(Srila Prabhupada foreground, Tribhuvanatha holding book)
Prabhupada greeted the Deities when he first arrived and said, "Be very careful. Do not become proud. You are dealing with Radha and Krishna. If you become proud, everything will be spoiled." Another time one guest asked Prabhupada, "Why does Krishna wear a peacock feather?" I thought that Prabhupada was going to give an esoteric reason, but in a simple way he said, "Because He likes to." On another occasion when he was sitting on the vyasasan, he said, "Krishna consciousness is so simple that you will miss it." I remember that because it is so simple and yet so deep.
We went to see the Indian Ambassador with Prabhupada. The temple was so poor at the time that we did not have a car. I asked the guests if anyone had a car we could use. A hippie said, "I have one swami can use." It was a ridiculous-looking Beetle with flowers painted on it. I thought, "How could we put Prabhupada in this?" But we had no choice, Srila Prabhupada, Shyamasundar, and I got in, and this hippie drove to the Indian embassy. When we saw the Indian Ambassador, Prabhupada was relaxed and transcendental. He spoke about Rupa Goswami and gave the Amabassador The Nectar of Devotion. For about half an hour, Prabhupada talked, and at the end of it the gentleman was purified. Prabhupada addressed the Ambassador by his first name, saying, "Last time I was here you said 'Swamiji, whatever you want, I will do if I can.' Now I have one request." By that time they had such a nice relationship that the Ambassador could not refuse. Prabhupada had completely melted him. Prabhupada asked the Ambassador to contact Indira Gandhi and arrange for five-year missionary visas for his disciples in India. It fascinated and amazed me how Prabhupada softened him by talking about the Goswamis and the philosophy. There was no businesslike talk. Prabhupada was an ambassador from the Goswamis, and when he met the Indian Ambassador he did it on his grounds. He didn't do it on the Indian Ambassador's grounds. Prabhupada didn't behave like a diplomat or in anyway try to conform to a mundane idea of negotiations.
That morning Prabhupada had a bit of breakfast and left about noontime by train for the program in Glasgow, but no one had provided lunch for him. From breakfast until the evening he didn't eat, but he didn't complain even once. Anyway, we got to the hall, which was packed with 400 to 500 people, and had a massive, ecstatic kirtan. We let anyone come in, and street kids were there, dancing like anything. Prabhupada encouraged them, as there was some rapport between them and Prabhupada. Most of the time we were trying to get these kids out, but Prabhupada didn't like us doing that. After the kirtan Prabhupada gave an amazing lecture from the Bhagavad-gita and then said, "Are there any questions?" An impersonalist stood up and in so many words said, "I am God, we're all God, it's all one." Prabhupada didn't speak. This guy was in the front of the audience, looking straight up at Prabhupada, and Prabhupada was looking straight at him. He carried on for some time and then finally ran out of words. Prabhupada looked very grave, but like a lion. There was complete silence. Prabhupada said, "You are not God, you are dog." He said it in such an amazing way that they guy practically fell back in shock. The audience stood up, clapped, cheered, and whistled as if someone had just scored a goal in the World Cup. It was an amazing reaction. Prabhupada was surprised at the reaction. The people completely backed him up.
After the program, Prabhupada and the devotees went to the back and, because we were so poor, had a feast of oranges. When Prabhupada was leaving, he was intoxicated with ecstacy. He was staggering down the hall with a beam that was incredible. I had never seen Prabhupada like that before. I was holding the door, and there was only Prabhupada and me. His servant was behind. When Prabhupada got to the door, he put both his hands on my head and started rubbing it in a very gentle way. I couldn't believe it. He said, "I am very pleased with what you have done. Now you preach Krishna consciousness all over Scotland." It was so beautiful that it's hard to put into words. It was one of those moments that are never repeated.
I was in the room with Prabhupada when he was about to shave. He had gotten soaped up, and Nanda Kumar was standing behind him with a towel. Prabhupada was trying to use the razor but was disturbed. He looked at Nanda Kumar, pointed to the razor, because Prabhupada had a razor with an adjustment dial on it, and said, "No dial?" Nanda Kumar said, "No, that is not your regular razor, Prabhupada. It doesn't have a dial." Prabhupada said, "Is it Gillette?" Nanda Kumar said, "No it is not Gillette." In a wonderful, unbelievable way, Prabhupada said, "Simply bogus." He rejected that razor like he'd reject Mayavadi philosophy. The razor sort of floated to the shelf. I was fascinated by the way Prabhupada looked so angelic.
.
Tribhuvanatha das
.
.
