Srila Prabhupada Memories ~Transcendental To The Rain (Vrindavan July 77)
This is another story that exemplifies Srila Prabhupada's pure transcendental nature and his full Krsna Consciousness.
Srila Prabhupada was translating his books every night on his rooftop in Sri Vrindavan Dham. It was summer time and cool. He liked to translate and make his purports under the Vrindavan stars. At about 2am one night I was awakened by loud thunder. It was the beginning of the monsoon season. My room in the guesthouse overlooked Srila Prabhupada's roof. Whenever I woke up at night I would look out and see Srila Prabhupada translating as he did all night long. This time it was raining pretty hard and Srila Prabhupada was ringing his bell. I could see no one else was there. There was supposed to be someone with Srila Prabhupada twenty-four hours a day. Believe it or not sometimes devotees just didn't show up for their shifts especially late at night. I jumped out of bed and ran over and woke up Tamal Krsna Maharaja and Upendra Prabhu and we ran up and offered our obeisance's quickly and then proceeded to pick up the whole bed that Srila Prabhupada was sitting on and carried it to the covered part of the rooftop. (Keep in mind that at this time Srila Prabhupada could not walk by himself due to his illness)
Srila Prabhupada was soaked! I thought he was going to be very angry and chastise us for allowing that to happen. On the contrary, Srila Prabhupada was in a pleasant mood and chanting 'Jaya Radha-Madhava' to himself. I think that was his most chanted and favorite song. He went into trance right before my and the others eyes while chanting it before class in the Krsna Balarama Mandir in early 1976. I was a pujari and was sitting in front of my Sri Sri Goura Nitai Deities during class. Srila Prabhupada said everything is in that short song.
Upendra Prabhu proceeded to dry Srila Prabhupada off and help him change his clothes. All the while Srila Prabhupada continued to chant, completely transcendental to the rain. I was amazed and astonished again by the Krsna Consciousness of the pure devotee Srila Prabhupada.
Some devotees have asked me how I got to do so much personal service for Srila Prabhupada. I was very determined. One reason is that I was always made myself available. If someone didn't show up for their shift I'd take their time if I could.
To be one of Srila Prabhupada's personal servants you had to be quick, quiet, clean, innovative, and have a lot of energy. Of course being with the pure devotee gave us all the sakti in the world. We knew he was going to leave us soon because he told us so many times and I wanted to get all of the mercy I possibly could. My visa ran out in mid July and the Govt. wouldn't grant me another extension. I was thinking of just overstaying my visa to be with His Divine Grace, but he said to follow the laws of God and man. So I Did. Srila Prabhupada so kindly thanked me for my service saying, "Just see, I just train him up and the rascal government takes him away!" Then he looked lovingly at me and said, "Thank you very much for all your service, you've been very serious and sincere. You are welcome to be my personal servant anytime." I was overwhelmed with emotion at the compassion of my real well wishing father and guru Srila Prabhupada.
I'm so grateful to have done the little service that I did and hope that I will always feel Srila Prabhupada's presence and act like he's still here, (because he is spiritually), and could walk into the room at any moment. I better start reading his Krsna Book, because of all my many services for him that pleased him the most, when he saw me reading in my spare time. He said these books would do everything in time and we can see his words coming true all the time.
Hoping this meets you in best of health and happiness in KC!
Your friend and servant,
Gauridasa Pandita Dasa
Chant Hare KRSNA
and your life will
be Sublime!
~=>; )
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