THE PRABHUPADA CONNECTION
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O When will that Day Come?
(San Francisco Rathayatra, 1975)
“Sriman Mahaprabhu did not descend with His associates to deliver a certain number of human beings in the land of India, but rather His purpose was to deliver and uplift all living beings in all countries of the world by preaching the eternal religion of all souls. He has personally said:
prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama/ sarvatra prachara hoibe mora nama. ‘My Name will be preached in all the countries and towns that exist throughout the world.’
(Chaitanya Bhagavata, Antya 4.126)
There are many kinds of religion in the world, and among all of them the highest development of religion is the congregational chanting of the Supreme Lord’s divine names. Of this there is no doubt. Alas! When will that day come when all greatly fortunate souls in countries such as England, France, Russia, Prussia and America will take up banners, kettle drums, mridangas and karatalas and thus cause the ecstatic waves of Hari Nama Kirtana and the singing of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Holy Name to rise in the streets of their towns and cities? O when will that day come when pure and transcendental Krishna prema (love of God) will be the only religion of all souls and all tiny sectarian religions will meet in the unlimited and universal religion of devotional service to Krishna, as rivers merge into the great ocean? O when will that day come?”
(Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Sajjana Tosani 4.3, 1885)