Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Bhajana Kuṭīra
What is known today as Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Bhajana Kuṭīra was the first structure built on the ISKCON Māyāpur property. Constructed in 1971 under the direct instruction of Śrīla Prabhupāda, it served as the original temple and the first place of worship for the small Śrī Śrī Rādhā Mādhava Deities when They arrived in Māyāpur in 1972.
Acyutānanda Swami personally supervised the design, construction and finances of the project. Śrīla Prabhupāda instructed him regarding the materials to be used and the manpower required. Upon seeing the completed building, Śrīla Prabhupāda affectionately named it “Acyutānanda Cottage.”
ARCHIVAL RECORD
Construction of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Bhajana Kuṭīra
“What is known as the ‘bhajan kutir’ in ISKCON Mayapur is the first structure built on the property. It was also the original ‘temple’, functioning as chota Radha Madhava’s first place of worship when They arrived in Mayapur in 1972. The kutir was built by Acyutananda Swami in 1971 on the order of Srila Prabhupada, who personally instructed him about the materials to use and the manpower to hire. Acyutananda Swami oversaw the design, construction and finances. When Prabhupada arrived in Mayapur and saw the finished kutir he happily remarked, “It shall be called Acyutananda Cottage.””
Bhavananda dāsa later recalled an exchange with Śrīla Prabhupāda that highlighted the historical significance of the humble straw cottage. Although it was no longer in use by 1973, Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted it preserved as a reminder of ISKCON’s beginnings in Māyāpur and the remarkable growth that would follow.
EYEWITNESS RECOLLECTION
Bhavananda dāsa
“The story regarding the straw house or bhajan kutir, as it was later called, and the TOVP really requires to be seen as well as heard because of Prabhupada’s arm gesture. However, I will try to narrate as best I can. In June, 1973 Prabhupada was in Mayapur and was staying in the Lotus building. That building was erected at the backmost border of our ISKCON land. The bhajan kutir was at the front border of the land next to Bhaktisiddhant road. The empty land between consisted of many paddy or rice fields. It was all just empty flat fields where Prabhupada had planned for the main temple to be constructed. During a morning walk Prabhupada and I were standing in front of the straw house. I turned to him and said, “Should we demolish this since we don’t use it anymore?” Prabhupada was quiet for a moment and then he said, “No, let the people see – this is what we were”, and then with a grand swing of his right arm he pointed up to his right and said, “and this is what we have become”. And, of course, as we now know he was pointing directly to where the TOVP stands today.”
Source: TOVP Article
The Bhajana Kuṭīra also played an important role during the early years of ISKCON Māyāpur when the property experienced severe flooding during the monsoon season. Śrīla Prabhupāda’s response transformed the incident into a spiritual reflection on the protective mercy of his spiritual master.
PRIMARY SOURCE
Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta
“The monsoons came, and the Ganges spilled over her banks, flooding the entire ISKCON Māyāpur property. Acyutānanda Swami had built a straw and bamboo hut where Prabhupāda was soon to stay, but the waters rose until Acyutānanda Swami had to live in the bamboo rafters. He wrote Prabhupāda that had it not been for Bhaktisiddhānta Road (The elevated road that runs before ISKCON’s property and the birthplace of Lord Caitanya, serving as a dike against the Ganges) the damage would have been extensive. Prabhupāda replied, Yes, we were saved by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Road. We shall always expect to be saved by His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaj Prabhupada. Always pray to His Lotus Feet. Whatever success we have had in preaching Lord Chaitanya’s mission all over the world is only due to His mercy.”
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine.
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet. Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Chaitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.
I think by the beginning of December, 1936, I wrote one letter to Guru Mahārāja. I knew he was little kind upon me, so I wrote that "Guru Mahārāja, you have got many disciples. I am also one of them. But they are doing direct service to you. There some of them are brahmacārīs, some of them sannyāsīs, but I am a householder. I cannot . . ." Of course, I was giving sometimes some monetary help, but I could not give any direct service, so I asked him that, "If there is any particular service I can do for you?"
So that letter was replied in 13th December, dated 13th December, from Purī. And he passed away on the 31st December. Just a fortnight before. So the reply was the same as he wanted me to do this preaching work in 1922, when I first met him that, "You try to preach whatever you have learned from me, the English-knowing people in English. That will do good to you and to the people to whom you shall preach. That is my instruction." So I took up that . . . and then he passed away in 1936, 31st December.
(690207 - Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Los Angeles)
Reporter (2): What will happen to the movement in the United States when you die?
Prabhupāda: I will never die.
Devotees: Jaya! Hari boli! (laughter)
Prabhupāda: I shall live for my books, and you will utilize.
(750716 - Interview - San Francisco)
Kṛṣṇa is Mahāprabhu, and all others, they are prabhus. And the spiritual master who has got many prabhus to abide by his order, he is addressed as Prabhupāda. This is the system.
(710810 - Lecture SB 01.02.02 - London)
Religion without philosophy is sentiment, or sometimes fanaticism, while philosophy without religion is mental speculation. The ultimate goal is Kṛṣṇa, because the philosophers who are also sincerely searching after the Absolute Truth come in the end to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.
(BG 3.3 purport)
So Kṛṣṇa understanding is not so easy. It is very difficult. Kṛṣṇa says. But by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, because He wanted to distribute Himself, Caitanya Mahāprabhu giving us Kṛṣṇa freely . . . kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). Rūpa Gosvāmī says that namo mahā-vadānyāya. Kṛṣṇa was also not so liberal. He simply asked us, "Surrender," but He did not distribute Himself. But in the form of Caitanya Mahāprabhu He distributed Himself, "Take Me, take Me, take Me. Without any price, take Me."
This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is Kṛṣṇa, and He has come in the form of Caitanya, Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, to distribute Himself. Therefore He is recognized, namo mahā-vadānyāya, "The most munificent." No other incarnation, even Rāmacandra or Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, They were not so liberal. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so liberal. Pāpī tāpī jata chilo hari-nāme uddhārilo (Hari Hari Bifale 3). They distributed Himself through the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.
(721031 - Lecture SB 01.02.20 - Vrndavana)