Hare Krishna!
Slowly but steadily, the genuine rtvik system is gaining popularity among the Hare Krishna devotees all around the world. Well, in our region here, one Sriman Svarat Prabhu, the president of the Hare Krishna Yatra in the town of Pedas, Negri Sembilan Malaysia, has openly declared himself a follower of the Rtvik system of initiations and agreed to cooperate with His Grace Sundar Gopal Prabhu, the temple president of Singapore and Rtvik representative for the regions of Singapore and Malaysia as of now. Sriman Svarat Prabhu, the temple president of the Pedas Yatra, who was already an advocate of the rtvik system of initiation, invited him to Pedas to initiate 4 devotees on behalf of Srila Prabhupada. The new initiates were Vaisnava Das, Manjari Devi Dasi, Cintamani Devi Dasi and Mitra Vrinda Devi Dasi. The initiates were in ecstasy to be directly connected to Srila Prabhupada. They were very happy to have realized that they have been now saved from the disastrous bogus guru system that is currently prevailing in ISKCON.
Along with Sriman Sacisuta Prabhu, His Grace Sundar Gopal Prabhu, Sriman Visvambhara Prabhu and ourselves went up to Pedas. Visvambhara Prabhu, although a grhastha, is always enthusiastic to be in the association of devotees. So he traveled with us in great eagerness.
Pedas is a typical Malaysian small, quiet town occupied by a significant number of Oriya families that have been 2 to 3 generations there. Svarat Prabhu happened to move in there about 2 years ago owing to his work commitments. He started preaching to the Oriya people there in an estate temple there managed by the Oriyas.
On the 20th of June, 2009, we had a very nice initiation ceremony. They received us very well. Simple people that they are, they enjoyed the kirtana and the initiation ceremony. Visvambhara Prabhu, being an Oriya himself, spoke at length about initiation, about Srila Prabhupada, and about Lord Jagannatha in the Oriya language.
The program was so enthusiastic and inspiring that the devotees immediately proposed to build a beautiful temple for Lord Jagannatha. They then consulted our President Sriman Sundar Gopal Prabhu for his assistance in accomplishing the project for which he readily consented. The land to build the temple is already acquired and they need some funding and other technical guidance. This, once accomplished, would be the first ever temple for Lord Jagannatha in Malaysia, thus fulfilling the desire of Srila Prabhupada.
The Mangala Arati next day was attended by us and Svarat Prabhu's family and one more Oriya family who were greatly inspired by the initiation and are seriously aspiring to be initiated by Srila Prabhupada. The entire morning program including a very insightful Srimad Bhagavatam lecture by Sriman Sundar Gopal Prabhu and breakfast prasadam saw Svarat Prabhu very fervid in pushing on the movement there with newly-infused vigor. He and his family are going to attend our Ratha Yatra on Sunday, June 28, 2009.
I was very much inspired by the whole episode. It left me wondering how nice it would be if all the devotees of the world follow the instructions of Srila Prabhupada and cooperate in such an affectionate rapport.
