Cinmayi devi dasi Remembers Srila Prabhupada

Prabhupada Memories

Interview 01

Cinmayi: When I got initiated, Prabhupada asked me, “What are the regulative principles? How many rounds will you chant?” I told him the four regulative principles and then I told him I would chant sixteen rounds. Then he said, “Are you sure?” I said somewhat bewildered, “Yes, Srila Prabhupada.” Then he started laughing and said, “I am asking you if you are insured because you have a spot on your face.” I have a mole on my face, and when I was younger, sitting in front of Prabhupada, it was really dark. He said, “You have a spot on your face. Once there was a movie star with a spot on her face and she had it insured for a lot of money.” Then he just started laughing and everyone was laughing. He was just chuckling, and then he said in a more serious tone, “Krishna consciousness is your only insurance.”

Srila Prabhupada came to Laguna Beach and he gave an evening talk. After he spoke, he asked if there was any question. One boy said that he had read all of Srila Prabhupada’s books and he said, “I would like to ask you, who is your spiritual master?” Srila Prabhupada said, “You have read all my books and you do not know who is my spiritual master?” Then Prabhupada said, “Next question.”

When Srila Prabhupada came to Los Angeles one time, he offered arati to the Deities. We all observed that he did some things differently than we were previously doing. We used to offer the incense in our hand, but Srila Prabhupada offered it in an incense holder. When we offered the hanky, we would hold the hanky in our hand. But Prabhupada placed the hanky on a plate and then made the offering. He would also offer the flower on a plate as opposed to holding it directly in his hand.

To view the entire unedited video go to Memories 79 - 15 Devotees Share

The full Prabhupada Memories Series can be viewed here and also at www.prabhupadamemories.com

Following Srila Prabhupada

Interview DVD 09

Cinmayi: It seemed like the day that I got initiated Srila Prabhupada was really enjoying himself. He was laughing at everybody really. There was one boy named Asurakulanasana. Srila Prabhupada said, “Do you know the meaning of your name?” And he said, “It means the killer of the descendants of the demons.” And he said to Asurakulanasana, “Do you know who the demons are?” Asurakulanasana said, “Uh, the karmis?” and everybody was laughing. Srila Prabhupada raised his eyebrows and looked around and said, “The demons are the scientists.” And when he said that, Swarupa Damodar sat up straight and said, “Oh, but Srila Prabhupada…” and Srila Prabhupada was laughing and he said, “No, not you.” Then Srila Prabhupada asked me, “What are the four regulative principles, and how many rounds do you chant daily?” and I told him. Then he said to me, “Are you insured?” and I thought he said, “Are you sure?” So I said, “Yes, Srila Prabhupada.” And he said, “I asked you if you are insured,” he said, “because you have a spot on your face,” because I have a mole on my right cheek. And he said, “Once there was a movie star who had a spot on her face, and she had it insured for a lot of money.” And when he said that, he just laughed and laughed and everybody was laughing – Swarupa Damodar, whoever was there at the time, all the sannyasis. He was literally shaking and laughing, and I was so embarrassed I couldn’t even think of what he was saying. I was just thinking, “They’re all laughing.” And then he said, “Krishna consciousness is your only insurance. Your name is Cinmayi-devi, spiritual potency.”