Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Taking vratas - Blog - ISKCON Desire Tree

Taking vratas

I decided that during Kartika I would only eat once a day, and on Ekadasi I would observe a complete fast. I also chanted thirty-two rounds today. Unfortunately, when it came to doing Prabhupada's massage this evening, I was so weak that after about twenty-five minutes I had to stop, and Prabhupada let me take rest. So, for practical reasons I have abandoned the idea and I will carry on with my normal schedule.

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Bhagatji comes into the kitchen in Prabhupada's back garden every lunchtime to cook Prabhupada's chapatis. He is very expert at this and when I was learning to cook Prabhupada had me learn chapati making from him. Prabhupada likes Bhagatji very much, and so when Bhagatji brings the last chapati into the prasadam room for Prabhupada, he lets him sit and chats with him until the end of his meal.

I told Bhagatji today about my decision to not do any special vrata for Kartika. He was surprised and tried to cajole me into continuing, stressing that one must observe some special vrata in order to get the benefit of Kartika. But I held my ground. I told him that the observance of the vrata was useless if it meant I couldn't do my service to Srila Prabhupada. He conceded that it was a higher principle and relented.

- From "A Transcendental Diary Vol 4" by HG Hari Sauri Prabhu

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