srila prabhupada said...!!!

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Within a week of Prabhupada's arrival in Germany, the Janmastami holiday occurred. Prabhupada observed Janmastami, Krsna's birthday, quietly, not like the previous year in Montreal, when hundreds of Indians had gathered along with disciples from many temples. Here there were only about half a dozen devotees on hand. They fasted and then came to Prabhupada's apartment in the evening. Prabhupada talked about Krsna and they chanted together. Then at eleven-thirty P.M. Prabhupada decided to have his head shaved -- something he usually did once a month. Krsna dasa carefully shaved his spiritual master's head, while the others sat and watched. Although it was not the customary activity of Janmastami night, the devotees loved associating with Prabhupada in this intimate way. Then at midnight Prabhupada went with them to the temple, where they broke their fast.

The next day was Vyasa-puja day, the celebration of Prabhupada's seventy-fourth birthday. That morning a package arrived from New York containing several copies of the Vyasa-puja booklet, a twenty-five-page paperback filled with homages from Prabhupada's disciples.

Months before, one of the devotees had discovered an old issue of a magazine published by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati; the magazine contained a Vyasa-puja homage Prabhupada had written commemorating the appearance day of his own spiritual master. When the article had been brought to Prabhupada's attention, he said that his disciples could also write their own appreciations, just as he had done forty years before. So the devotees in New York had gathered offerings from seventeen different temples and had printed them all in a Vyasa-puja booklet.

Prabhupada was very pleased to receive the little booklet and he had one of the devotees read it aloud in the temple. When all the readings were finished, he explained how service and prayers were accepted by Krsna through the medium of the disciplic succession. Although outsiders might think that, "This man is becoming flattered in hearing his own eulogy," the real meaning of Vyasa-puja homage is that it is a test of how well the disciples were understanding Krsna consciousness and serving the spiritual master. Their praises were all going to the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the disciplic succession. And such praises were required training for the disciple, just as officers train soldiers in the military. But in this case, the training was in the feelings of pure consciousness.

Sitting on the vyasasana, Prabhupada looked out at his little band of disciples sitting before him on the linoleum floor of the well-lit storefront. "I thank you for improving Krsna consciousness," Srila Prabhupada said. "I am a sannyasi, so I have come here empty-handed. You are providing for me. What can I do? I can simply pray to Krsna for you. But don't be satisfied that you have understood. This knowledge should be distributed. In my old age I have come to your country, carrying the order of my spiritual master to distribute. You are all young boys and girls, so take this and distribute it to the whole humanity. They will be happy."

That morning Prabhupada initiated five devotees: three regular brahmacaris -- Vasudeva, Ramantu, and Sucandra -- who had all been chanting and serving for almost a year, and to the surprise of the other devotees, a married couple who had only recently been visiting the temple. When one of the devotees questioned the couple's eligibility, Srila Prabhupada said that as long as they were chanting and following the four rules, they were eligible. Prabhupada named the couple Visvanatha and Kunti. He told the new initiates that if they would keep always in contact with the chanting of Hare Krsna, they would be always purified. He compared the purification required before one could enter the spiritual world to the adjustment required by astronauts before they could enter the moon. "But as far as we are concerned, we don't think that they were actually successful."

Prabhupada also told the initiates that on behalf of Krsna he was working to distribute knowledge, and that those who were actually fortunate would take it. "Our job is to teach people and give practical suggestion," Prabhupada explained. "Those who are fortunate will take; otherwise we shall go on canvassing." Each person was independent and could take or not. Although God would never interfere with their independence, they should understand that the proper use of their independence was to become unalloyed servants of God.

Prabhupada was giving his new disciples what he knew to be the sublime gift for human life. But they were all individual spirit souls, free agents, and they had to decide out of their own free will to surrender to Krsna or not. In the case of Visvanatha and Kunti, Prabhupada was obviously taking a risk, but he wanted to give them the chance.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada Gita-nagari Press- Prabhupada-lila-Satsvarupa dasa Goswami- Preaching in Germany, 1969

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Every morning Prabhupada would take a stroll to one of the nearby parks, sometimes with a few disciples and sometimes with only Sivananda. Sometimes while he walked along the waterfront, Prabhupada would ask about shipbuilding and related industries, and Krsnadasa would answer. When Prabhupada asked Krsnadasa what the population of Hamburg was, he knew. Prabhupada began to jokingly call Krsnadasa "Stats," because he knew so many statistics.

One morning, while Stats was answering Prabhupada's questions about various cranes used in shipbuilding, Prabhupada turned to the others and Srila Prabhupada said, "You see, although I am the guru and I am taking you back to Godhead, that doesn't mean that I cannot learn from him."

Another morning Prabhupada and Sivananda were walking alone in the park. Because of Sivananda's tight schedule and lack of sufficient sleep, he was feeling tired. Prabhupada noticed Sivananda's fatigue and suggested they sit down on a park bench. Prabhupada sat down carefully, while Sivananda sprawled. Exchanging looks with Sivananda, Prabhupada sat forward even straighter, removing his back from the backrest. Seeing the great contrast in their sitting postures, Sivananda sat up, straight.

Back in the temple, Sivananda told the devotees about the incident. The next day, when Prabhupada went on his walk, about five devotees accompanied him to the park. Again Srila Prabhupada said, "All right, let's sit down here." The two park benches faced each other, and as Prabhupada sat down carefully with his back straight, all the devotees sat very straight opposite him on the bench, looking over at Prabhupada. Seeing his disciples sitting seriously in a rigid line, in an obvious imitation of himself, Prabhupada began to laugh.

One morning Prabhupada and a few devotees walked past a church situated on its own plot of land, surrounded by several other buildings belonging to the church. Admiring the community-like arrangement, Srila Prabhupada said to Sivananda, "‘So you will get this church for us?"

"I will see, Prabhupada."

"In India," Srila Prabhupada said, "there are situations very similar to this. There is a temple, and around the temple all the devotees are living. It's a nice situation."

Another morning Prabhupada remarked about the extraordinary amount of garbage in front of the houses. Sivananda explained that this was a monthly function in German cities, a throw-out day, when everybody puts out junk and things from their attic that the garbage collectors ordinarily do not take. On throw-out day the garbage collectors come with a special truck and remove all oversized garbage. Prabhupada noticed all sorts of usable items, and as he walked, he would point with his cane: "Why don't you take that for the temple?"

"Well, Prabhupada, we already have one of those."‘

After a while Prabhupada would investigate another person's garbage and point with his cane. "Yes, get that. Get that." Repeatedly Sivananda explained that the temple already had the articles. But Prabhupada continued to point things out. Finally, Prabhupada found an Oriental rug sitting on the curb. "Yes, now this you can use." And Prabhupada had them carry the rug back to the temple. The rug turned out to be in such good shape that, after cleaning it, they placed it in the temple room.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

The weather continued cold and overcast, with only about two days of sunshine during Prabhupada's three-week stay. After a walk one cold, drizzly morning, while Prabhupada was waiting with Sivananda for the elevator, Sivananda was rubbing his hands together. "You're cold," Srila Prabhupada said. And he touched Sivananda's hands. "Feel my hand." It was warm. "If you keep this area of the body warm," -- Prabhupada put his hands on his chest -- "then the rest of the body will be warm." Sivananda could not help but feel overwhelming affection for Prabhupada, even in such small reciprocations. Every morning walk would reveal many such treasurable little incidents.

Sivananda was not an experienced cook, so Prabhupada taught him. The apartment kitchen was small, about six feet square, with an electric stove, a sink, and a little counter space. When Srila Prabhupada said that Sivananda made good eggplant pakoras, Sivananda made eggplant pakoras daily. Then one morning Prabhupada asked, "You're not cooking that eggplant again, are you?"

Prabhupada then taught Sivananda some other things to cook, including a special way to cook cabbage, a way to cook capatis by cooking them on one side in the oven, taking them out, and then cooking them on the other side on the electric burner. Prabhupada asked for mangoes, but it was difficult to find them in Hamburg. Those that Sivananda could find were still green. Prabhupada instructed Sivananda to put the peeled mangoes in a sugar solution for a week; when the mangoes turned black, they became a kind of mango chutney.

Sivananda knew Prabhupadas concern for not wasting anything, so he asked him what to do with the mango peels. Prabhupada seemed surprised, but Srila Prabhupada said, "‘if you want to do something with the peels, then put them in mustard oil with salt and turmeric." The devotees tried this, but they found the taste awful except for Mandalibhadra, who like them.

For breakfast Sivananda would usually take whatever was left on Prabhupada's plate, but one morning there was very little left, so Sivananda began cooking cereal for himself. He had just begun eating the cereal in the other room when Prabhupada entered. Prabhupada took one look at Sivananda's cereal and told him to come into the kitchen. There Prabhupada showed Sivananda how to make halava, cooking farina and butter and mixing it with boiling sugar water. "When you want something to eat," Srila Prabhupada said, "‘then you can make this halava."

Prabhupada still had his small Radha-Krsna Deities in Hamburg, and They sat on the little altar shelf within his closet. Whatever Sivananda would cook, Prabhupada would have him make up a plate and then bring it and offer it with prayers to Radha and Krsna. One day, while Sivananda was cooking, Prabhupada came to the kitchen door and motioned for Sivananda to come out. He then led Sivananda to the open closet before the Deities of Radha and Krsna. Gesturing to the Deities, Srila Prabhupada said, "It's not for me that you're cooking, but it's for Them."

Prabhupada had come to Hamburg knowing the center was undeveloped. But he wanted to encourage the devotees there and give Sivananda the opportunity to serve him personally. On Prabhupada's behalf Sivananda had so submissively come here and started the center; now Prabhupada had come to encourage him by engaging him as his walking companion, cook, and masseur.

One day Sivananda was massaging Prabhupada's head when Prabhupada began to explain that as a person gets older, the body does not digest food as well. The stomach begins producing bad airs, but by massage these airs become redistributed. Sivananda became concerned and thoroughly absorbed himself in giving Prabhupada his massage.

Every day at eleven Sivananda would come in and give Prabhupada his massage. One morning he entered the room and found Prabhupada sitting in a chair by the window, his head covered with a blanket, chanting Hare Krsna on his beads. "You should pray to Krsna for me," Srila Prabhupada said to Sivananda. Sivananda was surprised; how could he pray for his spiritual master? He began to stammer, "Well, Prabhupada ... I don't ... I don't think it would work."

"Why not? You are a devotee of Krsna."

Another time Prabhupada asked Sivananda to massage around his heart. He asked him to push hard. Sivananda thought he was rubbing Prabhupada too hard, but Srila Prabhupada said, "Just push harder." Sivananda asked Prabhupada if his health was all right, but Prabhupada seemed annoyed that he had asked.

Again Sivananda expressed remorse. "It must not be very good for you here in Hamburg,"‘he said. "You were staying in Los Angeles, and there were so many devotees there, and the situation was so nice. Now you've come here, and there's practically nobody."

 

"That's all right," Srila Prabhupada said softly. "We are doing our preaching work whether there are a lot of devotees or not."‘

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

In the spring of 1972, after conducting ground-breaking ceremonies at his three new projects in Mayapur, Vrndavana, and Bombay, Srila Prabhupada left India for a world preaching tour. The contested Bombay land purchase had turned into a drawn-out struggle that drew Srila Prabhupada's thoughts anxiously to Bombay wherever he traveled. Yet he preached with full presence of mind -- from Australia to Hong Kong to Tokyo to Hawaii to Los Angeles. While in Los Angeles, Prabhupada decided to visit Mexico, where his disciples had maintained an ISKCON center for a year.

Accompanied by his secretary, Syamasundara, and his servant, Nanda-kumara, Srila Prabhupada flew into Mexico City in the afternoon. When they disembarked, no devotees were in sight. While his secretary and servant speculated on the circumstances, Srila Prabhupada, appearing tired, sat down on his suitcase and chanted, waiting.

After almost an hour a Mexican couple approached. As the woman bowed down before Prabhupada, the man introduced himself. He was Mr. Araiza, a lawyer, and the lady Mrs. Adela Diaz. They knew the Hare Krsna devotees and recognized their spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. Having just come from the temple, the couple told Prabhupada of the devotees' preparation for his arrival. Srila Prabhupada smiled and Srila Prabhupada said he was waiting for his disciples to come and get him. Mrs. Diaz offered to take Srila Prabhupada and his party to the temple in her car and he agreed. Somehow they all squeezed into her small red car and headed for the city.

It is a shame they have missed you," Mrs. Diaz said. "Citsukhananda, the temple president, has decorated a large car with flowers to receive you at the airport."

Srila Prabhupada commented drily, "What good is a big car if it is not here?"

They arrived at the ISKCON center just as Citsukhananda and a party of devotees were arriving at the airport.

Srila Prabhupada entered the temple through the kitchen door. A single devotee was cooking. Startled to see Prabhupada, the devotee offered frantic obeisances before him, and Prabhupada asked, "Where are the devotees?" Mr. Araiza and Mrs. Diaz escorted him into the main room, a large, open area where devotees and dozens of guests were waiting. When the people saw Prabhupada, they began to kneel before him with folded hands in the style of Catholic worshipers. He walked forward, pausing to gently touch their heads. A rain of flower petals caused Prabhupada to look up. From the balcony railing of the second floor mezzanine devotees showered flowers upon Prabhupada and his party. Ornate flower arrangements decorated the walls. One arrangement formed figures of Radha and Krsna and another the words of the maha-mantra. "They are very artistic," Prabhupada appreciated, "just like in India."

Belatedly, devotees rushed in from the airport. Conchshells blew, kirtana began. Citsukhananda arrived, breathless and apologetic, and offered obeisances before Prabhupada.

"You have created a very nice transcendental atmosphere," Srila Prabhupada said to him.

"Oh, Srila Prabhupada," Citsukhananda replied, "it is only because you are here that it is very nice. Otherwise, I cannot do anything."

Citsukhananda showed Srila Prabhupada to a room on the second floor, where on an altar small deities of Jagannatha, Subhadra, and Baladeva stood. The freshly painted floor hadn't dried, and a devotee spread a cloth for Prabhupada so he could stand before the deities. Although the paint was tacky, Prabhupada pushed the cloth away and paid obeisances on the floor, which retained the faint imprint of his soles and body.

Returning to the main room, Prabhupada sat on his decorated vyasasana and spoke to the waiting guests and devotees. After a short lecture, translated phrase by phrase by Laksmipriya dasi, Prabhupada retired to his room. It was about 6:00 P.M. While Prabhupada rested, the devotees and guests, now numbering several hundred, gathered in the main hall below Srila Prabhupada's room and began a mighty kirtana. After an hour they were still going strong. After two hours Prabhupada's servant came out on the balcony and shouted down, "Stop the kirtana!" The chanting subsided, and the servant went back into Prabhupada's room.

Srila Prabhupada asked from his bed, "‘why have they stopped the kirtana?"

"I thought it was keeping you awake, Prabhupada," Nanda-kumara said.

"I can rest with kirtana," Srila Prabhupada said pleasantly. "‘It doesn't bother me. It is transcendental. Tell them to go on."‘

Nanda-kumara then reappeared on the balcony above the crowd and called down, "Prabhupada wants to know why the kirtana stopped. So start it up again."

The crowd cheered and again began chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, creating waves of blissful sound vibration that rang through the building. Even in the privacy of his room, Prabhupada was enjoying a unique reciprocation with the people of Mexico on his first evening in their country -- through the medium of the holy name.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada Gita-nagari Press- Prabhupada-lila-Satsvarupa dasa Goswami-Latin America

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

The next morning, Saturday, in the first initiation ceremony in Latin America, Srila Prabhupada accepted eight Mexican disciples. He spoke about the mission of Lord Caitanya and then named the initiates after devotees from the pastimes in Caitanya-lila. Srila Prabhupada explained how Lord Caitanya had turned the nondevotees into devotees during His travels throughout India. Now Prabhupada was himself extending the boundaries of that preaching mission into a new continent, making devotees for Lord Caitanya wherever he went.

Prabhupada had never before met the devotees he was about to initiate, but he was accepting them on recommendation from the temple president, who confirmed that they had all been chanting sixteen rounds and following the four regulative principles for at least six months. Of all the candidates, only one young man, a worker in the devotees' incense business, lived outside the temple, but he also had shaved his head and was eager to accept initiation. When he came before Srila Prabhupada to receive his beads, Prabhupada asked him, "Do you want a spiritual life or a material life?"

The young man was surprised, since Srila Prabhupada hadn't asked anyone else. He thought a moment. "I want a spiritual life."

"That's all right,"‘Srila Prabhupada said, and he gave him the beads.

Then Srila Prabhupada turned to Hanuman Goswami and asked him to lecture. After a few minutes of speaking, Hanuman launched into a long, involved story, without any reference to sastra. Srila Prabhupada sat tolerantly. After some minutes, however, he interrupted sternly, "Stop this nonsense story. Speak from the Bhagavatam." Hanuman Goswami doubled up as if punched in the stomach by Prabhupada's words, but then he sat upright and continued speaking in strict parampara.

After the initiation, Prabhupada instructed Hanuman further. "Why did you not speak of the ten offenses?" he asked. "This is not very good to speak some nonsense story. When we take initiation, better to give them the most important things, how to chant Hare Krsna and the ten offenses. What is the use of these other things?"

That evening Citsukhananda stood in Prabhupada's room, about to leave. "Srila Prabhupada, I am almost ashamed to tell you -- I know you should rest -- but I feel I should at least inform you that we have the opportunity to be on a national television program tonight."

"Oh?" Prabhupada replied. "How many people will watch?"

"About thirty million. It's the most popular show."

"Thirty million?" Srila Prabhupada's eyes widened. "‘Then we must go."

"But Prabhupada, you won't be able to get off the program until maybe one or two in the morning."

Prabhupada: "That's all right. We can sleep during the day." Srila Prabhupada was not at all reluctant, as he had seen that the people were eager to hear him. The great response they had shown during his lecture indicated their enthusiasm to receive his message.

Citsukhananda: We went to the TV studio and waited there in the audience until after midnight. The program goes until 1:30, so it was a good time. 12:30 is the peak of the show. The TV interviewer asked Prabhupada many things. When I translated all of what Srila Prabhupada was explaining, the whole audience became stunned. Prabhupada told them that the world could be happy if they would just love God and chant His names, Hare Krsna. It seemed so simple. Actually everyone was stunned. Even the emcee was just completely stunned by Srila Prabhupada's answers, by his great sense of intelligence, understanding, and devotion. The emcee's questions were trivial, about why the devotees shaved their heads and wore tilaka, why they dressed as they do, but Prabhupada's answers were brilliant.

The devotees chanted with Srila Prabhupada during a kirtana, accompanying him with guitars -- Mexican style. At the conclusion of the show the interviewer asked, "Can you bless me?"

Srila Prabhupada exclaimed, "All glories to Mexico City!"

The program ended. Citsukhananda turned to the television announcer. "Thank you very much for giving us this opportunity." The man made no reply. He was captivated by Srila Prabhupada. He was overwhelmed. Srila Prabhupada left the studio with the devotees, returning to the temple to take rest.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Sunday morning Prabhupada took his walk a few blocks from the temple in Chapultepec Park, a large, beautiful park dating back to the Aztec empire. As he walked along he left the beaten paths and entered into the forest full of huge, old eucalyptus trees. The devotees appreciated how, without asking anyone's direction, Prabhupada seemed to know exactly how to go where he wanted and how to extricate himself from the forest and return to the temple.

At the temple Prabhupada inspected all the rooms. He told the devotees it was a good building and they should keep it. He liked it. Aware that their standard of service and worship was humble, the devotees were amazed that Prabhupada seemed so pleased with what they had done. For over a year they had been anxiously waiting for him to visit, and now he had come and they were fully satisfied.

Prabhupada had been in Mexico less than twenty-four hours, yet the devotees already had a wealth of incidents -- things Srila Prabhupada had said and done in their country -- to remember. He found the Mexican people pious. Their humility, simplicity, and devotion were reminiscent of the people of India. "Mexico is very much like India," Srila Prabhupada said.

That same morning Prabhupada held a second initiation ceremony. That afternoon at the Sunday festival hundreds of people, as many as could fit, crowded into the hall and onto the second-floor balcony to catch a glimpse of Srila Prabhupada and to hear from him.

Radha-Krsna: The first day I saw Srila Prabhupada was at the Sunday lecture. I had never seen the temple so crowded. And yet it was completely quiet. There were reporters, students, people interested in different kinds of yoga and transcendentalism. Srila Prabhupada mainly spoke about the principles of yoga. He specifically spoke on the sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. Somebody asked him why we discourage people from practicing the popular yoga that everyone practices. In answer, Prabhupada developed a description of all that Lord Krsna says in the sixth chapter about the qualities and requirements to practice yoga. He told how the yogi should practice celibacy, go to a sacred place, sit down, and practice the breathing exercises and all the austerities. Yoga was already very popular in Mexico. People had known about it for years. I was practicing yoga, and when I went to see Prabhupada, I came with a group of people who were also interested in yoga. But when I saw Srila Prabhupada, it was a very incredible experience. I had seen many yogis, gurus, and Indian spiritual people. But when I saw Srila Prabhupada it was a completely different experience. Suddenly all the other gurus had no place at all for me. Seeing Prabhupada was like seeing a personification of all the teachings of the Vedas, all the descriptions given in the Bhagavad Gita about a completely self-realized person. He was sitting and speaking with his eyes closed in such a serene way, without any tinge of material expression.

When Srila Prabhupada returned to his room after the Sunday lecture, more than five hundred people remained, chanting "Jaya Prabhupada! Jaya Prabhupada! Jaya Prabhupada! Jaya Prabhupada! Prabhupada, Prabhupada, Prabhupada!" Prabhupada was sitting in his room with a few devotees, but the sound of the singing engulfed them. "What kind of kirtana is this?" Prabhupada asked. "They are making so much noise."

"They are chanting your name," Citsukhananda said, and he went out to try and calm the crowd. But finding them overwhelmed with chanting Prabhupada's name, he returned to Prabhupada's room. "Prabhupada," he said, "they want to see you."

"Well, let them come," Srila Prabhupada replied.

The devotees arranged that everyone could come and see Prabhupada, one at a time. Through the two doors to his room it was arranged that the people come in a line, enter in one door, and leave from the other to return downstairs. One by one they came through in a great procession. After bowing down with awe and respect for the great saint who had entered among them, they would speak a few words in Spanish.

"What are they saying ?" Prabhupada asked the devotees.

"Give me a blessing, a benediction," a Mexican devotee replied.

Prabhupada, his index finger protruding from his bead bag, began to point to each person as they approached him and say, "Hare Krsna." They were all very happy.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Early the next morning Prabhupada asked Citsukhananda, "What will we do today?"

"We've arranged a program in a nearby city, Cuernavaca," said Citsukhananda. "We have the use of the whole central plaza. They've given it for your lecture. They have microphones and a stage and everything, all ready for you to come."

"Oh, this is very nice," Srila Prabhupada said.

"Then you're scheduled to give another lecture at a big hotel in Cuernavaca," Citsukhananda continued. "And then we can go to Laksmi-priya dasi's house, where we can take prasadam."

"Yes, this is very nice. Let us go."

Srila Prabhupada took a light breakfast and left for Cuernavaca by car. On the way one of the devotees explained to him that Cuernavaca, with its scenic location in the mountains, was a favorite place for writers and artists, including Americans.

When Prabhupada arrived, several hundred people were gathered in the main plaza of the city. The crowd was varied tourists taking photographs, farmers, hippies, shoppers, artists, and businessmen. After a kirtana the devotees introduced Srila Prabhupada, who sat onstage before a large sign bearing the maha-mantra. While a devotee held an umbrella over Prabhupada's head to protect him from the blazing noon sun, Srila Prabhupada spoke. "We are not hippies," Srila Prabhupada said. "We are happies." The devotees' happiness, Srila Prabhupada said, comes from associating with Krsna, the reservoir of happiness, through chanting Hare Krsna and through eating prasadam. Many people began nodding their heads in agreement. When he asked everyone to repeat the Hare Krsna mantra, many did.

Suddenly Prabhupada saw Haihaya arriving with newly printed copies of La Conciencia de Krsna Es el Sistema Mas Elevado de Yoga (Krsna Consciousness, the Topmost Yoga System). Haihaya had just gotten the books from the printer that day and Prabhupada was very happy to see them. Interrupting his lecture, Srila Prabhupada said, "Now you can all take one of these books and read them." The people actually came forward on Prabhupada's word and began to take the books. Haihaya had only brought about fifty copies, but Prabhupada sold all of them. The people took the liberty of asking him for an autographed book, and he signed every one.

Immediately after the plaza lecture, Srila Prabhupada went to the Casino de la Salva. With no sign of fatigue, Srila Prabhupada lectured on the fundamental philosophy of Krsna consciousness. The audience was particularly interested in hatha-yoga and theosophy, and Srila Prabhupada carefully answered their questions, introducing them to the elements of Krsna consciousness.

Prabhupada was next supposed to go to Laksmi-priya dasi's home to take prasadam and rest. But he decided to return to the Mexico City temple. The devotees drove him back, arriving at about 8:00 P.M. From 8:00 in the morning until 8:00 P.M. he had taken only water. The devotees offered him fruit, but he refused it. He sat in his room, his eyes bright, and his face blissful. "This is the way to be happy," Srila Prabhupada said” -- work all day for Krsna."‘

Prabhupada asked for a cup of hot milk and puris with sugar. Receiving these, he crushed the puris into the sugar and drank the milk. The few devotees sitting with him were enthralled to see Prabhupada's transcendental happiness. "This is our life, to serve Krsna," Srila Prabhupada said. "Work all day for Krsna, and take a little prasada at night."

Before one hundred students in an auditorium at the National University of Mexico, Prabhupada described the student's life as one of struggle. A student has to study diligently to keep from failing, and then after graduation he has to work hard for his food and other necessities. Material life is therefore always a struggle, ending in death. But a human being should ask why he has to endure all these struggles and sufferings and how he can become free of them. The auditorium was quiet, the students listening attentively, as Srila Prabhupada spoke. But when he asked for questions, a Communist yelled out, "Where do you get the money to pay for your food if you're so renounced? I think you belong to the C.I.A.!" A few other radicals also began calling out challenges. Prabhupada promptly replied through his translator that because this university did not educate its students in the science of God, it was producing atheists, demons. Further comments from the radical students were overpowered by the audience's applause. Srila Prabhupada called for kirtana and prasadam distribution and the formal program ended. Many interested persons approached Srila Prabhupada, asking further questions through Hanuman Goswami, who translated. Others sat taking prasadam. Several hours later Srila Prabhupada left.

The university incident typified the response of the Mexican people to Srila Prabhupada. With few exceptions, the people appreciated his work and the purity of his movement. As Prabhupada had said, the people were simple and pious. Many still lived in villages and were similar to the people of India. Prabhupada also remarked that the Mexicans were sudras and that they were being saved by Lord Caitanya's mercy.

The Masonic Lodge is very popular among respectable people in Mexico, particularly government officials, politicians, and intellectuals. A devotee whose father was a Mason arranged for Prabhupada to speak at a prestigious Tuesday night gathering. It was a regularly scheduled meeting with some sixty members dressed in the uniform of the club. The devotees held kirtana, and then Srila Prabhupada spoke in English while Citsukhananda translated each phrase as Prabhupada talked. Prabhupada spoke on the meaning and application of varnasrama-dharma, stressing the necessity of religion in all positions of society. The audience, immediately accepting Srila Prabhupada's authority and scholarship, asked intelligent questions, and at the conclusion of Prabhupada's talk they stood and applauded. One official spontaneously glorified Prabhupada, praising his logic and his erudition. The lodge members, deciding to give Srila Prabhupada a monetary donation, passed around a basket and presented the collection to Srila Prabhupada.

Only a few devotees had been able to attend the meeting, but upon returning to the temple, one of them told the others, "Prabhupada had the right answer every time, at the very moment he was asked about the philosophy, or about life, or about anything! Everyone was impressed."

On Wednesday afternoon Srila Prabhupada left Mexico City and flew to Puerto Vallarta, on the Pacific Coast. Danny, a wealthy race car driver and friend of the Mexico City temple, owned a luxurious villa in the mountains overlooking the ocean. He had invited Srila Prabhupada and several devotees to spend a few peaceful days there before Srila Prabhupada left for Los Angeles.

A neighbor had cows, and the devotees brought one up to show Prabhupada. "Why do they take milk from the cow and then kill her?" Prabhupada asked. "Just like I am giving you something valuable every day, but when I cannot give you any more one day, then you put the knife in my throat. This is not right."

After a mild rain, the sky cleared. Srila Prabhupada sat outdoors on the terrace until sunset, his disciples seated at his feet, chanting. The atmosphere was calm, and beyond the line of palm trees the devotees could see the sun sinking into the ocean. As darkness came, mosquitoes began to bite.

"Prabhupada," Citsukhananda asked, "you're not getting bitten by mosquitoes?"

"No."

"They sure are biting me," said Citsukhananda. "Most likely because you're a pure devotee and I am not pure, that's why the mosquitoes are biting me."

"Maybe," Srila Prabhupada said. "Here they are respectful, but in Calcutta, they make no distinction."

The devotees asked Srila Prabhupada questions about preaching. Since so many people they met were practicing hatha-yoga, they asked how to change the people's minds. Srila Prabhupada said, "Let them do it. Engage them in service also, and they will become purified."

Another devotee asked, "Srila Prabhupada, people are always asking me whether I've been to India. They think that if I am teaching yoga, I should have gone to India."

"You just tell them that India has come to you," Srila Prabhupada replied.

The devotees looked at Prabhupada with great admiration. Yes, Prabhupada was India -- India personified, sitting before them. But he was more than just India; he was the spiritual world, all they knew of the spiritual world, and he had come for them.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Srila Prabhupada was staying in Bombay. Besides his own preaching and his translating of Srimad-Bhagavatam, he was also pursuing the long, drawn-out case to secure the land at Juhu Beach. It was a time in his life that he spent mostly in India, with frequent trips to the West. The Krsna consciousness movement was growing rapidly under Srila Prabhupada's direct supervision, and his visits inspired devotees in ISKCON centers around the world.

Srila Prabhupada had only recently come from Hyderabad. There Syamasundara, Prabhupada's secretary for over two years, had become involved in a business venture. Several men had persuaded him to buy shares in a ruby mine. Syamasundara had begun digging up rough corundum to bring back to the West and sift for the valuable clear rubies. When devotees asked Prabhupada what he thought of Syamasundara's new business, Prabhupada replied, "If he wants to do it, let him do it." Syamasundara had rendered him significant service, as his secretary and in helping to pioneer Krsna consciousness in England; and Srila Prabhupada, as Krsna's representative, was grateful. But he did not seem much impressed or interested in the mining prospects.

On his way to Zurich, Syamasundara, carrying about ninety kilos of rough corundum to sell, visited Srila Prabhupada in Bombay. When Srila Prabhupada expressed his desire to rest for a couple of weeks from his traveling and management, Syamasundara described a perfect two-week stay for Prabhupada at St. Moritz, the famous ski resort in southern Switzerland. It was off-season, he said, and tourists would not be there. The clean mountain air would be very healthy and pleasant. He even showed Srila Prabhupada postcards of mountainsides covered with wild flowers. Srila Prabhupada agreed.

But when they arrived in Switzerland, it was as cold as winter. Prabhupada, Syamasundara, Srutakirti, and Pradyumna took a luxury train up the mountains, curving and circling along the mountain paths, to the resort. Srila Prabhupada's servant, Srutakirti, watched out the window, remarking at the beauty of the snow and mountain peaks. Everything was white. Prabhupada was silent but finally asked, "‘what do they call this place?"

Srutakirti replied, "St. Moritz, Srila Prabhupada."

"They may call it St. Moritz," Srila Prabhupada said, "but I call it St. Hellish." He then pointed out that the "beautiful" snowscape was lifeless. He did not like seeing "simply branches of trees and snow." It was only emptiness, without variety. Where were the advertised wild flowers and green hills and beautiful climate? It was as if Srila Prabhupada had somehow been tricked on a pretense to come to a very cold, wintery mountaintop, a place useless for his purposes -- St. Hellish.

Prabhupada wrote Giriraja in Bombay, tropical Bombay, Juhu Beach, a truly important place that drew Srila Prabhupada's thoughts and desires.

We have reached Zurich yesterday morning and have come to the health resort of St. Moritz. The apartment is very nice but it is so cold that we cannot go outside. Probably we shall go to L.A. via New York on the 5th of April.

Immediately after their arrival, it began to snow, although unusual at this time of year. With ironic disgust, Prabhupada remarked, "I have come to Switzerland to stay in the snow." Srutakirti could find no dal or rice for Srila Prabhupada. All he could find was farina. Srila Prabhupada said he would show him how to make a farina capati, but Srutakirti's attempts were unsatisfactory. There was no question in Srila Prabhupada's mind of staying two weeks at St. Moritz. He would leave as soon as possible. He asked Syamasundara to arrange to immediately get them out of St. Hellish.

Srutakirti: One morning Prabhupada wanted to go on his usual morning walk, but it was snowing out. The room had sliding glass doors, opening from the living room onto a veranda. So Srila Prabhupada said, "We shall go out for a morning walk? Let us see how cold it is." He opened up the sliding door, and a big blast of ice-cold air came in. "Ooooh, it is much too cold," Srila Prabhupada said, "We can walk in the hallway here." So myself, Pradyumna, and Prabhupada went out into the hallway, and Prabhupada started his morning walk. He would walk back and forth a few hundred feet down this long hallway with just a whole bunch of doors going to the different rooms and an elevator. It was set up electronically so that whenever a door to a person's apartment would open, the light would go on automatically and stay on for like thirty seconds. After thirty seconds, the lights would go off automatically. Whenever you pushed the elevator button, the lights would go on and the door opened. In this way they were conserving energy. The lights were only on when they were needed. It was expected that you would walk out of your room, the lights would go on, you would walk to the elevator, get in, and then the lights would go off. There was no waste of electricity. So we were walking up and down the hall for our morning walk. It was a half-hour walk. They had these light switches along the wall. We would walk along, and whenever we would come to a button, I would push it. And that would keep the lights on for about thirty seconds. We were walking back and forth, and I was regularly pushing the buttons. Then Pradyumna went inside. It was just Prabhupada and myself. We were walking along, and I had to keep regularly pushing the button or we would be in darkness. Then Prabhupada told me he wanted to eat. He was feeling hungry because it was very cold. Srila Prabhupada said, "You can make halava this morning." I said, "All right, Srila Prabhupada. Do you want to wait until after your walk, or should I go now?" Srila Prabhupada said, "No, I will walk. You can go make the halava." I said all right and went inside, but then I realized that the lights were going to be out, So I told everyone inside the room, and we came to the door. We looked outside, and there was Srila Prabhupada walking up and down the hall pushing the light buttons to keep the lights on while he chanted Hare Krsna on his beads.

Meanwhile, Syamasundara had invited Bali Mardana from New York to join them. Syamasundara had information that the price of gold was rising and they had planned to invest some of their money in gold. They intended to buy gold one day, sell it the next, and thus make a big profit. Bali Mardana arrived.

When Srila Prabhupada heard that Bhagavan dasa was preaching in nearby France, Prabhupada asked to see him.

Bhagavan received Prabhupada's message by phone, and before coming he had the French devotees prepare a big feast for Prabhupada. It was evening when Bhagavan arrived, and Prabhupada was sitting on his bed, preparing to take rest He smiled broadly to see Bhagavan, and when Bhagavan said, "Srila Prabhupada, I've brought a nice feast of prasadam," Prabhupada left his bed to take the prasadam. One by one he tasted all the cooked preparations and then distributed the remnants.

But late that same night, after midnight, Srila Prabhupada came out of his room into the room where the devotees were sleeping. With his foot he prodded Bali Mardana and told him to wake up. Srila Prabhupada said he wanted to see everyone. They all rose and came into Prabhupada's room. Everyone could see that he was in a grave mood. He began by reproaching Bali Mardana and Syamasundara for risking so much money in gold speculation. The money Bali Mardana had brought was to buy a building for ISKCON New York, and Syamasundara's money was also for purchasing a building, in England. It was not right to risk Krsna's money in this way, Srila Prabhupada said. Syamasundara and Bali Mardana both spoke up confidently, trying to convince Srila Prabhupada it was a secure investment. Prabhupada cut them off. "If you try to speak in this way, then how will I be able to teach you anything?"

And thus Srila Prabhupada stopped the gold scam. Staying up almost all night, Prabhupada lectured to them in his room. While it was true that anything could be used in the service of Krsna, Prabhupada admonished them that this gold market speculation was actually gambling. It should not be indulged in. Submitting like young boys, his followers agreed to return the money to the proper ISKCON accounts and not to again speculate as if they were high financiers in the international market.

The next day snow still fell. It was so cold that Srila Prabhupada could not leave his room. He looked out the window and remarked, "It is a white hell only." Finally their departure tickets arrived, and Srila Prabhupada left for New York.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada Gita-nagari Press- Prabhupada-lila-Satsvarupa dasa Goswami-Zurich and New York

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Radhavallabha: Seeing that it was such a hellish place, it was always wonderful when Prabhupada would come to Brooklyn. The neighbors! The Italians hated us, and the Puerto Ricans liked us but wanted to rob us. It was just an abominable, dark, filthy neighborhood, full of hate.

When Prabhupada would come, the devotees would fill the streets. They would line the steps of the Brooklyn temple, all cheering, with their arms in the air, as Prabhupada would walk through. He was always pleased to come to Brooklyn, to see all the devotees in that horrible place, to see the press, and to see the new paintings. He always appreciated seeing Radha-Govinda, offering his obeisances to Them, leading kirtana, and giving lectures in that Brooklyn temple.

Daivi-sakti: Myself and another big book distributor were invited to go on a morning walk with Prabhupada. We went to the park. Brahmananda Swami and Bali Mardana were there. Prabhupada began the conversation saying, "I had a dream." So everyone was listening very intently, and Prabhupada continued. "I dreamed that we had a boat, and there were twenty-five of us on the boat, twelve sannyasis and twelve brahmacaris and myself. We went all over the world, and in each port we had sankirtana." When Prabhupada described this ecstatic dream, Bali Mardana and Brahmananda Swami both began telling Prabhupada about their boat experiences. They said they were boatmen and would try to help Prabhupada, and he was pleased to hear it.

Rukmini: One morning while he was walking in New York, Prabhupada picked a flower from a vine and brought it back to the temple. It was a fragrant white flower. When he picked it and smelled it, Srila Prabhupada said, "This should be planted all around our Mayapur complex." Later I took that flower and found out that the name of it was Silver Lace Vine, or Fleece Vine.

Pancaratna: I hadjust gotten videotape equipment and it was the first time Prabhupada was videotaped. After we made the tape, we brought it in to show him. It was of a lecture that Prabhupada gave in the temple. At the end of the lecture he had gotten up and was looking at the Deities during the kirtana. He was just about to leave when he became more attracted to the kirtana and started clapping and dancing. While this was happening, I had been there all the time with the cameras, zooming in and zooming out. Then we showed it to Srila Prabhupada, and he watched it very closely. When the kirtana part came on the tape, Prabhupada again started clapping and chanting. Srila Prabhupada said it was very nice.

Jahnava: Prabhupada sat on his asana in his large reception room beneath the picture of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Paintings were stacked all around the room to await his evaluation. Present were Jayadvaita, Muralidhara, Pariksit, Jadurani, Puskara, a photographer, and myself. Srila Prabhupada was very businesslike and fairly aloof. Later, upon reflection, it seemed to me that this aloofness by Prabhupada was actually a major step in weening the art department away from his constant supervision and their habit of always asking him questions during his visits and by letters.

There was one painting of Lord Krsna, who was sitting and looking very sad because He couldn't find Radharani. Prabhupada asked what the pastime was, but then he objected and Srila Prabhupada said, "Krsna doesn't lament." The artist, Jadurani, appeared very discouraged to have misrepresented Krsna. Prabhupada continued discussing the other paintings, but then he turned to Jadurani and remarked, "It's all right. This painting can be used to show another pastime, when Krsna had a headache."

After Prabhupada discussed the various paintings, I then showed Prabhupada some drawings done by the gurukula children. One picture was done by Sarasvati dasi. On one side of the paper she had drawn a circle to indicate a face, two dots for eyes, a smile, and a peacock feather in the hair. On the reverse side of the paper she drew fine dots. Her explanation was, "If you hold the paper to the light, then you can see Krsna appearing in the universe." When Srila Prabhupada saw this picture and heard her explanation, he became thoughtful, thinking of Sarasvati. "If Sarasvati would see someone," Prabhupada recalled, "she would ask, ‘Do you know who is Krsna?' Then she herself would answer, ‘He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.'" As Prabhupada said this, he gestured by pointing his finger, indicating the strength of Sarasvati's conviction.

Nayanabhirama: When Prabhupada came to New York in 1973, we were asked to put on a production of the Ramayana. We had only one day to put it together. That was why we didn't use dialogue; we couldn't memorize the lines on such short notice. We performed for Prabhupada with gestures, and a dialogue was spoken off the stage. The next morning, right after mangala-arati, I was asked to go see Prabhupada. It was still dark in his quarters, and he was sitting in his back room. He asked me if I was responsible for last night's production. I didn't know how to answer, because I didn't know whether he was going to chastise me or praise me. Then Srila Prabhupada said it was good, but he had some suggestions for improving it. Srila Prabhupada said that instead of one voice narrating, we should have a different voice for each character who was to speak. Also, there was a controversy over using a guitar or a sitar as musical accompaniment. Srila Prabhupada said we shouldn't play the sitar if we didn't know how. It was better to play a guitar expertly than a sitar incompetently.

Radhavallabha: Prabhupada was complaining that the books weren't coming out. Later on, someone came over to the press and said that Prabhupada had found a spelling mistake. It was a big mistake in the misuse of a single word. So I went and asked Prabhupada where the mistake was. Srila Prabhupada said, "I don't know. I think it was in that chapter there." So I pulled out all the flats and looked for it. Srila Prabhupada said, "No, maybe it was that one." I pulled out more sheets, and Srila Prabhupada said, "No, I think it was in that torn one." Then after I had pulled out all the sheets, Srila Prabhupada said, "Never mind. Just print it!" At that point I could see that that was Prabhupada's attitude toward his books. I could see he wasn't satisfied that we spent so much time trying to fix all the spelling and composing errors. In this case, he wanted to get the book out, even if it meant later he had to correct the mistake.

Balavanta: I was in Atlanta and we had just done political preaching by running for mayor of the city. Prabhupada called me to come to New York and see him. When I went into his room, he wanted to talk politics. He had different arguments. Srila Prabhupada said, "So what do they say?"

I said, "Prabhupada, they say it is not practical. Our program is not practical.

Srila Prabhupada said, "It is not practical because they will not take to it. Otherwise, it is practical. It is the only solution." Srila Prabhupada said the rascals would not take it, and yet if they did, it would solve their problems. Srila Prabhupada said we have no complicated political program, only one program. Our program is "Chant Hare Krsna. That's all." And if the people will meet together regularly and chant Hare Krsna, they will be successful. I would give Prabhupada all the arguments I had received, and he would always defeat them.

Kirtiraja: I had to take Prabhupada to the Indian consulate to arrange that they grant devotees visas. In the conversation with the consul, Prabhupada raised his voice loudly and spoke strongly in Bengali. None of us had any idea what was being said except for the few English words throughout the conversation. But we could understand that he was speaking quite forcefully to the man. At the end of the conversation Prabhupada told me to present the list of devotees going to India and arrange to gather their passports. Srila Prabhupada said that the consul agreed to grant them one-year visas. We finished the meeting and went out to the car. In the meantime, it had gotten dark and started to rain very hard. As we sat in the car, Srila Prabhupada said, "I spoke very strongly to him, didn't I?"

I agreed, and then Prabhupada looked at us again and Srila Prabhupada said, "Yes, I can do this, but you cannot." Srila Prabhupada said, "I am an old man. They don't take me seriously. But if you were to speak to someone who was older than you or your age, and if you speak very strongly, they will become offended. But I am an old man, so I can do this. But you cannot."

Then as we were driving through the rush hour traffic and the rain, I was nervous because Prabhupada was in the car. It was difficult to see because the windows were fogging over, I was thinking it was such nasty, horrible weather, when all of a sudden Prabhupada turned to me and Srila Prabhupada said, "The rain is very pleasing. Without the rain, nothing on the earth could be." I was shocked, because it was as if he were reading my mind. I had been cursing and condemning the weather, and Prabhupada turned to me casually and said the rain was nice.

As we were driving, Prabhupada asked us if we had noticed what was written on the plaque as we entered the Indian consulate. Although we had all stopped and glanced at it, we all had to tell Prabhupada that none of us could remember. Prabhupada then said that an intelligent man notices all of his surroundings. He even notices how many beams are in the ceiling above his head. He said one time one of his friends asked him, "Do you know how many cars there are in the Punjab Mail Express?" Srila Prabhupada said he told the man how many cars there were exactly, and that he was right.

Another time when Prabhupada was in New York, he went to see a building on Park Avenue for sale. We were thinking of acquiring it for the New York temple. It was a very big building on the upper side of Park Avenue. We pulled up on the opposite side of the street in front of a small Spanish grocery store. We got out of the car and looked over at the building. The front doors of the building were open, and due to light from the front hall, a golden glow was coming out through the open doors into the evening darkness. Srila Prabhupada said, "Ah, Sri Gauranga Hall." Prabhupada and Bali Mardana were speaking about the possibility of buying this building, and the next thing I knew, Bali Mardana hit me in the arm and said, "Prabhupada wants a 7-Up." I looked at Prabhupada and said, "Prabhupada, 7-Up?" Prabhupada nodded yes. But I repeated, "Prabhupada, do you really mean 7-Up?" Again he nodded yes. I said, "You mean, it's lemony with bubbles. Is that what you mean?" Prabhupada again said, "7-Up." So I went into the store and bought a can of 7-Up. I went out to the street and gave it to Bali Mardana, who popped open the top and gave it to Prabhupada, and as we stood there on Park Avenue in our dhotis, Prabhupada held the can up and poured the drink straight into his mouth without touching the can to his lips. When we drove back to the temple, it was the biggest story of the day: Prabhupada drank 7-Up on Park Avenue!

Radhavallabha: We could always tell that Prabhupada was pleased that we were staying in that horrible place to preach his mission. We could always sense he felt New York was the important place to preach because he had first gone there and that he was pleased that we were continuing where he had first brought Krsna consciousness to the West.

A letter from Prabhupada to Kirtiraja and his wife, Haripuja, 1973:

You are one of the trusted managers of the New York temple, I am very much glad to see that the standard of temple activities is so nice. So Krsna has given you American intelligence, and I think this New York City is the greatest city in the world. So all you managers cooperate together and do something gorgeous. That is my instruction to you, and if you can do it Krsna will be very much pleased with you.

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

From Bombay Srila Prabhupada planned a world tour beginning January 25 that would take him to twelve major cities within fifty days, ending back in Bombay. His journey would not only completely orbit the planet eastward but would dip into the Southern Hemisphere, as far south as Venezuela. It would be the eighth time Srila Prabhupada had traveled around the world in his ten years of preaching since going to America from India in 1965. He would enter seven different countries and travel thirty-four thousand miles.

Due back in India by March for the second international gathering of his disciples at Sridhama Mayapur, Srila Prabhupada would have to move quickly. Almost one thousand ISKCON devotees from all over the world were planning to be in India for this year's festival. This year was very special because after years of work and two prematurely announced openings, Srila Prabhupada would at last hold the grand opening of the ISKCON Krishna-Balaram temple in Vrndavana and install the Deities of Gaura-Nitai, Krishna-Balarama, and Radha-Syamasundara.

Srila Prabhupada had come to Vrndavana in September 1974 desiring to open the temple on Krsna's appearance day, but he had been disappointed by delays in construction. At that time Srila Prabhupada became seriously ill in Vrndavana. His fever dangerously high, he had given permission to devotees in all the ISKCON temples to hold twenty-four-hour kirtana to pray for his recovery. He had gradually regained his health, and he was now eating and translating again after several weeks.

Srila Prabhupada wanted to travel before the Mayapur-Vrndavana festival, but he had been delayed in Bombay, waiting for the local government to grant the No Objection Certificate so construction of his temple could begin. When Srila Prabhupada's Governing Body Commission secretary for South America, Hrdayananda Goswami, wrote asking him to please visit South America, he replied,

Yes, I want to come there very much. Now we are in Bombay trying to get permission from the government to build our temple. And it appears that we will possibly be getting the permission next week. If this works out then I will immediately be going to Honolulu and from Honolulu I can go directly to Mexico City then Caracas ... If the Bombay situation is not settled up I may have to stay until mid-January...

But not until then end of January did the Bombay municipality finally grant the No Objection Certificate; Srila Prabhupada was then free to travel. Prabhupada had said on different occasions that he traveled to keep his devotees spiritually alive. Although sometimes Srila Prabhupada would say he wanted to stay in one place and write his books, he regularly felt compelled to oversee personally the growth of his Krsna consciousness mission on each continent. His time was limited, he felt, and he wanted to strengthen his disciples in their execution of Krsna consciousness so they could continue in his absence. He had to travel. But even while traveling, he would continue his translation and commentary of the Srimad-Bhagavatam wherever he stopped. Despite his advanced age of eighty years, despite the disruptive travel hours, the jet lag, and the inconveniences of waiting in airports and of customs delays, Prabhupada was determined to maintain his writing schedule wherever he went. Srila Prabhupada's literary paraphernalia was a dictating machine and reference books. A secretary, Paramahamsa Swami, a personal servant, Srutakirti, and a Sanskrit student, Nitai, were Prabhupada's traveling entourage. In this way he was prepared to preach and write anywhere and everywhere.

His first stop was Hong Kong.

Paramahamsa Swami: It was always funny to be in the airport with Prabhupada. People would just come up and without any introduction say, "Hi. What are you doing?" And Prabhupada would start speaking with them on that level. It was really different than hearing him talk with the devotees. Sometimes they would come up with a weird question. Prabhupada would give a humorous answer, and often the person wouldn't understand and would leave.

Only one disciple, Trivikrama Swami, was stationed in Hong Kong, but just before Srila Prabhupada's arrival, Pancadravida Swami arrived from Bangkok to greet Srila Prabhupada. Sudama Vipra Swami, who had disassociated himself from ISKCON, also showed up for Prabhupada's arrival; these three sannyasis greeted Prabhupada at the airport.

Trivikrama Swami had rented a luxury suite at the Hong Kong Hilton for Srila Prabhupada and had arranged a speaking engagement in the Hilton's convention hall. About two hundred Indians and a few Chinese attended. After speaking forty minutes from the first verse of the seventh chapter of Bhagavad Gita, Srila Prabhupada concluded, "If you want to get out of maya's activities, then you have to take to Krsna consciousness. There is no other way out. This is a scientific movement. Anyone intelligent, any thoughtful person, he must take to Krsna consciousness. Otherwise, he is doomed."

During Srila Prabhupada's two-day stay the devotees took him to a park in the heart of the city. It was so crowded with people that Srila Prabhupada declared it "hellish." When they passed people doing tai chi exercises, Trivikrama Swami called such activity useless. "Do not criticize," Srila Prabhupada said. As they walked on, Sudama Vipra Swami told Prabhupada of the floods in Mayapur. The devotees had lived on the roof of a shack and had had to fight off the snakes seeking shelter there. Srila Prabhupada appreciated, "Yes, you did much service at that time." Prabhupada asked of another devotee the difficulties he had faced in Krsna consciousness. Each told of some incident of austerities.

"What was your most troublesome time in Krsna consciousness, Srila Prabhupada?" Trivikrama Swami asked. Prabhupada became silent, and then Srila Prabhupada said, "Better you don't ask."

In the devotees' small apartment Prabhupada affirmed that Hong Kong was an important place to preach. Even if only one man remained, they should still develop the center there. "We can print Chinese Bhagavad Gita," Srila Prabhupada said. "Someday China will open, and we can go in."

Pancadravida Swami had only come to visit Prabhupada, but Prabhupada told him, "You shall become our new manager for the Hong Kong center." When Srila Prabhupada said this, the other devotees responded, "Jaya! Jaya!" But Pancadravida Maharaja felt bewildered. I have to stay in Hong Kong he thought. But then he remembered the letter Prabhupada had just written him. Prabhupada had stated that a devotee must be like a reaping machine -- the Bengali saying is that a reaping machine will reap wheat in heaven or hell. So the devotee must serve Krsna, in heaven or hell. Pancadravida had considered returning to India, but now Srila Prabhupada said, "It is not very important if you go back to India. The only thing that is important is to continue service." The important thing was to distribute books in Hong Kong, Prabhupada told him; it doesn't matter whether people came to the programs. Somehow he should publish books in the Chinese language and distribute them. In this way the work would go on.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada Gita-nagari Press- Prabhupada-lila-Satsvarupa dasa Goswami-A World Tour