific knowledge of the personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association. Thus, the knot in the heart is pierced and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the Self as the Master. He will become liberated from the influence of the modes of ignorance and passion, and thus all inauspicious things accumulated in the core of the heart will disappear. How will I make them understand this message of Krishna consciousness? I am very unfortunate, unqualified, and most and the most fallen. Therefore, I am seeking Your benediction so that I can convince them, for I am powerless to do so on my own. Somehow or other, O Lord, You have brought me I am here to speak about You. Now, my Lord, it is up to You to make me a success or failure, as You like. O Spiritual Master of the whole world, of all the worlds, I can simply repeat Your message. So, if You like, You can make my power of speaking suitable for their understanding. Tavo kripa hulemo rekatha shuddha habe, shuniya shabare shuka dukh je gucci be. Only by Your causeless mercy will my words become pure. I am sure that when this transcendental message penetrates their hearts, they will certainly feel engladdened and thus become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life. Oh Lord, I'm just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance. Make me dance, oh Lord. Make me dance as You like. I have no devotion, nor do I have knowledge, but I have strong faith in the Holy Name of Krishna. I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, and now, if you like, you can fulfill the real purpose of Bhaktivedanta. Signed, the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, on the board ship of Jaladuta. Commonwealth Pier, Boston, USA, dated— I can't pronounce that— 18th September 1965. The next one: Prayer unto the Lotus Feet of Krishna by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada on board ship Jaladuta, 13th So we can see how Srila Prabhupada was praying. So we can see how Srila Prabhupada was praying.
Well, he said, I have no devotion or knowledge, I'm very fallen.
He's saying that I have no devotion or knowledge, I'm very fallen.
'Na chau, make me dance the way you want.' Oh, what's that? 'Na chau.' 'Na chau, make me dance as you want.' And then, Swamiji, one son, 'All right, I come here to learn a little song.' He went, completely surrendered to Krishna.
So he was not like, "Alright, I've come here to these horrible people." He was completely surrendered to Lord Krishna.
He knew that it was a very daunting thing.
He knows, he knew that it was a very daunting thing.
To preach to the people in West, in USA.
To preach to the people in West, in USA. Canada. Canada.
Or they will lie, all the ignorance and passion.
But people are in the mode of ignorance and passion.
Now how to convince them of the non-body, of the spirit soul?
And how to convince them that they are not the body, they are spirit soul?
He was praying to Krishna.
And he was praying to Krishna.
So we should also And we should take inspiration.
We should also take inspiration from Srila Prabhupada.
That we should think that without the mercy of Krishna, without the mercy of Lord Caitanya, who and who are there?
So that we should think without the mercy of Lord Krishna, without the mercy of Lord Caitanya, Lord Gauranga, Without the mercy of Guru and Gauranga, we can't do anything.
So Prabhupada was in this humble state of mind.
Prabhupada was in this humble state of mind, and he was able to convince people. And he was able to convince the people. And so, people say so many things, but when he studied us, he'd say, "I don't relate, surrounded by the Total Divine Grace." So, people can say so many things, but if you see this, we can see truly how surrounded was his Divine Grace.
And, you know, I think people go to the West, go to America, thinking this is a land of richness and so on.
I think people go to America thinking that this is a land of business and so on. Prabhupada is saying, and London is terrible place.
Prabhupada is saying—
Prabhupada is saying, "You have brought me to this terrible place, Ugrasthana." "I have to tell the people your message." "But how will they understand?" "But how will they understand?" "How will they accept it?" "How will they accept it?" "Everything is possible by your mercy." "Everything is possible by your mercy." Without your mercy, without your mercy, it's impossible. So like this, he was humbly praying for the mercy of Lord Krishna.
Overwhelming.
It's really overwhelming.
But, well, I've been one of the people who was delivered by Srila Prabhupada.
I'm one of the people who was delivered by Srila Prabhupada.
And of course, all of you are byproducts of that.
Of course, all of you are the byproducts of that..
And in turn you have to be delivering many other people.
In turn you have to be delivering many other people.
So, here we see the example of His Divine Grace praying to Krishna.
Here we see the example of His Divine Grace praying to Lord Krishna. For His blessings. For His blessings. We have read this one already, Guru Maharaj. I think they got repeated again. This was the previous prayer, and then we read Oh, you want to read it again? Okay, let's see.
So long.
This one we read yesterday, remember? Prayers of Prahlad Maharaj and all those things, right? Marking it, Baba. The same thing is coming up again. You want to read this today or tomorrow? You want to read this today or tomorrow? You might please bless them. Krishna Mati Rastu. Gol permanente.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, devotees. Welcome you all to the Gurumahajasa rooftop for the virtual book table and physical book table. So I would like to request, I would like to all request to like, you know, uh, grasp the opportunity of contributing Srila Prabhupada Transcendental Book distribution towards one of our Mataji physical book tables she is managing here. Okay, and today's We have book sponsors. From Delhi, 4 Gita. From Andhra Pradesh, 1 CC. And Devrat from Midnapur, 1 Gita. Nirmal Pal from Midnapur, 2 Gita. From Mumbai, 4 Gita. Shanti Datta from Raniganj, 6 Gitas. Pritimai Tungavidya Devdasi from Oman 2CC. Sachaprata Bhira from Pankhura 1 Gita. Ujwala Prema Bhakti Das from Punjab 1 Chaitanya Chaitanya Amrta Set. Janmini Mai Priya Devdasi from Surat 1CC. Sarukeshan Das from Kolkata 1CC. Dairav Shrimi Devdasi from Bangalore 2 Gitas. Deepanmitadas from Kuntai, Chugita. Arindam Rai from Howrah 1 CC. Shivadharani Prakash from Chennai 1 Gita. All glories to all these wonderful devotees who have contributed towards Srila Prabhupada's transcendental book distribution. Let us all chant together. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. So dear devotees, let us offer our humble obeisances. So did we find phone here or we—
okay, no, no, she lost phone.
Oh, here all are left. Hare Krishna, dear devotees. One of our devotees, she lost her phone. Please, if yesterday, if you find Please give her back. That's what, like, you know, yesterday she lost. If any one of you have seen that, please return back, return her.
