No Subject

[Guest guest]

Srila Prabhupada Uvaca 116

February 7, 1975, ISKCON Honolulu

Srila Prabhupada Reclaims Me As His Personal Servant

Since Sudama Maharaja was no longer managing New Navadwipa, Srila Prabhupada

had been discussing who should take on this responsibility. His Sanskrit

editor, Nitai prabhu, suggested me. Srila Prabhupada, knowing my nature,

said, "No. Srutakirti is too easy going to manage a temple."

When Nitai told me Srila Prabhupada's remarks, I smiled, realizing he knew

me better than I knew myself. Srila Prabhupada arranged for Manasvi to come

from Bombay to manage the Honolulu temple.

During Srila Prabhupada's stay, both Nitai and Paramahamsa Maharaja tried to

persuade me to go with them to be Srila Prabhupada's personal servant as he

toured the West. I told them I liked the idea of being his servant in the

West, but I always wound up back in India and I did not want to go to India.

They said it would be very helpful if I came on the western tour because

there wasn't anyone to cook for Srila Prabhupada. When it came time to go

back to India, they would arrange for Nanda Kumar to travel with Srila

Prabhupada. I told them it sounded good in theory, but it didn't seem very

practical. They were unable to convince me otherwise.

The day before Srila Prabhupada left New Navadvipa, Guru Kripa Maharaja told

me Srila Prabhupada wanted to see me before his departure for Los Angeles.

Together we went back to Srila Prabhupada's room and offered our obeisances.

Srila Prabhupada looked at me smiling.

"So, Srutakirti," he said. "You are going to stay here? Your wife is here,

and child?"

"Yes, Prabhupada," I replied.

"So, now you will stay here as a householder?" he asked. "You will help

Manasvi manage the temple?"

"Yes, Prabhupada," I replied with less conviction. "I think so."

I was thinking of how selfish I was by not going with my magnificent

Spiritual Master. He was giving me the opportunity to say I wanted be go

with him and still I wouldn't say it.

"So, that is good," Srila Prabhupada said, smiling warmly. "You stay here

with your wife and child."

I sat before Srila Prabhupada with my mind reeling. My senses were dragging

me in all directions. Srila Prabhupada was giving me the opportunity to

travel with him again. He was waiting for me to open my mouth and my heart,

but I wasn't doing it. It was truly amazing how tolerant he was. I didn't

know what to say next. Srila Prabhupada began laughing and turning his

transcendental glance to Gurukrpa said, "Yes, You know what they call the

wife and children? They are known as the tigress and jackal."Gurukrpa

Maharaja, who was sitting beside me throughout our conversation, said with a

laugh, "Srila Prabhupada, I know why the woman is compared to the tigress,

but why are children compared to jackals?"

"Well," Srila Prabhupada said, "The children, in so many ways, create many

inconveniences for the father. They are always requiring so many things and

sometimes disturbing him. He cannot sleep. In this way, it is like eating

the flesh of the father. This is the business of jackals. Eating the flesh

of other animals."

It was all I could take. I immediately surrendered saying, "Srila

Prabhupada, I will come with you and be your servant."

Srila Prabhupada smiled broadly and tilting his head to the right said, "All

right!"

I offered my obeisances and walked out of Srila Prabhupada's room with a

spring in my step. I knew I was doing the right thing. I began to prepare

for my next exciting tour of duty with His Divine Grace. As the word spread

throughout the devotee community, Janmadogni Dasa, an intelligent devotee

with controversial ideas, told me I was in maya for not remaining with my

wife and son. Unaffected, I flashed a smile and confidently walked away

feeling properly situated. Srila Prabhupada had very mercifully made my

service clear to me. It was due to my dull-headed nature that he had to hit

me over the head by using the strongest of examples. The comparisons he used

are for materialistic people. He often explained that such examples do not

apply to those engaged in devotional service. Such enlightened souls are not

in the bodily concept of life. What truly was amazing was when I saw the

following verse and purport which Srila Prabhupada had translated only days

before.

 

S.B.5:1:4

 

TRANSLATION

My dear King, family members in this material world go under the names of

wife and children, but actually they behave like tigers and jackals. A

herdsman tries to protect his sheep to the best of his ability, but the

tigers and foxes take them away by force. Similarly, although a miserly man

wants to guard his money very carefully, his family members take away all

his assets forcibly, even though he is very vigilant.

PURPORT

One Hindi poet has sung: din ka dakini rat ka baghini palak palak rahu cuse.

During the daytime, the wife is compared to a witch, and at night she is

compared to a tigress. Her only business is sucking the blood of her husband

both day and night. During the day there are household expenditures, and the

money earned by the husband at the cost of his blood is taken away. At

night, due to sex pleasure, the husband discharges blood in the form of

semen. In this way he is bled by his wife both day and night, yet he is so

crazy that he very carefully maintains her. Similarly, the children are also

like tigers, jackals and foxes. As tigers, jackals and foxes take away lambs

despite the herdsman's vigilant protection, children take away the father's

money, although the father supervises the money himself. Thus family members

may be called wives and children, but actually they are plunderers.

S.B. 5:14:3 Copyright BBT 1975

 

Srila Prabhupada, I can never repay you for the many wonderful things you

have done for me. But, this was truly outstanding. In the sweetest way you

nudged me back to your lotus feet for five more months. You could have very

easily gone without me, but you allowed me to tag along, again. I bathe in

the nectar of knowing that you wanted me to come with you. It gave me reason

to live. It does not matter why. It is more than enough that you asked me to

come in the most wonderful way. I will never understand why you are so kind

upon me. Please give me the intelligence to properly glorify you so I may

proclaim to the world that you are the most glorious devotee of the Lord.

Please, pick me up once more and place me at your lotus feet, the only safe

place for this distracted soul.

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srila Prabhupada Reclaims Me As His Personal Servant