Another Sunday with Swamiji

I go up to the Swami’s room and the door is open.  I can see Jadurani back at her place.  She must have eaten prasadam quickly and come right up, and now she is singing the Hare Krishna mantra and tinkling the brush in the glass.  She paints a little on her canvas, then tinkles it in the glass to wipe it off, and then paints again.  There are some guests in the Swami’s room and he’s speaking to them.  So I’ll go in and sit down.  The Swami is saying that there are symptoms of advancement in Krishna consciousness.  You feel you should take down notes of what he’s saying because you have not heard this before.  Right away you ask yourself, “Do I have these symptoms of advancement?”  He says one symptom is that you’re not attached to the things of this world.  You’re also not lusty or greedy for material things because you’re satisfied in Krishna.  Hearing the Swami, you’re amazed at how he knows everything and speaks in such an ordered way, authoritative and very relaxed.  The room is warm and he’s sitting back, with his dhoti hitched up a bit so that you can see his satiny skin up to the knee.  He looks at me but doesn’t say anything because he’s really absorbed in talking, and I’m just glad that I’m there.  I’m included and listening.

After a while I ask a question — “Are there more symptoms of advancement?”  He says that another symptom is that you’re not afraid.   There’s no fear because you know that even if you die, you don’t die.  You are an eternal self.  Some of the guests don’t agree with him.  They make points and then the Swami counters again.

While he’s talking, Swamiji seems to take notice of the typing that’s in my hand.  He says, “What is that?  Do you have some typing for me?”  “Yes.”  You come forward on your knees and put the manuscript before him.  He touches it, looks at it in an offhand way and goes back to preaching.  But then a few minutes later he looks at you and asks, “Do you have more work?”  “Yes, I have more.”

I had been feeling sleepy over at my apartment and thinking, “Oh well, I can go and see him in the morning.”  But I’m glad I decided to come and see him, because this is where I really want to be.  As the evening gets later, Acyutananda looks in and asks, “Swamiji, would you like something to eat?   Would you like some puffed rice?”  Some of the guests realize how late it is and say that they’ll have to leave.  I think I should leave also and give the Swami some time to himself.  Finally we all get up and start for the door.   Swamiji says, “I need some time to work on the Srimad-Bhagavatam.”   Then he says, “The store will be open tomorrow morning at six o’clock.”  By the store he means himself.  A man says, “I have to get back to the Bronx and the daily grind again.  It sure has been nice being able to talk with you, Swamiji.  And I hope I can follow some of these principles.”  Everyone leaves Swamiji alone.  Jadurani stays in her corner, painting.  I could stay too, but I’m going to go.  I’ll be back in the morning.  We bow down and say goodnight, and somewhat reluctantly leave Swamiji.  He’s smiling to us, and we know we’ll be able to come back soon.  As I walk home, I picture the Swamiji in his room, alone, typing Srimad-Bhagavatam.