"I lived in a small hut with SGGS from 1976-1980, as secretary and later president, I guess ? It was not very formal there. I did all kinds of small service, including cooking for him, many things. It was easy, as we lived on the floor, and had no possesions to speak of. Maharajah did his work on top of a metal checkered-purple/black trunk, his books inside. A lota sat on the floor behind to his left. A large greenish toad lived behind that lota, and came in every evening to sleep there precisely, after catching an insect or two for his meal. Maharajaha never distturbed it.
I also helped draw him out from a Maha-bhagavata state to that of preacher to the Westerners. I informed him it was his duty to accept a little respect as a sannyais, and that we liked to ehr him speak. His daily lectures were concise enough for the daily schedule, but his Sunday lectures were often fiery and earnest and righteous and full of quotes and went on for two hours, lol. for real. He did not like to preach to the Westerners, because he said we are his gurus.
He obeyed the GBC and respected them because they were the authority Srila Prabhupada had supposedly set up. But we laughed at them in that we knew they were but neophytes overall, fools and ex hippes, gooroo wannabes. The issue of whether they were actually gurus never came up, it was not in my radar nor his that I knew of. SGGS was not one for idle talk, however, and kept such thoughts to himself at first. In later years, when they repeatedly censured him, he he let us know his thoughts in lectures, that regards.
I was a fool. SGGS did not do something I thought he should have, me being an inexperrenced young man. He did not inform me of a false charge brought against me by a local banking karmi, then to Jayapataka and crew, who investigated and threw out the crazy charge. SGGS did not tell me what they were up to, and I resented that, it hurt, I thought he should have said something, because he knew, but did not. I understand his social position that regards better now, but the hurt remained, i did not speak about it, but after a few more month, i left, aiming never to return. I went to Delhi and visited Lokanatha Swami, then off to service in Montreal Temple.
I had been spending my own account sankirtan from Canada money to upgrade the temple and grounds etc., such as ne cloth, moquito nets, a fence and planted gardens, ne tulsi garden , a huge sign, new proper letetrhead, a bicycle, daily milk. And the bank clerk acused me of embezling money from iskcon, as treasurer, somehow, not knowing Canadian brahmacaries had some money. I was spendng like it was Krsna's money, not my money, and I get acused by some punk, and no one even tells me until I am speaking before the GBC and sannyasis about it in Calcutta.??
What bullshit, actually. They laughed at it after, agreeing what bullkshit it was. Jayapataka, Bhavananda, Satadhanya Swamis, of all people. I used to hang with those devotees back then to a fair amount, actually. I was well treated, especially by Jayapataka, who was like a big brother to me. He saved my life in Vrndavana one festival day, 1975. When i think on it, i have half a mind to go back to Bhubaneswara and find that Bank clerk and sue him.
I sent SGGS personally money from my professional practice, couple hundred each month, for three years, a decade later, when i started an Audiology clinic and empolyed four devotees there. We exchanged a very nice letter or two this regards, and he expressed missing me to his disciples in Vancouver. No one had bothered to tell me he was coming there for a visit ! Hare Krsna.
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