You were all there

[Guest guest]

Jayadvaita Swami

---------------------------

This is a story told me perhaps in the late sixties by Subal Dasa, a

disciple of Srila Prabhupada who joined ISKCON before I did. (Years later he

took sannyasa, but then later left ISKCON.) Although the story rests on his

account only, unverified by any second party, I have a fairly high degree of

confidence in it.

 

Here's the story:

 

Some devotees, Subal included, had heard that Srila Prabhupada had said that

all the ISKCON devotees are eternal associates of Lord Caitanya.

 

So one time Subal approached Srila Prabhupada and asked, "Swamiji, is it

true that the devotees who've joined ISKCON are all eternal associates of

Lord Caitanya?"

 

Srila Prabhupada answered (and Subal imitated to me Srila Prabhupada's way

of drawing out the word) "Yes."

 

Subal sat there in front of Srila Prabhupada, with an ecstatic feeling of

wonder and specialness.

 

Then Srila Prabhupada added, "Everyone is." (In other words, all living

beings.)

 

Hare Krsna!