SRILA BV NARAYANA MAHARAJAS VISIT TO FIJI (# 1)

8 28 January 1999
(by Sridam Sakha dasa)

Sunday, 17 January 1999

Lambasa
I am breaking with my general habit of presenting reports in chronological order to bring you a
little news ahead of time about Srila Gurudeva's successful preaching here in Fiji. We have just
left the Fijian Island of Vanua Levu, where we arrived on Saturday 16th January. Before that we
were on the main island of Fiji called Viti Levu, on which the capital of Fiji is situated, Suva
city.
The people whom Srila Gurudeva has been preaching to here in Fiji are all Indian, where they
make up nearly 50% of the population. Their main language is Hindi. Vita Levu has had
considerable exposure to Western culture through the tourist industry, but Vanua Levu is much
more isolated and therefore much less affected. There are more Indian people living on Vanua
Levu, and they have retained their culture and religion very strictly, more so than Indian people
living in Indian cities.
While in Vanua Levu Srila Gurudeva was hosted by Mr Sarju Prasada and family in the town of
Labasa for the duration of his stay. Mr Prasada is the president of the main Hindu society in Fiji,
Sanatana Dharma, and a barrister by profession. The accompanying devotees were
accommodated in another house belonging to him directly next door. This had all been arranged
by our overall host and tour coordinator for Fiji, Mr Kanti Punja.
While we were there, Srila Gurudeva spoke for six consecutive nights at the largest and oldest
established Hindu temple on the island, which has been there for ninety years the Sri Sanatana
Dharma Rama Lila Mandira. Unfortunately while we were in Vanua Levu, torrential rain poured
relentlessly for almost the whole time, and this made it difficult for people to attend, many of
whom were stranded in villages because of flooded roads.
Srila Gurudeva spoke mostly about sanatana dharma, stressing over and over with different
examples and arguments how God has form. After he had finished speaking on the first night,
the head brahmana of the temple Pandita Ganesh stood up to thank him on behalf of the temple
management and audience:
"Although so many panditas and swamis have come to speak about sanatana dharma in our
temple, none of them have ever given an explanation like this. You have touched our hearts.
Truly you are the sad guru described in all the epics of India such as the Puranas and the Rama
Carita Manas. So we give our pranamas to you Maharaji and to all of your disciples who are so
fortunate to be under your guidance."
Ganesh Pandita and his five brothers who perform all the brahminical duties at the temple were
so impressed and touched by Srila Gurudeva's classes that they filmed them all.

For the next five days Srila Gurudeva spoke strongly and powerfully, and an average of about
three hundred people attended daily. To our delight, on the last night, the entire hall, measuring
100' by 40' was filled with guests, numbering between five and six hundred. Many of them came
drenched to the skin, some of the men arriving with their trousers rolled up to their knees. Unlike
many Indian preaching programs of our experience, a large number of young people also
attended.
During his time there, Srila Gurudeva had made such an apparent impact on the local community
and temple management that on the last day a politician by the name of Sriman Parmoda Chanda
was also attracted to attend. When Srila Gurudeva had finished his class, Pandita Ganesh invited
Mr Chanda to say a few words. After praising Srila Gurudeva and receiving a garland, Mr
Chanda went forward and gave Srila Gurudeva a donation. After this, Pandita Ganesh announced
the names of a number of other people from the audience who wished to make a donation to
Srila Gurudeva, and they all came forward one by one to present it to him. After this Srila
Gurudeva donated the pile of notes in front of him to the temple itself, thus further endearing
himself to all. Mr Sarju Prasada said afterwards that every other speaker who had ever come had
left wealthier than when they'd arrived, but that Srila Gurudeva was the first person to have just
given it all back. Mr Sarju Prasada even went as far as to say that it was a moment of historical
significance for their temple. After this prasada was served to everyone, the cost of which was
footed by Mr Jaikaran Balaka, the president of the temple.
end