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Walking through Golden Gate Park one day, they heard a scratching coming from a garbage can. Prabhupada went over and looked in, then pulled back in repulsion. A big city rat had somehow become trapped in the garbage can and was scratching, trying to get out. Prabhupada shook his head and said, "He is doomed." He walked on. Prabhupada commented that later the garbagemen would come, see the rat, and kill him. Prabhupada was always after the philosophical and Krsna cons

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.

For about the first week on his morning walks, Prabhupada talked frequently about the existence of the soul, explaining Krsna's arguments in the Bhagavad-gita.

One morning a car was parked near where they walked, and seated in the driver's seat was a dejected-looking man who sat slumped over, with a long, drawn, unhappy face. Day after day this car appeared there, and the man sat unhappily while the devotees walked past in the company of Srila Prabhupada. Finall

Prabhupada had a small band of disciples in San Francisco-not more than fifteen-but they were becoming intensely attached to him, especially since his poignant departure and now his return into their midst. Each of them wanted to engage more in Prabhupada's personal service, although only his secretaries, Gaurasundara and Govinda dasi, and his servant, Upendra, were allowed to be with him constantly. One of the devotees asked Prabhupada about feelin

Then, looking around the room, Prabhupada engaged in friendly little exchanges with his disciples. Seeing Lilavati sitting in a corner with her baby daughter, Subhadra, Prabhupada said, "Your daughter looks just like Subhadra." Lilavati sighed gratefully to hear it. "Govinda dasi," Prabhupada said, "I am always thinking of your paintings."

Prabhupada asked whether all the devotees were chanting their prescribed sixteen rounds daily. Almost everyone replied, "Yes, Swamiji." One n

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 woul

Significant Events of Srila Prabhupada During Australia and New Zealand Visit.

9 May 1971 First arrived in Australia. Sydney temple at Oxford St, Paddington.

10 May 1971 Installed Deities of Radha and Krsna, Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha. Initiated first Australian disciples.

12 May 1971 Completed preface to unabridged Bhagavad-gita As It Is.

Spoke at Sydney Grammar School and Wayside Chapel, Kings Cross.

31 March 1972 Arrived Sydney. Temple at Hereford St, Glebe.

3 April 1972 Addressed st

Although Srila Prabhupada's disappearance did not have the tragedy of an ordinary death, still, without Prabhupada, the devotees felt his loss deeply. The days of grief turned into the second week of December, the pre-Christmas time when devotees usually held a 'marathon' effort in book distribution. Some wondered whether they would be able to hold such a marathon immediately after Srila Prabhupada's disappearance. The leading book distributors thought they could try. And tr

At 7.30pm on 14 November 1977, surrounded by devotees chanting at his bedside at the Krsna-Balarama temple in Vrndavana, Srila Prabhupada left this mortal world. While living, he had taught his disciples many lessons. Now he was teaching his final lesson: how to depart.

The New Zealand devotees heard the grim tidings from some of Tusta Krsna's men while on harinama in Auckland. The devastating news reached Australia shortly after the last visiting devotees had left New Govard

Monday, 14 November 1977 - Vrndavana, India

New Govardhana residents were joined by about 40 devotees from Melbourne, Sydney and the travelling sankirtana parties for a two-day celebration of Govardhana-puja. The event had been advertised widely by a poster announcing Festival of the Cows.

A small marquee tent was set up next to the single white house near the river, the only residential building on the property. Devotees and guests, chanting Hare Krsna, followed the sin

Hari-sauri returned to Melbourne, and called a meeting with all the Australian leaders on the last day of October 1977. He gave them a detailed report on Srila Prabhupada's condition. They discussed the possibility of the devotees from Australia spending some time with Srila Prabhupada -- this was certainly his desire. But it seemed it would be irresponsible if devotees all left their services at once. Nevertheless, although the temple programs -- especially Deity

Hari-sauri was not alone in leaving Vrndavana. Many other GBCs, considering that Srila Prabhupada may now live an indefinite amount of time, made the difficult decision to return to their urgent and pressing engagements overseas. They felt, rightly or wrongly, that ISKCON's preaching, management and Deity worship responsibilities could not continue without their personal presence.

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: I remember how, as I drove in the taxi to Delhi with

Hari-sauri's month-long stay was over. Although he did not want to leave, many pressing engagements needed attention in Australia, especially negotiations in Sydney for the new temple. He decided he would return to Vrndavana again in another month.

He entered Prabhupada's quiet, darkened room in the evening, approached Srila Prabhupada lying on the bed, and gently touched his arm.

"Who is it?" Prabhupada asked.

"It's Hari-sauri," he answered. "Prabhupada, I have t

The news that Srila Prabhupada had decided to live spread quickly through the ISKCON world. Especially in Vrndavana, the devotees became more light-hearted and thankful. One afternoon, later in the month, Hari-sauri came into Prabhupada's room with good news. "I was in Delhi yesterday, Srila Prabhupada. I spoke to one of the temple presidents in Australia, and he gave me a very encouraging report. He said that all the Indian Gitas that we got just recently are almost complet

October 1977 - Vrndavana, India

Srila Prabhupada had become increasingly in favour of departing from the world. He had eaten no solid food for months, and now he was not drinking. Yet, to the devotees, the thought of Prabhupada leaving was unbearable. They tried their best to be philosophical. One devotee compared Srila Prabhupada's departure to an ambassador in a foreign land who, although having many affairs to conduct, is ultimately called back. Another felt that since Sril

Although Srila Prabhupada now had a permanent secretary -- Tamal Krsna Goswami -- he still wanted to have his GBC men regularly associating with him for a month at a time. Hari-sauri had arranged to be with Srila Prabhupada for the month of October. On the last day of September 1977, Hari-sauri arrived in Bombay.

Before he entered Prabhupada's room however, Tamal Krsna warned him. "Prabhupada's changed a lot since you last saw him because he's not eating any solids now." As Hari-sauri e

One day, Madhudvisa, now married and living in Hawaii, arrived in Vrndavana. He entered Prabhupada's cool, dark quarters and bowed his freshly-shaven head to the ground. Srila Prabhupada was lying on his bed surrounded by a few disciples. The air was filled with frankincense smoke billowing from a clay pot. Syamananda was sitting on the floor near Prabhupada's feet, gently fanned the glowing coals, simultaneously driving away the insects and freshening the room with an earthy, but

Due to his poor health, Srila Prabhupada was unable to personally answer all his mail. Consequently, he had authorised his secretary, Tamal Krsna Goswami, to do so on his behalf. Since the replies were filled with direct quotes from Prabhupada, they were almost as valuable as a personal letter from His Divine Grace.

On 10 August, Hari-sauri received a response to his recent update sent to Srila Prabhupada. The letter quickly found its way onto temple noticeboards aroun

New Govardhana continued to flourish. Devotees regularly picked fresh vegetables and herbs from their burgeoning garden. Plans were afoot to plant an orchard. By August, the dairy herd had increased to 14 cows -- some of them pedigree Jerseys. Several calves, including two bullocks, had recently been born. A neighbour had volunteered to train the bullocks to work as soon as they were old enough, and a cow shed was almost completed.

Hari-sauri sent a full report o

As the clear blue skies of Vrndavana turned hazy, a reminder of the approaching monsoons, Srila Prabhupada experienced some hope of recovery. Although his morning walks were a thing of the past, Srila Prabhupada revived his morning drives along Bhaktivedanta Swami Road. In early June, he also started coming down daily to see the Deities, a regular event recently curtailed due to his illness. Srila Prabhupada would sit gravely on his rocking chair, gazing at Krsna-Balarama, as the