preaching according to time, place and capacity

Years ago in New York City, a saintly Vaishnava named Jayananda Prabhu felt the initial symptoms of a disease that would later take his life. Thus he entered a hospital, and a devotee began daily bringing him prasadam from the temple. Jayananda Prabhu was hooked up to various intravenous contraptions as he laid in his hospital bed. Upon seeing that a devotee had brought prasadam, Jayananda perked up and began to make a plan.

He asked, “Did you bring any karatalas with you?”

“Yes, I just happen to have a pair,” replied the devotee.

“Good,” said Jayananda, “Now please cut up the prasadam into small pieces.” The devotee faithfully followed his request thinking that the small pieces would be convenient for Jayananda to eat.

“Now please help me,” Jayananda said.

“What are you going to do?” asked the devotee.

“We’re going to have a little festival,” said Jayananda with a confident grin.

Jayananda rolled himself, in his bed, into the hallway followed by his guest. They got into an elevator much to the chagrin of the nurses. Once in the lobby, Jayananda instructed his curious friend to begin a kirtana and give a lecture while he distributed the prasadam from his mobile bed. And there it was—the first Gaudiya Vaishnava-mahotsava to take place in an East-Coast American medical unit.

People were stunned. Many of them had never seen Hare Krishna devotees before. The kirtana began while Jayananda offered prasadam to patients, visitors, doctors and nurses. At first, they cautiously received some halava and pieces of puri, but afterwards asked for more. Gradually, a crowd surrounded the two devotees as they animatedly explained the philosophy. Jayananda felt right at home.

Actually, Jayananda is a great example of being himself, not being swayed by social influences for status, and of preaching according to time, place and capacity. He acted as an acarya, or one who teaches by example. We must also take courage to be ourselves and follow in such devotees’ footsteps. The result will be that we will feel blissfully connected to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.