Srila Prabhupada Draws Adivata Acharya's Lila
Parikshit Dasa: We artists were painting pictures to illustrate the Chaitanya Charitamrita, and we had special opportunities to be with Prabhupada. Whenever he would come to New York, we would see him, he would comment on our paintings, and we would ask him questions about them. Since Jadurani was the oldest artist, she would ask the questions, and I was always in the background, afraid to speak up. But, when I moved to Los Angeles before the rest of the artists, I was the only person painting for Prabhupada's Chaitanya Charitamrita. I'd started painting Advaita Acharya praying for the appearance of Lord Chaitanya, and I went to Srila Prabhupada's quarters with my sketch of Advaita Acharya performing arati while he prayed to a Deity of Krishna.
Prabhupada said, "No, this is wrong. Advaita Acharya was praying to his shalagram shila." And with a pen and paper he started doing the drawing for me. He first drew a little asana and then he drew the shalagram shila. As he drew, he described everything. And at one point I said, "That's the umbrella?" And he said, "No, the canopy." I felt wonderful that he was personally instructing me, and I took it as a great gift. Immediately I took Prabhupada's sketch, went to work on my drawing, and then put that into the final painting. It was a wonderful experience.
Prabhupada said, "No, this is wrong. Advaita Acharya was praying to his shalagram shila." And with a pen and paper he started doing the drawing for me. He first drew a little asana and then he drew the shalagram shila. As he drew, he described everything. And at one point I said, "That's the umbrella?" And he said, "No, the canopy." I felt wonderful that he was personally instructing me, and I took it as a great gift. Immediately I took Prabhupada's sketch, went to work on my drawing, and then put that into the final painting. It was a wonderful experience.
Reference: Memories Anecdotes of a Modern Day Saint - Volume 3 by Siddhanta Dasa
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