You have a complaint? You better be ready to make a solution!
Prabhupada didn’t appreciate criticism unless we had a positive correction. Otherwise it’s better to shut up.
Trivikram Swami: I heard from Prabhupada’s secretary, Upendra, that the devotees in Japan had been thrown out of the country and that our Society was in jeopardy there.
This disturbed me, as I had spent three years in Japan. I felt that the devotees there, headed by Gurukripa and Yasodanandana, were in a passionate mood to collect money.
They didn’t care about registering the Society and keeping it in good standing. In my disturbed mood I went into Prabhupada’s room. Prabhupada was alone.
I blurted out, “I knew this was going to happen.” Prabhupada looked at me as if to say, “Who is this aborigine coming into my room?”
I said, “We’re being thrown out of Japan, and we have Radha Krishna Deities there.” Prabhupada was saddened and said soberly, “I did not want this to happen. All right, you can go back.”
I was shocked. I thought, “Oh God, what have I done? I opened my mouth, and now I have to go back to Japan. I didn’t want to do that.”
That was the way Prabhupada dealt. If you had an objection or a complaint, you’d better be ready to make a solution.
You couldn’t lodge a complaint without being ready to put your neck on the line. The next day I told Prabhupada, “I am willing to go back if that’s what you want.”
Prabhupada sent me to Japan with another devotee, and we kept the center open and maintained the Deity worship. I was the pujari.
This was a good lesson. It’s easy to criticize, but Prabhupada didn’t appreciate criticism unless we had a positive correction. Otherwise it’s better to shut up.
I was deputed to drive Prabhupada from the airport to the temple, and while I drove, I adamantly talked about my experience with him in London and I asked him if I could give him massages while he was here.
There were three devotees in the back, including the GBC, who were quiet. Prabhupada was also quiet. I was the only one talking.
I heard that Prabhupada had just gone to Russia, and I said, “You were in Russia, Prabhupada?”
Prabhupada said, “Yes,” but he didn’t get into a conversation with me. He didn’t want to become my buddy and start jibber jabbering with me like an equal.
Everybody in the back laughed, because Prabhupada was clearly telling me to cool it, to shut up, and let him talk as he saw fit.
Prabhupada was saying, “Don’t pump me with questions.” Although Prabhupada was humble, he was also straightforward. He would go right to the point. He wasn’t embarrassed to be blunt and personal.
In Bombay in 1976, Srila Prabhupada had an animated discussion with a yogi. Somehow the talk came to the point of the spiritual master, and then I got into the conversation.
I said, “Yes, this is the basic point. We have to accept a spiritual master.” I thought that this man should accept Prabhupada as his spiritual master.
Prabhupada immediately picked up on it and looked at me as if to say, “Shut up, get out of this conversation, it’s over your head, don’t be lecturing to this guy.”
Prabhupada said that with his eyes. He didn’t say all those words, but I could understand that that was his purport.
The yogi was an advanced person, Prabhupada had a relationship with him, and Prabhupada didn’t want me to be telling him anything. That was a nice lesson for me.
Another time Prabhupada was talking with an important person in Bombay, when there was a lull in the conversation and I said something.
Prabhupada looked at me as if to say, “Now what are you doing?” But I quoted a verse that was appropriate to Prabhupada’s point about how we should be eager, even greedy, for Krishna consciousness.
When Prabhupada saw that I was contributing something, he immediately took it and continued his animated preaching.
So we could speak when Prabhupada was preaching, but we’d better be sure that we understood the mood he was in. Otherwise, if we changed the subject, Prabhupada could become disturbed.
A similar thing happened on a morning walk in Vrindavan in 1974. Prabhupada had been speaking, and I said, “This reminds me of a teacher that I had when I was in the university, Srila Prabhupada.”
Prabhupada looked at me with a look that said, “This better be a good story.”
Prabhupada and everybody else stopped walking, and I told the story of my big philosophy teacher who changed his philosophy when he became sick.
Prabhupada had been sick at the time, and when I said that, Prabhupada laughed. He said, “We are not changing our philosophy because we become sick.”
He appreciated my story, but when I said things that were inappropriate, Prabhupada wouldn’t hesitate to chastise me.
In the last days, when Prabhupada was confined to his bed, I said something inappropriate, and Prabhupada showed displeasure.
Prabhupada was talking about the doctor that was coming from Calcutta and was asking his secretary, Tamal Krishna Maharaj, questions.
At the end of that, Prabhupada changed the subject. He said, “So has he left yet?” I thought that Prabhupada was talking about the doctor, so I said, “Yes, he’s already left.”
The whole room was quiet. Prabhupada looked at me and said, “Who do you think I meant?” I started backpedaling. I said, “I guess I was speculating, Prabhupada.”
Prabhupada said, “Who do you think I meant?” He wouldn’t let me off. He kept pushing, and I said, “I was talking about the doctor.”
Prabhupada didn’t say anything but turned on his bed and gave me a cold shoulder. It went right to my heart.
Prabhupada didn’t say a word, but with a slight gesture I felt, “Oh, boy, what have I done? I’ve disturbed the spiritual master in these days when he is not well.”
Then Tamal Krishna Maharaj said, “Who were you referring to, Srila Prabhupada?”
Prabhupada said, “My son,” because his son had been in Vrindavan and was due to leave. Then they started talking in that way.
To me, Prabhupada’s most striking quality was his ability to encourage everyone. He didn’t flatter, but somehow he’d get people to sacrifice for Krishna, to sacrifice for their own good, for spiritual life.
Prabhupada was expert at seeing a little good quality and fanning it to make it grow. This wonderful ability was the most extraordinary thing about Prabhupada.
The first impression that Prabhupada gave was that “He sees the best in me,” and this attracted so many people.
Later on, of course, he may correct you, but that was out of love. You always had the feeling that Prabhupada was your well-wisher.
A teacher, an ordinary person, even parents, might be a little envious or have some motive, but not Prabhupada.
His compassion was his most impressive qualification. And it is still present. And we need it. Without his mercy, what is our position?
—Trivikram Swami
