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One day on a walk, Prabhupada discovered a special place across the street from his apartment. There on a neighbor's front lawn stood a broad, tall tree. Taking a few disciples with him, Prabhupada went over and sat down beneath the tree. On a warm Los Angeles afternoon, this was a great but simple luxury, sitting in the pleasant sunny atmosphere beneath the shade tree. Raya Rama considered the occasion something to write to the devotees in New York about.

This afternoon I took a stroll to the temple, which is some distance away, and when I returned I found Swamiji crossing the street from his house, accompanied by Gaurasundara. So I trailed them-up close-Swamiji took his seat under a big oak tree which grows close by our house across the street. "Meditation under a tree is very nice," he said after a few minutes. As we sat there, other devotees came and joined us, all sitting around Swamiji on some unknown person's lawn, under their tree. "Therefore, in former times, sages used to seat themselves under trees and teach."

...I know that I am a worthless fool. Here I sit at Swamiji's feet, and my tears aren't flowing or my heart breaking with joy. But even for a fool, Swamiji's presence is intoxicating in the extreme.

Swamiji said that saintly persons in India often sat under trees and even lived there with no other shelter. The six Gosvamis, who wrote books under the order of Lord Caitanya, lived this way in Vrndavana, staying each night under a different tree and compiling sublime Sanskrit literatures. Hearing Swamiji speak on such transcendental subjects in this setting fit perfectly the devotees' ideal notions of the guru beneath an ancient towering banyan tree in India. It didn't seem to them that they were sitting in an ordinary neighborhood of Los Angeles. Often Aniruddha would return to the apartment after shopping or errands, and he would see from afar "this gorgeous-looking, saffron-robed person sitting there on the grassy lawn."

One day as Subala, Govinda dasi, Raya Rama, and others sat with Prabhupada in the shade, Prabhupada observed a pair of white butterflies. "Just see these worms," he said, pointing to the butterflies. "Here also there is husband and wife. The whole world is in this bondage."

Knowing Subala was still lamenting, Prabhupada continued to speak about the topic on both their minds. "It is not so wonderful that Krsna-devi has left," he said. "What is wonderful is that we are able to stay and serve Krsna. The maya is so strong. It is Krsna's divine energy. And for someone to actually stay engaged in Krsna's service is very rare. The living entity is practically helpless under the sway of maya's power and can only cry out to Krsna for help. But we have to pray at every moment that the power of maya does not disturb us."

Subala continued to live with Prabhupada, cooking for him, tending to his personal needs, and carving Deities of Radha and Krsna. Prabhupada wrote Krsna-devi again.

Your husband Sriman Subal das is living with me very peacefully, and he is carving Radha and Krishna from hardwood. So this life of material existence is just like hardwood, and if we can carve Krishna out of it, that is the success of our life. So, at any circumstance, you must not forget Krishna. I love you at my heart and therefore I gave you the name Krishna devi dasi. Don't forget Krishna even for a single moment chant Hare Krishna loudly or slowly as it may be convenient. But don't forget to chant the holy name. I hope everything will be all right as soon as you come here with Randy, and I am awaiting your arrival with great interest.


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