Prasadam questions

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> Our Humble Obeisances, Jaya Srila Prabhupada

>

> When honoring maha-maha from sadhus plates, sometimes argument is given

> that if it is done before washing the plate, it means you are eating from

> the same plate which is offense, others embhasize eagerness, "as soon as

> possible."

 

You should avoid offenses. If you want to pay respects to the sadhus

then why are you eating from their plates? Its a simply matter to transfer

the prasadam on the plate and wash the plate and then take the prasadam.

Eagerness is often just an excuse for laziness or greed.

 

> And how it is in general with serving yourself more prasadam while holding

> a dirty plate on the left hand? Is it enough to just quickly wash your

> right hand?

>

> Did Srila Prabhupada comment to these?

 

Here's a few incidents that occurred to me when I became Srila

Prabhupada's servant. You judge for yourself what the standard is:

 

New Delhi Nov. 26 1975

 

Later, around 9:00 p.m., Prabhupäda finished eating a little

prasädam and then asked me take his plate, along with a basket of fruit that

had been given to him earlier in the evening, down to the temple. The fruit

was to be given to the Deities, and Srila Prabhupäda's plate was to be

washed off and cleansed. Picking up his plate in one hand and the fruit in

the other, I started for the door, but Prabhupäda immediately stopped me. He

pointed out that the plate, having been eaten from, was dirty. I had picked

it up, contaminating myself by touching it, and then I touched the fruit to

be offered to the Deity. He told me to wash my hands and take the items

separately. We all smiled at his thoughtfulness and my dullness.

From my point of view as a disciple, both guru and God were to be

worshipped on the same level. Foremost in my mind was the thought that every

little opportunity to render some service was for my own benefit. In other

words, I thought that I was becoming purified simply by touching the plate

that Srila Prabhupäda had personally eaten from.

He, however, thought of himself as a humble servant of Krsna; thus

he saw the plate as being contaminated. Because he has such a high standard

of purity, and because the fruit was to be offered to the Deity, Srila

Prabhupäda could therefore not accept the mixing of the two items.

In Prabhupäda's presence it is becoming quite clear how little I have

learned in almost four years in the movement. Being with Srila Prabhupäda is

opening up a whole new perspective on devotional service to me. As Srila

Prabhupäda's assistant, one has to learn to see matters from his point of

view, and that takes precedence over one's own..

 

 

November 27, 1975

 

After taking lunch prasädam Prabhupäda sat at ease in his sitting

room for a short while. Then he walked through the servants' room to his

bedroom to retire for his afternoon nap. Hansadüta, Harikesa, and I were in

the servants' room, taking our lunch. As he came in, we offered our

obeisances. I was sitting on the floor eating from a bowl with a spoon, and

as I knelt back, I put the spoon down and rested my hand on my knee.

Immediately Prabhupäda looked at me and said, "Oh, you are eating and

then'?" He put his hand on different places of his body as if to illustrate

a child contaminating his clothes with a dirty hand.

My instinct was to say, "Well, Srila Prabhupäda, my hand isn't

dirty. I'm eating with a spoon." But I thought better of it and checked

myself. Prabhupäda could obviously see that. I realized that Prabhupäda

simply had a better understanding of what constitutes cleanliness. He

laughed. As he walked past us into his bedroom, he shook his head and said,

"You are all brought up mlecchas."

Then again in the evening, without first washing my hands, I picked

up a water jug after handling Srila Prabhupäda's plate. He immediately

noticed and corrected me. He laughed and told me not to mind. It is the

position of the guru, he said, to find out the faults in the disciple and

rectify them.

It was simultaneously embarrassing and pleasurable to be on the

receiving end of Prabhupäda's reproof. His standard of purity is so much

higher than ours. By his keen observation and objective criticism he is

training us to the highest levels, making us fit for serving Krsna. I feel

very fortunate that Prabhupäda is very patiently training me. Even though he

sometimes calls us mlecchas, he is actually very proud of his Western

disciples. He constantly points out to his visitors how we have been

transformed.

These incidents have made me realize that Srila Prabhupäda has

unlimited patience in training his disciples. Although he must have given

these instructions hundreds of times during the last ten years, he is still

prepared to patiently teach the same things again and again to any new

disciple, provided that student has an attitude of humble service and is

eager to learn.

 

January 4th 1976 – Nellore

 

When preparing Srila Prabhupäda's lunch yesterday, I discovered that

the only salt available came in large crystalline lumps that had to be

broken and crushed. Because this was somewhat troublesome, I spent half an

hour making enough for the following few days, and put the small stone bowl

containing the salt on Prabhupäda's chonki. I assumed that Prabhupäda would

take as much as he wanted from the stock and leave the rest for future use.

During breakfast, however, Prabhupäda dipped pieces of fruit directly into

the bowl rather than taking some salt from it onto his plate and leaving the

rest. When I cleaned up afterwards I left the salt bowl on the table,

thinking it would be all right to use it for other meals.

Though conversing with the other devotees, Srila Prabhupäda, as

observant as ever, noticed what I did and immediately rebuked me. Calling me

a yavana he complained about our Western eating habit of saving remnants of

food. "There is no taste, no vitamin, and still they eat."

Harikesa asked if it would be all right if I kept the salt in the

pot, and then put some on the plate when Prabhupäda took his prasädam.

"I do not know whether it is all right, but it is not all right that

you eat and keep it. This is not all right."

Yasodänandana explained, "He keeps the salt in a separate bowl. When

you require it, he will give you only as much as you require."

Prabhupäda said, "Yes, that is nice."

"That's why the bowl is there," I explained. "That's what I intended

to do, but I have to keep it away from the table."

Prabhupäda said, "The principle should be that you should not leave

remnants of food. As soon as it is used, it should not be used more.

Otherwise it is not possible to give up. Param drstva nivartate. 'I am

eating something not very superior, but if I get the chance of eating

something superior then I give up this inferior.'"

 

Your humble servant,

Hari-sauri dasa