Gurudas das Remembers Srila Prabhupada
(Redirected from Gurudas Remembers Srila Prabhupada)
Prabhupada Memories
Interview 01
Gurudas: Prabhupada, Swamiji at the time, didn’t tell us about the vyasasana. He didn’t make us cut our hair. He didn’t say anything about bowing down. He just accepted things as they were. He accepted us. Krishna had sent us, enthusiastic, young and believing we could do anything. We were adventurous and not too staid in any lifestyle. We were able to go along with and do anything, and that’s what happened. A New York contingent slowly came to San Francisco. Among them there was an artist, Haridas, Harvey Cohen, who came in an old Cadillac. We called it the “Krishnalac.” For some reason Haridas put a totem pole with noses, rings, masks, and moons right by the temple altar in Frederick Street. Prabhupada just accepted it, along with eclectic pictures, pictures of Lord Jesus, and so on. Prabhupada didn’t tell us to do too much, but he did teach Yamuna, Harsharani, and Govinda dasi how to cook. Once, when Prabhupada was sick, the doctors told Govinda dasi to give Prabhupada a special diet. Prabhupada called them the “starvation committee.” He wanted his standard diet instead.
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To view the entire unedited video go to Memories 03 - Brahmananda, Guru das, Nara Narayana
Interview 02
Gurudas: Nara-Narayana was going to massage Prabhupada but he said, “My hands are too coarse to touch the spiritual master! What am I going to do?! Such a fallen soul as me cannot…” he was going through that kind of thing. I said, “Just get prepared,” but he said, “No, I cannot!” So I said, “Okay, I’ll do it” and I started to get ready. I went into Prabhupada’s room and Prabhupada said, “Anybody can rub oils. Go out and preach.” He spoke about himself as if he were some inanimate object. At that point Nara- Narayana came in and said, “I’m ready, Srila Prabhupada!” and they continued.
I always stayed with Srila Prabhupada as much as I could because watching him was to see Krishna consciousness applied practically. Once we were at a gathering where many enthusiastic people were giving Prabhupada presents and getting his darshan. Prabhupada turned to me and said, “Just see how they are treating saintly people.” He didn’t refer to himself but just said, “saintly people.” At that time people were touching his feet and he told me that if someone touches a guru’s feet, a sadhu’s feet, they have to be able to absorb all the karma of that person. He said, “That’s why I’m patting them on their head, so I can give them their karma back.” |
To view the entire unedited video go to Memories 47 - Twenty Disciples Remembering SP
Interview 03
Gurudas: We’d been apprised of the rules and regulations. Prabhupada didn’t go through them at our initiation. He just said, “Chant sixteen rounds, and Krishna consciousness means happiness,” which he had said many other times over the years and which was a very strong statement. Prabhupada sometimes gave nice, short instructions. Once we were in Nandagram looking at the beautiful paintings. He turned to me and said, “Art means full belly.” He said, “If someone is hungry, they cannot think about making or looking at art. They are thinking about filling their belly.” Very pointed, very short, very sweet, and a bit of philosophy. So, Krishna consciousness means happiness. It was powerful.
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To view the entire unedited video go to Memories 06 - Sridhara Swami, Baradraj, Hari vilasa, Guru das
The full Prabhupada Memories Series can be viewed here and also at www.prabhupadamemories.com
Following Srila Prabhupada
Interview DVD 01
Gurudas: Jayananda planned the car and built the car, and subsequently every year he was known as “Mr. Rathayatra.” He would not sleep before the festival, and each year it improved – the decoration, from one car to three. This was the first car that he built, and it’s so beautiful. This became and has remained a San Francisco tradition. On this day is a special day for Lord Jagannatha, and this is acknowledged by the officials of San Francisco. |
Interview DVD 02
Gurudas: There were many engagements, and Prabhupada would just have us set up anything for him to speak. It didn’t matter if it was small or large or in a seedy part of town; and when he spoke about Krishna and sang the Holy Names, he was happy and he would get energy. Sometimes we would even say, “Well, Prabhupada, we went to this place before and two people showed up, and we don’t know if it’s worth your time to go there.” And Prabhupada would say, “No, I am like a cow, I give milk anywhere. That is what I like to do.” And we would go, just go with him – this place, that place, this town, that town. We just liked to be with him. |
Interview DVD 03
Gurudas: The pandal program was scheduled to begin, but some of the work was still going on. At this time in northern Calcutta, there was some bombing and shooting going on between the Naxalites, the Communists, and other people. We had some chairs for life members. In case some people didn’t want to sit on the ground, there were some seats for one rupee each. So this was the basis for the Naxalites to complain. So they’re complaining. Meanwhile, there was a gentleman named Colonel Datta who used to come to the Calcutta temple, and he wore this pith helmet, this African hat that was very flamboyant. So he wanted to fight all the Naxalites and I said, “No, that’s not a good idea.” But he was barring the entrance and they were going back and forth, and you could hear a lot of commotion. Meanwhile, Prabhupada is up on the stage and Prabhupada wanted to know what all the commotion was. Meanwhile, a note then came and said, “Quit or die. Quit India or die.” Prabhupada sees it and he said, “Let’s go, let’s start the pandal.” He sang the Brahma-samhita prayers. He told me also, he said, “Go and tell them that if they want to sit in the one rupee chairs that they can. Just invite them to sit.” So I invited them to sit, this diffused the argument, Prabhupada started singing the Brahma-samhita prayers, cintamani-prakara-sadmasu, and they just quieted down and the pandal program started.
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