Sridhara Swami remembers Srila Prabhupada

[Bhakti Vikasa Swami]

Srila Prabhupada had a booming pharmaceutical business; he could have become
one of the biggest businessmen in all of India. He had a wife and five
children. He had so many material opulences. But in his heart he was simply
interested in serving Lord Krsna. Then while reading the scripture, he read the
verse from the Bhagavatam which made him laugh:
yasyaham anugrhnami
harisye tad-dhanam sanaih
[SB 10.88.8]
"When I actually appreciate someone's devotion, I slowly take away all their
material opulence, which may be an obstacle on their path." Srila Prabhupada
laughed at that verse. And he saw, very clearly in his life, that beyond his
control Krsna was just taking away things from him. But Prabhupada did not feel
sorry for himself; he did not accuse Krsna. He took it as Krsna's great mercy
upon him.
Then Prabhupada said, "Krsna again tested me by giving me everything." He went
to America with a small Indian trunk full of books and a pair of karatalas. He
had no friends and he had about eight dollars. But just by preaching the
glories of the Lord and depending on Krsna, he acquired so much material
opulence. He said, "There is no businessman in the world who has the number of
houses that I have. I can go to any major city in the world, and I have my
apartments there, and I have hundreds of servants ready to give their lives to
me." And it's funny, he was talking about Indian businessmen. He said, "Any
wealthy businessman would give anything to have white servants." And he added,
"But I haven't given them anything, and I have thousands of white servants."

(Adbhuta Hari Dasa, The Jolly Swami, p. 1114)