Srila Prabhupada's Garden (Gauridasa Pandita das)

Vrndavan Dham 1977. Srila Prabhupada was very fond of his garden behind his house in Sri Vrndavan dham. It was one of my duties to prepare the garden for His Divine Grace's arrival. The cover for the vyasasana would be changed daily. Incense would be lit and stuck in the ground on both sides of the vyasasana. One day I lit Sai Flora and Srila Prabhupada told me to take it away because it was to strong. I returned with a saffron-sandlewood incense called Kesar Chanday. Srila Prabhupada said it was very nice, so I lit that kind from then on.

Srila Prabhupada would translate all night on his rooftop in Vrndavan. This was in the summer of 1977. He would sleep for a short time then rise, bath and enter the garden to chant japa. He had three sets of beads, which he would choose from to chant on; small, medium and large beads.

Srila Prabhupada was also very fond of the fountain in his garden. I would turn it on before he came. The tranquil sound added to the Vrndavan atmosphere, which is conducive to hearing and chanting about the Lord Sri Krishna.

In the four months I personally served His Divine Grace, I only talked to him when he spoke to me first. In Bombay he got annoyed at a guest for interrupting him all of the time. Srila Prabhupada told us privately that one should not speak up so much before the spiritual master, but only speak when asked. I always kept this in mind.

One morning as I was fanning Srila Prabhupada in the garden, a fly landed above his lip. Srila Prabhupada was deeply immersed in his chanting, with his eyes closed and wasn't bothered. Still I wanted to shoo away the fly. I tried to get real close with my finger, but the fly was persistent on getting the mercy of the pure devotee and kept returning, kind of like myself I think. Finally Srila Prabhupada opened his eyes and I jumped back to my post. Srila Prabhupada said, "You are fanning around the world; but you can't get the fly off my face!" Then reaching for the camara said, "Give me that", and began to swish it across his face and told me to do the same. Minutes later the fly returned; I hesitated for a moment then swished the camara across his face. Srila Prabhupada nodded nicely and smiled. This little episode showed me that devotional service was not for show, but is a practical activity. I though I was the best fanner in the movement and seldom allowed others to share in the mercy. Srila Prabhupada was ego-less. He never did anything for show. He had a transcendental ego, always seeing everything in the service of the Lord. My ego was smashed again by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada.

One fine morning I was waiting for Srila Prabhupada to come down into the garden, when I noticed a little bush with four little fragrant white flowers on it. I picked the flowers and put them on his vyasasana. When he sat down he picked up the flowers and smelled and held them for nearly two hours. The next morning when he sat on his vyasasana he put out his hand and I realized that he wanted those flowers. I didn't think there would be any more, because I picked them all the day before, but I raced over and took a look. To my surprise there were eight little flowers there, like magic. I gave them to His Divine Grace, who smelled them repeatedly and commented that simply by smelling that particular type of flower it regulated your life airs.

Everything, every gesture, every act of His Divine Grace is a lesson for all of us. We are so fortunate to have memories, books, tapes and videos for our benefit and the benefit of future generations. All glories to our acharya, whose every act is an inspiration. We cannot even begin to understand his exalted position as the Supreme Spiritual Master, but this will be realized more and more in time.

Srila Prabhupada showed his great intelligence, humbleness, austerity and courage in that last summer of '77. He showed us how to act to attain perfecton. We need to hear about it and act in a way that will make him proud.

Devotional service is practical, not for show, if we want to go back to Godhead. Let's get real, let's get ready; let's join our eternal master and our Supreme Lord Sri Sri Radha Krishna. Om Tat Sat.

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irg@zetnet.co.uk
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!