Remembering Srila Prabhupada - PRABHUPADA TELLS A STORY

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Srila Prabhupada NectarStory

 

During Srila Prabhupada's last days in Vrndavana he

used to be carried up and down the stairs in a

palanquin-chair. His habit was to take rest during

the day in his bed on the roof. One day, going up the

narrow staircase from the first floor to the roof,

Satadhanya Maharaja carried the rear portion of

Prabhupada's palanquin by its two handles and another

man carried the front. Tamala Krsna Gosvami led the

group, and Upendra dasa followed, carrying

Prabhupada's drinking lota and quilt. Suddenly Srila

Prabhupada began to laugh uncontrollably. The

devotees were amazed because Srila Prabhupada was very

ill and had been silent and grave.

"Do you want to hear a funny story?" he asked.

They all answered, "Yes, Prabhupada!"

"Let us go upstairs. There I can say."

While Upendra rushed to get his tape recorder, the

others brought Srila Prabhupada to the roof, placed

him on his bed, and sat at his feet. Srila

Prabhupada's body was very gaunt from the months of

fasting, and he lay back but continued laughing.

"There is a Bengali proverb," he said. "Garib manus

ca chinga khai hakta gelo gauda jaya". Just to say it

made Prabhupada laugh more. The devotees remained

mystified, and expectant.

"Now I'll explain," said Srila Prabhupada. "Garib

manus Garib means 'poor' and manus means 'man'. "

Again Srila Prabhupada broke into laughter, his thin

body shaking and his whole face smiling. "Ca chinga

khai," he continued. "Ca chinga means 'a

grasshopper'. Khai 'eats'. So this poor man has

nothing to eat except he is finding some grasshoppers

and eating them. Garib manus ca chinga khai hakta

gelo. But when he goes to pass stool, - gauda jaya he

rides on a big white horse." Prabhupada laughed

loudly, and all the devotees sat by in amazement.

Then Prabhupada turned to Upendra and said, "You

understand?" Upendra's face became red in non

understanding. Satadhanya Maharaja was thinking, :I

hope Prabhupada does not ask me." Satadhanya turned to

Tamala Krsna Maharaja and whispered, "Tamala, do you

understand?" Tamala Krsna Maharaja gave an unsure nod

and said, "Yes". But he remained silent.

Prabhupada said, "Just see. Garib manus. He is a poor

man eating only grasshoppers. But when he goes to

pass stool, he rides a big white horse." When

Prabhupada saw that they could not understand, he

explained further. "Similarly, I am a sannyasi. So a

sannyasi is a beggar, a poor man. I am a poor man,

and yet when I have to go to sleep, then four men must

carry me in a palanquin." In this way, they all

laughed and enjoyed Prabhupada's story, but not quite

as much as did Prabhupada himself.

- From the 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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Srila Prabhupada NectarStory

 

During Srila Prabhupada's last days in Vrndavana he

used to be carried up and down the stairs in a

palanquin-chair. His habit was to take rest during

the day in his bed on the roof. One day, going up the

narrow staircase from the first floor to the roof,

Satadhanya Maharaja carried the rear portion of

Prabhupada's palanquin by its two handles and another

man carried the front. Tamala Krsna Gosvami led the

group, and Upendra dasa followed, carrying

Prabhupada's drinking lota and quilt. Suddenly Srila

Prabhupada began to laugh uncontrollably. The

devotees were amazed because Srila Prabhupada was very

ill and had been silent and grave.

"Do you want to hear a funny story?" he asked.

They all answered, "Yes, Prabhupada!"

"Let us go upstairs. There I can say."

While Upendra rushed to get his tape recorder, the

others brought Srila Prabhupada to the roof, placed

him on his bed, and sat at his feet. Srila

Prabhupada's body was very gaunt from the months of

fasting, and he lay back but continued laughing.

"There is a Bengali proverb," he said. "Garib manus

ca chinga khai hakta gelo gauda jaya". Just to say it

made Prabhupada laugh more. The devotees remained

mystified, and expectant.

"Now I'll explain," said Srila Prabhupada. "Garib

manus Garib means 'poor' and manus means 'man'. "

Again Srila Prabhupada broke into laughter, his thin

body shaking and his whole face smiling. "Ca chinga

khai," he continued. "Ca chinga means 'a

grasshopper'. Khai 'eats'. So this poor man has

nothing to eat except he is finding some grasshoppers

and eating them. Garib manus ca chinga khai hakta

gelo. But when he goes to pass stool, - gauda jaya he

rides on a big white horse." Prabhupada laughed

loudly, and all the devotees sat by in amazement.

Then Prabhupada turned to Upendra and said, "You

understand?" Upendra's face became red in non

understanding. Satadhanya Maharaja was thinking, :I

hope Prabhupada does not ask me." Satadhanya turned to

Tamala Krsna Maharaja and whispered, "Tamala, do you

understand?" Tamala Krsna Maharaja gave an unsure nod

and said, "Yes". But he remained silent.

Prabhupada said, "Just see. Garib manus. He is a poor

man eating only grasshoppers. But when he goes to

pass stool, he rides a big white horse." When

Prabhupada saw that they could not understand, he

explained further. "Similarly, I am a sannyasi. So a

sannyasi is a beggar, a poor man. I am a poor man,

and yet when I have to go to sleep, then four men must

carry me in a palanquin." In this way, they all

laughed and enjoyed Prabhupada's story, but not quite

as much as did Prabhupada himself.

- From the 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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