Honouring Spiritual Master

Malati Dasi: In Surat Srila Prabhupada was treated in a way that we had never experienced before. It was in Surat that we understood that we didn't know how to properly honor and respect our spiritual master. He was treated like a saint, although to call Prabhupada a saint is shortchanging him. Prabhupada would be offered so many garlands that we had to remove some of them, and still more would be offered.

As we went down the streets, which were decorated with elaborate rice-flower drawings for Prabhupada's pleasure, people would pour flower petals on him, and they would apply sandalwood paste liberally to his forehead. We hadn't seen that before. Prabhupada was honored wonderfully and gloriously. And as he was honored so they also honored us, although of course not on the same level.