Srila Prabhupada Meets Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura 58 to 62

When I was twenty-five years old I met him first.

On the first meeting he ordered me to this.

Anne Jackson: May I ask you a few questions? Could you please tell me a little bit about your life and how you knew that you were the spiritual master for the Krsna consciousness movement?

Prabhupada: My life is simple. I was householder. I have still my wife, my children, my grandsons. So my Guru Maharaja ordered me that "Go and preach this cult in the western countries." So I left everything on the order of my Guru Maharaja, and I am trying to execute the order. That's all.

Woman: And is this picture here the man...?

Prabhupada: Yes, he is my Guru Maharaja.

Woman: And he is no longer living.

Prabhupada: No.

Woman: He spoke to you spiritually?

Prabhupada: So this is my (indistinct). That's all.

Woman: At what point was it that he told you to do this? It was very late in your life that you...?

Prabhupada: Yes. When I was twenty-five years old I met him first. On the first meeting he ordered me to this. So at that time I was married man. I had two children. So I thought, "I shall do it later on." But I was trying to get out of family life. It took some time. But I was trying my best to carry out his order. In 1944 I started magazine, Back to Godhead, when I was grhastha. Then I started writing books in 1958 or '59. In this way in 1955 I came to your country.

[Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon, July 13, 1975, Philadelphia]

So I should have joined and executed his desire immediately,but due to my ill luck I could not immediately execute his order, but it was in

my heart that it is to be done.

My Guru Maharaja, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada, he also attempted to send his disciples to preach Caitanya cult in the Western world. One of them, he advised me also. First meeting, perhaps you know, he asked me to preach. So at that time I was young man, only twenty-five years old, and I was also householder. So I should have joined and executed his desire immediately, but due to my ill luck I could not immediately execute his order, but it was in my heart that it is to be done. So better late than never, I executed his order at the age of seventy years, not at the age of twenty-five. So actually I wasted so much time, I can understand that. From twenty... The message was there when I was twenty-five years old, but I began at the age of seventy years. But I did not forget the message. Otherwise, how could I do? That was, that is a fact. I was simply finding out the opportunity, how to d o it. So anyway, although I began very late, at the age of seventy years, so by the help of my disciples this movement is gaining ground and is spreading all over the world. So therefore I have to thank you. It is all due to you. It is not my credit, but it is your credit that you are helping me in executing the order of my Guru Maharaja.

[Srila Prabhupada Sri Vyasa-puja Lecture, London, August 22, 1973]

My family life was in Allahabad,

1923 to 1936 continually.

Prabhupada: My family life was in Allahabad, 1923 to 1936 continually. I used to come to Bombay from Allahabad for business. And I was staying in that hotel, Empire Hindu Hotel. Yes, very nice. At that time it was very nice.

[Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, January 7, 1977, Bombay]

Every day I was seeing how to go to

Jagannatha Puri and how to go to Vrndavana.

Tamala Krsna: You said that when you were very young you always used to calculate what was the cost of a ticket to Puri.

Prabhupada: Yes. Every day I was seeing how to go to Jagannatha Puri and how to go to Vrndavana. At that time a fare was, for Vrndavana, four or five rupees, and similarly for Jagannatha Puri. So I was thinking, "When I shall go?" That's all. I took first opportunity to go to Jagannatha Puri after my examination, and in business connection when I went to Agra, then I first of all took the opportunity to go to Vrndavana from Agra. This was in 1925, and I visited Jagannatha Puri sometime in 1920. And '25 I went to Vrndavana. I remember, in those days I was sitting within the car, and there was some prasadam. One monkey entered and took away everything.

Tamala Krsna: In the train compartment.

Prabhupada: They are very clever. Many times in Vrndavana the monkeys have taken away from my hand foodstuff.

Tamala Krsna: While you were eating.

Prabhupada: Hm. Thrice... At least thrice, four times I remember.

Tamala Krsna: You wanted them to take it? You were offering...

Prabhupada: No, suppose a big monkey comes and takes. You are stunned. (laughter) You have to give him. No other way.

Tamala Krsna: They will attack otherwise.

Prabhupada: In Radha-Damodara temple I was cooking the other room. So although the door was closed, he knew, he opened the door and took away my prasadam. Sometimes they would take away... (door opens) Come on. The, what is called, dough? For...?

Tamala Krsna: Capatis?

Prabhupada: Capati. So they will eat that.

Tamala Krsna: Raw dough.

[Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, January 19, 1976, Mayapur]

In 1925 I was taking. I was touching

the water, and it was cutting.

Dr. Patel: It is very cold, huh? There will be extreme cold this season. And to take bath in confluence in this biting cold of this cold water.

Prabhupada: Sometimes I was taking.

Dr. Patel: You should take warm water bath.

Prabhupada: In 1925 I was taking. I was touching the water, and it was cutting.

Dr. Patel: Even my... It was cutting too much.

Prabhupada: (chuckles) And as soon as I take a dip, everything is warm.

Dr. Patel: No, but for now it is not right.

Prabhupada: It is very nice.

Trivikrama: Everything is numb.

Prabhupada: And immediately warm. As you take...

Trivikrama: Warm.

Dr. Patel: That is all the place, yes.

Prabhupada: Yes. So long as you do not take dip, it is so pinching, it is cutting your body. And as soon as you get a dip, one, two, three--bas. Immediately you are warm.

Dr. Patel: No, but now, at this age of your...

Prabhupada: No, now...

Dr. Patel: You should warm the water and take water from confluence, bring in the tent, warm it up and take a bath. Or you get a pot of water here and daily put two drops in the bucket and take bath (laughs). My wife was doing this. She used to put two drops of Ganga water...

Prabhupada: Now, if I take such dip I may be paralyzed.

[Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, January 5, 1977, Bombay]

I purchased one motor car in 1925, Buick car.

Not for personal use, but for using it as a taxi.

Prabhupada: Happiness in whatever circumstance. Not that because we did not possess a motorcar, therefore unhappy. I purchased one motor car in 1925, Buick car. Not for personal use, but for using it as a taxi. My one nephew, he was a good driver, so my father, "Why don't you give him? He can do that, we can use it our own car also taxi." So I took it, Buick car, I think I paid eight thousand rupees.

Hari-sauri: Buick?

Prabhupada: Buick, yes, very strong car. At that time, Ford, Chevrolet and Buick, these cars were very popular in India. Ford for the poorer class and Buick for the first class.

Hari-sauri: Your nephew was a taxi driver.

Prabhupada: Yes. Nephew was my sister's son. We had to maintain one sister and her family. She became widow. So this is Hindu

family obligation. When the daughter is widow, she comes to the father's shelter with all family. The father has to maintain.

[Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, August 2, 1976, Paris]

I had car, but my nephew was driving. I never drove.

Prabhupada: I can cycle even now. In our childhood... I had car, but my nephew was driving. I never drove. In 1925, I purchased one Buick car.

Trivikrama: Buick? It's a good car.

Prabhupada: At that time in India it was eight thousand rupees only, very strong car.

Trivikrama: From America it came?

Prabhupada: Yes, American cars were selling during British days, Ford, Buick, Chevrolet. These cars were selling. Dodge. In 1925 I purchased one Buick car, eight thousand rupees.

[Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, January 7, 1977, Bombay]

Long ago, say, in 1925, long ago, so we were in a cinema house. So my eldest son, as soon as he would

see one woman in the picture,"Here is another mother! Here is another mother!" (laughter) he would cry.

Just like our these children are being taught chanting Hare Krsna. They are chanting. They cannot forget throughout life. Similarly, if a brahmacari is taught from childhood, from boyhood address all woman as "mother," he cannot see otherwise. "S(he) is my mother." I remember, it is an example. Long ago, say, in 1925, long ago, so we were in a cinema house. So my eldest son, as soon as he would see one woman in the picture, "Here is another mother! Here is another mother!" (laughter) he would cry. Because a small child, he does not know any woman except mother. He knows everyone as "my mother." So if we train from the childhood that "You should treat all woman as mother," then where is the question of anomalies? No. There is no question

[Srila Prabhupadafrom a Srimad-Bhagavatam lecture, 1.3.13, Los Angeles, September 18, 1972]

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