Verse: Pastimes Of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada
Gaura-premānande hari-haribol!
namaḥ oṁ viṣṇupādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣthāya bhūtale
svāmi-śrī-bhaktivedānta-prabhupādāya te namaḥ
gurvājñāṁ śirasi-dharyan śaktyāveṣa-sva-rūpiṇe
hare-kṛṣṇeti-mantreṇa pāścātya-prācya-tāriṇe
Śrīla Prabhupāda ki Jaya!
Hare Kṛṣṇa,
So, I thought that yesterday was the only day I would speak on Śrīla Prabhupāda but after the class there had been without even asking me Syāma Mukunda made the announcement that I was going to give the class today also. So, anyway, I happy to be here and happy to speak on Śrīla Prabhupāda and then am happy that you all are so keen to hear about Śrīla Prabhupāda so eager to hear what Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Anybody can see Prabhupāda is such a wonderfully attractive personality. Actually, when Prabhupāda came to America the youth of America used to consider that anyone who is above 30 was from another world. Because their outlook was so different. And the youth of America was going through one very specific phase at that time. And when most probably most of you are not acquainted with that situation. There was a period of counterculture and which was known as the hippie movement and their whole outlook was that, that the purpose of life will be found through taking LSD or drugs and sex.
And at that time, Śrīla Prabhupāda came a 70 year old man when they could not didn’t want to deal with anyone who is above 30 and when here is somebody who is 70 years old and he conquered the hearts. And they were committed completely to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission. That shows actually what an, what an attractive personality Śrīla Prabhupāda was and and also it was not for no rhyme or reason. Like they could see that Prabhupāda really cared for them. They were disappointed with their surrounding their family their… because they saw that that the love that they wanted they could get from them. And Śrīla.. they found that love from Śrīla Prabhupāda they could see that Like Prabhupāda used to although, he did have money, whatever little money that he had from selling the books Bhāgavatams and they were not in a position to give Śrīla Prabhupāda any donation also. Like they were they were whatever little money Śrīla Prabhupāda had he himself is to go by buy Bhoga and he used to cook and he used feed them.
Then they gradually started to move in to that house that Śrīla Prabhupāda, the storefront 26 second Avenue. I mean, to recall in a proper situation at that time, like we can consider see, like Prabhupāda, as you all know proper came to Butler in the house of Gopāla Agarwal. That was the only person that Prabhupāda knew. And not even knew that was Prabhupāda. Actually, the only person proper knew of him. And that person arranged for Śrīla Prabhupāda come to his and stay in his house, and it must have been so difficult actually for both for Prabhupāda as well as Gopāla Agarwal. Gopāla Agarwal was married to an American girl Sally Agarwal and he had two children, one daughter and one baby son and Prabhupāda also to kind of life with them was also a challenge. But they very nice Gopāla actually was very nice and so was Sally.
Like Gopāla arranged for new pots and pans for Śrīla Prabhupāda to cook and made it a point not to have any non-veg stuff in the house during that time. And he arranged for Śrīla Prabhupāda to stay in the YMCA and Prabhupāda to come and used to cook and his two feed them. And this is how Śrīla Prabhupāda actually started to conquer their hearts. I mean, like and then Prabhupāda made some acquaintance found about somebody where he could possibly stay in New York. Prabhupāda didn’t come to America to stay in a small little place like Butler. He, his mission was to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. So there was a need for him to stay in a big city so Prabhupāda moved to New York and that was also another challenge. Although, this person was Indian and spiritually inclined, but he was Māyāvādi Dr. Mishra and for are devotee to live with a Māyāvādi, like it is said that a devotee would rather stay with the snake in the same room that with Mayavadi. And but Prabhupāda tolerated him and he actually one Dr. Mishra’s heart also Dr. Mishra actually mentioned that he was very sick at the time, not very sick but quite sick and Prabhupāda used to cook and just by eating Śrīla Prabhupāda’s cooking — He got cured. And while there in the Ananda ashram of the Dr. Mishra Prabhupāda acquainted a few young boys and one of them was Michael Grant, who later became Mukunda Maharaja and Mukunda Maharaja’s contribution was actually in credible___Like that group a few of them were there, youngsters and they arranged a place for Śrīla Prabhupāda to stay. Prabhupāda actually asked them if he could get a place somewhere. And they told Prabhupāda one boy just moved out from his studio in mean that loft apartment and not apartment just one room with a bathroom and so that was vacant if they knew that Prabhupāda was looking for the place and then Prabhupāda could have got that place but one boy called uh… anyway the name is not coming anyway. So he was he took that place up. So, they asked whether they could, that Prabhupāda could share the room with him. And, and he agreed.
And he was very much affected by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s association. He became quite inclined to spiritual life and but then actually he was he was taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness so nicely that Prabhupāda wrote to one of his godbrothers in India that probably he would become his first American disciple. And but unfortunately, he went back to his bad habits again, started to take LSD and one day while he was tripping in LSD like he attacked Śrīla Prabhupāda, And Prabhupāda ran down the stairs and he gave him I mean chased Śrīla Prabhupāda. Prabhupāda came down to the street and he called Michael Grant told him about situation. So he actually arranged for Śrīla Prabhupāda to stay with another acquaintance of his and then eventually he actually got the 26 Second Avenue for Śrīla Prabhupāda an apartment with the house just behind it. Apartment with the house, just behind that.
And so, there it Prabhupāda started his preaching. And youngsters devotees being attracted to Śrīla Prabhupāda they started to come there Prabhupāda used to give class on Bhagavad Gita. Many of them used to come, but most of them, didn’t actually come to listen to Bhagavad Gita, they were fond of making music, with Swami. And Prabhupāda used to chant and, and then give a class and after the class is to give them some prasāda. Just one apple cut into small-small pieces and gave them prasāda and so this is how it all started.
Then some of the boys wanted to move in. And they started to stay 26 Second Avenue. Then one girl Judy, she insisted that she would move in there. Prabhupāda tried to convince no, this is not a place for girls to stay. But she just kept on insisting, saying that she can't stay with her family and… And then eventually Prabhupāda allowed her to stay in his apartment. So that's how broadminded Śrīla Prabhupāda was. And this is how Prabhupāda actually started to win them over. Prabhupāda saw that they would like, these boys and girls. There were fond of gulāb gulāb-jāmun and Prabhupāda used to make gulāb jāmun and keep it in a jar and the room in 26 Second Avenue storefront and they would come and they would just take the gulābs and they used to call it ISKCON bullet.
And so then Prabhupāda held the initiation. Mukunda Maharaja got initiated with the name Mukunda Das. And he and his girlfriend Jenny got initiated then after initiation Prabhupāda said so now that you initiated you can't live like boyfriend-girlfriend. You have to get married. Prabhupāda conducted the, the wedding.
Then Prabhupāda actually told Mukunda Maharaja to go to the West Coast because things are just, everything was happening in the West Coast, San Francisco Golden Gate Park. And Mukunda Maharaja came to the West Coast. He got two of his friends and their girlfriends also join him. So, six of them came and found a place like 26 Second Avenue storefront and a place for Prabhupāda to stay upstairs. And so this is how Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement shifted or rather expanded from New York to the West Coast, San Francisco.
And then it was literally an explosion Hare Kṛṣṇa explosion. Incidentally, another very beautiful or miraculous thing happened Śyāmasundara Prabhu’s wife Melanie found a very strange-looking figurine and she thought that she would give it to Śrīla Prabhupāda. So when should present it to Śrīla Prabhupāda. Prabhupāda straightaway offered obeisances, everyone is surprised why Swamiji is offering obeisances to this. Then Prabhupāda said that were their any other such figures? She said that yes there was one white one and a yellow one. Prabhupāda, said go get so them. So, they were Jagannātha , Baladeva and Subhadra and this is how Jagannātha , Baladeva and Subhadra came to ISKCON. Then Shyamasundara Prabhu had the skill skills of woodcarving so Prabhupāda asked him to make big replica, replica of that.
So that’s how Jagannātha, Baladeva and Subhadrā appeared and they were installed, installed in the sense that were kept in that storefront and they started to worship. Prabhupāda showed them how to worship and then one day, Śrīla Prabhupāda saw that Jagannātha is missing. So, he asked what happened? And he was told that the devotees have taken Jagannātha to the Golden Gate Park. So, Prabhupāda went to Golden Gate Park and he saw that the devotees and others they are chanting and dancing around Jagannātha . So, Prabhupāda told them you can't take Jagannātha out like that the deities cannot be taken out of the temple like that. But on some special occasions, you can take and Prabhupāda told them about Ratha-yātrā. And they decided to have a Ratha-yātrā. A flatbed truck was decorated with flowers and leaves and branches and that's how the first Ratha-yātrā
Took place and that festival became so popular that the mayor of San Francisco announced, announced that day to be a holiday. A public holiday. So that's how Jagannātha appeared Jagannātha's chariot festival appeared. And then started to grow, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Then again, these three couples Śyāmasundara Prabhu, Gurudāsa Prabhu and Mukunda Maharaja and their wives, they decided now that Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is expanding in America now lets take it out of America. And they decided to go to England. Their visit to England was also somewhat like Prabhupāda’s coming to America, without any money. So, they took a cheap flight to Amsterdam and then they thought that they would go across the channel to England. But when the went there, they found that in order to enter into England, to UK, they have to show certain amount of money. Then, they didn't have that kind of money for all six of them to go. So, they got all their money together and one couple went to England and then they wired the money back to Amsterdam for the second couple to go then the third couple to go. So this is how all six devotees went to England they were struggling because and who'd listen to these young Americans speaking about Kṛṣṇa consciousness or Indian religion or Indian philosophy. Even the Indians were not interested although some generous Indian allowed them to stay in their house, but that was about all, they were not, not at all inclined to take to spiritual life.
But then one day they saw the picture of the Beatles dressed up in Indian clothes. So, they already got to know that the Beatles went to India and interested became interested in Indian culture and so forth, so then they decided to meet the Beatles. But the Beatles those days were a big name, like to approach the Beatles was not an easy thing and had to have proper appointment. Then Śyāmasundara Prabhu bumped into one of his acquaintances from, from San Francisco and who was the manager of a rock group called The Grateful Dead and so he many…. found out that he actually came to meet the Beatles he asked. Can you please take me also to meet them? So he agreed. Ok fine, I come and so but when he went to the Apple studio and tried to get in and the gate keeper the guard there stopped him would let him go, and so he told him that he had an appointment with such and such person, Rock Scully his name was. And so that garden let him go.
So, at that time, Yoko Ono, John Lennon's Japanese wife just happen to come there in a white Rolls-Royce. And he(she) saw Śyāmasundara Prabhu, dressed in dhoti and kurta. So she said you must be a friend of John. And he said yes- yes. So he was she just took him in and I mean this is how we can see how Kṛṣṇa was making all these arrangements. These are not just some chance happenings. These are all Kṛṣṇa's divine arrangement.
So he is waiting Rock Scully didn't show up he was just waiting inside and then George Harrison just happen to pass by and seeing Śyāmasundara from the Prabhu dressed up in dhoti and kurta. Like he came to him and said where you guys been all this while? I saw you in San Francisco and since then I've been trying to meet you all. And that's how it all started, George Harrison invited them to his house and they made friends with him, then Prabhupāda came to meet them. Prabhupāda actually stayed in the house of John Lennon and then eventually George Harrison got that property, which is Bhaktivedānta Manor today and he also paid for printing the Kṛṣṇa book and they made a music, they made some album on Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting. And also they did govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ where Hari Vilāsa Prabhu played the Turkish Guitar and, and the Beatles were the most, you know what to say they are the most important personalities in the young community all over the world. And so and they made a music on Hare Kṛṣṇa. So, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement got a special recognition all over the world.
So, this is how the movement started to spread by Kṛṣṇa's divine arrangement and devotees started to join all over. Now to go back to yesterday's thing I just highlight a few incidents that I had with Śrīla Prabhupāda. One thing was, I told you like I had the good fortune to travel it Śrīla Prabhupāda to Calcutta. So one evening Śrīla Prabhupāda was giving darshan and many important people came to meet Śrīla Prabhupāda and so then aratika began and Prabhupāda told everyone to go to the aratik. So, I also went and but while attending the aratik, I felt that aratik I can attend every day but to be with Prabhupāda is not going to be possible every day. So, I decided to go back to Prabhupāda's room. So the door as I opened the door and stepped in Prabhupāda asked me. So what you want. I said Prabhupāda, I just wanted to be with you. Prabhupāda said, sit down. And when I open the door and saw Śrīla Prabhupāda, I was a little shocked to see the Śrīla Prabhupāda this count the money that donation that people gave___
Give Prabhupāda was counting. And generally in India, you know, you don't see sadhus dealing with money. In that respect Prabhupāda mentioned that the Mayavadis, when you offer them some money the take the hands at the back and say no, no we don't want any money, we don’t want any of that. When people give us money, we take it with our left, right hand and then we stretch our left hand for some more. So, that is the difference between Mayavadis and us. That of course I heard later on because our business is to use everything in Kṛṣṇa's service. So laxmi, must be used in Kṛṣṇa's service.
Anyway, so just the thought came like, oh, but then I brushed the thought aside and sat down. Prabhupāda after counting the money kept it in his drawer. Then he asked me. So what you want? So I just said Prabhupāda will you please give me the initiation? Prabhupāda, said yes, yes I will give you initiation during Gaura Purnima in Mayapura. Then after that as I mentioned Prabhupāda from Calcutta, he went to Bhubaneswar and then he came to Mayapura after that. And then the initiation took place, Brahmananda Swami was Prabhupāda’s secretary at that time. One of his secretary, because like, Tamal Kṛṣṇa Maharaja was already there is Prabhupāda. So, he just came to be Prabhupāda secretary and Brahmananda marriage was already Prabhupāda’s secretary. So, it was between two of them they were actually taking up the service.
So Brahmananda Swami one morning came to me and told me that Prabhupāda decided to give me first and second initiation together. And he told me boy you made it. And so by very mercifully Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me the initiation also at the time I was serving Śrīla Prabhupāda so I could go out and collect guru daksina. I was with Śrīla Prabhupāda, the whole day in the evening when the devotees came started to give the guru daksina. So I felt very guilty oh I couldn’t go out and collect. So, when everyone was gone. I just told Śrīla Prabhupāda, Prabhupāda you gave me dīkṣā, but I didn't bring any daksina to give you. Prabhupāda, said you give yourself that is the best daksina. So I offered obeisances praying to Śrīla Prabhupāda — Prabhupāda, please accept me and allowed me to be completely surrendered to you lotus feet.
Those days I was trial replying Śrīla Prabhupāda's Bengali letters and then Hindi letters. So one morning I went to Śrīla Prabhupāda and got the letters, some letter signed by him and some letters, I read out the draft so that I wrote and Prabhupāda was having a massage sitting on the roof. Hari Shauri Prabhu was giving the massage and so, although I finish my business getting the letters signed and reading out the drafts that I wrote. Still, I thought I'd just sit here and as as much association as possible. And so I was sitting there and Prabhupāda was having the massage. Then Prabhupāda just started to speak, he said. See said see, for so many lifetimes we have been trying to enjoy and you are still not satisfied, so offer this life to Kṛṣṇa and then Prabhupāda kept on speaking about what materialistic life is like. He gave various examples and like how it is like a prison house a prison house of sex desire. And then he explained what the sex desire is like. Like camels are eating thorns.
And he also explained how its like. Anyway, so Prabhupāda just spoke and then finally Prabhupāda told me just offer this life to Kṛṣṇa and see what happens. If nothing happens was the loss is just one life out of so many. And I got the message, Prabhupāda wanted me to offer this life to Kṛṣṇa and Prabhupāda after some time after the Gaura Purnima festival soon after that Prabhupāda decided to go to Bombay. Giriraj Maharaja actually arranged a big festival in Bombay in Cross Maidan in Bombay. Cross Maidan is a set in centre of the city centre of the city, a huge park.
And so Prabhupāda was to go to Bombay and Bhavananda Maharaja one morning he told me that look you have much to do in Mayapura. So, you don't go with Prabhupāda. You stay here. I mean my heart literally broke. But what to do, like he had already done so much for me. So, I couldn't really decline I just accepted. Okay, but all throughout my heart I was feeling a very heaviness in the heart.
Then that when I was with Śrīla Prabhupāda then Prabhupāda asked so, aren't you coming? And I said, no Prabhupāda Bhavananda Maharaja told the services in separation is greater than service in union. So, Prabhupāda, said that may be, but when a spiritual master wants you to serve with him and I think you should do that. I mean I was just I mean, I mean I was wishing that something like that would happen. I couldn’t tell Prabhupāda, but actually from my from my behavior from my countenance probably Prabhupāda could see that, and I just went to Bhavananda ran to Bhavananda Maharaja and I told him what Prabhupāda, said. He said well, if Prabhupāda, said that then you have to go. And then I jokingly told him and Prabhupāda, said that he have to pay for my fair.
So then I have the opportunity to again travelled with Śrīla Prabhupāda to Bombay and when Prabhupāda the arrived in Bombay. The car actually took him to his old apartment. And there quite a few old buildings are there one of the buildings Prabhupāda had his apartment but Prabhupāda refuse to get down. He asked what happened? I want to go to the his, new building, his new apartment. So he was told that that was not complete. Prabhupāda set complete or not, I'm just going to stay there. And then Prabhupāda just went and that place was like a like a literally like a workplace in the doors were not complete some rooms
toilets were not, by the bathrooms and toilets are not fixed. But Prabhupāda just went and he decided to stay there. Tamal Kṛṣṇa Maharaja was so intelligent. Tamal Kṛṣṇa Mahraja spoke with Giriraja Maharaja. Giriraja Maharaja was president of the Bombay temple at the time. He was a brahmachari at the time. So he told him that let's take Śrīla Prabhupāda to the city because Cross Maidan is right in the heart of the city. Travelling from Juhu to the city is not going to be practical. So it is better that Prabhupāda stayed in the city. So some people were found. Giriraja Maharaja phoned some important people there. One of them was Bhogilal Patel a very wealthy person. He literally had a palace there and but Bhogilal was not in the city.
So, finally one arrangement was made in the house in the apartment of one person Kartikeya Mahadevia. It was a beautiful apartment in one of the most exclusive buildings in Bombay, right on the beach and so he moved out of that his apartment and made the whole apartment. like a five bedroom apartment he made it available for Śrīla Prabhupāda and with his two daughters and a son, and he and his wife moved to another apartment where his relatives are staying.
So Prabhupāda state there for a few days and then after the program by the time the his apartment in Juhu temple was completed so Prabhupāda moved in there and Prabhupāda was staying there it was he didn't see he didn’t go down to give classes or anything most, the time he was there but he was translating. Like Prabhupāda was so particular in Mayapura he couldn't translate that regularly but here Prabhupāda really started his translation. He would practically wake up at about 11 o'clock at night. He would go to bed around 8-8:30. Get up at 11 and he would started translating. And he would translate throughout the night. And then as I mentioned like Kartikeya Mahadevia, I'm sorry she Munnar and RamKṛṣṇa Bajaj suggested that he went to Rishikesh.
So those days, Prabhupāda was one of our godsisters, Palika Mataji she was cooking for Śrīla Prabhupāda, so she used to cook and I used to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda take the plate, serve. Then one day Palika became sick and another godsister of our was asked to cook for Śrīla Prabhupāda. So when I served I could see that Prabhupāda was not able to eat so I asked Prabhupāda, the prasada cooking was not right today? Prabhupāda, said no, she doesn't know how to cook. Then I just blurted out Śrīla Prabhupāda, should I cook for you tomorrow ? Prabhupāda said yes, you can try.
So the next morning Prabhupāda actually showed me what to cook. That was the first thing Prabhupāda actually taught me how to cook its a preparation called bati charchari. Like there was parval, and potatoes he showed me how to cut the parval. Well, not scrape the skin, just with the back of the knife. You rub it and take out the outer part. And then cut them in dices three pieces out of one parval. Potatoes also cut in the same size. He asked me to put it in a pot of that bottom pot and he asked me to bring turmeric, chilli, red chili, and we are carrying mustard oil for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s body massage from Bengal from Mayapura. Actually you get very good mustard oil in Bengal. So here Prabhupāda asked me to bring that can of mustard oil. So he asked me to put a lot of turmeric then he asked me to break those red chilis dry red chilis, break them and quite a lot of chili also and then he asked me to pour the oil. So, Prabhupāda was having massage at the time, so I kept on pouring the oil and Prabhupāda didn't say anything I thought that may be Prabhupāda to notice it, how much it put so I stopped it. Tilted the can back and stop pouring. Prabhupāda shouted, why did you stop pouring? Keep pouring, so further…
Jaya Sri Sri Radha Nila Madhava ki Jaya!
Sri Sri Sitaram Laxman Hanuman ki Jaya!
Sri Sri Gaura Nitai ki Jaya!
Śrīla Prabhupāda ki Jaya!
And then he told me to put salt and put water that would cover just up to the surface of the vegetables. Put it on the flame and then the water will dry out and the white steam will be coming out and making a sound like chat, chat, chat, chat and then I should take it out of the fire. And let it sit for a while and then I would scrape it from the bottom. Actually what happened. Like a lot of turmeric settled at the bottom and a lot of oil kind of made it kind of fry like, and then the crust and the crust was kind of frying. So, when you scraped it those crusts are actually mixed with vegetable.
Anyway, so I cooked that and a couple of other things I cooked. Then after Prabhupāda to the prasāda I used to take the water to for Prabhupāda to wash his mouth and then I would clean the plate table and the pots parts and Prabhupāda to keep sitting there for some time and then Upendra Prabhu used to come and take Prabhupāda to his bed. For him to lie down for a while so I was washing the pots Upendra came running. He said hey what did you cook Prabhupāda asked me to taste. So, I gave it to him at about 3 o'clock, Tamal Kṛṣṇa Maharaja used to go out, go to Prabhupāda, then read out the letters that came and he used to take the dictations to reply those letters. So after that, Tamal Kṛṣṇa Maharaja also came and told me. Prabhupāda really liked your cooking and he was really appreciated what you cooked. And naturally, I quite elated. Then the next day I blew it. I cooked, I served Prabhupāda took just one bite and he said you don't have any standard. One day you cook nicely. I appreciate and next thing you are gone. any way Prabhupāda
ate, at least what I cooked. Then the day after I cooked very, very carefully very attentively. So this time I can't afford to make any mistake and so when I saw that Śrīla Prabhupāda was eating. I got some confidence and I ask Prabhupāda, Prabhupāda was cooking alright today? Prabhupāda, said yesterday it was alright. Then I said Prabhupāda, I was so was so afraid and I was in so much anxiety today when I was cooking. Prabhupāda said that's good. When you are serving your spiritual master. You should be afraid and you should be in anxiety.
So this is how I got another service to cook for Śrīla Prabhupāda and Prabhupāda used to tell me what to cook and I used to just follow Prabhupāda. This to say how used he wanted me to cook that. So that's how I had the good fortune again of learning how to cook from Śrīla Prabhupāda. Although sometimes used to come to the kitchen, but not generally he used to just tell me what to cook and I used to serve that.
Then he went to Rishikesh in Rishikesh also another interesting thing happened about cooking. Prabhupāda’s stomach was not very good. So Prabhupāda asked me to cook that preparation, bāti charchari by that time, Tamāl Kṛṣṇa Maharaja convinced Prabhupāda not to take it with mustard oil but with ghee. So I cooking and Prabhupāda was taking it with a lot of ghee. So it was with so much ghee and so much oil, so much chili so I thought that I wouldn’t put so much chili in that. So when I served Śrīla Prabhupāda was very upset, he said, I personally taught you how to cook and you forgot! And Prabhupāda was so upset that whenever I went near came here he would just say I personally taught you how to cook and you forgot? Then when Prabhupāda's voice became a little mild after two days. Then I said Prabhupāda, I didn't actually forget because your stomach was not really in proper order, I decided not to put so much chili then Prabhupāda, said then why didn’t you tell me? And then he told me that when you put a lot of ghee there has to be a lot of chili because they counteract each other's effect. A lesson to learn a lot of ghee lot of chilli.
And so Prabhupāda state in Rishikesh for a few days and then as I mentioned Prabhupāda decided to go to Vṛndāvana and we are serving then Prabhupāda change his mind. Prabhupāda's health condition started to improve and so one day Prabhupāda decided to give me sannyāsa. And when the devotees got to know that some of the senior devotees GBCs and sannyāsis felt that I was too new in the movement to get sannyāsa so quickly. Like about two and a half months ago Prabhupāda give me first and second initiation and now I was going to get sannyāsa. So, they will try to convince me not to take sannyāsa so quickly. So they called me. I was already cooking for Śrīla Prabhupāda, so then. Anyway, were are speaking to me. So, I got so exasperated I just told ok you know its not that I am deciding Prabhupāda is deciding so, if you have to speak about it. Then speak to Śrīla Prabhupāda.
So I was cooking and then, Tamal Kṛṣṇa Maharaja number one in the Prabhupāda came to me and he, Tamal Kṛṣṇa Maharaja announced that Prabhupāda decided to give me sannāysa the day after tomorrow. So this is how very mercifully Prabhupāda gave me sannyāsa and Prabhupāda, as I was telling the other day, Prabhupāda's health condition improved. And Prabhupāda wanted to leave for the West and when the consideration came whether Prabhupāda should go out or not. Then Prabhupāda’s response was that a warrior doesn't die on a bed. He dies in the battle field. And so I could see, like Prabhupāda, his mood was that as long as he was there. He is going to serve. We saw that even few days before Prabhupāda left the planet he didn't have any strength to turn to his side himself. We had to help him. Sometimes he would be, he would be kind of feeling uneasy just lying on his back. So, he would want to turn and then we had to very carefully help him to turn to his side. Still Prabhupāda was translating Pradyumna Prabhu Prabhupāda’s Sanskrit editor used to read the verse and Prabhupāda used to suggest how to translate and one of us used to hold the microphone of the dictaphone in front of Prabhupāda's mouth and Prabhupāda use to speak. There was just a few days before he left his body's translating. Although there was, he didn't have any strength to get up or turn to his side. He was translating.
Prabhupāda wanted to go to the West and here also, when Prabhupāda was all dressed up to leave, he was sitting on his chair and I was sitting and at his feet Prabhupāda asked aren’t you coming so I said no Śrīla Prabhupāda, and I don't have my passport with me. Prabhupāda, said okay then you come and join me in Hawaii. Prabhupāda's plan was to go to Hawaii, London, New York, Gitā Nagari, Los Angeles and then Hawaii. Prabhupāda's health condition deteriorated. He came back from London and in London he had a small operation also but this time Prabhupāda's health condition deteriorated so much that Vanamālī Kavirāja was called he started to give the medicine but he told me that my medicine is not working. So it's not no use giving this medicine now and I used to always very feel very, very guilty that Vanamāli Kavirāja told me not to let Prabhupāda go, but I didn't insist on that. I didn’t insist on that thinking that well, Prabhupāda decided to go so.. but maybe things would have been different if I had told the GBCs there were quite a few GBCs present at the time. So, if I told them that this is what Vanamāli Kavirāja was suggesting. Then probably things would have been different Prabhupāda's health condition would have improved. And probably Prabhupāda would have been with us for some more years.
Anyway, now we have to see that Śrīla Prabhupāda is with us. Prabhupāda one day, although Śrīla Prabhupāda's health condition was not very good. But still I used to cook for Śrīla Prabhupāda and Prabhupāda use to sit there come and sit, but he could eat anything. So one day he told me that why are you cooking for me the recipe you have so much to do here wasting your time cooking for me? So, I told Prabhupāda, I cook with the hope that someday you'll feel better and he would have the appetite. Prabhupāda, said, I will feel better only when I die. When Prabhupāda, said that it was.. I broke down and then Prabhupāda, very soft and soothing voice he told me. Is this what he learned from me? Didn’t you learn that we all eternal? We are always going to be there. Although, we may have changed although we may change our body but we will always be there . And often I think that statement Prabhupāda that he will always be there, although he is gone out of sight. We are not able to see him anymore, but he's seeing us and he is with us, provided we feel his presence in our hearts.
Śrīla Prabhupāda ki Jaya!
Host Devotee:
Hare Kṛṣṇa,
So, we just experienced something very unique and special, to have such an intimate what you call, a window into the personal relationship between Bhakti Charu Maharaja and Śrīla Prabhupāda. If Bhakti Charu Maharaja took sannyāsa initiation from in 1977 that's what 42 years you are a sannyāsi. Huh? I said from I calculate you took sannyāsa in 1977 so, that 42 years. So that's a quite well, that’s what Prabhupāda asked him to do, to just skip one life. What do you have to lose? You wait and see what happens. So, I think what happens was very wonderful and also the, those last moments indelible. I mean you will never forget those and the fact that you shared them with us, I don’t think any of us will forget either, so thank you. Haribol!
Applause. So, like I said Sunday, here Śikṣā and Dīkṣā gurus and its very important to understand that Maharaja is also our Śikṣā Guru yeah, and we should never think that there is any difference between bonafide śikṣā and dīkṣā gurus, it’s a very important concept to understand. We can learn from all the advanced devotees in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness and we should respect them all as our Guru. So, thank you very much Maharaja.
All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.