Srila Prabhupada Treats His Envious Godbrothers Nicely

This is a memory by Srila Prabhupada's disciple, Anakadundubhi Dasa.

One time his Godbrothers came. Sridhara Maharaja was there also. He had a great love for Sridhara Maharaja, because he one time told Subhag that Sridhara Maharaja was the person who brought him to Krsna consciousness. He was the first Gaudiya Math devotee to go to his house, Prabhupada's house, and preach to him in Calcutta. One time Sridhara Maharaja came, and Srila Prabhupada heard that he was here, and he came running down the stairs without putting any shoes on or anything, to greet him in his room. And I said, "Srila Prabhupada, you haven't got any shoes on." And he said, "What do I care? My Godbrother has come. I must go and greet him." That afternoon I went to bring his garland over to his room. All the doors and windows were shut, and he was sitting in the room with all of his Godbrothers, and Sridhara Maharaja was put in a respected position. And I went to give Srila Prabhupada his garland, but he said, "No, don't give it to me. Give it to Sridhara Maharaja." He respected him very greatly.

Srila Prabhupada with his Godbrother Sridhar Maharaj

Prabhupada used to keep an asana in his room, and whenever Krsna dasa Babaji used to come, he would come and sit down on the asana next to Srila Prabhupada, and they would have such an intimate relationship. They would be sitting there laughing, even in front of other Godbrothers. It seemed like the others really weren't in on what was going on with Srila Prabhupada. Krsna dasa Babaji would sit there laughing and laughing in so much ecstasy, and they would say something and laugh and laugh. It was like really old friends. I would follow Srila Prabhupada down from his room sometimes. I was his guard, so I would walk down behind him and I would see Krsna dasa Babaji would wait downstairs, and as Srila Prabhupada would come downstairs, he would appear and pay his obeisances, and he would just have this laugh on his face that he was so glad to see Srila Prabhupada. It was really love. He was so pleased to see Srila Prabhupada, and Srila Prabhupada also would be so pleased to see him, and they would laugh together and joke.

Sesa: He's here in Mayapur, this Krsna dasa?

Anakadundubhi: He travels all around. He's known not to stay anywhere more than three days, but after Srila Prabhupada's disappearance, he stayed here for four days and took prasada in my office every day. I would serve him. Always, always chanting Hare Krsna, all day; and even when he's resting at night, you can hear him chanting. He just rests, and the lights are off, but he's chanting all the time. He's very wonderful. He said, "I love this ISKCON. Every day's a festival in ISKCON. That's what I love about this asrama -- so much alive. It's always a festival here. That's why I like to stay here." He said, "Swami Maharaja's asrama is always so alive." He liked it very much. Everyone knows he never stays anywhere more than three days. Prabhupada never disrespected any of his Godbrothers, though. That's one thing he says in Caitanya-caritamrta: you should never disrespect your Godbrother. Whenever they came, he would offer them all respects and speak with them very nicely, and he would never challenge them. At the same time, after they'd gone, he would make his comment. But he never disrespected them. He always received them very nicely.

Sesa: But did he talk about the conflict?

Anakadundubhi: Yeah. He would talk about it sometimes. One year he said, "I want to meet with my Godbrothers." He was here during the festival. He said -- he offered them -- "We will pay all of your overhead, all of your management, all of your... We will give full financial support. You join us, we will give the vans. You just preach. We will give all facility. Join with us and we will give you all facility to just preach." But they wouldn't do it. One very dear Godbrother was here called Govinda Maharaja. He disappeared very soon after Srila Prabhupada's disappearance.

Sesa: Nothing much ever came of his meetings with them, though.

Anakadundubhi: No. They didn't want to make any conditions at all. One day I was standing in Srila Prabhupada's doorway, and they'd sent some invitation for him to come there, and he said, "No. What's the use of my going there? You won't listen to what I say and you won't let me preach. What's the use of my going to your temple?" And then later on, one chief of police -- he comes here now and again -- he came to Srila Prabhupada's room for darsana that night. He was saying to Srila Prabhupada, "They invited you, but you didn't go." Prabhupada said, "It is just like when the Kauravas heard the Pandavas blowing their conch shells. They heard Krsna's and the Pandavas' conch shell, and their hearts were shattered. So similarly, the Gaudiya Math is seeing our preaching. It is just like the Pandavas' conch shells, and their hearts have become shattered. Therefore they cannot join with us."

Srila Prabhupada with his disciples preaching in India