Getting eucalyptus twigs for Srila Prabhupada

[Bhakti Vikasa Swami]

It was always thrilling to do anything for Srila Prabhupada. When Prabhupada
was living in LA, I had one personal service and that was to get his
toothbrushes every week. He used eucalyptus twigs. So every Sunday evening
after the feast I would go out and find the eucalyptus twigs and they had to be
just the right length and the right thickness, and the right tenderness. So I
got to know almost every eucalyptus twig within a 30 mile radius of the Los
Angeles temple. Because I would, this tree wasn't right, or this one is too
old, or this one was too young, or this one the branches were too high. So you
had to find just the right one. So each week I would go out and get about two
dozen fresh eucalyptus twigs, keep them in the refrigerator in water and
Prabhupada used one or two of them every day. I can remember how I looked
forward to doing that service.

- Bhakta Dasa