We Will Send the Check by Mail.


One day while Srila Prabhupada was in Bombay, he
simultaneously had visitors from Vrndavana and
Mayapur. This was during a period when temple
construction was going on in both places. Prabhupada
expected his disciples in those places to come and ask
him for money. The disciples knew that Prabhupada
would be expecting and demanding results from them on
these important construction projects.

When these disciples visited from distant places,
however, Prabhupada always first welcomed them
according to Vaisnava etiquette. Prabhupada had said
that his mission was like a war on maya, so he
received his soldiers from the field by first offering
them sweet words and relief. He asked them if they had
taken prasadam and he suggested that they might want
to rest. At least for a few minutes, the immediate,
pressing problems were put aside, as Prabhupada's
disciples basked in the sweetness of his darsana and
his kind welcome.

When, however, Srila Prabhupada did ask Gargamuni and
Jayapataka Swami the reason for their visit, they said
that they needed 150,000 rupees to continue
construction on their respective projects.

"I just gave you!" said Prabhupada. "All the time you
are asking for money, but when it is going to be
finished?" The disciples remained silent while
Prabhupada inquired and criticized their demands.
Surabhi Swami became anxious and thought, "If they
can't even get Rs150,000 for Mayapur, then what will
Prabhupada say when he hears me ask for Rs250,000?"

Prabhupada argued that in neither Vrndavana nor
Mayapur was sufficient collection going on, but they
were simply coming regularly to him as the money
supplier. After speaking for some time, Prabhupada
agreed to give the Mayapur men 70,000 rupees, which
they accepted gratefully.

"So, Surabhi Prabhu," said Prabhupada, "what can I do
for you?"

Surabhi had a more systematic presentation, listing
all the needs for construction to continue in
Vrndavana.

Hearing attentively, Prabhupada then asked, "This adds
up to how much?"

"Two and a half lakhs, Srila Prabhupada."

Prabhupada then turned to his secretary and asked that
a check be made out for two and a half lakhs
(approximately $25,000). Two checks were made out and
presented to the devotees. Surabhi was about to leave
the room when Prabhupada called him back.

"How much does it cost to take a ricksha from our
temple in Vrndavana to the Punjab Bank and then back?"
Surabhi replied that it was about Rs1.25.

Then Prabhupada asked his secretary, "Brahmananda ,
how much does it cost to send a registered letter from
Bombay to Vrndavana?" The answer was seventy-five
paisa. Srila Prabhupada then took back the check from
Surabhi and said, "We will send the check by mail."

Just to save fifty paisa out of a sum of two and a
half lakhs of rupees, Prabhupada preferred to mail the
check to his bank account rather than have Surabhi
carry it by hand. Srila Prabhupada was ultimately
willing to spend whatever was required to build his
important temples in India, yet he nevertheless
instructed his disciples that as far as possible, they
should save every paisa.

Surabhi Swami and Gunarnava dasa, interview. There are
many other examples of how Srila Prabhupada was
careful and frugal about spending money in India. He
was concerned that his Western disciples were always
getting cheated by the Indians. Even to this day those
who were trained up by Prabhupada in India practice
this austerity of saving money in any way they can. In
the West, especially in America, Srila Prabhupada did
not attempt to introduce the same strictness in
spending.

These differences in application bring up a larger
issue -- whether Prabhupada's activities and teachings
are all to be strictly followed. The answer is, "Yes."
Even if one of Prabhupada's instructions cannot be
followed literally, we should never ignore its spirit.
We should think how to apply it according to time and
place. We are collecting many anecdotes of
Prabhupada's life not for mere reading entertainment,
but for their instructive value. Neither are
Prabhupada's instructions applicable only to himself.
Because Srila Prabhupada was in essence always a
teacher, therefore his lila as a spiritual master is
always filled with instruction. As Prabhupada told us,
"Do as I am doing." Although some of his activities
are beyond imitation, nevertheless the main intent of
this collection of stories -- which we also think is
the main intent of Prabhupada's life -- is to give
perfect examples of Krsna consciousness to be followed
by aspiring devotees.


- From the Prabhupada Nectar by HH Satsvarupa dasa
Goswami


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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