Narahari 02 das Remembers Srila Prabhupada

Prabhupada Memories

Interview 01

Narahari: Prabhupada had a connection with Scotland because the school he attended in Calcutta had Scottish missionary teachers. Prabhupada knew more about Scottish people and Scotland than we thought. So, when Prabhupada went to Scotland for the opening of the temple, he held an interesting press conference. Ten or fifteen weary, hard-edged, cynical journalists from various Scottish newspapers had assembled in Prabhupada’s room, along with eight or ten devotees. The questions were cynical. Some of them were almost rude and challenging, like “Why have you come here?” “What do you hope to achieve?” Prabhupada was answering eloquently and quoting the Bhagavad-gita. He maintained his composure completely. Before long, the journalists were won over. One journalist, in an offhand manner, asked Prabhupada, “Do you know everything?” Prabhupada took his time to answer. He nodded his head and said, “Yes,” and then he added a little something to it. That was a classic moment, when he answered directly and honestly and said, “Yes.” At that moment, amongst the devotees and the journalists, there was breathing throughout the room, “Perhaps it is true,” and after that the whole mood changed. It became light-hearted.

One young brahmacharini asked, “Srila Prabhupada, does Krishna speak the Bhagavad-gita in the hellish planets?” Prabhupada thought for a moment and said, “Hellish planets? You don’t think this London is a hellish planet?” Everybody thought that was quite funny. It was an excellent way of answering the question, because he not only enlightened us but also made us think about our situation. Another time he referred to England as a green hell.

To view the entire unedited video go to Memories 17 - The Australian Yatra

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