srila prabhupada said...!!!

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

I began my secretarial work for Srila Prabhupada on February 22^nd 1977.  I arrived in Mayapur with His Holiness Brahmananda Swami; and in giving Srila Prabhupada a report of my zone's activities for the past year, I proposed that things would go on nicely without me and that I was now free to become his secretary.  His Divine Grace very kindly accepted me.

Srila Prabhupada's health was not strong, even at that time. Although he was taking walks around the land in Mayapur, he could only take short walks. About one week previously, he had attended a function at Sridhara Maharaja's Math in Navadvipa.  Upon leaving he had stumbled and almost collapsed, being caught just in time in the hands of his devotees.  Apparently the food had been prepared in mustard oil, which although tasty, was very difficult for Srila Prabhupada to digest.

Srila Prabhupada was very pleased with the report of the court case in New York City involving the allegation of brainwashing.  When Adi-kesava Swami arrived with other devotees, Srila Prabhupada proclaimed, "Is not Krsna wonderful?  He can do anything!  I wanted the court case to go on for fourteen years, and Krsna has decided it in fourteen days.  If He wanted to, it could have been fourteen hours-Krsna is so wonderful!"  This court case was very important, as it signified official recognition and acceptance on the governmental level.  Of all his activities in the western countries, especially the United States over the past eleven years, this victory was very sweet.

All the devotees arrived in Mayapur on February 24.  Srila Prabhupada came down on the first day to give a lecture.  On the second day we noticed that his health was not very good, and His Divine Grace requested some of the senior devotees to speak on his behalf.  Kirtanananda Maharaja spoke first, then Brahmananda Maharaja.

Later in the day, Srila Prabhupada's health deteriorated noticeably.  Then a very serious illness began.  His temperature rose to 104 or 105 degrees.  For three days and two nights the high fever continued, and he was always moaning.  At that time Hari-sauri Prabhu, Nava-yogendra Maharaja, and I took shifts to be with him constantly, giving him massages almost all the time.  Prabhupada could not eat anything and he had great difficulty passing urine.  His body was very swollen.  No longer could he go down and give lectures, nor could he even talk with the devotees.

Gradually, the fever went away.  Later on Srila Prabhupada would tell us that he thought the time had come for him to give up his body.  His good friend from Allahabad came and recommended various western medicines, including Lassix tablets, which helped Srila Prabhupada pass urine.  As these medicines were very strong, Srila Prabhupada passed not only urine but sometimes also blood.  He therefore had to give up this series of medicines.  On the request of Abhirama and Jayatirtha Prabhus, Prabhupada's old, blind Ayurvedic doctor, Bimala Tanka Tirtha, came from Calcutta.  He stayed in Mayapur for two or three days, recommending various types of Ayurvedic pills.  Prabhupada took them but then also had to give them up.  It was very difficult for him to take so many different types of pills at different times of the day.  After his fever ended, Prabhupada was left with absolutely no strength and was in constant need of help.  Even to get up or to go to the bathroom, someone always had to be with him.  Eventually he developed a routine of going up to the rooftop room and taking a massage.

At that time, Hari-sauri Prabhu decided that he wanted to go out and preach.  Srila Prabhupada was very satisfied with the service he had rendered.  In a touching farewell, Srila Prabhupada blessed Hari-sauri, Srila Prabhupada said, "I am very satisfied with your service.  You have pleased me very much by attending to me.  Now be blessed by Krsna.  I have all good feelings for you; go out and preach Lord Caitanya's message."

On Hari-sauri's leaving, I became the masseur as well as the secretary.  After one day, Srila Prabhupada told me that my massage was more of a blessing than a good massage.  Looking around Mayapur, I came upon Bhavananda Maharaja, who I knew could give good massages.  He began to massage Srila Prabhupada in the sun, starting at seven in the morning and continuing until a quarter after nine.  Gradually, by the massage of Bhavananda Maharaja, Srila Prabhupada's health improved.  Nava-yogendra Maharaja offered his services as cook, and Srila Prabhupada proclaimed, "Yes, from now on no more women will cook for me; you will do all of my cooking."  Srila Prabhupada started eating again, but he had still not fully recovered.

He then remembered Dr. Ghosh from Kodaikanal, one of his devotee friends we had met in Madras.  Dr. Ghosh was a famous natural healer, employing massage techniques and dieting, without drugs.  He asked Prabhupada to come to Kodaikanal where, he claimed, if one goes, one will never die.  Srila Prabhupada had me write him to confirm the trip.  Mahamsa Maharaja also started making arrangements.  For many days, Prabhupada was thinking about going to Kodaikanal.  He was very eager to change his location and leave Mayapur because he thought a change would automatically improve his health.

But when no word came and then we received an invitation to the Bombay pandal, Prabhupada decided to go to Bombay.  In a telephone call to Giriraja, I relayed the message of the theme of the Bombay pandal: "The Human Civilization Is A Complete Failure.  The Only Hope Is Krsna Consciousness."

Prabhupada was very eager to go to Bombay.  He wanted to give the citizens of Bombay a true conception of the essential nature of Krsna consciousness.  We made the journey to Calcutta without difficulty, where, with nice arrangements from Indian Airlines, we boarded the Airbus and flew to Bombay.  Unfortunately, Srila Prabhupada's quarters were not completed.  His Divine Grace was then taken to his old apartment; but when the devotees wanted him to get out of the car he refused, saying, "I will never again go into this apartment.  Take me to my new quarters."  We took Srila Prabhupada there; and he went up the stairs on a palanquin, as the elevator was not working.  When he came into his rooms, he sat down and ordered the workers to start immediately to clean them.  Although nothing was finished, Srila Prabhupada insisted on spending the night there.  The next day, he agreed to move to the home of Kartikeya Mahadevia in Bombay.  Giriraja and Subhaga Swami promised that his rooms would be completed by March 28.

At the Bombay pandal, Srila Prabhupada's lectures were like atomic bombs.  Never before had we seen him speak so powerfully.  The entire nature of the pandal stressed the philosophy and science of Krsna consciousness.  The prominent guests, such as the chief minister of Maharashtra and the chief surgeon of Bombay, were very favourably impressed with Srila Prabhupada's lectures.  The crowds were relatively small, sometimes only five hundred to two thousand, but they listened attentively and Srila Prabhupada was very satisfied.  When Giriraja Prabhu spoke, Prabhupada commented that he had learned to lecture expertly.

Especially satisfying to Prabhupada was the presentation made by Svarupa Damodara one evening on the scientific nature of Krsna consciousness, proving that life comes from life.  After Svarupa Damodara's lecture, Srila Prabhupada spoke on the importance of the scientists.  He told a group of devotees that this was the next program to develop and asked Svarupa Damodara how much money he needed.  Prabhupada told him that he was prepared to spend ten to twenty thousand dollars a month for him and his party to travel worldwide to every university and college to present Krsna consciousness in scientific terms.  He requested Svarupa Damodara to make Bombay his headquarters because, by preaching and lecturing in Bombay, he would gather many scientists around him.  With such a strong group, he could then approach the western world.

Svarupa Damodara had previously tried to arrange for Prabhupada to go to Manipur.  Prabhupada wanted to show the varnasrama system in an ideal, Krsna conscious state.  Manipur was small enough that, if the leaders of Manipur cooperated, Prabhupada could demonstrate this.  Due to difficulties in obtaining an entry visa, however, the trip had been cancelled.

After the pandal, on March 31^st, Srila Prabhupada moved to his new quarters.  They were very beautiful, and Prabhupada declared that no one could outdo Surabhi Swami's architectural designs.  There was a lot of light, and there was always a nice breeze blowing.  Prabhupada constantly stayed upstairs.  Except for the first day or two, he never left his quarters for the next month.  Although Prabhupada's health did not improve very much, it did not worsen.  The problem was that he had no appetite.

Prabhupada considered going to Kashmir, where it was said the water and air are so nice that they automatically produce an appetite.  He sent Guru-dasa Maharaja to meet with Karen Singh and ask whether we could stay at his home in Kashmir.  For one week we waited for word from Guru-dasa, but when it finally came,  the description was not favourable.  Although Karen Singh was very kind to offer us the use of his house for at least one month, the weather was very cold and there was a lot of noise nearby.  Nor were there many fruits and vegetables available.  For these reasons, Prabhupada postponed going for at least another week or two.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-TKG's Diary: Prabhupada's Final Days-February 22^nd-April 9^th-Tamala Krsna Goswami

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Srila Prabhupada began translating regularly again.  Every night, he completed one-third to two-fifths of a tape.  He was working on the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam.  In the afternoons around four o'clock, he met with several important persons.  Two days ago he met with Sri Ratan Singh Rajda, a member of Parliament whom he had met before at Mr. Mahadevia's house.  He asked Mr. Rajda to arrange, if possible, a meeting with the Prime Minister Morarji Desai.

Prabhupada was taking a great deal of interest in the recent political events in India, especially since Indira Gandhi had been defeated.  Srila Prabhupada said it was certainly the work of Krsna, as this woman had been trying so ruthlessly to destroy India's culture.  And now her son was doing the same.

Every morning he had the newspaper read to him; therefore, he had a keen interest to meet with the new Prime Minister, especially since Mr. Desai was said to be a religious man.  Prabhupada hoped to explain to him the necessity for an ideal institution in India for teaching the actual principles of Bhagavad Gita.  If the leaders of India utilized this ideal institution, then the whole world could be given a perfect example of Krsna conscious government.  Prabhupada stressed that it did not matter whether everyone took to Krsna consciousness; it was not meant for everyone, but the concept of the ideal institution must be there.

Mr. Rajda was accompanied by his wife and Mr. Mohanlal, a political personality of Bombay.  Mr. Rajda was a very sincere devotee.  Prabhupada spoke with him wonderfully for an hour and a half.  Mr. Rajda promised to make sure that at least one hundred devotees got permanent residence visas for India.  He also promised to help in the local affairs to see that all of the obstacles facing our Bombay project would be removed.

The next day another member of Parliament, Sri Ram Jethmalani, came to visit Srila Prabhupada.  Prabhupada stressed again the importance of Krsna consciousness, and Mr. Jethmalani was favorably impressed.  Mr. Jethmalani raised the question of whether there was any social welfare work to be done by Krsna consciousness, and Prabhupada told him that such was simply the business of dogs and cats.  Our purpose was to end this material life.  That was the purpose of human life-not simply barking social welfare and getting nothing done.  Mr. Jethmalani, the most eminent lawyer of India, was highly impressed.  He promised to give all help for Srila Prabhupada's movement.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-TKG's Diary: Prabhupada's Final Days-April 10^th-Tamala Krsna Goswami

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Pleased with the article, "Who Is Harijan," which I had written under his direction, Srila Prabhupada remarked that now a few of us should start to write regularly on various topics he would name.  Because he was very weak, he did not have the strength to preach as much as he would like to.  In addition to having taken up the management on his behalf, we were now also expected to write essays and give lectures, transmitting the powerful arguments he would give us.

Srila Prabhupada remarked that he was never fooled by any woman.  Srila Prabhupada said he never came under the grip of maya in that way.  Many women were eager to marry him when he was a young man, and he had many opportunities; but he never succumbed to this allurement of maya.  The sister of one of his friends, a very beautiful Kashmiri girl, fell in love with him.  Srila Prabhupada said she was particularly attracted by his harmonium playing.

Mr. Lalit Kumar Roy, a very famous singer, presented Srila Prabhupada with two books.  He had previously been a follower of Sri Aurobindo but had broken away; and now, being over seventy, he had an asrama in Pune called "Hare Krishna Ashram."  Srila Prabhupada appreciated the gift.  He wanted us to establish a good relationship with Mr. Roy.  Every month, at least once or twice, our men could go to his asrama, perform kirtana, and distribute books.  Similarly, we could invite Mr. Roy and his followers here, and he could sing in our auditorium and attract many people.

After leaving Mayapur, Srila Prabhupada gave Bhavananda Maharaja charge of massages and personal service.  Srila Prabhupada said Bhavananda's massages were giving him life.  Bhavananda would massage Prabhupada for two hours, then bathe and dress him.  Srila Prabhupada said there was no comparison to the way Bhavananda Maharaja was personally taking care of him.  Since Bhavananda had great facility for preaching, however, Prabhupada decided to send him back to Bengal.  Bhavananda Maharaja had proposed a program of taking all of the gurukula boys-150 strong-and walk village to village all over Bengal, then all over India.  Prabhupada fully blessed and approved of this program.  Upendra then became Prabhupada's servant and performed nicely.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-TKG's Diary: Prabhupada's Final Days-April 16^th-Tamala Krsna Goswami

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

17^th

Srila Prabhupada asked Palika devi dasi to cook many neem preparations.  He called for her around four o'clock in the morning and told her to cook neem buta, as well as any other neem preparations she knew.  Srila Prabhupada said, "Now I have a taste for neem, and this will also be good for me."

Srila Prabhupada was very disturbed at the slow progress of the construction.  He remarked that, at this rate, the domes would never be completed.

In the afternoon Srila Prabhupada met with Dr Sharma, a relatively young Indian gentleman related to Mr Chaya, who lived at Hare Krishna Land.  Dr Sharma had served in Russia for a number of years and seemed like a very nice, intelligent devotee.  He offered his services for translating Srila Prabhupada's books into Russian.  Srila Prabhupada preached very enthusiastically to him and accepted his offer to come and examine him today.  Confidentially, Srila Prabhupada said he was eager to speak with Dr Sharma; therefore, he also agreed to let Dr Sharma examine him.

Later in the evening Dr Pandita, a member of Parliament, also came to visit Srila Prabhupada.

18^th

Hamsaduta Maharaja arrived.  Srila Prabhupada had been waiting quite a while to see him, not knowing where he had been the past week.  During his massage, Prabhupada commented on Hamsaduta Maharaja's service, saying that a rolling stone gathered no moss.  In other words, simply by traveling around, nothing of great consequence would be accomplished.  He therefore requested Hamsaduta Maharaja to finish what he had started in Ceylon.  Later in the morning, Hamsaduta decided to carry out Srila Prabhupada's instructions.

In the afternoon Svarupa Damodara, who had just returned from Manipur, visited Srila Prabhupada.  He described that he had met with tremendous response.  Five young men came forward to become devotees.  As he was preaching, several families with three or four sons each offered one of their sons to him.  Two wonderful pieces of land were also offered in Manipur-one right in the city (about seven acres of land surrounded by water) and the other (which was even more beautiful) about seventeen miles outside of Imphal.  It sounded like paradise, as Svarupa Damodara described it.  His programs in various villages also met with very good response.  Even the chief minister invited him to his home to show a movie.  He arranged for Srila Prabhupada and his party to come during the second week of September.

During the meeting with Svarupa Damodara, Dr. Sharma came to see Srila Prabhupada.  After a brief talk, Dr. Sharma asked Srila Prabhupada to retire to his bed to be examined.  Dr. Sharma found water in various parts of his body and also diagnosed high blood pressure and diarrhoea.  He proposed to Srila Prabhupada that he get injections, but His Divine Grace refused.  Then, he suggested a number of pills; but ultimately, Prabhupada wanted to continue with his current program of eating neem preparations.

Srila Prabhupada has little confidence in western medicines.  He understands that Krsna is the cause of all causes, and if Krsna likes, He can help him get better.  Prabhupada prefers dependence on Krsna to injections and pills and other artificial methods of treatment.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-TKG's Diary: Prabhupada's Final Days-April 17^th-18^th-Tamala Krsna Goswami

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Srila Prabhupada asked to see Giriraja and Svarupa Damodara.  Svarupa Damodara gave a report of a gentleman with thirteen Ph.D.'s who had spoken at Kartikeya Mahadevia's house the previous evening.  The man was seventy-two years old.  Svarupa Damodara impressed him so favourably that he agreed to come to Hare Krishna Land for at least one week and study our Krsna conscious philosophy from Srila Prabhupada.

Giriraja reported that Mr. Rajda and he were going to approach the Commissioner about removing the obstacles to our Bombay project.  Mr. Rajda had previously visited Srila Prabhupada and promised to help us in every way possible.

Srila Prabhupada found it difficult to translate last night, not having enough energy.  During the massage, Prabhavisnu approached Srila Prabhupada and proposed to go to Dacca to open a centre.  Srila Prabhupada was very pleased and Srila Prabhupada said, "You have my full blessings."  Now Prabhavisnu would be going to Dacca, Hamsaduta to Ceylon, Svarupa Damodara to Manipur, and perhaps Amogha-lila to Pakistan.  In this way, Srila Prabhupada hoped to unify the fragments that once comprised India.

In the afternoon, a sannyasi and brahmacari from a Mayavadi sampradaya came to visit Srila Prabhupada.  Srila Prabhupada explained to them that, as long as they desired to annihilate their individuality, they would never understand the highest truth.  Both of them were very respectful, and they praised Srila Prabhupada very much for his activities.

In the evening, Svarupa Damodara came back from a press conference in Bombay and told Prabhupada that the reporters had not asked many questions.  Prabhupada's conclusion was that anyone can give an opinion if he speaks philosophy; but with a scientist, one has to be very careful.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-TKG's Diary: Prabhupada's Final Days-April 19^th-Tamala Krsna Goswami

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

20^th

A large article appeared in the Times of India about the Vedic city ISKCON planned to build in Mayapur.  Srila Prabhupada became very angry about this article, because his name was not mentioned even once.  Rather, it gave Surabhi Swami all the credit, publishing his photo and calling the city "his city."  The writer suggested that such a scheme might meet with the same results as Auroville which, after nine years, still had only four hundred foreigners.  It was also mentioned that we intended to spend seventy crores of rupees in the next three years there.  In general, the article made a farce out of the plan.

Again, Srila Prabhupada had difficulty translating at night.  At 4:00 a.m., he started talking about the State Bank's opening its extension counter, and concluded that we should not push them to open a branch instead of an extension counter, since this might delay matters.

In the afternoon, Sri Brij Ratan Mohatta visited Prabhupada.  Next, Dr. Sharma came and was very insistent about Prabhupada's taking the medicine.  Srila Prabhupada finally told him that he was not going to change his mind and take western drugs.  It seemed that Dr. Sharma's intention all along had been to get Prabhupada to allow him to be his doctor, rather than to translate the books into Russian.

Two students of the Rishikesh Sivananda Ashram and three students of Chinmoyananda, all studying at Powai, visited Prabhupada.  He was like fire with them, telling them they had no knowledge of Gita and that all their activities were simply a waste of time.  They were all poisoned by Mayavada philosophy and, hence, could not understand Prabhupada.

21^st

We transferred all of Srila Prabhupada's possessions from his old apartment to his new quarters.  Gargamuni Swami wanted to purchase the metal almira, but Srila Prabhupada said he would give it to him as a gift, if he booked four more standing orders.  That afternoon Gargamuni received a telegram from his parties in South India-ten standing orders booked!  It was wonderful how the pure devotee arranged for his disciple to be praised!

Prabhupada was disturbed at having to sign his correspondence in the afternoon, as it interrupted his reading of the Hindi Bhagavatam.  There were also a number of mistakes, such as "pounds sterling" spelled out.  Prabhupada related a story of his college days.  Once, during a lecture by the English professor, one student was taking notes.  When the teacher said to "sit up" in Hindi, the student wrote that, too.

Prabhupada asked that his correspondence be answered more promptly.  As his secretary I was writing his responses, but I still read to him all of my replies, since I did not want any discrepancies.  A couple of letters gave appointments for people to come during the next two weeks, but Prabhupada wanted these postponed, as he was considering going to Lonauli, a hill station between our location and Poona.

In the early evening Mr. K.K. Goswami,  who was the cashier from the Punjab National Bank in Vrndavana, came to see Srila Prabhupada.  The bank had not accepted Prabhupada's letter of direction, nor his later letter of authorization for others to sign on his behalf for maturing fixed deposit receipts.  The bank had sent a man all the way to Bombay on such a technicality!  It was quite troublesome for Prabhupada.  After the letter was prepared according to his direction, the cashier made three changes in the wording; and each time, Prabhupada had to sign on the corrections.  The whole incident lasted at least an hour.

Prabhupada continued to take neem in all his foods.  The swelling in his limbs was almost completely gone, and his appetite had also increased.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-TKG's Diary: Prabhupada's Final Days-April 20^th-April 21^st-Tamala Krsna Goswami

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

22^nd

During the reading of his mail, Srila Prabhupada answered questions from the artists, who had written about paintings for the Tenth Canto Srimad-Bhagavatam.  It was amazing to watch Srila Prabhupada close his eyes and remember sastric evidences, while simultaneously giving his own realizations.  Everything printed in these books, including the paintings, had to be perfect, because they were at present looked upon as sastra, and in the future would be considered as such, and even more. 

A newspaper article sent by Badrinarayana claimed the moon expedition to be a hoax.  The author, who had worked intimately with the project, disclosed facts revealing the astronauts had never landed on the moon.  Of course, Srila Prabhupada pointed out that he had already said the whole attempt was "childish" in Easy Journey to Other Planets in 1958, some twenty years ago.  Unfortunately Hayagriva Prabhu had edited this out.  Yesterday, Prabhupada became very upset over Hayagriva's translation of go-raksya (Bhagavad Gita: 18:44) as "cattle raising" instead of "cow protection."

This afternoon, Srila Prabhupada became very upset that no one could be seen working on the construction.  The marble work in particular was proceeding very slowly.  Prabhupada told me to try to do something about it.  At this point all he could do was instruct me; otherwise, he would die in his already weak condition, having to worry about everything.  Srila Prabhupada said we had been cheated; and Surabhi Swami, being so independent, could only give excuses.  Prabhupada was very angry.

We finished moving Prabhupada's clothes from his old apartment.  After putting everything away, Prabhupada told us to take whatever we liked.  In the future also, whenever we needed anything, we were to go to his stock and take whatever we needed.

Prabhupada chanted japa all afternoon and evening.

23^rd

Prabhupada asked me to give him relief from management, as far as possible, so he could concentrate on chanting and translating Srimad-Bhagavatam.  "What can I do, Prabhupada," I said. "I am simply a fool.  You will have to give me the intelligence."  Srila Prabhupada answered, "As long as you remain a fool, then I can instruct you; but when you think you are very intelligent, then nothing is possible."

In the afternoon, Mr. Dwivedi from Adarsh Seva Sanga visited.  The Sanga, located in the Pohri district between Gwalior and Jhansi, wanted to give its land and buildings to Prabhupada, so that he could properly guide them and develop the place.  There were school buildings, hostels, and industrial sheds for spinning, weaving, paper making, etc., all surrounded by many villages.

Mr. Dwivedi's guru died about twelve years ago, and he wanted to be led by a guru.  Mr. Dwivedi proposed to bring ten of the leading workers to Bombay to see Prabhupada, but Srila Prabhupada decided to go there himself.  Prabhupada had wanted to move.

First, he was thinking of Kashmir, then Lonauli; but this new offer seemed most attractive, since there was the opportunity for preaching and developing a village program.  The date was tentatively set for Prabhupada to arrive on May 4^th.  A party from the Vrndavana temple would meet us in Gwalior with Srila Prabhupada's car.  We would stage a program in the evenings from May 5^thto 8^th.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-TKG's Diary: Prabhupada's Final Days-April 22^nd-April 23^rd-Tamala Krsna Goswami

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

24^th

A report arrived from Dhrstadyumna Swami.  Srila Prabhupada remembered how nice the atmosphere was in the New York temple.  "There, there is especially life-utsahan."  He heard with great appreciation a tape of Dhrstadyumna Swami's chanting, and commented that these three men-Dhrstadyumna, Tripurari and Adi-kesava-were very intelligent.  Dhrstadyumna reported about China, and Srila Prabhupada remarked it would be difficult for me to leave.

It was becoming increasingly troublesome for Prabhupada to deal with construction or banking.  In his poor condition of health, he simply could not tax his brain with management.  His days were spent more and more in chanting, translating and preaching.

Today, Nava-yogendra Maharaja was selecting prasadam clothes from Prabhupada's wardrobe.  Prabhupada ordered me simply to give him something-prasadam did not mean selection.  "Therefore," Srila Prabhupada said, "food remnants are mixed together so that no one will choose."

Mr. Dwivedi came again.  Gargamuni Swami had been cautioning against going to Pohri for a number of reasons, but after meeting with Mr. Dwivedi, our trip was now confirmed.  Mr. Dwivedi would try to invite Shri Jethi, the President of India, to attend the program.  Kartikeya Mahadevia would also travel with us.  Mr. Dwivedi was talking very much, describing the scenic attributes of Pohri.  As soon as he mentioned daridra-narayana, however, Prabhupada lectured for an hour and a half, making it clear to Mr. Dwivedi that, unless they were willing to come to the platform of accepting Krsna and Bhagavad Gita As It Is, our alliance with Adarsh Seva Sanga would never bear any fruit.

25^th

Srila Prabhupada seemed a little satisfied that more workers were engaged on the construction.  He asked that Giriraja and Surabhi Swami report to him every day at massage time.

Prabhupada had us call Mr. Dwivedi.  Mr. Dwivedi reported that he had spoken with the President of India, Sri Jethi, who was eager to come to the Pohri program.  Nothing was confirmed definitely, though.

26^th

Gopala Krsna came and gave Srila Prabhupada a report on his visits to Chandigarh, Vrndavana, and Delhi.

27^th

Srila Prabhupada met with Mr. Brij Ratan Mohatta and asked him to make sure we were not cheated in this construction, and to oversee the rest of the construction himself.  Mr. Mohatta agreed.

Earlier today, Giriraja had informed Prabhupada that he was trying, with the help of Mr. Rajda, to arrange for the Prime Minister to come and see Prabhupada.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-TKG's Diary: Prabhupada's Final Days-April 24^th-April 25^th-April 26^th-April 27^th-Tamala Krsna Goswami

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

28^th

Srila Prabhupada spoke very strongly about our Society not existing for the purpose of sense gratification.  This was in connection with paying salaries to devotees and supplying special facilities for grhasthas.  Prabhupada stressed that Krsna consciousness meant vairagya.  One who was not interested yet in developing vairagya could not be maintained by the Society.  Otherwise the whole institution would become weakened.  If grhasthas were rendering essential service, the temple could provide living facilities; but they had to work voluntarily, not for salaries.

In the afternoon, I read an article to Srila Prabhupada from The Current newsweekly.  Although the reporter, an Indian Christian, had tried his best to discredit him, Srila Prabhupada was very powerful and glorious in the interview, which had been printed without any change.  His Divine Grace appreciated the article very much.

Srila Prabhupada was asked whether he would go see Morarji Desai if he had no time to come here.  Srila Prabhupada said absolutely not!  A politician must come to see a saintly person, not vice versa.  Later in the day, Prabhupada suggested that if the Prime Minister was unable to come here, a delegation of devotees could go to see him and explain how difficult things had been for us here in India.

29^th

Srila Prabhupada read in the papers that Mr. J. P. Narayan would go to the United States for medical treatment.  Srila Prabhupada commented that he and J.P. had the same disease, and Dr G. Ghosh had also told Mr Narayan that he should go to Jaislok Hospital for treatment.  But despite so much care, Jaislok failed; and now Mr Narayan had to go to America.  This confirmed that doctors were not always able to cure a patient.  Srila Prabhupada said that under no condition should we ever allow anyone to take him to a hospital or administer drugs, even if he was unconscious.  He would rather die.

I asked Prabhupada whether we should file a case against the pujaris of the Jagannatha temple in Puri, but Prabhupada didn't like the idea.  "We will go on in our own way.  I never cared for others.  We are not kanistha-adhikaris that Jagannatha is only sitting there.  We have hundreds of Jagannatha temples."

This afternoon, I asked Srila Prabhupada how much I should advise and participate in the local management, since he wanted me to write articles and become learned.  Srila Prabhupada stressed that all nine forms of devotional service were equally important.  Management was arcanam.  I could write in my spare time, and giving class would accomplish studying.  My management should be that of an executive:  I should help to see that everything went on nicely.

In a letter to Adi-kesava Swami, I had written that householders must donate fifty per cent of their business income.  But Srila Prabhupada corrected me and Srila Prabhupada said, "Up to."  His Divine Grace was always very lenient toward those not living in the temple.  For such devotees, service was completely voluntary; but anyone living in the temple must be vairagi.

Today was Ekadasi and Prabhupada ate only fruit.

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-TKG's Diary: Prabhupada's Final Days-April 28^th-April 29^th-Tamala Krsna Goswami

[chitralekha devi dasi (bcs)]

Srila Prabhupada explained that grhasthas could not live in the temple building.  If the temple had land and there were other buildings, grhasthas could live in those if they paid rent, but rent money could not come from the Society.

About the importance of advanced degrees, Srila Prabhupada said, "We are not after any degrees like Ph.D.  The only title we will accept is to be known as a pure devotee, sarvopadhi vinirmuktam."

Srila Prabhupada said that he did not expect Morarji Desai to come here.  I said that politicians were afraid to meet him because Prabhupada's reputation was such that, no matter how important the person was, Prabhupada spoke about dogs, hogs, camels and asses.  Srila Prabhupada said it was like a boy saying, "My father says you are a dog."  You couldn't get angry at the boy; he was only repeating what his father had said.  "So we are like child repeating Krsna's words, mudhah."

During the massage, Srila Prabhupada had Gopinatha and Arundhati bring in a pot with cut up potatoes and portals for preparing badi charchari.  Prabhupada directed the spicing and gave specific directions on how to cook the sabji.  As it later turned out completely burnt, Prabhupada declared Arundhati not intelligent enough for cooking.  When we travelled, Prabhupada would teach Gopinatha and Upendra how to cook and also engage local cooks.  I asked Prabhupada how he had learned to cook, and he answered that he had learned by watching his mother, who would cook all day.  He would also watch the men cook on the roadside.

He was the pet child of his mother.  Once, he swallowed a watermelon seed, and his friends told him it would grow into a tree in his stomach.  Prabhupada ran to his mother, who assured him there was no need to worry.  She would say a mantra to prevent any harm.  He was so dependent on her, he would even ask her for permission to go to the privy.  "Who is stopping you?" she would ask.  "Yes, you can go."  Only then he would go.

Srila Prabhupada stated, "The sterilization program will fail.  As they cannot stop death, so they cannot stop birth.  War, pestilence and plague are mentioned in sastra as checking population.  There is no mention of sterilization.  One man may be sterilized, but others will not.  The husband will be sterilized but the wife will want a child.  This will lead to irreligion."  I mentioned the incident in Srimad-Bhagavatam of Somadeva and the wife of Brhaspati.  Srila Prabhupada said that the only thing they can succeed in developing is atheism.

Later, he met with Surabhi Swami and Gopala Krsna to speak about the Mayapur planetarium.  We would give some idea of one universe, not the whole creation; that was not possible.

Srila Prabhupada asked to see Gopala Krsna again.  He wanted to discuss establishing some places of memory where he had enacted some of his pastimes, specifically the temple in Delhi, where he had once lived, and the Kesi-ghata temple in Vrndavana.  Also Calcutta and perhaps Allahabad.  In each place, a memorial room should be maintained with a statue of him.  I asked about his footprints.  Srila Prabhupada said that, "Yes, padapithah."

Biographies and Glorifications of Srila Prabhupada-TKG's Diary: Prabhupada's Final Days-April 30^th-Tamala Krsna Goswami