My Memories of Srila Prabhupada
Upon seeing Srila Prabhupada coming slowly and majestically down the stairs, the devotees waiting outside the temple room
immediately bowed down. Everyone except me. I thought, "Let me see Prabhupada." Srila Prabhupada was glowing, literally.
He looked more grave than anyone I had ever seen before. I just stared at his divine form for a few seconds, and wanted to
go on and on just looking at him. But knowing and feeling it to be improper not to bow down, I also offered obeisances.
When I got up, Srila Prabhupada had reached the temple room door. He lifted his lotus feet one by one for a fortunate
devotee to remove his slippers. I was surprised, for I had not seen or heard of such a custom before. Being a new devotee,
I was regularly being surprised with customs that I had not seen or heard of before, and this was another one that I took
mental note of: the spiritual master's slippers are taken off by a disciple.
The temple room was packed. I squeezed through the door along with many others coming in behind Srila Prabhupada. The
kirtana that had been going on stopped when Srila Prabhupada entered. Although some devotees were smiling happily, the
general mood was one of awe. The devotees were tense and apprehensive. Srila Prabhupada was deeply grave and so were the
devotees. As Srila Prabhupada strode towards the altar, the devotees bowed down, leaving a line in the middle for Srila
Prabhupada to walk through. Again, I stood and watched for a few seconds more as the other devotees bowed down. I wanted
to see what Srila Prabhupada did.
I stood near the back of the temple room, watching Srila Prabhupada from behind as he walked the length of the temple room,
devotees bowing down on both sides. Srila Prabhupada stood for some seconds with folded hands before Sri-Sri Radha-
Gokulananda, then offered full obeisances. The devotees, who had by this time got up from offering obeisances and were now
all intently watching Srila Prabhupada, again offered obeisances when their spiritual master did. Then Srila Prabhupada
took darsana and caranamrta.
Srila Prabhupada accepted guru-puja, sitting on his magnificent vyasasana at the opposite end of the temple. After chanting
Jaya Radha Madhava, he just looked at the Deities for several minutes without saying anything. He then spoke about how
beautiful Their Lordships were.
- From the "My Memories of Srila Prabhupada" by HH Bhakti Vikas Swami
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