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My Memories of Srila Prabhupada

In the Srimad Bhagavatam lecture on March 18, 1976, two days after Gaura Purnima, Srila Prabhupada said, "Srimad Bhagavatam should be your life and soul to remain constantly in Krsna consciousness." This instruction became an important focus in my life. I considered what it meant, "Srimad Bhagavatam should be your life and soul." Often when lecturing or otherwise preaching to devotees, I still quote this instruction and elaborate on what it means: that we should regularly read Srimad Bhagavatam, meditate on its meaning, memorize the important slokas, distribute it to others and discuss it with other devotees. We must live our lives according to the instructions of Srimad Bhagavatam, and in this way become a servant of the Bhagavatam and the maha-bhagavata, Srila Prabhupada, who has given us the Bhagavatam.

One evening I was sauntering along the second floor verandah of the original building in Mayapura, without any particular purpose or direction, when I saw that something was going on in Srila Prabhupada's darsana room. Laughter could be heard, and devotees were milling around the doors. Peeking over the shoulders of devotees at the window, I saw that Srila Prabhupada was giving darsana. The room was packed. "Why am I missing this?" I thought. "How come I didn't know?" I looked at the devotees in the room. No "big shots." It was an open, general darsana. I thought, "Here's my chance. I could just as well be in there as anyone else." Although there was no space to go in, I somehow squeezed through the devotees and even got some kind of a squashed sitting place in front of Srila Prabhupada's table. The "nothing's impossible" spirit of a sankirtana devotee helped me there. I can't remember anything that was discussed. But I remember the mood of Srila Prabhupada and the devotees.

Srila Prabhupada was sitting with one knee in the air, reclining on his bolster, looking totally relaxed. The devotees were in ecstasy to be with Srila Prabhupada, who was also very happy to be with them. They were mostly devotees like myself who had always served him from a distance, without much chance for his personal association. Srila Prabhupada was joking, and the devotees were laughing.

After I had been in the room about ten minutes, Anakadundubhi, a tall British pujari, appeared at the door, holding a big plate of maha-prasada fruit. There was no hope of getting inside, so he just stood there. After a short time Srila Prabhupada saw Anakadundubhi and told him to distribute the prasad to the devotees. Anakadundubhi replied, "I was going to give it to them when they leave." Srila Prabhupada immediately quipped, "They will never leave." The devotees laughed and cheered, "Jaya, Srila Prabhupada!" Prabhupada indicated for Anakadundubhi to come into the room, which he somehow or other did. Srila Prabhupada took a piece of fruit and the rest was distributed to the devotees, who then gradually left the room.

Afterwards I thought about those words, "They will never leave." It was said jokingly, but it was true -- deeply true. The devotees were so deeply bound to Srila Prabhupada in love that they could never leave him. Even if, becoming overwhelmed by maya, they were to temporarily leave him, they could never forget Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet and his kindness upon them.


- From the "My Memories of Srila Prabhupada" by HH Bhakti Vikas Swami

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