Alone with Prabhupada 

Moments alone with Srila Prabhupada were rare but cherished.  Sometimes one daydreamed that he might always remain alone with him, but he would soon be awakened to the reality that Prabhupada was meant for everyone.  If it came about that Prabhupada was alone with a particular person for some time, he accepted that, but when others came into his association, he showed he was not attached to being with one over the other.  If you began to think that you had a special relationship with Prabhupada, that maybe Prabhupada liked to be with you alone, that feeling would be shattered.

In the early days Prabhupada appreciated an audience of any size – it meant that the preaching was alive and vital.  It meant that Krishna was being glorified.  It meant that kirtana was being conducted with great enthusiasm and that Prabhupada would be able to speak to many people about Krishna.  On occasions like that Prabhupada would think, “I am fulfilling my Guru Maharaj’s order.”

An envious person would misunderstand and think, “Oh, this man wants worship.  That’s what he likes.”  But when preaching, Prabhupada became surcharged with a different emotion.  He rose to these occasions and became very blissful with waves of Krishna consciousness.  It was a far cry from the long periods when no one cared to hear him.  He also saw it as suitable that Krishna’s representative was well received.

Prabhupada liked to be among others.  If he had wanted to be alone, he could have stayed in Vrindavan and never come to the West – and we all would be rotting in hell.