20240828 Śrīla Prabhupāda Kathā to Sylhet Devotees Via Zoom

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: I will speak something about Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Vyāsa-pūjā. Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted that there should be nice preaching of Lord Gaurāṅga in Bangladesh. He used to give some money every month for Bangladesh so that there could be preaching there. And Śrīla Prabhupāda, he gave money for Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan every month. He said that like fish is cooked in its own oil, I don’t know much because I don’t know eat fish, he said that similarly, giving just a little money we can preach in Bangladesh. I don’t remember, he used to give 500 or 600 rupees. This way, for some days there was preaching going on in Bangladesh.

And the desire of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda was that there should be preaching of kṛṣṇa-bhakti all over the world. And he established 108 temples. One astrologer had told his father when he was a baby, that he would establish 108 temples all over the world. I had gone to Los Angeles. And I had thought that the way the Śrī Sampradāya have 108 Divya-deśam, like that these temples which Śrīla Prabhupāda personally established, they should be given a special name. Śrī Sampradāya said Divya-deśam. So we should give them a name śrīpāṭ or something, that was my idea.

Śrīla Prabhupāda used to visit Māyāpur twice a year. I have had that experience. He did not go to Bangladesh but he ordered that there should be preaching and also supported Bangladesh that way. So in the beginning he used to come and stay in the bhajan-kuṭīra. Then after the Lotus Building was built, he would stay here. Then the bathrooms were still not completely built. We had to take a can to the bathroom as there was no water facility. They used to clean the dirt with the water. I and Bhavananda used to race to get the can. Most of the time he used to be first. Sometimes I won!

One day Śrīla Prabhupāda called for me. He was in the bathroom. I came running. And there was a poisonous snake and that snake was in the bathroom! The snake was trying to bite Srila Prabhupada! What could I do? Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted that I should do something. It was an extremely dangerous situation. What could I do? Please tell me what could I do? Śrīla Prabhupāda was standing holding the door handle of the bathroom on one side and the snake was on the other side in between the door and the wall. I told Śrīla Prabhupāda to leave his hand. And quickly closed the door. The snake got squashed between the door and the wall. And then I opened it and pulled Śrīla Prabhupāda out! So, the snake does not stay alone, all the time they have a mate, male or female. Śrīla Prabhupāda said, we should search for the mate of this snake and kill it. This way there were some intense incidents.

Śrīla Prabhupāda used to go to sleep by 9 or 10 pm and wake up by 1 am. His secretary one day came and knocked on my door, “Tuk, tuk, tuk!” And said that, “Śrīla Prabhupāda is asking for you.” I saw it was around 1 or 2 in the morning. I got up washed my face, hands and feet and ran to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s room. I paid my obeisances to him. Then asked what Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted. Śrīla Prabhupāda told me what he was thinking and said he wanted this thing. He then asked me to leave. Śrīla Prabhupāda knew that day or night I was always accessible. When Śrīla Prabhupāda used to come we used to see from here to where the hospital is now, but the hospital was not there then. One devotee was posted there and when he saw Śrīla Prabhupāda’s car, then he would burst a fire cracker which was the signal that he had almost come. We would know then that Śrīla Prabhupāda had arrived. Then we would all go and stand near the main gate. Śrīla Prabhupāda would enter and we would offer flowers. Now there is TOVP but then there was nothing and Śrīla Prabhupāda would mercifully walk and come.

This way, everyday Śrīla Prabhupāda used to walk around and see if there was any paper or dirt around, he would ask, what is this? He desired that Māyāpur be an exemplary place. He wanted to give the example of Māyāpur to all other temples to emulate.

Any way you are all organizing Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Vyāsa-pūjā. For that I am extremely grateful to all of you. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

If you have any questions?

[audio break]

Bhakti Advaita Navadvīpa Swami: The way you did service to Śrīla Prabhupāda how can we also follow you and do the same service to you? Kindly enlighten us.

Jayapatākā Swami: You should all do your service with determination. Follow the four regulative principles very careful. And chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra every day. Everyday, I chant 27, 30 or 40 rounds every day!

I generally at this time give another class, on Caitanya-śikśāmṛta.

Devotee: Please accept my ananta-koṭi obeisances. Please bless me that I am nicely engaged in preaching activities.

Jayapatākā Swami: Blessings to all of you! I have collected some donation and give to Swami Bagh Temple. And this is going to be distributed to all the temples.

(Offering prasāda to Guru Mahārāja)