Srila Prabhupada's scheduleTuesday, 20 February 1973During his travels in 1973, Srila Prabhupada continued his work of translation and commentary on the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Four. Despite his advanced age, the disruptive travel hours, the jet-lag, the tedious inconvenience of airport stopovers and aggressive customs officers, Prabhupada demonstrated great determination by maintaining his writing schedule wherever he went. Here in Auckland was no exception. His literary paraphernalia -- the dictating machine and reference books -- were all unpacked and set up on his low desk. He was ready to write. Wherever he was, Srila Prabhupada was always steady. As he had once commented: "No place is my home. My home is at the lotus feet of Krsna."Early, at about 1am, Prabhupada rose from his bed and turned on the light. Prabhupada had no alarm clock, and no one had come to wake him. He had risen on his own. The house was cold and quiet. Wrapping his chaddar around his shoulders, he sat quietly behind his desk. The whole temple was dark except for Prabhupada's desk lamp. Putting on his reading glasses, Prabhupada opened his books and turned on his dictating machine. He studied the Bengali and Sanskrit texts, then picked up the microphone, flicked the switch to record, and began speaking. Dictating no more than a phrase at a time, speaking and pausing, he would sit straight, sometimes rocking and nodding his head as he spoke.Prabhupada worked on. He was following what had become a vital routine in his life -- rising early and writing the parampara message of Krsna consciousness. Putting aside all other considerations, disregarding present circumstances, he would merge into the timeless message of transcendental knowledge. This was his most important service to his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. The thought of producing more books and distributing them widely inspired him to rise every night and translate. Prabhupada worked until the Auckland sky started to glow with approaching dawn. Then he stood, picked up his beads, and chanted Hare Krsna.- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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