“Today is Radhastami, the Appearance Day of Srimati Radharani. I’m going to read an essay that I wrote about Srimati Radharani. I realize it’s a little risky to read something and expect to hold the audience’s attention without eye contact. But I’m going to do it. It’s an interesting essay, and it’s appropriate for Radhastami. It’s also appropriate for followers of Srila Prabhupada.
“I want to dedicate this reading to Mother Kaulini. Mother Kaulini used to love to attend these festivals that we held at Stuyvesant Falls, especially when she could conduct abhiseka with her Govardhana-sila. And when she didn’t do that, she would sit quietly in a chair in her white sari and covered head and take part in the chanting, hug people who came who knew her, and listen to the lectures. Just her presence was really outstanding because of her saintly qualities and the love she had for everyone. So we miss her on this occasion.
“I just remembered the last exchange I had with Mother Kaulini. Just before she went to California, her son Ram drove her in the car from across the street over here. And we had a meeting on lawn chairs. I wasn’t aware of it, but it was the last meeting I would have with her. Ram expressed to her his feeling of obligation and love in taking care of her, and he said, “That’s what sons are for.” Mother Kaulini said, “That’s what everyone is for!” That’s quite a realization, that the love that Ram had for his mother and the love that she had for him, she felt was something that everyone should have for everyone.
“So we should remember Mother Kaulini. Whether Mother Kaulini remembers us, she is now in the spiritual world. It’s a little esoteric. When Ravindra Svarupa was here on Janmastami, he quoted a talk that Prabhupada had with a few disciples. One disciple asked Prabhupada whether Siddha-svarupa [dasa] is going to the spiritual world, and Prabhupada said, “All of my disciples are going to the spiritual world.” And he mentioned a few of them who were present. And he said, “Everyone will go. We will have another ISKCON in the spiritual world. But Mr. Nair cannot go.” Mr. Nair was the man who was trying to cheat Prabhupada out of the land in Bombay.
“On another occasion Prabhupada said, “If you hold onto my dhoti” – talking to devotees in general – “I have a key to the back door to Goloka Vrndavana.” So there’s the philosophy of eternal relationships with pure devotees. So many great souls in ISKCON are quickly vanishing before our eyes. We don’t exactly know their whereabouts. But according to these statements I made, there’s every chance that we may meet up again in some form or other in the spiritual world if we keep up our side of the bargain.
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