Guru Maharaj: It is quite an introspective question. Somehow Srila Prabhupada gave me a lot of mercy. And I had a lot of his personal association in the first days. So therefore it was very special. I wanted to find a bonafide guru. And I tried different paths, different persons, but the teachers, the gurus, they always seemed to lack something. When I met Srila Prabhupada, I could see that he was someone who practiced what he preached. So I wanted to do anything I could do anything to serve him. I informed my parents, I thought they would be very happy that I was taking this spiritual path. But my father was very angry, he was not a devotee, I mean, he didn’t understand. He said, you come back immediately or I will turn you over to the American army AND YOU WILL DIE IN VIETNAM! I asked Srila Prabhupada what should I do? He said better you join Krishna’s army. So I have been in in Krishna’s army since. Being an army man, I didn’t have any problem. Srila Prabhupada as HG Acyutananda prabhu mentioned, he is 8 seconds my superior! So, somehow I always had some association, and I tried to always serve Srila Prabhupada. Being in India I definitely went through a culture shock, when I was there at first. Now I have become accustomed. Ha! I am Indian. So Srila Prabhupada was saying that you become a Bengali. Ha! Anyway, somehow if you are dedicated to carrying out your guru’s order, then even if you are young – I was –  at the age of 19 they made me a temple president in Montreal. I wrote to Srila Prabhupada I am still young, how can I be a president? He said,DON’T BE BODY CONSCIOUS! you are not the body. The body may be 19, but you are not, you are eternal! So like this, he was training me not consider young or all these things. Rather, I had to carry out my duties. Hare Krishna.

04-OCT-2020 SRIDHAM MAYAPUR