"Krishna likes sugar very much"

[livingentity 0]

From Prabhupada Uvaca:

 

Once while Srila Prabhupada was staying in New Dwarka he took a one day trip south to the temple in Laguna Beach. It was only about a two hour ride by car. In the evening he asked for some hot milk. At this temple Deity worship was going on, but I was unable to find sugar in the temple kitchen, so I sweetened the milk with honey. Sometimes, Srila Prabhupada would ask to have his milk sweetened with honey but this evening when I brought him the hot milk, he tasted it and immediately wanted to know, "Why it is not sweetened with sugar?" I told him, "They do not have any sugar in the temple here." He replied angrily, "How can that be?" I explained, "some devotees think that white sugar is not healthy and that it is better to avoid it." He said, "That's fine. If they don't want to eat sugar, they don't have to, but Krishna likes sugar very much. This is nonsense. They must use sugar when they make preparations for the Deities."

 

Srila Prabhupada, you are astonishing. Wherever you went, you quickly cut through all of the creative nonsense that your disciples invented. You didn't need a network of spies to tell you what was going on. Krishna was your spy and he gave you all the information needed, so you could set the proper path for your foolhardy children. I relished the countless opportunities I saw you display psychic abilities, sometimes humorously and other times seriously. Often devotees ask if you displayed any yogic powers. I saw you displaying them constantly, reading the minds of your disciples and dealing with them accordingly. Very often it was to my joyful and appreciative amusement. Please, Srila Prabhupada grant me your association always, residing in my heart. You know I have no qualification but I know how merciful you are. After all, you have allowed me to personally associate with you.

 

 

[Guest guest]

thanks!

 

jai!

[Vaishnava_das108 1]

Yes, these stories of Srila Prabhupada-lila are very inspiring and intoxicating and also very uplifting. I humbly beg you to please continue.

[gHari 0]

The Bhaktivedanta Archives appreciated the Prabhupada Uvaca writings so much that they have been included in the newest Bhaktivedanta Folio Vedabase. This is a great honour for SrutakIrti DAsa, side by side with Prabhupada where he belongs.

[gHari 0]

Nityananda Gauranga!

 

I chose an Uvaca at random and it seems it has appeared to offset my praise of Sruto to keep him humble:<blockquote><center>SrIla PrabhupAda Uvaca 51</center>

October 1972

ISKCON Radha Damodara Temple

Vrindaban, India

 

Camara Fanning; Get Someone with Intelligence

 

During the month of Kartika, SrIla PrabhupAda gave classes on the Nectar of Devotion every evening in the courtyard near the Bhajana Kutir of SrIla Rupa Goswami. Before arriving, SrIla PrabhupAda had spoken many times about doing this and was very excited. He said that, for the benefit of his disciples, all the classes would be in English, not in Hindi. On the plane to Delhi, he told me, "You can read from the Nectar of Devotion and then I will give purports." I was very happy to be given such an opportunity.

 

The first evening, Pradyumna took the service of reading from the Nectar of Devotion. That was all right with me. I had to record the lecture and take care of SrIla PrabhupAda's personal needs such as fanning him when required. The courtyard was filled with his disciples as well as many Brijbasis. Most of them didn't understand English, but that didn't matter. They were happy to have the association of a saintly person.

 

It was still light out during class. Parrots were busy getting back to their branches for the night. The monkeys were creating havoc, as usual. The atmosphere was very transcendental, except for the flies. They were buzzing around SrIla PrabhupAda while he was speaking. It was a great opportunity for me to render service. I picked up the camara fan and stood by my guru. I twirled the fan just like a pujari performing arotika before the Deities. I felt so proud being able to perform such a service in front of my godbrothers. Up and down I waved the fan hardly noticing the flies were still bothering SrIla PrabhupAda. At one point he lifted his arm and waved it across his face to chase the flies away. I was so absorbed in feelings of grandeur that it never occurred to me that I wasn't rendering any service. I never came close to solving the problem.

 

Finally, the cow dung hit the fan. My spiritual master glared at me and shouted, "Get someone up here with some intelligence." I stood motionless for what felt like a year.

 

Immediately a young brahmacari named Kunjabihari took the fan from my sweaty hand and stood next to SrIla PrabhupAda. He was considered by some to be rather eccentric. At the time I would not have picked him for this particular service.

 

I went back to my tape recorder. My mind was reeling along with it. I finally realized what it meant to be one/10,000 part the tip of a hair. I watched Kunjabihari. It seemed like he could put out a forest fire with the intensity of his fanning. No fly was foolish enough to hang around as long as he was in town. Seconds later all the flies were gone. SrIla PrabhupAda never stopped speaking to his disciples throughout this ordeal. Just as I was starting to breathe again, SrIla PrabhupAda looked at Kunjabihari with a smile and nodded approvingly of his disciple's devotional service.

 

All I remember was getting up at the end of the lecture and walking alone toward SrIla PrabhupAda's quarters. Before I could get inside, a brahmacari came up to me and said, "SrutakIrti, you are so fortunate to get chastised like that by SrIla PrabhupAda." I forced a strained smile and said, "Yes."

 

It was the first time SrIla PrabhupAda chastised me before so many. It was difficult to accept. He was so kind to have cut down my false pride. He has blessed me with that again and again over the years. He must do it because I still haven't learned the simple truth that I am "fool number one." He keeps trying to teach me that service is for his pleasure, not mine.

 

SrIla PrabhupAda, please give me another chance to fan you. No! I am still puffed up. Please, bless me with the desire to fan your disciple, Kunjabihari DAsa. He pleased you with his service. That is the way to make advancement in KRSNa Consciousness.

</blockquote>

gHari

[livingentity 0]

I enjoy reading his website so much. I read an entry or two a day in the morning - great start!! I was wondering if there is more.

[gHari 0]

SrIla PrabhupAda Uvaca 129:<blockquote>A Tribute To The Passing of PrabhupAda's Personal Servant, Our Friend, Upendra Prabhu

 

Upendra Prabhu, PrabhupAda's Dear Personal Servant

 

When Upendra needed it the most, SrIla PrabhupAda took care of him. He had a glorious passage surrounded by devotees chanting the holy name and the holy names written in tilak all over his body. Radha Kunda Jal was placed in his mouth and he was surrounded by prasadam garlands. SrIla PrabhupAda saw that his servant passed in the best possible way.

 

SrutakIrti takes much solace from the description of Upendra's glorious passage. It is all SrIla PrabhupAda's mercy. Many of SrIla PrabhupAda's personal servants are noticing how SrIla PrabhupAda continues to take care of us all.

 

Upendra served SrIla PrabhupAda in a first-class manner. He was so sentimental! He was extremely attached to SrIla PrabhupAda and loved devotional service, yet his senses were strong and pulled him. Nonetheless, his guilt was so intense. He could hardly bear his own restlessness. His Divine Grace has brought him near.

 

SrIla PrabhupAda showed us how to live and how to die. He asked forgiveness from all of his godbrothers, sister and family members before he departed for Goloka Vrindavan. We all know there was no forgiveness needed, but SrIla PrabhupAda set a flawless example for all of us to follow.

 

Chitralekha, Upendra's former wife, and their children were able to communicate with him during his last days. The devotees read their letters aloud to him. His son, Somiya Prabhu, wrote an unsolicited letter of forgiveness freeing Upendra to do SrIla PrabhupAda's seva. Thank you, Somiya Prabhu. You have set a wonderful example for all VaiSNavas to follow!

 

Upendra wanted so much to be close to devotees and serve in a mellow way. During the last days of SrIla PrabhupAda's visual presence, SrIla PrabhupAda told Upendra he could just read and chant in Vrindavan. Management insisted this was not enough and he should serve in this way or that. His heart broke. He could hardly function, so he left. Still, his heart remained full of spiritual longing.

 

About a year ago, Upendra described his weak physical state and discussed his terminal condition with SrutakIrti. At this time, SrutakIrti offered Upendra his apartment in Vrindavan, saying it would be a suitable place to pass his final days. Upendra accepted the offer. It is our understanding that Upendra made it to Australia in an emergency condition. Still, SrutakIrti wonders if part of the reason Upendra did not go directly to Vrindavan was due to his past painful experience.

 

Upendra is forcing us to contemplate the mercy of the VaiSNavas and the definition of pure devotional service. BrahmAnanda noted the auspicious setting that Upendra was provided by the Australian devotees saying, "He was with the Australian devotees, who loved him and took care of him at the temple. So, that was also Vrindavan!"

 

We talked to Upendra Prabhu on the phone this summer, just when he got back from visiting the Australian temple. He expressed how much he loved it there because the devotees unconditionally appreciated him. He felt so encouraged by their affection. BrahmAnanda mentioned that they even collected the funds for his ticket. By their uplifting association, Upendra was spiritually enlivened.

 

After being separated for a short time from their loving association, he felt drained and depressed. We talked to him in late August, and the Australian devotees had invited him back to help with an alternative therapy for his disease. With great hope and renewed happiness, Upendra planned to return to the Australian yatra.

 

We all loved Upendra. Satyadeva and MahA Guna Prabhus offered to take care of him when they became aware of his condition. Both of them are well qualified, being health care professionals. So many of us wanted to help. Shaktimati and TuryaDAsa Prabhus brought a silk garland from MAyApur's Lord Nrsringhadeva Deity especially for Upendra. SrutakIrti brought him first-class Tulasi japa beads from Vrindavan. Everyone wanted to do something to take care of Upendra.

 

Why not? Upendra took such nice care of our beloved SrIla PrabhupAda while His Divine Grace walked amongst us here in the material prison house. We all owe Upendra so much for the personal service he rendered to SrIla PrabhupAda! How can we feel anything but a debt of gratitude toward Upendra Prabhu?

 

This brings to mind the question, "Who is fallen?" Upendra Prabhu's feelings of guilt and shame ostracized him from the local Berkeley temple. He felt dismissed, an outcast. Haven't we all been cast out of the spiritual world? Isn't humility a qualification for pure devotional service? Aren't we all fallen? I know I am. It's just a question of degree. I chant 16 rounds so offensively, it's amazing KRSNa tolerates me. I am spiritually illiterate. I parrot words, not really conscious of their meaning. Still I go through the motions and proudly consider myself elevated. This is my immediate disqualification. This is fallen.

 

How can we serve our spiritual master? Shall I remain arrogantly disqualified, keeping a safe distance from fallen devotees instead of blissfully welcoming them? The Australian devotees have taught us a wonderful lesson regarding unconditional love. I applaud them. Certainly they have pleased SrIla PrabhupAda! This is genuine service!

 

SrIla PrabhupAda is mercifully calling all of his personal associates back to him, one by one. We are all unable to perfectly follow our beloved SrIla PrabhupAda. Still, he engages us. Such is the mercy of Sri Guru and Gauranga! By the purity and strength of SrIla PrabhupAda, all things are possible. He carries all that we lack.

 

All Glories to SrIla PrabhupAda! All glories to the assembled devotees!

 

All Glories to the Australian yatra for escorting His Divine Grace's servant, Upendra Prabhu, back to him!

 

Remembering Upendra Prabhu with great fondness,

 

Your Servants, SrutakIrti DAsa and Kusa devi dasi</blockquote>

 

 

 

gHari

[livingentity 0]

on the website. Maybe he is working on more -