The passing of Aniruddha das

[Gauracandra]

Thanks. That was very nice. This is why I wished that 'In Memoriam' website was still operational. So many devotees will pass away and there should be a single site to record something about them. Imagine in 200 years we will be kicking ourselves for not compiling these stories and remembrances of the devotees who gave us everything. Anyways, the story sounded familiar so I looked through my old Memories videos and found a tape with Aniruddha telling his various remembrances of Srila Prabhupada (that story is on it). I have transcribed them all down (pen scribbles), about 20 stories or so and will type them up and post them tomorrow.

[Gauracandra]

The following are recollections by Aniruddha from the Srila Prabhupada Memories video number 32 transcribed as best I could.

 

1) There were a lot of prospective initiates and Gurudas was arranging everything. So my initiation was in Prabhupada’s house one on one. I brought some dakshina, some sandalwood oil, incense, some cloth. I was very timid in those days. I knocked on the door and was very anxious to see the swami. After a while Srila Prabhupada called me in. I didn’t know how to act. The first thing he said was “So you want to be initiated?” and immediately I felt myself condescending like “Of course I do. Why else would I be here?” But this false pride dissipated quickly. The thing I noticed was that I was very attracted to his eyes. They were like glowing. Something was different. So he said he would initiate me and I bowed but didn’t know how long to stay down so I just stayed there. Then after some time he said “Ok, you can go now.”

 

A little while later Kirtanananda called me in to see Srila Prabhupada. It was a very small room. He told me the basic regulations, chanted on my beads. There was no fire sacrifice at the time. He said “Your name is Aniruddha.” I asked what it meant and he said “It is the name of the grandson of Krishna.” I didn’t know what to say. He asked if I had any questions and I couldn’t think of anything. Then I remembered I had heard one of the qualities of a devotee is that they are grave. So I asked “What does grave mean?” and he explained.

 

2) A little while later Prabhupada was calling me but I had forgotten my name. He was calling “Aniruddha?” But I was just sitting there. So Kirtanananda came saying the Swami is calling you. So I went in. I don’t recall what he said. I have heard this from a lot of my Godbrothers that we were so nervous that we don’t remember the specifics, but the overall impression was overwhelming. What I did remember is that his life was very organized. He had a time to wake up, a time to bathe, a time for walking, a time for letters, a time for massage. He was very organized and that impressed me a lot.

 

3) I know I walked with him on the ocean. Then I was taking the bus and thinking “I don’t feel anything different.” I was thinking the spiritual master is like magic where you get some charge or something. I expected to feel something but didn’t. But as we approached the temple I felt a surge of enthusiasm to be very strict. I told the devotees about this feeling and they said “Don’t worry, you’ll get over it” [laughs] In those days the San Francisco temple was considered very loose compared to New York which was very strict. It was a different mood. In San Francisco after kirtan some of the devotees would go to the local coffee shop and have donuts. But I was very attracted to what Prabhupada said and wanted to be very serious.

 

4) I didn’t know what kind of show it was so I mentioned to the Producer that we had an album. The interviewer, the first thing he asks is, “I understand you have an album Swami. You must make a lot of money.” And Prabhupada looked at him and said “Yes. $1000 a week.” So Prabhupada cut him down quickly. Another show, the Les Crane show, was wonderful. Prabhupada was singing and chanting. Then they interviewed him. He was very gentlemanly. He said “I am such and such age and still have all of my original teeth.” So he made the audience like him immediately because they thought they were going to get a heavy lecture. And he let Mukunda do a lot of the speaking about what is tilak etc… the last part had a Youth For Christ group on which was very dogmatic and the audience didn’t like very much. But the audience really like Srila Prabhupada because they could see he was genuine. He was a perfect Vaisnava gentleman.

 

5) Then we had the college engagements. UCLA was a fiasco. No one showed up. So Prabhupada came and we didn’t have much Laxmi and nothing was really organized well. So Prabhupada said “So Aniruddha, this is alright, lets have kirtan.” Some Indian students saw there was a sadhu on campus and so came in. And you could see they were a bit challenging and argumentative. They were speaking in their native language to Prabhupada. But when he spoke in English, Srila Prabhupada said “So tell me young man. Where are your Indian countrymen?” and the man was flustered and didn’t have an answer. Srila Prabhupada then said gravely “I will tell you. They are lost. Hare Krishna.”

 

6) We bought incense at the Vedanta Society. It was on Hollywood & Vine. I mentioned that to Prabhupada. He walked around the property and said he wanted a meeting with the swami in charge who was Swami Prabhavananda. He wrote the Penguin edition of the Bhagavad Gita that many of us were reading at the time. The Vedanta Society was the Ramakrishna mission founded by Vivekananda in 1918 or so. So I made the arrangements. We arrived and this swami was wearing a business suit. We could see there was going to be a very challenging situation. We couldn’t tell what was being said. Every so often we’d hear the name Chaitanya. But we couldn’t tell what was going on but we weren’t very enthused.

 

On the way back we were all very quiet. Then Prabhupada said “This Vedanta Society was introduced in America by Vivekananda who was teaching about Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna was not very popular in India. But Vivekananda came and told everyone in America how great Ramakrishna was and a lot of famous and scholarly people became attracted and so he became famous. Anything that becomes famous in America became popular in India. But in India he wasn’t very well known. This Swami Vivekananda came here 50 years ago and they have 7 centers and we too have 7 centers.” This enthused us because we could see in such a short time we had expanded very quickly. So we all said “Jai.”

 

Now just recently I was reading a letter Srila Prabhupada had written to Janardhana. I had said we didn’t know what was being discussed by Srila Prabhupada and Swami Prabhavananda. So in this letter Srila Prabhupada says “I have met with Swami Prabhavananda. He is teaching that Vivekananda says that Ramakrishna in his previous life was Chaitanya. So what sort of incarnation is this that teaches one thing then another.” So this is what the argument was about. I thought perhaps the argument was about putting our books into their store but it was about the teaching that Ramakrishna was Chaitanya.

 

7) We took a walk on the pier at Venice beach. There was a lone woman fishing at the end. She said “Oh Swami, I saw you on the Les Crane show. Very nice to meet you.” Srila Prabhupada told us “Just because she has given some respect to a saintly person so she will advance greatly.”

 

Now, I don’t remember where we were going but we saw a sign that said Santa Cruz a certain number of miles. So Prabhupada asked “What is this Santa Cruz?” I gave my understanding that it was a name for Lord Jesus Christ meaning “Saint of the Cross”. He said “Yes in India there is a place called Santa Cruz founded by some missionaries. It comes from the word “Shanta” meaning saintly. You can call me Shanta Bhaktivedanta.” [laughs] It seems so simple but it was ecstatic.

 

8) Another time Prabhupada was trying to get a permanent Visa. He needed a health recommendation from a doctor. So we were driving to the doctor. Of course, this was an old hippie car some hippie who was favorable had donated. It had big, big daisies painted on it with different colors. So naturally a policeman stops it. Subala was the driver and had a number of traffic violations so the police immediately took him away. So Prabhupada is sitting there on the side of the freeway. Someone else took to driving and Prabhupada said “Krishna is telling us we need a better car.”

 

9) Now also when Prabhupada first arrived I got a call from “Life” magazine that was doing an article on the “Swami Circuit” because there was beginning an interest in the various groups of impersonalist swamis. So they went to 26th 2nd Avenue in New York but heard he was in Los Angeles. So they arranged for a freelance journalist to go to the L.A. temple. I was sitting there while a woman reporter was asking him some questions. He mentioned his mission but she didn’t write anything down. Anything dealing with philosophy they didn’t write but were only interested in why we were wearing tilak and what the bead bag was. At first I was confused. I was very anxious to see the article and sure enough there was not a single word of what Prabhupada had said in the article. But they did say “Of all the groups we’ve mentioned you can’t get this Hare Krishna mantra out of your head.” So Srila Prabhupada said because the readers will see the name of Krishna they will get great benefit.

[Gauracandra]

10) In San Francisco we went on many walks. One of his favorite places was Stowe Lake which is a beautiful lake in the middle of Golden Gate park. Actually Prabhupada called it a garden because it is man made. In the morning there was this woman who was always walking her dog and every time Srila Prabhupada would say “Good morning. How are you?” He never said “Hare Krishna.” So one morning a disciple asked why don’t you say “Hare Krishna” to the lady? He replied “Because most likely she will not say it in return. But in this way she gets the benefit of being respectful to a saintly person.” Same idea at the fishing lady on Venice beach.

 

11) Govinda dasi told me “Swamiji prefers to be called Srila Prabhupada.” It was a little disturbing to me because I was attached to the name ‘Swamiji’. So on this walk I asked “I understand you prefer to be called Prabhupada.” He replied “WHERE DID YOU HEAR THIS? WHO TOLD YOU THIS?” Then his mood changed and he said “Actually, I don’t prefer but it is better.”

 

12) Srila Prabhupada used to use Eucalyptus twigs to clean his teeth. They had to be a certain length, soaked in water over night, then he would fray the end of one and use it like a tooth brush. So one day I went to a park before sunrise with my bead bag in one hand and a huge knife in the other. So I cut down a huge branch and sat on a bench and started to trim the branch when all of a sudden a patrol car pulls up. The policeman struts up to me and says “What do you have there young man?” I said “I’m cutting these for my spiritual master. He uses them as a tooth brush.” He asked me “Have you ever been in a mental institution?” [laughs] “What do you have in your bag?” Anyways, he left me alone. I told this to Srila Prabhupada and he said “Did you ask him if he was crazy?” Prabhupada was teaching me to be bold.

 

13) We had easy access to Srila Prabhupada. I would be in anxiety but as soon as we would go to his room we knew we just had to chant Hare Krishna and the anxiety would go away. So one time I went to him and sat and chanted. He said “Take a pillow because sitting on the floor creates hemorrhoids.” Just like that. Very practical. I started chanting and it suddenly dawned on me that I was taking up too much of his time. Still I asked “Is it true we can speak to Krishna like I am talking to you?” and he replied “Yes”.

 

14) So we had this wonderful Ratha Yatra in San Francisco. So I wrote to Srila Prabhuapda and he wrote back saying “Krishna Consciousness is like electric energy. So you should spread these festivals all over your country.”

 

15) Going back to San Francisco, there is a devotee in Los Angeles now, its ok to mention his name because this story has circulated before. His name was Makanlal and his brother was Nara-Narayan and they were very sincere. Prabhupada said “They are very nice but a little eccentric.” They were very sincere but always seemed to me to be very Shakespearean. When they spoke it was like “Hare Krishna” [imitates a Shakesperean wave with accent] Makanlal still has that. So it used to irritate me a lot. We had arranged an engagement at the YMCA. All of a sudden Makanlal was singing. I couldn’t take it so I was visibly showing my displeasure. I think I walked out of the room even. After the program we were driving back and Prabhupada turns to me and says “Aniruddha, this Makanlal sings very nicely.” [laughs] So Prabhupada never found fault but only looked for the good. This is something I never understood until recently. Prabhupada was the perfect Vaisnava gentleman.

 

16) Visnujana Swami was a wonderful devotee. Srila Prabhupada said by his singing he can go back to Godhead. But he used to create his own melodies and would play them. At one point Prabhupada came in and said “What is wrong with the melodies I have given you?” I say this because we have expanded so much. Often we have concerts and to attract others there might be a rock band. But we shouldn’t compromise too much.

 

17) I had been in Hawaii for a number of years. So Ambarish bought a beautiful home for Prabhupada to translate in. So there was this property on Aloaloa [probably spelled it wrong] loop in a residential area. Sudama was in charge. Prabhupada had cooked the feast. So we had gurupuja and we were singing “Sri Guru Charana padma” and Srila Prabhupada said “We should enter the meaning of this.” I don’t know if you want to put this on tape, but the spiritual master’s feet are everything. When you change your heart you can enter the meaning. Some times we say “I’ll try” We all have a different pace.

 

18) One particular morning I went up the stairs and was telling some stories to a devotee. Prabhupada came and said “So Aniruddha, how are you?” Very general question. I had to be honest and said “Not so great Srila Prabhupada. I’m not living in the temple.” Prabhupada replied “SOOOO?” That’s all he had to say. It was apparent “You are speaking like this but not acting like this.”

 

So when Prabhupada was leaving I went to the airport and stayed outside. So Bhumya came to the glass and said “Prabhupada wants to see you.” I hesitated but eventually went inside. He had me sit right next to him and asked “Oh, how have you been? Have you been with your father? Most of my problems I have had came from a bad relationship with my father. I said “Ever since I came to Krishna Consciousness my parents want nothing to do with me.” I have thought about it many times and wished I had said “Srila Prabhupada you are my father.” Then he turned and said “In L.A. Aniruddha was the beginning.” Immediately I felt ashamed because he knew my heart. So Prabhupada was walking to the gate and I could see out of the corner of his eye he was watching me. He walks off and says “Aniruddha, you take charge of Sankirtan!” I wasn’t even chanting my rounds then. I said “Take charge?” and he replied “YESSS!!!” In one letter he said “You can do tremendous things for Krishna.” He knew our potential. If we don’t worry about the results it all falls into place. There is a real freedom with that.

 

19) Upendra was a wonderful devotee. Srila Prabhupada told him “You know Upendra. Those were the good old days. They will not be like that anymore.” [sobs for a few moments] I certainly wouldn’t exchange any of those experiences. Everything has its purpose.

[stonehearted]

My Godbrother and friend Aniiruddha das passed away recently from a heart attack. (A note is posted on Chakra and Dipika.) Aniruddha befriended my wife and me when he was staying in Honolulu in 1974, while Satyaki and I were the head pujaris. We heard lots of Prabhupada nectar from him and got many tips for keeping a high standard of service in the Lord's kitchen. Here's my favorite Aniruddha story, which I have told many times in many different settings, and which I've heard he also told:

 

As Srila Prabhupada was leaving after a visit to Honolulu in May of '74, a few of us stayed in the airport terminal with him, while most of the devotees stayed out on he sidewalk and kept a kirtan going. While Satsvarupa Maharaj was reading ISKCON-related newspaper clippings, Srila Prabhupada interrupted him: "I hear Aniruddha is here in Hawaii, but he has not come to see me. Do you know?"

 

One devotee volunteered that Aniruddha was outside with the kirtan party. Prabhupada: "He may come inside; there is no difficulty."

 

The devotee scampered out to retrieve Aniruddha but returned empty-handed.

 

Prabhupada: "No, you don't understand. He may come inside; there is NO

difficulty!"

 

This time the devotee ran out, and Aniruddha, who apparently wasn't spiritually strong at the time, came in wearing cut-off jeans, a T-shirt, and a stud in his left ear. He folded his hands and offered pranams to Srila Prabhupada.

 

"So, Aniruddha, how are you?"

 

Aniruddha blushed and replied, "Actually, Srila Prabhupada, not so good."

 

After Srila Prabhupada insisted, despite Aniruddha's protests, that Aniruddha sit on the seat next to him (the rest of us were sitting on the floor at Srila Prabhupada's feet), they exchanged small talk for a minute or two. Then Srila Prabhupada turned to us and said, "In Los Angeles temple, he is the beginning."

 

It was clear that Srila Prabhupada's vision was different from ours. The feeling I heard expressed among devotees around that time was something like, "Poor Aniruddha; Prabhupada loves him so much but he just can't surrender!" Srila Prabhupada’s vision was obviously different. Although he was not unaware of Aniruddha's difficulties, he simply saw, like Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, that the problems were ephemeral, but the service is eternal, the essence of any devotee's identity.