by Prabhava Dasa (ACBSP)
A short story of how I was officially rescued by Srila Prabhupada and how I joined ISKCON in Mayapur in the winter of 1973. At that time my mother was already an initiated devotee and had received Brahmanical initiation. There was a shortage of cooks who could cook for Radha Madhava, but at that time they had my mother who did all the cooking. She cooked so well that Srila Prabhupada himself tasted it and even arranged for her to travel to Vrindavan to cook for him during his stays there. At that time my mother and father were having a lot of conflict, which I witnessed growing up. It was a difficult and troubling time. My mother sought solace and fellowship at ISKCON in Mayapur during this time. ISKCON provided my mother with a sense of belonging, purpose and the opportunity to deepen her connection with Krishna. Even in the midst of family tensions, she found peace, guidance and renewed faith through her devotional service in ISKCON. Once I met my father and he told me that I had to leave ISKCON and come with him. Of course I said no. It’s clear that Krishna had a higher plan for me, one that allowed me to experience the transcendental atmosphere of Mayapur and the association with Srila Prabhupada. This is the story of Srila Prabhupada’s divine intervention in my life to follow the path of bhakti, and the story serves as a powerful reminder of how the Lord orchestrates events to bring sincere souls under the protection of His pure devotee.
And so, one morning during Guru Puja, I was hurriedly called to the temple office for an emergency meeting. When I arrived at the office, the local GBC member was there, with my mother on one side and my father on the other, and an interpreter present. I was asked a direct question: “Do you want to stay in ISKCON with your mother, or do you want to go with your father?”
It was a heart-wrenching moment that would irrevocably change the course of my life. The weight of the decision was upon me and I could feel the tension in the air, thick and palpable. On the one hand, there was the lure of remaining within the familiar embrace of ISKCON, the spiritual community that had nurtured me from birth, with my mother by my side. But on the other hand, there was the prospect of venturing into the unknown with my father, a path shrouded in uncertainty yet brimming with possibility. I knew that whichever choice I made, there would be no turning back. It would be a fork in the road, a pivotal point that would forever change the trajectory of my existence. With a calming breath, I steeled my resolve and uttered the words that would determine my fate. The effects of that decision would reverberate for years to come, shaping my experiences, my relationships and my very identity. It was a crossroads that required courage, wisdom and an unwavering commitment to the path I had chosen.
It was a pivotal moment, and I can only imagine the weight of that decision. But in the end, devotion to Srila Prabhupada and the shelter of ISKCON prevailed, and I was officially “rescued” by the grace of my beloved spiritual master. .
So there I was, the question weighing heavily on my mind as everyone waited expectantly for my answer. At that moment I knew I had to think quickly and make a decision.
I’ll never forget the day I decided to stay in the ISKCON temple with my mother. It wasn’t an easy decision, but deep down I knew it was the right one.
In the end, the choice to fully embrace the temple lifestyle was clear. I could feel Krishna’s presence there. With Mum by my side, I knew we’d be carried through life’s tests and challenges by our faith. Our modest apartment was nice, but the temple was where we truly belonged.
“I will stay in ISKCON with my mother.” – Those were my words.
As soon as the words left my mouth, I could see the anger in my father’s eyes. “But you told me earlier that you were coming with me,” he retorted, slamming the door as he stormed out of the room. It was a tense and emotional situation, but I remained firm in my decision to stay with my mother.
A week later, my mother and I had to appear at the Navadwip court for a hearing. It was a difficult time, but we weathered the storm together, drawing strength from our shared devotion to Krishna and the supportive community of Iskcon.
Along with many American and European devotees (there was no local Indian devotee there) we came to the court. It was an old building with crumbling walls, it seems to be part of the old British government building, hardly maintained. Practically people were spilling over the wall to the side of the court to watch the drama and they were coming to watch the Western and American devotees. It was like a film scene.
I stood very close to the judge and had to repeat the sentences aloud. The first one was, “I will stay in ISKCON with my mother”. That was it… The judge then wrote: “He is a small boy and does not know what he is doing. He is being brainwashed by these Westerners. The case was dismissed. A month or two later we went to another court hearing, again in Navadwip. This time the judge officially ruled in my favour that my guardian would be Srila Prabhupada. As a young devotee, I remember feeling relieved and grateful that Prabhupada had been recognised as my rightful spiritual guardian. It was a significant moment that cemented his role in my life.
My father was a close friend of Madhava Maharaja, who lived not far from ISKCON Mayapur and was not always helpful to Prabhupada at the time, but who was associated with the Gaudiya Math. Thanks to this connection, he received support and financial assistance from the Gaudiya Math. In this way, he had the financial means to fight the case in court. But fortunately the decision was on my side, on the side of ISKCON.