Fwd: Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Orange Peels/ Juta vs. Maha Prasa

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> Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Orange

> Peels/ Juta vs. Maha Prasad

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Srila Prabhupada NectarMay 1973: Los Angeles, Ca.,

U.S.A.;

Camp: ISKCON, New Dwarka

 

Srila Prabhupada wanted his lunch prepared in my room,

which was adjacent to his quarters. I was pleased with

how I set it up. The 8' x 10' room had everything it

needed even though it was the room I stayed in day and

night. Karandhara arranged for a refrigerator. There

was a two burner gas stove on the floor. I made a

shelf area with two cinder blocks and a 4' long 1" x

10" board. There was no running water, so I kept a

supply in a plastic bucket. Srila Prabhupada often

told me to keep things simple and efficient. This set

up worked well. After Srila Prabhupada finished

breakfast I brought his silver plates into my room and

transferred his remnants onto a tray. I put the orange

peels etc. into my trash can and happily distributed

the maha to the eager devotees waiting for the

'mercy'.

Srila Prabhupada often walked around chanting japa

after taking breakfast. He walked in and out of his

rooms, back and forth in the hallway, sometimes

stopping for a moment in front of my room, watching me

as I prepared his lunch. Today he looked into my room

and walked in. Looking into the small trash can, he

shouted, "What is this? You are such a fool."

Surprised by his sudden chastisement I said, "It's

from your breakfast plate." It was not a good answer.

Srila Prabhupada was just getting started. "You are

supposed to be a devotee." He shouted, "You have no

brains. No intelligence whatsoever. You are nothing

but a mellecha. You have everything here so neat and

you are preparing food for the Deities amidst this

eaten garbage. How could you do such a foolish thing.

You are such a mellecha." I didn't know what to say. I

was thinking, "These are Prabhupada's remnants. This

isn't garbage." I didn't say anything. I learned my

lesson months before watching him chastise Nanda Kumar

prabhu. Finally, I agreed with him saying, "Yes, Srila

Prabhupada I am a fool." He wasn't pacified with my

hollow confession. Still very angry he continued, "Do

they do this in the temple kitchen? Do they have a

trash can like this?" I said, "Well, they do have a

trash can in the kitchen." He quickly responded, "But,

do they put eaten garbage in it?" My energy drained I

replied, "No. Srila Prabhupada." Srila Prabhupada

never seemed to tire. He said, "Why are you doing

these things? You are such a mleccha. You have no

intelligence." It seemed to go on for so long.

Finally, he left my room with his hand in his bead bag

chanting japa.

I emptied the trash can still considering his remnants

to be most sacred. It's ironic because the first piece

of maha bhagavat prasadam given to me by Nanda Kumar

prabhu in New Dwarka was an orange peel. I felt very

fortunate and ate the whole thing. When I gave peel

remnants to other devotees, they nibbled off the white

area but discarded the orange rind. I was shaken but

understood that Srila Prabhupada wanted to teach me a

lesson. It seemed that whenever I became puffed up in

my service thinking I was doing a good job, Srila

Prabhupada would let me know I was far from the mark

of a brahminical Vaisnava. Later he told me that I

prepared a very nice lunch. He never left me feeling

that he maintained any anger. Whenever he chastised me

he would always say something very nice or tell me a

pastime about his earlier years. It was a tradeoff

that was well worth it. Srila Prabhupada knew that I

was very sensitive to criticism and compassionately

kept it to a minimum. Looking back I see these few

instances as blissful moments because they are the

ones I remember most vividly and that is pure nectar.

There were so many opportunities for Srila Prabhupada

to correct me, if only I could have appreciated

constructive criticism. I would have so many

additional memories to relish. Please forgive me,

Srila Prabhupada, for being such a puffed up rascal. I

am forever indebted to you for knowing exactly how to

deal with such a mellecha as myself.

 

 

- From the Srila Prabhupada Uvaca by HG Srutakirti

Dasa

 

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

=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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