On Friday, December 16, as I stood in the altar room with Prabhupada and a few other devotees, I had an unusual feeling. It seemed that I had known him always, yet simultaneously it seemed like we had just met. Although I had only known him for eight weeks, somehow, practically every time I spoke with him felt like a first-time meeting.Prabhupada began describing a dream he had the previous night. In the dream all his disciples were in Tompkins Square Park, surrounded by thousands of people who were chanting and dancing to the Hare Krsna mantra. He asked me to recreate this dream in a painting.Of course I agreed, happy that he was being so personal with me, and happy to have any connection with him. I did not even consider how I would begin such an epic painting. The next day, before I had time to figure it out, Prabhupada's dream turned into reality. The managers of Tompkins Square Park had a festival planned for Sunday, and they wanted the devotees to chant on the stage.Prabhupada asked me to forego painting his dream, and paint instead a large Hare Krsna mantra sign that we could carry on stage with us. I immediately went to the art store on 8th Street, this time purchasing a six-foot by three-foot piece of glossy oak tag.As was usual for Sunday mornings, the altar room was crowded. Although on weekdays one or two devotees did the cooking for everyone in the tiny but well-equipped kitchen in Prabhupada's apartment, on Sundays, almost all the devotees became cooks in order to prepare prasadam for seventy to one hundred guests. Now Brahmananda, Satsvarupa, Kirtanananda, Hayagriva, Gargamuni, Acyutananda, Rupanuga and others were there- cutting vegetables, rolling samosas, mixing salads and making sweetballs.I was also there, sprawled across the parquet floor as I painted the mantra on the oak tag sign. I couldn't figure out how to reach the top section of this huge sign without lying over the holy names. Although I tried just stretching my arms, they would not reach. The only way seemed to be if I stretched practically my whole body over the words. I felt slightly uncomfortable, as though I was doing something wrong.I remembered my recent reading from the Srimad Bhagavatam: "The name Krsna and the Personality of Godhead Krsna are identical. There is no difference in the absolute realm between the name, form or person of the Absolute Truth because in the absolute realm everything is transcendental bliss. His name, fame, form and pastimes are all one and the same transcendental identity, and they are not knowable by the exercise of the material senses."I felt uncomfortable, but I had no solution and so I continued.Absorbed in my work, I didn't notice when Prabhupada came in to inspect the progress of our various services. Seeing his feet, I stopped my painting and looked up at him. From my position on the ground he looked like an ancient, and yet soft, Indian sculpture. "O Swamiji, I didn't see you," I said. "Am I being offensive to the sign by doing this?"Prabhupada smiled. "Once," he said, "Krsna had a headache. He asked His servant, Narada Muni, to get dust from the feet of any of His devotees. He said that only such dust could cure Him."Narada went everywhere, but no one cooperated. They all asked, 'How can we put the dust of our feet on Krsna's head? We will go to hell for such an offense!'"Finally he went to Vrndavana where the gopis live. Since they are Krsna's most surrendered devotees, they all agreed to help." Prabhupada dramatized the scene using his own hands, feet and facial expressions to show the gopis taking dust from their feet and offering it to Narada."Narada asked, 'Do you not fear going to hell for such an offense?'"So they replied, 'Never mind. We shall go to hell, but let Krsna be cured.'"This is the kind of selfless devotion that Lord Caitanya has come to teach. This is love. For loving service, you can take all risks."I smiled, and now with authorization, continued to lean over the mantra.http://www.vrindavan.org/English/HolyPl/Pilgrimage1.html(Unknown speaker)
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A good lesson for us all ! Hare Krsna