Los Angeles, California, USA,1972
After mangala arati, and in the middle of japa, a friend and I would run out of the temple room and through the sanctuary to the side of the building. Soon Srila Prabhupada would be going for his walk and we had a chance to see him. We grabbed a broom and a couple of flowers so we could sweep and drop petals on the steps outside his door. Then we’d hide behind a telephone pole down the alley so we could see him as he was driven off for his morning walk.
The anticipation between the time he left for his walk and the time he returned was palpable. Everything that needed to be done had to be done by the time he came back. Anticipation and stress combined to create a morning rush of ecstasy.
When word of his arrival came, we could hear the bustle of activity in the kitchen and altar room—Deities were bathed and dressed, carinamrita was prepared, arati paraphernalia was ready, incense charcoal lit, and devotees packed the temple room. As we waited for him to come in the door our japa became louder, more concentrated.
We fell to the ground when we saw him come through the door. Some would watch him pass and then bow to the ground, waiting to get a glimpse of his feet. Bells would ring and the altar doors would open with huge clouds of incense billowing out. 
He greeted the Deities with such reverence--a slow approach to the ground and ultimate surrender in his dandavat. 
We were so happy to see him we would sing the Govinda prayers with tears in our eyes. All our senses and emotions were fulfilled and conflicted at the same time. We would spend the next hour watching his every move, riveted to his words.
When the class was over and he left the temple room, that little bit of Vrndavana stayed with us throughout the day. In that hour or so of time with Srila Prabhupada we got an inkling of what it was to love Sri Sri Radha and Krsna and how to be Vaishnavas to the glory of our guru. I pray that those days stay with us forever.
Jaya Srila Prabhupada!
Photos used
with permission
from BBT International
http://www.prabhupada.krishna.com/
Posted on the 36th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada accepting me as his disciple.
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Saturday, June 21, 2008
Morning Memories
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3 comments:
Satya,
What are your views on the disparaging statements on women made by Srila Prabhupada such as the statement that women "enjoy being raped"? Prabhupada's capacity as a world guru is being highly debated among devotees these days, what to speak of his profile as a compassionate saint. Have you anything to comment on the issue?
Hare Krsna.
I don't pretend to know what Srila Prabhupada meant by this. Really. What I do know is that Srila Prabhupada was very kind to his female disciples and encouraged us to continue in devotional service however we were inclined.
When he was physically present, I know that when we heard that he had written something to a devotee, our understanding was that it was an instruction for just that person, no one else.
Things have changed so much since he was here. He was such a nice person and his books don't impart that flavor. That is why having someone who understands this to talk to about these things is so important.
This is a spiritual movement, it is so radical. It is for us to discover our true selves in relation to Lord Shyamasundara. How Srila Prabhupada directs us toward that is his saintliness.
I continue to get comments from anonymous writers asking me what Srila Prabhupada meant when he wrote "disparaging statements on women." I've answered that above. I have no idea what he meant. I'm not going to engage in this discussion. Any further comments on this subject will not be published. There are plenty of other blogs out there about this. This is not one of them.
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