Remembering Srila Prabhupada - He does not understand the value of the Deity

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Auckland, April 26th, 1976The Auckland temple is a large, two-story suburban house with a spacious garden and scattered fruit trees. The property was originally purchased by Tusta Krsna Swami, before he and the entire population of the temple abandoned it to go their own way in 1973.The devotees were already lining the pathway when we arrived and they all eagerly squeezed in behind Srila Prabhupada after he entered the building. It was too late to have darsana of the Deities, so Srila Prabhupada went straight to his quarters on the upper floor. As many devotees as possible crowded into his small room, and Prabhupada happily preached

to his eager audience for a short while. He complimented the devotees on their enthusiastic spirit and emphasized the valuable opportunity the human form of life brings. He read the second and third slokas of the newly published The Nectar of Instruction, briefly explaining, point by point, the six things necessary for spiritual advancement, as well as the six things to avoid. He requested all the devotees to read it, telling them that it contains all the information necessary for attaining perfection in spiritual life. Prabhupada took a little puri and sabji as everyone looked on and then had me distribute his remnants, along with some sweets Tusta Krsna's men had made on their farm. When I finished, Prabhupada, as kind and thoughtful as ever, asked me if I had taken anything. I shook my head. "So, you also take," he said with a loving smile. It was shortly before midnight when the devotees left his room.Temple president Yasomatinandana dasa, a tall, lean

brahmacari from Australia, remained behind for a few minutes to ask if Gaura-Nitai and Jagannatha deities could be formally installed.Prabhupada looked at him quizzically and asked why.Obviously not expecting that Prabhupada would ask him why, Yasomatinandana appeared a little flustered. He said that since this is Lord Caitanya's sankirtana movement, it would be nice to worship Gaura-Nitai. He also said that the Jagannatha deities they presently worship are so small They can hardly been seen. Would it be all right if they installed larger Deities, he asked, and drop the little Deities into the sea? Yasomatinandana's question and tone of voice was somewhat ambiguous. It wasn't clear whether he felt the yatra needed the Deities and he was therefore asking for Prabhupada's formal approval, or whether he wanted Prabhupada to decide if they really needed Them or not.Prabhupada became irritated and said to the sannyasis present, "He does not understand

the value of the Deity. "Yasomatinandana became confused and so asked, well, should they continue to worship the small ones, and just bring the larger ones out for Ratha-yatra?Now Prabhupada became annoyed. "Just see," he said. "He thinks They are dolls!" Looking slightly disgusted he shook his head. But despite his vexation, he concluded the conversation by saying that he would think about it more.- From the "A Transcendental Diary Vol 2" by HG Hari Sauri dasaCHANT HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE AND BE HAPPY Your humble servant radhabhava gaur das

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