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When a letter arrived from Madhudvisa on 20 May 1976, Prabhupada was hopeful. Madhudvisa admitted that he was suffering due to his fallen condition, and felt that he would like to approach spiritual life in a "more straightforward fashion". If Krsna allowed, he said, he would keep chanting and praying. He intimated that hopefully he would be able to see Srila Prabhupada in Los Angeles in a week or so. Srila Prabhupada immediately sent a reply:

My dear Madhudvisa Maharaja,

Please accept my blessings. I am due receipt of your letter dated May 15, 1976 and I have noted the contents with great care.

I want to meet you immediately. If you do not come to Hawaii and you want to come to Los Angeles to meet me, then I can go to Los Angeles immediately. If you actually want to give me service, then you can live with me. I want your service.

Srila Prabhupada's open-hearted, loving invitation for Madhudvisa to return, illustrated the depth of his mercy. Devotees close to Srila Prabhupada at the time were struck with both his expertise and his compassion. Srila Prabhupada only chose to see the great service that Madhudvisa had rendered in the past. The fact that there was some so-called 'disservice' did not appear on the 'balance-sheet'.

Although devotees left Krsna consciousness for various reasons, Srila Prabhupada saw them all as having been tricked by illusion. The result was almost always the same, whether the defector left on the plea of a new religion, or new economic opportunities, or whatever. Usually he or she would take up a life of sense gratification, abandoning the strict path of self-realisation. Such was the case with Madhudvisa.

The fact that Madhudvisa had fallen from the strict sannyasa asrama seemed inconsequential to Srila Prabhupada, who saw things from a transcendental, compassionate level. A disciple, Prabhupada once said, may fall away due to maya's influence, but the spiritual master will never forsake him. Srila Prabhupada was quite prepared to have Madhudvisa back as a householder. His main concern was to again engage his fallen son in some sort of service.


- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu