20231006 Question and Answer Session

Jayacharan: How was your experience when you had met Śrīla Prabhupāda for the first time?

Jayapatākā Swami: You see, my experience was even before the first time! His secretary gave me a set of beads. So I went out in the park and I was chanting. I chanted about 26 rounds, nonstop! And I was feeling so much ecstasy, I had never felt anything like this before. At that time, I was in San Francisco and Śrīla Prabhupāda was in Montreal. I came back to the temple and Śrīla Prabhupāda’s secretary was waiting for me. He asked me do you have the beads? I said, “Yes, of course.” He said, “I was not supposed to give those to you, those were Śrīla Prabhupāda’s beads!” So I gave him back. Other beads were not quite the same! So, even before I met Śrīla Prabhupāda for the first time, I had an introduction.

Jayavant: When you think of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda at this moment, what is the one advice or incident or activity which you only remember?

I am sure there were many, considering that you were his dear devotee.

Jayapatākā Swami: When I saw Śrīla Prabhupāda, I was overwhelmed. Sometimes, he would call me in the night, sometimes he would call me in the day time. Sometimes he would talk to my pūrvāśrama mother. And he would be telling her we are the living force in the body. And she would give him a rose bouquet and then he would thank her and praise her and acknowledge the roses. Everything about Śrīla Prabhupāda was exceedingly wonderful! Sometimes, someone told me that he would bow down to Śrīla Prabhupāda. And he told me when I bow down, I should praise Śrīla Prabhupāda, I should humble myself and then ask a question. And whenever I would ask a question, Śrīla Prabhupāda I am a fool. He would look at me and say, “Yes!” We couldn’t get away saying anything to Śrīla Prabhupāda, he would immediately answer.

Question: In certain places where we have ISKCON temples, there would be another group of devotees having their own centers.

Even if the ISKCON temple is very close by, what is your opinion on this?

Jayapatākā Swami: You see when I was a new devotee, I visited every temple in ISKCON. San Francisco, New York and Montreal! Three! And there were no other devotees in these temples, nearby. But right now, we have about 800 temples, more or less. And there is this one temple I know, mostly there are no other devotees. In India, we have one place we have a few temples but in other countries you don’t see. Of course, in some places, there is the Gauḍīya Maṭha and other devotees. It is alright. They are making devotees around the world is good. But it is very rare, most they are ISKCON devotees.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!