March 17, 1973 : Mayapur
Srutakirti: While staying in the small facility at the front of the property, Srila Prabhupada sometimes walked outside and observed his disciples taking prasadam behind his quarters. In the existing conditions, Srila Prabhupada considered his disciples like pioneers, undergoing great austerities to help him in his mission. Having no permanent cooking facility, the devotees used a small kerosene stove to cook puris. They cooked outside, near the area where they took prasadam. Cooking was going on as the devotees were eating, so they were continually being brought hot puris. During that time of the year date trees were tapped for their sap and it was cooked down into an incredibly tasty gur.
This day Srila Prabhupada left his room and walked outside and, of course, everyone offered their obeisances. "Go on. Take prasadam," he told them. He saw the combination of hot puris and date gur and said, "Oh, very good combination." Later in his room he said to me, "This is not a very good practice...the devotees having puris made on the spot, hot like that. This is not our system. You just take prasadam. Are we so high, lofty? These devotees have to be getting hot puris, one after another. This is not good. This must be stopped." That day I transferred the message to one of the temple administrators so that Srila Prabhupada's wishes could be carried out.
In India, especially in the holy places, Srila Prabhupada was always aware of how others saw us. He knew we were Vaishnavas, despite our western birth. He also knew we needed to be trained properly in Vaishnava etiquette. For the benefit of all, he wanted his temples in India to be considered first class. He patiently trained us so that it would happen.
This day Srila Prabhupada left his room and walked outside and, of course, everyone offered their obeisances. "Go on. Take prasadam," he told them. He saw the combination of hot puris and date gur and said, "Oh, very good combination." Later in his room he said to me, "This is not a very good practice...the devotees having puris made on the spot, hot like that. This is not our system. You just take prasadam. Are we so high, lofty? These devotees have to be getting hot puris, one after another. This is not good. This must be stopped." That day I transferred the message to one of the temple administrators so that Srila Prabhupada's wishes could be carried out.
In India, especially in the holy places, Srila Prabhupada was always aware of how others saw us. He knew we were Vaishnavas, despite our western birth. He also knew we needed to be trained properly in Vaishnava etiquette. For the benefit of all, he wanted his temples in India to be considered first class. He patiently trained us so that it would happen.
Reference: What is the Difficulty? - Srutakirti Dasa
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