Blog

Return to America, 1967

San Francisco, December 14, 1967

As soon as Srila Prabhupada came into view, many devotees began to cry out or shed tears. He looked much healthier, tanned from the sun, spritely. He waved and smiled. That smile made them still more eager, and they could hardly contain themselves while Prabhupada patiently waited for a customs official to inspect his bags.

When Prabhupada had left America, his disciples had been uncertain whether they would ever see him again. He had suffered a paralyzing stroke in New York and had gone back to India to recuperate. If he were going to die, he had said, the best place in the world was Vrndavana. But soon in his letters from India came news of his returning strength. Krsna had saved him. Now he was back. They needed him; if they were to represent him and spread Krsna consciousness, then they needed more association with Krsna's pure devotee.

Jayananda drove him from the airport in an old limousine decorated with flowers. Prabhupada would be staying in an apartment in the brahmacaris' house on Willard Street, about two blocks from the storefront temple on Frederick Street. As he approached the door of his apartment, he saw the picture of Lord Visnu, taped to the inside of the glass, facing him. Although the devotees had debated about the picture because Lord Visnu had not been colored blue, Prabhupada joined his palms together in the pranama gesture and, slightly bowing his head, passed Lord Visnu and entered the house.

The devotees gathered excitedly in Prabhupada's room. One of them had read about a Vaisnava ceremony of washing the feet of the spiritual master, so they had prepared a pitcher of water and a bowl. Prabhupada permitted it, and in a few seconds it was done. Then he sat facing a crowded room of intimate devotees. Taking his karatalas and playing them softly and sweetly, he led a Hare Krsna kirtana. It was no ordinary thing how Prabhupada sang and how they listened and chanted in response with fastened, ecstatic attention. But it was brief.

Afterwards, he began to speak of Krsna. He said that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and everyone's best friend. Even a good friendship in this world is a small indication of Krsna's friendship, because everything is coming from Krsna. If you feel good on a nice spring day, that is an indication of Krsna. The smell of an aromatic flower-that is Krsna. Whatever is good in this world is Krsna, and all that is bad comes from forgetfulness of Krsna. Prabhupada spoke with a kind, gentle, and humble attitude.

He had brought back some gifts. For the ladies he had saris. He held up the thin cotton cloths one at a time, called the name of each initiated girl disciple, and handed her a sari. One sari was white with a red and black design, others were white with single-color borders. In a small saffron cloth Prabhupada had three silken garlands. He unwrapped them, saying, "These can be tied around the necks of Lord Jagannatha, Subhadra, and Balarama." Previous to this, the deities had received no dresses or decorations.

Mukunda and Syamasundara came forward to show Prabhupada their first American-made karatalas. Months ago Prabhupada had suggested that they might make karatalas in America, and the men had analyzed the metals in the Indian karatalas, gathered the ingredients from scrapyards, taken them to a foundry, and had them molded into a finished product. Prabhupada took the first pair of American karatalas in his hand, hit them together a few times, and pronounced, "Not so great." Again he took up his own beautifully polished brass karatalas from India. Striking them together once, he let them ring for a long time. "This is great," he said.

cont'd


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