Blog

Another time a devotee picked a pretty bluish-colored flower and handed it to Prabhupada. Prabhupada took it, smelled it, then held it far away and looked at it, saying, "Oh, this is like a beautiful man without any qualifications." He then tossed it away. It had no aroma.

Upendra liked to ask Swamiji questions on the morning walks.

"Swamiji," Upendra asked, "what does the spiritual master or pure devotee see as he walks through the park?"

"He sees Krsna," Prabhupada replied. "He thinks that these are Krsna's trees, and this is Krsna's house. He sees everything as belonging to the Supreme Lord."

"But if Krsna is everywhere," Upendra pursued, "does the pure devotee see Krsna on the wall on the right and then the wall on the left or in the corner or in between every atom? Does he see one form of Krsna merge into another? Where does one form of Krsna begin and take off from the other form?"

"No, it is not like that," Prabhupada said. "Do you see my spectacles?"

"Yes," said Upendra.

"So whose spectacles are they?" Prabhupada asked.

"They are yours."

Prabhupada pointed to his shoes. "And what is that?"

"Those are your shoes," said Upendra.

"Yes," Prabhupada said. "Similarly, a pure devotee sees Krsna like that. Everything is Krsna's. This is how he sees Krsna everywhere." Near the end of the walk, when Prabhupada had answered many questions, Upendra asked again, "Swamiji, you've spoken to us so much, but I forget most of it. If a devotee becomes Krsna conscious, will he remember everything the spiritual master says?"

"Yes," Prabhupada replied. "It is all there. Not only that, but when a person becomes Krsna conscious, he will be able to see his relationship with Krsna."


- From "Prabhupada-lila" by HH Satsvarupa dasa Goswami