Page 18 - MMOSP (English)
P. 18
My Memories of Çréla Prabhupäda
time I was more receptive, and after reading Kåñëa I decided
to visit the devotees. Thus, my next acquaintance with Çréla
Prabhupäda was in the form of his devotees and his movement.
And in April 1975, I was fortunate enough to be accepted into
the community of devotees at Bhaktivedanta Manor, near
London.
The devotees often spoke about Çréla Prabhupäda, with
great reverence, faith, and affection. They would teach me
the philosophy and practices of Kåñëa consciousness by
saying, “Çréla Prabhupäda said this” or “He showed us to do
like that.” And they constantly reveled in discussing Çréla
Prabhupäda’s wonderful activities as he traversed the globe like
a transcendental world conqueror. Much of our news about His
Divine Grace was relayed by devotees passing through London.
(Çréla Prabhupäda had discouraged unnecessary international
phone calling, and the internet was yet to be.) We would
eagerly gather round a visiting devotee to relish hearing
about the exciting things Çréla Prabhupäda had said—maybe
chastisement for some, encouraging words for others, a new
revelation from his recent translations, or his latest plans for
spreading Kåñëa consciousness.
Whether within the temple or out traveling in saìkértana vans,
devotees regularly listened to cassettes of Çréla Prabhupäda
speaking and chanting. We were saturated with Prabhupäda
consciousness. Even though I knew little of what it means to be
a disciple, I was worshiping Çréla Prabhupäda as my guru.
In the summer of 1975, news came that Çréla Prabhupäda was
in Paris and would soon come to London. Just by hearing this,
the devotees in Britain became joyful, and as the moment of
His Divine Grace’s expected arrival drew nearer, a mood of
tremendous excitement spread among them. At Bhaktivedanta
Manor, devotees were busy cleaning, painting, and putting
2