October 1, 1977 : Bombay
Sri Nathji: At about 4:30 in the morning I got a phone call from Giriraja Swami. Crying, he said, "I want you to bring your big Dodge car." Giriraja Swami said, "Prabhupada wants to leave his body." I said, "What?" I had never heard anybody say that someone "wanted to leave his body." He said, "He wants to go to Vrindavana, and he's leaving his body. He's going away, and we have to take him to the train station." Srila Prabhupada decided to leave, and for the first time I cleaned my car. I didn't want Prabhupada to sleep in an unclean car. My wife arranged nice silk bedding, flowers, and incense in it, and I drove to the temple. There, Prabhupada was brought down from his quarters in a big basket.
We thought we had reached the Bombay Central Station too early. In my usual style, I asked the station-master, "Is the Mathura Express going at 11:00 a.m.?" He said, "Didn't you read today's newspaper? It leaves at 10:30 a.m." I told that stationmaster, "I will pay you anything, but stop that train. Don't start it until I tell you." He said, "What? I've never heard such a request." I said, "There is a big team coming. A very holy person is going to leave his body in Vrindavana, and he has to be on that train." Some of the devotees got Prabhupada's special cabin ready. It should have been an air-conditioned one, but for some reason, the devotees had booked a non-air-conditioned cabin. We took Prabhupada into his compartment just a few minutes before the train was about to leave.
From 4:30 until 10:30 that morning I had not had any water or food, and I was very thirsty. I bought a soda from a stand at the station, when Upendra came and said, "Prabhupada wants to see you." I left the soda and went in the cabin, wondering, "Why is Prabhupada calling me?" Prabhupada said, "Come closer." I went very close to him, and he said, "Thank you for driving me." I was very touched. So in the train, in front of everyone, I offered my obeisances and caught Prabhupada's lotus feet. I said, "Prabhupada, I surrender to you. You are my spiritual master." He put his hand in my hair and blessed me.
Reluctantly, I jumped off the moving train, and I watched it go until the last car had left. With tears in my eyes, I got into my car, and lo and behold, there was Prabhupada's garland on the steering wheel. He'd not forgotten me. That was the last time I saw Prabhupada. From 1971 through 1977, my memories are of fighting with him, debating with him, arguing with him. Finally, at the end I surrendered. Hare Krishna.
We thought we had reached the Bombay Central Station too early. In my usual style, I asked the station-master, "Is the Mathura Express going at 11:00 a.m.?" He said, "Didn't you read today's newspaper? It leaves at 10:30 a.m." I told that stationmaster, "I will pay you anything, but stop that train. Don't start it until I tell you." He said, "What? I've never heard such a request." I said, "There is a big team coming. A very holy person is going to leave his body in Vrindavana, and he has to be on that train." Some of the devotees got Prabhupada's special cabin ready. It should have been an air-conditioned one, but for some reason, the devotees had booked a non-air-conditioned cabin. We took Prabhupada into his compartment just a few minutes before the train was about to leave.
From 4:30 until 10:30 that morning I had not had any water or food, and I was very thirsty. I bought a soda from a stand at the station, when Upendra came and said, "Prabhupada wants to see you." I left the soda and went in the cabin, wondering, "Why is Prabhupada calling me?" Prabhupada said, "Come closer." I went very close to him, and he said, "Thank you for driving me." I was very touched. So in the train, in front of everyone, I offered my obeisances and caught Prabhupada's lotus feet. I said, "Prabhupada, I surrender to you. You are my spiritual master." He put his hand in my hair and blessed me.
Reluctantly, I jumped off the moving train, and I watched it go until the last car had left. With tears in my eyes, I got into my car, and lo and behold, there was Prabhupada's garland on the steering wheel. He'd not forgotten me. That was the last time I saw Prabhupada. From 1971 through 1977, my memories are of fighting with him, debating with him, arguing with him. Finally, at the end I surrendered. Hare Krishna.
Reference: Memories of Srila Prabhupada - Anecdotes of a Modern-day Saint - Siddhanta Dasa
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