Moksa Laksmi devi dasi Remembers Srila Prabhupada
Prabhupada Memories
Interview 01
Moksa Laksmi: The first time I met Srila Prabhupada was at the 1973 London Ratha-yatra. I had been associating with Prabhupada’s devotees since 1969, when they were number one or two on the Hit Parade, but it was four years later when I personally saw Srila Prabhupada. I was in a big crowd distributing Ratha-yatra magazines. Earlier in the day, in a rushed way, I had seen Prabhupada getting out of a big car, and all the hairs on my body had stood on end. I had felt an incredible surge of energy. Then, during the procession, while I was distributing those magazines, I looked over my shoulder, and right behind me was a sannyasi, and next to him was Srila Prabhupada jumping up and down and dancing the swami step with his arms raised. It was incredible because I felt Prabhupada’s presence before I saw him. To this day, I remember the amazing joy that went through my body at the sight of Prabhupada dancing and chanting.
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To view the entire unedited video go to Memories 28 - Abhirama, Satyanarayana, Mangalananda, Vaiyasaki, Moksa Laksmi dd
The full Prabhupada Memories Series can be viewed here and also at www.prabhupadamemories.com
Following Srila Prabhupada
Interview DVD 04
Moksa Laksmi: During the parade itself, I was in the crowd distributing some of these magazines and suddenly all the hairs on my body just stood on end. I felt so different. I turned around to look behind me, and right behind me was Srila Prabhupada dancing. So I felt Srila Prabhupada before I saw him. That’s how strong of a personality he was. |
Interview DVD 07
Moksa Laksmi: Rathayatra 1974, London. In one way it was very different to most Rathayatras because there were three palanquins instead of what we previously had, one large chariot. There was some problem in the 1973 Rathayatra with health and safety. So we had these three palanquins, which in one sense was a little disappointing because the 1973 Rathayatra was such an exceptional occurrence because Srila Prabhupada had come to that Rathayatra and he danced all the way from Marble Arch down Park Avenue right down to Trafalgar Square. And I’m talking dancing here, arms raised, jumping up and down. To watch Prabhupada doing that was just the most amazing spectacle you could ever see. It was truly wonderful. So 1974 wasn’t quite of that caliber in that we didn’t have the large cart, we had the three palanquins which were carried shoulder height, and Srila Prabhupada wasn’t there. But it was very ecstatic because it was Rathayatra and Lord Jagannatha was out wandering in the streets of London. We took the same route so we could remember when Prabhupada was with us, which was really nice. And, of course, the kirtan was ecstatic. You can see in the video Revatinandan Swami is leading some fantastic kirtan as he’d been doing in the ’73 one when Prabhupada was dancing. So in that way, some really wonderful memories. That’s me in the blue sari with the yellow cardigan, just to prove I was there. And look, the hair’s beautifully tied back. I’ve had the same hairstyle for almost 40 years now because that’s what Prabhupada wanted and that’s what we’ve done, we’ve always tried to do what Prabhupada wanted. |
Interview DVD 08
Moksa Laksmi: There is one part towards the end of the aratik, he’s offering Them the peacock fan. And as he looks out to offer it to the devotees, the smile on his face is unbelievable. It was like one who had conquered the earth. He’d done it, he’d installed Krishna and Balarama in Vrindavan, and you could just read his face – it was full of bliss, full of happiness.
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Interview DVD 11
Moksa Laksmi: The most dramatic thing I remember of that period is when Srila Prabhupada left for London. He left at midnight. So all the devotees stayed up to say goodbye to Prabhupada because he was going off to the West to preach. As the car pulled off, it suddenly stopped; and it stopped in such a position that I was looking down at Srila Prabhupada and Prabhupada was looking up at me. He was on…at least one guesthouse mattress had been placed in the back of the Ambassador car, and he was lying on it. And I’ll never forget looking down at Prabhupada and Prabhupada looking at me because obviously his body was flesh and bones, but there he was going off to London to preach. And I was so shocked because he didn’t look like he should be going anywhere, but still his determination to preach and to please his devotees was far bigger than his desire to look after his own body. And that picture of Prabhupada has stayed in my mind all these years, Prabhupada’s determination. |