Subject: Remembering Srila Prabhupada - We Will Send the Check by

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We Will Send the Check by Mail.

 

 

One day while Srila Prabhupada was in Bombay, he

simultaneously had visitors from Vrndavana and

Mayapur. This was during a period when temple

construction was going on in both places. Prabhupada

expected his disciples in those places to come and ask

him for money. The disciples knew that Prabhupada

would be expecting and demanding results from them on

these important construction projects.

 

When these disciples visited from distant places,

however, Prabhupada always first welcomed them

according to Vaisnava etiquette. Prabhupada had said

that his mission was like a war on maya, so he

received his soldiers from the field by first offering

them sweet words and relief. He asked them if they had

taken prasadam and he suggested that they might want

to rest. At least for a few minutes, the immediate,

pressing problems were put aside, as Prabhupada's

disciples basked in the sweetness of his darsana and

his kind welcome.

 

When, however, Srila Prabhupada did ask Gargamuni and

Jayapataka Swami the reason for their visit, they said

that they needed 150,000 rupees to continue

construction on their respective projects.

 

"I just gave you!" said Prabhupada. "All the time you

are asking for money, but when it is going to be

finished?" The disciples remained silent while

Prabhupada inquired and criticized their demands.

Surabhi Swami became anxious and thought, "If they

can't even get Rs150,000 for Mayapur, then what will

Prabhupada say when he hears me ask for Rs250,000?"

 

Prabhupada argued that in neither Vrndavana nor

Mayapur was sufficient collection going on, but they

were simply coming regularly to him as the money

supplier. After speaking for some time, Prabhupada

agreed to give the Mayapur men 70,000 rupees, which

they accepted gratefully.

 

"So, Surabhi Prabhu," said Prabhupada, "what can I do

for you?"

 

Surabhi had a more systematic presentation, listing

all the needs for construction to continue in

Vrndavana.

 

Hearing attentively, Prabhupada then asked, "This adds

up to how much?"

 

"Two and a half lakhs, Srila Prabhupada."

 

Prabhupada then turned to his secretary and asked that

a check be made out for two and a half lakhs

(approximately $25,000). Two checks were made out and

presented to the devotees. Surabhi was about to leave

the room when Prabhupada called him back.

 

"How much does it cost to take a ricksha from our

temple in Vrndavana to the Punjab Bank and then back?"

Surabhi replied that it was about Rs1.25.

 

Then Prabhupada asked his secretary, "Brahmananda ,

how much does it cost to send a registered letter from

Bombay to Vrndavana?" The answer was seventy-five

paisa. Srila Prabhupada then took back the check from

Surabhi and said, "We will send the check by mail."

 

Just to save fifty paisa out of a sum of two and a

half lakhs of rupees, Prabhupada preferred to mail the

check to his bank account rather than have Surabhi

carry it by hand. Srila Prabhupada was ultimately

willing to spend whatever was required to build his

important temples in India, yet he nevertheless

instructed his disciples that as far as possible, they

should save every paisa.

 

Surabhi Swami and Gunarnava dasa, interview. There are

many other examples of how Srila Prabhupada was

careful and frugal about spending money in India. He

was concerned that his Western disciples were always

getting cheated by the Indians. Even to this day those

who were trained up by Prabhupada in India practice

this austerity of saving money in any way they can. In

the West, especially in America, Srila Prabhupada did

not attempt to introduce the same strictness in

spending.

 

These differences in application bring up a larger

issue -- whether Prabhupada's activities and teachings

are all to be strictly followed. The answer is, "Yes."

Even if one of Prabhupada's instructions cannot be

followed literally, we should never ignore its spirit.

We should think how to apply it according to time and

place. We are collecting many anecdotes of

Prabhupada's life not for mere reading entertainment,

but for their instructive value. Neither are

Prabhupada's instructions applicable only to himself.

Because Srila Prabhupada was in essence always a

teacher, therefore his lila as a spiritual master is

always filled with instruction. As Prabhupada told us,

"Do as I am doing." Although some of his activities

are beyond imitation, nevertheless the main intent of

this collection of stories -- which we also think is

the main intent of Prabhupada's life -- is to give

perfect examples of Krsna consciousness to be followed

by aspiring devotees.

 

 

- From the Prabhupada Nectar by HH Satsvarupa dasa

Goswami

 

 

Please Chant: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna

Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare

Hare And Be Happy

 

 

 

 

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