Srila Prabhupada Tells a Story


One time in India, while Srila Prabhupada was staying
in Mayapur, two of Srila Prabhupada's Western-born
sannyasis visited a temple and heard an odd comment
from a pujari. While Srila Prabhupada's men were
taking darsana of the Deities, the pujari seemed to
appreciate their reverence and demeanor.

"Continue to render devotional service," the pujari
brahmana advised them, "and maybe in your next life
you will be born as a brahmana."

The disciples later went to Srila Prabhupada and told
him of the incident. Prabhupada smiled and told a
story.

Once there was an old lady who lived in a remote
village. One day the British district magistrate
visited her town. This old lady had been entangled in
a quarrel regarding possession of land, which some of
her relatives were trying to take from her. Friends
advised that she see the magistrate and present the
matter to him for a settlement. When she did so, the
magistrate immediately ruled in her favor and made
sure the land was put in her name. Delighted, the old
lady attempted to bless the magistrate.

"I bless you," she said, "that in your next life you
will become a police constable."

In the old lady's mind, Srila Prabhupada explained,
the office of police constable was the highest thing
she could imagine. "Similarly," said Srila Prabhupada,
"these caste brahmanas do not know that pure
devotional service is much higher than being born as a
brahmana."

Bhakti-caru Swami, interview. Although the Hindu
pujari naively blessed the devotees to become Hindu
brahmanas in their next life, he at least appreciated
their reverence and devotion in the temple. Because he
appreciated their behavior in his own way, he wanted
to bless them and wish them well. Proper behavior by
Prabhupada's followers is a credit to Prabhupada, to
the Krsna consciousness movement, and to the devotees.
The credit to the devotees, however, has to be earned;
it is not automatic. Prabhupada writes in The Nectar
of Instruction, "Indeed, whether the devotees come
from a family of previous acaryas or from an ordinary
family, they should be treated equally. One should not
think, 'Oh, here is an American gosvami,' and
discriminate against him. Nor should one think, 'Here
is a nityananda-vamsa-gosvami.' ..a According to the
statements of Srila Rupa Gosvami in this verse, an
American gosvami and a gosvami in a family of acaryas
are nondifferent." If we go at all to a temple or
place of pilgrimage, it should be for our devotional
service, and we should do it with humility and purity
to properly represent Prabhupada. Prabhupada also said
that wherever we go in the world, if we follow the
rules and behave properly, people will worship the
devotees. Even if the brahmana in the temple does not
bless us, however, Prabhupada and Krsna will be
pleased with our proper public behavior.


- From the Prabhupada Nectar by HH Satsvarupa dasa
Goswami Maharaj




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