After Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in late August 1976 for the inauguration of the Radha-Madana-Mohana temple in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, there was an elaborate reception ceremony by the various Sri Vaishnava Brahmans, who had been assembled to perform the various ritualistic ceremonies for the three-day installation of the deities.
Sampat Kumara Bhattacarya was the head arcaka (priest) of that group. He had always been favorable to Srila Prabhupada’s movement from the first day we met him in Gandhi Nagar in Bangalore in the late summer of 1972. He headed a group of 12 Sri Vaishnava brahmanas to perform the various Vedic ceremonies.
The morning following the beginning of the ceremonies, on August 17, 1976, Mahamsa Swami and myself were summoned by Srila Prabhupada to his room. We were asked by Srila Prabhupada why we were keeping long hair and beard. I told Srila Prabhupada that we were observing caturmasya. Srila Prabhupada sternly replied: No we are preachers. You should shave your heads every two weeks. Now please go and shave your head.”
There was no mention that we looked dirty and unclean. We paid our obeisances and went to get our head shaven right away.
daso’smi
Yasoda nandana dasa
