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