# Prabhupada Nectar **Duration:** 30:25 <div class="video-container" style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%;"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NEMbNQgEROc" style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; pointer-events: auto; z-index: 10;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEMbNQgEROc) --- ## Transcript **[00:04]** I first came into contact with my Prabhupada, Bhaktsiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja in 1931. **[00:11]** Ever since then I used to go to attend the evening kirtan and part in the root Gaudiya Math at Allahabad. **[00:20]** You see. But, Prabhupada, Abhay Babhu, as we used to call him then, you see. **[00:29]** Abhay Babhu and I used to live in Allahabad. **[00:35]** Both of us lived in Allahabad and both of us used to go and attend **[00:40]** the evening Aroti and kirtan in root Gaudiya Math. **[00:44]** So we started meeting there. Both he and I used to attend the evening Aroti and kirtan. **[00:52]** And I remember sometimes he would play mrdanga, you see, **[00:57]** sometimes he would sing, He was very good at that, playing mrdanga and kirtan, **[01:03]** he was very good at that. He had a shop, it was a chemist then, **[01:06]** he had a shop in Jantaripura then later on he shifted to Bhadrikanga, a better locality. **[01:15]** And I remember he also used to manufacture his medicines **[01:21]** and occasionally he made some tonic and once or twice he gave me his tonics which I used. **[01:35]** Once it was so funny, here in the ISKCON temple someone asked me **[01:41]** in Prabhupada's presence, "Dr. Kapoor, how old are you?" **[01:44]** I said, "Well I am seventy-five, it was about ten years back perhaps more, **[01:48]** "What is the secret of your health?" I said, "Prabhupada's tonics." **[01:53]** Prabhupada laughed. **[01:57]** And there had been no such information about his leaving. **[02:00]** He was out of the house for some... **[02:05]** Usually he was going out of the house for his personal work or some business purposes. **[02:12]** But on the particular day, I don't remember the exact date of that time, **[02:19]** as soon as he left home... **[02:22]** We were thinking that Prabhupada will come back again to home in the evening, **[02:28]** that he usually used to do, but the particular date he left home he did not turn up again. **[02:34]** I asked Prabhupada, "Prabhupada, how you were separated from your family?" **[02:41]** He said my wife is a big tea... She was taking too much of tea. **[02:54]** So Prabhupada told her whether you want me or tea? At that time she said "tea." **[03:01]** So he said you do with your tea, I will go my own way. **[03:08]** Prabhupada, I only met when there was a function, some religious function, in Kuruksettra. **[03:20]** It was very big, people had come for taking bath and all that. **[03:26]** And I had gone there with two or three people but they were not interested in talks, **[03:34]** they wanted to go round and eat and do something. I was not interested, **[03:39]** I was going round and seeing people. **[03:42]** So I met Prabhupada sitting down below a tree because it was quite hot. **[03:50]** So we were sitting there and I asked him, "So Babaji..." He was in white clothes. **[03:59]** So I talked with him for about half an hour or so. **[04:08]** At that time I don't think he had become a sadhu or a sannyasi, he was just... **[04:16]** Then he said, "My family is in Calcutta but I have come for this function here, to have bath here." **[04:25]** That way we talked for some time and then he said, "Suppose I want to meet you?" **[04:33]** I gave him my card. Choksi, my office fellow, you know, he was with me. **[04:40]** So I called him and he gave him my card and all that and **[04:46]** "you come to Scindia House if you want to talk to us." **[04:52]** After that he came to Scindia one evening very late. **[04:57]** I was still in the office doing some work then I got up and wanted to come home. **[05:05]** It was about seven o'clock. It was quite dark. Nobody was there. **[05:14]** And Choksi was sitting there at the table. So I asked him, **[05:19]** I said "Choksi, who is that gent sitting with you?" **[05:23]** Because Choksi was sitting on his table and swamiji was sitting like this, like I am sitting. **[05:28]** And Choksi was sitting at his table. **[05:32]** So he said that somebody has come, some swamiji, but he doesn't listen to me. **[05:38]** He said, "No, I would like to meet her and then one day I will talk to her." **[05:44]** I went there and said <Hindi>. Then he showed me Bhagavata. **[05:52]** He said, "We have met in Kuruksettra, do you remember? **[05:58]** I want to get this book printed." **[06:03]** I said, "You can come tomorrow when there are some people and daylight." **[06:10]** Also at this time it was really getting darker. So Choksi is alone. **[06:19]** So he said, "Yes I'll come." **[06:21]** Then I... still I asked Choksi, because secretary was there, so he typed out a letter **[06:30]** to one or two friends, they are no more now. So, telling them that, **[06:39]** "Why don't you do something about this gentlemen, he has written Bhagavata **[06:47]** and I would like you to help him. And I am going to do this, this much." **[06:54]** I wrote that letter and gave him. He went and then I went home. **[06:59]** After a day he came and he said, "Now I am going back to Vrindavana." **[07:05]** I said, "Why are you going?" He said, "My work is done." **[07:09]** Now I will try to see how I can get it printed. **[07:13]** My association with Bhaktivedanta Maharaja Prabhupada increased more and more **[07:21]** and naturally we would always talk of Krishna and Prabhupada and so on. **[07:31]** In 1932, the year after that, I joined this parikrama. **[07:38]** Prabhupada couldn't join because he was in business you see. **[07:41]** He was in business, he couldn't come. **[07:44]** When I returned from the parikrama he asked me about the parikrama **[07:51]** and I had to tell him what happened you see. For a number of days he... **[07:59]** For about five, six years we were together at Allahabad, you see. **[08:07]** And we used to meet almost every day. After that I joined government service. **[08:14]** After that we didn't meet for a very long time. I think about twenty-five or thirty years. **[08:22]** When I retired from government service I came to stay here in Vrindavana **[08:31]** and I had lost all contact with Prabhupada. I did not know what had happened to him. **[08:36]** Perhaps he did not know about me. **[08:38]** One day accidentally I was in Radha-Damodar temple here, sitting in the veranda, **[08:48]** waiting for someone and I saw Prabhupada coming out of his room. **[08:53]** He was then stayng here, you see. **[08:55]** He came out, with two American disciples. **[09:00]** Prabhupada naturally was in sannyasa vesh [dress] at this time **[09:05]** and actually I couldn't recognize him. He was so much... **[09:11]** Years had changed, and he was now a sannyasi so he was completely changed. **[09:18]** And I had also changed, but not so much as Prabhupada, so he just kept gazing at me. **[09:27]** And then after some time he just said, "Yes. Dr. Kapoor." **[09:33]** I recognized him from his voice. I said, "Abhay Babhu?" And he embraced me. You see? **[09:40]** Sometimes you recognize your old friends from voice more than from face. **[09:47]** As soon as he said, "Dr. Kapoor," I recognized him. **[09:51]** So then, he was going somewhere, he cancelled his program and took me inside his room **[09:56]** and told me about all the work he had done. He had just returned from... **[10:00]** I think after his way to America this was the first time he had come back. **[10:04]** He was now an international figure and he told me about the work that he had done, **[10:10]** showed me the newspaper cuttings and so on. **[10:12]** All of a sudden one day he came to office and he said, "I want to go to America." **[10:17]** I said, "Are you crazy?" Why do you want to go there? What will you do? **[10:22]** You know American government, you know sometimes they are very funny. **[10:26]** They will send you back. So once it goes on record that you are sent back **[10:34]** they won't let you in. Why do you want to go there? **[10:38]** And at that time so many people were not going to America. Now it is quite different. **[10:43]** So I said, "Why do you want to go there?" So he won't listen. - What does it mean? **[10:52]** "Old man, you are going to die." Like this. Who will look after you? What will you do there? **[10:59]** So he said... I said, "All right, I'll make this arrangement, then you go." **[11:05]** So when the arrangement was made he was in Bombay. **[11:11]** I made all the arrangements with the captain and the ship went to load some ports. **[11:20]** Then it came back. At that time our other ship dropped him at... **[11:29]** I think he went from Calcutta. So the other ship went and dropped him there **[11:34]** and then he went by that ship. **[11:39]** He was deciding before he left India. He was staying in a daramashella, **[11:45]** that is free lodging and all of that, North Calcutta, **[11:52]** and I had taken him off from there by a taxi. Immediately we rushed to... **[12:02]** Very early morning at about five, five-thirty. **[12:06]** I said nothing because I was very much shocked that he was leaving us. **[12:10]** Immediately he realized our mental position and he requested me, **[12:17]** "Don't be worried. I will soon be returning to India, and take your news and all of that. **[12:30]** Let me come back." **[12:33]** I would talk on the telephone with him. **[12:36]** Because I had told the captain that you see he talks to me so there is no trouble for him. **[12:45]** He used to. So you know this Gokulastami day? Yes. Krsna Janmastami. Yes. **[12:54]** He was in Suret. So he phoned me, captain phoned me. He said, on board the... **[13:03]** they had to cross the Sues Cannel. So Captain phoned me. **[13:10]** That today is Gokulastami and on board the ship they were having a meeting **[13:17]** and swamiji was talking to us and then we will distribute sweets **[13:22]** which we got and everyone and then we will have some bhajan record playing and all that. **[13:32]** I was associated in the same compartment, in the ship, that cabin I mean, that ship cabin. **[13:45]** That was a cargo ship, that was not a passenger ship. **[13:49]** So apart from the captain's room one apartment was there, an extra. **[13:59]** And he was offered that room to go to his destination. **[14:04]** And after reaching Boston port I got a letter from him and from that letter I was informed **[14:17]** he was attacked twice in heart attack in the same ship in the journey of twenty-three days **[14:28]** to reach over to Boston. And immediately he asked me to send a medicine. That ayurvedic. **[14:37]** He mentioned the name of that medicine and immediately I rushed to the shop **[14:44]** and bought it, immediately sent it to him by air post and he acknowledged **[14:52]** that medicine and told me that, "At that time my mental value was not so good," **[15:01]** because of his sickness and all of that. Because he was quite aged at that time. **[15:08]** And it was obvious to become sad, after all he was our father. **[15:15]** So immediately I sent this medicine to him in his address in the USA **[15:23]** and he acknowledged it and he recovered very fast and all of our family was pleased. **[15:36]** I talked with the swamiji on the telephone. So he said, No, no, I am quite all right, **[15:43]** but I am very sea sick.." So I was talking to this captain and all that, so he said to tell me, **[15:54]** little mata, that I am going to die now. He was very much sea sick, **[16:01]** he was not feeling comfortable. So he phoned me also. I said, **[16:05]** "You are not going to do, don't worry. Seasickness doesn't kill anybody." **[16:10]** Then he was not feeling very comfortable because the see was not very good at that time. **[16:15]** Little rough. The captain phoned me and I talked to Swamiji. **[16:29]** We went to Warden Rd. Akasha Ganga where this Hare Krishna devotee was staying. **[16:39]** I went there and met the swami, Madhudvisa who was the in-charge of the devotees. **[16:52]** I sat for a few minutes and then I was told by Madhudvisa that Guruji **[17:01]** came just now from America and he is sitting in another room so you come with me **[17:11]** and take the darshan of Guruji. So I went to that room with Madhudvisa **[17:19]** to take the darshan of Guruji. **[17:25]** After sitting some time guruji asked me, "Where are you living?" I said, "At Gauragong." **[17:38]** Then Guruji asked, "What are you doing?" I said, "My business is construction." **[17:49]** So Guruji asked when you are getting up early in the morning and what are you doing? **[17:56]** And I said, "When I am getting up in morning I am taking one cup of tea **[18:06]** and going to toilet and taking bath and then going to work. **[18:14]** Then guruji suddenly said, "Then what is difference between pig and you? **[18:21]** You are just like a pig." Then I said, "Yes Maharaja, please advise me **[18:30]** that how can I change my life." Then guruji said, "You must do service to Krishna." **[18:46]** Then I said, "I am not associated with any spiritual movement **[18:54]** or the saint or the devotees. **[18:59]** So Guruji said from tomorrow my devotees will come to your house early in the morning **[19:08]** and then you do the naga sankirtana there with my devotees **[19:14]** and then all the devotees will take feast, lunch, at your home **[19:21]** and you will be involved in this way in the spiritual movement. **[19:34]** One day while giving Prabhupada his prasadam I asked him, **[19:42]** "Prabhupada, what is your favorite preparation." **[19:46]** Prabhupada replied saying that he likes all the preparations. I enquired again, **[19:51]** "No Prabhupada, what is your most favorite preparation?" **[19:55]** Then Prabhupada said that his favorite preparation is sukta. **[20:00]** So I used to cook four or five types of sukta for Prabhupada every day. **[20:04]** Whenever I would take Prabhupada his prasadam he would say, **[20:08]** "You have cooked so much prasadam for me but first give me the sukta." **[20:13]** So I would always give Prabhupada the sukta first. **[20:16]** When we purchased this land, there was living so many cractolis peoples **[20:29]** who were doing the liquor business and there was also, after some time, **[20:39]** quarrel with Mr. Nair. This land was called Nayavadi, now it is Hare Krishna Land. **[20:52]** So one day guruji was here, we were sitting in this you know, Annete Road... **[21:08]** Valyia's house. Guruji was there, myself, Valiya and my wife was there in that room. **[21:20]** Valaya said to Guruji that Guruji Mr. Nair will not give you this land **[21:28]** because he was offered by some hotel owner for thirty-six lacks **[21:41]** and you are purchasing for fourteen lacks. **[21:47]** And Mr. Nair has to pay so much income tax so he must have changed his idea **[21:58]** and he will give the land to that person who has offered thirty-six lacks. **[22:05]** Then Guruji said, "It does not matter, if he doesn't want to give this land to us **[22:14]** then he must return our money. **[22:17]** But I don't think that he can pay the income tax in this life. **[22:26]** So Guruji went at night to Sydney and when we woke up in the morning **[22:39]** we heard that Mr. Nair's heart failed and he died. **[22:43]** So you can imagine that all Guruji said that, "I can't think that Mr. Nair can pay his **[22:59]** income tax burden in this life." So Mr. Nair, finished. **[23:06]** I was cooking prasadam for Prabhupada every day. **[23:13]** One day somehow the prasad was late so Palika cooked something quickly and **[23:18]** took it to Prabhupada. Prabhupada asked, "Where is the prasad that Kishorie cooked?" **[23:25]** And he immediately asked the devotee to phone the big kitchen **[23:28]** and find out why the prasad was late. So I hurried and quickly took the prasad to **[23:33]** Prabhupada's house and when I got to the house Prabhupada was standing **[23:37]** in front of the stairs. I immediately put my head down and took the prasad inside. **[23:43]** Just as I was leaving the house Prabhupada asked me, "Why are you crying?" **[23:48]** I said, "Prabhupada because I delayed your prasad today." Prabhupada said, **[23:54]** "I am not upset about that. What I am worried about is if you delay my prasad **[24:00]** then you might one day delay Radha-Madhav's prasad, **[24:03]** and if you delay Radha-Madhav's prasad then He might become upset. **[24:08]** That is why I have asked why my prasad was late." **[24:13]** He is always speaking truth you see, and always quoting from Bhagavatam, **[24:18]** Srimad Bhagavad-gita and from Caitanya-caritamrta. **[24:23]** Always quoting some slokas from those places. **[24:27]** But he was so simple to answer those questions to us that anyone, even an atheist, **[24:36]** will feel that, "I should be in touch always with Prabhupada." **[24:41]** He had a smiling face. I am seeing that he is the celestial flower of the paradise. **[24:48]** How affectionate man he is. I can't remember, **[24:52]** I can't place the actual meaning of such smiling. I have never seen such a smile. **[24:59]** Prabhupada used to go for a japa walk every morning with his disciples **[25:06]** after Mangal-Aroti. Some days he would walk to the Math. **[25:10]** Some days he would walk along the Ganges. **[25:13]** Some days he would walk around the pukor, some days he would come to the kitchen. **[25:18]** After the japa walk Prabhupada would come to guru-puja and as devotees **[25:24]** would offer flowers to him he would give them prasadam. **[25:29]** He said to me, "Dr. Kapoor, forgive me for my offenses. **[25:40]** I don't know what he really meant. I said, "What do you mean, what offenses?" **[25:44]** That was his greatness I think, his humility. He had benediction from Mahaprabhu. **[25:55]** What offenses, I cannot understand what you mean. Humility, what else? **[26:05]** After Prabhupada would take darshan of Radha Madhav **[26:13]** he would go around the Deities three times. **[26:16]** Each time he would stop and ring the bell and then he would raise his arms and dance. **[26:21]** All the devotees would dance with him in ecstasy. **[26:25]** When children would pass in front of him he would stop again and dance. **[26:30]** In this way he would go around the Deities three times. **[26:35]** I can only speak what I know from reading Prabhupada's books **[26:41]** because I never saw Prabhupada personally. **[26:44]** I may not be able to do what Prabhupada did but I know that in order to get free **[26:50]** from this material existence, I should follow in his footsteps **[26:54]** and follow the path he has shown. **[26:56]** In the future I will try to dedicate my mind and life to Krishna and of course Prabhupada too. **[27:04]** He advised me in 1977, three or four months before his disappearance, **[27:12]** "Please take care of your mother and your family because I left home. **[27:20]** "And you are two brothers and your elder brother has become very inactive **[27:27]** "so you must be very careful to take the responsibilities and all of the things **[27:34]** "that are required for benefiting your family and all other members." **[27:40]** He was telling me that, "I'm going to build an ashram in Vrindavana. **[27:50]** So I am going to build a special place for you to stay. When you go I'll come. **[27:58]** At last he went from there. I know, he sent me a letter, **[28:02]** "I'm going to Vrindavana now and I don't thing that I will come [back]." **[28:09]** He knew that he was going to go. **[28:12]** I told him also, "We'll get doctor." He said "no, no." Very nice man. **[28:20]** As a man also he was very nice. Very kind, very soft. The man has done so much. **[28:30]** And what did he take? Nothing. And he has left behind such a big landmark. **[28:41]** Not only religion. Religion, culture, everything. All over the world. **[28:48]** We must try to see that whatever he has done is kept. **[28:55]** You can't increase, all right, but you must keep it. It must remain alive. **[29:03]** That is what I see. **[29:05]** We are deeply charmed and we are very much proud of our father **[29:13]** that is your spiritual master, and of course you are also our spiritual guide. **[29:19]** We are charmed and pleased. No ordinary people can do it. **[29:29]** It is absolutely impossible for them to make a good mission **[29:37]** and big mission and wide range of propagation and all other because... **[29:45]** We feel very much proud of our father and this is our ultimate conclusion.