That really amazed me

Sandamini : I was raised Catholic and went to a Catholic grade school and high school. It was Our Lady of Lourdes, and so as a young girl I would always go into the grotto and I would pray for Mary to appear to me. I always wanted that personal relationship and to meet a saint. I didn’t know the term “pure devotee”, but that was my desire. I’d make flower garlands out of dandelions and put them on Mary or I’d sneak in and put them on her and I would pray fervently for years and years. Of course when I hit my teenage years that kind of went to the wayside, but I always had that desire deep down. After I met the devotees and they told me about Prabhupada, I was thinking I have to meet him. I was in Ohio and they said the headquarters were in Los Angeles. I thought, “I have to get out there.” My parents were totally dismayed that I was not going to go to college and that I was going to take a little road trip to California.

When I got to L.A. the devotees told me that Prabhupada was in San Francisco for the Ratha-yatra. I know it sounds horrible, but in order to see Prabhupada the next day, I hitchhiked up the coast with one lady devotee. The next morning the ladies went up on the bannister with flowers in their hands. I was anticipating finally meeting a living spiritual person. I truly felt Mary was coming through with my prayers. I was so excited.

I really didn’t know what to expect. It was kind of like meeting a rock star because you read about them, you hear their music, you hear them speak and now you’re finally going to see them. I was totally ramped up. I was on the balcony and as Prabhupada came closer, the kirtan got more and more fired up. A big group of sannyasis walked in and at first I didn’t realize that Prabhupada was in the middle because he was short in stature. Of course reading about him you think he’s ten feet tall. Finally the sannyasis parted a little bit and there he was.

At this point all the ladies instead of tossing gentle flower petals, they were taking whole carnations and belting Prabhupada with them. I was afraid that Prabhupada would get mad but he was not at all agitated. He wasn’t looking for respect for himself but acted as an ambassador for Krishna. He was totally grave. Generally if somebody knocks into us, or steps on our foot, immediately we want to retaliate or give them the evil eye. But Prabhupada was transcendental. He had a mission and he just glided on into the temple room. That really amazed me.