So today we had a special ceremony where the complete sets of the Caitanya Caritamrita were given out to the Tamil Nadu centres. I heard there were about 40 centres and this is a very historical moment. They were completing all the Caitanya Caritamritas at one time. I was publishing Prabhupad’s books on behalf of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, BBT. Prabhupad had given me special permission. And we had set up a printing press and facility at Mayapur. So until last year that was publishing all the books. Now BBT finds it more efficient to publish the books out of Calcutta. So we have ceased to publish the books. But we are going to have a BBT museum so that people when they visit Mayapur can see how the BBT is publishing the books all over the world. Prabhupad was very interested that his books be on display. He had copies of all the books that were available at that time and had them displayed in his room. What Prabhupad had done in publishing books was a special thing.

Some sadhus call themselves jagat guru but they may have one ashram and then ride on an elephant and have a procession of babas. But Prabhupad, he had hundreds of books and he walked with the elephant while putting the deity on the elephant. So his perspective was completely different. And he did not appreciate the so called jagat gurus. So he was telling us how his guru maharaj was a Vaikuntha man and he had walked around the Radha Kunda with Prabhupada and his son and he told Prabhupad to publish books. He said that since we have the temple people would argue who will stay in what room and what facility, but we want to actually distribute the message of Lord Caitanya.

That reminds me that one time there was a festival of Annakut, the mountain of rice. This was in remembrance of Govardhan. But a dog came and ate from the mountain. So Bhakti Siddhanta Swami Prabhupad said where did the dog eat from? There? There? There? Sure there? He bowed down and from that place he took some prasad. Very nice! Ha! He was a very practical person.

The cultivators went on strike and were not cutting the rice. So the work was stopped. So he went out and said, how do you do this? And someone showed him you grab a bunch of paddy and you cut it off. So he said, is this how you do it? He went and grabbed the rice paddy and started harvesting it. So all the workers saw that he was going to do it come what may be. So then he had all the sanyasis cutting the rice. I was in Mayapur and our laborers went on strike. Prabhupad sent all the sanyasis out and said finish the slab. I was the only one who knew how to use the cement mixer. So I mixed and they acted as coolies. So then they put it on the slab. So we can see how Prabhupad was doing what his guru maharaj had done and he had us do the same.

Once we were staying in the grass hut. The bees house was knocked down by the cows and they swarmed into Prabhupad’s room. Naturally he called for me! He said, take care of this. Ha! Now you cannot move bees from here to there. They are programmed, they go right to their house. So if you move their house they get bewildered. You have to move the house a kilometer away. After they are accustomed to that place you can move them back. So in Mayapur there was never a dull moment! Bees, cows, you name it!!

So Prabhupad had me walk on the thin pathways and take him to the Ganges. He said that if I had a pathway to the Ganges I would go every day. So I was thinking how we could make a road to the Ganges to satisfy Srila Prabhupad.

One day we went to the Ganges and the water was clear. So Prabhupad said let us take a dip. His secretary said, I did not bring any bathing cloth. Prabhupad looked around and said, there are no ladies here! Ha! So everyone was wearing their top piece with their kaupins and going for a dip. Prabhupad, he did not know swimming but he would regularly bathe in the Ganges. He would cover his eyes, ears, nose and mouth and dip three times. One of the sanyasis got a bit frivolous and splashed Srila Prabhupad and Prabhupad gave him a kind of laser look and he was understood that they should not go that far!

So these are some of the things that happened in Mayapur. Any questions?

Hare Krishna! Thank you very much!

5 May 2018
JRDD