Prabhupada had agreed on the condition that Upendra find a suitable replacement. Upendra found one, and soon happily took up his former duties.
One day in early January 1970, Upendra entered Prabhupada's room in his small rented house on the outskirts of Beverly Hills. Upendra's mail had been re-directed to Los Angeles, and it was the contents of one particular letter that had moved him to approach Prabhupada that day. Upendra bowed his head to the floor and stood before Srila Prabhupada.
Upendra: I had received a letter from Bali-mardana -- a devotee whom I had never met. He was from New York and I was from the West Coast. He had sent out letters to the temple presidents asking if they had anyone spare in their temple to help him in Australia. Apparently his visa application had been lodged and he was ready to go. Since I was no longer the president of Seattle, I went to Prabhupada to ask what to do with the letter.
I guess Krsna must have really covered my intelligence because I said: "Srila Prabhupada, I have a letter here from Bali-mardana. He wants a devotee to go to Australia with him. Can you suggest someone?" I handed Srila Prabhupada the letter, and stood there as Prabhupada looked first at the letter, and then at me. He kept staring at me. I looked sideways and looked back, but he was still looking. I thought, "Krsna -- no!" Then I voiced my worst fears.
"No, Srila Prabhupada, not me."
Prabhupada smiled and said: "Yes, you should go."
"No," I said, half-heartedly. "I'm serving you here -- I'm doing your cooking, your massage, cleaning your room.."
But Prabhupada cut me off, and in a matter-of-fact sort of way said: "Oh, anyone can be my servant, but preaching is something special. Besides, you were doing better service in Seattle. Taking care of my body is not such an important thing."
So practically without speaking a word -- just by looking at me, Srila Prabhupada chose me to go to Australia.
- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
Comments