Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Srila Prabhupada Tells a Story

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Srila Prabhupada Tells a Story

 

 

One time in India, while Srila Prabhupada was staying

in Mayapur, two of Srila Prabhupada's Western-born

sannyasis visited a temple and heard an odd comment

from a pujari. While Srila Prabhupada's men were

taking darsana of the Deities, the pujari seemed to

appreciate their reverence and demeanor.

 

"Continue to render devotional service," the pujari

brahmana advised them, "and maybe in your next life

you will be born as a brahmana."

 

The disciples later went to Srila Prabhupada and told

him of the incident. Prabhupada smiled and told a

story.

 

Once there was an old lady who lived in a remote

village. One day the British district magistrate

visited her town. This old lady had been entangled in

a quarrel regarding possession of land, which some of

her relatives were trying to take from her. Friends

advised that she see the magistrate and present the

matter to him for a settlement. When she did so, the

magistrate immediately ruled in her favor and made

sure the land was put in her name. Delighted, the old

lady attempted to bless the magistrate.

 

"I bless you," she said, "that in your next life you

will become a police constable."

 

In the old lady's mind, Srila Prabhupada explained,

the office of police constable was the highest thing

she could imagine. "Similarly," said Srila Prabhupada,

"these caste brahmanas do not know that pure

devotional service is much higher than being born as a

brahmana."

 

Bhakti-caru Swami, interview. Although the Hindu

pujari naively blessed the devotees to become Hindu

brahmanas in their next life, he at least appreciated

their reverence and devotion in the temple. Because he

appreciated their behavior in his own way, he wanted

to bless them and wish them well. Proper behavior by

Prabhupada's followers is a credit to Prabhupada, to

the Krsna consciousness movement, and to the devotees.

The credit to the devotees, however, has to be earned;

it is not automatic. Prabhupada writes in The Nectar

of Instruction, "Indeed, whether the devotees come

from a family of previous acaryas or from an ordinary

family, they should be treated equally. One should not

think, 'Oh, here is an American gosvami,' and

discriminate against him. Nor should one think, 'Here

is a nityananda-vamsa-gosvami.' ..a According to the

statements of Srila Rupa Gosvami in this verse, an

American gosvami and a gosvami in a family of acaryas

are nondifferent." If we go at all to a temple or

place of pilgrimage, it should be for our devotional

service, and we should do it with humility and purity

to properly represent Prabhupada. Prabhupada also said

that wherever we go in the world, if we follow the

rules and behave properly, people will worship the

devotees. Even if the brahmana in the temple does not

bless us, however, Prabhupada and Krsna will be

pleased with our proper public behavior.

 

 

- From the Prabhupada Nectar by HH Satsvarupa dasa

Goswami Maharaj

 

 

 

 

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