Sama Priya devi dasi Remembers Srila Prabhupada

Prabhupada Memories

Interview 01

Sama Priya: I saw Srila Prabhupada in the Henry Street temple in New York. I felt that he looked through me and saw all my contamination. At that time I was going through some anxiety. Four kinds of people come to Krishna consciousness: those who are in need of money, those who are distressed, those who are curious, and those who are wise; and I was definitely distressed. Before I saw Srila Prabhupada I had read some of his books: the Krishna book, The Nectar of Devotion, and the Bhagavad-gita. Previously I had also read a different translation of the Bhagavad-gita. I was crying when I saw Srila Prabhupada, but he looked at me in such a way that I realized my tears were based on the bodily concept of life. He was not impressed by my emotion on seeing the pure devotee. He knew that it was a false show. I immediately stopped crying and felt how he saw everything about me. As the years went on, every time I saw Srila Prabhupada I got a little bit less contaminated, and finally many years later I was happy when he saw me. I was getting a little, teeny bit more pure, and I was understanding my position as a fallen soul. I got a little shadow of humility. A lot of devotees experienced how, when Prabhupada looked at them, he looked at the soul. The material assets that we try to fool ourselves with didn’t fool him.

When I wanted to get initiated, Gunagrahi, the temple president in San Diego, recommended me because I had spent some time in the San Diego temple. Jayatirtha did the fire sacrifice. When I went up to get my beads from Srila Prabhupada, I paid my full dandavats. I spread right out on the floor. At that time I lived outside the temple, and I didn’t know the rule that ladies shouldn’t pay their dandavats. I got up and extended my right hand with a little bouquet that I had made for Srila Prabhupada and reached with my left hand to accept my beads. Jayatirtha said to me, “Don’t accept your beads with your left hand. Accept your beads with your right hand.” I put the flowers in my left hand, extended that hand to Prabhupada and reached for my beads with my right hand. Jayatirtha said, “Don’t give Srila Prabhupada flowers with your left hand. Give them with your right hand.” I was going back and forth and getting nervous. Finally, Srila Prabhupada looked at Jayatirtha and said, “It’s okay, it’s okay.” This was my first experience of feeling the fool in front of my spiritual master. All my little anecdotes are about that realization, of how I was a fool in front of my spiritual master.

Srila Prabhupada was going to make some recordings at the tape ministry, Golden Avatar Studios. My daughter and I lived in the “Agni Apartments,” next to the fire station, which was across the street from Golden Avatar. I brought a fruit plate to present to Srila Prabhupada and put it inside the studio next to where Prabhupada would sit. There were just four or five devotees there. When Srila Prabhupada came, his driver parked the car, but the sidewalk was a little high and the car was low. Prabhupada had to step up to get onto the sidewalk. The driver opened the car door, and Srila Prabhupada struggled to get out of the car. It would have been difficult for anyone. I was thinking to the driver, “Please extend your hand to help Srila Prabhupada.” Then I felt that I should do that. But I didn’t. Finally, without assistance, Srila Prabhupada got out of the car and walked into the studio. During the hour and a half that Srila Prabhupada recorded, I felt very guilty that I did not extend my hand. It was the perfect opportunity for me to serve the spiritual master. (Although it was probably best that I didn’t do it.) When Prabhupada walked out, I went to him and said, “Srila Prabhupada, please forgive me for not helping you get out of the car.” Srila Prabhupada looked at me and said, “What?” I said, “Srila Prabhupada, when you arrived I should have helped you get out of the car. It looked like you needed some assistance. Please forgive me.” Prabhupada looked at his servant and said, “What did she say?” The servant said, “Oh, it’s nothing important, Srila Prabhupada.” I said, “Srila Prabhupada, it is very important. Please forgive me for not having helped you get out of the car when you first arrived.” Prabhupada saw my face and said, “Oh, it’s okay.” Again I was being a complete fool in front of my guru.

In a letter Prabhupada told me to worship Lord Chaitanya in my home, to chant at least sixteen rounds, and to read his books every day. Then maya would never touch me. Prabhupada told me that if I always remained in the fire of Krishna consciousness, then my spiritual master would pray to Krishna for my spiritual advancement. So in my life I try to at least follow those three instructions every day.

To view the entire unedited video go to Memories 25 - Sama Priya dd, Vrindabaneshvari dd, Kanka dd, Deva Didhiti dd, Bhavat and others

Interview 02

Sama Priya: During the Ratha-yatra festival in San Francisco in 1975, Srila Prabhupada was giving a class about who is qualified to be punished. He said according to someone’s mental state and the crime that he has performed, he is brought in front of the magistrate and then he is judged. He said that children are not punishable. The devotees in the audience cheered. Then he said, “Women are also not punishable”, and everyone cheered even more. Then all of a sudden a child cried, and Bahulasva stood up and said, “Okay, all children out of the temple.” Prabhupada said, “No, no, that is okay. Children are not punishable.” Everyone laughed. Then Prabhupada said, “So also women are not punishable, but don’t take advantage,” and then everyone laughed again. Prabhupada said, “Children are not punishable, women are not punishable, saintly people are not punishable, and old men are not punishable, and cows are not punishable.” He concluded by saying, “So in this assembly, no one is punishable.” Everybody cheered even louder.

There was one light across the street from the temple that was always kept on, even when it was daylight. Prabhupada had told the devotees, “What is that light doing on?” He was very concerned that the light should not remain on during the day. This is conservation of Krishna’s energy. Sometimes he would be writing, drop a pen, and then put it to his head. He saw everything in relation to Krishna.

I remember when Srila Prabhupada left. We were in Los Angeles and it was a big celebration. The devotees were totally confused, but we somehow or other put on a huge celebration that went on all day long. At that time my parents had come to the temple from New York to visit. My mother was in the temple all day, through all the festivities, and stood and just watched the whole thing. When my father heard that Prabhupada had left the planet, he said, “Oh, the old man died?” Prabhupada affected everybody so deeply. His kindness is the kindness of Krishna. He saw the soul in all living beings. All his disciples had felt that glance of Srila Prabhupada that pierces through all the anarthas and bodily identification. So his kindness is what carries us all, and hopefully it will carry us all back to his lotus feet.

To view the entire unedited video go to Memories 52 - The Alachua Clan 1

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