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Srila Prabhupada initating Soma Dasa and Sudasa

Soma : When he called me up for initiation in Boston in 1971, he said, "How many rounds do you chant?" I said, "Sixteen." "What are the four regulative principles?" I said them but I remember being so nervous because I didn't want to mess that up. I was kneeling in front of him looking at the floor. He said, "So your name is Soma das." He said, "Soma means the moon." When he said that, I said, "The moon?" I thought, "Is he chastising me or is he making fun of me or what? I thought we were supposed to get names of Krishna or something related to Krishna. What ? the moon?" With a bewildered look on my face I looked into Srila Prabhupada's eyes. It seemed like a long time and it was like he could see right through me to see my soul. All of a sudden he had this big smile that just lit up the whole room and he said, "You are moon-like." Everybody cheered, "Jaya!" Then I paid my obeisances and went to sit down. The very next devotee was my God-brother Sudasa. It was the same drill, "How many rounds do you chant, what are the four regulative principles?" Prabhupada said, "So your name is Sudasa. Sudasa means very nice servant of Krishna. Do you understand?" He hands him his beads and Sudasa said, "No." Prabhupada took the beads back. He said, "Do you want the beads or don't know?" Of course Prabhupada was smiling, and Sudasa said, "Yeah, yeah," and he gave him the beads. Prabhupada was joking with him and it was very humorous.


Reference: Memories Anecdotes of a Modern Day Saint - Volume 4 by Siddhanta Dasa