Indradyumna Swami Memories Video

Gauracandra · July 7, 2002

I received the latest 'Memories' video this time featuring His Holiness Indradyumna Swami. It was very nice. Just one quick story that sticks out for me. I won't be able to do it justice in telling it, but I figured I'd do my best.

He tells of a time that he was preaching in France. One day a homeless man came up to the door and asked for some food. He was drunk, slurred speach, matted hair with dirt, rags for clothes etc.... The devotees gave him a little prasadam, but were a bit standoffish.

One day Indradyumna Swami was walking through the city and he noticed this man in the bushes. He had made a shelter from boxes, and newspapers. He came out and was drunk and asked for food again. This sort of thing happened a number of times, where they'd meet up and this person would ask for food.

It happened enough that the devotees gave him the nickname of 'Pig Pen' after the Peanuts cartoon character who was always very dirty. One day Srila Prabhupada came to France and wanted to walk through the city. The devotees went on the walk with him, and at one point this 'Pig Pen' jumped out of the bushes to grab Srila Prabhupada's feet. Some devotee saw this and before he could touch Srila Prabhupada's feet picked him up and threw him to the side. The walk continued.

When they got back to the temple they noticed the temple door wide open. When they walked in there was 'Pig Pen' again. He was very drunk, but this time he threw himself down at Prabhupadas feet and grabbed them. He was speaking very slurred speach. Srila Prabhupada started to rub his head and said "Thats alright, thats alright". When the devotees saw that Srila Prabhupada was giving this homeless drunk his mercy they left him alone.

So the devotees took him upstairs and gave him a shower and put a dhoti on him. He started doing little service around the temple like cleaning and would mumble some chanting . One day the devotees were going to go out on Sankirtan. 'Pig Pen' was wearing his dhoti and jumped in the front of the van. He wanted to go pass out Srila Prabhupada's books. Everyone was like "I think its best if you just clean up etc..." But he insisted saying "Srila Prabhupada saved me, Srila Prabhupada saved me". This was his mantra.

So they went to do some book distribution. 'Pig Pen' took a full bag of books, and went out distributing. The other devotees were getting everything set up, and by the time they were ready this devotee had already distributed all these books. Everyone was amazed. He continued to chant, and clean, and was a very good book distributor. His slurred speach went away and in due course of time he was initiated by Srila Prabhupada.

His Holiness Indradyumna Swami mentioned his devotee name but I don't recall it as I type. Later management changed hands in France, and this devotee was last heard to be distributing books in New York but this was 20 years ago. It was a very nice story. His Holiness tells it very a lot of charm, and it is a beautiful example of how a pure devotee can inspire and relate to every soul as a devotee of Krsna.

atma · July 7, 2002

Very nice and sweet story. Some of us came from very bad backgrounds and only for the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and His followers we are chanting the names of the Lord. I knew one devotee that was a butcher and other that killed people in a civil war and they are doing great as devotees.

When I hear this stories I appreciate even more Srila Prabhupada who left Vrindavan to give His mercy to fallen souls like us.

Gauracandra · July 8, 2002

Having read through my description I know I didn't do the story justice. As Indradyumna Swami describes the story it is very sweet. So if you wanted to watch it yourself you can go to the following website for this and other memories videos:

www.itvproductions.org/

Also, below is the website for his travelling sankirtan party that tours all over Europe:

www.festivalofindia.org.pl