Remembering Srila Prabhupada – Amsterdam Deity installation

Vaidyanatha Dasa: "I was surprised that such an elevated person, the leader of the Hare Krsna movement, became angry. In my mind, a transcendentalist always remained equipoised and serene. I didn’t know yet that a devotee could even show anger in Krsna’s service. I had been living with the devotees for less than a week. During the lecture, I was leaning against the wall, with my knees under my chin and my arms around them-the typical way you’re not supposed to sit in front of the Deities. Prabhupada must have noticed me, because suddenly he pulled his legs up and sat on the vyasasana in exactly the same way I was sitting and said, ‘It is an offense to sit in front of the Deities like this. Sit properly!’ This is the only personal instruction I ever received from Srila Prabhupada, and I have been trying to apply it in its broadest sense: not only to sit properly in the temple but also to be always properly situated in devotional service."

Revatinandana Dasa:"Prabhupada asked me to perform the fire sacrifice. While chanting the mantras, I had difficulty separating the compound words properly, and each time I made a mistake, Prabhupada corrected me. I became so nervous that at the end I forgot to chant namo maha-vadanyaya. Prabhupada interrupted me: ‘You don’t chant namo maha-vadanyaya? I will do it!’

"When it was time to light the fire, I picked up the ladle for the ghee with my left hand, being left-handed, and the wood with my right hand. When I realized what I was doing, I tried to switch the two quickly without anyone noticing it, but Srila Prabhupada had already looked at me disapprovingly, as if to say, ‘My disciples-just see!’

"The only time I saw Prabhupada smile that afternoon was when he handed Aksaya his sannyasa staff and made him Aksayananda Swami."

Astaratha Dasa: "While all this was going on, Nanda-kumara and I were busy dressing the Deities behind the curtain of the altar room. When we finally put Their Lordships on the altar, we realized that the canopy was too small, or rather, that the columns supporting it stood just in front of Jagannatha and Baladeva. Nanda-kumara thought for a second and said, ‘We have to take it off.’ So we lifted the canopy off the altar. But where to put it? There was no room. We had to take it out, and there was no other way than to carry it through the packed temple room over the heads of everyone. Srila Prabhupada, who was lecturing, looked on with surprise.

"But now the Deity room looked pretty empty. There was only the altar and a bare wall in the back. On one side, a large painting of the Panca-tattva leaned against the wall, and while looking at it, I had an idea. ‘Why don’t we put that behind the altar?’ I suggested. ‘Great idea,’ Nanda-kumara said. But there was nothing to support the painting, because the altar didn’t reach back to the wall. The only solution was to put something on the floor. So Nanda-kumara stuck his head through the curtains and shouted, ‘Bring books!’ Heads turned in surprise. Because quite a few books were needed, a human chain had to be formed to pass the books to the altar.

"When the curtains finally opened, the arrangement looked quite acceptable, and Nanda-kumara performed the first arati for the Deities.

"The atmosphere was then relaxed and became festive, with a tremendous kirtana shaking the whole building. After arati, huge quantities of halava and Simply Wonderfuls were served to everyone."

Revatinandana Dasa:"After the ceremony, Prabhupada was about to get into the car when he asked his servant, ‘You brought some prasadam?’ Nanda-kumara looked at him with surprise. ‘I thought you would take your usual, simple meal instead of the feast,’ he said. ‘No,’ Srila Prabhupada replied, ‘this is a Deity installation. I want to take maha-prasadam. Please go and get me a plate.’ So Nanda-kumara went back into the temple and came back with a big plate of prasadam.

"The Amsterdam traffic made for a rough ride; several times the car stopped abruptly. When the driver had to brake again, the plate of prasadam slipped onto the floor. Nanda-kumara was in total anxiety. He hoped Prabhupada would forget about the plate. But as soon as we arrived at the apartment, Prabhupada asked, ‘Where is the prasadam?’ His servant explained what had happened, but Prabhupada told him, ‘Bring it.’ And he ate everything, just to show us how important prasadam is.

"Prabhupada’s anger had left a deep impression on the Amsterdam devotees, and they really felt sorry that their inexperience had evoked Prabhupada displeasure. So Aksayananda Swami came to apologize, but Srila Prabhupada’s mood had already changed. I was surprised that he had shown such anger and now was as cool and calm as a lotus flower. I asked him about it, and Prabhupada said, ‘It’s for your education, not for my sake. A devotee does not become angry when offended, but when he sees that the Lord or another devotee is offended, he shows anger.’

"Then Prabhupada laid down on a couch to rest for a while. Lying on his back, he clasped his knees with his hands and slowly rocked back and forth while softly chanting, ‘Hari-bol! Hari-bol!’"

From the "Srila Prabhupada and His Disciples in Germany" by HG Vedavyasa dasa

Disclaimer: The article is posted in the Yahoo Groups – Govindadwipa. All credits goes to the group and their services. Hare Krishna.