Srila Prabhupada Vyasapuja 2022
by Gauri dasa pandita dasa.
The Topmost Most Gracious Host
One of the things I remember the most about Srila Prabhupada is what a great and gracious host he was. He loved sharing Krsna Consciousness with the guests and devotees. A wide range of people came to see His Divine Grace from new and senior devotees to religious and world leaders. From Professor’s to Villager’s; all the guests left Srila Prabhupada’s presence with a feeling of respect and admiration for Him, who treated them so nicely.
Srila Prabhupada was always very charming and would use his sharp Vaisnava Wit to win over everyone. He would use practical example’s to prove the scientific basis of Krsna Consciousness and expose bogus scientific theories. He liked to meet with the Professor’s especially, and said that his garden in LA was one of his favorite places on earth, where he met so many of them.
Srila Prabhupada was very caring and concerned about the guests. He always made sure they were all given Prasadam. When George Harrison met Srila Prabhupada in London Srila Prabhupada would have the devotees make fresh samosa’s for George who was known to be fond of them. He would eat quite a few on Srila Prabhupada’s charming insistence.
Srila Prabhupada wrote a few letter’s in those days of 1977 to all the temples, saying that they should always have Prasadam available for all guests. He even said it should be prepared fresh and always available. In the early days Srila Prabhupada did a lot of the cooking and distributing training the devotees up. He was expert in every department. If the Temples followed these instructions to the letter, there would be a lot more happy guests and devotees.
I learned a good lesson about the importance of Prasadam distribution in Rishikesh in May of 77. I had just arrived from Bombay to continue serving Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada was having a public darshan in the house on the Ganges, donated for his use by a life member. My service was to stand by the door with a box of Prasadam sweets and distribute them to the guests as they left.
Srila Prabhupada was sitting behind a coffee table and noticed a man waiting outside the screendoor so he told me to let him in. When I opened the door to let the guest in another guest went out. Srila Prabhupada asked me if I gave the guest that left some Prasadam. I replied that I did not because they crossed paths and I couldn’t reach him. Srila Prabhupada turned to his secretary and said, “This boy is incompetent.” The secretary, Tamal Krsna Maharaja, told me to go downstairs and he would talk to me later. I was devastated. I had given my life to Srila Prabhupada and Krsna Consciousness and wanted to personally serve Srila Prabhupada so much, but when I got my big chance, I felt I was rejected due to my incompetence.
I went down to the Ganges and entered the water thinking I was finished spiritually and since I was rejected by Srila Prabhupada my life was now useless and the best thing I could do was to drown myself to atone for my incompetence.
I was trying to get up the courage to take the ultimate plunge. Then just in time, Tamal Krsna Maharaja came to the shore and told me to come back and not to take it so seriously. He told me to go up and clean Srila Prabhupada’s room. I was surprised I was going to get another chance to serve Srila Prabhupada. I entered the front darshan room and started to sweep the floor. I still felt ashamed, but when I looked over at Srila Prabhupada he smiled at me very nicely as if nothing ever happened. All of my anxiety immediately disappeared so I started cleaning very enthusiastically. I learned the hard way how to treat the guests well, with respect and attention and always serve them some Prasadam like our topmost host and guru always did.
Srila Prabhupada was sent by Krsna to spread Krsna Consciousness all over the world, and he transcended bodily limitations going beyond expectations to preach because he loved doing it and he got so much strength from Krsna for doing it even at a ripe old age when most people would of retired.
Srila Prabhupada was a very considerate host and won everyone over with his charm and humility. Even though he was so exalted he always remained humble and lived very simply spending most of his time writing his books and hosting devotees and guests. He was always getting a higher taste of spiritual bliss, and never engaged in mundane sense gratification. He saw Krsna in all things and always related everything to Him.
Srila Prabhupada will remain our guru and inspiration and fortunate souls will benefit from him and his books for at least the rest of this Golden Age of Lord Chaitanya that we are now in, and it will last and increase at least for the next 9,000+ more years.
We are so fortunate to have so many recorded conversations and lectures of Srila Prabhupada to benefit from now and for the generations of devotees to come.
When Srila Prabhupada went to Vrindavan to leave his body he said that he would live on in his books. He said if we read his books and cooperate with each other everything would go on nicely. Many of his Godbrothers would come and see Srila Prabhupada in Vrindavan in 1977. They would praise Srila Prabhupada and every time Srila Prabhupada took a humble position. He gave the credit to His Guru Maharaja and his disciples. He said Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakur sent disciples to help Srila Prabhupada spread Krsna Consciousness.
When Srila Prabhupada was in London in 1977, he dictated a letter to me saying that he remembered me very fondly. That made my life! Serving the Topmost Host Srila Prabhupada was my dream come true.
When the Radha Damodar devotees and I first met Srila Prabhupada the day after the 1974 San Francisco Rathayatra he said, “You are all very bright-faced and fortunate to come to Lord Chaitanya’s Movement. Now that you are fortunate; make others fortunate. Preach this message of Lord Chaitanya’s all over the world.”
Srila Prabhupada was effulgent sitting gracefully behind his low table desk so relaxed with one leg up. When he smiled the room lit up even more. The many pictures of Srila Prabhupada smiling are amazing. The potency of Krsna was evident in our self effulgent Acharya Srila Prabhupada. We can all see and hear how special he is.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Srila Prabhupada for being the topmost Host and loving well-wisher to all of us! May more and more souls become your fortunate followers by your Divine Grace!
Your eternal servant,
Gauridasa Pandita Dasa